I have been thinking about the similar reading some of us are doing and thought that it might be nice to share our thoughts, ideas or anything that we find interesting about the books, or articles we are reading. It will be a place that we can come back and add to in much the same way I hope the "balance" post will be. Feel free to discuss books, ask questions, or leave suggestions. I believe that we are a wealth of knowledge and can learn, grow and open our minds to new things by sharing with each other. Never underestimate how important you are. You don't have to write a big annotation or anything, just be yourself and share whatever you find interesting.
Friday, September 28, 2007
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I am currently reading Frederick Franck's "The Zen of Seeing, Seeing/Drawing as a meditation". I am drawing more from life lately, especially at Bluff Point and the more I draw from my surroundings I find that I am awakened to the world. I am understanding what it means to really "see" something as
I draw it. I am more apart of something larger than myself. This is something that intimidates me every time I do it, but the more and more I do it, the more I "see" and learn about my surroundings and myself.
Franck mentions, "Everyone thinks he knows what a lettuce looks like. But start to draw one and you realize the anomaly of having lived with lettuces all your life but never having seen one, never having seen the semi-translucent leaves curling in their own way, never having noticed what makes a lettuce a lettuce rather than a curly kale. I am not suggestin that you draw each nerve, each vein of each leaf, but that you feel them being there. What applies to lettuces, applies equally to all-to-familiar faces of husbands...of wives...The Zen of Seeing is a way from half-asleep, to full awakening. Suddenly there is the miracle of being really alive with all the senses functioning."
As I meander my way through this book I am remined of the poem that Brenda posted and can relate to it on such a different level now. I have made a concious decision to allow drawing to be a way to gather information and learn about the world. This new shift in my thinking has allowed me to let go of my previous expectations and my attachment to the outcome. I feel more "Zen" already.
I just read the Secret Life of Bees. It was great. I came upon the realization that books come into your life very serendipitously. I've been wanting to read this particular book for a couple of years, but for whatever reason, I just never got it or thought of it when I was in a bookstore. I happened to be in a used book store a couple of weeks ago and the owner said he had a used copy. As I was reading it, I realized I never would have connected with the text like I did if I had read it a couple of years ago. A few different life experiences have taken place recently that allowed me to really know and understand what the author was writing about. It's strange how its almost like the universe knows when you are ready for the lessons in the text or not.
I totally feel the same way about books entering my life. There have been so many that I have been reminded of recently and want to revist. The "Zen of Seeing" that I am reading now makes even more sense to me now than when I read it the first time many years ago. I think that you bring your life experiences to whatever it is you are doing whether it is your art, reading, writing, etc..and you are right, the Universe has always seemed to when the timing is right. That book just happened to catch my eye when I was in my studio last week. It made more sense to me after reading "the Lost Language of Plants" which gave me a deeper appreciation of how everything in the world is related and connected in some way.
p.s. I also loved the Secret Lives of Bees and that book seemed to find me at the right time as well. I will add it to "our favorites".
I am wondering if anyone has read "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell?
I finally rented "Il Postino" that Tomasen had suggested some time ago and it was beautiful. At first I couldn't figure out how to get the subtitles to view and thought that I wouldn't be able to understand it, but I did and Tomasen was right, you hardly notice that you are reading.
This movie affected me and got me thinking about poetry and metaphors. Is life a metaphor? Do people think in metaphors? I never would have thought about this before this movie and interestingly enough my advisor last semester suggested that I think of my work in terms of metaphors. Do any of you think in metaphors?
This movie also made me think about how one person can affect your life and make you think, grow and stretch in a different direction than you had before. There have been so many people in my life who have changed my thinking and I hope that I can always remain open to that learning. I have not read much poetry in my life and this movie made me want to. I was wondering if any of you could suggest some authors or poems that you have enjoyed of affected you in some way to get me started?
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