Interview: 3 Key Concepts to Creatively Ignite Your Intuition
Happy Week leading to 2024, dear Soul, and best wishes for whatever else you may be celebrating or processing!
Are you looking for some creative play this week? How about connecting to your intuition to align to your Highest Good? Why not both through a bit of intuitive painting?
Three weeks ago, I shared a story of the transformational power of creativity. This week, I offer you a deeper discussion to help ignite both your creative process and intuition.
This 37-minute video interview was part of the “Best Intuitive Training on the Planet” online summit hosted by Allison Sutter back in October. She has generously offered her featured speakers the opportunity to share their video. Enjoy!
How to Creatively Ignite Your Intuition
Intuitive painting is a great way to explore & express your intuitive creative Self.
I’ve followed my intuition to live on 3 continents and 5 Canadian provinces – with no regrets! And I’m not someone who particularly likes change. But if it’s Guided, I’ve learned to listen and have created a happy healthy life, constantly stretching my comfort zones and growing – which is what intuition is for.
My work in the studio has helped so much in my being able to do that. That’s why people started to ask me how they too could connect with their intuition and how they can tap into their creativity to help transform their lives.
There’s such a parallel between intuitive living and intuitive painting. Art is a great way to practice the skills you need in life. I wouldn’t be as courageous, open, or peaceful if it weren’t for my intuitive painting practice.
Here are the top 3 challenges that come up in my painting workshops, which parallel challenges to intuitive living.
I’ve followed my intuition to live on 3 continents and 5 Canadian provinces – with no regrets! And I’m not someone who particularly likes change. But if it’s Guided, I’ve learned to listen and have created a happy healthy life, constantly stretching my comfort zones and growing – which is what intuition is for.
My work in the studio has helped so much in my being able to do that. That’s why people started to ask me how they too could connect with their intuition and how they can tap into their creativity to help transform their lives.
There’s such a parallel between intuitive living and intuitive painting. Art is a great way to practice the skills you need in life. I wouldn’t be as courageous, open, or peaceful if it weren’t for my intuitive painting practice.
Here are the top 3 challenges that come up in my painting workshops, which parallel challenges to intuitive living.
Top 3 Challenges
#1 – Challenge: ” I don’t know where to start” – people are afraid of the blank canvas
Solutions:
Solutions:
- Just like in life, I love to start by ceremoniously setting an intention. I light a candle, smudge myself, the studio and canvas, let my hands dance on the canvas with holy water I got in Lourdes and Glastonbury as I pray for my Team of Divine Helpers to play with me, write words, questions, feelings on the first layer and call in the energy I want to infuse in this piece. This is Step 1: ASK of my Intuition into Action Treasure Map . Your opening ceremony will be different, but bringing yourself here and now and asking for Divine help is the best way to start.
- Since I paint in layers and layers of acrylic paints (which dries much quicker than oils) it’s not about how things look at first. So there’s never a question of “what if I make a mistake” “what if it’s not good enough”, etc. There are no mistakes in intuitive painting. Everything has meaning and each layer builds and holds the transformational energy of what comes before it – adding depth & texture to the final piece . It’s just about doing what feels good – what you’re moved to do. Same as in life.
#2 – Challenge: “I don’t like how it looks – it’s just mud!”
Intuitive painting is a perfect mirror to become aware of your self-talk, your judgments, reactions, etc. We’re often our worst critic, repeating the accumulation of things we’ve heard or feared others saying to us.
Solutions:
Intuitive painting is a perfect mirror to become aware of your self-talk, your judgments, reactions, etc. We’re often our worst critic, repeating the accumulation of things we’ve heard or feared others saying to us.
Solutions:
- From an easy technical point of view with acrylic colours, and as I suggest in my free Guide to Intuitive Painting , do a layer of warm colours and let that dry. Then do the cool colours. It’s by mixing those that you might create mud – until you get more experienced at knowing how to play with them together.
- From a process point of view, take this as an opportunity to love yourself. Most of my paintings go through an awkward stage. You’ve got to love that too! Keep asking for guidance, trying things, and if it doesn’t work, let it go. Focus on what is working. On what you like. On what feels good. And do more of that. When I’m painting, I’m constantly listening to both myself (my ego) and my Self (my intuition and Team of Divine Helpers). There’s a lesson in everything. Our Guides are talking to us through the experience. What are they trying to say? The more self-awareness we have, the easier it is to let go of what doesn’t serve us and focus on what does. Be mindful as you paint. Pay attention to your inner and outer experiences. Art is transformational. It’s not about diving deep in the darkness and analyzing that to bits. It’s about sometimes touching it if it’s there, recognizing it and heading for the Light. Aim for what you want – the Law of Polarity. And letting the layers dry in between – as in, sometimes you just need to step away and go for a walk in Nature… or watch a movie. No rush. No pressure. Listen if that’s what is called for. But do come back. Don’t give up. That too is a lesson.
The beauty is that what’s happening in your life or on the canvas now is just one layer. It can be completely transformed in the next one.
You’re now using the art to ACCESS your intuition. That’s Step 2 in my Intuition into Action Treasure Map- it’s a communication tool.
