2013 Year in Review ~ The Year of the Blog

Well here we are at the end of  2013. I have not done a year in review post before , so I wondered how to approach this. I decided to go heavy on imagery and metaphor and see where it takes me…..

So let’s proceed shall we, woohoo!

Please listen to this as you scroll down memory lane with me: Time Passages 1

Winter 2013 

Calendars, bookstores, butterflies, new friends: New Year’s Day 2013 birthed my first story and I had not even begun to blog yet! I was all about the calendars and then some New Year’s magic and mayhem ensued! This year ( Saturday ) I broke with a very old tradition and purchased a Llewellyn Witches Calendar 2014 instead of their Astrological standby. Barnes and Noble was out of the Astrology version and this gorgeous version chock full of info on colors and animals and some planetary data drew me in! I also learned that you can cash in on the 50% off sale in late December. Is this new or was I unaware? Yet another unanswered question… For the details:   https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/calendars-and-collisions/ 

I began the first few days of 2013 doing inventory for a local bookstore. I have spent so much of my life around books and have often fantasized about the inner workings of a bookstore, What would it be like to spend all day surrounded by hundreds ( or thousands) of books? Well , quite organically, I found out! Most of the people that I was working with were published writers. I was surrounded by fascinating writers of all ages, shapes, and sizes.  It was fabulous to soak up the atmosphere for a few days. For so long I identified as someone who had many writer friends. Remember FOBs – Friends of Bill ( Clinton)? I was a FOW – Friend of Writers. I knew I would be starting my blog soon but was not a true writer yet ( or so I thought).

This is one of the first images I used when I began the blog. I did not know the source or the artist. I found this image on Facebook and I loved the colors and the butterflies. Little did I know that some foreshadowing was taking place: I would eventually meet my dear friend/ PR extraordinaire Sindy from bluebutterfliesandme, fall in love with the art of Josephine Wall ( the artist of Butterfly Tree), blog about transformation, and write a book review for my sweet gifted friend Julianne’s Butterfly Journal. I knew nothing about using images to accompany my writing and all that entails.  Seems like eons ago… I was so excited when I got my first follower ~ someone I did not know! Cheers to you James Fielden, my faithful follower, poetic soul  and fellow INFJ. Slowly but surely I began to follow other bloggers. I did not realize this was a community and that other bloggers would like my posts , comment, or follow. Was I in for a surprise!  Some of my early favorites ( that I did not already mention here) were Monika – who shares my love of art, astrology,  travel and Jung, Karen Kubicko – another friend who reawakened my interest in multiple lives and angels, the now defunct Crow and Valentine  and Fiery Ginger , Leaf and Twig  by the mysterious and exalted Seedbud who adds to my daily meditation with the perfect balance of poetry and image, sensitive photographer and sweetheart SethSnap,  the channeled words of Angelic Guides,  INFJ cartoonist and pal INFJoe, and INFJ brave, vulnerable and wise soul sister  Lehua. 

 Kaleidoscopes, love of lite and light, dream groups, the learning curve of technical blogging, astrology and connections: 

It took me some time to create an about me page. Eventually I looked at litebeing and explored how I could expand on my moniker. I adore kaleidoscopes and it all came  together organically. Interestingly enough, the patterns began to emerge. I met a new friend and brilliant energy worker Deelia who had a great quote on her blog from Jean Houston about kaleidoscopes.

I  reviewed some films  on https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/litebeings-guide-to-the-movies/. One of them was Bee Season. I re-watched it again this weekend and noticed that the kaleidoscope was featured almost as a unique character in the story line. It was linked to mysticism and the Kabbalah. It focused on the philosophy of tikkun olam, or “repairing the world” and “reuniting its shards of light.”

This link on Kabbalah explains what happened before The Big Bang and the role of the light http://www.livekabbalah.org/index.php/home/level-1-b/basic-concepts-in-kabbalah/light-or-and-the-creation/

This article would have come in handy when I blogged about creation in https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/09/28/musings-and-in-the-beginning/

Through Nuttgen’s imagery of kaleidoscopes, shards of glass and permutated letters, the Naumann world emerges as an extraordinary mosaic, delicately balancing on the edge of everyday suburban reality and mystical surrealism. ( kinda like my blog theme, hmmmm)

reference: http://www.writingstudio.co.za/page961.html

I took a brief class on lucid dreaming and formed a small dream group with a few fellow students. Taking more of a leadership role was  a pattern beginning to take shape. At the urging of folks at my other dream group, I had begun distributing my new business cards.  A few of my friends were quite insistent that I order cards. I decided to call myself an Astrologer and Intuitive Guide. I was not sure why I made this choice, but  intuitive guide seemed more authentic than therapist or counselor. The group also told me to include my blog on the cards, but I did not listen. ” What if this blog idea doesn’t last?” I thought. Looking back I wish I had listened to them. My life was quietly and subtly changing..

