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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Write it, Light it, Let it Go; A Letter Burning Ritual

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #16. You'll need a light. 

Whether we are conscious of it or not, whatever we hold in our energy fields is noticed by our being. One thing many of us are familiar with is holding onto unfinished business, be it for a day, a month or years. Perhaps we didn't like how the story unfolded, maybe we didn't agree with the way it ended or maybe some part of us is still wishing for a different outcome, seeking an answer or wanting to get some words off our chest.

Here is a nudge to help you prune a part of your path and pave the way for a greater sense of inner peace. Write a letter. But we're not going to deliver it. We're going to send it up to the Universe via sacred smoke by burning it. Safely of course. You will need a piece of paper and a writing tool. This nudge will take as long as you need it to take. Or if you prefer, set yourself a specific amount of time for this exercise, say 30 minutes.

To begin think of someone (or something) you feel you have unfinished business with, and are ready to finish or bring to closure. You might want answers or maybe you have words to express yourself. The person you think of could be in your everyday life or perhaps you haven't spoken in years or they may have passed on. Bring that person into your awareness, imagine they are standing in front of you or sitting beside you. Then, in your mind's eye start your dialogue, open to its flow without judgement. Ask your questions or share what you need to say. Allow the words to flow. Then allow the other to respond. Let the dialogue unfold until it feels complete. When you are ready, at any point of the process, write it down in the form of a letter. Once your letter is done, hand your words up to the Universe. Find a safe place to burn it, such as in a fireplace, a fire-proof container, outdoors in the sand at the beach or in your kitchen sink. Be sure to keep away from anything that can catch on fire.

Note, you can transmute the energy of unfinished business and/or closure by releasing your letter in other ways. Alternatively you could; shred your letter, tear it up and throw it in the paper recycling bin, bury it, turn it into paper pulp and create new paper out of it or transform it into an artwork.

All things being connected, we can uncover all our own answers and reach closure from within.

To remind yourself that all that you seek is within you, take a photo of your transformed letter, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

I'd love to see your letter transformations!

If you give the nudge a go, comment below Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your letter transformations via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create 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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Sip From What Makes You Shine

Everything we absorb, drink in and soak up is used as fuel for our being.

What we eat, the fluids we drink, the thoughts we think, the air we breathe, the emotions we hold, the beliefs we have, the inspiration we devour, the responses we experience, the actions we do, the movements we make, the words we speak, the words we attach to and how we perceive ourselves and our outer world - all fuel our being. On the surface they all appear to be very different types of fuel. What can be and often is similar is the quality of what we consume.

When the quality of our fuel is of a lower or dense vibration, our being requires more energy to process it. As a result we might find ourselves feeling depleted or drained of energy. When we gravitate toward higher vibrational fuels, we increase our health and sense of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. As a bonus higher quality fuels allows our inner furnace to burn energy more efficiently on all levels - giving us better digestion with everything we consume. Notice this in your own life, higher quality fuels enables you to literally digest emotions smoother, inhale more love, take in more joy and be more present in the now.

Eating an bunch of grapes is different to gulping down an emotion or swallowing an uncomfortable thought. Yet when we are aware that all these things provide fuel for our being - we can shift from leaving the quality of our fuel up to chance to consciously engaging with the quality of our fuel by choice.

Our being does not label fuel 'good' nor 'bad'. We all have moments when we feel triggered to do something we know is not so brilliant for us. Or moments when we simply fancy a treat. Like having a makes-my-inner-child-happy butterfly cupcake or a weekend fry-up for breakfast. On a not so side note, having such things on a regular basis shape-shifts a treat into an energy depleter. What matters is the quality of fuel we most often choose on a regular basis.

To create positive change in your life, or increase your sense of wellbeing on any level - check in with the quality of your fuel.

I'd love to hear about what fuels you! How do you notice the difference in your own life between lower and higher vibrational fuels? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin says what fuels us brews together to form our very own personal blend of life tonic. It's like a bowl of goodness from which we draw our sustenance from. Of course the goodness in your bowl can only be as fabulous as the ingredients you put in it. Kalvin says our personal blend of life tonic is magical, in the sense that we can change it at any time. We can add to or subtract from the blend. We can dull it down or perk it up. We can neglect it as a resource or make conscious use of it as a self-nourishing tool with abundant boundless possibilities. Making more nourishing choices with what fuels you can transform you, your path and the vision you have for your life. Sip from what makes you shine.

© 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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Your Creative Tree Pose

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #15. Let's rest like a great tree. 

Trees are ancient beings, holding wisdom, stories and possibility. We are connected to them with every breath. There is a well-known posture in yoga called the Tree Pose. It's about balancing and being centred through your core like a tree; with your feet = your roots, your torso = your trunk, and your limbs = your branches. It is a pose for developing a greater sense of inner calm, concentration and connection to the earth.

We're going to draw upon the principles of the Tree Pose and embody a creative version.



Here is a nudge to enhance your conscious awareness of your connection with all life. Become a tree. Find a tree that calls you and notice where its shadow is falling. Then stand beside it, facing the shadow, so that you can also see your shadow next to the tree's. Now, nudge closer or lean next to it, stretch your arms upward, open your hands and allow your own shadow to emerge as an extension of the tree. And breathe it in. Connect to the sense of being a part of the tree as your shadow and the tree's merge as one. Rest in the feeling for a moment.
To remind yourself that just like a tree you are held by the Universe, take a photo of your tree pose shadow (pop your camera in one hand while in the pose, aim for the shadow + snap away, tricky, but totally doable!), then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

Your view. If you like this post, click LIKE below or if you give the nudge a go, please let us know. Share a pic with us on my Facebook Page, or add your comments below. I'd love to see your creative tree poses! If you share your tree pose on Twitter, Instagram or elsewhere on the web, let's use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Pass it on. Here is a ready-to-go prod for you to share the nudge on Facebook, Twitter + elsewhere on the web; Embody your creative tree pose, http://ow.ly/izEjj via @jelenamrkich #creativenudgefridays

Resting a moment like a great tree can help replenish our perspective that life is an interconnected experience.

