Issue 27 | Face the Current

Issue 27

fAce the current TRAVEL

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CULTURE

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MUSIC

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SPORTS & FITNESS

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HEALTH

Expedition Planet Earth: Uncovering Nature’s Wild Beauty with Landscape Photographer Daniel Kordan Creating Abundance

with “Happy Money” Zen Millionaire Ken Honda

Biofield Science of Healing

with Dr. Shamini Jain

16 Nourishing Recipes

to Boost Your Mind, Body & Soul

TMRW.TDY

Music Fest + south Africa’s

DJ ShimZa

Fuel for an inspired life.

fAce the current

Editorial

Issue 27 · January/February 2020

Connect With Us... @facethecurrent www.facethecurrent.com FOR ADVERTISEMENT AND SPONSOR INQUIRIES

Sasha Frate, Founder & Editor in Chief sasha@facethecurrent.com Ainsley Schoppel, Co-Editor in Chief ainsley@facethecurrent.com partnerships@facethecurrent.com

JOIN THE MOVEMENT Face the Current is creating a ripple effect, inspiring positive change in the world and enhancing lives by encouraging one another to relentlessly discover, explore, question and learn from current and emerging information and perspectives. Driven by a deep-rooted love of learning, creative minds and a great appreciation for connection with other individuals who are passionate about what they do, Face the Current has quickly developed into a growing team and global community of incredible people who believe in living life to the fullest and discovering their true potential.

AWARDED #1 BEST PRINT MAGAZINE AND #1 IN MAGAZINE INSERTS IN A 7 STATE REGION OF THE US WEST COAST! Cover Image Credits: • Front cover: Daniel Kordan • Back cover: Merr Watson

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DISCLAIMER The information provided in this magazine is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.

Opinions and other statements expressed by the kind souls sharing their viewpoint, users and third parties are theirs alone, not opinions of Face the Current. Content created by third parties is the sole responsibility of the third parties and its accuracy and completeness are not endorsed or guaranteed. Face the Current Website and third parties may provide links to web pages, web sites, and various resources or locations on the web. Face the Current has no control over the information you access via such links, does not endorse that information, and shall not be responsible for it or for the consequences of your use of that information.

All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Face the Current may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this magazine.

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FtC TEAM

Sasha Frate Founder & Editor-in-Chief Sasha is a perspective seeker, adventurer, and explorer. She received her Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts and continues to study a variety of subjects within and outside of the academic setting. Sasha brings her personal moonshot approach to life to FtC, aiming to provide an experience for our global community where we inspire one another to stay curious, never stop exploring, and to live with purpose and to our potential.

sasha@facethecurrent.com

Ainsley Schoppel Co-Editor-in-Chief Ainsley is a classical pianist, former figure skater, and loves summers at the lake in northern Ontario. She holds an honors BA in Psychology and Arts & Business, and also earned a graduate degree in Hospitality and Business Management while working at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. After working in Toronto on published women-focused research, she moved outside the city to raise her family. While home with her son, she indulges her love of the written word with freelance editing.

ainsley@facethecurrent.com

Sema Garay Executive Designer Sema is the graphic designer behind the development of the image and magazine of Face the Current. He has developed a multitude of projects, including his previous job leading the Creative Department of BG Life Magazine, in Marbella, Spain.

Sema graduated with a Masters Degree in Architecture at ETSA of Sevilla and is proficient in a wide range of design software. He is passionate about all kinds of artistic expressions, and when not active behind the scenes of Face the Current design, you’re likely to find him playing music for Beach Grooves Global Radio or local venues along the Costa del Sol.

sema@facethecurrent.com

Jawn Angus Sports Editor Jawn is a runner who has competed in 44 marathons in 38 US states, Canada and Australia. He is also an Ironman triathlete and owner of Marathawn Jawn Coaching based out of Seattle, WA and Scottsdale, AZ. Jawn is an RRCA Level II run coach, USA Triathlon Level I coach, and ISSA Strength & Conditioning certified trainer who offers running, triathlon and strength coaching online. He holds a degree in Healthy Lifestyles Coaching from Arizona State and studied Sports Nutrition and Exercise Immunology in Australia. When he’s not running, Jawn likes to soak up the Arizona sunshine.

jawn@facethecurrent.com 4

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David Aiello Editor David is an author, musician and photographer based in Portland, Oregon.

He has worked with Fortune 50 companies to build their global brands but now applies his natural curiosity to exploring and documenting the world around him.

david@facethecurrent.com

Chris Assaad Music Editor

is a Canadian singer-songwriter who left a promising career in law to follow his heart and passion for music. His fire for music was ignited shortly after he began exploring his love of singing when he was forced to overcome a rapidly progressing hearing loss condition. Two miraculous surgeries later, Chris was given the gift of perfectly restored hearing and a second chance, cementing his path of a life dedicated to his artistry. Since then, Chris has been sharing his eclectic blend of soulful roots music, heart-opening songs and stories across the globe and actively using his voice to inspire others to follow their innermost calling.

chris@facethecurrent.com

January/February 2020 CONTRIBUTORS We are a growing team of Up-Standers whose intention is to create positive change in the world through networking, connecting, supporting, and developing our global thoughtcommunity at both an individual and a collective level. We are passionate about building our crew of experts and industry leaders to deliver cutting-edge information that is created “by our global community, for our global community.”

This issue’s FtC team and contributing crew are based in the U.S, Spain, and Canada.

Kai Karrel

is writer, a poet, a mystic, and a practicing medium. In the last few years, Kai has dedicated his attention and focus to the Afro-Brazilian Shamanic teachings and the wisdom of the forest. He is a mystical traveler devoted to the exploration of the unknowable. He travels among native traditions and ancient cultures. In a way he considers himself a traditional light warrior, using the lighter side of his teaching to inspire spiritual growth and self-love.

In recent years Kai has been devoting his time to the study of plant medicine and the shamanic modalities of healing and awakening, studying with master teachers in Brazil and honing his skill as a medium and healer www.kaikarrel.com

Lisa Guy

is a well-respected Australian naturopath, author and passionate foodie, with over 18 years clinical experience. Lisa runs a naturopathic clinic called ‘Art of Healing’ and is an avid health writer and recipe developer for leading publications. Lisa is also the founder of Bodhi Organic Tea, an award winning herbal tea company who makes beautiful unique tea blends all naturopathically blended to enhance health and wellbeing. artofhealing.com.au

Matthew Belair

is the author of the best selling book Zen Athlete and the host of the top-rated Matt Belair podcast. He is an explorer of the mind and world and has trained with 34th generation Shaolin Masters in China, studied meditation with monks in Nepal and survived a near-death experience trekking Mount Everest just to name a few of his accomplishments. He is dedicated to teaching others how to expand their consciousness, connect with spirit and bring more awareness, love and kindness to the planet. www.ZenAthlete.com www.MattBelair.com

Eric “Aspen” Marley

is a writer who splits his time between living off-grid in the foothills of the Cascades, and in a tipi in Central Oregon. His passion lies in creating community around North and South American indigenous ceremony. He also loves surfing, snowboarding and biking. www.marleysoulworks.com

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January/February CONTENT

08 Expedition Planet Earth:

Uncovering Nature’s Wild Beauty with Landscape Photographer Daniel Kordan

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Creating Abundance with “Happy Money” Zen Millionaire, Ken Honda

travel

08. Expedition Planet Earth: Uncovering Nature’s Wild Beauty with Landscape Photographer Daniel Kordan 18. FtC Travel Connection: Merr Watson 26. Surging Arctic Ecotourism A Drive to Witness Polar Bears in their Dwindling Natural Habitat

culture 42 Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest

Spreading the One Love Vibration With A Global Tribe 6 FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

30. Creating Abundance with “Happy Money” Zen Millionaire, Ken Honda 36. Art of Visual Storytelling: Global Film Industry Leaders

and Creatives Unite to Showcase Latest Trends from the Spotlight of the American Film Market

music

42. Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest Spreading the One Love Vibration

FtC Issue 27

56 Biofield Science of Healing with Dr. Shamini Jain

64

Top Nourishing Recipes to Boost Your Mind, Body and Soul

46. DJ Shimza: A Blazing Beacon of Light in South African Afro-House Music

sports & fitness

50. Looking to the Future of Peak Performance: Rounding up 2019’s Best Lessons from Six Renowned Experts on iTunes’ Top Health Podcast 54. How to Successfully Optimize Your New Year’s Resolution and Achieve the Results You Desire

health

56.Biofield Science of Healing with Dr. Shamini Jain 64.Top Nourishing Recipes to Boost Your Mind, Body and Soul 74.The Negative Side of Positive Thinking How Best to Manifest Desired Life-Changes with Gratitude

46 DJ Shimza: A Blazing Beacon of Light in South African

Afro-House Music www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

Expedition Planet Earth: Uncovering Nature’s Wild Beauty with Landscape Photographer Daniel Kordan

By Sasha Frate Growing up in a breathtaking region dotted with lakes and the purity of wild nature just south of Moscow, Daniel Kordan spent most of his spare time outdoors. As a child, Kordan attended an art school that focused on painting, mixed art, nature, and outdoor activities.

Upon graduation, his summary report stated he was best suited for landscape photography—and how right it was.

Kordan attended university and first studied quantum physics. However, he always found himself returning to the forest and enjoying pathless adventures.

Nature continued to inspire him with its beckoning beauty and endless palette of colors and compositions.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the Universe, and feel What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.

—Lord Byron While at university, Kordan mountain climbed and hiked, and began guiding tour groups during the winter and summer.

From there, it was an easy transition to guiding photo workshops. Shortly after, Kordan became Chief Editor of Continent Expedition Magazine, contributing to global travel and adventure articles.

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Kordan has won numerous awards including the 2013 Golden Turtle Nature Award; winner of the 2013 National Geographic Russia contest; winner of the 2013, 2014, and 2015 Best of Russia contest; and the Trierenberg Super Circuit award for Best Landscape Photographer. He has also been published in Digital SLR Magazine, Photography Master Class, National Geographic, and Discovery, just to name a few.

Today—when not traveling the world—Kordan can be found in the villa Gaia in Tuscany or in Norway at the Lofoten Islands guiding photography groups from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Asia, and Russia.

revelatory discussion with Daniel Kordan as he humbly shared his unmatched experience in Japanese travel, astrophotography, the best ways in which to plan unique location adventures, and the details of his upcoming Kenyan tribes project.

An open book and an insatiable traveler, Daniel Kordan is every young landscape photographer’s dream mentor. Face the Current enjoyed a

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Koyasan Sasha Frate: At university your focus was on physics, but as you shifted focus to landscape photography over time, nature seems to have “stolen your heart”. Does your foundation in physics play into your travels, expeditions, and photography work today?

Daniel Kordan: I started as a mountain and climbing guide in my University mountain club. We hiked and traveled a lot, meeting sunrises above clouds. (It’s hard not to start sharing the beauty with others in such conditions, isn’t it?) I never thought that photography could be my work or profession. I admired my scientific work and photography was always a passion, and even now I do not consider my workshops as “work”—it is an essential part of my life. I loved physics, too, and it is similar to photography in that it is about solving problems. But, instead

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of math and equations, I now deal with complicated logistics, people relations, composition planning, and working with cameras and equipment (including yachts and cars for expeditions etc.). I just need my brain spinning and steaming all the time otherwise I would feel dead.

SF:You’ve named Koyasan as one of your most favorite places in Japan where, “The traditions are still well kept and you feel the ancient and rural spirit of Japan.

Just wandering at Okunoin cemetery in the night is very special; several kilometers of mossy ancient torii gates, lanterns, and tall cedar trees.”

What would you re-experience in Koyasan and what other places in Japan evoke this type of feeling?

DK: There are some places with a touch of magic; a touch of the

spiritual.You just feel energy sourcing there. This energy goes into your mind and feelings and keeps inspiring you no matter how tired you are.

This kind of energy doesn’t need to be linked with religion. However, Koyasan is an amazing example of a place with rich history; it’s the center of Shinto-Buddhism and just a quiet place outside of most tourists’ paths.

There are many places like Koyasan in Japan! In June I was in Kyushu island and loved Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine. It is the most popular in Takamori for its extremely divine atmosphere. People feel very relaxed and peaceful at the top of the mountain and you’re just alone there among old mossy shrines in the morning mist of the forest. I watched and photographed fireflies at old shrines and in the vast bamboo forest. Even Kyoto has little temples outside of mainstream attractions. To find them sometimes you just need

to wander around with your phone switched off, just guided by your feelings.

Night skies of Namibia

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It’s hard to believe your eyes and senses while standing in the middle of these flooded salt flats at night.

Let me explain my experience: Our “spaceship” (car) was parked in the distance and the stars were blinking with blue, red and yellow hues. The stars completely surrounded me—they were above me, next to me, and “underneath” me. It felt like space on Earth!

SF: One might imagine the night skies to virtually look the same from any vantage point, but you’ve discovered a couple locations that proved particularly spectacular, and you even described the night sky of Namibia as “Certainly among the most impressive I’ve seen in my life.The only competitor is probably Atacama/Uyuni night sky in Chile/Bolivia, at Uyuni salt flats.” In addition to these being the top locations, are there any others that would make your Top Five list, and what is the best way to prep for such a magical experience?

DK: One of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had as a photographer was on the flooded Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. These are the world’s largest salt flats and they flood for about four months every year. It’s a natural spectacle that merits an award, applause, or a bow from us.

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It’s hard to believe your eyes and senses while standing in the middle of these flooded salt flats at night. Let me explain my experience: Our “spaceship” (car) was parked in the distance and the stars were blinking with blue, red and yellow hues. The stars completely surrounded me—they were above me, next to me, and “underneath” me.

It felt like space on Earth!

Another place that made a strong impression on me was Altiplano, Bolivia.

It ranks as the best possible place on Earth to observe stars and practice astrophotography.

There are not many places in the world where you can enjoy an absolutely dark sky because cities and even small villages emit a lot of light at night time. Besides, it’s often hard to get a very clear sky. But at this place, the sky was just amazing—perfect for astrophotography.

If I were to try to select my Top Five “night photography” destinations, they would be: 1) Bolivia, Altiplano (including Uyuni) 2) Atacama Desert in Chile 3) Namibia 4) New Zealand 5) Patagonia Uyuni

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Our planet was given to us to explore. We are here not to produce money for money’s sake, but we are here to feel, listen, and explore our beautiful world. When I see first rays of sun and beautiful colors in the sky, they inspire me to move forward. These are the simple things that drive me: sunsets and sunrises, a walk in the mountains, the sounds of waterfalls, and the singing of birds in the trees. I just feel happy and in harmony when I’m in nature, and even happier when I am able to share the beauty of our world with others while inspiring them to travel and feel what I feel.

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Antarctica As you can see, all the places I named are in the southern hemisphere.

However, you can sometimes wait for clear weather or drive outside of town and enjoy zillions of stars in the sky in northern locations. (Or better yet: hike in the mountains with clear air!)

a walk in the mountains, the sounds of waterfalls, and the singing of birds in the trees. I just feel happy and in harmony when I’m in nature, and even happier when I am able to share the beauty of our world with others while inspiring them to travel and feel what I feel.

abandoned villages, and we explored these places in an old way. This is why an adventure feels like an open book!

