From Conception to Completion

In yoga, our instructors tell us that the most important posture is Savasana. It is the posture that our entire practice has been preparing us for. It is when we can quiet the mind and experience stillness and if possible enter into a meditative state. Here's the problem for me....it is in that posture at the end of class when it seems as though the 'Gods of Creativity' decide to grace me with their presence. My mind is almost never calm, instead it is usually abuzz with thoughts and ideas. In particular, jewelry designs. It has almost completely replaced the shower for me....that's where I used to do my best design work. So the dilemma is this... do I try to quiet my mind and push all those thoughts of the perfect necklace out of my mind knowing that a nice shower awaits me when I get home OR do I let the ideas come? Below I have posted BEFORE & AFTER photos of a necklace that I designed in Savasana. It was the first in what I have lovingly named my "Savasana Collection" for obvious reasons. I love seeing the parts come together into something that I am proud of.

BEFORE:


AFTER:

PJ's vs. Yoga (yoga will always win)

Living in the Tidewater area of Virginia, you get used to some pretty crazy weather. It could be hot, sunny and 85 one day and the next 60's and rainy. Today, we have a Nor'easter blowing in. We knew it was coming. Yesterday, it was so windy all day and today, the same wind is still with us but along with it is the downpour they have been promising. I don't know about you, but waking up to rain makes me want to stay in my pj's all day. I am trying not to think about that because this morning I have yoga. It is the yoga class that I love & dread all at the same time. It is a level 2 class, so much harder than the other classes I take throughout the week. I always have so much fun with it once I am there but there is so much anxiety in getting there. I am discovering that like with other things I fear, it is my attitude toward it that causes the anxiety more than the 'thing' itself. Yesterday in class, before entering a challenging posture, our instructor John asked us to notice our attitude going into the posture and adjust it accordingly. It is truly amazing at how just becoming aware of your attitude and making slight changes to it can change the outcome. So today my work is that. PJ's will wait, I have yoga to do and as John and Chris (our amazing Hot House instructors) always say..."suffering is optional."

Happy 50th Birthday!

This past Sunday was the 50th birthday of the Peace Symbol. We celebrated by going to Peace, Love and Balance (a wonderful store in Virginia Beach) where the owner, Betsey, hosted a party for said symbol. It was quite something. It was a birthday party in the traditional sense in that there was a cake and we sang Happy Birthday with some non-traditional elements as well in that we all formed a circle and Angela Phillips led a prayer for peace. Betsey is a strong advocate for supporting local artists and she has many represented in her store. She carries my 'yoga line' there and not surprisingly one of the best sellers for her has been this:
This necklace is called "Peace Rocks". A polished beach stone with a sterling silver peace symbol. The response to this necklace as well as the trend of peace symbol jewelry, clothing. etc has had me thinking a lot recently. I think that we as a world community are searching. Searching for something that makes us feel good. Cozy. Wearing things like these are not only a reminder for us of what we are searching for but also an outward expression for others as well. Something to make us all feel connected when most of the time the world seems so vast. So rock on Peace Symbol. Here's to another 50. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes on peace...

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
~Mother Teresa