known and unknown

mjd - 2015

all is not known to us.

not at once

not without work

and that is fine.

where would the wonder reside

if everything were easy,

were obvious?

mjd - 2015

where would the desire

to become our best 

and highest 

self

come from 

if there were no obstacles 

to surmount?

mjd - 2015

how indeed 

could we relate to each other -

understand another's joy

another's pain

another's fear?

mjd - 2015

there is something infinite that connects us all

something we can touch

something we can feel

something we can apply ourselves to

for the betterment of all.

star stuff

mjd 2014 - fragile strength talisman/wonder

in the 1970s, dr. carl sagan opened our minds to the fact that we are star stuff.

now, building upon the legacy of 'cosmos', dr. neil degrasse tyson explains how we are stardust and connected to all of the molecules and all of the atoms in the universe, including the ones that make up you.

this should take your breath away,

give your life a feeling of humbling magnitude,

you are gifted with being alive - 

right here, right now. 

and none of us knows for how long,

we are created equal in that respect. 

be mindful of wishing for the day to be over,

for thinking the weekend will bring you more joy.

joy is an attitude. 
(but when you do feel like that, and we all do at times,
just find something in those moments for which you are grateful.)

be aware of the love that is ever present,

that is available to us all.

the birds sing for us,

the sun shines and rain falls - 

breathe it in

smile

accept

give thanks,

then give something back.

the 'how' is your choice,

but the possibilities are endless. 

detail - reference to the fibonacci spiral 

it gets no better than that.

--------------

don't forget about the giveaway - details are here.

a giveaway in the name of gratitude

be still necklace - mjd 2014

porcelain jiz0 - matt leavitt

the universe exists in a drop of water.

the universe exists in a fluttering green leaf.

the universe exists in you.

be still 

and know.

in appreciation for the support and care that comes from this community, i offer a giveaway of this necklace (made by me) and this beautiful jizo (made by matt leavitt). i will choose a name on april 15th, not for tax day but for the spectacular lunar eclipse that will occur that night. you don't have to post in other places, nor do you have to visit my fb or instagram pages. just leave a message here on this post. 

in thanks, 

mary jane

mjd 2014 fragile strength talisman - connect

'earth is what we all have in common.'

wendell berry 

fertile earth

& things that grow

precious stones

salty seas

and warm sunshine

all this we know.

if you are feeling disharmonious,

let the natural world

help to bring it back.

if you are in harmony,

share it

and return it to the source.

transcend

fragile strength talisman/transcend - mjd 2013

there are moments in 

time

places

where everything fades away.

all we think we know,

all of the distractions,

dissipate

leaving us unbearably,

beautifully

open.

fragile strength talisman/transcend - mjd 2013

we connect -

not to one person

or earthling,

but to all.

we vibrate with life.

these moments pass,

but they serve as imperative reminders

of our ability to transcend

and of the human we met

when all was removed

and yet all was present.

shine

we know
we know.

and  yet we fight it.

fragile strength talisman - shine - mjd 2013

to know light, 

we must know darkness.

in the depths of the pit,

when it rises past your nose

and your eyes are at risk of sinking beneath
that which is known
and that which is unknown,

you'll see it. 

the light.

it may be small,

seem dim,

but it's there. 

it is all you need to begin the ascent. 

you define how you rise. 

mjd - 2013

and while the work is yours, 

you have never been alone.

as it grows in strength

you notice, 

it's no longer in front of you,

but within you. 

what you saw from the deep

was the light of another.

the opportunity is revealed - 

with your strengthening glow

will you show the way

to another who is lost? 

mjd - 2013

shine on.

mandalas and growth

fragile strength talisman - awakening - mjd 2013

you are a part of something much bigger than yourself

but it wouldn't be complete without you.

never stop working to stay open -

let your heart space be a portal
from which love can pass freely.

you say you are afraid?

may we band together in this mark of our humanity
and gain strength,

marching forward
and 
experiencing the bittersweet
that life has to offer.

for only then
can we fully know
what it means to be compassionate
and understanding,

and to fully participate
in that which is bigger 
than ourselves. 

invisible cords

a thousand invisible cords - mjd 2013

'when we try to pick out anything by itself we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe.'
- john muir

mjd 2013

just imagine what we would see
if we could make the invisible cords visible.

but
since we cannot, 
we have the heart to guide us
and remind us.

mjd 2013

the tugging we feel
in joy, 
sorrow, 
compassion, 
understanding

are all evidence
that we are connected not only to each other
but to all living things.

