I'm creating again - something new

Just when I think I have exhausted my options for doing something creative, I start something new or revisit something old. This past week I uncovered all of my old Sculpey III clay and started anew. It was all still in good condition after nearly 7 years of hibernation! Now that's a rousing endorsement. I did not lose one piece due to hardening.

Anyway, K is having an open house for her new practice on April 2nd. I sat down and was trying to create something that I saw in a book as my first new clay project and ended up with something so entirely different that even I was surprised. I made a statue of a woman's face, head and shoulders called "Woman of the Earth." It is surprisingly lifelike and enjoyable to look at. I am going to bake it and make it into something that can sit on a bookshelf - out of the way but a reminder of something good. Totally blew me away that that's what came of my first effort.

I have to say that I totally forgot that it is Easter this weekend until my mother sent a potica for me to enjoy. As a practicing Buddhist, I rarely pay attention to any of the Christian holidays anymore but because of my Catholic upbringing, I am aware of their significance to Christians after they are brought to my attention. I am surprised that it is just assumed at work that people are Christian. We received an Easter present from the boss. In some ways it kid of upsets me because they don't offer presents for any of the other religious holidays - like Passover or whatever, so it seems rather insensitive to offer presents for holidays that are Christian only. What if someone was Muslim, Jewish, or Buddhist? What about their sacred days? I just find it interesting that somehow it is assumed that a person is Christian in this culture. It doesn't really matter, I suppose, but would they give the Dalai Lama Easter candy? I'm sure he would say, "why not?" and so that's what I will say, too.

I read something quite interesting about the Schiavo case today. Amy and Arny Mindell have been doing coma and altered state research for many years now and this is what they recently wrote about this case.

"For us, everyone's feelings and beliefs are important. And yet still a basic
question is what does Ms. Shiavo herself indicate right now in the midst of
her persistent vegetative state/comatose state or whatever diagnosis she
has. For us, the central ethical question is what are her response signals
to basic questions about her future. As coma workers we know first it's
important to set up a feedback system described by us in our coma books.
Then once that feedback system is established the next step is to pose
questions in a compassionate and related manner about the meaning of life,
death, relationships, etc. Finally, when this connection has been
established, the questions about life support may be asked. The fact that
these things are not being done or asked for indicates to us that the
general public is still about 15 years behind the original research we've
done. There's always a time lag in these things but we hope that time lag
can be reduced for the benefit of everyone concerned." Arnyand Amy Mindell

For more information on this remarkable couple and their ongoing research, please see (http://www.aamindell.net/) to read about them. I hope to see them on Larry King or some other national venue where they could share their research with people. I believe it would have a huge impact on this case if they were asked to participate.

Not too much else going on except that I have been playing an extraordinarily interesting new computer game called Journey to the Wild Divine. (http://www.wilddivine.com )It is a biofeedback game - "Wearing three finger sensors that track your body's heart rate variability and skin conductance, you move through enchanting and mystical landscapes using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness." I was very frustrated at first because I couldn't seem to get the breathing down, but once I got the hang of it, I soared. I try to play for an hour a day. It is more intense than meditation and somewhat more enjoyable, although that's probably a matter of preference. Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone trying to find a fun way to develop meditation and/or breathing skills.

Ta ta for now.