Saturday, September 25, 2010

Like minded

I was reading the other day about Noah Brier, and a group he founded called Likemind, where creative people in cities around the world get together for an early coffee before the work day begins to talk, share, stay in touch. It's grown to thousands of creative people. Think about that - it's awesome.

Why don't we - the alternative art and spirit folk do that? Maybe because we don't get up early, or designers and marketers understand that they need each other, they hire each other and fine artists don't quite get it. Well time to get it. Time to reframe it. Don't you think?

And not in a what's in it for me mode - or how do we turn this into the next big thing mode, or the what about me, what about me, what about me refrain. I guess I'm looking to encourage and inspire perhaps an inclusive vs exclusive art mind, that is open, respect based, honestly community sourced, and builds business appreciation inherently in its structure.

Who wants to meet for coffee?

Check out this site http://likemind.us

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Monkey Within

Every person has a creative myth that lives inside them, its a destination and a journey, and it is always unique. That's what I love about narrative, and pictures, images of all kinds, it's the story.

I like being intrigued by the stories around me, others stories always invite resonance within me. Sometimes it connects sometimes not, but I find if the artist or writer is authentic, does not hide but reveals - I'm usually touched. And that's the point, isn't it? I don't think it matters if the symbols used to tell a story are obscure or linear - the essence is communicated when done "right".

We each have our own symbol system that we use to tell our story, and more times than not its a 
mythic journey that we are compelled to tell and follow. That is what is so interesting about the 
human dilemma. We are all ONE and not, at the same time. A combination of carbon and hydrogen plus consciousness. Fascinating.

Then the individual metaphors take shape and we are living a dharmic karmic passion play. We see it in our work we see it in our lives. Don't you find that fascinating?

Sometimes the metaphors are sign posts, our teachers and our tricksters based on our level of awareness. I sometimes image it as a monkey who lives in the back of head, fighting for 
my heart and minds attention. Follow me follow me says the monkey, trickster or teacher?

That's why I love meditation, visualization and astrological study. These processes help me illuminate the symbols in my work and that I live out in my life, in truth - I believe it is really the monkey within that compels the life story to unfold.

And talk. And dance. The law of detachment asks us to be the knowing, the knower and the known simultaneously. I find that inspiring, and through focused breath and intention I unfold the teacher within and uncover myself in the symbols. That is the heart of my art work and my teaching practice.

And ideally, I can learn to laugh at the monkey or with him as the case may be. Cause the monkey within - is me.
------------------
Evolutionary Astrology Class starts on Thursday, September 30th - email me at rhonda.schaller@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the "monkey" journey.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Why not you? Why not me?

There are so many ways to "be" in the world. There is a wisdom in uncertainty that we overlook so much of the time. Our freedom from the known allows us to untangle our conditioning to the past. And that conditioning forces us, without even thinking to repeat the same old mistakes, the same old ways of doing life, doing career, doing relationships, doing art.

Our willingness to step off into the fields of creative potential and possibilities and find a new perspective in which to define our goals, can hold the seeds of amazing growth.

Ask yourself "in what ways might I...... " and then fill in the blank. Fill yourself with the answer, radiate ideas in your heart, in your body. Encompass possibility in your breathe and surrender to the creative mind that orchestrates the universe. And dance.

Why not?

Monday, September 6, 2010

Living with Integrity

Oh the challenges of being human, the emotional body, the etheric body - the part of self that does not want to be a body...that recognizes that in truth, we are not the body. We are prior. We are that which makes having a body possible. Have you ever felt like that? When I have glimpses of the eternal in my waking mind and heart, I feel so at peace. As if the integrity of my positive waking purpose merges with the eternal dharma of being human. And its not so bad being in the body, its almost funny.

But that could be my Pisces moon laughing at the job of living. We should all take a moment to laugh every day. Truly. Nothing more positive than honest joy. Life force running through our veins is a source of honest joy.

Last night, sitting at the Hoboken waterfront with Dave, talking about living and doing the best we can. Living with integrity, dying with integrity. For a space of time at death we are still the personality, who we were when we died, and then that fades and all that is left is that which made the personality possible.

Energy within the veils of oblivion, the entrances into those spaces are possible to discover in meditation. One of the meditations I taught in the Creative Visualization class had participants merge into liquid consciousness and enter the universe through the beads of life force. It was really beautiful. I think we'll do that one again, as the start to the Evolutionary Astrology class.

We start the Evolutionary Astrology class on Sept 30th. It's going to be so fabulous to explore through the symbols biographies, personalities and consciousness. To oblivion and beyond.....

I like living with integrity.