homage continues

mjd - 2013 - linen leaves with stitching

no matter what the medium

i am drawn to leaves.

mjd - 2013 - linen leaves with stitching

their fragile strength

and beauty

mjd - 2013 - linen leaves with stitching

their most important role

in the life cycle

mjd - 2013 - linen leaves with stitching

i breathe in 

and i am connected to the trees

i breathe out

and i am connected to the trees. 

you too.

in ever so many ways,

we are all connected.

(but that is a topic for another post!)

in stillness

woven leaf - mjd 2013

slow down,

stop what you are doing

and take a breath.

'sit down and be quiet.

you are drunk 

and this is the edge of the roof.'

 - rumi

the situation is dire

for those unwilling 

to do the work 

of practicing awareness.

distraction lurks 

in every corner

and sits in the middle 

of every room.

but is there really any other option?

'breathe' made manifest

a follow up to my last post ~ and for the wonderful comments received, i thank you...

one always feels better when something gets done after a hiatus of creating ~ am i right? you wonder if all inspiration has deserted you... it's there, just needs the opportunity, i guess...

here's how i used the tiny little charm that kept me centered... it keeps wonderful company with a stoneware link from mellisa at chinook jewelry designs, four different lampwork glass beads from mary ann at linden avenue designs & an ivory glass bead from cate at zippybeads... united with copper chain and wire that i antiqued to soften the effect... paddled headpins were made because i felt they had better 'flow' with their unbroken line... earthy, rustic, understated, natural - just like breathing...

thich nhat hanh, the vietnamese buddhist monk, teaches a practice of mindful breathing and has a meditation poem to go along with it...

in, out
deep, slow
calm, ease
smile, release
present moment, wonderful moment

rock steady

'the more intensely we feel about an idea or goal,
the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious,
will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.'
- earl nightingale

'we can never obtain peace in the outer world
until we make peace with ourselves.'
- dalai lama

the past few weeks have been especially capital 'I' intense for a number of reasons... in that time, i have been unable to do any of my creative venturing, except for one little experiment ... & i am currently in withdrawal and hoping this week provides an opportunity for some 'me' time... this small copper charm is the single thing that was worked on... but has had more meaning than i had realized... it's been sitting on my table since i made it and viewed on a number of occasions just as a prompt for calm...

the importance of breath is a subject that is often discussed for many reasons... in anticipation, we 'hold our breath' or 'take a deep breath and jump'... these things create tension ... after having gotten through something difficult, we 'heave a sigh of relief' or exhale... this has a more relaxing effect... when we are trying to settle ourselves we inhale deeply and exhale slowly...taking 3 deep breaths can make you feel more aware and awake... being mindful of the breath can help you to be present... it is pretty amazing how quickly you can feel the physical change that accompanies the different types of breathing...

being present is where i need(ed) to be, being mindful of my breathing helped me through some 'challenges'... emotions become more calm and balanced, thinking is clearer, & even a moment of peace can be found... definitely an almost daily practice...

retrospectively, i think it was interesting that 'breathe' was the first word i choose to imprint into metal (with physical force - hammering it into my psyche?)... finding peace is a journey for me (& you i am sure) and this goes hand in hand with it...

two nights ago, i picked up the current copy of shambhala sun and was drawn into an article titled 'ready, steady, go'... it discusses how focusing the mind can have great advantages... it is very interesting and my ten word description pales if you are interested in the topic... 'the approach to harnessing our mind is by using the wind, or the breath.' ...

wind horse by beth hemmila

the author also shares info about tibetan warrior teachings...a concept called windhorse relates to vitality... while reading i immediately thought of beth's charm at hint... i have such respect for her ability to communicate a concept so simply and eloquently... i really could have one for all of my moods... but my lotus is a treasured friend... (i know material things are not supposed to have great significance, but i admit to my human frailty & tell you now i wear it daily)... i can feel in this charm, the meaning of the article, the power of the mind that can carry one forward in life when properly harnessed...

we enter the world with breath, we leave with its absence, and all of those inhalations & exhalations in between are opportunities to learn, helping us to find the inner peace that we so desire...