Quotation: Music Is A Mirror

"Whatever you want to do with your personal life, your career, your brand – it’s all there inside you. You don’t need to ask anyone for permission or approval. You have all the answers. Instead of running to the latest workshop or guru, you need to slow down and tap into your gut wisdom. My gut never leaves me astray."

- Kris Carr -

"Do not assume that divine guidance flows only when you are in need of help. Guidance continues to flow whether or not you have problems. It transcends problems, heartbreaks, and traumas, flowing through dreams and illuminations. Whether guidance comes during times of tranquility or trauma, however, it is up to you to have the courage to acknowledge it."

- Caroline Myss -

“I believe your spine responds to music in a way that it might not respond to visuals. That sound can reach inside you in a very primal way. I like to create these sonic resorts that people can walk into and never leave their chair. Then they can take it back into their own physical structure. Music is a mirror that lets the listener say, ‘I can be in the stillness in this two-bar phrase, so I can be in the stillness in my life.’ And that might not seem like a lot, but this is how you expand the soul.”

 - Tori Amos -

Imaginspiration: She Is Risen

Forever Song by Tiffany Atkin

Breath by Bec Schopen

This Now Is It by Angi and Silas

Love Is All You Need by Pip Gerard

Quotation: Watch Me

“But I think that a lot of us are trapped in our limitations. But limitations come from not physical limitations but I think internal limitations. We have perceptions of ourselves that we took on from other people’s opinions of us which formed the way we see ourselves. That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who we are. I think most people are trapped in these opinions and wear them like a hefty bag. And we almost asphyxiate ourselves with other people’s ideas of who we are. I don’t know if you could call this being serious. I see it more as an explorer. I see myself as an explorer asking questions, not necessarily having many answers.”

- Tori Amos -

"You have the innate freedom of emotion, imagination, fascination and desires, and you're not concerned with what other people think of you, or conforming, or repressing yourself. I think it's natural for all human beings to be free and not self-conscious. And fuck everyone who tells you otherwise- who cares what you do? Do what feels good in your heart. Do what makes you an individual."

- Natasha Khan -

"There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you've got to do is turn around and say, 'Watch me'." 

- Layne Beachley -

Imaginspiration: Stained Glass Windows...

Forever Seventeen by Tiffany Atkin

Inner Peace by Karin Taylor

May Your Life Be... by Angi and Silas

Enchanting Grotto by Aimee Stewart

Quotation: Setting Off Lightbulbs...

"We grow primarily through our challenges, especially those life-changing moments when we begin to recognize aspects of our nature that make us different from the family and culture in which we have been raised."

- Caroline Myss -

"A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone. It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose. It doesn’t have to. It is different. And there’s room in the garden for every flower. You didn’t have to struggle to make your face different than anyone else’s on earth. It just is. You are unique because you were created that way. Look at little children in kindergarten. They’re all different without trying to be. As long as they’re unselfconsciously being themselves, they can’t help but shine. It’s only later, when children are taught to compete, to strive to be better than others, that their natural light becomes distorted."

- Marianne Williamson –

My hope is that in some small way as a writer... you set off lightbulbs for other people and their wholeness. That means their shadows, parts of themselves they amputated out of shame. This is done by many many people... Our wholeness is what makes a conscious planet. And to me, that’s really what Utopia is, people exploring their uniqueness and having respect for each other's uniqueness. Not one of us has the magic; all of us have the unique magic. If I can remind one person of this, maybe they can remind me, when I’m having a bad day and I’ve forgotten my uniqueness.”

- Tori Amos -

Imaginspiration: Blue Skies Are In My Head...

The Hero In You by Pip Gerard

Cheeky Monkey by Aimee Stewart

Unfurl by Angi and Silas

She just waited..... and it was worth it. by Tiffany Atkin

House Of Hope: An Eating Disorder Photography Exhibition & Fundraiser

Images are powerful. No question about it. We see thousands of images on a daily basis, and they impact upon our view of the world and our place within it in a myriad of ways.

When it comes to the topic of Eating Disorders & Body Image, there is a heavy emphasis on the negative. From the perils of Photoshop, to the unrealistic representation of beauty within a very narrow range of size, shapes & flawless appearance. I'm not saying it's not important to highlight the impact this has, and it's a topic that I'm bound to return to at another time, but I think it's just as important to recognize and throw our support behind the positive impact that images can have. Whether it's visual art, photography, or typography, images have power to uplift, inspire and brighten someone's day in an incredible way. Images can also communicate words that can't be spoken; truths that remain hidden; and tell a story in a language that is universal & individual both at once. Art saves.

This is something Melbourne photographer Emma McEvoy knows well. Her blog, She Takes Flight, is covered in amazing, beautiful, positive, inspiring images and it’s for that reason that 1000’s of followers - or ‘warrior’s’ as she prefers to call them – visit on a daily basis to make life seem just that little bit easier. Whether it be someone recovering from an Eating Disorder, struggling with depression, or simply looking for a dose of life-affirming positivity, it’s evident that her blog has a meaningful impact.

In her upcoming exhibition, House Of Hope, Em seeks to tell her own story of recovery from an Eating Disorder and give insight beyond the cold words surrounding the illness(es), that too often paint a black & white picture, of what is an experience with many shades for most. Through her photography she hopes to convey a real understanding of what it’s like to experience an Eating Disorder, without becoming mired in the bleakness or the behaviours. Eating Disorders remain poorly understood illnesses, and a part of the reason why is the prevalence of misinformation, myth and sensationalism. House Of Hope is a much needed and beautiful antidote. It’s not to say that the painful, difficult aspects of an Eating Disorder should be glossed over, on the contrary, but it’s so very important to understand that an Eating Disorder is something a person experiences – it’s NOT a part of that person or something by which they should be defined or judged. There is a beautiful soul within that deserves the same empathy and compassion as any other human being, and as an ED often robs the person of their ability to offer themselves those things, the role that friends and family play in support and understanding can be vital – yet such a difficult balance to find.

Equally important is the message of hope. When in the midst of an Eating Disorder, recovery can seem like something completely out of reach, but it is entirely possible, and I believe that’s true for every person. It’s not an easy path to walk, but I found that my own journey of recovery contained some of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learnt, and despite the difficulty, was worth every step. In sharing Em’s own experience through photography, House Of Hope is a reminder to ANYONE experiencing an Eating Disorder that you are not alone, that it does get easier, and that freedom is a possible dream worth chasing - because you ARE worth it.

The Exhibition goes beyond just photography, set in a character house and described by Em as being ‘multi-sensory’, you’ll have to attend to find out just what she means by that, but I have no doubt this is going to be a very special event and I hope that all of you in & around Melbourne will make your presence felt. I sadly cannot be there in person, but will certainly be there in spirit. 

House Of Hope will be held on the 6th of September with all funds raised going to The Butterfly Foundation(see below for details and RSVP). Please visit the House Of Hope Facebook page to help make this amazing, important event as successful as it deserves to be.