It is with deep sadness that I share the news that one of my beloved painting mentors, Aviva Gold MFA, MPS, CSW, ATR-BC, REAT transitioned on August 31st, at age 83. Aviva crossed the veil, leaving behind a legacy of deep teaching and life-long learning, inspiring many students world-wide to partake in a unique form of creative self-inquiry. Having acquired her masters degree in painting, and many additional credentials, she practiced as a therapist for many years. From New York to California to Arizona and beyond, she worked within various communities across the globe including corporate ones. Aviva shared her love of intuitive painting with groups small and large, holding retreats and workshops, consulting privately, all the while continuing her own process of painting intuitively. Her book, Painting from the Source, documents her journey to develop a method of intuitive painting which is noted to be unlike any other currently being taught/facilitated. I and many others will always be grateful for her unswerving commitment to self-discovery through this profoundly powerful method of process painting. You will be missed, Aviva. Much respect and love for you as you journey to where you need to go.
As we transition from season to season most of us experience a variety of feelings: gratitude for a growing season which reliably appeared, sadness that our easeful ability to fly out the door will soon be laden with practical coat, gloves, boots, and scarves…For me these seasonal transitions also inspire an assessment as to how I wish to spend my time over winter season. I usually set some goals to accomplish over the colder months – tasks and study which I know I cannot accomplish through the busy time of B & B activity. Some people wait until January to set their new year goals. I feel that urge in late summer just before autumn arrives. I review how I’ve grown, where I may have stagnated, what I will give away, (figuratively and literally), and what new positive grooves (samskāras) I wish to nurture onto my karmic path in the coming year. This fall I look forward to a meditation course, a pranayama (breathing) course, some painting time, and working on tasks around the house. In essence I assess my ongoing personal transformation including my quality of mind.
The recent and very successful pilot, Cactus & Lotus Wellness Retreat, held here at Sky Story earlier this month provided seven people, (mostly non-artists), plus me, a beautiful opportunity to conduct this type of deep self-inquiry. We examined our relationship with the land, further developed our sense of compassion for other beings, and creatively explored a range of feelings and the need to move through to something else.
Whether we are stuck, confused or gripped by grief, entering a new phase of life, leaving one behind, discovering how to build our capacity for effecting change in the world or learning how to release attachments which hold us back…Spending time in quietude, with a small group of like-minded beings can provide an effective nest to safely fledge our transition, our transformation. If you know of anyone who might need some immersive time in nature with the opportunity to respond creatively, please share the following link. The grasslands are a unique and special place on the globe to do this deep work. Stay tuned for a website update as to the next Cactus & Lotus Wellness Retreat in late spring!
Cactus & Lotus Wellness Retreat (Nature, Meditation, Art)
May all beings be well. hiy hiy.
Inner & Outer Landscapes: Exploring Impermanence