Books 2018 – July through December

July 2018

56. The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth by Christopher L. Heuertz

Interesting read, but quite dense.

I most appreciated the sections of Enneagram types and solitude, silence, and stillness.

57. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

58. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

59. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

60. Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins

61. A Silence Opens: Poems by Amy Clampitt

Not my favorite book of poetry. Some good lines, but I never really connected to any entire poem.
Too dense without enough punch once I’d forged through the lines. 3/5

62. What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir by Alice Eve Cohen

63. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

64. When She Named Fire: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry by American Women by Andrea Hollander

One of my favorite poetry anthologies, the sort of book which is easy to dip in and out of, easy to turn a few pages and find a poem, perfect for reading and musing.

*65. The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

66. Spirit Maps: Follow the Exquisite Geometry of Art and Nature Back to Your Center by Joanna Arettam 4/5

67. Looking and Seeing: An Introduction to Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography by John McQuade

68. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrick Backman

Re read this book. Loved the characters and the storyline. 5/5

*69. Writing Away by Lavonia Spaulding 4/5

A Review of My Books about Mandalas (critiques to follow in a later post):

70. The Mandala Workbook: A Creative Guide for Self-Exploration, Balance, and Well-Being by Susanne F. Fincher 5/5

71. Natural Mandalas: 30 New Meditations to Help You Find Peace and Awareness in the Beauty of Nature by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma 3/5

72. The Art of Mandala Meditation: Mandala Designs to Heal Your Mind, Body and Spirit by Michal Beaucaire 3/5

73. Zen Mandalas by Suzanne McNeill 4/5

74. Mandala: Luminous Symbols for Healing by Judith Cornell 5/5

75. Creating Mandalas by Susanne F. Fincher 4/5

76. Mandala for the Inspired Artist: Working with Paint, Paper, and Texture to Create Expressive Mandala Art by Louise Gale 3/5

77. The Mandala Book: Patterns of the Universe by Lori Bailey Cunningham 3.5/5

August 2018

78. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield

79. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard 4/4

80. Above Tree Line: A Memoir by Mary P. Montayne

Began reading this on a trusted recommendation, but I could not get into the story. When I started skipping whole pages and skimming to find something interesting, I stopped. 2/5

81. Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Great book. I loved the quirkiness of the main character. 5/5

*82. The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer

A favorite from my books of 2018. 5/5

*83. The Cloud Collector’s Handbook by Gavin Pretor-Pinney

*84. Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton

A classic. Must read for anyone interested in exploring a quieter life. 4.5/5

September 2018

*85. The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell

*86. Hygge: The Complete Book of Hygge To Discover The Danish Way To Live Happily by Sarah Jenson

Basic. Read as part preparation for Denmark experience. 3/5

*87. The Fruitful Darkness: A Journey Through Buddhist Practice and Tribal Wisdom by Joan Halifax

*88. Stop Look Breathe Create by Wendy Ann Greenhalgh

*89. The Cloudspotter’s Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds & The Cloud Collector’s Handbook by Anton Parshin

*90. The Wave Watcher’s Companion: From Ocean Waves to Light Waves via Shock Waves, Stadium Waves, and All the Rest of Life’s Undulations by Anton Parshin

So technical, dense. Not a page turner. 3/5

*91. When Wanderers Cease to Roam by Vivian Swift

Watercolors and little vignette’s from a Long Islander used-to-be-world-traveler who stays home for a year and documents what she notices. 4/5

92. nejma by Nayyirah Waheed

*93. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meil Wiking

*94. Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process by Joe Fassler

October 2018

*95. Local Color: Seeing Place Through Watercolor by Mimi Robinson

96. Poets on Place by W.T. Pfefferle 4.5/5

97. The Overstory by Richard Powers 5/5

98. Eggshells by Caitriona Lally 2/5

99. The Greenhouse by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

“I’m in the middle of the woods, literally surrounded by trees on every side, and I haven’t the faintest idea of where I am. Can a person who has been brought up in the heart of a thick dark forest, where one has to beat a path through multiple layers of trees just to take a letter to the post office, have any conception of what it’s like to spend one’s entire childhood waiting for a single tree to grow?” 4.5/5

November 2018

100. The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals—and Other Forgotten Skills by Tristan Gooley

The US edition of ‘The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs’ first published in the UK. It has been updated with US references but unevenly. 3/5

101. Monument by Natasha Trethewey

A selection of the Rumpus Poetry Book Club.

