Plus, enlightenment at the end of Omicron, seeing Canada through the eyes of immigrants and Toronto's changing music scene in reader mail this week

CPAC

Re: Doug Ford comes out of hiding to tell Ontario to brace for impact (NOW Online, January 3).

At first when the Omicron variant struck I didnt want to lose my gym time, the only hour of relaxation I had. I wondered how long it would take to allow for a reduction of this variant. But Ford was in charge and I thought that he should know whats happening. Then when I saw the numbers before Christmas I expected a decision at any moment, but nothing.

What caught my attention was seeing Ford on TV getting his booster while ignoring that many people (like me) were looking unsuccessfully for an appointment. That was the moment a detonation went off in my head that said to me, This guy is in Narnia. Now schools and gyms have been closed. The closer to the election we get, the worse Ford gets. Maybe he should have been gone a while ago ya know?

Gabriel Alfredo From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re Its everything under the sun in 2022 by David Suzuki (NOW Online, January 5).

For many Canadians, David Suzuki is an integral part of thinking with purpose and of being continuously reminded of the safety net that is the Canadian signature, and the one thing that sets us apart from all other countries.

So still under the dark shadow of COVID, we greet a new year. But with the solstice, increasing light has a subtle but profound effect on thinking hopefully. Enlightenment can be a powerful influence, especially now under the heavy labour of being compliant to medicine and science during a pandemic.

Peter Morris From NOWTORONTO.COM

I am a father, musician and educator and I am deeply concerned with the onslaught of climate change. Our number one priority worldwide should be to act to remedy this extremely dangerous situation.

In 2021, heat domes, forest fires, floods and droughts made headlines around the world. Climatologists expect more records to be broken and more destruction in 2022. We need rapid, large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissionsand a plan for a just transition that supports workers and communities in the necessary shift away from fossil fuels.

All levels of government must prevent tax dollars from creating incentives for climate pollution, by phasing outallsubsidies and public financing for oil, gas and coal. Lets focus on the health of the planet now.

Dave Clark Toronto

Im tired. Im tired of being scared. Im tired of feeling like my future is being ripped away by the people I chose to elect. Im tired of the lies and the greed. Im tired of crying. Im tired of being tired. Just do your jobs and protect our nature the way you promised you would. Act. Act now.

Carolyn Cathcart From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re Andrew Phungs terrific Run (NOW, January 6-12).

The CBCs Gem is cranking out some spectacular TV. I love learning about Canada through the eyes of the immigrant experience.

Canada is a large country but we never really take the time to see what the other Canadian cultures are doing and how they live their lives in their particular cities. Im also currently enjoying Son of a Critch. Good job Canadian television!

J. Robertson From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re 5 bold predictions for Torontos music scene in 2022 (NOW Online, January 4).

Thanks to Richard Trapunski for this article. Im a musician and it makes strong points about the changing music scene in Toronto and Canada.

About the drive towards unionization, have you heard of the UMAW (Union of Music and Allied Workers)? Its based in the U.S., but striving to be international.

Also, how about the home concert scene? Even pre-pandemic, this was a good idea. Of course, one needs enough space, but a dozen engaged listeners can be all some artists need to thrive.

Fred Spek From NOWTORONTO.COM

@nowtoronto

See original here:
Letters to the editor: The premier is living in a fantasy world on COVID - NOW Toronto

On December 26, we lost two icons of enlightenment: Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu and two-time Pulitzer Prize recipient, biology professor E. O. Wilson (there is no Nobel award for biology). We were saddened, as citizens of the world and as colleagues, to learn of the loss of these two men, both of whom contributed powerful essays to a book we edited in 2005. It turns out that they are more deeply connected than just by the coincidence of their passing on the same day.

They were different in a fundamental wayTutu found his core truths in God; Wilson found his in science. And in other ways too: Tutu was charismatic and boyishly cheerful; Wilson was more understated and ironic. But they shared important traits: Both were gifted leaders in their respective fields. Both were eloquent, and very funny too. Both wrote on the power of cooperation to build a vibrant society. And both were extremely consequential in their fields and well beyond. Both men advanced humankind in significant ways. Although just five-foot-four, Archbishop Tutu was a moral giant. He wrote that religion is a two-edged sword: healthy when transcendent and malignant when caught up in finding infidels and adversaries. He observed that all religions emphasize fundamental moral values of honesty, compassion, fidelity in marriage, the unity of humankind, and peace, but that religions have too often produced rogues who hijack the faith for selfish ends.

Tutu found his core truths in God; Wilson found his in science.

