Monday, September 1, 2008
Did You Get a Lingo Lift?
This is a place to share your thoughts about being lifted up a hill. Post your comments below.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
A Lifter Responds: Aaron Swartzman
Aaron’s 1st lift – Bonnie from Novia Scotia. One of those solid, salt of the earth oldler women whose general attitude is “why not?”. She gave me her weight easily, and looked up at the clouds when I asked her to. I felt some of my old techniques coming back. Also some new knowledge. I think of, Fight, Flight, Freeze, Friendly as ways of dealing with danger/discomfort. How can I move away from friendly (talk their ear off) toward deeper connections?
Aaron’s 2nd lift – Artsy guy from Vancouver. He closed his eyes and I felt comfortable with him. I want to keep pushing the edge in such situations and ride deeper, but it wasn’t clear how to do so. Image is so important. His look was artsy and open, so I wanted more than from Bonnie. We stopped periodically for him to give weight. At the top I turned him around and had him turn around to survey the journey.
Aaron’s 3rd lift – soccer player girl. I experimented with instructing her how to best give me her weight. It’s hard to make it easy for people to be lifted easily. She said it was like meditation. I felt her relax as we went, felt myself sink into a comfort with silence which allowed me to find more interesting things to say. I mentioned how the clouds looked like windblown sand. I ran her up the last leg of the hill.
Aaron’s 4th – another soccer player – gave me her weight and trust. Well, “I begin to feel the ache in my arms.” She closed her eyes and relaxed. I can feel how their athleticism helps their bodies respond to my touch. She asked me why we were doing this. I said that trust is hard to find in this world. She said it felt like massage,. I was happy that it felt at all. We truned at the top to watch her friend take the last few steps calmly and with closed eyes, a vision of beauty and repose amidst the hectic, urban scene. What is the next step when trust is marginally given. How can the project move forward pat that point? Flexing social muscles. Feeling the different relations, social and physical, the layers of trust, the potential for a shifted moment in the day, a genuine connection with a stranger.
5th – Mr. Bear’s Mistress (as she said her name was – assume it had to do with the stuffed bear riding on top of her back pack, face to the sky) turns my theory on its head. She has trouble giving me her weight, but trusts me deeply in telling me the story of how Mr. Bear was given to her by another patient in a mental institution. High social trust – low physical weight sharing (which may have required high levels of physical trust for her). I feel gratitude for her willingness to connect with a stranger, and gratitude to Mr. Bear for being a portal into her story.
Aaron’s 2nd lift – Artsy guy from Vancouver. He closed his eyes and I felt comfortable with him. I want to keep pushing the edge in such situations and ride deeper, but it wasn’t clear how to do so. Image is so important. His look was artsy and open, so I wanted more than from Bonnie. We stopped periodically for him to give weight. At the top I turned him around and had him turn around to survey the journey.
Aaron’s 3rd lift – soccer player girl. I experimented with instructing her how to best give me her weight. It’s hard to make it easy for people to be lifted easily. She said it was like meditation. I felt her relax as we went, felt myself sink into a comfort with silence which allowed me to find more interesting things to say. I mentioned how the clouds looked like windblown sand. I ran her up the last leg of the hill.
Aaron’s 4th – another soccer player – gave me her weight and trust. Well, “I begin to feel the ache in my arms.” She closed her eyes and relaxed. I can feel how their athleticism helps their bodies respond to my touch. She asked me why we were doing this. I said that trust is hard to find in this world. She said it felt like massage,. I was happy that it felt at all. We truned at the top to watch her friend take the last few steps calmly and with closed eyes, a vision of beauty and repose amidst the hectic, urban scene. What is the next step when trust is marginally given. How can the project move forward pat that point? Flexing social muscles. Feeling the different relations, social and physical, the layers of trust, the potential for a shifted moment in the day, a genuine connection with a stranger.
5th – Mr. Bear’s Mistress (as she said her name was – assume it had to do with the stuffed bear riding on top of her back pack, face to the sky) turns my theory on its head. She has trouble giving me her weight, but trusts me deeply in telling me the story of how Mr. Bear was given to her by another patient in a mental institution. High social trust – low physical weight sharing (which may have required high levels of physical trust for her). I feel gratitude for her willingness to connect with a stranger, and gratitude to Mr. Bear for being a portal into her story.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A Lifter Responds: Ricki Mason
Maybe it’s just a little more summer….feels like more yes than no and more trust than resistance. As I get older I appreciate those interactions I wouldn’t have had if not for (fill in the bland) and there are many if not for the Lift.