102. Fludde: Poems by Peter Mishler

A selection of the Rumpus Poetry Book Club.I think it’s me. I’m not up to the task of sorting through Mishler’s poetry. Not enough breadcrumbs to follow. 2.5/5

103. Carnival Evening: New and Selected Poems, 1968-1998 by Linda Pastan

I love this book of poetry. Many of Pastan’s subjects are of the ordinary, everyday variety. And well done. 5/5

104. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 4.5/5

105. Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington

Short Audible edition. Memoir of a daughter whose father worked in a New York City Public Library and an apartment on the top floor of a library was part of the deal. 4/5

December 2018

106. Emma by Jane Austin 3.5/5

107. Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman

Lovely. Poetry and illustrations are delightful; an informative blurb accompanying each poem gives a factual summary – snowflakes, beavers, trees, and more. I purchased this as a gift for my 4-year-old grandson. Now I might need to buy a second copy to ensure he gets his gift. 5/5

108. Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davis

Such a sweet book for beginning readers or read-to kids. Nature introduction at its finest. 5/5

109. Flashlight by Lizi Boyd

Highest recommendation. No words, but so much to invite conversations. My 5 year old and 4 year old grandkids both loved it and we “read” it repeatedly. 5/5

110. Pinocchio: An Origin Story by Alessandro Sanna

Wordless book. Stunning watercolor illustrations. 5/5

111. The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski 5/5

112. Family Trust by Kathy Wang 4/5

113. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Oh. Wow. All the feels. The power of poetry. Transformative. Highly recommended. 5/5

114. The Light of Amsterdam by David Park

I liked this book. I liked it a lot until the ending. Was that ending really a part of the whole? It felt like an afterthought, a disconnected scene, and left me disoriented. That said, the character development and interactions in the first 95% of the book was well done, and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I chose to read this book because of its Amsterdam setting, having recently visited there for the first time. I do enjoy being able to recognize landmarks and places of interest in a setting; the ability to give a setting a minds-eye view is satisfying. 3.5/5

 

 

 

Books 2018: Part One, January through June

January 2018

1. World Enough & Time, On Creativity and Slowing Down by Christian McEwan

“Slowness is an option for everyone on the planet, not just a privilege reserved for the very wise or very young or very rich. All of us can decide (and the phrase is a potent one) to take our time. But to do so, we have to set aside our busy competence and practicality, at least for a while, and adopt a gentler and more expansive way of being.”

“Why has the pleasure of slowness disappeared?” asks the writer Milan Kundera. “Ah, where have they gone, the amblers of yesteryear? Where have they gone, those loafing heroes of folksong, those vagabonds who roam from one mill to another and bed down under the stars?”

A book extolling the gifts of slowing down, she was “preaching to the choir” with this message. Enjoyed the book. 5/5

2. The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing

“You can be lonely anywhere, but there is a particular flavour to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people…”

I wanted to like this book more than I did. So dense with facts, I slogged my way through half of the book before deciding it was not worth any more time or effort. Some of it really worked — the memoir part, the exploration of loneliness. But the extremely details accounts of the 4 highlighted artists and their psyches, something that should have appealed to my interests, was just too much. 2.5/5

3. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

“One thing I’ve learned,” she said, “you have to talk about these things while they’re fresh. Or you’ll never talk about them. I’m going to teach you how to talk about them, because it’s going to get harder and harder the longer you wait, and it’s going to fester inside you, and you’re always going to think you’re to blame. You’ll be wrong, of course, but you’ll always think it.”

This is a devastating book. And it was impossible for me to stop reading once I had begun. Strong characters; strong friendships. Strong portrayal of the life long legacy of child abuse, it’s grip on the victim’s mindset, beliefs of self that are impossible to eradicate. Utterly beautiful, the writing and the telling of the story, and utterly heartbreaking.

I alternated between an Audible version and my written copy, my way of distancing a bit from some of the more difficult to read and absorb passages. 5/5

4. Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

A walk across Saskatchewan. A story of relationships. Exquisite storytelling. 4/5

5. The Human Line by Ellen Bass

“Poetry,” writes best-selling author Ellen Bass, “is the way I pay attention, appreciate, give praise, struggle, grieve, rage, and pray. It’s the way I embody my love for the world.”

Bass’s 7th book of poems. I love her style; she writes the sort of poems I aspire to write, but not nearly as successfully. 4/5

6. One Continuous Mistake: Four Noble Truths for Writers by Gail Sher

“We are what we repeatedly do,” Aristotle said. “Excellence . . . is not an act, but a habit.”

