creativity

Book: Soul to soul parenting: Interview and giveaway

by kath_red on January 6, 2012

in Books

Annie Burnside discusses her book Soul to Soul Parenting: A Guide to Raising a Spiritually Conscious Family (Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing 2010), and is offering a copy to a lucky whipup.net reader.

1) Tell us a little bit about why you decided to write Soul to Soul Parenting. Why “Soul to Soul”?

Soul to Soul Parenting seeks to move beyond the physical realm to understand the child from an energetic perspective, too. The human body is seen as only one aspect of the child’s totality as an eternal, infinite spiritual being on one leg of his/her journey. From this widened vantage point, everything is different—there is a core belief that there is so much more to the child and all of life than what meets the eye, and the parent becomes willing to allow that larger perspective in regards to life choices, priorities, thoughts, words and deeds. In other words, in Soul to Soul relationships, one feels for the underlying texture of all that occurs rather than simply the rational, socially acceptable aspect of life. We all simply desire to be fully seen, heard and acknowledged. The Soul to Soul Perspective invites parents and children to shift their focus on the external world almost exclusively to a deeper intimacy with their own soul. Greater intimacy with our own soul creates a conscious perception of who we really are as spirit-embodied. Ultimately, this shift in core belief will internally ignite true self-esteem and simultaneously change our world.

2) In your book you write about a “universal soul language”. Can you tell us more about what this is?

There is a growing belief in the world today that enlightenment is very possible for all who deeply desire it. Publicly discussing spiritual development and matters of the soul continues to accelerate at tremendous speed and conscious parenting is on the rise because more and more parents themselves are becoming self-aware and honoring their authenticity. Due to the joy, freedom and empowerment derived from such interior knowing, they desire, above all else, for their childrens self-realization and comfortability within their own skin. Many parents are seeing that the family unit offers a magnificent opportunity for personal growth in both the parent and the child simultaneously. We are mirrors for one another, and parents are beginning to utilize family relationships as the gift that they truly are as we move into wholeness. Parents desire a safe place for children to work through challenges and release negative emotions as they occur rather than stuff down, deny or save for later creating a tremendous amount of unnecessary baggage and psychic debris. Instead there is a growing shift to live true as soon as possible so that children can get on with what they came here to offer the world in their own special way. Essentially, as parents become more conscious, they cannot help but desire that for their children. The grandest hope for their children is not that they fill their lives with endless accomplishments that require a total focus on doing, but rather that they come to know themselves experientially as a unique part of the divine whole through an increasing number of moments of pure being—illumination.

3) Why is parenting our kids to live consciously important? How do your own children feel about your parenting as they get older? Has there ever been any resistance? 

We officially began Soul to Soul Parenting in our home when our children were ages 8, 7 and 4, extremely receptive ages to begin. That having been said, it is never too late to lead the family into deeper contemplation of life in your own way. Our children understand that this is simply part of what we share together as a family, but as with anything worth doing, it doesn’t come without its challenges. Yes, there is some eye-rolling every now and then now that they are teens, but it is our deep understanding that once they move through the necessary move towards independence, by the time they are adults, a model of conscious spirit-embodiment will be the best of what we offered our children. Gone are the days for most where spiritual contemplation takes place in solitude on a mountaintop. We are a modern family leading a very busy life. As you understand the importance of allowing each individual family member to live authentically and follow their passions, a great deal of balance is needed within the family requiring daily reminders and discussions. Also, the more transparent you become, the more you bump up against one another because emotions are no longer stuffed down or denied or saved for later. So a conscious family is definitely not about peace at all costs, but rather utilizes the safety of the family to process all kinds of emotions as they come up so that individuals do not acquire “psychic debris” that will eventually have to be dealt with…

4) What are your guiding principles for Soul to Soul parenting? Are there particular elements that you recommend?

The following ten tips may be useful for parents to post somewhere as a reminder of the guiding principles of Soul to Soul Parenting:

