Wisdom and Inspiration – Julie Stephenson

Jun 22

by Julie in Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

Living quietly….

Winter solstice and I’m living quietly. I looked to the sky today and reflected on the path my life has taken and how it has changed; in particular over the past year or so. I saw in the space of the deep blue sky that I am living more quietly… and that doesn’t mean that I’m not doing crazy things all around the world… it doesn’t mean that I’m not playful and exuberant…. it doesn’t mean that I’m not expressive and connected… it just means that my mind is more quiet than it has ever been. There is no push. There is no striving. My thoughts are quiet and I am content. For so many wasted years I pursued a misguided notion of purpose… and that engulfed every part of my being. My thoughts were focussed on how I could ‘fulfil my purpose’; (which is just plainly quite silly); and I realised far too late the destructive nature of my committed pursuit. There was so much cognitive static and chaos in my head. I had chronic insomnia. My mind was so noisy. Last week I came upon a sketch I drew many years ago of […]

Jun 01

by Julie in Earth and Sea, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

“The glorious gift to age and greet another day”

"The glorious gift to age and greet another day". What a beautiful sentence shared by a lovely lady as a comment on one of my recent Instagram posts. I spoke about witnessing my body change with scars from experience and surgeries and how I feel about watching my beautiful body change and age as time passes; and how this revealed itself to me through listening to one of my photographs from Antarctica. It seemed that..

Jan 05

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Bittersweet love… “I love you for what you have done for me”

Bittersweet love - Recently from a girlfriend I received a hug with the words .. "I am so grateful and I love you for what you have done for me." Now on the surface this may sound like a beautiful 'thank you' ... but I actually don't want to be loved for what I have done to support others. I want to be loved for who I am - NOT what I have done for someone... and I don't do things to be loved by others. I do things in support of others because I have a privileged life and I WANT to in caring for them and loving them... NOT for

Dec 02

by Julie in Inspirations, Uncategorized, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

Aeroplane window – toward Bhutan… Bangkok.. Kolkata…

The smell of the cedar-wood shampoo reminded me of my last trip to Kolkata a year ago with Max before our drive through India and Bhutan. I love Kolkata. Yes. I know. Some are shaking their heads. For some reason being here feels.... hmmmm... can't quite put my finger on it. I think it brings me back to earth and I deepen my sense of gratitude. I am in awe of how so many people here survive and still offer such generosity and kindness.... and work so hard just to survive. The air this morning was damp and thick as the ravens reminded everyone of the smog, yet the small birds in the courtyard chirped that it was a new day with new opportunities to experience living. As I looked out from under crisp white cotton sheets through...

Julie stephenson Choices_motivational speaker

Aug 24

by Julie in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

The choices we make; make us.

Yep... we make choices every second of every day, and each one of those choices leads us along a path of experience; self-discovery; learning; and at times destruction and a place we would rather not be. All of my previous choices have led me to where I am right now.... and you too! All of my choices have actually MADE ME!... ALL of my choices have enabled me to experience love, laughter and tears. ALL of my choices have given me an opportunity to formulate my philosophy; my life circumstances; my way of being and experiencing the world. I have chosen paths which have led me to flourish..and others which have led me to falter... and regardless... ALL have contributed to MAKING ME! Some of my choices; or forks in the road have come with warning signs. Sometimes....

May 31

by Julie in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

Not taking notice of what is right in front of you… Loss of experience

Taking notice…. This image taken in Morocco in the Atlas mountains reminded me that if we don’t take notice of what is right in front of us; then so many opportunities for experience are lost. I took notice. I saw and felt what was there and I was willing to go there to find out and experience more. We were driving along a dirt road and I saw everything. The men. The child. The donkey. The large round wood. The pole. The rocks. The power line. The door. The building. The path. I saw in front of me the whole story yet it was just in my imagination. I had to stop and walk the landscape to truly experience and feel. We walked up and with warm smiles we were shown how the olive press worked. I experienced far more than if I had just sat in my car and thought about how all the pieces of what I saw would fit together. How many times have you not taken notice; and experienced only loss because you weren’t willing to truly see and experience what was right in front of you?

May 31

by Julie in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

She watches the seasons….

"She witnesses the seasons
and within her she can feel her strength emerging
to be revealed as
the leaves fall
to expose her beauty more clearly."
Julie Stephenson
This is an image from Capitol Reef on a journey to the US in 2011. I learn so much about myself when I am in nature and even after my experiences, I reflect on my photographs and more is revealed to me about where I'm at even now.

May 23

by Julie in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

If I take away….

If I take away my smile and expression. If I take away my features and identity. What am I left looking at? Who am I really? Who are YOU really?

Jul 17

by Julie in Europe 2013, Inspirations, Travels Europe 2013, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

It’s not time we waste…. its….

“We say we waste time, but that is impossible. We waste ourselves.” Alice Bloch

Feb 17

by Julie in Inspirations, Tonga, Wisdom and Inspiration 2 comments

“Try and be a piece of paper with nothing on it……

"Try and be a sheet of paper with nothing on it. Be a spot of ground where nothing is growing, where something might be planted, a seed, possibly, from the Absolute." ~ Rumi

Jan 24

by Julie in Earth and Sea, Fine Art Photography, Inspirations, Photography Teachings, Wisdom and Inspiration, Words 0 comments

“…the life of clouds is a parting and a meeting… A tear and a smile…”

In the artwork above I have made a sky of clouds; (all images taken on one two hour flight from Brisbane to Melbourne).... where .."the waters of the sea become vapour and rise and come together in cloud..."

Jan 12

by Julie in Earth and Sea, Inspirations, Photography Teachings, Wisdom and Inspiration, Words 0 comments

Just going to BE!

As a photographer I am constantly observing the landscape and connect with and witness my own response to

Jan 11

by Julie in Earth and Sea, Inspirations, Photography Teachings, Wisdom and Inspiration, Words 0 comments

No-one knows what happens next…

Although I am quite psychic; have incredible foresight and intuitive abilities and even premonition dreams… I really don’t know what’s going to happen next. I don’t really know how my life will unfold

Dec 27

by Julie in Inspirations, poetry, Uncategorized, Wisdom and Inspiration, Words 0 comments

In deep sleep – who am I?

In deep sleep where there are no dreams

Oct 28

by Julie in Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

The first step to expressing one’s personal vision is to ‘own’ the word “I”.

I have been asked so many times for some guidance on how others can more clearly express their own personal voice.... or express more clearly the feeling or idea that they wanted to through their images. The first step is to own the word "I".

Aug 23

by Julie in Inspirations, Photography Teachings, Uncategorized, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments

“Be daring, be different, be impractical…..

“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.” – Peter Lindbergh

Aug 04

by Julie in About Me, Inspirations, Wisdom and Inspiration 0 comments