Shamanic Tools for Creativity Class 1

I did these 3 self portraits in the first class of Shamanic Tools for Creativity on Monday night at Otis Evening College/Extension,

This first one was with my right hand - which is my dominant hand. I did some measuring for the placement of the features etc.  I will done sitting on a stool in the ladies room in about 10 to 15 minutes.

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This second one was done with my left hand (my non-dominant hand).  The left hand was very weak and I really couldn't measure or make a straight line - all my hand would allow me was the crazy curvy lines.  It was a struggle - I wanted to cheat. But I loved what came out in the end.  I am softer and kinder with the left hand and that makes yogic sense to me because the left hand on the feminine side of the body. I spent 10 to 15 minutes on this one.

The last one I made in the classroom.  The teacher said be really free with this one.  Like you are in kinder garden and use your non dominant hand.  So I got out a big sharpie and started to draw looking at myself in my IPAD.

I am going to do more non-dominant hand drawing in the future.  I love how much more fun the untrained hand seems to be,

Distortion of the non-dominant hand shows us the subconscious.  Non dominant hand shows us character and creativity.

It is important to connect with both sides of the brain.

CLASS NOTES

- We started the class drumming to connect to spirit.
- Fu-Ding Cheng is the teacher and he referred to his teachings as spiritual Kung Fu
- He said our greatest contributions in life come from our deepest wounds.
- He mentioned the 2 main totems we will be studying are 1) the Art of Dreaming and 2) the Art of Stalking.
- We dream of a planet/plane/plan ... we want to wake up... we are God but we have to wake up because we dream we aren't
- Jump through the Sun Ritual
- Love is the most powerful force in the universe.
- Illustrators are those who illustrate something.
- Art doesn't illustrate something it embodies something.
- How do you protect your violent flame of creativity in a rough and tumble world- 2
- How not to lose your center - stay centered - stay in the place of the most sublime part of you.
- It's important to fine tune where you put your chi (conservation of energy)
- Your greatest art is your own life
- Put your heart on the throne
- Always ask yourself is this coming from the heart or ego
- Don't let your head take over what your heart has to say
- Let the heart be on the throne but reason be the 1st prime minister

Clarity of Intent
- Know what you want. Go for what you really want.
- Connect and attune to spirit from your heart
- Spiritual Mana heals us
- Assemblage Point
- Detachment from outcomes
- Heal your own wounds (not blaming but seeing what is)


Art of Dreaming
- Seeing energy. Seeing your place in the cosmic universe,

Shaman
- anyone who has the ability to go in the spiritual realm and access to spiritual
- like jazz artists and improve artists
- Shamanism appreciates that you are going to express it in your own way

Priests
- channels into existing forms