Red Thread Circles

 ᎤᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ  ᎢᏤ  ᎠᏕᏘᏱᏍᎬᎢ   U-li-he-lis-di  i-tse  a-de-ti-yi-s-gv-i / happy new year! What's on your creative table in 2025? For 2024, our pastor Erika Marksbury got a grant to use Bonnie Smith Whitehouse 's lovely book, Seasons of Wonder, for inspiration and focus. The grant covered copies of the book for the congregation, plus supplies for our monthly Makers Meetings and funds for field trips; and we met in small groups for monthly discussion.  I really enjoy Bonnie's approach of interweaving gathering as a circle (!!), sharing creativity, connecting with nature, each other and the Divine. I've ordered her Kickstart Creativity  cards. In the introduction, Bonnie quotes Steven Charleston ,  ' It is all a circle, the ancestors said -- an endless circle within a circle. The drum is a circle.  The dance ground is a circle. The earth is a circle.  There is no us or them, no top or bottom, no beginning or end, no lines of division -- o...

 A practice I've engaged in several times is choosing a word for guidance over the year ahead.  My friend Kathleen has offered this in early January at our church for 7 or so years (virtually during lock down), and i joined the group again last weekend.  We start with sharing our last word, the a review of the previous year, listing highs and lows - and look for themes. Feel into what you wish for this year ahead, and for a word to support you.  Kathleen invites us to use a dictionary or thesaurus as we come time this word. Last year I chose Weave, as I wanted to share new friendships and experiences. One of my church friends began a singles group, and a Native Voices bookgroup, and I also joined our Edible Landscaping group, so deepened with current friends and wove in new ones!  Weave - 2023 Our singles group meet Saturday for a wee feast,  and each drew a card from a Hawaiian healing deck. My card 'Kaulike' invites balance - and we bespoke finding balanc...

  Many of us reflect on gratitude during November, and that was our focus for this month's Red Thread Circle.  We each shared something we are grateful for as we passed the Red Thread; some were connection, pleasure in small moments, Community, clarity, presence and our time together.  I used a compass in my journal, inspired by Cindy and Linda to create a couple of mandalas. I so appreciate collaborating with these amazing co-facilitators! Neuroart Gratuitude mandala Neurographica is a form researched and developed by a Russian psychologist, Pavel Piskerev, and taught by practioners on several countries.  It dovetails beautifully with Intentional Creativity, as you begin my focusing on an intention, or something you wish to shift. Pavel observed that while angles make us somewhat uncomfortable, round shapes are soothing and calm our nervous system.  Linda and I took the basic class last year, and often use neurgraphica as inspiration for our own neuroart adapta...

 For this week's Red Thread Circle, we were inspired by a quote our SiStar Sepha recently posted on social media -  🌟 Glimmers  🌟  Ooo, yes! With Intentional Creativity, we discover we notice Glimmers more and more frequently!  " After dealing with past traumas and designing remedies, after recognizing what your triggers are and finding your strengths, after digging deep and deeper to find your authentic self, now what? ...." Seeking micro- moments of happiness - seeking Glimmers is a perfect antidote! So we gathered supplies (paper, journals, colors and our/ clippings) and sparkles (Shimmer watercolor, glitter) and brought some of our Glimmers to the page!  Journal page I picked a couple of flowers from my hardy  fuschias - Harlequin and White Knight's Pearl - and apricots I picked on the weekend. Along with a journal, I pulled out Neocolor II crayons, Inktense pencils, brushes and Pearl Tec Shimmer watercolors.  Playful Glimmers of Hope and Jo...

 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...