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Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: The Inner Artist & Upcoming Flash Sale
Although we’re heading toward Memorial weekend, it has been a flashback to Winter here the last week and a half. It’s interesting to reflect on how Mother’s Day weekend was like Summer here and we were spending every day at the beach then, and the week leading up to it. Directly the next day temperatures dropped and we’ve experienced sporadic snow flurries, rain, and intermittent or full-on cloudy days. This morning we woke to six plus inches of new snow, as you can see in the photos, although it’s half melted already. It all disappears quite quickly, but I’ve even had to cover my Garden Tower for the last week because of below freezing temperatures at night.
We still have another week upcoming of colder weather with rain and clouds, but most of the snow may be halting after today other than some mixed flurries with some of the rain.
It’s all felt very mirroring of the inner landscapes – a time of pause, release, refresh, and percolating new that I’ve been feeling deeply. There’s been an odd, but good sense of things changing even though I can’t see what that looks like yet. It still feels to be headed in a positive direction, so currently it’s just about slowing down and taking care of the little things, paying attention to what’s popping up, investing deeper into intentions, and creating ever-more clarity.
Supposedly there’s one more week of this vortex-like bubble before we’re back to Spring vibes, but who knows as mountain life is so unpredictable, just like life!
I’ve been making use of this reset time and seeing how it is nurturing the inner artist.
The inner artist is the part of me/you that is also connected to your inner child. The inner artist might speak directly to your artistic talents and how they channel through in terms of a creative project, but the inner artist might also speak to the creative energy woven into the very fabric of life and how you harness that for living in general.
It’s that part of you that creates for the pure joy of creating.
It’s the part of you that finds peace in those moments of creative impetus flowing through.
It’s the part of your heart that knows what is most healing, transformational, and aligned with your spirit self.
It’s the part of you that longs to express itself, be honored, trusted, heard, reclaimed, nurtured, and supported.
It’s the part of you that knows.
So perhaps, while you may not be experiencing a literal Winter-in-Spring cycle, you might find that something is calling you inward nonetheless.
This might be a calling to acknowledge your strengths and gifts, create healthy and balanced boundaries that honor your needs, and time and space for what you desire. That includes releasing toxic people, things, ideas, and beliefs so that you can open to more expansiveness.
You may need to reacquaint yourself with the priorities and commitments that feel essential to you and then eliminate the things that take you away from that, don’t make good use of your time, and fundamentally avoid doing what clearly is your joy.
And if it’s not quite clear, then slow down and refresh, so you can hear that voice and create a restorative cocoon to nurture what stirs within.
Keeping your space organized and clear helps you to be more clear and focused.
They don’t call it Spring cleaning for nothin’!
I feel that only new things are wanting to be around and am making room for that new to come in, but also in general to create space for the new I’ve already embraced, to anchor. It feels good!
The inner artist of life seems to be inviting me to create from an ever-clearer energy and I’m feeling that redirection of alignment during these Wintery weeks.
How about you?
Although we may still have a wet and cold Memorial Day in our future, part of this refresh celebration is extending to our Etsy shop for an upcoming Flash Sale. YAY!
New inventory feels to be percolating to share over the coming months and so we’re making it easier to bring home things you love in our shop, in order to create space, by offering a 25% Off Flash Sale shop-wide that will begin this Sunday and conclude at the end of Monday’s Memorial Day.
This added to already slashed prices creates bringing sweetness home at steals.
More than anything we love making you smile and the reason for creating this shop was purely a heart-to-heart connection.
So keep an eye out in the shop for that here:
We’re so grateful to everyone who has brought home the inspiration and whimsy Astrid and I have been called to create and share with you to support your inner child and artist of life.
It’s moved us greatly to read all the sweet and touching reviews from those of you who have so generously shared those with us.
We so love and welcome any reviews from our friends, as it helps us to know what you love about our creations and your experience, so that we may continue to create in that vein.
I sense that we’re going to have another release upcoming of some sacred art – some of your most beloved – so stay tuned for that too.
In the meantime, if you’re on Instagram, head on over to my page to see the latest discovery released – perhaps one might call to your heart.
Here’s to your inner artist child!
Creative Time Travel – An Artist’s Inner Healing Journey
There is some really fantastic creativity and visionary expressions coming through these days in the form of imaginative and healing arts. I am loving to see artists reaching deep within their well of boundless creative power and coloring outside of the lines. It’s so fun to see each individual carving their own unique footprint on this shared journey.
I also love the powerful expressions that are combining creativity, vision, and integrative healing in powerful, more immediate and efficient experiences – the wave of the new and now processes.
I posted about Photographer Jee Young Lee last month and her enchanting work that explored the imagination from the heart of her eternal inner child. You can see that post here:
Surreal Made Real – Inside the Pure Imagination of Visionary Artist/Photographer Jee Young Lee
Jee Young showed us how the imagination can be a powerful tool for actualizing your creative power to create change and the experiences you choose to have. Images evoke an instant inner dialogue that unlocks your potentials by expanding your parameters of what is possible.
Yesterday my friend Kathy shared this post about another photographer, Chino Otsuka, who shares her beautifully moving series “Imagine Finding Me” where she travels back in time to meet herself as a child. She does so by seamlessly inserting her “now” self into images alongside her “then” self. The effect is so natural that it evokes to me our ability to go beyond the boundaries of mind, as well as conveys the idea of parallel realities and dimensional experiences happening all in this moment.
This is the concept behind Distant Healing with Reiki (made visual and tangible) and its ability to transcend time and space to support healing integration of the past and future through this “now” moment.
I find Chino’s work to be truly powerful and interesting (11:11 am here as I am pondering these thoughts) when you ponder this perspective of being able to change and alter everything that has been, will be, and is, with conscious intention placed through your expanded creative potentials.
She also hits on another important facet – that of exploring your relationship with your inner child, as well as revisiting her or him to discover aspects of yourself that are shaping your present experience. By meeting with your inner child and creating a supportive space where she/he can express your most vulnerable feelings and needs, you can come to understand more of who you are and what would be of benefit to nurture yourself with to transmute what once was.
This can take place through creative visualization, energy work like Reiki, meditation, conversations with self or through a trusted coach or counselor, mirror work, with focused intent and presence, changing your inner and outer dialogue with yourself and others, or a combination of all or some.
Inner child work has always been a powerful seed “key” to creating change. And when done with unconditionally loving courage, can be the impetus for empowering yourself in unlimited ways.
We all have a child within that is in need of our loving acceptance. No matter how strong and self-reliant you think you are, there is a time for tender vulnerability in everyone’s journey that is needed to cultivate a garden that your child-like heart can creatively and expansively blossom in. This will provide astounding results in your current experience and with all that you intend.
As adults we carry with us false beliefs that as children we learned to believe. A lot of that includes the things that we were taught was “wrong” with us and so the greatest rejection living with us today is the one to, and of, ourselves with these beliefs, since the past is over and done.
