The Practitioners of Feel Good!

The Practitioners of Feel Good!

by | Jun 5, 2020 | Asheville, Musician, Women, Women Empowerment

When the going gets tough, the creatives get more creative! It’s profoundly evident that artists, musicians and writers are juiced up and acting out the inspirations this pandemic has evoked, by sharing their various talents over social media just to make us feel better during our lockdown. I feel blessed that we dwell among these practitioners of feel-good. It’s as if all of them simultaneously began to brainstorm ways they could bring comfort to our community, as a way to ease fear and boredom that seemed to quickly and firmly take hold. Watching live stream concerts and the like, has now become ‘regular TV viewing.’

Cellist and songwriter sublime, Melissa Hyman and her husband, Ryan the “lion-hearted” Furstenberg, were the first artists I saw performing on “Facebook Live” from their dining room. With playful penguin props and jovial jive, their viewership reached into the hundreds. Others like troubadour extraordinaire Blake Elledge and local music giant Josh Blake collaborated with The Orange Peel to raise money for local musicians by introducing nightly “Quarantine Concerts,” before the “stay home/stay safe” ordinance took effect and the series had to be suspended. Since then, a plethora of musicians including yours truly, have put ourselves out there, offering virtual live stream concerts on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as a way to do our best to counterbalance the need to entertain with our need to make money to live on during a time when all of us have lost all our gig dates.

Since bands are no longer able to get together and rehearse much less do shows together, music makers are getting mighty innovative and energized in order to keep up their connections and co-ops. Video sharing platforms are being utilized which allow musicians to video record themselves playing or singing parts of a composition from their home studios and/or computers, and then send those files electronically onto the next person, so they can add their parts. This has become as popular as live stream concerts! Jason DeCristafaro, “Asheville’s Patron Saint of Musicians,” has successfully kept weekly jazz music nights alive by collaborating in this way. Once he marries each track together, he uploads the completed video on social media and YouTube for all who choose to watch. Each musician and vocalist donates their time and talent to benefit the venues that sponsored these showcases and that Jason hopes to resume hosting, very soon!

CaroMia Tiller chooses original songs of other area singer/songwriters, puts her own magic on them, asks others to do the same, and uses the same kind of video recording and sharing app that Jason does, to submit the finished video for the public and the songwriter to view and enjoy. With hundreds of views for each one so far, this concept is well “liked” not only because she’s brilliant, but for the way this lovingly honors her peer songsmiths!

There are couples and soloists who stage live stream concerts from home, as a way to establish their own ‘residencies’ as it were, taking over time slots for weekly or nightly concerts. Caitlin Krisko and her live-in guitarist boyfriend, Aaron Austin from The Broadcast, play each Thursday evening, a 30 minute set starting at 6:30pm called “Jamdemic.” Newcomer, bassist and guitarist Kim Butler plays a weekly happy hour called “Facemask Fridays” where she reminds everyone to BYOB!  With my Corona Premier beer and lime within reach, I do my bi-weekly Saturday evening happy hour, called Silver Linings Live Streams, and Nikki Talley does “Porch Sessions” every morning complete with coffee, guitar, banjo, and song!

“Keep Music Live Project” is an online streaming of music featuring Asheville acts and was spearheaded by bassist and Girls Rock Asheville faculty member, and creator of Streamside House Concerts, Sally Sparks. Singer Songwriter, Hannah Kaminer organized a service called “Music for Quarantine.” She designed it so the public can order a personal virtual concert and conversation from a list of participating local music artists, to celebrate a special occasion for a loved one they are unable to be with during this outbreak.

Now, much to our surprise and delight, there are those in our sphere whose hidden talents have suddenly surfaced due to this unforeseen pandemic. Singer Songwriter Leigh Glass, along with Echo Mountain Recording Studio Manager, Jessica Tomasin and vocalist, Kendra Penland, merged to bring us their original character-friends, “Memaw, Granny and Abuela.” They hilariously improv their way through posted video conference calls, and we are laughing all the while. The women-of-a-certain-age they portray, are decked out in full southern regalia, with support hose, wigs, warts, and all. They scuttlebutt  through hot topics like religion, pornography and liquor brands, all while giving each other delirious and mad cap, unsolicited advice about love and life.

