So Kind!
'I feel like our class is a kind of murmuration of sorts. I feel that same, exhilarating, swirling rush of life, and from the right perspective maybe this dance of muses is very like a murmuration. There is something magically tribal and collective here in the 'peristing soul' photography course.
~ Jenna ~
I also wanted to say that I'm loving the 'Persisting Soul' photography course. Really, it feels
like a sacred pilgrimage of sorts...like a vast expansion, and the group
energy is amazing. I'm so grateful for the uniqueness of this course. The depth and
intensity have completely drawn me in. I'm challenged and inspired at
the same time. There is a rapid swirling that seems to happen when a
group of creative souls get together, and I feel blessed and lucky to be
part of this one.
~ Jennifer DeVille ~
~photo by under the leaves ~
'I wanted to thank you dear soul for the gift of
your classes. Persisting Souls is the second I have journed on - The Art of
Living Cheerfully was the first. Each time I have registered it has been because
of a little tug at my heart, or perhaps my soul, and each time the words, the
questions, the images and the conversations have been exactly what I was seeking
at that time in my life. I am blessed. I am stretched. I am challenged. I am
enlightened. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. '
~ Tania ~
Dear Madelyn,
I want to tell you how much I am relishing your My Sweet Muse messages every day. These treasures spark my day into all sorts of lovely places, and I truly appreciate your unique vision and creativity. There is so much grace, compassion, and playfulness in your writing and your images. You have given me such inspiration and beauty, just at a time in my life when I am so in need of reconnecting with that sacred creative spot in my heart.
thank you,
Antoinette
it’s
only 9am and i am already jazzed about this weeks assignment. what a
beautiful and refreshing way to start the day ~ what
you have said reminds me of the ‘butterfly effect’. how the beat of
wings in asia can cause a thunderstorm here. and you know what? i
believe it. this world is too strange and odd and gorgeous and i have
seen and experienced to much sorrow/wonder to not believe in fate,
serendipity, wonder, and ordained experience. what
a beautiful course. and these photos! i’m soaking it all in over here. if
there’s such a thing as particles of truth and beauty, i’m breathing
them in here. deep.
brittany why
‘I enjoyed this e-course immensely – it freed up a stiff heart and brought such joy to my life, and love to my home.’
(~ Rachel Nankivel, ~ Samoa ~)
Sincerely, Heather Hirsch
Dear Madelyn,
Thank you so very much for this wonderful month of the daily Muses. I have eagerly looked for them everyday in my inbox and they have given me so much to ponder.I am learning, through you, how to notice the details in my life and have been appreciating so many things that I otherwise take for granted if I even bothered to notice them at all. Consequently this month has been a gentler, softer, kinder one and I am looking forward to continuing with this way of noticing the everyday details. Thank you again Madelyn, have a magical summer and I am looking forward to signing up for your october offering.
Thank you for your fabulous ‘Persisting Stars’
course. I am now the proud new owner of my very first polaroid camera
and am completely thrilled with photo journaling! It’s the best
photography course I have ever done and can’t wait to set up my own
little exhibit in my local coffee shop. You gave me great encouragement
and thank you for being uber patient with all my crazy emails!
~ Livia Knowles ~
Your classes each week here are really beautiful, just so
very zen and uplifting and inspiring. I really really appreciate this
course, Maddy. And I love this week’s theme. Reading this, it occurred
to me that I USED to take all sorts of mini-road-trips (or super duper
LONG road trips) all by myself, all of the time! And I haven’t had one
in oh, so long. Now I feel I have suddenly gotten back in touch with
that part of me that is filled with wanderlust. I know just where I’m
going to go now. I can get up into the “thumb” area of Michigan in about
2 hours. I can take a road trip, go there and back in a day, sit on the
beach & eat a picnic lunch with my dog & get sand in my hair
and put my feet in the cold cold water. Thank you!
~ Jessica Morrow ~
Morning!
Hope yours a lovely weekend. Being part of your ‘Persisting Stars photography’ course inspired me, last weekend, to make a small
film…not at all grand, but rather lovely and shot with the 8mm movie
camera app on my iPhone. I have set it to Bach’s Solo Cello Prelude ,
it’s just gorgeous.
Was shot last weekend down on the Tanzania coast near us, blissfull!!!!
