Creative Woman Spirit: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Inspiration

Inspiration is an experience that can take many forms. Wikipedia refers to artistic inspiration; sudden creativity in artistic production, spiritual inspiration; realization of something greater than ourselves, and creative inspiration; sudden creativity when a new invention is created.

Music, films, literature, businesses, cars, perfumes and travel journals are just a few forms that have been taken with the concept of inspiration. People have not only been inspired but have named songs, films, stories and poetry, business plans, cars, perfumes and travel places "inspiring".

What does it take to be inspired? Some people call inspiration the "muse". The muse takes us to a place of awe, wonder, curiosity in ourselves where we want to do something.

Inspiration is an energy that is high and wants to move somewhere. That is why artists speak of sudden outpouring of works, when this energy is present. That is why the creative impulse results in some form. That is why birth, death and life altering situations that arise in our lives bring us to new spiritual understandings and beliefs.

Loss, change and difficult things that happen in our lives have the potential to inspire us. This process can take lots of work and time but the end result can be a transformation to inspiration and a change in our perception.

People, places and things can inspire us. This experience can be sudden or take a long time to identify and appreciate. We have to be open to the experience of being inspired or else we might just get taken by complete surprise.

What does inspiration feel like? I believe it can be different for each person but there are attributes that are common elements for everyone. Inspiration can bring an "ah ha" moment. It can be a sudden sense of vastness and awe. It is a euphoric sensation. It is motivating. It feels great!

I wait on inspiration, sometimes for years. I don't know when it will happen, what will trigger it, what i will do with it or how it will manifest. All I know for certain is that I have been and will be inspired again. I can hardly wait...

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Paula deChelly, Ph.D.

My life journey has taken me into the light, the dark, and to vast spans in between. All of my experiences have grounded me in a depth of wisdom and compassion that has brought me to who I am now. I see myself as a creator in everything I do: a catalyst for transformation, a conduit, guide, and seeker of truth about the sacred processes of life. My love of spirit, symbols and ritual combined with fascination, knowledge and understanding of psychology and human nature synergistically ignites my passion as a celebrant, therapist, maskmaker, visual artist, musician, teacher, writer, speaker and workshop facilitator. My work, which expresses through this inspired energy, is profoundly filled with deep respect, appreciation and love for all matters of the soul.

CELEBRANT

A Rite of Passage is a sacred ceremony held to mark an important life event. Celebrating these life-changing occasions creates a bridge from what has been to what is coming next. Rites of Passage can celebrate anything: weddings, commitment ceremonies, memorial services, adoptions, coming of age and retirement, to name a few.

As a Celebrant, I work with people to personalize their Rite of Passage that honors their spiritual, political and personal beliefs so their celebration can express what really matters. Rites of Passage are a wonderful way to bring closure and honor change. Being a Celebrant is one of my favorite ways of helping people bring meaning to their life transitions with magic, transformation and joy.

WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

When I give a workshop I become a conduit who empowers, inspires and transforms participants. I give workshops on a variety of topics. For example: co-dependency and addictions, healing from abuse, dreams, death as a spiritual teacher, Women Who Run With The Wolves (Clarissa Pinkola Estes), maskmaking, spiritual retreats, finding your authentic self, creativity and searching for the soul. I also enjoy giving workshops to healing professions about facilitating groups. No matter what the topic, my workshops create a safe, nurturing environment that naturally lends itself to personal discovery and growth.

Testimonials

“I never thought a one-day workshop could be such a catalyst for change. I feel so motivated and hopeful. This workshop was fun and safe and I loved the combination of doing experiential things and then processing within the group with stimulating conversation. Thank you, Dr. deChelly!” J.C. Keen, NH 1991

“I’ve made six attempts at describing how Paula’s workshops have helped me on my journey into the dark unknown. Number seven: Paula brings the LIGHT!” L.C. Rochester, NY 1993

WRITER

I continue to learn more about this amazing craft as I read inspiring books and work with my ideas on paper. For seven years in Rochester, NY, I wrote a monthly column in The Empty Closet called WomanSpirit that gave voice to women’s personal, political, professional and spiritual concerns. I have recently uncovered some books that I have written over the last 25 years and am working with them to see what they want to become. I will be sharing some of this work as it takes form in this Blog.

THERAPIST

M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology, Counseling and Creative Arts Therapies 1985 Boulder Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
Ph.D. in Women’s Psychology 1988 Union Institute

For the last 25 years in my private therapy practice I have been deeply honored to witness and accompany clients on their sacred journey inward. Offering tools and guidance and watching people become empowered, reconnected to their true selves and blossom emotionally, physically and spiritually has been challenging, rewarding and incredibly inspiring.

Testimonials

“Dr. deChelly has helped me get back my life. She has taught me how to understand and work with my feelings. I have stopped drinking, gotten out of an abusive relationship, begun to set boundaries with my family and kids, gone back to school and landed the job of my dreams.” B.E. Boulder, CO 1987

“I never really understood that what happened to me as a child was effecting every aspect of life now. Since I’ve been working with Dr. deChelly, I have been able to separate myself from what happened to me. It is so freeing! I am grateful.” J.O. Rochester, NY 1993

“I’ve done a lot of therapy in my 79 years and none of it helped me in the ways I had hoped. Then I found Dr. deChelly. Through dream work, spontaneous drawings and learning many basic life skills, I now have a greater grasp on who I really am. This has totally changed my life.” P.R. Tucson, AZ 2001

MUSICIAN

I began playing piano at age 4 and violin at 6. It was thrilling from the start and has only gotten better through the years. At 14 I started teaching piano. I found I loved guiding and inspiring students to enjoy music. Over the years, as I have grown personally, my playing and teaching have matured, too. Music is one of my passions and I love it so much! It has been a central part of my life and I am so excited when I can share that joy with students and other musicians.

Once I played my viola for Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and afterward I asked her if she could tell me anything about music. She shook her head and said I knew everything I needed to know: that music comes from another realm and all I had to do was to let it come through me and give it back to the Universe. At that time, I had finished my B.A. in violin and piano performance and was working as a free-lance musician and teaching. I stopped playing professionally and found a group of people who simply loved playing chamber music. Then my burden and stress lifted and I found my passion again and the nurturing of my soul that fed me so deeply that I had lost. I have since branched out to improvisation, have loved performing on recordings and in live concerts.

EDUCATOR

I found great satisfaction teaching music for 40 years when I was young and have especially enjoyed teaching Psychology and Women’s Studies at the University level. As a teacher, I find myself being a catalyst encouraging students to think for themselves and relate presented material to their lives. I like helping young people reach toward their individual potential and empower them attain it.

Testimonials

“Dr. deChelly knows a lot about the field of psychology and other interdisciplinary fields. She related well to all the students and encouraged us to develop our own point of view and think for ourselves.” R.L. Boulder, CO 1989

“Two thumbs WAY UP!!!!!! Dr. deChelly is the best teacher I have ever had. As an immigrant adult student I appreciated Dr. deChelly’s sensitivity and comfort with people from different cultures and her inclusive way of encouraging all students to embrace and share our backgrounds and learn from on another.” H.K. Rochester, NY 2003