Last Day Book Giveaway

This is the last day I will be giving away my Kindle book – Drawing the Sacred: Communing with the Sacred through Drawing - An Illustrated Journey .

 

 

Ends at midnight PDT Wednesday, Oct. 9^th, 2013.

 

 

I love the book and its 39 paintings and drawings.  I reveal my heart and soul in each image.

·         If you like art, you might enjoy Drawing the Sacred. 

·         If you want to learn to draw, this book might inspire you.

·         If you want motivation to make pilgrimages to Sacred places, this will inspire you.

·         If you want to see the Sacred in the ordinary, Drawing the Sacred will show you some ways.

·         If you want to deepen your connection to the Sacred, then by all means get Drawing the Sacred.

Read what the reviews say.   They may inspire you.  They sure inspired me.

 

Go for it => Drawing the Sacred.

 

Walk in beauty, the book will show you how,  

William 

P.S. Pass this on to friends, Facebook, tweet, you know how… 

Here’s a cut and paste for you: 

My friend, William Wittmann is giving his enlightening Kindle book, Drawing the Sacred, away NOW.  http://amzn.to/1dQBzem Retweet. 

Please and thank you. 

: )

Kindle Invites You to Heaven

Here's the press release for my book. I thought you might enjoy it:

Seattle, WA, USA.  “An invitation to step across a threshold into an unknown place that turned out to be heaven,” Dr. Alexandra Gayek, an early reviewer said.  William Wittmann’s newest Kindle book, Drawing the Sacred will be available for free download until 11:59 PM PST Oct. 9, 2013.

 

“What does that mean?” I asked Wittmann.

 

“This book shows people how to connect to the Sacred by using tricks that artist’s use.  And if you practice these ideas for a bit, you move into the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus and the Buddha talked about.

 

“It’s pretty cool,” Wittmann said.  “The book has lots of stories, one for each painting or drawing in the book.  They’re there to be illustrations of connection.  Not so much to be illustrations of great art.  In fact I intended them to be simple enough that people could feel safe about trying to draw or paint for themselves.”

 

In my interview with William, he wanted to remind us that people can download  Kindles on any computer, phone, or iPad.  “Amazon wisely provides free software right from the book’s page,” he said.

 

And as Dr. Gayek said, “Drawing the Sacred is the most delicious one yet.”  (This is Wittmann’s 15^th book.)

 

You can get the book here

 

=>  http://amzn.to/1dQBzem

 

Remember the FREE book offer ends Oct. 9th at midnight PST.  Seattle Time.

Walk in beauty,

William

P.S. Pass this on to your friends, please.
=> http://amzn.to/1dQBzem

Here Is What Happened To Matisse…

Here is what happened to Matisse the first time he took up brush to paint –

“When I started to paint, I felt transported into a kind of paradise.”

He’s talking about flow. He’s talking about the right brain. He’s talking about the Buddha brain. He’s talking about conscious action. He’s talking about presence.

Art of any sort has the ability to put you into the graceful state of flow. When you are in flow, you enjoy what you’re doing. You lose self-consciousness. Your sense of time changes. It disappears completely. It stops dead in frozen, perfect moments. Or it flies.

If you’re in the Seattle area on Nov. 8th 2008, you can join us for FLOW AND THE MAGIC OF MAKING ART. Go here for details.

=> http://www.VitalArts.net/events/

And do sign up to be informed of future classes.

IF YOU’RE NOT going to be in Seattle, paint. Get books on making art. Visit the libraries of the universe. Go to art museums. Paint. Draw. Sketch. Doodle. Use your right brain. You could start with the amazing book -- DRAWING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0874774195/williamwittmannvA/


Do watch this video about the right brain done by Jill Bolte Taylor, a woman who had a brain breakdown and lost her left brain, thereby making her completely right brained. Fascinating. (Note: Oprah has some interviews with her on-line as well.)

