When I started throwing pots in the 1970's, I fell in love with every aspect of the process, from making the clay and glazes to throwing, trimming and firing. After taking a twenty year break, the way I approach clay now has evolved considerably.  When I threw before, I mainly approached the pot visually to see if it seemed right.  But when I returned to throwing 3 years ago, I noticed that I had attained more of a 'feel' for when the pot was right. This came from 'listening to the clay' and moving with how I experienced it from the inside. This change of awareness reflects my journey of growth. Learning to listen to, and trust, my own inner process has helped me see the correlation between throwing, and my own aliveness. Working with clay--as well as gardening,  being with animals and painting watercolors--has become a major, life-long tool I use to stay rooted in the here and now.