Every night I look forward to going to bed, not to sleep, but to dream.
Mary Ann Burrows
I am an Artist, Poet, Author and Coach, inspired by nature, with a passion for solitary walks in the wild
Pieces of Light.
A Sunday Poem – Please feel free to share with this link and the following citation. Mary Ann Burrows, “Pieces of Light”
Let’s Build Bridges
Let’s create a ceremonial bridge to help us go from our working mind to our creative mind.
Find a Forest Near You
A great site with that can help you find the nearest forest trail Check it out
Try Painting Naked
What a wonderful, tantalizing idea!
Creativity Taught Me
A little about me and Creativity.
These Are Soul-Making Times
Have you seen your soul this past year? I have. She arrived at the pandemic with a great heart, despite a few detours. She now lives in a place unmade by humans, with a cup of the best coffee in her hands and her two dogs at her feet. She learned how to come out and play in places she …
Melodic Celebration
Birds sing louder when the rain is about to stop. They jump and splash in little puddles of water, reveling with wings wide open. A gift of melodic celebration for the shining sun. Mary Ann Burrows 2021
The Sun
Dearest light, star and love on the other side of dark. calling to me spreading your warmth like a blanket across the morning fields. You are why I wade through endless cool shadows of flickering fingers, that tease me out of an unlit life and into your waiting arms. Finally, I can stop. and meet myself, right where I am, …
Come and Find Me World
Come and find me world, in your beautiful way. You will find me in a place unmade by humans. I will be waiting at the seashore, in the forest along the weathered path. You will recognize me, looking up at the sky, witnessing the slightest wind shift in the clouds birth a new painting. You will see me inside …
How to Invoke Your Muse
“Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire “. (1.6-7) John Milton, Paradise Lost. This is a quote from the 1600’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, by John Milton. In these first lines, Milton is not only stating the theme for his very long poem, but he is also asking for heavenly guidance and inspiration. …
When Grace Comes
I’ve been reading John Milton’s Epic poem Paradise Lost for my English Lit class. Not sure if you remember this piece of literature from the 1600s but at first, I found it super hard to understand; in fact, I could not understand a single word of it. The final exam was based on this poem and was worth 30% of …
How to Grow Creativity
ALLOW PATHWAYS: We can’t grow flowers in the dead of winter. The same goes for our creativity. We need to create an environment inside of our minds that is lush, fertile and nourished so that new pathways can form and our brilliant new ideas have a place to grow roots and flourish. But first we need to empty out the …
Plant Energy
“Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness.” Eckhart Tolle Jade plants are one of my favorite plants. THIS jade plant is special, most likely because it was a gift from my son on Mother’s day one year. Jade …
Finding Our Voice Among the Trees
“We all need to find the time and place to exhale.” Have you checked out my story on Elephant Journal yet? It’s a 5 minute read. If you like it, please give me a heart on the story and share – here’s the link ELEPHANT JOURNAL
Little Sacred Plant Practice
Little Sacred Plant Practice Use this exercise as a way to discover presence. If you can’t go out in nature, bring a plant into your house. If you give attention to a plant, it will thrive. A plant is energy. A plant heals. Water it. Feed it. Talk to it. Become still in its presence and sense its aliveness. A plant …
Writing Tip
I gather words to use in my writing. I began a list in a book, that I like to call my ‘poem cupboard’. It is full of my favorite words I find along the way. When I am searching for a word to use in a poem -I open up my book and voila. Magic!!
Forest Writing Exercise
Finding Your Stillness Before we write in our forest journal, we need to be still. What is stillness and why is it so important to find it before we write in our journal? Our stillness guides us into nothingness and brings us closer to our hearts. This is the place where our soul speaks to us. When we are still, we hear. The …
Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists and Clients
New Book Coming Out Soon !! A while back I was invited to write a chapter in the book Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists and Clients; A Complete Guide to the Benefits of Personal Writing. There are so many benefits to sharing in a group atmosphere and also in witnessing and holding space for others. I was super excited to …
Forest Writing
Come and take a short walk with me in the forest as I talk about my own creative process.
