“Always tell the truth. Then you don't have to remember anything.”
Mark Twain

Roughin' it

Good Advice from Thelonius Monk

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… supposedly to saxophonist Steve Lacy

monk

(I found this here – thank you Tina)

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Thoughtful Video

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Watch a comparison between a video clip budget and … an alternative to what can be with that money

Sarah McLachlan – World On Fire

I learned about this through twitter – and couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t sent through a fashionable iPhone or similar device – that was purchased as an indulgence – similar to that which is high-lighted in the video clip. Are we just comfortable bring critical of wrongs or also willing to act with personal sacrifice to make a right?

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Shitafon Performance

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Shahar & Yael have been working for some time on a piece called Shitafon (a word in hebrew which can be translated as “flood”). A few weeks ago I joined the process and we had an amazing session on a cold beach at 6am. Yael took some serious punishment and with it most of the adrenalin. If you haven’t already been to SweetClarity – then this is a great opportunity – there you can see what happened during that session.

This process will come into focus as a performance on February 12th at Tmuna Theatre in Tel-Aviv at 20:00. I will be there though my role remains a mystery and surprise. If you are in the area please do come. This is a rare occasion.

shitafon

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Touch

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Enjoy : )

Invitation at Dock 11 from Rachel Brooker on Vimeo.

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Ocarina

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Innovation : )

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Mongol

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What was once, to me, nothing more then a lyric from a stupid song from a stupid song-contest has turned out to be a masterful history lesson in this movie. About half way through the movie I suddenly realized the identify of the main character who’s life and motivation is portrayed (and whom I never knew much previously). Ironically I came across his name recently when inquiring about another movie – but more on that soon. In the meanwhile enjoy a brilliant movie with a powerful historical perspective:

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Ray LaMontagne

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A voice and presence with power, conviction, gentleness and caress. Enjoy 🙂

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Fuck Me

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A great monologue by a great actor (Edward Norton) in a great movie (The 25th Hour). Watch it all the way through. Enjoy : )

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Gianmaria Tesla

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Three days ago I did not know he exists, two days ago I could not say remember his name, yesterday I could not remember it, today I can write it. Enjoy : )

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Great Advice

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I came across this collection of tips for aspiring Shakuhachi makers. As I read it I realized its great all-around advice in art, business , life & what not. Simply replace the Shakuhachi specific words with whatever field of life you are currently facing and take to heart. Enjoy : )

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Yoga & Breath – Movement

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Now that we have a basic Ujjayi breath to work with – let’s try to make a simple connection with movement. We are going to be using a very simple exercise to demonstrate this. The simplicity of the exercise is leaves space to explore the subtle relationship between breath and movement – I invite you to embrace this simplicity and spend some time with it before moving on to more challenging asana (exercises). I will also be revisiting this simple exercise as we elaborate further on the qualities of ujjayi breathing.

To demonstrate the exercise I would like to introduce stick figures. These are drawings which can be used to describe and document a practice. The first figure is the posture I described previously of lying down on the back with both feet standing.

supine_feetstand

Read More »

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The Next 9/11?

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DISCLAIMER: I am no journalistic writer. The thoughts embodied in this text exist coherently within me and it seemed a good thing to share them. Their external coherency is completely up to you!

The  Bhagavad Gita, though it is a religious text, is also considered a source of inspiration in Yoga. I had the pleasure of exploring some of it during a retreat a few years ago. It is part of a larger epic tale “The Mahabharata” which tells a soap-opera-like story with many twists and turns and describes the history that leads to a war where the two combating sides are of the same ancestral family. The Gita begins (following a short summation of the situation for those who did not see the previous chapters) when Arjuna, the mightiest archer-warrior alive, asks Krishna, no less then a god incarnated acting as his chariot-driver, to take him out to the middle of the battle-field. There Arjuna rises to stand,  looks to the enemy front where he sees his uncles and cousins. He then collapses back into his seat in despondency and depression saying to Krishna that he cannot fight this war. The  greatest warrior alive gets depressed at the outset of the greatest war in history. Read More »

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Magnolia

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According to the soundtrack CD liner-notes – the movie “Magnolia” is rooted in the songs by Aimee Mann which decorate the movie. This song “Wise-Up” beautifully brings the converging stories and characters together as each one seems to find a personal introspective moment carried by the the lyrics of the song. Enjoy : )

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Arriving

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I recently had the pleasure of performing with Shlomit again – this time in a small and intimate gallery in Jerusalem. The performance was an invitation to respond to the space itself and to the exhibition that it contained. It had been a long physical and metaphysical journey that brought me to this performance. In the end it was my simple wish to immerse myself again (it has been a while) in a creative bubble that motivated me to set out and complete the journey. I am glad I did.