Create 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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Move Toward Your Light

Seedlings and plants have an innate response to "move" toward the light. Super sensitive to their environment, they bend and grow in the direction of their light source. We too bend and grow in response to our environment.

Each and every day our whole self experiences movement. From moment to moment our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states can shift slightly or significantly. As we go about our daily routines and regular happenings, our senses are receiving word about our internal and external environment - whether sensory via what we hear, see, smell, taste and touch or extrasensory via intuition (commonly known as the sixth sense), visions and telepathy. Our response mechanisms are so ah-mazing that it doesn't even matter whether stimuli is actual, imagined or a fallacy. We can be triggered by such things as; a tangible object, a real action, an imagined happening, a meditative experience, a factual memory or a false perception. This is a remarkable gift, as we have the capacity to consciously use our imagination and the power of imagery as tools to create positive and purposeful change in our lives.

We encounter stimuli throughout our entire day from the moment we open our eyes, be it; the natural light of daybreak, the sound of a little one stirring, an animal friend wanting food, an alarm clock sounding, a neighbour mowing the lawn or traffic driving by.

But what effect is your response having on the direction of your own growth? 

Tune into your current responses to gain clarity with the direction you are moving in right now - further away or closer toward your own light. 

If it resonates with you, here is an awareness exercise you can do wherever you are and no matter what unfolds during your day, whether a lot or very little. Pick a day this week and be aware of what shifts your states and when. You might like to write it down in a journal. Alternatively, during the day check in with yourself on the hour every hour and note down any inner or outer shifts. Do this without any judgement. Simply allow yourself to observe what shifts you. Notice what changes your body posture, what alters your mood and what triggers reactions within you. Take note too of what changes your energy levels.

The more aware we are of what shifts, uplifts or squashes us, the more empowered we are to make different choices if we desire. As a bonus, paying attention to what triggers us opens the doors to a rather fabulous personal resource library. When you know what gives you more energy, greater clarity, harmonious emotions and calmer thoughts - the more readily you can draw upon these experiences in your life when you feel otherwise.

What direction are you growing in? To tweak your course, pay attention to how you are responding to your inner and outer environment.

Your view. If you like this post click LIKE, add your comments below or on my Facebook Page.

Pass it on. Here is a ready-to-go prod for you to share on Facebook, Twitter + elsewhere on the web; Move toward your light, http://ow.ly/irIsJ via @jelenamrkich

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin was sitting in my hand as we both became the tree during today's photo shoot. He laughed and laughed himself silly saying sometimes he feels teeny tiny in the world. But through the power of light and shadow he was able to be like the tree and stretch his limbs up to the Sun. He said this made him feel as tall as the tree and like his own roots were planted firmly in the ground. In that moment, as his shadow and mine became an extension of the tree, he realised that it doesn't matter how big or small we might think we are in relation to others or other things in the world, what matters is that you are here - like every plant and every tree, you have a place in the world.

© 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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Transform an Ideal Feeling into a Real One

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #14. We're creating a sacred reminder that whatever we desire to feel is already within us.

The desire to transform any part of ourselves or our life often births from the desire to feel better than we do. Whether that is to be happier, healthier, wealthier or more loved, valued and seen. One of the most powerful ways to get to a more positive place of being is from where we are right now, by connecting deeper to any desired state from within. As the words by Mahatma Gandhi remind us, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Here is a nudge to encourage you to be the change you wish to see in your own life. Create a visual mantra. A mini-one that you can place on your desk, on your dashboard, in your pocket, wallet, bag or wherever you know you will regularly see it. You will need an old business card, scissors, glue and collaging papers. This exercise can be done in 20 minutes, though create in the time that feels right for you.

To help get in the space for creating your visual mantra, ask yourself;
- What would I like to change the most in my life right now? It might be one aspect or area of your life, or it could be your entire life.
- How do I really feel about this (the thing I want to change)?
- How do I desire to feel? It might be one feeling or a combination of feelings.

Use your desired feeling(s) as the inspiration for your visual mantra. Express it out through a collage, using the old business card as your mini canvas. If you feel to use another medium or work with mixed media, do it! You could also add words that reflect your desired feeling.

Note, collaging paper can include; used magazines, brochures, leaflets, wrapping paper or old book pages.

To remind yourself that you can be the change you wish to see, take a photo of your visual mantra then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

Your view. If you like this post, click LIKE below or if you give the nudge a go, please let us know. Share a pic with us on my Facebook Page, or add your comments below. I'd love to see your visual mantras! If you share your visual mantras on Twitter, Instagram or elsewhere on the web, let's use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Pass it on. Here is a ready-to-go prod for you to share the nudge on Facebook, Twitter + elsewhere on the web; Transform an ideal feeling into a real one, http://ow.ly/ibYe0 via @jelenamrkich #creativenudgefridays

The visuals around us, whether tangible or imaginary, can affect our whole self - including our emotional state. Raise the vibration of what you see to help transform an ideal feeling into a real one.

Create 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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