Space

Making space: In your closet, in your cupboards, in your body, in your mind.

Decorating space: On your walls, in your rooms, on a blank canvas.

Needing space: From negative people, from debilitating thoughts, for positive feelings, for beautiful objects.

Having (a) space: Calling it your own. coming to it, leaving it, shutting off the lights.

Creating space:  Conscious breathing,  conscious 'letting go', AND bringing it all together with a sumptuous rug. (!)

Find your space.

Joy (in religion)

Today was an odd day. I was stifled by disappointing information in the morning. Despite going for a walk and taking a photo, I didn't download it. Not all that inspired visually today, so here's one from Dussara, a holiday here in India, in September.

I met a guy tonight who kept telling me to feel the music and let it take over your body. "Music is my religion" he said. He exercises this religion. His every pore feels music. He is truly high on music! An African brother, a beautiful spec clad black boy. And I felt stiff, self conscious, embarrassed. why- I don't know. It bothered me to know I was stiff; to feel my legs heavy; my knees rigid; my hips hard because my mind was caged with too many thoughts. A battlefied.

Coming home I thought 'oh nooo I havent kept my photo a day ritual', even though I took a photo today. This was the first picture that came to mind to post. The movement, the flouncy hair and fabric. The unadulterated joy colouring her face, highlighting her body.

Joy. Joy is mindless.

Rememberance Day

This is a cheat. I took it last night but cropped it tonight.

Spoke to my students about Rememberance Day and wowie am I a pacifist! I was saying how atrocious war is. One boy was like, 'but war is normal miss B. Fighting for land! Fighting for your Country! If it wasn't then we wouldn't be doing it!'

'Not so little man! It's (here I am doing some air quotes) 'normal' to lie and to cheat and to steal, but it's still wrong, right?' There's always other ways to handle things, right?

He shrugs and smiles ruefully.

Sometimes we do things even though we know they're wrong. Even when we know they're wrong; we tell ourselves it's okay to be wrong sometimes.

I'm talking about two different things here, can you tell?

I want a dog

Yeah. I remember Freska, Loufka and Lola, I remember Obelix and Doudou, Ninja, Bruce Wayne and Cassie. And even though the shedding and the guilt were sometimes overwhelming, that wagging tail and smile won me over time and time again.
Over and over.
What would I do with a dog in India? Come home to it! How can I travel to lands not yet discovered by me? Trusty dog loving friends!? How can I go back to Salone for a visit with a dog in tow? Again be at the mercy of my animal loving mother!?
Gah! I don't know, it's so irrational, and yet so visceral.
So indeed I am looking to adopt a doggie in need....
......maybe this too shall pass.
All that hair on my new rug love? Yeah, bring it on!

My neighbourhood

"Byyyyyyyyyye" she chants, as she waves to me. "Byyyyyyyyyye auntie!" ( I assume she thinks Bye is Hi, regardless..)

A few people of all ages are building this building. No machinery, just people carrying and lifting and smiling and chatting and smoking. Women and men, boys and girls. All day.

And every morning it's BYYYYYYYYYE and every afternoon it's BYYYYYYYYYE as I pass by. so much joy!

Today as I walked to yoga I brought my camera and took a few shots. The smiles extended, the joy palpable.  As a rule I find that Indians like getting their picture taken.

A portrait photographer's heaven.

Late night stroll

hmm sweets. Indian sweets are heavenly.  Such extreme tastes in India, extreme palette. Wicked sweet or wicked spicey...

Not much to report, apart from having a lovely day, loving my little ones so much, and enjoying my rug. Taught yoga to older kids which was a welcomed change.   Took a yoga class this eve and vowed to get back into it on a regular basis. It's all about making space in your body.

Stretch.

The stroll was calm. The streets empty, safe for some rickies (rickshaw drivers) chatting together and smoking butts, stray dogs lounging about, vendors closing shop.
Good night y'all.
B

Rug Love. As ridiculous as that sounds.

Not sure how it's possible to meet and fall in love with a carpet, but it happened to me last night. My mother has a bit of a fetish, and I grew up lying on rugs and admiring their mystery and originality. India (my new home, let's be honest) is most definitely the place to purchase a rug. My mum kept asking me, "Have you fallen in love yet?" and I was like, "Uh, What? Non maman, I'm not like you!"

And then it happened.  I was looking for my friends who told me they were in a crafts shop. I ented the shop and didn't see them, but thought, ah why not, lets look at some rugs. He pulled out one. Dusty rose. not me. He pulled out another one, had helicoptes and tanks on it. So not me. And then he unrolled this beauty and I literally went down and touched it and sat on it. No hesitation. I knew.
So here it is. A new love. yeah; rolling around on her is just as amazing as I had envisioned. Practicing yoga on her is somehow magical.

The nest egg is forming. Backwards. Now I want a dog.