Memoirs and musings of Darius Bashar. Toronto portrait photographer and writer, in pursuit of all things real, raw and intimate.
I am committed to making this the BEST SUMMER OF MY LIFE. In order to make that a reality I have convinced my favourite artists in the city to wake up early and let me take their photos for a new collection I am calling the Summer of Art.
Ben is Portrait 001.
Okay, this is a bit of an experiment…
I am not sure if it will work, but I have a feeling it could be fun.
Do you want to help me write a guided meditation?
If so, all you need to do is reply to this and send me your favourite affirmations.
Even one single affirmation is more than enough. Or, if you have a few you really like, send them over.
I can’t promise I will use your affirmation. I say this because some affirmations might not work within my style of guided meditation.
But if I do use your affirmation, I will give you a special shoutout in the meditation description as one of the co-creators.
Sound like fun?
If so, reply to this email with your favourite affirmations or if you are seeing this on social media, you can either comment below or send me a direct message.
Big love,
D
The 𝑫𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 (AKA the official Artist Morning paid membership) is finally open to the public. 🎉
1. People who are ready to share more of their gifts with the world. 💫
2. People who are tired of working alone and need healthy accountability. 🕰️
3. People who have a massive To Do list and want to get shit done. 🎯
4. People who find it difficult to stay away from online distractions. 🚫
5. People who are excited about growing as a community. 🌱
The Deep Divers membership is a way to get shit DONE in a joyful and sustainable way. When we ground our energy and focus our attention, we 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 and make space to achieve our 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.
Membership includes:
👥 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗢-𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦
2x Zoom sessions every week where you bring 1-3 tasks to our 2-hour (highly productive) community Co-Working sessions
🎓 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦
1x group Zoom every month where I will teach you strategies and frameworks to share more of you gifts with the world
📚 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗤&𝗔
1x group Zoom every month where you can receive direct mentorship from me by asking specific questions
Something interesting happened in 2024… I received many emails from fans of Artist Morning who saw the consistency in my creative process and wanted to do something similar with their own work.
There was a clear desire to go deeper: within themselves, within community, and even in collaboration with me.
The Deep Divers membership was created to share some of my favourite practices, lessons and structures with the Artist Morning community. 🙏🏽
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 $𝟴𝟴 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. After the first 20 members, the rate will go to $111 per month.
Learn more about the Deep Divers membership by tapping on the link in my bio ⮕ @dariusbashar
Big love,
D
Big announcement! This Thursday at 9am (EST), I will be taking over Insight Timer’s Instagram page to guide a live practice called How To Become A Magnet to Creativity.
Maybe you’re wondering why someone would want to become a magnet to Creativity?
That’s a great question.
Most people think of Creativity as an outcome, like a painting, a book, or even a funny Instagram post.
But for me, Creativity is actually a lifelong relationship. Similar to a romantic partnership or even a best friend.
When we find ways to meaningfully and sincerely be in partnership with Creativity, she finds incredible ways to bless our lives.
When we have a healthy and loving relationship with Creativity, she continually finds us and wants to spend quality time with us.
It’s like the feeling of being in love—that feeling when everything seems possible.
We become vessels for divine expression and when this happens we start to get out of our own way and allow the best of us to show up in the world.
Becoming a magnet to Creativity can feel incredible, but it also has some amazing side effects:
Our confidence grows because we are in flow and in alignment with the highest frequency of the Universe.
Our productivity grows because we are regularly dancing with Creativity. Ideas, visions, and projects continually find us and use us as an open channel to be manifested into the world.
Our sense of fulfillment grows because we are openly sharing more of our gifts and our heart with the world.
If you’re interested in any of the above, come join me this Thursday by tuning into Insight Timers instagram page at 9am (EST) and we will have some fun together. Make sure to bring your journal.
Everyone is invited!
Big love,
D
Here’s a secret to taking better photos and videos on social media:
No one wants you to be perfect.
They’d rather you be real.
Because people don’t trust perfect—perfect is unbelievable.
→ That means you’re allowed to fumble a word or two in your videos.
