Past Events | Sheila Collins

Finding Joy Amidst Evidence to the Contrary

by Sheila Collins | Dec 21, 2023 | Celebrations, Duality, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Past Events, Personal Stories, The Art of Grieving

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.” The saleswoman in the consignment resale shop turns the music off, or down so low we can’t hear it. I’m fine with that because rather than get me in a holiday mood, the music seems to remind me of all I...

Grieving to Overcome Hate

by Sheila Collins | Nov 30, 2023 | Art & Life, Book Excerpts, book promotion, Celebrations, Community, Environment, Family, Gatherings, Good Will Come, Grieving, History, Past Events, Personal Stories, Publications, The Art of Grieving, the Big Body, Writing

I didn’t see the National news item when it was broadcast across the gigantic flat TV screen at the airport this morning. But I saw its effect in the eyes of my traveling companion. As he described its message to me, the churning sensations in my gut reminded me of...

Dancing On Behalf of Our Grieving Selves

by Sheila Collins | Nov 9, 2023 | Art & Life, Community, Dances, Family, Gatherings, Good Will Come, Grieving, Health, Health and Wellness, History, Improvisation, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, Story-telling, The Art of Grieving, Uncategorized

I spent the weekend in Oakland CA at InterPlayce, the home of the art-based improvisational system InterPlay, (an active creative approach to unlocking the wisdom of the body.) I’ve been a proponent, participant, practitioner, performer, teacher and altogether...

Pittsburgh Understands the Art of Grieving and Practices it Well

by Sheila Collins | Oct 26, 2023 | Art & Life, Institutional Loss, Noteworthy men, Past Events, Personal Stories, Resilience, Rituals, The Art of Grieving, Uncategorized

It was the spring of 2018. A group of leaders, educational institutions, and non-profits in Pittsburgh began working together to bring to Pittsburgh some of the 70 restored string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. They wanted...

Another Visit From a Butterfly

by Sheila Collins | Oct 12, 2023 | Art & Life, Book Excerpts, book promotion, Celebrations, Community, Environment, Gatherings, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, Women, Girls & the Feminine, Writing

I only had one assignment from my writing coach when I left Pittsburgh last week to spend 5 days in Belize at a women’s retreat. My intention was to step away and have some time for reflection, but our project is at the place where we need to establish a launch date...

Estrangements in Work and Career

by Sheila Collins | Oct 4, 2023 | Community, Duality, Environment, Grieving, Institutional Loss, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, Resilience, The Art of Grieving, the Big Body

Forty percent of people will lose a job at least once in their lifetime and 23% of people will lose a job three or more times, according to data from Intoo and the Harris Poll. In being fired, laid off, or furloughed, 73% of people will experience anxiety. This easily...