Apr_24 Becoming an Artist: Part Two
An interesting development occurred during these years as a body-based psychotherapist and teacher. My students started spontaneously connecting to their spiritual gifts (seeing, hearing, and kinesthetically feeling on a spiritual level). The fact that my students started experiencing these gifts after they entered more fully into their bodies feels significant and safe to me.
It took me a while to realize that some of my success needed to be attributed to a council of spirit guides who, unbeknownst to me, had traveled with me and helped me lead groups for many years. It became abundantly clear that this was the case when two situations collided. I found myself spontaneously channeling to my students and some of those students were blessed with the gift of seeing so that they could see guides coming close and giving me information that I would pass on. It was very humbling to be connected to these beautiful beings and feel them working with me for the benefit of my students. I’m grateful that my students, who could see spirit, were able to give me that information so that I could understand the experience that I was having. I have been able since, to help others to accept and expand their spiritual gifts of seeing, hearing, and feeling energy and guides, allowing that connection to work with them and not being too afraid to accept it.
Because teaching is so extremely outwardly focused, there was a huge cost to both me and my body. The stress of travel and the intensity of the work were taking their toll and I was in danger of becoming the person I didn’t want to be - someone who didn’t have passion and love for her work but felt tired by it. That was not an option I was willing to entertain. I started putting more self-care into effect and cutting back on some of the travel. Although that was helpful it wasn’t enough. Which finally brings me to my career as an artist.
At this time, a friend extended an invitation to join her art class. Even though I had no contact with art for many years, I felt drawn to her offer. I checked my schedule and was delighted (and amazed!) to discover that I would be in town and available for most of the classes. I joined the class and discovered an inner passion that had lain dormant for many years. My love of color and texture took flight. I seemed to have an endless supply of energy for this new/old avenue. This experience of painting opened up my inner world and self-expression in a more personal form - all of the lessons that I had learned and taught were coming together in my paintings. I was expressing my spontaneity and passion in a more personal form. It was a relief to have a method of expression that wasn’t based on teaching others. I was discovering my introverted self after many years of being outwardly directed.
Here are a few of my first paintings . . .
