Tending to the Pilot Light: New Year's Visual Reinforcement/Reminders/Validation/2012 Journey Map....

Hello! During Tending to the Pilot Light this last week, we continued with our New Year 2012 Process projects.  We completed a worksheet about our hopes, plans, wishes, for the future and created 2 and 3 dimensional art pieces related to the results.  Thanks to Susannah Conway for the worksheet.  Titled "Unravelling the Year Ahead" it asks questions like, What is your Word for 2012, Imagine yourself at the end of the year, what are you proud of? and What is your secret wish?

I created a quick example of one way to visually interpret/display the results of New Year thinking to give the class some ideas:

I had not completed the worksheet at that time.  According to one of my students, I unconsciously placed some of the categories in the same locations surrounding a central theme as some Feng Shui models... I'll have to find out more about this and study the universal-ness of visual displays of life energy.



Here are some of the pieces my lovely students made during the week:

The first one is displayed over four pictures to reveal all the hidden layers.....

The second piece is a hanging, two-sided visual - letting fate and natural air drafts determine which side is revealed at any given moment:

Here are a few more....

The piece above is a three dimensional box with opening window frame and functioning curtains!

Here is the final version of the above project:

Here are few newly completed projects:

And here is what I created AFTER filling out the worksheet...

There were several pieces "in progress", taken home with promises to bring back the finished project for photos!

This was an interesting project because it brought up lots of reactions for people... ranging from resistance, acceptance, inspiration, fears, blank-mind...overwhelmed, hope....

I feel like whatever got stirred up, the mixture it made.... makes us richer.  I would personally rather not have "Mindfulness" be my word for the year... It is much easier to space out and indulge in non-choices.. letting my time, my decisions, my actions be ruled by desires, i.e., yummy cookie vs. do I really want to feel that residue during yoga? or.. I'm kinda tired.. I'd rather watch a good BBC detective series than take care of filing or laundry or the zillions of things that call out to me on a daily basis.  However, having just a teensy bit of clarity and a view over the top of that moment can reveal that YEAH, it's a drag to be in the moment and take care of SHTUFF right then, but wow, afterwards, doesn't the place look great, isn't it nice to NOT hear all those chores chiming in to be heard and done? Isn't it easier to turn towards my creative and productive and happy self when not dragged down by all the things I avoid "taking care of".  I will answer with a resounding Yeppers!

I'll leave you with this one adage that proves helpful every time I bother to remember it....

Action is the Antidote

Happy New Year

Next week we will be re-visiting Intention Candles... here are some photos from our last session:



The week after next, January 24th and 26th, we will be doing a project straight out of Cloth Paper Scissors:

On Friday the 27th of January, I will be the featured artist at the Phoenix Gallery during Final Fridays.... Come by and say hi... they always have great snacks!  Also, say the magic words "Bostons in a suitcase" and you may choose a free mini-print reproduction postcard of some of my work.

And after that.... VALENTINES!! Saturday and Sunday, February 4th and 5th - Family Friendly Open house 10-6 both days - come to my place and make some valentines for your loved ones!  Home made scones, coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be served all day.

Be sure to check in at my two ongoing pages on this blog: A dress a day in 2012: as of this typing, I've been faithful to the endeavor with 16 dresses drawn and published, and the Urban Sketchers Midwest project with fewer sketches but perhaps more variety.

Take care and keep out of harm's way until we see each other again.
Liza

Bostons

In an attempt to continue on a path towards a less chaotic and integrated life, I've finally engaged the services of a professional dog trainer.  This, after yet another trip to the lovely Jarrett Small Animal Hospital due to yet another dog fight.  Greg Lyon of Mutts and manners came over for an initial visit and talked with me about the issues - dominance, hyperactivity, aggression... all the not-so-cute facets of my beloved Boston Terriers.  I learned about his training philosophies and methods using the electronic "IQ" collar made by Dogtra.  Even though I was skeptical at first and emotionally, it still turns me off, the sensation produced by the collar only ranges from the vibration of a cell phone to an almost imperceptible electrical tap.  I decided to bight the financial bullet and give THIS form of training a try. 

I have two Bostons, Bobby and Birdy.  Bobby is about seven and has been very difficult from the very beginning - I even had to drop out of a training class since he bloodied 3 dogs' noses and got loose and attacked the instructor's dog on the first night.  Needless to say I sent flowers and apologies and spared the other dogs and owners from further trauma by never returning.  Even with a great deal of training effort on my part, I eventually gave up trying to walk him and have pretty much kept him away from other dogs ever since we came to Kansas three years ago.  He is an absolute sweetie pie when it's just the two of us, don't get me wrong, he's adorable and very playful... and of course I love him very much...

Birdy is about three and is very trainable, walks great on and off leash and seems to respond to any instruction (unless she's in the "zone").  Here she is in the St. Patrick's Day parade.... we were part of a "float" for The Dog House - a collection of dog related products and services vendors.

The fighting issue arises when anyone comes to the door.  Bobby is beside himself with excitement and Birdy attacks him.....to curtail the energy? I think that's what the dog whisperer would say, but I'm not sure.  So.. to begin the training, I opted for working with Bobby, in hopes of being able to walk him and thereby begin to change the dynamics.

At our first lesson, Greg decided to wait out Bobby's obsession with the leash - give him a change to "get it all out of his system".  Greg walked him back and forth in the living room and then in the front yard hundreds of times while Bobby chewed and attacked and wrestled with the leash with unending ferocity.

You can see by the last picture that Bobby was getting pretty tired. Eventually, after almost an hour and a half, Bobby chewed right through the brand-new deluxe ten foot leash and still would not let go. 

The first lesson ended up being almost three hours long and by the conclusion, Bobby was walking on leash for short stretches without pulling and responding to come and sit commands.

This was remarkable progress and a testament to Greg's patience and experience.

Bobby's progress and my goal of reducing vet fees from fighting Bostons is dependent on how much energy I am willing to put into the endeavor.  There's nothing new here in terms of understanding CHANGE from an intellectual point of view. However, since I live most of the time in my own personal la-la-right-brain fantasy land, this is a challenging transition for both Bobby and me.

We've had our second lesson since these pictures were taken and there was still quite a bit of leash obsession, however, with lots of reminders, we were able to walk as a team for substantial stretches.  This is a fantastic improvement from him pulling so hard (even with one of those poky chain collar things) as a young dog that he rubbed his paws pads raw on walks back in Seattle.

Although I am hopeful in theory, we've been back to the vet again (only $67 this time...) and had several other fights not resulting in injury.  Each fight, each struggle with the leash just trying to go out and do some training homework, each swipe of the credit card erodes my momentum. 

This the year of integration though, and as you are my witness, one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, slow and steady progression towards balance, peace and harmony - and just a bit of snorting/snuffling/Boston Terrier love.