The Art of Smiling

The art of smiling: 

my own smile has grown more gentle, an easiness present, as if a heaviness of self-disappointment has now been lifted. I've always been my own harshest critic, never needing someone else's  harsh judgement, yet readily believing it if it came my way. There's an art to true forgiveness, and through the years I've polishing my craft. Small things at first, slights that would seem to linger, little mistakes I've made that seemed to snowball in importance through the years. I'm an artist now, not perfect, but I have the tools of transformation at hand, recognizing the raw material my life has given me and using them to shape the beauty of that gentle smile. 

forgiveness truly does offer every I want.

I'm an artist at last.

~

I love you, Eric

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Of Steps and Freewill

Also, please visit to buy: The Gentle Smile

Thank you.

Love and Practice

Love and practice: 

the agenda for me was always words on a page, my first and only goal of writing was - to write, every day, and nothing beyond that held any great importance. It's been well over 25 years since that vow was made it's been easily kept, writing daily as a practice without concern of meaning, just happy that words arrive to me so freely and almost always feel inspired. 

I'd like this practice to extend another 25 years.

or even longer.

but I'm happy going day by day.

lately I've added something extra to this list of daily practice, filming, making sure that I open myself to whatever sight that nature offers and sharing it with others. There's no prerequisite except that it captures my imagination, that's it's unique to my perspective alone, as if the entire universe conspired to deliver me to the exact moment of my inspiration. 

and who knows? 

perhaps it did. 

that's how easy art is, and everyone's an artist. It's simply a matter of showing up daily, committed, and then falling in love with the actual practice of our craft. Love and practice are two key words here, as it's all a practice and that allows us the freedom of imperfection - and love is the force that keep us committed every day. 

it's a simply formula, 

love and practice...

it works so well for me. 

~

Peace, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: June

Also, please visit to buy: The War of Art

Visual Haiku

Visual haiku:

I've been increasingly drawn to short form video, using the YouTube platform to share what I now think of as a visual haiku. It's just a short clip of what nature reveals on my daily walks and runs, seldom edited, so at once showing my lack of camera skills as well as the beauty of the day. Perhaps as my interest grows I'll take the time to further my skills behind the scene, but it's doubtful, as I think than that I would become too involved in the process, wishing to perfect each clip instead of simply leaving the moment itself to show through - that my true and only involvement was in the instant that's being shown.

mistakes and all. 

so for me, the visual haiku is the entire moment, including the scan through surrounding brush and branches to finally pinpoint the object of my search, a shakiness revealing my barely contained excitement, the abrupt and reluctant departure as I tear my lens away. They're not really mistakes, really, they're simply part of the entirety of nature, a moment captured that include my enthusiasm as well as lack of skill. I'm absolutely fine with that, I have zero interest in highlighting my ability with a camera, the haiku is the moment itself and my awkwardness belongs fully to the scene.

and I feel fortunate to share it. 

mistakes and all. 

of course this is only my perspective, and that's what I most truly love about this newly discovered art-form, that in the entirety of the universe there is only the uniqueness of this instant and I am blessed to be included here. There will be better, higher skilled clips of nature nature shown, and I will love being able to watch them, knowing that whoever filmed them was caught up within their own unique and universal perspective. 

it's an awesome privilege. 

and I am blessed to have my own. 

~

Peace, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Well Balanced 

Also, please visit to buy: Happiness and the Art of Being 

Thank you. 

Just Talking to Myself

Just talking to myself:

so I've been talking a lot lately, twice daily actually on my YouTube channel, and surprisingly, I've grown to enjoy and appreciate the artfulness of these conversations. Very often I'm just talking to myself, no audience present, putting forth my thoughts and views on yoga and meditation, other related topics as well. I make it clear that I'm not a teacher, I'm not offering insights or pointers to anyone at all. I'm just talking to myself, even when people show up and join the conversation it's still only about the art of weaving words together in an energetic flow of ideas.

anyone watching,

participating, 

adding to this in their own artful way.

this started with sharing my workouts within a like minded community, a limited audience of those who mainly practiced calisthenics. This probably could have been enough, a few friends with a passion for fitness, working with the energy of the body, and encouraging each other to stay with their commitment. But somewhere along the way I found myself offering a bit more, discussing the ideas that were important to me, opening up the discussion to include the details of my life that I found were most meaningful. That's when I discovered that this is art, a stream of conscious process put on view for others to watch and join if they wished too, playing with silence and a dance of words spaced through. 

of course art is subjective. 

so really, 

I'm just talking to myself. 

the art of self-dialog...

and seeing where it goes. 

~

Peace, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: So Many Years Ago 

Also, please visit to buy: Altruism 

Thank you.