Flower Essence Cards

This fall I've been enjoying learning about, and beginning to do Neurographica. This way of creating helps "Balance the mind, inspire creativity, and explore different approaches to problem solving." 

"From the first rounding of intersections and angles, there is a sense of recreating wholeness, of softening the edges of harsh thoughts; of merging with our greater intentions and better knowing. Of being whole and letting go of fear, of opening to unlimited possibilities."

The basics:

• Think of your intention or a concern
• Draw random lines (not an even zigzag!) 
• Or begin by tracking astound your hand or a leaf
• Round the intersections -calms the neurons, reduces tension
• Circles bring harmony 
• Observe how your body feels as you draw, as those intersections soften.
• Color - 3 or more colours, color in at least three segments with one color 

Through November I drew and colored a number gratitude cards, and some centered around handprints or leaves.

Neuro-Noodle Labyrinth

After seeing a friends Neurographic Christmas cards, I was inspired to some as well - In the 70s and 80s, I often drew our cards, and sets of paper dolls. A couple of those were printed in doll magazines. 

California Poppy - true gold in your heart

I've been creating essence bouquets for my grandkids, and began drawing essence cards - I did a few cards decades ago when I began creating my first essences and combining them into bouquets 💐 The first were larger (poppy and fuscia)

Fuscia - soul warmth

Using 5.5x8.5" mixed media paper, I began creating smaller cards - the #Neurolines interconnect if I draw before separating them ❤ 

I begin with the circle for the flower cameo, then add the neurolines (on larger cards there's room for circles) I haven't colored any yet, and may print these! 

Essence cards

• Forsythia – announce presence, golden trumpet, Gabriella
• Hyssop – takes the strain off DNA, purify, release guilt 
• Rosemary – liquid ambrosia, strengthen immune system, enhances memory
• Violet – trust warmth of others, express own warmth, comfort in groups

• Aster - illumination, sacred play, create time and space for creativity 
• Borage  – optimism, seed of Hope · opens heart, comfort and courage, joy, illuminates your unique path  
• Nettle (Sister Spinster) - align with personal truth, speak up in prickly situations, don't panic! 
• Yarrow - strong, healthy boundaries, compassionate awareness, seals energy leaks, wholeness         

Drawing these cards is a sweet way to connect with the energy signatures. Do you have a favourite you'd like as a card? Let me know in the comments! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!  

Visual Planning

Last spring, Shiloh and her biz coach Amy Ahlers offered Dancing Entrepreneur for both Color of Woman students and the general community. We created the folded Vision Plan books (one of the CoW assignments) plus a set of 16 cards to support moving forward with our plans. 

We connected with others in the class (a weekend workshop or 5 week class) and used the momentum of the class to bring ideas into action or products. I developed my virtual Red Thread Circles, and collaborations with other students and IC teachers.

Some of the posts that caught my eye were of Karen Dawn's Visual Planning system, and I joined her Beta Test group on crafting similar systems of our own! I love Karen's creative approach to planning! (Her blog includes some of these teachings!) 

Vision Plan Board

Mine is on a foam board from a vision board class I offered, and has two of the Dancing Entrepreneur action cards, a little vision board we created with Karen, and - pockets. My clothesline is a ribbon, and I just taped the ends to the back of the board using painter's tape! You can use nails to tack the lines directly on a wall - so many options!

Karen uses this 'clothesline' system for organizing ideas visually. She found that when her notes were tucked away in journals and files, they weren't as accessible, and often dropped off her radar. (So me!) You can clip cards directly to the line, or Viola! - make pockets to hold sets of cards with those ideas! (Who doesn't want to make pockets, lol!) 

Larger file folder size pockets can be tacked up, with in depth writings/images. You can clip labels to the front of the pockets, to keep organize. I also like making little vision plans in Zines - these could easily tuck into small pockets! 

Planning pockets

As I dream into new offerings, and projects on my plate, I'm using this system to keep organize my ideas and action steps.

Mystic Canyon

At the beginning of the month, over 200 women in our Intentional Creativity connected and began painting our Legendary woman, MYSTIC. 

