FLOW: Exclusive Sketches By Sheila Darcey, SketchPoetic
Sketches by Sheila Darcey for Scarlet Red Magazine
Sheila Darcey, the Founder of SketchPoetic, and I had a full on conversation around energy FLOW in our podcast together, the longest on the Shades of Life Podcast to date! We did let the conversation flow! We talked about how easily it is to get stuck in our emotions and that if we don’t release them, they just get pushed in and it can lead to all sorts of symptoms – physical, mental, sometime spiritual too, and they can come up at any time. The result of our conversation gave birth to these two exclusive sketches.
“Given the title of the podcast, I decided to incorporate Indian Ink and water to give it the feeling of the many shades of gray that one traverses when covering the breadth and depth of the topics we did. Both also embody the organic nature of growth and connection. ”
As I am writing this article, we’ve just witnessed the incredible come back of Simone Biles winning all the Gymnastics Gold Medals at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. This followed her dropping out at the last Olympics in Tokyo because of her mental health. It’s hard to accept to take a step back when things go south. But when you’re not in control of your body and mind anymore, there is no other choice than surrendering to the process, understand why that happened, and start taking steps to create a healthy inner flow to get better.
It takes courage to go through a new journey of discovery and take the necessary steps to release these emotions you’ve been building up inside and hold you back now. That’s Flow. That’s how you create Flow. As uncomfortable it can be to revisit your own wounds and trauma, it is the only way to move forward.
In the launch video of Scarlet Red Magazine, I had included words of wisdom that I had intuitively deemed important and one of them was: SLOW DOWN TO SPEED UP. It can be very counterintuitive, but anyone who’s been on a healing journey will understand those words. Sometimes you have to take a step back to be able to take two steps forward. So many times we get entangled in what we think is the common expectation only to hurt ourselves. Our growth is not linear, it has its ups and downs.
In our podcast together, Sheila describes how the art of sketching helped her understand and relieve her symptoms of anxiety. Healing, therapy are words that can scare people. It is associated with sickness and who wants to be sick, right? Let’s push that away! Ignore it. We need to be strong, move on, right? Well, not right, pushing it away doesn’t make it disappear. There is also this saying ‘time heals’. It doesn’t. It just buries it in.
In our podcast we are talking about compassion too, being compassionate with ourselves and with others because the truth is we all go through challenges. Life leaves scars on you and rather than being afraid of the scars, we should be proud of them, understand them better and be humble and strong enough to find and embrace the healing techniques that can help us transform them into empowering ourselves. See them as stepping stones.
For Sheila it was sketching. For me this year, doing kundalini awakening sessions is what has helped me heal the most. Probably because I needed to build a physical flow of energy the most. What will be your most effective healing techniques to create a positive flow in your life is entirely up to you.
There is a whole industry of practitioners who can help and you get to pick what resonates most with you: Breathwork, meditation, art therapy, yoga, sound healing, aromatherapy, journaling, mindfulness practices, reiki, tai chi, cognitive behavioural therapy, massage therapy, pet therapy, holistic nutrition, etc.
Whatever you choose, take the time to go through it and invite the flow in and out, just like I will contemplate these two sketches for the foreseeable future. I know what I see in them now. I don’t know what their full impact will be on me tomorrow. Yet.
Ingrid xo
“Abundance is a flow of energy through you.”
Achieving a state of flow is vital for creating a harmonious alignment of the mind, body, and spirit. This unified sense of flow can have profound effects on various aspects of life, including emotional well-being, creativity, and mental health. Here’s how cultivating flow can impact your overall health and wellness, with additional areas of benefit:
1. Holistic Connection: Flow fosters a deep connection between your mind, body, and spirit. When you engage in activities that promote flow, you experience a sense of unity and balance, allowing you to tap into your full potential and feel more alive.
2. Unblocking Energies: Flow can help remove mental and emotional blockages that impede your internal energy flow. By immersing yourself in activities that resonate with you, you facilitate the release of stagnant energy, paving the way for heightened creativity and productivity.
3. Enhanced Creativity: One of the most significant benefits of flow is its ability to enhance creativity. When in a flow state, you are more open to new ideas and possibilities, leading to innovative solutions and creative breakthroughs in various areas of life, including art, work, and personal projects.
4. Emotional Release: Engaging in flow can allow you to confront and release repressed emotions. Fully absorbing yourself in an activity can give your subconscious a voice, leading to increased emotional clarity and healing, reducing feelings of frustration and overwhelm.
“You’re thinking too much, just let it flow.”
5. Stress Reduction: A state of flow acts as a natural antidote to stress. By focusing intensely on a task, you divert attention from stressors, promoting relaxation and alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. This mental respite can lead to a more positive outlook on life.
6. Mental Health Improvement: Flow can significantly improve mental health. Activities that induce flow can enhance mood, boost self-esteem, and mitigate symptoms of conditions like anxiety and depression. The deep engagement can create a sense of purpose and fulfillment, which is crucial for mental well-being.
7. Physical Well-Being: Cultivating flow may help alleviate physical conditions, such as migraines or chronic pain. By focusing on enjoyable tasks, individuals can distract themselves from discomfort, experience endorphin release, and foster a better connection with their bodies.
8. Heightened Awareness and Mindfulness: Flow encourages mindfulness, allowing you to become more attuned to your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. This increased awareness can help identify and address underlying emotional issues, promoting holistic healing.
“Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force.”
9. Improved Decision-Making: When in a flow state, your clarity of thought can improve, allowing you to make better decisions. The ability to think critically and creatively can lead to more effective problem-solving in both personal and professional contexts.
10. Increased Motivation and Engagement: Experiencing flow fosters intrinsic motivation, driving you to engage in activities you enjoy. This can help you maintain long-term commitment to goals, hobbies, or projects that are important to you.
11. Enhanced Relationships: Experiencing flow can improve interpersonal relationships. When you engage authentically with your passions, you may find deeper connections with others who share your interests, enhancing your social network and support system.
12. Resilience and Coping Skills: Being in flow can help you develop resilience. Facing challenges in the flow state can teach you how to cope better with difficulties, whether they are emotional, professional, or personal. This resilience can make it easier to navigate life's ups and downs.
“There is force in the universe, which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results. ”
13. Personal Development: Flow encourages continual learning and growth. Engaging in challenging yet achievable tasks pushes you to develop new skills, expand your knowledge, and evolve as a person.
14. Spiritual Fulfillment: For many individuals, engaging in flow can also enhance spiritual well-being. Activities that induce flow may facilitate feelings of connectedness to something greater than oneself, providing a source of inspiration and purpose in life.
15. Enhanced Learning and Skill Acquisition: Achieving a flow state can significantly improve your ability to learn and acquire new skills. When you are fully engaged in a task, you absorb information more effectively and retain it longer. This is especially beneficial in educational settings or when learning new hobbies, as the flow state encourages exploration and experimentation without fear of failure.
16. Greater Sense of Purpose: Engaging in activities that induce flow helps you connect with your passions and values, leading to a greater sense of purpose in life. Finding flow in what you do not only motivates you to pursue your interests but also aligns your actions with your core beliefs, resulting in a more meaningful and fulfilling life journey.
“Going with the flow is responding to cues from the universe. When you go with the flow, you’re surfing life force. It’s about wakeful trust and total collaboration with what’s showing up for you.”