Gleaming Spirit and Evolved Skill

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After battling with a cold for a month I broke down and sought a little sun in the industrious Los Angeles. I was feeling the need to connect with a good friend and after working so hard this past year with little reprieve, I felt a need to briefly unplug and raise my vibration which I feel had become congested. I stayed in Topanga Canyon and hiked every day as well as ventured into the city to eat, dance, do yoga and connect with the bustling metropolis. I caught a film at the Nuart theatre in Santa Monica which was fascinating. Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It is currently playing in Vancouver if you are interested.

Jiro is an 85 year old sushi master and his humble little sushi bar in Tokyo has been given 3 Micheline stars and is world renowned. This clever documentary explores his story and showcases how he has committed himself to his craft with such passion and taken the art of sushi to the next level. The Japanese concept of ‘shokunin’ is discussed, the art of being a craftsman or artisan. This concept has a lot of depth beyond just gaining technical skills but also to truly embody the spirit of the craft. Under his care are his apprentices who commit to learn the art and craft of making great sushi which is at least a 10 year commitment. I look around me here in the West at all of the ‘gurus’ who learn a basic skill and go out and charge top dollar for their services on a quest to accumulate more wealth, such a stark juxtaposition.

shokunin

The film also covers the imminent threat of species of fish going extinct such as tuna and how this effects traditional sushi conventions. If you watch this film you will learn the potential that rice can be and hopefully be inspired to fall in love with the work that you do. Jiro Dreams of Sushi was a good reminder for me to love what I do and be less distracted by the superfluous that surrounds us all.

Labour of Love

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In January I shot a documentary that I have been thinking about for a while.  It weaves Gandhian philosophy with First Nations history with contemporary urban textiles spinning and weaving all into a compelling story.

I am immersed in the post production process and I am happy to say that I am deeply inspired by this project and that it is truly a labour of love.  It’s amazing how passion for your work makes it not like work at all, transcendence of the mundane.  I can’t wait to share this project this Spring.

New Years Musings

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I was successful in slowing down over the winter holidays and I feel that I caught up on sleep and family bonding.  Immediately after my two weeks off I was spun right back into my frenetic schedule by commencing production on a short film that I was Assistant Director for.  The production was tightly scheduled with many locations so it was a demanding role and I found that I had boundless energy to dedicate to the production.  I have another shoot coming up and am in pre-production for my upcoming documentary trailer as Vancouver is enveloped in snow.

pulling focus

Setting the intention for downtime was the kindest thing I could have done for myself and my family not to mention the productions I am working on.  It was shocking that I found myself feeling anti-social at times and in need of complete relaxation and quietude.  And the personal reward was delicious and insightful dreams that allowed me to connect to my subconscious and re-evaluate my trajectory.  I enjoyed that deep and profound communication with myself which revealed new insights and inspiration.

Last winter I was in India enjoying slowness for 6 weeks.  I didn’t have that luxury this year though I am grateful for the two weeks with family and friends.  I see a bright year ahead with big changes.  Wishing you the ability to actualize your dreams and infinite bliss, there is no time like the present.

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I have watched many movies in the past month and Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” stood out on many levels.  After Von Trier’s antics at Cannes this year I was curious to see his new film.  I admire his originality and how he covers complex human issues. In his beautifully shot intro he gives the ending away so that there is no suspense and you are forced to delve into the captivating story.  I would go so far as to say that this film is mindgasmic.  At the very least you will enjoy Kirsten Dunst’s performance.

Seasonal Slowness

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I am currently working on a documentary on slow clothes and have been in contemplation on how hand made items can deeply enrich our lives, how it is a necessity for us to make more of our own goods with 7 billion people cohabiting on the planet with a limited amount of natural resources.  It is a fact that the majority of people in our society have no connection to the items they possess other than selecting them at a store. 

During the winter holidays, when daylight is scarce and our schedules are full, it can be hard to maintain our bliss.  I am coming out of a very busy spell with a schedule that kept me at school working on projects until 1-2 AM several days a week, and sometimes at school 7 days a week.  Now that I have a few weeks off my first instinct is to sleep.  My second instinct is to spend as little time as possible shopping for obligatory gifts and to spend quality time with friends and family, the people who fuel me.  Taking the time for the subtle joys.