(These adventures are, of course, not likely possible without a professional crew and passionate people.) So, my best advice is to join me on an exploration adventure in Greenland!

SF: Sailing through icy waters in Greenland and Antarctica is dreamy in its own right!

From these experiences, what do you most recommend for anyone dreaming up their own adventure on these seas?

The world of photography is saturated with copies of the same locations, but there are still plenty of places to explore in the world!

However, most of them require hard planning and are truly tough expeditions (like my Greenland sailings).

SF:You venture to some pretty incredible and remote locations for your adventures, such as Kyrgyzstan—which you’ve described as being “Surrounded by the spectacular snow-capped Tien Shan Mountains”—and the lost Kingdom of Mrauk U in Myanmar where one can, “Wander freely among ancient pagodas covered with moss and grass.” How difficult is it to arrange these types of remote travels, and what was the most challenging journey you’ve faced in order to arrive at your remote destination?

DK: Our planet was given to us to explore. We are here not to produce money for money’s sake, but we are here to feel, listen, and explore our beautiful world. When I see first rays of sun and beautiful colors in the sky, they inspire me to move forward. These are the simple things that drive me: sunsets and sunrises,

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In Greenland, we communicated with local fishermen, helicopter pilots, and geologists because they know lots of nice locations. In this way, the trip becomes adventure-like—a sort of Lord of the Rings series. Local fishermen told us stories about old marble caves, whale cemeteries, and

DK: Your journey is not just a trip to a location. Instead, I try to create it as a longlasting project with several goals and ideas to be tested. For instance, possible goals might be to create an album, an ecological project, or an exhibition. But you don’t have to travel to find inspiration—you can start photography around your home town!

The way you plan travel into your year will reflect your style. With so many photographers in the world, you must be different from others to stand out. So, the idea for a trip realized in a particular project creates your style. I sometimes spend the same amount of time planning a trip as it takes to actually experience the adventure itself! Your adventure starts at home in front of the map, a list of locals’ names, and a cup of coffee in the night.

Kyrgyzstan

I will give you some advice to help plan future adventures: Most shots are taken based on conditions in the moment. However, there are stunning natural phenomena like the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun, and you can plan specific times and locations for your visit to see them. (If you photograph the Northern Lights, you must understand that the North should be open if you are below 68 degrees. If you go further north, Northern light could appear in the South.)

During the Midnight Sun, you can capture stunning photos when the sun touches the horizon for the first time. Analyze the light at any location using Photopills and Google Earth and take advantage of services that predict the Northern Lights. If you plan to have a nightscape session, take the phase of the moon into consideration.

Your overall strategy should be to select the right season and an interesting project for your work.Your main tactic is to be at the right place at the right time! Find the season when mountain valleys start to bloom with fireworks of flowers, and avoid crowds of photographers and tourists.

SF: How do you find your destinations to explore? Take Korea for example: that took you on a three-hour drive and a two-hour hike to reach your destination with spectacular sights and adventures along the way!

Lost Kingdom of Mrauk U in Myanmar

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Imagine sitting in a bamboo forest in the total silence of the night listening to the gentle rustle of leaves in the air, and suddenly the whole forest starts to glow like a Christmas tree! Fireflies are all around you like waves of light, lifting up and down in synchronization.

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DK: I read a lot about places I intend to visit. I take inspiration from books, magazines, and from my Instagram feed. I mostly follow local and unknown photographers that live in the region in which I am interested. For the actual planning stage, I use services like Panoramio, Flickr, and 500px to analyze photos from various locations. However, many places I visit are not yet photographed so we plan the region and explore it, saving enough time for photography. There are plenty of useful tools to analyze locations such as TPE, Photopills, and Google Earth.

When planning, I sometimes have topographical maps on one screen and Google Earth on the other as I try to understand where I can hike, where the sun will set, and how it will hit the mountain. It is basically like a scientific study!

SF: From your South Korea hike to wandering the Okunoin cemetery in Japan, why do you opt to venture out to places during the night, and what type

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of equipment do you take on your night adventures?

DK: For South Korea, it was actually quite unusual. I traveled there with a friend named Nate Mertz who is a local schoolteacher. Because of his job, we had no other option other than to hike in the night after his work, shoot the sunrise, and return so he could be back in time for work. (It is not easy to travel alone in Korea! For instance, there are local rules that dictate I cannot rent a car there. So, having such great friends around the world and being open to making new friends is another key element for exploration.) Okunoin was just magical at night because of the silence and the little lanterns that illuminated the pathways. In the daytime, it loses part of its magical atmosphere. I normally prefer to shoot sunrise, sunset, or the night sky, and then rest during the night or at least have time for an extra nap in the daytime. As you can see, there is not much sleep in my life!

SF: Nature often paints a scene right in front of our very eyes. From flashing, dancing fireflies in Japan, to the flowing rivers of Iceland, and white horses running the beaches of Camargue, you’ve witnessed so much. What are some of these types of scenes that you believe should be witnessed with one’s own eyes, and how easily do these “paintings” come together through a lens onto print?

DK: You cannot get the full impression of some things in a single print. For instance, let’s say fireflies in Japan. Imagine sitting in a bamboo forest in the total silence of the night listening to the gentle rustle of leaves in the air, and suddenly the whole forest starts to glow like a Christmas tree! Fireflies are all around you like waves of light, lifting up and down in synchronization. It is just impossible to bring all of the accompanying emotions and feelings I had in that moment into single images. (As for

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Most people are not ready to get out of their comfort zones, and there are so many stunning places you can experience while still staying in hotels or driving nice cars. But, personally, I prefer to have a challenge. I want to see the unknown, to challenge myself to get there, and to explore.

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Lofoten the preparation to witness these Japanese fireflies, you need to arrive at the spot at 10:00 a.m. to reserve a place for yourself, otherwise you will not squeeze in at 10:00 p.m. when the fireflies start to dance. It is considered impolite in Japanese culture to come later and take a firstrow viewing spot.)

With the Camargue horses, we spent around a week photographing ten to twenty thousand images from which I selected just a dozen. The lesson there is to try to capture a moment many, many times!

SF: What does it mean for you to truly wander off the beaten path that most are taking to experience the well-known destinations? For example, in places like Lofoten Islands, you manage to discover and capture the diversity of the region. Do you believe we need to broaden our horizons?

DK: It all depends on infrastructure.

Most people are not ready to get out of their comfort zones, and there are so many stunning places you can experience while still staying in hotels or driving nice cars. But, personally, I prefer to have a challenge. I want to see the unknown, to challenge myself to get there, and to explore. This feeling has been in my blood since childhood when I read countless books about adventures. Even still, in my off-time between expeditions, I hold photo tours in civilization to teach my students in Tuscany, the Dolomites, and Japan. It is a nice change for me to be in a relaxed atmosphere and have some rest after “challenges”.

Senja You can be persistent and make a project about any place and show its beauty to the world!

SF:Your scenes from Senja Island in northern Norway look like they’re straight out of a fairytale! You’ve called this island a favorite in Norway because of its turquoise Arctic Ocean waters and its remarkable granite peaks and stunning hikes. Can you share what it’s like to travel around this island? Does it feel like a fairytale?

DK: Haha, I just recalled my first winter trip there when I was trapped in my room for three days It is not necessary to travel off during a severe snow storm. I left the beaten path to be a good that location without a single shot. photographer. For instance, the Nature is nature—it is not a fairytale, Lofoten islands are quite a civilized place with hotels and good roads, but especially the nature of the north. But even still, I love this place! If weather seven years ago it did not have many permits, you can hike to the top of tourists. Since then, I have traveled to the mountain and see all the fjords Lofoten every year and have amassed many images, made many friends there, around you, with the mountain ridges protruding like the spines of a dragon. and established photography tours. www.facethecurrent.com

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Ocean fog sometimes rolls into the fjord and you can stay above the sea of clouds.

SF: Many feel uneasy about travels in Saudi Arabia, but you’ve been and discovered some of its beauty at the Magnificent Rocks of Buraikah! What’s your take on travel to this region of the world, what’s it like at the Rocks of Buraikah, and do you have any locations on your “bucket list” that you wish to revisit and explore further?

Saudi Arabia

DK: Saudi Arabia was just opened for tourist visitors this September, so I did not want to miss the opportunity to travel there. Again, it was with the same motivation: I barely see any images from this country, so my inner curiosity prevailed over any fears I might’ve had to travel in an unknown country. I hate politics and always explore nature, being sure to stay away from any political judgment. The country appeared to be safe and friendly to travel within. I was there for just a few days and was very happy to photograph two places: Al Disah Canyon and the Magnificent Rocks of Buraikah. Both are beautiful and very special. There’s much more to see and explore in Saudi Arabia so I hope I will return again!

SF:Through much of your travels, you often get a taste for what it’s like to live like a local. I love your story on the Samburu people in the wild Ndoto Mountains of northern Kenya where you reflect on your climb to capture the area and its local tribes. “Bushes with long thorns tearing apart my t-shirt, extreme heat over forty degrees Celsius, hyenas and lions roaming around… Ndoto is located at the edge of the Chalbi desert and the biggest challenge is usually just to get enough water!” Can you tell us more about your tribes project and what motivated you to begin the project?

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The idea of the project is to show cultures that are now in danger of extinction. It is a hard situation for tribes in Kenya—many people abandon their traditions and move to big cities looking for jobs. The other stressor is that national parks and safari parks press tribes out of their territories. We are about to show the world the beauty of traditions that must be preserved.

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Kenya

DK: The tribes project was initiated by Lumas gallery.

I work with them offering my limited-edition prints.

Basically, my Mongolian tribes series went very well, so they asked me to continue the series in Kenya. The idea of the project is to show cultures that are now in danger of extinction. It is a hard situation for tribes in Kenya—many people abandon their traditions and move to big cities looking for jobs. The other stressor is that national parks and safari parks press tribes out of their territories. We are about to show the world the beauty of traditions that must be preserved. The Masai and Samburu tribes seem like they are from another planet; they are very friendly, very curious, and strongly depend on their traditions and superstitions.

Iceland The hardest part of my adventure there was in Ndoto mountains, north of Kenya. It is a very remote place and people live in simple tents in the desert with almost no water. We hiked a trip with the Samburu tribe inside the mountain valleys, sleeping on rocks and hiking in the wide-open African landscape with all manner of animals freely wandering among us.

SF: Congrats on the numerous awards and accolades you’ve achieved for your work! Is there any award you feel particularly proud of/grateful for?

DK: Actually, I do not like contests because I always miss deadlines and simply don’t like to show off with my “victories”. I believe the biggest award for me is when I meet someone in nature and they recognize me and are grateful that I inspired them to open the door and step outside. It’s also

gratifying when people start treating nature with more consciousness.

Another big reward is to sit in front of the fireplace at home after a tough adventure and realize that you are alive with all your memories stored as photos.

SF: As a new year and new decade begin, it looks like you’re headed for lots more adventures—some even appear to be out of this world like your photography tour in Puna Atacama that has people “landing on Mars” into a “Dali painting” and visiting salt flats, blue lagoons, volcanoes, pumice fields, flamingoes, and more! What is up-andcoming for you and others with your photography tours and workshops?

DK: Every year I plan some new

amazing photography tours. It is my second-biggest passion to not only experience photography myself, but to do so in the company of amazing people while teaching them photography and sharing beautiful moments. I have planned several exciting and fresh adventures in 2020!

In March I am going to Hokkaido in Japan, to Patagonia and Puna de Atacama in April, to Peru in June, and in September I will be exploring south Greenland. I have already created itineraries for most of my trips with details and prices included on my website. Basically, everyone and anyone can join no matter their level of photography!

ymore info: http://danielkordan.com IG: @danielkordan FB: @dk.scape www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

FtC Travel Connection wanderlust & adventure stories

ftc travel connection

Merr Watson

PLACE I Call Home: Philippines & Western Australia Instagram: @merrwatson www.merrwatson.com

A five-year seasoned aerial photographer and visual artist born in the Philippines and currently based in Perth, Western Australia, Merr Watson felt a passion for photography from a very young age. After flying a drone for the first time, Watson realized that the technology could allow her to expand and fulfill the photographic creativity that had been burning within her.

Specializing in landscape, travel, and ocean photography and films, her work has been featured with reputable brands including DJI, Conde Nast Traveler, Qantas, Beautiful Destinations, and more.

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travel connection

What have been your most epic travel experiences of the past decade?

Merr Watson: For me, each country that I’ve visited holds a special moment that is unique in its own way. However, if I had to choose an experience that really stood out to me, it would have to be my trip to Indonesia last year.

During that trip, I got to ride on an old-school camper van from Jakarta

all the way down to Bali and see landscapes that I’ve never come close to seeing before. I got to see active volcanoes, enchanting waterfalls, and craters to name a few sites. That experience in itself truly blew me away and was one of the highlights of my year.

Yet, what really made the trip so memorable was the people with whom I got to share that experience.

I got to travel with some of the most incredible and talented content

creators from different areas of the globe and form connections and lifelong friendships. I learned so much from them throughout the whole trip and came back from that experience feeling more inspired and motivated than ever before. At the end of the day, what really makes something so memorable for me isn’t just where you go but with whom you share those experiences, and that trip really was one of the most memorable trips to date. www.facethecurrent.com

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travel connection

You’ve described observing Earth as an “empowering experience”. How was this feeling evoked for you while exploring De Djawatan forests of East Java?

MW: When I saw this place for

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the first time, I was in total awe.

The grove of towering trees that surrounded me as I walked through these mystical green forests took my breath away—I was totally drawn to its beauty. I’ve never seen anything like it before; it felt like a scene from The Lord of the Rings! That experience

was empowering for me. It reminded me how overwhelmingly beautiful nature can be as it made me stop everything I was doing to take in the beauty of my surroundings and truly become present in that moment.

Sarah Kay has described the ocean with the following quote: “Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” Born in the Philippines and currently based in Australia, places that offer warm, turquoise waters appear to be your main attraction for home lands and globetrotting beyond. What is your main attraction to ocean photography and tropical climates?

MW: Having been brought up in the tropics where the ocean was my backyard, I’ve always had a fascination and love for it since childhood. That love for the ocean stayed with me when I moved to Australia—a place that has some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. I knew I wanted to incorporate my love for the ocean into my photography and showcase some of the most beautiful locations on earth.

The big reason that drew me into ocean aerial photography—apart from it looking so aesthetically

pleasing—is because the ocean is so dynamic and incredibly complex.

No matter how many times I shoot it, I constantly get a different result every single time. The ocean is always changing, providing all sorts of shapes, patterns, colors, and textures that make it super-fun for me to shoot and exercise my creativity!

Seeing this whole new perspective of the ocean from above is what actually fueled my passion for aerial photography in the first place and now I simply can’t get enough of it. www.facethecurrent.com

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You’ve said of aerial photography that, “Being able to put a camera in a place I physically can’t get to, to capture something so incredibly magical, is what blows me away with the art of aerial photography.” What are your favorite out-of-reach vantage points to capture with your aerial photography?

MW: Some of my favorite outof-reach vantage points would be capturing marine wildlife.

Seeing marine animals such as dolphins, whales, and sharks in their own habitat from above is truly remarkable as an art from.

