Tawodi

Tawodi is a visual
mind-mapping tool

that utilizes the geometry of nature to organize information. It can help to make connections, identify patterns, and synthesize ideas. Individual Tawodi Templates are available to purchase, download, and print at home. The Tawodi Journal has a collection of Tawodi designs bound into an interactive journal with larger pages than the print-at-home versions. Stay tuned for new designs as they are produced and made available on the site.

The Tawodi concept evolved from my personal journaling method of sketching mandalas and then journaling inside the negative space. I found that the process engaged both my right & left brain, while also creating something beautiful to look back upon. I soon realized that this method of capturing ideas could extend beyond journaling into note-taking, discussions, counseling, and more. I have created the Tawodi designs with these uses in mind.
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Tawodi is the Tsalagi or Cherokee word for hawk. One day several years ago I was standing outside, wondering what to call the concept. At that very moment, I looked up to the sky and a hawk flew overhead. That is when I knew that I would heed the message in the sky and honor my heritage by calling it Tawodi. Hawk is known for the ability to see the big picture as well as the small details, one of the many benefits of the Tawodi method.
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Throughout Turtle Island (the Indigenous name for North America), the Medicine Wheel is an ancient method of capturing ideas within a geometric form, allowing multiple layers of information to be displayed simultaneously. The Tawodi method was inspired by the idea of honoring all voices and perspectives, one of the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. For this reason, I have designed the first Tawodi Template as a Medicine Wheel, allowing users to make their own meaning out of the Four Directions.  ​
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Acknowledgements

Thank you to my wonderful production artist, Roy Rossow for your expert transformation of my sketches into digital art. Thank you to my fabulous webmistress, Deanna B for bringing the website to life. Thank you Family and Friends for your loving encouragement and undying support. Thank you Ancestors and Descendants for your guidance in the birthing of this project.