I planted Belladonna seeds today; I found the seeds in my seed box in an envelope with a hand written label that I don't recognize. I received belladonna seeds before; they were a gift from one of my cultural anthropology teachers many years ago. She is also a high priestess in the Wiccan tradition. I first met her in 1996 when I was attending the local community college. I took every course she offered in the Anthropology department and went on to earn my bachelor's degree in Anthropology. I didn't plant the seeds then; I didn't think I was ready for that kind of power.

During that time frame, I would happen across my teacher's path at the most interesting times in my life; usually times of personal upheaval.  Somewhere around the year 2000 I met year at a home department store and she mentioned she would be teaching a class on roses for the Learning Exchange. How could I possibly resist that invitation?  I didn't know why but the appeal of taking a class on the culinary use of roses was tremendous. I went home and registered.

The afternoon of roses was delightful.  She taught us about the history of the use of roses as well as some of the culinary benefits, medicinal uses, and the magic that comes with every herb in the kingdom. We made rose hip jelly, rose bath salts, rose skin salve, and made rose garland for the holidays. At the end of the afternoon she casually mentioned that she would be teaching an herbal apprenticeship that would begin the following month in her home. I didn't really know what that was but I felt absolutely compelled to join in.

I was a little apprehensive as the beginning of the course came around. When I arrived at her house I felt like I had entered a magic place like no other.  Her herb garden, at the entrance of the house was amazing; the house itself was crazy!  There were books, art, talismans, magic items, fabrics, tarot decks, tapestries, antiques and things I didn't have any idea about. I felt like I walked into a powerful folktale and that my personal transformation was inevitable. We met one weekend a month for nine months and I learned about so many beautiful herbs.  Some of my favorite include lemon balm, lavender, jasmine and rosemary.  Oh, and roses of course.

At the end of this program, she mentioned she would be co-teaching in another herb program at the Morning Sun Herb Farm starting the following summer. How could I possible resist? A year later, I started in yet another apprenticeship program with her, this time connected to earth based spirituality and my interest in women's circles with a focus on spirituality blossomed into a twenty plus year experience which includes a master's program in Women's Spirituality.

Somewhere along the timeline, she invited me to attend a program she called Magical Middle School!  No surprise, I couldn't resist. At the end of the this program she offered participants the opportunity to go through an initiation to mark the completion of the second level of study. This would be my first experience in a ritual and I was a little nervous.  The ritual was beautiful, and very significant. At the end of the journey she offered Belladonna seeds to me; I accepted even though it was apparent the seeds were for a powerful plant.

Belladonna has quite a history with connections to Romeo and Juliet and to the renaissance women of Italy. It is also known as Deadly Nightshade. Belladonna is highly toxic yet is used in a variety of medicines; it is an ingredient in the medicine that dilates your eyes at the optometrist's office. It is also an ingredient in witches flying ointment which is a green salve with hallucinogenic properties; this also dates back to the middle ages.  I've never tried flying ointment myself.

At this point in my life, I feel that I am ready for the lessons that will come with inviting such a powerful entity into my space. The planting of the seeds invited reflection and gratitude to all of my teachers along the way; humans, plants, experiences and the process of using art as personal sacred practice.

On an energetic level, I feel that belladonna is quite a seductress and if she were in human form I'm confident she would be wearing dark purple flowing silk and lots of sparkly silver jewelry with ribbons woven into her long hair. And then there is Stevie Nicks' version as well. 

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXwo-cU5S0

Greetings Goddess Tribe,
Regardless of spiritual path or religious house one may choose, marking each and every Holy Day gives us the opportunity to embrace the sacred. Viewing this opportunity through the world-view lens of Goddess Consciousness gives a special perspective on how to approach setting intention, making preparations, and planning activities for each Holy Day we choose to celebrate. For me, each Holy Day in the Wheel of the Year allows a much needed opening to step out of normal time and into what I call Mystic Time. This time out of time provides a container for stillness, healing, reflection, and magic. For many of us who live hectic lives in stressful times this ‘break in the clouds’ can be the difference between barely making it through and something else altogether; something exceptional.
As I prepare my altar this weekend for the upcoming Holy Day of Imbolc I pause for consideration on this particular holiday for its uniqueness in that it is one of the holidays throughout the year that has not been impacted by the rise of Christianity as much as other holidays we celebrate en masse in the western world. Because of this, I have more capacity to create a sacred container to commune with the Divine. As this is the first Holy Day/Holiday after the New Year and I’m not much one for setting resolutions I use this time to set some intentions for the upcoming calendar year. Most often, intentions are connected to spiritual life, commitments to myself for growth opportunities, and always include an action plan for artistic and creative inquiry.
I also take the opportunity in preparation for each Holy Day to inquire with an Oracle for clarity, consideration, and introspection. For Imbolc, I use the Gaian Tarot and once again, on this Holy Day, I pulled the 7 of Fire – for the third year in a row. For me, this card represents industriousness, using the power of fire to get things done, and also represents a solitary approach to action. Last year, I pulled the 7 of Fire and the 5 of Fire; indicating a need to remove old structures in order to move forward. I created a Blessing Bead Taliswoman including the cards in the triptych. This type of sacred creativity makes each piece even more special to me.
The Great Goddess Brigid reigns over Imbolc and she also happens to be a personal favorite. As an archetype She embodies resiliency, fluidity, and strength.  She is an icon and has served Her people for centuries. I am inspired by Her to serve my community in the role of priestess.  She is transformative, a creatrix, and a force to be reckoned with. She is the Sacred Feminine.
 