For many, this was the first step in the journey to become certified as teachers of the method, for others, a graduation present to themselves, and others yet, from beginners to Guild members, a chance to celebrate and paint with the community. And this year, our Maestra Shiloh is offering graduates the opportunity to to become certified to offer Legend ourselves. I'm both excited and nervous at the thought of crafting my own version.

Underpainting

This is my second time painting a legendary lady this year, as I was on support and painted along during the January offering.  The process of journaling and painting prompts and videos is much the same, this fall's week long virtual process included lots of calls and opportunities to connect! And many of us are still *listening* and painting.

Grounding page

I created Neurographic grounding pages in both my art journal and Smashbook, inspired by this sweet video from Gideon's Light. I was introduced to Neurographica by my friend Karen Dawn, and enjoy it as a daily doodle practice! I've done some as gratitude cards, and introduced it to my Red Thread Creatives group last week.

You can read more about Neurographica in my RT Circles blog post.

Beginning to emerge

I'm painting on a wood panel, which was prepared during Color of Woman 2015, and I'd used for a demo painting. I reclaimed it by lightly sanding, then glazed it to begin anew.  My focus is around walking a Beauty Way, and sharing more from my own inspiration. 

During our week of the Vivid gathering, several musicians joined in, and Shiloh used Juniper Mainelis' beautiful songs as background for some of her painting videos! While I created flower essence "bouquets" for my Color of Woman paintings, a song came through for each of Juniper's!! I am playing my native American flute and using my drum to reconnect.

My Soul Fire painting has a song, Fire Keeper's Lay, which predates the image.

Mayan jaguar totem

During one of our journies to the Mystic Canyon, star jaguar appeared as an animal guide, and I remembered a little Mayan jaguar totem/ fetish I'd been gifted 30 years ago! It was on one of my altars, and I brought it in near her right temple on the canvas. My personal panther kin, Percy, helps paint, and likes to cuddle between sessions.

Rosa Mystica sketch

After adding neurolines to this journal sketch, I brought some to the canvas as well.

Neuro lines

We're only at step 5 - with at least 7 to go (and oodles of journaling)  ... Looking forward to what's next! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Gratitude and Vivid

This week our creativity community is engaged in a week of journaling, painting, and lots of opportunities to connect, led by different constellations of SiStars, in a gathering called VIVID.

Cup of Creativi-tea

I'm distant learning aide for my Grands, so I've been participating sporadically, and poking along with the painting ("there's no behind!") We began Sunday creating new Cosmic Smashbooks with the Creatrix Catt Geller! 

The day culminated with the graduation ceremony for the Color of Woman Class of 2020 - what a year for it!!  I am so proud off this amazing group of women who persevered and completed the quest, and those who took extensions and will be continuing on Muse Time! I am a behind the scenes support for these gals, as they move at their own rate, bringing them hummingbird medicine.

I've also been creating Neurographic doodles, and an engaged in a Gratitude practice. Developed by a Russian psychologist, Pavel Piskerev. I am reminded of our Metacognative drawings, and interested to see how the two will interface.

Neuro noodles

Gratitude practice, Day 1

• This week of Vivid
• Spending time with my Grands
• The return of a couple of bodywork clients

Gratitude #1 + Joy Rebels

Yesterday we had a session with one of my CoW classmates, Katherine Whiteman and her daughter Katie (18) who graduated the next year, and is our youngest EC teacher! They led a wonderful session in finding joy - Joy Rebels!

Day 2

I am grateful for

•  my basically good childhood (50s-60s)with a stay at home, well educated, curious mom
•  a good, hard working, involved dad
•  Lots of time in nature, camping, riding the neighbors' horses, just playing! 

Gratitude 

I look forward to getting back to my painting panel, and meet my MYSTIC legendary lady.

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Creating with Intention

 We are often asked, "What is intentional creativity?"

The simple answer is, any creativity that begins with a purpose! Time out of mind, people have combined setting an intention with creative process. Knitting a sweater for someone? We think of how we want them to be cozy and warm! Cooking a meal? We intend that those eating our food will be nourished.

