Part 1: Roll Up for the Magical Mystery Tour of Your Soul
Much To My Surprise....
Around age 12, I discovered that my body was worth dancing.
"Dancin' don't make you cry."-Dizzy Gillespie
After years of boring church services I had to attend as a child, I discovered no god who was so serious that he didn't dance or laugh was worth my attention, much less my devotion.
"There are ten levels of prayer, and above them is Song."--Hasidic teaching
Despite what I was taught about self-expression and "the value of hard work" in our crazy world, I much later discovered my thoughts were worth reading and (re)discovered my time was worth being spent playing...
"The opposite of play is not work-the opposite of play is depression."-Brian Sutton-Smith, pioneer play researcher.
"Our play should become work; our work, a celebration; and our celebration, play. I regard this as the supreme excellence of the human tasks."-Johannes Itten, Bauhaus instructor (1919-1922)
and, not only that, but:
Art is a Social Service
"Art has always been the raft on to which we climb to save our sanity."-Dorthea Tanning
and
Personal growth is a Social Responsibility.
"You are not obligated to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it."-Rabbi Tarfon in the last Mishnah (verse) of the second chapter from the Pirke Avot (a tractate of the Mishnah that collects ethical teachings and maxims).
Lo and behold: to spread joy around, I had to possess it myself! So I finally gave myself permission to do things that really float my boat.
Therefore, I invite you to dance and play with me as we explore the Good, The True, and The Beautiful...(& Adventure!).
The Good: explore how you habitually see things and alternative solutions to personal and collective problems...but not alone--"find the others" for support and guidance as well as to provide support and guidance.
The True: consider what the best objective evidence is telling us about the past, the present, and predictions about what's next.
The Beautiful: with our feet firmly planted, creatively express your awe and wonder in a daily dance for healing, growth and renewal, and deeper meaning and purpose...and, again, to inspire, support, and guide others to do the same.
"In the performing arts is found the performing spirit, and so I honor [Zulu healer, Credo Mutwa] as a great teacher [who taught] that life is jazz: better invented and improvised than statically scripted and memorized."-Brad Keeney
Adventure: to boldly go where your most pure intentions want to lead you in order to keep this magical mystery tour alive.
"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."―Alan Watts
So, how will Formal Rhubarb help you do all that?
("The suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last."-Willy Wonka.)
Sign up below, stick around, and find out!
For more on the Formal Rhubarb philosophy and approach, please see:
Part 2: When You Get Hit By Life, Ask "What's the Counterpunch?"
Part 3: The Formal Rhubarb Difference that Makes a Difference
Part 4: Bringing Medicine Back to the Tribe
Part 5: No Book Has Just One Chapter: Re-Author Your Life & Make a Difference
