free falling...

I like dappled sunlight streaming across the trees, adding depth and dimension to a sea of green and yellow.
I like twlight.
I love the sound of nothing but crunching snow beneath my feet.
I like the opportunities when I have stood alone in a field, watching snow fall around me and listening to the silence within the soft landings of a millions flakes hitting the tree tops.
I like the smell of earth, the feel of sand and the dance of fire.
I love watching hot embers deep inside a campfire, change like liquid lava into a perpetual stream of orange and reds.
I love feeling the warmth of a smudge fire on a cool autumn night, while i gaze at the stars around me.
I like when it rains while sunlight still streams through, making me feel as if I'm part of something otherworldly and sublime.
I like how small I feel when faced with something great in nature, such as a canyon, rock edifice, or even the crashing waves of the ocean.
I like the laughter dancing in my soul-mates eyes, and the voice of a good friend as they tell tale after tale of some adventure.
I like my grandma's hands, my lovers kiss and the connection between friends.
I like the power of love and the child's mind.
I like the idealism of youth and the wisdom of age, the work of an artist's mind and the smells of a home-cooked meal.
I like the rugged handsomness of men and the soft curves of a lady.
I like driving fast, going to the edge and peering over...

and this is just the beginning....

What in life do you like?

living: thoughts on "life": by Jesh De Rox

...."rich quality of life is the natural state. it's not a matter of achieving or creating the high ideals of peace and love as much as it is removing and discarding the disturbances that keep them from us. this is the return that is referenced in the lore, traditions & religions of so many cultures throughout history - the paradise lost.... " —Jesh De Rox

If you'd like to read more of his thoughts on life, you can enjoy them on his blog here:
http://jeshderoxweddings.blogspot.com/

"sweeping" into creativity

Every time I sweep the floor I have a chance to refresh my creativity. The food of creativity is as various as our lives. Just as fruits and vegetables stimulate our bodies to increase our immune system, so we can use "mundane" tasks in life to refresh our creativity.

My daily life is filled with both relaxation and stressfulness. Both are good for me, and the tension between the two, helps create a balance for my spirit. Tension energizes my thoughts to solve & deal with particular problem, while relaxation gives the body and mind time to rejuvenate from the stressful times.

Our creativity is like a wave playing against the seashore. There is both an increase of energy, as the wave crashes onto the shore, and then a receding calm as the wave releases into the ocean. For me, sweeping is like that releasing, rejuvenating part of life—or can be.

Not all work is stressful; sometimes it's just "a doing".
We have hard wood floors around the bottom half of our house, and instead of using an electric vacuum, I like to use our soft bristled hand broom. The back and forth motion of the broom allows me a certain rhythm in which I can relax and prepare myself for greater usefulness, the next time a larger action is required.

Try it and see what you think. Be mindful of the opportunity to use it as a rejuvenating practice. I think painting with a brush, or mowing the yard, or gardening, can also be used for this purpose. This isn't an exhaustive list, just a list to get your mind engaged to the ides of increasing your creativity in areas you may have considered mundane and ordinary.

wishing you greater creativity and mindfulness,
-TJ

a musical muse

I sometimes wonder what thoughts inspire an artist to create. The creative mind is a fluid and shadowy thing. At times it seems solid, so much so, you think you can touch, smell or taste it. And other times, it's like smoke or something ethereal, that if looked at too closely disappears before you can grasp it clearly.

Each of us holds a distinct outlook, similar to a fingerprint, that allows us to capture a similar moment differently from each other. For me, music can often be my muse. I feel the vibrations deep within, and connections I cannot explain ebb and flow, helping me to weave my creative focus.

One of my latest findings is Jonsi's album Go. You may recognize him as the prominent voice in the music artist Sigur Rus. But unlike S.R. Jonsi keeps his album consistently light-hearted, weaving a tapestry of positive energy and playfulness.

p.s. Oh! I love the album cover. It reminds me of one of our fusion inspired images. In truth, I'm hit with a hint of jealously, wishing I would have thought of this and created such a beautiful picture.

and my life changes again....

One reason I believe wisdom is such a "rich gift", is because it takes a lifetime to attain.

Life is filled with moments, normal & unspectacular, that seem as if they were created for no other reason than to require mindfulness to enjoy. For sometimes life is joy, and sometimes pain. But many times it's neither, it's just.... there. We as a culture revel in the highlights, missing the joy of the process which could help us become something larger than we were yesterday.

I just got back from a wonderful sibling shoot of two brothers and a sister. At the end of the shoot, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this family letting me enjoy a pinnacle experience with them; where they came together, out of their busy schedules, and connected with each other—loving one another. They may not have even looked at it as such, but nevertheless it was there, waiting to be grasped and appreciated. Each moment like this is a precious gift of the normal.

Experiences like this are far more richer than I can adequately express.
How many times have I pushed things I consider mundane or "normal" away in search of the "spectacular"?

Today reminded me of the joy I can find in being mindful in the daily grind of life.
Thank you God for this reminder. I hope this post finds a place in your heart that blossoms with future mindfulness and thankfulness. We all have the "normal" in life; it's our search for highlights that differ.

wishing you all well,
-TJ