Tag: mindfulness

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Divine I Am Existence

2023 Light at the end of the tunnel

Clarity brings prosperity is how I would sum up 2023. New doors opening to opportunities I dream to manifest, while old doors closing. Feeling the embodiment of that which I know is mine by divine right. 2023 had a balance of growth and celebration, of ritual and ceremony. Every day has been a ceremony. Mindfulness with each breath in each step. Through frustrations and worry, into absolute faith in the great mystery.

2023 Intuitive Painting

This year I started facilitating intuitive painting sessions in the studio garage. The first month was July, and there were 6 participants. I offered it again in August, October, November and December. Each month people would come back, and new people would join us. By December we were up to 15 people every week. The community and creative space is so rich and powerful, shining light on our paths so that we might know ourselves deeper and more fully.

2023 was a great year for building community through creating!

2023

Presentations

The universe heard my call when I asked for opportunities to share my stories, gifts and art with adults and teachers.

MAEA Healing Hands

I presented a Healing Hands workshop at the 2023 Maryland Art Education Association’s Conference for Central zone. I love doing this workshop with art teachers. It’s such a powerful time to release and redirect our energies into the energy we want to embody.

PechaKucha

I was invited to participate in the 2023 York PechaKucha Volume 21 night, and I presented about my life as an artist, educator and how the Anishinaabe teachings parallel to my life as a creator.

YWCA

The YWCA of Hanover invited me to share Indigenous teachings with their middle school students on Indigenous Peoples Day, and was interviewed by a local news station.

Kutztown University

A week later I was asked to participate in Kutztown University’s Indigenous Peoples Showcase. I live painted and sold my work during the event. The painting was purchased by Kutztown Multicultural Center and hangs there in the Union Center.

Spring Grove High

The same week I spoke at my son’s high school during their Indigenous peoples day, and shared my artwork and stories with 300 high school students. It was a huge success and I am excited to do it again next year!

PowWow Live Painting

I was also a live painter at The Baltimore American Indian Center PowWow at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. This was such an amazing experience for me. I felt my ancestors in the beat of the drum and the paint showed me many things. The piece I created there is called Follow the White Feather. The woman who won the highest bid on the painting had an incredible story about following the white feather. The universe always speaks through experiences with others.

Agent of Change

At the beginning of this year I was awarded Maryland Art Educations Agent of Change award. Such a really special award, as I work hard to make sure all of my students know who they are and how beautiful and important it is to respect the differences of all people.

Paintings Sold

This year I sold so many paintings, and really stepped into my artist journey. Creating more this year than ever! Meeting so many amazing people who share their love of art and life with me. It’s so beautiful to see someone resonate with the energy of my work.

Mindfulness

I was published in a new book by my friend Jane Dalton, called The Mindful Studio. Mindfulness is such an important part of life, I strive to practice it and to share it with others.

Gratitude

There are so many other beautiful experiences I had this year, it would take me forever to write about them all. One of the things I want to do more consistently next year is write. I love writing and have missed it this year. Even though I have LOVED being so active and doing so many things, I see how important it is for me to take time to sit and process those experiences. Writing helps me do that.

Through all of the amazing experiences, its been most beautiful when I find myself able to be grateful for the hard experiences. The tough deep diving into old patterns and thoughts.

I find that gratitude easily when I think of all the lives I’ve been able to touch with my art and sharing my gifts. I am so grateful for every being that has taken a chance and listened to their heart, because it lead them to me and I learned something about myself in a more complete way. I appreciate the love and support from all of those who give their time and energy to share their stories and remember we are all connected.

Migwetch to each of you, may you find peace and joy in this very moment. <3

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Art Therapy Mindfulness

Mindfulness and Art

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment and being fully present in the experience. It is a form of meditation that can be practiced in many different ways, including through art.

You can bring this mindfulness to any task. I enjoy reminding myself of it when I have to do the dishes or fold laundry. Being present in the moment and really being aware of the now.

Art can be a powerful tool for mindfulness because it allows us to slow down and focus on the present moment. When we create art, we are fully present in the process of creating, whether we are drawing, painting, sculpting, or engaging in any other form of artistic expression. This focus on the present moment can help to calm the mind and bring a sense of peace and clarity.

Benefits of Mindfulness

In addition to the benefits of mindfulness, art can also be therapeutic. It allows us to express our emotions and experiences in a way that words may not be able to. It can be a way to process and make sense of difficult experiences, as well as a way to celebrate and appreciate the beauty in our lives.

Mindfulness


There are many different ways to incorporate mindfulness and art into your life. One simple way is to set aside a dedicated time each day for art-making. You can start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the amount of time as you become more comfortable with the practice. You can also try incorporating mindfulness into your art-making by focusing on your breath and the present moment as you create.

