The dream of the universe

Are We But a Dream? Unraveling the Mystery of Existence and Enlightenment

"We are but a dream of the universe." This profound statement, echoed by many ancient wisdom traditions and modern spiritual teachers, invites us to contemplate the very nature of our existence. If enlightenment is akin to "waking from a dream," as many ascended masters suggest, then a captivating question arises: Who, or what, is the dreamer? And what exactly does it mean to awaken?

For centuries, humanity has grappled with the concept of a unifying force behind all creation. Whether we refer to it as the Higher Self, God, Source, or the Universe itself, these names often point to the same boundless, intelligent energy from which everything originates. It's possible these seemingly distinct labels are simply different facets or frequencies of this singular, divine essence – a universal consciousness that manifests in myriad forms. Our individual connection to this source might lead us to resonate with one name over another, yet ultimately, we are all referencing the same great creator.

For your art journal or art inspiration!

But if we are indeed part of a grand cosmic dream, what would it be like to "wake up"? Enlightenment isn't merely an intellectual understanding; it's often described as a radical shift in perception, a profound knowing that transcends the limitations of the ego and the material world. It could involve:

• A dissolution of the illusion of separation: Recognizing our inherent interconnectedness with all beings and the universe itself. The feeling of being a solitary drop in the ocean gives way to the realization that we are the entire ocean in a drop.

• An experience of pure consciousness: Moving beyond the constant chatter of the mind and ego to a state of profound peace, clarity, and boundless awareness.

• The unveiling of our true nature: Discovering the infinite potential, unconditional love, and innate wisdom that lies within us, free from the conditioning of societal norms and personal history.

• Living in alignment with universal flow: Effortlessly navigating life with grace and purpose, guided by an inner knowing rather than external pressures.

Perhaps the "dreamer" is this very universal consciousness, and our individual lives are its intricate, diverse, and evolving expressions. To awaken, then, would be to fully realize our part in this magnificent cosmic dance – not as separate entities, but as integral, conscious aspects of the dream itself, now lucidly aware of its vastness and our own inherent divinity.

What are your thoughts on this cosmic dream? Have you ever had moments where you felt a deeper connection to something beyond yourself?

Original watercolor and acrylics by Monica Zuniga/Hands and Heart.

Art Journal Prompt: Stardust Soul 

Inspiration board!

"We are made of stars." This profound idea connects us directly to the cosmic dance of creation. For this journal page, let's explore what it feels like to be made of stardust.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it 😀 :

Create a journal page that visually represents your connection to the cosmos. Think about:

• Colors and textures: What do stars feel like? What colors do you associate with galaxies, nebulae, or the night sky? Experiment with glitter, metallic paints, textured papers, or even tiny sequins to evoke sparkle and depth.
• Imagery: Do you see yourself as a tiny galaxy? Are there constellations forming within you? Perhaps a cosmic swirl of energy or planets orbiting your heart? Consider incorporating celestial bodies, abstract starbursts, or even microscopic views of atoms that hint at their stellar origins.
• Words and feelings: How does this idea make you feel? Write down words like "awe," "infinite," "connected," "ancient," "radiant," or "potential." You might include the quote "We are made of stars" prominently, or other short phrases that come to mind.
• Your unique spin: This isn't about scientific accuracy, but about personal interpretation. What does your "stardust soul" look like?

Here I share my own interpretation, to inspire you!  Scroll down for a second option! 

Let your imagination wander through the universe and bring that cosmic magic to your page!

What kind of materials do you have ready for your journal, here is the idea for mine, you may try the same.

That's an fantastic set of materials to work with for a "Stardust Soul" art journal page! You've got a lot of versatility there. Here's what I suggest for combining them to bring that prompt to life:

General Approach:

• Layering is Key: Art journals thrive on layers. Don't be afraid to build up your page with different materials.
• Embrace Imperfection: It's an art journal, not a masterpiece for display. Enjoy the process and let happy accidents happen.
• Abstract & Interpretive: The "made of stars" theme lends itself beautifully to abstract interpretations, so don't feel limited by realistic depictions.

Specific Suggestions for Your Materials:

Watercolors:

Cosmic Backgrounds: This is your primary tool for creating ethereal, swirling, galaxy-like backgrounds. 

