Straight Lines Are Overrated

I was fortunate to grow up in a loving family in Vienna, where my creativity was not only encouraged but celebrated. My father was an artist, and together with my mother he nurtured my imagination from an early age. Instead of attending a traditional high school, I enrolled in fashion school (Modeschule Hetzendorf) at fourteen. Surrounded by other creative minds, I learned that expressing myself wasn't unusual—I began to learn who I was going to be. Those years gave me permission to trust my own perspective and to embrace life as an artist.

At nineteen, I moved to California to study at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Living abroad transformed me as much as my education did. For the first time I found myself surrounded by people from every corner of the world, each with different cultures, beliefs, values, and life experiences. I learned that there is never only one way to see the world. That realization shaped not only my work as an artist but also the way I meet people—with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment.

America became my home. I worked as an illustrator, later founded my own clothing label, and eventually settled in the mountains of Montana. Outwardly, life was full. Yet as I approached fifty, I felt an unmistakable invitation to look inward. I wasn't searching because something was wrong. I simply sensed there was another layer of life and I had to follow that itch.

It started with meditation. What started as quiet moments, sitting in stillness quickly grew into a daily practice that brought me an unexpected sense of joy and peace. I continued my studies with teachers including Lee Harris, Aluna Noel, and Reiki Master Inge Peterson. Their guidance deepened my understanding of presence, intuition, and oneness that connects us all.

Art and Reiki: Although they appear different, they arise from the same place. Both ask to become quiet and listen. Both invite trust, openness, and authenticity. Whether I am creating a painting or holding space during a Reiki session, my role is not to fix or change someone, but to create an environment where something meaningful is allowed to unfold.

One of the greatest gifts Reiki has given me is the privilege of meeting people in a deeply authentic way. During a session, titles, expectations, and everyday roles gently fall away. For a little while, there is simply one human being sitting with another in a space of presence and compassion. It is an extraordinary experience to have someone be exactly as they are, without needing them to be anything else.

Perfection is not the goal here, but in being truly seen, accepted, and gently supported. It is an honor to hold space for every person who walks through my door.

Daniela lives is Vienna and Kitzbühel, Austria