Day's End

Mary Cogley, Artist

I have a lovely memory of evenings at the Outer Banks, North Carolina during our visit in summer, 2013.  It is of a soft warmth, after the intense heat of the day has subsided and the setting sun bathes the sky, and the sand, in a warm glow.

Things are peaceful and quiet now, and the beach-goers have taken their leave.  Only a few hearty souls are trying their skill at surfing and the gulls are sweeping the sky or parading along the sand. 

It is a wonderful time to relax or meditate and be comforted in the gradually dimming light of day, as the sky turns from pink and gold to dusk.

Soon, I'll list a new painting inspired by this, called  "Day's End."

Wishing you Peace,
MARY

A Christmas Reverie

As Christmas arrives, I have some thoughts to share.  I believe that there is a Divine Source that is all about love, peace, and intelligence.  Possibly the Creator of all the galaxies and universes could be made up of supreme energy and light.  I think it has been molded into all that is.

Over 2000 years ago, One came among us to teach us by example and to change the world for the better.  He has been called the Light of the World.  That light comes from the Creator, through us.....not only the Masters and Gurus but ALL of us.  We each carry that light and can be a light to others as we travel this realm.

It seems to me that there are many  spiritual beings in the earthly realm who are spreading that light and peace and helping to transform the earth.

My biggest wish for Christmas is to be one of the light bearers.

As I express myself through painting or drumming; I make an effort to build up that positive energy around me.  I use a lot of light and color in my paintings, as well. I also sense that light and energy come through me as I work.

love, light and peace to all in this season of renewal,
Mary

Mind/Body Connections

Two people of interest have appeared in my view in the past couple of days.

They both are working with the mind/body connection to enable people to improve their health or their lives.  I have been interested in concepts such as these for years and was fascinated to read or hear about these two Doctors and their research.

One is Mitchell Gaynor, MD,  who uses imagery and meditation with targeted sound to help with brainwave entrainment and balance.  He uses binaural beats and specific sounds to achieve this goal. There are samples of this on line and his recordings can also be purchased on iTunes.

I tried out the different ones and found them to be supportive and relaxing immediately.

Another  brilliant person  was on Dr. Oz  on 12-6-13.  He is David Hanscom MD, who is a well known orthopedic surgeon.  He has found that many back surgeries are done on people who have normal spines for their age.  He has been concerned about patients being in chronic pain for years following an illness, injury or surgery.  He discovered that the pain of these events is memorized by the brain and continues long after the event has passed.   He developed a way for people to create new brain pathways and has been quite successful in treating  people with chronic pain allowing them to become pain free.  He has written a book called "Back in Control"  which is available on Amazon.com.

As a former RN and a holistic Reiki practitioner, these subjects are of much interest to me.  It has been found that a 50% reduction in chronic pain can be achieved by mindfulness practices, meditation and yoga.

You may wonder what this has to do with my painting, drumming, meditation, Reiki and yoga practices....

I have found that when I am engaged in any of these; I tend to lose myself and just leave behind any aches and pains I might be having.  So that is a "win-win" for me!  The pleasure of all the things i love and am passionate about combined with the benefit of mind/body connection and the healing it brings.

May all be well with you,
MARY

Trees Throughout My Life

I suddenly realized that huge maple and oak trees have been an intrinsic part of my parents lives and my own for as long as I can remember and every place I have lived.  It's a huge connection for me.....a theme, so to speak.  It was like an epiphany for me to realize all the "love" and "home" connections I have with trees.

My mother grew up in a W.Va. town that had tree lined streets and brick sidewalks. My earliest memories include counting bricks and stepping over cracks, as my aunt and I walked around town.  There were wonderful big trees all along the street as we passed by.

My dad grew up in an old stone mansion in a wooded area on a hill at the edge of the same town. He would often recite Joyce Kilmer's poem: "Trees" to me.  When it was made into a song, my mother and I would sing it.

The town I grew up in from the age of 5 until I left for college was a typical small town of the 40' and 50's.  Once again, there were oak and maple trees all along the sidewalks.  Many of our family photos were taken by the maple that grew just beyond our front porch.

