We all strive to be different, unique, special but the funniest thing is we gauge our uniqueness against everyone else. Truly, what would be unique and different is if we didn’t compare ourselves to the others.
- Kat KeeganHey look, that’s me.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Creative Ownership Disclaimer
I feel this is important at this point in time, so bear with me, it is longer than my normal posts, but is resonant with some very important issues this week.
Let me start this post by stating quite firmly that I believe that I Am, that Each of us are a uniquely created Soul aspect of Source. Depending on your belief system, that may be God, Goddess, Jehovah, Creator or Great Spirit or a myriad of other names, but it is the Ultimate One, the Infinite. Yes, this makes me unique in that my vibration, or soul is me. Every choice I make is a way for me to express the light that I am, and is a culmination of love, of life experiences, preferences and continuous learning.
I also believe that You are the Very Same with all the reverent Entitlements to Sovereignty. Yes, that means that for me, Everyone is Equal. Completely, without question. What's more, is that each of us being an aspect of the Creator means also that we are all a part of each other. We are One.
Why make the point?
Well, my inbox this week has been full of clamor. Fellow artists, both very close and perhaps whose blog I might follow, struggling to define their style, admittedly depressed, expressing their belief that there are artists out there whose work is better, more creative, prettier, stylized, higher quality, yada, yada, yada (Thank you Seinfeld!) and insert your own personal judge-mental adjectives [here]. Did I just say Depressed??? YES. Depressed as in all the joy and fun that is part of the creative process or expression of Self has been drained away, accompanied by huge amounts of frustration at being what they perceive to be as 'Less Than' someone else. At first I thought to myself, ah, self criticism is always so harsh. Been there, done that. Still find time to practice, thank you.
Then there are the posts hitting my inbox from people or groups of artists unified by blogging, that I have come to admire for their talents, their self expression and generosity which is why I follow the blog to begin with. Artists who Inspire me to try new things, to explore tried and true techniques that some generous artist once taught them, which then allows me to choose to try it, expanding and exploring my creativity further, to integrate new learning to allow a further expression of myself or the I Am, my Soul.
But. Then. It came. The Whack on My Head. Really.
It was a blog post all about Ownership. Well, actually it arrived pre-emptive to a tutorial in the written format that is the essence of a formal warning generally stating that she will share with you how-to-do-something, but it is forever Hers, thank you very much and you better Always give her credit for it. Wow. But what about the pair of earrings sitting in my to-be-photographed-later-rather-than-today-finished-work (because I would rather tear out weeds in my yard one by one by hand than take pictures) that were made in November of last year that are very similar and were made before I ever heard of this artist?
Now I know why some of my friends are stalled in their work, depressed. I Mean. Really. talk about a way to stifle the creative spirit!
So, herein is where we get a lesson in Group Consciousness. You may never have heard of it before, but it's been studied, experimented on society, documented and used in marketing since the 1930's. The precept, simply is that an idea, entered into a certain percentage of a group, will grow in the consciousness and understanding at a certain rate until enough of the people of the group have the Awareness and then, when that awareness hits what is called the 100th Monkey, suddenly, SUDDENLY, everyone in the group will have the Understanding. Scientifically proven. Been used for years in all manner of sales and marketing. It is no secret.
Example: This week Burger King made big press, after years of denying it, when a DNA sample taken from one of their hamburgers Proved without a doubt that they are using Horse meat in their burgers. Documented Evidence. Now you can hear that, and it will hit your consciousness on some lower level even if it doesn't hit you in the face that all the claims of 100% USDA BEEF are LIES. Okay, so you've been lied to by Burger King (who I assume just did it for the money since it has been my sovereign experience that whenever someone chooses to lie it is to cover something up that they would be ashamed of or has to do with that almighty dollar).