“What is the best way to write? Each of us has to discover her own way by writing. Writing teaches writing. No one can tell you your own secret.’

The four ways:

1. Writers write.
2. Writing is a process first.
3. You don’t know what your writing will be until the end of the process.
4. If writing is your practice, the only way to fail is to not write.

On writing as a spiritual practice. Much to be considered here, even if the Zen approach with emphasis on meditation is not my preferred approach. 4.5/5

7. Wild Comfort: The Solace of Nature by Kathleen Dean Moore

“This book moves from gladness to sorrow, as life often does, and climbs through what might be prayer or a kind of stillness, to restored meaning and hope, to peace, maybe even to celebration and the courage to be glad again.”

Meditative, resourceful. contemplative musings. 4.5/5

8. Drawing Mandala: Step-by-Step with Pictures by Nadia Hazem

30 pages of drawings, Zentangle-style. Not much insight. 2/5

9. I Praise My Destroyer: Poems by Diane Ackerman

Poetry by naturalist Diane Ackerman. Lush and vibrant. 4/5

10. Writing from the Senses: 59 Exercises to Ignite Creativity and Revitalize your Writing by Laura Deutsch

“Writing about the palette of place can create images in the mind as stunning as art or photography.”

A smattering of useful prompts for adding sensory details to writing. 3/5

11. The Red Tent by Anita Diamont

“If you want to understand any woman you must first ask about her mother and then listen carefully. Stories about food show a strong connection. Wistful silences demonstrate unfinished business. The more a daughter knows about the details of her mother’s life – without flinching or whining – the stronger the daughter.”

A historical novel told by Dinah, who is briefly mentioned in the Book of Genesis, and revolves around The Red Tent and the rites and rituals of ancient womanhood.

Audible. At 336 pages, this book was a good candidate for the audio version. 5/5

12. The Weather of Words: Poetic Inventions by Mark Strand

“We tend to be much more comfortable reading a novel when we don’t feel distracted by its language. What we want while reading a novel is to get on with it. A poem works the opposite way. It encourages slowness, encourages us to savor every word. It is in poetry that the power of language is most palpably felt.”

Essays about poetry. I prefer to read poetry than read words about poetry. 3/5

13. Allie and Bea by Catherine Ryan Hyde

This is not my sort of book. a light version of the developing relationship between an older widow who is financially struggling and a teen who is adrift after her parents’ arrest for fraud and then her encounter with a group home. Ugh.

I can only think I must have gotten a free copy. 2/5

14. The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr

This is one of my favorite books about memoir. I love Mary Karr’s ancedotes, especially when they are told in her own voice (Audible). I have both an Audible copy which I often listen to while traveling and a written copy which I peruse on occasion. She is a master storyteller, even when her subject is a literary form. 5/5

15. What We Carry by Dorianne Laux

Book of strong poetry; Laux writes with a storyteller quality. 4.5/5

16. The Language of Bleeding by Jessica Helen Lopez

English/Spanish poetry by New Mexican, Jessica Helen Lopez. Motherhood, womanhood, all written in distinctive and strong voice. 4/5

17. Haiku Mind: 108 Poems to Cultivate Awareness and Open Your Heart by Patricia Donegan

“Haiku mind is the awareness to tune in to the vastness of the moment. Actually to create and appreciate this tiny form of poetry, one needs a vast mind like the sky. This is known in Tibetan Buddhism as dzogchen: that our natural state of mind is vast and clear as the sky. When we can pause and relax in the moment, that is our haiku mind: the awakened, openhearted awareness that we can always tap into.”

A thematic collection of Haiku by both ancient writers (Basho, Issa…) and modern poets (Elizabeth Searle Lamb, Jack Kerouac…) with helpful and enjoyable commentary. Enjoyable.  5/5

February 2018

18. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Historical Fiction of a Korean family in Japan. Storytelling at its finest. Audible version. 5/5

19. Yellow Glove by Naomi Shihab Nye

Poetry by a favorite poet. 4.5/5

20. Darkness Visible: a Memoir of Madness by William Styron

“Depression is a disorder of mood, so mysteriously painful and elusive in the way it becomes known to the self—to the mediating intellect—as to verge close to being beyond description.”