  1. Utilize everyday life—such as friendships, nature, mealtimes, music, movies, and much more—as the perfect curriculum and forum to teach your children powerful, universal principles such as connectedness, self-love, presence, and forgiveness.
  2. Teach your children to allow multiple perspectives in all life situations and relationships by “flipping” challenges into positive, learning opportunities.
  3. Train your children to be more conscious of thoughts, words, and deeds so that they can assume greater responsibility for the shaping of their own reality.
  4. Encourage compassion, empathy and gratitude in your children on a daily basis by making them the most-used words in your home.
  5. Turn the JOY in family life way up by singing, dancing, smiling, humming, laughing, and relaxing rigid perspectives as often as possible through openness and gratitude.
  6. Model authenticity through speaking and living your truth , giving your children permission to do the same.
  7. Show your spirit daily so that your children can witness multiple aspects of you, and in turn, see multiple aspects in themselves.
  8. Teach your children that they are intuitive, creative, eternal spiritual beings—much larger than simply their physical form—and filled with infinite possibility and the capacity for direct divine connection.
  9. Assist your children in understanding that an appreciation for life in the present moment, coupled with enthusiasm for their future, plants the necessary seeds for manifesting their true heart’s desires.
  10. Provide the space and opportunity for your children to focus on their interior world as much as the exterior world, allowing greater intimacy with the voice of their own soul to feel what resonates as truth for them.

5) For readers whose children haven’t been exposed, in the soul to soul sense, to spiritual beliefs or thinking, and their kids are no longer little ones, is it ever too late to begin the process? 

It is NEVER too late to begin a process of personal growth! The book is entirely based on what we have put in place in our own life to offer personal development and expanded spiritual awareness to our children so that they can utilize right now their capacity to lead a conscious and fulfilling life. We did not want them to have to wait for a tragedy or a disappointment to awaken them. Inner work must become a top-priority. Our children are slowly coming to understand that they are responsible for their own reality. They must on the front-end be accountable for thoughts, words, deeds, priorities, choices, beliefs, health, etc. by perceiving themselves as captains of their own ship. Along with that, they can be taught ways to navigate challenges as they occur. This work is ongoing and simultaneous for both the parent and the child—a continual balance of inner and outer pursuits. If there is healing that needs to be done within a child, do not wait! Help them to become clear NOW through any means that feel like a fit—animal therapy, art therapy, water therapy, yoga, meditation, journaling, counseling, channeling, intuitive reading—there is much insight available if one is willing to look both within themselves and outside-of-the-box externally, as well. Once life-affirming themes such as self-love, authenticity, and oneness have been introduced then they can be woven into all aspects of life—friendships, disappointments and choices—to offer an expanded perspective in everyday life.We must help our children to heal so that they can offer their highest potential to the world.

A modern bridge between the mainstream and the mystical, Annie Burnside, M.Ed. is a soul nurturer specializing in conscious relationships and spiritual development. Her first book, Soul to Soul Parenting, won the 2011 Nautilus Silver Book Award and the 2011 Independent Book Award.

If you have enjoyed reading about Soul to soul parenting and are interesting in learning more – grab your copy of Soul to Soul Parenting here, and Annie is also offering a copy to a whipup.net reader, so please leave a comment here to be in the running. You have 48 hours to enter. The winner will be chosen at random and notified via email and announced here on the blog. Thanks so much for reading. 

This competition is now closed – the winner was #9 Sharon. I have emailed you with the details, if you don’t received the email please get in touch with me.

Thanks everyone and thank you Annie!

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Guest blogger series | Finding your creative voice

by contributor on October 25, 2011

in Art+Design, Guest blog series2 2011, Quilting

Victoria Gertenbach is textile artist living in Lancaster County, PA. where her story continues to unfold. To learn more please visit her blog.

Finding Your Creative Voice

Hello Everyone! I’m Victoria from the Silly BooDilly, and I am delighted to be filling in for Kathreen today as one of her guest bloggers while she is on vacation.

When Kathreen first asked me if I would do a guest blog post, I wasn’t sure what I would write about it. So, I started thinking about various topics which are important to me in regards to creativity, and that led me to the topic of finding one’s true creative voice, something I feel very strongly about.

"Work Quilt #1" 2010. Inspired by the surrounding farmland where I live, as well as old patched utilitarian quilts.

It’s common for most of us, when first learning a new craft, to look around at what others are doing. In fact it’s usually seeing what someone else is doing that first sparks our desire to learn about a certain subject. The next obvious step is to try and recreate something similar in look and style to whose ever work it is that we admire. And if we can find any how-to’s provided by them, books featuring them, or take a class taught by them, all the more wonderful, for this helps us learn about process, techniques, and methods.

But too often, (in my personal opinion) folks can easily get stuck in this apprentice stage, embracing and taking on the style of the teacher/influencer to such a degree that they forget to move forward into the next stage, which is where one takes the technical information that they have learned and figures out how to apply that information to express something that can only come from their own unique perspective, which is how true art is born.

So, how does someone find their own creative voice? Well, I think one of the best pieces of advice that I have ever heard about this topic was in regards to writers. You probably have heard it too, at some point…

“If you wish to be a good writer, write about what you know.”

