Mathematics of Life Edition
Issue 07
May 2017
fAce the current TRAVEL & LEISURE
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CULTURE
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MUSIC
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SPORTS & FITNESS
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
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BUSINESS
christopher marley pheromone design & The Art of Symmetry in Nature
World First Explore Geometric Adventurers Wonders of the Turner Twins Test World, Travel Human Limits Myanmar + Roam the Planet With ‘Jenn Explores’
Music Sets the the math of Mood from Immobilityand Chris Assaad creativity to AWOLNATION Dr. Bowman Gets + Summer Vibes With Marbella Emotions
...inspiring positive change in the world
Us Moving & Butzi Awakens Genius
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EDITORIAL
editorial
FtC
fAce the current issue 07 · May 2017
Let’s Get Social... @facethecurrent @facethecurrent
In the Beginning Face the Current was created with the intention to inspire positive change in the world and enhance lives by encouraging one another to relentlessly discover, explore, question and learn from current and emerging information and perspectives. Driven by a deeprooted love of learning, creative minds and a great appreciation for connection with other individuals who are passionate about what they do, Face the Current has quickly developed into a growing team and global community of incredible people who believe in living life to the fullest and discovering their true potential.
“I find it inspiring to connect with others who are following their flow, pursuing and exploring their passions. Their energy is vibrant & contagious and there is often a lot of incredible things to learn from their life experience and the perspectives they have gained.”
Sasha Frate Founder
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sashafrate sasha@facethecurrent.com
FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE
@facethecurrent www.facethecurrent.com For advertisement and sponsor inquiries: David Aiello, Director of Marketing david@facethecurrent.com For writer and contributor inquiries: Sasha Frate, Founder & Co-Editor in Chief sasha@facethecurrent.com All Rights Reserved DISCLAIMER The information provided on this magazine is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Opinions and other statements expressed by the kind souls sharing their viewpoint, users and third parties are theirs alone, not opinions of Face the Current. Content created by third parties is the sole responsibility of the third parties and its accuracy and completeness are not endorsed or guaranteed. Face the Current Website and third parties may provide links to web pages, web sites, and various resources or locations on the web. Face the Current has no control over the information you access via such links, does not endorse that information, and shall not be responsible for it or for the consequences of your use of that information.
FTC OVERVIEW
Face the Current Magazine
(FtC)
is a monthly aspirational, health-focused, lifestyle magazine delivering content on Travel, Culture & Arts, Music, Sports & Fitness, Health, and Business from across the globe. Each month, FtC captivates, facilitates and entertains a global community with inspiring and motivating features on extraordinary people, places and products. It’s a springboard to attaining greater focus, fulfillment & potential – connecting people to issues that matter. Our readers compose a vast and growing community of like-minded individuals who wish to share in a broader, intelligent narrative of imagining, doing and becoming more. FtC makes multi-faceted learning and development accessible, engaging and beneficial. Not just a magazine. Fuel for an inspired life. BE your potential.
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issue 07 · May 2017
fAce the current
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FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE
Sasha Frate
Founder and Co-Editor in Chief 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. Frate 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 on-purpose and to potential.
Eric “Aspen” Marley Co-Editor in Chief
is a writer, teacher and shamanic practitioner living in Central Oregon in a tipi near the Deschutes River. His passion is creating community through indigenous spirituality, namely through the Lakota and Laika/Earth Keeper ways.
Kathleen Johnson Antoñana Editor
Sema Garay
Executive Designer
is a dual Master of Spanish Linguistics, Literature, and Culture as well as of Bilingual Special Education. A voracious student, teacher, writer, and paralegal, Ms. Johnson has dedicated her career to immigration law, translation, non-profit grant writing, and special education in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Johnson is an avid traveler and linguist with a deep love of books, travel, and people.
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 is passionate about all kinds of artistic expressions, especially music and architecture.
David Aiello
Director of Marketing is an author, musician and photographer based in Portland, Oregon. He has worked with Fortune 50 companies to build their global brands but now applies his natural curiosity to exploring and documenting the world around him.
letter from the editor Mathematics, when used with a singular verb is defined as: The systematic treatment of magnitude, relationships between figures and forms and relations between quantities expressed symbolically. Math can be a mystifying system. In the schoolhouse experience for many of us, it was something to be avoided, a language toward which reason turned a blind eye. Asked why it can be so difficult to wrap the mind around it, we might have responded with a complaint about its applicability to our lives. We may have endorsed numbers only as being useful in relation to other numbers, or a way to quantify our wants and needs. Other than that, what’s the point? The mathematics in and of life is actually profound when we pause to dissect the innumerable ways that it exists in and around us, and in creation of what we are yet incapable of perceiving with any of our senses. In this edition of Face the Current, we explore the relationship of mathematics to life. It turns out, as we’ve been told at least once upon a time: math is everywhere. It expresses itself everywhere, in almost every facet of life - in nature all around us, and in the technologies in our hands. Our cover story features worldwide Pheromone Design phenomenon, Christopher Marley. His art is not only colorfully captivating but celebrates the geometric matrix that extends within and between species and spaces. Finding symmetrical relationships in the most unlikely of places, he makes sense of the mathematics of life and creates new visual expressions that demonstrate this. His recent NY Times bestseller, “Biophilia” was only the beginning. Mathematics isn’t always about finding relationships between different values, however. Sometimes X=X, as worldwide explorers and identical twins Hugo and Ross Turner show us.Their record-breaking exploits in the name of research, adventure, and philanthropy illustrate the calculus of persistence and the limits of the human body. Speaking of persistence, Karoline and Frank Neville-Hamilton have translated 4,000 years of yoga history into a diagrammed map that is The Yoga Poster for the beginner and advanced yogi alike. Dr. Bowman teaches us the math of immobility, revealing the breakdown in numbers of what it really equates to when we lead sedentary lives. Dr. Bentz exposes the very real statistics on Digital Dementia, and the takeaway might quickly coincide with the motivation to get moving with adventure travel that climbs the highest peak of Africa, explores geometric wonders of the world, takes you to Myanmar, and also roaming the world with Jennifer Fast. Butzi reinforces Einstein’s belief that we are all geniuses, and tells how we can awaken this innate ability for creativity. Creative genius becomes evident in our interview with colorblind artist Shawn Stucky, and in music with talented musicians and DJs who inspire, motivate, and set the mood from Chris Assaad to Awolnation and good summer vibes with Marbella Emotions. With all these stories and more … we may understand math yet!
Eric Marley Co-Editor in Chief
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may
CREW We are a growing team of Up-
Jesse Weinberg is Founder of Global Yodel Media Group, a content, influencer and social marketing agency, Global Yodel a digital community that explores the globe from a local perspective and Kindness & Co dedicated to starting a movement of kindness. You can visit Jesse at: www.globalyodelmediagroup.com T: @stuffJWsays
Dr. James Bentz D.PSc. is a Chiropractor, Speaker, Health Coach & Educator, Trainer & Leading Practitioner in Neurological Integration System (NIS), which is a method of restoring communication between the brain and body based on the principle that the brain monitors every cell in the body. www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com
standers whose intention is to create positive change in the world, through networking, connecting, supporting and developing at an individual and global community level. We are passionate about building our network of experts and industry leaders to deliver cutting edge information to our global community.
Lisa Skube is a former US NorAM skier turned information advocate, carving up digital experience design & scaling press sustainability, a social change architect. She is the founder of JournalismAccelerator.com a trainer, coach and consultant unifying public good plus revenue @journaccel @lskube & beyond instagram @skube2U2
This month’s Team and Crew are based in the U.S. and Europe.
Dr. Jim Collins
known as “Redtail,” is the author of the forthcoming book The Stone Teachings: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. A psychologist and transformational life coach, he is a teacher of the “sacred path” and an adept initiate of both Lakota and Inka medicine lineages. www.PowerforTransformation.com
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Danny McGee
is an adventure photographer / filmmaker based out of Colorado. For the past 3 years he has traveled all around the world taking photos and making films. His goal is to not only share his vision of the world, but to inspire people to get out and explore it for themselves. http://dannyemcgee.com Instagram: @dannyemcgee
Michael Malone
Joshua Phillips
is an American Comedian, Actor, Director, & Podcaster. His popular comedy podcast “Punched Up” explores the stories behind the comedians you love. Michael writes on “Great Comedians. Great Stories. Told Differently.” www.malonecomedy.com Social: @malonecomedy
is a Naturopathic physician, musician and educator, and is the director of Hawthorn Healing Arts Center in Bend, Oregon. In many ways, his lifelong passion for music has informed his work and inspiration as a physician, teaching patients that living creatively always means greater health and vitality. In addition to holistic primary care, his center in Bend also offers regular classes and workshops for personal growth, selfcare and transformation. http://www.hawthorncenter.com/
George Bullard
is a 4x world record-breaking explorer, endurance athlete and motivational speaker. George has been guiding expeditions in the Amazon rainforest, the Indian subcontinent, the Greenland Icecap, Svalbard, cycling across Europe, driving through NW Africa amongst others. Now George completes his own expeditions as well as running a company IGO Adventures. http://igoadventures.com http://georgebullard.co.uk Instagram: @georgebullardexplorer
Dr. Vaughn Bowman is a board certified Naturopathic Physician licensed in the state of Connecticut. For nearly two decades he has treated patients of all ages with a myriad of different conditions from the common cold to debilitating autoimmune conditions. The goal is to always locate the underlying cause for any one illness rather than treat superficial symptoms and by doing so Dr. Bowman has led many patients back to health. drvbowman.com
Nick Cisik
is a graduate of New York University where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He has enjoyed performing as an actor and musician in New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Nick currently resides in northern California where he enjoys the peace and privacy of mountain life. It is here that he is free to read, write, and travel all the while reaping the benefits of clean living and moderate craft beer consumption.
David Ryan
David is a celebrity trainer in Los Angeles, California and creator of LIFTSTRONG Max Intensity Interval Training. You can get your own personalized HIIT program at www. DavidRyanFitness.com Instagram: @DavidRyanFitness
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CONTENT issue 07 · issue 2017
COVER stories
CHRISTOPHER MARLEY 32 Pheromone Design & The Art of Symmetry in Nature
PYRAMIDS REMAIN GEOMETRIC WONDERS OF THE WORLD 18
Might You Uncover the Mysteries?
WORLD FIRST ADVENTURERS
Turner Twins Test Human Limits 74
INTO THE RAW & PURE OF MYANMAR 110 MUSIC SETS THE MOOD FROM CHRIS ASSAAD TO AWOLNATION + Summer Vibes With Marbella Emotions 54
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ROAM THE PLANET WITH ‘JENN EXPLORES’ 22
may CONTENT L VE RE A TR ISU E &L
RE
TU
L CU
IC US
M
s rt s o sp nes it &f & th g l n a he lbei l we ss
bu
e sin
12.
Into The Raw & Pure Of Myanmar
18.
Pyramids Remain Geometric Wonders Of The World: Might You Uncover The Mysteries?
22.
Jenn Explores: Travel Bloopers, Starry Nights, And How Nature Saves People
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The Quickening
32.
Christopher Marley: Pheromone Design & The Art Of Symmetry In Nature
38.
Butzi Unveils How To Awaken Your Creative Genius
44.
Colorful Visions Through The Eyes Of Distinguished Colorblind Artist Shawn Stucky
50.
Five Minutes Or Less
52.
May’s Word Play
56.
Chris Assaad On Release Of I Won’t Die
64.
Awolnation: Ethos And Pathos
68.
Marbella Emotions. Facing The Summer Chart
70.
Is Music Playing In Our DNA?
74.
World First Adventurers: The Turner Twins Test Human Limits
86.
Africa’s Best Kept Secret: Climbing Mt. Kenya
90.
The Yoga Poster: 4,000 Years Of History On One Page
94.
Liftstrong Shoulder Routine
98.
Digital Dementia: The Dark Side Of Technology
102. Doctor’s Rx: Sing, Paint, Or Play Music Every Day 104.
The Math Of Immobility: 11 Reasons To Avoid Being Sedentary
108. Natural Solutions To Cramps: Beyond Hydration 114.
Life’s Container: Coffee, Tradition, And Surf
118.
Nomadics Tipis A Business Of Ethical Accountability
124.
The Secrets To Influencer Marketing Success. Volume 2
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FtC fAce the current
TRAVEL 12. 18. 22. 26. 10
Into The Raw & Pure Of Myanmar Pyramids Remain Geometric Wonders Of The World: Might You Uncover The Mysteries? Jenn Explores: Travel Bloopers, starry Nights, And How Nature Saves People The Quickening
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THE WORLD’S VESSELS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Vercoe has been in business since 1989 serving the needs of boaters worldwide from our offices in Portland, Oregon and Maui, Hawaii. www.vercoeyachtsales.com
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FtC travel
Into the Raw & Pure of
MYANMAR
Southeast Asia has become a haven for tourists from all over the world, mostly due to its low cost, beautiful natural scenery and ease of travel. Backpackers travel through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos without the challenges common in other parts of the world, thanks to a thoughtful infrastructure that facilitates it. Around every corner there are travel agencies begging travelers to let them book a hotel, bus ticket, day tour or any number of activities. While this kind of travel is fun, I was craving something different. I wanted something more “raw,” something purer. And I found it.
By Adventure Photographer Danny McGee
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There is one Southeast Asian country that has held out against the forces of tourism. That country is Myanmar. It is the largest country in Southeast Asia, but most of the land is still off-limits to traveling. It’s worthy of note that there are still large amounts of social and political turbulence pulsing through the country. After all, it was only opened to the western world in 2010. This has allowed it to maintain its culture, its people and its way of life isolated from the influences of the 21st century. Now that the gates are open it is going to change extremely rapidly, as we’ve seen in other parts of the world. I wanted to
be a spectator to this show that is on its final few acts; to see the country through a clear window before that window is smeared by the advance of Western culture. The adventure begins the instant the traveler touches down in one of the three international airports. The country is so new to tourism that it hasn’t yet the capacity to accommodate large amounts of travelers. Finding and getting to places can be just as big of an adventure as exploring the place itself. Local buses, often featuring over twenty passengers in
a van meant for two-thirds that number, are a mandatory means of travel. But, as any seasoned traveler knows, experiences like this are part of the adventure: it keeps things interesting and gives a taste of how the locals live. Finding accommodations is easy enough, but be prepared to stay at one of the government approved hotels / hostels. The hotels are extremely hospitable and the people are some of the friendliest people on the planet. We could barely walk around without someone yelling, “Hello!” Unexpectedly, the beds were by far the most comfortable beds I slept on the entire trip.
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Myanmar undoubtedly is a treasure trove of incredible cultural and religious sites, but if you take a few steps off the beaten path, incredible natural beauty can be found as well. This waterfall is called Anisaken Falls, and is just a few hours drive away from Mandalay. There were a few locals, but I was the only foreigner there. One of the highlights of any trip to Myanmar is visiting Bagan. The draw of Bagan is the fact that, littered throughout the city, are over 2,200 temples and pagodas built from the 9th to the 13th century. The city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, which was the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later become modern Myanmar. Most of the structures can be freely explored. I marveled at the different statues, murals and architecture.
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After arriving in Mandalay, I headed north to a town called Hsipaw where I heard it was possible to go jungle trekking out to small villages in the surrounding mountains. That was exactly what I was looking for. Once I got to town it was easy enough to track down a guide, and the next three days ended up being some of the best and most rewarding days of my entire Southeast Asian adventure. We covered over 30 miles through desert plains, pine tree studded forests and thick jungle. Spending time away from the honking horns and constant chatter of city life was a refreshing change. It’s a much simpler life in the jungle. As we moved through it, our guide would randomly disappear into the trees and, minutes later, reappear with something that he claimed would make a great meal. Most of the time, we had absolutely no idea what we were eating, but that’s part of the experience. www.facethecurrent.com
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Getting out of my comfort zone, trying new things and really investing myself in the culture by which I’m surrounded is one of the reasons I travel. The nights were spent sitting around the fire talking about life in Myanmar. Swapping stories with someone who virtually could not live in a different world is another of my favorite things to do while abroad. It bridges the gap between cultures and forces foreigners to take a look at their own lives from an outside perspective. The more differences I notice, the more I realize that, in the end, we are all the same. The villages we visited rarely saw tourists. As we strolled through them, everyone dropped what they were doing to look at us. But once the initial excitement died down we could see just how these people lived. Small bamboo huts made up the majority of the buildings. Surrounding the villages were field upon field of tea leaves. Cows roamed freely around the town. The people were entirely self-sufficient, growing their own food and trading with neighboring villages for the goods they couldn’t produce.
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Myanmar was undoubtedly a culture shock. It was difficult get around and didn’t have any comforts of home, but it was the most rewarding travel experience of my life. In other parts of the world, experiences like this have slowly become extinct. As in so many parts of the world, the culture is slowly dwindling and generational knowledge isn’t passed on. It’s amazing to see that places like this are still out there. But in time, it will become Westernized and the culture will slowly fade. We are in the closing door of a world where a traveler can still feel like an explorer. Raw and pure travel experiences are still out there. All we have to do is seek them.
yMore info: http://dannyemcgee.com Instagram @dannyemcgee www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC travel
Pyramids
Remain Geometric Wonders of the World:
Might You Uncover the Mysteries? By Kathleen Johnson Antoñana
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We live in the Information Age. For many of us, this means we have the ability to access information within seconds. This includes information about cuttingedge innovations, the latest ‘trending,’ on people, places, and things, in addition to any information we might want to access about ages past. Our access to information is limitless, as is our appetite to discover it and mimic or recreate what applies to our modern lives. How easy is it nowadays to travel vicariously through others’ adventures and learn about far off places on the internet? Some examples of these might be the wondrous geometric shapes that comprise structures like the Great Pyramids of Egypt and Latin America, Stonehenge, as well as prolific crop circles. Even a session on the couch in front of a documentary can whet one’s appetite to go and behold the mystery of these enigmatic structures. With our modern virtual abilities, we can often explore these mysteries while staying cozied up on your couches. However, given our ability to travel to remote and distant locations to seek
adventure and deepen our knowledge for ourselves, more and more of us are opting for first-hand experience. Upon first consideration, many might assume that humans had discovered all there is to learn about the ancient structures of the world. Alas – or maybe fortunately for the explorers - we have not. Mysteries still abound regarding these incredible wonders of the world. Why not venture out to see if you can’t just solve any of these mysteries yourself? On the surface, the facts that are the most obvious include the who, what, where, and why of these phenomena. But what of the how? More directly, how were these complex structures planned and built using only manual labor and rudimentary tools? In times and cultures of relative societal isolation - where information was disseminated at a glacial pace (compared to our current reality) - how were so many different cultures able to create these structures?
