WEBVTT
00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.199
Oh good, you're here.
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:12.240
Let's talk lavender.
00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:28.480
I'm casting off stitches as we speak, which is oddly satisfying.
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:41.439
Other than the fact that I'm done with this part of my project, it's just the rounded edges that emerge like a slow ribbon.
00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:43.039
Hmm.
00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:49.439
So I thought I'd share a small story with you today.
00:00:49.920 --> 00:01:02.719
One that's based on an old tale called Butcher Ding, which is one of the best known stories in the ancient Chinese Taoist text.
00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:08.879
The Zhuangzi, I'm probably mispronouncing that.
00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:12.799
But it was written more than two thousand years ago.
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:24.560
So there was once a dressmaker who had used the same pair of shears for nearly twenty years.
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:32.560
The handles were worn smooth and the blades carried the marks of long use.
00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.599
Yet they were still remarkably sharp.
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:45.840
A young seamstress who worked beside her had already replaced her own shears twice.
00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.239
How have yours lasted so long?
00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:51.680
she asked.
00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.000
The dressmaker considered the question.
00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:07.040
Well, when I was young, I believed good cutting was a matter of precision and control.
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:17.120
I marked my line, held the cloth firmly, and cut straight through it.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.680
I worked quickly and I was proud of that.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:31.439
She paused, but cloth does not always follow the line we have drawn for it.
00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:40.639
Some fabrics stretch, some slip, and some resist the blade.
00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:47.039
For years when I met resistance, I simply pressed harder.
00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:57.919
My hands tired, the cloth lost its shape, and the shears dulled.
00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.520
Well what changed?
00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.520
asked the seamstress.
00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:10.879
I began paying attention to the cloth itself.
00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.439
Every fabric has a grain.
00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:19.039
Every fold has a direction.
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:25.919
There are places where the blade moves easily and places where it does not.
00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:32.000
She ran her hand across the linen before her.
00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.599
Now when I meet resistance, I stop.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:41.680
I loosen my grip.
00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:45.919
I turn the cloth and look again.
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:55.599
Very often the easier way lies only slightly to one side of where I intended to go.
00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:01.199
The young seamstress picked up the old shears and examined them.
00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:06.240
Nearly twenty years, she said.
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:09.520
The dressmaker nodded.
00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:16.720
We are often taught to admire those who force their way through difficult things.
00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:28.000
But sometimes wisdom lies not in greater force, but in greater attention.
00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.720
She took back the shears and returned to her work.
00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:43.040
Learn where things naturally open, she said, and you may travel a very long way without dulling the blade.
00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:49.600
Hmm doing something over and over again.
00:04:51.600 --> 00:05:00.639
The same stitch and purl, yarn over, pull through, double crochet, over and over.
00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:31.439
Cutting cloth a hundred times, making the same cake year after year after year, refining it so slowly that no one notices but you know You know this cake and its personality becomes a smooth full sensory symphony that tastes like love.
00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:57.040
Or baking bread week after week, and learning how your flower behaves at different times and in different weather just by doing how elastic it is, how dry your dough, how it smells, your mind making tiny calculations and assessments every time you need a fresh batch.
00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:05.519
Repetition and paying attention, even if subconsciously.
00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:13.360
No fighting the humidity, the cold, cold air, or worse the clock.
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:32.959
Persistent, gentle observation eventually grants our hands and intuitions an inner absolute wisdom that no user manual can ever really capture.
00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:40.480
All right, love, take care of yourself and have a great day.
00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.199
Oh good, you're here.
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:12.240
Let's talk lavender.
00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:28.480
I'm casting off stitches as we speak, which is oddly satisfying.
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:41.439
Other than the fact that I'm done with this part of my project, it's just the rounded edges that emerge like a slow ribbon.
00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:43.039
Hmm.
00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:49.439
So I thought I'd share a small story with you today.
00:00:49.920 --> 00:01:02.719
One that's based on an old tale called Butcher Ding, which is one of the best known stories in the ancient Chinese Taoist text.
00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:08.879
The Zhuangzi, I'm probably mispronouncing that.
00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:12.799
But it was written more than two thousand years ago.
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:24.560
So there was once a dressmaker who had used the same pair of shears for nearly twenty years.
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:32.560
The handles were worn smooth and the blades carried the marks of long use.
00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.599
Yet they were still remarkably sharp.
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:45.840
A young seamstress who worked beside her had already replaced her own shears twice.
00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.239
How have yours lasted so long?
00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:51.680
she asked.
00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.000
The dressmaker considered the question.
00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:07.040
Well, when I was young, I believed good cutting was a matter of precision and control.
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:17.120
I marked my line, held the cloth firmly, and cut straight through it.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.680
I worked quickly and I was proud of that.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:31.439
She paused, but cloth does not always follow the line we have drawn for it.
00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:40.639
Some fabrics stretch, some slip, and some resist the blade.
00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:47.039
For years when I met resistance, I simply pressed harder.
00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:57.919
My hands tired, the cloth lost its shape, and the shears dulled.
00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.520
Well what changed?
00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.520
asked the seamstress.
00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:10.879
I began paying attention to the cloth itself.
00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.439
Every fabric has a grain.
00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:19.039
Every fold has a direction.
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:25.919
There are places where the blade moves easily and places where it does not.
00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:32.000
She ran her hand across the linen before her.
00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.599
Now when I meet resistance, I stop.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:41.680
I loosen my grip.
00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:45.919
I turn the cloth and look again.
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:55.599
Very often the easier way lies only slightly to one side of where I intended to go.
00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:01.199
The young seamstress picked up the old shears and examined them.
00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:06.240
Nearly twenty years, she said.
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:09.520
The dressmaker nodded.
00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:16.720
We are often taught to admire those who force their way through difficult things.
00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:28.000
But sometimes wisdom lies not in greater force, but in greater attention.
00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.720
She took back the shears and returned to her work.
00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:43.040
Learn where things naturally open, she said, and you may travel a very long way without dulling the blade.
00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:49.600
Hmm doing something over and over again.
00:04:51.600 --> 00:05:00.639
The same stitch and purl, yarn over, pull through, double crochet, over and over.
00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:31.439
Cutting cloth a hundred times, making the same cake year after year after year, refining it so slowly that no one notices but you know You know this cake and its personality becomes a smooth full sensory symphony that tastes like love.
00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:57.040
Or baking bread week after week, and learning how your flower behaves at different times and in different weather just by doing how elastic it is, how dry your dough, how it smells, your mind making tiny calculations and assessments every time you need a fresh batch.
00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:05.519
Repetition and paying attention, even if subconsciously.
00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:13.360
No fighting the humidity, the cold, cold air, or worse the clock.
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:32.959
Persistent, gentle observation eventually grants our hands and intuitions an inner absolute wisdom that no user manual can ever really capture.
00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:40.480
All right, love, take care of yourself and have a great day.
