THE INSPIRATION PLACE PODCAST
Rakefet Hadar:
So when I’m teaching them a mental class, then I have to teach them about also the darker side and the healing sides of the inner child. And I think in order to activate the happy and joyful sides, we first have to heal the more wounded sides.
Speaker 2:
It’s the Inspiration Place podcast with Artist Miriam Schulman. Welcome to the Inspiration Place podcast, an art world insider podcast for artists by an artist where each week we go behind the scenes to uncover the perspiration and inspiration behind the art. And now your host, Miriam Schulman.
Miriam Schulman:
Well, hello there passion maker. This is Miriam Schulman, your curator of inspiration. And you’re listening to podcast episode 193 of the Inspiration Place. I am so grateful that you’re here. Today we’re talking all about visual journaling and how this artist created a certification program so that others can teach her methods. Our guest is an art therapist, author and artist. She holds a BA and an MA in Design from Beckingshire? I didn’t check that pronunciation before we started recording, Beckingshire University in England and an MA in Art Therapy from Lesley College. Over the past 15 years since her return to Israel, she’s been working as a therapist and developed the soul pages method, which combines healing, creativity, and art in a visual journal.
In 2015, she established the Creative Journeys School and she trains facilitators in her art journaling unique method soul pages all over the world. Since that time, 130 facilitators have been certified and work with various groups and individuals. In 2021, she started to teach the soul page’s mentor training internationally via zoom. Her book Elements of Visual Journaling was published in 2019, and it’s the first publication to compile all elements of the soul pages method. Our guest is now working on a second book called Color Archetypes around the connections of our soul energies, colors, and archetypes. Please welcome to the Inspiration Place, Rakefet Hadar. Well, hello. Welcome to the show.
Rakefet Hadar:
Hey, how are you Miriam?
Miriam Schulman:
So first of all, tell everybody where you are in the world.
Rakefet Hadar:
I’m based in Israel right now. And I live in north place, it’s called Maqam, it’s a small village.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. My listeners have heard this a million times by now I think, so my son just moved to Israel. Right now he’s living in Jerusalem and he was talking to me how he wants to move to like a village commuting distance from Jerusalem. Is that where you are? Are you commuting distance or no?
Rakefet Hadar:
No. I live in the north of Israel, more closer to Haifa.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. So my friend Danielle Weil lives near Haifa too. She’s a copywriter, maybe someday I’ll introduce you two. All right. So we have a lot to get started with, I’d love to ask my guests, especially the artists who come to my show, how they get inspired.
Rakefet Hadar:
How I get inspired?
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. How do you find your inspiration?
Rakefet Hadar:
I think my main source of inspiration is traveling. I’m addicted to traveling around the world. I try to, at least a few times a year, to go some places. And this is my escape and this is where I get all my inspiration.
Miriam Schulman:
So how’s that been the last few years?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah, it was difficult actually, but I managed to be in a few places and not places that I really love, like India but at least I traveled.
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. You traveled within the country?
Rakefet Hadar:
I traveled sometimes. In Israel I actually live in a very peaceful, beautiful place and I go a lot to nature and that’s also another inspiration for me.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. And tell people who are not familiar, what is the northern part of Israel, the countryside like there? Because it’s very different than maybe what they’re imagining.
Rakefet Hadar:
How can I explain how it looks? It’s not like deserty. Actually it looks… Where I live they call it a tuscan of Israel. So it’s very green. We have lots of animals here, like wild animals, like bulls, and I think maybe it looks like a village in Europe. Really beautiful here.
Miriam Schulman:
That’s nice. Yeah. My son sent me, the other day, a video of a Jackal just running around in the park.
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah. That’s amazing.
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. Just like there it was, luckily he doesn’t have a little pet as to worry about being carried away.
Rakefet Hadar:
Exactly, yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. All right. So let’s get into visual journaling. So first of all, because there may be some people listening who are not familiar, would you define what visual journaling is, at least what it is for you.
Rakefet Hadar:
So art journaling, which is another name for visual journaling basically started, I think, 30 years ago to be almost like a small movement in the art world. So when people started to create their own kind of creation, very personal creation. And I started visual journaling. I decided to name it visual journaling in Israel. I think I was one of the first one here. And for me, it’s an art that actually defined everybody to be an artist. So everybody have the possibilities to create. That’s what really attracted me to this kind of art and… Yeah, you want me to keep going?
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. Keep going.
Rakefet Hadar:
About it.
Miriam Schulman:
I will interrupt you if I need to.
Rakefet Hadar:
Okay. So yeah, so it started as a like, everybody can be an artist kind of movement. What I find out is that there are special things that are repeating, and this is how I discovered the seven elements that I’m writing about. Mainly it’s a collage-based kind of art. When you use collage and you use images, but the main idea is that you connect them to yourself. So you want to create art that is very personal and is almost therapeutic. I mean, some people want to be professional artists, but most people that do art journaling, they just do it for themselves, to be connected to the inner parts.