Professor E O Wilson was no less consequential in the domain of science. Widely regarded as the father of biodiversity and sociobiology, he pioneered the study of natures role in shaping human behaviour. His research spanned the spectrum from specialist to generalist on a grand scale, starting with his path-breaking research on ants and moving eventually to the biological basis of morality and an overarching theory of consilience in the natural world. His 1975 book, Sociobiology, not only created a stir in describing evolutionary forces behind social characteristics of organisms but also spawned the field of evolutionary psychology in the 1990s. He argued compellingly that the spiritual impulse is both an evolutionary advantage central to human nature and a key to hope for the future.

Their similarities became abundantly clear to us when they responded in much the same way to the question we asked them in 2004, in the shadow of 9/11: What can we do to prevent further acts of terror? Both Tutu and Wilson argued that organized religion does too little to discourage violence in the name of God. Tutu wrote this, in his chapter, Gods Word and World Politics: All faiths teach that this is a moral universe. Evil injustice, and oppression can never have the last word. Right, goodness, love, laughter, caring, sharing and compassion, peace and reconciliation, will prevail over their ghastly counterparts. The powerful unjust ones who throw their weight about, who think that might is right, will bite the dust and get their comeuppance.

Wilson was somewhat less optimistic than Tutu. While he argued that spirituality gives humans an evolutionary edge over other species, he was less sympathetic to the institution of religion: Religion divides, science unites Because scientific knowledge is instrumental and objective in origin, as well as transparent and replicable, it transcends cultural differences. Wilson granted that religion has enriched cultures with some of their best attributes, including the ideals of altruism, public service, and aesthetics in the arts, but added that it has also validated tribal myths that are forever and dangerously divisive. Noting caustically that the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths speak on behalf of archaic patriarchies in the parched Middle East, he saw that scientific illuminations of enlightened people offer a more transparent and reliable basis for understanding, in a manner that transcends cultural difference and unites humanity. Religion may have given humans a Darwinian edge in earlier times, he wrote, but rational thinking and proven knowledge should give humans the edge today.

In their final years, both Tutu and Wilson expressed concerns that we are falling from a trajectory of enlightened thinking, with tribalism on the rise. But their writings have profound implications for organized religion to take much more robust stands against violence today in India, Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. Neither man retreated from the expectation that our better angels will eventually prevail, that todays clerics at all rungs of religious hierarchies may wish not to repeat sins of the past. Tutu: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Rest in peace, Desmond Tutu and E O Wilson. You have left us gifts for eternity.

Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and Professor of International Relations at the American University in Washington, DC. Brian Forst is a professor of Justice, Law, and Criminology emeritus at the American University School of Public Affairs.

The writer is Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, School of International Service, American University and author of The Flying Man: Philosophers of the Golden Age of Islam.

Brian Forst is Professor of Justice, Law and Criminology Emeritus in the School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC.

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The Passing of Two Giants - Daily Times

Netflix's "Arcane" is an exceptional video game adaptation that is chock full of colorful characters and awe-inspiring scenes awash in vibrant and glowing hues. Currently holding a rating of100% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Arcane" is a bombastic tale of two drastically different cultures and sisters. One on the main locations and contrasting ways of life is Zaun, an undercity of danger and freedom, while the other is Piltover, a city of progress and enlightenment. At a point in the history of the show, a war broke out that saw the two factions reach a cease-fire, and an unstable armistice currently stands between the sides.

The main characters of the show, sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), hail from Zaun, and their childhood sees them eke out a living on the unforgiving streets of the undercity. Along the way, they cross paths briefly with the founder of "Hextech," Jayce (Kevin Alejandro), and then later with Caitlyn (Katie Leung), a police officer from Piltover who comes from an aristocratic and powerful family. An unlikely friendship quickly forms between Caitlyn and Vi, leading to a clash between the sisters. But what was the ultimate paused moment between Caitlyn and Vi, two fan-favorite characters, in the smash-hit "Arcane"?

Towards the epic culmination of "Arcane" Season 1, there is a scene from Episode 7, "The Boy Savior," that involves Jinx opening fire with her trademark chain gun at Caitlyn on the bridge to Piltover. This causes a quick, "blink and you'll miss it moment" where both Caitlyn and Vi show their true feelings with rapid and unconscious action. The scene shows Caitlyn instinctively wrap her arms around Vi to protect her from incoming fire, while Vi's instinct is to push Caitlyn away from said hail of bullets.

The scene plays out in just a few seconds, and in these brief moments a tremendous amount of character work takes place. Fans of "Arcane" are shown how quickly the two characters have grown close in the fact that both are instantly drawn to protect the other, which is a far cry from their original meeting in Stillwater Prison. Both Vi and Caitlyn are partners in the source video game and featured extensively in promotional materials for "League of Legends," so this interaction will likely continue to blossom and become more fleshed out as the series progresses.

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The Most Paused Vi And Caitlyn Moment In Netflix's Arcane - Looper

Teanecks Temple Emeth holds its One Book, One Synagogue Shabbaton on Zoom on Saturday, January 8. The program will explore the themes of And After the Fire, a work of historical fiction book by Lauren Belfer that is set both in late 18th- and early 19th-century Berlin and in modern-day New York.

