Tools of Transformation

 During the Color of Woman quest, we have been given treasure trove of tools for accessing our own intuition, insights and vision, for calming the Critic and engaging the Muse! 

This Tool Kit is full of powerful offerings for our beloveds - and ... we often forget how helpful they can be for our own process! 

What can we do when the critic raises her head? Pull out the tool kit, and choose one or more to revisit!

My first Story Card deck and cover

• The Soulful Story Card process is one of the first assignments on the CoW journey - for good reason! 

In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron wrote: "An affirmation is a positive statement of (positive) belief, and if we can become one-tenth as good at positive self-talk as we are at negative self-talk, we will notice an enormous change." 

If we only had the Story Cards as support for the rest of our journey, we'd have such a potent aide!! Often the very stumbling blocks addressed by the cards are encountered over and over - and in the cards, we have a wonderful way to turn them into stepping stones!  I share several ways to use them here.

I usually offer a Story Card session in my Red Thread Creatives Circle a couple of times each year, and use this as an opportunity to create a few new cards, to address other old Stories I've become aware of!  I like working on less expensive water color pads of paper for creating the cards. 

You may find this a good time to assemble your Story Card kit, for offering this as a virtual or in person class. So save your process papers with old stories and their antidotes to include in your kit. If it's been awhile since you created your deck, check in and see if there's are any old stories surfacing to be countered with new cards!

Story and Ally cards, plus 13 Step prompt deck

• The Medicine Basket - ooo, what a lovely image!! 

I love Shiloh's description of her physical basket, and items included!! You may wish to assemble a physical Medicine basket or bag to include some of your special tools! I've got a little basket for Red Thread and a couple of Shiloh's books, a little red silk bag for special scissors, and little balls of red yarn, and found a small purse made from Red Ties for bigger balls and tools! 

If you're feeling 'stuck' around your Piece of the Red Thread - pull out your Medicine Basket, and revisit your tools!

Red Thread Basket

Some of the Medicine Basket inquiries are:

• What will you be known for? 
• What Healing tools & remedies do you offer? 
• What can people count on you for?
• Who are your Beloveds?
• What is in your medicine basket?

Our Medicine Basket process helps us identify our special gifts, and points us toward our Soul Work! When I painted & collaged 'gifts' onto my first Medicine basket, I immediately saw this as a lovely process to include in my upcoming Reiki 2 class (and included that as my first RT event assignment). I invited my students to bring scrapbook materials, Quotes they might want to include, and then dream-stormed on how to integrate the teachings of Reiki, & the Medicine basket process. We created covers for the Reiki Journals I encouraged them to begin, over a background that included the Symbols they learned!

I've continued to include creating Story Cards and Medicine Baskets in subsequent Reiki 1 and 2 Classes, and love how they dovetail with the Reiki teachings on intention. I've also shared it in Red Thread style paint parties, like this one for my school chum Nancy (center with the basket on pink) and her friends and family.

Paint with Pals - Medicine Basket

• Many of us have felt we didn't quite 'fit' in this current world, family, community - the House of the Heart allows us to claim belonging. 

Shiloh comments - "We either experience everything as a miracle or nothing as a miracle. We experience the Universe as a friendly or unfriendly place. People's world view stems from their belief about whether they belong here." 

In the fall of 2019, I joined CoW graduate and EFT practitioner Sherry Reuger-Banaka in offering a workshop on Grief to Gratitude, using the house of the Heart as the class template. This was her Soulwork - combining IC and EFT! I've enjoyed doing this one on canvas several times, and they are such cheery houses! 

The prompts from a CoW student offering (via Zoom) led to recalling the cute 50s home my dad painted pink, with dark red trim and a white roof (to reflect the Central Oregon sun) ... And the Blue Door of my piano teacher's little back room Bible Bookstore. 

 

House of the Heart 2020 - on canvas

• Need a Treasure Map for finding your way? Pull out your Vision Plan Book! 

