News & Articles

One of the things that I love about psychology is the fact that, as far as sciences go, it is a relatively young one. This means that many of the biggest pioneers in the field are still alive, and new findings are continually being introduced. One such discovery, is the idea that our brains are truly relational entities. Largely through the work of Dan Siegel, M.D., we are becoming aware of the influence that relationships have on our brains, as well as, the fact that these organs have the capacity to develop new pathways throughout our entire life-span. This translates to the potential to learn more flexible and balanced ways to approach formerly stressful situations. In discussing the concept of “mirror neurons,” Dr. Siegel has enlightened us to the way in which close proximity to one another encourages parts of our brains to function with interpersonal synchronicity. This is very exciting news, on many levels, but particularly for those of us who are in the healing arts.

The movie, “The Social Network,” which depicts the rise of the now infamous, “Facebook,” comes out this weekend, and it has many of us thinking about said website's extraordinarily speedy success rate. How is it that a college kid was able to find the right elements to put together a concept that would make him the youngest billionaire of his time? I have not seen the film, but I believe that what “Facebook’s” creator, Mark Zuckerberg, has capitalized on is a basic human need. The need for connection.

Today is a very special day. Not only is it the Autumnal Equinox, or one of two days in the year where the center of the sun is in the same plane as the Earth’s equator, but it is also the first time since 1991 that Fall will begin with a full -actually Harvest- moon. This is fascinating news since 1991 also marked the start of the Dave Matthews Band’s touring career, and 2011 will be their first summer off since that fateful annum. Events like this make one think of the natural cycle of things, and how interesting it is when personal decisions coincide with ecological occurrences. It makes us wonder whether astrological pulls could in some way affect our behaviors, perhaps unconsciously.

Every year, my Gorge envy gets worse, and this year is no exception. Arguably the best Dave Matthews Band venue, this outdoor arena draws somewhere around 30,000 fans for a three day festival of fresh air, spectacular music, starry nights, and a much-needed chance to commune with new and old friends alike. Looking over the set-lists from last weekend, I am astounded at the variety that Gorge-goers enjoyed, and I can just imagine the energy that the band poured into each performance. Anything goes at this amphitheater, which may explain how rarities like “Loving Wings,” “Fool to Think,” and “Sleep to Dream Her,” hit the stage. But what really tickles my jealousy bone is the idea of a “Last Stop” into “Dreaming Tree” intro on the first night of the series.