Was feeling a bit low the last few days. I have a dysfunctional family and holidays are particularly difficult. I thought about making more of my pinched meditation bowls. Something I can do while working at ArtWorks. It's been a while since I pinched any bowls. Pinching is very meditative for me.
Then an idea of making a meditation grotto came to mind. I thought of an alcove in a hillside with a reflecting urn I once made. I wondered how I could translate that feeling into a clay piece. I learned of a grotto in
Dismals Canyon in Alabama, a place I'd love to visit. Why is it called Dismals; probably after the dismalites found there. What are
dismalites? Click on the link to find out. I came across the Fredrick Kiesler
Grotto for Meditation designed in 1963 for New Harmony Indiana and built posthumously in 2012 in Houston Texas.
An unusual concept using steel construction for a grotto. Yet I can imagine sitting inside must have a nurturing or cradling effect. When I went down to the studio I was thinking the season is for giving. Sometimes I feel like an infant in a cradle needing love and at the same time having so much love to give. Yet feeling inadequate or helpless on how to give or receive love.
Many may be thinking or feeling the same as me: 'Lift me up or Lay me down on a soft pillow'. I reminded myself to focus my energy outward, to lift up those I come into contact with. Maybe they need a kind word, thought or gesture. Maybe they need a soft pillow to lay their head upon. These are things I can give so easily. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
Thanks for the link to Dismalites. I'd never heard of them and hadn't a clue. Now I want to visit Dismals Canyon! Sorry you've been feeling blue. There's nothing like a dysfunctional family to mess up the holidays as I've been there and have that tee shirt. Finally decided they hadn't a clue how all affected me and moved on, one of the best decisions I've ever made.
ReplyDeleteLinda, did you see the segment on the national news about this girl who'd devised a cup with four curved outward, then inward, leg-like handles that people with Parkinson's disease can use? Think you had one very similar some posts back. Anyway, when marketed as such, they sell like hotcakes. The many handles allow the user to grab tightly to control the shakes.
Me too, had to look up Dismalites...how cool! Wonder why you've turned on word verification...I won't be commenting quite as often with that extra step. But if you were getting Spam I guess it makes sense. I love the doll, as I've suggested to a friend who's husband just left her, making the doll is therapy. Your feelings are shared by many, which doesn't make them any smaller. I do hope you know how much your creations have already given to many!
ReplyDeleteHi Kitty, thanks, same thing I've also done but still gets to me sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see that cup, will check into how it looks. thanks so much.
Hi Barb, thanks, I didn't turn on word verification, it's the same as it's always been but it does have a thing to prove you're not a robot not sure I can get rid of that but it's always been on there haven't changed anything
the dismalites are strange, there is also a salamander that is 2 feet long that's called a hellbender at that park, worth a trip to visit there, not that far away either.
I have struggled through the holidays many years. Last year was the pits. I am hoping this year will be better... I hope yours is too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the "prove your not a robot" was there until a couple of days ago. When I saw it, I thought like Barb, that you were getting spam.
Hi Michele, thanks, I hope it's better this year; google must have changed something, darn them I hate those numbers half the time I can't read them they are so small and blurry.'
ReplyDeleteoh at least the number can be sounded out but half the time I can hear it correctly either, I will have to check into this.
I am having to prove I am not a robot on my own blog, what's with that
Re the captcha, I have posted in the help forum re this as it seems to be a new problem with blogger, engineers are looking into it and will get back in a while, hopefully soon, thanks for letting mek now as now I have to prove I am not a robot on every reply,
ReplyDeleteLinda, I believe you need to go back to your set up and change the comment box to embedded.
ReplyDeleteI hope no numbers cheers you up. You can always hit that circle arrow and get new numbers.
Many of us have dysfunctional families (I think they are the norm) and they can make 'family occasions' very challenging.
ReplyDeleteLook after yourself as best you can. And, if you come across anyone else's blog who is infected with the word verification glitch you can just ignore the numbers and hit publish. It works.
Hi Joanne, thanks, I never changed anything so not sure why the captcha just showed up. I'll give it a try.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thanks, well there is dysfunctional and there is really dysfunctionsl.
I'll see if that works, I'm not sure hitting publish without the numbers will work, I'll see.
Hey it worked, perhaps it will work for everyone else
ReplyDeleteok I changed it to embedded, we shall see if that works for others
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time at the holidays too Linda, for the same reasons you mentioned. We just have to do the best we can to take care of ourselves. I find that just staying out of the stores and not participating in the crazed consumerism helps me to a certain degree. Meditation helps as well. I love your post on the meditation places and your bowl and your cradled figure are perfect. Yes, a kind word to everyone we meet can be soothing to both parties. We are all dealing with something.
ReplyDelete