365 Days, Day 342

To be an artist is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives… (Jan Phillips)

I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream (Vincent van Gogh)

The most potent muse of all is our own inner child (Stephen Nachmanovitch)

Gardening can bring out the inner child, and sometimes, especially after all that time out in the hot sun, it can bring out the inner surrealist. When the urge comes over you to construct a zucchini zeppelin or a tomato truck, give in to your muse and then document [photograph] your masterpiece, preferably against an uncluttered background (Bart Barlow)

MUSINGS:

thoughts, especially when aimless and unsystematic

philosophical musings

Musings was to be the theme of today. And I went down a delightful little path in my quest for quotes. I like the randomness of the journey, how juxtaposing them creates a new mini dialogue with my thoughts.

SURREALISM:

an early 20th-century movement in art and literature that tried to represent the subconscious mind by creating fantastic imagery and juxtaposing ideas that seem to contradict each other

Reiki session: am drawn into the moment. Fingers are alive and tingling. Thoughts of A mingle with my own. On another level. In the future: a cloth of Writing sessions woven with Reiki sessions, Aromatherapy, Massage and Reflexology. Calmness pervades. Sound.

SOUND:

vibrations travelling through air, water, or some other medium, especially those within the range of frequencies that can be perceived by the human ear

Being bathed in music. And my thoughts linger on the idea of attending a workshop with Carlo –does he even do workshops with students who have NO formal knowledge of music… Lie on the ground and allow the sound to cover you and fill you. Movement to music.

The NIA experience:

Done Barefoot to Diverse and

Inspiring music, Nia is a

transformational movement practice

that teaches you to be more

JOYFUL, EXPRESSIVE and ALIVE.

Nia is holistic, engaging your

body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Nia draws from dance arts,

martial arts and healing arts to

create purposeful movement that

will help you grow and learn.

“Nia inspires me to continue on a personal journey of self-discovery, self actualization and healing. For me, learning is one of the most exciting journeys and being in a body is one of the most poetic and romantic experiences.”

- Debbie Rosas (Nia co-founder)

Tired of Thinking. Listen to Sarah’s words: “If you want something: make it happen”. Shape your own life. Take the clay into your hands and feel the flow.

CLAY:

a fine-grained material consisting mainly of hydrated aluminium silicates that occurs naturally in soil and sedimentary rock. Use: in making bricks, ceramics, and cement (!)

I have pictures in my mind of clay forms with objects on their heads, whimsical bodies with fantastical bric-a-brac – waiting to be moulded. To feel the pliable clay between my fingers. I have the clay…