Issue 11 | Face the Current

Creativity Edition

Issue 11

September 2017

fAce the current TRAVEL

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CULTURE

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MUSIC

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SPORTS & FITNESS

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HEALTH

inside guide to Whistler, Canada World’s Top Rated Year Round Resort BEHIND THE LENS WITH AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER REUBEN KRABBE UNIQUE ADVENTURES AND PERSPECTIVES

Courtney Atkinson Runs the World Over

An Olympian’s Travel Guide A New Way

Doctors share how to get creative with health, diet, and fitness Secret to Wellness, Creative Movement, + EQ vs. IQ

Woody Woodrow Yoga For Musicians

...inspiring positive change in the world

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EDITORIAL

editorial

F tC fAce the current Issue 11 · September 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 deeprooted love of learning, creative minds and a great appreciation for connection with other individuals who are passionate about what they do, Face the Current has quickly developed into a growing team and global community of incredible people who believe in living life to the fullest and discovering their true potential.

“I find it inspiring to connect with others who are following their flow, pursuing and exploring their passions. Their energy is vibrant & contagious and there is often a lot of incredible things to learn from their life experience and the perspectives they have gained.”

Sasha Frate Founder

sashafrate sasha@facethecurrent.com

Image Credits: Front Cover by Reuben Krabbe aKenny Smith, Whistler B.C. Back Cover by Ian Regnard aCourtney Atkinson, Australia

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For advertisement and sponsor inquiries: Annette Krey, Sales Manager annette@facethecurrent.com David Aiello, Director of Marketing david@facethecurrent.com Clair Marie, Brand Engagement & Influencers clair@facethecurrent.com For writer and contributor inquiries: Sasha Frate, Founder & Co-Editor in Chief sasha@facethecurrent.com Naia Reid, Co-Creator & Co-Editor in Chief naia@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.

letter from the editor Albert Einstein once said “creativity is intelligence having fun” and “seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought.” September’s Edition of FtC is packed with a luscious selection of spotlights on fascinating creatives following their flow. Handpicked to get your creative juices flowing! We all have a creative streak. Sometimes it can lay dormant, only to be suddenly discovered in the most unexpected and sometimes lifechanging ways. We hope that this month’s selection of stories, features and insights will kick-start you into inspired action!

We take you to Whistler for an in depth guide where resident Reuben Krabbe shares his top picks for exploring Whistler on and off the mountain. From adventure to leisure, local and tourist style, Reuben offers up a variety of ‘best’ activities and places with his inside scoop. We also feature our adventure and gear spotlights, ‘Where to Rejuvenate’ at Scandinave Spa, and list some Farm to Table Whistler Eateries you won’t want to miss!

Travel lovers and photographers alike will love the awesome perspectives brought to FtC by this month’s avid globetrotters, from Australia, Sweden and the U.S. who use drones, planes, transitional light and dramatic landscapes to set the imagination alight.

We explore the fascinating expression of life through art, through the ages, from hieroglyphs, folk art and frescos to comic superheroes and the wonders of modern technology.

Be inspired to see the beauty and potential in the simplest of things around you with Portuguese Land Artist Jaime Filipe, whose incredible vision, skill and patience create amazing works of art to honour Nature.

Ever felt you were destined for greater things? Michael Malone brings us another inspiring Cinderella-esque story on Lace Larrabee and how her dreams and her mother’s faith and creativity turned her humble beginnings into a real life happy-ever-after.

We interview Scott Doherty, a talented composer and producer of scores for many much loved TV, Documentary and online series whose incredible creativity has earned him multiple awards globally.

Sometimes the most beautiful creations present themselves almost by themselves, when we get in the zone and just let things flow naturally. This concept is demonstrated by Woody Woodrow’s new monthly series “Yoga For Musicians,” debuted and featured in full on our site facethecurrent.com, plus genre busting DJ/Producer Luis Moreira creates from the heart and shares the source of his cosmic inspirations.

Australian Olympian triathlete and endurance sport “free surfer” Courtney Atkinson takes us on his adventures through rainforests, snow and ice, and grasslands on his quest for optimal performance, and explains how he keeps it cool when challenges arise.

