Direction.  I have a penchant for maps and compass roses, I wonder where I am and ponder where I am going and how intrinsically intertwined everything is.  After listening to The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley, I knew it to be a subject worth exploring!
How is your sense of direction? Do you always know where you are? Have you ever been lost? How do you orientate yourself or find your bearings?  How do you navigate your way through life? 
https://www.naturalnavigator.com/

Inexhaustible.  As a creative being, I often find myself coming back to the same themes.  Strangely enough, the ideas keep coming and my curiosity or fascination with certain topics just keeps growing!  If anything, I am overwhelmed by inspiration!  It is inexhaustible!  Do you feel the same or is something else inexhaustible for you?
​

Romance.  Yep, it’s that time of year again. Let your inner gush loose, be as sappy, soppy and tragic as you like and tell us, what is romance?

The best way to continue my tarot journey and familiarise myself with the cards and their meanings, is to use them regularly. 
I am in some amazing groups, follow some wonderful blogs and dip my nose in inspiring books often.  All of these continually feed my fascination with universal symbolism, poetic and intuitive living, as well as my general wonder-lust!
This is the beginning of a monthly tarot card, nothing like a little universal energy to reflect upon and guide us along.  I am still learning, warming up and trusting my intuition, so feel free to add your thoughts or interpretation and read or take what feels right for you.

​I use The Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dowson.

He is looking ahead, his chariot pulled by winged fairies, adorned with pentacles, above him a butterfly-winged angelic head.
Master of thought, ideas and design, the King of Swords is controlled but determined, trusted to be fair in judgement and decisions, he will use his power and authority if necessary, ruling with his sword and slaying with his sickle. The suit of swords represent air which governs mental clarity, thought processes and intellect.
​
​The Court cards can represent aspects of yourself, though often represent someone you know (perhaps a star sign of that element), they may also represent a situation.  The King is a mature man of great strength, someone you may look to for advice and guidance.  He is firm in his truth, drawing logical conclusions and could be a researcher, lawyer, teacher, in communications or the military.

​I listen, learn, observe and take in all aspects of a situation.  A good time to make changes and set new goals.
​Use your head, find a strategy, plan ahead, make changes without becoming too emotional.

Symbolism : butterfly wings - transformation, pentacles - magical talismans, protection and guidance.

We did great writing it all out in 2020.  I am so grateful you came to join me.  If you are anything like me, you may have some catching up to do, so thankfully we can re-visit any of the units and prompts any time we like!  You can do them in any order, pick out what appeals to you or do the same one over and over!

I love it most when we share, encourage and interact.  It creates a magical and inspiring sense of connection that is exactly what we all need these days, so don’t hesitate, be brave and put it out there, this is a safe space and please always feel free to ask questions, if I can’t answer them, I’m sure one of us can.
​
For 2021, I’m freshening up the format and will now post four prompts at the beginning of each month, one for each week, as a document which can be found in the menu.  This allows time to ponder, meditate and write or journal at a pace that suits you best.  I will also throw in a sprinkle of tarot guidance, book/film inspiration and the occasional playlist when the feeling grabs me!
Thank you for being here and I look forward to sharing creatively with you all again.
​

Second skin.  Use this as a title or theme for your weekly writing.  Make it free or give it structure.  Let it flow.  

Poetic cloth.  Describe this.  Tell a story, write a poem or a song to sing…

Last minute Christmas list making!
Share your wish list with us...make it naughty & nice, wacky & wild, mindful, fun and creative.

Research and reflection required as you delve into alchemy. 
Follow the link for some background info.  When you are ready, share your everyday magic with us.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy
​ 
​

Considering we are agreeing to these and blindly signing our souls away on a regular basis, I thought I'd share this clever book by Robert Glancy with you.
I read it a few years back, follow the link to read my review, definitely worth a read.
What are your Terms & Conditions, fantasy or reality?
https://www.goodreads.com/.../show/20740137-terms-conditions
​

Come on, we all have them...don't be shy!
Make a little (or long) list of all your
tragic indulgences...

I'm talking the cringey things your friends bag you for, be it sappy romance novels, The Brady Bunch Variety Show or cat videos...note them down and share them with us!
https://youtu.be/gR9u9efiNvg 
​

Formulas are fun and make writing easy.  So we’ll keep it simple and play around with some I found in  Image and Write...Poetry
By Karin K. Hess
 
 
Line #1: Write three ing words            Examining, studying, testing,
Line #2: I am                             I am searching for a cure
Line #3: Write three adjectives           Tired, tense, drained
Line #4: I feel                           I feel so close...
 
 
CAPTURING THE MOMENT
 
This formula freezes an instant and examines various aspects of it.
 
Line #1: Adverb or Adjective                         Asleep
Line #2: I was                                       I was dreaming
Line #3: Verb or Adjective                           Content
Line #4: I am                                        I am not alone
Line #5: Verb or Adjective                           Comforted
Line #6:I will                                       I will try again
Line #7: Verb or Adjective                           Refreshed
Line #8: Now                                         Now I can.
 
 
 
Line #1: What if
Line #2: I might (leave a space between lines 2 & 3)
Line #3: What if
Line #4: I could
Line #5: What if
Line #6: I would (leave a space between lines 6 & 7)
Line #7: Ask a question

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
- THICH NHAT HANH
 
Walking is a technique of solitude, a way into reverie. The walker is not a sleepwalker but a daydreamer. - DEIRDRE HEDDON
 
If you seek creative ideas go walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. - RAYMOND INMON
 
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
 
Last week we went on pilgrimage within ourselves, this week, let’s go for a little wander.  Contemplate these words while walking somewhere lovely, then let your words wander on the page…
​

​​What are your key words?
What does this image open in you?
What would your key look like?
Use your key words to open all those free writing doors...

