Fever or Forgotten Wings

My poetry book has been published! Fever or Forgotten Wings is a book of poetry that traces my spiritual evolution. It takes its name from a line in Pablo Neruda'a influential masterpiece "Poetry". Through dissecting Neruda's verse, I explore philosophical, psychological and religious issues that engage the reader to reflect upon his or her life. 

Like the diversity in my paintings, my poems are crafted in a variety of styles. My poetic sensibility ranges from simple rhyme to epic verse, as each poem builds upon the theme. The book depicts a view of reality that is mystical in nature.

This is a self-publishing project that I produced entirely by myself. The cover painting is entitled "Reflecting" and is from my Base Relief series. I did all the graphic design from formatting the pages to book design. It was edited by Robin Kedzior.

The book is available on Amazon.com here. This is not my first book of poetry, though it is the first to have a ISBN bar code on the back cover.  In the 90s, I made my own poetry books. I printed them on a Xerox machine and stapled each book together by hand. Now that's what I call real self-publishing!

Talking to Jesus in a Coffee Shop

So I'm out and about in the morning and I'm about to get in my car to go home when I get this thought in my head to go to the local coffee shop/restaurant and have breakfast. The host leads me to a corner table and I notice the chair opposite me is pulled out. Someone is sitting there but no one can see him, including me. I acknowledge his presence through talking to him with my mind, with telepathic communication. The following is our discussion.

Me: Hi Jesus!

Jesus: Hey Essa*.

Me: Hey Jesus, Archangel Michael told me to come and have breakfast here in the coffee shop. He didn't tell me you would be here.

Jesus: Michael never gives the whole message. But I couldn't send Gabriel, I was playing one-on-one with him.

Me: Basketball?

Jesus: What? You think Ascended Masters and Archangels don't play basketball?

Me: Nope, not saying that. I just think that angels would have the advantage. You know, with the wings and all.

Jesus: You got a point there. We play no-fly b-ball. Strictly by the rules.

Me: What are the rules?

Jesus: Same as regular basketball, but no flying.

Me: Duh! Stupid question. Anyone ever cheat?

Jesus: What do you think?

Me: No comment.

Busboy comes and puts two waters on the table, then picks up one.

Busboy: One?

Jesus shakes his head, indicating he doesn't want any.

Me: One. Yeah, one.

Busboy leaves. Waitress comes over.

Waitress: Coffee?

Me: Yeah. And I'll have an English muffin.

Waitress pours coffee and leaves.

Jesus: The English didn't invent muffins.

Me: I didn't think so. I heard it was the Welsh.

Jesus: I heard it was the muffin man.

Me: Do you know the muffin man?

Jesus: You know I know everyone.

Me: Yeah, yeah. So how's Buddha doing?

Jesus: Good, he says "Hi".

Me: So why did you want me to meet you here?

Jesus: Heard you've been having problems differentiating between your own thoughts and thoughts from God.

Me: Yep. It's like the I feeling that I'm going crazy but I've been through that, so I know I'm not crazy. I mean I'm having a real telepathic conversation with someone that no one in this restaurant can see. Yeah, I'm sane, perfectly sane.

Jesus: You are. Your sense of reality is just different than most people.

Me: Well, I do live in my own little fantasy world.

Jesus: You are not the only one in that fantasy world. You're talking to me right now.

Me: So you're in a lot of people's fantasy worlds.

Jesus: Yes, the only difference is that they don't call it a fantasy world.

Me: Well, that's probably because when they talk to you it's usually in a church or at home, not in a restaurant.

A customer at another table spills his coffee.

Customer: Jesus!

Jesus: See? People talk to me in restaurants too.

Me: I always liked your sense of humor.

Jesus: You know I don't talk this way with everybody.

Me: I didn't think so.

Jesus: I talk to each person in the way best suited to them.

Me: So then, you're not always silly? Only with me?

Jesus: Not only with you. And just like you, I relate to people by their energy.

Me: Got ya J-Dude.

Jesus: I want you to get your writings out there. It's time, Essa.

Me: You know I've been stalling.

