Stepping into My Power & The Laws of Attraction

As you may have read in my earlier blogs, to create a nurturing work environment for my hearing conditions, I have taken an old shop in the small rural town of Llandysul near my weaver's cottage in West Wales and am in the process of converting it into my studio. 

I've been there 2 months now. When I took the shop I didn't really know what I would be doing there, I just knew that I had to find a new way of working that nurtured my hearing needs. I have let the space and the community within which I am based and off course, the Universe in her infinite wisdom, inform me as to how Quiet Space will 'be'. 

By doing this I have found myself getting up to all sorts of capers that I might never have thought of had I worked in my usual way, before my hearing loss, which was to have a great BIG plan.

Having no plan, other than to create a nurturing environment, has worked a treat as 2 months on I feel ready to step into my power. In short, I now know the seed of what I am and what Quiet Space is, and am ready to grow it like a beautiful rambling rose, that twists and turns as time ticks by.

By creating a nurturing environment for myself that is easily accessible and on the main street, by offering the things that are nurturing me, I am attracting the people that would like the same nuturing &/or advice and guidance with regard to Holisitic Arts, that is the combination of Creativity and it's therapeutic benefits with the Holisitic Therapies, such as Essential oils, Reiki, Guided Meditation and Mantra.

Through this process, I have learnt two of the most valuable lessons of my entire life: the first is a lesson in trust. I think perhaps I previously made big plans in an attempt to have some sort of perceived control over my life but waking up without my hearing, replaced by constant tinnitus and hyperacusis has really shown me that I can plan all I like, but control is a figment of the human imagination.

I have spent the last 10 months focusing totally on creating a nurturing and healing environment that made me feel as though life was a joyous place to be, rather than a prison. And now, I can step into my full power and offer these learnings to others through my Holistic Arts Consultancy at Quiet Space Studio because people who want this, are walking through my door. 

And here in lie the 2nd lesson: Attraction. Simply by being, I am attracting folk who also want, need, wish to 'be' in the same way as me. I hope that makes sense. I didn't really understand the laws of attraction before, but I can see it clearly now. I haven't even got a sign above my door and yet folk are attracted to come and talk to me about alternative ways to live with their health needs because they can see through the shop window, that's what I am doing.

Here is another small example of Attraction. I put a unit in my Studio window with small boxes to rent out to other crafters and artists on a peppercorn rent to help with my bills. I didn't advertise it. The empty boxes themselves attracted people who came and asked me if they could have a box. Now, the old me, would have made a poster and put a whole advertising campaign together to attract folk to rent the boxes but the empty boxes themselves did all the work. That's a real insight, isn't it. It's made me think about where else in my life I put things in place that do not need to be there.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have designed a new poster today that I have shared at the top of this post. I feel it represents me fully stepping into being an Holisitic Arts Consultant at Quiet Space Studio. In my next post I will tell you all about the painting I have used in the poster. I'm not much of a painter, but this angel came to me in a very special way indeed ...

Hearing Stories

Earlier this week, I had a visit from Rosemary Jones at Quiet Space Studio & Gallery. She is with Pentrecwrt WI. She called in to say 'hello' and had seen my sign on the door regarding my hearing.

We had a lovely chat about her life as a hearing impaired person. Rosemary explained what it was like when she first went deaf at 6 years old and as she told me her story, I had an idea.

I asked Rosemary if she would kindly allow me to record her story to start a new multi media project which will be based at my Quiet Space website. 

'Hearing Stories'  will explore the life experiences of people who live with hearing loss; how it happened, how they felt, how they came to terms with it and what their life is like now, giving a voice to our hidden disability.

Rosemary has her first hearing aid from her childhood and she had planned to bring it in today for me to photograph it but she couldn't find it. She told me that was will pray to St.Anthony who apparently is the patron Saint of Lost Causes and can help to find things. I have every faith that it will turn up before next Tuesday when Rosemary is coming back to do the interview.

Isn't is amazing how the Universe is bringing me exactly the right people. 

Mastering the Art of Thresholds

 One of the interesting things about being at Quiet Space Studio & Gallery is that folk tend to peer in the window, see me, we smile, then they come to the door but they do not come in.

I literally have to stand up from my chair and verbally invite them to step into the studio. Once in, they do not wander around, nor read any of the poems that I have installed on the wall. It's almost as if they feel they are imposing.

My friend Prue reminded me of the importance of thresholds. So, I have begun a series of what are essentially drama and iconography experiments to see if there is a change to the way people access the space.

All of this is great R&D for my first exhibition for the release of my Anthology The Beauty of Decay at the end of the Summer.

In response to this, I have installed a mobile of feathers and parts of the poem Earth Angel Tinnitus, alongside the poem in the floating frame on the wall. In the frame above the poem, some more floating feathers. 

I will sit with this for a while and see how folk respond when they come in. 

I have also ordered some prints of a photo shoot that I did with a pair of angel wings. The feathers are from these wings. However, I would like to give the viewer space to think, rather than say 'Look! Look here's a picture of an angel!' 

I am hoping the mobile will draw them over to the poem, they will read the poem fragments on the mobile and as a result go the poem on the wall.

Twice today I have offered to do a reading of the poem to visitors. This has worked really well. 

It was quiet a big thing for me. I have not been able to 'peform' nor even do a reading comfortably in the 9 months without hearing or hearing aid because I can not hear my voice and consequently, I lose a sense of rhythm ... I can't focus on the piece because I am focussed on the ricidulously loud sounds in my head, which block out my voice. But with the hearing aid, I can hear myself over the tinnitus. It is absolutely wonderful. I can hear every word that I am saying and so, doing a reading is absolutely possible again, even enjoyable.

I have started thinking of new ways to disrupt the space.

This evening Jeff came over and we moved all the furniture round but I didn't like it. I suppose it is a toss up between having the space in  a position that suits me as a studio when I am working and then wanting to change it to make it an exhibition space that engages others to come in. I think this maybe the only option when the time comes to launch the exhibition. But I will keep on experimenting. After all, that's the fun of it.

Stepping into the light

This photograph is of the inside of a tree that has been chopped down in our woods. You can see how old she was by all the rings and cracks but in editing this image, these crevices are where the light comes in. The light is shining through my cracks this week and I am stepping into it with a lightness of heart. I have my new hearing aid & it really is a miracle. Every time I hear something that I have missed, I weep with joy, write poems about it and sing in my heart so that my whole body dances within. When I put the hearing aid on, it is as if someone has turned the light on.

In 3 months, I go back to audiology and if things have gone well, I get the 2nd one. I can't wait.

My tinnitus is much less noticeable when I have it on and built into it there is a tinnitus surpressor. Off course, I have to take it off at night but I have been given tinnitus supressors to put into my pillow. I haven't tried them yet but I will let you know how I get on.

Off course, now that I can hear my own voice in my head, I have been singing. I didn't think I would ever hear my voice again. When I sing now, I can feel it in every single cell of my body.

I could list a 1000 things that have touched me since getting this amazing piece of technology, but instead I will pluck up the courage to record the poems that I have written and share them with you because they say everything and more.

If you have hearing difficulties, please get some help because truthfully, my hearing aid has given me back my quality of life.