Anne. D - Art & Self-Expression -

My Vision
- Creative Improvisation
- Center for the Arts
My Values

MY VISION

Put simply the focus is on "Reaching new levels of self-awareness and self-empowerment through creative expression while reconnecting with our playfulness, sensuality, & emotional sensitivity".

What gives me much joy and a sense of deep fulfillment is to actually experience the many facets of spiritual teachings and concepts we may have come across in our lives: to transform this intellectual knowledge into true wisdom through real human experience. I think that creative expression offers us a very rich and grounded opportunity with which to do this while feeling amazingly good, alive, and having a great deal of fun doing it!

Creative Improvisation

This very much looks like "creative improv". It can take on many forms in many fields, and the combinations are as exciting as they are endless. All self-expression becomes an opportunity to experience and feel more at all levels. Our creativity becomes a gift of awareness & self-empowerment, in a very free and spontaneous process of discovery. As we regain a sense of play, we more easily surrender to the present moment with lightness of being, joy and trust - very much like children do so innately. Expressing ourselves with such light-hearted passion opens the doors of magic, wonder and imagination.

Although I have many, ideas about what can be done, and what is available to us, I do not wish to prescribe the process ahead of time. Instead, I want to use my experience and our connection to the very moment, to come up with the "choreography" that we feel is the most appropriate. My role is to provide the support and guidance needed in the moment to unfold our gifts in the most flowing and joyful way, but ultimately, it is the group that directs the flow of the energy.

Center for the Arts

On the level of physical manifestation, my dream is to gather people around a "non-traditional" art center. A center that would promote: Many forms of Art and Self-Expression; Self-Awareness and Self-Empowerment; Healing and Well-Being. The center would provide space for a multitude of activities, plus food and lodging for visitors. I imagine that a very loose and free community of like-minded people sharing similar values and desires would grow organically around this center. This sounds not-so new in its concept. But what is new, is the time we live in and the unique blend of people which will constitute this community at any moment, as well as the unique combination of projects and explorations they are committed to at a certain time. One of these days, I need to elaborate a bit more on this vision... I have many ideas that I would like to put on paper and screen.

My Values
My desire in connecting with others, be it for teaching and sharing creativity on a temporary basis, or building long-lasting community together, is to build co-creative & supportive partnerships, while sharing love, laughter, playfulness, and lightness of being on all levels of daily-living, with a group of like-minded people, in an open and free environment.

By "like-minded" I also mean "like-hearted": we are a group of people who not only share similar values, but similar heart's desires. And perhaps it's the same in the end!

The values I speak about here are not meant to be a set of static and rigid rules to live by, but rather represent my current "explorations" in this life. As you will see, a few of them have emerged from the "gifts" that "old wounds" carry within them.

Most of these values go hand in hand. Some of the ones listed below may seem almost redundant, yet each word defines a special quality that I wish to convey. Some of these values may even seem contradictory if looked through the lens of the old dualistic mind set. But I love paradox and duality, because upon further examination, I often find that the concepts I thought of as opposites are instead complementary. This realization gives me a feeling of expansion.

Once truly integrated into feelings, the concepts of these values may very well disappear, and "life is simply lived without so many questions and examination". But I am not there yet, and I do not know if I will ever be, as I envision that there will always be new realms of ideas and feelings for me to explore.

To me, these are multi-dimensional values that span from the most physical to the most "spiritual" aspects of my life. They may have to be taken very literally or not so literally, depending on the situation. They apply to my internal world as much as my external world of physical manifestation and experience. Here they are:

Love, Joy & Appreciation

I see them as the core values on which all other values are built and experienced. The place from which all creativity and healing can happen. Like a lot of the values listed here, they are a feeling rather than a concept. As Eckhart Tollé often says, words are sign posts pointing towards the truth, they are not the truth.

Freedom

Freedom for all beings and on all levels. A never ending exploration of limitlessness in the human odyssey and in my own life. There is no Love without freedom.

Beauty

A deep appreciation for beauty. A deep desire to create more beauty. A deep interest in seeing the beautiful in unusual places. A wish to live surrounded by abundant beauty in the physical, emotional, and mental realms. An awareness of the beauty manifested in my internal and external worlds, and in the multi-dimensionality of other seen and unseen worlds.

