Completion

It took 6 years, but it was worth the wait.

I Miss You

A sunset for Kelly

11/30/1962 - 12/10/2009

Creative Endeavors

I've discovered tile and ink. 
I like it.

I also played around with joint compound

Needless to say, I'm having fun :)

Doubt

Path

Something New

Recently I've had the good fortune of being able to explore my creative side. Below and above are my first attempts of mix media collages.

                                                                 
Several weeks ago I decided that I wanted to change the way I live this life. I'm tired of the never-ending loop of thoughts dead-heading inside my little mind of horrors. I'm also tired of living in fear of those things that scare me like dying. I'm also tired of my heart being shredded every time I see the animal cruelty commercial, or pictures of Tsunami victims. I'm also tired of being angry for good reasons and not so good reasons. I guess you could say that I'm tired of being at the mercy of anything and everything. I feel like a hostage and I am my own captor.


I decided to choose peace of mind over chaos.

Over the years I've had an eclectic spiritual life. I'm the kind of person who likes to take a little bit of this religion and a little bit of that religion and a good chunk of that spiritual practice and mix it all up into something that resonates with me. A purist I am not. Yet despite taking all the best parts of many faiths and religions I still struggled with those insane fears whirling around in my head and my heart was always in a state of mourning.

Believe it or not it was Tiger Woods who nudged me towards the path that I am on now. During his first interview after the scandal he mentioned that he was a Buddhist and how his straying from certain Buddhist teachings was the cause his down fall. I am no stranger to Buddhism in that I've had the great good fortune to see the Dalai Lama on three occasions through the course of my life. Other than admiring and respecting the humanity of this man, I knew very little about Buddhism. Ironically, it was Tiger Woods who dared me to explore further.

The first time I saw The Dalai Lama (May, 2001) I knew absolutely nothing about him. A friend of mine from the Twin Cities invited me to stay with her for a week. She had tickets for two of his speaking engagements as well as tickets to see other speakers not at all associated with His Holiness. To be honest, I was more excited to see the other speakers than this gentleman. All that changed the first time I heard him speak. I quickly learned that the Dali Lama was a man of profound compassion and an incredible human being. I was more interested in his humanity than his Buddhism. That was ten years ago. Since then I've seen him one other time in Denver - again another profound experience.

So Tiger Woods and my increasing distain for humanity in general somehow pushed me to try and understand how this particular life philosophy made the Dali Lama the man that he is. So began my interest in learning about a way of life that tells me that it is possible to never experience suffering again and that it is possible to walk through this world truly happy.

Stored away in boxes for a good many years were two books that had come into my life accidentally. One is titled "Awakening The Buddha Within" by Lama Suryadas (a Jewish man who became a Buddhist) and the other book (my one and only written by his Holiness) “How to Practice The Way to a Meaningful Life". Both excellent first books for the novice.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are:

1. That life is full of suffering. We all will experience pain, illness and ultimately death
2. Suffering comes from our aversions to things or our cravings for things
3. That through mindfulness we can overcome aversions and cravings
4. Practicing morality, concentrated meditation and wisdom banishes suffering

These two books have inspired me to:
-Be as compassionate as I can to all people.
-Make every effort not to judge others.
-Concentrate on living a moral life.
-Remember that every sentient being on this planet wants what I do - to be happy.
-Understand that everything is as it should be.
-Act and react with compassionate detachment.
-Realize that my motivation to help others comes from a sincere desire to do simply that.
-Let go of expectations and be content in how it all turns out.

It’s clear to me that by becoming "Buddha-like" I can quiet the constant flow of thoughts and fears that sometimes makes my life very sad and frightening. There's something liberating about not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow, but simply focusing on the moment and understanding the wisdom in that.

The present past captured in a moment

Mike Oldfield

The heart's rhythm dances against a sky the color

of Heaven's breath.  The muse inspires with lips

full of honey and rain.

Crescendos split the silence of Earth's dark womb.

The echos of wind and string ride upon the cadence

 of ancient thunder, mingled with distant voices

sweet with humanity.

Her emptiness is replaced by elation, as the Changeling offers solace

in his endless songs of beauty and perfection.

Melodic keys praise the harmony of life and its painful beauty.

Against the Bells, the soul stirs and soars.  The freedom of long

forgotten truths celebrate immortal passions.  Clarity gently

follows.

