I am a self taught amateur photographer. These are my pictures and words.
Intent
One of my favorite quotes is by Martha Graham:
“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time. This expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
I've read that you "learn to write by writing...learn to love by loving...learn to cook by cooking..." and that all we can ever do is "start where we are". This is my attempt to start where I am….in order to move towards the nagging visions in my heart and mind. I'm not even sure how to do that with a blog - - but being here beckons me - - so I am going to "keep the channel open, stop questioning and just march on".
“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time. This expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
I've read that you "learn to write by writing...learn to love by loving...learn to cook by cooking..." and that all we can ever do is "start where we are". This is my attempt to start where I am….in order to move towards the nagging visions in my heart and mind. I'm not even sure how to do that with a blog - - but being here beckons me - - so I am going to "keep the channel open, stop questioning and just march on".
Friday, November 27, 2009
sit with it
I read in a book recently - and this is a paraphrase as I don't own the book - that it's quite likely that when we experience great resistance to ideas we have and things we want to do....the resistance may be a signal that there is much positive to gain by doing said thing. Many of us give up at the first sign of anything coming against the journey we are about to begin. This is true for me - big time. The Bonnie Hunt Show was on in the background as I got ready to leave this morning. She read a passage from a book that urged the reader to do anything at all today towards that "thing" they've been avoiding. There is something that I've been wanting to learn for a while. I keep putting it off because I am a slow learner and it seemed too hard and I couldn't get myself to concentrate. Bolstered by advice from the two different sources I took the hint that today was the day. I drove to a local Panera - ordered lunch;ate lunch;balanced my checkbook;sent some text messages;listened to music on my Zune;sat and stared at all the people around me. I'd made a decision that there was no other option but for me to do this today, so I just sat and sat while on the inside the resistance had a temper tantrum. Then, when it settled down, I took out what I'd brought and did my best to take the information in and apply it, one moment at a time. On my drive home I realized I felt lighter, excited, relieved, peaceful, powerful. There indeed was much to be gained by diving into this thing I'd been avoiding and resisting. Now that I am no longer fighting with the resistance I've freed myself up to take more in. I can't wait to see what happens next.
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2 comments:
Procrastination is good sometimes but not always. It's great that you are finally doing what you've put off. As to being a 'slow learner', I just see this as you studying in depth what you want to learn, that is all. I wish you much luck with your goal.
Asor
You know what I always end up figuring out Asor?...that we open when we are ready. Sometimes I suppose it is procrastinaiton...but most times I find that when I can be more gentle with myself, take off the pressure...everything happens right when it is meant to...ya know?
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