Awakening Creativity with Carrie Schmitt

carrieschmittdesign.com My new book, Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist, is out now—your companion for a creative pilgrimage through devotion, joy, and everyday magic. Order via the link in the show notes.

Sound healer/coach/artist Priscilla Jaeger joins Carrie to share how a fainting spell at an acupuncture circle became a doorway to synchronicity—leading to Egypt, instrument-making, and a life rooted in playful ritual and sacred spaces.

MY NEW BOOK ABOUT CREATIVITY IS AVAILABLE NOW

AMAZON

BOOKSHOP.ORG

BARNES AND NOBLE

CONNECT WITH PRISCILLA JAEGER

Website: cillywellness.com

Instagram: @cillywellness

CONNECT WITH CARRIE SCHMITT

Website: carrieschmittdesign.com

Instagram: @carrieschmitt

Facebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

DONATE to help cover production costs HERE.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing with a friend. Your support helps this community of soulful creatives grow.

ORDER AWAKENING CREATIVITY, THE BOOK, HERE!

Carrie welcomes her husband Teddy back to the show for an intimate conversation about her new book, Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist.

Together they reflect on the tender, chaotic, and miraculous process of writing a book while building a life devoted to creativity, love, and beauty.

From midnight writing sessions and shared tea rituals to painting peace poles and transforming their home into a “temple to Creativity,” Carrie and Teddy explore what it means to live in partnership with both each other and the Creative Spirit itself.

LINKS:

Two Free Chapters of the Book: CLICK HERE

Order the Book: CLICK HERE

Free Online Book Club on Nov. 13th: SIGN UP HERE

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF MY BOOK HERE! Carrie goes off-grid to meet her editor, mentor, and friend Hilary T. Smith, whose guidance helped shape Awakening Creativity (out Oct 14). Hilary shares writing tips, including writing memoir, an upcoming class she is teaching online, as well as what living close to the land has taught her about effortless Creativity, the value of guidance, and focusing on the story that’s ready to be told. Together they explore the Temple of Renewal, “morning menus,” belonging, and how community nourishes the Creative Spirit.

• Nature’s exuberance as a teacher of Creativity
• You don’t have to go it alone—mentors matter
• Narrow your focus: one story at a time
• Rituals like a “morning menu” renew and sustain your practice
• Community is a creative force

• Get 2 free chapters & pre-order Awakening Creativity  HERE.
• Join Carrie in Hilary’s “Memoir on a Mission” class HERE.

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF AWAKENING CREATIVITY NOW!

Listen as Carrie and her new husband, Teddy, share the story of their deeply personal, joy-soaked wedding.

They unpack what it looked like to trade performance and perfection for presence and play, and how inviting guests to participate (not just observe) transformed the day into a living work of art.

Along the way, Carrie also shares exciting news about her forthcoming book, Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist—including how to download two free chapters and join her live Vade Mecum (Go-With-Me) journal class on Thursday, September 25.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Why we led (and officiated) our own circle-style ceremony
• Making guests co-creators: bells, blessings, six-word love poems, and a vaudeville show
• Honoring ancestors and inviting the unseen beloveds into the space
• Handfasting with color-coded ribbons and family blessings
• Roses, tassels, bells, and other personal symbols woven through the day
• Choosing a dress code as an energetic invitation—“reckless joy” in full color
• Designing for reverence and play (and why we skipped alcohol)
• Planning with intention using The Art of Gathering (Priya Parker)
• Lessons learned, “wish-we’d-done” moments, and advice for crafting your own rituals

LINKS

• Get your two free chapters of Awakening Creativity HERE.
• Preorder the book and register for the Sept 25 Vade Mecum class HERE
• See our wedding photos HERE.
• Get our Top 5 Tips for a Meaningful Ceremony HERE.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Book: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

CLOSING REFLECTION

“If you could reimagine a ritual—free from performance and expectation, full of creativity, love, and play—what would it look like?

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF MY BOOK RIGHT NOW!

I return after an unexpected season of stillness—a time I’ve come to call my cocoon and my nest. I share the story of how burnout, illness, and years of pushing finally brought me to a full-body pause—and what I’ve learned about the sacredness of rest, the quiet power of tending to ourselves, and the beauty that can emerge when we finally stop.

• 2 Free Chapters of My New Book: Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist – Begin your own journey to reconnect with your creative spirit. GET THEM HERE: https://hierophantpublishing.com/awakening-creativity
• A Tour of My Magical Nest HERE. See the whimsical sanctuary I built on my deck to nurture my inner child.

• My Octopus Teacher (documentary recommendation)
• Rob and Melissa’s album The Story of Sita and Ram – an offering of devotion and beauty
• Leave me a voice message HERE to share your thoughts and experiences with rest—I might share yours in a future episode!

May this episode be a permission slip—a reminder that your creative spirit is not an engine to be pushed, but a beloved being to be tended. May you find rest, may you be held, and may your creativity rise again, softer and wilder than before.

What if your Creativity isn’t something you do—but something you hear?

carrieschmittdesign.com In this soulful, laughter-filled episode, Carrie sits down with musician and Bhakti yoga practitioner Rob Lunsgaard to explore Creativity as a devotional path. They talk about chanting, making the ordinary sacred through intention and attention, mystical moments in India, and how to “go full monkey”—a playful approach to Creativity, life, and spirituality.

✨ You’ll hear about:

• Shruti: hearing your art, not owning it
• Mantra and music as tools for healing
• Hanuman’s forgotten superpowers (and yours!)
• Everyday rituals that make space for grace

Whether you're an artist, seeker, or soul in search of connection, this episode is a reminder that you are already whole—and your creative temple is waiting.

