tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57107861957062426272024-02-20T23:40:39.382-08:00The Clarity Cloud BlogCastThe Clarity Cloud BlogCast is Brought to you by Artist Angie Mason, host of The Clarity Cloud Podcast; Where we Bring our Intentions to Fruition, Waking Our Creativity Out of Hibernation. Dreaming Ourselves Awake. Blue Skies, Clear Heart.
Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-65806239531621016322019-08-11T18:36:00.000-07:002019-08-11T18:37:09.303-07:00Season Finale - Episode 12 : Dedication<style type="text/css">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Welcome to the final episode of season one of the Clarity Cloud Podcast! I’m your host Angie Mason thank you for joining me along on this ride — Season One is coming full circle!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This has been an exciting journey learning new things all while exploring the topics of living a creative life and how to navigate its complex terrain. This final show looks at a key component to living a creative life, the ingredient needed in bringing anything to fruition..and that is <b>dedication</b>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This podcast started out as a passing daydream and now at the final episode of season one Clarity Cloud podcast — it has come to fruition! It’s out there existing in the world for people to follow along with or discover at any time!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Before I dive Into this episode I wanted to give a special thanks to you dear listeners , followers of my art path and a huge thanks to my patreon supporters — it’s you, the seekers, keepers and weirdos — it’s you who helped encourage and push this dream along with your positive feedback, generous support, I’m so grateful for all the 5 star reviews and stellar written reviews. So thank you for all your kindness it has been helpful in propelling this idea forward and making it real! <span class="s1">😊</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Keep exploring, learning and growing.</span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This process of making a podcast has been quite fun — getting into a rhythm with how I produced the show from start to finish on my own… which is why the timing may have at times gone much much slower because when you take on everything all on your own, well I suppose that is to be expected. I am proud I stuck with it and seeing it all together feels like a real resource to return to, a personal art self help podcast/blog I can pull up when I am not feeling so good and anyone else who finds comfort in it can do the same.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My dedication to making this project real in the end is what it is all about creatively speaking not just for this podcast project but all the art endeavors I pursue. Dedication in my mind is the master key to opening up our dreams and seeing true possibilities — it’s the will to keep going and not give up, it is the will to keep pushing ourselves forward into actualizing dreams and ideas making them real all while we keep exploring, learning and growing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Believe in your ideas</span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Being dedicated to your growth and visions — sticking to them however slow they may progress at times — as long as we keep pushing along and remain committed to bringing ideas to fruition we eventually give real life to these ideas. This podcast and season are coming to full fruition which once had simply begun as a passing day dream —a simple thought — cultivated into existence as an actual thing that others can now experience —<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>hey You there listening — I am sure you have an idea, a vision floating around in your minds eye now with a bit of dedicated focus and planning you can also birth an idea into existence. Really! Believe in it that is a huge first step!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Start by believing in it — make it real in your mind — then make it physically real by writing it down on paper. Keep that paper somewhere you can see as a reminder to yourself to push yourself to keep going and to be dedicated. Eventually the seeds that we plant, as long as we tend to them and nurture them they do grow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Rest and Don’t Give up<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">But at this cross roads final season episode I’ll be honest it’s pretty hard writing a show about dedication on a down and out day where you feel like quitting and giving up lingering toxic vibes of why bother hanging thick over you. But yet here I am pushing through the murky waters of my brain — of the world. I’m persistently pushing through thick waters of doubt and distraction to get to a place where my head is above water and I can breath freely and create once again. This up and down rollercoaster ride is part of the process.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Having awareness that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>there will be off days allows for healing and acceptance, it allows for us to navigate around barriers that seem to be forever blocking our path — the restful<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>creative hibernation moments allow for healing to build up our strength needed to knock down those barriers. So Take those days to rest but don’t give up, don’t quit — just rest, clear your mind and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>remain dedicated.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Connecting the dots</span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It can be a real challenge to remain dedicated I know—<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for instance in these modern days of communication and trying to connect and share your finished projects it can feel stunted and out right blocked with paid reach blockades and no support coming your way. So much for social media being social — it can actually be pretty Frustrating and isolating at times. Why do this? Why make the output of energy for little to no return why do we keep going? After all doesn’t life tell us so often most never have their dreams come true most just fall flat and fail or most just give up and wither away into obscurity. But yet here I am I keep going. Am I mad? Are you? Are we touched in the heads to believe if we keep at this thing we do get some kind of pay off or reward will happen?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Or Maybe just doing the thing we do is the reward partially that is true for myself... maybe just doing the thing makes you feel alive doing the thing is part of your humanity—I know it makes me feel the most alive when I make my art and I take great comfort and satisfaction in my creative process and release. I feel proud of much of what I make and in fact believe in what I do. Even if my eyes are the only ones seeing it. Believing in what you are doing and being dedicated go along way to creating a solid foundation and making it real. But that is just part of the puzzle of feeling whole.The missing piece is connection to an audience to be able to share in that human experience to feel connected is to connect the dots and not feel so alone on this spinning blue rock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Push through</span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The question I am faced with over and over is how do I remain dedicated to this art life? Dedication is in my mind one of the most important factors in creation and choosing an art life. This is the key to a long healthy life of being an artist. There are a great many ups and downs and far more of the latter for sure. However we can break through the negative walls — it is with dedication to our chosen art<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>our path — THAT is how we can push through. Push through self doubt and outside criticism. Push through slow periods of output , push through depression and sadness...keep pushing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>keep going remain dedicated to your vision this is how you make them real.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">When you are In the moment of creation or working out an idea and about to give up just keep going for 5 more minutes those dedicated few minutes add up and help build up our energy even if we don’t know it yet. That creative residual energy sits in our brains and while we are in a seemingly restful mode of creative hibernation ideas are working out behind the scenes dots are connecting and may emerge during our next creative work process.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">But how do we remain dedicated when we feel like burying our heads six feet deep into a pile of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pillows. How do we keep moving forward when our lives are falling apart around us,or rather when the world is falling apart around us? We may be seen as selfish for following through with our visions path. How dare we do the thing that fulfills us. How dare we think to feel happy and whole. But the thing is we need people to follow their vision dream paths because that spark is contagious and humanity needs all the positive sparks it can get towards keeping the fire of progress and free thinking alive burning strong lighting the way for other similar minds seeking this path.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Out of the darkness<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">As I am sure you know by now this journey its not for the faint of heart. You face a lot of monsters and demons along the way you must do battle with. Self doubt being a big ugly monster that is so tenacious at times it could almost feel at times it’s winning. But I tell you from all my years following this winding path seeing some sharp dark turns I just kept drawing painting and writing and even at times strumming my way out of the darkness. You will find yourself alone often, it can seem like you are the only pair of eyes looking at what you are doing, believing in what you are doing ... but even if that is the actual case nurture your vision believe in what you are making this has a great power pushing you forward on your path. Scribble doodle scrawl and draw your way out of the darkness. This constant dedicated focus and maybe not so focused action will eventually come to sharp clarity and by doing the thing, the thing makes you and guides you along getting you found.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Knowing about the cycles of creation that awareness can allow for growth to happen say during a creative hibernation where you can still remain dedicated just in a more restful state absorbing ideas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Being aware of things we discussed in previous episodes like time thieves and the pits of perfectionism and chaos births. All these things can be navigated and you can find your way out pushing through with dedication to your idea your vision path.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Stay on the path!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></h4>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Keep going, keep doing the thing that sets sparks in your heart. When your hearts ablaze it lights the way and it fills you with courage and determination to go after those ideas you have visit you and let them stay awhile — even let those ideas live with you finding a home in your vision and dedication.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">In the end don’t stop doing the things you do — sing a song, doodle a dream, make marks push paint, push dreams...strengthen your skills, scribble, scrawl, doodle your way out of the darkness by being dedicated and doing the thing you love — a little every day goes a long way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This has been the clarity cloud podcast season one transmission coming to full fruition . I wish us both luck on our creative journeys and hope we all bring many ideas to fruition! Just do and be and try and always dream yourself awake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I’m Angie your host of the clarity cloud podcast thank you for following along on this ride with me. Now go catch some ideas and make them want to live within your hearts!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-38778444410489446142019-04-21T17:43:00.001-07:002019-04-21T17:44:12.844-07:00EPISODE 11: In Sickness & In Health<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Hello and welcome to episode 11 of Clarity Cloud Podcast I’m artist, Angie Mason your host and <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>I
am happy you are here! So lets start by asking yourself how are you
feeling? Emotionally & physically — are you Foggy? Focused? Sad?
Joyful? Agitated or Peaceful? Whatever your current state of mind and
being are, I believe it directly correlates to how we create, it can
affect the color choices, subject matter and line quality we make and so
on. I also believe our creative expression — the things we build make
and create via our hands eyes voice and mind are ultimately markers of
our humanity / existence. So with our creative expression completely
connected to our health and being how do we create when we are not
feeling 100%? My answer for myself to this is we just do and try... the
amount of creative energy we put out reflects the moment in time we are
in , it reflects what we are going through and that alone is quite
beautiful to see a life force output something that reflects their true
state. For me this connection is a way to truth and finding balance for
myself. It also helps guide me out of any darkness I may find myself in.
So not being 100% is in fact expected as this says I’m human. So here
we are on this journey where we all at some point end. It’s what we do
during that beginning and end point that matters most to us and</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">hopefully others around us. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">In Sickness and in health.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">So
let’s explore our relationship we have with our health & creative
life - let’s look at how they affect each other. How can we navigate and
approach our creative path in regard to our health to ensure we stay
the course remaining dedicated to our creative intentions without
letting health obstacles block or cloud our paths? Our health can
certainly shape what it is we do creatively yet it does not have to
define us if we don’t want it to, allowing us to maintain creative
control over our lives. Or it can in fact change us so deeply that our
health reshapes who we are and the creative path we take. Perhaps we
find a new voice speaking out as an advocate or even become a kind of
ambassador to health issues. This can create an amazing community
amongst like minded individuals coping with the same health obstacle or
illness and can allow for a dialogue to take place helping others to
navigate unknown paths. In my mind any of these paths taken are positive
as it allows for discovery of truth and hopefully puts one on a path to
have creativity flourish. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">The health factor.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">How
does health factor in to our creative lives? The way I see this is our
health is a facet of our creativity because it affects our energy output
and how we can live our creative lives - whether we are at optimal
health or coping with some illness our health can be a challenge even an
obstacle when it comes to our creative lives. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">How
it affects us or even guides our creative path or halt progress at
times shapes us in ways often times we never expected or anticipated.
