New Age Art
When we hear the word “New Age”, what is the first thing that pops into our minds? Probably a new form of thinking, where ideas are welcomed and change is encouraged. It is probably a period in history, something in the likes of the “Pre-historic age” or the “Medieval Age”. It is probably happening right now, the 21st century where life is modern and “New Age” refers to everything that is currently happening.As a matter of fact, the “New Age movement” is something that has been happening for quite some time and is not really new. There are a lot of different branches of the “New Age movement”, which includes New Age art, New Age music, New Age Spirituality and so on. So what exactly is “New Age” and how does it affect our lives today?What does “New Age” mean?If you do a simple search in Google, you would probably come up with a million different and confusing search results that will take you to a lot of different sites that are religious in nature. There is nothing confusing about this, because the term “New Age” is actually coined to describe a spiritual movement for the modern world. In a nutshell, the New Age movement’s main aim is to be a boundless and borderless spiritual movement that combines the Western and Eastern culture to create the perfect and holistic approach when it comes to spirituality. It is the movement which combines all of the theories of the past 2000+ years and rejects all of the unnecessary and unrealistic baggage that plagues most common religions and ways of thinking. The New Age movement believes in the importance of a perfect balance between the three main components of humanity: Body, Mind and Spirit.
The Body is the shell or the basic physical manifestation of the human being, and it is the main toll that we use to interact with the physical world;
The Mind is the non-physical or the subconscious aspect of the human being, and it is the tool that we use in order for us to create and imagine the things we need that can manifest itself in the physical world;
The Spirit is the metaphysical, and it basically deals with the “being” of the human existence.
If during more primitive times, religion or spirituality cannot live side-by-side with science, the New Age movement actually claims that human beings live for the Body, Mind and Spirit. Perfect balance should be created between the three fundamental aspects of the human so that we can continually grow in understanding and wisdom. As you can imagine, this brings a whole new perspective to the way a lot of people do things, especially the way they think. This New Age Movement actually started a revolution in a lot of things, including modern art and contemporary art, music, religion and spirituality, politics, social behaviors and life in general. Most of things that we thought couldn’t go together is completely meshed together by the New Age movement, and these are the two things that stood in complete disagreement over the millennia: science and religion.A brief history of the New Age Movement and its impactThe New Age Movement actually started in the 20th century, when a lot of scientists and religious individuals started to question why their two fields seem to repel each other. A lot of these individuals are devout and religious men and women who began questioning the mysteries of religion and why they seem to conflict greatly with the facts of science. This brought out the idea that Science and Religion could, in fact live harmoniously together and the meshing of the two gave the world a new insight to the way we see life in general. It is no surprise then that a lot of movements were born out of the New Age way of thinking:
New age art. When you say art, you generally think about art galleries, art and photos, and a fine art gallery. The fact is, art is a rather general term, which includes music and literature as well. The New Age art movement is basically the art which transcends the physical, mental and spiritual boundaries of man. It deals with the higher awareness of a human to his own existence which leads to better understanding and wisdom.
New Age Spirituality. In terms of spiritual impact, New Age is more concentrated on the human being in general and our relationship to the universe. It combines a lot of the aspects of different religions, including: atheism, monotheism, pantheism and polytheism. All of these religions, combined with science, is the basis of the New Age spiritual movement. It draws inspiration from all of the popular religions throughout the ages and uses the most useful and practical practices of the said religious movements
New Age Lifestyle. Basically, the New Age Lifestyle follows one simple rule: create a sustainable environment through simple living standards that will help ease the burden and the depletion of our Earth’s natural resources
A whole new meaning to New Age artNew Age art is a revolution in art movement that is exactly what the New Age represents: free-flowing and without boundaries. It is much more than getting your art and photos in a fine art gallery, but more of crating art so that it increases awareness of the human to his own glory and existence. New Age art is so much more than contemporary art, abstract art or even modern art, because it basically deals with the combination of the body, mind and spirit to create awareness and to transcend the boundaries that limit us to our very own existence. It is in these reasons why New Age seems a little bit of a mixture of contemporary and abstract styles, and New Age music seems to be a bit more about relaxation, inspiration and meditation; New Age art is further continuing the job to promote spirituality and awareness and it transcends all manner of ethical and spiritual backgrounds.The continuing role of the New Age artists in the modern ageNew Age art artists are spiritual in nature. They tend to create their art forms in a way that promotes spirituality and one’s relationship to his self. It is therefore important that a new age artist be completely aware and is educated in the means of meditation, relaxation, and creating the perfect balance of the body, mind and spirit so that it shows in his or her art, whether it be in the form of art and photos or music.
