by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Jan 8, 2017 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
“I gave them my all and they gave me back my life.” ~Mark Barone
“As you sow, so shall you reap…” is from the King James Version of the Bible, Epistle to the Galatians, 6.7, and a quote with a strong meaning for karma. It means consequences of actions are in proportion to intentions. The seeds you have sown may be your children; your future. Do you want a future filled with cruelty or compassion?
You may have heard the saying, “An Act of God”, but what about An Act of Dog? And, what do art and compassion have to do with either phrase? More than you may imagine, especially if you love man’s-best-friend. This interview illustrates how painting with a purpose can save a dog’s life, improve our world, and create a better future for our children one gentle stroke at a time.
According to studies cited in Stanford Social Innovation Review and Prezi artists have a powerful medium for reporting on the consciousness of our civilization. By combining the two parallel pathways of art and compassion a powerful engine for social change can be created.
Mark Barone and Marina Dervan create art-work that saves lives every day, because animal lives matter, too.
Marina Dervan is a twenty year veteran of coaching corporate executives from Wall Street to Continental Europe. But her most recent endeavor is one generated from the heart. She is the co-founder of the charity, An Act of Dog. Charity founder artist Mark Barone and Marina created the working, interactive Museum of Compassion where children can come to expression their passion and follow their path of emotional self-discovery concerning all acts of love and atrocities in society, but especially those for and against animals.
“All children are born artists,” Picasso said. Marina and Mark agree.
As a narrative painter for thirty-five years, Mark never had any interest in painting “pretty art” for the wall. His work always has a purpose and a spiritual foundation with a focus on the struggles of the human condition. Now his art and charity is impacting change for our animal friends. Mark’s personal story of redemption includes two cherished dogs, Santina and Rudy. It is the power of dog-love that powers Mark’s paint brushes and Marina’s media engagements.
It all started so innocently.
Marina had always considered herself to be a cat-lady until she met Santina, the brown eyed dog who stole her heart. When twenty-two-year-old Santina died Mark and Marina were devastated. They grieved, as many parents do after losing a fur-child.
When Marina decided to adopt another dog her heart and dreams were shattered again by a waking nightmare.
While searching online she discovered the appalling graphic evidence pointing to the chilling numbers of animals being dumped and destroyed every day. Animals that had once been a part of someone’s family were killed in mind-boggling numbers.
Marina and Mark could have turned away and few would have faulted them for it. After all, what could two people possibly do to make any difference in the lives of so many deserted creatures destined for death?
Within two days of this gruesome discovery, Mark decides to paint the approximate number of dogs killed each day in shelters to illustrate the stark reality of our inhumane animal parenting and sheltering. It was a case of art to the rescue.
Thus began the 5,500 portraits of shelter dogs to create social awareness.
Mark’s goal is to use his art to bring to consciousness a need for compassion and social change to create a solution to this murder and thereby empower pets. He understands that creativity cultivates original ideas that have value and purpose.
Children’s pets and artwork go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mark explains, “kids are the unwrapped gifts to our future, and we believe it is critically important to put meaningful art back into schools to allow them the process of self-discovery and to ignite a desire to become informed about the atrocities in society.”
It is time to take a stand and make a change. Shelters used as stark holding tanks for death need to become compassionate foster care homes for pets. Art work created by children that focus on all God’s creatures can become the messenger for social change.
It is Mark and Marina’s goal to help students use creativity to bring life-solutions into the light.
“Creativity is as important as literacy,” Mark says. It is also a way to illustrate the power of art in education because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Mark and Marina began to design and sell products around the world to raise the necessary funds to support the life-saving animal welfare organizations across the nations.
Soon after, An Act of Dog was born. The project has garnered the attention of worldwide media including Oprah, rising country star John Scargall, and they have partnered with filmmaker Sagacity Production which has almost completed the filming of a documentary about this timely and powerful project.
