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!
2 people like this
3 responses
@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!
1 person likes this
@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? 
1 person likes this
@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