Cheers, Eliza 
~ eliza deacon ~
“From the moment I saw one of Maddie’s photographs my soul
recognized this kindred spirit. That recognition was even more affirmed
from the first moments of conversation with her. I thoroughly enjoyed
her online course… which brought in an abundance of creative blessings
for my spirit + creative self. I’m honored to now call her a friend and
even more privileged and thankful for the glimpse inside her world. Her
art and creativity speaks volumes towards joy + bliss… Something we all
need more of in our daily lives! You’re a true treasure.”
~madalyn ducher ~
“Wow. You make the camera’s eye create a focused, meditative celebration of something that otherwise might be diffuse in person… remarkable. I can feel the care and love that is coming from behind the eye. Little ‘Schubertian’ gems.”
~David Wilson ~
(~photo by zieke ~)
How beautiful and whimsical is your site! Just gorgeous…I just
logged on to the photography course and what do I discover?? That
you’ve catered for 17 hour time differences, and you’ve put it up
already!! A beautiful post, filled with truth, and a perfect, wonderful
assignment. How thrilling. I literally misted up a teensy bit when I
read it. My son is scoffing as only a seven-going-on-eight-year-old boy
can scoff. Closed-eyes photography! But he can laugh, because I Can’t Wait to Get Started.’
~ Jen Larsen~
‘I have to tell you that I have followed your blog for some time
now. I’d like to claim I’m your biggest fan, but I know you are
seriously inspiring many women who, like me, have your blog bookmarked
and read your new entries the moment they are up. Your writing has
inspired me to change not only the way I journal, but the way I live my
life.’
Kellene Gilloff
Thank you so much for the course Maddie! I am so much more conscious of
my happiness, luck and the energy I put into the world. I hope to take
it again soon. It was so fun!!
April Taylor
‘Hi Madeleine!
I live in Squamish and own a flower shop up here, and encountered your
blog through the other blog I began following: soulemama. I am really
busy in my life with an almost two year old and a busy store so don’t
follow blog regularly but I just wanted to tell you that each time I do
read your blog I feel so inspired to live with more intention, joy and
beauty! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful writing and your
uplifting and joyful outlook on life. Id love to meet you someday! If
you are ever in Squamish, pop by, my shop is called Billies Flower
House.’
~ Alanna Volp ~
I just wanted to share with you how much you inspire me. I love
your blog, your photos and your videos. There is something so peaceful
about a trip to your space and I so look forward to your new posts.
Plus, I am a huge ee cummings fan (in a big big way- Neruda too) so you
can imagine how I felt the first time I found your blog.
Thanks so much for inspiring me to up the ante on my own life and creative dreams.
~Laura McCullough-DeLorme~
I am very thankful for the emails you send each day and the
posts Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. I have enjoyed the class so far and am
taking time to really connect with myself through some of the
“assignments” you mention. As a wife, mother, and teacher I often find
myself drained of energy and in need of some renewal. I am finding
that inspiration with the class. Thank you!
~ Krystal Stephens ~
Journaling and extending my views of photography these past six
weeks have helped me come to some peaceful conclusions about some very
difficult decisions. yippee! Week Five’s post and assignment really clenched the deal for
me – I had my mind made up, but I felt so right about my decision after
having read it. And now all kinds of happy ideas, possibilities and
freedoms are hopping about in my head. You’re right – if you just have
faith and take the leap, what is meant to be will be . . . and when you
finally let go – well, all kinds of wonderful things begin to happen.
Control is such a frightening beast, and yet thinking of being without
it is just frightening. It’s all about faith and letting Thy Will be
done. It was kind of you to do so, but more importantly, you were a part of
something much bigger when you added me to your class the second time.
~Roxy Schow~
‘You transmit a very genuine warm spirit – even across the
mystery that is the internet. The main message that I wanted to send
you was that I am happy for the nudge to create a happy day for myself.
Sometimes I forget that it is OK to simply enjoy myself for sustained
periods ~ and not only after the things on the ‘should do/must do’ list
are checked off. So thank you!’
~ Patricia ~
'As I wrote I fell all the more in love with my life and began to
look oh so closely at the abundance of small happinesses in my life and
somehow everything seemed so possible with a simple leap of ‘yes!’”
Madelyn, not only are you a beautiful artist, you have the gift of writing. I loved this quote of yours that Susan highlighted too, I love the sense of hope and excitement in your words.'
~ Shona Cole ~
‘I just registered my wife for your course as an unknown gift to
her. She found your info, was quite taken and showed it to me this
weekend from a blog she reads called Soulemama. Thanks again , she is
going to love this!’