Almost anyone can recognize the most pervasive and highly-recognizable geometric structures of the ancient world, the Great Pyramids of Giza. Weighing 6.5 million tons and built from slave labor, these structures are believed to have been the final resting places of the dynastic Pharaohs built at the beginning of the fourth century A.D. and throughout the third and fourth Dynasties of the Old Kingdom. The purpose of these monuments was not only to celebrate and preserve, but also to act as place of worship as the Pharaohs transitioned from Horus, the living incarnation of the God of Wisdom and Battle and son of the SunGod, Ra, to Osiris, God of the Dead. The pyramid, with its smoothed and angled surface, was symbolic of the sun’s smooth rays and was meant to assist the spirit of the Pharaoh to ascend to heaven to join their gods. Amidst the rich cultural and spiritual significance that permeated life in Egypt, it is the sheer mathematical audacity of the Egyptian’s work that makes experts and amateurs marvel: how did these ancient civilizations make these massive www.facethecurrent.com
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places of worship so geometrically perfect? By contrast, the pyramids of Latin America, built 1000 B.C. and 400 B.C. depending on the region, served to give housing to various deities, as opposed to being tombs for the dead. While these secrets might be encapsulated within the pyramids themselves, there are new pyramids that are piquing many ablebodied explorers’ interests. Hopefully, the trip to Egypt to see what remains of the ancient and great pyramids hasn’t been booked yet! There are other pyramids around the world that are worth exploring as well - including the Balkan pyramids. While there is controversy about the legitimacy
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of the claim that the ancient pyramids of Bosnia are man-made homages to the moon (as opposed to natural structures similar to the flatirons of Colorado in the United States), it is perhaps the claims made about the altered state of matter within the man-made modern pyramids of Russia that call attention. The purpose of the Russian pyramids is vastly different to those from antiquity as they serve no religious function. Built exclusively from fiberglass in 1990 by Dr. Alexander Golod, PhD., according to his organization’s data: “…the largest is standing an incredible 144 feet high (44 meters) tall, and weighing in at over 55 tons.” The cost was over 1 million dollars to build what they have termed as a “modern wonder.” Most intriguing, perhaps, are the claims that have
been made about the Russian structures, of which there are a total of twenty in eight various locations. These claims include improved immune system of organisms (blood leukocyte composition increased) and improved regeneration of tissue, as well as the assertion that seeds stored in the pyramid for 1-5 days showed a 30-100% increase in yield. Whether it is the Balkan pyramids and structures or the Great Pyramids of Giza, it is the mathematics associated with these structures that make the sceptic into a believer, or at least instilling desire in the curious to see them with their own eyes. Stonehenge and crop circles are the UK’s version of this world focus on geometric shapes capturing varied emotions, from
wonder and appreciation to cynicism and doubt. About 800,000 people visit Stonehenge annually to stand amidst the stone that comprises this monument, including President Barak Obama. Built between 2,500 BC and 3,000 BC, this site is said to have functioned as a cremation cemetery. Thousands of visitors also visit crop circles when they do crop up, regardless of the debate as to who is building them and for what purpose. Whether in search of the facts or simply appeasing your sense of wanderlust, pick one or explore them all. Adventure awaits.
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FtC travel
JENN
EXPLORES Travel Bloopers, Starry Nights, and How Nature Saves People Interview By Sasha Frate
“
I am in love with our big, beautiful world, and I’m most alive when I am out there exploring it, capturing moments with my camera along the way.
“
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Having spent her childhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Jennifer Fast now feels lucky to call Calgary, Alberta her home, and has for the last 17 years. When your backyard is the majestic Rocky Mountains, it is impossible not to get swept away by their beauty and magic. Fast has been interested in photography ever since she was a child, and what first began as a love for portrait photography, digital art and design, has now blossomed over time into a true love for travel photographing and capturing landscapes.
If there were a quote that best described some of the night scenes you’ve captured, what would it be?
“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” – Sarah Williams. Photographing at night is such a completely different experience than photographing during the day. A camera with a solid sensor and a good low-light lens can capture much more of the night sky than we could ever see with our human eyes. The night sky really comes to life when you capture it with a long exposure. Night photography taught me to be patient and intentional with my photography. It continues to inspire my creativity and reinforces the thought that life is truly beautiful and full of surprises.
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There are moments and places that make us feel so small in the grand scheme of things, and life seem so huge. What is your “takeaway” from these types of experiences? Experiencing amazing and vast landscapes can really put life into perspective. Our individual problems and situations can sometimes overwhelm us and may feel unsurmountable. For me, when I spend time experiencing and photographing grand landscapes, I find it incredibly easy to cancel out all the white noise and become one with nature. When I lose myself in these moments is when I find beauty, harmony and serenity.
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Most memorable travel blooper…? So many weather-related bloopers! The first one that comes to my mind would be last autumn during a hiking weekend in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. My partner and I were on top of The Niblet, photographing sunset over Sunburst Peak. We had a couple of GoPros set up to capture time lapses as we ran around with our tripods, shooting from different angles. All of a sudden, a patch of dark clouds rolled in out of nowhere and it started to lightly rain.
We booked it out of there, knowing we had a potentially muddy 4km hike back down to camp and were loaded with camera gear. I was also wearing my down jacket, completely unprepared for precipitation. Once we climbed all the way down the 4km to the trailhead start, we realized we left the GoPros set up on the top of the mountain! Realizing we couldn’t leave them up there overnight as it was now absolutely pouring and they were set up precariously balanced on a cliff while the wind had started to really pick up, we had to book it BACK UP the mountain again, grab the GoPros, and retreat back down once again… Oops! Needless to say, that was a wet and cold night at camp.
What are some of your favorite adventures? It’s really difficult to choose, but here are just a few: kayaking around mountain lakes in the beautiful Rockies, the numerous amount of beautiful hikes in the Canmore & Banff areas, driving the Icefield Parkway during yellow larch tree season, backcountry camping. Beaches or mountains? Do you have a preference? I actually just asked myself this question while I was in Hawaii last week! I ultimately decided that I need both in my life, in a big way. Living in the mountains with frequent visits to the ocean works for me, but so would living by the ocean with frequent visits to the mountains. I love the mountains
for the adventures: the hikes with sweeping vistas, camping amongst the never-ending forests, discovering hidden alpine lakes. But I love the ocean for relaxation: there is nothing like falling asleep next to the tide with salt in your hair and sun on your shoulders. You quote Christopher Poindexter saying “I urge the small-town children - when you are able, go find buildings and art and mountains and oceans to swallow you whole.They will save you, in a way nothing else can.” In what way do you feel that mountains and oceans can “save” people? I’m a firm believer that we all need nature in our life, for many different reasons:
· As a reminder of how intricate and perfect our natural world is. · As a stress-relief; a place to find solitude and peace. · As a way to reconnect with the source of all life. · As a place to clear our head and gain a new perspective of the bigger picture. · As a place to find creativity and freedom. · And most importantly, as a place to admire and sit amongst pure beauty.
ymore info: http://www.jennexplores.com http://jenniferannephoto.ca Instagram: @jennexplores www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC travel
The Quickening By Dr. Jim “Redtail” Collins Since it was first suggested in 1600 AD by William Gilbert, physician to Queen Elizabeth, that the Earth possesses a magnetic field, its existence has been so well documented that it is generally taken for granted. It is believed to be generated by the rotation of the semi-solid core of the planet within the liquid outer core. It can be measured by various conventional scientific instruments, beginning with the simple magnetic compass.
One aspect of this magnetic field is known as the Schumann Resonance, which has fluctuated between 7 and 8 Hz, a very low frequency (ELF) range. Significantly, it been demonstrated that our brainwaves correspond to the frequency of the Schumann Resonance. Research has demonstrated that when people or animals are shielded from this frequency they become disoriented, disrupting their natural rhythms and bodily functions. Similar symptoms are linked to exposure to electronic smog (high tension lines, computers, televisions, microwaves, cell phones, etc). There is also considerable evidence that variations in the Schumann field are linked to paranormal experiences and the production of the sleep regulating hormone melatonin, as well as to the normal activity of the pineal gland, among other things.
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Aside from this, science has long recognized that the human and animal body also bears characteristics analogous to the electromagnetic character of the planet, although we are no more prepared to acknowledge the existence of the subtle anatomy of the body, as we are to acknowledge the subtle nature of the earth’s energy field. While they are “energetic,” the subtle anatomy of the body (chakras and meridians) as described by the literature in energy medicine are not electromagnetic in the same manner as understood by science. However their existence is welldocumented by research in radiesthesia (dowsing) and ancient forms of healing, and can be demonstrated by the efficacy of such energy healing techniques as acupuncture and shamanic illumination.
Though less well known than the electromagnetism that we can measure with scientific instruments, like the myriad life forms that live here, the Earth herself also has a subtle anatomy. As with the human “meridians” described in energy medicine, the energy of the Earth is channeled through subtle lines of force that many have associated with larger energy grid systems, “tracks” or “nets” found in the dowsing literature and referred to by many names like Currie, Hartmann, Cathie and Russian grids. The most commonly referred to are what are called ley lines, a name coined by Alfred Watkins in 1921 after investigating the phenomenon of apparent straight-line connections between ancient sites across Britain. The “ley lines” traversing the Earth’s surface were known to dowsers well before they were “discovered” by Watkins, and have been known to shamans and mystics of the world for many hundreds of years as the natural energies of the Earth are ingrained in all life. Where these lines intersect are considered places of power where many temples and sacred sites have been traditionally located, as Watkins observed. There are many people who can feel them, hear them or actually see these fields and work with them There are actually many lines of force and grids of energy, both above and below, as well as across the surface of the Earth. Ley lines are merely those channels of energy that are relatively stable and do not change their location. The same is true of the biofield of the human and animal body. We cannot measure the bio-field in the body any more than the Earths lines of force with our scientific instruments. It is noteworthy here that it is impossible to create instruments to measure what we cannot theoretically conceive of, and most scientists are recalcitrant to serious investigation of anomalies that disagree www.facethecurrent.com
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It is however widely accepted by healers and dowsers that the frequency patterns of the earth—the subtle energy and electromagnetic soup we are all bathing in—profoundly affects our health and well-being. Though it is not well-understood, the frequency of the Earth affects our bodies, minds and emotions in a profound way. We have all heard anecdotal stories about animals finding their way home over hundreds of miles, and there is ample scientific evidence of migratory patterns that follow stable lines of energy that certain species appear to use to navigate their way sometimes thousands of miles. We too are profoundly affected in various ways by the frequencies of the Earth’s energy field. Discordant energies are believed to make us sick, which is in evidence by implication of the efficacy of energy healing modalities on a wide variety of illnesses. Shamans, dowsers and energy healers can also detect the presence of these fields and energetic anomalies using
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tools that function as extensions of natural human senses, what some call the second attention (the first attention being our usual reality orientation, which is based on conditioned perceptions). One of the original purposes of the so-called medicine wheels—circles of stone constructed by indigenous societieswere to redirect discordant energies that are considered pathogenic. Discordant fields are thought to affect human biology and cause illness in people whose houses are located directly over these fields. These energies can be sensed and effectively stabilized or redirected by various means. All of this may seem rather obscure, but here’s something really interesting! Many of the shamans and healers I know are noticing that something is happening with regard to these lines and frequencies that may prove to be quite significant to our collective evolution, and may also help
explain some of the chaos that we are experiencing. One of my most respected teachers, a Peruvian shaman, suggests that Mother Earth is trying to get us to evolve (since we are apparently having a hard time getting there by ourselves), and if we don’t make significant progress soon, the planet and everything on it is headed for increasingly difficult scenarios! Also worth noting is that on Easter Sunday, the Schumann Resonance, the “heart-beat” frequency of the Earth that entrains all biological life on the planet, spiked to a new high of 90 Hz. This is quite significant, since this frequency has normally been between 7-8 Hz since it was discovered over 60 years ago. That it occurred on the symbolic day of Easter could also be significant. It has been increasing for several years now. In 2014, the Earth’s resonance spiked between 14-16 Hz periodically, and last year the spikes peaked at 30-40 Hz.
Some have offered the explanation that we are co-creatively resurrecting the so-called “Christ consciousness.” While I am disinclined to this particular interpretation, I do believe it is a harbinger of larger-scale changes and great upheaval of life as we have know it. Perhaps it is a sign of the increasing frequency of human consciousness, though that may not seem at all apparent at first glance, given the chaos in the world at this time that would suggest de-evolution instead. Be that as it may, it is an encouraging notion that we may be evolving beyond the limited frequency range in which we have been “imprisoned”
for so long. Or it may mean something else. Maybe the Earth is going crazy like so many of the human population appear to be. While nobody really knows for certain, it seems as though the Earth is shifting or “quickening,” as some would say, to a higher frequency, and very likely entraining our minds and hearts to shift along with it. I am taking that as good news, and a counter-point to the prevalence of bad news overwhelming us of late. I believe it is worth our consideration and a hopeful sign.
ymore info: Dr. Jim Collins, known as “Redtail,” is the author of the forthcoming book The Stone Teachings: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. A psychologist and transformational life coach, he is a teacher of the “sacred path” and an adept initiate of both Lakota and Inka medicine lineages. He can be reached through his website at www.PowerforTransformation.com www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC fAce the current
culture
32. Christopher Marley: Pheromone Design & The Art Of Symmetry In Nature 38. Butzi Unveils How To Awaken Your Creative Genius 44. Colorful Visions Through The Eyes Of Distinguished Colorblind Artist Shawn Stucky 50. Five Minutes Or Less 52. May’s Word Play
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FtC culture
christopher marley pheromone design & The Art of Symmetry in Nature Interview By Eric Marley Life on this planet takes form in a seemingly endless array of shapes and patterns. When we observe nature and the incredible variety of creatures that habitate this earth, we might begin to recognize a beauty that goes beyond the existence and purpose of the creature alone,to the symmetries and colors that adorn them. Christopher Marley has become an expert on discovering this symmetry, identifying an art in nature and creating works of art from them. He has worked with well over 10,000 specimens to produce stunning works of art that have been featured all over the world from Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, to the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University- the oldest natural history museum in North America; and from the homes of celebrities like Beyonce and Guillermo del Toro, to Marley’s own recent New York Times Bestseller “Biophilia.”
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Notable individual collectors are as widely varied - the president and CEO of Nike, Beyonce, Guillermo del Toro, Tory Burch. It’s the instinct we’ve embedded to affiliate with non-human life that drives such a varied audience to my work.
Where are some of the notable places and people that have featured your art? In other words, who LOVES Pheromone Design? I’ve been honored that a wide, incongruous, and sometimes odd swath of society has taken an interest in my work. It’s a tribute to the universality of the biophilia phenomenon. When an obscure artist is getting media attention from the science, art, design, interiors, political, children’s, conservation, poetry, academic, fashion, jewelry, gun, AND AfricanAmerican women’s sectors, you know something larger than that person’s work is in play. Notable individual collectors are as widely varied - the president and CEO of Nike, Beyonce, Guillermo del Toro, Tory Burch - not much of a throughline. It’s the instinct we’ve embedded to affiliate with non-human life that drives such a varied audience to my work. I’m one of the beneficiaries of our love for the natural world that transcends most of the identifiers that divide us elsewhere. Your interest in the subject of your art is apparent in the intricate detail of each piece you produce. What led you to choose nature as the subject and focal point for your art? It was a bit of a circuitous path, but I’ve loved both art and nature for as long as I can remember. I feel I was pre-programmed to do what I do. I’m unemployable otherwise. You started out working mainly with the insect world. What was next? I started with insects in spite of an antipathy for them for a reason that even I didn’t understand for years. Again, it’s the power of biodiversity. This is the chief element driving both my passion and most of my audience’s interest. The drive to discover, to experience something new, fresh, exciting. The mysteries and obscurities nature holds are as compelling as her more universally appreciated elements. Nowhere is this more embodied than in the insect realm where untold millions of species thrive in virtually every ecosystem imaginable. There’s literally no end of discovery in sight. www.facethecurrent.com
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It’s the power of biodiversity. This is the chief element driving both my passion and most of my audience’s interest. The drive to discover, to experience something new, fresh, exciting. The mysteries and obscurities nature holds are as compelling as her more universally appreciated elements. In fact, my associates are discovering dozens of new species every year. I’ve been able to be a small part of that and it’s always thrilling. Your art obviously uses specimens that are no longer alive. Are people ever concerned that your art may endanger the future viability of the species represented within it? What do you tell them? My audience often has, and should have, legitimate questions about my sourcing. As I mentioned, all of my vertebrates are reclaimed in one way or another. Quarantine facilities, breeders, museums, importers and aquariums are the most common sources. This is one way my work remains environmentally cost neutral. However, invertebrate ecology and conservation is approached wholly differently because in almost every case, the chief threat to invertebrate
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populations, especially insects, is loss or contamination to habitat or host plant. As the bottom of the food chain, insects survive in spite of being hunted by nearly every organism in the forest because of their ability to reproduce in frightening numbers. So, as long as their habitat and host plant population is healthy, the insect population is healthy. The challenge here is balancing the needs of local humans with the needs of the non-human organisms in a healthy environment. We help people to have a way to make their living off a healthy standing ecosystem by collecting a sustainable forest resource rather than having to convert it into ranches or farmland - which can and does decimate insect populations. In many cases, the value of a minute fraction of the insects in a given area can help justify the preservation of the environment that entire population needs to survive. Do you collect all or any of the specimens yourself? What’s the “closest call” you’ve had with any
specimens - or their environments while attempting to collect them? I do collect a small percentage of the insects I work with, but it’s mostly because I’m the only one who really knows what I’m looking for and there’s too much insect diversity to just leave it to chance with the locals I work with. I’ve had a few scary experiences, but mostly with army ants, leaches and intestinal parasites. Nothing really sexy. I’m not brave, compared to some of my associates. I co-own a studio in Kuala Lumpur because we do so much work in South East Asia and my partner who runs our studio there, Dennon Ng, is fearless in a way I can’t hope to ever be. Frequently when we’re driving in the jungle he’ll slam on the brakes and jump out and start digging into any tarantula burrow that he doesn’t recognize. He’s discovered countless new species and even new genera of tarantula. I usually become suddenly absorbed in tamer life forms on the other side of the road. I don’t do arachnids.
Is there an aspect of nature with which you’d like to work, but that is simply too challenging so far? All vertebrates I work with are reclaimed specimens. Usually these are organisms that die in the care of the people or institutions dedicated to their husbandry. On a smaller scale, organisms like by-catch or road kill that are collateral damage in other pursuits. I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t stand to see a majestic albeit dead - organism simply rot away. In no case is this waste more keenly felt than with beached whales or sharks. But talk about challenge; that’s a lot of tissue to preserve. You’re fighting a losing battle against a massive army of scavengers and microorganisms determined to do their jobs. That’s a challenge I haven’t yet figured out how to conquer. What do you love most about your work, and what’s the most challenging aspect you face?
There’s a precise balance I try to achieve between using an element or organism as an art medium and creating an homage to its life and its masterful design. When I do achieve that balance - which is never guaranteed - I feel a sense of
accomplishment that’s invigorating, rewarding and nourishing. When I see that my work is touching others in a similar way, it’s icing on the cake. Alternatively - the minutiae of running a business, fighting ridiculous political battles
so I can continue to pursue my work, 36 hour flights, R & D that doesn’t pan out - the obstacles that drive me nuts are, unfortunately, legion. Tell me about your NY Times bestselling book, “Biophilia.” What do you consider to be most interesting about it? I feel I only scratched the surface with Biophilia. Even as I was composing it I was learning why it was important and how far-reaching its conclusions are. I’m most of the way through its successor and feel that the power of not only the visual relationships in nature, but also their corollaries in natural law is a subject worthy of serious pursuit. I’ve just completed an extensive museum exhibit that I hope will simultaneously shed more light and raise more questions on the subject.
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How do you perceive your connection to nature, in and outside of your work/art? What do you enjoy about nature? My nature connection is a distinct one. I am more interested in the mechanics, architecture and surface treatment of organisms (color, texture, other aesthetic properties) than I am in their life history or mannerisms. I always have been. As such, my interest and relationship with the natural world is more analogous to a professor and his student (the student being myself), than that of lovers or even friends. I know that sounds less touchy-feely than it probably should, but that’s exactly where I think we’ve gone off the rails in humanity’s role within the natural world. We have allowed “proper” relationships with nature to become so narrowly defined that the only acceptable ones are master and servant or infatuated lovers. This is no more desirable than it would be if we were to similarly limit human relationships to one or two acceptable roles.