After my dad passed away; my mother moved to Charleston, W.Va. She bought a beautiful little house there and I vividly remember taking pictures of the maple trees along her street when they turned gold and red in the fall.

It's probably not surprising that my husband and I had our very own maple tree in our back yard for 41 years. We lost our tree in April of 2010.  With it, we lost a sense of privacy, and shelter from storms, and shade that kept out the glaring afternoon sun and magnificent beauty that changed with every new season.

I especially loved seeing the first buds on its branches in early spring and watching it evolve into full blown summer beauty.  That transition felt like hope to me.

It's no wonder, then, that I have grieved for her.  I can still feel her spirit just beyond our deck.

Peace,
Mary

Trees

I have a favorite memory of a tree from the time when I was 3 or 4 years old. There was a wonderful woman who worked for my family who was especially good to me.  She would sing and laugh and play with me while she worked.  Then we would walk to the company store where she would buy us each a chocolate lollipop and we would sit under a huge tree by the side of the road to savor this special treat.  To me, this was pure joy and I always associate that feeling with the big old tree.

There was another large tree near our home where a childhood friend and I spent hours playing in the summer sun.  I became so familiar with its shape and its great roots that I used it as a passageway to go into the earth on my first shamanic journey and many journeys since then.

A maple tree behind our house grew up along with our children.  They played under its branches and among its roots for many years.  It held the echoes of their shouts and laughter.  Over the years some people tried to convince me that we should cut the tree down but I always fought for it to stay.  It finally came down in a storm in April 2010. The great giant took out everything in its path; causing us to need major reconstruction on our home.  No one was injured and all was replaced.  Strangely enough, I still grieve for the loss of my beloved tree.  I had even had a mystical experience with the tree during meditation a few years earlier.  Our energy fields seemed to merge, making green and yellow bubbles of light that floated around for awhile. I suppose we were especially close after that.

I really resonate with the strong, resilient spirit of trees and the flow of life and life cycles they represent. I took a nature walk in the Laurel Mountains with some close friends in May two years ago. We hugged trees and saw their energy fields.I felt the heartbeat of one tree as I lovingly placed my hands over a damaged place on its bark. My impressions of their energy are full of color and imagination.  They also seem to me to have movement and sound.

If you stand close enough to a great tree and listen intently, you might be able to hear the heartbeat of one of these mystical magical creatures.

May you always have magic in your life,
Mary

Angels

"Angel of God, my guardian dear; To whom God's love commits me here; Ever this day, be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule, to guide."  My earliest memories include this prayer, a "must" before bedtime every night.  My idea of an Angel was a statue and I thought if there was anyone looking at me from Heaven, it would be with a critical eye toward keeping me on the right path!

It wasn't until what seemed like a couple of lifetimes later that I discovered the real power of these magnificent beings! In the late 1980's I read about them, took classes and workshops about them, meditated on them, and connected with people who had seen and heard them.

Once, in 1995, they appeared above me in a circle of pink and gold; filling the room with their energy and floating me through the end of a long and painful root canal.

In 1996, during an auto accident, I felt like my car was lifted up and deposited down just a few feet or so before it would have hit the wall of a brick building.

In 1998, during a particularly traumatic and painful hip replacement; I woke up in my room with the words:"Angels abound" resounding over and over in my head.  The angels were with me through every day of that long and difficult recovery.  I wrote many poems about them and felt their support and fell in love with their energy. They are all about light, power, strength, and love.  They have come with lightning speed with their powerful protection and amazing assistance to carry me through many scary and difficult times ever since.In recent years, their love and support have really helped me when waiting for a loved one's return from a serious surgery.

In terms of  everyday happenings, they surround my car when I drive and have helped me find lost items that showed up in the most amazing places.

I have a strong connection to the Angel energy so it is no wonder they became an important part of my artistic expression. In the beginning, angel forms were apt to show up in my paintings as I worked in a meditative state with watercolors.  Many times angels would seem to present themselves as needed for a particular person or cause.  For example, a person might be looking for clarity, comfort, or healing.  People who have owned prints of my work tell me they have provided comfort, support, joy and a sense of peace to them.

Joyfully,
Mary