Life is intense

Generally my stitching is soothing but too much going on in my mind today to settle.
Writing will help.
- had Dijanne Cevaal here a while ago which rewoke my enjoyment and the therapy of undirected stitching.... I have unconciously used this as a time out type of thing for ever.... but in the pressure of building our workshop, not having assistants to work samples and just life in general I got out of the routine of peaceful stitching
- I have always found mediation unrelaxing. .. hated to admit that as it seems so uncool. Yoga  and running stitch .... following a line or thought to see where it leads has a relaxing effect.  It was a small conversation with Jane Monk the other day that crystallised that realisation . A tool I can use to be in the moment. Destroys Yeh. 
- just had visitors here and a moment for a very stimulating conversation with Donba about what she is exploring in her PhD. ... kind of about the mindfulness and or process of making ,I guess....I have lived out here in the sticks there is a while and a  field of research evolved around such things. New to me.... I will  enjoy delving into.
- all these things do prompt me to think about what I am doing
- sure we have a Stitching business. ..our aim is to produce and income for us and fair income for our people. We are doing well for our people....seen women able to go to the doctor, kids at school....many changes and noticed yesterday our gang of guys at the workshop have slowly all been able to aquire a motorbike.  None of them could do that before as piece workers. Unlike the rest of the production units around here we pay a monthly wage...every month of the year. Same as our ladies continuous employment. ... Praveen and I still struggle to have a monthly wage ourselves but juggling we manage and things are improving
- but what am I doing really? I used to enjoy the stimulation of developing an exhibition.... the thought underlying it.... really I am so lucky the workshop is an expansion of my studio life... I can bring some of those thoughts and ideas into the foundation of it.....
We all need to work. I am never going to have a deep philosophical conversation with our people but I can work hard to find ways to engage their creativity and responses to our work in little ways. Small enjoyments not mindless doing is the beauty if life.
- our workshop is so silly some days.  We forgot Gandhi birthday yesterday... so the boys were all giggles planning a special lunch for today. Live the way we're  a big bunch of kids some days.
- one thing you can learn in our part of India is to let enjoyment happen

Feel better...
Back to stitching....got another blue piece happening. .. it will be a new clutch...it is the kind of meandering evolvement stitch I enjoy.
Mindfulness of making ? In an unplanned follow your intuition type of way....Puja my ( hopefully new assistant ) is following along nicely