About

 IT ALL STARTED WITH…

 
The climbing of trees and the fording of streams in her backyard at seven years old. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, USA, Kim Nellans is an insatiably curious free-spirit, yogi, global adventurer, and documentary photographer. 

Throughout the years, Kim has spent much time exploring the inner and outer landscapes of human experience. Naturally, her questioning and intrigue have led her to the country of India, a land steeped With cultural richness, fabled in story and mythos, and enshrouded in mystery. 

Although Kim felt 'called to this hauntingly familiar place before ever stepping foot there,' she already knew the gravity of what was on offer: access to immersive learning in the 'deep wisdom' traditions of the East, the catalysts for a sacred knowledge that exists- arcane yet innate wisdom accessible to all.

She fondly notes her first experience in her place of arrival, Benares  (Varanasi), one of the oldest living cities in the world. And it is the moment she stepped down from an overnight train and into the fray when she knew she had finally 'arrived.' Her enchantment with this extraordinarily complex and intricately beautiful place has led her on one adventure after another, revealing to her with such fullness an intimate connection to a land she considers her 'spiritual home over lifetimes.' Kim holds great affection for India's indigenous people and culture, spirituality, and landscape; this compels her to engage people from every walk of life. Through her photographs and love of storytelling, we can catch a momentary glimpse into life there and experience a shift in perspective.  

As she celebrates, with gusto, the richness and diversity of such a place, Kim continually marvels at the extraordinary state of consciousness that seems to permeate the many souls that wander there. She notes that this type of 'seeing'  is not some special or unique knowledge reserved for 'only saints and enlightened' people; it is available for anyone to unearth, residing within the deep core of our being and ready to be uncovered at any time! This ‘felt sense’ can only be illuminated upon a deep and necessary surrendering to the 'Oneness and All-ness of Everything - As It Is.’ Without identification, we come to know intimately and without recourse the Divine Truth of Being, just as we might stop to witness the everyday miracle and simplicity of breath.  Kim finds great elation in honoring this paradoxical bond to what exists 'as us but not of us' as revealed in the divine and sacred connection to Truth. It is this 'crazy wisdom' she continues to preserve through humility, awe, and delight as she treads on the sometimes ‘unspeakable path of possibility.’

Kim finds herself belonging ’nowhere in particular but everywhere.' For her, living in this way calls upon 'the muse'’ It incites inspiration and an opportunity to reside in the 'grandest and most precious of spaces,' where one can find freedom from the many trappings of ‘place’ in modern society. For her, 'letting go of the extraneous' has allowed her to live according to the 'ebb and flow of the Universe.'  This has led to something'’ that is extraordinarily inspiring, grand, enlightening, and heart-opening. For her, this 'something' has made the difference in accessing a full spectrum of experience and the inherent freedom accompanying that.

Kim wishes to support others in accessing the same type of wisdom by integrating various nature-based mindfulness practices. That, she believes, is an opening through where a connection is possible with something 'greater than oneself but within oneself'’ For her, the deep interconnection and understanding of Spirit within ‘life unadulterated’ has brought about the evolution of 'settling into her peace' thus allowing a gateway to sustained presence and awareness. When questioned about this, Kim quickly emphasizes that this 'crazy wisdom' is 'encoded in our DNA' and has only been temporarily lost for many in the modern epoch. But, with the right effort and understanding, she feels 'anything is possible' to access in this lifetime!

Her current mission involves assisting both adolescents and adults in learning various ‘mindfulness’ practices.  ‘Mindfulness’ means ‘to be with and remain objective about what is happening in the present moment; however, that may be showing up.’ Life is continually handing us 'grist for the mill' through the myriad of situations we encounter whether we 'like them or not.' Learning  how to successfully lengthen and develop continuity between the strand of moments that make up 'time-present' aids in our ability to find presence in an extraordinarily engaging life - an integral piece to living what Kim terms 'the good life.' 

She has found that the path of mindful living is quite simple and clear to understand- but as with anything, it requires practice. Patience and continuity to develop the skill set are needed to reap the benefits fully. What is ‘on offer' here is a radiance of rational thought and compassionate action. What compels her to dig deeper here continually are the immediate benefits and precise results from engaging in the practice regularly. 

As her formal sitting meditation practice continues to mature, there has been this strong sense and volition to share what she has discovered throughout the process for the benefit of others. And because 'spending time in nature’ can be a conduit to learning 'everything one needs to know about life' that ‘is of importance and consequence,’ she feels called to do so there. The truths that pertain to Reality, which underlies far more than just the gloss of our 'everyday mundane experience,' can be found interwoven throughout the natural world. It doesn't take much to experience the direct transmission of knowledge and wisdom spurned on by spending time in nature. When taught in this context, Kim observes that 'taking people out into the natural world' to learn techniques associated with a mindfulness practice allows for the benefits of that practice to become readily accessible to people who may not otherwise find themselves sitting 'on the cushion.'

