Genghis Khan & Jeanne Moreau 8:38 AM

The spirit of Genghis Khan or Jeanne Moreau? You choose.

A woman I know recently went to Malta – a tiny island in the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, to go on a “Goddess Retreat.” She told me that this trip was to reconnect with the feminine side of things and to reinforce her own sense of feminine empowerment, which she feels has been taken out of modern religious and western society in general. She feels that doing this experience will help her with feminine self esteem in general and therefore improve how people are treated as a whole. I was intrigued by this very energetic display and willingness to improve one’s self and therefore everyone that a person might consequently come in touch with. It seems that very few people in general are willing (or able) to go to these lengths in a quest for self-improvement. Going to Malta is probably not a prerequisite. Your own living room might provide an adequate venue. How far each  person is willing to go is up to them, but it is surely a journey worth embarking upon (once the kids are put to bed, hubby is suitably engaged watching “Dave,” the dog has been brushed and walked, the cat’s hairballs have been vacuumed up, and the kitty litter has been “de pooed.”) I admire people (usually women) with this kind of self awareness.

Genghis Khan – through brute force – carved out an enormous empire, at an estimated cost of 40 million lives. He united his people, gave them a unified writing system and promoted religious freedom. All of these achievements for his people have vanished today.

Jeanne Moreau, a star of the French New Wave cinema, and leading lady of “Jules and Jim,” introduced millions to the power of love, commitment and romance.  You Choose.

— John Katz

www.JohnKatz.net

Click HERE for tickets to 29 Pieces Masquerade Ball 

www.29Pieces.org

Jeanne Moreau in Jules and Jim

Take a plane. Take a bus. Be there. 12:38 PM

Who Are You?
A Masquerade Ball Benefiting Karen Blessen’s 29 Pieces
Hosted by Green Bandana Group                          
Saturday January 29, 2011, 7:30 PM – 1:00 AM
 at  Life in Deep Ellum
2803 Taylor Street, Dallas, TX 75226

Click HERE to purchase tickets


Who are you?  Pause for a moment and really think about it.
We have crafted a one of a kind amazing event, a huge bang for your buck value (open bar, food, concert by Ishi/The Gritz/Hello Lover/Able Youth, DJ B3, performance art, $25), and the best thing to do in Dallas on January 29th (who doesn't love a masquerade ball?) - but why have we gone to all of this trouble?
Because we believe that it is more important than ever to take the time to think about life's big questions, and Pulitzer Prize winner Karen Blessen's 29 Pieces challenges us to do just that - and we are better people for it.
First, go to www.29pieces.org and explore some timeless wisdom and learn more about the mission and vision of the nonprofit.
Next go to www.29pieces.eventbrite.com and get your ticket for the event, because trust us, you want to be there.
Whether it's for the music lineup of Ishi, Hello Lover, Erykah Badu's band The Gritz, Able Youth, and DJ B3 (seriously how great is this show!?), for the great cocktails by Dripping Springs Vodka, Bacardi, and Dewars and great food by Celebrity Chef Richard Pratt, for the interactive art displays and the Variety Stage that will keep the night even more lively (we are keeping it a surprise but think fire, magic, dueling, etc), or for the hundreds of wonderful interesting people, dressed in fashionable attire, wearing masks, dedicated to actually holding real and thought-provoking conversations, it is all happening on January 29th, and it is happening to support a great cause, 29 Pieces, headed by a great visionary, Karen Blessen.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door and can be purchased here: www.29pieces.eventbrite.com
We thank our wonderful sponsors Yelp, Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, Ideal Events, Life in Deep Ellum, Nomad Arts, Art Star, Dripping Springs, Bacardi, and Dewars for their generous support.
Special Thanks to Ollie Mayr, Arielle Rivera, Matthew Whitenack, Johnathan Merla, Tom Currie, Richard Pratt, and John Katz for all their help in putting this together.
For more information check out
www.29pieces.org
www.29pieces.blogspot.com
www.29pieces.tumblr.com

THE GATES 9:45 AM

The Gates: Installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in New York's Central Park

Having just seen the Maysles brothers film of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude New York City installation in Central Park of a few years back, you cannot help but admire how they overcame the tsunami of bureaucratic morons, naysayers, and people in power who take pleasure in saying no to everything, even something as innocuous as art. 25 years of persistence is admirable and rare. Maybe not in the art world but in life. The best quote in the film is an Italian couple as they are walking through the gates, “That’s New York” he says “It's beautiful even if they say it looks like a car wash.” That about sums up the art world, out of the mouths of innocents comes a certain undeniable truth. And that is what makes it art. I’m sure that Christo & Jeanne-Claude would agree.

