january mandala / basics

2016 Mandalas - Sherri Lynn Wood

January Mandala - Simplicity Basics Tools

At the beginning of the new year, I was invited to participate in a Facebook Group, 2016 New Year Mandalas, with the goal of creating 12 mandalas in 12 days, one for each of the upcoming months of 2016. I decided to take the challenge of setting a visual intention for the months of of the year ahead. I also hope to blog each month about my intentions, as a way of tracking the year ahead.

It's actually February 1, and I am post-dating this blog entry for January 31! This meshes with my January intention of Simplicity Tools Basics - in that I'm in desperate need of a simpler less technology ridden life. Usually January is my quietest month but not this year. The month is already over and it was a blur of activity. Much of my time and efforts being c0nsumed by social media and promotional activities. Actually I yearn for the good old days of 2010 when the humble blog post was all that was required to share my thoughts with a broader community.

I haven't figured out how to balance my email and social media responsibilities with my creative life, but limits have to be set. I'm struggling to keep up with it all. Although I enjoy being a part of the communities on Facebook and Instagram, I miss the format of writing more extensively about my life and creative process on my blog. So with January already gone is it ludicrous to proclaim that I want to get back to blogging?

To do more blogging I have to cut back on other social media activities. I removed the Facebook App from my phone. I'm also inviting members of the vibrant Improv Handbook Facebook Group to step into leadership rolls. I have to cut down my direct presence there but will be stopping in occasionally to read and comment.

BTW - the FB group is currently working through each of the scores in The Improv Handbook For Modern Quilters in 2016. If you are interested in getting supportive feedback with your improv projects - be they scores from the book or your own explorations please jump in and join the very active conversation!

Along with these changes in my Facebook interactions, I'm only responding to email inquiries on Thursdays. I hope this structure will help but I'm not sure. Right now I'm terribly behind on my email correspondence.

I'm deeply dissatisfied about how technology eats into my real, present, and embodied life. Life is too short to be on the computer all the time. For this reason I sigh when I see these old fashioned hand stitching tools - a quilting and an embroidery hoop. Although I've taken some steps in January to allow more space for life off screen, I'm not sure if it's enough.

But I will do my best! My January 2016 mandala reminds me to keep working for more simplicity, and basics in my life, relationships, living spaces, and in my creative work as well.