Participants are encouraged to read the book before the Shabbaton, but it is not necessary. The discussion is intended to pique the interests of people who have not read it as well as those who have.

At 9 a.m., Rabbi Steven Sirbu will lead a text study on the writings of Moses Mendelssohn, who was both the foremost thinker of the Haskalah (Jewish enlightenment) and the grandfather of Felix Mendelssohn. The elder Mendelssohns work shaped the society in which his grandson composed and it continues to affect our view of Judaism in the modern world.

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At 10:30, the Shabbat morning service will include excerpts from And After the Fire, reflecting how the themes of the book are interspersed throughout the siddur. Cantor Ellen Tilem will sing selected liturgical music from 19th-century Germany.

And After the Fire takes readers into the salon of Sarah Itzig Levy (1761-1854) in Berlin. Music, including work composed and performed by Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, was central to those gatherings.

Both composers were controversial in the Berlin Jewish community, Bach for his antisemitism and Mendelssohn Bartholdy because he converted from Judaism to Christianity.

The programs continues at 1 p.m., when Thomas Mustachio, a Temple Emeth accompanist, will perform music by Bach and Mendelssohn Bartholdy to help participants appreciate the importance of Sarah Levys salon. He will be joined by virtuoso violinist Bela Horvath.

For information on how to watch, email SMercado@emeth.org.

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Shabbaton focuses on And After the Fire - The Jewish Standard

The free exercise of religion or, more precisely, the free exercise of conservative Christian religions is increasingly assuming the cultural, and even legal, stature of an inalienable American right. In the name of "religious freedom,"county clerks,doctorsandbakersopenly discriminate against LGBTQ citizens. Our rightward-charging judiciary lets worshippers congregate during a pandemic; religious devotion, apparently, trumps public safety.

To understand where this free-exercise fundamentalism may lead us, we need look no further than theinsurrectionists of last January and their boundless sense of religious entitlement. Michael Sparks, who was among the first to breach the Capitol, enthusedon Facebook: "We're getting ready to live through something of biblical purportions [sic] be prayed up and be ready to defend your country and your family." Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon Shaman, intoneda prayer about the rebirth of America on the floor of the Senate, whose evacuation he and his co-rioters had just triggered.

On Jan.6, 2021, a mob filled with religious extremists, among others, nearly upended one of the world's oldest and stablest liberal democracies. Could any comparable display of free exercise have occurred in Franceor Canadaor Uruguayor India, or any country with clear constitutional guidelines about the relation between government and religion?

RELATED:How Christian nationalism drove the insurrection: A religious history of Jan. 6

This unfortunate instance of American exceptionalism has many explanations. I call attention to one: the weakness of secularism in the United States. "Secularism" is a term that has been so relentlessly maligned by its enemies that its meaning is difficult to discern. Having just written a primer on the subject, let me note that political secularism, at its core, is a philosophy of governance.

Far from being equivalent to atheism, as its critics allege, secularism's origins may be traced to medieval Christian disputes about the papacy's expanding powers. During the Protestant Reformation, the terms of the debate shifted. The dilemma no longer involved curtailing the authority of the church, but rather how a government could prevent unfathomable violence between churches. Enlightenment thinkers concluded that religions those force-multipliers of human passions needed to be governed.

In "A Letter Concerning Toleration"(1689), John Locke outlined secular protocols of governance. The state must let citizens believe anything they wish about the divine (this is known as "freedom of conscience"). It must never establish, favoror ally itself with one or more faiths(this is often referred to as "disestablishmentarianism" or "state neutrality''). It must treat all religions and religious citizens equally (I call this the "equality" principle).

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Naturally, a secular state must permit citizens the free exercise of their religious beliefs. Yet here Locke added one crucial caveat. The right to free exercise, he insisted, is not absolute. Free exercise cannot diminish or endanger the rights of others, or the security of the state.

This position was neither controversialnor original. It was common sense. The 1663 Charter of Carolina granted free exercise as long as persons "do not in any wise disturb the peace." After a similar grant, the 1776 constitution of North Carolina warned: "nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt preachers of treasonable or seditious discourses, from legal trial and punishment."

Which brings us to the First Amendment, whose relevant clauses simply read: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Our Constitution fails to acknowledge what was abundantly clear to lawmakers a century earlier, not to mention almost every subsequent constitution in secular countries:Namely, there must be a limiton free exercise of religion.

Why James Madison omitted this obvious proviso is beyond my comprehension. I simply observe that his omission undercuts secularism's governing function. It thus leaves American democracy vulnerable to the types of ructions we witnessed last January.

