Closing this eventful circle and looking ahead for new beginnings

hi everyone,

I have have not been blogging for a long while as life took over and I continued to travel, explore and live in amazing places growing and learning…..

It’s time to celebrate whatever happened, whoever we met and how life took us to this point…a wonderful journey that continues tomorrow with new beginnings. The artwork that was made for Spiral Channel exhibit this year and sums ups many things about this year for me and it also gives me perspective to look ahead.

Wishing you all great new beginnings! Sending peace love and light,

 

Lizzie

 

My core principle….

Soulful journey in Mexico update: reflections through nature and art

Hola to

the world out there,

The journey continues through art therapy, art and soulful exploration of self and others in places where somehow I was meant to go and experience life as it happens.

Recently I have been spending time pondering in nature through beautiful meditations, pranayama, and yoga at sunrise at the ocean in the Caribbean.While I get to tune in, reattune and breathe I discover more of self and others in the world through energy and the beautiful world of creativity. Art, expressivecreation as the essence of life, unfolds through my own process, connecting with that of others and working with emotions and feelings of people and places.

So much happens daily that often we loose connection with the source, with our special connection with nature and the metaphysical energy that bypasses our little knowledge of quantum physics…I am grateful how this journey of expressive therapies/nature therapies is reconnecting me with my inner being and gently reminds me of the basics and how fundamental they are. So at the end of the end of the day once you practice gratitude and kindness you cannot hold on to negative feelings because everything comes and go and in order to leave in peace you need to learn to let go, to breathe consciously and observe, decide when to engage and remember it is all part of the process of continuous becoming where the only true core is the Self experiencing life.

 

 

Celebrating Earth Day from across the Atlantic

Hola, It has been a while I have checked-in here….

Lately, projects, life, and things are super busy…So after the USA, the middle-East and Europe,  I am back across the Atlantic following my expressive arts therapy journey in Mexican Carribean…Here nature is stunning..inspired by the colors of the ocean and the jungle nuances…Perfect to be grateful and celebrate Earth Day!!!

It is a continuous evolution in an incredible journey of discovery of self and others in the path of life on this amazing planet! Earth Day reminds me to honor it and be grateful.

 

Retrospective notes from a special journey: how India changed me

Things have got a little busy and so much happening…LIFE eh:) While trying to handle the present I came across powerful memories…My last journey in India thought me  a lot… so many memories, incredible friends and experiences to treasure and learn from:)

I have traveled so many places in that country, met incredible people and I had some great experiences…Of course, there have been traveling blues, unpleasant situations and all but it is part of the adventure:)

For me, this particular journey has been a real eye-opening  going through ups and downs and the more the days passed by the more I was able to understand what others told me about India…Things like it is a unique place that you either love or hate…. The poverty you experience there is so overwhelming that can make you sick…. It is so strange as everything is going to hit you so hard there…The smells, the flavors, the contrasts all merge and keep coming back again and again…

It is amazing how every single time something is going terribly bad…like touching bottom, the very next moment few seconds away is uplifting and someone randomly comes your way and make things better…this kinda continuous cycle has been happening to me all the time…and you kind of learn to trust the process and let things unfold…

While at times things have been tough traveling as female solo..other times incredible people made me feel home in the middle of the desert, slums, strangers welcomed me within their families…

I have been completely absorbed into those moments that the typical timeline and worries about past and future vanished…Just being present trying to grasp everything around me and keep up with different reality took up all of me!!!Incredible learning curve!!!

I have been collecting so many memories and stories I cherish, not to mention the great people that truly touched my heart…I really feel like some pieces of my heart were left there with them…yet my heart and love are growing and connecting more with everything. It would take forever to tell a story about this journey…maybe at some point I will write about this adventure…

I just would like to thank you everyone…that crossed my path in this special journey no matter the impact, no matter the kind of energy and vibes….just going through the process has been the most important part…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find Stillness Within :)

Once more I am learning about patience, vulnerability, sickness, struggle and resilience…

In the mist of chaos in surroundings, I was reminded by mindful meditation that I can still find stillness, bringing mindful attention to the here and now and reach deep awareness of body and mind….

Finding a balance and aiming at wellbeing is the mission:)

Great image from Spirit Science! This is a great recipe:)

Have a great week and be mindful!

Namaste,

Lizzie

Ride the waves…

There have been some rough days…but I look around and I can’t help to connect and feel nature around me….Another change of energy is coming: the wind has been blowing like crazy, the swell came in and the waves are just amazing: powerful, rhythmic and beautiful. The water always reminds me of my strengths and weaknesses and how we as humans often lose touch with the essentials of life…As soon as I re-connect to the elements and stop in that place of stillness everything gets a new perspective.

Whenever one can be a little lost there are always good things around…I found this great reminder at a perfect timing:) It is so true…enjoy and ride the waves!

