Hello Wonder-Friends:
One of my favorite self-care delights is to soak in a hot tub with bubbles while reading a good book. And one of my favorite places to soak is in Big Sur — in side-by-side porcelain tubs with my hubby –at one of our favorite hot springs spots. Recently, a wee bit exhausted and in need of some TLC, I enjoyed a few long hot tub chillaxing sessions while visiting a close friend at our fave place. We mixed in a few card games, delish food, drinks, and wonderful conversation.
All those things help to relax my whole system, which was a little wound up after a few whirlwind months. I kept thinking, I’m teaching self-care and healing and I need to –dare I say it?—walk my walk and try to actually embrace self-care myself. And then Yoda’s voice started ringing in my head, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” So I did.
“What’s with the whirlwind of activity?“ you may ask (hopefully while enjoying a cup of tea or coffee while nestled in a comfy place). Well, I shall tell you! I traveled to the east coast to visit my fabulous family and to attend the UN’s 60th Commission on the Status of Women to support panels embracing the power of Intentional Creativity™ and intuitive painting to transform and heal. At one of the panels, visionary artist Shiloh Sophia debuted the Intentional Creativity™ Foundation’s Hoya-Straus Art Education Library. The library allows people all over the world to access free teaching videos. My free “Healing the Healer” video gift is included and you can sign up to get access to all the offerings here to help support your creative spirit: http://events.intentionalcreativityfoundation.org/library-portal/
My videos are designed to help you identify your own personalized self-care plan for your mind, body, spirit and heart in a fun and freeing way. I would love to see your paintings and hear about your experience, so please share on my Healing the Healer-Rachel Bavis Facebook page, like these wondrous and magical women did:
“I loved your ‘Healing the Healer’ videos, Rachel. [It] felt so good to play and lighten up. ? Painting my hands felt so silky. I wanted to explore the contour technique again…feels so freeing. Thank you.” –Julie Walters
“Rachel Bavis you brought me back to life with this video. I’ve been sick in bed, feeling sad, withdrawn and unmotivated. Now I am energized, excited!”– Lauren Adorno-Weatherford
“[H]ow freeing and introspective this activity was… I’m very hard on myself as a painter and just let myself have fun with this and loved every moment of it. I’m excited with the symbolism I’ve painted into this for myself since I connect more with images than words. Thank you for this incredible tool to loosen up, heal, and create!!” — Keri Racicot Bresaw
I love seeing these paintings and reading how the videos have supported self-healing. I feel like sharing our work together connects us to support each other to take care of ourselves. That lights me up, as does teaching and seeing the extraordinary paintings that are created in the Healing the Healer workshops with social workers, group counselors, and others dedicating their lives to nurturing children, youth and families. I am in awe of the wisdom that is revealed and learn so much every time. During the workshops, people paint symbols to remember the passion for their work and help transform the trauma they’ve experienced and witnessed. They also add fun and whimsical elements and reminders to take time for creativity, play and self-care. Some of those positive messages include being kind to ourselves and others, taking time for family, painting, wearing bright colors, meditating, reading books, having tea, being in nature, and soaks in hot tubs! (O.K. that last one was mine.)
What arises during these workshops is a desire by all of us to continue taking care of ourselves so we can continue to do the work we love while still taking care of our health and well-being.
To support such self-care, my Art-A-Day project in May will be centered on taking care of yourself — mind, body, spirit and heart. You will also have the chance to win a cozy, warm sweatshirt with one of my whimsical animals, like Foxy here on my foxy model (thank you Luke & Anne!).
You get to pick the animal to put on the sweatshirt from those in my Zazzle store ! (Baby not included.)
“What was that again?” O.K. here is the dealio. From May 1-31 you will:
-
Take care of yourself with love and compassion.
-
Read & follow the self-care Intentional Creativity prompt for the day on my Healing the Healer-Facebook page (which is public and can be accessed even if you aren’t on Facebook). Use the prompt as a starting point for your creative self-care expression for the day.
-
At least 10X throughout May (1st-31st), add a photo with your creative offering in the comment section of the daily prompt with the tags #intentionalcreativity and #healingthehealer.
-
Love yourself some more.
If you’ve posted in the comment section with the tags on at least 10 different days in the month, you will be added to the lottery for the sweatshirt gift. I will pick & announce a winner on June 3rd.
Happy Doodling and Being Your You’est You!
