Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? A puzzling question. One as old as time. We continue to stumble on and unearth myriad cultural artifacts. We discover fantastic Native American paintings on cave walls and desert rocks. Hieroglyphics deep within the pyramids of Egypt. When the Sutton Hoo burial ship was simply "dug up" by an unsuspecting gardener in a remote part of Norfolk, … [Read more...]
The Beatles, psychologists of rock
Humming along to "Eleanor Rigby," I began listening more acutely to the astounding lyrics of this Beatles song from 1966. How profoundly insightful their music was when it came to the the human condition from a psychological point of view. The Beatles were the pop psychologists of their times! "Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been. ... All the lonely people, … [Read more...]
Hypnosis beyond the mumbo-jumbo
When we hear the word "hypnosis," most of us first think of a gold watch swaying back and forth. An intense hypnotherapist stares into the eyes of the subject, slowly and steadily willing his patient into a trance. The patient surrenders control, eyes closed, oblivious of the surroundings or her behavior. The experience and the control remain in the hands of the hypnotherapist. Such a … [Read more...]
When the Artist becomes a healer
Creativity lies within all of us. When we're sad, depressed or anxious, the "Artist" that is part of who we are can come to our assistance. Sometimes in the smallest ways; sometimes in a grand fashion. However the Artist enters your life, try to heed the call and work with that energy. In 1889, the great Dutch painter Van Gogh found himself in a mental asylum and suffered greatly with … [Read more...]
Don’t keep your creativity bottled up
Just how well do you know the genie that lies within you? So many of us haven’t even begun to explore the wealth of creativity inside us, that's kept bottled up like a genie. Often it's because we are afraid to experience shame if we fail at something new -- so why try at all? This is such a harsh message we give ourselves. Be a little kinder, a little more encouraging to your inner self. Do … [Read more...]