Wild Rainbow Breakthrough, mixed media collage on cardboard by Laura Hollick

Preparing for a breakthrough is like preparing for a baby to be born. It requires preparation, it requires a whole body transformation on the inside and on the outside.

Having gone through many breakthroughs in my life and currently preparing for another one I wrote the Top 10 things that need to be in place so everything is aligned for a big breakthrough.

As you are reading through these 10 things, notice which one you need to focus on to prepare for your BIG breakthrough!

The Top 10 things you need for Your BIG Breakthrough

1. Desire

You have to want a breakthrough! Desire is the magical fuel that gives you the energy to go all the way when the opportunity presents itself.

2. Vision

You need to know what you want.  Of course the exact details take shape as you breakthrough, but you need to have a vision for what you want.

3. Focus

You need focus to finely tune your spiritual muscles.  Your vision will show you the direction you want to go and your focus will give you the strength to go there.

4. Awareness

This is an often overlooked gem.  Awareness is that powerful force that allows you to be conscious of the subtleties of the moment and keep you open to the true possibilities.

5. Space

If you are clogged up with things from the past, you won’t have the space for a breakthrough. You need to consciously carve out the space for your dreams to take shape. This can take the form of a physical space, like an actual room, or it can mean time, allowing the space for new things to happen.

6. Let go

You will need to let go of all the things that don’t match your vision.  This can mean letting go of a job that doesn’t suit you anymore, a relationship that holds you back, clothes that don’t represent who you want to be,  and habits and behaviours that limit you. Letting go of the things that aren’t aligned with who you dream of being.

7.  Burn your bridges

Oh, this is a toughy!  Burning your bridges means you are no longer giving yourself the option of going back. You need to create situations where you can only move forward. When you do this, you are getting really really close to your BIG breakthrough!

8. Patience

When you want something to happen it is easy to get impatient, but your patience and trust in the process will relax your spiritual muscles and open the doors for your breakthrough.

9. Criteria

Make a list of the things that you need to have in place to be ready to go all the way.  I call this my ‘Criteria’, it is like a checklist that I go through to make sure that every aspect of myself is ready, willing and able to go all the way.

10. GO!

When all the pieces are in place, an opportunity will present itself and it is your time to GO!

'Lavender Princess Unicorn', mixed media collage by Laura Hollick

Our life is filled with challenges and opportunities to evolve our spirit and experience a rich meaningful life. As we strengthen our relationship with our spirit we can move through the challenges more smoothly and spot the opportunities with greater ease.

In order to do this you need to have a strong connection with your spirit and be able to hear what your spirit is saying.

Here are…

7 simple strategies for strengthening your spirit connection

1. Listen

If you want to strengthen your connection with spirit, you need to actively listen for the clues. Listening can be with your ears, it can also be with your awareness. Notice your surroundings and see what speaks to you.

2. Create space

You need to have breathing space in order to be able to hear your spirit. If you are running around there is no space for your spirit. Make a decision to create space for your spirit to be.

3. Let go of judgment

If you judge your own inner thoughts and feelings, you’ll never be able to hear your spirit because it will be clouded behind the judgment. Practice letting go of judgment and just allowing yourself and others to be what they are, your spirit will thrive in that energy.

4. Trust

The more you trust your intuitive nudges the more they will come. Trust is a muscle in the realm of spirit. The more you trust the stronger your spirit connection becomes.

5. Joy

Anything that brings you joy is a clear indication that your spirit is present. Smiling is a quick way to experience joy, just start smiling!

6. Self Care

Your spirit thrives when you take care of yourself. This means eating well, enjoying nourishing sleeps and surrounding yourself with things that make you feel good.

7. Get Creative

Creativity is like a direct line to your spirit. When you enter the realm of creativity you enter spirit territory. Get creative by playing with colours, outfits, ideas, food, a garden,  anything, just let yourself explore possibilities of what can be!

"Coming out of hiding" sketch by Laura Hollick

One of the challenges for creative spiritual people is connecting who they are on the inside with the world on the outside.

At the beginning of the creative spiritual journey, it can feel like you have two worlds, the inner world and the outer world.

The inner world is rich with ideas, symbols, meaning and inspiration.

The outer world is the material world of work, money, people and daily ‘to-do’s’.