Mark and Marina’s actions are in proportion with their intention to make the world a better place. An Act of Dog is a stroke of genius by Mark and Marina who are making a big difference in the world, one painting at a time. What do you believe you can do?
Trailers: http://anactofdog.org/page/other-videos
VIDEO Interview- CLICK Link to WATCH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzEpD7FHuiI
Photo Credit – All pictures and paintings are the property of Mark Barone who has given Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos permission to use them in her articles.
by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Nov 17, 2016 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
“There is nothing more life changing than gratitude. This I know for sure.” ~Oprah Winfrey
Nightmares are blessings in disguise and a call to action. I immediately gave thanks for the Divine intervention. And, that brings me back to here and now, at the hospital —pissed off and panting! “Thank you God for guiding me. I can’t do this alone,” I thought. Then, the power of gratitude flowed into intention which began to manifest results.
“I want an appointment for an MRI and I don’t care if they can give me a false negative. I’d rather sweat through a negative biopsy than have another missed positive mammogram. You have my records on your computer. See who made the last appointment and then make one for me, please!”
The secretary must have pushed a hidden panic button because Dr. Harold appeared.
“I already told you, we don’t write MRI prescriptions here. Who wrote your last one?” he said.
Those words had echoed in my mind as I ran between the lower floor of nuclear medicine to ninth floor oncology to fifth floor surgery, to find who had written the last prescription. Isn’t that why I have medical records? My dream said an MRI is a matter of life and death. So, I’m not leaving until I have that appointment, even if it means lying on the floor of his waiting room and throwing a full-fledged temper tantrum like a two year old brat denied candy.
“I don’t know who wrote the last prescription, nor do I care. I want you to write this one, now, please.”
“Kathy, you are healthy and it’s not hospital policy to give MRIs without a reason.”
Is this déjà vu or have I been transported back in time to the same response five years ago? I need to pinch myself, or better yet pinch Dr. Harold. Instead, armed with gratitude for guidance I step closer for effect. “ I want an MRI. If I hadn’t convinced Dr. Wagner to perform exploratory surgery on me, against hospital policy, I’d be dead now.”
Four months later my MRI results showed stage four breast cancer recurrence.
I could have sued and won but chose not to. I could have chosen to remain angry but, that would drain my immune system. Anger is debilitating. Instead, I chose to stand in gratitude and immediately said a silent prayer. “Thank you for giving me strength and guidance to self-advocate. Please use me.” I decided to let-go-and-let-God with the statement, “Thy will be done. If I am to die thank you for giving me time to get my house in order. If I am to live, thank you for allowing me to be of service to others. ” With those words of gratitude I could not loose, and that made me a winner, which was reason for more gratitude creating a cyclone of positive energy. That was 12 and 17 years ago. Gratitude is still swirling.
Gratitude is a big part of my daily healing and can be used to pay-it-back or pay-it-forward. My favorite prayer is, “I thank you for all that I am, all that I will be, all that I have, all that I choose to give away, and all that I will receive.” So simple. So powerful!
No matter what you are feeling right now give thanks for it. Breathe in healing gratitude and exhale any limitations. You always have a choice. You can bemoan your lot in life or look for the silver lining and give thanks for the opportunity to rise above your challenges. Every challenge is a stepping stone toward gratitude. Be grateful and give thanks.
Giving thanks means more than a seat at the Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table. It is a daily event that involves taking a momentary break from your fast paced life to put a smile on your face.
Gratitude is a mind-set that holds the key to shifting your awareness from an attitude of rejecting and defending to one of acceptance and appreciation in order for more abundance to magically flow.
Studies by Robert A. Emmons PhD, a leading expert on the subject of gratitude, show people who live in a state of pervasive thankfulness experience life differently than people who cheat themselves out of joy by not feeling grateful.
Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you are thankful for something or someone? When present in the moment of gratitude we feel more open, more generous, more connected, more aware and more alive.
