When and Where Deep songs Are meant to be sung In the dark At first, alone And then amongst friends And then alone again To make sure they are intact. Deep songs, when released At the right place and time Make deep grooves In the pavement and dirt And alter the landscape forever. Even if someone falls into your groove It retunes them to their own Inner song And music and magic Happens everywhere. -Patricia Anderson About a month ago, I felt myself being drawn more and more to the power of poetry. I sort of made a promise to myself that I would actively seek out a new poem to share each week. Well, the art of great poetry seems to be enthusiastically finding a place by my side. In fact, I'm a little surprised at how easily these poems seem to be finding me, little to no seeking at all. When this poem found it's way to my doorstep, it really touched a nerve in me regarding how it feels to take first steps, mainly creative ones. Also, when and where ....and to whom, these fragile and sometimes rickety first steps are finally revealed.

1st stop - Brooklyn

  

http://www.brooklynflea.com

This past weekend was the kick-off to the seasonal re-opening of the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. What a day! Still a little bit nippy outside, yes, we still had to wear our winter coats but spirits were high and neighbors were out to meet, greet, and purchase some cool handmade items. Welcome Spring!

An old-fashioned typewriter, anyone? A layout of beautiful jewels. Perhaps, a few pieces of clothing to change around a wardrobe? The Flea was certainly jam-packed with possibilities.

Turning the corner, I was surprised to find this little gal setting up shop for her fortune telling business. No, I didn't have my fortune told. Wish I did! I think I'll have to pay her a visit the next time.

What was the type of history attached to these dolls? Who held them? What were their names? What will their chosen names be for the next owner? 

http://www.eleanorsnyc.com

With the warm weather coming I know a lot of us gals are thinking about dusting off our bicycles. This talented artist, Eleanor's NYC, makes really cool baskets and other stylish accessories to add to a great set of wheels.

More history in the form of old photos. Would have loved to sit for hours and rummaged through these moments in time.

Just as I was about to exit I noticed these beautiful dresses. Not exactly my style, but what a mix of colors! 

Well, that's it for the first official SpRiNg outing. It was a great day at the Brooklyn Flea. NYC is just revving up it's schedule for some new adventures. We are slowly shedding our layers and going sockless. Woohoo! Lot's of things still to report. Hope you are enjoying your first layers of spring!

"Let's leave the clever ideas on the shore,

let's be naked like children, curious and open,

let's get wet!"

- via Awakening Women Institute

                                                        

an afternoon with Flora Bowley

Flora Bowley is an amazing artist. If you haven't already heard of her, do check out her wonderful website http://braveintuitiveyou.com/. She has released an awesome book based on her own approach to creating art called, Brave Intuitive Painting -let go, be bold, unfold. Being an Aquarian, I always tend to be attracted to the "zany" in life. And by ZaNy, I mean anything that allows you to celebrate your juices outside the lines. Flora encourages just that. Leave your head and slither right down into your body, your senses. Feel, express, be brave, be free with your colors, lines, circles, dashes, emotions. 

My very first step was to lay the canvas paper down on the floor. I then chose my blue, red, and yellow acrylic paints to begin the process and then I began to splatter the paint down onto the canvas. Taking a spray bottle full of water, I proceeded to spray the colors in any direction that felt right. Next, I brought my canvas into an upright position and let it bleed in whatever way it wanted. A few more sprays of water, a little more maneuvering, and presto! Ok, I am new to this, don't judge.:) I do see a horse's head organically appear towards the top of the painting, so that was kind of cool and an unexpected surprise.

Feeling a little freer with the spray bottle this time. I choose to outline this particular painting with a pen. 

Again, using a pen as a border. I start to see some flowers emerge in this one.

This painting is one that can be found within the pages of her book and certainly one of my favorite works from Flora Bowley. I feel so fortunate to have found her work. One day I would love to take a painting workshop with her. Until then, I guess I will continue to place some canvas down on my little kitchen floor and let the colors fly. Freeing myself a little bit more each day. Well, I hope you enjoyed this artistic excursion! Enjoy the rest of the week, and as Flora might say, "Be Brave, Be Bold".

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

― Shel Silverstein




A little Shel Silverstein to tuck into your pocket on this beautiful first day of a new month. Happy April!

Poetry

And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived
in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don't know how or when,
no they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names,
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating plantations,
shadow perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind. 

