As a creative, deep thinker, I am passionate about both color and Soul. I value freedom, discovery, education, wisdom, loyalty and love.
I believe in striving for deep authenticity. I believe in working all sides off the middle, and that cross pollination across disciplines has many advantages. I do not believe in limitation or negativity. I believe Love and Truth are the answer, so I seek compassion and understanding. I believe in being transparent, and that a candle is safer on a candlestick than under a bushel. I believe in the power of prayer, as well as the transformative nature of color and the inspirational potential of words. I think metaphors best convey ideas, but I appreciate no nonsense directness too. I believe in kindness, interfaith dialogue, harmony, infinite possibilities, and the vast capacities of hearts and minds.
My goal is to be a whole-souled woman, listening and obedient to the still small voice within. I encourage you be whole-souled too, embracing all of life’s good with creativity and gusto.
I cultivate hope, nurture peace, encourage authenticity, work to amplify good wherever I find it, and desire to foster a new renaissance where people feel free to be their most multifaceted and terrific selves.
Polly Castor is a Christian Science Practitioner, an Artist, a Photographer, a Poet, a veteran homeschooling mother, a wife, a cook, a thought leader, a traveler, a nature lover, a reader, a peacemaker, and a former Structural Engineer.
About my blog:
Art
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been an artist. It is a way of meditation for me, a time of connecting with what is both beyond me and essentially me, an exploration within. I resonate with both color and landscape, representational and non-representational art. I use a range of mediums, mostly painting in oil, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and pastel, but also working on collage, multimedia, printmaking, handmade glass beads, knitting, needlepoint and pottery. I enjoy the artwork of others as well, and feature work that I admire in an effort to support artists whose work I think should be seen.
Photography
I see beauty, pattern, outline, form, texture and color everywhere. Photography is a way I engage with what is around me and helps me to celebrate it. I rejoice in everything from blossoms to shadows, from reflections to steel girders, from people I don’t know to those I know well. I love the vast panorama of a landscape, as well as the spots on a butterfly. More than 98% of the images you see on this website were taken by me.
Spirituality
Formerly a flagrant atheist, I am now an unapologetic believer in God as All-in-All: Life, Truth, Love, Mind, Soul, Spirit, and Principle. Spirituality infuses everything I think or do. To me, as a Christian Scientist, God is infinite, all powerful, ever-present, and good. I am involved in interfaith clergy associations, and am an open minded seeker, an intuitive perceiver, a nurturer and a healer.
Ideas
This blog shares ideas about anything from homeschooling or child-rearing advice to how to keep squirrels off your fruit trees. I recommend websites, blog entries, helpful or interesting quotes, and YouTube Videos. At the end of every month I feature a “Bits and Clips” post, which highlights some of the best of what I read, saw, or heard on the internet that month, with feature memes , artwork by others, and cartoons as well.
Books
I read widely in many genres – everything from art books, books on spirituality, books of poetry, cookbooks, books on the environment and education, memoirs, self help, biographies, chick-lit, and a wide range of novels. I usually only blog about the best of what I’m reading. As a homeschooling mother I made myself an expert on kids books, educational books, and curriculum choices.
Movies
I prefer movies that are non-violent and productive or positive in some way. I enjoy character transformation, beautiful cinematography, and inspirational themes. I usually review only the movies I feel are worth seeing.
Food
Poetry
I’ve written poetry for a long time, and received national poetry awards before I left high school. Poetry is a way for me to make sense of my world, revel in it, or have fun with it.
Hope
I care about fostering hope, with empathy for the struggling heart. I promote resolution, reconciliation, sustainability, consideration, appreciation, harmony and joy.
About my work:
Spiritual Healer / Christian Science Practitioner
I have been in the full-time public practice of Christian Science since 1997, when I left my own engineering firm propping up skyscrapers to pursue the more satisfying work of healing people instead. I work with people from all walks of life and every type of background from all over the world. I am available to prayerfully support people through all sorts of crises, illness, doubt or questioning. Christian Science treatment can heal, regenerate, enlighten thought, and meet needs. I am also available to help clients further their own spiritual study and practice. Contact me if I can be of help. Click here to pay for Christian Science services via PayPal (Please put “CS practice” in the purpose box at the top of the form).
Artist / Photographer
Please visit my gallery, where you can see my work. Reproductions of my artwork, as well as prints of my photography are available there for sale, along with custom framing options, or you can get my work on phone cases, tote bags, cards, or pillows. Also available in my gallery are some originals for sale. Additionally, I am available for special projects and commissions. Please contact me if you are interested. You can read my artist statement here.
Poet
As a life-long poet, I have filing cabinets and computer files full of poetry to organize. Someday relatively soon, I hope to pull these together for publication in book form, and will let you know when this becomes available.
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