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Oct 15
in Inspirations

reflection on principles of living

I was recently invited to be a mentor at a breakfast for some girls attending Brisbane Girls’ Grammar who are interested in a career in Visual Arts. This was such a privilege and created the opportunity for me to reflect upon my own life and what have been my own guiding principles, and ones which I thought I would share with the girls. They of course will determine their own set of guidelines, but I hoped that my own life experience can somehow assist them to have harmonious, meaningful and enriched lives.

I determined that 5 principles were the ones which, although I have not mastered them yet, are the ones which I feel have been the most important in my life. As my experience grows, these may change, but for the moment the following are what I feel are important, and not necessarily in any specific order.

Underpinning these 5 principles is a recognition that to have a meaningful, enriched life, there must be harmony and balance, and I think that the 5 principles allow me to do this.

1. RESPECT – To have respect for others invites respect to myself. Respecting the right of others to have opinions, invites respect for one’s own. Respect for myself involves not denigrating myself or putting myself down. Respecting myself involves looking after my body through exercise and only eating what supports my body. Respecting myself involves planning work, play, family, responsibilities, and giving to others etc; so there is balance in my life and I don’t become stressed. Respect my own life by living it to the fullest each and every day. Have a vision, but respect the value of life by living fully each moment.

2. BE HONEST – My aim is to -Always speak truthfully. Always act truthfully. Don’t have facades or follow trends blindly so one’s own personality is suppressed. Just be myself. I endeavour to not be afraid to express who I am through my own words and actions. Live my own life, not the life others wish for me.

3. ALWAYS DO THINGS WHICH INSPIRE me – Always have something in my life which excites me and I am interested in. Even if along the way to attaining my dreams I find myself in a job which doesn’t really thrill me, I have interests or hobbies or activities which really inspires me and that for while I am doing it, I am totally engrossed. Learn to be open and flexible to explore different new activities, hobbies or skills. Aim to do things which I am passionate about and love, and if I find myself doing things which I don’t really love doing, do them wholeheartedly anyway, and aim to work toward doing things I do love.

4. GIVE GRATITUDE AND BE GENEROUS – Give thanks to all those who have cared for me and have taught me. Take time to observe and reflect on what I have, rather than what I haven’t. Make time to be in the natural environment and connect consciously with your surroundings. Give to others of my time and energy. It helps me not be so arrogant and egocentric and helps to put balance into my life.

5. BE HUMBLE AND DON’T TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY – Whilst looking at the night sky with binoculars in the Kimberley, I realised we all are just a speck in such a vast expanse. Keep perspective of the big picture and realise that decisions I make are really small in the grand scheme of things. This is not to say that decisions should be made flippantly, but rather with respect, conscious awareness and with a realisation that whatever choices I make, life still goes on regardless of them. Understanding this is so liberating and takes huge pressure off, allowing me to be able to live more in alignment with who I really am – in every moment.

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About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

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0 Comments:

  1. Brian Dinh
    October 24, 2009
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    It’s about life experience. The books you’ve read, the people you’ve met, the places you’ve been . . and the suffering/joy you’ve endured.

    • admin
      October 24, 2009
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      Yes Brian, experiences are what life is about, but the principles upon which these experiences are based …or the principles which guide me to those experiences are the ones i ahve listed above.

  2. Brian Dinh
    October 25, 2009
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    Julie, you give those girls a good head start in their artistic life.

    I like #2 ” Be Honest”: Express , through your favourite medium, what you have/want to say rather than follow the trends or live an ” artist’s life” .

  3. Maile Miller
    December 27, 2009
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    Quite true Julie … principles that guide us through our life experiences give us also the courage to make a difference in people and places.


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skeinydipping

I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have t I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have touched; have loved; have created; have worked; have nurtured. My hands.   

I looked down and saw on my wrist and fingers items from around the world which have so many stories; items which have all been created from the heart and made by the hands of others. 

I looked down and saw beautiful yarn. Yarn which has been handled carefully through shearing, dyeing, skeining, balling; and now being knit in my beautiful hands. 

My hands are one of my gifts. This year I’ve really missed the touch of another with my hands, to feel the heart of another through my fingertips; but so grateful and love my hands which touch and feel; work and play!

What do you see when you look at your hands?

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Knitting a fabulous  #slipstravaganzamkal by @westknits .
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#gratitudeattitude #westknitsarethebestknits #westknitsmkal2020 #knittersofinstagram #knittersoftheworld #knittersofaustralia #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #handmade #handmadejewellery #fromtheheart #createeveryday #livetotravel #healing #healinghands #creativehands
My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories. I’ve had adventures on all continents. Slept being rocked by the sea; felt the ice on my skin in both polar regions, and felt the silence of the deserts. I’ve walked stone steps in monasteries at altitudes where each step I’ve taken consciously and mindfully; focussing on treasuring every molecule of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere. 

COVID has paused those adventures, but I draw upon my experiences as I navigate adventuring my days in a different way, on our ‘home range’. 

I recall my steps in Tibet as I walk through our bushland. I am mindful and conscious of my surroundings. I listen. I feel. I feel happy here. I am content.

My new stories may not hold the same experiences of connection with others; and may not be of extreme challenges or crazy things  (which I am rather prone to doing! 🙂 ) but they are not less wondrous… as I smell the warm eucalyptus waft from under my feet. 

I weave my stories, and this story is of my personal journey on my daily walk through our bushland. 
You can see some of my other woven stories on my website - link in profile. 

How do you express your life’s stories?
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#weaversofinstagram #indiedyedyarn #indiedyed #rigidheddleloomweaving #ashford #inspiredbynature #contentcreator #emotionalbalance #homedeco #handcrafted #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #wellbeing #travellerlife #journeywoman #weavingaustralia
“....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those “....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those times in your life when you need a meditative and healing knit. Assookinakii (ass-s-oo-kin-uh-k-EE) means ‘healer’ in the Blackfeet language, thank you to Cut Woods School in Browning, MT for the tradish language support”. –  Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers 

Knitting this beautiful cowl by Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers for @sistersunitedmt ; WAS healing. 

As my hands gently formed the repetitive stitches I reflected on the word ‘Assookinakii ‘ - healer. I am a healer. I don’t understand it. It’s something unseen. Something within me which has been recognised by Ngangkari and ‘clever men’ here in Australia; and shaman and healers around the world as we travel. This recognition always has caught me by surprise; as I seem to walk a line between two worlds. 

As the stitches slipped from one needle to another and the beautiful colours of @spincycle_yarns revealed themselves; in the pauses between the stitches I heard a voice whispering to continue to seek connection with the natural world and listen deeply. 

What has been healing for you this year?
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#healingjourney #meditationpractice #dyedinthewool #assookinakii_cowl #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #livinglifetothefullest #happydays #shaman #healer #healersofinstagram #listentoyourheart #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersoftheworld
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2017 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.