Photography as a Spiritual Practice

Join Juli Isola, San Clemente photographer and spiritual seeker, for March's Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley Women's Group meeting on Friday, March 7, 7 p.m., for an evening discovering Photography as a Spiritual Practice. The event is free and participants are asked to identify and bring 3 to 5 favorite images that they have created. The images can be from an Instagram feed, on their smart phone, printed on a home printer or snap shots from the past. We will be learning how to read photos and studying the ones people bring.

More about the Workshop:

From the moment Juli started her photography journey she realized that something greater than her was at work; and within the images she captured she found clues to revealing more of her spiritual truth. The more she studies the very accessible art of photography, the more she notices spiritual principle at work.

Photographer Juli Isola offers insight into photography as a spiritual practice
at March's Women's group meeting.

Juli believes that every photo we take is a window to our soul. It's the Divine within that entices us to bring out the camera or phone and snap the photo. We think, on the surface, it's the beauty or humor or memory we are trying to capture and preserve, but in reality it's our higher consciousness inviting us to stop and study what's right in front of us; to notice the reflection of our thinking.

Do you think of photography that way? Do you know why you pick up your camera? Do you see the visionary messages in your photographs?

Mark your calendar for Friday, March 7th, 7 p.m. You don't want to miss this enlightening photography workshop designed to give you more insight and a greater experience of higher consciousness in your life.

Reframe: Seeing Is A Selective Choice. ~ Chris Orwig

“Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter.” ― Ansel Adams

Photography used to be an elective or a hobby that some of us pursued. Yet, the tide has changed and we are all photographers. Photography isn't optional. Yet, getting good at photography is a choice. And it's an endeavor that is worth pursuing with determination and force.

Because getting better at photography can further your creative output and growth in your work and personal life. In other words, the better photographs you capture, the more you thrive.

Watch the above video on why photography matters and how you can improve your own craft.

Sun, December 8, 3:30pm – 5:30pm Click to sign up!  

Now that you have watched Chris Orwig and his almost metaphysical take on photography I hope that it inspires you to come out and take part in our next installment of San Clemente Connected PhotoWalks

We thought it would be a nice time of year to practice our portraiture skills, so come dressed for the season, be ready to have your picture taken, and to take seasonal pictures of everyone else! (Sunset at 4:42pm)

The Featured photographer this month is San Clemente Pier Bowl local, professional portrait photographer and our Center's very own Juli Isola.  Walk with us and learn some of her great tips to use along the way!

“There are no bad pictures; that's just how your face looks sometimes.”  ― Abraham Lincoln

Hidden Trestles PhotoWalk This Saturday

One of the exciting things about our center moving to San Clemente is all of the great stuff we have to get out and explore. Come with us on World Wide PhotoWalk day this Saturday to discover "Hidden Trestles"

What do we mean by "Hidden Trestles?"

Trestles is a world renowned surf break but unless you're a surfer you may have never walked down to this secluded beach. There's a lot going on down there at the south end of town, stuff you just don't see as you scream down the freeway.

We start on Cristianitos, from that point we see many different things, a view of the north end of Camp Pendleton, a military recreation of an urban scape, an ancient indian burial ground and a vibrant underground art scene.

We will have inside information with our guide Juli Faith, local street art and graffiti photographer. Plan to get dirty on this leg of the trip. We are going off road to check out the urban landscape which lives under I-5 and old Highway 101.

Reemerging to old Highway 1 we continue our trek down the road to the surfing mecca of the continental United States.

Trestles. You won't get this in the tour book.  Click HERE to sign up! 

Is the Call to Serve the Answer to Your Prayers?

What do you believe about volunteering?

Do you believe you don't have enough time? Do you believe it's a good thing to do when you can? Do you think you don't have anything of value to contribute?

Or do you believe it could be the answer to your prayers?

In December, during a visioning session at our Center, I got the clear message to volunteer my time and public relations skills in support of our Center. Knowing the amount of work and attention required, I immediately questioned Spirit's guidance, "What about my photography business?"

Spirit replied, "You can and will do both."

With faith, I took our Center's marketing on like I would a paying PR client. I jumped in with both feet. At times I felt like Evan in Evan Almighty. Do you remember that movie? God tells Evan, a modern-day Noah, to build an arc.



There were a few times when I was really busy and spending a lot of time at my computer writing and my husband asked, "What are you doing?" And, I simply replied, "I don't really know."

Over the past 9 months, I've discovered that my photography skills offer the perfect compliment to my public relations efforts. Because I can submit professional photos with my news releases, they appear in the local newspaper with a photo credit. My photos accompany my blog posts, our Center's advertisements and direct mail marketing, and my photos have gone viral on social media.

Spirit knew that the perfect way to bring me closer to living my dream as a photographer was to serve our Center's marketing needs. My photos and photography business have received more exposure than I ever could have imagined. Volunteering for our Center brought me into perfect alignment with my good.

On the Sundays I volunteer in the youth Center, I remind the kids during the offering to, "Look for what you put in the basket to show up for you in your experience."

So I ask you, what are you putting into the Center and are you ready to see it show up in your experience, pressed down, multiplied and spilling over? Where are you being called to serve? It just might be the answer to your prayers.