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OLIVIA ASHTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Welcome
About Me
blog
Overview
Offerings
Contact

Thailand Part 2 - The South

September 2, 2015 Olivia Ashton

In places Tags thailand, travel, explore, krabi, tonsai, tonsai beach, olivia ashton, Olivia Ashton Photography

← whitney + dan // engaged!Thailand part 1 - the north →

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This mystic Sacred Self Love Session is up on the blog ♾✨♾ @essenceofthemother #sacredselflovesession #oliviaashtonphotography

I’ve been so fascinated with aging recently. Partly because it’s a miracle (!!!) but mostly because of the conditioning that has been brought to light by my body’s shifts and changes as I approach 30.

Witnessing my own PANIC as my body changes, as my skin changes, as my teeth change, as my hair changes — this panic has been my truest teacher. How fascinating that the initial gut reaction to my body changing is SHERE PANIC. Panic, at the one thing I know to be undeniably true: change, and that as living beings, we age! And yet… my gut reaction: PANIC.

So I’ve been looking into this. I’ve been allowing myself to go there. All the way! To wade into the waters of fear and freak-out and splash around and wallow in it. Initially, because that’s the only thing I could do, but more recently… because I’ve noticed that when I really look at the panic, I can see that the part of me which is feeling it isn’t the conscious part of me, it’s the subconscious part that has boughten into the idea that if I physically appear to be aging, then I have failed. It’s the subconscious part of me that has boughten into the idea that the physically older I appear, the less I will be loved. In this culture, aging is portrayed as the ultimate failure. Do everything you can to stop it, halt it, avoid it! And honestly… what a brilliant marketing technique that is. To use our own inevitable humanity against us — to turn ourselves against ourselves. To FEAR the very process of being ourselves.

As soon as I saw through this f*cked up trap, I started to see the beauty. Because the real beauty here is that although panic and fear might be my *initial* gut reaction, there was a part of me that knew this conditioning to be false all along.

Continued below in comments 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
(Stunning art by the Earth goddess @hanakomimiko)

It’s an epic act of courage, faith and resilience to simply exist. We are born into these bodies, gifted with the capacity to love, connect and feel exponentially, yet promised nothing but the inevitable disintegration of it all. I’ve found that the more I open my heart to the full spectrum of this mysterious human experience, and peer into the depths of both life and death, the wider my heart expands and the more I can hold.

I called the suicide prevention hotline twice before I got the courage to talk to a loved one. The thought of leaving this life felt like relief in contrast to the cyclical thoughts and feelings I didn’t yet have the skills to navigate. But sharing what I thought was my darkest secret, and having it lovingly held by another being, showed me that what I was feeling was okay. It showed me that looking directly at my life, and compassionately allowing ALL of my darkness in, could be seen as just another part of the dance here. Just another expression of life.

Once exposed to the light, this feeling of despair lost some of it’s gravity. Shame loves the dark, and sharing my experience cracked open what I thought was a dense, unchanging, forever feeling and showed me that it too, would change.

I’ve since learned that through sitting quietly and observing my internal world, that fear, anxiety, loneliness, joy, elation, love, excitement, despair, gratitude, inspiration, suicidal thoughts — it’s all just energy flowing through me, and it changes. I’ve also learned that behind it all is calm, abiding, awareness. I’m learning that I can rest here in this awareness, even as the waves of emotion flow through me. I can feel and hold it all. I’m learning that I can trust my unique experience of life here.

Know that each of our unique expressions are intrinsically valuable. There is nothing we need to DO to earn our place here on this planet. Know that our hearts beat along side one another, and that if we might have ONE duty here, it’s to intimately get to know ourselves, love those around us, reflect their inherent goodness back at them, and in moments of need, help carry each others burdens.

