Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Fail Better

Joseph Fiennes said:

It's a mercurial world of alchemy

Who has gone through their lives without those ups and downs, whether they are a journalist or an actor or a painter or an accountant? There are always going to be times when it doesn't flow as much as you were hoping. So of course I'm going to fail. And when I do fail I hope I fail better and better, again and again. I am happy to fail.

Photo: you may know Joseph Fiennes from Shakespeare in Love among other work, including a great small role in Stealing Beauty with funny "actor business" in his bits.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Sitting Pose - a Variation






Here is
Meditation in Repose
Very quiet
Attentive for a long time






photo: Angelics Lura Astor

Friday, March 11, 2011

Incense - Transformative Art

Gifted incense maker Nathaniel Musselman has unique offerings on his Etsy site at incredible prices.

I've tried many of these and can't wait to share them in my workshops.

Part of my need in an incense is the ability to breathe well within the smoke, especially in a space practicing deep breathing, yoga, Tai Chi, meditations, breath work, etc.

Musselman's work is superbly well-balanced, the odors divine - no cloying here; with deft touch, the burn is excellent - smoke spirals.

Knowing that traditionally, many medicines can be inhaled via smoke, I approach incense choices with these things in mind: Scent wise - do I enjoy the odor? Physically - can I inhale it easily in the air space? As a spiritual transportive, a room "freshener" or "cleanser" and, of course, for Fun.

Nathaniel Musselman has whimsy, deep craft and a studious nature that serve us well in his gifts to us in the form of these beauties. Transformative art ... poetic smoke.

photo: Nathaniel's Incense Lura Astor