— John Katz

www.johnkatz.net
www.29Pieces.org

The divine masquerade 9:36 AM

Eknath Easwaran's Thought for the Day

We have to take the whole universe as the expression of the one Self. Then only our love flows to all beings and creatures in the world equally.
  – Swami Ramdas

You and I appear to be separate. We differ in color, size, and shape. Differences in ideas, tastes, and prejudices mark us as individuals to be reckoned with. Beneath this apparent division, however, hidden deep within each of us is the one Self – eternal, infinite, ever-perfect. This is the closely guarded secret of life: that we are all caught up in a divine masquerade, and all we are trying to do is take off our masks to reveal the pure, perfect Self within.


In our present condition, we have forgotten we are wearing masks. Fortunately, the Self will not allow us to forget him, but keeps on calling to us. In order to find the Self, we must look deep within ourselves. When we succeed, our purpose in life will be fulfilled, and all our anger against others will melt into unfathomable love, all our fear of others into unshakable security.

The Thought for the Day is today's entry from Eknath Easwaran's Words to Live By. (Copyright 1999 & 2005 by The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.) Select the Thought for the Day for any day of the year. | www.easwaran.org

A trail of breadcrumbs 10:28 AM

“…we should hear not his word through the tongues of men, nor the voice of angels, nor the clouds' thunder, nor any symbol, but the very Self which in these things we love…” — Saint Augustine

My last post here, on genetic evolution, was followed by a note from John Katz on his sister’s cat. I told myself to try to be a little more spontaneous. But, it’s hard. You may have noticed there are quite a few words on the internet (Google estimates about 100 trillion), so I feel a responsibility to make sure mine have some value (not that the cat doesn’t). 

This blog is like a trail of breadcrumbs, for people to follow, and join, the 29 Pieces  journey.  We’re in the early stages of the project.  

At our first 29 Pieces Board meeting, last May, we decided an important early objective of the organization would be internet outreach.  This blog, and our Tumblr and Facebook pages, are part of the process.  

Arianna Huffington had a very interesting article the other day (“Museums 2.0”), about museums and social media.  It talks about the purposes of art, and the balance between discourse and contemplation.  The article and comments are worth reading for those of us involved in this project. The inspiration behind the 29 pieces is utterly contemplative (passage meditation), but the project has already involved other visual artists, poets and writers, photographers, and filmmakers.  The ultimate goal will be when the art appears full-size before us, and speaks for itself.   

— Kelly Nash

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com

when self has ceased to be. 2:14 PM

Number 16: I want to hide myself in you (If you and I melt together)

Starting December 27, 2010, I chose the following passage to “unpack” — line by line — as a daily practice to take me into the New Year.

And what is the “unpacking” process? It involves deep concentration on one line at a time, and then writing my response to that line – first with my dominant hand, and then with my non-dominant hand. There are plenty of references on the web to the process of dominant and non-dominant hand-writing. If you haven’t tried it, you may want to. I venture a guess that you will surprise yourself.

I’ll be interested to see what this passage has hidden for me.

Cast Aside What Limits You

— By Dov Baer of Mezherich

The human body is finite;

         the spirit is boundless.

Before you begin to pray,

         cast aside what limits you

         and enter into the world of the Infinite.

Turn to God alone

         and have no thoughts of self at all.

Nothing but God exists for you

         when self has ceased to be.

Dov Baer (d. 1772) was the chief disciple and successor of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or “Master of the Good Name,” founder of the Hasidic movement of Jewish mysticism, which places devotional prayer at the center of the spiritual life.

Right Hand:

“when self has ceased to be . . .“

(Written on January 8, 2011)

. . . every shadow on the floor, every reflection off the hood of a car will induce humility.

That’s God below me and God blinding me.

A sharp word from another’s mouth will make me pause with compassion and understand that I just may not understand.

I’ll really get it that it’s not all up to me, and that even that thought is loaded with arrogance.

The compulsions that mystify me will fizzle out.

Every waking moment will be in awe of the wonder world that surrounds me like the ocean.

The sustenance and protection of the Self I see in others will be One + the same with the living force in me.

King, Queen, or custodian, it will all be the same to me.

So much of how I’ve spent my energies will look ridiculous to me.

I’ll see – it doesn’t matter what I do, as long as what I do is kind. Corinthian, Kipling, the Gita – this is the bottom line.

Left hand:

“when self has ceased to be.“

. . . I’m so ready.

I say this, but think now, are you really ready to move forward with hope, love, insight, and disengage from the outcome? With 29 Pieces, you didn’t manufacture it. It is quite possibly not your responsibility or quarter to make the call on exactly what it’s going to be.

A stationary place.

An energy.

A traveling show in someone else’s tent.

A traveling show in it’s own tent.

They may not want to travel.

A destination or a tourist?