This is a process Shiloh Revisits each time she's planning a new offering - and is a great one for us to revisit as we seek insight and momentum. I love the whole brain, Muse led approach - our biz-coach, Stella Mac invites us to, "Create a business plan using your winged eye – you have to know how to look with a visionary lens to craft a business that reflects who YOU are." 

Vision Plan Book

In spring of 2020, Shiloh and Amy Ahlers offered a course called Dancing Entrepreneur, where we created a new Vision plan Book, plus a deck of 16 action cards to augment the booklet, and support moving forward with our plans! This is where I encountered the idea from another student of creating a board and planning pockets for a Visual planning system!"

Journal Calendar Biz-Plan

• Another tool is one we've all kept in various forms over the journey - the Journals!!  

This is where we've processed, and made notes around different assignments. 

I tend to keep both art journals for the longer painting processes, and the Smashbook style composition books for writing. I've amassed a lot of journals, and reviewing these can be helpful - reach for the one that 'falls off the shelf!' 

One of the biz tools I used following graduation was creating a monthly Smashbook spread with my goals  for that month splashed about, "popcorn" style. 

Some were specific to that month, while others are ongoing (hosting monthly Red Thread Circles, painting, blogging) I could see at a glance what I accomplished, and what I still wanted to work on!

I hope you're inspired to pull out some of your favorite tools from the training, and revisit the messages! This is a good time to complete or fine tune writing about the projects, and finding which best serve you.

Stardust Guild SiStars

 In 2018, Shiloh Sophia revived the medieval practice of gathering those who have developed proficiency in an art or trade into a Guild of Journeywomen for the graduates of the Color of Woman teacher training. We'd had a Graduate group for several years - this was the 'next step.' 

With the addition of the Motherboard Coaching program, and Red Thread Guides, the Guild now includes graduates of those programs as well. (The Certifications page has links to the prospectus for each program.)

Active Guild benefits include a group on iMUSEA, a monthly call, which may include a teaching, and access to a graduate Video library for Continuing Ed appropriate to each training. For CoW, this includes additional classes of varying length at no charge, and sign ups for several we can receive a license to teach after completing the painting and any additional requirements. (These include Apothecary, Legend, Diva X... ) 

There's a link to add yourself to the Guild directory, and volunteer or employment opportunities are offered to active guild members first. 

Sepha, Nadya and Shiloh, 2016

There is also a Regional component. Nearly 20 Guild Gals currently live in Oregon and Washington, and several of us met for the first time in classes, at graduation, during travels, or an in-person gathering. (You can find local graduates and Guild members in the directory.) 

In November 2019, I invited the local gals to a Gathering at the studio in MECA gallery (since closed). We set our circle for the afternoon, and Jan from Southern Washington, 3 hours away, choose to stay overnight! 

Sharing Purple thread with Sepha and Janet

While we do Red Thread circles when gathering with students and beloveds in our broader community, when meeting with other Guild members, we often use a Purple Thread of Leadership. I've shared purple thread with several SiStars as they traveled through Oregon, weaning strands of connection. It's always a delight when we gather, and this was no exception! 

Olivia, Sepha, Uma, Nadya, Jan  - Nov 19

During that fall gathering, we shared chocolate and tea, warmth and SiStarhood. Our Muses must have consulted - our colors were delightfully coordinated! We passed the thread, and shared highlights from our year, and dreams for the future. 
We planned to share a Metacognative drawing practice, but after our check-in round we just kept talking!  And talking - laughing, commiserating, and finally said our fond goodbyes, with a stronger connection and sisterhood.

In 2021, Musea added regional 'Constellations' of Guild Members, with Guides for each group, and ours began having monthly calls in the spring. Our PNW 'Stardust SiStars' begin with a circle, sometimes followed by a short teaching or activity. We have begun scheduling separate "Nuts and Bolts" sessions sharing info on making prints, and other practical tips. 

We may be drawn to Collaborate with others from afar, or in our area. I've co-facilitated in person classes with several, beginning with Lora Pirtle during my own Color of Woman training, then Sepha, when she entered the following year. 

Olivia and Uma collaborated many times while they both lived in Portland, and after Uma moved out of the area, offered the first 'guild led' Legend class virtually in the spring, and I was their Art Doc! 

