The Year of Your Dragon
25 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Body Image, Boudoir Photography, Empowerment, Women Photography Tags: Chinese Zodiac, Cornelia Funke, good luck, parenthood, vintage, Year of the Dragon
I always wanted to ride a dragon so
I decided to do this for a year
in my imagination.
Cornelia Funke, author of The Dragon Rider
Much of Asia is gearing up for a baby boom in the Year of the Dragon, when children are believed to be born with an extra dose of luck, strength and an inherent knack for attracting money. The qualities of her Dragon sign suit this Goddess very well–not to mention the hand embroidered dragons on favorite vintage wrap!
While I’m not into woo-woo stuff, I love anything that helps a woman remember her innate powers. So I looked up the qualities that induce Chinese parents to arrange for the birth of their child in the Year of the Dragon more than any other… (ie, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)
Dragons are self-assured leaders with the Midas touch. They get things started and keep them moving. They are feisty and opinionated, gifted with intelligence and tenacity. They succeed in whatever they choose to do because they are dauntless and determined perfectionists. They know how to exert authority while being gentle with the people they deal with. Dragon women are naturally sensual. They also possesses a mystical side, highly attuned to their intuition and artistic creativity. No matter what happens, Dragons ultimately always land on their feet.
What Dragon trait will you claim this year?
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
The Guru Within
18 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in Empowerment, Health and Wellness, Mind and Body, Women Photography Tags: guru, Huffington Post, sari, yoga
Cultures are different as can be,
but in their souls, women want the same things:
dignity, respect, love, freedom.
No other country can claim to be both mecca and inspiration for the proliferation of gurus as India. Whether the expertise be yoga, business, finances, self-improvement, romance, beauty, etc…, being a devotee to someone who is supposed to know better helps us rise above challenges with the aspiration that “If (s)he can do it, so can I.” Then there is also the convenience of having someone else to blame when things go awry. 
Author Meryl Davis Landau (Downward Dog, Upward Fog) writes in Huffington Post about gurus who admit they are only human, too: How Three Top Yoga Masters Find Balance, Both On and Off the Mat.
Seane Corn, cofounder of nonprofit activist group Off the Mat, Into the World: I used to feel envious of people I felt were living their lives fully in ease and integrity. Now I recognize that no matter how I might perceive them, everyone is dealing with issues that I can’t begin to understand. If a shadow of judgment towards others comes up, I’ll immediately come back to me: What’s coming up for me, what does it remind me of, how can I heal it in myself?
John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga: After getting over the feelings of betrayal and violateion when my bookkeeper embezzled all my money, I applied the ‘three As’ from Anusara yoga. Attitude, in terms of first opening myself to the pain without denying what I was feeling, but then being optimistic that I had the capacity to get everything back. Alignment, by, instead of putting all the blame on her, taking responsibility that I had put myself in that situation by turning my finances over to another person. This calms the mind because by taking back control I knew I was reducing the likelihood it could happen again. And action, by creating a plan to get money in the bank to pay the bills.
Ana T. Forrest, creator of Forrest Yoga and author of Fierce Medicine: Never waste a good trigger. Triggers — something someone says that gets you white-hot angry or terrified out of proportion — are horribly uncomfortable, yet they can teach you so much. My own childhood abuse led to two key triggers: my quickness to anger and my tendency to plummet instantaneously into an emotional abyss. A messy room left by my ex triggered my ‘unable to deal’ avoidance feelings and heart stress. He left in March 2008, but I was retriggered by this again just the other day. I intend to clear any and all emotional trash that I find connected to this. I am okay with being a work in progress. My philosophy encompasses growing, making mistakes and learning from them as a lifelong process.
How do you pay attention to your Inner Guru?
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
The Job of Perfection
11 Jan 2012 2 Comments
in Bestselling Books, Body Image, Family, Women Photography Tags: Apple, biography, iPad, Malcolm Gladwell, perfection, Resolutions, Steve Jobs, The New Yorker
The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is
giving up on being perfect and
beginning the work of becoming yourself.
