Elizabeth Priddy on wed 26 sep 07
Many processes in life break you a little before they
let you recover.
The phoenix mythos reveals a truth:
people can get so enmeshed, nested, comfortable
in their lives and their human coccoons that it takes
a fire to burn it off. It is terrifying to see all that comfy
nesting material turning to air and floating away.
You are left cold and naked.
And reborn.
The beautiful part is that you can start from there with
no baggage. You can pick up bits and pieces too special
to lose from the debris field and dust them off, re-use them
in your new life. You don't have to give them up forever, but
you might need to put them down for a while.
Sometimes the one with the match is there to help you.
Sometimes not so, but the fire doesn't care who or why
it was started and neither can you. Fire does its job equally
well coming from malintent or good-will.
The real test is how you handle yourself in the midst of the
fire. And how adept you are at getting back to it.
Realizing that you were on fire is the first step.
The second step is gathering back up the things you choose
not to leave behind.
The third step is integrating the old with the new and getting
on with it, whatever it is. This part takes time.
Eventually, you are grateful for losing that coccoon, as it is
hard to spread your wings all couped up like that.
I had my trial by fire several years ago. I am on step three.
Step four creeps in and out depending on my day.
Sometimes all I am grateful for is having figured out that
I was on fire while I still had a chance to face it head on.
I am better at speaking directly. But some things are just
not of that ilk. I am interested in hearing how you have been
changed in your life as artists by things that did not seem like
good things at the time.
Hope this inspires some stories.
What happened when you were set on fire?
E
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Natural Instincts Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
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Gay Judson on thu 27 sep 07
Hi, E!
Well, I was set on fire when I encountered clay just a few years ago and my
life has not been the same since. I think most everyone on this list has
had that experience. The next one, the one that really challenges you to
put up or shut up--I have not met that yet, I don't think. Of course, there
are the little ones that you meet everyday--like others have eluded to:
expecting the great mug, pitcher, plate from the first few that you throw.
Then do you keep at it--another 100 or more we are told--until you really
have it 'under the belt' or you just move on? In a way, just keeping on is
one way of meeting the fire. Sometimes I get so discouraged that I wonder
why am I doing this to myself. But then, 'just keeping on' somehow gets me
over the hump and I meet some form of encouragement. You have certainly been
an encourager for me! Thanks, Gay Judson
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on fri 28 sep 07
Hi Elizabeth,
I do not know what this 'fire' metaphor is actually supposed to relate to,
or be about, in
other, practical terms.
Will you instead, address the events or dramas or transitions in plain
English?
Phil
l v
----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth Priddy"
> Many processes in life break you a little before they
> let you recover.
> The phoenix mythos reveals a truth:
> people can get so enmeshed, nested, comfortable
> in their lives and their human coccoons that it takes
> a fire to burn it off.
etc...
Elizabeth Priddy on fri 28 sep 07
Yes, for instance:
One of my teachers had a ottery with partners in
a wooded area. They were careless.
It burned to the ground, but he wood firing that
consequently occurred left them with the most
beautiful pottery they had ever made. They were
not wood firers before the event.
They were when they started up again.
Stories about things that happen that don't seem
like good things at the time, that in the aftermath
lead you to better places.
For me it was getting very very sick, life threatening
in a very real way. It made me wake up and
get on with it.
E
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Natural Instincts Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
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