Ashley Heath, known as the ‘hardest working musician in Asheville,’ compiles videos texted by area musicians telling ‘stupid jokes’ and posts them on her social media profile pages. Heath is now offering singing telegrams too, where she’ll call a recipient of your choice, and sing them a special song for any occasion! Lee Barker, a farmer and charcoal portraitist from Polk County started a group called “Plague Artists 2020” where artists and crafts people can post and share photos of their works as a way to get to know one another. In just a week, Lee had garnered hundreds of members from all over the globe!

As a way to assist and ease the mental strain that this pandemic creates on many levels, singer songwriter, Asher Leigh and others started a group called “Pandemic Expressions.” It’s a place to share art, conversation and opportunity. The intention of this group is creating, celebrating and supporting. It meets an extremely important need in our community.

Finally and notably, I’d like to give a huge shout out to local musician and singer, Pam Jones (The Business, Dirty Logic) as well as accordionist and Gypsy Jazz trobairitz, Sparrow Pants. The two of them have been making protective masks for the community at large as well as health care professionals in our area and in other parts of the country too.  Thank you!

In closing I share with you an encouraging quote I meditate on daily that comes from my favorite spiritual guru, Abraham- Hicks: Normal will never be what it was; it’s going to be so much better.

Peggy Ratusz is a vocal coach, song interpreter, and songwriter. For vocal coaching email her at [email protected]

Jean Ann’s Journey – The Goal is to Giggle

Jean Ann’s Journey – The Goal is to Giggle

by | Apr 3, 2020 | Asheville, Self-Discovery, Women, Women Empowerment

By Jean Ann Taylor

Life isn’t always funny. In fact, sometimes it’s painful, depressing, stressful, disappointing, or overwhelming. It’s easy to fall into a blackhole of hopelessness when we’re feeling down; however, filling our lives with laughter can turn our outlook on life around.

It sounds so simple: just laugh more often. Children are great at it. They laugh over two hundred times each day, adults may only laugh twenty times a day. This is in part because children find humor in things adults find upsetting. Children laugh at absurdities, ridiculousness, surprises, and unexpected messes. Step in a mud puddle? Hilarious! Drop your crayons on the floor? Pretend you’re a bulldozer and scoop them up.

There are many valid reasons to add laughter to your life. A good, solid chuckle can make us healthier by lowering our blood pressure, reducing stress hormones, and increasing the circulation of antibodies in our blood stream—helping us to resist infection. The muscles in our face and body stretch, and we breathe harder, which sends more oxygen to our tissues. Laughing tightens the tummy and strengthens our heart. After a good, hard belly laugh, you may feel like you just had a good, hard workout!

While both men and women benefit by laughter, there is a difference in how the sexes process funniness. I remember as children, my younger brother enjoyed watching The Three Stooges. As he sat cross-legged in front of the television, he laughed hysterically at scenes I could only roll my eyes at. I usually left the room when that show was on. I’ve found that men can find humor in knocking heads while women find it foolish. April Fools jokes and pranks are another example of very personal preferences. What is comical to one person may be insulting to another. To know what tickles your funny bone, you must first know yourself. Our sense of humor is as individual as our eye color, so look for people who laugh at the same things you find funny. 

Adulthood means we are consumed with responsibilities: work, bills, repairs, deadlines, and appointments. An unexpected and spontaneous giggle can help us to lighten up and not take ourselves so seriously. Laughter changes us. It can help turn our perspective from gloom to glee. Laughing is also contagious. When we smile at the person who is stuck in a long line with us, the acknowledgement that we are in this situation together helps ease the frustration. When faced with a large work-task, finding humor with coworkers can make a workload seem more manageable. In relationships, laughing can help alleviate an argument when a difficult situation has seemed to come to an impasse. Laughing together is a shared emotion that results in creating a bond with each other.

For your health and well-being, find ways to include more laughter in your life. For me, a YouTube video of babies laughing gets me every time. Turn off the “news” and watch a funny sit-com like Cheers or Big Bang Theory. Let a seven-year-old impress you with her plethora of knock-knock jokes. Whatever it takes, try to get more giggle in your gig.

