INTERVIEW KALA AMBROSE METAPHYSICAL SPIRITUALITY EXAMINER

Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess - an interview with Pamela Wells
Metaphysical Spirituality Examiner, Kala Ambrose


This Summer on EYS, I created a feature article series dedicated to "Inner Beauty". It was originally designed to be a brief respite from our busy lives, offering a moment to relax and reflect on the beauty in our world, both natural and man made. These articles have proved to be so popular, that I�ve decided to continue this series year round as I meet more beautiful and talented conscious creators who bring such natural wonders to our world. This Fall, the focus evolves into 'Exploring Within' as we delve into the mysteries of the connection between this world and the other side. On this path, I encountered Pamela Wells, creator of Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Guidance Cards. Her work connects every women to the Inner Goddess living within. Join us here as we enter into a sacred space of discussion and exploration.


Kala: Hi Pamela, Thanks for joining me here. You've created Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Cards, which are described as valuable tools for spiritual seekers, tarot practitioners and women of any age. The cards are based on the major arcana cards of the tarot, with this set featuring 22 goddess cards. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of art centered on women and the goddess?


Pamela Wells: I had reached a transitional period in my illustration and design career where I wanted to pursue creative work with less restrictive design rules. At about the same time I met a medicine woman who mentored and encouraged me to paint and draw what I felt passionate about. One of the first images I painted was the Strength card. The Strength card is mid-point in a majors only tarot deck and suggests inner growth and awareness that evolves over our lifetimes. Strength says, "I wisely use my life-force energy to create and direct my good work in the world." The archetypal significance or the card represented to me a message of passionate action. I was ready to fully incorporate the meaning of this card in my life.


It was wonderful I had a mentor friend who understood my need to find more meaning and to create work I felt passionate about. Once I began painting, I realized I could be guided in the painting process through my meditation and prayer. All these wonderful synchronistic events unfolded during the creation of the card deck as my faith grew that all would be well even if I didn't know where the project would lead me.


I created the remaining major arcana cards in a similar co-creative process. What I envisioned was often informed by my own life experience and through inner guidance.


Kala: The cards are available in a gold-framed collector's set boxed edition which also includes a 120 page spiritual guidebook and a wisdom prayer guide to be used with the cards. What really intrigued me though, was the fact that you also have the cards available as an app for the iPhone and iPod. I've had the opportunity to play with the cards on my iPhone and have really enjoyed the experience. I now refer to the app as: "Tarot on the Go"! It's been very entertaining and enlightening to be anywhere with my iPhone and have a question on my mind and then open up my Goddess iPhone app and ask the question and there are the cards right there, speaking to me. What prompted you to turn the cards into an iPhone app?


Pamela Wells: How the iPhone/iPod format came about was very synchronistic. Martin Adams, the Ceo of Wisdom Titles, invited me to submit the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck. I thought it was a great opportunity to introduce another useful format for readers.


I met Martin Adams years earlier through my husband who worked for him at his Anusara Yoga Studio. I had no idea that he had started a new company called Wisdom Titles for ebooks, iPhone and iPod apps until he contacted me through email. Likewise, he had no idea I had created a deck set until we reconnected. In the iPhone/iPod format the deck of cards and book is made available in a convenient any time, any where use. I agree it is great to have when immediate guidance is needed. The only thing the app doesn't currently include are the introductory chapters of the deck set which we plan to add in at a later date.


Kala: Describe how the process of creating the cards worked for you? Do you work with spirit guides? Does the information come first and then the artwork or do they flow out at the same time?


Pamela Wells: What a wonderful question. The creative process is so important in all areas of life as well as honoring the power of our creative-intuitive right brains. When creating artwork I start with an inspirational idea. The word inspired actually means "in spirit" so I get into a state of mind that can best described as animated creativity.


My ideas about imagery for painting come about when I am walking in a remote canyon or local nature trail. Since I am visually oriented I "see" the images as if they were being projected from the back of my eyes to a screen in the back of my mind. So, the process begins with envisioning the imagery for the composition first. Then during the painting process I paint in the symbolic elements and details as they come about naturally.


I do dialogue with my spirit guides. I usually contact them in more of a meditation or quite state when I am unsure about something. I usually start with the question "What do I need to know?" During the creative process my guides are co-creating with me!


Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities?


Pamela Wells: In our culture, we are rewarded and receive praise for doing something even if there is an internal resistance, no matter what we feel or believe, and to just "do it". Indeed, we become masters of even even doing many things at once (multitasking) in the interests of efficiency and goal achieving. However, the downside of all of this doing is that we often feel burnt out and stressed.This is a life that is driven by quantity.


Another approach is to periodically pause the doing and return to the reason and intention behind what you are doing. When you reconnect to the source of your energies, you begin to call all of who you are into unity. This connection recharges your mind, body, and heart in service of what you believe. So when you resume your doing, there is a more optimal flow of your energy and it can be done more clearly and effectively. This connection of mind, body, and heart (Spirit), is vital to sustaining a life of purpose and inspiration. This approach invites you to the quality of how you participate in activities - "how you do it". It is what keeps your burning bright and not burned out.


Kala: Your education and background includes working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over twenty years, with an interest in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. How has your career inspired you - and - what you create as an artist?


Pamela Wells: My career has been an excellent source of experience, training and skills which include good communication with clients and an understanding of color and design that help sell a client's products or services. I have always been interested in business but it has only been in the last 10 years I had the intention to work for client's who had business interests related to my personal studies in spirituality and transpersonal psychology. Working for clients in the healing arts is when I am inspired the most. It is a real pleasure to bring together my education, experience and training with my passion for transpersonal human development and the evolution of higher consciousness.


