Our adventure has two heroes - the princess who must soon lead her kingdom and her forest-dwelling friend, a young wizard developing her powers.

In this image, our princess was attending a fancy court ball when she was lured into the forest by the scent of chocolate. She fell into a trance, and her wizard must break the spell and wake her.

I love the beauty of the world, and sometimes I wonder if that love keeps me bound to the world. I rely on my spiritual practices to break the trance. For our princess, the luxury of court life could keep her from living up to her leadership responsibilities. She needs a benefactor more earthy - and more spiritual - to keep her from losing her way.

This image was inspired when I was given the beautiful box of chocolates, crafted by our local chocolatier Gerhard’s Chocolate.

What do you think about the nature of beauty? Is it the benevolent nature of being shining through the corruption of the world, or is it a way to keep us tethered to an illusion?

It is very easy to become a slave to time. I think about time constantly: How do I find more time? How do I use my time more wisely? Will I run out of time in this life and forget whatever spiritual gains I may have made?

A Course in Miracles says many useful things about time, this among them: “Take this very instant, now, and think of it as all there is of time. ⁶Nothing can reach you here out of the past, and it is here that you are completely absolved, completely free and wholly without condemnation. ⁷From this holy instant wherein holiness was born again you will go forth in time without fear, and with no sense of change with time.” (https://acim.org/acim/en/s/190#9:5-7 | T-15.I.9:5-7)

To make this image, we needed to find a way for our model to dangle. My home studio is tiny, so this was difficult. She ended up dangling from my the opening in my ceiling that leads to the attic! Our wizardess, who is a master of time, is holding my grandfather’s pocket watch and wears a spiral necklace alluding to the the concept in A Course In Miracles that we can collapse time by being present.

How do you use time? Are you a master or a slave?

To be open to spiritual transformation, we need to be willing to let go of everything we know, and we need to be prepared to go to dark places. The upside down world in this image depicts the disorientation that spiritual realignment can entail. It also alludes to the importance of following a spiritual guide that knows that way.

The forest in this image is a pecan grove that I saw in north Florida where my sister lives. I wanted so much to photograph it that my sister, who is also a photographer, drove me back there (45 minutes each way) on a subsequent visit. While I was photographing the grove, she accidently stood in a pile of fire ants…art is not without its costs!

What are you afraid to let go of? Where are you unwilling to go in pursuit of your higher self?

There comes a time when, in order to move forward into our maturity, we must open that door - even if we are afraid of what might be on the other side.

Here our princess has the support of her wizard guide, who has already made the transition. There is the promise of prosperity.

The components of this image came from excursions to Richmond, Virginia and West Virginia, from my own garden, and from my daily walks.

What bridge are you afraid to cross?