Last week’s Wild Heart Expressive Arts Teacher Training program was a blast. I can’t believe how quickly the retreat flew by. I discovered and re-learned so many colorful lessons. I mean, how could I not when my huge paintings were staring me right in the face giving me loads of perspective?! It’s like a visual journal on steroids.
Here are some of the gems from the week:
- I stay in my creative flow when I keep the paintbrush moving. The critical mind turns on when I stop to “think” about what’s next.
- Allowing myself to venture into taboo subjects and uncomfortable territory paved the way for an abundance of freedom. It takes way more energy to stuff down doubt or ignore an unwanted thought or feeling than it does to just let it move through me.
- The intuitive painting process has incredible capacity and range. The paper can hold all the parts of myself including ones that don’t seem to fit or I want to deny. Painting all of it provides permission for wholeness.
- Intuition has tremendous wisdom that may not be apparent until after an entire painting is done (or perhaps years later!).
- Painting daily gave me visceral insight into the nuances of my experience. Each time I sat down to paint, I was acutely aware of the shifts in my relationship with myself and with the painting. This underscored for me the impact of having a committed daily spiritual/creative practice.
- Things I am proud of: On the first night I realized I needed more private, quiet space so I asked to have my own room (last time I was at Mountain Home Ranch, I played the martyr and stayed in a very rustic communal cabin), I spoke up and made specific requests to shape our group “container,” and I honored my need for self-care/alone time which helped me stay very present throughout the entire retreat.
- One of the biggest gifts of all has been truly acknowledging the value of this creative and feminine approach and how it resonates so deeply with me. Chris had mentioned one night how the intuitive painting process is by nature very “INFP“-like. As a fellow INFP, I appreciate the beauty of this process and I want to bring more of it out into the world. It’s an emergent, emotional, creative, internal, intuitive, reflective, mysterious and soulful journey. And that’s what makes it so rich and powerful!
Here I am next to the three intuitive paintings I worked on throughout the week. For our closing ceremony, we hung all of our paintings around the room and shared about our experiences. I was so inspired and touched being surrounded by all this powerful art and the amazing women who put their hearts and souls out on paper for us to see.
I am so glad I said “Yes!” to this year-long program. Not only was it valuable to be fully immersed in my own intuitive painting experience last week, it was also extremely helpful to observe Chris in action as she guided each of us through our process with gentle encouragement. I’m really looking forward to the next retreat where we’ll get to shadow her and get more hands-on experience leading sessions. Until then, I’m enjoying staying connected with my fellow wild heart trainees online.
Your intuitive paintings are beautiful and full of color and power. I can feel the energy and vibrancy of your week in your words. Sounds amazing.
What a wondrously rich, powerful and opening experience for you! I appreciate you sharing your journey with us.
That is pretty awesome. Both the experience and the painting. I am continually amazed at the depths that art allows us to access. All the arts. Humans are meant to be artists.
Unbelievable! Absolutely thrilling, moving and exciting to see you standing before your work. What an amazing process … can you take it on the road and share it with us lonely folk in the middle of the country?
Thank you for lighting this lamp …
How absolutely beautiful!!
Dearest Jenn,
What a powerful recap of our week together in the wild and wonderful lands of the intuitive painting process! It’s thrilling to see you in all your creative amazingness surrounded by the bigness and freedom of your Leo soul!!
You Go Girl!!!
Much love and glitter hugs,
Chris
Oh this is so very, very beautiful Jennifer… it sounds like an utterly magical time… so precious! So wish I could have been there with all you goddesses!
This is absolutely inspiring!!
Peace & Love.
I resonated with your comment about “the impact of having a committed daily spiritual/creative practice” This is something that I am trying to work towards but as you know, it’s not always easy.
These posts about your experience is so warm and honest…thanks for continuing to share!
WOW! what an amazing painting you have created!! it sounds like a truly transformational journey you have been experiencing.
i really agree with you that we DO have to move THROUGH the ‘uncomfortable territory’ (whatever it is for you) to get to the other side, instead of ‘stuffing/burying’ it – i have been observing a few people doing this lately and it seems very wasteful of energy =-(
thanks for sharing your amazing journey with us – it’s so inspiring!!
jennifer – WOW. wow. WOWEE wow WOW! (enough wows?) i can’t get over the size and the intensity of color of your paintings. it is a little pipe dream of mine to doodle something this big someday!
So inspiring!! Thank you so much for sharing your journey here. Your paintings are so gorgeous and full of life. And good for you for making the request to have your own room. Speaking up to ask for what you need can be hard, but so important!
Seeing all these pics make me wish I could have been out there playing with all of you!! xoxo
omg Jenn your paintings are beautiful!! thank you for sharing them and your experience with us.
I love your take on the World around you. I sometimes have to just let go and let the brush do the talking so many times I find myself holding back in fear the picture won’t turn out. I have to let go and let it flow.