NEWS

As a part of week 3 of the 4 week creative journaling course I am doing at Abbotsford convent at the moment, we did a session about art to music. Each person in the group chose a song that they are drawn to at the moment, and we played each person’s song twice. Throughout the night we made 6 journal pages, with 10 minutes each.

The question I then asked myself was, how much do you get done, when you know you have a time limit?
Today in my work (program managing and facilitating work with children and teenagers) I set myself a list of tasks to do. The morning went so quickly, and the afternoon i got so many things crossed off my list. Sometimes setting myself deadlines works to my advantage, and I felt like I achieved so much and actually really enjoyed doing so. In the creative journaling course on Tuesday night, we only had about 8-10 minutes for each piece of work and I was amazed watching how quickly people can work if they know they only have a small amount of time. It sped up the process of getting into the “flow”.

I was amazed with the song and the artwork that came from this song; The Cat Empire “The wine song” was a funny flurry of movement, painting, drawing, snipping, glueing and pasting. At one point I looked up and everyone was creating to the rhythm, that was very fast paced at one point, everyone in succession was frantically creating their images. I loved seeing the similarities and differences after, the movement and the essence that was poured into the artwork only 7 minutes 22 seconds played twice. The different tracks made for different colours, strokes and energy, and we were able to experience each person through the song that they picked.

I love my job.
Thank you to my amazing creative journaling group!
See you next week.

Make a page of gratitude. What are you grateful for?

Although I feel that I am mostly grateful for the things in my life, I can get stuck in a cycle of complaining, of wanting things to go my way, and to feel safe and in control on the things around me, no matter how much of an illusion that really is.

Focusing on what I am grateful for, gives me such a warm feeling in my heart, and doing this page reminded me of how finding what I am grateful for can completely change my stage of mind, as can doing some sort of creative process for no other reason than to create, relax and explore.

What am I grateful for?
rain.
music.
a new friend who plays guitar and has a beautiful voice, and likes to sing missy higgins songs (makes my heart melt).
animals.
friendships.
traveling.
art.
expression.
love.
beauty.
birds.
stillness.
frankie.
writing.

Create a one word journal page. Pick a work that stands out to you and make that word the feature of your page. Use paper, pens, pencils, magazines… up to you.

I chose the word LEAP.
It feels like a word that is very relevant to me at the moment.
Leap, is what you need to do when otherwise you may fall into the crack in between things.
Leap is what you do, for joy, when it fills your heart so much that leaping is a response to the overflowing joy.
Leap, is what you decide to do, when you realise that the change that is coming is inevitable.
Leap, is what you do what something that you have been working towards happens. When the struggle and the fight have paid off, and you realise you are who you wanted to be, and you have been all along.
Leap is what you do when there is good news.
Leap is what happens when you get a fright.
Leap is what dogs do when they are happy, in between the bounding and tail wagging.
Leap is what I do when I am skipping, or when I am avoiding the cracks in the pavement as I walk.

Leap is a bold word, and it what I feel like is happening in many areas of my life and the lives of the people around me. That they are either leaping with joy or gratitude, or leaping from change and challenge, but still bolding leaping from one thing to the next, resting until the next leap creeps up.

What does your personality look like?

Amanda as an Ice Cream Sundae…
I’m Amanda, I’d like to present you my specialty: a dish of daring dreamer, served with a side of go getter, a sprinkle of silly, a spray of sensitive, wrapped with passion and totes covered in creative.  I am a facilitator with a twist, a passionate youth worker/ art therapist, injecting my personality into the work I do. I’m passionate about providing a space where people can feel safe enough to be themselves, and be valued for who they really are. A place where diversity and differences are celebrated, where creativity is the vehicle for connection, understanding and learning, where people can be real.

It takes courage to be real, to stand up for what you believe in, to be yourself. I value that in the people around me, and encourage it. By being myself and embracing what makes me who I am, I allow others to do the same!

I really enjoyed doing this page. I filmed myself doing it to use it for something important coming up, that I am keen to show who I am…

What is Creative Journaling?
The 30 day creative journaling challenge is something I have set myself as a challenge, to explore my creativity. I believe that being creative and having a creative outlet and expression improves my wellbeing in other areas of my life too. I often get very busy and do not make time for my own creative processes.

I’ve noticed that when I do, even if I am resistant to it, being in the creative flow gives me new energy, and I feel that it gives me my own space to reflect and process what happens in my day to day life. It is a great tool for me, and it is so interesting to look back over at different times.

