COLLECTIVE BREATH – Episode: 19

Week of Sunday, November 15th, 2020

Number of people attending Facebook (personal portion):

Number of people attending Zoom Meet (group portion):

Introduction:

Origin

The phrase ‘Good Grief’ was first used in 1900 in the English Dialect Dictionary. It became well-known in 1950s because of its frequent usage by Charlie Brown who was one of the characters of a comic strip of Charles M. Schulz. In 1958 it was used in Time Magazine as:

“Charlie’s characteristic lament: Good Grief!”

Source: theidioms.com

A transcript of this segment and each subsequent session will be posted (for anyone interested) at http://www.sidewayseight.co which is my main outlet for personal poetry and photography: Sideways Eight Projects.

Hello fantastic people! My name is Jesse James Ziegler. I am the current Poet in Residence for the Bruka Theatre of the Sierra in Reno, Nevada. I am an active poet, special event MC, principle photographer, special event series host, and now weekly wellness writing workshop host in collaboration with Spoken Views Collective of which I am also a Board Member.

This Weeks Writing Prompt:

This week’s Prompt : Respond to the phrase ‘Good Grief’

Burning Bridges

I’m burning all bridges which lead to poison

and removing all staircases to despair

blocking all pathways that destroy and

choosing to fortify my peaceful lair

One take on ‘good grief’ is a description of when we’re meant to burn bridges. When things are meant to be let go of as they have become toxic to our well being and potential for growth.

I want for this podcast style personal portion to contain information about famous writers and their quotes as well as, futuristically speaking, local guests to this program who help everyone involved gain a diversity of perspective and positively impact our individual process.

Quote(s) of the Week:(6)

“Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re so helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.”

— Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

“No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear.”

— C.S Lewis

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.”

— Earl Grollman

“There’s a bit of magic in everything, and some loss to even things out.”

— Lou Reed, ‘Magic And Loss’

“There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.”

— Aeschylus

“My house is small and what once has gone from it can never be regained. But infinite is thy mansion, my lord, and seeking her I have come to thy door. Let it not be death but completeness. Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.”

— Rabindranath Tagore

I’m hoping this sharing and vulnerability I’m demonstrating will encourage others who love creative writing as well to open up, by sharing from their innermost, related to the topic provided. I’m hoping we all gain perspective, compassion, hope, and discipline through such organized sharing.

Piece or Pieces of the Week: (3)

Twenty Punches

Remain and Wish

Good Grief

For further personal reading

‘Healing After Loss

Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief’

by Martha W. Hickman

‘Nevada Humanities: Heart to Heart’ Series

involving a multitude of Reno area artists giving personal responses to how they are effected by the coronavirus pandemic

Click the link below to see my published piece ‘Letting Go: The Four Seasons’ on the Nevada Humanities Website. It was published (11/2/20)

https://www.nevadahumanities.org/heart-to-heart/2020/10/26/letting-go-the-four-seasons

‘On Death and Dying’

as well as

‘On Grief and Grieving’

by Elisabeth Kubler Ross

Next Week’s Writing Prompt:

Which will also be posted across Collective Breath and Bruka Theatre’s social media platforms: Write about significant numbers in your life.

Closing Sentiments and an Invitation

As a reminder that none of us controls the timeline of grief or healing I have included a timely reminder from the first mention in suggested further reading.

“It is so easy to think we have some ultimate claim on those we love, rather than that we have been privileged to share one another’s lives for a time—they with us, and we with them.

We know that we pass on our genes to our descendants, as our parents have passed theirs on to us. We orally pass on our memories and leave behind times we’ve shared with those we love.

But always there is some essence which is at its heart a mystery. And where it came from and where it goes, we don’t know. But perhaps there is a trace of the divine in each of us, which comes from its home in God, and returns to that home.”

“Before the mystery of life I am silent and glad.”

— Martha W. Hickman from the ‘November 15th’ entry in Healing After Loss

Remember, this evening at 8pm PST marks the closing contribution to the 10th Annual Biggest Little Theatre and New Works Festival. I am honored to host this program, as well as tonight’s show ‘Poets of the Caribbean: Yard Sale’ with the tagline Everything Must Go!

Tune in on the YouTube channel Ghost Light TV as well as Bruka Theatre of the Sierra’s Facebook page. Once again, 8pm PST this evening, Poets of the Caribbean: Yard Sale

That’s it for my personal portion. If this is where you get off this train of thought, because you checked in to listen, thank you for tuning in and absorbing. I appreciate your time and consideration. If you are here for the Weekly Wellness Writing Workshop group portion via Zoom Meeting, please transition to that application now using the link provided in the details/description section of the ‘Collective Breath’ Bruka Theatre Facebook Event Page. The link is also in the bio section of the Collective Breath Instagram page @biggestlittlecollectivebreath

Keep writing. Keep your heart open and your mind aware. Keep coming back for more. Keep going. Keep giving. Keep doing. Keep daring to believe in a better way of living. Keep loving and creating. Keep each other safe and sound. Keep it real, and keep the faith. I love you. Goodbye for now.

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