Great adventures from the confines of my house

Life can be curious.

The past month or so, I have been rarely outside the door.
Twice to go to hospital appointments, once to the library, and once to Dungarvan, two weeks ago. An hour buzzing around on my scooter through two shops. Sitting in a cafe waiting for my lift to bring me home again, I had a great difficulty to walk from the chair back to my scooter. About six steps?
It had taken many false starts to actually get out the door, so back on my couch at home, I was pleased I had done a 'normal' thing on a normal Saturday.

While in recovery mode, I received a message via Facebook from a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University to invite me to give a talk at a puppet festival in March ...
Sure! Great!
I nearly got up to pack my bags there and then.

The freedom of my mind...

I did wonder if my brain - my mind - is amazing, or deeply flawed ...

Here I was, ill from one hour on my scooter, a total of about two hours outside my house, and yet I did not see any difficulty with the prospect of going to the UK. Or even to Canada next summer. Another invitation to talk about my puppets...

I know I can do it. I know I can go to the UK. It does however require a lot of planning.

I made it to the family reunion in Holland during the summer. Tough on my health, but so worth it.

The journey the puppets are bringing me on, is just to amazing too dismiss.

Puppets, ME, Disability, health, are all part of my story. 

Although I rarely get outside the door, I am reaching people far beyond my wildest dreams. As if the strings of the puppets are bringing me out into the world again.

* There are contacts with some amazing women who, behind the scenes, are making the experience of life with ME in today's Ireland to the people who need to hear it: Politicians, HSE staff. Researchers, Hospital consultants, OT's, Social Welfare, the public who still believes we are just a little tired...

I am in awe of the power of this very small group. 

* Contacts too with other creatives, who encourage me to keep going. Who trust me to share with them the art of making puppets. Or trust in the creative process in general.

 * Contacts with readers of my books. For example an email from a mother of a young woman severely ill with ME.  ... As I try and motivate and stimulate K to use her sore eyes more, we started putting a new picture in her room each day for her to look at and enjoy. ...  we have been using a new nature picture from the Into the Light box each day.  Her favourite so far has been raindrops hanging from red buds. That one has stayed in her room well beyond its allotted day as she loves it so much... 

* Contacts with puppeteers from around the globe.

* Being supported by friends and family in all sorts of kind ways. Touching each other's lives. Learning from our varied stories.

* And being invited for a radio interview with Bernadette and Stan Phillips on their World in View program. Exactly a year since the interview during the Dis ability ... This Ability Exhibition, which perhaps was one of those pivotal steps in my own adventures of stepping out of the disability/illness box with the help of my puppets...

Listen to the interview here 

(about 15 minutes long)

And in the next few weeks there are more adventures, for which I do not have to leave my house.

• I have a meeting with Senator Grace O'Sullivan to talk about ME, Disability and Puppets. Grace gave a very passionate talk at the Dis ability ... This Ability Exhibition exhibition last year.
• On Friday 1st December Cora Fitzgerald's Cocoon Life Website will go live. And I have the honour to be their first guest with a (pre-recorded) podcast.  'Cocoon life is a website about inspiring Journeys, Life lived With Purpose'.

• 

  image /text for the Cocoon Life podcast recording
  

• Also on Friday 1st December, the special version of the Life Outside the Box will be screened on Irish National television. RTE 1 6 pm, during the People's Angelus.
• On the 8th December our puppet film will be shown during the Together! Festival in London.
• I will be going out to meet prospective new readers during the Villierstown Craft fair Sunday 26th November!

Phew.

So, although life can be hugely challenging at times, it is also amazingly rewarding. And curious.

Thank you ALL for coming along on my adventures through life.

I could not have done it without you.

Don't forget the sale which is on at the moment on my website and at my studio. 

And during the Villierstown Craft fair Sunday 26th November.

20% discount on books and prints during November, 10% during first two weeks in December.

 

The healing effects of teaching puppet-making

There is so much in my head that I like to share with you. Thoughts about healing, recovery, miraculous recovery, challenges, health, or not as the case may be, but somehow all roads lead to the beauty of sharing the art of making puppets.

... do I know you? ...
(Pascale De Coninck with puppet-head by Louise Clark)

Longing

I so long to be well enough to get up in the morning with ease, go to my studio, or to my desk and sculpt, sew, write, share, teach. Or to be out in the garden and get rid of the weeds- but leave anything which insects and birds might like to nibble on over the winter.

