The below story of the Spirited Hearts™ logo has been adapted from the Instagram post in December 2022, where the journey was revealed over nine posts. Enjoy the stories and meanings behind all aspects of this beautiful work of art below:

INTRODUCTION

Nine months ago, I went on a journey with an exceptionally gifted artist to co-create a new logo for Spirited Hearts™

I have had a few different logos over the years, all with graphic designers and a quick turnaround.

This process was different.

It was meaningful, connected and magical.

It embraced the natural ebb and flow of creativity, it was a softening into all the different stories and elements that came to light along the way.

There was so much self-discovery, growth and deep reflection involved.

This was as much about the journey, as the final artwork at the end.

At one point, I sat for months with different concepts that came to me. This was a big growth experience for me, as I can be quite impatient.

I explored my ancestry, and was completely awestruck by what I discovered.

I dove into the depths of my passions, my purpose, why I do what I do and how I do what I do.

As each month went by, and each message came through, I not only became clearer on what the finished work needed to embody, I also developed a deeper clarity of myself and my heritage.

This has been one of the most rewarding and magical journeys I have been on.

THE BACKGROUND COLOURS

I’ve always held a deep resonance for the ocean. In my formative childhood years, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist when I was older. I longed to save every single whale and dolphin. I envisioned sitting on the back of a boat, playing my flute, while whales sung in harmony. Even though I never pursued that interest further than my early high school years, I still love the ocean.

I love the colour of the ocean, the way blue meets green, and swirls to make teal and turquoise. This was the inspiration for these beautiful background colours of my logo.

For me, the ocean is more than the colour. The ocean is a metaphor for our own inner worlds. We have our surface layer, how we appear to others, and the more inward you turn, the deeper the depths of our very being, waiting to be explored.

Much like the ocean, there is beauty and grace, but there can also be turmoil within us. Our very existence as humans, is not to be happy all the time, our nervous system would never cope. Rather it is to be fully aware and present of all of our thoughts, feelings and experiences through life. It is having the love and compassion for ourselves and others to hold space, to sit in what feels uncomfortable, to fully be able to work through and release all those big feelings.

These colours also remind me of dawn, just before the sun rises. If you’ve stepped outside at that time, you will know there is a magical stillness all around. We are constantly stuck in our heads, filled with stress from the past and worry for the future.

Dawn, is a time where none of that matters there is only awareness and presence.

Having experienced that, so many times. I choose to embody that stillness, because even when sh*t hits the fan and you’re surrounded in a tornado of chaos, you will always have your inner stillness, your inner quiet, in every single moment.

Spirited Hearts embraces compassion, love, awareness and presence, both of self and of others.

It is about seeing below the surface, seeing the depth of a person and all they are going through.

It is acknowledging that life can be hard, but we are never alone.

It is seeing the tears in another person, and ourselves, and honouring that journey. It is sitting with someone and saying “I’m here and I’m listening.”

It is igniting our emotional wellbeing in a way that we are all craving, and that we all deserve.

THE WATTLE

The one element of my logo that was clearest from the very beginning, was that there had to be wattle (acacia). It is one of favourite flowers, and its scent is one of the most beautiful.

Every year, in late August here in Australia, it starts to blossom. You step out the front door, and you are greeted by the sweet scent of wattle, mixed with the changing of the seasons, the air starts to feel warmer.

Spring has always been my favourite season. There is always so much vibrancy in nature. Your senses become enlivened after the starkness of winter.

My Pop had the most amazing garden, people would travel just to see it. Yet for me, it wasn’t a tourist attraction, it was my second home. It was where I spent half of my childhood. It was where my imagination became alive, as my siblings and I wove through the endless secret pathways.

I spent most of my childhood out in nature.

I believe nature is the best place for not just children, but for adults to learn too.

When you are surrounded by nature, whether that be the ocean, the forest or your own backyard, you find a deeper relaxation, inspiration and gratitude.

Wattle reminds me of my childhood joy, connection and wonder. It is something I embody with all the children and parents I interact with, and something I am so willing to pass on to future generations; the innocence and awe of childhood.

Wattle is often viewed as a symbol of unity and togetherness. It is a plant that can withstand droughts, winds and bushfires. It is resilient, strong and true.

