Category: Contemplations

Not so much, these days. I still have deep memories, though, of one special day on the floor, in a bookstore! A used bookstore. And a seemingly mis-shelved book.

It was about 20 years ago. I was on my way to my office and stopped in to see if they had anything new by Anne Lamott or Sue Monk Kidd. What I discovered was Gwen Marston’s Liberated Quiltmaking. You may have heard this story before. And yes, the part about literally sitting on floor with tears rolling down my cheeks, claiming the radical notion that it was possible to make quilts that wouldn’t make me feel crazy, angry, or inadequate, was totally true!

My head feels like that, again, in this moment. You see, there are lots of new thoughts being born. Or claimed. Or both. And some of them don’t seem to – well – match!

There’s the #Muse painting. And the #Filters journey. And the Wisdom Cards which are sneaking up on actual production. They’re getting really good responses and I, at least, am claiming lots of new possibilities, which is actually the point of making and sharing them.

There are still scattered color saturation challenges involved, and some shifting category names and some long-distance processing negotiation, which can feel a tiny bit frustrating at times. Then there are the major ah-hah’s growing out of the journey. Ah-hah’s that feel really needed in this world.

For this moment, though, the #Muse, or Destiny Joan, as she prefers to be called, wishes to be heard! And she’s totally NOT into straight lines and matchy-matchy! And yes, she greeted you as we began.

First, she gets all the credit for deciding the goose should, indeed, be included and turn blue! The goose who, in certain lands, has long been a symbol for community, partnership, and spiritual awakening. They’re also believed to represent the Holy Spirit and/or the Divine Feminine, especially in Celtic traditions. Geese also embody themes of wisdom, and the ability to discern truth. Works for me! And, for a first goose, she’s not bad!

The rocks rising out of the sea were Destiny Joan’s idea, too. Scrappy, fingerprint-moss covered sanctuaries. Each dot a prayer for listening deep! (And, probably, places for geese to nest.)

Then, the really, really big command which appeared in my dreams! She wanted her whole body glazed in the paint formerly known as Golden’s Quinacradone Nickle Azo Gold! It’s no longer available and those of us who have stashes are hoarding it like – well – gold!

Here’s the big thing, though. For the first time on my journey as an artist – perhaps for the first time, ever, I am at peace with manifesting what arises within me. Blue geese. #Filter-y Wisdom Cards. Enjoying – not hoarding – treasures! Titles for books-in-progress that open doors to my soul, rather than simply making the search engine elves proud.

I am 67 years old. I’d really rather not sit on the floor… and I have found me, with some help from the #Muse!

ps… here’s another peek at the wisdom cards. A whole new category called Meta-what??? They have a lot to do with choices, and look like this:

pps…What door is ready to be opened in your world? I have space for 2 new clients, ready to set out on the road to the place where they feel called. Curious? Let’s talk! 45 min. My gift. You bring a cuppa, your dream, and something to write on & with. I’ll bring red thread and big questions! Just click here and the calendar elves will hook you up. Hurry, though. The calendar runneth over!

ppps… new around here? Go back to the beginning and click on some of those lighter grey type bits, just above the goose’s head. There’s get-acquainted type info and even a link to my shop!

As many of you know, Wednesdays are work-in-progress days in the land of Intentional Creativity®. Today was quite the mish-mash of works in progress! So much so, that I kinda forgot it was blog day, too! So… I’m going to share a quick story that I hope will feel as much like a gift to you as it does to me!

First, though, I need to introduce you to the goose!

My #Muse, you see, finally decided to let me in on what was still missing from our current #wip. She still wants some work on her hair and there are star formations to add, and so forth, but there was something I couldn’t quite grasp until, suddenly, I just knew. She wanted a wild goose!

And, that’s not quite as random as it may seem. You see, wild geese are Celtic symbols of the Holy Spirit. And she – Destiny Joan – comes with a whole lot of those kind of stories in her heart! So, I have more painting to do!

And, we had a great #Filters group, even amidst a bit of calendar chaos. The Legendary Husband fixed a fab dinner. And then, because I’ve gotten really picky about newscasters lately, we decided to spend a bit of time hanging out in YouTube land, at The Kennedy Center Honors, back, you know, in the day when actual honor was the point. In this case, Carole King.

A bit of history. Some heart favorites. And then, utter HOPE and JOY! (Do yourself a huge favor and hang in with the video!)

Click here, please!

May you, and I, and all those we love, feel inspired!

First, Dear Reader… a note. Kind of a context clarification. I didn’t so much enjoy this “holiday” weekend. My neuro-system is NOT a fan of fireworks, though my neighborhood is. Lots of added sirens didn’t help. Neither did the news.

The traditional home fried chicken and potato salad – no pickles! – were absent, though we weren’t hungry, which is a blessing to be claimed aloud.

We moved a bit of furniture. Washed a zillion paintbrushes. And did a whole lot of plotting and hatching… of painting and writing. Those parts were thrilling, and I’m grateful.

Also, the Legendary Husband got Madam Secretary going again. Along with The West Wing. Oh, and my cousin, Kathleen… but that will take a bit of explaining!

As it happened, I was singing along with Joan Baez as I painted. The being you encountered, above. Officially, she’s my #Muse for this round of #COW, known officially as #Color2025. Or, she’s going to be! We’ll get to her story in a minute. First, though, she is huge teaching about how to keep going when it hurts. In this case, how to pat paint on canvas with wadded up plastic bags when your wrist and thumb emphatically decline the more traditional paths.

Not only did it work, it was fun!!! And, deep learning, which is totally my thing!

