January/February 2003
Feature Articles
Holistic Health Q & A
by Dr. Ruth E. Bradley
Of quantum physics, vibrational energy
and the power of our thoughts.
The Treasures of the Amazon Rainforest
by Lenny Rader
The story of the pioneers who uncovered
the real treasures of the Amazon: healing, life-enhancing plants.
What is... Human Growth Hormone?
by Marjorie Williams
Research proves natural growth hormone
to be powerful anti-aging weapon that helps reduce body fat, increase energy
and much more.
UnCommon Sense!
by David Findlay
The War on Terrorism.
Articles on the theme "Talents & Abilities"
A Misuse of Talents & Abilities
by Lela Lilyquist and John R. Lee MD
How the Medical Establishment has been
corrupted, becoming a pawn of the drug companies.
Every Child Can Sing
by Barbara Bedingfield
An education that brings out the innate
abilities in every child.
Developing Musical Ability
by Bob & Claire Franki
Regardless of natural talent, it is
training that enables musical ability in children to shine.
Your Genius
by Linda Gaylord
Ways to discover and develop your unique
talents and gifts.
From Russia with Passion
by Oksana Kolesnikova
A talented young pianist and composer's
personal story.
Nature versus Nurture
by Charles Larsen
We all have talents and abilities,
but some are less obvious than others.
From Russia with Passion
by Oksana Kolosnikova
Many people remember where they were when man first walked on the moon. Or what their first kiss felt like.
I can pinpoint the exact moment I fell totally and forever in love with music.
I was barely five years old, and my father, mother and I had just moved from Siberia, in far-eastern Russia, to our ancestral homeland of Kazakhstan. The local school had just hired my parents as teachers, and on the first day of classes, with no babysitter available, they simply toted me to school.
And it was while playing with one of my dolls in one of the unused classrooms that I noticed someone seated on a bench across the room, hands flitting like birds across black and white piano keys, music pouring seemingly from the woman's very fingertips.
I was transfixed. My poor mother must have thought I'd slipped into a trance, so totally was I enthralled by this spectacle of motion and sound.
When my father came into the room and saw me watching the pianist, he positively beamed. A self-taught accordion player who'd once dreamed of being a professional musician, he recognized right away the look on my face. He knew I was hooked for good.
A week later, my indulgent parents brought me to a local music school. After a brief audition, during which I happily agreed to sing a tune so the school's teachers could determine if I had any talent for music, I was accepted. Over the next few days, I nearly drove my parents crazy with my eagerness to get my hands on a piano. The next several months were heaven. As soon as the bell rang to signal the end of our regular school day, I'd run as fast as my skinny legs would take me to the music school. There, for three, something four or five hours, I dove into the piano with abandon. I was so sad when the lesson ended that I often begged my parents to let me stay.
My musical journey had officially started. Again, perhaps?
Talent is, in my opinion, the direct result of the "amplification" in interest we give to subjects we are naturally inclined to love. Why we are naturally inclined to love certain subjects versus others is open to debate. During my own journey to self-discovery, I came to realize that there is a whole new dimension not necessarily a tangible one that often leads us in certain directions, professionally, artistically and otherwise.
I have read several books on the subject of reincarnation and how it so closely relates to talents and abilities. Assuming that life as we know it is nothing but the opportunity to fulfill the very reason for existing which could very well be the attainment of spiritual enlightenment the development of a certain ability could be viewed as a by-product of such a process.
Spirituality and the arts are, therefore, very closely related. More often than not, a person with a highly developed spiritual nature is drawn like a magnet to various art forms. In some cases, these people are drawn to certain artistic subjects with an intensity that overrides any other fields of interest, even those that yield much greater financial rewards.
In my case, when I saw that woman playing the piano when I was five years old, something "clicked" inside me; and blurred memories of other lives and times flashed in my mind, basically dictating me to resume where I had left off as a professional musician.
The ease with which some people master an art could very well be linked to their past lives. This could explain the "child prodigy" myth a seasoned artist, eager to resume where he or she stopped, trapped inside a very young body. Artists have a compelling need to create and to later present their creations to others. The motivation behind this is a noble one: to enhance the quality of life through their own unique creations, no matter what the artistic field.
In my case, I have found that my ultimate call is composing, with the piano always being my instrument of choice. For the artist, there is no greater satisfaction than the feeling of successfully communicating to others by means of their creations, whatever their art form. I cannot describe the joy I feel when someone who has heard one of my works for the very first time describes to me what he or she perceived while listening, as very often it is the very same feelings I have felt while composing it.
I believe innate talent must be cultivated and constantly refined, technically and otherwise, according to the various audiences' "acceptance levels." Too much originality, more often than not, goes undetected in the best cases ridiculed and in the worse scenarios completely misunderstood.
Giving thanks to the "Great Source of Inspiration" is for any creative person an absolute must, as it is indeed a Gift from above. Undertaking a journey to inner discovery, finding out what is our mission in life and fulfilling our original promises to ourselves, no matter how far in the past, is of paramount importance not only to an artist but to anyone seeking spiritual enlightenment. All of this, plus the constant refinement of an artist's originality according to his or her audience's ability to perceive and absorb it, is what I consider to be the best way to positively influence the lives of others by means of artistic talent.
Oksana Kolesnikova immigrated to the U.S. from Russia at the age of 15 and went on to graduate with honors from Florida State University last year. She is now set to begin her first international concert tour. St. Petersburg FL (727) 576-8077. www.oksana-k.com
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