Before practicing being more attune or self aware one can glide easily
through life with out paying mind to our bodies heart and mind. We can
easily exist in a detached distracted state which may be more of a shock
then when we are actually faced with any challenges. It is honestly a
struggle to be super mindful all the time but one can try. <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>Approaching
my health from a pragmatic viewpoint — seeing life as a cycle helps me
in understanding and acceptance of changes we face and to shift
accordingly to nurture and maintain creative growth. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">So
navigating life in a more aware state can definitely help ones cause as
we face the challenge of whatever illness or new health obstacle comes
into our lives directly onto us or even our loved ones around us. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">How
do we navigate this health landscape of life and ultimately death. How
can we learn to be in tune with our creative lives and respect the
process of being human and experience the full life cycle with a greater
understanding and acceptance of ups and downs. I feel that this tuning
in can be integral to keeping our minds in a peaceful and even joyful
state. It can help alleviate feelings of depression and anger in my
personal experience. Though it is work it’s worth putting the effort
into tuning into our minds and bodies needs for a greater balance
especially during difficult times.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Part
of this for me has been allowing myself the flexibility to shift
creative paths as needed. Also being inspired by the pain or sickness
allowing self expression to flow freely helping communicate and vent can
definitely relieve some suffering I have found. This creative energy
release has a strange healing power almost feeling at times it can
actually reduce suffering by allowing the act of creation to override it
at least for a moment. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">In
the end it comes down to acceptance or understanding of our limitations
and having flexibility to navigate new paths within those limitations
in mind but not let them define who we are overall. They are just part
of our story, they’re not the main character. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span></span></span></div>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">“Our bodies are our gardens to which </span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">our wills are gardeners.”</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">– William Shakespeare</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span><br /></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;">Create cleansing rituals.</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Self
care an over used term yet probably most of us don’t practice it as
much as we hear the phrase. Now I am not talking about taking a full on
crystal bath type of ritual though I am all for it, if it helps you, I
support all avenues to explore that can help us balance and heal
ourselves. So overall what I mean is to place importance and honor these
times of say simply brushing your teeth or hair or taking a shower.
Those Times we may have not paid much mind to, only <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>thinking
of them as tasks we have to do, forced to since our childhoods can
shift so thoughts can elevate these times to becoming sacred moments
meant only for us, making these moments become special peaceful times
that can help provide relief and balance as well as caring for your
teeth or body overall. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">We
are gardening ourselves, pruning, planting and blossoming. Thinking
about Cleansing not only of washing away dirt grime and bacteria you are
making your self fresh, a clean start a blank slate / tabula rasa. I
like to think of the water symbolically washing away bad thoughts and
feelings. These moments of self care can really be elevated to open us
up and be ready to take on the next big idea. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p5" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 21.5px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span><br /></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">These
cleansing rituals also extend into my personal space say with sweeping
the floor... I know this mundane activity is often times seen as a
burden but I have shifted my thoughts and actually think of the sweeping
as a meditation that is physically and symbolically pushing all the
negative gunk and crumbs into a pile I can rid myself of. The refreshed
feeling not only feels good on my feet walking on a clean floor but it
actually also clears my mind. This type of thinking can be applied to so
many seemingly annoying boring tasks. Turning them into peaceful
welcome moments for myself.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">A
holistic approach to creating and embracing our shortcomings, errors
and failures while caring for ourselves forgiving ourselves and also
caring for our surroundings can change us in an uplifting way. It’s a
new perspective that can shift thought and change patterns or approaches
to work and simply being. Allowing ourselves the space to try judgment
free to make something new like learning to speak a new language opening
up ourselves to making new visual marks and processes. Growth happens
as we free ourselves from self judgement. This can be healing. </span></span></span></span></div>
<h4 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></h4>
<h4 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s6" style="font-weight: bold;">“I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint.” ~ Frida Kahlo</span></span></span></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s6" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<h4 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNgEufpwTPqzQjI1RPkh5bC-bzsQr3xaqWjEbZk4vCMhv4DLUaBm7bdEKSX9d0Gnnw-3RTHINaClirEvRSl4s3Nqswg0bxivcK0KP3RYisg3_tlyJILqvgF2hSTBeD6_NgdEcwwaH3_E/s1600/IMG_2920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-family: Times; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNgEufpwTPqzQjI1RPkh5bC-bzsQr3xaqWjEbZk4vCMhv4DLUaBm7bdEKSX9d0Gnnw-3RTHINaClirEvRSl4s3Nqswg0bxivcK0KP3RYisg3_tlyJILqvgF2hSTBeD6_NgdEcwwaH3_E/s640/IMG_2920.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></h4>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">Unexpected health crisis... </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">How
our health guides our creative lives and how we grow with our health or
sickness can play into how we live our creative lives. Unexpected
Health Crisis — they pop up from accidents to serious illnesses they are
difficult and can certainly try your spirit from giving up to getting
depressed. We can all expect to face this because it’s part of the human
experience. How we cope when faced with any of this is up to the
individual. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Personally
speaking I have gone through several of my own health crises, one that
stands out is a time in my early 30s when opportunities were opening up
and then it felt like it all came crashing down when some one broke and
nearly severed my left thumb. I am left handed so this caused me great
strifes how will I be able to paint now? I was unable to fully use my
left hand during a slow healing process. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Faced
with a deep sadness and frustration during the healing process I began
to train myself to use my right hand to write draw and paint with. I
presently can now switch hands to paint or draw if I feel any residual
nerve damage pain pop up or if I simply get tired I can now switch hands
allowing for creation to continue and rest and healing can happen to
the resting hand. This terrible painful accident has actually opened me
up to new ways <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>of
approaching things. It helped shaped my mind in the way I approached
devasting situations coming from a more positive angle this always felt
more productive and helped my healing progress seemingly go much
faster. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">While
I certainly could do without having that accident happen I feel like
the way I navigated a dehabilitating situation helped me over come
depression as well as overcome obstacles in creating. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">And
in fact gave me greater dexterity in the end of the healing process by
having the ability to use both my left and right hand.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s7" style="direction: ltr; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; unicode-bidi: embed;">Art is a guarantee of sanity.</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s8" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">-Louise Bourgeois</span><span class="m_2297168080903873030s9" style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span><br /></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">Acceptance of limitations</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Acceptance
is not giving into them... it is learning to grow within a new range of
territory by approaching things differently to try and get the results
one seeks. Shifting perspective and not limiting yourself by having a
narrow scope of who you should be. Allow for growth and change — our
paths are not pretty perfect bump free maps they are busted and bruised
and can often times make you nauseous. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">There
are times when the thing we used to create is being blocked by physical
limitations which can definitely be a challenge to move past fighting
off feelings of depression. It’s an extraordinary struggle but once
faced I believe can lead us in new creative directions that can provide
some comfort and relief. </span></span></span></span></div>
<h4 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></h4>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">“Art is a wound turned into light.” </span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s5" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">–Georges Braque</span></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">Discovering new sides </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Sometimes
our sickness may impair parts of us that we relied heavily on for our
creative process leaving us feeling short changed... during this time it
may surprise us when we discover alternate sides of our selves, new
creative facets emerge allowing us to expand and grow just when we
thought we had faced a shortcoming. Exploring unknown territories has
quite a forgiving freeing feeling when there are no expectations set on
our selves we can really soar past what even we thought was possible. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">For
me the way I see us humans and art making is, it really is an
expression of life and what it is to be human. Our creations either
visual or verbal or otherwise are in my opinion markers of our existence
and humanity. They communicate our experience of simply being alive in
all it’s varied states from: joyful, dark, odd, magical and horrific,
painful, sad and beautiful. All aspects of humanity explored during our
lowest points and highest points and everything in between. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">We
shouldn’t hold such high standards for ourselves — meaning we often
times hurt our progress by limiting ourselves with high standards of
what we once were and had accomplished. When we are faced with any
health issue that can limit our abilities we shouldn’t get caught up in
comparing our old selves to our current state that may be some how seen
as lesser. We are simply just growing and shifting and always changing
nothing ever stays the same we should let go and allow for these shifts
to happen with more grace and ease. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Let
the lines get crooked, smear your paint, heck change your medium. LIfe
is changing all the time why get stuck in the same pattern. Why let
yourself get held back with self expectation and self judgement. Go easy
on yourself! SHIFT and SWITCH. And when I say this I am talking to
myself and to you and to who ever hears this and it speaks to them as
well. SHIFT AND SWITCH! </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">Science backed evidence Art Saves Lives</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">Our
creative endeavors can be a form of medicine which is now backed by
science. Art is being embraced as a form of therapeutic healing having
real positive measured effects within the brain and body. Art as
medicine! Us artists knew this bit of magic all along now didn’t we! </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">By using our creative <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>energy as a form of medicine it can infact help us heal in very real ways.From reducing anxiety to making us happier and actually help us live longer fuller lives.If you visit the show site at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://claritycloud.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNH0QMUdPnl-OPDDe16MbwZV0-2TAw" href="http://claritycloud.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">claritycloud.blogspot.com</a>
I have gathered a bunch of really cool article links included in this
episode show notes post. In short here I will sum it by simply saying
modern medicine is starting to really recognize and encourage creative
arts practice as a form of therapy in reducing anxiety and in some
instances even prescribing it. Making the healing process more
integrated and whole by recognizing the full scope of what it is to be
human. Once again a handful of articles diving deeper into this topic
will be posted over on this episodes show notes on the blog <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://clairtycloud.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNFanFV0qIaXaWqBglvCcmYo-TY9Rw" href="http://clairtycloud.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s10">clairtycloud.blogspot.com</span></a><wbr></wbr> </span></span></span></span></div>
<h2 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><br /></span></span></span></h2>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span><b>Some article links about Health and Art connections...</b></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b> </b></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">“A
new study called ‘Positive Affect and Markers of Inflammation: Discrete
Positive Emotions Predict Lower Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines,’
published in the journal Emotion, found that activities that inspire awe
may actually boost the immune system.” ~ Laura C. Mallonee, </span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s11" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">“That
awe, wonder and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests
that the things we do to experience these emotions — a walk in nature,
losing oneself in music, beholding art — has a direct influence upon
health and life expectancy,” </span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">– UC Berkeley psychologist and co-author
