Free to Feel: Creating from Emotions

Author:Anne Koller

Publisher: CreateSpace (2018)

How can we still our minds to hear what is deep in our hearts? How can we embrace the spectrum of what it means to be human—the longing and exhilaration, the anxiety and wonder—and create beauty from this inherent complexity? In Free to Feel Anne Koller shows there is power in opening our arms to the brightest and darkest within us. Through raw and approachable prose, she teaches that emotional wellness is derived not from a static state of happiness, but a willingness to ride the waves of ever-shifting emotions.

Organized by the themes of fire, water, earth and air, Anne’s poetry is equally timeless and modern. She honors our ancient connection to the ocean and explores an age-old fascination with dreams, while also pondering the loneliness of lives lived on screen and the possibility that love might combat our current political angst. Beyond its myriad subjects, Free to Feel's true power comes from Anne’s courage. Each piece was born from a yearlong commitment to quiet the mind, listen to the heart, and free write from an unedited emotional experience. She holds nothing back and offers the reader a rare opportunity to peek inside another’s soul, first through her poetry and then through Story Behind the Words—short narratives detailing the specific experience behind each piece.

In Free to Feel, you will witness one artist’s approach to creating from emotions we often ignore or hide from others, as well as those we shout from the rooftops. By modeling what it means to embrace the multitudes within us, Anne invites you to embark on your own journey into the healing arts and find the freedom to feel.