Hello friends, March has been a month of expanding. 
It's my birthday month,
and as a good friend said time to celebrate another year's journey around the sun. 

So many new experiences are saying yes to me, try this, you're going in the right direction.  I wrote a children's book, still in the finishing stages. This was something I have wanted to do for years, and I finally took the time to try my hand at it.  I am excited to share it with you as soon as I have it in my hands and give it as a gift to my daughters and granddaughters. I am also on a new adventure with Spirit that has the possibility to expand into a "Movement".  It feels way bigger than me.  My job is to keep showing up, consistently and having fun while I do.  We don't need to know how it will happen, instead trust the flow, the ideas coming to you, pay attention and just take the next right step.  How about you?  Where is your expansion taking you?

The thing I have noticed is that every time I am on the edge of stepping into new territory where growth lives, resistance often show's up with it. 
In my mind I may know that I am safe, my spirit may already be soaring, but the body does not lie. 

Sometimes my body needs more time to trust the expansion.
Resistance is not the enemy.  It is the body's way of saying, "This is new.  Let me catch up". 
I notice it in the way of tension in my shoulders, the clenching of my teeth at night, it is the proof of growth.  It is the echo of fear dissolving; the residue of old stories being released.   
Does this happen to you?  

When you decide to take the next right step, something beautiful happens: the support you need appears.  Some call it synchronicity.  
But have you ever noticed that suddenly the photographer you've been thinking about or looking for suddenly appears...the little coincidences, you mention you are just thinking about it, and somebody knows somebody, and the funny thing is you already knew this person but didn't know they were a photographer.  It's like the universe heard you months ago and already provided, but you weren't quite there yet...so it was just waiting until your yes was yes.  Then the money appears, you get paid for a job you did over a year ago, so any resistance in this area has been taken care of.  Suddenly everything aligns, the path opens, not because the fear is gone, but because you chose to walk through it anyway.  You said yes, without wavering in doubt, but instead you are living in certainty.

I showed up and said "YES" to the scary thing.
The first steps to anything in growth is allowing yourself to try something new, to say yes to whatever it is.  
I showed up to my photo shoot this month. For days before hand, resistance lived in my body--the nervous signs of teeth grinding at night, neck tense, jaw tight, looking over all the outfits...more than once This was something I had been thinking I wanted to do, along with all my art being photographed also.  Evern though I had already walked through the fear of saying yes and making the appointment, I was getting ready to enter new territory-my nervous system still clung to its old armor.  
Then the excuses before I even started.   I didn't know a photographer here in Oaxaca. 
It meant I needed my art to be at a place of being ready and having enough art completed to warrant the cost of a shoot.  
Then the body judgement I had in my mind of being seen, of being heard, combatting all the old negative stories and shifting my mindset into one of love, one of loving myself, showing up for me, smiling at me. 
I am ready to be seen and I'm not hiding anymore; I can share the most vulnerable places within me and that includes my unique voice and the truths of my experiences.  

RESISTANCE IS NOW MY SACRED THRESHOLD  
Each time I cross it, I discover that the "scary" thing was never truly scary at all--it was simply the doorway to freedom.  

So, I honor my body's resistance as part of the ceremony.  
I breathe into the tightness, I whisper reassurance:
"We are safe.  we are free to grow."
Slowly, the body learns to soften into the expansion.

I used to tell my ego.
Were just going to try this and if we didn't like it, we could go back to the old way.  I told my ego that if it didn't have something nice to say; then just go sit on a fence until it wanted to play nice.  You know those not so nice voices.  
But now I laugh a bit at this...because there is no going back. I am standing in my own power and it's stronger than I once thought.  My ego has joined my heart and soul, and I find I walk in peace.  
I just keep moving forward, I keep expanding and with joy! 
Expanding with Joy, I think this is a book that I want to write, not because I have to, but because I can, I get to. 
​It is my life...learning to expand with JOY!