No one could put down Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson in my family. Instead of starting with Chapter 1, my 12 year old went straight for the section on the thing dearest to his heart: the iPad. My mom wanted a quick turn to read about the childhood that spurred outstanding success (–and an early demise, Ma!) I read bits and pieces amidst all this passing around while my husband, who rarely reads anything outside of work, finished the 630 pages in a week!
Steve Jobs’ story is about persisting towards perfection. My 2012 resolutions lean more towards loving my imperfections:
1. I will see my fabulousness. A girlfriend in her 40s drove home this lesson when she confided that the sight of her teen daughter’s amazing body (an exact replica of her own two decades ago) makes her wonder “What the heck was I complaining about?”
2. I will speak to support trust in our own wisdom and the possibility that life is an adventure of learning from our choices, not avoiding mistakes and failures.
3. I will listen for praise and appreciation though critics and know-it-alls tend to have louder voices.
4. I will resist the urge to rip off the little hair left on my husband’s head when he insists on an extended search for the perfect sofa. Surely being married to someone with high standards can only mean that I am perfect! ;)
Malcolm Gladwell‘s article “The Tweaker” sums up “how effectively Steve put his idiosyncrasies—his petulance, his narcissism, and his rudeness—in the service of perfection” in the New Yorker.
How are you already perfect with your imperfections?
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Painting Possibilities
04 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Health and Wellness, Mind and Body, Women Photography Tags: Barbara Sher, boudoir photography, empowerment, new beginnings, self help, self-care
Don’t ask what the world needs.
Ask what makes you come alive
and go do it.
Because what the world needs
are people who have come alive.
Aaah, the New Year, a clean slate, a blank canvas… How do the messy details trailing us from the past clarify what to strive for as we look ahead? And the beckoning possibilities are innumerable! What will you choose for yourself this year, O Powerful Goddess? Whom will you reach out to? What freedoms will you relish? What will you want to learn or continue to ignore? What will you choose to do with your time and talents? How much value will you give your “small” successes and pleasures? How can you remember to care for yourself, listen to your inner wisdom and feed your peace even as the world demands you do, do, do and give, give, give to others first?
A favorite self-help author, Barbara Sher, wrote humorous and practical classics like “I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was” and “It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now.” This loving and sensible woman has been a bright guiding light in the journey of coming home to myself, insisting I dance to the beat of my own drum and honor my genius–however many. ;) Her latest book “Refuse to Choose” is an invitation to create and define our own fulfillment based on what feels right for us. What could happen when we pay closer attention to our joy and trust it as The Guru that knows how to make the most of our talents, learning abilities and work style? That in feeding our happiness (without beating ourselves up if we don’t make a million dollars off it) we uplift and inspire others to do the same? That there is no such thing as mistakes or failure in the lifelong adventure of exploration?
What will you paint on your 2012 canvas
that feels right for you?
A very thrilling beginning and Happy New Possibilities to us all!
xoxox
Sharky
Makeup by www.ByJulez.com
© Sharon Birke
www.PowerfulGoddess.com
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Schoolgirl Santa
23 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Body Image, Empowerment, Health and Wellness, Mind and Body, Personalized Gifts, Unique Gift Ideas, Women Photography Tags: christmas, coping with illness, fundraisers, gift to self, jewelry, last minute gifts, mom's wishlist, multiple sclerosis, personalized, schoolgirl, sexy santa, unique
Thank goodness I was never sent to school…
That would have rubbed off some of my originality.
Beatrix Potter
This Goddess was a little anxious. She had never done anything like this before and she worried about all the things she thought she needed to fix about her body to look good in photos. She had given up a career in the corporate world to adapt to the demands of multiple sclerosis while raising two small children. Thanks to the help of her loving sisters, she prevails over adversity and has given birth to www.lula-belle.com, a jewelry line dedicated to raising awareness on various afflictions, what truly matters, and how we can support each other in our struggles.
Imagine her thrill at how her images exceeded her expectations! She tells me, “My favorite part of the experience had to be your laugh. It lightened up the whole session making everything feel safe, fun, and delightful! Your patience with an amateur like me was amazing, too… You made me feel pretty the whole time. Thank you for sharing your creativity and changing the way I see things about myself.”
Imagine her husband’s surprise when he opens this Christmas present he’d never expect from his demure wife. Oh, joy!