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html


P.S. If you are not in the Seattle area on Nov. 8th, you can learn about flow in my Life Giving Manual - THE MAGIC FORMULA -- How to Magically Attract the Life You Most Want.

Go for it => http://tinyurl.com/28gmm2

Obviously, even if you are in Seattle you’ll benefit immensely when you get it.

Go for it => http://tinyurl.com/28gmm2

Insightful Awareness Experience

*** Insightful Awareness Experience ***

I have a very insightful, a bit spooky, fun video for you. It will give you some insights into awareness itself. If you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that I think awareness matters.

Enjoy = > http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

Blessings,

William

P.S. To deepen your awareness more, dip into SIMPLY SERENE - Four Amazingly Powerful Ways to Be Instantly Alert and at Peace. It will give you four ways to become more deeply aware. I talk about the famous Owl Eyes in depth in this one.

Go for it = > http://tinyurl.com/mbd4x

Your Buddha Brain

If you’ve been paying attention, you know one of the Four Alluring Paradigms that I have is: Upgrading Your Right Brain (http://tinyurl.com/34del4)

Neuroanatomist, Jill Bolte Taylor, had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.

Watch this wondrous, passionate video => http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

Briefly, the right brain is concerned only with right here right now. It thinks in pictures. It learns kinesthetically through the movement of your body. The right brain is at one with all that is.

In this moment, we are perfect. We are beautiful. We are whole.

Left brain is concerned with past and future. And it thinks it is separate from everything else in the universe -- William Wittmann, therapist, teacher, writer.

Imagine not experiencing any brain chatter, no AM talk-radio harangue. That’s what happened when her stroke shut down her left hemisphere. She found Nirvana and was living there.

Imagine now, choosing to be in that right hemisphere any time you want.

You can. Owl Eyes, that I explain in both the following books, will do that for you. You can do it easily. It’s part of how the brain works.

Be enlightened.

Simply Serene - Four Amazingly Powerful Ways to Be Instantly Alert and at Peace

Go for it = > http://tinyurl.com/mbd4x

Looking Deeply into Presence -- Solve Problems, Make Critical Decisions, and Create an Extraordinarily Rich Life
This too => http://tinyurl.com/os966
Obviously, I guarantee both books.

I have many more ways to connect to the right brain on membership site.
Join us => http://tinyurl.com/os966
Watch the video (http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229), get the books.

Blessings,

William

P.S. A magic message from Uncle Mike --

If you ask me, {!firstname_fix}, I'd say the main thing to keeping the main thing the main thing, is reminding yourself as often as you can of where the most joy will come from.

Ain't no thing –
The Universe

If you aren’t getting these magic messages from Uncle Mike, read my review of Mike’s goodies including this fabulous freebee.
Go for it = > http://tinyurl.com/3yu6yz

How the Traveling Wilburys Can Show You the Way

This oddity of contemporary rock and roll demonstrates playful creativity and gives you permission to hop onboard and play.

I’m talking about the Traveling Wilburys. You may have bumped into stories about them or heard their music. I recommend, in addition to listening to the music, that you watch the DVD that comes with the 3 disk set. The behind the scenes section is a master class on playful creativity.

I’ve watched it three times. What they do is so beautiful, their relationships so loving, I am moved to tears each time I see it.

The story starts with George Harrison, yes of the Beatles, thinking it would be fun to get together with some friends and jam a bit. But one of his guitars is over at Tom’s house. That would be Tom Petty. So Petty is now in on the fun.

The night before, he had dinner with Roy Orbison. So, Roy was there.

Because he has a small recording studio in his house, they give Bob a call.

George says, “You can call Bob for years and not get answer. This time he picked up the phone on the first ring.”

So, Dylan is in on it. And so it goes as they gather for a couple of weeks in May 1988 of writing, playing, singing, recording, and producing before Bob has to go on tour. Everyone did each of those tasks. They all played together.

