Category: Medicine Basket

#Magic!ContemplationsGrandmothersMedicine BasketOffering

Of darkness… and light!

Posted on by sue boardman

First, let me apologize to my Southern Hemisphere sisters! I didn’t learn much about Moon Magic in school. Back in those days, we “smart” kids – read that “college-bound” – didn’t have time for such things. (Though I did memorize the entire periodic table of the elements as we knew it in those days!)

Fortunately life is for learning, and that’s just about my favorite part of the journey, so I’m declaring this to be Moon Post Wednesday! Specifically, in this hemisphere, the night before Crone Moon just before the total eclipse due on August 12.

Spiritually, this night could be considered an “ultimate cleansing” opportunity for letting go of toxic patterns or clutter or things that drain us, rather than fill us.

What comes to mind for you as you’re reading along???

The clearing, of course, leaves Owl – or Athena – space for truths that have been hidden. For planning and for winning through wisdom.

In this moment, though, we’re having contextual darkness of a different sort. I’m going to assume that you know as much about the news as you’re choosing to handle and not add any of that here, except to say that I did notice a smidge of hope earlier today!

Fortunately, space for practical creating also goes along with Crone Moons, and I have lots of that to do! The photo at the top is currently directing some major plastic surgery on my #wip painting. And I’m heading back to that, as long as the power holds out in the storm that just began rattling our neighborhood.

First, though, a message from a #wip glimpse at my #RedMadonna 2025 painting, Mother Nature. She – and Athena of the Crone Moons – are so hoping you’ll come check out the adventure with Primordial Waters that’s about to begin. Just click here for all the info… A safe circle of wise women, new perspectives, community, and actual medicine for your basket!!!

#Magic!ContemplationsGrandmothersMedicine Basket

Dear Grammy Sue,

Posted on by sue boardman

It’s me. Your inner Little! Let’s fix a couple cups of tea and chat a bit, please…

I’m worried about you! You spent all last night doing that thing called shoulding on yourself! (You know, the one you’ve tried to help me NOT to do???)

All that stuff that’s not really sleeping. And, yes – I heard those questions you were asking! The ones about, How do I not __________________________________________? You know… that really long list of things that aren’t helpful! And the partner question, too. How do I focus on Peace and Hope?

Fortunately, I’ve actually listened all those times you helped me, when I felt like that! And I’d like to help you for a bit. (I really was listening!)

Let’s start, as you taught me, by changing the question! You know… from “should” to “could”! Like, we could get our journals and favorite pens! And then, we could put our very own hands to work. I’ll go one step at a time for those reading along who haven’t tried this before…

Take your pen or marker in you dominant hand. The one you generally write with. If you happen to be ambidextrous – like using both equally – just pick one to begin with. Write this in your journal…

What could YOU do – in this moment – that would help in your world???

Great! Now wait and listen a bit. Notice and wonder. Have a sip or two of tea. And, when you begin to hear or feel the response, switch hands and write what appears with the non-dominant (other) one. Really! The one you might have gotten in trouble for using when you were really small.

You already know you’ll be able to read it!

Breathe. Listen. Sip. It’ll come!

Get it all out…

Three words. Five minutes. An hour and a half. More if you need it. You – like you always tell me – do you!

And remember how you promised we could do this again and again? We can. You can! For now, though, the special, secret ending you showed me!

I am enough!

ps… thank you, for being my Grammy and yours! All those Grammies in all your stories are happy-dancing with us!

pps… can we paint, now???

#Magic!ContemplationsGrandmothersMedicine Basket

A noisy night in the ‘hood!

Posted on by sue boardman

My ears are quite certain that many of my neighbors were thrilled with the weather which improved enough to make fireworks possible for the actual 4th of July.

I am somewhat less thrilled. It’s an old trauma kind of thing for me.

Instead, I’ve been claiming my Independence – my vision of the future – with paint! (Also, cleaning closets. Meaningful, but decidedly less fun!)

I won’t dump all my disappointments and fears and buckets of fury on you. Instead, I am inspired to share something I wrote several years ago. It’s not all sparkly and full of watermelon. Instead, it’s a promise. A claim of my hopes for the future… preferably starting (again) NOW! And I could really use your help!

You see, my right wrist and thumb hurt more than usual tonight and we’re going to have to go with basics in terms of design here. Imagine, please, all this with with a fun, kid-friendly font and the shadow of a tree behind the words. You can decide! Oh… imagine that every time you see the letter “o” it looks like a heart!

The Grandmothers’ Manifesta

We are the Grandmothers.

We are in charge of Hope. We are not done!

We are becoming dangerous old women.

We hold those we love under our danger like a

Tree of Life with bountiful branches.

We have spent our lives learning many things.

Some of those things were helpful.

Some of them were not.

We will KEEP living the empowering things.

We will say goodbye to the things

that were hurtful, so they are not passed on.

We matter more in this moment

than EVER before.

We are significant. We are capable.

We have influence in the lives

of those we love and in the world.

Using all our hope and wisdom,

we will share these things

with all the generations who come after us.

We are DREAMERS of dreams,

TELLERS of stories,

and MAKERS of images.