So, on with the sample story. You love your Burger King on Tuesday night on the way between the office and your wire wrapping art class, so you cannot imagine not getting your regular burger. It's a habit. So you might continue to go to Burger King every Tuesday. I however, who never eat at B.K. am still appalled, not at just the Lie, but that you can still eat there. It's your choice though, so you have the Right to Choose for Yourself and I respect that. If you are a parent, you even have the right to choose for your children. Then, 3 months from now, when enough people begin to look at those lies, not just from Burger King, but from the other fast food chains and the awareness grows that there are lots of lies and that they are feeding us chemicals and fabricated food-looking plastics that are detrimental to our health, and that it is all about making money....eventually, we hit the 100th monkey. Then, the Very Next Tuesday, you decide to make a sandwich at home to bring with you rather than stop at B.K. for that horse burger. Your behavior has been modified, without your realizing that you have made a choice based on the expression of the group who is outraged now that this has been allowed to happen and is boycotting all Burger Kings nationwide. That's it. Simplified.
Another, bead example? How many of you have made Owls, used owls, purchased owls, read blogs about owl beads recently? When did Owls become so Hot, Hot, Hot? When the symbol for owls began to be used and input into our lower consciousness as something to love, until it hit the 100th monkey. Then it is all about the Owl. (I did not get on this bandwagon as I know where the recent symbolic representation came from, and as it is Occult in nature, just will not go There). Of course, to those who make those owls and use them and have no idea why it is they are so popular, other than being a winged friend, I make no judgements and have celebrated the unique interpretations and creative wonders that have been made, almost as though subversively integrating the Light into something generally pretty darn dark. (Look up Bohemian Grove)
Now that we understand Group Consciousness, about how a simple idea snowballs into everyone's awareness, let me say this.
I don't believe that there is Anything that I will ever add to the world of art that hasn't been dreamed of, inspired, created, practiced, executed, drawn, painted, illuminated, discussed, witnessed, critiqued, taught, learned or forgotten in the history of man. What's more, is my acute awareness that this is a sort of Truth for all of us, whether we want to admit it or not. Even if I become so bellicose as to even imagine for one moment that something is 'mine', it is with full awareness that for me, it means that it is new, or for me, a special moment of discovery for myself, and that I in no way can claim ownership for the creative process which led to this new discovery. I'm not redefining the world of art, but I am in the process of celebrating the newness to me and using what I find to express who I Am. I believe the same is true for you.
Now, if you are big on Ownership and believe that you have invented or created something so Unique to that list above, then I respect your right to believe it so, and I will respect your requests to honor your sovereignty and choice of beliefs rather than do you conscious harm. But I also acknowledge this Without Prejudice, meaning that I cannot be responsible for what you might interpret as a violation of your rights if/when your beliefs are not the same as mine, and my complete lack of awareness of you means that to me, you exist as part of the one group consciousness, even as my Soul has total respect for you and would choose to show you only agape and respect.
And so....here is my statement to the world of art and artists in general:
I am me. I am a culmination of what I have loved, learned, practiced, believed, preferred and expressed in my life. I am responsible for my choices and I, without perfection, practice integrity and honesty in my day to day living. I will never knowingly violate your rights, believing in the old adage, Harm None. I will always give you the benefit of a doubt, be a witness for your struggle and support you in your dreams and celebrate your triumphs. I will endeavor to practice love with agape, respect for all and malice for none.
But if I inadvertently twist a piece of wire the same way you do, or did, or might, please forgive me what you perceive a transgression, for to hold that grudge only hurts you. And if someone might give me $12 for that piece of twisted wire, please forgive them their ignorance too, because I think it might be that they just like it, or maybe like me, or on another level, their Soul recognizes it as a celebration of the creative wonder that drives all existence.
Namaste~
Let me start this post by stating quite firmly that I believe that I Am, that Each of us are a uniquely created Soul aspect of Source. Depending on your belief system, that may be God, Goddess, Jehovah, Creator or Great Spirit or a myriad of other names, but it is the Ultimate One, the Infinite. Yes, this makes me unique in that my vibration, or soul is me. Every choice I make is a way for me to express the light that I am, and is a culmination of love, of life experiences, preferences and continuous learning.
I also believe that You are the Very Same with all the reverent Entitlements to Sovereignty. Yes, that means that for me, Everyone is Equal. Completely, without question. What's more, is that each of us being an aspect of the Creator means also that we are all a part of each other. We are One.
Why make the point?