“Happiness is laughing with a toddler about something that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”

Please send your thoughts and ideas to me at [email protected]

Acupuncture 101

Acupuncture 101

by | Apr 3, 2020 | Acupuncture, Asheville, Women, yoga

By Natasha Kubis

Acupuncture has been practiced in China for over 3,000 years and involves the insertion of thin, sterile needles into the skin at specific points in order to treat a wide range of disorders. The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as an effective option for chronic and acute pain management, hormone and pregnancy related issues, allergies, digestive issues, hypertension, anxiety, and depression. Clinical trials have also shown positive outcomes when used to treat the side effects of chemotherapy drugs.

The mechanisms of this ancient tradition are not widely understood in our culture, and when things are not understood, they can quickly be disregarded as hocus pocus.  This is largely because acupuncture has been studied and communicated through its ancient and classic framework, which is poetic and metaphorical in nature. As westerners, it can be hard for us to wrap our minds around the obscure concepts of “qi” and “yin and yang,” but if we take the poetry of the classic texts and redefine it through the lens of modern biomedical concepts, it can be a bit easier to consider for a viable treatment option for disease. 

How did acupuncture gain popularity in the U.S.?

Acupuncture has been practiced in the US since the 1800’s; primarily amongst Asian communities, but in 1972, a New York Times columnist, named James Reston, underwent an emergency appendectomy while visiting China with the Nixon administration. He later wrote about his positive acupuncture experience in the New York Times and this was the dawn of mainstream acupuncture.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Acupuncture can provide drug-free pain relief, which is particularly important during our current opiate crisis. It stimulates the body’s natural ability to suppress pain without the over-dependency of painkillers. Studies have found acupuncture points at sites of high-density neuro-vascular structures. When we stimulate those areas, we are promoting secretion of naturally occurring neurotransmitters, like endorphins, which help minimize pain.

Is it painful?

This is the most common question I receive from potential clients. Modern acupuncture needles are about the size of a cat whisker and the treatment should be relatively painless. To give you perspective, you can fit 40 acupuncture needles into the tip of a syringe. The sensation levels of acupuncture depend greatly on the practitioner, the style of acupuncture, and the types of needles being used. Primitive societies in China used stone needles (resembling an arrow head) to stimulate acupuncture points. Needle materials evolved from stone, then bronze, and eventually to gold and silver.  Today, stainless steel is used to make needles and a plastic guide tube allows for quick and painless insertion.

How does it work?

Classical Perspective

In traditional Chinese medicine, the body and its functions are seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. Perfect health is achieved when the body maintains a balanced state of yin and yang. On the contrary, disease is a result of an imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi (energy) along meridian pathways (the channels containing acu-points) and these blockages can lead to physical or emotional illness. The needling of the points where energy pools promotes the movement of stuck energy.

Modern Biomedical Explanation

There are over 2,000 acupuncture points on the body located at nerve endings. Stimulating these points allows different parts of the body to communicate, triggering the release of opioid peptides. Opioids are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that have an analgesic, or pain-relieving, effect. The release of opioids, such as endorphins, plays a significant role in the reduction of pain. Endorphins help to decrease feelings of pain and increase feelings of euphoria. There has been considerable evidence to support that acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system, and the release of these chemicals, thereby minimizing pain.


Acupuncture may also induce the relaxation of knotted up myofibrils (muscle fibers) within muscular tissue. It also stimulates local blood flow to the tissues by causing a micro trauma to an area of the body, which increases local blood flow to the surrounding area, initiating the healing process.

Does a practitioner of acupuncture need a license?

The National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) oversees accreditation for acupuncturists across the country. Its database of licensed acupuncturists is a good place to start your search for treatment. Licensed acupuncturists must complete a minimum of three years in a master’s acupuncture program at an accredited school. Each state requires its own license and there are continuing education requirements for recertification on the state and national levels.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to manage pain, digestive disorders, allergies, fertility issues, PMS, migraines, anxiety, depression, and more. The treatments aim to rewire the body to function more optimally and are great options to use in collaboration with conventional treatments or for conditions that are not responsive to conventional medicine.

