Mermaid picture by Kyra age 6

I have always loved going to museums and am lucky enough to live in an area where there is plenty to see. This past Spring we treated ourselves to an M.C. Escher show at the Boca Museum of Art. A few hours through the labyrinth of amazingness resulted in a season full of creative inspiration. There is something so penetrating about seeing art in person. In my opinion, the visual sensation of viewing originals has yet to be captured in print or virtual media. In my own home, I myself am not a huge fan of prints. I prefer to hang actual drawings and paintings when possible (though I have some treasured signed prints from friends, of course). Perhaps it’s the experience of interacting with art face to face. I think original artwork has its own energy, imprints of the artist’s soulful touch that exudes from an aura of magical energy. Anyone who has seen original artwork in a museum and/or gallery knows what I’m talking about. That is why these institutions remain timeless in a world constantly in flux. A virtual tour of a museum cannot touch the experience of being there.

This past weekend, we went to see a wonderful exhibit at Norton Museum of Art in Palm Beach called “Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney”. I first saw and actually met the artist back in the 80s at a Boskone sci-fi/fantasy convention (my first!). He was exhibiting his first Dinotopia paintings (I don’t think he had sold the book at that juncture). As an eager art student barely in my 20s, I remember feeling my jaw literally drop when I first eyed his elaborately detailed scenes. He stole the show–a modern day N.C Wyeth;  an incredibly gifted artist who was barely in his 30s at the time. I was mesmerized and knew that this was a master on the threshold of worldwide fame. I think everyone sensed this about James Gurney and everyone was right!

Zoom forward to 2010–my second encounter was no less dazzling and in fact I felt a deeper sense of awe as I tried to digest all the detail-packed paintings that comprised the Dinotopia series. The show was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The ability to look at the rich colors and detail in person was transforming. For a little while, my family and I felt like we were walking through Dinotopia and it was an exhilarating place to be.

After spending hours through the Dinotopia wing, we did go through the rest of the museum. For some reason, while we were perusing the George and Valerie Delacort Gallery I felt compelled to whip out my pocket-sized sketchbook to doodle eyes from works of the masters. I was looking into my own eyes as I studied the nuance that swept through these important windows to the soul. I quickly sketched little studies with pen. The process helped me to connect with the image in a deep way–it was as though the people portrayed in the paintings were communicating with me. In between, I wrote down quotes that the museum has tastefully displayed between exhibits. One of my favorite quotes was: “Art seems to me to be above all a state of the soul.”~Marc Chagall

~ Lisa

Here I am with a foolish young heart (and thin figure!). This is 1995 while working on my first tarot deck: the Shapeshifter Tarot

This is the painting that determined my artistic path. The Sorceress was the sample I painted before landing my first tarot contract with Llewellyn Publications.

Here's a Shapeshifter portrait I did for 60's rock icon, Donovan. I flew to San Francisco and presented the framed painting to him in person at a 1997 Whole Life Expo (my apologies for the poor photo quality--I know I have more somewhere).

Here I am in 1998 at an Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale graduation. At the time I was working on Celtic Dragon Tarot, I was also earning a degree in Computer Animation (very new at the time). I face-mapped the Shapeshifter Tarot images on 3D runes and had them spin around in space. No one ever saw anything like that before and it earned me the top prize in my graduating class (and a subsequent job as a conceptual designer and later, college teacher).

Here's my studio. On the wall is a framed Celtic Dragon Tarot press sheet. As my biggest seller, it holds a place of honor in my workspace.

After Celtic Dragon Tarot, my book Celestial Goddesses was published. I met fabulous people along the way, including my dear friend Pam (professional singer/art educator extraordinaire). This was taken during the Spring of 2002.

I also met my future husband at the one and only Celestial Goddesses book signing. It was destiny!

During the past 15 years, I've nurtured an extraordinary friendship with the brilliant and soulful Kris Waldherr.

While I was earning my Masters Degree in Interdisplinary Studies, Animals Divine Tarot was published. It earned a COVR award the following year (2006).

