Maps as Metaphors

Today I was at the Rawls Museum Arts in Courtland, VA presenting 'Maps as Metaphors: Charting Your Own Identity' using the inspiration of Sun Bear's circular Earth Calendar/Medicine Wheel as our entrance point.

With the wheel plus Angeles Arrien's Signs of Life the eight artists participating went off into the beautiful afternoon to create works inspired by the creative journeys they are currently interested in mapping.

Bravo!! to Sandy Lupton for all of the organizing skills that made the day hum. And thanks so much to the other artists in the circle: Donna, Barbara, Brenda-Gail, Twila, Jill, Ragan and Jenine. The works that came out of our studio time were an inspiration for this entrance point into the 'Underworld' of the feminine that is upon us for the coming six months.

This is a powerful time to consider what you will invest in between Fall Equinox and Spring Equinox. See if you can let yourself 'BE' as often as possible.

SWAN Day

It may not translate very well here but we had a marvelous afternoon yesterday taking part in the international festival: Supporting Women Artists Now (SWAN)...we held our event at Selden Gallery in downtown Norfolk, Virginia where my work is currently on exhibit. We gathered to welcome spring and to embrace the new beginning for our individual and collective creative voices as we all enter the East Gate of the wheel, signaled by the Spring Equinox and the start of the Aries cycle.

First we explored the gifts and the challenges that the earth calendar wheel offers then we laid the foundation for the building of the wheel... you can see bits of its intial stages here on the floor...later, after this pattern was set, we each ceremonially placed 'stones' for the 36 position around the wheel...and culminated with a 'Spiraling into the Center' dance (with song) that created the finale for our performance art afternoon.

Funny thing...I use stones for the wheel but this day the lugging would've destroyed the fun so I pondered. Stones...? Stones...? And what came is russett potatoes! So I ran out and purchased a good supply, augmented with a few yams, and we laid our wheel using potaotes...it was pretty much a blast....and a fine way to honor the earth and the Earth Mother for her bounty.

Perhaps at our next event which is April 13 'Moon Day at the Wren' we'll pop those potaotes into our fire and when baked we can 'consume the energy of the wheel'. yum.

The Clearing Creativity Salon

Yesterday I had the complete and tremendous joy of presenting the 'Clearing Creativity Salon' for and with a group of artists and art's educators at a hidden jewel of a center called Alternatives Inc.

On the natural calendar of the Earth Wheel January represents the moon of cleansing and release. Throughout the morning we 'wound the wheel' exploring and considering what it offers each of us in terms of birth gift and birth challenge. After lunch we each went into a three hour period of silent studio time and we closed with a magnificent 'Show n Tell'...each participant bringing us more inspiration to carry home from the day.

Ahhh...a circle of women making deep spiritual art for sheer joy....my favorite kind of day.

Walkin' the Wheel for 2009

I've been living and working with the cycles of the moon since 1989. Each year during the first lunation I post an article on the energy of the coming year with my friends David and Sandra at Zodiac Arts. Below is the first paragraph for 2009 plus the information for this first lunation...

2009: THE YEAR TO PATIENTLY OPEN TO RECEIVE

Welcome to 2009 and to our collective opportunity to: patiently open to receive. As we walk through this year we are invited to work with our passion and sense of belonging particularly as these qualities spring from our urge to create.

The creative and sexual urge spring from the same zone within the chakra system. Each of these desires helps us to manifest, in their unique ways, a depth of love through devotion, commitment and dedication. We all start life as creative/sexual beings. The ways in which we channel this combined energy will show itself this year. The goal, of course, is to open these centers, one by one, until we are fully functioning and able to contribute to the better world we yearn to see. To connect readers with excellent information on this topic of opened and healed chakras I suggest the book Awakening in Time by Jacquelyn Small. Her book would be a perfect companion for the year.

First Lunation: December 27, 2008 - January 25, 2009:

I of myself can do nothing. It is the Spirit within who expresses and manifests as true success in my life. -- John Randolph Price



Happy New Year! The quality of this moon cycle is that of relinquishing our hold. The Universal Year #29/11 tests us by providing the chance to practice a patient surrender. That yielding allows us a return to our original state. It's a huge concept but 'In the beginning' there was innocence and no need to feel separate and alone.


During this cycle focus upon belonging to your Self. This won't happen through wishful thinking it happens through a rigorous personality review. It comes about by being patient enough to weigh your strengths and relinquish your weaknesses. The reason for this focus is to 'flip' the way you've been pushing yourself.


Now is the time to prepare for an infusion of connection to Inner Self-direction. Be quiet and listen so as to determine your values and establish priorities. This first moon has a lot to do with endurance. It isn't possible to develop, much less give birth to, a new level of Being without endurance. This cycle is really showing us a natural process. The seed cannot sprout without letting go of its hard casing. The baby cannot grow without the right timing. During this moon cycle play is as important as any other responsibility you can think of. All year we are being asked to entertain a light heart and here at the start is a perfect opportunity to practice daily by being with that which you enjoy.


KEYWORDS for attuning to this cycle: abundant, art, attractive, baby, beauty, choose to act wisely, day, humor, innocent, optimistic, passion, playful, poetry, self expression



KEYWORDS that take your energy away: betrayal, exaggeration, fear, hurtful words, inconsiderate scattered, intolerant, jealous, self-centered, superficial, whining



HOMEWORK: Since the year is readying us by placing a spot light on a healthy sense of self through our creative/sexual passion this is a good cycle for beginning a prosperity program. Why? 1. So often we work at a job that robs us of our creativity. 2. Humans have been known to project sexual energy onto someone who they imagine will provide for them. Keeping in mind the acronym for money mentioned in the article above, you may want to select a prosperity program to follow through the year. There are many excellent ones; I'll offer John Randolph Price, The Abundance Book.Lifecycle Forecast 2008 © Donna Iona Drozda

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