Let’s marvel at what truly matters and the gifts of 2011 that can’t be wrapped. In the school of life:
Where did I go in my travels and introspection?
Where have my choices led me?
What did I learn from my successes and failures?
What meaningful connections did I make?
Whom did I cherish? How generous was I with praise?
How have I given myself appreciation and gratitude?
Be the HAPPY in your Ho-Ho-HOLIDAYS!
xoxox
Sharky
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Carnival of Animals at Bergdorf
18 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Art and Crafts, Beauty and Fashion, Family, Fantasy Tags: artisan, design, designer labels, Glamour, handicrafts, holiday shopping, luxury, style
Money, if it does not bring you happiness,
will at least help you be miserable in comfort.
Helen Gurley Brown
More than the Rockefeller Christmas tree (which is looking extra fabulous this year,) the spectacle I look forward to seeing when the holidays roll around are the windows of Bergdorf Goodman.
This year’s Carnival of Animals by David Hoey‘s team is a mind blowing flight of fancy with brass birds, animals made of intricately hand cut/folded paper, needlework and carved wood, fish made of gemstones and glass mosaics, gowns with fur, fine beadwork, feathers, leather scales and diamond mesh by Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta, Pringle of Scotland, Valentino and Celine. With five windows overflowing with animals created by artists such as Sergio Bustamante and Brett Windham, my eyes did not know where to start and stop looking. Here are a few details to whet your appetite. Catch a glimpse of this fantastic vision before January 3rd.
Thanks to the countless artisans and artists who contributed to this monument of creativity and wealth–reminding us of other realities, an oasis from the obsession of “this economy.”
What riches (that money can’t buy) embellish the fabric of your life already?
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Very Koi Body Painting
11 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Art and Crafts, Body Image, Body Painting, Health and Wellness, Party Ideas, Personalized Gifts, Unique Gift Ideas, Women Photography Tags: artist date, body art, body painting, boudoir photography, christmas, creativity, family gift giving, gift giving, girlfriends, holiday party, inner artist, Julia Cameron, mother daughter, personalized gifts, unique gift ideas
It is a paradox of creativity that
we must get serious about taking ourselves lightly.
We must work at learning to play.
“The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron recommends a weekly “artist date” to continually replenish our reservoir of creativity before we dredge a dried out bottom and feel stuck, blocked, or uninspired. An artist date is any activity that’s fun, enjoyable, akin to childlike play and exploration. My inner artist happens to be an uptown girl so for a recent artist date, I had to drag her kicking and screaming over the Brooklyn bridge to the new body painting studio of Danny Setiawan of www.DenArtNY.com (he’s matching me in red below.) And, Goddess, was she glad I did!
Models patiently stood/sat through a couple hours of being a human canvas–whoever wasn’t comfortable being topless covered her front torso with a scarf or halter top . My inner artist had not touched a brush in months. She quickly got carried away painting the biggest koi fish possible, extending the design all over my model’s forearms and the contours of her voluptuous body. After 3 hours of painting punctuated by fits of laughter and dancing, my model and I squeezed into the studio’se tiny bathroom where a wall of painted curls and swirls provided a matching graphic backdrop. The perfect souvenir for a most memorable afternoon.
Add body painting to your possibilities for playdates and unique gift ideas. Make a party out of it and ask Danny to bring his art to your venue!
Where will you take your inner artist on your next date?
© Sharon Birke
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
To Baby or Not to Baby
03 Dec 2011 3 Comments
in Body Image, Mind and Body, Personalized Gift, Relationships, Unique Gift Ideas, Women Photography Tags: adoption, christmas, empowerment, Fertility, freezing eggs, holiday gifts, Lifestyle, Motherhood, Parenting, pregnancy, single parenthood, Women
Simply having children
does not make mothers.
John A. Shedd
Would you believe this photo series is the celebration of a Goddess who turned 43? She wishes looking a decade younger could silence the deafening tick tock of her biological clock and the nosy nags at family gatherings. Elusive Mr. Right continues to hold hostage the children she may never have–despite the parade of Mr. Right Nows who volunteer to be sperm donors.