All in one place.

When self has ceased to be, I can relax + just ride the waves.

— Karen Blessen

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.blogspot.com

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com

Nothing but God exists for you 1:24 PM

All I See is Part of Me, by Chara M. Curtis
and Cynthia Aldrich

January 8, 2011

Starting December 27, 2010, I chose the following passage to “unpack” — line by line — as a daily practice to take me into the New Year.

And what is the “unpacking” process? It involves deep concentration on one line at a time, and then writing my response to that line – first with my dominant hand, and then with my non-dominant hand. There are plenty of references on the web to the process of dominant and non-dominant hand-writing. If you haven’t tried it, you may want to. I venture a guess that you will surprise yourself.

I’ll be interested to see what this passage has hidden for me.

Cast Aside What Limits You

— By Dov Baer of Mezherich

The human body is finite;

            the spirit is boundless.

Before you begin to pray,

            cast aside what limits you

            and enter into the world of the Infinite.

Turn to God alone

            and have no thoughts of self at all.

Nothing but God exists for you

            when self has ceased to be.

Dov Baer (d. 1772) was the chief disciple and successor of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or “Master of the Good Name,” founder of the Hasidic movement of Jewish mysticism, which places devotional prayer at the center of the spiritual life.

Right Hand:

“Nothing but God exists for you“

This past Thursday, I went to finish up the MasterPEACE LOVE Lesson at L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary School. Joe Stokes is the rock star art teacher there. Joe teaches five or six 50 minute classes every day, day after day, and has done this for years. To my eyes, he is still at the top of his game, but he has decided to retire and next week is his last at Hotchkiss. The children will be losing a gifted and committed teacher. So Joe is cleaning out his room and gave me some books. He read one of them to me – All I See Is Part of Me, Words by Chara M. Curtis and Illustrations by Cynthia Aldrich. Check it out – it’s the ultimate reality, the perennial philosophy explained for 7 year olds, and for all the rest of us who forget.

Left hand:

“Nothing but God exists for you“

. . . in the form of the oak tree, the boxer, the tumbling leaf, the beleaguered Mom, the sleeping child, and the jerk on the freeway.

All God.

So, every time I’m impatient, or angry, or ungrateful, I’m looking immature + thoughtless to God.

Thus the term ‘God fearing’. Aren’t we all a little afraid that God sitting next to us is getting too close a look?

— Karen Blessen

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.blogspot.com

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com

and have no thoughts of self at all 5:43 PM

Yayoi Kusama, Self-obliteration

January 4, 2011

Starting December 27, 2010, I chose the following passage to “unpack” — line by line — as a daily practice to take me into the New Year.

And what is the “unpacking” process? It involves deep concentration on one line at a time, and then writing my response to that line – first with my dominant hand, and then with my non-dominant hand. There are plenty of references on the web to the process of dominant and non-dominant hand-writing. If you haven’t tried it, you may want to. I venture a guess that you will surprise yourself.

I’ll be interested to see what this passage has hidden for me.

Cast Aside What Limits You

— By Dov Baer of Mezherich

The human body is finite;

            the spirit is boundless.

Before you begin to pray,

            cast aside what limits you

            and enter into the world of the Infinite.

Turn to God alone

            and have no thoughts of self at all.

Nothing but God exists for you

            when self has ceased to be.

Dov Baer (d. 1772) was the chief disciple and successor of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or “Master of the Good Name,” founder of the Hasidic movement of Jewish mysticism, which places devotional prayer at the center of the spiritual life.

Right Hand:

“and have no thoughts of self at all.“

That’s what art can do – for the artist and the onlooker. The small ‘self’ merges with vast consciousness + takes form in a new language – as an expression of something infinite + instantly recognized . . . by some at least.

I’ve been using examples of the art of Yayoi Kusama – with the blog entries on January 2, 2011 and December 31, 2010. In one statement, Kusama says, “I paint polka dots on the bodies of people, and with those polka dots, the people will self-obliterate and return to the nature of the universe.” In the documentary [Yayoi Kusama, I adore myself], she says, “When I’m facing a canvas, my mind is blank. “

In the creation of the 29 Pieces, the seed came from personal experience, but then quickly merged with perennial experiences and took form in ways that far transcend one artist’s life expression. There was a merging with the vibrant wisdom of the mystics. While my ‘self’ is still part of the story, it has been left behind. For the most part. That point is frequently misunderstood, as some see an artist’s work as all about advancing one’s self. Not so. Well, not always. Sometimes, it’s about advancing Self. (Capital ‘S’.)