Dacher Keltner </span><span class="m_2297168080903873030s11" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19.1px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b><span class="m_2297168080903873030s11" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b><br /></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s13" style="text-decoration: underline;"> <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://hyperallergic.com/185754/looking-at-art-may-keep-you-fit-study-suggests/&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNF71xAcfD-RDWwQFsYG1CPkVZ9JVA" href="https://hyperallergic.com/185754/looking-at-art-may-keep-you-fit-study-suggests/" target="_blank"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s12">Looking at Art may keep you fit and live longer</span></a></span></span></span></span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"> </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s11" style="text-decoration: underline;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/british-doctors-may-soon-prescribe-art-music-dance-singing-lessons-180970750/?utm_source%3Dfacebook.com%26utm_medium%3Dsocialmedia%26fbclid%3DIwAR22YqjQMfh0DKRCX-GwgBHg9AONKYzD4aDlhIigZB6ogafrX2-3636rG4M&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNH-zOXmdP8ImxjihXEW3Io65eipug" href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/british-doctors-may-soon-prescribe-art-music-dance-singing-lessons-180970750/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=socialmedia&fbclid=IwAR22YqjQMfh0DKRCX-GwgBHg9AONKYzD4aDlhIigZB6ogafrX2-3636rG4M" target="_blank">British Doctors May Prescribe Art...</a></span></span></span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s11" style="text-decoration: underline;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-make-art-even-if-youre-bad-2016-6%236-playing-music-is-associated-with-cognitive-gains-6&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNGANrwAtxzYTn79Csbj88LZp777Iw" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-make-art-even-if-youre-bad-2016-6#6-playing-music-is-associated-with-cognitive-gains-6" target="_blank">Why you should make art even if you are bad... Business Insider article</a></span></span></span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2019/02/12/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNHbvQwcTUJIQ8gtpBYw4VOZnxri-w" href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2019/02/12/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/" target="_blank">Benefits of Art Education...</a> </span></span></span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://verilymag.com/2019/03/easing-anxiety-through-creativity&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNHw-lCrshklD5TE9ycF4qCGP69EAw" href="https://verilymag.com/2019/03/easing-anxiety-through-creativity" target="_blank">Easing Anxiety Through Creativity</a></span></span></span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;"></span><b><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/&source=gmail&ust=1555771072620000&usg=AFQjCNGSBdSdKT7l5ywxF-PfQvMh6wc3Aw" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/" target="_blank">The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature</a></span></b></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p6" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p6" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s4" style="font-weight: bold;">CLOSING THOUGHTS</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_2297168080903873030p4" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_2297168080903873030s2">We
flow through this river of life sometimes the waters are still other
times choppy or even almost dried up but always as long as we have life
these waters of life are flowing while we are here. Things shift tides
change we just need to do our best to navigate to go with the flow so to
speak and not let these shifting waters drown us killing our
creativity. <span class="m_2297168080903873030Apple-converted-space"> </span>Be
gentle and kind to yourself forgive your self allow for exploration and
hibernation while remaining open to possibilities. We are human and
sickness is honestly part of being alive we all have to face something
during our life cycle. Whatever your chosen expression is the way I have
looked at these challenges we may face is to keep at it be committed to
your art and craft — nurture it even if it means taking time for rest
from it to come back stronger into your creative self. </span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="p2">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="height: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Till next time I’m Angie, </b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Dream Yourselves Awake.</b></span></div>
Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-5469874532245695502019-04-20T14:21:00.000-07:002019-04-20T14:21:42.813-07:00Sit & Sip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Sit & Sip is a peaceful thoughtful time that is not meant for anything other than drinking the hot cup of coffee or tea you just made and sorting or quieting thoughts as you sit. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This morning ritual / meditation practice helps a great deal in feeling more peaceful and whole greeting the new day. It’s nice to feel in the same rhythm of the planet, rising with the sun starting the day witnessing a slow graceful rise of the sun getting to watch the varied colors shift in the sky as the sun takes center stage it feels like being in alignment with the universe, rising as well trying to match that gracefulness as best as I can manage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Welcome to the Clarity Cloud Podcast. Together We are the Seekers…We are the Dreamers…Dreaming Ourselves Awake. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bringing our intentions to fruition and wake our creativity out of hibernation.I’m your host, Angie Mason @angiemasonart</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Find us on iTunes, google podcasts and SoundCloud as well as streaming on AngieMason.com and at the podcast site link in bio. Be sure to #Subscribe # Rate & #Review 💙☁️👁 #claritycloudpodcast #clarracloud #dreamyourselfawake #creativelife #creativity #artlife #podcast link In bio. #angiemasonart #angiemason</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium;"><b>Till next time I’m Angie, </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium;"><b>Dream Yourselves Awake.</b></span></div>
Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-76434895550344311942018-12-30T12:25:00.002-08:002018-12-30T12:25:52.331-08:00Happy New Year! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">May you all find the courage to make your ideas come to fruition in the new year!</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">till next time,</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Dream Yourself Awake.</span></h3>
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<b style="font-size: 12.1px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </span></b><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></h3>
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-52996476943204573762018-12-28T20:59:00.001-08:002018-12-28T21:23:08.726-08:00EPISODE 10: Spread Thin<style type="text/css">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Hashtag current mood. Seriously I’m in a good place but also so much is happening which is part of the reason I’m so slow to put out these past couple of podcast episodes. I know I can’t do it all even if I want to. I think acceptance of this fact is the first step to getting back to a more whole place and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>be able to make progress once again. But it’s a big step as I have said when you want to take it all on it can make acceptance of not being able to do it all a bit more difficult.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Too much to do, too many directions too many loose ends how do I stop and realign myself and navigate toward what I need to. How do I figure out and choose what path is most right for me at a given time. How do I cope with the Guilt I feel for not paying attention to one idea over another. It’s like having to choose over friends. Who gets to sit at my table while the others sit on the shelf until time allows further exploration.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Spread too thin not enough of myself to go around. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I find when I’m in the moment of being spread too thin I feel a sense of crippling like all of the sudden I’m wearing 10 ton boots and I can’t move and nothing gets done and I feel exhausted overwhelmed worried and guilty but nothing is getting done what can I do? Its partly my own fault for creating too many idea paths having too many creative directions and not moving forward with one particular one. It’s like starting multiple recipes and not having enough room on the stove to cook them all and then the food rots. Do you have a pile of old ideas that sit lost in your studio somewhere I’m sure you do. I think most people have them, so what do you do when you’re in the midst of creating potential rot piles.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I think for myself It’s about learning to balance different aspects of life, for instance<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have been freelancing as well as working on personal creative projects as well as interviewing for full-time design jobs as well as beginning a new exciting design job and also taking care of the house doing home projects and general life errands and trying to balance special requests from friends and family.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It all can be quite a full plate leaving not much room for anything else especially yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">In order to prepare myself for whatever next big project I’m going to jump into. I need to quiet my mind and almost feel bored like I’m in a creative hibernation to get myself excited for being activated again with whatever creative project I’ll be working on.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>it helps my focus taking this dedicated moment of stillness where nothing is interrupting or distracting me. This time I set for myself makes me feel refreshed and cleanses my palate like washing my brain making my ideas brighter and bolder when I am activated again after this restful moment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">So how do I find time for this restful moment? Well it definitely takes a bit of work and carving your life in a new focused path.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Phase One:</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">For me I made the choice to wake up an extra hour earlier dedicating that time to just sitting... I have some mantra phrases I say to myself at moments to keep this going and stay the course early on it’s not easy to change sleep habits... when I wake up I simply think <b>“wake and make”</b> I need to rise and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>make my morning latte which is a homemade process using an expresso pot I cook on the stove this regimented process kick starts my day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">From here I then go to phase 2 of my morning ritual that I call <b>Sit & Sip</b> it’s a peaceful thoughtful time that is not meant for anything other than drinking the expresso I just made and sorting or quieting my thoughts as I sit. This morning ritual / meditation practice has helped me a great deal in feeling more peaceful and whole greeting the new day. It’s nice to feel in the same rhythm of the planet, rising with the sun I start my day witnessing a slow graceful rise of the sun getting to watch the varied Colors shift in the sky as the sun takes center stage it feels like I am in alignment rising as well trying to match that gracefulness as best as I can manage.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">During this time<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I appreciate all the people animals and love in my life and really feel grateful for all the good things in my life. I feel a peaceful wash of joy over me knowing at this moment in time though I can’t take on everything or fix everything I feel a wonderful abundance and I am happy to have all that I have.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The power of saying no.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">We can’t take on everything, we can’t be all the things to everyone so we need to recognize and respect the boundaries we set for ourselves. Take on the things that fit and help make you better and in turn make others better too. A focused personal path will hopefully help aid in making one not feel spread too thin.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Creating boundaries can maybe start with making compartmentalized time blocks. Chunks of time you dedicate toward one idea or task. Giving that task or idea your full attention. I have used the insight timer app that is used for meditation but I use to to simply set a solid 60 minutes of dedicated drawing or whatever task I want to help push along. The focused intent put onto whatever task in my mind feels like a form of meditation in a way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The thing is life as it is now is pretty fast paced and chaotic, challenging the most disciplined for sure. So don’t be hard on yourself for feeling like you can’t do it all. Be kind to yourself set up peaceful moments just for you to be quiet in thought or daydream. Allow yourself a self imposed downtime. We all rush around doing too much for everyone else all the time we need to slow down and let ourselves catch up and breathe and say no.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">So what about<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>all the rot piles of ideas?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The way I have seen them is I choose to write my ideas down and even though for a while they sit on a shelf I do return to them. I gave the idea thought recognition in taking the time to sketching it out saving it for later when I feel like the time is right for deeper exploration. Having a set time to think is a great space to be able to revisit your old ideas and see how new life can be sparked into them. Sometimes ideas need to sit and ripen then when you find each other again it may be ready to blossom.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It is a constant struggle to not feel pulled into so many directions but one worth fighting for.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Dedicate and set up the personal space for yourself to help give room for ideas to breathe and speak louder or even if they whisper you can hear them when they speak to you. I suggest listening to episode 3 Environment is Everything as I believe setting up an optimized space can be helpful in making you feel more calm less chaotic helping bring fourth those ideas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This modern life is certainly a difficult upsetting one to navigate at times everyone is trying to steal your attention taking you away from yourself. In regard to social Media and online be aware of those time thief’s and consider muting them or turning off notifications if you find it pulls your attention into a not so good place. Whatever feeling you sense from these things may be anxiety, jealousy, depression or anger. Too much of these things are toxic if they are mental spam remove them from your life by adjusting your settings on whatever apps you use. We all only have so much time let’s not waste it on others nonsense others circus’s they’re not ours we have our own tigers and clowns to orchestrate daily.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">With a few minor tweaks and awareness of what’s needed and not you can start to feel less pull from all these sources. Sure there are days when you feel like you can’t avoid it all but I think it is in large part up to us to set up the boundaries of what we will accept into our lives. If you’re not taking control of that in life others will certainly harvest your attention and time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Nurturing yourself and your ideas:</span></b></h3>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I’d like to end this show with an old fairy tale called the three golden hairs which is featured in the incredible book<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Women Who Run with the Wolves<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">By: Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">a book I highly recommend a personal favorite of mine! So this particular story really captures the symbolism of an idea that is on the verge of dying but what happens to it when it is nurtured and loved and given time to grow and have a rebirth a renewal of life. And the story goes like this:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>The Three Gold Hairs</i></span></b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>Once, when it was deepest, darkest night, the sort of night when the land is black and the trees seem like gnarled hands against the dark blue sky, it was on exactly this kind of night that a lone old man staggered through the forest. Though boughs scratched his face, half-blinding his eyes, he held out a tiny lantern before him. Therein the candle burned lower and lower.</i></span><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The old man was a sight to behold with his long yellow hair, cracked yellow teeth, and curved amber fingernails. His back was rounded like a bag </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">of flour, and so ancient was he that his skin hung in furbelows from chin, arms, and hips.</span></i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>The old one progressed through the forest by grasping a sapling and pulling his body forward, grasping another sapling, and pulling himself forward, and with this rowing motion and by the small breath left in him, he made his way through the forest.</i></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>Every bone in his feet pained like fire. The owls in the trees screeched right along with his joints as he propelled himself forward in the dark. Way off in the distance, there was a tiny flickering light, a cottage, a fire, a home, a place of rest, and he labored toward that little light. Just as he reached the door, he was so tired, so exhausted, the tiny light in his little lantern died, and the old man fell through the door and collapsed.”</i></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>“Inside was an old woman sitting before a beautiful roaring fire, and now she hurried to his side, gathered him into her arms, and carried him to the fire.</i></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">She held him in her arms as a mother holds her child. She sat and rocked him in her rocking chair. There they were, the poor frail old man, just a sack of bones, and the strong old woman rocking him back and forth saying, “There, there. There, there. There, there." </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And she rocked him all through the night, and by the time it was not yet morning but almost, he had grown much younger, he was now a beautiful young man with golden hair and long strong limbs. And still she rocked him. “There, there. There, there. There, there.” </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And as morning approached even more closely, the young man had turned into a very small and very beautiful child with golden hair plaited like wheat.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>Just at the moment of dawn, the old woman plucked three hairs very quickly from the child’s beautiful head and threw them to the tiles. They sounded like this: Tiiiiiiiing! Tiiiiiiiiiing! Tiiiiiiiiiing!</i></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><i>And the little child in her arms crawled down from her lap and ran to the door. Looking back at the old woman for a moment, he gave her a dazzling smile, then turned and flew up into the sky to become the brilliant morning sun.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Excerpt From</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Women Who Run with the Wolves</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Till next time I’m Angie, </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>now go be peaceful shutdown </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and sit still and</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>dream yourselves awake.</b></span></div>
Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-90812830585759709832018-10-31T21:14:00.003-07:002018-12-28T21:23:22.369-08:00EPISODE 9: iNSPiRaTion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">in·spi·ra·tion </span><span class="s1" style="color: #073763;">ˌ</span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">inspə</span><span class="s1" style="color: #073763;">ˈ</span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">rāSH(ə)n </span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">noun</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>1.the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Inspire:</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">—verb (used with object), in·spired, in·spir·ing.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>a<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing (usually followed by into ).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>b<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>to breathe into or upon</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Origin: 1300–50; Middle English inspiren < Latin inspīrāre to breathe upon or into, equivalent to in- in-2+ spīrāre to breathe</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>INSPIRATION</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The word inspiration has early roots in Latin, meaning to breath upon and breath life into. I personally love the idea of this extra life force breathing even more life into us, making us better humans if not just for a moment. We push humanity forward every time inspiration shows itself to someone; A cure, a scientific breakthrough, a beautiful poem or a visual feast of a painting to name a few. These are the astonishing parts of humanity - how we create and share our wonder, that makes life meaningful and makes you want to wake up in the morning at the chance you just might be inspired that day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>I was never really insane<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>except upon occasions<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>when my heart was touched.</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Edgar Allan Poe</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Inspiration can feel like a fevered Intentional and unintentional dive into madness at times. That driving force that moves us to action, It can seem almost supernatural.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Inspiration can feel like allowing yourself to have just the right amount of delusional belief in ones powers bordering on delusions of grandeur at times. It shows up out of the blue ready to get to work dragging you along and when you go for it you come out the other side stunned and perhaps a bit confused as to what the heck just happened. Then you look at what you have made and it knocks the wind out of you almost as if that’s the extra life breath of inspiration leaving you after the journey is complete. I know it Sounds fantastical doesn’t it!? But it can really feel like this!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This inspiration that feeds us, that nourishes us<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and helps us grow, it sustains our creative lives giving us deeper meaning to our existence and fuels the forward search in hopes to once again grasp it after it leaves us. It fills our hearts with such vibrancy and wonder, but why is it often times so elusive? Why does it feel like it chooses us. What is the secret code to unlock this super power? Can we conjure it at will? Can we cultivate it?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Hack the system? I have no solid answers but maybe I have some tricks up my sleeve to lure it out but nothing concrete or official. But it is surely a driving force for my art life all of these years. Just when I think oh I guess that’s it I have nothing else to give something else emerges, an idea and I get to work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">David Lynch speaks about diving deeper into the self to catch the big fish in his book, Catching the Big Fish,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a book I recommend as hearing his story is inspiring on how he faces his creative process. These complex ideas that are stirring inside us but just need time dedicated to stillness with ones self in order to bring forth these bigger ideas. He spoke of needing 4 hours in order to get 1 good hour of painting done. I feel this very much to be true when approaching my work on a daily basis. I always need a warm up period to even just be in my special creative space. It feels like a stew cooking simmering letting all the flavors mix together before coming on to that final taste.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Inspiration and ideas are my personal wealth. I hoard them and plant them as much as I am able to. To feel inspired fills us with so much vibrancy and just love of life. It really is a wonder and gift when we are filled with inspiration. Much like an apparition an idea shows itself vague and mysterious lingering inside your head trying to capture your attention and sometimes it hooks us and we catch the big fish so to speak if we choose to reel it in we could have a feast or if we let it go like so often ideas that show themselves and disappear just like that gone often times never to be seen again at least not to us. But the truly special moments of deep connection and wonder occur and we grab inspiration and act on it letting it take the wheel driving us over the edge into often times unknown territory and it’s marvelous and at the same time terrifying.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Can we find the power to cultivate this feeling of inspiration? Can we figure out ways to summon it or is it more mysterious unable to pin point the moment of light. But maybe if we keep our head down working toward a dream eventually a big idea shows up like it’s noticed you’re hard work and wants to give you a raise and help level up your game.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.</b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist</b></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Is inspiration that high we spend our whole lives chasing just to get a taste? Is it really that elusive or can we simply choose to live an inspired life. Some how wrangling the power of this sometimes supernatural feeling. Is it really possible or are we living fooled lives believing in something that is not there until it is? Is it the idea of being delusional in order to move forward with your dreams? A balancing act, walking the fine line of a clear minded grounded individual to a delusional lunatic mad man .</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>We are what we pretend to be,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>so we must be careful about<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>what we pretend to be.</b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night</b></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Looking at my past episodes how does creative hibernation, environment, chaos births and nostalgia feed inspiration? I believe they are all part of the puzzle of creativity and are essential in understanding and allowing the process toward finding inspiration.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Nostalgia, memories and our past experiences certainly play a role in positive and negative triggers which can open us up to exploration of new ideas. Also dreams or reverie hold this inspiration life breath that can also lead us on paths of exploration to bigger ideas. They are like guides that help us go to that deep place within our selves they allow us a greater scope seeing a vast landscape of real and not yet real possibilities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Our environments affect us on so many levels. Having an awareness of this can certainly help, by creating a space where you spend a bulk of your time that is optimized for your brain and body to be its most content, open, honest and free allowing ideas to flow as smoothly as they can. I believe the right environment can open us up and allow us to unfold so inspiration can find you easier.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Another part of the process discussed here was Creative hibernation. This in regards to inspiration is a time we face where the mind has a period to rest and heal. This may be a prime time to have inspiration visit as we are quiet and still not distracted and pulled in too many directions missing it’s signal.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">In the opposite mode of creative Hibernation is a chaos birth. This can be a catalyst that drives us into new places which if we allow our selves to unfold we can take in a new experience and have a moment of rapid growth due to the chaos of life pushing us along at a faster rate. That anxious frenzied heart can sometimes stumble on to inspiration out of desperation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I recently became aware of a book called Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert who speaks of inspiration as magic. How it can visit us and if we don’t pay it attention it will find another more willing being to take on an idea. So it gives real life to the notion of ideas floating around us all the time like in an invisible field like wifi beams wrapping around us living with us and if we are lucky interacting with us. It is a truly delightful, inspiring read on creativity and deals with a lot of the issues I have talked about in this podcast. It was during my research for my podcast episodes that led me to discovering her book which I am grateful for. I definitely think it’s time well spent, nourishment for the heart and mind.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I believe that our planet is inhabited not only by animals and plants and bacteria and viruses, but also by ideas. Ideas are a disembodied, energetic life-form. They are completely separate from us, but capable of interacting with us—albeit strangely. Ideas have no material body, but they do have consciousness, and they most certainly have will. Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest. And the only way an idea can be made manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner. It is only through a human’s efforts that an idea can be escorted out of the ether and into the realm of the actual.</span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Elizabeth Gilbert,</span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear</span></i></b></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Now, thinking of nature, trees have rings inside them marking moments of key events - fire, drought,age etc etc. These memory rings that mark how they lived serve as life maps. Can we look at past lives lived and see their memory rings and find patterns in how inspiration flowed throughout history? Can we spot if moments repeat so we can say if a certain age of human existence is the prime time for inspiration to hit, where we may be more in tune and open as receptacles to inspiration. I am sure some where some studies like this have been done or are being done. Honestly I don’t care at the end of the day as long as inspiration keeps breathing extra life into me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It’s neat to ponder at moments the bigger picture but sometimes we need to focus on the singular tree that is us and remember what makes a forest so beautiful are the trees and to nurture and grow us the individual tree in the forest of humanity. Being aware we are all connected yet singularly existing, our shared existence and unique paths mix together stirring human inspiration and if we choose to tap into that pool we can find it as long as we remain receptive and open to allowing it to overtake us and dedicate ourselves towards bringing inspirations ideas to life… it breathed life into us we now must follow the partnership and make the idea come to fruition. Honor this partnership, don’t be negligent when it comes to inspiration or else you may find you hit a dry spell. Let’s get inspired and help push humanity along just a bit further in our history’s progress by letting inspiration carry us further we help the whole.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>“In the forest, there was a crooked tree and a straight tree. Every day, the straight tree would say to the crooked tree, "Look at me...I'm tall, and I'm straight, and I'm handsome. Look at you...you're all crooked and bent over. No one wants to look at you." And they grew up in that forest together. And then one day the loggers came, and they saw the crooked tree and the straight tree, and they said, "Just cut the straight trees and leave the rest." So the loggers turned all the straight trees into lumber and toothpicks and paper. And the crooked tree is still there, growing stronger and stranger every day.” </b></span></i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b><span class="s1">―</span><i> </i><i>Tom Waits</i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Ok Listen, sure Inspiration is a piece of the puzzle but even if you aren’t inspired 100% of the time because really who is? You can still be dedicated to your work whatever it is you do.And I actually believe this is the most important thing of all being dedicated to your craft. What ever it is, pay attention to it, nurture it everyday, a little goes a long way! I draw every day some days it may literally be scribbles in my book just to make marks and to activate my art muscles other days I get that clear mind moment and have more visions to draw out. But no matter if I am inspired or not I stay the course I keep working and keep pushing toward this thing I do even if at times I don’t know what the hell I’m doing I just keep at it and eventually it comes to me. I allow myself to be lost in order to be found. Having that moment of being found may just be when inspiration hits. Basically the elusiveness of inspiration is not a reason to stop working, don’t let capturing it frustrate you or your lack of feeling it. Just be and do and try. Everything worth anything takes time and a lot of work with patience and love.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Sometimes you wake up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Sometimes the fall kills you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></i><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.</b></span></i><b><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Neil Gaiman, Fables & Reflections<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">(The Sandman, #6)</span></i></b></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">If you are feeling lost sometimes looking outward can help revive you. Maybe visit a gallery show or museum, see a concert or spend time in nature. Whatever jolts energy into your heart and makes you feel alive…do that. Like I always say in this podcast “Dream Yourself Awake” These energy jolts can build up into an inspired concept just remain open allow things to seep in and out. If you are in the nyc area the wonderful and discerning curator Samantha Levin puts together great art show guides which you can find in the show notes on the blog here: <a href="https://medium.com/@Binnorie"><span class="s2">https://medium.com/@Binnorie</span></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Perhaps you can find some inspiration jolts on there! Where do you go to find inspiration? Tweet me @angiemasonart hashtag #claritycloudpodcast<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Lastly, just stay the course don’t let the blues drown out your light. Breathe deep and slow take in the extra breath and visualize it as if you are drinking in inspirations life breath. Be infused by wonder, believe in it. Eventually it shows up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>I’m Angie til next time </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>DREAM YOUR SELF AWAKE!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">*Art Show Alert See Show Flyer for info!</span></div>
