Why LSD — Laughter, Singing & Dancing — is Good for You
First, I’d like to personally invite you to celebrate my book signing event at Centre Spring MD — Wednesday, January 31st 7-9 pm (the second full moon — which is supposed to represent the “divine feminine”).
Many of you know this last year I’ve been completely focused on writing the book- earnestly seeking to answer your questions about the different healing modalities I offer and also inspired by my grandmothers’ life. I have appreciated your support and enthusiasm.
It has come time to celebrate! (Yes I know there’s some traffic at that time in the area, but perhaps you could come down earlier and get a manicure across the street, peruse a wonderful neighborhood wine shop that has organic wines or even come to the Spa for a treatment before the event!)
There will be light snacks and refreshments (a recipe made for my grandmother), raffle prizes, a meditation and good company and of course signed books! So bring your friends and family, meet new people and leave inspired.
P.s. You don’t have to be on drugs to read my book.
Visit Eventbrite to RSVP to my book launch on January 31 at CentreSpring MD.
While the New Year is time to take an earnest look at the past and sincerely and wholeheartedly plan for the future, this momentous time doesn’t necessarily have to feel so serious. I thought it apt being it is National Creativity Month to share an article I wrote published in the Atlanta Jewish Times last year that can bring a more playful, joyful and holistic approach to a new beginning 2018. Enjoy!
We all aspire to be happy and fulfilled. Yet mostly pursue the promise of happiness in external things: shiny new cars, bigger homes or fashionable clothes.
But as we all know, even the luster of the shiniest baubles soon fade.
So what can we do to uplift our spirit when so many of us collapse in bed at night feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and stressed.
The remedy may lie with observing our children, especially toddlers (our own or someone else’s). A drug-free, simple, and playful way to heal the emotional and physical toll of the distraction and stress in society are the lighthearted pursuits many of us long abandoned in childhood— painting, singing, and dancing!
The answer, neuroscience tells us is creative play. Creative expression heals – be it playing the piano, writing a poem, a salsa class or painting with watercolors. This isn’t New Age feel-good, woo-woo. It’s the analysis of more than 100 research studies reviewed by the American Journal of Public Health titled, The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health.
The need to unwind is more pressing than ever! “Here’s a startling fact,” writes Dr. Jay Kumar in “Brain, Body & Being.” “In our modern, 24/7 high-tech world, the average person is bombarded with the equivalent of 174 newspapers of data every day! That’s five times the amount of sensory information a person received just 30 years ago.”
In “Make More Art: The Health Benefits of Creativity,” James Clear writes in the Huffington Post explains why creative expression is a remedy: “Creating art doesn’t just make you feel better, it also creates real, physical changes inside your body.
“Art offers an outlet and a release from all of that. Take a minute to ignore all the incoming signals and create an outgoing one instead. Produce something. Express yourself in some way. If you contribute rather than consume, anything you do can be a work of art.
“Open a blank document and start typing. Put pen to paper and sketch a drawing. Grab your camera and take a picture. Turn up the music and dance. Start a conversation and make it a good one.
“Build something. Share something. Craft something. Make more art. Your health and happiness will improve and we’ll all be better off for it.” Clear writes that these studies demonstrate that creative pursuits “redirect our focus, and distract us from thoughts of grief, stress or physical pain.”
Creative expression not only benefits our mood but our physical health. A 2004 study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine demonstrated how creative writing has been shown to boost the immune system for people with HIV.
My own experience is that connecting with my inner artist through meditation was akin to finding my own personal Eden. When I paint, I experience it as a kind of bath for my mind. Much like meditation, being with color, shifts my relationship with time. By tapping my unbridled imagination, I drop into an experience of flow. I’ve found that it’s when I’m alone with my paints and brushes that I truly experience God’s presence within. (Excerpt from Enough Drugs! I am A Woman and Can Heal Naturally — a practical guide to feeling your best)
Warm regards and Happy New Year 2018!
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