Testing The Waters

Tonight is the last Full Moon of 2012. Tonight's full moon is called the "Full Cold Moon" or the Native American's called it the "Long Nights Moon." The Moon will officially go Full Friday 2:22am The Full Moon is best for banishing unwanted influences in your life, releasing old patterns and issues -this clears a path and opens the door for healing. Getting rid of those things that no longer serve you allows you to free up energy that you can then give to those things you want to bring into your life. You can do this work a couple days before the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon and during the 3 days after.  Which is perfect timing because that would be New Years Eve :) The Moon embodies the Feminine Energy. In Native American traditions Women would gather under each Full Moon, create a bon fire, sit around it and share stories about their lives. They would place their focus on the fire and share their dreams, past, present and future. They woul...

So it's that time of year again. Another year is ending and a New Year is beginning. If you follow my blog you know that I do not subscribe to making "resolutions" --  I think they tend to set us up for disappointments and failures. So what do I do? First, I look at the current year and try to boil it down into a single theme. 2012 was an interesting ride (to say the least). We experienced extreme highs and extreme lows. It was one of those years that I am happy to see come to an end. If I had to put 2012 into a "theme" I'd say it was a "don't forget to wear your seat belt" kind of year.  My faith was tested this year and I came out the other side with a stronger connection to my spirituality, a greater understanding of who I am, and an even stronger connection to my husband. What did 2012 look like for you? Can you sum it up in a single sentence? After I sum up my year I sit down with my husband and set up a plan for the coming year. ...

As a country we are all still trying to process the shooting at Sandy Hook - understanding the why of it all is beyond comprehension.  At any time of year Sandy Hook would be unbearable but the fact that it happened during Christmas makes it even more gut wrenching. The image of families with gifts under the trees for their beautiful little angels, gifts that will never be opened... breaks my heart.  I am no stranger to dealing with death, both my parents died by the time I was six.  The holes that their deaths left in my life have never been filled,  my mourning still continues to this day although it changes, it transitions with each year that passes but it is still ever present.  Photo of my parents - they were going to their Engagement party TAKEN TOO SOON Sandy Hook made me think about my Dad's death beca use he died as a result of a  senseless act of violence, he  was killed with a single gunshot wound to his h ead. When...

It's 12am on December 12, 2012 and I just sat down to write about the numeric extravaganza that is 12/12/12. If you're into numerology today's date is not as impressive as say Dec. 12, 2019. That date is said to have a "stronger vibration" because 2+0+1+9 = 12.  In numerology todays date is really 12/12/5 (2+0+1+2= 5) For everyone else this date will either have magical connotations or there are those who will look at it with cursory interest. First, it should be said that today is the last repeating date of the century.  THAT'S RIGHT. There is some debate as to the next time we will have this triple digit repeat. Some argue that it will be Jan. 1, 2101 while others say it will be on January, 1, 3001.  Either way - it's not happening for a while... SO WHAT'S WITH ALL THOSE TWELVES? 12 is ubiquitous in our society. There are 12 months in a year A new day begins at 12 midnight There are 12 hours on a face of a clock 12 members on a typica...

In life it is extremely important to express yourself and if you explore as many different avenues of expression as possible each will enrich your journey towards self-awareness.  I know it works for me. I have stayed on an artistic path most of my life - I am an Actress, Dancer, Writer as well as a Painter. I enjoy and pursue each passionately but painting is different - when I'm standing (or sitting) in front of a canvas with a brush full of paint in my hand I become absolutely, unapologetically insular. I love stepping in front of a blank canvas NOT knowing what I will create. I cherish it because, for me, it's the one artistic activity where I can completely get lost within myself. A gal and her music - by DawnMarie (Oil on Canvas) When I'm painting I can express myself without the pressure of being judged by anyone else except well... myself. If I don't like what I create on the canvas I can throw it out or paint over it and start again. Pa...

