20 Comments
User's avatar
Jill McDougall's avatar

Such a good reminder. This brings me a sense of calm. Thank you! Also...love that tiny clip of text in the last collage! ❤️

Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much Jill! I reminder I have to constantly remind myself of. I just have slip in some text and type anyway I can! haha!

Martin Hughes's avatar

In being present, we can show great care in how we show up. For instance, whenever I start something, I always, ALWAYS, make sure to fi

Duane Toops's avatar

Exactly this Martin! Thanks so much!

Susanna Musser's avatar

This is how I experience it as well.

Duane Toops's avatar

So glad to be in good company! Thanks so much Susanna!

James Hart's avatar

Not sure if you're an Iain McGilchrist fan at all, Duane, but he's very big on presence and attention. It defines our reality. Thanks for the reminders in here; something we should come back to every now and again.

Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks James! I've been reading "The Master and His Emissary" and it is lighting me up! So much good stuff to think about in there!

James Hart's avatar

I honestly think that’s the central problem of our time. It’s not politics, religion, or social inequality, economics or anything else—as a matter of fact, our insistence on this weird hyper-rationalism is precisely why we insist on fixating on all those other things. Not saying they aren’t important; just that our obsession with them has a root cause, and it’s good for us to try to reframe our attention away from it as best we can.

Duane Toops's avatar

Reframing, fresh perspectives, and new ways of seeing is something we desperately need!

Manuela Thames's avatar

Fantastic collages! Definitely this: "Attention is neither neutral nor passive. It is profoundly active. It is ultimately collaborative."

Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you so much Manuela!!

Danny Toops's avatar

I'm going to use this. Thank you

Patris's avatar

Duane you are astonishing

Duane Toops's avatar

Patris! Thank you! Your support always means so much to me!

Patris's avatar

Your presence here for me equally, Duane. 🙏

SAD's avatar

Quite a reflective conversation today...I took notes!

Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you so much! I’m so glad it struck a chord!!

Ann Collins's avatar

Thank you, Duane. It's an ongoing struggle for us with only so much capacity to focus attention.

Reminds me of a line from a poem by Franz Wright called "One Heart"

"There is only one heart in my body, have mercy on me."

Duane Toops's avatar

I struggle to be present constantly. It’s so easy for me to slip into spirals of ruminating. That’s why i need the rituals and routines of my creative practice, they help me to create the space and support I need to fully attend to a small portion of the world. Thank you so much for sharing that gorgeous passage!