Miriam Schulman:
I’ve picked up art journaling. So by the way, I do have two children, even though I’m talking mostly about my son today. So I picked up art journaling when my son was in high school and he was on the wrestling team, which meant long hours hanging out at the gym, not watching him. The matches are two minutes each and maybe has a couple, if he’s lucky, if he advanced a day and it was hours and hours at the gym sitting in the stands. And it was a nice way that I could have portable artwork. So I would come with a bag of markers and washy tape. And it was a great way that I could use that time for myself and not feel at all resentful that I had to be in a sweaty, smelly gym all day for my child. You mentioned earlier that you had seven elements. So I’m very curious, what are those seven elements?
Rakefet Hadar:
So I called them the seven elements, because for me, it gives structure to the art that I’m doing. And you can say that you have the mother and father of elements, which is in intention. And the second element is magical coincidence, and these are vague kind of elements, but they’re really connecting all the surprises and they also add the intention to your art. The other five elements, I call them the children of the elements. And these are color, image, text, line, and background. So if you follow that, it’s really very easy to teach people how to art journal, because you have a structure and people really catch it very easily and they just start creating.
Miriam Schulman:
That’s great. So my daughter also likes to art journal. Oh, I am actually talking about both kids. Okay. See, I love both my kids the same or whatever. My mother used to say to my sister and I, when we would complain, oh, you like her better. And she would say, no, you bother me both equally. Anyway, so my daughter method of art journaling, she just likes to cover an entire page with washy tape and make patterns and things like that. Everyone finds their own path, but I love the way you broke down a structure. And then the purpose behind the visual journaling for the students who come to you, what do you define as their purpose or purposes for doing art journaling or visual journaling?
Rakefet Hadar:
I think what most important to me is activating this part of us that is joyful. Because I’m an art therapist and I met with lots of difficult cases and I started to look for methods to work with them and how to bring them back to life or make them connect with the healthy and joyful parts of themselves. And slowly I began to see that really connecting to your inner child, your dreams. So all the positive things in life is what’s really important. And I think this is what I want to encourage for people to really connect to those parts that help you thrive and dream and achieve your goals. So it’s more like a-
Miriam Schulman:
So for you it’s about connecting to the positive side of your inner child. I know that, and this may not be true in your work so you can tell me, some people with inner child work, they will use it to heal the parts of our childhood that were more painful. Does your journal practice dive into that shadow side at all?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah, I think it’s dependent because I have different courses. So I’m always creating the course for the people that are coming to me. So for example, when I’m teaching them a mental class, then I have to teach them about also the darker side and the healing sides of the inner child. And I think in order to activate the happy and joyful sides, we first have to heal the more wounded sides. So I’m doing lots of shamanic journeys and lots of voice dialogue, all those are techniques of healing the more wounded places.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. And when you started teaching art journaling or visual journaling to other people, were you doing this in person?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
How did you start teaching these methods?
Rakefet Hadar:
So this is really a nice story. I think I actually started art journaling when my mother was really sick. She was dying of cancer. And I used it as a way to help myself like, sitting in the hospital for hours. And then after she died, we had the Shiva and people just came over and I was walking in my journal, like filling up so many pages. And then people asked me, can you teach me how to do it? So just after that, I started teaching people, they just came and wanted to study. And I taught them in my house in the beginning. And every time it went bigger and bigger and you know how Israeli are from telling each other. And suddenly I had four groups and it took some time and I started to write and because I love writing. And slowly I found out that I have a method here.
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. Okay. So you started teaching in person. I know you have a book and I know you have online classes. So after teaching in person, which came next?
Rakefet Hadar:
After about two years of teaching just a regular course to people, I decided to open my first facilitator class because I couldn’t teach anymore. I couldn’t open more groups. So I said, let’s teach other people to this method and they can spread it out. And then I opened the first facilitator class. And from there, it also got bigger. The second year I already opened two classes.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. So I just want to get this straight. So before you had an online class and before you had a book, you created this certification or this mentorship program, is that correct?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
Wow, that’s fantastic. So basically you teach other people how to teach your seven’s part method.
Rakefet Hadar:
Yes. It’s much more than only the seven elements, I think. But yes, I’m teaching them my way of walking with people and the building blocks of the TOA behind my method, which is Jungian psychology. Yeah so it started way back, maybe seven years ago.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. So now you are an art therapist, so the people who get certified, do they have a therapy background or what kind of background do they need to have in order to get certified with you?
Rakefet Hadar:
No, I take everybody that just want to be a mentor and that’s why I call it a mentor and not like a therapy. Because I think what I believe is, this kind of program is meant to have people be able to mentor each other. So it’s kind of being like somebody that works with you on the way. And it’s a group kind of program. So people are working with groups of women. I think it really give them a different kind of way to help them than a therapist. It’s much more eye to eye and a much more closer attitude.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. So do you teach this online or is it just for people in Israel then to learn this method?