Exploration & Discovery

Desire for discovering new ways of perceiving, being, and doing. For me, this is simply another definition of what life is about: a journey unfolding into more and more freedom and creativity. True exploration isn't possible without freedom. And without exploration, there is no creativity and life becomes very static.

Self-Responsibility & Self-Empowerment

Knowing that I am the creator of my own reality which is then reflected on all levels of my life is quite empowering, even - or especially - as I uncover more of my judgments and restricting beliefs. A desire to become aware of the consequences of my thoughts, feelings and actions on all levels of life. Understanding that I have the power to change through allowing and surrender however long it may take. Patience, honesty, and forgiveness are the qualities needed to develop true strength of character in this process.

The deeper I go into my exploration, the more I realize that absolute freedom comes with total self-responsibility.

Truth, Honesty, & Trust

A commitment to speaking my truth, living my truth, and telling "the" truth, even when it would feel "safer" or easier to say nothing, or perhaps even lie. Truth promotes trust. Even if it means having the courage to state what is unacceptable, then taking nurturing action to provide what is needed for myself and for others. This does not require pain and sacrifice, but it does require courage, honesty, discernment and wise discrimination based on my utmost heartfelt feelings and values. Sometimes, it means putting myself first, sometimes last. Often it simply requires that I put all of us on the same level and let go of my trying to control to protect myself. Miracles happen when I am wiling to widen my perspective which also opens my heart. This is not always so easy to do...

Inclusiveness, Celebration, & Nurturing

These, for me, are ways of being that promote genuine feelings of connectedness, love and safety. Inclusion is the opposite of separation. It is when I have let my barriers down because I realize that there is nothing and no one I need protection from. Then, I can truly feel that we are All One, and it is not simply a concept anymore.

Honoring each other is celebrating life itself. The more I grow, the more I see that I can only honor others to the extent that I have reached deep self-respect through total self-acceptance. There can be no respect when I am not living my truth. I believe these attitudes effortlessly promote natural support and gentle caring for each other. At times, a great deal of patience is also needed to face the challenges that come my way. Again, such heartfelt attitudes are not about self-sacrifice, but they do require my full presence in each moment.

Creating Time & Space

Creating time and space to listen and share our truth with each other - not based on rules and pre-established schedules, but on true needs and desires, at the appropriate moments. Because "appropriate" for them is not always appropriate for me, or reciprocally, I need to stay very present and choose what feels "right" in the moment; from a place in accordance to my priorities and values, with my own sense of love and discrimination, and with as much honesty and transparency as possible.

Especially when strong emotions arise, a simple, but focused, exchange often creates a feeling of safety which deepens friendship and love between people. Even if it means that I have to face a few emotional bumps which may feel a bit intense at times because letting go of old patterns isn't always easy (yet, it is often easier than we think). When this happens, I know it is an opportunity for introspection and cleansing on both sides: this mirroring is a gift that can be shared through dialogue, which can open a door to a deeper connection with another.

Passionate Creative Self-Expression

The creative expression of our true heart's desires with passion and playfulness - as opposed to purely materialistic and societal striving based on survival fears and ego-driven desires and goals.

This is as wide as life itself. And I am particularly interested in: all forms of art and communication, moving the body, well-being associated to a sustainable life-style that resonates with the natural world even in an urban setting - disciplines related to areas such as food, gardening, home, nature, environment, etc...

Playfulness, Inspiration, & Imagination

The joyful, playful and sensual enjoyment of sharing a simple but exciting life together in a nurturing yet growth-promoting environment. Inspiration and imagination are the motors of exploration and creativity. Children are our best role-models in this arena. I am not talking about a childish life without challenges, but instead, a life based on child-like exploration in which we embrace real-life experiences which inspire us to reach new levels of "being, doing and having".

When I say "sensual", I am referring to the full awareness and utilization of all of our senses, as we go through life, moment by moment. I am not referring to a sexual mode of conduct, or specific sexual beliefs, choices and behaviors.

Nature

A desire to commune with nature. A profound love and respect for nature and its natural ways. A desire to understand them better and apply this knowledge to all aspects of life, including our daily-living. This includes, but is not limited to: developing natural life-styles, organic gardening, sustainable living and green architecture, ecology, restoration, respect of the environment and its natural resources, etc...

