In this world we have the opportunity to explore, to be, to find outlets that may not be open to us in RL. While there are differences in what we can do – limitations, this doesn’t take away the core of the art or the telling of our own stories in our own way.
Watch, feel, and see…no matter our medium, it is the same. May you be as inspired and moved as I am. Tell your story through motion.
Not a poem I have written, but one that speaks to me on this day and also inspires.
Many know me as good natured, a soft touch, and a large heart. I give all I am to others to support them, at times to my own detriment. I have my own inner struggles, some I have shared, some I won’t. I believe that each one of us is in this world for a reason, whatever it may be. For some, a sense of normalcy we don’t have in RL, a place of peace in a world of chaos, to feel “normal”, accepted, to explore, to be our true selves, to seek like minded individuals when it feels that no one else sees the world as we do, to not feel alone.
In our world of Second Life, I believe this statement with my whole heart:
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
Be kind. Always.”
Patience. Kindness. Understanding. Acceptance. If we can’t find these in this world, where can we ever hope to find them? Speak with kindness. Listen with understanding. Be patient with others. Accept others for who they are, even if we don’t understand.
“Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.”
This is my second foray into 100 word stories, where you are challenged to write a story using specific words and limited to only 100. This week is two: Mug, Unfortunate, Global, Grime, Elephant, Splat, Dread. I am not a writer but am unexpectedly finding this to be mentally stimulating and relaxing at the same time. (Never said I was normal, did I?) As I write, I find I’m doing it in a sing-songy voice…and now that’s even how I’m talking in my head…^^
A woman of many words becomes one of few. This is mine…
Her posture echoed the age of the building rather than her youthful years of twenty-two. Gilted gold frames had long given way to sticky grime as glorious carpets grew threadbare in the once glamorous hotel, now simply rooms rent by the week.
I gazed from my perch and studied her shambling walk. Unseeing eyes turned toward mine.
I beheld the shell of a woman who’d been queen of her world, lording over others and demanding admiration from all in her presence. It was no more, the gilted gold revealing the lead underneath.
Unfortunate? No, for ye reap what ye sow.
There are some days you just want to roll back into bed before 9 am, and today was most definitely one of those days. Unexpected interactions, surprise disappearances, and the pressure we put on ourselves is this horrid concoction for anxiety – not that it needs any help. I, like many, every day face controlling anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. For me, I know it’s not rational, the thoughts and worries that drown out everything else. Every day I’m aware of the triggers coupled with other factors that can begin a spiral – lack of motivation, lack of creativity, unable to focus, hide under my rock, tiredness. This is NOT me, and it does NOT make me weak.
For me, it is a constant flow of redirecting energy, rebalancing, and opening to inner peace within. Being confident or just rolling with the flow and embracing the moment. If you’ve heard me DJ – you’ve definitely heard me living in the moment!
Often I pour this into my dance – all of it. I believe that even within dance in SL, energy can be expressed. In the creation itself, and also from the performers on the stage. There is true magic there. Those that dance with me are so much more than someone who sits on a pad. It is a connection, a shared moment together, often with playful banter and some ‘loosening up’. Letting go of everything else except for that moment. Trust.
Meditation for me is also a method for channeling energy and reducing stress. Redirection. Below is one that speaks to me, and perhaps others.
Be who you are, without regret, without asking permission, without doubts. You do not lack anything, even though at times you may feel that way – or others may even tell you that you do. Believing in yourself is one of the most powerful acts of kindness you could ever perform and from this can stem so many incredible things.
Your colors, your canvas, your choice, your moments. Own it.
~ Eva
I believe it is passion that inspires creativity, no matter what our medium. Whether it is dance, poetry, or computer coding. As I woke this morning with the edges of a headache after yesterday’s escapade I wondered why we can be so hard on ourselves sometimes – my head swirling with things that need to be done. When did creating become a to do list for me? When did the doubts come trooping in like an army of ants during a summer picnic? When did I stop taking a moment to breathe? A friend recently said to me, “if you are too busy to meditate, you are too busy”.
You are perfect just as you are. All will continue to flow, rising and falling like the ocean waves. Storms will swell and seas will calm. You are stronger and so much more than you know. Be, breathe, and smile…just because.
May you feel the sun shine on your face and music fill your soul. Today is a new day and a new beginning. ~ namaste. ❤
See Me, Feel Me. A dance performance, generally RL, that touched me in some way, but I won’t go into detail how. That’s for you to feel, to see, to listen for yourself. I watch dance performances in SL, and in RL through videos. I sink deep into them, how do I feel, how do I react to it, can I feel the movement, does it inspire me, or do I dislike it. In turn, I believe it expands my own mind and creativity.
Definitely not in a contemporary style mood today. Makes me wonder, would I have slipped into lyrical dance? Time for change, perhaps?
What do you see?
Does your brain spin sometimes? In a never ending whirlwind of stuff? Sometimes things lift out of the swirling fog and stand front and center – demanding attention. My dancers haven’t been dancing in my head like they normally do. I wonder why that is? Maybe I’m the only one with a swirling brain. Maybe I’ve lost focus for a bit and they’re chilling in there, kicking back on the couch and binge watching Netflix.