The photo shoot was more than images-it was initiation.  A reminder that showing up, even trembling, is enough. ​

That scary isn't scary anymore.

Just laugh at it and have fun.
"Where is resistance showing up in your body today, and what new horizon might it be guarding?"

"The world is changing at a pace that asks us all to be brave.  Resistance may tighten our jaws, stiffen our necks, or whisper that we aren't ready.  But each time we step forward, we discover that scary isn't scary anymore.  These thresholds are not just personal-they are collective.  We are all learning to soften into new horizons together."

"And so, I step forward, jaw unclenched, heart open, into the horizon that once felt frightening. 
Scary is simply the threshold of becoming. 
May we all honor resistance as the sacred gatekeeper of our growth
and walk together into the new world that is waiting for us."

Golden Coherence-Acrylic-60x70cm-

This painting is a journey from noise into coherence, from fragmentation into union.

The vibrant colors in the hair are like ribbons of truth, of light, of love.
The colors of oranges, reds in the hair represent the voices and distractions of the world, gradually dissolving into higher vibrations of love and light.

From the heart emerges radiant green, carrying golden hearts that symbolize purity and unity.  Teal flows as the truth of the voice, while purple awakens the third eye, and gold surrounds all - reminding us of the divine essence we embody.  It is a vision of becoming one with the Prime Creator of All, our Source, our true Choice Point, the place where we all become unified in the Golden Coherence of Love, of Light. 
Here we recognize ourselves as perfect essence, inseparable from All.  Here we recognize that we all matter, that we are the harmony for each other, we are all one coming together as notes that create a song of unity, a vibration that connects us together as one. Here, we all become the Light of Love and recognize that we are One with All.

From the Studio:

Every moment we have together is a blessing, is a gift.  Thank you for reading this post. Thank you for your support.  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Below is an easy link to share with a friend.  Someone who may benefit from not only supporting me but giving themselves a gift of the light of love.  Each person that signs up receives three free blessing cards that you can print to give away and enhance someone's day.  As a subscriber you all will receive 15% off the first print purchased. You will also be the first to receive notice of new paintings, of special blessings being released.   Soon this will all be in place with ease and grace, and you will all be the first to know the date of my launch.  Stay tuned for more!

Thank you once again, for listening.
You are the Light of Love,
​Johanna  

What would it be like to be a "Beacon of Light"? 
Have you ever thought about it? 
What if you already are a beacon of light and didn't realize it.   
A beacon stabilizes,  it radiates, and it expands.

It does not demand attention, it simply shines.
It holds steady in the storm, offering direction when the path feels uncertain.
It glows with a quiet strength, reminding others of their own brilliance.

To be a beacon of light is to embody presence-to stand rooted in love,
to radiate compassion, to expand into possibility. 

In the quiet of creation...the painting begins to speak a story that wants to be told...prophecy exposing itself to humanity.   Often the painting tells me what it wants to be.  Symbols come forward, with a mind of their own...like a puzzle they are trying to tell me, and others who are drawn to it, that they have something to say.  

Have you ever wondered what the colors are trying to say? What the symbolic meaning of the animals means?  I just finished the painting below...and as I am choosing the symbols...sometimes even I am wondering what they mean...why did I choose the colors that I did...what is the painting trying to speak, what is its truth? 

As I finished the painting...I asked her "What's your story? Tell me what it is you want to say."
A personal reflection as I think about how the painting came...often I am thinking it will go one way...and then it comes out different and I work with it, an idea emerges...a golden deer...black birds...crescent moons...stems coming forth from her...flowers grow and expand...the light pouring forth. I'm shocked at the brilliance of the colors.  A symbolic unfolding begins...she begins to tell me what each element means...the gold, colors, animals the moons.  