A Model for Advancing Policy in Cultural Competency and Health Disparity
As The US emerges from a long recession, managing the growing cost of healthcare remains an ongoing concern. The Affordable Health Act will eventually assure the availability of healthcare insurance coverage to over 30 million more Americans. This landmark legislation will improve access to a previously uninsured or underinsured group of Americans.Health and Healthcare disparities is broadly defined as worse baseline states of health and relatively worse clinical outcomes associated with certain diseases in certain population groups. The affected groups may be distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, gender, religion and age. The costs to treat the diseases which result from Health and Healthcare disparities represent one of the recognized areas of unnecessary and arguably avoidable healthcare delivery costs. Specifically, in certain instances both prevention and more cost efficient management of chronic disease states can significantly reduce healthcare costs. A chronic disease is defined as a long lasting or recurrent medical condition.Some common examples include diabetes, hypertension, asthma and cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, our current healthcare system may be better equipped to manage intermittent and episodic disease occurrences and not the demands of chronic medical conditions In a study published by Weidman et al from The Urban Institute,the authors estimated that in 2009, disparities among African Americans, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites will cost the health care system $23.9 billion dollars. Medicare alone will spend an extra $15.6 billion while private insurers will incur $5.1 billion in additional costs due to elevated rates of chronic illness among these groups of Americans. Over the 10-year period from 2009 through 2018, the authors estimated that the total cost of these disparities to be approximately $337 billion, including $220 billion for Medicare.In the same study, the authors estimated the total healthcare costs secondary to racial and ethnic health disparities in chronic disease treatment (diabetes, hypertension, stroke, renal disease, poor general health) in African Americans and Latino Americans residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be $700 million. The Urban Institute. A study entitled The Economic Burden of Health inequalities in the United States by LaVeist et almeasured the economic burden of health disparities in the US using three measures: (1) direct medical costs of health inequalities (2) Indirect costs of health inequalities (3) Costs of premature death Their findings revealed:
The combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the US among African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans were $1.24 trillion
Eliminating health disparities for minorities would have reduced direct medical expenditures by $229.4 billion for the years 2003-2006
Between 2003 and 2006, 30.6% of direct medical expenditures for African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics were excess costs due to health inequalities.
Cultural competence (CC) refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. CC comprises four components: (a) Awareness of one’s own cultural worldview, (b) Attitude towards cultural differences, (c) Knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and (d) cross-cultural skills. Developing cultural competence results in an ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. CC has been increasingly recognized as an important, overlooked and underappreciated factor in delivering healthcare to an increasingly diverse America. US census estimations project that by 2050, over 50% of Americans will be non-white. Over 50% of children will be nonwhite by 2025. It seems intuitive to that the interface between patient, healthcare system and healthcare provider is a critical point in the delivery of healthcare. To this end, The Office of Minority Health in the Department of Health and Human Services has issued mandates and recommendations to inform, guide and facilitate the creation of cultural and language appropriate services. (CLAS Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services). Implementation of these guidelines within systems and agencies and among individuals can enhance CC and ultimately improve clinical outcomes.. The Center for Health Improvement and Economic Development was one of several parties which advocated for statewide guidelines regarding the cultural competency CME (continuing medical education) requirements for initial licensure and relicensing of physicians in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To accomplish this goal, we set forth to educate and inform the various stakeholders regarding the intrinsic value of CC as a critical determinant of improving healthcare outcomes and a direct result of a utilitarian argument of social justice in the United States. The Center also recognized the importance of making a compelling business case in the current economic climate Partnering with the Gateway Medical Society, the Pennsylvania State Legislative Black Caucus (PSLBC) under the leadership of State Representative Ronald G. Waters and the Center for Health Improvement and Economic Development-a townhall format meeting was organized and planned in Pittsburgh. Local legislators including State Representatives Jake Wheatley, Tom Preston and Daniel Frankel were in attendance.The townhall program: Working To Eliminate Healthcare Disparities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was held in Pittsburgh. Attendees and participants included state policy makers, legislators, healthcare providers, healthcare administrators, social activists, business leaders and members of the general public. Robust debate occurred throughout the day and the exchange between audience members, legislators, policy makers and thought leaders underscored the recognized importance of the critical issue of Health Disparity and Cultural Competency. It is important to recognize the backdrop of the day’s events. The meeting took place two days after the initial steps of The Affordable Care Act were initiated with critical new consumer protections in the Patient’s Bill of Rights, including no pre-existing diseases for children, outlawing rescission and creating a path to allow adult children to remain on their parent’s insurance until age 26. The enthusiasm of the day culminated with a pledge from State Representative Ronald G Waters to support a resolution on CC to be submitted to the National Black Caucus of State Legislators- ultimately a path to introducing the legislation to all states and ultimately to the Congressional Black Caucus. The meeting emphasized the necessity and the benefit of identifying stakeholders, recognizing mutual agendas and seeking consensus in the path to generating