Art Imitates Life and Life Should Be Savored.
Five Star Arts Journals and Jay Michaels Arts & Entertainment will spotlight a series of artists who have devoted themselves to helping people celebrate their lives.
Veronica Moya, an international performer with stage, film, and TV credits heard the call. She tapped into her innate spirituality and combined it with her endless energy and ambition to help those who are lost. Focusing on your people, she is somewhat like a spiritual life coach – helping people tap into their own inner stregeth to move forward.
Veronica, it’s a pleasure to speak with you. Tell us about yourself as an artist?
My acting career started when I was 4 years old, back home in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was a featured singer in a children’s TV show called “Cantaniños” which aired once a week. I was admitted to the National Academy of Dance (comparable to Juilliard school) when I was 10.
At age 16, I founded a “Children Entertainment Co.” with a couple of classmates. We became very successful and coveted with our upbeat performance. We used to sing and dance for the kids and as soon as parents saw us, they would hire us for their own children’s birthday party.
I was part of several Theater productions & TV shows back home. including a featured role in “El Verso” starting Luis Brandoni.
But my heart was always on Musical Theater. I came to New York sponsored by a modeling agency, and I started my studies in Musical Theater. I had the good fortune to work with George Morrison, Paul Sills, T. Schreiber & Liz Caplan as my vocal coach. Among my favorite credits are “Logic of the Birds” performed at Lincoln Center. Carnival (Lili), Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel), The Wizard of Oz (Glinda) with a bilingual touring Co. I was part of the Spanish Festival “Candilejas” where I performed comedies such as “Mi novia tiene 3 novios” where I played the female lead, opposite to Spanish mega star Manuel de Sabattini.
I was also a member of the Enchanted Players, where I was taken under the wing of its founders Regan & Mary Ryzuk incredible writer & composer team who were amazing teachers to me.
The theater has always been my passion, I was in films as well (El Verso, American Gangster, Sex & the City), but it was never as rewarding as being present with the audience. The communion between the actor and the audience is a feeling impossible to match. When you are on that stage, you truly feel like you are GIVING something, you are being of service. For a couple of hours your audience can be transported somewhere else and forget about their lives for just a little while. You feel like at least for a little bit, you made a difference.
Impressive! Tell us about yourself as a healer/counselor?
I started my path in the Self-help world almost by accident. I am laughing because as we all know, there are no accidents. I suppose it was always meant to be. As I was waiting for an audition I found a Wisdom Magazine right there on the table in front of me, the first thing I saw was an ad for a “Psychic development Class” at the Edgar Cayce Center. Needless to say, I had no idea who he was or what that center was, but i was pulled to it so I went. The class was taught by Coni Buro, the center was a non-for profit, very warm and friendly organization which was run mostly by volunteers. Before I knew it I became a big part of the Center. I was invited to be a member of the program committee, this group would meet once a week to discuss prospect new classes and guests speaker for the center. I started scouting new talent and people who I thought would be good fit for our audience.
Before I knew it I was teaching classes myself, offering Tarot Readings and Reiki sessions. I quit my full time job and I started doing readings and healings for a living, a perfect match for my eclectic schedule. I was still acting at the time, and I would get up at 5:00AM to go ice skating and to sign up for auditions at 6:00AM. Yes, that early. The auditions would start at 9:00AM but people were lining up at 6:00AM.
The way everything happened was pretty seamlessly. Just like a domino effect, one thing would always lead to another. I was soon known for my Energy and enthusiasm and my no non-sense style of delivery.
Other centers took noticed started calling me to teach. I was invited to Holistic centers in Long Island, New Jersey and even to the prestigious Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. I was teaching how to read the Tarot cards, and How to develop your intuition. Every class would start with a meditation and I’d always emphasize the importance of clarity of mind and purity of heartwhen embarking in this sort of work.
I would teach them to always make a heart connection with their client, and have ONLY the intention to “be of service”. Your Ego must to be out of the way! You must know and trust that whatever comes to you is information that will be helpful to the inquirer.
I guess here is how all my theater training ties together with this work. Any Good actor must Become the character they are playing. They can not Act as if, they must become the character, and leave all self analysis aside. Well, doing readings for other people is quite the same, you must detach from your own story (your thoughts, your opinions, your intellect) and become a blank canvas, able to bring forth whatever is presented for them.
I was doing this work for about 5 or 6 years when I was called by a morning show in Telemundo to give weekly advice to their audience. The show was aired live and it started at 6:00AM so I had to get up super early to be there good & ready to go at 6:00AM. It was a lot of fun!
After this show I was also interviewed by E entertainment and asked to do an on camera reading for Candice Kumai. I was part of the documentary The Many sad Faits of Mr. Toledano created by Joshua Seftel and presented by the New York Times. I’ve done readings for explorer Fabien Cousteau, Joan Dangerfield, and some football players as well as business people here in New York City.
What do you look for in people to know if they need your help?
Excellent question! I am NOT a fortune teller. And I simply can not work with people who are accustom to consulting readers in a regular basis.
My intention is always to Be of Service and to ultimately inspire and encourage people to lead a happier life.
So the most important thing I do look for in a client is their ability to take responsibility for the unfolding of their life. I am happy to give advice, encouragement, and guidance. Sometime we all need a push, but I can not work with victims. I am here to empower the brave, not to coddle the weak. Jason Marshall wrote an article about this very subject about 10 years ago, I had my ex husband’s last name at the time: http://wisdom-magazine.com/Article.aspx/1562/
Was there one incident or something in your life that you feel put you on this path?
Yes, I never talk about this because it sounds strange. I was born “remembering” where I came from. Yes, and I don’t mean remembering a past life. I mean being completely aware of my truth & my essence as a Spirit.
