 | 
|
The Bird-days of September |
|
|
In This Issue:
|
A Visit from the Muse, September 2005
|
|
|
|
•
|
September Warblings: Several elves pretended to enjoy making Barbie's eight-hundredth raincoat.
|
|
|
|
•
|
Classes from Trained Muse Facilitators
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
CALENDAR of Events, Workshops and Classes
|
|
|
|
•
|
An Update on my Muse Child: Jordan
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Interview with Artella's Marney Makridikis
|
|
|
|
•
|
Extraneous Masterpieces
|
|
|
|
Welcome to September. Print this out if you wish.. it's easier to read in the bathtub that way.
I know you have observed the tragedy on the Gulf Coast in your way. I'd like to recognize it with a moment of healing breath and inner peace sent to the victims of Katrina. Words fall short of what I wish for these people and pets. What if we all to do something extra creative this month and dedicate it to the people who were affected? The ripples of creativity heal inward and outward. Dedication can be powerful in the creative process.. it can get us out of ourselves... what act of creativity will you dedicate?
Last month we had an issue about the dog days of August.. so why not a creature for every month? That's the theme for the next 11 months and the Muses annoint September the Bird-days...So Happy Bird-day to you. Aha-phrodite says.. "Pay attention to the art of birds this month." Warble a joyful noise. Think about them differently, says Albert. Flocks of birds flying across roads and highways have the ability to bring us back to the present moment from worries and judgments. Bird songs give us background music in our daily world. We share the earth with flying friends. They show up in skies, in trees, in windows, on outside tables, in art of all kind. If you own one, take it to lunch. What's a favorite bird of yours? I like pelicans, hawks and hummingbirds -ducks make me smile.
And now for September Acronyms:
From Pattie Mosca
Silly explosive party time energizes memorable birthday entertainment rituals and
Succulent energy poured to each molecule before escaping righteously.
From Jeanne Hillson, Acroynm Muse
Simone encouraged people to envision much better end results.
Several elves pretended to enjoy making Barbie's eight-hundredth raincoat.
Schoolchildren everywhere prayed that exams might be eliminated, retroactively.
Streakers eluded police today; ensuing mayhem broke every record!
Sara encouraged Polly to empty Monday's bountiful eeyucky rubbish.
From Sandi Howell:
Simply everyone procrastinates tenfold escaping museness before ever remembering and
So easy pretending temporary effort meaning basically endless restarts
From Jerri:
Sleep Eased Penny`s Tough Encounter, Memories Breaking/ Entering Rest
Poem From Mary Gray:
See
Every day
Prove more beautiful
Taking us to new
Excitement in a new season
Morning sun arrives later
But shines sweeter
Evenings bring
Recollection
From Lisa Miller:
Surely
Every
Prayer
Trembles
Ethereally in the mind
Moments
Before
Emerging
Radiant
SWAMP MAPLES by John Aho
During every September,
When the days are warm and the night's cold,
You manage to remember
That we are an extra year old.
More gray has come to my head
And you've changed a bit yourself.
Though I enjoy your yellows and red,
I still believe in the elf.
I stand and embrace your beauty
As you grow above the cool mist,
And know for change we are both free
Here in the swampy amethyst.
As long as change comes we grow
And we should cherish love for this day.
To our hearts hold this warm glow,
And not allow it to slip away.
The future will always come
And of this we should always remember.
Then our lives will be in sum
With the changes of September.......
And from last month's Dog Days and Dogstar Theme.. Here's Linda Bannan:
Muggie Haiku:
Best dog star ever
Makes my heart twinkle and glow
Shines on me always-delight.
MUGGINS
My Muggie dog loved me
Uncommonly, unconditionally
Gallumphed to welcome me for 14 years.
Greatest pound puppy
In all eternity
Now gone in body, but ever present in
Spirit.
Thank you for submitting those!
October poems and acronyms needed.
|
|
 |
|
|
Link up with other creative kindred spirits and get inspired with workshops. If you don't take mine, take someone's else's. We creative people sometimes need structure and new fuel to ascend to the next level that is patiently waiting for us.. If you haven't experienced this sensation of being on the same quirky wavelength of authenticity, liberated self expression and the fun that is possible in the realm of creative workshop, or if you wish to return for more, please come to one of these events, organize one in your own area or email me and I'll refer you to a near-by Muse Leader. Better yet, become a Muse Leader and start your own tribe.
If you would like a Muse Workshop for your women's group, creative group or group of friends.. please contact me at info@themuseisin.com .
See training dates below.
SIGN UP FOR BRINGING WORDS TO VOICE: PERFORMANCE WRITING
Tuesdays 7-9 p SEPTEMBER 13th through OCTOBER 25th $175 in Encinitas, CA 1221 Enincinitas Bvd (drive by the park to the Boys and Girls club and look for the staircase that leads to a room above the gym.)
