Inspirational Pathways

Awoke after a long slumber, realizing passion was far away. Looked through a strange lens and saw ...... what is, what is not, and an ending. For hungry moments all felt lost. Wandered with mouth agape, crippled dance - embraced a wrestle. Numb with fallen sleep.

Spring has arrived in Washington DC and the sticks and stones of winter are now a softening memory. As a newcomer to a region dominated by deciduous flora I am struck by the strength of nature. Winter wasn't too harsh this year, yet there have been a few snow storms, frost and ice were prevalent, the air definitely chilly, and leaves turned brown in turn fell and left its host a barren skeletal form. This new DC is delightful and is emerging to reveal a lushness that teases even my somber moods into digging deeper for creative possibilities. As a metaphor on nurturing openings for transformation the passing from winter to spring has been very revealing. Living in a region steeped with national and international political ramifications my reflections on the emergence of spring parallels the public dialogue focused up accountability, responsibility, decision-making that will stimulate growth, repercussions resulting from downturn, accepting less, appreciate more, and developing a ...

--> --> As a newcomer to the East Coast I am struck by the ramifications of spring. When we arrived in Washington DC , snow was still falling and the flora was a gray/brown hue. Inches of snow covering earth, plants and our new cottage was a delightful respite from the dull almost sadness of this winter landscape. Someone accurately described how snow makes everything silent, which I believe includes, at least momentarily, our inner critic. A project for next winter is to test this theory. The working title is The Om Project, a study in the quiet space of snow. --> The sight of bulbs poking through the soil, still kissed with fresh snow is divine and allows me to ponder the cycles of nature and how they truly reflect aspects of transition in our lives. Transition can be a painful birth, for many one that refuses to come to a conclusion. The choices we make in tr ansition can and will affect our future. Our commitment to a single outcome although noble can b...

2009 started with the awful task of removing people from my phone and email list. All will remain in my heart, yet, death has irrevocably severed our relationship and has left a chasm filled foggy landscape. Over the past few months I have been part of significant family, community and personal transition. As a coach and activist I realize that much of the discomfort currently p resent in my life is similar to the grind that many feel and struggle with daily. The physically and emotional challenges I am facing are unique to me , yet shared by many. Therefore I have decided to publish a brief account my expe riences, both as an honoring and documentation of how upheaval manifests itself. As I reflect upon shared memories my goal is to respect others pain, while explori ng grief, death, change and the continuum of life. Mid 2008 my husband (Nick) and I were discussing big life questions . For him questioning his current life / career path . For me how to deepen my creative / coachi...

As a newcomer to the East Coast I am struck by the ramifications of spring. When we arrived in  Washington   DC , snow was still falling and the flora was a gray/brown hue. Inches of snow covering earth and our new cottage was a delightful respite from the dull almost sadness of this winter landscape. Someone accurately described how snow makes everything silent, which I believe includes, at least momentarily, our inner critic. A project for next winter is to test this theory. The working title is The Om Project, a study in the quiet space of snow. The sight of bulbs poking through the soil, still kissed with fresh snow is divine and allows me to ponder the cycles of nature and how they truly reflect aspects of transition in our lives. Transition can be a painful birth, for many one that refuses to come to a conclusion. The choices we make in transition can affect our future. Our commitment to a single outcome although noble can be the cause of our suffering. Many ...

Cathy Malchiodi is a visual artist, therapist and scholar who shares on her blog the story of Jimmy Miriktani who offers the inspirational idea : "Art is the Only Thing That’s Left in the World." The unfolding of Mr Miriktani's life is filled with tales of many upheavals, the bigger picture is heartening. Mr Miriktani is an American citizen, born in California, and lived for much of his early life in Hiroshima, Japan. Upon returning to the states, just prior to the Pearl Harbour attack, Mr Miriktani was caught in the severe reactions to the bombings and was incarcerated for many years with fellow Japanese/Americans. His life's journey reveals the dream of being an artist through a path that was fought with homelessness and oftentimes misery. In her inspirational article Ms Malchiohi unfolds this story further to reveal an awakening for Mr Miriktani and a deepening of our understanding of how the arts and creative expression are healing forces. " Gene Coh...

John Guare , the American playwright and author of Six Degrees of Separation in a recent interview was asked to explain how he has been able to sustain himself through the high and low times of creative market returns. Guare declared "Theater is like living in an ocean where currents can take you far, far out or deliver you to shore. You have to learn to ride the currents, though you can't predict what the oceans will do." This stuck me as a perfect metaphor for all of living, whatever is our occupation. We are constantly presented with emotional and physical forces that are willing us to take up fight and struggle, manifested through our desire to control the environment and truly harness our spirit. The art of living is filled with powerful currents and profound highs and lows, as Guare suggests, if we devote ourselves to a profound understanding of our intrinsic nature, a shift in consciousness is realized. Rather than approach living, as a drowning sailor in turbul...