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by Bobbie Wayne (Author)
Increasingly, people feel, (as the great musician Joni Mitchel wrote), "... broken, and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden." LIFELINES, Daily Antidotes to Animus and Angst, functions as a map; each page bringing us closer to our destination. The book began as a daily exercise the author developed to recover from a severe anxiety disorder. Having worked as a music therapist, an artist, a musician, and a writer, Bobbie Wayne used her skills to create simple tasks, or "lifelines" anyone can follow. Each is interesting, often whimsical, constructive, and fun, and designed to make the world a better place.
This book teaches making musical instruments, puppets, writing a song, learning a tap step, putting a play together, and creating collages to focus your mind and give you a brand new set of tools with which to fix problems. For example, you will learn how to build a cardboard house with kids (or adults), teach someone to tie their shoelace, balance on one leg, sing a round with strangers, and plan a treasure hunt. You will throw a music party for people from three years old to one-hundred plus. You will even learn to float up to the moon!
Finding our collective way back to the garden requires relating to others. LIFELINES shows us how to engage with strangers, listen actively, and exchange differing views without offending. Examining our life stories, the way we and the people around us act, our core beliefs, sensitivities and strengths, improves our self-knowledge, confidence and understanding of people. To help us re-learn civility and kindness towards one another, LIFELINES is choc full of fun tasks which will develop empathy, gentleness and graciousness.
Returning to the garden requires that there be a garden we can return to. LIFELINES provides fun and savvy projects to teach people of all ages about preserving our environment. You will learn how to cross-check things heard and read in the media as well as develop a habit of looking up frequently misused or misunderstood words. You will re-develop the wonderful trait all young things use to learn about the world: curiosity.
LIFELINES is illustrated with marvelous woodcuts, prints, and 19th c. illustrations which will make you smile and brighten your day.
If you are sad, anxious and sinking in despair about the future, reach out...grab a LIFELINE.