Another way to incorporate mindfulness and art is to find a local art class or workshop that focuses on mindfulness. These classes can be a great way to learn new techniques and connect with other people who are interested in mindfulness and art.

Mindful Moments in 2023

In 2023 I will be hosting more Healing Hands workshops, as well as Artist Open Studio nights. Excited about all that 2023 has to offer, and receiving all that is mine by divine right, in perfect ways under grace.

Healing Hands

Incorporating mindfulness and art into your life can have numerous benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved focus and concentration, and increased self-awareness and self-expression. So why not give it a try? Find a form of art that resonates with you and start exploring the wonderful world of mindfulness and creativity.

Use the new year energy to begin including art into your daily rituals. Consider doing a neurographic drawing during your morning coffee, or prayers. Or finish out your day by drawing out all of the energy from the experiences you had, onto paper. No end result in mind, just simply allowing the energy to flow through you and the art materials into the paper. Releasing it.

Here are a few links of different activities you can try:

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Art Therapy Mindfulness

Mindful Observing in a Busy World

Observe means to look at carefully and attentively.

Mindfulness is the ability to be focused yet relaxed at the same time. The ability to be present comes from attentive focus on your breath. Focusing on your breathing takes your mind off of your mind, and allows your mind to rest as your breathing takes over for a little while.

To mindfully observe means you are in the state of mindfulness while you are looking at something.

Noticing

It is beneficial to “notice” as an activity to develop focus in mindfulness. One activity you can try is noticing the room around you.

Take a moment to center in with a few deep breaths. Set your intention for the activity to notice your environment. Notice the objects in the room, their colors, shapes, textures. Notice the tiniest details that you may have never noticed before. Spend about 5 minutes just noticing. Then come back to center with a few deep breaths.

This activity helps to train your brain to slow down and notice the present moment.

observing

Observing

Another activity you can do to help strengthen your mind is to do mindful observing.

For this activity students were shown a video of multiple bubbles, different colors and sizes. Then students were prompted to only observe certain bubbles, all while all the bubbles were moving around the screen.

Spending time observing while other things are going on is a master skill that will have benefits way into the future. Being able to focus in even when there are distracts around is super important, especially in a world where digital realities consume our time, and attention.

Consider spending at least 5 mins a day doing some type of mindfulness activity, and share this with your children! We all benefit when we are mindful.

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Art Therapy Divine I Am SEL

Mindful Lines

Mindful

How can Lines be Mindful?

Being mindful is the ability to be in the present moment, acknowledging your thoughts and feelings but not identifying with them. Meaning do not hold on to the thought and become consumed by it and the way it makes you feel.

I teach my students about what it means to be mindful, and how important of a skill it is to be able to step back from thoughts and give your brain a break for at least 10 minutes a day.

So the idea of mindful lines simply means being present with the line. Allowing the line to move as it will and be in the moment with it.

A lot of our life is spent processing experiences, but its not usually in the moment. I shared the analogy of playing a sport. When you are playing and in the moment, you are not processing how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking about. You are simply in the moment. It is not until after the moment is over that your thoughts and emotions begin to catch up.

When you create a mindful line, you want to go slow enough that your body is processing your marking making in real time… the present.

Creating mindful lines is a process oriented activity that allows a person to take 10 mins out of their day to separate their awareness from their thoughts and be present in the moment.

Power of Presence

Giving our brain time to slow down and not be inundated by processing thoughts and feelings, allows your body and mind recovery time so to speak.

I tell my students, your brain isn’t going to shut itself off for you. It isn’t going to just say, “I’m on overload, I need to shut off for a while to recover.” They understand how that would make us robots, and how important it is for each person to take control of their minds wellbeing. Self care is just as important as self actualization.

There is value in rest.

Mindful Art Process

Get a pen and paper… now take a few deep breaths to center yourself to this present moment.

Now slowly allow the pen to create a line. Without rushing, be present with whichever way the pen moves. Each line unfolding as you let go of thoughts and focus on allowing. Take deep breaths as you move the pen across the paper. Allow yourself to flow and be surprised with the outcome of each mark.

Now listen to yourself… Do you want to add color? Do you want to make lines thicker? Are you complete?

You know when your line is complete. Its in the way you feel.

Doing mindfulness activities at any age can greatly affect our ability to focus and regulate our emotions. Each time you do a mindfulness activity, you are training and strengthening the neuropathways in your brain. You are literally reprograming how you respond to situations. This is aligned with the SEL competencies: Self awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, and Responsible Decision Making. And all it takes is 10 mins a day.