 
 
 

Lammas or Lughnasadh - the blessing of the bread - is today and holds its own in the 8 pointed Wheet of the Year as well as having a historical connection to Christian tradition. Markers of the turning of time always invite reflection and are an opportunity for engaging the sacred and offering gratitude; perhaps time for a little revelry too. I consider this process my spiritual path and as my own wheel of time continues to spiral gently through my seasons I acknowledge the continued blurring of the lines between religion and spirituality. 

Sunflowers, sunshine, and the loaves of bread generated from the first official harvest of the season are symbols of the transition from July to August and remind me of the abundance that is all around us. I recognize the generosity of Mother Earth, still, even in these times of unrest. I daydream of laughing children with high stores of energy, enthusiasm, and wonder while carefully observing the beauty of the heavily laden apple tree holding court in the back garden. This is the eve of August. 

Summer canning, barbecues, and concerts in the park have added depth and dimension to my summer experience and my garden is prolific. Herbal medicine and crafting as well as intuitive painting and creative projects such as my art to wear blessing bead taliswoman(s) have added a sweetness to this summer that I haven't experienced in several years. I've reconnected with my Muse - her name is Vivian by the way - who has opened a path of creativity and collaboration that delights my soul. Two lovely nieces have added their wild hearts and joyful silliness to this summer too.  Of course, they are all about glitter. Everywhere.

My sincerest wish is for you to have a very blessed and beautiful summer harvest. 

​As feminist scholars we have an obligation to work actively and work collaboratively to address the prevalent social issues of our time; especially the oppression of marginalized peoples. One vehicle to do so is the use of art and creativity as a personal and collective mystic practice allowing the sacred to infuse every aspect of the purpose, process and product one chooses to give rise to on behalf of the crusade. Art generated in this manner is a powerful and peaceful form of activism and can act as a catalyst for personal, community, and social transformation impacting awareness and prompting social change in profound ways. This form of activism is intentionally used as an alternative to change initiated through violent means. Goddess consciousness acts as the cauldron for this alchemical process to occur by adding a deep reverence for the Divine Feminine, the ability to understand the capacity and elements of myth to support the process along with a critical analysis of social and political structures. Goddess consciousness is also offering service in the role of priestess, the promise of magic, the invitation for intuition, and the essential circles of women that embody radical other ways of knowing. Every act of kindness and every form of peaceful activism with the collective support of others makes a difference. Every seed planted, every ritual, and every sacred act makes a difference. 

Art spans human history, from prelinguistic cave dweller to postmodern city dweller, and stands as witness to an ongoing creative process, an evolution of worldviews, a historic unfolding vision of nature, humanity, cosmos, and consciousness itself.  Every work of art embodies the vision of its creator and self. Every work of art embodies the vision of its creator and reveals a facet of the collective mind. Artists offer the world the pain and beauty of their soul as a gift to open the eyes and heal the collective. (Alex Grey, 1998)
 
As I continue down the winding path of creative inquiry which is constantly opening doors and provoking lines of questioning all demanding my attention I have a flashback from my master’s program in Women’s Spirituality to courses titled Organic Inquiry taught by Dianne Jenett, Ph.D, and Art as Sacred Practice taught by the Reverend Shiloh McCloud and I can suddenly see that seeds were planted some time ago bringing me to the exact right space at the exact right time.  The mysteries of creativity and a connection to the earth and all of Her inhabitants, all that deserve reverence and awe, is for me, the foundation of Intentional Creativity and I see that creative inquiry is perhaps one of the many beautiful branches that have flowered in my own process of knowing who I am over time.  It resonates in me and feels like a sense of synchronicity. Research, inquiry, learning, and knowing that is actually about wonder, passion, hope and conviviality, and of the sacred is of utmost interest and perhaps these missing components from so many aspects of our lives for so many of us are more remarkable than we can truly understand. 

In the process of engaging in deep inquiry and using art as another way of knowing it is helpful to recognize the impact of the cycle of life on our creative endeavors.  Alphonso Montuori, a college professor specializing in creativity, discusses the need for an incubation period that may very well be uncomfortable. This reminds me of a similar discussion initiated by the esteemed author and teacher, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes who compares this incubation time with what she calls the time needed for regeneration and that perhaps an author doesn’t really experience “writer’s block” but really is in need of time to recover, regenerate or incubate.  Dr. Estes refers to this cycle as the Abuende – like the cycle of life.  Personally, the synchronicities are attention worthy as I often feel the pressure to ‘get things done’.  This incubation period I have found to be absolutely critical and I now make space to let things ‘percolate’ before I come to a plan of action.
Over the years, using the colorful and multi-faceted threads of the sacred, threads of Intentional Creativity, and threads of deep personal and academic inquiry (as if they were different) to weave a tapestry sprinkled with the sparkles of women’s circles and wonderful friends has been deeply gratifying and healing.  In my experience, the inquiry approach to art making also cultivates intuition by creating a relationship with one’s muse, one’s inner and true voice, and helps the artist to acknowledge feelings that may be difficult to articulate.  I have found that a relationship with the Divine is nurtured, aside, inside or outside of religious parameters, and the canvas itself become an enchanted gateway with the brush as a magic wand allowing one’s pain  to be transferred so that she doesn’t have to bear the weight any longer.
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The whirlwind of these experiences are thought provoking, incredibly interesting, and is laying the groundwork for a complete replacement of the current lens in which I am working.  The impact on my ability to deal with the incredible stressors of my profession is positive and the opportunity for personal growth is limitless.  I’m finding my understanding of what it means to be creative has changed so much and I’m focused on putting all pieces into place even though I know it is much more important to access women’s wisdom and let things unfold in due time.  Of course, I also know this will never happen as my inquiry about creativity is going to continue to unfold generating more lines of questioning, more subject areas, and many more observations to inquire about.