I also love capturing an entire

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landscape using my drone to showcase the raw beauty of nature. This usually involves me flying high, taking multiple shots of a whole scene, and stitching them together in post editing. The results are incredible as it really captures the entire beauty of a landscape—something that would be quite difficult to achieve without a drone.

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travel connection

From the mystical jungles of Bali to the islands of the Philippines and Seychelles, you’ve experienced a lot of paradise this planet has to offer! What sets these places apart, and which of these locations tops your list as a must-see?

MW: I for one am very blessed to have experienced and seen some beautiful landscapes our world has to offer and there are still so many places I plan to visit in the coming years. Each of these places I’ve visited so far are so unique for very different reasons.

The granite boulders and picturesque Jurassic-like beaches

of the Seychelles are truly one of a kind—something I’ve never seen before. The rich diversity of Bali’s landscapes from its mystical jungles, waterfalls, and rice terraces make this a must-see destination and a photographer’s dream. Lastly, the unique tropical islands and beaches of the Philippines—and the friendliest

people on the planet—make this place a top tropical destination and one I am proud to call home.

No matter what country it is, each are equally unique and different in their own way and I feel each of them would make the perfect dream location to visit! www.facethecurrent.com

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Simplicity and slow living are aspects that beautifully come through in many of your images. (Take Naked Island for example!) How have you experienced this in your travels, as well as with the local cultures?

MW: If there’s one thing I’ve picked up from my travels to these areas as well as through the local culture, it is that “simple island living” really is all about taking a step back, being present, and enjoying what’s right

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in front of us rather than worrying about the future and what’s to come. It’s about human interaction, connection, and really experiencing the beauty around us in that very moment. This is what I see through the people and culture of these places; they live in the now.

For me, I find this so refreshing and something that’s impacted my life and travels in a way that encourages me to simply live in the moment and be present with the people that I love.

It’s moments like these that matter most at the end of the day.

I also like incorporating this idea of “simple living” in my work to encourage people to take a step back from their busy everyday lives and find peace, tranquility, and beauty through my photography.

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travel connection

As a native of the Philippines, are there any lesser-known gems you’d recommend people venture to see?

MW: The south of Cebu has some lesser-known gems that are highly worth exploring. To name a few,

Mantayupan Falls is a two-level waterfall two hours south of Cebu and the views are truly breathtaking.

Another hidden gem is called Dao Falls which is further south and not only is it an incredible waterfall, but the thirty-minute trek through limestones and smoky blue waters to

get there is simply astounding! Both waterfalls provide incredible scenery and are quite remote compared to the popular Kawasan Falls. I highly recommend doing a day road trip down the south of Cebu to check out these places if you’re considering a visit! www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

Surging Arctic Ecotourism

A Drive to Witness Polar Bears in their Dwindling Natural Habitat

By David Aiello In their glistening icy habitat, the polar bear reflects an unearthly beauty. Their home rings the Arctic Circle and incudes parts of Canada, Russia, the United States (in Alaska), Greenland, and Norway. As ice retreats, polar bears, or Ursus maritimus, have become synonymous with focusing our collective attention on climate change, but their ability to generate interest in ecotourism may be just as critical.

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The Ongoing Loss of Sea-Ice Habitat Sea-ice loss due to climate change remains the primary threat to the species. Every fall, bears gather and wait for the waters to freeze so they can venture out onto the ice to hunt for seals. If the extent and thickness of the sea-ice continues to decline at recently documented rates, the size of the polar bears’ hunting platform will be greatly reduced.

As a consequence, killer whales could move into polar bear habitat, consuming the seals and replacing the bears as the new dominant marine mammal.

Regardless, the loss of solid sea-ice has led to uncomfortable incursions into human-inhabited areas as the bears seek alternative food sources, and this has created a credible threat to public safety. Conditions like this have convinced countries around the

world that polar bears are in trouble.

In fact, they’re considered threatened in the United States, of special concern in Canada, and vulnerable internationally.

make up that worldwide estimate, the IUNC stresses that data on the number of bears, their health, or both, are lacking for at least ten of those populations.

Estimating Polar Bear Populations is Challenging Generate an accurate count of how many animals are still in the wild is difficult. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)—the global authority on the conservation status of wild animals and plants—current polar bear populations range from 22,000–31,000, with 60-80% of the bears residing in Canada. While many continue to lump all polar bears into a single-species group, in reality, the success or failure of a single subpopulation indicates little about the health of another one. Of the nineteen subpopulations that

Compounding the estimate issue is the fact that polar bear populations range across international boundaries and over hundreds of kilometers of forbidding ice and frigid open water.

Polar bears can also dig into dens or camouflage themselves on snowfields, making it difficult to achieve accurate data collection.

In addition, mark-recapture studies in which bears are tranquilized are controversial. Drugging bears is dangerous for everyone involved, and indigenous people such as the Inuit object to such contact since drugging and physically handling bears stresses the animals and runs counter to their traditional beliefs. www.facethecurrent.com

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The Bears are Successfully Connecting People to Nature People are rightfully worried about the polar bear’s future. This can be seen in the current surge in tourism centered around the desire to witness these creatures in their native habitat and not as green, algaecovered novelties in a zoo. While human intrusion into any animal’s habitat is controversial, conscientious, respectful ecotourism can enlighten and inspire visitors.

But the ability for ecotourism to succeed doesn’t rest solely with the locals. The emphasis must be placed upon ourselves, the ecotraveler. It is incumbent on us when we plan our adventure to ensure that the tour or guides we select are dedicated to the values of conservation and responsible travel. This commitment means minimal impact on the delicate environments we have the privilege

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of visiting, while contributing to their protection.

No travel will have zero-impact on an environment, but ecotourism can have a positive effect. It helps local communities earn vital income and encourages residents to recognize the long-term advantages of polar bear conservation. But perhaps most important, seeing is believing.

And once people see it, they return home understanding the necessity of safeguarding polar bears and their Arctic wilderness.

Churchill:The Polar Bear Tourism Capital of the World Adaptive management in places like Churchill, Manitoba work to ensure that recreational activities don’t have a negative impact on polar bears and other Arctic wildlife.

The bears’ main feeding period ends in July, when the ice breaks up and the bears return to land areas to fast until the ice re-freezes in late fall.

Churchill’s location, and its relatively shallow water, provides an ideal environment and one of the first places to experience a rapid freezeover by late-November. If you are a polar bear, this is the place to be to wait for frozen water and your first meal in months!

While Churchill is known for two festivals—Le Festival du Voyageur (a

These types of critical habitat areas provide the ultimate locations

No travel will have zero-impact on an environment, but ecotourism can have a positive effect. It helps local communities earn vital income and encourages residents to recognize the long-term advantages of polar bear conservation.

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large winter festival) and Folklorama (a food and cultural festival), it is now known as the Polar Bear Tourism Capital of the World. What helped Churchill earn this title, is its geography. The town’s western Hudson Bay location supports a rich marine ecosystem that promotes a healthy population of seals, the polar bears’ primary food.

for human-wildlife interactions.

And despite an average winter temperature of about five-degrees Fahrenheit during the three- to fourmonth tourist season, more than 12,000 converge on this town of fewer than 1,000 residents to see birds, beluga whales, and polar bears.

Guests come for the polar bears, but they end up learning about the community, the indigenous culture, and the environmental issues affecting the region.

Be warned however: Churchill isn’t a budget-friendly destination. It’s not easy to get to, but if you want to check-off polar bear sightings from your bucket list, this is the place to do it. If you are thinking about planning your trek, you had better do it soon. Many of tours, especially those sponsored by international

conservations agencies have an 18-month waiting list!

If you do go, here are some tour companies you may want to consider: Natural Habitat Adventures Because of their commitment to environmentally friendly travel, Natural Habitat Adventures has been the World Wildlife Fund’s exclusive conservation travel partner since 2003. They guarantee their smallgroup adventures will safely and comfortably get you closer to more polar bears than any other tour group. www.nathab.com Churchill Wild Churchill Wild boasts four luxury

eco-lodges, three of which are located deep in the heart of polar bear country on the Hudson Bay coast. They specialize in ground-level walking tours through the polar bear inhabited regions of Arctic Canada— you can walk with polar bears and have dinner with them, too! www.churchillwild.com Frontiers North Adventures Frontiers North Adventures is a family business that has been operating in Canada’s North for three decades. All of their tours are responsibly designed to protect the fragile natural habitats and to benefit local communities while preserving and celebrating the customs and traditions of the places they visit. www.frontiersnorth.com

www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC culture

Creating Abundance with “Happy Money” Zen Millionaire, Ken Honda

By Sasha Frate Money and happiness expert Ken Honda is a best-selling self-development author in Japan whose book sales have surpassed seven million copies since 2001. His latest book is entitled Happy Money:The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money.

Ken studied law at Waseda University in Tokyo and entered the Japanese workforce as a business consultant and investor. Ken’s financial expertise comes from owning and managing several businesses, including an accounting company, a management consulting firm, and a venture capital corporation. His writings bridge the topics of finance and self-help, focusing on creating and generating personal wealth and happiness through deeper selfhonesty. Ken provides ongoing support through mentoring programs, business seminars, therapeutic workshops, and correspondence courses.

Ken is the first person from Japan to be voted into the Transformational Leadership Council—a group of personal and professional development leaders. He is fluent in Japanese and English, has lived in Boston, Massachusetts for two years, and currently resides in Tokyo, Japan.

FtC enjoyed a unique discussion with Ken Honda that touched on topics including the ways in which we can heal our past money wounds, the difference between “Happy Money” and “Unhappy Money”, the true purpose of money, and the reasons we can all benefit by shifting our relationships with money.

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Photo Credit: Alfie Goodrich

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It’s really about how you feel when you spend money.

And since it’s hard for most of us to feel happy and unhappy at the same time, I say that you are either in the flow of happy money or unhappy money. Most of us have a dominant emotional experience when relating to money and this is how we feel when we deal with it.

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Photo Credit: Alfie Goodrich

Sasha Frate: In your book Happy Money you reveal the Japanese art of making peace with your money. Why do you believe there is a need for people to “make peace” with their money?

Ken Honda: Money is such a big part of each of our lives and I know how powerful shifting your relationship with money can be. In my book Happy Money I’ve invited people to make peace with their money. This might seem like a strange thing to say, but most people I meet are at war with their money. When they think about money, they immediately think they don’t have enough and that they never will. They get stressed out and overwhelmed, and they fight with their partners trying to figure out how to handle their money. When people make peace with their money,

they are able to feel good about their money when they think about it— they are able to trust that there will be enough, and they are able to spend their money in ways that align with their values. The funny thing is, when people make peace with their money, they often find there is also more of it because they no longer spend their money from a fearful place.

SF: Just reading your explanations of “Happy” and “Unhappy Money” immediately evokes feelings that are indeed commonly associated with these scenarios. Can you describe the difference between “Happy Money” and “Unhappy Money” and why you say we are either in flow with one or the other?

KH: I like to think of “Happy Money” as money that makes you feel really good when it’s spent. When you think

of a child who spends her money to buy her mother a gift, her whole face lights up when the gift is opened.

Or, think of the feeling you get when you are able to help out someone in need. This is money that comes with freedom and joy.

“Unhappy Money” is money that is spent with a feeling of anger, resentment, or any other negative emotion. Think about the angry feeling you might get when you pay a parking ticket or how upset you are when you have lost some money.

At the end of the day, what you spend your money on doesn’t dictate the flow of money you are in. For example, you could buy your mother a gift but feel like you are doing it out of obligation.You could pay a parking ticket but do it with a spirit of appreciation that people are making sure that things are running smoothly. www.facethecurrent.com

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As energy, money wants to be moving. So, when you work with that energy, you want to circulate money, share it, give it to friends, and receive it into your life.

There’s really no place for hoarding and being greedy in a world full of happy money.

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So, it’s really about how you feel when you spend money. And since it’s hard for most of us to feel happy and unhappy at the same time, I say that you are either in the flow of happy money or unhappy money. Most of us have a dominant emotional experience when relating to money and this is how we feel when we deal with it.

When we think of it in a little larger perspective, we notice that everything has an energy to it. In Japan, we think of things more like people. So, you’ll see someone like Marie Kondo teaching that it’s important that the things in your home “spark joy.” This is a way of saying that the energy of a thing should be joyful.

SF: “Money as energy” is such a great perspective. What does it mean to you and how do you explain it in your book?

Money works the same way. As energy, money wants to be moving.

So, when you work with that energy, you want to circulate money, share it, give it to friends, and receive it into your life. There’s really no place for hoarding and being greedy in a world full of happy money.

KH: By itself, money doesn’t mean anything. If you give a two-yearold a bag full of money, they won’t understand it as anything but paper.

It’s more about the symbolism of the exchange of energy that is possible with money. For example, “I give you this piece of paper which represents my labor in exchange for your labor.”

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SF: “So much money exists in the world.There is so much money out there right now spreading happiness and love, but so much is also spreading

sadness and fear.” You’ve identified the impact that the emotions wrapped up in our money and this energy produced by money can have not only on ourselves, but on others around us. What does that impact look like?

KH: When we spend happy money, we are spending with the future in mind. We buy things that help other people. We spend our money on things that help the planet.

So much money is spent on our desire to run from bad feelings such as our sense of aloneness, our sadness, and our feelings of powerlessness. Can you imagine if we joined together and spent that money to bring joy to others? The world would be a much happier place.

The good news is this is happening!

SF: Can you explain the concepts of Money IQ and Money EQ? KH: Money IQ and Money EQ are two sides of the same coin. Money EQ happens to be what I have spent my time explaining in Happy Money; it’s your emotional intelligence around money including how you feel about it and the ways in which your emotions affect your decisions.

Money IQ is your financial intelligence; it’s about the daily operations of money including how to invest wisely, save well, and negotiate.

much you actually have. When people are able to release the emotional charge that they developed around money at an early age, they can begin to find a lot more freedom in money.

SF: In your pursuit of the quest for the meaning of money, how did you identify its purpose?

KH: I’m pretty simple in this: I believe that the purpose of money is to bring peace, love, and well-being to as many people as possible. The beautiful thing about happy money is because it does flow easily, it can reach so many people.

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I believe that the purpose of money is to bring peace, love, and well-being to as many people as possible. The beautiful thing about happy money is because it does flow easily, it can reach so many people.

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When I was a boy, there was a massive earthquake in my hometown of Kobe.

People from around the world sent food and water, clothes, medicine, and all kinds of resources. We could feel the love from these gifts in our time of need.

The reason that I teach Money EQ as the foundation of your relationship to money is that we all know of really wealthy people who make really disastrous decisions. This usually happens when people have a sense of woundedness around money. So, the first step is to make sure that you are emotionally in a good place with money, and then you can figure out how to make smart money choices.

SF: What are “money wounds” and why do so many people seem to have them? Can they be “healed”?

KH: Of course—money wounds can be healed. Money wounds are the places in ourselves where we have learned to relate to the world in a more limited way than we might like.

For example, when we were little, a lot of us learned that it was hard to get the things we wanted. Maybe our parents weren’t that great with money or they just didn’t have much. So, we grow up telling ourselves that we can’t have what we want. This is a money wound that will affect the way you think about money, no matter how www.facethecurrent.com 33 Photo Credit: Alfie Goodrich

When people are in the flow of unhappy money, they believe that if they spend something for another person’s well-being, it means there is less money for their own use.

