Category Archives: blog

Music, Healing and Transformation

Healing Art and Music Video

As a couple, we have long worked together to join our creativity to effect positive change and transformation. We created this video as a companion piece to our book, Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth. The video joins my healing pastel landscapes with Phil’s original soothing musical composition, “Footprints In Time.” We hope you can relax with the video and allow the music and art to wash over you, and bring you a feeling of peace and well being.

Emergence, A Meditative Journey Through the Seasons-Music and Meditation CD

Phil has been playing piano and writing original reflective music and believes in the power of music to heal and transform. As a coach he has has used meditative music with clients and in leading workshops. His CD, Emergence, A Meditative Journey Through the Seasons, recommended by John Assaraf of the Movie, The Secret, takes you on a transformative journey through each of the seasons, Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. The hour long CD includes guided visualizations and soothing original musical selections. You will be prompted to release negative states and emotions, and connect to your dreams and visions of an authentic, empowered life.

Listen to Sample of the guided visualizations from the CD.

Here’s what a few noted experts in healing medicine and life coaching had to say about the Emergence CD,

” I had a chance to listen to Emergence, and loved the “seasons” approach. Great Job!” John Assaraf of the hit movie, THE SECRET, Author, Speaker and advocate of meditation.

“The Emergence CD is beautiful and imaginative. With the cycles of nature as a metaphor, Phil Okrend leads you on a gentle and sensuous guided journey through Fall (release); Winter (germinating); Spring (blossoming); and Summer (fullness). You can listen to the full CD or choose the track you want. Not only is Okrend a coach, he is also a musician who wrote and performed the original music on the CD. Like most guided meditations,the music is underneath the guided journey. What is unique about this CD is that the music is repeated in its entirety following each meditation. What a gift this is; the music is beautiful and allows you to linger in that relaxed state. You can also let it take you on a journey of its own. Use this CD in group work that focuses on personal exploration and transition or in retreat settings.” Choice, The Magazine of Professional Coaching – By Marcy Nelson Garrison, MA, CPCC

“The connection between mind and body in medicine and life is incontrovertible. In our everyday hectic and stressful lives, it is easy to feel out of sync with ourselves and our own natural rhythms. This CD helps to facilitate a reconnection with our true selves, contribute to one’s health and wellness, and possibly serve in the prevention of disease.” Lisa Tolnitch, MD, FACS, Tolnitch Surgical Associates

Purchase the Emergence CD, $15.00

Phil has also written and produced inspirational, uplifting music that touches the soul with more jazzy, pop influences. Sample his Inspirational Touch The Sky. His CD, Dinner Notes is available on Amazon.com

Inspiration From Peru

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Machu Picchu

This January, we had the opportunity to visit the magical and sacred country of Peru. We had always wanted to go there, and of course Machu Picchu would be at the heart of our visit. What struck us the most was the warmth of the people, and their connection to their land. They seemed to be very much in tune with the natural beauty around them. You could feel a warm energy as you traveled. The Sacred Valley region bordering Machu Picchu was filled with majestic mountains and a winding brown rapidly moving river making its way through the land.

The memory of the Incas was alive with ruins and geometric terraces where corn, quinoa and potatoes grew. As an artist, Elise was struck with the awe inspiring landscape, the morning mist over the mountains, the colors of the artisan market places. She has always been drawn to the inspiration of the mountains as a source of healing, and this healing art has served as the basis for the creation of our book, Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth. The trip to Peru will stay in our consciousness, and sure to serve as a point for future art, contemplation and writings. Here are some pictures from our trip, ending in a new work in progress from Elise, Mystic Mountain.

Original pastel by Elise Okrend, Mystic Mountain, Aguas Calientes, Peru. www.eliseokrend.com

March 7th Workshop- Gain Clarity, Passion and Purpose Through Art & Words

We have a few programs coming in March based on the Art and Words from Messages to the Heart. We are grateful to the Asheville Citizen Times for their write up on these programs. See article below:

ASHEVILLE – Elise Okrend and her husband Phil have a passion to help others find their own personal truths. Elise, a pastel painter, and Phil, a writer and professional coach, came together to produce and release the coffee table book “Messages to the Heart: Reflections of Beauty and Truth” in 2014.

The book pairs Elise’s pastel landscapes with Phil’s poetic passages and is divided into chapters to inspire readers to connect with their own fulfilling life vision. Chapters include “Reflections on Following Your Heart,” “Unity,” “Love,” “Optimism,” “Transformation,” “Awareness” and “Empowerment.”