Why save that special feeling for a certain day, occasion, or time of the year? Don’t wait for a reason to be thankful, paying it forward and give thanks for anything the Universe may send you in the future. Make it a game. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and give thanks now. Begin a new life of gratitude this moment. Your Spirit-guides and Guardian-angels love to play the Gratitude Game. The rule is simple: The worse the problem the more grateful you must become for receiving inner- guidance to grow from the challenge. You simply can’t lose at the Gratitude Game.
BIO: Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos is an international, multi-award-winning author, contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul, Internationally Syndicated Columnist, TV/Radio host/producer of Wicked Housewives On Cape Cod. ™and The Kat Kanavos Show. She is a three-time cancer survivor whose dreams diagnosed her illness, is written in medical journals and invited on National Talk Shows like Dr. Oz. Kat lives her life daily in gratitude and grace. Learn more at KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com
by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Nov 17, 2016 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
By Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
“There is nothing more life changing than gratitude. This I know for sure.” ~Oprah Winfrey
What do you feel at this moment? If it is love, anger, fear or sadness? Be grateful because gratitude is an emotional game-changer and fuel for life that activates your Inner-guidance. As a three-time breast cancer survivor whose precognitive dreams diagnosed illness the medical community missed, gratitude played a huge part in my survival. Gratitude is a game changer.
This is wrong—so wrong! No one should have to fight this hard in a hospital to get the tests they know they need to live. I burst into my doctor’s waiting room for the second time in ten minutes.
“That’s it! I’ve had enough! I don’t want any more run-around!” I hiss at the secretary. Her big blue eyes stare in disbelief. Is she astonished at my anger or my return from the ridiculous quest to find my own medical information?
This is not the way I want to start the week after my healthy mammogram. I had burst into this same office that day too, but then it was out of fear after my unexpected visitor “from the other side.” A monk spirit guide dressed in a brown robe and invisible to everyone except me had appeared at my mammography reading, pointed to a spot on the film, and said, “Tell the doctor to look there.”
“Thank you, God.”I thought, pulled the hospital gown tighter around me and repeated the message to the doctor reading the film. He responded with, “You’re healthy. Go home.”
So I did. But, that n
ight another dream warned me of the real nightmare unfolding again in my life. Who could forget monk Spirit-guides dressed in scary circus clown suits showing you a life threatening problem on a mammogram? “Wake-up!” I screamed.
Nightmares are blessings in disguise and a call to action. I immediately gave thanks for the Divine intervention. And, that brings me back to here and now, at the hospital —pissed off and panting! “Thank you God for guiding me! I can’t do this alone,” I thought. Then, the power of gratitude flowed into intention which began to manifest results.
“I want an appointment for an MRI and I don’t care if they can give me a false negative. I’d rather sweat through a negative biopsy than have another missed positive mammogram. You have my records on your computer. See who made the last appointment and then make one for me, please!”
The secretary must have pushed a hidden panic button because Dr. Harold appeared.
“I already told you, we don’t write MRI prescriptions here. Who wrote your last one?” he said.
Those words had echoed in my mind as I ran between the lower floor of nuclear medicine to ninth floor oncology to fifth-floor surgery, to find who had written the last prescription. Isn’t that why I have medical records? My dream said an MRI is a matter of life and death. So, I’m not leaving until I have that appointment, even if it means lying on the floor of his waiting room and throwing a full-fledged temper tantrum like a two-year-old brat denied candy.
…..Join us for part 2 of this article.
BIO: Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos is an international, multi-award-winning author, contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul, Internationally Syndicated Columnist, TV/Radio host/producer of Wicked Housewives On Cape Cod. ™and The Kat Kanavos Show. She is a three-time cancer survivor whose dreams diagnosed her illness, is written in medical journals and invited on National Talk Shows like Dr. Oz. Kat lives her life daily in gratitude and grace. Learn more @ KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com
by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Nov 17, 2016 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
By Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
“There is nothing more life changing than gratitude. This I know for sure.” ~Oprah Winfrey
What do you feel at this moment? If it is love, anger, fear or sadness? Be grateful because gratitude is an emotional game-changer and fuel for life. As a three time breast cancer survivor whose precognitive dreams diagnosed illness the medical community missed each time, gratitude played a huge part in my survival. Gratitude is a game changer. ..
