Thursday, March 21, 2019

FREE Artist's Way Introductory Call - March 29th - RSVP!


UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT

Hello friends!

Are you ready to unleash your creative spirit? The Artist’s Way 12-week online group will commence next week with a free introductory call!

RSVP here for the free call and to receive the link to join.

FREE introductory call
Friday March 29, 2019
10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern

Meet my new dragon! Chinese Garden, Portland
DETAILS, DETAILS:
Q: How do I sign up?
A: Simply reply to this email and let me know! I will send you the link to participate in the free call. Payment to participate in the 12-week course is due by first weekly group call, April 5th.
Cost: $395 $295 (course launch special!)

Q: Do I need to prepare anything before the Introductory Call?
A: Yes. Please acquire a copy of The Artist’s Way, and read the first three short sections: Introduction, Spiritual Electricity: The Basic Principles, and The Basic Tools. Please also acquire a journal/notebook, and test your Zoom link (once you get the code) for video attendance.

Q: What if I can't make the group call? Can I still participate in the course?
A: Yes! Audio recordings will be made available to you within 24 hours. You can participate in the course even if you can’t make the group call time.

Q: What technology do I need to participate online?
A: Easy! You just need a smart phone, or a laptop if you want to join the group call by video (recommended). If you are out of wifi range, you may call in via phone (audio only). Download the free zoom app available here  https://zoom.us/download

Q: How much time will I need to spend on this each week?
A: It’s a 12-week commitment, and you can plan to spend about seven hours a week, including your Morning Pages writing, Artist Dates, and writing exercises. Think, relinquishing your Netflix or Instagram habit for a while. Plus, you’ll gain time by being more connected, in the flow, and excited about your creativity! 

Q: What will happen on the weekly call?
I will facilitate a safe space for the participants to share their weekly journey, with check-ins about Artist Dates, creativity exercises/reports, and discoveries. The call will last 60 minutes and will take place live on Fridays at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern. The course will run from April 5th and culminate on June 21st. While it is strongly recommended, you do not need to attend each call live to participate.

Q: What do I need to participate?
  • A copy of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron (any edition – many used copies available in bookstores and online (consider recycling!); also available on Kindle)
  • A journal (preferably larger size, like a standard 8.5x11 notebook) and pen. (Morning Pages must be done longhand, not on the computer)
  • A commitment to discover and recover your creative self!
Any other questions? Email me and I’ll answer just as soon as I can!

I look forward to having you in the course.

Please RSVP to reserve your spot!

With love, art, and SPARK,
Erin

MORE DETAILS BELOW!
 Image result for the artists way

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Lucky Spring Readings *** Client Appreciation Special!

Click to enlarge.




Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world. For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly. She can be reached at erin@erinreese.com.

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

New Moon in Pisces: The Space Between



Today, March 6, we welcome the New Moon in the mutable water sign of Pisces, the non-dual Fishes. It’s a powerful lunation, and many of us have been feeling the oceanic overwhelm tendencies. Neptune-Poseidon, ruler of Pisces, is conjunct this New Moon, enhancing the depths. In addition, Uranus is changing signs today, entering Taurus for a seven-year sojourn. And, last but not least, Mercury is doing his retrograde dance beginning today and lasting until March 28th, 2019.

If you’re feeling a bit like you’re floating down a stream with the sounds of a rushing waterfall the size of Niagara Falls up ahead, without a raft, let alone an oar, you’re not alone.

There is not much we can control right now. Of course, that’s always the case from the point of view of the Infinite. But this level of surrender in this time of Pisces is felt deeply on an embodied level. Your Soul is in charge. Not your separate volition.

Perhaps we catch sight of a branch jutting into the stream from the riverbank. We grab hold of it and stay afloat to catch our breath, hauling ourselves out of the turbulence in order to reach a new shore. One we’ve never experienced before. It’s all undiscovered terrain. And we are going to acquire new tools and techniques to navigate. It’s all fresh, unknown territory.

The Space Between is that time on the downstream float, where we have no idea what the outcome will be, or where Life’s River is leading us. How we make use of that time makes all the difference in the world. Will we endure it? Will we panic, fret, bemoan our fate? Or will we trust, breathe, even enjoy? This is the gap between actions, thoughts, projects, outcomes, directions.

“I cultivate empty space as a way of life in the creative process.” ~ Josh Waitzkin, U.S. chess champion portrayed in Searching for Bobby Fisher 

  
We’re so conditioned in our modern culture to do, do, do, that when we are in the Space Between, we fear – am I wasting time? If I float, will I be sideswiped by the unexpected? Must I continue to brace, to always be prepared? We forget that cultivating empty space is essential in the art of living. How else are we to attract that original thought to emerge from the Ground of Being? We need time – and space – to hear, and listen, to the muse!

Art Imitates Life: Stop, Look, and Sea
Untitled, Vija Celmins 1970

Last weekend, my partner and I visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in order to check out a Paul Klee exhibit. Just before I left the museum, we reviewed the museum map to see what else was on display. We saw a listing, “Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory,” ending March 31, 2019. The tag line, “Stop, Look, and See,” caught my eye. We wandered over to check it out, and were both pleasantly surprised. It was the best contemporary art collection I’d seen in a long time.