Powerful memoir about depression. 4/5

21. Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 by David Sedaris

Diary entries that tell a rather convoluted story. Well received by the critics, but not my style. 3.5/5

22. A Trail through Leaves: The Journal as a Path to Place by Hannah Hinchman

I most enjoyed the early section of the book, lots of insight and personal anecdote on “why journal?” and journaling as a commonbook practice. 4/5

23. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

A classic that I somehow did not read until now. 5/5

24. A Woman’s Shed: Spaces for Women to Create, Write, Make, Grow, Think, and Escape by Gil Heriz

A gift. Not my thing. Ho hum. 3/5

25. The Garden of the Evening Mist by Tan Twan Eng

Beautifully written. Setting is Malaysia 1949. Gardening, The practice of the tattoo. Communist takeover. Well paced. Audible version. 5/5

26. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Another Audible listen. Well crafted story takes place in upper class Ohio suburbia. Adoption. Excellent. 5/5

27. Luminaries of the Humble by Elizabeth Woody

Poetry. 4/5

March 2018

28. The Round House by Louise Erdrich

A chronicler of Native American story. Touching. Heartbreaking. Eye-opening. 4.5/5

29. Fuel by Naomi Shihab Nye

Poetry collection. Engaging. 4.5/5

30. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Wow! An eye-opening tale of an adoption scandal in 1940s Memphis and parallel stories of two of the family lines affected. Audible version.  5/5

31. Potato Soup by Twyla M. Hansen

Went to a poetry reading by Hansen in Nebraska and purchased this book while there. Folksy, place poetry. 3/5

32. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Gave up 50 pages in. I love the premise — Lincoln’s story narrated by a dozen characters — but the writing did not hold my interest. 1/5

April 2018

33. The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller

Instructive guide for dealing with grief. Well researched, well-written, helpful. 4.5/5

34. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

One of my favorite books of late. But then I love books with New York City settings and I love books with maps, and NYC and a map are both integral to the story. This is a rather charming book about a journey undertaken by 85-year-old Lillian during which she recalls the highlights (and lowlights) of her life while walking through the streets of Manhattan on New Year’s Eve 1984. 4.5/5

35. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Sweeping historical novel beginning in Ghana, then America. Unforgettable characters, exquisite writing. Poignant. I usually base my Audible choices on length of books, figuring I get more for my money. That also allows me to absorb books I might not read due to length. Best is when I have both an Audible and Kindle copy and can switch back and forth depending on circumstances. this was the perfect sort of book for that approach. Complicated enough that it helped to read some of it thus grounding the characters and details in visual memory.  5/5

36. Educated by Tara Westover

Incredible memoir, vast in scope. From the wilderness in Idaho growing up with her isolationist, survivalist family who eschews government interference including education and medical care to a woman educated at Harvard and Cambridge. Choices – education and a new way of life or family and the old ways? 5/5

May 2018

37. Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

I must have picked up this book for a reason, but I should have put it down long before I did. I usually find redeeming bodies in story lines, but this was the exception. 1/5

38. Embrace Your Inner Wild: 52 Reflections for an Eco-centric World by Mary Reynolds Thompson

The sort of book I generally enjoy, but this read lukewarm to me. I skimmed the last 3/4s to see if there were hidden gems. Not for me. 2/5

39. Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements by Christine Valters Paintner

40. Registers of Illuminated Villages: Poems by Tarfia Faizullah

A selection of the Rumpus Poetry Book Club.

41. Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder

42. The Soul of a Pilgrim by Christine Valters PaintNer

43. Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mindfully through the Hours of the Day by Macrina Wiederkehr

44. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

45. Karen: A True Story Told by Her Mother by Marie Killilea

46. Spoke by Coleman

June 2018

47. The Art of Slow Writing: Reflections on Time, Craft, and Creativity by Louise DeSalvo

So much information jam-packed into this well-resourced writing book. 5/5

48. Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire

I like to read memoir that informs the work of writing my personal memoir:

Reading Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire, a memoir about being a child during the Cuban Revolution who was eventually sent to the US as part of the children’s airlift, Project Pedro Pan, in 1962. Eire gives many strong examples of telling the story from a child’s POV. In reading reviews of his work, readers seem to either love his writing or hate it, few in-betweens.

His fans applaud his vivid descriptions, his ability to take you within the scene, of his evocation of raw emotions. I am a fan, by the way. His critics maintain the memoir is light on the actual details of the Revolution and heavy on his privileged boyhood memories of living through the upheaval of the only worlds he has ever known – both in the changes of the political world of his country Cuba and in his personal world.

