Issue 13 | Face the Current by Face the Current

Positive Action Edition

Issue 13

November 2017

fAce the current TRAVEL

CULTURE

MUSIC

SPORTS & FITNESS

HEALTH

dive into act i on CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE WORLD Zen Athlete

Matt Belair Opens Your Mind To Your True Potential

Quixotic Is Multisensory Cirque Nouveau Storytelling Of The Human Experience

Capturing The Cosmic Clock

Patterns Emerge From Stilling Space & Time

Alaffia TAKES ACTION

BEAUTY, EQUALITY & EMPOWERMENT AROUND THE GLOBE

...inspiring positive change in the world www.facethecurrent.com

EDITORIAL

editorial

F tC fAce the current Issue 13 · November 2017

Connect With Us... @facethecurrent @facethecurrent @facethecurrent www.facethecurrent.com

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 deep-rooted love of learning, creative minds and a great appreciation for connection with other individuals who are passionate about what they do, Face the Current has quickly developed into a growing team and global community of incredible people who believe in living life to the fullest and discovering their true potential. “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

sashafrate sasha@facethecurrent.com

Cover Image Credits: •

Front Cover by Tom Archer

•

Back Cover by Dr. Christian Sasse

For advertisement and sponsor inquiries: Annette Krey, Sales Manager annette@facethecurrent.com David Aiello, Director of Marketing david@facethecurrent.com For writer and contributor inquiries: Sasha Frate, Founder & 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. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Face the Current may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this magazine.

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positive action Edition November is our birthday edition as Face the Current Magazine turns one year old! It only seemed natural then to celebrate the theme of “positive action,” because this notion is at the heart of everything we do. Since our first issue, our intention has been to inspire positive change in the world and create a global community who shares in this desire. We begin this theme by talking with a company whose positive actions have helped both communities and consumers around the globe. Alaffia was founded in 2004 to combat poverty and empower communities in West Africa through the fair trade of shea butter and other indigenous resources. We are proud to share their story and the impact they’ve had to date. Their success reminds us that as consumers, our every purchase helps decide how we want this world to be. From West Africa we look up to the Milky Way to find other notable forms of positive action. Dr. Christian Sasse, Founder of Cosmic Clock, is on a mission to educate and inspire people everywhere about our world, our galaxy, and the universe we live in. Cosmic Clock blends science, art and humanity into interactive presentations on cosmology and astro-photography that enable the public to become aware of and be inspired by the incredible patterns in the natural world. These are a few examples of positive action that we are proud to share with you. Now we invite you to help celebrate our birthday by joining the ripple effect that positive action can have not only on our lives, but also the lives of others.

“We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.” – Vince Lombardi Photo by Dr. Christian Sasse

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Issue 13 · November 2017

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fAce the current Sasha Frate

Founder and 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.

Clair Marie

Brand Engagement & Influencers Also going by her alias “BASEgirl,” Clair is a BASE jumper, Skydiver, Mountain bike racer, Rock climber, Motivational Speaker, Keynote, and Model! She is a passionate vegan and a world traveler. Clair has made it her life goal to inspire others and help them accomplish or find their dreams and passions. After defying the odds and becoming one of the worlds youngest BASE jumpers at 16 years old she realized how important it is to always follow your dreams! And now she helps others find theirs.

Annette Krey Sales Manager

Coming from the hospitality industry, Annette has successfully and passionately worked in Sales & Marketing both in the United States and in Germany in different industries. A German native, she has lived in the Portland, Oregon area for almost 8 years. There she learned to love the outdoors and the green lifestyle that plays an important role in the lives of many Oregonians. As a mom of two young children a healthy and sustainable lifestyle is now a big priority for her and she teaches her children to live passionately, be open-minded and to be respectful to our planet and all living things.

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.

Sema Garay

Executive Designer Sema is the graphic designer behind the development of the image and magazine of Face the Current. He has developed a multitude of projects, including his previous job leading the Creative Department of BG Life Magazine, in Marbella, Spain. Sema is passionate about all kinds of artistic expressions, especially music and architecture.

november-

CREW 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. www.drvbowman.com

We are a growing team of Up-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. This month’s Team and Crew are based in the US, Spain, UK, Germany, Australia and Canada.

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

Tom Archer

is a freelance photographer with a passion for travel. He shoots a variety of work from weddings to advertising, he is completely self-taught and his work has taken him all over the world. He is in the process of building workshops, which will see him teaching landscape and adventure photography in some of the most beautiful destinations on the planet. www.tom-archer.com Instagram: @tomarcherphoto

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

Renee Davis

Lee Davy

has been leveraging a life-long quest and the fortunate ability to find himself in situations of study and learning with many of the true masters and thought leaders of our time in the areas of knowledge, healing, thinking, transformation, metaphysics, energy work, and other forms of Self- Mastery, Lee has spent nearly three decades gathering tools, doing deep internal work and finally creating his own content in preparation to teach what he has learned throughout 30 years of Self discovery and personal growth. “I wish only to share with you what I have learned over a life time of searching and studying the health, consciousness and healing arts. I wish for you to gain the same benefits and outlook that comes from working with and mastering the mental, emotional, physical and Spiritual mixture from which we are all made.” https://lee-davy.com/

MA RH(AHG) is a clinical herbalist, researcher, and educator in botanical and mycological medicine. She is a board member of the American Herbalists Guild and serves as the R&D Director of a mushroom nutraceutical company. She currently studies biomedical sciences at the University of Washington. Previously, she was a clinical herbalist at the Olympia Free Herbal Clinic for 5 years and an Associate Scholar with the Center for World Indigenous Studies. http://www.goldrootherbs.com/ http://www.hostdefense.com/

Matthew Belair

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

Danae Maree

Daniella Princi

is The Conscious Psychologist and the heart and soul of Your Intrinsic Life, radiating her passion for what she speaks to, and living and breathing all she shares. She is a connected, passionate and downto earth certified psychologist with a difference- combining her considerable and extensive skills & experience as a psychologist with additional specialty training in life and wellness-coaching. She is a guide, a coach, a healer... She is driven by her passion to fulfil her purpose to support you through conscious connection & awareness, education, clarity, empowerment, enlightenment and transformation. She is practical and solution-focused, giving you tools to empower you to reconnect and transform- to make choices and changes in your life, and to cope with whatever life presents you; to enable you to become the best version of yourself; to discover and live a life of purpose, authenticity, value, meaning and vitality on all levels. www.yourintrinsiclife.com https://m.facebook.com/ yourintrinsiclife/

brings a diverse background to Personal Training and Health, with a Bachelor of Education (teaching), majoring in Physical education, 4 years of competitive Ballroom dancing, 2 years of competing as a Fitness Model, and various studies in nutrition, coaching, and wellness. In my 2 years of competing as a Fitness model, I achieved Pro status with the UFE after winning the Australian Fitness Model Overall Category in Sydney with ANB and also travelling to Canada to compete with their Pro division. Since then, I have chosen to focus on continuing to inspire others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle by building my Personal training business and also working within schools to actively promote the health message in a way that resonates with our Youth and community. http://www.danaemaree.com Instagram: @danae_maree

Kyle Clements

is an actor, award winning filmmaker, and traveler based in Los Angeles, CA. His passion lies in story and adventure. His life is inspired by movement. If he doesn’t have a pen or camera in hand, then he’s probably on his motorcycle, sailing, or plotting his next adventure. Social @Kyle_Clements

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CONTENT Issue 13 · November 2017

COVER stories

ALAFFIA TAKES ACTION 54 Empowerment Through Health, Education & Community Around The World

ZEN ATHLETE 88 Matt Belair Opens Your Mind To Your True Potential

QUIXOTIC IS MULTISENSORY CIRQUE NOUVEAU 68 CAPTURING THE COSMIC CLOCK 22 Patterns Emerge From Stilling Space & Time

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Storytelling Of The Human Experience

HIKING THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS 12 ‘Troll’s Tongue’

novemBER CONTENT 10. Tree Tribe 12. Hiking The Norwegian Fjords: ‘Troll’s Tongue’

16. Haiti Mission Renew: Serving A Community In Need A Travel And Self-Reflection 22. Capturing The ‘Cosmic Clock’ 30. Iceland In 10 Days 36. Everyone Laughs In The Same Language 40. FtC Travel Connection 48. Butzi. The Complete Creativity Course

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50. Lemur Bags 52. Trunk Collective 54. Alaffia Takes Action: Empowerment Through Health, Education, And Community Around The World 68. Quixotic Is Multisensory Cirque Nouveau: Storytelling Of The Human Experience

S MU

80. Immerse And Revitalize With The Healing Power of Sound Sebastien 84. The Most Sophisticated House Music 88. Zen Athlete: The Quest of Superhuman Performance

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94. Belizian Jungles Are Calling! Inside The 2018 Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC) 98. Modern Day Samurai: Self Discipline of a Purpose Driven Life 104. Dumbbell Push 108. Tinctures, Tisanes, Infusions, Decoctions. What’s The Difference?

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114. Gratitude: From Attitude to Consciousness 116. Navigating ‘Healthy’: 7 Eat-Out Tips To Avoid Marketing Tricks 120. Age is Just a Number: How Staying Active Can Improve Your Life

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TRAVEL

10. 12. 16. 22. 30. 36. 40. 8

tree tribe Hiking The Norwegian Fjords: ‘Troll’s Tongue’ Haiti Mission Renew: Serving A Community In Need. A Travel And Self-Reflection Capturing The ‘Cosmic Clock’ Iceland In 10 Days Everyone Laughs In The Same Language FtC Travel Connection

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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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Tree Tribe is an outdoor lifest yle brand that plants 1 0 trees on every sale .

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ly d n ie r f o c e e k a m e W , s ie r o s s e c c a d n a g in h t clo o t n io s is m a n o e and ar s e e r t f o s n o li il m t n pla and make a positive . ld r o w e h t n o t c a p im

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FtC travel

Hiking The Norwegian Fjords

‘Troll’s Tongue’ By Tom Archer Standing atop a thin spit of rock jutting out from a cliff edge over 700 meters above the valley below, my legs shake as I peer over the edge. Clouds form around me and then blow past and I catch glimpses of the giant fjord. I’m standing on Trolltunga (literally meaning ‘Troll’s tongue’ in Norwegian), the view before me is staggeringly beautiful. Trolltunga has become the quintessential Norwegian Fjord experience. Before 2010

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less than 800 people a year would make the trip, last year there were over 80,000 visitors! This is due in large part to the power of social media and the striking image that people pose for on top of the rock. It’s a grueling hike up, over 10 hours round trip, but

worth every step and every bead of sweat. We decided to make the hike in the afternoon and camp up on top of the mountain. It meant we didn’t have to share the view with many people. Most people make the round trip in a day, to save carrying camping gear that

far. When we returned the next morning on our way back down, and we could see we had made a very good decision. A few hundred people were queuing to have their moment on the famous monolith. We were later told people waited over 3 hours!

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Although Trolltunga may be the quintessential experience, there are dozens of jaw dropping viewpoints around the fjords. In fact, almost every corner of the area is photogenic. Lush green fields and meadows lead to giant stretches of water towered over by huge steep cliffs. These fjords were carved by giant glaciers

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millions of years ago. The small towns and fishing villages are just as beautiful. One of my favorite treks was to Preikestolen (meaning Pulpit Rock); this one was a bit easier on the legs too. It’s a 3 – 4 hour hike there and back and there are great views all the way. It is as popular as Trolltunga, but there’s much more

room on the top for everyone to see and the view is easily as impressive. There are so many places to visit though, you can go back again and again and always see somewhere new. Wherever you visit on the Norwegian coast, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

ymore info: www.tom-archer.com Instagram: @tomarcherphoto www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

Haiti Mission Renew: Serving A Community In Need

A Travel And Self-Reflection By Kyle Clements

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meal. With my perspective zoomed to the macro, I simply exist as a happy little droplet in this big ole’ rising sea of humanity. Somehow I thought my time in Haiti would be different. I thought in the end maybe I would yearn for our creature comforts of abundance back home. For hot showers, air conditioning, anything other than chicken and rice, or leftover chicken and rice. But I was wrong. In my short time there I got attached, as I always do, not only to the scenery and the beautifully resilient people

within it, but to who I was there. A few months ago I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti and document the work of, Mission Renew, a missionary group from Louisiana. The trip came together rather last minute so before I knew it I was stepping off a jetway in Port-au-Prince without any clue of what was to come. Upon my first steps into the country I’m greeted by an all-world smile, guiding me to customs just as the power surges and the airport goes dark.

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Typically the final day of my travels is clouded with a sort of homesickness for the place I only just met. As a habitual observer of the world and its inhabitants it’s tough to get out of my head most of the time, so the meditative gift of presentness that travel provides is worth its weight in credit card statements. I like who I am at home, but I like who I am on the road better; a minimalist, mind clear, senses heightened, fears and concerns briefly retired, and only looking as far forward as the next

I like who I am at home, but I like who I am on the road better; a minimalist, mind clear, senses heightened, fears and concerns briefly retired, and only looking as far forward as the next meal.