I did not plan to feature astrology at first but the Universe had other plans ….

This picture of 3 beautiful souls was in part inspiration for my February post about astrology and ascendants : https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/happy-february-why-astrology-works-a-biased-view/ 

Can you guess who are the 2 Scorpios and who is the Aquarius? The three of us were so filled with light, beauty , and promise. Why didn’t I notice that in myself back then? We were the 3 musketeers, and I shared my hopes and dreams with my dearest partners in crime. We believed in each other and brought out our better natures ( intertwined with teenage angst and drama). I saw myself coming back to life this year, uncovering and expressing more and more of those dreams and gifts. Many were packed away in ” psychic storage” collecting dust. Thanks to new friends such as fellow Moon in Gemini  INFJ Renate, the wickedly clever, talented and insightful  animal lovers Odie and OM, lovely artist and Philly home-girl Cynthia Jackson, and fellow SW and nature lover Cindy Knoke, admiration turned into inspiration. Their creativity and spark helped ignite my own flame.  I cannot let this season pass without describing my tenacity in regards to the technical side of blogging. I was here to write. What did I know of widgets, embedding videos, cropping images and using social media to publish my posts? ZERO. Don’t even get me started on the Flag Widget! Yet I used the stubborn fixed side of my personality to persevere and I succeeded most of the time.

Spring 2013 

What’s in a gravatar name after all? The Year of the Snake, alternate realities and virtual reunions, awards, my photography, poetry and more..

When the Chinese New Year arrived we entered the Year of the Snake. And boy was it ever, in more ways than one!

Some of you may recall my original gravatar was a colorful bird. In the Spring/Summer I decided to change it to one of my own photographs. I finally learned how to upload pictures from my not-so-smart phone. Remember I blogged about my blooming poinsettia in   https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/subtle-beginnings/ ? I so wanted to show you my plant, but did not know how to upload the images to you. I have definitely come a long way since then. But there was more to learn and discover…

So I chose this flowering plant above as my new symbol because of the purple color and how the petals reflect the light. Little did I know I was using the Hydrangea as my gravatar! Even when I discovered its name courtesy of Renate who commented on: https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/poetry-how-about-a-snake-with-your-rumi/, I still did not realize that this was the same plant.  It was not until months later when Sue mentioned its name during the amazing  ” blind” reading she gave me that I had been shooting this plant in different stages of development over time!

Check out Sue’s dazzling auragraphs here ~ http://suedreamwalker.wordpress.com/art-and-hobbies/watercolour-paintings-auragraphs/

 

My childhood included many sudden and frequent moves to different states and 4 elementary schools. This challenging experience often prompted me to wonder about ” what if” or ” what might have been”  had I remained in one place for a longer stretch of time. I am very visually oriented and this photo above remained prominent in my consciousness. Through the magic of Facebook and some persistent efforts, I located 2 childhood friends from 3rd – part of 5th grade ( the longest time I remained at one school). It was exhilarating to reconnect and share our memories of one another. Around the same time I blogged about a trip into an alternate dimension in https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/scenes-from-an-indian-restaurant-collisions-of-parallel-time/.   Feedback and support from Roxie aka Shelley, Heidi, Shamanic goddess, and Cynthia Sue made a world ( quantum world) of difference. Communing with fellow seers, shape-shifters, healers, and alchemists reawakened the parts of my soul that needed a gentle nudge!

The Spring also brought a crisis of faith that shook me to my core. This crisis resulted in more enlightenment through the kindness of others. I was rewarded with poetry from inside me and blog awards from my peers! Thank you Tazein and Ajay for noticing me and in such a loving way. While my writing was reaching people in India and Singapore and Australia, my heart chakra was being opened by angels in my neighborhood. Check out these chestnuts that reflected these openings:

 https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/best-moment-award/

 https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/grace-everpresent/

https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/calling-all-angels/

Summer 2013

Interview, book review, barter, reunions, Astrology conference

I happened to discover a blog by one of my new followers, a young college student/ ballerina, author, renaissance woman Amber. I was immediately drawn to the lavender star format. I was also struck by her raw, honest musings on her life with bipolar disorder and the world of publishing. Soon thereafter I am winning eBooks, reading the review copy of When Stars Die, and invited to be interviewed by Ky Grabowski. Remember the FOW? I was beginning to truly transition to writer. I hosted a  111 Global Party to celebrate 111 followers and created a virtual bash complete with world music and free astrology readings. This idea triggered the concept of rewarding my 1000th commenter and launching an award contest. As so often happens in my life, one idea births another and yet another, with the birthing process taking on its own momentum and pace. These events brought more new friends to the party like the enchanting Glorialana, and earth mother/ colorful writer Tamrah Jo.