It is so true…and if you adventure in surfing you also got to experience the magic of those moments when you connect with the water and feel its power…Surf is up yay:)

The itinerant Travel Bag of Hope: an art journey connecting 14 creative women

I was thinking of incorporating some random acts of kindness through creative projects into my current surroundings while in the Middle East…Sharing is caring and I find that wherever I go it expands the networks within expressive arts therapies, arts and healing communities…

I feel that this could be a little something celebrating the important values of peace, love, gratitude, respect, hope, acceptance and diversity. I got the idea from an amazing previous project by super inspiring art therapist Gretchen Miller and her project: Random Acts of Art adventure traveling pouch that went global.

The aim of the creative random act is to pass on the “Traveling Bag of Hope” with art materials and a little something made for the receiver. Everyone taking part will receive instructions on what/how/whom to send it. The receiver will send me pictures of arrival, creative present made of things inside the bag, add a little something to the bag, do a page in the bag’s traveling art journal and send it off to the next destination:)

Ultimately local artists, art therapists and their communities will be connected and good creative vibes will be spread:)

So the “Traveling Bag of Hope” (something I made with improvised materials) has already made her way from me to Dana Shaham as the second stop and continue the travels further.

Inside among the creative goodness and artsy vibes, there is also a journal in which everyone will contribute:)

Safe happy travels to “Traveling Bag of Hope” and its encounters:)

Spiral-Channels For Peace 2016 Cologne: amazing art project gathering creatives from all over the world.

The amazing Spriral-Channels global artists’ groups  created and managed by all arond artist Vlado Franjevic‘s keeps growing and bring important messages to the world:) The latests project Spiral Channels 2016 in Cologne is happening right now in Germany:)

SPIRAL CHANNELS FOR PEACE: “From the Fall of the Wall to Building of Wire Borders”. SPIRALKANÄLE FÜR DEN FRIEDEN: “Vom Fall der Mauer bis zum Aufbau von Drahtgrenzen”

Whoever is in that neck of the wood should go and take a peak it’s super cool…..Next week programme not to miss!!!

Here is my contribution for this amazing inspiring project in Cologne, Germany.

“Re-wiring bopndaries /Grenzenneu verdrahten, 2016″

 

This work reflects my perception of and feelings about a very sensitive theme: it explores the dark sides, the over-layers of human complications and differences. Yet it treasures an important message: there is hope; change is possible.

Dieses Stückreflektiert meine Wahrnehmung und Gefühle hinsichtlich einer sehr heiklen Thematik: esbefasst sich mit  den dunklen Seiten, denobersten Schichten menschlicher Komplikationen und Unterschiede.Dennoch gilt es zur Wertschätzung einer wichtigen Botschaft:es besteht Hoffnung und Veränderung ist möglich.

 

 

Rebirth as a catalyst for change and growing wiser

Recently after undergoing more changes in the chaos of life I have been pondering on how whatever happens to us is how we deal with it, how we handle something that happens…We cannot control everything yet we are free to take action, decide and tackle things the way we want. I can’t help to think about the phoenix or phenix (Greek: φοῖνιξ phoinix; Latin: phoenix, phœnix, fenix) the special bird that undergoes constant cycles of rebirths arising from the ashes of the previous elements and connecting to the sun. There are so many fascinating stories in mythology and of course Harry Potter 🙂

The phoenix just like other philosophies and elements of wisdom give a powerful image to how sometimes a cycle has to come to an end and we need to let go complitely in order to rise again and this time it will be inevitable that we would acquire stenght and wisdom in teh process…

So to all of you out there undergoing this process, following teh patterns of change with natural elements, with personal and professional life…I just want to tell you taht you are not alone and the process is so worth it that the new you will surprise you even more!!!

Celebrating all the phoenixes out there I share this great image from Spirit Science

Light and Love

Lizzie x

 

The power of emotions: feeling grateful

Lately life has been very hectic and so much is happening this side of the world…

I adventured into the art therapy studies last fall and it has been an incredible journey…After using creative expression, nature and alternative healing for such a long time it is inspiring to study academically, learn different perspectives and in the field work the theory meets the practice.

I try to be mindful daily and focus on the power of positive psychology. Lately I found myself facing many challenges and it has been hard at times, I acknowledge bad experiences and trauma. However,I try to accept these parts, events and feelings as part of the life journey and learn from it. For me  the turning point is living by the heart, keeping positive and focusing on the right now and work through the moment: appreciate life even more. I think we are humans and we can’t help but feel and experience the world. Among the many difficulties and struggle lately I found it very difficult to allow myself to be and feel everything I need to…

I feel grateful for many things as when I take a moment and look around I feel the connection and power of positive emotions. I have met incredible and inspiring people, new special friends who touched my heart, THANK YOU you know who you are:)

Furthermore, there are many ideas and projects (the artist and art therapist within can’t help it) involving communities and different places …so I got to learn more about, people places and tune into nature…And the journey continues:)