FOR REFLECTIONS, PROMPTS, TAKEAWAYS, AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, VISIT CARRIE'S WEBSITE HERE.

CONNECT WITH ROB AND MELISSA

Website: robandmelisssa.com

Instagram: @robnmelissa

CONNECT WITH CARRIE SCHMITT

Website: carrieschmittdesign.com

Instagram: @carrieschmitt

Facebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

DONATE to help cover production costs HERE.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing with a friend. Your support helps this community of soulful creatives grow.

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF MY BOOK HERE

In this bonus episode, step into a sanctuary where the divine feminine lives and breathes through every scent, sound, and shimmer of light.

This guided visualization is inspired by Carrie's conversation with singer Melissa Lundsgaard from the kirtan band Rob and Melissa.

Inspired by the goddess Lakshmi and the presence of saints and wise women, this space offers rest for your soul and nourishment for your spirit.

This is more than a visualization—it’s a remembrance. A return to the sacred temple within you. A place of devotion, beauty, belonging, and truth.

If you’ve been longing to reconnect with the divine, to feel held and seen, or to awaken the sacred rhythm within your own heart—this is your invitation.

Welcome home.

MAKE SURE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE THAT INSPIRED THIS GUIDED JOURNEY HERE: Episode 11 Surrender and Be Held On Your Creative Path.

Connect with Carrie Schmitt:

• Instagram: @carrieschmitt
• Join Carrie’s online art class + community HERE.
• Subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode.

• Website: robandmelissa.com
• Instagram: @robnmelissa

carrieschmittdesign.com Step into Melissa Lundsgaard's sacred temple room for a soulful conversation on devotion, voice, and the power of Bhakti yoga. From corporate life to kirtan singer, Melissa shares her journey of finding creative freedom through surrender, daily practice, and divine feminine energy.

This conversation is a love letter to the divine feminine, creative courage, and the wild unfolding of a soul-aligned life.

In this episode, we explore:

• Melissa’s daily devotional practice
• Who Lakshmi is and why she’s central to Melissa’s life
• The healing vibration and purpose of Kirtan
• Melissa’s unexpected journey into becoming a Kirtan singer
• Stories of miracles, saints, and divine feminine figures
• The importance of discipline as devotion
• What a guru really is, and the misconception of spiritual hierarchy
• Finding your voice and creative freedom through surrender
• Faith in the unfolding path—even when it's uncomfortable
• The power of singing and praying to the Divine Feminine in community

FOR REFLECTION QUESTIONS AND TAKEAWAYS CLICK HERE.

MY NEW BOOK ABOUT CREATIVITY IS AVAILABLE NOW FOR PRE-ORDER!

AMAZON

BOOKSHOP.ORG

BARNES AND NOBLE

CONNECT WITH ROB AND MELISSA

Website: robandmelisssa.com

Instagram: @robnmelissa

CONNECT WITH CARRIE SCHMITT

Website: carrieschmittdesign.com

Instagram: @carrieschmitt

Facebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

DONATE to help cover production costs HERE.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing with a friend. Your support helps this community of soulful creatives grow.

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF MY NEW BOOK HERE.

carrieschmittdesign.com What if Creativity wasn’t just a way to express yourself—but a way to belong and to serve your community as one family?

Carrie sits down with Orlando Morales—musician, educator, and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir—for a conversation that redefines creativity as a path to community, belonging, and collective healing.

If you’ve ever longed to feel less alone in your creative life—or to create in a way that brings people together—this episode is for you.

This is a reminder that Creativity isn’t just about what we make—it’s about how we show up with others, and the kind of world we’re creating together.

Featured Music:

All music in this episode is from a recent live concert by the Tacoma Refugee Choir, with Orlando Morales on piano and conducting. Don’t miss the closing anthem, Everyone Can Love Someone.

Links & Resources:

Tacoma Refugee Choir

CONNECT WITH ORLANDO MORALES

orlandogmorales.com

Instagram: @pogisilando

CONNECT WITH CARRIE SCHMITT

Instagram: @carrieschmitt

Facebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

Website: carrieschmittdesign.com

DONATE to help cover production costs HERE.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing with a friend. Your support helps this community of soulful creatives grow.

GET TWO FREE CHAPTERS OF MY NEW BOOK HERE.

carrieschmittdesign.com In this solo reflection, host Carrie Schmitt pauses after the first four episodes to share what’s been stirring in her heart. She explores Creativity not as something we do, but as a sacred presence we are in relationship with—a living force that connects us to the divine.

Carrie weaves in stories from her own creative journey, including a transformative art retreat and a moving encounter with two owls during a silent walk. She invites us into Kairos time—soul time—and offers small, sacred practices to reconnect with our inner rhythm and Creativity.

This episode is a devotional offering. A moment of stillness in a noisy world. An invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and remember the sacredness of Creativity.

Sacred Invitations from this episode:

• Morning silence
• Listening walks
• Creative practices without outcome
• Rituals instead of routines
• Mini shavasana moments throughout the day
• Giving yourself permission to rest, wait, and trust your own rhythm

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

Attend a live discussion circle in April with Carrie. SIGN UP HERE.

Instagram: @carrieschmitt

Facebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

Website: carrieschmittdesign.com

DONATE to help cover production costs HERE.

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review and share it with a fellow creative spirit!

✨ If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing with a friend. Your support helps this community of soulful creatives grow.