Yes ...

because the timing is divine.

*

N.B. I will not be around until Monday.

*

- Happy Hippy -

Everything

Everything that you have now is everything that you need now

And everything that you are now is everything you should be now.

- Happy Hippy -

Digesting

Before you scroll down and read the rest of this, think of 5 random words (nouns) which will be applied to the blank spaces below ...

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I sit at the table,

digesting Time,

which tastes like __________.

The meal is filling,

but needs some ___________.

I call to the Cook and ask for it

to be added to the menu.

2 spoons of _________

3 cups of ____________

1 pound of ______________

Combine all ingredients.

- Happy Hippy -

Aura

SLICE, DESIRE, RETURN, MANGO, INCOMPLETE, RANDOM, TRUTH, TEARS, LINE, HOUSE, JUNGLE, TENDER, FINGER, MANDATORY, KINDLE, WORN, DESIGN, MUSIC, FLAVOUR, SUNSET

A slice of sunset-flavoured mango runs orange tears down my tender fingers.
Like desire (a mandatory jungle), it kindles random truths, designed to feel like music.
Incomplete lines form a path that is worn from returning, returning, returning.



(somehow the only word that didn't end up in it was HOUSE)

- Happy Hippy -

Up and Out

Up

Out

(Photos taken in old cocoa house in Lopinot)

- Happy Hippy -

What (unseen) exists between ...?

What exists (thus far unseen)

between

today's appointments written in my diary?

1. Pay car insurance (a.m.)

2. Go to studio to drop off correspondence on way to creative session (#3)

3. Creative session with students from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

4. Meeting from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

- Happy Hippy -

Sunday's Agenda

Production work officially begins today for the two North Schools as they launch into the first stages of the creation of their video/film: firming up the concept, storyboarding, fleshing out characters, deciding on locations, some practice with the cameras ... and so on.

Full enough day (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.).

The students (North) have the coming week to begin and complete shooting (Monday to Saturday).

Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds.

We went down South and spent a few hours with the students from the two South schools yesterday. They started fleshing out their concept into what seems to be a more abstract and arty piece (using dance, symbolism, etc.) in comparison to the North schools' documentary style leanings. We were commenting on the fact that South is more female in energy (nine females, one male) whereas the North group consists of seven males and three females and seems to have a more male energy to it.

Interesting to see how the two groups will develop in their own ways.

- Happy Hippy -

Yesterday ...

Our eventual destination was:

Quiet place.

Far away.

Lazy day.

Conversation.

Refreshments.

Sitting ...

On rocks by the river.

Hours pass.

Then homeward.

No angels were captured on footage ...

Doesn't mean there were none around.

This is a spontaneous thing.

Think about what it's going to be ... and it stops being.

Think about where to go for it to happen ... and it doesn't.

- Happy Hippy -

Adventures with Angels (Pt 2)

The Angel Project continues today as I head out with Nicola (wing-maker) to shoot more spontaneous angel footage ...

ETD (Estimated Time of Departure): 10:00 a.m.
EDD (Estimated Direction of Driving): Do we head north, south, east or west? I feel either further east or south would be the best choices for today.

I still don't know exactly what this project is going to become. Thus far, from what I have edited, I see the unfolding of a beautiful, abstract, somewhat haunting tapestry of images ... seemingly disconnected ... but are they really? I believe in the creative power of random order ... Random images or words coming together in unplanned sequence, to form a story of their own.

Moving image sequences thus far ...

An Angel walks down the dirt track through a canefield ... she crouches foetus-like in the womb-shaped hollow of a massive tree, her white wings glowing against the dark bark as the sun forms a cross of light through the leaves above her ... she walks along the shoreline of the glassy ocean, looking for ... her reflection? ... another Angel? She sits in an old wooden boat, waiting ...

Where is this story going?

TO BE CONTINUED

- Happy Hippy -

Space

Birth Night

I came home last night to discover that I am the proud "grandmother" of five. My dog Hindi had five lovely pups earlier that evening! Her second litter. She had them up on the hill at the top of the garden - in a hole she and the other dogs have progressively dug over time (to the extent that it's now like a small cave). I moved them in to daddy's woodwork shed, which (when necessary) doubles as canine maternal wing and recovery centre.

