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Deeper December Jubilant January 2004

Issue 18 - 2003-12-18 =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Deeper December Jubilant January SARK's E Letter (e stands for energy) =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For A Hundred Miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Mary Oliver =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Dear Angel Faces, I didn't plan on writing to you until January, but I felt so moved by your messages in response to my last e letter about the death of my mother, I simply had to write you now. The energetic swirl and swoop of your messages on my Guestbook and in e-mails to me, was both comforting and so inspiring. I feel held in my deep grief by all of you. Thank you for that, just thank you. I am riding waves of despair and reveling in memories. I've been experiencing various sorts of "breakdowns" which seem to be directly connected to "breakthroughs." I've had a big breakthrough recently about how my perfectionism has been stealing my joy. So I am in the midst of a new liberation movement. I am declaring my freedom from perfectionism every chance I get. Of course, it's hilarious that I imagine I have some kind of perfection anyway. My view of "What's Perfect" needs redefinition. I notice that I slant towards perfectionism when I'm feeling most vulnerable or "out of control." Meanwhile, joy is there to be experienced, and I'm rushing past it trying to get-things-done, and get-things-done-perfectly. I now intend to have joy in my perfectionism! We're all such adorable little buttons. We are not just these things - these words or descriptions. We are so much more. We don't just HAVE joy, we ARE joy. May we all be in our Joy, in the midst of our pain, sadness, perfectionism, overwhelm and anger. May we allow Joy to fill us, and spill over into the world. I'd like to honor my dear company, Camp SARK, which is almost eleven years old. The mission statement reads in part: "Camp SARK makes products and services to inspire creative living." It takes a creative team to bring those products and services to you. My company is virtual, which means that there is no regular office. Instead, each person works out of their own home office, independently. I'd like to introduce my creative team to you: Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy a/k/a SARK: Founder, Creative Fountain Anne Ferguson Executive Virtual Assistant and Operations Manager (Her acronym is "OM") Tammi Riedl Financial Strategist and Managing Director Her acronym is "MD") I like acronyms, but I'm going to stop now; I'm getting tired. Andrea Scher, Creative Assistant and Consultant Jillian Banks, Senior Production Artist Patrick Vilain, Web Designer David Culot, Technical Developer and Community Development Nate Stone, Lead Technical Developer Patricia Huntington, Business Development Strategist I also work with various other consultants in the realms of marketing, financial and legal services. This creative team at Camp SARK supports my art, so that I can create more art, and bring it to you. Another big part of my team is YOU. I read your e-mails, listen to your messages on my Inspiration Phone Line and intuitively "tune in" about what products to create. I only create products that I myself use, and that I'm sure will inspire you. HERE ARE OUR CURRENT OFFERINGS: 2004 SARK Book: Make Your Creative Dreams REAL A Plan For Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, Avoiders, and People Who Would Rather Sleep All Day. This book will guide you in making your creative dreams REAL. It is laid out as a 12-month program with activities for each week of the year (you might also work less frequently, it will be just as effective). It is full of games, gifts, surprises, positive challenges, and support for your particular creative dream journey. It is the longest book I've created so far and is designed with a whole new look. It's full of drawings, full color art and resources. It's also my first hardcover book! My Camp SARK websight will support this book with free, downloadable Creative Dream worksheets and community support. It's also a great size to travel around with. I HAVE A SPECIAL FAVOR TO ASK OF YOU: I'd like to surprise and delight my publishers and agents - they both wholeheartedly supported my new book, which took twice as long to write, because it's twice as big. My publisher kept believing in me and the book, and for that I am so grateful. Because of their continued commitment, the book will be released in the spring of 2004 - in May, in time for Mother's Day. Here's the favor part: If you think you're going to be getting my new book, I'd like to ask you to pre-order it NOW. This will cause a wave of excitement at the publisher's, and show them your excitement about this book. Ssssshhhhhhhhh They don't know I'm writing this. I want it to be a surprise. Here are the simple ways to preorder: Go to www.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php or go to your favorite bookstore and ask to pre-order it. They'll put your name on a list and call as soon as it's available. If you don't wish to pre-order now, it will still be helpful anytime. If you wish to change a pre-order later, it can always be canceled up to the shipping date. Also, I'll be doing a special advance reading in MP3 format of the book for my subscribers - that's you! Thank you so much, I appreciate your support. You can take a look at the book cover at ww.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php 2004 CALENDARS: "THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SARK" There are 2 types: A wall calendar just bursting with color and support for Creative Living, with lots of my favorite paintings. A daily "Page A Day" calendar. Here's a quote I randomly picked: "We can provide emotional shelter for each other, and keen vision. We can borrow each other's strength and confidence when we stumble and falter. We can learn to live fully in this very moment. You can take a look at the calendars at www.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php I partnered with Hay House (Louise Hay's company) to make Juicy Living cards. There at 50 thick, luminous, color-soaked cards, which have inspiring art and encouraging words on both sides. Their purpose is to remind you that you are JUICY, no matter how opposite of that you might be feeling. You can pick one for the day, or week, or just randomly. These cards will illuminate your spirit and support your soul. Here's a card I randomly picked: On one side: You Are Your Own Healer On the other side: Whenever we can face pain - our own or another's - our hearts open still more. We must only be willing to see What is. Whatever healing work we each Do contributes to the healing of All of us Remember: we are all swirling in The soup together. You can take a look at the Juicy Living cards at www.campsark.com/pages/store.php I HAVE VERY EXCITING NEWS ABOUT MY WEBSIGHT CAMPSARK.COM. It is in the process of being transformed. My creative team and I have been very busy setting up a new system that will be launched at the same time as my new book. There will be lots more free stuff, community support, and an exciting new look. You're going to absolutely love it. There is so much more to tell you -- we'll preview more in February. We'll be asking for your feedback too. I will be doing the free e letter in an HTML format so we can include art and photographs. You'll receive an invitation about that later, so be on the look out. I'd like to extend a special invitation to you to come to "An Intimate Afternoon with SARK" Saturday, February 7, 1-4 p.m at the Creative Life Center in Sedona, Arizona. This center is full of creative energy! We'll spend an afternoon talking together about what inspires us, what stops us, and ways to live juicy, no matter how opposite of that we might be feeling. Karen Drucker (www.karendrucker.com) will be playing music at this event, and she and her music are transformational and very inspiring. I can promise you a most succulent, creatively energizing time. You can visit www.campsark.com/pages/Workshop.php to find out more, and I hope I get the opportunity to meet you. I'm taking some time off to rest and renew, and continue my grief process, so will return with the February e letter in the new format. I send you my deepest New Year Blessings, Love, Susan =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= RESOURCES =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= BOOKS "Traveling Light" by Brian Andreas (Available only at www.storypeople.com) "Everyday Matters" by Danny Gregory WEBSIGHTS www.seva.org Seva is a donor-supported non-profit foundation building partnerships to respond to locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions throughout the world. www.heifer.org Heifer animals (and training in their care) offer hungry families around the world a way to feed themselves and become self-reliant. Children receive nutritious milk or eggs; families earn income for school, health care and better housing; communities go beyond meeting immediate needs to fulfilling dreams. Farmers learn sustainable, environmentally sound agricultural techniques. www.doctorswithoutborders.org Doctors Without Borders delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. Delicious Campsark: http://www.campsark.com