After Animals Divine Tarot, there was Fantastical Creatures Tarot published by US Games. Here I am at a 2007 INATS East signing/reading. I was busy!

While working on tarot decks and books, I had kids! Here I am with my artistic son Connor in 2009.

Here's Kyra in the studio in (early 2009?). My kids love to draw too!

Here's a bookcover-in-progress I did last year.

I also had a 10 year stint as a Collectible Card Game artist, but after over 100 images I retired from the industry.

I also studied martial arts and earned my Black Belt in TKD as a means of getting healthy and feeling more balanced while in the studio. It's easy to neglect oneself when one is so consumed by one's artistic passions! (2008)

I loved writing this book!

Here's a framed press sheet of The Fairy Tale Tarot that hung at a local gallery in 2009.

Here I am at work in the studio. I use the TP for painting--just in case you were confused. (2010)

Here's what I'm working on now...

and here's what I'll be working on next.

It has been a wonderful journey so far. I can honestly say that I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my life. Yes, I did make things happen, but I also feel I’m a blessed person to be able to live my passion and know who I am. Who knows what will be? But for now, I’m perfectly content with the here and now. But sometimes it’s good to reflect back and take pause. I don’t take anything for granted!

~ Lisa

The World Card

“Wonders of a lifetime
Right there before your eyes
Searching with this life of ours
You gotta make the journey out and in
Out and in, out and in…”
Moody Blues Out And In lyrics

The Moody Blues record albums were a staple during my early college years. To me, their songs reminded me of mythic journeys and inspired some of my earliest works. And most often, the paintings were not based on academic application, but rather they served as a conduit for inner feelings and the compulsion to tell fairy tales, myths and legends via the paintbrush.

Painting The Fairy Tale Tarot reminded me of those adventurous years when stories and feelings converged and joined forces onto the page. It was a journey full of experiments, mistakes, joys, disappointments and ultimate growth without the pressure of professional demands. I was free to play and transpose the images that came to me as naturally as reading the fairy tales themselves. Fortunately, Llewellyn gave me a very liberal deadline and full creative reign over this project, so the process was as enjoyable and unfettered as those early years of unbridled creative joy.

The creative process is like the undaunted hero crossing the threshold into a metaphorical landscape of unknown challenges. While painting The Fairy Tale Tarot, I made the journey out and in, out and in…where heart and soul manifested itself onto the storyteller’s page right there before my eyes.

~Lisa Hunt

Shapeshifter, Celtic Dragon, Animals Divine & Fantastical Creatures Tarot & The Celestial Goddesses book.

In 1994, I was asked to create sample art for my first deck, Shapeshifter Tarot. Back then, I was the intrepid newbie 20-something year old artist, full of dreams and fresh from recent children’s book publication, book and magazine work and a few oddities in between. I was open to anything and a tarot deck sounded like just the thing needed to satiate my long term ambitious artistic palette and unwavering interest in myths, legends and tarot cards. Little did I know that this would turn out to be a lifelong calling—a burning need to create images that had deep psychological significance within the ever-expansive and fascinating world of divination.

Creating tarot decks as both illustrator and creator/author/illustrator has been a journey into an inner landscape replete with all manner of ethereal visions. My work has never strayed from a bit o’ the fantasy—nothing is direct, photo realistic or even slightly “modern”, rather it represents my need to explore enigmatic images floating within the collective pool of timeless mystery…where the need to understand reality and all its pleasures and sufferings is manifested into legends, fairy tales, myths and all manner of narratives. To me, these help explain that which we cannot understand. My journey as an artist has involved something heartily emotional, compassionate, edgy, and comforting. These emotions have persisted throughout time and are what make us inherently human, fallible and creative.

