Lovely & Luminous LeonieListening to: One of Leonie's favorites with a little cello in the arrangement. In my mind, cello added in is always good.
Today's Bliss Formula: I will ride my bike today to purchase organic vanilla ice cream to eat this evening with just-picked strawberries from our yard. This is only the second year for our strawberry patch and I can't get over how much it is producing -- and will continue to do so all summer as they are an heirloom variety named, aptly, "summer long."
Some of my favorite films are Australian (like this, this, and this) and now one of my favorite artists also hails from the land of one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite groups. To be specific, Leonie Allan comes from Canberra, Australia and creates art that inspires the viewer to a more joyful and creative and authentic life.
We are lucky to have her thoughts and words with us today.
I can't remember how or where I first came across her art, but you don't forget it once you see it. I love the way she combines painting and writing -- she reminds me a bit of SARK and I know she'd take that as a compliment!
And though she doesn't say this directly, I think you can see that part of her prime bliss -- the main thing underlying everything -- is to spread an awareness of your own individual joy as mirrored through her own.(To visit her blog, go here, and to see her etsy store, go here.)
Describe the PrimeBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimeBliss?
I have many blisses in my life... art, writing, photography, creating sacred space for women with circles and retreats... I create art prints that celebrate the Goddess in each of us. My intention is to create rainbow, joyful artworks that encourage and support us on every part of our life journeys. When I have moments of feeling alone or lost, I create a Goddess to remind me that I am not alone, I am loved, that life is full of possibility, joy and healing. Writing is also an important way to share about joy, spirit and the journey for me. When I was 22, I wrote and self published a book called "Today I grew like a wildflower." I have also written a couple of book proposals that I am now working to get published about being a Goddess. Writing is definitely an interesting and challenging form of creative expression... so much to learn about the process of getting books published or self-published! (For anyone who is an artist or a writer, you might be interested in some Resources I put together on my website that have helped me along my creative journeys right here.)
From time to time I run Goddess Gatherings - 3 day retreats for women to experience the Goddess inside them. It is a blissful and transformative experience, filled with dawn meditations, drumming, laughing, circling, creating, healing, walking on Mama Earth, dancing and sacred space. I hold the retreats on a beautiful property filled with purple mountains, wide rivers, golden fields and misty mornings. In one word, heaven on earth! For me, it is the most profound experience to watch women open and blossom into themselves... and to witness them remembering their divinity and beauty. I am also passionate about using photography to document the Goddess in every woman, the soul beauty inside every person, and the beauty all around us. The deep abiding passion behind all these creative offerings is remembering the Great Spirit inside me and inside everyone in this world. When I get that sweet moment of a shiver up my spine and a swelling in my heart, I know I'm in the right place. So my Prime Bliss is really to live a sacred, joyful life, and sharing that in many mediums.
What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?I think I am always making choices for me. Sometimes they are totally awesome choices, sometimes they are not, and I'm getting a lot better at loving myself no matter what those choices are. Byron Katie says a beautiful thing - that we do the best we can ALL the time, because we are doing the only thing we know how to do. If we knew how to make enlightened choices all the time, that's what we'd do. And if we don't, well, that's okay too. It's really all good no matter what. So I can procrastinate, get stuck, be frustrated and be lost with the best of them. I make the choices I need to make for what I need to learn at the time. As for choices that feel totally awesome from the get-go: I decided to move from full-time work to part-time work so I could give more energy to my creative & soulful dreams. Two years in, I still have tremors occasionally about wondering if I should go back to working full-time, but as my partner reminds me: You're never going to regret taking more time off at the end of your life, so enjoy it now! I also make the choice to follow the flow of my energy when it takes me. Throughout the month, year and the whole of my life journey, my energy will ebb, flow, grow, seek and hide. Sometimes I will want to be really out there in the world shining, sometimes I really just want to savour my life for myself and be quiet about it. Sometimes I will have a strong calling to lead circles and retreats, and there will also be times when I need to just heal myself for a while. Sometimes I want to paint, other times I only want to write, sometimes photography calls me, sometimes I don't want to create at all, and just want to Be. It's a new thing for me to choose to follow my energy, but I feel that new and even more beautiful things will blossom in my soul and into the world when I trust where my spirit is calling me.
How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?
I designate myself as a Joy-Bringer wherever I go.
Finding my creative and soul's dream also means my life is deeper, wider, more precious and more sacred to me.
What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?
Connecting with special friends deeply. Picnics in the park under the trees. Cuddling my healer dog Charlie. Going on road trips. Swimming in rivers in the afternoon sunlight. Being "out bush" as we Australians call it - out on the land. On horseback. In the desert. Adventuring. Laughing.
What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?
Mama Earth is my temple and I try to get my feet and hands bare on the Earth once a day. As soon as I put bare feet on Mama Earth, I feel grounded and healed. There's just something so potent about having moments spent with wind tumbling through my hair, reminding me that I'm a goddess and a part of this earth. I am also a part of regular healing and meditation circles. To be in circle is to be at home.
What music is your bliss?
Oh so many! I'm into rootsy, earthy, acoustic music, 60's folksy music and ethereal, soulful music. Think James Taylor, Saritah, the Dawson's Creek soundtracks, the Andi and George band, Fleetwood Mac, Deva Premal, Jewel, India Arie, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Yulara, Willie Nelson, Sheila Chandra, Sarah McLachlan, Nick Hanlon and the Goddesses, R. Carlos Nakai and Jimmy Little.
Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.
SARK is a goddess in my pantheon of inspiration. Byron Katie and The Work has had a profound influence on my life. So has Julia Cameron, Denise Linn and Doreen Virtue. My family, best friends, spiritual mentors and circle sisters are all also deeply important inspirations to me. My partner especially is a very grounded, wise support for me.
What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?
This one is from my beautiful partner when I had a moment of no-faith last night: Just enjoy yourself. Don't worry too much. Don't be too serious. Go where your heart calls you. And if it doesn't call you right now, then be where you are right now and enjoy it. It will come when it needs to. You don't need to change to be any better than what you already are.
Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?
"Joy is an option"
I made that my own little slogan when I was 20, and I've been reminding myself ever since. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, joy really is an option.
Thank you so deeply for being here, and for being you. I am so glad I had this opportunity to share with you.
Bright and deep blessings, Leonie
All of that wisdom from someone in her mid-twenties. It takes some of us a lot longer to figure this stuff out!
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