Sunday, March 21, 2010

Talking to the Divine


Talking to paper is talking to the divine. It is talking to an ear that will understand even the most difficult things. Paper is infinitely patient. It will receive small fragment after fragment of the large network you are working on, without yourself knowing it. It will wait for decades for you to put together the first traces of your own code, a code you might have understood as a small child, but which you are now gathering on a new level of understanding. The white paper is waiting. Each time you scratch on it, you trace part of yourself and thus part of the word, and thus part of the grammar of the universe. It is a huge language but each of us tracks his or her particular understanding of it. Nina Holzer, A Walk Between Heaven and Earth.
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Most of us are on this path. I think about my twinkly twin Angela Recada picking up her paints and brushes and uncovering angels and textures that have been waiting for her all this time.
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And Silke, who is so excited to know she is indeed an artist, whose women are so excited to be seen and heard.
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And my friend Walking Man Mark and my beloved Human Being, whose poetry is so prolific and so beautifully honest and well crafted.
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And Robin, who has just and finally started a blog of her own.
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And Soulbrush, who was told her art was not good enough; Mim's Aunt Em, who you cannot look at without breaking into a hopeful grin; my dearest Lori, whose photographs light up the world she lives in and invite us along; the elegant Tessa who paints and writes under African skies; Caroline who paints those heavenbound watercolors; Marion and Baino and Annie and Linda and Ribbon and Deborah and Snowbrush and Marianne and the wonderful Lo, each whose colors and words sing on the page and whose joy breaks through the computer keys.
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This weekend I met with four other women who are writing memoirs at the same time I am. We meet every six weeks after completing thirty pages at a time, after reading each other's thirty pages ready to help one another discover, uncover, honor the truth of transformation. We are blessed with an incredible writing instructor named Nancy Rose. She is teaching me how to write at a level that excites me to no end.
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I have creative wonderful people all around me now. I don't know how it happened, but I can barely contain my giddiness. I know I am not alone in feeling this way, in thanking my lucky stars.
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Congratulations to all of us. We are sharing with one another. And we are talking to the divine.
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Love
kj

25 comments:

  1. blogger threw a temper tantrum earlier today. i know i sound like Emily Rabbit, but it was not my fault (!) and I had to retype this post because Blogger got mad and then ate it up.

    Oh well. that's okay. i have bigger fish to fry. :)

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  2. I just stopped by to say "hi" and now I'm blushing (and having a hot flash!), because I see my name listed among your lucky friends in this fabulous post. I am so honored. Truly, truly honored.

    I LOVE the idea that you write about here, that there are many, many ways to talk to the Divine. It's so true!

    You are an angel to so many people here, and in your "real" life, too. How lucky am I that Renee brought us together?! I thank the Divine every day that she did.

    I love you.
    xoxoxo
    Angela

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  3. While I was busy typing, you were typing a comment, too!
    :0)
    Hello! Hello!

    Mmmmmmmm! Fried fish!
    xo

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  4. Well I don't do much writing on paper these days but if it' a euphamism for a 'blank canvas' I guess I qualify in some way. Love the idea of sharing your memoirs and stories between trusted friends. So much gentler than sending them off to editors and publishers. Good luck honey, although I don't think you need it somehow.

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  5. angela, are you kidding? it's me who's lucky! i love you too. you know that, right? :)

    ms. baino, you sell yourself short. you qualify in every way. writing this book is feeling like wrestling a sometimes sacred and sometimes irrational aligator, but i'm learning alot. ha! it will probably be published just as you arrive in new england. then i'll force you to look at it 100 times.
    been thinking about you this weekend, honey hells; i hope you're relaxing. ♥

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  6. Oh, wow, dear KJ! It always startles me when I see my name mentioned on someone else's blog... thank you so much!!! And to be in such esteemed creative company...

    I think I totally get what you are writing about. I often feel as though I am talking to the Divine when I paint. We are lucky, aren't we?!

    Love, Silke

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  7. KJ,
    Just got home after a morning of volunteering at the de Young Museum (one more week and "Tut" is on his royal way to NY)..

    When I saw the first five words of your post, I thought for sure Emily had control of the pc....but then I read further...

