The river came from the towns above us, and usually was filled with mud and trash. I however, did not mind. It was a river! I would roll in the mud and imagine all sorts of adventures. All I could see was nature and fun. One day, I invited a friend from the city, and we spent hours in the river enjoying ourselves. When her mother found out, she did not let her visit again. I never understood why.
When I was little, we lived in a troje (a traditional wooden house) in the mountains outside Mexico City. My father bought it in a small town in Michoacán, and had it assembled on our land. It was rustic and beautiful, and sat next to a dry river bed that filled with water during the rainy season. The river came from the towns above us, and usually was filled with mud and trash. I however, did not mind. It was a river! I would roll in the mud and imagine all sorts of adventures. All I could see was nature and fun. One day, I invited a friend from the city, and we spent hours in the river enjoying ourselves. When her mother found out, she did not let her visit again. I never understood why. There is a space between our thoughts. There is a space between everything, that brings life to all things. I have been meditating on that space and the silence it contains. I float. I inhabit that space as does everything else. There is lightness and calm in that space. I am whole and at peace in that space. Silence is where it all begins. All thoughts, all ideas. All of creation. Movement begins there too. Go there. I was at a ZhiNeng QuiGong retreat this weekend. The two day intensive course taught me how to correctly practice an ancient Chinese technique that cultivates and balances life force –or Qi (chi)– through a precise use of the mind and slow flowing movements, to elevate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. I am grateful to learn what will now be my daily practice. It is a simple technique, but I know it will take me as deep as I want to go. Qi ring. Rainbow Obsidian and 100% recycled sterling silver. Soon in my online shop. If you want to live a healthier and happier life, visit Fuerza Integral's website. When I studied ceramics at a Japanese school in Toluca, Mexico, I had a wonderful teacher. Her name was Wakana, and she taught us to always be ready when we started work. She insisted we have have every tool and equipment we need before we begin a project. This way, we can concentrate fully on the task ahead. She also told us that the best way to measure clay is with our “eye-meter.” Instead of relying on scales, or rulers, you create a relationship between your senses and the world around you. To this day, I use my eye-meter for everything: to decide proportions, composition, what to order from a menu, who to trust, and which street to walk on. It always works. We have all the Tools we Need. Hand forged, 100% recycled sterling silver and gold obsidian ring. Soon in my online shop. I just listened to Srinivas Rao interview the author Elle Luna –in the Unmistakable Creative podcast– about the choice we have to follow what we really want or what we think we should want. It's an insightful interview, so listen to it if you can, but what most struck me was what they said about climbing a mountain. When you follow your calling or your passion, when you decide to climb a mountain, what you are really choosing is to follow your self. To be your self. And once you start, no matter how great the fear, there's always a part of you that knows you can't walk away from being you. I bring this up because as I climb my own mountain, fears creep up that shout for me to stop. They tell me that what I am doing is unsustainable, unrealistic, ridiculous and short lived. But I want to continue, because for years I watched others climb their mountain. I cheered them on, thinking that if they made it, I’d be happy. But life made me see that I would soon become unbearable if my frustration grew any bigger. So here I am, grateful that I can follow my path, one piece at a time. I am the Mountain. 100% recycled sterling silver, hand-forged ring. Soon in my online shop. Listen to Srini's interview here. What dreams feel dear to my heart? What can I do now to feel alive? I ask myself these questions every day to strengthen my vision and sense of purpose. What I most want is to develop my potential. This will depend on my ability to feel exited about my destination. Because there has never been anyone like me, the territory ahead is still unexplored. Which gives me complete freedom, but it also means no one else can tell me what to do, or when to do it. My rudder has to be internal. This can be scary, but so far, my inner guidance system has been the best compass I’ve ever had. I've been listening to a very inspiring audiobook called You are a Badass, by Jen Sincero. Her direct and unapologetic approach to life has made me want to face my fears, and do things I'd put off because I hadn't felt I was ready, good enough, or rich enough to do them. So this week, I gave my first one-on-one coaching session on how to sell online, booked a trip to New York City with my mom and sister, and registered for two jewelry classes, one of which is in North Carolina. Experiences I have been wanting to have for ages! To step forward in spite of the fear, has liberated so much energy, I feel I am on a caffeine high, even though I no longer drink coffee. In order to make these changes, I am on a strict diet of positive thinking, affirmations and faith in my self. If you've seen my work before, you know my jewelry tends to be symmetric. My latest necklace reflects the changes that have occurred since I decided to set fear aside