I’ve had many graduations in my life and this is the one that has caused and created the greatest transformation in my life.  For the last year, I’ve been in the Color of Woman program, taught by Maestra Shiloh Sophia.

an image of a basket, pomegranate, cupt of tea, chocolate bars, an orchid and a lit candle on a round mat made of feathers

The Color of Woman program is based on the Intentional Creativity philosophy.  Every Color of Woman student has created her own definition of Intentional Creativity and mine is the following:

Intentional creativity is a process to connect to your sacred nature. It is based on inquiry, intention, imagination and creativity that when combined, provide a soulful framework for accessing life. The heart guides the process and connects our right and left brain, integrating our whole self.  Once integrated, we have access to inner wisdom which is called into form on the canvas and in our lives.

While writing, imagination, inquiry and painting are the threads of the Color of Woman Intentional Creativity method, the fabric that results is our ability to access our inner wisdom, connect to our sacred, legendary selves and unearth our gifts and talents to share with the world in our unique ways.

Can you feel the power!?!? 

Over the course of the year, I painted prolifically in large format paintings and took my painting skills to an entirely new level.  I’ve always painted collages on 8×10 canvases.  Now, I paint goddesses on 36×48 canvases! 

Here’s my first painting – My Legend

Meet my legend warrior goddess - brown skin, brown eyes, burgundy lips, headdress, heart wings over her throat, a dog in the lower left corner and a turquoise earring in her left earEach required painting took us on a journey of self-discovery and transformation as we took a deep, honest look within ourselves.  The journey was not for the faint of heart.  We saw the good, the bad, the ugly, the dark, the light, the love and the possibilities.  We learned how to access our truth and finally get rid of the stories we’ve lived into over a lifetime.  We turned our challenges into the compost from which blossomed our authentic, fully self-expressed lives on purpose. And, importantly, as we learned from doing, we also created our own programs and workshops based on these concepts (with our own unique twists) that we can take into the world to make the impact we want to make.

An image of joan jakel at her canvas on an easel paintingHave you noticed that when you step into your life and take it on in a purposeful way, determined to follow your unique path and discover and share your sacred gifts, that life takes you on an odyssey of discovery that is very different than the one you envisioned? 

                                 This was no exception.

As I started the program, my cherished companion, my German Shepherd Teddy, died.  It was a brutal blow that fell soon after I had introduced him to my new Color of Woman Tribe. You’ll notice I painted him into the lower left corner of my Legend painting (above) to keep him close to me.  During the year, I moved into a temporary new home; my other precious companion, Trouble Cat, died (He died on a Sunday night after I had JUST completed a 5 day Color of Woman program in Sonoma and I was on the top of the world before crashing to the depths of loss.); I  worked 7 days a week trying to balance my businesses and this program (I drastically underestimated the time commitment); and I had to face the demons I uncovered as I grew through the processes.  It took every ounce of my energy every day. Meet my Talisman:

an image of my talisman painting - a huge goddess woman with a sword head dress, cosmos and compass earrings, a heart at my throat with a candle in it and topped by a lotus, a phoenix rising in the bottom right corner and a book of impact on the bottom left

It was my Shero’s Journey as I vanquished dragons, lost my way, looked in the darkest corners of my mind, shed facades, discovered my light, gained clarity on my message and arrived with a deepened, passionate confidence to guide co-adventurers to discover and step into their fully self-expressed, authentic lives on purpose. This is my Soulfire:

an image of a woma, hair blowing in the wind with multiple colors with a heart below her throat topped by flames and an eye in the heart with a wing on the left of the heart with a hand holding a basket with one scrollOver the course of the summer, I created new programs and tested them out on my local Napa friends (thank you ladies!).  They were hugely successful! Now, I’m teaching two day workshops and painting classes, facilitating master mind groups and coaching individuals with the underlying, unified purpose to guide people to discover their true path and create the life that lights them up!  Witnessing the results as people embrace their lives at an entirely new level as they step into their purpose and power is a remarkable experience.

An image of artist Katrena Edman standing next to her painting on an easel and the painting is an abstract woman

An image of Denise Beringer painting an abstract painting with her fingers

While selfishly, it’s rewarding; however, the bigger impact is that THIS is how we change the world.  People ask me all the time how can they make a difference when life is so challenging right now.  Everywhere we look we are bombarded by all that is wrong in the world. We search for role models, champions and white knights, but often all we can see is contentious politics, natural disasters and savagery.   The absolute reality is that we can change the state of affairs in the world by standing in our purpose and confidently, unabashedly and unapologetically sharing our unique gifts, skills and talents with the world. 

This is a painting with a muse in the center painted in shades of purple with orange colored hair with a map of symbols around the outside of the painting with jewelry placed throughout the piece

Each of you has a unique gift – a skill or talent that no one else in the world has.   Someone in this world is waiting for you to share your gift – they NEED it. 

It is your sacred responsibility to discover that gift and share it.

Don’t hide it.
Don’t minimize it.
Don’t ignore it.
Don’t disregard it. 

Boldly proclaim it.
Own it.
Cherish it.
Share it.

When we discover our purpose and share those gifts, we fill a need and make a difference.  We begin to be the cause we want to see in the world.  Don’t EVER doubt this

One person can make a difference. 

And the impact grows exponentially as each person helps someone else.  You have to be willing to put yourself out there and be that cause. Put a stake in the world and declare that you have gifts to share and you will share them.

We can go viral, my friends, and make a massive difference.  One person at a time.

That’s what I’m committed to do. With my art, my programs, my coaching, my writing, my life.

What are you committed to?

an image of Joan Jakel looking over her shoulder and she's wearing a red hat and dress

A photo of affirmation cards I created with water color paint and cold pressed paper
an image of Joan Jakel standing next to her painting the Muse
a painting with a rough house in the background and swirls on the front of it and a heart in the centerAn image of Joan Jakel and Shiloh Sopha standing next to one of Joan's paintings

Joan Jakel

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