However, when people are in the flow of happy money, they understand that your well-being and my wellbeing are linked—when I am happy, you can be, too!

was called the Warren Buffet of Japan— taught me the simplest secret to break out of the scarcity mindset.

That secret is appreciation. Most of us walk around all day not realizing how much we really have. However, when we slow down and notice that we are living in such abundance, we begin to appreciate what we have, and our sense of scarcity begins to fall away.

SF: “The scarcity mindset is a belief that there are limited resources in the world, and if we don’t get what we want, when we want it, someone else will.

We have to get it soon, because it’s running out...when we do get what we want, it’s still never enough.” How does one break out of this common, endless cycle of entrapment?

I mentioned Marie Kondo earlier. I loved watching her show. She had people bring all their clothes into one space and you saw people with piles and piles of clothing in front of them.

As soon as you see so much, you realize you have much more than you need.

KH: My mentor Wahei Takeda—who

In that moment, something inside you that has been telling you to continue to acquire more and more begins to relax.You can feel good about what

you have and begin to share all you have been given with other people.

SF:You name several reasons why people want more money, with a common reason being “to find freedom”.You’ve stated that, “Money can buy things that will make you feel happy temporarily, but without true fulfillment that comes from within, true freedom will escape you.” Among all the reasons people seek to obtain more money, why do you suggest that what matters most in determining your wealth is your attitude about money?

KH: Money is like so many other things in our world that can be used to cover up our pain. When we buy something, we can feel in control in a crazy world for just a moment.

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My mentor Wahei Takeda—who was called the Warren Buffet of Japan— taught me the simplest secret to break out of the scarcity mindset. That secret is appreciation.

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Our brains are set up to pay attention to fear first. That’s why so much advertising is geared toward making us feel bad if we don’t have something that they are trying to sell us. It’s basically telling us that we will be left out of the group—alone and in danger—if we don’t wear the right clothes or drive the right car.... However, we are smarter than that.... The more people connect with one another, the less we are afraid. It’s like human connection is the antidote to fear.

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When we give ourselves a gift, we can feel good for a few minutes.

However, those feelings don’t last.

The loneliness, sadness, and pain of the world creeps through quicker and quicker over time.

But, if you feel good, you don’t need to buy much—you can exist pretty simply and still feel like you have plenty. From that place, you are able to decide to buy something because you genuinely want it and it will enhance your life, rather than it just being a temporary solution for an ache in your heart.

SF: With our current financial system based on fear—as is our society, our education system, workplaces, and possibly our home lives, too—might you say we’re set up for failure since, “Using fear is not an effective

form to get what you want…it is often destructive and causes lasting harm.” How do we create a loving, abundant relationship with money instead?

KH: Our brains are set up to pay attention to fear first. That’s why so much advertising is geared toward making us feel bad if we don’t have something that they are trying to sell us. It’s basically telling us that we will be left out of the group—alone and in danger—if we don’t wear the right clothes or drive the right car.

However, we are smarter than that.

When we spend time with people, we forget what they drove up in or what they are wearing and simply focus on how they make us feel. We are all so similar in what we want— happiness, health, love, friendship, and a sense of purpose—that it

really doesn’t take much effort to find a way out of fear. We can see this all over the world and it gives me so much hope. The more people connect with one another, the less we are afraid. It’s like human connection is the antidote to fear.

So, to move into a loving relationship with money, we begin by creating a loving relationship with ourselves.

That comes from healing our money wounds and finding what truly makes us happy. We also need to connect with other people that love and care for us. I teach in the book that our relationships are really the source of wealth and happiness, and I’m so glad so many people are beginning to live this around the world.

ymore info: www.kenhonda.com Happy Money www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC culture

Art of Visual Storytelling: Global Film Industry Leaders and Creatives Unite to Showcase Latest Trends from the Spotlight of the American Film Market

By Eric Marley and Sasha Frate Since long before there was written language, history passed from generation to generation through spoken word, gestures and expressions as a form of storytelling.

Often times, whether sung or spoken, these stories would become a centerpiece of cultures all around the world. This shared experience as an audience or storyteller is loved universally and something that unites humanity together. In fact, of all the animals in the world, humans have the unique ability to understand stories thanks to our visual ability and brains that enable us to instinctively attempt to understand the world around us and place images together to make sense of everything we see.

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Today we take for granted what once appeared a miracle to the first moviegoers when silent motion pictures of visual images became a reality in the late 1800s.

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Evidence of a history of visual storytelling dates back some thirty four thousand years to the caves in France, where animals were rendered interacting with one another, and this interaction is a story- the artist, a storyteller. Pictograms and hieroglyphics also told stories through visual images for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until 1827 that the first photographs were taken in black and white and called Heliographs. At the time, the speed and accuracy of photography made it the most important development in the history of visual expression since the invention of the printing press, and it would forever change the world of visual storytelling.

Today we take for granted what once appeared a miracle to the first moviegoers when silent motion pictures of visual images became a reality in the late 1800s. Motion pictures were officially established as an art form by 1914, thanks to filmmakers like D.W. Griffith, and this brilliant form of entertainment would dominate as the most desired form of visual storytelling until today.

While most of us are bombarded by images every day, it is through the arrangement of images in film and television that all of those images transform from just being “noise” or “information” and into something we call a story. And based on the ongoing success of film and television programming around the world, we

cannot seem to get enough of it.

Visual storytelling in film and television continues to evolve because of the amazing advances in technology that make our stories appear increasingly realistic and even beyond imagination. Face the Current attended the 40th annual American Film Market (AFM), in Santa Monica, California to see where the industry is today and where it’s taking us. Over 7,000 people attend workshops and exhibitions from over 150 thought leaders, decision makers, and experts at the AFM showcase that features well over 300 exhibiting companies, including 77 new exhibitors from 22 countries.

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The market is more than a report on the latest and the up and coming in the film industry by its global thought leaders and experts; it is also the most efficient film acquisition, development and networking event in the world. Its focus is not only on the final product (films), but on every aspect of the process, including the creative, business and industry side of the filmmaking world. Additionally, the AFM is a marketplace where for 40 years, production and distribution deals are closed. In fact, more than US $1 billion in deals are sealed at the event, every year. This includes completed films and those in every stage of development and production.

The atmosphere was electric. A venue filled with creative minds, talented individuals and teams, film premieres to inspire, and motivating buzz about the future of filmmaking and television, anyone in attendance is sure to feel intrigued and inspired by the industry.

The Market opened with a panel discussion entitled, “Breaking the Mold: The Innovators” which brought together industry visionaries such as Erik Feig, CEO, Picturestart, Tim League, Founder, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Aron Levitz, Head of Wattpad Studios, and Christian Parkes, Chief Marketing Officer of NEON, to discuss what differentiates their business models, and what the future holds. From the discussion, it appears that the future of worldwide storytelling through film continues to be bright.

Speaking of a worldwide audience, many countries have yet to be even marginally tapped. This means there is ample room for geographical growth of the medium. Some markets are primarily interested in creating their own films for export. Others are also concentrating on increasing the size of their import pipeline.

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Actors Danny Boushebel, Nicholas Alexander, Jay Hunter, and James Tang attend Thai Brilliance | Image Credit: Andres Frate

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8-12% of the content on Netflix is Disney, or Fox. That content that is going to go to Disney+.

So, we’ve been thinking how we fill those slots; fill in the gaps that start existing when all the major (studios) start to take their content exclusively for their streaming platform.

-Tony Vassiliadis

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Streaming penetration in China is at a mere 6%.” To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the same as Los Angeles being the only place in America where streaming services are available.

Streaming entertainment has been on the rise, with Netflix, HULU, Amazon, and Disney, who recently launched their own streaming service, Disney+. In the US domestic market, this has created a void to be filled. Consider these remarks by Tony Vassiliadis, Chief Operating Officer, MarVista Entertainment: “8-12% of the content on Netflix is Disney, or Fox. That content that is going to go to Disney+. So, we’ve been thinking how we fill those slots; fill in the gaps that start existing when all the major (studios) start to take their content exclusively for their streaming platform.”

Of course, the US domestic market is not the only one experiencing the demand for increased production. Globally, there are still huge arenas yet to be even minimally accessed.

To illustrate, in one presentation Arjun Mendhi, an MIT technologist and CEO of MTonomy, pointed out that, “…streaming penetration in China is at a mere 6%.” To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the same as Los Angeles being the only place in America where streaming services are available. In short, this is a massive opportunity for these services.

Thailand’s Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presents at AFM | Image Credit: Andres Frate www.facethecurrent.com

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“

Relatability, optimism, wish fulfillment, and emotional impact are goals for a DCOM. We are looking to make 3x the (number of) movies we have made in the past...

There is a greater need for more content to remain competitive.

-Lauren Kisilevsky,

“

of The Disney Channel, Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM)

Jodie Foster, star of STX International’s Hot Title Prisoner 760 attends a buyer’s presentation at AFM with STX Chairman/CEO Robert Simonds China is not the only country that’s currently underserved and interested in expansion of the kind of celluloid and streaming visual storytelling. To address this fact, the AFM initiated LocationEXPO®, which is in its third year. It took place over the course of four days and featured more than 50 Film Commissions, Government Agencies, Production Facilities and Services from around the globe. Notably, Thailand’s Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presented at the Expo, illustrating the desire for her country to participate more in this global market. The Egyptian Media Production City, renowned as “the Hollywood of the Middle East,” was also in attendance promoting it’s impressive 35 square meter modern facility and the country’s unique array of historical sites and natural landscapes.

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The value of the AFM is also evident when it comes to the interaction between writers and producers.

After all, it is a marketplace. But in this market, it’s mainly ideas that are pitched and purchased, not only the final product – although that frequently happens as well.

For instance, there was a “Buyers Presentation.” Academy Award winner Jodie Foster was there as a potential purchaser of one or more new ideas that could be made into film. This is one of the great benefits of the AFM; uniting creatives from around the globe in an intensive marketplace where magic can happen.

And, it’s worth noting, the standards for “magic” are becoming increasingly defined. Consider these comments from Lauren Kisilevsky, of The Disney Channel, Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM), “Relatability,

optimism, wish fulfillment, and emotional impact are goals for a DCOM. We are looking to make 3x the (number of) movies we have made in the past... There is a greater need for more content to remain competitive.”

Filmmaking technology is still another vast topic that’s being addressed by the AFM. For instance, a new half-day immersive summit was presented by Winston Baker, offering opportunities for bringing content, such as virtual and augmented reality to market with creators and experts. Ted Schilowitz, XR expert and Futurist at Paramount Pictures, was there to present the opening keynote followed by panels featuring Rick Hack, Intel Studios, Laura Hertzfeld,Verizon Media’s Yahoo! News, Randal Kleiser, Film Director, and Lauren Xandra, National Research Group, among others.

Other notable speakers at the event included producer Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S), producer Effie Brown (Dear White People), Sherryl Clark, The H Collective, Mark Gooder, Cornerstone Films, Katherine MacDonald, Paramount Pictures, Nat McCormick, The Exchange, producer Alysa Nahmias (Unrest),Vanessa Saal, Protagonist Pictures, Nick Spicer, XYZ Films, and Carrie Wong, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The AFM also hosted more than

400 screenings of 313 films from 114 exhibiting companies. A record 80 films further made their World Premiere, and more than 25 of the Academy Award® entries submitted for consideration for the “Best International Film” category were among the films being represented at this year’s event.

It’s evident in attending the American Film Market, surrounded by inspired and inspiring visionaries and creatives from around the globe, that artists

will continue to find and embrace new ways to take advantage of technological advances to tell better stories and the industry will continue to evolve to find better ways to make them increasingly accessible to viewers. It’s all about the story.

Visual storytelling has long been of importance to us, and it will continue to hold this importance and unite us forever.

ymore info: https://americanfilmmarket.com www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC music

Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest

Spreading the One Love Vibration With A Global Tribe

By Chris Assaad Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself being transported into the heart of a tropical beachfront oasis in paradise. As you sink your toes into the hot sand and feel the golden sun shining down on your face, you can’t help but shed a layer and begin to soften into the palpable, hypnotizing, irie vibe that’s in the air. As your breath slows down and you breathe in a little more deeply, you catch a delicious blend of passing scents, from exotic fruits and mouthwatering, jerk-spiced island treats, to a sweet, herb-tinged breeze that drops you further into the bliss of the moment.

As your senses heighten and you become more present in your body, the nostalgic sounds of Bob Marley’s legendary “One Love” anthem hovers and makes its way to your ears from some speakers in the distance. Meanwhile, the energetic flow of the usual, local hustle and bustle, combined with an influx of people from all walks of life converge with seeming purpose and intention. The buzzing energy of a conscious happening and all the signs of a high vibe gathering are undeniable. Something magical is about to happen...

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“

Irie Soul Retreat is the beating heart of our festival that is beyond the usual retreat experience. A powerful, transformative and inclusive program that will strip away all blockages and fears holding you back from experiencing true happiness in life. For beginners and all the way up, our powerful group of Yogis, healers and conscious leaders are here to serve you for a better Tmrw.Tday.

-Stacy Irie Soul (Co- Founder)

“

This is a tiny glimpse of a now annually occurring scene at the famed 7-mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica for the Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest, which will be entering its fourth season this spring. With a resounding call of “Soul Rebels Unite” to a worldwide tribe, and with strong roots in Jamaica and Toronto, home to the festival’s core founders and producers, Tmrw.Tday continues to grow organically from the first seeds of a big vision into a fully blooming festival experience like no other and a movement that is making ripples globally.

Boasting a rich and diverse program that is part wellness retreat, part music festival, Tmrw.Tday offers its tribe a wide range of mindfully curated offerings to immerse into for 6 days and 6 nights. Bringing together a world class line-up of facilitators, instructors, and speakers, the festival has included contributions from well-established mainstays of the conscious movement such as health and wellness expert, David Wolfe, former talk show host and cannabis

activist, Montel Williams, and the legendary Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records.

On the wellness side, there are daily yoga classes and meditations, plant medicine experiences and onsite natural healing practitioners, as well as transformational workshops and inspirational talks to choose from. Co-founder and wellness program curator, Stacy Irie Soul, describes the retreat component as “the beating heart of the festival that is powerful, transformative and inclusive beyond the usual retreat experience”.

On the music side, there are sound healing offerings and ecstatic dance journeys, as well as spiritual house and conscious beats being woven throughout the beachfront sessions

and nightly jams. And last but not least, the festival opens its doors to the local community for one big reggae concert on the main stage that features some of the cream of Jamaica’s homegrown and internationally known talent, from Beanie Man to Lee Scratch Perry to Grammy-award winner and festival favourite, Protoje. www.facethecurrent.com

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Tmrw.Tday’s Culture:

“

In a world where social feeds create the needs, where perfection is on prideful display, where likes and shares mean everything and nothing all at once.

You know there’s more.

More soulful connections.

A more meaningful life.

A better Tmrw begins Tday.