The other night after another trip to hospital -this time for a planned appointment, not an unplanned trip in an ambulance - I was too tired to have a good night sleep. One of peculiarities of M.E.(ME/CFS). There is a fine balance between being tired enough to go to sleep, and being too tired. Anyway. At some point I got up again to get something to drink, and I picked up my notebook. I wrote:  " ... All I have left in me are tears. I so want to just get on with my life.  A miraculous recovery overnight is VERY WELCOME. Whatever way it comes.  Thank you."

The intriguing roads to recovery

There has been so much in the news about ME lately, about very dodgy suggestions that recovery is possible, as long as you follow some weird science. Well, I am absolutely delighted if people find ways to beat illness, in whatever way, as long as people are not being exploited by quacks along the way.

I always felt that I would recover in my own time, in my own way. Through a positive mindset, understanding nature's wisdom, and be involved in creativity in all its ways. My mantra for years was "I write myself into wellbeing". And writing most definitely had a huge impact on learning to live well with illness.

I certainly have improved much from the early years, see Hatched- a creative Journey Through M.E. (1998-2006), but I am not as good as I was a decade ago. I am hopeful though, that my current adventures with all things puppet will eventually bring me closer to a level of wellbeing. Again. I am hopeful. And almost convinced.

The puppet-related adventures definitely bring me joy, and energy, 

which is not exactly a physical energy, but energy at a different level.

even the start of making feet are already showing the
different characters they are going to be

So, ... teaching puppet making in my studio

As you might know I have started to teach in my studio. One and half hours a week. Anne's Japanese Dancer (see link below under image) was the first puppet/doll. The second course with three students started almost two weeks ago. And what fun! And, I am getting better at setting my personal limits, and devising ways so my students can work further on their puppets in my studio, in their own time (or at home).

Sharing all I have learned about making puppets over that past 4 decades is enjoyable. But what intrigues me most of all is what puppet making does to the maker.  In my classes I am not overly concerned with the perfect face, but what character emerges from a block of clay. From the hands of the maker. From the inner thoughts of the maker. 

It is a truly wondrous journey.

Jackie O'Flynn working on her puppet-head

Teaching via post and cyberspace.

Greg Crowhurt's Johnny Toes-
 to be made as puppet

During a communication with Linda and Greg Crowhurst a seed was planted in my head to see how I can help Greg to bring his Johnny Toes character into puppet form. Some amazingly powerful moments have occurred. Of finding ways to teach Greg via email, photos, images, written instructions. To find ways to not expose Linda to the dangers of chemical smells of glue, or to sounds from skype conversations.
The experience the heartbreak of the limitations of living with severe ME put on just the person living with this, but also the carer. My heart goes out to them and to anyone living with the incredibly challenging circumstance.

The beauty of helping Greg to fulfill on his dream, is also how many others are getting involved. Offers of fabric for the clothing, and the weaving of the strap for his guitar.  To making suggestions to limit the challenges which undoubtedly will occur along the way.
I put a box together with all that is required to bring Johnny Toes into being. See a wonderfully excited Greg when the box of goodies arrived at his house. (see link below).

Teaching, and sharing, the art of puppet making, might not be my miraculous recovery, but it surely is bringing a different kind of energy into my life. A goosebumps kind of energy. 

Who knows where it will lead.

Anne stopped by to show us Mia's kimono

My own 'girls' are starting to take shape
and seem to be having a chat...

Further reading and links

• Follow Greg and Johnny Toes's adventures , including how others are getting involved, when The Box arrived
• Interested in doing a course, either in my studio or online/post? Please contact me
• The Dance of Puppetry and disability

you can make anything by writing

I am still out of sorts

but sorting myself out

... these were the words which appeared on my diary page this morning. I am still out of sorts, but sorting myself out.

I left it at that.

I seem to be still in the process to re-establish the me in my life, after the busy and at times confusing few months. 

Clearing helps. Clearing my garden was so powerful. And am now in the process of more tidying in my house. Again... An ongoing project really. 

I seem to have the need to move things around (and in the process, moving energy around...) 

And to dispose of stuff. 

Tidy my books. My desk. My studio. My space. My head.

Johhny Dwyer overseeing the tidying of my study.

I know that this is all in preparation for good things to come.