We see our littles as souls bright with wonder.

We are the Grandmothers and we welcome all those

who wish to be here.

Today, we choose to matter in the world.

It may be hard,

but we are in charge of Hope!

Sue Boardman ®

ps… if you have dreams, stories, images – even puppies or dance moves – you’re longing to share with the world, let’s talk! 45 min. My gift. I’ll bring my magic medicine basket with some cool new tools. You bring a cuppa, something to write on & with, a Red Thread if it’s handy, and a smidge of courage. We’ll name your next right thing and muse a bit about what it could look like to work together. Just click here and the calendar elves will find us some time. Hurry, though! The calendar is filling up! (In case you’re curious, my book-in-progress is something over 8,000 words in!)

#Magic!Art JourneyFilters!GrandmothersMedicine Basket

I really, really wish the tech-elves would quit changing things!!!

Posted on by sue boardman

Yep… you probably have to squint quite a bit to make this out, so I’ll help. It’s under layers from my most recent #Apothecary painting, a couple moths ago. Truthfully, it isn’t done yet, as in it isn’t complete, but also it isn’t done teaching me.

Here are three of the VERY intentional words you probably can’t quite read in there, crossword puzzle style:

Courage. Hope. Determination.

And, yes, I’ve mentioned them before.

When I fired up my laptop tonight, this wasn’t exactly what I had in my mind but apparently the elves have been secretly “making things better” again, and it took me about 3 tries to get this post to start happening. (I want elves that follow directions!)

In any event, I am still learning… anyway! When the paintings whisper in my sleep, they are insistent!

So, my #Threshold painting work in progress has announced her name, insisted on background revisions, and whispered some of her favorite star glyphs for me to include. The really cool thing is that, as all that magic was happening, she also solved the structural challenge with my tweens & teens book in progress!!!

Frankly, she kinda blew my mind! (And she prefers to wait until she’s finished to make another appearance!)

Then, I did a new thing. Yesterday, I had a Zoom meeting with a dear friend who now lives in Egypt. It was so good to catch up! And, she did a mini-numerology reading for me! (Yet another thing we didn’t cover in nursing school or seminary!!!)

Here’s the thing that really grabbed me:

My core challenge – at least at this point in time – is a tendency to feel responsible for EVERYTHING and hand-cuffed by perfectionism…

Wow, does that hit home! And, I suspect I’m going to want to explore more.

For this moment, though, it’s cacao ceremony time. And getting ready for observing the solstice time. (Really!) You see, I spent lots of time watching Georgia run-off election returns last night and I’ve decided to be open to all the help I can get!

My #Threshold painting is totally onboard!!!

ps… my Wisdom Cards are ready to meet you! Just put 2 decks in your basket and get 20% off, automatically. They go really well with cacao and perhaps a smidge of ceremony!!! (Also, sign up for the Winged Ey Wisdom mailing list and get an extra 10% off your order!)

#Magic!ContemplationsFilters!Medicine BasketOffering

Old Adventure… New Perspective!

Posted on by sue boardman

If you’re just joining us, welcome!!! Fix yourself a cuppa and pull up a comfy seat. We’re going on a journey… long ago, for me, and right now, I suspect, for most of us!

The journey in question involved a 40-foot sailboat, a rapidly building hurricane, and the Bermuda Triangle. Really! My Presbytery Young Adult buddy and I were doing the midnight watch… actually sailing the boat through the storm with no navigational equipment but a compass and the stern lights of our buddy boat.

Terrifying, for real! And I was a young single mom at the time, with a 6-year old waiting at home for me.

The question of the moment was Which Direction???

I realized, as I was dreaming along last night, that Which Direction??? is also my question in the context of this moment! Perhaps yours, as well…

As is often the case, paint had a lot to do with my musing!

On Friday, we Intentional Creativity® types began the 10 month adventure known as Stardust Initiation. Frankly, I have no clear idea of where we’re going. What I do know, from lots of past experience, is that things will get different inside me. Well, they’ve already begun, with a big batch of input from the news.

The question, in my dreams, boiled down to this:

Am I sailing toward myself or away from the chaos of this moment???

I’m going with toward myself. I just don’t have the strength or energy to try both directions at once!!!

I’m sailing toward living my Promise. Honoring my body and my path and those who walked it before me. And, yes, it feels like a huge #Threshold!

The work-in-progress we began with is a huge hint about the chaos!

What’s happening now is making meaning out of the chaos! You should know that there are many layers of paint going on here. Somebody keeps changing her mind!!! I’m listening to her voice, though… stay tuned!

ps… I’d gladly listen to YOUR voice, too, if you could use a bit of focus and strategy on your path! 45 min. My gift. We’ll name your vision, claim your next right thing, and muse together about how we might work together on making it real. Just click here and ask the calendar elves to hook us up. Then, gather your dream, a cuppa, something to write on & with, and a piece of Red Thread, if it’s handy. As Josh Lyman, my old buddy from The West Wing, reminded a wandering friend one day, “I’ve been down here before and I know the way out!”

#Magic!ContemplationsFairy GrandmothersMedicine BasketOffering

The paintings are getting more insistent!