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Humankind’s relationship with nature needs to be, is meant to be, individual and varied. Without such individuality, we’re forced into two camps that don’t understand each other - those who love nature as proscribed and those who simply aren’t moved that way. It is unfortunate that so many have come to believe that our biophilia exists exclusively for the purpose of making sure that nature remains un-touched. Of course, conservation of nature and her creatures is one of humankind’s critical roles as stewards of our planet, but to assert that it’s the only one of real consequence is to deprive humanity - and more importantly, individuals - of rich, nuanced and healthy relationships of a thousand other facets. I am not one who enjoys relaxing - in or out of nature. I need a job to do, to progress, to learn, or to accomplish something to feel renewal. Even in some of the most exotic locales on earth I need an objective for it to be most enjoyable and renewing. Of the first twenty countries I lived or worked in, I only took photos in only one of them because I didn’t see the point. Documenting my experience was not part of my objective, so it didn’t occur to me. And, frankly, though I missed out on some incredible photographs, I don’t really regret it. When I want to relive the
experience, I’ll go back and do it again. My little brand of psychosis was never more acutely on display than on Mount Trusmadi in Borneo a few years ago. We were at the top of a mountain overlooking one of the most dense jungles on earth and the sun was setting. It was breathtaking. I wanted to force myself to just sit and enjoy it - hornbills flying home, macaques screaming at each other in the trees, giant forest ants emerging to tidy up. But I was unable to do it, even for a few minutes. Invariably, my mind strayed from “how beautiful” to “how can I represent this grandeur to everyone who can’t experience it!” This may be a raging defect, I don’t know. But my unique relationship with nature and her organisms is one of the sources of greatest fulfillment in my life. And I am gratified to find that many others are similarly inspired by the work I do. What’s next for Pheromone? I’ve been working for the past few years on an expansive museum exhibit. I’ve had enough offhand comments from associates and clients in several of the institutions I’ve worked with to think that should be my next endeavor. But it’s truly a “build it and maybe they will come” project. I’ve just wrapped it (and consequently finished most of the next book), but I don’t yet know where it will be seen first. We’re talking to a few top-tier museums already, but as it turns out, it’s not that easy to book a solo exhibition at the Met. Who knew?
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So many have come to believe that our biophilia exists exclusively for the purpose of making sure that nature remains un-touched. Of course, conservation of nature and her creatures is one of humankind’s critical roles as stewards of our planet, but to assert that it’s the only one of real consequence is to deprive humanity - and more importantly, individuals - of rich, nuanced and healthy relationships of a thousand other facets.
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ymore info: https://www.pheromonedesign.com http://biophiliaexhibit.org www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC culture
Butzi Unveils How to
Awaken Your Creative Genius Interview By Sasha Frate
Just where does creativity come from? Can we run out of it, find more of it…? Once we ‘have’ it, is it better to contain it or set it free outside the box? Keynote and TedX Speaker and Magician, Butzi explains. Creativity is for everyone in life and business; it is innate in us, but our tendency to lose it indeed may very well happen over time- if we let it. Butzi shares the importance of creative flow, identifies the obstacles, and sets us on the path to connecting us with our own creative genius.
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Actually 90 to 100% of our creative obstacles are illusions we make up so we can hide our lack of confidence.
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Sasha Frate: Can you share the story behind choosing the name Butzi? How did you come to “be” Butzi, and what is your “real” name? Butzi: The nickname “Butzi” was given to me when I was born because in my mother’s German dialect it means “little one” or “toddler,” and that’s traditionally like what we call the youngest of the family, which was my case for a while. So, even if my real name is “Johannes,” I decided to keep
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the name “Butzi” as a magician and speaker - to keep the spirit that goes with it. My mantra is, “Reawaken the inner child.” Either way, I thought it would be a great way to embody my talk and purpose. So, I didn’t become Butzi, I always was. Which is, by the way, a great metaphor for creativity: we don’t become creative, we are born that way and just lose it a bit over time. What do you believe is the greatest obstacle most people
encounter in tapping into their innate creativity? How do you refer to this obstacle- as a plateau, hitting a wall…? I believe the greatest obstacle is the lack of confidence we have in ourselves. We sabotage ourselves because we don’t believe we can be so great. Michelangelo said: “Lord, free me of myself so I can please you.” He wasn’t freed of someone else, or from an obstacle; he was free of himself. Actually 90 to 100% of our creative
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We don’t become creative, we are born that way and just lose it a bit over time.
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obstacles are illusions we make up so we can hide our lack of confidence. So, even if I don’t believe in God, I believe I can free myself - and so can you. That means you need to do the first step and keep going to learn until the end. One good thing to know is that in creativity you can’t fail, you can only learn from your mistakes. Each time you are blocked or fail to arrive where you thought you would arrive, you learn something else by discovering something else…and you become more creative! From this process, you gain more confidence. If you see it from this angle, you will see it is a virtuous creative circle and that you can only get better by doing and not thinking about some imaginary blocks. Creativity isn’t just for artists, right? Why do you believe it’s important for everyone to have creative flow? Creativity is for everyone. All jobs, ages and levels. Life is creativity. Your parents
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created you. You create solutions every moment. You create breakfast, you create your thoughts, you create moments. Artists create because of the very nature of their job or passion, but it doesn’t make it less important for others to create. Businesses thrive through innovation - and often die without it. Family problems persist because no one takes 5 minutes to say: “Hey, let’s try to create something different.” And don’t get me started on education. It looks like teachers are teaching only knowledge to kids. Education is about what you do with the knowledge. Knowledge is a tool, a weapon you use alongside creativity. And with time, we lost our natural creativity. We started doing the things we do because others do it like that, or just because we were used to doing it like that. But whatever you are doing, wherever you want to go in your life, you can do it better and achieve it faster and in a more pleasant way by using what you know in a smarter way…with creativity.
In your TEDx talk you said to “study kids because they are closer to nature.” What do you mean by this? Stanislavski, the grand master and teacher of modern theater spoke this sentence. I read it one day and the impact was so great that it didn’t hit me instantly. It was like a shock wave that would hit me years later, like a seed that was planted in the center of my brain and that I couldn’t ignore as it was growing. And then I came to understand that everything evolved about this for me.
What did he mean by that? I think he simply meant that kids haven’t had the time yet to be forged by a culture and an education, so they are closer to our natural state, to our primitive state. And, as creativity is natural, it’s one of the things that helped us evolved to who we are today. It means it’s inside of us and we are just blocking it. So, the more we study those little kids, the better we remember how it was to be free of any filters, to create constantly in a free state of mind. Kids have the essence of creativity in them. And if we get it back and mix it with our knowledge and experience, we can create an explosive cocktail. How do you describe a place or space where creating seems effortless? When talking about creativity (and many other subjects), there are a
couple of principles to consider, but there are a lot of things that depend on who you are, too. I’m not the guy who is going to answer: “The woods! The woods are the best place to be to create!” It can be your living room, a circus, a coffee place or the beach, but it’s for you to find what I call, “inspiring factors.” Everyone has to find his or hers. The best thing you can do is to try different things out and break it down to see what elements inspired you in that place. For example, what inspires me is a large space with light. It can be a living room, a coffee place or a terrace - it doesn’t matter. If I’m confined, I think in limited ways. I also love airports because I somehow think I’m freer. But for you, it might be something else. So, experiment with venues, light, music, atmosphere, the people around you when you work and their temperament, and try moving places during the day
for different types of work (creative, business etc.). For example, I love to read in the subway and edit videos at home. I love to write in cafés but I’m too dispersed in my living room. Experiment, notice and compose your own system. Why do you like to use magic as part of your instruction on creativity? Magic helped me shape the way I think today because, outside the fact that it’s an incredible art, it was also a great tool to get me interested in thousands of other subjects: art in general, self-help books, human psychology, marketing and so on. And then I realized it was all magic in some form. So today I want to use it to open other people’s minds to different concepts. Because of its nature, because it’s amusing and mind blowing,
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The more authentically you create, the better it can be and the more they’ll freak out because they don’t the confidence and courage you have to not care about others.
Can you share your perspective on what it means to “think outside the box?” Oh, my. “The box” again. (laughs) First of all, there is a problem with this sentence. It is one of those combinations of words that has been overused and lost its meaning and allure. So, my advice is to try reformulating the question with words that inspire you. When you do this, you understand the concept better. I wrote a book on it, so I’ll try to be brief. Basically, you need to see the box before trying to think outside of
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it opens your attention. It creates a deeper focus and you are more likely to listen to what comes next. It’s also a great metaphor for many subjects: turning the impossible into the possible, daring, creating unforgettable moments and a thousand other things like creativity, life and death. You tear a card: it might symbolize a catastrophe. Two rings link to each other… it could be love. Magic is a great storytelling art.
it. What is the box? Consider the way people in your country think, in your company, your department. What are the questions that they are usually asking themselves to find solutions? Once you identify the box, you can do what Mark Twain suggests: pause and reflect. From there, you can ask yourself different questions. It is not with the same questions that you are going to have different answers. We magicians always think outside the box because we have to. We ask ourselves crazy questions. We can’t do something you can think of because it won’t fool you. So we identify the main thinking patterns, psychological behaviors and common reactions, and we ask ourselves different questions starting with: “what if….” or, “if I could ….. what would I do?” Or “you know what would be awesome? If such and such happened!” You can do it too. Don’t think it’s impossible. Nothing is impossible with your imagination! In an interview with singersongwriter Chris Assaad (in
this edition), he talks about “Creative buzzkill”- someone who discourages, diminishes or harshly criticizes another’s creative expression and who essentially takes the joy out of making art.You are all about the very opposite of this, helping to empower and tap into everyone’s innate creativity. How do you suggest that people overcome the effects of ‘creative buzzkill?’ Yeeeeeah, I know those. Actually, I love this question because this “buzzkill” kills the number one thing people need to create: confidence. First of all, I think we need to understand why those people do that, and forgive them. They do it for the same reason they used to be mean at you in kindergarten: because they’re jealous and they’re still kids needing attention. The more authentically you create, the better it can be and the more they’ll freak out because they don’t the confidence and courage you have to not care about others. So, they try to break
Butzi as a kid your confidence. Forgive them; it’s an unconscious defense system. Now, everyone has a different sensitivity, I get that. But the more confident you are, the less sensitive you become. Some artists are so confident, they’re happy when people tell them their art is shitty. Because they know it’s more authentic. So, the more you develop your confidence, the less afflicted you’ll be. Of course, at first it’s a balance between finding what stimulates you to be creative (people, environment) and what touches you. So yes, avoid pessimists, buzzkillers and environments that don’t inspire you. But if you are 100% confident about who you are and what you create, nothing can touch you. You don’t even need an armor, it goes through you. Look at Marina Abramovich’s performances. It’s all about that. And the good news is that you can train it. For that, open a private bank account in your “confidence bank”. Every time you do something courageous, that you know deep down you need to do, you earn
“confidence dollars” you can deposit in your account. Sometimes a huge buzzkiller comes and you lose a bit of confidence dollars. But what the heck, you continue, you are regular about it and at some point, you will be so rich nothing can ruin you. For whom have you given keynote speeches and performances? What is your favorite part of being a keynote speaker and, in general, teaching others how to be innovative and increase creativity in their lives? I mainly work with big companies, in a wide variety of fields. It doesn’t really matter since we are all creative humans, because I believe that’s where there’s the most creative work to be done. People fight each other on imaginative ego wars instead of creating values with their beautiful uniqueness. So, I empower them and make them laugh and dream in my keynotes so they get out of their usual way of thinking. But I also work with many other
clients, usually in smaller groups through workshops, creativity poles and with artists, during which we go really in depth. My favorite part is when people see the resources they already have, when they open their eyes to their own capacities. When I can see in their candid eyes and boyish smile that they’re proud of themselves because they went beyond what they thought they could do. Imagine a company with a thousand people like that... the value it could generate!
ymore info: YouTube: www.youtube.com/ butzimagicien Keynotes, workshops + more: www. speaker-magician.com Instagram: @butzicreativity Facebook: @butzispeaker www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC culture
Colorful Visions Through the Eyes OF Distinguished Colorblind Artist
SHAWN STUCKY
Interview By Sasha Frate
Seldom do we stop to wonder if what we are seeing with our eyes might be any different for someone else. It is a reality easily assumed to be experienced by all, however it is perceived by each of us individually, and interpretations of this perceived reality may truly be endless. For distinguished Artist Shawn Stucky, who has been colorblind since birth, this concept is profoundly embedded in his works of art that have been seen across the United States and throughout Europe. He has also been commissioned by Patrón Tequila, Redmoon Theater, and Lollapalooza, notably recognizing that his visions speak volumes to interpretations that we all can relate to. Stucky shares meaningful insight to his own personal interpretations of his art, and discusses art as therapy both for himself to create it and in the ability for art to enable a reach to people’s emotions without having to exchange words or engage in conversation. Sasha Frate: Could you tell our readers a little about your background and where your art has been featured? Shawn Stucky: I was born in McPherson, Kansas, in 1979 and currently live and work in Chicago, Illinois. I received my BFA in Visual Communications from the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago, in 2003. I’ve shown my work most notably in places that include Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago; Ferreira Projects, London; and Sundlaugin (the recording studio of Sigur Rós) in Mosfellsbær, Iceland. I’ve also had several works published in magazines and newspapers throughout the U.S., and books in Australia, Italy, Ukraine, and the Netherlands. How do you work with and around your red/green colorblindness? This is not an easy question to answer. I don’t know what the world looks like to others, or how color is perceived. What I try to do is engage myself into a balancing act of visual elements and
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use color (as I can see) more upon its value and temperature rather than depend on a full spectrum color. There are so many interpretations to how people view works of art, often What are some interpretations people have shared with you of your art that you found surprising and interesting? How do you respond to these shared interpretations?
One interpretation that has come up more than once is that people think I’m a female because of my subject matter and color palette. I don’t think much of it. In fact, I laugh because it’s irrelevant. The point is that I’m able to reach people’s emotions without words or conversation. I only have my work, which to some people is moving. The art I create is never dependent on people’s responses. I create my work purely for myself as a way to deal with life. It’s like a diary of therapy. A lot of your art features people with the top half of their head and face- or entire head missing, but something extending from or to them. Why is this a common trend for you in your work? The idea of removing half of the heads is to create a non-physical human form. Or you could say I’m trying to convey an emotional state of being. In these instances, I’m highlighting human emotions rather than a physical state of being.
it’s the sound you hear right before you die, or fall in love www.facethecurrent.com
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Adrift with my father Your piece captioned ‘’I Want To Reach Out and Touch the Sky’’ evokes a lot of curiosity and questions for me when observing all its details. Can you share the meaning of the elements of this piece? Each element has meaning and for the most part they represent the same thing throughout my body of work. The bee tends to represent the inevitable pain that is to come. The winged branches represent the lack of faith in a God, while the branches and flowers from the midsection represent the goodness and suffering that a person goes through. The clouds and children are the innocents, the absolute beauty that can be harnessed. There is nothing more powerful than the creativity of a child. How do you use music and the unconscious mind to influence and spark creativity for new art? It’s a balancing act between finding a
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LOVE rhythm within yourself. The majority of my works were created, not by me sitting down and working, but the creativity takes hold of me and pushes me into the act. So, once I’ve completed this process, I have sit back and reflect on what I’ve done and try and figure out what my intentions were during this process.
I’d like to think I could help channel that process visually to others by invoking them with my imagery.
Most artists will have an idea and take that idea to the canvas with the intentions of creating from that original thought. My process is sometimes backwards to the traditional ways of creations. Rather, I’ll put on some music, get a glass of alcohol, just let go. I want to see what I’m inspired by at that moment in time. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes the need to create isn’t chosen by me. Rather, the unconscious influences drive it.
Almost everything has symbolism in my work. To sum it up in a few words, the trees are the life-giving entities and the branches, depending on their physical state in my work (dead or living), are life/hope or suffering/death, and religion.
Is there anything you hope to reveal through your art, or do you hope to help people to tap into that is commonly buried in the human subconscious?
Trees and branches are common in your art. Does this presence all intend to convey a similar meaning? How is this image expressing ‘love’?
This is a part of two-piece series called “Love and Confusion.” I took the title from a Jimi Hendrix song. The “love” part is about a hidden message that I screen printed into the patterned background. It kind of looks like a net. It’s subtle but if you were able to see this piece in person, you’d find a coded message. I don’t recall what it says since I made this piece 10 years
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There is nothing more powerful than the creativity of a child.
