Peter’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2011)

Peter’s comments from the Mind Work group.

It's a powerful memory for me, Ruth, still today.

How do you turn your distractions (the big ones--love, money, work, fear) into inspiration to focus? Or do you find inspiration in the simple fact that your art distracts you from your distractions?

How does this conflict shape your relationship to your practice?

Nice observation, Ruth!

Have you thought about looking for the grit in your own mind, Ruth? Workshops are good, but what's inside is better! I try to find out where the grit is, and then work with it. Cheers, P

Ha! Sounds familiar! When the wheels are spinning, it's risky to rev up. You need some grit for the tires to get a grip on. It may be a matter of getting out of the head's dreams, intentions, fears, etc., and down into the stuff of reality.

The groundlessness is great, Lisa. But avoidance... not so much!

And Ruth... procrastination is a great strategy of avoidance!

Lisa, thanks for the interest in my One Hour/One Painting sessions. I'm on a summer break right now, but will be starting up with some new venues in the fall. There's a OH/OP Facebook page, where you can get more information. Also, if you care to send me an email address, I'll get you on my list for updates. I'm at peterclothier@mac.com. Best, Peter

We all have patterns of mind--some creative, some less so. What is your least helpful mental pattern? (One of mine: it's not worth the effort.)

Thanks for the memory, Ruth! That's pretty far back. My own earliest memory is of WWII England, with refugees bused out from the London blitz and overnighting in our cellar. Their fear was contagious!

How much of your creative process involves memories? Are there times when you are more likely to tap into memories for inspiration or is it purely subconscious?

Yup, that's the hard one!

No Susan, it didn't scare me off, I just haven't been checking my Goodreads site often enough.

Grief can be a wonderful teacher if you manage to acknowledge it without getting attached. Conflicting messages suggest to me that you're getting stuck. The best way I know to get unstuck is to observe the negative emotion in quiet meditation and simply allow the mind to move on. Hard to describe...

Hello All!

I'd like to invite you to present a topic of discussion. Something that has been on your mind of late revolving around the ideas we are discussing in this group? Thoughts, experiences, advice.

Would love to hear any of it!

Cheers.

Just as well!

Thanks for the welcome response Susan. This, for me is what it's all about. I hope we can find further connections in the future.

I like the approach: fire-stealing is a great old tradition. I believe it started with Prometheus--or maybe a little before, just not recorded. Cheers, P

I mean, to find the necessary discipline. Or not... But I'd also be interested in the difference between living and vocation. I know that one's a struggle.

Yes, Susan, I find that it works well for me. So easy... and so hard to keep at it!

Hello Reprehensible!

You sound a lot like me but my socks match. So I guess I'm kind of boring too.

Discipline can be boring but it gets results. I find that the discipline of a regular schedule is a helpful start.

What do you do?