Kala: As an entrepreneur, you�ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?


Pamela Wells: I have always been creative and an independent thinker which is rarely encouraged or viewed as an asset in most business settings. Being self-employed I can do creative commercial work for clients and work independently on my own projects without as many creative limitations. Lately I am working with clients who hire me for my unique style and creative approach. Most of my clients now have buinesses in the healing arts or are looking for stylized design/illustration solutions that incorporate an understanding of these markets.


My own personal creative focus has been in service to supporting and empowering women and other spiritually inspired artists.


Kala: How would you describe your personal spiritual path? Do you feel that you are continuing the work as described in the past as of the Goddess or walking a similar path?


Pamela Wells: My own spiritual path could best be described as the healing path of the wounded healer. A wounded healer is from a family with a history of emotional or physical abuse. I believe this life path was essential to my understanding of universal lessons that helped me survive difficult times and helped me choose a life of internal power and purpose.


So, through my own life experience I would define an Everyday Goddess as a women who understands and uses her external and internal power to shape her life in a co-creative way with the Divine.


My creative work is part of an evolutionary shift in consciousness of what it means to be a woman. I believe women co-create history with men and can reject continuing to be victims of past history. It is important for women to take responsibility for their own choices, past and present and stand side-by-side with men as equal co-creators for an enlightened future. Part of women transcending victimhood includes taking responsibility for our own evolution, realizing unity with other women, being emotionally rational and standing autonomously without wavering. There is much more I have to say about how women can empower themselves in the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck.


Kala: I couldn't agree more Pamela and this is the time for the return and rise of the Divine Feminine in all aspects. Regarding your work, do you accept custom orders for art? and what has been your favorite product or artwork that you have designed thus far?


Pamela Wells: I do accept custom orders. Most of the art for the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess cards were custom portraits of friends or colleagues. My favorite painting is the cover image of the women picking the apple. She is meaningful to me because the archetypal imagery in this composition points to similar themes in all the Everyday Goddess cards. She is rather mysterious and I like that. Surrender into the mystery is the first act to begin to understand the paradoxical nature of the divine feminine.


Kala: Who is Pamela Wells? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?


Pamela Wells: I think they would say that when I am inspired about something, I will pursue it with the highest level of steadfastness and commitment. Or maybe they would say jokingly that I am very stubborn! They would say I am curious - a student of life, loving, playful and fierce as a warrior if I feel my loved ones are threatened.


Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Pamela: Follow your heart (intuition, passion and love) in what you create and use your mind (skills and intelligence) in what you sell. Being creative births your unique vision into the world. Selling means providing a product or service to other people that improves their lives. If you can put heart and mind together, you will be doing what you love in devotional service to other people and the whole world benefits.


Know yourself. Have a good assessment of what you can do or are willing to learn how to do. Know what you can�t do well or don�t want to do and budget for them in your business plan then delegate those tasks to an expert. I would say that the most important character traits that one needs are persistence and independent thinking.


Kala: Beyond your work here Pamela, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?


Pamela Wells: My work really inspires me because it gives me a creative way to express what I see inside as well as to be of service to others. My creative work incorporates my interest in women's issues of self-empowerment, self growth and spirituality. I also love to read and learn anything related to travel, transpersonal psychology, integral spiritual practice and human consciousness.


I explore Spirit through my relationship with friends, family and my husband. My husband is a gifted Anusara Yoga teacher, best friend and a loving adversary for heated discussions about the Divine. I also have three dogs who enjoy nature as much as I do, keep me in present time (at least during our walks) and remind me that all is sacred.


Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Pamela. Best wishes for your continued success.


Pamela Wells:: Thank you Kala. It has been wonderful to talk with you. For more info:


More about Pamela Wells: Pamela Wells has been working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over 20 years specializing in creative work that leads to greater understanding and awareness. Her design approach incorporates her interest and knowledge in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. Pamela Wells� creative projects with clients are dedicated to raising the awareness of their customers through their products and services by finding solutions that are proactively engaged in a fast changing world with the clear goal of growing business without compromising personal values and integrity. Design solutions are comprehensive, inclusive and balanced in a time when old, partial approaches and solutions are no longer working in a globally connected and complex world. In the emerging field of digital artwork, Pamela has pioneered her own unique style of painting and won many art awards as well as shown her fine artwork throughout the country. Her digital fine artwork has been published in how-to publications and Pamela has written how-to digital articles for both local and national publications. Her stylized goddess imagery incorporates her interest in women�s issues of self-empowerment, self-growth and spirituality.


Pamela is a professional member of the Society of Illustrators. Pamela Wells� work reflects a deep compassion and commitment to empower men and women and the ecological preservation of the planet which benefits all living things. To learn more about Pamela and her artwork, visit the goddess fine art gallery at www.ArtmagicPublishing.com or www.Artmagic.net.
In 2009, Pamela Wells authored and illustrated a Collector�s Edition guidebook and card set for women called Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess - Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer. This boxed set is available at New Leaf Distribution, DeVorss & Company or www.ArtmagicPublishing.com. Pamela Wells currently lives just outside of San Diego, California with her husband and their three dogs.


More about Kala Ambrose: Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala's book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings, Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala's Guided Meditations CD's have just been released with Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey. More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com


Enjoyed this article? Kala welcomes your comments and reads them all. For more articles by Kala Ambrose, visit her main page at National Metaphysical Spirituality Examiner.