With my desire to create serving as a reliable guide, I’m trying to reach a place where the soul is called to task and asked to offer up something deeper and more satisfying than the mundane. To me, the stories, the art, the myths and the fairy tales activate something sacred within. These figments of my inner world pour onto paper and create a passage between consciousness and unconsciousness–this is what my tarot art has been: bridge building between various levels of the psyche.
The decks I’ve worked on represent different stages of my life—with each one expressing the obvious growth I’ve made as an artist over the years. I don’t think one deck is necessarily better than another. Rather, each deck is an expression of who I was at the time: from the fresh almost naïve approaches of the Shapeshifter Tarot images, to the more seasoned, confident renderings of my later decks. My second foray into tarot exploration was the Celtic Dragon Tarot, my bestseller to date. The art is a bit bolder, the perspectives more challenging, with values that range from soft muted to bold and striking.  I was in between “newbieness” and being the all-out confident professional. I knew what I wanted to do, but still needed the years to fully awaken as an individual and artist–part of the fool’s journey.

In between decks, I engaged in other creative endeavors including writing/illustrating a book, working as a conceptual artist in the Florida-based entertainment industry, collectible card games, calendars etc.. I also taught at a college while earning my masters degree with a focus on what else: art, Jungian psychology and tarot — all the same goodies that had navigated my muse all along. Phew! It was an intense time full of changes and out of all this emerged Animals Divine Tarot; a deck that showcased both my artistic growth and scholastic achievements. I really loved working on this deck and purposely pushed the colors to reflect the vibrancy of the natural world. Fantastical Creatures Tarot soon followed, a deck that released unfettered creativity and perhaps revealed the deliberate effort to capture more detail without relinquishing the spontaneity of the watercolor brush.

As I was approaching middle age, I was digging deeply through fairy tales with endless threads of inspiration sweeping my soul into lands of make believe. I was immersed in the delightful task of researching and writing; having taken important seats next to my The Fairy Tale Tarot art making chair.  Fairy tales are the first thing I read and loved, launching my creative sensibilities as a child. I was coming full circle, revisiting books illustrated by Arthur Rackham, Charles & William Heath, Sulamith Wulfing, Arthur Sykes, Gustave Dore, Howard Pyle, A.A. Milne,  Edmund Dulac, Tasha Tudor and the list goes on. And of course, there is my omnipresent Golden Book of Fairy Tales of my early childhood (see a previous post). I came back to the Fool, but a wiser Fool– one who embraces all that I am as an artist. The Fairy Tale Tarot is all of my experiences on the journey mixed together in a big pot of artistic inspiration with a dash of deeper understanding. I have come back home, having fulfilled a lifelong dream to illustrate fairy tales and I feel, …well, emotionally prosperous. Do I intend to stop painting? NO! Have I ever stopped painting? NO. Will I keep growing as an artist? I certainly hope so!

And how about you, readers? Do you have a favorite deck that I’ve done?  Have you found that balance between embracing what you were and what you are now? Do you sometimes feel like the intrepid Fool?

*A special thanks to the members of Aeclectic Tarot, whose forum discussions helped to inspire this post (especially Hearthcricket).

Concept sketches for the Star card

But the biggest change for me was sending off The Fairy Tale Tarot into a realm called completion. I felt so many mixed feelings as I let this baby go. Of course, there is the initial euphoria of having realized a personal dream within the dictates of a deadline. But then there is the inevitable post-project comedown after releasing this 5 year mission to the anonymous never land of production, where its fate lies in the hands of others. I shall never do this project again and it is flooding me with all manner of conflicting emotions. It’s always amazing to see one’s work-of-passion make it to the daunting sphere of publication, but the reality of its finality is like an encounter with post-partum confusion.

Final drawing for the Star card

The Star card speaks to me at the present: resonating with my need to let go, mentally gestate and drink up the nourishing light of inspiration before fully immersing myself in studio activities anew. Even my editor told me that I deserve a break after such intensity. And despite my conditioned need to keep working (the ol’ keep on drawing if you wanna eat), I know that she (and those around me who witnessed my years of dedication to this tarot deck) is right. I need to take time to read, sketch, dream, journal, socialize and allow external stimuli to refill my well with renewed creative zeal. I’m entering a season of adjustment from feelings of being an accomplished fairy tale painter to a girl sitting in front of her clean, empty drawing table, an unfamiliar sight after many years of constant artistic activity. I need to allow myself to organize my thoughts and my space before engaging in another spate of blissful creative chaos. And I know I will. This is not the first time I have finished a big project…but I will never have the thrill of doing The Fairy Tale Tarot again! For now, I will enjoy this peaceful interlude and allow the muses to go play outside for a while, with me as the quiet observer sketching without obligation. Soon, I will hold printed tarot kit in hand and will have a host of new feelings to process .

