Born on a Thursday #46 – Why the Body? II

Movement (yoga, hiking, dancing, walking, biking), meditation, and pranayama (yogic breathing techniques) bring me into the moment and out of my default patterns of thinking. Many ideas come through while I am moving (or in stillness after movement). It is as if a channel opens, as if some of the filters of my mind have been removed and ideas and/or observations are more clear.

I’m continuing to look at the question of movement and art (or movement and writing). My friend and folk artist/musician, TJK Haywood, aka Wooden Thomas (and one of the first participants of Writing the Energetic Body), turned me on to artist Heather Hansen. She literally uses her body to make art. Her work is inspiring and exquisite.

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Blue Haze, Neon and Earl Grey (or Dreaming Rock-n-Roll)

I dreamed I was in a band last night. It’s been almost ten years since I’ve been on stage. I miss it a lot. I like group creative projects – I often need something larger than myself to continue, to finish work, and the group is more than “just me”. The dynamic is exhilarating, usually fun, sometimes frustrating – rarely boring. Though I haven’t been making music, I have been in a collaborative project for months now, and it is informing my solitary work in a good way (I’m painting again), and I am waking up with the desire to create almost over all else.

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Born on a Thursday #40 – Diving into the Dark with Diamanda Galas

I’ve been listening to Diamanda for the last few hours while I work. She embraces darkness so fully, and sings of topics our society tends to turn its back on—”her works largely concentrate on the topics of AIDS, mental illness, despair, injustice, condemnation, and loss of dignity.” (wikipedia)

Photo of Diamanda Galas – photographer unknown

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The Power to Dream – The People Have It

This video was shared with me by a friend.

Do you have a creative activity that you do just for yourself? Is there one (or more) that you do for others?

Do you have a creative hero? If so, What does that person do that inspires you? Can you see yourself taking a hero’s journey?

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