The proud Mother, Hindi (N.B. I found her as a puppy a few years ago on the steps of the Temple in the Sea - the same Temple at which I took the angel photos weekend before last)

Three of the musketeers

Back leg view

Maternal duties

- Happy Hippy -

The Month Ahead

... will be spent working mainly on the "Participatory Video" project with Rose (McCausland) and the British Council. In this course of time, twenty teenagers - 5 each from two schools in North Trinidad and two in South Trinidad - will work further on the themes they came up with over this weekend's residential workshop in Toco. As they gain experience with conceptualising, directing, storyboarding and use of the cameras, they will develop their themes into two short films (one produced by the two north schools, the other produced by the two south schools). These films will be launched at an outdoor film screening to be hosted on the evening of May 21st in the Botanical Gardens. The public is of course invited.

So many amazing things happened for all of us (twenty students, four teachers, one British Council representative and the 'facilitators' - Rose and myself) over the residential weekend that it might be trite of me to simply recount it all in factual words. My recap of it (yesterday) was therefore a more abstract account of one moment by the sea which somehow encapsulated the entire experience for me.

- Happy Hippy -

Weekend Summary

I left my magic driftwood sword in the room that faces east where the sun rises and returned to the water. Are there words for the sudden baptism that came in a wave, surging under the sky that had three clouds in it? Marching white crests advancing toward me bringing news of victory from a distance ... closer. Deep, churning, wild and turning, sun is burning, we are learning. The spell of a moment ... the land shifts under the water ... it is possible. I am drenched. The sun will dry me.

- Happy Hippy -

Projects

Due to a project I am currently working on (Participatory Video), I will not be around for the next few days. Neither will I be anywhere near to a computer. Hence there will be no daily changes and updates to Now is Wow.

I will be back on Monday.

Current Projects

1. Participatory Video project with British Council and Rose McCausland of UK

2. To be completed - You Should Know (music video for artiste Gillian Moor)

3. Initial shooting/production of Street Life (music video for artiste Malik)

4. Initial stages of video sequence featuring the Angel.

- Happy Hippy -

With Wings 3

Whilst reversing into a yard in South on our "angelic adventure" day, we saw two children playing under the house. We stopped and asked the mother if we could get some video footage of one of the children wearing the wings ...

Rosanna - wearing wings and holding puppy

Rachael - next to Rosanna

- Happy Hippy -

With Wings 2

CREDITS

LOCATION: By the water's edge @ Temple in the Sea, Waterloo, Carapichaima

WARDROBE: Wings made & worn by Nicola

IMAGE: Happy Hippy

REFRESHMENTS (picnic pasta lunch): Hebe and Trix

LIGHTING: Sun (peeping through hazy cloud filters)

PROPS: courtesy Mother Nature

SPONSORSHIP: God

- Happy Hippy -

With Wings

Spontaneity took us willingly

To many inspiring places

Yesterday ...

When the rain washed the morning clean

For the sun.

We drove,

Guided by something

that wanted us to discover

angels ...

*

One of the many shots from yesterday's angelic adventure in South.

Wings made and worn by Nicola.

Location: Temple in the Sea, Waterloo, Carapichaima

- Happy Hippy -

Seven Steps for a Super Sunday

1. Leave early

2. Four friends

3. Drive South

4. Camera

5. Picnic lunch

6. Angel wings

7. Wherever the wind blows

To be continued ...

- Happy Hippy -

Release

Release

the

thought

the

feeling

the

moment

the

stimulus

the

intention

the

reason

the

conclusion

- Happy Hippy -

Today's agenda

One meeting

in the morning

then "nothing" ...

is

One meeting

in the morning

then "everything".

- Happy Hippy -

Gourmet

One of the little dishes I concocted yesterday evening using instinct, innovation and whatever was in the kitchen.