Ironically, especially now as I read the words I have written, the highlight of the evening was for me before the performance itself. I usually prefer to get the technical setup done and then take time to myself. An electrical outlet changed those plans – I now had to wait for the electrician. So I laid down on the floor, on my back, and spent some time settling. When my body felt the need to move I let it, and soon I was again lying on the floor face down, my left cheek touching the floor, my arm partly obstructing my view. Then it happened.

I think that for the first time in my life I was conscious of arriving. It was as if the blinking of my eyelids came to a stop and sight became still. It was as if a comet trail I left behind me finally caught up with me and I came into focus. I do not recall sounds – everything went quiet. Someone moved through my field of vision, yet my attention did not follow. All my senses felt open yet steadily turned inwards. I was in peaceful awe. Though I feel this is a familiar experience – I don’t recall being so aware of it before.

I cannot say much about the performance itself and I don’t really want to. I can say that for the first time I was completely free – even from, and maybe especially from, photography. I was not looking for images, I was completely in a performance body dancing (no point in avoiding that word anymore) with Shlomit. I, also for the first time in a performance, played my Shakuhachi – and it too was so kind to me, sounds came with ease. I did not see the images that I took and were projected into the space, and I have not even downloaded them from the camera. Even in this writing, I have no motivation to go through a process of photography to display and share images.

After the performance Andreea and I went to a wonderful japanese restaurant. My body was warm and overheating – I removed all but one layer of clothing in the cool Jerusalem weather. As we sat down Radiohead’s “House of Cards” was playing in the background and I felt as if I was sinking into it. When I took the first spoonful of warm soup my eyes closed and my entire body embraced it like it rarely does anymore. The experience of flavor was refreshing and new. With my hunger satisfied we began the journey back home. I was alert and awake despite the late hour.

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No words!

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Jamie Lidell

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Another recent pearl in my musical awareness. Upbeat embracing, comforting and perking-upping at the same time. Enjoy : )

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The SweetClarity Business

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My yoga teachers training course included studies of a prominent Yoga text called “The Yoga Sura” by Patanjali. If memory serves – there is a part in the second chapter that talks about a path of devotion – which is an optional path in Yoga. In this part of the text the word God appeared several times and I encountered much friction with it  – even though the Yoga Sutra is carefully crafted as a non-religious text. I was able to transform that friction into a supportive curiosity by playing around with an alternate word – quality. It seemed to fit in perfectly and it resonated within me deeply.

Over the past two years I have been immersed in creative exploration of art that is dedicated to inspiration, art that embraces and commits to a present moment – over and over again. In it I found an opportunity to experience quality – and ironically I found myself reinstating the word God. I have said many times and truly believe that when beautiful images occur before me and are captured through me – it is the work of God. My work is more about not-doing, not getting in the way, remaining present, being there when divine expression takes place.

When I left my last steady/paying job over two years ago I was scared. For the first two weeks I was scared about money and where it would come from. Then that fear was replaced by another fear – which surprised me. Read More »

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Glimpses 06 – December 2008

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i have taken another liberty – and i have shaken the grip that time had on glimpses. though i am still taking a trip down memory line – i am no longer committed to a linear trip. i am releasing the memories as they come. sometimes it starts with an image that leads to a memory and words, other times it is a memory that leads to images and words. this time though – it’s a word that led to a memory of images and then more words. violence.

Read More »

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Upcoming Performance in Jerusalem

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On the coming thursday – December 11th – I will partake in an improvised performance space that will take place at Beit Anna Ticho (9 Harav Kuk St. – Jerusalem).  The performance is taking place within a photography exhibition titled “Woman with a Camera”. There will be three performance groups that will perform consecutively and in a loop from 20:00 – 22:00.  I have been invited to perform with Shlomit (who I first met here) – and I am grateful for this opportunity to work with her again. During her performances I will be using live-stills. Ilay will also be there so I expect to do something with him as well.  Should be good fun – please come if you are in the area.

 

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Woah Jolene!

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Ever since I started the “enjoy” category (thanks again Ryan for the inspiration!) I really enjoy my excursions into youtube land – I run into some surprising stuff and usually burn up way too much time on it : ) During my recent excursion for the post on Cake – I came across this ooooomph version of my parent’s-generation-classic-all-time-favorite Jolene. Speechless! If my parents happen to come across this – then… we’ll have something to talk about at the next family dinner : ) These are the White Stripes. Enjoy : )

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