Showing posts with label Lura Astor Workshops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lura Astor Workshops. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Do You Get Inklings?

May be it's because I grew up with a mom where inklings are the norm. She'd say, I had an inkling, or, I have an inkling. It was just normal.

I've heard it called spidey sense, intuition, 6th sense, 22nd sense, other sense, inner sense, guidance, gut feeling, heart feeling, goosebumps and more.

What's yours?

I like the word inkling because it twinkles. It has a bit of spark and sparking.

Mom got inklings, always a nice think, I have an inkling.

illustration: Surf on Sparks detail Lura Astor

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Kind of Kind

A friend from childhood recently went to a week-long silent retreat. She wrote to me:



Biggest take-home message: 

Be kind to yourself, no matter what.
And stay aware of, and relaxed in, your body.


Pastel: Wellfleet Farm Deb Dwyer

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Show UP

Even when you don't feel like it
even if you don't wanna
Bring Your Self

Once you make the commitment - show up and shut up and open up

Shut up in the sense of close the whining, critical, projecting parts

Open up in the sense of - you decided this (class, workshop, homework, etc.) is for you

Now receive the tid-bits, gems, treasures, hard-to-hear-but-necessary, aspects which is why you are here!

I have a dream that I enter a space pre-workshop, my early life in performance has me still showing up early, giving time for my own preparations. 

This is a small classroom with utilitarian grey carpeting, functional, not as some of the beautiful, huge spaces where I've presented workshops and performances. A man, the presenter, (my animus) opens the door, not apologetic (for this space), we both understand we are in the magical preparation minutes that attends the Begin.

I flash on a real life performance at a major University years ago. Due to whatever glitches, there is no audience (I'm laughing as I write this). We went on as scheduled, a large performing group, and in the middle of this performance we are laughing - this is a performance, this is not a rehearsal, we are dancing, performing, theatricalizing, for others even if they may not be there. We are high on this expression. It was great, a solid lesson learned young, satisfying, revitalizing. We took over the space and encompassed the life of the performance.

On micro- and macro- levels traversing the worlds of our lives - bring yourself to it.

Oh, and, thank you for being in my life!


photos: scratched proof of Lura 1978 Jim Polaski/Chicago
Double Rainbow lastor

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Happy Chinese New Year


Hold the Universe in Your Arms

Hey Students - Remember Your Horse Stance!

Sketch: lastor
Photo: HORSE STANCE, Lura's Tai Chi Chuan Class, Las Vegas, NV 1983ish

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Courage CouerAge Heart Strength

I think my wish for each and every one of us for 2011 is Courage.

Courage to be who you are
Courage to speak with your voice
Courage to be kind
Courage to share love
Courage to be brave
Courage to embrace your vulnerability
Courage to show your strengths with grace
Courage to heal
Courage to release pain and put a better dream in its place
Courage to take time for yourself
Courage to find new music, new places, new friends, new foods, new books, new art
Courage to have fun!

Do some heart exercises - I can show you how

Heart Harp: lastor