2009 Summary

Spent some time remembering 2009, taking account of who and what people and activities touched me in an important way seeped in discovery, humility, love, abundance, gratitude and fallibility.  2009 was filled with self discovery expression, and courage uncovering compassion and trust.  all so important and ordinary.  In 2008 I called 2009 the year of self love, it was worth paying attention to.

Now I'm feeling into 2010 - what will be my theme? I feel ready for a different kind of exploration, more outward focused - curious exploration within a community.

we'll see what that might be - already there's a catch phrase - "walk my talk" I think I'll be sharing more of my exploration process.

The power of knowing our bodies

read this article about a man with Cerebral Palsy and how he's learned to dance through a very detailed and specific exploration of his body, how his muscles and bones work together.  then watch the video - I found it beautiful and compelling.
Go to the Article

Thanksgiving

I was musing with friends over lunch how fun it was as a kid to make turkey drawings by tracing my hand.  So I thought I'd give it a try - how fun!


Thanksgiving Gratitude

Rules for creativity?

I was introduced to Sister Mary Cortia just this week.  She ran the Art department at Immaculate Heart College until 1968 when she left the order.  Here's her list of "rules" for art class

I personally like rule number 8 - don't try to create and analyze at the same time!

learn more about her here:

http://www.corita.org/coritabio/coritabio.html

Everyday Creativity

I don't usually read Psychology Today - but the current issue caught my eye - everyday creativity...I enjoyed this article which widens the understanding of what is considered creative...including the everyday acts of problem solving. enjoy
everyday creativity

how much love do you let in?

Right now, let yourself feel into this....How much love are you letting in? in this moment, feel inside.....

Is it this much?

or is it more like this much?
Maybe it's somewhere in between...like this..


No right or wrong, just interesting to find out I think...

(leaf courtesy of Lake Merrit)

what do you see?

Growing up, my family went to church pretty much every Sunday, from the time I was born until around 15. To entertain myself I used to stare at the wood grain in the roof beams and paneling.

After a few moments of soft gazing, the patterns in the wood transformed into faces and bodies of creatures. looking at the world this way was a great way to pass time when I couldn't do much else.

Since then I find myself looking at the patterns around me. Check out the sidewalk cracks on the slide show to the left, what do you see?

secret lives of bees

here's another creative look at a bee's life

How things work ...naturally

I can't stop watching these digital shorts on the Sundance chanel - Directed by Isabella Rossaellini called Green Porno. She so cleverly educates us on the sex lives of creatures - it's worth a look!

Eyes Wide Open

"Which do you prefer? the dream or the truth?" I felt like I was living out the scene from "The Matrix" as a very wise man asked me this question. hmm, what if the truth is different from my dream? It felt like a tough choice

I have to admit it's a scary to let go of my dreams - even with the knowledge of how difficult it is when I ignore the truth while grasping at my idea of what "should" be, or what I want it to be ("it" can be replaced with work, family, lover, friend, health care, state of the environment)

Is the loss of the dream the lost of naïveté? Can truth be the grounding I long for?

Taking my time

I'm reading the book "Salt" (well, I've been reading it) for about a year now I keep reading the first two chapters over again (well, twice now).

This is not the first time it's taken me a while to get through a book, the last was "Peter the Great" by Richard Massie. It was worth worth the recommendation and encouragement to make it through.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_K._Massie

Now there's this Salt book and as I realized today, one of the reasons it takes me a while is that there are so many interesting tidbits of information in each chapter. I read Chapter Two in the bath today, "Fish, Fowl and Pharaohs". Now I have an increased understandings of the Egyptian way of life (in relation to food and the body).

For example, they believed that the onion "resembled the concentric circles of the universe". They thought that Isis taught them how to grow olives. They may have been the first to cure meat and fish with salt. (they needed to find ways to store food in case of drought). They left elaborate offerings in tombs for the deceased. They believed that the body was the "vessel connecting earthly life to the after life". so many aspects are interesting to me

I saw an offer for reduced tickets to see the King Tut exhibit at the de Young museum in San Francisco, I think I better go.

http://www.tutsanfrancisco.org/

I'm glad I'm taking my time with this one.

