With A Little Help From My Kaleidoscope Friends

Courage Is Shared From Delicate Wings of Virtue, Allowing Hope To Be Continually Reborn Over And Over Again

May 19, 2024

Greetings To You My Sweet Friends!

How are we feeling? How are we fairing lately? Are we thriving or just feeling like we are skating by? Let’s just take a big, deep breath. Ahhhh….its ok, you are safe. Take a moment for you, it’s ok.

It feels as though time is going by a bit slower for me since our last chat. We are just ready to bust through to the summer season here in Northern Indiana. My kids are almost out of school and we are so ready! I’ve been busy getting things in order for activities for them over the summer, with the added hope that with a bit of compassion and wisdom, new wings of courage, for both them and I, will begin to sprout, lifting up all our hearts with some much needed confidence and comfort.

As we spoke about in the last letter, We Are All Just Dandelions, we continue to keep our focus on the idea of community this quarter. I will be sharing a few more of my dear, writing friends with you, in this letter. It’s an immense blessing to be able to share their life works with you here, today!

Stepping blindly into any kind of new creative practice can feel very intimidating. I’ve definitely, felt this from first hand experience, when you don’t know… you don’t know. But, seeking is the first step. Seeking and exploring takes courage. Even if there is much trial and error. Just deciding to take measures to learn, takes bravery and patience. As we live in this world, nestled in our cocoon lives, all the experiences we have help us understand the true meaning of our existence. No one should ever make you feel like you are less than for trying or having ambition for something more. We are, after all, only human. Cast judgments to the side and just get messy. Celebrate every step! Allow yourself the space and time to unfurl your own kind of wings. You may just look around one day to find yourself surrounded by the most gorgeous kaleidoscope of butterflies, flying in unison, all around you.

I’ve tried my hand working with a few different mediums over the last few years. With a few successes and many fails. It’s always fun to begin again…and again and again without judgement.

So without further ado, I introduce to you two more of my very courageous, dear writing circle friends, Heidi & Martha.

Both have an interesting, common thread that is both fascinating and inspiring. Heidi and Martha are both remarkable activists. Finding the crevice, within which they have been able to comfortably burrow and nest has allowed them to find the confidence to help others in the most committed and compassionate of ways. Both Heidi and Martha have turned to art making to soothe themselves and harvest their own individual courage by serving others and moving the world forward in colorful ways.

Heidi Behr, LCSW, MSW, MPH

Heidi is a licensed clinical social worker, with a Masters in both Social Work and Public Health from Boston University. She is additionally trained in Internal Family Systems, Emotional Freedom Technique, and Gottman Marital Therapy, just to name a few. In addition to hosting retreats, Heidi specializes in individual counseling and coaching, as well as, couples and relationship counseling. She fittingly lives in the sunshine state of Florida, with her husband. Heidi is an unrelenting activist for love, Mother Earth, peace, equality and mental health advocacy. She loves waking up each morning to her sun porch and to the sweet sounds of nature for her dedicated morning meditations. She writes many beautiful pieces from this lovely, sacred space.

Heidi is such a kind, caring part of my circle of writing friends. About ten years ago, she uncovered the part of herself that was curious about art. So, she decided to dive in and explore. She had no idea how, but she just chose to ask questions and experiment. She creates the most beautiful collages!

Heidi recently just co-hosted an event called Arts and Parts PLAYshop, an IFS 10hr CE Workshop. She is continually committed to uplifting the communities around her by taking action and sharing what has helped her. Heidi creates a welcoming, safe space for all.

For more information about Heidi, visit her website heidibehrlcsw.com

And for more of her art and offerings check out her Instagram Heidi's Instagram

Martha Gail Rice Skogen, PhD

Glass fish made from upcycled bottles by Martha Skogen

Martha is an artist, poet, designer, writer and associate professor, originally from the U.S. She currently resides in Norway with her family. She has been creating and working there for the past twenty years. Her favorite mediums include stained-glass, ceramics and fine art painting. She has a Masters of Design from College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning, University of Cincinnati. She studied design at the Yale University School of Art in Brissago, Switzerlandand and a PhD from Norwegian University of Science & Technology. She is the author of a poetry book called The Glass Tree. Buy Martha's Book Here

For more information about Martha, visit her website(s) marthaskogen.com Flowativity.com , Forestpoerty.com

As well as, Martha's Instagram

She also did an incredible Ted Talk titled The Power In Children’s Art

Martha’s Ted Talk

Martha cares very much for the environmental sciences. Much of her work takes root in the importance of honoring this ancient planet we have the privilege to live within. Many of her organic pieces are created from what could be considered rubbish or recyclable items. She believes deeply in the policy of' ‘leave no trace’ and ‘no harm’ in all aspects regarding her work.

