Testing The Waters

 2010 was a weird year for my husband and I - relationships in all areas of our lives were tested (Personal Friendships to Business relationships) - it was a painful experience but all the profoundly, life changing experiences always are... So Last New Years Eve me and my hubby chose to take this experience and use it to spot light all the areas in our lives. Our lives are constantly talking to us - telling us what is working  and what doesn't work for us - its up to us (each individual) to listen to our lives and do something about it. We did - we listened  and you know what??? 2011 was one of the MOST fulfilling years for the both of us - Spiritually and Professionally - we created an amazing year for ourselves.  If you're ready to do something about your life here's my suggestion - instead of making a lengthy list of resolutions this year why not try doing what me and my husband did last year - its simple and it was a powerful experience that created amazing resu

With 2012 fast approaching I find myself looking back on 2011. What an incredible year.  I closed it by booking my first Network Gig.  Its a really fun role on "SOUTHLAND" (The episode is called "Identity' and it airs Feb. 7, 2012 on TNT) You really know you've made it when you have your own trailer with your name on the door (Yes, it was written on masking tape and I gotta say... I was so excited to see it) Okay... so I was a bit scared of my wardrobe (yikes - it was 40 degrees outside people) but having my own personal space did help assuage my fear of the cold... I booked and shot "LYLA WOLF: Infractus"   Its an Action/Adventure/Sci Fi short - in it I play Mariela, a woman who was raped and has a split from reality. Working with everyone on this production was incredibly inspiring. I went to a screening  and The final film looks amazing - it will be hitting the festival circuit soon... I booked my first musical - YES

When you have been victimized as a child it takes a tremendous amount of courage to speak out and talk about the abuse.  In the last month the reports of Sexual Child Abuse have dominated the news, victims are coming forward and speaking out in record numbers. Their courage is creating a healthy, open environment and it is allowing others to gain the courage to do the same. As a victim of abuse myself I personally know I've kept silent about the abuse as a way to deal with it. I felt that if I didn't say anything it was like the abuse didn't happen, my silence was a form of denial.  I know now that this "Conspiracy of Silence" creates more harm because it lays the blame on the victim. Talking about the abuse is the first step towards healing. Breaking your silence will lay the blame back where it belongs - on the Perpetrator. I've begun my healing process by pouring my personal experience into a script. The title of the script is "A Life, Taken, its a

I've been writing for most of my life - journaling, short stories, comedy sketches, poetry and even a number of scripts. Not too long ago I found I script I wrote when I was about 12 years old... (it is filled with so much drama the writers for General Hospital would be jealous... lol) But I've never let anyone read my writings... this blog is really the first time I've shared my writing with anyone other than my husband. I just never felt what I had written was good enough to warrant anyones time reading it - that is - other than my amazing husband (which is one of the reasons why when ever I write about him I always preface it by acknowledging him as AMAZING... because he is) The insecure feelings about my writing began to shift after completing my latest script. I began writing it in February 2011 and it just poured out of me. The first draft came within a week and I had the final draft within THE MONTH! I literally looked at that Final Draft in amazement - I mean I

Who says you can't learn anything from watching films??? I know that personally I've learned so many life lessons from them. For this Blog I'm going to focus one film:  THE WIZARD OF OZ (Confession: I still have yet to read any of L. Frank Baum's novels that is on my Life's To Do List) I love, love, love "The Wizard of Oz". I remember the first time I watched it, I sat MESMERISED!  I distinctly remember being pulled into Dorothy's experience the second she opens the door and her world is transformed from Black and white into glittering technicolor. As the audience we can each identify with at least one of the characters and their journey in the film. The genius of "The Wizard Of Oz" is that by films end each character finds that what they were looking for was in fact not outside of themselves but inside, "they had it all along". It's the act of taking ownership of it that makes it accessible. WHEN EVER I WATCH TH

Just "Be Yourself" Has anyone said this to you before? I know I've heard it many times. The earliest that I can recall is the first time I went to Summer Camp, I was enrolled in the "Fresh Air Fund". This amazing organization would take us "City Kids" and send us to stay in the homes of families that lived in the "Country". I vividly remember the first summer - I was going to stay on a farm. YES a fully functioning farm... it was so FUN. I learned how to milk cows, get the eggs from the hens, take care of the horses in the stable - this is where my love affair with Horses began... The day I was leaving to go stay on the farm I was excited and a little scared because this was the first time I was going to be away from home. So, my Grandmother and I said our good-byes but what I distinctly remember is her saying to me... "Be Yourself" . Since that day I've heard "Be Yourself" a lot throughout my li

Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes. This is a photo of my Grandmother - she is a constant source of inspiration and guidance. She was an amazing woman who in the 1950's raised 4 children by herself, no husband, as the story goes... he went out for ice cream and didn't come back. When I was still a baby both my parents died and it was my Grandmother who took me and my brother in. She was then in her 50's and had just buried her daughter (our mom) and yet still had the strength to raise two more kids. She was unconventional, crazy and brilliant. It was she that taught me to love Black & White movies. It was she that gave me the love of performing - she would play records put a boa around my neck and direct me to sing and dance - sorta like Louise's Mom in GYPSY - always telling me to "SING OUT&qu

I'm in a wonderful production of CABARET  - I'm a KIT KAT GIRL and LOVING IT.  Here's a little Q and A about the production and my experience with it. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SHOW, CAN WE TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW YORK ACCENT.   Yeah. CABARET TAKES PLACE IN BERLIN.  Yeah. HOW DOES THAT WORK IN THE SHOW?  Well, honestly I  was interested in creating a character from Europe and I was leaning towards Italy because all the other Kit Kat Girls were from Germany, Russia, France etc... but before I even had a chance to go in that direction our Director told me he wanted to incorporate my being from New York into the show. I did some research and at that time - 1929 - the atmosphere in NEW YORK was not a happy one - the Stock Market had crashed in October and so it wasn't a stretch to think that a sassy broad from New York would move to Berlin to try to make a better life for herself. I am a Native New Yorker. Born and raised on the Lower East Side of

The Crown Chakra (7th Chakra) is represented by a VIOLET color and the element of THOUGHT. It is our over-all Operating System, our bodies computer.  Its what allows us to be AWARE and is the energy center that creates awareness . The Crown Chakra is located at the TOP of the head and it includes the brain as well as the mind. Its where our INTELLIGENCE and CONSCIOUSNESS reside. If you want to make changes in your life begin by looking at your life as your personal WORK OF ART, its a work of art that is being created and revealed to you in every moment by the cause and effect of your choices, thoughts and actions. In this, the final video of my "Intro to Chakra Series" I show you how to  access your Crown Chakra and guide you through a Meditation that will help you create the changes you want in your life.  Other things you can do to stimulate the Crown Chakra are: Head and hand stands, they are great for the Crown Chakra and if you're unable to bring you

The 6th Chakra (Third Eye Chakra) is represented by the color  INDIGO  and the element of light. It is one of the most powerful Chakras in terms of "creating what you want in your life" and yet it is the least accessed. Most people take a passive role in the creation of their life because they feel powerless in the creation process and are continually "AT EFFECT"of their lives. The Third Eye is the energy center where we can  harness the POWER OF THE MIND. All the subliminal advertising, our thoughts, making plans, worry, reading, images that we encounter on a daily basis or experiences we've had in our lives... they all get processed and stored in the Third Eye Chakra and this can lead it to become cluttered. In the above video I talk you through a meditation that will help you stay focused while you meditate and then I help you to use your Third Eye Chakra so you can create what you want to manifest in your life but how do you clear out the images that a

The Throat Chakra is represented by the color LIGHT BLUE and the element of sound. All of the other major Chakra's are expressed internally BUT its the THROAT CHAKRA that is expressed externally through voice.  No other Chakra is as immediate. This is where our individuality is expressed or in some cases suppressed. In this video I guide you through a simple exercise in which you will have a visceral experience with your Throat Chakra energy and then I lead you through a meditation to help you balance this energy center.  With a healthy, balanced 5th Chakra you will be able to cultivate deeper relationships because you will develop an awareness of listening to others while you improve your own communication skills so you can clearly express your truth, feelings and beliefs  - its this exchange that creates healthy relationships. Other exercises you can do include: Neck and shoulder stretches; and humming your favorite song.   xo,  DawnMarie