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher. For more information, visit acuwellhealth.com

[email protected]

Rachael Waterhouse – The Voice of the Vine

Rachael Waterhouse – The Voice of the Vine

by | Apr 3, 2020 | Asheville, Music, Musician, Women

By Peggy Ratusz

Ten years ago, Rachel Waterhouse and I met for a vocal coaching session. As we greeted one another, I found her to be open and alluring. I knew that we would be acquainted for a long time to come. I sat in my chair as her fingers floated over the keyboard. At once I allowed her voice to take my heart
hostage, as she cast her spell on a Stevie Wonder tune. 

I didn’t even try to hide how much I was enjoying this private performance. I felt privileged to witness her virtuosity and expressiveness. When she was through, I told her, “All I can do for you as a new fan, is help you put a band together; as a vocal coach, I should sign up for sessions with you instead.” An emancipated musician and poet, new to town as Ms. Waterhouse was at that time, doesn’t have to play but one open mic, to create enduring synergy.

Rachel and I have collaborated a few times over the years. I find her sensitivity to arrangements and content, even with pastiches, refreshing. This predisposition is a continuation of her aptitude for songwriting. With the “soft-release” of her first full-length recording with her trio “Sister Ivy” wrapped last month to a capacity crowd at The Mothlight, we excavate some of the nooks and crannies of her process.

Your melodies meander fluidly over the chord progressions. Please delve into your process for marrying melodies with chord progressions.

I feel less like I impose melodies and chords and more like I gather them as different ingredients separately, pair them later. Often, I mess around with a theoretical concept and stumble upon a chord progression that I just get absolutely lost in.  I write melodies on the fly and record them when appropriate. I write lyrics in random places, and then forget about them. I let all those things sit and mature in the recesses of my mind until they find each other and make sense. It’s kind of like making a collage.

What’s your process for choosing instrumentation for your songs?

I find the part that is missing the most, after that is low end and rhythm, so I commonly play with a bassist and drummer as my core group. It’s simpler to orchestrate that way and it allows the three of us to be free at live performances. If I had my way, I would have a horn section, choir, guitarist, organ and synth, guitarist, and percussionist on every show. For this album, we went all out with guest musicians, creating a fuller, lush sound.

The vivid stories that will be on the new record truly feel like poetry set in motion.

I write a lot of poetry. I was an English major with a professional writing concentration, which I skewed entirely to the creative writing. The vocal ditties that survive audition, plus the triumphant experiments on keyboard are the main ingredients.

Vocally it’s obvious that you’re fearless.

I have ignored every impulse to fit into a particular style of singing. I just try to be really honest about the emotions and experiences that have moved the music. I’m not scared to go in and out of different parts of my range. I don’t feel the need to remain consistent in my range.

Where does inspiration come from?

I swear the textures I want to create come from the scratched Nutcracker album I listened to on repeat when I was no more than six years old. Musically, I grew up listening to and playing a good deal of Classical music: Chopin, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and Bach. My father played a lot of Rush in the house as well, so that progressive element worked its way in nice and early. I spent a good bit of time in choirs and musicals and very nearly went into opera. But for me, writing my own music is more fun than learning Arias. I branched out to discover artists like Regina Spektor, The Gorillaz, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Mars Volta, Herbie Hancock, Funkadelic, Galactic, Air, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder. The new waves of fusion and neo-soul, like Erykah Badu, Little Dragon, Hiatus Kaiyote, Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy, Lalah Hathaway, Moonchild, James Blake, and Moses Sumney have been a major influence in the sound on this new record.

Lyrically: What I write precipitates from what I feel and what I feel precipitates from what I experience. Writing is an excellent avenue to process emotional waves. I am an idealist and I pepper in some of my opinions about the state of the world. Much of my inspiration comes from masks of myths, fairy tales or omens, which clothe my emotions and ideals to give them a more concrete presence without being too specific about their personal origin. I prefer to present a channel for the expression of universal emotions even though, at the root, my writing is not dissimilar to journaling.”