I also cleared some people out of my life (metaphorically speaking of course) and invited some others to join me on my journey. Mostly creative people.

So, while I tidy up my life, I am getting ready for new adventures.

Creating.

Teaching.

Writing.

To reflect on C.S. Lewis's wise words which I have written on Puppet Johnny Dwyer's travel box... "You can make anything by writing."

Writing words in my diary, sharing my private thoughts which seem to flow from my pen onto the clear space in front of me. Sharing the challenges, the joys, the hopes and desires. To make plans. All in the safe place between pen and paper. I never stop marveling of the power of this excersice.

Creative ideas come into focus. But also life in general.

I can make anything by writing.

"You can make anything by writing"
C.S. Lewis
Cover of Johnny Dwyer's travel box

Be well my dear friends.
Wishing you a lovely weekend!
And maybe... find a lovely notebook and most comfortabel pen, or embark on a space clearing exercise... a few minutes at the time.

Closing, and (re)opening doors

Yesterday was one of those days...
It started off with the challenge of pretty bad fatigue accompanied by pain. Inflammation of some sort? Anyway, the way brightened as it went its merry way.

Post arrived

I am still a great believer in the beauty of receiving post via the letterbox.
A letter accompanied by printed photos. Thanks Moira.

page from Hatched

And a letter with an appointment for the MRI. At last I have been given a landing slot and can stop circling the skies. It is even in time before my appointment to get the results from the neurologist. (I had appointment for result, but no date for test). Logic, it seems, has prevailed. Or perhaps the stern letter from my GP worked. Whatever the case, I have an appointment. I hope of course that is it 'just ME' or old age setting in, and not something else to scare me. But whatever comes up, it is already there. I just don't know a name for it.

Closing one door

To clear the way to follow my desire to teach again, as I wrote the other day I decided on closing one door, to be able to have energy to open another.
I would dearly like to find ways to facilitate puppet workshops with people and groups in them community. To reach out to people who could benefit from being involved in the creative process. The puppet project (and similar I had done, prior to illness, with teenagers in a group home) brought the value of this clearly into focus. As teaching would take a great deal of my energy, I decided that I can no longer go to the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) resource centre. (It is there where I facilitated the Life Outside the Box Puppetry project.) I have been going to the centre as a IWA member for a few years, but feel it is time to move on. It is not a place I can further grow. And teaching, I know, would be my one big event in the week, so I closed the IWA Resource Centre door today.

Opening a door to the past

As it happens, as life seem to happen in its peculiar ways, soon after I emailed my letter off to the IWA, a young woman from Finland made contact via Facebook. The name rang a bell... She and her friend were my students shortly before I became ill in 1998. They were about 17 at the time and stayed with me for a month to learn the art of doll making as part of their art college course in Finland. We did not have contact for at least 17 years.

So here I am, on a day when I make a firm commitment to myself to go back to teaching puppetry and Doll Art, in some shape or from, whatever is practical and workable, I hear from one of the last people I taught before illness changed my life. Sari did not become a Doll Artist, her friend Anna did. Sari sounded happy in life.

Opening new doors

So, whatever way this teaching will happen, I am ready to listen to the universe. I am ready to explore and be guided in how, and where I will continue my journey.

Puppet Power

Yesterday I had a visit from a creative friend.

She brought her doll she has been working on for a number of years, in the hope I could guide her on the next step to bring it into being.

After lunch we made it into my studio.

view from my studio

I took up position on my 'home-made-recliner-window-seat' while Pascale sat at the work table. 

the window seat- made from an old shelf unit.

It was lovely just to BE in my studio and looking out at the birds in my garden.

And to just chat about creative ideas. Where to go from here.

I did not feel the need to do any work. I did not really have the energy.

What I DID do, was to take a new Pasta maker  (see below) out of the box, to see if it really would work to make thin sheets of clay for future projects.

It did!

And when I put the thin sheet of clay in the 'spagetty' part of the machine, it made this wonderful "hair", which I deposited onto a head I had made a few years ago.

Who knows, 'it' might be made into a puppet one day, now it is sporting a new hair-do.

Hair!
Playing with a pasta maker

The teaching of making puppets, and the healing aspect of this, is one of the things I would like to focus on in the near future. Preferable teaching in my studio (but open to other suggestions), so I have all materials at hand, I don't have to pack boxes, or think too far ahead in terms of what I need to bring.