Well, my inbox this week has been full of clamor. Fellow artists, both very close and perhaps whose blog I might follow, struggling to define their style, admittedly depressed, expressing their belief that there are artists out there whose work is better, more creative, prettier, stylized, higher quality, yada, yada, yada (Thank you Seinfeld!) and insert your own personal judge-mental adjectives [here]. Did I just say Depressed??? YES. Depressed as in all the joy and fun that is part of the creative process or expression of Self has been drained away, accompanied by huge amounts of frustration at being what they perceive to be as 'Less Than' someone else. At first I thought to myself, ah, self criticism is always so harsh. Been there, done that. Still find time to practice, thank you.
Then there are the posts hitting my inbox from people or groups of artists unified by blogging, that I have come to admire for their talents, their self expression and generosity which is why I follow the blog to begin with. Artists who Inspire me to try new things, to explore tried and true techniques that some generous artist once taught them, which then allows me to choose to try it, expanding and exploring my creativity further, to integrate new learning to allow a further expression of myself or the I Am, my Soul.
But. Then. It came. The Whack on My Head. Really.
It was a blog post all about Ownership. Well, actually it arrived pre-emptive to a tutorial in the written format that is the essence of a formal warning generally stating that she will share with you how-to-do-something, but it is forever Hers, thank you very much and you better Always give her credit for it. Wow. But what about the pair of earrings sitting in my to-be-photographed-later-rather-than-today-finished-work (because I would rather tear out weeds in my yard one by one by hand than take pictures) that were made in November of last year that are very similar and were made before I ever heard of this artist?
Now I know why some of my friends are stalled in their work, depressed. I Mean. Really. talk about a way to stifle the creative spirit!
So, herein is where we get a lesson in Group Consciousness. You may never have heard of it before, but it's been studied, experimented on society, documented and used in marketing since the 1930's. The precept, simply is that an idea, entered into a certain percentage of a group, will grow in the consciousness and understanding at a certain rate until enough of the people of the group have the Awareness and then, when that awareness hits what is called the 100th Monkey, suddenly, SUDDENLY, everyone in the group will have the Understanding. Scientifically proven. Been used for years in all manner of sales and marketing. It is no secret.
Example: This week Burger King made big press, after years of denying it, when a DNA sample taken from one of their hamburgers Proved without a doubt that they are using Horse meat in their burgers. Documented Evidence. Now you can hear that, and it will hit your consciousness on some lower level even if it doesn't hit you in the face that all the claims of 100% USDA BEEF are LIES. Okay, so you've been lied to by Burger King (who I assume just did it for the money since it has been my sovereign experience that whenever someone chooses to lie it is to cover something up that they would be ashamed of or has to do with that almighty dollar).
So, on with the sample story. You love your Burger King on Tuesday night on the way between the office and your wire wrapping art class, so you cannot imagine not getting your regular burger. It's a habit. So you might continue to go to Burger King every Tuesday. I however, who never eat at B.K. am still appalled, not at just the Lie, but that you can still eat there. It's your choice though, so you have the Right to Choose for Yourself and I respect that. If you are a parent, you even have the right to choose for your children. Then, 3 months from now, when enough people begin to look at those lies, not just from Burger King, but from the other fast food chains and the awareness grows that there are lots of lies and that they are feeding us chemicals and fabricated food-looking plastics that are detrimental to our health, and that it is all about making money....eventually, we hit the 100th monkey. Then, the Very Next Tuesday, you decide to make a sandwich at home to bring with you rather than stop at B.K. for that horse burger. Your behavior has been modified, without your realizing that you have made a choice based on the expression of the group who is outraged now that this has been allowed to happen and is boycotting all Burger Kings nationwide. That's it. Simplified.
Another, bead example? How many of you have made Owls, used owls, purchased owls, read blogs about owl beads recently? When did Owls become so Hot, Hot, Hot? When the symbol for owls began to be used and input into our lower consciousness as something to love, until it hit the 100th monkey. Then it is all about the Owl. (I did not get on this bandwagon as I know where the recent symbolic representation came from, and as it is Occult in nature, just will not go There). Of course, to those who make those owls and use them and have no idea why it is they are so popular, other than being a winged friend, I make no judgements and have celebrated the unique interpretations and creative wonders that have been made, almost as though subversively integrating the Light into something generally pretty darn dark. (Look up Bohemian Grove)
Now that we understand Group Consciousness, about how a simple idea snowballs into everyone's awareness, let me say this.
