Me and my son, Rylo

Greetings everyone!  For those that I have not had the opportunity to meet…my name is Courtney and I am Melissa’s Program Coordinator at Fire Tree Studios.  Today I am stepping in as a ‘guest blogger’ so you may get to know a little about me as I get acquainted with all of you.  For the past several months I have had the gift of supporting Melissa and her vision while furthering my path of creative purpose.  I look forward to meeting you along your own journey. 

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How would your choices change if you were completely free to make the choices that you desire at the time of that most passionate state of want?  If nothing could hold you back from going after your true, raw vision…would you?  And would you right now?

While sitting in a powerful discussion on ways of advancing Fire Tree Studios into 2012, I was invited to offer my opinion about what I would WANT and NEED in a coach and program if I were seeking out a creative transformational program for myself.  Many “wants” jumped out at me, but my wants often change as different situations in my life change.  Wants are constantly being sought…when you get what you want, that want is only replaced by another want…a cycle of attachment to “having it all.” Yet my needs are far more concrete.  My needs can affect my soul, my purpose…my wants can be satisfied on a less organic scale.

This got me to thinking…why is it that with relationships, work, homes and hobbies we can settle for just getting what we want…but yet often do not reach a little further and take what we need to be truly happy, truly fulfilled.?…I think that is the difference between thinking about a program at Fire Tree Studios and taking the next step to becoming active in its community.

From my previous experiences working in a professional matchmaking environment through stints in selling real estate I always heard the same types of responses to some very big choices in people’s lives…

“What are you looking for in a partner?”

“I WANT him/her to be successful”.  “I WANT him to be attractive”.  “I WANT him to like music, sports, etc.”  But never once did I ever hear anyone say, “I NEED him/her to be compassionate”.  “I NEED her to be supportive”.  “I NEED him to have the same values”.   So time and time again these clients would come back disappointed because what they wanted continued to change as they changed.  They allowed their wants to outweigh their needs.

In real estate I often heard “I WANT a downtown location. ”I WANT 4 bedrooms instead of 3.”  “ I WANT wood floors and not carpeting.”  And their focus became these easy things that they could actually change themselves for little time, energy and budget.  WANTS were often trends.  WANTS were often temporary and the WANT would often change several times throughout their buying process.  The happiest of clients were the ones that knew what they NEEDED in a home and so I was very successful in helping them find that.  The NEEDS they could not live without.  The WANTS they could always add later.

It is through evaluation of my own personal wants and needs that led me to my path of finding Fire Tree Studios.  My old habits of want out of my occupation actually made me miserable.  What I thought that I wanted…money, travel, status, prestige…was actually what pulled the joy from my own heart.  What I needed was to make my passion my profession which was the art of creation…creating articles, creating music, creating photos, creating fashion, singing, being surrounded by people living their life’s purpose…working with people of integrity, authentic beings.

When I made the decision to leave my state of miserable comfort and stability and challenged myself to love me enough to gift myself with creative opportunities…the world opened up to me and I was flooded with the RIGHT opportunities.  The realization was that I had not acknowledged my needs…I had placed them out of reach and let them gather dust while I polished all of the wants that I thought would make my life better.  To wake up each morning and live a life with purpose…a life that is ever evolving…a life that I love…that I need…is a blessing that I wish for everyone.

So I cannot speak for anyone other than myself when I think about what I would need in a program and coach of my own.  I can only advise that if you come to terms with what you need…then you are already taking the first step in your process to living your vision.  There is no better time than now.  What you want today will likely not be what you want a few years from now.  What you need in your heart, your soul, and your vision…will always be there…it always has.  Dust it off, wake it up…live it.  Then everything that you want will be clear.

may you all find what you already have,

Courtney

harvest your creativity with our fall offerings…

wild women’s weekend painting retreat in pontotoc, texas

walk on the wild side november 11-13, 2011

friday 6pm – sunday 5pm

“We are all filled with a longing for the wild. There are few culturally sanctioned antidotes for this yearning. We were taught to feel shame for such a desire. We grew our hair long and used it to hide our feelings. But the shadow of Wild Woman still lurks behind us during our days and in our nights. No matter where we are, the shadow that trots behind us is definitely four-footed.”

– Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PH.D.

Women Who Run with the Wolves:  Stories and Myths of the Wild Woman Archetype

Val is the queen of the art barn

• Are You Ready to awaken, express and reclaim……your organic wildness?!
• Do you seek that raw creative life-force essence that lives and breathes deep within in you?
• Do you desire to discover your authentic voice?
• Do you crave a space where you can join together in community with like-minded sisters that crave to explore this lost aspect of ourselves…to give yourself permission to display the often-hidden wildness from within?

Then this, my SISTERS….is for YOU!

Fire Tree Studios is taking a road trip to a private vineyard in the Texas Hill Country for a painting retreat dedicated to deepening your intuition and Wild sense of knowing! Through creating a safe and sacred container, this highly meditative retreat will take you deep into your flow, opening the door to awakening and transformation from within.

Farmhouse on the vineyard

Come spend a weekend immersed in your painting process at a lovely private vineyard set on a old farm in the Texas Hill Country.  Paint outside in a open-air milk-barn that is transformed into a painting studio…get inspired with your view of the plentiful vineyard!

Vineyard dinners

• Begin each morning with authentic movement to awaken the creative juices

• Get into your flow with over 20 hours of painting process, guidance and creative teachings!

• Enjoying country cooking provided by Brandy Gibbs of Fine Home Dining…and a BBQ welcome dinner!

• Let your hair down!  Wind down each evening with wild stories around the campfire.

• Reflect on your process and your day by taking in the majestic sun setting over the vineyard.

Investment:

Investment depends on level of accommodations in the farmhouse.

• Bunk beds ($600) or doubles in a shared room ($700).
• Camping on the property is also available for $550.
• Hook-ups are available for trailers ($575).
• Full payment is required to secure your space.
• All materials included.
• 5 delicious, organic meals included to nourish the mind & spirit!
• Massage therapy available for an additional investment.

Painting barn!

How to Register?

• Call the studio at 512 524 0687
• Email melissa@firetreestudios.com
• Visit our website www.firetreestudios.com to sign up on our Schedule page
• Click the Register button below

saturdays in the studio

december 10, 2011

12pm – 4pm

(last saturday session of 2011)

Jennifer explores her creativity with paint

Spend an afternoon awakening and nourishing your creative spirit by immersing yourself in over three hours of exploration, expression, play and deep surrender.

The Saturday Visionary Painting class welcomes continuing students and first time painters, providing a space to journey through barriers of old patterns and stagnant, less-than-serving beliefs that keep you from tapping into the internal well of creativity, power and life force energy that is within you.

• investment:  $75 (inludes all materials and Hill Country spring water)
• beginners welcome!
• guided by melissa d’antoni

Claire cleaning her brushes after an afternoon in the studio

How to register?  Need more information?

• Visit our website www.firetreestudios.com and sign up on our Schedule page via pay pal.
• Call 512 524 0687 to use a credit card.
• Email melissa@firetreestudios.com.
• Click the register button below.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook!  Be the first to hear about all of our new offerings for 2012!