I would suggest that the same holds true for the visual arts. Create what you know. Create what you care about. Create what you are drawn to. Create what you resonate with. Create what you love.

If you follow your heart it will lead you to your soul.

"Barn Door" 2011. Inspired by the beautiful worn and weathered old white barns near where I live.

Start paying attention to what in your environment makes your heart skip a beat. What do you find yourself looking at, photographing, collecting, thinking about? And ask yourself, “why?” Why do you like what you do? Break it down… for example, if you find yourself photographing close up shots of flowers and insects, ask yourself what it is that attracts you to them… is it that you love the relationship between the two? Their colors? Their shapes? If you have a collection of found bird nests on your mantle and artwork of eggs and feathers hanging around your home, ask yourself why… do you like the freedom that birds seem to have? Are you attracted to their ability to weave a nest, (I know I am). Is there something about the shape and/or color of their eggs that lifts your spirit? These types of questions can help you define what it is that you want to explore and express in your art.

Remnants #5 and #4, 2010. Inspired by the lines and shapes found in the old farms near where I live.

If you are attracted to architecture, (as I am) ask yourself, what style of architecture you are drawn to, and what aspects about that style are you most drawn to? And for the record, don’t be surprised if you find yourself drawn to more than one type, even if those types seem to be completely different. (This just proves that you are multi-dimensional!) I for one am very drawn to mid-century design for it’s clean esthetics and use of line. For me it represents order and simplicity, the ability to say more with less. However, I am also extremely drawn to old farm structures, primarily for their worn exterior with peeling paint, their holes and broken windows, their patched and mended areas and their wonderful odd lines and off kilter shapes. For me they represent quiet beauty, endurance, an undying strength of spirit and a life well lived. I also daydream about owning a darling little beach cottage one day, as I love the seaside and associate it with true bliss. And last but not least I have a real attraction to cute vintage trailers as I associate them with one of my favorite childhood books, “The Boxcar Children” which sent my 8 year old self day-dreaming of young independence found in the act of setting up housekeeping in a small place of one’s very own.

Embroidered Miniature Houses, 2011. Inspired by my attraction to little beach cottages and small retro trailers.

Regardless of how many different architectural structures I am attracted to, I know that each one holds something personal for me, and that’s the key…

As soon as you start to examine what truly resonates with you, and figure out why it pulls at you, you will begin to create your own personal foundation that you can then build upon with a body of work that reflects you as an creative individual.

Everybody has a story to tell. What’s yours?

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Guest blogger series | Everyday inspiration

by contributor on September 8, 2011

in Art+Design, Guest blog series2 2011

Alexandra Smith aka Lola, writes the blog Lola Nova – Whatever Lola Wants. She is a mother, wife, designer, musician, and maker of 100% pure handmade goodness.  She lives in a little green cottage in the Pacific Northwest United States with her family, some lovely lady hens, The Buddha Cat and an ever changing population of fish.

Everyday Inspiration

How lovely to be asked to guest post here at Whipup.net, a place so chock full of inspiration and wonderful folks, thank you Kathreen!

So I have been thinking about inspiration lately; where does it come from? In this modern life we live, we have access to so much through our technology; there are amazing blogs, fantastic music, images from all over the world at our fingertips. Many of us have access to museums, galleries and exhibits that fill our heads with new and exciting ideas. However, in this modern life we live, there is also an issue of time. We are all so busy; we have jobs, families, homes to manage, etc. and often it is a struggle to find time just to make something - let alone go to a museum, craft fair or to spend hours scouring the internet. I am no exception.

Recently, I was caught up in the whirlwind of everyday life, feeling un-inspired and a little sorry for myself if the truth be told. After a long afternoon of wearing my grumpy pants and punctuating my chores with heavy sighs, I looked around and realized that no one was going to take me by the hand and say, “There, there dear, why don’t you take the afternoon off and go to the museum and while you’re at it, get yourself some cake.”  No, I was going to have to buck up and find my inspiration in the everyday stuff.

Here are some of the ways in which I found inspiration in the small details of everyday living:

*I picked up a new notebook, made myself a little pouch to keep the essentials in… a small pair of scissors, tape, a glue stick, pens and pencils, as well as a wee sewing kit. Now armed with everything I needed, every outing became an opportunity to look for inspiration. I collect things; a feather, an interesting scrap of paper, a leaf to press between the pages, and I add them to my notebook. Some days it is just a single tidbit with a small note, other days it may fill up a few pages with drawings, observations and thoughts. Whatever the case may be, I find it opens up my eyes and my imagination.