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The first thing I did with my free time was to buy materials in which I can create with.  For the next few weeks, aside from quality time with loved ones, I am developing skills pertaining to hand crafted textiles.  I am slowing down this season and that does not mean that I will be hibernating.  Aside from catching up on sleep I am going to be less spread thin and more intentional with my time.  As the winter solstice envelopes us with darkness I find my equilibrium, I engage in activities that recharge and inspire rather than distract and deplete.  Moving forward with clarity and focus on what the holidays really represent and not so caught up in the superficial aspects of the winter holidays in North America.

drop spindle

I hope to create more of what we normally consume, always contemplating how to reduce my footprint.  I look at all of the stores selling stuff and I wonder how much of it ends up in a land fill within a few years, barely making a lasting impact on the person who acquires it. I dream of a society that spends more time with peers creating rather than shopping for useless distractions that are depleting our Earth’s resources.  I dream of people learning more traditional skills and combining them with our modern technology and wisdom to truly innovate and revolutionize how we be.

I slow down this holiday season and my mind feels anything but slow.  I feel sharp and inspired.  My heart is full and ready to give.

Truly sustainable textiles consider the land that grows the materials spun then woven into cloth.  It is a human art deeply connected to the Earth.

Who is John Galt?

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This past week I passed by a lululemon store and noticed their reusable shopping bag had the quote “Who is John Galt?” printed onto the side. This brought back a flood of memories about the source of that question and its impression that it has had on my life. Ayn Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is a one of two novels she wrote that had a part in shaping who I am now. It is no surprise to discover that Chip Wilson has inducted the novel to his staff’s reading library. After re-awaking my memories of ‘Atlas Shrugged’ yesterday I discovered that one of the most impressionable novels from my teenage years had been made into a feature film. It totally slid in under the radar for me. Ayn Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ Part 1 is now in theaters and will be made into a trilogy.

I read ‘Atlas Shrugged’ when I was 19 and one of they key concepts from the novel that absorbed into my matrix was when ‘Atlas’ is found carrying the world upon his shoulders what should he do? The novel suggests the only sensible thing for Atlas to do is to shrug the weighted world off of his shoulders. This teaching has been useful through out my life as I am a person that practices compassionate action and often find myself in situations where I give more than I receive and end up depleted. Some times the best way to be of help or expression of compassion is to not ‘help’ at all. When the demands of others don’t meet what you know to be right or in line with your path to carry forth with these demands will take away from your responsibilities, to shrug these demands off from your obligations may be the only sensible thing to do. Another key concept I absorbed from her novels was to remain objective in conflict. I don’t find Ayn Rand’s philosophy to be absolute and infact I disagree with certain ideals though these concepts I find to be of value.

Though the novel was written in 1957 the film was set in 2016 and relevant to our times. I would recommend the film if you don’t have the time to read the novel, it is enjoyable even if you are not a fan of Ayn Rand. Part one introduces the mystery of John Galt but if you want to know who exactly he is you will have to wait for the rest of the trilogy or give ‘Atlas Shrugged’ a read, the mystery surrounding this character is a fun exploration.

Filmspiration

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The Vancouver Film Festival is coming to an end. The festival was on while I was in production with an episodic series so I didn’t get the chance to see most of the films I wanted to see. I did however get a chance to check out a few documentaries.

Thinking about some of the things that go on in China sometimes makes my head spin. ‘Waking the Green Tiger’ tracks the rise of the green movement in China and gave me great hope showing the power of documentary activism. I loved this one.

Yoga and documentary, nuff said.

For Sigur Ros fans ‘Inni’ is a must see.

Imminent Change

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It seems that the keleptocrats are getting their asses kicked and rightfully so. The unethical practices conducted by Wall Street have griped me for many years. My ex-husband transitioned from a sensitive software developer to a bond trader for Citibank a decade ago and my marriage went downhill from there. He became volatile and corrupt, he lost interest in his children as he fully subscribed to the world of finance which he described as ‘sexy’. He has been in touch lately telling me that the world’s economy is on life support again with a state of anxiety in his tone.

Our youth have become distracted by media; Facebook and iPods keep them distracted and unaware of what is really happening on the planet. I am so thrilled to see a revolution, to see that people are standing up for their futures, for their freedom. Revolutions are a healthy part of any society and there has been a lack of revolution in America since Vietnam. Corporate America has done a great job at keeping the masses somewhat sedated but now the corruption on Wall Street seems to have left many in a position that they can no longer be passive. I am thrilled to see people expressing their views in a peaceful way.

Major media conglomerates have not been covering the Occupy Wallstreet protests though you may want to keep one eye on what is happening, this is the boldest and bravest event I have ever seen by the American People, David is taking on Goliath. There is plenty independent coverage.

I have been feeling intensity boiling in my veins, I have been unable to tolerate situations or people who violate my freedom or the freedom of others and have been feeling bolder than ever. The feelings within me mirror the energy collectively being acted upon. I feel a balance in power is on its way and I am excited at this prospect though I must admit to feeling somewhat terrified by the process. Ready or not I think things may eventually get ugly before they improve. Brace yourselves.