Art has a unique way of expressing emotions that often escape our words. In a world filled with chaos, it is often the quiet moments that provide clarity and insight. Today, I'll take you on a journey, transforming everyday experiences into poetry. This expressive art form invites us to shift our thoughts from prose to poetry, uncovering meaning in the seemingly mundane. This morning started with the soft rays of sunlight streaming through my window. It was a beautiful day; t

Please enjoy the My Doll activity as part of your jorney of self reflection and growth with Paint Yoga. Create your own personal "voodoo doll" of yourself. Use her as imaginary Midol®. Use physical media like paper, fabric, clay, etc., to sculpt your “self” in doll form, digital drawing programs, or get social with whatever avatar you like online. Choose to create the aspirational self for physical transformation, weight loss, or gain, pain relief visualization, or a companio

Last week my Facebook profile was tken down because an instagram user I've never heard of violated community standards??? Overcoming the loss of Facebook’s digital network to forge deeper, intentional face-to-face connections and community growth. There is no way to contact a human being, and my appeal seems to be submitted to nothing. I requested a download of my profile, but all that I got are profile photos - 15 years of photo albums, groups and events, messages.... and ac

This year is commonly being thrown under the bus as one of the worst in history. No doubt many families agree that this past year has shown them new meanings of loss and devastation that they never would have imagined. Even so, many of us do have a handful of blessings, and learning experiences to be grateful for in spite of the pantheon of political, pandemic, and other stressors we’ve been through in the past 12 months. For example, even though it has been possible to vide

We are all haunted on one level or another by our past and future fears. Parts of ourselves that made mistakes, were harmed by others, things we want to move beyond, and can't quite seem to ever fully escape, fears of repeating the same patterns... Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Gustav Jung, called this dark part of ourselves "shadow" because it always follows, no matter how hard we try to supress or move beyond our discomfort. Through a variety of education and life experience, I

I bow to the One-with-the-Face-of-an-Elephant, she whom the primordial gods honored when beginning new ventures, so that success ...

The concept of Paint Yoga is to provide the students with a classroom, supplies, and open ended instruction so that they can...

https://www.summitlighthouse.org/archangel-michael-faith/ One of my various teachers who I worked with in creating my video series, and with whom I've been working in groups which meet in his home, uses a tracking metaphor to make meaning of our lives. I've been working with him for about 18 month now, and it's always interesting to see what comes up. I don't want to go into too much detail of what happened medically, behaviorally, familialpolitically, etc., but the archetype

Have you heard that "Carnism is the invisible belief system, or ideology, that conditions people to eat certain animals. Carnism is essentially the opposite of veganism, as “carn” means “flesh” or “of the flesh” and “ism” refers to a belief system."? In her argument, Dr. Melanie Joy talks about which animals we believe are sacred or profane - we eat certain animals, and judge other cultures for eating animals we don't, and it's a belief system we all have accepted (in our na

I've always loved to create artwork. I was always working on something in high school, but somewhere I started believing that my art...

Thank you to the Finger Lakes Health Fair for putting on an AMAZING event! Please remember to check out my Youtube for excerpts from the event in the spring season of the video series. Since the Yoga Festival I had hoped to attend in August was cancelled, the Health Fair was my first event setting up a tent and performing sample reiki on my own. This was a completely different experience than being a volunteer in the Grassroots Healing Arts area. My video of that will be on I

What's been going on for Teaching Ithaca Wellness LLC over the summer is truly amazing! I hope to accomplish amazing things with Toga Yoga and the College Cuddle over the next few weeks as well, and I am looking forward to the Finger Lakes Health Fair later in September. I had an amazing time in the Hudson valley completing the in-person Foundations of Facilitation, I held 2.5 Cuddle Parties in June, and my 3rd review party a week ago today, and I'm looking forward to officia

If you've ever really read the myth of Pandora's box, then you may know that "hope" is the only demon that was never vanquished. When I completed the Radiance Course at Yoga Farm, I vaguely recall receiving a stone marked "hope," but I can't find it or recall what has become of it. I felt deja vu when I also received "hope" on the completion stone for Foundations of Facilitation I recently attended through Cuddle Party facilitation training. Tracking that, I have a new opport

Well, I was planning to give this a go at the Finger Lakes Yoga Festival, but that event was mysteriously canceled, so I've decided to...

Have you ever known someone who has a counter argument for everything, a road block for every solution you put forth? That's the way I feel about my best friend sometimes. She got me into yoga almost 20 years ago, she's knowledgeable about nutrition, I admire her amazing art projects, and all the many reasons that all these years she remains my bestie, but in the face of crisis it becomes difficult to remember to love unconditionally. It's easy to love the sunshine and good t

Alison Rawlins has earned an MS degree in Strategic Communication from Ithaca College, this degree was built on undergraduate studies at Tompkins Cortland Community College and Empire State College Center for Distance Learning. Following college studies, Rawlins has been initiated in Heartpath Reiki, and earned her RYT 200 through Yoga Farm. She has earned certification in Alternatives to Violence Project as a residential facilitator. Professional Certifications & Prior Learn

I just completed the in-person portion of my Cuddle Party facilitator training, and I'm excited for the various events coming over the next couple of months: I'll be tabling at the Community Awareness Resource Engagement Service (CARES) area talking about affirmative consent, assisting with costuming for the Happiness Parade, and also collecting footage for my video project at Grassroots July 19th -22. Next, I intend to begin filming one wellness expert per week beginning th

Chief Inspiration Officer, Alison Rawlins, created this set of examples to use for your own inspiration. The goal is to relax and have...

Surely your results will vary - the following is a story about my personal experience today. I've been working at setting up this business since the beginning of the year, but I'm not really fully functioning as in consistent revenues yet. I am highly organized, and I could even say that I embody a strong will and dedication to completing projects, but without clear deadlines and other accountability like a "real job" it can be difficult to feel as though things are being acc

Paint Yoga is inspired by yoga class and Paint Night (https://www.paintnite.com/) events. I want to bring the benefits of yoga and of...