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“Welcome to Haiti” she says. You’ve got to love a country with cinematic timing. We spent our time in La Vallee, a place they’ve been going to since its founder discovered it as a missionary himself years ago and realized the impact they could have if they focused on a single community in need. Now that impact can be seen in the bond the missionaries have with the kids of La Vallee. Most veterans of the mission recall similar experiences on their first trip here; they came to Haiti to help it heal, only to return home realizing that in some way Haiti healed them. It didn’t take long to see why. The people we encountered showed kindness despite their difficulties, resilience despite their immense hardships, and an unrivaled sense of community. When we were lost in the mountains, a farmer guided us to safety. Those weren’t contractors rebuilding homes, those were neighbors. Perhaps the most lasting image I have is of the eyes of the people I photographed. In the windows of their souls, there their souls stood. They

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wore no masks. I found immense beauty in their truth. Its important to be reminded these aren’t just downtrodden characters on the disaster porn news cycle, but souls like you and I, just trying to make a better life for themselves in a country that doesn’t make that easy. A sad point to even have to make, but desensitization is a real thing.

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The homesickness crept in as our bus pulled away from the kids of La Vallee. Some gave chase, a few wiped their tears, most just smiled and waved. It hurt to leave their tender hearts behind. For me every trip has a takeaway or two, like little fortune cookie wisdoms buried in my mind, available for instant recall when my perspective starts to slip, and Haiti was no different. How

valuable it was to be reminded of how little we actually need in our day to day, how lives of abundance aren’t always the best of things, and how stronger communities form when there’s less stuff in the way. I still cling to these wisdoms with both hands today. I never thought I’d learn so much from a bunch of kids.

ymore info: Kyle Clements is an actor, award winning filmmaker, and traveler based in Los Angeles, CA. His passion lies in story and adventure. His life is inspired by movement. If he doesn’t have a pen or camera in hand, then he’s probably on his motorcycle, sailing, or plotting his next adventure. Social Media: @Kyle_Clements www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

Capturing The ‘Cosmic Clock’ Interview By Sasha Frate Dr. Christian Sasse is on a mission to blend science, art, and humanity to ignite enthusiasm for exploration and a sense of wonder. A professional photographer with a PhD in optics and a passion for astronomy, Christian has become an accomplished astronomical photographer. His love for nature has also directed his lens at subjects on this world such as eagles, which have fully captivated him in recent years. In 2012 the Hancock Wildlife Foundation and Christian published White Rock Eagles: A Bald Eagle Family, a stunning collection of photographs that chronicle the first fifteen weeks in the growth and development of a pair of eaglets from hatching to fledging and their final departure to independence. All proceeds from the book are donated to the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, which Christian is an ardent supporter of. Leveraging his doctorate in optics and background in physics, Christian has founded Cosmic Clock, a new company that aims to make science more tangible and exciting to the public. In a wide-ranging conversation with Face the Current, Christian discusses his thoughts on capturing images both of this world and beyond, as well as his opinion on time, space, and his desire to pass his passion for exploration on to the next generation.

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Southern Milky Way from Siding Spring

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There are beautiful mathematical patterns in nature around us -- for example spirals and fractal patterns that you can find in flowers, spider webs and snails, and these patterns are scalable all the way to the galaxies in the universe. It is no surprise that they deeply engrained in our lives too, in our bodies – for example in the shape of the ear, the proportions of our face, and in symbols like the mandala.

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Sasha Frate:You founded Cosmic Clock, which “blends science, art, and humanity” for educational purposes, events, museums, and more. Can you say a bit more about Cosmic Clock’s purpose and mission?

that they deeply engrained in our lives too, in our bodies – for example in the shape of the ear, the proportions of our face, and in symbols like the mandala. We aim to educate and inspire people everywhere about our world, our galaxy, and the universe we live in.

Christian Sasse: Cosmic Clock is a new company that aims to make science more tangible and exciting to the public. There are beautiful mathematical patterns in nature around us -- for example spirals and fractal patterns that you can find in flowers, spider webs and snails, and these patterns are scalable all the way to the galaxies in the universe. It is no surprise

Cosmic Clock serves science centers, communities, art exhibitions and public places. We aim at presentations that enable the public to become aware of and be inspired by the incredible patterns the natural world. SF: How does your doctorate in optics and your background in

physics tie into your approach to photography? CS: With hindsight, it blends well! My doctorate focused on light-scattering by irregularly shaped particles, and I was able to suspend a single particle in the air and study its optical properties in detail by illuminating it in various colors with a bright laser beam. Visitors to my laboratory were mesmerized by the reflected and scattered patterns they could see on the wall, which changed rapidly as the particle moved or rotated in suspension. I learned from this experience to look out for the small details and to appreciate the patterns. www.facethecurrent.com

When I took up photography seriously in 2011, I didn’t read books or take courses, I continued working as I had in the lab – by exploring, by looking for patterns and by ignoring the rules. Because of my experience with particles, I concentrated on droplets and how they interacted with nature – for example an eagle ducking its head in water and photographing the droplets as they reflected the sunlight.

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SF: Your composite shot of the Milky Way went viral on Twitter after a shout out from scientist and well-known TV personality, Professor Brian Cox. What are your favorite comments that resulted from this? CS: Most of the comments I received were positive. My favorite was from a 15-year-old girl who said that my image resembled a gigantic cosmic clock. Wow, that woke me up! That is how the name “Cosmic Clock” was born. It’s wonderful to see young people come up with such creative comments!

Another favorite comment was: “Wow! Fibonacci sequence is everywhere. We are one big fractal.” SF: Einstein once said, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” Essentially you’ve captured ‘everything happening at once’ in many of your composites. What is your perspective on this concept? CS: Stacking these moments upon each other to make it appear that something is happening in a single image has created perhaps a more impactful art form than

a time-lapse video, which shows what is happening in a phased sequence. My interest lies in discovering beautiful patterns in nature. They can be in space at any moment in time, for example in a cloud formation and imagining faces or figures in them. Alternatively, it is also possible to take a picture of a single cloud at one moment and then take another image a few minutes later, when the cloud has moved or new clouds have appeared. Then by combining (or stacking) these two images, one can create the image of a cloud formation. If I then showed you both images, you would probably not www.facethecurrent.com

be able to tell which method was used to photograph them. In my approach, time becomes a fixed dimension in photography in addition to the three dimensions of space. Stacking can make for a more revealing image that helps us to discover new patterns. So all I have done is to take this a step further and superimpose the Milky Way at different times and to experiment with different intervals. SF:You portray the passage of time at a grand scale through your time lapse of stacked images of space. Do you feel that your images have

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a way of informing us about or expressing concepts of space-time? CS: That is a fascinating and very deep question. I need to elaborate a bit on space-time, especially in light of the major breakthrough announced on 17 August this year that it is possible to capture gravitational waves from the merger of two neutron stars. Scientists have, for the first time, captured light and sound simultaneously from an event in the universe. This is mind-boggling, and Einstein would have deemed it impossible. So, to answer your question without

getting into masses of detail, the concept of vision and sound from the universe (space-time deformation) fits so well into the idea of the cosmic clock that we are currently proposing for a science center. SF: From star trails to superimposed images of the Milky Way, beautiful patterns emerge! This type of night photography has become increasingly popular. What are the most challenging aspects of capturing stunning night shots, and what is your best advice for overcoming these challenges?

In my approach, time becomes a fixed dimension in photography in addition to the three dimensions of space. Stacking can make for a more revealing image that helps us to discover new patterns.

26 A paradise FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE of telescopes

CS: I don’t think night photography is intrinsically that difficult. The challenges for most people will be travel and time constraints. It is vital to find places not polluted by light. This is an ever-growing challenge. For most people this means travel to remote areas. In order to avoid disappointments, it is helpful to travel with experts who know where to go and can help with equipment and set-up. I will be organizing tours to Australia in 2018, which enjoys clearer skies, which skies people can then photograph, hopefully to stunning effect. They will also be able to use large telescopes to take beautiful images of distant galaxies and objects under my guidance. SF: Alan Watts stated, “We are living in a culture entirely hypnotized by the illusion of time.” Do you believe your work gives expression to this illusion, or in some way transcends it? CS: That is an intriguing question. If I understand Alan Watts correctly, he is saying we do not live in the present, the now, but are preoccupied with

expectations about the future. He has a valid point. I don’t know if my work expresses or transcends this notion; that is for the observer to judge. I do know that the beautiful nights I have spent alone among kangaroos in rural Australia have made me profoundly happy, a feeling that you probably cannot experience when you are burdened by expectations. I had time to observe, to discern details and patterns in the night sky and revel in the photography- so much so that I often stayed out until sunrise. It was certainly a very Zen-like experience. When I came home to Vancouver, I looked at my images and thought that they were nice, but did not recapture my night-time experience in the outback. Many people do beautiful time lapses to achieve this effect. Instead, I wanted to express this experience in a single image and started to experiment. So I stacked the images taken at hourly intervals. I was surprised that I could not find any prior work like this when I searched online. SF: You have lived in eight countries around the globe, and traveled to

many more. Certainly Australia’s Astronomical Observatory is special in allowing for unobstructed views of our galaxy, but what have been some of your other favorite locations for shooting? CS: In simple terms, any location that is sufficiently remote and has beautiful natural features and clear skies. I really love to combine nature and the night sky. Sometimes I do “light painting,” by taking a torch and illuminating a cluster of rocks or trees in the foreground. I lived in Namibia during my last year of high school and remember the beautiful landscapes and dunes and roads that seemed to go on forever. That would be my first choice. South Africa offers similar dark skies in the Karoo, where the Sutherland observatory is located. In Canada, Alberta or British Columbia are excellent choices with beautiful mountains and lakes, but the weather can be unpredictable. In the US there are many places, but I find that there are often too many people. Moab has impressive sandstone arches, ideal for night photography. There are still places in Chile and Hawaii I would like to visit.

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I need to elaborate a bit on space-time, especially in light of the major breakthrough announced on 17 August this year that it is possible to capture gravitational waves from the merger of two neutron stars. Scientists have, for the first time, captured light and sound simultaneously from an event in the universe. This is mind-boggling, and Einstein would have deemed it impossible.

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27 Vancouver Night

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SF: Eagles are known for their keen eyesight, 4 to 8 times stronger than the average human. But is it their optical power that that intrigues you? Just what is it that fascinates you about eagles that they have become an equal passion point alongside astronomy in your photography?

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CS: Bald Eagles are simply beautiful. The contrast between the white head and dark feathers is a feast for the eye. Their real beauty and toughness become apparent under extreme and harsh weather conditions, such as in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. They can survive in continuous snow, ice and wind. I lie flat on the ground with my big lens and camera and wait in the cold as long as necessary to capture a special moment – for example, when they dip their beaks in icy water. I am also fascinated by their long wingspan, their gliding ability and maneuverability, their permanent alertness and their adaptability – even to the urban environment. SF: Has working so intimately with natural subjects such as the stars and wildlife affected your understanding of humankind’s

relationship with nature and space? CS: The older I get, the more I see. I am humbled by the incredible beauty of our natural environment and am concerned about the wasteful way we treat our planet. I am also concerned that the majority of young people have never seen the Milky Way with their own eyes: nowadays it seems sufficient to experience everything though a smartphone. Although I am a big tech-fan, it is important to observe details with our own senses if we are to develop a fuller sense of the wonders of the universe and our world, and our place within it – and responsibility for its continued well-being. SF: You’ve broken a world record in “amateur astronomy” by making the most distant observation on an amateur-sized telescope. What have you been doing recently to continue to push boundaries? CS: High-speed photography has now become accessible to all of us because suitable cameras are entering the consumer market and have dropped in price. This is exciting, because we can

Science in the Night Sky now capture distinct images of actions that would otherwise just be a blur. The hummingbird for example exhibits incredible maneuverability and stability. Not only can it hover and swoop and climb at amazing speed, it can fly backwards. How does it do this? Now anyone with a high-speed camera can capture this in their own garden. So many details become visible: the way they twist their wings like insects; the way they flick

their tail feathers to make sound; the way they interact with intruders; and the way their iridescent colors change as they turn. I have just started to explore all these phenomena and we will see where it leads. SF: In what way do you hope humankind will benefit from your work? CS: My wish is to inspire people to

open their eyes and ears, to take time to explore and to wonder. I hope I can pass my enthusiasm on to the next generation.

ymore info: https://www.cosmicclock.space https://www.youtube.com/sassephoto Twitter: @sassephoto Facebook: @sassephoto www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

Iceland In 10 Days By Tristen Williams Getting around Ring Road in ten days is easily achievable, unless you stop at every waterfall, pull over at each turn out, or seek every hot spring along the way like we did. But that is really the only way to do it. Day two and three we ventured around the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, astounded we were actually in Iceland. Being the off the beaten path type of people we are, there definitely was a bit of rope jumping involved at several locations to get the better view. By day three we found ourselves hunting waterfalls. One hid behind an abandoned stone house, just a ways upstream in a dead ended cave. Many of the towering waterfalls encountered throughout the trip crashed down on opposite sides of “Do Not Trespass” signs and barbwire fences. I was in awe as I gazed at the falls and imagined myself living next to such a sight. After countless waterfalls we began to seek out movie sets, bringing us to the volcanic cave lake Grjótagjá that was featured in a famous Game of Thrones scene during season three. The waterfalls and scenes were incredible, but what captivated me the most were the nights spent watching sunsets and waiting for the northern lights to appear in the skies.

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Fjaðrárgljúfur Getting off the roped path and experiencing the beauty of Iceland up close and personal. (Image taken at Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, in Eastern Iceland)

Fjaðrárgljúfur Making only two trips to this remote location during our journey could never be enough. I strongly envy the sheep living in the area who are able to effortlessly climb around the canyon all their lives.

