For those who are interested, here is the link for Sleep No More
Day 3- 2 minutes of Gratitude--art/artists and the creative people who live it and also make it their life's work to create experiences for others. Tonight's post is late--it's technically already day 4, but I returned late from seeing "sleep no more" and my mind feels piqued but sleepy. It's not a show, it's not a play---it's an immersive experience, one that is of your own creation, limited only by physical factors such as the physical space, the actors and the other people who are also moving around. The company that put it together made five floors of rooms and scenes to explore. We were also made to wear masks and not talk during the whole experience. The performers also did not speak and they were all amazingly talented. The attention to detail was superb. For three hours you could find yourself chasing after different characters up and down five floors of rooms, or get caught in a detail, some object in a room that catches your eye and you stop and go in. You can open the drawers, read the letters, unroll the maps, look inside things. It's a lot of work to bring a vision to life. I want to thank the artists in my life for creating these types of experiences in your own ways for the rest of us. My eyelids are closing before I can tag all of the wonderful artists I know on this post. Artists, you know who you are. I send you lots of love and thanks.
For those who are interested, here is the link for Sleep No More
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I fell in love about 9 months ago. This new love has gently encouraged me to grow and get stronger in ways that I was not very. It showed up at a time when I felt bored and stuck and weak. All I had was work, and though I like what I do, I was not feeling like my spirit was being engaged or nourished. This new love is Brazilian and comes with a very rich, proud, and tumultuous lineage and history. This new love is called Capoeira, and it's a brazilian martial art, dance, and so much more. I had always had the dream of "mastering" my body, or at least feeling strong and powerful. Historically I have always been a sedentary kid, preferring to read books rather than go outside and play. I love to dance, but I was never trained or committed to one form. In the beginning I was more of a dabbler, where work would get in the way of classes and it would be one time on and then a bunch of time off, but last July, I found myself wanting to move to the next level and started training more consistently. It has been humbling to say the least. In intellectual matters, I was always able to get by without trying too hard. When I am there, training, all of my stuff comes up. My dyslexic tendencies, my disorientation to head changing position, motor planning my body and balancing myself in these seemingly precarious positions. I have a hard enough time maneuvering my own body, just imagine adding to the mix someone in front of me kicking and moving around. It's like spaz city. Oh, and then there is singing. Oh glorious singing. The words which I cannot always make out but can now mouth along relatively well. In my mind it's a total disaster, and there is no semblance of "looking good" or "being smooth" I threw out any notion of that months ago, but I leave each class feeling exhilarated, challenged, perplexed, connected and alive! It's the first time in my life that I feel like I have found something that I can devote my life to and that can hold me along the way. I made a new commitment to myself this new years, to train more and become more proficient, to take my playing to the next level. Tonight I ventured out into the intermediate class. And tonight I received my first hard kick in the head. The funny thing is that I wasn't even inside the "roda" or the circle in which the people are playing. I usually pay attention and move out of the way, but the short time that I looked sideways away from the players, bam! there it was on the side of my head. The therapist part of me always has a momentary panic when I see someone get kicked("oooh.....that's going to torque the sphenoid....") but it's different when it happens to you because in just a single moment like that, EVERYTHING that you hold together on your daily life comes to the surface. Does this look bad? how could I be so stupid? Why did I look away? Did I break my cheek? How do I react to this? And then there is the involuntary reaction of your face that twists into a quivering mass and you find yourself fighting the urge to cry like a little baby. I was afraid to talk to anyone because I was afraid that I would start crying. I wasn't mad. It just hurt and it wasn't something that I was accustomed to. But leaving it, something changed. It's like the fear of getting hit that usually keeps me out, is somewhat lessened because I am alive and fine. It feels like an initiation and a test to challenge my commitment. I feel lucky right now because I have two very special teachers who are living inspirations to me because they live the principles that they teach and play by. I realized I am scared to play sometimes because I don't want to get hurt, but then you miss out. You miss out on pieces of yourself you avoid. You miss out on pieces of yourself that are truly strong. You miss out on pain that is another sign that you're alive. There's something beautiful and so human about this pain. I am thankful for my kick in the head. According to the book, "The Happiness Advantage" by Shawn Achor, of TED talk "Happiness Secret" fame, scientific answers point to a resounding YES! Research shows that contrary to popular belief and endless reinforcement by EVERYONE, from parents, teachers, popular media and advertisers, success does not guarantee happiness. But all is not lost! The research goes further to show that happiness guarantees success!!!! Isn't that great???? This is from the growing field of positive psychology and these research studies were not conducted by some woowoo obscure fringe organization cloistered on Mt. Shasta. These are outcomes that have been replicated over and over again by respected research institutions like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. These studies have shown time and time again, that brains that