[Kate Coppola meditates in her All Weather Bangles]

Kate Coppola is a recording artist, photographer, and this week's BuDhaGirl in Action. Kate treasures her BuDhaGirl jewelry because it reminds her to be devoted to mindfulness as well as her faith. Everyone shares the BuDhaGirl message in different ways - Kate shares it by giving. Read on for touching stories about times Kate has shared her BuDhaGirl jewelry, and get a preview of her latest album, "Me, Aside."

Why does BuDhaGirl resonate with you?

BuDhaGirl resonates with me because it is more than jewelry, there is a tangible spirituality behind the pieces. I was born and raised Catholic, so I love the St. Teresa prayer that is incorporated into the Christian bangles. I have a dedicated area in my dressing room for my BuDhaGirl collection. It’s the first thing that I look at in the morning. At this moment, I am able to pause and meditate before I go on with my day. I don’t necessarily have to put on my BuDhaGirl to be mindful of the intentions that I set for myself in the morning.

What intentions do you set with the All Weather Bangles?

I have the St. Teresa and the Serenity All Weather Bangles. Not only do I set intentions to be mindful and present while wearing them, but they also remind me of my devotion to religion and Catholicism. When I wear the All Weather Bangles, I ask myself how I can share the message of BuDhaGirl – will I keep them, or will I give them away?

"Giving is how I share the BuDhaGirl message and stay true to my daily intentions."

Do you have any poignant stories about your BuDhaGirl jewelry?

I am known to give my BuDhaGirl bangles away all of the time. If people are captivated by the All Weathers, my friend’s say to them, “Be careful - you might end up with them on your wrist!” I’ve taken All Weather Bangles, lariats, even the sacred heart pendant off my body to give to both friends and strangers. Giving is how I share the BuDhaGirl message and stay true to my daily intentions. I’ve given an All Weather Bangle to a baby to use as a teething ring, and I even gave a few to a TSA agent who didn’t believe me when I said that they could go through the metal detector!

"I chose to photograph flowers because they were the most beautiful thing I could find."

When did you start photographing flowers?

I started photographing flowers in 2003 right after my mother passed away. I had never worked with a camera before, but I chose flowers because at the time, they were the most beautiful thing I could find, and I was trying to see this life as beautiful. I found photography to be a coping mechanism after this painful loss. Currently I’ve done 14 series of flower photographs, all focusing on macro shots and the reproductive parts of the flower.

Tell me about your latest album.

The album is called “Me, Aside” and was released in December. My brother, who is a diagnosed schizophrenic and genius musician, came to me four years ago with his music and we started writing together. In many ways, music had healed him, and I encouraged him to bring his message forward to help others who might be suffering in the same way. We started recording two years ago in a studio in Los Angeles. "Me, Aside" is a faith-based album with an emphasis on Catholicism. We filmed the making of the CD, and we will be making a documentary that covers the life of my brother, and the power of faith and music. You can download the album on iTunes, Amazon Music and follow along with the progress of the documentary project at www.measide.com.

Why is mindfulness important to you?

Life becomes busy, so it is necessary to stop, slow down and appreciate what’s around you. When you commit to this on a daily basis, you become more mindful about the intentions you set and the choices you make. And as mindfulness grows, so does faith.

Living an Inspired Life: Kate Coppola