The PRIME Book Meets Alexandra Fuller

“I don’t think any of us can sit in judgment of another human being. We’re incomplete creatures, barely scraping by. Is it possible–from the perspective of this quickly spinning Earth and our speedy journey from crib to coffin–to know the difference between right, wrong, good, and evil? I don’t know if it’s even useful to try.”

-Alexandra Fuller, Scribbling The Cat

Minutes before the reading from her latest memoir, Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness, we caught up with best- selling author Alexandra Fuller in Cambridge, Mass. Her first memoir, Don’t Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood, was an astonishing recollection of her childhood in war torn Rhodesia. It dealt brutally and honestly with her “racist, psychotic, gun-toting ” mother and left me with no shortage of questions. How does one reconcile a painful childhood? How do you learn to forgive your own mother’s choices? Mostly, I wanted to meet the woman who could write so eloquently about such a harrowing and, at times death-defying, upbringing without self-pity or blame. “When I was younger I took her (mother’s) madness personally. But, she had a right to lose her mind. We don’t experience our parents as people; that comes only with the objectivity of age.“

Alexandra’s perspective on life and death, clearly molded by her wildly eccentric and often dangerous childhood in Zimbabwe, has much to teach modern American women on fearlessness, self-compassion, and the role of motherhood in our lives. Her utterly unique perspective may just change your life.

If you’ve read her memoirs, you know what I’m talking about and, if you haven’t, you will certainly be inspired to do so after watching the video below…

We are so honored to feature Alexandra Fuller in PRIME. To learn more about Alexandra, read her story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

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The PRIME Book meets Elizabeth Lesser

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs are more people who have come alive.”

-Howard Thurman

When you first meet her, it is clear Elizabeth Lesser knows things. In 1977 she cofounded the Omega Institute for holistic studies. The aim was, and still is, to offer “lifelong learning programs that provide tools for the art of living, and motivation to cultivate greater health, joy, and peace at home and in the world.”  In the past thirty five years, Elizabeth has befriended and worked with most of the spiritual leaders and eminent thinkers of our time, from The Dalai Lama to  Maya Angelou. She wrote about her own spiritual journey in the brave and revealing, Broken Open and shared tools for you to take on your own  journey in The Seeker’s Guide. She was an instrumental advisor to Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle for the New Earth Webinar. Talking with Elizabeth is like sharing secrets with a dear, wise friend.

Below, Elizabeth shares a bit of her life lessons with us. In this exclusive PRIME video, Elizabeth talks about finding your own voice, using difficult times and “age-appropriate” behavior. It’s not what you think it is…

As I said, this woman knows things…

To learn more about Elizabeth Lesser, read her story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

The PRIME Book Meets Shiva Rose

“Let us Lay in the sun. And count every beautiful thing we can see” -Neutral Milk Hotel

We met Shiva Rose through her friend and fellow actress, Sarah Wynter. As we were photographing Sarah and discussing the women we were hoping to reach out to for PRIME, she immediately said, ” I know the perfect woman for this project! Shiva Rose!”

Indeed, Shiva turned out to PERFECTLY embody a woman in her prime. Having seen enough photographs of her to know she has exquisite style and a stunningly exotic face, we were blown away when she walked in the door for her photo shoot.  Not a stitch of make up, lush untamed mane and an openness you don’t often see in celebrities. She clearly feels at home in her own skin, no matter what incredible item of clothing she chooses to cover it in! She is a passionate actress,  committed humanitarian and writer with a true bohemian spirit.

Shiva shares her favorite discoveries for natural, holistic green living in her website, The Local Rose and speaks to us about living in her prime below:

To learn more about one of the causes dear to Shiva’s heart, please visit Violence Intervention Program

To learn more about Shiva Rose’s fascinating journey of personal discovery, read her story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

The PRIME Book Meets Brene Brown

“Wasting your gifts is not benign.” -Brene Brown

Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept she calls Wholeheartedness.

I was first introduced to Brene when a friend sent me her TED talk. TED offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers. Unbeknownst to Brene, her TED talk had gone viral. Though she thought she was speaking to, maybe, a hundred people, her message was so powerful, it spread to over 4 million! People were moved by the raw and honest way she discussed authenticity, vulnerability, shame and courage.

After watching her first TED talk, I knew we HAD to have her in PRIME. We flew to Houston to photograph her and her friends, “The Houston Tribe”, as she referred to them. (You will meet these vibrant, warm and passionate women in the near future) After spending the day in Brene’s home, it was clear she is a woman who lives every moment of her life whole heartedly.

Below Brene talks to us about the work of midlife, whole hearted living and the importance of understanding shame and vulnerability:

Please also see her latest TED talk below:

brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html

And finally, just so you know we’re not the only ones crazy about Brene:

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To read more about Brene Brown and wholeheartedness, read her story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

The PRIME Book meets Christy Turlington Burns

“Each person must live their life as a model for others.” -Rosa Parks

Christy Turlington Burns’ PRIME shoot was scheduled to take place the week after her 42nd birthday. She arrived at the studio, sans entourage, with not a stitch of make up on and immediately disarmed us with her kind, thoughtful, open way. Here is a woman who could’ve easily coasted through life on her exceptional beauty alone. Yet she took every opportunity to grow as a human being, to continually learn from her experiences and to give back to the world. We talked about the road that lead her from supermodel to yoga enthusiast to activist and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Yes, Christy Turlington is a celebrated supermodel, disciplined student and passionate documentarian/activist, but you will see her true beauty comes from the thoughtful way she moves through her life.