American secularism must confront the poor hand dealt to it by the Constitution and chart a new legal course. Secularists might invoke the "equality" principle mentioned above. Letting the 14th Amendment interrogate the First, secularists could argue that unchecked free exercise deprives religious minorities of equal protection under the law.

Latter-day Saints were prohibited from practicing bigamy in the 1878 Reynoldscase. Native Americans' free-exercise right to ingest peyote was denied in the 1990 Smithdecision. As for "nones" those with no religious affiliation can they even possess free exercise rights?

For right-wing Protestants (and, increasingly, right-wing Catholics) free exercise has been a godsend. Via the Supreme Court, conservative Christian theological prerogatives are poised to shape every aspect of everyone else's life on issues ranging from reproductive freedomsto educationto gun legislation. Free exercise, as currently practiced, is a boon to the majority.

Secularists should steward a more sophisticated discussion of "religious freedom." Politiciansand assorted intellectuals lazily depict public expressions of faith as providing exponential benefits for the commonweal. Prayer circles at football games, candidates who do "God talk" on the campaign trail, Latin crosses on federal property all of it is assumed to make our nation stronger.

Perhaps, but the January insurrection reminds us of a craggy secular intuition: Religious passion has a dark side, a volatility that only the state can contain. Much is made of the condition of our democracy's "guardrails"; the time has come to recognize a functioning, re-energized secularism as a crucial defense against what happened lastJan.6.

Read more on the current state of America's religious wars:

Jacques Berlinerblau (@Berlinerblau) is a professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown University. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on secularism, including the just released "Secularism: The Basics"(Routledge).

Link:
After Jan. 6, secularism is the crucial "guardrail" and it's fatally weak in America - Salon

Pray, what be the most curious of casualties of New Year season?

Nah, we arent alluding to the balderdash being belted out by the Blokes of Breaking News. The toll of two cities.

Talking tolls and tales, as is customary, Season 2022 rings in its share of curtain-raisers. And again, curtains of social distancing.

Ah, but did you notice, on New Year, theres one thing thats a conspicuous casualty of the coronascape? Like life itself.

New Year resolutions.

Nobody diligently does them in the New Normal, like before, do they?

Blame it on pandemics not taking too kindly to resolutions. Pandemics are possessed with a nasty habit of meddling with expiry dates. Of New Year resolutions (NYRs), as also of those deigning to dabble in them.

The Pandemic, perhaps, has spawned a new vocabulary that could best be or better be described as New Year Non-Resolution.

A state of vacillation that entails eyebrows shooting heavenwards at the stroke of midnight hour, like a million fireworks saluting the skyscape, petitioning for enlightenment from the galaxy of Gods, about whether or not we would survive 2022 Toll Lists to be bothered with trifles like NYR Long Lists or Short Lists.

Of New Year Hit Lists and With-It Lists

This Post New Normal vocabulary denotes all demeanour defined by the dilemma: To do or not to do what we were wont to do - New Year Resolution Hit Lists, With-It Lists, Miss Lists, Dismiss Lists, Consolation Lists or Disconsolation Lists.

The Pandemic has indeed robbed us of the days when New Year resolutions stood scripted more religiously than Amarnath Yatras or Ayodhya andolans. Never mind, if NYRs proved as fickle as our political coalitions or Donald Trumps Twitter renditions. Whether it was passionate pledges to quit smoking or saving crash diet plans from ending in smoke, pre-pandemic, there was spelt out a resolution for every reason, every season. Alas, the treason of this season has robbed us of many a reason.

This new narrative of New Year Non-Resolution thus tosses up tormenting thoughts:

To join or not to join power yoga to empower fitness quotient. For, one knows not whether one would end up learning the likes of shirshasana or end up in a position bearing uncanny resemblance to shavasana.

To give up or not to give up vices catastrophic for curves, such as splurging on sinful Double Trouble Donuts. For, one scarce can figure out whats ordained by the Covid curve, whether it will be Death by Chocolate or Death by Delta.

Of bad hair days and being in bad books

To sport or not to sport makeovers to better bad-hair days in 2022, like a hair transplant or hair sauna from that neighbourhood Chinese hairdresser. First, not to forget that all things Chinese are to be blamed for the Covid spate. Second, not to forget the Third Wave could render inconsequential follicular fate, scarce would it matter whether one exits the stage sporting curly waves or a bald pate.

The curious case of hair today, gone tomorrow.

This New Year Non-Resolution narrative can be a boon or bane, depending on whos at the receiving end.

How about a New Year resolution to devote more time to textbooks than texting? mummy-hood egged on ones Millennial at the dawn of 2022. Running the risk of further being in bad books.

Cmon, havent you heard Third Wave prophesies? the Millennial glared up from Zoom, to gurgle gyaan as a prophet of doom. Come Omicron, what matters more is one book - how to book a berth in a Covid centre!

New Year resolutions shall never be the same, it did dawn.

