More hearts and flowers

My original heart felt pendants and crochet flower brooches were not at all popular at my craft events in 2013. Since then I have developed them into fabric brooch cards and lavender scenters, which have both proved to be much more successful.

The Yin and Yang of ACT

I have been enjoying exploring a new psychotherapy. It's called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I have found it to be the most useful psychological therapy I have come across. After delving deeply into it I think it is because it is a middle way type of therapy. To me it has a Yin side and a Yang side to it. The picture poems below show a little of why I feel this way.

Yin-Vibes = poem for acceptance

I really enjoyed reading 'The Happiness Trap' by Russ Harris. A large part of the book was about accepting difficult emotions.

Acceptance is more than just the Yin-vibes I include in my picture poem, but for me they were a good place to start. Really accepting the dark places deep in my soul, the hurt, the pain, the sadness, the helpless feelings, vulnerability, fears, anxiety, failure, rejection, loneliness, death, anything and everything I find negative, can be very liberating. It's like you are giving up the struggle against your innermost feelings and can really open up to new challenges and positive experiences.

Yang-Vibes = poem for commitment

My Yang poem is about opening up to new challenges and postive experiences. It's positive psychology but because it's Yang there is also anger and attempts to control in there as well.
I think ACT is a big step up from plain old positive-psychology because of the bigger emphasis on Acceptance, which is a kind of negative-psychology technique. I feel we live in a Yang oriented world and connecting to my Yin side, however I manage to do it, has been very important to me over the years, helping to keep me healthy and sane through everything life has thrown at me.

The Middle Way = Poem for ACT

In my middle way poem I bring the Yin and Yang concepts together. Maybe ACT is about accepting negative feelings and committing to positive actions. It's about bringing things on and letting things go. It's about the balance between extremes.
I really like ACT because it isn't a religion or a philosophy, it's a useful therapy that could help and heal anyone.

Emotional LIfe Songbook

The 'Emotional Life' songbook features fifteen of my songs, including Island of Happiness, Stargazing, Scorpio Eyes, For What I Am and Alive at last. It is a kind of sister publication to 'Something More' which features twenty-three of my poems along with nine of Amy's illustrations. These booklets have both sold quite well on my craft stall. My songs can also be found on my YouTube Channel here and my 8tracks channel here, I have also included some of them on my Vimeo Channel here.

Paris Top Twelve

I have visited Paris five times in my life, each time I have found something new and exciting there. When I first visited I had to take the ferry between Dover and Calais, now I can take Eurostar and be there in a couple of hours. Inspired by my New York Top Twelve I thought I would develop a Paris Top Twelve, to remember twelve of my favourite Parisian locations.

1. Paris Opera House
My daughter's favourite place in Paris, so good we visited it twice. Sheer beauty and grand gorgeousness. Look up in the auditorium and you see the surprising ceiling, full of whimsical charm. We lingered along the sultry halls and staircases, soaking in the glamourous atmosphere.

2. Musee D'Orsay
A great imaginative use of a disused railway station. I loved the impressionist paintings and period furniture. It is a vast museum, so we found a cosy nook for my dad and daughter to sit in, while mum and I walked all over the various, treasure filled levels.

3. The Louvre
The impressive glass pyramid above the Louvre's entrance promises of the delights this famous art gallery has to offer. There always seems to be great security and crowds around the Mona Lisa, but there are many other great paintings with a much better view, one of my favourites is 'The Shipwreck of the Medusa' by Theodore Gericault.

4. Montmatre
The art market itself is quite crowded and touristy, but the galleries and surrounding area are well worth a visit. I couldn't resist taking pictures above these famously picturesque MontMartre steps.

5. Sacre Couer
It is quite a crowded walk up to the Sacre Couer, but quite enjoyable, especially if you turn around and take in the wonderful Parisian views.

6. Notre Dame
It is situated by the Seine in a very pleasant spot. We ate sandwiches there, before venturing into the cathedral which is beautiful and magnificent.

7. Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is so big, you can see it from all over Paris. We didn't go up it, just to be near it and appreciate its greatness was enough.

8. La Galerie Lafayette
I'm not so keen on shopping, but knew, from my guide book, that there is much more to this emporium than mere consumerism. We ventured up the escalators and staircases, taking in the sparkling surroundings until we reached the very top and were treated to great views of Paris from the terrace at the top of the shop.

9. Pere Lachaise Cemetary
I visited this on my first trip to Paris made in 1989 when I was 21. There are some spectacular graves here but the one I was most keen to visit was that of one of my musical heroes, Jim Morrison. I didn't take any photos on my first visit to Paris, but here are a couple of postcards I bought to commemorate the occasion.

10. Champs Elysee
Paris is a planned city and this becomes more obvious when walking down the Champs Elysee and looking back at the Arc D'Triopmph that marks the centre of Paris. There are wonderful green spaces in which to sit and enjoy a cool drink and a crepe suzette, on a long, hot afternoon.

 
11. Rodin Museum
I visited the museum dedicated to the artist August Rodin in 1995 with my fiance. His work was superbly displayed in a very elegant house and garden. Most memorable were his famous sculptures the thinker and the kiss, but it was wonderful to appreciate his lesser known works in such a well thought out setting.

12. EuroDisney
I feel that Disneyland Paris has been a welcome addition to the traditional Parisian sights on offer to the humble tourist. We enjoyed Walt Disney Studios more that the Disneyland Park, in particular the Tower of Terror, the history of film show and the special effects ride.

I have really enjoyed thinking about Top Twelves for Paris and New York. I am now thinking about what my London Top Twelve would be, which would be coming from a different perspective being a Londonner, rather than a tourist.