Hello friends, I've been busy with not being so busy.  While I did complete a painting in October, the month of November has been about being thankful and taking the time for myself. 
I helped out a friend with another cat sitting gig.  Bought myself a few new pieces of clothing.  Went on a trip with my daughter Christa to Mexico City, where we visited the castle in the huge park that is bigger than New Yorks Central Park, enjoyed excellent Pizza and walked around the tree lined streets.   We then flew to Ixtapa and stayed at the Worldmark Resort in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The resort was fantastic, and the beautiful bay and local people were so kind, and we just really loved it.   I do plan on returning another time.

 I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with Christa, time to swim in the pool, walk around Mexico City and Zihuatanejo.  While we were in Zihau, we met several people from Washington state also visiting the area.  We also went over to what they call the island and, on the way, met a local man who was wearing a Seahawks Jersey #12, and worked at a beach restaurant with the Seahawks flag, it's a small world.  We spent the day at this restaurant lounging, enjoying the turquoise waters and eating great food.

It was a lovely vacation, and I didn't realize how much
I actually needed to go and see some different sites of Mexico and break up my weekly routines.  

I held a vision.  I could see it in my mind's eye.  It began to show itself about three years ago. 

I kept seeing silhouettes of women that were one with all living life. 

They were living life; they were speaking to me in a resonant and expansive way.  We are all one.

They were telling me how you and I are already one with All. They told me that we all carry a similar vibration of unity, interconnection and sacred belonging    

The story they told was that we belong to the great whole.  That the Great Creator is All Conscious life and All is woven within us.  

So that makes us threads in the sacred tapestry of life, of all life.  

One breath, one rhythm, one soul.  We are the echo of everything.  We can find ourselves in every being, in every flower, in every tree, in every animal, in all of life, if we are willing to look.  

All that is, lives in us.  We literally are the pulse of the universe.  There is no separation, only sacred union.  

When I began the series, I lovingly called it "One with All".  A series of nine paintings that would depict how we are one with the ocean, one with the trees, one together and rooted in All. How we are the very reflection of all the colors of God, like a rainbow of his/her magnificent light, we are woven together in unified light.  

In this moment, I paused.  In this moment I listened inward.  I was thinking that the message I was receiving was to rename the series from "One with All" to "Unified Light".  As you create and bring to light each piece in the series sometimes a deepening message begins to evolve.  

I tested the name out with a circle of women and the vote was easily "Unified Light".  

Unified Light felt like a transmission--gentle yet powerful, spacious yet intimate.  It carries the essence of my work:  the merging of many into one, the sacred glow that connects all beings, the soft radiance of wholeness.

Unified Light feels like a deeply aligned name.  It speaks to the essence that threads through each piece: the luminous connection between spirit, nature, and self.  There's a sense of transformation, remembrance, and sacred embodiment in the work as a whole.  Unified Light captures that beautifully. Whether a painting explores identity, elemental forces, or divine feminine energy, they all seem to radiate from the same source: a unified field of light, color, and soul.

​I find myself this month... remembering,
filled with nostalgia of days gone by, filled with gratefulness for today,
and filled with excitement for the days to come. 
Remembering how precious life is.  

Every day brings breath, the spirit of God coursing through me.
I am so grateful for this breath.
For the little things that touch my spirit.  
The gentleness of a soft breeze against my skin.
The movement of the wind in the trees.
The sound of birds singing to me when I wake.
All the wild little flowers that catch my eyes and inspire me.
So many gifts and I don't want to take any of it for granted.
This includes my family and how much I love them.

I am so grateful as I remember my first baby born was on September first.  It also happens to be my best friend's birthday and this year...my first-born Janelle and her husband Chris gave birth to our second granddaughter.  Like how precious that is!   Meet Ophelia Grace, born on September 13, 2025, at 10:34 am.  Ernie and I are very proud grandparents indeed!

I started out the month with hives.  Found out the hard way that I was allergic to the leaves of a citronella plant.  The good news about this is that I found Dr. Nelly.  She speaks English and of course that all helps when your Spanish is not fluent.  Today the rash and itching are gone...so grateful.

