Music :: a little of everything – 01.10 playlist

Healthy balanced living ::  Ayurveda

Photographs :: my eye 2009

Photographers :: Lauren Ross :: Ben Moon :: Yann Arthus-Bertrand :: RedBull Illume

Yoga :: Shiva Rea :: Dave Romanelli

Great design :: Design Sponge :: Etsy

Knee slapping laughter :: Demetri Martin :: Dave Chappelle

Travel :: Everlater

Beauty like you’ve never seen :: Ashes & Snow

The simple things :: 3191 miles apart

Love, gratitude, presence, peace. Let the new year fill you with new inspiration, and enjoy every breath…

Skinny Love :: Bon Iver :: For Emma, Forever Ago

Closer :: Kings of Leon :: Only By the Night (Deluxe Version)

Smile (feat. Steven Tyler) :: Chris Botti :: Chris Botti In Boston

Reprieve :: Ani DiFranco :: Reprieve (Bonus Version)

Broken Chair :: Chris and Thomas :: Land of Sea

Regresando Remix :: The Silver Pesos :: Regresando

Let It Burn :: Trolls Cottage :: Let It Burn

Everybody Knows :: Ryan Adams :: Easy Tiger

The Time Is Now :: Moloko :: Ultimate Acoustic (Disc 2)

Rushing :: Moby :: Play & Play: B Sides

Blinded by the Lights :: The Streets :: A Grand Don’t Come for Free

Kissing :: Bliss :: Quiet Letters

Me :: Atmosphere :: When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S**t Gold (Bonus Video Version)

Last Tango In Paris :: Gotan Project :: Gotan Project Live

Chandrika (Moonlight) :: Michael Mandrell and Benjy Wertheimer :: Anjali

Song for a Friend :: Jason Mraz :: Mr. A-Z

Blindsided :: Bon Iver :: For Emma, Forever Ago

Losing Keys :: Jack Johnson :: Sleep Through the Static

Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.) :: Monsters of Folk

It’s Amazing :: Jem :: Down to Earth

You & I Both :: Jason Mraz :: Jason Mraz Live & Acoustic

Breakdown (With Brett Dennen & Mason Jennings) [Live] :: Missy Higgins :: Steer & More – EP

BE CURIOUS. Be curious about life, about yourself, about others, and the world. By being curious, we open ourselves up to the incredible mystery and wonder of life. A sense of curiosity makes life seem magical. As we get older and gain knowledge, we seem to think that we “know” the ways of the world, which shuts out the opportunity for the real mystery of life to exist. That mystery is what you see in a child’s eyes. They look at the world as though it’s the most incredible thing – and it is – we just tend to forget that as we grow up (have you seen that awesome youtube of “everything is amazing and nobody is happy” ?). A curious outlook towards life brings this mystery, wonder, magic, and intrigue back into the light. It expands our perception and opens the doors of opportunity. If you can be curious with an open mind and an open heart, and look to every experience as simply something to broaden your perspective, then nothing bad ever happens. Everything, everything becomes a blessing, even if it’s disguised.

Part of being curious is asking questions. My favorite question in the world is WHY? Why do we do what we do, think what we think, say what we say? There are a thousand layers of answers to the question WHY? and the deeper you go, the more fascinating life becomes, along with a grater sense of self. It is a Buddhist belief that seeking the root or cause is the only way to understanding; that nothing exists without a cause. So I would encourage going there – to go deep, dive in, seek the root which will inevitably present to you the infinite fruits of life.

EMBODY LIFE. which is to say, don’t just live life in your head. When we think about going to college, it would appear on the surface that we are there to gain knowledge, or become smarter; processes that largely happen in the mind. But the mind is just ONE PART of our being. Recognize and awaken to the fact that our bodies, our senses, our spirit, all experience every moment of life just as profoundly as our minds. They are all intertwined in ways we cannot even comprehend. To embody life, or to experience life with the entirety of your being, makes life very rich and fulfilling.

And most importantly…

Laugh. Giggle. Keep it light. Keep it simple. Stay open. Find something to be grateful for every day, or even better, every second. And be sure to have a few moments where you strip down, let go of all inhibitions, surrender to the beauty of the present moment, and run around drunk (this could be drunk on life, it doesn’t necessarily need to be substance induced) laughing, singing, and dancing with all your newfound playmates to the incredible pulse of life. (The later, of course, was what college taught me to do best ).

Books, magical indeed; full of knowledge, information, experience, feelings, expression. How is that the simple process of staring at black letters on a white page can turn into one of the most incredible journeys? As your eyes dart over the letters and your hands gently support the book, your mind goes on a wild adventure to far away places, meets people it has never known, learns about things it didn’t know even existed, and yet the body remains still, aside from the occasional turn of the page or cross of the legs. These simple black letters can bring us to tears, cause our hearts to leap, or our breath to gasp. They can provoke feelings and thoughts that stay with us long after we part ways with the book. They can influence our thinking, our perspective, and our way of being in the world.

