 Pet Area, Rest Stop, California In a recent drive from Seattle, Washington to Northern Arizona, Shana and I pulled into numerous rest stop areas. We were pleased to observe that most of the rest stops provided a thoughtfully landscaped Pet Area. These well used areas are compassionate retreats for our animal companions. As an animal communicator, I can appreciate the value of considering their needs and comfort. I photographed this one in California, off of the Interstate 5 Highway. Click on the image to view a full size version.
I am a Northern Arizona area and Coconino, Yavapai, and Gila counties, Arizona photographer. There are many fine photography workshops in this area where you can learn the entire technical mechanical “how to,” approach in using your camera. In these traditional workshops, the leader usually does not take any personal photography. They give their full attention
 Stephen Bruno to the workshop participants. If you are interested in this valuable teaching approach then I highly recommend that you research them on the internet and select one that fits your needs.
I offer a different perspective on teaching a quality photography workshop. Drawing on my writing, art, and photography background my teaching emphasis is more on spontaneous intuitive natural creativity rather than systematic technology. I believe that it is the craft of ‘process,’ that creates the art of photography rather than just the methodology. Regardless of the technical acumen, your camera cannot tell you what to include in your composition. No matter how advanced your camera is, it cannot create a connection with your subject nor show you when to press the shutter button. Incredible images can be created with simple less sophisticated cameras.
I have a very relaxed, yet aware and intuitive personal teaching style. This allows me to be present with each participant since I do not have an agenda or itinerary to follow. In a matter speaking, I do not have an attachment to the outcome of the workshop. I do want to inspire your passion, vision, and creativity and motivate you to become the photographer that you desire to be. I want to encourage your photographic inquires. I want to share knowledge in an easy, flowing, uncomplicated manner.
I show you how to see through the eyes of an artist. In the photography excursions that I facilitate in the Northern Arizona area and Coconino, Yavapai, and Gila counties, I know that it is all about the process of relationships that makes a difference in quality photography. This includes the relationship of connections, process, communication, space, light, and even unfamiliarity. The camaraderie of other participants is a valuable part of the learning process. Nurture your new friendships that emerge from these workshops.
We all learn by different means. Some of us are best with auditory learning and the rest learn best by visual means. Fewer prefer both auditory and visual. Talking about what we are doing as we do it has proven to be an effective approach. Demonstration by example combines both the auditory and visual. This is a significant reason why I take photographs right next to each of the participants.
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Spirituality? What does this mean to you? Is it cosmos or the divine realm? Is it about nature? Does your daily practice of spirituality encompass faith, hope, vulnerability, love, forgiveness, and prayer?
To Native Americans, whom I’ve shared time with, their spiritual beliefs and practices form an integral and seamless part of their authentic being leading to spirit and essence.
I believe that unconditional compassion is the cornerstone of spirituality. When I practice unconditional compassion I AM the essence of spirituality and it can sometimes be fraught with tremendous challenges and infinite rewards. This is not the easy way to spirituality. It is, however, a most direct and natural process.
This 50-minute Spirituality session for $99, provides you with compassionate clarity, direction and support in you becoming more spiritual.
Bring more spirituality into your life now.
To register.
I decided to post a paper on my blog that I wrote for my high school Freshman English class assignment in Southern California along with the teacher’s personal comments. We were asked to write a paper during the class that described who we thought we were. Essentially, the paper was to be an autobiography. After some serious reflection, I wrote my one line response and relaxed for the duration of the class feeling that I was thoughtfully succinct and that there was no need to share more. The teacher, felt differently. The next day in class she handed back the paper with her comments in red.
Over the years, I have shared the content of this paper as a counselor, hypnotherapist, and life coach in discussions about self-esteem, vulnerability, judgment, and personal growth.
We are enculturated with parenting, education, training, reading, social media, and life experiences. It is easy to become other directed rather than inner guided. When we are other directed by peer pressure, fears, and judgments from others we lose touch with our authentic self. With inner guidance, we can embrace our spiritual essence.
Did the comments have a personal impact on me? At the time, I figured that she just didn’t get what I was trying to say and shrugged it off. But then, I have kept it all of these years initially as a statement ― and then as a teaching tool.