The Star from The Fairy Tale Tarot, watercolor painting

Symbols and meaning:

The Star Maiden flies into the center of the tree thus connecting the spiritual world with the earthly plane: merging the different layers of consciousness. A spiral circulates from her chest, expressing her desire to go be liberated from the confinement of limited ego-driven thinking. The dying leaves are being released from the branches and flow freely. The full moon symbolizes birth, death and resurrection. Lunar activities preside, when fragments of the waking state fill our dreams at night. The faces in the trees represent the collective unconscious and our ability to access ancient knowledge while we dream.
***
It is important to be receptive to dream messages as a means of gaining greater insight and wisdom about our past, present and future. By becoming more aware of our inner dream life, we can become more proactive in our waking lives—actualizing those hopes and dreams that reflect our deepest desires.

~ Lisa

As many of you know, I’ve been spending the last few weeks fine-tuning the Fairy Tale Tarot companion book. I decided to cherish the process and focus on making sure this project was getting my full attention. And what a wonderful ride creating the Fairy Tale Tarot has been! Now that the editing process is completed, with the book going to press on May 18th, I felt inspired to write a post documenting my editing experience.

Here is a picture of the proofs (along with initial cover design layout) my editor at Llewellyn had sent to me. Editing can be a joyful experience if one is partnered up with the right individual. Becky is one of those editors I have always felt connected to. Our verbal relays are swift, symbiotic and stimulating. Becky has worked on several of my projects, so we have an established rapport that is nothing short of nurturing and mutually satisfying.

Here is a picture of the PDF edits. Becky sent queries/edits using a nifty mock-sticky note editing tool. This is a first for me, but I gotta say that it did streamline the process with its easy-to-read inserts. Life has become infinitely easier for both the editor and writer! While researching and writing Fairy Tale Tarot, I kept meticulous notes and sometimes had to go back to my books to double-check a potential inconsistency or to validate my sources. Here’s a snapshot of one of my fairy/folk tale bookcases. As you may know, I’m an avid collector of both modern and antique fairy tale books. These are my babies and I’ve grown to know them intimately! If you were to come into my library with a book in mind, I could retrieve it in a flash (perhaps leftover from my days working at a library).

Becky also designed the book and it’s gorgeous! The typography is brilliant and the placement of illustrations really brings an aesthetic cohesion to the presentation. And Lynne, the art director did a fantastic job with the cards: borderless images with subtle scrolls for text placement. She was able to effectively include card titles without sacrificing the integrity of the images.

The Flying Ship card comes to mind when I think of the production process of the Fairy Tale Tarot. Nine of Wands is about working cooperatively, inner strength, preparedness, order, vision, action and all manner of proactive multiplicities. This project finally came together due to the collective effort of all those involved to help me bring out my best and to transform years of intense creativity into a stunning package. I’ve always been thankful to editors, art directors, designers and all those involved to help bring ideas to publication: they are the unspoken heroes behind many of the gorgeous books and decks that line our bookshelves (or fill our kindles). I couldn’t be happier with the results and will always remember my creative exchanges with these consummate professionals fondly.

~Lisa

Summer Queen Doodles

Despite the challenges of strange climactic anomalies, I’ve been tending to my “garden of surprises”. It’s my little patch of organic nurturance, mixed with offerings from my kitchen compost. Here is where I plant seeds and watch seeds plant themselves. On one end, I have my seed-germinated tomatoes—and to all those who garden, you know there is nothing like a fresh tomato from your own labors, especially when grown from delicate seed. 

On the other end of my garden is where providence happens. I mix compost in with my soil and wait to see what comes up. Right now, I have a fruit-laden papaya tree, squash, tomatoes  and what I think might be potato plants having self-germinated from scraps. These unexpected guests are settling into that space that they’ve claimed as their own. And you know what? The plants are getting along with one another! Oh, the garden offers so many wise lessons.