Listeners will discover Rachel’s introspective identity within the meditations, reflections and missives inside the new collection. “Sepia Sun” is one of my personal favorites: “Submerge yourself again, beneath the current. You’ll need a warrior’s heart to brave the dark. Or have you been in Oz too long, accustomed to the colors? When you’re living only to consume all, why would you choose a world of grey?”

A pass from the Sister Ivy website’s homepage illuminates:

Sister Ivy is the voice of the vine that weaves in and out of roots and open air. It mixes with the weeds, and climbs to lofty vistas on the limbs of grand trees. A quizzical poet with a voice brimming with turbulent emotion and heartfelt presence, she moves to join the juxtaposed, not only lyrically, but musically, with careful dissonance and timely resolve, blending the mundane with the magical, providing unexpected nourishment and plenty of food for thought. Listen at your own risk. Sister Ivy may attempt to challenge your core beliefs or (gasp) move your feet a little.

Website: sisterivy.com

Books that Inspire

Books that Inspire

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Asheville, Collaborative Learning, Conversation, Leadership, Women

By Cheri Torres

I am inspired by two books I recently read: Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng, and Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Each of these wonderful storytellers pave the way for meaningful conversation about a critical topic. What delights me is the way they frame the conversations. They invite us to see the complexity of reality and ask us to recognize how detrimental it is to see things from narrow, objective, non-relational perspectives. What each of these books have in common is their invitation to see the world through the eyes of the artist and poet. To see reality from a more holistic perspective and to embrace multiple ways of knowing the world.

Celeste Ng’s story brings the reader into the complex world of privilege and discrimination in ways that allow us to see how systems of privilege stifle authenticity and genuine meaningful living at all levels. Exposed to each character’s hopes, perspectives, and pain, we have the opportunity to see how polarity and positioning around important decisions gives way to the system, leaving little room for authentic choice. The artist’s view, however, invites us to see beneath a character’s thoughts and emotions, to see the spiritual crisis the current system generates for everyone in it. She gives us a window into a world where people are seen, where genuine relationships might allow us to connect, deepen understanding, and find a way forward that defined by ‘us’ instead of the system.

How might we foster conversations about racial justice that allow us to make room to hear one another’s stories, to bear witness to one another’s struggle to be human, and to share a commitment to creating a world that works for everyone. The two practices from Conversations Worth Having support such conversations: create a positive frame for the conversation and ask generative questions. For example, positive frames and generative questions for conversations around equity and racial justice might be:

• Frame: Connecting through Our Stories

• Tell me about a time of struggle in your life and how you dealt/deal with it. What do you most value about yourself and others in your story?

• How does our current system of inequity negatively impact you?

• How is our current system impacting you and your ability to thrive?

• How do your strengths and privileges show up in your life? How might they help us move toward an equitable system?

• Frame: Creating Share Images of the Future

• What three wishes do you have for the future?

• What would genuine equity in our schools look like?

• Imagine community decision making was equitable. What would be different? How would we know it was equitable and just?

• Frame: Developing Pathways Toward Equity

• What steps might be taken to ensure equity?

• What three things can we do to get started?

• How can we design our schools and train our teachers to ensure equity?

In Braiding Sweetgrass, Dr. Kimmerer invites us out of the polarization around climate change by showing us a more whole way of seeing the world. Emphasizing relationships, she encourages us to embrace multiple ways of knowing in order to inform a broader perspective of the world around us. Instead of either/or, black and white thinking, we are encouraged to recognize the world as both object and subject, both material and metaphysical. Instead of polarity, the invitation is to come into relationship with nature, to see our connection and interdependence so that we can have conversations at a level that just might allow us to find ways forward.

Again, the two practices from Conversations Worth Having are of value. Sharing our stories helps us connect to one another, opening the door for us to discover our commonalities around important topics. Framing further conversation to support possibilities for the future creates a bridge for us to move forward together. For example:

Frame 1: Our Common Connections to Nature

•  Tell me about a time in your life when you felt most connected to nature. What did you value about yourself? What did you value about nature?

• How does nature and our environment impact you, your family, and our community?

• What is your relationship with nature and the environment?

Frame 2: A Shared Vision for Our Relationship with the Environment

• Imagine we had a relationship with nature and our environment that was mutually beneficial.
What might that look like?