Optical Illusions hav e always fascinated  m e mostly b ecaus e th e eff ect of th e i llusion is dependent on th e human experience . We are a participant in the creation of the end product because our ey es and brain gath er th e information from the image and its this information that cr eat es th e eff ect th e artist int end ed .   Look at the picture b elow , it was drawn by famous illustrator C. Allan Gilb ert   in 1892. It was first publish ed in Lif e Magazin e in 1902 and its title is: "All Is Vanity"  From clos e-up the view er can not h elp but to b e pull ed into th e setting of a woman sitting at h er vanity, staring at h er own r efl ection. But take a st ep back and another figure emerges ... that of a human skull.         Som e p eopl e may find th is visual morbid but I am intrigued  by i t and inspired by its practical m essag e .  Th e us e of this optical illusion highlights ou...

In the 15th century Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasu, sent a broken tea bowl to China to have it fixed. The bowl was returned held together with staples. Outraged the shogun set out to discover a better, more pleasing to the eye answer to repair broken pottery. His winning solution was to add gold dust to adhesive resin, so that cracks are made attractive. "When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when somethings suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful."- Barbara Bloom The technique is known as Kintsugi, "Golden Joinery" -  Instead of trying to make the object look like new, and hide the cracks the focus is placed on the imperfections, they are front and center -   what a beautiful metaphor for life.    We all have our flaws - we've all said or did things we wish we could take back - we've all felt broken at times - Right? Well what if, instead of tr...

Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" opens this Friday and I for one can not wait to see it.  I mean when ever I see the print ad's for it I get goose bumps -- and the cast -- OMG - WHAT A CAST!!!! Imagine my surprise when I found out that Sally Field had to fight for her role in the film.  I mean the woman won 2 Oscars (and yes, in one acceptance speech she famously said "You like me, you really like me.") and an Emmy for her work on Brothers & Sisters. How and why did she have to fight for the role?    Well, in 2001 Spielberg acquired the rights to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln." In 2005 "Lincoln" went into development with Sally Field cast in the role of Mary Todd Lincoln and Liam Neeson in the role of Lincoln. It languished in development for years and finally Neeson backed out of the project. Enter Daniel Day-Lewis. After Steven Spielberg cast Day-Lewis in ...

Last night was El ec tion Night - I sat glued to the TV watching the coverage. With many important issues hanging in the balance I was watching the numbers come in filled with so much anticipation and anxiety that it felt more like I was watching the Super Bowl. Women's issues ranked highest on my list but so did the E conomy and Foreign policy and then there were all those Prop's on the ballot - needless to say my nerves were fried. When Ohio was called for Obama I did not celebrate victory (2004 taught me well). It was not until I watched the E lectoral votes surpass 300 that I did a victory dance in my living room.  After said victory dance, out of nowhere, tears of joy streamed down my face.  My investment in this election was all-encompassing and it was then that I began to empathize with Romney supporters.  They too had an unwavering belief and investment in their candidate - they believed that Romney could lead us out of our economic quagmire. Watching Romney...

There are numerous benefits to meditation that range from physical to psychological but for many people having a meditation practice can seem like a daunting task.  I believe the source of their apprehension is that they are holding onto some preconceived notions of what meditation is and how to do it. They overwhelm themselves with thoughts like: I don't have enough time I can't quiet my mind Its too hard to sit for an extended period of time SO... WHAT IS M E DITATION?  The term "Meditation" encompasses a wide variety of practices and techniques each designed towards different goals.  Some towards relaxation, building internal energy, developing compassion, love, patience, generosity, forgiveness, contacting spiritual guides,  receiving psychic visions, getting closer to God, as well as effortlessly sustained single-pointed concentration.  My introduction to meditation was when I embarked on my Yoga Practice. The teacher would begin and end each...

Having a career in Hollywood is difficult. It is. It takes drive, tenacity, diligence  AND it also do esn't hurt to have powerful people in your corner.  Sometimes when I'm feeling down about life and/or my career I pop on an old, Black and White movie from the 1940's  and just allow myself to be transported back to that grand time in Hollywood. Recently, I was feeling a little down so I put on "The Big Sleep." I've had the dvd for a while but this is the first time I watched the dvd extra's  - those are always sooo cool - you always find out fun facts.    The dvd extra's on "The Big Sleep" focused on Lauren Bacall's career and how it was helped by her agent, Charles A Feldman and Director Howard Hawks. They attribute the final version of "The Big Sleep" to helping Bacall have a career. FINAL VERSION??? I had no idea there was more than one version of this film - did you???? Here are the deet's... Lauren...