Step outside the boundaries of everyday life where you are the vibe-selector to craft your own experience from dawn till dusk.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Jamaica’s lush scenery and nestled within its infectious, laid-back and soulful way of life,Tmrw.Tday founders have sought to give back to the local community. One such initiative is the Konscious Kids program, offered in partnership with local organizations to deliver motivational talks, mindfulness tips, yoga, meditation

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and sound healing to local youth and parents, supporting their success at school and encouraging stronger family bonds. Tmrw.Tday also cofounded the Freedom Park, Jamaica’s first skatepark & youth center designed to support skateboarders as well as at-risk youth in the area by providing complementary skateboards and safety equipment

“

Connect with yourself.

Connect with your tribe.

Come as you are.

Leave inspired for more.

to the community, as well as an educational program. The project, which breaks ground in February and is scheduled to open in early April, was led by Tmrw.Tday co-founder Kevin Bourke, who brought together a great group of organizations to fund and build the park.

From the outset, the festival has

prided itself on being a bridge, an ally and an ambassador to its Jamaican host community and to the true roots and essence of the indigenous Rastafarian culture. Asked about the festival’s evident commitment to serving and working with the local community, co-founder Andew Christoforou passionately shared: “Culture is in our festival name and we seek to embody and immerse the vibrant Jamaican culture into the program more and more every year.

This year it was important to increase the amount of local musicians, wellness facilitators and healers into the lineup.The island has a small but powerful wellness community and tapping into it is essential to our movement to create further change on the island.

Our local initiatives have seen some major success and we strive to build on what we started. Our Konscious Kids program is leading the effort to install mindfulness into the school curriculum.

We are also making strides in support of Rastafari’s sacramental rights to cannabis who have currently been shut out of Jamaica’s legalization of the plant on the island.

Tmrw.Tday is much more than a festival.

It is a catalyst for change and anyone inspired to make a difference in the world is welcome to join us.”

Tmrw.Tday is a shining example and trend leader in the conscious festival space, with a clear commitment to sustainable, people-centered growth, and its core mission of amplifying and spreading the one love vibration with the help of its deepening global tribe.

Whether you are seeking an expansive inward journey or craving connection and wanting to revel in the celebratory and playful with an incredible conscious community, Tmrw.Tday has managed to cook up the perfect blend of purpose and party.

ymore info: https://tmrwtday.com www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC music

DJ Shimza: A Blazing Beacon of Light in South African Afro-House Music

By Sasha Frate Ashley Raphala—known as Shimza—is a South African DJ and producer and is one of the continent’s most celebrated musicians. As an Afro-tech tastemaker, Shimza has charmed audiences around the globe with his unrivaled mixing abilities and explosive performances at RESISTANCE Cape Town, Boiler Room, and Mixmag Lab Johannesburg.

Shimza was voted Best Male DJ at the 2019 African Dance Music Awards, and also won Best Festival for his project entitled “One Man Show”. This personal endeavor was launched by Shimza a decade ago in Tembisia, South Africa to raise funds for underprivileged children in his local community. It is now a much-anticipated event in South Africa’s annual calendar, welcoming local and European audiences.

Aside from sharing his music, Shimza’s mission is to alter the manner in which South Africa’s youth consume content while encouraging them to use the medium of music to fuel education. Shimza firmly believes that this fusion of music and culture is the best way to engage audiences in topics that encompass South Africa’s rich history while also encouraging social cohesion in modern times.

Face the Current connected with Shimza to discuss his music, his hopes for South Africa’s youth, and the ways in which he aims to share the sounds of his home country with the world.

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“

South Africa’s youth is very involved in my work and that has been the aim from the beginning. I try to make sure that I encourage education about the music/ entrepreneurial industry so that people can go out there and implement the lessons for themselves.

“

Sasha Frate: How did you come into the music world and why did you decide that it was your path to pursue?

Shimza: My backstory is really as simple as I fell into what I love. When I traveled to school every day by foot, I would pass a house where I heard great music being played. One day I got the courage to go into the house to ask who was playing this music and that is when I met a man by the name of Khomza who graciously taught me how to DJ. I think I was fifteen at the time and whenever there was a disco at school, I would always offer my services. I never looked back from that point on and I’ve pursued my career, which has flourished ever since. I went on to win the biggest DJ competitions, which then allowed

me to get DJ equipment to help me practice my craft every day.

SF: Can you share how your work has involved South Africa’s youth and the ways in which it encourages learning through music?

S: South Africa’s youth is very involved in my work and that has been the aim from the beginning. I try to make sure that I encourage education about the music/entrepreneurial industry so that people can go out there and implement the lessons for themselves. I get a lot of questions on social media—and I can’t get to most of them—so I decided to host workshops around the country, keeping in mind some of the questions people have sent me. South

African youth has such great potential and I believe it is up to us to foster and nurture this talent so that it can take us to greater heights.

SF: How do you see music and culture as having the ability to bring social cohesion?

S: Music and culture play a very major role in bringing people together. I think that is one element where we can be worlds apart and differ in culture, but still share the same feelings when listening to music.

People travel around the world to experience being in a different country while going to festivals or clubs. Regardless, at any event, music is being played for the enjoyment of the people. This is where people interact with their moods and engage with their personalities. www.facethecurrent.com

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SF: What is your “One Man Show” project and how has it evolved to become an annual staple event in South Africa that welcomes over 15,000 people from all of Europe?

S: My “One Man Show” is a charity driven show which is held annually on Christmas day. The event went from attracting 800 people in 2006 to over 15,000 in 2019. The festival stemmed from seeing numerous homes in Tembisa (a township in South Africa)

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that house orphaned, vulnerable children who have HIV/AIDS and/ or who are mentally and physically challenged. This greatly concerned me and I wanted to do something in my community to help enact change. The festival makes money for us to give back to the carefully selected homes.

SF: How do you aim to raise South Africa’s global profile by using music as a platform?

S: I have played in many parts of the world and adopted different sounds.

I have learned how to expand my musical repertoire by incorporating these different sounds into the way I play. I’ve also recently signed to Anna Agency and this allows me to further my music in other parts of the world.

I always showcase the fact that I am proudly South African in the way that I play, as I always play local authentic beats while adding my own flair and style.

SF:The music industry is not typically known to promote a healthy lifestyle, especially for touring artists who face constant travel and immersion in the “party scene”. How do you maintain your approach to healthy living and why has this been important for you?

S: As you may know, I started a new fitness regime this year which means I’m going to the gym on a regular basis and eating healthy while I’m at home. However, it does become difficult when traveling for my gigs because some places do not provide healthy meals. However, upon returning from gigging, I know that I have to go in ten-times harder at the gym.

SF: Africa is full of rich history and culture. Do you have a message or story about this history and culture that you aim to tell or share through your work?

SF:You recently spoke at the Amsterdam dance event on the evolution of Afro Tech.

What are some highlights you shared on this and can you divulge a bit more about the events and their purpose?

S: The whole experience was a highlight for me because it meant that I was a voice of new sound to an entire nation, and it was humbling that the people of the world are taking note of it. Sharing my knowledge amongst the other panelists also ensured that we’re teaching people about our unique sound.

“

Being a young boy from Tembisa who had never left the country, I aspired to see other parts of South Africa and the world, and I am now able to do that. This is what I would like to tell other kids: Follow your passion! It is possible to make things happen.

Through diligence, hard work, and discipline, you can do anything you set your mind to.

“

S: I would like to tell a story of breakthrough.

Being a young boy from Tembisa who had never left the country, I aspired to see other parts of South Africa and the world, and I am now able to do that. This is what I would like to tell other kids: Follow your passion! It is possible to make things happen. Through diligence, hard work, and discipline, you can do anything you set your mind to.

SF: Which of your tracks are you most proud of and what do you love about it?

S: I am really proud of all my songs. I can’t pick a few because I have put so much work into each and every one of them. I still enjoy the first song I ever produced, right through to the songs that I am currently doing today.

SF: Are there any projects you are currently working on or preparing to embark upon that you can share with us?

S: I have a couple of things planned for next year! I will be moving to Europe for the summer and I will be doing a couple of collaborations, releasing some new music, and obviously preparing for my shows.

ymore info: www.facebook.com/shimza.dj

www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC sports

Looking to the Future of Peak Performance:

Rounding up 2019’s Best Lessons from Six Renowned Experts on iTunes’ top Health Podcast

By Matt Belair In a world where things are progressing faster than ever and competition is stiffening in all areas of life, it can feel as if everyone around us is looking for an edge. Specifically, there has been a strong trend in the last few years to invest serious research and effort into the mental aspect of sports and peak performance. We now have the science and empirical evidence to show beyond a doubt that there are ways to dramatically improve an individual’s performance through mindset, psychology, and mental training methods.

The following is a list of what I consider to be the top podcast episodes of 2019 that address this topic. After familiarizing yourself with these experts and their approaches, you will have cutting-edge tools, techniques, and strategies for achieving your highest potential, experiencing flow state, and optimizing your performance on and off the field.

Each interview is a deep dive with a world-class expert in sport psychology, mindset, health, and performance. If you apply the proven methods outlined by these experts, you’re sure to experience a noticeable improvement in your performance, set yourself up for long-term success, and experience more joy in the process!

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TOP SIX EPISODES ON SPORT PSYCHOLOGY, PEAK PERFORMANCE, AND FLOW STATE 1.The Psychology of Success, Excellence, and Peak Performance for Sport and Life with Dr. Eddie O’Connor, Howard Falco, and Matt Belair

“Focus is something that can be trained— you can do that with mindfulness. If you’re not practicing it every day, you’re not doing everything you can to get better.”

—Dr. Eddie O’Connor Discovering and refining the tools and processes that will give an athlete measurable and repeatable improvement is the core intention of any good sports performance coach. There are many strategies that can be tested over time with athletes that can help us uncover the most effective techniques. In this podcast you’ll listen to a panel with Dr. Eddie O’Connor (a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry), Howard Falco, and Matt Belair—both authors and peak performance coaches. The panelists discuss tried and tested strategies for achieving excellence, overcoming roadblocks, and developing true mental toughness.

WATCH VIDEO 2. Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris Reveals Secrets on the Mindset of a Champion

“Never make the mistake in thinking this game or this life owes you anything because it doesn’t. So, forget everybody else and don’t be looking for a receipt on the payments you put in because you’re just making deposits on your dreams and you can’t get those back.” —Ryan Harris What does it take to be a champion? What is the mindset of a champion and can it be developed?

Ryan Harris is the best-selling author of the new book, Mindset for Mastery: An NFL Champion’s Guide to Reaching Your Greatness. In this discussion you will learn how to overcome failure, master your internal dialogue, overcome doubters, and understand what it takes to be a champion!

WATCH VIDEO

www.facethecurrent.com

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3. Expanding Consciousness, Flow State, Performance, and the Power of Group Intention

“It starts by teaching the new generation their power; the power of their mind—this wholeness of things.”—Dr. Damien Lafontis Dr. Damien Lafontis is a physicist, peak performance and mental training expert, author, and educator in the field of human potential. His research addresses and tests the limits of human potential in both individuals and groups. In this discussion you will learn about brainwave entrainment, the limits of human potential, the science behind mindset and human performance, the secrets of Zen monks, and much more!

WATCH VIDEO 4. Dr. Eddie O’Connor: Unlocking Your Potential, Mindfulness, Performance, and Kids

“The wonderful thing about mindfulness is that it’s not a technique to make you feel better in the moment—it changes the way you relate to life and you become more efficient at thinking.”—Dr. Eddie O’Connor Dr. Eddie O’Connor is one of the leading sport psychologists in the USA. In this discussion you will learn about the four basic human emotions, top tips for peak performance, understanding and managing your energy and focus, and much more!

This episode will empower you with the fundamentals of peak performance that you can take into your own life and build upon.

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WATCH VIDEO

5. Mastering the Experience of Life by Discovering Who You Really Are with Howard Falco

“Faith equals the flow state.”—Howard Falco The concept of flow state, awareness, and unlocking every ounce of your being comes from a very fundamental place. This understanding has been spoken about and taught in ancient martial arts practices for many years. This episode will help you understand how to decode your fundamental nature and help you program your mind and body from the ground up. When you have a clear understanding of who you are, who you want to become, and what it takes to get there, the only thing that is stopping you is you. Learn how to overcome fear, hack flow state, and rise to challenges!

WATCH VIDEO

6. Dr. Edith Ubunto Chan: SuperWellness, SuperHuman, and the Six Keys of H.E.A.L.T.H

“It is our duty as human beings to purify our physical vessel so we can bring the best of ourselves to the deeper work…this can lead to those mystical experiences.”—Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan Being healthy, powerful, and strong are essential components of a great athlete. Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan is a medical doctor that has conducted extensive research into alternative healing, the mind-body connection, and superhuman abilities. She has taken this understanding of our human potential and decoded six keys for health and superhuman performance. We must fire on all cylinders to be an elite performer and this episode will show you how!

Your mind will always determine how far you go. An individual who can learn to develop an iron mind and an impeccable work ethic that are both applied toward a clear vision will certainly experience success! However, only the wise will be grateful throughout the process because they recognize the importance of staying in each moment of the journey. After all, this is where self-mastery and awareness live!

ymore info: www.MattBelair.com www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC sports

How to Successfully Optimize Your New Year’s Resolution and Achieve the Results You Desire

By Jawn Angus and Ainsley Schoppel

Would you like to eat healthier, lose weight, or get in better shape? If so, you’re in good company! Research shows that nearly half of all New Year’s resolutions are health-related.

This includes focusing on healthier eating habits, losing weight, and incorporating more activity into everyday life. Research also shows that almost twenty percent of gym memberships are sold in the month of January. However, by mid-February, almost half of these new members have already given up. Why is that?

This phenomenon is not unique to physical fitness resolutions. Statistics reveal that over ninety percent of

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resolutions fail at some point within the year.

Below are five strategies that you can implement into your life to help keep you motivated and on-track to uphold your own resolutions throughout the year.

FIVE WAYS TO SUCCEED AT YOUR HEALTHY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: 1. BE SPECIFIC “I want to lose weight next year.” It sounds like a nice thought, but the vague nature of the statement leaves

you open to feeling directionless and to fizzling out when you don’t see concrete results. However, change it to, “I want to lose fifty pounds next year,” and you’ve given yourself a goal that you can realistically work toward every month. Likewise, instead of, “I resolve to eat healthier this year,” declare, “I will only eat out once per week.” A good plan for this kind of shift in eating is to prepare your daily lunch meals ahead of time. (Sunday afternoons are perfect for this!)

Cook several servings of rice and vegetables and portion them out into three-to-five serving containers for your lunches throughout the

week. This will help you stick to your specific goal of limiting your restaurant meals.

2. CREATE MINI RESOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

If the goal is to lose fifty pounds, track your progress by weighing-in at the end of each week and record the data each month. For example, short-term weight-loss goals could be: a fivepound loss by the end of January, a twenty-pound loss by the end of April, a thirty-pound loss by the end of June, and a fortypound loss by the end of September. When you segment it this way, you are not focused on the big picture that may feel overwhelmingly daunting and too far in the future.

Instead, energy is geared toward a reachable micro-goal and you are constantly approaching a new finish line. An added bonus is that each goal that is achieved along the way will boost your confidence and build motivation.

