Thank you for joining me on this ride.

What direction Perspectives takes is still a mystery to me, like most things in my life. I am hoping this site will be more than pretty images, and intriguing narrative. I am hoping to touch upon life's conundrums, you know, the ones that make you scratch your head and say, WTF.

We all struggle to make sense of life and may take assorted avenues to find meaning and purpose; my avenue of choice is photography. A quality image requires more than the camera of the moment, it requires an investment of my time and energy. If I whittle down, time and energy even further, the real prerequisite in photography is to be present, for it is in the being still that I can touch upon the vital undercurrents and clarity hidden within.

Just as being present is essential for a good photographic image, it is also a requirement for a well-lived life. This week I am off to a Council Wheel workshop in the mountains of New Mexico, uncovering the legacy of the Mayan people. This is cool stuff! This workshop intends to unveil the ancient earth-based traditions of the Yucatan Peninsula, adding relevance to the world around us. The first request from our instructor is the commitment to be present. Hummmmm, its amazing how this being present thing keeps popping up.

I look forward to sharing my Council Wheel experiences with you, along with any fringe and bead laden trinkets I may stumble across. Feathers, leather and beads, oh my!

​Live in Color,
Abby

Where do you go when you need a little calm in your life? When you had it with life's annoyances, where do you retreat to?
Twenty-five years ago I ran away to the woods of Vermont, leaving behind my metropolitan vanities for the simplicity and grandeur of the Green Mountain woodlands. There I found a connection to the natural rhythms of the forest, which is what I needed at the time, however now, it's the ocean that calls me.
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Last month, I boarded a 80 foot schooner in the Boston harbor for a sunset cruise in the attempt to escape the despairing headlines and a frazzled mind. There is something about being on the water that lifts the veil of confusion and allows a momentary respite from life's melodrama. There is also something about watching athletic young men hoist unruly sails, harnessing the swelling canvas and the billowing wind. With the engines off, and sails weighted with the balmy fall breeze, the silence of the water consumes me.

The only request I made of myself while boarding the vessel was to leave my monkeys on the dock. In meditation circles the term "monkey mind" is often used to describe ones overactive mind, comparing it to a horde of monkeys jumping and jabbering, all screeching for your attention. Each monkey has its own agenda and their names are a clue, Lethargy, Abandonment, and the most detestable of all, is the monkey named Fear. Confusion and indecision arise from these rampant primates, and it's our job to tame them. I wanted more than to tame them, I wanted to leave my monkeys behind on the weathered dock.

As the wind picked up, the vessel listed to the starboard side; I hung on to the freshly polished railing, and just smiled. For me, there is nothing to be found on the water except freedom.

We strive to find our unique place in the world, a solid place, sometimes described as one where your feet are firmly on the ground, yet gliding across the oceans wild surface, is anything but solid. So where does this calm come from? Could it be the surrendering to the unknown, accepting the mystery that encompasses us, to just hang on for the ride? It seems the simple act of being or surrendering, buttons ups the incorrigible monkeys, allowing peace and calm.

​My three hour cruise, minus the Professor and Marianne, proved successful; the monkeys stayed stranded on the dock, and on board, a slight chop and clear mind prevailed.

Give yourself a gift and visit your sanctuary today. Reward yourself with a few moments of calm, tame your monkeys, or better yet, leave them on the dock.
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Live in Color,
Abby