Listening to and softening our inner dialogue to embrace the perfection of all that we are, is a needed part of our daily practice. It is time to know ourselves to be whole and forgive ourselves, as well as revel in the quirky beauty that our inner child has to share.
Loving our inner child will support healing the darkest experiences by shining light on the beauty that was always there. This opens doorways that the Universe will support us with when we are willing to partner with it.
I love Chino Otsuka’s work, as you can see how she has explored this journey with her inner child through the artistry of her imagination and has opened a dialogue, as well as supportive bridge for the understanding, forgiveness, healing, and celebration to take place in her own cumulative experience.
I hope it opens an inner dialogue of exploration with your own child within and helps you to reconnect and honor the powerful answers she or he has to share with you when you embrace that intimate visit.
I chose my favorite images for this post, but you can explore the rest of Chino’s series here:
Photographer Travels Through Time By Inserting Herself Into Her Childhood Photos
“Rising” to the Magickal Awareness of You – Interview with Epona Rise Retreat Centre’s Founder, Hillary Schneider
I love hearing about, connecting to, and co-creating this beautiful new paradigm with other visionaries. So many amazing souls are shining their lights these days within the creative and healing arts world and it is these very souls that are paving the way to a new reality that not only is focused on authentic self-expression, but weaves co-creative community, love, and rhythms of natural harmony into the collective frequency field.
We’re about to meet another of these super-inspiring souls in today’s guest interview.
Hillary Schneider is an amazing, heart-based soul that is sharing powerful work through her own unique gifts. I feel so blessed to know Hillary and from the instant we connected online, it’s been a beautiful and synchronous flow that we know is simply a reconnection continuing on.
We are all reuniting with soul families these days and it is increasingly, more rapidly, and more instantaneously taking place with conscious awareness. Why? Because we are, together, integral threads to what is collectively being woven as a new reality. And that recognition, implemented into action, is the foundation for shifts we are creating.
Hillary and I connected, as I said, via the web. She found me online and followed a nudge to reach out. I, in turn, reciprocated, feeling something amazing there energetically 
between us just from onset of reading/feeling the energy in her email. Shortly after, we connected via telephone and it was such a beautiful resonance of family, through hearing and feeling resounding expressions and experiences. During the course of our “reconnecting”, we have come to find so many parallels between our experiences, much in common, and a ton of magickal synchronicities.
And, no sooner did we connect, did it become evident we would be co-creating and collaborating together.
Very soon we will be sharing our venture together, which is looking to be in the summer of 2014. So stay tuned for an upcoming announcement on a special retreat in British Columbia at Epona Rise Retreat Centre that we will be offering from our hearts and the horse’s hearts to yours, in likely June of next year. I’m overflowing with joy and love about this for many reasons, and have already been connecting with Hillary’s beautiful horse family there in my wake and dream experiences.
But today’s post is focused on this star-light, Hillary, who is beautifully weaving her love in service.
Hillary Schneider Bio:
Along with her many years and extensive background in working with horses, Hillary has also received intense and in-depth training in both the Co-active coaching and leadership model through the Coach Training Institute, and the equine experiential learning field through Horse Spirit Connections in the art of FEEL. Both trainings have aided Hillary in her development as a gifted facilitator and helped her blossom in her unique skills as leader who is intuitive, wise, gentle, calm and fierce! Hillary is strongly committed and passionate in her partnership with the wise and incredible teachings of the horses. She is grateful and honored to be engaged in this sacred union with the horses and is excited at the opportunity to bring their teachings out into the lives of others through the space that has been created at Epona Rise.
Inside Hillary Schneider – A Short and Inspiring Interview:
Tania: Did you always know what you wanted to do in life and if so, when did you first have that clarity?
Hillary: I knew from an early age that my purpose would involve horses in some capacity but I didn’t know exactly how that would manifest. I also know I was born, in some extent, being aware that I was here to fulfill a purpose and that this form that I was in was not “it” and there was a reason for me being here. The horses came into my life early on and have been a guiding light from very young. That, coupled with a strong knowing and desire to be on purpose in some capacity, helped draw me to my purpose and clarity on what it was I was meant to do during my time on earth.
Tania: I find your work to be so unique and a beautiful expression of you. Can you share a little bit about what you do and what you find enriching about it, both for self and others?
Hillary: Loaded question. I will try not to write an essay 🙂 I run a retreat centre where I support others on their path of growth, discovery and awakening all through the way of the horse. The horses are my partners in the facilitation of others, I call them access points or gateways, they provide a really powerful space of reconnection for us to remember who it is we are and begin to rediscover and heal our relationship with our inner voice, spirit, and help us ground into a purpose that is uniquely ours. From my own process of self growth and discovery I have found 
that not much compares to the power and wisdom of the horse, they just create this really powerful space for us to really see ourselves, our brilliance and connect to who we are in a way that just transcends all boundaries that we may have that has kept us from really tuning into ourselves. For me personally I have always felt most grounded and aware of myself when I was with the horses – the clarity, depth and knowing and touching the depth of who I am has come from being with them. They have also helped me with my own struggle of being in the body and learning how to embrace my humanity and also take claim of the gifts I have brought with me during this lifetime. I have watched others that have come into their space just transform and become so much more present in themselves and empowered in who they are when they are with the horses. What I love most about being with them is that they really help us awaken to our own inner wisdom and remembering that all the answers we have are within us, our intuitive senses 
sharpen, and we begin to learn how to be in flow with nature and our own cycles. They also provide a loving non-judgmental space for us to see ourselves in a way that feels really safe and sacred for people to be vulnerable and open during the process. Horses are so intuitive and cannot be lied to, in that way they provide such a pure and honest mirror for ourselves, which some people are afraid of because they fear they will only see bad. This is so not true. The beauty of the horse is that they mirror our brilliance. We do a good enough job putting ourselves down and painting distorted images of who we are. The horses remind us of our own purity of spirit which is really beautiful to witness in others as they come into the space with the horse.
Tania: Please tell us a little about your background and training in both Co-active coaching and leadership and how this partners with your equine training in the synergy of the services you offer at Epona Rise Retreat Centre.
Hillary: I was fortunate to grow up in a house where personal growth and development was valued, and with my Dad being a leader and teacher for CTI – Coach Training Institute (one of the top training institutes for personal and professional coach development) – I grew up in a culture and space that really fostered an empowered state of being in relationship. We were always encouraged to express ourselves and were listened to in those expressions. It was actually through my training with CTI in 2006 that I was led to this way of being with the horses. I had just recently left what I thought would be my career of being a horse breeder and was lost as to how I would come to be with the horses. 
