CONTEMPLATIVE CREATIVES JOURNEY — SPRING 2020

JOIN ME FOR THE SPRING SEASON OF THE ONLINE WORKSHOP THAT EXPLORES–AND CELEBRATES–THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY

This gently guided journey with Bo has infused my existing practices with renewed energy. Her exquisite leadership is informed by experience, training and soulful instinct. I consider her a modem mystic. ~ Mary Anne em Radmacher

If the words contemplative and creative have a sweet juiciness for you and you’re interested in a different sort of online workshop, read on:

There is no firm schedule but plenty of opportunities to explore, play, create, muse, share, enjoy. There is no planned curriculum, but lots of surprises and serendipity. There are no expectations, but infinite possibilities. There are no formal objectives, but an always-available way to engage and interact with your world through art, nature and the written word.

I combine my roles as curator of life experiences, writer, artist, Certified Kaizen-Muse creativity coach, and Certified Miksang (contemplative) photography instructor to offer you a meaningful and fulfilling online workshop with a well-established active community of fellow journeyers.

Contemplative Creative Manifesto © 2019 Bo Mackison

In community and individually, we explore these themes:

word * vision * place

WORD

This practice focuses on how to connect — to the world, community, and self — using words. We’ll play with words, explore words, and connect nature and place using words. We’ll write poetry – tile poetry, collaborative poetry, and poetry art using found words and pictures. You don’t need to consider yourself a writer to enjoy these practices, but anyone with an established writing practice will surely delight in them.

VISION

We’ll create mandalas, individually and collectively. I find this to be a lovely spring practice as we’ll focus on nature and growth and the many opportunities found in the outdoors. It’s a pocket-practice — the practice requires only a small container of basic supplies that can travel almost anywhere.

Mandala in Tulip Pots © 2019 Bo Mackison

We’ll explore the practice of Miksang Contemplative Photography, focusing on the study of 1) color, pattern, and texture and 2) interacting with your ordinary and personal world. We’ll also explore the spring’s qualities — its passions, moods, style, and symbols — as part of the Miksang practice. (All types of cameras and skill levels are perfect for this practice.)

PLACE:

Throughout the warming days of spring, we’ll continue the weekly observational practice of backyard phenology – the study of nature’s calendar. It’s an ever-present, in-the-present survey of the cycles of plants and animals in your natural world that is accessible to all.

The Making of a Season © 2019 Bo Mackison

Bo Mackison is an insightful, talented and inspirational art, photography and writing creativity coach and teacher. Bo’s wide range of artistic knowledge along with her life experiences makes her the artist and writer’s trusted advisor. I highly recommend Bo as a mentor, teacher, trainer, and speaker. ~ Jeanette Richardson Herring, Author and Artist

MY SPRING OFFER:

YOU WILL RECEIVE REGULAR — AND RANDOM — PROMPTS AND EXPLORATIONS.

Together we’ll explore themes and creative practices that inspire and encourage, elicit wonder and awe, uplift your spirit and feed your soul.

This is a practice that:

  • gently weaves itself throughout your day
  • illuminates the extraordinary in the ordinary, celebrates the uncommon in the common
  • offers ways of interacting with “place” that highlight the wonder of and connection with nature, no matter where you live, work and play.

We begin March 19th, 2020, the first day of Spring, and we journey together until June 19th, 2020.

New participants are welcome to join CCJ during the Spring Season. The first weeks of our practice will include introductions to the practices of collaborative poetry writing, how to begin a mandala practice, the basics of Miksang (contemplative) photography, and the study of phenology.

Due to unexpected circumstances, I will be offering the Spring workshop to past participants, only. This will allow me to continue offering these practices but reduce my workload at a time when this is necessary. Regular programming will resume in Autumn, welcoming new members at that time. Thanks for understanding the need to adapt to my current situation.

Enter this Sanctuary © 2019 Bo Mackison

If you’re searching for sanctuary, a place to recharge so you can show up bright and energized for the demands of living in today’s noisy world, this might be the workshop community that offers what you most need and desire.