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-29219007023633613162018-08-08T20:25:00.001-07:002018-12-28T21:22:50.030-08:00EPISODE 8: TIME JACKERS & TIME THIEVES <style type="text/css">
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Time Jackers & Time Thieves<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It’s getting away from you, it’s holding you up, it’s running out, it’s moving too fast, it’s moving too slow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Time, any way you face it it is not on your side. We battle against time every moment we are on this spinning rock. Some try to stop it, some try control it with auto alerts and calendar schedules or some just wallow in old stale time crumbs of nostalgia ignoring the present because maybe the present is too painful, scary, boring or just not what we expected. Time is an unforgiving foe, a terrifying carnival ride of life that takes all of our tickets at some point when time’s up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It is a tricky one to navigate but something we have to. Sometimes I struggle with losing time if I throw myself into a body of work and it blips flashes and zooms by leaving me a bit freaked out over the fast forward in my time line. Other times I struggle with procrastination and losing time by not doing anything and as slow a drag as it can feel in an instant the realization of all the wasted time lost, again leaves me freaked out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Mostly when approaching my projects I just do my best to put time out of my head and just focus all my attention on ideas I want to see come to life. I try to wrangle any stray feelings about spending too long or too short and just let the moment of creation happen.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This won’t be an episode about time management I swear that is not my intention. It is more about the feelings of anxiety that time can have on our mental states and how this affects our creative process. I feel like I am in a constant battle to balance my time between work and home and on and on. Sure there are tricks or tools we all use to help us better navigate our waking lives but still that under lying feeling creeps in and sometimes it can be harmful to a creative project. Rushed along finished too soon or lingering too long and over done. This tight rope walk to get the things done we want to do is no easy challenge. It takes dedication, inner drive, focus and just passion. That strong belief in yourself certainly helps fight the ticking time beast. Quieting the second hands snaps as you get your idea out into this world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Nostalgia is a sneaky time jacker</b> that can creep in at down times and steal more than we would like it to. Wallowing in past memories down a memory hole time loop, nostalgia is a life suppressant that keeps us from being present. I am not at all against nostalgia as it can be a welcome comfort at times. I just feel like I need to be aware of it’s presence and the hold it can have over me and not let it carry me away down some memory hole that I will have to climb out of leaving me feeling more exhausted and full of brain fog than when I embarked on the memory dive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">“We comfort ourselves by reliving memories of protection. Something closed must retain our memories, while leaving them their original value as images. Memories of the outside world will never have the same tonality as those of home and, by recalling these memories, we add to our story of dreams; we are never real historians, but always near poets, and our emotion is perhaps nothing but an expression of a poetry that was lost.” </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1">―</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i> </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8276.Gaston_Bachelard"><span class="s3"><b><i>Gaston Bachelard</i></b></span></a><i>, </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2353571"><span class="s3"><b><i>The Poetics of Space</i></b></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Nostalgia can inform our work however and can be a welcome guest as long as it understands it’s place and why it’s there. Memories inform many of my works and I lean on nostalgia at times certainly but I try to maintain an awareness of why I am looking back there is a purpose for greater understanding or unfolding of ones self to fully express an idea. It is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>balancing act of past and present pulling our heart in different directions without falling down a memory hole.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Future farmers </b>are always watering the garden of tomorrow and not embracing the day. Planning too much can also hurt our creative projects as we never actually begin them instead we spend our time pondering their future existence forgetting to even plant the seed to grow as we are too busy planning. Scheduling too many meetings but never getting actual work done. I think for myself this is a form of procrastination a way to think about the work without actually doing any. It tricks me into believing I am making progress when in fact I have not touched the actual creative endeavor I am waxing poetic over. The way I solve this is just by going into my studio and picking up a brush or pencil and just getting to work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Do you know that feeling when you read a really wonderful book and it’s over and you are sad you get to no longer spend time with it. It’s like we are mourning the end of this journey. I feel that way when I get lost in my own creative journeys - when I am in love with a painting and get lost in it I also loose time and when I come toward the end of that journey I realize 2 things - one I have realized an idea and feel elated then two I realize what time it is and so much time passed while I was lost in this world it can make me feel anxious that I was absent from one reality. I manage this anxiety and keep making stuff…. but time really can freak me out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Too many ideas and not enough time. </b>Crippled by lack of time and what should I focus on. I feel as a visual person I actually have too many ideas showing themselves to me in my notebooks which ones do I choose to nurture it’s overwhelming and difficult to choose at times. I need to determine where my real interests are what am I most passionate about and move forward with that one. Dedication means time invested. We have to allow ourselves time to investigate ideas to discover new ideas and connections and fully bring an idea to life. Choose wisely so you don’t feel like you wasted time. And if you do waste some time guess what? We all do time to time. Time heals all wounds they say but time also gets aways from us keeping us from the things that matter. Time can be a beast and not the easiest to wrangle.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Press pause. </b>Stop look around assess your situation. Things can go fast and get way out of control and lost. We can try to slow down even if we do lose actual time doing this sorting out of all personal issues and cleaning out mental clutter sometimes can do the trick to readjust and restart. I think about new years eve… my least favorite holiday as it’s just a reminder of the passing of time. But on this “holiday” I tend to spend it looking back, clearing paths, pulling mental weeds and just give myself a tune up in my brain and also in my physical space to help me move with more agility against the clock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">In this age of social media and filter bubbles it often feels like it’s so much easier to fall off the face of a map and get lost then make your mark on one. So I say don’t waste too much time worrying over this algorithmic beast. It’s an unknown time suck. Zero likes, zero fucks given. Be grateful for the ones who follow your story but also just keep in the back of your mind if your online presence feels near a void we are all bombarded with information and not necessarily the information we would prefer to see in our newsfeeds. Don’t let this quiet your voice from sharing. Instead share what feels right but don’t get sucked into the addictive never-ending scrolling. Don’t swipe your life away. Sweep these social apps into a neat pile and keep the ones that give you value. Shed the ones that provide no emotional nutrients.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Social media can be a whole other topic to discuss it’s relationship to the creative process in another episode for sure. But for now I will leave this topic by saying often times it can be a time suck which we all have to sort for ourselves, to see where the value lies and keep that around and delete hide and unfriend all the time wasters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">How did it get so late so soon? -Dr Seuss<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Well this podcast has run out of time on this somewhat brief mediation on time and creativity. Until next time Im Angie Dream yourselves awake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/483085773&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-83669608989229897722018-08-01T20:14:00.000-07:002018-08-03T17:22:52.974-07:00EPISODE 7: CHAOS BIRTH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i>“</i></span><i style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>” </b></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Navigating Chaos and embracing it, that is what I am currently doing this episode. Fresh on the heels of my very own chaos state. So it’s super relevant for me! I won’t bore you with personal details as we all have our cups filled with chaos and life. The part I want to focus on is how to exist during this moment as well as how to move past this period into a better place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Chaos, it rears it’s ugly darkness at unexpected moments in our lives. But if we look at life it is a series of unexpected moments if you think about it. I am currently in a chaos state of my own as I make this very podcast. Yet, instead of dwelling on the minutia of what brought on this chaos state or being strangled by fear I want to approach it head on. I want to run straight into it's face so I can tackle it and move on. This pesky chaos mode can infiltrate our lives having the potential to destroy our creative selves. We can get too entangled in the mess and the empty unknown darkness of chaos. The unknown tangles of disorder and worry of chaos can strike fear in the hearts of many.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I want to take a different approach because honestly fear is boring and I’m tired of feeling scared in life. Instead I’d like to think from a more mythological standpoint and see how chaos is a beginning, a birth stage into something else. What this new birth will bring that I don’t know yet but embracing that part of the chaos helps me move forward in a more poetic positive direction. So I follow along side chaos eventually taking the lead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I was sleeping before and woke to anxious feelings caused by the chaos mess that has entered my life. Yes, life often times is a series of chaos events that can flare up on different levels without warning. We deal with it every day we are alive. Chaos is a catalyst for change. Right now The house is dark, it’s 2:30 am and I am awake sitting in a dark room with my chaos trying to embrace it. Trying to help push through this birth of a new life phase. So I am writing and thinking how to navigate chaos. How do I stay on track with my art during such dark moments?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It makes me think back to When I was 23 years old. I was in my senior year at college in Art school at parsons and I had one more semester to go before graduating. That's when the rug and my whole world got pulled out from under me. Without any warning life changed in an instant. Without going into crazy detail everything from that chapter of my life came to an end. I lost my home as well many personal artifacts that got thrown out during a quick moving phase. I was uprooted practically overnight. Fortune shined on me. The immense kindness of people in my life who helped become a beacon and see me through this Chaos darkness. By offering a place for me to live while I finished my schooling and sorted out my life they were a light in the darkness. It was a messy beginning, a brand new phase of my life that was emerging. It was full of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>uncertainty and so many heavy emotions but a chaos birth filled with pain and newness all the same.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">We often get hurled into living our lives by chaos. If you don’t live your life, chaos will eventually for sure show up and live it for you. Throwing you in to a dark mess state of chaos which is always a harbinger of change. My point bringing up this past moment is to point out that during all this chaos I was hyper creative. By taking solace in my art as the real world had turned so chaotic. Creating my own visual universe, I was able to control and create order. I created a place where i can find peace or release from all the pain I was carrying around. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b><i>“Chaos was the law of nature; order was the dream of man." </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">From chaos comes order, so they say. I agree with this to some degree. In regard to experience and the chaos that arises. How we move past it or even embrace it to help carry us to the next place we need to be can help create order from chaos. I personally don't function in a physically messy environment. Messes depress me and halt my personal progress. I like having an organized structured environment. Designated places for my paints and brushes and so on and so forth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">A chaotic environment can hinder my ability to move forward as swiftly as I can. So In regard to spaces I prefer a tidy space. You know the saying "clear desk clear mind".<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I like having this safe space to go, to sort out my life chaos messes, what ever that may be from career to health to daily life frustrations. Taking refuge here helps me slow down and dissect what is happening and let's me figure out how can I best progress.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Now chaos in the actual creative process can be a welcome guest. Say I run out of a paint color or a material how can I adjust to complete my work? How can being flexible and adjusting help me grow? By experimenting with new materials allowing for discovery to take place growth happens.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This chaos birth of new beginnings can happen with our art as we embrace new unknown materials facing our obstacles head on with open hearts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Chaos is the darkness and creation is the light. We enter each new piece, new idea, & concept all starting in darkness. An idea sparks a light it glows and grows out this darkness. A new beginning is born into the light out of the darkness. From The darkness of chaos creativity comes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Like for instance, in my sleepless slumber I stumble into the darkness. I wandered into a room to sit where I type into the glow of my phone and just like that this podcast episode was born.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>"Our real discoveries come from chaos, from going to the place that looks wrong and stupid and foolish."</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Chaos is the cousin of hitting rock bottom in my mind. There is a moment of freedom when you realize you have to start over or shift into a new non chaotic state. I am entering a new phase and perhaps you are too sorting and facing your own chaos birth. Instead of getting twisted up, tangled in chaos knots, lets try to glide along and breath deep and full and take each day as a challenge.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Pushing this chaos birth out into the open and away as we enter into our next phase, our new beginning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I’ll leave you with this final quote that I found some solace in during the darkness of my nights, it is by <b>Terence McKenna.</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>“The creative act is a letting down of the net of human imagination into the ocean of chaos on which we are suspended, and the attempt to bring out of it ideas.</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b><i>It is the night sea journey, the lone fisherman on a tropical sea with his nets, and you let these nets down - sometimes, something tears through them that leaves them in shreds and you just row for shore, and put your head under your bed and pray.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>At other times what slips through are the minutiae, the minnows of this ichthyological metaphor of idea chasing.</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>But, sometimes, you can actually bring home something that is food, food for the human community that we can sustain ourselves on and go forward.”</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I’m Angie.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Dream Yourself Awake.</span></h3>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </span></b><br />
