All articles, tagged with “canada”

Do you have trouble getting to sleep?

We keep hearing from people that lack of rest is one of life’s major disruptions. So, we decided to create a guided meditation that can give sleep assistance to others.

The video process incorporates simple techniques to relax the body and mind. In addition, you’ll bring your waking hours to a close with appreciation for your life and the events of the day while releasing any racing thoughts.

You may close your eyes at any time during this guided meditation and just listen to the audio.

When you finish the video and get into bed, you may continue to use the technique in which you imagine writing down your thoughts and setting them into the river. Or, you may just follow your breathing in and out as you drift off to sleep.

Please remove all distractions from the area where you watch this video to experience the full benefit.

There is also an audio-only version of this video on the Creative Mentor page of our website.

Sweet dreams :)

Our latest multimedia innovation is designed to help people perform music with confidence. Most people who play or sing music wish to express themselves fully to others through this universal form of communication.

However, many people worry about being judged, compare themselves to others, and get anxious about making mistakes while delivering their musical message. Their focus turns away from the joy of expression to the fear of performing and being vulnerable.

A simple guided process, this brand new video was created to give both amateur and professional performers:

1. self-acceptance
2. self-confidence
3. freedom of expression
4. the idea that music is a universal language of connection
5. tools for mental preparation

For full instructions on how to use the video, go to the video’s page on YouTube and look at the description below the video.

As performers, Candice and I have used all of these techniques and experienced fantastic results. We also teach these concepts to our students. But, this is the first time we’ve organized the system in such a comprehensive, yet concise package.

If you know anyone who would like to be more peaceful and expressive while performing, feel free to share this video with them.

This video is the first installment in our brand new series entitled, GC Meditation Series. Upcoming videos will address topics like sleeplessness, goal attainment, public speaking, appreciation, exercise and health, abundance and forming an effective practice habit.

Greg, our two traveling cats and I spent Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (2nd weekend in October) on the Canadian side of the Thousand Islands in Ontario. We were enthralled by the quiet beauty and uniqueness of the area.

There are around 1865 islands in a 50 mile span of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario that vary greatly in size. Some smaller ones have a charming house or two on them with small bridges connecting a couple tiny islands. Imagine living on your own private island! The Iroquois referred to this area as “Garden of the Great Spirit”. And this IS where Thousand Island dressing was created.

We accessed the Thousand Islands from Gananoque, ON, a lovely little town (pop. 5285) about midway between Toronto and Montreal. We were so impressed by the friendliness of the people. The optimal time to see Fall colors is generally the 3rd weekend in October. Here are some of our trip highlights and links for more info:

In order to see the islands, it’s best to take a boat cruise. The Gananoque Boat Line offers journeys of various lengths including a 5-hour Boldt Castle Stopover Cruise. The 1-hour cruise ($20 per person) was a perfect length for us. We happened upon the boat just as it was departing and since we missed the ticket counter, the dockhand trustingly let us on without tickets. We did buy them afterwards, and it saved us a 1.5 hr. wait for the next boat. The Gan Boat Line gift shop was offering 40% off most items for the holiday, and the cashier was very informative about the area.

For lunch, the gift shop cashier recommended the Ganonoque Inn and Spa for their waterfront view and wi-fi. We tried one of the Inn’s restaurants, Muskie Jake’s, which features delicious casual fare and generous portions. Try the lemon beer-battered fish and chips or veggie wrap. For Thanksgiving weekend, they serve a special all-inclusive turkey dinner for $20 on Sunday night by reservation only. Good deal!

Only 25 minutes away, Kingston sports a pretty waterfront reminiscent of Vancouver’s marina with some nice pubs along the river.

Visit 1000 Islands Gananoque for places to stay, like the picturesque Athlone Inn, and more activities. For campers, there are many nice resorts, including 1000 Islands Camping Resort which is quiet, pretty and has full hook-ups. The 1000 Islands/Ivy Lea KOA has Thanksgiving dinner and Trick or Treat this weekend, but it books up early.

If you want to access this area from upstate New York, click on Visit 1000 Islands.

Happy travels!

Sitting here near Niagara Falls right now, I’m amazed at how many times one can return to this spot and be amazed. The aquamarine color of the Niagara River and the power of the falls are always a sight to behold. We caught a double rainbow as we were leaving Horseshoe Falls!

We tried out some new experiences on this trip that were quite rewarding. We hiked the rugged Niagara Glen, visited the amazing Butterfly Conservatory and hung out in quaint Niagara-on-the-Lake (the deep blue of Lake Ontario can be seen below at the mouth of the Niagara River).

Here are a few of the 250 photos we captured from the weekend. We also gathered lots of video footage for future Water Films and music inspiration.

Enjoy! Be sure to scroll all the way down to see one of the butterflies from the conservatory.

We just got back from a beautiful wintertime visit to the Canadian Rockies. The stunning natural beauty of that landscape is awe-inspiring in every season.

Check out this Water Film which was shot in the Bow Valley near Banff National Park. The solitude and beauty of the Bow River can give you peace whenever you desire.

The soundtrack for this film is called “Cold Valley,” which can be downloaded here.

Press play and enjoy!

You can also watch it on YouTube.

We’re just weeks away from the release of our Water Films DVD, so people can take these inspiring natural journeys wherever they like and watch the videos in full HD.

Right behind the place where we stay near Canmore, Alberta is a trail that leads to the Bow River. At any time of year this wonderful walk inspires a sense of awe and peace.

This has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth! Moraine Lake is this magical aquamarine colored lake, nestled in the Valley of Ten Peaks in Banff National Park. The new Water Film below gives you a taste of this unbelievable setting.

The soundtrack is brand new music, named after the lake. You can download it here.

Press play to see why this is a place that we visit year after year.

You can also watch it in HD on YouTube

Here’s Part One of our Western National Parks trip in an RV. Part Two is coming in the next blog post.

Enjoy the scenery and the adventure!

All of the music is available on our website.

You can also watch the video in HD on YouTube.

This Saturday, June 26 from 9 am to 9 pm, we’re offering a free track for you to download from the brand new CD, “Waterflow II — Music for Relaxation.”

To view the Facebook Event details, click here.

Hope to see you there!

We’re pleased to announce the official release of “Waterflow II — Music for Relaxation!” These five calming tracks that contain soothing music blended with recordings of water can transport you instantly to a place of deep relaxation.

With this CD, you can reconnect with nature at any time of the day for better focus, peace or creative inspiration.

Join us for our Facebook Event on Saturday, June 26, 2010 for the opportunity to download one of the tracks from the album for FREE. For event details, click here.

Here are some places where you can purchase the brand new album (physical CD version):

• Whole Foods Market — University Heights in Cleveland, Ohio
• Whole Foods Market — Dublin in Columbus, Ohio
• Whole Foods Market — Upper Arlington in Columbus, Ohio
• Amazon.com
• CDBaby.com

• iTunes
• Amazon.com
• Omstream.com (where members receive a 25% discount on downloads)
• CDBaby.com
• GCCreativeStudio.com

This sample video gives you a taste of the album. Just press play and allow the scenery and sounds to take you to a quiet, inspiring place…