In Health, we look into the advantages of getting creative with movement with Dr. Jeremy Princi. Dr. Vaughn Bowman explores differences between IQ and EQ, and Dr. James Bentz gives incredible insight about the common denominator to disease, aging and degeneration. Nutrition specialist Danielle Redmond gets into how health and colour are intrinsically related when it comes to what we eat.

Dig in, stretch those perspectives and have fun with it ‘til next time!

Naia Reid

Co-Creator and Co-Editor in Chief

Background picture (modified) credit: Jess Bonde

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fAce the current

Issue 11 · September 2017

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Sasha Frate

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

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.

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Naia Reid

Co-Creator and Co-Editor in Chief was formerly the Editor of BG Life Magazine, Marbella. A copywriter for years for a Google-Affiliated website design company, before writing, reporting and photographing for Andalucía’s largest English newspaper conglomerate: Euro Weekly News.

She now channels her creative talent and vision for a better world, into developing FtC as a broad and multifaceted platform for people to come together and make a difference.

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.

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.

Dr. James Bentz

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D.PSc. is a Chiropractor, Speaker, Health Coach & Educator, Trainer & Leading Practitioner in Neurological Integration System (NIS), which is a method of restoring communication between the brain and body based on the principle that the brain monitors every cell in the body. www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com

We are a growing team of Up-standers

Michael Malone

Dr. Jeremy Princi

is an expert in health and wellness and registered Chiropractor. Jeremy has undertaken post-graduate studies in Sports Chiropractic, International Sports Chiropractic and Holistic Lifestyle Coaching (CHEK Institute). Jeremy has an inspired passion for organic and biodynamic farming. His vision is to reconnect food, farming, fitness and healing into one holistic model of health, which supports, honors, and respects Mother Earth. http://www.holisticlifestyler.com Instagram: @holistic_lifestyler

is an American Comedian, Actor, Director, & Podcaster. His popular comedy podcast “Punched Up” explores the stories behind the comedians you love. Michael writes on “Great Comedians. Great Stories.

Told Differently.” www.malonecomedy.com Social: @malonecomedy

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

Jasen Sousa

is a Boston native who spent his childhood and teenage years being schooled on the streets of Somerville. Jasen graduated from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and completed his MFA at Pine Manor College, also located in Boston. Jasen has worked extensively with youth in the Boston area, homeless individuals, refugees from Latin America, and currently teaches reading, writing, and literacy to adult learners studying to acquire their high school diplomas. Jasen has published an array of books and has taught, inspired, motivated, and made guest appearances all around the globe sharing his story.

Instagram: @jasensousa jasensousa.net

Woody Woodrow

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

is a touring musician and yoga instructor. On and off the road he enjoys guiding others through their practice. He believes through relaxation we have no limits to what we can accomplish. Woody is a 200hr RYT and a Strala guide having trained with his friend and mentor Tara Stiles. Music is naturally an important part of his practice and his classroom setting reflects just that. www.woodywoodrow.com Instagram: @woodywoodrow

information to our global community. This month’s Team and Crew are based in the US, Spain, UK, Germany, and Australia

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

Nick Cisik

is a graduate of New York University where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He has enjoyed performing as an actor and musician in New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Nick currently resides in northern California where he enjoys the peace and privacy of mountain life. It is here that he is free to read, write, and travel all the while reaping the benefits of clean living and moderate craft beer consumption.

Danielle Redmond

is a London-born Certified Nutritional Psychology Coach, supporting and guiding clients through overcoming challenges related to food/body.

