WomanSpirit Art & Soul
a transformative arts circle

FEBRUARY 06
Come and Join Us !

santa barbara .california
Enrolling Now for JAN-MAY

For twelve years, the WomanSpirit Circle: Art & Soul, has supported, encouraged, educated and empowered women, just like you!

When women sit in circle they open to the field of self-awareness, deep story, and transformation. The WomanSpirit class has been a powerful tool many women have used to create sacred space, to birth passionate creativity, transition through a divorce, to change a job, identify right-livelihood and develop a life-purpose goal, work on relationship and intimacy issues, create community or augment their spiritual practice. Click on WOMENSPIRIT RETREAT at SEDGEWICK RANCH 2005 to view photos of a Tahoe weekend workshop.

The Women's movement has been enormously successful because women have found that Groups reconnect us at a soul level and realign us with our true self or authentic self. Sitting in Council Circle will awaken our emotional body, open up the doors of the body-mind-spirit connection. Personal stories arise, and we weave it into the soul work, using dream sharing, journaling, along with psychological, spiritual or creativity modalities to help identify the problematic issue and work with it in an alchemical way. This is necessary for personal growth and healing.

When this healing integrates, transformation and revitalization can translate out into life changes and expansions into new fields of interest, spiritual direction, relationships or jobs. The benefits of group work cannot be overstated. Groups form deep intimate bonds through Council Circle that create a container of safety, confidentiality and connection. Deep and abiding friendships can result from the work that is done in group forums. When this happens some groups can continue for years.

WomanSpirit is designed to give women a sacred space in which to strengthen awareness, enhance self-esteem, gain clarity on life issues and goals, and lead toward a more authentic life - through education, inner work, and the creative arts. We listen deeply to one another, and without judgment.

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	Kendra's MerMaid			How ARt Transforms Life As we begin to understand who we are, we identify our gift and talents. We also can identify our beliefs and behaviors that limit and stop our personal growth. Using Creative Arts with a Sacred Intention; collage, paints, pastels, assemblage, and charcoal as Tools to Transform Consciousness, we create these "inner images" that reveal aspects of Self that Support us towards Creative Change. These images are like pearls which when strung together create an "inner" story that is arising from the deep self. Many times the images contain mysterious treasures that will reveal unknown aspects of self. Using dreamwork to augment inner work and the creative arts - we embrace a fuller sense of self.
A few examples of current WomanSpirit Circle art making projects
	Curriculum includes... • Nature of the Soul; life crisis as initiation, transformation & healing • Understanding & Activating the Chakras through awareness and inner work • Learning dreamwork gives us guidance, right livelihood pointers, health updates, & a spiritual path • Council circle & deep story, to Listen to the call of the Soul • Art engaged in a sacred manner, as a way to express the journey; collage, painting, pastel • Seeing the Myths & Symbols embedded in our dreams, life & relationships and... • Women's Spiritual Gifts and Ways of Knowing: Priestess, Healer, Dreamer, Artist explore women's healing gifts, psychic abilities, plant wisdom, intuition, medical intuitive, dreaming, art, and soul work. • Shamanic and Esoteric traditions: shamanic journeying, working with ancestors, spirit realms, alchemy and magic. What western esoteric traditions offer: meditation, concentration, inner work, spiritual realms, chackras, connection with higher self. • The Divine Marriage: inner work of soul, identify limiting beliefs, shadow work, and the alchemical transformation of soul. • Basic and Advanced Dream Practice: lucid and shamanic dreaming, developing the dream body, working with symbols, gifts of knowledge, out of body experiences. • Creating Sacred Art: learn how the ancients work with intention, focus, and spirits to create and empower a sacred art piece as we make a goddess mask and empower it in a group ceremony. No art experience necessary. Register early, enrollment is limited. CLICK ON WOMANSPIRIT FOR A PDF FLYER

What Women are Saying about the WomanSpirit Circle...

Kristena is an advocate that we all have natural gifts or abilities, she supports students to identify and understand their natural talents and how these can be developed and translated into personal life or livelihood goals. She brings not only her academic education but also her years working with indigenous peoples within various wisdom traditions. Her knowledge of various modalities gives her the ability to speak to each student at their own level as well as respecting their cultural modality. I am constantly impressed by Kristena's ability to motivate and inspire people. She is a rare and unique individual who is a true leader and visionary teacher.

~Rev. Trisgimesta Taylor MA
Institute of Noetic Sciences and Director Church of Craft, San Francisco

Kristena entered my life at a time when I was ready for the teacher to appear. Being open to how Spirit moves in one's life is essential for work with Kristena, as she is Spirit's greatest advocate.Her enthusiasm for the Mystery in Life has supported my willingness to delve deep and to open a line of communication with other realms that support my personal and spiritual growth.