The curious case of the untimely demise of a New Year tradition, by book or by crook.

chetnakeer@yahoo.com

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Witerati | Of third waves and New Year second thoughts - Hindustan Times

AMRITSAR: The birth anniversary of 10th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated with great enthusiasm here on Sunday. Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the sacred sarovar of Golden Temple .

an exhibition of ancient traditional Sikh jewellery was held at Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib, Akal Takht and Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib. A religious Diwan (Congregation) was held at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in which several raagi dhadis preachers recited the Gurbani and thrown the light on teachings of Guru Gobind Singh ji.

Raagis Singh were reciting the gurbani shabad like "waho waho Gobind Singh aape Gur chela..." "Amrit naam nidhaan hai mil pivo Bhai....."

The entire Golden Temple complex was tastefully decorated with colourful lights.and fireworks was organised after bhog of reheraas Sahib path in the evening.

The birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh falls within the months of December or January each year. The annual celebrations of the Gurus birth anniversary take place as per the Nanakshahi calendar.

Meanwhile Giani Harpreet Singh Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib highest seat of Sikh religion has congratulated the Sangat on the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Patshah, and urged them to follow the path shown by Guru Sahib.

He said that the life of Dasam Patshah Ji is a beacon for humanity, from which the priorities of life should be determined.

He appealed to the sangat to raise their voice against social evils on the occasion of Guru Sahib's enlightenment and to pay homage and respect to Guru Sahib by following his life and teachings and he also appealed to Sikhs they should become Amritdhari by taking amrit.

It may be mentioned that Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708 C.E.) is the tenth and last Sikh Guru after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The guru had relinquished his life while fighting against the injustice of the Mughal rulers of that time. Guru Gobind Singh Ji Jayanti is a day that witnesses vast parades and social gatherings across gurudwaras.

Guru Gobind Singh was the only son of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. His mothers name was Mata Gujri. He was born on December 22, 1666, in Patna, Bihar India. His original name was Gobind Rai. Guru Gobind Singh was a spiritual leader, philosopher, a great warrior, a port, and was the tenth and the last Sikh Guru.His father Guru Teg Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru and was a very courageous man. In 1675, he was beheaded publically by the orders of the fifth Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb as he refused to convert to Islam.

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Birth anniversary of 10th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated with great enthusiasm - Punjab News Express

Juventus completed a thrilling comeback away in Rome, coming from two goals down and losing Federico Chiesa to score three rapid second half goals to beat Jose Mourinhos AS Roma 4-3.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri was in the stands for this one after being suspended for a game by a sporting judge following some choice comments he made the previous game about the refereeing.

His assistant Marco Landucci manned the dugout instead and must have been ruing the day when first Chiesa went off with what looked like a serious knee injury and then the Giallorossi scored two quick goals early in the second half to lead 3-1.

When you win everything is much more amazing. Manuel Locatellis goal gave us back our enthusiasm and we managed to turn it around.

Happy with Mattia De Sciglios goal, we showed character. Approaches are of little use, you have to show it on the pitch. Today I lost 5-6 years of my life, if it always ends like this its amusing.

Roma started the game hot and scored early on, and could have had more too. However, Paulo Dybala equalized soon after and stabilized things.

We started with fear, we wanted to play an offensive game but we conceded goals from set pieces. We changed something in the second half because we were struggling to score.

Too bad about the second goal, we threw the ball away, it happens often, its not a coincidence. Then we did well to believe in it, the second goal helped us and gave us confidence.

When asked who made the substitutions for the game, Landucci laughed -

A secret, we cant say! We were all staff working together.

Wojciech Szczesny had a couple of huge saves, but none bigger than the late penalty that preserved the lead.

I hoped Tek would save it like he did in the first leg.

Alvaro Morata made a difference immediately after coming on with his hold-up play.

A strong player, he has always shown affection for this team.

What did he think of Paulo Dybalas showing?

A good game, a good goal, he showed his quality.

Landucci ended with an update on the injury sustained by Federico Chiesa.

The only negative note, a sprained knee, he will be assessed tomorrow.

Szczesny meanwhile did not want to take too much credit for the penalty save.

Yes, I was lucky rather than good. Pellegrini shoots two kinds of penalties, I did the feint on the run-up and I was out of time, I was a bit off balance.

The goalkeeper also talked a little bit about how the Juve side are evolving with Allegri back.

Were getting there but we still lack a bit of personality, the Juve DNA. We have players who have important qualities, but we need to give them time to get used to playing under pressure.

[We need] To be more consistent. This year weve played some good games, then others weve played badly. Its not like Juventus, we must try to be the best team in Italy but today we are not. But our ambitions are there, well get there little by little.

When asked if he thought if the Bianconeri could still get a Champions League berth this season, Szczesny sounded confident.

