Creating

Yes, after not posting for a few weeks, I'm posting a bunch of stuff. Been busy with the house, farm, and weaving. Lots of weaving.

Which is why the writing, because weaving means thinking & meditating, not just doing. And eventually the brain gets full and things need to get put down on paper.

Right now I'm working on the Mountain table loom, which I've woven at in various places. My favorite place so far is sitting on a chair with my knees to either side of the loom, which is sitting on a chest.

So it occurred to me that this was a rather personal relationship to my work, much more so than the floor loom or drawing/painting at a desk. The floor loom I haven't done enough work on yet to know how I'll end up modifying my time with it -- it's large so I kind of feel like I'm hugging it or dancing with it, depending on what I'm doing. And now that I'm thinking on it, I tend to envelope my desk too (get up close, lean over things, etc.). Throwing on a pottery wheel is more of the same. I'm literally drawing the work into my creative center, and then the creation comes out and is revealed.

I pondered whether this could be the same for men, since they can't physically give birth to a baby, and decided that yes, it could be the same. They do after all contribute to creating life, and in the Eastern thinking, we all have our creative center in the same place, the Dan Tien. This is sort of in the middle of the torso (middle as in front to back), about 2 inches below the belly button. It is here that we store energy to be used as needed by us to move, think, heal, digest, etc.

I'm really enjoying the weaving. In the beginning I wasn't always crazy about all aspects of it, and of course I still have issues occasionally (probably always will), like last night when I cut off some of the scarves and tied the ends of the warp back on to the lead that winds onto the winding bar.... from the wrong side of the beater bar. Sigh.

But I've enjoyed learning the different rhythms of winding, warping, and even correcting errors. It's always a pleasure to take a moment and just look at what is being created before your eyes, and know that you had a part in it, too. And except for when I'm timing sections too see how I'm doing at improving my timing/weaving rhythm, I can stop to pet the cat when she comes by to say hello, or take a break to have tea and read a bit, or go out and bring in the laundry because the weather's threatening. These days, I'm enjoying crafting not only fabric, but also interweaving all the aspects of living life.

And that's life, isn't it. Plants don't grow in a vacuum, separate from one another, always getting the perfect amount of water, nutrients, sunlight, always the perfect weather. Animals don't always get all the food, shelter, or companionship they need or want, either. Life has limits and boundaries. We may push at these from time to time, and some limits should be pushed (like stretching ourselves to learn more, to think in different ways, do different things) -- other limits should be respected, like not abusing our resources.

I learn because I enjoy learning, but also because it sometimes helps me to be a better part of the whole picture. And I enjoy creating because that's part of how I am part of the whole picture.

Body, mind, and spirit, in balance. Good for druids, good for anyone.