                 -Pablo Neruda

This week's poem was taken from the book entitled, Saved by a Poem, by Kim Rosen. Recently, I have been thinking a great deal about new beginnings and next steps. Do you think one must create them, or are they sent to us somehow in the form of intuition, similar to how Pablo Neruda seemed to be introduced to poetry? The intimacy of this poem was what really drew me to it. So beautiful, so wide open. 

The Light in Your Eyes 

If I had named you at birth
you would be called
Intensity
and if I had nurtured you from the start
I'd have made some mistakes
in the name of love
or so I would have said
and when the truth was revealed
I would have pushed back at it
so it would not crush you

A soul formed
dark and deep as Titan's witches brew
and a love
infinite as the stars in the sky
Blue as the light in your eyes.

                           -Janet Jordan

Today's poem was written by my friend Janet Jordan. She and I would chat back and forth about the joys of creativity. Creativity that often remained in the dark ....just between me, myself, and I. One day we decided to share some of our secret works with one another. She sent me several poems but there was just something about this particular one that somehow stayed with me a little longer than the others. So on this rather cloudy NYC afternoon, I proudly present the awesome poetry of Ms. Janet Jordan. 

The Truth About Love

A photo by An Goban Saor

The Truth About Love

You are a prayer
Your presence a blessing
Your body a thing of beauty
The very fact that you even exist
A miracle beyond measure

Take a moment
Right here
Right now
To remember that you know how      
You have ALWAYS known how

To breathe in the light
To exhale the stars
To dance wildly on mountaintops
To stretch your heart around the world
To be a raging river of mercy

Let this holy truth
Pump and pulse
Through every vein and artery and capillary
Of your sweet body

You are love
Only love
Endless love
Unceasing love
Forever love

You
Yes you
Are the gorgeous, blessed, dazzling sacred heart of love

                           -Chris Zydel

2nd Anniversary

It is here. It is March, and that would be the marking of my two year anniversary of being without a traditional full-time job. Also, the beginning of creating a blog where I could remain open, curious ...Inquisitive.

I clearly remember the feeling of being laid off from a job that I had for over 13 years. Scary, exhilarating, a little like jumping out of an airplane. Although, I've never actually jumped out of an airplane but it's definitely on the bucket list.:) 

My senses were overloaded with new ideas, new experiences ...some joyful, others quite painful.

It was within this time frame that I discovered my passions. I got the opportunity to volunteer my time and quickly become acquainted with folks that were sight impaired, as well as children who were autistic and had such an affinity for subjects such as yoga, art, and music, it literally took my breath away. And why the heck was I feeling so dead for so many years? So much to explore and enjoy about life. I realize that these were the souls ...big and small ...who were meant to take over where my prior work ended.

Today I am a certified children's yoga instructor. I also work part-time at the retail store that I used to manage on a full-time basis.

Life is weird, isn't it? You never really know where you're going to go. Would never have thought that I would be here doing what I am doing. And there is so much yet to explore and learn. Everything is New. 

I am often not always sure that I am on the right path. At times, it's scary as hell. It could also be quite lonely, as most people don't have the stomach to leave the tried and true, so you don't have many "co-workers" along side you. I know if the decision wasn't made for me, I might still be where I was.

So, in keeping within a celebratory mode ...after all this is an anniversary celebration for gosh sakes! Here's to everyone who is celebrating something New, something that just might have snuggled up to you quite incidentally  ...but luckily. 

just a few words

                                                                    a photo by Citizen of Two Worlds on Flickr.

The minute I heard my first love story

I started looking for you, not knowing

how blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.

They're in each other all along.

                                                                           -Rumi



This just reminds me how lovely even the shortest of poems can be. Trying to keep my eyes, ears, and heart open to different words that might come my way. Words that might cause a stir, as this one certainly did with it's luscious warmth. Would love to try and create some poetry of my own one day. Until then, I might just collect some interesting poems that I find on the way and share them here. 

What are some of your creative endeavors that are just waiting in the wings?

up, up and away

Usually this feeling of discontentment and restlessness, kicks in somewhere around March, always sparing January and February. Not so this year. It's the age old feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.... or maybe just plain ole cabin fever, and maybe I'm giving it a more distinctive suit by assuming it to be a life lesson? Could be.