'Nature is a most excellent teacher of the 'Reality of Truth.' It can also act, when needed, as the balm that 'heals us from the inside out.' Nature is where the mind will 'quite naturally and spontaneously' let go of what is no longer necessary or needed 'right then.'  And when the mind is free from the shackles of excess chatter, it opens a gap for other positivity and goodness to flow into that space, thus allowing it to be ‘with us, and in us, and surrounding us always.’ To be clear, meditation is not a form of escapism- quite the contrary- it is a practice grounded in ‘a state and presence of being’ that allows an individual to experience their innate wisdom, one that is as vibrant and profound as it is practical- offering solutions to the many ills of modern day society and a more integrated connection to people, place and moment. 

Kim’s prayer is for all beings to achieve harmony within the mind, body, and Spirit confluence. Mindfulness can assist with that and is accessible to all, open and committed to learning it. Again, the emphasis is on how the 'truths lie within and are available at any time when the person is ready’ and calls upon them skillfully. Mindfulness practice is like exercise for the mind; we take care of our body with physical exercise to stay fit and healthy, but 'What about the mind?' Kim asks. And it is for this reason - but not the only one- she feels compelled to assist others in developing this life-affirming practice. 

Kim sees people suffer needlessly through their self-imposed ‘discontents’- big and small. It seems to be a particular dilemma for the Western cultures experiencing a phenomenon of getting lost in an array of 'first world problems.' She sees how we have lost perspective on every level, from micro to macro individual to governmental and in every domain- at the environmental, societal, and spiritual levels. 

Fortunately, there is a way to untie some of these knots. The practices that enable us to do so are not new; they have been unearthed, cultivated, and taught for thousands of years in some form or another- in all parts of the world- streaming through all formalized religions- such a 'sticky word' these days! The bottom line is to help people find relief from the ills of the individual by learning and understanding something about the psychology of the mind. However, this is only the first of two essential pieces. In addition to cultivating the skill of remaining present is the development of compassion. 'Two wings of a bird are needed to fly.' And in this case, wisdom and compassion are those wings. What good is it to develop 'wisdom without compassion'? And how do we skillfully move compassionately through the world without proper wisdom? 

Practically, the power of integrating mindfulness techniques into one’s life can be used as a tool to help loosen some of those 'Gordian knots' that have tightened in us over time; lessening the restriction from the tautness can bring a sense of ease and spaciousness that can be profound for those who have been ‘bound for quite some time.’

We are all interconnected through our struggle for spiritual growth and awakening, mutual understanding and acceptance, and freedom from our personal 'sufferings.'  What Kim likes to remind folks is that 'Anything is Possible' because, in her mind's eye, everything is.  And if her photography and writing can become a conduit to communicate and share this philosophy, so much the better.

Kim graduated from Prescott College in Arizona (2011), where she studied Experiential Outdoor Education, Eco-Psychology, Comparative Religion,  South Asian studies (Indology), and Social Documentary Photography. She is a classically trained Fine Art photographer through the University of Washington (1992) and, more recently, a graduate of the 'One-Year Professional Program' through the Los Angeles Center for Photography (LACP, 2014). This allowed her to not only hone her skill set and creativity as a documentary photographer but to study with an extraordinary set of mentors like Sam Abell, Julia Dean, Peter Bennett, Cig Harvey, Joe McNally, Aline Smithson, Dana Gluckstein, Mark Edward Harris, Lorne Resnick, David Wells, Sherrie Berger, and Marisa Roth. 

Kim's journey has not been limited to the spiritual and photographic realms alone. Today, she identifies as a senior product designer interested in design systems and front-end development. She channels her expertise and passion through her one-woman design studio, Tiny Zen Studio. Drawn to the nonprofit sector, especially those in the wellness industry, Kim sees the potential for design to amplify their impact. Her experiences in India and her spiritual pursuits continue to influence and inspire her work, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things.

Kim's meditation practice has been cultivated through various silent, intensive retreats throughout India and the United States. Her particular focus of interest has been in the tradition of the Theravada Buddhist practice of Vipassana meditation, which involves focusing the attention upon either the breath or body sensation continuously and with equanimity. This is easier said than done! But this continual practice of observing sense awareness of breath or body elicits deep and profound changes in one's perception and understanding of the 'true nature of reality.' Ultimately, this conjures not only a comprehensive understanding of the interrelatedness of all things but also their impermanence- which, to Kim, is the quintessential and most valuable lesson one can hope to realize in this lifetime. She understands this to be 'one of the most fundamental laws of the Universe' and integral in our ability to find happiness. 

We can never know what the next moment will bring. Ignorance of uncertainty breeds attachment and then 'suffering.' Wisdom thus can be defined as the 'knowing, understanding, and radical acceptance of impermanence'’ Such wisdom of mind brings a sense of calm and spaciousness, thus leading towards spontaneity of generosity, loving-kindness, and compassion for all sentient beings.