Happiness 8-1
a softly purring lioness; absorbing the sky; a cornucopia of plenty.
Tag: writing practice
WriteSpa #71 – Transitions
I wonder whether we pay enough attention to the delicate time of transitioning from one thing to the next. Moving from playtime to bedtime can bring on a tantrum. Moving from one job to another… […]
WriteSpa #70 – Is It Relevant?
One of the best bits of writing advice I ever got was from my brother who, at the time he gave it, was involved in theater design. He told me (very strongly) that… […]
WriteSpa #63 – A Place of One’s Own
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
As I was conversing with a WriteSpa client, and we were discussing assignments and goals, I asked her where she wrote. She hesitated, then said, “It’s a bit problematic…I don’t have a laptop and my computer’s in the living room. I don’t really have a place for it.”
From the way she spoke, I could tell that using “the computer” was for her a chore, a bit of a nuisance, something that she ‘should’ turn on and use, like a vacuum cleaner, perhaps. I knew that for her to have a satisfying relationship with Mr. Write, the ambience surrounding the area where she worked was crucial. […]
WriteSpa #62 – Castling, Forking, and Making Luft
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
Conflict
I
loathe conflict, which, for a novelist, is a terrible thing. This summer I tried to appreciate conflict by playing chess, after many years’ hiatus.
Here’s how Manly Hall describes chess (I’m paraphrasing – check out his book): “The chessboard consists of 64 squares alternately black and white and symbolizes the floor of the House of the Mysteries. Upon this field of existence or thought move a number of strangely carved figures, each according to fixed law. The white king is Ormuzd; the black king, Ahriman; and upon the plains of Cosmos the great war between Light and Darkness is fought through all the ages. […]
WriteSpa #56 – The Art of Meditation
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
I heard that when the Dalai Lama was asked what he would do if he had fifteen minutes left to live, he replied, “I would meditate.”
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and his words have changed my own meditation practice. There’s something bigger and more infinite happening when we meditate, not just a quietening of one’s being for a short while. […]
WriteSpa #55 – Golden Rabbits, St. Brigid, Imbolc, and Groundhogs
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
February 2 is a turning point. The new moon falls halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox. In Celtic history this festival was known as Imbolc; the Christians changed it to Candlemas, and the Irish celebrate it as St. Brigid’s Day. Imbolc signifies pregnancy and spring, and is honored with fire, foretelling, and remembering through storytelling. The day is also used to assess what the weather is going to be like in the coming weeks till spring.
This year, the new moon is also the first day of the 4708th Chinese New Year. This is going to be the Year of the Golden Rabbit. Why golden? It’s not actually golden, but metal. There are twelve Chinese year animal signs, but there are also five elements that each of these animals circle through (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). Each animal goes through an annual cycle of these five elements, in two forms – one yin and one yang. This means that a complete cycle is sixty years – and the last one we encountered was in 1951. […]
WriteSpa #49 – Getting to the Essence
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
Every few years I play this game with myself: If I were on a deserted island, and could have with me only twelve objects for the rest of my life, what would they be?
FAQ:
No, no one else is around and unlikely that they will be.
Food and drink are not necessary – essential nourishment is supplied. (But you might choose a cup from which to drink the fresh water from the spring, if that matters to you.)
No electricity or other energy – so leave your laptop and car at home. They won’t work. […]
Chess Pieces
Chess Pieces From the time I was eight years old till I was well into my teens I played chess with my father practically every evening. Over the years, each chess piece became imbued with characteristics that brought each game to vivid life. Bishops tended to be pretty conservative. You knew as soon as one Read more about Chess Pieces[…]