It’s important to know that she chose me, in a recent dream. A being who lives, as far as I can understand, somewhere between myth and history, between human and divine, depending on who told you her story. As I’m doing the writing, though, you get my best understanding!

You see, I come from a long line of tellers of stories. Way, way, way farther back than Gramma Elsie. The kinds of stories often thought of as legends, or myths, or fairy tales. Prophesy, even! Traditional stories… especially those concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings. And the story of my #wip painting friend is one of those!

I know her as a Melusine. As far as I can tell, her stories emerged in times when notions of the Divine Feminine were utterly unacceptable, according to the empires in power. There were, however, believers determined that their Littles should know these stories and so they told them, largely as bed-time tales. As dream food, if you will, for pre-abstract thought listeners of wonder.

And, as best I can tell, some of the wisdom-keepers telling those stories, ages and ages ago, were my ancestors. Stories of concrete passion and very large hope, as my more recent “uncle” and story-teller, Walter Brueggemann, might have said.

Stories I just spent a whole lot of time communing with as my recent #Quickening & #Legend paintings were birthed in a time when the context of our unfolding world does not seem to want them seen. Or heard.

Stories which need, perhaps, more telling now, than ever before. As author, Kathleen McGowan, reminds us… History is not what happened. It’s what got written down. (The Expected One)

And, yes, it’s totally a #Filter thing!!! A thing where I dreamed and stared and dreamed and stared, and she’s getting different!

Yes… often change is messy, yet we have hope! Also, a name! Her name is Destiny Joan! And here’s the thing she and Walter and Kathleen and I would all agree on…

Just tell the story!!!

I just happen to know two ways you might get started. Or take the next right steps…

You see, there’s been a whole lot of newness going on in the land of Intentional Creativity® and, because some people are still finding their way, there’s still time to join in a couple of my favorites! (But, not much!!!)

Tell the story in painting and writing on our 13-moon journey known as Red Madonna – Mother Nature. It’s all about ReBirthing and ReWilding! And, yes, you’d be a tiny bit behind, but we’ve got you! Here’s all the info…

Then, there’s the 6-week perspective adventure known as #Filters! It’s all about questions like… What stories are we telling and how did we learn to believe them and do they want editing and how might they help us more? (And, yes… I firmly believe that sometimes, run-on sentences are exactly what we need!) I promise, it’s all recorded, there’s plenty of time to catch up, and we get to paint, too! Even if you’ve never painted before! Just click here!

For this moment, though, an #inquiry for this day:

What story will YOU write down? Or paint? Or record?

ps… you can leave me a comment, below, or email me. I really want to know! suesvoice@gmail.com

What is your intention?

And, yes… the speaker meant, in that moment, my intention, which I’ll share with you shortly. First, though, could we agree that there’s a whole lot going on in the world and, with all our high-tech gadgets, taking vacations from it is – well – more complicated than it used to be???

Since you’re still here, I’m going with agreement! And that means taking a peek into a meeting, earlier today. The opening circle of Red Madonna – Mother Nature 2025. (And, yes… there’s still time to join us!)

A literally global circle of women, in hopeful community… Many voices, all gathered in beginning. Old friends and new. Comfortable artists and beginners.

I was asked to bring something to share and an odd thing found me, in my dreams. A poem from my book, Grandmothers Are In Charge of Hope (2nd edition @2016). And I’ll share it in a moment. First, a tiny bit of backstory.

This poem was inspired by an ancient Sufi teaching story I learned in an Ericksonian Hypnotherapy training session. Guy from village at base of the mountain gets all upset, climbs mountain, tells story, gets answer that’s not immediately what he had in mind. This goes on about a zillion times. Finally, the lightbulb comes on. There wasn’t time in Zoom-land for the whole ancient saga, so here’s a gently updated version of my earlier poem.

Standing on the Edge

I am standing on the edge.
Toes curled under.
Hanging on.
Like climbing too high on a ladder.
Trying to decide if I’m terrified.
Or excited.
Knowing that, in my body, the experience is the same.
Knowing that whoever decided we could only feel one feeling at a time was wrong!
The wise old woman on the mountain was right.
Trying to glimpse the beyond which is past the edge.
I like beyond.
I like creating.
Abracadabra!
For I will make something with the word.
Though I may paint a bit more, first.
I’m standing at the edge.
Hoping I’m excited!
(®slb, 2025)

And, yes… I hear you! Sometimes excited takes a whole lot of hoping!!! One way to start is with claiming an intention, which we did next in the meeting.

As promised, I’ll share. Shortly. First I need to own that this is not what I learned growing up. It’s not what I learned in school. Perhaps because I didn’t have the capacity for abstract thought, back then. Or because it wasn’t what would get me a good score on the SAT’s. And it’s safe to say that it doesn’t feel like I had a place for lots of this newness, back before the whole self reset of becoming a grandmother!

In any event, I am ready now. So…

It is my intention to live, with my whole self, into the Great MA who dwells within me… and us!

And, yes… I’m hoping you’re curious!

There’s still time to join us for Red Madonna – Mother Nature 2025. And, there’s the possibility of a bit of help with the finances, if that would open a door for you. Just click here, for all the info!

And, #Filters begins on Friday! A bit more process/perception oriented. An intro to Medicine Painting. Six weeks to major shifts. (All recorded if time is a challenge.) Intentional space for your intentions, language, and path. Click here for details.

The other day somebody asked me why I do this work. If you’ve been reading along a while, you may know the answer…

Because I have 2 Grandteens trying very hard to grow up in this world!

What matters like that to you???

This is the place for beyond. And the time!

ps… if you, too, are a fan of The West Wing, either or both of these opportunities are excellent answers to the big question… What’s next??? (And, yes… BOTH is totally possible!!!)