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September 11, 2004 Ramble and Brain Massage
My new found relatives in
Mississippi are "Serious Christians". They
do missionary work in Central and South America. We reunited after
my Father died on April 2001. I wrote the open letter to my new
found Brummett family after September 11, 2001.
http://www.norajean.com/911-010.htm
As a Muslim I felt it was important to remind my new relatives that
the action of crazy people do not represent the whole community.
I share this open letter with the list for it still comforts me.
One of my new Cousins, who is a fourth grade school teacher, printed
up this letter and handed it to her students to give to their
parents. She felt that the parents needed to read it too.
I want to hug the world. A big global hug. So here it is. Brain Massage.
My beloved neighbor Hilda, a German Jew who came to America with
nothing but the clothes on her back, says there are times in history
when good people are called upon to stand up to evil; when we have
to take time out of our personal lives to right wrongs. September
11th was that day, not only for Americans, but for the world.
The first place to start is inside of our own hearts. To root out
prejudice. To come to know each other as fellow human beings. To
respect each others belief systems and to give no excuse to crazy
people who wrongly use our belief systems to condone their evil
actions.
This is my small bit in that effort. Jews, Christians and Muslims
all share Moses and Abraham, our roots are closer than any other
group of believers. Because of that I have Faith that we can find
peace with each other.
So this is a prayer for peace. Look into our own hearts and if
there's prejudice growing there against Muslims, know that those who
use terror on innocent people are not Muslims. They have not
submitted to the will of God but rather have idolized a mortal,
which means they believe in a False God in a Man who is crazy.
Remember when Moses tried to explain to the Pharaoh why it was
important to let the Children of Israel go? "The Pharaoh's eyes and
ears were sealed as if with wax." That's is what it is like for
those who worship a mortal, First Commandment Beef.
Those who worship money, fame, their good looks, their sexual
prowess, you can't explain squat to them for their eyes and ears are
sealed as if with wax. I don't even bother. Hipping those folks up
is God's work; I got to work on my own, brain massage.
The main brain massage on this list is for each ClayMate to start
the art process by loving themselves first. Right? The Sassy Clayer
Syndrome. Can't follow your bliss if you've found your inner child
and abused it. That's why I ask you not to make things that you
think will sell, but to clay from the heart and that will resonate
in another who will want to help you buy groceries. Do not let the
money become the false god that keeps you from the fountain of
inspiration, running on fear of poverty and the lure of power and
influence that money can bring.
Love breeds love. If we love ourselves it is not a selfish thing. It
is because we appreciate that which has been given to us. Thanks God
for giving us the impulse to get up in the middle of the night to
look for a scrap of paper to write the idea down.
One has to love themselves enough to respect their favorite color,
to express their personal inner vision, to be brave enough to show
the world this is what one feels deeply about. As artists we can't
help it. These themes, these colors just delight us. So revel in it
as the gift it is.
Who gave you your gift? Did you call ahead of your birth and order
the urge to fiddle and make things? No. These urges and compulsions
were given to you. Say thank you and use them to the max. If it
delights the eye and just seems to flow from you then you're on the
bliss track. This is the spiritual hotline and where inspiration
comes from. By savoring the moment, tasting the strawberry with eyes
closed, we catch life's real reward and promise, a state of grace.
This is how we begin to love ourselves and this is necessary if we
are to have compassion for another.
Love breeds love and through love you tap into the collective
consciousness that is all of us together. That's why clay
synchronicity happens. We are connected by our third eye. When one
of us is thinking about a design or topic another person will be
picking up on that same thing. You'll see people posting "I was JUST
THINKING about that." Sure you were, because we are all connected.
ESP isn't hard to believe if you have already bought the idea that we
are connected in spirit.
But it starts with the self, all efforts for peace, for giving, for
sharing, for caring about others has to start from inside and ripple
outward.
This is my pebble in the group pond, this shared virtual space of
letters and words. My hope is this ripples around the world and is
embraced by those who read it.
Art matters, you as an artist are blessed, Faith in your gifts will
make you brave in sharing your work with another. From there you
have the opportunity to influence others with your art.
How do you want to influence the world?
I want peace to be able to create and revel in my blessings that
were a gift after all.
I want this for all of my ClayMates, for their families and friends
as well.
So there's no real end to this ramble, tending to repeat myself as I
do, but I didn't want this day to go by without some serious brain
massage that is a plea for peace and love,
old hippies can't change their tie dye
peace, love and clay flower power.
See you in demo for flowers in an hour.
xoxo
NJ
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