I couldn’t find any tornadoes I liked, but I did come across this. This kind of feels like my head at the moment, all these light bulbs craving attention – and here I am, small in comparison. I know I want to create and to lose myself while I do – but I’m watering my plants when I should be jumping down the rabbit hole.
I think there are two significant things at play in my current state. Well, maybe three.
Let’s defy convention and start with the third first, shall we? I think the third may be stretching. Nooo…not yoga stretching although that’s on my list to do. I’ve been stretching in how I prepare my teaching, how I present, also working on being a better DJ and looking for that perfect balance in between engaging the audience and streaming for the shows. The central focus is the performance, and I, just like a particle – an enhancement to that. Hmm…interesting thought. Of course, hopefully I have more of a personality than a particle…this consideration making me grin! Not to minimize the DJ of course! My experience? The persona of the DJ/Music Technician can make a significant difference in the overall show – good, bad, or otherwise, PLUS the DJ can increase or reduce stress depending on how they operate and communicate. I’ve seen mutiny against a show DJ – it was NOT pretty thing… I think there were pitchforks and a bonfire.
Non-productive Energy Sucker looks just like this!
So, we only have so much energy and focus at one moment in time, and stretching out of what we are used to, focusing on improving can direct a lot of that away from other things. Brings up doubts we need to face head on too – now THOSE are energy suckers.
Let’s now skip to the first. I believe the first is transition. A gathering period as things change – the way we create, the way we perform, even the way we see the world. At times transition can feel overwhelming, and make us want to crawl back into our warm comfortable hole (or water our plants). It can be a whole barrel full of scary too. Our “whole world” is being shaken upside down and we don’t know what “normal” is anymore.
The second is a bit similar to the first. I believe the second is the fear of change, even while embracing it. Immediately after a transition, time is needed to work through it, adjust to it, but it still doesn’t mean it will be easy or just go away. In moments of doubt, in moments of feeling too much, we may want to climb back into that warm hole of the “known” even when we know we are in a better place. The brain says “you can’t make way for new things if you don’t let go of the past” and everything we’ve heard a million times, but it doesn’t stop those moments of wanting to go back in time when things “were simpler”. Thing is though, that the mind has its own protections and glossing over the past is one of them. Those “simpler times” were filled with challenges of their own that lose their edge over time, become fuzzy or even forgotten.
You know what though? It’s a new week and a new day – even if it’s the M-day! I sometimes forget how music can sooth me, inspire me. A balance of structure, inspiration, and being patient with myself may just be what’s in order for the day.
Create from your soul
~ Eva
There is a beauty in movement, the human body creating form, painting the stage as we flow across the world we create inside inside a simple box. The dancer pauses….then rises again with the music, expressing whatever feeling or emotion the creator chooses.
At times it is not a conscious choice, this act of creation, but a natural love affair. The creator gives freely in a labor of love and the music in turn feeds the soul of the maker. This is what dance is, an act and an art that transcends the mortal world.
Dance begins at :44
There is a beauty in roleplay…writing your own story, living in a world of your creation. For hours and hours I could lose myself within the words that spilled from my fingers. Such depth and feeling as I soared with each word, at times the story writing itself without conscious thought. Twists and turns for hours beyond end. Now? A new challenge unfolds…the one here 100 Word Stories. A woman of many words becomes one of few. This is mine…
I’ve kind of given up on my inventory. It desperately needs sorting, but my compulsive ways are refocused a bit – for now. Sure, it may take me 30 minutes to dress in SL, but I’m sure I’ll get back to wondering why I own 834 dresses…
I tend to do a lot of introspection, kind of odd when I keep reminding myself to get “outta my head”. What can I say? I’m an introvert – that’s my happy place sometimes, where I can dream, imagine, and line up everything in nice even rows. I’m finding that I need a sense of structure and order to stave off the inner chaos – to keep moving along and feel at peace. Of course, this week has been anything but structured but I feel a slow evolution taking place – and it feels ‘right’.
I wish there was more time, but I guess with a limited amount of time you always have to put value on what is most important to you. Even after doing that, it’s a constant re-evaluation. Every moment of every day we are in a different place in our lives – what is going on around us, our emotional state, events that are happening. That is actually one of the reasons I’m here in this world. In an odd way, SL (for me) provides a sense of stability. There are other reasons, but those I reserve for another time.
I learn a lot about myself in this world. I’ve done things I never thought I could do. I’ve built on skills that can apply to both worlds. At times I’ve looked at myself in a mirror and at times that’s not always an easy thing to do. “Growth opportunities.” Makes me feel like a plant!
Wow – I just love this idea! I’m going to start doing this for all my new plant purchases. Let the insanity ensue!
So, speaking of growth. Ever hear of the 100 word challenge? I’m giving it a go, and will be posting it here too. Now that I know I will never be an American Idol winner (have you heard me sing???), I’ll try an awesome bit of bite size creativity.
Putting in a bit of structure and organization, and working hard to prepare for the two workshops tomorrow. Hmmm….this picture gives me a smile, and gives me more ideas. Perhaps in need an insanometer on this blog, kind of like a tomatometer for movies.
Makes me wonder, does creativity seek a balance of structure at times? A rebuilding period?
All I know, is if I don’t do laundry soon I’ll be naked….
~ Eva 😀
Madness, Matter, and Rambling Thoughts 