Feeding Your Soul One Mindful, Creative Act At a Time

Photo credit: Tory Williams

Dear Wonderful, Artistic You:

I'yard coming to you fresh from my starting time Squam Fine art Retreat on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. As often happens with such experiences, I've arrived domicile inspired, slightly disoriented, and wanting to acquit what I felt on retreat into my everyday life. 1 of the means I want to exercise that is by sharing about it with you.

Cull to Alive in Abundance

I was delighted by how every attribute of the environment and my experience was infused with generosity and abundance. Handmade flags, fabric garlands, and pom poms decorated our meeting spaces and popped up periodically on tree branches and swimming docks. Sleeping in cabins in the woods on the edge of the lake, nosotros were blessed each day past still waters, the calling of loons, and star-filled nights sitting out on the dock.

[bctt tweet=" 'Past doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others.' – Satsuki Shibuya" username="amymaricle"]

Of all the gifts I received on this retreat, and in that location were many, the one I constitute well-nigh transformative was the openness of all of the women I met. Each of my teachers generously shared as much as she could, and each of the attendees included me in her conversations, her projects, and her sisterhood. As I remember nearly how a customs like this springs up, it occurs to me that we all have an active role in keeping such a prophylactic, creative, and welcoming environment live.

• Nosotros left fear at the door.
• We walked in love, in hope, in openness.
• Nosotros sang songs, danced, and let our childlike selves out to play in the company of women.
• Nosotros stepped away from screens and dwelled in the company of one another, and the land and water that held us.

Rae Hoekstra of www.made-by-rae.com

Mindfully Choosing More than Creative Magic

I've been thinking most what this experience has to tell me about my life right now. Of grade, much of it has to do with slowing down, paying attention to the moment, and choosing more art. These are some of my lessons learned:

• Getting away to cultivate artistic sisterhood feeds my soul. It's a priority.
• I need to limit my screen time and invest energy in the things that feed me.
• At that place is more infinite for artistic magic and wonder in my life.
• I tin cull to alive in an abundant earth, giving and receiving openly.
• Stay focused on the positive. This brings more calorie-free to everyone.

What I made in my printmaking form with Penny Dullaghan.

One of the many bits of wonder I constitute on trails around the lake.

Meg McElwee of Run up Liberated practicing some cute sashiko mending on her mini-skirt. Y'all can find her gorgeous patterns at: http://sewliberated.com  – I want to do this to my jeans!

My Creative Self-Care

With these lessons in mind, I've been changing the way I do things. Some of these new habits may stick, some may change, but experimenting and writing about it are important steps in the process. Then here's what I'm doing now:

• I'chiliad writing a verse form a twenty-four hour period on my dry erase board to inject poetry into our family life.
• I reorganized my studio to feel more welcoming and cohesive.
• I exit my telephone in the other room to minimize mindlessly "checking it."
• I keep a question on my art table:Is what you are doing right now feeding your soul?
• I gifted a class to a couple of friends at Squam who really moved me.

At that place are things I still need to do, such equally placing a few reminders from Squam around my dwelling house, and pulling together an art date with Squam friends. I know I will do these things though, because I've been reminded how much it matters.

Mindful Art Resources

• Mindful Art Studio Classes – Learn to tune into the moment by playing with art.
• Squam Art Retreats – Fall and Spring retreats on Squam Lake, NH – I'm well-nigh afraid to share this amazing cloak-and-dagger!
• Tory Williams Photography – Her workshop was the BEST class I've ever taken. I promise you tin can encounter the difference in my photos!
• Fabricated by Rae – Find lovely patterns for making clothing at all skill levels. She's the artsy lady pictured above with the glasses.
• Sew together Liberated – Meg is the funky lady making the beautiful patch on her mini skirt, and she as well teaches and sells patterns, and blogs virtually sewing, dwelling schooling, and parenting a child with medical needs.
•  Penny Dullaghan – See her cute illustrations and check out her moving post on parenting and hurting.

I'd like to leave y'all with this image: As I drove abroad from Squam Lake, down sunlit, winding roads flanked by forests and fields, I felt a pure, warm lightness in me that I oasis't felt in a long fourth dimension. I carry it at present notwithstanding, and hope I've offered some of it to you.

Creatively Yours,

Amy

martingonded.blogspot.com

Source: https://mindfulartstudio.com/feeding-your-soul-one-mindful-creative-act/