Original Art by Mary Burton/ Graphic Design: Lisa Nomikos
A powerful 6 week group shamanic healing process through the arts
6 Tuesdays
July 21 – August 25, 2026
6:30 – 9 PM CT
Attend in person or via zoom
$360/$290 early registration by July 9
Where in your life have you been swept away by a river of noise, uncertainty, division, and constant change—in the world, your relationships, or within yourself? What has kept you caught in the whirlpool, searching for solid ground?
If you sense that there must be a way to step out of the rushing water and find your own island of zen—you are not alone.
Claim your calm with Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), a 12th-century abbess, composer, healer, and saint who lived during a time of upheaval and uncertainty. Hildegard demonstrated that peace can exist within chaos. Rather than being swept away by the turbulence around her, she created beauty, community, healing, and spiritual connection.
Let Hildegard inspire you during Claiming Calm in Chaos, based on the artworks Song of Hildegard and Hildegard Quotes by artist Mary Burton. This six-week Healing Arts Intensive offers a supportive community in which to explore what is pulling you off center and discover practices that help you return to your true self.
Through shamanic meditation, creative expression, discussion, and reflection, participants will learn practical tools for creating greater peace and grounding in everyday life. Together, we will explore how to find our footing in uncertain times and cultivate calm without needing to stop the river flowing around us.
Peace is not the absence of chaos. It is the ability to find your center within it.
Healing Arts Intensive is
- A 6 week group shamanic healing process through observing and creating visual art, writing, music and dance
- A life-changing experience of transformation and healing in small group, like-minded community
- Learning and/or practicing Shamanic Journey meditation
- Find the spirit guides who can help you achieve your personal intentions
“This Healing Arts Intensive awakened me into clarity. I could not have imagined the shift I underwent from the first session until the end. I shed the old identity to see what was below the surface. My focus shifted, my understanding of my gifts was clarified.”
“The Healing Arts Intensive provides many opportunities for healing, growth, introspection and self-expression.”
Schedule for Healing Arts Intensive “Claiming Calm in Chaos” led by Joan Forest Mage, Lisa Nomikos & Mary Burton
All dates are Tuesdays from 6:30 – 9 PM CT. Attend in person or via Zoom
- July 21 – Orientation – Introduction to the ways we will be working with observing and creating visual art, writing, music, dance and theater to catalyze our personal transformation. Creation of each participant’s Intention (Transformational Goal). Shamanic journey to meet the spirit guides of this Intensive.
- July 28 – Issues & Goals – Deepen your understanding of your Transformational Goal by exploring the Issues that are holding you back from manifesting your goals. Through discussion, writing and drawing, we will see how the Life Force Wisdom Wheel offers a framework that can help us breakthrough through obstacles. Shamanic journeying to our spirit guides to ask for help removing obstacles to our Transformational Goals. Discussing the dramaturgy and participants’ creative writing for the LFAE Shamanic Healing Performance to be held on August 18.
- August 4 – Shamanic Artmaking, Writing & Meditation with Lisa Nomikos – Lisa will lead you on a shamanic healing journey using guided meditation based on artwork in the exhibit. You will explore your own writing and artmaking as tools for self-discovery and healing.
- August 11 – Voice, Energy & Community – Hildegard used song to bring her community together in praise of the Sacred. Discover the connection of your voice, energy and Spirit, and how uniting our voices in song creates powerful healing. We will learn simple vocal exercises in a friendly and accepting atmosphere, and combine our voices to open to the spiritual realm.
- August 18- LFAE Shamanic Healing Performance – Life Force Arts Ensemble (LFAE) the professional performing company of Life Force, presents a Shamanic Healing Performance specially created for this Intensive in collaboration with the HAI participants. Let this channeled dance, poetry and instrumental and vocal Sound Healing music from the spirit realm heal you.
- August 25 – Closure – Creating your own visual art and dance divination techniques help you complete your Transformational Goal and bring Closure to the Group. Reflect on and share the outcome of your experience and Transformation.
Intensive participants DO NOT perform in the LFAE performance, but they DO
- find helping spirit guides who the LFAE performers invoke to guide the performance
- create writing and poetry based on their Transformational Goals, which the LFAE performers may recite or sing during the performance
- suggest songs to to be sung during the Shamanic Healing Performance
- receive spiritual messages from the Featured Artwork from the Life Force art exhibit
NOTE: This is a 6 session process, so please check your calendar to make sure you can come to all six sessions. You can attend the Intensive in-person or via zoom.
Register for Event
Healing Arts Intensive “Claiming Calm in Chaos” $360
Pay by credit card:
To pay by Zelle – our Zelle address is 773-327-7224
Please contact Joan to specify if you are coming in person or via zoom
Questions? contact Joan at joan@lifeforcearts.org or 773-327-7224
We have FREE PARKING in Central Savings parking lot. Click here for directions.
Life Force Arts Center, 1609 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60657
Tuition Credit Policy for Healing Arts Intensives
There are no refunds for Healing Arts Intensives, but tuition credit for future Intensives may be issued as follows:
If you have paid for a Healing Arts Intensive, but you do not attend ANY of the sessions, you are given a tuition credit for the full amount of the Intensive which can be applied to a future Intensive. This tuition credit must be used within one year from the date of the initial Intensive Orientation.
If you attend ONLY THE ORIENTATION session of the Intensive but none of the other sessions, you are given a tuition credit of half of the admission price you paid for the Intensive. This tuition credit can be applied to a future Intensive. This tuition credit must be used within one year from the date of the initial Intensive Orientation.
If you attend two or more sessions of the Intensive, you do not receive a tuition credit, but the classes are recorded on zoom, and you receive access to the recordings.