Vija Celmins (b. 1938) is a Latvian-American artist whose family escaped the Soviet occupation during WWII, first taking refuge in Germany and ultimately the United States. She settled in Southern California and ultimately in NYC. Having very little possessions during her art schooling at UCLA, she learned to paint only that which was in the space right in front of her: a hot plate, a table fan, a lamp, a space heater.

Eventually, she became transfixed with black and white seascape drawings, minutely recreating open ocean waves from intricate photos of waves, over and over again. Using only a graphite pencil on paper, Vija insisted on going into finer and finer depths, to perfect what she saw in her mind’s eye “to fix the image in memory.” The level of detail of her waves is stupendous.
Untitled (Regular Desert), Vija Celmins 1973

Eventually, Vija discovered the landscape of the deserts, and repeated the effort to draw the rocky desert floor, again and again, finer and finer down to the tiniest grains of sand. Each individual rock was recreated, never stopping until the scene neared perfection. Then, she turned to the black night sky, the stars, and with her pencil and paper, revealed the cosmos over and over and over again.

Untitled (Cassiopeia), Vija Celmins 1973
The artist's work is stunning, inspiring, and instructive. Can you imagine the hours upon hours upon hours it would take to depict the tiniest rock in the desert, the placement of a star in the night sky, the protrusion of a single lapping wave on the ocean?

To an artist self, what is time? And even more important, is this a waste of time? Vija has dedicated her entire life to exploring what is in the space, in the finest detail. When we remove the judgement of time, the illusion of needing to prepare for a future, to to produce, be productive, we are left with the Now. Pure Presence.

And it is art that plants us firmly in that Now. Writing, music, drawing; poetry, dance, cooking; lovemaking, gardening, Nature-walking – it is art created in the Space Between. This is where the magic lives.

The Space where Nothing and Everything Occurs

I’m reminded of the Christopher Nolan movie Inception (2010), with Leo DeCaprio and Co., in which the dream architects construct a dream within a dream with a dream-scape. The film’s crescendo extends a few seconds into a several minutes. 

A van containing the sleeping heroes lurches backwards off a bridge into a river. Layers upon layers of happenings are occurring simultaneously, down to the micro-minutia, in the deepest seas of the unconscious. Time is slowed down almost to a halt, while the other members of the team figure out a way to wake up the dreamer to save the heroes’ lives. Invoking The Space Between.

When things feel they are dangerously speeding ahead, we can find time by taking a breath. We can not only slow time, we can stop it, by instantaneously and spontaneously dropping into the Now. The Now is centered in the belly, the heart, the seat of the soul, the Ground of Being. This is the space and the place where Nothing and Everything occurs all at once.

When there is the pause between jobs, projects, duties, tasks, busy-ness, with our action-addicted, extrovert-biased society, we get antsy. The Unknown, the Void – what to do? I’m nervous! Let me reach for a drink, a smoke, a TV show to binge watch, a chocolate bar. Let me make another plan, fill up the space! The Space must be contained lest I lose my identity, sense of Self! Right?

It is at these times we can experiment with living sans identification. Floating, flowing. Allowing, seeing, witnessing. What. Arises. Next.

Never fear. Something will happen. And you’ll notice, it is exactly perfect.

If you’re experiencing anxiety, perhaps that is exactly what is also meant to arise. Perhaps it’s okay to have an “off day” or three, while something New is being borne.

It is in the discomfort of the Space Between that genius flashes of insight, life-changing, often emerge.

Recently, I was deeply disturbed about a project I needed to quit that involved a great deal of responsibility and other people. I went to the seaside to contemplate in Nature, no distractions. Boy, did I have a couple of restless nights as my psyche wrestled with the issue. No fun! But after three days in my hellish “vision quest,” I woke up calmly on the final morning, and drafted a resignation letter to leave the project.

Instantly, I began feeling better. Heart rate dropping, irritability diminishing. I knew what I needed to do. It’s been a lifelong practice of learning to disappoint other people to be true to myself. I have the tools and the courage to do it, when necessary. But it required that discomfort in the liminal space, the Unknown, to have my psyche work out the issue.

Remember, discomfort does not automatically imply you are doing something wrong. Sometimes, sitting, waiting, experiencing without knowledge of goal or intended outcome, is exactly what is needed.

At this time of the New Moon in Pisces, in which the known and the unknown ebb back and forth like waves on the open ocean, give yourself time to float. Step into the Space Between, the Now, and allow the miracle to emerge.

A Sunday at SF MOMA

Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world. For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly. She can be reached at erin@erinreese.com.

Monday, February 18, 2019

Full Moon in Virgo: Cleansing and Clearing Moon

Today, we have a Full Moon in the mutable earth sign of Virgo, sign of purity. This is an important supermoon lunation, in which we are given ample opportunity to cleanse our inner and outer worlds.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Client Appreciation Reading Special 🦄 🕺🏻 💃🏻 💑 Thru February 19!

