My meditation teacher always told us to start each day off with a “beginner’s mind”. This is especially important as you become more and more experienced in whatever endeavor you’re involved in. The beginner’s mind brings you to your activity fresh and enthusiastic. It often opens up new doors that you couldn’t even see because you were so involved in “been there, done that.” (Who started that saying? I dislike it enormously! which is not to say I haven’t used it myself).
My current meditation teacher focuses a lot on “refinement.” Yeah, maybe we think we know something, but we can always know it more deeply, more intensely. Our understanding and knowledge can always be greater and more expansive. It’s a bit of a foreign concept to us Westerners, but a tried and true maximum in many Eastern philosophies.
This past week brought me back to “felting for beginners”. I spent time making scarves to show the students in my next workshop that I’ll be teaching in a couple of weeks. Not only did I enjoy myself enormously, and like the scarves I produced, but I challenged myself by making some styles of scarf that I’ve never made before. I had such a good time that I think I’ll make a few more this week.
Here’s a wool scarf that uses mohair to create a curly fringe. The wool and mohair are hand-dyed which is why they match so well.
The next 2 pictures are of a reversible scarf I decorated with tencil (for sheen) and a novelty yarn (for fun visual interest and texture). The decorative touches may be a bit hard to see in these pictures.
The rest of my week was spent in administrative tasks. The usual search for exhibitions (I now have 9 possibilities to sort through and apply to. With deadlines in the next 6 weeks, I also need to get busy and make some new work!), publicity for February’s teaching (the workshop is in a week and a half), etc.
I am putting aside time every morning to knit (I’m making a vest for myself) and to spin (yarn for sale — any knitters out there?). Spending just 1/2 hr. on each. I’ve discovered the world of timers. Just set it and then go! It’s amazing how much I am able to get done that way. I also love starting my day with such basic arts. It feels like I ground myself in life’s basics right off. Then, and only then, I move out into the fast paced world.