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Grjótagjá The turquoise color of the water would have you believe it to be unbearably cold, yet it is quiet the contrary. Grjótagjá is a volcanic cave lake that is usually too hot to stay in for too long. (Grjótagjá cave in Northern Iceland)

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Not So Hidden, Hidden Gems There is no shortage of hidden waterfalls and collapsed caves just meters from the Ring Road. (Eastern Iceland)

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Sunset Ponies As illegal as it may be to pull over off the roads in Iceland we found it worth risking the ticket to appreciate the stunning sunsets and friendly local horses. (Southeast of Reykjavik, Iceland)

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Waterfront Property Every countryside property seems to have their very own profoundly tall waterfall. This particular one happened to be visible from the road, but inaccessible without trespassing. (Off the Ring Road in Eastern Iceland)

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FtC travel

Everyone Laughs In The Same Language By Danny McGee

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When I first set out on my 4 month trip to Asia, I was excited to immerse myself in a culture vastly different from my own. Asian culture was unlike anything I experienced in the west so I was looking forward to recording the differences I perceived between the people and our beliefs. Even though I felt prepared, when I

arrived I was still overwhelmed by what I experienced. I initially found it difficult to adjust to the society I had entered. I was disoriented. The sights were new of course. The smells were distinctive. The people and customs were confusing to me. I had no context for how the people were raised, or for values, beliefs, and ideas. It was peculiar and extraordinary at the same time.

As the trip carried on I adapted to my new environment. Things that before seemed odd became normal. Then something odd occurred. My outlook on what was happening around me evolved. Everything there was different to me, the language, the food, the religion, customs, and education. But in a reversal of reactions, the stranger the places I went, the more familiar they started to feel.

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While I was in Indonesia I spent some time on an island called Flores. During my time there a few friends and I decided to take a road trip. No plan, no final destination, just a direction on the map. On the second day we woke up and saw a small dot on the map that looked like it could be a waterfall about 15 miles away. The only problem was there were no marked roads to the spot. But, we were all up for the adventure and we headed into the hills towards the mystery spot. About an hour of riding through small rural villages that were scattered throughout the mountains, we finally found someone who knew where this spot was. We followed him down the windy mountain roads until we finally caught sight of the falls. It was a massive 2 tiered falls, each one at least several hundred feet tall.

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We showed up at the base and started getting off our scooters, and all of a sudden a huge swarm of kids came out of nowhere and found us. Not a single one spoke a word of English. We were way off the beaten path, and probably some of the first westerns they’d ever seen. All of a sudden they just took off towards the falls, motioning for us to come. It took about an hour to weave our way through the rice terraces and coffee orchards, but when we finally got to the base of the falls it was absolutely gorgeous. Vivid green rice terraces blanketed the hills below us, as the waterfall thundered on in the background behind us. We spent the rest of the day swimming in the water, and playing with the kids.

Those few hours were some of my favorite memories from the entire trip. It was raw, it was pure. Those kids came from a world that virtually couldn’t be more different from ours, but in a lot of ways I felt more connected to those kids than most of the other people I met on the trip. You see, what I realized when I started traveling wasn’t the differences at all. It was the similarities that I couldn’t help but focus on. In a world where the media tends to strengthen the divide between groups of people, try to look through that veil at the truth. The truth that we are all fundamentally the same. We may come from different backgrounds, our lives can be surrounded by completely different sets of ideals, but we can’t help but be human. Everyone laughs in the same language.

ymore info: http://dannyemcgee.com Instagram: @dannyemcgee www.facethecurrent.com

FtC travel

FtC Travel Connection Wanderlusters, Adventurers, Explorers, and Travel Photographers –‘Sharing Our Stories’ ftc travel connection

Mike Bishop

PLACE I Call Home: Los Angeles, California Instagram: @mikebishop.tv www.mikebishop.tv

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Flims, Switzerland

Earth tones. Looking down at a pristine mountain lake

WHY IS VIDEO IMPORTANT TO YOU FOR VISUAL STORY TELLING, AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT COMPARED TO STILL PHOTOS?

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Video is more of a sensory experience because there is more of a sense of time moving - there is a greater need to tell a complete story. You can’t do that in a still image. With a still, you are allowed to rely a lot to the imagination of the viewer, but with video, you literally have to tell every piece of that story in a way that will be able to be effectively communicated to a broad audience.

travel connection

41 A hidden gem near Flims Switzerland. Captured withwww.facethecurrent.com the @djiglobal #Phantom4Pro

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Kauai

What once was lost now is found. A sacred beach to Hawaiian tribes, photographic gold to a tourist

The bleeding sun sheds last light over the valley. Image captured during an epic Iceland tour shooting with @donalboyd for the @djiglobal #phantom4pro launch

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Iceland

What do you see. The tree of life. Glacial meltwater flows into the ocean through a river mouth. scale of this river spot the tiny car driving across the bridge. Shot on #phantom4pro

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WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO STILL THE ACTION WITH STILL SHOT CAPTURES OF MOMENTS AND PLACES? In contrast to video, there is this extraordinary ability to stop time with still photo and to capture the feeling and mood of a moment with incredible succinctness. I love to look at an image and be transported to a single place in time, and I don’t think that there’s any other medium with the ability to do that in the way that a still photograph can.

The lone planet finds peace in solitude.

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travel connection www.facethecurrent.com 45

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culture

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BUTZI’s Complete Creativity Course LEMUR bags Trunk Collective ALAFFIA TAKES ACTION: BEAUTY, EQUALITY & EMPOWERMENT AROUND THE GLOBE

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JOIN T HE ACAD E MY b i t . l y/Con n ect 2 Reson an ce

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HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE

? E V I T A E R C E R MO

Learn from Butzi, creativity expert, TEDx speaker and author as he shares his experience as a magician and actor to help you be more creative. With an extensive background performing at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, creating illusions, acting appearances on French television, and teaching all around the world, Butzi has designed this unique course just for you.

e s r u o C y t i v i t a e r C e t e l p m o C The

Whether you work in a company or are an artist, whether you are a total beginner or already in the creative game, this course will help you develop your creative abilities.

More info at online-course.butzi-speaker.com 48

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The Complete Creativity Course

Learn to express yourself and generate incredible ideas 25 videos including 17 lessons with practical tools Interviews with painters, photographers, clown and improvisation teachers, composers and entrepreneurs. Bonuses teaching you magic!

“

In this course, I have put everything I know, I have learned and experienced over the last 10 years. It is way more than time and money that you save, it is the power of creating the life you want.

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LEMUR BAGS Lemurs are a small primate native to the island of Madagascar. These adorable little creatures are one of the most endangered animals on Earth due to illegal deforestation, and desperately need our help.

15% of all profits from Lemur Bags go straight to organizations supporting lemur conservation projects in Madagascar.

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WHAT’S UP WITH LEMURS? Lemurs are a small primate found only on their native island of Madagascar. These adorable little creatures are one of the most endangered animals on Earth thanks to illegal deforestation, and are in desperate need of our help. By purchasing a Lemur Bag, you are helping to keep them from becoming extinct. We donate a significant portion of our profits to organizations that work hard to keep lemurs alive and well.

WHO ARE LEMUR BAGS? When we discovered that lemurs are in grave danger of becoming extinct, we knew we wanted to help in whatever way possible. We decided to create a new line of bags that not only look great but will last for years, and donate a significant portion of our profits toward conservation efforts to keep these amazing creatures off the “extinct” list. We only work with good companies who use responsible and environmentally friendly business practices, and will accept no less. We will always be 100% transparent about where your money is going and will keep an updated list of the organizations we’re working with on this website. We thoroughly evaluate each company we donate to, to make sure your (and our!) money and resources are being spent in the best way possible.

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Beautiful pieces that tell a beautiful story. This is the premise of Trunk Collective, a sustainable, eco-conscious online boutique, featuring consciously made products that are good for you, the planet and the people who make them. Founder, Karina Gonzalez, an avid traveler and conservationist, remembers how her time in Africa and Asia became a wake-up call and the source of inspiration for becoming a more conscious consumer and business owner. By traveling to places that have literally taken her breath away, her eyes were also opened to just how much waste, environmental and cultural damage have taken place at the

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cost of fast-fashion. Karina’s goal was to turn the tides with a simple belief that we can do better, and with this passion Trunk Collective was born. Launched in April 2016, Trunk is a swoon-worthy fashion boutique carefully curated from fair trade, sustainably sourced and ethical brands, which aims to show women that they don’t have to pay a premium for products that are well made and transparent. Jewelry, accessories, home goods and beauty products are sourced from all across the globe, from places personally visited and explored by Karina as she handselects all available items to be featured on the site.

Every aspect of Trunk Collective is responsible as they follow a strict ethos model, selecting brands that fall into one or more of the following categories: • Handmade • Vegan/Cruelty Free • Sustainable • Fair Trade • Women Empowerment • Made in the USA • Aid • Recycled / Upcycled

In addition to their ethos, aid and assistance plays an important part of their mission. Every quarter, Trunk Collective selects a new charity partner to donate 7% of all sales to environmental and wildlife conservation. Changing the world of tomorrow is what Trunk Collective is all about. To inspire us to go against the grain and really consider the story behind the products we fill our homes and our lives with. When you think differently about fashion and the environment, that necklace you wear is not just a necklace. It is a necklace fashioned in Nepal at the hands of a local artisan and is a reminder that every piece sold has a connection to a much larger part of the world. And that’s kind of beautiful isn’t it? Now there’s a pride when you wear that necklace, an empowering story behind its creation. Karina invites all women to be an agent of change through their buying power, their actions and their voice. Ask questions. Dare to be a responsible consumer and get to know who and what is behind the brands you purchase. Because sometimes all you need to change the world of tomorrow, is to change the way you think today.

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ALAFFIA TAKES ACTION

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY AROUND THE WORLD Interview By Sasha Frate At every step, from gathering raw materials to the consumer purchase, fair trade is the standard for sustainable, ethical trade that puts people and the environment first.Two people from different parts of the world, with a passion for producing natural products and activating positive change in the world, have used this model to build one of the most successful fair trade body care organizations in the natural products industry. Together Olowo-n’djo Tchala from Togo, West Africa, and Prairie Rose Hyde from rural Washington State, have formed Alaffia based on the principles of Beauty, Equality, and Empowerment.They established this philosophy to not only bring customers the best natural, fair trade skin and hair care, but also to help alleviate the cycle of poverty in West Africa.Their mission is to encourage empowerment through community projects, women’s cooperatives, and through education and involvement in local customer communities. In this interview, we speak with Alaffia to learn more about the incredible working couple, the company and communities they’ve developed and supported, and their projects that drive to empower individuals and communities and alleviate poverty not only in Togo, but around the globe. Alaffia recognizes that we need to be conscious consumers, because every purchase we make is a vote cast for the world we wish to inhabit. It is our collective effort that realizes positive change.

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Alaffia Is Born

The Story of Co-Founders Olowo-n’djo Tchala and Rose Hyde Sasha Frate: Coming from two vastly different rural corners of the world, Olowon’djo Tchala of Togo, West Africa and Prairie Rose Hyde of Washington State in the U.S. managed to cross paths in 1996 and together have since developed a company that not only inspires and creates global community around health and wellness, but also impacts and informs on West African communities and fair trade. What a heartwarming, beautiful journey! At what point in his journey did Olowo-n’djo experience that “aha” moment, where he knew his impact was going to be significant? To be honest, the “aha moment” hasn’t really happened yet, at least not distinctly. There is always more that can be done to impact the lives of people in West Africa. If there were such a moment, however, the closest would have been about 10 years after Alaffia began (2013) when Olowon’djo’s mother affirmed that she could see the difference he was making. His mother, Abiba Agbanga “Ina,” was a large inspiration for the company. She taught Olowon’djo selflessness from a young age and the importance of working for the greater good. The following is an excerpt modified from our Media Kit that expands on this: He was born one of eight children to his mother, Ina, and one of 42 to his father who had three wives. Through his mother, he learned the importance of selflessness early on. He often recounts the childhood story of his mother sharing their family’s food with a group of boys who were on their way to Nigeria for seasonal work. Their bus had broken down, so Ina took the food she had prepared for her children and divided it up amongst everyone. That was the kind of person she was, ever-giving. She instilled this principle in Olowo-n’djo, which played a large part in Alaffia’s inception and guides its moral compass today.

Olowo and Rose

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Eban Symbol

SF: The brand name Alaffia comes from the noun that originates from central Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. A common greeting or valediction that means “a state of peace, health, and well-being,” it seems self-explanatory as to why Olowo-n’djo and Rose might have chosen this name for the brand. Is there anything more to the story on how they came to decide on Alaffia as their brand name? Rather than choosing an acronym for a company name, “Alaffia” is inherently stitched into West African culture. Furthermore, the intent of our mission is understood through a shared meaning of the word itself--peace, health, and wellbeing. It is our aim to bring this about in everything we do. The reason we use the Eban symbol is also because it is a commonly recognized West African symbol meaning peace, security, and love. It allows our message to spread more easily, giving people an immediate understanding of what we are about.

