Week 7 Check-in -- Connections

Strangely, strangely, during the week, I wasn't consciously aware of what the theme of this week's chapter is, but it seems to have simply permeated my life and AW activity all through the week, anyway. - Perhaps not in quite the way Julia means it, but it was a week of connection and connectivity for me, and the process of writing my check-in has led to more connections. The web is external and internal too, perhaps.

Morning Pages Yes, I did them seven days, in the morning. It's my routine. Get up, put the kettle on, extract my journal and pen from their drawer, put them by the couch in my study (love using that grown-up word for my little book-filled space) with my spectacles, settle the dog down beside me... go make that decaff coffee, return, and within minutes of feet touching floor, pen is on page. Go! I don't know what I wrote a lot of the time, so those questions about did you do this or that are redundant at the moment, with not rereading. Have I been daydreaming creative risks? - Well, yes, I know I've given a lot of ruminating time to plans to travel in May, and that probably qualifies, and did feature, I'm sure, in my pages.

Artist Date Hmm. Think I already posted about outings with my sister, and feeling they fed my artist (and hers) good and proper! - Oddly, noticed that Kara also had her sister along on her AD, and then, this morning realised --- Well, it's about Connection, isn't it? Connecting with other artists? And my sister is an artist. On one of our outings, I was experimenting with my new camera (I know I've mentioned this before - I'll be very boring on the topic!), and took the picture of the piece of wood with moss and lichen above. When we went to visit a little museum dedicated to St. Colmcille, she noticed the "echo" in the crozier, and made me take a picture of that too. Cool, huh?

One of our other outings was to hear some wonderful Middle-Eastern music, but marvellous as it was, I knew at a certain point I began to find it tedious. I think I had my artist child along, and she was asking questions for which no-one was offering any answers: What's that instrument? What's the song about? Why are these adults so DULL? - They just sing and play and don't tell you anything! - See, my adult appreciated the music, but my child didn't enjoy it too much!

I don't think there was anything particularly risky in our outings. New - the camera (yawn!), that museum which I've passed dozens of times - but not risky.

I am committing (re-committing!) to doing a solo Artist Date this week. The pottery place is STILL THERE, still calling. Well, there are 4 weeks to go!

Synchronicity This week's synchronicities are not direct, they're subtle, about making connections in an indirect way at times, but they feel like they're the result of being aware, being open to what's happening, so they seem to qualify for me:

• St. Colmcille turned up in a few ways during the week. Have to work out what the connection is yet, but I'll be watching.
• Fran at Sacred Ordinary posted a piece about this amazing exhibit - Ashes and Snow. It just captivated me, and especially since one of my special things is a picture I pulled from a newspaper a couple of years ago of a young boy with three elephants splashing in the sea. It just called me. And this does too. It just does!
• I was given gifts of not one, but two incense-burning sets, in the week we were given the task of creating a great scent in the house. I did!
• There were many instances of "Right thought, right time", where something from my spiritual study circle turned up as important talking to friends later in the week. It felt as though the same conversational thread was running through everything. Connection!

Other Significant Issues

• One, which I am still teasing out, was a dream which seems to be indicating that I haven't fully committed, said "I Do!" to myself, not yet prepared to absolutely embrace my creativity, but the wish to do so is there, the will and the goodwill are there, and the necessary tools are there too. It took a while disentangling the symbolism in the dream, and I feel there are more layers still.
• I didn't do the collage task - not that I reject it, but didn't get down to putting the time aside (yet), so not having done that, I couldn't complete the other tasks that ask about my collage. I've done these collages in the past, and the visual journal I started early in the process is a form of collage too, and my SoulCollage cards each represent different aspects of my self.... OK. Stop with the excuses. Do the task! OK. Next week.
• The First Task. Hmmm. This is the only one from this chapter that I didn't do at all last time around, and I felt very ambivalent about doing it. This is the one where you write, calligraph, colour, decorate the phrase Treating Myself Like a Precious Object Will Make Me Strong. Oh, I resisted that. Didn't want to do it. Felt it's too much. It's ok to be kind to myself, respectful of myself, caring towards myself, but treating myself like a Precious Object? I felt guilty to write it. It felt like something shameful, to claim that for myself. Of course, once I realised that, I just had to do it. And I did it. There's some more decorating to do, and once that's completed, you'll probably see it here too.

It's been a good week overall. I wrote a few pieces, and the challenge of learning to use my camera in a very basic way was a big challenge for me. It took a struggle to figure out how to upload the photos, and still I'm getting file-sizes wrong, but I'm pleased with myself for that, for staying connected in real life and in blog-land. I'm aware I've let week 7 slip into week 8. - I've got to read the chapter yet, but I'm here, I'm working the program, and I'm still aware that I haven't shared that lovely little story yet, but will during the week.

Here's to a great week Eight!