Summer Time for heART Medicine

 

I'm making time for heART Medicine this summer, and it feels good. Don't get me wrong, I make time for this Medicine most every day in one of my heART journals, yet when planting-tending-harvesting-preserving becomes a daily mission, it can be a challenge and often my entries are small... the size of postage stamps. So making time for full spreads has been a pleasure. And I feel canvas looming in the wings. And it feels good.

A big piece of my summer heARTful inspiration is born of the activity of joining others at Heather Neilson's studio to create journals, art, inspiration and community together. This activity has been such good Medicine. I'm sure I'll have more to show you in the weeks ahead, like this simple honor to  my beloved Sekhmet, born of scribbled class pages covered with a thin layer of gesso, a couple colors mingled with white, a gel medium transfer, ink, and words.

I have three journals going in the studio right now, plus the one I carry with me. It's a great way to leverage the hottest parts of the day, to be still, to listen within, to listen without, to engage simple form, color, and express from the heARTflame.

And one page of this two page spread fits the current theme of art challenge #194 ~ Animals, and Paint Party Friday. If you like art, or animals, click over to check the works of other fine creatives. EnJOY.

Peace. 🕊

June Plant Medicine

The colors of June enlighten in my mind, inspire my heart, and engage my will. 

Good Medicine, that. ::nods::

Peace. 🕊

Simple Solstice Medicine

The season we call summer arrives late this morning on my little acre with the solar event known as the summer solstice. It's a good drizzly day to place a vessel out to catch the solstice rains, and tomorrow to do the same, only to catch the solstice sun. Both will be bottled, labeled, and will prove to be Good Medicine throughout the coming year. Of this I am certain.

Peace. 🕊

Skygazing

Yesterday evening we sat on the deck and skygazed. 

We sat quietly, listening to the collaborative songs of the trees and breezes, as the moon floated westward in the eastern sky. We witnessed fluffs, tufts, whirls, and fur flying off to adventures yet unknown. We gave attention the diverse palette of the clouds that seemed to be passing with a sense of great urgency. We observed the warm radiance of the waning sunlight dancing on and with the treetops. We beheld the first star of the twilight, the second and third, and the countless others that appeared, as if by magic. We welcomed Jupiter as he rose over the eastern horizon. And more. So much more.

We offered gratitude to and for it all.

It was Good Medicine. And still is. And will be again.

Peace. 🕊

And just like that: June.

May flitted as it filled to overflow with rough sadness, deepening mystery, powerful learning, surprising evolution, love (always love)... and rain. It filled its anticipated role with lustiness, passion, and the full spectrum of Life. Now, we pass through the rich, fertile, and expectant portal of June.

Most of the veg garden is planted. There's still a few seedlings whose roots yearn for the earth, and there's always succession seeding to be done. But the earth bound aspects of the annual (and new perennial) plantings are taking hold and now we wait. In the meantime, there are harvests to manage. There's stinging nettle, comfrey, cleavers that seek my immediate attention. And the rest of the rhubarb. And others will follow, now through autumn. At present, I pray the rains lessen, as they can pose a challenge for those of us who dry our own herbs. ::nods::

Yet it's the challenges that motivate. And inspire.

And June, like every monthly measure of time, holds unique gifts to add to the inspiration. Summer arrives toward the end of the month with the solstice, and with it my anticipation of intensifying heat, and the slowing mid-day pace that it offers. I plan to leverage that offering. And there's my personal "reclaiming my time" schemes (thanks, Maxine, for the words with attitude), which include diving deeper into my personal relationship with earth stewardship, and taking an Art Journaling class with Heather Neilson. Taking a class for me. ::sigh::

I could go on, but I'll pause to take in a wholehearted breath, hold it in my heart flame, and on the exhale to offer you gentle challenges, inspired motivation, and gifts of time just for you.

Peace. 🕊