Wet-on-Wet: Lay down a wash of water first, then drop in different colors (blues, purples, black, deep reds, even a touch of yellow or green) and let them blend organically. This creates beautiful, unpredictable nebulous effects.

Splattering: Once your background is slightly dry, load a brush with white or metallic watercolor (or even white acrylic paint thinned with water) and tap it over your page to create "stars.

Bleeding Edges: If you're doing a human form, consider painting it loosely so the colors subtly bleed into the background, making it feel integrated with the cosmos.

Transparency: Watercolors are naturally translucent, which is perfect for representing the light and ephemeral quality of stardust.

1. Papers for Collage:

• Textural Elements: Look for papers with interesting textures – old book pages, sheet music, patterned paper, tissue paper, even bits of packaging. These can add a tactile dimension to your "universe."
• Defining Shapes: You could cut out shapes of a human silhouette, planets, stars, or abstract forms from your collage papers.
  • Contrasting Tones: Place dark papers over light watercolor backgrounds, or vice versa, to create depth.
  • Tearing vs. Cutting: Tearing papers can give a softer, more organic edge, while cutting offers crispness.
• Words & Meaning: If you have old book pages or newspaper, you could tear out words or phrases that resonate with "stars," "magic," "universe," "soul," etc., and collage them onto your page.
• Layer under/over paint: Glue down some collage papers before you paint with watercolors, allowing the paint to wash over them, or glue them after for more distinct layers.

Check my Pinterest wall about collage sheets and pick your favorite to work with for the project!

1. Sewing Materials: This is where it gets really interesting and adds a unique tactile element!

   • Stitched "Constellations": Use embroidery floss (metallic or glow-in-the-dark would be amazing!) to sew small "stars" or connect points to form simple constellations on your page.
   • Textural Outlines: Outline a human form or a cosmic swirl with running stitches. This adds definition and a handcrafted feel.
   • Fabric Scraps for Texture: If you have small, thin fabric scraps (like tulle, lace, or silk), you could glue them down for added cosmic texture or a veil-like effect.
   • Thread as "Trails": Drape or glue down strands of thread to represent shooting stars or comet trails.
   • Beads/Sequins (if you have them): A few small beads or sequins stitched on could truly be your "sparkles of magic" or tiny planets.
   
   
   
   
   

*Putting it Together (A Sample Flow):

Prep: Gesso your journal page if it's thin paper (to prevent buckling).

Background: Start with your watercolor washes to create a cosmic, nebulous base. Let it dry partially or fully.

Collage Foundation: Add larger pieces of collage paper – maybe a muted background texture, or a torn silhouette shape.

Details & Layers:Add more watercolor layers or splatters for stars.Begin to incorporate smaller collage elements – perhaps words, or cut-out stars/planets.Start your stitching! Add embroidered stars, outlines, or thread trails.

Refine: Add any final details with pens (gel pens, metallic markers for highlights), more splatters, or even small sewn-on embellishments.

Have so much fun with this! It's a wonderful opportunity to combine different art forms and express a beautiful concept.

Namaste 🙏🏻 I am grateful to be able to share all this with you, may it help you somehow in your own journey, thank you for being here, you are loved and appreciated 🥰

What is meditation

 Meditation: A Pathway to Healing the Mind, Body, and Soul

Change

Change in yourself can only come from within.  

How do you willingly transform who you are and create a new, improved version of yourself?

-Erasing what has been.

How do you erase what has been?

-Becoming a new version of yourself.

Consciousness is the journey 

Your consciousness is what holds your frequency, your state of being, you are not to arrive somewhere, you are to reveal who you truly are.  

-This keeps evolving.

Meditation is an ancient practice, one that with discipline, shows you your true self.  You  come to a point of understanding how you are your own internal energy, and with time and practice, you develop compassion. It is a practice that holds the potential to transform you, offering a holistic approach to healing. Through meditation, the mind achieves a state of peace and clarity, reducing stress and anxiety. 

