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Welcome to The Sacred Bean. Let me tell you a little bit about beans. Beans are from the legume family. Beans can come in so many different varieties. Beans are a natural way to nourish your body like few other foods can.
There is one other bean that means a great deal to our survival as a human race. The Human Bean, or human being. We, as human beans, experience so much joy and defeat, elation and sorrow. We are complex creatures. We are magnificant. We are horrible. We have both the power to destroy, and the power to create. We were modeled after God's own image. This unequivically powerful force on Earth is indeed sacred. Once humans arrived, Earth was never the same. Thus we forever seek to heal the most complex of all "beans" . . .
Recovery to me means following my dreams and letting my passion loose, whether I sink or swim. I can't guarantee swim, and I can try to prevent sink. The most proactive way I can cope with my passion, which is equal to that of Hemmingway and Van Gogh, is to get up to the microphone and speak my sometimes terrible truth as a Spoken Word Artist.
Writing was always an integral part of my recovery, and I challenged myself to writing goals like completing 5 poems per week for 6 months. Things like that. If I can put my own creative spin on my suffering as a sacred human bean, and connect with people in the process, miracles can happen. It is a miracle that I am strong enough and brave enough to change my life. No one changed my life but me, my therapist, and my readers.
I want to talk a little bit about the power of the pen. The power of the pen can change lives. The books we read, the poems that inspire us, affect our decision making. And this is the right and the amazement that we are entitled to by the power of history. Freedom of speech and the freedom of press protect us. That said, I prefer to do my damage with a pen. I am not a big supporter of weapons, I choose to write my expressions; "How much damage can I do with a pen?" as Eminem said.
The pen carries stories over long, seemingly endless oceans. The pen has told the truth more than the gun. The gun carries deceptive emotions - the pen let's you write your emotions. Once you've written your emotion, stated how you really feel, you are on the road to recovery. Letters and poems are like bleeding your heart out on the page, I need to read to find myself. When I find myself through the words of others, I've peered through the smoking mirror and seen a reflection. We are all alike, We are all sacred human beans, perfect in our imperfections, and vulnerable like flowers.
What would you say in your redeeming moments, when your pen leads you to express your truth? I know what I would say: "I love you." I crave these three words, I say them every day to everyone I know. In a relationship, I have to hear them every day, even every couple of hours. "I love you." I wish I could tell this to every person suffering with mental disease and every teen who ever felt hopeless. I would say:
"I love you. You have unique gifts to offer. You were put here to heal the world. Your 'medicine' is needed, your time is your gift. Spend it with the ones you love. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Write your story. Be inspired. Don't cry. Don't you remember how your Grandmother said, 'this too, shall pass?' Love yourself. I LOVE YOU!"
Since I can't tell every soul on Earth that I love them face-to-face, I decided to make YouTube videos of my writings because if it had been my friend who wrote this, I would want her to share it. So that's what I'm doing. Speaking out for those who may not be able to speak out for themselves. The bullied. The meek. The scared. I would tell them, "Don't be scared." And at the same time, I need it to be told to me.
What is the truth? The truth is making rational decisions and experiencing a rainbow of emotions as we grow up. But emotions are like a dusty road. The dust washes off. Emotions are a passing thought. Your heart tells you your values. Your intuition tells you when to let go. Your personal power allows you to nurture your own inner child. I might feel this way now, but tomorrow, the sun will come.
I got my start performing in coffee shops, and because of those positive experiences, the sights, sounds, and scents of coffee inspire me. It's a zen-like ritual to make a pot of coffee for you and those around you. Sitting down with a cup of coffee and writing or drawing in notebooks is one of life's great pleasures. Many great human revelations have been discovered in the presence of coffee! We even associate coffee with waking up in the morning and getting going.
All things are sacred, from the littlest bean to the greatest lightning storms. The miracle is that we are. Alright. Aside from musing about life, I really like to write. Writing is one productive thing to do with your time! Don't get lost in it, though. Make sure to get some sleep, too.
The Sacred Bean is going to grow, and needs your support. Please sign up for email updates at the bottom of this page. The beauty of this great country is that anyone can pursue their American Dream. My dream is to perform my comedy and spoken word. Keep us in mind if you're looking for slam poetry, R-rated comedy, music performance, and any other public speaking event.
Arts and Crafts for Recovery - an article By Heidi Davis
Mental troubles can happen to people from all walks of life. Whether you are rich or poor, old or young, married or single, sometimes we all need a little help. Some people have to start over from square one after they become mentally ill. All of a sudden, things that seemed easy once become difficult and a struggle. How do we help folks that have lost it all? The answer? Arts and crafts.
Arts and crafts have the power to save lives. When a person with a mental illness can hold up a painting or a crafts and say, "I made this," feeling of self-esteem take over. These are people who can't do much anymore; mental problems can affect physical health and overall health! When this is the case, taking an arts and crafts course can really be a lifesaver. Time spent crafting is time NOT spent having racing thoughts or mania. Art and Crafts for Recovery is an idea that the mentally ill community need to embrace. The power of peer support in this situation is amazing. Luckily, crafting is a level playing field. Anyone can make a paper flower! Anyone can use crayons or markers! Through crafting, we really have the power to heal our minds.
I want to tell you a story about Pat. Pat is a 55 year old woman with a lifetime history of mental health issues. She sits a lot, she cries a lot, she watches t.v., and overall doesn't do much. At a local peer support agency, Pat shows up every day, and never participates in a single group.
Now the miracle: arts and crafts for recovery group. Since Feb. 3, 2012, all of a sudden, Pat has completed 15 projects. She made a vase. She made paper flowers. She used glue. She used glitter, paint, tissue paper, and crayons. This is the first time that Pat has done anything in years. This is proof that arts and crafts has healing powers.
Ever have a thought you just can't get out of your mind? The mentally ill are plagued with negative thoughts. Psychiatrists often try to teach "thought stopping" techniques. A sick person is a mind run rampant.
This is where studies have shown that doing arts and crafts can help people focus. By just doing one simple task, like stamping, people get a rest from bad mental processes. Arts and crafts help people grow stronger. Arts and crafts brings joy, life, therapy, and other wonderful feelings to people who are having a hard time. The look on Pat's face when she completed her vase was astounding. She had finally found the self-esteem that comes from a job well done.
To summarize, people with mental illness need arts and crafts. These are people who need more fun in their lives. More magic. More beauty. I believe we can give that to them by simply helping them pick up a paintbrush.