I missed my weekly post this past week because I was sick. SICK doesn't even come close to describing what I was. It started Thursday, October 4th. I was traveling up North with my amazing husband and our little Scarlett. This was going to be a fun time away for us. George and I had been working non-stop and we just wanted time to relax together. So, when George found out we had to pour our wine at a two-day event in Monterey off we went. First stop was the winery which meant staying at a hotel near the winery. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot I felt OFF - that's the best I can describe it.  So, I told George I would lay down in the room and relax. But I did not relax at all. Soon my head was pounding. The pain was so excruciating - it felt as if someone was stabbing me in the head with icepicks right behind my ears. OFF TO MONT E R E Y: Though I was in pain we still had to pour the wine at an event. I thought the pain would subsid...

Its October and we here on the West Coast are experiencing a heatwave. It is so hot during the day that it reaches 107 and then it remains hot into the night... way into the 80's. It feels like we are in the Caribbean and not in Los Angeles. Personally,  I love this evening heat so I've happily sat on my patio every night. The other night while sitting on my patio staring up at the sky my eye was drawn to one star. It was becoming brighter and brighter before my eyes and then all of a sudden it disappeared. This was not a falling star, this star just disappeared. It became very bright and then slowly became dimmer and dimmer until it no longer existed. So, of course I did some research and what I've concluded is... I witnessed a star dying.  A STARS LIF E CYCL E: At the end of a star's cycle it exhausts its hydrogen source and as it does, the star slowly begins to become heavier and heavier and subsequently less bright. What I watched was a star going throu...

We are all trying to figure ourselves out. There are tons of TV shows, magazines and books dedicated to help us with this inner search. It seems like I'm asking myself the question "Who am I?" more and more often. Because I remain open to change and personal growth is my life's goal I'm usually asking myself "Who am I... right now?" At other times "Who am I? "pulls sharp focus on my past, my family history, and my genealogy. Ethnically I am Italian/Puerto Rican but I was raised with my Italian side of my family. For most of my life I've identified with my Italian ethnicity.  I was raised with all the Italian traditions and on Sundays I'm usually making gravy (that's Tomato Sauce to you Non-Italians). I have no real connection to my Puerto Rican side except that my dad was born in Ponce, PR and I happen to be an AMAZING Salsa dancer. Since my dad died when I was a child I never really experienced my Puerto Rican heritage. Who ...

Some of you may not know this but my father was murdered, he was killed when I was still a child. I think this is one of the reasons why I find myself drawn to real life CSI shows on TV and most news stories involving homicide and our legal system. Recently, I came across one story that is a truly inspiring example of forgiveness. The story revovles around the Whitaker family. The family consists of parents Patricia and Kent and their two son's, Kevin and Thomas. In Sugarville, Texas on December 10, 2003 the family was celebrating Thomas' college graduation from Sam Houston State University. Kent and Patricia had given their son a Rolex as a graduation present and the whole family went out to dinner. After dinner the family came home and upon entering the home they were each shot by a gunman who had been laying in wait for the family. Kevin Whitaker was pronounced dead at the scene, and Patricia and Kent were airlifted to a nearby hospital. Patricia subsequently died ...

You've all heard the old adage, "Life is about Peaks and Valleys." Its origin is unclear but we've all heard it. It's an emotional pick me up. A motivator to keep going. I know I’ve said some derivation of it to a friend when they've needed comfort AND admittedly at times the person I’m telling it to is myself. There are different variations like: “Life ebbs and flows” “What goes up must come down” "Highs and lows"  "To and fro" "Good and bad times"  Because I'm a visual person I like the image that is created with “Peaks” and “Valleys” P eAKS are by definition the highest point. I like thinking of the summit of a mountain. Its symbolic of the times when I'm feeling positive and on top of the world. When everything I do is working. These are the "wins" in our liv es, the "high" times BUT we can not surviv e at this altitude for v ery long because a...