This idea follows on from the "Life Outside the Box" Puppetry Project. An inclusive Art Project I facilitated with fellow members of the Irish Wheelchair Association. 

The project was much more than just having a bit of fun. It brought many of the makers out of their comfort zone, in a good way. We explored our personal boundaries and that of society. Through the puppets, we as people living with disabilities, became parts of society in an unexpected way. 

Our project explored boundaries imposed by society. And as a result, the end product- a set of puppets and a film, were seen by many: in exhibitions, at a disability film festival in Canada, in the local cinema, in many news paper articles, and on national television. See the film we made, and the project in more detail on this Puppet Blog. It brought a discussion about. Beautiful.

Also as a result of this project I have been invited to give a paper at the upcoming The Broken Puppet: A symposium on puppetry, disability and health. 

I hope to build on this puppet-power, by working with other groups of people.

Preferably in my studio- a group up to 4 people is maximum.

If interested- please let me know.

Or is you are reading this and would like to explore if I can teach in another location, and with a larger group of people, and can provide the necessary support, I gladly hear from you.

But for today, the limelight is on Pascale's doll in progress... who in a way solidified my thoughts on doing puppet workshops. Thank you!

Visiting doll 

surgery

Belly- Button!

... home again, and sitting much more upright
with more confidence and pride.

for illustration only, this is the
pasta maker I mention-
a brilliant tool for the studio

The power of Meditation music

I start and finish each day

with listening to Meditation music

Free download from Sounds True

In the morning

I listen to Meditation Music from Sounds True during meditation,
during writing,
or if I wake up too early and still need some time to relax.

The music is FREE to download if you sign up to Sounds True, which has a store of other free downloads and an amazing array of books and CD's etc for healing, and learning.

It sets me up for the day.

Available from Sounds True

At night

When getting ready for bed, I listen to Self healing with Sound and Music; Revitalize Your Body & Mind with Proven Sound-Healing Tools by Andrew Weil, Kimba Arem

There are two CD's: in Session One, Dr. Weil discusses the latest in medical research that demonstrates how music heals the body and mind, while Kimba Arem teaches breathing and vocalization techniques for harnessing this potential. Session Two gives listeners just the music: a complete sound journey into expanded states of consciousness optimized for healing.

Some free videos on Youtube , and the CD, or download is available here.

I first found it in my local library years ago,and have listened to it almost daily. I have it downloaded onto an old iPod which is permanently in my bedroom.

Is routine the key to living well with illness?

Lots of thoughts this morning. About meditation, medication, routine, pacing, finding my way again.

Meditation

The power of meditation to feel how my body truly feels. And not to mask pain totally with pain medication.
A fine line, I think.

Medication

Yes, I do take pain medication. I am very glad to have them.
After many trails over the years of strong pain relief, I now mainly use very basic medication. The more drastic ones all had me end up living like a zombie, or had too many side effects, which made life more intolerable in different ways. (Note: This is my experience. I am sure that we all have different views on this.)

There are days that I find it important to really see/feel how my body is functioning.
By taking too much pain medication, there is the change that I continually overdo it, because I don't feel the pain which activities are causing. The danger arises that I end up in a vicious circle.
... if that makes sense...?

Preventative pain relief

I do take pain medication in advance of an activity, when I know I simply don't have a choice not to overdo it. Like for travel, or extended outings.
Sometimes I take pain medication when I am in the middle of an activity where there is no choice but to keep going. I can hardly lie down in a shop, or on the street when I can no longer function due to pain or fatigue. The basic Paracetamol seems to work for this to some degree.
In the hospital I was advised to take paracetamol on a routine basis. I followed this advise for the Holland adventures, but am now trying to take less again.

... and dealing with pain after doing too much

Other times I have already grossly overstayed my own welcome in being kind and considerate to my body...
Like yesterday.
Where I had a friend help me in the garden to do some weeding. She did not mind at all, at all, if I did nothing but observe. But I LOVE being involved in my garden so I did my bit of weeding. Sitting down. But I did too much. I felt ill. In so much pain. I spend the rest of the afternoon on the bench in the garden and on the couch. So, yes. I did dowse myself with pain relief. And yes I did feel a bit better after a few hours. But is that really the answer?

I don't think it is.