Its very meanings are values Spirited Hearts™ embraces - a deep sense of connection to each other; our innate resilient nature to heal from everyday stresses and traumas; and staying true to who we are, as a beautiful, unique individual.

I planted 10 wattle trees across my property, and the artist took a small clipping from the first wattle tree I planted here, which makes this even more meaningful.

Our Natural Learning Haven has a strong focus on nature, specifically, place-based learning. Where children can explore and discover all the natural wonders that surround them in a safe place filled with joy and adventure.

THE WEB

This is the very centre of this beautiful piece of artwork, and it is the place where I sat for the longest in deep reflection and discovery.

In various conversations I had with Marion Rose throughout the year, the web became a common theme for me and Spirited Hearts™ It started because my maiden surname is Webb, and I had considered changing the name Spirited Hearts™ It was a journey I needed to take in order to appreciate the true essence of what Spirited Hearts™ means to me, its purpose and its mission in the world.

It was also a deeply personal journey I needed to take. I spent months exploring my heritage and ancestors. What I discovered was filled with tragedy, heartbreak and grief. But also, beauty, unconditional love and grace.

Dr Peter Levine describes in his book Trauma and Memory how children can experience their parents and grandparents’ traumatic memories that occurred before they were even born.

I found a deep sense of healing, as I discovered and processed some of the horrors my grandparents and great-grandparents endured, and how those experiences not only shaped who they became, but also who I am.

I’ve known many of the stories from my Dad’s side of the family, as we have a hardcover book called Untangling the Webbs, detailing all our ancestors from when they arrived in Australia in the 1830s.

My Mum’s side of the family, however, has stories that are a bit more scarce, but no less powerful, and  filled with heartbreak. In my exploration of the past, I decided to take a stroll down my matriarch line. I discovered that my Nan’s maiden name means “peace-power” and I played with the idea of adding that somewhere in the logo, until I saw that it was already there, and was embedded in every aspect. My maternal grandparents (the one’s who I mentioned had the most speculator gardens I spent majority of my childhood) were German and lived through WWII as children. They grew up in families that were very aware and against the atrocities that were committed against fellow human beings. Some of these stories they told me throughout my childhood. They never tried to hide or sugar-coat the tragedy that occurred. They believed that stories are powerful and impactful. They didn’t hide their tears as they shared their enormous loss and grief.

One of the stories that came to light was that my Nan’s dad (my great-grandfather) had a shop where he worked creating things with sheet metal, and was asked by Hitler, to make the components of some weapons. My great-grandfather refused on the spot. When someone refused an order, their entire family was killed. To prevent this happening, my Nan’s dad took his own life, so that his family would be spared - my Nan was only 8 years old. Without his self-less act, my Mum would not be here today, and I would not be here today. Words could never describe how bittersweet it feels to know the enormity of that, and this story was something that took me a long time to process.

My grandparents were the most incredible humans I have ever met. They had the most generous, compassionate, kind and loving hearts. They were two of the biggest influences in my life, and they helped me follow my dreams every single day they were alive.

My Pop died 2 weeks after my first child was born - almost 10 years ago…they never got to meet, and I felt grief at the loss of him never meeting his first great-grandchild. My Nan died 14 months later, and it happened very quickly. I was blessed to be able to write and read their eulogies, and share my happiest memories of them - there were many.

To all my ancestors who came before me, thank you for passing down values that deeply impact who I am today.

For me, this web has meanings that go beyond my exploration of my ancestors. In my workings and interactions with people, I see the connections between their past and present. Many parents sit with me in session, with the initial intention of finding ways to meet their child’s challenging behaviours. What ends up happening, is a beautiful exploration of their own childhoods, the impact of their own stresses and the healing of multiple generations.

We all have threads and connections that make us who we are. These are something to be respected and honoured, even the most challenging and heartbreaking threads. However, we always have the spaciousness to change any aspect of our life. Like a spider, we can create, change and alter all that has come before, in order to be the parent, and live the life we always imagined. One of the best ways to do that is to have support and community, we were never meant to live life alone, and we can gift ourselves and our children with the sense of belonging we all crave.

If you haven’t yet noticed, I do love a good metaphor.

As a service committed to supporting children and families, perhaps you’ve wondered why there are no obvious signs of a child or adult in this logo.

Nature has to most incredible metaphors for who we are on an individual level, as well as to how we connect with the world around us.