Women I Have Loved
I have had a few muses in my life, but one woman that sits close to my heart is Irene. I love this woman. Unfortunately, she no longer walks the earth. We met when she was in the final decade of her life. She was born on April 18, 1920. The first day I met her, I felt like I …
Check me out on Instagram. I’m having so much fun making reels – The latest one was from today. Mayor George Harvie popped by this morning and presented me with my award for the Banner contest 2020. I created the design for this year’s community banner in honour of the farm land and the farmers. I live on 72 acres …
A Story of Becoming
I wrote this story for Sparkling Silvers – a website that celebrates women, sharing the inspirational stories of their journey to gray hair. Click the link below to read my Sparkling Silvers story. “My story is so much more than about going gray. It is about allowing nature to grab hold of me and show me the real meaning of …
Puddle
This is where I live. Right here, inside the vibrancy of the sky’s reflection in a puddle of Westcoast rainwater surrounded by weathered winter grass off the beaten pathway. -Mary Ann Burrows 2021-
Fleeting Stars
If we live in a world where almost everything is ephemeral, then what matters? The answer is simple: now. This matters. This moment, now. matters. Being a good person and doing the right thing, small or large, matters now. Living your life with full integrity. matters. Living slowly not fast, so you have time to think creatively and make the …
Everything
I am here forEVERYTHING.The carnivals.The masquerades.The rainy days.The blue parades.The Beef Bourgogne.The ocean waves.The scent of Hugo aftershave.The winter sun.The sands of gold.The lambs. The lions.The days of old.The thunderheads.The lightning rods.The sunny days. The firing squads.The births.The deaths.The falls. The cries.A lovely smilefrom someone’s eyes.The big bass drum.The violin.The times we lose. The times we win.The riverbank.The butterflies. when I hear a baby cry. The …
Broccoli Sprouts
Want to grow something delicious and nutritious in your kitchen? Seriously, anyone can grow Broccoli Sprouts. It’s so easy. Broccoli sprouts are loaded with fiber and protein and contain very few calories. They also contain anywhere from 10 to 100 times as much glucoraphanin — the nutrient becomes sulforaphane — as the mature vegetable. Their biggest benefit is that they reduce INFLAMMATION. These tiny sprouts are bursting …
The Unveiling
Lay your sweet body at the horizon, in the light below the dark clouds. Naked, nameless, broken, bare, chest to the heavens, arms stretched wide open. Stripped of titles, accomplishments, failures. Lay against the world, unafraid of your emptiness, released of who you think you are and who others believe you to be. Without your things, beliefs, meaning, stories. With …
Pure Joy
“I write for myself, and for the pleasure of feeling pure joy. “ A part of me is alone, crying, and feels separated in life but if I don’t bring thoughts that are calling to me forward from the tender space where my heart stirs from their release, then I am not alive. I write for myself, and for the pleasure of …
2020
A few of my favourite 2020 moments.
We Grow Food
The Banner for the Community Banner contest – I won ! I’m so excited. Congrats to all of the winners. Thank you to the corporation of Delta.
Take A Hike
WINTER CHALLENGE EVENT – Take a Hike Foundation is a very special organization that I believe makes a huge difference. Take a Hike partners with public school districts in BC to engage vulnerable youth in a full-time mental health and emotional well-being program embedded in an alternate education classroom. They take the youth outside and into the forest, camping and …
And Then, Nothing.
Pen to paper…nothing. I took a big swig of my tea.
My New Baby
The 1950’s Remington clickety-clacks, whizzzes, zips and dings. Chik-chik-cha-chik-chik-chika-chik-cha-chik-Ding-ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip-Chik-chik-chik. I am in LOVE.
In The Moment
It may appear that I am doing nothing but stepping into sunshine, drinking fresh air, flirting with birds, talking with trees. Take notes in the moment. Mary Ann Burrows November 15,2020
#pins4heros GALLERY
Designed by artist, Mary Ann Burrows The Covid 19-2020 pins have been gifted to hospital staff, community nurses, pharmacists, grocery store clerks and municipal government staff, and the Delta Police. Tag your social media post with #pins4heros and email us your photo to be featured in our #pins4heros gallery MAIL
Cages
Ive been reading White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. This is a good book! In the book, the author, Robin DiAngelo refers to Marilyn Frye’s birdcage metaphor. Today I took a side trip from White Fragility and dove into discovering Marilyn Frye. I read all about her lovely birdcage metaphor and how it relates to oppression and racism. Marilyn Frye (born 1941 …
Black Lives Matter
Don’t stop after posting the black square. Black Lives Matter. Please stand in solidarity. Also educate yourself and if you have the means, please financially support the organizations that support education, social and racial justice, fight against racial inequality and offer solidarity to the Black community. Take the time do the work and research where to send your support. #blacktuesday
Breaking Wide Open
My hope is that this all of this suffering in the world right now will break us so wide open that eventually there will be no partition between our own bodies and the body of the world. This force, this breaking down and breaking apart needs to continue until it can take root inside each one of us and insist …
Peonies
Do you love this world?Do you cherish your humble and silky life?Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,and softly,and exclaiming of their dearness,fill your arms with the white and pink flowers? Mary Oliver – the poem, ‘Peonies’ – (for the entire poem click on page 2 of this …
Creating Everlasting Change
New Mary Ann Burrows Watercolour Butterfly Infinity scarf is NOW available. Super affordable at $45.00 plus Use the CODE DISCOVERVIDA15 for an additional 15% off ! I love the drape on this one! You can wear it as a wrap over your shoulders or in a loop. It is soft and comfortable on your skin. A great deal. LOOKS Amazing …
Tattoo your Scars
We have all suffered loss, sickness, death of someone we love, the break up of a friendship, a lover, loss of a job, loss of integrity? We have all experienced pain. The pain of feeling left out, abandoned, not enough, being pushed out, talked about, blocked, lost, unloved. We have all been on both sides of the fence. These are …
My Books
Oh, Monkey! Gator On My Back The Creativity Workbook CHECK OUT THIS PAGE FOR DETAILED INFO BOOKS by MA
Making Money with Your Art?