Danielle trained at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and provides 1:1 coaching in-person and via Skype, creating sustainable, long-term healthy relationships with food for those she works with. hi@yumyumguru.com http://www.yumyumguru.com

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CONTENT Issue 11 · September 2017

COVER stories

INSIDE GUIDE TO WHISTLER, CANADA 10 World’s Top Rated Year Round Resort

COURTNEY ATKINSON RUNS THE WORLD OVER 84

BEHIND THE LENS WITH AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER REUBEN KRABBE 96 Unique Adventures And Perspectives

An Olympian’s Travel Guide

DOCTORS SHARE HOW TO GET CREATIVE WITH HEALTH, DIET, AND FITNESS 106

Secret to Wellness, Creative Movement, + EQ vs. IQ 6

FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

WOODY WOODROW 68 FtC is proud to present the new monthly web series “Yoga For Musicians”

SEPTEMBER CONTENT 10. Inside Guide To Whistler, Canada. World’s Top Rated Year Round Resort

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12. Reuben Krabbe’s Insider Guide To The ’Best Of’ Whistler

18. Activities And Adventure Gear

24. Where To Rejuvenate: Scandinave Spa

28. Whistler’s Farm To Table Eateries

30. Ftc Travel Connection 50. Life Expression Through Art

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54. The Smaller Picture 58. Sacred Spaces With Land Artist Jaime Filipe 64. Something To Talk About 68. Yoga For Musicians By Woody Woodrow 70. Making Scenes With Musical Story Teller Scott Doherty

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74. The Most Sophisticated House Music 76. Luis Moreira Translating The Cosmos 80. Hairclubbing: Blade Hairclub Is Jazzing Up The Salon Scene 84. Courtney Atkinson Runs The World Over: An Olympian’s Travel Guide

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90. Getting Creative With Movement 94. Get Fit On The Go With This Simple Workout 96. Behind The Lens With Award Winning Photographer Reuben Krabbe 108. EQ VS. IQ 110. Colour Me Healthy 114. The Hidden Secret To Health, Wellness And Aging

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TRAVEL

10. inside guide to Whistler, Canada

World’s Top Rated Year Round Resort

12. REUBEN KRABBE’S Insider Guide To The

’best of’ Whistler

18. ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE GEAR

24. Where to Rejuvenate:

Scandinave Spa

28. Whistler’s Farm To Table Eateries 30. FtC Travel Connection 8

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THE WORLD’S VESSELS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Vercoe has been in business since 1989 serving the needs of boaters worldwide from our offices in Portland, Oregon and Maui, Hawaii. www.vercoeyachtsales.com

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FtC travel

inside guide to

Whistler, Canada World’s Top Rated Year Round Resort by sasha frate Nestled in the breathtaking Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, a short 125 kilometres north of Vancouver, it’s easy to understand how Whistler has quickly become North America’s premier four season mountain resort.

Whistler and Blackcomb, two side-by-side mountains, combine to offer one of the longest ski seasons in North America. But it doesn’t stop there. Experience for yourself the irresistible allure of four championship golf courses, unbeatable shopping, music and culinary culture, accommodation to suit every budget, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world.

It’s no wonder the Whistler Blackcomb resort has been rated North America’s #1 resort for 2016/17 by Ski Magazine.

The resort is laid out with three village areas: Upper, Lower, and Creekside, which sit at the base of Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains, and the gondola system connects you to various points of the mountains and villages to take you beyond the ski, bike, or hike in-and-out. The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which connects the two adjacent Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, is considered a ‘must do’ experience whether on ski, board, bike, or foot.

Now Face the Current’s Sasha Frate takes you through this insider’s Guide To Whistler, Canada for activities, ‘Where to Rejuvenate,’ award-winning eats with ‘Farm to Table Eateries,’ and she connects with local resident Reuben Krabbe to provide you with the inside scoop on the ‘Best Of’ Whistler.

aREUBEN KRABBE’S Insider Guide To The ’best of’ Whistler aACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE GEAR SPOTLIGHT aWhere to Rejuvenate: Scandinave Spa aWhistler’s Farm To Table Eateries

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The Iconic Whistler Mountain Inukshuk Statue was created for Whistler as a Symbol of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The statue has also since become a symbol of hope and friendship across the country of Canada. One rests atop Whistler Mountain Peak, while a second statue is located in the Olympic Plaza in Whistler Village.

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Photo Credit: Sasha Frate. Inukshuk at Whistler Mountain Peak

FtC travel

REUBEN KRABBE’S

Insider Guide To The ’best of’ Whistler Local Whistler resident Reuben Krabbe shares his top picks for exploring Whistler on and off the mountain. From adventure to leisure, local and tourist style, Reuben offers up a variety of ‘best’ activities and places with his inside scoop.