When I was taking the courses I became aware of coaching with horses and the rest was history. I find the coaching will help support people in their process and the tools I learned on how to powerfully empower others has fit beautifully with what the horses naturally do for people. The leadership program really helped me understand who I was as a leader and what my unique gifts that I bring into the space are. It helped me really know my impact which has given me the space to help others do the same. The beauty of the horse is that they help us really integrate the learning on such a deep level and also provide us with instant feedback so we are able to really see, feel, sense and know who we are being and showing up as in each moment. The Co-Active coaching model aligns with what I do with the horses because it is all about seeing people as creative resourceful and whole, and being partners in the work and equals in the process. It is seeing people and knowing that they have all the answers within and there is nothing to be fixed and no solution that needs to come from anyone other than the person. It is empowering them in their own wisdom, greatness and resourcefulness which is what the horses really want for us. To be authentic, congruent and empowered in who we are and knowing that we are so much more than what we think and there is so much available to us within ourselves.
Tania: How did Epona Rise Retreat Centre come to be?
Hillary: Epona Rise Retreat Centre is a life long dream come manifest. I have always wanted to live on a farm and have a retreat centre. I didn’t always know what I wanted to do there, but I always felt that this was a space I was meant to create. It has been a vision I have held for many years and this particular space we are on now came about quite magically! I moved out to BC (British Columbia, Canada) from Ontario, two years ago, after feeling a strong pull that I needed to 
be out here. Before that time I had been doing the work with the horses out of other facilities until it was time to have my own space. Within a year of being out here I felt the push that it was time to find the space to run the work full time. And so I got really clear on what I needed for the space, allowing the horses to provide their input as well and I put it out there. Within a month a friend drove me to a farm that she thought I would love, which I did but I didn’t have two million dollars to buy, so driving away from the farm that day I said, “ok peeps, if it is meant to happen 
help make it happen.” Within another two months I received an email from the real estate agent I was working with that she heard of a place that came up for lease and low and behold it was the very same farm. The power of manifestion and intention setting! That was a year ago and after I manifested the space I went from 1 to 5 horses, the horses I have with me were donated or given to our program because they can’t be ridden anymore due to injury, or old age. The work we do with them here is all done on the ground being in the space with the horses, so it was also a way to give the horses a second purpose and to help shift 
the consciousness of how we hold them. About a month before I was to move onto the space I spent three days in meditation, in nature and with the horses on finding the name of the space that was to be. I find names such a symbolic and powerful thing so I wanted to really create some awareness and feel into the space that was being created. “Epona” came in strongly. She is the Celtic goddess of horses and I really felt that my mission on earth was in such deep resonance with what she represented. I feel like I am fulfilling a purpose that aligns to her energy with horses, women, children, nature and the earth. She was a beautiful symbol to pay homage too. “Rise” comes from “moon rise” and wanting to provide a space where people rise to the consciousness and awareness that they were meant to and rise above the mundane to experience something profound and magical! That is how the space came to be. This is our first setting. There is a bigger property that I hope to call my own one day that will be our home sometime in the future so stay tuned for that!
Tania: What is it about the horses that you feel makes them such powerful teachers, or better yet, as you put it, “co-facilitators”? Please share about how they play a role in the healing at Epona Rise.
Hillary: I have touched on that a little bit and just to expand some more, as prey animals they have a natural heightened sensitivity and intuition to what is happening in their space. They are able to discern and connect to what we are holding within us that we are sometimes and most often not even connected to. They 
have a purity of vision and connection to energy, emotion, and what is happening to us internally and they mirror that and interact with people according to what they pick up and feel the person is needing. They are honored in the work as teacher. They are co-facilitator and we work together to help support a person in their process. I look to them to guide me and they will look to me to help translate and be messenger for what they are trying to communicate with others. Everything I do here is in partnership with them, from the programs I run to each session I facilitate, I am in constant communication with them and co-creation. They guide the space as much as, if not more than, I do in some capacity. They are aware of things before I am. I joke that I am often the last one to be privy to what is going on:) What is so amazing about this work is that I am blown away every time. What I watch them do with people is amazing. I never know what is going to happen in a session or workshop because I can’t predict what they are going 
to pick up on or how they are going to respond to each individual, that is the beauty of it, it is so present-moment-unfolding. There is a deep trust between us in the process and a real intuitive flow to what is going on. I really allow them to dictate and lead what we do with someone and how that is going to unfold and my part is creating the space for them to shine in their gifts and purpose in helping us awaken to ours. They are truly amazing animals and I feel deeply blessed and honored that I get to co-create and live in partnership with them.
Tania: Have you always felt connected to animals? Explain the relationship you have with them and how that developed.
Hillary: Yes I have, always. More so than people, animals have always felt more kin to me than humans. I remember most of my childhood was spent pretending to be a horse or acting like one! They have been my companions in life and so deeply part of my growth and also safety in a human world 
that has often felt harsh. I feel like my soul is very intertwined with the animal kingdom, they are my messengers, my guides, my teachers, my strength and are a big part of me being who I am today. They have truly been a saving grace in my life and a place I have found comfort in very dark places in my life. What I love about the space with the horses that is created here is that it creates an opening for the other animals to come and have their wisdom be shared. We often have eagles, herons, birds, my dog and cat that will take part in sessions here, as well, and become integrated into the teachings for others who come here. Every animal here, or that shows up, is witnessed, heard and received as teachers and wisdom keepers.
Tania: What would you consider is the mission you are creating the space for at Epona Rise and are there any programs that you especially love and people that you feel especially called to serve?
Hillary: My mission and an anchor for me with Epona is really honoring and fullfillment of purpose. It is a space that provides fulliment of the purpose of the horse and of myself. My hope is to help others connect with my clarity to theirs. Honoring each person’s unique journey, and honoring every person, animal, and being in their voice, in their wisdom, in their strength and teaching others to do the same. I am particularly called to help people whether that be women, children, or men in awakening to their purpose, and living a life that is in alignment with their unique 
truth. Working with sensitive people, especially youth and young adults, is another area that I feel especially called to serve. The horses have taught me so much about my sensitivity, how to honor it, and how to be with it in a world that often feels really overwhelming at times. They have taught me about grounding, sacred space and boundaries and how to be true to who I was. There is also a resonance to work with those that are struggling to be in human form, as this was a big part of my own journey. There is a reason why we are in a human body and the horses taught me how to honor and embrace this, and to heal my relationship with humanity. This is who I want to help and the horses have been such a powerful teacher and space for this. I do think though that everyone can benefit from the horses and trust that whoever is meant to come into the space will be led here!
Tania: What is a typical day at Epona Rise like for you?
Hillary: There is no such thing 🙂 haha! Typical day…well there are daily chores that have to get done everyday so my morning usually is feeding the horses hay and connecting in with them, making sure they have had a good night, and everyone is well. Good way to get grounded first thing in the morning too! Then I will either move into a walk with my dog, and then sessions, or if I don’t have sessions in a day I usually spend it writing, or spending time on the business. Typically I will schedule 2 sessions a day, about 4-5 
days a week, – maxium 3. Each individual session with the horses are 90 minutes in length. Then late afternoon there is another feeding with the horses where they will get their grain, fed hay, and I usually clean out their shelter, and again spend some time out in nature and in their space grounding from the day. Each day is a bit different and I really just flow with the currents of the day. At least 1-2 weekends a month we hold workshops with the horses as well. Then there is always yard care and house care in there as well 🙂 I also spend some time at the end of each day meditating and journaling before I head to bed for the night and tune into any intentions or energy I wish to create on the space.
