Issue 32 | Face the Current by Face the Current

Issue 32

fAce the current TRAVEL

CULTURE

MUSIC

SPORTS & FITNESS

HEALTH

Beyond the Borders of Convention: L i f e - C h a n g i n g T r e k s o f R i ca r d o B r a z Finding Freedom

with the Metamorphic Musical & Healing Offerings of PoranguÃ

BioGeometry:

A New Science to Understand Ancient Sacred Sites

Ancient Traditions and Modern Science Full-Body Wellness & Healing with Sunlighten Saunas

Fuel for an inspired life.

Premium Customized Self-Care for the Modern Traveler with CIVANA Resort & Spa

Editorial

MISSION DRIVEN BRANDS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

fAce the current Issue 32

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

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.

Cover Image Credits: â&#x20AC;˘ Front cover: Ricardo Braz â&#x20AC;˘ Back cover: Ricardo Braz

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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 Face the Current is an awardwinning aspirational and inspirational magazine and fastgrowing 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.

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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

Chris Assaad 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

Issue 32 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 thought-community 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, Canada, Egypt, and Australia.

After being introduced to Face The Current a few issues ago, I knew that there was something magical happening between the pages of this magazine. Ten years ago, I shifted my focus from the fashion journalism world where aesthetic is king and moved into sports journalism, a grittier world where beauty is in the eye of the very sweaty beholder. As the wellness trend picked up steam, it was clear that there could be a way to combine the raw efforts of a bikepacking trip across a barren wasteland with the elegant meditative music and energy work of someone like Poranguí. There was a way to combine beauty with grit, elegance with health. And in the pages of this magazine, they fit together in a unique way that creates a healthy, rich, aspirational lifestyle. And as we learn more about the science of health and wellness, it‘s clear that there is still so much that we‘re still finding out— and that there are very few black-andwhite or simple answers to the best way to live a healthy, meaning-driven life. In this issue, there are pieces about a new/ ancient approach to mindfulness through music, how saunas do more than just make you sweat, and my own struggles to find out how staying in place could bring new clarity and more wellness to a previously nomadic life. And on the note of a nomadic life, while travel is off the table for most of us right now, it‘s still inspiring to be able to read about adventurers like Brazilian photographer and traveler Ricardo Braz, who released a movie in June titled Reconnected. His summary of the movie could be a summation of the goal of this issue: We had was to show people that being in isolation wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; that we could connect with the nature around us in a beautiful way.“ So as you read this and see all the different ways to connect with yourself and with nature, we hope you take inspiration from some of the messages in these pages and become reconnected. -Molly Hurford, Contributor

Molly Hurford

is a journalist in love with all things cycling, running, nutrition and movementrelated. When not spending time outside, she’s writing about being outside and healthy habits of athletes for The Consummate Athlete website and podcast. She also coaches running and cycling, as well as yoga, and she and her husband Peter host camps and clinics around the world. She also writes regularly for several outdoor and fitness publications, and her most recent project, Shred Girls, is a young adult fiction series focused on getting girls excited about bikes. www.ConsummateAthlete.com www.Instagram.com/mollyjhurford

Doreya Karim

is the director of BioGeometry Energy Systems Ltd. and a vital part of the BioGeometry research and product development team. Doreya has had the opportunity to apply BioGeometry solutions in numerous fields such as regional environmental electro-smog solutions, architecture and industrial design, music, animal farming and agriculture and serves as co-director of the design department. These applications’ main goal is to utilize the subtle energy of shapes to create environments that promote well-being by balancing the effect of all environmental stimuli on the body. Since she started teaching in 2015, Doreya has conducted over 35 training in 8 countries. www.biogeometry.ca

Dr. Jim Bentz, D.C.

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 selfhealing through detection and correction of signaling disruption in the nervous system. www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com www.facebook.com/drjimbentz

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

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issue 32 CONTENT

18 Beyond the Borders of Convention:

Life-Changing Treks of Ricardo Braz travel 08.Best Places To Visit Through the Lens of Photographer Nils Leonhardt 12.CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa Premium Customized Self-Care for the Modern Traveler 18.Beyond the Borders of Convention: Life-Changing Treks of Ricardo Braz

culture

CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa Premium Customized Self-Care for the Modern Traveler 6 FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

30.BioGeometry: A New Science to Understand Ancient Sacred Sites

music 36.Finding Freedom with the Metamorphic Musical and Healing Offerings of PoranguĂ

FtC Issue 32

BioGeometry: A New Science to Understand Ancient Sacred Sites

Finding Freedom with the Metamorphic Musical and Healing Offerings of Poranguí

46.AWAKEN: New Album From Lee Harris & Davor Bozic

sports & fitness 50.Finding Fitness at Home A Nomadic Athlete’s Adaptation to Locked-Down Life 54.Becoming a Consummate Athlete

health 56.Ancient Traditions and Modern Science: Full-Body Wellness and Healing with Sunlighten Saunas 62.Arnica: Nature’s Essential Remedy For Life’s Bumps and Bruises 68.The Widespread Epidemic of Disease in America: A Closer Look at the Over-Consumption of Polyunsaturated Fats

Ancient Traditions and Modern Science: Full-Body Wellness and Healing with www.facethecurrent.com Sunlighten Saunas 7

FtC travel

Best Places To Visit

Through the Lens of Photographer Nils Leonhardt German landscape photographer Nils Leonhardt believes that life is a collection of moments. Driven by the alluring and slow-paced relationship with nature and natural light, Nils has curated a portfolio brimming with peaceful seasonal transitions, glowing mountain ranges, and viscerally energetic shorelines. Pairing travel with his passion for capturing unique and natural points in time means that Nils has ventured to some of the most beautiful, serene, and exciting places on Earth. Although difficult to narrow down, Nils has shared with Face the Current his top six favourite places to see and experience. While we might not be able to hop on a plane and journey around the globe at the moment, we can certainly dreamâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and these places are exactly what dreams are made of.

#1: ISLE OF HARRIS, SCOTLAND Without doubt, I regard Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland as the most beautiful place on earth. As soon as you are immersed, nature becomes a complete aesthetic experience. Finding your thoughts is what this extraordinary part of the world is all about.

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#2: MATTERHORN, SWITZERLAND One of my favourite experiences is to witness the Alpen Glow on Matterhorn on icy winter mornings. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about pursuing the elements and waiting in anticipation for the light to unveil the contrasting beauty. The fresh air not only ignites creativity, but also brings you close to natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beating chest.

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#3: DOLOMITES, ITALY The Dolomites are a place brimming with landscapes in every direction where you can lose yourself. As you trek each corner and the unique mountains continually protrude from the horizon, you simply want to proceed for the sake of exploration. Everywhere you look is positively breath-taking.

#4: KINGDOM OF BHUTAN If you want to explore a world vastly different from the one surrounding you locally each day, a trip to Bhutan can be the eyeopening change. With friendly locals, vivid natural settings, inspiring natural light, and plenty of opportunities for adventureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; both of a rugged nature and the more cerebral experience of learning about the monks and monasteriesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it is an excellent choice to help you get off the grid and truly reconnect with the world.

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#5: WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND Featuring both a vibrant lifestyle and stunning natural beauty, Wanaka is a true haven for outdoor people. The potpourri of activities available will keep happy even the most active traveller.

#6: BOHEMIA, CZECH REPUBLIC Getting lost in deep snow in the vast and deserted area of Bohemia is an experience not to be missed. Travelling to this beautiful place brings you away from the frantic chaos of the city into a silent wonderland of wood and moorland.

ymore info: nilsleonhardt.com Instagram: @am.basteir www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa Premium Customized Self-Care for the Modern Traveler By Ainsley Schoppel Nestled in the aptly named town of Carefree just outside Scottsdale, Arizona, CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa is a playground of wellbeing in the high Sonoran desert. The destination wellness resort—recently ranked third on Travel + Leisure’s 2020 World’s Best Awards list for “Top 15 Domestic Spas”—invites guests to reconnect and reinvigorate their senses with personalized wellness experiences and empathetic hospitality. Set in nature’s breathtaking vistas, the property boasts a gorgeous cactus garden, an on-site labyrinth, two salt-

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water pools, morning and afternoon grounding rituals, and a courtyard with a medicine wheel featuring a vortex point where guests are encouraged to visit and share their intentions. There is also a variety of meeting spaces available on property for retreats or meetings, with 23,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting areas. CIVANA opened its doors in February 2019 and completed its expansive 22,000-square-foot spa later that year. Although it closed for several months due to the pandemic,

CIVANA reopened in September 2020. “We’re very happy to have our doors back open and guests on property once again,” says CIVANA’s Chief Brand Officer, Julia Lavine. To maintain adaptations to current health and safety standards, CIVANA has reimagined its signature wellness offerings to take greater advantage of nature’s inherent capacity for selfhealing; from morning meditation in the rose garden, to twice daily desert hikes (weather permitting), to outdoor sunset spin classes, to sound-bowl and stargazing sessions on the yoga lawn, and more.

Health and wellbeing are the very core of CIVANA, with more than ten wellness classes offered each day. “It’s why we’re here—our mission is to inspire wellness,” says Lavine. “For us that meant creating a wellness resort that invited more into wellness—more people, more choices, more affirmation and celebration, and more unbounded joy and exploration.”

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Centered around a holistic approach to wellbeing, CIVANA’s healing spa treatments, yoga, meditation, fitness classes, and inventive culinary experiences focus on positive change that fosters greater happiness—both physically and mentally. “It’s all part of our ‘happy-plus-healthy’ approach to wellness.

Lavine continues, “Historically, immersive wellness resorts have had incredible offerings, but are often restrictive for travelers. Price point is not always accessible—or ‘prescriptive’—in that there is a set agenda that has to be done each day.” While well-intentioned, these inflexible schedules can become exhausting to maintain and leave travelers feeling obligated to participate in every offering—including hikes before the break of dawn! CIVANA, however, takes a different approach and realizes that people generally have fewer vacation days than they’ve had in the past, and, instead of a wellness experience that is pre-determined by a specific agenda, everyone is on their own unique journey. “At CIVANA, we removed this notion that wellness travel requires a set of finite rules,” says Lavine. “We removed the notion that it needed to be restrictive, prescriptive, or regimented. We intentionally wanted to say ‘hello’ to the idea that sleeping in is just as good for your wellbeing as waking up for that five a.m. hike, and that this is also a vacation—plenty of pool-time and a great margarita are very much smiled upon here.” (For all the hikers out there, there typically is one morning hike available each day that is led by CIVANA staff, and weather permitting, an afternoon hike, as well.) Centered around a holistic approach to wellbeing, CIVANA’s healing spa treatments, yoga, meditation, fitness classes, and inventive culinary experiences focus on positive change that fosters greater happiness—both physically and mentally. “It’s all part of our ‘happy-plus-healthy’ approach to wellness,” Lavine explains. www.facethecurrent.com

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To achieve the wellness of which Lavine speaks, all experiences at CIVANA are supported by the following Four Pillars of Wellness: MOVEMENT An active body is a happy body, and guests are invited to participate in more than a dozen daily complimentary movement and fitness classes. “In its simplest form, we believe that everything we do, think, feel and believe has an effect on our state of wellbeing,” notes Lavine. Lace up for a hike, dangle and reenergize with aerial yoga, try the benefits of myofascial release, and work up a sweat with TRX training.You can even try cycling classes, cardio dance sessions, Total Body Barre, and HIIT—there truly is something for everyone! And if not moving is your idea of wellness, three pools on property offer the opportunity for a dip, a float, and a snack or cocktail—because that’s wellness, too!

