​I recently took a new student workshop for my upcoming PhD program at the California Institute of Integral Studies.  They were getting our juices flowing with some creative writing exercises.  The hope is the development of creative writing skills ultimately leads to a well written dissertation.

One exercise is particular spoke to me.  An exercise in Ekphrasis (“Description” in Greek). An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through narrating and reflecting on the action of a painting or sculpture, the poet can expand the artwork's meaning. Some notable examples you may have read in school are Keats' “Ode on a Grecian Urn” or Carlos' "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus".

So as a good workshop participant, I took a stab at it by reflecting on "Abaporu" (The Man That Eats People) painted by Tarsila do Amaral. 

Sun glares over cacti
Skies cloudlessly bright
Sits on grassy dryness
Elbow rests

Thoughts of consumption
Tastes of emotions, souls, lives
Inflammation engorges 
Boundary + Less

How does another's act of "cannibalism" expand your thoughts on cultivating your personal boundaries?

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I don't know about you but I have the tendency to over-schedule myself... teach too many classes and privates, work too much overtime, etc.  I don't just sit sit and do nothing (or do something for myself just for fun).  I go and go and go until I hit a wall.  When I was younger, I noticed I would do this to the point of self-sabotage. So, I started to become more aware of this habit. 

The strategy I use that helps me NOT over-schedule and ultimately burn-out is lots of bourbon…just joking.  OK...maybe just a little bourbon. 

Seriously, I purposely take a step back and analyze my calendar about every quarter.  I look for places where I’ve overbooked myself, places where I’ve had to cancel appointments because I just did not want to “people” that day, etc.  

Then I make adjustments.  I stop teaching certain classes (sometimes that has meant walking away from great establishments), I stop booking so many private sessions, I reduce my overtime hours at the day job, etc.  

My clients also benefit from my adherence to sitting down and trimming my calendar by seeing that they too don't have to do everything and be everywhere.   

Instead of spreading myself too thin, I can be truly present.


"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst"-William Penn