Many, many moons ago I owned a metaphysical store and had as many as nine psychics working for me at any one time. I taught classes on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection with ancient wisdom school exercises. If a student were to do their exercises they were assured of increasing their intuitive and psychic abilities. These were the same exercises that I had been doing since I got into an esoteric school at age 29. I was now 37 years old. At this time I was also inspired by the visionary and shamanic art of Susan Seddon Boulet and Alex Grey. I would go home after a long day and paint when I could grab a moment or two, doing my best to access my inner vision and bring it out into some sort of visionary art painting. (I had been born with the gift of artistry and had drawn and painted since I was a could recall.)

In 1991, it was a white light mystical experience that led me to leave the esoteric school I had been a teacher and school director in for four years. Shortly after the white light experience I received a vision in meditation that brought me to create my metaphysical store DreamWeaver. Now in the mid 90s I prayed for vision and understanding on how to bring my healing and spiritual awareness together with my artistic expression. Inspired by Boulet and Grey, I often would paint or draw faces from my inner vision, always asking, “Are you one of my guides?” or “Who are you?” By 1995 I painted my first visionary art painting “Guardians”, depicting what I considered a Native American version of Archangel Michael as an Eagle person and the guardian of my inner child, and of my two other totem animals of wolf and owl. I had a strong sense that this was my higher guidance showing me about the protection and guidance that was always available to me. Yet as powerful, beautiful or guided this art was, at the time I never utilized my metaphysical store to share my art with others.

After these first visionary art paintings came to me, I continued to pray as to how my art would meet my life as spiritual teacher and healer. Then one day in 1995 I heard inwardly as clear as a bell, “Soul Portraits.” My first thought was, “Oh Shit!” I knew exactly what Soul Portraits meant and what I was being guided to do. My greatest desire brought my greatest fear … I had to sit with another person and BE THE CHANNEL or the PSYCHIC!! Oh no! I was supposed to sit and SEE another’s beautiful multi-dimensional soul self and bring their energy, essence and vision of their soul self onto canvas to help heal that person’s identity/ego, perception and energy matrix (their auric field) so they could be more of who they really are on a soul level. I was to be the channel for guidance not only visually, but also to hear guidance and share that with the person. I was now THAT OTHER PERSON who was to sit in the chair as the PSYCHIC. “OH SHIT.”

Though given the guidance in 1995 for doing soul portraits, it wasn’t until 2003 that this really unfolded into my life full time. Since it scared some part of me to death, I had to face the fears through a variety of circumstances born of self-denial. Yet, time passed, I healed the fear and again was presented with the opportunity of giving myself full time to doing soul portraits and visionary art in 2003. Though I hadn’t painted in five years, again, soul portraits were calling me from my inner world of guidance. This time I realized it was too painful when I suppressed my guidance and my gifts, so I called a friend and did my first soul portrait in six years. This time it was in a new and vibrant medium of high quality acrylic paints.

Magic unfolded as I gave myself to the process of soul portraits and the gifts of my empathic, intuitive, artist self. As change was ever present in my life, I asked my higher guidance “if this is what you want me to do, then show me.” And my guides did do just that! At my first holistic fair with a booth of visionary art and the service of soul portraits offered, I had a crowd of people around my booth, backed up with several more people behind each person in the inner circle, watching every stroke of every soul portrait I was painting. That weekend I did 26 portraits, all opening my heart in gratitude. For I realized that weekend that every person who came to me for guidance was my angel, inspiring me to break open my heart beyond any fear of not “knowing” enough, or not “hearing” enough, or not “seeing” enough. As I felt the vast love of their higher soul self, the vibrant, healing colors of their soul song poured onto canvas, accompanied by words of higher guidance to inspire them to see their own divine beauty.

Seven years and nearly 1,000 portraits later, I can honestly say that the reluctance of being a psychic or intuitive is a distant memory. The service to others through my gifts of intuition, artistry and teaching continue to bring me the greatest joys in my life. Having the courage to follow my guidance and share my gifts has created a rich and full life of creative expression, service, healing and authenticity. This freedom in my life to simply be me has inspired others to trust their own guidance, and to follow their own authentic and creative path. Every word and expression of gratitude given back to me fills me up over and over again. For my job is truly simple: it is to see, to hear, to speak and to express the beauty, truth and love of the Divine Spark and soul of each person who comes to me. This is the greatest gift I could ever imagine, for it always pours great love through my own heart, helping me to embrace my own divinity and that of all of humanity.

So, if you are reading this and are reluctant to authentically share your gifts (regardless of what they are) please find your courage that lives in the strength of your heart and just be yourself. That is the greatest gift you can give the world, and it begins by giving it to you first of all!

Go check out a five minute demo of me doing a soul portrait now!