Good Medicine

For this week's inquiry In her year long art Journaling class, Come to the Fire, my IC SiStar Heidi asked,
"What's in your Medicine Basket?
"In ancient times (and in modern day) many cultures turned to their medicine Women for healing body, mind and Spirit. They knew certain women carried the healing wisdoms of their ancestors. Each of these healers had their own special bag or basket of medicine.  These medicine bags or baskets contained things like herbs, crystals, a drum or rattle, a chant, feather, and perhaps a red thread to help heal the people."

Medicine Basket

My grandmother Mary knew some herbal remedies, to help family and friends when we're ill, she could give a good back rub, and share a pot of tea with neighbors. I don't know if she spun, but she and my mama made quilts with carded wool, using the wool cards her mama's family brought along on the wagon train, and those beads from the heritage rose.

I do spin, occasionally, play harp, Native American Flute, hand drum, give a pretty good back rub, tend gardens, make herb tea and flower essences. I enjoy painting, crafts of all kinds, and sharing the creative spark with others in my art and classes ... what are some of your gifts? 

In this week's Red Thread Circle, we explored our medicine gifts, and brought them to life on paper and in our Smashbooks. It was a sweet session, with three beloveds making good medicine. We added leaves with wishes to the Witness Tree in the main gallery before our closing circle. 
I have three more events coming up this month, starting with Red Thread Reiki 1 this weekend at a water birth center. Our class Musé of Creative Fire is part of the Intentional Creativity Guild's International Muse Day Series (click the link to find one near you!) This is in the Eugene area with my cohort, Sepha, our first venture into that community.  Then I'll lead a group through creating their own Cosmic Smashbooks at the cosmic Inner Oasis! I love opening creative and healing doors! 
So, what are some of your Good Medicine Gifts?
How do you share them with your community?

Good Medicine

Happy Paint Party Friday, enjoy your weekend!