*I engage my daughter in the exercise as well, she has her own notebook and we talk about what we find and why we chose those things. If we don’t have time to put everything in our books, we save things in our pouches until we have a moment to stick them in.

*I take my camera everywhere; going for walks, trips to the park, even to my back yard, and I take pictures of things that strike my fancy. No pebble, stick, fence post, storm drain or bit of dandelion fluff is safe from my lens. I discover patterns, colors, shapes and textures that fascinate and inspire me.

*My daughter and I play a game while riding in the car that is a little like “Eye Spy” only we call it “I Like.”  We call out, “I like the way that yellow sign looks against the blue sky!” or “I like that giant letter M on that brick building!” or “I like how that tree looks like an old man!” It’s all about opening our eyes to the little details we often miss.

*I remind myself to turn on music that makes me happy. It just works.

All of these things make an impression and they lead to inspiration that makes its way into my work. Not all of it turns into a dress, a quilt, a cushion, or a handbag but, I am often surprised how these little inspirations show up in something I have made, sometimes in ways I would never have imagined.

…and yes, I have even been inspired while doing the laundry.

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Books | 2 books for creative kids

by kath_red on August 23, 2011

in Books, Kids Crafts

These two books recently came into my house at about the same time, and not that long after my Kids’ Crafternoon series came out, it seems too serendipitous not to write about them – they both advance the creative kids cause – so if you have some crafty and creative kids in your life, or you want to get more creative with your kids – read on.

Little things by busy hands is written by Katie Evans and published by Penguin/Puffin Australia. This book is just perfect for primary school aged kids who like to make little things with fabric but don’t yet have the skills or confidence to use a sewing machine. Sweet projects like a hand sewn stuffed toy, and a glue and fabric wall art piece, some simple bunting flags and a plaited rag table mat are just a few of the projects in this book – along with non fabric projects like a paper lantern and a clay brooch. The instructions are simple and appropriate and the accompanying illustrations are cute too! In Katie Evans words: The idea of the book is to get kids to be resourceful – to try new things on their own with minimal supervision and come up with something they are proud of and want to display.

Playful Learning: Develop Your Child’s Sense of Joy and Wonder by Mariah Bruehl (published by Roost books), is a mighty book full of both practical projects and tested theories on playschool learning. With so much schooling based on tests and sitting at desks, this book is a lovely fresh look at a more hands on playful approach to the early childhood school years. This book is very much after my own heart and feels very real and necessary so we can get back our wonder of childhood and help our children develop a lifelong love of learning.

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For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

Guest blogger series: Listen to your hands

by kath_red on March 7, 2011

in Guest Series 2011

Today I want to welcome Guillaume Wolf “Prof G.” who is transforming the way we feel about creativity. The French author, teacher and mentor is showing people around the world how they can activate their creative power in any area of their lives. He self published, “The Creative Advantage Book” which reveals his easy, step-by-step formula, so you can learn how to think, feel and act like the best Creatives in the world – to create the results you want. We reviewed his book here.

There is something amazing hidden in every craft project: the capacity you have with your hands to create beauty (sometimes using the simplest of elements). Craft is, in a sense, “beauty created out of nothing” — which is quite extraordinary when you think about it.

Whether you choose to playfully customize an everyday object, or focus on creating unique pieces, the “act of craft” feels like a meditation: the sense of time disappears, and everyday problems seem to vanish. In Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this state where “Concentration is so intense that there is no attention left over to think about anything irrelevant, or to worry about problems. Self-consciousness disappears, and the sense of time becomes distorted.” This is the bliss of craft.

And when you’re in the zone, this is an opportunity to let your creative mind roam free. New ideas will come to you, untold possibilities will suddenly arise. I call this method to find new creative ideas the S-Process (S stands for subconscious). And while other artists might enter this space through their brains (writers, philosophers, scientists etc.), in the craft sphere it is your hands that serve as an entry point — they are the key to the poetic dimension in your life.

Take a moment and look at your hands — what do you see? Isn’t it interesting that all your life appears on these little fellows? Every single moment that ever counted (good or bad) is here. Your hands carry their own memory and everytime you connect with them, you tap into the wholeness of your life. This is perhaps why craft projects can be so vibrant.

On your next craft project I want to invite you to do two things:
1. Bring a notebook and write down any new idea that comes to you while you’re in the “act of craft.” See what comes up.
2. I also want to challenge you to listen to your hands. What do they want to do next? How far do they want to go?

Listen, and follow their gentle whisper, you may be in it for a treat.

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