Indra's Net

Here on this snowy Vermont Saturday morning I'm thinking about Indra's Net. The story of Indra's Net seems to be showing up in my life in many surprising and not so surprising ways. Gifts of spirit and kindness received this season, words chosen for a dying friend, joy felt when laughing with loved ones, a nod and smile from a frenzied stranger shopping for those last holiday items...

Indra's Net is about connection. I'm drawn to connection despite how profoundly I am also drawn to solitude. Perhaps that is why I am often clumsy and imperfect in my attempts to create it or respond to the invitation of it. Yet despite my stumbling, opportunities for connection continue to come in countless ways each day and are found at every intersection like the gems in Indra's Net.

The story of Indra's net is found in the Avatamsaka Sutra. This Sutra is one of the most influential Mahayana Sutras of East Asian Buddhism. The text describes a cosmos of infinite realms upon realms, mutually containing each other. Here is a brief translation:

FAR AWAY IN THE HEAVENLY ABODE OF THE GREAT GOD INDRA, THERE IS A WONDERFUL NET WHICH HAS BEEN HUNG BY SOME CUNNING ARTIFICER IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT STRETCHES OUT INDEFINITELY IN ALL DIRECTIONS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXTRAVAGANT TASTES OF DEITIES, THE ARTIFICER HAS HUNG A SINGLE GLITTERING JEWEL AT THE NET'S EVERY NODE, AND SINCE THE NET ITSELF IS INFINITE IN DIMENSION, THE JEWELS ARE INFINITE IN NUMBER. THERE HANG THE JEWELS, GLITTERING LIKE STARS OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE, A WONDERFUL SIGHT TO BEHOLD. IF WE NOW ARBITRARILY SELECT ONE OF THESE JEWELS FOR INSPECTION AND LOOK CLOSELY AT IT, WE WILL DISCOVER THAT IN ITS POLISHED SURFACE THERE ARE REFLECTED ALL THE OTHER JEWELS IN THE NET, INFINITE IN NUMBER. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT EACH OF THE JEWELS REFLECTED IN THIS ONE JEWEL IS ALSO REFLECTING ALL THE OTHER JEWELS, SO THAT THE PROCESS OF REFLECTION IS INFINITE

THE AVATAMSAKA SUTRA FRANCIS H. COOK: HUA-YEN BUDDHISM : THE JEWEL NET OF INDRA 1977

Maybe this sutra has such meaning for me because of the particular metaphor used. Jewelry making for me is so many things...Sometimes it takes forever to complete a piece simply because I'm in such wonder at a single gemstone mined from the Earth and miraculously here, in the palm of my hand. I feel such profound connection to the organic roots of each stone...I think that's why I prefer stones that are a bit more rough-cut, and irregular rather than a more uniform and finely polished bead. For me the latter feels too far away from the Earth...too removed.

Perhaps the promise of a more quiet season may contribute to the quiet nature of these peace and transcendence that my Snowy-Buddha's face inspires prompts these thoughts. Anyway, I am grateful for connection and solitude. Today.

Holiday Items...

Yet another season has passed since my last post...But I think I have a system. I seem to be a "Seasonal Post-er". Not sure if that's a disorder or what, but looks like a personal trend and seems to work.

I've added many new items to my shop lately and most recently are holiday themed pieces. I recently found these amazing rough-cut, irregularly faceted Ruby slab/nuggets that I really love. I love beads that are rough-cut, unpolished and irregularly faceted and these are a standout. The Citrine used in the Ruby Citrine necklace was a great find as well - thick, roughly faceted with many inclusions.

The Amethyst is another great example of what I'm drawn to - the nuggets are rough, stone faceting is irregular and one bead is unlike the next. They look great with the more uniform Chalcedony square.

There. I've met my seasonal requirement. Such a recalcitrant blogger...
See you in the Spring.

Happy Holidays!

Forgive me Father for I have sinned...it's been a season or two since my last entry...