    A wonderful post - as usual, although I am REALLY BLUSHING to see my name listed among such exalted company as these other, truly talented women!

    I do thank you though - for without the encouragement of Annie, Renee and YOU....I probably would not have had the courage to start writing!

    I totally understand how creating -in any form - is like "talking to the Divine"....

    Enjoy the rest of your Sunday...

    Sending you (and yes, Emily too), much love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  8. you are a cherub, and like a second renee to us, do you know that? love ya kj (karenjoss) or even (kissjoss)xx

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  9. Auntie Em...there's no place like home.

    love ya KJ - you are a treat

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  10. dear silke and her special women: you belong in the circle of your creative heart sisters. you've earned it! i think i know what you mean too: when i write or draw time stops: it is just me and my laptop or my sketchpad. oh, and my micron pens!! ♥

    robin, hahaha! everybody's blushing around here! if everyone thinks they don't deserve to be in esteemed company, who will be left?
    :) i am very glad you let annie and i and renee be your temporary blog muse. :)

    joss, now I'M blushing! i am happy to be a cherub (hahaha) but a second renee? can't happen: the mold was auctioned off after that angel birth in winnepeg. but thanks so much joss. you are always so kind and complimentary to me and you better believe my ego does a hip hop dance every time. i hope i give back as much as you give. ♥

    mim,i love you and YOU are a treat!

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  11. gosh kj, can i just say everything that every lovely person here has said so far? every word is TRUE.

    You are like the pied piper i think and we all follow your lovely, warm song. I feel it too, being a part, was it something renee planted in us all? or has our awareness simply increased, i don't know. I do know that those women are lucky to have you as part of their group.

    much love,
    lori

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  12. With my terrible handwriting, I talk to the keyboard.

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  13. i talk to the keyboard too, cs, but when i print out something i've written, it's a natural high. same with writing out a card or sketching a toe and holding a camera to bear witness to the first crocus of spring

    xoxo

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  14. I feel very lucky to have met you. Blessed.

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  15. I am so blessed to be on your list.
    Yes, it is divine to be a creator and to have a clear white space to throw color and words on and it is divine to have friends like you.
    Love. xoxo

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  16. lori, whatever group i'm in, please be part of it too. ♥

    sophia, i think someday you are going to look back on renee and those of us who are root-toot-tooting for you and it will be wonderful to remember that. thank you for your very kind words.i know what renee would say right now so i;m going to say it too: love you sophia xoxo

    annie, divine is going to be my favorite word for the rest of the month, which by the way i am also celebrating a friend's birthday this month.... :)

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  17. ...and how lucky we are to have crossed bloggy paths with you too my lovely friend, she who holds the lantern above our heads and keeps lit the path ahead <3

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  18. Dear kj - thank you for including me here -you're the best! What a coincidence too as I've been thinking about you this weekend. I'll be heading over to email you soon.X0X

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  19. You're such a beautiful person karen!
    I just wanted to tell you how happy you make me feel! Thank you!

    Hugs!

    Julie

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  20. nolly, if i hold the lantern, which i am very happy to do, its light guides the way because it is mirrored by the hearts of so many along the path. xoxo

    caroline, blue healing balloons overhead--look for them. i think everyone is so honored to be included with YOU! i know that's true for me! ♥

    julie, likewise and ditto. xoxo

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  21. Happy birthday to me :-).
    Love you. xoxo

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  22. Just grabbed the banner for Renee and will start working on something to send you for the blog. Such a lovely, wonderful idea. **kisskiss** Deb

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  23. I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, haha! You write far more than I can keep up with these days, dear kj. I consider you one of my dearest friends in the blog world and I so wish you and I lived closer to each other!

    I am so very honoured that you consider me a friend as well. And you know what? Your writing has taken a huge leap forward...your talent is completely amazing. I can't wait until your new book is published!

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  24. Re type, what a pain.....
    Lovely post KJ!
    And I am mentioned! What an honor!

    Talking to the divine
    , I like that one!!

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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  25. i have found you through allegra.
    wonderful writing..and i will return.
    right now i am collecting well wishes for allegra, please come join in on a virtual get well card for our sweet allegra!
    thanks...

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