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</style><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/480864144&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-47369726622600273012018-07-20T14:48:00.002-07:002018-07-20T14:48:32.315-07:00EPISODE 6: CREATIVE HIBERNATION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>“Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working.” — Stephen DeStaebler </b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Creative hibernation is part of the creative process whether we like it or not - we need that moment of stillness, of pause in order to heal our minds psychic wounds which opened up during our creative release. When you’re making really honest work we open ourselves up, we become vulnerable, fragile. We need to heal those parts that we opened up during our creative release and that is where creative hibernation comes in.I believe this is an integral part of the creative process it’s a cycle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I think of my mind as a jar which I fill up, I fill my mind with all different ideas, inspirations, dreams & Information till it is overflowing. All of these different ingredients simmer swirling and mixing together to form new ideas which overflow.This moment of overflow is my creative release and that is when I feel like my psychic wound opens up and spills out all of this creative knowledge most likely for me in the form of a new visual idea. This process of creative release however takes a lot out of you and that’s why I believe that we need to take the time and allow for creative hibernation. By allowing ourselves time to collect memories, experiences and ideas then allow them time to cook together and culminate into a final new idea is part of this hibernation period. This seemingly dull restful period I believe is an integral part to the full creative process. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">When we reach the final stage of a creative release we are having an outpouring of energy, which can leave us feeling empty, as we are in fact emptying ourselves by creating. After this release we once again become the blank slate or tabula rasa. This leaves us feeling a bit uncomfortable and hollow after creation, we feel wounded and just exhausted. I feel like we need the healing period to refill our minds jar. It’s this gentle balance of living life by gathering experiences memories, and stories then letting them over flow and release into a creative work. It’s a creative life cycle. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">If we allow ourselves time to wander we discover new places, new ideas we unlock old doorways and air out old memories we let them dance together spinning into some new wonderful story. Creative hibernation is the necessary part of the whole ideation process in my opinion.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This is why I say let yourself rest so you avoid burnout. Have alternate outlets to feed off each other. When you aren’t painting maybe you’re photographing or maybe you’re traveling or cooking a new recipe or learning a new creative process. These alternate experiences help us stay on a good path. As I have mentioned in the last episode, having good creative habits help our minds navigate things steering us away from dead end burn out failed fear paths. These are ways I have helped drive my art life all these years.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> I also want to state for me a successful art life is not at all solely defined by fame and sales it is more about the inner growth and exploration and discovery of new visual or non visual ideas. That is what excites me. Honestly speaking sure it is a nice side effect from my efforts to have any recognition or sales but it’s not the driving force to why I make all the stuff I have all these years. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">For me having that understanding of the art life cycle is helpful to pull myself out of the darkness when I find myself there... and hey it’s life so I find myself there quite a bit . Having strong creative habits and a vast array of varied interests helps me not distract myself from the darkness but harness it and ride through my storms with greater confidence and courage taking in the experiences of my journey growing until I reach another clear mind moment release overflow. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Remember, we are human, allow yourself time to live, to regenerate after producing a body of work. The energy released during this process leaves us feeling lost and weak after an idea or project comes to true fruition. Learn to recognize that feeling is simply the growing pains of starting the creative process over. We have to be able to live and accumulate experiences, ideas and memories to form new idea sparks. Try your best to practice alternate creative habits to rest and replenish the parts of yourself you just worked out to create a body of work, allow time to heal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> We all go through this cycle, though times vary and can get tangled up in depression or other emotional life chaos. But knowing, having the awareness that this is what is happening helps me move through it with a greater understanding and care during this down time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I’m Angie.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">till next time,</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Dream Yourself Awake.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span></h3>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </span></b><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/474511581&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-38375364864749939362018-07-15T19:40:00.002-07:002018-07-15T19:40:17.447-07:00EPISODE 5 : FEAR<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKUXeyN-x9ErbYnm2sIIHncNFLEfr7tZxrujE1Id7mRpE20oIVt_7Ek4uanwDEeZEXlXReHuxur5ufKxEcHTw69Jk2R-hc1HoVmqKKPKd6ZUa7geZoyK90E474ZaBDaxeVTXOwHADg-4/s1600/IMG_4097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKUXeyN-x9ErbYnm2sIIHncNFLEfr7tZxrujE1Id7mRpE20oIVt_7Ek4uanwDEeZEXlXReHuxur5ufKxEcHTw69Jk2R-hc1HoVmqKKPKd6ZUa7geZoyK90E474ZaBDaxeVTXOwHADg-4/s640/IMG_4097.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#TheAngieJournals ©Angie Mason Sketchbook 2018</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I’m scared! What was that!? What’s going to happen next I don’t know I’m JUST really scared. </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Looking Straight into the Abyss and Questioning Fear…</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">As far back as I can remember invisible monsters always existed in life as well as very real ones.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The fear of monsters under our beds in our closets, on the other side of the door! The unknown, it’s terrifying!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This episode will focus more on the imaginary ones we create in our daily lives, the one’s that we manufacture in our minds and ultimately have some control over.<b> </b>You know those fears<b> </b>namely the ones that evoke fear in our hearts, making our skin pale and stomach turn and sink.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Who knew the imaginary realm of manufactured fear held such power with very real world physical outcomes. It really messes with you… if you let it. The fear of possibility, the fear of the unknown, the fear of failing, the fear of success, the fear of running out of ideas, the fear of being rejected and on and on. Being a creative person and artist you deal with a great amount of potential fear factors constantly. How do you cope? How do you wrangle any scared feelings that may arise whether you are making something new or simple trying a material for the first time? Or perhaps its a bit of performance anxiety - Stage fright fear on an exhibitions opening night, interviews, social media. It’s all a crazy tangle of knots we have to untie and certainly stumble over in order to find the right balance of courage that works to get through and past it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">For instance as Visual Artist it can be a pretty scary process knowing that so much of what we do will go unfinished or never even started. Or how about that moment you are about to share your work publicly? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Do you have that lump in your throat moment, frozen, cement feet planted in the ground unable to move towards the reality that awaits you say at opening night? Is it a fear of people or lack of red dots? A fear of disapproval? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Why do we let these fears creep in? Why can’t we just believe in our powers, in our selves and be excited to share it with others no matter if they approve or not. No one is liked 100% there are always going to be trolls and haters and critics. It’s just part of life. So why do we have to allow our special moments to be stolen from us / hijacked by our fears getting wrapped up in some dramatic horror show? I think we can push past it and allow ourselves to feel more joy in those potentially scary moments instead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Brain Games:</span></b></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Personal Doubts</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we all have them we are all human and it’s that very reason why we really need to Believe in ourself because eventually others will believe in you too! Be confident and brave in your creative endeavors or whatever journey you’re embarking on. Your belief in what you do will give it power and not allowing fear to make you shrink down like a wilted wall flower will let others believe and follow along with what you are doing.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Performance Anxiety</b> - As a solitary introverted person working within a personal visual realm for the majority of the time coming out of that shell can be difficult but it can be done. Think of it as an opportunity to be able to meet others who are already most likely happy to meet you. And even if they aren’t it’s ok your work brought out emotions and feeling in others and that is meaningful because it affected someone else deeply! No matter what just connect allow yourself to feel joy and pride for what you have accomplished. Be proud of yourself it’s ok to feel this way. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Materials Meltdown</b> – Now I am speaking as a visual artist here … have you ever been working on a painting and reached a point where you slow down out of fear, you are almost scared to really paint, you get too precious and this fear of messing up just creates a bigger obstacle in getting your piece to the place you want it to be. When I find myself in this predicament instead of letting the precious fear lock up my hands I just mix a new color and paint over the area where I was lingering on too cautiously and just begin fresh and confident in my mark making. When we become to precious with our work we are nervous and scared the next move might mess up everything. We are not being honest and confident we are giving our selves over to fear. Try it the next time you find you yourself becoming too precious either just paint over it and start over or go do a fresh piece to shake off these nerves then return to your work confident and clear minded. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i>“Tabula rasa ( </i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa"><span class="s2"><i>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa</i></span></a><i>) </i> is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language"><span class="s2">Latin</span></a> phrase often translated as "<b>blank slate</b>" in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language"><span class="s2">English</span></a> and originates from the Roman <i>tabula </i>used for notes, which was blanked by heating the wax and then smoothing it.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa#cite_note-Smith-1"><span class="s2"><sup>[1]</sup></span></a> This roughly equates to the English term "blank slate" (or, more literally, "erased slate") which refers to the emptiness of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_(writing)"><span class="s2">slate</span></a> prior to it being written on with chalk. Both may be renewed repeatedly, by melting the wax of the tablet or by erasing the chalk on the slate.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The feeling of starting over, a new beginning can be terrifying…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>facing every new painting, drawing and journal that blank surface that greets us feels like a lot of pressure sometimes. For me the way I quickly get over this is by just laying in color blocks or mark makign<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or automatic writing. Don’t think to hard just get into it and let things form. Allow your story to be written and unfold naturally. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Red Dot Danger </b>– Do you let yourself get wrapped up in worry if you will sell your work or not. Does it affect the actual work you are making? Do you create work that you think might sell or do you manage to take a more healthy route and separate the two stages and create work out of a real deep rooted place of meaning within yourself and then decide to try to sell it after it is created. The red dot panic I have seen people get hung up in seems to be an unhealthy damaging cycle. Some I have seen put all the worth and value into sales and when they were lacking it drove them to give up on their creative self. Showing in a gallery obviously has financial goals to sell work and make money… but some how there has to be a way to not devalue yourself or any unsold body of work. Keep going. Selling is great but whether or not your art is fitting into a current art market shouldn’t be the guiding force for your creative process well maybe that is your goal but as a human who is creating something for deeper meaning know that if your work doesn’t sell it still has value and you certainly have value as well. Don’t get too hung up on red dot panic. It’s ok if you don’t sell your work. Keep trying eventually the right people find you!