Creating a sanctuary in the midst of chaos
With the immensity of 2020 flipping its pages to the end, we look at how we managed to hold space for being, for living and for feeling during such a challenging period of our modern times.
An act of courage
With the new LAUREL Monthly Soundlust out now, I got inspired by the theme of Courage and the words kept free falling from my fingers. In this short piece, I’d like to mention a few of the things that I was reminded of when writing the story of the song list.
When the world seemed to slip away
The world has turned so unequivocally upside down, that a crescent sense of desperation kept sneaking its way into people’s hearts. As much as I have fought against it, in the end it got to me too, in the form of many strong emotions, ranging from sadness, to fury, to anxiety, to hope, to optimism and energy to move mountains. Here is a personal take on mental health during the world's difficult times and its effects on creativity, inspiration and overall energy.
Sunday Poem | In Summer Time, by Paul Laurence Dunbar
This week’s Sunday Poem is “In Summer Time”, by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 - 1906), one of the first African American poets who became known on a national level with his writings. “In Summer Time” beautifully depicts the slow nature of the summer days, in a very descriptive and contemplative manner, transcending the reader to a state of enjoyment and peacefulness.
Sunday Poem | “The Happiness of Home”, by Alice Hawthorn (alias of Septimus Winner)
The verses of the poem “The Happiness of Home” sprinkled a welcoming feeling of bliss and consolation, a sense of protection that you often find in the heart of a home, despite everything that might cause disruption in the outer world.
Happiness means a life in balance, a life of meaning
A life in balance, that’s aligned to the present and to an inner purpose, is a better, more astute expression of happiness, with everything that may involve.
Finding a purpose in your life [a practical approach]
A practical exercise that can help you in the search of a purpose and more meaning in your life, by answering a bunch of not-so-easy questions.
Sunday Poem | “As once the winged energy of delight”, by Rainer Maria Rilke
“As once the winged energy of delight”, by one of the greatest German poets of his time, Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), explores some great ideas that I invite you to ponder upon, like embracing the energy and delight of living beyond fear, or the challenge of trusting our instincts and power to accomplish great things in the face of the unknown.
Sunday Poem | “Wild geese”, by Mary Oliver
This Sunday Poem invites you to explore the verses from one of the most acclaimed contemporary American poets, Mary Oliver, and the poem I’ve chosen for today is “Wild Geese”.
Sunday Poem | “The Wind”, by Vasile Alecsandri
In this Sunday Poem second edition, we’re celebrating a great Romanian poet, Vasile Alecsandri (1821 - 1890), well-known for being a pioneer in writing pastels. A pastel, from a literary point of view, is a lyrical poem, that describes scenery from nature, landscapes or natural phenomena.