This is wrong—so wrong! No one should have to fight this hard in a hospital to get the tests they know they need to live. I burst into my doctor’s waiting room for the second time in ten minutes.
“That’s it! I’ve had enough! I don’t want any more run-around!” I hiss at the secretary. Her big blue eyes stare in disbelief. Is she astonished at my anger or my return from the ridiculous quest to find my own medical information?
This is not the way I want to start the week after my healthy mammogram. I had burst into this same office that day too, but then it was out of fear after my unexpected visitor “from the other side.” A monk spirit guide dressed in a brown robe and invisible to everyone except me had appeared at my mammography reading, pointed to a spot on the film, and said, “Tell the doctor to look there.”
“Thank you, God.”I thought, pulled the hospital gown tighter around me and repeated the message to the doctor reading the film. He responded with, “You’re healthy. Go home.”
So I did. But, that night another dream warned me of the real nightmare unfolding again in my life. Who could forget monk Spirit-guides dressed in scary circus clown suits showing you a life threatening problem on a mammogram? “Wake-up!” I screamed.
Nightmares are blessings in disguise and a call to action. I immediately gave thanks for the Divine intervention. And, that brings me back to here and now, at the hospital —pissed off and panting! “Thank you God for guiding me. I can’t do this alone,”I thought. Then, the power of gratitude flowed into intention which began to manifest results.
“I want an appointment for an MRI and I don’t care if they can give me a false negative. I’d rather sweat through a negative biopsy than have another missed positive mammogram. You have my records on your computer. See who made the last appointment and then make one for me, please!”
The secretary must have pushed a hidden panic button because Dr. Harold appeared.
“I already told you, we don’t write MRI prescriptions here. Who wrote your last one?” he said.
Those words had echoed in my mind as I ran between the lower floor of nuclear medicine to ninth floor oncology to fifth floor surgery, to find who had written the last prescription. Isn’t that why I have medical records? My dream said an MRI is a matter of life and death. So, I’m not leaving until I have that appointment, even if it means lying on the floor of his waiting room and throwing a full-fledged temper tantrum like a two year old brat denied candy.
“I don’t know who wrote the last prescription, nor do I care. I want you to write this one, now, please.”
“Kathy, you are healthy and it’s not hospital policy to give MRIs without a reason.”
Is this déjà vu or have I been transported back in time to the same response five years ago? I need to pinch myself, or better yet pinch Dr. Harold. Instead, armed with gratitude for guidance I step closer for effect. “ I want an MRI. If I hadn’t convinced Dr. Wagner to perform exploratory surgery on me, against hospital policy, I’d be dead now.”
Four months later my MRI results showed stage four breast cancer recurrence.
I could have sued and won but chose not to. I could have chosen to remain angry but, that would drain my immune system. Anger is debilitating. Instead, I chose to stand in gratitude and immediately said a silent prayer. “Thank you for giving me strength and guidance to self-advocate. Please use me.” I decided to let-go-and-let-God with the statement, “Thy will be done. If I am to die thank you for giving me time to get my house in order. If I am to live, thank you for allowing me to be of service to others. ” With those words of gratitude I could not loose, and that made me a winner, which was reason for more gratitude creating a cyclone of positive energy. That was 12 and 17 years ago. Gratitude is still swirling.
Gratitude is a big part of my daily healing and can be used to pay-it-back or pay-it-forward. My favorite prayer is, “I thank you for all that I am, all that I will be, all that I have, all that I choose to give away, and all that I will receive.” So simple. So powerful!
