March 20, 2017

Stretch, Checking In

Accountability time. Touching base with my 2017 intention to S T R E T C H.
The first 3 goals (mentioned here):
1. Finished the beginners yoga series. The class and instructor were wonderful. Taking things slowly, building upon lessons learned in each previous class, we each put together an individualized basic yoga toolkit. A toolkit of how to transition from one pose to the next; how to breathe;  how to adapt poses to suit our own individual strength, flexibility, and body proportions; what to do instead of the called for pose when it is beyond our current level or harmful for our particular body. And we were encouraged to ask questions at any time during and after the class. Where should I feel the stretch? Where is the weight supposed to be supported? Am I doing something wrong if my arms don't seem long enough to allow my hands to touch the mat? Confidence.

2. The Magic of Myth: End of the Quest. We're into month 3 of this year-long e-course. The content, exercises, and class discussions are right in alignment with my goal to resurrect my true artist self. It is stimulating, insightful, asks big questions, and provides tools for finding our individual answers to those questions. The instructor and community are enormously helpful and supportive. Best decision ever to take this class.

3. Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown is on the back burner. I have a shelf dedicated to library books and any books I'm currently reading. Right now this shelf isn't big enough. The books are spilling over onto the table and floor. I've inundated myself with research and library books.

Which (sort of) segues into current goals.
I started drafting this post about a month ago. This is what I wrote then:
Wrestling with the same sticking point again (still) regarding my art making: Do I need to find/conjure a community color darkroom so I may return to making photographs the way I was trained? Do I need to learn to print digitally? Am I a photographer or not? I've been here before. I don't like this unknowing. Even more, I despise not making art while trying to puzzle out how to make art. It's a self-defeating place to be. Which is all fodder for a much longer, tortured post. But I am attempting to put it backstage, away from the limelight, where it can percolate in the wings. Because the important thing, the thing I know unwaveringly, is that I need to be making art. When art is elusive for whatever reason, or when I'm stuck over some detail, the act of making helps. To engage hands and mind in creating something, anything, is my go to get out of jail card. 
One month later and the above passage feels like ancient history. The question of photography is gone, off the map, no longer plaguing me. Forcing myself to return to the abandoned goddess project expressly to engage hands and mind in creating something, anything, I started researching goddesses and creation myths across cultures. On the very first day in the library, surrounded by books tangentially connected to my search, I stumbled across reference to the yoni and was hooked. From there everything snowballed. I was finally able to get out of my own way and MAKE. 

Current S T R E T C H goals:
  1. Continue with the Year of Yoni project - includes making, researching, and fulfilling the one new piece a week self-assignment
  2. Secure an engaging part-time job that does not deter nor hamper my art practice - this is proving challenging, but I remain (thus far) persistent and hopeful
  3. Hire an accountant to help with our confusing part-year resident income taxes (Wow, that was uncanny! One of the accountants I reached out to returned my call just as I finished typing goal #3. Check this one off the list!)
  4.  Find a yoga instructor and class schedule that's a good fit for me and establish a regular practice
  5. Continue to de-clutter and downsize - make home a restful place with space for making, including room for the sewing machine to stay ready and waiting
  6. Make a muslin of the West Water Tunic

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