The Shapeshifter

9-15 September 2013; 'The Shapeshifter', Monday's intuited sketch from my soul with a message for the week ahead.

The shapeshifter surfaced as 'She with the fox mask' to say not all masks hide who we are. 

Some masks gift us the exact dose of courage we need to throw off what we have been using as an excuse to make ourselves smaller, less than and unloveable (first to ourselves then with others). These kinds (of kind) self-empowering self-strengthening masks remind us that we always have what we need, which includes courage to reveal our soul truth (first to ourselves then others). To shed like fur or hair that which we no longer are and give light to our vulnerability.

To be vulnerable is to transcend the heaviness that would have otherwise hid your you-ness (yes, first from ourselves then others).

To be vulnerable is to show up as yourself and let yourself be seen. She with the fox mask reminds us that sometimes showing up as ourselves means to hear the call from within that only we can hear. The call that guides us to retreat into our inner world and embark on a journey to our core. The more we familiarise ourselves with this inner path home, the more easeful and direct we can tap into the inner knowing that resides there. She with the fox mask reminds us to deepen this connection with the unseen world, that of our own intuition, inner creative force and the call for transformation into a new way of being from within. Deep inner work is concealed from the outer world at first and can appear as if little to no movement forward has or is being made.

Even in silence, solitude or at a standstill the inner creative force is always in motion.

This week, strengthen your self-trust. Trust with your heart. Trust with your you-ness. Trust that as you are changing, shifting and evolving from within, your outer world is also dancing to the same rhythm, shifting to match your new ways and vibration - as you show up more (and more) as yourself and let yourself be seen.

The more you allow your inner knowing to surface, the sharper it becomes. Like a fox, it is crafty for a reason because it is the stuff from which you shape-shift yourself from old and/or false definitions of self and into your soul's truth in the now (new) moment.

She with the fox mask has an additional note on fur and hair; They are ancient symbols of energy and fertility, and changing it can help change the expression of our own creative life force. Hence we feel anew with a hair cut or change, regardless of how subtle or drastic it is.

I'd love to hear from you. What masks have helped strengthen aspects within you? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

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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Round Up, Picture This

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Round up, picture this: We're taking a group photo. Of you.

Your team-of-you aka all your inner aspects work together as exactly that, a team. Sure, some aspects can get a bit rowdy possibly because they are so very passionate about your life direction, others want to protest or quit, some sit quiet and there are those that roll up their sleeves ever-ready to do what needs to be done to get you where you want to be.

Now, imagine gathering your team-of-you for a group photo.

As you round up all your inner aspects together, from the unsure self to the assured self and every other self in between - what does your group look like? What symbols, visuals or objects come to mind? What feelings surface? Let your imagination and intuition guide you. Your team-of-you might be flowing in harmony like a waterfall, huddled together like a mis-matched soccer team or grouped as one like a bunch of wild flowers. Allow whatever surfaces for you, sans judgement.

Note, if you find yourself wishing your team-of-you could get a make-over, how would you want them to be?

Then, allow yourself to express that out in whatever way calls you. Maybe you take a pic of something symbolic that represents your team-of-you. Perhaps you create something to symbolise your team-of-you, such as a circle or other formation of sacred, natural or random objects. Or you might artwork it out.

To remind yourself that when your inner aspects are seen, they lift your own self-awareness, take a symbolic pic of that which represents your team-of-you. Then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your nudge pic 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 blog about this nudge or 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.

Move Your Inner Creativity, Out

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #26. We're moving our inner creativity, out!

What comes to mind when you think of the world 'creativity'? We each have our own definition of and connection to the word. Though in our busy inner and outer worlds we can feel like there's just not enough time for it. Yet that's what life is. An ah-mazing and ever-evolving act of creativity. Beyond the bounds of time, are you paying attention to the creativity within you or are you pushing it away?

