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Having faith

Submitted by Tango on Fri, 2006-11-03 18:11.

I was flipping through my clay journal recently. I call it a "clay journal" because that's where I sketch out ideas I have for future pots, pieces living in my imagination (most of them never get made, by the way). But it's really a life journal because I also use it to scribble my thoughts and experiences. Now that I think about it, all my thoughts and experiences have something to do with clay even if I don't consciously realize it. Clay is the earth, and therefore life itself. In fact, now that I think about it, all my thoughts and experiences have something to do with dance too. Dance is breath itself.

But I digress. I was flipping through my clay journal and came across this list I wrote called: "Things to Remember In Clay." The first item I wrote on the list was: "Don't cheat the process."

I started thinking about that again. Don't cheat the process. And of course I was reminded that this is applicable not just to working with clay, but in everything -- in my dance, in my work, in my partnership. Have faith in the effort. Have faith in the process. That is where the sweat happens. That is where the seeing and hearing and listening occurs. That is where the love blooms. When I have faith in the process itself, it gives me strength in this world of uncertainty, this unchartered journey.

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John Says:
Fri, 2006-11-03 22:44

Amen, Trudes, amen. I don't know how to do pottery, but I'm guessing there are steps to go through and if you skip any of them your work winds up poorly done. That reminds me of a hike I took once along Hurricane Hill up on Hurricane Ridge. It was a tough hike, but I wanted to do it because I was sure the end of the trail would yield a spectacular view. And it did, but getting there was hard. The weather was clear and the sun hot, but there was also a very cold wind blowing so I was alternately sweating and freezing. When I walked behind a rock that shielded me from the wind I had to take my jacket off because of the heat. But then when I got out into the wind again I began to shiver.

The view at the top was indeed breathtaking. When I went back there this year I thought about going up the hill again but decided it was too much work. The point is that the only way to the reward was to tough it out on the trail. I like the way you applied your artistic principles to all phases of life. The good stuff is worked out in the sweat. There are no shortcuts.

I'm finding, like you, that dancing is the same. I understand in my head how the movement and learning to be free and listen to the inner voice can open one up to the truth. But, especially for one like me who most of the time lives in his head, it must be taken on faith that it works. The testimony of many dancers is that it does work, so that adds support to the idea. I, too, have faith that as I dance, live my life, walk the trail sweating and freezing, the process works and more and more I will feel, hear, and understand. Thank you for your imagery.

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