Fran Meneley At the PLAY retreat we spent Saturday morning down at the beach, walking the wrack line, and seeing what we could find. The idea was to gather beauty, little bits of nature that spoke to us. Gather and then arrange in some intentional order. I first did this exercise in a class I did at … Continue Reading
Well, I'm back from the PLAY journaling retreat and oh how I wish that I was still there. Except for the part about missing my family, I'd love to be back in that studio room with all the juicy creative energy swirling about. I can't resist these traffic mirrors and just had to leap out … Continue Reading
I am heading out for the PLAY journaling retreat in Port Townsend tomorrow. I'll be off-line for a few days journaling my heart out in one of my favorite places on earth. So I leave you with a couple of my latest journal pages. I am just surrounding this man with lots of protective light … Continue Reading
There's a theme running through my life right now – letting the light shine. And I had the pleasure of returning to student mode (really I'm always there) this week by taking a mosaic class with the lovely and talented Susan Wechsler. She's an amazing mosaic maven with a very unique voice, and she opens her … Continue Reading
"Be happy, dear hearts, and allow yourselves a few more weeks of quiet exultation. It isn't gloating, it's satisfaction at a job well done. He was a superb candidate, serious, professorial but with a flashing grin and a buoyancy that comes from working out in the gym every morning. He spoke in a genuine voice, … Continue Reading
The Buddha's Last Instruction "Make of yourself a light,"said the Buddha,before he died.I think of this every morningas the east beginsto tear off its many cloudsof darkness, to send up the firstsignal – a white fanstreaked with pink and violet,even green.An old man, he lay down between two sala treesand he might have said anything,knowing it was his final hour.The light burns upward,it thickens and settles over the fields.Around him, the villagers gatheredand stretched forward to listen.Even before the sun itselfhangs, disattached, in the blue air,I am touched everywhereby its ocean of yellow waves.No doubt he thought of everythingthat had happened in his difficult life.And then I feel the sun itselfas it blazes over the hills,like a million flowers on fire - clearly I'm not needed,yet I feel myself turninginto something of inexplicable value.Slowly, beneath the branches,he raised his head.He looked into the faces of that frightened crowd. Mary Oliver
A new journal page from my class yesterday. Yes, I was teaching but I have decided to do my student's work assignments as a way of continuing to teach myself. The class went really well and I had positive feedback from my 2 wonderful students. Their first journal page assignment, in their brand spanking new … Continue Reading
Sorry I've been off line for a while. It was a busy week getting everyone back to their worlds, tucked safely back into their perspective daytime realities. Whew! You know the saying, "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, it turns out I'm the teacher. My friends Charlotte and Ellen have … Continue Reading
Happy 2009! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to move on. Sayonara 2008 – we loved you, but we are setting sail on the turning of the tide. There's an excitement in the air. Change has come and I think it's bigger than the election. To that end I have been thinking about … Continue Reading
Well the holidays caught up with me….I have a cold. It's been through the family. Now it's my turn. I made it through 2 Hanukkah dinners (for 16 and 8) , our annual Christmas Eve skating party (for 50), and Christmas Dinner (for 9). And now I have an excuse to laze about with impunity. … Continue Reading