Coloring Outside the Lines

The poem  below "Tall Grass", came from my thoughts on having a "real" job. Doing what you your "supposed" to do to live life.  The jobs to get by, to pay rent.  Thinking inside of societies construct of success and what it would be like to think outside of it. To Live outside of it. 

You want to know why kids start off coloring outside the lines?  Because they know no boundaries! Their freedom and imagination are nearly endless and too big for the black lines, or (even the paper if they go beyond that).  Staying neatly inside the lines, doesn't make it art.  Just because you can hold a money making job, doesn't mean thats the right way to live.  If that does happen to be your path, I hope it makes you happy. For those like me... Here's to living a life of art, poetry, community and creativity! 

Tall Grass

Let us step forward into the nappy forest.

More episodic with every step.

You call this land unsightly

I call it independent.

You call dandelions weeds

I call them yellow flowers.

You call the coastal redwood old and its towering height unnatural

I call it wise and the size of my dreams.

“Look at the tall grass.  Wild and unmanageable.”

“Yes the grass is long and tangled,

It’s determined to one day reach the sun. Can you think as big?”

Your solid path is hard and unforgiving.

The grass gives way underneath my feet.

Your realities pavement is stiff, pushing back.

The grass lifts me on its back like a kid sister.

The grey road soaks up water, pretending it wasn’t there.

The grass shares its tears openly in the rain.

You’re ready go to your concrete reality.

“You still haven’t seen the forest yet.” I plead,

“Won’t you color outside the lines with me?” 

Your Line of Sight

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Who are you?  Take a moment to think about your answer.  Now, think about where your answer came from.  Is all of it from you?  A quick response may be "Yes!"  Let's think about it.


A friend of mine called me "The Writer Yogi". (XOXO Sherry) Is that who I was when she said so?  For her, yes.  For myself, it wasn't...yet.  Just because someone else says you're something, doesn't mean it's true.  No matter if it's positive or negative.  Sherry could say all day long I'm the Writer Yogi but that is her perspective and not mine until I go with it.  We discussed this and agreed I should take claim over this identity since it's what I wanted to be so badly.  Now look at me :-) !  Writing inspiration to others and myself about the yoga journey and its connection to life.  By claiming something, making it yours and believing it's true, makes it so! 

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It reminds me of the first time I attempted Crow Pose.  I never imagined myself being able to support my body on my arms and balancing.  I haven't gotten it yet. It will come!  My first shots at attempting, I remember the thoughts that ran through my brain.  I was afraid thinking, "I can't! I'll break my wrists, then I won't be able to work, then won't be able to pay rent..." And so on.  Yeaaaaaah... Not very positive and full of fear!


Less than 30 seconds later I thought, "Do it.  Even if you fall on your face.  Fall down Rachelle.  You'll be fine."  I did just that. My feet went into the air for a split second! Woot!  I was (and still am) so proud!  I even fell over which is awesome because I was fine as I thought I would be!


What made this experience so uplifting and exciting was I perceived a situation as impossible.  So it was, I didn't move.  Didn't even try.  As soon as I saw it as possible, something happened!  Though not a full crow pose, the best part was being unafraid to try, getting results, falling down and laughing as I got up.


Unfortunately, it goes for negative thoughts as well.  If I believe there is a pose I can't do or achieve, there is a slim to none chance I will.  You see, your perception is your reality.  It is true that if you perceive something, it will become real.  If not you and the others around, at the very least yourself.  Which is enough since you live in your own world/mind.


Letting your point of view be warped by another is hazardous, too.  If a family member says, "You can't be happy and make any living being an artist" and you take it to heart, beginning to see as they do, that life won't happen.  You won't be happy or successful as an artist.  We have to remember, sometimes when others are speaking to us, they can be speaking from their perspective and view of themselves.  Maybe that family member says you can't succeed as an artist because they can't.  Maybe that person says you can live as a bank teller living the average 9 to 5 because they could.  Take to heart only what goes with your vision of yourself!  If a complete stranger says, "Your art will rock the socks of the creative world!" and that's what you want, add it to how you see yourself.  If someone says, "Your art stinks and you should stick to your day job" take that as nonconstructive criticism, give them deuces and go on your way.  

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Ah yes friend, you may be thinking, "How do I change my perspective from negative to positive?"  A reasonable question.  One way that I embrace from time to time is "Fake it 'till you make it".  Ever hear this phrase? It's honestly what has to happen in times of insecurity.  If you pretend standing on one foot in Tree Pose is cake when you're a person with and exceptional lack of balance, though not instantly, it will become easy.  Acting like you've already won gives you the starting place to actually winning.  How?  If you've already won, you don't have to focus so much on the challenges because they're already vanquished.  When the difficulties do arise, you just snap your fingers in a "Z" formation and say, "I already got this" and go get it.


Another ways is to actively alter your perspective of life and how you're living. I've read if you think or write about at least 3 positive events, people, whatever, just 3 positive things in your life or day, everyday, life will begin to look pretty peachy.  Even if you don't do it every day, from time to time (more often than not) take a moment to think a thought along the lines of "Hey, today I had a great breakfast, read an awesome book and saw the stars before I walked into the house tonight." that brief moment will brighten everything.


Don Quixote had it right all along!  I LOVE the movie "Man of La Mancha" with Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren.  Everyone thought Quixote was crazy for believing life to be something out of a fairy tale.  In the end, it turned out he was the smartest one!  (There is So much I can say about this movie.  I was extremely moved.  I might have to post about it.) If you can, please watch it.  It's a really great movie in terms of message and craft.  "Don Juan DeMarco" with Marlon Brando and my man Johnny Depp is another great example.  If you see the world as wondrous, though not always, it will be most of the time! 


When was a time you changed your perspective from one way to another and saw change?


See with your HEART and not with your head.


Namaste my friend,


~Writer Yogi