‘When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping, and the mask falls, so that the real person appears’ ~ Halsman
I love this idea that the real person is the joyful person. What a powerful thing to think that despite all our anxieties and preoccupations there is always a true self inside, a joyful being accessible in the most stupidly simple way imaginable.
I am experiencing this myself this week, entering into the world of yoga and feeling my body respond to conscious breath. And I find the same response to jumping and writing: the simple act of getting off the ground requires giving in to something like joy. You have to let go.
More images from Halsman’s Book, Jumpology, and the NYT Review of the exhibition ‘Philippe Halsman: Jump’ at the Laurence Miller Gallery, Manhattan.
I love those photos. My first Twitter avatar – for a long time – was a picture of me jumping. For exactly this reason. It was a picture of me, giving myself over to joy.
Love.
so cool, I must add “jumping” to my list of leisure activities.
Did you see the one of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor jumping!! Hilarious!!! :P
Happy Friday xx
Hi Sas,
just found you via the whole 21.5.800 thing and I love what I see! I love these pics, they are full of joy and can-do attitude. I often think of writing as ‘jumping’, but while most people register ‘jumping in’ (go into the deeeeeep hole of writing), I always think ‘jumping up’ because, quite frankly, there is nothing that fires me better or more often or more pleasurably than writing.
And Marianne, I remember that pic of you, weren’t you the girl doing a sort of star jump? Wearing what looked like a… cotton mac maybe? I lost you when Twitter cleaned up my contacts for me (nice one), but added you again today!
YAY! And onwards! Or UPwards!
I love jumping. If only I had not buggered my ankle a few weeks ago, I’d be out on my trampete everyday. It is a simple joy but a powerful one nonetheless. Love the Dali with cats pic!
yeah this guy’s photos are amazing. and you have to find the one of the duke and duchess if you’ve not seen it. i think how a person jumps gives a real insight to how they live :)
the dali with cats one is great too, now that i understand just how much work was involved in creating that perfect shot.
we had a trampoline when i was little. i do miss it.
p.s. http://www.flickr.com/photos/leoniewise/4595311163/
when I was a wee kiwi, I used to jump off the roof of our garden shed, with an umbrella. I was going through a Mary Poppins phase at the time. I seem to remember a little bit of (parent) trouble over getting my sisters (3 of them) to jump as well… They were annoyed about their broken golf umbrella’s!
This makes me so happy. I believe this to be true. When my family and I moved into my current home 4 years ago, we bought ourselves a trampoline as a housewarming/happy making gift. We said it was for the kids but in truth, it was for all of us. I believe the big people needed it more than the little people. Heh. Now, we all jump. We laugh. We collapse and gasp for air and then jump for more. I love how it makes me feel. It jogs all of the stodginess and stiffness loose and makes me feel more alive. We bring our friends to our happy place and we share our secret with them–and we watch them walk away from the meadow where we bounce and fly–and we notice that they walk with a lighter step–and hopefully lighter hearts as they make their way back to their realities. Jumping (for joy) is so good.
I quietly visit you now and then via Jo’s blog and now because of Bindu Wiles, I have felt compelled to speak to you. Hello!
this is fun!