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SPA The second pillar of CIVANA is the rejuvenating and healing experiences of the spa. The spa focuses on the critical elements of healing through water, and CIVANA has honored that while also addressing the current health and safety measures of our current times. “We’ve highly curated our spa menu to ensure the safety and wellbeing of guests and team members,” Lavine assures. “Not that there is anything wrong with having a total bliss-out day at the spa, but our spa experience is built around a healing approach to spa therapies,” she explains. “In a normal, COVID-19free world, water-based therapies play such a critical role in our offerings at our spa in our aqua therapy

circuit.” CIVANA’s state-of-the-art spa offers twenty-two treatment rooms, a Watsu therapy pool, twentyfive-meter pool, sundeck, salon, and a wide range of therapeutic and rejuvenating treatments focused on healing through water. Watsu massage is a unique experience where the guest and a CIVANA therapist are in a body-temperature-controlled pool. The therapist uses the weight of the water to gently move and guide the guest’s body to circulate like a traditional massage. While temporarily paused, Watsu will be back on the menu of services once COVID-19 has subsided. Other massage modalities currently available include Swedish soothing massage, pre-natal nurture massage, sports

massage, deep muscle relief massage, and spa reflexology. CIVANA’s aqua therapy circuit encourages guests to take a journey through waters of varying temperatures in the European-designed Knepp hot/ cold wading pool and Tepidarium therapeutic soaking pool. Pause in the KLAFS SANARIUM®—the only one in the continental U.S—to balance yourself, and then find inspiration in the bracing cold deluge shower. Contrast therapy modalities in the circuit are designed to increase circulation and promote relaxation. “As part of every service at the Spa, we encourage all guests to begin or end their journey with this one-of-a-kind experience,” Lavine recommends.

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CIVANA also offers the Essential Marine Oxygen Facial, a signature treatment that features DNA repairing enzymes, pharmaceutical-grade liquid oxygen, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and Vitamin-C for hydrated, balanced, smooth skin. Choose from a heavenly sixty or ninety-minute treatment! Other available unique treatments include reiki, cranial sacral treatment, and a variety of facials. Consult with any CIVANA staff member for assistance in deciding which service is right for you. NOURISHMENT True health is grounded in nature—that’s why the nourishment of cuisine is the third pillar of CIVANA. All food at the resort is sourced from the best local farmers and artisanal growers, and herbs and greens are grown on site in the resort’s garden. CIVANA boasts two dining options led by executive chef Scott Winegard. Winegard possesses extensive experience in both domestic and internationally acclaimed kitchens including Michelin Star Noma (Copenhagen), Nasturtium (Brooklyn), Pure Food & Wine (New York City), and most recently, Farm Spirit (Portland). At CIVANA, Chef Winegard shapes nourishing and hyperseasonal offerings at Seed, the on-site café and specialty market open for breakfast and lunch. Seed’s menu is largely plant-based with many gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, vegan, antiinflammatory, and gut-friendly options. Seed offers options for breakfast and lunch, including salads and nourishing protein additions, a fresh juice bar, and organic coffee. For dinner, the signature destination at CIVANA is Terras, a dining experience offering farm-to-table produce, grass-fed meats, sustainable seafood, and delectable desserts. DISCOVERY At the core of the way in which we understand wellness is CIVANA’s commitment to providing paths of change, growth, and discovery. This element varies with each guest, but the resort offers classes that target internal elements including meditation, yoga, human intelligence building workshops, positive mindset building, and astrology readings. Be it an appreciation of the natural beauty around us, new experiences or relationships, or a deeper understanding of the self, CIVANA will help get you there.

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Using these pillars, CIVANA offers around seventy complimentary wellness experiences each week— approximately ten each day. “Each day we touch on our four domains of wellness,” says Lavine. “We have a core library of offerings as well as seasonal offerings. For example, November and December were dedicated to gratitude and many of our offerings took the shape of different ways to cultivate gratitude.” All resort classes are exclusively for guests, but spa offerings are available to anyone in search of outstanding spa treatments or

services. CIVANA guests will now have access to new classes inspired by the lifestyle teachings of Deepak Chopra and Team, including Ayurvedic Attunement—an experiential workshop focused on the six most important pillars of health and practical tools for leading a healthy and happy life. Chopra has chosen CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa as its new home for all Chopra Whole Health retreats beginning in late fall/early winter of 2020. Whether your version of wellness

is a glass of wine with a friend or meditation on the yoga lawn, CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa provides you with the opportunity to take a break from reality and engage your mind, body, and senses. Wellness may be a moving target at the mercy of the stressors of daily life, but with abundant space and a multitude of thoughtfully curated offerings to spark healthy and positive change, CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa certainly hits the mark.

ymore Info: www.civanacarefree.com www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

Beyond the Borders of Convention:

Life-Changing Treks of Ricardo Braz By Sasha Frate Ricardo Braz is a twenty-five-year-old travel photographer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who is known for remarkable captures—both sweeping and intimate—of Earth’s many corners. Taking pride in traveling to places that most people wouldn’t have on their holiday-destinations lists, Braz has already visited sixty-four countries on five continents and has reveled in some very big adventures along the way. From hiking to the Everest base camp in Nepal, to closely watching an erupting volcano in Guatemala, to scuba diving with manta rays and sharks in the Maldives, to capturing the northern lights in Alaska and Iceland, Braz has established himself as a travel photographer truly in service of our great planet. Braz’s work has also caught the attention of some big brands, landing him gigs with Jeep, Corona, Columbia, Flashpacker Connect, Turo, OMNI Hotels, LensRentals, and Visit Faroe Islands. And, with publication in National Geographic, British Airways magazine, and Conde Nast, Braz has solidified himself as a photographer with a unique eye for natural beauty. Face the Current connected with Ricardo to uncover his inspiration, understand what it’s like to trek to extreme locations, feel his connection to the wildness of nature, and learn some details on his photographer mentorship program. For Braz, traveling is the ultimate way to seek self-development, and it’s his intention to inspire others to step outside of their comfort zones, venture out into the unknown, and open themselves up to the experience of becoming better human beings.

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Sasha Frate: You say you’ve “acquired a taste for exotic countries and cultures—places ninety percent of people wouldn’t think of as a nice holiday destination”. What is it about these places that most wouldn’t consider a “nice holiday” and what about that attracts you to them? Ricardo Braz: I’m sure all places can be considered a nice holiday destination; it just depends on your

personal tastes! I think that with globalization and quick access to information, people, in general, tend to choose the “easiest” destinations to travel to; ones that demand less effort (physically, mentally, and timewise) to get to, ones that you can communicate easily in, and ones that also have great infrastructure. When I mention two days traveling non-stop, an eight-hour drive, three days of hiking, etc, it’s something that scares people. This might be because they have never tried it before or

are not willing to get out of their comfort zone, but that’s what attracts me! I love to try different things and live different experiences to show people that there’s more out there than visiting only the “mainstream” destinations. Those experiences that push me beyond my limits are what shaped me into what I am today: an open-minded person with no fear of trying new things!

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SF: Out of the sixty-four countries you’ve been to, what is one travel experience that you’d say had the greatest impact on changing you in some way? RB: It’s so hard to pick just one! I can’t pick a single country, but a lifechanging trip was when I spent five months in Asia by myself (Jan-Jun 2018). It wasn’t my first time on the continent, but it taught me a lot. It was the beginning of my career in photography and I needed to try new things in life. I quit my job in Brazil and decided to take the trip just a few days after graduating business school. I’ve visited Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, India, Nepal, and Sri

Lanka and met amazing people along the way—some that I still consider good friends. I shot and practiced as much as I could, got my few first clients, and decided that I wanted to do photography for a living. If I hadn’t taken that trip, I probably wouldn’t be doing this interview right now! SF: I’ll admit, even despite living on a couple of the Hawaiian islands for years, one of my biggest fears is of encounters with sharks. What was it like for you to swim with sharks and manta rays in the Maldives, and was there any fear factor for you? RB: I’m a big fan of animals, so I learned that when we’re the ones

visiting their habitats, we should act accordingly and respect it at all times. If we behave correctly next to any animal—do no harm and maintain a safe distance—it’ll be completely safe! And with sharks it’s no different. There are a few species that are quite dangerous indeed, like the great white, the bull, and the tiger, that behave differently than other species and should be avoided when swimming, but the other species are very safe if you follow all the rules. I’ve already had many encounters with different species of sharks (hammerheads, oceanic white tips, whale, nurse, reef) and the thrill is amazing. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to be swimming next to those giants!

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SF: You’ve experienced a lot of extremes, from Everest Base Camp and frigid temps in Alaska and Iceland to erupting volcanoes and Turkmenistan’s “Door to Hell”, a burning crater in the desert. While studies show that warm and cold weather people are completely different, most tend not to seek the extremes. But beyond the thrill of adventure, what is it about experiencing the extremes that you find important or special?

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RB: It’s all about adaptation and I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about adapting to different environments. As an outdoor passionate, I’m always discovering new things about how my body reacts in different circumstances, so I can know how far I can push. This also applies to people: knowing how to adapt to different cultures was super important in terms of opening my mind about many things. SF: You created a beautiful movie called Reconnected. What was the inspiration behind

this and why was the storyline important for you to share? RB: Reconnected was create in June; a difficult month for most people in the world after a long period of isolation. The idea we had was to show people that being in isolation wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; that we could connect with the nature around us in a beautiful way. Those months were the most time I spent home without traveling, so I wanted to share a positive message that happiness could be found close to you in simple places.

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As an outdoor passionate, I’m always discovering new things about how my body reacts in different circumstances, so I can know how far I can push. This also applies to people: knowing how to adapt to different cultures was super important in terms of opening my mind about many things.

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SF: Perhaps similar to your swim to a stunning little island off the coast of Israel in the Dead Sea, can you share a couple of unique/ interesting treks/adventures you’ve had to take to get to your also unique and interesting destinations? RB: I’ve had a few of them, for sure! Once I visited what is considered to be the most remote village in Sri Lanka. To visit Meemure, I needed to take a five-hour train ride followed by a four-hour bus ride and then a two-hour stint in a 4x4 public car. A few local guys I met there had a camping trip planned in Meemure and invited me, so, why not?! It turned out to be one of the most remote places I’ve been—no electricity, phone connection, or infrastructure whatsoever. It was just us, our tents, the food we carried, and our camping gear. It was a very peaceful trip with spectacular waterfalls, mountains, and rice fields everywhere.

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Another great experience I had was solo road-tripping in Kazakhstan. I needed a local person to show me the way to some of the golden dunes I found on Google Maps, and when I got to the entrance of the park, the guides were charging me around 200 dollars for a three-hour round trip to the dunes! That’s crazy expensive for the country, so I knew I was getting scammed. Instead, when I got to my accommodation with a house family, I talked to the owners and they said their kids could show me the way for free. So, I set out to the dunes with two eight-year old kids in my car who only spoke Russian. It turned out to be such a fun adventure and we connected very well despite not

speaking a common language. We blasted some Russian rap in the car, did a photoshoot session, and in the end, I gave them a Brazilian soccer shirt that I had with me and never saw more genuine smiles. SF: You offer mentorship—what does this look like and what might one’s experience be like with you? RB: Yes! That’s a service I offer that I’ve been enjoying a lot. The mentorship is completely adaptable to the client, and it normally starts with a fifteen to twenty-minute conversation for me to understand their goals. From there, I draw a plan

for the three-hour class, and this is normally divided into two sections. I give access to all of my RAW files and presets so the client can edit as a “homework” assignment, and I also request a few images from the client so I can show them some techniques involved in the way that I would edit. I also talk a lot about business, such as reaching out to clients, building a portfolio, delivering files, etc. Social media instruction is also important, including some tips on how to grow on Instagram, plan their feeds, and connect with other creatives. The topics we can talk about are basically endless, so it’s fun to start a new mentorship!

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SF: How do you see travel as a tool that can shape us to become better human beings? RB: For me, it’s all about understanding different people and environments. When you’re in a place for too long (let’s say your hometown or even your country), your reality becomes like a “bubble”. It’s the same kind of people, routine, food, and natural environment. When you travel, new experiences change your mind about an infinite number of topics that you didn’t pay attention to and that might have seemed normal to you when you were home. That’s

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very enriching! Understanding and living other realities makes you reflect on your own life and incorporate new habits that will eventually make you a better person! SF: You have a great eye for capturing scenes—such as your icy scene in Seattle, Washington—that appear as if they’re in far-off lands, but in reality, they are not always all that remote. What are your top scenes that felt like a fairytale or remote landscape but were actually captured in surprisingly close proximity to cities or well-known areas?

When you’re in a place for too long (let’s say your hometown or even your country), your reality becomes like a “bubble”. It’s the same kind of people, routine, food, and natural environment. When you travel, new experiences change your mind about an infinite number of topics that you didn’t pay attention to and that might have seemed normal to you when you were home.

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RB: Before visiting a new place, I always do extended research on it to scout new locations to shoot. This always leads me to new and “undiscovered” places. I actually wrote a guide on Instagram entitled “How to Find Hidden Spots in Your Travels” to show some methods that I use! This temple is located just forty-five minutes outside of Bangkok and it’s still a hidden gem. Millions of people visit the city every year and I bet not even one percent make it there!

This water park is located ten minutes away from the city-center of Hue, in Vietnam, and it’s still a hidden gem, too. www.facethecurrent.com

SF: Can you share a couple of the places you’ve been to or experiences you’ve had where you felt the wildest and most connected to nature? RB: I try to connect with nature in most places I go, so I‘ll choose a few! The wildest and most untouched country I’ve been to was Kyrgyzstan. Nature there is incredibly raw— there is almost no tourism and the people there are very welcoming. It was one of my greatest travel experiences without a doubt and I can’t wait to be back one day. Besides

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that trip, I feel very connected to nature when I go diving. My family and I are very into scuba diving, so we often do liveaboards (when you live on a boat for a week, diving every day). I feel like that’s the closest we can be to nature!

destination for temple-hopping. My favorite ones are still a bit off the grid, such as the dragon temple - the fish temple (this is actually a complex of really amazing temples) in Bangkok, and the amazing “Sky Stupas” in Lampang.

SF: Thailand looks to be a world unto itself through your captures. What are your top three favorite temples to visit, and what is a “mustsee experience” for anyone Thailand-bound?

But Thailand has a lot to offer other than temples! There are beautiful cities all around, incredible parks and mountains in the north, and stunning paradisiacal islands in the south. I’ve been to the country six times now and I already have a big list of places left to visit.

RB: Thailand is such a great

SF: You’ve shared a beautiful memory of connection with a local family in their yurt out in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, where despite not speaking the same language, you laughed and connected over tea and biscuits. With travelling moments like these where we feel that humanity has no borders, it can be challenging to face disparities and divisiveness in the current world. Do you believe sharing more stories like these can have a positive impact in terms of reminding us all that we are one?

RB: Absolutely! The media is flooded with negative messages about a lot of countries, especially in the Middle East, Africa, and “third world countries”. I was born in Brazil, a country with big disparities, and I feel like I’m used to that already. I can see it and accept with other eyes. When we are outside of our country/ comfort zone, we are naturally more open-minded to new conversations with different people, and this leads us to see things differently. It’s about new perspectives, ways of living, simplicity, and unity. That’s the most beautiful thing about traveling, and

your experiences abroad will teach you things that you’ll take for with you when you go back home. I’m just super happy to share these positives experiences with others through social media!

ymore info: www.ricardobrazb.com Instagram: @ricardobrazb

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FtC culture

BioGeometry: A New Science to Understand Ancient Sacred Sites By Doreya Karim Since the dawn of humanity, specific locations on Earth have gained significance as places of power. Renowned for their spiritual importance, these are places of worship, burial, ritual, healing, and enlightenment. Digging in sacred sites around the world reveals remnants of earlier buildings, evidence that one monument was built over another from a previous era. As time passed, and regardless of changes in beliefs, civilizations still chose the same sacred locations for their rituals. These marked sacred sites were commonly located over underground streams that ran through rocky strata with revered water on which many rituals were practiced.

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Megalithic stones were some of the earliest documented methods used to mark these special sites. Usually high in quartz content, huge megalithic menhirs—large, manmade standing stones—were quarried and erected at the center of these sites to amplify and radiate the locations’

remarkable energy. Early settlements and later larger cities were planned and built to revolve around these sites. Sometimes, these megalithic stones were even arranged in patterns to interact with different sky locations or positioned over the power spot in a gate shape known as

a dolmen—a type of single-chamber megalithic gate consisting of two vertical megaliths supporting a large, flat horizontal capstone. With these structures, the openings of the “gate” always pointed east-west in relation to the cycle of the equinox.

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Later in history, dolmens were covered in mounds to form granite chambers for storage, burial, and ritual. Mounded dolmens have evolved from mud construction to brick, and finally to stone. The Pyramids of Giza are the culmination of the dolmen, using sophisticated

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building methods with advanced geometrical, subtle energy and astronomical knowledge to establish a link with sacred power spots in the sky. The secret of the Giza pyramids lies in the energy configuration of the entire Giza Plateau, with pyramids on the centers of the highest energy

locations to amplify the sacred energy within them as well as that of the whole site. This is an important distinction that is often missing among those that construct pyramids with the intention of healing: the pyramid shape amplifies the energy quality under it!

To better understand the inner workings of ancient civilizations, we need to go back and look at humanity’s shift from right brain perception to left brain perception. This shift is evident in the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung who categorized the development of humanity in four stages: primitive man, ancient man, today’s modern man, and emerging contemporary man. Ancient man interacted with the environment through a different, more holistic and intuitive perception than did modern man. Ancient man’s motivations and behaviours were much more closely linked to the laws of nature. Could ancient man sense or see the subtle energy vortices at sacred locations?

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Ancient man interacted with the environment through a different, more holistic and intuitive perception than did modern man. Ancient man’s motivations and behaviours were much more closely linked to the laws of nature. Could ancient man sense or see the subtle energy vortices at sacred locations?

There is a fascinating TED talk entitled “My Stroke of Insight” in which a neuroscientist describes her experience after suffering a stroke in her left hemisphere. Her analytical functions were affected, completely shifting her perception into the right brain. Normal boundaries dissolved between herself and the environment, and she could see her own body blending into the space around her.

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Augurs—priests and officials—used dowsing staffs in Roman times to locate the two spiritual crossings that would form the “navel” of the city. These ancient sciences were completely forgotten as modern humanity’s focus of perception shifted into the left brain.

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As humanity evolved and the door to right brain perception closed, intellectual observation was used to select sacred sites. Augurs—priests and officials— used dowsing staffs in Roman times to locate the two spiritual crossings that would form the “navel” of the city. These ancient sciences were completely forgotten as modern humanity’s focus of perception shifted into the left brain. The resulting consequence was man’s separation from nature and an unchecked increase in electromagnetic radiation and chemicals in our environment whose negative health effects we are still learning about today.

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Standard Water

Water Crystals with BioGeometry Cube in place in the room

BioGeometry is a new environmental science that uses specially calibrated tools to measure, amplify, and recreate the energy quality of Sacred Power Spots. It introduces this harmonizing healing quality using design principles, proportions, and angles to create healthy environments. It is also the only science that has been effectively applied on a wide scale to harmonize the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and geopathic stress (Earth energy grids) on biological systems. Its founder, Dr. Ibrahim Karim D.Sc., spent over forty-five years developing this design language to reproduce the centering energy quality (known as BG3) in architecture and product design. Dr. Karim has also supervised numerous masters and PhD studies, and guided young design students to create products that enhance health and wellbeing by awakening an ancient holistic worldview with a qualitative dimension that brings balance into our modern society.

By bringing this centering quality into our environment—and into bodies that are in constant energy exchange with that environment—we see profound results in improved wellbeing. Utilizing BioGeometry’s architectural approach has demonstrated that by changing their environment, we can raise the serotonin levels of depressed mice as effectively as pharmaceutical drugs. Chickens can be housed and raised in healthy structures free from antibiotics, and sweet potatoes can even be grown with saltwater by using specially designed BioGeometry containers. In his book, The Hidden Messages in Water, Dr. Masaru Emoto conducted experiments showing the way in which consciousness can affect water molecules. Positive emotions and thoughts produced crystalline structures in frozen water samples that were more aesthetically pleasing and geometrically uniform than those samples exposed to negative thoughts and emotions.

Likewise, water samples exposed to BioGeometry shapes produce crystals similar to those that formed when water molecules were subjected to positive emotions. It is essential to acknowledge and work with the subtle energy quality of Sacred Power Spots and to revive the practice of reverence when visiting these sites. Before planning a visit to any location with a Sacred Power Spot, research the history and understand the optimal ways in which to interact with them. This will ensure you have the best opportunity to tap into the available energy and leave a more centered and connected being.

ymore info: www.biogeometry.ca Book: Back to a Future For Mankind Electrosmog Hemberg Project Harmonization with BioGeometry www.facethecurrent.com

FtC music

Finding Freedom with the Metamorphic Musical and Healing Offerings of Poranguí By Sasha Frate “Approaching music from beyond the perspective of an entertainer, but rather as a healer, my intention is always to help move the energy in this space. How can I support this audience, these fellow humans, to shake off their funk and remember what it means to be free and fully expressed; what it means to love and be loved; what it means to be more authentically human?”

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Photo Credit: Arterium

Photo Credit: Axel Hebenstreit

As a live musician, world soul artist and one-man orchestra, Poranguí weaves ancestral songs and indigenous rhythms from around the globe. Born in São José dos Campos, Brazil to two artists—a Brazilian mother and a Chicano father— Poranguí grew up in the cultures of Brazil, Mexico, and the Southwestern U.S., steeped from birth in a richness of musical, healing, and ceremonial traditions. Poranguí creates his performances from scratch using looping technology, and his live grooves range from meditative to dance celebrations, moving the body, lifting the spirit, and transcending the divide between performer and audience. Each musical offering emerges live in the moment, and no set ever replicates the last. In his parallel practice as a therapeutic bodyworker, Poranguí draws on his academic background in neuroscience, his family legacy in the healing arts, and his training

as a licensed massage therapist. His “Myorhythmic Release” technique combines the healing properties of sound, movement, and breath, supporting clients from all backgrounds and health conditions in finding freedom from the limitations and suffering of old patterns and trauma. As a musician proficient in world percussion, guitar, voice, and numerous indigenous instruments including didgeridoo and preColumbian flutes, Poranguí has been featured on albums ranging from Latin jazz to Brazilian batucada, and his musical compositions have been used in independent theatrical and film productions. Last year gave rise to several single releases, remixes, and collaborations, and Poranguí anticipates deeper engagement this year through Music is Medicine (his new educational community platform), retreats, recording time, and refined listening amidst the current changes in the

music industry and the world. The work continues to unfold, and Face the Current had a front row seat for an engaging dialogue with Poranguí about his crafts, his intentions, and his clarified plans for the future. Sasha Frate: What led to your creative and purposeful approach to music? Your music is about transformation and healing and isn’t solely about entertainment. Poranguí: When I was eight, I sat in the dark of my first Temascal (Sweat Lodge) with my mother and watched the warm glow of the stones speak to me as an elder sang a healing song. The anxiety and fear I had felt from the darkness left my body and I began to sense the presence of other unseen beings singing around me. I reached down for the earth beneath me as the hot steam poured over my back. As I opened my eyes, I began to see the sound of the pulsing drum and the voices transform into vibrating colors, and it resonated through my body. www.facethecurrent.com

