Thursday Beginner's Mind

Agenda:

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being"

2. Beginner's mind meditation for creativity

3. Pre-K school plans

4. Projects for the week

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being":

I'm reading from this book by Barnet Bain (2015), subtitled "Rediscovering Creativity in Life, Love, and Work". He claims that your life is a creative act, and you are the writer of your life story; also that creativity is a state of mind that begins with a desire to have impact - to change things; and that you can connect to that emotional power and passion that fuels creativity, intentionally.

This is a book of perspective, too, to help jiggle me out of the straight line way I usually think into something new. Use the exercises with consistency in order to stay focused on my destination. Practice will ground me and allow my ambitions to take root and grow.

Chapter 1 is Freedom from Conditioning, and it winds towards the theme of innovation, and how to break from our structured imaging (habitual patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving), to rewire your brain for creative innovation. It takes hours of committed practice and attention.

The first practice is self-inquiry: Bring to mind a creative project or goal. Briefly describe any thoughts or feelings that might be stopping you from taking action, or which are challenging your confidence. Journal the answers to these queries:

• Are these thoughts and feelings hand-me-downs or are they originating with me?
• Am I being loyal to thoughts and feelings that I have outgrown?
• Am I willing to give up old perceptions, feelings, and attitudes when something more valuable shows up?
• What, really, are the values I'm judging the valuable-ness by?

2. Beginner's mind meditation for creativity:

My theme this year is Creative Perspective: 

Creative perspective: To keep a positive and broad perspective; shift my perspective to help myself find equanimity, and also expand my perspective (think outside the box), having the courage to take experimental risks and express myself honestly with words and art.

On Thursday through Monday I take time to review and plan how I will act on this theme. Today I start with a beginners mind meditation for creativity. Beginner's mind is dropping expectations and preconceived ideas, seeing things with an open mind, fresh eyes, curiosity and wonder.

Today I settle into meditation, and ask the query, "What are my priorities for community work, that will most help me to spread my message of Nature-Culture? How can I include pieces from all of my principles?"

• Advocacy: Educate and plan actions to support the long campaign for the Superfund bill - especially writing to our state reps; make creative postcards?
• Awareness: Update the IFEK calendar more diligently! Send a monthly reminder to the email list to send events and share their Light with others.
• Habitat healing: A new blog on IFEK website to post faith community projects and Turtle Flats photos. 
• Helping others: Water talk with discussion of how to bridge the gap; post this on the IFEK calendar.
• Awareness: Tree walk with discussion of all sides of the forest question (plus pine cone tags craftivism); post this on the IFEK calendar.
• Habitat healing: Retreat for butterfly reciprocity
• Creative Force: Design a clean air / climate ceremony, to add to a climate cafe, and help to build energy for action.

3. Pre-K school plans:

Today I will choose next themes, brainstorm projects, and define the nature and skills goals; on the weekend I will gather books and supplies (and take time to stash away the last projects and supplies); and I will do all the prep and making samples on Monday.

Next week's theme is Good-bye to Winter: Ideas- Imbalc fire, read season's books, look for signs of spring, cut paper snowflakes, sew fleece hand-warmers, jewel sun-catcher...

4. Projects for the week:

Each week on Thursday I plan the projects I will work on in the next week - one or two kid projects, and one or two Unicorn projects (those that feed ME). This next week I will:

Th: Paint butterflies; make a Brigid's cross

F: Kaleidoscope pattern drawings, jewel suncatchcer

S: Design a print book and take to printer

Sun: Rainbow painting on door 

M: Rainbow painting on door + Fire for saying good-bye to winter.

T: Read season books; Go to Asian food market; Make tray of togetherness

W: Look for signs of spring; get more books; cut paper snowflakes; sew hand warmers

Th-F: Drawing, spring appliqué, valentines?

Doing the smallest thing is a great way to make courageous creative work less frightening; also finding the "minimum effective dose", the amount of work that keeps me challenged and joyful, and if I keep at it will get me to the finish line on time. 

Today I will list specific goals for each day's creative projects, put them on my calendar, also itemize the supplies and preparation steps.