Nutty Sweet Potato a la Happy Hippy

Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes (as many as you feel to cook/depending on how many people you'er making it for - I used two large ones)
Onion (I used one large one)
Garlic (I used one large peg)
Parsley
Any other seasoning you feel to put (e.g. chive, thyme, etc.)
Mustard seeds (sprinkle until you are satisfied)
Butter
Cashews (or any other nut you have available)
Peanut Butter
Sugar
Salt


Method
1. Boil the sweet potatoes until they are softer but firm
2. Peel off the skin of the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes
3. Chop up the onion and garlic and whatever other seasonings you feel to put. Also chop the cashews/nuts
4. Put some butter in a saucepan
5. As the butter heats up, add the items in #3 and the mustard seeds
6. As those items start to sizzle and smell good, add about half a teaspoon of sugar and stir everything around so it gets mixed up properly. It will start to smell even better
7. If anything in the pan starts to burn or look too brown, add another small cube or two of butter
8. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and just keep tossing them around with the other ingredients until (a) they get brownish or (b) you feel satisfied
9. Lightly sprinkle a little salt over the whole thing and toss the ingredients again
10. Some people may feel to ignore #10, which is okay ... But I find it adds a nice touch/taste. Add some peanut butter to the mix. Not much ... just enough to lightly glaze everything that is in the saucepan so far. To make it easy you can mix about a teaspoon of peanut butter in a little bit of water and add this "sauce" to the other ingredients. Toss the items around so they get coated. (N.B. Don't make the peanut mixture with too much liquid. You don't want the potatoes getting soggy).

Rating: **********

(* = throw it away; ********** = a gourmet delight worth sharing)

- Happy Hippy -

FOUND

You are what you seek.

- Happy Hippy -

Archaeologist

Dig ...

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Find ...

- Happy Hippy -

Try one

MOON, IDLE, RETURN, BEAUTY, FLY, CALCULATE, HAIR, PENCIL, INDICATE, KNOWLEDGE, CONTACT, JEWEL, AGREE, FREEDOM, PLUS, MATCH, WORD, CLOCK, CHURCH, ALIVE.

- Happy Hippy -

How to Spell the Aura

1. You need a blank page and a pen or pencil to write with.

2. Whether you're doing it on your own, with one other person or more ... the first step is to collectively select 20 random words. You can use more or less words if you like ... but 20 is a good number to use.

3. Take turns, with each person calling out the first word that comes to mind - or you can open a dictionary and point at a word and use that. (N.B. This is not about word association. If someone says "cat" you do not necessarily have to say "dog" or "kitten" or anything that reminds you of "cat". You can say something totally different like "rainbow" or "prison"). Each time a word is called out, you both/all write it down at the top of your page ... so at the 20th word, you both/all have the same 20 words written down.

4. The object is to use the 20 words within your piece (along with other words of course, to make full sentences). Just start to write. Write without thinking, without wondering what word should go first, without stopping to figure out if something sounds good or makes sense, without thinking about what comes next. It is not about that. Let it flow. If you feel "stuck", ignore that and keep writing anyway, guided by the 20 words. You do not have to use the words in the order they appear on your list.

N.B. You can also change the nature of a word - e.g. if a word is "run" you can adapt it to be ran, running, etc. If a word is month you can make it monthly, etc. In other words you can use variations of a root word where applicable.

Use each word only once. There are some words you may end up not using at all because you were writing too fast and overlooked or forgot them. Or ... sometimes you may instinctively feel that your aura is finished even though you know you haven't used all of the words. If this happens, just stop writing (your aura is finished).

Then you read each other's auras.

I'll just do two here to show you as examples. I'm going to quickly write out 20 random words that come to my head now and then go straight into an aura using those words (writing without thought).

EXAMPLE #1
PULL, CAVITY, MEANDER, CYCLONE, HOBBY, DECISIVE, MAGICAL, MOMENTARY, TREE, WANDER, REACTION, PURPOSE, QUALITY, SILVER, CYLINDRICAL, WOMAN, SMILE, IDEA, THING, SUPERSTITIOUS.

