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sense of self

Hidden or unused

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A lot is going on in this planetrails timelapse from last night. Planes taking off, landing, crossing here and there, a few satellites moving against the steady paths of the stars. And amongst it all are dim trails. Just traces. By smaller planes, traveling along a route to less visited places. Maybe it’s a leisurely flight.

Even though at first glance they look the same, there seems to be a huge difference beetween the hidden path and the unused. I think that’s by design.

In your journeys do you travel the well trodden paths? Do you look for the abandoned tread?Or do you seek the more mysterious hidden way?

Take a different path today. How did it make you feel? How did your feet find it?

Reflection

A lot is happening in this image and in it I have a little foreknowledge; I know how this scene unfolded. Near the beginning a couple planes take off together, maybe fighter planes. And they wander around together creating a faint trail. I’m fascinated while hiking with faint traces; old unused trails, faint animal paths. And I reflected on how some of these paths may be well used but just camouflaged, hidden from plain view. Where do these paths lead? What is there meaning? Will this trail evolve into a well used path or will the well-used paths fall into disuse and forgetfulness. What stories were told along these paths? and how can I add a few words to the journey?

Trends

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It’s so tempting to follow someone’s process aiming for their success. Every one has their own path, their own skills, their unique view of the world. Instead of going for sharper, supersaturated and brighter, I went the other way with this photo. A simpler view of the world.

Create something simple today.

Reflection

While coding my final project for Creative Coding class, I reflected on how easy it is with the internets and all the social media to copy someone else; trying for their success. But it seems that with unique skills and points of view, we have our own ideas to add to the universe. Unique ideas, wholly our own, a glimpse at an adjacent possible that no one else notices. How important is that? Hugely. For this piece of art, I took an amazing sunrise. It didn’t need any more saturation or boosting of color. It was as vibrant as it could be. And then I went simpler with it by using the low-poly generator that I built to bust it up into its tiny areas of color. And it’s spectacular still.

The Trails

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I can see why the ancients believed the stars guide destiny. Night after night the lights in the firmament of night follow their course, sure of their path. We are more like the wandering planets picking our way along a starry path sometimes so certain of our course; other times hopelessly lost.

It’s ok to be wandering.

Reflection

Night after night, the stars follow their paths but we don’t do that. With our metacognition and mindfulness, we can choose a more wandering path. I have a distinctly different style of gameplay than my son. His is fast and designed to win. I wander around the board looking to fulfill quests and find new treasures. I think it’s OK to choose to wander or play fast and furious. But we should do so without judgment.

Fine Threads

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Fine threads bind us. Like a string of spiderweb from beyond. Little bridges from the known to the unknown. I think often of the spans my mind builds to get me from here to there, forwarding kindnesses from my past self to my future self. Pondering an adjacent possible using what I know and transforming it into new perception.
 
What are you working on that will become your adjacent possible? 

Reflection

I remember while taking the photo wondering about that little spider web that bridged the post with the grass. I’m sure the spider didn’t set out to get a better vantage but it did introduce a different though very small hunting area. It’s just one example of the possibilities that open up when we move to a different place, gain a different vantage, connect with someone new.

#mindfulness #senseofself #adjacentpossible

Unexpected Trails

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In the realm of unexpected, this fits right in. I thought I’d get some star trails (the bright, straight streak is Mars) rising over the city. And in addition I got the rhythm of plane trails, the comings and goings from DIA(a new photo series in the making??)

In the regular drumbeat in the perceived world of fake news, click-bait, binge watching and FOMO, the unexpected is a distraction taking us off of our false path. But the real world is full of the unexepected. We are made to navigate this truer path into unknown lands. I’ve come to expect the unexpected and thrill at its revealing. Are you ready to travel into the unexpected with bravery and curiosity?

Today, meet the unexpected with a smile instead.

Reflection

The unexpected discovery was the goal of this post. Do I know myself enough to enjoy something unexpected.

#mindfulness #senseofself

Bowl of Fire – Day 2

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Every sunrise is different. Different colors caused by different sky conditions; different patterns caused by different clouds. All just as beautiful. What differences will you make or see today??

Reflection

Every day is different and yet basically I am the same. My sense of being, my core values all solid if I have prepared correctly)

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