Yeah, but do you really see yourself?
Self portraits as portals. AWAKEN THE CREATRIX - Day 7
We’ve arrived! In the final day of the challenge. Which is actually kinda sad but also YAY YOU DID IT!. We’re ending with one of my most beloved practices: the art of the self-portrait.
As I wrote in my kinda super famous post You Need to Take More Nudes, this is a practice of seeing yourself. Of purposefully seeking beauty, connection, and presence in your own reflection. You get to play so many roles here! You are both the subject and the creator, the muse and the artist, the one who is seen and the one who chooses to see. You are the director and source of your own energy
This is not, as I’ve said, some surface level shit. When approached as an energetic practice, self-portraiture becomes a portal into your inner world — a mirror, a ritual, a simultaneous conversation with and witnessing of your bodymind, god/spirit/the universe as they enter and expand through the channel that is you, in the present moment.
Maybe you still think this is batshit - but I invite you to step into this space with reverence, curiosity, and play anyway. You might surprise yourself.
THE LOGISTICS 🙀
Listen to the transmission (yeah I cry in it) & see below for all the bullet points
1. SET YOUR ENVIRONMENT
First, make sure you have a private, comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed. This is your container, your temple for this ritual.
Then, consider what kind of environment will help you inhabit the creative energy you seek to reveal.
❥ Lighting – Dark and moody? Bright and airy? Somewhere in between? Placing yourself by a window can be a great option — natural light has a way of doing its thing. Table lamps can also offer a nice, softer, moodier light. Work with whatever you have - you’ll find a way.
❥ Scents – Would you like to light incense, diffuse essential oils, burn candles?
❥ What will you wear? – Maybe one of your newly curated ensembles? Maybe nothing at all? Maybe both?
❥ Props & furniture – It can be nice to have something to interact with. A chair you drape yourself across, a mirror, your favorite fabric to play with…
❥ Music – need I explain? You have the playlist you created… let that be the undercurrent carrying you through this process
Let yourself create a world where your energy feels at home.
2. BEGIN WITH THE BODY
Before picking up the phone/camera, spend 5–10 minutes dropping into your body.
Move. Dance. Stretch. Breathe.
Turn on your playlist and let yourself be taken.
Use one of the guided meditations from the challenge.
This will anchor you in sensation before you begin capturing it.
3. TRUST YOUR EYES. TRUST YOUR BODY.
Once you feel dropped in, just start shooting.
Set up your camera (tripod, propped against something, or handheld) and trust what you see. Trust what feels good. Trust what appeals to your senses.
As you enter the practice, you may notice thoughts arise—
"This is silly."
"I don’t look good."
"Who do I think I am?"
Know that those thoughts aren’t true. They’re simply echoes of old fear based conditioning, or child parts coming up to be witnessed. You can hold them compassionately without acting upon them.
Here are some ways to stay connected to the sensational energy within your body (versus the story your mind is telling) throughout this ritual..
❥ Notice how you feel—observation over judgment.
❥ Notice if your body is frozen—how can you let yourself move?
❥ Notice if you’re habitually smiling for the camera—what happens if you don’t?
❥ Notice if emotions arise—can you allow them to be seen?
Anger, sadness, joy, turn-on, awe—let them move you and move through you. Let them shape the way you hold yourself. Let them be part of the process.
Click. Click. Click. Capture the shifting expressions of you.
4. PLAY WITH SPACE & PERSPECTIVE
Here are some elements to experiment with:
📸 Space – Where are you within the frame? Close? Far? Off-center?
📸 Angles – Shoot from above, below, tilted perspectives.
📸 Eye contact – Explore how it feels to look directly into the lens, versus being in your element and letting your gaze fall naturally where it may
📸 Movement – It can be fun to set your phone to video mode, move freely, and take screenshots later. If you are having trouble getting in the flow, give this a try and see what shifts.
Let this be an experiment. Let yourself be surprised by where your energy takes you.
5. STAY A LITTLE LONGER
After 10ish photos, take a peek and adjust as needed.
But don’t start editing, and don’t stop too soon. There’s often resistance at first; if you lean into it, you’ll soften the edge and something new can emerge.
Let yourself:
Expand beyond your initial ideas of how this was going to turn out.
Explore the way your energy moves through space.
Get lost in the process
Self-portraits are about creating space for yourself to be and become — in whatever strange and wonderful forms that may take.
6. HONOR YOUR EDGE
You may hit an emotional edge—and that’s okay.
But rather than forcing yourself through it, lean in gently. The goal isn’t to bulldoze past your resistance but to expand your comfort zone gradually, creating safety for yourself in the process.
If you feel like stopping after 10 minutes, pause, take some deep breaths, move your body, and let the energy open again. Let yourself soften into it. After you reconnect, can you stay for another few minutes?
7. INTEGRATE BEFORE YOU EDIT
Once you feel complete (this could be 20–30 minutes, or more), close out your ritual with gratitude—for yourself, for your inner Creatrix, for the presence and space and compassion you just offered yourself.
You may want to:
Rest. Lie down. Breathe. Let the energy settle in your body.
Journal. If emotions surfaced, write about them.
Move. If you feel lit up, let that energy expand into the rest of your day.
And don’t rush to edit. Let the images rest. When you do look at them, do so with curiosity, not judgment.
Later on, if you choose to edit, here are a few apps I recommend:
📸 Snapseed (free)
📸 Photomator (paid)
📸 A Color Story (free w/ paid options)
📸 VSCO (free w/ paid options)
YOUR INVITATION
I would love to hear about your experience
❥ What did you discover?
❥ What emotions came up?
❥ What surprised you?
Drop into the comments or send me a DM with your reflections.
Above all—thank you. Thank you for being here, for exploring your creative energy, for stepping into this challenge with me, and for trusting me with your energy.
The good news is, this is only the beginning.
See you on the other side, Lovers
Faye xx
P.S. Instagram is where I share a lot of my art and I think it’s pretty cool. If you’re into that kinda thing, come play there with me, too.
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