Category Archives: teandconversation

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.

bright

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.

Synchronistic Flow

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Continuing with my theme of the past two posts this is turning out to be a magical summer where all of my efforts have produced a flow that seems to have a force of its own. That is what synchronicity is after all. After seeing ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ I ended up at a ranch on native land near Lytton, BC. We stayed with a beautiful family with a special ancestry steeped in rich traditions from BC’s first nations. In the surrounding area and in the nearby Stein Valley there are caves with petrogylphs and for three days I listened to stories of the paintings in these caves, stories of the land and of ancestry. Stories of prophecy.

My dreams during my stay on this pristine land were vivid and insightful. My dreams were different than I have ever recalled, and I am a dreamer. I felt a strong connection to nature which was refreshing after months of intense study. Further to the synchronicity the room I stayed in had an old spinning wheel in it which was exciting for me as I am developing a documentary on textiles produced from hand spun fabrics. This family has lineage as very skilled weavers. When I drove home I felt elated and allowed myself to fully relax and rejuvenate before jumping back into my hectic schedule.

There once was a time when people lived in harmony with nature, when communities coexisted without causing destruction to the environment. These people looked up and had a vision that reached beyond the sky. Our leaders today look down and squabble over breadcrumbs in comparison. I am feeling refreshed after listening to stories that have been preserved over thousands of years. I am feeling refreshed to remember that life is beyond what we produce and what we acquire.

Forgotten Dreams

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I find it ironic that my last post was referencing Bjork’s ‘Crystalline’ then the next film I watched was Werner Hertzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’. In this theatrically released 3D documentary we are taken into the pristine Chauvet cave in France and explore the earliest and most well preserved cave drawings dating back 30,000 years. In this cinematic journey into the cave we see a sparkling layer of calcite crystals covering the cave’s inner surfaces and as I watched the film, enjoying the ambient soundtrack scored by Ernst Reijseger, I couldn’t help but feel the symmetry between the content of the film and the content from my last post.

I enjoy Hertzog’s storytelling and the subject is beautiful. When I was in high school I read the ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ series by Jean Auel which I found magical and inspiring. The drawings in Chauvet are from the same period that the book is set in which helped evoke my imagination. There was a shot that was especially impressive that I couldn’t figure out how it was taken; it followed a river then went under a naturally formed arch then immediately turned around and went back. It couldn’t have been taken by helicopter because the helicopter wouldn’t have made it through the arch. They reveal how they cleverly did the shot at the end. There is an epilogue to the film which I found pertinent to the times we live in focusing on the environmental effects from the Nuclear Power plants that are situated in the vicinity of the Caves.

The images in this film are striking and as they were filmed in 3D it really brought the images to life. You could experience details of amazingly skilled drawings that would have been lost on a flat screen. There was a drawing of a bison with 8 legs and it looked like it was running. Hertzog claims that it was a proto-cinema which indeed it did feel like; the inspiration and expression found in this cave blew me away. I feel like this was the birth place of art and film history.

If you watch this film and let yourself go it is somewhat magical and giving that the topic of her track ‘Crystalline’ I think Bjork would get a lot out of watching it too. Another irony is that I have had several dreams through out the years in which I was connected to a community that lived in caves. We all had an area in the cave in which we displayed our art or shared our skill, my area of the cave was beside Bjork’s. That was one of my forgotten dreams. I find this amusing as my last blog post ‘Crystalline Clarity’ was spontaneous and I posted it without giving it too much thought. And then I watched ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ and felt an awakening into my subconscious on many levels.

Crystalline Clarity

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Again I am tickled by Bjork, she just released a stellar track about crystals. Perhaps as I have been working a lot lately on computers and in dark studios I have been drawn to wearing gemstones and have been admiring the crystals we have in our home. They are just ever so cool and make me feel more connected to the earth while I am so in my head with my work.

It also reminds me of a ‘jem’ from my childhood: does anyone remember this?

Breaking down Bjork’s lyrics is always a mind expanding process. Here are a few verses:

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Underneath our feet
Crystals grow like plants
(Listen how they grow)
I’m blinded by the lights
(Listen how they grow)
In the core of the earth
(Listen how they grow)

Crystalline
Internal Nebula
(Crystalline)
Rocks growing slowmo
(Crystalline)
I conquer claustrophobia
(Crystalline)
And demand the light.

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Enjoy the video, directed by one of my favorites, Michael Gondry.

And if you are into interactive websites and iPads check out her new interactive 3D website: http://bjork.com/