Living Light Designs - Our Journey
In 2006, I returned home to Austin, Texas and began swimming at Barton Springs on a daily basis. In fact, the very first stop I made with my full moving truck was at the Springs. I’ve always been a distance swimmer and was looking forward to renewing my relationship with the Springs. After 10 years away, it was a very welcome return. At that time there was no way I could have ever imagined the journey these sacred waters were about to take me on.
As soon as I started swimming, I felt very grateful to be home and was deeply inspired by the beautiful beams of light dancing through the clear spring water. It reminded me of a few significant meditation experiences I’d had just months before. In a way that is hard to explain; the light beams looked very familiar, and I wondered what would happen if I tried to photograph what I was experiencing. Now that sentence is important because it lays the foundation for what was to be an ongoing evolution over the next 10+ years.
“If I tried to photograph what I was experiencing…” More than to photograph what I was ‘seeing’. It may seem like a subtle difference but the power of intention can be very specific as to how our path manifest before us. Without fully realizing it at the time, I was going underwater to try and take a photograph of an experience I was having with the light beams. The experience of the Light was my true motivation, and it responded!
Not having any other means, I bought 2 disposable underwater cameras for $8.88 (yes that was the actual price). We are talking ancient times here so these were film cameras. The first two rolls that came back were phenomenal; way beyond what I had seen while underwater, and far beyond anything I might have expected. I was truly amazed; like I had made a secret discovery.
With two 24 exposure rolls I managed to capture 20 of the best light images I’ve ever taken. I’ve never had such a high ratio of great shots since, and by now, I’ve taken tens of thousands of photographs. I think beginners’ luck is the Universe’s way of saying you are on the right track. It shows you right up front the fullness of an idea that keeps you going for years as you work your way deeper into that invitation. There is a lot of power in following your ‘wild idea’. Go for it and pay attention you will likely be surprised. The Universe loves creative experimentation and it will come to meet you in that effort.
The intuitive message I kept getting from the Light images was that they ‘wanted to be seen’. So I made them into business cards from a free site and started handing them out. Then I realized the best way for them to be seen all year long would be in a calendar. So by 2007 I had created and printed a calendar of Barton Springs underwater light images called “WaterShine”.
Oh yea! I’m jamming on it now, I thought to myself. I was going all the way to get the Light images out there, so I ordered 5000 calendars! Zero marketing experience; by the end of January 2008 (well past calendar market time) I still had 4850 calendars left. Ooops. What to do? I decided to give them away. So I took them down to the Springs, a box at a time, and I gave them away to anyone who was there. It seems people from all over the world like visiting Barton Springs when they are in town; because by the time I gave all those calendars away they had found homes in 26 different countries. I had a big world map on my wall at the time and would add new pins to it as the giveaway continued. I wasn’t making money with the calendars, but it was still a wondrous time because the Light’s mission was total success: They were being seen! All year long and all over the World!
Enjoy the “Journey of Light” video above. It is a nice relaxing and peace enhancing meditation.