Healer Q&A: Combining creative arts and spirituality with Kellie Walsh
The following interview is a transcript excerpt from The Heallist Podcast episode. Listen to the full audio version below and subscribe to get notified of new episodes.
Explore the art of self-discovery and healing through the unique lens of creative arts and spirituality with our inspiring guest, Kellie Walsh, founder of The Divine Hive. Renowned for her soul portraits, Kellie combines professional photography with deep spiritual insight to guide individuals on transformative journeys. Hear about her pivotal moment of revelation with a respected channeler and how it led her to integrate meditative practices into her work, offering clients a holistic experience that transcends traditional photography.
Kellie's Journey to Spiritual Integration
Kellie Walsh: There was a definitive, pivotal moment. I have been on the spiritual path my whole life. I started writing morning pages after reading The Artist's Way many years ago. In 1998, I began doing morning pages, and it was a long time ago. Like the book suggests, releasing that inner critic and using writing to connect to an inspirational, spiritual mindset was a game-changer for me. For the longest time, this practice was very private. I had a strong spiritual path of meditating and attending workshops. About seven years ago, a woman who is a channeler told me, "You're a channeler. What you do as a photographer is the same as the intuitive downloads you receive as a channeler." I always considered myself a seer, able to see timelines, and I receive information through a deep knowing. After that conversation, I realized I no longer needed to separate my spiritual and professional lives. It was like a coming-out party—I began to merge my photography world with my spiritual world.
Breaking Down the Barriers
Yuli Ziv: What was that process like? I'm curious how people shift their perspective and transform their craft, especially when they already have a successful career.
Kellie Walsh: Coming from a creative field made it easier to bring a spiritual approach to my photographic process. Even with weddings or portrait sessions, I would have clients sit down for tea and enter a meditative state before we started. I wanted them to be in a calm, intentional mindset, not rushing into the shoot. I began by subtly incorporating spiritual practices into my work and stopped separating them from my professional life. When people would comment on my calmness, I'd explain that it's part of what brings creativity and joy to my work. For a long time, my commercial clients didn't know about my spiritual practices, but eventually, I embraced that aspect of myself. Everything is about energy, and you can't think energy; you have to feel it. Bringing a spiritual mindset into any profession is possible, even if you're an accountant or a banker. For creatives, it's a bit easier because we're already using that intuitive side of our brains, but anyone can do it.
Society's Reception to Holistic Integration
Kellie Walsh: One subtle change I made was wearing crystals and jewelry to all my jobs. People would ask about them, and it started conversations about the consciousness of crystals and their influence. I work for New York Presbyterian Hospital, and I began incorporating these pieces into my wardrobe as a way to introduce new ideas to people who might not otherwise be open to them.
Yuli Ziv: That’s amazing. I love the idea of starting conversations like that.
Kellie Walsh: Exactly. In the New York scene, where everyone is so agenda-driven, it shifts the conversation. People get caught in mental loops, and something as simple as a crystal can break that loop and change the dynamic.
Transforming Perceptions into Soul Portraits
Kellie Walsh: Everything we do is for the experience of the divine, and everything is spiritual. We’ve put boxes around what is spiritual and what isn’t. If we remove those boxes, we can see that even an accountant or a Wall Street banker is a spiritual being. For example, I was shooting a wedding in a very strict church in New York. The woman in charge was very harsh with me, and instead of reacting, I closed my eyes and asked to connect with her higher self. During the ceremony, she approached me and offered help, completely shifting her attitude. It’s a daily practice to keep one foot in the spiritual world and one foot in the human world.
How Soul Portraits are Made
Kellie Walsh: After the conversation with the channeler, I explored how to merge my love of photography with my abilities to channel and connect beyond the three-dimensional world. I started creating soul portraits. At retreats, I’ve incorporated these portraits, where I take people through guided meditations and then photograph them. The process involves remote viewing during the meditation, and the photos capture the person's true divine state. I give them the photographs as a reminder of the experience, something they can keep on their altar as a talisman.
Final Thoughts
Yuli Ziv: I love what you do and how you’re able to shift and elevate people in various industries. Do you have any last words of wisdom for our listeners?
Kellie Walsh: The biggest thing that prevents people from expanding beyond their comfort zone is fear. Try to start with a meditative practice—focus on your breath for 10 minutes, walk in nature, and remove self-created obstacles. Take baby steps, and you'll start to see synchronicities. Be in a state of gratitude and allow the future to come to you. Don’t grab onto it, just let it unfold. Be kind to yourself and remember that we’re all on this ride of being human together.