Memories, entwined with shadows of tomorrow create

a cacophony of emotions that flow from sacred

places within the heart.

Profound peace is gifted to those who choose to

listen to the legacy of his life's purpose.

Copyright of Amy Bishop 3/10/10

Not to be used with written consent

Photography

Kiss Me

Mardi Gras

Manifestation of the Soul

Food Chain-ed

Poetry

Elements

         Inner Strength comes from those moments in life that fill us with despair.

It shatters the weariness of our sad and beaten souls

and instills within us the determination to reclaim our empowerment

so that we may be heroes unto ourselves.

Courage comes from the conviction that our path is right and true.

It forges character and strengthens the mesh of our integrity.

It defines our desire to be worthy of something meaningful

while it nurtures all that we aspire to be.

Faith comes from any belief that is built upon hope.

It illuminates our deepest and darkest moments

as it quietly reminds us that there are no impossibilities

except for those we impose upon ourselves.

Beauty comes from the heart of the mind and the eyes of the soul.

It inspires us to love beyond the limits of mere mortals

and it justifies our desire for a grace that brings

meaning and measure to a life created.

Love comes from that Sacred place that can never be defined.

It challenges us to rise above our hate and fears

and asks us to acknowledge and embrace the qualities of

the Human Condition that move us to be One.



Copyright 12-17-2008 by Amy Bishop
All rights reserved
Not to be published without consent of Amy Bishop

Poetry

Purpose

I sit here instead of sleeping

The music of the gladiator mingles

With the sound of viscous bubbles

And the smell of spoiled bones

While she whines for the

Sake of annoyance and spite.

Reading great words

I am left with an inadequacy

And a craving for something of substance.

Desire is drowned by the humid hum

Of an existence that means absolutely

Nothing to someone and less to me.

If I have nothing to give

If I have nothing that moves

Me to that place that is finitely

Infinite, what then is my purpose?

To listen to the mind-less scream

Of a voice-less silence full

Of meaningless shit and shallowness?

There is a vacuum that holds

What I seek and it is sealed with

Fragile perceptions that mock and despise me.

Is there nothing sacred left that

I cannot defile and worship with my

Arrogance and ignorance?

Must I continue to keep up this

Three dimensional charade for

The sake of something that

I scorn?



Copyright 12-17-08 Amy Bishop
All rights reserved
Not to be published without consent of Amy Bishop

Poetry

A Winter's Tale

Dusk's air - cold and harsh, announces it's majestic silence.

A sunset sky, bruised with purple and gold rests upon

Barren fields richly veiled in Winter's dormant bliss.

Trees hide behind their dark and mournful silhouettes as

The Wind whispers the Secrets of Life to all but one.

Her Soul yearns to know the respite of serenity while

Promises of Grace are forbidden by a broken Heart.

Impossibilities are confronted by the foreshadowing of Hope as

Empathy weeps for her broken dreams and shattered self.

She waits for the Reckoning, praying that it never comes.


Copyright 1-14-10 by Amy Bishop
All rights reserved
Not to be published without consent of Amy Bishop

Poetry

Waiting

The smell and weight of darkness

Is something she cannot bear.

It erases all moments of solace

As she incessantly drowns in despair.

Falling to earth with wings unbroken,

She uses fragile dreams to climb.

Knowing that angry hands are waiting

To crush her soul each time.

Ignorance bestows moments of respite

Upon her damaged self,

Despite the luscious bitterness

Of those who wield the belt.

She's trapped within a voiceless vacuum

With shadows bleak and cold.

Punished for simply existing,

She's made to feel ugly, worthless and old.

She waits to be loved and nurtured

By those who call her Burden.

She prays upon her grave for mercy,

And finds her self uncertain.

She's a child forsaken by generations

Of disappointment and spite.

Mangled and mauled by resentment

She has no will to fight.

...and so she waits

Copyright by Amy Bishop 1-11-10

All rights reserved

Not for publication other than by Amy Bishop

Beginnings

One day at a time is the best a person can do. Looking too far behind or too far a head can stamp out the moment of now. The purpose is balance.

I'm not sure about having a blog, but I'm going to give it a try. It is my hope to connect with my inner creative self and met some great people along the way.

All I can say right now is that I feel incredibly blessed with the life I have right now. My gratitude is overwhelming.