3. GIVE YOURSELF REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE RESOLUTIONS

If you have not run a half marathon since college, do not resolve to run a full marathon this year. Instead, start with the goal of a half marathon, being sure to give yourself realistic training goals along the way. For instance, complete a five-kilometer race, then a ten-kilometer race, and build yourself up to a half marathon.

In this way, you can focus your attention and energy on lifestyle changes and learning to love running again, without feeling flooded with the stress and anxiety of achieving an intimidating fitness goal. If your training is going well and you end

up running a half marathon by June, you can ride your momentum and increase your training toward a full marathon!

or skipping a workout, tell yourself that it is okay and make a deal with yourself that you will get back on track the following day. By making this brief detour acceptable, you give yourself permission to move through it without feeling like a failure. Instead, it becomes an expected detour and you’ve already anticipated the fastest route to get yourself back on the highway of health.

5. ENJOY THE JOURNEY

4. KNOW THAT YOU’LL ENCOUNTER ROUGH PATCHES

Whatever health goals we choose, it’s inevitable that somewhere along the line we are going to deviate from our intended course. That cake and ice cream at your friend’s birthday party? That large, buttery popcorn at the movies? That weekend where you didn’t have any energy to get off the couch?

There will always be detours along the highway of health, but the key is to ride them out and know that you can get yourself back on course.

The important thing is to not let any detours you encounter turn into complete road closures. Try using positive self-talk to get through the tough times. When you know you are going to be eating unhealthily

If the journey isn’t fun, you probably won’t feel the satisfaction of the destination. After all, you are resolving to make yourself a happier, healthier person.

Happiness and health aren’t achieved by starving yourself and eliminating from your life all the activities that you love. Find fun ways to enact change in your life!

Increasing exercise, eating healthily, implementing mindful practices, incorporating self-care, and increasing community involvement are all common resolutions that can actually be fun! If any part of a resolution starts to feel like a punishment or chore, tweak it! Change isn’t failure. Find a way to recalibrate your tactics so you can continue to enjoy the journey—after all, life is too short to be miserable.

If you really want to change, boost, or refine an area of your life, resolve to embark on a path of change that will get you the results for which you’re searching. Change rarely happens overnight, so create steady improvements in your life that will keep you motivated, accountable, and happy. Before you know it, another year will be ending, your goals will be attained, and the changes you made will have seamlessly become your new normal! www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC health

Biofield Science of Healing with Dr. Shamini Jain

By Sasha Frate Clinical psychologist, scientist, and founder and CEO of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative (CHI)—a nonprofit collaborative accelerator that connects scientists, health practitioners, innovators, and social entrepreneurs to advance the science and practice of healing— Dr. Shamini Jain is on the forefront of a necessary revolution in science, medicine, and healing. She also serves as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Jain was trained in neuroscience at Columbia University and in clinical psychology and psychoneuroimmunology at UC San Diego.

As illustrated in her TEDx talk, Dr. Jain has a natural gift for translating difficult scientific concepts into easily understandable, practical action steps. She has been featured on Gaia TV, Curious Minds with Deepak Chopra, the documentary Vibration:The Symphony of Life, CNN, US News and World Report, Time magazine, Prevention magazine, and more. Dr. Jain is on the board of directors of Greenheart International, Modern Spirit, and Leap Forward.

As her main focus, Dr. Jain acknowledges that despite all our technological and medical advances, humans have never been sicker. One in four people globally suffer from major chronic health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and chronic pain. Four-hundred million people globally suffer from emotional disorders including depression, and drug overdose is now the leading killer of Americans under fifty.

What is causing all this needless suffering and how do we get ourselves out of it? Dr. Jain asserts that part of the problem is that we don’t understand how healing works, and that once we start paying attention to real evidence that shows how we can heal ourselves and others, we can begin to make needed transformations in medicine and within ourselves.

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After an enlightening discussion with Dr. Jain, Face the Current is excited to share her thoughts on transdisciplinary healing, the malleability of the body-mind, the use of electroceuticals to treat disease, and the ways in which we can actualize our own full healing potential.

Sasha Frate: What is the biofield and what is its role in forwarding the healing revolution?

Dr. Shamini Jain: Biofields are interpenetrating and interacting fields of energy and information, and they appear at different levels of existence.

We can talk about the biofield of a cell, the biofield of a person, and even the biofield of the Earth. Biofield scientists study these fields and try to understand how they might impact our health.

Some aspects of biofields are electromagnetic and somewhat easy to measure, and many discoveries within biofield science are very

much in use today. For example, we use electroencephalograms (EEGs) to study brainwaves and electrocardiograms (EKGs) to study the health of the heart. In both cases, we are measuring part of the biofield of the brain or heart by placing electrodes on the body and interpreting the electromagnetic emanations.

But biofield descriptions also include what has been described as “subtle energy” such as prana and chi.

Biofield scientists may also choose to study healing modalities that work with subtle energy to foster healing. Examples include practices like Healing Touch, Reiki, and many others. These are more difficult for some in the scientific and medical community to accept because the energy that healers report feeling and working with is not always measurable (hence the term “subtle”). However, these biofield healing practices do have research behind them to show positive effects on health. My own published

research at UC San Diego, including a randomized, placebo-controlled trial on hands-on-healing for fatigued breast cancer survivors, found that hands-on-healing significantly reduced fatigue as well as improved cortisol rhythms for these survivors— independent of placebo effects. Other studies have found improvements for cancer patients, and several studies have found benefits of biofield healing for pain, anxiety, and other ailments. These effects seem to have something to do with the biofield itself—not just our human mindset.

For example, one of the most recent studies coming out of MD Anderson Cancer Center found that a skilled bioenergy healer was able to shrink tumors in a mouse model of cancer.

In this case, one could argue there is definitely no placebo effect—at least not in the way we currently think about the placebo effect as a human phenomenon.

Shrinking tumors with humanemitted energy may sound unbelievable, but that is only because www.facethecurrent.com

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we’ve just scratched the surface of our understanding about ancient practices such as biofield healing (sometimes also called energy healing or spiritual healing). So far, however, research studies support what many scientists and clinicians suspect—that human beings are more than a sack of interacting chemicals, and that if we learn how to sense and utilize our own biofields (that is, get a sense of our own human energy fields, the ways in which they relate to our emotions and physical health, and the ways in which those fields can be used for healing), we can bring about our own healing revolution. That revolution is one that begins from the inside.

SF: Why did you create the Consciousness Healing Initiative nonprofit and what is it designed to accomplish? How can a collaborative that brings together Physicists, MDs, PNI/ PNE, Anthropologists, Engineers, Neuroscientists, and Healers foster a transdisciplinary science of healing?

SJ: As I began to uncover from my own research how these biofield healing practices actually impacted our mental and physical health, I began meeting other scientists and healers who were doing similar research and practice. However, the

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scientists had trouble getting funding for their healing research and the healing practitioners had trouble sharing that there was actually scientific evidence behind what they were doing. The scientists were not only seeking research funding, but they were also seeking regular contact with colleagues where they could discuss ideas, forward research, and collaborate.

At the same time, many leading healers were eager to collaborate with open-minded research scientists as well, in order to explore cocreating research designs and conduct research in healing. And, the public was eager to know whether there was any evidence behind these healing practices. Do therapies like Healing Touch work, and for whom? Are these practices similar to indigenous healing practices that have been around for millennia? There are many questions to be answered.

This is what has motivated me to create the Consciousness and Healing Initiative (CHI)—a collaborative accelerator that brings together diverse perspectives to advance the science and education of healing so that we can better lead humanity to heal ourselves. Together, we are beginning to shed more light on the mysteries of human healing.

SF: Why do you believe that the idea still proliferates that the ability to heal ourselves is “science fiction” rather than science-based? Also, what are some of your favorite examples that reveal a shift in our understanding that it is sciencebased?

SJ: We are still steeped in a materialist model of medicine that historically has separated mind, emotions, body, and spirit. We have been led to believe that we are no more than our physical bodies, that health is the absence of a disease, and that if we have a disease, we need to address it by using some sort of physical substance outside of ourselves. We’ve been told that discussions around the impact of spirit or consciousness should be relegated to religion, not science.

However, consider that fifty years ago, scientists were laughed at when they proposed that emotions had effects on health. They were even laughed at for proposing that the brain and the immune system were connected.

However, after years of careful research, we now know not only that the immune system is connected to the brain, our gut microbiomes also affect our emotional and neural functioning. We have uncovered the interconnections between

mind, emotions, and body by finally deciding that these areas of study (for example, psychoneuroimmunology and psychoneuroendocrinology) are legitimate fields of scientific inquiry.

As a result, we now have insight into the ways in which our emotions and well-being, both positive and negative, can impact our health process. The biofield work is the next frontier—a way of taking what we know now and extending that inquiry deeper into consciousness and its relationship to healing. It is, in my view, extending the systems view in psychoneuroimmunology to a level that is even subtler and more dynamic.

SF: In Curious Minds with Dr. Deepak Chopra, you state that the notion of our body-mind as being static is shifting to an understanding of it being increasingly dynamic and malleable in that our state of consciousness can modify it.You also mention that it’s been discovered that a trauma event can literally put someone into a frozen steady state of mal-adapted physiological functioning created by that incident and lead to profound effects of disease states and even mortality.

Considering the malleability of our body-mind, how do we reverse (or un-freeze) states such as those that you have described?

SJ: There are many schools of thought on how to “un-freeze” trauma and while some great work is being done by numerous colleagues, there is still much to do to synthesize these practices and perspectives.

I personally believe that working

with trauma is not necessarily a “one size fits all” approach and so to appropriately answer this question would take more time than we can allow in this interview.

I will share this from my own experience both for myself, and from working with people: Traumatic patterns can be found on the mental-emotional as well as spiritual and energetic levels. Different healers work with these patterns differently. Some may work on the psychotherapeutic level and quite effectively. Others may use a more energetic or spiritual approach. All

are essentially working with the same pattern but in different ways.

Ultimately, however, I do believe that in order to completely transcend these patterns, one has to come to a place of realization and acceptance of the pattern that includes its origin.

An origin could be based in some traumatic experience in this life or even an ancestral pattern that one is carrying.

Most of us have enough trouble sorting out our “own” trauma, let alone the idea that we are carrying trauma from our ancestors! However, consider the potential relationships between what many indigenous healers described as ancestral gifts and wounds, and what we in the

west call “genetic inheritance.” We now know from published scientific research in animals and, to some degree, in humans, that trauma and anxiety can be “inherited”— not necessarily from a direct genetic route as we thought, but epigenetically. That is, we can carry patterns that can exacerbate our responses to stressors in the body, essentially carrying a pattern of trauma-informed biological responses to stress from our previous ancestors. This begs the question of whether epigenetic inheritance of behavioral and health patterns is, essentially, the same thing that the ancients described as ancestral patterning.

So, when we talk about releasing traumatic patterns, it’s useful to understand that some of the patterning we are carrying is situational and may actually be patterning that we are carrying from our ancestral line. This in turn exacerbates itself in situations that we encounter in our daily lives. We carry their “armor” if you will, but this armor—this frozen pattern— may not be helpful to us here and now.

In many ancient spiritual traditions, the “unfreezing” of patterns was and still is done by ceremonies that honored the ancestors and asked for the healing of not only those in attendance, but their ancestors as well. There is a profound understanding that our ancestors live in us. Thus, to fully heal ourselves is to also fully acknowledge and heal our ancestors.

SF: Can you explain how, “If we really do exist, our selves are likely relational, even down to our microbes”? What does this www.facethecurrent.com

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We have uncovered the interconnections between mind, emotions, and body by finally deciding that these areas of study (for example, psychoneuroimmunology and psychoneuroendocrinology) are legitimate fields of scientific inquiry. As a result, we now have insight into the ways in which our emotions and well-being, both positive and negative, can impact our health process. The biofield work is the next frontier—a way of taking what we know now and extending that inquiry deeper into consciousness and its relationship to healing.

SJ: I’ve answered that question to some degree in the last question, giving ancient perspectives on the nature of the relational self. All ancient traditions describe humans as relational beings. That doesn’t just include our relationships and roles as mother, father, sister, brother, but also steward of the Earth. We are not separate from the earth. From this relational perspective, healing is a restoration of harmony, including our relationships with others, from our cells to society—it is not simply getting rid of a disease.

SF:You come from a research field called psycho-neural immunology (PNI), and as part of this research you’ve said that you study ancient practices and ancient forms of healing. What

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mean in general, and what does it mean for healing?

types of ancient practices and forms have you studied, and do you believe there are more types of ancient practices yet to be discovered?

SJ: I feel like a complete baby when it comes to the study of ancient practices. I have much to learn about them and am grateful for what I have been taught by mentors such as Rev. Rosalyn Bruyere, with whom I have studied over the years. I have also been privileged to study texts and learn from living monks and nuns in the ancient Jain tradition, which is the spiritual tradition I grew up in. I am learning more every day and hope that on my journey I will be able to learn more from the global indigenous traditions on consciousness and healing, and that our group at the Consciousness and Healing Initiative will be able to share and synthesize the wisdom of

elders of global ancient traditions in a meaningful way for humanity.

SF: What is pathogenic thinking and why has this approach to treatment been more devastating than healing/helpful?

SJ: I do not think we can make a blanket statement across the board that pathogenic approaches to treatment have been more devastating than helpful. I don’t agree with that. For example, the pathogenic approach is what created antibiotics and at the time that they were created, they saved many lives.

There are times where chemical drugs or surgery may be needed for certain people and certain conditions.

The issue is that the original idea of pathogenesis itself is evolving, and so science and medicine need to evolve with the data.

“

All ancient traditions describe humans as relational beings. That doesn’t just include our relationships and roles as mother, father, sister, brother, but also steward of the Earth. We are not separate from the earth.

From this relational perspective, healing is a restoration of harmony, including our relationships with others, from our cells to society—it is not simply getting rid of a disease.

“

Historically, the pathogenic approach was basically an approach that attributes an illness to a “germ” which was thought to be outside of ourselves. The thinking was that we had to rid ourselves of the “germ”— the “outsider”—to get well and that we needed a physical-chemical drug to do so. However, even the pathogenic approach itself is evolving.

We now know that “germs” often live inside of us—trillions of them, in fact! We co-exist with many microbes that can be considered “not us.”

Further, the idea of extending original pathogenic thinking to issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer is incomplete. For example, we now know that “cancer cells” live inside of us all the time, so in that sense cancer is not an “outsider.”

By having a more harmonious relationship with our bodies and immune system, we can help prevent

disease, including cancer. A key part of this harmonious relationship includes the ability of our immune system to destroy toxins. However, this doesn’t happen all from the “outside.” We actually influence our immunity by the things we eat, our level of rest, our emotional digestion, and by mindbody-spirit practices.

The old pathogenic thinking had us believing that we were powerless to take control of our own health.

However, the data now suggests quite the opposite. In that manner, we have to expand our old views of pathogenesis to make room for a more inclusive model of health that takes into account that disease isn’t something that happens in a vacuum, and health is something that is in our hands.

SF: What is electroceuticals, how is this approach currently being

used, and where are we going with it?

SJ: Electroceuticals is a term used by folks in the industry that are applying the use of electromagnetic devices to treat disease and, in some cases, promote healing. In these devices, the “drug” is essentially energy, which is being applied to the body.

