From Pain to Power (healing)!

Frida Khalo's - The Column - I absolutely love this image, it represented her pain of an extremely horrific traffic accident she had as a teenager. Traveling on a bus, the vehicle collided with a streetcar. As a result of the collision, Kahlo was impaled by a steel handrail, which went into her hip and came out the other side. She suffered several serious injuries as a result, including fractures in her spine and pelvis.

I wanted to share this amazing outpouring of pain. I remember last year feeling this much emotional pain within, it was like my heart was broken and at times my body too. I remember painting that little image of my body folded over in two and my heart bleeding.

Amazingly I felt so much relief painting that - it took only a moment, but it represented everything within. I was able to see my pain and with that I was able to hold it - witness it and accept it. I was no longer in denial - my body knew it was being seen and with it came relief. I don't know if Frida felt the same, but I do hope so. Empowered and Alive!

Unfortunately Frida was not able to heal completely from her physical wounds, due to the accident. She surrounded herself with beauty and life and expressed her pain and sorrow with Gusto - she was not scared of it. Like Frida we can take action and not be scared of the shadow and pain within us and express it. I love that even though as humans we may feel pain, there is healing, empowerment and life within.

Linked here is a video and exhibition in New York of her wonderful garden, she was avid gardener and collector of beauty. She was a true creator of her life.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/frida-kahlo-garden-art/