Your Pulse is Connected

There beyond the felt-sense of anger, grief, hurt, judgement, pain and sadness... when you encounter these powerful emotions in your beingness on any level, love yourself enough to feel them. Feel your way through them to the other side. There is light, an enlightening expansion and a liberating exhale awaiting you at the end of such tunnels.

But, you got to ride those waves all the way to the shore. 

Otherwise, when you pause enough to notice, you will see they sure will, and do, find any which way to speak to you, to reach you, to get your conscious attention - via your body, mind, heart and spirit, via your energy, the goings on in your inner or outer worlds, or both.

If you think, 'The Universe doesn't listen to me', 'Why would the Universe notice me?', 'Why does it matter to the Universe which way I go?', oh it hears you, it notices you, it matters.

Because you are made up of the same stuff. 
The Universe is within you. 
There is nowhere you can go without being a part of it. 

Not even when you feel stuck, confused, blocked, bad, unseen, disconnected, alone, lonely or worthless. No matter how far you wish or want to run away, hide or think you can numb it gone. Though such states blur the clear communication you were born with that connects your pulse to the pulse of the Universe. Such states cause static in your innate connection; insights are missed or dismissed, messages are denied or doubted, synchronicity is brushed aside and happenings are misread or misunderstood.

How to clear your channels? Feel.

Feel into what you are resisting that is causing the blur in the first place. You don't have to plunge your whole self right into it. Even one step at a time counts. You can do it. You are here to live your life awake. Sure, it will ask you to pluck up courage like you've maybe never seen or felt before. On the flip side, it will open your heart, expand your inner happiness and deepen your freedom within like you've maybe never imagined possible.

Allowing yourself to become more aware of your authentic self, what you are really doing and how you are truly moving through life, well, it may birth miracles.

I'd love to hear from you. What helps you enter your heart and face your emotions? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2014.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Your Highest Path

Imagine there's a path to the highest vision of your life vibrating in the ethers. It's there for you right now. Are you on it, near it or feel far from it? What if you knew there was no right or wrong way to reach it? That all roads can transform into it when you ask and allow the self to receive?

What might it alter if you knew that the path to the highest vision of your life existed beyond self-made beliefs and limitations? That it's there for you if you believe in destiny and that all things are predetermined. That it's there for you if you believe life is an exclusive free will experience. That it's there for you if you believe that you are a co-creator of your life; creating, choosing and deciding as you go along. Perhaps aware of a higher force taking care of the who, what or where, but knowing it's completely up to you in how you choose to deal with and move through the things that show up on your path.

We can concern ourselves that we've fallen way off track. That we missed a turn that will never present itself again. That we made the wrong decision. Or moved in a way that our present self might feel uneasiness, disappointment or regret about. What is for your highest good is unencumbered by lineal time. Where a choice was made that your present self now questions, the lesson or gift is there for you when you bless not blame your decision. Where your soul desires to manoeuvre, a missed opportunity will present itself in another way. If not, trust your soul desires for a new experience and allow yourself to be present to the new opportunities that present themselves.

Far from an ordinary straight line, our life path is an extraordinary synchronised kaleidoscope of many roads. 

The roads we can journey on are vast and varied. The road of our dreams. The road of our fears. The road we have been told or taught to travel upon. The road we think we ought to tread. The road of struggle. The road of liberation. The road of anxiety. The road of peace. The conscious road. The unconscious road. The road we are walking to avoid another road. The road of our true self. The road of our false self.

If your road had a name, what road are you on right now? Giving it a name acknowledges the path and empowers you in the now. Name it with self-kindness, sans judgement. If more than one name surfaces, you might wish to journal out your response. Or artwork out your path with your pencils or pastels.

There's always a gift on your present road. Whatever road you are on, you can invite in the path of self-love. It is key to transforming all and any roads into the path to the highest vision of your life. 

I'd love to hear from you. In what ways do you know when you are on your highest path or far from it? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin and I came across this silver heart beside the road while out walking this morning. We loved it. He especially loved that is shimmered. Like a beacon of light reminding him of our inner guidance. He reckons it's divine stuff when we develop and maintain a conscious connection with our inner guidance. He says no matter if you call it your intuition, your soul, your higher self, your gut instinct, your authentic self, your wise self, your heart or your divine life force. He says what matters is that we allow ourselves to trust the higher power within us. The more we trust its guidance, the greater our ability to accept the roads (and stories) we have come from. Acceptance gives us permission to set down the load of yesterday. Allowing the self to hold the beauty found within and on our path today. Like, say, a shimmering silver heart.

