After such a glorious retreat on Rainbow Beach I was eager to be on my way to Mudjimba Island. I was excited to meet the women there and to especially see the woman working on the tapestry of my creative future.

But there were stops I had to make on the way. First I want to spend some time with the mermaid calling out from her shell. I wanted to see her before Triton so that I could hear her calming music in order to calm my nerves. Who knows? She may even be able to give me some advice about what to do during my meeting with Triton.

So off I went in my boat with my own captain who was a very nice man called Trebor. Trebor talked to me about Mudjimba as we travelled, telling me tales about the women there and what I might find when I arrived. The water was calm but my eyes kept straying to the snorkeling equipment lying on the seat beside me. Soon I would have to suit up and dive down to meet Triton.

We stopped to spend some time with the mermaid who played her music much more than she talked. But just before we left she did give me a few bits of advice about Triton: “No sudden movements” and “Be mindful of his sadness”. The second piece of advice baffled me as much as I understood the first piece. I reminded myself that during this trip I will let be what will be and try my best to be present in the moment so I put my worries aside and let Trebor sail me to my next destination.

It didn’t take long before Trebor had stopped the boat and started to help me with my snorkeling equipment. It felt strange for a landwalker like me to be wearing such a thing but I was grateful for it when I had finally dived down and as per Trebor’s directions, gone looking for Triton.

In the end it was Triton who found me.

I must have be swimming around too near his lair and he had detected my presence. Quick as a flash he loomed up in front of me, holding an evil looking staff and I tried not to swim away in fright. He regarded me coldly as he cocked his head to one side and bared his teeth at me. Despite his show of mild aggression, I now saw what the mermaid meant. He was sad. He eyes said it all. They glowed red but were filled with such a melancholy that my heart went out to him. I wanted to reach forward and touch his face but instead I reached into the pouch I carried around my neck took out a token which I had made with love for this poor creature who seemed to need it more than me. I pulled out a necklace I had made from the seashells I found on Rainbow Beach. At the time, I had looked for the most cheerful colours I could find to make the necklace and I could see Triton’s eyes light up with pleasure as I held it out to him.

In a gesture of trust that touched my heart, he swam towards me, turned his back, lifted his hair and indicated that I should put the necklace around his neck for him. When I had, he looked down at it and tenderly touched some of the shells. Triton unscrewed the top of his staff and took out a large purple Triton Shell and handed it me. I understood from Trebor that this was the item that would be taken at the port of Mudjimba Island.

I bowed my head in thanks to Triton and then he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared before. I awkwardly swam back up to the surface where I found Trebor waiting patiently for me a few yards away. He moved the boat closer and helped me to climb in but when I tried to show him what Triton gave me, he told me to put it away and keep it safe for Triton’s gifts were for the eyes of only a few.

I put my purple shell into the pouch around my neck and felt honoured to have finally met Triton who proved to me that fears are often scarier than reality.

Image and text copyright Stacey-Ann Cole

The carnival market had finished days ago and I had been enjoying the quietness of the beach in its natural form. I thoroughly enjoyed the days of revelry, going to the Rainbow Beach drive-in although I had no car, visiting the beauty parlour and receiving a lovely massage and at night drinking Rainbow Beach cocktails with some of the other travellers.

Now I find myself embracing the quiet as much as I embraced the energy of the market. I visit the beach every day just to look and gain inspiration and then I go home to my little hut looking out over the water and paint to my heart’s content. I sometimes write poetry too because the beauty of nature can inspire such words to come to me that must be put to paper.

After my afternoon nap today I came down to the beach again as I felt pulled there by invisible strings. I didn’t question, I just accepted the pull and went with the flow as I had been doing since arriving at Rainbow Beach. Wonderful things have been happening as a result of me not fighting what ‘is’ and here was another opportunity for me to practise living in the now.

I went with only the clothes on my back. No sketchpad, no pencils or watercolour paints and no notebook either. I stood and got lost in the blueness of the sky until gradually I discerned colours where before there were none. So beautiful and rich. I realised that this is how the beach had gotten its name but I didn’t question too deeply why the rainbow I saw in the sky was not at all reflected in the water below.