Often, we see things on a surface level.

We may see a child’s tantrum, and only focus on the behaviour.

We may see a teenager’s essay, and only focus on the messy writing.

We may see a struggling parent, and only focus on their inability to handle pressure.

Underneath all of that are big feelings, deep thoughts and unmet needs.

At Spirited Hearts™ we see each person as the unique individual they are.

We see beyond the behaviour, we see the very essence of who that child and parent is.

We bring awareness to everything we do, so that we are always honouring everyone’s needs for a safe space filled with authenticity, freedom, joy and connection.

At the beginning of the year, I went on nature walks every morning. For the first couple of months, I walked into more spider webs than you could ever imagine. It went through my hair, across my mouth and into my eyes. I constantly had the creepy crawly feeling all over my body.

What I realised was the times I walked into a spider web (and some of them were human-size huge!) was that I was completely unaware of my surroundings. I wasn’t present. I was stuck in my own head.

Once I finally recognised how disconnected I was, I became more present and saw the webs long before walking into them.

I started observing the beauty that was all around me.

I observed the connectedness, intention, awareness and strength that went into the creation of every web. And like our fingerprints, each web was completely unique.

The web is a reminder of our needs as humans for connection, presence and a celebration for who we are on the deepest level.

THE DEW DROPS

The very last element to be painted was the dew drops.

Water is a reflective surface. It reminds us to continually reflect on our values, feelings, thoughts, beliefs and intentions.

As beings that are constantly growing and evolving, it is important that we reflect where we have been, so that we can move through and forward in life to the best of our ability in any given moment.

I love that this came through last, because it was where I did my own reflection of my journey. Not just with this logo, but of this year, and my story to this point in time.

This small drop of water may be tiny, yet it is so powerful.

When one minuscule drop of water hits the surface of a pond/lake/ocean, you can see the ripple effect. I love this as a metaphor to our own power to change.

With so many crucial areas in the world that are needing help, we can often feel powerless. How can one person change the world?

Well, there are over 7 billion people in this world, so it doesn’t need to come down to one person.

When you are so passionate about what you do, everyone can not only see and hear it, they can feel your aliveness. That is change.

When you are continually reflecting inwards. That is change.

When your intention is on helping those around you. That is change.

When you positively impact the life of another through one small, tiny act of kindness. That is change.

Like a drop of water, those small acts of change add up.

We are all powerful in our own right.

And maybe, we don’t set out to change the entire world. Maybe we start with ourselves, move to our families, communities, nations. Before we know it, all those ripples have connected and we have a world of connection, compassion, joy and love.

That is one of the missions of Spirited Hearts™

The 4 drops represent the 4 services that Spirited Hearts™ offers:

1.     Natural Learning Haven for children aged 1-10 years old – a nurturing and empowering alternative to mainstream daycares, preschools and kindergartens

2.     Parenting Support Session and Workshops – to inspire, support and provide unconditional compassion to all parents on their journey in a safe and accepting space

3.     Online Learning Haven – a space for parents, educators and teachers to learn more about all the values, philosophies and practices that Spirited Hearts™ embodies. This is where our intention for the last 10 years will be – to revolutionise early childhood education and care, to better meet the needs and feelings of all children around the world

4.     Spirited Hearts™ the podcast – where Steph provides the most meaningful, inspiring and empowering conversations about parenting, early learning and life. Free to listen, no matter where you are in the world.

CONCLUSION

We have arrived at the very last piece of the logo puzzle. I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing these stories and the nine-month long journey it took to create and birth this stunning piece of artwork into the world.

To me, the journey and process of sitting with everything that came up was one of the things that truly sets this entire logo creation apart from all the others.

This beautiful watercolour painting was created with intention, awareness, joy and love. I am so deeply grateful to the incredible artist behind this piece, Kimberley George from The Creativity Room. There is something so special and unique in the way she creates her pieces. She sits, she listens and she hears all of what you are needing and feeling. She values the sacredness of the entire process.

I was gifted with the framed version of the original artwork, which stands proudly, and surrounded by so much gratitude, in a place I can see it every day.

Thank you to all who have followed these posts and this journey in the unveiling of the new logo for Spirited Hearts, I deeply value your support and encouragement.

With deep gratitude, love and joy xx