Today’s word comes from the gorgeous book, Dreaming My Animal Selves by Hélène Cardona which, incidentally I never would have found without the magic of the internet. I’m so glad I did because it’s a glorious book of poetry. The word I chose randomly is whimsical! Yay!
I am not sure whimsy ever got squeezed out of me in my youth. I’m fortunate to have children and friends who help keep this alive in my heart. Something I love about my city is the whimsical things that are often waiting to be found. I remember being acquainted with the Toy-Box Trio at the Seattle Art Museum and fell just a little in love with their sound. It’s common to happen upon little art installations, fairy houses, or stacked rocks in local parks. It’s lovely to live in a world where such joy waits for me stumble upon it.
Today’s quote comes from Yoko Ono. It’s more of a directive but I was drawn to it because of the word whimsical. The book it comes from, Acorn, is filled with delightful prompts that can only enrich one’s life.
Wishing Tree at Carkeek Park
Make a wish. Write it down on a piece of paper.
Fold it and tie it around a branch of a Wish Tree.
Ask your friends to do the same.
Keep wishing until the branches are covered with wishes.
Finally, I can’t think of whimsy without thinking of my fabulous friend, Rob D’Arc who makes glorious puppets for the stage as well as puppets you can take home. You can also find him at the Pike Place Market selling his puppets. The holidays are coming…
After stripping away the false and allowing myself the humility of returning to the ground of my being, I find an immense amount of vulnerability inside of me.
Antistrophes by Rainer Maria Rilke Ah, Women, that you should be moving here, among us, grief-filled, no more protected than we, and nevertheless able to bless like the blessed. From what realm, when your beloved appears, do you take the future? More than will ever be. One who knows distances out to the outermost star…
As a Result of Tensions Today’s random word, result, comes from Archetypes & Strange Attractors: The Chaotic World of Symbols by John R. Van Eenwyk who I had the pleasure of hearing speak at Antioch University Seattle many years ago. Because I love the text so much, it serves nicely as today’s quote: “As we…
When we become slaves to our machines, we lose our humanity. Let’s not let that happen. Love. Touch. Feel. Emote. Express. Commune. “Conformity and obedience, Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth, Makes slaves of men and of the human frame, A mechanized automaton.” ~Percy Bysshe Shelley
“We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca Today’s random word is know and comes from Men Undressed: Women Writers and the Male Sexual Experience. I’ve been pondering gender identity lately. There’s been a lot coming out about toxic masculinity and the harm it causes. I’ve been noticing where this lives in my own heart…