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SF: What are some insightful lessons, practices, and/or perspectives from any of the West African communities Alaffia works with that are either reflected in Alaffia’s work and/or products or that you would like people to benefit from on a larger scale? The Togolese take ownership in the roles that they play. They don’t feel the need to be the boss. Rather, they take pride and ownership in their contribution, whatever that may be. “On est ensemble,” meaning we are together, is almost a national saying. Employed the length of the country, it is used to instill camaraderie when communities or groups of people come together to accomplish a shared goal. SF: Is there a fun, memorable, ‘behind the scenes’ moment/story you can share from any part of Olowo-n’djo’s and Rose’s journey in product development, setting up ‘shops’ and helping communities in West Africa, or any other area of what has brought Alaffia to where it is today?

When Olowo-n’djo and Rose were studying at UC-Davis, they were living in on-campus housing. At the same time, they had just started their Alaffia. In his excitement and earnestness, Olowo-n’djo went straight to student housing services and informed them of the wonderful news, that he and Rose had founded and were attempting to operate a business out of their dorm room! As much as the school wanted to support Olowo-n’djo and Rose in their pursuit, they quickly had to relocate their business. Later on, after they had drafted their business plan, Olowo-n’djo went to a bank and appliedfor a $50,000 loan. He was asked what collateral he could offer, and not knowing how banks work in the U.S., told them that if he had anything worth that much, he wouldn’t be asking for a loan in the first place. Rose’s half-brother, Sebastian, was able offer up his home as collateral to approve the loan.

ALAFFIA IN ACTION SF:The quality is not only in the care and the impact - it remains in the products themselves as well. Can you share an example of a sampling of some of the key ingredients used in some of your products and why you have selected these particular ingredients? Shea butter, coconut oil, and black and white soap are our flagship ingredients. Each has their own benefits to nourish, soften, and support damaged skin, hair, and the body. From a social aspect, however, they are the foundation of our model for social enterprise and humanitarian efforts.

Employing these ingredients is beneficial in the following ways: Sustainability: these ingredients are plentiful in the wild and can be harvested sustainably. They are vetted by Rosewho holds two Master’s degrees from UC Davis--International Agricultural Development and Integrated Ecology. She assesses the environmental impact extraction will have on communities and local economies. Alaffia can also replenish shea and other trees and has been doing so through our reforestation Empowerment Project.

Cultural Heritage: 27 imported W. African ingredients are used in our formulas, allowing us to showcase endemic plant life and their beneficial properties. The initial processing that these ingredients undergo at our women’s cooperatives perpetuates centuries-old traditional methods. Knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. Economic Opportunities: Traditional gender roles often result in a lack of educational opportunities for women. Sons are chosen over daughters to go to school if the family can’t afford to send both children to school. Furthermore,

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the bulk of domestic duties fall on the shoulders of young girls, making it harder for them to keep up in school. Other challenges, such as lack of access to sanitation pads and teen pregnancy, also limit girls’ educational and future economic opportunities. Alaffia women’s cooperatives employ uneducated women who already have an employable skillset—making the above ingredients using

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traditional methods. This also shows the value in learning that can occur outside of a formal classroom setting. As earlier stated, Rose assesses which ingredients are viable to extract from the environment, while also taking into consideration which have a long history of human interaction. Alaffia’s pharmacognosist, Rahul Shah, who has a

background in natural product chemistry, works in tangent with Rose to choose ingredients based on her input as an ethnobotanist and his expertise in deriving medicinal drugs from plants and other natural sources. More specifically, this means understanding the conversion of secondary metabolites of natural product molecules into functional products.

Our newest collection is our Neem Turmeric line. These ingredients were chosen to target problem skin issues, to promote a clear complexion. Neem and turmeric were used as main ingredients because neem helps to soothe red skin while turmeric is a potent antioxidant. Neem is indigenous to West Africa, and by highlighting this ingredient in our formulas, we are highlighting the biodiversity/flora of West Africa as well.

Whole Planet Foundation for your work and successes in alleviating poverty around the globe. Congrats on your progress in this area! What are some of the current statistics with what Alaffia has achieved and what areas have been impacted by this?

SF: At the beginning of 2017, Alaffia was awarded by

•

Through our Empowerment Projects, Alaffia has (as of 1/19/17): Funded the safe delivery of 4,463 births through its Maternal Care

Project. This project also includes full pre-and postnatal care for its cooperative members and education on women’s health issues, including nutrition and ending female genital mutilation (FGM) through partnerships with local Togolese clinics. •

Built 10 schools, constructed 2,261 school benches, repaired numerous school roofs, and donated school supplies (notebooks, materials, and uniforms) to 32,842 students

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Donated 7,482 bicycles through its Bicycles for Education program to address student graduation rates. 90% of recipients go on to graduate middle school compared to 90% of girls and 80% of boys who end up dropping out before graduation.

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•

Distributed 24,927 pairs of eyeglasses through its Eyeglasses Project. Alaffia hires an optometrist in Togo to correctly fit eyeglasses that are collected through donation in the United States.

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Planted 57,575 trees through its Reforestation Project to mitigate soil erosion and deforestation, improve food security, and provide additional opportunities for income generation.

SF: Alaffia is now doing morebeyond alleviating poverty; every purchase of your product also empowers mothers and communities, saving 4,463 babies’ lives to date. What has been your process for selecting what and how Alaffia’s products will make a positive impact?

for Life: Fair Trade certified (by IMO) company:

Alaffia products make an impact through a variety of channels. Our Empowerment Projects are one of the main ways we change lives. For those in Togo, the effect is more direct. In addition to our Empowerment Projects, there is also everything that accompanies being a Fair

• • •

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Fair compensation in the local context Access to equal employment opportunities Sustainable practices that allow for the continual growth of a business and benefit of a community Healthy and safe working conditions Public transparency and accountability Environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability, the end goal being empowered communities A commitment to continued development projects in Togo

Our Ethical Trade in Practice • The cost of handcrafting shea butter and coconut oil at Alaffia cooperatives is over 2X the price of these same butters at other West African ports. • Nut prices: shea nuts are purchased at 15-25% above market price • Fair wages: co-op members receive a salary 4X the average family income in Togo • Benefits: co-op members receive full medical care, employment security, and 1-month paid vacation

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For those contributing to our mission and sharing in our story (via donations, following and engaging on social media, product purchases, supporting fair trade, and more), the impact is about broadening perspectives and showing just how interconnected the world is and the difference that can be made. We do a lot for our local communities and the global community: • •

•

Alaffia provides jobs for roughly 125 people at its facility in Olympia, WA. We support the local economy through our packaging choices. Many printed goods are sourced within a 3-state radius of Washington, and 85% of our packaging is domestic. Alaffia shows its appreciation for the Olympia-Tumwater area through FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

•

the sponsoring of local sports teams and events and frequenting those events. This year we are sponsoring three teams—the Oly Town Artesian Soccer Team, Rockies Little League Team, and Cirque Climbing Team. We support the Association of Washington Business and other business partnerships in the area, speaking regularly at forums, local colleges, and more. Dependence on the outside community for support in Alaffia’s mission is demonstrated by our school supplies, eyeglasses and bicycle drives (part of our overall Empowerment Projects model). We are able to change minds by involving people in our mission and showing them how interconnected the world is. Empowerment statistics not only demonstrate the desire of community

members to see Alaffia’s mission succeed, they serve as tangible proof of the impact Washington community members are having on communities in Togo. These drives are a tremendous show of support that Alaffia receives from the greater community and the dependence of our enterprise on these acts of selflessness. Alleviating poverty and promoting gender equality are global problems, and our drives show that many feel as we do. SF: What are your methods for measuring this impact? Follow-up studies, interviews, and questionnaires are our main tools. Results are compared to national, regional, continental, and global statistics.

For the Bicycles for Education project, for example, questionnaires are given out to recipients, asking them if they are still in school, using the bike for academic purposes, if they passed their exams, and whether or not they fell pregnant—these are the terms of agreement for the program. Pass rates are compared to national averages to assess the impact of the program. Participants in our program have a 90% graduation rate.

SF: Taking action to empower individuals and communities is clearly a central aspect of your company. How have Alaffia’s Empowerment Projects that also include Education-Based Projects, Maternal Health, FGM Eradication, Eyeglasses and Reforestation been effective, and do you have plans for new projects in the future?

Projects are developed based on need and when the opportunity to partner with other organizations arises. Additionally, Alaffia tries to focus on the projects it currently has in place because, as time has shown, long-term dedication has proven most effective. Our Empowerment Projects have demonstrated their impactf by way of our statistics and the follow-up studies, interviews, and questionnaires.

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SF: What is the Alaffia Artisan Center? The Artisan Center is based in the Alaffia Village complex in Sokodé, Togo where handcrafted Queen Alaffia goods are produced by women who had previously fallen victim to the sex trade. It was an opportunity for Alaffia to allow these women to reclaim their dignity on top of providing jobs. Many women become seamstresses in Togo, and due to the market’s saturation, unemployment is high; getting one’s atelier off the ground can be a challenge. Queen Alaffia addresses the need for jobs and helps these women who were forced into prostitution. When you have to choose between letting your child starve and prostituting oneself, the options are extremely limited.

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SF: Olowo-n’djo’s and Rose’s efforts have been very well received, and with quality products it seems to be a win-win for people to support Alaffia’s Mission and projects. Where is the best place for supporters to go to follow the progress and impact of product purchases? We have a quarterly newsletter that comes out on issuu.com (https://issuu.com/alaffia) where more details on community impact are published and available for viewing. Issuu is free to access, and it’s where we include other updates such as The Social Enterprise Approach to Economic Growth and Trade: The Alaffia Model, our Coconut Reishi & Neem Turmeric Brochure, and other education materials on our products and projects. More frequent updates are posted on our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, and LinkedIn). We also post on our main website (alaffia. com) where you’ll find our media kit as well.

ymore info: http://Issuu.com/alaffia (media kit, newsletters, etc.) http://alaffia.com Twitter: @AlaffiaSkinCare www.facethecurrent.com

LSTN was founded with a singular purpose: To change lives through the power of music. Proceeds from sales of all LSTN products go towards giving hearing aids to people in need worldwide through our charity partner, Starkey Hearing Foundation. Custom 40mm Neodymium Drivers

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QUIXOTIC IS MULTISENSORY CIRQUE NOUVEAU: Storytelling Of The Human Experience Immerse And Revitalize With The Healing Power of Sound Sebastien the most sophisticated house music

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ALL NATURAL World-class musical instruments are made from wood - why not headphones? Our real wood housings provide excellent tonal balance with crisp highs and rich lows.

GET COMFORTABLE The redesigned headband features a vegan leather band for additional comfort during long-term listening sessions.

SOUNDS GOOD LSTN Wireless headphones support Bluetooth 4.1, which means you’ll always have high-quality audio. Stream from your laptop or any other Bluetoothenabled device (even TV’s!) from up to 30 feet away.

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QUIXOTIC

Is Cirque Nouveau Innovating A Multisensory Fusion Of Live Performance and Visual-Musical Storytelling of the Human Experience In his own words, Shane Borth is a musician living the life he has always dreamed of, playing shows, composing pieces, collaborating on music, videos and live performances. He is best known as the electric violinist, violist, mandolinist, producer and a principal composer for the Quixotic Cirque Nouveau based in Kansas City, Missouri. Now in its eleventh year, Quixotic Cirque Nouveau has become an innovative performance art collective that fuses imagination with technology, dance, projection mapping and live music to create fully-immersive, multi-sensory experiences. Because of his ability to play many different styles, Shane is a highly regarded, sought after performer. He has numerous recordings of varying types and hopes to continue to perform, record and tour, and to spread good vibes and the healing power of music to audiences around the world. Shane recently took a break from performing in Miami Beach to talk with Face the Current about Quixotic Cirque Nouveau, performing as an arts collective and the distinctive elements that comprise their current stage performances.