support for public policy. Addressing CC in the healthcare environment through requirements for healthcare provider continuing education is one small step. Certainly, this requirement should be considered for other healthcare professionals, administrators and ancillary staff members. Greater awareness of the emerging diversity of America and understanding how to manage that diversity will significantly enhance the delivery of healthcare. The Pennsylvania State Legislative Black Caucus, The Center for Health Improvement and Economic Development and The Gateway Medical Society call upon other groups to join in our collaborative model to reduce Health Disparity and enhance healthcare delivery in The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and beyond.The Legislative Black Caucus of Pennsylvania The PLBC was organized by House Majority Leader K. Leroy Irvis during the 1973-74 legislative session. K. Leroy Irvis saw the need for the caucus because he felt that legislators representing minority districts needed to speak with a united voice regarding the issues and concerns of their constituents. State Representative Ronald G. Waters was first elected to the House of Representatives in a special election in May 1999. He is chairman of the Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Health and serves on the Children and Youth, Health and Human Services, Judiciary, Liquor Control and Professional Licensure committees. He is also a member of the Philadelphia and the Southeast Pennsylvania delegations. Waters is also the chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, and chairman of Region 2 (which includes Pennsylvania and New York) of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. About the Authors: Lee Kirksey MD is co-founder of The Center for Health Improvement and Economic Development, a public policy think tank. The organization is focused on the impact of social determinants on community health utilizing public private partnerships. His current research efforts include cultural competency and it impact on health disparities within surgery. He is author of The Wellness Revolution: Eliminating Disparities and Promoting Prevention…For All. Dr Kirksey is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Michele Jones, MSW, MHA serves as Manager of Partnership Development and Community Relations at Fox Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Having over 15 years management experience in health disparities, health education, public relations and development, Ms. Jones oversees prevention practices and partnership development. Through the years, she has worked in similar capacities at companies covering San Diego, New York as well as Pennsylvania. Through her work, she has become known as an innovator in the areas of health access, prevention and education, acquiring City Citations and Awards for both Community Outreach and Health Education. Jones is the founder of Jones Health Care Management Solutions and is currently a second-year Bioethics Student attending the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.The Gateway Medical Society The Gateway Medical Society is a component of the National Medical Association. The National Medical Association objectives are to promote the science and art of medicine and the betterment of public health. Organized in 1895, the NMA Limits memberships to physicians licensed to practice medicine in any state or territory of the United States and the District of Columbia. Election of Membership may be obtained through Constituent Associations, through affiliation with societies consisting organized women physicians, Haitian physicians, and other minority physicians. The Gateway Medical Society is therefore a component society of its constituent association the Keystone State Medical Society of Pennsylvania.LaVeist TA, Gaskin DJ, Richard P, The Economic Burden of Health In equality in the US. Joint Center for political and Economic Studies.. Accessed Oct 10, 2010National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care Final Report, OMH, 2001
Flight and Hotel Package Deals – What You Can Expect With These Kinds of Travel Discount Offers
Whether you want to travel to the next city over or the other side of the globe, you must first pay for airfare and a hotel room. Instead of booking each one individually, why not book them both at the same time and save a bit of money? No matter what your travel plans are like, flight and hotel package deals are always worth looking into.You’ve probably seen it before: the option to “book airfare with hotel” when using a travel search engine. Have you really looked into what is available and compared the value of each offer?Most airlines and hotels participate in this kind of price bundling. It’s not hard at all to find inexpensive packages for popular tourist destinations, like Vegas, San Diego, Orlando, New Orleans, Atlantic City, Memphis, etc. You can even find flight and hotel package deals for international destinations, whether you want to stay in North American and experience an exotic beach like Cancun or the increasingly growing Toronto, or head to Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.How many nights can you stay at your destination with a bundled package? They can vary anywhere from flight + 2 nights per person to flight + 5 nights per person. If you don’t already have a specific destination in mind, just take a look at the daily or weekly deals on travel websites.Don’t make the mistake of thinking that only cheap, low-quality hotels are available in discount vacation offers. You’ll be surprised at some of the high-quality accommodation you can get at an affordable price with airfare. In popular locations like Orlando and Vegas, some of the big-name resorts offer the cheapest rooms. Depending on when and where you could go, you could end up staying in a nice, cozy bed and breakfast. If you’re interested in a package deal but haven’t heard of the hotel before, simply read some reviews on it.What to Watch Out for With Flight and Hotel Package DealsIt’s easiest to find cheap vacation deals when you are traveling alone or with one person, as prices tend to be based on double occupancy. If you are traveling with more than one person, look for group or family packages.Also, be sure to read the terms and conditions before considering any flight and hotel package deals to see if anything else, like car rental or hotel/airport shuttle is included. Will you be getting any free meals at the hotel? Or free drinks at the resort? If you find a good deal, it’s best to book it ASAP, as a lot of vacation packages are subject to availability and can be discontinued at any time.Plan your trip online, and apply promo codes to your order. You might be able to save even more with coupons that can be used with flight and hotel package deals. There are a variety of offers available online – so start you search today.