Summer Queen Drawing

I love having my planned garden juxtaposing Mother Earth’s spring specials. I never know what she is going to come up with, but she’s obviously grateful that nothing is wasted, and all is returned to whence it came. And for that, I’m rewarded with a sense of renewal and an interesting mix of edibles.

*****
The Canadian tale of the Summer Queen is one of the less known inclusions in my deck. It is a beautiful story and one that was destined to be the Queen of Pentacles card. I stumbled on a translation quite by chance and had immediate visions for the potential card art.

Summer Queen Painting

If you study the image, you will see that it is a card of polarity and balance, something that has come up in recent tarot conversations (Thank you, Arwen Lynch). The Summer Queen, as the earth mother, presides over the land, yet her presence is complimented by the cold earth waking up from its winter-induced nap. Slowly, everything comes alive under the warm presence of Summer Queen’s vibrant appearance. She holds an orb of energy, has flowers cascading from her hair, butterflies symbolize renewal and geese fly to the sun. This is a card that makes me feel good. She’s reassuring but realistic. She is not eradicating winter, but she is part of a larger cycle that must include rest before activity can resume.  And what a wonderful thing it is to wake up to the sounds and scents of spring after a long winter respite. Don’t you think?

Lisa Gardening

Lisa in her Garden

~ Lisa

Little Red Riding Hood Sketches

This past week was one that tested my will and made me look upon the arena of positive thinking with skepticism. I had someone attempt to exploit me while someone else exhibited irrational behavior that resulted in inexplicable actions. I thought to myself,“Is the world going crazy?”. In both situations, I trusted and believed. I had faith in the goodness of others. But that faith was shaken when the rug was pulled out from under my vulnerable being and I was left to question the validity of my own supposed good judgment. Intuition had let me down.

The Fool - Little Red Riding Hood B&W

I thought I was following the path, aligned with floral sanguinity when suddenly the big bad wolf emerged. And this wolf was not good. He was ravenous and potentially harmful. I did not see the indiscretions that lurked just beyond the shadows, but rather continued along my merry way assuming that all was right with the world. Once again, I’m reminded that the path does have the occasional beast, waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting. But do you know what? Despite these unexpected trials, I find myself looking down the path with the same optimism that has always possessed me. Instead of allowing shadows to overwhelm and obscure my journey, I’m able to decipher the good that lay beyond the immediacy of adversity. I’m able to see that it is the monsters along the way that help us to become more creative and defiant travelers. And at the end of momentary darkness and emotional paralyses, I am able to see the light and how important it is to never relinquish the innocence that is our adventurous spirit. If we allow ourselves to lose hope when the shadows grow large upon us, we will be swallowed up by darkness. And in order to proceed down the path of growth and self-awareness, we must try to discern the light. I believe in the light, the good. And by believing in those things, I can create my own illumination as I proceed forward on this journey that is called life.

The Fool - Little Red Riding Hood Color

In Little Red Riding Hood (as the Fool card) the Wolf represents the shadow: our wild untamed nature. It is “the devouring” and has the ability to keep us in the dark, but it can also serve to help us become more aware of ourselves.

Kort & Connor, the model for Little Red. TKD test Feb. 09.

When traveling down the path of life, there is the possibility of encountering dark forces that may lurk in the shadows. The path is full of unknowns and as we wander down the trail, our adventurous spirits will help us cross into thresholds of new possibilities. But be aware of tricksters that may cross your path along the way—tricksters that may test your spirit but may also help to facilitate growth, compassion and deeper understanding.

~Lisa

The Fairy Tale Tarot Major Arcana.

Be sure to click “watch in high quality” at the bottom right when viewing – thanks!

click here to view the slide show

February 3, 2009 edit: Happy 200th Birthday Felix Mendelssohn!
The music in the slide show is Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major ‘Italian’, Op. 90 – III. Con moto moderato.