As I sit, surrounded by books of all genres, written by people from all walks of life, I can’t help but feel the energy from all those experiences that inspired their writing swirling around me, and in turn, inspiring me.

Thank you books, for being so simplistic in form, yet unlimited in your capacity to help us dream, experience, adventure, and feel, without so much as the turn of a page.

3 planes, 1 bus, 2 trains, and I’m almost there. Speeding along the NW coast of Italy from Genoa to Viareggio, so many memories flooding back of the last time I was here, riding the same train, though traveling the other direction.

It’s moments like this that inspire deep reflection on all that has happened between two markers of time, and that sense of wonder at all that changes yet remains the same.

It’s funny to feel so far away from home yet so close to a more true home at the same time…wherever you go, there you are.

We are always traveling, things are always changing, yet here we are, always in some way, the same.

That presence seems to emerge almost effortlessly when traveling. The senses perk up, awakened out of the winter slumber of habit.

The mind quiets so that the experience can be embodied, embraced fully, so as not to forget the splendidness of the moment.

I’m reminded of this as I gaze out to see a cigarette that dangles like a ballerina’s fingers from the old man’s weathered lips, those which have undoubtedly told a thousand stories, as he lackadaisically winds his moped through the chaotic traffic of Milan.

I can feel the weariness of my body from travel, yet the excitement of my spirit from the new beauty that surrounds me coupled with moments unexpected.

Yet no matter where we are, we are constantly having new moments. Not even the most familiar of experiences are in fact that. They are each unique, just as this moment is, for every being, everywhere. If we can awaken to that, life is never boring.

To see light, and the way it casts itself so elegantly upon every surface, as though it has a timeless existence… to smell the seducing and contradicting blend of sweetness and sourness… to feel freedom and constriction… to taste the known and unknown… to hear the soft breeze and the mechanical hum… This is to accept this living as a juxtaposition of masculine and feminine, of angels and demons, of light and dark, of life and death, fully, completely, overwhelmingly present in each moment. This is to embody life, to breathe inspiration, to live in wonder and awe.

With every breath I feel my soul awaken,

Its senses becoming alive.

Every cell embodying life,

So completely, that each ounce of human expression 

Brings tears of joy to my eyes.

There are sign posts around every bend,

sign posts that mark a path of love.

The breeze blows through me like a breath of gratitude, 

From the ocean on the distant horizon.

The song of a saxophone tickles my ears,

enriching the air like the laughter of a child.

Everywhere there is movement and life

Set to the backdrop of the urban pulse,

A heartbeat, a constant, that eventually

Merges into one with the Universal pulse.

Energy pulsing through bodies and buildings,

Rooting down, reaching deep into the earth,

Rising up, reaching high for the sky.

Stillness with movement,

The perfect dance.

A blance we seek, one hard to find,

Yet it is already and always there,

Making everything perfect.

All I know,

is that this moment is.

Ultimately, the goal is to create space. When we create space in our boides, minds, or hearts through stretching and the release of tension, we become less reactive, our perspective shifts, and we are able to see what clear and right action is in all situations that present themselves. This heightened sense of awareness and clarity of thought lead to positive and progressive action that can have an incredible impact not only on you, but on the world.

Whether you have a strong and long time yoga practice, or are completely new to this beautiful art, I encourage you to find a comfortable space, wear some comfortable clothes, get down on the floor, and with no agenda or thought, listen to these songs and let your body stretch, open, and create space in whatever ways it desires. 

1. Life is Wonderful – Jason Mraz

2. Returning – Jami Sieber

3. Guaranteed – Eddie Vedder

4. We Are One – Ziggy Marley

5. Granada – Emilio de Benito

6. Purple Rain – Martin Sexton

7. Nutshell – Alice in Chains

8. Easy – Anoushka Shankar

9. Imagine – Eva Cassidy

10. Joyful Girl – Soulive

11. Winter Song – Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson

12. Love You More – Alexi Murdoch

13. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley

14. Shri Ram Jay Ram – Dave Stringer

15. Fields of Gold – Sting

16. Madolyn – Sharon Isbin

17. Love is My Religion (accoustic) – Ziggy Marley

18. If God Will Send His Angels – U2

19. San Andreas Fault – Natalie Merchant

20. Mona Lisa – Robin Nolan Trio

21. Forever – Ben Harper

22. Long Ago – Michael Hoppe

23. Om Narayani – Krishna Das

24. Prayer to Kuan Yin – Donna Delory & David Gregoli

What if you didn’t have a mattress to sleep on? Or what if your mattress was made of hay and didn’t have any sheets? That is what it’s like for thousands of children in sub-saharan Africa. Many of them sleep without mattresses, and the few who are lucky enough to slumber above the dirt floor are often on mattresses soaked in urine and made of hay. Not exactly a Posturpedic dream. 

When I heard this story last weekend at a yoga workshop in Denver with renown yogini and activist Seane Corn my heart cried. It’s so easy to forget how much we have, and how little others around the world have, when it’s not in your face every day. Seane told many stories like the mattress story, all having to do with the current living conditions for children in Uganda. While much of it was heart breaking, there was an uplifting side; we can help, and it doesn’t take much to make life changing differences.