Read about Amber’s When Stars Die  https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/book-review-when-stars-die/

 Through the magic of Facebook one of my best friends from high school reconnected with me and she came to visit from Texas. We had not seen each other in about twenty years. She is the Aquarius featured earlier in the post. Talk about seamlessly catching up without missing a beat. Connections that can be sustained throughout a lifetime are precious and rare! Around the same time I attended the NCGR Astrology conference hosted in Philadelphia. Spending time with my beloved community inspired me to do more readings and  really put myself out there. Coincidentally or not, I was offered a chance to teach an Astrology class for the very first time! So part of my Summer was spent bartering services with fellow bloggers, developing my lecture materials, and thinking about my future. What am I called to do now?

Fall 2013 

Cosmic challenges, more new friends, recognizing what is hiding in plain sight, birthday blues, teaching and learning along the way

After a very busy summer doing more of what I truly love, the Fall arrived. I taught my first class and was received warmly. I continued to give out my business cards and test my intuitive/ clairsentient/empathic skills. I hosted a blog challenge on astrology and alchemy called the Cosmic Retrograde Challenge. This required both leadership skills, patience, and the willingness to be open to how this experiment may impact me. I came away quite surprised and a bit overwhelmed.  There were a few Wizard of Oz moments that are still being integrated slowly but surely. But new friends like brilliant , ever curious  Shree , loving insightful Sue, and contemplative yet engaging Debra made the journey worthwhile. While some melancholy set in around my birthday, I continued to  practice gratitude, clear out old ghosts, and claim more of my power.

Going public, WordPress and Facebook style, weaving a community tapestry, releasing old ties and forming new alliances

As the year began to wind down, so did my energy. Saturn was beginning to have its way with my Scorpio placements and would not be ignored. But I continued to persevere, execute some new goals, and soldier on. I  also continued to receive offers to partner with bloggers on projects and challenges like this full-fledged Astrology Article with Julie:

 https://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/wordpress-western-style/

I also enhanced the blog with a Services Section and created a Facebook page. I have begun providing Astrology Services by Skype, phone, and email. I am really enjoying integrating all I have learned and creating new ways to serve the world. All of you make me better and the ideas and stories keep pouring out of me. I really did not think there would be so much to say or do.  I also quit my 11 year therapy practice this month. It was a painful decision but clearly the right one at this time. Sometimes a situation requires one to let go before any real damage is done. Another opportunity to let go gracefully had emerged before 2013 was finished with me. With so much in the works already, I am eager to kiss this year goodbye.

End of year 2013 ~

Lessons learned: 2013 from beginning to end was an exceptional year for me. In fact it was a turning point.  I learned so much this year. One huge lesson was that old dreams never really die entirely. I had finally made the decision to honor the child within who loves to express herself by writing and inspiring by seeing the world differently. I put myself out there and it was about time! A sense of urgency within collided with signs in the environment and I went for it!  Another important lesson is to let life flow more, despite my need/habit to control everything. I also noticed that like-minded people can do so much more in service together than separately. The key is attracting people who are truly like-minded. We are so inextricably interconnected. When there were floods and fires in Colorado, I paid more attention. If there’s a festival in Kuala Lumpur, I sense the excitement because I know someone there! When the news focuses on Belarus or the UK, I think about how my friends are being affected. Truth is, we are all together, everywhere and every moment. Finally, some patterns are waiting to be revealed while others remain elusive.  Perhaps I can be still and make peace with the mystery. 

Thank you Ajay, Glorialana and Julie for 3 awesome Blog of the Year Awards! I am so grateful to be recognized by such accomplished creative spirits. Since 2013 is the Year of the Blog for me, if I mentioned you in this post, you won this Award! All of you propelled me further by being you and extending yourself to me.  Thank you. While I could not mention everyone,( it would take another week to finish this post…) please do not assume you did not impact me because you did! Like food and travel bloggers Rachel at Eat, The Escape Artist, and Fae. Or my male blogger pals Eddie, Eric, Dennis, Gray and Michael. Or Barbara, Aleya, and Anne. And on it goes…

In the spirit of alternate realities, I offer you another version for your listening pleasure:   Time Passages 2

 One last mystery before I close, was this a  Year in Review post masquerading as an Awards post? Or an Awards post masquerading as a Year in Review post?

Embrace the paradox and have a Deliteful 2014!