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Photo Credit: Reuben Krabbe - Mountain Biking Whistler

Best Place To Watch the Sunset: If you can, get above the valley floor to watch sunset. If you know your way around the backcountry, bring a headlamp and come down after dark, or, camp somewhere high.

In the valley, check out the roadside viewpoint North of town on Green Lake.

Best Weekender Camping Spot: Nairn Falls near Pemberton is a great provincially run campsite that’s within a 10-minute walk of Nairn Falls. If you’re backcountry savvy and have a 4wd vehicle, get a back roads map book and check out the endless number of forest service roads.

Hikers should check out the camping at Garibaldi Lake below Black Tusk.

Best Ski/Snowboard Run: The early bird gets the worm. Get up early on any day and the fresh cord from lifts accessing Rendezvous and Roundhouse are to die for. On a Powder day, wait for peak to open and ski Frog’s Hollow.

Or, bonus points for any summit-to-valley lap without stopping. Bragging points at the bar are always worth it!

Best mountain bike trail: 1) Expert/Black Diamond- Riders who like a challenging descent and are willing to pedal should ride Micro Climate on Blackcomb mountain. If you’re really fit and really adventurous, find your way to the Tenquille Lake trail past Pemberton. It doesn’t give itself up easily, but it’s a huge rewarding descent.

2) Novice/Moderate- Bike Park. I’m a big fan of the little known beginner trail called Del Boca Vista. It may be a green, but it’s fantastic for everyone. If you’re hunting easier trails, bring swimming gear in your bag and lap the endless supply of trails around Lost Lake.

Where to go to learn about local history and culture: I love this question is in here. For anyone, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre gives an amazing look at the real history pre-colonization in the Sea to Sky corridor.

Looking for the ski bum history? Whistler Museum is in the village, and shows the history of a fishing lodge that slowly turned into the international resort that is Whistler.

Finally, the new Audain Art Museum is a gallery that could live in a big city, but is only a hundred meters from the hotels of Whistler. Aboriginal art, current collections on tour, it won’t let you down.

Best live music venue: Check out local listings in the Pique to see what’s on each night. Sometimes there are killer cover bands at the GLC, other nights head to Dubh Linn Gate for a beer and a pub band. In one of many nightclubs, you may find world class DJ’s dropping through to play for a night.

Best swimming hole/lake in summer: Loggers Lake is a short walk from the nearest paved road, but is crystal clear and sits in an old cinder cone. Closer to the village Alta Lake has several parks with docks, that will fill your needs for a cool dip and sunny rays.

Ice-skating in winter: Whistler can be the best place in the world for an ice skate, but later in the winter the lakes will be covered with so much snow that you’ll scarcely find a shoveled patch. Normally, Late November or December is the month to hunt good ice-skating on natural ponds, but be careful. No one is checking the ice depth for you. In the village, there’s a free ice skating rink by the Olympic rings.

Most recommended mountain activity/experience: Where to start? There’s an endless supply for any budget from free to pricy.

The sunset BBQ on Whistler is a great place to fill up and watch a sunset from the alpine. The Ancient Cedars is a great place to check out massive old trees.

In Squamish, the Sea to Sky Gondola shouldn’t be missed.

If you’re in Whistler for only two days, what’s a must to make happen?

Get up the mountains. No matter what, you should get yourself out of the valley floor and see the mountains from up high.

Peak to Peak, peak mountain biking, ATV rides, something high will put a smile on your face.

On an extended stay?

Get further than Whistler. Get to Pemberton and go for a drive through ranchland below towering glacier peaks.

Go explore backcountry roads, or dig into Squamish. If you’re there for a sport, take a lesson too and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll progress by getting some tips from the pros.

If you’re feeling touristy…

Hit the Peak to Peak, beer on a patio, and try one activity that intimidates you.

If you want to immerse and feel local….

Find the fringe bars off the strip; Handlebar, Fitz Pub, Stones Edge. Hit one of the three cultural destinations (Audain, Whistler Museum, Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre) and last, but not least, make an effort to chat with the other travelers you don’t know!

