On August 30, 2026, the fifth meeting of the “Sztuką przez Intymność” workshop series took place, this time devoted to self-love. The meeting became a space to look at what a good and supportive relationship with oneself can be, and how we can build it through everyday choices, caring for our own needs and a more conscious connection with ourselves.
During the psychological part, participants looked at different ways of understanding self-love. We considered what it actually means to “love yourself” and to what extent popular messages about self-acceptance reflect our real experiences. An important part of the meeting was moving away from treating self-love as yet another requirement to meet, towards finding our own ways of building a kind and authentic relationship with ourselves.
We also talked about how self-love can show up in everyday life – by noticing our own needs, setting boundaries, making decisions that are true to ourselves, and giving ourselves the right to rest, to pleasure or to change our minds. Participants had space for individual reflection and for exchanging different perspectives and experiences. We were not looking for one correct definition of self-love, but considering what helps each of us be closer to ourselves and treat ourselves with more care.
The second part of the meeting consisted of artistic activities led by Isia Zarzycka – artist and “Pięknodziejka” (beauty-maker). This time, participants were introduced to mehndi, the traditional art of decorating the body with natural henna. After learning the basics of the technique and practicing designs, participants could create their own decorations on their skin.
Working with henna made it possible to see the body not as an object to be judged, compared or changed, but as a space for creativity, expression and pleasure. Creating the designs required mindfulness and focus, while also leaving room to experiment and choose forms that felt right to each participant. In this way, the artistic part of the meeting became a practical continuation of the earlier conversations about the relationship with oneself and one’s own body.
The fifth meeting also marked the halfway point of our series. Behind us are five different topics and five forms of artistic expression through which we explored our relationship with the body, communication, control, intimacy, mindfulness and self-love. Ahead of us are five more meetings and new spaces to discover, talk and create together.
We thank all the participants for their trust, openness and active participation in our shared process.
The “Sztuką przez Intymność” project is co-funded by the European Union through a grant awarded by the Batory Foundation.