Interview By Sasha Frate

Ishaya from Sensatia. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui 68 Ishani FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

Samantha Mixan. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui Sasha Frate: What genres or styles of music would you say best categorize the musical element of Quixotic? Shane Borth: Because Quixotic performs at various events and music festivals, our music changes greatly from show to show, but our foundation has always been a blend of electronic music, world rhythms and strings. Most of our productions feature live percussion or drum kit as well as violin or cello. Quixotic’s music ranges from electronic music genres to near classical pieces. We take our inspiration from Portishead, Bjork,

Moderat, and Thievery Corporation to Phillip Glass, Arvo Part, and Max Richter. SF: How has Quixotic evolved since the group first formed? SB: Quixotic began in 2006 as a onetime, experimental, experiential show in Kansas City. The founder, Anthony Magliano, had friends in the Kansas City Ballet and the local art scene. Because he played in bands around the city, he knew quite a few extraordinary musicians. The first four years were annual shows in KC, Quixotic performing in old abandoned buildings near downtown. I’m not sure

that we even had a permit in some of the places we performed in! It was raw and adolescent and brought together elements of all the arts our city had to offer. Ballet, contemporary dance, live music, projections, fashion and lighting. In 2011 Quixotic formed a solid foundation when we acquired a building nearby to rehearse and construct our ideas. That was fundamental in our journey. Now we had a space to create and hone our performers’ skills. Quickly we gained some ground in the music scene and performed at many music festivals around the USA. That brought us to many new eyes and ears and Quixotic really began to flourish. www.facethecurrent.com

Andrey Moraru from Sensatia. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui

Megan Stockman & Samantha Mixan from Sensatia. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui SF: How does Quixotic function as a performing arts collective? SB: One hand washes the other in Quixotic. Nothing happens without some sort of collaboration, whether it is within our group or from without. For instance, an aerial performer comes in with an idea for an act. They show me a video of a rehearsal and a piece of music they are into. Either we find music Quixotic has written or begin to compose a new work. We film our performers so we can projection map the act. A costume is designed for her that allows for movement. We all rely on each other and know that it

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is the group that makes the show special, the convergence of talent, inspiration, and passion. The phrase by Aristotle “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” couldn’t be more true for us. SF: In what ways might you say that your Cirque Nouveau performances are comparable and/or different from the infamous Cirque du Soleil performances? SB: I personally have been to a lot of CdS shows and if not live than on video. They are wonderful and I enjoy them very much and have even performed with them in Las Vegas when Quixotic was invited to

perform in the One Drop show in 2015. What makes Quixotic different is our style and fashion, the use of dancers, live music and projection mapping. We are mystique and intrigue. Classy and passionate. We employ technology on movable scrims for our projection mapping on live dancers and musicians. And we are a big family as well, still small enough that everyone knows each other. And we feed on that. That is what sets us apart. We do many cirque acts as well but try to incorporate music, dance and projections to as many pieces as possible. Quixotic also utilizes our musicians as performers, interplaying them with the aerialists and dancers. You will see our musicians the whole show, not

Megan Stockman from Sensatia. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui behind a curtain. SF: What is a “Projection Mapping Experience,” and what are some examples of this that Quixotic has created? SB: Our projection mapping experience is one of the many specialty techniques Quixotic employs. It almost always features custom and original material for two reasons. One, most of the people who hire us are interested in showing the audience their brand with the shock and awe of light and sound in a unique way. Two, every building and surface is different and we do a lot of research to find the

best way to map them. For example, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City is an eight-story curved building. The side we mapped is made of reflective material and shaped like half of a giant rainbow. Compare that to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. A brand new building that is architecturally brilliant with three trapezoids stacked. The outer material we mapped was very difficult because it was copper colored metal filigree, leaving us with a substantial amount of space we couldn’t map because there wasn’t any surface to project onto. That made us have to double the amount of projectors we usually use. On top of

that we mapped two of the four identical sides of the building! I believe we used 24 high powered, 20,000 lumens projectors. SF: The Union Station Project Mapping was an incredible way to capture and share 100 years of history through a “high tech journey.” Can you share a bit about this project and performance? SB: “The Monument Comes Alive” was a never-before-seen hightech journey created by Quixotic to show 100 Years of Union Station History. Using state of the ar t projection mapping and twelve 20K digital www.facethecurrent.com

Quixotic at Surfaces 2017 at the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City. Photo by Ruben Gusman

Quixotic Core Team. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui projectors, the exterior of Union Station was transformed into an enormous 3D digital canvas that soared a full ten stories tall and one city block wide. This was the first project Quixotic produced that was of this magnitude. The Union Station building is gargantuan. Most of the material is cement, which thankfully is decently able to hold light. But the building is hundreds of feet wide, literally an entire city block. Mapping something that large takes so much time to design because each projector only throws light onto specific quadrants of the facade. We broke the building into six separate par ts to map and then doubled the amount of projectors for each section so they would be brighter

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to the audience. On top of the tech, our team, par tnering with Bic Media, researched thousands of images and video content and edited all of that into an eight-minute video. Also in this project we did a ton of animation and special video effects that highlighted the history of Union Station and all of the amazing exhibitions that have passed though the building. Also, all of the soundtrack was an original score written and produced by Julian Bickford and myself. We wrote and recorded the score in Kansas City and incorporated lots of train type sounds and rhythmic patterns throughout the soundtrack. So many talented ar tists contributed to this project, the animation team, the

research team, composers, projection tech, live sound engineers, and all of the people who run Union Station really pulled together for the 50,000+ people that arrived for the show! The Union Station project truly showcased the way Quixotic blends many aspects of ar t together to create something special. SF: What is the story behind the concept of your new performance “Gravity of Center” that “explores the human journey to find balance between the gravity that keeps us grounded and the lightness that uplifts and inspires us?”

Vanessa Dunn and Shane Borth from Sensatia. Photo by @ivanbelaustegui SB: Gravity of Center is one of our theater shows that we toured in the spring of 2017. The concept was to show that gravity, that ever present force, binds us to the ground. One of our characters embodies this force. Dance. Heaviness. Gravity. On the other hand there is levity, the ability to leave the ground and spin and fly through the air, represented by one of our aerialists. These two performers walk their own paths throughout the show, while I as the navigator, led our audience to see the reason we need both forces and how they compliment each other. Without gravity we wouldn’t want to leave the ground in the first place. Much like “good” and “evil” we can’t recognize one without the other. We as humans

are always pushing the boundaries of the possible. This show is the journey of the audience realizing the yin and yang of the two forces by witnessing amazing aerial acts, dance choreography and cirque performers. SF: Tell us about “The Fire Bow” SB: The “fire bow” became a reality about a year ago. I was talking with Quixotic’s prop/set/fire designer, Tommy Hester, and told him I would love to be able to create a violin bow that could also be set ablaze. I was also half-joking. He smiled and said it was possible and he would make a prototype. That prototype ended up being the same design I use now, it worked so well! The bow is a

standard violin bow and attached to it by bolts is the kevlar wrapped around a lightweight metal rod. The bow is mainly used only in outdoor festival settings but currently is being used inside a theater where Quixotic is doing a residency. The flame can get quite large because of the amount of kevlar and the first few times I used the fire-bow were kind of scary, it took practice to find the right type and amount of fuel as well as how to wield the bow without burning the hairs on the bow or the violin. Or even my face since my nose is a few inches from the fire! Not to mention being able to even play violin normally. The fire-bow apparatus itself can be attached to any violin bow, thankfully, because I only get a few performances www.facethecurrent.com

Simon Huntley - drummer for Quixotic Photo by Melina D.

Calvin Arsenia - Harpist and Vocalist for Quixotic before the bow is destroyed and needs to be replaced. I love using the fire-bow, it creates so much energy at our shows and allows me to do what I have always tried to do when playing fast and furious, light that bow on fire! Now it really does happen. SF: What are some other distinctive elements that get incorporated into various performances? SB: When you go to a Quixotic show or event you can always expect something unique, that is what our audience has come to expect and what we strive to provide. We all in our company love to push the envelope of the possible and do the most with the tools we have. The Quixotic team is always open to new ideas and concepts of what the performing arts is and where it is headed and we feel like we are on the leading edge. Earlier I mentioned projection mapping being a large part of what we do, as well as aerial performance, dancers and musicians. But we also use lots of fire performers, bellydancers, acrobats, jugglers, guest vocalists, contortionists, custom lighting sources, and LED-prop performers such as pixel-poi and hoops. Quixotic also uses infra-red cameras in our live shows to project in real-time elements of the performance onto a scrim,

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Shane Borth - Fire Bow at Red Rocks

Megan Stockman & Shane Borth creating another layer of light on top of the dancer, aerialist or musician performing. The effect is mesmerizing as it follows the performer perfectly. SF: Do you envision any other elements being fused into your performances in the future? SB: Absolutely. Puppetry has always been a direction we have leaned in but haven’t gone quite yet. Also live drawing or painting while it is projected on a scrim or shown on a LED wall but following the performers is something we envision. Also, the rate at which technology is breaking new ground in video applications is giving us some interesting tools to play with. I see more connections with video, light and live performance and using

the newest virtual reality tech to make those connections. Imagine having a front row seat at a Quixotic show, or even a backstage experience. Possibly even a 1stperson view using one of our performers on stage. People could know what it is like to be in a Cyr wheel or fly on a trapeze while it is actually happening. Or play the electric violin with a fire-bow! SF: Quixotic performances have been experienced at a vast array of venue types around the world, from Wanderlust festivals to the 10 story tall, one city block wide Union Station exterior wall. What have been some of your favorite venues and how does the venue and event selection tend to align with Quixotic’s concept and style of performance?

SB: That is a tough question! One of my favorite things about Quixotic is we can and do perform in amazing places. We also vary the types of performance so vastly. It is the huge difference between the experiences that make the shows that much more amazing. The show we did at The Kauffman Center was on of my favorites for sure. A new performing arts center in our own hometown and we designed the opening gala. All of our elements were well represented, aerial, fire performers, projection mapping, live musicians, original score, lighting, dancers. It was incredible. Another favorite was Wakarusa Music Festival in 2010 in Arkansas. Quixotic had its very own stage right smack dab in the center of the festival. We performed three nights in a row at midnight and all of the other stages went dark while we worked our www.facethecurrent.com

Megan Stockman & Shane Borth magic. So many souls were touched and it was truly special. TED Talks in California in 2012 was huge for us and so amazing. I met and watched so many brilliant people talk and inspire the audience and Quixotic was able to be a part of it. Quixotic also performed in Haiti in 2015, that country has the most beautiful citizens. The then recent earthquake had devastated the land but the spirit there was strong as ever. I loved every minute being there and putting on a show for those wonderful people that likely really needed to see beauty after the tragedy that had befallen

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them. I will never forget that journey. Earlier this year Quixotic performed a re-envisioning of the classic Firebird ballet but set to all custom arrangements of Radiohead music for a live 10-piece ensemble of the finest musicians in Kansas City. The story of the Firebird was told using ballet, contemporary dance, amazing aerial, Cyr wheel, all custom costuming and makeup and many other Cirque acts. The Firebird debuted at The Kaufman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City to rave reviews.

Our range is wide for sure but we gravitate towards venues and locations that support the arts and want to see and experience something magical. We are all so very passionate about what we do. From hand-balancer to lighting director, to musician to rigger. If we can share our love for the arts with the audience and they accept that love it doesn’t matter where we are. We are right where we should be.

VIDEO: Bvlgari

VIDEO: Projection Mapping Compilation www.facethecurrent.com

Samantha Mixan from Sensatia. Photo by Jamie Seed

ymore info:

Quixotic is currently performing our original cirquecabaret show “Sensatia” at the Faena Theater in the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Shows are Thursday through Saturday and the show runs until November 25th. http://www.quixoticfusion.com Instagram: @quixoticfusion Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuixoticFusion/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TIDi4TtT2YuYp9pbqig79 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/quixotic_music Twitter: https://twitter.com/quixoticfusion

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QUIXOTIC’S CORE TEAM: • Anthony Magliano - Founder / Creative Director • Mica Thomas - Executive Producer • Stephen Goldblatt - Visual Producer • Shane Borth - Musical Director / Violinist • Robert Dekkers, Andrea Schermoly, Megan Stockman Choreographers • Megan Stockman, Samantha Mixan, Ishani Ishaya, Rachel Coats, Mikey Bravo - Lead Performers • James Matthew Bennett, Tommy Hester, Nic Potere, Brent Martin, Will Funk - Technical Team

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Immerse And Revitalize With The Healing Power of Sound Sebastien By David Aiello Through the ages, many cultures have used sound to help with pain, relaxation, sleep, energy balance and even “overall awakening.” The Hindis have used mantras, various Indigenous peoples from Central and South America have used Icaros (medicine melodies), Pythagoras prescribe music as medicine—all with the intent to move the body toward greater harmony and balance.

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Today many spiritual entrepreneurs are offering groups or individuals sounds baths, a form of massage or a meditation, with sounds washing over you and running through you. Sound baths use music or vibrations to help you enter a state of deep relaxation. Instruments used include the human voice and objects like gongs, tuning forks and even Tibetan singing bowls. Recently at London’s Devonshire Club, sound baths were offered to bring the healing power of sound to the heart of the city. Called Sound Sebastien, the idea was created by Jasmine Hemsley and Toni Dicks. Together they use their unique collection of Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls to create therapeutic tones to help the mind, open the heart and nourish the spirit–creating the ultimate antidote to hectic city living. Running from late October to late November, Sound Sebastien takes place every Monday in the luxurious Devonshire Club. Two onehour sessions will be offered. A lunch time session for those looking to achieve calm during their lunch break, and an early evening for a post-work stress-buster. Participants are encouraged to block out an extra hour after the event to ease back into the day. For the ultimate relaxation, guests can indulge in both an afternoon and evening session. www.facethecurrent.com

During each session, guests are invited to reset and renew through a sound-induced meditative state. All relaxation needs are provided, from Tempur foam pillows and essential oils to cosy blankets and silk lavender filled eye cushions. As nutrition is essential to a state of wellbeing, the philosophy of Ayurveda forms an important part of Sound Sebastien. A rose, cardamom and toasted gram ladoo is served alongside herbal teas, to all guests to help people awaken following the sound bath session. This

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is followed by a seasonal Kitchari– classic Ayurvedic lentil rice ‘risotto’– which is topped with fresh ginger and coriander chutney.

in a pristine peaceful environment.” Priced at £30 ($40) per hour long session including a healthy Ayurvedic meal and tea.