Flowers in paint water

Our friend and fellow Intentional Creativity® teacher, the Bejeweled Baroness Elizabeth Gibbons writes, "By creating with intention, we create a cosmic portal, a quantum field where we can explore our potential and possibilities. We shine the divine light of our higher self into the darkness of our shadow self. We are able to heal and integrate all aspects of our psyche and to access a miracle field, the space between the thoughts where our divine spark lives."

When asked if they are creative, 95% of young children say 'YES!' ... by middle school, that's dropped to about half, and by late teens, only about 5% see themselves as creative! What changes? 

Often, that thought begins with a thoughtless comment, criticism, or a comparison with someone more 'talented.' Unfortunately, that comment is often made by an "expert," a teacher or a "more talented" friend. In reality, Creativity is the birthright of all humans! 

With Intentional Creativity, the process is more valued than the 'product,' though chances are you - yes YOU - can create something that brings you and those around you pleasure and joy, and looks good to boot! And like any other 'muscle,' the more we create, the more skillful we become.  

Intentional Creativity *Metacognative exercise: 

1) Take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself a question, perhaps 'What am I passionate about?' - 'What upsets me?' - What brings me joy?'  Take a marker or pen, use a piece of paper, a simple composition book, or fancier art journal; place the tip of your marker on the paper and doode for a minute or so, just letting the line flow. (You can use your non-dominant hand if you wish.) 

Doodle, non-dominant hand

2) Then begin writing, inviting insights from your quick doodle. Write what comes to mind. Did new awareness arise? Write for about minute or two. 

3) Now, move to another page, choose a pleasing color, and sketch a symbol and wrote some of the words around it. Draw a line (a kind of ripple around your symbol and words) more words, and another ripple. 

Symbol and word ripples

In this case, the layers were

• What becomes possible when I bring more scared space into my life?
• What form does it take?
• What needs to be released/added in my physical space?

Musea Atelier - step 4 sketch

4) Do a simple sketch, bringing form to your insight - here, we sketched our muse holding the visionary screen depicting our sacred space (my Atelier studio) 

We can jot down a couple of action steps that will help us bring our vision into reality, and choose one or two we can do in a day or two. I often put these on little cards in my Vision Planning pockets.

Visual Planning Board

*Metacognative drawings can be done for most inquiries, this way of "thinking about thinking" brings our thoughts conscious, so we can acknowledge, fine tune, and release ones which no longer fit! We often use Metacognative drawing in our Red Thread circles and IC classes are a way to quickly shift state and tap our intuition. 

In our Red Thread Creatives group, we explore bringing intention and awareness to different creative practices in our circles and classes. 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

How do you bring intention to your creative process?

Glazing and Repurposing

When I took that first Muse class in 2014, I was having a good time with ceremony, visioning, painting and journaling, ...

Then Elisabeth told us we were going to paint over our canvas with a Risky Glaze - ¿paint over? ¿glaze? Yikes!! 

She demonstrated, choosing translucent paint, and some water,  spritzing the canvas, then applying with a big brush, then rubbing it with a square of old T-shirt, to burnish ...well, that wasn't so bad! And it did integrate the different colours. Now, it's one of my favorite processes!

Recently,  new painters in our Red Thread Creatives group have asked about preparing new raw canvas, and about repurposing our own or thrift store canvases. 

For a new raw canvas, you'll need to apply several layers of gesso, give plenty of drying time, and sand between layers. You can also prepare wood panels.

When I'm reclaiming or repurposing, I generally use a glaze rather than gesso! 