Kristena is direct in her instruction because she believes with unwavering conviction that we are capable of moving through our stuff whenever we are ready to do so. Through Kristena's guidance I have been able to tap into a Divine Source that has informed and guided my self exploration in ways I had not yet experienced.

She has a keen sense of knowing what her students need in moments of great transformation, and she holds a great deal of integrity in assuring that we honor our inner work and those that support us. I am grateful to Kristena that I have connected to a rich source of wisdom that is always available to me.

~Jessica Diaz
Ph.D. of Santa Barbara

Kristena has a deep commitment to the embodiment of authentic personal expression and an equally deep engagement with how that expression moves outward into service and community. I feel that her inquiry into the nature of transformation, spirituality and healing is a life long process that she will find to be an ever sustaining source of meaning for herself and for the larger community.

~Professor Karen Sjoholm
JFK University, Berkeley

I began to work with Kristena taking on the process of unwinding and letting go of my fears. She helped me find the information and tools I needed to walk my path. I learned about right livelihood and began to understand what was really most important to me regarding my life purpose.Out of the work I did with Kristena; including healing from sexual abuse, private counseling appointments and phone or email sessions, I came to believe in myself more. She helped me to see I could live my life with more integrity & empowerment, by becoming aware of my patterns.

Three years after beginning the work with Kristena, I am no longer struggling or fighting against life or run by my fears. I have the luxury of choosing to take risks. I feel strongly, that without the guidance that Kristena offered and the multiple tools and years of experience she has at her disposal, I would not have been able to be where I am today--an advocate of battered women and a graduate student in Psychology.

~Erica Deitrich; MA
Psychology and Plant Spirit Practitioner of Santa Cruz

 

In the past year working with Kristena I have gone through some phenomenal changes. Some are readily seen in the physical and others are within.The most apparent change has been in the explosion of my creativity.

I am a commercial tile artist by profession, so creativity is not foreign to me, however the art I am creating on my "off" hours is from a deeper sacred place of my soul. I feel the spirits smiling on me as I work. I have begun the path of authenticity and can speak my truth from a place of balance which feels at once powerful and compassionate. I feel I am able to interact in this world while being more fully present in my body. I am actively pursuing dreams and goals that in the past seemed too scary or big to even try for.

The journey work has been amazing for my focus, intention and confidence. I recommend this work and Kristena is a kind compassionate gifted circle leader who will help guide you to see who you were born to be.

~Susie of Dunbar Studios Santa Barbara

 

When I started working with Kristena West I was a lost puppy. I wasn't clear about my life path and I was scared to death of anything mystical...my conservative world view was killing me.Ms. West, with her kind, thoughtful, and generous spirit took hold of my hand and helped me discover aspects of myself I never knew existed. Through her shamanic and dreaming background she helped heal my fragmented soul.

After working with her Im now pursuing my creative passions as a writer. Im more grounded in my motherhood role and I'm open to this magical, mystical universe in ways that would not have been possible without Ms. West.

She has my highest recommendation!

Elizabeth Anderson M.A.
Writer, Yoga Instructor & Mother of Los Angeles

I have been working with Kristena for two and half years. I was in her WOMANSPIRIT circle in Sacramento. Now I work with her long distance from Germany. She understands how to guide me towards my own inner wisdom, rather than telling me what to do. She facilitates and encourages me to strengthen my resources, and challenges me to take responsibility for more authentic action. She does not encourage dependency. I am grateful and respectful for her wise guidance. I feel my own strength and accomplishments. For me, this is what distinguish's a truly good teacher.

Dreamwork with Kristena added a new dimension to my previous Jungian analysis. My dreamwork became more interactive in a way I can actively access. I recognize that some of my dreams are precognitive, others are "big dreams" granting insight into ancient wisdom as it relates to my current situation. My dreams have become a source of information, deeper knowledge, and guidance.

Paula Masters Ph.D.
Research Fellow, UC Davis

 

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She is trained in Right Livelihood and Council Circle and has taught personal development groups to men and women for ten years. Her specialty is intuiting personal talents or gifts, and the shadow areas which are hindering the individual from expansion. By identifying and working with our masks, we transform our gifts into right-livelihood goals.

She brings a knowledge o f psychological theory, and has studied over ten years with indigenous shamans and brings from them the gifts of soul retrieval healing, dream work and sacred arts, as well as her deep enthusiasm for the creative arts as a way to map the journey of our soul. She has taught creative and community arts for over twenty-five years and is a nationally known doll artist.

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE! DREAM & CREATE

EVENINGS 6:30-9:30 pm UNITARIAN CHURCH 1535 SANTA BARBARA STREET


For more information, or to speak with Kristena please email: WomanSpirit@kristenawest.com