Years later, as an undergraduate at Duke University, I was DJing fraternity parties to help pay my way through school on scholarship. These were some of the most challenging gigs—I witnessed my peers getting wasted as I spun popular hip-hop hits. I experienced how music was being used as mere content or background noise, and it felt like something was deeply missing. I also began to see how the selection of music and lyrics could induce different states in people, especially when they were under the influence. After my second year, I sold all those records and began a chartered organization at Duke to produce non-alcoholic dance events mixing live and electronic music. It was the beginning of my journey to learn

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how to create more meaningful and, ultimately, transformational experiences for people through music and dance. Parallel to this, I switched my area of study at Duke from pre-med to a self-designed major titled: “Healing Through Music and Dance: Psychological & Cultural Perspectives” and I began bridging my research with life outside of school. I discovered in this time that many of us yearn to feel a meaningful connection to self and other when given the opportunity. When intention and attention are given to how music is presented and created, something else becomes possible—a portal can open and suddenly the listener can be transported. Since that time, I have viscerally understood that sound (and its

counterpart: movement) are fundamental to our wellbeing as humans. Our ancestors knew this, and we can find evidence of music and dance used for healing in every culture around the world since long before recorded history. When masterfully woven with intention and care, the vibrational properties of music can help loosen and liberate parts of our bodies (physical, emotional, energetic) that modern medicine still struggles to address. Unfortunately, like many things, a great deal of the music in our world today has fallen victim to capitalism. Hence much of the “popular” music is made with the intention to sell, distract, numb, and even promote violence and division. This is also largely happening subliminally.

Sound (and its counterpart: movement) are fundamental to our wellbeing as humans. Our ancestors knew this, and we can find evidence of music and dance used for healing in every culture around the world since long before recorded history. When masterfully woven with intention and care, the vibrational properties of music can help loosen and liberate parts of our bodies (physical, emotional, energetic) that modern medicine still struggles to address.

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Photo Credit: Kelsey Erin Sky

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All my live performances are improvised in dialogue with the audience, the energy in a given space, and the unseen. The audience informs and co-creates the music in the moment with me. What I do can be entertaining, yet the depth of what I truly offer is transformational for those willing to dive deeper with me.

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Amidst all this noise, I knew early on in my journey as a sound carrier and storyteller that I must dedicate my work to creating more beauty in the world, first by listening and then by getting out of the way while asking how I can contribute grace to the moment and enrich life with my offering. Sometimes the answer is simply silence and other times it is a symphony of sound. Either way, the guiding intention provides a possibility that those touched by the sound can experience a lasting positive change, instead of simply having more content to be consumed. To this end, all my live performances are improvised in dialogue with the audience, the energy in a given space, and the unseen. The audience informs and co-creates the music in the moment with me. What I do can be entertaining, yet the depth of what I truly offer is transformational for

those willing to dive deeper with me. SF: You’ve said, “I’ve come to understand there’s a song within us all. And if we can learn to truly listen, to get out of the way, out of our minds, egos, and judgments, then anything is possible.” What do you see as our greatest barrier to listening and getting out of the mind, ego, and judgments, and what are some of your favorite ways to access and experience this? Poranguí: I find that our greatest barrier comes down to presence. By this I mean our ability to be fully in the present moment—the eternal “now”. Most of us spend our days hijacked by the mind’s thoughts of the future and memories of the past. We get so “in our heads” with all the doing that we completely miss the

power and gift of being in the now. Our heart only lives in the now, and it is perhaps our best bridge back to the now. Beat by beat it resonates life through every cell, inviting us to be present to the dance of now. Our technology doesn’t help the situation either. Everything around us in the modern human world wants to take our attention and distract us from what is truly important, and it often convinces us to buy something we don’t need. Cultivating our ability to be more present may be one of the most important things we can do in this life. There are many paths up this mountain, but a couple of my favorites are meditation and music. Mindfulness practices like Vipassana meditation are relatively simple to get into no matter one’s ideological www.facethecurrent.com

background. It has helped me cultivate presence through silence and stillness, whereas music has brought presence through sound and movement. For me, playing in these two ends of the spectrum offers a vast gradient of rich experiences to aid in becoming a better human and steward of our Mother Earth. I find that the depth of expression in my music and presence with each note is far more potent when I have spent time listening to the silence between the notes. SF: You have some unique elements in your performance, including a one-of-a-kind looping rig and solo multiinstrumentalism. How did you develop these aspects of your performance and why did you choose to showcase them? PoranguĂ: For years I directed a ten-piece Afro-Brazilian band and

40 FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE Photo Credit: Cole Hatcher

struggled with how to get such a large ensemble touring on the road. My solo project was born out of necessity when I was asked to play a series of twenty-one shows for four hours each day by myself. I decided it was time to learn how to loop so I could save my voice and create an ensemble of compelling sound by myself, similar to that of the large band. The early days were tough as my rig was purely analog and I had to set up sixteen microphones, a mixer, and countless pedals to capture the thirty-plus instruments I played. With constant refinement and determination to make my massive setup more manageable for touring without sacrificing the diversity of instruments and quality of sound, I developed a custom-built looping rig using Lemur, Ableton, and the help of a programmer. I machined the frame in aluminum and got my entire

setup of gear and instruments down to four cases each (barely avoiding overweight and oversize airline restrictions!). Beyond the practical, several principles served as my guiding light in all of this, beginning with a desire to have the technology be as invisible as possible. I never wanted to look like I was checking email on stage with a computer screen like many of my DJ/producer peers. I also wanted to have all my tools at my fingertips so I could essentially paint with sound and improvise, moving in any direction while keeping an intimate connection to the music and the audience. Finally, I wanted to truly bridge the worlds of ancient and modern by creating everything in the moment from organic instruments rather than using stems or samples. Each song I create is improvisational and completely from scratch for

Photo Credit: Mollie Hull

(and with) those who are present, seen, and unseen. For me, there is something sacred in this process where anything can happen. There is a risk involved that pushes me to let go and surrender to the Spirit of music. The greater my ability to get out of the way and simply serve the music, the more powerful and palpable the prayer of the performance. SF: Your “Myorhythmic Release” technique combines the healing properties of sound, movement, and breath. How have you supported clients from all backgrounds and health conditions through this technique, and can you explain how it works? Poranguí: This approach to bodywork was born out of years of study and practice under the guidance of my grandmother who was a gifted Sobadora from Mexico and many incredible teachers from the lineages of Ida Rolf, Structural Integration, Traeger, and Chinese Traditional Medicine.

Similar to my relationship and approach with music, I have found that profound transformational healing can take place through the combination of creating an impeccable container of a safe sacred space, listening deeply, and getting out of the way. Fundamentally, we are all bodies of water with the capacity to resonate in both harmonious (healthy) and dissonant (unhealthy) ways. Our modern lives are often full of external and internal forces that result in greater dissonance and traumas. By bringing my full presence to listen to what another’s body is needing to support their own inherent ability to heal and selforganize, I’m able to communicate somatically and encourage transformational results.

The first fundamental part of this technique is tracking the quality of the breath and aligning my breath to theirs. This allows me to embody a level of sensitivity and empathy as I work, wherein I rarely have to

speak as the body communicates everything. Our body holds memories of traumas even if our mind has long forgotten. The next level of the technique is tapping into the Myofascial system of the body which is essentially the inner-web. This tissue is what holds everything in place innervating our muscular, skeletal, and lymphatic systems. Once I start working with this web, I am able to support things releasing in distant parts of the body without physically touching them. Lastly, I layer different forms of vibration into the body using my hands, instruments, and a vibro-acoustic table which supports rapid unwinding and trauma release. Much like creating music, this modality of bodywork is a dialogue expressing the inexpressible through the soma of our bodies with the essential ingredient being presence. Most of us have never experienced this kind of (non-sexual) pure presence from another, and often that alone is incredibly healing. www.facethecurrent.com

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Every instrument I work with has a story and a soul. They each carry DNA from diverse traditions which I do my best to honor when weaving together songs.

SF: What are some of the techniques, tools, instruments, etc. that you incorporate into your music to bridge ancestral with modern? Poranguí: Every instrument I work with has a story and a soul. They each carry DNA from diverse traditions which I do my best to honor when weaving together songs. One example is the Dan-moi— the Vietnamese Jaw Harp—which I first received when I was eighteen. I spent a semester teaching English at a UN experimental school in Hanoi and I was gifted a brass version of the instrument from a teacher. I later discovered it was made from a sixty-millimeter bullet casing. It turns out the traditional material of bamboo was replaced with brass as there was an excess of brass shells following the Vietnam War. To this day I am deeply moved by the resilience exemplified in this instrument and a people who found a way to create beauty out of such a tool of destruction.

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When I play it, I invoke this resilience into the music bringing with it the sonic timbre of a primordial synthesizer while using my mouth to emulate a modern vocoder. I might build an entire song around this single instrument and allow its ancestry to speak through my own. SF: In what ways has growing up immersed in the cultures of Brazil, Mexico, and the Southwestern U.S. influenced your music, practices, and traditions? Poranguí: Truly, in every way imaginable. If I had to narrow it down, the pearl of growing up in multiple cultures was receiving the gift of seeing and appreciating the world through diverse lenses. Each cultural lens and cosmology offers its own unique perspective on a common human experience in life. Rather than seeing differences between worldviews with prejudice or disdain, I found that I appreciate that all are somehow equally valid. I find comfort in the paradox and love the messiness of the human experience.

42 FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE Photo Credit: Cole Hatcher

Being steeped in different cultures also enables me to see the strengths and shortcomings of culture itself and better examine how capitalism and globalization continue to colonize our thinking and perceptions of identity. These deeper questions of identity and power also inform my ethos around music as a form of activism. I believe it’s imperative to make music that honors our collective ancestry and celebrates its diversity while inviting us to live in right relation to ourselves, one another, and the Earth. SF: You do a lot of projects and collaborations with your partner, Ashley, including facilitating transformational retreats. Can you share some of the highlights of working in relationship and collaboration, and perhaps one

of the challenges you’ve faced together along the way? Poranguí: Being in a co-creatorship with my beloved, Ashley, continues to be one of the greatest gifts and greatest challenges of my life. Touring and working together puts us in some of the most beautiful and stressful situations all around the world. We get to be mirrors for one another and help the other see the blind spots that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. It’s been ten years now, and we both enjoy that it’s still a work in progress. She often says, “Life would be boring if we didn’t always have new problems to solve together and grand adventures to journey on.” One of the greatest strengths we share is our commitment to

the mission of being in service to authentic expression, healing, and the Earth herself. United by this greater purpose, we can always set down whatever is personally aggravating us when we walk on stage. The offering of our love informs and infuses the music and often transmutes whatever isn’t serving this mission. SF:Throughout your interdisciplinary career, you’ve also been recognized as a “Teaching Artist”, helping learners to explore their inherent and often untapped creativity and musicality, using the arts to build resiliency and community. What is something that you have learned from this experience as a teacher?

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The pearl of growing up in multiple cultures was receiving the gift of seeing and appreciating the world through diverse lenses. Each cultural lens and cosmology offers its own unique perspective on a common human experience in life. Rather than seeing differences between worldviews with prejudice or disdain, I found that I appreciate that all are somehow equally valid. I find comfort in the paradox and love the messiness of the human experience.