Good Medicine - 2019

Glaze to reclaim a canvas: 

• If you're revisiting a canvas after a time, a lite glaze is a good way to reclaim it.
• When you're called to continue, pull out your journal notes about your painting
• Light a candle and pour a cup of tea
• Sit back about 6' and return to the initial visioning and inquiry.
• Ask yourself What attracted you to this subject  or class in the first place? What's shifted since you last painted? What insight is arising?
• Are you drawn to continue, or start something new? 
• Spend some time with your intention,  and write it on your canvas/in your journal. 
• Get fresh water, and perhaps reset your altar

• Glazing can be scary, and is so potent!! It is a great way to integrate what has gone before, and is a key component of our process with Intentional Creativity. It is also a simple way to add Mothercolour 
• Use a transparent color - Golden's Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold or Transparent Red Iron Oxide are some favorites! 
• What's gone before and each new layer adds depth.
• Want to gesso? Consider choosing a transparent color, watering it down a bit, use a big brush and cover the canvas with a layer of glaze! How does that feel?  Write about your process!
• Translucent Golden Fluids work great for glazing - you can lay it flat to glaze and dry, and perhaps use a piece of T-shirt, to rub and "burnish" the canvas. ... 
• Then, you guessed it! 
• Sit back with your journal, and write about what's being integrated! 

Glaze options:

• Partial glaze, use one color on half the canvas, and another on the other half. Smudge the line between the two, burnish if you wish.
• 4 directions: choose 4 transparent colors. Spritz the canvas with water, then use the first color along the top, spritz again and let it drip ...rotate the canvas, spritz and use the next color ... Spray, paint, play with the drips. Turn the canvas again ... 
• White!! If you REALLY want to gesso the whole thing, try spritzing the canvas, choose a direction, paint white along the "top", spray again and let it drip! Or use white on the area you "don't like" and spray it, let it drip ...
• Gold! Our inner Critics are easily distracted by shiny objects! Spray the canvas, and use splashes of gold or another metallic in a few areas!

                              Thrift store pansy

Repurposing a canvas

• I love finding a large canvas at the thrift store, and reclaiming it! 
• When I get it home, I spritz it with water (often with flower essences) and wipe it down, and use Palo Santa or cedar to smudge it. 
• A bit of salt in a bowl of water, and damp washcloth are another option for cleansing and clearing.
• If there's a lot of texture, I might lightly sand that area, and dust off with a dry cloth.

• When you're ready to glaze, consider the colors already there, and your approach. 
• Bless the canvas, and pull out your journal, to write and sketch
• Write your intention on the Canvas (I use Neocolor 2)

Some examples:

• A painting of a spaniel was white and gold, with very dark eyes, I painted white over the eyes, and perhaps glazed the whole piece with Quinacridone nickel Azo Gold. There was a lot of light texture, which added interest to my painting!. 
• On the big pansy - mostly dark purple, I added more purple around it, and to the white triangle in the center. 
• I might do partial glasses, or a 4 directions glaze on a more random piece

  Pansy - after several layers

This became "Good Medicine"

Do you have favorite ways to repurpose canvases? 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Vivid - Legend 2020

In the invitation to the newest Legend course, Shiloh Sophia invites us to examine what we are harvesting and what we've learned in 2020. In a bold move, she is offering Intentional Creativity® teachers the opportunity, after completing Vivid, to be licensed to offer this signature course to prospective students! 

As Shiloh began teaching the process we've come to know as Intentional Creativity, one of the first steps was a journey to reconnect with our Legendary Self in a several month course that includes journaling, visioning and painting. As the prerequisite for the Color of Woman teacher training, I first painted my legendary lady, Shanden'eah Star Path in 2105. 

Before taking Legend, I had the opportunity to take several local IC classes, from Elisabeth Friese-Mick and Heidi Moondancer; plus two online from graduates Flora Adobe and Jassy Watson. It was invaluable to have these in-person and small group experiences as a foundation for the course, and benefit from different teaching styles! And though I could include them in my initiate book, they didn't "count" toward the course.

Shanden'eah Star Path - 2015

Earlier this year, I again had the opportunity to paint Legend in the Oracle and Ally, and to help tend their online classroom. As in other years, some of the students began their IC journey in my classes. I'm excited at the prospect of offering the prerequisite course, both in person and virtually! 

Here are some of the students, and part of their stories: 

While I was still in Color of Woman, my friend Sepha Nisbet invited me to tea, to pick my brain about CoW. Long identifing as an artist, Sepha has taught watercolor, clay, and was offering Paint Night parties - but longed for the depth of creating with intention! She took my first Muse class and shared great practical suggestions for setting up and flow, and always asks the best questions! 

