On Art and the Pursuit of Dreams

I believe that everyone is an artist. Whether you write poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, business articles, journals or diary entries; whether you are a painter, sculptor, singer, actor, speaker or dancer, self-expression is part of your life. You may believe that you have no artistic talent, but consider the inspiration a mother or father gives a child when reading a favorite book aloud. Think about the inspiration a coach or mentor gives a business colleague when they have made a mistake or when they try to find the solution to a problem. It's all art, friends! And...it's all part of the pursuit of the dream.

Your dreams may be gargantuan ("I want to be the leader of the free world") or they may be small ("I want to learn to speak another language"). One dream may build on another. Much like a child must learn to balance before he or she can run, many of our dreams require long-term dedication and persistence. Perhaps others do not understand your dreams. They may think you are focusing on things that are unimportant. Don't let that discourage you! 


Every dream is  a work of art and sometimes you are the only one who sees the vision. Buy a journal and write about what you want to achieve the next day. Write about your struggles to accomplish your goals. Write about the joy you feel when you achieve an objective or overcome an obstacle. Sing a favorite song that describes how you are feeling on this day. Dance to your favorite music in the privacy of your own home or on the sidewalk. Express what you feel...good or bad...and go forward! 


Dreams may be elusive, but we can live in our dreams every day and by living the next step, we create art, envision reality and bring our dreams to fruition. It is in this execution that others see the beautiful expression of life. Imagine that your struggle to bring a dream to fruition can become the inspiration for others...and the ripples flow outward into the world! Isn't that the greatest form of artistic expression? 


Dream on!

"To Sleep, perchance to dream..." Hamlet, Act III, Scene I

William Shakespeare penned the immortal line 'to sleep, perchance to dream'. In today's society, this line seems to take on new meaning. Many people have insomnia, and many take medication just to get to sleep. Without sleep, your body cannot replenish and renew. 


In honor of the release of my new novel, 'Dreams of the Many', and with a nod to my holistic bodywork background, I am pleased to present 10 Simple Tips to help you sleep. 


1. Remove the TV from your bedroom. Persistent sound and light will decrease the quality of your sleep and can prevent you from falling asleep. Do NOT sleep with the TV on!


2. Consider Guided Imagery CDs which are scripted to pattern your brain and enable healthy sleep. After several weeks, you may not even need to listen to the CD to get to sleep.


3. Use lavender essential oil, an eye pillow that contains lavender leaves or spikenard essential oil. The smell of lavender is relaxing and will help you to turn off your mind and get the sleep you need. Spikenard doesn’t smell as comforting but it sure does the trick!


4. Take a melatonin or valerian supplement to boost and balance your body and brain.


5. Bathe with chamomile or lavender essential oil.


6. Replace your mattress and pillow at least once every eight years. Poor mattress and pillow support can hamper your sleep.


7. Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes, 3 times per week. This will help to regulate your system and improve your sleep/waking balance, AND it will improve your physical health.


8.  Do not eat a large meal in the late evening. Do not eat SUGAR in the late evening.


9.  Learn to meditate! Meditation provides critical exercise for your brain and conditions your brain to more easily enter a relaxed state.


10. Learn and practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing. Long, slow, deep breaths and full exhalation help to oxygenate and relax your body.

It’s just that simple! Now, go forth and dream!

Tell me about your dream world!

It has only been a week or so since the publication of 'Dreams of the Many' and the response has been gratifying, to say the least. I am already hard at work on the second book in the series and immersed, once again, in a dream world. 

All of this dream work gives me pause for thought. I wonder about our perception of reality and whether we can ever know the difference between the world we believe is real and any other experience or environment. Haven't we all had at least one dream that was vivid enough to follow us into our waking state? Have you ever had a dream in which an event took place and, when you woke up, you were still responding to that event as if it had really happened? 

I'd like to hear about your dreams. Tell me about a dream that was:

1. Very vivid
2. Predicted or foretold something that eventually happened to you or to someone you know
3. Helped you to solve a problem
4. Brought you into contact with someone who has died and evolved in such a way that you came to believe that the person who had passed was trying to send you a message or help you make a decision. 

I want to know about your most memorable dreams!  Come on, everyone. Jump into the pool!

Announcing 'Dreams of the Many', a new novel by Susan Obijiski

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Reality and Fantasy Collide in Author’s Metaphysical Novel

Get ready for the ride of your life! In this odyssey of the mind, you will wonder what is real and what is fantasy. Susan M. Obijiski’s Dreams of the Many is a far-reaching metaphysical novel that plays mind games, but the stakes are extremely high. When his strange dreams first started, famous actor Brody Murphy paid little attention. What he could not know was that these dreams would change his life and test his sanity. The person controlling his dreams is a young autistic boy named Casey, and for him, the dreams are more than just fantasy; the outcome will determine Casey’s future. Brody discovers he is one of 10 mind travelers brought together in a surreal dream world, one designed to help Casey overcome his afflictions and live a normal life. Some of the travelers will succeed and others will fail, but all must have the courage to overcome their nightmares.

Dreams of the Many is an insightful story about shared humanity, and a reminder of our capacity to overcome our fears, and become what we were meant to be.

DREAMS OF THE MANY (ISBN: 978-1-61204-099-8) will be available on March 28, 2011 and can be ordered through the publisher’s website: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/DreamsOfTheMany.html or at www.amazon.com or http://www.barnesandnoble.com Wholesalers please email BookOrder@AEG-Online-Store.com

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