Red Thread Circles

 We had a great RT circle call today, where we worked with a fusion of the Color of Healing process I learned in a massage workshop in 1983, and apractice from a recent PRISMA practioner session with Dr Mary McChrystal I and added neurolines at the end! Several of the participants had recent surgeries, some had chronic pain or other Health issues, and one had a massage earlier in the day, which always leaves her sore! We Began with a body centered meditation and breath, noticing our bodies and areas of discomfort. Focus of the opening reading was Joy, and our RT inquiry was to share name and land acknowledgment, then something that brought joy/ they were grateful for. Then I introduced the practice: Color of Healing 🌟 with eyes closed, choose the first color ⭐ Draw simple 'gingerbread style body outline first, then areas in pain/ needing attention 🌟 With that first or another intuitive color, drew a reverb/ energy field around the body.   🌟 African energy Heale...

 I discovered Neurographica about this time last year, (read about that  here ) and have played with the form ever since. This fall, Aline Smolyansky posted an invitation to her 'Neurovember' challenge, a 'soft' invitation to post daily - or frequently - throughout the month. Neurovember Cover Page A couple of months ago, I broke my right wrist (!! Slipped on a patch of mud!) and after surgery with a GREAT doctor, and being fitted with a splint with Purple Velcro - was slowly able to write - and then draw again .... one of the first forms I 'tackled' was my trusty Neuro-Noodling!  Two months post surgery, I'm pretty much up to speed writing, playing harp, painting - Woot!  The general theme of NeuroVember is The Joy of Being - and the first week's prompts are: Joy Wisdom Happiness Vitality Knowledge Creativity Personal Theme Hands and Autumn Leaves Art challenges are a good way to get in a daily drawing (etc) habit, to get 'unstuck' if you'...

 One of my favorite Intentional Creativity®practices is creating cards!   Creating a set of Soulful Story Cards was the first Red Thread event I offered, and we often create several cards in a circle. I've written about several ways to use our cards, and there are so many ways to create them!  Materials:  Watercolor or mixed media paper, thin cardboard (I use watercolor and mixed media paper from pads)  Watercolours or acrylic paint, acrylic ink, shimmer watercolors, Neocolor 2 crayons, Inktense pencils, calligraphy or micon pens, brushes Scissors, edge trimmers Items for collage, gold paint, glue or medium Set your intention for your cards Paint your background - playful, happy colors! If using watercolor paper, spray and drip color into it for a wash. If recycling thin cardboard (chocolate sleeves or tea boxes)  use white paint or gesso to prepare your surface, then paint with acrylics. While your paint dries, write out the 'old stories' that hold yo...

Last April, after the start of our  Artist in Residence time , Shiloh Sophia and her own business coach Amy Ahlers offered a creativity based business class called Dancing Entrepreneur. While most gals were from our creative community, several other creatives joined us. Posts which really 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! She also introduced me to Neurographica!) Vision Plan Board My visual planner is on a foam board left over from a vision board class, and holds my Medicine Basket, one of the Dancing Entrepreneur action cards, a couple of Neuro-Noodles plus - pockets. Who doesn't love these little pockets? The clothesline is a ribbon, and I simply taped the ends to the back of the board using painter's tape! You can use nails or eye hooks to tack the lines directly on a wall -...

  Our theme for our December Red Thread Circle was Shine Your Lïght.  In the Northern Hemisphere, night comes earlier, and light and warmth feel extra precious. Since humans began using fire, tending and keeping it has been a sacred task. In Denmark, the word Hygge is used to denote a cozy, comfortable atmosphere, which often includes firefight, candles, soft and fuzzy fabrics.  This last summer, with hot winds from the east and dry forests,  Oregon and the NW had many wildfires - there is a fine line between safety and danger! Some inquiries to ponder: what encourages you and brings you light and hope? Where do you struggle? What encourages you, and gives you hope? What beings feelings of safety? Shine Your Lïght Take a moment to center, pour a cup of tea, light a candle, tug your Red Thread Work on paper, canvas, your Smashbook or art journal Write several Light words - qualities you hold for yourself and for your community Choose images for these qualities: stars,...

 This fall many of us have 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 sketching an object or tracing around your hand, a leaf... R ound the intersections  Circles bring harmony  Observe how your body feels as you draw, as those intersections soften. C olor - 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 le...

Toward the end of October, I was introduced to Neurographica by my creative sistar  Karen Dawn , whom I met in the Dancing Entrepreneur online course last spring. So Fun!  And rather additive!  I am enjoying adding it to my medicine basket of daily  practices.  Creativity  is an awesome way to access information from our whole being, and integrate it more deeply.  studies show translating  ideas  into  action  is more likely to occur when combined with creative practices. Since that introduction, I've been creating  Neurographic  doodles, and engaged in a November Gratitude practice. Researched and developed by a Russian psychologist, Pavel Piskerev. I am reminded of our Intentional Creativity community's Metacognative drawings, and interested to see how the two will interface.  Gratuitie Neuro-noodles Gratitude practice, Day 1 The week of Vivid  community gatherings and Legend painting journey Spending time with...