Sepha graduated from CoW 2016, and we co-facilitated many circles and classes before she took to the Road as a Travelling Artist. 

When it came time for Sepha to offer her 13 step class, Christy Cozby was one of the students, and I played harp and assisted. Christy came to another of our classes a couple of years later, then enrolled in CoW 2020, and will graduate November 1! 

I felt I'd come full circle to take Christy's 13 step class, Princess Silver Hands last month, virtually! I am so pleased with this small canvas and transformed princess! 

Linda Allen & Angie Delaplain began coming to classes from several hours away, both in McMinnville and at my friend Margot's in Corvallis, before deciding to enroll in Color of Woman! Linda competed the Red Thread Circle Guide program first, then decided to take the plunge and do CoW. They both took my spring 2019 class, Embracing Mother Gaia just before their CoW Quest began. 

They graduated fall of 2019, and Linda took the 2020 Cosmic Smashbook course, with founder Catt Geller! Linda co-facilitates most of my virtual Red Thread Circle, and has led several, Angie will lead her first this week! 

Another student in the Gaia class, Carol Fairbanks, has taken at least 4 classes with me, and attended numerous circles. An older student (78) Carol also has extensive art experience, and her paintings are phenomenal. She has taught paining and yoga, and is a dedicated environmentalist. She took my Harvest Queen and Wonder Woman classes last fall, shortly before enrolling in CoW 2020.

She chose Harvest Queen as the theme for her virtual class, which I also attended, and offered one of her other events via our RT Circle. She is graduating Nov 1 as well. 

Carol at Harvest Queen - 2019

In the summer of 2017, my friend Glenda's sister Sherry Rueger Banaka and I chatted on the way to Glenda's book reading, and the next week, Sherry contacted Shiloh for early enrollment! 

Sepha was one of the Art Doctors for Legend 2018, and with our local friends Sherry, Angie and Rema in the class, we decided to offer an open studio for those finishing recent paintings or in Legend. Gals loaded paint, brushes, and their big canvases in their cars to join us. Sherry graduated in 2018, and last fall we co-facilitated Grief to Gratitude. 

Sherry, Nadya, Rema and Angie 2018

Rema Tillet began coming to Red Thread circles several years ago, graduated from the Cosmic Smashbook training, offered by CoW graduate Catt Geller.

My cousin Leah Hankins has been a steady attendee of the Red Thread Circles, and also took Harvest Queen - she completed the Red Thread Guide certification in the summer, and I look forward to her presence and facilitating local circles soon!

 

I found it invaluable to have had in-person experiences as a foundation for the training, and have gotten wonderful feedback from the students who have gone on to take trainings themselves. There's a benefit from smaller classes, and experiencing different teaching styles! I am delighted at the opportunity for graduates of Color of Woman to "refresh" with Legend, and have the opportunity to be licensed to teach MYSTIC! 

 

    

Instagram -Tags and Tips

Yay, I now have 1000 followers on Instagram! 

I began posting on Instagram two years ago, after Maestra Shiloh Sophia suggested we  use the #intentionalcreativity, and see if we could boost the numbers of posts over a thousand or so tagging our brand! We are now at 13.4 K! 

In those early days, I wrote, "It's been fun playing with my pictures for posts, making little montages (which don't always behave!) And meeting new virtual friends! I love the journal pages @quantummemoir does, and ... I'm @nadyakingartist ❤"

• When you start typing a tag, suggestions will come up - bypass ones that have over a million, and look for ones in the 50 - 500k range ... 
• Look at tags other friends and colleagues in your community use - make a note of those which fit! 
• Choose a few that are unique to you, or your small group. Recently I added red thread Creatives, as that's the name of my Facebook group. 
• It's a good idea to check out the tag, and see how the posts match your intention - I usually click "recent" as well 💖
• I took part in a pod early on, where 6-8 of us tried to post daily, follow each other, and like and comment on each other's posts - Quantum Memoir was one of the pod, and we're still in touch.
• When you have a bit of extra time, visit some of the folks who liked recent posts, and choose several which appeal to interact with and comment on.  
• Post a link to your website or blog in your bio, and update your site regularly. If you're promoting an event, make more information/ registration easy to find.

