18 replies to this topic

[DFogg]

This past month or so I have been trying to sink my teeth into something, but what I have ended up with is eight separate projects going on simultaneously. I spin out an idea and then another and another, but I can't seem to find the focus. I know the space I am looking for inside. To use a radio analogy, my mind is jumping from station to station, looking for one to light on that will hold my attention.

There are too many demands on our attention these days. I know from experience what I have to do, sometimes it feels like triage, but if I stay with it the space will come. It mostly has to do will letting go, surrendering the controlling part of my mind and letting the work lead me to it.

You know the space, where time ceases, thoughts empty and everything is moving towards emergence. There is a flow to the work, one step leading to the next, problem solving with clarity. Clarity, hmmm, that's what I seek. Clarity and peace.

[sergey_osipov]

Clarity and peace? All this inwardly of us, fortunately. If I know
that I want, and my desires result from understanding of my
possibilities - I have a peace inwardly me. I not have an abstract
desires. I see the concrete situation and I know that I can do in this
situation, or not to do. I ask my intuition and little think
previously than come to a conclusion. I pragmatic. This does not mean,
that I have only material interest. I am a pragmatic for correct use
of my energy. I have a "crazy" ideas also. But these ideas is crazy
only for outside watcher. So I entrust more to my intuition than
outside opinion.

Clarity? Our mind is unidirectional. I have five begun piece now. But
I remember about that piece only, which on my table. I absolutely not
think about rest pieces. I not have interest, will they are finished
someday or no. But turns round wheel of time. And my glance gets on
regiment where stand the unachieved piece. And I know - here is this
piece must be on my worker table now. Clarity? Yes, I think. Not it is
necessary keep too much in our heads. Our mind is unidirectional. We
we exist only today. We act only today. Even "tomorrow" it is found
only in our head and only today.

Only my thoughts.

Sergey
_____________________________________
My Website

[Patrick Hastings]

DFogg, on May 8 2005, 04:40 AM, said:

This past month or so I have been trying to sink my teeth into something, but what I have ended up with is eight separate projects going on simultaneously. I spin out an idea and then another and another, but I can't seem to find the focus. I know the space I am looking for inside. To use a radio analogy, my mind is jumping from station to station, looking for one to light on that will hold my attention.

There are too many demands on our attention these days. I know from experience what I have to do, sometimes it feels like triage, but if I stay with it the space will come. It mostly has to do will letting go, surrendering the controlling part of my mind and letting the work lead me to it.

You know the space, where time ceases, thoughts empty and everything is moving towards emergence. There is a flow to the work, one step leading to the next, problem solving with clarity. Clarity, hmmm, that's what I seek. Clarity and peace.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don often when you write on topics like this it is like reading my own thoughts. I can very much relate to your mind set or lack there of. I have many projects going at once. I look at them spread out on my benches and try to find the brightest light. In the past I have chastised myself for this seemingly spoiled behavior. Sometimes the brightest light is something completely different than what I have on my benches, but the necessities of making a living can dictate my actions. When I follow the light there is clarity. Even if it is a totally new path I have never taken before. I do not know what each turn in the path will present me with, but I take each turn with a relaxed peace of mind as though the path is well known to me. Kind of a hard mindset to put into words, but when I’m on the path and following the light it requires no mental masturbation. When the mind is clear and the work flows it is flat out addictive. When I do what I have to do because of the realities of life I find myself stumbling along making mistakes wasting materials breaking tools, frustrating myself to no end, and so on. Either way I will not stop until a project is up to par, but one path is a struggle and with the other it simply pours fourth with an unfelt effort. If it is at all possible I embrace the brightest light because I not only do my best work, but I walk away invigorated rather than drained. This might sound quixotic, but it works for me when I can get away with it.

[Jim Kelso]

In one of his autobiographical books(I think it's Finding Joy) C.S. Lewis talks about joy, not as the usual concept of overflowing happiness but more in terms of what we seem to be seeking: peace and clarity. It is a fleeting thing and for me descends at unpredicatable moments and almost never when I try to arrange for it. Relating to my work, it often comes when a design prospect resolves and a clear path appears, like what Sergey says about the intersection of desire and practical possiblity. "Correct use of energy". Sometimes it happens at the finish of a project.

Most often I feel this type of joy out in nature and must admit my addiction to that.

[Janel]

I have survived the weekend. The flow of my life's energies will now change. I have strong hopes of being able to carve for hours, to walk quietly in the woods and begin to see again the enduring complexities of leaf litter, plant life and the organisms that exists without the help of humans. It has been a long time since I have done that. Away from the structures of house, home and family, workspaces and modes of transportation, organizational responsibilities, there is perhaps a hope for a change in perspective, which will open the creative eye and encourage a freeing of the spirit. Sigh. I am exhausted and yet eager to find the quiet hours which my carving bench promises. First, though, it is early morning family time. And so goes life.

Janel

PS. I believe that this is message 1,000 for The Carving Path. Thanks everyone for helping to make this forum such a rewarding destination for seekers.

[Jim Kelso]

I'm glad you have some time to yourself to look forward to. I've been enjoying more of that
lately. Just me and the leaf-litter!

