Goddess School- Week 1

This week kicked off week one of my Creative Goddess E-course.

It began with a pretty powerful guided meditation, involving a meadow, a mountain, a boulder in the path, a future Amanda wise woman, love showering, *ruby* gifting goodness. All in all it was a special, soulful journey. (not to mention that any time spent alone, breathing deep is pretty special for any Mama)

It continued with a walk, in the hands of serendipity and the Great Spirit. I brought my favorite walking companion, Gypsy Sunshine. It rained on us which was sensational. How often do we have that experience!? The purpose of our walk was to gather whatever lay in our path for a wild art making experience.

Then there came the wild art making experience. And luckily I took pictures!
Our little art station, and my favorite painting companion.

Here are some gathered materials, somehow they were all mostly blue/ turquoise. I let that guide the paint color choices and worked big goops of paint with my fingers, with sticks, toothbrushes, fabric, bits of this and that. Just crazy fun!
We had explicit instructions to do some smearing in the grass. So that's what this is a picture of.

This is the painting after getting a rub down on the lawn.
This is my painted lawn :) For some reason I love the thoughts of my neighbors wondering- what on earth is that kooky woman doing!

And this is the final product. I can't say its my favorite painting I have ever seen (or made for that matter) But I resolved before hand to love it unconditionally, because that was the point of this experience. It is a relinquishing of control of the product over to process. To create in the spirit of fun, spontaneity, of acceptance and that is where real magic in creating happens, in wild reckless abandon.

My Miyagi

About 30 seconds after this picture was taken I unraveled this little future garment- a good four hours worth of work. It will be a baby summer dress, someday but at this moment it was missing a strap. See this wasn't the first time I have gotten along in the project a little ways and then balled the yarn back up. For this particular project its about the tenth. But I am learning to knit from a vague pattern and a copy of the book "Stitch and Bitch." And this is my first project more complicated than a washcloth.

The funny thing is that I almost didn't mind it!! I LOVE knitting. The act of knitting is sensational. It is soothing, rhythmic and meditative. I can pick it up for a few seconds which is often how long I have to devote to a creative act, and I can put it down just like that. It will wait for me, there is no mess to clean up or put away. I can do it in the car (while Todd's driving) on the couch, or in the bathtub! (yes last night I knit in the bathtub so Todd could put the baby to sleep. lol)

I am learning patience and mindfulness. I am developing a HUGE appreciation for just how much work goes into making clothes.

But mostly I am learning patience.

On a side note. My first hoop dance class is tonight- Wish me luck! I have been preparing this week. I think it should be a blast- even if I am the only one who shows up. Just kidding there will be at least one other person for sure. Fun either way right?!

My Father was in town this week, we had a wonderful time wining and dining, couch shopping, cruising through the redwoods, and hiking in the mountains. Lovely and blessed.

AND Goddess School has started (yesterday). I am totally in love with this woman who developed the course. and She gave birth to a dear sweet baby this week. All in all this is a BIG week for everyone I think!!

Hoop Love (or Why I Hoop)

If music is the universal language, then dance is the universal response, the cosmic ear of listening deeply, nodding with the rhythm of our bodies.

My own experience of dancing didn't blossom until I found the hoop. My time dancing was few and far between. When I was a girl I took a couple of dance classes. And once I was older I would dance out in a club. There was usually alcohol involved in loosening up and letting some inhibitions go. I never thought I was a good dancer. And sadly, I secretly, desperately wanted to be a good dancer. The problem was that I was completely convinced that I didn't have rhythm. And I thought that rhythm was one of those golden nuggets only bestowed upon a certain lucky few, just like talent. I have learned too late in life that having a "talent" for something means nothing. A person only becomes good at something with practice, time and commitment. Passion is what drives this. But that is really a whole other blog post. I also learned that all humans have rhythm. It is a language, and it is taught to us by our community, it is a language that communicates the story of our collective soul and I believe that this is why I craved so badly to be a part of it.

When I first found the hoop, I discovered the gentle rocking rhythm to be soothing, like ocean waves. My body became engaged in dance in a way that I had yet to give myself permission to do outside of it. When set to music I felt sensual- like the hoop had given my body a key to access the world of rhythm. As my practice grew and I became obsessed with hooping(and that is no over statement!) being inside of the hoop became trance inducing, meditative. As I learned more skills and techniques, dancing with my hoop became creative- it was a form of self expression. The hoop was the binding ingredient that connected my body to rhythm and my soul to the bliss found inside of it.

I write this now on the eve of teaching my first hoop dance class. I'm ecstatic. Mostly about the opportunity to share what has been for me a wellspring of healing and well being. I feel so honored that I get to help others discover the perfection of this symbolic dance partner.

For more information on hoop dance check out this great site