As artists we continually struggle to grow and perfect our art, yet harsh self-criticism most always detracts from positive goals. Putting yourself up will endear you to others engaged in similar struggles, and help you find more productive ways to cope with the difficult path of making art anew each day. With self-confidence creativity can be a joyful, personally enriching … Read More
Mindfulness Practices Heal Relationships
Mindfulness practices have the ability to transform our relationships through the power of deepening the capacity for love, compassion, and forgiveness. Even 15 minutes of mindfulness practice a day can begin to direct us towards adopting the tools to enable us to connect on a meaningful level in our relationships. Mindfulness can help us overcome feelings of unworthiness so that … Read More
Women of Abstract Expressionism
The Women of Abstract Expressionism exhibit, currently on display at the Palm Springs Art Museum, delighted its’ guests who remarked freely while viewing the remarkable paintings during a recent Free 2nd Sunday event (April 9, 2017). Although the 50+ paintings celebrated in this collection are certainly abstract, they invoke meaningful events like the edgy tribute painting Martha Graham-Lamentation by Judith … Read More
Cheers to Deborah and the Danes!
It is likely that the performance given by conductor Fabio Luisi and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra set a new standard that will be unmatched by others anytime soon, because of the profound majesty, shimmering softness, exceptional ensemble, astonishing power and eloquent beauty of their rendition of Mahler’s First Symphony. From Nielsen’s Helios Overture to the Mahler finale – there … Read More
How Your Lifestyle May Be Affecting Your Sleep
After a long day, the most frustrating thing you can deal with is finally laying your head on the pillow only to have trouble falling asleep. Even though you are aware of the benefits of restful sleep such as sharper mental focus, increased health and wellbeing, abundant energy, and positive moods, you aren’t always tuned into to how your lifestyle … Read More
ABT’s “Whipped Cream” Ballet is Pure Joy
We all got to be kids in the candy store last week, in an unusual stroke of good fortune, when Southern California audiences were treated to the World Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s enchanting new story ballet for American Ballet Theater Whipped Cream (March 15, 2017). Think Pink – with dancers popping out of canisters on the confectioner’s shop counter like … Read More
The Practice of Stillness
“Sitting still as a way of falling in love with the world and everything in it…Going nowhere as a way of cutting through the noise and finding fresh time and energy to share with others…” – Pico Iyer Find Moments of Stillness in Your Day As Mindfulness practices, including meditation, catch hold and move into prominence in our present culture … Read More
Silence Makes Your Brain Smarter
We see how our cities are becoming louder, more distracting, and increasingly cluttered, and it seems more difficult to find quiet places in our day where we can pause and just breathe. And scientific research tells us that getting an adequate dose of silence each day is important to our brains. What Silence does for Your Brain When our brains … Read More
These 5 Songs Will Make You Happy
Music is deeply interwoven with feelings in all living beings — especially happiness. And, with the experience of music, humans are able to access different mental and emotional states. Research studies explain how this phenomenon of hearing certain music allows dopamine to wash over our brains and release feelings of pleasure. 5 songs were identified in a recent study as … Read More
Happy Valentines Day!
“Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.” —Marianne Williamson We do know that it’s the way we perceive the world that helps us really see what’s there for us. … Read More