School of the Free Mind Goes Independent

Dreams, Rain and Waking Up in 2017

Right now, the last 3 ½ years feel more like a dream than anything else. 

Matthew and I dropped into an engaged, active, productive, on task mode with materials and community. Creating School of the Free Mind was a fantastic experience that rose from our desire to share everything we know with our communities. It’s pure heart and soul with lots of brass tack info from my 20+ years in the children’s book industry and our journey into creating our own indie press.

The process was intense, a huge undertaking that taught both of us immense amounts. Focused, structured, driven, social—ALL in service to getting the materials down. It’s a strange feeling to realize you did something out of the ordinary for a very long time, and now it’s done. Maybe we had to enter some kind of altered state to pull this school thing off! I don’t know but I’m laughing my taco off the more I feel like myself.

Instead of putting yet another story aside that was haunting me, 2017 opened with work on a book of my own, and nothing but more of my own books in the cue. As much as I LOVED teaching and especially the supercoolfolks I got to groove with, it was a relief not to fill my head with new class materials, essays, videos, calendars, schedules, interviews, sessions, outreach and so much more. Just me and my books. Nada mas.

It’s a comfort with so much change and unknown coming on in the world. Obama gives his farewell address tonight ushering in the next president elect. If ever these are the days to come into ourselves, our power, our true voice. These are our days. I am claiming these days as my own.

We are inviting you to do the same.

As we release the school to independent study the focus of the artistauthor journey becomes more personal. Taking responsibility for not only ones self but also for one’s creative power and expression becomes key. All of the teaching is geared to support what you know and you coming into voice from an inner authority. Your confidence and power. Your true voice and story. That’s all that’s important. I know once creativity is explored, owned, claimed and engaged with as one wants and needs, the flow can be profound. Having a holistic framework supports your heart and spirit in coming into greater strength so you can hold your own power and expand your creative flow now and forever. School of the Free Mind is full on. It is meant for days like these.

As I continue to wake up and return more wholly to the creative life, my desire to learn about the power of our creative flow grows. This is my lifelong practice and what the school is based on. It’s time to return as a new me to my old ways. I feel this is the strongest position for me to share from. ‘Living the creative life’ is something that is foreign to most of us.

In a world that aligns success with self-sacrifice and submission, School of the Free Mind calls out independence, heart’s desire and true power for PoC, Indigenous and Queer peoples.

I still have so much to learn.

There’s a heavy rain in San Francisco. I’ve been keeping the candles lit, turning inward. My body has been rebalancing, always a sign of spirit calling. I’m taking this turn to deepen my practice, go back to my visions and stories, listening from the inside. Starting a new fire at 53 in 2017. I’m extremely excited for the walk ahead. I sense rocks and rivers. I imagine myself a boat and star at the same time waking up.

Learn more about School of the Free Mind here.

Scholarships now available.

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