Tania: To me, you are a shining example of exactly why I enjoy doing these interview articles – a courageous soul who is living her dream and following the authenticity of her heart. I applaud you and honor the beautiful way in which you have woven your intentions into the manifestation of your heart’s calling. Can you please share how you have been able to turn your dreams into a reality and what advice you would like to gift others that you have found to be the most valuable along your journey to create this?
Hillary: Great question and thank you!! I am so passionate about this because my desire is to inspire others that it is possible to live a life that is in alignment with your purpose and you can live a life of your dreams. For me, perseverance and holding the vision has been key. I held onto this vision with a vice grip – it’s what got me through the times when I didn’t know how, when, where, why and felt lost and just persevering on the path. Knowing that this step will get me to where it is I am meant to go, even if it didn’t seem so at the time. Letting yourself dream is a huge one too! We don’t allow ourselves to dream enough or dream big. I spend a lot of time creating dreams, vision boards, dream boxes… it is part of a ritual that I do at least every 3 months – putting intentions out into the space and just taking steps towards those dreams, following urges, intuitive guidance, and taking action when I feel guided. Faith and trusting the process is also important, which I am not always so great at! It is hard, but there is always some part of me that believes! Also, surrounding yourself with people that support and empower you in your dreams and reminding you of your beauty, strength and wisdom. That is huge! I am so grateful for the people in my life that have really helped me and supported me in the process, and continue to do so. Give yourself the freedom to dream, be bold in your dreams and your actions, take a leap of faith!! I moved out to BC without any idea of why, or a job, or anything, and just trusted that I was meant to be here. I think really what has worked powerfully for me is a combination of connecting in with my heart and spirit and setting intentions, and then taking action in the physical, asking for help, and big and deep gratitude to my peeps ( who I call my helpers in the unseen ). Prayer and surrender are just as powerful as well! And just keep going. Don’t lose hope. A big one for me was “don’t quit right before the miracle occurs.” And to remember just because we can’t see things happening doesn’t mean there is not something occurring beneath the surface. I love that image of a carrot growing underground. It takes time to nourish something into the light and we have to sometimes be patient with that process and learn how to enjoy the journey along the way!
Tania: What inspires you the most in life and really gets your heart pumping?
Hillary: Great question!! Gosh this is hard to answer, life inspires me! Being on a path that is so aligned with purpose is inspiring. Nature and the horses inspire me and I think the search or seeking of knowing the depth of myself and of others, and watching and being a witness to the awakening of our spirits. Music and dance, and what is coming up for me is the whales. I love love love being out on the water and being in the space with these amazing animals. They inspire me. I feel so in awe of their presence and bigness. I think if I wasn’t doing the work with the horses I would want to be out in the water with the whales! My family inspires me, my friends and community, and the people that have come here to experience the horses always create such joy for me. Deep connections and connecting with others has been rich. I am inspired by the simple, ordinary, and extraordinary experiences in life, and within all that we walk through life with.
Tania: If there was only one thing you could tell all little girls and boys just embarking on their life journeys, about what you have found to be the most important piece of information that has changed your life, what would you tell them?
Hillary: That you are never too young to be know who you are, and what your purpose is, and that there is nothing wrong with who you are. You are a unique and beautiful soul. Don’t ever forget that. Hang onto your dreams like they were precious gems and know that you have wisdom inside of you that is so needed, is valued, and is meant to be shared. You don’t have to live a whole life here to be of service, or to know things that will serve us, the planet, and humanity. You are worthy. Follow your heart, ask for help, and believe in yourself and your dreams. Stay true to you. All will be well. Trust the process and don’t give up on the dreams of your heart!
And thank YOU, Hillary, for sharing and living from your heart’s dreams that you have made a reality. You are truly an inspiration to us all.
You can learn more about and contact Hillary for her services here:
Hillary Schneider
Founder and Creative Director
Epona Rise Retreat Centre
www.epona-rise-retreats.com
https://www.facebook.com/EponaRiseRetreats
World Bridger & Eclectic Creator – An Inspiring Interview with Visionary Intuitive Healer & Artist Jennifer Helminski
Today circles round to another inspiring guest interview from my series of creative and healing arts visionaries. I love seeing people overcoming and moving through challenges, integrating their lives, digging deep into the well of authenticity, and bringing that forth as a manifestation of their natural expression.
Everyone has a unique and beautiful story to share that many can relate to. While our stories are unique to us, we all process the same, collectively shared energetic themes. How they translate or feel are relative to each, but they all demonstrate the powerful resiliency of the soul and our capabilities of creating unlimited potentials when we align with our hearts.
I’m loving how more and more people are creating their own definition of what work to them is – an expression of love from within, shared out of joy, which becomes authentic service in flowing harmony. And that can take on many continuously evolving forms that never need to, nor will fit into any box. Visionaries are sharing a new way, which is constantly expressing and sharing the abundant creative energy that we all are, simply because we know nothing else but to do so.
I’m excited about today’s guest, Jennifer Helminski, as she is such an eclectic soul who is creating each day by heart. I find a ton of similarities and resonance with her multi-faceted self-expression and the way she incorporates all of who she is into all of what she shares. In hearing people’s stories a beauty of connection is revealed and reflected that bridges our hearts. We come to realize how much we share with others and how truly connected we are – there is no separation, isolation, or loneliness in our experience. There are many kindred brothers and sisters all sharing this journey and all supporting one another simply by blazing their trail.
And blazing her creatively inspired trail, Jennifer is.
The world-wide web is an amazing place to connect with souls globally and it is this vehicle of communication that connected Jennifer and I a few years ago. It’s been a synchronous reflection and resonance since, and I have been grateful to reconnect with this sweet, magical and powerful soul. I’ve especially been enjoying watching her blossom and to see all the beauty that is flowing from her. I am also deeply honored to have been able to actually meet her in person for the first time last month to support her with her Reiki Master Teacher training. A beautiful activation takes place in these encounters of reconnections. It’s always never felt for me to be a hindrance to live distantly from the souls I relate to, work with, connect with, and love, but it is a beautiful thing when you do physically solidify that feeling into the flesh.
While you may not come to meet Jennifer in person, I do feel you will come to know and connect with her through her expressive sharings and feel a kinship to her mirroring journey of co-creating this experience with you. She has many beautiful gifts to offer and I hope you will explore and celebrate them with her, as we celebrate ourselves through her courageous reflection of personal truth and abundant collective beauty.
