Blog Archives

Origins

6/26/2012

This morning, I was inspired by watching another of the visual art feasts provided by Louie Schwartzberg in his latest offering in the Moving Art TM series -- Origins. It's beautiful, evocative, primal quality with lovely musical interpretation by Lisbeth Scott put me into a trancelike, meditative state. The deep beauty of our world is both an inspiration and a call to action to protect our amazing planet Earth. I am moved and honored to be even a small peripheral part of this time, this moment. Perhaps all generations throughout time feel that they are at a pivotal point in history, and if so, then my feelings are no different. I do feel the momentum changing, speeding up the universe, accelerating change to the point of intolerability. Climate change is only one aspect of this. The only real, lasting antidote is truth & beauty. If we remember our origins, reclaim who we truly are, stand strong in our intuition and belief and speak our truth quietly and clearly, we can be the change we long to see in our world -- from the inside out.

Please check out the amazing, inspiring videos from Louie Schwartzberg via Youtube. Let the visual beauty and magnificence of nature lift your spirits and open your heart to hope.

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The Courage to Write

6/19/2012

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Writing is a more dangerous career than one would think. Yes, it surely takes talent, imagination, perspiration, inspiration and a great deal of persistence, but in addition to these qualities, a writer needs pure old-fashioned gumption which expresses as both self-confidence and -- courage. Yes, it takes the willingness to put forth a vulnerable part of your secret self, making it available for scrutiny and perhaps rejection or criticism.

I have long enjoyed bringing ideas to the page that have been growing quietly in the fertile soil of my soul, while incubating through various stages of growth, development, birthing and unfolding. When they start to "sprout" beyond that quiet inner growth, I know they are ready to be shared in some way. That's where blogging is such a wonderfully attractive tool and resource for a writer. You have an unlimited blank page, and, hopefully, if what you have to say is of interest and value to others, a potentially unlimited audience, as well. How exhilarating...and terrifying!

I have been reading a book titled, "The Courage to Write", by Ralph Keyes, who seeks to help writers transcend fear. He notes, interestingly, that many famous writers have suffered a rather spectacular paralysis from fears of all kinds. And arguably, an even greater number of talented wanna-be writers are stifled before they make their debut, daunted by the lack of nerve this calling demands. It's a surprise to many aspiring writers that the blank page is so fearful a thing!

Actually, this deep anxiety that many people experience in regard to their writing is akin to fear of public speaking -- the #1 fear & anxiety producing task. In a way, I guess you could consider writing for public consumption to be public speaking without the sound. That makes a great deal of sense, and it puts writing squarely into the realm of "performance anxiety", which is a hazard of pretty much every creative endeavor.

As a professional soloist, I can certainly relate in those terms to the idea of being foiled by performance anxiety. Yet, over the years, I have learned how to focus and transmute the anxiety into a performance enhancing phenomenon, rather than a paralysing one. It takes some simple, easy to implement tools, such as creative visualization, meditation, deep breathing and getting clear about purpose. These are techniques valued by professional athletes for centuries, yet they can be applied to any performance anxiety issues. Here's a simple formula: take three slow, deep breaths inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. Close your eyes and imagine in as vivid detail as possible, the situation causing performance anxiety. See it unfolding in the very best possible way, with yourself happy and relaxed and in peak shape, your audience receptive and enthusiastic, your goals achieved and everything going smoothly in a totally positive way. Allow yourself to feel the positive feelings generated by this good experience. Stay with the vision for a few minutes. According to experts, this mental rehearsal framing the event in positive terms, has exactly the same impact on the body-mind as if you had done a real, physical run-through. So, it truly does have power!

Then, when you have completely explored this in a totally positive mental imagery experience, gently affirm it being so (out loud is better, unless you would scare someone into questioning your sanity). Then, release your desired outcome and wait in positive expectation that it will be just as you envisioned.

OK, I can see some of you skeptics out there, rolling your eyes in disbelief, but I can promise you this works. Try it and see. The next time you have to speak, sing, write, present your artwork, or any other anxiety-producing task, try this little exercise the night before, and the day of the event and see what happens. I've been amazed at the results. The more anxiety you have prior, the more this helps! It's like magic. It works. And it's free! So, get out there and have fun with your creative pursuits and lose the anxiety.

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Memories of Paris

6/14/2012

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Ahhh, Paris -- city of light, romance, art, French wine, & pastry. Home of the incredibly awe-inspiring Notre Dame Cathedral, the iconic Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum -- a haven for painters, musicians, chefs -- artists of every kind through the ages, producing beauty unequaled. On this, the fifth anniversary of my trip to Paris, I find myself nostalgic and so grateful to have shared this wonderful experience with some fabulous people.

