Mindfulness Teacher and Author Brings Her Teachings to Verse
According to the American Psychological Association, people in the United States are feeling divided, disconnected and lonely – all which increase anxiety levels. So, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for local mindfulness teacher and author, Julie Potiker’s first poetry collection “Gentle Currents: Poems of Pause & Peace,” which was recently published and features gorgeous illustrations from one of her students, watercolor artist Edward Kane.
Potiker is hosting a launch event at 1 p.m., Sunday March 15 at Cork & Bottle, located at 1035 University Avenue in Hillcrest. She will offer a reading and book signing as well as an exhibit of the watercolor paintings featured in the book. Kane, the 83-year-old artist, will be attending. The launch event is open to the public but RSVP is required and space is limited.
Potiker’s mission: to share calm and peace with the world through poetry. “Gentle Currents” is a refuge for the heart—a soft landing for souls seeking hope, tenderness, and renewal. Through mindful self-compassion, the poems invite readers to slow down, notice the world around them, and reconnect with the resilience and love that live within us all.
Accompanied by Edward Kane’s luminous watercolor paintings, these poems form a vibrant, all-color gift book. The result is a work of art that nourishes the senses while offering emotional sustenance. Written and illustrated in the spirit of community—rooted in Potiker’s Wednesday morning mindfulness meditation group that began in the lockdown of 2020—”Gentle Currents” celebrates love in all its forms: love for self, for each other, and for the planet.
Julie Potiker is a mindfulness expert, author, and a debut poet at the age of 65. Her journey to poetry feels like a joyful surprise, arriving after a decade of helping others bring more peace and wellness into their lives through her Mindful Methods for Life programs. A former attorney, Potiker is a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion affiliated with UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and founder of the Balanced Mind Meditation Center in La Jolla, California. She trained with leaders in the field, including Kristin Neff, Christopher Germer, and Rick Hanson, and holds certifications in trauma-sensitive mindfulness, grief education, and multiple adaptations of the Mindful Self-Compassion program.
Her first two books—”SNAP! From Chaos to Calm” and “Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To” are available in print and audiobook format. Julie’s work has been featured in The Oprah Magazine, Costco Connection, AARP, and major news outlets including NBC, CBS, and Fox. Now, she embraces the wonder of sharing her first poetry collection, proof that creativity can bloom at any stage of life. More at MindfulMethodsforLife.com.
Edward Kane is a watercolor artist and illustrator of children’s books with more than 30 years of professional experience in graphic design, photo editing and teaching art, art history, and drawing at Platt College of Multimedia Design.
Category: Art, Authors, Books, Events, Life Style, Local News
