Meraki - (def.) to do something with soul, creativity or love;
to put something of yourself in your work.
Meraki: A Healing Creative Journey is a six week experiential class devoted to using our creativity to find our way through heartache, grief and just the pain of everyday life. As a therapist, I have worked with clients as they journeyed through the emotions of loss, depression, grief and sadness. On a personal note, I have traveled through those same deep emotions in the past year.
As I work through some of the loss and grief I have experienced, I've created this class to share the journey and to hopefully create a community of fellow travelers who are moving along the road from loss to healing to resilience to hope.
Everyone has experienced loss. For some of us, it is the loss of a dream or a hoped for outcome. For others, it's the loss of a career, loss of good health or an ability, or the loss of a way of life. For still others, it's the loss of a beloved person from accident, illness or suicide. It's the loss of a parent, a good friend, a child, a baby.
Loss is painful and creating art is no fair trade for what we have lost.
"Creating something good out of loss is not a trade, and it's not a cure.
Pain is not redeemed by art.
And yet, we make art anyway.
Writing the story of what was is no fair trade for not being allowed to continue living what was.
And yet, we write anyway.
The truth is, pain, like love, needs expression. Some of us use words. Some paint. Some build, some invent, some serve. We are story-telling creatures."
~Megan Devine
Pain is not redeemed by art.
And yet, making art can be a healing thing. Making art or taking photos or writing words or building tables can help us to process the emotions and, in our own way, to tell our story.
While we will be talking about loss, especially in the first couple of weeks, Meraki: A Healing, Creative Journey will also be about
- having fun,
- giving yourself permission to create something new,
- learning to make art without self criticism,
- doing reflective and creative writing,
- and participating in a healing creative process.
With a little NEUROSCIENCE thrown in...
I'll also be teaching a little bit about the most recent research on neuroscience (brain science) and creativity as well as some new findings on neuroscience and grief/ loss. If you know me, you know I love some neuropsychology and talking about how our brain works. Find out the different ways your brain gets a creative buzz going... and how loss and trauma affect the brain.
Meraki: A Healing Creative Journey launches on March 6, 2019.
Join us and explore your creativity!
What this class is NOT:
It is NOT an art class - no artistic "skill" or previous knowledge is needed. It's not a challenge to create something bigger or better than someone else or to create anything to frame or display or publish. You won't learn any true art techniques or writing skills.
This class is NOT a cure for grief or loss or sadness. It's not a guarantee that you will feel better. The truth is pain needs expression. We can use words, paint, pencils, fabric scraps, and even wood and stones and chocolate. Creative expression can be a healing thing - but it's not a cure.
It is NOT a place for cliches. You won't hear "Everything happens for a reason" or "God just needed them more" or any of the other terrible things people say to you after a loss. We call BS on all those phrases.
So what is this class about?
Meraki: A Healing Creative Journey is more of a collaboration - a place to share our creative efforts, our stories, our progress. It's a place to be motivated and to be held accountable.
It's a place to get un-stuck.
It's a place to re-imagine your life from whatever situation you find yourself in.
It's a place for anyone who is feeling the struggles of life and who is searching for a way to express what's going on inside.
Meraki: A Healing Creative Journey is a place to listen to your life and create scraps of art from what you hear. It's a place to put down words in prose or poetry, to brush paint onto a canvas, to snap a photograph or simply color a mandala.
It's a place to practice doing something with soul, with creativity and with great love.
Art is often created through the re-imagining of ordinary things.
Each week's lesson will include:
- A theme and creative prompt for the week
- A short written or video lesson (10 minutes or less)
- A bit of neuroscience (brain science) related to creativity and loss
- A short guided meditation
- 3 different creative exercises to try (or make up your own)
- A place to share your creative efforts and a piece of your story
It is my hope the this class will become a community
of sharing, of art, and of healing.
Keep scrolling for more info...
Your Instructor
Anita Flowers, MA, BCC is a writer, counselor, teacher and fellow traveler. She has a master's degree in clinical psychology and over 20 years experience in counseling and working with individuals as they struggle with the challenges of life and work.
She is a creative spirit and usually has several creative projects going at once. Anita has taught creativity classes and creative meditation workshops and has written for several publications and online websites.
Anita is also a lover of travel and has visited 5 of the seven continents and she is working on plans for the last two. You can read her thoughts on adventure, creativity and life at ordinarywandering.com and her blog about discovering a life and career you love at bluesagecareers.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
The class begins on March 6, 2019.
Sign up now to reserve your spot.
A limited number of spaces are available for individual, one on one work with Anita via phone or video chat.
Sign up now to meet with Anita individually for one or more sessions.