Listen to Christy’s unique take on aging below:

Struck by her own sense of mortality after the difficult delivery of her daughter Grace, Christy was then horrified to discover the millions of women around the world without access to the excellent health care she received. So she became the Maternal Health Advocate for the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) and enrolled in the Masters of Public Health program at Columbia University’s Mailman School. As part of CARE’s water project, she visited a remote village where pregnant women and mothers of newborns had walked miles to access clean water. For some, this was also their only opportunity to receive some form of antenatal and postnatal care. She returned home to New York City and gave birth to a healthy baby boy- a beautiful, uncomplicated delivery in the birthing center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. But she continued to think about those women she had met- young mothers who had so much to fear.

This inspired Christy to make a documentary film that would bring to light the personal stories of women at risk of becoming a mortality statistic.

In her directorial debut, NO WOMAN NO CRY, Christy shares the powerful stories of at-risk pregnant women in four parts of the world, including a remote Maasai tribe in Tanzania, a slum in Bangladesh, a post-abortion ward in Guatemala, and a prenatal clinic in the United States. In her documentary, the staggering statistics of maternal mortality rates are laid out…A WOMAN DIES EVERY 90 SECONDS FROM COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY. 90% OF THESE DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE.

EVERY MOTHER COUNTS is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal and child health.

To learn more about what being a model human being means to Christy Turlington Burns, please read her story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

The PRIME Book Meets Melanie Griffith

Melanie Griffith is a rock star. That’s not her day job; It’s WHO SHE IS. She teaches spin classes at SOUL CYCLE in New York and every one of her classes is a religious experience. Spin classes are done on a stationary bike. You adjust a resistance knob in the center of the bike to the left or right depending on how much resistance you want.

As Melanie guides you through the ride, the music and words she carefully chooses are there encouraging you to be your best self, on the bike, in that moment…and in your life. You get the clear sense she’s really pushing you to be stronger, to push harder while remaining compassionate with yourself and with others. She says,

“OK, turn the resistance to the right.
This is your obstacle.
Right here. Right in front of you.
You decide how hard you want to fight it.“

The music runs through every cell of that woman’s body. Even the lymphoma cancer cells she discovered less than a year ago.

We photographed Melanie twice for PRIME. Once a week before she started chemo and then again after her second treatment when she decided to shave her hair rather than watch it come out in clumps. A week after that she told the class that she was participating in the VICTORIA’S SECRET SOUL CYCLE SPIN FOR A CANCER CURE to raise money for PELOTONIA, a non profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. I signed up right away. It was pretty much me, Melanie, five Victoria Secret supermodels and a room full of guys.

After the event, which raised over $200,000 in under an hour, we talked about the experience. I told her it was funny that we were one of the few women at the event while spin classes are typically dominated by women. Melanie told me a few of her friends asked her why she, newly bald, would put herself in a room with five Victoria Secret models at such a vulnerable point in her life. “Why shouldn’t I be in a room with those women? I’m special and they’re special. I shine. They shine.” This from the woman who shaved her head only a week before!

Melanie chants,

“No matter who you are and what life hands you,
Realize your worth.
Just because someone is faster, Doesn’t mean they are farther along.
I shine and you shine.
Everybody has their own unique gifts.
We’re on this journey together to find them.

Yesterday’s ride is over.
Dig deep from where you are now
And start climbing…
Cause the rest of this hill ain’t nothing!”

That’s right Melanie, dig deep…and shine on.

Check out Melanie’s blog here:

iamnowthejourney.wordpress.com

From Melanie’s Playlist:

Read more about Melanie in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

The PRIME Book Meets Dani Shapiro

I first met Dani Shapiro a decade ago when I lived in New York City. At the time, I had organized a women’s literary circle and invited Dani to speak about her current book, Family History.  It was a gripping account of one family’s unraveling. Hearing her illuminate the process of writing “Family History” deepened the admiration I felt when I first read Dani’s best selling memoir, Slow Motion. With raw honesty, Slow Motion detailed the turbulence of her twenties and the reckless choices she was making.

Now, all these years later, Peter and I found ourselves winding down the pastoral back roads of Litchfield County to photograph her for the PRIME book.  I couldn’t believe the woman who talked with us during the photo shoot was once the confused young woman depicted in Dani’s memoir twenty odd years ago.

She spoke in a thoughtful, quiet voice about the encounters that have influenced her the most…

Read Dani Shapiro’s full story in The PRIME Book…coming soon!

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The PRIME Book Meets Cindy Joseph

What if the images we were bombarded with changed? What if, instead of seeing a 20 year old selling wrinkle cream, we saw someone who actually might understand what the cream was for? To Cindy Joseph, this is a very real possibility.

Cindy spearheaded the pro-age movement that is  changing  how we see ourselves as women. Before becoming a model at 49 years old, she was a make up artist for over 27 years and had to confront her own insecurities while making up some of the most beautiful women in the modeling world. She knows the illusions the media projects from both sides.

“The physical beauty of the girls I worked with could become dull very quickly. It was the girls who were passionate about their work and lives who remained the most beautiful in my eyes. When I started living my life according to what pleasured me, my persona changed, and that’s when I was approached to model. When a woman is pleasing herself, she is at her most beautiful,” Cindy says.

Cindy is absolutely stunning at 61 years old. When she came to our door she giggled that she followed our rules of not wearing any make up to the shoot. In fact, she said, “I don’t even think I put a brush through my hair!”  The images, as you can see below, reflect the light this woman has inside her. She animatedly told us about the make up line she’s developed for women called BOOM by Cindy Joseph. It’s a perfect reflection of her combined talents as a make up artist, her appreciation of real women and her contagious zest for life.

Read Cindy’s full story in The PRIME Book….coming soon!

Cindy’s PRIME VIDEO:

Cindy’s Video on Second Acts:

Second Acts