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Truth and Hot Chocolate

Truth is often seen as a fixed and factual force, an ideal place to cast our life's anchor. But what happens when what we know as truth, begins to shift? It can rock our boat and feel far from a safe harbour.

There are truths in life that are definite and precise, such as the truth that our physical body is made up of over 10 trillion cells and the truth that our planet Earth orbits our closet star the Sun. These principles of nature thrive and exist beyond the need of our validation or control. Yet because these truths exist, so do we. There are truths that form part of our reality for a short time or our entire life time, truths born out of trust in others. These can be life-changing truths. When expressed through the lens of inner wounds and fear, such truths can trigger and surface hurt within us. But when expressed through love it embraces its highest purpose and ultimately serves to uplift us even when it may initially feel otherwise. Then there is our own inner truth. The more we learn to ride its ebbs and flows without self-judgement the more easeful we find our footing whenever we might lose it.

Our inner truth is ever-present and positively powerful. We can consciously tune into its wisdom and allow it to illuminate our highest path forward. At any given moment we can resist or flow with what rings true for us. To connect deeper with your inner truth right now, ask yourself, 'Where does my inner truth sit in my body?', 'What does my inner truth look like?' and 'Where am I resisting or flowing with the wisdom of my inner truth?". Allow the responses to come to the surface or free write your answers in a journal.

Standing in our truth honours what is true for us in any given moment. Our truth can alter as our perspectives alter. The more you focus on refuelling your self-love and self-care tanks, the more easeful the transition whenever your inner truth moves through periods of growth and expansion.

The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio right now is a super-charged time for aligning with what rings true for you. If you feel right on track in your life, you might feel like life is gifting you a timely boost. If you feel off-course, you might feel momentarily lost but soon to be unexpectedly found. Hold steady to your inner truth with this Moon Mantra; "I hear my inner truth and flow with its wisdom. I trust my highest self."

I'd love to hear from you. What does your inner truth look like and how do you connect deeper with its wisdom? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin just made himself a cup of organic hot chocolate. It's getting a bit nippy in the evenings here in Sydney. Being a lover of all things nourishing, Kalvin says it's drinkable self-care and a comforting reminder that truth like hot chocolate is fluid. Sure he says, it can burn our tongue when too hot or when left unattended can become unsavourily too cold to swallow. But when it's just right, when it rings true from the depths of our being, it warms our belly with pure and delicious richness.

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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You Can Hold Mountains

You can hold mountains, metaphorically speaking. The climb-up-the-healing-shadow-side one-step-at-a-time mountains you conquer and celebrate from within. We conquer what we think we are capable of conquering. Your potentials, possibilities and the level of your self-love, inner happiness and peace flow (or not) to the rhythm of your self-worth and self-esteem - that which you think you are worthy of holding and what you think you can or can not conquer.

What are you holding right now? 

Imagine a pair of balancing scales in front of you. The ancient bronze two-pans-hanging-from-a-beam kind. Allow these scales to represent your current self-perspective. Now, on one side of the scales place all of your strengths - that which lifts you up and makes you feel courageous, including all of your aspects that help you love, trust, believe, stand up and show up for yourself. On the other side of the scales place all of your growing edges - those parts of self that feel imperfect, that challenge you, make you feel vulnerable and those aspects you would rather not face, yet.

See the scales in your minds eye or if you feel inclined literally be the scales. Standing (or sitting), place your arms out to the side with your hands open, palms facing upward. Begin in the balanced position with hands at the same height. You might even like to close your eyes as you feel the strengths in one hand and your growing edges in the other. Let your body and arms intuitively move in relation to their individual weights, sans judgement. You might be surprised when you open you eyes to see how similar or different they are to what you think they would be.

So, how do your scales weigh up? Are they hovering in an equalised state or is one side holding more than the other? 

Whether the way your scales currently weigh up makes you feel hopeful or hopeless - the empowering quality of scales is that they move. By changing what one side or aspect is holding creates an immediate shift on the other side. We can release and transmute aspects or add and deepen our connection with others to adjust our level of inner-balance.