(click here to see the transformation)

After a somewhat sedentary existence following the birth of my daughter, I was cajoled by my son Connor’s Taekwondo Master to take a non-obligatory trial class. Here I was, a chubby post partum mom staring impending middle age in the face and I was being coerced into a situation that I was less than enthusiastic about. I told myself there was no way I can do this. I was clumsy and achy. I had two left feet and I had multiple abdominal traumas after a near fatal appendectomy in my 20s and two cesareans in my 30s; and now I was willing to subject myself to kicks and punches? I suffered from migraines (requiring quietude and darkness), borderline high blood pressure, high sugar levels, being overweight, low self-esteem and an exceptionally high heart rate. Years of concentrated studio and educational efforts took its toll and I had resigned myself to physical mediocrity. In other words, I was a mess! But despite my misgivings and because of the pleas of my young son (who thought it would be cool if his mom did TKD) I put on my sweats and showed up to class: There, are you happy? I thought to myself. The academy was populated by the young and fit, seasoned super people called black belts, and an unrelenting Master who, having survived Vietnam as a Marine, had no mercy for excuse makers. How was I going to be able to do even one stomach crunch? I still couldn’t feel the abdominal surface marred by medical emergencies. I hadn’t done a push up since high school and I had no idea where my withered deltoids, biceps and triceps were hiding…and here I was a bloated spectacle who somehow survived the hardest part of this unexpected journey: taking that first step onto the dojo mats. I came home with a new ghee and a white belt, triumphant in a sort of rebellious way but feeling crazy for abandoning my supposed comfort zone.

That was the beginning of an incredible journey.

Since then I’ve cried in class, I’ve “quit” multiple times, I’ve yelled, I’ve sounded off expletives (and I don’t typically swear), I’ve been bloodied, bruised and battered, I’ve been mangled to the ground, rough and tumbled and pretty much stripped of all dignity. And frankly, if it wasn’t for my wise son’s repeated recitation of the school’s code of conduct policy: “Perseverance: we keep on going in spite of difficulties”, I probably would have caved into defeat long ago. Connor was instrumental in making me see that giving up was not an option. If I did throw in the towel, what message would I be sending my impressionable son? He too was training and he too had his own challenges to face. I needed to keep on going for myself as well as for him. As a result, we were forging a close mother/son bond with our martial arts collective. That alone had been worth the effort.

But also through the physical and mental trials, something subtle began to envelope my being. Mental malaise was surrendering to physical prowess, a part of me that was allowed to languish in my 30s. I was reawakening my long dormant senses. The once competitive cross-country runner in high school, affectionately called “wild horse” by her mother, reacquainted herself with the very spirit that fueled her desire to conquer grueling trails of long ago. I had run like the wind, a wild horse with pony tale flowing behind. I had felt exhilarated and free as I struggled through stitches and discomforts-consequences of pushing a body beyond perceived limitations. Those races were a rite of passage, setting the pace for indefatigable nights at the ever-ambitious drawing table.

But as time went on, the physical accompaniment to a somewhat balanced existence relinquished under the strains of deadlines and life stuff. In an effort to streamline my daily repertoire, I axed physical activity. Not one of my smarter moves. But Wild Horse was still there, deep down inside. I had only hit the pause button while the passing days continued to prove distracting.

Back at the dojo:
Thoughts of my former life would occasionally taunt me as I struggled through hardcore pushups, having to dig deep inside for assistance from internal Wild Horse. It was hard–really, really hard, almost impossible; the quest beyond white belt seemed insurmountable and foolish. But climb I did and with each belt progression I grew stronger, fitter and most importantly, calmer—the ol’ sense of balance was returning as was my once size 8 physique. That first stomach crunch became 200. That first assisted push up became 50 standard pushups. That first clumsily executed form became a series of eight mellifluous ones. And instead of falling over with each kick, I was now flying… like a wild horse in the wind: white, yellow, gold, orange, green, blue, purple, and then red…fiery red belt before finally making it to the elusive brown belt. And a brown belt evokes exactly what you may think: earthy calm, collected, ripe and ready like the leaves about to fall from the trees. The autumnal leaf analogy came from the mouth of the wise Master himself. I understand what he means now, but would not have comprehended those sagacious words without having traveled the challenging road of his teachings. In a few days, those leaves will fall-December lucky 13 to be exact. I had sprouted, grown, fruited and am now preparing for the end of one cycle only to start a new one as a black belt. Like Jung’s ouroborous, the martial arts path is an infinite one. And the day the black belt is placed around my waist, I will be reborn and ready for the next phase of training, or as my Master poignantly suggests: “Then the real training will begin.”

