Something beautiful is happening between Anita and me: we’re falling in love again. Maybe it’s the seven year itch finally bearing fruit — we’ve been together for about nine years. Maybe it’s that we’ve actually managed to practice what we preach by using the tools we have learned over the years in our own day-to-day relationship. We’ve even remembered to pull a card from Anita’s own InterPlay Inspiration Deck or role Gretchen Wegner’s MuseCubes a few times recently!
Mostly, I think it’s been about each of us learning to be more playful — both individually and in the ways we relate with each other. One of our playmates is our “rescue dog,” Scout. In addition to loving to hike, run in circles (usually around Anita or me), and play games with his stuffed toys, Scout likes to sing and talk. Sometimes these vocalizations just sound like grunts and sometimes they form random melodies. However they may sound, they always draw our attention to him.
A few days ago, we were involved in this deathly serious discussion. Anita was getting focused — I could tell because of the furrow in her forehead — and I was getting sad — and showing it. Suddenly, Scout stretched and performed one of his delightful little vocalizations right between us. We both laughed. And the moment was transformed.
So — unless you have a dog or a child to shift the mood — roll the dice or draw a card and relax into your life. Join us on a Monday night to experience the tools we use.
I performed for the first time with Penn Strings on Sunday. It was great. We had a kind of simple ease together even though it was our first time performing together. The set included everything from Beethoven to Coldplay, so there was no shortage of variety. I can hardly wait for the next gig!
Contrast this with the fact that taxes are due in less than a month. Lots of numbers, calculations, paper forms, confusing descriptions. Thank goodness, my CPA takes care of most of it!
My music/recording studio has been in a shambles. Between gigs, rehearsals, jams, PULSE, and being lazy after all of this other stuff is done, I had really let it go. So, over the past couple of weeks, I really cleaned it up. Well, actually I’m about half-way there. I can see the floor. OK? So it’s a major victory.
I’m grateful. And ready. To take the next step. Here goes.
I know it is spring because I feel like I have cobwebs in my eyes, nose, and brain. I asked Stan this morning if he liked Spring. I even noticed my tone was a little sour when the question came out of my mouth. I also noticed that I felt a bit lifted by his answer. Turns out his favorite season is Fall. So is mine. I feel a little bah humbug about Spring, the same way folks feel about Christmas (which by the way, I Love!). I know. I know. Things are popping out of the ground, birds are singing, trees getting ready to burst, and all that good stuff.
I am suspicious it has to do with work. The sense that it is time to get moving again, after the long winter’s nap kind of thing. The other day I practically closed my eyes while walking from the car to the back porch for fear that all the fallen branches, leaves, peeling paint, splintering wood of the deck, would somehow reach out, grab and strangle me. See, it is the work thing. I can’t enjoy the season because I think I now have to work harder, do more, accomplish something.
This accomplish something thought has had a hold of me for quite awhile. I think it relaxes a bit more in the Autumn and Winter. As I feel it waking up from its slumber it scares me. Maybe this is the year I don’t have to invite it in? Maybe this year, this new season, there can be a chance for a springing up and over the old. I can land on the other side of it and with eyes forward keep walking-not look back.
This kind of talk always sounds good and makes me feel like an athlete after a good motivational speech from a coach. I feel focused, ready, at the top of my game. Of course it is still early in the morning and my coffee is still hot!
Stan’s niece wrote and said that she pulled the card “HOLD IT LOOSELY AND LIGHTLY” and really needed that message yesterday. She is having a great time using the InterPlay Inspiration Deck which is making me realize even more the power of it as a daily practice. Whether you know InterPlay or not, these round cards are a way to get more out of your day, every day!
For me, this message to remember to hold things loosely and lightly is so important. I am SO NOT a technology person and the whole world operating on Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc. is not really comfortable for me. Comfortable is this easy chair that I am sitting in right now. My morning coffee by my side, my dog curled up in my lap, the heavy rain and wind providing an awesome background for this Monday morning. Discomfort for me is the way I cannot figure out how to write this post directly into the blog, cannot figure out how to “tweet” people on a regular enough basis so that I would get hundreds of followers like my friend, Gretchen, and my complete inability to post things with pictures on Facebook or any other techy tool like that.
AHHHH, taking a breath as that was quite a long sentence.
That is what lack of comfort feels like in my body: one huge run on sentence!
So, for this moment, I borrow the Hold it Loosely and Lightly card, I grab my tight focuser and release it from my tight knit brow, take one long slow deep breath, and I exhale twice as long.
The wind and rain have stopped. Another Monday miracle reveals itself to me!
Our Monday night InterPlay/improv dance class does a movement meditation on the theme of “easy focus” to a loop I created in the moment before becoming the videographer. Enjoy.
…And here, we do a favorite InterPlay improv form called postcards on Easy Focus. The round cards we’re holding up are from The InterPlay Inspiration Deck (created by Anita Bondi who also teaches the Monday night class).
InterPlay Inspiration Deck on FaceBook
The InterPlay Inspiration Deck has lots of fans on FaceBook. Hope you’ll join us and share your experiences of using the deck!
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