If one of us doesnt believe in it, they can stay at home and not play matches. You cant accept not going to the Champions League, even in this difficult year. We are Juventus. But first we have to improve, but we have the ambition to reach the top of Italy.

Read more from the original source:
Landucci: Coaching Juventus today I lost 5-6 years of my life! - Black & White & Read All Over

When Lupe Prado graduated from college with a degree in accounting, she landed a job in one of the "Big Four" accounting networks (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC). For accounting majors, this was the pinnacle of success, and Prado was living the dream. That was until she began to have chronic headaches.

I learned so much, and I worked with brilliant people, but I was working really long hours and just really stressed out and not feeling like the work was in alignment with my strengths, Prado says. I was not feeling that sense of fulfillment, and I had really bad headaches that wouldn't go away. I had an MRI done and they couldn't figure out what it was.

At the time, Prados family and friends urged her to scale back on her workload, citing a possible correlation between her physical pain and her stress. While she didn't follow most of the unsolicited advice, Prado did look into one suggestion: getting a life coach.

I was so desperate, I was really unhappy that I was, like, I'm just gonna try it, whatever. Let's see if it will work,'"Prado says."I had no expectations."

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The decision led to a transformative experience, Prado says, when she hired Dallas career and life coach Kristin Taliaferro. In her first session, Prado remembers she had an "aha moment" and pinpointed feeling stuck in her career. What followed was a three-year coaching relationship between Prado and Taliaferro in which Prado had breakthroughs in her career and health. Prado says her headaches disappeared within two weeks of her transitioning out of her stressful role at work.

Delighted by her results, in 2017 Prado enrolled at the Coaches Training Institute. In 2018, she opened her own business as a career and life coach.

Life coaching is a partnership between the client and the coach, where I ask questions, as a coach, to help them get clarity and take action, Prado says. It's different from therapy in that therapy can focus on the past and coaching focuses on the present and the future. And it's different from consulting and mentoring, in that I won't give you insight as a coach because research shows that giving advice doesn't necessarily help with long-term change.

"People tend to stick more to things that they really figured out for themselves, so the coaching process is just helping. It's like Im holding up a mirror for the client to see themselves more clearly.

Life coaching is a future-focused relationship in which the client is expected to act on their own to achieve a goal or milestone with the guidance of the coach. Life coaches vary in specialties from career coaching (Prados specialty) to relationships, self-image, finances and wellness. The coaches act as unbiased accountability partners who highlight the details, patterns and mindsets that clients have overlooked and challenge them to analyze and make changes.

For Prado, the approach to this relationship is gentle. She prides herself on being a deep listener. She asks questions and allows for her clients to arrive at their own conclusions.

Most people walk around feeling like they are not really listened to, and in coaching we listen more than we talk, and that process can really unveil mindset patterns, thought patterns, and that can be really helpful, Prado says. Sometimes we don't realize that we are worrying about being stuck without really doing anything to change.

For some, the coaching relationship may sound like a glorified friendship. Friends and family rarely shy away from giving unsolicited advice. But despite their best intentions, loved ones can't remove their on biases and at times self-serving motivations.

I don't tell people what to do, and that's the difference, Prado says. When we go to our friends and family, they tell us what to do and why you should do this, and that doesn't take everything into account. And so when I'm listening, I'm just pointing out things like connections and values like, It sounds like connection is really important to you. Oh, when you mentioned this other thing, and what's important for you? And so through that process, the client gets a lot of clarity. And then I'll say something like ... 'What are the next steps for you?

The average life coach takes on about 12 clients at a time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Life coach clients can expect to meet with their coaches on a weekly or biweekly basis. In these sessions, which nowadays are typically virtual or via telephone, clients discuss a particular goal they want to achieve or a habit they want to break or obstacle they're facing. Sessions last about 45-60 minutes on average.

During these sessions, coaches outline plans and tasksfor clients such as quitting a job, setting boundaries, initiating conversations, joining a dating site, expressing and identifying emotions and any other tasks that will help the client. Having to report back to their coaches in subsequent sessions motivates clients to act on prescribed tasks.

Like most industries, coaching was affect by the pandemic, and Prado says the demand for life coacheshas increased. With more people working from home, the lines between work and personal time have become blurred and clients expressed discontentment due to isolation, burnout and toxic work cultures.

People want to feel like they're making a positive impact through their work. They want to feel a sense of purpose in their work. They want to be challenged, Prado says. People have different values, and they want to be able to have those values at work such as a value of connecting with people, and connections are really important. But if they're stuck behind a computer, on the spreadsheet, and they never had interaction with people, that would leave someone feeling really drained and burned out.

Victoria Foster of Dallas E & R Life Coaching LLC defines a life coach on her website as someone who listens to what you are going through, asks questions, helps you to formulate a plan and will hold you accountable along the way. Foster assigns her clients homework that varies by client depending on their desired outcomes.

