An Inspiration: Ann Segal

To flourish and survive in life one must have perspective, a sense of humor, a sense of self, a strong connection to something larger than oneself, the ability to be in the world but not totally of it, a strong sense of personal boundaries, trust, tenacity, and a deep love of life.

Ann Segal creates gorgeous photographic images but it is her calm strength that is most inspiring to me. Last month as I was struggling to stay healthy Ann appeared in several places for me and inspired me to start this “Spotlight” on remarkable individuals. I met Ann in Yoga class. Two converging paths brought me to Yoga. One was that I was asked to teach it at the gym I worked at and the other is that I was looking for pain relief from a back and neck injury. I came into Yoga expecting not to like it. I remembered my mom doing a few moves on the floor with Lilias on TV and I thought yoga was for “old people” (sorry mom). It’s true that most of the people in my first Yoga classes were older in years than me but in no way were they old in their bodies and minds. I couldn’t believe how strong and kind everyone was that I met through Yoga.  Ann was one of those individuals. At the time she taught Restorative Yoga which is a gentle and rejuvenating form of the practice. I thought it suited her perfectly because of her calm voice and steady presence.

I got to know Ann better when she took pictures of my baby girl. Even though I knew that Ann had a calming presence I was amazed to see it in action as she took photographs of Bela. Bela has always been a feisty girl and never seemed to settle for even a moment. But, she did for Ann. I was thrilled when the photos came back. You see, Bela was born  without the muscles that lift our eyelids up. So, while most photographs focus on the look of the face this concept would not do justice for our beautiful baby. Somehow Ann captures the essence of a person or a scene that she photographs. She used a perfect tag line at the time, “Seeing with the Heart.”

Along the way I found out that Ann had moved through Cancer. I wondered if surviving and then thriving after a life threatening illness didn’t make her appreciate life even more fully. Ann is one of those people who surprises me every time I see her because even though a year may have passed she always looks even more vibrant than the last time I saw her. As I worked through my illness, Ann posed the idea that perhaps being sick is the body’s natural way of detoxifying. Having overcome illness in such a positive way, I felt like she deserved great respect for her advice on health and wellness and I wondered what other insight Ann might have to share about thriving so fully in life. So, I asked her if she would share a little bit on her view of flourishing and thriving in life.

Here is Ann's response....

I am honored and flattered to be written about and somewhat amused to be called an ‘older woman’ (but that is the truth).

To flourish and survive in life one must have perspective, a sense of humor, a sense of self, a strong connection to something larger than oneself, the ability to be in the world but not totally of it, a strong sense of personal boundaries, trust, tenacity, and a deep love of life.

Taking care of myself is a big part of my life!  I have learned to identify, understand and consider my own needs first.  I try to manage my time in a way that supports my well-being.  I know how important moving/breathing is particularly for me so that is one of my priorities.  Yoga, tai chi, qigong, pilates, gyrotonics, walking are consistent practices in my life.  I practice yoga (have studied and practiced for 40 years!) daily at home in the early morning, usually walk daily where I live and most days of the week participate in the other activities mentioned. I know I feel better eating lighter/organic food and I try not to be rigid about that. I receive a massage every other week, see a chiropractor regularly and get acupuncture seasonally.  I have been doing a two week cleanse in the Fall and Spring online with Dr. John Douillard, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Boulder.  I meditate and do a restorative yoga pose daily.  I read (a wide range of) books and articles that interest me/am a gatherer of information. I have two wonderful dogs and I am in a happy/supportive long term relationship/marriage. We travel quite a bit which is always creatively inspiring/part of why I travel is to discover magic and photograph it.  I enjoy gardening/grow mostly greens, herbs and some flowers/I enjoy being connected to the earth and elements that way.

What keeps me motivated and inspired is really quite endless!  Right now the change of seasons is inspiring: the honeysuckle and trees leafing out, the daffodils and magnolias blooming/the ability of nature to renew itself

never ceases to amaze me.  Watching my dog grow from being a puppy…witnessing other artists’ creative expression…when we travel observing new landscapes, different cultures…a great film/many forms of music/great contemporary architecture/great writing…I am inspired by the organic/green movement/by people who speak truth to power…

Resources:  Since my cancer experience 12 years ago I have been studying/practicing Ayurveda which is a very individually based system of health.  One of the things I like is its exuberance for life. I get alot of info from John Douillard’s website, lifespa.com but also read/listen to Deepak Chopra.  For politics I like Rachel Maddow,  Bill Maher, truthout.com and the Daily Beast.  I highly recommend checking out gyrotonics/gyrokinesis at Body Mind Balance/it is all about spinal fluidity and I find it very therapeutic/I call it ‘goddess work.’  Great Pilates there too. I study tai chi and qigong with Alan Hundley at Shine and highly recommend his classes and massage.  I have done panchakarmas (week long Ayurvedic cleansing including daily massage) at the Raj, Rasayana Cove and The Chopra Center and would recommend all. There are many good acupuncturists these days in Cincinnati/I have been going to the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine for many years/pioneers in alternative healthcare.  Some of my photographs are on the walls there.

People who have inspired/touched/resonated with me and/or raised my vibration are:  Swami Satchidananda, BKS Iyengar,  Michio Kushi, Sally Kempton, Howard Zinn, James Baldwin, MLK, Malcom X,  Phillip Glass, John and Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Barack Obama, Queen Noor, Deepak Chopra and my uncle Dilly Segal.

I have some upcoming shows of my photography:  May/Skytop Starbucks (Mt. Washington) and June/Harper’s Point Starbucks and Awakenings Café.