As a member of the upper-class Eire attended a parochial school with the country’s elite including the sons of Batista. Eire was the son of a judge, and so his perspective IS one of privilege. But to write the story in any other way would have been unrealistic and untrue. He knew of the Revolution from the personal experience of a pre-adolescent, not as a political insider. This is not the memoir to read if one wants political insight, although I find that the child’s POV insight of the regime change rings true and is eye-opening in a powerful way.

He was also the son of a father whose values were skewed towards clinging to the material world and not the filial world, and so must also deal with the betrayal and abandonment of his father, another subject woven throughout the pages and handled with skill.

49. Watermark by Joseph Brodsky

50. The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith

51. Vertigo: A Memoir by Louise DeSalvo

52. Long Journey: Contemporary Northwest Poets by David Biespiel

53. American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes

A selection of the Rumpus Poetry Book Club.

54. A Small Story about the Sky by Alberto Rios

In a book titled “A Small Story about the Sky,” I am most struck by his many poems that speak of the U.S./Mexico border, and how his border poetry is not at all a “small story” but speaks of a topic that is a looming giant, a story about division and heartbreak.

“We seem to live in a world of maps:

But in truth we live in a world made
Not of paper and ink but of people.
Those lines are our lives. Together.

Let us turn the map until we see clearly:
The border is what joins us,
Not what separates us.”

an excerpt from Border LInes

 

Desert Wisdom Cards, Series III — An Invitation!

image

Invitation – A Desert Wisdom Card

Step into my world, a world where the beauty and diversity of the desert is portrayed in photographs.

I invite you to look around. Be inspired.

Discover the desert and the incredible opportunities for sharing her wisdom.

I have selected a special set of eighteen photographs and coupled each photo with a single word for reflection, meditation, or as a journal prompt. I invite you to have a look at the Desert Wisdom Cards, Series III.

Desert Wisdom Cards Set III

Desert Wisdom Cards Set III © 2014 Bo Mackison

Announcing the Desert Wisdom Cards – Series III

After many more months of photographing the Sonoran Desert in the Southwest, choosing themes and cards that “spoke to me”, and then creating a new deck of cards and portfolio, the Desert Wisdom Cards – Series III are ready for you to enjoy.

These cards were not a part of my original creative plan, and yet, here they are.

As I wrote when I completed the second series, it was not my original plan to create a deck of only desert-focused cards. I’d planned a set of nature-based cards that included four themes – desert, shore, prairie, and mountain – plus a set of source cards the combined sets based on the template of a tarot deck.

I completed the first series of Desert Cards last October, and began to create the prairie cards. But the spark wasn’t there yet. I still have the photographs, I have the themes and concepts, but there was a strong need and desire to complete the desert set before considering a prairie set. And so I created the Desert Wisdom Cards – Second Series last March.

Still the desert called.

Today the third series of Desert Wisdom Cards is ready.  With this set, the series is complete.

Desert Wisdom Cards Set III

Desert Wisdom Cards Set III – Portfolio Shown with 4 of the 18 Cards © 2014 Bo Mackison

What are Desert Wisdom Cards?

The Desert Wisdom Cards – Series III are a set of 18 hand-made cards used for reflection and inspiration. Each card has a photograph of the awe-inspiring Sonoran Desert and a single word for contemplation, reflection, or as a prompt for journal writing.

The card set is now available in a hand crafted, limited edition of 26, numbered and signed.

How were the Desert Wisdom Cards first created?

I created all three sets of Desert Wisdom Cards for use during my morning routine, focusing on the photograph for inspiration and reflection. I also use the cards as prompts for journal writing and as a springboard for art and nature projects.

While working with my desert photographs, I discovered that the process allowed me to use my art for daily reflection,  problem solving and goal setting.

The cards became a framework to consider choices, make plans, and instigate changes in life — while providing structure for an in-depth creative practice.

Click here for more information on the Desert Wisdom Cards

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Sampling of Covers of the Limited Edition Sets ©2014 Bo Mackison

How to use Desert Wisdom Cards:

They are perfect to use as a mini-set for meditation, inspiration and contemplation. A few useful suggestions include:

  • Choose a daily card as a focus card during meditation.
  • Choose a card as a journal or art prompt.
  • Enrich your spiritual practice through contemplation of the desert and nature.
  • Inspire and nurture your creative muse.
  • Use a three card spread, similar to a Tarot spread, and consider past, present, and future.
  • Other Tarot style spreads are easily used with the Desert Wisdom Cards.
  • Use a card for writing practice, considering symbols, metaphors and other elements found in the photo and inspired by the card’s single word.