'Wisdom' sculpture by Corina Duyn 2015, background view is in Dzogchen Beara

So, back to meditation

Hence I started my day with meditation, to really explore where I am at. How to proceed. How to get back to being well again. Well within illness. Well without putting too many chemicals into my body. Well by listening to my body.

I would like to get back to my routine. To stay within my levels of ability. Which due to the surgery and the 'hospital-Holland-marathon' has taken a good few steps backwards.

I know that for me routine is the key to living well with illness. 

I need to get back to:

• Pacing my activities:
•  Exploring over the next few weeks where my level of ability is at this point in time.
• Establishing my routine again:
• Spend time in Meditation
• To be involved in creative activities and writing
• Connect with nature
• Have social contact at least once a day, in the form of actual meetings, and if that is not possible, than a phone call or skype is great too.
• Do some form of movement, through breathing, yoga, tai chi, or walking.
• Prepare for a Proper sleepWhen things get tough to do a very short healing meditation 

• To eat well. To not put the 'wrong fuel in my body'.
• To just be. Be with whatever is happening.

That is my plan.

What is your plan?

Thank you for your kindness

We may decide that a puma is worth more to us than a caterpillar, 

but surely we can agree that the habitat is all the better for being able to sustain each.

Stephen Fry - The Fry Chronicles

A big thank you to my readers far and wide who responded with such kindness towards yesterday's post, about making sense of living life with illness.
You responded with sharing your own stories and experiences, which I know will be of support to many others.

"... Since I came to accept my condition (accepting doesn't mean I'm happy with it!), kinda made 'friends' with it, seeing it as a part of me (not 'me'), I feel much more content and can actually enjoy life within all my limitations..."

So many of you responded on my Facebook page, via personal messages and emails.

Thank you all, for keeping me and others who live with their own challenges, in your hearts and minds.

Also thank you for helping me to see again that perhaps my life is not as 'bizarre' as I thought it was/is. My life is just different.

"You are a true artist, and in remaining true to yourself and your art and what you create from your own intimate self you are then whole as a person as a spiritual and human being..."


There is little point in comparing my life with those living in a different world. I just got a little confused for the past while.

I leave you with some words I wrote in my Into the Light book, which also has the above quote by Stephen Fry in it.
We are all different, thank goodness for that...

Be well my friends, and thank you again for your company and opening your hearts.



my words on the page from Into the Light read:

Bodies come in all shapes colours and sizes
White bodies and black Tall bodies and little ones Female, and male Healthy ones and ill ones
The right body and the other

Throughout the history of western civilization emphasis has been placed on achieving the perfect body 
Great value is put on physical ability

We are all different thank goodness
What a boring world we would have if we were all perfect Whatever that might be 

Making sense of life with illness

... just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say,

 "I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive." 

Brené Brown The power of vulnerability

I thought I felt challenged these past few days because of the reality of pain and pretty extreme fatigue as aftermath from my marathon weeks of hospital and travel. But there is something else at play. 

I read this question on facebook yesterday from another person living with M.E.: [abstract] ... I am thinking a lot about purpose and meaning at the moment, especially because I am feeling unmotivated, depressed and *useless*.
While writing a response, I realised why I feel vulnerable at the moment: I am out of my comfort zone and realised how bizarre my life really is, in terms of the "norm".

stepping into the real world

Having had my 'toe in the real world' during the Holland adventures, seemed to have unsettled me. A world in which I am surrounded by people who live normal lives. Who have jobs, family, kids, and go about their activities at will. (most likely a generalization, and not always true, but that is what is looks and feels like from my point of view.)

Maybe, I find it easier to stay in my own created world. 
A world that I understand and can function in. If that makes sense. 
No, it is not what I have hoped for in my life, but within my life with illness I have created a good life. I do truly believe that. 

These views are just a little askew at the moment. 
I have to find ways to find my own life again. To reconnect with my creativity, my garden, and my writing. To start doing things a few minutes at the time again, to reestablish a routine.

But also to give myself the time to feel what is really feels like to live with a body which does not conform. A body which is painful, and has many demands. To look at how I have a tendency to look at the good things, and to laugh away something that in all honesty is not funny at all. 

My dear friend Chris, whom I had the pleasure of spending a few days with in Holland, mentioned this too, during our last night's dinner. I asked her at the time 'not to go there, as I would start to cry.'