Experience the fun, creativity and reward of giving voice, gesture, movement and even props to your words. Designed to build your confidence and give you a space to just play with giving life to your writing. You can choose from simply learning to effectively read your writing, to entering the realm of slam poetry, or even venturing into performance art. The class will culminate in a public presentation. All levels invited. Your laughing muscles will get a workout ..
EVERY TUESDAY AT NOON.. WRITING PRACTICE
at Hi-Way Haven in Leucadia $7 (sliding scale) http://www.wordsandiego.com/pages/hi-way-haven.html All levels, all types of writers.. fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, nonsense, for fun.. all levels. No critique. liberated splendor.
Office Hours on Tuesdays at Hi-way Haven .. come for some creativity coaching.
Nearing Fall Writing Workshops SEPTEMBER 15TH
Flower Hill Mall Del Mar. Join this clan in fanning creative sparks into new ideas, twists on old ones, and the exploration of tools that make creative writing fun and easy. All levels in a non-threatening, non-critique environment for poets, prose players to journal writers.
OCTOBER 7-9 2005 SECOND ANNUAL ARTELLA CONFERENCE AT WISDOM HOUSE IN CONNECTICUT ! The Wild Child! Don't miss this life changing event.. If you only do one art retreat. do this one.. because it lasts a lifetime. SARK, Marney, myself and several other gifted presenters. See details and register at http://www.artellawordsandart.com/retreat.html
OCTOBER 12-15th MUSE FACILITATOR TRAINING Seville Hotel at the Plaza!! in Kansas City.. Take the Journey .. become a certified Muse Group Facilitator and find a deeper expression of your own, unique creative passion. Also includes an introduction to creativity coaching. Private rooms for a nurturing experience. email me for details .. a few spaces left. http://themuseisin.com/musegroupleader.html
WEEKEND WORKSHOP October 29/30, 2005 10:00 am - 4:00 pm REAWAKEN YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT Lee Art Center in Arlington VA With Jill Badonsky No matter what walk of life you are in, this workshop may provide just the right kind of encouragement and inspiration you may need to become more passionate and motivated in creating your kind of art OR life! Join us in learning new tools, techniques and attitudes that triumph over the most common obstacles to success in the creative process using hands-on, process-oriented experiences. http://users.erols.com/leearts/2005_Fall_Workshops/
NOVEMBER 1 - 4 MUSE FACILITATOR TRAINING ARLINGTON, VA.. FILLED
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1 GOLDEN FLEECE STORYTELLING
Washington D.C. I will be speaking on Creative Tools for Storytellers and doing some storytelling
http://www.creatingthe21stcentury.org/GoldenFleece.html
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Keynote Speaker at Carlsbad Score Breakfast Conference .. details in future issues
STARTING AGAIN JANUARY 2006.. On-line and on-phone Muse Classes with Denise Mihalik and myself. Please email Denise for examples of the incredibly inspiring online class graphics you will receive weekly. dschreiber8@comcast.net http://www.denisemihalik.com/ This 12 week class is both supportive and fun and will send you onto the path of your passion with joy, direction and unstoppable energy or YOUR MONEY BACK. email prompts are completed on your own time schedule and phone calls are scheduled and recorded with everyone in mind. The 12-week length helps you develop habits for your creative work that will last a life time. Includes a free creativity coaching session.
JANUARY 16th 2006 ON THE PHONE, ON-LINE
Become Certified as a Creativity Coach with Jill Badonsky, M.Ed. and Dr. Robert Maurer (One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way). www.scienceofexcellence.com
|
|
 |
|
|
Marney and I are teaming up for some book writing, conference call classes, and the idea for the Wild Child Retreat in October came from our work last Spring - using kid-like qualities as an adult for deepening creativity. If you haven't visited the Artella site, get ready for a whole new world of art and writing inspiration. There's still a few spaces open at the retreat too.
Here's more about Marney:
What got you started with Artella?
I think where it really started was with this assemblage that I created in an art workshop in the summer of 2002. It was this woman figure, a sort of grotesquely-shaped woman just dripping with junk, and when she was done, I thought she was the ugliest thing. I almost hated to bring her home. Several months later, I was inspired to write a poem about her, and that process helped me understand and finally Know who she was. She was Artemis, a Hunter, and she was ME, the ugliest parts of me, the most beautiful parts of me, all rolled into all this "stuff" that I had carefully placed into the assemblage of my life. This experience got me hooked on the process of combining art and writing, and so I started doing lots of experimenting with adding words to my art and add art to my words. It was wonderful to see how one would inform and inspire the other. And then it wasn't long before I really wanted to give that experience to others - to open them up to the world of creating words and art, and specifically, creating it in collaboration with one another. So Artella started with a 'zine that published collaborative works of art and writing by a variety of artists and writers. Lots of stuff came after the publication, like e-courses and discussion groups and online stores and stuff, but I guess everything pretty much followed the same model: I'd experience something and realize how cool it was, and then want to share with others how cool it could be, too. I taught myself a goal-reaching technique that worked, so I wanted others to learn it, too. I learned how I could make a living with eProducts, so I wanted to show other people they could, too. I think the difficulties that I've had in my life have been the impetus - or at least one of them - for my urge to make things easier, more inspiring, more enriched and joyful for creative people. (By the way, you can see the Artemis assemblage and poem at http://artellawordsandart.com/support-files/artemis.pdf.)