Off the Mat and Into the World was started by Seane Corn along with Hala Khouri and Suzanne Sterling with the intention that one could take all the strength, energy, and love cultivated on our yoga mats out into the world to help make a difference where change is needed. Last year Seane and a group of leaders from the yoga community travelled to Cambodia to work with the Cambodian Children’s Fund. Their efforts there drastically and positively changed the lives of many children.

This year, OTM is traveling to Uganda to build schools, sustainable farms, birthing centers, and water supply systems. OTM has extended a challenge to anyone who wishes to join and support their cause; raise $20K by November 15th, 2009, then join the OTM team on a two week journey to Uganda in February of 2010 to do hands on work in the community and put the money to work. 

Having always been passionate about travel, yoga, and giving back to the world, I knew this was right up my alley the moment I heard the words come out of Sean’s mouth. I immediately wrote down in my journal, “New goal for 2009, raise the money and travel to Uganda,” with a huge smily face and thumbs up adorning the space next to the letters. Once I signed the pledge to join OTM on the Uganda trip, I was given a pack of matterials that would help me on my journey to raise the money. Included in that pack was a series of photographs from Seane’s most recent trip to Uganda. The joy, energy, and raw excitement for life that decorated each adorable face the kids made my heart sing. $20K is a lot of money, and it’s going to be an even greater challenge to raise the money in harsh economic times, but I’m certain those faces and smiling, shiney eyes will give me every ounce of energy I need to acomplish the task. 

Over the next few months as I work on raising money for this incredible cause, I will be blogging about the process and sharing stories. Feel free to check in and experience this incredible journey with me!

For more on this project, to donate, or to get involved, please view my Activism page. Together, we can achieve greatness!

“Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

- ralph waldo emerson

The lack of free flowing breath via the nose is by far the symptom I detest most that comes with a cold. The coughing, as long as it’s not too juicy or violent, can become an event of dramatic expression and victory, by raising a fist into the air having survived each attack; a positive. The yellow and sometimes green goo that manages to emerge oh so attractively from orifices you did not know you even had, always at the most opportune of times, can become a curious and exploratory event; a potential positive. But the blocked nose, there is simply nothing joyful, celebratory, or positive about that. And so, when I found myself tossing and turning last Monday night suffering from this very malady, I decided that come sun rise, I would find a solution.; something that would essentially kick the ass of whatever it was lurking uninvited inside my nasal passages.

Garlic is a very powerful substance. Potent smell, strong taste, did I mention potent smell? It has been regarded as one of natures most robust immune system boosters, not to mention one of the most powerful repellants if trying to ward off a boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, or any other bedroom companion. Garlic was exactly what I had my sights set on to solve this unpleasant blocked nose problem.

Being a bit of a devotee to Ayurvedic Medicine, I consulted my Ayurvedic Home Cures book for sinus infections. A wide range of herbs, diet restrictions, and rest were suggested, but then my eye caught a nicely boxed bit of text on the bottom right of the page. Garlic, that potent little substance ,was suggested if one was brave enough. “You may not enjoy this, but it works” claimed the book. My puffed-up-chested ego stepped up and said, “Oh i can handle that! In fact this was just what I was looking for.” 

In hindsight, yes it was a little aggressive given the intensity of garlic and the fragility of my nasal passages. But I had never stuck garlic up my nose, and I have to admit, I was mildly intrigued. And was it effective? Like sticking a lollypop in a screaming 4 year old’s mouth.

I was to take a head of garlic, juice it, then use an eye dropper to drip 3-5 drops of the juice up my nose. Then, I had to keep my head back for at least 5 min to allow the juice to work it’s magic, finally returning to an upright position and blowing out whatever contents were left. I wish I could say the experience as simple and calm as that sentence reads. On the contrary. It was more like shoving a bottle rocket up my nose, lighting it, then allowing it to explode inside the nose. That is precisely what it feels like to drop even just ONE tiny droplet of garlic juice up there. 3-5? you’ve got to be kidding me. Hold your head back for 5 min? 5 seconds was enough to make me cry like baby.

Yet after a few minutes passed, my eyes ceased being geysers of tears, the feeling slowly returned to my face, and my body stopped trembling and convulsing. It was then that I was rewarded with the most incredible and uplifting surprise; freedom of breath, all in under 10 minutes. Whatever it was that was lurking up in my nose had quickly retreated, and I was fairly certain after that procedure, would never return.

So, if you find yourself with a nasty little sinus infection over these next few weeks as we shift from winter to spring (the time of year you are MOST likely to get a cold), and you’re feeling brave, adventuresome, and jonesing to stick something up your nose, I highly recommend the fresh garlic juice method. Kick back, load up the dropper, take a few in the schnoz, and prepare for fireworks. Ten minutes later, you will be ginning from ear to ear, breathing like an iron lung, and revering the power of garlic.