Jennifer Helminski Bio:
A North Jersey girl, Jennifer Helminski is a visionary intuitive healer and artist, trained and gifted in various therapeutic, complementary, and spiritual modalities. She is a certified Reiki Master Teacher in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition (traditional Reiki as founded by Dr. Mikao Usui), and is also trained in other energy practices such as Integrated Energy Therapy, Matrix Energetics, and Healing Touch for Animals. Jennifer is also an experienced animal caretaker and communicator, and has worked in zoos, veterinary hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and has been privileged to work with dolphins.
Combining compassion and wise, heart-centered communication, Jennifer loves working with people and animals in order to facilitate healing, growth, relaxation, balanced well-being, and harmonious relationships. She also creates various sacred artworks including paintings and crystal jewelry, as well as channeled writings and other spiritual services.
Jennifer is a cosmic creator of all things sacred and from the heart.
Whether you are already working in the healing and creative arts fields, are in process of cultivating your passions into service, or are starting to explore your heart desires and dreams for the first time, I think you’ll find resonance with Jennifer, as I do. I happen to be wearing my “Seva” tank right now, which basically means “Selfless Service.” Jennifer is a shining example of this way of living.
An Insightful and Inspiring Interview with Jennifer Helminski:
Tania: What are the first things you remember as a child that ignited your heart, how did that evolve for you, and do you find yourself incorporating those things into your current life and expression of your service?
Jennifer: So many different memories come to mind, and they make me smile! From my childhood, I have always loved being out in nature, in connection with the earth and with animals. I grew up having dogs my entire life and, being an only child, they truly were family to me and some of my dearest friends. I was also guided to love and cherish nature by my grandparents who would frequently take me on “treasure hunt” nature walks (many prized pinecones and seashells were collected!) and who would also employ my help in the garden with watering plants and collecting vegetables for dinner! Many of my most magical memories are the ones that took place in their backyard, like learning about the flora that bloomed in their garden and playing with fireflies on warm summer nights. That simple sense of wonder has never left me, and those same things still feel the most magical, most connecting, and most invigorating for me. I feel the most at home when I am in nature, gleefully discovering winding streams and waterfalls in sun-streaked forests. I feel an instant awakening, grounding, and return to my true self when I connect with the earth, and I hope to integrate that power in everything I do, am, and create. Even when I was a child I found myself very drawn to sacred healing arts and to fairies (one of my favorite movies being Fern Gully, for those who remember that one!), fantasizing about living in a tree with my own herbal apothecary, masterfully blending healing potions with my mortar and pestle! Today I still have that fantasy, and am ntegrating more flower, herb, and plant-based healing into my service as I continue to learn about nature’s medicine and messages.
Tania: Have you always known what you wanted to do or has that been a process to uncover? And what, if anything, have you found to be the most challenging stumbling blocks to connecting with who you are at heart?
Jennifer: In a way, I have always known what I wanted to do. The tricky part has always been that I want to do everything! I have often found myself cycling through various facets of my consciousness and expression, and areas in which I feel drawn to explore and engage. One of the first things I ever wanted to be was a paleontologist (I was probably 4 years old when I decided this), but then I also wanted to be a veterinarian, and a geologist, and an archaeologist… Egyptology followed shortly after, and the list goes on. I even wanted to be a priest, and recall being miffed that women weren’t allowed to be priests in the Roman Catholic church in which I was raised. Nowadays, I want to be an astronaut! At my core, I have always been interested in the same things: the earth as a living being and our place in the cosmos, ancient civilizations, animals, crystals/gems, art, healing, science, and spirituality. One of the most challenging things for me has always been in trying to focus my energy and attention in just one area, or picking just one thing to pursue, and I’m beginning to accept that perhaps I am just not wired that way! I operate pretty intuitively, so it’s become a practice of going with the flow and engaging and creating things as they come up day-to-day. It has been a challenge to accept myself working and being in this way, because it doesn’t quite fit in with the norm or the way our society is currently structured. Growing up as someone who doesn’t fit the norm has certainly created its
own opportunities for me to accept and embrace myself for who I am, and being a beacon of that kind of unconditional love (both for myself and all others) is my main goal in this life. If I can manage that, I’ll consider life as Jennifer Helminski to be a great success!
Tania: Which of these would you identify with most if you had to choose – a calculated optimist or a hopeful pessimist? Why? Please share a new creative concept of how you see yourself or how you are working towards being and what you might call that and how that would play out
for you.
Jennifer: In general, I would have to say I’m more of a calculated optimist. I do believe that “good” outweighs the “bad”, and that love and light will ultimately prevail! I believe we are awakening and that humanity is evolving into a higher way of being, though the process of shifting takes time to play out. My shadow and light aspects, as well as my left and right brain, have an interesting way of dancing with one another, so I can find myself alternating between believing that I can easily achieve my highest expression, goals, and dreams – and then feeling somewhat defeated or “lost” when things don’t quite come together as I hope or envision. I am definitely working towards being fully accepting, approving, loving, and supportive of myself along my journey and believing fully, on every level, that I can and will live and weave and create the dreams of my heart and spirit! I feel like my current life path is of integrating the wisdom and experience of many previous lives, as well as connecting and harmonizing many different layers of being, so I might like to think of myself as a “worldbridger”, like my Mayan sun sign. Traversing, exploring, and integrating the various “worlds” within myself, worlds in which I have lived, the spirit world, physical world, other worlds in our cosmos, and on.
Tania: What is your greatest fear and how do you think it is supporting your evolution?
Jennifer: My greatest fear is of leaving this earth with my life unlived and my dreams unrealized. There is so much that I want to see, experience, do, and be, and I don’t think I would be satisfied if I didn’t make it happen! I feel like there is so much yet ahead of me that I just have to keep working towards, keeping my dreams alive in my heart and trusting that whatever is meant to be will be. I think the fear of my own life passing me by, and the fear of not actualizing my true potential, helps keep me motivated and moving forward when times get tough or don’t work out the way I hoped. We all encounter these setbacks and bumps on our journeys, but the important thing is to never give up or consider yourself defeated. It’s never too late to make your dreams a reality.
Tania: One of the things I love so much about you, besides your gentle, loving way, is that you are such an eclectic healer and creative soul – something we share. You have so many wonderful gifts (I don’t know quite where to start), can you share a little about the things you do and what you love most about them?
Jennifer: Well, both in my personal life and in my work and service, there are a lot of different things that I do and love. Many of my interests stem from the same core foundation: my love for nature and animals, my creative passion, my desire to return myself and others to our pristine Wholeness, and my thirst for knowledge and adventure! Lots of different things inspire my passion, and I try to connect to and integrate them all into what I do. Work-wise, I offer a lot of different services, and I usually blend them together – including energy healing (Reiki and other modalities), animal communication, channeled and intuitive artworks and writings, sacred jewelry… the list goes on! Lately I’ve taken on the added role of being a volunteer hospice caretaker, which is a true spiritual service for me as I am not only learning how to be even more present and compassionate, but also learning to embrace life and heal my own fears surrounding death and transition. I was searching for more ways to put my Reiki to use, and that is where I wound up. The Universe has made it unequivocally clear that it was meant to be, as well!
