Search
Google
About the Site Designer: Shelly Durrell
It's only fair that you know a little bit about me and my background. Like you, I have had my share of ups and downs in my life, but through it all, I've ended up living a Great Life. I am one of those people who said "Someday I will write a book," and I did (Healing the Fisher King: Spiritual Lessons with Parzival, Gump, the Grail, and Star Wars). The book won five awards. I became a Kung Fu teacher (Sifu) in the Wah Lum Tam Tui Northern Praying Mantis System and also a teacher of Tai Chi and other Internal Martial Arts, teaching for over 24 years. I've organized shows, demonstrations, and seminars, allowing me to travel the world for these promotions. I've done rim-to-rim hikes of the Grand Canyon. A few years ago I moved to Vegas, allowing me to trek to Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon a few times of the year. I continue to learn, grow, and seek out new adventures, which is my definition of a Great Life. I hope my website will help you enjoy your life and find your personal adventures.
    — Shelly —
Third Party Downloads
Get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader

Click here if your browser can not open the items in this sidebar.

RSS Feed RSS Feed

Surround Yourself with Beauty

Dark young pine, at the center of the earth originating,
I have made your sacrifice.
Whiteshell, turquoise, abalone beautiful,
Jet beautiful, fool's gold beautiful, blue pollen beautiful,
     reed pollen, pollen beautiful, your sacrifice I have made.
This day your child I have become, I say.

Watch over me.
Hold your hand before me in protection.
Stand guard for me, speak in defense of me.
As you speak for me, thus I shall do.
May it be beautiful before me.
May it be beautiful behind me.
May it be beautiful below me.
May it be beautiful above me.
May it be beautiful all around me.

I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.

— Traditional Navaho Prayer —

Every time I read this poem, I have a sense of peace and feel that beauty touches me, even if I am in the midst of mayhem. I take Surrounding myself with Beauty very seriously. In my bedroom, I have prints from some of my favorite artists all around me. When I wake up in the morning, I have prints of love, children, angels, taoist philosophy, and esoteric knowledge all around me. I wake up to Beauty.

You do not have to have a big budget to Surround Yourself with Beauty. All of the great masters of art can be purchased in poster or print form. A bunch of grocery store flowers can brighten your living room. A few shells from the ocean, a piece of glasswork, some candles, and framed pictures of those you love will bring a wonderful feeling to the place you live. Colors you love, music that reminds you of a special place and time, and fabrics you enjoy touching should all be a part of your surroundings.

And when you leave your place of Beauty, carry that feeling with you throughout the day, until you can come back to once again be "restored in beauty."

— Shelly —

I have bought prints from Art.com, which carries a wide variety of artists and subjects. You may enter a subject (such as "oceans"), an artist name ("Renoir"), a movie title ("Casablanca"), or title of a painting ("Antibes").
Search: