Issue 28 | Face the Current

Issue 28

fAce the current TRAVEL

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CULTURE

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MUSIC

Breathing Modern

Lif e I nt o Yo ga with Jonah Kest Mountain Madness’ Guided Treks Fuel the Spirit of Adventure

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SPORTS & FITNESS

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HEALTH

Janet Stone Awakens Us to Humbling Rewards of

Infinite Yogic Studentship

‘The Medicine Bag’

Ancient Toltec Traditions

with Don Jose Ruiz

How to Become Fat Adapted with Doctors Lori Shemek & Jim Bentz

Fuel for an inspired life.

Alex Serra’s Artistry Invites Connective Experience In ‘the Real World’

Editorial

fAce the current Issue 28 · March/April 2020

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

partnerships@facethecurrent.com www.facethecurrent.com/advertise/ Sasha Frate, Founder & Editor in Chief sasha@facethecurrent.com

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Face the Current is an awardwinning aspirational and inspirational magazine and fast-growing digital destination for all those seeking purposeful, conscious, and connected living. With a double meaning, Face the Current is about living in the now (in the current moment) while also facing life and all it brings as we aspire to be our potential and live with purpose.

Launched with a simple yet powerful mission, Face the Current strives to be more than just a magazine as we work to create a ripple-effect of positive change. Why? Face the Current believes that media can be purpose-driven and inspiring, so we committed to fostering a sense of interconnectedness in the world. We showcase the very best in people while building connections between family, friends, ourselves, the environment, food, places and to life itself.

Cover Image Credits: • Front cover: Jonah Kest • Back cover: Janet Stone | Credit: Nina Konjini

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All Rights Reserved 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

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 4

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March/April 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

Lori Shemek, PhD CNC

is a leading fat cell researcher, health expert, weight loss expert, keynote speaker, award-winning author and recognized authority on inflammation and its role in weight loss, preventing disease and optimizing health. Dr. Shemek is the bestselling author of ‘How To Fight FATflammation!’ (HarperCollins) and the bestselling author of “Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!’ The Huffington Post has recognized Dr. Shemek twice as one of the Top Health and Fitness Experts alongside such names as Dr. Oz and David Zinczenko author of ‘Eat This, Not That’ and the Huffington Post has also recognized her as one of the Top Diet and Nutrition Experts. Dr. Shemek holds a Doctorate in Psychology; she is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and a Certified Life Coach. http://DrLoriShemek.com/

Dr. Jim Bentz, D.PSc. DC

is a Chiropractor, Speaker, Health Coach & Educator, Trainer & the US Leading Practitioner in Neurological Integration System (NIS), a method of restoring communication between the brain and body based on the principle that the brain monitors every cell in the body. He has been in clinical Chiropractic practice since 1985, and has been using NIS as his primary modality since 1997. NIS is a system that incorporates ancient eastern medicine practices with current neuroscience and promotes self- healing through detection and correction of signaling disruption in the nervous system. https://nisusaseminars.com www.facebook.com/drjimbentz

Santina Murin

is a young spirit and old soul eager to travel, explore and expand. After graduating from college in 2015, she spent time learning more about herself through new experiences in California, Oregon, and New York. After recently moving back to her native city of Pittsburgh, Santina is intent on finding a newfound love for “home.” Santina loves expressing her creative side through writing her own poetry, but there’s nothing that makes her feel more alive than being in the presence of live music.

More than anything, her soul shines brightest from the flow of connection through conversation with artists she’s so passionate about. www.borntovibe.net www.instagram.com/borntovibe

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march/april CONTENT

66 Breathing Modern Life into Ashtanga Yoga: The Graceful Teachings of Jonah Kest

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Mountain Madness Transformative Guided Treks to Fuel the Spirit of Adventure

travel 08.Mountain Madness Transformative Guided Treks to Fuel the Spirit of Adventure 14.FtC Travel Connection: Mena Gobran 20.New “Cold Wild Swimming” Trend Demands a Growing Movement for Ice Bath Retreats

culture 26 Ancient

Toltec Ceremonial Traditions in don Jose Ruiz’s The Medicine Bag 6

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26.Ancient Toltec Ceremonial Traditions in don Jose Ruiz’s The Medicine Bag 38.The Jungle Book of Tribal Life: Lessons from the Jungles of Brazil

music

42.Alex Serra: In the Real World

FtC Issue 28

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Awakening to the Humbling Rewards of Infinite Yogic Studentship with Janet Stone

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How to Become Fat Adapted Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Weight & Optimal Health

50.Aligning Our Energies for Harmonious Living 52.Intuitive Music and Living Through Love: The New and the Now of CVBZ

sports & fitness 56.Awakening to the Humbling Rewards of Infinite Yogic Studentship with Janet Stone 66.Breathing Modern Life into Ashtanga Yoga:The Graceful Teachings of Jonah Kest

health 72.How to Become Fat Adapted Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Weight & Optimal Health 82.Cooking with Invigorating Spices

46 Alex Serra: In the Real World

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FtC travel

Mountain

Madness

Transformative Guided Treks to Fuel the Spirit of Adventure

By Sasha Frate Mountain Madness was born from the idea that adventurers—driven by their passion for mountain exploration—yearned for a community to serve as a unifying platform for the sport. In 1984, Mountain Madness founders Scott Fischer and Wes Krause became the world’s second team to stand atop Kilimanjaro’s infamous Breach Icicle. This kickstarted the duo’s desire to seek out wild experiences around the world to quench their adventurous thirst. Once Fischer and Krause realized that there were others like themselves with a love of climbing and trekking, Mountain Madness was formed.

Fischer scaled the world’s highest and most challenging peaks, including K2 and Mount Everest, and he was the first American to summit Lhotse. Sadly, during an intense storm on Mount Everest in 1996, Fischer lost his life and left behind an incomparable legacy that still serves to inspire climbers today. While the company is wellknown for its part in the tragic story of Into Thin Air, as well as the recent Hollywood blockbuster film Everest, and Edge of the Map—an upcoming book featuring Christine Boskoff, Mountain Madness’ second owner who perished in the mountains of Tibet in an avalanche—it has moved beyond some of its heartbreaking past. In its over thirtyfive-year history, the company has achieved worldwide acclaim for excellence in the guiding industry and continues to provide a diverse selection of trips ranging from the first-time trekker to those striving for an ascent of Mount Everest.

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Currently, Mountain Madness is helmed by owner Mark Gunlogson, who has been with the company since 1994. With an extensive climbing and guiding background, a degree in environmental science, and an impressive ability to distill complex adventuring logistics for clients and guides the world over, Mark has proven to uphold Fischer’s original mission. Mountain Madness lives on to share the joy of climbing, trekking, rock climbing, and skiing with people of all skill levels and abilities.

FtC enjoyed chatting with Mark to learn about Mountain Madness’ guided adventures, the transformative power of the mountain, social and environmental projects currently in the works, and much more. As Mountain Madness likes to remind us, the spirit of adventure isn’t something you can find on the mountain—it’s inside our souls, waiting to elevate us to new heights.

Sasha Frate: What you do

doesn’t really fit into the typical nine-to-five paradigm. How and why did you get into guiding adventures?

Mark Gunlogson: I started hiking and skiing when I was seven, so mountains became part of me early on. Once I learned to climb—which was at the youthful age of fifteen—I quickly made the connection between doing what I love and making a living at it, and it instantly became a passion for me. What could be better than making a living doing what you love?

Mount Everest, and everything in between. We’re all about creating new adventures outside of the normal formulaic itineraries that other companies offer—I’m talking first ascent climbs in Nepal, multisport trips that include paragliding in the Himalayas, and rafting; it’s not all about climbing!

SF: What is Mountain Madness about and what all do you offer?

MG: It’s hard to distill this question down to a simple answer, but we are about sharing a passion for climbing, trekking, and exploring the mountains of the world, and meeting amazing people along the way. Our adventures are as simple as a day of rock climbing for beginners, to something as monumental as climbing

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SF: Many hiking and climbing expeditions are associated with a summer climate.Your list of expeditions is well-rounded the entire year long. What are some of the popular winter season trips?

MG: Well, most of the bottom-half of the planet is at your disposal (during our North American winter) as it is their summer season. (Think Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina, and in latewinter/early-spring, Nepal comes into fine shape.) Of course, Mount Kilimanjaro and safaris are one of the best imaginable escapes between December and March.

SF: Mountain Madness expeditions include the Seven Summits—the continents’ highest peaks.Tell us more!

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MG: This is one of the ultimate achievements for climbers with fewer than 500 people having completed it.

Because of the logistics, the financial requirements, and the amount of time it takes, the Seven Summits are more of a lifetime goal. It has been done in less than a year, but most people take five years or more to complete it—it’s no small order!

It truly is an adventure, though! It includes exotic experiences like hanging out with Dani tribesmen at the Carstensz Pyramid, being in one of the most remote places on the planet when climbing Vinson, Antarctica’s highest peak, and then of course there is Everest. But, as we tell our customers, it’s not necessarily the exclusive domain of a few highly skilled and intrepid adventurers—if

someone is determined, there is a logical progression of climbs, step-bystep, that make this accomplishment doable for even the novice climber coming to join us.

SF: What is the minimum level of fitness that people need to have to go on your trips?

MG: Good question! The answer depends on the trip, but the mindset we try to get climbers in for the bigger trips is that on summit day, they will likely be dehydrated and dealing with the cumulative fatigue of an expedition that has perhaps taken a couple of weeks to achieve. It’s safe to say that most people will need the endurance for a twelve-to-fifteen hour day where you’re on-the-go the entire time.

Our adventures are as simple as a day of rock climbing for beginners, to something as monumental as climbing Mount Everest, and everything in between. We’re all about creating new adventures outside of the normal formulaic itineraries that other companies offer—I’m talking first ascent climbs in Nepal, multi-sport trips that include paragliding in the Himalayas, and rafting; it’s not all about climbing!

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However, it’s a bit of a different story for the entry-level climbs and treks, as these are the trips that make the whole idea of getting out on an adventure more accessible.

For these folks, preparation that includes a regular exercise routine supplemented with some extra activities like biking or hiking will work. However, even on the entrylevel adventures, there may be multiple days of activity in a row, so training for endurance is always beneficial.

SF: What is the most unusual item you have witnessed someone carrying with them on a trip?

MG: Oh wow—we have seen some crazy things including a twenty-pound sleep apnea machine, ashes of loved

ones, a knife carried everywhere by a Vietnam veteran, a ukulele, adult diapers, and even a pornstar girlfriend!

SF: Do you observe any sort of change in people from the beginning to the end of their expeditions?

MG: Oh yeah! It could be that they start the adventure off with some fear and anxiety, and after some self-discovery and pushing personal boundaries, the personal growth becomes the reward. (This is often greater than reaching a summit!) Of course, some of our seasoned guests come just to partake in a challenge and have fun, already knowing what they are getting into.

SF: Challenging adventures often create a special space for

meaningful bonds. Do many of the friendships that develop during trips become long-term?

MG: For sure, and this includes both our guests and guides, too! I have several clients that have become lifelong friends. There is a widely accepted idea that the rope that connects climbers creates a powerful bond of trust and companionship that can’t be found in any other sport.

Throw in overcoming some physical and mental challenges and some good times, and yes—lifelong friendships come pretty easily.

SF: What types of courses and education do you offer?

MG: For someone first getting into climbing, we have a multitude of www.facethecurrent.com

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mountaineering and rock-climbing courses to get things rolling. These courses take place in the U.S. And abroad in some incredible places. For our guests that return year after year and progress into more advanced climbs, there is always something to learn (and it often presents on the climb itself). Personally, I think when I stop learning something on climbs– whether it’s a new technical skill or even something about myself—that is when I’m done with this endeavor.

However, I don’t see that happening any time soon!

SF: How do custom trips work?

MG: Custom trips work well for people for many different reasons— it could be that specific dates are required, someone wants to slow things down and go at their own pace, or maybe a groups just wants

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it to be with family or friends.

Whatever the case, we can usually accommodate whatever people dream up or need!

SF: Why did you create a women’s program and why is it unique?

MG: When I first started climbing some forty years ago, there was maybe one female climber for every ten males, so it was clearly a maledominated sport. Things have changed over the years with many women now getting out there, but there is still a leftover underlying element that associates men with climbing.

The women’s program addresses that with a more supportive environment and by tamping down the intimidation factor. (I have two daughters, so I get girl power and love it!) By offering a women’s program, we’re able to

improve inclusivity by eliminating some of the barriers that have existed in the past.

SF: Adventure often equates to occasional injury. How does your team prepare for this?

MG: An interesting thing about some of our expeditions is that the actual number of days where the most risk is involved is pretty minimal. On an expedition, you may find yourself walking into your objective for a week, acclimatizing once at base camp, and then only climbing on the mountain for a couple of days. A perfect example is a fifteen-day expedition in Ecuador where there are actually only three days of climbing. So, yes, injuries happen, but our guides are welltrained to both manage risk and deal with any injuries should they occur.

“

I’ve had people cry tears of joy upon reaching a summit. I’ve seen the peace that is instilled by sitting quietly and looking out at the mountains, knowing that these powerful places provide a certain humbled serenity. As much as the physical challenge appeals to people, it’s just as much about this sort of spiritual connection that is provided by these adventures that brings guests back for more every year.

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Christine Boskoff

However, contrary to the perception that these “extreme” treks are only for risk-takers, injuries on these trips are very rare.

SF: Being in such beautiful, untouched nature is extremely beneficial for human wellbeing/ state-of-mind, and such an immersive experience can have a profound effect on people— especially those from cities.

Can you recall any particularly profound moments that clients have experienced while out in the wild with you?

MG: These moments happen on almost every trip. For some, the time “away from it all”—unplugged—is the most powerful. I’ve had people cry tears of joy upon reaching a summit.

I’ve seen the peace that is instilled by sitting quietly and looking out at the mountains, knowing that these powerful places provide a certain

humbled serenity. As much as the physical challenge appeals to people, it’s just as much about this sort of spiritual connection that is provided by these adventures that brings guests back for more every year.

SF: Mountain Madness not only impacts the lives of the people that experience your expeditions, but you’ve taken it a step further to leave a mark on the places and people who call your destinations “home.”

Can you share a bit about Mountain Madness’ social and environmental projects?

MG: Mountain Madness has a long history of reaching out to help the people who live in the places we visit, and it can often enrich our guests’ experience beyond measure. Our passion for this began in the 1990s with Scott Fischer-led fundraising trips with the relief organization, CARE. We’ve more recently been

involved with schools and an orphanage in Nepal and Tanzania, setting up computer labs in local schools. We’ve also organized a clothing drive for porters in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a basketball hoop to a school, and other times it’s about more complex projects like helping to raise tens of thousands of dollars toward building a school in the Himalayas that not only provides a better education to its students, but that also promotes cultural preservation. Our experience with these projects offers exciting opportunities for our guests that are interested in combining adventure with philanthropy—it’s really a slam dunk for everybody involved!

ymore info: www.mountainmadness.com www.facebook.com/Mountain-Madness Instagram: @mountain_madness_inc www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

FtC Travel Connection wanderlust & adventure stories

ftc travel connection

Mena Gobran PLACE I Call Home: California Instagram: @mena_shootz www.menashootz.com

Singapore boasts incredible living walls, some of which can even be found in their airport where the vertical garden is made up of over fifty species of 100,000 plants! Living walls give back to the city with the benefits of noise pollution filtration, air purification, and quality of life enhancement for all who pass by. What was it like to experience a city brought to life in this way?

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Before traveling to Singapore, I read that Singapore was aiming to be the greenest country in the world. I also saw many photos online that backed up that statement. The minute you got off the plane, it was truly apparent that Singapore was indeed pursuing just that.

The feeling of walking around the city among so much greenery brought a sense of joy. Although Singapore is a very small and dense country, having so much greenery and plants everywhere made it seem much less dense.You couldn’t walk a few blocks without seeing some sort of plant installation on buildings or large trees at local parks, and you saw locals really enjoying it by taking advantage of the green spaces and parks.

My main takeaway was realizing that being in that environment simply made me happier on a daily basis. If you felt like getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you always had an outlet among the plants to re-energize or just find peace. It felt like the true definition of an oasis.

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travel connection

What attracted you to the volcanic Greek island of Milos in the Aegean Sea, and now that you’ve experienced it, what was it about this small island that inspired you to explore more of Greece?

During the planning for my trip to Greece, I hadn’t even heard of Milos!

Because I was taking my parents with me, I wanted to show them how I travel by going to places less frequently traveled, and Milos was just that! I read that this island was much quieter than some of the other more traveled islands like Santorini or Mykonos. During my research, I saw landscapes on Milos that looked almost lunar with white rock and blue water, and I knew that I had to see it for myself. A lot of the island required going off the beaten path, whether we hiked or motored around in a 4x4. It’s exactly the adventure I was looking for!

After experiencing this rural and more untouched island, I knew it was what I wanted to see in Greece as well, so we made plans to go to Crete because it has a lot of untouched areas similar to Milos. www.facethecurrent.com

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The Ancient City outdoor museum in Thailand—an architectural masterpiece by renowned Architect, Kuhn Lek—looks much like a floating palace surrounded by natural landscape. What was it like exploring this “hidden gem of Bangkok”?

After seeing an image of this place, I knew I had to find it and see it for myself. It wasn’t easy to get to, but after an hour on a train and a short taxi ride, I made it to the ancient city.

Once there, it took some time to find this beautiful masterpiece, but when I did, I was in awe of its detail and beauty.

Luckily, I was the only one there, so I began walking through the temple on the floating walkways. It felt almost like a maze with large buddha statues guiding my way. I walked the complete length of the temple and at the center was a thirty-foot golden buddha which took my breath away. Surrounding it were dozens of golden soldiers which seemed to be guarding the temple itself. It truly was a unique place that I didn’t expect during my time in Bangkok.

Which phrase speaks to you more in terms of travel and photography: “light up my world” or “color my world”?

“Light up my world” speaks to me on many levels. I’m always on a mission to chase light, whether it’s light rays or shadows. Light is what can truly bring life to an image. During my travels, I always found myself waking up before dawn or sticking around past sunset to catch the best light in a lot of places that I had never seen before. Seeing them in that kind of light made the experience that

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travel connection

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much better.

What are some of the greatest joys you’ve experienced during your travels and immersion in local cultures?

One of my favorite experiences with local culture had to be sunrise and the famous Shwedigan pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. Known as the most sacred place in Myanmar, you truly felt it there.

I woke up before five in the morning to be one of the first people there. When I arrived, I found many locals already practicing their morning prayers and rituals at the base of the pagoda. I began to just observe and walk around the pagoda. People were fully immersed in what they were doing and it was beautiful to experience that energy.

Another important cultural experience had to be my time spent in Egypt. Being that I’m Egyptian and it was the first time I really got to see the country, it was very special. I explored the Temple of Karnak in Luxor one morning, and I was taken aback in every way by the sheer beauty and epic nature of this temple. Walking around and being one of the first people there had to be one of my top moments in Egypt.

A great joy during my travels has to be meeting amazing people along the way; it’s one of the most important things to me about travel. Meeting others on their journey and creating together allows you to learn new things from them and forge unforgettable friendships.

Often times, travel offers beautiful locations and moments to stop, take everything in, and reflect. What have been some of your favorite or memorable places for this, and have any of those reflections stuck with you such as a lesson or transformation that you take with you in your everyday life?

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This image perfectly describes my Time in India.

For me, India was a country that brought a lot of reflection. There was a calm in all the chaos, and I experienced so many moments that made me stop observing and instead reflect on what was going on around me. It wasn’t always easy to find a place of peace and serenity in India, so when I did, it made those moments that much more special. In this photo we had found that peace atop the Wall of Amer near Jaipur, India.

It was a moment of pure reflection as we observed the city from above, allowing us to see all the hustle and bustle in a disconnected way. India taught me a lot, but most of all it taught me to really appreciate the moments of reflection and to take more time to step back and be more grateful for all the experiences I’ve had.

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travel connection

Where is one place you’ve traveled to that far exceeded your expectations?

This one is easy—it has to be Sri Lanka! I visited Sri Lanka during my first big tour through Asia, even though I hadn’t planned on stopping there. I had already spent a month in Myanmar and a month in Vietnam, and I was planning my next move when I saw some photos of Sri Lanka that beckoned to me. I’m so glad I went there because the country blew me away in many ways. After three weeks there, I dubbed Sri Lanka as “the country of pleasant surprises”. I really didn’t know what to expect at first, and I loved that. There were so many pleasant surprises that followed, starting with the local cuisine. It was the first time I enjoyed eating with my hands, and I found that it really did make the food taste better! The meals were so vibrant, full of color and nutrition, and were so, so tasty. I was also surprised by the country’s history and beauty. There was so much to see and so much beauty waiting around every turn. To top it off, I loved the genuine and friendly people of Sri Lanka; they wanted to help you in every way they could. We even became good friends with some locals that invited us for breakfast and dinner with their family. I will truly never forget those moments and I can’t wait to go back and experience it all again! www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

New “Cold Wild Swimming” Trend Demands a Growing Movement for Ice Bath Retreats

by David Aiello It seems more and more people across the globe are foregoing immersion in chlorinated public watering holes in favor of rediscovering the pleasures of untamed lakes, rivers, and oceans—even in the depths of winter.

And, “why” you may ask? Enthusiasts for the activity claim that taking a dip in cold water is not just fun, it also delivers mental and physical health benefits.

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Photo Credit: Daniel Holmgren

A lot has been written lately about the growing number of people braving freezing temperatures to swim in the great outdoors. In increasing numbers, these devotees of the cold are invading freshwater lakes, plunging in icy mountain pools, and thrashing about in ocean waves, all to experience the inner calm and alleged ultimate natural high found

with wild winter swimming. (In case you were wondering, wild swimming is swimming in any natural body of water, including lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans).

Once only experienced in the name of cultural traditions or perhaps as part of special-forces training, the practice is now going mainstream and is even finding a niche in the

wellness travel boom. In recent years, many countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden—whose denizens have enjoyed skinny-dipping in cold rivers under the midnight sun for generations—are developing destinations for those embarking on a whole-body health and wellness journey that includes wild winter swimming.

www.facethecurrent.com Photo Credit: Anders Blomqvist

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It’s Good for You! The general theory behind swimming in cold water is that exposure to cold helps combat microtraumas (small tears) in muscle fibers and general discomfort caused by intense or repetitive exercise. The icy plunge is thought to constrict blood vessels, flush waste products, and reduce swelling and tissue breakdown.

Indeed, researchers1 observed “a drastic decrease in plasma uric acid concentration” in groups of people who regularly swam in ice-cold water during the winter, both during and after cold water exposure. This resulted in a “hardening” of the body, which triggered “an increased tolerance to stress.”

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Another study2 found that sitting in cold water for fifteen minutes decreased the heart rate of participants by almost ten percent, reducing blood pressure and leading to a calming effect.

People who are active wild winter swimmers seem to repeat the refrain that the intense cold makes them feel alive in a way they normally do not experience, providing soothing and calming benefits. They insist the sensations lift any brain fog resulting in a feeling of renewal with an afterglow that dramatically boosts their mood for days. This seems to be antithetical to those of us who relish the effervescence of a hot tub instead of braving bitter temperatures, unpredictable currents, and the fear of the unknown lurking beneath.

However, because of its repetitive nature, swimming is incredibly meditative. If you think about it, you can intimately listen to the waves lapping on the shoreline with the feeling of weightlessness in the cold water acting as a sensory enhancement, and the vastness and power of your environment reminding you that your worries are really very manageable. Could wild winter swimming truly be the answer to full relaxation?

It’s Time to Try it for Yourself If wild winter swimming appeals to you, there are obvious associated risks to consider. We suggest you start small and consider some of these travel destinations with the experience to get you ready for your fist wild winter plunge.

Photo Credit: Pasquale Baseotto

Arctic Bath The Arctic Bath is a twelve-room boutique spa on Lapland, Sweden’s Lule River. This unique hotel and spa welcomes guests to immerse themselves in the elements while leaving behind a minimal environmental footprint.

It features six cabins on land, six that float on the frozen river, and a structure resembling a log jam at the center of it all which is home to saunas, hot baths and, yes, an icy plunge pool.

Photo Credit: Daniel Holmgren

The team at Arctic Bath prioritizes nutrition, regular exercise, peace of mind, and care of the face and skin. If you head into the open-air cold bath at night, you’re likely to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis. Or, watch the sky from your bed—the cabins all have glass ceilings!

Ramdalsvägen 10 960 24 Haradst Sweden +46 70 275 97 95 booking@arcticbath.sew www.arcticbath.se

Christmas Swim in Scotland What Christmas celebration is complete without swimming in five-degree Celsius water? For something more festive, SwimQuest specializes in open water swimming vacations and is now taking reservations for 2020 Christmas wild winter swim vacations in Arisaig, Scotland.

You’ll stay comfortably cozy in the Traigh House, nestled three miles north of Arisaig. And while there is no pressure to swim on this trip, there will be two or three short winter dips to either Loch Morar (four-to-eight degrees Celsius), as well as along the sandy beaches towards Mallaig (five-to-ten degrees Celsius), followed by wonderful food and time to relax around the log fire.Your stay even includes a homemade Christmas dinner followed by games and carols by candlelight. For complete information visit https://swimquest.uk.com/scotland/

Photo Credit: Anders Blomqvist

Photo Credit: Daniel Holmgren

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How Cold Could It Be?

Dusit Hotspring Beach Resort & Spa

If you are still not moved to try wild winter swimming but are intrigued by the benefits of cold immersion, perhaps these resorts can get your teeth chattering in a less wild manner.

Don’t let the name of the location fool you—you can still get your cold-on here!

While the resort boasts the benefits of bathing in natural hot springs—even in Thailand’s tropical climate—it also embraces the benefits of cold therapy. The resort offers guests an icy pool, and while some cold-water therapy enthusiasts may consider the pool’s temperature of sixteen degrees Celsius a bit balmy, it will still give you that jump in the morning!

A dip will stimulate your nerve endings and help get rid of your grogginess. A cold-water bath is also said to help treat depression by increasing the release of depression-beating chemicals like noradrenaline. The benefits abound!

Sparkling Hill Resort If you find ice baths and plunges a bit uncomfortable, consider a visit to a Cryo Cold Chamber. The first thing you notice at the Sparkling Hill Resort in British Columbia are the more than three-and-a-half million crystals that adorn its walls. As if British Columbia isn’t cold enough, the Sparkling Hill’s KurSpa is now the only location in North America to offer the three-chamber approach to cryo treatments.

Guests quickly become used to the cold air therapy and any residual moisture evaporates from the skin within the first two chambers so that by the time the third chamber is entered at -110 °C—yes you read that right, -110°C—the cold is quite bearable due to the almost zero percent humidity. This cold sauna technology is an alternative to pharmaceutical medications and is a whole-body treatment aimed at reducing inflammation and swelling in order to reduce chronic pain and loss of joint mobility. If you are feeling brave, make a reservation and step inside!

888 Sparkling Place Vernon, BC V1H 2K7 Canada 1.877.275.1556 reservations@sparklinghil.com

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79 Moo 8 Na Toey, Thai Muang District, Phang Nga 82120 Thailand 66-76-580-000-28 info@thehotspringbeach.com www.thehotspringbeach.com

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Sparkling Hill Resort FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

An Ice Breaker for Traditions, and Even Fundraising If the health benefits of a cold-water swim have not convinced you to take the plunge, maybe doing it to support local traditions or raising money for a good cause will sway you!

The Polar Plunge is comprised of a variety of events that happen around the world when temperatures drop below freezing. For example, Canada has events like polar bear swims, dips, or plunges, depending on where you are. However, it’s become a New Year’s tradition to take the plunge because it helps to purify you for the new year.

Photo Credit: Daniel Holmgren

The Nieuwjaarsduik is an event that happens in different places around The Netherlands. There are towns like Scheveningen that are beach resorts most of the year, but in the winter they promote dips in the icy waters.

In New Zealand, winter happens in June and July and the country is so far south that the days get very short.

New Zealanders—or Kiwis as they call themselves—gather on beaches like Castlecliff, Saint Clair Beach, and Papamoa Beach to celebrate the shortest day of the year by plunging into the cold waters.

Photo Credit: Pasquale Baseotto

Americans refer to their event as the “Polar Bear Plunge” and it has become a fundraiser for the Special Olympics.

Plunges are held throughout winter in many locations, with thousands gathering annually in December in Buffalo, New York, to take a dip in Lake Erie (which by that time has dipped to a frigid four degrees Celsius)! But remember: it’s all for a good cause!

References: 1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8063192 Uric acid and glutathione levels during shortterm whole-body cold exposure 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12423186 The effects of cold-water immersion on power output and heart rate in elite cyclists

Photo Credit: Anders Blomqvist

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FtC culture

Ancient Toltec Ceremonial Traditions in

don Jose Ruiz’s The Medicine Bag

By Sasha Frate

The son of don Miguel Ruiz, author of the world-renowned The Four Agreements, don Jose Ruiz is a New York Times bestselling author and a shaman in the Ancient Native Mexican wisdom. don Jose combines ancient wisdom from his upbringing with modern insights for the landscape of today and has dedicated his life to sharing Toltec wisdom by translating it into practical, everyday life concepts that promote

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transformation through truth, love, and common sense. He is the author of The Wisdom of the Shamans, coauthor of The Fifth Agreement, and has most recently written The Medicine Bag: Shamanic Rituals & Ceremonies for Personal Transformation. don Jose also travels the United States and the world teaching his message of faith, love, gratitude, and humility.

In his newest book, don Jose

expounds on the shamanic belief in the power of rituals and ceremonies to manifest change and personal transformation in the physical world.

This how-to guide instructs readers to perform their own ceremonies and rituals, and also explains how we can create our own power objects and animal totems for use in recapitulation, soul retrieval, and dream training.

Face the Current was honored to have another moving exchange with don Jose as we learned more about his latest book and the continuing Toltec lessons of living our authentic lives, healing past wounds, and waking up to the power of forgiveness.

Sasha Frate: Congratulations on your new book, The Medicine Bag: Shamanic Rituals & Ceremonies for Personal Transformation—it’s really exciting! It’s as if in your previous books, The Fifth Agreement, and The Wisdom of the Shamans, you shared your wisdom and led readers to the tools in The Medicine Bag that they need to put everything into practice. It was really fun to read and I’d love to have you share some of it with Face the Current. don Jose Ruiz: Yes, thank you. It’s made me very happy to share the wisdom of my elders, especially the ceremonies and various traditions.

It’s a beautiful thing to share and

has been especially special to relive everything. The Medicine Bag shares that it’s about what’s in the readers’ heart. Whatever they hold sacred in their own tradition(s), that’s the way to go.

SF:That’s wonderful! Can you describe the difference between a physical and an inner medicine bag? dJR: In the tradition, we realize that before there are any temples, pyramids, or sacred spots, it all starts within us. We need to open our minds so they can be conscious of our hearts. Before you can find the sacred in an object, you have to first have it sacred in your heart. When you do that you open a vortex to shine light from within you.

SF: How can the medicine bag itself evolve? dJR: Well, it evolves through time.

Let’s say that there’s a marriage in our medicine bag that was a happy marriage, but then both people

grew up and apart. There might be a wedding ring that was dear to us in the medicine bag. But something happened; people grow up, the relationship end, and it becomes sour.

That can become painful, but it can become the past when we’re ready to let go. So, the medicine evolves in that you can take pieces out of the medicine bag. This is the beautiful thing about life: we all grow, we all hold onto something sacred, but there comes a point when we can release it. But you don’t have to let go of anything you don’t want to. If you travel to sacred places and find powerful objects, you can create a memory and put it in your medicine bag. When we travel, we collect beautiful memories that feed our heart and our hearts are sacred.

The moment we begin seeing no differences between all traditions and we can put our love into our own sacred objects, that’s how we grow because that’s what our heart is meant to do—expand and grow. www.facethecurrent.com

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SF: Do you think that you can gift someone a medicine bag, or does it have to be curated with one’s own intention and intuition? dJR: Well, in my tradition there are two types of medicine bags. One is given to us from our teacher when we are ready. When they honor you with that gift, it’s because they know that you’re ready to pass on the tradition, the lineage, or the wisdom.

The other medicine bag is the one that we collect; the one that comes from us. It’s the one that we build in our lifetime that maybe we will pass on to the next generation in the future.

SF: Can you share a few examples of what’s inside your medicine bag? dJR: Yes, I have two medicine bags.

I have one medicine bag that my grandmother gave me when she

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If you travel to sacred places and find powerful objects, you can create a memory and put it in your medicine bag. When we travel, we collect beautiful memories that feed our heart and our hearts are sacred. The moment we begin seeing no differences between all traditions and we can put our love into our own sacred objects, that’s how we grow because that’s what our heart is meant to do—expand and grow.

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initiated me into the Toltec tradition to become a healer. She said the true healer is the one that heals from his own life, so she got a crystal with olive oil, she cleansed me, and she put it inside of a bag. I have that bag in the altar next to her ashes and her memorial and I hold that there.

I have another medicine bag that I continue putting things into from my travels around the world. It’s a turtle bag that I found twenty years ago.

I put bandanas in it, sand, dirt from where my father had a heart attack in Hawaii; everything that I hold sacred.

All the little pieces are a reflection of my mind because I’ve been collecting pieces and memories wherever I go.

It’s like collecting power objects and their information, their inner wisdom, salient knowledge about the world and the power-places that I’ve visited.

I receive a message in each powerplace. When I receive a message, I get an object—it could be a crystal, a

little statue of a puma, a snake—that fits into my medicine bag. I also leave my turtle bag at my altar—I have a big altar!

SF: It sounds like it! Why do you say that healing is what makes lasting change possible? And what are a few examples of Toltec tools that promote this type of healing? dJR: The first is to be aware when we need to heal, because we cannot heal if we go with blind faith. If we’re in the mentality that we don’t need to or can’t be healed, we will never change. But the moment that we’re tired of living a dream—that we know that this ghost-town is not where we belong anymore, that it’s just taking away our inspiration and motivation—we lose inspiration.

When we begin living that way, the healing part of our heart wakes up and it reflects to us that we’re not happy and that we need to make a change.

Photo Credit: Lisa Hantke

In that moment, the mind becomes loyal to the heart. In the Toltec tradition, it’s not about learning but rather unlearning what takes away our inspiration. That’s the healing part.

The whole purpose of this healing is to have our conscience clean. We can be physically sick, but that won’t stop us from opening our heart and being true to what we really are, because this body is lent to us.

This is the vision we have in life; we all have a garden to heal and to take care of. Our mind sends a message to our heart and makes us really feel.

What makes us heavy? What makes us irritated? What makes us unhappy?

If we aren’t true with our heart, no change is going to happen. But, when we begin being true to ourselves, we begin being true to the whole world wherever we go because we’re living in truth now. Truth is what’s behind the stories that make peace with everything. When you make peace with everything, you confront fear, because fear is an energy that deserves respect. It tells us what we need to work on! Pain is also energy that deserves respect because it tells us what to heal. When we confront this energy without fear, then we’re

ready to heal.

SF: We say that changing ourselves and healing ourselves can actually heal and improve the world, which for some people may sound a little bit exaggerated. How is it possible to really impact the whole world, and how do you believe that this is in fact true? dJR: Well, we can resist everything.

We can resist and support the lie that we cannot change the world, but just imagine: by changing our heart and mind, we create an energy inside of us that is contagious and we begin to spread this happiness instead of poison. For example, it is like going to the doctor’s for a vaccination shot. Could you imagine putting the syringe of you and me—of the way that we live and we want to live in heaven on earth—into planet earth as an injection? We’re injecting a good vibration into planet earth. When we are injected into Mother Earth, now she has an antivirus to go against the negativity, the pain, and the lies, because we’re walking our truths and our authentic selves. (This is what many people are afraid of—being

their authentic selves. They like to pretend and live a lie and lying is the foundation of living in hell and living in suffering.) So, if we change the way we think, and put it into action instead, it will be a transformation.)

Just imagine: we complain, we put people down, and we judge; it’s contagious. It spreads hate. It’s like when people look at magazines and believe they’re not pretty or good enough. When you know that you’re beautiful, and you’re pretty just the way you are because you’re Divine Mother’s child, you begin to wake up. That’s the beautiful thing that we can do when we are injected like an antivirus into Mother Earth.

Many people might say that’s just the ego being selfish. But if you don’t begin with yourself, how can you give anything to somebody else? The moment that you give to yourself is the holy grail that they talk about and it begins to pour. That’s what we’re offering—the pour of our love.

Honesty is how we heal ourselves, and that can become a way of life or a tradition that can then become a trend. But the beautiful thing about truth is it never goes out of style. www.facethecurrent.com

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When we carry out ceremonies as individuals, sometimes we’re not even aware.

For example, we wake in the morning and have a shower, we brush our teeth, and we eat food.

They are not religious, but those are all ceremonies because they are about spirit, being open, and living life. The moment we do everything with love and respect is the moment an act becomes ceremony.

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SF:That’s true and it resonates with everybody; it’s like a positive gossip-effect of spreading the story, the good feeling, the good energy, and the truth. Many cultures have traditions for rituals and ceremonies, and you’ve even said that we all have a simple everyday ritual, just like brushing our teeth.You provide a lot of ceremony and ritual practices in The Medicine Bag; why do you believe that ritual and ceremony are so important?

DJR: Because, it’s an act of love.

When we perform an act of love, we release energy with our body and mind. When we perform this ritual and ceremony, it’s like we’re giving birth to ourselves.

Also, the power of prayer is important.Yes, we may think about something and have an intent, but the moment that we get the incense

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or the smoke for prayer, now we’re actually letting something come out of ourselves. That is the whole point of ceremony and ritual—to be the vessel, to be the instrument, to find the channel to be open so we can feel the magic of the infinite.

It’s about the magic of inspiration; the magic of what opens our heart to create a story to share. When we share that story, it becomes a ceremony and ritual where many people can gather together in agreement to open their hearts together. We make a circle and dance to the beat of the music under the moonlight, and that right there is a beautiful ceremony.

When the body is in action in a ceremony, it becomes the moving vehicle that creates the ripple of love.

There is something strong about many people getting together to share what they believe in.

When we carry out ceremonies as

individuals, sometimes we’re not even aware. For example, we wake in the morning and have a shower, we brush our teeth, and we eat food. They are not religious, but those are all ceremonies because they are about spirit, being open, and living life. The moment we do everything with love and respect is the moment an act becomes ceremony.

SF:The common morning ritual that has taken over for a lot of people is to wake up, grab your phone to turn off the alarm, and see all your notifications.You then dive into that—and maybe even some emails—as you’re still waking up with your coffee or tea. How do you see this modern ritual having an effect on us? dJR: It’s beautiful because we live in modern times. The positive side of it is that modern media has sped up communication.—information is traveling faster than ever before, and

that’s where we live now.

Imagine an eyes-open meditation and seeing your phone—you’re seeing a full dream, like a river streaming past. If you see bad or painful news, you’ll feel your heart reaching out, but at the same time, because you’re consciously awake and meditating with the eyes open, you know where you can heal.

The thing is not to be afraid or to judge where we’re at. We should not put down our current times.

My brother Michael said people like to judge others for being on their phones now, but 100 years ago, people were judged for having their faces in newspapers when they rode the train. Before that, people were judged for reading in public.

We grow from the source of our lessons. Now we can find education and information on our phones.

The important thing is not to lose yourself in that world because it’s just

another dream. Do everything with love and ritual, because it is beautiful and meant to be. If I read something painful in the news, it shows me where the earth needs healing and how I can help to serve it. That inspires our heart to give medicine.

our umbrella to cover and protect ourselves from the rain and thunder.

That’s how we begin to protect ourselves from our own thoughts that happen when we are unhappy because it’s just a matter of time until the body becomes happy again.

SF:You describe the modern social construct as very linear in nature, where we’re encouraged to constantly progress onto the next thing in our lives with each step promising happiness.Yet, lasting happiness is not typical with this linear view of life. What is different about the Toltec tradition that shifts past the linear and views life in terms of cycles?

The moment that you begin seeing the truth, you begin seeing your habits: “Oh here it comes again; this day keeps getting worse and I’m reacting again.” We have to get comfortable in the uncomfortable.

When we see the habits we want to break, the unhappiness will set in. The habits of self-judgment, pity, or other negative emotions come in with the unhappiness. We cannot control what happens outside of ourselves, but we can control how we confront it, and deal with it—there we have a choice.

We don’t want to let negativity run all over us and uninspire us simply because we gave into it and believed the lies.

dJR: One of the beautiful things that we know about life is that we’re not happy all the time; the body has moods and that’s the first Toltec rule of happiness. Why? So, when that heavy moment comes in, we take out

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Photo Credit: Aaron Landman

We need to unlearn the illusions that don’t serve us anymore and let them go, because one day we’re not going to physically be here—not even in our own temple of the mind—so why waste time? This is when we begin to see the beauty in life and that’s where we break our bad habits. It’s the resurrection of the embodiment of love; it’s a rebirth and a second opportunity to be awakened and live life. There are so many ways to explain it in different cultures and religions, but the thing is that we have another opportunity to enjoy our life.

SF: I really loved your explanation of it in your book!

It’s so true that we think in linear terms and that sets us up to feel like we’ve failed if we don’t make it to the next step.

Even with relationships that run their own cycles, we feel like we’ve failed if they end as opposed to just accepting that they ran their own cycle. It’s okay to move to the next new cycle and opportunity. I think that really has potential to be a

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huge shift in terms of seeing our life-process as cyclical. dJR: Yes, it’s like the jaguar medicine knows the jaguar cannot control the jungle. If the jaguar tries to control the jungle, it loses its peace because it will be at war with the jungle. The jungle can be seen as the mind and the jaguar is here to serve the jungle and everything in it. In other words, life is life; we’re going to feel it. Many people try to meditate for a long time to not feel anything anymore, but we cannot stop the body from feeling and talking to us just like you can’t muzzle a puppy; it has to bark to express itself. We have to let our body express itself, because that’s how it communicates with the mind.

The heart might say, “I’m not happy; it’s time to leave this relationship; it’s time to leave this workplace; it’s time to leave this dream; it’s time to wake up.” When the mind is ready to serve the heart, we can really enjoy this life.

SF: Speaking of waking up, you state that many people are unconsciously creating in their

lives as though they’re painting in their sleep. With the human mind that constantly dreams, unconscious living tends to result in a mind that overflows with regrets of the past, fears of the future, and/or negative judgements. How do these ancient tools and practices really help people to wake up? dJR: It’s all about honesty because if we don’t live in honesty, we’re living a lie and pretending. Our personal parasites will invade our minds like a Trojan horse again and again until we deal with them. We need to say, “Hey, there’s nothing to hurt here anymore because I am you. I don’t need to hurt myself or anyone else anymore.”

What’s the point in pretending?

Pretending only lets us live with a mask and that is a life of suffering because you can never express your beauty and your light. They must be expressed because that’s who you are! If you live without self-judgment, the world will accept you as you are.

Why give energy to that inner judge or the outside world?

We must have respect for other people’s hearts as well as our own.You don’t need to debate your own heart with anyone. The ego is the thing that wants to debate for validation and that can lead you to self-betrayal because you’re only seeking outside approval. “Those people” are other people that we use to hurt ourselves. It’s not even them, it’s us. There will be times when people are negative and scream at us or judge us. Just remember that they’re only asking for help because now we can totally understand the second agreement and not take things personally. It really has nothing to do with us, they’re just inviting us to hurt ourselves with their pain. We must love ourselves so much that we don’t do it. That’s why honesty and truth in a relationship is our biggest ally. That is the biggest medicine in the medicine tool bag—respect for ourselves and others.

SF: Jose, the Toltec tradition describes two different types of dreams of the human state: the personal dream and the dream of the planet. Can you describe the difference between the two? dJR: The personal dream is everything that I’ve experienced, and the dream of the planet holds the history of what I should be and how I should act. As an example, in Mexico we grew up with the machismo dream that dictated that to be a man you have to be this, you have to be that, you have to suppress parts of yourself etc..

That’s really the biggest lie that ever happened in this world because it’s the suppression of Divine Mother. That lie meant living with that cultural dream, and to fit into that dream I had to betray myself. And I did that, sister; I did that until it didn’t feel good because I was suppressing the Divine Mother in my body. I like to say that instead of separating the world by race or gender, we need to see that we’re all just life. That’s the dream of the planet—that’s how life works.

When we wake up in our own individual dream, we have something to share with the outside dream. When we unlearn the ways that we fight against ourselves and choose not to participate in that dream anymore, we will be completely different. This is why you can’t be a prophet in your own land—everyone there knows who you are, they know you cannot change, and they will throw your past at you. www.facethecurrent.com Photo Credit: Aaron Landman 33

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The medicine wheel is a beautiful ancient Native American tradition and when we enter that, we hold respect for that tradition and it also respects us because it knows that we’re trying with intent—we’re doing. The manifestation is not only for us, but it is for wherever we’re going as part of the tribe of service. We all work for the same boss!

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However, one day the alcoholic stops being an alcoholic, the drug addict stops being a drug addict, and the machismo stops being a machismo.

That day comes when they have an epiphany. They realize they love life and they know that they wasted it.

But people who they’ve hurt will say they can never change because they hold a grudge—there’s a wound. However, we don’t need the validation, acceptance, or forgiveness from the outside. The thing we have to do is forgive ourselves. I repeat that again because that’s the moment that we completely wake up and let that dream go. This is the beautiful thing about feeling our hearts: we heal our hearts with our own truth.

have done since the moment we begin to remember. I remember being cruel to a kid in school when I was eight or ten years old. So, I remember that, the teenager years, the adult years, the marriage years, and the relationships years. When I go into the medicine wheel, I see my own timeline and the things that I need to forgive—it’s all those pieces where I hurt Jose and I hurt others. I then make peace with everything. It’s like I went back in time to put everything into place.

SF: Speaking of these tools within your book, tell me about the ancient medicine wheel and how that acts as a tool that can facilitate healing.

When I get to the center of the medicine wheel, I come to the center of the heart; that is me. The way I see it, all humans are fallen angels. We fall and we believe in lies, but then we get our awareness back. When this happens, we get to purify our hearts, find the medicine, and see ourselves wherever we go; we give the medicine to each other.

dJR: The truth about the medicine wheel for me is that it is the wheel of time. When we think of it this way, we begin healing everything that we

The medicine wheel is a beautiful ancient Native American tradition and when we enter that, we hold respect for that tradition and it also

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respects us because it knows that we’re trying with intent—we’re doing.

The manifestation is not only for us, but it is for wherever we’re going as part of the tribe of service. We all work for the same boss!

SF: What are some of your favorite power objects or totems, and how do you recommend incorporating these objects into our lives? dJR: One of my favorites is the 108bead mala. I love it because you can say a word and repeat it many times, and when you repeat it, it creates an energy.

It’s also a song that you repeat. I really love it because, for instance, let’s say that I am heartbroken for something and I’m pitying myself. I put the beads to the rhythm of my prayer, and I say it in my own words. “I don’t have time to be suffering, I don’t have to be suffering.

I don’t have time to be a victim, I don’t have time to be a victim.” The power object is a reflection that I can use to give me consciousness to let that thing go so I can overpass the mind in that moment.

My grandma used to say to me, “Son, how is the weather?” When she asked this, I thought about the weather outside. She would say, “No, how are your emotions?” With power objects, I can control my emotions.

I cannot control the weather outside.

Many people think that ceremonies will control the weather outside, but that is the jungle; that is life’s job, not mine. The only job that I have is to control my inner weather. When I begin working on my weather, I use all the tools in my medicine bag; that could be my mala, my jade necklace, or my rings that I wear all the time.

Regardless, they all have something sacred that reflects something in my heart to me.

This is the honesty that gives me strength to go into this ceremony of

self-realization so I can self-transform.

When that happens, we find our own sacred pieces. Sometimes life might take away those pieces but that just means it’s time to let them go. The river takes it away because now it will bring us something new. That’s one thing to always see: we give power to the object, the object itself is not powerful.

All religions are based on the heart and the teachings of an open heart reflect that back to us. There are many gardens of love out there. My favorites are daisies, cacti, and roses.

Different kinds of flowers inspire different humans because we’re not going to get inspired by the same thing. That’s why the power object is very important. What inspires you?

What kind of music inspires you? What kind of words of wisdom inspire you?

You don’t have to put down other wisdom—all roads lead to the same venue.

SF: You also described labyrinths as ancient designs that are a type of power journey.

Labyrinths are documented in many cultures that aim to provide a walking meditation experience that intentionally confuses the thinking mind, silences the inner judge, and returns you to the present moment in your physical body.

Why do you think we’ve strayed from such simple, ancient tools and practices such as the labyrinth, instead choosing to embark on complex, expensive, and often unfruitful remedies?

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The whole point of labyrinths is to reflect to us that life is a labyrinth—you never know where it’s going to take you. You may think that you’re going to exit at a certain place, but you’re not; you’re just walking the labyrinth of life. There’s a beautiful thing about surrendering to a labyrinth; you don’t need to escape it, you just need to go through it, and sooner or later you’ll be able to get out of any situation. Don’t panic and don’t stress. You can feel the irritation when we think we’re lost in a labyrinth, but we’re supposed to be wherever it is that we are. When we find our peace, it really doesn’t matter where we’re going.

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dJR: The transformation is very simple, but we make it complicated so that we don’t have to actually change. It’s like the person who buys a book to help them change, but says, “Actually, I need ten more books.”

Well, with just one book you can transform if you give it your all.You can even transform with one page if you give it your all.

There are many different traditional labyrinths, but the whole point of labyrinths is to reflect to us that life is a labyrinth—you never know where it’s going to take you.You may think that you’re going to exit at a certain place, but you’re not; you’re just walking the labyrinth of life. There’s a beautiful thing about surrendering to a labyrinth; you don’t need to escape it, you just need to go through it, and sooner or later you’ll be able to get out of any situation.

Don’t panic and don’t stress.You

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can feel the irritation when we think we’re lost in a labyrinth, but we’re supposed to be wherever it is that we are. When we find our peace, it really doesn’t matter where we’re going.

How many times have we been in a beautiful conversation and lost track of time? How about talking with the passenger as we drive in the car, and missing our turn because we were in the moment? For me, that’s the beautiful thing about the labyrinth.

It’s not about finding myself a way out, it’s about finding myself when I’m inside there. It’s about enjoying life because life is the biggest labyrinth that you will ever walk.

SF: I love that—that was a wonderful analogy and metaphor.You spoke a bit about rhythm, music, drums, and dance. How are sounds, music, rhythm, and dance used in the

Toltec tradition? dJR: Very simply, it’s about letting loose and breaking free of the judgment. If you’re worried about others judging you when you dance, then you’re dancing for them.You need to learn how to dance for yourself. When you find the rhythm of the drum, you begin to move and dance. In the Toltec tradition, you dance for hours and you become one with the divine because you’re in action and your energy is moving.

When I went to India the first time, there was this beautiful man dancing so freely. Two people in front of me were watching this man dance and one turned to the other and said, “He’s crazy.” The other one said, “Yeah, he might be crazy, but he’s happily in love with life. Are you happily in love with life?” The other man said no. So, who’s crazy?

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One of my favorite acts of the wolf is the howling; it signifies that the body is in pain and you’re letting it grieve. The tormenting mind doesn’t punish the wolf 100 times for the same mistake or the same painful act. When that wolf goes out onto the cliff and howls at the moon, there’s a cleansing of all the pain that he feels. When the wolf stops grieving and returns to its path, it’s all healed—that’s what I mean about returning; it’s returning to a free life.

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Photo Credit: Aaron Landman

Can you imagine living freely without caring about judgment from the outside world? You don’t need validation, you’re just doing what you want to do. This is the whole point of dancing freely! It’s about living in authenticity, being the real you, and being the puppy that wiggles his tail no matter what.

SF:That sounds very elevated and uplifting, as opposed to just feeling constricted and not free to move. dJR: Yes, and the beautiful thing is that we don’t need drugs to do this.

Some kids today use drugs to dance and to feel free, but you don’t need that. When you dance for yourself, you find ecstasy and happiness, and you feel just like a seven-year-old kid just dancing. My little grandson pushed a musical button on one of his toys the other day and began to dance. This is natural!

I used to paralyze myself to public speak because I would get so nervous. Now, I break free from that because I speak a hundred miles per hour and I speak from the heart. The whole point of dancing free in life is to really enjoy what you’re doing without a care of being judged.You don’t judge yourself anymore! Your medicine bag is now open wherever you go, and that’s the gift of dancing free.

SF:You tell the story of the wolf in one part of your book, and then you mention later that it’s time for the wolf to return.

What does the wolf signify for you, and to what is the wolf returning? dJR: One of my favorite acts of the wolf is the howling; it signifies that the body is in pain and you’re letting it grieve. The tormenting mind doesn’t punish the wolf 100 times

for the same mistake or the same painful act. When that wolf goes out onto the cliff and howls at the moon, there’s a cleansing of all the pain that he feels. When the wolf stops grieving and returns to its path, it’s all healed—that’s what I mean about returning; it’s returning to a free life.

We go to a place to heal, we let the body just cry and release, and then we return back to our everyday life.

It is my responsibility to take care of the wolf inside of me because it will tell me when it wants to howl and when it wants to return home. I am there 100% for my inner wolf. The wolf is our greatest companion; it’s the one who guides us in life because it is so much like us.

ymore info: www.miguelruiz.com The Medicine Bag www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC culture

The Jungle Book of Tribal Life

Lessons from the Jungles of Brazil

By Kai Karrel Let me take you on a journey; a journey of wonder and adventure; a journey that even most Brazilians don’t often undertake. This is a journey into the heart of the Amazon and the land of the indigenous tribes. After lengthy flights and a dangerous nine-hour drive on a long and broken dirt road, we finally arrive to Tarauaca—the last small city before we hop on a tiny boat, venturing into the jungle to the mysterious land of the Huni Kuin, one of the indigenous tribes of the Amazon. Once we are seated in the boat, a magical journey unfolds. Distancing ourselves from civilization, we wade deeper into the enchanted and enveloping presence of the Amazon forest.

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Each day of travel increases the feeling of isolation as WIFI and modern-day comforts become mirage-like entities in the distance.

Our surroundings have now become a soothing vista of nothing but trees, wild animals, and tropical birds, peppered by new and interesting sounds. After five days of travel we arrive at a magical village and meet even more magical people—the Huni Kuin. Huni Kuin means “Real People” and when we meet them, we truly understand why this is a fitting name. This village of the Huni Kuin is called Novo Futuro, which means, “New Future”. For most of us, their way of living was challenging to become accustomed to because we were used to the amenities of our comfortable homes and cars, and the fast pace of our day-to-day lives, but once we settled in and got to know their rhythm, a deeper understanding

of nature emerged.

The Huni Kuin live in a natural surrender to life, to the forces of nature, and to the rhythm of Mother Earth. It was a stark comparison to evaluate the differences in our upbringings. I have witnessed western mothers running after their children exclaiming, “Don’t touch that; there might be a snake; don’t go alone!”

However, here in the jungle, the Huni Kuin teach their children a different lesson: Listen. Trust your senses.

Trust your intuition. If a child sees a snake on his path, he has no fear.

He hastily walks away, avoiding the snake, knowing his fear will only call it closer.

One of the most significant moments I witnessed on this journey occurred when a mother left her two-yearold daughter by herself while she

tended to other matters deeper in the jungle. I sat observing the scene from an adjacent hut. The child, left alone, was playing by herself with a small chick. She was singing, dancing, and completely unaware or unmoved by the fact that her mother just left.

After a few minutes of solitary play, she decided to leave the hut. A bit worried, I continued to monitor her.

The little girl climbed down a small ladder and walked barefoot toward a large bin filled with water. She struggled a bit but managed to climb in and bathe herself in the container, playing and singing out loud. Once she tired herself out, she finished bathing, climbed out unaided with a bit of a struggle, and stood naked on the earth for a few moments to dry in the sun. She then walked back, climbed the ladder to her hut, and played in her home until her mother’s return much later. www.facethecurrent.com

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When her mother came back, she fondly kissed her and began to prepare dinner, unaware, unaffected, and entirely not worried about her child. Having witnessed the intensity with which western parents protect their children, I was profoundly moved by the lessons of this parental interaction. In what stage and in what circumstances did we as humans lose the trust and faith in ourselves to understand that nature is an ally that exists to guide us, and is in fact not a frightening front in need of subduing or conquering?

The Huni Kuin are the happiest people I’ve ever encountered. Their days are filled with singing, dancing, hunting, gathering, and building, all with the spirit of “Só Alegria”— only joy! These people are spiritual giants and their inner strength comes from their connection to the earth, the rivers, and the animals. After witnessing their lifestyle, it seems that, with all of our technology and comfort, perhaps we have missed something quite profound that carries within it the powerful elixir of life itself.

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In the two and a half weeks that I spent in the presence of the Huni Kuin, something in their silent joy and happy innocence infected me with a profound sense of peace. It is indeed quite challenging to express in words how far I have come in terms of my resulting innate connection to nature and the ways in which this connection is critical to the health of my body, mind, and soul.

I had only begun to realize how deeply I’d fallen in love with the Huni Kuin on the last day as we boarded our tiny boats and began our return journey. The entire village came out to hug us and wave their final goodbyes. Witnessing them standing on the bank of the river with their faces painted, ancient traditions proudly on display with feathers, color, and sound, I realized that I would be leaving a piece of my heart in the heart of the Amazon.

In my experience, indigenous peoples find it challenging to understand our depression, addictions, anxiety, and ambitions. I have asked their medicine men and women why it is that we are so different from one another and what it is that we westerners are missing that is causing our spirits to be suppressed and frustrated. In all my years of traveling and meeting these magical beings, I almost always receive the same answer: “You don’t have your feet in the earth.”

Perhaps this message of nature calling us back and reminding us of our innate connection is an imperative one. Not only is this important to us as individuals, but perhaps it is even more vital as a global reminder. We are so collectively focused on taking from the earth that we forgot to walk with Her and heed Her call to come back home; back to our heart.

ymore info: www.KaiKarrel.com www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC music

Alex Serra: In the Real World Conscious Artist Feature By Chris Assaad In an age where many art forms have been compromised and watered down to fit the new norms of the exploding digital realm, it is an increasingly rare thing to find a true artist who is dedicated to their craft and willing to take the path less traveled in order to create something truly special and original. In our current climate of immediate gratification where fast often trumps slow-and-steady, where imitation often masquerades itself as invention, and where so many voices clamor for our attention, it is a precious thing when we come across an artist who can fully honour the sacredness of their own process and see it through before rushing to share its fruits with the world.

Introducing Alex Serra.

A mere glimpse or sonic taste of any creation blessed by Alex’s artistry is enough to reveal that he is one such precious and rare gem. A breath of fresh air and burst of intriguing eccentricity amidst the noise, Alex has skillfully managed to capture the hearts of his growing global audience by meaningfully inhabiting the digital world where so much of our human interaction is now taking place, while also inviting them into a kind of innovative connective experience in the real world for which so many are increasingly hungering.

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Photo Credit: Laura Divella @lauradivella

I think my life started again when I decided that I wanted to go traveling. And that was the seed for me to understand that I can decide what I want to do in my life, and to take the step to actually buy the ticket and go without knowing what was going to happen.

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Alex’s musical offerings to the world began with his widely viewed and vast array of unique covers on YouTube, spanning decades of classics from artists such as Otis Redding to Ray Charles to Lauryn Hill to Bon Iver, all beautifully captured in a range of stunning settings and diverse locations across the globe.

A true artist, through and through, Alex has taken his time cultivating his musical expression and honing his voice, carefully crafting his creations and sculpting his sound with patience and purpose, through exploration and experiment, and with a willingness to repeatedly leap into the unknown and open to whatever emerges. The fruits of this persistent courage and curiosity are undeniably evident on his debut release and first recorded collection of original songs, In The Real World, which showcases Alex’s silky smooth soulful voice, and his colorful and stylistically eclectic vocalizations of deeply heartfelt and empowering messages, all carefully nestled into well-crafted songs that bear the mark of many life miles traveled and adventures braved. Perfectly complemented by the organic dub soul soundscapes provided by Alex’s producer, collaborator and musical ally, Totidub, the album is a true masterpiece that lives in a genredefying space of its own.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Alex for a deep dive into his hero’s journey. He shared about

the beginnings of his musical soul adventure, his formative experiences traveling with little more than a guitar and camera, and the ways in which his path unfolded in the years leading up to his powerful and bold debut album. As he consistently does with his art, Alex kindly opened the doors to his heart and gave an unfiltered peek into the intimacy of his inner world, the real-life experiences and challenges that he encountered on the road to harvesting his own voice and blossoming creative genius. Last but not least, he shared his inspiring vision for a new way forward and a global community of artists shining their “lightblood” together in the name of love and liberation.

Chris Assaad: How long have you been playing music and how did your creative journey begin?

Alex Serra: I would say that I’ve always been a musician but it’s taken me years to have the courage to say “I am a musician”. Perhaps because of youth conditioning of what I should be in my life, the boxes that I felt that I should fit into. The story of the world, you know, what everybody has to go through.

I feel like I started coming out of these boxes when I started sharing covers of songs that I really loved on YouTube. I did it as an experiment, in 2008, when YouTube was starting. And then there was this platform online where you could share your videos and your

ideas and your things, and so I said, “Okay, I’m just going to record myself and put it there.”

I started getting feedback for the first time in my life, direct feedback from people that I didn’t know, saying that they really connected with what I was doing. And they really loved it. I thought it was fascinating to be able to share your intimacy, and to have people from different parts of the world connect with that intimacy and appreciate it. So it was like a superinteresting experiment, and it kept me wanting to keep sharing, and to keep exploring. I think it’s a very organic and slow process of, ”Wow, this is working, man! Just keep sharing your music and keep sharing these songs and these feelings.”

The thing is, I was using cover songs to express my own emotions. I was using other people’s music to release how I feel things and how I express.

So I was making those songs mine, in a way, and I was putting my voice to those songs. It became a process of liberating. Liberating all the tension, all the tension in my throat, all the tension in my head and my mind of what is possible, what is not possible, whatever.

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Photo Credit: Laura Divella @lauradivella

I feel that we are artists.

We’re all artists since we’re born. You know, you just have to look at a little kid. It’s a constant state of art. We at some point lose that, or believe that we shouldn’t act like that, or we should act this or that way. We believe it, and then we have to spend the whole life recovering this feeling and reconnecting. This is my mission, to reconnect more and more, and to open up more and more, and to help other people do the same. I feel that would be a beautiful world to live in.

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AS: I was studying computer science because I thought it would help. I envisioned that in the future I would be some kind of artist related to electronics and to technology. So I studied that, and it was a big failure because I didn’t pass the first year of university and I repeated three times. So I felt like a failure, going to university every day knowing that I didn’t like what I was doing, but that I had to study something.

After three years of that, I realized, “Wow man, this is not what you want to do. Come on, just be honest and say what you want to do. Dream for once in your life!” So, I had the courage to dream, and I dreamt that I could be a sound engineer. I went and looked for a private school called SAE, which is the School for Audio Engineers. They have different schools all over the world. I went to this school in Barcelona, and I studied audio engineering for a year. I really liked it. I really liked the feeling of being in a studio and finding ways to

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capture sound in creative ways The second year I went to London to study the second course, and in London something started to change in me, because for the first time I left my home. I was completely dependent on my own resources. I had to look for a job, I had to look for my own apartment, and I started seeing that this feels good. This independence and freedom to go and explore the world on your own.

I was working at a studio in Soho, in London, and they were doing the music for adverts and for movie trailers. The place was amazing. They have incredible studios and I was the runner there. I would do packaging, bring people coffee, take them to places and guide them through the studios. The vision there was that one day, perhaps, I could be an engineer in this place. The promise was that people started as runners, then went into this other section where you

take care of the audios from clients, and then you went into the studios.

So it was like a ladder that you needed to climb.

For some time, I dreamt that I could really climb up this ladder. But the vibe there was horrible, man. It was so superficial, and everything so plastic. So “put on your nice face and go to work” that I only lasted for a year. After a year, something happened and somebody told me, “You need to watch this movie.” It was called Into The Wild. And this movie changed my life, man.

It was like the character was speaking to my soul, really. He was telling me all the feelings that I went through throughout my whole life, about society and how things work. He was telling me that he was going to experiment to leave all that behind and to go find a new kind of life, a new style. Just seeing that movie and seeing all the adventures that

this character went through, and the growth that he needed to face moved me. And in the end, it’s very tragic what he has to go through, but his message was super-powerful.

You know, his life’s message. And the message in the end of the movie is that happiness is only real when shared.

After all his process of being alone and being trapped in nature because he couldn’t find his way out, he realizes in all his hatred for society, towards his parents, towards friends, what good is it to be happy on your own? What’s the point of enjoying everything for yourself and not being able to share that?

Something clicked in me after seeing that movie, and I thought, “Man, you need to live your life, you know? You need to go do your thing, explore, have fun. What is your message?

What do you want to share with the world?” So at that time, I decided to go back home to Barcelona, and I

Photo Credit: Gaby Francisco @gabyfranciscoo

decided to save some money and to go on a round-the-world adventure.

Just travel the world, go with the flow, see what happens.

CA: What happened next? How did your travel experiences shape you and the music?

AS: I decided to go with a little travel guitar, with a camera, and with a computer, so I could still record my adventures and share them. I started a project called the Backpack Sessions, which was like a travel blog.

My idea was to connect with the community of people that I’d been engaging on YouTube over those four or five years where I had been posting videos. I decided to speak to these people that were supporting and I said, “Guys, I’m going to go and explore the world, and I would love to connect with you and create art with you, get to know you, get to know your culture and explore life with you.”

That was the intent of my travels, and that’s exactly what happened. In a very unexpected way, but in essence that is what happened. I started meeting beautiful people, incredible open-minded people that had a vision of life that I was dreaming that was possible in my intimacy, but I never shared with anyone else, you know?

For the first time I was speaking with people about freedom, about how to live a life that you are passionate about and dream about and share with people all around the world, how to connect through art, through music, through art in general.

It’s been a life-changing journey for me, this travel around the world. It lasted four years. I still feed from everything that I learned in those four years. For me, those four years have been like like a seed, like an embryo. I think my life started again when I decided that I wanted to go traveling. And that was the seed for me to understand that I can decide

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took us four months to actually get to know each other. We were part of a group of friends, and then one day we decided to go and do a video clip together, because she knew that I was doing musical clips and this and that. She told me, “Let’s go do a music video” and she invited me to her place. She had a rooftop that overlooked Buenos Aires, the whole city. We got there in the afternoon, and we had the sunset come down.

We sang a cover song of Amy Winehouse, “Valerie”.

Photo Credit: Anahi Monsalvo @anahi_monsalvo)

what I want to do in my life, and to take the step to actually buy the ticket and go without knowing what was going to happen. I could have gotten killed. There were all these fears of what would be possible when you leave your comfort zone. But to make the step for me was like, “Okay, the universe is seeing that I am brave.

Everything that is going to happen from now on will come from this braveness.”

CA: One of your Youtube videos that I really love is your rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie”.There was something special about it that kept me coming back to it. Can you share the story behind that clip?

AS: Yeah, man. In this period of time on my travels, I got to Buenos Aires and I met my wife Anita. She was

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like a reflection of me in feminine, in a way. She was like reflecting how beautiful the human being is, you know? From knowing my masculinity and from having this femininity in front of me. And being able to look this femininity in the eyes, and having this infinite loop happen between us. I never had that before in my life. So I understood that this is possible, this mutual infinite respect, and I understood that this woman is amazing for me. She helps me bring this beauty out of myself, and apparently I help her too. It was like a beautiful relationship. But it only lasted two months, because I was in Buenos Aires and I had a plane ticket to South Africa.

When we started dating, it was funny because we met each other on the first day that I got to Buenos Aires.

I was there for six months, but it

It was a beautiful, beautiful evening.

We had that whole evening making that video, and then after that we just sat down and we had some mate. She started speaking about how she sees the world, and how she wants to live her life. I was blown away, and I also shared. It was just beautiful, man. And then it went dark, and we just laid down and watched the stars. There was this shooting star that came by, and I think we both asked for the same wish. I guess to be together or something, because it’s been since then that we are together. In spirit.

We were separate for a long time, but in spirit we were together since then.

That was the day that we fell in love.

CA: Before embarking on your solo project, you were involved with a group from South Africa called Native Young. How did that come about it? I remember reading somewhere that you had to part ways because you got banned from South Africa. Is that a true story?

AS: After Buenos Aires, I went to South Africa. And then South Africa changed my life again, because it was totally unexpected. My plan was to travel a little bit in South Africa, and then travel north to Tanzania, go up, and then maybe go to Asia. But I got to South Africa, to Cape Town, and the first week I met this guy called Yannick Meyer.Yannick was a young musician that was starting to create

his own music in his bedroom, and he invited me to go stay with him as a couchsurfer, in his place. He had a beautiful house outside Cape Town, in this beach town called Noordhoek.

And so I said, “Yeah, man, let’s go and have some fun for a few days.” I went there, and he showed me his music.

I was blown away by what he was sharing, because when I heard him sing, I didn’t understand how he could sing that way. He had this voice that was like a woman’s voice, but then sometimes it was like an old man’s voice, and then it was like a little kid.

He played with his voice in a way that I’ve never seen before. And I was like, “Man, but is this you?” He was like, “Yeah, it’s me.” And I thought, “Wow, this is incredible.”

He made me understand that you can play with your voice when you sing.You can channel voices, you can channel people, you can channel characters, and you can be playful. I decided to stay there for a while and record his evolution, because he was just releasing this first demo that he recorded in his bedroom, and he was looking for people to create a

band to play it live. He met a group of musicians from the townships in Cape Town, which is surrounded by townships where the black community lives. There’s a big tension there, in terms of racial tension.

Apartheid is still very recent.You can still feel the vibe, and you can still clearly see the difference between black communities and where the white people, the rich people, live.

went to rehearse with them, and the first day, the first rehearsal we had was mind-blowing. It was like part of a movie scene. This marimba-maker had a garage and it was right on the streets in the township. The door opened and they had their rehearsal there. So open to everyone and all the people in the street would gather around to see these guys play and make music.

It’s very obvious, and you can feel it.

For me, it was this super-interesting exploration to go into the townships and to meet up with these black people from the Xhosa community, and to make music with them.

And to see them make music with Yannick, mostly, because I was like an objective viewer.Yannick is this surfer, blonde, beautiful white kid, going into the townships with this black people community. The contrast was incredible, you know? It was like, “Wow, this is super-interesting.”

A lot of kids came around, and just started looking like, “What are these guys doing?” And for the first part of the rehearsal, they were kind of figuring out how they could play marimbas in the same tone as Yannick was playing his guitar. There was this kind of not understanding the musical theory because they’re different tones. Guitar is in one tone, and the marimbas are on a specific tone, so they had to transpose the songs and make them fit. And they don’t know music theory, man, they just play music. They just go with the flow and rhythm and all. I was the only one able to say, “Guys, what if you put your capo here on the guitar? It will fit into this.” And finally, it blended.

They were both very inspired by each other. This marimba band really liked what Yannick was suggesting with his music, and Yannick really wanted to have this vibe as part of the band. We

Photo Credit: Adam Kent Weist @wantedmistake)

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And it was an explosion, man! They were all super-happy, and making these songs, and everybody was smiling. It was electric! So I decided to stay in Cape Town and to explore this evolution. I said, “Yannick, I need to stay here. This is amazing.” And he said, “Yeah, for sure, man. Come stay with us.” So I went to live with Yannick and this thing kept going and kept going and kept going. We went to rehearsals and one day, I pick up a guitar and I start playing with them.

And boom! It was epic. It was ecstasy.

Next-level. We were all in ecstasy, and Yannick said, “Man, you need to join the band.” And I said, “For sure I need to join the band.”

I decided to stay in Cape Town indefinitely, and to give my whole life into this project.

And it kept evolving. We started doing shows. We started playing in the streets, because the guys are very used to playing in the streets with the marimbas. We joined them, and we created this vibe, this nomad band that goes here and there, and plays in the streets, and plays in bars. And then, this studio finds us. A friend of ours’ dad, Jonny Blundell, has a studio called Rootspring in Muizenberg, and we go and we share the music with him. And he said, “Guys, we need to

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make an album.”

We started creating an album and after two years of recording and doing shows, we have this album. It is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard in my life. It’s called Kings

by Native Young. And man, this thing keeps going. They’re still going in Cape Town. I had to leave, but they’re still going. In 2016, we got booked for festivals in Europe and we came with the whole band to Europe. Because I’d been illegal in South Africa for two years, I got banned from the country for five years.

I had to make a decision. And I decided, “Okay, it’s time for me to focus on myself, focus on my music, gather all the info, all the feelings, all the emotion that I learned in this journey and see what comes up.”

CA: What was that experience like of finally giving space to your own creations to come through? Can you share a bit of your process?

AS: It was three years ago. By that time, Anna was with me. She came from Argentina and we met in South Africa in 2014, and we were together in South Africa for a couple years.

She also got banned when we left the country. We got home to Barcelona and we had nothing. We spent all our savings, everything, we just came to

zero. Luckily, we had our parents here in Barcelona, and they embraced us.

We started from scratch. It was very challenging, because we had to make money as well.

We were finding our ways to get by.

And in the meantime, I was starting to vomit everything that was in me.

Just like grabbing guitar, going into trance, recording these ideas, slowly building them, putting them together.

It took me two years to record these demos of songs. I thought they were beautiful, and I thought they needed an extra touch. I felt they were on their way, but they needed someone with more expertise than me to “boom”. I put it out there into the universe: I need someone that I could connect with, and that he can or she can understand what I want to express, and have fun with this. Just have fun.

Very shortly after that, a friend of mine says, “You need to show these songs to Toti, who is a friend of mine. He’s a producer and he makes beautiful beats.” I showed him the songs, and he fell in love with the project. So we started this symbiosis of my touch with his touch. My songs were very sensitive, soft and tender, beautiful. And then he came in with all the sub world. The bass, the textures, the roar, all the organic stuff below it, under that.

Photo Credit: Claudia Herrán @_claudiaherran

It became this beautiful blend of soul and organic dub, and then after a year of experimenting with all these demos that I had and putting them together with Toti, we released this album, which is called In the Real World, and which is inspired by all this travel, all this journey that I was explaining.

CA: How has it been for you sharing this new original music for the first time?

AS: Now it’s like a new phase in my life, where I’m starting to share this with the world. I’m super fortunate to be collaborating with an amazing team of artists from my hometown in Barcelona, that I met since I arrived in 2016. Aina Oset (Na Lua) is a mind-blowing visual artist who does the visuals in our shows. She has the ability to transport people into alternate dimensions. I also collab with dancers Pau Arnal, Kenya Sauer, Aina Lanas, and the whole crew at Kampai Dance Co.You see these people dance and your head explodes. Go watch our latest video together ‘Human’. They have changed my perspective of music, now I can’t conceive of music without dance. We presented the project in Barcelona, which was beautiful because people from my whole life, from childhood to people that I used to work with, from family, everyone came. It was like giving birth to my universe, you know? In front of everyone. It was a beautiful transformation.

And then recently, we did the same

in Madrid, and it was ... Even more.

Because I feel like every time I do it, I’m more confident and I’m more open. This is where I’m at right now, man. I’m at the point where I really want to share my soul with the world, you know? I’m much more courageous than when I started sharing my songs in my little bedroom. Now, I just feel that this is my mission in life, to express myself and hopefully touch people to do the same. I feel that we are artists.

We’re all artists since we’re born.You know, you just have to look at a little kid. It’s a constant state of art. We at some point lose that, or believe that we shouldn’t act like that, or we should act this or that way. We believe it, and then we have to spend the whole life recovering this feeling and reconnecting. This is my mission, to reconnect more and more, and to open up more and more, and to help other people do the same. I feel that would be a beautiful world to live in.

CA: What is your ultimate vision for what you are creating with this music and these unique live experiences you are creating?

AS: I want to create a community of artists around the world that resonate similarly. And then we can just play and have fun together. And create art that is inspiring and that addresses the beliefs that we want to transcend. By experimenting.

Going through these things. I feel like a way to transform yourself is to experimentally put yourself in the

situations that you want to overcome.

Say I have this fear. Okay. So I want to create a piece of art in which I have to go through this fear, and this is the piece of art. This is what I want to do constantly, and I want to find people that resonate with this kind of feeling.

I just want to get into a state of flow that is never-ending, like a spiral. And I don’t have to worry about money, or how I can make it. It just happens, because the right people are there and you don’t have to take over all the aspects of the art.You just have to focus on what you know and do your best. And everybody else is doing that, and together it’s like, “boom!”

I call it light blood. There’s a song in the album called “Light Blood”, and it expresses this. Actually, it was inspired by my relationship with Yannick and Native Young. It’s the idea that we have light in our blood.

It’s shadowed by our fears, but when you overcome them, it shines. And it shines, and it comes out of your pores, and you shine. Literally, you shine, and people see it. I want to create a community of artists with these kinds of people. People that have shining blood in their veins.You can see them shine, and it inspires you, to see them shine. And the other way around.

ymore info: www.alexserramusic.com www.instagram.com/alexserramusic www.facethecurrent.com

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Aligning Our Energies for Harmonious Living

By Erin Kann In the Larousse French dictionary, harmony is defined as the “happy relationship between parts of a whole.” Bulgarian philosopher and spiritual master Omraam Mikhaeel Aivanhov believed that, from the infinitely small to the infinitely large, harmony is nothing but “the consent of all particles and all cells to vibrate together.” Likewise, each human being is a complete world; a whole made of multiple parts ranging from intracellular life, to the complex biological systems of the physical body, to

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emotions, memories, and beliefs, all of which affect our inner harmony. At this level, harmony implies that every component is tuned and vibrates in concert with each other. The result of this is a high vibratory state and an elevated level of vital energy. This not only promotes our evolution of consciousness and amplifies the full expression of who we are, but it also gives us access to a creative, abundant, and vibrant life. Because we are vibratory beings before we are physical bodies, the higher

we vibrate the more our higher selves can be expressed through energy harmonization. This is beneficial in assisting us to live a life of abundance—a component of the fundamental nature of the higher self.

Our basic Essence—or fundamental Essence—is what we really are beyond our bodies, histories, personalities, relationships, time, and space. Our fundamental Essence is, has been, and will be for all eternity.

There are tools capable of effectively resolving disharmony and restoring harmony such as the therapeutic use of sound frequencies. These speak to our fundamental vibratory nature and include gong baths, therapeutic tuning forks, Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, shamanic drums, and the human voice. Based on vocal vibration and breath work, Sound Balms® are an example of this and can be harnessed in a four-week program designed to significantly raise your vibratory potential. The four key components of Sound Balms® are: anchor, cleanse, open, and connect.

Whatever your current physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states, this program is intended to purge

your subtle bodies (the interlinked seven “bodies” that constitute our entire energy being and vibrate at their own frequencies).

It’s critical to remember that the quality of your human experience depends on the way in which you vibrate. In other words, it’s directly correlated to the way in which you play your musical score of life in accordance with your fundamental Essence—what you are in essence.

In this way of thinking, harmonious living is the most powerful and useful energy signature to support your dreams and goals the whole year through.

“Harmony is the key. It is the biggest secret.”

Like other wisdom keepers, Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov knew this to be true. Creating a “happy relationship between the parts of the whole” that we are, both individually and collectively, is certainly the first step to peace. Make it your mission this year to take the first step, seize the key, and open the door toward an energetically harmonious life. After all, harmony is the most beautiful rising sun that we can see on the horizon of this world, and it does so for us, in us, and all around us.

ymore info: www.tnso.me/en www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC music

Intuitive Music and Living Through Love The New and the Now of CVBZ

by Santina Murin CVBZ—pronounced “cubs”—is the play-on-words stage name of producer and singer, Sean Jacobs. After enjoying success with his 2017 breakout hit, “Be Somebody”, CVBZ also contributed to the vocals on “Feels Great” by Cheat Codes featuring Fetty Wap; a song that exploded on the scene later the same year. CVBZ released his debut EP entitled River in 2018 and followed that up with “Louder”, an energizing single in 2019. He is now back and better than ever with his brand new single, “Feel Like You’re Mine.”

On a continuous journey of spirituality, CVBZ has not only been expanding himself through personal vibrational frequencies, but he’s elevated his music with the intention of creating projects that are in-tune with his current vibe and most authentic self.

Face the Current flowed into an easy and enlightening conversation with CVBZ about the waves of life, the ways in which he deals with the constant ups and downs, his inspirations, and the new direction his music is taking.

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Photo Credit: Steve Martinez

Santina Murin: Congratulations on the new single, “Feel Like You’re Mine”! You said it’s a song about acceptance and that just when you think you’re fine, the universe will test your will and shake its foundation. How have you felt tested lately, and when your will is tested, how do you stay strong and keep moving forward?

CVBZ: I’ve felt tested in many, many ways, but in the context of this song, I’d have to say that I’ve mainly felt tested by the tides of grief. It’s easy to think you’re out of the woods when one day you wake up and feel like you’ve moved on. However, all it takes is something like a friend telling you about a salacious Instagram post and then you feel like the world’s moving on without you, and the waves comes crashing down again. I guess the point of healing is to face the waves and hope that each one gets smaller and smaller—that’s the hope (fingers crossed).

SM:There’s no question this new single is a different vibe and different CVBZ sound than what you’ve put out in the past.

I feel like your whole essence as a man and a human has evolved as well. How has your path on spirituality and enlightenment impacted your musical artistry?

CVBZ: My spirituality has been a six-year process, beginning with basic meditation and vibrational attraction, but plant medicines were the entry way to the true higher path. It certainly opened my eyes to what I was missing and one of those things was the music that came from my soul.

I remember my ex used to say, “Why don’t you put out the music you actually make at home?” When someone that close to you asks such a remedial, yet profound question, you have no choice but to open your eyes. Don’t get the wrong idea—I

Photo Credit: Daniel Jeremiah

am in love with my past records, but these new ones are going to be just a bit more aligned with my vibe.

SM: Because you’re on such a meaningful and purposeful journey of self-acceptance and self-love, who are a few people currently inspiring you in your personal and professional life that perhaps a younger version of yourself wouldn’t have been ready to understand?

CVBZ: I am super inspired by Matty Healy’s vulnerability in excising his

demons through music. I am also truly inspired by my close group of friends, particularly my bandmate Justin Kroger. He is the kind of guy everyone wants to be around because he sees everyone’s value and has the ability to accentuate their strengths while having the patience and the grace to keep the peace when things aren’t harmonious. I get really impatient and impractical, so it’s soothing to have someone like that around to be a grounding presence when needed. www.facethecurrent.com

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SM: Besides your most recent single, which of your songs is your favorite and the most intune with your perspective on life at this given point in time?

CVBZ: It’s a song you haven’t heard of yet called “Next Life”. It’s about my views on love throughout this life and the way in which it weaves through our past lives and future incarnations.

It’s by no means a “bop” track, but it means a lot to me. My favorite line is: “I wish you peace, I wish you hell, I wish you well.”

SM: All we have is the current moment we’re in, but do you have any specific goals for the near or far future that might include a full-length album, tour, or perhaps more festival performances?

“

CVBZ: Yes, I want to release my next project entitled, “I wrote this before I knew it was too late”. It’s a series of songs that I intuitively wrote. It’s really strange, but right before my life completely changed, I started writing tons of songs about the stuff that was about to happen to me. I had no idea of what was coming but my higher-self seemed to know. That’s where the songs come from—the ether; that place beyond places that only resides in the world between worlds. That’s where our intuition comes from.

elevation. Do you feel this year will be impactful and set the tone for what’s to come both musically and in life in general?

SM: Overall, the year 2020 is a shift of consciousness; a beautiful

CVBZ: I remember stepping off stage right around midnight on 2020 and I felt something in the air. I took a deep breath and thought, “Wow, all of this pain is about to pay off in a huge way.” I know everyone says, “This is going to be my year,” every January first at midnight, but this time there was something different. This shift is powerful and those who are aware and accepting of it will reap what they sow.

SM: Do you have any true regrets, or do you just see them as opportunities for growth?

How have you learned to move beyond them and forgive yourself if necessary?

We’re faced with thousands of choices on a weekly basis and it’d be unreasonable to expect to do the right thing for your highest good every time. Moving on is easy when your life is going well, but when the odds are stacked up against you it’s easy to want to stop time and drag everything down with you. The only way to get over something is to dive deep into and go through it.

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Photo Credit: Ryan Forsythe

Photo Credit: Justin Kroger

CVBZ: Of course I do; I think everyone does. We’re faced with thousands of choices on a weekly basis and it’d be unreasonable to expect to do the right thing for your highest good every time. Moving on is easy when your life is going well, but when the odds are stacked up against you it’s easy to want to stop time and drag everything down with you. I spent the fall relapsing into grief while convincing myself anger was more empowering than tender surrender into sadness. Because of this, I stuffed a lot of ugly feelings inside. The only way to get over something is to dive deep into and go through it. I would certainly not suggest “moving on” in terms of a relationship by finding a new significant other before you’ve spent A LONG TIME alone, because you’re just going to repeat karmic patterns and end up hurting someone else or yourself.You’re not strong

until you can stand on your own, so don’t go messing around with someone’s energy until you’ve got a handle on your own.

SM: What makes you feel like your most authentic self?

CVBZ: Aligning with source is the only real way to bloom within your own self, and there are many ways to do that. For me it’s about getting into what I call “the field”. I spend a lot of time trying to attune my vibration to self-love and acceptance, and when I do so, my body begins to uncontrollably tingle and then elation sets in. I achieve this by listening to guided meditations and I follow that up with full-body energetic scans. I then take it into the real world by listening to super uplifting music and walking outside. If it doesn’t happen at that point, I just accept the fact that I’m going to have a lousy day.

SM:To anyone just now discovering CVBZ, what is the primary message you want them to take away from you as an artist and person?

CVBZ: You create your outer circumstances with your inner frequency. If you’ve been following me, you’ve seen me rise to a place of success one year and then go into the shadows the next year. This happens because of the momentum of my own thoughts and the ways in which they manifest in the physical dimension. The biggest lesson I can provide is that your only job in life is to feel good, be good, and call the good into your own existence.

ymore info: www.instagram.cvbzmvsic Spotify www.facethecurrent.com

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Awakening to the Humbling Rewards of

Infinite Yogic Studentship with Janet Stone

By Sasha Frate Janet Stone is simultaneously a perpetual student and a teacher of yoga.

Her youth was spent on a farm in Northern California where she rescued animals, ate from nature, enjoyed the bounties of the earth, and established her natural connection to the planet. Her yoga studentship began at seventeen under the meditation teachings of Prem Rawat. Coupled with the lessons from her upbringing, his reverence for simplicity and joy shaped the yoga practice she upholds today.

In 1996, after twelve years in the film and television production industry, Janet decided that her life needed a change and a temporary relocation.

She journeyed to India—the birthplace of her grandfather—and solidified her yogic life path. After a year and a half on a life-changing solo journey around the world, including stops in New Zealand and Egypt, Janet felt a deeply personal transformation had transpired.

After some time—and perhaps the guiding hands of fate—Janet found herself back in Northern California where she put down roots to raise her daughters. Currently based in Bali and San Francisco, Janet now leads immersions, retreats, and workshops.

FtC was thrilled and privileged to discuss a wide range of topics with Janet including the upside of mainstream yogic movement, her preferred styles, the importance of setting an intention, and the ways in which we can all use yoga as a compass in our lives.

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Photo Credit: Sanjin Kastelan

Photo Credit: Wari Om

Sasha Frate:You made a major life/career change upon leaving Hollywood film production after twelve years and embarking on a whole new path with yoga.

In hindsight, what was the most difficult thing about this transition for you and what was the most rewarding?

response before I could fully embrace what I was actually up to and begin to own that my life was pulling me deeper into the path of yoga. But the real reward came after the process (the push-and-pull, the mental prosand-cons list) of letting go of the old and opening my arms to this path. It’s been a profound journey.

Janet Stone: Leaving something you’ve poured twelve years of your life into for the great unknown can create a lot of uncertainty, but transitions are the name of this life-game we get to play. Strangely enough, the transition from the film industry to yoga felt so right—it was as if I was being ushered along without effort or resistance. That’s not to say I didn’t walk around for several years saying, “I’m in the film industry and I offer some yoga on the side.” That was my knee-jerk

SF:You have a beautiful way of keeping the art and science of yoga in the practice, teachings, and through the journey you share, when much of the roots have been lost since yoga’s arrival to the west.This has shifted the primary focus onto the postural practices that you’ve noted as only being approximately “four percent of the expressed journey of yoga.”

Ninety-six percent is a lot to lose! Do you see any of these

roots coming back into the yoga journey in the west? What aspects do you feel are most important to revive back into the “journey”?

JS: Modern postural yoga can be so beneficial and can certainly awaken something dormant within us. And yet, if we get stuck there—unable to begin the humbling process of dismantling our limited belief structures—our behavior loops (samskaras) and our divisive/ comparative experiencing cause us to miss “the yoga”.

We all have to begin somewhere, and since we experience the world around us through our bodies, it’s only natural that this is so often our starting point. The longer one sticks around, the more possible it is to dive below the surface of www.facethecurrent.com

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Photo Credit: Wari Om

what is ultimately a very thin layer (the “mat practice”), into the rich practices of yoga and their incredible transformative powers.

the dial on commodification. There’s so much depth in the practice that allows us to become more whole, still, grounded, and awakened.

If we look at what the west has done to yoga, it’s as though it’s taken the surface layer—the very tip of the iceberg—and turned it into the competitive, performative, external expression of body/ego that we all know so well. It’s diluted the raw and terrifying power of becoming still and becoming witness to the inner workings of the mind and its puppeteering of our every thought, choice, and action.Yoga—and I mean the fullest sense of the word here—is in the diligent surrender of “self” into the whole, where our likes and dislikes become indistinguishable in the great flow of each breath.

SF: While much of the roots may have been lost as yoga went mainstream in the west, what most excites you about the upside of the mainstream movement?

So, I hope for modern yoga to stick around long enough to expose the rest of the iceberg and to turn down

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JS: What a joy to answer this after the weight of the last question! Yes, when we open up anything to a larger body of practitioners that was once contained or reserved for a “special” group of brahmins, it has a profound ripple-effect. It is nothing short of a miracle that so many people now have access to life-changing breath practices, meditations, mantras, asanas, and powerful principles such as the Eight-Limbed path from Pathanjali. These were once reserved for the chosen few and now they’re

“Google-able”.

What this means is that people from all walks of life—including those with physical, mental, and emotional limitations and disabilities—now have access to the healing benefits of yoga. It means we have Prison Yoga Projects that offer alternative routes for those who’ve been imprisoned by their own minds, bodies, and circumstances. It means we get to offer yoga to those laboring in notfor-profit organizations on the front lines of the climate crisis. It means our politicians have access to it (and goodness knows, they need it).

There’s no one who doesn’t have access to the sacred teachings. So, yes, I’m all for that.

SF:Today, many styles of yoga exist. What are your preferred styles to practice and teach, and why?

“

When we open up anything to a larger body of practitioners that was once contained or reserved for a “special” group of brahmins, it has a profound ripple-effect.

It is nothing short of a miracle that so many people now have access to life-changing breath practices, meditations, mantras, asanas, and powerful principles such as the Eight-Limbed path from Pathanjali. These were once reserved for the chosen few and now they’re “Google-able”.

What this means is that people from all walks of life—including those with physical, mental, and emotional limitations and disabilities—now have access to the healing benefits of yoga.

“

Photo Credit: Wari Om

www.facethecurrent.com

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JS: While I know I exist in a world of branding and trademarking, it’s still so strange to me to see so many folks attempting to “own” the vast art and science of this ancient practice. So, to answer this, I might simply say The Yoga (not registered or trademarked).

If I were to answer from the lens of a student who practices with me, I might say that what I practice and teach is called hatha-bhakti-vinyasashivanand-shadow-eightlimbed-tantric shaivism.

SF: How do you advise people to go beyond the asana to strengthen foundation and embody the soul of yoga in their practice and teaching?

JS: I suppose that, like a parent, I choose to model the practice in my everyday being. I choose to be

“

an expression of The Yoga to the best of my human ability living in modern times. In my offerings, I focus on sadhana (the ritual of showing up again and again to clear out misperceptions), avidya (in order to heal habitual destructive behaviors), and svadhyaya (to fully begin the brave process of knowing oneself).

If all of this is too lofty and sounds too “yoga’y” then I simply say: practice kindness both inward and outward. Be kind to yourself when you stumble and fail to be kind, and then begin again with your best efforts. Breathe deeply and take notice of the sensations of being alive in each breath. These are pretty good starting points.

SF: I love the way you’ve described “intention” in the

following: “Intention, simply, is a gathering of energy and turning of attention. It’s based in the present moment, but it has one eye gazing toward the future. Intentions hold dreams, hopes, and in many cases, the expectations we hold of ourselves and of this life that is unfolding through us. When used wisely, intentions are the engine behind daily choices and the compass we can use to orient ourselves.They can help dissolve the puppet strings that might have us acting out a life that’s discordant with what we truly long to get up to.” How do you see yoga as providing the space, time, and energy for us to create and turn attention to our intentions?

Yoga truly begins when we’re able to “sit” in the discomfort of being neither here nor there. It’s the open field of endings-beforebeginnings.

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Photo Credit: Wari Om

“

If we could commit to witnessing our mind for even just an hour a day, we’d see the mind flitting in all directions with no one at the helm. Taking that moment before practice— and then the practice itself— clarifies our sankalpa, our deep heart longing, so we can organize our life force to move it in that direction.

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Photo Credit: Wari Om

JS: From a fifteen-minute home practice, to a ninety-minute public class, to a sixty-minute gym class, to a chair yoga/stretch session, one thing remains true: we should always make the time to set an intention.

For me, this means gathering up the clutter of my thoughts and becoming clear about where I want to focus my life force. I do this both for that fifteen-minute practice and for how I will arrive “back into the world” the moment I step off of my mat.

If we could commit to witnessing our mind for even just an hour a day, we’d see the mind flitting in all directions with no one at the helm. Taking that moment before practice—and then the practice itself—clarifies our sankalpa, our deep heart longing, so we can organize our life force to

move it in that direction.

SF: How can yoga help transition from endings to new beginnings (a change often feared and resisted)?

JS: This is the grace and power of yoga: at its core, it asks us to pay attention to the great impermanence.

Its most popular divine expression is Shiva who dances on the “graves” of dead bodies in celebration of the life cycle, the coming-and-going in equal measure. But let’s just begin at the power of honoring transitions.

To honor a transition—whether relationship, work, health, geography, and so on—one must set aside time.

It doesn’t have to be a ton of time, but it needs to be enough so you can fully feel the fact that something is finishing; it’s the free-fall of the

in-between.Yoga truly begins when we’re able to “sit” in the discomfort of being neither here nor there. It’s the open field of endings-beforebeginnings.

SF: How does yoga practice evoke a sense of freedom? How do you envision this freedom as enhancing our ability to break free from “inner shackles”, mental blocks, fear of change, etc.?

JS: Along the journey we are cultivating the capacity to locate an internal ground or still point. It’s a place where we’re not continuously pulled by our raga/dvesha (likes/ dislikes). In this place we are free.

Such freedom allows us to face life as life is—with all its ups and down, and all its endless changes. www.facethecurrent.com

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Photo Credit: Wari Om

SF:You’ve described yoga and breath as part of a practice that helps us stay “woke”. Do you believe a regular practice has the ability to bring us into a more constant awakened state of living/being?

JS: The power of pranayama—of attention to the breath—is truly the power of presence. It’s happening through every moment of our lives— waking or sleeping—and to give it attention can drown out the near incessant chatter of the mind. To me, “wokeness” is the power of attention to the moment, the breath, the life unfolding here and now, and not the one upon which we overlay our mental constructs and judgments.

SF: How can yoga act like a

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compass?

JS: We wander through the megamall of life with endless choices, often following pre-carved paths structured by religion, capitalism, socio-cultural norms, etc. So often we fail to stop and ask: Why? To me, the pillars of Pathanjali’s eight limbs are the most powerful compass for living in alignment with my deepest intentions.

They remind me of the paths that haven’t been taken because they’re only there for me to take. For me, this is such a liberating thought.

SF: What has been the greatest motivating factor in your life that helped you stay committed to yoga (maybe as a student and also as a teacher)?

JS: Once you taste being awake, you don’t want to go back to sleeping, to being anesthetized, to placing the bag back over your head. Instead, you long to go through it all, to feel it all, to look at all of it. Of course, it would be so much easier in many ways to go back to sleep. It’s not exactly for the faint of heart to keep peeling back the layers of delusion. It’s a vulnerable place to be; but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’d say my children are my biggest motivating factor. I want to be the best me I can be for them, and I’ve found that my practice gets me closer to that version of me.

SF: “Trust in the deep wisdom that is always available when we simply slow down and listen.”

“

We wander through the mega-mall of life with endless choices, often following pre-carved paths structured by religion, capitalism, socio-cultural norms, etc. So often we fail to stop and ask: Why? To me, the pillars of Pathanjali’s eight limbs are the most powerful compass for living in alignment with my deepest intentions.

They remind me of the paths that haven’t been taken because they’re only there for me to take. For me, this is such a liberating thought.

“

www.facethecurrent.com

Photo Credit: Nina Konjini

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Photo Credit: Wari Om

How can slowing down through a yoga practice offer a profound kind of clarity?

greatest gift you have been able to give to your students through yoga?

JS: Our current currency is “busy”.

You see it everywhere, including in the foyers of yoga studios. Folks come in and they are nearly frenetic, trying to “get a practice in” between all the other running around they have to do that day. I keep coming back to the breath in these answers, but of course, that’s the practice. The grace of slowing the tempo and of returning to the breath very clearly reminds us that it’s possible to feel absolutely full without all the running around. It’s a reminder that there’s nothing to prove; that there’s nothing we have to produce. We can simply be. I can’t think of a greater clarity than that.

JS: The biggest gift is the capacity to embrace both my humanness and my sense that I am enough. I like to think that’s precisely the gift I’m able to give my students—to hold up a mirror for those who come my way to reflect to them that they are enough and all that they are searching for is already inside of them.

SF: What has been the greatest “gift” yoga has given you? And what do you feel has been the

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SF: Why do you aspire not to teach, but rather to let the practice emanate from you? And as a “teacher”, you prefer to call yourself a “student”?

JS: In studentship, one remains open, curious, leaning in, and in awe. I’ve noticed that often those who hold tightly to the role of “teacher” can dry up, become rigid in their belief structures, and miss being penetrated

by a new light; a new possibility. That’s why I stick with studentship. I want to be perpetually open to the possibility that my story is just my story, that there’s something more beyond that; something that will utterly blindside me once I can clearly see it. After that, I want to be awed again.

SF: Music is a big part of a lot of your yoga events and classes. Do you have any favorite styles of music and/or artists you like that particularly inspire or “enhance” your yoga experience?

JS: Music can be both a distraction to our attention on the breath and a guide deeper into the inhale/exhale exchange, where anything fits into the latter. I’ve made two albums that have beats from DJ Drez and one with Nat Kendall that take ancient chants and weave then into present time. If I can keep my attention on what matters in the music, I’m in juicy territory.

Photo Credit: Ellen Strzalkowski

SF:You offer a virtual course in “Energetic Alignment and Intuitive Sequencing”. Can you share what this covers and how it works?

JS: One of the more remarkable human capacities we’ve lost sight of in this age of data and information is our connection to our innate internal wisdom. From a commercial standpoint, internal wisdom doesn’t “sell.” There’s much more money to be made in convincing people to buy into external commodities because the answers are somewhere “out there,” beyond us. But one of the gifts of the practice of yoga is that it can unearth a deeper intimacy with ourselves—and therefore, closer relationships with our intuitive states. And the only thing we have to “spend” is time with ourselves... to remember what’s already there.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ The intellect is the head, instinct the

body, and intuition the heart, the witness. The journey of balancing these is the adventure of self-wisdom.

The intellect is vital: It allows us to move through the world with our sense of purpose, the work we’re meant to do in this lifetime. But it has assumed a disproportionate role in our lives—philosophizing, chasing thought loops, generating absolutes—and it requires the grounding, softening nature of the instinct (everything our bodies say and do, whether or not we’re paying attention) and the intuition (the creative spark of the spiritual heart, the hridayam) to balance it. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ The contemporary emphasis we place on the intellect is the reason we’re drowning in information, yet starving for wisdom.

Both of these virtual courses were born out of decades of asking myself the same fundamental questions over

and over again, and exploring what arose in the asking: What actually animates this body I’m in? What governs my urge to make, to create, to move, to love? What gives this life meaning? What story is being told through my life? Of the millions of years of evolution that allowed this body to be, what is the residual wisdom I can discern within it?⁣ ⁣ It’s an exploration without “correct” answers (though the intellect would like to think otherwise). But it’s one that invites reverence and awe, that makes us more fully at home in our bodies, that aligns us more deeply with our intentions, and empowers us to be more authentically “us.” All things, I think, we are thirsty for in this moment.⁣ ⁣

ymore info: https://janetstoneyoga.com Instagram: @janetstoneyoga www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC fitness

Breathing Modern Life into Ashtanga Yoga

The Graceful Teachings of Jonah Kest

By Sasha Frate Jonah Kest was born into a yoga legacy. His father is vinyasa yoga pioneer Jonny Kest and his mother, Milla Kest, was one of the first yoga business owners in the Midwest. Jonah’s exposure to yoga started at age three, and as he grew up, he continued to steep in the importance of a daily yoga practice and evening meditation.

With early interests including basketball, boxing, and track, it became clear to Jonah that flexibility and breath-work were key components and complements to strength training. At seventeen, Jonah trained in ashtanga yoga under his father with the mission to become a teacher himself. The spark of his passion needed no flaming as his drive to teach was apparent. Understanding and utilizing the mind-body connection influenced his life, but sharing the practice with others profoundly changed it.

Today, Jonah travels the world teaching ashtanga/vinyasa yoga with a grace and intensity beloved by his students. Impermanence, compassion, and humility are just some of the elements that Jonah seamlessly weaves through each healing practice.

Jonah shared his light with Face the Current and discussed the joys of teaching, the reasons he believes yoga is beneficial to everyone, the impact and importance of his plant-based diet, and his favorite memories (so far!) of sharing his practice around the world.

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The challenge is to balance the grounding, breathcentered, real life moments with the ones behind the screen.

After all, yoga is all about this union of opposites.

Jonah Kest: Thank you for your kind words. I am certainly grateful to have been born into this lineage of yoga teachers. It’s clear to me now that as a child, I didn’t necessarily do what my parents told me to do, but I did observe and do what they did. Being exposed to a daily ritual of yoga and meditation as commonplace as eating breakfast or brushing my teeth was my day-to-day! I had no idea that the

practices I dragged myself through as a kid would amount to this global experience that I am now a part of!

What has influenced me the most, truly, above all other teachings was the humility of the practice that my father passed down. I remember him saying that there is no hierarchy between teacher and student— everyone we meet is on the same path. We are all one. He taught that and he lives that to this moment. This is something I hold onto as I look into the eyes of the students I am blessed to work with around the globe.

Now, we have this glorious mechanism that is social media! These tools were not available to my father when he was my age first starting out.

It is such an incredibly powerful time

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Sasha Frate:You were born into a family of yogis with your father Jonny Kest deemed “the godfather of vinyasa” and your uncle a “pioneer” in power vinyasa. How have their practices influenced your practice and teaching, and how are you doing things differently?

to live and teach connection. We have never been more easily connected, but we have also never been sicker and lonelier at the very same time.

With the touch of a button I can display my photography, advertise for upcoming trainings, and reach the community at large with provocative messages that they can then in turn interact with! It still blows my mind.

The challenge is to merge the fantasy of this otherworldly lifestyle with certainty and compassion; realness.

The best moments are when we really, actually get to touch.

The challenge is to balance the grounding, breath-centered, real life moments with the ones behind the screen. After all, yoga is all about this union of opposites. www.facethecurrent.com

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SF: Yoga aside, you established a nightly routine with your siblings growing up that included a gratitude and meditation circle.

How did this routine play into and impact your yoga practice, teaching, and daily life as an adult?

JK: Yes! As mentioned above these moments felt so “normal” to me, and they were! We would all sit together and go around the circle and be given a moment to speak about what we were most grateful for. As a kid, I chose more superficial things like my new shoes or anything that I got that day. As the years went by—and I noticed this in my brothers and sister as well—we naturally started to

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recognize the moments of gratitude more in what we were giving. How we could be of service? We even found ourselves reciting a moment of gratitude for someone else’s greatness! Ah, sympathetic joy!

As a teacher, I now see that I was being shown two very important lessons on love: 1.

The greatest joy comes from service.

2.

When you give someone the space to be listened to (and witness this) they will ultimately uncover the goodness that lies within the heart.

SF: Some of our greatest wisdom and lessons don’t always come from schoolbooks and the classroom.You left college to pursue yoga. What have been your greatest lessons from yoga as 1) a student, 2) a teacher, and 3) a lifestyle that has taken you around the world?

JK: As a student: never stop being the student. Everyone we meet is a teacher; every being, human and nonhuman.

As a teacher: I will fail. I must start again.

As a world traveler: my dad was right; we are all the same.

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When you consciously connect with your breath every day, your nervous system changes. We are then no longer bound by the lies that our minds tell us. A strong body is necessary as this is our temporary house for this finite amount of time and we want to keep it supple, but a strong and resilient mind may indeed be around for many lifetimes. The energy is infinite and this is why we need to practice every day.

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SF: What style(s) of yoga do you teach and why do you prefer these styles?

JK: I teach ashtanga/vinyasa flow.

This style is breath-centered and life is breath. It works both as a physical practice and a meditation. As long as we are alive, we always have the flow of our breath so the practice can be as simple or complex as we need in order to reach us on a deeper level.

Vinyasa means flow or to link breath and movement in a special way. It has just felt very intuitive in my own body and I watch so many people be instantly changed by its magic!

SF: What are your top three favorite poses?

JK: Padmasana, padmasana, and need to practice every day. padmasana, because it’s without limits.

SF: What do you suggest Everything else has a peak, but this for taking a yoga practice to one keeps me on my toes. the next level for 1) beginner SF: What are the primary students, and 2) advanced reasons you recommend the students? implementation of a regular yoga practice into people’s lives? JK: Keep going back each day, especially if you don’t feel like it.

JK: When you consciously connect Traditionally, ashtanga yoga was with your breath every day, your practiced for five days, on the sixth nervous system changes. We are day you rested, and on the seventh then no longer bound by the lies that you offered self-massage. I like to our minds tell us. A strong body is think that with each practice we are necessary as this is our temporary beginning fresh. It has always served house for this finite amount of time me to stay away from the “advanced” and we want to keep it supple, but a mentality because I need to see that strong and resilient mind may indeed there is always so much work to do be around for many lifetimes. The to stay motivated! energy is infinite and this is why we www.facethecurrent.com

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A coach is able to see what you can’t. They notice all of your blind spots and we all have them. Everybody should have a coach because the observer changes the observed.

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SF: Why did you choose to opt for a plant-based diet, and how does this impact or enhance your performance as an athlete?

JK: I was raised vegetarian and became vegan at ten years old with my family.

Now, modern research is telling us that a plant-based lifestyle is leading the way for high performance athletes! My diet has always been heart-centered and I am so grateful for this. Eating plants has made me lighter, stronger, and gives me quick recovery time.

It is what we all need to do for the animals and the planet.

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SF: What took your yoga teaching and practice global, and what have been some of your favorite memories in sharing the yoga experience with local cultures abroad?

JK: Instagram and my love for creating has really helped me to share my art globally. I feel honored to be able to carry the torch for my father and share his style all over the world.

Last year I taught in over fifteen countries and I have learned so much in doing so. One of my favorite memories was at a yoga ashram for boys in India.Those boys were all my teachers. It was such an incredible time in my life. I saw myself in each of them and I think they saw themselves in me!

SF: How has your yoga practice helped you learn to create your reality?

JK: Law of attraction is real! If you are properly practicing yoga, it changes your vibration and your vibration is where the law of attraction begins. Through breath and posture I’ve been able to narrow my focus on what really matters and create my reality one hundred percent.

SF: Do you cross-train with any other types of sports or fitness?

Do you recommend mixing up yoga with specific types of crosstraining?

JK: I grew up as an athlete, so sports have always been a part of my reality.

I’d almost flip that question and say yoga has been the catalyst for me to still play other sports without getting injured and to maximize recovery.

Personally, however, I swim in the ocean, rock climb, and do calisthenics like pull-ups and push-ups as well. I love the Prana these exercises give my body!

SF: You’ve said: “The single most important commitment I’ve made in my business and on the path of yoga is to my mentor.

I have promised to never stop learning, to seek feedback within any opportunity I am given, to

objectively watch myself grow and fail, and to never miss a day of practice.” How do you see the role of a mentor or coach in guiding and enhancing one’s fitness/sport routine compared with going it solo?

JK: A coach is able to see what you can’t. They notice all of your blind spots and we all have them.

Everybody should have a coach because the observer changes the observed. My father has built his teaching on feedback and every teacher he trains leaves with a better understanding of how this loop helps us reach our ultimate potential. I never leave feedback out of any of my

relationships.

SF: Do you have a mantra or motto that motivates you to stay committed to your practice?

JK: “Start again.” These were the words I heard over and over again when I sat my ten Vipassana mediation sit. Every moment is an opportunity to start again, no matter what has happened in the past.

ymore info: www.jonahkestyoga.com Instagram: @kestyoga

www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC health

How to Become Fat Adapted

Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Weight & Optimal Health With Dr. Lori Shemek, Dr. Jim Bentz, and Omar Cumberbatch Weight loss and management is a topic of health that most people have to consider at some point in their lives. What can we do to burn fat and lose weight? What should we be eating to attain optimal health? What should we be avoiding? And most importantly, how do we make manageable changes that can be maintained long-term?

Dr. Lori Shemek is a well-known pioneer in low-level inflammation and the ways in which it is responsible for most illness, disease, weight gain, and rapid aging. As a Nutrition and Weight Loss expert and a best-selling author (How to Fight FATflammation! and Fire-UP Your Fat Burn!), Dr. Lori specializes in weight loss resistance.

She helps her patients to identify

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foods that cause weight gain, kick their sugar addictions, and shift into eating the exact foods that burn fat.

Twice recognized by Huffington Post as one of the Top 16 Health and Fitness Experts, Dr. Lori has enjoyed the company of Dr. Oz and David Zinczenko, author of Eat This, Not That.

Together with Health Coach Omar Cumberbatch, Dr. Lori produces the popular podcast, This Podcast Burns Fat!, and it is here that they enjoyed a thought-provoking discussion with Dr. Jim Bentz.

Dr. Bentz is the top Practitioner and Trainer for Neurological Integration System (NIS) in the United States, teaching healthcare practitioners the principles of Functional Neurology.

Dr. Bentz has utilized NIS as his primary modality since 1997 as it’s a system that incorporates ancient eastern medicine practices with current neuroscience and promotes self-healing through the detection and correction of signaling disruption in the nervous system.

Face the Current is excited to share the discussion between Dr. Lori, Omar, and Dr. Bentz and all of its exciting applications to fat burning, weight loss, and the attainment of the healthiest versions of ourselves.

Omar Cumberbatch: What led you to pursue a career in healthcare?

Jim Bentz: I was really blessed that I grew up in a family that was pretty health conscious. My dad was a dentist, but he was what they would probably call a biologic dentist today.

He was one of the earlier doctors that was against using amalgams (mercury compounds) in people’s mouths.

My mom was also very health conscious. We were not given pop or soda and we didn’t get much in the way of sugar. One of our jobs as kids was to grind up organic whole wheat so my mom could make bread from it. We felt kind of deprived because we didn’t get to have sugar and soda, but we also didn’t know any different.

My mom was very much into cooking whole foods.

When I was 18, my dad gave me Weston Price’s book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration and it was an eye-opener for me. So, I was always interested in health and healthcare.

Lori Shemek: How do you implement your healthcare— your approach to health—and wellness?

JB: I specialize in two kinds of broad areas. The first would be the area of functional neurology. I’ve been using a system of healthcare in my office since 1997 called Neurological Integration System which was developed by an osteopath named Allan Phillips in New Zealand, and it’s really a system of determining where the signal between the brain and the body is breaking down, and then restoring that through light touch. It’s a brilliant system and it is the cornerstone of what I do. I’ve also studied functional medicine for close to thirty years. I studied with Jeff Bland from the IMF (Institute for Functional Medicine) for quite a while.

Jeff wrote a brilliant book a couple of years ago called The Disease Delusion in which he’s basically saying that information is the root of all disease.

So, those two things together— getting people’s bodies functioning normally through the nervous system and then implementing lifestyle changes—are helping people make changes so that they can maintain their health. It is a real holistic approach.

LS: What you’re doing is redirecting the brain, correct?

JB: Yes, that’s correct. The nervous system is the master control system for the body and even hormones are controlled neurologically through the hypothalamus, so you basically have two fundamental signaling systems in the body.You have the electrical system, which is like the signals from the brain to the nerves.You also have chemical messengers in the body— things like hormones and neurotransmitters—that keep the body in a homeostatic balance. If you can get all of that to function optimally, it gives people a better chance to be healthy. www.facethecurrent.com

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I don’t think you can be obese and be healthy—I just haven’t seen it. To me, it’s just a part of the overall picture of health to help people get their weight back under control.

Many people will come to see me and they think that weight loss is their goal, but really they want to be healthy because they don’t feel good, they don’t have any energy, they’re struggling, and they’re dealing with a lot of shame and other really harmful emotions.

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LS: And that includes weight management.

JB: Oh, by all means. I don’t separate health and weight; I think they’re very much intertwined. I don’t think you can be obese and be healthy—I just haven’t seen it. To me, it’s just a part of the overall picture of health to help people get their weight back under control. Many people will come to see me and they think that weight loss is their goal, but really they want to be healthy because they don’t feel good, they don’t have any energy, they’re struggling, and they’re dealing with a lot of shame and other really harmful emotions.

LS:That’s a really good point because we’re trying to create balance in the body, right? If all of these neurotransmitters and hormones are out of

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balance, then the person’s mental wellbeing is out of balance including weight and inflammation.

JB: One of the things that we do when testing a new patient is BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) testing. We also use RJL Systems which is kind of the gold standard in the analysis of body composition. We also check heart rate variability which I find is a great tool for evaluating the autonomic function in the body.

We also use a test called a Methoxy test that tests for a substance in the urine called malondialdehyde. This comes from peroxidation of the cell membrane, so this test is actually a measure of how much inflammation there is at the cellular level. It is so common to see high levels of inflammation at the cellular level and we know that that will translate into

negative health effects for people.

OC: What is your approach to someone who comes into your office and says that they want to lose weight? Do you have a specific way to tackle that issue?

JB: Yes, we do. The first thing we do is try to get their nervous system as balanced as we can. As Lori was saying earlier, we optimize hormonal function and metabolic function because organ function is regulated through direct nerve input and through neurotransmitters. All that feedback is then going right back up to the brain, especially to the hypothalamus. This is the set point for weight management and that’s what regulates our whole hormonal system; it’s what regulates our sleep, appetite, thirst, heart rate, and blood pressure. All those autonomic

functions come through the hypothalamus so we try to optimize it as much as we can. From there, it’s more of a process of subtracting things from people instead of adding.

The first thing we do is we have patients stop snacking.

LS: Oh, that’s fantastic; that really is! That’s really the magic bullet for most people.

JB: We try to educate people about how the body really works. If you look at human evolution, we were hunter-gatherers for most of our evolutionary history. It’s only in the last 100 years or so that we’ve really had food security.

LS:That’s a good term: food security. It really is true that we have 24/7 access to it.

JB: Yes, we have access to food 24/7

and our bodies really aren’t designed for that; we were designed to go through periods of feast and famine.

That’s how we evolved and the metabolic mechanisms that drive that are still intact in our bodies and we really override those when we have access to food and are eating 24/7.

OC:That’s one of the biggest things that we work on with our clients—getting over that snacking. What are some tips on how to do it?

JB: I think a lot of it is habitual and we just tell them, “Look, just try it.

Just try it for a few weeks and see how it goes.” A lot of people begin to realize they’re not even aware that they’re snacking a lot of the time—it’s almost like unconscious eating. We have a health coach in our office that stays in contact with our patients and

checks in on them.

We definitely want to eliminate sodas and juices and all sources of sugar that people are using on a daily basis.

If we can get that and the snacking down, our next goal is to get our patients what we call “fat adapted”.

We have found that the metabolism of most people is stuck in a sugar burning mode, accounting for their need to constantly eat it. They are not able to access their body fat stores. In terms of fuel sources, our bodies use fat and sugar, and our metabolisms will adapt over time to the food(s) that we eat. So, if we’re largely eating carbs and sugar, that’s what our metabolism will shift to.

Because of this, not only will people gain fat, they won’t have the ability to burn it. The cycle of craving snacks will continue because their bodies crave glucose.

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Our next goal is to get our patients what we call “fat adapted”. We have found that the metabolism of most people is stuck in a sugar burning mode, accounting for their need to constantly eat it. They are not able to access their body fat stores. In terms of fuel sources, our bodies use fat and sugar, and our metabolisms will adapt over time to the food(s) that we eat. So, if we’re largely eating carbs and sugar, that’s what our metabolism will shift to.

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It’s interesting that the original use for ketosis was to control epileptic seizures. This tells us that the ketones actually have a very healing effect on the brain. For brain health, it’s so important that we become fat adapted.

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LS: How do you feel about ketones being used as fuel by the brain?

JB: As an example of this, my daughter was struggling for a while with some weight problems. I asked what she was eating, and she said she’d have a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I introduced her to bulletproof coffee which is coffee with MCT oil (medium-chaintriglyceride oil such as coconut oil) in it. She was amazed! She said her brain worked better and she was more clear-headed. I told her that’s the result of her brain using ketones.

LS: People might say, “Well, if the brain was meant to use ketones, it would not favor glucose.” What do you say about that?

JB: Oh, I don’t agree with that. I think we’re kind of like flex fuel vehicles; we have the mechanism to use either.

It’s interesting that the original use for ketosis was to control epileptic

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seizures. This tells us that the ketones actually have a very healing effect on the brain. For brain health, it’s so important that we become fat adapted.

LS: We know that all the research is pointing to that anyway. For example, Alzheimer’s is looking like a type 3 diabetes. On the heels of that, how do you treat those that come into your office with type 2 diabetes?

JB: Pretty much the same way. I’m a big fan of what I would classify as ancient healing strategies, and that includes fasting. We do a lot of fasting with our patients, beginning with intermittent fasting. We work toward increasing the fasting, even up to forty hours. I randomly do that myself every few weeks to feel better. I also do a couple five-day water fasts every year as well.

We put our patients on a twomonth program to get them started.

It’s about gradual changes because people don’t like change, so we go step-by-step to get them off snacks, off breakfast, and into intermittent fasting. We’ve found that it’s really important to actually teach patients how to monitor their glucose and ketones. Once they start seeing that direct feedback and they see that their glucose is going down and their ketones are going up, it becomes a real motivator for them to keep going. We use the Keto-Mojo glucose and ketone meter to do that. To me, it’s the most accurate one out there and it’s very easy to use, so we recommend that for all our patients.

We train them to use the meter and we encourage them to experiment with their diet: “Go ahead and eat more carbs one day and see what happens.”

LS:That’s an important point because so many people react differently to certain foods.

There is a lot of research showing that some people may

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Berries are the best bet. A lot of these fruits, especially the hybrid apples and many of the oranges now, have been engineered. The sugar content in them is four or five times what it used to be in more of the heirloom varieties. Fruit was probably a part of our diet long ago, but it was only available seasonally.

Now we’ve got that availability 24/7. So, yes, we try to keep patients off fruit, especially bananas, mangoes, pineapple, etc.

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get a spike in blood sugar with specific foods that other people don’t experience.

adding some sea salt into their water, too. When you don’t have the electrolytes, you just start feeling bad.

something like that as a treat once in a while, I don’t have a problem with that.

JB: Exactly. There’s no one-size-fits -all. We’re also big on diet variation; we don’t recommend eating the same things every day.

LS: What is your take on fruit? I have seen so many of my clients addicted to fruit and eating an excess amount. Fructose is metabolized in the liver and will eventually cause fatty liver disease, so I definitely do not recommend a lot of fruit. I recommend low sugar fruits, one serving per day at the most.

LS: And the body can hopefully handle it, because it’s more insulin sensitive; it knows what to do with it.

OC:You have mentioned you’ve had forty-hour fasts which are definitely longer than most people are used to. Do you drink black coffee or anything to help you suppress your appetite during that period, and do you recommend that to people to help them along a little bit?

JB: People can do coffee. We have patients check to see if it spikes their glucose and if it doesn’t, it’s fine.

When we do water fasts, some patients stick to just water, but if they really need to, they’ll throw a little bone broth in there. For many people, success is about staying really well hydrated and that means

JB: Yes, berries are the best bet. A lot of these fruits, especially the hybrid apples and many of the oranges now, have been engineered.

The sugar content in them is four or five times what it used to be in more of the heirloom varieties. Fruit was probably a part of our diet long ago, but it was only available seasonally.

Now we’ve got that availability 24/7.

So, yes, we try to keep patients off fruit, especially bananas, mangoes, pineapple, etc. If you want to have

OC: Dr. Bentz, your system’s a Neurological Integration System (RNI). How does it differ from other modalities, and how does it help in actually making people manage their weight better?

JB: I’ve studied some other functional neurology systems and they’re more concentrated on patients exercising. RNI is not really an intervention—you’re just helping the brain understand where the signaling is breaking down, and then through a gentle sensory input to the brain, the brain actually makes the connection for you and reconnects everything. The first time I saw this done, I thought, “How can this be? You can just do a little tap www.facethecurrent.com

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on somebody’s head and make them better?”

I had chronic episodic sciatica and sacroiliac pain to the point where chiropractic adjustments were actually making it worse. When I had this method done to me and I got up off the table, the pain was almost completely gone. The critical distinction is that the brain is making the corrections related to pain. We use a muscle test in a kinesiologybased system. Properly done, it is actually a neurological test and has nothing to do with strength—you’re just getting feedback from the brain through the muscles. We then look for points that are weakening the person when we touch them, and we know that means there’s a signaling breakdown, between the brain and the liver, for example. (Or the brain and a particular joint in the body!)

By contacting those points and gently doing a little sensory stimulation, the brain will actually reconnect those points. It’s really quite fascinating! I’ve studied a lot of different things in the chiropractic world in my thirty-five years of practice, and this is by far the most effective thing that I’ve ever come across. (It’s technically not even chiropractic because we’re not doing any manipulations. That’s the beauty of it also—it’s 100% safe.You can’t hurt anybody!)

OC: What neurological pathways are disconnected in the world of weight?

JB: We see a lot of hormonal disruption. We’ll see a lot of hypothalamic disfunction and breakdown where the hypothalamus either isn’t getting feedback from the body or it’s not able to connect down through that HPA (hypothalamic pituitary access).

There’s a breakdown in signaling there and correcting that is the key to helping people with weight loss.

You need to get full hypothalamic function back.

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LS: Does that include achieving better gut health?

JB: Yes, it does. We know for sure there’s a direct feedback from the microbiome via the vagus nerve back to the brain, so we look a lot at gut health. Again, it’s a function of things like proper pancreatic enzyme function and proper liver function, and those are all autonomically controlled and neurologically controlled. There is direct nerve input

through the sympathetics and then also through the para-sympathetics— the vagus nerve—so if we can get those systems optimally functioning, people do much better with their gut. Now that being said, we do some “jumped up” things to help the microbiome, but I’m a big believer that we have this innate intelligence in our body. The body’s not dumb; it knows what to do if you can just get the things that are hindering out of the way.

LS:That’s really true.The body wants to do well, it just needs to have the resources to do it. We know that healthy bacteria love to munch on fiber and it’s very good for our gut. Polyphenols help repair the damage that’s been done by inflammation throughout the body. So, what is your take on fiber in the diet, and how do you feel about the carnivore diet on the extreme opposite end?

JB: No doubt fiber is very important—it’s a prebiotic and it’s what nurtures the good bacteria, so it’s very important. I’m very sceptical of the carnivore diet because I don’t think doing any one thing over a long period of time can be good.

Also, elevated protein use activates a metabolic pathway called mTOR in the body that can actually drive

cancer. People say they’re getting great results with it, but I don’t think it’s sustainable over the long run. I really think we need a wide variety of whole foods in our diet. That’s really one of our big things: getting people away from processed foods.

I don’t know if you’re familiar with Michael Pollan’s book, Food Rules, but it’s a brilliant book and we give copies to our patients. It’s a short book but it has clear rules like, “If your grandmother couldn’t understand what’s in the ingredient list, maybe you shouldn’t eat it.” Another one is, “If it’s handed to you through your car window, it’s probably not real food.”

LS: If you’re a bit skeptical about the carnivore diet, what about the ketogenic diet? How do you feel about that?

JB: I think the ketogenic diet is good, but again, it’s not something that I would recommend for people long-term. I go in and out of ketosis seasonally.

OC: How so? When you say seasonally, can you give us an explanation of how you would navigate that?

JB: In the spring and summer I tend to go more into ketosis. Going back to evolutionary biology, food was usually abundant in the summer and spring for most people. Because of this, they would actually put on more weight/body fat in anticipation of food not being so available in the winter and fall. The evidence, however, doesn’t show that staying in ketosis long-term is really good for us.

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No doubt fiber is very important—it’s a prebiotic and it’s what nurtures the good bacteria, so it’s very important. I’m very sceptical of the carnivore diet because I don’t think doing any one thing over a long period of time can be good. Also, elevated protein use activates a metabolic pathway called mTOR in the body that can actually drive cancer. People say they’re getting great results with it, but I don’t think it’s sustainable over the long run. I really think we need a wide variety of whole foods in our diet.

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If you follow Dr. Pompa at all, he talks about having feast days once in a while where you eat more carbs or eat more protein. Have that baked potato; load up on food! You just don’t want to do that every day, and again, this all goes back to diet variation.

There’s a great documentary on Netflix called The Science of Fasting,

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We should really be trying to emulate more of how our ancestors lived. I’m going to keep going back to the evolutionary biology idea, but we’ve gotten way too comfortable. We live indoors much more than we used to, and we spend a lot of time on screens which is a fairly recent thing that we don’t yet know the effects of on our brains… Jack Kruse is a neurosurgeon in New Orleans and he talks a lot about the importance of light in our lives and getting our circadian rhythm back on track. We can achieve that by getting early morning light.

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and I recommend it to everybody because it talks about therapeutic fasting. Even in the twenties and thirties, hospitals existed where people would undergo supervised fasting. The health results were astounding, especially—and this is really interesting to me—in the area of mental health. People with psychoses had great results and about fifty percent of those people

maintained their results after they left the hospital and returned to their normal diet.

LS: Do you have any tips for staying healthy in the long-run?

JB: We should really be trying to emulate more of how our ancestors lived. I’m going to keep going back to the evolutionary biology idea, but we’ve gotten way too comfortable.

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We live in these climate-controlled environments where the temperature doesn’t deviate that much. We live indoors much more than we used to, and we spend a lot of time on screens which is a fairly recent thing that we don’t yet know the effects of on our brains. We just tell people, “Get outside and get some sunlight!”

I live in the North West and it’s often cloudier, but just getting out in natural light for twenty minutes a day is beneficial. Also, just start moving more, even if it’s a short walk. Try to also stay with those light-dark cycles and start dimming your lights down at night when it gets dark instead of having your lights on full blast. Do things that push your body a little bit, like vary the temperature that you’re in, get outside, and maybe don’t wear as warm of a coat. Expose yourself to more cold or to more heat in the summertime. We’re really addicted to comfort and I think it’s hurting us.

And also, just eat real food. We always tell patients, “If it comes out of a can or a box, you might want to think twice.”

LS:That means soybean oil and sugar! The recent research that just came out on soybean oil shows it’s causing obesity and neurological damage.

JB: What’s shocking to me is even a lot of the so-called healthy salad dressings contain canola and soybean oil.

LS: And a lot of people think that those are healthy.That’s the sad part.

JB: It is sad.We do teach our patients to read labels and I think these industrially processed oils are one of the biggest threats to our health.We also encourage people to cook for themselves without using things out of a box or can because it’s all engineered food. It’s going back to a simpler, more primal lifestyle any way we can.

I’m also lucky where I live because I’ve got a fairly private area. I like to get outside very early in the morning and do a little bit of naked exercise. I get light on my entire body that way.

Jack Kruse is a neurosurgeon in New Orleans and he talks a lot about the importance of light in our lives and getting our circadian rhythm back on track. We can achieve that by getting early morning light.

LS:Yes, one of the first things I recommend to my clients is to drink a glass of water as soon as they wake up and then get some light exposure.

any practitioners are interested in knowing more about the Neurological Integration System, I am the leading trainer in the United States for this work so I teach the basic seminars in this. Check out www.nisusaseminars.com to find information about our seminar program. It is only available for licensed healthcare practitioners, but there’s a practitioner directory if anyone wants to find someone near them who does that work.

JB: These are basic things that you would think would be second nature, but they’re not. They’re powerful. Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean that it’s not powerful! I think we’ve gotten too addicted to very complex interventions. We think we have to do these very complex things to be healthy, but I’m more of a believer in simple, elegant, and minimalistic approaches.

LS: I love that—that’s the way it should be; life should not be complicated.

JB: And it should be fun!

You’ve got to have some fun; you can’t take any of it too seriously.

OC: How can we keep in touch with the things that you’re doing?

JB: My practice website is www. fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com.

I’ve also written blogs about a lot of the topics we discussed. If

ymore info: www.nisusaseminars.com https://drlorishemek.com https://thispodcastburnsfat.libsyn.com www.facebook.com/drjimbentz www.facebook.com/DrLoriShemek www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC health

Cooking with Invigorating Spices

By Lisa Guy, naturopath and founder of Bodhi Organic Tea Spices have been used for centuries around the globe for culinary purposes and their impressive therapeutic benefits.

Spices not only enhance the flavour and aroma of meals they deliver important antioxidants and health-promoting phytonutrients. Consuming invigorating spices like mustard, peppercorns, wasabi, chili peppers, and horseradish, regularly will liven up your diet and help promote optimal health and protection against certain diseases.

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MUSTARD SEEDS Mustard seeds have a long history of use in Ayurvedic tradition as a food, and as a medicine to help purge toxins from the body.

There are three main types of mustard seeds that are popular for culinary use - white, black and brown. The seeds can be used as dried whole seeds, ground, or made into a paste (the condiment mustard). White mustard seeds have a milder taste and are often called yellow mustard as they’re used to make the condiment American yellow mustard. Black mustard seeds have a stronger aroma and flavour and are commonly used in Indian cuisine. Brown mustard, which is also called Chinese or Indian mustard, has a sharper more pungent taste, and is used to make Dijon mustard.

Mustard is a brassica vegetable related to cabbage, cauliflower and kale. Brassica vegetables naturally contain high levels of sulfur-containing phytonutrients called isothiocyanates that have cancer preventative properties. (1) Mustard, horseradish and wasabi are particularly abundant in this anticancerous compound. Isothiocyanates are responsible for the pungent flavour of these vegetables. To activate the isothiocyanates you need to either chop, grate or crush the mustard seeds.

Mustard seeds are also high in certain important minerals including calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, along with beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Mustard seeds were traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat colds, bronchitis and sinus-related issues. Mustard seeds are an effective decongestant and expectorant that assists with clearing mucous from the respiratory tract. They also have antiinflammatory properties.

This warming Ayurvedic spice is used to increase digestive fire and improve digestive issues such as excess wind and bloating.

Mustard is also a thermogenic food that boosts metabolism.

Mustard seeds give plenty of flavour to savoury dishes like dips, sandwiches, salad dressings, pickled vegetables. They also pair well with meats and cheeses. www.facethecurrent.com

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PEPPERCORNS Pepper is a kitchen staple and one of the most widely used spices around the world. Peppercorns are tiny fruits that grow on vines, traditionally from India and Vietnam. There are three varieties of peppercorns available in stores – black, white and green, which all come from the same plant.

Black peppercorns are left to mature on the vine so they have a strong spicy flavour with subtle heat.

White peppercorns are made from soaked black peppercorns, which results in a hotter and more pungent flavour. Green peppercorns are harvested when they’re young so they have a milder flavour.

This pungent and healing spice is used in Ayurvedic medicine for its cleansing and antioxidant properties. Black pepper helps stimulate digestion and appetite, and can help improve digestive issues like bloating and excess wind by increasing digestive acids. Black pepper also has an expectorant action making it useful for alleviating blocked noses, sinusitis and other respiratory conditions. Pepper can boost circulation and has an anti-inflammatory action making it beneficial for easing joint pain.

Peperine is the active compound found in peppercorns that gives pepper its distinctive pungent taste. Peperine is a potent antioxidant that has been found to help neutralize damaging free radicals throughout the body. It can help reduce inflammation and cholesterol, and is beneficial for improving blood sugar levels. Peperine can also help boost serotonin levels and the release of endorphins, which is useful for enhancing mood and alleviating anxiety.

Black pepper is often added to dietary supplements as it helps improve the absorption of certain nutrients including selenium, beta-carotene, vitamin A and C, and curcumin found in turmeric.

Peppercorns are available in whole, cracked, ground, or mixed peppercorns. This versatile spice can enhance the flavour or most savoury dishes including vegetables, pasta, stir-fries, poultry, meat, tofu, fish and rice dishes. Pepper pairs well with cumin, garlic, cardamom, lemon zest and turmeric.

Sichuan pepper, which is the essential ingredient in the popular Chinese Five Spice blend, is not actually a true peppercorn. Sichuan pepper comes from the berries of the prickly ash tree native to Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its pink outer husk has an anise aroma and a sweet citrus flavour.

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WASABI True wasabi, also known as Japanese horseradish, is a root cultivated in Japan that looks very similar to ginger. Wasabi can be purchased as a root, or made into a powder or paste. Wasabi paste is a condiment that is commonly served with traditional Japanese meals, including raw fish and sushi. This Asian superfood has an extremely strong and pungent flavour, which is accompanied by a burning sensation.

Wasabi produces vapours that stimulate and clear the nasal passages.

Wasabi belongs to the brassica family and is related to horseradish, mustard and cabbage. Like other brassica vegetables wasabi also contains high levels of isothiocyanates, that are activated when the root is grated or ground into a paste.

Isothiocyanates also have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancerous properties.

Wasabi has natural antibiotic properties. It can help kill foodborne bacteria due to its antimicrobial action, making it potentially useful for preventing food poisoning. (2) This is one of the reasons why Japanese use wasabi served with raw fish.

You need to be careful that you are buying real or true wasabi. Wasabi is extremely difficult to grow and only has a short shelf life. Its pungent flavour only lasts around 15 minutes. A lot of restaurants use fake wasabi made from horseradish, mustard and green food colouring.

To get the best flavour from your wasabi, scrub the root and use a super fine grater, then crush it with a spoon. Let the wasabi sit for 5 minutes and then serve.

To make a delicious wasabi salad dressing mix Âź cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp tamari, 2-3 tsp wasabi, 2 Tbsp sesame or olive oi, juice of a lime, and 1 tsp minced ginger. Try mixing some wasabi paste through organic grass-fed butter to use on oven baked bread or vegetables, pasta sauce, avocado dip, hummus, spread on pizza crusts, baked salmon, smashed potatoes or mash, noodle dishes, grilled corn or veggies, or in healthy coleslaw dressings. www.facethecurrent.com

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CHILI PEPPERS Chili peppers are the fruits of capsicum plants, which originated in central and South America. Chili peppers play an integral role in Mexican and Asian cuisines, adding heat and spiciness to a variety of dishes. Chili can be used fresh, dried, pickled, roasted or ground into a powder.

Chili contains an active compound called capsaicin that gives chili its intense pungency and heat, along with its many health benefits. The chili plant produces capsaicin as a defence mechanism against predators.

The amount of capsaicin varies among the different varieties of chili. The smallest chili peppers are generally the hottest. Chili peppers range from sweet bell peppers (with no heat); Jalapeno, serrano and chipotle (medium heat); cayenne and Thai (very hot); and Jamaican hot, Chocolate Habanero and Ghost peppers (extremely hot). Carolina Reaper peppers are in the Guinness book of world records as the hottest chili pepper on the planet. Paprika is a fine powder commonly used in Hungarian cooking, that is made

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from a variety of sweet and mild chili peppers.

Chili is beneficial for boosting cardiovascular health as it stimulates circulation, and helps reduce blood clotting and cholesterol levels.

Chili peppers are a great source of vitamin C and A, which are two important nutrients needed for a strong functioning immune system, healthy skin and eyesight, and to help reduce inflammation in the body. Chili peppers are also an excellent source of protective antioxidants.

Consuming chili will help stimulate the salivary glands and digestive juices to aid the digestive process and improve excess wind and bloating.

Chili is also a thermogenic spice that will give your metabolism a boost.

A study published in the Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand (2003) found that after consuming capsaicin in chilli, metabolic rates immediately increased by 20% and were sustained for 30 minutes.

Eating chili is useful for fighting off colds and flu due to its immune boosting action. Chili also helps fight

off respiratory infections by clearing nasal congestion and increasing sweating.

When preparing chili it is important to wear rubber gloves and make sure you don’t touch your eyes.

Remove the seeds and the inner membranes if you want to reduce the heat. Consuming dairy products, like yoghurt or sour cream, will reduce the heat of the capsaicin. Indian foods are commonly served with a yogurt based raita, and spicy Mexican meals are often eaten with sour cream for this reason.

Try this delicious cleansing chili tonic that will give your metabolism and digestion a boost. In a teapot add hot water, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, the juice of ½ lemon, a slice fresh ginger, 1 tsp raw honey and a pinch of cayenne powder. Let your tonic brew for 5 minutes then enjoy!

Add chili to pasta dishes, nachos, Thai and Indian curries, lentil dahls, dips, salad dressings, soups, and fish, meat and chicken dishes. Chili also pairs well with dark chocolate, so try adding a pinch to your next hot cocoa.

HORSERADISH Horseradish is a kitchen staple in Russian and Hungarian homes. This pungent root vegetable, traditionally grown throughout Southern Europe, is a member of the brassica family along with wasabi and mustard. Like other brassica vegetables horseradish contains high levels of isothiocyanates. This valuable phytonutrient is responsible for its pungent taste and anticancerous and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains ten times more isothiocyanates than broccoli, so even small servings will deliver a good dose of this beneficial compound.

Horseradish is used as a traditional medicine to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, sinusitis, coughs and common colds. Horseradish is a ‘cholagogue’ which means that it can stimulate the production of bile in the gallbladder to help aid digestion.

The pungent smell of horseradish is a useful decongestant. It can help relieve congestion and reduce mucous production associated with hay fever. It also has natural antibiotic properties that can fight infections, including urinary tract infections.

Horseradish is packed with antioxidants and other essential nutrients including vitamin C and folate.

Horseradish is commonly consumed as a condiment served with meats and fish. Prepared horseradish root is usually grated and picked with vinegar and salt.Vinegar helps reduce the pungency. Horseradish sauce commonly has cream, sour cream or mayonnaise added for a creamier sauce.

You can consume horseradish raw, cooked or pickled. Try adding some freshly grated horseradish to mashed potato, cream cheese, beef stews, roast meats, potato salads or coleslaw, hummus or guacamole, sandwiches, salad dressings, aioli, green beans or beetroot.

References: 1. Arup Bhattacharya, et al. Allyl isothiocyanate-rich mustard seed powder inhibits bladder cancer growth and muscle invasion. Carcinogenesis. 2010 Dec; 31(12): 2105–2110.

2. Zhongjing Lu et al. Antibacterial Activities of Wasabi against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus.

Front Microbiol. 2016;7:1403.

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