It’s January 9, and this is my first post for 2012. Huzzah! It’s been a whirlwind fall and wonderful early winter, and I cannot thank my friends, family, clients and fellow metalsmiths enough. This summer was a difficult one for many reasons, but the past few months have more than made up for it. My faith in my ability to stay on this creative path has been renewed, and the New Year has served to energize me with enthusiasm that is fairly crackling!
Specifically, my dream journal is full words that have been translated into meanings, and meanings are translated into imagery. The birth of a new line, even a new direction in my work, might be taking place. Who knows where this will lead?
In 2012, I hope you are full of renewed enthusiasm as well, and inspired to rededicate yourself to your dreams, whatever they may be. I wish you peace, health, and all the energy you need to follow your path.
Please keep in touch, share your journey. Comments are welcome. That is what blogging is about!
Like many Americans, I have spent the last few days gorging on delicious food, spending time with friends and family, and generally being grateful for what I have. And trying like heck to NOT focus on what I don’t. Hoping and trusting you were able to do the same thing.
Necklace by Nancy Lee, photo by Paul d’Andrea
Paired with that thankfulness has been the loss of my business computer AND backup hard drive, and dealing with the doldrums during the aftermath. Without going into the gory details, let’s just say I type this from ground zero. There exists a certain nervous energy surrounding starting over, technology wise. On the one hand, it’s great having a new computer. While I’m all gaga about getting it whipped into shape so it can take care of me and my bidness, I don’t want to backslide into “reaction mode†regarding the loss of my entire virtual world of technology and the slog of recreating it from scratch.
So, Monday marks a new, important week of moving forward into creativity, even if it’s in tiny steps! Interestingly, my inspiration is not wrapped in a shiny new package of magic tricks. Right now I need comfort and familiarity. My focus is on a tender mashup of five little tools in the creativity kit already at my disposal.*
1.      Meditate – even though it’s not done in a true Zen way (I mean, who can sit like that?) I do plan on sitting for at least 15 minutes and visualizing nothingness. Doing nothing clears a path.
2.      Write – since this summer, I’ve kept a dream journal. I write in it a lot, and often take extra time to look up my dream symbols in The Dreamer’s Dictionary: Translations in the Universal Language of Mind by Barbara Condron. It’s been deeply helpful and brings me a kind of secret powerful joy that I’m getting to know the workings of my dream-brain better (say that three times fast).
For example, last night I dreamt of dozens of cooing babies floating before me as I swaddled them in soft translucent netting cloth, wove the cloth with satin ribbons, tied the ribbons into bows, and then folded the cloth down and around the babies like the petals on a flower. Happy-happy joy-joy. In the dream book, babies are new ideas. Coolness.
3.      Listen to music that makes me feel like dancin’ just for the fun of it.
4.      No TV. Sitting there staring at that cube really sucks creative motivation out, like totally!
5.      Be grateful – each night, 5 things I’m grateful for will be listed in my gratitude journal. This gets me thinking of gratitudes during a regular day, and noticing with joy the things I’ll be able to write down later. WOOT! SCORE ONE FOR GRATITUDE!
I’m so looking forward to getting back to the bench. And SO looking forward to hearing your ideas on moving forward after being stuck. Please share!
P.S. Just for fun, there is an example of “past creativity” posted on the page!
