#29for29project

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Task #5: Rituals, Twyla & Inwood

I’m figuring out pretty fast...I’m not a natural ritual person. 

I’m not sure if I ever will be. 

Does this make me a bad person? Does this make me a unsuccessful one? 

I’ve tried. I’ll keep trying. I still tap my toothbrush twice on the sink after brushing. I still drink coffee daily. I still fall asleep on my stomach first. That’s about all I do daily, decidedly or easily. 

Do I have to first have rituals in my daily life down to an art before I can have rituals that support my art? 

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June 8th: Day #1 of Task #5: Rituals, Twyla, and Inwood

Let’s work backwards, shall we?

INWOOD:

Daniel and I have moved to Inwood for a few months. As gypsy life goes, a new neighborhood is always a chance for new discovery. Inwood is at the very tip of the island of Manhattan. It is nestled next to the lush Ft. Tyron park, which boasts a favorite tourist spot- the Cloisters where the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Medieval Collection is housed- and a wonderful views and paths overlooking the Hudson River.

The apartment is right across from the park itself, lifting my outdoor spirits in new found ways. When I was babysitting regularly babies and gradeschool kids, I spent hours in Central Park. As a result, I was getting my daily dosage of trees and squirrel sightings (as far as New York City standards go). Our winter sublet in Harlem was a dream other than it was freezing and not close to a Park even if we had wanted to brave the cold.

Next, I spent Spring back home in Arkansas. With plenty of nature pumped back into my soul, I felt a bit numb returning to our concrete jungle. Thankfully, the discovering of the new apartments Park proximity lightened my outlook. Suddenly, I am back on the NYC team. For the time being, at least.

Now, I had no excuse to not take running back up...or maybe for the first time...well, I have run decidedly a few times in my life. Ahem...

TWYLA:

While enjoying the park last week, I glanced through a copy of Twyla Tharp’s “The Creative Habit” and decided her approach to creative self discovery was the perfect fit for my next two week task set to start. I quickly deduced that connecting her methods to the fact that I was finding a schedule of sorts forming.

Twyla’s first chapter highlights the book’s thesis: “in order to be creative you have to know how to prepare to be creative.” This at first struck a defensive chord in me. Having always thrived on my ability to create on a dime, on a dime budget, employing raw talent and very little formal training in my sundry creative endeavors, I almost dismissed the book entirely right then and there.

I don’t have time to prepare right now. It’s time to do. I’ve never had to define my process before. I’m the least prepared person I know….

My mind ran with a evolution of thoughts that lead me to realize that I needed a preparation awakening, revolution, intervention...whatever you want to call it...and fast.

RITUALS:

“The Creative Habit’s” second chapter deals with just what the title suggests: habits! The tag-line continues “learn it and use it for life.”

Twyla has gone to the same gym with the same trainer at 5:30 AM every day...regardless of just about anything! As annoyed as I could be for Twyla’s apparent knack for diligence and my lack thereof, I had to hand it to her. Twyla is an extremely successful figure in the Dance and Art community. She must be super busy and super possessed by creative genius….and she the time to run EVERY DAY at FIVE IN THE MORNING?!

Well, I’m not going to get up that early yet.  However, realizing that most function adults have habits they maintain for the betterment of their lives, health, and happiness, I decided to get it together and in keeping with 29for29’s mantra of “starting now,” I could no longer resist.  

Here is my quick mapping of my day I’ve begun to practice. This list is under the best case scenario where I don’t have to work or have an audition. Where I have the whole day to create.  

Wake up, pray, make bed, eat breakfast, correspondence, run/shower, write/create, practice my songs and guitar, more correspondence, dinner, more writing, relax/time with Daniel, bed.  

If I do have significant daily conflicts: wake up, pray, make bed, eat breakfast, shower, correspondence, write/create, practice songs and guitar, time with Daniel, bed still apply as much as possible.

In conclusion and the priorities: Running and Practicing my Music

We’ll see how this all goes. I’ve run three times in the first five days, which is amazing for me. Running is an important part of taking back physical command over my body and generally helping my mood and self confidence. Meanwhile, practicing my music is the most vital of steps in my development as a singer-songwriter and stand alone performer of my songs.

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29for29′s Task  #5: Rituals, Twyla, and Inwood

‪#‎29for29‬ will be turning over new leaves this task thanks to the inspiration garnered from a new neighborhood, a new season, and Twyla Tharp's inspiring read, "The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for Life."

I have NEVER been a ritualistic person. I go proudly with the flow, change habits daily, improvise on a dime, challenge structure, and easily morph into other people's agenda or structure.

The only true habits I've managed in life so far are the following: 1.) Not having habits 2.) Being in a perpetual state of song, 3.) Fluidly and happily falling in love with the loveliness of others and 3.) Praying every day before my feet touch the ground (a beautiful woman whom I'll tell you about taught me this last one). Oh, and 4.) I tap my toothbrush twice on the sink counter after I brush to, I don't know, get the extra water off? (note: tap number may vary)

However, my life's mishaps and varied lessons have led me to face the sheer importance of well managed time. I've also observed that we spend too much time worrying about not enough time. Once loosing said time: we either become inspired to just barrel forward and change our time wasting ways...or we curl up in a ball of shame and defeat, and watch the entire series of LOST for the third time.

Twyla encourages that, in order to master one's art and perhaps even one could say master one's life overall (though for artists they're one in the same), examining one's habits is beyond crucial.

So, over the next two weeks, I'll take you all on my ritual exploration. I'll be going through Twyla's exercises provided in the book, along with video blogging and journaling.

Anybody out there want to join along? Go grab her book now and let's go!