Ever have an experience where you feel like your whole body does an exhale of energy and emotions?
I had that experience last November at Montine Blank’s ‘Free Yourself’ Intuition Painting® & Yoga retreat at our nature sanctuary and retreat center, Bend of Ivy Lodge. From what I’d learned about Montine and her work, I knew it was going to be impactful.
It was. And more than I expected.
It was an incredibly restorative, fun and illuminating retreat experience. I painted a constantly changing art piece, as did the other participants. Sometimes I liked my piece and sometimes I didn’t. I felt a flow of energy and emotions, occasional emptiness and many ‘ah has’. Things appeared in my painting that I often didn’t see at first. Unintentional images popping up. This happened to others too. I got lost in the paint, and flow. Often I stopped using a brush, using my fingers, hands, and sponges to create.
Montine plays a vital role as a guide and instructor in facilitating this flow experience of intuition and art. Equally significant is her unique process. Montine would say it’s the unconscious, spirit and field that’s creating.
As a designer for 15 years in a ‘former life’ (pre-2008 in Pittsburgh), I drafted garden plans and renderings. I created gardens, and technical garden drawings. I loved that job and designing garden and landscape spaces. This is a different creating. Of an unconscious Inner Self, becoming more conscious. Montine names it. It’s Intuition Painting®.
What I do know, have learned, is that art is a restorative release for me. That makes sense, aligns for me as an Enneagram dominant Type Two. In Enneagram jargon (I’m an Ennea nerd/ coach as you may know) an Enneagram dominant Type Two (Considerate Helper), has a Growth Release Line to Type Four (Intense Creative). Yep, that fits me.
Discovering your leading Enneagram Type, and its Release Growth Line, can help you be healthier, calmer and more resilient.
So does playing and creating art. For that, Montine has two retreats coming up at Bend of Ivy in 2024. Next one is July 11-14… Free Yourself, Intuition Painting® & Yoga Retreat
What restores, renews and expands you?
To get better, healthier… Find your release practices and gems. Then do them.