About Lionsa
Lionsa means “Lens” in Scottish Gaelic.
I’m sure somebody knows it’s correct pronunciation but I pronounce it: Leeonsah.
I chose the name because it reminds me of that which I have often, through my life, felt keenly aware of… that our ‘lens’ shapes and colours how we experience ourselves, others and the world around us. Much of our lens is created by our culture, the land we are born into, the family whose genes and cell memories make up our DNA, but also the experiences we have had in this lifetime… and, if you believe in past lives, in those as well.
What kind of ‘lens’ do you see the world through? How much does it change through the day, week, month, year… lifetime? The word leans in to a deeper listening to ourselves, it invites a noticing of that which colours our lens, whether it be a lifelong pattern or a fleeting mood.
The expanded name is ‘Lens of the Soul’ for it is through the Soul’s lens that I ‘see’ my creative and therapeutic projects, myself, and my clients.
Who am I? Fiona Haasz. More on me, below.
At Lionsa, we offer consultations, events and products which are creative and/or therapeutic.
Who are we? A growing team of Soul-based creatives, and healers… feel free to enquire about joining us.
• Art • Tao Blessings • Art Therapy •
Combining spiritual practice with creativity draws upon ancient practices, which call to a deeper part of our psyche. The use of guided visualisation and music, as well as a ‘sensing’ in, or leaning in, a listening in, with a peripheral vision, to our Soul, enables great wisdom and nuances to be heard and noticed. Noticing those elements of ourselves or the worlds we inhabit, can facilitate an expansiveness and wholeness, a grounding and a clearer, deeper sense of self.
Consultations are available online, over the phone or in person, at your home, a location in nature (eg. beach) or at our centre, in Frankston.
Workshops and other events will vary, but essentially can be held anywhere!
“I just wanted to say I have found your creative meditation classes, a very loving, supportive and nurturing environment. It has opened up my mind to heaps of creative ideas and adventures that i would not have otherwise experienced. I can honestly say i look forward to my Tuesday evenings. It’s been a class full of fun and lots of laughter too.”
— Creative Meditation workshop participant
About Fiona
Around 2012, after some very challenging life events, I had a spiritual awakening of sorts…
Tarkine exhibition 2024
...whilst I already had dance therapy and several art and dance related qualifications under my belt, I was spiritually guided, through a particular artwork that came through me, to complete a transpersonal art therapy qualification. Around this time I received many great teachings from exceptional mentors via a variety of spiritual and creative sources, both in person, and in literature.
One of these was a fellow dance therapist and close friend, Mirabai, who I met with weekly to make art together, in the last year of her life. My art making began flowing in a new direction, revealing a return of angel imagery and powerful metaphors that spoke to inner and outer invisible worlds. I began to be more attuned to the sense that ‘guidance’ was flowing through me as the work emerged, rather than ‘me’ creating it.
As a result of this period, my first business, River of Plenty was born, from which I offered Pranic healing, art therapy and Australian Bush Flower essence consultations and a variety of creative and therapeutic workshops integrating dance and/or art, such as basket weaving and Dance to Your Heart’s Content. The business also hosted community events such as sourdough and kombucha making workshops.
Whilst this was a tremendously expansive, exciting and beautiful time, after five years I knew I needed to recharge and rebalance, and so I closed the business and began to focus on my own creative practice again. I sold the property that held River of Plenty, and after moving out, prior to settlement, put on a collaboratively curated exhibition, ‘Home Truths’, which as it turned out, transformed the trauma-filled land as well as each of us artists. This next life change, drawing me back to my art making, led me to various physical journeys from the art worlds within New York, to the incredible riches of the ancient Tasmanian rainforest, takayna.
I made, in 2020, an (almost accidental) move to the sea, a move that I had been dreaming of and yearning for, for many years, having been brought up by the sea, and it being the most powerful place of rejuvenation, healing and belonging for me.
I cannot express in words what being in the sea is for me. It is beyond any other experience I have had in this lifetime. I feel connected to Source and my own Soul in an alive, instantaneous way, and am rebooted. I am reminded of pleasure, joy and flow. Life is suddenly simple again.
Yet I couldn’t practically swim my way through the rest of my days, and being in a land-based body, I was still challenged. I knew I needed a daily spiritual practice and to maintain that I knew I needed a new spiritual teacher and community. So I asked ‘God’ for that.
Mid way through 2020, an acquaintance offered me a free Tao Hands blessing. I shall never forget how profound that consultation was and so I began exploring what Master Sha and Tao Hands were all about.
It was wonderful to find Tao Hands. It helped me transform very old wounds. I feel protected and safe offering blessings to others. Since receiving my Tao Hands, I have done more training with Master Sha’s academy. I am now a certified Soul Communicator and Da Bei Zhou Compassion Messenger and on the way to becoming a Kuan Yin Lineage Holder and Master Teacher.
Within these practices, I feel connected to powerful Saints and Buddhas and my own Soul.
One of the riches of these Tao Technologies is that they integrate the arts. Within a Tao hands blessing, I sing my Tao soul song and this has opened my voice tremendously. Writing Tao calligraphy, tracing it with my body, learning and reciting mantras and more, are just some examples of the creative nature of these spiritual practices.
I feel so fortunate to keep journeying through life’s challenges with so many tools to help me, which I can share with others too.
My Art Practice
My Art practice is ever changing, multidisciplinary and multi-faceted. I am yet to upload my previous work here, but will do so eventually! My background in the arts, includes postgraduate qualifications in Dance Animateuring at Victorian College of the Arts and undergraduate qualifications in Visual Art from Sydney College of the Arts. Some of the many facets include creating outdoor sculptures for Centennial Park in Sydney, dance video works, installations, photography, animations, paintings, drawings, monoprints, performance art events, curatorial projects. In the arena of dance and performance, a feature has been study, teaching and performance in African dance (soukous and traditional west African) as well as contact improvisation, physical theatre and more. More information about my dance background can be found here. I plan to add examples of my visual and performing arts practice to this website.
Future projects include:
2020 Vision - an exhibition of paintings on linen done during 2020 when living in Gould Street Frankston, by the sea. Held at Lotus Chiropractic, Mount Eliza from 20th Feb - 20th May 2025. Opening night is Monday 3rd March, 2025 7pm - 8:30pm.
Psyche Seas - a solo durational performance event, which received funding by Frankston Council in 2021, for a mentor, Bagryana Popov. Yet, due to lockdowns and restrictions regarding vaccination, it was delayed and it is still waiting in the wings, for me to actualise it.
Get with the Program - A provocative 3 part series of performances which will boldly reflect upon the experiences the world has undergone since 2020. We are seeking expressions of interest to be involved in this project… including documentary filmmakers, movers, writers, freedom-oriented creatives.
My Therapeutic Approach
... is firmly guided by the three elements that make up Carl Roger’s approach to Transpersonal therapies:
Some clients prefer to sit in silence ;)
Congruence
Empathy
Unconditional positive regard
In other words, you, the client, can be exactly as you are, and whatever you bring in each moment is perfect.
You get to take the reins of your own transformation, and I’m your trusty guide, cheering you on, understanding where you’re at, reflecting and holding space for your own journey to be safely travelled.