Artist Amy T. Lourie
PGA Golf Professional
The Amy Lourie Spirit of Golf Fine Art Collection
Book Illustration:
Peak Performance through the Power of the Infinite Mind
Written by Tim Kremer, M.A., Illustrated by Amy T. Lourie
Tim Kremer, M.A. - Coaching Philosophy:
It is our strong belief that the ability to excel in athletics must at some point integrate physical skill development with the power of the mind. We call this the blending of “Motion with Emotion” ™, a process that synchronizes the mind with a body that moves with incredible precision, flow, and ease.
BALANCE
​Balance is defined as a state in which differing parts form a satisfying and harmonious whole. Depicted by a round golf ball at rest between flat Zen stones, Balance symbolizes the harmony that is necessary between our inner and outer worlds, or the energies of our doings and the energies of our beings.
REBIRTH​​
Rebirth symbolizes the abstract and evolving nature of golf and life itself. Within each golf shot is the opportunity to reinvent both ourselves and our games, requiring nothing short of a total commitment to the rebirth of our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs.
DESIRE
Desire portrays the energy of intention; a reminder that action must be balanced with inspiration and purpose, especially on days when we are feeling lethargic and tired. Much like the foul weather that tests the mind on inclement days, desire keeps us passionately focused and allows the winds of change to pass through us as we manifest our grandest hopes and dreams.
PRANA
In Sanskrit, Prana is the vital, life-sustaining force (energy) of all living beings. Prana (artwork) offers an abstract interpretation of the life-force energy we have inside of us in every moment; we breathe – in and out, time and again – to access the eternal flow of energy which manifests into our most inspired visions, hopes, and dreams.
PERMISSION
Permission offers a powerful reminder of the unfathomable energy underlying the word “yes.” Yes lets us know that we never need to ask for a good reason to stay positively focused or in a happy frame of mind. Both the brain and the universe do not know the difference between yes and no, which means that everything that receives our attention will manifest because of the energy and power of yes.
SAMSARA​
In Sanskrit, Samsara defines the eternal cycle of life: birth, suffering, death, and rebirth. Even in golf, there is a profound cycle to every shot we hit – a beginning and an end. It is with a strong mind that we are able to create (birth), let go (death) and recreate (rebirth) time and again – transcending negative emotions (suffering) in order to take our games to phenomenal new heights. Samsara, Dukkha, and Maya offer an artistic expression – and Amy’s most personal interpretation – of the elemental richness of a conscious and purpose -driven life.
JOY & FEAR
Just as with cold and hot, we cannot know what joy feels like without knowing its counterpart – fear. To attach to joy is to attach to fear, since either emotion relies upon the other for the expression of its energy and form. Joy and Fear reminds us that we cannot be open to one emotion without opening to them all.
POTENTIAL
​Potential reminds us of the mind states of calmness and serenity which mirror the essence of who we really are. As we align with the energies of our true potential – free of tension, resistance, and “dis-ease” – we access an inner strength that is effortless yet powerful beyond compare, allowing us to achieve extraordinary levels of peak performance with a natural flow and ease. The cover artwork for Thoughts of the Day: Book III.
CLUB
​Club offers a quantum interpretation of the most physical extension between the body and the ball. As thought is to the mind, club is to the swing, a tool that appears solid and stable but constantly changes (bends and torques) in response to the energy that is required for the task at hand.
BELIEF​
​Belief offers an abstract interpretation of one of the core tenets of Spirit of Golf: believing is seeing, not the other way around. There is absolutely nothing in our lives that cannot be created or imagined into being, provided we are willing to wholeheartedly believe in it first. (The eye in this painting is an image of Amy’s daughter, Jane.)
BALL​
​Ball offers an abstract interpretation of the illusion that a golf ball is perfectly round. In spite of its imperfections, Ball reminds us that our shots in both golf and life can quickly bounce in our favor if we remain optimistic and open to the field of infinite possibilities which abound in every moment in time.
BEYOND
​Beyond offers an abstract interpretation of the internal static and noise which plays like a broken record whenever we become overly obsessed with results and score. To play our best golf is to play with a quiet, focused mind; we move beyond distractions which no longer serve us well.
DETACH​
Detach symbolizes the art of allowing and a willingness to energetically surrender, accept, and let go. In golf, detachment happens as we release ourselves from our dependence on tips and technique, allowing us to play the game through the life-force energy of the here and now, better known to athletes as the energy of “The Zone.”
DUKKHA​
In Buddhism, Dukkha means that life is conditioned, temporary, and imperfect. In golf, Dukkha reminds us of the illusion of consistency; there is nothing that is not constantly changing both within ourselves and our games. Dukkha, Samsara, and Maya offer an artistic expression – and Amy’s most personal interpretation – of the elemental richness of a conscious and purpose -driven life.
MORPH
Morph offers an abstract interpretation of the varied mental, emotional, and physical states – represented across the middle of the painting – that are experienced during a typical round of golf. Sharing Spirit of Golf’s most important philosophy, each shot manifests (morphs) into physical form through the unfathomable power of thought, emotion, and belief. The first piece created in the Spirit of Golf collection.
HANDS
Hands offers a quantum interpretation of the profound connection in golf between the body and the club. Our belief – or doubt – in ourselves and our abilities is communicated directly through the hands; how we hold onto (grip) the club becomes a conscious or unconscious projection of our desire to hang on and control or release and let go.
INSPIRE
Inspire offers an abstract interpretation of the splendor and magnificence of the beautiful games of golf and life. To feel inspired in golf is to be in love with life, and the beauty and awe which Inspire represents reminds us of the energy in golf which affords the unfolding of our most passionate hopes and dreams.
OM SHANTI
​Om (a symbol used in the Spirit of Golf logo) is considered to be the primordial sound, the sound of the universe, the sound that contains all tonal vibrations from which sounds are formed. Shanti simply means “peace.” In several spiritual traditions, shanti is chanted three times as a symbol of the peace in the entirety of our being: peace in our bodies, peace in our speech, and peace in our minds.
MAYA​
In Sanskrit, Maya is illusion. In golf, Maya could be interpreted as the illusion that the energy of a shot is separate from the energy of the mind. There is no separation of anything in the universe; to believe that each shot is not intimately affected by the energy of our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs is the illusion known as Maya. Maya, Samsara, and Dukkha offer an artistic expression – and Amy’s most personal interpretation – of the elemental richness of a conscious and purpose-driven life.
FLOAT
​Float offers a satellite view of Glen Lake in Northern Michigan, one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, and a place of peace for Amy. Float inspires us to see the forest through the trees, or to step outside ourselves rather than get caught up in the minutia of our thoughts.
ACCEPTANCE​
Two forceful and opposing energies (personalities) may collide, yet within each is the innate desire not for conflict but to coexist in a state of harmony, equilibrium (homeostasis), and deep inner peace. In golf, colliding with ourselves (non-acceptance) never feels good, nor will it allow us to maintain states of peak performance for very long. Acceptance ultimately reminds us that “it is what it is….”
PROVISIONAL
​Provisional is the second chance that always exists in the here and now. It affords us the constant opportunity to re-tee the experiences which no longer serve us well. We come to see that there are no “missed-takes” which cannot be recreated or improved upon in our games or our lives, making the energies of Provisional and One Ball one in the same.
ONE BALL​
On a quantum level, there is no such thing as past or future; it is the human ego that has a perception of time. One Ball asks us to passionately embrace the unfolding of “The Here and Now,” as golf plays itself out one shot at a time.