“Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you,
TO you and BECAUSE of you.”– T. Alan Armstrong

Back in 2008, the Universe conspired to align a series of people and events that would aid me in finding my passion. A passion I had never really given any thought to but that has opened up a whole new world and vision for me. Ever since one fateful day in July of 2008, my purpose on this earth has revealed itself, deliciously slow . . . one colorful layer at a time. And as of today, I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t taken the time to sit, ask, listen and act.

I was profoundly changed by Eckhart Tolle’s book A New Earth and the message became even more ingrained after the webinar that Oprah and Eckhart so generously offered back in January of 2008. After reading the book twice and watching the webcasts I was compelled to follow Eckhart’s advice and create a space for stillness to speak.  I decided to sit in silence, every day, for 20 minutes and ask the Universe the following questions:

Why am I here?
How can I be of service?

I had reached a point in my life where the things that I thought would bring me happiness were doing the opposite. There was a lot of inner turmoil about my future. In fact, there were moments where I didn’t even think I wanted to have a future. The message in A New Earth resonated with me, for sure, but at the same time, I felt confused as to how to proceed. If my purpose was to just live my life and be present and in the NOW . . . how was I going to fill that NOW? Why was I here and what was I to do? How was I going to be of service to anyone if I couldn’t even be of service to myself?

Weeks turned into months and I was still entering stillness, asking my questions and waiting for answers that didn’t seem to be coming.  But, something did start to happen. I felt calmer, less desperate and more aware. . . therefore, I continued my practice as a knowing started to develop within me.

Around this time, I noticed a homeless woman in the area where I worked that would put up her drawings and sell them for $20 each. I thought this was brilliant! Her work was sweet and colorful, albeit somewhat childlike but just the fact that she had decided to create art in order to survive, that intrigued me. As luck would have it, my friend Amanda knew her and introduced me. Her name was Marlo and she was one of the kindest people I had ever met. Even though she was on the street, she had made a conscious choice to work for her money and art was the way . . .

I then decided I wanted to help her by purchasing some art supplies for her. Off I went to my nearest Utrecht where I was completely lost as to what to buy. As I asked for help, another kind soul was put in my path. Her name was Simone Lourenço, an artist that also created works on paper like Marlo, so she knew exactly what I had to buy. After I purchased the material, she told me to check out her work, which I did immediately that evening and was mesmerized by it. Her work sparked something . . . it was a faint memory . . . very nebulous and unclear but I recognized something in her work. . . something from my childhood.

About a week later, as I finished work, I was alone in the office and my first experience with a whisper from the Universe occurred. I distinctly heard the instructions to get up, go back to Utrecht, purchase paper, colored pencils and markers. I didn’t really hear these words but I definitely felt them and knew there was no choice but to obey these orders. Off I went, purchased the material and went back to the office. I hadn’t drawn anything since I was 4 or 5 years old but I set to work on a leaf that had been on my mind the entire day.  Eventually, I looked at my watch and what had felt like ten or fifteen minutes had actually been TWO HOURS. Two glorious hours of the most profound peace . . . two hours of pure joy. . . I had no idea what had happened but I knew that I’d be doing it again!

Four years later, I’m still doing it and to surprising and life-changing success! The art that came into my life on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 has not only brought me continued happiness and fulfillment but it has answered the questions I had asked of the Universe during my meditations. Why am I here? To love. To bring joy to the world. To share my work and my gifts. To create and enjoy a happy, fulfilling life.

How can I be of service? By honoring my creative self and allowing my creativity to lead me and teach me. By devoting time every single day to what brings me joy, I have been led from one creative venture to another. My Magicalized Portraits allow me to be of service to others by co-creating with them a work of art detailing their hopes, dreams and aspirations. I get to be a part of something so special that in turn aids the individual in visualizing the life they desire. What an honor!

By becoming fearless and delving deeper into my creativity, The Whirling Blog came to glorious life! It’s a space devoted to uplifting the world one story at a time. I am humbled and honored every week to feature the work of beautiful souls, sharing their stories and together, we lead by example. The Whirling Blog and my art have become my passions. Sometimes, the joy I feel when I’m involved in the creative process is so strong that it’s almost overwhelming. Almost, but there’s nothing else like it. There’s nothing else like finding what ignites a fire within and then allowing it to burst forth!

If you’re searching for your passion, I encourage you allow stillness to speak to you.  Sit, ask, listen and create the pathway for the Universe to guide you. In the stillness, you will most likely find all the answers necessary to make your soul come alive!  Get ready to soar!

**About Gene-Manuel – Gene-Manuel is a Spiritual Pop Artist (gene-manuelart.com) and writer devoted to the pursuit of creative expression in all areas of life. He is the Editor and Founder of The Whirling Blog and Daily ♥ Reminders. He can be found on Facebook: Art & Such & The Whirling Blog and on Twitter: @GeneManuel & @TheWhirlingBlog