Journey with the Woman who Journied

Today is the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene, 'the most sought after female messenger of the last 2000 years.' My teacher Shiloh Sophia will be joined by her guest Kayleen Asbo for a day of ritual, story & painting, followed by a 22 day novena with chants, rituals & prayers. Not able to join today? You can still register for the class, & paint when you're able. 

One Magdalene devotee writes, "Mary TRAVELLED! She didn't just sit around in one

Mary of Magdala

place, there are stories throughout Southern France, Languodoc & Provance, of her journies, her presence, the sacred objects she carried & her teachings." Of all the disciples, she is likely to have continued her ministry the longest, over 30 years! 

Mary's gospel was rediscovered in the last century, & is finally available in print. Her main message? Peace & loving kindness! She was well educated, & is likely to have helped fund Jesus' ministry.
Through our art and stories, Mary is still on her healing journey - Is she calling you?  

Mary is called the 'Apostle to the Apostles,' & was the first to share Jesus' message with the other disciples. This year, Pope Francis declared her day an official feast day, and the role of women in the early days of the church is being recognized more frequently. 

I first painted Mary with Shiloh in 2014, & my friend Lora is offering online-support for this class.  I've written several posts on Mary of Magdala, beginning with that first online class, & the most recent, in March of this year. (you can find all the links by clicking on 'Mary Magdalene in the sidebar) 

My current 'Work in Process' is Diva-X, uncoiling! It will be fun to see how she evolves - I've reclaimed a $7.50 canvas from Goodwill, that's 26 x 60" !! It was covered with paper collage, so I began with a layer of gesso - white over the pale areas, & black with some gold acrylic mixed in over the darker central panel. 
And I was at the Fairgrounds with my son & middle grandkids this week, watching their 4-H events; with sketchbook in hand for some 'doodles' ... fun inviting my 10 year old grandson's contribution.

Posting to Paint Party Friday - happy painting!  

Creating With Intention

For several years, I have been using Intentional Creativity to "change stories and change lives," both my own and assisting others as they change theirs. I have shared a number of these adventures on this blog. The question often arises, "What is Intentional Creativity?"

My teacher Shiloh Sophia says, "We are a tribe of creative beings causing our own movement in art and

Dancing Between the Worlds

image created with intention. I have worked in this creative technology for close to twenty years and thousands of women have participated in this work through making their own images and stories. A gathering is happening….the image of the feminine is changing in our own hands. A movement can happen when a quantum mass of people begin to gather and create around a specific theme or intention." 
So how do we go about this quantum field process? 

Shiloh, "I believe that story lives in image inside of our memory banks. So when we experience trauma or beauty, it ‘lives’ there and can be replayed by us by choice, and also not by choice. The ways memories rise for us is often out of control and we form negative thought patterns around these loops, which over time get even more ingrained in US." .... By bringing these stories to consciousness, through a process including inquiry, journaling and art, "We can change how our stories live in us. That is what intentional creating is about – first we get the story conscious and then we ‘move’ how it lives in us. To do this we need to change our relationship to the story physically, spiritually and through ‘form’."

That process of giving the new story physical form can allow us to have breakthroughs without breakdowns. through creativity, the old stories lose their hold, the pattern shifts, change occurs, healing occurs. "Connecting your intention, is like finding a clear signal on a radio that is tuned to a specific frequency that opens channels to the subconscious and unconscious that we are ready to deal with. The layers of consciousness then yield up into the creative process that which needs to be worked with next. Layer by layer new space is created. Once the story is transferred to canvas it lives inside of us differently – the way it used to operate is now dis-lodged and we can consciously choose what to do to work with the space we have now cleared up inside of our internal story pattern."

Now, we can consciously choose what to do to work with the new space created. And the shifts may be quantum! 
One of my "old stories" has been about belonging, about tribe. An only child, I sometimes flounder when figuring out where I belong, if I belong. I've been "voted out" of a woman's group, and have moved away from other loved and loving communities. Part of my healing has been learning to listen more deeply to others' stories of loss, of learning to invite and to create heart home for the new tribe that is forming. To follow hummingbird, seeking to discover the beauty in others, and to match their pace. And to recognize the ebb and flow of friendships, to detach from places I feel unseen as I become more visible. 

I invite you to view one of your old stories, what new space are you creating, as you loosen its hold? 

Xxx 
Happy Paint Party Friday and Express your Creativity