JUST DARE by Shiloh Sophia McCloud

When I create with inquiry and intention, I am able to open a door to the sacred space between worlds...

That is where I paint from – straddling spirit and matter, unmanifest and manifest, broken dreams and dreams fulfilled, suffering and healing.

It is here that I find I can synchronize my own heartbeat with that of the world. Where I am in some small way one with all that is, even just for a few moments. But first, I have to just dare to be.

Artwork by Shiloh Sophia McCloud

Just Dare

Dare to re-invent yourself

when you don’t know what that looks like yet.

Dare to dream bigger than

you feel comfortable dreaming.

Dare to love unreasonably,

even if you have been hurt.

Dare to practice radical self love

even when you aren’t sure how.

Dare to practice big compassionate love

for others, even those you don’t know.

Dare to say yes to your own self

when family or friends don’t understand anymore.

Dare to not let fear get in your way,

and when it does, dare to keep moving.

Dare to be the most you that you can be

while accepting yourself right as you are.

Dare to discover what beautiful means,

to you and only you.

Dare to call yourself an artist, a poet,

a dreamer, a thinker, a revolutionary.

Dare to take passionate action

so that your fire will be lit within you.

Dare to take risks that make you feel hopeful

when you don’t know how it will all work.

Dare be a colorful being, and dance alone.

Dare to live. Dare to love. Dare to laugh.

Dare to not get it right. Dare to get back up.

Dare to live in amazing grace.

Painting by Shiloh Sophia McCould

Shiloh Sophia McCloud has dedicated the past seventeen years of her life to the study and practice of art as a spiritual discipline as well as to helping equip women with the tools and understanding to develop their own creative potential. Shiloh’s artwork is dedicated to providing healing images of women and family. As a leader in helping to build a transformational art movement, Shiloh lives and teaches a philosophy that all art forms are tools for individual, social and spiritual transformation. Thousands of women have deepened in their creative practice through Shiloh’s illustrated Color of Woman journals and her workshops. Shiloh is the founder of Cosmic Cowgirls Ink, LLC a woman and girl owned university publishing company, magazine and membership community that now produces five Color of Woman journals with dozens more on the way. Shiloh is also the founder of Palm of Her Hand, (501c3 pending) which collaborates with artists. poets, musicians to create events and products. Shiloh’s paintings are internationally collected and her product line is represented at galleries and fine shops throughout the Unites States. You may visit her website here, or contact her through Facebook here.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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