Harrison spent much of his energy making sure everyone stayed friends. He created a place of safety and playful harmony for everyone. Egos disappeared and joy emerged.

Get this. None of them needed to make money with this project. Harrison says, “If we had tried to get these people together to make an album it would never have worked.” Why do you think this is so?

They just got together to play. Note the multiple meanings of that word play.

They had so much fun and the results were so good they wanted to share it. You and I benefit.

Several of these men are experienced songwriters, Dylan being the fastest and the most prolific, but even they used tools to jump-start their writing. Take note.

Here’s what they did. They passed out magazines to everyone and they flipped through pages and shouted out words from ads. This produced– Dirty World, a good-natured song that makes me laugh with good humor. It reminds me of early Frank Zappa lyrics.

The behind the scenes DVD shares their fears, too. Get this: Fear of singing? Fear of singing!? Woof!

Remember these musicians have all been singing publicly to huge audiences and in recording studios for decades.

They were afraid to follow Roy Orbison to the mike. Who wouldn’t be humbled by that?

Further note: Their fear DID NOT STOP THEM.

I relearned –

1. Fear doesn’t go away.

2. Fear doesn’t stop you.


What can you learn from that?

Jeff Lynne, of Electric Light Orchestra, demonstrates wrestling with the muse. She dragged him out of bed and sent him to the studio. He broke into the studio one night and changed the chord structure of a song leaving the vocals untouched. The guys liked it when they arrived in the morning.

If you act on my suggestions, you will meet the muse too. It’s a good thing. She, who must be obeyed.

Upgrade your right brain. Listen to music. Play music, even poorly. Write silly songs. Write powerful songs from your heart. All of these will expand your right brain and improve your life. I promise.

Take their master class – http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=B000P0J024/williamwittmannA/

Naturally, Amazon will let you listen to samples to hear what I’m talking about.

The Seattle Library had a copy.


Paradigms Addressed:
Upgrading Your Right Brain http://tinyurl.com/34del4

Blessings,

William

P.S. Pass this post on to anyone who you think would
Prosper & enjoy these wonderful insights.

Love of the Ordinary

Remember the child who receives a fancy toy for Christmas by his doting parents. Watch as the child opens the present, see the looks of adoration on the faces of the parents, then note the surprise that moves across their faces that changes in the next moment to disappointment, finally, as the light dawns, to delight.

What are they seeing? They’re watching their first born open the present, look at it briefly, discard it, and, then happily play with the box and wrappings for hours.

As I write this, I’m in Kona, on the Big Island, Hawaii. This is everybody’s paradise. I have thrown out the present and am endlessly enjoying the wrapper.

What draws me? I pass on the fancy catamaran trip to the best snorkel sit on the island. I pass on the night dive with the manta rays. This dive was life changing for some in my family. I pass on the parasail lifting high over Kailua Bay, which Kevin thought was the best event of the trip.

I pass because the ordinary steals my heart. Instead of stopping and smelling the roses, I stop and smell the plumaria.

The unfamiliar and ubiquitous bird songs of the mynas and the zebra doves enchant me.

The Saffron Finch that joins my dawn Taiji becomes a loved companion.

I listen to the ever-changing sounds of the surf 30 feet (10 m) outside my window. I “fly” over coral reefs, listening to the sound of my breathing as I snorkel in a rocky cove, 100m south of here.

My Zen teacher, Genjo, might say, “Zen is the celebration of the ordinary.” At any rate, I say so.

Now, what ordinary miracles do I see at home? Home too is paradise if I would but look. This trip I was bowled over by how beautiful Seattle is. Everywhere I look, I see the Divine.

What is sacred and magic about the ordinary in your life? Find it. I promise you its there.

Exercise: Go outside for 10 minutes, look with your artist’s eye, and find three things that knock your socks off. That make you say, “Oh, wow!”

