These workshops and retreats enable you to tap into your reservoir of creativity and wisdom which gives you the strength to overcome your fears to expressing your full voice in the world. You will gain both practical information and inspiration for how to break out of the “shoulds” of everyday living. Learning to connect with your deeper nature – your soul, knowing it’s truth and being able to express it, moves you closer to your authentic self and living a life of soul—where life expresses who you are, including giving your natural gifts to the world.  Living more authentically and creatively allows for better relationships, right livelihood and more joy.  

Break Through Fear to Live Your Life’s Purpose

Do you feel you have a mission that goes beyond doing a job that has no meaning for you or taking care of everyone else? Then it is time for you to summon the courage to speak up, step out, and do what you are here to do. Yes, the time has come to experience your own beauty,  claim your authority, express who you are without censure, and give your unique gifts to the world. Learning to express yourself fully in your personal life and in the outer world is an important key to vitality, fulfillment and passionate living.

Experience the Joy, Healing and Empowerment 
that comes with Creative Expression.

In a safe environment, where no previous experience is necessary, we engage in a number of creative mediums, including using movement, song, writing, art, heart sharing and other forms of creative play. The natural ability for expressing artistically and creatively exists in every one. Creative expression teaches you how to surrender to the moment and let go of judgment, two very important factors for most all else that you do. Expressing creatively not only gives you the courage and strength to express more fully, it also magically unleashes your passion, vitality and enthusiasm for life. 

Opening to the creative in yourself is not only fulfilling, it heals your psyche, feeds your soul, and transforms all else that you do. As one expert in the field said “it creates a container for what is buried in our psyche and helps us make sense of our world.” Through the creative process you are able to access deeper awareness and make choices to move forward in life in a more self loving, creative and empowered way. Participants will come away with a clearer sense of purpose as well as with insights and tools to move forward in life with more creativity, passion, and power. 

The Power of Sound and Your Own Voice

Music and sound, especially the vibration of our own voice are powerful mediums not only to heal our bodies but also to open the ability to express ourselves and set free our unique gifts.  The fifth energy center located in the throat area governs our ability to express on all levels and is directly connected to the third center, our seat of personal power.

In addition, the throat is the catch point between the head and heart. When our deeper feelings from below are conflicted with ideas of the mind they become lodged and frozen at the throat. Hence our expression and communication in all areas of life can become blocked.  Through voicing in various non-verbal ways, we begin to unlock these gates to our true self expression.  

Achieving Balance 
Integrating the Right Brain in an Overly Left Brain World

Our day-to-day responsibilities and the trappings of this modern technological age have pulled us further away from being truly present to life and experiencing a deep connection to our soul and others.  Living in a culture that values the material, appearances, and productivity at all costs, we have come to devalue the ‘feminine’, or that which emanates from the right brain. To find our place of balance and center we need to learn to honor and incorporate those things that are of the feminine such as; feelings and emotions, intuitions, the subtle senses, becoming comfortable in the unknown, communicating with nature, ritual, and artistic creative expression regardless of worldly ideals of ‘talent’. This is something indigenous cultures understood and we on the whole have lost. When we can engage in these ways we become centered in the present moment, gain a sense of the sacred and naturally move towards healing and wholeness.  

Experience the Power of Connection to Nature, Spirit, and Your Creativity

• Experience the beauty and rejuvenation power of Nature in lush tropical jungles, natural beaches, rock canyons, pine forests or pristine streams and pools.

• Participate in transformational and deeply moving sacred rituals

• Heal through the nurturing capabilities of Nature and her sacred waters. 
  (Secluded waterfalls, streams, and pools)

• Receive inspiration and empowerment from your soul and feel the peace in balance.

• Transform your consciousness through expressive movement, music, voice, and sound

Nature – the ultimate healer, teacher, and connection to soul

Discovering our inborn enchantment with the natural world is an important stage in child development. The problem is that for many of us this phase was either missed or quickly passed over due to cultural propensities for liner education, sports and other worldly priorities.  In addition, as we have grown, the pace and pressures of modern living have many of us believe that there is “no time” for taking time with the Mother.  Consequently many have become quite displaced from their inherent relationship with the natural world.  And along with this, a loss of connection with soul.

"Soul is the deepest essence, the mysterious center of our psyches.  It is the sacred realm of our most heart felt purposes and of our lives’ unique meanings.  Soul holds the keys to the most important lessons of our lifetimes – and to the gifts that are ours alone to bring to the world."

                                   Bill Plotkin, Ph.D. – Animus Valley Institute

Inviting soul encounter can open you to deep healing, open your heart, awareness and integration of your “shadow nature,” and ultimately your life purpose.  A deep and profound connection and communication with nature can begin to open the door to a life that is fully rooted in soul.

In all our programs we incorporate nature experiences that foster a growing relationship with the natural world, the Mother, and encounters with soul.  These experiences range from  afternoon “talking with Grandmother” exercises to overnight fasting vigils. Experience for yourself the immense power, beauty and transformative qualities of sacred time spent in nature.  

Depending on the location and length of the workshop or retreat we will adventure to secluded waterfalls, salt water pools, natural beaches, mountain streams and pools, rock canyons, or other special off the beaten path nature havens. 

A Passage from Breaking up to Breaking Through

There comes a time in most everyone's life when it feels like everything is falling apart.   An important relationship may be breaking up, health may fail, or a secure job or home becomes anything but that. This is a powerful pivotal point where one can succumb into the depths of despair, or consciously experience that despair and ultimately break through to a new and higher ground. You will learn how to be with and embrace everything about yourself and what is happening in your life, including that which you consider the worst.  You will also learn however, how to use your challenges and disliked attributes to catapult you into transformation, where you begin to recover your most self nurturing, honoring and empowered self. 

Through the creative process, support of others and the healing power of nature you will gain the strength to face and overcome your fears, speak your truth and express your unique gifts  

    Do you: 

• Find yourself with way too much to do and not enough time to do it?

• Feel a loss of connection to yourself, life and those around you? 

• Want to leave a relationship or quit a job that doesn’t suit you, but can’t find the courage? 

• Let self doubt or fear stop you from pursuing for your dreams? 

• Say yes when you mean no? 

• Long to sing, dance, or write but wouldn’t dare? 

• Desire more passion, color, or creativity in your life?

         Learn how to:

• Deepen your connection to soul, others and a more sacred aspect of life
• Access your higher wisdom and deepest truth anytime
• Speak your truth—to ANYBODY and express yourself in ALL situations
• Bring right brain feminine essence into our overly left brain way of life
• Find balance, center and soul in a crazy soul starved world
• Transition from humdrum to right livelihood
• Suspend letting opinions of others or your own internal judgments stop you
• Feel passionate about your life
• Access the creative artist in you
• Go for what you want
  Boldly and authentically express who you are and give your best gifts to the world

Facilitators:
Joy Lynn Freeman, D.C., Ph.D.(cand)