Entering into this second round able to take the no’s less personally – I guess initially I was surprised anyone would say no, but today I feel surprised anyone would say yes! Those yeses lead to sweet traverses up the hill. The lady from Victoria who’s manner of small talk and polite sharing of her weight made me excited to hug my mom this afternoon. The dude who smoked a cigarette and never asked why. The college soccer team, who’s group dynamic made thm brave and willing and squashed the nerves of the skeptics in the group who may have been too cool (i.e. insecure) on their own. My arms feel tired from work that feels like really good work, art that is building something in the world, out of time and space that is more than time and space.
Entering into this second round able to take the no’s less personally – I guess initially I was surprised anyone would say no, but today I feel surprised anyone would say yes! Those yeses lead to sweet traverses up the hill. The lady from Victoria who’s manner of small talk and polite sharing of her weight made me excited to hug my mom this afternoon. The dude who smoked a cigarette and never asked why. The college soccer team, who’s group dynamic made thm brave and willing and squashed the nerves of the skeptics in the group who may have been too cool (i.e. insecure) on their own. My arms feel tired from work that feels like really good work, art that is building something in the world, out of time and space that is more than time and space.
A Lifter Responds: Scott Davis
Rusty – Nervous – Initial sense of self-doubt. Jump into cold lake knowing I’ll be happy to have done it once I’ve done it.
The sales pitch returns after three or so flops. Mention: Art Project
Experiment
Funded by City (not seeking $)
We are Professionals
“Isn’t is hard? Aren’t you tired?” Aaron says in response, “It’s more work for the social muscles than the actual muscles.”
The four elderly women from Nova Scotia – completely gung ho. No hesitation in the “yes” – no question behind the eyes of “why?” or, “who are you?”. A perfect first lift to give with a risk taker who fell in love with the white forest of a cloud against the blue.
The firs to close his eyes. The girlfriend who felt incompetent – “I fell like I can’t walk.” The two sets of girl soccer players. Confident in their bodies. “yes sayers”. The eyes closed blissful ending for the soccer player Ricki pushed.
Humid. It is in fact hard work to push.
Sometimes I’m bored with my own questions. I want to feed interesting answers into them.
The sales pitch returns after three or so flops. Mention: Art Project
Experiment
Funded by City (not seeking $)
We are Professionals
“Isn’t is hard? Aren’t you tired?” Aaron says in response, “It’s more work for the social muscles than the actual muscles.”
The four elderly women from Nova Scotia – completely gung ho. No hesitation in the “yes” – no question behind the eyes of “why?” or, “who are you?”. A perfect first lift to give with a risk taker who fell in love with the white forest of a cloud against the blue.
The firs to close his eyes. The girlfriend who felt incompetent – “I fell like I can’t walk.” The two sets of girl soccer players. Confident in their bodies. “yes sayers”. The eyes closed blissful ending for the soccer player Ricki pushed.
Humid. It is in fact hard work to push.
Sometimes I’m bored with my own questions. I want to feed interesting answers into them.
Friday, August 29, 2008
After the Lift
Falling up, falling down, delay landing
On the verge of saying “yes”.
His eyes glittered as his head tipped to the sky.
He sighed…Allowing assistance up, without the drop keeping, without the keys to the door, and there on his shoulders, the weight of the world , burning off like Seattle fog.
On the verge of saying “yes”.
His eyes glittered as his head tipped to the sky.
He sighed…Allowing assistance up, without the drop keeping, without the keys to the door, and there on his shoulders, the weight of the world , burning off like Seattle fog.
Lifters React: Haikus
Uphill push offer
Tourist shopper No! No!
Reluctant draggin’
Warm sunlight mist lift
Many shy smilers slowing
Please carry me up
Taken to the streets
Amidst yeses and some no’s
No uphill battle
No pushing allowed
What is considered public?
Privatization
I think I’m OK
That’s alright maybe next time
All those nay sayers
I’m a risk taker
It seems like a cool project
This is really hard.
Tourist shopper No! No!
Reluctant draggin’
Warm sunlight mist lift
Many shy smilers slowing
Please carry me up
Taken to the streets
Amidst yeses and some no’s
No uphill battle
No pushing allowed
What is considered public?
Privatization
I think I’m OK
That’s alright maybe next time
All those nay sayers
I’m a risk taker
It seems like a cool project
This is really hard.
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