and embrace life fully. As I see so many opportunities come my way, I realize they have always been there, waiting for me to approach them. This is very exiting! It means that everything I ever wanted is here now. I just need to walk towards it. One fear at a time. Nuanced Necklace. Turquoise and 100% recycled sterling silver. Soon in my online shop on Etsy. When I see the comedian, Eddie Izzard’s show, Dressed to Kill, I am stunned by his genius. He is completely in the flow, and every word and move seems perfectly timed and effortless. It makes my heart soar and my imagination burst, and I long to achieve such mastery. When we are in the moment, and enjoy what we are doing, we become like children, transparent, new, alive. To re-gain it as grown ups is even better, because we earn it consciously. If you haven’t seen his show, it’s on You Tube. Be prepared to be impressed. You will also know why I named this necklace the way I did. Have you got a Flag? necklace. 100% recycled sterling silver and natural turquoise. Soon in my online shop. P.S. Here is a shorter clip of Dressed to Kill (but see the whole show if you can). Everywhere I go, I look. I collect images that will later make their way into my work. I am an explorer, a gatherer, a sponge. This is how my vision unfolds. Unfurled Vision ring. Labradorite and 100% recycled sterling silver. Soon in my online shop. Yesterday, I visited Alexander Calder's exhibit at the Jumex museum. I found it refreshing to see three-dimensional work that is playful and meditative. The mobiles and sculptures are so full of life, that the energy of each piece fills the large, stark rooms. Calder must have enjoyed what he created so much, that his love is forever imprinted in his art. May we all love what we do, and do work we love! The world deserves it. Moon Flower ring. Labradorite and 100% recycled sterling silver. Soon in my online shop. You are perfect. To think anything less is as pointless as a river thinking that it’s got too many curves or that it moves too slowly or that its rapids are too rapid. Says who? You’re on a journey with no defined beginning, middle or end. There are no wrong twists and turns. There is just being. And your job is to be as you as you can be. This is why you’re here. To shy away from who you truly are would leave the world you-less. You are the only you there is and ever will be. Many years ago, I visited the Franz Mayer museum and saw a retrospective of one of my favorite ceramists, Gustavo Pérez. The exhibition showed his work evolve piece by piece, year to year. I’d never encountered such a linear sampling of an artist’s work, nor had I seen a personal visual language develop in such a straightforward way. I’d been to many retrospectives, but I always left feeling that creativity and inspiration were random. In Gustavo’s work, I saw the steps he took to bring ideas to fruition. He investigated the possibilities of his medium and explored certain shapes. One idea lead naturally to the next. This visit gave me a vision I could follow, and I did. Years later, when I was already a full time jeweler, I received a private message through Facebook: I congratulate you for your work. Sincerely. I can see craft and creativity. I think we are on the same quest. It was from Gustavo Pérez. Legacy ring. 100% recycled sterling silver and labradorite. Sign up here to find out when I post new pieces in my online shop. I've had many opportunities to turn my life around. These arrived in moments when I was no longer living my life fully, when out of fear or sadness I gave up on my vision. The life rafts that came my way, were disguised as intensive meditation retreats, challenging Landmark courses, focused journaling, and all kinds of therapy. Each time, I had the choice to let go of what was holding me back and take the next step forward, or to give up. The part of me that wants to thrive has become stronger at each turning point, and because of this, it has taken me on great adventures. I am grateful for every step of the way. Turning Point pendant. Labradorite and 100% recycled sterling silver. This week in my online shop. Sign up here to get shop updates delivered to your inbox. Time Traveler ring. Labradorite and 100% recycled sterling silver. This week in my online shop. I recently cleaned out my studio and found my old notebooks. For years, I wrote down lists of things to do, and dreams I had for my future. As I read the letters I had written to my future self, I realized not only that time travel is possible, but something even better: All that I had wished for had come true. This was a huge gift, because I had stopped trusting the power of my intentions. I had turned to reason and logic, and had decided that the only thing that exists is what I can see. But I’ve realized there is so much more than what already exists. There is what could be and what I want there to be. I create my life as I imagine it. This confirms what I have always known in my heart: I am much more powerful than I think. So I will let myself dream, want, ask for, expect, and receive. |
welcomeI am Jennifer Musi, the jewelry artist behind MUSIBATTY, and this is my blog archive.
Here you can find posts from December 2013, to May, 2016. I will no longer update this site. Please click on the link below to see my recent work. @musibattyOn Social Media
ConnectRespectI made this blog to share my work with you. I believe in generosity and I want to live in a world where we all inspire each other.
All of my designs and photographs are copyrighted. If you would like to reproduce them in any way, please email me first. Archives
May 2016
categories
All
online shop |