Sound Sebastien was born through Jasmine Hemsley and Toni Dicks’s mutual love for the ancient practice of sound and its ability to calm. Reimagining this practice for a contemporary audience and lifestyle, they describe Sound Sebastien as “A unique moment of time to rest your head and feel enveloped in a wave of powerful and therapeutic tones

For those looking to explore the healing power of Sound Sebastien in even more depth, Jasmine and Toni also offer private sessions at the Devonshire Club combining sound bathing with complementary healing practices. From aromatherapy with Reiki and essential oils, and a Resonance Facial Sound Session using organic skincare products,

to a private ChiSo sound session with Indian head & reflexology and a Yinso session drawing from the poses of Yin Yoga, each session is completely customized and is priced from £180 ($237) for 60 minutes. IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING At some point in our lives we have all been moved by sound or music. Sound is an amazing way to relax the mind and body, to close your eyes and drift away. Now, like yoga and meditation, sound baths with their use tuning forks or singing bowls have entered the mainstream. Take a look in your area.You are sure to find a yogi or resident gangster that uses sound therapy to help you revive your spirit.

ymore info: www.devonshire.club https://www.soundsebastien.com/events/ Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ sound-sebastien-at-the-devonshire-clubtickets-38333254797 Twitter: @soundsebastien www.facethecurrent.com

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music

www.soundcloud.com/semagaray www.facebook.com/semagaraydj www.mixcloud.com/semagaray beachgrooves.com/portfolio-item/ sema-garay/

the most sophisticated house music by Sema Garay presents his favorite monthly recent and upcoming new house music releases with a Top 10 chart that includes a variety of styles from deep house, soulful, and nu-disco, to tech-house and more. Tune in to these tracks by clicking the image or scanning the QR code!

ARTIST Ruben Zurita, Alberto Segador TITTLE Brothers & Sisters label Sousa-Label genre Tech House Release 2017-10-23

ARTIST Rocco TITTLE Someday (Summer Duck Mix) label Memories genre DEEP House Release 2017-10-27

ARTIST CamelPhat, Elderbrook, mousse t TITTLE Cola (Mousse T.’s Glitterbox Mix) label defected genre House Release 2017-10-13

ARTIST Aaaron, Deckert TITTLE L.D.O.E. feat. Valentine label Connected Frontline genre afro House Release 2017-10-20

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ARTIST Miguel Migs TITTLE Breaking Blues (Slow & Salty Mix) label Salted Music genre deep House Release 2017-11-10

ARTIST Reverendos Of Soul TITTLE So Special (Micky More & Andy Tee Edit) label Groove Culture genre nu disco Release 2017-11-27

ARTIST Boddhi Satva, Bilal, David Mayer TITTLE Love Will (David Mayer Remix) label Offering Recordings genre afro house Release 2017-10-06

ARTIST Bang Bang, Erefaan Pearce TITTLE Susan Cries (Erefaan Pearce Remix) label Oh So Coy Recordings genre DEEP House Release 2017-10-27

ARTIST Alex Ranerro, Sebb Junior TITTLE Hard Case (Sebb Junior Remix) label Deeper Traxx genre House Release 2017-11-10

ARTIST Rishi K. TITTLE Kung Fu Disco (Original Mix) label Sonic Soul Records genre deep house Release 2017-10-30 www.facethecurrent.com

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sports & FITNESS

88. Zen Athlete: The Quest of Superhuman Performance 94. BELIZIAN JUNGLES ARE CALLING! Inside The 2018 Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC) 98. Modern Day Samurai: Self Discipline Of A Purpose Driven Life 104. DUMBBELL PUSH

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Zen Athlete

The Quest of Superhuman Performance By Matthew Belair Whack! “What are you doing!?!” My father asked as he witnessed me attempting to break a piece of wood with my bare hand. He ran to me with a look of horror and grabbed my fragile six-yearold hands that were now bruised and bloodied. “I’m trying to break this piece of wood, like the Kung Fu Masters in the movie” I replied!

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Credit: Jeff Currey

Fast forward 22 years, I am in a Shaolin Kung Fu Temple high in the mountains of China fully immersed in the realms of superhumans. Here the movies and fantasy become real life since the masters are all able to demonstrate supernatural abilities including withstanding extreme cold, breaking wood and stone with hands, limbs, head and whatever else they choose. The quest to acquire superhuman abilities is a curiosity and pursuit that has stayed with me a lifetime. From attempting astral projection and learning about energy work in my teens to meditating with monks in Nepal and training with Shaolin Masters in China, I wanted to know what was possible for me and for humans to accomplish. What I have discovered in my search is both simple and profound. We all have superhuman abilities but very few are willing to pay the price.

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I invite you to suspend disbelief, open your mind and begin your own quest to push your boundaries and discover your true capabilities. Some of you will read this and nothing will change, for a few of you, the truth will resonate, and you’ll begin to take action, then everything will change! We live in a world of universal law. When we can expand our consciousness to connect with these laws, reality as we know and perceive it can be shifted and altered. These beliefs and gnosis, or knowledge of spiritual mysteries, are not common but the proof is everywhere. We can look at the Iceman, Wim Hof

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who holds twenty-one world records for withstanding cold and doing what scientists deemed, “impossible.” We can look at Dr. Joe Dispenza who is teaching people to heal themselves of terminal illness simply through meditation and has been collecting profound scientific data. Furthermore, in his advanced teachings, he enters Yogi territory where he teaches how to activate your pineal gland to reach higher states of consciousness. Some refer to this as the fifth dimension, awakened state, Christ consciousness or peering through the veil. Once again, unbelievable to the uninitiated and first-hand experience for others, myself included.

Credit: Heidi Normore

The truth is that miracles are all around us. Humans are consistently performing feats that the mainstream tell you are impossible. The reason so many on this planet suffer in mediocrity and cannot break through their limitations is that they believe what they have been ‘sold’ about reality. This first step in understanding that you are endowed with a consciousness, being, and energy that goes far beyond what most deem possible is the biggest obstacle. Most people naturally keep the door to higher senses and abilities closed tightly because of fear of ridicule or mental limitation they have held onto. If you can suspend your disbelief the next

stumbling block is even more of a test. When I interviewed Master Guo at the Shaolin temple in China who can break stone with two fingers, thicker pieces over his head and any limb he chooses, I asked him how he was able to perform feats that westerners would find unbelievable. His response was simple; to him, it could not have been any more ordinary. His skills and abilities came from years of hard QiGong, conditioning the body and soft QiGong, which is mastering life force energy. It was at this moment I learned one of my greatest lessons and most profound truths.

Superhuman abilities are completely ordinary, except they take extraordinary amounts of dedication to achieve. The system for breaking through physical, emotional, spiritual and dimensional barriers is not a complicated one, however, we are so conditioned to receive quick results we do not apply the necessary discipline to achieve them. Furthermore, we live in an age of false gurus and selfproclaimed experts so it’s a challenge to distinguish between the master and fraud and no one wants to be a fool.

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What if you had the ability to experience higher states of consciousness through your breath? What if you could go to sleep at night and consciously navigate your dreams? What if you had the ability to control your bodily functions and withstand intense cold or break stone over your head? What if you destroyed all your mental limitations that were placed on you by your family, culture and external forces? What if you connected to the truth, which is that you can create anything you want

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in this world, through simple practices that have been applied and proven through the ages? How would your life change? I suggest it would be slightly more profound than taking a stroke or two off your golf game. My intention is to open your mind to the truth of your infinite nature and natural capabilities. It is to help you remember that you are a multidimensional being capable of creating, achieving and attaining anything you can imagine. The quest for peak performance, getting in the

zone, and achieving flow-state are novice goals to the adept and can be achieved swiftly with the right structure and applied practices. You are infinitely powerful, you are infinitely capable, and your consciousness and abilities are beyond what you can possibly comprehend. All that is left is for you to make the decision to embody these truths and take the action necessary to make it your new reality.

My intention is to open your mind to the truth of your infinite nature and natural capabilities. It is to help you remember that you are a multidimensional being capable of creating, achieving and attaining anything you can imagine. The quest for peak performance, getting in the zone, and achieving flow-state are novice goals to the adept and can be achieved swiftly with the right structure and applied practices.

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“

Here Are 6 Things You Can Do To Increase Your Performance 1. Start a daily breath practice. Wim Hof is a great guide. 2. Meditation: Go deep! The deeper you go the more you’ll master skills for life. 3. Create personal guided visualization and listen to them daily. 4. Train your mind to go from negative to positive – Everytime you have a negative or limiting thought, such as, “I can’t do this” Stop and ask yourself, So what do I want?” I can do this and I am going to excel! And focus your attention on the outcome you’re trying to create.

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We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible. – Vince Lombardi

5. Master Your Internal Dialogue and Continuously set intention.You should constantly be in a state of presence and confidence. Consistently direct your consciousness, body and being toward the outcome you are trying to achieve. 6. Embody Zen Philosophy. Use your sport as a catalyst to develop your mind, body, and spirit. Remember you are perfect, whole and balanced as you ARE. Enjoy the journey!

ymore info: www.ZenAthlete.com www.MattBelair.com www.Spectrums.me/528 Matt@ZenAthlete.com www.facethecurrent.com

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BELIZIAN JUNGLES ARE CALLING!

Inside The 2018 Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC) THE RACE Adventure Racing is a team endurance challenge where coed teams of 4 race unsupported across remote wilderness under their own power. It’s part adventure, part endurance and 100% adventure. Team work, fortitude and synergy are as important as endurance and conditioning. Teams from all over the planet, including venturing from Canada, Brazil, Spain, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Burkina

94Credit: FACE Randy the CURRENT MAGAZINE Ericksen

Faso, Belize and the USA to compete in February 2018. Adventures await and there is still room for more to join! This year’s race will follow ancient Mayan trade routes and explore Belize’s heartland from areas of the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Ian Andersons Caves Branch to regions of Five Blues National Park.

trekking and orienteering, mountain biking, canoeing, spelunking, rappelling, traversing and pack rafting their team across this lush, tropical landscape. Relying upon each other and their wit’s. Teams will explore massive caves and sink holes, visit numerous Mayan ruins and trek and paddle along ancient Mayan trade routes.

This bi-annual event challenges co-ed teams of four as they race unsupported for over 300+ miles, 3 to 4 days, across Belize’s most remote wilderness while

The race also supports the development of the Belize National Team, the Belize Grisons, made up of FCD personnel.

MMAC HISTORY In 2012 Doug and Julia Crytzer wanted to get away from the longer than usual cold winter and settled on a first ever trip to Belize in Central America. A destination ‘within reach,’ inexpensive, and being an English speaking country (Belize is a former British Colony), it was an ideal destination to experience diverse culture and raw nature, with over half its wild spaces still in preserve. The couple had no itinerary, and no plans. After a chance meeting with Mr. Rafael Manzanero, the head of Friends For Conservation and Development, a NGO responsible for the protection and management of the Chiquibul Rain Forest in the Maya Mountains, the couple wanted to help. Doug and Julia decided the best way to bring awareness and support was to develop an adventure expedition race. The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge was born. In the process the pair have donated uniforms, boots, packs and more for the FCD Rangers.

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WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER VIDEO FROM MMAC 2016

Full length video to be aired on beIN Sports

96Credit: FACE Randy the CURRENT MAGAZINE Ericksen

FAQ Q: How do I sign up? A: You can register your 2 or 4-person team at www.mayamountainadventurechallenge.com Q: What level of fitness should my team have to compete? A:Typically, if you are an Ironman triathlete, you already possess the fitness and endurance to compete in expedition Adventure Racing. It’s really more about learning the skills of kayaking/canoeing, navigation, rappelling and ascending, and having the mental toughness that Adventure Racing demands. It’s the ultimate proving ground for endurance athletes. Q: What are the specific disciplines throughout the race? A: R acers will do the following during the race: • • • • • •

Mountain biking Canoeing (canoes and paddles will be provided) Pack rafting Trekking/running/ orienteering Caving/spelunking Fixed ropes: rappelling Credit: Randy Ericksen

Q: Does every racer on each time compete in ALL disciplines of the race, or is it a relay? A: All members of the team are required to complete the challenge together and finish as a team. If one team member quits, the team is unofficial. Q: Where in Belize would I be staying? A: You would fly in to the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) and we recommend staying at Cahal Pech Village Resort San Ignacio, Belize Q: What gear would I need? A: We have an extensive gear checklist that you can view HERE.

ymore info: www.mayamountainadventurechallenge.com www.facethecurrent.com

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Modern Day Samurai Self Discipline Of A Purpose Driven Life By Lee Davy

Possessing deep reservoirs of feeling. Devoting oneself to the perfection of whatever they pursue. Discipline. Service. Spiritual power. Passion.These are profound concepts of what once was, and perhaps in few places still is—a way of life.Yet throughout much of the world the beliefs associated with ‘the way of the Samurai’ have been forgotten and even trampled upon. The result has been the keen pursuit of knowledge from wisdom keepers such as Faye Fitzgerald, Bob Proctor and Nassim Haramein to name a few. It has also led to my development of the Modern Day Samurai Training (MDST), which includes a compilation of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual philosophies, tools and systems designed to create balance and longevity in YOUR life. Created for the modern-day warrior, both male and female, MDST will have you thinking and feeling as never before.