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 Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, Arizona WHAT: Landscape Photography Workshop
DATE: Saturday, May 19, 2012 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
LOCATION: Sedona, Arizona.
TUITION: $275 USD.
DEPOSIT: A $50 USD non-refundable deposit holds your space.
DISCOUNT: There is a $25 early registration discount if full payment is received two weeks early. Discounts are available for veterans, those with limited income, and the chronically ill such as Lyme disease.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Designed for enthusiasts and professionals, beginner to advanced.
EXPERIENCE: This is a non-technical photography workshop open to all levels of experience but better suited to you if you have a working knowledge of your camera, and want to expand your creativity and vision rather than to increase your technical abilities. I emphasize the creative process for a more meaningful and personal experience rather than the technical mechanics. Designed for enthusiasts and professionals, beginner to intermediate. Anyone ages 7-17 require parent’s consent.
EQUIPMENT: Any camera will work, digital or film, 35mm to large format. I recommend a sturdy tripod, circular polarizer, and split natural density filters. Wide angle and medium focal length lenses (17mm ~ 80 mm) are of benefit. Bring your digital or film camera, owner’s manual, plenty of charged batteries, and extra storage media or film. Color and black and white film. A tripod is not required but it helps.
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 Courthouse Butte, Sedona, Arizona WHAT: Vortex Spiritual Journey
WHEN: Saturday, June 2, 2012 — 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
WHERE: Sedona, Arizona
SPIRITUAL TEACHER, SHAMANIC HEALER & REIKI MASTER TEACHER: Stephen Bruno, D.D., CHt, MsD, RMT, IARP
CONTACT ME TO REGISTER: Visit https://www.embracingthemuse.com/welcomehome.html
REGISTRATION FEE: Half-Day fee (4-5 hrs.) is $125. Fee for children under 12 is $55. There is a $75 nonrefundable deposit to hold your place. There is limited registration. There is a $25 discount if you pay the registration fee by May 15, 2012. The fee must be paid in full by May 24, 2012. If paid by April 24, the fee is $100. Cost does not include airfare, hotel or meals. You are responsible for pass and permit fees. Advance reservations are essential. We encourage carpooling.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: If weather does not permit Vortex Spiritual Journey outdoors it will be rescheduled. Another option is to use the paid fee toward psychic readings, life coaching or certified Reiki classes. The fee is not refunded.
DISCOUNTS: As a Vietnam veteran, I offer discounts for active duty military personnel and veterans.
NOTES: This journey is individually tailored based upon the participants for your most effective transformation and growth.
This Vortex Spiritual Journey is recommended for ages 8 to seniors. I support you to progress at your own pace. You do not need to have any previous knowledge or experience. We walk on relatively easy paths and this workshop is not one of hiking. A Vortex Spiritual Journey page is available on my Embracing the Muse web page with much more information here.
INTRODUCTION
In 1980, I began the first of countless visits to Sedona, Arizona from the greater Phoenix Area to experience each of the fifteen vortexes for a personal pilgrimage. During this time I also discovered lesser known power locations/spots. That same year began many years of my taking numerous people to the vortexes for vision quests, healing, teachings, and more. When I lived in Prescott, I offered spiritual houseboat retreats at Lake Powell while continuing to facilitate guided Sedona vortex tours. Years later when I was a Sedona resident, I continued my study of the vortexes.
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- The Starting Point
Writers have a tendency to be curious people who like to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. They gather stories from random anecdotes or real-life news. In things missing. Even facial expressions or untied shoes. Though writers vary in their techniques for transforming raw material into reading material, they all face the starting point.
For me, beginning to write a short story feels much like leaving for vacation without planning or packing, just  jumping in the car. Though this spontaneity might thrill others, so many unknowns make me nervous. I feel vulnerable. I can’t picture where my story will go. I don’t know the characters or their quirks, or whether they’ll ever seem realistic. But starting means I set the unknowns aside and write anyway. I have permission to let the words look messy. In this stage I simply, blindly, trust that my story will find its way.