So here's my every-other season entry. I will try to be better about it...Maybe even bump my stats up to monthly but don't want to get ahead of myself.

Been busy creating and here are some pics of my new favorites. I've discovered and quickly fallen in love with Calcite. It is most commonly in tones of yellow and ranges from light pale yellow to deep amber hues. It has a buttery and creamy look and feel to it - a bit waxy seeming in fact. Often tempted to take a bite out of it but luckily, resisted.

Looking at these photos, these pieces are clearly Summer-Inspired!! I created them when Fall seemed pretty far away, and here it is nipping at my heels. The oranges warm me up a bit, just looking at them...

Tibetan Mala Beads

I thought I'd mention that I've been drawn to some really lovely beads taken from old Tibetan Prayer Malas. I think my interest in them has much to do with the extent to which Tibet has been on my mind and in my heart of late. Seems as though all manner of things are stirring up for Tibetan people and as is often the case, that "stirring" is bringing things to a high, chaotic pitch. My hope is that the truth of Tibet's story not become distorted in the midst of the high passion and energy that's getting expressed. Those who "stir things up" are often discredited for their "stirring". Anyway...
Back to the beads. These beads are exquisite and come in very different styles, shapes and materials. I am most attracted to the yak bone beads that feature metal or gem chip inlay. I'm posting shots of the items I have in my shop that integrate these great beads.

040264040208=44

Today's my birthday! One of things I love about my birthday this year is that all of my birthday numbers are even...2,4,6,8...Just a thing with me. Love those symmetrical even numbers. Used to love symmetry in everything. My necklace designs, however, are often not symmetrical, like the first two photos on the right. They feel quite balanced to me, but they are not classically symmetrical in design.
The last photo posted is my current symmetrical favorite, and since it's my birthday maybe I'll gift it to myself if it doesn't find an etsy-buyer...

Thinking of Monhegan

It's raining here in Vermont today and we still have 6" of snow on the ground. Ugly day, can't get down my steep driveway until the sand-man does his thing because the snow base that was my driveway is now a vertical ice rink. A day such as this gets me thinking of warm, RockSunWater filled Monhegan days. And the colors of Monhegan...So inspiring. Flickr photos below.
Enjoy.

(Re last post...Richard Dreyfuss)

OrangeBlueOrangeBlueBlueOrangeBlue

Listed another item in my Etsy shop today. Yet another orange/blue combo. Feel drawn to those color combinations in the same way (what's his name??) was drawn to sculpting those mashed potatoes into that Close Encounters hill/mountain/peak shape over and over and over again. Luckily there seems to be no end to the unique possibilities available to me and, mashed potatoes would be hard to wear around your neck...

This still feels weird...This blogging thing.

Hmmmm

Still not sure how to do this. But I'll keep giving it a go.

Have some new items at Etsy right now and hope to add a few this weekend. Two necklaces I created last weekend that I'll list. I discovered these lovely Tibetan Mala beads that I'm trying to use sparyingly but thoughtfully. I used them in the round Coral earrings as the top element. Their simple but really catch your eye, especially the ones with the copper or brass inlay.

Day 3

Now what? Posted a new item or two in Etsy shop.
Snow melting here...Birds trying to get at the seed before the squirrels have their way with it.
Eggs and toast for breakfast.
Amey doing her taxes.
Manny avoiding hers...Again. (probably an extension in her future...)
More coffee.

First Blog Day

I never thought I'd be someone who had a blog. I'm a bit intimidated. What do you do? How does it work? What is the feeding and watering that is required???

I'm a pretty private person and my decision to have a blog was prompted by all of the good fellow-etsiers who kept saying if you want your shop to be successful, have a blog....So I have one. ?or perhaps it has me?

So I'm not likely to get very personal, or too revealing. But I do want to find good matches for the jewelry I create and be able to support my habit of making more and more and more than I can ever possibly wear. I love the idea that something I create and love might be just the thing someone else might treasure...

So, first blog day. We'll see how it goes. But what next? How will you get here? If you're here, how did you get here? How does it all work?