You’re now using the art to ACCESS your intuition. That’s Step 2 in my Intuition into Action Treasure Map- it’s a communication tool.
#3- Challenge:“I don’t know what to paint”
Solution:
You don’t have to know. Start with mark-making, just to get in the flow. Anything. Contemplate each layer and ask it what it wants to become. I often do that while dancing on my mini-trampoline that’s in the studio. Then something pops up and I play with it. Sometimes it’s a vision, or something seems to be emerging from all the colours and textures. Sometimes, it’s something that I saw that I found inspiring, but mostly for me it’s what I see with my inner eye, not what’s in my environment. It’s different for everyone.
Also, it may never be about something in particular. It can simply be colour and texture. Let go of how things are supposed to look to open to how things can look. Abstract, realistic, it’ll be in your own unique creative voice, which will develop with time. This is about discovering You, not emulating others. Play. Explore. And know that the studio is also the perfect place to let go of perfectionism. Think of everything as perfectly there for a reason.
As you’ll see in the Free Guide to Intuitive Painting, I encourage the use of mark-making, using a lot of various tools. Play with symbolism that is meaningful to your initial intention. If you’re moved to paint with your hands, what is that telling you? If you’re moved to use a heart-shape cookie cutter or pinecones or a comb – give it meaning. This is Step 3- ANALYZE step of my Treasure Map when symbolism comes through that we’re not sure what it means. Often, intuition is bang, out of the blue and clear. Sometimes, we know something is a message but we’re not sure what it means. It requires contemplation.
The canvas becomes a back and forth letter-writing medium with your intuition. Give yourself the space and time to really connect with your Self – leaving distractions aside that pull you away from hearing and seeing what’s truly happening. And have fun, taking one Inspired Step at a time. That’s Step 4: ACT. Without acting on our Guidance, it’s useless. The canvas is where we build the courage to do so. I don’t know how many times I was afraid to ruin a painting after days of working on it because of Guidance I received. I would act on it and not once have I regretted it.
And step 5 is ALLOW. Allow your whole process to be and just see what evolves from it in Divine Timing – after you’ve asked, accessed, analyzed if need be, and definitely taken the inspired action.
We’re spiritual beings having a human experience for the fun of it. So have fun! And if acrylic paints aren’t your thing, try pastels, clay, collage, poetry … whatever calls you.
Also, it may never be about something in particular. It can simply be colour and texture. Let go of how things are supposed to look to open to how things can look. Abstract, realistic, it’ll be in your own unique creative voice, which will develop with time. This is about discovering You, not emulating others. Play. Explore. And know that the studio is also the perfect place to let go of perfectionism. Think of everything as perfectly there for a reason.
As you’ll see in the Free Guide to Intuitive Painting, I encourage the use of mark-making, using a lot of various tools. Play with symbolism that is meaningful to your initial intention. If you’re moved to paint with your hands, what is that telling you? If you’re moved to use a heart-shape cookie cutter or pinecones or a comb – give it meaning. This is Step 3- ANALYZE step of my Treasure Map when symbolism comes through that we’re not sure what it means. Often, intuition is bang, out of the blue and clear. Sometimes, we know something is a message but we’re not sure what it means. It requires contemplation.
The canvas becomes a back and forth letter-writing medium with your intuition. Give yourself the space and time to really connect with your Self – leaving distractions aside that pull you away from hearing and seeing what’s truly happening. And have fun, taking one Inspired Step at a time. That’s Step 4: ACT. Without acting on our Guidance, it’s useless. The canvas is where we build the courage to do so. I don’t know how many times I was afraid to ruin a painting after days of working on it because of Guidance I received. I would act on it and not once have I regretted it.
And step 5 is ALLOW. Allow your whole process to be and just see what evolves from it in Divine Timing – after you’ve asked, accessed, analyzed if need be, and definitely taken the inspired action.
We’re spiritual beings having a human experience for the fun of it. So have fun! And if acrylic paints aren’t your thing, try pastels, clay, collage, poetry … whatever calls you.
Last words of wisdom
We were born creative. We were born intuitive, connected to Source.
These were often trained out of us, but we can reclaim this birthright. It just takes practice.
Like with any muscle-building exercises, one visit to the gym won’t do it. It takes practice but also it takes finding which type of exercise most suits you. If intuitive painting isn’t your thing, try something else. Find your perfect play-space to reconnect to your True Self.
Life is so much better when we open our channels. I talk more about that in my free 75-minute tutorial on my Intuition into Action Treasure Map – 5 Steps to a Happy Healthy Life . So creatively ignite your intuition and enjoy! Happy New Year!
These were often trained out of us, but we can reclaim this birthright. It just takes practice.
Like with any muscle-building exercises, one visit to the gym won’t do it. It takes practice but also it takes finding which type of exercise most suits you. If intuitive painting isn’t your thing, try something else. Find your perfect play-space to reconnect to your True Self.
Life is so much better when we open our channels. I talk more about that in my free 75-minute tutorial on my Intuition into Action Treasure Map – 5 Steps to a Happy Healthy Life . So creatively ignite your intuition and enjoy! Happy New Year!
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