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Digital Distractions:</span></b></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Social Media Meltdown </b>–Getting over the fear of sharing your self on a public platform online and also learning the right amount of what you want to share is an individual journey and choice we all make. Do what feels right for you. Just keep your heart open and let things get in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">of time in a relationship that will demand an increasing openness.” Rollo May - The Courage to Create.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>The Glowing void of comparison and doom</b> – Just learn to recognize when your brain starts to go down this path and turn off on to this dead end drive. Focus on your path and don’t let other people’s paths blur your direction of where you are going. We all have unique circumstances and groups of people we engage with. Nurture that ,be grateful for that. Don’t feel scared you aren’t as whole or exciting as someone else’s life. <b>Competition</b> - Comparison is a nightmare we all have those moments and they all can be terrifying yet we don’t have to let it take over us. It’s not real, shake it off<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and know there is enough sky for all the stars to shine, same goes for artists. Just do your work, make your visions path and don’t focus on another’s life path where it makes yours blurry. Just embrace yours and proceed with excitement. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">“Habits are the peripheral vision of the mind. “ <b>Art & Fear </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This quote to me says so much of how good creative habits will help keep you on a clear path not letting any amount of fear that rises up blur our intentions. If I just keep at my drawing and writing ideas and pushing them along even when worry and fear creep in… the constant act of creative habits will help steer you in a good direction rather than letting fear steal you away from yourself. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">External Factors: The Things we don’t have total control over.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Real world fears and daily headline politics:</b>- yes we live in some truly dark dystopian days. It can make you want to curl up into a ball some times. But how can we channel this fear into something productive? For myself I found getting involved with issues I cared about taking part in charity shows that helped raise money toward helping whatever cause the event was circled around. I also took to getting involved in various protests and make signs and artwork to communicate my frustrations rather than sit paralyzed in fear.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Those are some ways I have navigated these rough waters. But also how do we navigate daily bombardments thrown at us making us exhausted and dizzy from all the headline news. My answer for myself was to turn it off and only consume in digestible amounts allowing me to keep my wits straight and actually be of some help to myself and others around me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It can be a rabbit hole void we can easily get sucked into that pit and I know I need to be engaged yet I also need to find a healthy balance that works for myself as a citizen allowing me to remain engaged not only with my country but with my personal goals. It’s a balancing act.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So this is a blurb taken from the Author / Activist<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jennifer Hofmann of <b>Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I think of her words she wrote and how true they are in regards to caring for ourselves during these difficult times. They feel like they can be helpful when dealing with feelings of fear and exhaustion in general. Basically surround yourself with a really strong support system that is understanding and shares your values so you can hold each other up during trying times. This is what Jennifer had to say:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>“Looking to nature</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s3"><b><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>by </b><a href="https://jenniferhofmann.com/?author=2"><span class="s4"><b>Jennifer Hofmann</b></span></a></span><span class="s5"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Have you ever watched a flock of Canadian geese migrating together across a clear blue sky? You've probably heard <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>that <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>the chevron formation allows them to drift on each other's currents, making it possible to travel farther with ease.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>All my life, I thought geese followed the leader at the tip of the V—the one with the best sense of direction and the most <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>powerful wings. But I learned recently that each goose takes a turn at leading. As the leader tires, another goose takes <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>their place, then another. They all know the way, and it takes them far. Watch them closely, and you'll see. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span> Rest.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Realize that you've already been flapping for months. Rather than take a permanent nose dive, begin to accept fatigue <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>as part of the journey—just like the geese do. When weariness arises, give yourself over to it. Give your wings time to <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>rest. Allow yourself to glide while others keep flapping.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s6"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span> </span><b>Return when ready.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Just like those beautiful birds, when you're more rested, you can glide into the lead again, taking action, speaking out, <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>and standing up for what is right. Your honking and flapping helps the whole.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGJ7ywp7dNABC21C1vgwy8EvQK7hmnet846144BOKpyItjdEZRnT5weKqyMOZNRklJXAYwgBM3S37SRwJuq0hGc2J0AZ_SlA_RDahQ5-vyeAZxAoNxH_vDgxi7Y5fGYcskMGyCbNY22s/s1600/41jl15i7XmL._SX340_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="342" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGJ7ywp7dNABC21C1vgwy8EvQK7hmnet846144BOKpyItjdEZRnT5weKqyMOZNRklJXAYwgBM3S37SRwJuq0hGc2J0AZ_SlA_RDahQ5-vyeAZxAoNxH_vDgxi7Y5fGYcskMGyCbNY22s/s200/41jl15i7XmL._SX340_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="136" /></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Another fantastic quote I am loving because it is taking the fear we feel and turning it into something positive that can act as a catalyst knowing the importance of what we are about to create and experience. The quote is from the book <b>The War of Art</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">by <b>Steven Pressfield<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3cyzlpRnN0JHPABgDJZ8j8wcOPuit9swbHVsqTCcTCDUxETOTgouQ_swe9Xx_b5J6lMwU1fsiUVFvMW_Jp0tCKg1RKw5eQHTiWulFMElhG1B0zdzNpSwOPjSs79IZZA4oVbTgSCKKVU/s1600/41TdxDurfZL._SX330_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3cyzlpRnN0JHPABgDJZ8j8wcOPuit9swbHVsqTCcTCDUxETOTgouQ_swe9Xx_b5J6lMwU1fsiUVFvMW_Jp0tCKg1RKw5eQHTiWulFMElhG1B0zdzNpSwOPjSs79IZZA4oVbTgSCKKVU/s200/41TdxDurfZL._SX330_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="132" /></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">“Are you paralyzed with fear? That's a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember our rule of thumb: The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">In the end the fear we manufacture in our mind is really part of the whole process of life, of being human, but I believe we can wrangle it and keep it in check. Knowing we all as humans face fears whatever they are makes it all a little less scary knowing that we all go through this in regards to creating. We are not alone in a vacuum. We all share this emotional experience at different times in our lives. Yes, there are so many real life fears we all fight against daily in the world that we don’t have control over, so knowing in regard to the creative realm that we all share a similar emotional experience brings some comfort in knowing that the fear we manufacture in our minds can be controlled by <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>us and shut down.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Some further Resources:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPtVZ8Nvi6Yvxnk8x1eFVBZ2X4cnepalwkZm2gJaoICVt6b-qe8jHBJUOtNEirk2OyS54G1swsHG8zqCd5V332NCYUlYcZ6-Rfk9fiAAdAje-F8KdqZ4DNVPRWdcVlaBdOC4rW5XG2Fc/s1600/6480732-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="180" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPtVZ8Nvi6Yvxnk8x1eFVBZ2X4cnepalwkZm2gJaoICVt6b-qe8jHBJUOtNEirk2OyS54G1swsHG8zqCd5V332NCYUlYcZ6-Rfk9fiAAdAje-F8KdqZ4DNVPRWdcVlaBdOC4rW5XG2Fc/s200/6480732-M.jpg" width="120" /></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have included in the show notes that you can find at <a href="http://claritycloud.blogspot.com/"><span class="s2">ClarityCloud.blogspot.com</span></a> various links to inspiring helpful words from some online authors to some key solid books on the creative process that I perso ally have found helpful in my journey… many of which I read during my time in Art School yet I will find myself going back for words of encouragement when feeling a bit lost. I hope they can bring you some comfort as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s6"><a href="http://www.dailyartmuse.com/2008/02/08/six-quotes-from-art-fear/"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">http://www.dailyartmuse.com/2008/02/08/six-quotes-from-art-fear/<span class="s4"></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s6"><a href="https://artistryinaction.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/david_bayles_ted_orland_art_and_fear.pdf"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">https://artistryinaction.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/david_bayles_ted_orland_art_and_fear.pdf<span class="s4"></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="s6"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/09/transcending-fear-in-the-creative-process-5-timeless-insights/244922">https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/09/transcending-fear-in-the-creative-process-5-timeless-insights/244922</a></span><span class="s3">/</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://jenniferhofmann.com/?author=2"><span class="s4"><b>Jennifer Hofmann</b></span></a></span><span class="s5"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I’m Angie, till next time,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Dream Yourself Awake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </span></b><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/472195155&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-21558625661177731142018-07-08T16:29:00.002-07:002018-12-28T21:24:05.327-08:00EPISODE 4 : PERFECTION IS A DISEASE...<div class="p1">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvTRZhAE8Ec3c7ewDjwIVzQWT3Y3cCF4EuMAWtyLtwBJnuO6W6Cyb497h-Earic_UAtFF9Lsvd1u5zCDSjxnjuejOrOX7V8csib-aSyRPyfp_2UGcLEsclz7G8lwD6PiFV4GhmpW_ons/s1600/IMG_3613.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1215" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvTRZhAE8Ec3c7ewDjwIVzQWT3Y3cCF4EuMAWtyLtwBJnuO6W6Cyb497h-Earic_UAtFF9Lsvd1u5zCDSjxnjuejOrOX7V8csib-aSyRPyfp_2UGcLEsclz7G8lwD6PiFV4GhmpW_ons/s640/IMG_3613.jpeg" width="485" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#theAngieJournals © Angie Mason 2018</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Perfectionism is a Disease that Halts Progress… </span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Don’t let perfection stop you from doing the things that you are dreaming of accomplishing. Perfection can be a real disease and halt progress in so many facets of life. It certainly wreaks havoc in the creative realm. I think it is better to progress imperfectly and move forward than stay in the same place not make any mistakes but also not moving not making any progress.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">A prime example of this for me is this podcast. I have no idea what I am doing really I just wanted to learn something new as well as make this podcast that I have thought about for over a year and just reach a point within myself I said enough and begun.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I started this process of piecing it together the way I think it would work and if I am wrong or learn a better way to improve what I have done I get to discover after having put it out into the world, because I actually took the step forward and just did it. I jumped in the water not knowing how deep it was if I would hit a rock or sink but I swam and I’m swimming and learning day by day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The growth really comes from choosing to be engaged and active. If you are worried and do nothing but think it’s not good enough It’s not perfect you may never get to where you want to be because you need to try things to get from point A to point B. Don’t let perfectionism cripple your ability to create. Don’t let it creep in and halt progress. It is great to improve and grow and this happens when we allow ourselves to try and fail or succeed but trying and doing are so much better than standing frozen in perfections path. Don’t let the fear of failing or being perfect stop you from doing things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This is a poem note I wrote<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for myself over 10 years ago I felt like this was a good time and place to share it:</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Perfection is a disease</span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It is not a goal.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It will only stifle your ability to move forward.</span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">We are all misshaped, </span></i><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">broken, imperfect creatures</span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">and that is what makes us beautiful.</span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Our flaws and quirks make us special.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Homogenized beauty is boring and</span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">a manufactured perfect life is hollow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Be human, be broken, just be and do and try.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> - A. Mason<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Here are some suggested action steps:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<li class="li3"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span>After you have really thought about your intentions and project go seek out a table, corner, chair, where ever you are and just get to work. If this means you have to begin by writing out a project plan or time line, project map or to do list, then do that! Make your idea physically exist in this world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Let it live not just in your head as an idea, give birth to it, make it real.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you already have a million to do dream lists all circled around this idea it’s time to start just going down that list and implementing them. As an example for me I have had this podcast idea swirling in my head for over a year wanting to create my own. So after a sleepless night of waking up to inspired ideas I just said ok lets get to work enough of this dreaming I need to start doing. So I went down my list, gathered all my sound bytes, got my necessary software in place ( I use Adobe Audition to make my podcast), I created original artwork, original music ( I learned how to play the ukulele in 2015 after taking a trip to Hawaii and loved it ever since), I went online and made the bare bones blog home for my soon to be podcast. All in a matter of a couple days I did this. This was my spark. Find your spark to get your fire burning and then nurture those flames and keep burning bright not letting the nefarious voice of perfection creep in your head darkening your light to stop your good work. You know that voice saying “<i>Who do you think you are doing this! You can’t do this, you don’t know how do this, you will fail!” etc.</i> You know that voice? Yeah? Well tell that voice to fuck off. ;)</span></li>
