I and Love and You.
Happy Valentine's Day my sunburned Man in Mexico!
I'm thrilled that we are evolving, learning, and discovering together.
When times get tough, the tough get growin'!
Here's to our 17th year!
I love you!
xoxox
J
Guess Who
Cast All Your Votes for Dancing
I know the voice of depression
Still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life
Still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now
And look so much stronger.
You can stay that way
And even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops from the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear,
From the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom
And Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim,
My ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other
And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your campanions' beautiful laughter
And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
from I Heard God Laughing, Poems of Hope and Love, renderings of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky. From the inside cover: "Hafiz, whose given name was Shams-ud-din-Muhammad (c.1320-1389), is the most beloved poet of Persians. He was born and lived in Shiraz, a beautiful garden city, where he became a famous spiritual teacher. His Divan (collected poems) is a classic in the literature of Sufism and mystical verse. The work of Hafiz became know to the West largely through the passion of Goethe. His enthusiasm deeply affected Ralph Waldo Emerson, who then translated Hafiz in the nineteenth century."
While doing yoga in a palapa overlooking the ocean in Sayulita, less than a month ago, I had the honor and privilege of hearing this poem read to me by my yoga instructor. It was a large group that morning and I was in a very delicate state of emotional unbalance. I was questioning a lot of what was happening in my life, my relationships, and just feeling generally unsure, uncertain, and scared. Upon hearing this poem I burst into tears and I found it difficult to stop or control my crying. Something about this poem, in that moment, during those feelings and in that space hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt both enlightened and heavy, at the same time. I didn't care that a palapa full of strangers could see me visibly affected. I just felt so grateful. So grateful to have feelings, even though it felt like pain, and to know that I am on a spiraling path, being held by the Sacred Feminine, ever moving forward and back, in wholeness and yet seeking a great Whole. Since that time I have wanted to share this poem with y'all. I hope you find something in it that makes you feel brighter and full. Something that gives you hope and food for thought, like it did for me. Oceans of Love, Jennette
Huichol Art and Alter
these are the Huichol Yarn Paintings i bought in Sayulita. These dull photos do not do them justice as they are bright, vibrant and wonderful in person. the Huichol are an indigenous ethnic group of western central Mexico.
"The Shaman are running together to dialogue about a giant serpent. The largest they have ever seen. They are singing to him and trying to learn from his power."
"These Shaman are gathered together in the sacred place of the Gods. They come together singing and praying to hear the voices of the Gods. To learn to live and know the teachings."
these yarn paintings are made from dreams and visions and there is nothing predrawn or illustrated. they apply beeswax to a wood board or surface and just begin by pushing the yarn into the beeswax and creating designs. it's amazing to watch, see and behold.
this is a Huichol beaded belt that is one of a kind. i went to visit it every day for almost two weeks and then decided to spend my birthday money on it. i LOVE it! there was nothing else like this in town and i just adore the work, talent and time that went into it. to me, it is amazing. a million tiny seed beads.
this is a small painting by the same Huichol artist who made the belt. i love the painting because although that is supposed to be a candle she is holding in one hand, i think it looks like a giant crystal, and when I finally bought the beaded belt, he gave me this painting too.
these are the beaded Huichol bracelets i got. the Huichol religion consists of four principle deities, the trinity of corn, blue deer, and peyote, and the eagle. all are represented in the bracelets above. i am fascinated by Huichol myth, their traditional beliefs and and how they are resistant to change. follow the link above to learn more.
and last but not least is the lovely alter i set up to hang on to a little bit of sunshine, beach, vacation and Sayulita, Mexico. most of this is items we brought back and a lot of what you cant really see is the many many shells, beach glass, and broken but smooth tile pieces we collected on the beaches. best beach collecting ever!
i miss you beach
i miss you warm ocean
i miss you whales
i miss you heat
i miss you sun
xoxo - jennette, sitting near a bright window, in smashing rubbish world headquarters :)
New Years Eve
in mexico there are no rules or safety measures around the use of explosives and fireworks!