I had a client who wanted to network, but didn't feel like she would be able to carry on those conversations when she got into those networking arenas, so we did homework, Foster says. One of the homework experiences was that person stepping out into a networking event and then coming back and speaking to me about how that event went and how it would look the next time she went to an event. Its not just the coaching experience. It's what happens after and how you use the tools that I give you outside of the coaching experience.

Foster calls herself The Restorer. She specializes in personal growth, confidence, relationships and marriage. She has coached individuals in building confidence to achieve career and personal goals, to resume dating, to develop intimacy and find a shared vision with a partner.

Whatever you don't think you can do, I promise you by the end of the amount of sessions that you have selected that I will have you there, but it also takes a commitment from the client to be an active participant and take it seriously, Foster says. I call myself The Restorer because I take you where you didn't think it was possible to be.

"People tend to stick more to things that they really figured out for themselves so the coaching process is just helping, it's like Im holding up a mirror for the client to see themselves more clearly. life coach Lupe Prado

Alexis Cavo, owner of life coaching firm Paragon Consulting, initially pursued a career as a therapist.

Therapy is going to be a lot different. As far as coaching, we focus on the present, and we're more of a future-focused practice and therapy, says Cavo, who used to work at a behavioral health hospital in Dallas. Therapy is a lot of touching on the past, and you use a lot of different types of theories and philosophies. As far as coaching, we're very much, 'Where are you at right now? What's the circumstances right now?' And we focus on the future. It's a lot of goal setting, accountability, coaching, and it's a holistic approach versus therapy.

For clients who lack motivation, feel stagnant or lack control of their emotional reactions, Cavo encourages them to analyze their behaviors. Cavo says clients are able to imagine, create, dream and develop goals and desires resulting in an increase in motivation.

Because the field is subjective, that looks different for every client.

A positive mental breakthrough is whenever you have an epiphany, or I call them 'Aha moments,' where you realize something that you have been doing in your life has been creating a habit that you don't necessarily love, and you're able to recognize why you were doing that, Cavo says. You're able to make a change from a positive thought that's going to bring positive results.

Kari Jorgensen had her epiphany in January 2021 with Paragon Consulting life coach Giana Garcia.

I tend to get in my head and overthink things a lot, Jorgensen says. Even if I achieve the goal, there's a lot of mental duress in the process, and I think this really helped me unpack that, and understand why it was happening and how to get past it.

Garcia led Jorgensen through what Paragon Consulting coined The Life Model, in which clients work through their personal circumstance with their coach by analyzing the thoughts and feelings it provokes. The coach then guides them through developing a plan to generate positive results.

Within four coaching sessions, Jorgensen was able to work through insecurities preventing her from making the progress she wanted.Jorgensen successfully continued blogging after self-doubt caused her to stop, a goal she set with her first couple of coaching sessions. Jorgensen says she still uses the principles from The Life Model.

Life coaches stress the importance of a consultation before entering a coaching relationship. Jorgensen says there it's important to gauge chemistry.

The first step is to have a consultation or reach out to learn more, Jorgensen says. During that conversation you're going to learn if things seem like they're aligning and if you think you're going to have a good relationship with the coach. Giana and I ended up having an amazing relationship, and I felt like she was really able to understand where I was, and I feel like that dynamic is very important.

Foster advises those seeking life coaching to do their research online, find coaches who resonate with them and set up consultations until they find the right fit. Cavo agrees.

If you're looking for a coach, definitely interview. You're interviewing each other, Cavo says. But go and interview different types of coaches before you settle for one unless you feel super connected to that first coach that you meet with.

However, not everyone is an ideal candidate for life coaching. The ideal candidate for life coaching should be ready for a change. They should be looking for clarity or purpose and be motivated to take the necessary steps to reach a short-term goal.

The initial consultations serve as a method for coaches to see if the match is a fit for them as well. With her experience in mental health advocacy, Foster has been able to recognize when a client is showing signs of depression or anxiety. In those instances, Foster urges her clients to seek therapy or consult with a licensed medical professional before going forward with the coaching relationship.

Another key distinction between coaching and therapy is regulation.

Life coaching is not a regulated industry, Prado says. "Really anyone can call themselves a coach."

Life coaching is not regulated by the government and does not require licensing, but there are certifications available that serve as credentials for life coaches. Both Foster and Prado are certified coaches.

The certification helps by telling people that you take your job and your role with them seriously and that you're not just out here throwing out anything to try to help them or to bring them on as a client, Foster says. I think that certifications do help people take the field more seriously.

Prado is certified through the International Coaches Federation (ICF), a global membership-based coaching organization. The ICF offers three tiers of credentials: associate, professional and master certified coach certifications. The certifications require up to 200 hours of training, 10 hours of mentor coaching, 2,500 hours of coaching experience, performance evaluations and assessments.