→ That means you can show people your playful side or even your messy side.
→ That means putting your guard down and letting people feel and see your heart.
Real is trustworthy, because real is relatable.
Take a look at your instagram feed and ask yourself, is there a part of the real you missing from your social media?
I did this a few years back and realized that all my posts were super serious.
For some reason, my silliness and my joy were totally missing—and if you’ve ever met me in real life you’ll know just how silly and joyful I can be. I needed to share more of the real Darius with the world.
Because humans are multi-dimensional. We have MANY sides to us.
When I look at these photos of Charles (@for.men.of.color), I see range. I see a coach and leader who is strong, but I also see a softer side. The photos show his depth and wisdom, but his fun and joyful sides also come through.
It’s not just authentic and honest for the sake of it—it’s a super smart business decision too.
His prospective clients are able to sense who Charles really is and what it’s like to work with him. This creates closeness and trust.
When we open our hearts and show people who we really are, we allow them to more quickly and effectively decide if our energy and vibe is what they’re looking for in their life.
Not everyone will be into who you really are—that’s just life. But the right people will step forward and want to learn more.
It requires courage to take up space and share your light with the world. But each time you do, not only does it get easier, but the world also gets brighter.
If you’d like some support in sharing more of your light and your gifts with the world, I’d love to chat. I have a great photography promo this month. You can click here for more info —> https://www.dariusbashar.com/heartshots
Big love,
D
Just keep showing up.
Even when you’re tired.
Even when you barely have words.
Even when you’re unsure of who you are.
Don’t do it for them.
Don’t do it for fame.
Don’t do it for the money.
Show up for YOU.
Show up to discover YOU.
Show up to remember YOU.
Rest, sleep, eat and be merry, but keep fucking showing up.
Don’t let resistance win.
Don’t let comparison win.
Don’t let the algorithm win.
You’re stronger than you realize.
You’re stronger than you realize.
You’re stronger than you realize.
And we all have hard parts in our lives.
The hard parts make you strong.
Don’t be afraid of the pain.
The pain is a gatekeeper to separate the bystanders from the masters.
Don’t be a bystander.
Be a master.
Thank you for being a part of my life.
Thank you for being a part of this community.
Thank you for the kindness you have shared with me over the years. It has deeply impacted my heart.
Maybe we found each other through my NoStrangers project.
Maybe you have been meditating with me on Insight Timer or Artist Morning for a while.
Maybe we did a HEARTshots photoshoot together.
Maybe we are old friends.
Or maybe you just joined our community recently.
Regardless, your care and presence has impacted my life.
I know it might sound funny to be impacted by humans you have never met before, or been in the same room with, but I am impacted.
Like many of you, I am a sensitive soul that believes everything is energy.
And the energy of this community has brought so much joy into my life.
Thank you.
Bless you.
I love you.
D
Small token of my appreciation:
Have you ever wanted to ask me a question? I’ve made a simple online form (link below). I will do my best to answer as many questions as possible. CLICK HERE
I’m going to let you in on a secret: I rarely work with real estate agents or realtors. Because the type of photos they’re usually looking for aren’t the type of photos I usually take.
Additionally, real estate professionals aren’t as interested in my unique process, which involves getting to know each other. We do a deep dive into what your intentions are with the photos and how you want your audience to FEEL when they experience the final results.
My dream clients love this process. They see that it benefits their brand to be asked such questions and explore the answers in depth.
To be honest, when I’ve shared my process with real estate agents and realtors in the past, they look at me like I’m speaking a different language. Or worse… they try to break the process and do it the way they’re used to instead, which is a more in-and-out, transactional experience.
The good news is that Zack (@zackfenwick_7) is no typical realtor. From our first Zoom call it was clear he understood the value of breaking off from the pack and differentiating himself from his peers.
It was also clear that he is significantly more successful than the average realtor. Through our photoshoot and our deep conversations I learned a lot about Zack and his dedication to his business.
There was a clarity about Zack. He has focus and discipline. But there was also an ease with him, that in my experience only comes with true self-belief.