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BRAVERMAN TEST Braverman is a personality type assessment based on neurotransmitters and determines an individuals’ dominant nature and natural deficiencies. There are 4 main neurotransmitters that we focus on. Once you know your dominant/deficient nature, you can add supplementation and dietary means to rebalance. Dopamine - controls rewards/pleasure - regulates movement and emotional responses - considered to be excitatory and inhibitory - Release during pleasure activities (sex, food, drugs, etc) - Drive, motivation - L-tyrosinie, Rhodiola and L-theanine help to boost

Acetyl Choline - Functions in both peripheral (activates muscle) and central nervous systems - Causes muscles to contract, activates pain response, regulates endocrine and REM sleep functions. - Helps in contraction of cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles - Deficiency can lead to memory loss - One of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the body - Focus, memory - Choline, citicholine, high (good fats) fish oils, avocado, coconut oil, etc Gaba - Inhibitory, widely distributed in cortex - Contributes to motor control, vision and regulates anxiety and calm, - Around 20% of neurons in the

- - -

brain release Gaba Helps produce calm or calms nervous activity Acts like a break to the excitatory neurotransmitters that lead to anxiety Taurine, Magnesium, Glycine, Glutamate, 5=HTP help support

Serotonin - 80 - 90% found in gastrointestinal tract - Can affect mood, social behavior, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual desire and function - is the ‘happy’ hormone - B Vitamins, D, Folic Acid, tryptophan, glutamine all help support, elevate

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FREQUENCY, ENERGY MEDITATION There are three pieces to this the brainwave entrainment beats, Qi Building and Guided Meditation: Think of it as brainwave entrainment meets martial arts, meets mediation. The result is deep and profound healing. You may cry, your body will let go of pain, you’ll find your neurology and DNA will heal, you’ll feel more grounded, anything goes here. The program is a combination of frequencies and various beats, more commonly referred to as brainwave entrainment music, mixed with guided meditation/ intention setting as well as Qi Gung (energy building) techniques. “Frequency:” After as little as 6 or 7 minutes the beats will synchronize both

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hemispheres of the brain and (depending on the frequency you’ve chosen) take you from the traditional - and most frequently utilized as adults - Beta; logical, thinking, analytical, task oriented brainwaves, into the highly meditative or ‘zone’ like state of high end athletes; Alpha patterns. Maybe you’ll want to take a dip into Theta to access highly creative, childhood memorystoring patterns. Or dive even deeper into the Delta for deep, dreamless sleep and bodily recovery, but also very universally connected, deep meditative state of the Masters end of the pool. I recommend experimenting with all the above. “Qi Gung:” Think of training as the monks have, except here all we are using is our intention. By doing so, we literally are able to tap into the infinitely abundant Universal energy or frequency and bring it into our forms. When we learn to do so,

we can move forward with vast amounts of energy and can learn to wield it, using our bodies as a conduit for Universal energy to heel and strengthen our form, ourselves, and others. “Guided Meditation:” A mindfulness approach is incorporated into the guided meditation component. I incorporate grounding and intention setting techniques, self-image and other forms of creative visualization cues that essentially take you to another plane of being. To my knowledge it is the first system to incorporate these three aspects or practices, which makes it a very, very powerful practice. Participants typically feel an immediate reduction in stress and anxiety, reduced pain and discomfort in the body, removal of mental blockages, increased creativity and productivity.

FITNESS Fitness training is an integral part of MDST. Many people say they don’t like the ‘gym’, but what if you could do a fun program that inspires variety and creativity from the gym or the comfort of your own home? Called RAMP Training, it’s like circuit training on steroids, but without the steroids. You’re moving, working those muscles, while making it fun and incorporating cardio vascular fitness all at the same time! This is part of honing the physical vessel so that it remains strong enough and creates the longevity for you to perform what your Spirit came here to perform.

THINKING, CHANGING, CREATING A key component to changing any area of our lives is in how we think and what we focus on. To help I have incorporated core aspects of what I learned studying as an affiliate success and abundance coach under Bob Proctor. Key components include looking at and understanding the difference between the conscious/ subconscious mind and how you can positively alter the images that reside in your paradigm (programmed way of thinking) in order to have, do or be anything that you desire. Success really is a system, not a secret. Once you have the systems in place and the support necessary, you really can live the life that you’ve dreamed of! This includes holding a grander vision and faith in what you believe is possible for you and your life, while overcoming fears and other selfimposed limitations.

UNIVERSAL LAW Everything really does happen by a Universal Law. Whether we know it or not, most of us are using Universal Law in our daily lives to produce our results - positive or negative. Most people don’t realize it and don’t know how to make it work for them. There is a process, a system to be implemented to gain the most from our life experience. Cultivating habits of introspection, and purposeful, creative visualization will enable you to look in depth at your life now and choose where you want to go from here - what you want it to look like. Health, relationships, purpose, abundance and all else you deeply want. We help you align with your passion, purpose driven wants and then teach you how to manifest it! I believe as da Vince did that all knowledge can be unified. To assist in adequately conveying these concepts, I aim to incorporate various perspectives, combining esotericism, energy, mindfulness and physics to awaken and enliven one’s senses to new heights of understanding and awareness.

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TRAINING IN POWER MEDITATION They say that with age comes wisdom. I would argue that perhaps we forgot that wisdom comes from within. Faye Fitzgerald, the founder of Training In Power, the meditation practice incorporated into MDST says, “Without truth, there can be no healing.” Without awareness, we cannot change and evolve more intelligently. Training In Power is the first system to in

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fact incorporate spiritual honoring, while simultaneously holding a reverence and purity for the (meta) physics from which our reality is constructed. Training In Power is founded and constructed from a purity of consciousness, and an observance and obedience to the Love Principles of the Universe or Universal Law. The result is an expansion of your intuitive or psychic faculties, increased overall awareness and the proper placement of many key areas for you including the ego,

Spirit, negative voice in your head. GET the STARTED CREATING A MORE CONNECTED SELF BY FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE STEPS: 1. Book standing appointments with yourself in each of the mind, body and soul areas utilizing the tools we discussed. Try to book your appointments with yourself in the morning before anything else happens. If you have to, set your alarm early.

You’ll be amazed how much better you’ll feel to begin every day with meditation, training and breath work. If it’s not in the cards, book your schedule. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you. 2. Put yourself first. We must be a little selfish in order to be able to be present and ‘full’ so that we may help others. Self first is like creating proper boundaries so that you are

not depleted, so there is more of you to bring to the party so to speak. You don’t go around putting the oxygen mask on everyone else first - you wont’ get very far. 3. If you fall down or fail, get back up and try again. You are creating new habits here. It will take time. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Set aside time each and every day to work

toward that which you desire and it will come to fruition. And for goodness sake, ask for help. We need to support each other with where we are headed, now more than ever. It is a strength, not a weakness.

ymore info:

Lee Davy https://lee-davy.com/

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DUMBBELL PUSH BY

David Ryan Fitness

Simplify your training. The method of training individual body parts separately each day is becoming a thing of the past. Dividing your body into different parts doesn’t take into account how it actually moves, and which muscles are involved in each movement.

THE FOLLOWING PUSH WORKOUT REQUIRES A PAIR OF DUMBBELLS AND WILL EFFECTIVELY TRAIN THE CHEST, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS, AND CORE. Choose to perform each exercise for 20 seconds or 20 reps, with a 20 second rest break in between. Once you complete the circuit, repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 circuits. This workout should be completed in under 20 minutes.

In contrast, you could organize your workout according to pushing and pulling movements, so your chest, shoulders, thighs, and triceps get hit on the push day, and your back, hamstrings, biceps, and rear delts get worked on the pull days. Then you can repeat both workouts once more in the same week, doubling the frequency with which each muscle gets trained without impacting its recovery. Plus, by working your muscles from head to toe each session, you’ll burn more calories and release more muscle-building hormones than you would hitting one area at a time.

Exercise 1: Overhead press

Exercise 2: Close Grip push-ups

Exercise 3: Lateral shoulder raise

Exercise 4: T Push-ups

yTraining programs & Resistance bands: www.DavidRyanFitness.com Instagram: DavidRyanFitness YouTube: LIFTSTRONG FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

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20 seconds work 20 seconds rest

Need a Trainer? Get in the best shape of your life this year with David Ryan Fitness

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HEALTH

Tinctures, Tisanes, Infusions, Decoctions. What’s The Difference? GRATITUDE: From Attitude to Consciousness NAVIGATING ‘HEALTHY’: 7 EAT-OUT TIPS TO AVOID MARKETING TRICKS Age is Just a Number: How Staying Active Can Improve Your Life

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Tinctures, Tisanes, Infusions, Decoctions What’s The Difference? By Renee Davis RH(AHG) Herbal medicine is enchanting because it is simultaneously an art, craft, and science. It’s an art to formulate and be a matchmaker between people and plants. It’s a science to inquire about why and how herbs work the way they do.This article introduces you to the craft of herbal medicine, and demystifies some of the terminology.

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Tinctures: Water and Alcohol Extracts

non-alcoholic tinctures can be made with glycerine.)

BEST FOR: Strong medicinal activity, convenience, long term storage

Virtually every herb can be tinctured, and they have a long shelf life (up to 10 years depending on storage conditions). They are usually dispensed or sold in 1-2oz. dropper bottles. For these reasons of medicinal strength, flexibility, shelf stability, and convenience, herbalists use tinctures the most. They are usually taken internally by mouth, but they can also be used externally in some cases. When alcoholic extracts are applied to the skin, they are called liniments.

Tinctures are made by grinding or chopping herbs into small pieces and steeping them in a water/alcohol mixture for one to four weeks. Grain alcohol and vodka are the most common solvents used, typically in concentrations of 50-65%. These two solvents are excellent at extracting a wide range of plant compounds, making this a preferred preparation when medicinal activity is sought (however,

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Tisanes: Herbal Teas BEST FOR: Daily use of palatable aerial (above-ground) herb parts (leaves and flowers) Also known as herbal teas, tisanes are not technically teas in the classical sense–they do not come from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. Rather, they are water infusions made from herbs. Common herbal teas include peppermint,

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chamomile, rose, verbena, and rooibos. They can be brewed in a variety of ways (loose leaf with strainer, tea bag, ball infuser) and steep times vary between 3-10 minutes. Herbal teas are not as strong as tinctures, but they can be very effective for calming the nervous system, soothing the stomach, and brightening mood.

Infusions The term infusion has broader meaning in herbal medicine. It refers to any preparation where an herb is steeped in a particular medium. These include hot water infusions (aka tisanes or herbal teas), oil infusions, honey infusions, and even vinegar infusions (i.e. fire cider, see recipe below). Infusions can take many forms, such as a rose and kava root-infused coconut oil for massages. Be creative!

Try out this infusion recipe below: Original fire cider recipe – Rosemary Gladstar Ingredients: • ½ cup grated fresh horseradish root • ½ cup fresh chopped onions • ¼ cup or more chopped garlic • ¼ cup or more grated ginger • Chopped fresh or dried cayenne pepper to taste • Optional ingredients: Turmeric, lemon, elderberry, jalapeño, rosemary, beet, cinnamon, etc. Instructions: 1. Place herbs in a half-gallon canning jar and cover with enough raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to cover the herbs by at least three to four inches. Cover tightly with a tight fitting lid. 2. Place jar in a warm place and let sit for three to four weeks. After three to four weeks, strain out the herbs, and reserve the liquid. 3. Add honey ‘to taste.’ Warm the honey first so it mixes in well. 4. Rebottle and enjoy! Fire Cider will keep for several months unrefrigerated if stored in a cool pantry. But it’s better to store in the refrigerator if you’ve got room.

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Decoctions: Herbal Brewing BEST FOR: Daily use of tough herb parts (roots, bark, berries, seeds) and mushrooms Decoctions are made by placing herbs in cold water (usually 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon per cup of water), heating until boiling, covering and reducing to a simmer for 20 minutes to an hour. Decoctions are performed when simple infusions won’t do with tough and sturdier

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plant parts or mushroom pieces. These are unlikely to be extracted with a 10 minute steep in hot water. They need heat and time. Decoctions can be done on the stove or in a slow cooker. What if you want a tea with both flowers and roots—like a rose and elderberry tea? You can make an incoction (infusion + decoction) by decocting the elderberries and adding the rose in the last 5 minutes of the simmer.

Crockpot Chai Recipe Base spices Place the following ingredients in a crockpot (any size will do): • 3 sticks cinnamon, broken roughly • 1/2 whole nutmeg, chopped coarsely • 4-5 whole cardamom pods • 3 whole star anise, broken roughly • 1T finely shredded ginger • 3 black peppercorns, bruised • 3 whole cloves • pinch of sea salt

Instructions: Add 6 cups of water and turn the crockpot on medium. (If you have a time setting, I usually do 6 or 8 hours.) Include any herbs you might want in there: • Dandelion root • Burdock root • Ashwaganda root • Turmeric • Ginger • Nettle • Reishi mushroom • Turkey tail mushroom • Astragalus

Favorite herb combos • Reishi + Eleuthro • Hawthorn berry + Doug fir needles (substitute another conifer) • Ashwaganda + rosewater • Turmeric + astragalus *Optional: If you want to add tea (green, black, white, or yerba mate), add it in the last 5 minutes. (Otherwise it will be VERY bitter.) You will know when it’s ready when you smell it. Strain into a mug and sweeten/add milk if you desire.You can keep the rest in the crockpot (I use the ‘warm’ setting). This stores very well in the fridge. Enjoy!