~Tim Everhart ~
‘I have found that in the 3 short weeks of this course, my
creative side is coming alive! I didn’t realize how much it had been
hidden away and how much I’ve been longing to do! It’s amazing how
taking specific time to take pictures and create in my journal has
awakened so much! I’ve been traveling this week, which has made it a bit
hard to journal. But, my friend and I are in the process of painting 6
canvases to put in her daughters bedroom! They are so beautiful. I had
NO idea I could do stuff like this! Thank you!’
~karisse schilling ~
I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your class. I’ve
taken a few in-person photography classes and have always been
incredibly disappointed so I decided to try this on a whim and I am
thrilled that I did. Your weekly assignments offered the perfect combo
of inspiration and creativity. None of the assignments was so
challenging that I wouldn’t attempt it, yet all of them were challenging
enough that I had to expand my way of looking at things (I’m still
working on the self-portrait assignment). Perfect for January. And I
loved the links you provided. I would really love to take one of your
journaling classes in the spring. Thanks again, you have no idea how
much you’ve inspired me.
~darcy troutman ~
Thank you for such a
wonderful course! As I look back, it seems forever ago that it was
Week 1 of this course. My life has changed so much for the better and I
can honestly say that journaling and photography are an integral part
of my life. I am sad that this is the last week, but excited that new
doors have opened for me and that I have new friends. I look at each day
as one filled with possibility, and no matter how busy I am, I take the
time to do a little something at least that fulfills my artistic dreams
and hopes
~sharon gollman ~
‘The persisting stars course has let me explore photography in a playful
and curious way that has been fun, suprising, very moving at times and
has revitalised my love of light and capturing it in the moment. Maddie
brings such delicate magic and wonder to each class that it makes the
journey a really special one to be on. I am also glad to have met some
other lovely people and fellow journeyers! I can’t wait for the next
course and glad that its so soon!’
~ Fiona Monks ~
Madelyn I feel empowered already!! You speak directly to the
world with encouragement and one of my favorite words…’possibility’!!
Off to begin!!!
~Sherry Smyth ~
'Your photography course really was a wonderful experience. Very
uplifting and I loved the assignments, every single one of them, such
fab projects and it was all perfectly orchestrated for me, worked
easily, loved the way you worded everything and all the information! It
worked really well. Also loved the gallery, the feel and look, and
your lovely positive comments.'
~caroline carrick ~
‘I certainly appreciate your taking your valuable time to share your
thoughts with me. Obviously you are a remarkably sensitive and intuitive
facilitator. Apparently you have dealt with many students’
idiosyncrasies to be so perceptive to mine.’
~ R. H. ~
I just wanted to say an emphatic yes! to what you have written about beauty calling forth our own inner beauty and mirroring our souls. I want you to know that this is precisely the reason that I read your blog! On occasion I have even printed your words and stuck them into my journal because they so uncannily mirror my own thoughts at that time. (Right now I am reading - for the third time at least!- Divine Beauty by John O`Donohue.....) And that synchronicity is so sweet for me because I am unwell and so often in the reading of your day I am re-minded of all that is precious and meaningful and why, even when I am feeling really poorly, I want to shine my light and walk in beauty....reminded of all that is precious and true and worthy of honour, all the simple beauty of each day.
So it occured to me that it is indeed curious that here I am on the other side of the planet (Cornwall, England) sticking your words into a little journal and smiling when I see your name alert me in my email box that you have put up another post...and there you are living and moving and having your being in Canada and not aware of where your words go when you hit "send"...so I thought it was time to say hello and thank you! May you richly reap all that you sow and know many blessings.......
Tomorrow is the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane, all around the beech trees and the oak trees are springing into leaf and there are bluebells and wild garlic in the hedgerows. It has been wild and wet and windy and the sea is boiling, full of white horses and wind-blown spray....
lots of love from Cornwall,
Kate xx
Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your course. It has
been a wonderful, bumpy, happy, journey for me and I know it will
continue long after this course has finished.
Your “voice” is so full of hope and light and encouragement and I am so grateful to be walking “this path” with you.
~suvarna mollerup ~
I just wanted to send a huge thank you your way and to let you
know what a treat this class has been for me. You’ve opened up buckets
of inspiration within me!
~Patti Christakos ~
Thank you…soooo much for this wonderful e-course. I really
appreciate your perspective, perception and direction…as we explore
together the wonder of photography. I am learning lovely and delicious
facets of myself and I am discovering my world through photography.
~Barbara Isaacs ~
*****photo of madelyn by Tess Herzog *****
