30 days of JAM

I've been on a bit of a roll with my morning practice. It became easy to get up early, go to my studio, turn on some music, make tea, smudge my space and get about the business of journaling, art making and movement. JAM, yo.

Being a month out for surgery has allowed me a fair amount of time to plan and prepare to be in at least a month of healing at home. Normally I would welcome that kind of "vacation" but worry over the procedure - it's effectiveness, length of time away from my job and..let's be real..the cost..well, that kind of interfered with my enthusiasm for a month vaca.

Enter my JAM practice. What better way to create wellness than with a focus and a real commitment to holistic wellness than to focus (or FlOWcus as I like to call it) on my body, mind and spirit through a solid JAM practice following my surgery?

I already know creative work takes some sting out of constant pain. I have pulled out my canvas and paints, my stitching project and my new mandolin more than once to take my mind off of troubles. It's a great way to reframe internal troubles. I look at creative action as active meditation and we all know what great things they say about meditation, don't we?

Maybe you already know for REAL. Maybe you've experienced the benefit of a yoga practice, of a running regimen, of daily art making or piano lessons. Lucky you! Lucky us really. I don't come at this as a newbie. I've known the magic parts for a long while. Remembering and doing rather than wallowing is the tricky part. It's definitely easier to sit on the couch with a remote control and an edible than it is to pull out your tools and make shit. I guess when you get to plan your surgery (I had emergency brain surgery twenty years ago and planned NOTHING), you are told to not take all the good pain medicine for a week or so before surgery. WTF? How can I keep up my routines with this much pain? I got stuff to do to prepare for? Last night, I came home from work..tired, hungry..changed into jammies and before I got into dinner and a movie routine I had looked forward to, I took my mandolin off it's holder on our wall and began playing and singing. Without realizing, I spent an hour at it and felt great. Later, I got my art journal propped up in bed and did some drawing and writing before I went to sleep. Much more relaxed and ready for another work day (only two more before I get to have this repair!!)

I came up with this plan to make the best of this coming month and include whoever wants to join me. So, this is sort of an invitation. Daily check ins are a fun way for me to be accountable but I'm not going to ask that. I'm simply going to make a JAM blog post every day.

Here's what I'm committing to myself and to you (whoever you may be)

*Journal activity/prompt/project

*Art making tutorial/idea/project

*Medicine- movement, music and mindful meditation resource and activity.

In my perfect world, I would be teaching it all..but realistically, I will be sharing some media that other people I love and respect have already put in the world for our use.

So, curating a JAM every day of November is my job. I'm up for the challenge. You in?