Another local grad and Guild member Linda Allen and I co-facilitate bimonthly Virtual Red Thread Circles as a pivot during lock down. These are so fun, drawing women from around the globe!! (as far as NZ and India!) Graduates or students in our area are also invited to post their offerings in our PNW MeetUp.

Purple Thread cuffP

I used the purple yarn from several circles with my Guild SiStars to crochet this little cuff bracelet. It's both decorative and a wonderful reminder I can just give a tug, and the support and love from my Guild sisters is on the other end! 

I extend the thread to you, and invite you to explore guild membership!

Recycling Content

 I love to write - and I am lazy frugal enough to want to use what I've written different ways! One is between blogs (I confess, I have several!!) I often borrow content from a personal blog, to repost on one of the support blogs, editing to match the audience. I've done the same with my website, and if I want to post something on Instagram or Facebook, it often appears on my blog before or after.

Atelier Altar

I began my first blog after reading an article about how simple they were, and could be set up in 15 minutes - who could resist?? And it worked!! Often students and graduates who don't already have a website feel a bit stuck as they consider starting one - 

• What platform to use? 
• How to start?
• Who will help? 
• Can I edit and update myself?

A blog is a simple way to start, and figure the rest out later!! I happened to choose blogspot, and have enjoyed sharing content this way. Our IC Sister Hobby Parent had a blog on the same platform, with 'pages' which made it more like a website - an About page, events page, Gallery .... and I realized I could add those to mine as well!! It's easy to edit pages - as long as we remember, tee hee! 

It's simple to copy and paste from the blog to Instagram or FB, and share a poem or inspirational thought, a bit of a story .... and to use 'labels' (or 'hashtags') suited to post topics. Either can inspire content for the other (I usually go into edit to copy and paste from one to another) 

Hashtags I commonly use include #intentionalcreativity #intentionalcreativityoregon and #iammusea Be sure to have a link in your bio that takes the visitor to a link list or your blog or website. 

Do you have a blog? Post the link in the comments! 

Here are some of mine:

Creation Station, King's Touch Reiki, Red Thread Circles

SOULWork

 The invitation reads: "Your SOULWork Project is a culminating presentation exploring Intentional Creativity as applied to a personal interest. Plan to take 6-8 hours taking your interest to the 'next level.' Document in the way that makes sense: writing, link to a hosted URL, etc."

How do we make that connection between a personal interest and IC?

A good place to begin is to pull out your journal, your Medicine Basket, and draw a couple of Story Cards.  Sit with one of your paintings, and inquire, 

• What are some of my Personal Interests and how do they dovetail with IC? 
• How can I serve MY beloveds and my Soul Purpose? 
• Perhaps do a Metacognitive Drawing around the inquiry. 

If it's something you've already done, you can share the link (dropbox, youtube, blog post, google docs, etc) or you can simply flesh out your notes and any images you have of your project 'in the works.

I originally wrote about my SOULWork from the perspective of being a Grandmother, and using it to support my grandchildren. While that's been a part of work since the beginning, when my 4 year old grandkids added strokes (invited!) to my CoW paintings, I realize that another thread is my offerings as a Reiki Master.

In 2015 and '16, I wrote about this on my King's Touch Reiki Blog, "When studying Intentional Creativity, preparing to become a Color of Woman teacher and IC coach, I needed to offer several Red Thread Circles and events. My teacher 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 lives, the thread may twist, stretch and tangle, but will never break. We each hold, and are responsible for our own piece of this thread.

I immediately saw a connection with my own Reiki Thread, and considered how to weave the IC teachings to support my Reiki students. In April on 2015, I included my first Red Thread circle for the training during a Reiki I class, inviting each initiate to share her piece of the thread. One, Lora Pirtle, was already certified in IC, and was tickled. During our 2nd Degree class in July, we incorporated the symbol practice sheets into creating a Medicine Basket as a journal cover. 

Students Creating Journal covers

When I took Second Degree Reiki in 1990, we first learned the three symbols, and then (gulp!) burned the papers!! Scary, but empowering! We were at the coast, & that night, I danced the symbols under the stars - WOW!