This mental tranquility positively impacts the body by lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and enhancing overall physical well-being. On a deeper level, meditation nourishes the soul, fostering a sense of inner peace and connection to the universe. It encourages self-awareness, leading to personal growth and a greater understanding of one's place in the cosmos. By integrating meditation into daily life, individuals can cultivate a harmonious balance, promoting healing and enrichment for the mind, body, and soul.

I used to keep looking for a guru, a teacher or something like it, but some events took me to deepen my meditation practice and this has taught me that I am my own guru, my own teacher and my own guide, this takes a lot of discipline and self discovery but I just want to share with you that you are your own path, your own guru and teacher, your own self discovery, take what helps from teachings and others knowledge and dig deep inside your soul for your own self guidance, the only truth you will find that will never let you down. 

6 Steps to Start Meditating with Comfortable Positions

1. Find a Quiet Spot: Choose a serene environment where you won’t be disturbed. This could be a quiet room or a peaceful spot in a garden.
   
2. Sit Comfortably: Select a comfortable position that suits you. This could be the traditional cross-legged pose on a cushion or a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Ensure your spine is straight to facilitate easy breathing.

3. Relax Your Body: Gently close your eyes and relax your muscles. Start from the top of your head and work your way down to your toes, releasing tension from each part of your body. Scan the body to find points of stress and release them.

4. Focus on Your Breath: Pay attention to your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand, and exhale slowly. This focus will help anchor your mind. 

5. Let Go of Thoughts: As thoughts arise, acknowledge them without judgment and gently bring your focus back to your breath. This practice helps calm the mind and enhance concentration.

6. Gradually Increase Duration: Start with short sessions of 5-10 minutes and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable with the practice.

In silence

In the stillness of the universe's embrace,  

where stars whisper secrets in celestial grace,  

the mind finds peace in the heart's song,  

a journey within where we truly belong.

With each breath, the cosmos weaves,  

a tapestry of calm that the soul lives,

the body heals with the universe's might,  

in meditation's glow, we find our light.

So sit in silence, let the universe in,  

allow healing of mind, body, and soul.  

in the cosmic dance, we find our role,  

meditation, the key to a harmonious whole.

Spiral

While creating this painting, I recall thinking about the word spiral and that it reminded me of the word spiritual, the word spiral and spirit are not directly related etymologically, although they share common Latin root. 

Spiral

Spiral comes from the Latin word "spiralis," which means "having the form of a 

coil" or "to breathe." The root "spirare" means "to breathe," which is also the source of the word "spirit."

Spirit originates from the Latin "spiritus," meaning "breath" or "soul," and is related to the concept of life force or essence.

While both words derive from the Latin root "spirare," their meanings and usages have diverged significantly. "Spiral" refers to a geometric shape or motion, while "spirit" pertains to the non-material essence of a being. Thus, while there is a linguistic connection, the concepts they represent are distinct.

I intuit that we may use this analogy in our own evolution, many things come in spirals, why wouldn't humans contain spirals in their own beings?  Just an example: ADN.  

We see in nature what we contain in ourselves.

I observe that every cycle is a process, has a beginning and an ending but it's also connected to the next beginning, so how would you represent this idea? A spiral connected to another spiral.

I end up a cycle just to begin a new one and they are connected in between, it always upgrades our understanding so we are in an endless journey towards knowledge, I believe it can be represented as a spiral going upwards, why? Because knowledge keeps adding, therefore upgrades our being, represented as going upward or maybe expanding, just as a galaxy.

Once something is understood, it becomes part of who we are and it shapes us, we are eternally molding our selves and forever changing, evolving and growing, some spirals may take longer to turn to the next cycle but we are all doing it, can you observe were in your own evolution a cycle has ended and a new one has began? Did you understand better something, ended something and felt like you left an old dried skin behind? Maybe the new you has started to grow wings and your ascension will be easier and faster. 

Let us keep discovering more about who and what we are. Namaste 🙏🏻
Thank you for being here, you are loved and appreciated ✨

The circle of life

We are blessed.

Life own us nothing

Being is a fact and can´t be changed,

 how one acts is a choice and comes from will.

Life is complete abundance that sometimes 

we dare to take for granted.