Creative Journaling is journaling with a twist. Instead of just writing, the possibilities are endless to include so many different types of art and creativity, not just writing. If you want to give it a go, don’t be too hard on yourself. There is no right or wrong, you don’t have to follow the challenges, you may want to try your own. You may just want to watch this space and my facebook page to follow the journey of others. It is up to you- but remember, creativity is for everyone, each in their own way.

What do I need to get started?

• A journal (I usually use A4 as it is easy to travel around with).
• Coloured pens/textas/pencils
• Oil or chalk pastels
• A small set of paints, a few brushes
• Some magazines, scissors and glue.

The Challenges: Day 1-20

Day 1: Mandalas
A mandala is a sacred circle, used in many modalities. THe circle provides safety, a starting point, a holding space for whatever wants to be expressed. Circles are present in nature, in our anatomy and in many places in our life. To start your 30 day challenge, begin with a circle, big enough to make an image inside it. Sit quietly with yourself and ask yourself, what is the intention? What are you doing this for? What would you like to gain from this process? See what comes out. It does not have to look like anything, it does not have to make sense, it does not have to be shown to anyone. (Unless you want to). Let yourself be a curious explorer of the materials.

Day 2: Grab your favorite novel and randomly open it to any page. Read the first paragraph on that page and illustrate it/collage/paint it.

Day 3: Pick an object in your house. While looking ONLY at the object, put your pen to paper and draw it without picking up your pen. Now add some color to your crazy drawing… and whatever else you feel like!

Day 4: Sit with yourself in silence for a few minutes. See what you feel. See what you notice. Ask yourself- what is being called to be expressed right now? Make an image from this place. See what comes out…

Day 5: Creative Journaling for everyday wellbeing! Pick your favourite song lyrics/or a line from a song, and make a mage dedicated to this! You can use magazines, paint, pencils, pastels….

Day 6: Find an image in a magazine that you are drawn to. Paste it in your journal and write a short story to accompany the image. You can decorate as much as you like too.

Day 7: Imagine your inner critic as a monster. Draw or paint him/her.

Day 8: Tune in to how you are feeling right now. Pick a colour / range of colours and make a page using only those colour(s). You can use magazines/paint/pastels/pencils etc. in that colour theme!

Day 9: What does your personality look like?

Day 10: Create a one word journal page. Pick a work that stands out to you and make that word the feature of your page. Use paper, pens, pencils, magazines… up to you.

Day 11: A page of gratitude. What are you grateful for right now?

Day 12: Listen to a track of music that you are drawn to at the moment, and play it on repeat while you make something by tuning into the feeling of the music. Free flow to the beat.

Day 13: Make an image dedicated to your favourite animal.

Day 14: Shapes and lines- cover the page with shapes and lines or scribbles. Fill in the gaps with colour or patterns.

Day 15: Make a page by ripping  paper, magazine pictures or writing. Use layering, and paint and glue, but no scissors, only ripping. Write about the process and include the writing in the page.

Day 16: Start with a background (can be paint, coloured paper, a magazine page etc.) Choose one shape that you are drawn to. Repeat the shape using different media, cutting and pasting, over lapping, drawing and whatever else you feel like including.

Day 17: Collect a postcard (there are lots of free postcards in cafes around Melbourne) and make a page that is inspired by the postcard.

Day 18: What are you proud of? Make a page focussed on one or more things you are proud of.

Day 19: Use one or more items from nature as inspiration for this page (eg. leaves. flowers, bark etc). You can use the items to apply paint, as a stamp (put paint on them and press the imprint onto the page), or draw the items somewhere on the page.

Day 20: Pick one emotion or feeling to work with. Make a page about that emotion.

Tune in to how you are feeling right now. Pick a colour / range of colours and make a page using only those colour(s).
You can use magazines/paint/pastels/pencils etc. in that colour theme! 

Colour, Eclipse, Changes, Knowing Vs Unknowing…

Now this one was really fun to do. It is sometimes hard and challenging to complete even my self set challenges. It takes commitment, and sometimes I want to have meaning.
I know and have fully experiences that creativity allows for a space to feel, to be, and to allow whatever to happen, happen. To be in the flow, to trust, and not to control. I know this. And yet sometimes, I still just don’t want to do it!
So I took a few days off my creative journaling challenge, and now I am catching up. And after a few days off, it feels harder to get back into it.
But then I started this piece, and i started it as a part of my creative journaling course. I am loving it. I have 7 women, who come, create, share, tell hilarious stories about their lives and incredible insights into themselves and the world, and it fills me, fuels me and reminds me to keep following my heart and do what makes me come alive.

