Dear Creative Friend, 

Last week, Kathleen shared a message about expressive arts as a wisdom path. She shared: 

As I understand it, a wisdom path is a way of living life that cultivates depth, integration, embodied understanding, and connection to Earth's natural rhythms. It requires deep listening - not just outwardly, but inwardly - and synthesizes different ways of knowing, including cognitive, emotional, somatic, and creative. 

I (Tamara) have been thinking about this and want to share how her words are still resonating with me. First, when I read her words I heard a "YES!" inside. Yes, this is what expressive arts does for me - it gives me a way of living that cultivates depth, integration, and embodied understanding just as she described. As I reflected on images from my week, I realized how the experience at the new aquarium was being integrated through my expressive arts practice. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the sea life move so elegantly, never still and always in motion. My eyes followed the slow dance of the jellyfish and the sinous movement of the octopus. 

Days later when I sat down to create an image as an exploration of "being with our truest nature", I created an image of flowing organic forms. As my hand drew lines on the page, they did not stop moving. One form grew out of another. 

Following the path of the impulses within, I felt attuned to the place that comes before words, before image, and I just followed it. The awareness continued to draw me forward moment by moment. Before I knew it, I saw the experience I had at the aquarium come through on the page. I felt how they were with me and I was with them; living together in my body and awareness. 

Expressive arts teaches us how to pay attention to what is always present, how to be with what is in our world with full presence through different ways of knowing. As we practice, we listen deeply, building our interoception and becoming very sensitive to our inner awareness. Listening in this way feels like a path being laid out in front of you. This is a wisdom path. It is made of your own inner wisdom accessed through the arts.  Being with ourselves so intimately prepares us to move through the outer world and respond to life's challenges with love, compassion, and presence. What is it like for you to be with what is always present? 

I invite you to take some time to do that through the arts and listen deeply to the answers that live within you. Stay with what is moving within you as you work with different materials, move your body, and write words on the page. 

 If you would like to share with us, you can do that in our private Facebook Group. You can also follow Kathleen's personal practice on Substack.

See all our upcoming offerings here!

 Each course contains detailed, yet approachable instructions, videos, and meditations facilitated by Kathleen & Tamara. The imagery and guidance from this work can assist you, whether dipping your toes into expressive arts or seeking a deeper connection. 

*All courses come with lifetime access so you can refer back to them at any time!

*No previous art experience is necessary!

Featured Self-Study Course

Embracing the Wisdom of Nature