Of course, these are only suggestions. As you work with the cards you will find your own unique ways to incorporate the cards into your practice, routine, or ritual.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Desert Wisdom Cards – Series III ©2014 Bo Mackison

Set Specifications:

The Desert Wisdom Card set includes 18 cards, storage portfolio, and four page user’s guide. The cards also fit in the four flap portfolio that comes with the original set.

A desert-hued portfolio complements the cards.

This set of cards comes in a hand decorated folded portfolio, similar to the portfolio for the Second Series. Each portfolio is hand decorated with ink, acrylics and metallic paint. Designed in the color palette of the desert, the folder is unique and a mini-work of art in itself.

A four page guide is also included in the set.

This guide offers suggestions for using the cards, including activities that focus on the body, mind and spirit. Also included in the booklet is information on the evolution of the cards and additional resources for nature and art related activities.

Special thanks to James Wells who graciously shared his method of delving deeply into tarot cards using multiple activities for body, mind and spirit. What a great resource this was, as I adapted many of his activities for the Desert Wisdom Card guide-book.

The cards are 7.5 inches by 4.5 inches. Each card features a color photograph of the Sonoran Desert and a single word for reflection.

Each card is printed on a cylinder letterpress, type set by hand, and printed using a vintage (1940s) Vandercook No.3 Letterpress.

The cards come in a hand crafted, folding portfolio. Each portfolio is embellished with ink, acrylics and metallic paint. Designed in the color palette of the desert, the folder is unique and a mini-work of art in itself.

Click here for more information on the Desert Wisdom Cards

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Detail of Desert Wisdom Cards Portfolio ©2014 Bo Mackison

How to Purchase a Set of Desert Wisdom Cards?

The Desert Wisdom Cards – Set III are now available in my Etsy shop.

$55.00 for set of 18 cards, tie portfolio, and guide-book.

The Third Series completes a 56 card deck when combined with Series I and Series II.

Set II is also available on Etsy.

And a thank you!

It is indeed a privilege to share my Wisdom Cards with you. Thank you.

~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Following One’s Creative Heart – And Announcing the Desert Wisdom Cards, Series II

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

A Selection of Cards from Desert Wisdom Cards – Series II ©2014 Bo Mackison

I am so excited to announce the completion of the Second Series of the Desert Wisdom Cards!

After months of photographing the Sonoran Desert, choosing themes and cards that “spoke to me”, and then creating a new deck of cards and a new portfolio — the Desert Wisdom Cards – Series II are done.

The second series of desert cards were not actually a part of my “creative plan.”

Originally, I planned to create a set of nature based cards that included four themes – desert, shore, prairie, and mountain – plus a set of source cards, based loosely on the template of a tarot deck. I completed the Desert Cards last October, and began the prairie cards. But the spark wasn’t there. I had photographs, I had the themes and concepts, but there was no magic in the work.

I was stunned, for a long while. I love the prairie almost as much as I love the desert. In fact, it was my first love. I persisted for months, but never was able to muster the same sort of enthusiasm and magic that I felt when I would work on desert-themed projects.

And so I stored my nature set ideas in a box for future consideration, and I went back to my desert and her inspiration.

Voila! The magic was immediately back!

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Awakening – A Desert Wisdom Card ©2014 Bo Mackison

What are Desert Wisdom Cards?

The Desert Wisdom Cards – Series II are a set of 14 hand-made cards used for reflection and inspiration. Each card has a photograph of the beautiful Sonoran Desert and a single word for contemplation, reflection, or as a prompt for journal writing.

The card set is only available in a hand crafted, limited edition of 26, numbered and signed.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

A Sampling of Covers of these Limited Edition Sets ©2014 Bo Mackison

How were the Desert Wisdom Cards first created?

I created the set of Desert Wisdom Cards to use during my morning practice, focusing on the photograph for inspiration and reflection. I also use the cards as prompts for journal writing, and as a springboard for art and nature projects.

While contemplating my desert photographs during my morning meditation and journal practice, I discovered that the process not only allowed me to use my art for healing, but also provided me with a system that promoted problem solving and goal setting.

The cards became a framework to consider choices, make plans, and instigate changes in life — while providing structure for an in-depth creative practice.

