The Freedom of Your Thoughts … Illusionary?

March 11, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 6 Comments

Does the mind wander? Be cautious, there is flotsam – impregnable, polluting, and ever enticing – floating nearby, sometimes successfully pulling one inexorably toward the shores of inevitability.

Is there true freedom in thought? I wonder?

Grains of truth and hope do sparkle along the shoreline and can be found clinging in shallow tidal pools of awareness, even as the currents of existence ebb and flow.

Away from these imponderable shores, one can be found being concerned with futures. Wandering thoughts venture into the Mountains and Valleys of Uncertainties where contraindications often lead to the Cliffs of Lemmings where – located at the extreme edge – is the precipice of one’s known reality. If not careful our thoughts can morph into a herd-like mentality.

I know we do not desire for conscious thoughts to be distorted from the natural order of things, nor do we willfully choose to be persuaded, influenced or lulled into a condition contrary to who we are.

Yet there are outward influences that often subjugate our understanding and desire for a thing. Often insidious and unequivocally mind altering.

So I shall ask again. Are our thoughts really our own? And if not – I promise that I – for one – will escape the shores of my own Inevitability!

Thank you, may your weekend be a pleasant one.

~ Penny

Haibun – Writing the Essence (the method of)!

September 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 34 Comments

Hello!

Would you like to understand the written style of haibun a little better?

A brief disclaimer: “When it comes to the history of the written word, I do not have a formal education. My study and research into haibun writing is just beginning. Some of what I write on this written art form is of a speculative nature and my own opinion”. Penny L Howe

Consider viewing haibun, (a classic Japanese style of creative writing), as an introspective approach to the written word.

The haibun is composed of two elements 1) one or more paragraphs, written as prose (without metric structure). AND 2) haiku (short free verse poem) on a subject, theme or prompt!

Prose -The approach is to convey a specific message or feeling (experience or thought – there is a strong relationship of most haikun to the nature of things.) while restricting the overuse of adjectives and adverbs, using your word power so each word adds an emphasis to the whole.

Use the word “the” only when it adds extra meaning to your thought and less use of sentences that explain what you just wrote. No verbosity, only using words that add value to the whole piece. If you write precisely enough, you shouldn’t need to belabor the point – written haibun flows as a result of this method.

Each written haibun piece is a stand alone! Concise, explicit and strong in content (so we’re clear on the definition of strong – you can be gentle in your written approach but everyone should clearly know when they finish reading that “gentle” was the goal).

Another key element is interpretive. A well written haibun can seem simply written, but is complex or even sophisticated in the understanding, and can have several values or levels to this awareness. Much like an internal thought process.

Haiku – is a Japanese poem – free verse, 3 line, with no caps. It is “generally understood” there is a total count of 17 or less syllables in the entire poem, again, popularly considered to be written in a 5-7-5 format (5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second line and 5 in the third line). It is not essential or necessary to rigidly adhere to this formula) but the middle line is longer than the first and the third lines. Rule of thumb approximately 17 or so syllables in all three lines, total. View syllables as “soundings”. Recall that a syllable is organized units of speech sounds. Say (outloud) this potential first line of a haiku. Feel the sounds from the words.

“flowing haibun’s essence”

The haiku becomes vivid and alive when sentence connectors or “words that link” (words like: also, therefore, however) also prepositions and conjunctions (such as: of, to, in, but, and, or) are used in a discriminate manner. This is also true in the haibun.

Think in terms of the value of each word you use. Prepositions, conjunctions and sentence connectors should only be used when they help to emphasize or carry forward an expression.

The haiku can be a summation of the prose portion of the haibun or it can be an illumination that occurs as a result (understanding) of the written prose. The haiku can appear at the ending of the piece or placed in between the paragraphs to add emphasis. There can be more than one haiku in the haibun.

In summation, there exists a connection between the haiku and the prose of haibun. The connection may be clear and obvious or subtle bringing home a point, an awareness, an illumination or other thought process.

SAMPLE HAIBUN:

Dewdrops

Though small in stature, glistening diamonds of moisture confront me during early walks through nature. I revel in luxury. The warmth of my skin embracing dewy, cool and moist softness. I see and feel the sensation of dewdrops.