Not To Die, But To Be Reborn ago but it was inspired by love or being in love. The message is written in a cryptic language that I found in an Edgar Allen Poe story called “The Golden Bug.” What is one of your personal favorite pieces you’ve ever done, and why was this one particularly meaningful to you? There are so many. Each one has a significant story about my life. In a way, this is my visual diary. But to answer your question, at this moment in my life my favorite piece is my
interpretation of a diptych. The two pieces (in the diptych) are called “Adrift With My Father” and “My Father’s Return.” You can probably gather from the imagery what’s going on in these pieces, but to clarify for the sake of the reader, I’ll tell you. “Adrift With My Father” is about my father’s death when I was 8-years old. As you can see from the piece, I’m rowing through the ocean of life without him behind me, without his support. It’s hard to comprehend death when you’re so young. It wasn’t until I was a 19-year old college student that I cried for him. Years later,
when I discovered I had the ability to art, I revisited those dark times I had without a father. Hence the next piece “My Father’s Return.” This piece is about the influence he still gives me until this day. As you can see in this piece I’m still alone, drifting in this same boat, but there are military jets revealing themselves over the mountains and then the appearance of the bird, my father, a continued presence throughout my life and work. As a side note, the piece titled “Not To Die, But To Be Reborn” is also about my father and I. www.facethecurrent.com
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One_Rainy_Wish
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Sometimes the need to create isn’t chosen by me. Rather, the unconscious influences drive it
Would you be willing to share a couple pieces and what the intent was? The piece “One Rainy Wish” is about the night I first discovered I had the creative fire burning inside me. I was home pretending I was going to be a great graphic designer when I decided to play around with collaging artwork. My first-ever design was the piece called “May This Be Love.” The night after I finished creating that piece I was so overwhelmed with positive energy. It was a great feeling. I eventually fell asleep, smiling to myself, thinking “I’ve finally created something beautiful.” Once asleep, I then began to dream beautiful imagery. After a few hours I awoke at 3:00am with the image of “One Rainy Wish” in
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my head. I immediately went to my computer and collaged that piece. Over the next few weeks I kept creating, because I knew I’d found something to share with everyone. Eventually, I got “One Rainy Wish” tattooed on my arm. It still brings me wonder. The second piece is called “It’s the Sound You Hear Right Before You Die or Fall In Love.” This one is about me falling in love with the woman who is now my wife. As in most relationships, not everything is perfect but, for me, when I first met Jen (my wife), I knew I found someone like myself. She’s an artist at night and an art therapist during the day and I loved
her immediately. The piece itself is about the reluctance I knew she had towards falling in love with me. I knew she was scared and confused but I persisted. The piece shows a woman standing, staring at a bird falling from a branch while she stands in a mass of energy. I’m the bird upside down; it represents the confusion one has, and the flowering branch I fall from is love and fruitfulness. Her energy is floral and fluid, full of both confusion and love.
ymore info: http://shawnstucky.com https://www.instagram.com/ shawnstucky
My father’s return www.facethecurrent.com
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FIVE MINUTES OR LESS By Michael Malone Melissa Shoshahi is electricity shoved in a pair of skinny jeans. Her gut-busting impressions of her Iranian parents make her one of my favorite comedians to watch in Los Angeles. When I sat down to interview Melissa Shoshahi, the first thing she said to me was, “My mom is a bikini waxer in Seattle. She’s actually one of the top bikini waxers in the world.” What? I chuckled, not exactly sure of where she was going with this. “You’re laughing, but if you Google her, she’s been featured in magazines and television shows… She does five minute Brazilian waxes,” Melissa proudly explained. Before we go any further, I think it’s important to explain just what a Brazilian Wax is. A Brazilian Wax is when someone removes all of your pubic hair. All. Of. It. Yup, even back there. Yeah, there too. ALL of it. This process, on average, can take anywhere from thirty-minutes to an hour. Melissa’s mother does it in five. She has a technique. A particular set of skills, if you will. Skills that made her a legend in her field. She’s an impressive woman with one ultimate dream: to pass her waxing legacy on to her only daughter, Melissa. Her request was not absurd. In 50
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Iranian culture, family is everything. Parents are very involved in their children’s lives and decisions. It is an honor to uphold your family’s good name and extend their life’s work and legacy for another generation…
“Axis of Evil,” the art is beginning to take root and blossom as we continue to become a more globalized society. But for Melissa’s parents…well, their generation didn’t have a clear understanding of what this even was, or is. The only certainty to them was that comedy Just one problem: Melissa was awful does not constitute as a real job, at waxing. and certainly not one for their precious, college-educated, only “I was so bad at it,” Melissa told me. daughter. “I was so bad at it—it would take me five minutes just to get the wax Melissa kept her passion for standon them...and another five to take up comedy a secret for a long time. it off.” She moonlit as a comedian while studying at waxing school, but her Breaking the news that you won’t confidential career hit a snag when be taking over the family business is a regular customer showed up at a an awkward enough conversation club. without the added nudity. It put Melissa in a hairy predicament “One day, when I was living at (forgive the pun, I had to). So, home, she [Melissa’s mother] was really mad. She was really, really mad at me,” Melissa remembered. Melissa asked what was wrong, and her mother revealed her knowledge of Melissa’s secret. she avoided the confrontation altogether, enrolling in beauty school night class to appease her family. Meanwhile, her true passion lie elsewhere...in stand-up comedy. If you think about it, Melissa did desire to carry on the family business of exposing oneself...she just preferred to do it on stage. Stand-up comedy is having a moment in the Middle East right now. With tours like Amed Amed’s “Just Like Us” and Maz Jobrani’s
“One of my customers went to your show, and she said you were on stage drinking and talking bad things.” Melissa’s mother was furious. She didn’t talk to Melissa for two weeks. They made amends eventually, but a tacit disconnect remained. Melissa continued to pursue stand-up comedy. Her mother continued to just not get it. After a few years, Melissa was
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That’s really what this comes down to— we fear what we don’t understand.
And that’s when the tide began to turn. “They saw me in a different light,” Melissa said. “They saw that—you know—that this isn’t a hobby, and she’s [Melissa] is doing really good. And they looked at him [Max] and thought she’s really doing something for herself.” Today, Melissa’s mother is her
biggest fan. They finally bridged the gap to understand one another better. Watching Melissa captivate audiences by sharing her personal stories helped Melissa’s mother to let go of the fear she had when her daughter initially revealed her dream. That’s really what this comes down to— we fear what we don’t understand. My own mother feared many things while she was alive. Foreign foods and hotel rooms, come to mind as particular odd phobias. But the beauty of my (and I suspect, your) mother is that with understanding came unmatched love.
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starting to come into her own as a performer. She began touring with Max Amini, a popular Middle Eastern comedian who regularly performs to sold-out theaters around the country. Melissa was his opener. She invited her parents to a show.
It’s May, and here in the United States, we’ll celebrate our mothers on the 14th for Mother’s Day. This holiday, I encourage you to make an effort to better understand your mother and give her the opportunity to better understand you. And together, I hope you both discover your own personal five-minute waxing technique dream—or whatever you’re into, and use it to deepen your love and appreciation for one another.
ymore info: www.PunchedUpPodcast.com www.malonecomedy.com Social: @malonecomedy www.facethecurrent.com
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May’s
Conversation
Enhancers
May’s Word Play
Words to Enhance Vocabulary & Enrich Life ls with complex
mathematics that dea Chaos Theory: the branch of is highly sensitive to slight changes in
systems whose behavior rise to strikingly conditions, so that small alterations can give great consequences. in the course speciation: the formation of new and distinct species of evolution. or interests equipoise: a state of equilibrium; balance of forces ation of something; a slight, unreal, simulacrum: image or represent or vague semblance of something. , taking, or displaying any or every omniform: Of all forms; having stations. form; of all shapes, appearances, or manife
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Let’s try it out! “In search of an understanding of the mathematics of life, one might observe how CHAOS THEORY applies to SPECIATION or ponder the existence of OMNIFORM that follows EQUIPOISE in nature and biology, but are we more likely to discover SIMULACRUMS?”
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social media ression or phrasse p ex r u yo e at in re C cabulary worde post vo e th f o 5 g n si u d write it in th one sentence,aanchance for your entry comment for in next month’s edition. to be featuredsure to include Be john/janedoe your name or @
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MUSIC 56. 64. 68. 70. 54
Chris Assaad On Release Of I Won’t Die & Balancing the Power of NOW With Pursuit of our Dreams Awolnation: Ethos And Pathos Marbella Emotions. Facing The Summer Chart Is Music Playing In Our Dna?
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PODCAST AVAILABLE AT
www.soundcloud.com/semagaray
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CHRIS ASSAAD On Release of I Won’t Die & Balancing the Power of NOW With Pursuit of our Dreams Interview with Sasha Frate Canadian singer-songwriter, Chris Assaad is one of those souls so determined to succeed that his dreams might simply be immune to failure. Afflicted with the same hearing loss condition as Ludwig van Beethoven at a time when he’d truly just discovered his love for making music, Assaad’s challenges soon became strengths in the face of conviction. Assaad’s latest album release I Won’t Die revisits the concept of not giving up on our sense of purpose, and speaks to his refusal to quit with his music still inside him. Whether it’s the strength of one’s calling, a function of a support network, or some other qualifier, some dreams are meant to come true. Assaad discusses how the excitement and anticipation of realizing aspirations must also be balanced by equal weight of the power of now, allowing us to enjoy our creative journeys as opportunities for radical self-love. With radiant positive vibes, Assaad shares his philosophy on why “you have to be your own number one,” and the importance of staying true in connecting to your truths.
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Photo Credit: Cami Mendes
Chris Assaad: I was a few months into my journey of picking up a guitar and hacking away at it when I started to notice that it wasn’t really coming easily to me. Learning guitar is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but in general it isn’t that challenging. I started to notice that I was having a harder time hearing. Eventually, it became noticeable enough that I needed to go see what was going on. The first doctor I saw told me that I had a loud noise-induced hearing loss. I was like, “Really? That’s weird.” I was really bummed because I thought I’d done this to myself. I was encouraged to see somebody else and he told me I actually have a hereditary condition called “auto sclerosis” that creates calcification of the bones in the ear. It’s a progressive condition generally found in older people, but in some cases- and in mine, it can come early in life as rapid onset auto sclerosis. This doctor told me that there was a surgery that can correct the problem, but there was a chance that it could cause total hearing loss in either ear. As a safer measure, he recommended a hearing aid for a while. I tried it and it just didn’t work in university life. Discouraged, I decided to see a third doctor who I refer to as, “Dr. Miracle Maker,” because he was super confident that he could help me. He told me, “I do these surgeries all the time. You can do both ears, 6 months apart.” I decided to go ahead with the surgery on both ears it even though everything about it was pretty terrifying. I’d never had any surgery
before, let alone something like this. The moment that really stands out to me happened when I went back to his office for the removal of the bandages. It isn’t until then that you really experience what happened as a result of the surgery. It’s kind of like having plastic surgery and getting a new nose. You take the bandages off and you get to see your new nose, right? You don’t know the result until then. I just remember getting back into my car after the surgery. I had this pretty pimped out stereo system in my car at the time, and I remember turning on the stereo and I could hear the music again! I was really moved to tears in that moment. At that moment, everything changed. I began relentlessly playing music, even into in the wee hours of the night. I’d just been introduced to Ben Harper’s Live From Mars record and disc two is just guitar and voice. I was learning these guitar songs and the melodies note for note so much easier than before. For the first time, I could actually see progress and I was thinking, “no wonder this was hard for me before,” right? My primary sense that I was using to learn this new skill was completely malfunctioning.
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Art, creativity, and expression are for everyone. It’s about how good it makes us feel, not how good we are at it.
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Sasha Frate:You’ve embarked on a successful music career, but getting to this point was not exactly a walk in the park. Can you share your story that essentially put you in Ludwig van Beethoven’s seat, and the miracle that ensued?
I was really ignited and enlivened when my family started to tell me my playing was sounding pretty good, and one thing spiraled into another from there. I bought a cheap guitar on a backpacking trip in Europe just started playing music all the time; learning songs, jamming for people and really experiencing this new gift that I’d been given. I was taking my new wheels out for a spin, so to speak, and it just kept growing and growing. Let’s go back even further, when prior to this your interest in music was nearly shut down by “creative buzzkill.” Tell me about your experience with this? I think our first experience with anything can make an impression. For me, unfortunately, I had a few art and music teachers in my formative years that really killed the creative vibe for me and didn’t provide a safe, encouraging environment. One of my first visual art teachers in high school was not the kindest. He told me, “maybe you’re better off focusing on something else,” which is pretty harsh. Piano lessons when I was in my teens was not much fun either. It was really strict and there wasn’t a lot of love or joy in it, so I figured I wasn’t very musical and got turned off. It was not really made available to me in a way that was really appealing and inviting. When I did connect with music, it was of my own accord, and I was blown away. I wondered how much would I have appreciated the opportunity to really experience this earlier. But I also recognize that maybe the timing of everything was really what it was meant to be. It certainly informs my desire to encourage people who are embarking on any creative journey, picking up an instrument, or expressing themselves. It really informs my narrative and the message that I am attempting to share www.facethecurrent.com
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I feel like, for all of us, going on a creative journey and exploring a craft is really delving into self-expression. It’s an opportunity for radical self-love.
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that art, creativity, and expression are for everyone. It’s about how good it makes us feel, not how good we are at it. I think that way of seeing it is a much more empowering context for self-expression. There is room for very high aspirations, but it’s important to keep your art in perspective. In other words, don’t deplete the joy that should be inherent in the experience. Most artists that I know don’t even get to a place where they can even really look at their own art with approving eyes or approving ears for years. It took me a long time until I could even listen to myself sing and feel good about what I was hearing. I feel like, for all of us, going on a creative journey and exploring a craft is really delving into self-expression. It’s an opportunity for
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radical self-love. It teaches us how to love and be kind to ourselves. I feel like it’s that first and foremost to one’s art. Really, it takes a lot of courage because a lot of your own stuff comes up. We spoke with you briefly at the Whole Planet Foundation’s pre-Grammy music showcase and benefit last February, and you touched on part of your path to a career in music where you essentially left the high road becoming an attorney to perhaps more of a middle ground pursuing music. Can you elaborate a little on this decision and its impact on your life? The road more travelled- the more conventional path. Yes, well my parents are both medical health professionals,
but they love what they do too, so that was modeled for me. It wasn’t just about security and doing something that’s going to provide a stable and secure life, it’s also about really loving what we do. My art was encouraged, but it was encouraged as more of a hobby, which is typical. There is some practicality to that, and that’s fine. Making a career out of being an artist can be more challenging, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. I didn’t really have any desire to go beyond a hobby with my music at that time. My gift of gab and my affinity for public speaking and word smithery was initially channeled into what I thought would be a legal career. To some degree, intellectually, law did appeal to me, so that was the path I charted for myself.
By the time I got my acceptance letter to law school and my undergraduate degree was finished, music was coming up for me in a very big way, but there wasn’t enough substance there to merit veering completely off of the path that I was already on. What kept happening was the fork in the road. Two divergent paths started to really emerge in a very clear and unequivocal way. In the end, I noticed I wasn’t as passionate as everybody else was about law. It was interesting to be in something that required that much attention, energy, and focus and feel like, ‘I’m not really all in for this.’ My first job was interning at a law firm my second year. I remember working at the law firm by day and making music by night. In law school I was voted “The Person Least Likely To Practice Law,” but I was also voted “The Person With the Coolest
Life Outside of Law School.” It was an interesting experience to be that sort of rebellious, or something of a delinquent law student, if you can call it that. In Canada, before you even graduate law school, you have to write the bar exam and then you have to basically intern for ten months at a law firm. I was pretty fortunate to get a job at a pretty reputable firm that had an entertainment law division, where I was being mentored by two entertainment lawyers; two of the more reputable and experienced lawyers in the country who are
working with some of the best artists and the most successful Canadian acts. I had the opportunity to sit in on meetings with these artists and really get to know the behind the scenes of the business side of it. The experience just really fueled my fire even more and made it really obvious that I don’t want to represent these people, I want to be one of them. So, I put law aside for a moment, just knowing that I could always go back to it if I needed to. From there, I really started to focus on music and to forge a new path for myself. Meeting societal and familial expectations is a common pressure experienced by many people to follow certain academic, career, and even lifestyle paths. Unless one’s true passion and desire aligns with these, it would require some
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Any path in life, inherently, has its challenges. What became very apparent to me personally is that I wasn’t saying yes to an assured outcome, I was saying yes to an adventure, like a soul adventure.
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I don’t necessarily believe that anyone who follows his or her heart can be assured an easy path. Any path in life, inherently, has its challenges. What became very apparent to me personally is that I wasn’t saying yes to an assured outcome, I was saying yes to an adventure, like a soul adventure. That’s what I call it. It was just like, your soul is calling you in a direction that’s going to really support you in growing, expanding, being challenged, and in becoming the truest version of yourself. So, the loss of support for the naysaying, or the questioning or resistance - both internal and external - are all a part of that. I feel as though I’ve grown a lot. Going on an artistic path or the path of pursuing a dream or following a passion is really an invitation into the practice of radical self-love. You have to be your own number one. You have to be the one that holds the vision and that holds steadfast in your inner knowing and in your belief of what you are doing when nobody else can see it, when nobody else gets it and they call you crazy or they think maybe you’re just making a dumb decision. To answer your question: I do believe that world would function if we all followed our passions. Dare I say, it might function even better in a sense. I just feel that the more people are connected to their truth and to their highest calling, the more people
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that are actually living that- it would translate into something that would be reflected in our society and in how we work as a collective. Exactly what that would look like, I don’t know. But I think there would be more joy and I think there would also be a deeper level of connectedness, because if we’re all connected to that voice and that thing within us, I believe, that it’s just an expression of something greater communicating to each of us. So, if we’re all connecting to that in our own way then we are all plugging into the same thing. Naturally I think that would translate into a more harmonious and more cooperative society and way of life… and more authentic, too.
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The more people are connected to their truth and their highest calling, the more people that are actually living that – it would translate into something that would be reflected in our society and in how we work as a collective.
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resistance to ‘stray.’ Some might even fear such a path with the notion that it would be met with loss of support, be it emotional or financial. The pressure to succeed is also significant in these situations.The message is “follow your heart,” but it’s often at such a high price and high risk that it’s become ‘the road less traveled.’ Do you think our world could even function if the majority were doing what they loved?
You’re said to draw inspiration for your music from all that is around you, and that you choose to surround yourself by love and positive energy. What are some of your favorite kinds of environments that offer all of these: inspiration, love, and positive energy? Well, there are two ways. One way is to create a kind of creative environment for myself, like a little room in my home where I can curate a space to really intentionally set a mood and cultivate the space to where there’s a certain level of familiarity and comfort. The idea is to energetically establish a vibe in a place. Whether it’s by candlelight and burning incense, having flowers and plants around, or pictures that inspire me. It’s about creating a space where I can create. The second way is to just be true to your nature. For a long time, before I was deeply aware and connected to this, it was apparent to me that a lot of my inspiration would just naturally come when I was near an ocean. That’s where I would go if I wanted to write. A lot of the songs on my first record were written at a place where my family travels, in Naples, Florida. It’s on the water, so I would just go and kind of retreat there. I also have a love affair with Australia and I had a magical experience there as well, just being near the ocean, and more recently was drawn to the West Coast and California. Not only just water, but to nature in general. I spent a few months in a place called Ojai, north of Los Angeles. When my time in LA came to a moment of completion, I was seeking a more inward kind of experience. I found that just being nestled in the mountain and the valley there was really nurturing and nourishing to my being. It was totally healing and inspiring. There was a lot of creative opening that
happened there. A lot of creative energy flowed. I definitely think, as far as external environment goes, that this is what it looks like. It’s about creating a sacred space for oneself, but the real sacred space is always just within. In a way, that exists and is available anywhere. What’s one of the best things you ever told yourself at one of those moments when you felt like giving up, like a philosophy, mantra or motto? It’s hard to separate my own expressions of that wisdom for others. I think it all comes from the same place. The most potent advice or message that I’ve received would probably be that it’s okay to give up in certain moments. It’s really just giving myself permission to feel whatever it is that I’m feeling. The irony is that it doesn’t last very long. If I resist the idea of giving up and I’m pushing myself in a way that’s not honoring wherever that desire to give up is coming from in that moment, then it’s actually hard for myself to really connect with the genuine desire to keep going. I think this is because I’ve negated my experience of wanting to give up and whatever it’s about.
into it, it usually becomes clear that I have no desire to give up. It was just a moment of having to feel something and having to confront something, or of just being tired and needing to be replenished.
yourself, “how am I going to sustain this, and am I even ready?” I mean, there may be a vision but you come to the point where you have to ask yourself where you are in relation to that vision.
Dream big, but stay grounded in the ‘power of NOW’ – How has this concept played into your life and career? Quite significantly. It’s easy to understand that when you decide to turn down a very potentially lucrative and secure job to follow your heart, you are immediately confronted with, “well, how the hell is this going to work?” Or you might ask
As soon as I say, ‘you want to give up, okay, try it out,’ and just let myself feel
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Going on an artistic path or the path of pursuing a dream or following a passion is really an invitation into the practice of radical self-love. You have to be your own number one. You have to be the one that holds the vision and that holds steadfast in your inner knowing and in your belief of what you are doing when nobody else can see it, when nobody else gets it and they call you crazy or they think maybe you’re just making a dumb decision.
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Well, here I am nine, ten years later and things are evolving, quite quickly in some ways. It’s definitely been a test of patience, presence and perspective. There have been times where I really lost my connection to that greater vision and almost wanted to quit or started considering alternatives as an either/or thing - and then later, realizing that there is more to the vision than what I had initially thought. It’s also about being open to the discovery of its unfolding and its evolution, which doesn’t always coincide with your initial inspiration.
