SALON 19: At the Threshold...
Over a year of planning for a big day - a reception to launch the first book published by my company, my friend's memoir, years of labors-of-love finally unveiled...
Hundreds of photaes taken that day of speakers at microphones, musicians playing beautiful music, presentations and book-signings, guests mingling, old friends reconnecting...
Yet, as I cull through them, this is the one that stands out. This is the one that speaks best of the day, and of the reason for these events we put together to honor and give focus to one person's creative product...
It's all about those lone, quiet moments of creative process, of becoming lost in the DOING or the MAKING of the thing.
Just a young woman, hidden in the shadows, playing her flute while the rest of us gather and make all the noise of busy birds at a feast of literary crumbs.
I know this young woman, we had a few conversations this summer while I was in New Mexico. She is a visual artist, a musician, a seeker, she is intense and playful, focused and scattered, yin and yang. Her excitement and joy and bewilderment and pure energy is such a reminder of my own young time, those first days of poetry and words and promise, of such intense emotion.
This picture is so perfect, of her. She's playing her music at a threshold. And that is where she is, in her life. At a threshold.
Many of us have already passed through those kinds of openings, and we are at the other side, quite far from that archway, grappling with the thing we have become, the place we have created, by having chosen that particular opening through which to walk.
But life has a way of presenting us with new thresholds, no matter where we are on the path, no matter how long we have been on the path. Christopher Vogler in The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, notes thresholds and threshold guardians as archetypal - ala Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey - in our creative work: "A hero hesitates at the threshold to experience the fear, to let the audience know the formidability of the challenges ahead. But eventually fear is overcome or set aside, often with the help of wise, protective figures or magical gifts, representing the energy of the next stage..." and "We must take the leap of faith into the unknown or else the adventure will never really begin".
I think this young woman in the photae is quietly contemplating that leap...and using the magical gift of her flute, sending out a song ahead of her steps.
Creatively speaking, have you crossed any thresholds lately? Did you sing softly as you passed through, or scream like a baby being born? Did you land yet?
I would love to hear your stories!
SOME PRACTICAL NOTES...
What It Is...
You may notice that I have changed the name of this blog from "Workshop/Salon" to just "Salon". Having the summer to think it over and looking back on our discussions here these past 18 months, it seems to me that we are more of a salon than a workshop, thus the more clear definition from now on.
Chance to Register for a Writing Workshop!
I am embarking on a more traditional "workshop" format at another website, in another arena where I am joining other writer workshop teachers. I have decided to put my "workshop teacher" skills over there for now (alongside the work I do one-on-one with writers as an editor in "3-D life"). I hope you will all visit that new arena and tell others about it and maybe sign up for one of my workshops. The website is up, my workshops will be posted for registration in the next few days and will be held in October and November, then more in the spring. That's at http://writefine.com.
So, here at A Bear Named Hope, we will continue our creative discussions which are so rich and rewarding!
Speaking of HERE, here is the upcoming line up. I'll send notices if you are on my emailing list, closer to the dates.
OUR CALENDAR:
September 22-September 29
I am here to share in the salon discussion about thresholds (or wherever our discussions go!). Then I will be unavailable on the Internet from 9/20-10/14, so will leave you to it without me.
October 19-November 2, 2007:
Thoughts From the Highlands. On my return from a creative retreat in the Scottish Highlands, I will post a salon. Since I haven't crossed that threshold yet, I can't yet predict what it will be about! I'll bring back some seashells and things to ponder, no doubt...
November 3-17, 2007
Harry Willson, Amador Publishers, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Harry Willson writes novels, short stories, essays, rants and book-length philosophical memoirs. His most recent titles are Freedom From God: Restoring the Sense of Wonder and Myth and Mortality: Testing the Stories. Find excerpts and more about this very interesting man -- who is now a wise elder, I would say! -- on the website at http://www.amadorbooks.com/. Again, I am very honored we will have him as a host. Closer to the date I will announce his exact salon topic, but it will be derived from a section in Freedom From God.
November 18-December 2, 2007:
Darrell Laurant, Founder and Head Honcho at The Writer's Bridge, http://www.thewritersbridge.com/ an on-line agency whereby he helps put freelance writers and editors together with magazines and those in need of such services. As a veteran newspaper columnist and freelancer, he says, "I've become frustrated by the randomness of the current market 'system' and haunted by all the voices that aren't being heard. That's all changing, and my primary goal in life is to help effect that change." I've been a great admirer of Laurant's mind, energy, attitude and integrity for many years and am thrilled that he has agreed to host one of our salons. (His topic TBA.)
December 3-17, 2007:
LaVon Rice. Based in Northern New Mexico, LaVon Rice writes frequently about "artivism" for Colorlines, and is the scriptwriter for an upcoming film about women, silence and AIDS in South Africa. She will lead us in a discussion on Social Responsibility and the Creative Process, and I am particularly delighted for us all to get to know this woman!
December 18-December 31:
I'll be sharing some links with you to some Scottish musical wonders!
January 2008:
Brett Weber of Broken Art Gallery (http://www.brokenartgallery.com/) His website tells you it is about "The Healing Art of Creativity: combating chronic stress, depression and multiple sclerosis (MS), but learning some colorfully sweet notes along the way." I discovered Brett Weber through his art on the Internet, and have been following his phenomenally energetic career for some time now. I am also partial to knowing anything about his wonderful dog Sophia (all email announcements from Brett are really from Brett & Sophia). PLEASE go check his website, it is so uplifting and exciting and colorful and has nice music to boot! I am thrilled that he has agreed to take part in our salon (exact dates TBA), and we will link to any donation opportunities during his salon. He is doing very important good work on the planet.
Blessings, DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO!
And please remember, I am always happy to talk to potential new hosts and hostesses. It's free, it's fun, it's networking!
Photo by Rogulja Wolf (c) 2007
posted by Spiritbear @ 7:26 AM
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