Introductory Class: Exploring the Authentic Self through Art
Welcome to this introductory art exploration journey—a gentle, creative path toward healing and rediscovering the inner essence that lives within every human being. This course invites you to slow down, listen inward, and express what words alone cannot hold.
Through art, reflection, and curiosity, you will explore what it means to reconnect with your heart, honor your soul, and awaken the quiet joy that already lives within your spirit. No perfection is required here—only presence. This is a space to remember who you are beneath the noise, and to let creativity guide you home to yourself.
Whatever arises for you here is welcome. This is a safe, non-judgmental space where you are invited to loosen the grip of logic and allow the irrational, the subconscious, the angry, the tender, and even the strange to surface. In this kind of exploration, meaning doesn’t always arrive in neat sentences—it often appears as symbols, images, colors, shapes, bodily sensations, memories, or sudden emotions. These expressions are not mistakes or distractions; they are the language of the deeper mind.
You don’t need to analyze or explain what comes up right away. Simply notice it. Let your hands move before your thoughts do. Trust that your inner world knows how to speak when it is given permission. Anger may appear as sharp lines or dark colors. Grief might show up as heaviness or repetition. Joy may emerge unexpectedly, even alongside discomfort. All of it belongs.
This process allows parts of you that have been silenced, hidden, or pushed aside to be seen and integrated. By giving form to the subconscious, you create space for release, insight, and self-compassion. There is no right or wrong outcome—only honest expression. What matters is your willingness to stay present with what emerges and to meet it with curiosity rather than judgment.
Exploring Your Inner Essence
In this journey, we will draw from a wide range of contemplative and therapeutic tools designed to gently quiet the thinking mind and open a deeper channel to intuition, memory, and inner wisdom. Guided meditation will help create presence in the moment, allowing your nervous system to settle so inner imagery and emotions can surface safely. Native American prayer will be used with respect, emphasizing gratitude, grounding, and reverence for the interconnectedness of all life. Mantras—simple, repetitive phrases—will help retrain the mind away from self-criticism and toward steadiness and compassion.
We will also work with symbolic language. Icons such as the feminine goddess represent intuition, creativity, and nurturance—the parts of the psyche often suppressed but essential for healing. Spirit animal symbolism helps access instinct, strength, protection, and guidance from the unconscious, offering mirrors for qualities you may be reclaiming. Buddhist singing bowls, sound waves, and vibrational tools support deep relaxation and emotional release by working directly with the body’s energetic and nervous systems. Connection to Mother Nature—through imagery, outdoor reflection, or natural materials—restores a sense of belonging, rhythm, and safety that the modern world often disrupts.
Additional tools may include:
Breathwork to release stored tension and emotions held in the body
Journaling and automatic writing to allow uncensored thoughts and insights to emerge
Visual imagery and active imagination to dialogue with inner figures, emotions, or symbols
Movement or gentle somatic practices to help the body process what words cannot
Music and rhythm (drumming, ambient sound, silence) to access emotional layers beyond language
Ritual and intention-setting to mark transitions, release old narratives, and invite new ones
Creative materials such as clay, paint, collage, or charcoal to give form to the subconscious
Each tool is an invitation, not a requirement. You are encouraged to follow what resonates with you and move at your own pace. Together, these practices support integration—bringing mind, body, spirit, and emotion back into dialogue—so healing can occur in a way that feels organic, respectful, and deeply personal.
You will not take this journey alone. I have taken my own healing journey through art, and it is deeply personal to me. I welcome you to this space.
Creative Tools to Enjoy
You are invited to bring supplies that feel comfortable for you, such as colored markers, colored pencils, crayons, pastels, paint and brush (quick-drying paint is recommended).
The only requirement for the class is one writing utensil and material to mark on, like a sketch book or watercolor paper. Journaling after class is encouraged, and a simple notebook will work.
Six introductory courses follow a path toward deep inner healing. Each can be taken as a standalone course, and you can skip steps and choose the titles that interest you.