Something Beautiful

Sacra conversazione

In trying to find a work that would feel "just right," I looked in on the Fra Angelico works at the World Gallery of Art. Among many other possibilities, I found this Sacra Conversazione, c. 1445.

I've come across that Italian phrase before but its meaning has remained a bit vague for me. Checking it out, here's one definition that I found:

sacra conversazione (It.: ‘holy conversation’). A representation of the Virgin and Child with Saints in which all the sacred personages are disposed in a single pictorial space rather than in the separate compartments of a polyptych. Usually the figures are shown silently communing rather than conversing. The type originated in Italy in the first half of the 15th century . . . .

Here's another Sacra Conversazione, c. 1450, also by Fra Angelico.

Portable Poetry

Another small anthology of excellent, mostly classic, poems can be found at Portable Poetry.

The power of touching

If a high five or an equivalent can in fact enhance performance, on the field or in the office, that may be because it reduces stress. A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, and to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

In the brain, prefrontal areas, which help regulate emotion, can relax, freeing them for another of their primary purposes: problem solving. In effect, the body interprets a supportive touch as “I’ll share the load.”

“We think that humans build relationships precisely for this reason, to distribute problem solving across brains,” said James A. Coan, a a psychologist at the University of Virginia. “We are wired to literally share the processing load, and this is the signal we’re getting when we receive support through touch.”

via www.nytimes.com

A beautiful atmosphere

We need, I think, to live in a beautiful atmosphere. I haven't said that before because I'm usually afraid that it's impossible, that it's asking too much.

Bob Herbert's column in today's New York Times gives me courage to believe otherwise. It's about schools and the atmosphere a school needs to be great. Just reading it is exciting and life-giving.

Keith's favorite poems

I love to come across people's personal collections of favorite poems. Thus I was delighted to discover Keith's poetry archive. Keith has made a further, smaller selection of twelve, designated as his most favorite poems.

Your inner wisdom

I read this a few minutes ago --

Meditation is really just quieting yourself enough so you can get in touch with your own inner wisdom.

Poems about paintings

The idea of one art commenting on another is intriguing. A small number of poets have written short poems on one painting or another. Professor Harry Rusche has collected some of those poems, along with the paintings, at this site.

Eminent critic at Dunkin' Donuts

There's just something about these photos of Helen Vendler, eminent literary critic, Shakespeare scholar, and Harvard professor, at Dunkin' Donuts in New York City.

Wisdom = not letting things get to you?

The modern philosopher-essayist Alain de Botton has said that "Most of 'wisdom' boils down to the art of not letting things get to you." Is that true?

I read these words in high school and have often thought of them since then. And always to my benefit --

Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can? -- Henry David Thoreau