Read more of the article HERE!
Register for the March 7th Workshop HERE!

Sophie Magazine Reviewer Surprised

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Sophie Magazine Review

Here is a wonderful review of Messages to the Heart from Sophie Magazine, Asheville’s premier woman’s resource. Thank you Betty Sharpless!

I have to admit, I was not expecting very much from this lovely little book.

In this day of e-books, it is a pleasure to see a beautifully designed and crafted book. The work is a combination of an artist, Elise Okrend and her partner Phil, a life coach. While they now call Asheville home, their joint venture was total serendipity resulting from both of them posting their works on the internet.

A Great Bedside or Breakfast Table Book

Messages to the Heart is a series of Phil’s observations on life, change and empowerment paired with Elise’s pastels. Each page gives you just enough to think about in a clear non-judgmental manner on a particular topic, such as forgiveness. This would be a great bedside or breakfast table book, to be read in little bites.

Favorite Page

All the commentary is positive and upbeat, with the actions suggested small enough to seem possible. My favorite page is the commentary on Destiny, not just because the lovely pastel happens to have a picture that looks like a Tuscan view at twilight!

Messages to the Heart is available from the authors at messagestotheheart.com, and at Malaprops bookstore and Asheville area visitors center’s gift shop.

Messages to the Heart  Elise and Phil Okrend

Betty Sharpless is a professional gardener, quilter and writer based in Asheville, NC

Living Well Radio Show Interview

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Living Well Radio Show

Messages to the Heart

We really enjoyed the opportunity to talk about Messages to the Heart during a November 2014 radio interview with Dr.Bob Hanna on Asheville Free Radio. Dr. Bob asked some very insightful questions about how we came to our individual paths in life, Elise as an artist and me as a writer and life coach. We also discussed how as a couple we evolved to living from what creatively inspired us, from building a greeting card company to writing the book, Messages to the Heart. We read passages from our book, talked about art, philosophy and how we see our mission as helping and inspiring others to connect to the inherent truth and beauty in their own lives. We hope you enjoy this one-hour podcast.

Phil & Elise Okrend

Listen Here!

Messages to the Heart Workshop

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We are so pleased to invite you to our new Messages to the Heart workshop

Our new live workshop, A Journey To Healing and Empowerment Through Art and Words is coming to the beautiful Om Sanctuary, Asheville, NC on Friday December 5th, 6:30pm-9:30pm

Artist Elise Okrend and her husband, Life Coach Phil Okrend, authors of the new coffee table book, Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth will lead you on a transformative journey of self–discovery. By using beautiful soothing art and mindful, contemplative passages from their book, you will learn to see your life through new eyes that will inspire, heal and empower you to connect to your inner guidance.

Register Now! Space is limited to 12 participants

You will be guided toward finding clarity on such issues as:

• Letting Go
• Finding Purpose
• Trust
• Self Worth
• Making Choices
• Taking Steps
• Finding Strength
• Living from Abundance

You will leave the workshop with tools and a framework to make positive change in your life.

We look forward to being with you.

Elise and Phil

Vulnerability Is Strength

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Reflections on Empowerment

This latest blog post was inspired by a passage from Messages to the Heart, Reflections on Empowerment, Self Worth. The art and passage appear below the article.

Being vulnerable is difficult for many people

Being vulnerable is difficult for many people. It can conjure up intense feelings such as fear of being judged, loss of control and weakness. When we want to project a certain image to the world, we may try to avoid vulnerability. It is as though being vulnerable will leave us feeling alone and abandoned because we will not be accepted for who we really are.

At the moment that we feel vulnerable, it presents us with a choice. The choice is one between acting from the ego or false self, or acting from your true or authentic self. While the ego may crave control, predictability and looking good in the eyes of others, the authentic self, wants to give and receive love, connection and compassion.

I think we have reached a critical point in our culture where many people are literally burnt out and exhausted from the demands of the ego. The ego is never relaxed or satisfied, and always wants control. It is getting harder to hold on to a sense of control when so many personal and world situations seem beyond our control.

Being vulnerable allows us to let go of the struggle for control

Being vulnerable allows us to let go of the struggle for control. It allows us the freedom to enter into relationships where truth and authenticity are valued, where flaws are not shamed, but merely seen as human. Vulnerability leads us to a shared connection with others because it allows us to have shared empathy with others. Vulnerability is then the place where true community building can occur. Vulnerability is in essence, the opposite of what we have been set up to believe. Vulnerability is not weakness, it is not shameful. Vulnerability is strength. It is real. It is connecting.