To read the story of how I first created Desert Wisdom Cards, see my blog post, “Beyond — The World.

Little did I know when I began creating contemplative photo cards, it would become a catalyst to create the Desert Wisdom Cards and help me discover the great “Beyond”. And that “Beyond” became a new way of whole-hearted living, based on nature and creativity, combined with my photography.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Desert Wisdom Cards – Series II ©2014 Bo Mackison

A new portfolio complements the cards.

This set of cards comes in a completely restyled, hand decorated folded portfolio. Each portfolio is individually decorated with ink, acrylics and metallic paint. Designed in the color palette of the desert, each folder is unique and a mini-work of art in itself.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Desert Cards with Paper Portfolio ©2014 Bo Mackison

NEW! A special guide is now included in the set.

This four page pamphlet offers suggestions for using the cards, including activities for body, mind and spirit. Also included in the booklet is information on the evolution of the cards and additional resources for nature and art related activities.

And a special thanks to James Wells who graciously shared his method of delving deeply into tarot cards using multiple activities for body, mind and spirit. This was a great source when I was adapting activities for Desert Wisdom Card guide book.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Detail of Desert Wisdom Cards Portfolio ©2014 Bo Mackison

Set Specifications:

The cards are 7.5 inches by 4.5 inches. Each card includes one of my color photographs of the Sonoran Desert and a single word for reflection.

Each card is printed on a cylinder letterpress, the type set by hand and then printed using a vintage (1940s) Vandercook No.3 Letterpress.

This set of cards comes in a hand crafted, folded portfolio. Each portfolio is individually decorated with ink, acrylics and metallic paint. Designed in the color palette of the desert, each folder is unique and a mini-work of art in itself.

The Desert Wisdom Card set includes 14 cards, storage portfolio, and a four page pamphlet with suggestions for using the cards. The cards will also fit in the four flap portfolio that comes with the original set, the Desert Wisdom Cards – Series I.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Self Care – A Desert Wisdom Card ©2014 Bo Mackison

How to use the set of Desert Wisdom Cards:

They are perfect to use as a mini-set for meditation, inspiration and contemplation. A few useful suggestions include:

  • Choose a daily card as a focus card during meditation.
  • Choose a card as a journal or art prompt.
  • Enrich your spiritual practice through contemplation of the desert and nature.
  • Inspire and nurture your creative muse.

Of course, these are only suggestions. If you are guided in a different way to use the cards, by all means follow your heart.

Desert Wisdom Cards - Series II

Connection – A Desert Wisdom Card © 2014 Bo Mackison

How to Purchase a Set of Desert Wisdom Cards?

The Desert Wisdom Cards – Set II are now available in my Etsy shop.

$45.00 for the portfolio, set of 14 cards, and the guide book.

They also make a perfect complement to the original set of Desert Wisdom Cards.

Both sets of cards were also planned to combine beautifully. Although the portfolios are different in look, the card template is the same. When combining the two sets, there are 38 cards in the deck. This offers combinations and possibilities for more complex uses and spreads.

And finally, a thank you!

I thank so many of you, my supporters and friends, and especially Sherpa and my family in the Midwest, for your love and support as these cards evolved and were created.

Living and creating in the Sonoran Desert feeds and strengthens my body, mind and spirit.

It is truly a gift for me to live and work here, yet I understand that it is a sacrifice for many of my love ones. For this opportunity and for your understanding, I am truly grateful.

 

Bookmaking in the Sonoran Desert – Featuring Journey and Discovery

Flying Across the Sky

Flying Across the Sky © 2014 Bo Mackison

“Real travel is not about the highlights with which you dazzle your friends once you’re home. It’s about the loneliness, the solitude, the evenings spent by yourself, pining to be somewhere else. Those are the moments of true value. You feel half proud of them and half ashamed and you hold them to your heart.” ~ Tahir Shah

There was an afternoon when the desert floor was still and heat rose like fire.

I packed a bag with supplies and traveled to Madera Canyon, found an isolated site high in the Santa Rita Mountains, with the summit of Mt Wrightson in view, and there I spread out paper and magazines, scissors and glue. And readied to create.

I typically work quickly, intuitively.

But on this April afternoon I had a dear companion with me, and she is more meticulous, more exact in her creative pursuits. And so I slowed my pace and we worked companionably together.

My tiny accordion book, set into a pair of four-inch square canvas boards, started out simple. As I worked the layers became more complicated. I hid parts I wanted to let disappear into the past, and added features I wanted to remember.