My animation project cocoon.
Nothing is a coincidence

So it really is important to now, in the comfort of my own home, in my own cocoon, to truly look at this. And to look at what the family reunion, and the making of Snapshots, means for me. 
Nothing is a coincidence...

Life. Creativity. Writing. Meeting people. 
Nothing is a coincidence...

Be well my dear friends, and I gladly hear or read your own thoughts on vulnerability, and how you finds ways to make sense of it all.

Taking back the power

This morning I decided to stay in bed for a while and watch a movie. Sunday morning luxury.

In the movie there was a scene in an airport, where travellers were transported on the airport-caddy.

I thought "That is me." I am that kind of person. "old", or "disabled".

It shook me.

I got upset.

I don't get upset that easily... What is going on?

Later on, I spoke to my wise friend Dolores. 

She asked about my week in hospital. I told her of the beautiful moments, and the more challenging. (see post of the past 5 days - if you like to read them.)

This is the jest of what we talked about:

When you are called into hospital, it is a kind of contract. The stay has a purpose. It did not work. This lack of fulfilling the 'contract' can be compared to a betraying of trust.

Through the experience of the positive but challenging detailed probing into my symptoms by the physiotherapist, the waiting for MRI, the not talking with the neurologist before heading home (as tests were not completed), they robbed me of my power.

It left me vulnerable.

I think I am pretty good at managing my illness. How to deal with it on a day to day basis. How to work around the symptoms. How to work with the symptoms. How to make my day- my life- good. Maybe it is a brilliant case of sticking my head in the sand (or in my garden and my art and writing). I am well. I live well.

But being in hospital and being subjected to an ill-system makes me upset.

I go in happy and with an open mind. And come out upset, with a frazzled mind.

So, today, I am going to take back the power, as I have a busy few weeks ahead of me. 

My journey to Holland starts tomorrow with a trip to the airport hotel. And then a Very Early start on Tuesday.

I will try to stay in touch here on my blog. ... if there is anyone who can tell me how to add images to the blog if writing on the iPad, please, please let me know!

Taking back the power started with a walk around me garden. And I like to ask you to join me.

Much love

Corina

Taking back the power

Stepping out of the wings

Yesterday I started to write a post about flying high with clipped wings.
It was to reflect on my personal adventures I am granted while barely leaving the house at the moment. But the truly extraordinary events of the M.E. protest were still so beautifully present on my mind that the words coming out of my fingers were about that. And I am happy to follow wherever my mind goes.

Dreams

Saturday morning I woke up from a dream about birds.
I watched a beautiful black bird with a very long tail in a nearby tree.
It looked a little like a bird ornament I have on a plant in my study.

a bit like the bird in my dream

I was sitting on the ground (perhaps my greenhouse - although the space was much larger). I had my knees bend, and the bird came to sit on my knee. It was a very peaceful experience.

The bird did not even leave when a little cat (Sally?) came to sit with me.

Later I was standing in my (?) garden and a flock of small, colourful long tailed birds- a bit like long tailed tits- gathered on my sleeve. It was amazing. I tried to photograph it with my smartphone. However in my dreams mobile phones never work as they should... 

Anyway.
I wondered what the dream images were about.

Friend Dolores told me: ... Birds are usually aspiration, or dreams, and I feel the long tails may indicate how much you have yet in store...

Interesting, as in the past few weeks I have been granted some new opportunities, and dreams are about to be filled.

These opportunities are in the realms of illness/wellness, writing and art.
Three important parts of my life.
All combined with nature - and birds - and flying - and stepping out of the wings.

Wellness:

Besides being involved with the M.E. protest, through my blog 
I was a invited to write a Blog post for Irish Dysautonomia Awareness 

about my life with chronic illness. 
Read it HERE

Writing:

I had no intention to compile the book that flowed out of my hands during the past 6 months. 

It was to be a simple translation of my dad's very small WWII diary. 

It turned into Snapshots. 
A book about challenges of life, but also about resilience, creativity and joy. 

I am awaiting the arrival of the 100 printed books today.

I was invited to write about this adventure on the Writing.ie website. 

You can find it HERE

Art:

A few days ago I was invited by Emma Fisher 

from Beyond the Bark to give a talk at 

The Broken Puppet: A Symposium on Puppetry, Disability, and Health 

1st and 2nd of August 2017, at UCC in Cork.

I am honoured. 

Deeply honoured.

