This summer I will be assisting
my wonderful friend, artist & colleague, Julia Speer, at her Women's Body Wisdom Retreat at the Bend of Ivy Lodge in Asheville, NC, July 18-21,
2014. I am so excited to be a part of this wonderful retreat!
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| Purple Sunset Hues, Asheville, N.C. by Colleen Breuning |
Before I go any further, I want
to introduce you to Julia. I have known Julia for 16 years. She is an extremely
talented artist and facilitator. Julia has a rare ability of being extremely
insightful. She is an extraordinary listener and observer, who is able to
quickly analyze and compassionately reflect back to retreat participants. I
have experienced Julia's interpersonal talents during her incredible retreats,
which I have attended. While I was a participant at Julia's 2010 & 2011
retreats, I also led the Art Workshop portion of both weekends.
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| Julia Speer, Retreat Facilitator & Visual Artist |
I will be leading the Art Workshop portion of the retreat on Saturday afternoon. We will create several different pieces of art. One project will be a palm size Goddess that we will mold out of clay.
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| Clay Pocket Goddess by Julia Speer |
The Goddess will be an expression of own unique Divine
Feminine.
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| Venus von Willendorf, estimated to have been carved 24,000–22,000 BCE |
We will also make our own personal Wand, which
will be a glorious expression of our feminine power and whimsy.
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| Wands by Katherine |
The Wand will be a physical
reminder of our feminine empowerment and wisdom that we can tap into at
anytime.
So what the heck does Divine
Feminine mean?
Divine feminine energy represents restoration, life, renewal,
creation, birth, healing, receptivity, openness, motherhood, nurturing, love,
understanding, compassion, insight, intuition, wisdom, forgiveness, the moon,
connection, harmony and sensuality.
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| Venus of Dolní Věstonice |
By reclaiming our own unique Divine
Feminine, we tap into our true essence. If we are committed to living
the kind of life that makes us happy, we need to only keep the beliefs and
practices that add to our happiness. The goal, as far as embracing our own
femininity, is taking the time as individuals to decide what works for us and
what doesn’t. (Exerted from article, Awaken the Divine Feminine Within
You, by Teal Swan)
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| Mosaic Goddess by Leanne Hill |
One of the ways that you can tap
into your own Divine Feminine is to allow yourself to create. Women are
natural creators. This is part of why we create life. When we are out of touch
with our divine feminine, we do not allow ourselves to create.
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| Pocket Goddess by Katharina |
One of the
best ways to awaken your creative energies is to begin to do art. Any
kind of art will benefit you as long as you enjoy it. (Exerted from article,
Awaken the Divine Feminine Within You, by Teal Swan)
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| Washer Necklaces by Desirée |
My role in leading the Art
Workshop is to provide an atmosphere of safety and support so you will feel
comfortable to allow yourself to embrace the artistic experiences that Julia
and I have prepared. As an artist and art educator, I am extremely gifted with
helping others draw upon their personal creativity. I have worked with many
women who have said they have no artistic ability and have never been
successful at making art. At the end of the workshop these women were totally
amazed and so proud of their creations!
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| Linda Greiss, moi, far left, & Julia Speer, far right, at Julia's 2010 Women's Retreat. |
You too will discover that during the process of creating, you will
gradually allow yourself to let go of your inhibitions. As a result, you will
become totally involved in the joy of making visual art. The most fun and
rewarding part of the workshop for me will be when you discover that you are an
artist and that you made beautiful art that you like!
*To find out more about the Women's Body Wisdom Retreat
*To donate or apply for a scholarship for this Retreat
*To donate or apply for a scholarship for this Retreat