Because life coaching is customized to the coaches' and clients' preferences, the longevity of the relationship, session frequency and costs vary greatly. Despite the popularized Oprah Winfrey Networks depiction of Lindsay Lohans life coaching experience, life coaches don't integrate themselves into a clients physical life like a sober coach to keep them on track.

According to Choosing Therapy, a medically reviewed publication website, a short-term coaching relationship lasts about six months and a long-term coaching relationship lasts about a year to two. The average cost of a life coach is $120 per hour, which most health insurance does not cover.

Prado says her three-year relationship with her life coach was longer than average.

For most people it can range from a few months to a year,"Prado says. "Three years was probably above average, just because I loved it so much, but it really depends on what the goal is. So if it's like a longer goal, like a career pivot, that takes a little bit longer, and it's not a couple of sessions, because there's a lot that has to be worked through.

Foster says her average client relationship lasts about four months with biweekly sessions.

Considering the lack of regulation, in the event that a client relationship begins to go astray,the most likely consequence will be the termination of the relationship.

Life coaching is not a regulated industry. Really anyone can call themselves a coach." Lupe Prado

It's an instant investment, but it's one that has a ripple effect, really, for the rest of your life, Prado says. It is still a positive ripple in my life having worked with my coach years ago. I tell everyone she changed my life; it's definitely worth it.

Life coach Vernica Cordonnier was introduced to life coaching through the UnF*ck Your Brain podcast right before the pandemic led to Cordonnier's being laid off from her job as a corporate project manager.

With time to reflect, she focused her energy on self-coaching with the guidance of UnF*ck Your Brain podcast host and master certified life coach Kara Loewentheil.

Im a fun, feminist, non-judgmental combo of life coach, feminist mentor, and hilarious best friend ... except I give way better advice than your friends do," Loewentheil says on her website. "And I actually teach you how to act on it.

Loewentheils feminist approach appealed to Cordonnier, and soon Cordonnier realized that she, too, had been coaching in her prior job. Through her work as a project manager, Cordonnier led fundraising efforts for public media where she coached individuals on how to develop the confidence to approach others and successfully generate funds for the cause. Cordonnier realized she could take these tools and apply them to coaching others.

In December 2020, Cordonnier opened her own business, BiConscious Coaching Co. She used her life experience as an immigrant, bisexual, polyamorous, feminist, activist and Latina to bring life coaching into new spaces.

I noticed that the majority of coaches were white women, and I saw what a great benefit and value they had, and all these tools and learning hacks for people, but they were really servicing a lot of other white women, Cordonnier says. I knew I could help people and train people on their mindset, and it's important to me to do it as a marginalized person myself, because if I could have somewhat of a struggle as a light-skinned fluently English-speaking Latina, if I can have the experience of still feeling kind of outside of coaching, then people who are even more marginalized than me, or darker than me, or came over more recently than I did to North America, then how are they going to be able to reap the benefits of coaching if they don't see anybody that looks like them?

Cordonnier also hosts The BiConscious Badass podcast, which offers free access to life coach advice and tips from other coaches and community leaders. Her Facebook group, Instagram and Patreon also allow people to explore the benefits of life coaching.

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Life Coaches Say Their Business Increased With the Pandemic. So What Do Life Coaches Do? - Dallas Observer

One of the biggest differences between a coach and a therapist is how they're accredited.

"Therapists are governed by a licensing board, and to legally provide psychotherapy, one requires a master's degree with a state license to practice," Melendres explains.

In the U.S., licensing requirements vary from state to state, but in general, only practitioners who have at least a master's degree in fields like social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy and who have passed their state's licensing board exams can legally be called therapists. You'll see acronyms after a licensed therapist's name, such as LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), LPCC (licensed professional clinical counselor), or LMFT (licensed marriage and family therapist).

There are many paths to becoming a therapist, but all therapists undergo years of school and training, including obtaining a minimum of a master's degree, acquiring clinical experience under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional, and passing a state-mandated board exam for licensure. Psychologists who hold doctorate-level degrees such as Ph.D. or Psy.D. can also choose to work with clients as therapists as well, though state licensing requirements may still apply. Psychiatrists, who are medical doctors holding an M.D. and who prescribe medications as part of a client's treatment plan, may also be called therapists.

For coaches, there is currently no centralized governing body that regulates or oversees the coaching industry, and there is no specific training or minimum requirements to become a coach. "I firmly believe that's on the precipice of changing," Gozo notes, though, "so it is strongly encouraged that anyone serious about becoming a life coach gets appropriately trained and certified to do so."

As a client, here are a few ways you can verify whether your potential coach has the proper training, certifications, and credentials:

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So, What's The Real Difference Between A Therapist & A Coach? - mindbodygreen.com