From what Zack shared about his origin story, his success isn’t an accident or luck: It’s a result of his commitment to health, to family, to how he runs his business, and how he runs his life.
He knows who he is and what he wants, and it was an honour to help him take photos that would help him along his path.
Zack, I enjoyed our time together and love the photos we co-created.
Big love,
D
PS: If there is something about these photos or my writing that calls to you, and you want to know more about working together, have a look at the link below (or the link in my bio on IG @dariusbashar). I would love to support your vision and help you share more of your gifts with the world. —> https://www.dariusbashar.com/heartshots
A dangerous game to play in any major relationship is to be so preoccupied with what USED to be that we miss out on what’s happening NOW. So why do we do this to ourselves?
I’m in my 40s, and it’s taken me over a year to realize that the NEW ME is a very different dude from who I was a decade ago.
His core is the same as the old me, but he thrives under different circumstances. He has different tastes, needs, and desires.
At the beginning of 2024, the new me shared some non-negotiables:
• The new me needs movement every single day. The old me would go weeks or months without taking a (now mandatory) walk.
• The new me works out 7 days a week. This might sound extreme, but the workouts are less about big heavy weights and more about sustainable and supportive body nourishment.
• The new me does well with more sleep: 7 hours. The old me was more of a 5-hours-a-night type of guy.
• The new me meditates every day, but for not as long. 15-20 minutes is the sweet spot.
• The old me loved the news, but in a recent meditation the new me opened up about how online content impacts my mind and body. The new me doesn’t follow any news accounts.
• The new me rarely works past 6pm, and almost never on the weekends.
I’m doing my best to be present and honest with the new me, and to swap my old assumptions with an attitude of curiosity and excitement. It’s the same feeling as dating a new person.
The good news is you don’t need to wait a decade to meet the new you.
Tomorrow at Artist Morning, I will be leading a free guided meditation and journaling journey on this very topic. It will be gentle and loving, but also direct. We will slow down, go inwards, ask some good questions, and most of all, listen.
Let’s meet the NEW YOU and really listen to what they have to share.
If you are interested in joining us on this journey, go to www.ArtistMorning.com and join us tomorrow at 9am Eastern Standard Time.
If you can’t make that time, I will be sending the replay next week. If you sign up for Artist Morning, you will get the meditation replay in your inbox.
Big love,
D
Theano had a bold vision. Which makes sense, because Theano is a bold woman.
Although it was our first time working together, my photoshoot with Theano (@eroticmenopause) was one I will never forget.
We had many Zoom chats before the shoot to prepare. The HEARTshots™ photography process involves many conversations where we get crystal clear on intentions, goals, and vision for the photos.
The plan was ambitious, but it was clear that Theano trusted the process. By planning ahead, we create a safety structure which allowed us to let go and flow on the day of the shoot.
Theano took all the insights and lessons from our Zoom chats and did her homework. When she showed up that day her energy was clear, grounded, and present.
We also had an amazing team to support us:
• Kelly (@kellyd.makeup) killed it with hair and makeup. One of my favourite things about Kelly is how much time she spends getting to know a client’s personality and brand before a shoot.
• We booked two spacious and distinct rooms at Mint Room Studios (@mintroomstudios), one of my favourite studios in Toronto.
• My two assistants, Sean and Misha (@misha_ras) were super dialed in.
Together, we tapped into a powerful group flow. We were 5 people working as one consciousness, allowing Theano to reveal her most magnetic self to the world.
There are so many bold, powerful and sensual photos in this collection, which makes sense because Theano is a Certified Authentic Tantra Practitioner.
What really stood out to me on set is how much we laughed and played together. Playfulness is one of the best tools I know to achieving great photos, even when the end goal is a more serious tone.
Thank you Theano for bringing your radiant light and open heart to this collaboration. It was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait for our next co-creation.
Big love,
D
PS: If there is something about these photos or my writing that calls to you, and you want to know more about working together, have a look at the link below (or the link in my bio on IG @dariusbashar). I would love to support your vision and help you share your gifts with the world. —> https://www.dariusbashar.com/heartshots
