Creativity and health

Great article on the benefits of creativity, including writing in a journal, on health and well-being!

http://us.cnn.com/2012/05/25/health/enayati-innovation-passion-stress/index.html?hpt=li_c2

Inspirational Quote of the Moment

"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake." -- Thoreau

Resource of the Moment: SARK

SARK (who has written many excellent books on subjects related to creativity and self-care) has a couple of wonderful Transformational Programs available to those interested in the power of Journaling. Juicy Journaling with SARK and Juicy Journaling with SARK Volume 2 both offer a rich collection of prompts and inspiration for daily journaling. Sounds like a great way to kick-start your journaling and have fun along the way! You never know what you might discover... maybe this is just what you have been looking for. Check it out!

HAND

HAND is the Health Arts Network at Duke, and it's a nifty organization. I particularly like the work they do with writing, poetry, healing and medicine. There are some neat interviews on the topic on their web site. Check it out!

Lifelong Learning

Not that I'm necessarily planning on going back to grad school any time soon, but I recently ran across a graduate program that sounds absolutely amazing -- Pacifica Graduate Institute's M.A. in Engaged Humanities and the Creative Life. The program description is completely fascinating and I am totally intrigued. Off to check out some of their recommended reading!

Other grad programs that I think sound really neat and interesting (maybe some day...):

MA, Reading in Practice -- Univ. of Liverpool
MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Practices -- Metanoia Institute (London, UK)
MS, Narrative Medicine -- Columbia University
Expressive Arts Therapy -- App State Univ.
More: http://www.poetrytherapy.org/training.html

Life long learning opportunities abound...

Resource of the Moment: Poets & Writers

The Poets& Writers web site -- http://www.pw.org/ -- is a fantastic resource for anyone who loves words. It is full of tools, information and resources for all writers, with listings of everything from MFA programs to writing contests to conferences, workshops and residencies. My favorite section, though, has to be The Time is Now -- a collection of wonderful writing prompts for both poetry and fiction. In addition, the section highlights 'The Best Books for Writers,' which is a great listing of books that are of interest to those who lead the writing life.

If you choose, you can also sign up for their e-newsletter. I could mine this web site endlessly for ideas and inspiration -- check it out!

Lessons From Poetry

There is a lovely piece by Deepak Chopra on "Lessons From Poetry" -- it can be found here and here. I love this piece because it so eloquently captures the power and beauty of poetry in our lives. My favorite quote: "Poetry is illumination, insight, inner vision, epiphany, and at the same time it is the inspired expression of that illumination."

I want to be a "passionate lover of life" -- and poetry helps me do that.

Food for thought, food for the soul - happy reading.