September 23, 2016

grounded, and groundedness and groundlessness, and home.

A few things... first my drawing from a few days ago.  and then some found little bits and pieces, in words, to not let it be too alone...  and then some stuff from me and some of my artists.


groundedness
English
Etymology
grounded +‎ -ness

Noun

groundedness ‎(uncountable)

  1. The quality of being grounded.  [quotations ▼]

grounded

play

adjective ground·ed \ˈgrȧun-dəd\Popularity: Top 20% of words

Simple Definition of grounded—used to describe a person who is sensible and has a good understanding of what is really important in life 


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    My little monkey, he's getting soooo big now! 3 years and 3 months.
    If he were in England he'd be almost in BIG SCHOOL!  yikes. at least he has 2 more years to play....

    Sitting in his train track. If I were a bit smaller, I would like to do that, it must feel nice, symbolically at least. The human search for boundaries, and being 'in' something. perhaps a little akin to 'groundedness' ?  And at the same time, a little boy's joy of play and experimentation and 'being'. In the moment.  he's making his mark! 



    "If we’re willing to give up hope that insecurity and pain can be exterminated, then we can have the courage to relax with the groundlessness of our situation. " ~ Pema Chodron


So, yes... grounded, and groundedness and groundlessness... an interesting dichotomy.

The top part of the drawing is kind of about trying to explore groundlessness, as Pema Chodron and the buddhist framework describes and encourage. I think its interesting and important and it's also about being present and 'seeing what happens'
- much like when you have a blank page, and you make a mark and see what happens. The mark is your mark, but its also inextricably linked to 'something else'.  You have control but you don't have control.   I think it's a brave place to [try to] be in. especially when you dont have a crayon and paper, you just have yourself in the air!
But she is holding onto something, she has flowers, flowers are alive and have a voice, so she is not entirely in groundlessness.. She usually likes to bring something with her, even if it's in her pocket.
Perhaps she will say more in the next drawing.. I wonder.


Then there is a fish deep deep in the water, like the idea of a glowing shimmering aluring Kandinsky fish. For me that is like the search for 'home' and the search for groundedness. The search for 'something' to feel more real and more visible and part of 'something'. Connected.
Like the way Victor Frankle talks about the Search for Meaning, on the one hand... but on the other hand on a more day to day practical level:  To feel grounded is, for me, to feel rooted and more secure. To feel at home. It's like I feel as if I need to first be grounded to be groundless. [but of course, to be 'grounded' implies depth and a lot more besides...]

But the universe, I think, is demanding the opposite... of 'grounded' from me..

We shall see... remain curious and see what happens!
Here are my video's for today.

First I have Rosie Thomas "Much Farther to Go" This for me is about a lot of things, but I also relate to it in terms of the eternal and universal process that imigrants typically go through. 
She says:
And I, I have much farther to go
Everything is new and so unpredictable
I should just kick my hands together and go home
But I'm not sure where that is anymore






And then this, I just came across, by Marissa Nadler: "All the colors of the Dark"
I think the video is incredible, and the images speak volumes to me, and I just love it...  I love the art, I love the images, the ideas the symbols the metaphors.. 
watching it the first time, was a bit like being home...  I need to look some more... it is food!  

Ok, and that's it. A bit mixed up as usual. But I made a mark.
That's the main thing!