Today's Picture to Ponder Photos
Two of the 44 of my photographs that are the background for Lynn Serafinn's Video Reading of "Song of the Rose" from her book "GARDEN OF THE SOUL: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self." It's now available on Amazon.

The top photo is a screen shot grabbed at the point the Yellow Rose photograph is transitioning to a Sunset photo. In the second photo Great Blue Herons in Nest transition into a picture of Castera Roses.

"I finally had time to go listen to the Song of the Rose - It's exquisite - I love the words, the Lynn's voice, your images, her sequencing of them - the whole thing is a gem! I feel very inspired." Tomar Levine, Picture to Ponder subscriber

Take a breather, relax, listen and see for yourself "Song of the Rose" and please leave a comment. - (5 minute video on YouTube)

The Story - GARDEN OF THE SOUL Book
According to Lynn Serafinn, Author, "The book, which is a substantial work of over 400 pages, is a collection of inspirational personal narratives, stories and life lessons as taught by four flowers, the Rose, the Iris, the Daffodil, and the Lily, who teach us four spiritual principles: Give, Receive, Become and Be. Each section of the book focuses on one particular principle, and each begins with a poem or "song" sung by one of the four flowers.

"Song of the Rose" opens the section of the book called "The Principle of Giving". In the book, the Rose teaches us that giving is not just about giving of things or time. It tells us that "Giving" is the process of anything that comes from within you, and expands outwards into the world.

It is your voice, your self-expression, empowerment, vitality, action, drive and energy. Most of all, it is passion, generosity of spirit and claiming one's life purpose. The Rose teaches us how important it is not to deprive ourselves from giving of our true, authentic selves to the world, for without this giving, we feel useless, purposeless, and passionless.

Again, the book is now on sale at Amazon. I am excitedly awaiting my order being delivered, while holding the receipt to claim the added bonuses that will be available on April 7th.

The Story - Photography and Support
It's been an exciting week for me.

Friday was the Blog Talk Radio interview in which Katherine Rescke interviewed me and two other professionals on money blocks. You can listen to the Podcast at PASSIONS THAT PAY.

On the weekend I had a couple of Skype conversations with Lynn Serafinn and several emails, as she selected photos from the Picture to Ponder archives to use in the first of four that she's creating to promote her new book. I love what she did with it AND creating a video was a first for her!

It was wonderful experiencing being appreciated and acknowledged through the act of collaboration. Then there is the thrill of seeing my work used in a different dimension.

In addition I have been receiving wonderful support from past participants in my PHOTO CREAVITY teleclasses, renamed as THROUGH AND FROM THE LENS, as I've been developing the information and registration page for the upcoming course.

Julie Ann Turner, creator and facilitator of the CREATORS GUIDE program in which I've been participating, has provided invaluable suggestions and support in my fully experiencing and expressing what it is that I have to contribute to the world. Two others of the participants have also been most helpful.

Today's Self-Reflecting Queries
I've covered a lot of ground this week, as you've been reading in my sharing in today's issue of Picture to Ponder.

While pondering the Self-Reflecting Queries for today, "Acknowledgment" once again seems to be the underlying message. There is also the principle of "Giving" as mentioned earlier in relation to Garden of the Soul.

I am so very appreciative of my friends and associates in programs in which I am participating. Knowing I could call or write and count on them for ideas and/or simply for reminders of my own worth has given me the ongoing boosts I've needed to move forward with intention and purpose.

I invite you to look in your life and see where you have been, or are, facing challenges. Do you know what it is you can, or will do, in those situations? Who are the people, if any, you have been able to, and can, count on for support and recognition? Have you recently expressed your appreciation for that to them?

How do you show appreciation for others? For yourself? Also look at your own strengths in supporting others? How do you position yourself AND do you acknowledge yourself for what you give in this arena? If not, I invite you to find some way to do so.

For me, I've been gradually recognizing more and more my strengths as I'm finally putting myself out there, once again, offering teleclasses. When I think of the "screen shots" and my other technological mini-expertise, I realize how much I do offer even beyond the "basic" curriculum of looking at our worlds in new and different ways.

Please check out the information below, or go directly to the Through and From the Lens page for subscribers.

Lastly, as always, when you're finished, I invite you to share your experience with today's photos and writing on the blog. See the instructions below if you need help.

And do have fun with this today.

We all have an artist within. In either case, whether you know that or are skeptical, THROUGH AND FROM THE LENS teleclasses may be for you. Through the use of your camera, group interaction with participants and some suggested writing, classes provide the opportunity for you to start seeing your worlds, both inner and outer, in new and different ways, leading to increased creativity, self-confidence and much more.

Classes take place on a telephone conference call line and by email in a 4 week series - Your choice days - Mondays at 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM EDT, starting April 29th or nights - Tuesdays from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT - (See WORLD TIME to match the times in your geographic location)

$30 savings for Picture to Ponder Subscribers. Read FULL description, details, bonuses, testimonials and more on APRIL CLASSES.