Although I have not seen it, the Master has informed me that the black belt will have “Wild Horse” emblazoned on it—my indelible identity. I will have found and embraced my inner Wild Horse, now tame, seasoned, free and fully alive.
My spidey senses are tingling!

The black belt test is supposed to be grueling—it is said to be an excruciating mental ordeal in addition to a physically challenging event. The objective: exhibiting an indomitable spirit in the face of adversity using sheer will and discipline as compasses for survival.

Just to make sure, I went for a physical and to my great surprise, was deemed in “excellent shape” (although I still get that rare migraine)—for example my heart rate went from 98 to 65, my blood pressure is 110/70 and my sugar and cholesterol are low. I’ve dropped 40 lbs of fat replacing it with invaluable muscle. I have more energy and endurance and feel empowered and undeterred—these fortifications carry over into all areas of my life and have made me more efficient and balanced with everything that I do. I’m also much more keenly aware of my surroundings, having recently caught a glass that flew out of my cabinet. How about that? I shan’t collapse into cardiac arrest after all like I thought I would the first time I did a rising kick—I’ve trained, prepared, conditioned and am now ready to face whatever challenges await me. Not only have my muscles come out of hiding, sending a photo to my mom turned out to be a mind blowing experience for her. Who is that fit, muscular woman? It’s just me mommy, Wild Horse!

Supposedly, the test starts off with a mile run in under 10 minutes (easiest part of test) and then it escalates from there including standard strength drills, accelerated forms, 30 minutes of sparring with a constant stream of blackbelt brawn bent on making the candidate cry and many surprises in between. I cannot completely imagine what I’m up against—probably better that way. And it has been said no one will hold back from fully engaging me in this hazing process even if I am an almost 42-year-old whose had her share of hard years. I have long since learned there are no excuses. I must take the punishment like all others before me and “persevere despite difficulties”. Earning the black belt will be a monumental achievement that I will carry with me forever. And perhaps, I can be an instrument for inspiring others, who may eye the threshold of the dojo with trepidation. Maybe, just maybe if I can do it, so can almost anyone. To quote a Chinese proverb: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And the first step is most certainly the hardest!
*******

Hok Lee & Tatterhood, click for images

The Chinese fairy tale Hok Lee and the Dwarves as represented by the Three of Wands is a fascinating story about a man cursed by the spirits for living a double life and engaging in misdeeds. In order to alleviate the curse, that had rendered his cheek grotesquely swollen, Hok Lee must successfully perform a dance to an audience of forest dwelling dwarves. His first attempt ends miserably as he stumbles his way through an awkward performance. As a consequence, the curse expanded to his other cheek. This left Hok Lee with little choice but to request another chance to redeem himself. The dwarves agreed and the contest commenced. Hok Lee took a deep breath and decided to let his spirit soar. He raised his arm and then his leg and boldly jumped into a graceful dance. He let go (something I’ve heard my Taekwondo Master say to me over and over again). He kicked and twirled and soon the leaves were spinning along with him. When he finished, the dwarves clapped and cheered. His growths disappeared and from there on in he helped others find a way to their own cures.

Tatterhood is the spunky heroine of a Norwegian folktale. She is an untamed wild child whose resourcefulness leads her to rescue her more prim and proper twin sister from hobgoblins. As you can imagine, I loved painting Tatterhood in all her ragtag glory. She is the princess of wands, with her demonstrative confidence, determination, creative energy and adventurous spirit—all the things I will need to earn my Wild Horse black belt. I also love to a paint goats. Perhaps because I’m a capricorn.

~ Lisa