art therapy

what do you do when you feel like you are being pulled into a million different directions?  what do you do when you feel like there is not enough of you to go around?  what do you when what you want to do has nothing at all to do with what needs to be done?  what do you do when you feel like someone is holding you underwater and you can't catch your breath?  what do you do when self-care doesn't even make the cut on the to do list?  what do you do when you are feeling so sucky and knee deep in questioning everything and everyone who crosses your path?

YOU STOP!

YOU DROP!
&
YOU PAINT!
grab a sheet of paper - any paper!  mine happened to be arches HP.  bigger is better.

drop cloth and BIG paper!


  grab some paint and crank the tunes.  drip, dribble, swoosh and spritz, smear and whack!  move your whole body and let it all go preferably on the floor.
drips, spritz

  this simple act of floor painting takes you out of your comfort zone and gives you a totally new experience.  not to mention the fact that when life hands you shit you best drop to your knees and pray.


smear - use your hands!
 once you let it all go on the paper how about cutting it up into pieces and creating some "soul cards?"


cut into 4 x 6
add some words that inspire you, support you, remind you and comfort you.  little boosts of love that YOU created!  from yucky to beautiful!  how's your mood now?

all cut up and lettered
I YOU to try it out for yourself!

here are some pics of the rest...
























round two!


if you missed the workshop last sunday we are looking forward to seeing you on November 3!  if you attended the workshop you are more than welcome to sign up again!  here are the details:

SOUL journey
with nadia munarolo-kurjata


it begins on the canvas.  it starts where you are.  it works at every level.

whatever change you want to CREATE will require new, creative energy.  allow me to guide you through creative exercises that will empower you in all areas of your life.  come and discover your "artist within".
*no previous art experience required.
*all supplies included


NOVEMBER 3 * 10 am - 4 pm * $99 * one fitness & yoga *info@onefitnessyoga.com

soul journey

I had the honour of guiding ten beautiful women through "soul journey" this past sunday at one fitness & yoga.  what an incredible day!  I love seeing how everyone begins with the same tools and techniques and ends up with something completely unique.

we began our day gathered in a circle.  some time to centre and share our intentions.  the cards surrounding the offering were made using some of the techniques covered in the workshop and the new artual stencils.  I shared a favourite poem and some thoughts on awakening the artist within us all.
setting up for the sacred circle
I am so thankful that I was able to share what I love and to witness the awakenings.  the highs and the lows - just like our lives!  the declaration "I am an artist!"  we gathered and became a tribe of love, support and encouragement throughout the day.

the day went by with more circle gathering, more poems, shaking to the music and getting our paint on!     we all worked on the sacred symbols that spoke to us.  one participant delighted me by closing her eyes and picking one.  "that is the one!" she proclaimed.  yes, each symbol will guide you and aid you with sacred energy!

a gathering of beauty inside and out
 winding down the class I felt so full.  full of gratitude, full of joy and wonder and grateful for the opportunity.  thank you beautiful ladies for your gift!  let me share with you the final poem of the day:

Love After Love

The time will come 
when, with elation 
you will greet yourself arriving 
at your own door, in your own mirror 
and each will smile at the other's welcome, 

and say, sit here. Eat. 
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart 
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you 

all your life, whom you ignored 
for another, who knows you by heart. 
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, 

the photographs, the desperate notes, 
peel your own image from the mirror. 
Sit. Feast on your life. 



let's do this!


static_240x120.jpg


an experience like no other!  go here for more info.

grateful

you know when you say thank you to someone and it just doesn't seem like enough?  that's how I am feeling.  the cards I am currently holding are creating a royal flush in my life and I need to say thank you.  although I am also aware and grateful to myself for creating a lot of this goodness.  after all if we don't step forward no one is going to take that step for us.

and so I did.  I've been working very hard on healing myself.  with mom's passing it was time to take a look at my health again and start healing.  this is something that I do everyday and am still working on. I like to think of it as I do yoga - a practice.

with all the books I have read, listened to and attending speaking events I am seeing evidence of a shift.  it is pretty freakin' kewl to witness others and yourself embrace change.  I have felt moments of being so in tune with what is unfolding that I can't believe it myself.

one example of this is a workshop that I taught at The Paint Spot.  I was trying to figure out how to incorporate some of the exercises that I had learned in my recent training program.  with the help of my amazing coach Whitney we formed a plan that would include some of the work outs I learned and still allow for the calligraphy instruction to shine through.  I remember feeling the tension in the room as we gathered.  everyone had just come in from parking their cars, taking their coats off, arranging their supplies and sighing as they prepared to learn.  I started off with the scribble exercise and as we were working on our scribbles I could feel the tension melting.  when the exercise was complete the feeling was comparable to having just meditated.  I could feel the calm and see the change in their bodies.  unreal! try it yourself!


a few other things have happened that have really freaked my freak.  a discussion with my husband that could have easy escalated to one of my meltdowns found me "coaching" myself down from the ledge.  I felt the blood bubbling in my veins and I knew where I was headed but instead of going with it as I always had before I sat with it.  I felt it.  really felt it and it was kewl!  I went inside and really examined what was going on and how it really was not worth the fight.  I kept my cool and let it go.  I think my husband was surprised too.