Sometimes people retreat into one of these worlds because it makes them feel safe. They  become so absorbed in their inner world that they don’t know how to connect with the world and support themselves financially. Or, they become so identified with the outer world that they forget the real source of nourishment within. Either way, when one aspect of their life is in hiding and their life is disconnected and off balance.

Usually for creative spiritual people they retreat into the inner world, because it is a place they trust and understand.

Financial struggle is a common symptom for people who are in hiding, because they are keeping a part of themselves disconnected from the world.

This is when the great initiation process begins…..

Coming out of hiding is the process of connecting who you are on the inside with the world on the outside.

This can be scary because it brings up all kinds of fears, such as:

-fear of being judged
-fear of looking ridiculous
-fear of connecting with people
-fear of being seen
-fear of not being loved

Those are lots of good reasons to stay in hiding. But, if fear is the leader your life will always be half lived.

Here are 5 tips for coming out of hiding

1. Decide

If you want to lead a rich creative life, you have to decide that you are going to.  Are you ready and willing to make a decision right now to live your spirit?

2.  Practice

Practice sharing who you are with people.  This includes talking about your creativity, letting people see what you are doing, and creating opportunities for people to know who you are on the inside.  Are you willing to practice talking about your creative expression with people?

3. Stay a minute longer

Classic hiding behaviour is to leave situations because they are uncomfortable.  You know those moments at a social event when it is your turn to introduce yourself and you want to run and hide?!  Rather than avoiding the situation, when you feel uncomfortable  stay one minute longer.  Trust me that will be enough time to break the cycle of hiding and give you an opportunity to practice connecting your inner world with people.  Are you willing to stay a minute longer when you would typically want to hide?

4. Hand it over

You have to hand over the leadership role from your fear to your spirit.  Let your spirit lead you, even if it doesn’t make sense, trust your inner guidance in the outer world.  Are you ready to hand over the leadership to your spirit in your daily life?

5. Create a new vision

For creative spiritual people they often build their identity around being “An Individual”. To protect their identity they keep them Self separate from other people as a way to maintain difference.  When you come out of hiding you need to create a new vision of yourself that includes people, that includes business, that includes the material world.  Are you willing to create a new vision of yourself?

Take this even further, sign up for the free teleclass ‘How to transform your inner wealth into your outer wealth’

I first connected with Ward about 5 years ago when I modeled for his work. At the time he was working strictly with black and white film and developing everything himself in the darkroom. We did this photoshoot for his Angle series.

Laura Hollick photographed by Ward Shipman

It is easy to take for granted the seamless blending of the figure into the architecture background. We are so accustomed to photoshoped images these days that we almost expect things to be blended and collaged together in a believable way. But, this was created entirely in the darkroom, there was no photoshop involved in creating this image!

Ward intuitively melds images together in such a magical way, he creates environmental stories through his images.

Mr. Shipman is also a school teacher. Photography is part of the curriculum that he teaches. A few years ago he realized he needed to learn digital photography and photoshop in order to stay on top of the latest knowledge regarding the development of photography.

We connected again to do another photoshoot. This time it was shot digitally in my studio against a plain background. He had full intention of transforming the image in photoshop in post production.

The resulting image is a water nympth. I feel like I was transformed into a goddess who lives and breathes in the water.

No matter what medium or tools Ward employs the essence of his work remains the same. He explores a mythical time of beauty, sensuality and interconnectedness with nature. With his new digital tools Ward has evolved his visual narratives into full on epics.

To listen to an interview with Ward Shipman click here

To learn more about Ward Shipman visit his website at www.guyinaboat.com

Originally from Hong Kong, Hoyin immigrated to Canada. Struggling with the language and fitting in, he resorted to his creativity and ultimately photography to find his voice and express himself.

I connected with Hoyin over a year ago to invite him to be part of the ‘Photographer’s Series’, a project I started when I was hosting and producing ‘The Artist’s Lifestyle’ radio show on 93.3 FM CFMU. At the time I was planning on doing a full radio series interviewing photographers about their creative process and their professional journey. Through the various twists and turns of life,  I emigrated from CFMU into my own thriving business as an artist and Soul Art teacher.

Since so many of the interviews had already been recorded and so many creative photoshoots were already taken, I decided to create ‘The Photographers Series’ as a blog series. So over the next few weeks I’ll be posting the interviews and images from ‘The Photographer’s Series’.