What's your favorite part about it?
I have to keep things really diversified to keep things interesting for myself, and so I have created a situation in which I get to do a lot of things that I enjoy. In the overall picture, though, the ideas are my favorite part - whether it's design ideas about a magazine layout spread or ideas about how to help a coaching client. I have always been a person with "too many ideas" and so it's great to have a stretchy container that can hold a lot of ideas and yet expand in size to hold even more.
What is something about you that might surprise your readers?
I really need to sleep about ten hours a night. I have the sweatiest feet in the world. And on a more serious note, I have a history of severe bi-polar disorder and while I've been stable for years, the swings are something that I still work with. It's not something that I hide but it's also not something that I broadcast outwardly. At some point I imagine I will write about this in a very direct, personal way (about the psychological stuff, that is, not about my smelly feet).
I'm in awe of how much you do... what is your secret?
For better or worse, I don't really plan things or think about things too much before diving in. There's definitely a downside to that, too, but it does keep my work uninhibited and it does mean that I get a lot done because there's very little time that goes into planning, thinking, pontificating, hemming and hawing. I do love to brainstorm but I do it very quickly, so it's a very fast process. I'm also just a "do-er" by nature, but again, that has it's pluses and minuses. I do get a lot done this way, but balancing my life does not come easily to me. It's often uncomfortable for me to be still and quiet, and yet that's so necessary for creative and health revitalization. It's always about trying to find a balance.
What does your house look like?
It's a very unusual home, that's for sure. In terms of describing it, it really depends on which square foot you look at. It runs the gamut from being elegant to goofy to nonsensical to goosebumpy to tremendously odd. My husband and I love it here, but we also have a dream of living in a warmer climate, so we've been very quietly putting some feelers out into the Universe to see if the perfect buyer is out there. There are a bunch of pictures of our house at http://www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com/MagicArtHome.html
What is your vision for the future?
Allowing Artella to grow, with both audience and staffing to support that growth. I have 5 paid staff members right now, but I often feel like I need 50, and honestly, I feel like Artella has only done a fraction of its mission, in terms of catalyzing creativity. Someone interviewed me recently and said something like, "I imagine you've used up all of your ideas" and I was sort of speechless because I feel like, in just short of 3 years, we've just barely gotten our feet wet. I think the future is a dance between the known and unknown, and planning for both.
What inspired the upcoming Wild Child Retreat?
Jill and I did a teleworkshop together about kid-like energy, and started talking about more presentations that we'd like to do on different kid-related topics.all for adults! (Stay tuned to Jill's newsletter to hear more about these presentations as they are announced!) So the kid thing was definitely on my mind. As different elements came together for the retreat, i.e., the workshop presenters that I wanted to use, and SARK as the feature presenter, the WildChild theme obviously made itself known. As I brainstormed about the essence I wanted the weekend to invoke, obviously playfulness, free-spiritedness and whimsy were on the list, but I also wanted to conjure the simplicity, spirituality, and wisdom of child-like energy. Since the retreat will be held at Wisdom House, a restored convent in Litchfield CT, "WildChild Wisdom" was the perfect blending of a theme! You can read about the retreat AND listen to a free recording of a 1-hour preview teleclass by me and Jill, called "The WildChild Writing Warmup", is at http://www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com/retreat.html.
What is your favorite part about planning the upcoming retreat?
It's all falling into place so easily. Selecting the little goodies for the retreat participants is a sacred process for me. It's about unearthing the perfect elements that can make someone's creative energy "click", even in a small way.
What's one thing you'd like to tell the world?
Until you do it, it won't be done.
If I could, I would whisper this into everyone's ear in the early morning, every morning, until Trust melted doubt in the morning sun:
No one. smells a rose like you
dreamt your dream last night
plants a footprint that dances like yours
casts your reflection in the pane
the world awaits your very next breath
for unto you a sun is born
|
|
 |
|
|
From Jeanne Hillson in Massachusetts
Harvest Your Creativity This Fall!
Join a MUSE Group! It's a fresh, delightful approach to
freeing, celebrating and deepening your creative spirit!