Similarly to Heidi, Martha is also intent on sharing her knowledge with others through collaborative workshops. She is dedicated to accommodating students, educators, medical and business professionals with the vehicle of art as therapy. Through the lens of art, both Heidi and Martha help to raise the collective conscientiousness by realigning the head and the heart. These women give their clients permission to be messy, offering a safe space, resulting in an elevation in confidence levels and overall well being for all participants.

In educating myself (on a deeper level) about Heidi and Martha and prepping for this letter, I was brought to such joy as I learned the very real skills that these strong women bring to the table on a daily basis.

So, I posed the same questions to both women…

🎙️ What is a driving force for you in your creative legacy? What gets you awake and working?

Heidi:

I feel that my mission on earth is to embody my joy— I know I am a better human when I’m connected to my Joy. I have a great calling to help people understand they also have a path to their joy. And so I share about art making & teach people how to do that so they are able to help heal what hurts inside & keep returning to joy.
Everything is connected, nature and humans, we are all connected to the greater All-That-Is— and when we get that, when we appreciate that, it lights us up, with compassion and love and joy. I feel called to this every day, to the awareness of it and the sharing of it.

Martha:

My simplest answer can be summed up in one word:
*curiosity*
For as long as I can remember, I have been genuinely curious about making things, and seeing what happens on the other side of some random idea. Much of this has to do with putting things together and/or doing things rather “against the rules”.
No one likes being put in boxes and I think that applies to creativity as well. I like to push limits, even physics, for example:
How thin can I get that porcelain plate to be before the edges start to chip? Oh, cool, paper thin.
And as the edges break over time… so what? The piece continues to change.
That said, there are plenty of unfinished projects that have been waiting for literally decades. Sometimes I just get sidelined, distracted and move on. Sometimes the potential of the curiosity outweighs the desire to actually get on the other side.
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The second part of my answer is more nuanced, or perhaps even simpler ~ I am not sure.
I adore & embrace spontaneity. Truly. I am referring to “happy accidents” (which to me is a misnomer because that term puts judgment onto our process).
I come to Creativity in ALL its variations
(because I cannot just spend my life with one type)
with a deep understanding that what needs to show up will do so. I trust this with all that I am.
This is the most liberating thing about creating something… including the spaces in which I invite others to (re)discover their creative power.
Embracing the gift of spontaneity is a beautiful way to heal & redirect our overthinking, perfectionistic, and zero self worth. No one is born with those things. They come from insecurities outside of us.
There is true power in letting the work direct itself into existence.
I consider myself a forever student of materials, the process, and of others.
Let it all unfold:
Creativity has much to teach us
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This final aspect is core for me right now. It is so central that I can’t even find a word for it.
Being creative is the only place in my life where I can completely release my need for control. It stems from from childhood agony (physical/emotional) and adulthood despair. The need to control is a compensation strategy that steals much more than it provides.
There have been many tears & decades of frustration. I tried so hard & failed to fathom how doors were SO closed.
I was lost.
In dancing with Creativity, she leads, I follow. She is wise, I get to turn down my (over)thinking mind. Finally I can lean in & release.
Bonus: this comes with empowerment that I discovered only recently. I am reclaiming my name. I am closing circles ~ connecting things. I am using power tools. I am finding a belonging that has nothing to do with place. It all leads to new focus & busy calm.
Notice that Creativity is a living being to me! Not quite me, yet the center of me.
I am finally home.

Well, there we have it my dear readers! I really hope you’ve enjoyed this one! It’s been such a joy learning (in real time) about the ins and outs of creative/journalistic writing. I guess you could say I am practicing courage by creating this piece. Especially, with a little (big) help from my friends, borrowing their courage, I was able to cultivate my own. So, don’t be discouraged if you are afraid. Just ask a friend to lend you a bit of their courage. You may just surprise yourself with what you create!

Come and say hi in our community chat! Need some accountability or just a space to work out what’s coming through you? Let us know what you’re are creating! Community Chat Embed