capturing stillness

mary jane dodd

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

at first

we seem to catch moments 

of stillness

the way we did 

fireflies

as children.

seeing their flashing light,

we would run carefully

up to them

trying to catch them 

ever so gently 

in cupped hands.

exciting and unique moments,

we feel like 

it must have been the place

or time

that brought it into being

for us.

and so we return 

to that place or time

to find it again. 

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

awareness

trickles in 

as we contemplate

how to return to to this place

of tranquility.

we begin to notice 

that stillness 

is not about

external circumstances

or

perfect states of being,

nor 

are they required to be 

present first for 

stillness to exist.

as our moments accumulate,

they grow closer and closer

together.

in the gathering awareness,

we come to realize

that moments of quietude

are always within our grasp.

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

we hold the key 

to make them manifest.

and with that knowledge, 

we walk in light. 

what repetition is teaching me

mary jane dodd

while repetition can be tedious 

we all know that there is a time and place for it... 

it is in repeating an action (or thought) that it becomes familiar... 
in familiarity it becomes known... 

in being known it becomes understood... 
and once understood it can be refined... 

i think the problem begins when we fight it... a brain in overdrive can be all over the place... what feels fulfilling is meeting one need... it can be exciting... adenaline pumping... 

but balance is necessary... 

i think i am maturing in my process... i am fighting the urge to rebel against repetitive tasks... instead of making the 2 rings (or leaves or whatever) i might need at the moment... i sit down to 10... 

at times i feel like i am battling a storm in getting my mind to quiet... but it does... and it gets easier and easier... as does the task... 

i am not here decreeing that i am against one of a kind work - this is quite the opposite... not production at all... but the ability to work on one's craft in order to raise your bar... 

in order to spark the 'what ifs'... in order to give yourself the best you have... with solid foundations that allow you to fly higher...

what dragon do you wish to slay? is it really your mind that needs calming and not the task? (and can we allow the dragon to be the teacher it is?)