Continued in the comments 💕👇🏽💕

Lisa + Matt ✨ The most beautiful backyard ceremony in the house she grew up in, filled with new and old loves gathered from all around the world 🌎 @lisa_buys1 #oliviaashtonphotography

@lisa_buys1 is full goddess mode! #oliviaashtonphotography
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#wedding #oregonbride #love #oregonwedding #portlandwedding #backyardwedding #greenwedding shoes

Emily + Daniel ✨🌼 Married barefoot and starry eyed underneath the warm July sun. May love flow forever more! @emilyann_61 @dannyjayjames @frolicandbeam #oliviaashtonphotography .
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#wedding #oregonbride #love #oregonwedding #bohobride #pdxcouple #dirtybootsmessyhair #portlandwedding #greenweddingshoes #weddingphotography

Such a joy getting to capture imagery for the powerful women at @vitalizeacupuncture ✨ There are 11 incredible practitioners under one transcendent roof in downtown Portland, specializing in acupuncture, reiki, chiropractic, Chinese medicine, cupping, Gua Sha, moxa, bodywork, wholistic nutrition, massage and so much more. These women lead from the heart and bring so much love and passion to their healing modalities. It was the truest gift to capture their unique expressions! I couldn’t recommend this space more ✨

The answer to “what is your favorite thing to photograph?” has gotten so simple over the years. As I feel into the vast variety of sessions I shoot, the one unifying thread that links them all together is love. My answer is love!! Whether its self love, intimate love with another, labors of love, love of a place or space or being or passion or an experience — it’s capturing and reflecting that field of energy for people. I remember feeling the biggest wave of relief rush through me the day I came to this realization. It allowed me to fully step into photographing any type of session that came my way which felt in alignment with the heart, and it's been such an honor witnessing those who are called to work with me in this way. From births to funerals and everything in between this dynamic human experience.

This session with Kelsey and her pups was the biggest gift. I’ve never met a being who honors and LOVES her animals the way Kelsey does. They’re family. Thank you for your adventurous heart, bottomless compassion and unique love, boo. I adore you @kelseykagan
#oliviaashtonphotography

31 years of epic love and creation ✨ It is the truest gift walking this Earth with you, Ray 🌎 Happy Golden, mystic light!!! It’s only getting sweeter ✨@essenceofthemother

Such a joy getting to capture this clay priestess in her flow of creation! 🌊 @wolfceramics #oliviaashtonphotography

Two of our best friends in the Universe vowed to grow their love for a lifetime last weekend and we all got to witness it!!! ♾💕♾ Theeeee best day!Hanna and Aaron, thank you for loving us all so well 👑Can’t wait for a lifetime with you two! #hellotoholtz

With the New Moon in Leo upon us I would love to share this beautiful offering from the mystical magical @essenceofthemother ! 🌑🦁 Rachel hand crafts the most exquisite flower essences and is now offering a New Moon Membership to consistently work with the flora during this potent time! ✨🌸 🌑

Her words below ✨ “New Moon is the time of new beginnings, shedding the old, setting intentions and goals, healing, rebirth, manifestation and creation. It is the time of the future self, becoming and nurturing new growth.

Essence of the Mother merges the astrological ties of New Moon wisdom with the alchemy of the flora. We create one-of-a-kind flower essence blends that best weaves into the current medicine and wisdom of New Moon astrology. With the guidance of flower essence therapy and the cycles of the moon these beloved monthly essences helps to best support your own connection and consciousness to the wisdom and cycles within one’s self.

Receive your monthly New Moon Flower Essences. These essences are sent out a week before the new moon, with a beloved description of your blend and a guided meditation – intention to best support your personal practice and self care rituals.” You can find out all the delightful details on her website www.essenceofthemother.life ✨💕 All my love! x
#essenceofthemother #oliviaashtonphotography

May + June! #oliviaashton1se #1secondeveryday #1SEme @1secondeveryday

We got to shower this magical human with love all weekend long! ✨💛🌸 We adore you Nanner! @hannadurighello #hellotoholtz

Sharing this golden drenched engagement session on the blog this evening!!! 🌻✨ I feel like the luckiest gal in the world to get to capture these two on their wedding next month! #oliviaashtonphotography @emilyann_61

Infinity embodied for the sweetest moment, here ♾🌎 thank you Emily for all that you are 🌎♾ @emmylemonss #sacredselflovesession #oliviaashtonphotography

Honoring the unique, divine expression that is beloved Jessica in this lifetime!! ✨ #sacredselflovesession #oliviaashtonphotography @jesselleloverly