Lessons From the Art of Juggling
By zigzagbuddha
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
United States
June 4, 2009 10:12pm CST
Has anybody read this book? It was co-written by Michael J. Gelb and Tony Buzan, and is one of my favorite non-fiction books. Michael Gelb also wrote another one of my favorites and that was 'How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci'. I have read them both twice. It was after I read the Leonardo da Vinci book that I began practicing doing everything... writing, detail painting, everything, with my left hand too. I am working on being totally ambidextrous, which I feel balances the brain in that both sides are used more equally.
Anyway, after re-reading Lessons From the Art of Juggling I decided to learn how to juggle. (They use juggling as an analogy for success in life... you need to be playful, ambidextrous, calm, centered and graceful, and you can't be bothered by it when you drop the balls... it is part of the learning process.)
So, when my sister came up for a weekend visit I asked her if she had any tennis balls at her house she could bring up here to the mountain for me, as I was going to learn how to juggle. She couldn't believe her ears and stood there staring at me with her mouth hanging open for a full minute at least. Then she walked over to her car and pulled out the 3 colorful juggling balls she had found around her house (nobody knows where they came from) that she had brought up with her to give to me!!!
Then it was then my turn to stand there with my mouth hanging open in speechless amazement! No matter how many times stuff like this happens it never fails to amaze me!
3 people like this
4 responses
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
5 Jun 09
Nopes, I haven't read any of those books. :) Wish I had the time to read books. Nowadays, I read only the things on my computer screen. I don't have the time to juggle or struggle to do things with my left hand either. These days, I am trying to do many things with 12 pairs of hands (11 pairs can't be seen); so, it sort of looks as if one pair is doing it all. I sometimes used to wonder why Goddess Durga has 1000 pairs of hands. Does it symbolize the multitasking ability of a mother?
I wish some magic takes place here too; but it doesn't. Oh dear, I hope I don't sound too pessimistic. What I mean is, nothing surprises me. In other words, only the expected happens, not the unexpected. Loved that juggling ball story! Wish you luck with juggling.
Cheers and happy Mylotting
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
6 Jun 09
Heheh...I mean nothing happens that makes my mouth hang open in surprise. LOL!! I see plenty of miracles around me, but they don't surprise me. That's what I meant when I said "only the expected happens." The baby (who is on my lap drumming on the keyboard right now) is the biggest miracle that ever happened. But I was expecting him any day since I was planning, thinking, dreaming, and talking about him for years. I guess, for me, "magic" ought to be something unexpected, something that makes your mouth "hang open in surprise." Nothing like that has happened.;)
Cheers!
1 person likes this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
6 Jun 09
Well, I did expect some tennis balls to turn up, but this went way beyond what I expected! Your baby story had my mouth hanging open! I didn't know you had been 'paving the way' for so long, but even if I had known I would still be amazed... that was an extraordinary turn of events!
1 person likes this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
5 Jun 09
Hey positive! Yeah, I am a single mother of two so I know exactly what you are talking about!
But I wonder what you are talking about when you say magic doesn't take place over there where you are?!? You have your darling baby, now don't you? What was that if not 'magic'??? I've never heard such a story as that one!!! That is even more amazing than my juggling balls story!!
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
6 Jun 09
I love it when positive "coincidences" like these happen! 
(I've put the word coincidences in inerted commas because I don't really believe in them, but it was the most apt word to use) I've read neither of these books you mention, but I'll definitely take note of them for future reference. They can form part of the library I'm going to build up when I get home! I can juggle 3 balls myself, but I've never been able to manage 4 or more.
(I've put the word coincidences in inerted commas because I don't really believe in them, but it was the most apt word to use) I've read neither of these books you mention, but I'll definitely take note of them for future reference. They can form part of the library I'm going to build up when I get home! I can juggle 3 balls myself, but I've never been able to manage 4 or more. 1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
6 Jun 09
Well I did once juggle flaming balls, but that was because I accidentally dropped a charcoal briquette into my lap when barbecuing, but it's not quite the same thing I don't think..... 
I used to practice with oranges actually! I'd spend ages jugling 2 oranges with the one hand and then progressed to the 3 oranges with both hands. Once you get the basic hang of it, it's not too hard! I have no idea how they manage to juggle with more than 3 though as this is something I never managed to work out. 
Nowadays, all I seem to be juggling are my responsibilities and the complexities of life! lol.
I used to practice with oranges actually! I'd spend ages jugling 2 oranges with the one hand and then progressed to the 3 oranges with both hands. Once you get the basic hang of it, it's not too hard! I have no idea how they manage to juggle with more than 3 though as this is something I never managed to work out. Nowadays, all I seem to be juggling are my responsibilities and the complexities of life! lol.1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
6 Jun 09
Sorry, I got off track and ignored a couple of the other questions there! lol. I first started trying when I was in my early teens and it was after seeing a variety act with jugglers at a charity event that my Parents took me to. The guys in this act were juggling up to 10 pins between them and it was insane! I've never tried pins before though. From this point I mucked around with fruit. It used to drive my Mother crazy at first!
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@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
6 Jun 09
Yeah, the word coincidence implies an accidental happening, and there is nothing accidental about these kinds of occurrences!
And WOW! I am soooo impressed that you know how to juggle! Do you use 'the juggler's box'? What made you learn how to juggle? When did you pick up the balls? Or do you juggle flaming sticks? 
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@drannhh (15219)
• United States
5 Jun 09
Hey, good for you! I tried to learn that skill once but basically I am a klutz. Keep it up. That stuff is kewl. I am playful, somewhat ambidextrous, centered and calm but NOT graceful. And it does bother me to drop stuff. Inhibited, that's me! But bravo for you!
1 person likes this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
5 Jun 09
hehehe, I am on the first step, which is deliberately dropping one ball. Sometimes I don't drop it though, because when I toss it up, it comes down and lands in my hand!
1 person likes this