Tania: What would you consider your strongest gift and how does this express in your life and work?
Jennifer: Hmm… maybe my stubbornness! I know that doesn’t sound quite right, but I think my stubborn belief in what I am, and what I am meant to be and achieve, has kept me persistently moving forward and going after my dreams, no matter what happens. Perseverance is probably a better word for it! And I don’t just believe in the best for myself, but I believe in the best for others as well. There’s that saying about how we’re all just walking each other home. I think that’s true, and I also think we’re here to awaken and inspire one another, and to motivate each other to be fully present in our lives and actualize our dreams!
Tania: When did you first realize you had the ability to communicate with animals and what is your most memorable experience with this and why?
Jennifer: You know, I don’t think I really knew I could communicate with animals until I attended a weekend seminar on the subject with Carol Gurney of The Gurney Institute of Animal Communication. This was a few years ago, and immediately followed my experience as an intern dolphin trainer in the Florida Keys. That weekend was full of surprising confirmation for me that I was indeed communicating with animals, something which still amazes me. There was one exercise in particular that really shocked me. We were working together in pairs, taking turns communicating with one another’s pets via photographs and looking for concrete information which could be easily validated, such as the animal’s name, age, etc. Well, when it was my turn to communicate with my partner’s Golden Retriever in the picture, I found myself struggling for the intended information. I remember getting frustrated with myself as, in my mind’s eye, I only saw abstract images of an ethereal purple butterfly, and the color green. Time was up, and I was so embarrassed to relay the outcome of the exercise to my partner, convinced that I had failed and couldn’t do it. However, when I told her what I had seen, she immediately became emotional and explained that her other Golden Retriever had recently passed away, and that her collar was green with purple butterflies on it. She used to refer to that dog as her “butterfly girl”, and felt like my vision was a confirmation that her dog’s spirit was still around and taking care of the new dog, who was a rescue. Carol caught wind of my experience and shared it with the group, adding that mediumship was a subject that would be addressed in the more advanced levels of training. She later worked with me privately and had me communicating with her dog, Spirit. I certainly surprised myself with how much I experienced in that short weekend and I know it was only the beginning!
Tania: You are trained in a variety of different energy practices, but would you say that your training was merely a refinement of what was natural to you already? And if so, when did you first realize your natural healing abilities and are there any experiences you remember where you were doing things instinctively that created effective results?
Jennifer: Yes, I would say that rather than really implanting information within me that wasn’t already present, my trainings have instead given me tools and structures that I can utilize and integrate intuitively to channel what I already know in my core. I’m not sure exactly when I knew I was a healer, but I remember imagining and believing even as a child that I could heal with my hands and my spirit. I recall being young and placing my hands over a scar on my knee, closing my eyes and concentrating on fading the scar, and feeling like it appeared less conspicuous afterwards. Or, at some point when I was a teenager, I would sometimes experience intense feelings of having wings coming out of my shoulder blades. I took to placing my hands upon other people’s backs and focusing the energy in my hands so they could feel their “wings” as well. I also remember doing a telepathic chakra clearing and cellular restructuring for my mother, and she reported results to me the following day without knowing I had done it. As my knowledge and wisdom have expanded, my processes have refined themselves. I still operate
intuitively, and I integrate many different modalities and services to create what I feel is a custom-tailored, multifaceted approach to healing transformation which I feel is more fully supportive for the individual’s needs and goals, and has yielded highly positive results.
Tania: Do you find any one particular modality standing out for you in your work, or have you created something unique to you? Explain how this plays out please.
Jennifer: While I think I employ a pretty eclectic blend of services and tools, I use Reiki the most out of all the modalities I have learned. I feel as though it comes the most naturally to me, or perhaps it is just the most in-tune with my natural way of healing. I don’t have to think about how to use Reiki, I can just kind of invite it into my process and the rest just happens
automatically. My work in general is pretty unique to me, I think, as I blend a lot of different things together. My healing sessions typically include all of the following: a channeled energetic artwork for the client including several positive affirmations which are supportive of their
intended goals for the session; energy healing; sound healing (Tibetan singing bowl, tingsha, drumming, rattling, music); working with angels, guides, and masters; vibrational repatterning, releasing negative thought patterns and dis-ease and implanting the desired positive changes; creating unique crystal grids; oracle card readings, and more. I find that this multifaceted approach is more fully supportive for my clients and has consistently yielded excellent results and experiences.
Tania: Alongside all of the beautiful services you provide as an energy healer, animal communicator, oracle card reader, and Reiki Master Teacher, you are also a visionary artist of many hats. Please share about some of the sacred creations you channel and what you love most about this expression of you.
Jennifer: One of the things I most enjoy creating is sacred crystal jewelry. I have always loved crystals, and incorporating them into wearable spiritual tools and reminders is very satisfying for me. My intention, as with all of my creations, is to inspire people, and to remind them of the magic, divinity, and possibility within them and in the world around them. Another particularly
popular creation of mine are my “fairy wish bubbles” – clear glass ornaments filled with sparkly iridescence, glitter, feathers, hearts and the like, with a small scroll of ribbon-tied parchment where you can write or intend a wish or prayer for the fairies to answer. That was inspired by a vision I had of a new form of sacred play/prayer, where one could sit outside in nature, blowing bubbles and lightheartedly sending your wishes and prayers floating into the sky, trusting that the fairies would carry each one to the Divine. There are many other things which are in the process of being creating in the physical world, including healing stuffed animals, various channeled paintings, guided meditations, and more! I love creating in all these different channels because I can access my carefree, creative inner child who knew that everything she created would become real. It’s magical!
Tania: What inspires you the most and is there anything significant that really stokes your fire?
Jennifer: Feeling connected to others really inspires me. I always feel like there’s some kind of
magic that happens when you connect with someone that you really resonate with, someone you feel mirrors you and that you can really openly share with. But one of my all-time favorite things, and something that never fails to brighten my whole day, is when I have an unexpected friendly connection with a complete stranger. You know those moments that just leave you smiling and loving humanity; I always treasure those. Being out in nature, of course, always inspires and energizes me. Or being with dolphins – be still my heart!
Tania: Are there any dreams you have that you are either intending or are currently in process of creating that you’d like to share? Do you feel it is important to dream and what would you say to others who feel hopeless and discouraged?
