Are you blessed with a lack of focus?
Recently I attended an exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art called, "Outsider Art."
This was the collection of the Boronskys, a couple who saw genius expressed in art by people considered "fringe" members of the times in which they lived.
The art included charcoal-dust drawings by a coal miner who had no other art supplies; room-sized mosaics from bits and pieces of flotsam ranging from broken jewelry to toy soldiers; small-scale cityscapes rich with architecture made of spray-painted gold and silver chicken bones; mobiles and whirlygigs that connecting an artist to healing energies from outer space.
This is the genius of those who think differently.
Many outsider artists lived in prisons, insane asylums, even on the streets. They were not medicated and thus, they were free to feel and express their vision.
Is that crazy...or genius?
I have heard that if Leonardo da Vinci was alive today, he would be diagnosed with ADD.
Back then, the idea of the Renaissance Man or Woman was someone engaged in many artistic or scientific or philosophical pursuits at once. This requires an keen ability to focus on many things at once - the very impluse we try to talk our children out of as we insist they sit quietly in the classroom and listen to teachers instructions.
Focus can be a lovely thing. For some.
In hot yoga, we ask you experiment: to focus directly into your own open eyes in the mirror, to find that moment where you can pierce the illusions and assumptions and see yourself as you are. The result is not shutting out the world around you; it's expanding your vision and seeing all that you are in this moment.
And that's a lot to see.
Many is the time in Standing Bow Pulling pose, looking into my own eyes and giving 100% effort, when I felt myself lift up and out of the place callled my Body, into a place I can only describe as infinite expansion.
Focusing is one way in, but what you may find behind this door is all possibilies, all yours for the experiencing.
If you break open the latch on your heart, the one that keeps it all together, you may be let in on another secret: life may not work best as an organized plan. Perhaps it's in the scattered mess that you find the freedom of no judgement, no beginning or ending, just endless expansion.
The more I practice hot yoga, the more I can feel and appreciate the rich complexities of who I am now, and who I can become in any moment...
At least until the hot yoga teacher says, "Change."
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Reader Comments (14)
That's a great picture of Carly. She looks so beautiful!
I think this is one of my favorite posts... I have this line in a poem "Maybe nothing here every worked the way I intend/ Yet perhaps it's better that way." At one point, I used to think that I needed to be a straight line and while I am and none of us are really; And I'm not either. I was a Ritalin baby. I was a very imaginative child (I wanted to be a nun) and was very good at school but that's because I spent most my elementary education rewriting text books and doing late night projects. I think it's wonderful that we get to explore creativity and the mind in our practice and I love that people all have something so unique to offer.
Right on, Alex. Everyone has something to offer, and that's why I find hot yoga so empowering. I'm offering my uniqueness to myself. It's humbling and a little scary. Which is why I think the mirror and looking into your own eyes scares some people. But once I've started doing it, I can't stop. I impress myself in ways that I can't imagine. In a sense, thinking differently is thinking about yourself and getting to know yourself. I tell people I do hot yoga and they tell me I'm crazy. I tell them it's the best thing I've ever done for myself and I learn something new every time. And that's what DaVinci and Alex are doing too - learning something new every time.
One day we'll all remember that we came here to be different and there's no reason to convince anyone else to be the same as we are; our contribution is our unique point of view.
Someone who was very wise once told me that you can't expect other people to live their life and learn from your lessons. I think my seventeen year old self didn't really understand that... A life is best lived according to its uniqueness and while what's good for you maybe not good for me and round the merry go round we go... I think it is all wonderfully the same in the same in the end.
...and wonderfully different! Because everyone makes unique contribution, just by living their own life their own way - that's why each of is so equally valuable and cannot be replaced or thought superfluous.
And I agree: people can tell you stories of their experiences and lessons, but they are not relevant to you. You cannot "save" anyone from making "mistakes" by telling them about yours. Your life lessons are just for you.
And honestly - there can no rules about "how to be," since each of us is here to figure it out for ourselves. Ever notice how every 20 years or so those "rules" change completely? How can rules still be considered absolute when they are constantly shifting?
Good thoughts to remember when raising kids....
Very true, Rhonda. Rules, like thoughts, are forever evolving and changing. The rules I thought were permanent when I was younger actually no longer apply to my life! But I came to this place now by following the rules from before. It reminds me of the observation that Gloria Steinem once made: women get more radical as they get older. I feel I'm more radical in my thoughts and actions than I was just a few years ago. New thoughts = new beliefs.
What if there were no rules .... ? If everyone was encouraged to decide for herself the rules of her own life? Most rules are about controlling others; but what if we were trained to believe in and follow our own guidance systems?
Right on--I did something grate for myself by deciding to stop focusing on "disappointing" others. One good thing from my counseling was the suggestion to take every thought I had about disappointing others and cast it out. I released the control I allowed others to have over me. It was and is extremely empowering. Take back your life...or begin again.
And yes, Rhonda, all those rules around parenting. I ditched all the forums, websites, books, etc about "parenting" and followed my own way. My daughter is thriving, well-behaved, adventuresome, and happy. Sometimes it is good to take a step back and decide whether I am disciplining her for her own good or whether I am stifling her creativity.
I started using my looking at criticism from others as a measure of how big my impact is; if no one disagreeing or even condemning you, maybe you're just not playing big enough. True artists, in every are of life, are all about following their own way and not paying any mind to "staying on track" with society, which usually means marching to the beat of the drummer inside.
Parenting is so personal, Laura. I truly believe the only thing you children really want from you is YOU! If you're listening to others tell you how to do it, you're robbing them and yourself of the most wonderful gift of all: a child who love and wants you just as you are, and a parent with lovely memories of this special time for you both.
I'd like to give a nod to moms/dads... there is no handbook on that! And sometimes, I think people are too nosy of the way other people choose to raise their kids. It's such a sensitive thing and I probably won't understand until I'm a mom... In my opinion bringing up kids is the most creative thing a person can do.
I read an article on Einstein's brain. It really was no different then any other person's brain except narrower in certain areas. Dense. So he could maybe do physics more quickly then some. Didn't they think he had ADD at one point?
It's worse than that Alex; I believe they have Einstein a diagnosis of being mentally challenges because he couldn't pay attention in grade school.
I met a little 7 month old baby today, Maya, who looked around and twisted every which way waving her arms and her toes excitedly, giving everything she noticed 100 percent focus for the moment she focused on it. Kids get it; it's not about singular focus; it's about 100 percent commitment: all in it all out. No matter how many things catch your attention.
Babies are amazing! I've been spending a little more time around them, and I'd rather watch them then talk to their parents! Kids get it in so many ways: how to pay attention, posture, sharing, communication...
Parenting is very personal and so is adult life. There is no handbook on how to live an 'adult' life - but that's what we are supposed to do! Recently I've welcomed someone new into my life and it's been interesting (and a bit stressful) to see how 'we' grow together
You're right Kristina; no one gets a guidebook on this life thing but then, that's the fun of it: we are all here to explore for ourselves. Perhaps the greatest dichotomy is this: the more discoveries we each make, the more we contribute to the expansion of the playing field for everyone. The only rule in this game: enjoy the ride! That's what babies understand so beautifully and why they are such a joy to be around.
Kristina: can you start a forum called "starting a new relationship" to share your steps into starting anew ... And encourage others to share theirs?