Soulgineering Resources to grow your soul

I recently ran across photographer James Mollison’s book “Where Children Sleep”, a photo essay depicting children around the world and the places in which they sleep.  It is a visually stunning book that left me with a sense of awe and respect for the world these children live in. When Fabrica asked me to come up with an idea for engaging with children’s rights, I found myself thinking about my bedroom: how significant it was during my childhood, and how it reflected what I had and who I was. It occurred to me that a way to address some of the complex situations and social issues affecting children would be to look at the bedrooms of children in all kinds of different circumstances. James accompanies a picture of every child’s bedroom with a picture of the child in a neutral background.  You can also read a part of the child’s story.  Here’s the story of the three children pictured in ... Read More »

Sitting on the bathroom floor puking my guts out, I made a resolution that I intended to keep:  I would never ever try to commit suicide again.  At the time I didn’t know if I had been successful at stopping the pills from killing me, but I had the sudden realization that I didn’t really want to die.  No one was worth dying for, not even someone whom I loved with all my heart.  So I stopped, hid the suicide note under the bed, and went to the hospital in the morning to get my stomach pumped. It all started at age 14 when I met someone that I fell madly in love with.  At the time I thought I knew it all and after seven years of dating, I found out that I didn’t.  Suffice it to say that I married for love and purposefully turned a blind eye to what everyone was telling me:  that he wasn’t the ... Read More »

One day I was having what could have been perceived as a tough conversation with my niece.  We were on the way to the pawn shop and we were talking about why we needed to be there.  I explained that my sister had offered to pay the pawn fees in exchange for being able to use my digital camera – a camera that I need to take beautiful photographs and earn a living but had had to pawn for grocery money.  I should have been embarrassed or distraught or facing a similarly negative emotion.  Instead, I found myself talking about the great service that pawn shops provide when someone is in a bind and need money quickly.  This in turn led to a conversation about money and the role of credit in our lives. In remembering the conversation and going over it in my mind, I realized that I’ve come very far in my personal development.  I went from being ... Read More »

Maybe she didn’t win dancing with the stars but she was the biggest winner this season. I normally never watch talent show programs or TV in general but the idea of watching Kirstie Alley on Dancing With the Stars was just a little too tempting. Kirstie is an ex-Jenny Craig spokeperson, star of Fat Actress, fluffy and she’s 60 years old. I have loved Kirstie since Cheers but this seemed like it could be a train wreck of an idea. Week after week Kirstie entertained us with her dancing and mishaps.  Some would say it was the fans that kept her going for so long on the show and based on the judges’ scores she is not going to win the ultimate prize but honestly, WHO CARES? For those of us that are overweight, getting older and feeling tired, let’s be inspired. Carrie Ann Inaba had it half right when she told Kirstie, “you are the new poster child for life ... Read More »

Greta, Piddley Oops and Dippy have proven to me that love comes in many forms.  Love doesn’t need to come from another human being, it can also come from the wag of a tail or a big sloppy canine kiss. Six years ago I would not be writing this post.  Up until then I had believed that pets belonged outdoors and served a particular purpose.  Big dogs worked for a living and small dogs were there to give old rich ladies an extra accessory.  So what changed?  I got into a relationship where my significant other had a dog (Greta) and five cats (Gray, Nelly, Pigpen, Sugar, and Bear). At first it was a bit difficult to adjust to the change: the pet hair, the smells, the poop and the money spent on their upkeep.  When I woke up in the middle of the night one day only to find a big black cat standing on my chest and staring ... Read More »

There are many of us who question the existence of a higher power.  Some call it God, others call it Goddess, the Great Architect, the Source, Spirit, etc.  Religions have been teaching us their view of what God is like for centuries.  Scientists have been skeptical but they are also looking for the truth of how we came to be here.  Some say it’s easy to believe in God when things are going great but when you’ve suffered through the loss of a loved one or when you see pain and destruction everywhere, it’s hard to believe in that same God. I have been hearing pro and con arguments on the subject for many years.  I have come to believe that the answer is different for everyone and every answer is valid.  However, I haven’t come across succinct and concise answers that resonate with me.  That is until I ran across the movie The Genius Club.  In this psychological thriller, ... Read More »

Why do we wait for others to tell us what the meaning of life is?  Why is it so hard for us to define it? When I first contemplated the question what is the meaning of life, the first thing I did was to go to the internet and Google it.  I didn’t even notice that my first instinct was to search for the most popular answer instead of my own. When I started watching video after video and reading one blog after another, I realized that there is no definitive answer and that no one can really agree.  Even so called spiritual gurus can’t agree.  For example, here are some of the answers: 1 ) Love as much as possible and let go of crap (their exact words) 2 ) Figure out who your demons are and learn to ride it out 3 ) Be respectful of others and enjoy life 4 ) Accept yourself and the people around ... Read More »