Great escapes

The theme of photoproject 'Beauty is where you find it' (#BIWYFI) in February was: Escape daily routine.

I should first admit that my biggest escape happened on that day, when I packed my bags and escaped to Austria. Many holidays that I’ve spent over the years in Austria leaded me to the place, where I said: I want to live here. And here I am.

When you find your place under the Sun, which means everything to you, it is not hard to find also the ‘thing’ that pulls you away from the daily routine.

My (great) escapes out of daily routine, away from loud kids, away from action, alarming state…, are to be found in nature. Between the mountains and the lake. Here I feel safe, here I feel wonderful. 

Every day nature shows a new face, that inspires me. Every day I’m looking forward to my little great escapes. Every day I’m thankful for every moment I spent here, where my heart sings. And this year, February was unbelievably giving, unforgettable!

I really hope that your escapes from daily routine are inspiring, refreshing and unforgettable too. And if not (yet), listen to the whispers inside you, pack your ‘bags’ and take the time off. You won’t regret it!

(Or check the link above and get inspired by different kinds of escapes that all the photoproject’s participants shared on that blog).

Against it? Really?

Think again!

Life is the best school we’ve got to go to, I think. Lessons we learn are there for us exactly when we’re ready to deal with their message. Even when we sometimes think we can’t handle them, we always survive, right?

Mother Teresa once said (something like): 'I’m not against the war. I’m for peace.' At first they were just simple words for me, but later I thought I’d put more focus on those words and tried to understand why she chose to say them the way she did.

It’s all about energy, I believe. In whatever you put your energy, you will get a result. Actions are energy, words are energy, thoughts are energy. And if the energy is really strong, it becomes passion.
And now, think about what you’re passionate about. Are you for something or against something?
I stopped investing my energy into things I was against, when I saw my colleague passionately and with flame fighting a man whom he really hated. Criticizing him, proving what the man did wrong, focusing on the life of that man he didn’t like… in such a passionate way, that I thought he will explode (or get a heart-attack). And then I noticed that his passion against that man was as strong as of all those people who were for that man, believing he did everything right. They were on the opposite sides, but the power of their energies was the same. That’s when I started to understand Mother Teresa’s wise words and chose to put my energy into the things I wanted.

Of course, I still don’t want war, but I don’t give her power (energy) to help 'her' keep alive. Instead, I put doubled energy into actions, people and things that spread and grow peace, harmony.
You might still argue with me about this; but if you’re honest and you’re willing to evaluate one of your days, a single ordinary day of your life and answer this question: 'How much time and energy you invest in things you (would) like to see more in your life, and how much you invest into the things you are against?' Honestly? Now you probably understand what I want to say with this post. If you’re tired, empty, angry, upset, bored…, then you know where your energy went. Probably into fighting all the things you don’t want in your life. Think about it!

So, at the beginning of a new school year, I’d like to say to all the teachers and to all kids and their parents: stop fighting these silly battles 'against something', and rather focus on what you want to see (more of). Make a vision board if you’re visual, choose books that inspire you with positive (re)actions, find those potentials in people in which you want to invest your energy in. Live life and focus your energy into everything you want to see more of, in the classroom, too!

Imagine what seven billion humans could accomplish if we all loved and respected each other. Imagine. (A.D.Williams – Inside the Divine Pattern)

Utopia? Really? Think again!

And let this be the best school year for you ever! All the best from our creative Lab!   

Always there

"Our job is improving the quality of life, not just delaying death." - Hunter Doherty Patch Adams

When I heard about Robin Williams and his sad goodbye, my World stopped for a while. I was soaked into my deep Self, where things from my past were waiting to be awakened again. And that day came...

There he was, a boy from my childhood, the happiest kid in the neighborhood. Always laughing, always full of life, always making others people's lives a little bit brighter. And then, one day, he was gone. A suicide. At age 13. And a big wound in my heart.

Years passed by. The best years of my life were spent in a beautiful presence of a guy I really liked. He made us laugh, love life and he was our guide into a soulful life, focusing on the others. He was my inspiration - to live better, to do better. And then, one day, he was gone. Cancer. At age 20. And a big wound in my heart.

In a way, Robin Williams was for me a projection of those two people. He had the same 'glow' around him as I remembered I saw around my friends. He helped me to keep my friends in my heart - they were always there, very alive, very true.

I believe they were part of my path into Art therapy. I've always had a need to help people to be who they really are. The quiet ones, depressed ones, sad ones, the 'happy' ones, the abused ones, the poor ones... They were my teachers and they were my patients. They were my motivation and inspiration.

So I chose a path, called Art Therapy. But the World today doesn't want to deal with people who need help. The World closes its eyes and pretends they are gone. And for those, who do want to help, it feels like they are fighting with the windmills. The system wanted my money, but not my help. So, my life-path had to change a direction. I decided to invest the money into people, not a system. Because of that, my journey will be longer and harder, but Art therapy will always be with me, no matter what. And my friends, and Robin Williams and all the people I've worked with on my journey will always be there, too. Because of them I won't give up the things that are written in my heart, probably from the day I was born.

That's why I would like to dedicate this post and a video from my favorite Williams's movie role 'Patch Adams' to all of you who dream about a better World, better people and things we could do to make our lives brighter. Let the video inspire you to give, do and feel the best you can, and never give up your dreams, your true Self.

"You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome." - Hunter Doherty Patch Adams

Amazing silence

Life has its own ways...

Lately, mine are better than I've expected them to be. Many times I'm feeling like riding a roller-coaster and feeling tired after the ride, but the gifts I receive on this journey leave me speechless. Amazed...
Meeting new people, shiny people..., being inspired by beautiful nature..., doing what my soul loves to do... 

So, my friends, I'm sorry to be quiet here for such a long time. My Life needs some time to settle down, to let me speak loud again, to share my thoughts with you...
At the moment I'm still in the phase of listening. And clicking. And changing. Just me and the perfect World. Everything else needs to wait a little bit.

I hope to come back to 'you' as soon as possible, with fresh news, fresh ideas, fresh me. I hope you'll still be there, sharing with me your thoughts and opinions, your bits and pieces of your life.

Thank you for your patience and faithfulness. Until then... all the best.

Tic-tac-tic-tac

Hours, minutes, seconds... and soon we will be back at the begining. How many of us will be begging and say: 'Could we start again, please'? How many words, thoughts, actions we'd like to erase from our memory, from our heart and soul? 

Today, I'm giving you a big paintbrush, a white paint and freedom to cover all your unvonted spots on your painting of the year 2013. You are free to be what you want to be!

Question #18:

What will you not erase or repaint for sure from the year 2013?

This is the last question of the game 'Giving thanks, giving gifts'. You still have time to answer all the questions (You can find the rules in one of  the previous posts here and all the questions in all December posts) and share your thoughts with us. The game will close on January 6th.