Here's a recent post with other suggestions on using hashtags.

Are you on Instagram? You're invited to post the link to your account, and share an tips you've discovered. 

 

Harvest Queen and Princess Silver Hands

Last weekend felt like a Retreat, as two of my friends who are in this year's Color of Woman teacher training offered their required 13 step class - virtually! Carol Fairbanks has been a frequent student in my workshops and circles since 2016. I first met Christy Cozby in Sepha's certification class around the same time. 

Carol chose as her theme Harvest Queen, drawng from the HQ class I taught last fall. She scheduled her class over two sessions, so we'll meet again tomorrow. 

Heidi, Leah and Carol, fall 2019

Inquiries:

• What wisdom can I harvest from this year?
• What mature fruits are ready for harvest?
• What is ready to be Clipped?
• How can I make space for the next cycle?

I pulled the card Old man of Stories - Legba - is the story one of healing? What will being balance and harmony? (Rainbow Earth Tarot)

Underpainting - 3 words and 3 colours - centered, (Quinacridone violet and Dioxazine purple) renewal (Green Gold and Yellow Oxide) and gratitude (primary magenta)

Symbols: Apple, (fruitful harvest) spirals of life, wreath - crown, balance and wholeness

This week I revisited her face and expression, bringing in a looked Fae presence - and need to do loved listening/ journaling! We will gather again this Saturday, and delve deeper! 

*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*

Christy's class on Sunday was based on the tale of Princess Silver Hands, or the Handless Maiden - which she told beautifully! (Several of us weren't familiar with this tale)

• what gifts do your hands bestow?
• They are the "tools of tools," enabling you to feel and do.
• What do they hold, feel, grasp, fashion, give and receive? 
• What phases go with hands/restrictions? Sitting on my hands, hands are tied, waiting for a band out ... 
• How do we internalize the patriarchy, make a margin without all the information?

Our creativity grandmother, Lenore Thomas Strauss asked, "what ancient knowing lives within these hands?"

All the great stories are variations on the same story of challenge, journey into the underworld (forest) benefactors (a pear tree that offers its fruit, King, kind mother in law) initiating and renewal.

Sketch on the background

I appreciated the places in the story where in spite of challenges, she is cared for, loved and nurtured. 

 

There's a pear tree in the background, and a cord nesting in her hair (I used reverse stencils on both paintings, the technique we learned in treesisters. One of the themes in the story is a renewal of wedding views with the King after a seperation and misunderstanding, and a big celebration of nine days and nine nights. Our Color of Woman SiStar Anna Corsini, from Florence, Italy, committed to continuing working with her lady overr this time! 

Fun to see the shadows of the birch tree on my lady ... She's continuing to inform me as well. I look forward to what each of these paintings and process have to bring.

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Reiki and the Red Thread

 While studying to become an Intentional Creativity teacher and coach in 2015, one of our assignments was to offer several Red Thread Circles and events. I included a simple circle as part of a 1st Degree Reiki class, and covered journals in 2nd Degree - the students loved it.

My teacher Maestra Shiloh Sophia invited me to consider the connections between Reiki and the IC teachings, "I know there are connections, explore what they are."

A Chinese legend tells that we are connected before birth with those whom we're destined to meet by an invisible Red Thread. Through out our lives, the thread may twist, stretch and tangle, but will never break.

We each hold, and are responsible for a unique piece of this thread.

With Reiki, we often feel the resonance of connection when we meet other  Reiki practitioners, or first connect with our Master. The teachings and practices of Intentional Creativity® and Reiki support each other in a beautiful way. Over the last five years, I've formulated a Red Thread Reiki curriculum designed to support practitioners on their journey.

Some of the Red Thread Reiki teachings are  included in my classes, others may be taken separately. Most are suitable for anyone, whether they've studied Reiki or not. 

These Circles include a check in, Meditation with self Reiki, and a simple creative project - no artistic ability necessary - really! Creativity is an innate gift inherent in being human, and becoming aware of ourselves as creative beings helps us stay present.