If we can understand that vulnerability is positive and life affirming, then perhaps we can learn to overcome our resistance to it. However, it means getting out of our own way and questioning habitual reactions.

Questions for you to consider

Here are some questions for you to consider that can help you examine your own perspectives on vulnerability.

What is it costing me to avoid uncomfortable issues? Where do I hold myself back? Where have I been unwilling to risk? In what ways will facing my vulnerability give me strength? In what ways will facing my vulnerability bring me connection to others? In what ways will facing my vulnerability bring me peace of mind?

This is the passage from our book, Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth, Self Worth with Elise’s pastel painting, Jane’s Meadow. It calls you forth to see your vulnerability as strength.

None of us are perfect, and yet all of us are deserving of love and understanding. We don’t let ourselves be who really are because we think others won’t like it. But the truth is that others won’t like it when they can’t tell who you are and that what you say really reflects who you are. That just leads to cynicism, distrust and fakeness over time. We need to give others permission to be exactly who they are so we can be who we are. No one is perfect, and yet we are all perfect in our imperfections. That is the human experience. We are here to love, learn, grow, be ourselves and know that our being here is our ticket to self worth. As we accept that and believe that, we build true authentic bonds of connection with others. All the striving to be something we are not in order to get self worth is a losing game that eventually catches up with people. You can only be an act for so long. It is your vulnerability which will make you strong and make you soar. Be yourself and be proud!

From the Head to the Heart

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From the Head to the Heart

A few weekends ago, I had the privilege to attend a workshop at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Omega is a wonderful retreat and educational center offering courses on personal and societal change from some of the leading authors, speakers and educators in the country. The title of the workshop I signed up for was “Reduced To Joy, The Journey from the Head to the Heart.” That title resonated for me because as an ex attorney, I was trained to live in my head. Even though I made some big changes in my life, transitioning from the life of an attorney to an entrepreneur, and now a writer and life coach, it was still hard to shake off some of the old patterns that seemed to come from my head. I was still grappling with issues such as trying to control outcomes, or situations, taking things personally, or striving to achieve goals that had little authentic meaning for me.

I felt that taking this workshop would serve to help me “Let Go” and really move into my heart, the place I really wanted to live.

From the beginning, the workshop, and the way it was presented started to work its magic on me. I noticed that the instructor had no written outline, there was no power point presentation. There was no agenda at all except to create an environment of presence where the sharing of experience would be honored. The instructor read from his books. He shared stories and poems about life that were about real things that happen to all of us. The heartache of loss, how an illness can shape us, how unexpected events can change one’s direction, and how through all of it, there can be a depth of joy regardless of the obstacles we encounter. Almost everyone in the room shared, and it was sharing from the heart. It was powerful.

I left the weekend workshop at Omega feeling moved and knew that I was entering a new period of transformation. I knew that for me to make the shift, I would still need to let go, but I also realized that I had already begun. By moving to Asheville after being in the same town for 19 years, and by writing and publishing a new book about healing and personal empowerment, I had entered a new phase of a journey. I embrace that journey, and am starting to trust in the more unknown but true path ahead of me.

Phil Okrend

I believe that the path for all of us to make true change in our lives starts with “letting go” of what no longer serves us. This is a passage from our book, “Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth.” It calls on you to “Let Go.”

If you don’t know what you want, then let go of what you don’t want.
Perhaps when you empty yourself of outdated notions, limiting beliefs,
what you thought you had to do from your conditioned mind,
then the fruits of a new way will have the room to penetrate. It is
much like clearing the dirt and debris to plant a new garden. We fight
with ourselves when we try to force ourselves to be a certain way,
live up to life standards that weren’t set by us in the first place. Feel
what makes you come alive and do that, but first, empty out what is
no longer true for you. When you let go, don’t feel that you need to
rush into a new way. Allow yourself to take the time to be. Trust, be patient.
The new way will come.

Tropical Belize by Elise Okrend, www.eliseokrend.com

Messages to the Heart on TV News

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On Sunday, August 3rd, we had the opportunity to sit down with a reporter Megan Schiering from ABC WLOS TV News in Asheville, North Carolina to talk about our book, Messages to the Heart.

Pairing Art and Philosophy

We loved having the opportunity to talk about how the pairing of Art and mindful passages can be healing, inspiring and empowering to readers. Here is the interview:

Elise and Phil Okrend

Messages to the Heart Beckons You to Open its Pages

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Here is an in-depth review of Messages to the Heart, by Kathleen Colburn, an editor of Asheville’s oldest and most read Arts and Culture Magazine, Rapid River.

