the artist's way

inspired by a couple of friends who have started reading "the artist's way," i've decided to commit to the twelve-week course myself. a friend gave me the book in high school and it has traveled to college with me and then to dc, but i've never actually read or done the course. the whole book is about unblocking and restoring your creativeness.

for me, it's about recovering my creativity in not just writing but in my yoga. i feel like i always have these lengthy to-do lists, and i rush past even the things i enjoy, like planning a yoga class or writing an article. i want to sloooooow down. let things simmer. and soak. and become.

i got this quote in my inbox today:

"most of the time we go through the day, through our activities, our work, our relationships, our conversations, and very rarely do we ground ourselves in an awareness of our bodies. we are lost in our thoughts, our feelings, our emotions, our stories, our plans.

a very simple guide or check on this state of being lost is to pay attention to those times when you feel like you are rushing. rushing does not have to do with speed. you can rush moving slowly, and you can rush moving quickly. we are rushing when we feel as if we are toppling forward. our minds run ahead of ourselves; they are out there where we want to get to, instead of being settled back in our bodies. the feeling of rushing is good feedback. whenever we are not present, right then, in that situation, we should stop and take a few deep breaths. settle into the body again. feel yourself sitting. feel the step of a walk. be in your body."

joseph goldstein