then in the last week I have had my bank card and credit card compromised.  I leave for a month in two days!  no bank card and no visa while traveling abroad?  normally I would have been in a puddle on the floor.  tears streaming and perhaps yelling, but as I sat there and listened to my options I reminded myself to feel it.  I felt it and it felt like a big ole pile of shit on a platter but I let it go.  I said as much to the teller and she was thankful for how I was handling the situation.  I was grateful to her for all that she was trying to do to help me.

there are more instances where I feel much more confident in myself and I am so grateful for all the growth.  none of this happened without support.  support of all the resources out there on healing, grief,  friends and family.  a whole big tribe of goodness.  and of course my art.  a big ole bucket of healing with spoonfuls taken daily.  thank you!

and the big sha bang?  papa said yes!  yes to going to italy!  I am so grateful to him for believing in me and my dream of this trip.  he is fretting about packing for himself but of course I will help him out with that.  he has done a lot of healing too.  so proud of all the steps he has taken and his trust in me.  we have all been healing and now it is time to go have some fun and surround ourselves with more love and adventure!  woo!


it's happening!

Soul Journey
with nadia munarolo-kurjata


life can be messy and we all know what it is like to get
stuck in the muck. whatever change you want to CREATE
will require new, creative energy. allow me to guide you
through creative exercises that will empower you in all
areas of your life. come and discover your "artist within".
*no previous art experience required.

Date: September 15, 2013
Time: 10 am - 4 pm
Fee: $99.00 (includes supplies)
Register: info@onefitnessyoga.com


some days you go commando

yesterday was a shopping bust.  my day started out with meeting dad at the bank to get some more things straightened out for mom's estate.  that took WAY longer than it should have.  apparently having the same last name as my father is not proof enough that we are related.  "and he's your father?"  oh please!  fumes from those new twenties getting to ya?

then it was on to the mall.  I am not a shopper.  there I admit it.  I am not a browser.  oh, let's go shopping.  doesn't work for me.  I have a purpose and I know where I am headed.  when I veer off I rarely succeed.

so on my list was underwear, tea and face stuff.  I decided to start with the underwear.  I knew that I could find it either at sears or the bay.  sears did not have it so I headed towards the bay.  surprise, surprise it was nowhere to be found.  WTF?  why would you stop making my underwear?  I could care less if you want to "new and improve" my dish soap but leave my underwear alone!  meltdown moment.

I decided to just give up and get the face stuff done.  of course on the way I veered.  I popped into eddie bauer.  they had these very nice looking dresses.  simple enough and apparently made to keep you cool.  alright, worth a try.  ya, NO!  the waistband was right under the boobs and not flattering for my body type.  meltdown moment.  then the voices started chattering in my head.  "why can't it be easy?"  "cause you veered!"  "it was simple black dress!"  "you never shop at eddie bauer!"  blah, blah, blah!


I decided to leave the voices behind and carry on.  face stuff was pretty simple.  I knew what I was after.  I got the spiel and left with two soap samples - avocado and orange juice.  they smelled SO good!

then I veered again.  geez!  enter the fossil store.  oh my!  I used to be a faithful fossil shopper.  every season I would purchase a new bag. use it for awhile and then pop it up on kijiji.  I picked up this beautiful case and could not put it down.  I held close and although I knew it was not a need and certainly not on my list!  total loss of focus here!  I said screw it and bought it anyway and did not feel one bit of guilt or shame for my purchase.  I know that I will use it and it will come in super handy for housing my ipad mini, journal and pens.  perfect!

tea, right, TEA!  my name is nadia and I am addicted to davids tea.  more so than usual since my treatments call for no coffee, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate or mint.  somewhere down the line someone experienced minimal improvement by keeping these things in their regime and so now everyone is restricted.  I picked up three lovely herbal, caffeine free, chocolate free, mint free teas and then wait, WHA - T?  stormy night?  right in front of me!  right there in a cute little sample pack.  made perfect with the addition of chocolate, coconut and black tea.   yum!  I had this tea as a latte when it first came out last year and thought it was a special edition that was gone after the holidays.  not so my friend!

oh man!  voices caught up to me again.  "do not buy the tea!"  "just have a latte and be ok, with it".  "walk away!"  "enjoy it and feel no shame!"  

and so I did.  I enjoyed every single last drop of it as I continued on through the mall.  no guilt, no shame and surprise, surprise no more veering or failed shopping experiences.  just the feeling that right here, right now it is just me and my delicious stormy night tea getting our tea on.  stormy night?  quite funny actually considering there was a fleeting moment during the day that I felt like it was stormy and then nothing but sweet bliss!