“People are pulled to places. Sometimes they don’t know why. They just listen to the call.”

Elise and Phil Okrend have found home in Asheville. Elise’s art is at home here and things have fallen into place in many ways. They also saw the area as the perfect place to introduce their book.

These Messages To The Heart are gracefully spoken and beautifully painted. They are messages that my heart welcomes. Every image urges me to pause. Every passage speaks to me, carrying ideas and wisdom that remind me how essential this path of self-discovery is.

Phil says, “I truly believe that this book can help people make authentic changes in their lives. And I think that it can get them to a place of empowerment, wisdom and peace. It’s not by telling them what to do, but stripping away the illusions that limit their growth and potential.”

The passages are ordered so that you move from letting go, removing obstacles to your authentic self, feeling alive with trust and positivity, to an empowered place of wisdom and higher consciousness. This is the kind of book that you want to spend contemplative time with. We’re drawn to a passage, its image, and given an opportunity to reflect on a visceral connection; an emotional or intuitive understanding of what the image is saying.

I asked Elise about the connection between the images and the passages. “With some of the images the connection is immediate and clear. Others leave you to spend time with them and allow your own connection to form.”

This is not a book to just read and put away. It is a book that will continue to beckon you to open its pages for the wisdom that it holds. Wherever you open to, you’re given insight to move you along on your path.

Phil says, “In a world of distraction, this book calls you home.”

For Elise and Phil, their book is as much a celebration of creativity as it is a guide to help us get out of our own way. We are shown that, “We all have a purpose and if we can allow our wounds to dissipate and not own us, we see our purpose more.”

Messages to the Heart, available in Asheville at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, The Kress Emporium, Grateful Steps Bookstore, whiteSpace Gallery in the RAD’s Wedge Building, the Asheville Visitor Center Gift Shop and on line at Amazon.com and www.messagestotheheart.com

If You Go: Elise and Phil Okrend reading and booksigning takes place Friday, September 19, 2014 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Grateful Steps Bookstore, 159 South Lexington Ave., Asheville. For more details please call (828) 277-0998.

Finding Your Yellow Brick Road

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What is the truth about you?

One of my favorite movies of all time is “The Wizard of Oz.”

Find Your Yellow Brick Road

This timeless tale of Dorothy, her little dog Toto and her three friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion has touched generations of children and adults alike. I invite you to stroll down the Yellow Brick Road to share some insights that may be helpful in your own life journey. As we are introduced to the main characters on their journey to meet the Wizard, we learn about their beliefs.

Dorothy believes only the Wizard can help her get back home, the Scarecrow believes he doesn’t have a brain, the Tin Man believes he has no heart, and the Lion believes he has no courage. They all look to The Wizard of Oz to obtain what they believe they don’t have or possess.

But is their perception of who they are, flawed?

But is their perception of who they are, flawed? If the Lion has no courage, how does he summon the will to help his friends when they are in trouble? If the Tin Man has no heart, how can he care so much for others? If the Scarecrow has no brains, how does he conceive of the plan to rescue Dorothy? Each of them shows that they already possess the qualities they seek. So if they had believed in the truth of who they were, they would never have needed to get validation from an outside source, the Wizard.

There’s no place like home

How may this apply in your own life? You may ask the following questions: Do some of the beliefs you have adopted in your life, about what you are capable of, represent what is really true about you? Do your beliefs about yourself serve to keep you empowered and on purpose, or do they keep you from authenticity and fulfillment? Do you need external approval in order to believe that you are talented, loved, strong or grounded? The more you ask yourself, “What is the truth?” the more you can consciously choose to release the limiting beliefs that no longer serve you. You won’t have to look much further than your own backyard to do so. As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home”.

The following passage is from our book Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth. It calls on you to find your special place of truth within.

Reflections on Love Trust, Meditation Pond, Pastel Art by Elise Okrend.

If you want love, look within.

If you want peace, look within.

If you want satisfaction, look within.

If you want to be in harmony with others, look within.

If you want to be free of distraction, look within.

If you want to honor your truth, look within .

There is no reason to look anywhere else.  All that you need is within. You were just looking in the wrong place.

Phil

Phil Okrend, Certified Life and Business Coach, transitioned from being an attorney, to the life of a creative entrepreneur, writer, speaker and musician. Phil is the author of the new coffee table book “Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth,” which pairs his mindful poetic writings with the art of his wife, Asheville based pastel artist Elise Okrend. www.messagestotheheart.com and www.steppingstonescoaching.com