January 2

This is an origami star using a pattern that originated in Patagonia.  And the wonderful, wonderful Internet brought it to me through the Origami Spirit website with well taught videos by Leyla Torres.  I think Leyla used a slightly heavier paper than I did which gives her stars more support and structure.  And she used way cuter paper!

Anne gave me Leyla's fair trade, bamboo origami folding tool for Christmas, and it really is all the things Leyla describes in the short video about the tool.  It's a dream for pressing creases into the paper.

The theme for January's mindfulness project is Body & Soul and taking care of both more mindfully.  The sub-topics are More Exercise, Clean Eating, Clear Thinking, More Sleep/Better Sleep, and Nine Minute Meditation.

Starting with the last on the list, I've never been any good at meditation.  My job keeps me sitting in front of a computer most of the day.  Then I sit on the bus or in the car to and from work.  I sit to eat my meals, and I sit in the studio.  One more part of my life that requires sitting has just never appealed to me.

When I do anything that involves counting, I do it in 9's.  There are nine Muses, so doing things in 9's invokes the Muses who inspire our art.  And 9 is just the coolest of numbers because every multiple of 9 adds up to 9.  Example:  27, 63, 81, 108, 1152 and on into infinity.  How can you not find a number like 9 beyond cool? 

So I've decided this month to attempt to meditate for 9 minutes as day.  My handy dandy smart phone gives me access to free apps like the meditation app that allows me to set a 9 minute timer that begins with a soft gong and ends with it as well.  I always have my phone on my person, so in theory I can meditate whenever the opportunity presents me with a spare 9 minutes.  We'll see how this goes....  Mary

Leyla's much cuter stars

Bamboo, fair trade origami folding tool