Whether you have a fully equipped art room or a box of simple supplies you store in a closet, you’ll find new ways to create. Hints on how to see or create in new ways will offer you unlimited possibilities for exploration and all practices are easily incorporated into your everyday routine.

Come along and explore the creative and contemplative life with spaciousness and spontaneity.

A Miksang Contemplative Photography Mosaic © 2019 Bo Mackison
created with photos from CCJ members

What I love about CCJ is that it’s familiar but new, every season. Sometimes I’m all in with the week’s subjects and explorations, sometimes life calls me away and that’s fine. Over the seasons it has grown to live inside me with gentle noticing, relishing, photographing and doodling the truth of my life and has become a gentle touchstone throughout. ~ Liz Crain, ceramicist

WHEN:

The SPRING journey is 13 weeks long. March 19th through June 19th, 2020.

HOW:

We gather together in a private group on Facebook. All content is shared on this private group page and can show up anytime. Surprise and serendipity! You’re encouraged to share your discoveries and experiences in the private group however and whenever you choose.

This guided and easily accessible process allows you to engage in the practice in whatever way is best for you.

A handsome PDF booklet featuring content from the 13-week session is provided at the end of the season as a helpful ongoing resource.

THE COST:

I offer you my knowledge, my skills, my presence, my enthusiasm, and my ongoing daily contemplative practices. The cost for this Spring journey and an active sharing community remains at the all-inclusive price of $99.00.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE:

Registration is open until March 20, 2020.

Register here through PayPal. Thank you.

~~~~~~

BO MACKISON is an artist, poet, photographer, certified Kaisen-Muse creativity coach, Nalanda Miksang photography instructor, hands-on workshop presenter, and a woman who has spent her entire adult life surviving/thriving with the help of the creative practices she now shares. She is the founder of Contemplative Creatives Journey, an Online Seasonal Workshop. Bo has been offering creative and contemplative programs for women since 2014. She’s been told her workshops have changed people’s lives for the better; she knows this to be true.

Contemplative Creatives Journey – Winter 2018-19

JOIN ME FOR THE WINTER SEASON OF THE WORKSHOP THAT EXPLORES – AND CELEBRATES – THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY

This gently guided journey with Bo has infused my existing practices with renewed energy. Her exquisite leadership is informed by experience, training and soulful instinct. I consider her a modem mystic. ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

If the words contemplative and creative have a sweet juiciness for you and you’re interested in a different sort of online workshop, read on:

  • no schedule, but lots of serendipity.
  • no planned curriculum, but lots of surprises.
  • no expectations, but infinite possibilities.
  • no formal objectives, but an always-available way to engage and interact with your world through art, nature and the written word.

I combine my roles as curator of life experience, writer, artist, Certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach, and Certified Miksang Contemplative Photography instructor to offer you a meaningful and fulfilling online workshop with a well-established active community component.

Nine Square Mandalas © 2018 Bo Mackison

In community and individually, we explore these themes:

word * vision * place

WORD

This practice focuses on how to connect — to the world, community, and self — using words. We’ll play with words, explore words, and connect nature and place using words. We’ll write poetry – tile poetry, collaborative poetry, and poetry art using found words and pictures. You don’t need to consider yourself a writer to enjoy these practices, but anyone with an established writing practice will surely delight in them.

VISION

We’ll create mandalas, individually and collectively. I find this to be an especially beneficial winter practice since the early morning darkness offers me a quiet time to create, but this is a practice that can be done at anytime and anywhere. It’s a pocket-practice — the practice requires only a small container of basic supplies that can travel almost anywhere.

We’ll explore the practice of Miksang Contemplative Photography, focusing on the practices of 1) light and shadow and 2) interacting with your ordinary and personal world. (All types of cameras and skill levels are fine.)

PLACE:

Throughout the short winter days of winter, we’ll continue the weekly observational practice of backyard phenology – the study of nature’s calendar, an ever-present, in-the-present survey of the cycles of plants and animals in your natural world.

We’ll incorporate ideas from “The Book of Hours,” a contemplative practice derived from ancient practices that focus on mindfulness practices, throughout our days.

Bo Mackison is an insightful, talented and inspirational art, photography and writing creativity coach and teacher. Bo’s wide range of artistic knowledge along with her life experiences makes her the artist and writer’s trusted advisor. I highly recommend Bo as a mentor, teacher, trainer and speaker. ~Jeanette Richardson Herring, Author and Artist

MY WINTER OFFER:

YOU WILL RECEIVE REGULAR — AND RANDOM — PROMPTS AND EXPLORATIONS.

Together we’ll explore themes and creative practices that inspire and encourage, elicit wonder and awe, uplift your spirit and feed your soul.

This is a practice that:

  • gently weaves itself throughout your day
  • illuminates the extraordinary in the ordinary, celebrates the uncommon in the common
  • offers ways of interacting with place that highlight the wonder of and connection with nature, no matter where you live, work and play.

We begin December 1st, 2018 as winter approaches and we’ll journey together until March 14th, 2019.

New participants are welcome to join CCJ in the Winter Season. The first weeks of our practice will include introductions to the practices of collaborative poetry writing, creating a mandala practice, Miksang contemplative photography and the study of phenology.

If you searching for a place of sanctuary, a place to recharge so you can show up bright and energized for the demands of living in today’s world, this might be the workshop community you seek.

Whether you have a fully equipped art room or a box of simple supplies you store in a closet, you’ll find new ways to create. Hints on how to see or create in new ways will offer you unlimited possibilities for exploration and are easily incorporated into your everyday routine.

Come along and explore the creative and contemplative life with spaciousness and spontaneity.

WINTER SOLSTICE © 2018 Bo Mackison

WHEN:

The WINTER journey is 14 weeks long.  December 1, 2018 through March 14, 2019.

HOW:

Private community on Facebook. All content is shared on a private Facebook group page and can show up anytime. Surprise and serendipity! You are encouraged to share your discoveries and experiences in the private group however and whenever you choose.

This guided and easily accessible process allows you to engage in the practice in whatever way is best for you.

A handsome PDF booklet featuring content from the 14 week session is provided at the end of the season as a helpful ongoing resource.

THE COST:

I offer you my knowledge, my skills, my presence and my enthusiasm. The cost for this winter journey and an active sharing community remains at the all-inclusive price of $99.00.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE:

Registration is now open.

Register here through PayPal.

