Author Archives: Paula Josa-Jones

Nov10

higher ground

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I heard this in the car yesterday. There are certain pieces of music that are irresistible – I have to move. This is one of them (along with almost anything done by Playing for Change).

Besides enjoying the lucious layers of sound, as you watch, I have two things you could try:

  1. stand up and move!  Be bold, play, taste it in your body
  2. look at all of the delicious physical detail – the intricacy of all those hands and spines.  Taste THAT in your body.

Tell me about it.  Are you finding your higher ground?

 

ps.  For those of you who would like more:

The Journal is the deep end of the pool, the workshop, backstage, behind the scenes. It is where I share what is most tender, close to my heart, and close to the bone.  It is embodied writing, and it is intended to get under your skin – to be a physical experience.

The Journal is where I offer questions about practice, the body, and living an improvisational life.  It is fed by my ongoing experience as a movement artist,  body worker, yogi and horse dancer. 

The Journal is $20/month and arrives in your inbox every Sunday.  You can unsubscribe at any time.

To receive The Journal SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Welcome.

 

 

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Nov9

flight

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Photo:  Pam White from the videodance film TILT by Paula Josa-Jones and Ellen Sebring

Each day feels a bit like this.  I walk out to the (metaphoric) sea wall and play with balance and inspiration.   I feel how the creative currents are running, and follow them.

Meredith Monk has suggested that we pay attention to our distractions,because those flickers of mind and consciousness are guiding lights.

In my experience, the guidance that arises from the body is the most potent, slippery and subtle. And the easiest to ignore.

If you close your eyes for a moment, What do you feel bubbling up from the body?

Watch here for a new offering.  Fresh!  recipes for savoring the body. Coming soon!!!

 

 

Nov8

The Journal (and the deep end)

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The Journal (and the deep end) is the place where I am exploring things in more depth.  I have noticed in writing the daily post for the blog that there are things that I would like to dive into, push farther, but they need more space and time.

The Journal is the deep end of the pool, the workshop, backstage, behind the scenes. It is where I share what is most tender, close to my heart, and close to the bone.  It is embodied writing, and it is intended to get under your skin – to be a physical experience.

The Journal is where I offer questions about practice, the body, and living an improvisational life.  It is fed by my ongoing experience as a movement artist,  body worker, yogi and horse dancer. 

The Journal is $20/month and arrives in your inbox every Sunday.  You can unsubscribe at any time.

To receive The Journal SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Welcome.

 

 

 

Nov7

let’s get physical

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I read an interesting article in the New York Times from October 30, which we got yesterday because of the snow storm the week before.  It is called The Lynda Barry School for Drawing Spirals, Confronting Demons, Learning to Sing, Being Terrified and Maybe Becoming A Capital-W Writer. Lynda Barry is the cartoonist and now a creativity guru.

Here are her instructions;

“Think back to early days.  Write the first 10 images that come to mind when I say ‘Money.'”

And next, “Choose an image that has some kind of trouble attached to it.”

Trouble made me think about powerful black women like Maya Angelou or Oprah or Toni Morrison.The Color Purple.  Lots of TROUBLE there.

She then asks questions to help them find detail:  “Is it day or night in this image?”  “What’s behind you?”  “What’s beyond what’s behind you?”

I like this because it fills in the image with lots of physical detail  – makes it immediate and hot.  It gets writers into the tissue of themselves.  Writing shouldn’t be theoretical.  It should make you shiver and dance.

If I give you this word – hands – what are your images?