Growing edges are often described as weaknesses. Yet it is in the moments when we view those so-called weaker parts with worthiness and a deeper knowing that they serve a purpose - that they transform into the bravest parts of our being and shift the scales of our vulnerability, how we see ourselves and what we think we are capable of holding, doing and being.

When you think you can, you really can hold mountains. The anything-is-possible kind of mountains.

As William Blake reminds us in his poem, Auguries of Innocence;
"To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour."

I'd love to hear about your current growing edges! What helps you transform them into strengths? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. During the above photo shoot Kalvin was sitting on my other hand and said it has been quite a journey for him to feel harmonious balance between his strong-points and not-so-strong points. Kalvin reckons our culture is all too quick to view strong as good and not-so-strong as bad. But he says our not-so-strong points are actually fabulous. It's normal to have growing edges. Even necessary if we want to be the full expression of who we are. It is of great assistance to our life journey to feel our vulnerabilities. Feeling their weight is different to letting them weigh us down. Cultivating a healthier perspective of our whole self, deepens our experience of inner harmony. Which can open our hearts to more self-love, open doorways for greater happiness and open our hands to hold more than we once dreamed possible.

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Angel Wings

Angel Wings was one of my littlest chickens.

I took this pic with her on Friday as part of Be Your Own Light, a photographic journey by self-love guide Vivienne McMaster. My prompt was to take a pic in the shade. I was outside with my chickens for their evening walk as the sun made its nightly descent behind the hills. Looking up I realised that dusk throws a soft blanket of shade over all things. It's a magical momentary in-between time when there is still enough light to see sans any direct sunlight. With my camera in hand I turned on the self-timer mode and had a photo shoot with my chickens.

As she had been moving slowly in the past week most pics were with Angel Wings. I had been spending more time with her recently as I could see she was needing extra care. Soon after this pic, the chickens made their way into their coop for the night. I instinctively placed extra straw on top of their nesting boxes, right under where Angel Wings was perched. The next morning (Saturday) as I opened the coop to let the chickens out for breakfast, I found Angel Wings with her eyes closed. She had passed away in her sleep on the extra pile of straw. As those who love animals know, our animal friends become part of the family. My heart panged at the loss of her.

Heart pangs at the loss of something dear to the self are not comfortable. Yet to feel them are a blessing. For it says the heart is present, open and feeling. 

Creativity is one of the most powerful ways to move through such feelings and life itself, including its ebbs, flows, ughs, ahhs, wonders and woes. Creativity helps bring things to light, and is a transformational way to honour all that moves, strengthens, shifts and uplifts us.

Thus, I find myself writing this and sharing pics of AW.



Angel Wings at three weeks old, on the first day in her new home. 19 April 2010.



Positively tiny in their new home, the seven sisters at three weeks old. Raised by Danny and I, next week they turn three years old. Top left and anti-clockwise; Starsky, Angel Wings, Hutchie, Meryl, Frankie, Titch (Chica) and Mama Coop. 19 April 2010.



Angel Wings getting her scratch on in the grass last week. 12 March 2013.



Angel Wings and me, unintentionally captured with see-through arms - reminding me of angel's wings. It's a happy memory to know she got to sit in lush grass on her last night. And fills me with gratitude that in my hunt for shade, I caught an adorable momento. 15 March 2013.



Our hand-carved memory stick by Danny for the feathery ones who have transitioned. 16 March 2013.

My turned-out-not-so-random photo shoot on Friday reminds the self that the key to meaning-making and memory-creating in life is in being present to each moment.

Whatever you are feeling right now in your own life, bless the full spectrum of your feelings. For their presence means your heart is breaking open to more of who you are.

Shine on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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When Kindness Activates Itself, Bookmark It

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #7. We're creating super food for the soul aka kindness. And passing it on. 

Kindness is connecting, uplifting, life-enhancing and sets a cycle in motion for its energies to flow back to you, through you and into your life. It's free feel-good

Creative Nudge Fridays is Here!

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to the first nudge. We're going to start at the heart. It's where your expression of love - of who you are - begins. Most of us are familiar with living, being and investing enough into who we are not. This weekend, hold the space for who you are. You are energy dancing in form, a reality shaper {you create it!}

What Story is Your Life Here to Tell?

In my last blog post I shared my love note to 2012. In this post, we take it personal. You'll be getting a love note. 

This month I've been working on a video project. Gathering up and weaving together photos and footage. Super fun. But the narrative was, let's just say, challenging. What I thought would come out was quite different to what flowed