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Beloved friend,

If you've been reading my LoveLetters for a good while, you may have noticed how much I love to showcase wondrous people (usually women) who touch my world.

Well today, I'm here to do just that.

This LoveLetter is shining the light on a dear friend, and lover and active practitioner of She Reflects, Nadine Prada.

I met Nadine at a weekly, dear-to-my-heart, entrepreneurial mastermind I've been attending since the very first meetup in 2013.

When Nadine arrived to join us, I felt an instant connection to her. Her warm, joyful and wise presence, along with her background in art direction (a familiar world to me, as someone who grew up with an art director papa), love of art, travel and spirit/heart-centered experiences, were some of the many ways I resonated with, and appreciated her.

Fast forward to today...

Nadine is "living a re-invented life devoted to art and presence" as a thriving artist at The Prada Gallery, and has recently become the principal artist and curator for a brand-new, innovative space called +focus mindspace on Ossington Ave in Toronto.

I'm excited to introduce you to HER, her art, and to this new mindfulness space.

Nadine's paintings (pictured above) are up on the walls at +focus mindspace through May. I invite you to go check them out as well as her "Art Open" workshops; Nadine's unique, experiential process using art and the 5 senses to come home to ourselves.

Intrigued? If so... she still has space in her May 19 session. You can find out more and sign up @focusmindspace.com/artopen.

And please tell her I sent you! (I get no perks other than a good feeling inside.)

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In shining the light on Nadine, I'm honoured to share with you, in her own words, Nadine's experience of exploring the She Reflects' practice, "Be In Silence", on pg.37. Enjoy!

"Out of this silence I become deeply attuned to all the sounds around me.
Children playing outside.
Feet running on the pavement.
The neighbour’s doorbell ringing, muffled.
The whine of the garage door opening.
The distant whoosh of cars driving by.
Then the more subtle sounds, from in the room as my attention pulls inward.
The slide of my hand across the paper as I write. The tip of my pen travelling across it.
The rhythm of pause and action.
The sound of my breath in my ears.
The sound and sensation of my heart beating in my chest.
Helicopter drone.
Pigeons cooing. Hum of fridge.
My breath rising and falling.
The tightness in my shoulders.
My need to pause for 15 minutes and listen in.
Pulling my awareness ever more inward.
A calm and quiet centre,
a reminder to slow down and take care of me
to operate from stillness
to hear the messages of that still small voice inside.
All is well. You’re on the right track. Trust. Have faith.
New things are always uncertain.
Not-knowingness is beautiful.
Shine and do it anyway.
All kinds of emotions will arise – that’s perfectly natural and okay.
You can allow them all.
Some will teach you things and some will just pass by.
Let them pass.

card

The card Nadine pulled.

I open my eyes and return to the room.
I feel called to pick an oracle card.
I look. My eyes widen in delight. I laugh out loud as goosebumps rise.
Amaterasu. You can’t make this stuff up.
(Erica tells the story of Amaterasu and Uzume in the introduction of She Reflects. !!! I know, right?!)

The message: The time has come to shine your light and come out of the cave you’ve been hiding in. Speak your truth, share what you know.

The deeper message for me: Trust. Laugh. Wonder. There is unmistakably a divine intelligence at play here because this is quite a magical bit of synchronicity. It’s as though the Goddess is sending us a neon sign, pointing the bright and beautiful way forward."

....................................

May it be so!

All my love,
Erica

PS. If you are actively engaged and working with She Reflects and would like to be showcased here, let's talk! Drop me a line at erica@ericaross.com.

PPS. HAPPY MAMA'S DAY!

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