Left hand:

“and have no thoughts of self at all.“

We sit in our little teacup . . . and that teacup might be an apartment, church, beauty salon, bar or nation. And we think. “This is the world, and it’s my world to either manage or serve.” Well, hey, surprise. A paradox. That might be both a teensy over-statement and yet an under-appraisal of our roles. We do what we can. Some work to conduct themselves nobly. Some work to make a big, fine, well constructed teacup. Some just sit. Some lighten up + go with the flow.

But ask someone whose cup got broken (There’s been a car wreck, or maybe a child was killed.) There’s something bigger at work, something humbling and interesting, if we can arrive at a point of detachment.

And we are a tempest in a teacup.

We’re just a wave. We’re not the water.

(Thank you Jimmie Dale Gilmore.)

— Karen Blessen

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.blogspot.com

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com

Turn to God alone 10:28 AM

The Weather Project video by Olafur Eliasson

January 3, 2011
Line 6

Starting December 27, 2010, I chose the following passage to “unpack” — line by line — as a daily practice to take me into the New Year.

And what is the “unpacking” process? It involves deep concentration on one line at a time, and then writing my response to that line – first with my dominant hand, and then with my non-dominant hand. There are plenty of references on the web to the process of dominant and non-dominant hand-writing. If you haven’t tried it, you may want to. I venture a guess that you will surprise yourself.

I’ll be interested to see what this passage has hidden for me.

Cast Aside What Limits You

— By Dov Baer of Mezherich

The human body is finite;

            the spirit is boundless.

Before you begin to pray,

            cast aside what limits you

            and enter into the world of the Infinite.

Turn to God alone

            and have no thoughts of self at all.

Nothing but God exists for you

            when self has ceased to be.

Dov Baer (d. 1772) was the chief disciple and successor of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or “Master of the Good Name,” founder of the Hasidic movement of Jewish mysticism, which places devotional prayer at the center of the spiritual life.

Right Hand:

“Turn to God alone . . . “

There is a problem . . .

I turn . . .

But not to:

            A husband

            A phone call to a friend

            The cosmetics counter at Neiman Marcus

            The online shoe store

            The refrigerator

            The glass of wine

            The shrink

            A movie

            The shoot out in my mind

            A replay of events.

But . . . to God.

And if there is discomfort with the name ‘God’ . . . I turn to the Source of all energy, to the Higher Self, to Wisdom, to Love, to Light.

Not so that everyone + everything outside this relationship is neglected, but so that the Love that grows can be given.

Left hand:

“Turn to God alone. “

Ask yourself:

            Who is your God?

I turn to the force of Beauty, Love, Light, Compassion + Wisdom in hope that some of that power will penetrate me, and melt all the petty entanglements that I hold on to.

— Karen Blessen

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.blogspot.com

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com

And enter into the world of the infinite 5:55 PM

Infinity Dots Mirrored Room, 1996, by Yayoi Kusama 

Starting December 27, 2010, I chose the following passage to “unpack” — line by line — as a daily practice to take me into the New Year.

And what is the “unpacking” process? It involves deep concentration on one line at a time, and then writing my response to that line – first with my dominant hand, and then with my non-dominant hand. There are plenty of references on the web to the process of dominant and non-dominant hand-writing. If you haven’t tried it, you may want to. I venture a guess that you will surprise yourself.

I’ll be interested to see what this passage has hidden for me.

Cast Aside What Limits You

— By Dov Baer of Mezherich

The human body is finite;

            the spirit is boundless.

Before you begin to pray,

            cast aside what limits you

            and enter into the world of the Infinite.

Turn to God alone

            and have no thoughts of self at all.

Nothing but God exists for you

            when self has ceased to be.

Dov Baer (d. 1772) was the chief disciple and successor of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or “Master of the Good Name,” founder of the Hasidic movement of Jewish mysticism, which places devotional prayer at the center of the spiritual life.

Right Hand:

“and enter into the world of the infinite . . . “

At this moment in time, I feel bogged down . . . limited. Infinity looks to me like a never-ending stream of emails + obligations.

Yet I know that the wonder world is one rotation away, one adjustment of the lens, one step and boom . . . I’m in . . . to that Boundless Spirit described a couple of days ago.

Why, why, why does this petty, self willed, ego-driven combat have such a hold on me? When the real world is glowing with beauty and stillness? I do not have an answer to that question yet. I’m like a boxer, foolishly determined to stay in the ring, after age + experience have shown me all they can about waving + walking away from the ropes, the mat, the crowd + the ceiling.

Left hand:

“and enter into the world of the infinite . . . “

Describe the world of the infinite to me.

It is energy that never ceases, light that always shines. Possibilities, connections that our brain may catch a glimpse of. Everything awes you + nothing should really surprise you when you enter infinity. There will be joy.

— Karen Blessen

www.29Pieces.org

www.29Pieces.blogspot.com

www.29Pieces.tumblr.com