Posted on by sue boardman

Today is primary run-off voting day at our house… aka Good Trouble day! Last night, in my dreams, the artwork decided to help, along with the voices of the two actual Grandmothers I grew up with.

The first thing you need to know is that I come from long lines of Republicans, pretty much as far back as there have been political parties in America. Let’s just say I grew up with huge doses of the way we’ve always done it…

Things got really interesting when the paintings got involved. #Archetypes and #Legends and even a deeply personal Magic book cover, all trying to help. Finally, the image you see above cleared her throat rather assertively, and raised her hand to speak. I literally felt my heart beat faster. This was exactly the answer I needed!

Not the answer for which boxes to check on the ballot, but deep, deep claiming of why.

Her official name is #Taliswoman. A representation of core identity in symbols on canvas! MY core identity!

Since you’re reading along, I’d love to have you join in! Take a deep breath, please, and see what comes to mind when you muse about a symbol of the deepest, most real YOU! Just one, for now. No judging. Just noticing and wondering…. (And, yes, you can change your mind as we go along!)

Let’s begin with the Universe, way up top… Sun and Moon. El and Asherah. Masculine and Feminine. A tiger star glyph for courage. A unicorn, said to call up the true teaching of Yeshua. And, if you squint, a dove for peace, of course.

The crow, for wisdom, was huge fun to paint and she’s a very handy reminder on days like this! Generations, with family symbols everywhere. Roses. Blue grapes. An ancient Red Book.

And one you might not have noticed. The rainbow triangle quilt pieces on her stole. Liberated wild geese quilt blocks are Celtic symbols for the Holy Spirit.

What else do you notice? I’m guessing the Red Thread feels familiar. An ancient connection among all of us who choose to be included. And, yes, this is where my book-cover-in-progress friend, Glinda, found her magic wand in the gold circle which calls to mind the ancient wisdom of As Above, so Below.

Many things to ponder! And reasons to vote like the world our Littles are inheriting depends on it!

That, dear heart, is the place my dream Grammies and I are connected, still and always, even if I am voting blue!

ps… searching for a way to live your core identity in the world??? Let’s talk! 45 min. My gift. You bring a cuppa, something to write on & with, and a bit of Red Thread if it’s handy. We’ll name your next right step and talk about ways we might work together. Just click here and the calendar elves will hook us up. And, yes… Glinda will bring her magic wand!

#Magic!Art JourneyGrandmothersMedicine Basket

Of calendars and singing walls…

Posted on by sue boardman

It’s one of those forward and backward kind of days in my world. You know… memories and dreams bumping into each other!

Friday, my older grand-teen graduated from High School!!! Her world is about to change in a huge way. My hope and prayer is that the “who” she’s always been will learn and grow, and discover more of her chosen path!

Then, the memories. It was just about exactly this time, in 1987, when – having just finished my BA – my son and I set out for Columbia Theological Seminary in an ancient VW bug. He was 7 years old. Some young adult church buddies caravanned along with us, to help with the move before continuing on to Montreat in North Carolina. It was quite the adventure. Especially the flat tire!

And, there were way more adventures to come!

That first summer was known as Baby Greek School, and wow, was I lost! In fact, I was approaching hopeless when the miracle happened. Our word for the day was Blepo which is Greek for “I see!” Suddenly I had something I could relate to as I was very familiar with eye surgery words, some of which actually begin with Blepo! And there was a bit less chaos in my world!

Our friend, above, is a bit of one of the paintings that whispers in my dreams. That’s the Asherah side of a 60″ wide canvas, from the adventure known as #Codex. The Divine Feminine side, if you will, complete with her winged eye for wisdom.

And a bunch of triangles on her forehead. The Greek letter Delta, which is a symbol for change!!!

Last night, she was singing…

“The times, they are a-chan-ange-ing!

They are, indeed. And, yes… it’s scary! (Well, at least a lot of it is for me!)

When I was making our Graduate’s card, a bit from an old movie came to me. Perhaps you’ve seen The Help. Old, southern, USA. Plantation country, in a way. Comfortable white families. Lots of help from black folks. And, lots of vastly overlooked wisdom, too!

Imagine a young maid/nanny whispering to the small girl she’s more or less raising:

Remember! You is smart. You is kind. You is important.

That is part of my prayer for our new graduate. And for ALL our Littles!!!

Our job is to VOTE like that matters!!! (Early run-off voting has begun in Georgia!) I’m choosing the ones who aren’t focused on keeping the White House happy. Who know that we are ALL important!!!

For this moment… a peek at the card I made for the amazing person who helped me see a whole new world and a whole new me…

ps… have some smart, kind, important magic of your own to set free in the world? I can help! 45 min. My gift. You bring your dreams. I’ll bring a lot of years of practice and a medicine basket brimming with cool tools! You can also bring a cuppa and a bit of Red Thread, if it’s handy. We’ll name your next right thing and then talk about what it might be like to work together. Just click here and the calendar elves will hook us up. Hurry, though! The calendar is filling up!

pps… more questions, before you click??? Here’s the basic bio stuff…