mindset

Remembering A Brave New World (Chila Kumari Singh Burman, Zack Bush, Richie Havens, )

The other day, three random discoveries converged to knock me out of my zeitgeist-powered malaise and into a big wave of joy. They remain a breath of air…

How to Practice Magic

There is a big message in this little film, way bigger than its title, Reframe the Familiar. The visuals seem somehow of another time and act, with the words and odd voice, like hunks of poetry.

Why Walk in Hard Times (Rilke)

We take a walk daily because it never fails to refresh our thinking, change our view of things, calm us. Especially, in these most stressful times. It is perhaps our most powerful medicine. Walking, we find our mind shifting, ideas sparking, problems beginning to yield in ways we never expect. Rilke nailed it in A Walk:…

Let Rhythm Rewire Your Life (Tasha Blank)

Tasha Blank‘s video manifesto shook us loose from a stuckness we didn’t know we had, mired as we were in the mighty anxiety of the zeitgeist, a seeming life-threatening election, dire news, contentious opinions… The international DJ, dancer, coach, somatic practitioner and music producer has much to offer in the form of music, events, courses…

A Body Language Vaccine for Stress and Overwhelm (S.B. Dworski)

Since the convergence of Covid-19 and the run-up to the election, I’ve been increasingly bombarded with homemade mini zeitgeist-videos expressing the pent-up emotions we’re all sharing during this rocky time. The best of these I forward to good friends; mostly, I enjoy a good chuckle, then hit delete. I’ve kept this one on my desktop,…

An Astonishing Poem of Instructions for Eating Persimmons and of Course, Way More (Reprise)

Yi-Young Lee’s astonishly beautiful poem Persimmons tells a number of tiny stories, and lovely very precise instruction about choosing and eating persimmons, which are in season now. What could be better: stories, poetry, something exquisite to eat..?

Yayoi Kusama’s Reflections on the Year 2020

Early on in the pandemic, Yayoi Kusama sent out a defiant message “to the whole world”. We found it deeply heartening in the face of the very dark time. Recently, she shared this affirming message with her reflections on the year 2020…

How to Redeem Life’s Spoilers (Andy Goldsworthy and Hala Alyan)

For over a week, the work of a poet and an artist seemed to be in conversation,
helping us understand a fearsome part of living.

Improvising: on the Edge

In the 16th century, an Italian artist named Cesare Vecellio began to use the long “fourth” outside edge of books as a canvas on which to make small paintings… a reminder of possibilities hiding in plain sight…

“You Are Made by All the Hands that Touch You” (Elisa Moro)

Amid the subtle hues of black in the negative images of Elisa Moro’s photographs, only hands are in positive gray tones. “You are made of all the hands that have touched you” points to one of the great absences caused by the pandemic, and raises a compelling question…

Life’s a Mess, Channel ‘Pura Vida’

Understanding the nuances of “pura vida” made me wonder what if, in the face of all the chaos and uncertainty and rage and sadness, we were to embrace it as our daily mantra?

The “o my god at the heart” of Trees

Some remarkable writings and images describing intimate encounters with trees got us thinking about what really happens when we sit inside one, climb one, sit in its embrace…

Improvising on a Rainy Day in Paris in 1924

This image with the caption, “Parisians navigate flood waters by walking across rows of chairs, 1924”, reminded us of the essential nature of improvisation.

S.B. Dworski on Escape, Noodles, Ecstasy

Fueled by a quarantine fantasy of hiking the Appalachian Trail, S.B. Dworski’s path took her into unexpected territory…

The Subversive Mind-Altering Power of Random Poetry

I came to loving poetry late in life when I realized what was happening when I read a great one. It was just as Emily Dickinson described… subversive words with the power of a drug…

S.B. Dworski Ponders “Sonder”

Frequent contributor S.B. Dworski dives into John Koenig’s deeply beautiful concept, Sonder, which has poignant resonance today.

Kintsugi Repair as Metaphor

Artist ciriacaerre made a video of repairing a smashed vase using kintsugi, the Japanese art that celebrates the scars and breaks. She, and other artist, eloquently describe its greater meaning…

How Much Of Care is Patience? and Other Questions (Chloe Bass)

Compelling signs have appeared in St. Nicholas Park in Harlem, part of the exhibition “Wayfinding” by conceptual artist Chloe Bass. Each asks a powerful question to carry into the week…

Emerging Seeds’ Wild Dances of Joy (Hope Jahrens, Mary Oliver)

Boxlapse Films’ timelapses of seeds bursting through the soil are so wildly expressive, we found ourselves watching with a big grin on our face at the life force in action. It called to mind botanist Hope Jahren’s description of what seeds really do, and Mary Oliver on the very thing to dispel anxiety…

A Bed Surrounded by Flowers Makes a Dreamy Respite

When we stumbled on thisimage by photographer Jill Burrow, we thought, ‘Ah yes. We’d love to sleep surrounded by flowers, especially now, after months of guarded and circumscribed living.’ Looking closely, we found permission to do it…

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