Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown. Claude Bernard
The simple action of taking the time to learn from doing and being something was not experienced before, the simple action of going beyond what one thinks he knows to experience something that has not been experienced before is frightful as well as freeing. Freeing of letting go of old ideas, old patterns and habits, to experience the thrill of… of what? A new attitude, and new perspective, a more sustainable way of living.
The thoughts are gone now. The Artist’s Way suggest that you get up a half hour earlier to write in a, “stream of consciousness” form, three pages, I don’t know how many words three pages are but I seek to write as long as the thoughts run, and then finish off. As some of you know I began blogging the “morning pages” as my second time through the practice of The Artist’s Way, 12 week process, of uncovering and re-discovery of who I am as an artist. How we bring creativity to life. This process is suppose to be private and kept hidden, and the first time through I did write “morning pages” long hand in a journal. Blogging the “pages” was a way to get more honest, to recommit to the process, and I got to week 8, and everything seems to have come to a screeching halt, now I am gently unraveling what caused that block, where did the fear begin to rear is ugly head? Not so much in my art/photography but in the art of living my life. Was it in my grandest moment that I played old tapes or that the censor mind blurted out, “who are you kidding, you don’t deserve this stuff, your not suppose to let people into your life again, you know what happens when you get close…” but I did not hear that voice, it was a more silent, unconscious action, to discontinue the progress I had become months before.
Even as I sit here and write the censor keeps blurting out in the back of my mind, “No one wants to read this stuff, you keep saying the same thing. Aren’t you being self indulgent here, this blog is always about you. Do people care?” Your right this is about me, but it is about me being open and I hope authentic as I can be, even if it seems self indulgent, ego promoting. But is its so that the process of uncovering who we are is out in the open, that the road map is written, the terrain is set before the reader, to know that they are not alone, to know the the process of recovery of our highest grandest being is an unraveling, an evolution from the ideals and practices of the social world we are brought up in, the revealing of idea’s and beliefs that are thrust upon us from birth from parents, teachers, ministers, priest, media, and all other forms of information that is unconsciously consumed. The walking away, the tuning out, the listening to the small voice, the marching to a different drummers, is not an easy task, even when we know in our hearts, our beings that it is the correct path. A quote that keeps coming across my path is from Henry David Thoreau: “The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” He should know because he choose to live in a different manner than society had thrust upon him. He wrote a map of living more simply, to experience life in its fullest detail, the life that was all around him not just society. If the man who became “the Christ” had just stayed Jesus, if the prince who had become the Buddha, would have just continued the proscribe life society had set out for them instead of listening and following the deeper voice we would not have those example either.
No I am not comparing myself to these Beings or I am. We all have the power to overcome the world around us, “Be in the world but not of it” is a quote said to be of Jesus. A wise suggestion but not always as simple, to live from our deepest sense, to live from our highest consciousness, to live from our hearts, is both joyful and painful, it is dancing the balance, it is embracing the chaos, to walk in the world and experience it from its Grandest perspective, that is the perspective of Love, that is the perspective of Being Love.
Embrace the unknown to become the light of the known, the road is never ending.
Growth Question: Find something among the blog that resonates from your deepest being, listen, what is it trying to say?
I am Love, Jeff
the reluctant bloger 
Jeff – your picture “Heaven on the Ground” is amazing. That should be entered into a contest or published or something. I kept thinking I was looking at the sky but then I saw the rocks and realized it was clouds reflected in water.
Everything is about us, ourselves, me, you. Your blog should be about you. My blog is about me. I might talk about all sorts of other stuff, but those words are all about how I feel about that stuff. I think it is perfectly acceptable to be self-indulgent so long as we are mindful of our boundaries and the impact of our actions upon others. Your pictures are absolute eye candy and if you are totally self-absorbed while taking those pictures and choose to share them with me, then your self-indulgence pays off in big ways for my enjoyment.
We have to live from the honest voice within, even though it is a frightening prospect for most of us. Where do we get the support to remain true to that voice and live as the true self? Your censor gets my attention . . . be self-indulgent. Perhaps that is what is missing.
“I think it is perfectly acceptable to be self-indulgent so long as we are mindful of our boundaries and the impact of our actions upon others.” Barbara, this says it all. It redefines what I am about, what the blog is about, as well as the photographs.
As with the comment I made to Meenakshisui about, your words were and are a breath of fresh air, clear water washing over me, after such a drought of doubt and some what numbness, that I have had to return, to read and sit with your comments which have thrilled and chilled me to know end. I am most grateful for your friendship and honest voice.
I may use this as a quote to promote my Photography as well, I so love it! “Your pictures are absolute eye candy and if you are totally self-absorbed while taking those pictures and choose to share them with me, then your self-indulgence pays off in big ways for my enjoyment.”
I am Love, Jeff
quote away! I love your photos and will prove it to you at some point with a purchase!
Jeff, those leaves seem to be flying out of the picture, which is three if not four-dimensional. I love your photographs, and would almost not have read the words, distracted by their beauty, but am glad I did.
If you will not share your unique self, who will? I feel blessed to share in this unfolding. Your words enchant as your pictures do, and I wonder at the heart that is connecting them to each other.
I just love everything you wrote, but to answer your question, it would be:
“Be in the world but not of it” is a quote said to be of Jesus.
March to your own drummer…and sing out aloud his song.
Thank you.