No matter what you are feeling right now give thanks for it. Breathe in healing gratitude and exhale any limitations. You always have a choice. You can bemoan your lot in life or look for the silver lining and give thanks for the opportunity to rise above your challenges. Every challenge is a stepping stone toward gratitude. Be grateful and give thanks.
Giving thanks means more than a seat at the Thanksgiving table. It is a daily event that involves taking a momentary break from your fast paced life to put a smile on your face.
Gratitude is a mind-set that holds the key to shifting your awareness from an attitude of rejecting and defending to one of acceptance and appreciation in order for more abundance to magically flow.
Studies by Robert A. Emmons PhD, a leading expert on the subject of gratitude, show people who live in a state of pervasive thankfulness experience life differently than people who cheat themselves out of joy by not feeling grateful.
Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you are thankful for something or someone? When present in the moment of gratitude we feel more open, more generous, more connected, more aware and more alive.
Why save that special feeling for a certain day, occasion, or time of the year? Don’t wait for a reason to be thankful, paying it forward and give thanks for anything the Universe may send you in the future. Make it a game. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and give thanks now. Begin a new life of gratitude this moment. Your Spirit-guides and Guardian-angels love to play the Gratitude Game. The rule is simple: The worse the problem the more grateful you must become for receiving inner- guidance to grow from the challenge. You simply can’t lose at the Gratitude Game.
photo credit: posters owned by author.
BIO: Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos is an international, multi-award-winning author, contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul, Internationally Syndicated Columnist, TV/Radio host/producer of Wicked Housewives On Cape Cod. ™and The Kat Kanavos Show. She is a three time cancer survivor whose dreams diagnosed her illness, is written in medical journals and invited on National Talk Shows like Dr. Oz. Kat lives her life daily in gratitude and grace. Learn more at KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com
by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Nov 9, 2016 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
Are you making New Year Resolutions that take too big a bite out of life to chew?
As we prepare to celebrate the holidays by giving thanks for past successes while facing the changes we plan to make for the New Year in the form of resolutions, stress levels often rise. Especially, when we realize we did not meet our goals from last year. Such is life in the fast lane. Welcome to the real world. The good news is you are not alone.
By focusing on a New Year resolution that is realistic you have a better chance for success. Success reduces stress. Choose to set yourself up for success rather than failure which add to stress.
According to statistics, one of the most frequently implemented New Year’s Resolution deals with diet and weight. Diet and weight are an important part of our physical and mental health. It is as simple as realizing that when we look good we feel good. When our favorite jeans fit, we are happy.
Resolving to make that dream a reality is great. Let’s start by taking small bites, no pun intended.
Rather than saying you are going to lose a large amount of weight by this time next year, break the resolution down into workable parts. Choose a realistic amount of weight loss, or gain, that you will chart weekly. Now you are working with yourself rather than against yourself by implementing a realistic and achievable goal that will display positive results on a chart.
Evaluation and accountability are very important in the success of a New Year Resolution.
Often the most difficult parts of a New Year Resolution is stating it in a way that is precise, measurable and can focus on success. This is called a behavioral objective which is a defined description of an expected experience.
Behavioral objectives that are people oriented place the emphasis upon what the person is expected to do within a designated time period with testable measurements for evaluation, and accountability for optimum success. One of the biggest problems with New Year resolutions is accountability and evaluation.
The key to solving the accountability and evaluation issues is to develop a clear, concise objective.
Below is an example of a very simple precise and measurable New Year resolution that focuses on weight loss. The behavioral objective below has five parts; 1.) The defined time and weight, 2.) What amount of weight that will be lost, 3.) How it will be measured, 4.) How the weight loss will be obtained, 5.) The end result and time.
Starting today, November 20th, 2015, over the next 12 months, I will lose 30 pounds of weight. My weight loss will be measured weekly on every Monday using a scale and will display a 1/2 pound loss which will create a 2 1/2 pound loss per month for 12 months, resulting in a total 30 pound loss by November 2016. This weight loss will be charted and achieved by reducing the consumption of deserts and alcohol to only one serving per weekend and increasing twice the current amount of leafy greens consumed during at least one meal per day.