are primed for positivity perform better and grasp more opportunities than brains that are primed for negativity. I encourage you to read the book and start today to prime your brain for happiness and success. Here are some actions that I gleaned from the book that you can start using today to start rewiring your brain(it’s just the tip of the iceberg but enough to get you started). Everyday for the next 60 days(at least) do at least ONE of the following things: -exercise -meditate -do 2 minutes of appreciation-write for 2 minutes about something you appreciate or have gratitude for -write down 3 things about yourself that you like/appreciate -send a short email/write a note to someone in your social/family circle appreciating them for something that they’ve done--a good job, a quality about them that you like or that has had an impact on you in some way -journal about one thing that has happened in the last 24 hours that you are thankful for Done consistently, these actions will start to prime your brain for positivity, which will have a positive impact on your health, sense of well-being, and success. Have you tried this before and it hasn’t really worked or you’ve had a hard time keeping up with it? You are not alone. One of the most important things that Shawn talks about in his book is community. This is where one of our erroneous beliefs also come to pass a lot, where we feel like we have to first be happy before we can be in community with other people. But science shows that this is backwards. Rather than buckling down and isolating yourself, the best way to get happy and ensure your success is to enlist a friend, colleague, or family member. You have to of course choose a partner that is on the same page as you, but this is a way to help with accountability, but more importantly to make the activity FUN! It was heartening for me to read these suggestions in Shawn’s book because intuitively, I was already doing most of the things that were listed in his book. The one thing that I WAS NOT doing, which I realized in reading this, was to have a community of people to share it with. I kept saying to myself, “Once I reach this level of happiness, then I will be acceptable enough to be happy with other people” or something to that effect. That has changed in the last few years, but I feel that if I had gotten myself some support with peers, then the process of growing my life and work would have been way more fun. So I encourage you to try the steps I have outlined above. They are easy to implement and they DO work. Please like this message if you did, and share it with your friends! If you tried some of these techniques and they worked for you, please share your successes in the comments below! My best friend, Aurora. If I really were to write everything I am thankful about with regards to Aurora, it would take more than 2 minutes. 2 hours at least and I'd just then be getting on a roll. I am starting this rampage of appreciation with her, because, even though my love and appreciation for her goes without saying, she did this for me, which seemingly came from left field, but blasted open my heart and made me cry--in the best way possible. If I can make her, and perhaps other people feel a fraction of the gratitude I felt in being appreciated, I want to do all I can do to it. She's influenced me in this way, and so many other ways, I guess it's only fitting that I follow in her footsteps again. I don't want to make Aurora cry, necessarily, and my words will fail to illustrate the depth of person she is, or the appreciation and love I have for her, but here goes! =) Aurora came into my life when I was not really looking for a friend. I was kind of a loner and in that stage of teenage-hood where I wasn't really sure I liked people in general. But we met, and started getting to know each other and there was no pushing or forcing or trying too hard---it just kind of flowed and it was easy and I learned very quickly that she was a special person and a kindred spirit. There are so many memories and so many good times, too many to recount here, but there are a few key memories that stand out in my mind about the kind of person Aurora is. She is someone who has challenged my limits of thinking and possibility and I feel like many of our interactions go something like this: Mari:"Oh, no. You can't do that, that's impossible". Aurora: (already doing it and looking back over her shoulder) "what did you say?" Mari: ".........um. Nothing". She has taught me about bravery and following your gut and not compromising on what is important. She is tough and strong yet unbelievably tender and gentle and loving as well. She knows my deepest wounds and hurts, yet cradles them, respects and loves them as if they were her own. But it doesn't stop there because she challenges them to heal so they don't fester. Talking to her makes me feel clearer in who I am, and also the ways I want to grow. I remember when she first got her wobbly cats, and she was showing me how to feed them when I was going to watch them for her. The first time I saw her gently cradle Snick's wavering noggin so that he could steady himself enough to eat better it was like something melted inside of me. That hardness that you feel sometimes when you feel like the world is against you and you have to fight for everything---that feeling melted away because she showed me that there is love and caring in the world. She is so caring and gentle and resourceful without looking for praise or acknowledgement. You just do what needs to be done and that's that. Aurora is these things and so much more, and I know that all of you who have interacted with her know in your own way her brilliance and bravery. We started a list of "First's" when we were in high school. I believe "tattoos" and "world domination" are still in progress, but we have scratched off many amazing experiences and I look forward to creating and crossing off many more. |
Mari MiyoshiChanging the brain is the new frontier to changing your life. I am not only the practitioner but also a continual client. My own brain as well as those who entrust me with their brains, never ceases to amaze me in its capacity to change, re-learn, and create! Archives
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