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Photo Credit: Arterium

Poranguí: Through teaching, we find greater mastery that applies to all of life. Teaching is all about being generous.You have to give not only of your knowledge, but your presence and compassion. Teaching is another form of improvisation for me where I get to read the energy in the room of students and find the best way to translate what begins as a mental concept into a somatic embodiment. This is an incredible alchemy that requires me to be flexible and willing to take risks, often teaching something in a completely new way. As much as I love performing to incredible audiences around the world, nothing inspires me as much as witnessing a student having a breakthrough.

connection, learning from peers, and exploring the many facets of how music can heal and transform us. It is a living experiment and I see it continuing to grow to encompass other artists and facilitators inspired by these topics. Within the free platform, there are paid tiers that include benefits such as online live-stream classes where I dive into topics that support members’ musicality and development. We’re finding that people are making meaningful connections with their peers, and it’s uniting the global community that we have had the privilege of connecting with over the years. It’s a new offering for us and we’re excited to see how it evolves and grows!

SF: What is your online community experience like and what do the classes entail?

SF: How is your personal practice of Vipassana meditation impacting and/or being reflected in your music?

Poranguí: The Music is Medicine community is a curated, ad-free space for inspiring positivity, building

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Poranguí: My Vipassana meditation practice has been invaluable in

teaching me to listen from the absolute depths of presence. In stillness and silence, I find that my ability to hear more subtlety can expand. Cultivating my awareness to perceive the most subtle and sublime increases my capacity to express many fold. The bonus is that I naturally get more bandwidth to stay more connected to my heart and take action from loving-kindness as opposed to the default programs of ambition, greed, pride, and fame. The positive impact in not only my music but also my life is immeasurable. SF: You describe your art as “that of holding space”. A beautiful and altruistic practice, do you believe this is something we can all learn to do more often for one another, or do you see it as something more like an “art” in which one may be more or less “talented” or “skilled”? Why would you describe this art as “sacred”?

The Music is Medicine community is a curated, ad-free space for inspiring positivity, building connection, learning from peers, and exploring the many facets of how music can heal and transform us. It is a living experiment and I see it continuing to grow to encompass other artists and facilitators inspired by these topics. 44 FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE Photo Credit: Joe Delfaria

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Poranguí: I would have to say “both/ and”. I believe learning to hold space is something any of us can do and really must do in order to cultivate becoming a better relative. When I say “better relative”, I don’t mean simply to our blood relations, but rather to all living things. Some may already have a natural propensity, but similar to training our ears to hear more nuanced sounds, there is a capacity to develop this muscle.. Doing so supports anyone in becoming more present to the magic of life and ultimately helps them to live more fully. This is needed now more than ever with our technology and the inherent advertisers undermining our awareness. SF: Can you share anything from your work that is unfolding in the coming year(s) that we can be on the lookout for?

Poranguí: There are a number of new musical works in progress including several collaborations that this past year has allowed me to dive into. I’m excited to share that there is one more edition of remixes (by Mose) from my live, self-titled album on the way, and I’ve begun a process of mixing and releasing singles from songs birthed during my monthly live Medicine Stream online concert. I’ve also begun an exciting partnership with a new healing center based in Austin, Texas called Kuya Institute for Transformational Medicine. Amani Friend (of Desert Dwellers and Liquid Bloom) and I are creating custom soundtracks for healing

sessions that we’ll eventually be able to share with the public. My partner, Ashley, and I will continue to offer Music is Medicine retreats for intimate groups to support individuals in awakening their voice and musicality. We’re also planning a special extended experience in Brazil to take a group to our roots and some of our teachers there. We can’t wait to share that magic. Lastly, I was also able to collaborate this past year in creating a retreat specifically for men that involves both music and “men’s work” examining and healing our relationship to self, the feminine, and the earth. We tested it out with a group of fellow musicians and look forward to sharing it with the greater community next year.

ymore info: www.porangui.com

Photo Credit: Cole Hatcher

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FtC music

AWAKEN: New Album From Lee Harris & Davor Bozic By Chris Assaad For more than a decade, Lee Harris has been prolific in creating and offering a vast array of the purest and most potent transformational content to the world and to his beloved global community of sensitives, empaths, and spiritual travelers.

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Anyone who is familiar with Lee’s work will attest to the fact that he is a beacon of light and love, a steady presence and guiding force, and a voice of comfort and reassurance for those he is devoted to serving. At a time on the planet when many have been struggling to find their way amidst great uncertainty and to navigate unprecedented rapid change, Lee has been quietly and steadily preparing to deliver a most timely and much-needed gift to the world. On November 20th, 2020, AWAKEN—the latest musical collaboration from Lee Harris and Davor Bozic—was released into the world and is now available for listeners’ journeying pleasure. The

album, tuned to the frequency of 528Hz, “the miracle note”, might indeed be just that for anyone seeking a healing balm for their heavy heart and weary soul. AWAKEN opens with an enchanting instrumental intro, initially clothed in the sounds of vinyl record player static—a juxtaposition that mirrors the distracting “noises” of our present reality that can sometimes obscure the deeper truths coming to light. The static fades away to highlight the pristine sonic space and heartopening tones that are distinctively displayed on the album, offering us a perfect preview of what’s in store for the musical journey ahead. The first song, “Roads To Forever”, is

a captivating piano-driven ballad that draws the listener into an intimate space in which it feels as though Lee is speaking directly to us, offering that familiar, trusted voice of comfort and reassurance, and a soft place to land. The title track, “Awaken”, poignantly speaks to the tall task we are currently facing, as humanity collectively confronts the impact of our past choices and as we move towards and birth a new Earth. Set against a compelling musical backdrop that reveals more of the rich, eclectic palette and diversity of sounds featured throughout the album, Lee’s voice resonates as an invitation to rise to the occasion, and as a call to action that bears a palpable sense of immediacy. www.facethecurrent.com

From there, the journey of AWAKEN continues to invite and lovingly guide listeners into the depths of our own experience and inner world, while speaking directly to the external challenges and realities we are all currently navigating in what Lee describes as “a very tender year on Earth”. Throughout the ten-track album, Lee’s message is greatly enhanced by his willingness to share and express from within the vulnerability and harvested wisdom of his own lived experiences. This is most evident on “To Live Another Day”, a courageously intimate lyric and personal song about the recent passing of his father.

Sharing his inspiration and hope for the way in which AWAKEN will be experienced and received by listeners, Lee spoke to this balance and the beautiful dance between personal and universal themes woven into the album. “We see our music as transformational music—music to feel with and become more conscious through.The lyrics are often informed by what our community members of several thousand worldwide are experiencing in their life journeys. Other times, they are more personal. So, the album holds an intimate personal space, and also a wide focus on us as humanity.”

There is no question that Lee and Davor have hit that mark and far exceeded it with this creation. AWAKEN is an album of healing music, a collection of songs for the heart and soul, and a soundtrack for the spiritual seeker journeying home and navigating the full humanity of this moment in history. That said, this is a transformational music offering unlike any other. Lee and Davor show range and a willingness to stretch the sonic palette and instrumentation wellbeyond anything we’ve heard before with genre-bending boldness. From the edgy electric guitars and soulful background vocals on “Awaken”, to the haunting horns, exotic sounds, and tribal chants on “All Who Walk The Earth”, and everything in between, this album stands in a musical space of its own. AWAKEN is a coming-of-age of Lee and Davor’s musical partnership, and a ripening of the longstanding creative collaboration between two masters of their crafts. Davor’s production is fully alive and finely attuned to the depth and subtleties of Lee’s stunning melodies and soul-stirring lyrical messages. This is apparent in the evocative swell of cinematic soundscapes alongside Lee’s soaring, multi-layered vocals and uplifting chorus arrangements. It is also present in the quieter moments, where the slightest sonic touches and infusions of colour perfectly complement Lee’s softly-sung, soothing whispers and powerfully gentle delivery. Over the many years of devoted service spanning his incredibly vast body of work, Lee Harris has been described as a transformational leader, an intuitive guide, and a renaissance man. With AWAKEN, we can definitively add healing artist and mystical musician to the list.

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We see our music as transformational music—music to feel with and become more conscious through. The lyrics are often informed by what our community members of several thousand worldwide are experiencing in their life journeys. Other times, they are more personal. So, the album holds an intimate personal space, and also a wide focus on us as humanity.

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ymore info: awakenalbum.com www.leeharrisenergy.com www.facethecurrent.com

FtC sports

Finding Fitness at Home

A Nomadic Athlete’s Adaptation to Locked-Down Life By Molly Hurford This time last year, I would have sworn on my stack of running shoes that I was living my best, healthiest life. I was in Costa Rica running barefoot on a beach, drinking water straight out of coconuts and doing poolside yoga every morning. Two weeks later, I’d be heading to Spain to a favorite cycling destination, Girona, where I’d coach cycling camps and run in the foothills for four straight months. These destinations were scenic and charming, and best of all, they let me push the limits of my training as a trail runner.

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And then, the world shut down.

that this slower time could be used by athletically inclined people as a Borders and airports started to close, chance to work on technical skills, and isolations, quarantine periods, nutrition, mental preparation, and and lockdowns soon followed. After rest. “This detraining period helps forty-eight tense hours, we were athletes recover injuries that have finally on a plane heading back to been irritating, strengthen energy our home in Ontario, and I started supplies, rest more, and practice to worry what the next year of my relaxation techniques,” they wrote. life would look like.Visions of couch“The physical and mental rest will potato-dom danced in my head and support athletes against burnout I felt a few claustrophobic pangs. when the sport returns.” Chasing good weather for training and coaching, and my decade-long Of course, this applies to professional love of the nomadic lifestyle ended athletes who are typically training overnight. over twenty hours each week. Even still, I think a lot of it is applicable Looking back at the last eight months, to the rest of us—the adventurers; the irony is that despite not doing the athletes who juggle full-time sprints on a beach in a different part work with a part-time love of their of the world, I’m healthier than I’ve sport. If you love mountain biking ever been. That could be because—as and have been dreaming of taking an editorial from two researchers in part in a stage race like the BC Bike the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine Race in Canada, or going on a rugged pointed out—this time away from mountain bike tour of the best trails race days and big goals may actually in Costa Rica, this pause may be the benefit athletes. The authors noted

chance to work on slow-speed skills in your backyard or local park so that when you can get to the big events, you’re more technically prepared. In fact, whether you’re trapped indoors because of quarantine or because of inclement weather this winter, you can always work on honing your mechanical skills. When your tire flats halfway through your next race, you will know how to fix it. It’s a shift in perspective, for sure, and it’s not an easy one—especially now that we’re nearly a year into the pandemic. When lockdowns began last March, it was easier to take an optimistic view and “use the time to better ourselves”. People picked up hobbies ranging from needlepoint to road biking, and despite the dire situation, the messaging seemed to be, “Let’s better ourselves! Learn a new language, start a new business, make every meal from scratch!”

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To log consistent mileage every day; to actually stretch and pause every morning; to break that work report into manageable chunks spread out over two months; to actually eat more vegetables at every single meal? That’s where the magic happens, but it’s not very sexy.

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twenty-mile radius from my home. I didn’t need to take on new projects or new challenges, I needed to shift my focus to healthy habits that supported my long-term goals. Between traveling ten months out of the year, regularly racing, and shifting between writing projects and coaching camps, it was something I’d never been able to do before. For the first time in over a decade, the opportunity to create an actual daily routine was right in front of me, yet I was struggling to start. Honestly, it’s easy to put in a few huge efforts—those big training camps where you pump out miles of running or riding; those few days where you do yoga and meditate twice a day for forty minutes apiece; those marathon work sessions where you pull all-nighters to pump out the report that’s due on Friday; that week you went hardcore vegan. But to log consistent mileage every day; to actually stretch and pause every morning; to break that work report into manageable chunks spread out over two months; to actually eat more vegetables at every single meal? That’s where the magic happens, but it’s not very sexy.

