Alex Grey shared this image and quote from his book “The Mission of Art” on his Instagram feed this morning. This book, and quote in particular, have played a huge role in my vision for Crafting the Spirit.
“I”m going to go out on a limb and say that there is a lot of good for anybody in making almost any kind of art. Just as each of us benefits from physical exercise and meditation, even though we may not become professional athletes or enlightened yogis, making art is intensely cathartic and healing, and should be enjoyed by everyone, even those who don’t think they will become the next T.S. Eliot, or Picasso. The at of drawing, or painting, writing poetry, dancing, or making music brings us into personal contact with the creative spirit, and that has inestimable value for enjoyment and self-discovery. The health of the soul depends on whether we can express our creative energy freely of reel we must keep it hidden and suppressed.”
“You never know what you will discover, once you decide to do something, rather than dream about it.”
What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of adventure? Months of planning? Death defying feats? Taking a sabbatical from life? Do you then sigh and then tuck it way on a bucket list somewhere? Yeah. Me too.
And then there’s the someday list, usually beginning with “I’ve always wanted to “ or “someday I will”. On my list, these are smaller, more obtainable. And still, they get set aside.
But.
What if…..
You shift your perspective a little?
I remember doing some home improvement projects before selling a house years ago, and they were much more enjoyable, and not nearly as troublesome as my procrastination let me to believe.
The other day, I decided to go somewhere I hadn’t yet.. on my someday list, and chose to take a back roads way. On twisty mountain roads. Past random bee yards. “Eggs for Sale” signs. Where cars coming the other way slowed down to see who I was because they didn’t recognize my car. I took a hike on one of the mountains, and turned back when it started feeling too “snakey”. There was no phone reception, and I didn’t have a walking/whacking stick. As it turned out I was right about the snakes, according to a local.
All within 15 miles of home, and one of the largest cities in the nation! I came home feeling I’d had a mini-adventure, and also had done something on my someday list.
A few years back, I felt lonely on a holiday, and went on a hike in a park near me. I wondered how I’d managed to live here over ten years and not done the hike? It changed my life, and now I go out searching for parks near me to go hiking on a regular basis.
What is on your someday list? What are you willing to do on that list this week? Today? Even the smallest of adventures can be life-changing. You never know what you will discover once you decide to do something, rather than dream about it. Now get out there and make it happen. Let me know how it went!
This week’s topic is mindfulness. It’s showing up everywhere.. being taught in schools, as workshop and retreat topics. There’s even an organization called the Mindful Leadership Network. If you are in a leadership role of any capacity, I highly recommend it. https://www.mindfulleader.org/
Beyond it being a buzzword and a catch phrase to fill workshop seats though, what does it mean to be mindful? It’s more than a form of meditation to me; it’s a way of being.
To me it means to be in a
state of active attention to the present. Not scrolling through social
media while listening to a podcast and eating. Not replaying over and
over what you wish you had or hadn’t said earlier in the day. Not
having FOMO about some event you are not attending. Not taking a
picture every few steps of your hike. Being fully and completely
engaged in the moment you are in, breath by breath. As Consciousness
observing the experience that your corporeal body is having.
I have two invitations for you this week.
For the first one, turn off your devices, and pour yourself a glass of water. Observe the glass or cup you chose for the water. Really look at it. All its variations. Is it smooth? Rough? Hand or machine made? Notice and appreciate everything about this container, and how water takes the shape of whatever container it’s in.
Next observe the water. Is it flat or bubbly? Clear? A little cloudy? Are there reflections in it? Is it warm, cold, hot?
And finally, drink the water. Do you drink it all in one go? Bit by
bit? How does it taste? How does it feel in your mouth, going down..
can you feel your body taking on the hydration? Did it make you more
aware of your mouth- your tongue, your lips, your teeth?
An alternative would be to take something like a single raisin or an almond, observe all its textures and colours. Smell it. Squish it if you like (hehe), and then eat it, slowly, fully experiencing how it feels in your mouth. How it tastes. So often we grab a drink or something to eat and consume it without experiencing and savoring it.
For the second exercise, get outside! For the good old 15 minutes, at the very least. Again turn off your device. Fully experience being outside. What does it smell like out there? What do your footsteps, bike, or wheels sound like. Is there a breeze? How does it feel? or the sun? or the fog? Do you hear other people, birds, animals? I find getting outside for even just a couple of minutes can revitalize me and reset my brain.
This all can translate to any creative practice- to any interaction with living beings.
If you sit down to create music, how does the instrument feel? Are there worn spots where your hands have traveled for years? If you write, consider the feel of pen on paper, or how the words flow from your brain to your hands to your keyboard. How does it feel when you squeeze that tube of paint? Chop the garlic? Put the spade into the earth, present your ideas to a committee? And so on.
There’s much more to mindfulness and mindfulness practice than all this, certainly. Shifting one’s perspective to be more fully present as one experiences the day can be a most satisfying part of it.
I invite you to create your own version of a mindfulness practice this week, and let me know how it goes!
A while back, I went to an expressive arts summit, and came away with an entire series of workshops downloaded into my brain.
It felt so right, so what-I-am-here-to-do, it was frightening. So I put all my notes on one of my brain burners to let it simmer.
Not long after the summit, I was having a deep, delicious conversation with someone I often call my favourite mirror. I was describing what I wanted to do. Walking with people on their journeys of self discovery, using creativity as a tool.
“It’s almost like…. like… we’re crafting the spirit,” I said to him. Both our eyes got big, and I jumped on the computer and snagged the domain.
Now that I’ve created this page, and community, I’m getting asked. “What do you mean by crafting the spirit? I’m not creative. How does this apply to me?”
Well. I’m here to tell you. You don’t have to think of yourself as traditionally creative to do this.
What I mean by crafting the spirit is to create a life for yourself that holds meaning. So many times people say they feel lost.. or that they just can’t find their purpose. What if you considered that ****being*** is your purpose, and your journey is to experience, make discoveries, and create a life that holds meaning for you?
Learning how to cultivate a life where you release attachment to self doubt, comparison, the need to always be productive or in control- these are all ways of crafting the spirit and creating a life that hold meaning for you. It is yours; it is your precious gift.
Both freeing and intimidating, right?
For some people, this might mean surfing, or cycling, or dancing. For others it will be writing, or cooking, or painting. Playing music. Creating a welcoming environment in your home. Being the best parent you possibly can be. Being a mindful leader in your workplace or community. Spending time out in Nature.. our big beautiful planet.. Noodling around in a science lab. And yes.. relaxing and doing nothing is part of it all, too. To me, all of this is creative.
Using creative tools such as movement, drawing, music, creating various objects.. are all ways to get out of our heads and get into a flow. Start to observe and imagine the world around you differently. Shifting your perception even a little can yield amazing results. I’ve often been stuck on a challenge, and when I do something like knit, or create music, the tangle releases, and I know what to do. Working in a medium I’ve never tried, with the only expectation to explore what is possible… heaven!
I’ve had the challenge of not having blocks of time where I can hold in person workshops. One day, I decided to get around that for now by creating an online community, where we can gather, share, and learn together.
I’m so excited to se how this all evolves. Thanks for joining me!
craftingthespirit.com 