• If we redesigned our neighborhoods and communities to embrace nature and nurture flourishing, what would they look like?

• Imagine you have an intimate and positive relationship with all of nature. What would that mean for you? How would you benefit? How would nature benefit?

Frame 3: Designing for Wholeness

• What can we do now to create neighborhoods and communities that embrace nature and nurture flourishing?

• What three things can each of us do to feel connected to nature each day?

• What action might the city take to ensure our environment thrives so that we can thrive? What role can we play in making that possible?

Whether you are reading books that inspire conversations about vital topics or not, such conversations are essential to our future. I invite you to join me in shifting those conversations away from the personal—us against them, me vs. you, one right way, mine—and toward dialogue that helps us find common ground, allows us to envision futures that work well for the whole, and creates possibilities for collaborative action. I actually want to do more than invite you to join me, I implore you to do so. The lives of our children and our children’s children quite literally depend upon it.

Cheri Torres is an author and speaker cheritorres.com. You can download a free Conversation Toolkit and learn more sparking great conversations at ConversationsWorthHaving.today.

Mother Nature’s Magic

Mother Nature’s Magic

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Asheville, Lifestyle, Self-Discovery, Uncategorized, Women

By JeanAnn Taylor

This past January I ran into that brick wall known as, The Flu. It was a hard hit that put me in bed for over a week. When The Flu hits, you have no decisions to make; it makes them for you. The only thing to do is to wait until The Flu says, “You can get up now.”

While lying in bed day after day, I had time to think about what I want 2020 to look like. Of course I’ll keep dancing.

Of course I’ll continue to sew, crochet, paint, and write; but what needs to change to make my life fuller, happier, healthier? The answer I came up with is to spend more time outside. Like most people I know, my life in work and play demands indoor time. Yet being in nature—surrounded by growing, buzzing, tweeting, blooming, and other enchanting mysteries—has so many benefits good for our body and soul; outdoor time is worth making a priority.

In the 1990s, the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku began. As many Japanese traditions follow common sense, simplicity, intention, and authenticity, this practice, which translates into “forest bathing” is another way to live with these virtuous ideals. Forest bathing doesn’t require water, bubble bath, or a soaking tub. It simply requires that you spend time in nature where your mind can meander with no predestined intention. The only requirement is that you slow down and notice. As you wander through the woods or park, be mindful of the scent of blooming honeysuckle. Pay attention to how the wind feels as it blows across your skin. Touch a tree and observe how rough or smooth the bark feels on your hand. Look up and watch as birds fly above you. Listen as leaves crunch under your boots, as a waterfall cascades into the river, and as a songbird alerts her family of your presence. Be awed while watching butterflies puddle at the river bank, as bees flit from flower to flower, and as water bugs dive into the lake. Walk barefoot to absorb electrons from the earth, and dip your toes into the icy water of a mountain stream.

An important component of forest bathing is in the action of walking. Walking is considered to be the single most important thing we can do to improve our health. Along with reducing stress, managing our weight, and warding off many diseases, walking inspires creative thinking by delivering more blood flow to the brain. Without the distractions of cell phones, emails, and to-do lists, your mind is free to unconsciously process ideas and predicaments. Answers to questions and dilemmas that seem impossibly overwhelming often appear as if by magic. Combine walking with nature-focus and epiphanies can happen.

Spending time outdoors can also help us sleep better at night. The natural rhythms of light and dark can be distorted by our modern lifestyle of constant, artificial lighting. Going outside to watch the sunrise or sunset, or to gaze at the stars, can help to reset our internal clock. Awareness of weather also keeps our days and months from blending into each other. When we spend our lives in a controlled climate, every day feels the same and we mindlessly miss the experience of the seasons. This can lead to a loss of perspective.

This spring, take a walk in the woods to look for tiny wildflowers popping up to say, “Hello.” Breathe in the fresh, cool air, and feel inspired at a waterfall. What you’ll find as you lose yourself in nature is—yourself. Go outside, follow your nose, and accept the healing gift of outdoor wonder.

Please send your thoughts and ideas to me at [email protected]

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