As the months have worn on, it has become harder and harder to keep the optimism alive, and the narrative shift has downgraded to “just get through it”. I understand that completely. It’s exhausting to continually think of ways that we “should” be better. In fact, when I spoke to sports psychology expert, Dr. Alison Pope-

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Rhodius, she warned me that even using the word “should” is a slippery slope into despair and bad-feelingterritory. She was right: A few months into the pandemic, my “should-ing” brain and battered body hit a wall. I had maxed out the daily miles I could run and the weekly words I could write, and I was more overworked and over-trained than I’d ever been— despite not traveling outside of a

As someone who loves a charming makeover montage, the allure of a daily at-home routine just doesn’t cut it. At least, it didn’t feel like it would until I forced myself to try it. The results weren’t instantaneous, but they did come, and without twentyfive-hour training weeks, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. I realized that in order to speed up, I needed to slow down. If you can make room in your daily life, here are a few things that helped me to shift my health for the better:

Stock up on sleep. When we first came home in March, this was an easy one, because frankly, we were exhausted. But by July, I noticed that we were almost always pouring a second glass of wine and cueing up “just one more” episode on Netflix. The result was an hour or two less sleep each night, made even more restless thanks to the wine consumption. The fix was simple, though not very fun to implement: we abided by a set bedtime (no matter where we happened to be in a season of a new show!) and a weekly limit on wine. Figure out new movement habits. While an hour of yoga every morning is unrealistic, ten minutes of a quick flow feels doable and it’s an early win to start the day feeling healthy. (Don’t have ten minutes? Just do one minute of Sun Salutations or planks when you stand up out of bed. It’s a game changer, I promise.) We also bought a cheap doorway pull-up bar, and every time I pass under it, I do one or two pull-ups. Or, if I’m not feeling particularly strong, I hang from the bar and activate my core. We also walk every day, even if it’s just an extra five minutes around the block. Add a vegetable to every plate. When you aren’t always on the go, driving to and from work, or travelling to far-off destinations, it is much easier to slip spinach into your eggs or smoothie in the morning, eat a hearty salad for lunch, and stir-fry a huge pan of veggies with protein for dinner. Vegetable consumption is the simplest, most effective healthy eating habit out there. Stop making excuses. I know there are plenty of people right now who have valid reasons for not being active, not properly eating, and not getting adequate sleep. Medical professionals, front line workers, and parents tasked with remote-schooling four kids while trying to keep up with a full-time job have packed and stressful schedules. Our current global situation isn’t changing anytime soon, but you can. I’ve seen people make huge strides in the last eight months because opportunities were taken away. When the gyms and restaurants closed, my younger sister dropped seventy-five pounds because she started running instead of driving to the gym to half-heartedly lift weights once a week, and she now makes all of her own meals instead of consistently dining out.You don’t have to pick up a new sport, learn a new language, or create a new business. But, can you add a vegetable, do a pushup, and just move more, in whatever way feels good to you? Start right now—and when you can travel to those far-flung montage-worthy destinations, you’ll be ready.

ymore info: www.consummateathlete.com www.facethecurrent.com

FtC sports

Becoming a Consummate Athlete Tired of training and not getting wins? Are you lacking motivation? Do you feel that you just don’t have enough time to “do it all”? Are you longing for that time in your life when sport felt fun? A new guidebook to athletic habits and success by endurance sport author Molly Hurford and longtime coach Peter Glassford, Becoming a Consummate Athlete brings together training, nutrition, recovery, gear, and so much more to create an optimal lifestyle for athletes. If you’ve been training for an endurance sport like cycling or running but find yourself feeling stuck or not getting the results that you want, your daily habits might be to blame. Being an all-around athletic, healthy human capable of tackling any outdoor adventure—a Consummate Athlete, if you will—takes smart training and thoughtful lifestyle choices.

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In the new book, Becoming a Consummate Athlete, you’ll learn new ways to look at your recovery, fueling, training, record-keeping, and even your gear to help you reach your athletic goals while actually enjoying your healthy lifestyle. Topics Include: • How and why embracing athletic identity is a critical step to healthy habit formation • How to form a habit and make it stick • Recovery habits that will help improve performance, from sleep to visualization • Fueling advice to turn meal prep into an athletic endeavor • Training considerations that prepare you for any adventure, any time • Gear hacks and organizational tricks that make it a breeze to get ready and roll out • Recording techniques that go beyond data collection, actually helping to further your goals • …And of course, what to do when things go sideways

Longtime endurance sport coach and kinesiologist Peter Glassford and his equally athletic wife, author, and fellow coach, Molly Hurford, are going to change the way you view your training. Remember: you are an athlete and you owe it to yourself to start living like one! Becoming a Consummate Athlete hit shelves November fifteenth and can be found on Amazon in print and ebook editions. Check out ConsummateAthlete.com/book for more details! About the Authors Peter Glassford is a Registered Kinesiologist and a Chartered Professional Endurance Coach working predominantly with busy masters/adult endurance athletes. He also consults on bike skills, movement, and training load for groups and clubs world-wide. Peter has competed in many cycling disciplines and has critical personal experience with team sports, running, and triathlons spanning his twentyplus years of coaching. Molly Hurford is a journalist and coach who loves all things cycling, running, nutrition and movementrelated. When not outside, Molly writes about the outdoors and the healthy habits of athletes, and she

conducts interviews with worldclass athletes and scientists. She’s also the author of multiple books including Fuel Your Ride, Saddle, Sore, and the Shred Girls series—a fictional series for middle-grade readers. She coaches running, cycling, and yoga online and IRL, and in her spare time, the former Ironman triathlete and cyclist races ultra-runs on trails. Together, the couple travels around the world hosting camps and clinics, cohosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast, and can be found at ConsummateAthlete.com where they share daily content focused on training smarter.You can also follow @PeterGlassford and @ MollyJHurford on Instagram and Twitter. www.facethecurrent.com

FtC health

Ancient Traditions and Modern Science

Full-Body Wellness and Healing with Sunlighten Saunas By Ainsley Schoppel Saunas and all their iterations have deep historical roots that reach across several countries and many millennia. However, because the word “sauna” is of Finnish origin (it means “earth pit” or “snow pit”), it is most closely associated with Finnish culture. In fact, the oldest-known saunas in Finland were pits dug into a slope in the ground and they were typically covered in animal skins. A fireplace heated stones to a high temperature and water was thrown onto the hot stones to produce steam and create the sensation of increased heat. This general practice has remained a mainstay of Nordic culture, and Finns today own more saunas per capita than any other country in the world. Finland is also currently ranked the happiest country in the world. Cozy coincidence? While the classic sauna design—relying on a wood or gas fire to heat up rocks for a radiating heat—has endured through to current times and is certainly not poised to disappear, modern upgrades have made sauna company Sunlighten an industry-leader in accessible and healing personal saunas.

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For more than a decade, Sunlighten founder, Jason Lincoln Jeffers, suffered from chronic illness. He relied on traditional medicine to manage his condition, but it was only when he discovered infrared saunas that he truly began to heal. Wanting to share this beneficial technology with the world, Jason founded Sunlight Saunas (now Sunlighten) in 1999 to broaden the awareness of the healing power of infrared light treatments with portable saunas.

A passion for technological innovation led to the birth of Solocarbon® infrared technology. With three separate heating elements that also emit near, mid, and far infrared energy at the optimal wavelength, the first-of-itskind carbon heater disrupted the industry by combining high infrared emissivity with large surface area. Sunlighten proved that traditional sauna’s ceramic heaters were a thing of the past. Once their portable

infrared saunas hit the market, testing revealed a statistically significant rise in core body temperature with a Solocarbon® heater. This increase in body temperature is a key component of a deep detoxifying sweat, and a clinical study also showed that regular use of Solocarbon® infrared therapy lowered blood pressure. (The American Heart Association loved this finding and is now partnered with Sunlighten!)

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Scientific research shows that when delivered at the vital wavelength of 880nm, without extreme heat or light, NIR promotes skin renewal, cell health, wound healing, tissue growth, circulation, blood vessel health, sleep quality and daytime energy, and relaxation. It can also decrease fatigue, pain and discomfort, stress, and inflammation.

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You can truly relax knowing that Solocarbon heaters are not only the most effective infrared heater on the market, they are also the safest. Sunlighten’s proprietary heater design produces virtually no electromagnetic field (EMF). When levels are measured inside the sauna around the seating area, EMF levels are virtually undetectable. Sunlighten’s saunas have also been electrically certified to meet safety and performance standards, and they have also been environmentally tested and approved for no off-gassing. Only Sunlighten infrared heaters have been tested by independent engineers

who concluded that their proprietary heating technologies meet the most rigorous standards for safety, emissivity, and power for infrared heater applications. This is one of the reasons why Sunlighten is the number one sauna brand recommended by health experts! In fact, after appearances on The Dr. Oz Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and The Price is Right, Sunlighten’s patented innovation solidified itself as an indemand health and healing product in America. Many professional athletes across the country even use Sunlighten saunas to recover from training sessions and injuries.

When considering which sauna to purchase for yourself, the single most important element to consider is heater emissivity. This determines the efficiency of infrared heat conduction and emission. If a sauna is not efficient at emitting infrared, you will not receive the full health benefits. For example, generic carbon-blend heaters are less than eighty-five percent effective, while Solocarbon® heaters are ninety-five to ninetynine percent efficient at emitting infrared. (If you’re in the market for an infrared sauna, always request emissivity data on the specific heater you are considering!)

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Sunlighten used NASA research to develop an LED array that provides NIR at a singular wavelength with minimal variability and virtually undetectable heat and light.

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Also, proximity matters! The ideal distance from the light source is one to two inches, so cozy on up inside your sauna of choice and soak in the benefits of NIR therapy!

Last year, Sunlighten answered their customers’ call for more near infrared energy, and the current mPulse 3-in-1 saunas now have larger, more powerful LEDs. The mPulse offers full-body absorption with LEDs on all three sides and back walls, and has the capability to target specific areas with larger LED boards positioned next to the body. Near infrared (NIR) is the shortest infrared wavelength and it more effectively penetrates the skin’s surface than mid or far infrared. Wavelengths greater than 900nm do not penetrate as deeply and are absorbed by water, thus reducing the reach to cells within the dermis layer of skin. When delivered at the

optimal therapeutic wavelength of 880nm without extreme heat or light, scientific research has shown that NIR can assist with recharging cells’ mitochondria; cell regeneration; a reduction in body fat, inflammation, and pain; faster wound healing; and anti-aging and collagen production. Near infrared (NIR) light therapy is a form of photobiomodulation that uses invisible, near-infrared wavelengths to deliver energy to cells. Scientific research shows that when delivered at the vital wavelength of 880nm, without extreme heat or light, NIR promotes skin renewal, cell health, wound healing, tissue growth, circulation, blood vessel health, sleep quality and daytime energy,

and relaxation. It can also decrease fatigue, pain and discomfort, stress, and inflammation. So, what’s the big deal with LED lights, anyway? Traditional halogen bulbs do emit some near infrared light, but they produce a broad spectrum of light across the full visible spectrum. However, LED bulbs deliver pure NIR at a singular wavelength and are therefore more effective because they trigger a natural photo-biochemical reaction similar to the way in which plants use chlorophyll to convert sunlight into plant tissue. In fact, Sunlighten used NASA research to develop an LED array that provides NIR at a singular wavelength with minimal variability www.facethecurrent.com

and virtually undetectable heat and light. Because LED does not emit heat, it makes for a very comfortable and enjoyable environment in which to sit and receive therapeutic NIR. Also, proximity matters! The ideal distance from the light source is one to two inches, so cozy on up inside your sauna of choice and soak in the benefits of NIR therapy! Thanks to Sunlighten’s range of infrared light, no matter what you might be looking to heal, improve, ease, or invigorate, a therapeutic sauna session will give you the improvements you seek. For instance, mid-infrared spectrum best penetrates joints and improves flexibility, far infrared therapy helps with muscle soreness, and near infrared helps with tissue

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regeneration. Infrared penetration can help reduce blood sugar and increase blood flow and perspiration, and because sweating is one of the body’s safest and most natural ways to heal and maintain good health, toxic heavy metals, drug residues, and hormone disruptors can be naturally released. Just like a fever, heating the body from the inside can also improve immune function and stave off common illnesses like colds and the flu. Thanks to the increase in blood flow, inflammation will decrease along with aches and pains, including those associated with fibromyalgia and autoimmune conditions. Sluggish metabolisms will also see a boost and improvement in fat-burning for energy production. Increasing core body heat can also increase caloric burn and

eliminate toxins that contribute to fat storage. The elevation in core body temperature produces an increase in blood flow that mirrors the benefits of a passive cardio workout, and heat-shock responses are like exercises that help your body function as new. This can improve skin renewal and slow down aging. And just like after exercise, you’ll also enjoy the endorphin release and accompanying refreshing relaxation. In fact, Sunlighten is the first sauna company to recognize the importance of sound to healing and tranquility. With the introduction of Acoustic Resonance Therapy to their sauna experiences, Sunlighten has created a musical massage that brings participants into a deeper state of relaxation.

