Heard an interesting remark from an aikido master a couple of years ago that I've been able to successfully apply to my situation with cancer the past year. When asked by a student how to get up to the next level in proficiency, the master said, "You'll never get to the next level until you learn to enjoy occupying the same space as your opponent."
Showing posts with label clearing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clearing. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Monday, June 29, 2009
June 28
Sometimes I really love rainy days. Today was one of those days. Woke-up late today, got a good warm-up on the horn, ,did chi kung/yoga, had my blueberry/banana juice and talked with family. For me that's a great way to start the day. This old building I live in has one of those great tin roofs. I think they were especially made for rain. If it's one of those slow steady rains, there is kind of a rhythm to the sound of the rain landing on the roof. I spent several hours alternating between playing the trumpet, clearing/reading email that came in last week and checking out some new websites I've been introduced to. Here's a sampling of what I got into today.
Newsletters/Websites/Videos
Mind Map Inspiration
Murderous Musings in Creativity
Creative Liberty
Open Culture
Mycoted
Creative Education Foundation
Creativity Exercise Blogs
Kristina Dryza Official Website (friend of mine in Tokyo-SUPER creative!)
Futurethink
Futurethink Newsletters
NASA Newsletter
iconoculture
Creative Pro Newsletter
Creative Pro - "Mag Covers that Broke the Rules"
James Mahones' "Practice Portal" Blog (happy to call him friend)
Lateral Action
Creativity - Wiki
Creativity - Graham Wallas
Speakers at Google
Links for Creativity Sites on Creative Liberty
YouTube "Smart" Videos
92st Y
Neil Gaiman and Chip Kidd
20th Anniversary of Sandman
FreeJazz
Got this book from Senzoku on Friday. Looks like it could give me more insight into the "free jazz" scene.
Yoga Journal
Count your blessings..have gratitude.
WebProNews
"Dow Jones Exec Describes Google as Digital Vampire"
Interesting reading the story and then the comments and trying to take the side of each one. A good creativity exercise I think.
Finally, around 9pm I decided to go into Ikebukuro for a jam session. Walked a few blocks from the house with my horn listening to Alex Jones' podcast and suddenly asked myself, "Why am I walking to the station, taking a 15 minute train ride, another 15 minute walk to the club and then have to pay $25 (¥2500) to get in and only play a couple of tunes?" So I turned around and took my horn back to the house. Just couldn't pay $25 to sit-in. That's why there really isn't any kind of good jam session scene in Japan where the musicians can come together as a community and hang and talk and play. The club owners want to "feed" off of us and continue to drain a group of people that are already struggling financially.
Went to Mister Donut and spent a couple of hours reading more about Victor Vasarely and doing exercises from DeBono's book, "Creativity Workout." Tonight I continued with some of the "random word" exercises. Did exercises related to "pairing", "grouping" and "connecting."
Went to Mister Donut and spent a couple of hours reading more about Victor Vasarely and doing exercises from DeBono's book, "Creativity Workout." Tonight I continued with some of the "random word" exercises. Did exercises related to "pairing", "grouping" and "connecting."
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 4
Change Routes
Because I live in Tokyo and am always using the train system here, I've never felt a need for a car. Something that has been a simple and cheap thing to do to stimulate ideas is to walk different routes from my house to the train station. Improvisation in life. I've run into so many unexpected things. Sometimes I'll see a new shop that opened, a beautiful Japanese garden around someone's house, etc. Drive to work? Try some different routes and be awake. Amazing what you'll see.
Clearing
Clearing out my email account this morning. Such a good feeling to clear and make a space for something new to enter. Clearing is one of the very most powerful techniques I've used over the past 15 years to get "flow" happening. Sometimes when I feel stuck, I clear something out. It doesn't matter how small.
Photography
Working on a new photoshop technique that I learned in the new issue yesterday. It's going to take a little practice to get it together.
Lenswork Extended
I'm going through this bonus dvd that comes with each issue of the magazine. It's filled with tons of photos, folios, interviews, etc. The interviews are cool. They are discussing camera technique. It's all about the creative process.
Lenswork Podcast:
"Practice Until It's Second Nature"
May 4, 2009
Because I live in Tokyo and am always using the train system here, I've never felt a need for a car. Something that has been a simple and cheap thing to do to stimulate ideas is to walk different routes from my house to the train station. Improvisation in life. I've run into so many unexpected things. Sometimes I'll see a new shop that opened, a beautiful Japanese garden around someone's house, etc. Drive to work? Try some different routes and be awake. Amazing what you'll see.
Clearing
Clearing out my email account this morning. Such a good feeling to clear and make a space for something new to enter. Clearing is one of the very most powerful techniques I've used over the past 15 years to get "flow" happening. Sometimes when I feel stuck, I clear something out. It doesn't matter how small.
Photography
Working on a new photoshop technique that I learned in the new issue yesterday. It's going to take a little practice to get it together.
Lenswork Extended
I'm going through this bonus dvd that comes with each issue of the magazine. It's filled with tons of photos, folios, interviews, etc. The interviews are cool. They are discussing camera technique. It's all about the creative process.
Lenswork Podcast:
"Practice Until It's Second Nature"
May 4, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
May 30
Clearing
Cleaning out/organizing/deleting files on the MAC today.
The "clearing process" is an amazingly simple tool for getting new and fresh energy flowing again. Cleaning a closet or a drawer...organzing a bookshelf...schedule. Maybe it only takes 5 minutes. But afterwards I feel great.
By doing this blog the past few days, I've been reminded about a powerful book I used in 1996. Maybe you've heard of "the Artist's Way" - A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron.
In this book, Cameron has a process called "Morning Pages" which is a very powerful tool for creativity, clearing, and establishing focus all in one. I highly recommend this book. For me this blog has been kind of a return to the "morning pages." Below is a link to a pdf file on her website that gives you a set of tools to work with if you are new to her work or a good review if you've been down that path already.
The Basic Tools page
The Basic Tools pdf
Cleaning out/organizing/deleting files on the MAC today.
The "clearing process" is an amazingly simple tool for getting new and fresh energy flowing again. Cleaning a closet or a drawer...organzing a bookshelf...schedule. Maybe it only takes 5 minutes. But afterwards I feel great.
By doing this blog the past few days, I've been reminded about a powerful book I used in 1996. Maybe you've heard of "the Artist's Way" - A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron.
In this book, Cameron has a process called "Morning Pages" which is a very powerful tool for creativity, clearing, and establishing focus all in one. I highly recommend this book. For me this blog has been kind of a return to the "morning pages." Below is a link to a pdf file on her website that gives you a set of tools to work with if you are new to her work or a good review if you've been down that path already.
The Basic Tools page
The Basic Tools pdf
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