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Of course, by always coming back to that big dream, whatever it is, I found out that anything is possible. There’s an energy and a force that wants to support you that’s actually implanting that desire in you as an indication of where you’re headed and what’s coming for you. I’m certain of this. I’ve had so many of those reminders! It’s almost amazing to me that I ever forget. There’s a really deep calling and it is calling me on an adventure that’s going to support me in becoming the most expanded and connected version of myself. I think we all have a calling like this. And there’s fulfillment
to be gained from following it. Before releasing your first solo album Glory Fire, you had a folk rock reggae band call I.An.Eye. Can you share a bit about your music and album We Are One with this band, and what led you to make the leap towards going solo? That was sort of my first foray into music with my cousin, who I had grown up with, and he was a couple steps ahead in terms of discovering and exploring music. He brought me into the fold. Very quickly, as a result of our shared affinity for a few specific artists, we just started making this music together and writing these songs and putting this band together. First, we made an EP and then we ended up making this record, We Are One, which was the record we were making by night when I was working at the law firm by day. Then we had some interest from a record label in the UK and things were starting to kind of fall into place. Then it just became apparent to my cousin that he didn’t really want to pursue music as a career path. That was one of those moments where I had to really question, ‘can I keep doing this on my own, only having known collaboration in the partnership that I was in?’ But it quickly became very clear that I was not really ready to put it aside, and it naturally evolved into starting a fresh chapter, which is me doing Chris Assaad, the solo thing.
It’s about creating a sacred space for oneself, but the real sacred space is always just within. In a way, that exists and is available anywhere.
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That’s how the Universe works. If you stay true to your vision, even the trials can work for you.
You’ve since released an EP Into the Light, and your new album was just released in March, entitled I Won’t Die. What do you love most about the new album? Yes, I really loved making it. Not every recording experience I have had has always had so much joy and love put into it. Recording, making art too, can be really confounding. There was a transformation that happened too. All the alchemy and transformation and all the love we had to give just got poured into this record and into the creative process. Bill Bell, the producer and I, just created this space for it to come through. There was always a joyous, high vibe present and I got to work with some really talented people. I think it takes a while to get to a point where you have to go through the journey of leaning on your influences and emulating other people in the process of discovering your own thing.
I feel like I am at the precipice of this, and it’s really exciting to me. Even when things get rough, if you’re chasing your passion, your calling, things still seem to fall into place. For example, I’d gotten sick and I wasn’t able to sing for a month because I lost my voice. I was frustrated and yearning to just play, and in a moment of pure exasperation I started playing my guitar. I was just playing this riff and, with whatever voice I had, I just started singing and this melody and lyric came out: “I won’t die, I won’t die with my music inside me…” It really came from somewhere deeper inside me. I shared the song with a music coach I was working with and he was like, “What happened? You’re singing from somewhere different.” It felt like the lid popped off, like something really guttural and raw had been birthed. The bottom line is that something about that experience supported me
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‘I Won’t Die’ Cover - Credit: Diana Shams
in accessing a deeper part of myself. I feel like that song is an expression of that experience. It captures the heart of my message and my journey. I never would have broken through like that if I hadn’t lost my voice. That’s how the Universe works. If you stay true to your vision, even the trials can work for you. I wouldn’t have thought that losing my voice would be a benefit, but it was for me because I worked with what I had. I’m committed to living a life in service, of sharing my artistry and my narrative. I really want to be a demonstration of that for other people, and grow in those ways myself. Where can people catch your show this spring and summer? Any upcoming tours or festivals? I’m playing a new festival called “Emerge,” which is a yoga and music festival that’s going to be happening in Pembroke Ontario, near Ottawa. I’ll also be playing the Wanderlust Festival in BC this August and a Toronto-based festival called “Loving Local Food” in July. In California, I’m doing some tour dates in June. So, Canada and the West Coast is where I’ll be this year, but I have my sights on a return to Australia in the very near future, within the next year. Wherever the sun is shining, that’s where I’ll be.
ymore info: http://chrisassaad.com Facebook.com/chris.assaad www.facethecurrent.com
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AWOLNATION: Ethos and Pathos By Nick Cisik
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Aaron Bruno Portrait_Credit. Ramona Rosales. Red Bull
Awolnation Performs_Credit. Philip Platzer. Red Bull Content
It is widely accepted that one of the nastier aspects of the human condition is our inability to change. Most tend to believe that there is an indelible quality which is woven into the fabric of our individuality. This theme of change and the struggle to transform is inherent in almost every story told us; at least every good one. The grave notion that change is not possible, that we are forever made prisoners by our own selves and the mistakes we have made or, rather, by the proverbial hands we have been dealt stands at the forefront of our everyday existence, whether we are cognizant of it or not. Can patterns be broken? Can we accept ourselves as we are? Can we conquer our fears and usher in change? Some
choose not to reflect upon these questions at all. They accept the status quo and perhaps, over time, part with their innate sentient buoyancy. Others, however, choose to challenge this grim pathos. They strike a golden mean between acceptance and utter dissatisfaction. They exist at the poignant meeting place of tranquility and aggression, hunting down the change they so desperately require. These are truly the only two choices we have: to wallow or to rage. It is clear as day that Aaron Bruno, front man for the band Awolnation, is choosing the latter of the two. They say revenge is in the creator’s hands. Suffice it to say that through the
creation of his music, Bruno seems to be extracting the sweetest of revenge upon whatever or whomever it was that may have shackled his soul to begin with. Luckily for us, as he unleashes his unabashed vocal, steeped in a soulful rasp, he seemingly breaks free from his proverbial chains and, in collusion, so do we. Bruno’s ethos, emblazoned within each note sung, not only stares down the grim shadow of his imprisonment but beckons it towards him so he can take it more fully on. In Awolnation’s most notable single, “Sail,” produced by Brian West, we bare outright sonic witness to this inner battle and glean the essence of www.facethecurrent.com
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conquering one’s own demons through the acceptance and expression of them. As the song begins, we are immediately given a fiery metronome to which we bob our heads. Within seconds, Bruno’s vocals throw fuel on that fire. The brighter the light, however, the darker the shadow. In fact, in this instance, the darkness is the light. Bruno’s soaring confessional lyric evokes images of him “sailing” through the black metaphorical waters of doubt and self-loathing. In this confessional manner, he tells us of what ails him - that being a debilitating mental disorder and thoughts surrounding the taking of his own life. Through this acknowledgment, however, that we are led to believe that Bruno does emerge victoriously and, ultimately, changed. At least this is what we want to believe. West’s symphonic production on the track is superb and is the guiding force on which Bruno’s expressive vocal is able to soar. Embedded in the track are well-crafted scene changes. Add to that a heavy militant hip-hop stomp beat, ethereal female background vocals, subtle string plucking, and a full dose of electro-pop sonics, and our attention is held for the entirety of the track. Having said that, it comes as no surprise that the single peaked at #10 on the U.S. Billboard Rocks Songs, has gone platinum in the U.S. and double platinum in Canada. It is truly anthemic.
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Aaron Bruno_Credit. Ramona Rosales. Red Bull Content Pool
Aaron Bruno_Credit. Lost Art.Red Bull Content Pool
Awolnation_Credit. Philip Platzer. Red Bull Content Pool
A metronome, by definition, is “a device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick.” In a sense, it counts time. Time is an interesting concept– an unintelligible and gravely indifferent micromanager constantly browbeating us. It can be tormenting in its steady reminder of its passage. In the acceptance of it, however, and the understanding of it, just like the acceptance and understanding of one’s own self, there lies liberation, enlightenment, and beauty. In “Sail” and subsequently in other Awolnation tracks such as “Run” and the aptly titled
“Soul Wars”, we see the band’s continual exploration of the human condition; its relationship to time, and its connection with change. The music of Awolnation (and all music ever created) relies on that which it fights to free itself from– time. If time is passing and change is what is required, it is good to know that Aaron Bruno and his bandmates are hastily tackling the darker sides of their own humanity and, in doing so, implore their listeners to do the same. For it is only through the acceptance of our own darkness that we may pass through it and move forward into the light.
ymore info: www.awolnationmusic.com Awolnation_Credit. Matthias Heschl. Red Bull Content Pool
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Sundays at 3PM (CET) www.beachgrooves.com Spain FM: Ibiza 101.1 | Marbella 96.4
FtC music
T R A H C R E M M U S E H T G FACIN by sema garay Marbella Emotions is a global, live streaming radio show and podcast aimed at producing ‘the most sophisticated house music,’ offering listeners the most elegant new tracks in Deep, Soulful, Nu Disco, and Afro house styles every week.The show airs Sundays on BeachGrooves Radio across the Costa del Sol and Ibiza regions of Spain. But you can enjoy this ambiance anywhere you go. Tune in on Soundcloud, catch the live streaming show on Sundays from BeachGrooves Radio App, or request these tracks from the DJ at your preferred club, terrace, or lounge party. Ready for some uplifting summer vibes? Here is a taste of Marbella Emotions with a music chart of some of my favorite tracks to set the mood.
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to have a listen
digital version: click on the cover | paper version: scan qr code
ARTIST Nandu, feat. Vâlvâ TITTLE See You (Original Mix) label Rebirth genre DEEP House Release 2017-03-20
ARTIST Aberton TITTLE Just Dance label House Tribe genre DEEP House Release 2017-03-17
ARTIST Pablo Fierro TITTLE la palma label Innervisions genre Afro House Release 2017-03-31
ARTIST Marcel Vogel TITTLE Moonchild (Soul Clap Remix) label Intimate Friends genre Soulful House Release 2017-04-07
ARTIST Scott Diaz TITTLE Mistreated (Studioheist Remix ) label Grand Plans genre DEEP House Release 2017-04-21
ARTIST dj godoy TITTLE feel the music label Audiometrica genre deep House Release 2017-03-16
ARTIST Mousse T, Lovebirds TITTLE Do Anything label Peppermint Jam genre Nu Disco Release 2017-05-05
ARTIST TITTLE label genre Releas
ARTIST Human Movement, Eliot Porter TITTLE Right Thang (TÂCHES Remix) label Kitsune genre nu disco Release 2017-02-17
Miguel Migs Broken Barriers (Tribute) Salted Music DEEP House 2017-03-17
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Is
usic Playing In Our DNA?
By David Aiello
For many of us, music is a basic necessity of life. Some believe DNA has a lot to do with that, but others think there is a lot more to it than biology.
Few things are as significant to me as music. But as important as I regard music, I cannot explain why I have such a strong emotional reaction to it. I often wonder if music, a specific melody or simply an appreciation for music, is part of our genetic makeup. I mean, how do you explain why guys like me feel compelled to make playlists for every person we date!
Music as part of our DNA is a lovely thought and I don’t think, given the information below, that it’s a very far-fetched idea. Here are some things to consider that may make you wonder, too. While humans have a capacity for language, it seems we also may have an intrinsic aptitude for music. Bio-musicology, a term coined by Nils L. Wallin in 1991, is the biological study of “musicality.” Human musicality is our ability to create and enjoy music and is believed to be rooted in all human biology.
If true, why would musicality be in our DNA? A clue can be found in a study from the University of Exeter and Tokyo University of the Arts which suggests music may act to support social events and encourage group bonding. The study reveals “the most common features seen in music around the world relate to things that allow people to coordinate their actions, and suggest that the main function of music is to bring people together and bond social groups -- it can be a kind of social glue.” I like the notion that music acts as our social glue. Human beings have always sought to work together in groups. The ability to appreciate and react to music similarly would act as a powerful, cohesive force binding early humans together and helping them prosper. If you think about it, while music is not a language in the purest form, it has the power to cross not only cultural but economic, racial and social divides, evoking similar primal emotions, enabling even larger group connections.
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If music is in our DNA, wouldn’t the song remain the same for all of us? The same study from the University of Exeter and Tokyo University of the Arts found a majority of songs from across the globe had dozens of features in common. These features relate to pitch and rhythm in addition to the social context and interrelationships within. While these are not absolute universal features, how can these similarities be explained? Is it the mechanics of music? Or is it a reminder that we all share a buried tune deep down in our reptilian brains? Perhaps those musical commonalities were absorbed into our DNA as a result of thousands of years of shared experiences. For example, a fetus in the womb can begin to hear after 18 weeks. What does it listen to? What of that does it retain? The fetus must sense on a number of levels the beating of the mother’s heart, the blood rushing through her body, the sound of air filling her lungs, even the sound of the two burritos she just inhaled as they digest! It must be a cacophony of sounds but with a definite pattern and rhythm. Could this symphony of the body have been imprinted in our DNA? Ambient sound isn’t exclusive to the womb and not restricted to man. It exists outside in nature as well and embodies all living things. We know birds and whales have been singing to each other to court mates and navigate their environment for millennia.
In an article published in the magazine, “Science” entitled, The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music,” researchers state that “Our world is filled with innumerable natural sounds, and from the earliest times humans have been intrigued and inspired by this soundscape.” This soundscape likely sends a clear acoustical message to each creature that inhabits a particular environment. Perhaps our ability to interact with this soundscape is the tune shared in our DNA. It’s a song in nature that would support a bond between all living things and be crucial to surviving in a sometimes very harsh world. The followers of Plato believe in a mathematical Platonism, which purports that a universal mathematics
exists. If I had any followers, we would believe in a musical Aielloism, which supposes that humanity shares a universal melody. Regardless of whether it’s a resulting physical adaptation to our environment or a divine gift, I believe music, in some form, resides in all of us at our core. Humans, however, are wired to think. We have to explain things, produce helpful perspectives or access comforting ideas. In the process of thinking too much, many of us lose the security of our more basic, intuitive feelings. Sadly, in this context, many people simply dismiss music as a modern-day annoyance instead of the universal form of communication and bonding to which it seems to be meant. www.facethecurrent.com
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World First Adventurers: The Turner Twins Test Human Limits Africa’s Best Kept Secret: Climbing Mt. Kenya The Yoga Poster: 4,000 Years Of History On One Page Liftstrong Shoulder Routine
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World First Adventurers
‘The Turner Twins ‘
Test Human Limits Interview By Sasha Frate
Where would you turn if your dreams were crushed by a life altering injury? For Hugo Turner, the answer was not easy at first when he suffered a severe neck injury that required total neck reconstruction. His dream rugby career had been fast approaching, but he now stood no chance. Ask Hugo today and he’ll tell you it was all something of fate as he reflects back on how he set a new trajectory and his twin brother, Ross Turner, joined him on this new path. Known as The Turner Twins, they have since become two of the UK’s most prominent explorers. Over the past decade, the twins have teamed up with various entities from Red Bull to King’s College
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London’s Department of Twin Research and GlaxoSmithKline’s Human Performance Lab to take exploration beyond geographic discoveries to include science, advancing research on the human body and expedition gear. The twins admittedly recognize the challenge of what it means to be an explorer in modern times, since most everything has already been discovered. Nevertheless, they’ve set out and found a way. As world first adventurers, Hugo and Ross Turner are testing human limits with the hopes that their revelations will improve our adventures of the future and offer support to their charity - Wings for Life.
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
Sasha Frate:You describe your purpose as being, “to continually question life by undertaking new and demanding quests.” When do you feel that you really started living your lives “on purpose” and how did you realize this was it? Hugo: I broke my neck when I was 17, about ten years ago. You’re facing what lies ahead for you in your life and career and then suddenly you have this life altering injury that just changes what’s possible for you. It kind of changed my luck, because we ended up doing these expeditions and you look back over the years and wonder if maybe that was fate and maybe it was our calling card that we’ve been given such a fortunate opportunity to do these expeditions and support science. We love what we’re doing with the expeditions, filming them, as
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
well supporting the scientific side. The purpose of it really is supporting the charity (Wings for Life). There are so many people who have had the same injury as me and haven’t walked away from it; they’ve been paralyzed from car and sports accidents. It causes you to question your life, what you’re doing with it and what you want out of it. This seemed like the most comfortable and natural path to lead. At the time of my injury, I was pursuing a rugby sporting career at a high standard. The sport was everything to me, and I suddenly couldn’t do it. I had a neck reconstruction from my injury, and contact sports is a no-no. It was a hard pill to swallow at that age. How did you manage to embark on this together- as twins, no less, and what do you believe to be some of the benefits of
working together on these projects, tests, and expeditions? Ross: I think the best part of working together on these projects and expeditions is that you only get 24 hours in a day, and we are able to get double the time if one of us is working, the other one can also work on the expeditions and visa-versa. We’re able to get double the time preparing for expeditions, funding sponsorships, building the website, etc. With a single person, obviously if they’re at work, they’re at work and there is nobody working in the background. Our first expedition was rowing across the Atlantic in 2011/12, and since then we’ve kind of gone up through the ranks as adventurers becoming a couple of the most prominent adventurers/explorers in the UK.
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Part of what you’re doing with your extreme challenges is helping to further advance research in human study and medical understanding. Is this why you call yourselves “Adventure Guinea Pigs?” Hugo: Yes, in short. We looked at we what were doing on our expeditions supporting charity, and it naturally occurred to us ‘Why not involve some science behind it? There must be research faculties, universities, and Ph.D. students, researching the human body in the extreme environment.’ In the past, we’ve partnered with GSK, and they’ve got a Human Performance Laboratory. The main partner for the science is King’s College London’s Department of Twin Research, and
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their database of research with over 40,000 adult twins. They’re hoping that using us as a vehicle will find insight into various areas of their medical research, which is the gut flora, metabolomics, and epigenetic areas. It’s all about “nature and nurture” and identifying certain genes that can turn on and off. Since we are twins, if there is any difference between the gut bacteria, within our stomachs or DNA, whether it’s different chemicals in our blood, they can identify those differences, isolate them, and hopefully create new medical knowledge to help people in the future. What has been the involvement with Red Bull and King’s College London in your expeditions and tests?
Ross: We’ve been working with Red Bull for just one project. We’ve got quite a new relationship, but it’s gone from strength to strength. We worked with Red Bull on our Red Pole expedition across the heart of Australia. They are a huge supporter of what we’re doing, and we’re just looking at working with them to film a global series over the next five expeditions and highlight the work of the charity we support Wing For Life. Kings College London, Department of Twins research have been supporting us with science testing pre- and post-expedition, but also helping us to conduct experiments while on an expedition. Much easier said than done! When you’re tired, sore and exhausted, the last thing you want to be doing is taking samples.
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
Can you share one of the most effective diet changes that improved performance? Ross: We found some really interesting results from the studies when we went across the Greenland ice cap. I was wearing Shackleton’s old replica clothing, wooden poles, and skis. In particular, I was focusing on consuming his food as well. That was the most interesting part of the science, to uncover how good the food was back then compared to now. We found a copy of his 1909 culinary logbook to match the food as best we could. I took lard, cured meat, and oats with tin vegetables and snacks which included garibaldi biscuits and ginger nuts biscuits. The tinned vegetables I was using have about 50
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calories and weigh about 400 grams, whereas Hugo was using lightweight, modern expedition food. His food also weighed around 400 grams, but it had about 800 calories, so it was immensely more calorific. But we had an open mind. They did it a hundred years ago, right? We found that a major difference was that modern expedition foods are really high in sugar and carbohydrates, which gives you that huge boost of energy, but then you get that sugar load or dip. I was eating more fat and protein in my snacks and meals and I was far more sated; I never got the sugar rush or the low. The science backed up that the insulin spikes from the modern food go up really high and then can drop to a dangerous level of hypoglycemic coma, which is obviously when the
body doesn’t have enough sugar. This happened twice for Hugo. Particularly in a remote and cold environment when rescue is potentially days away, it does put a totally different spin on your knowledge and use of modern expedition foods. We learned that actually taking old food, even though it’s a little heavier, is far better for you over the long term because of the inherent fat and protein within it. So, Shackleton’s food was very good and much better than the modern. Hugo was also wearing modern equipment, so it was the latest and lightest gear and technology.