Either way, it's a feeling the we are all too familiar with. The Spring, and also maybe even the Fall of the prior year, all seem to bring in a certain rhythm and everyday schedule that we all automatically adhere to. It's sort of comforting. Of course, until a new year sets in and the whole schedule could feel a bit like it needs a little kick in the butt.

Sitting here at my kitchen table and glancing out the window at the sky above. I can't quite shake that feeling. Something needs to budge, something needs to grow. Quite honestly, a hop on a plane to Rome sounds enticing right about now. Who wouldn't love that?

Well, until 2013 really seems to take shape, take flight ...it is just nice to sit here with this sleeping kitty all curled up beside my computer, a fist full of possible dreams/plans for this coming year, and a yearning to let it all go and just enjoy.

covered ground

Well, we have finally experienced a good snowfall in this area. For awhile, I thought that there may have been a slight chance that we may just escape it. It could have been much worse. Looks as though we were just shy of 10 inches. What a beauty to behold when the snow sets itself down on the branches.

This is Miss Lucinda. She has taken a brake from grooming to strike a pose. So comfy and cozy to be inside surrounded by quilts and pillows. How do you get comfy and cozy on a snowy day like this? Any favorite past times? Popping popcorn, a good Netflix, and even a nice glass of Chilean red wine all sound nice to me.

I live in an urban area. This park is one that is very close in distance to me. With a major amount of snow dusting, it almost gives the park an old fashioned feel. Looks a little country-ish, even.

Well, there ya have it. Our little visit from Ole Man Winter. Hmmm ...to be continued???

Last Friday, I enjoyed a wonderful Kundalini Yoga class. It was certainly long overdue, as I hadn't been to a studio yoga class in so, so long.

Just before the class, there was enough time to lie on my mat and be still before we would officially begin.

I was surrounded by two other early bird yoga students. One man was so relaxed he started snoring loudly. The other man, just to the left of me, was also lying down on his mat (not snoring) but breathing heavily ....in and out, in and out.

In a city such as New York, there really isn't much time for stillness. It seems like an eternal drumbeat ...from a drummer that just doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit". The calmness of the room, the skylight overhead, my fellow yogis .....a little bit of peace entered our Metro area.

As the class began, we started our practice with chanting the Adi Mantra " Ong na mo - Guru dev namo" which translates to "I call on Infinite Creative Consciousness - I call on Divine Wisdom".

I cannot explain the rise of goosebumps that I felt from experiencing the sound of this strong hum of chanting that filled this room. I was so moved.

Just yesterday, I decided to attend a service at The Community Church of New York.  My first visit there, but second bout of goosebumps.

Mid-service, a woman from the choir got up and sang a song called "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Her voice was breathtaking. She literally sang like an angel. Complete goosebumps all around, and quite a few tears filled the church. It was nothing short of amazing.

On this cold and crisp Monday, here is an ode to NYC, as well as every other city and town, for all of it's unique small graces, quiet moments, and unexpected gentle rumblings.

New glasses for a New Year

It was a few days into the new year and after walking around Chelsea for about an hour or so, I decided to treat my stomach's rumblings to a wholesome lunch at Le Pain Quotidien.

photo by te4e

Seated across from me was a table consisting of three men. Of the three, my eye was quickly drawn to a young Asian man wearing red and yellow glasses. There was this inner spark about him. He seemed happy, electric, full of life. Hands animated in self-expression, eyes wide open with enthusiasm. The other two men at the table were closely listening to him as he told his tale. This man of interest, the one with the shnazzy red and yellow specs, was comfortably clad in a grey colored sweater, red pants, a black and white patterned scarf around his neck, sporting white sneakers on his feet, and a small tattoo of the some sort sketched on his forearm.

At the end of every year I hear a good many people talk about picking a word for their upcoming year. My friend's pick for her 2013 theme was the word Kindness. One word seemed a little limiting for me this year so I went ahead and came up with two: Expansion and Love.

While sitting in the restaurant and enjoying my lunch I began to get the inkling that 2013's example of "expansion and love", was sitting right across from me in the form of a man decorated with red and yellow glasses. His core, his smile, his enthusiasm ....his whole essence, all something waiting to be emulated and adopted for the new year.

Have you stumbled upon your own red and yellow glasses? If so, what would they be?