Rakefet Hadar:
No. I started to teach online with COVID. I didn’t have a choice. We had so many quarantines, then I decided to teach also the international course, because I actually got people from abroad that read my book and they asked me when are you opening an international class? So I was really scared in the beginning, but then I decided I will do it.
Miriam Schulman:
Because the international class, is that in English?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. And up until then, you’d only been certifying people in Hebrew, right?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay.
Rakefet Hadar:
Exactly.
Miriam Schulman:
All right.
Rakefet Hadar:
So I just started last year.
Miriam Schulman:
Fantastic. So how many people have been trained in your method around the world?
Rakefet Hadar:
So now, in this class I have 16 ladies that are starting with me and yes, I just now started the next year registration. So it’s really exciting.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. So I know you call these soul pages. Why are they called soul pages?
Rakefet Hadar:
Because I think the essence of my method is to be connected to your soul. In every, I call it, lesson or process, you can even call it, in every one of these lessons, there is a very important part of connection. So it’s either a meditative process or guided imagination or a very meaningful lighting exercise. So it’s always not just about the art that you create, but you create art to connect to yourself.
Miriam Schulman:
Wow. And how can this process transform people? Like, what kinds of transformations have you seen?
Rakefet Hadar:
I saw amazing transformation. In the beginning lots of women came to me for example, when they had like, lost loved ones or lots of women that are experiencing sickness. And they told me this practice actually keeps them alive. So it was really meaningful for them. And then in the program, some of the participant started to open their own special groups. So it went to schools even, and went to all kinds of special communities that really needs it and they would never get it otherwise. And I think that was my main goal to actually give it to people that needs it.
Miriam Schulman:
Is this a secular course or does it have any connection to Judaism?
Rakefet Hadar:
No, I mean, I’m Jewish, but I’m not religious. I think it’s built mostly on Jungian base.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay.
Rakefet Hadar:
So like exploring the inner archetypes and the inner parts of ourselves, and also I incorporate shamanic journeys but actually you can combine soul pages to anything. I think the main idea is that part of my course, I call it the diamond mind because you can connect it to everything that you gathered in your life. So everybody can actually create their own kind of way to teach the soul pages.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay. I love this. I know there’s a big movement with some Christian communities for using art journaling for bibling. So that’s why I was asking if you use it but your method is non-denominational so it’s for anyone to use it however they want. All right. So lastly, tell us about your book and is that translated into other languages, your book on visual journaling?
Rakefet Hadar:
It’s in Hebrew and English, and now there is a talk about translating into Chinese maybe. And that’s a real dream if it succeed. So yeah.
Miriam Schulman:
What is it called? So we can get the book.
Rakefet Hadar:
So it’s called Layers of Meaning. I don’t know if you saw it.
Miriam Schulman:
Oh, that’s beautiful.
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah, and that was actually my way of publishing my art because I cannot sell my art. It’s all in small journals and I have tons of them at home, but I would never sell my journals. So in the book, I have lots of my art spreads. It felt really good to actually bring it to the world.
Miriam Schulman:
I can relate to that. So I’m moving from my home in the suburbs to the city. And I had boxed up all my art journals and my husband says, “Why are you saving them?” And then of course I had to say, “Well, why are you saving all of your…” I don’t want to make fun of him.
Rakefet Hadar:
Exactly, so precious.
Miriam Schulman:
Well, I make fun of him on the podcast all the time. So I don’t know I’m stopping myself now, but all the things that he finds precious, all his screwdrivers which sounds like a ridiculous thing, but he has a lot of different tools. We all have our things that come with us and someday our children will have to deal with them when we go and that’s okay.
Rakefet Hadar:
Exactly. Yeah. But they’re very precious too.
Miriam Schulman:
Yeah. And I’m not going to give them up anymore than he’s going to give up his journals. All right. So if people want to learn how to be certified in the soul pages’ method or the soul pages’ mentor program, what should they do?
Rakefet Hadar:
They should come to my site, sign up to my site and all the details, I think in the main page. My site is called soulpages.com.
Miriam Schulman:
Okay, soulpages.com. And we’ll make sure that we link to everything we talked about in the show notes. So today’s show is 193. So if you go to schulmanart.com/193, you will find a link to her book as well as a link to her website so that you can check out either her next online class or the certification. Do you have any last words for our listeners before we call this podcast complete?
Rakefet Hadar:
Yeah. I mean, I would really recommend to try to connect to your inner child because I think that’s the most empowering part of you. And all the happiness and joyful parts of you can be activated if you connect to your inner child.
Miriam Schulman:
Right. That was beautiful. Okay. Thank you so much for being with me here today. All right, everyone. We will see you the same time, same place next week. Stay inspired.
Speaker 2:
Thank you for listening to the Inspiration Place podcast. Connect with us on Facebook, facebook.com/schulmanart, on Instagram @schulmanart and of course on schulmanart.com.
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