A lot of people will ask what it’s like to trek across the arctic. You can’t just describe it; you have to be in that moment to decide for yourself what it’s like, because we all perceive the experience differently. Photo: © George Bullard
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Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
Along those lines, George Bullard helped guide you across the polar ice cap of Greenland where you both dressed completely differently to test out apparel, essentially old versus new. Can you tell me a bit more about this test and what you discovered? Hugo: The objective was to find out how much harder it was to be an explorer a hundred years ago. That part of the experiment consisted of using both the new and the old kits. So, I was wearing the new kit with modern clothing. I had the latest technology and latest clothing. It was lightweight, breathable. I had a down jacket with a fur hood, and as far as I was concerned it was absolutely perfect. I was also using the best equipment, coupled with the clothing. I was pulling a modern fiberglass pulk (or toboggan) that was about five feet long. It was very light, durable, and rigid, which was perfect on the ice- as well as ultralight skis. Ross, on the other hand, was wearing the kit from Shackleton’s 1914 endurance expedition, which consisted of a 9.5ft
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Nansen sled and natural fiber clothing. The outer layer was a very tightly woven cotton with sheep lanolin, so it was slightly waterproof and windproof, and that was the outer layer. Everything else was wool, all natural materials: wool jumpers, wool base layers, felt tweed trousers, and double lined leather boots made by Crockett and Jones. This British shoe company
made Shackleton’s boots and they made replica boots for Ross. He was using wooden skis, and the Nansen sled was all wooden with no nails. It was all just tied together with string. It was absolutely amazing, and essentially twice the size as the new pulk. A big contrast.
What did you guys find as far as the difference in the clothing and how it performed? Ross: The limitations of the old kit are much smaller. I could only wear a certain amount before I’d have to put another layer on. My temperature range would go from -10 to -20 and then I’d have to put another layer on. Whereas Hugo’s modern jacket could go from 0 to -35 quite comfortably. So, I just had to keep monitoring how cold it was, and I usually did that by how much frost was on my face. To be honest, Shackleton did it a hundred years ago for two winters. It does work extremely well. It’s all natural fibers, you’ve just got to work within the limitations of the kit, and it’s hard
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
work. The wooden skis I had were actually much better than the modern carbon fiberglass skis because they were much wider. There’s a thing called sastrugi, which is basically the wind carving patterns in the snow (like when the tide retreats and you get all the waves in the sand). Hugo’s skis were about three fingers wide, and he was having to balance a lot through his ankles, like standing on the edge of a curb. After a few week’s trekking, the skis had taken their toll on Hugo’s right knee. We couldn’t wait on the ice cap for it to heal, so we called for an emergency rescue off the ice cap, which was devastating for us. The old wooden pulk was much better because it was much longer and had a much larger surface area
on the ice. Even though I was pulling twice as much weight, the surface area was spread over a much bigger area, so I ended up having to slow my pulk down at times. Where Hugo and George were pulling their pulk that had a much smaller footprint, it was sort of plowing through the snow and had a tendency to roll, especially moving through the start on the glacier. So, we’d take the old pulk and skis over the new ones anytime. It was amazing to compare the kit and find out how much harder or easier it was back then for polar explorers. The old kit and equipment stands up stands up to modern day products.
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Photo: © Oksana Danilova
Which twin tends to be the guinea pig that ends up with the worst clothing? (For example, we might assume that the old clothing would be the less preferred option on the Greenland trek, but somebody had to wear it!)
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Hugo: In 2015 when we climbed Mt. Elbrus in Russia I wore the replica old traditional clothing used by George Mallory in his Everest expedition in 1924, purely to satisfy the curiosity more than anything. Having used both the old and the new clothing ok in different climates, one was in a mountainous environment and the other in a polar region, I can safely
say that the old clothing is as good as the modern. I was more than impressed. It was phenomenal- just the breathability. I think if you took the old clothing into a wet environment, like soggy England or the Amazonian Rainforest, that’s when the modern clothing would perform better I’m sure. But in a dry environment that older clothing was certainly very good.
How did the test on Mt. Elbrus compare to the Greenland test, and what were the Human Performance Lab medical results on the study of the effects of high altitude on the human body? Hugo: GSK were looking at how our bodies were coping at high altitude from a sports physiological and psychological standpoint, whereas KPL was looking more at medical research. GSK’s high-performance lab was studying our cortisol levels, which are directly related to stress. We were taking saliva swabs morning and evening every day on the mountain, whether acclimatizing for base camp or climbing down, so they could track our stress levels the whole way. The hypothesis was that the higher you go and the more effort and extreme the environment, the more stress you’ll inevitably put yourself under. That was one area they were looking at. The stress level obviously increased as we went up the mountain. Your body is working harder and you’re mentally having to stay more alert. Generally speaking, it did fluctuate; stress levels did increase as we reached the summit. The other thing they were looking at was our cognitive function- how our brains are reacting in relation to our physical exertion (or lack of oxygen). So, we took a modern iPad up the mountain and had to complete brain games and function games alongside the cortisol tests. Three times a day we would take these speed tests, reacting to different color patterns, mind games you have to think about. As we went up the mountain our cognitive speed and function did slow down, obviously with the lack of oxygen. Putting those two results together, the stress level increased as we climbed. As the altitude increased, the oxygen dropped and so did our cognitive function. So, they were trying to work out whether cognitive function performance is related to stress levels. Loosely speaking, there was some sort of correlation but the climb was only two weeks. Maybe next time we will do a much longer climb and a bigger mountain! Photos: © The Turner Twins 2017
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Was it mostly the physical stress that was affecting you with the altitude or was there mental stress? Hugo: We felt the altitude up to 5,000 meters and then suddenly above this height we felt the attitude, hugely. Imagine walking with your heart racing, that’s what it’s like just
climbing; a wired feeling. You can’t get enough oxygen in and you start getting delirious and frustrated that you can’t do the normal things without being totally out of breath. That was tough because you are climbing very slowly. You’re taking one step up and having to take 10 breaths, the altitude is so thin, there’s so little oxygen up there, especially when we had already
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climbed 1500 vertical meters - with another 500 meters to go! It was very physical, but the mental struggle of the cold or never ending climbing was also very tough. You’re looking up all the time on a seemingly never-ending expedition and climb. The altitude is a huge game, but so is the attitude.
You’re looking up all the time on a seemingly never-ending expedition and climb. The altitude is a huge game, but so is the attitude.
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Photos: © Jo Bradshaw
Last August you guys successfully completed the world’s first paramotor expedition, reaching the Continental Pole of Inaccessibility – also known as the Red Pole in Australia. This place is said to not only be inaccessible but also have some of the most inhospitable land in all of Australia. What was so unique about this experience? Ross: The unique experience was the whole trip itself- flying. We’re not natural aviators. We’d never flown before. So, to go from the normal world of trekking or cycling, it changed the dynamic of the trip massively. It wasn’t a physical trip, it was far more mentally tough. We decided, with about 15 months to go, that we would train ourselves, having never flown a paramotor before, to get a pilot’s license and head out across the Outback, flying paramotors. The Australian Outback bush is one of the most turbulent areas in the world’s climate because of the thermals
produced by the twelve deserts that we were flying over. It proved to be one of the most mentally tough trips we’ve ever done. You wake up in the morning and have to assess the wind and sky pretty much straight away. Within five minutes of waking up, you’re doing your safety checks, laying out your wing, ready for take off. When you’re up in the air, you have to think about the ‘what if ’s’: where to land if the wing collapses or if you run out of fuel or the wind changes direction and pushes you off course. It was always the ‘what ifs’ that proved to be incredibly draining on us, mentally. The most insane moments flying were when we’d reach a really smooth, cold pocket of air where there’s no turbulence. It’s a very smooth flight then and it meant we could relax a little. At a thousand feet you might have a layer of hot air, and as you climb further up to say 6,000 feet, you’ll hit cold air which, again, is really smooth compared to the hot turbulent air. So, we always tried to alter our altitude to try and fly
in these cold layers. It was an amazing way of seeing the Outback, especially flying above kangaroos and camels. It was beautiful! Hugo: In terms of the Red Pole, we were the first people to fly paramotors there and see what was at the center of Australia. From all the research we did, there was no conclusive documentation of what existed there, which is what we were setting out to find.
Photos: © The Turner Twins 2017
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Why is charity important to you? Can you share some of what have you guys been involved in? Hugo: The charity we’re involved with, Wings for Life, is fundamentally, to support research on spinal injuries. There is no government funding for the vast majority of charities of this type. Without the general public and philanthropists, none of their work would move forward, none of the research would be conducted, no advancement in treatments would be reached. If we’ve got this amazing platform that has fortunately been placed on our plate and we don’t use that, then it’s an absolute waste. Obviously, we’ve also got the emotional attachment through my personal injury. How lucky are we in the Western world to have everything
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donated financially and time-wise; these are details that can make such a big difference. If one day in the future, somebody can have a life-altering injury such as a spinal cord injury, reversed through the couple of quid that we give here and there and the projects that we support, then that’s their life being given back to them. Once there is a cure, then that’s it.
can all give a little bit more to charity, you never know how that donation is going to give back to you in the future.
Ross: I think it sets a nice example for young kids. I think it would be wonderful to be able to say we raised enough money over a decade to help find a cure and to thereby, as Hugo said, impact hundreds of thousands of families’ lives around the world. That’s a wonderful gift, and there’s no value you can put on having those kinds of parameters reversed. I think there are lots of generous people out there and thousands of charities, but if we
Hugo: You have to have a little bit of ignorance. I think ignorance is bliss. In life generally, you’re never going to know everything. If you kind of accept that and accept that sometimes you have to go outside of your comfort zone and experience something to learn something, then that’s when you can really push the boundaries of your personal, physical, mental development. I think lots of people, when they look at expeditions,
Regarding adventuring, it’s been said that “the start is what stops most people.” What do you think might be the key factor to get the majority of people to push beyond that starting point?
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
they’ll assume it’s dangerous and that there is some inherent risk in that. They’re right, but we live in the heart of London and we cycle to and from meetings in and around London all day long. And yet, that could be a thousand times more dangerous than being in the Polar region because you haven’t fully appreciated the danger that you’re exposed to. When we’re on expedition, we assess the risks and put contingency plans on what we’re wearing and everything. It’s a case of planning and having the courage to take the risk, because that’s just life. If you live your life in bubble wrap… then that would be pretty dull. Ross: A lot of what we do is just get to that start line in order to have that experience, the utopia or euphoric moment. I think a lot of people will ask what it’s like to trek across the arctic. You can’t just describe it; you have to be in that moment to decide for yourself what it’s like, because we all perceive the experience differently. For someone, it might be a bit orange
or blue, but for me, it might be totally different. To bring it into context of everyday life, how many times do you have a moment, particularly on a night out with friends, when friends ask you to come out and you’re like “no, no, no, I haven’t got time” or “I can’t be bothered, I’ve got work in the morning,” or whatever it is? Then you finally go out, and it happens to be one of the best nights ever! That’s exactly the same - you don’t really want to do it, it’s a little outside of your comfort zone, you’re not mentally prepared, physically you might not feel 100%... but out of those moments when you say, “I’m just going to go and do it and see what happens,” the greatest experiences come out of it.
Photo: © The Turner Twins 2017
ymore info: www.theturnertwins.co.uk Instagram: @theturnertwiins Red Bull: The Red Pole Expedition
Photo: © George Bullard
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Africa’s Best Kept Secret
Climbing Mt. Kenya By George Bullard
It’s 0535hrs and we’re sitting atop Mt Kenya, watching the sun make an appearance above the horizon for the third time this month, February 2016. It’s moments like these that will remain with us forever. It’s entirely true when people say, “experiences are the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.” To that end, I was delighted to take my good friend Ed on a journey up one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most beautiful mountains, Mt. Kenya. Originally, she was taller than her more famous neighbor, Kilimanjaro, but over centuries this extinct volcano has been eroded away, leaving behind the lava filled chimney, which stands at an impressive 5,199m above sea level.
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Arriving at Kenya International Airport, we revived ourselves with breakfast and set off for Naro Moru, a small town at the foot of the mountain, close to the main park gate. We set up our tent just outside the gate of Mt. Kenya National Park in fading light with buffalo nearby and the wonderful sounds of the bush at night time. Luckily, none of the resident leopards discovered us… either that, or our snoring kept them away!
Monday morning saw us approach the park gate, pay the relatively hefty park entry fees and then spend a while fixing the stove, without which we’d be unable to turn our freeze-dried food into gourmet meals. It turns out pritt-sticks and tipex should be on all kit lists!
to be the height at which people start to suffer from altitude sickness. So, after a slow walk from the base of the mountain we set up Camp 1 in good time. Afterwards, an acclimatizing walk upward through the tree line and onto the open hillside above was required and enjoyed.
Our route ascended relatively quickly. The first night we camped above 3,000m, which is generally considered
The following day was a tough one. Baking temperatures and a sharp uphill ascent of over 1,000m tested our www.facethecurrent.com
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Tent Life
Breakfast on the hillside
Summit View
mettle. We stopped off for breakfast with a view before crossing what’s known as the very aptly named “vertical bog.” It was fascinating to see the changing vegetation and landscape. The higher we got, the more lunar-like the surroundings appeared. We awoke the following day for a summit attempt just after midnight. The scree slopes in the dark required an almighty effort, exacerbated by the increasingly thin air. We arrived
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at an advanced based camp located at about 4800m at 0330hrs to ever brightening skies. At 0535hrs we are sitting atop Mt. Kenya. The view was totally stunning (I would say breathtaking, but it’s safe to say that whatever breath we had, had already been taken). We spent 40 or 45 minutes on the summit and soaked in the awe-inspiring views.
It is very rare nowadays that climbers have the pleasure of seclusion, but we didn’t see any other people on our climb. Such is the nature of Mt. Kenya, one of Africa’s many secret jewels. It’s a stunning mountain that attracts some of the best climbers in the world, some in preparation for climbing nextlevel challenges like K2. There is no doubt that I will be back.
Summit Approach
ymore info: If you want your own experience of true wilderness, untouched pristine and tailored adventures. Check out what IGO Adventures are bringing to the market. Here is our most recent video: https://youtu.be/Mg5zpt6egFk?t=20s @georgebullardexplorer @igoadventures www.georgebullard.co.uk
On the way down from the summit
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FtC sports
The Yoga Poster
4,000 Years of History On One Page Interview By Sasha Frate If you’ve ever been muddled by the vast array of yoga styles and practices from traditional to modern varieties, or the philosophies and concepts like the ever more familiar ‘Namaste;’ look no further than The Yoga Poster. Its creators, Frank Neville-Hamilton and his wife Karoline, have sorted through 4,000 years of yoga history to produce a highly strategized and condensed diagram poster. It’s for the beginner and advanced yogi alike, all in one easy to navigate spread. Interested in the meditative or philosophical aspects of meditation? They’ve got that covered, too. Come with us on a whole new kind of yoga journey- venture inside The Yoga Poster.
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Sasha Frate:Tell us a bit about what led you and your wife Karoline to create a poster on the concepts of yoga? And why make a poster versus writing a book, for example? Frank Neville-Hamilton: The poster began as a personal project to consolidate much of the reading, learning, thinking, and asking that we’ve done over the last couple of decades as both teachers and students of yoga. With so many aspects to the practice, we found it challenging to remember, let alone explain, how everything fit together without having to dig through books and notepads. What we wanted was a diagram we could hang on the wall that captured, concisely, all the major aspects of yoga and did so in a
way that was pleasing to look at. There weren’t any on the market, so we created our own. How did you decide what should be included in the poster and how to narrow it from the vast amounts of information out there on styles, histories, postures, etc.? Yoga is a system and within every system there is a scope of knowledge that defines its boundaries. We wanted the poster to be comprehensive enough to map those boundaries and connect them in such a way that any practitioner could find a point of familiarity and then follow the connections from there as their interests led them.
With more than 4,000 years of history, the practice has generated a great volume of information. Within that data there are clear concepts and patterns that emerge and can be evaluated on several levels. We refined our research down to the essential patterns where most sources agreed and then we sought the input of our peers to assess how well our arrangement held together as a narrative. How much time was spent and what type of resources did you use to gather information for creating the poster? Over the last couple of decades we’ve each accumulated a great deal of learning about yoga through trainings,
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readings, conversation and experience. In regards to what we’ve read, that spans some of the classics, a great many “encyclopedias” and a sampling of contemporary philosophical works. Much like The Yoga Poster, our own collective scope of knowledge became the framework that we first explored together in conversation. Once we came up with the idea of the poster, we followed the connections and gaps between them, filling in the pieces where we needed with books, our own notes and online resources over the course of about 18 months. To whom is the yoga poster geared? Originally, we thought studios would be the primary audience, as a focus piece for students coming and going
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and as a resource for their teacher trainings. We were surprised at how many people also sought the poster for personal use in their home or home studio. While it is primarily a reference diagram, we wanted it to be colorful and attractive as well so that people felt good about displaying it publicly. You describe yoga as a system. What do you mean by this? Yoga began as a spiritual practice to unite the earthly individual with a universal, divine consciousness. As a practice over time it has evolved in many different directions with expressions as unique as the personalities of all those who have engaged with it. However, despite all the variations, there is still the anticipation of a union between
the practitioner and some greater awareness, even if that awareness itself is simply self-awareness. It is that anticipation of union, that movement from separateness to wholeness, that defines yoga as a system. It is the endless variation and repetition between all that we are and all that we are becoming that makes it such a fascinating system. Why do you believe the yoga poster was such a huge success? We’re still growing. We still ship The Yoga Poster out across the globe as people continue to find us. Our customers have been generous in sharing their stories and it’s gratifying to hear how much this overall perspective of yoga has had such an impact in their practice.
It’s remarkable that such an ancient body of knowledge is thriving and growing in a time where technology is driving us ever faster forward. I think yoga offers a needed balance in our lives, but it takes time to understand and use it. We built the poster because early in our own practice we had each wanted something like it to jump-start our understanding, something that could help us orient ourselves and make sense of what we were learning. The fact that others continue to search for that tells us The Yoga Poster serves a purpose in the long chain of yoga’s history. In addition to the yoga poster, you also offer a set of 3 yoga concepts. In a nutshell, how
do you break it down into 3 concepts? In the physical world, yoga engages the mind, the body, and the spirit towards an awareness of the self as an integrated whole. This is a wellestablished pattern in yoga literature. How do you see the yoga poster as being capable of enhancing one’s yoga practice? The Yoga Poster is a readily-accessible reference point for what you know and what you may yet discover it’s more like a map than a guide. A guide has a particular path upon which you travel that defines and deepens understanding. A map gives you a range of guides to choose and a general understanding of what to expect so that you can make a
reasonably educated choice about which guide might suit you in the present moment and, of course, remind you of the guides you’ve followed in the past. If you were to create additional visual guides, which concepts would you love to explore next? Wisdom. There is so much wisdom contained in the past and so much need for it now. The challenge isn’t as much accessibility but availability we repeat the patterns of the past because we don’t see the past in patterns.
ymore info: http://theyogaposter.com www.facethecurrent.com
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LIFTSTRONG
Shoulder Routine BY David Ryan Fitness One of the most impressive physical attributes are well developed shoulders. The Shoulder (aka deltoids) are made up of 3 small muscles. Anterior deltoid (front), medial deltoid (middle) and posterior deltoid (rear). Depending on the movement, you’ll recruit one of the three as the primary mover, and you’ll want to incorporate each deltoid muscle into your workout routine for that sharp, fully developed look.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
yTraining programs & Resistance bands: www.DavidRyanFitness.com Instagram: DavidRyanFitness YouTube: LIFTSTRONG 94
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Choose a moderate weight you can perform 3 sets of 8 reps with. First, perform a warm-up set at 50% the chosen weight. After your third “working set” of 8, you’ll do a “drop set” by grabbing the 50% warm-up weight and doing as many reps as you can. By combining controlled heavy sets with light burnout sets, you’ll completely exhaust the muscle resulting in increased strength, muscle, and fat burning.
