by June | Aug 5, 2018 | Blogposts
In today’s intense world where alternative facts masquerade as truthful statements; Executive Orders bring confusion and fear; outrage is commonplace; inner peace is quickly disappearing; concerns and fears about compromised health, terrorism, disasters, broken relationships, economic crises, political harangue and other stressors bring confusion, frustration, anger, and fear, a Spirituality of Play may seem to be a curious matter.
But, more than ever, a Spirituality of Play is an attitude that needs to be cultivated in society, in educational systems, in families, by seniors and adults and by children and youth so they can become adults who live balanced lives where laughter, joy and hope are intrinsic throughout their adult life.
From the Greek word selig (which means blessed) comes the English word silly. I like to think that there is something sacred about the ability, to be silly, to play, to laugh, to be child-like. Many faith traditions (Christian and Hasidic storytellers, Zen masters, Taoist sages) encourage us not to take ourselves too seriously. These prophets have an important role in the spiritual life because they espouse the spiritual practice of play as Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “It is a happy talent to know how to play” and as author Margaret Guenther wrote “When we play, we also celebrate holy uselessness. Play, in its disinterestedness and self-forgetting, can be fruitful.”
When we play; when we enjoy the fullness of life with its curiosities, frivolities and insensibilities; when we don’t take ourselves too seriously, play (like prayer), can be healing – healing to the body, mind and soul.
~ When Hindus speak of the creation of the universe, they don’t call it the ‘work’ of God; they call it the ‘play’ of God which can translate into ‘play’ being sacred and holy. When we play, we leave behind the daily stressors and allow our spirit to breathe and re-create ~ Literature, the arts, various traditions and holidays remind us of the importance of play of giving ourselves permission to be silly and foolish ~ Russian artists from the 15th century often featured the yurodivy, a kind of “holy fool” in their paintings ~ April Fool’s Day is a day for laughing, for playing gentle jokes and for trying to trick friends. ~ On the last day of the nature festival ‘The Hill’ in India, people have fun by sending friends on impossible errands such as finding a stick with only one end. ~ In Native American traditions, Coyote is the Trickster while in the Aztec tradition, Coyote is referred to as ‘God’s Dog’, and in Hollywood, Wil E. Coyote always played tricks on the Roadrunner.
A Spirituality of Play helps us live with mystery, paradox and absurdity. It can open doors of flexibility, intuition, vulnerability, and doors of child-like innocence and spontaneity. If we can believe that the Creator created anteaters, duck-billed platypuses, giraffes clownfish, pink flamingoes,
and us (!), surely it’s not surprising that the Creator has a great sense of humour and encourages us to laugh – and play!
Age creeps up … surprises us … reminds us of our mortality. Chronological aging is one thing. Growing old is another thing. Perhaps many grow old because they stop playing? Play comes in many forms: laughter, dancing, doodling, board games, running with the dog along the beach, playing bridge, engaging in a sport, playing an instrument, creating anything (a shed, a dress, a poem, a painting, a piece of calligraphy, a meal, a book, a piece of pottery, a magazine article, a computer program, a piece of sculpture, a photograph, a monogram, a garden, a scrapbook, a bookcase) …
I may be aging more quickly than I would like, and my body may be showing its age a bit more every day, but I refuse to grow old. Even if it’s only a bit each day, (just as I try to exercise a little each day), I try to play a little each day. This week I’ll be playing with cardstock and paper and creating a handmade card for a friend who is unwell; when it’s cooler outside, I’ll be playing in the garden; and then there’s the recipe book I borrowed from the library that is inviting me to play in the kitchen and try out some new recipes. I suppose I could look at these three ‘play’ activities and see them as ‘chores,’ but I don’t.
Perhaps attitude plays an important role in the aging process. My beloved husband Hans was 85 (!) years young when I took this photo of him playing with bubbles in a local park. Hans was a pen and ink artist, calligrapher, retired engineer – a serious intellect – who grew to understand in his later years, the importance of incorporating a Spirituality of Play in his life. Each day, I ‘age’ – but I don’t ever want to ‘grow old.’ If I reach Hans’ age, I want to still be incorporating a Spirituality of Play every day, in some way.