~~~~~

BO MACKISON is an artist, poet, photographer, certified Kaisen-Muse creativity coach, Nalanda Miksang Photography Instructor, hands-on workshop presenter, and a woman who has spent her entire adult life surviving and thriving with the help of the creative practices she now shares with others. She is the founder of Contemplative Creatives Journey, an Online Seasonal Workshop. Bo has been offering creative and contemplative programs for women since 2014. She’s been told her workshops have changed people’s lives for the better. She believes this to be true.

CONTEMPLATIVE CREATIVES JOURNEY – AUTUMN 2017

ANNOUNCING THE AUTUMN SEASON OF THE WORKSHOP THAT EXPLORES  AND CELEBRATES – THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY

The autumn journey is now in progress. I anticipate offering a winter journey which will begin December 15, 2017. If interested, please email me at bo at bomackison.com and I will add you to a information list.

This gently guided journey with Bo has infused my existing practices with renewed energy. Her exquisite leadership is informed by experience, training and soulful instinct. I consider her a modem mystic. ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

If the words contemplative and creative have a sweet juiciness for you and you’re interested in a different sort of online workshop, read on.

  • Instead of schedules, I offer serendipity.
  • Instead of a planned curriculum, I offer surprises.
  • Instead of expectations, I offer possibilities.
  • Instead of learned objectives, I offer an always-available way to engage and interact with the world through art, nature and the written word.

I combine my roles as curator of life experience, writer, artist, Certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach, and certified Miksang Contemplative Photography instructor to offer you a meaningful and fulfilling workshop. (Although I am fond of the phrase playshop!)

MY AUTUMN OFFER:

YOU WILL RECEIVE REGULAR AND RANDOM PROMPTS, QUESTIONS, AND EXPLORATIONS.

Together we will explore themes and creative practices that inspire and encourage, elicit wonder and awe, uplift your spirit and feed your soul.