The little book eventually told a part of my story, my Arizona-Wisconsin dichotomy.

I explored my desire to be in two places at the same time – to remain in the desert where I feel a deep, soul connection,  yet also to be with my loved ones in Wisconsin.

Impossible in life, but not impossible in my art.

Book Making in the Sonoran Desert - Flying Across the Sky

Flying Across the Sky © 2014 Bo Mackison

“…flying is like throwing your soul into the heavens and racing to catch it as it falls.” ~ Linda Howard

Dichotomy

Flying. I request a next-to-the-window seat. Always.
So I can stare into the sky, lose myself in thick cloud cover, or watch the country far below,
farmland platted in tiny squares, river snakes,
mountains rise from plains, sunlight slides across the face of the earth, then disappears.

I watch cities and towns morph into dots of lights.
Each time I board a plane, it’s as if I toss my soul towards the heavens,
then breathe with calm intention ’til I reconnect with land
and my soul again searches for desert red. And settles.

Book Making in the Sonoran Desert - Flying Across the Sky

Tree Cholla, Snowy Saguaro, Monument Valley © 2014 Bo Mackison

“Over the years, one comes to measure a place, too, not just for the beauty it may give, the balminess of its breezes, the insouciance and relaxation it encourages, the sublime pleasures it offers, but for what it teaches. The way in which it alters our perception of the human. It is not so much that you want to return to indifferent or difficult places, but that you want to not forget.” ~ Barry Lopez

There are no guarantees.
I’ll readily admit, I came to the desert Southwest for its healing sunshine,
sunlight that could flip a switch in my brain, drench it in
neurotransmitters to make smiling easier than weeping.

I continue to come for that boost, and yes, tree cholla with
golden auras gleaming in the waning sun are also beyond breathtaking.
Reflecting sunlight burrows deep into my being.

Saguaro with a freakish coat of snow are equally mystical.
Desert mountains – green with riparian water, yellow in a blaze of autumn sycamore leaves,
or black in the desert night – they are all magical.

Book Making in the Sonoran Desert - Flying Across the Sky

Calming, Influence, Aspen Smile © 2014 Bo Mackison

“To be at peace, does not mean that you are amiss of every storm, it only means that you can find a calm within the storm.”
~ Tania Elizabeth

I talk to trees. The connection is energy,
I rest my hands upon their bark, lay my cheek against their rough grain.

I have leaned the art of calming under the influence of this land –
sky islands stretch – from Lower Sonoran Desert habitat dotted with saguaros
to near alpine conditions, bald rock dotted with firs.
Akin to traveling from Northern Mexico to southern Canada.

But always. Always.
I yearn to return to the desert floor, to the spaciousness and solitude that warm my spirit.

Book Making in the Sonoran Desert - Flying Across the Sky

Map, Yellow Car, Arizona Plates © 2014 Bo Mackison

“A map does not just chart, it unlocks and formulates meaning; it forms bridges between here and there, between disparate ideas that we did not know were previously connected.” ~ Reif Larsen

Moments measure time; maps measure travel.
As desert spring blasts its way into desert summer,
my time to leave the desert approaches.
Each moment becomes more precious as I cross off the remaining days.

I spread maps upon my desk and ponder routes,
choose the blue roads, the dotted roads, roads that may or may not be passable.
I’ll take that risk. Travel the small towns and villages,
stay in court motels, feast at diners with the locals.

It is my way of easing into my return.

Book Making in the Sonoran Desert - Flying Across the Sky

Journey, the Journal © 2014 Bo Mackison

“…where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.” ~ Hermann Hesse

The journey, I anticipate it even as I mourn my leaving.
Anticipation and loss held simultaneously.
I’ll hold the days of travel in my memory, scribble in my journal as the miles accumulate.
Nearly illegible, though, since I keep my focus on the road as I scrawl my notes.

These are brief notes, triggers for later transcription –
a name of a town, the population, a hand painted sign that tells a story.

The washes and dry river beds I cross.
Dead Wash. Red Wash. Car Wash. Dirty Laundry River.
Humor abounds in geographical monikers.

Washes gradually turn into meandering creeks,
then into singing streams and raging rivers.

As I travel, mapping the earth,
it is joyful, yet bittersweet.
Palpable. My heart pounds with the unexpected sights.

I am exultant and saddened, hesitant and expectant.
I want to slow and speed time concurrently.
There is much to practice, this being in the moment of traveling.

That is my journey.