© Photo & Text: June Maffin
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by June | Aug 4, 2018 | Blogposts
It’s been said that some things in life can’t be recovered:
a stone … after it’s thrown;
a word … after it is said;
an occasion … after it’s missed;
dessert … after it’s been eaten;
the time … after it’s gone;
a person … after they die.
Life is short sooooooo, let’s forgive quickly; kiss slowly; love deeply; laugh uncontrollably; express gratitude for the big and little blessings and never regret anything or anyone that makes you smile.
To life! L’chaim!
© June Maffin www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
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by June | Aug 2, 2018 | Blogposts
I don’t understand religious intolerance. I don’t understand non-religious intolerance. If people are kind, compassionate and respectful to animals, the earth, the sky, the waters, other people, themselves, what harm is there if they choose to believe in a God, but do so in their own way – use different names, wear different types of clothing, worship in different structures, have different traditions, etc.? If people are kind, compassionate and respectful to animals, the earth, the sky, the waters, other people, themselves, what harm is there if they don’t believe in a God, or don’t know if there is a God?
But, it happens – and it begins with judgement. When judgement begins, intolerance isn’t far behind. And where there is intolerance … hatred can flourish.
There are those who believe in a Deity who may not experience or understand the Divine in the same way as others, and they try to live loving, kind lives. There are those who don’t believe in the existence of a Deity or don’t know if there is a Deity. Atheist or agnostic, they try to live loving, kind lives.
In these difficult days of fear-mongering threats by world leaders, I find it is good to believe that, regardless of ascription or non-ascription to a religion, there are people who try to live loving, productive lives. Why can’t the focus be on the way people live loving and kind lives of thoughtfulness, gentleness, self-control, patience, goodness, compassion, gratitude rather than their belief, or disbelief, in a Deity? Why can’t the focus be more on the Good that unites, than that which divides?
I don’t understand intolerance of people who believe in a Deity. I don’t understand intolerance of people who believe in a Deity, but believe differently. I don’t understand intolerance of people who don’t believe. And I don’t understand intolerance of people who don’t know if they believe. I just don’t understand.
Text & Photo © June Maffin
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by June | Jul 24, 2018 | Blogposts
I’ve just returned from an art workshop with artist Madeleine Durham where I had lots of fun making Modern Paste Papers following Madeleine’s oh-so-creative technique using some remarkable Japanese papers. It looked so easy! But, it wasn’t. Even though I had fun, I couldn’t ‘get it’. And then, in the final twenty minutes of the workshop, I came close to Madeleine’s technique. But, the workshop was over and it was time to pack up.
Now I’m home and when the schedule clears a bit, in the tradition of W.E. Hickson (who popularized the proverb: “‘Tis a lesson you should heed: Try, try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again”), I’m going to “try, try, try again.”
In the meantime, I’ve hung some of the papers I made, the Studio, to give me ideas about colour, design and paper selection.
* Will I … use the ever-reliable Arches Text-Wove or will I … use some of the wonderfully versatile and lightweight Washi (wa= japanese; shi = paper) Japanese papers that Linda of Washi Arts brought?
* Will I … stick with my favourite colours of blues/turquoise/purple/deep burgundy or will I … experiment with colours that are anything-but my favourites? * Will I … focus on the selection of pattern or will I … just let things happen?
Life is a little bit like that. There are questions with each dilemma we face and often the presenting question is … “Will I … ?” There is freedom in that question for me … freedom in considering the options … freedom in choosing one of the options … freedom in making a decision … freedom in following a certain path.
Summer is a great time to think and plan and while I haven’t made a decision about any of the options yet, before the summer ends … I will!
© June Maffin www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry www.soulistry.com/blog
Thanks to
Paste Paper Artist: Madeleine Durham
https://www.facebook.com/madeleinedurhampastepapers/
Washi Paper Artist: Linda of Washi Arts
https://www.washiarts.com/
by June | Jul 21, 2018 | Blogposts
She was a child who loved to create! Colours in her paintings, unusual shapes in her designs, squiggles on paper that became flowers and patterns and who-knows-what in her young imaginative mind, brought her great delight and satisfaction.