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GRATITUDE

From Attitude to Consciousness By Daniella Princi

I am frequently speaking to the power of gratitude. Many of us are now simply having a ‘Gratitude Attitude’- a momentary period of time that you speak words of gratitude. While such a practice will help you and will result in your brain starting to form new pathways to look at the world in a more positive light, a ‘Gratitude Consciousness’ takes the practice of gratitude to a whole new level. It is “living gratitude as a vibrational experience,” enabling you to open up in the presence of something you value.You can think of it as an attitude, but try feeling and experiencing it as an inner action from your heart. The body responds to what the mind tells it to do: your thoughts program your cells! Our brain can influence our body from a cellular level. A single thought is actually an electrochemical event taking place in your nerve cells producing a cascade of physiological changes. Each cell in our body contains thousands of receptors, and each separate thought and emotion releases its own chemical electrical pattern (peptides). The peptides then surge through the body and connect with the receptors, changing the structure of the cell. Our cells continually divide, and if a cell has been exposed to a certain peptide more than others, the new cell that is produced

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through its division will have more of the receptor that matches with that specific peptide. In addition, the cell will also have less receptors for peptides that the original cell was not exposed to as often. Think of it like this: if you have been bombarding your cells with peptides from negative thoughts, you are literally programming your cells to receive more of the same negative peptides in the future. What is even worse is that you are lessening the number of receptors of positive peptides on the cells, making yourself more inclined towards negativity. Every cell in your body is replaced about

every two months. So, the good news is, you can reprogram your pessimistic cells to be more optimistic by adopting positive thinking practices, like mindfulness and gratitude, for permanent results. Therein lies the power of ‘Gratitude Consciousness.’ In addition to the physiological aspect of gratitude and our thoughts, I also speak a lot to the power of our mind and the focus of our energy. Where your attention goes, your energy flows. Whatever thoughts you are giving energy to, that is what you manifest- that is the reality you create.

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Fat in the form of avocado oil, coconut oil, MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) Oil, or even butter is sufficient to restore energy levels without stopping the fasting process.

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Where your attention goes, your energy flows. Whatever thoughts you are giving energy to, that is what you manifest- that is the reality you create.

The power is within. Your power is within. Nothing is faultless, and there are challenges all around. But to connect with self and your own authentic truth, no matter life’s circumstances- therein is the flow and empowerment you are seeking. By living with a ‘Gratitude Consciousness’ everything you face becomes a gift. Your bodys’ cells will be receiving amazing messages, and you will be manifesting more gifts in your future. Living with a ‘Gratitude Consciousness’ for all moments you are faced with, throughout the day will completely change your response, reactions and attitude toward life. The level of negativity drops and the sensation of love and your heart expanding is felt quite clearly. Try it and notice how it changes you energetically, from the inside-out. Notice how it expands your heart. We posess the power of choosing actions and situations

that expand, rather than contract you. We choose to enter into the experience of gratitude, and it will immediately expand you and lift you up.

fullness and expansion in the heart. LIVE it, not as a momentary practice, but as a living expression of your own expanded consciousness.

Rather than complain about how your children are driving you crazy, feel how blessed you are to have children you can love and hold. You may not like your job, but consciously feel your gratitude for having an income and some money in the bank.

The way we start our day is paramount to the type of day that flows. You have the power to set your day, no matter what is surrounding you! How are you starting your day? What gratitude consciousness are you sitting in? What stories are you giving energy to? What moments and experiences are you manifesting? What reality are you creating?

Instead of thinking of gratitude as just an “appointment” of time in your day, try practicing a consistent state of consciousness as a way of life. In the morning when listing out the ways you are experiencing gratitude, extend it: feel the moment and gratitude you are thinking of. Then challenge yourself to live an entire day of ‘Gratitude Consciousness.’ Gratitude is not just an attitude in our mind. Rather, it is an internal experience of

You are powerful! You are magnificent! You are unique! Your power is intrinsic!

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NAVIGATING ‘HEALTHY’ 7 EAT-OUT TIPS TO AVOID MARKETING TRICKS By Danae Maree Eating out is a fun, relaxing and social activity that not only gives us a sensory experience through food, but also through exposure to all of the cleverly designed marketing influences that lead us to make our menu choice. But just when did eating out start requiring a marketing degree to navigate through buzzwords and sales gimmicks? Food is a hyper competitive industry, which means that more than ever the marketing of it is so strategically structured that we don’t even realise

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the sub-conscious level it is targeting in our decision making (*cue spooky brainwashing music). What is important to acknowledge is that whenever you are eating out, you are buying a service and a product whose intention is to sell, make profit, and keep you coming back for more. Retailers are aware that before you arrive at the restaurant you have probably already found their social media page, scrolled

through half a dozen of their food photos and hashtags, told the world you are going there by ‘checking in,’ analysed their menu, and filed a temporary order in your head (*subject to change depending on Specials Menu, dining experience on arrival, wait time, and Han-gry status). That’s before you even step in the door! No wonder retailers spend so much money on good marketing! It is less about the food (prior to ordering) and more about the trend factor.

Consider how influenced you have become by the latest health jargon when ordering at a restaurant. You read words like ‘green, organic, clean, grass-fed, gluten free, sugar free, vegan, paleo, raw, superfood (I could go on!) and assume that it must be healthy, or are more inclined to choose those items over something that is more, let’s say ‘honest’ about its contents (a donut is a donut, or is it?). STOP. Ask yourself – because it’s an organic or gluten free product, does that still make it healthy? Just because it’s called a ‘Green Bowl’ does that mean it’s bursting with nutritious goodness? These words don’t necessarily mean that your food item or meal is low in calories, fat, or carbohydrates. They also don’t often tell you how it is prepared, their ingredients in dressings, or what oils they have cooked your food in. What is scarier still, is that half of the wording and health claims don’t even have to be legally regulated!

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Below are 7 tips to make healthy choices off the menu and avoid the marketing tricks: 1. Remove the trend factor Put your phone down, turn off your Snapchat filter, Instagram story, online review page, and block out the external influences on your decision. Don’t be fooled by the fancy names and imagery that surround a menu item. This tells you less about its nutritional value and more about its need to ‘dress up’ (excuse the pun) to get your attention. After all, if healthy items were listed as they were, they wouldn’t sound as intriguing right?! For example, Mixed leaves Vs Green super bowl. Which would you be more inclined to choose? Read the menu for what it is. 2. Superfoods ‘Superfoods’ is the ultimate health food buzzword. Media marketing would have us believe that certain fruits, vegetables or grains that have been around forever, suddenly have incredible super powers that will transform your health overnight. Kale is not a new thing. Sure it is great for you, but it is not a deal breaker in menu choice selection. Nor does adding kale, or any ‘superfood’ for that matter, with less healthy options like sugary dressings and high saturated or trans-fat make the calories not count anymore. It is the equivalent of ordering the quarter pounder with double cheese and bacon and having it with a bottle of water over cool drink. Sorry to be a downer, it just doesn’t work that way. Yes, superfoods have health benefits. No, that has not only just been discovered, and no, they do not make unhealthier food choices healthier by eating them together. 3. Dietary Specifications Do your research on these. Gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo, what do they actually mean and how do they apply to my individual health? There is so much advice out there now on what we should and shouldn’t eat that it can be confusing and overwhelming. There is no point applying bits of every diet to your lifestyle and hoping for the best outcome. My advice would be to start getting to know your body better as well as the meaning behind these terms before you start applying their principals without understanding the purpose. It is also good to be aware that these ‘health’ words target our naivety in believing everything the media has told us. Naivety with diet choices in today’s market will have you jumping between diet fads and trends quicker than you are able to see if it’s actually doing you any good. I love when menus put something like ‘gluten free’ on a product that wouldn’t contain gluten anyway. This shows just how aware they are that we are searching for healthy words over healthy choices. Don’t be played the fool!

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4. Get educated Gain some understanding about the macro (Carbohydrates, protein and fats) and micro nutrients (vitamins, minerals) in different foods. This gives you the ultimate ‘super’ power in making balanced healthy meal choices. Distinguish the foods that belong mostly to carbohydrate, protein or fat groups. Apply it to your menu item and your goals. It’s easy to have your health goals go off track when what appears to be a healthy meal is not balanced in macros and may end up being a very high carbohydrate or fat meal. For example, a vegetable dish may consist of mostly root vegetables which are high carbohydrate. Then say they mix it with quinoa, your friendly super grain, and suddenly a dish that to the eye appears like a very healthy option, may be silently killing your health goals with very high carbs. Yes, these foods are all healthy, however, this is where becoming informed about the basic macro nutrients of food can be a huge help in learning to make better and more balanced choices when eating out. 5. ASK QUESTIONS Ask the waiter questions, including the possibility of making modifications to your order to cater for your health goals (e.g. salad dressing on the side, eliminating an ingredient that doesn’t work for you, or adding an ingredient that does). It’s also ok to ask where produce has come from. I like to support cafes and restaurants that support local farmers, firstly because I know the produce will be fresher and maintain more nutrients (less transportation time and storage), and secondly because it’s nice to know that your meal is supporting your community. 6. Look at the ‘sides’ menu This is often where a lot of the healthier choices are kept and also where they drop the fancy hype words and tell it how it is (I always loved a straight shooter). It’s a side salad or steamed greens. I often ask for these to be added to my dish to replace the less healthy choices like fries. It’s still important to specify ‘no dressing,’ or ‘dressing on the side of my side’ (now that’s a mouthful). 7. WATCH FOR HIDDEN CALORIES Be aware of hidden calories in healthy menu choices. Dressings, butter, salt, seeds, nuts and other toppings can all be asked to be added as a side so you are in control of the portion size, or you can also ask to not have them at all. Even if it is not listed on the menu as having a dressing, most salads will have something added to them so it’s important to ask! Healthy eating is as individual as our DNA. It will have a different meaning for everyone based around their needs and lifestyle. So when you are eating out with health in mind it’s important that your choice is just that: YOUR choice. Not what the media tells you is good or bad, the fancy wording on a menu, or the best Instagram picture. When health is about what’s on the inside, don’t let aesthetics make your decision. Take your power back, get educated and take your social eating choices to a new level of health that is all about YOU.

ymore info:

www.danaemaree.com Instagram: @danae_maree Facebook: facebook.com/danaemaree/ www.facethecurrent.com

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Age is Just a Number

How Staying Active Can Improve Your Life By Dr. Vaughn Bowman We all know that exercise is an important aspect of staying healthy and retaining some of the youth and vigor of our 20’s. However, what is more causal for our decline after the middle of our third decade? Is this really just a function of time, or might an increasingly sedentary lifestyle play a larger role in the aging process? In order to better answer the question, let’s first look at some of the ramifications of aging that happen to us all. The cardiovascular implications of aging have been well documented for years. After age 25 or 30, your heart rate declines by an average of 1 beat per minute, per year. Meanwhile, the heart’s

overall efficiency or ability pump blood drops by 5-10% per decade. At the same time, the vessels carrying this blood tend begin to lose elasticity during middle age while the blood becomes thicker and harder to pump due to increasing levels of cholesterol and fats (triglycerides) in the bloodstream. The result is higher blood pressure with age, along with decreased oxygen delivery to the tissues resulting in everything from fatigue to memory and cognition issues, a plethora of different diseases, inflammation, increased rates of cancer and early death. This makes sense if one stops to consider that reduced circulation equals fewer nutrients to all tissues and cells of the body.

Unfortunately, the clock continues to tick and the results are unkind to more than just the cardiovascular system. Muscle mass begins to decline in our late thirties and often reaches a 50% reduction by the time we approach 70. At the same time, our tendons, muscles, and ligaments begin to stiffen and tighten. This results in weakness, poor coordination, instability, and pain. Our bones are not spared either as they tend to lose 1% of their mass per year after age 35. For post-menopausal women the situation is increasingly dire with a yearly loss of 2 to 3%. This leads of high rates of spinal injury, osteoporosis, and fracture. Imagine what all this might do to your nervous system in terms of stress and rates of anxiety and depression.

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If we can simply encourage increased blood flow to our various tissues, we will ensure optimal nutrient availability and considerably slow the ticking of the clock.

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a quote by an 18th-century physician, Dr. William Buchan: “Of all the causes which conspire to render the life of man short and miserable, none have greater influence than the want of proper exercise.” Cleary, exercise is and always has been an important part of our overall health and wellbeing. Given our proclivity for TV, computers, tablets and smartphones, we really don’t have much choice but to move well and move often. We truly are only as old as we feel. Therefore, doesn’t it only make sense to exercise regularly in order to continue feeling good well into your golden years? I’m not suggesting that exercise is the famed fountain of youth as the clock will always continue to tick. However, a properly developed exercise routine can make you feel (and look) timeless simply by slowing that tick-tock. Of course, one should always consult with a professional before starting any exercise program—

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particularly if it’s been a few months or more since you’ve attempted any kind of workout. Remember that you may not be able to jump right in where you left off last. Don’t forget to warm up the body first with a little aerobic exercise and finish with some foam rolling and stretching. Consider bringing a friend along to help hold you accountable and make the experience fun and social. Try not to ignore your hydration; be sure to put water back in during and after exercise. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, remember that chronological age does not really represent quality of health. Your overall health and wellbeing are entirely up to you. Regardless of your age, you need only make a commitment to yourself and honor that commitment.

ymore info: www.drvbowman.com

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Right about now you’re likely thinking this sounds pretty grim. The good news is the majority of this can be dramatically slowed and in some cases of the cardiovascular system even reserved entirely. Countless studies point the benefits of exercise upon our overall health; and those benefits are only compounded with age. If we can simply encourage increased blood flow to our various tissues, we will ensure optimal nutrient availability and considerably slow the ticking of the clock. The problem is that as we age we get busy and have less time for exercise. We become more sedentary with our jobs, have more demands placed upon us by family and friends, and often can’t find the time or energy to make it to the gym. Certainly our lifestyles today have made it increasingly difficult to remain active. However, at some point we must reframe this picture. Exercise simply isn’t ‘optional’ with today’s lifestyle and I would go so far as to say it never was. Consider

We truly are only as old as we feel.

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