This morning I looked around my cluttered, dirty cabin and remembered a time when my spaces were clean and uncluttered. My life was simple. So I asked myself:
What's the simplest life that would satisfy me?
I expected a pretty long list that would include hiking, campfires, trips, etc. This is what I got:
- Make bowls
- Make studies, spinoffs, paintings, collages
- Draw cartoons
- Sell all the above in the simplest, most direct and honest way.
- Save energy by being totally transparent.
- Save energy by being totally present - letting things flow through me.
That was it. I could feel the stopping point. Simple.
Decided to ask the Kid the same question. Kid, what's the simplest life that would satisfy YOU?
- laughing - jokes, cartoons
- playing - in the studio and everywhere else too
- running for fun
- playing with balls or badminton birds
- I'd really like to have a dog. I don't have to have one now but I do want one.
- I like to just look at stuff - flowers, trees, dogs, birds - all kinds of stuff.
Well, except for the dog, still simple. (To other people a dog may seem simple too. For me, with my current household and finances, I see a lot of obstacles.)
Naturally I asked the Critic/Censor the same question.
Critic/Censor, what's the simplest life that would satisfy YOU?
- total honesty - about what you want, feel, do.
That's it? That's it.
OK. There are a lot of things NOT on any of these lists. Do I have the courage to let those go? What pops to mind is yes, for a year.
So why not let everything go except these essentials, for this coming year? Well, I could go for a year and a half. Let's say the rest of 2003 and all of 2004. Then I'll reconsider.
What does this mean in practice?
Well, for one thing, if I'm asked for a decision about something NOT on the lists I can say "It doesn't matter to me; you decide." If I ask MYSELF for a decision about something not on the lists I can flip a coin or do a quick hand kinesiology yes/no.
It means that jokes and cartoons are more important than I give them credit for. I could be clipping cartoons and drawing cartoons in the evenings instead of reading novels. I could be watching comedies instead of dramas and suspense videos.
If I get too serious in the studio - not playful - I might as well give it up. The Kid is going to go on strike and nothing will work. Yes, making bowls is sacred work. It's also play - divine play, yes, but play.
It means, when it comes to selling artwork, asking myself "what's the simplest, most direct and honest way to do this?" No hype - just putting it out there.
I like this. I can feel myself breathing deeper. Always a good sign.
11:01:13 AM 
|