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Sluggish metabolisms will also see a boost and improvement in fat-burning for energy production. Increasing core body heat can also increase caloric burn and eliminate toxins that contribute to fat storage.

All the amazing technological nuances aside, Sunlighten saunas are purely and simply well made! Hand-selected, eco-friendly wood from premium sources is kiln-dried to add heat and moisture. This process takes weeks but is essential to produce wood that won’t crack. On top of the functionality, you’ll also get a stunning product because Sunlighten matches the color, hue, and grain-direction of each piece of wood to ensure that every single sauna is visually beautiful. The framework is constructed with one hundred percent solid, non-toxic wood, making it twice the weight of any competitor’s saunas, and the exterior is sealed with a natural finish. Flush design elements add to an unparalleled level of detail, accented by Magne-Seal—Sunlighten’s patented magnetic locking system that eliminates unsightly clips, buckles, and screws. Hidden magnets in the sauna walls snap together, making set-up and take-down a quick and easy process. This system also creates a better seal between the walls than traditional fasteners, ensuring heat stays in and cold air stays out. And, the lifespan of the wood is extended as the magnetic system prevents untimely cracking and warping by allowing the wood to expand and contract as the sauna heats and cools. For a moment of rejuvenation and rest, invest in your mental and physical health, connect with the traditions of our collective past, and enjoy the technology of our present in a Sunlighten sauna. Whatever you’re looking for—healing, relaxation, a quiet moment, a soothing sound—Sunlighten Saunas literally has you covered.

ymore info: www.sunlighten.com

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FtC health

Arnica: Nature’s Essential Remedy For Life’s Bumps and Bruises By Lisa Guy, naturopath and founder of Bodhi Organic Tea If there is one natural remedy that everyone should have in their medicinal cabinet, it would have to be arnica. This brilliant herb—which can be taken internally as a homeopathic remedy or used topically as a balm—is a must-have in your natural first aid kit and is the first remedy you should think of in a first aid situation when there’s been an injury from a fall or blow. Arnica is one of the most popular homeopathic remedies used worldwide because of its effectiveness in reducing and preventing bruising, swelling, and pain. It is also a popular natural remedy for parents to treat their children’s playground bumps and bruises, and for athletes and gym goers to help ease muscle soreness after a heavy training session.

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The Healing Herb Arnica Montana Arnica montana—also known as arnica flower, Leopard’s bane, and mountain tobacco—is a yelloworange flowering herb that looks very similar to a daisy and belongs to the sunflower family Asteraceae. There are several species of arnica, however arnica montana is the type commonly used for medicinal purposes. Arnica primarily grows in Alpine meadows throughout Europe and the mountains of Siberia, and it can also be sparsely found in Mexico, Canada, and the northern United States. According to European folklore, arnica’s medicinal benefits were first discovered by shepherds who observed mountain goats foraging for arnica plants after they had fallen. Locals then starting topically using arnica salve to treat their bruises. Arnica flowers have a long history of use as a healing herb and

homeopathic remedy dating back to the early sixteenth century. It was a popular German folk remedy for healing bruises, muscle aches and pains, inflammation, and wounds. Hahnemann, the founding father of homeopathy, published his findings of arnica in 1805 using homeopathic preparations of arnica to treat inflammation caused by muscle injuries such as sprains, strains, and blunt trauma. (1) Arnica Preparations Health food stores and pharmacies stock a variety of arnica preparations and it is commonly available as either a homeopathic preparation or as an ointment, gel, or balm that can be topically applied.

Homeopathic Arnica Homeopathy is a system of complementary medicine that uses highly diluted, minute doses of plants, minerals, and other natural substances to stimulate the body’s own natural healing capabilities to treat ailments. Homeopathic remedies come in the form of small sugar pillules that dissolve under the tongue or as a liquid given in drop dosages. One dose is measured as either two pillules under your tongue or five drops of liquid under the tongue.

Because arnica can only be taken internally as a highly diluted homeopathic remedy and not as a whole herb or tea due to its potential toxicity, caution but be taken. Homeopathic arnica, however, is safe for oral use.

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Homeopathic remedies are offered in different strengths or potencies which are represented by certain numbers and letters, such as 6x, 30c, and 200c. The “x” means that the remedy has been diluted to a factor of ten and the “c” indicates it has been diluted to a factor of one hundred. So, for example, 200c is more dilute than 6x. Unlike allopathic medicines, the more dilute the homeopathic remedy, the more powerful or higher the potency it is. Higher potency remedies like 200c should be given less frequently than a lower potency like 30x or 6x. The best potencies of arnica to give after a fall or injury are 30c or 200c, and you should always try to match the intensity of the symptoms to the potency of the remedy. Homeopathic arnica is indicated when there has been an injury, fall, or blow resulting in bruising, swelling, sprains, or strains. When the following signs and symptoms are present, arnica is well indicated: an allover bruised feeling with unberable

levels of discomfort at the mere thought of being touched, desires for isolation, an inability to sit or lie still for long periods of time, extreme restlessness, and the experience of increased pain at night.

Homeopathic arnica is a safe and natural remedy for healing sprains, strains and easing inflammation without the side effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories that can cause damage to the gut lining.

Natural First Aid

Homeopathic arnica has also been found to be beneficial for reducing bruising and swelling from postsurgical trauma, including from labour and delivery, and after dental procedures and cosmetic surgery. (2)

Arnica is one of the top remedies that should be included in any natural first aid kit. If someone has been injured from a knock or fall with presenting bruising or swelling, or a suspected sprain or strain, arnica should be given. A common sign that arnica is recommended is if the person is wanting to be left alone and cannot bear anyone touching them or the injured area. Arnica 30c should be given every fifteen to twenty minutes for up to two hours, or Arnica 200c given every thirty to forty minutes for up to two hours. Medical help should always be sought in the case of serious injury, including concussion and head injuries, and suspected fractures.

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If the bruising and soreness hasn’t improved after a few days of use, discontinue the arnica and look for another better-suited remedy. Children’s bumps and bruises Homeopathic arnica is a safe and natural remedy for kids. It’s a must for all parents to keep on hand when their little ones have falls or get bumps and bruises. A few doses of arnica 30c after a fall can dramatically reduce swelling and can minimise or prevent nasty bruising.

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Arnica is also a staple in natural birth kits to assist with post-partum healing and recovery. Whether you had a natural birth or caesarean, taking arnica after the delivery will help to reduce bruising, swelling, and pain. Take arnica 30c every thirty minutes after labour for two hours, then three times a day for the next three days. Post-exercise Recovery Homeopathic arnica and arnica balms are also excellent remedies for professional athletes, avid runners, and exercisers to keep in their sports bags. A study published in the European Journal of Sport Science found topical arnica to be highly effective for reducing muscle pain in runners when applied immediately after intense exercise and for the following three days. (3)

Skiers and snow boarders should keep a bottle of arnica in their pockets while on the slopes to help prevent leg muscle soreness and to minimise or stop bruising if they have a fall. Outdoor enthusiasts including hikers and rock climbers also benefit from arnicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s muscle soothing and pain-relieving action. Arnica Topical Preparations Arnica balm, ointment, or gel topically applied to sore muscles, strains, and sprains is an excellent way to ease pain and swelling. It is also safe to take homeopathic arnica in conjunction with topical applications. Arnica contains an active compound called helenalin that has potent antiinflammatory properties. Arnica has also been found to be useful for reducing pain associated with arthritis including osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. (4) According to a study published in

Rheumatology International, a gel preparation of arnica tincture was just as effective in relieving hand osteoarthritis pain as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. (5) Arnica gel or balm is also handy to take on camping trips as it can help relieve the pain and itchiness of mosquito and insect bites, and poison oak or ivy. Arnica should not be applied to broken skin or burns and should be avoided if you are allergic to other members of the Asteraceae family which includes ragweed, daisies, marigolds, and chrysanthemums. There are a wide variety of topical arnica gels and balms available from health food stores and pharmacies that are combined with different healing herbs and essential oils. However, arnica is easy to grow at home so you can cheaply make your own arnica infused oils and balms in your kitchen.

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Arnica gel or balm is also handy to take on camping trips as it can help relieve the pain and itchiness of mosquito and insect bites, and poison oak or ivy.

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Natural Birth Kit

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DIY Arnica Infused Oil Arnica infused oil makes a perfect massage oil to relieve sore and tight muscles.You can also use this oil to make soothing arnica balms. You can even add in other healing herbs to your infused oil.Yarrow has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that help speed up healing and minimise bruising. St John’s wort has an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial action that also accelerates healing of injuries from blows and falls and helps improve muscle pain, inflammation, and soreness. When topically applied, St John’s can also be useful for arthritis sufferers. Ingredients: 1 cup dried or fresh arnica flowers 3 tbsp dried or fresh yarrow or St John’s wort (optional) 2 cups oil of choice, or use a combination (olive, sweet almond, jojoba, coconut) 4 capsules of vitamin E oil (to naturally preserve your oil) Method: Place flowers in a double boiler or crock pot. Cover the flowers with oil and stir to make sure all the flowers are completely submerged in the oil. Before adding the flowers, you can crush them with your hands or a spoon or blitz them a little in your food processor so that the flowers breakdown easier and infuse quicker in the oil. Allow the mixture to infuse on low heat covered for 4-6 hours. Allow the oil to cool before straining it through a cheese or muslin cloth, and let it drain into a bowl. Mix through the vitamin E oil then transfer the oil to a sterilised jar or bottle and store it in a cool place.

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DIY Soothing Arnica Balm This balm is made with arnica and essential oils that will help ease muscle pain and tension and help reduce bruising. Use a teaspoon amount and gently massage it into the affected areas three times a day. Ingredients: 2 cups arnica-infused oil (bought or homemade from the recipe above) ½ - ¾ cup beeswax granules 1-40 drops of your choice of essential oil (use one or a combination) *—optional 4 capsules of vitamin E oil (to naturally preserve your balm) *Essential oils beneficial for easing muscle pain and tension, and for reducing inflammation include: wintergreen, peppermint, marjoram, eucalyptus, chamomile, rosemary, yarrow, cypress, lemongrass, juniper, lavender, cyprus, and thyme. Helichrysum is also beneficial for reducing bruising. Method: Place infused oil and beeswax granules in a double boiler and whisk until it’s melted and wellcombined. If you’ve used olive or almond oil, you will have a softer balm and may need to add more beeswax. To test your balm, dip a spoon into the mixture and allow it to set. Remove from the heat and allow your mixture to cool a little before stirring through the vitamin E oil. Pour your mixture into a sterilised jar with a lid to set, and store in a cool place.