Writers who are joyful project-starters know one secret: there is great freedom in beginning. At this stage the editor steps aside, and hands the task to the right brain. This side of the brain knows nothing of the word planning. It’s happy to generate colors, themes, symbols, images, and emotional content—likely in no sort of rational order. Its job is not to think, but to flow. Eventually, the left brain will get to take the baton, shift segments around, reconstruct windy sentences, and tidy up the piece. When this team works together, it builds writing of consistent quality.
Writing prompts and exercises can guide our words into rich territory. These tools can be found in writing books, newspapers, magazines, advertising, or virtually any form of literature—available online or at the library. To begin, pick an exercise or a random sentence. Don’t think about what you’ll write. Gather your writing materials, set a kitchen timer, glance at your prompt and start writing the first thing that comes to mind. Follow this with another thought, then another. Accept any grammar, any spellings. Resist the impulse to edit. Keep your pen moving (or your fingers typing) until your writing time ends. Ten-, fifteen- or thirty-minute writing times are perfectly acceptable. If you discover the compulsion to keep writing, wonderful! Be open to whatever happens. This is your right brain at work.
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What are your choices? Whom are your choices for? Not just for yourself. Chose now whom you will serve, and that choice is going to affect the next generation, and the next generation, and the next. Choice never affects just one person alone. It goes on and on and the effect goes out into geography and history. You are part of history and your choices become part of history.
~ Edith Schaeffer
While I was serving a 14 month U.S. Army tour of duty in the medical field in Vietnam I began developing what became the Seven Elements of Essence. I taught myself to speak Vietnamese with the eager assistance from the Vietnamese. Subsequently, these same people introduced me to families in nearby villages where I shared home meals and conversation.
After developing a high degree of trust, they introduced me to Buddhist Monks who offered me an opportunity to study with them during the remaining months of my military tour in my ‘off duty’ time.
I learned ancient techniques for meditation, Buddha’s art of energy-healing, sacred traditions, and Tibetan’s ancient form of medicine known as Gso-wa Rig-pa or The Knowledge of Healing, and much more that I continue to practice personally and share in my each of my Life Coaching sessions, classes, and workshops.
After my first visit to the Vietnam Wall Memorial in 1989, I completed the concepts of the Seven Elements of Essence.
Below is a brief description. I will post more in-depth information in future posts.
- Unconditional Compassion which provides insight into others and yourself without a preconceived belief system.
- Non-judgment offers you the opportunity to experience moments in your life without attachments.
- Non self-importance gives you meaning and purpose for simply being, rather than doing.
- Vulnerability creates bridges rather than castles with drawbridges and moats.
- Patience promotes space and time to reflect.
- Presence allows you the means to use your intellect and intuition.
- Curiosity brings you the objective perspective balanced with a creative imagination to resolve issues.
This is an invitation for you to contribute to this blog. Send a thought-provoking article for submission.
You must send original writing with your full ownership that you have not published on your sites or any other sites. I recommend a word count of 500-1,500 words. I will consider longer pieces. Share your idea or article query by clicking on the Contact Me button at the top left of the page. I prefer the content to be written in Microsoft Word 2010. I will respond to your email within a couple of days. Please contact me again if you do not hear from me by then. If I accept your article, I will let you know when it will be published.
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So Show Me….
I decided to post a paper on my blog that I wrote for my high school Freshman English class assignment in Southern California along with the teacher’s personal comments. We were asked to write a paper during the class that described who we thought we were. Essentially, the paper was to be an autobiography. After some serious reflection, I wrote my one line response and relaxed for the duration of the class feeling that I was thoughtfully succinct and that there was no need to share more. The teacher, felt differently. The next day in class she handed back the paper with her comments in red.
Over the years, I have shared the content of this paper as a counselor, hypnotherapist, and life coach in discussions about self-esteem, vulnerability, judgment, and personal growth.
We are enculturated with parenting, education, training, reading, social media, and life experiences. It is easy to become other directed rather than inner guided. When we are other directed by peer pressure, fears, and judgments from others we lose touch with our authentic self. With inner guidance, we can embrace our spiritual essence.
Did the comments have a personal impact on me? At the time, I figured that she just didn’t get what I was trying to say and shrugged it off. But then, I have kept it all of these years initially as a statement ― and then as a teaching tool.
Read More