I use square to process my transactions whenever possible. Its so easy. I can send invoices direct to clients they pay me from the comfort of their home using their credit card, the money gets deposited directly into my bank account. (Less a small processing fee) Whenever possible I use it. Its convenient for both me and my client. If …
Picasso vs Matisse
There are many ways to describe the relationship between Picasso and Matisse. It could be called a rivalry, a creative dialogue, often referred to as a chess game. The other night at Phoenix Artworkshops Virtual Paint and SIP night I learned all about the love hate relationship between the two. Matisse himself once compared it to a boxing match, but …
The book is out ! Gator On My Back
Written and Illustrated by Mary Ann Burrows One day an alligator climbs up onto a boy’s back and changes his world completely. This new friend makes the boy feel sad and believe bad things about himself. A fox appears and asks the boy to talk about the feelings that are making him look so sad. When he does the gator …
Contributing Author Mind-Body-Heart-Hand
I was honoured to be invited to contribute to this recently released book. The Creativity workbook for Coaches and Creatives 50 PLUS inspiring exercises from Creativity Coaches World Wide. – (Edited by Dr. Eric Maisel) Chapter 23, ‘Feeling Your Way to Creativity’ by Mary Ann Burrows The chapter’s purpose was to “help connect us to the deep wisdom inside that …
Flourish Creative
What a great opportunity this year has been to dive into ourselves, and bring our talents to light. Art is coming to the forefront in people’s lives and finally people are beginning to blossom. Throughout my years of being an artist I have learned so much about life, creativity and about the things that hold me back as an artist. …
Oh, Monkey ! is HERE !
Available in every major online bookstore and locally in my community book store Black Bond Books Ladner. Check out my Oh Monkey website for all links. OHMONKEY Written for young adults, this story follows the journey of young girl who grows tired of hearing her monkey chatter in her ear every day, telling her what to do. She sits down …
Gratitude
Be Grateful without evidence Life is all a dream.
Peace by M.A. Burrows
I met myself without my story, inside of my beautiful mind. We made peace, my mind, and I. In here, I am clear. I am free. I am awake. I am only noticing. Simply flowing back and forth, with little effort, my brilliant imagination in perfect sync with the calm, silent melody of knowing. It is quiet, without war. …
Creative Spaces
WElCOME to my workshop. This is my private, creative, and very sacred, special space. It took a long time to get here and I am so very grateful that I have this place in my life. Having a sacred space in which you can feel free to create in is valuable but, trust me, this wasn’t always the case. When …
Write Every Day
There is something special that transpires through the consistency of writing, every day. Crappy or not, still write. Show up and put pen to paper and the rest will come. Just do it applies here. It doesn’t need to be a best-selling novel. It just needs to be done. It all matters. This keeps your brain in the game.
3 minute Grounding Meditation.
It takes 3 minutes. Only 3 minutes. About the same length of time that it takes for you to finish reading this to bring more into your life. The 3 minute grounding & receiving meditation is simple, quick and effective. DIRECTIONS: Sit in a comfortable position. Cup your hands in the shape of a bowl under your breasts with your …
365 Gathered Truths
I am in LOVE. What a great way to start your day. Wake Up, have your cappuccino, then pull one of the 365 gathered truths out of a vintage black box . You will see it manifest itself in some form or another throughout your day. Great prompting tool for creating too! This was One of Oprah’s favourite things this …
Nevermore
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “‘Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— Only this …
When In Doubt
Get low