Friends of Aesthetic Realism
       Countering the Lies
“It’s a lie, and not a well told one at that.
  It grins out like a copper dollar.”

                  —Abraham Lincoln

Statement by Claudia Senatore, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

As to lies about family and "mind-control": I first learned of Aesthetic Realism 17 years ago, while living in Tempe, Arizona, and I have been happily studying it ever since. At the time I had a Masters in Nursing, a good job, and many friends, but still I felt that there was more that I wanted out of life. No, I was not "recruited," nor do I study out of "fear"! I made an educated, well thought-out choice to study it!

One thing I wanted was a closer relationship with my father, and it means so much to me that I was able to have a better relationship with him these past years, before he died, through what I learned from Aesthetic Realism. (He himself did not study Aesthetic Realism.) There came to be so much greater understanding and communication between us. Our conversations were warmer, deeper, more meaningful and interesting.

I'll give an example of how this came about: At an Aesthetic Realism consultation in which I spoke about my father complainingly, it was pointed out that though I might have criticisms of him, I was not speaking about him with respect and kindness. When asked if I could say something about my father that would have a person respect him, I spoke about his care for gardening, his desire to fight for his country in World War II, and other instances. As a result, I myself had new feeling and respect for him.

As to the lies about higher education and achievement: While studying Aesthetic Realism I earned an advanced degree-as a Nurse Practitioner, working with children-and my career has flourished. One of the reasons for my success is that I have studied how the opposites are made one in the human body and in the very technique of nursing care. I have seen that central opposites which nurses are hoping to put together are exactitude and compassion, or careful thought and feeling; affecting others and being affected by them; and pride and humility.

Through my study of Aesthetic Realism I saw that I had had a desire to be unaffected by the very people I was caring for.This was why I could be kind sometimes, yet feel at other times that I wasn't having enough patience or compassion, and it was why I had felt "burnt out." Because I was able to criticize that in myself which wanted to be aloof, and my desire to have a good effect on people was strengthened, I began to have more of the steady feeling and compassion for people that I wanted to have.

I have learned through questions like these, which I heard in consultations: "Do you see the feelings of your patients and their families as being as real as your own?"; "Do you think every person, sick or well, is some relation of strength and weakness? Are you?"; "In helping a person who is ill, do you hope to respect him or her? And is this a chance to respect humanity more?" Trying to honestly answer these questions has made me a better nurse.

During the course of my career, things that I was learning from Aesthetic Realism were noticed and valued by my colleagues, and I was invited to give the keynote address at the pinning ceremony of a New York City nursing school. I am very proud that I could inspire new nurses through what I have learned from Aesthetic Realism and my experience as a nurse. I am a member of several organizations, including Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nurses, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians for a National Health Program.

Aesthetic Realism is a wide study encompassing the arts and sciences. At first I studied it through reading, and had telephone consultations, and when I came to New York I began to attend public presentations and take classes. This broadened my education tremendously. I am thrilled to be learning through great literature, poetry, art, music, and drama, about human nature, myself, and the world. I feel more alive, and possibilities that I didn't even know I had have been encouraged in me. This is living! I feel more connected to people around me and to people throughout time.

As to the lies about residence, vacations, and relationships: I live in Brooklyn, NY, with my husband and our young daughter. We frequently visit family and friends (who don't study Aesthetic Realism) nearby and across the country. In the last few years alone, we have traveled to Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Chicago, and abroad to England, Scotland and Russia. I remain friends with two of my closest girlfriends from Arizona, whom I knew before I began studying Aesthetic Realism. In fact, one of them was a bridesmaid at my wedding eight years ago, and came with her husband to visit us in November.

I hope the preceding paragraphs, along with countering lies about Aesthetic Realism, show some of why I have found this philosophy invaluable to me as a person and in my work as a nurse practitioner.

READ WHAT'S TRUE—
  • Read statements by many individual men and women
  • Reviews from the NY Times Book Review, Saturday Review, Library Journal, Harlem Times, Popular Photography, and more
  • The poetry by Eli Siegel, so greatly respected by William Carlos Williams and many others
  • Read lectures by Eli Siegel on subjects as diverse as literature, love, & economics
  • What is learned in classes taught by Ellen Reiss

  • A Little Anthology of Comments (Some Funny We Hope) on Further Misrepresentations.

    >> Continue

    "On the Pleasures and Advantages of Anonymity: An Ode"—
    >> Continue

    A Dramatic and Cautionary Tale about an Unknown and Very Unimportant Person

    There once was a young man of ancient Greece named Milos. And Milos knew Socrates. He did not like Socrates because the great man asked far too many questions.... >> Continue

    Statements by Friends of Aesthetic Realism

    Barbara Allen
    Frances Amello
    Jerry Amello
    Christopher Balchin
    Mara Bennici
    David Berger
    Alice Bernstein
    Rachel J. Bernstein
    Barbara Buehler
    Gina Buffone
    Beverly Sue Burk
    Maureen Butler
    Jeffrey Carduner
    Margot Carpenter
    Lori & Robert Colavito
    Albert Corvino
    Nicholas Corvino
    Henry D'Amico
    Matthew D’Amico
    Ernest DeFilippis
    Vincent DiPietro
    Carol Driscoll
    Donita Ellison
    Anne Fielding
    Lorraine Galkowski, RN
    Pamela Goren
    Edward Green
    Avi Gvili
    Ames Huntting
    Mark Lale
    Dale Laurin
    Rose Levy
    Timothy Lynch
    Lorraine Mahoney, RN
    Derek Mali
    Glenn Mariano
    Haroldo Mauro Jr.
    Joseph Meglino
    Pauline Meglino
    Allan Michael
    Marvin Mondlin
    Robert Murphy
    Michael J. Nadeau
    Meryl Nietsch-Cooperman
    Ruth Oron
    Arnold Perey, PhD
    Lauren Phillips
    Jack Plumstead
    Maria Plumstead
    Rosemary Plumstead
    Rev. Wayne Plumstead
    Marcia Rackow
    Zvia Ratz
    Ann Richards
    Anthony C. Romeo
    Leila Rosen
    Rhonda Rosenthal
    Sally Ross
    Claudia Senatore
    Sheldon Silverman
    Jeffrey Sosinsky, MD
    Barbara Spetly McClung
    Joseph Spetly
    Faith K. Stern
    John Stern
    Arlene Sulkis
    Devorah Tarrow
    Jaime R. Torres, DPM
    Dennis L. Tucker
    Francine Weber
    Steve Weiner
    Miriam Weiss
    Carrie Wilson

    Also see the Aesthetic Realism Online Library  the Aesthetic Realism Foundation  Terrain Gallery  What scholars, writers, artists & teachers are saying  the Aesthetic Realism Theatre Company  & Links

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