the huge overhead ones were going off so close to the ground that the sparks fell on our heads
can you spot the fire dancer in the background?
have you ever seen a three foot long sparkler?! that's how they do it in mexico!
night boats
happy new year everyone!
xox
jennette
Leaving Mexico Breakfast
this is a fake, well half fake, sad face about leaving Sayulita, in honor of our friends Eric and Karli, who have a sad-face photo of when they too, had to leave Sayulita.
we ate french toast but devoured it before a photo could capture it.
door to the wc
that fruit holder basket thing is made from one long palm branch! amazing!
classic!
our view at breakfast
from inside the wc
note on the door inside the wc
the windows inside the wc. bottles!
adios mexico. you did me right. i miss you.
xoxxo
jennette, at smashing rubbish world headquarters(!)
Mexico Finds
Hi y'all! Here to share some favorite finds from my two weeks in Sayulita, Mexico. I will save the "art" for another post!
Above you can see the "Viva Mexico" detail from an awesome hand embroidered and appliqued apron I found.
Love this basket weave plastic tote! These are made by prisoners in Guadalajara and a shop in Sayulita sells them. The felt flower was attached. See below:
Had to get a Luchador guy and patches!
Check out this amber ring set in metallic knotted thread! There is a TON of this type of jewelery in Sayulita. There are markets every week and all the awesome hippies come and sell their wares. I asked a lot of questions about this process and with my very limited Spanish I could understand that this is not knit or crochet but actual knots. Like macrame, I guess? It amazes me, the detail and miniature scale. I will buy a lot more 'knotted' jewelery next time!
Here are two different view of the same amazing and huge amethyst crystal pendant I scored at the market in Sayulita. There were no others like it and it called my name as I walked by. I couldn't pass it up!
Here are two pin/buttons from a local Sayulita artist. I especially love the whale one since I got to see several whales, very close up, in the wild, for the first time ever, while boating in the Banderas Bay. It was life changing. Totally AMAZING!
I had to get a beer cozy for my Pacifico's! One more!
A Hula Hooping Luchador t-shirt for August
Euphemio and Emiliano Zapata Salazar t-shirt for Jasper.
Both t-shirts above are from this shop, Revolucion Del Sueno, in Sayulita. The Dream Revolution is about having your feet on the earth and your head in the stars. Everything they produce is offered in limited quantities and when its gone, its gone. In the two weeks we were in Sayulita I saw them sell out of many items I had my eye on. It's a must visit place if you are ever in Sayulita.
And this is on the t-shirt I bought for myself. Oh boy, do I ever hope to refill as needed!
Miss you Mexico.
Miss you sun.
Miss you heat.
Miss you warm ocean.
Miss you whales, whales, and more whales.
Love, love, love.
xoxox
Jennette
Doorways
All of these doorways caught my eye in Sayulita. Literal doorways here, although there were many a figurative doorways to be had as well! No, I did not do peyote, but still.... the scenery, the colors, the scents, textures, tastes, heat, salt water and bright sun all did a number on me. So, yes, the doorways were open. And I passed thru them in my imagination into worlds beyond and afar. Seems like a dream. Surreal.... to be real..... so surreal. Ahhhhhhh.
Home
All of our bones made it back from Sayulita, safe and sound.
It has been a very slow reentry into the daily grind but I'm getting there. Surprisingly, taking long runs in the cold, dark, wet rain has helped to loosen the heartache of leaving behind two glorious, hot, sun drenched, dry, bright and lovely weeks in Sayulita. Who knew?!
As I get back to crafting and opening my Etsy shop, I will keep you posted on works in progress, shop updates, new finds, etc. I will also be posting a lot of photos from our trip here so they don't get lost in the abyss and so that I have a record of our time and can remember what it was like, what we did, when, etc. It's important to me to document it here as I do not keep family scrap books and I suck at printing pictures and filling up photo albums. So bare with me. I'll try to mix it up and I hope it doesn't get too boring!
Adios!
xoxooox
Jennette