Shall we work together?
The Creative Buddhist Sunday Supplement
Hello you,
I’m always fascinated by how people make a living, especially if they don’t have a regular 9 to 5 job. Believe it or not, I’ve never had a ‘proper’ job. For most of my working life, I worked in ‘right livelihood teams’, that is in teams of Buddhists, giving away our profits, while living on a minimum wage and attempting to make our work a vital part of our practice.
Over the last few years, I’ve had to figure out how to earn a decent living with the skills that I have, a transition that hasn’t always been easy. But here I am, earning a modest but decent income, doing things I love. Things like this newsletter, creating dharma events and occasionally making websites for others.
But there’s something missing. Although I get to collaborate with some good people, I don’t have regular work colleagues. I miss having people to knock ideas around with, to keep me accountable, to share my own skills with and to learn new skills from. I’d love to add that element to my work without losing my independence. That’s where you come in!
I’m guessing there are lots of us? Solopreneurs, folk trying to turn a passion into a business, wanting to sell our art or our services. And I’ve been thinking maybe there’s a way for us to loosely work together? I haven’t worked out what form it will take, but I know it’s a need in my life, maybe in yours too? Let me know.
Here are a few bits I’ve created in the last couple of weeks
The Creative Buddhist Newsletter:
As part of the wabi-sabi month, there’s been two workshops. The first, a meditating and drawing workshop, ‘my face is and isn’t me’. Then a ‘blackout poetry workshop’ where we discovered poems hidden in the news. Become a paid subscriber and find both in the archive, or sign up free for a week.
Digital notebook:
During the Laundry, the Ecstasy, on how insight can arise in the most mundane situations.
And other things I’ve enjoyed
Food, Masterchef: If you are a fan, Masterchef is a big part of your week at the moment. Why do I watch it? Well, I love food for a start. But it’s also about people getting their shit together and really excelling in something they love. Often these brilliant young chefs had a pretty rough start in life, dropping out of school and only really finding their way when arriving in a kitchen, usually to do the washing up. Moving. But for a laugh, here’s the spoof version.
Film, Boiling Point: On the theme of cooking I finally got round to watching Boiling Point with Stephen Graham, just as they’ve done a spin-off series for the BBC. They shot the film in one long take and it’s completely compelling. It’s worth hearing a little from the director about how he made it. For example, the film is 90 mins long, so if it’s one take what happens if an actor messes up his lines in the last 10 minutes?
Architecture, Georgia O’Keefe’s kitchen: What is it with me and food just now? I saw a photo of Georgia O’Keefe’s kitchen and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. That happens sometimes. So I’m making a note of it here in case you’d like to see it too. She was a skilled cook apparently and her recipes are collected in A Painter’s Kitchen.
Just going to go get something to eat, I’ll be back in a minute...
Website, Population: Here are some things I found out by putting my details into the Population website; right now 82% of the people in the world are younger than me. If I stay in Sweden, I have 32 years of life left, dying on the 16th Nov 2055, and 9984 people were born the same hour as me. The death date seems rather optimistic, but the rest puts things into perspective. Give it a go.
Magazine, Playground: I’m here in Sweden and missing the real Sunday supplements, that bunch of magazines that arrive with the Sunday paper. I thought I’d treat myself to a magazine and had a browse through Newsstand. You can buy current and back issues of every magazine there (in my opinion, a brilliant gift). Then I got Playground‘s newsletter telling me they are about to publish their first print magazine. It’s billed as ‘a magazine with honesty, curiosity and playfulness at the heart.’ Perfect.
A quote I’m thinking about:
“Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”
― Georgia O'Keeffe
If you enjoyed this week’s Sunday Supplement forward it to a friend.
Sending some love your way,
Vajradarshini
P.S. Send me your inspirations, I always love to hear from you!
This Week’s Tip - Keep a phone sized logbook with you at all times:
I’ve started carrying a little logbook with my phone, it’s the same size. Mine is the LEUCHTTURM pocket notebook and I jot down anything that comes to mind, ideas, quotes, things I notice. Every morning I transfer the notes to relevant places. One of my rules is, never attempt to keep anything in your head, always write it down somewhere.
Advanced tip: Dump the phone and just carry the logbook.
Always love to team up and collaborate with like minded people xx
I'd enjoy and cherish connection with others artists