Close to midnight deep thoughts

Still amazes me how Life has navigated me to here. Working on subjects I used to feel uncomfortable with - being around women, speaking my mind, using my body and skin as a light torch in service for helping others like me, like the girl that needed it back there.

“Who am I and what I am supposed to actually do?” are questions regularly passing my mind. “But if not this, then what?!”, a voice replies and encourages me to make just another step forward…

It’s like we pass diferent stages in our life - the pure, authentic soul that come in, to get lost in the externally molded persona supposed to fit in, to get back to that authenticity as the only sane way to live and to be.

Currently reading, observing and feeling a lot about women. Can you tell? About me as part of them. About them as subject of investigation and inspiration. About us as the creative, nurturing force through which that little thing called Life happens.

We’re not talking enough real talks if we’re in such state of constantly seeking it. Thirsty to sense it, hungry to be it. We ignore universal laws, ways of functioning, of being, reasons why things are the way they are.

Our creativity has the capacity to bring to physical form the yet unseen, however the laws of Life, of the purpose of duality will never change. The essential, the core remains. Swimming against the tide is pointless. What you are, who you are, why you’re here is what matters. Rest is societal dust.

The most important Love?

Does February remind you of an obligation to show your love through physical gifts and heart shaped items, or rather makes you roll your eyes up in the air - “love is to be celebrated every day!”.

I agree - Love is to be celebrated and shown every day. Love, the feeling that has many shapes, goes to different faces, but at the core is always the same - incredibly liberating feeling we live for, the one through which we exist.

What is the most important love of all? Love towards your parents or your children? Love towards your partner or friends? Love towards your mission in life or the mindful activities you lean on to keep yourself sane? What is the Love that truly matters no matter what? Where do you find it and how’s it look?

The answer is simple - it’s You. The love you most need is the love you have to give yourself. The same enormous feeling of liberation and fulfilment that vibrates in your chest, expands outwards and sweeps everything on its way. The love you long for to feel complete, to feel happy, to feel content is the pure love that you need to give yourself.

But… How come? Isn’t this selfish?

No.

It’s not selfish, it’s self care. Your capacity to love unconditionally must start from within and expand outwards. The relationship you most need is the one you need to build with yourself in order to share a loving partnership with someone else. Because you can only give what you already have and not the other way around. The more compassionate and loving you are to the person you are most critical towards (yourself) is the key to building a deep, meaningful relationship with anyone else.

During celebrations like Valentine’s day we often put ourselves in a certain group of people, depending on our marital status. If we’re single - we root for self-love. If we’re in a relationship - towards romantic love. I’ve seen people change and take sides depending on the year. I’ve been one of them too - choosing a certain side depending on the moment. But what we all really must understand and accept is ourselves and the love we must give ourselves first.

Nobody else is you, nobody knows what’s inside of you. Nobody will ever be as close as your own Self, nobody can feel your emotions like you do. So let’s start there first. Not just once a year pumped up by the bombarding marketing from all directions, but every day in privacy. For you from you. Because you deserve Love and Love is all you need to allow yourself to give yourself in order to receive. Rest will follow.

With Love and Gratitude,
Mariya

Inspiring workshop with the Bulgarian writer Victoria Beshliiska

Just another reminder that life is truly magical! And I’m honoured to be living it here and now!

I’m a high percentage book worm. I adore the experience books give - the font of the printed on paper letters, the smell of the ink, the weight of the book itself, the feeling of turning page after page diviner's into the lake of the story until you find yourself facing the back cover.

This is how Victoria Beshliika’s book Glina made me feel. I red it for 5 days, like a junky got hooked from the page one. Powerful and interesting story that reminded me of my mother tongue and how less time I spent with it.

For the past 15 years I’ve been partly running after my roots in order to find myself. But the more I run, the closer I want to feel. The further I go, the more I sense my heart being pulled back. I miss my roots, my land, my people but I’m also happy learning new things, exploring the world. Maybe one day I’ll be back, just not now.

The practical workshop we had with Victoria thought us how to right better and what to look for in a story. We had a lovely chat about her work and life. Got our books originally signed and left with heart full of love towards Bulgaria.

Thank you Victoria for everything you do - for your story, our passion, your art and for the resilience of following your heart and sharing it all with us!

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A post shared by Mariya Mileva Photographer | Barcelona (@mariyamilevaphotographer)

Portrait of a Woman & an Artist

When the client’s requirements are to hit more with one shot - I’m always up for it! Especially if is working with artists.

Talents are one of my favourite people to photograph. They have this different point of view about the world that you can easily catch if you observe them for some time. Not all artists dedicate themselves to make a living from their craft, yet each of them incorporates their art in everything they do.

This is also the case with Dominique. An incredible woman I saw on the beach playing on her violin one winter morning while the sun was rising over the sea. I count believe my eyes. Sunrise, music, woman… what more I can wish for? It was a pure inspiration for my eyes and one of the loveliest sunrise experiences I’ve had.

Normally I’d pass by as I like having my mornings for myself, but I couldn’t resist to go find out more about her. So after I took some photos and videos, I went closer and introduce myself. Told her how inspiring I found her practice and gave my contact, hoping we can connect.

And so we did. She invited me to open mic sessions, I went to some of her events, she came to some of ours in Art Project Poblenou. And on top of that she became my client.

This is her portrait session where we focused on professional portraits for her day job and artistic portraits for her music performance. What an honour it is for me to be able to serve her and fulfil her photography requests.

Beautiful soul! Thank you Dominique for the trust in photographing you!

More about her work you can find on IG https://www.instagram.com/la_lionne_75/

Would you still be you if you could choose?

In an ideal world, where you ca be anyone you wish, where money weren’t a factor and you would do anything you want, would you still do what you’re doing now? If you could choose, would you still be the person you are today?

Pain is inevitable, however it offers us a queue jump ticket to the growth we actually need. Happiness is great, yet for every achievement a certain discomfort is required. If things were all well all the time nobody would’ve move, make a difference or accomplish anything else. It is not necessary to wait for the extreme pain to force you to take a different road ahead, but it is necessary to decide to make the change.

And so, if you’re truly being honest with yourself, could you say you are being the most authentic representation of yourself right now? Do you spent your time working just to pay the bills or dedicating your time on something you care deeply about that you would do even if you weren’t paid for it?

It’s uncomfortable to go against the commodity, yet more painful on the long run if you haven’t. Life goes by and what we do affects us. Big shifts are easy to see but all of them are result of a small steps. Drop after drop. Step after step. Only at the end we can connect the dots and see the whole picture.

Are you doing something today that will help you get where you want to to keep you staying in the familiar reality?