Jesus: I know you've been doubting yourself.

Me: Dude, most of it's too far-fetched.

Jesus: Most visionaries are a head of their time.

Me: Yeah, but...

Jesus: No buts. It's time. You saw the egrets** today, didn't you?

Me: Yes I did. Is it OK if I start with this conversation?

Jesus: Sure. But don't forget about the conversation you had with Michael in the Chinese buffet.

Me: OK, but I'll save that for another time. I'll have to check my journal for all the details.

Jesus: That's fine. Gotta go now. Santa is stuck in a snow bank.

Me: It's August! Besides, what about the elves?

Jesus: It's the North Pole and the elves are on vacation. See ya later.

Me: Ba-bye now.

Well, that's my conversation with Jesus today. It might be a bit edited because I don't have perfect memory recall but I do have a creative license. 

*Jesus and other spiritual beings often call me Essa.

**The egrets that he had referred to are four white egrets and a great blue heron that I had seen and photographed earlier that morning. I had to look up egrets and herons as totem animals. I found out that that heron people are unique and have to follow their own path. I can relate to that.

Take this for what you will. If you want to call it fiction, call it fiction. If you want to believe that Jesus can speak to us anywhere, then, that's OK as well. He told me to get it out there, so I am.

©2012 Ginny Gaura

My Day Out of Time

On Wednesday, July 25, it was the Mayan Day Out of Time according to the Dreamspell calendar. This calendar, that was proposed by José Arguelles, follows the Gregorian calendar of counting and not the actual Mayan calendar as I was later informed. A "Day out of Time/Peace through Culture Festival" is celebrated by groups and individuals in over 90 countries around the world. I spent the day by myself, meditating, walking, photographing, playing, singing, dancing, drawing and laughing. It was a wonderful day for me because I completely took the day off from life and did exactly what I felt I needed to do. It was a wonder-filled day.

Sunrise through the trees by my house on July 25, 2012

Today is the Mayan Day Out of Time!

Today, July 25th, is the Mayan Day Out of Time. Celebrate! Dance! Sing! Write! Paint! Draw! Whistle! Blow bubbles! Jump for joy! What ever you do, have fun!

I'm going to go and have fun now! More later or tomorrow about this day. Don't know which because I'm Out of Time...

For more info about today, check this out.

Laughing and Crying with Other People

"You may forget the one with whom you have laughed, but never the one with whom you have cried." Those are words of a poem by the Sufi master, Kahlil Gibran. I used this poem in my painting "Gibran's But Never". I chose to the rich colors of purple and gold express this deep spiritual content. The word "laughed" is intentionally faded to place the emphasis on sorrow.

I painted this during a depression and today I was feeling depressed again. Then a close friend called. You know how you can open up to certain people, cry your eyes out, and they can make you feel better? She helped me to laugh and realize I'm not alone in what I'm going through.

After I got off the phone, I went online and found out that a print of "Gibran's But Never" had just sold on Fine Art America. I'm hoping it helps whoever needs it. It has helped me.

The Yielding World Poem and Painting

"In my eyes, a world resides without form or substance, yielding always yielding." These are words of a short poem I wrote which appears on this painting "The Yielding World". In this piece from my Dreamscape series, luminous pastel blue clouds float by the sun, revealing similar shapes. On the foremost shape is the poem. This painting embodies the surrender of the soul to the light, going beyond one's ego to flow in a natural state of harmony with the universe.

The original 16"x20" painting can be bought here on my GooStudio Etsy shop. Prints are available here in sizes from 8x10 to 48x60 inches through Fine Art America.

Another GooStudio! It's on Etsy!

So I opened up another online store in addition to my Zazzle store. I chose to name it GooStudio again because I think it's easier to remember and spell than my name. Also, I really enjoyed creating a new banner to fit Etsy's banner size. I love making logos and designing banners. If you like my style and are in need of graphic design work, drop me a line and I'll give you an estimate on cost for your project.

My Etsy shop has a widget on the right side of this blog. It always shows the last items listed and you can get to the shop from there. Here's another link to my Etsy GooStudio.