But when her teacher didn’t “see” what the child saw and said “Why can’t you colour within the lines? Why can’t you do the assignment as I gave it to you?”, that all came to an end. The little child interpreted those comments that she was a failure and carried that feeling with her throughout her adult life. She hardly ever uttered the words “I’ll try.” And if she did try, it was always stated as “I’ll try, but …”
One day at coffee during a workshop I was facilitating, Elspeth began to explain her frustration telling me that she was not creative, she could not draw or paint, she had no artistic ability, and she was going to leave the workshop. “I’m such a failure!” she said, staring at the blank sheet of paper, unable to put any mark on the sheet of paper in front of her. Failure? Not in my eyes. But in her eyes, yes, failure.
Elspeth was not looking at her work that day through the eyes of the happy little girl of long ago who took a pattern and played with it using paints and crayons and coloured pencils and her creative imagination. In her creatively extended pattern beyond-the-shapes’-boundaries, she was anything-but-a-failure. When Elspeth grew up and remembered her childhood teacher’s comments, her spirit was stifled. For decades, she saw herself as a failure, not just in artistic endeavours, but in many areas of her life.
As we chatted, she began to realize that a comment made long ago had crippled her adult self-image. Right then and there, she made a conscious decision to no longer give her power away to that memory and she decided to remain in the workshop. Before she knew it, she was creating incredible pieces of marbled paper which she later turned into envelopes, greeting cards and wrapping paper. “I didn’t know I could do anything like that” she said with a big smile as she left that day. “But I can! And I will!” And, she has!
How often do we let the negative words of the past flood our present and restrict our creativity? How often do we allow others or memories of the past have power over us? How often do we put limits on ourselves and don’t risk, don’t travel, don’t take workshops, don’t step out of our comfort zone and try something new. We’ve all done it at one time or some way or another. There are places I have not travelled – yet. There are books I have not read – yet. There are dreams I have not realized – yet. There are things in the technology world I cannot do – yet. There are crafts and skills I cannot do – yet.
One thing I know … I won’t let negative thoughts, memories, people stop or limit my forays into learning and growing. So, this weekend, I’m off to learn a new Paste Paper technique … removing another thing on my “Yet-List.”
© June Maffin
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by June | Jun 10, 2018 | Blogposts
A bedtime story … about a Frog Hat. It’s a true story and I thought it would be fun to share it ’cause there is so much happening in the world that seems to be robbing people of fun-moments. So – on to the story.
Every spring, my husband Hans and I would go to an art retreat for a few days. Everyone brings art supplies/books they no longer use/want and/or artistic creations they’ve made, etc. which are then raffled off and won by successful bidders. Each year, the Frog Hat is hidden in one of the items and the successful bidder of the object becomes the new owner of the Frog Hat for the coming year – whether they want to or not! <g> Then, at the next art retreat, they must hide the hat so that someone else becomes its unsuspecting owner.
One year, my name was drawn for an item I had hoped to get and inside it – was the Frog Hat! Hans looked sooooo great in it, I encouraged him to share it with me for the year. And, he did. He wore it the rest of the art retreat weekend. It was a fun weekend! He wore it to our son and daughter in law’s wedding when he gave his speech to the couple (he was the groom’s Best Man <g>).
During his speech about the importance of ‘play’ and laughter in a marriage, Hans told the story of the Frog Hat and at the end, gave the bride and groom a Minnie Mouse bridal veil and Mickey Mouse groom’s hat we couldn’t resist purchasing for them while in Disneyland to remind them of the importance of building in moments of play and laughter into their marriage. It was such a fun wedding! Then he wore it at our local Farmer’s Market as part of his ‘sandwich-board’ costume he wore to tell people that his art group was sponsoring an Art Sale just down the street that day. More fun!
And then – then we had to think of something to hide the Frog Hat next year’s art retreat. And, we did! Hans built a little bird house and under the fake flooring, he placed the Frog Hat. Our final bit of fun with the Frog Hat came when no one – not a single person! – figured out which item was concealing the hat that year. We had fooled everyone. 🙂 Fun – not just one moment but lots of moments of fun … and all because of a Frog Hat.
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