Hey Presto!
 
Ever dreamed of making inanimate objects real? 
Here is your chance.
 
This is a cute book to use with students or to offer to a young wordsmith.  It is fun, colourful and informative, set out with space to write directly in the book!
Try it out with this little test run on personification.

Making pilgrimage
 
We continue to explore our Fruitflesh with Gayle Brandeis. 
What and where are you made up of? 
Follow the prompt and take us on a tour…

There is a time in the day that is just right, your time, when all is quiet and your mind has room to move…or not.
I tend to be a night owl, pottering into the night without realising.  Others are early birds and love to watch the sun come up.  Maybe there is a time related quote that resonates with you, if so share it with us and free write your time away!
​

Back to basics and Natalie Goldberg, (among others), has it covered. 
A little bit of stress often creeps into our creative endeavours.  Wondering if we'll get it right, have natural talent, understand or fear of the blank canvas or white page.
Overthinking it makes you more anxious, so ...
go with the flow,
set achievable goals like keeping the pen moving,
writing the first thing that comes to mind,
not worrying about spelling and grammar,
remembering that there is no wrong or right,
and most importantly, enjoy yourself!
 
I have pretty much read similar advice in many of the creative writing books I’ve come across.  Finding your time, choosing your tools, creating your rituals…its all part of the process.
So lets perform a little experiment. 
Grab a handful of as many different writing tools and materials as you can find at hand.
Experiment writing with them all.
Write in different locations, with or without music, with incense or birdsong or complete stillness.  Make a feather quill and dip it in some real ink, dribble those slurps of tea onto the page and tell us what works best for you.

yle Brandeis’ book Fruitflesh is divided into earthy chapters following the cycle of life: seeds, roots, trunk, branches, leaves, buds, flowers, fruit, seeds.
Within each are little stories and anecdotes, connecting this same cycle back to the lush richness of our bodies and all the rites of passage of life, turning each thought into a moment of reflection, a metaphor, a writing prompt.
If you read the Intro last week, you will have a sense of the fruitfulness she speaks of; perhaps you feel it within yourself already.  It is beautifully crafted and incredibly inspiring, celebrating each step of the feminine voyage.
​
This week we are rummaging around in our cellars...

Check the images for the prompt.
 

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!  It's been a busy week here full of wonderful distractions and inspiration...here are your prompts, ripe with reflection, a little history and plenty of imagination!
​

Teinei
 
Words hold meaning.
Some words hold whole patterns of thought and philosophy.
Some foreign words hold a sensation or capture an idea or emotion in a way other languages cannot.
 
This little book is full of such words, Japanese words that express this mindful magic as only Japanese can.
Teinei - courtesy expressed through attentiveness.
 
What does attentiveness look and sound like for you?
​

A recipe for everything!
 
So much fun in this book!
Simply follow the recipe on page 213-214…(above)
​

Of course, in Australia the seasons are the opposite!
Check out this little book, 'Sunwyse' for a down-under comparison and here is a little reading to get you started.
What are you celebrating?

Monday afternoon…leisurely sipping cups of tea and enjoying a few chapters of a steampunky adventure. 
I started downloading my next audio book, discovering sometime later, that my internet connection is flashing red instead of green. 
​So far the usual remedies haven’t worked, so I am off line for the evening and find myself slightly frustrated and wondering (though I kind of know really because I was there), what did we do before we became ensnared in the world wide web?  Do you remember life pre-internet?  Tell me about it.  In the meantime, I’ll be waiting till tomorrow to send our weekly prompts out there!
​

In the book Write Every day by Harriet Griffey,
a Tanka is described as a short poem of five lines and a rhythm of (usually) 5, 7, 5, 7, 7 beats.
 
In the book, Rip the past Adventures in Creative Writing by Karen Benke,
 
One way to write a Tanka is: 
 
1. name an object from nature
2. choose three words that describe your object
3. What does your object do? Or how does your object move?
4. Where is your object in time and space? Be as specific as you can
5. What do you have that your object doesn’t have?
No___________, no______________, no___________________
 
 
Here is our classroom group effort
 
Stars
Light yellow bright
Twinkling eyes in the sky
Millions of night guardians
No sadness no anger no worries
 

Juxtaposition
 
Formulas are an amusing way of getting started with something.  A little like a recipe, follow the steps, then wait and see the results!  I really loved this one from Rip the past Adventures in Creative Writing by Karen Benke
 
Take a piece of paper and fold it in half lengthwise.
With the crease on your right:
 
Write down ten words you like.
Add a descriptive word in front of each word, if you like.
 
Flip the paper over (don’t unfold it) so the crease is on the left.
 
Write down the month or season you were born.
Write down a day of the week.
Write down ‘the past’, ‘the present’ or ‘the future’.
Write down a favourite colour.
Write down ‘my heart’.
Write down ‘my imagination’.
Write down a feeling state (joy, sadness, amazement)
Write down a type of weather (mid-week rain, smooth sunshine)
Write down a small sound (tiny whispers, puppy snores, grunts…)
Write down a favourite food.
 
Unfold the paper and write ‘Poetry is’ at the top (or ‘My imagination is’, ‘Inside my heart is’, ‘My life is’, ‘Creativity is’…), then combine your list from either side of the page with the word ‘of’ sitting between each column.  Mix and match from each side of the page until you find an example of juxtaposition-putting two unlike things together (side by side) to wake up your ears and make your mouth smile.
 
 
Poetry is…
 
Autumn Sundays,
twinkling stars,
the present moment
and my wine red heart.
Poetry is restless leaves,
my imagination painting
a tempest of awe and wonder.
Poetry is hopeful murmuring,
intuition and universal symbols.
Poetry is moist petrichor
and weightless olives.
Poetry is being.