A woman with a cylindrical smile
wanders momentarily into the cyclone.
It pulls her decisively, meandering like a magical snake
through the silver trees of twilight.
I am not superstitious, but such a thing
seems like more than a hobby.
There is purpose in a thing
that defies reaction.


EXAMPLE #2
STILLNESS, RECEIVE, MYSTERY, ICON, WATER, CONTAINER, FUEL, INK, SPIDER, BODY, YEARS, SKY, INDIA, PICTURE, ANKH, WOODEN, TRUE, HUNTER, NUMBER, RESCUE.

I have a picture of some water in India running like ink under the spidery sky. The years have added mystery to this wooden image which is still an icon in my memory ... fuelled by numbers written on mysterious containers ... rescued by hunters and held closely to my body.


Like I said. Sometimes they are clear, sometimes they seem cryptic, sometimes they seem to not make "sense" ... but this is the nature of the AURA.

Give it a try.

- Happy Hippy -

SPELL THE AURA

When I was in England studying, I had a friend called Laura. We used to meet often and spend hours writing poetry using a particular method we had devised. This method allowed us to be very prolific in our writing. Poem after poem was written - each in five minutes or less. Then we would read them over and find all kinds of deeper meanings, wonderful coincidences, beautiful images, interesting new phrases and juxtapositions of words, etc.

In looking for a name for our method, I suggested we put our two names (ELSPETH, LAURA)together, mix up the letters and see what we came up with.

The result was SPELL THE AURA

Interesting how this name fits well with the resulting poems derived from the method. Think of the aura, which is that energy field around the body. Now think of the words of the poem as the "body" and the deeper meaning of the poem/body as the aura.

In other words, the body of work has an aura ... something about it that is intangible, yet is of great significance. It is that which cannot be explained about the piece, yet it has great meaning.

This is the essence of the AURA when we Spell The Aura.

In this method, to spell = to write ... and aura = what is written.

We had great fun with it and in fact it was instrumental in inspiring the way I write now. It's a very "subconscious" method of writing - quite like stream of consciousness, only with a little guidance. Very simple. Even people who think they can't write or who say things like "Oh, I'm not creative, I can't do anything like that ..." When I've shown them how to Spell the Aura they are amazed at what they come up with ... and so quickly and easily too.

Tomorrow: Spell the Aura (the method) explained.

- Happy Hippy -

More

Since I explained "Happy Hippy" yesterday, I'll continue along those lines and go into the meaning of the symbol on the upper right corner of this page (circle with dot in the middle).

This recurring symbol/signature which I use on my work is my tattoo (left Achille's heel, received spontaneously 08-07-2000). I often sit with my left leg resting on my right knee - and in that position I used to sometimes doodle that symbol on my Achille's heel if I had a pen in my hand. One day (08-07-2000) I was driving down the road and got the sudden feeling to make the symbol permanent in that spot. So I drove to the tattoo parlour and within minutes it was done.

To me it was/is a symbol of many things: God, strength, stillness, finding my centre and being centered in the midst of "everything". It is protection and fortitude in the sense that it represents Strength and Power being placed on a spot that is considered to be weak (the Achille's heel). I also see it as a seed planted in the "earth" (i.e. at the bottom of myself) and I am the plant that grows up from it. It also stands as the signature of God as an artist/creator, with me as the "work of art". When I sign my art with that symbol or embody it in something I have created, it's a similar thing.

So those are the things it meant to me before I subsequently found out that it is an ancient symbol for the Sun, as well as a symbol for the Archangel Michael (in Qabalistic mysticism), Hydrogen (in Dalton’s 19th century chemistry), the creative spark of divine consciousness/the self as co-creator of the world (in esoteric astrology), the desire to live and the individual’s life energy (astrological psychology), the heart, blood system and backbone … and many other interesting things.

The tattoo, apart from being the signature I use on my work, is also the centre of the flower that forms Happy Hippy's logo:

N.B. Tattoo at centre ... and Infinity symbol forming leaves and signifying constant movement, evolution and creation

- Happy Hippy –