A little birdie came to say...


Taj Hotel, Mumbai, India

Need an intuitive consultation or spiritual counseling session to help you make sense of these times? Contact me here. I look forward to reading for you!
 
Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world. For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly. She can be reached at erin@erinreese.com. 

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Happy Valentine's Day to YOU!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Beloveds!
You are important to me.
You are key to Existence.
There is no one like You.
I am blessed to know You.
Thank You for being in the World.
And, if you're looking for love...
KEEP AN OPEN MIND!
S/he may be just around the corner!

You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs
I look around me and I see it isn't so
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that
I'd like to know
'Cause here I go again

I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
~ Paul McCartney & Wings
Valentine's and Year of the Pig Collage, 2019

And, if you're dating or dreaming of meeting your life partner...
BE 100% YOURSELF! Let your soul shine!
You will then recognize your True Love when you meet them!

A soul can know a soul. An ego cannot know a soul. ~ Ram Dass

With love, light, JOY, pleasure, LAUGHTER, and gratitude!
On Valentine’s and always,
Erin
🦄 🕺🏻 💃🏻 💑
Rep. Barbara Lee's House office, Washington DC
Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world. For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly. She can be reached at erin@erinreese.com.

Monday, February 4, 2019

New Moon in Aquarius: Rules? There Are No Rules.


I'm thrilled that Destiny decided I would come in as an Aquarius – a fixed water sign, a wild-child Water Bearer who absolutely cannot be confined to societal rules, expectations, obligations. What’s it like to be an Aquarius? Well, for one thing, if you are an Aquarius, or have many planets in Aquarius, or a heavy influence of Uranus, know this: you will DIE if you try to fit in.

Literally. Your soul will die. Maybe slowly, but it will whine, weep, and mourn to try to get your attention. It will make odd noises in the middle of the night or in the middle of a conservative business meeting or gathering of well-behaved individuals. Out of nowhere – OOPS! – you’ll mutter out some comment that makes everyone go hmmmm… and turn the conversation on its ear. Even the Aquarius himself will be sitting there, a bit stunned, going – ugh, pop-went-Uranus once again. Can’t keep status quo… for long!

One confusing bit about Aquarius energy, among many paradoxical parts, is that Aquarius’ original ruler was stable Saturn – the rule follower – until the discovery of Uranus in the 18th century. So, Aquarius ambles along under the radar as long as she can, trying to fit in, acting as a visionary in the realm of tradition and structure. That is, until the explosive, revolutionary antics of Uranus rise up and take her by the hair and thrust everyone and everything around her straight into the future.
 
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
~Christopher Lloyd as Doc, Back to the Future


In Aquarius Land, we are meant to pay respects to and honor tradition, so that we can first understand the past, the foundation, where we came from. In this way, we can deeply grok what must happen NEXT in our personal and shared evolution. Aquarius is a pioneer, way out on the horizon, seeing things and FEELING things that are coming down the pike, before anyone else. This is a difficult role to have if you are a sensitive. It can be especially hard on the body, in my experience. I am like a tuning fork. I resonate in outer space, the future, to what is Coming Soon to a Planet Near You. This is often beyond odd. It’s like giving birth to a new species, and then learning its alien language à la Amy Adams in the movie Arrival, and then bridging the gap, translating to the masses.

All of us have revolutionary “age of Aquarius” tendencies in our beings, in our souls. Where are you ignoring your inner rebel? Where are you forgetting to heed the call of your spirit? You will know you aren’t listening if you start feeling soul sickness. You will feel sad, sluggish, depressed for no obvious reason. Your dreams may start feeling muddied. They may be repeating themselves, especially stressful dreams, over a period of days or weeks.

Start paying attention to the synchronicities. Notice odd cancellations, changes in plans or scheduling. Notice when electronics, internet servers or bank accounts make odd leaps and shifts, forcing you to look at your world in a new way. Notice if you start getting strange rashes, ailments, somatic reactions. Notice if individuals suddenly up and leave your life out of nowhere. Uranian acts.

If your world is getting weirder, you may be pulled into the realm of Aquarius. This is the time to get your ear to the ground. Listen harder, drum with more fervor. Talk to a friend who doesn’t just think outside the box, they live outside the box. The family member, advisor, or therapist who is still playing inside the old rules WILL NOT DO at a time like this. You need to speak to someone who can get out there – way out there – and trust that the terrain you’re playing in IS real, your path forward IS possible, those bizarre trance beats you’re hearing in your head ARE giving you a message of the future.

At this time of the New Moon in Aquarius, remember that we are not meant to be stagnant. We are meant to DO OUR OWN THING, and that is the path forward, the path to health and happiness. Seize this moment to feel validated for being DIFFERENT, UNIQUE, ARTISTIC, PROGRESSIVE, WAY OUT... AND PROUD OF IT.

In peace, love and psychedelica,
Erin



Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world. For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly. She can be reached at erin@erinreese.com.