I also volunteered for a cat sitting gig for one month.
It's located in San Augustine Etla, which is on the other side of the city from where we live now. 

I was curious of this area, and now I know unless one has a car, it's just a bit too far and expensive to get into town.
The views of the mountains, and the lush green fauna are stunning and the quiet of being alone has been good for my soul. 
But it hasn't been without challenges.  Challenges are good, for they help us grow and expand.  You can expand with joy or with the latter...frustration or fears...but I find the peace within me usually laughs at all the challenges these days and I can take it with a grain of salt, as my mother would say, and with age comes wisdom that there are many views of how we can interpret challenges.

This is the seed of memory ... in that moment when we remember who we are.  

• "I speak for those who forgot they were divine."

You might imagine these words as emerging from your lips...like golden ribbons, soundwaves, or sacred geometry ... can you visualize the vibration ... as much as the voice?
Peace begins in the breath...and echos in the soul.  The voice is not mine alone...it carries generations.  Let LOVE, be louder than fear.  

• Imagine...yourself speaking light into all that has been shadowed.

You are seen, you are sacred, you are whole.  You are rising with grace; you are a healer, with the fire of your words and your thoughts.  Your words become a melody that sends out the perfect tone, that creates the perfect vibration, that draws the hearts and calls to those who have ears to hear, who have eyes to see, and helps them remember to return to the heart, again and again.  

• Your truths call to you...your truths want to be heard...now is the time...TRUTH is the prayer.  Love is the answer.​​

Claim the softness that makes you strong.  You are the echo of stars, the breath of ancient winds, the pulse of the Earth wrapped in human skin.  Even now, your soul hums with remembrance.  

• I speak for those who forgot they were divine.

If you've forgotten your divinity, it's only because the noise got louder than you're knowing. 

• You are not broken...you are becoming. 
• Every tear, every ache, every longing is the breadcrumb that leads you back to your brilliance.

SO RISE, BELOVED.  NOT BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS YOU TO BE PERFECT-BUT BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN TO BE WHOLE!

• To be wild
• To be holy
• To be home.

She Who Rises...a sacred call to the wild feminine.
A soul-tuned retreat nestled across from the ocean's edge in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. 
I may have mentioned that I am collaborating with two other powerful women to hold a beautiful healing
From October 23-26, 2025, called "She Who Rises". 

You're Invited!
Come, unfurl your wings in sisterhood, ceremony, and celebration.
Each day becomes a prayer in motion-Cacao Ceremony and Temazcal to ignite the senses, soul contract clearing and ancestral release to unbind the spirit, sacred sound baths and daily yoga to soften the body, three transformative private healing sessions to deepen your journey.  
We'll dance with freedom at the sexy lingerie soirée, reclaiming sensuality with joy.
You'll reside in our private beachside goddess haven, with ocean air and moon-kissed balconies...
with air conditioning, en-suite baths, and high-speed internet to keep you grounded.
This isn't just a retreat-it's a rebirth.

Can you believe it...a month has passed by, and life seems to be shifting for me again.
I've been led to a new pathway.   The courage to take the steps.
I was kind of trying to get out of a loop that I was having. 
And it never fails to amaze me how the universe brings the right information to lead you to the next right step.  
I have been resting more, and writing in my journal more, and then I ran across this YouTube post by Brene Brown, it caught my eye...because it was speaking to my heart. 
It read, "When love Fades". 
I don't know how it came on my feed...as I don't think I have listened to any of her content. 
But it not only caught my eye, I listened to it twice, its words washed over me as I recognized everything, she was saying was my life...and the words mediocre marriage came to my mind.  I looked it up and it was worse than I thought.  Before the second whole repeat of the segment, I was having a tender moment of realization, an awakening to the realization that our marriage needed a separation from each other for a while.  My husband and I quietly and truthfully spoke openly with one another, in love.