You see, life gives and gives...

flowers, birds, colors, wind, flavors, sounds,

music, sight, kisses, friends, lessons, movies, 

water, laughs, trees and butterflies, ideas, 

places, family, travels, hugs, cakes, love, movement.

We´ve been always receiving, many times

without a deep knowledge of it.

Gratitude is the result of appreciation. 

Appreciation of our abundance makes us happy.

“The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” 
― Neil deGrasse Tyson

And neither art but how much it speaks to me to look 

up and see the stars or the creation of an artist.

A state of balance, equilibrium, 

equality of distribution.

In the delicate balance of our lives

we tremble and this balance is lost,

I believe it´s a natural part of life,

we most experience that in order 

to learn.

Learning is the process of life

but if we acknowledge the lessons,

next time we will have more answers

to use when things present to our lives.

Experiences bring knowledge but we have 

to go through them in order to gain it, there

is no other way to take inn the lessons.

Maybe that is the reason of life

Living, what a perfect way to learn and
you get to become your gains!

There is an inner world, 

so great that our eyes 

can´t encompass, 

hidden by the veil of ignorance, 

so mighty it´s scary and we choose

not to see it, but it´s there, 

waiting for our recognition of it.

To know our self is to know a a small part of the universe, 

to know the universe is to know ourselves, we are what 

we see and we become that which we acknowledge

but we have always been that too,
we just didn´t know it.

If we come from the stars, (the big bang) 

we most be going back there sometime,

everything is energy and energy can´t

be destroyed, then we are definitely infinite.

We are infinite, we are the sacred, we are spirit
and the ride is the amazing.

In that space were I am,

I grow and take,

breath and learn,

as I go

I create the path

and I see wonders.

I am just enjoying the view
and I fall in love every time.

Consciousness,

the container,

the breath, 

life, 

the circle,

the spirit,

the whole,

freedom and rain,

flowers and pain,

drops of timeless

for the restrained,

golden highways

for the brave.

What would it be of all of this if no one would see it?

Yes, I am me, I can´t be other thing,

I am still learning to be that,

it may take a few more cries and

a lot more fallings, 

life has no parachutes

but the ride is grand
and I am already falling.

Once I heard Meryl Streep say in a movie:

"I want to be new again"

she said it in a way that touched me deeply and
 I think about that a lot...
We can´t be new in the way that we already are but we
can make new choices and walk towards them bravely
every day, every moment, every second, the now
has multiple opportunities  for us to choose from,
and even though sometimes it takes a lot to make
one, sooner or later we will and either
 choice is ok. 

Empty your vessel and renew

New Digital Collage Sheet "Life is a circle"

from the work of this post for you to play 

with if you like it, simply download and print!

Thank you! 

Be blessed.

Love is the ride.

Allow it to happen, let it be, what ever it is

it wants to be, it most be good.

Life can´t be wrong, all this perfection in nature,

the cycles, the evolution, growing.

 All this has a natural intelligence force behind it, we 

can´t see the whole picture but we can see that is 

good in it´s nature so we must trust that in other areas

of our lives, this goodness is also happening even

though we can see it at the moment. 

Maybe that is what faith is all about.

Experience tells me that in every lesson,

there are gifts beyond the worldly matters, this are

the true gifts, the gifts of the soul, that which makes us

grow and understand, just know that if the results of

your current situation aren´t looking nice, you will see 

the goodness of it in time, because nature builds,

and we are part of it, therefore we also are building up

in the scale of the spirit, we just can´t see yet, how

it is being done but one day we will.

PATIENCE 

You don´t know now but you will,

You will grow,

You will learn and understand,

You are doing the best you can,

You will find perspective in time,

The purpose of life is to evolve. 

SURRENDER

It is the same than allowing.

Resistance can bring pain to our selves and to others, 

when we are fighting and trying to change things 

we are not allowing life and we are just getting 

frustrated by it, if you surrender, there is nothing to fight

therefore your energy is restored.

This doesn´t mean that you will allow abuse,

you just won´t be hooked by it.

When they offer you to buy a ticket to hell, just simply 

say no thanks, I have my own ride.

Maybe that will take us closer to freedom.

The truth of what we are.

We are the truth.

Ignorance is the path.

We recognize what we are.

Love is all there is.

Love is the ride.