With Intentional Creativity, we can use the creative process as our Holy Fire of transformation and integration. 

Some of the Medicine Basket inquiries are:

• What will you be known for? 
• What Healing tools & remedies do you offer? 
• Who are your Beloveds?
• What is in your medicine basket?

When I painted & collaged 'gifts' onto my first Medicine basket, I immediately saw this as a lovely process to include in my upcoming Reiki 2 class (and included that as my first RT event assignment). I invited the students to bring scrapbook materials or Quotes they might want to include, and dream-stormed on how to integrate the teachings of Reiki, & the Medicine basket process. 

Intentional Creativity has proved to be a lovely support the Reiki teachings. I've formulated a Red Thread Reiki curriculum, with creative projects to help the teachings of each level. These Red Thread teachings are available separately for those who have studied with another Master, and I would love to collaborate with other Reiki Masters in offering these.

In later Reiki Classies, we've made Prayer Flags on the Reiki Principles during First Degree and Apothecary Vessels for the journal covers. So my SOULWork was already present, and interwoven into other assignments for my certification, I just needed to see the pattern!

I invite you to explore the connections between IC and your own interests/ skills/ healing tools - how can you weave the treads together? 

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 I had 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. The 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!) 

Viola - make pockets to hold sets of cards with those ideas. Larger file folder size pockets can be tacked up, with in depth writings/images.

It becomes an easy way to see what's on your plate, and easily access, move them around, and to inspire action! You can include a calendar page with dates dedicated to working on your project, classes, calls; The larger visual could be your medicine basket or another graphic...

I also like making little vision plans in Zines - these could easily tuck into small pockets! 

Planning pockets

Some variant on a Visual Planning wall or board Board is an excellent way to picture and address your remaining assignments and projects for Color of Woman. Small pockets could hold a few of your story cards, assignment overviews and action step cards (these can be on index cards or something else simple). Large pockets could hold more in depth notes on projects. 

If this system works well for you, it can easily be adapted for planning a class or other project, and balancing various aspects of your life! 

We'd love to see your planning system! 

 

Creative Business Plan

Thoughout Color of Woman and the other Intentional Creativity® trainings, we are offered tips and tools to help fine tune our vision, and keep us on track. One of the recent offerings for both students and course graduates was Dancing Entrepreneur , which was offed as either a weekend course, or a deeper 5 week dive. This year's Color of Woman class could use the plan book created during the workshop, or the one following the older videos.

Vision cards

I participated I the longer journey, and enjoyed the depth of offerings, calls, and focus groups that emerged. Several of our teacher Shiloh's colleagues and advisors shared insights, and it was very rich.  In addition to creating a folded Vision Plan Book, we created a deck of 16 card Dancing Entrepreneur deck, as action prompts for our next 'Dance Move.' We wrote short prompts or Dares on the back, and Shiloh suggested drawing one daily.

Vision Cards

I loved seeing the other students' work, and was especially drawn to a visual organization system Karen Dawn created, and to how she incorporated the cards. Karen has developed a visual planning wall that helps her stay organized and focused, and I'm excited to participate in her 6 week course. 

Our next assignment is to create a Vision Board for our own planning wall. I've done several over the years, it feels timely to do one focused on current energies. 

I'm thinking of creating some calendar pages for my wall, like I've done in journals. One of Karen's inspirations for her wall was realizing how many great ideas were tucked away in her journals, and "out of sight, out of mind!" (Does that happen to you, too?)

Calendar spread

One of the Creative Business planning projects we did in CoW was to paint our Biz-Muse - she's a whimsical muse, with a winged eye, for seeing behind the ordinary, and intentions collaged on strips of paper.

Biz-Muse

Next up - collage time!!  

I used an 11×15" sheet of watercolorpaper for the backing, and images and words from several magazines for the board. The mountains are The Three Sisters, which I grew up with in Central Oregon. 

A piece of foam board could hold some of my planning wall - I'm excited to watch the next video!

Happy PPF!