going deeper

leaf - mjd 2013

one of the things i love best about maturing as a crafts person

is the understanding you gain about yourself

and how you relate to others.

leaf - mjd 2013

which is naturally also the insight you gain

as a maturing person,

with the application of different materials 

but not necessarily different methods.

of the essence

mjd 2013

fragile as a leaf
or a petal
decaying after its show
of lushness and vibrancy.

form and essence 
are left behind.

but which truly is more delicate -
the glossy leaf
or its skeletal remains?

mjd 2013

perhaps the tracery
of veins and stem
are not as fragile
as they appear.

for what remains
belies the inherent strength
of that which supported life,

yet goes unseen

until that which
distracts
has quietly eroded
away.

the tender heart

mjd - 2013

in our (mistaken) attempt to guard the heart
against vulnerability 
and pain,

mjd - 2013

we can isolate it 

from tenderness

and connection.

loose ends

various fibers, hemp and linen paper

we are connected to others

through a tapestry of place and time.

before us are the ancestors - of all living things

and earth forms.

beside us are family, friends, the global community

and all that grows and exists.

after us is the future we help to (hope to) honor, create and preserve.

mjd - 2013

loose ends are not things left unaccounted for -

at least, they don't have to be.

give them purpose.

like hands reaching out

or a rope thrown to a drowning person,

they are available and willing

to any being who needs them.

creating ties where none existed before. 

peace project

snowfall on flags

as some of you may know (and some of you may not), last year i became involved in an incredibly rewarding peace project with some friends. 

here's what it is all about - 

the international day of peace is celebrated on sept. 21st. with that goal date in mind, makers from all over the world created their interpretation(s) of a peace flag and shared it on the blog.

but it isn't just about the goal date - it's about your day-to-day experience.  and anyone can be a contributor.

and it isn't just about flags - it's about anything you want to share to propagate peace, kindness and understanding. we love to see how you express those ideas in your work.

and if you didn't see the work that was produced last year, i encourage you to have a look - it was inspiring and moving.

we would love to have you there in any capacity you are comfortable with - as a maker, a viewer, a writer, a reader - all are welcome and appreciated.

the blog 

- photo by fiona dempster

flowers in december?

i was musing upon 

contentment and joy

simple pleasures in our lives

how gratitude opens

and open heart practice takes courage...

how the moving atoms in our bodies

connect us to the moving bodies in the sky.

how our words and actions

ripple

ripple

ripple 

through people and, hence,

time and space... 

tell me...

do you ever feel more clear-minded
when you gaze upon a rising moon
as it moves through the clouds, glowing?

do you sense a connection to something bigger?

whether suffering or joyful,
lonely or hopeful - 

standing there,
we know that others
experience these same emotions.

your urge may be to pull back,
but stay with it.

and know it is your connection
to humanity.

the exhale

moments of stillness
(of calm
of peace
of deep exhale)
found in a quiet place
are not how we challenge ourselves
in our practice 
to be awake
mindful
present.

but they are, without question, incredibly precious.

make your own ripple

'it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief

that human history is shaped.

each time a man stands up for an ideal, 

or acts to improve the lot of others,

or strikes out against injustice,

he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.'

~ robert francis kennedy

this small stream running down my street is what is left over from the accumulations of a  blizzard and the storm of this past weekend... the ripples, though small, move significant amounts of water... their effort is steady... they move over and around obstacles... 

in any size, great or small, create a ripple today ~

connected

'what is that?' you might be wondering ... well, it is my orion (and if you click on the picture it becomes a bit more clear) - not a picture off of the internet, but one i took last night... and the magical thing was, on the display screen, the stars twinkled like they knew they were being adored and admired... 


this constellation has made me feel connected to the universe since i was small... it was right outside of my bedroom window all winter... and to this day, when i go out at dark, it is the first thing my eyes search for ... 

'there is only one corner of the universe 

you can be certain of improving,

and that's your own self.'

~ aldous huxley

being inside, we have objects that may inspire us or center us... but outside, well, the wonders are outside... the roaring ocean, the blowing winds, budding flowers, the immensity of that beautiful night sky... i have never been to the mountains, it is something i very much want to experience... i know i would love it... but having lived near the ocean my whole life, well, big sky is what i know... 

when i have one last child to pick up from an activity at night, tired, and dying to get back home - i look for orion... i feel like there is a thread from him to me... i feel a part of something bigger... and i feel calm... 

the funny/ironic thing is, when i went to take the picture & was playing with the settings, 'infinity' is what you need to choose... 

and so i laughed, because even my camera was reminding me that i was connected to something much bigger than any of us~