Image in this post copyright © Stacey-Ann Cole

After reading the page Enchanteur provided called the Delphic Treasury I was intrigued and inspired.

I thought about what gift I could give to the Muse and nothing seemed appropriate except only one thing kept coming to mind. I didn’t like the idea of giving it as it is not exactly a gift to be happy about. The Muse may not like it and throw it back in my face, I thought.

But then I remembered that the Muse is not human, like me, and therefore likely not flawed in the same ways that I am. I also realised that the gift I was thinking of giving was actually invading my thoughts right now and the Muse may be glad to help me be free of it.

I decided to jump in and take the chance and see what happened.

I called The Muse and asked for some precious time. I felt it was granted when I felt a presence next to me, comforting and expectant. I couldn’t see anyone but there was someone there. I said, “Dear Muse, I give you this gift of my Fear. It has been a royal pain in the backside for many years of my life and I give it to you in the hopes that you may turn it into something more productive.”

I waited without breathing until I felt the presence of the Muse leaving me but not before it kissed both my cheeks in a warm caress.

I glowed with acceptance and pleasure, feeling as if I was finally being given permission to be me. And it felt good.

Image in this post copyright © Stacey-Ann Cole

Enchanteur is taking us on another creative journey and as it is one of my 2008 resolutions to immerse myself in creativity, I am so looking forward to it. I’ve been wondering what form my creativity will take this year so it will be interesting to find out.

I will be travelling with many old friends and some new ones and I think we’ll all have a good time and by the end of our journey be very familiar with each other and our own authentic voices. Plus us old timers have been promised some new activities on this adventure, which is exciting.

My bags are almost completely packed and I’ve put my special journey bag given to me by Enchanteur into a pouch around my waist so that I won’t forget it. It includes a packet of dream seeds, spectacles, a candlestick, a tiny anchor, a medallion with the imprint of the Unicorn and a set of wings. There will also be one new item and we’re all wondering what it is. Some of these items were so useful on my previous journey and I’m sure they’ll be invaluable again.

The anticipation is building as we can all feel the presence of the muses watching us with curiosity and feel our own creative engines revving up.

I’m keeping a look out for my portal to Lemuria which could present itself at any time during or after the Twelfth Night. I can only hope that this time my portal experience will not be as scary as last time.

It’s strange how the answers were there

Beating against my blind eyes

Like the wings of a dove

Clues everywhere

Wanting and needing notice

Blockages in my head trying to win

The devil tries to infect my heart

But I’m being watched over

By a loving being who wants what’s best for me

My destiny has been calling

Waiting for me to recognize its voice

But I got lost in the confusion of life

When I stopped listening to my heart

Today I learnt to listen again

And I’m back on my true path

Heading for the place where my gifts

Can be used to serve the world

It is hearth

And warmth

And belonging

And mine

It is ours

It is nurturing

It is right

It is needful

It is sanctuary

It is necessary

It is comfort

It is Home

I’m learning to let my true voice emerge

Without the filters that destroy its essence

I’m beginning to recognise its tone and resonance

Which truly make it my own

Writing daily grounds me

I feel more centred, more real

More or less in control of some things

But that’s the way life should be

Writing is my healing act

On the page I pour my soul

I learn to be honest with myself

And with most others too

It feels wrong to lie to a blank page

When it waits in non-judgement to hear me

I’ll keep writing until it stops feeling good

It’s my release when life seems unbearable

I’m trying not to be afraid to write

It’s strange to be scared of something I love, but

My authentic voice can be frightening

Because it shows me who I really am

Here is something I created today and I think it is representative of the word Simplicity. But interestingly enough, the more I look at it, the more complexity I see, but only because of my own perceptions, not necessarily because the image has suddenly become complex.

Sometimes as I sit under the canopy of trees, I hear whispers.

I’m never sure if they are meant for me or for the greater universe

But I always pick up something that I find to be profound

These whispers of wisdom always help me to reach a meditative state

So close to nature is not where I normally spend my time

But at times I can’t help but be drawn from the safety and comfort of my room

To hear what Mother Earth has to teach me