Most of us live under a spell and don’t even know it.
It’s a quiet, invisible story whispered in the background of our lives, telling us we aren’t good enough, that our dreams are impractical, or that sharing our true, authentic voice is too risky and dangerous.
I know these spells intimately. I’ve lived under their power, and I’ve learned how to break them.
My own story begins with a turbulent childhood that was graciously illuminated by moments of pure, creative magic.
This magic was tended to by a series of wise women who saw a creative fire in me before I understood it myself:
🔥 a grandmother who taught me how to express myself to the rhythm of my own heart in paint and song
🔥 a middle-school art teacher who tended my wounds with exquisite care and took extra time to nurture my artistic skills and vision
🔥 a high school teacher who believed in my poetry so fiercely that she submitted it to contests on my behalf, knowing I was too afraid to do it myself
These wise women were the keepers of my creative fire, showing me that creativity wasn’t just something you do; it was a way of being alive.
But the adult world has spells of its own, doesn't it?
The spell of practicality, the spell of comparison, the spell of perfection…
As I stepped into that world, these new stories took hold.
The final blow came in art school, a place I thought would be a haven.
Instead it was a crucible of competition and critique, crushing students into trends and conformity.
A moment of intense public humiliation about my most private work was enough to make me believe the world's story was true and my own was false.
So, I dropped out.
I chose to protect the last ember of my creative fire by hiding it away.
For years, I became what Julia Cameron calls a "shadow artist," using my creativity to bring other people’s visions to life.
My existence became solely-focused on chasing external goals, leading me to a deep and profound burnout.
My own heart's desire,my Firebird, was caged by stories of what I should be doing, and I had forgotten how to listen to my deepest heart song.
My journey back didn't happen overnight.
It was a slow, deliberate creative recovery that began four years prior to my spiritual work intensifying.
I had to start rewriting the deeply harmful stories I had absorbed.
Stories about…
material waste and not making a mess
about not knowing enough or having the “right” supplies
about the need to make "good" art right out of the gate with no messy middle
about vulnerability and risk in sharing my art with others
and much more…
This (still ongoing!) personal healing was what eventually led me to become a spiritual teacher and guide.
Over the past 6 years of listening to the stories and observing the lives of others in an intimate container, the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
In helping others find their way, I finally understood the fundamental nature of my own journey.
After guiding more than 1500 one-on-one consulting clients and 500+ students on their own spiritual paths, I witnessed a beautiful, recurring pattern:
the more they reconnected with their authentic selves, the more their creative impulses returned.
It became undeniable that creativity and spiritual aliveness are not separate things.
They are woven from the same thread.
I want to be for you what those wise women were for me: a guide who helps you protect and nurture your own creative fire.
That’s why I’ve made it my life's work to help you untangle the hidden stories, false values, and deceptive challenges and blocks that keep you from your most vibrant, creatively-fulfilled self.
I’m not here to give you a map, instead I want to empower you to create your own.
My dream is to help you rediscover your unique and very personal Firebird—that luminous, true desire of your heart.
And to embark on that quest, we are gifted Coeurage.
Think of it as the single, shimmering feather from the Firebird, a tangible reminder of our inner strength.
Coeurage is the heart-centered bravery we use to break the spells of false stories and answer the call to the adventure of our own making.
I haven't "conquered" these challenges forever, because they aren’t meant to be forever conquered.
The goal of pursuing the Firebird isn't a destination, but a way of traveling.
And the spiraling, cyclical, surprising path itself is where we create our greatest masterpiece: our own life.
By turning to the guiding light of our Coeurage in the face of these challenges, we cultivate our souls and co-create a deeply meaningful and satisfying life.
I hope you’ll join me, a fellow traveler on this path, as we embark on this most breathtaking and exhilarating adventure.
From my fire-feathered heart to yours,
Amaya Rourke
What hidden story is holding YOUR creativity captive?
Your own journey starts with a single, courageous step: acknowledging the spell you're under.
This quiz is the first key, your feather from the Firebird, designed to help you illuminate the story that has been waiting to be rewritten.