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www.facethecurrent.com Photo Credit: Reuben Krabbe - Backcountry Sunset at Gheriani15

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www.facethecurrent.com Photo Credit: Reuben Krabbe 17

FtC travel

ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE GEAR

Add this to your BIKE-IT list!

Whistler has an extensive list of mountain biking trails that range from green (easy) to double black diamond ◊◊ on into the red ∆ (professional).

Photo credit: Reuben Krabbe

a DOWNLOAD THE 2017 WHISTLER BLACKCOMB BIKE PARK MAP 18

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FOR A FULL LIST OF TRAILS

Native Eyewear Eldo Polarized Sunglasses

This trip’s gear essentials on the trails:

aNative Eyewear aMammut Apparel

www.facethecurrent.com Model: Alex Edge. Image Credit: Clair Marie

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Outdoor and Indoor Climbing

For indoor climbing, check out the

Many climbing tours are available and offered by experienced guides, or you can set out to explore on your own. The Whistler Via Ferrata, also known as "Iron Way," offers a safe climbing route with its engineered vertical pathway equipped with metal rung ladders and fixed cables. While the Via Ferrata does not require a lot of previous mountaineering experience, a moderate to high level of fitness is recommended for this 4 hour climb. Be prepared to see beautiful mountain views!

aWhistler Core Climbing Gym

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Mammut Climbing Gear. Model Clair Marie

This trip’s climbing gear essentials:

a Mammut Climbing

Image credit:www.facethecurrent.com Alex Edge. Model Clair Marie 21

From nature’s lakes and rivers to the serene spa, Whistler has much to explore and enjoy.

Garibaldi Lakeg

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fBlack tusk mountain, garibaldi park

gHydrotherapy at Scandinave

This trip’s gear essentials:

Spa / prAna UPF rated sustainable swimwear is designed in premium stretch fabrics and recycled polyester.

aPRANA’S action packed ‘do-it-all’ sustainable swimwear is made for adventure

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FtC travel

WHERE TO REJUVENATE

SCANDINAVE SPA WHISTLER

Experience The Healing Power Of Nature

Become immersed in nature and surrounded by stunning landscape views, accompanied by all the elements of rejuvenation that a spa could offer. Scandinave Spa is nestled among spruce and cedar forest just outside Whistler Village. If you’re planning a trip in any season, make sure you take time for yourself to experience this rustic mountain getaway within a getaway. You’ll want to set aside a whole day to experience all that this beautiful Scandinavian bathhouse has to offer. Don’t have a whole day to spare? With no reservation required for baths access, you can visit in any time from 10am-9pm daily.

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Hydrotherapy and Scandinavian Baths

premium prAna’s ustainable ds UPF rate ned in r is desig rics a e w im sw b stretch fa premium d polyester cle and recy

Icy waters of the Nordic waterfall and cold plunge stimulates circulation, and with hot baths nearby you can benefit from cycles of “hot-cold-relax that is proven to both energize and rest the body, improving blood circulation and activating the lymphatic system to help detoxification. It also actively promotes the release of endorphins, also known as the ‘well-being hormones.’”

Ancient practice of hydrotherapy is featured in a modern rustic setting throughout the spa facility with cold and hot installations that include traditional Scandinavian baths and saunas: HOT installations include a Finnish sauna, wood burning sauna, eucalyptus steam baths, and hot baths.

COLD installations include a Nordic waterfall and showers, and cold plunge baths.

RELAX Areas for relaxation include outdoor fireplaces, solariums, hammock haven, and a multi-purpose yoga studio. www.facethecurrent.com

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It’s Peaceful Here Meditate while you rejuvenate. Embrace and enjoy the calm.

“We believe that silence is essential to the enjoyment of the Scandinavian baths experience. By embracing silence one finds inner stillness, leading to complete relaxation.”

Stay Hydrated and Re-Fuel Often when you’re soaking in water, drinking it is not readily on your mind. Whether you are partaking in the baths, getting wet in the sauna, or getting a massage, hydration is as important as ever when your body is perspiring, cleansing, and moving out

toxins. The spa has you covered with fountains located around the facility and Scandinave’s Bistro offers bottled water and a selection of teas. You can also take time to “re-fuel” with any of their light meals or coffee.