This is not a practice that requires you set aside a certain amount of time each day (unless that is your desire.) Instead, it is this:

  • a practice that gently weaves itself throughout your day
  • a practice that illuminates the extraordinary in the ordinary, celebrates the uncommon in the common
  • ways of interacting with place that highlight the wonder of and connection with nature, no matter where you live, work and play.

We begin September 15th, as autumn approaches, and we’ll journey together until December 15th.

Together we will walk on a journey of increased awareness of the miracles and beauty of the ordinary, and a renewed awareness of the cycles of autumn as we move from the light of summer towards winter’s darkness. During this time we will explore dozens of creative and contemplative practices.

There is a strong community and collaborative aspect in the group, but it is always invitation and opportunity, never a requirement.

In community and individually, we explore these themes:

word * vision * place

WORD

This practice focuses on how to connect — to the world, community, and self — using words. We will play with words, explore words, and connect nature and place using words.

I’ll share many ways to create poetry, even if you do not consider yourself a poet or a writer. Many of the writing practices are collaborative invitations.

We will play with words – tile poetry, collaborative poetry, and poetry art using found words and pictures.

VISION

Mandala making will include the practice of using colored pencils on black paper while exploring Autumn’s deeper palette of colors.

The photography component will focus on Miksang contemplative photography practices. Focus: the practice of seeing details and interacting with your ordinary and personal world. (All types of cameras and skill levels are fine.)

PLACE:

As AUTUMN approaches and the days shorten in the northern hemisphere, we’ll continue the practice of backyard phenology – the study of nature’s calendar, an ever-present, in-the-present survey of the cycles of plants and animals in your natural world.

We’ll work with the concepts from “The Book of Hours” derived from an ancient contemplative practice that focuses on mindfulness practices at different times of the day.

Flight of the Autumn Leaves © 2017 Bo Mackison

Bo has created a safe and sacred space for creativity to flourish, respite to abide, and healing to occur – no matter what is happening in our internal or external worlds. The vulnerable and honest sharing of her own creative practices has invited me more deeply into my own. I cannot recommend this offering or her heart on others’ behalf highly enough. ~ Ronna Detrick

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU CLARIFY:  

Are you searching for a place of sanctuary, a place to recharge your inner battery so you can show up bright and energized for the demands of living in today’s world?

Would you benefit from a creative practice that can be done in free moments? What if instead of checking social media whenever a spare moment arises, you chose to check in with yourself instead?  Would you benefit from a contemplative practice that focuses on a stronger connection with yourself and with the present?

Do you thrive with to do lists? Do you do your best, most creative work on a schedule while meeting deadlines? If your answer is yes, then this workshop will likely be a different sort of experience. Are you ready for this kind of change? Then come along and explore the creative and contemplative life with spaciousness and spontaneity.

Do you have the right kind of supplies? You create with the simplest of supplies, things you likely already own.

  • Paper of any sort, i.e. sketchbooks, a journal, ephemera. Black paper will be used for mandala making.
  • Any sort of mark-making media you already have, i.e. pens, pencils, markers, pastels, paints.
  • Camera of your choice (Cell phone camera is fine.)
  • Mixed media supplies such as old magazines, household ephemera, a glue stick.

Whether you have a fully equipped art room or a box of simple supplies you store in a closet, you’ll find new ways to create. Surprises and nudges will get your creative juices flowing. Hints on how to see or create in new ways will offer you unlimited possibilities for exploration and are easily incorporated into your everyday routine.

WHEN:

The Autumn journey is 14 weeks long.  September 15th through December 15, 2017.

HOW:

Private community on Facebook. Everything is delivered to a private Facebook group page and may show up anytime. Surprise and serendipity! You are encouraged to share your discoveries and experiences in the private group however and whenever you choose.

This guided and easily accessible process allows you to engage in the practice wherever and whenever you choose.

THE COST:

I offer you my knowledge, my skills, my presence and my enthusiasm. The cost for the 14 week journey and an active sharing community is $99.00.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE:

Registration is now open. You can use the PayPal link below.

Click here to register through PayPal 

I do hope you will join me.