The Heart Chakra is represented by:  the color GREEN and the element of AIR. Each Chakra correlates to different beliefs and thoughts that we hold for ourselves and others - we should always remember that we go where our thoughts take us... harnessing and balancing the energy found in the 7 Major Chakra's in the body will have powerful results - you can heal yourself - and the best part is... these energies can be accessed at any time. To me the Heart Chakra is where you can really transform your life because it's through our Heart Chakra that we experience unconditional love and healthy relationships and these are the real keys to freedom - freedom from our limited beliefs and fears. You can tell if our Heart Chakra is open or closed by paying attention to your emotions and the issues you are dealing with in your life. OPEN/ balanced : you are loving and affectionate to yourself as well as others, you don't look at yourself and/or others with

Our 1st (Root) Chakra grounds us with Stillness The 2nd (Sacral) Chakra opens us up to our desires and passions The 3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus, known as the SEAT of Emotion) is represented by the element of fire and the color YELLOW .  This energy center rules our metabolism - it is where we turn our food into fuel. If you have any weight issues; both low or excess body weight are signs that your Solar Plexus is out of whack. Ever feel afraid to take risks, confronting people or issues, taking charge and have a lack of energy? Your life may be a little serious-o. Not saying you need to put on a red nose and big floppy shoes but it couldn't hurt - adding some frivolity into your life will help shift your energy. If this chakra is too open it can make a person narcissistically self-centered.  Do you always feel the need to control things, dominate others, seek power and prestige? Though these characteristics may sound negative they aren't if they exist in "healthy&quo

In my very first video "Intro to Energy" I spoke ever so briefly about being Psychic. I've always been a Psychic and I've always had the ability to see and speak with spirits. Now, not everyone can do this but I do feel that everyone has some sort of Psychic ability.  You may be asking - What the hell does this have to do with The Sacral Chakra?  It's in the Sacral Chakra where we experience the Psychic Sense - it comes in the form of emotions. Ever "Feel" something is about to happen and then it does? That's your Psychic Sense or "Sixth Sense".  The First Chakra - The Root/Base Chakra - is represented by the color RED and the image of roots and the earth.  Our Second Chakra - The Sacral Chakra - is represented by the color ORANGE and the image of water. Water flows, it's fluid and helps to soften the earth and prepare it for change. The Root Chakra is balanced with stillness and grounding - The Sacral Chakra is balanced through

I'm so excited about my new Series on YouTube. In this series I introduce you to your energy and the Seven Major Energy Centers located in the body. I'm excited to be helping people out and over-joyed by the response. I'm getting a lot of e-mails with questions to go more in depth and so just thought, hey, why not use my blog for this - and so here we are... If you didn't get a chance to read the first blog post on the first Video here's a link to that: BLOG POST "Introduction to your Energy" In the 2nd Video I introduce you to your Root Chakra and help you open it up through Imagery and guided meditation. (Wanna watch the video? Just scroll down)  Why should you care about the Root Chakra?  It is the place where we get our sense of Identity our sense of Self and Self-worth. When it is closed we lack stability - when it is too open we are frozen solid; stiff. Ever felt Vague or have a lack of Focus? Unable to make decisions? Have

This is a new series I posted on my YouTube Channel - "Introduction to your energy" (I will be posting new videos every Wednesday) So... what's this series about? Have you ever heard people talk about energy and wondered - What is that? Well, we have 7 major Energy Centers (Chakras) in our bodies they are: In this Video series I will introduce you to your Chakra's and show you how to open each one up. So to come along for the ride just  CLICK HERE . Don't forget to subscribe and please give me some feedback by leaving a comment or just saying you liked it or even that you did not like it, just be honest.   Oh and one more thing, If you like my blog - don't forget to press the FOLLOW button on the right of the screen. THANKS for your support!!!!! xo DawnMarie Ferrara

we've all heard this motto before - LIFE'S TOO SHORT. My question to you is do you live your life by it? I'm here to say that doing so you will enhance your life tremendously. "Life's too short" - I've experienced the truth of this statement in a very personal way.  Both of my parents died when I was very young. My dad died when I was 4 years old and my Mom when I was 5.  My dad was killed and my mom died from Lung Cancer. They were both 28 years old at the time of their deaths. Growing up my brother and I looked at our lives in a very different way than most. Since both of our parents died at 28 we literally lived thinking we have a finite amount of time on this earth - 28 years to be exact. This limited time frame motivated me at times towards taking positive actions in my life and also gave me permission to be reckless at others. When my brother and I reached the age of 29 we out lived both of our parents. Turning 29 felt so strange to