Increasing awareness - walking lightly on the earth

last night I tried to replicate a sole dish from Julia Child's French Chef "sole bonne femme" with some measure of success (it was yummy) and fun to try to cook in that style.

I love seafood and ever since I've visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I have wanted to chose fish wisely, but really thinking I should stay away altogether. Then, I came across an article about a firm called Sea2Table, they provide sustainable alternatives to restaurants - pretty cool. Conservation and cookery: Eat for the ecosystem | The Economist

I have some awareness about the environmental impact of the fishing industry - I usually try not to buy anything that's been farmed...and I am inspired to try to find a balance and go the sustainable route. I reminded myself to check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium knowing they provide great information on earth friendly choices - Seafood Watch - I'm excited to see that there's even an Iphone app! http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

Now I think I can make choices with a wider awareness!

finding the space in between

I have a tendency (which I imagine I share with most) of filling up my weeks/days with a lot of activities in addition to my work. If I'm not moving from one thing to the next, my mind is a few steps ahead of me, planning, preparing, sometimes worrying about what's next.

Spending a week away from my regular routine has shown me how restful it is to NOT have a schedule, and agenda, a plan for the day, but to rather be in "it" as I go along.

one week back and I can feel the spaciousness slowly contracting as I encounter all that life is made up of..how to keep the spaciousness?

Today I am practicing a very subtle awareness - focusing on the space in-between things - feeling it in my body particularly - I imagine the space in between my cells, where things are moving and flowing. It's been useful - breathing into the space is helping to release the little areas of tension. I feel more available to my self and those around me.

freeform crocheting

While visiting Paris with my dear friend we decided to buy some yarn and make some things.

Creating the patterns in our heads, we had lot's of ideas of ponchos and scarfs (I even had a dream about a poncho/wrap that was pretty outrageous). Berit is knitting the poncho and I am crocheting a scarf with a blue slate yarn.

Berit has hers, and I'm doing mine free-form...and while on the plane I got stuck..what to do now, keep following the pattern, or do something different?

I stopped and waited, now I like that the existing pattern, it reminds me of the cobble stone streets that we roamed around a lot while we were visiting. I think I'll carry on in a similar vein.

setting intention - a little help can't hurt can it?

Yesterday, I created my first "intention candle" - I was going to buy this short plain red candle anyway. The shopkeeper invited me to add an intention... after a moments hesitation, I thought, why not try a little magic.

He showed me the nail to write words in the wax, the dropper of blessing oil and additional herbs to add - even glitter. Top it off with a stretchy wax paper covering "keep things together for travel" he said. Pretty good experience for $1.69!

I figure it doesn't hurt to have a reminder of my intentions in life...

Courage to create

It takes some amount of courage to be in a life creative - here's my experience as I try..

When I'm am activity engaged in a creative effort (making a particular shaped earring or a free form crocheted scarf. I usually have a moment of not knowing what to do next. This "not knowing" can be scary. Of course the magnitude varies - it can be as subtle as a flash of butterflies in my stomach that I can breath through and move on. Or it's a giant wave that washes over me and distracts me from knowing what to do. At that point I usually step away and trust that I'll know what to do when I'm ready.

I find a parallel in this process of creating a piece of art as in trying to live life aware and present (as I can be in the moment).

and sometimes the unknowing is annoying and embarrassing and down right scary not to know! - that's where courage comes in - true when I'm crocheting a free form scarf as when I'm trying to be present in the moment and open to life.

I know that as I learn to tolerate the unknowing (where do I go next) and can let knowing unfold step-by-step closer to the moment when of doing - I feel a flowing, a vitality.

Have you ever tried?

The first time I ever considered I could be creative...1981. After admiring my friend drawing and complaining that I wished I could draw but just didn't have it in me. My friend ask one important question that has stayed with me as a challenge...

"Have you ever tried?"

from that time forward I like to approach most activities with a curiosity... "let me just try it and see how I like it"

In the same vein, here's my first painting - I had so much fun playing with it.