Lumi (Changyi Li) is a visionary and intuitive with the mission to serve as a healer through art. Her expression springs from her growth and self-healing journey and centers around themes on personal development, self-empowerment, re-connection to ancient wisdom and nature. Lumi shares her heartfelt expression on social media and website. Her art has been showcased in various UK-based exhibitions and magazines. Being passionate about inspiring and connecting to those who walk on similar journeys, Lumi is open to commission and collaboration which aligns to her mission. Her core value: to heal others one needs to commit to ones own growth journey; in the end it is love that heals it all.
Lumi (Changyi Li), Visionary Artist & Healer
How and why did you become a healer artist?
The intention to become a healer originates from me seeking my healing, and art is the gift I have to serve this mission.
I was born with an empathetic nature and the endeavour to know the human psyche in depth. Art found me at the age of 4, and spirituality came in when I started noticing some overwhelming emotions that seemed to be coming from nowhere in my early teenage years. After passing through the toughest few years wrestling with my inner struggles, I gradually felt a strong calling that I needed to be a healer for myself and bring healing to others. There was a time when I turned away from art when I was still searching for my way, but it kept coming back to me during hard times, bringing me a deep sense of peace. Through art, I gradually heard the voice of my soul.
During the pandemic lockdown, I felt the need to express my inner through art ever so strongly when doing a small personal project illustrating quotes from Carl Jung’s autobiography. Since then, I started picking up art, and my expression soon found me when I explored intuitively using Sumi-ink. Around that time, I was in a Buddhist group and started painting and sending out pieces to those in need. I felt deeply touched, nourished, and held by the process of doing the art and connecting with like-minded souls, and it affirmed my way to become a healer-artist. My art flourished as I walked through my healing journey, and the more I transformed, the more affirming this calling I heard from within.
The job of the healer, or the shaman, is not always easy as it requires one to commit to his growth journey and process self-healing in the first place. But once you hear the call and walk your path, you know you will do it because everything you have been through has already been paving the way. Through knowing myself, I know others, as we all share the same collective humanity regardless of cultural or spiritual backgrounds. It is now a time when collective reconciliation and healing are so needed. I remember a channeled message from an intuitive guide: “You are needed and now is your time” which I deeply agree with and relate to. It is now vitally important for those who hear the call to affirm and align to their missions and paths, and to bring healing through their unique ways. And to me, I know that this is through my authentic expression from the heart, and so I shall play my part.
How does your art assist healing?
The essence of my art that brings healing is the energy it carries, as the energies/feelings I tap into during the expression process get passed onto the audience through the painting. To me, the medicine is already within us, the love we inherently possess, and it just needs to be awakened for the heart to reconnect. Then, reconciliation naturally occurs. My art plays the role of that gentle knock that opens the heart and could remain as a loving companion or reminder to the audience along their paths.
Art has to have a soul to heal. And it has to come from a sovereign and heartfelt place within the artist. My expression flows from what I experienced: my joy and struggles, the loving connections and inspiring teachings along my path, etc. I do art from what touches my heart, and expression from the heart always strikes a chord in others and awakens and ignites more hearts. Many can relate to their journeys after viewing my work, as we are all on the path of constant growth and transformation, encountering the same lessons and healing themes along the way.
This deep resonance reminds the audience that we all find each other on our paths. And in the end, no one truly walks alone. My art connects us all, and connection brings healing.
My work process does not involve much conscious planning beforehand, so the energies/emotions get channeled directly onto the painting with little conscious interference. In this case, the energy delivered is stronger in a more pristine form, leaving a greater visual and emotional impact on the audience. Very often, the audience is not instantly aware of its effect. But many have experienced goosebumps or found themselves in tears or a deep sense of peace after viewing my work. The energy flow through channeled art can prompt cathartic expression of emotions, opening up some mental or emotional blockages in our energy system and making us feel expressive, open, and uplifted, this is very often a deep part of us gets opened up and reconnected. Again, it is this reconnection that leads to healing.