I volunteered myself as a model to be used in one of Hoyin’s creative photographs.   I did this because I wanted to have the experience of working with him so I would feel prepared for our interview, and of course I wanted to be part of an amazing creative vision.

Laura Hollick photographed by Hoyin for The Photographer's Series.

Hoyin transformed me into a ghostly alien-like figure, which is how I imagine he must have felt coming to Canada.

There is a certain kind of isolation to his work as well as a deep mystery that intrigues me.

Laura Hollick photographed by Hoyin for The Photographer's Series.

Since moving to Canada Hoyin has become quite resourceful in finding what he needs to realize his visions.
For our photoshoot he connected with Mario and Cherie Pia Grassa a husband and wife hair and makeup team to transform me into the white person.

During our interview Hoyin shares his challenges as a photographer and his creative desires.

To listen to the Photographer’s Series interview with Hoyin click here

To learn more about Hoyin visit his website at www.hoyinsiu.com

'Birthing on the shore of Heartland' collage by Laura Hollick

The idea of Legacy is often thought of in the context of death, how a person is remembered.

I’d like to invite you to look at this in a new way. Your Legacy is the way you share your energy on a day-to-day basis. It is the energy you offer the world through your interactions, through the way you spend your time, your money and the dreams you create.

If you want to consciously create your Legacy here are 3 things to think about….

1. What is most important to you?

2. What do you want your life to stand for?

3. What impact do you want to have on the lives of others?

When you become clear on these 3 things, you can consciously integrate them in your daily life and create your Legacy!

What is something you can do today to consciously create the energetic imprint you want to contribute to this world?

Do you need additionaly support to consciously create the life the expresses your full creative spirit?
Check out the *Super Summer Soul Art Sale*
30% off all Soul Art courses
Ends June 30th!

Get all the details here

The Soul Art Visionary Business process is designed to guide you straight to the heart of your spirit where you gain access to your True Dream. Then, a business plan emerges that connects your dream with  money.

During this Intensive Sarah boldly expressed her creative spirit and decoded her own inner wisdom. Through her painting she became crystal clear about her business and where to focus her energy.

Traditional business looks out into the world and asks the question “What do they want and need?”

The Visionary Business creator connects with the heart of their spirit and asks:
“Who am I called to be?”

As the New Paradigm is edging closer and closer, all of us are being called to claim our true path and design a life and business that reflects it.

There isn’t one path that is better than another, it is the job of each of us to discover our True Dream and make it real.

For creative spiritual people this usually involves a process of coming out of hiding and bravely facing the dream held in your heart.

Watching Sarah boldly claim her path was pure inspiration. She now has a clear vision for her business and has already started working with clients.

Here is a picture of Sarah McClure with her Soul Art painting expressing the energy of her Visionary Business.

During this Soul Art Intensive I had the privilege of experiencing the profound gifts of the Sacred Prostitute….

5 Things I learned from the Sacred Prostitute

1. Risk everything for the truth in your heart

2. Trust your passion, it has its own wisdom

3. Approach your body as a temple

4. Real power comes from being who you are TOTALLY.

5. When it comes to making decisions, go to the source~ your own truth.

*To learn more about Sarah McClure’s Sacred Sexual Healing work
and her journey as a Sacred Prostitute,
I invite you to visit: sarahpriestess.blogspot.com

To learn more about Soul Art Intensives contact: laurahollick@soulartstudio.com

My dad, Joseph Hollick, is an engineer. I grew up watching him design, build and construct things using his creative and logical mind.

When I started creating art, he taught me how to turn my imagination into reality. He instilled in me the necessity to use both the right and the left brain. I learned early on that if I wanted to create something it had to work both logistically and creatively.

Laura Hollick with her Dad, Joseph Hollick creating dragon sculpture. Photo by Sabrina Armani.

I often go to my dad with a sketch of one of my wild ideas and say:
“Can you help me build this?”
and he always says: “Yes”

I think he enjoys the challenge.

Every sculpture I’ve ever created has been influenced by my dad. Whether he was there building it with me or not, all of my construction knowledge comes directly from him.

Laura Hollick creating dragon sculpture with her dad, Joseph Hollick. Photo by Sabrina Armani.

During the creative process I can get a bit…..uhmmm…..crazy! (you know what I mean)
My dad always stays level headed and helps find a solution that fits.

