Thursday 27 May 2010

the air finds it hard to breathe



it's been an odd week.
some bizarre correspondence has wandered in
one in particular which accused me of having jumped ship and joined what the writer saw as 'the opposition'
an unfounded accusation
as it happened

happily there's been some nice stuff too
but
i'm mystified by the battle that seems to be raging
over ownership of philosophies
i didn't know that they could be 'owned'

the current fashion for 'slow', for example
seems to have a few people fired up

there are times that i don't want to be slow at all.
i like to walk, but i also like to drive
and let's be honest, if the conditions are appropriate
i like to drive fast.

what i think is really important is paying attention
making the most of the moment
being mindful, and doing things thoroughly to the best of my ability
whether i am walking
driving
or stitching with care and attention into a piece of cloth
or bundling a cloth around a pocketful of windfalls

today i visited the Light Square Gallery
and snapped the image above *

photography is all about capturing the moment
not slow at all
unless you're tracking stars

i also went to see Candid Camera
at the Art Gallery of South Australia
tis a remarkable exhibition
images of people doing people things


i scribbled a few notes
quite quickly
but mindfully


*'the air finds it hard to breathe' Heidi Kenyon

19 comments:

  1. my mind is so slow that only a quick goodby will do.

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  2. finding myself slow, with a cup of tea at 4 a.m. Mindful sounds good.

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  3. Thoughtful meander. Ownership of Philosophies - sounds more like the 100th monkey thingy. And, with so many thoughts flying around, who's to know who thinks what? First? Best? Lets go back to kindergarten and get a lesson on 'share'.... -J

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  4. Being in the moment is a kind of slowing down anyway. What ever that moment may be. If your mind is not on the next ten things you have to do, this is a form of relaxation. This is when time is immaterial.

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  5. hello india! and thank you so much for the warm comment on my blog, i must admit i've been a bit of a lurker on your blog. admiring your works and wit. i absolutely smiled when i read the title of your post today, smiled because this week has been an odd and challenging one for me as well. and sometimes odd happens and the air is thick. then i smile and (try) to go with it. knowing that in a bit of time things will shift.

    i totally echo your words, that beyond this slow vs fast, being in the moment and paying attention is the choice we have before us to enjoy life... the intention is key i think and i go at my own pace.

    patiently waiting for your wonderful book to be available in canada...

    have a beautiful thursday!

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  6. shooting from the hip . . . at moments never to be repeated . . .

    now THAT is what photography is all about . . . and maybe life too~!~

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  7. Hi India,
    I just completed reading Eco-Colour this as I sat in the morning sun with a cup of tea on my front porch. I felt inspired and encouraged to gather up old jars I collected from my husbands' folks farm, wash out the spiders (although you'd use them in a dye bath- darn it I should have too!)and begin the slow process of sun dyeing using the fading pedals of the blue Japanese irises in my garden.
    It dismayed me to read your post that anyone would argue ownership of an idea or movement or philosophy.
    Unless it is the invention of Vodka.
    Sending you bunches blue pedals of a very hot Ohio spring day!

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  8. I'm very slow in understanding why people behave the way they do and make such a fuss of nothing...the best thing you can do is to forget what these people said to you very fast!!!!

    XXX

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  9. Mindful moments, shooting from the hip, choosing spontaneity - all good, good things, me thinks. Spoke a bit about it myself today (must be on a lot of minds).

    Slow or fast becomes irrelevant in the face of joy...or gratitude.

    Wish I could see that Candid Camera exhibit! but good to see a wonderful snippet of handwriting :>]

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  10. india, it seems to me that people get all revved up over their principles way too much. dorothy sayers says (or rather lord peter says) the first thing a principle does is kill someone. i'd rather dialogue than preach.

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  11. again a word, idfluct, for us from blogger...

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  12. SHRIEK !!!
    I would never use Spiders
    in a dye bath
    OMG
    a couple of Hail Mary,s
    and Our Father's
    are required here ...

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  13. relax, dear Twisted
    i haven't murdered any spiders [far too busy admiring their skillful weaving along the fairy lights on my porch]
    thank you everybody for your thoughtful contributions
    and yes
    joy and gratitude are prevalent this morning

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  14. ahhhh ...mindfulness

    with that
    i would remember where i set down my glasses and my glass..
    i would know the name of that newly introduced person sitting next to me...
    and i would not miss the corner i am meant to turn
    i need to lift some mindfullness weights, mindfully .

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  15. Why choose? We can have it all can't we? Especially in the wonderful country we live in, especially here in SA, but don't tell, it might get crowded.

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  16. you just DID tell, Von!

    but you're right. there are enough things in the world with labels - but i guess people still like to gather around a campfire, whether it's a real one in the great outdoors, a television set or a group of some kind

    whatever floats the boat...

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  17. well said.

    (those are the best words I can come up with at the moment! but so admired what you wrote I had to say something...also glad to hear your mum is ok
    xo,
    Jeana)

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  18. Oh, I like to drive fast too! But everything else I do is slow.

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  19. Well said, India! I tend to agree and have paid special attention to your bundling of cloth around a pocketful of windfalls..... and half a piano on the wall.

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