References: (1) Lori Zucker, in Complementary Therapies for Physical Therapy 2008.

ymore info: www.artofhealing.com.au www.bodhiorganictea.com

(2) May Loo MD, in Intergrative Medicine for Children 2009, pages 214-216. (3) Kate L Pumpa, Kieran E Fallon et al. The effects of topical Arnica on performance, pain and muscle damage after intense eccentric exercise. Eur J Sport Sci. 2014;14(3):294-300.

(4) Gautam J. Desai DO, Dennis J. et al. Intergrative Medicine (fourth edition), 2018, pg. 697-706. (5) Reto Widrig, Andy Suter, Reinhard Saller, Jorg Melzer. Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study. Rhuematology Int. 2007. Apri;27(6):585-91.

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The Widespread Epidemic of Disease in America A Closer Look at the Over-Consumption of Polyunsaturated Fats By Dr. Jim Bentz The conventional medical orthodoxy pertaining to good and bad fats is rooted in the “dietheart hypothesis”. The concept that there is a causal relationship between diet, serum cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease gave rise to the diet-heart hypothesis nearly seventy years ago. Proving this hypothesis was the goal of Ancel Keys’ research at the University of Minnesota between 1950-1978. Keys conducted the Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73), a double-blind randomized controlled trial designed to test whether replacement of saturated fat with vegetable oil rich in linoleic acid reduces coronary heart disease and

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death by lowering serum cholesterol. Keys’ hypothesis postulated that reducing dietary saturated fat reduces serum cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Today, this concept has been transformed from a hypothesis into public health policy with an emphasis on reducing the intake of dietary saturated fat. Dietary guidelines now caution against eating saturated fats from meat, butter, and eggs, and recommend increasing intake of polyunsaturated fats from plants, nuts, and seeds. These foods are all high in linoleic acid, the primary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA).

In 2011, Christopher Ramsden M.D., a researcher at NIH (National Institute of Health), came across a paper which concluded that replacing saturated fats found in meat and dairy products with vegetable oils did not reduce the risk of coronary heart disease or death. This paper referenced Ancel Keys’ research at the University of Minnesota, but it didn’t contain enough actual data to be conclusive. Ramsden wondered if there was more data available from Keys’ original research, so he contacted the sons of one of Keys’ principle research partners, Dr. Ivan Frantz of the University of Minnesota, who died in 2009. One of his sons,

Dr. Robert Frantz, a physician at the Mayo Clinic, drove ninety minutes to his childhood home to search file cabinets. On his third trip he spied tattered, unlabeled boxes in the far corner of the basement. Inside were ancient magnetic computer tapes and reams of yellowed documents. The subject line in his ensuing email to Ramsden was “Eureka!” After getting the tapes translated into formats that modern computers could read, Ramsden and his colleagues discovered what had been hidden for nearly half a century: records on 9,423 study participants, ages twenty to ninety-seven, all living in state mental hospitals or nursing homes. It was the largest experiment of its kind. They spent over four years studying this data, and the findings were published in 2016 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Their paper was titled “Re-evaluation

of the traditional dietheart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (196873)”. Ramsden and his team’s extensive analysis of the data led them to conclude that “Available evidence from randomized controlled trials shows that replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes. Findings from the Minnesota Coronary Experiment add to growing evidence that incomplete publication has contributed to overestimation of the benefits of replacing saturated fat with vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid (my emphasis)”. In other words, what Ramsden and his team discovered was that Keys didn’t publish data from the

Minnesota Coronary Experiment that conflicted with his hypothesis. Similar errors of omission were found when researchers analyzed data from another study published by Keys called the Seven Countries Study—an epidemiological study in which he attempted to show that countries consuming less saturated fat had less coronary artery disease. This story is much more than just an interesting side note in scientific history. The ramifications of Keys’ research fueled the single most detrimental change to human health in history. Here’s where this story gets really interesting (and frightening). Keys’ faulty conclusions about the dangers of saturated fats were widely publicized by industrial food processors, namely the margarine industry. They had been having a difficult time convincing people to eat margarine instead of butter,

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The ramifications of Keys’ research fueled the single most detrimental change to human health in history. Keys’ faulty conclusions about the dangers of saturated fats were widely publicized by industrial food processors, namely the margarine industry.

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and so they saw their chance to use Keys’ research to promote the linoleic acid benefits of corn oil margarine. Americans became “fat phobic” almost overnight, convinced that eating meat and eggs caused heart disease. By the early 1970’s the use of margarine and vegetable oils soared while meat and egg consumption declined. The medical establishment followed suit and were soon recommending “low fat diets”, in turn demonizing animal fats as the cause of increasing rates of heart disease. We began to see low-fat processed foods flood the supermarkets and television advertising, promoted as “health foods”. These “foods” are loaded with sugar, salt, corn, wheat, and industrially processed vegetable oils (primarily corn, soy, and canola). I vividly remember driving with my dad from our home in LaCrosse, Wisconsin down the Mississippi river to cross into Iowa. (This would have been in 1964 or 65, because I didn’t yet have my driver’s

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license.) Even my dad, a dedicated meat, butter, and egg eater—and a deer and duck hunter—had heard that these things were suddenly bad for us. This was because the margarine industry was already publicizing Keys’ hypothesis from early research in the 1950’s! In fact, our Iowa journey that day was to pick up margarine of all things, something that couldn’t even be purchased in the Dairy State of Wisconsin because of the strong dairy lobby. We drove back home with the contraband and opened up the cardboard box to find a tub of nasty looking grey oil (corn oil) along with a packet of yellow food coloring which we mixed in to make it look like butter. Then we tasted it and I remember my dad’s disgusted look as he threw it in the trash. Thankfully that was the end of our foray into the world of unsaturated fat. However, millions of others in the United States and around the world weren’t as fortunate. Amidst the

social upheaval and war protests of the 1960’s, there was something insidious happening to our health. As more people began consuming processed vegetable oils, rates of Type II diabetes soared. From only 0.93% of the US population in 1958, 10.5 % of the population currently has the disease in 2020. Even more concerning, 34.5% of the population is classified as pre-diabetic. (National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020 from the CDC). In just over sixty years we went from a diabetes rate of less than 1% to 45%! What’s even more suspicious and disturbing is that obesity, cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autoimmune diseases all showed similar dramatic increases over the same time period. There is now extensive scientific research that points to a common cause for all these diseases, and the culprit is polyunsaturated fats (PUFA’s) from vegetable oils,

In just over sixty years we went from a diabetes rate of less than 1% to 45%! What’s even more suspicious and disturbing is that obesity, cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autoimmune diseases all showed similar dramatic increases over the same time period. There is now extensive scientific research that points to a common cause for all these diseases, and the culprit is polyunsaturated fats (PUFA’s) from vegetable oils, primarily linoleic acid. primarily linoleic acid. Let’s take a look at what science tells us about why these fats could be the driving force behind so many seemingly unrelated diseases. To understand what is happening, we need to look at the differences between saturated and unsaturated fats, and the way in which our bodies burn and store them. Understanding fat metabolism and storage is critical to your health. There are two primary types of fats we get from food: saturated and unsaturated fats. The difference between saturated and unsaturated fat lies in the number of double bonds in the fatty acid chain. Saturated fatty acids lack double bonds between the individual carbon atoms, while unsaturated fatty acids contain at least one double bond in the fatty acid chain. This structural difference determines the way in which your body uses and stores these fats (see below). Saturated fats come from animals and fruits, and

unsaturated fats come from vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature while unsaturated fats are liquid.

These are the important differences you need to understand: Saturated Fats • Are “burned” by mitochondrial respiration to make ATP (energy). • The byproducts of mitochondrial respiration send signals to the fat cells (adipocytes) to resist storing these fats so that they are available for more energy production. • The same signaling molecules also send signals to the hypothalamus for satiety, which turns off the urge to eat more.

• Are easily converted to ketones in the liver to supply our brains and muscles with energy. • Are evolutionarily consistent—our physiology evolved with saturated fats as our primary fat source. • Are known to protect against metabolic syndrome even in the presence of higher carbohydrate consumption. Promote mitochondrial fusion, which increases mitochondrial health and numbers. www.facethecurrent.com

Unsaturated Fats • Are “burned” by mitochondrial respiration to make ATP (energy), but through a different pathway than saturated fats. • This pathway does not produce the same signaling that saturated fats do. Instead, unsaturated fats cause fat cells (adipocytes) to store more fat and increase in size, especially in visceral (belly) fat. • No satiety signaling is sent to the hypothalamus, so we feel hungry after a meal with mostly unsaturated fats. • Are converted to glucose (sugar) in the liver and inhibit ketone production. • Are evolutionarily inconsistent since these fats were very limited in availability to our ancestors.

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• Are known to be a primary driver of metabolic syndrome when consumed with excess carbohydrates. Promote mitochondrial fission, which results in more mitochondrial death. While unsaturated fats, Omega 6 (linoleic acid), and Omega 3 fatty acids do play a role in human health, they are needed only in small amounts. This is consistent with evolution, as these fats were only available in limited quantities until the advent of farming.

Industrial production of polyunsaturated oils such as soy, canola, sunflower, safflower, and corn oils have significantly increased the

amount of polyunsaturated fats (PUFA’s) in our diets. Industrial processing also introduced several types of toxins into these oils as a byproduct of the heating required for extraction. Also, linoleic acid content is ten to twenty times higher in grain-fed factory-farmed chickens, pigs, and cattle. In fact, research shows that the linoleic acid content in human fat has increased by over 136% in the last fifty years, paralleling the rise in obesity,Type II diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autoimmune diseases, reproductive cancers, and macular degeneration, all of which have been linked to excess PUFA consumption. Scientific evidence

now points to the overconsumption of linoleic acid as the primary driver of metabolic syndrome. While an important factor in metabolic syndrome, excess carbohydrate consumption is only a problem if it is also combined with excess PUFA consumption. Processed foods, including many so-called “health foods”, are mostly composed of bad fats, sugar, grains, and salt, and are devastating to our health. Start reading labels and you will see that most processed foods, salad dressings, mayonnaise, etc. contain processed vegetable oils.

• Butter, eggs, and full fat dairy products. • Coconut, olive, and avocado oils. • Tallow and lard from organic grassfed cattle and pasture raised pigs. Sources of polyunsaturated fats (bad in excess) include: • Industrial oils; soy, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn and vegetable oil. Avoid these! Grains, nuts, nut butters, and seeds. Avoid or significantly limit consumption.

For instance, sources of saturated fat (good fats) include:

Margarine and other trans-fats. These are deadly and should never be consumed.

• Animal fat from grass-fed and pasture-raised animal meat and organs.

Omega 3 fats. Needed only in limited quantities. Stop eating processed “foods”!

While linoleic acid is considered to be an essential fatty acid that we need to obtain from dietary sources, it is only needed by our bodies in small amounts and is best obtained from foods like avocadoes, seeds, and nuts. Overconsumption of any polyunsaturated fat is now known to cause many diseases, especially if it is in the form of industrially processed oils. It’s a mind-shift and an eating adjustment that may take some practice and repetition, but we need to stop fearing animal fats and understand that they are actually essential for good health.

ymore info: www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com www.facebook.com/drjimbentz www.facethecurrent.com

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