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Get in the best shape of your life this year with David Ryan Fitness.
FtC fAce the current
HEALTH & WELLBEING 98. Digital Dementia: The Dark Side Of Technology 102. Doctor’s Rx: Sing, Paint, Or Play Music Every Day 104. The Math Of Immobility: 11 Reasons To Avoid Being Sedentary 108. Natural Solutions To Cramps: Beyond Hydration
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FtC health
Digital Dementia : The Dark Side of Technology By DR. JAMES BENTZ (D.PSc)
DIGITAL DEMENTIA: A sensory mismacht in the brain for over utilization of tecnology and excessive slouched sitting postures , leading to signs and sympthoms of dementia.
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We’ve all seen it. You’re in a restaurant and at the next table is a family. The adults and the kids all have cell phones. Everyone is on their screen, and no one is engaged in conversation. Besides the obvious lack of social interaction, is anyone paying attention to the other adverse affects that technology is having on us? Actually, science is, but first let’s look at some numbers. · A Kaiser Foundation Study found that elementary age children averaged 7.5 hours a day using enter tainment technology. · 75% of these children have televisions in their bedrooms · 50% of household have a TV on in their house all day · 68% of 2 year old regularly use tablets, 59% have a smar tphone, and 44% have a video game console · In another study, close to 50% of parents surveyed said they use technology of some sor t to keep children age 0-3 enter tained. · 1.8 billion people in the world own smar tphones and use them daily · In the UK, 70% of 11-12 year olds use cell phones, and that number increases to 90% by age 14. · 25% of children age 2-5 have a smar tphone · The average smar tphone user check their phone 150 times a day.
“Digital Dementia” is a term coined by German neuroscientist Dr. Manfred Spritzer in 2015. It is based on his research proving the breakdown of cognitive function related to the overuse of technology. Spritzer and other researchers have demonstrated the following adverse effects of technology overuse: · Sensory deficits from the lack of movement associated with the sedentary nature of technology use; · Postural changes associated with technology use including forward head posture (tech neck) with slouched shoulders and back leading to headaches, neck pain and low back pain; · Increased rates of ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delay, anxiety, learning disorders, sleep disorders, and other behavioral disorders in children due to the overstimulation of auditory and vestibular pathways; · Significantly decreased physical activity levels contributing to childhood and adult obesity. 2-3 hours daily of active play has been shown to be critical for normal brain development in children; · Video games and violence on TV have been shown to significantly increase sympathetic activity (“fight/flight” response) in children and adults leading to anxiety and depression disorders.
UNDER-STIMULATION OF THE frontal lobe: For reading, motivation, problem solving, memory and movement
UNDER-STIMULATION OF THE PARIETAL LOBE: For propioception and spatial awareness
UNDER-STIMULATION OF Occipital lobe: Due to bombardment of visual signals from technologic devices
UNDER-STIMULATION OF THE PMRF: For proper posture and pain reduction
UNDER-STIMULATION OF THE PMRF: For proper posture and pain reduction
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Brain researchers have now identified what they are calling internet addiction disorder. Research by Kimberly Young PhD and others have demonstrated that there can be significant negative brain changes associated with excessive time spent on the internet. These changes are associated with excessive dopamine stimulation via the reward and pleasure centers in the brain. These are the same pathways activated by cer tain drugs such as cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamines. In addition to all the adverse neurological and physical effects associated with technology overuse, there are some other significant issues that should be considered. For instance, all digital devices emit high levels of blue light. Blue light is proven to increase cor tisol levels and
cor tisol is the stress hormone. Chronically elevated cor tisol levels have been shown to cause shrinkage in some brain areas, most notably the hippocampus, which is associated with memory and recall, as well as containing high numbers of neural stem cells. Elevated cor tisol is also a major contributor to obesity and Type II Diabetes. It also disrupts our normal circadian rhythm leading to sleep disorders. Another concern is mounting evidence that long term exposure to the electromagnetic fields associated with modern digital devices can have negative health consequences. Over 25,000 ar ticles have been published in scientific journals over the last 30 years about the effects of EMF’s (electromagnetic fields) on human health.
Researches found that internet addiction disorder (IAD) demonstrated widespread reductions of function in major white matter pathways; such abnormal white matter structure maybe linked to to some behavioral empairments.
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There are things we can do to reduce the negative impacts of technology on our brains and health: · Limit the amount of time we spend on our devices to less than 3 hours a day. · Maintain normal posture while using devices. Forward head posture from looking down at devices alters the resting state of the brain, leading to decreased levels of aler tness. · Exercise improves brain health dramatically in both children and adults, and has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function. · Avoid blue light exposure from all screens and other ar tificial light sources at night. Install blue light filers such as flux or iris on all devices if possible. Purchase blue light blocking glasses to wear if you watch TV at night. · Put your Wi-fi modem and router on a power strip and shut it down before you go to bed.
This is a serious issue for you and your children. I implore you to consider the very real consequences of the ways we use electronic technology. The rise of these technological advances has only happened in the last twenty years and is accelerating rapidly. We are only just beginning to see the negative impacts of technology, and if the early data is any indication, it is likely to have a significant negative impact on the upcoming generations. Given the rise in cognitive and neurological degenerative changes that we are already seeing in our population, it is critical that we protect our brains from the emerging challenges associated with increased technology use.
ymore info:
www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com
Digital Dementia Prevention Tips: · Take frequent posture breaks · Sit up straight with alert posture · Sit on a posture Cushion · Limit screen time and technology utilization · Get outside and play www.facethecurrent.com
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FtC health
Doctor’s Rx: Sing, Paint, or Play Music Every Day How art, music and creativity contribute to Physiological wellness and vitality by Joshua Phillips, ND
Whether you lean toward conventional medicine, holistic and alternative medicine, or some combination of the two, chances are good a lot of it revolves around what you are putting in your mouth one to three times daily. We live in a healthcare culture that is obsessed with solutions to health and illness being the foods we eat, alongside some combination of capsules, whether they be herbal, supplemental, or pharmaceutical, taken several times a day. Obviously these approaches are important and contribute to our degree of health or illness. However, to put all of our healthcare focus into what foods and pills we are consuming is to lose sight of the bigger picture of all that we are capable of as humans.
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We are also thinking, feeling, spiritual and creative beings, and as it turns out, these aspects of our human experience have an enormous impact on our physiology and play an important role in influencing our health. The concept of mind-body medicine has been around for a long time and has been proven again and again through virtually every field of medicine, demonstrating the inextricable link between our thoughts, feelings, and biochemical/ physiological processes. While meditation, yoga and other mindbody practices have rightfully earned their place in self-care in the West, not as much attention has landed in the arena of how arts, music, and creativity can influence our health.
We humans have a seemingly inherent love of and attraction to harmonious sound, music, visual arts and beauty, poetry and prose. Our internal experience of being inspired, making art and music and creativity in general seems to elevate our sense of well-being, creates connections within communities, and brings a deeper sense of meaning and purpose to our lives. As it turns out, engaging in creative practices can also have a huge impact on our bodies and contribute to a physiologic environment that is consistent with a healthy and balanced endocrine system, nervous system, and immune system. Creative and inspirational practices really should be considered tools for both preventative medicine as well as supportive treatment for
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While meditation, yoga and other mind-body practices have rightfully earned their place in self-care in the West, not as much attention has landed in the arena of how arts, music, and creativity can influence our health.
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existing health concerns. The research and data that has been compiled on these topics is pretty stunning, and includes studies that look at the effects of many areas of human creativity—sound and music, visual arts, and creative writing, to name a few. One collaborative study between a medical team and Remo drums demonstrated that group hand-drumming lowered stress and fatigue and improved immune system function in participants. Many oncology studies have been done using art and music therapy, demonstrating improved outcomes in cancer patients. We have studies on how playing piano and other instruments, as well as simply listening to relaxing music
will lower cortisol and other stress hormones associated with chronic disease. Patients involved in a stroke-recovery study proved that listening to music hastened their recovery, and those that included singing in their program recovered even quicker from depression and confusion. Another study showed how group singing resulted in better immune system function than passive listening to music. The list goes on, with volumes of research demonstrating how engaging in creative/inspirational activities lowers stress hormones, improves the balance of neurotransmitters, while also influencing a more balanced and effective immune system.
There is no doubt the foods we eat, and the supplements and medications we are using are important considerations for our health and well-being, but perhaps making more space in our lives for our creative pursuits could actually mean another level of health, vitality and disease treatment and prevention. Making and enjoying art and music is not just inspiration for the mind and spirit, but also informs and inspires our bodies physically at the same time. Perhaps the prescription pad of the future will include fewer pills to take three times a day, and more recommendations for inspirational and creative self-care.
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The Math of Immobility:
11 Reasons to Avoid Being Sedentary By Dr. Vaughn Bowman Dr. James Levine and Dr. Joan Vernikos were early pioneers in the “suddenly hot” trend of studying the effects of being sedentary. A simple internet search for either name will supply you with more information that you can easily digest regarding the science behind the topic of prolonged sitting. Suffice it to say, there are currently over 10,000 studies on the effects of an increased sedentary lifestyle upon the body. The majority of these studies agree that prolonged sitting is ‘the new smoking’ in terms of being unhealthy. Some studies are indeed so shocking that you’ll likely rethink your office situation entirely. Let’s start with a little background information and then dive into some statistics. 104
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Many studies have shown that only 60 minutes of sitting will result in down-regulation of your mitochondrial activity. This means the ‘power plant’ of every cell in your body becomes increasingly less efficient after only an hour of sitting in your office chair, your car, or on the couch in front of the TV. While many of these studies focus on only one aspect of this (such as increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, weight gain, or mortality), the cumulative fallout is far greater. Consider that every cell of the body is affected by this. This means every cell is less efficient, every organ and tissue less productive. Can you imagine what this might mean for your quality of life?
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Herniated Disc
Prolonged sitting is ‘the new smoking’ in terms of being unhealthy.
To further “flesh out” the ramifications of an increased sedentary lifestyle (pun intended), here is a list of 11 items I composed from various studies. Keep in mind, this is only a short compilation that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface:
1. Increased risk of heart damage due to slower blood flow and greater chance for fats and lipids to adhere to the heart and vessel wall; 2. Just one day of sitting results in the pancreas producing excessive insulin, setting you up for type 2 diabetes. Sitting for more than 8 hours per day equals a 90% increased risk; 3. Increased risk for cancer: lung cancer by 54%, uterine cancer by 66%, and colon cancer by 30%; 4. In an 8.5 year study, those individuals who watched the most TV had a 61% higher mortality rate; 5. Decreased oxygen and nutrients to the brain resulting in thought, memory, concentration, and mood problems; 6. Severely strained muscles of the neck and shoulders as it’s common to protrude the head forward while looking a computer screen or writing and reading; 7. Massive risk for back problems due to increased pressure applied to the spine while sitting and hunched over a computer screen. Constant pressure of the disks between your vertebrae also greatly increases the risk of herniation; 8. Weak abdominal muscles from underuse. Just the act of standing requires abdominal tension; 9. Greatly reduced hip mobility due to tight muscles of the hips and weakened glutes. This is the leading reason for falls in the elderly, but we are seeing such problems in a younger population now; 10. Decreased blood flow to the legs results in overall poor circulation, varicose veins, and the increased risk of blood clot formation; 11. Less activity means less use of your bones and decreased cellular activity of the bone matrix. This causes decreased bone mass (osteoporosis and osteopenia) and ‘brittle’ bones. www.facethecurrent.com
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Perhaps this wasn’t quite enough to scare you out of your chair. Maybe few if any of these items hit home for you. But it’s certain that if you sit for more than 60 minutes at a time, rest assured cellular changes are occurring which lead to the following physiology: decreased aerobic capacity, decreased heart output, slower reaction time, increased fatigue, decreased muscle mass (atrophy), decreased collagen production (aching muscles, joints), decreased testosterone and growth hormone, increased fat deposition, decreased oxygen and nutrient availability, and so much more.
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Are you out of your chair yet?
Okay, are you standing up now?
Let’s look at this idea of mitochondrial dysfunction brought on by being sedentary in a different light. Consider that every cell of your body is negatively influenced by these changes. How might this affect any weakness or problem already occurring in your system? That’s right, being sedentary will exacerbate any and all weakness. This means any condition or ailment from the common cold to cancer to mild aches and pains will intensify simply from sitting too long.
Not to scare you further, but many people mistakenly believe a solid exercise program will more than offset this trend toward being increasingly sedentary. The truth is that no degree of exercise will easily displace the cellar changes that compound with prolonged sitting. Therefore, one can’t sit for 8 hours in an office and expect an hour workout to balance the scale…it’s just not going to happen. Yes, exercise is wonderful and indeed necessary, but it doesn’t prevent the mitochondria from becoming inefficient during sitting.
working poor posture
Couch potato
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The truth is that no degree of exercise will easily displace the cellular changes that compound with prolonged sitting. Therefore, one can’t sit for 8 hours in an office and expect an hour workout to balance the scale…it’s just not going to happen.
Thankfully, there are rather simple solutions to this rapidly growing dilemma. Here are a few:
· For every 50 or 55 minutes you remain seated, get up and move for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Just the act of standing is helpful in preventing mitochondrial mischief. However, a few lunges or squats will really supercharge the mitochondria and ramp up their activity rather than simply prevent degradation. · Schedule a walking meeting after lunch to avoid that excess glucose being stored as fat and avoid the afternoon fatigue that plagues so many of us. · Consider a standing desk so you can choose when to work.
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· You might also consider sitting on a large fitness ball to constantly engage your core to remain upright while seated. · And by all means, use those TV commercials to your advantage by getting off the couch and doing a quick 1 or 2 minute routine. · All these simple steps add up to increased cellular activity, which translates into better overall health, happiness, and well-being.
ymore info:
http://drvbowman.com www.facebook.com/originfitnessct Solutions_Standing Desk
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natural solutions
to cr a mp s : beyond hydration
Cramps are extremely common. But what are they exactly, and how do you know if you are experiencing a cramp? A cramp is an involuntary muscle contraction, often resulting from muscle fatigue or strain. It can be felt as a spasm, and often causes pain, and it may involve all or only a part of one or more muscles.
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Cramps are most frequently felt in the leg muscles or feet, however any muscle under voluntary control can cramp. Involuntary muscles are also prone to cramps.These types of cramps can occur in the uterus, bowels, bronchial tree, etc.Voluntary muscle cramps typically occur in the evening or during the night.
CAUSES OF LEG CRAMPS
RIGOROUS EXERCISES
SUNSTROKE OR DEHYDRATION
OVEREXERTION CAISING MUSCLE FATIGUE
HORMONAL OR FLUID IMBALANCES, ELECTROLYTE
OBESITY
ABNORMALITIES IN NERVES
CAUSES · Over exertion causing muscle fatigue · Dehydration or low/depleted electrolyte levels · Deficiency in minerals calcium & magnesium, vitamins C & B1 · Stress or anxiety · Being in an unnatural position for an extended period of time, resulting in restricted blood flow · Injury · Various types of medication can lead to muscle cramping · Vitamin D deficiency, affecting calcium absorption
References: Larson-Meyer, E. (2012, January 22). Learn the connection between diet and muscle cramping. Retrieved 30 July 2015, from http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/learn-the-connection-between-diet-and-muscle-cramping Stöppler, M. C. (2015, July 30). Muscle Cramps: Read About Treatment, Causes & Prevention. Retrieved 30 July 2015, from http://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_ Massage cramps/article.htm www.facethecurrent.com
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Holistic Solutions for Improvement Relief & Prevention: 1) HYDRATE: Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. 2) EPSOM SALTS bath: the magnesium in the salts promotes muscle relaxation and relieve cramps. Stretch during the bath. 3) CONDITIONING: A preventative measure is to do daily stretching and strengthening. 4) MASSAGE inflicted area; massage balls work well. 5) REST
top 10 magnesium foods 1. spinach
157 MG (40% DV) 1 CUP
2. chard
154 MG (38% DV) 1 CUP
3. pumpkin seeds 92 MG (23% DV) 1/8 CUP
4. yogur or kefir 50 MG (13% DV) 1 CUP
5. ALMONDS
80 MG (20% DV) 1 CUP
6. BLACK BEENS
Nutrition Therapy The following may provide relief or prevention of muscle cramps: 1- Dietary intake is ideal, however supplementing is an option if deficient in calcium & magnesium 2- Consume foods rich in calcium & magnesium: spinach, chard, collard greens, basil, yogurt, broccoli, green bean, celery, etc. 3- Potassium rich foods: Swiss chard, crimini mushrooms, spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, winter squash, tomatoes, collard greens, eggplant, cantaloupe, kale, carrots, beets, asparagus, basil, cucumber, turmeric, apricots, bananas, etc 4- Consume sodium rich foods: artichokes, greens, eggs & dairy, meat & seafood 5- Nutrient rich carbohydrates: Inadequate carbohydrate stores may contribute to muscle cramps. Sources are whole fruits & vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans & grains.
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60 MG (15% DV) 1/2 CUP
7. AVOCADO
58 MG (15% DV) 1 MED
8. FIGS
50 MG (13% DV) 1/2 CUP
9. DARK CHOCOLATE 95 MG (24% DV) 1 SQU
10. BANANA
32 MG (8% DV) 1 MED
Herbal Treatment
CRAMP BArK
MASSAGE a 1% dilution of wormwood Artemisia absinthium essential oil or wintergreen G. procumbens essential oil.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Viburnum opulus
CONSUME herbs high in calcium & magnesium. The following may be added to your diet: Alfalfa M. sativa, blue cohosh C. thalictroides, chamomile Matricaria recutita (L.) (German) or C. nobile (Roman), cayenne C. annuum, chives A. schoenoprasum, dandelion T. officinale, kelp, mullein Verbascum Thapsus (L.), nettle U. dioica, parsley P. crispum, plantain P. major, raspberry R. idaeus, shepherd’s purse C. bursa-pastoris, watercress N. officinale, & yellow dock R. crispus
PART USED: mainly bark, but also berries
INTERNAL SPASMS: small doses of cramp bark, valerian, or wild yam tincture
FAMILY: Adoxaceae (formerly Caprilofoliaceae)
ENERGETICS: bitter, cool, dry, slightly acrid/pungent PLANT PROPERTIES: relaxant, anti-spasmodic, astrigent, sedative, diuretic PLANT USES: menstrual cramps, muscle, early labor, miscarriage, pain, difficulty urinating, bowel cramps (IBS), diarrhea, child enurensis (bedwetting), spasmodic coughing, asthma, arthritis, muscle strain, seizures, high blood pressure, lockjaw (historic use) PLANT PREPARATION: decoction, tincture, powder.