Example: As I was driving home, I saw a photographer surrounded by trees with the astonishing fall colors, the beauty of the lake behind him, as he took a photo from one foot away (15cm) of a pay telephone. I almost pulled over to so I could see what he was seeing. Get it?


If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is, the best of us walk about well wadded with stupidity. – George Eliot

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail. – Our old friend, Henry David Thoreau

Blessings,

William

P.S. Pass this post on to anyone who you think would
Prosper & enjoy these wonderful insights.

Paradigms Explored

· Upgrade Your Right Brain
· Simple Is Sophisticated

Chuck Ling Ferret Studio

“What’s the name of your studio?” I gently inquire.

“Huh?” you wonder.

“What’s the name of your studio? What do you call the place where you do your creative work?

“You do have a place to do art and to work on creative projects don’t you?”


If you want to build your right brain, and I assure you that you do, then you need to have a studio.

It needn’t be more than a flat surface in the corner of a room stocked with cool pens where you can doodle. But setting aside space gives this aspect of your life importance.

I wanted to explore creating comics more as a way to play, expand my story telling abilities, and to enhance my design sense – all right brain skills, so I went to the library.

Tip: If you want to learn a subject fast and have the maximum amount of fun, look for books aimed at kids.

In this case, I discovered Dewey decimal J808.06674 So, You Wanna Be a Comic Book Artist by Phillip Amara, illustrations by Pop Mhan.

Hot Doggy.

Phillip suggested I name my studio. Cool.

I walked into Suzanne’s room, office, and suggested she name her room. Out of the conversation with her, up bubbled the name for my studio – Chuckling Ferret Studio.

The name needed to be playful – play is right brain stuff you remember.

Did you know that ferrets chuckle when they play? Otherwise, they are silent. I lived with a wonderful fellow, a ferret named, Dakota, for eight years. I miss him still.

Ferrets, like otters, are the most playful creatures I know. They also have an unquenchable curiosity. I want to cultivate these qualities, don’t you?

Ed, the ferret man, said, “Ferrets remain playful, like kittens, their entire lives.” He was right. I want to be playful my entire life, too.

The name Chuckling Ferret Studio also lends itself to some word play. Chuck Ling and his Ferret Studio popped into my head.

One of my on-going fantasies is to rent warehouse space to create art and breed ferrets – hence a ferret studio.

You get the picture – playful.

Chuck Ling also becomes a wonderful pseudonym. What possibilities for art and story emerge from this identity?

What books would Chuck Ling write? What comic books would he draw?

What will you name your studio?

Where will it be?

How will you stock it?

By when will you get it done? Set a date. Do it. Let the good times roll.

***
Paradigms Explored –

· Upgrade Your Right-Brain – Play, Design, Story
· Simple Is Sophisticated

Cool Way to Stretch
Your Story Telling Muscles

Write an exactly 50-word mini saga. I hear this can become quite addictive. I enjoyed writing this one, it’s a memoir --

Orion

Predawn, on the dock, overlooking the Sound, I see Orion rising over the hill behind our condominium for the first time this season. I recall this was Dad’s code name during the war – the hunter – recovering looted Nazi art. I am saddened I never heard those stories from my father. (50 words.)

Certainly, you can write your mini-saga longhand. The more intimate the saga the better it lends itself to handwriting. Handwriting may also bring you more into the present than keyboarding.

Play with it. Experiment.

I like MS Word because it’s easy to track how many words I’ve composed using its word count tool. It even has a toolbar you can use to keep a quick count.

What would your life be like if you wrote one a day for a month?

This idea for the 50-word mini saga comes from A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel Pink. Enjoy the book.

Blessings,

William

P.S. Pass this post on to anyone who you think would
Prosper & enjoy these wonderful insights.

***
Alluring Paradigms Explored in this Story:

· Upgrade Your Right Brain – Story, Meaning
· Simple Is Sophisticated
· And a bit of Spaceship Earth