While many are conducting studies to better understand how these electromagnetic currents affect the body-mind, from my point of view the “mechanisms” are not well understood. (That is actually not that different from many chemical drugs, where mechanisms aren’t very well understood either.) There are many electroceutical approaches which I describe in that Curious Minds episode with Deepak Chopra that you mentioned. Some are over the counter and some are prescribed by a doctor. Many are looking to develop www.facethecurrent.com

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The salutogenic model opens the door for us to more fully realize ourselves as human beings, and that includes realizing our healing potential.

Whole person medicine allows us to recognize that healing is harmony.

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devices that treat pain and that stimulate the vagus nerve to promote healing effects.

SF:You’ve mentioned that people are starting to realize that what’s currently missing in this picture is our own state of awareness, our sense of who we are as human beings, and our connection with the deepest part of ourselves. How do you envision people reconnecting with all of this and what role does this play in our healing process?

SJ: For me, what this really means is connecting with your personal spiritual practice. Whether you call it soul connection, spirit connection, connection with the Earth, the

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Void—whatever it is that leads you to experience yourself beyond your conditioned mind, that is the key to our healing process both individually and collectively. There are many ways to get there. We just have to choose a path and have discipline to stick with a practice.

SF: What are your top recommended first steps for someone to realize and actualize his or her full healing potential?

SJ: 1. Explore and then commit to a mind-body-spirit practice. It doesn’t matter initially whether it’s five minutes a day or five hours a day—although if you can spare twenty to forty-five minutes a day, that will be very

helpful. In terms of the practice, it doesn’t matter whether it’s yoga, tai-chi, meditation, prayer, or some other form. Just find what you like and what you can commit to. Get it into your “routine” by creating a space and time every day where you do your practice.

2. Sleep. Most of us don’t get enough of it. Find out what your optimal sleep length is. (Do you feel best after seven hours? Nine hours?) Try to sleep before ten p.m. if you can. The mind-body is very active between ten p.m. and two a.m., so if you can sleep before ten p.m., you’re likely to sleep through those active hours rather than having your mind race and potentially having

a harder time getting to sleep during those times.

3. Check in with your body. That means breathing in your body knowing that your body is your temple. It is an extension of your spirit. Listen to it and treat it like your best friend—with love.

4. Connect. It doesn’t matter whether you connect with 100 loved ones or just one person, animal, or plant. The quality of our connections and not our number of connections is what creates healing. Make time to really connect with those you love and care about, even if just for a few minutes of the day.

Being present with our loved

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ones is a huge healer for us and for them.

SF: Where do you see these salutogenic (self-healing) and whole-person medicine approaches taking us in the near future?

SJ: We are currently at a time where the US life expectancy is declining for the third year in a row, mostly due to drug overdose and suicides. This is devastating and senseless. Global diseases such as depression, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and lung disease are killing billions of people worldwide and costing trillions of dollars, and are all preventable. To solve these problems, people simply need to be given the tools, hope, and motivation to live their best lives.

The salutogenic model opens the door for us to more fully realize ourselves as human beings, and that includes realizing our healing potential. Whole person medicine allows us to recognize that healing is harmony—harmony within ourselves, each other, and with the planet. As we begin to come into our own power as sovereign, powerful, and compassionate human beings, we will ideally come back into the Garden and release so much of the needless suffering we see today.

ymore info: www.shaminijain.com www.chi.is

It doesn’t matter whether you connect with 100 loved ones or just one person, animal, or plant. The quality of our connections and not our number of connections is what creates healing.

Make time to really connect with those you love and care about, even if just for a few minutes of the day. Being present with our loved ones is a huge healer for us and for them.

“

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FtC health

Top Nourishing Recipes

to Boost Your Mind, Body and Soul

By Lisa Guy, Naturopath and Founder of Bodhi Organic Tea KALE POMEGRANATE SALAD Pomegranates are loaded with skin nourishing antioxidants and vitamin C. Including pomegranates in the diet regularly can help regenerate skin cells and boost collagen production to promote healthy, radiant, youthful looking skin. Kale is a super brassica vegetable that provides sulfur-compounds that support liver detoxification of carcinogens.

Ingredients: • 1⁄2 cup quinoa, rinse well • 1 small bunch kale, finely chopped • Juice of 1⁄2 lemon • Splash of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • Pinch of sea salt • Seeds of 1 small pomegranate • Juice of a small orange • Handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped • Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped • 1⁄4 cauliflower, cut into small florets • 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric • ¼ tsp chilli flakes • 1 red onion, finely chopped • Handful almonds, roughly chop

Method: Wash quinoa well to remove their bitter coating.

In a medium saucepan add quinoa and a cup of water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 14 minutes, until quinoa is light and fluffy.

While the quinoa is cooking wash your kale and remove the steams, then cut the leaves into thin strips. Place kale in a bowl and cover it in lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

Massage the kale for a minute to soften it.

In a frying pan with a little olive oil cook onion until soft and then put on a plate to cool.

Then cook cauliflower sprinkled with turmeric and chilli, until cooked through but still crunchy.

In a salad bowl add kale, quinoa, mint, coriander, onion and cauliflower and toss gently. Add pomegranates, orange juice and toss. Top with almonds and serve.

Serves 4-6.

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HEALTHY ALMOND PAD THAI This delicious healthy Pad Thai is rich in beneficial unsaturated fats that help support heart health.

Almonds are also a great source of calcium and the antioxidant vitamin E. Ingredients: Sauce: • ½ cup coconut cream • 4 tbsp 100% almond butter • 1 tbsp raw honey or 100% pure maple syrup • 2 tbsp tamari • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tbsp raw grated ginger • Juice 2 limes • 1 shallot, sliced • 1 medium carrot • 1 medium zucchini • 1 x 450g pkt kelp noodles, rinsed • ¼ small red cabbage, finely chopped • Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped • 2 Tbsp of roughly chopped raw almonds

Method: Place all sauce ingredients in your food processor and blend until it is a smooth well combined sauce.

Using a Julienne peeler, peel carrot and zucchini into long strips. If you don’t have a Julienne peeler you can use a Mandolin slicer or spiral cutter.

Place noodles, carrot, zucchini, cabbage, and fresh coriander in a large bowl and gently toss.

Pour sauce over vegetable and noodle mix and toss gently.

Place in a large serving bowl and top with almonds.

Serves 2-3.

ZESTY SALMON & QUINOA WITH MANGO & AVOCADO SALSA This is a perfect meal for anyone wanting to follow a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet. This dish is rich in beneficial omega-3 fats, vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin C, which help reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Ingredients: • • • • • • •

4 wild Alaskan salmon fillets (around 160g fillets) 1 tsp ground sweet paprika ¼ tsp chili flakes ¼ tsp garlic powder Good pinch sea salt 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa Juice and zest of a lime

Salsa: • 1 ripe avocado, diced • 1 ripe mango, diced • ¼ cup red capsicum, finely chopped • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped • ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped • Juice of a lime • Pinch sea salt Method: Combine paprika, chili, garlic and sea salt in a bowl and then mix.

Cover salmon with spices.

In a frying pan with olive oil over medium heat cook the salmon skin side down first. Then flip and cook the other side until the salmon is cooked through to your liking.

Rinse quinoa and then place it in a small saucepan. Cover with water and then bring it to the boil and cook for 14 minutes until light and fluffy. Drain any excess water.

In a bowl gently combine salsa ingredients.

Serve salmon on a bed of quinoa topped with a good serving of salsa and a wedge of lime.

Serves 4. www.facethecurrent.com

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Filling: • 1 cup diced sweet potato (1⁄2 medium sweet potato) • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 240g raw grated beetroot (around 1 medium beetroot) • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar • 2 heaped Tbsp raw honey • Pinch sea salt & pepper • Small handful fresh mint, roughly chopped • 4 organic eggs • 100mL organic milk of choice • Handful crumbled feta Topping: Decorate with either nuts or seeds of choice (walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds) or fresh rosemary.

Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Place all base ingredients in your food processor (except butter) and blend to a fine, well-combined mixture. Add butter and pulse. Add around 2–3 tbsp water, adding 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency.

Grease around the quiche tin with some butter then line the bottom with some baking paper.

Press base mixture down into the tin and press it down evenly so it comes all the way up sides. Try to make base as thin as you can. With fork, make some holes in bottom of base.

Put base in oven for 13 minutes and then set it aside to cool.

BEETROOT & KUMERA QUICHE This wholesome quiche made with beetroot and kumera provides plenty of protective antioxidants that are crucial for neutralizing cell damaging free radicals. Kumera is also an excellent source of beta-carotene, which converted to vitamin A in the body to help support good eyesight and to help prevent degenerative eye conditions like macular degeneration.

In large frying pan over medium heat, sauté onion for 4 mins in olive oil. Add beetroot, garlic and rosemary and cook for further 10 mins. Add apple-cider vinegar, honey, mint and sea salt and pepper and cook for another 2 mins then set aside.

Ingredients:

In medium bowl whisk eggs and milk and then add beetroot mix. Mix well.

Base: • 1⁄2 cup almond meal • 1⁄3 cup wholemeal spelt flour • 1⁄4 cup chia seeds • 1 cup rolled oats • Pinch sea salt • 80g organic grass-fed butter

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Lightly brush kumera pieces with olive oil then bake them in oven for around 30–35 mins until soft. While they’re cooking prepare the filling.

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Pour egg mixture over base then top with sweet potato and feta and decorate with nuts or seeds of your choice.

Put your quiche in oven for 50– 55 mins until it starts to brown and a knife comes out cleanly from the centre.

Tip: Use gloves to grate beetroot to prevent staining.

ROAST VEGETABLE SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING Root vegetables are jam packed with nutrients and are an excellent source of dietary fibre required for good digestive function, and slow releasing complex carbohydrates to fuel your brain and body.

Root vegetables like sweet potato, beetroot and carrots are high in beta-carotene an important nutrient that helps combat inflammation in the body and supports eye health and immune function.

Ingredients: • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into slices • 2 large carrots, cut into fingers • 1 large red onion, cut into wedges • 1 large beetroot, cut into slices • 5 turnips, halves • 1 large zucchini, thick Tahini Dressing: • 3 tbsp tahini • 3 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp water • ½ lemon juice • Pinch sea salt • 1 tsp raw honey or 100% pure maple syrup Method: Set oven temperature to 200*C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Toss vegetables in olive oil. Toss beetroot separately so all of your vegetables don’t turn red.

Place sweet potato and beetroot on one tray and then onion, turnips and carrots on the other tray. Sprinkle in sea salt and then put in the oven.

Place trays in the oven and bake root veggies for around 40 minutes (until they are cooked through and golden brown).You can take the onion tray out after around 25-30 minutes.

Blend dressing ingredients together. Add a little water, 1 tbsp at a time, if you desire a thinner dressing.

Serve your roasted vegetables on a serving dish drizzled in dressing. Also delicious served with green leafies like baby spinach or rocket.

Serves 4. www.facethecurrent.com

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LENTIL CURRY WITH ROAST SWEET POTATO & LEMON KALE This highly nutritious meal featuring lentils and kale is an excellent way to include more B vitamins and iron in your diet. These nutrients play an important role in energy production, along with making neurotransmitters like serotonin, that help us feel happy and content.

Ingredients: • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • 1 ½ cups red lentils, wash well • 4 cups water • 1 x 400g tin tomatoes • 1 tsp turmeric powder • 2 tsp curry powder • 1 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp ginger powder • ½ tsp chilli flakes • Pinch sea salt and pepper • ½ bunch of kale, remove ribs and thinly chop • Juice 1 lemon • Splash of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

Method: Preheat your oven to 220*C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place sweet potato on the baking tray and drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 45 minutes, until cooked through and golden.

In a large saucepan with some olive oil cook onion and garlic for 4 minutes.

Add lentils, tomatoes, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, ginger, chilli, salt and pepper.

Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed.

Add the juice of ½ lemon and stir through.

While your lentils are cooking place your kale in a medium bowl and add lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale for 2 minutes.

Divide lentil curry into 4 bowls, top with sweet potato wedges and kale.

Serves 4-5.

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PEAR & CRANBERRY BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD Brassica vegetables like Brussel sprouts are some of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat to nourish your body. These super veggies have been found to have a variety of impressive health benefits including lowering cholesterol levels and the risk of cancer and heart disease, boosting liver detoxification and immunity, and balancing hormone levels.

Ingredients: • 9 Brussel sprouts, shredded • 1 pear, diced with skin on • 1/3 cup sun-dried cranberries • ¼ cup toasted almond flakes • Handful of crumbled feta or goats cheese Dressing: • 1/3 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 2 tbsp raw honey or 100% pure maple syrup • 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard Method: Place all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake well to combine.

WILD RICE CRANBERRY AND APPLE SALAD Apples are rich in polyphenols that have potent antioxidant properties. Eating apples regularly has been shown to lower oxidized LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol, which is linked to the development of atherosclerosis. Wild rice is also high in heart healthy antioxidants and dietary fibre and contains more protein than most other grains.

Ingredients: • 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed • 4 cup water • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted • 3 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped • Handful parsley, roughly chopped • 1 green apple, diced • 2 shallots, finely sliced • 2 celery stalks, diced Dressing: • Zest and juice of a small organic orange • 2 Tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar • Pinch sea salt and pepper Method:

Place Brussel sprouts, pear, and almonds in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing.

In a small saucepan add water and rice and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 50 minutes or until the rice is tender and fluffy and most of the grains have split. Set the rice aside to cool.

Gently toss through cranberries and cheese.

In a jar add dressing ingredients and shake well.

Tip: to prevent your pear going brown drizzle it in a little lemon juice.

In a large bowl add wild rice, nuts, seeds, cranberries, parsley, apple, celery and shallots. Toss with dressing and serve topped with extra almonds.

Serves 4.

Serves 4. www.facethecurrent.com

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PEAR AND PASSION FRUIT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE Pears are also an excellent source of dietary fibre, especially pectin, that helps keep cholesterol levels in check and improves digestive health. Pear skins contain beneficial phytochemicals too, so buy organic pears when you can.

Ingredients: • 3 cups almond meal • 2 tsp baking powder • 2 organic eggs • ¼ cup cold pressed coconut oil • 1/3 cup 100% pure maple syrup or raw honey • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract • 2 large firm pears, cored, wedges (leave skin on) • 1 large firm pear, skin removed, grated • 1/3 cup passion fruit pulp, 1 extra for topping Method: Preheat your oven to 180*C. Lightly grease a round cake tin with coconut oil and place a circle of baking paper in the centre to prevent your cake from sticking.

Arrange your pear slices from 2 pears on the bottom of the cake tin.

Place almond meal and baking powder in a bowl and mix well In another bowl place eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, grated pear and passion fruit and whisk until your mixture is well combined.

Stir wet ingredients through dry, and mix well.

Pour the mixture into your cake tin over the sliced pear. Place in the oven for 60 minutes, or until a knife comes out cleaning from the centre. If you cake starts to brown too much cover it with foil.

When it comes out of the oven allow your cake to cool and then turn upside down on a plate.

Decorate with extra passion fruit pulp and enjoy.

Delicious served with coconut yoghurt.

Serves 6-8.