I don't believe that there is Anything that I will ever add to the world of art that hasn't been dreamed of, inspired, created, practiced, executed, drawn, painted, illuminated, discussed, witnessed, critiqued, taught, learned or forgotten in the history of man. What's more, is my acute awareness that this is a sort of Truth for all of us, whether we want to admit it or not. Even if I become so bellicose as to even imagine for one moment that something is 'mine', it is with full awareness that for me, it means that it is new, or for me, a special moment of discovery for myself, and that I in no way can claim ownership for the creative process which led to this new discovery. I'm not redefining the world of art, but I am in the process of celebrating the newness to me and using what I find to express who I Am. I believe the same is true for you.
Now, if you are big on Ownership and believe that you have invented or created something so Unique to that list above, then I respect your right to believe it so, and I will respect your requests to honor your sovereignty and choice of beliefs rather than do you conscious harm. But I also acknowledge this Without Prejudice, meaning that I cannot be responsible for what you might interpret as a violation of your rights if/when your beliefs are not the same as mine, and my complete lack of awareness of you means that to me, you exist as part of the one group consciousness, even as my Soul has total respect for you and would choose to show you only agape and respect.
And so....here is my statement to the world of art and artists in general:
I am me. I am a culmination of what I have loved, learned, practiced, believed, preferred and expressed in my life. I am responsible for my choices and I, without perfection, practice integrity and honesty in my day to day living. I will never knowingly violate your rights, believing in the old adage, Harm None. I will always give you the benefit of a doubt, be a witness for your struggle and support you in your dreams and celebrate your triumphs. I will endeavor to practice love with agape, respect for all and malice for none.
But if I inadvertently twist a piece of wire the same way you do, or did, or might, please forgive me what you perceive a transgression, for to hold that grudge only hurts you. And if someone might give me $12 for that piece of twisted wire, please forgive them their ignorance too, because I think it might be that they just like it, or maybe like me, or on another level, their Soul recognizes it as a celebration of the creative wonder that drives all existence.
Namaste~
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Bead Soup
It's that time. The Bead Soup Blog Party. I've gotten the name of my partner who lives in New Mexico, all the way across America. She is Jean Peter! For those in the beading world, this woman has been making jewelry for years. She is a mega talent whose work is inspired and well, for me, a little intimidating.
For those who are interested, you can see some of her incredible work at her Facebook page at Eclectic Avenue. Just look for the 'photo' box and click on it, and then click on one of the pictures to see a larger slideshow. Amazing!
Her blog address is also Eclectic Avenue, where she shares wonderful stories about her family and beading and life. One thing we found out right away is that we are both big supporters of the Beads of Courage. She is blessed with a Grandson who, sadly, has had multiple heart surgeries and is a fighting giant and has a very, very long strand of beads. His struggle, from the length of his chain, is epic, and yet this very brave little boy keeps on keeping on. You can read about their story on her recent blog article.
It will be fun to see how we decide to challenge each other, and we have been given the second reveal date of April 6th, so mark your calendar and if you don't visit to see the soups, at least come back and see what is the creative endeavor between two relative strangers!
For those who are interested, you can see some of her incredible work at her Facebook page at Eclectic Avenue. Just look for the 'photo' box and click on it, and then click on one of the pictures to see a larger slideshow. Amazing!
Her blog address is also Eclectic Avenue, where she shares wonderful stories about her family and beading and life. One thing we found out right away is that we are both big supporters of the Beads of Courage. She is blessed with a Grandson who, sadly, has had multiple heart surgeries and is a fighting giant and has a very, very long strand of beads. His struggle, from the length of his chain, is epic, and yet this very brave little boy keeps on keeping on. You can read about their story on her recent blog article.
It will be fun to see how we decide to challenge each other, and we have been given the second reveal date of April 6th, so mark your calendar and if you don't visit to see the soups, at least come back and see what is the creative endeavor between two relative strangers!
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