Friends, celebrities, and experts provide a mixed bag of social proof on the matter of her biological imperative. She’s heard the cynical declare “Having kids is overrated!” She has witnessed older friends regret not having kids, single mothers who juggle an act for two, women who snob adoption for the pain of freezing eggs (aka, hope) or fertility treatments at a king’s ransom. Some unwittingly bind themselves to a lifetime of indentured parenthood with offspring who are forever dependent whether by illness or lack of ambition. She’s seen women agonize over the destiny of their yet unfertilized eggs while others plop kids out without a thought. Some consider kids as social security in their old age. Others acquire them as the latest luxury “must have.” There are those who would fare better taking a parenting license exam not just driver’s ed. And how can she not admire women who truly enjoy the thankless role of mothering? — That mythical ideal both inspiration and curse to the many of us who can’t measure up.
Childless or not, what moves you to have children?
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Feathers of Freedom
25 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Body Image, Boudoir Photography, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Mind and Body, NYC Nightlife, Personalized Gifts, Women Photography Tags: birdcage, Body Image, boudoir photography, burlesque, dance, empowerment, entertainment, freedom to choose, Glamour, mind and body, NYC Nightlife, ostrich fans, pin up, self confidence, self help, thanksgiving, therapy, unique gift ideas, women photography
The function of freedom is to free someone else.
“You have a bird?,” inquired the woman standing behind me at checkout. I was holding a big birdcage so my answer could have gone a few different ways.
“No, I don’t,” I winked. “It’s a reminder that my bird is free!”
She grinned.
This Thanksgiving, I celebrate our freedom to choose by sharing the true story of a woman who liberated herself in fine feathery style. Kitty Cavalier reveals:
I wasn’t always the confident life of the party. For most of my life, I was suicidally depressed with a severe eating disorder. My world revolved around my body, my weight and what diet I was on or not. I wore long sleeves and long pants even in the summertime. I made up crazy excuses so friends wouldn’t take me to the beach. Getting undressed became traumatic even for the simple routine of taking a shower in the privacy of my own home.
Underneath all this shame was a deep seated belief that if only I were pretty enough, thin enough, charismatic enough, successful enough, fill-in-the-blank enough, my life would be better. My body became the battleground of my grief, shame, fear, anxieties and I hated it for not cooperating with my wishes. Then one evening, I went to see a burlesque show…
Click here for more on Kitty’s story and her School of Charm and Cheek.
Which freedom will you celebrate this Thanksgiving?
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography Celebrating Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
For Santa’s Marvel-ous Stockings
21 Nov 2011 4 Comments
in Beauty and Fashion, Body Image, Boudoir Photography, Creative Photography, Fantasy, Personalized Gifts, Portraits, Unique Gift Ideas, Women Photography Tags: black friday, Boudoir, christmas, collection, comics, creativity, digital photography, fantasy, funny, gift ideas, gift to self, gifts for her, gifts for him, Glamour, Goddess, hanukkah, holidays, humor, husband, interior design, last minute gifts, marvel, original, personlaized gifts, Photography, Portraits, present, santa's stocking, spiderman, Super Heroes, super woman, surpirse, unique ideas, Women
Without playing with fantasy
no creative work has ever yet come to birth.
The debt we owe to
the play of imagination is incalculable.
A couple of years ago, this Goddess transformed her basement into a fantastic home for her husband’s extensive comics paraphernalia. After decades of sitting in storage–the stuff, not the husband–his vintage comic books from the very first Marvel issue now proudly line the entire length of one wall. A “Bat light” hovers over the pool table covered with “CRASH WHAM BOOM” felt and framed original illustrations mix cheerfully with casual cardboard pop ups like Spiderman above. You can count my comics illustrator brother among the many drooling over their whimsical interior decor and state of the art home theater.
For the coming holidays, she’s topping that feat with humorous sexy portraits as the Super Heroine her husband doesn’t know he lives with–certain to knock the socks off his feet with an original gift that’s beyond personalized. Ssshhh! Don’t tell him it doesn’t involve stockings.
What unique gift idea can you give yourself if Santa won’t?
© Sharon Birke
Photography to Celebrate Your Power to CHOOSE JOY!
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
Makeup by www.ByJulez.com
