Inspiration from Paradise

For almost as long as I can remember, a good camera has been my constant companion. My first one was a Brownie “point and shoot.” It had minimal options, other than, true to its name, you would point and shoot. Over the years I progressed to more sophisticated cameras. In my senior year at Penn State, I took my first photography class, much to the dismay of my father who thought college was meant for a different kind of education. I whisper to him each time I enjoy a photograph I have taken that the money he spent was not wasteful. For me, the camera lens is a “window to the world,” allowing me to see things with a broader perspective than the naked eye. It makes fleeting moments permanent – be it a subtle expression on a friend’s face, or a slant of the rising sun in the morning.

Through the years, these images helped cement memories of specific times and places, but much more than that, they opened me up to different ways of viewing the world, both inner and outer. Connecting my “mind’s eye” memory with mental and emotional intersections enables me to bring my photography to another dimension.

Of late, I’ve had my camera trained on the breathtaking vistas and majestic wildlife of Paradise Valley, Montana, the rugged coastline south of Boston, as well as novel sights in foreign lands. And, I’m finding that these images are bringing passages and quotes to the surface of my mind. I often find these words give perfect expression to the emotions that the images evoke. Marrying the images with the quotes deepens their meaning and provides a fruitful starting point for my mediation and journaling.

Finding ways to connect creatively with our inner self, to explore resilience, grit, courage, empowerment, awe, and grace, strengthens us and allows for expanding our sense of self.

I’ve chosen to share them with you here so that they may do the same for you.

I encourage you to come back and visit this section often, as I’m feeling inspired to keep up this new endeavor.

montana.cowgirl

“In quietness the soul expands”……
Rockwell Kent

Cohasset Harbor
June 2023
Photo by BJG

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“In quietness the soul expands”……
Rockwell Kent

Cohasset Harbor
June 2023
Photo by BJG ...

“When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in”

Haruki Murakami

Paradise Valley, Montana
Photo by BJG

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“When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in”

Haruki Murakami

Paradise Valley, Montana
Photo by BJG ...

“We can create a meditation home wherever we are”.

To quote Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Wherever You Go You Are There”.

Brandy Pond, Maine
June 2023
Photo by BJG

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“We can create a meditation home wherever we are”.

To quote Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Wherever You Go You Are There”.

Brandy Pond, Maine
June 2023
Photo by BJG ...

“Grit, Gratitude, Grace….lead us to resilience”

Storm clouds over the coastline
June 2023
Photo BJG

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“Grit, Gratitude, Grace….lead us to resilience”

Storm clouds over the coastline
June 2023
Photo BJG ...

“We don’t sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that we’ll become more awake in our lives”

South Africa game reserve April 2023 Dawn
Photo credit BJG

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“We don’t sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that we’ll become more awake in our lives”

South Africa game reserve April 2023 Dawn
Photo credit BJG ...

Freedom can be real, even in a mindset…..

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.”

Thích Nhaat Hanh

Nelson Mandela’s shoes he wore as he walked to freedom

Photo by BJG

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"Who look outside, dreams;
who looks inside, awakes.”
Carl Jung

South Africa
Photo by BJG

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"Who look outside, dreams;
who looks inside, awakes.”
Carl Jung

South Africa
Photo by BJG ...

Sunrise offers a moment to breathe, center and give space to let the moments of a new day emerge.

Game reserve in South Africa at sunrise, April 2023
Photo by BJG

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Sunrise offers a moment to breathe, center and give space to let the moments of a new day emerge.

Game reserve in South Africa at sunrise, April 2023
Photo by BJG ...

Anything is possible with the right mindset. We have come through the darkness of winter, to breathe in the glory of Spring, even in Montana! Let this moment bring you to a sense of wonder and gratitude. Embrace the energy we receive with renewal and new beginnings. May you feel the love from connection with family and friends.

Emigrant Peak, Paradise Valley, April 2023
Photo by BJG

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“All We Have To Decide
Is What To Do With The
Time That Is Given Us”
J.R.R. Tolkien

Make an intention…

For me yesterday, it was to climb a mountain in the snow and see for over 50 miles…

Snowbank Trail, Mill Creek in Pray, Montana
photo by BJG

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Spring in Montana allows for time to be outside, explore and reflect. This truck caught my eye. Wonder where it has been, who has had adventures in it, stories it could tell? Be bold and create your own adventures and stories. Life is a journey to embrace!

Old Chico, Montana, March 26, 2023
Photo by BJG

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Take an “Awe” walk
Go out into Nature
Find moments of “Awe”
See where they guide you
Find new inspiration

Cacher Keltner

March morning moon rising over the Gallatin Mountains in Montana
Photo by BJG

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