and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creativ

Creative self-exploration is an amazingly insightful experience, which can help you get in touch with your subconscious and bring clarity into feelings and thoughts that may be holding you back.

Many people walk into my painting workshops wondering what they are getting themselves into. Yet they arrive open and ready for the experience. We begin painting with the opposing hand, paper, and anything but a paintbrush. To allow the right side of the brain to play more freely, our first paintings are done without the use of words or intentional symbols.

After we finish each painting, I ask them “How do you feel? What feelings came up for you as you were doing this?”

By the fourth painting some of the students are in tears of release. Others have discovered the freedom of exploring their inner world without being hindered by their left brained judgemental side.

In the final painting we set an intent, whether it is a happy moment or a painful time in their lives. They continue applying paint with their opposing hand, exploring further into themselves. After half an hour we talk about their experiences. My students are always amazed at where the workshop has taken them. Some of them work through their grief for deceased loved ones. Others are able to let go of a fear that plagued them for many years. Others discover new joy and appreciation for themselves.

Kate attended a one-on-one healing session. She was feeling frustrated with her “inner critic.” As I guided her through the process she began to see something she hadn’t seen before. The face of her critic had appeared in the tree of her painting.

As we explored this further, Kate was able to see how she gave her power to her inner critic. As she continued to paint through her feelings of powerlessness, she was able to see how powerful she really was. Kate walked out of her session with a healthier understanding of her critic; she felt such a sense of joy and freedom. I have been in contact with Kate since her session and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creativ

one without the use of words or intentional symbols.

After we finish each painting, I ask them “How do you feel? What feelings came up for you as you were doing this?”

By the fourth painting some of the students are in tears of release. Others have discovered the freedom of exploring their inner world without being hindered by their left brained judgemental side.

In the final painting we set an intent, whether it is a happy moment or a painful time in their lives. They continue applying paint with their opposing hand, exploring further into themselves. After half an hour we talk about their experiences. My students are always amazed at where the workshop has taken them. Some of them work through their grief for deceased loved ones. Others are able to let go of a fear that plagued them for many years. Others discover new joy and appreciation for themselves.

Kate attended a one-on-one healing session. She was feeling frustrated with her “inner critic.” As I guided her through the process she began to see something she hadn’t seen before. The face of her critic had appeared in the tree of her painting.

As we explored this further, Kate was able to see how she gave her power to her inner critic. As she continued to paint through her feelings of powerlessness, she was able to see how powerful she really was. Kate walked out of her session with a healthier understanding of her critic; she felt such a sense of joy and freedom. I have been in contact with Kate since her session and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creativ

g paint with their opposing hand, exploring further into themselves. After half an hour we talk about their experiences. My students are always amazed at where the workshop has taken them. Some of them work through their grief for deceased loved ones. Others are able to let go of a fear that plagued them for many years. Others discover new joy and appreciation for themselves.

Kate attended a one-on-one healing session. She was feeling frustrated with her “inner critic.” As I guided her through the process she began to see something she hadn’t seen before. The face of her critic had appeared in the tree of her painting.

As we explored this further, Kate was able to see how she gave her power to her inner critic. As she continued to paint through her feelings of powerlessness, she was able to see how powerful she really was. Kate walked out of her session with a healthier understanding of her critic; she felt such a sense of joy and freedom. I have been in contact with Kate since her session and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creativ

process she began to see something she hadn’t seen before. The face of her critic had appeared in the tree of her painting.

As we explored this further, Kate was able to see how she gave her power to her inner critic. As she continued to paint through her feelings of powerlessness, she was able to see how powerful she really was. Kate walked out of her session with a healthier understanding of her critic; she felt such a sense of joy and freedom. I have been in contact with Kate since her session and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creativ

and I am happy to say she has found a sense of freedom within her she had never experienced before.

Some people ask, “How can creativity get me in touch with my feelings?” Using the opposing hand calls upon the right brain—the feeling intuitive side, not the more linear left side. The creative experience opens us up, allowing our unconscious thoughts and feelings to unfold through the act of painting. Imagine your mind is like an ice burg; consciously, only 15% is visible above the water. Creative exploration taps into the hidden 85% and helps us bring more awareness into our lives.

A gentle exercise

You will need:

· Paper
· Medium of your choice (pastels, pencils, paint).

Create a space where you are not going to be disturbed for an hour or so if you like you could light a candle make a pot of tea and light some incense.

Take 3 deep breaths. As you inhale, feel the breath move down all the way to your toes. As you breathe out, release any tension.

Now focus on something that is bothering your—work, relationships or health. Before you begin painting set an intent such as: “My intent is to explore and gain clarity on my health issues.”

Now, using your opposing hand, allow yourself to just make marks and let the feelings out onto your paper. When you feel you are finished, ask yourself. “How do I feel? What do the colours represent? Are the marks heavy or light?”

For instance: Sometimes when I paint I may see a lot of anger around health issues. In the next painting I will ask for clarity with the anger and what it is doing to me. If I still need more clarity, I go into left and right hand writing, asking a question with my normal writing hand and responding with my opposing hand.

Example:

Normal hand: “I am really feeling angry and I am having trouble finding out why can you assist me?”

Opposing hand: “I have had enough of how you are treating me. You always sit around and put horrible food in me and I have had enough.”

Normal hand: “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt this way. What can I do to help you?”

Opposing hand: “I need more water, more life force food; more walking; more love.”

Continue painting and writing as long as you feel the need to explore this issue to gain more clarity. Journaling about your explorations and the paintings themselves will also give you further insights.

Creative exploration is such a gentle way of healing, just remember to be open and let go allowing the process t