[biwolf]

I guess we all seek peace and clarity. I also work on several pieces at once, working back and forth, sometimes focusing on this one or that one. They become nice carvings. But, sometimes I go into mindlock, nothing comes. I have more important things to keep me occupied. Finally, I sit and relax, or get up and walk about listening to music(Cocker, Joplin, Kershaw, etc) My body is relaxed, now I feel it., soothing and flowing. My wife says I mutter to myself. I say sorry hon, I`m carving. She answers, don`t you think you should get your tools first. Well, at least I`m in carving mode. I`m ready to go and this is when I do my best work. (too esoteric? or does this make sense to you guys.?

[Patrick Hastings]

biwolf, on May 13 2005, 08:32 PM, said:

I guess we all seek peace and clarity.  I also work on several pieces at once, working back and forth, sometimes focusing on this one or that one. They become nice carvings.  But, sometimes I go into mindlock, nothing comes.  I have more important things to keep me occupied.  Finally, I  sit and relax, or  get up and walk about listening to music(Cocker, Joplin, Kershaw, etc)  My body is relaxed, now I feel it., soothing and flowing.  My wife says I mutter to myself. I say sorry hon, I`m carving. She answers, don`t you think you should get your tools first. Well, at least I`m in carving mode. I`m ready to go and this is when I do my best work. (too esoteric? or does this make sense to you guys.?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Makes perfect sense to me. Mindlock, it is good for exercise as you pace back and forth waiting for release

[DFogg]

I had an interesting experience a while back. I took on an outside job and was out of my shop for three months. The time was busy for me and I really didn't do any conscious metal thinking. When the job was over, I had to drive to the city for an appointment. My mind was clear and empty when I started, but soon I filled up with metal ideas. There was an irrepressible flow of thought: fresh ideas; new slants on old questions; designs; patterns; tools. It was as if they had been processing in the background the entire time waiting for the appropriate opportunity to enter conscious thought, but the volume was like a firehose.

When I did finally start back to work, my skills were rusty, but I was invigorated. I felt as if I had found another level and the work that flowed from it was clearly different. I hunger for that peak experience, but know I have to climb the mountain to get it. So I am busy climbing again.

I have used this recent multitasking time to finish up short projects that have been hanging and I know that soon, very soon I will be into it again. This time I will learn even more. Carve me happy.

[Rik Palm]

Does this ever happen to you?

Clarity and Levels...

I will notice I'm on a level but only after it becomes clear. Then I will notice my path. Make sense?

Once this happens I get to push myself farther in a new direction.

But, Am I really traveling up? I don't think so, it can't be levels?

So what is occuring? Clarity? or Maybe I'm just getting older!

[Janel]

Hmmm...

Thirty three years ago, on a mental trip, a concept revealed itself that is not of up or down but is one of a continuum and an interconnectedness.

A life is one strand or a line of points, as is the life of every one else. Each point along the line is in a plane that connects with points on the planes of others. We are not conscious of all the connections as we travel through our daily lives.

One of the concepts I recall also was the sense that we know everything there is to know, but during our lives, we become aware of this knowledge through experience, thus we learn, awaken and encourage an ability in ourselves and others to seek further.

We are all seeking, we are all connected, and with an open mind we share knowledge and hunger to seek further through the paths we choose to follow or the intersections with other's experiences we choose to acknowledge.

PHEW! How's that for the brain waking up? Thanks for the stimulus.

The internet-cyberspace communication appears to be favorable to acknowledging intersections with other's experiences, if you follow my line of thought. We are brought together through our individual email messages, the forums we belong to, or through web sites that exist and allow people to reach out to the people who the site is for. We may never meet one another, but our lives have touched one another through our thoughts. Not E.S.P., but thoughtful communication none the less.

[DFogg]

Quote

A life is one strand or a line of points, as is the life of every one else. Each point along the line is in a plane that connects with points on the planes of others. We are not conscious of all the connections as we travel through our daily lives.

One of the concepts I recall also was the sense that we know everything there is to know, but during our lives, we become aware of this knowledge through experience, thus we learn, awaken and encourage an ability in ourselves and others to seek further.

Well put Janel. I thought I would add this visual that I created a few years ago while working on a similar thread.

[Janel]

After months of long work hours and then the show, I am having trouble moving forward on doing one thing at a time from a list of many things which need catching up with, some needing immediate attention. I'd rather be at the carving bench, but that place is far away until the other things are accomplished. There is a need to be still, or away in quiet places, but that is not possible, so I am muddling through rather sloppily (IMO) and slowly. Not my style usually.

Keeping an eye on the activites here on TCP are fine bright spots in my days. To quote the character that Peter Sellers played decades ago, "I like to watch". (I think that is close to the statement...)

Thanks all,

Janel

[Jim Kelso]

Janel, on Sep 9 2005, 12:38 PM, said:

  To quote the character that Peter Sellers played decades ago, "I like to watch".  (I think that is close to the statement...)

Thanks all,

Janel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I loved that movie, "Being There". I recommend it highly. Jean and I are always saying, "I like to watch", which in our case means mostly, "I like to look". Not quite the same context as the movie, as you'll see if you watch it.

[Janel]

This past weekend, mother reminded me that I was often asked why I was so quiet when the rest of the family was together, in the car, at the table, playing... (I am second of four) Most of the time my answer was that I was just listening. I still do that.