Emilie Collins
In the process of running an Audiology private practice, helping people regain their hearing for over 33 years, I came to hear within myself a calling for listening deeply within for what truly would bring meaning to my own personal journey. I had been a life-long learner and seeker, regularly striking out to take in information for my own self discovery, sometimes through workshops,( Native American studies, whole-brain learning techniques, Neurolinguistic Programming), and reading books on psychology, various faith traditions and philosophy.
In 2007, I was beginning to feel like it was time for a major change in my life, along with taking on the task of caring for my aging parents. I was strongly drawn to a painting workshop for self discovery at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. I loved this area of New Mexico and had been there to learn and hike the beautiful red clay hills before. But “Self Discovery” was what truly drew me forward. I arrived at the ranch, somehow missing the fact that this was a painting workshop. I never remembered holding a paint brush in my life. After an opening circle, the facilitator, Chris Zydel, said “Ok, let’s go to the studio and paint.” That’s when it hit me. I had signed up for a “PAINTING” workshop. In my quest for self discovery, I had come to the edge of my comfort zone and had absolutely no idea what to do next. “I was not an artist!!! I had never done art, except in elementary school and had not been affirmed or acknowledged for that.
I was shown how to Allow: allow the brushes, the paint and even the location of my easel to tell me where to go and what to do next. I was taught how art is a portal to my conscious and unconscious. Painting became my medium of delving into beliefs and patterns governing my life, some good and some not so beneficial. I returned home to turn my garage into an art studio. (WHAT! I’m not an artist!! I don’t even know How to paint!) It was perfect. I stepped into the process with my beginner’s mind and continue to step in on a daily basis – not knowing – without technique or “ shoulds” dictating what would naturally flow onto the canvas, showing me what my deepest Self wanted to bring to my awareness. It was magical, revealing and healing.
In 2009, I became an Intuitive Painting Facilitator, offering classes in my garage art studio and helping others in the process to see within themselves. All along I have continued to do my own work with the intuitive process. Our work on ourselves is never done.
Like me, so many people have wounding around art. If you were not born with natural talent, nor took years of art training, or were just never affirmed for any of your creations, you could dismiss this way of self discovery. Even if you were considered a “good artist”, you could miss this means of self reflection. There is no skill necessary to benefiting from this process.
In 2014, I began facilitating SoulCollage, an intuitive process involving being drawn to images, and cutting and pasting them to create your own deck of cards for your personal guidance. Many people who felt they “were not artists” found this to be a deep process for accessing their wisdom. I have loved being witness to others speaking their innate deep insights through images they are drawn to.
I had some SoulCollage cards I had made that I could not get to reveal their insights. A facilitator at my certification weekend suggested I experience Holotropic Breathwork to access their buried insights. At the time, life circumstances had me spending summers in Northern New Mexico and “coincidentally” one of the major training centers for this in the U.S, the Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT) was 45 minutes away. I began doing Holotropic Breathwork (HBW) in the Taos Ski Valley in the summer of 2014 and became a facilitator in 2019. HBW taught me not only to go deeply within myself, experiencing personal biographical, transpersonal, archetypal and perinatal realms, but also trained me to sit and be present with others in journeying within themselves.
From painting, to collage and breathwork, I feel my Soul has left crumbs along my path, guiding me step by step to accessing my own life lessons and growth, but also being taught to facilitate others on their journeys of self discovery. I have been given teachers and guides along the way and find the journey is made less daunting when accompanied by a caring, compassionate companion.
The call for change in my life has led me from helping others with their hearing acuity to be their listening companion for the guidance of their Deep Soul. It has been an honor to be witness to others’ striving for wholeness and to observe the impact this has on their own life and their relationships.
One of the sayings that “coincidentally” was put in front of me and continues to this day is:
“When we walk to the edge of all the light we have, and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe one of two things will happen…There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly…”
I have been given something solid to stand on and have been taught to fly. I would be honored to be a companion on your Soul’s journey to finding grounding in the world and being shown how to soar.
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