There are so many changes coming for 2013, I can feel it. Some of them I can see now, and some of them are scary because it is all very unknown and I have no idea what it will look like. It is exciting and scary at the same time. Next week I am going to the see the Eclipse in Cairns, at the Eclipse festival. The eclipse is a time of transition, transformation. Of letting go of the old parts of you and your life that you no longer need, that are no longer serving you. It is a time of stillness, the inbetween, where you are about to step into a new stage, new parts of yourself and new experiences are coming. It is interesting that I am running a workshop at this festival about transitioning, and this is exactly where I am finding myself at this point. It feels oddly perfect. I love that I can be so aligned with what I share with those who are drawn to learn and grow with me.

Noticing this artwork, I see the words “good to know” and this reminds me of my urge now to figure things out for next year and to know what will happen. Sometimes that controlling part gets the better of me. But when it comes down to it, I can’t control everything, and I can choose to take action in my life for the things that are important to me.

This piece represents the things that are important to me, including love, being open, passionate and living in the moment, doing new things that make me come alive, spending time around bright colours, sunshine, out in nature, and moving and dancing. People are important to me, dreaming and goals are important to me as they bring me hope. Photography represents creativity, and observing the world with childlike curiosity in order to see things in a fresh way with new and varied perspectives. It is interesting that all the things I am now writing about did not occur to me as I made this piece.
It just speaks to me now, a day later, as if it is now a new character in the book that is my life, here to offer a new insight.
Thank you colour for your reminders!

What does colour mean to you? Do you notice what impact different colours have on you in your life? What about when you wear certain coloured clothes? I’d love to hear from you… I find it so interesting.

I felt resistance to taking a look.
The inner critic that pops it’s head up from time to time,
calling for my attention, telling me what to do, telling me what to fix, telling me what to change.
The critic can be a driving force for change sometimes, and it’s energy is a powerful presence of urgency. If not kept in balance, it can take over, at a great cost for my peace, my heart and my nurturing.

Getting to know my inner critic is a continual process. Appreciating it, and allowing it to be there is sometimes a challenge. I understand that it can be a fierce protector, and it is there for a purpose. To love it and let it be here is what it needs. To be valued for it’s purpose and greatness is what will calm it, and allow it to play nicely with all the other parts.

Someone once said to me, that all the parts of themselves are sitting at a round table. When each part is given a voice, is heard and is allowed to be there and respected and valued for their contribution, they all get along. When some parts are rejected, resisted, hated, shamed, and made wrong, they will act out, the will play up, they will lash out, they will reap havoc on the

entire unit. The very thing I avoid will be exactly what I am creating inside.

Vulturentical
My inner critic
Leaves me frozen with fear
Silent, waiting, to scared to hear
So little left, so much to prove.
And hesitant to make a move

Full of weapons of sorts,
to justify his taunts,
All he wants is to be heard
for he is a fierce protector, a fiery bird
My friend, if I let him, and not try to hide.
To see another view of what’s inside.

Creative Journaling Challenge Day 6

Find an image in a magazine that you are drawn to. Paste it in your journal and write a short story to accompany the image. You can decorate as much as you like too.

“The man with no face wandered through the Forrest. Shadows followed him like clawed hands grasping, wanting, needing. He walked on, knowing that he was okay, that he still had a choice. He could just keep on walking

Day 4 creative journaling challenge! Sit with yourself in silence for a few minutes. See what you feel. See what you notice. Ask yourself- what is being called to be expressed right now? Make an image from this place. See what comes out…

This is what I came up with to the right.
Now for the reflections… For those of you on the journey with me, ask yourself these questions:
What do you notice?
What stands out?
What does this remind you of?
What do the colours say to you?
What do the shapes, and lines say to you? Are they thick or thin? Jagged or smooth? Did you do the lines and shapes fast or slow? What does this reflect in you at the moment?

So here are my responses. I notice that there are strong boundaries and sections. The red surrounding it is like a containers, and it is quite a bold barrier. It makes me think of my boundary to the outside world, the part that allows me to separate my own feelings and experiences from others, owning my own experiences and not over identifying with others, not taking things on, while still having empathy. The yellow for me feels calm and peaceful, which is what I am able to connect with. In the centre there is some space along with some clutter, which represent inner thoughts and worries.

If this piece could give me a message, what would it be?
There is a song I have been listening to a lot lately that I really like the lyrics to. “I say yes to the goodness, I say yes to love, I say yes to surrender, I say yes to grace, I say yes to acceptance, I say yes, to the lessons of learning how to grow through all the pain.”
In this image, I see wholeness, and an embracing of the journey (which is what I chose to call 2012 as the name of my year!)