what the soul says
the voice prays
the prayer breathes
the breath thunders
the thunder reflects
the reflection shimmers
the shimmer speaks of being
what the soul says
November 29, 2020 by
How To Embrace the Approach of Winter
November 26, 2020 by
How To Embrace the Approach of Winter
Ask the wind to carry the seed.
Walk with passion.
Make peace with the declining light.
Nourish with cups of kindness.
Comfort those in distress.
Step boldly into each day.
in the shifting winds
November 16, 2020 by
in the shifting winds
~ bo mackison
when the brilliant blaze of orange fades
& autumn’s yellows shift toward brown
when the apples’ fruit turns bitter
and the graying clouds gather
now is the time to investigate the mystery
of the ordinary,
the fading light,
the lengthening shadows:
it is there for the taking.
what i notice while walking in the late autumn woods – a poem
October 31, 2020 by
what i notice while walking in the late autumn woods
beneath my feet, the crunch of withered leaves
above, the sway of oaks in their thinning yellow dresses
the tree trunks with their insect tracks exposed,
connect the earth and sky
the verdant green fades;
the black of earth compost thickens
listen:
an occasional bird
a squirrel rustling
a falling leaf
here are two effigy mounds
built a thousand years ago:
a long-tailed water serpent —
guardian of the underworld
and a bird — representing
the upper world sky realm
here is a spring
half covered with autumn’s detritus
still bubbling clean
a thin place
underworld portal
autumn’s thinning
hallow’s eve
connections to the Otherworld
Contemplative Creatives Journey (CCJ) — It’s Like a Box of Chocolates
September 15, 2020 by
Every three months I send out my newest offer for my online workshop and community, Contemplative Creatives Journey (CCJ). It’s part Miksang (contemplative) photography course, part mandala making, part poetry writing. There are a lot of moving parts of CCJ and they come together, incredibly, to create a container for exploration, discovery, sharing.
There is shared content almost daily. The practice has evolved to include Tile Poetry Tuesday, Phenology Friday, and a Sunday Miksang Photo Prompt. In between, there are deep-dive explorations into the practices of artists and poets… think Emily Dickinson, Paulus Berensohn, Emily Carr. (If you don’t recognize all of these creative folks, you might want to look them up. I promise you’ll be inspired. And if their creative work sings sweetly to you, you might really love the Artist Explorations in CCJ.)
Now, if this all sounds like way too much to add to your already complicated day, no worries. Truly, you could fully participate and spend only 10-15 minutes a day on creative explorations. But more importantly, no one is ever expected to create according to a schedule or create at all. It’s all self-paced. Some folks create and write and share in the group almost daily; others peek in and are inspired by the group, but never participate. Most are somewhere in between. It’s all good!
CCJ is like a box of chocolates. You don’t open a box of fine chocolates and eat every single piece at one sitting. You pick and choose your favorites to enjoy first, and then you might sample a couple of new-to-you-flavors. And there are those few jelly filled chocolates that you give away. CCJ is like that box of chocolates — there will be a few favorites, you might sample something totally new, and there will be a few practices you’ll let others enjoy.
And one of the best parts of CCJ? The supportive and kind community of participants who will cheer your efforts, share in your discoveries, and expand your creative connections.
If this sounds interesting, check out my Winter CCJ Offer. We begin on the winter solstice, December 21st. Registration is open through December 31, 2020.