Dewdrops suspended from blades of grass, wispy cobwebs, sturdy leaves, and delicate flowers. Each encounter experienced while travelling through morning’s meadow.

An arrested view of life, focusing on the nature of dewdrops. Beautiful to view, suns golden rays shimmering on these minute whispers of water. The substance of liquid. Quintessential to well-being of all life – my life. My relationship with water, reduced in the moment to all encompassing dewdrops.

Elemental need

entire world suspended

dewdrops expression

Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you found this article of value and would enjoy reading more of my personal insights about haibun writing please let me know!

Have a great day,

*ps – I have been persuaded to continue hosting the Ligo Haibun Challenge, as time permits, so I will be hosting a new one this week as usual!

~ Penny

Writing A Haibun ~ Balancing a style within a style!

August 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 23 Comments

Acrobatic performers present a visual balance, their bodies the essence of form and movement – muscles, tendons and sinews honed to an edge – physically obvious, yet from facial expressions, their style internal as well.

When writing creatively, I combine various elements of myself. My intent is to impart, through the use of words, specific sensations or thoughts.

If I adapt to a certain style, this becomes a part of what I wish to convey – not because of following or focusing on any preconceived methodology. I do not wish to constrict flow from my written words.

Writing a haibun is – in part – a form of discipline, a given set of criteria to be followed. But that is only a physical application of pen/pencil to paper or printed word to screen. When I impart an essence of who I am into the flow of my words (whether from imagination or experience) … that becomes my true haibun.

To become well versed in a written art form, I use differing creative tools of expression, for various situations; changing techniques but allowing a smooth flow between. With the writing of a haibun and a haiku, there is “a style within a style” and of course the balance between the two.

To acrobatic performers the “Art” is the expression and movement of their body, to move fluidly without hesitation to balance, as required, with an internal flow of their own!

And so it should be for all artistic souls (those who write, craft, paint, photograph, etc. – each a form of creative expression). The flow or movement their own.

artistic flow

creativity of movement

a balance of style

This is my entry into this week’s Ligo Haibun Challenge – Photo Prompt (The photo seen at the top of this post provided by YePirate! For more information on The Ligo Haibun Challenge, click here!

Thanks for stopping by to read,

~ Penny

Beauty – in thought, word and deed

June 28, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 59 Comments

What is beautiful to you?

How do you experience beauty?

What is the sensation within you, when beholding beauty?

One of the most wonderful things about being human

is our ability to experience – the beauty of things.

Those most wonderful sights, sounds, touches, fragrances,

and tastes of our experiences, thoughts and memories.

All revolving around our perception of beauty.

“The most beautiful thing I can think of today – is TODAY!”

~

My share for the week! Please take this with you

if you’d like! No copyright restrictions, my drawing and words

Given with love, Penny

For those who Blog – Crafting your own Style

September 20, 2012 / Penny L Howe / 55 Comments

Style ~ A Flow of Movement

Internationally known Bruce Lee became an iconic individual, famous for his stylized version/philosophy of Martial Arts (Jeet Kune Do), his executed flow of movement.

He believed that by “combining” the various elements of ‘martial arts’ you become the best fighter because you can adapt to any style – not following or focusing on any preconceived system of style.

Dana White UFC President called Lee the ‘father of MMA’ saying “if you looked at the way Bruce Lee trained, the way he thought, and the many things he wrote he said the perfect style is no set style – you take a little something from everything, the good things from each discipline, use what works, and let everything else go.

From early on I was fascinated by Bruce Lee, who in addition to being a Master Martial Artist was extremely intelligent and well versed in the disciplines of his art. His belief was to use different “tools” for different situations, changing techniques but allowing a smooth flow between. A style within a style.

He wrote of his stye as that of being the ‘Art of expressing your body’. He believed – a good martial artist should be like water and move fluidly without hesitation, changing with an internal flow as required!

And so it should be for all of us artistic souls (those who write, craft, paint, photograph, etc. – all form of creative expressions). Is your flow or movement your own? Create a style within a style – your own. Begin this today!