From my own experiences, the more open, aligned, and connected I become, the stronger the healing energy I can deliver through the art. So, the source of healing energy delivered is down to me doing my inner work and committing to my journey. It is true that the more we heal ourselves, the more healing we can bring to others.
What are the spiritual traditions/teachings that inspired you along your journey and your expression? And is there any spiritual tradition that you follow?
Taoism was the first spiritual teaching I encountered, followed by Jungian psychoanalysis during those intense years facing my inner turmoil. Then, Buddhism came in and saved me during the darkest time when I was in depression. The wisdom from Carl Jung continued to weave in and led me into esoteric Christianity, angelic connections, Celtic folklore, and mythology, and soon led me into the world of paganism as I travelled around England to ancient sites. Shamanism, or the connection with the inner through nature, particularly intrigues me and brings me a deep sense of peace. I found my deep roots in primitive culture and prehistoric landscape when connecting to Dartmoor, the wildest unmanaged land in England. The land has given me a deep sense of identity, and nature has always been the source of my healing and inspiration. I also find metaphysics, astrology, and cosmology deeply inspiring wisdom from the sky that constantly reminds me of our cosmic origin and offers a higher and futuristic perspective on the meaning and mission behind our collective existence.
As an open-minded spiritual practitioner, I’m not religious and don’t strictly follow any particular traditions or practices. But everything I have encountered along my way has become a part of my healing practice, which I can tap into whenever I feel called to. I pay deep respect and reverence to all heart-centered spiritual teachings/traditions that bring people together as One and remind us of our true identity as love.
What advice would you offer to someone looking to explore their personal growth/healing journey through art?
I would say: “Listen deeply and follow your heart.” I don’t see this exploration journey as a task or target you deliberately set for yourself to meet or follow. Expression finds you more naturally and flows free if you hold it lightly inside and call it in. If you are deeply feeling it, you know you will do it, so relax and try not to overthink about how and where the expression is taking you. It is often a calling from a deep part of you that you don’t know much about but can bring immense healing. Let your expression show you the way, and don’t worry about skills or external validation. Remember, what flows from the heart is most healing and precious, so skills are not the most important. It will grow into your unique form if you allow it and be patient, just like being with a close friend. There is no right or wrong, good or bad in this. Because it is not about achieving anything but expressing the authentic you in the end, it is about your journey.
It would be helpful to look into some reliable and inspiring precedents or find a guide. I recommend looking into Carl Jung’s work Memories, Dreams, Reflections, and The Red Book, as Jung was a pioneer in self-exploration through expression, and his in-depth work on the psyche stands as a beacon that inspired many on their journeys. The Red Book can be seen as Jung’s diary recording his inner transformation through writings and paintings, and he used to encourage his students and patients to write their “own Red Books” as the way to find their own path and healing.
Referencing and looking into work from others can always be inspiring, but always be mindful that it should always serve you on your journey and help you become yourself, not another version of others. You don’t need to follow the paths if it doesn't feel right. In the end, you should walk the path of your own. All expressions are unique, and so they should be.
And enjoy the process. It can be unpredictable and surprising, but also magical, transforming, and expansive. Trust that expression finds you with a reason, helping you for the highest good on your journey.
On your profile, you mentioned about Vision Quest ceremony. Do rituals and ceremonies play an important role in forming your expression? If yes, how do they influence your work?
Absolutely. I have a strong tribal sentiment, so I hold special reverence and love for these earth-based spiritual traditions. Their influence on me has always been profound and expansive. Ceremonies and rituals connect me to my inner world and the unseen and open my channel. My art channel, in essence, is my spiritual channel to deliver messages and energies from the unseen to bring healing to myself and others. Visions find me easily after rituals and ceremonies, nudging me to express them. It was through ceremonies that I discovered my mission to deliver wisdom from our ancestors and to evoke our ancient roots in the past and Indigenous culture through expression. These ancient rites reconnect me to my roots and bring me immense healing. Many native teachings and spiritual traditions have been marginalized and forgotten by our mainstream society. But they hold significant wisdom and healing medicine towards our modern malaise caused by missing roots. They remind us to walk in balance, to live from the heart, and to act from a place of love, something that is easy to forget but in urgent need of remembrance in our current times, so many of my artworks center on tribal and shamanic themes as a tribute to earth-based spiritual traditions and call for reclamation of the sovereignty of the land and the people, as well as evoking a collective remembrance which in turn leads to collective healing.