Here is a nudge to amplify your awareness of your inner creativity and move it out into your life. Pay attention to how your inner creativity shows up for you this weekend and then, action it. Follow through in a way that feels life-enhancing for you. Your inner creativity is there to assist you in living the full expression of your highest self. It simply loves to create. It can show up as an inspired thought, an illuminated idea, an intuitive hunch or a spontaneous 'yes' to step out of your comfort zone. It can show up while you are taking a shower, driving, dancing or about to fall asleep (you might like to keep a pen and a notebook on your bedside table for such moments!).

However your inner creativity shows up for you in your life, pay attention to its blazing creative genius.

To remind yourself of your blazing creative genius is always with you, take a pic of your nudge in action, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your nudge in action 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 blog about this nudge or 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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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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Decisions and Higher Visions

Aptly named after Janus, the god of the doorway, January opened the door to 2013. Open doors symbolise a time of renewal, where we leave behind what was, and step forth into what is. It's exciting to journey through renewal, through beginnings and newness. Yet it's also a vulnerable time during which we can feel exposed and in the unknown as we release the old and that which might have previously defined us. Where it may trigger our doubts and fears, renewal asks us to face those energies and move forward with courage as we embody and express a deeper truth of who we are.

The past several weeks have been abundant with the energies of renewal. We've had V.I.P. access to the renewal of a great cycle spanning 26,000 years, we've welcomed in a new solar year of 365 days and this weekend we're about to greet another renewal. The New Moon in Aquarius on February 10 births the Chinese New Year of the Water Snake. The element of water speaks of flow, movement, change, life, growth and prosperity  The wisdom of the snake or serpentine teaches us about transmutation, goddess energy, insight, intuition and creative power. It's divinely symbolic.

Like a dancing snake 2013 is calling us to rise up from what no longer serves us and is drawing us into more of who we are. It can be emotional, especially when we might have never given ourselves permission to see, own or embody our true essence. It can also be uncomfortable as we stretch ourselves beyond self-imposed limitations. Which is why February follows the doorway. It's a month of love, which includes self-love.

Wherever you are at in your journey, remember to be kind to yourself.

Now is a brilliant time to lovingly check-in with where you are at. Ask yourself, 'What is my vision for this year?' and 'Am I moving in the direction of my vision? If not, what do I need to do to realign with my vision?'. If your vision for this new year feels wavering, yet to find its feet or you desire greater clarity with your life direction, this is your month. It's an opportunity for deeper renewal on any level and a greater connection with your authentic self.

Every time you decide to be more of who you are, you open the door to a higher vision of your life. Be courageous. Creatively courageous as you open the doors from within and let your light shine out.

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; Open the door to a higher vision of your life, http://ow.ly/hvvdu

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin says snakes continually shed the outer layer of their skin to allow for continued growth their entire lives. They shed several times a year, with some shedding every five to six weeks. Kalvin thinks this is a brilliant example of how renewal works in our lives too. He says the process of renewal doesn't shed all of who we are and plonk us back to square one. It helps us shed the layers that no longer serve us (including actions, thoughts, emotions and beliefs) as we embody more of who we are. For us too it's an ongoing process that allows us to experience continued personal growth throughout our lives. Kalvin reminds us that renewal can occur at any time. Outer experiences can trigger opportunities for renewal or we can tune in to natural cycles of renewal, such as the birth of a new moon, the start of a new year, a new season or a new day. We can also tap into its energies from within. Whenever we decide or desire to be more of who we are, we activate renewal from the inside, out.

© 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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Shine On, Like the Moon

As beings of light even our shadow has the potential to shine. And when our shadow shines, our whole self illuminates. We are full. Like the Moon.

From Earth's perspective there are two sides of the Moon that make up its celestial self. The dark or far side, which is the side we never see (though it does actually see the Sun), and the near side which is the side we do see.

Less Shun, More Shine

Happy 12-12-12! Today is known as a portal day. Its positive energies flung open a doorway to assist and remind the self to cultivate a deeper connection with who you are. This includes all aspects of the self, even the aspects that one may have previously attempted to disconnect from, disown, deny or ignore. In particular our shadow aspects. These have long been seen as a hinderance, a foe to be fought