Dragon sculpture framework, created by Laura Hollick with the engineering guidance of Joseph Hollick. Photo by Sabrina Armani.

This dragon sculpture would probably still be a pile of sticks if it weren’t for my dad.
When I was out hiking I discovered all these glorious sticks. I could see knees, legs and a head in them, but I wasn’t sure how to get it to stand up securely.

Dragon sculpture. Photo by Diana Wiggins.

It was a real engineering feat (and to be honest a complete experiment) to discover the dragon sculpture could withstand the Canadian elements. This sculpture was created for an outdoor exhibition I had at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. It was during the summer that had many torrential downpours. This photo was taken on one of the very few sunny days that summer.

Pink Dragon. Photo by Kevin Thom.

This dragon has seen many transformations, as have I. But because it has a solid foundation it can continue to grow and evolve. This is such a metaphor to me. Growing up with my dad has given me such a solid foundation, I know I can be and do anything!

Thanks Dad!

‘Crocodile’ collage by Laura Hollick. Created using the Bodymapping Soul Art technique.

5 Things you can do to deal with fear

1. Acceptance

I often hear people say they want to be fearless and completely release their fears. As much as I would like this myself I understand fear is part of the evolutionary path and here’s why…

Every time you feel the inspiration to go for your dreams you will be called to stretch into unknown territory, which creates a sense of possibility and elation in your spirit. At the same time your mind is designed to stop you from going into unknown territories because it is perceived as unsafe.

Fear is the mind’s programmed response to protect you. When you understand this you can accept fear as part of the evolutionary path.

2. Connect with your True Dream

It is essential to have a solid connection with your True Dream if you want to move through your fears. Take the time you need to connect with your spirit and discover what makes your heart sing.

3. Choose your Leader

On the evolutionary path you will be given ample opportunity to chose between fear and your dream. You are the only one who can choose what you want leading your life. Do you want fear and limiting beliefs to lead you? Or do you want your spirit to lead you? Choose your leader.

4. Fuel up!

Fear creates a lot of excess energy, if it isn’t utilized it gets trapped and stored in the body. In order to move through fear you need to do something with all the extra energy. Fuel up on the extra energy and use it to create your dreams.

5. Destination

With all the extra energy pick a destination that is worthy of your spirit and go!

*Want to totally transform fear in your life?
Check out ‘Transform your fears so you can be who you dream of being’

In this Soul Art audio you’ll be guided through your own transformational journey so you can go beyond fear into your dreams!

Karen Knowler, known as The Raw Food Coach, traveled from England to spend 2 full days creating in Soul Art studio. She boldly explored her inner world, and bravely let it flow through her.

Here is snapshot of Karen (right) and I after she completed her 7foot tall painting called
‘The Fire of Transformation’.

Creating on a big canvas is metaphoric for playing big in life. When your spirit has big dreams, you’ve got to have space to let them take shape. Karen is wildly creative and there are big things on the horizon for this raw foodie!

The studio was buzzing with creative energy the whole time.
Deep spiritual and creative work stirs up a lot of energy and it is important to really take care of yourself during these kinds of experiences.

We were blessed to have all our meals catered by the ultimate raw food chef Barbara Maccaroni from www.blove.ca. Now that I’ve experienced raw food at its best, I’m completely hooked!

We explored a full range of art mediums, including acrylic painting, pastel, pencil crayons and copper coiling.

The power of creating art is having a visual symbol of your own inner energy. When you can tangibly see what is happening within you it allows your subconscious mind to absorb the full depth of your spirit and ultimately claim its magnificence.

After all Soul Art sessions I always recommend putting the art somewhere it can be seen on a daily basis. This enables the magic of the art to take root in your life.

Karen is going to have to find the perfect spot in her English Country home to display her masterpiece so its power can fully integrate into her life.

Here are Karen’s words about her Soul Art Intensive:

“Working with Laura was extraordinary as predicted!
I didn’t know exactly what to expect but knew that whatever
happened it would be perfect, and it was!
Her unique body mapping process brought insights and clarity
to me that were much needed and being able to come away
with a finished work of art that told my story was just brilliant.
I would recommend the intensive to anyone looking to really
go deep with themselves for profound growth and change” -Karen Knowler

If you want to learn more about Karen Knowler check out www.therawfoodcoach.com

If you want to inquire about experiencing your own Soul Art Intensive, you can fill out an application here