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<li class="li3"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span>Dedicate at least 10 to 15 minutes or more a day toward this project. Use the insight timer app to keep your timed focus in check. Make a schedule and stick to it. This will get you to your destination. Progress is progress one step ahead each day is still moving forward.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The thing is life shifts so rapidly it is near impossible to be perfect and get this, no one expects you to be! There is also an excitement of the unknown and not knowing what you are doing and not worrying but just going for it, make something that wasn’t there before. Have fun! Think about how tragic it is to see a brilliant mind full of ideas get hung up on perfection and they never end up actually making any ideas come into being. What a waste of potential what inventions that could have changed the world never happened because they noodled away at some point and got lost in the details, never completing the idea, never realizing it all because they thought it wasn’t perfect. You don’t have to let this happen to you. You can sit down right now and say this is it and all you have to do is take that one step of making it physically exist in this world and keep paying it attention keep nurturing your ideas pushing them along don’t criticize or beat yourself up just grow. Allow yourself to make this idea real. Put your energy out in this universe and don’t worry if it’s not perfect because really nothing ever is. Just do and be and see!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I think one of the most beautiful things we do as humans is create things out of nothing. When I have these moments they are magical astonishing moments and I want to have as many of those moments as possible and not let any thing get in my way especially perfection.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Time mixed with perfectionism equals disaster. A recipe for a big nothing pie. Time goes fast we don’t have the luxury to get hung up on getting things perfect. That is why you see constant updates on your apps and software and cars and products get redesigned every year because we are constantly growing and improving because we are never perfect we are also never satisfied.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I will leave you with this line again:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Be human, be broken, just be and do and try.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;">A. </span><b style="font-size: medium;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </b></span><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/469082289&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-85777063212686721482018-06-29T21:25:00.001-07:002018-06-29T21:27:05.669-07:00Seekers always seeking... <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RjBMLtFbVNrweF7zqO4vxb8hkj-kCr_Qq0OH8bllqUiRFzMX87o6F3QUyHTqkbs4gJ5hzCCS_ZRluYltGyTwkK4z0GGv3Q5R3Lc4NrnsqQMDroSaT4Cw6bRtQvkC_yCQC3HtuzfHtiE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-06-26+at+10.31.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RjBMLtFbVNrweF7zqO4vxb8hkj-kCr_Qq0OH8bllqUiRFzMX87o6F3QUyHTqkbs4gJ5hzCCS_ZRluYltGyTwkK4z0GGv3Q5R3Lc4NrnsqQMDroSaT4Cw6bRtQvkC_yCQC3HtuzfHtiE/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-06-26+at+10.31.34+PM.png" width="638" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">We all could use some more clarity... including my cats! *Clarity Cloud resin sculpture by Angie Mason.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-87502380331206274252018-06-29T20:11:00.000-07:002018-07-01T14:18:30.036-07:00EPISODE 3: Environment is everything. <style type="text/css">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Thought Journal - Artist Angie Mason </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Being able to carve out a space where you go sit and be without distractions is key to being able to bring ideas to fruition.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> A personal sacred place not only where there are limited distractions but a place where you feel at ease and comfortable in your own skin to allow your true voice to shine. A judgement free zone - where no critics and no negativity can talk you out of an idea. This can be a challenge to figure out where this space may be & how to set one up as we all have our own quirks and life challenges or obstacles to navigate through.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I believe we can start this process small in a journal or sketchbook. That intimate space is your private haven to explore ideas on paper and see if any are sticky enough to grow past the sketchbook phase.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Creating a Physical work space would be ideal - If you have the great fortune to have an extra room you can convert into a studio space this your time to build out that space. If you have a corner in your apartment or room clear out a space that is only dedicated to your personal passion projects. Have it always set up so you get to work at any time inspiration or more like life’s busy schedule allows us to.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Action Steps to take:</span></b></div>
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<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Buy a blank journal sketchbook.</b> I prefer 5X7. Carry this with you everywhere you go. Keep it close and write anything thought or doodle that comes to you in it. These will be encyclopedias of your brain. They are a treasure to browse through to help trigger ideas when you are going through a creative hibernation period. They also act as a great catalyst to help push along current projects.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Clear a small desk or work table.</b> Only keep needed supplies close at hand ready to be used at any moment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Keep a Visual Intention List </b>hung up in plain sight to act as constant reminder of what is important to you and having that stay at the forefront of your mind not allowing the daily overload of information to drown out our own voices. *Assess your lists every so often to make sure it’s still in line with what your true intentions and joy are. When you have a garden you always have to weed it in order for it to be as magnificent as it can be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><b>Use Sound Apps</b> to increase your focus and limit audio distractions especially if you are in a more public space. Some apps I highly recommend that are free with options to upgrade are:</span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">•<b>Calm</b>: Great audio aids to help brings clarity and calm the mind so it can better create.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">•<b>Ambience</b> a vast catalog of sound sample loops from white noise to nature sounds.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">•<b>Insight timer </b>(This meditation app lets me set the time to be focused and it allows me to choose an ambient sound to play in background to help clear the chaos noise around me.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This is our starting point we need to create an environment in order for any idea to live. We all have our daily struggles and obstacles but I believe if we nurture and grow this space our ideas will reveal themselves and with enough attention focused on them they will grow and blossom and spread. I wish you well in your nesting phase and let’s see where can go!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-size: 12.1px;">- Dream Yourself Awake.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;">A. </span><b style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </b></span><br />
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-80700019929957831372018-06-29T19:41:00.002-07:002018-07-01T13:40:02.274-07:00EPISODE 2: Navigating Life Paths<style type="text/css">
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">“On the road to find out “ -it’s a Cat Stevens song and this captures and also applies to so much of the search for meaning we go through in life really…</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Allowing myself to be lost in order to be found. That has been a mantra of my mine for what feels like decades now. Having the understanding that this life is complicated and confusing and to forgive ourselves for not always getting there, to the place we thought we needed to be. To forgive ourselves for being lost, but really in the end we should thank ourselves, by letting the chaos of life seep into or psyches we actually helped ourselves grow. We saw more of what life’s roads and paths look like and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we became more familiar with the winding complexity of back roads basically making us better fuller humans by being more in tune with the complexities of human nature.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Eventually we find out that we can get the hang of these twists and turns taking them with a greater fluidity, grace and an innate sense of direction. We became more flexible and empathic toward others knowing the varied struggles we all face. We became more open to possibilities and most importantly open to the difficulties being able to navigate new challenges<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we face daily helps us move forward and keep our minds set on our intentions not letting these obstacles stop our progress. Through all our winding life paths we now know that we are not set out on a straight and narrow newly paved road but instead we are on a bumpy crooked dirt road often with terrible potholes that at times it can make you break down on the side of the road with a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>blown out tire, out of gas. But eventually you get the jumpstart you need and keep moving forward.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This creative art life path I have chosen has been a bumpy one for sure. I realize things shift greatly and also communities and scenes end or change, there’s an ebb and flow with everything in life and it’s important to grow with these shifts in life. Allow yourself to change course take a detour learn ALWAYS LEARN new things. Think about how these new bits of knowledge we acquire along the way how they can be integrated with older talents. What projects can be born out merging two separate passions?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">For me<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>currently one of those things is this podcast. I took my love of blogging and writing and my new love of listening to podcasts and decided to try this process out for myself. I’m taking a detour to see where it leads me. It’s really taking the scenic route and enjoying all these new experiences even if I end up broke down on the side of the road out of gas at some point. Keep trying, Keep doing , Keep going!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">- Dream Yourself Awake.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">A. </span><b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </b></div>
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<br /><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/466021887&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe>Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-58474182244292975462018-06-26T19:39:00.002-07:002018-06-26T19:40:25.339-07:00New mantras for next level ...<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">We are the Seekers...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">We are the Dreamers...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Dreaming Ourselves Awake.</span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NqORAUiJl9Q-WU1JTHmGV4grf2EVielRLunHmHxHQEd3Iinv6KbSD4APXhh2CMJBQTYAo3ZjXcxZRb4I8Eoox5luxppFN-HlR3pUbjDrs6u7HGHqVDGS2tLUrDdNeK9umPKRPe-EnoA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-06-26+at+10.37.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NqORAUiJl9Q-WU1JTHmGV4grf2EVielRLunHmHxHQEd3Iinv6KbSD4APXhh2CMJBQTYAo3ZjXcxZRb4I8Eoox5luxppFN-HlR3pUbjDrs6u7HGHqVDGS2tLUrDdNeK9umPKRPe-EnoA/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-06-26+at+10.37.03+PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right before us stand so many possibilities, so many dreams waiting to in the worst words get blown. Don't blow it kids, oh wait totally blow it make wishes and always DREAM BIG the day you stop dreaming is the day you die. ❤️✨✨✨✨ </td></tr>
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710786195706242627.post-5219435795682440172018-06-24T20:52:00.000-07:002018-07-01T13:22:37.596-07:00EPISODE 1: Small steps are still progress...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi5UUl24KmsppZEi0CCEYB0-IloLCSYBrys88ya64WMoYmnv13r-knnJkYu2z6X4aNKwV9P9gRtV5slV67U7Sv7nkkLBNC5PNk1swR5_Am3aL7VhfldjtKH-FG9KzOa2IHEZtKZDqWjU/s1600/26908032_10155016000695124_5637385317193863402_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi5UUl24KmsppZEi0CCEYB0-IloLCSYBrys88ya64WMoYmnv13r-knnJkYu2z6X4aNKwV9P9gRtV5slV67U7Sv7nkkLBNC5PNk1swR5_Am3aL7VhfldjtKH-FG9KzOa2IHEZtKZDqWjU/s640/26908032_10155016000695124_5637385317193863402_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Sometimes the best thing you do all day is peel an orange in one continuous piece. </span><span class="_5afx" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/creativehibernation?source=feed_text" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">creativehibernation</span></a></span></span></i></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">What is the <b>Clarity Cloud Blogcast & Podcast </b>all about you ask? This is basically the genesis, the beginning, my personal super nova big bang start of a new project which is creating a new platform to discuss and nurture the idea of our creative lives. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It is my intention to have this be a space to discuss and figure out how to navigate and live a full creative intentional, integrated life balanced with a full heart and clear mind! This is a place to encourage process and progress, as well as how to plant inspiration seeds to help grow our ideas to fruition. This is a safe space to sort out the struggles and obstacles we may face in life and how to overcome them and stay true to your intentions not veering off your creative path into a ditch of despair.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Having open honest discussions on what it means to create and how we can navigate this art life and the over all search for personal meaning. In addition to seeking out the best integration of all facets of our creative selves into one solid integrated being so we feel more whole and honest in our life path this space is a test tube, an experiment, a place to learn and grow. You are part of this, part of this conversation I encourage you to reach out with questions or comments relating to this. Tweet them to <b>@angiemasonart</b> or email them to<b> <a href="mailto:angie@angiemason.com"><span class="s1">angie@angiemason.com</span></a></b>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This is a new journey in to the podcasting realm as well as trying to create a platform to discuss the art life experience as a whole. This is a life, my life, digitally blossoming and seeking growth with a healthy dose of cat love sprinkled in at times. In the end it is my hope this will be a space to visit and help inspire and grow, with the pursuit of developing sustained attention with clear intentions not just for myself but for others seeking a similar path. I do believe by fostering this support for ideas growth it will help bring idea sparks to full fruition and brilliance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The Clarity Cloud Podcast wants to be a catalyst for creation. It seeks to find meaning and balance in our chaotic modern challenging times. How do we weather the storm how do we find our way home in the darkness. What kind of beacons do we utilize to get through the fog of life. How do we push through the storms to get to those clear mind moments.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Welcome to the Clarity Cloud - It's Blue Skies and Clear Hearts from here on in! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">This blog and podcast<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are waking up and will soon be the home for not only this but any other media related to <b>the Clarity Cloud Podcast</b>. It is all one great big experiment and I am happy you are here!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">- Dream Yourself Awake.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">A. </span><b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium;">The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ </b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-weight: normal;">Watch this space!</span>
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Angie Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618226700394190814noreply@blogger.com0