à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Authenticity
Of Optics and Illusions
When I learned recently I’d need my first pair of glasses, I had two reactions: gratitude for decades of good vision, and excitement about possible looks. More than other accessories, spectacles speak volumes about who we believe ourselves to be and how we wish to come across. Long before I needed a prescription, I lusted … Continue reading
What’s Your Territory?
When I need a sane, no nonsense reminder of what resistance is, and inspiration for battling it daily, I pick up my worn copy of Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art. It’s a must-read for anyone trying to live more powerfully, whether that means creating art, healing a relationship, or getting in shape. As he … Continue reading
When a Memory’s Absence Tells a Story
A former boyfriend, from decades and another continent ago, e-mailed me last week to mention that Barack Obama had visited Germany, where he now lives with his wife and two children. He wrote: “I told my family that, thanks to you, I heard the senior Bush’s speech in Budapest in 1989!” Really? I didn’t remember … Continue reading
Why “Fake It ‘Til You Make It” is ‘Fekakta’
Of all the sound bites abounding in our culture, “fake it ’til you make it” has widespread appeal. And for those of you who did not have Yiddish-speaking elders, fekakta means something akin to “f***ed up”. The “fake it” mantra is supposed to help people. Feeling blue? Pretend you feel better until you *really* feel … Continue reading
Lessons from a Goat
I met this goat yesterday at a farm where I attended a workshop on compassion (facilitated by humans but taught by horses). While the workshop was fascinating, I learned just as much from this creature, with whom I spent a good chunk of the lunch break. Unlike the horses and their subtler forms of expression … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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