Can you share a particular experience that has been meaningful and transforming for your spiritual and artistic journey?
The experience of breaking away from my previous spiritual guide and group has been deeply transforming and healing. I experienced deep pain when facing intense inner conflict and vehement conversations with my guide before the actual separation. I was drained and left with unsettled grief, anger, and feelings of isolation and abandonment. But during that chaos, I felt a voice inside reminding me that this was the healing I had to go through, and it was time for me to walk my way on my own since our paths would not align as they used to. In essence, it led me to leave external authority and trust the guiding force within.
A dream came to me in the afternoon after the breakup, where I encountered a blue angelic figure with open wings and a staff in her hand who brought me a deep sense of peace and calmness. I channeled the dream scene down, and the process brought me to tears as I felt the unwavering love from the unseen holding me with deep grace, reminding me that I am never left alone and always guided and loved along my path. That was the exact message I needed. This angel painting holds the energy of unconditional love and protection from the unseen and became a symbol of me truly stepping onto the path of my own. After the expression, I felt called to change my artist name since the previous name I used was given by the group I just moved away from. I needed a name of my own and felt drawn to Illumina, meaning to lighten up. And so the name Illumina, or Lumi as the short form I use more often, became the artist name I use today, meaning the light-bringer.
Young people can be more open to spirituality and healing practices. What advice would you give to your peers in the younger generation who are spiritually inclined that will benefit their growth journey?
As someone in her mid-twenties, I find a lot more of our peers being intuitive and highly sensitive in our generation who embody the healer qualities. But at the same time, we can indeed be more vulnerable, especially those between the age of 14-20. We are actively confronting and processing our healing themes from the early stage of our lives, for instance, parent-child healing and relationship problems, where things can feel ever more challenging and overwhelming. So getting help from reliable sources to assist us on the way is crucial.
I would say to my peers: reach out to those around you who make you feel inspired, held, expanded, and connected, and let our light shine and warm each other on our paths. Also, reach out to healers who can guide you from a higher perspective on where you at on your journey if you feel disoriented and unaligned, this is crucial as it brings you much more clarity on your path and your life mission. This clarity can lead to alignment and serve you and your mission much better on your journey. I reached out to a spiritual healer during a time of disorientation and unalignment two years ago. Her guidance came at the exact time when I needed it and is still serving me along the way. But also remember that the right guidance will change as we grow, so follow what feels right to you at each stage. It is okay to move on to your next step and find new teachers/guides. It is a natural process, and there is nothing wrong with moving on.
We can be very open and actively engaging with the information and energies around us at this stage in life, so be wary and selective about the information we take in, especially on social media, as the mass flow of information in the mainstream media can contain energies that are not beneficial to our good. Turn to what empowers and uplifts you, and move away from what makes you feel drained, heavy, and stressed, as these energies tend to be less easy to move away from once we tap in. Being aware of what we feel physically and emotionally is crucial, and react upon it to adjust whenever needed.
And do the work you need to do. Around this age, it’s easier to be carried away by the “Woo-woo” aspect of spiritual experiences and not walk so steadily on the ground. You are always the most important factor that determines your growth, and external support is most efficient when we take responsibility for our healing and consciously work on our lessons. We serve our missions in a much more expanded and energy-efficient way if we walk a grounded journey of self-healing. However, at the same time, hold it lightly and allow time for ourselves to grow, as it is easy for us to be too hard on ourselves. It’s a balance or a dance, of which we need to find the middle point between “striving to heal” and “not actively engaging our role.” Be patient, as it takes time for healing to unfold, but it will take you there finally as long as you are on the road.