Landed on this earth with a clear understanding of the downgrade I had just undertaken. Life on Earth is not great, but that’s mostly because people don’t know who they truly are. If they did, I am sure they would have a much more positive outlook and therefore a better outcome in their experience.
But here I was, an old, old Spirit in a world of contrast and challenges. I found that I was able to clearly see things that others didn’t. This can be quite frustrating, and lonely. Many facts of life were SO Obvious to me that I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that other seemingly intelligent, and much more mature people, didn’t see. Why can’t they see that? Don’t they know it’s going to go down this way? Or That way? Or whatever way..?
I realized that I was able to read patterns (that’s what I call it). No, I don’t hear voices, and I don’t see any images, or Spirits or anything like that. I simply KNOW. I can look at a situation or a person and describe in great detail what they are about (how they feel, what they think, their highs, their lows) and what is most likely to happen.
I’ll be honest, I was a cranky little girl growing up. Very impatient and frustrated with everybody. Also bossy and of course assertive. But, wouldn’t you be?
This is why I LOVE to work with children today! If they are silently going through what I went through, then of course I understand their Frustration.
Of course they will have tantrums, of course they will be impatient. It’s not because they are being spoiled now. It’s because they WERE spoiled before they came here.
See? We all experience wholeness and bliss before we are called to become humans again. A child will naturally have a hard time adapting to this life; specially when connecting with all the anxiety, worry and fear from their parents. It’s a hard transition and really difficult to understand.
Who is your main clientele – who do you help the most?
Today my main clientele is young people. I specialize in Children and teens. It is imperative that they learn the power of their minds and the reach of their thoughts.
When they figure out how much power they have over their lives, they gain a new perspective. They become more optimistic and purposeful.
I love spending time with young children because they Get It! I don’t have to convince them of their power or how special they are. They already know. So my job is to make sure they never forget.
And with that end, I developed “Self-Aware Child” which is a meditation practice designed specially for children. It allows them to experience wholeness and bliss just by closing their eyes and using their imagination. We have different meditations for different situations. So they can have a nice toolbox of good and healthy resources for when they are feeling anxious, sad, worried or simply feeling awkward in front of their peers.
I also do one-on-one consultations which are SO, so, SOOOO rewarding and fun to do!! I found that I am very effective at guiding teens, and young adults, on choosing a career that will be gratifying both financially & emotionally at a personal level.
Tell us about the world and how you feel we can survive it.
I personally don’t have any big problems with the World. The only thing that I find harmful is our thoughts. The collective consciousness needs to change and the focus of our existence should certainly shift from this FEAR Based reality to a trusting and allowing mentality. After all, we are indeed responsible for everything so, if we don’t like something, we should simply disengage. Don’t participate. As they say, it takes 2 to Tango. So don’t. Thing that we don’t give our attention to ceases to exist.
People use the expression “A perfect world” … to a spiritual person like you, what is a perfect world?
A perfect world is one where every person is satisfy with themselves. Everybody is self confident, self loving, and proud to be who they are. Because they’d experience true contentment and peace, there would be no anger, conflict, or hostility towards others.
I find that most of our problems are originated in the need to fill a void that’s inside; and everyone tries to fill it while focusing on events happening outside of themselves. It’s a never anding story. It can’t be done. The only way to find true happiness is by Loving the perfect expression of yourself. Too tall, too short, too fat, too..? Who cares? Whatever you are, however you are, you came from perfection and you are perfect.
Self acceptance is the key!
Where do you see yourself in a year … 10 years … beyond
In a few years I see myself in a big house by the beach in San Diego. I don’t know why (I’ve never been to san Diego and I don’t even know I would like it) but I have had that recurrent image for years now. LOL
I am presently working on my fist book for children, which could easily become a series of books. So in a few years I hope to have inspired and encourage a larger number of young minds to be fearless and enjoy this life to the fullest. I would also like to be founder of a learning center dedicated to the True Development of the human mind, highlight on the Intuitive.
Final thoughts?
Final thoughts are Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and my work. My last words would be to most parents, who worry so much about their children, I want them to remember that their kids are not as helpless and defenseless as they might think. They are powerful souls that came through to have a human experience, and if given the chance they can truly soar as human beings.
Don’t teach them too much about Spirituality, they already know. Simply facilitate a safe space for self contemplation and the rest will follow.
Learn More about Veronica Moya
Tell us about your role in AS YOU LIKE IT. 
Do you feel the play resonates with audiences today?
“For a prolific writer like Irving Greenfield, the idea that his work might not be everyone’s cup of drama is probably not terribly troubling. However, the idea that his work might be censored has Mr. Greenfield as incensed as any writer would be. So incensed, in fact, that he might create a whole ‘nother work to illustrate just how incensed he is. A work like “Banned in Bisbee”, a play Greenfield wrote in response to his “Depth Force” novels being removed from library bookmobiles in Bisbee, Arizona following the accidental exposure of a nine year old patron to the adult language and situations therein.
Acclaimed opera singer Debra Cook’s musical love letter to her departed husband is a featured event of the NYNW Theatre Festival.
Ms. Cook is a celebrated opera singer and musical educator in Utah. She is a founding Board Member of Opera West and winner of the American Opera Auditions, U.S.A. World Showcase, and a regional finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, Cook has done opera and concert work throughout the United States, including solo performances with the National Choral Society at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Utah Symphony, and several seasons in repertory with Utah Opera Company. She performed off-Broadway and was featured as Roxanne in Stuart Crane’s cast recording of Cyrano.
The Hunting Season by Magaly Coliman
Ruby by Susan Gross
Pregnant Pause by Kathleen Jones