The Newsletter of

DIANA RAAB, Ph.D.

NOVEMBER 2014

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are

the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

~ Marcel Proust

Dear Friends:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

November honors my favorite holiday-Thanksgiving. It's the ideal month to be mindful of giving thanks. Gratitude is the one of the keys to happiness and studies have shown that those who express gratitude might be less likely to become depressed.

My father advocated looking at the glass half full and being thankful for each and every one of our blessings. He woke up every morning thankful for his life. Thus, at an early age I learned to be thankful for my own life, health, loved ones and the colleagues who inspire and love.

PUBLICATION NEWS

In case you missed it, my poems, "Pick Up," "Leashed," "Coping" and "Younger Man and Older Woman," were featured in the October 15th issue of Cultural Weekly. Thank you poetry editor, Alexis Rhone Fancher, for the wonderful honor.

"Italian Eyes." Carnival Magazine. November, 2014.

READING SUGGESTION

NEW RELEASE: How I Lost My Virginity to Michael Cohen by Alexis Rhone Fancher. This fine collection blends Fancher's erotic poetry with her exotic black and white photography. Fancher's fearlessness and artistry is brilliantly displayed in her visual art and poetry. Like good sex, her poetry draws you in and makes you want more. The book is not for the prude, but would be an asset for the brave, curious, and closet voyeur. This collection begs our involvement, inspiring us to engage all of our senses. Reader beware: these poems are sensual, alive, raw, honest, startling, and extremely brave. They cut open all that's erotic, sharing the nitty gritty details of what happens behind closed doors and inside of sensuous brains. These poems will make you want to keep reading; go into the closet to write your own erotica, or better still, pull your lover or partner under the covers for some hard core indulgence. A must read for those who are in touch with or crave being in touch with their sensuality.

TRAVELS

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the EUROTAS conference for Transpersonal Psychologists in Crete. The theme was "Metamorphosis" and the workshop topics were poignant and powerful; including whether we need crisis to evolve, Kabbalistic psychology, mythology, metaphor and healing, transpersonal research, Mother Kundalini, astrology, awakening, and the art of dying, just to name a few.

Crete, located on the southern border of Greece, has over 41 million olive trees and produces 100,00 tons of olive oil annually. Inspired by the Minoan civilization, I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of Phaitos and Knossis (the first palace); learn about the legend of the labrinyth, the Minotaur, and visit the cave of Svendoni in the IDA Mountains (where Zeus was raised). I am still processing all the wonder.

APPEARANCES

November 13th - "An Evening of Poetry and Art" with Perie Longo, David Starkey, Lena Firestone, Jina Carvalho & Naomi Firestone. The Tamsen Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. 6pm Hors D'Oeuvres. 7pm Poetry Reading.

November 20th - Keynote speaker for ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation and Training). "Writing for Healing and Transformation." 12 noon. 515 Temple Avenue, Camarillo, CA.

NEWS

NEW BOARD INVITATIONS

WriteGirl-I am honored to have been invited as a new board member on a creative writing and mentoring organization that promotes creativity, creative thinking, and leadership skills to empower teen girls.

Antioch University Santa Barbara Advisory Board to the MFA in Creative Writing and Contemporary Media Program-This program will have an educational pathway from undergraduate education to graduate/professional development as a writer. Anticipated opening date, June 2016.

SUGGESTIONS ?

If there are any subjects you would like me to write about, or special interests you'd like to see discussed, please send me an email.

WRITING PROMPT

Make a list of what you are thankful for and then write one page on that subject.

Love, peace and lust,

Diana

P.S. Please send any comments to diana@dianaraab.com.
(Subject: Newsletter)

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