Here is a behavioral objective pattern for success that you can use for anything you wish to change in your life. Although it is taken from the one above that focuses on weight, health and wellness, tweak it to meet your needs, time period, and objectives. Fill in the blanks so it becomes your successful Behavioral Objective New Year Resolution.
As seen today (date)_________by this time next year, (date)___________, I (your name)_________ will have (state your desired behavior) _________________. This behavior will be measured (how often) _____________by (device)____________, and will display (desired results)_____________ which will create (amount)_________ per (time period)__________. This will be charted by ______________ and success will be seen as (state new behavior)____________________________________.
Set up your chart. As you review your success on the chart you will be rewarded by accountability and evaluate. Now you are working with yourself for success.
Use your dreams as a GPS to keep you on the right road.
If you miss a self-evaluation measurement see if you are reminded of it in a dream. Your dream may be validation that your inner-guidance is now part of your success team.
Turn your stress into a game. See how often you hit your mark on your daily or weekly objective.
Reward yourself with a pat on the back when you fill in your chart. Now, you have bragging rights. Share your New Year Resolution Behavioral Objectives with your friends. Perhaps they would like to join you in this healthy game.
It is human to be stressed. Suffering through it alone is a choice.
Choose to control your stress through dreams, prayers and meditations rather than allowing it to control you. Make resolutions you can keep. And, enjoy your Happy Holidays.
By: Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos, TV/Radio Show Host/Producer, International Bestselling award winning author of Surviving Cancerland: Intuitive Aspects of Healing. Kat taught special education and psychology for ten years. She frequently taught and created Behavioral Objectives on Individual Educational Plans for students. Kat believes dreams can diagnose our life. Learn more @ http://www.KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com
by Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos | Nov 9, 2016 | Access Your Inner Guide, Uncategorized
Quote: “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”~
William James
Are you stressed beyond belief but cannot pinpoint exactly where it is coming from or which challenge is the most annoying? Perhaps viewing stress from a different perspective-that of a game- will help find positive solutions.
Once again, the holidays are upon us.
As we prepare to celebrate them by giving thanks for past successes while facing the changes we plan to make for the New Year in the form of resolutions, stress levels often rise. Especially, when we realize we did not meet our goals from last year. Such is life in the fast lane. Welcome to the real world. The good news is you are not alone.
This year resolve to be successful in your resolutions by turning stress into a positive game.
Dreams, Prayers, and Meditations are three under-utilized innate gifts perfect for stress-reduction and resolution creation. Your dreams are Sacred Doorways to Universal Wisdom that contains answers to all your daily challenges. Daydreams solve nagging problems. Your answers to prayers often come in the form of dreams or nightmares. Simple Meditations that focus on Breath and Gratitude can be done anywhere anytime and have been proved to:
- increase focus and productivity
Here is a very short meditation to help you through the holiday season. Don’t wait.
You can start right now. Use it anywhere and anytime to de-stress.
1.) Focus on your breath flowing into your nostrils.
2.) Breathe in. Breathe out…
3.) Count five breaths.
4.) End with one deep breath.
5.) Repeat until your tension melts away.
6.) Give thanks for all you have including the Breath of Life.
You can do this simple meditation as often as necessary; in your work place, at home, or while stuck in traffic, with your eyes open, of course. No one will know you are de-stressing. Your secret will be safe.
Join me for Part 2 of this article which will focus on New Year Resolutions.
By: Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos, TV/Radio Show Host/Producer, International Bestselling award winning author of Surviving Cancerland: Intuitive Aspects of Healing. Kat taught special education and psychology for ten years. She frequently taught and created Behavioral Objectives on Individual Educational Plans for students. Kat believes dreams can diagnose our life. Learn more @ http://www.KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com