Jennifer: I believe dreaming is essential to the human experience. We’re born curious, we’re born hungry for discovery, adventure, and greatness. Dreams are what ignite our passions, they motivate us and awaken our drive to achieve incredible things. And you can’t dream too big. If you can imagine it, you can create it. Don’t let anything convince you otherwise. We’re all born as these unique configurations of consciousness and experience, and the things your yearn for and envision are also unique to you. You have a one-of-a-kind song to sing, so please share the music living within you. Even if you’ve struggled your entire life, it’s never too late to start. Among many other contributing experiences, I lost my mom to a decade-long battle with breast cancer when I was 19, so I have spent much of my life dealing with depression and feelings like hopelessness, disconnection, frustration, etc. and all I can say is that those experiences do not bar you from happiness, they do not bar you from fulfillment or living your dreams, or feeling loved. As alone as you might feel, you are not. As futile as every effort might seem, it is not. I know how hard it can be as you try to hold it all together, or make something happen, and things just seem to fall apart. Just keep breathing, reach out for support, and keep moving forward each day, even if just in baby steps. Aim for patience with the process and a positive mindset, and trust that it does all work out in time.
Tania: What do you feel is one of the most valuable and integral keys to living with continual passion and aliveness?
Jennifer: Staying open. Humans are creatures of habit, and it is so easy to feel like we stagnate or get stuck in a rut, stuck in patterns that don’t serve us, situations and relationships in which we aren’t happy and fulfilled, and so on. It is essential to stay tapped into what turns you on, what excites you and makes you hungry for life, experience, adventure, connection. If you don’t know what you’re passionate about, just start trying new things! Put yourself out there and feel like you are in the flow of life. There is no end to what we can discover, learn, create, achieve, and more, so there’s no good reason to stay bored or dispassionate for very long. Make sure your heart is open. Forgive the past and allow the future to be limitless. Live and love freely. Dive into the adventure of life!
Tania: How can others reach you to acquire your services and sacred creations?
Jennifer: My main website, which continuously evolves, is at www.jenniferhelminski.com. There you can read more about me, the services I offer, schedule sessions, and also get news about things like upcoming events and workshops. I am also active with my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JenniferHelminski, and sell many of my
various creations through my Etsy store at Luna Luxe
Thank you Jennifer for sharing your sacred heart with all of us.
Creative Alchemy – A Glimpse of My Story as a Visionary Artist
Many have been interested in my personal experience with my art, what’s behind them and what I feel about visionary art in general, so I felt that a blog with more insight was in good timing to share now, as I know that many visionaries and healers are stepping up and out more and more. So any support I can provide in any way for your experience, I love to share.
Photo of Tania Marie - Visionary Artist
What it means to me to be a Visionary Artist
A visionary artist, to me, means an artist who creates from their soul and intuitive connection to the Universe. It is one who not only creates “outside of the box,” but has the ability to see beyond the boundaries of physicality and enculturation, and is able to capture moments of inspired vision and thought, feeling and expression, in a form that reflects something bigger than him or her that speaks in foresight or healing messages to the viewer.
A visionary artist is one that does not buy into the idea of “impossible” and reflects the miracle in knowing that what you can see and feel in your heart, “is possible.” They mirror a vision manifested in form that reflects our co-creation potentials.
It also denotes, to me, one that is a dreamer and leads through their innovative visions, feelings, and imaginary foresight of what “can be” if we allow our creative expression and limitlessness to flow freely. Sometimes that involves idealism and fantastical, surreal vision, which in some ways makes a visionary artist somewhat of an inventor or philosopher; teaching, conveying, and expressing profound messages through their gift of art and imagery.
How being a Visionary Artist translates in my life
I have always been called a dreamer and an idealist, of which I apologize for neither. My life is about transforming and shattering the old and the idea of “impossible,” to bring forth the realization that miracles ARE a reality which I create. I am limited only by myself and yet in healing myself I help others to do the same.
We cannot rescue another. The best way to help someone is by being an example of your own life working. The healing waters of our experience create a ripple effect that touches the collective consciousness, one soul at a time, all souls for eternity, simultaneously.
I question everything that has always been and I don’t accept anything until I’ve thoroughly examined it from the perspective of every level of my being. Just because something is “tried and true”, doesn’t mean it’s right, or at least doesn’t mean it’s right for me. Just because that’s the way it’s always been, doesn’t mean it has to, or should even, continue that way.
What I choose to believe and focus on is what I create as my experience. It’s not okay to me to find comfort in the continuum of my pains, thus recreating the same experiences over and over. We are all co-creators of our world and it’s time to harness that power.
We all have a unique light to shine on the world and I celebrate that light within each of us, every time I create. When I heal myself and take courageous steps forward, that energy is available to everyone and vice versa. And so I move forward with conscious effort to choose joy and love.
As a visionary artist, this creative exuberance does not stop short of the creations I channel. I enjoy transforming my physical being, loving to feel like a new person, to match the evolution I go through continually. I have always felt that the inner and outer should reflect each other. Being a very symbolic person, I “create my life as a work of art.” The healing arts I channel provide me the opportunity to express my feelings and visions through different mediums. My canvas is ever changing, as am I. Sometimes it may be my art, other times my designs and writing, and sometimes the canvas is simply me.
“In words” about my life and art
I say “in words” as for me I find words limiting, which makes sense as to why my preferred choice of expression is imagery or through music, movement and telepathy. Those who know me, know that when I write, it is like I’m creating a painting, as my writing comes from the same place that I create from, which then translates into basically communicating as a Pisces (no accident I have Mercury in Pisces). I also tend to write in a different voice than what people experience from me, as it channels from a place I access more readily when I’m in that void space.
That being said, here is a little insight into my process and thoughts on my life and art for a little more intimate look.
To me, there is no separation between my life and my work. Everything I do is an extension of my heart’s passions and my soul’s drive and therefore everything for me, now, boils down to simply being a choice of my joy. And while life can be challenging, it can also be quite magical. That’s the beautiful thing, that it’s all so individual. Everyone resonates with something different. That is life and art for you – ever unique and ever relative. My experiences with things are interesting and complex, but where my art is concerned, it comes from a channeling through my higher heart.
In the past I had a much more involved process, as the paintings I was creating (in particular the 5 In Lak’ech pieces) were weaving an encoded, story-like, hieroglyphic imagery. Every single detail is filled with potent symbolism. The images would first come to me through channeled vision and inspiration and then reiterate through research of the ancient civilization, symbols, and information I receive, which was an amazing process. It’s a very cool Universal nudge for me in trusting what I receive, first, and then later discovering the substantiations my logical mind did not know. This is something I continue to practice in all areas of my life so that it becomes second nature to integrate intuition with knowingness and thought.
My processes now are very different, which mirror the current “speeding up” times of collective shifting and my own personal evolution. Now I simply access different essence messages, just like a writer, speaker or channeler would and share them through heart-created images that hold an entire story or message with a seemingly simple thumb print. Each still holding a collective healing message, encoded with essence and symbolism, yet rather than a more hieroglyphic, pieced-together process (which took me months and sometimes a year), the message is embedded in the totality of the feeling essence the viewer experiences from the painting and no decoding is necessary. Not that you had to decode before, as the pieces were created as activators, but there was always a tendency for the viewer to piece together and want to understand and “read” the paintings. Now, instant activation takes place and no need to “read,” – only to experience, as I’ve learned to take all the integral pieces and blend them into one integrated creation from the heart.
