Meditation: Wisdom is not a product of thought.

I have spent a lot of time pursuing wisdom. Most of it in the classroom. Twenty-six years as a student to be exact. That is more than many, but much less than some. Does time spent deep in thought make me more or less intelligent, than my fellow being human? Not necessarily. Much of it depends on having a keen eye for detail and developing the patience for exploration. This is actually what I taught when I taught Art History for three years at university. There is no shortcut to wisdom, to deep knowledge: wisdom is the shortcut. It is simply the product of practice, a matter of attention, something you already possess, something you can already sense. In meditation this morning I was reminded of something Tolle says in his book Stilllness Speaks:

"Wisdom is not a product of thought. The deep knowing that is wisdom arises through the simple act of giving someone or something your full attention. Attention is primordial intelligence, consciousness itself, it dissolves the barriers created by conceptual thought and with this comes the recognition that nothing exists in and by itself. [Attention] joins the perceiver and the perceived in a unifying field of awareness; it is the healer of separation."

~Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks, Chapter Two: Beyond the Thinking Mind

Musing: Slow Fashion

I just thought I would post a link for my European readers to this award for Slow Fashion. Like slow cooking, slow fashion concerns itself with the manner in which something is made. Those of us who subscribe to green fashion tenets most often also subscribe to ideas of slow fashion.

For Meleté and Mnemosyne this means quite a bit. Our process takes time, so when you see that our turnaround for orders is about 3-5 weeks, let me tell you just what that means. Once you have placed your order and introduced yourself I know you, or at least something about you; your shape in the world and the colors you like to wear, colors that make you feel good about yourself. Then it is on to the practicalities of manifesting your desire.

First: the material. I work primarily with bamboo, organic cotton, and hemp. Unfortunately, these materials are not widely available and rarely make an appearance at your local fabric store. So, over the years we have done plenty of research and now order our material from some tried and true sources. Availability is limited, and so is the selection.

Second: the color. Since most of materials come to me in black or natural, I've had to become quite proficient at dying garments and fabric myself using a rather precise concoction of soda ash, salt, and natural pigments. You would be surprised at how long it took to actually be able to achieve consistent results given these variables and water temperature, volume, and cycle length.

Third: prints and patterns. When I first started this process, I learned quite a bit about silk screening, embroidery, and airbrush. I have a real desire to see graphic elements on my designs and at first that meant painting my own silk to screen designs. We still use those screens to pull patterns on some of our most popular pieces (Little Miss and Turn of Tide).

Fourth: pattern making. Meleté is a sister shop that is designed to take Mnemosyne's reproducible pieces and offer them in standardized sizes and colors, as well as bespoke or custom. So I either begin with a pattern I've drawn and graded by hand, or I take my basic sloper and create a new pattern specifically for someone's measurements. Altering a pattern to fit perfectly takes time when done mindfully, but the effect is well worth the additional effort and small fee.

Fifth: cutting. I make sure that when I cut a garment I do so one piece at a time, I line up the grain and I'm sure to press the fabric before hand. These are some simple things that make a big difference in the final drape and look of a dress, skirt or shirt. They are also things that make me feel like my mom or grandma; both of them are real sticklers for clean lines and perfect seams. And ultimately, it is my intention that when you order a piece from me, you receive something that feels like it was made by a loving sister or aunt.

Sixth: sewing. Everything is sewn together by hand using cotton thread. It makes a big difference in the longevity of a garment. If you are using natural fibers, you should really use cotton thread. Polyester is synthetic, plastic, and it will ultimately cut the fibers of your clothes before releasing its hold. So trust me, you would rather have a garment wear evenly, and be evenly open to repair or rebuilding, than you would a garment that shreds itself apart before the material shows any sign of reasonable wear and tear.

