Poem 0182 of 1,000 (for Anita): stillness

Posted by Stan Stewart (Sawyer) on January 4, 2012 under Stan Stewart | Be the First to Comment

I drew stillness
From The Deck.
Her avatar?
A peace sign.

Right now,
I think my
Avatar is
A race car.

Zipping ahead
Without thought
For the energy
Being consumed
Or the loudness
Generated.
And all this
Speed and combustion
And noise
Is doing so little to
Improve on what
Was already
Here.

~ spontaneously composed (but not combusted) by Stan Stewart
Copyright © 2011 by muz4now, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 182/1,000

It’s a wrap!

Posted by Anita Bondi on November 27, 2011 under Anita Bondi | 2 Comments to Read

Day 7 of interesting ways to use the InterPlay Inspiration Deck.

It’s a wrap! I  am officially  finished my week of giving you interesting ways to use the InterPlay Inspiration Deck for your personal home use.

BUT

AND

If you don’t have a deck,  you won’t be able to practice, and then you won’t be able to change your life.

OK

that was a bit strong, but you get the point…time to invest in yourself and your practice.

Here is one incentive: FREE SHIPPING! click here and then when you are ready to pay use the coupon code ABD3334 and away you go!

(pssst…this code will work for the jewelry on the site too!)

(double psssst….this code is only good until dec. 1st.)

Thank you so much for walking the path with me and giving me the inspiration to keep changing my life!

To read testimonials from people using the deck, click here.

Become a fan of the deck on Facebook here.

Follow me on Twitter here.

OR send smoke signals….

Any and all ways of connecting are welcomed!

connect

Posted by Anita Bondi on November 22, 2011 under Anita Bondi | 4 Comments to Read

Day 2 of interesting ways to use the InterPlay Inspiration Deck

Last week I brought the idea of connection to my InterPlay class.  Phil Porter introduced the idea of small circles of connection  a few years ago and I love to play with it often when leading groups.

Finish this sentence: I belong to a small circle of people who ________?  Some answers from last week’s class:

• wear hats all year long
• have my own website
• have red hair
• would not be caught dead without lipstick

From the ridiculous to the sublime these are the ways we connect with one another, find our intersections, or lack thereof.

Using the InterPlay Inspiration Deck, I asked the group to each pick a card. I invited them to hold loosely and lightly the question: Is there something that could help me feel more connected to myself and to others? Something that would aid and guide me when I am feeling stuck or scared in my relationship to myself or others?

Here are a few of the cards that were chosen:

• following and leading
• stillness
• improvise

I led the group through a variety of experiences using movement, noticing and contact.

Everyone had profound noticings about how to use their particular card to help them have more of what they want and desire in connection to themselves and those around them.

I will share some of my own. I used the closed eyes shuffle approach to choose my card. I got Following and Leading. The first exercise we did was a solo dance in our own small dance bubble. This was followed by a medium dance bubble solo dance and then a large bubble solo dance. The medium and large bubbles overlapped with other people’s bubbles which helped to begin the investigation of connecting with others. At first I was unsure about how to do following and leading with myself. Within minutes though I was filled with ideas: use my right side to lead and my left to follow, set up a pattern and follow it, take something in the room and follow that, use my feet to lead and my hands to follow. And when the dance bubbles overlapped I had even more fun following and leading with the bodies I came in contact with (whether they were actually aware of me or not!)

Some of my noticings about following and leading:

1. setting up something very simple and repetitive works best. (this is so helpful in marriage, child rearing, and most interactions)
2. it is impossible to follow and lead at the same time. (this is so helpful in marriage, child rearing, and most interactions)
3. when I am not clearly leading nor passionately following the dance falls apart. (this is so helpful in marriage, child rearing, and most interactions)

Now it is your turn. Get your own deck and explore the possibilities!

Stillness

Posted by Anita Bondi on November 21, 2011 under Anita Bondi | 5 Comments to Read

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I am attempting to shine instead of shrink. That is a difficult sentence to write as the little Catholic school girl in me is screaming, ” Don’t brag or boast! Be humble. Let someone else toot your horn for you.”

Well, let’s start there.

Day 1 of interesting ways to use The InterPlay Inspiration Deck has begun.

A bit of history:

~the deck is based on the principles and practices of InterPlay ( read more about that by clicking on InterPlay)

~the deck was created between 2008 and 2009 as a way for me to understand the principles and practices of InterPlay in new and deeper ways

~the cards have symbols, stories, and colors to help bring the principle or practice to “life”

Back to the little Catholic school girl….what could help her?

Some of you will say, “only years of very intensive, expensive therapy.”

Today, we will try a much more inexpensive way (only $19.95): we will pick a card from the deck and see how that may apply.

Here is how I am doing that.  I am noticing what it feels like in my body to have that energy of the Catholic school girl present and I am naming it.

~tightness in my chest and upper back

~lump in my throat

I am holding the deck in my hands while noticing my body sensations and will now shuffle the deck and pick a card.

In my mind I am holding the question, ” Is there anything I can do to help change the feelings and sensations in my body?”

The card I pick is Stillness.

I notice there is a chuckle in me and that I like the colors of the card…green and purple…I will close my eyes and let those colors bathe and soothe me while I take a few deep breaths.

Okay, I’m back and about to check in with my body.

~tightness in chest is gone but still a bit in upper back

~lump in throat gone

~ I also notice my eyes feel soft as do my fingers as I type this.  I feel more calm and yes, more still inside.

Wanting to see if I can do something about the tightness that still lives in my upper back.

The deck comes with a booklet that helps with more information about the cards and some “try this” exercises.

Today, I will go to the “try this” exercises and see if one may help with my back tightness.

Here is the one I am choosing:

Stare at a tree and see stillness in action. Watch the leaves and branches move and sway. Focus on the trunk and the notice the solidity of the tree. Focus on the roots anchoring the tree. What are your roots?

For today the deck has given me two things:

1. the courage to post this blog
2. a wonderful excuse to go outside for a run and stare at trees.

Off to lace up my sneakers!

Bring on your cares and concerns

Posted by Anita Bondi on July 19, 2011 under Anita Bondi | 3 Comments to Read

In InterPlay we say that if we are to have health and well-being we cannot possibly hold everything alone. We propose that we all need help and also that we may actually feel lifted up or gain some relief by sharing our troubles and concerns with others. We call this practice On Behalf Of.

Today, I ask you to hold me and what is resting on my heart right now. I also invite you to share your cares and concerns with me via the comment section of this blog.  We are in this together and I guarantee you will feel better knowing someone is holding it all with you.

card from the Interplay Inspiration Deck w/ purple coneflowers

Meet On Behalf Of and listen to her story:

when you call On Behalf Of there is always time for a cup of tea and a bit of conversation. she will make time to stop and listen. if you are at her house she will offer you special paper and a beautiful amethyst fountain pen to write down everything that is troubling or upsetting you. She places all the papers in a dragonfly jar on her kitchen windowsill. every week she opens the window on a bright sunny day and sends the concerns off to the light. she sees everyone who has shared their pain with her bathed in warmth and love. On Behalf Of knows that health and well-being come more easily when one opens up and shares with a friend.

Don’t be afraid to share with me or someone else who cares about you.

Oh, and be on the lookout for dragonflies!!