And that is where my creations come from. My work is created for and by the heart and allows one to feel and listen inwardly. They are filled with symbolisms and are healing portals with visual stories to behold. I am guided by the collective and through my own personal processes and unfoldings, as to the timing and the images that are channeled through. When I create I am “seeing” with different eyes….seeing the energy and essence of things, rather than how they appear in 3D.
My paintings contain encodings that are being imbued in my art as healing messages one can feel and hear with their soul. I also love color and play with color combinations that are truly stunning and unpredictable, and never enjoy painting things as they are “perceived” to be. I paint them how they “feel” to be and capture the true essence of how the images/life forms would like to be represented. I never know how I am going to create something until the moment I do. When I let go, it just flows divinely.
There are many layers to how and what I paint and so I choose not to disclose the full stories that are revealed to me in creating them, but to allow each person to write their own story when viewing these portals of experience. I don’t like words or the mind to get in the way of the “experience,” as we can get caught up in that space and lose out on the bigger picture. I’ve always been a creative, artistic, dreamy and imaginative child at heart and visions and imagery were a way I found to communicate a world of emotions and messages that were limited through the simple use of words. My paintings are mirrors into your soul and are bigger than me – a collective collaboration indeed!
My Inspirations
I am inspired by my dreams, visions, and the things I have learned and experienced in my life and beyond. I receive the images for my paintings through stillness and channeled messages. This comes sometimes as a flash of inspiration, as a vision, through my dreams, as a result of transformations and healing I move through in my own life , and especially from listening to moving and inspiring music or seeing, hearing, or experiencing something profound. I am also inspired by my travels, nature, my connection to the Universe, the healing and evolvement I move through with the support of those around me, and especially by my dearest little ones… my rabbit, Nestor (whom recently transitioned) my tortoise, Gaia, and my current bunny love, Joy who is now physically in my life via connection from Nestor ~ all three of whom keep me present in my heart, grounded, inspire strength and faith, and remind me to stay balanced and connected, not to mention provide me with loving connection daily.
My paintings are alive (“living art”) and embedded with encoded healing messages, as well as imbued with Reiki. They reflect not only a personal process, but a collective process that channels through me as I create them, which is why they are created in their own timing and reflect something bigger than the artist who has created them. They are meditation tools that speak to the individual in the way they are meant to receive the message. They are visual stories and provide a space for one to have a total experience, which is why I have experienced people sitting with them for long periods, as they receive their healing and opening.
One most profound experience was seeing a young man at Raw Spirit Festival in Sedona, where I had my art, come and “be” with one of the In Lak’ech painting, “Air,” and he sat and connected, as streams of tears rolled down his eyes. It was one of those special moments to feel the connection taking place through what is being facilitated through my work. I also love when people share exactly the message and meaning of things in the paintings, without me saying a word. That is much more profound than me writing up a bio of each creation and putting words in peoples’ mouths.
To have the telepathic message transferred through the paintings is a beautiful process that healing arts of the now can facilitate more consciously. Art becomes a conduit for large concepts, to be able to be conveyed without all the words that can sometimes create differing interpretations. It’s like me being able to project a snap shot of my visions from the projector screen of my heart and third eye onto a blank canvas that then embodies the totality of the essence in limitless form. And being that creative expression is unlimited, there can be countless essence images to impart.
This is part of why I’ve decided not to make prints available on most of the new paintings I create. In order to keep me in that continuous flow of creative abundance and unlimited ability to express myself in different ways. Each piece now becomes a special message needed for a certain individual or group that is drawn to it. So I feel myself tapping into the collective and also into a particular thread within the collective that will be assisted with the painting and the result of the experience shift will then affect what the collective needs.
My “Training”
My training with art is “experience.” Whatever I see in my heart and mind, I believe possible to create. And so I just allow it to happen and unfold on the canvas. With continued practice of this “allowing,” I have discovered my own hidden talents and developed a style unique to me.
I have no formal art training or schooling and never had an interest in such, as I’ve always wanted to keep the creative flow and expression that channels through me, as pure, authentic, and raw as it is meant to be, without trying to create a box it “should” fit in. I have enough things in my life that I manage, organize, and structure, so I enjoy allowing my art to be one of my flowing outlets.
To me, my paintings are a mixture of refined and complex with detail, coupled with the natural expression of a creative child. I enjoy that my art doesn’t fit any standards and can’t be compared with anything out there. I associate that with the fact that I opted not to go for formal training and the fact that I don’t spend time studying or viewing the works of other artists, although I celebrate all art and all artistic expression, as I think it is essential to support creativity in all of its forms. I find it to be freeing and healing when one allows themselves to explore their creativity, unencumbered by “standards” and “rules. “ To create authentically and from the heart is the only “rule” I choose to follow.
Art has always been a part of my life. It’s a natural gift I was born with and I have been drawing since I was a little girl. I used to spend my summers during the heat of the day, sitting at the dining room table drawing with my grandfather. Any chance I had I would draw and doodle, usually animals, and enjoyed the freedom of expression it allowed me. I’ve always been a creative, artistic, dreamy and imaginative child at heart and visions and imagery were a way I found to communicate a world of emotions and messages that were limited through the simple use of words.
I dabbled in doing small commissioned pieces in ’95 to ’96, but it wasn’t until 1997 when I moved to Sedona, AZ to do some soul searching and personal growth that I truly started to feel that art might become a part of my life and work in a bigger way. It was always present nudging me, but it took a while to hear the call. It is then that I created my first canvas paintings and was amazed at what came through, given the fact that I’d never painted before in my life. Yet, this was just an opening and timing is always key.
So I continued pursuing other interests while the art remained in my heart to blossom at a future point in time when I was ready for it. That time happened around 2003 when I finally connected that art was my heart’s passion and soul’s path, and quit my very last office job to pursue it and the healing arts, finally and wholeheartedly. I started a custom art business and started doing commissioned pieces for clients. In 2005 I realized that I wanted more creative freedom and that there were some important healing messages that were wanting to come through and so I embarked on a new path where I left my business behind and started creating my own original pieces as part of a five piece series, called In Lak’ech.
These pieces are still to me, very profound in the messages that they were helping to heal at the time of their creation, but that were also ahead of their time in what is currently coming into the process of integrated need now. I always felt they held a bigger purpose that is being revealed more and more. Upon their completion I then moved back into a fully integrated experience of healing arts in totality, which included the services I provide now and brought commissions back into the mix as well.
I continue to allow creative expression to channel through me in whatever way it feels it wants to come through as. I am mindful of the state I am in when I create and stay very conscious about the little energetics of things I feel in order to create from the purest and most flowing place. Creation is a very healing process of birthing life force energy into manifestation – pure alchemy of the soul.
To express and to inspire, to heal and to transform, to expand and to free, these are the reasons I create.
“Like each individual, creativity is uniquely beautiful in all of its forms. We are perfect in our imperfection.” ~ Tania Marie
Tania Marie 