Seventh: finishing. The polish of a piece is in the finishing. And really, this is where I find myself most closely linked to the traditions of the past. Whether I'm adding repurposed buttons to a fresh design, or embroidering some heirloom pattern, I feel the deep connection that activity gives me, not only with my family, but with women and creators across and through time. It is a slow process, meditative, and reflective. It is a rhythm that ties loose ends together, finishes seams, and irons out creases, literally and metaphorically.

All of these things go into your piece before I press it, fold it, wrap it, address it, and send it to your home. This is a gift you give yourself or someone you love and I know it, because it is a gift you've also given me. You gave me time spent slowly, making something beautiful. And that is the way I prefer to spend my day. And today is my birthday.

Sustainable Creation: Berlin Fashion Week

This week is Berlin Fashion week, and the green movement in fashion is making an impression. Read all about Francis Prince, founder of a green fashion event TheKey.to, in this Spiegel Online International article, "How Green is Your T-Shirt?" by Jess Smee from today.

Thanks Rokalina, for sending this to me!

Meditation: Perception, Taste, and People's Priorities

Charles Baudelaire once said, "In supernatural states of the soul, the profundity of life reveals itself in the sight before one's eyes." That is certainly true in this case. Below I've pasted a copy of an email I received from my mother-in-law a few days ago. It is about an experiment on perception conducted by the Washington Post. I make a few observations following the copy.


"Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.

The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:
*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*Do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made, how many other things are we missing?"

My Observations:
How lovely that it is children or young people who stop to look and listen? They seem closer to existing all the time in that supernatural state; they are still receptive, lack conditioning, and can immediately perceive the truth or beauty of an experience.

Perhaps this is why they say children keep you young at heart? Is it because they remind us that we have an inner beauty meter, and that meter needs guidance from no one? And that by participating in these observations of beauty we can strengthen the field of such things and thereby foster more of it, in a world that so clearly needs it?

If this idea strikes you as important, you might want to look at a book called, "The Biology of Transcendence", by Joseph Chilson Pearce.

Today's meditation: The power of pausing to enjoy something beautiful is immeasurable.

Sustainable Creation: Big Bambú

In the November 2009 issue of Architectural Record there is an innovative take on sustainability.

Every month my dad gives me his hand-me-down copies of this reputable journal and I peruse it for pleasure and inspiration. There is a lot of innovation in architecture and I like imagining myself using it. This time I found something truly tickling.


More than functional or sculptural, Big Bambú is fantastic, a whim, a sustainable process without end. What good exercise. I'm reminded of something I heard recently: creative people tend to enjoy the process much more than the result (Chopra), and the process is the present, what you do now will be part of some process tomorrow which is also the present (Tolle).

Today's Meditation: what in your life has some sweet and endless rhythm?

Musing: Transfiguration

Last night I was at a tea party when someone asked the question, "If you could have any ability that you do not already possess, what would it be?"

My husband answered immediately, "I'd fly." Good answer we all agreed. Various other responses circled the table when finally it was my turn. After much consultation on what exactly the word was that best described my desire, I settled on "transfiguration".

I had it in mind that I'd be able to shape-shift in typical Hogwart fashion save the spells. So things like flying and holding my breath for minutes are understood, but what is essential is that I'd maintain my human perspective. There would be little worse than having the ability to turn into a lizard, scale a vertical cliff, reach the top and forget that I too can be an eagle. Lunch.

Here is the dictionary definition of "transfiguration": noun

• a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state

SO yeah. Now that I know this, I suddenly realize that I already have this rather subtle ability. And that perhaps I have not yet realized it's full potential. Thank you J.K. Rowling, for making that word a part of my vocabulary beyond it's typically religious connotations.

My musing for today: be the bird not the reptile.

Amused

"The Muses are all of one mind, their hearts are set upon song and their spirit is free from care. He is happy whom the Muses love. For though a man may have sorrow and grief in his soul, when the servant of the Muses sings at once he forgets his dark thoughts and remembers not his troubles. Such is the holy gift of the Muses to men."

~Hesiod~