I am flying out on my little wings 

I will follow my dreams - those ones during the night and the ones in real life.

And I look forward to have your company along the way.

stepping out into the world

Stepping more confidently into the world of social media 

in turn made me Dance in real Life.

A few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Mags Durand, who gave me some of her time to help me dip my toes into the world of social media with a bit more confidence.

Yes, I had a website for years.
I had been writing the occasional blogs for years.
But I was not that bothered if anyone actual read it. I liked writing. I loved playing with the layout of the blog, and the design of my website.
To have people actually find my explorations was not my biggest concern.
Facebook, well that was set up - and updated for me for a while- by Brendan in aid of the Fund-it Campaign. It had taken a LOT of persuation to agree to set it up.

But, as you might know, from the 1st of January I have been writing a daily blog.
(missed about three due to hospital adventures.)
Some days I write a lot.
Other days, I just share an image or a thought.

It is about showing up.
It is about sharing the good, the funny, the challenging. Illness, wellness, vulnerability, books. The Millions Missing ME protest, creativity, cats, and nature.
A mixed bag.
A mixed audience too. Which is lovely!

Thank you all who turn up here every day, and have told me that they are awaiting my few words in the mornings.
That is so beautiful to know, that although I don't leave the house too often, I am still in contact with the world beyond.
My deepest gratitude.

Readers respond here on my blog (which I love the most, as other readers who might visit on a later day, can read the comments too). Others respond or share on Facebook. I get private emails with questions, and well wishes on days when life is a little more challenging than anyone hopes for.

So, back to the days of mentoring.
I was blessed to have been assigned a person by the Local Enterprise Office who did not just have the technical expertise to bring to me, into my house, but to bring me Mags who understood my story. From the start there were some amazing moments of connection.
A connection about the feather which I had chosen to become the logo and symbol of my website and blog - Of me - The Little Wings, me.

The Twenty Minute Bird

Mags identified with the way I work. How I view the world.
She invited me to share the thoughts on my "Twenty Minute Creative Rule" with a fledgling group of Women in Business. I would be their first speaker.
"Sure!"
You know those kind of commitments, they seem such a great idea, until the day looms close...

Thursday was the day. I was to give my Twenty Minute Talk about my Twenty Minute Rule. Tell my story, and how this 'rule' can apply to anyone. Not to just those living with illness. But also for people in business.
It is really a case of time management.
And scheduling.
Knowing what you are going to do with your precious time.
To not get distracted by anything- most of all social media or the phone.
To be disciplined.

The bottom line is, that we ALL have a few of these twenty minutes (or whatever time scale works for you) in our day, or week. There is NO excuse not to follow your dream and complete a project.

So, I did it. I gave my talk. And received and awful lot more than I had to share.

This group of women told me that they did not see an ill person in front of them, or a person in a wheelchair. Or a sad person.
Louise, who works at the restaurant we had the meeting in (followed by a gorgeous dinner- thank you) is a reader of my blog. She sat in on the talk, and shared some of her views on my writing. It almost brings me to tears writing this. It was honest and open. Thank you. Also her thought on my home, my garden... All has a place. Mags told the other women about my book in a box. And how she reads a page every day - always the right page. Miriam, staff member of the IWA was my driver and wonderful companion for the event.

I was welcomed with such respect and interest.
Beautiful.
Thank you all.

Some experiences - even if I had to rest for hours before hand and a day, or days after - are just too beautiful for words.

Stepping more confidently into the world of social media - in turn made me Dance in real Life.

Thank you ladies - for the dance.

Birth Dance -  detail
© 2016 Corina Duyn

Birth Dance  © 2016 Corina Duyn

The rhythm of your nature

When you are in rhythm with your nature nothing destructive can touch you.

Anam Cara, John O’Donohue

Anam Cara, John O’Donohue

Today I like to share just a few of the very wise words which John O'Donohue wrote in Anam Cara. There are many more, but these stood out for me, for today.

Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. … It will take you where you need to go, but more importantly it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey…. There are no general principles for this art of being. … If you attend to yourself and seek to come into your own presence, you will find exactly the right rhythm for your life. The senses are generous pathways which can bring you home    

It is in the depths of your life that you will discover the invisibile necessity which has brought you here. When you begin to decipher this, your gift and giftedness come alive. Your heart quickens and the urgency of living rekindles your creativity.