reveal

I have been reading the most amazing book called "reveal" by meggan watterson.  I met meggan at wanderlust last august and from the moment she stepped in front of me I felt her energy.  I felt her love. I knew that whatever doubts I had about taking a trip so soon after my mom passed away had been swept away as she started to speak.  she spoke with such passion, such conviction and so much love.  she opened my eyes and my heart to what I felt was lost inside myself.  I was fortunate enough to speak with her after and thank her for coming and sharing her story and insight.
here she speaks about her book:
I was patiently waiting for the book to hit the shelves and finally lost patience and ordered it on my ipad.  I believe in buying books in the bookstore.  there is something magical about walking into a book store and searching for that one book and when you finally find it and are holding it close to your body .  you get that little dancing feeling in your gut.  at least I do.  It is like I am carrying a gift with me up to the counter and as soon as I place it down the cashier picks it up and my hope is that they too well be curious enough to check it out.  I love to share what I am excited about and what is moving me.

so for now this book is in digital format for me and I have been highlighting passages left, right and centre.  I imagine meggan's voice speaking to me as I read through it.  when it finally hits the shelves I will purchase a hard copy.  I have hard copies of all the books that I couldn't put down and that I read over and over again, share with friends and keep close by to surround me with knowledge at my fingertips.

I wanted to leave you with one of my highlighted paragraphs that helped me tremendously this weekend.  a reminder that the work that I do brings me happiness and needs to be shared.  I will carry these words with me as I move forward to share my passion with more and more people.  enjoy!

"this is the veil that lifts:  our soul-work in the world is not ultimately about what it earns us in dollars or brand names or quantifiable things.  rather, it allows us to feel the invaluable sense of happiness and fulfillment that comes from knowing we have made our own unique contribution to the world.  we receive the most when we give the love we are here to share.  soul-work is not something we have to go out and search for;  it's getting the sacred chance to reveal exactly who we are.  love."  reveal - meggan watterson


just let go

here is where I find myself today.  I am learning the art of just letting go.  I am gently easing into it.  let's face it my ideal day hardly ever happens as planned and I need to accept that and be okay with it.  I am better at letting go of what people think about me or what they expect of me.  you get what you get and if you like it you are welcome to hang around and if not I make no apologies for being me.
artful letters used to wrap up a gift
so if I had my ideal day it would look something like this.  wake up to puppy kisses.  head outside for a walk with the dog.  come back and meditate.  do some writing and then hit the mat for yoga.  after taking my vitamins I will whip up a green juice and let it slide down my throat and hit my bloodstream for a shot of goodness.
birthday card for a beautiful niece inspired by francie alberts bredeson
before entering the shower I will dry brush my body.  after a long hot shower where the unwanted body hair magically falls off my body I will dry off and moisturize from head to toe.  brushing and flossing will follow and make up and hair and dressing will be stress free.
some beautiful music or podcast will fill the air with sound as I hit the studio for a morning of play and discovery.  and the day will continue with a glorious lunch.  another walk with the dog,  play date with a friend, cappuccino and cookie for an afternoon break and then the evening starts.  a beautiful colorful meal, no tv, more meditation and writing, a long bath with some reading and then jump into a big comfy bed for a good sleep.

ok, so perhaps I have some lofty ideas about what a perfect day looks like or perhaps it seems to simple for most.  either way somedays the planned out day turns out looking a lot like a pile of pencil shavings as in this picture.
despite the pieces I love the colours!
I was asked the other day if I was under any stress and as the words came out of my mouth I could not believe the truth that came out.  it was as if someone else was speaking for me.  perhaps it was my inner guide or my soul?  I said that I have a list of things that I want to get done, checked off and off my list.  there is no one behind me checking to see if I am getting those things done.  the reality is that many of those things do not matter to anyone else but me.  I am the boss and I am the one putting all the pressure on myself to get things done that I have put on the list.  how twisted is that?  but I remembered it and I have been carrying those words with me.
messages from a magazine
I took some slack off myself.  I missed a day of meditating.  the mat remained rolled up.  I had eggs on toast instead of green juice.  I was enjoying the warm water hitting my skin in the shower when I realized I forgot to dry brush!


and then in a magical moment I just let go.  I told myself it was okay.  that I would continue to move through the day and even smile once or twice.  I would just let it unfold as it will.  I would fire myself as the boss and hire myself as a friend.  my friend would never put that much pressure on me!

speaking of friends I have been inspired by one lately.  she moved her supplies into her dining room so that she would have everything laid out in one place for an online class.  after the online class she started inviting people to come and create at her dining room table.  she shared with me how wonderful she has felt and how much happier she is.  was it the course?  was it the friends?  was it the location?  whatever it was I was happy that she was feeling good and confident and happy.

then a funny thing happened to me.  I moved some of my supplies into the kitchen for a day of sharing and the next day I found myself at the kitchen table.  It just came pouring out of me.  I couldn't stop.  I was smiling.  I felt energetic.  I was happy.  of course I had to share with her what I discovered as I could not believe it myself.

the kitchen table "studio"
was it the location?  was it the friends?  whatever it was or is I am grateful that something inside me stirred and I am just gonna keep going with it.  let it unfold and enjoy the ride. 


and in the meantime and in between time if I happen to walk, meditate, do yoga, drink a green juice, dry brush and end my day with a long bath - awesome!  and if I don't?  AWESOME!  it's all in how we look at it!
letter vortex inspired by joanne sharpe
 AND I am enjoying the view from here!  sending you the strength to let go just a little and smile.
I think I came up with a definition of what I do!