When: Ten (10) Tuesdays, September 20 - November 29, 2005 (no meeting on October 4) Session 1: 10-noon
Session 2: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: Davis Square, Somerville, convenient to T and parking) location details sent with registration confirmation Space is Limited. For more information, or to Register Visit www.applyimagination.com
and select link to Join a Muse Group!
or email musegroups@applyimagination.com
or call 617 576 AHAs (617-576-2427)
From Lynda Heines Indiana
Journaling To Spiritual Awareness: Seeing the Sacred in Everything
Providence Center in St. Mary's of the Woods, Indiana (near Terre Haute)
October 15 - 16, 2005 Saturday 9 am - Sunday 3 pm
$110 (includes lodging, food and super buffet on Sunday!) We will have lots of fun discovering together and exploring our spiritual awareness through writing and art exercises and group discussions. The Sunday buffet is to die for!! (I like to eat!) It is a lovely, peaceful
setting that includes an outdoor Labyrinth. This retreat is not for a specific faith. As they mention on their website, the retreats and programs are open to all who wish to take another step on the path to fulfillment.
For more information and to register, go to
http://www.spsmw.org/ministries/hospitality/spiritpro_html
For additional information, check out my web site at
http://www.heartwriting.com or email heartwriting@insightbb.com"
Leslie J Linder:Maine
Bucksport Adult Education: "Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)" Meeting every Wednesday beginning October 12, from 6-8PM at Bucksport High, for eight weeks. Please call or email for more information. $65 plus purchase of a text (about $17). Check out www.radicalselfacceptance.com for more info on this and other opportunities. You can also register for the "Nine Modern Day Muses" class by email at bace@bucksportschools.com or by phone at 207-469-2129.
Mount Desert Island Adult Education: Same eight-week Muse class. Class is scheduled on Thursdays starting, October 13th, from 6:00-8:00pm. $65 plus purchase of a text (about $17). Email silverbranchcenter@yahoo.com with any questions. You can also check www.radicalselfacceptance.com for all our classes, workshops, and opportunities for creative networking.
THE MAGICK OF CREATIVITY: Saturday, October 29, 2005: 1-3PM, Silo Seven Bookstore, Bangor, Maine. $25 per person. Go to www.radicalselfacceptance.com for more info.
This three hour workshop emphasizes the connection between magick and creativity in a playful and fun environment. On the Saturday before Samhain, we will do some creative visualization and artwork that explores the power (the magick) that we contain within ourselves. A Samhain craft and an empowering (power-raising) circle will be included.
|
|
 |
|
|
Last month I introduced the concept of being a God-Muse and having a Muse-child vs. a God-child. I introduced you to my Muse-child, Jordan and shared her letter (written by her mom, Jennifer Farr-Jones). I encourage more adoptions of Muse-children.. a role where you get to enhance creative growth or in my case just augment this creative Mom's influence. Update:
Dear Muse Mom,
I am eight months and 21 days old, which means, I've
still had more time on the inside than the outside.
Last night, I was eating your book, "The Nine Modern
Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)", before my Mom squealed and took it away. I enjoyed the smooth texture of the cover and the blue ink on the pages had a nice aftertaste.
I've met Audacity, Bea silly and Spills, and am not
at this time interested in meeting Lull (Muse of
Pauses). A., B. and S. watched me crawl over to the
dog's water bowl and pour it over myself and watched
as my diaper tripled in size and the cool water
splashed all over me. Refreshing.
Thank you also for my first blueberry. Without teeth, it took me 6 gum bites to eat a medium one. Most people pop them into their mouths and swallow, worried about blueberry stains but I enjoyed taking my time really paying attention and getting to know more about each blueberry. I recommend others try to take at least 5 bites to eat a blueberry. If you can't find a blueberry, I also recommend spending time slurping and sucking a slice of honeydew melon without using teeth.
I read hard books (cardboard pages) everyday and am
an expert page-turner, a speed-turner. I like to put
my feet up on stroller walks, and cross them when I'm
resting. I drink water from a glass and will keep
trying something until I can do it- like drinking from
the dog's bowl. The first time I encountered a step,
I crawled up it. I've spent the last two days and over
100 attempts trying to do it again. I'm not discouraged; "Spills" knows I will learn how to succeed with consistent practice.
I'm really enjoying myself. I've learned if I smile at people, they usually smile back. That makes me laugh. I laugh more than I cry. My best friend is a dog, and she's the perfect height for helping me stand. I help her by letting her eat my carrot mush flung by catapult.
Mostly, I've enjoyed the taste of blue, but I do not discriminate what colours I will taste. I may even start mixing colours and see what happens.
Your Muse Child,
Jordan
|
|
 |
|
|
One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A Robin Redbreast in a cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
~William Blake, Auguries of Innocence
|
|
|
|
|
|