These pieces we create are imbued with Reiki energy, and can be used personally or gifted to others. Most circles are open to both Reiki Practitioners and those interested in healing.

• Reiki Principle Prayer flags 
• Soul Compass cards - rewrite old stories
• Blessing Box - for your Reiki Prayer requests
• Medicine Basket - what are your special tools and gifts?
• Personal symbol - use Metacognative drawing to unlock your unique healing symbol
• Reiki Journal - cover, process pages
• Finger labyrinth
• Symbol practice * Reiki 2 and 3 practitioners

Intentional Painting Classes especially suited for Reiki Practitioners:

• Medicine Painting - turn tragedies into remedies 
• Reiki Guide (watercolor paper or canvas) 
• Soul Spark 
  
• Healing Temple

Have questions? You'd like to work with me in person or virtually, you find information about these sessions and my Reiki classes on my website.

You're invited to contact me - I look forward to our journey together on the Reiki path!

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Grist for the mill

Today our Intentional Creativity® community had a call with Shiloh, EXPLORE, she shared the  graphic wheel, and at the end, gave us a DARE to rearrange something in our homes to create more room for creativity/ art making! 

The graphic is a good reminder for how we interact, share, and tend ourselves and our community. 

Process - both graphic and personal, isn't always neat and tidy! We often say, "When tears (or snot) flow, add them to the canvas!"

A story Shiloh often tells: when her mom was suffering from medication that made her feel crazy, Sue reminded Caron that she worked hard for the experiences, and it was all grist for her creativity! Not to discard any of it, but to let it inform her creativity (often poetry). 

This is a good reminder for all of us - when things come up for you, and they will! - acknowledge them! 

• Invite witness - and witness yourself! 
• Self care isn't selfish!
• Take it to the canvas or journal, use image and writing to distill an antidote for the poison - the creative process is a wonderful alchemical tool! 
• We often mark an unavoidable tragedy line on the canvas to acknowledge something that happened, that we didn't have control over, or say in - and it becomes part of the layers. 
• And pay attention when insights come - record them in your journal, create a Compass Card
• Sit with it, go on a walk, change scenes and come back later

Some of us are embarking on the Soulbird (painting) journey, or Motherboard Coach training, others are finishing Color of Woman or the Read Thread Guide ... Many are just beginning to paint and create with the community, others are frequent fliers! 

There's now a universal calendar of classes and calls on the Musea website, which will make offerings easier to track! I appreciate the calendar page in my MeetUp groups, especially now with our bimonthly virtual offerings. (Our next session is a virtual Soul Spa, next Thursday, September 10!) 

It's easy to see the shiny objects of a new class or training - deep breath - you don't have to do it all!! 

You are enough! 

There's a place for each of us in the circle, and we daddy hold our piece of the thread! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Crystalline Heart - Wonder Woman

This week Shiloh Sophia invited 40 of us in the Intentional Creativity® Community to share our art with the group during the Feminine Frequency Festival

I am sharing Crystalline Heart, my Wonder Woman, in the MUSEA : Intentional Creativity show. Painted during the online workshop with Jessica Enovald, her message is:

“We are all whole and holy. Each of us carries gifts to bless and uplift each other. Your Heart holds the spark that ignites others – weaving an infinite web of love and connection that stretches through time and space! 

"Your magic harp sends ripples along the web, reminding all who resonate with their own connection. You hold the chalice of renewal, and are allied with the Phoenix of Translation. Your inner vision and compassionate heart lead you ever home. Oh Sada – it is good!"

Earlier posts about this class are here and here. We used Wonder woman and her allies as Red Thread Circle and Class themes last summer and fall, with delightful, powerful muses emerging! Inquiries include

• Who are your allies and companions 
• What super powers are you developing?
• What symbols activate these talents?
• What's your theme song? 

Margot, Denise and Carol - fall 2019

I love using round canvases - and enjoyed beginning by using an extra piece of Red Thread for mark making. 

  

This is a powerful theme, and one of my favorite paintings! Wonder Woman is the class for summer in my Medicine Wheel series.

Blessings on your journey of connection with your own sense of wonder and empowerment!