Feeling More & Sharing More

I have a strong desire to share on many levels. And I would like to experience a level of deep emotional exchange - be it with words or silence, voice or energy, creativity or presence - because it makes us feel deeply nourished, but not because we have to; because it is "yummy" and delightful, not because it is another community rule or the "right spiritual" thing to do.

Emotions and feelings are a powerful guidance system when I am able to recognize them and understand their true message. This requires that I be present in my body and stay connected with the truth of my inner-being in this moment; as well as connected to the infinitely tolerant and expanded version of me, what some call our "higher-self".

Feelings are the juice of life and the source of our creativity. This is why I have found it is important for me to use "life-affirming" tools, thoughts, or activities that will stir me away from negative emotions as smoothly as possible. I enjoy discovering new ways of regaining my balance as quickly as possible when I realize that I have lost it.

I believe it is also very important not to repress our emotions in this process. Many agree to say that suppressed emotions are the cause of disease. They induce unease at the very least because when we feel oppressed our life-force cannot flow; it becomes harder to enjoy life and express our creativity easily.

We all constantly perceive and receive energy from others as much as we ourselves emit energy towards others. So I think that finding ways to "energetically cleanse" ourselves regularly is as necessary as house-cleaning. Sometimes we can do this alone, and at other times, we feel a need to share. Knowing and trusting that I can safely express my feelings with another, and that they can do the same with me, is important to me - even if I am still afraid to do so sometimes.

Sharing feelings with another is one of the ways we learn more about ourselves and thus feel more alive. It is the opportunity to go deeper in seeing ourselves reflected back to us through another. Being able and allowed to share our truth and passion with another is the gift of being human.

At times, this process can be eye-opening when what is reflected to us is not so comfortable to hear and accept; But as we grow, we are all refining our ways of being and communicating our feelings and thoughts, always doing our best. We are also learning how to trust and de-dramatize the whole process of sharing, even when intense feelings are present. This eventually leads us to more and more self-acceptance and self-love; our resistance to life starts to naturally dissolve. Once the old-patterns are seen and released, we can live in the flow of more love and creative energy to be shared in joy with others.

Commitment to Growth & Self-Knowledge

Again, this is similar to some of the above, but with different words. This commitment is a form of self-love and dedication to myself. Since we cannot give what we do not have - awareness, love, and commitment - this attitude has, in my eyes, a tremendous impact in the building of fulfilling partnerships.

The result in an ever expanding understanding of life and self as the infinite creator - not as a goal that needs to be reached, but as the empowering process of knowing that I create my own reality. This process of self-realization is different for every one. And yet, at the core, elements of it are, or will be the same at some point in our lives - it only takes many different forms, like snow-flakes do.

Alchemy: the Transformation of Duality

Experiencing life with others is an opportunity to let the boundaries of my duality melt away. As I am confronted with a diversity of things and concepts that used to seem opposite or incompatible, at some point, I start seeing how they instead complement each other. This understanding brings peace to my mind and more balance into my life. Yet balance is dynamic, not static and certainly not acquired once for good. Life is a dynamic dance between polarities. The experience is magical, ever so expanding and exciting.

A Brotherhood of Diversity

A desire for all people to experience the freedom and joy of being uniquely themselves and the safety to express themselves as such. It is obvious that diversity makes for the depth and richness of life. At times, our differences can be a real challenge. But these challenges are in fact an opportunity to define what we like and want through contrast. We can all live in this Earth-Paradise when we remember the presence of our hearts.

Trust in the flow

Trust in the flow of things, events, life, energy... All is always perfect as it is, unfolding at the perfect time, in the perfect way. No matter what it looks like on the outside. When I am able to let go of wanting to control everything, but also participate in this dance through inspiration, I feel more alive and my life seems more meaningful.

Humour, Laughter &
the 'Unbearable Lightness of being'

Does this need any words of explanation?
Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, and yet, it is much more fun and joyous than we were led to believe. Even some of our greatest challenges bring with them a certain level of humour when looked at from a different perspective (- and Kundera is an inspiration!) I think no partnership can ever achieve greatness without this realization.

Anne.D

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