Herbal treatment - Wormwood Essential Oil
Cramp Bark - Viburnum opulus
References: Mateljan, G. (2006). The Worlds Healthiest Foods Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating. United States: World’s Healthiest Foods www.facethecurrent.com
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Life’s Container: Coffee, Tradition, And Surf Nomadics Tipis: A Business Of Ethical Accountability The Secrets To Influencer Marketing Success. volume 2
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Life’s Container Coffee, Tradition, and Surf By Kathleen Johnson Antoñana If your entire world had to fit into one very large shape, what shape would you pick? Would it be the triangle pointing to the sun or the moon? Would it be a perfectly-rounded sphere? For Anike Ejlers Wolthers, this shape is a rectangle. Ms. Wolthers is many things: an artist, a mother, the daughter of a surfboard shaper, and the granddaughter of a coffee trader- to name a few. If one were to delve deeper, the rectangle is the shape of a shipping container. It’s the shipping container, a red one if you are splitting hairs, that Anike and the team at Wolthers Douqué Green Coffee Merchants transformed for last week’s
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Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in Seattle. In laymen’s terms, this is a global annual event where the members of coffee industry converge to see what is new. It is a moment Anike has been preparing for, for over a year and a half. Naturally, the Wolthers Douqué team, with the help of Atelier Woodworks of New Orleans, combined what they are best known for: containers of coffee, Viking surf boards, and a hospitable space to enjoy the world they inhabit. Anike simply put it all in a nice, neat, visually pleasing, and perfectly palatable box - by thinking out of it first.
Credit: Svenn-Aage Wolthers
enjoy the world they inhabit. Anike simply put it all in a nice, neat, visually pleasing, and perfectly palatable box by thinking out of it first.
If your entire world had to fit into one very large shape, what shape would you pick? Would it be the triangle pointing to the sun or the moon? Would it be a perfectly-rounded sphere? For Anike Ejlers Wolthers, this shape is a rectangle. Ms. Wolthers is many things: an artist, a mother, the daughter of a surfboard shaper, and the granddaughter of a coffee trader- to name a few. If one were to delve deeper, the rectangle is the shape of a shipping container. It’s the shipping container, a red one if you are splitting hairs, that
Anike and the team at Wolthers Douqué Green Coffee Merchants transformed for last week’s Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in Seattle. In laymen’s terms, this is a global annual event where the members of coffee industry converge to see what is new. It is a moment Anike has been preparing for, for over a year and a half. Naturally, the Wolthers Douqué team, with the help of Atelier Woodworks of New Orleans, combined what they are best known for: containers of coffee, Viking surf boards, and a hospitable space to
John-Aage Wolthers moved from Denmark to Brazil and began the coffee tradition that would be passed down to his son Christian, an avid surfer, board shaper and coffee expert. Born in Santos, Brazil, a city known for its surf, Christian’s first passion was surfing and shaping surfboards. This skill at crafting surfboards, which began at the age of thirteen, was born out of necessity: he simply needed more boards. His efforts would grow to become Viking Surfboards, a high-end surfboard company that has sponsored many surfers in Brazil, USA, Guatemala, and Denmark. However, coffee more than surfing, is the family DNA. He eventually came to run the family business as well, and did so for many years. In its current iteration, the family coffee legacy is manifesting itself into the third generation with Rasmus Wolthers, who operates from their base in Brazil and with Anike at Wolthers Douqué USA in Florida. Other family members who are also in the business include Svenn and Daniel, a brother and cousin, respectively. As they say, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” For Anike, however, the decision to dip her toes into what has traditionally been a very closed and male-oriented profession was not nearly as organic as the some might think. Her first love is not coffee, but art and beauty. For about ten years before entering her father’s and grandfather’s world of coffee, Anike used her artistic eye www.facethecurrent.com
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to create graphics, sites, music video, events and curated art shows, all while continuously working alongside Viking Surfboards. Recently graduated at the age of 21, Anike had her first child at home, delivered by her mother Viviane Wolther, a midwife. As a young single mother, her life gained an entirely new perspective. With it, she found in the arts a flexible schedule that would challenge her creativity, yet allow Anike to raise Kirsti and her son, Zion-Aage, who would follow along soon after. Anike is grounded and steadfast when she says, “I identify as Danish and appreciate old traditions. A Norseman holds three things dearly: a woman for breeding, the living artist for making and designing tools that are essential to daily life, and the warrior for bringing back the treasures from far off places.” When her father called to her to help with their Ft. Lauderdale offices merely a few years ago, she conceded with the same reservations one might expect. Whether or not to work with family is always a big decision, and she loves creating her art. In the end, she has been able to
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bring her art to the workplace to make her impact in a soulful way. Of this decision, Ms. Wolthers notes, “As an artist, I always wanted to create something that represented me and expressed who I was, and I wanted to do it alone. Being a girl surrounded by brothers and cousins, I had to work extra hard to prove I could do anything a man could, and more. As I stepped into the family business, I realized there is nothing better than carrying along what was already created by my heritage - to continue the tradition and carry forward the name. Of course, I add my own artistic twist, which marries well with the new world of coffee, the third and fourth waves.” “Waves of coffee” may sound good to the millions of us who love our morning cup. But what does this mean in the industry? According to Anike, as a taste-based trade, those in the coffee industry respect generational, old businesses because they have proven they are solid and loyal. These old businesses are ‘safe’; they’ve stood the test of
time. Back in the old days, containers of coffee were sold from a producing country to a consuming country over the phone and with no internet. This meant they were bought and sold sight unseen (or bean untasted). “In coffee we trade containers,” Anike iterates. “That is how we talk money. And my father always told me, take good care of your name, because your name is really all you have.” This notion of new versus old, of waves vs. stability, is not a new concept, but it is one that is particularly important to grasp. Ms. Wolthers describes the narrative of the most recent coffee history in terms of these waves. To her, the first wave in trade came with the early ship traders. The second was an idea; the idea that coffee was a commodity traded to well-known franchises such as Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee, Coffee Bean, and Tea Leaf. The third wave includes new and more specialized coffee shops that prepare high-end quality coffee using the art of coffee extraction with baristas, whom she expects to be legitimate
experts regarding all aspects of coffee. Anike believes the fourth wave has already started but is still exclusive to producing countries, although it will soon be reflected in the consuming countries as well. To this end, in Pitalito, Colombia, Anike visited the School of Coffee Quality, an amazing free education center (SENA) that provides free studies of the entire coffee chain. This includes everything from choosing the right seeds to packing, roasting, quality control and post-harvest care. These third and fourth generations of producers are being given a complete education about the science behind an excellent cup. They also have a variety of equipment to play and experiment with, from different roasters to all kinds of brewing methods. The school in Pitalito is a true playground for coffee lovers and is part of what she believes will bring the fourth wave to the rest of the world. Of her role in the coffee world and the beans that she sells lovingly, Anike assumes a humble (yet typically irreverent) tone, one that many don’t
typically associate with this new world of specialty coffee, locally roasted and whipped up by a self-styled ‘barista’. “In the morning, I like to drink my Brazilian coffee chocolaty, nutty and smooth, probably because that is what I grew up with and it’s what my palate wants. In the end, it’s cultural, experiential. This is what I love about coffee; there is no right or wrong answer to taste. Everyone has his or her own preferences. That’s ok; there is a coffee for everyone and my job is to find profiles that fit my client’s tastes.” In a man’s world, Anike has found her place. She upholds her traditions and adds to them with her creativity – which is evident in the marketing of the company. Ms. Anike Eljers Wolthers’ red, rectangular shippingcontainer booth at the SCA is a steel-clad testimony to the fact that it can all work together: from old to new, from man to woman, from surf to coffee, from country of origin to consuming country. And most importantly, from pride to love.
ymore info: www.wolthersdouque.com www.vikingsurfboards.com Instagram: @atelierwoodworks www.facethecurrent.com
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Nomadics Tipis A Business of Ethical Accountability Interview By Eric Marley
In 2008, I was sitting at my home computer and had the urge to find a “smudge stick,” a bundle of sage used to purify a space. I’d never owned one and had no idea what to do with it, but decided for some reason that this was the time to get one and learn. An Internet search led me to Nomadics Tipis, a company in nearby Sisters, Oregon that sold smudge sticks, in addition to tipis. Long interested in Native lifeways, I drove there, purchased my smudge stick and inspected the tipis on display. While I was there, I engaged
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in a long and enlightening conversation with a man who was stacking tipi poles in the rain, who turned out to be Jeb Barton, Founder of Nomadic Tipis. Over the next year, he would have an unimaginable impact on my life. Since then I’ve owned two Nomadics tipis, and even live in one now. Nomadics is a soulful and connected company with ethical accountibility. Read on, “heart open,” as Jeb and Nicole, who are both life and business partners tell us about what makes Nomadics tick.
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The benefit of being in a tipi comes primarily from its closeness to Nature. Having only a cotton membrane to separate you from the outside world, you hear and feel the intimate presence of the life around you.
Eric Marley: Nomadics has been making tipis since 1970, perhaps longer than any tipi manufacturer in the world. Jeb, you and your twin brother Thom founded Nomadics, but what raised your interest in tipis in the first place? Jeb: We came to Oregon to start a private high school and we wanted it to have an integrated curriculum based on the insights and philosophy that are inspired by and implied in Nature. Living in a tipi through the winter was an excellent first hand, personal experience with regard to making decisions about how to
integrate “Naturalist” type studies into a high school curriculum. Tiny Homes, yurts and other “alternative” dwellings seem to be growing in popularity. Do you consider tipis to be part of the movement toward a smaller, more sustainable way of life? Is this reflected in sales growth for Nomadics? Nicole: Not necessarily. Tipi living is not primarily motivated by a minimalist lifestyle philosophy. The primary motivation for interest in tipis is a deep inner personal and intimate connection with Nature. Since more
than a decade, we have been selling on average 800 tipis per year, with minor fluctuations. What stands out to you about a tipi and its relationship to nature? Is there any connection with the scientific theory of pyramids that there are numerous benefits of spending time inside these shapes/ structures? Nicole: Being in a tipi puts you in close communion with Nature. A tipi is a cone shaped structure, which is a very common organic form found in Nature. The benefit of being in a tipi www.facethecurrent.com
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Generally, the purpose is the pursuit of the aspect of the inner journey that takes you into the heart of Nature. Potential customers should consider whether or not they are really interested in this experience and if they are, everything will fall into place.
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comes primarily from its closeness to Nature. Having only a cotton membrane to separate you from the outside world, you hear and feel the intimate presence of the life around you. Is there a general purpose that your customers have when they are considering a tipi purchase? In other words, do most of your clients plan to live in them, use them as dedicated sacred space or something else? When someone is considering a tipi as a living space, what should they consider? Who are your customers? Jeb: Our customers are old souls and new souls. Generally, the purpose is the pursuit of the aspect of the inner journey that takes you into the heart of Nature. Potential customers should
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consider whether or not they are really interested in this experience and if they are, everything will fall into place. Nicole: we are working on a page about “Tipi Living” on our website, where customers can share their experience and insights if they do live in a tipi. Most customers do not live in their tipi, though. They purchase it as a space to gather with friends away from the technical world, or they use it as their own private space, for meditation and reflection. What do your customers say about tipi living? What are the greatest challenges and what are some of the benefits that might make these challenges worthwhile? Nicole: You are living in a tipi yourself,
what would you say? Living in a tipi will certainly take you into an experience that you would not have if you lived in a cabin or tiny home. The difference is a membrane vs a wall and everything that that implies. Jeb: The greatest challenge is learning how to orient yourself towards deep feelings and quietude as opposed to superficial sensations and the sound of your own story. If you can achieve that, the practical side of tipi living itself is effortlessly fulfilling. Brands are increasingly embracing brand activism. Why was it important to you to show support for the issue at Standing Rock by donating tipis to the resistance? Nicole: The decision to support Standing Rock had nothing to do with
brand activism, brand awareness or smart marketing. The day I learned what the protest was about, I decided to support the Native People openly and actively. This was our opportunity to walk our talk. It had to do with humanity, not with culture or race To run a pipeline through their land without their consent and to disregard their rights and long standing treaties is illegal. To shoot peaceful water protectors with rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons in freezing temperatures is an inhumane use of excessive and unnecessary force. Jeb: And to destroy their sacred sites and objects reflects this country’s institutionalized dehumanization and cultural racism. This was not only about showing support and solidarity with a culture against which genocide has been practiced ever since the white man encountered them, but also about
genocide against the Earth itself. I guess you’ve already addressed this, but do you believe it was beneficial business decision for you? Nicole: As I said, this had to do with supporting the Native People as Human Beings, it had nothing to do with business. Jeb: Unless you want to say that the only REAL business there is, is the business of being human. When people are choosing designs to be painted on their new tipis, why do you urge customers to choose designs that are culturally and historically relevant? Nicole: We don’t. The purchase of a tipi is a very personal journey, so we
expose them to a whole variety of different approaches to express their own stories with art. Many people choose to portray a personal aspect of their lives, their dreams, visions or their spirituality on their tipi cover so they often send us their personal custom designs and we reproduce them. Jeb: We suggest to people that designs are not just decoration. They are a doorway. What type of impact have you had on the planet through your work? Jeb: Who knows! But I will say this: You will always know what you give to the world, but you will never know to whom. And when you know to whom you have given, you will never know exactly what they have received. www.facethecurrent.com
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There are a lot of companies engaging in “greenwashing” because they feel it’s good for business. From what you’ve said, much of what Nomadics does is the result of an underlying ethic, regardless of what seems to be good for business in a traditional sense. How does this ethic extend to, say, sourcing material and hiring practices? What are the real bottom line effects of these actions, and to what extent does it matter? Nicole: For me, owning and managing a company gives me the unique opportunity to do good for others and the environment. It is a tool that I can use to make a difference. In offering a high-quality tipi we help preserve the Native American Culture. In providing meaningful and rewarding employment, predominantly to women, we strengthen their independence. We have also established a minimum wage of $15/h for seasonal helpers; we pay wages above average, provide paid vacation above state norm, offer 401 (K) for all and encourage a culture of cooperation and mutual respect. Last year, I decided to change all our cotton sourcing to organic cotton. This does not mean that we can advertise “organic tipis”, because the canvas will still be treated to make the fabric suitable for an outdoor structure. It does mean, however, that an average of 80,000 yards of cotton canvas per year will be produced without the use of harmful pesticides that sickens the farmers and pollutes the soil and waters in India. It also means that we are strengthening the opposition against GMO products and Monsanto’s excessive exploitation that drives these farmers into ruin and suicide.
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To do all this, I had to raise prices, which in turn might affect sales or it might not. It does not really matter because Jeb and I have not succumbed to greed and the need for more and more. “More and more” is definitely not better. “More and more” just creates more problems and inequality. Jeb: “Greenwashing” is never good for business because it is deceitful. Deceit has two devastating consequences. One, it justifies and thus perpetuates distrust among people and two; it shows no respect for another human being’s inherent value. “Whitewashing” of any kind, for any reason, is evidence of an utter disregard for responsibility and accountability of the perpetuator’s personal integrity. Your questions really get at the core problem behind “capitalism”, which is schizophrenia, but that is an in- depth
exploration of its own so I will not comment any further on that here. There is the basic assumption that what is “good for business” is fundamentally inconsistent with ethical principles. I’ve heard this all my life. Ethical behavior is not only good for business but it is “sine qua non” to the success of society itself much less the survival of any one given business endeavor. The concept of “buyer beware” is the concept of “human survival beware.” So, ethics are not only good for any human enterprise, they are essential for the survival of the human race and we are not just talking about sustainability here, we are talking about human survival. So everything that we do in our tipimaking business we try to ground in ethical accountability. The Iroquois Nation was famous for its practice of trying to consider the impact on
its people and the world for seven generations in the future before it would finalize any one decision. We make a real effort to hire people who share the philosophy of our vision and of our personal responsibility. Thus, we are not a group of workers, we are an accountable team. There are two core bottom line effects of walking this talk. We CONSTANTLY hear from customers how much they appreciate our integrity in every phase of their experience with us. They tell us how much they appreciate being personally respected and “facilitated” rather than being “sold.” This is the “I Thou” connection rather than the “I it” process. And secondly, and of greatest importance, we are setting an example, and in this regard, we are setting a standard. Our business thrives, not in spite of the philosophy of ethical accountability, but because of it.
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Our business thrives, not in spite of the philosophy of ethical accountability, but because of it.
ymore info: www.tipi.com www.facethecurrent.com
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The Secrets to Influencer Marketing Success Volume 2
By Jesse Weinberg As the founder and CEO of digital marketing agency Global Yodel Media Group I’ve produced innovative campaigns for Fortune 500 companies and small businesses since 2011. Our agency produces programs that drive huge results for our clients and generate ROI that most traditional marketing can’t come even close to replicating. Over the years, we’ve learned many lessons through experience, some through hard fought battles and some through costly mistakes. To save you time, effort and heartache, I’ve compiled a list of secrets for success that we use every day in our agency’s fine-tuned Influencer Marketing formula.
1. Understand Influence Marketing 101: In marketing, there is always a new trendy buzz word and Influencer Marketing is the choice du jour. Popular for a reason, if done right, Influencer Marketing can have unparalleled sales, growth and equity results for brands and generate unmatched ROI for marketing budgets. To better understand the term as a whole, let’s look at the definitions of both influence and marketing separately. Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself. Marketing: The action or business of promoting and selling products or services. Influencer Marketing is simply the action of promoting and selling products or services through people (influencers) who have the capacity to have an effect on the character of a brand.
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2. Think about location Understand where your customers are, where you want them to be, and where you want to reach them. Do you want to reach people in Alabama? Australia? Argentina? Anchorage? Is the product or service you are promoting global, national or local? If you get most of your sales from millennials in New York City, chances are you want to continue to grow there and in similar markets. Expand your sales in NYC by working with NYC locals and migrate into similar large cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. Do the research on your prospective influencers, see where they live, where they used to live, and the regions where they travel. With some quick investigation, you can easily find this important geographic information.
3. Work with the right influencers: Do you want to reach college students? Photographers? Psychologists? Moms? Car owners? People who are religious? Heavy social media users? Football fans? Develop a detailed understanding of who your customer is or who you want your customer to be. Don’t just focus on the obvious such as millennials/baby boomers or male/female; drill down into the details. Figure out all the specifics of your ideal customer. Once you understand this information you can match up with influencers who also have these specific interests. The beauty behind this is that their large community of followers also have many of these same interests.
3. Understand your influencer’s strengths and weaknesses Each influencer will have their own strengths and weaknesses in their content creation ability, audience awareness, leveraging of social channels, communication skills, and trustworthiness at performing on task. You value them for their voice and level of influence, and you just have to have them on your team. But what happens when they fall short in some areas that are instrumental to the success of your marketing campaign? Are they great photographers? If not, help them by providing great photographs to publish. Are they excellent writers? In not, provide them with great examples of how to craft their social post captions. Can they shoot video? If not, partner them up with a stellar videographer you may know in your network. Are they socially awkward? If yes, leverage their strengths in the ‘behind-the-scenes’ tasks of your marketing campaign rather than hiring them to represent your brand at an important event. Can you count on them to deliver on deadline? If not, do as my mentor taught me and set a target deadline well in advance of the actual timeline. Study all of this before you offer them an engagement, leverage their strengths, and assist with their weaknesses.
ymore info: These are just a few of the important aspects to consider when executing successful influencer marketing campaigns. To learn more about digital, social media, influencer and content marketing or to download a free whitepaper that outlines the 18 Secrets of Influencer Marketing Success visit GlobalYodelMediaGroup.com www.facethecurrent.com
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