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GLUTEN-FREE PEACH & ALMOND OLIVE OIL CAKE This gorgeous moist gluten-free cake is jampacked with protein to build and repair the body and dietary fibre to support gut health. Peaches provide plenty of important nutrients including vitamin C, A, potassium and magnesium, and they’re high in protective antioxidants.

Ingredients: • 2 ½ cups almond meal • ¼ cup arrowroot flour • ½ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp sea salt • 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp raw honey or 100% maple syrup • ½ cup milk of choice • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract • ¼ cup cold pressed olive oil • 3 organic eggs • 3 ripe peaches, peel and thinly sliced • ¼ cup almond flakes Method: Preheat oven to 180*C and grease an 8 inch cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper.

In a medium bowl combine almond meal, arrowroot flour, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl whisk honey, milk, vanilla, olive oil and eggs.

Gradually add wet ingredients into dry and gently combine.

Pour mixture into the cake tin and top with peaches and almond flakes.

Place your cake in the oven to bake for 45 minutes.

Once it’s done take it out of the oven and drizzle it in a little honey. Allow it to cool before serving.

Serves 8.

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH HEALTHY CARAMEL FROSTING This decadent cake is loaded with wholesome ingredients. This cake provides plenty of protein, fibre and healthy fats to support growth and repair of the body, along with good bowel health and cardiovascular function.You will also get a good dose of magnesium and calcium from this delicious cake to help promote strong bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.

Ingredients: • 2 ½ cups almond meal • 1/3 cup cocoa powder • 1 tsp baking soda • ½ tsp sea salt • 2 organic eggs • 1/3 cup 100% maple syrup • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract Caramel frosting: • ¼ cup tahini • 6 medjool dates, remove pits • 3 Tbsp 100% pure maple syrup • 3 Tbsp coconut cream • 2 Tbsp cold pressed coconut oil, melted Method: Preheat your oven to 180*C. Grease an 8 inch round cake tin and line with baking paper.

Combine all cake ingredients together and then pour into your cake tin.

Place your cake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out of the centre cleanly.

While your cake is cooking make the caramel frosting.

Combine all frosting ingredients together in your food processor, until you have a creamy consistency. Keep in the fridge to stiffen up until its ready to use.

Wait until your cake cools completely before covering with your caramel frosting.

Decorate with flowers or crushed almonds, chocolate shavings or raw cacao nibs.

ORANGE,TURMERIC AND PISTACHIO CAKE Almond meal is a nutritious alternative to regular flour in cakes, which gives a lovely light texture and provides vital amino acids needed to build and repair the body. This lovely cake also boasts plenty of beta-carotene, zinc and magnesium, which are needed to support healthy nervous system function and immune health.

Ingredients: • 2 organic oranges • 5 organic eggs • 1/3 cup honey + 1 heap tbsp • 2 cups almond meal • ½ cup organic polenta or cornmeal • ½ heap tsp turmeric powder • 2 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or essence • Decorate with slices of orange, flowers, roughly chopped pistachios Method: Preheat oven to 170*C. Grease a large cake tin with some coconut oil and cut out a circle of baking paper for the bottom of the tin. This will prevent your cake from sticking.

Place whole oranges (with skin) in a large pot of boiling water and simmer for 1 hour with the lid on.

Once oranges are cooked, cut them in quarters and place them in your food processor.

Add all the other ingredients to your food processor and blend until mixture is smooth and well combined.

Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer comes out cleanly from the centre.

Drizzle cake in honey.

Allow cake to cool and then decorate with fresh fruit, flowers, pistachios and serve.

Delicious served with natural yoghurt.

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HEMP GRANOLA WITH ORANGE POACHED PEAR Hemp seeds are a fantastic vegan protein source and they’re one of the richest plant sources of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. Hemp seeds contain a perfect balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats, which help promote strong immune function and cardiovascular health.You will also get a good dose of probiotics to support gut health, mood and immune function from this wholesome breakfast.

Ingredients: • ½ cup whole oats • 1/2 cup raw almond flakes • 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds • 1/4 cup pistachios • 1/2 cup shredded coconut • ½ cup hemp seeds • 2 Tablespoons chia seeds • 2 Tbsp cup coconut oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 2 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup Poached pears: • 4 small ripe pears, peel • 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice • 2 cups water • 1 inch ginger root • Zest from one orange • Organic natural, Greek or coconut yoghurt Method: Preheat oven to 160*C. Line two baking trays with baking paper In a small bowl combine honey, coconut oil and vanilla.

Place coconut, nuts, seeds and oats, cinnamon in your food processor and pulse 3-4 times, so you still have a chunky granola. Transfer mixture to a bowl and then stir through honey mixture until well combined.

Spread granola mixture out evenly onto two baking trays and bake for 2025 minutes, until golden brown. Toss after 15 minutes. Allow the granola to cool then store in a jar in the fridge.

To poach the pears place pears, juice, water, ginger and orange zest in a small saucepan. Make sure the pears are covered, if not add some extra water. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft.

To serve spoon some yoghurt, top with a pear and hemp granola.

Serves 4.

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CHOCOLATE DATE BRAZIL BITES These incredibly moorish chocolate bites will satisfy any chocolate craving.

Eating a few Brazil nuts daily will supply you with a good dose of selenium which is needed for good thyroid health and protection against certain types of cancers and heart disease. Dates are a good source of dietary fibre and iron to support bowel health and energy production in the body.

Ingredients: • 12 Medjool dates • 12 Brazil nuts • 200g good quality dark chocolate Topping: Raw cacao nibs, bee pollen, coconut, or crushed nuts or seeds Method: Cut medjool dates down one side and remove the seed.

Place a Brazil nut inside each date and press date around it.

Melt chocolate in a small bowl. Dip dates in chocolate, covering them well. Use a fork to remove your chocolate dipped dates so that the excess chocolate drips off.

Place them on a tray covered with baking paper. Sprinkle with topping of choice and then place in the fridge until set. Keep them in the fridge until ready to eat.

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE FUDGE PANCAKES These delicious gluten-free pancakes make the perfect weekend breakfast or healthy dessert. Chocolate, when in its raw cacao form, has many wonderful health benefits including promoting heart and cardiovascular health. Polyphenols in cacao can prevent bad ‘LDL’ cholesterol from clogging up arteries, lower total cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.

Ingredients: • 1 cup gluten-free flour • ½ cup almond flour • 1 tbsp baking powder • 2 tbsp raw honey • Pinch sea salt • 1 ½ tbsp cacao powder • 1 organic egg • 1 cup milk of choice (cow’s, almond, coconut) • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted • Berries for topping Chocolate fudge sauce: • 8 medjool dates, pitted • 1 cup milk of choice (cow’s, almond, coconut) • 3 tbsp raw cacao powder Method: Start off by making the chocolate fudge sauce.

Blend all the sauce ingredients together in your food processor until well combined.

In a small saucepan over medium heat cook the sauce for around 8 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. If your sauce is a little lumpy put it through a strainer. Set your sauce aside while you make your pancakes.

In a medium bowl mix all dry pancake ingredients together and then make a well in the centre.

In another bowl whisk egg, milk and coconut oil together.

Pour egg mixture into dry and gently mix.

Using a small frying pan over medium heat with a little coconut oil cook ¼ cup of mixture at a time. Flip when they start to bubble.

Stack your pancakes and then top with chocolate fudge sauce and strawberries.

Serves 2-3.

GLUTEN-FREE PISTACHIO CAKE WITH CITRUS FROSTING This lovely wholesome cake contains plenty of protein needed to build and repair the body, along with zinc and magnesium for immune health and energy production.You will also get a good dose of heart-friendly monounsaturated fats to help keep cholesterol levels in check. The healthy citrus frosting made with cream cheese adds extra calcium and protein for strong healthy bones.

Ingredients: • 3 cups almond meal • 2 tsp baking powder • 2 organic eggs • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/3 cup raw honey • 1 tsp vanilla bean extract • 1/3 cup orange juice • Zest of an organic orange • 1/4 cup whole pistachios + extra topping Frosting: • 225g cream cheese • 2 tsp vanilla bean extract • 4 tsp orange juice • 1 heap tsp organic orange zest • 3 Tbsp raw honey Method: Preheat oven to 180*C. Grease a 6 inch round cake tin and line with baking paper.

Place all cake ingredients into your food processor and blend until well combined.

Pour mixture into the cake tin and smooth over the top.

Place in the oven for 50 mins or until a skewer come out cleaning from the middle.

Mix all frosting ingredients together until smooth and well combined.

Allow cake to cool completely before covering it with frosting. Decorate with roughly chopped pistachios, dried orange slices or fresh flowers.

ymore info: www.bodhiorganictea.com www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC health

The Negative Side of Positive Thinking How Best to Manifest Desired Life-Changes with Gratitude

By Kai Karrel

Words create reality. My reality, your reality, and our collective reality might be three completely different things. Reality is subjectively formed; it is affected by our choices, our life’s journey, and the experiences we’ve had. For example, two sisters were abused in their childhood. The first grew bitter and angry while the second chose to empower others by forming an organization to support abused women. When asked why they are the way they are, they both replied, “How can I not be?”

Our mental process—the way we

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word our reality—is one of the determining factors in the type of life we choose to lead. I use the word “choose” because, in my reality, life is a result of choice and subjective meaning. That is one of the reasons almost every spiritual tradition incorporates one form or another of concentration, meditation, and contemplation. These approaches bring awareness to our thoughts and their resulting actions.

In the study of Spiritism, we understand we are here as an embodied expression of spirit. Within

this body of knowledge, we also understand that we came here to fulfill a particular mission or learn a very specific lesson. When we chose this life, we chose many of the challenges it entails—we chose our family, our friends, our vocation, and so much more. However, life isn’t fully predetermined; it responds to our reactions and choices along the way.

As a safety net, we ensure that we meet the right people, receive the right teachings, and live the intended situations that can ensure we remain on the path to learn that which we came here to learn.

However, since life isn’t predetermined and we are the architects of our future, we are continually choosing and shaping our lives. Words create reality and thoughts shape our state of being. And so, if my reaction to any given situation is somewhat under my control, I should probably focus on positive thinking and word my reality in a favorable way, right? Well, yes and no.

The main problem with positive thinking is that you need to think about it to make it happen, and thinking requires attention and energy. Some of our mental processes are quite deep and follow strong patterns and analyzing them takes a good deal of effort. The second problem with positive thinking is that thinking is just one layer of the human experience. If I feel challenged, sad, depressed, or angry, it is quite difficult to sift through the myriad of reasons and circumstances contributing to my state of being and simply respond with positive thoughts.

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Let’s not escape our challenging emotions and shirk their impact on our overall condition. If I feel angry, let me allow this anger its time and place. In doing so, I am letting this season fully play out. If I try to think positively and avoid the pain, I will eventually repress it and allow it to transform into some kind of illness because I will have forced myself to hold it within my body.

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If we subscribe to this point of view, we accept both destiny and free will. But what this implies is that anything and everything we experience is happening for a reason and is a part of our divine mission here on this earth and in this very specific body. Seeing our life in this way allows us to come to a place of acceptance; of allowing our life to unfold as it does.

If I hurt my knee and focus on positive thoughts such as, “It’s not painful, I am healed, my knee is healthy, etc.,” I might be bypassing the actual need to take action and appropriately react to the situation. If I was betrayed or taken advantage of, simply telling myself that I haven’t been or that I am strong and empowered is not going to truly affect my inner core and address the depth of my wounding.

In recent years, the line between science and metaphysics is thinning. There is more and more research being conducted into the emotional and thought-form effect of words on matter and our overall health. Many teachers of spirituality and healing focus on affirmations. These are declarations of empowerment that are stated in the present with the intention of altering our path and bringing about a brighter future. www.facethecurrent.com

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Though the power of affirmations is great, let’s observe the process of mental healing in a more integrative approach. There is a beautiful saying in the Jewish Talmud reminding us not to “shorten our winters.” In other words, tHowever, if all I do is remain focused on this pain, it will fester and grow. So, how do I find the balance— how do I embrace both my darkness and light?

The first condition to unconditional self-love is having no conditions. I must acknowledge that I am perfectly imperfect and have within me the full range of emotions, reactions, and thoughts. There are seasons of winter or fall where I’m angry, sad, or depressed, and others of spring or summer where I am enthusiastic,

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in love, and inspired. The important thing to remember is that all seasons are welcomed here because they are but a wholistic component to who I am. I allow my inner dialogue and emotional process to take its place.

I witness, I express my truth, and I stand in my weakness. Once I stand in this truth and allow the emotions to resolve, I can train my mind to affirm a reality of choice and empowerment.

This is not an escape but an invitation; it’s a welcoming approach to a life of awareness and choice.

The final piece is shifting from a “how-to” approach to a “why-to” inquiry. We’ve all seen The Secret and read about vision boards and the law of attraction. However, the reason it seems to have mixed results is

This is not an escape but an invitation; it’s a welcoming approach to a life of awareness and choice.

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because we forget that the primary cause for not having those envisioned things is because we charted our own life and planned not to have them. So, imagine for a moment that there is an office somewhere in the sky where your guardian angel is drinking their coffee and reading your progressreports. One day, they receive a very detailed letter (or a vision board) with new requests and desires that you’ve asked them to fulfill. They want to help you but are confronted with a pre-existing document you yourself have crafted that accurately states what you should have and when and where you will have it. Because of this, they’ll respond with, “I can’t fulfill your request because there’s a preexisting condition you have requested for me to follow.”

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Imagine for a moment that there is an office somewhere in the sky where your guardian angel is drinking their coffee and reading your progress-reports. One day, they receive a very detailed letter (or a vision board) with new requests and desires that you’ve asked them to fulfill.

They want to help you but are confronted with a pre-existing document you yourself have crafted that accurately states what you should have and when and where you will have it. Because of this, they’ll respond with, “I can’t fulfill your request because there’s a pre-existing condition you have requested for me to follow.

“

What you are asking for is not a new car, a new house, or a new relationship—you are asking for an alteration in your Divine Plan. In other words, you’re requesting Divine Intervention because you’re appealing your current situation and asking for something new. For this appeal to be heard and received, you don’t need exact details of what you’d look like sitting in your new car, or the number of kids you want to have. What you need is a really strong and empowered “why”. If your “why” is, “Because I want a cool car,” or, “I’m feeling alone,” that isn’t a strong enough argument to have your guardian angel shift your plan.

However, if your “why” is stated around, “I wish to give more, help others, allow the healing of planet Earth to take its place, etc.,” there is a much better chance your request will not go unanswered.

As such, the integrative approach to manifesting change and positively altering our lives is first rooted in remembering we are playing a part of a greater whole. We are all each other’s medicine and our healing impacts life around us. As St. Francis said, “My misery is selfish and prevents the healing of the collective.” Ask with a deep knowing of your “whys”, meditate on those whys, and accept your current situation with nothing but gratitude. Hold an attitude of always looking for meaning behind your challenges and their implied existence in your life at this moment.

Live your life in such acceptance that positive thinking will be a symptom of overflow and not the practice of a beggar. Affirm your reality as a statement of joy and not as the cry of an empty heart. Find your “why” and your “how”, “when”, and “where” will be nothing but the song of your inspired soul.

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