The trip was organized to celebrate the centennial year of French organist & composer Jean Langlais, a contemporary of Maurice Durufle`. The main focus was a musical tribute to the composer via a performance of his Missa Salve Regina at Notre Dame by four combined choirs (3 American church choirs and 1 British children's choir). This monumental work, for choir, brass choir and two pipe organs, was actually written by Langlais specifically to be perfomed in the cathedral. It took a supreme effort of organization and coordination for the 200 + members of the choirs, scattered from Florida to Missouri to Texas to London, to learn the music separately and put this masterwork together in one gigantic dress rehearsal in the cathedral. The memory of incense & prayer intertwining with music & magnificence that came of that event still brings a shiver of goosebumps! It was a transcendent moment, spectacular in its power, shared by more than 1,000 people, in this sacred space -- it was breathtakingly stunning.

The Mass at Notre Dame was the pinnacle of a totally amazing time in Paris and Chartres, but there was so much more vibrant, excellent, muse-waking wonder there. Two of the choirs -- Naples United Church of Christ in Naples, FL and Ladue Chapel choir in St. Louis, MO -- also gave several more concerts throughout the week in various venues around Paris and in the Cathedral at Chartres. There were many moments of astounding beauty, transformative to the soul.

We had only one day of freedom to explore on our own, and it was spent in visiting the galleries & artists' open air market in Montmartre, the Sacre' Coeur Cathedral, the Champs-Elysees (where we unwittingly enjoyed $100 beer & peanuts at a sidewalk cafe), a Chinese restaurant (where we had to eat dinner because we had just spent $100 on beer & peanuts!), the Eiffel Tower at night, and several points along the way. We also got to ride a merry-go-round and ferris wheel at a summer carnival at the Jardin des Tuileries (Gardens) and enjoy the lovely fields of lavender there. So many wonderful, soul-stirring memories, intensely felt, vivid still and forever! Here are a few memories captured in photographic form by Susan Pratt & Phyllis Magrane. These images are copyright, 2007 by Susan Pratt & Phyllis Magrane.
Click the photo to enlarge and read caption.

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Attitude of Gratitude

6/12/2012

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There is great power in being thankful for the blessings we have. Great men and women throughout the ages have known and imparted this wisdom. In fact, Meister Eckhart (a 14th century German philosopher and theologian) said, "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'Thank You', that would suffice."

I believe gratitude is our basic human response to life, if we have not allowed negativity and some of the harsher life circumstances to knock that impulse out of us. Sometimes, when we are feeling most defeated and exhausted, we lose the impulse to give thanks. Bitterness, despair and envy are gratitude killers, beyond a doubt. And yet, I have seen the miracles a thankful heart can bring into manifestation.
Over a decade ago, I was introduced to a book that was life-changing for me, and for many others as well. It is titled Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, and has now sold over seven million copies and been published in thirty languages, blessing women around the globe with insight, beautiful prose and daily guidance. It touched many lives and was given as a gift in all kinds of circumstances, by women to other women they cared about. The deep wisdom expressed there, the journey it encouraged one to take, mostly within oneself to a more authentic, simpler, happier life was one to be shared with enthusiasm. The author has an uncanny knack of taking words that are written directly on a woman's heart and putting them eloquently on the page. In her forward to the 10th Anniversay edition of the book, Sarah Ban Breathnach likens herself to "Pollyanna on Prozac" because she was struggling to birth this book in a downturned economy, looking beyond lack to be grateful for what was good in her life. It's a lesson from which all can benefit. She suggested keeping a gratitude journal -- a simple record of five things for which you are grateful -- recorded faithfully every night. What are you grateful for in your life? Try it. You will discover just how powerful a thing gratitude can be! Link to Sarah Ban Breathnach's books on Amazon by clicking here:

Simple Abundance

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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle -- inspiration!

6/5/2012

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One of my all-time favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver, wrote a fabulous, charming book to chronicle her family's adventurous commitment to spend an entire year eating only locally sourced food, mostly from their own farm & community. It is a rich, funny, striking book, lifted to the status of a rare literary gem by Kingsolver's exquisite writing. Her family participates in the writing of the book, the creation of recipes, the side bar environmental information (and the growing & harvesting of the food). I can't choose my favorite part of the book because there are simply too many contenders: For example, there's Kingsolver's daughter, Lily, who at the ripe age of 5, falls head over heels in love with chickens, and her zeal & entrepreneurial spirit creates a thriving business selling eggs -- a precious story and strong contender. Then there's the tale of the heritage turkey pining away for Kingsolver's husband as the object of affection which is laugh-out-loud funny. This entire book is a treat from cover to cover, filled with a wealth of ideas, adventures, integrity, grit and plain old-fashioned American ingenuity. It's a rare combination of family unity, risk-taking, creativity, and so heartfelt and well told, that I highly recommend it to you for both its informative value and hilarious situational comedy. Life is funny, and often stranger than fiction, as this book will attest. Read & enjoy!

Book website: www.animalvegetablemiracle.com
Her website is: www.Kingsolver.com
More info: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Kingsolver

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Origins

The Courage to Write

Memories of Paris

Attitude of Gratitude

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle -- inspiration!

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