With that out of the way, I can start working on some projects that are strictly for my own enjoyment.  Finding the energy to start seems to be the main hurdle.  Cutting out as much refined sugar and processed starch as I can, I'm beginning to feel a bit more perky!  However, I still hear the Siren's Call from that 2 litre of Dr. P at the market!  I'm researching fasting as a method to cleanse the body (and, mind) of rubbish, so we'll see what happens with that.  In fact, I have had the wildest desire to construct a Native American sweat lodge out back!

The main thrust of this journal is to encourage people to find an art form to practice that will be pleasing to them, while forcing challenge.  It is my belief that there is an art to everything:  mathematics; negotiation; storytelling; crafts; etc.  Without the ability to lose myself in my projects, I think I would be glued to the television, computer, or wasting time playing mindless video games. 

Any knitters out there?  What about bakers?  Anyone have an interest in storytelling?  That's become a nearly-lost art, already, though it's enjoying a mild revival.  That's something that I could really get into, I think - telling a story.  It's not just the idea of relaying a myth or folk legend, it's the core of what human beings used to do.  We used to pass on information, history, warnings, recipes, and everything under the sun by word of mouth.  And, storytellers were revered for their ability to make even the most mundane of events into an interesting tale.  By vocal inflections, sound effects, gesture, and facial expressions, storytellers could captivate their audiences for hours.  Listeners would sit, spellbound, awaiting the climax of the story, or weep as some tragedy was conveyed.  Laughter, tears, shock, and dismay were all a form of art that has almost become extinct.

I got rid of cable television over 2 years ago, and I've never been happier, since.  I've had more time to devote to my practices, projects, and continued education and I'm not spoon-fed the horrors of the world or the drama of weather reports.  I spend about 8 hours on the computer per week checking emails, reading forum posts, and posting comments.  Other than that, I find that the time I spend attending to projects is rewarding, soulful, and fulfilling.  What I was unable to convey in paint pigment some years ago is becoming a joyful excercise.  Staring at a block of wet clay isn't frightening, anymore.  I'm finding challenges where there were once obstacles.

So, imagine something that you'd love to do:  sing, play flouvenhoergen, watercolour paint, weave, bake, or whatever, and get into a class!  The act of rendering art (for me, anyway) brings an inner calm that comes from drawing my attention away from my Self and exerting my Self to meet the challenges that always arise.  I am focusing on something other than aches, pains, politics, family squabbles, etc.  Whether it's pastel painting or throwing a pot, it's a thoroughly healthy activity for my Inner Self.

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