AI-generated art has gained popularity in recent years. What are your thoughts on AI-generated art and its impact on the art world?
I don’t see AI-generated art as a substitute for human artists. Because the sparks of creation cannot be learned nor duplicated. It births from intuition and flows out from the soul. It is the soul of the art that truly touches the audience, and all souls are unique, never replaceable, and AI does not have a soul as a human does. So, in terms of energy, AI-generated art cannot create the same “intangible effect” as human-created art because, in essence, it is not creation but programming.
I feel the rising concern about AI-generated art on its impact on artists should not be overlooked. There is potential copyright infringement to the artists if AI is trained by learning the artwork from artists posted on their social media page, as permission is always required from the artists in the first place for the usage of art and it is the artists’ right to protect their copyright. I feel an underlying intention behind AI-generated art is to replace the work of artists, which I trust is something necessary to bring into our public awareness for art to continue to serve the community in an integral, sovereign and beneficial way. As far as I know on social media, AI-generated art has already been putting many artists off from sharing their work with the public on social media platforms because of copyright concerns, which can potentially affect the artists’ work as we need support from our audiences. Art should always be genuine and be of good service to people rather than causing long-term concerns and difficulties, no matter to the audiences or the artists. To me, the terms and policies of AI-generated art need reformation and amendments based on thorough and decent consideration from a place of integrity, justice and respect for all in the community.
How do you see the prospect of spiritual/healing art?
Expression to do with spirituality and healing still counts as a small niche compared to mainstream art, but I see a rise and expansion of it in the long term due to the rising need for mental support and spiritual guidance in our global community. I believe it will be brought into public awareness more and so will be more accepted and understood as we as a collective change and evolve, as art has always been a projection of our collective needs. It might take some twists and turns from the start for healing art to settle into the mainstream consciousness, as we as a collective are still in this pivotal time experiencing fast shifts and changes in values and belief systems. But in the end, I feel it will get there, just as I believe that in the end we as a collective will find our way through. Expression has always been a great healer to the individual and the collective, and I believe healing-based expressions will play a bigger part in this role in serving the current times.
What topics would you like to share and explore with the audience when collaborating with Brainz Magazine as their executive contributor?
I wish to offer insight and guidance to our readers to benefit their journey, and my articles will focus on visionary art, spiritual healing, personal growth, and reconnection to nature and ancient wisdom. I will touch on collective healing themes that we can more or less relate to, such as confronting anxiety and fear, ancestral healing, reclaiming our sovereign voice, etc. I will weave in my healing experiences and helpful teachings I encountered along the way, either from other contemporary artists/healers/guides or ancient wisdom from our ancestors. My writing can go intuitive like my art, and I see some future articles with poetic elements and prose woven in.
As a visionary, can you share with us your long-term visions and goals of your career?
The ultimate goal is to bring healing to awaken, inspire, and empower more on their life journey through expression, whether in digital art or other art forms and healing approaches, for example, poetry, intuitive guidance, healing circle counsels, and even music and film. Currently, I’m at the beginning of my career, but I see my expression as a constant work in progress throughout my life.
I'm constantly working on art projects to publish as future illustration books, and I also wish to sell more artwork at affordable prices to reach more audiences. I'm keen to do more custom art for those in need and would love to hold talks, workshops, and healing circles in the future to inspire more on their journeys. I see myself collaborating with like-minded creatives and entrepreneurs who share the same values to bring the wisdom of healing to a broader audience when the time comes, and I would love to exhibit my art at venues and galleries where I feel aligned with my goal and energy.
Where can we find you and your work if we wish to connect?
My Instagram, @illuminafreesoul, and website, www.illuminafreesoul.com, are the two main places to see my expression. On Instagram, you will see constant updates on new art pieces and healing insights. If anyone is interested in getting custom art, I recommend looking into my website first, then contact me via email: lumi_freesoul2023@look.com. My website is constantly growing and will include more expressions from the heart with more writings and poetry alongside my art.
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