michelle bellerose: the toltec agreements

ABOUT THIS ARTIST

Michelle Bellerose is a self-produced musician, visual artist and writer. She worked as a feature film production coordinator for ten years before turning her hand to a one-year organic vegetarian project that was named Restaurant of the Decade (2000-2010) by Toronto's NOW Magazine. An innovator whose multidisciplinary work touches all human senses through her ongoing investigations into intuition, creativity, and health, she has independently and persistently produced original music, visual art, and provocative commentary in support of spiritual quest, alternative medicine and holistic science.

In all of her endeavours, her trailblazing approach invites us to hone our relationships with our bodies and minds in order to experience enchantment and wonder. From pioneering a new form of yoga, to her award-winning work as a gourmet chef, Michelle continually breaks ground with her work and play.

As a musician, an eclectic mix of sounds blends into Michelle's own unmistakable style. In 2008 she was nominated for a Niagara Music Award, in the category Best Female Vocalist, and her music has featured in three Antero Alli films, a Reality Sandwich podcast, and on CBC radio and numerous North American college stations. Unique vocals along with her skilled treatment of both improvised and recorded arrangements contribute to her growing reputation as a leading musical talent. She has performed at numerous venues, from the famed Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires to Toronto's Lula Lounge, C'est What?, Cameron House, Comfort Zone, Bambu, Ontario Place, and Distillery Jazz Festival, James Street Supercrawl in Hamilton, Ottawa's Mercury Lounge and Elmdale Tavern, and BC Place in Vancouver, as well as numerous shows in coffee shops, stores, lofts, galleries, libraries, restaurants, parking lots, private homes and nature areas.

Monday, February 14, 2011

the toltec agreements

1. Be Impeccable with your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

[from The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz; all artwork on this page by Michelle Bellerose]