Meenakshi,
your first sentence I may use as a quote to promote my photographs, “those leaves seem to be flying out of the picture, which is three if not four-dimensional. I love your photographs, and would almost not have read the words, distracted by their beauty, but am glad I did.”
I am glad you did too! When I first read your comments, I had to bath in your words, they so touched me, they filled my artist well, that needed fresh influx of sweet water. I drank and wash myself over and over in those words!
Bless you, my friend!
I am Love, Jeff
Jeff – You ask, “Aren’t you being self-indulgent here, this blog is always about you. Do people care?”
Yes, people care. You see, in writing about yourself, you write about us. We are, in fact, one.
Laurie,
you write, “You see, in writing about yourself, you write about us. We are, in fact, one.” I know that in my being, in my spirit, yet when ego is waving his hands and dancing around essences is not always clear who is in charge.
Thank you, your affirmation allows me to continue!
I am Love, Jeff
What I’d like to know is HOW IN THE WORLD DID I MISS THIS POST?!
Oh my gosh, “Heaven on the Ground” is magical, “In View” is amazine, “A Different Perspective” and “Sunlight at Your Fingertips” could brighten ANYOne’s day!
Growth Question: Find something among the blog that resonates from your deepest being, listen, what is it trying to say?
PAY ATTENTION!
Well Laurie,
I think you were busy celebrating One year gift of your blog. I was surprised in some manner that you did not comment about the photos, but than I thought maybe it was just part of our process together.
I am thrilled to find that the photographs did capture your attention, as well as brighten your day!!! How blessed I am!
I am Love, Jeff
Jeff,
Wow, beautiful images, beautiful words. Of course I find myself reading your words and laughing right out loud, I swear I ask myself the same things. Why do I write this no one cares….but then I am compelled drawn in obsessive, lying in bed thinking about what I want to say, muttering to myself as I walk, waking in the middle of the night too tired to run to the computer and putting the words in notebook for later, telling my therapist I have to write this later in my blog. Just knowing that someone else has these questions makes it meaningful.
But then I read on and find your blog to be a treasure. What a gift your words are.
I feel joyful.
Meg,
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. It always thrills me to find a new “friend” has stopped by. I am grateful that you have found this blog useful in affirmation of what we do and why we do it. There is a sense of freedom, or of letting go.
Wow, too! Thank you finding images and words beautiful and this blog to be a treasure. It gives me the courage to continue.
I am Love, Jeff
Sometimes I grapple with thoughts similar to yours: “No one wants to read this stuff, you keep saying the same thing. Aren’t you being self indulgent here, this blog is always about you. Do people care?”
But your writing is therapy, Jeff, as it is for many of us. I went to therapy for a couple of years after my mother died to sort things out and it was so helpful. Later I heard this song by Dar Williams and her words rang so true, especially these verses….
“And when I talk about therapy, I know what people think
That it only makes you selfish and in love with your shrink
But oh how I loved everybody else
When I finally got to talk so much about myself…”
~ Dar Williams
(What Do You Hear in These Sounds)
I think so many of us never felt heard or understood as children, and to have someone finally listen and understand and “get it” means so much. Most parents and teachers mean well, but sometimes they just can’t take in or cope with what’s being said, verbally or otherwise. Sometimes they never had anyone accept them or listen to them, either.
The self. “Selfness” is balanced. I once saw it defined this way: Selfishness is when one benefits the self at the expense of the other. Selflessness is when one benefits the other at the expense of the self. “Selfness” is when the self balances these tendencies and looks out for the interest of the self AND the other. I also call it mutuality. And I think that’s the point Dar is making in her “therapy” song.
Love the Thoreau quote and the “Sunlight at your fingertips!” I appreciate the honesty of your heartfelt sharing of your self, Jeff, and am cheering you on! And the supportive comments you leave on my and others’ blog posts reveal that you are not at all self indulgent!
Hey I know that song, yet the message did not click at the time. Makes sense now. I have photographs of Dar Williams, from a free concert she did here in NJ, I think they are on FB.
Barbara, as I wrote to the other ladies here on the blog, I am most grateful for everyones support and encouragement. Even though I may know the difference of “selfness” and “selflessness” there are moments when my spirit is not being fed by me or my surroundings that I need to reach out beyond that place just for comfort and understanding.
I am grateful for the blessing you bring to my life! ((Hugs)))
I am Love, Jeff
I have a lot of those thoughts, too, Jeff. Who wants to read this stuff? Sometimes the thoughts keep criticizing me for writing one kind of blog, insisting that another kind of blog be written. Then when I write the different kind of blog, the thoughts criticize that. What I am learning–and it’s taking a long time–is that so often our thoughts simply Aren’t True. They arise, they fall away. They are just reflections. Yet they can cause so much pain and suffering. I think we just have to keep being true to something that is somehow present beneath the critical or even happy thoughts. That is the true work that feels so difficult at times, to continue to witness the thoughts and see that they aren’t true. And then to see what is true. Thank you for this post. It looks like a lot of us can relate.
Kathy,
I know you may not expect a reply now, but I feel it is my way of communicating, as well as acknowledging the fact that you took the time to comment.
I suppose you are correct it our voices that keep ups stuck as well as our voices that allow us to move beyond that place to learn, to remember what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Jeff, your photos are simply divine. I especially love the first one, and how it reminds me of heaven on earth. All I have to do is look around at nature. Thank you for posting these.
Janet,
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting ! I am honored by your comments.