Sarah Bentley, Vision Board, Collage, 16 x 20 inches, April 2011
Would you believe with a little help from her Mom, my friend Maggie Jordan and a psychic, that Sarah Bentley found her way to my workshop?! Well, it’s true… read on for the intriguing way her vision board story unfolds…
Sarah Bentley working on her Vision Board, April 2011
1. Sarah, what’s your background?
I am a recent college grad, I studied Public Relations at Humber College in Toronto. I moved back home about a year ago and have been trying to kick start my career since. I am trying to find the balance between having a job I love and am passionate about, while also ensuring I still have time to live and enjoy all that life has to bring.
2. Please tell us the intriguing story that led you to my vision board workshop…
I visited a psychic about 6 months ago and she informed me that I hold special energy. She said that the entities listen to my energy so I had to be careful how I channelled it. She told me vision boards were a great way of doing this and within a week of finding this out my mom told me her friend Maggie was organizing a vision board work shop!
3. Did you have a particular vision/dream in mind before the workshop? If so, what was it?
I have to say I didn’t have a particular vision in mind before the workshop. I knew I wanted to do something that was simplistic and would aim to relieve stress but that was all. During the meditation is when my vision started coming together.
4. How did you feel about the visioning process (ie. closing your eyes, meditating on your vision)… was it useful?
The meditation part was probably the most surprising to me because I didn’t think I would get so much out of it. You told us to go to your place where you feel the most relaxed. I envisioned myself in a bedroom (it wasn’t actually my own, but one I had imagined) with big windows and delicate decor. It was raining and I was snuggled up in bed. This setting influenced what I chose for my collage.
5. How did you find the process of collaging your vision board? Was visually setting down your ideas helpful to you or revealing?
There really wasn’t much of a process to my collaging. I just went through magazines of all sorts and ripped out anything that caught my eye, even if it was just a component of a picture or page. I ripped out more than I needed so I could have a lot to choose from when I started putting everything together. It was almost all done subconsciously.
6. You have some cool surreal imagery on your board… how do you decide to select such imagery? I just love the baby goat jumping over the bed… how did you arrive at that?
The goal of my vision board was to bring out feelings of contentment, relaxation, and a bright future. I knew that in order to achieve this you need to remember to always have fun with life and not take everything too seriously. That’s how some surreal imagery found its way into my vision board. The baby goat jumping over the bed is a playful reminder and the kitten sleeping signifies an appreciation for all the little things in life.
7. You and your Mom attended the workshop together… what was it like to know a part of each other’s visions/dreams? My husband and I did our vision boards around the same time; I was surprised to discover his vision theme was travelling to a specific kind of space… what about you two?
I think my mom and I both had an idea of what the focus of our vision boards would be but it was neat to see how they came together.
8. Where is your vision board now? Is it working for you?
My vision board is right next to my bed by my window. It’s great because I can look at it at the beginning and end of my day. In keeping with my theme it helps promote relaxation by being near my bed! Since having my vision board up I feel like I am relieved of a lot of anxiety. The first day I posted my vision board on my wall I had the best sleep of my life. There was an enormous thunderstorm and I slept right through. Everyone was talking about it the next day and I had no idea what they were talking about. It was very strange and I like to think it was the work of my vision board!
I loved learning of the serendipitous way Sarah discovered my class! It seemed so magical. I could certainly relate to her goal of wanting to create a board as a stress reliever.
Now, some people meticulously plan out their boards and even come to class with almost every detail worked out; this level of dedication never fails to impress me, but I must say, I equally admired Sarah’s free-fall method of working by collecting images that caught her eye and spirit at the moment and seeing how they all came together… and then, instinctively teasing our her vision as she saw fit. As my eye wanders across her visually stunning and poetic board, I feel like I’m being given a momentary glimpse into her soul… there, I love the way things fall, fly, float and reflect soft light upon its surface… I like the sense of comfort images like the kitten, cozy bed and warm sweater evoke… the rippling pond, sprigs of flowers and things taking root suggest feelings of renewal and a certain newness (a fresh start). Sarah’s colour palette of soft blues, creams and whites are so calm and uplifting. She poured so much positivity into her board, it’s not surprising that its soothing power protected her from the lightening storm and became just what she imagined it to be – a source of comfort… or maybe it’s just that once Sarah manifested what she needed into some type of physical form, that this strengthened her body, mind and spirit.
There’s so much to draw from your vision board, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and visions with us. I think your bedroom is the ideal spot for it! I don’t know how many restless nights I’ve spent or mornings I’ve woken up and longed for something to infuse my spirit with a sense of peace of mind for the new day. It’s my fondest wish that your personal and career paths bloom and unfurl in the same way your marvellous vision board has! Please keep me posted…
Vision Board Quick Tip:
Often we rely on vision boards to help us attain concrete stuff in the real world (ie. a new home, a car, a job, etc.), Sarah’s one reveals that we can even conjure up intangible things such as the feelings we’d like to suffuse and strengthen our spirits with! For further inspiration on materializing feelings through a vision board you may also be interested in: Charlotte’s Quest for Stillness.
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