WATCH “My Reason” Video Series WATCH “My Reason” Video Series that speaks to the lives of local athletes and why they choose to incorporate the healing benefits of hydrotherapy at Scandinave Spa into their Whistler lifestyle. This two season series features an Olympic Distance Triathlete, Pro Mountain Bike athlete, Pro Freeskier, and more.

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ymore info: www.scandinave.com/whistler/en Instagram: @scandinavewhis

o t e ib r c s b u s ! e u s is don’t Miss An , h t n o M h c A e y p o c r to receive you . x o b in r u o y o t t h delivered rig

NOT JUST A MAGAZINE “FUEL FOR AN INSPIRED LIFE. BE YOUR POTENTIAL.” Visit us at facethecurrent.com/shop/magazine to get your monthly subscription!

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FtC travel

Whistler’s Farm To Table Eateries

As a hub for nature-conscious sustainable living, healthconscious athletes, and foodies traveling the globe, it is no wonder Whistler is fast becoming one of the top places delivering Farm to Table. Why seek out Farm to Table eateries while visiting Whistler? For starters, some of these eateries are themselves said to be worth the trip alone to experience! You’ll also enjoy the fresh, locally and organically grown food that boasts added flavor, nutrients, and a sustainability factor. Whistler also sits just 20 minutes from Canada’s best-rated farm to table town, Pemberton.

Alta Bistro When food sources matter to you, Alta Bistro will do nothing short of satisfy. Beyond their ethical and sustainable local food and wine sourcing that supports local famers, fisheries and artisan producers, you’ll find flavors at their peak as their menu incorporates the best in-season ingredients. While the food is incredible, the wine selection is also organic, biodynamic, or sustainable, as is their coffee and tea.

Il Caminetto Cozy up amongst the Tuscan charm of Umberto Menghi’s signature restaurant that is now a new member of the Toptable Group Family, who pride themselves on incorporating “the finest regional ingredients – crafted by extraordinary culinary talent and delivered with an unparalleled level of hospitality.”

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Rimrock Cafe Coined as the place in Whistler for fish and game, with service often described as “perfect,” and ambience said to feel like the epitome of Whistler itself, Rimrock Café is a well-rounded elegant mountain resort dining experience.

The Bearfoot Bistro In winter time you just might be conjuring up the image of warming your bones by the fire after a day out in the snow, but it might be worth bearing the cold a bit longer for a night to experience THE coldest vodka tasting room in the world. Or save it for a summer trip when you feel more apt to cooling off to -32 Celcius in the Ice Room. The Bearfoot Bistro is quite an experience, and the food is amazing. The restaurant also features a resident pianist, a wine cellar with over 20,000 bottles, and owner André Saint-Jacques and Award-winning Executive Chef, Melissa Craig invite you to saber a bottle of champagne. That’s right, saber it. Sabering is a Napoleonic era tradition that ‘sabers’ the top off a bottle of champagne and is said to bring good luck in a battle to come.

Araxi Restaurant This fine dining restaurant has been catering to the farm-to-table scene in Whistler far before it had become a ‘scene!’ With the new buzz around “farm-fresh fare,” Araxi’s award-winning Executive Chef, James Walt, hasn’t skipped a beat. In fact, he’s even recently released his first cookbook, James Beard–nominated Araxi: Roots To Shoots, Farm Fresh Recipes.

The Green Moustache Offering a selection of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and bowls made from organic fruits, vegetables, and grains plus a variety of superfoods. Whether you’re looking for detox, or simply after nutrient dense food or beverage that offers a natural energy boost and max nutrition, The Green Moustache has you covered.

Christine’s on Blackcomb If you’re looking for quality seafood and meats, Christine’s will bring you ‘farm to gondola to table’ with their grass-fed lamb burgers and more! Dining at this restaurant has the added experience of taking you up the mountain. Located at 6,000 feet, you’ll need a lift ticket and a reservation to get there!

Whistler Farmer’s Market Every Sunday and Wednesday from June to October you can stroll the outdoor farmer’s market on Whistler’s Upper Village at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. Grab some local produce, freshly baked bread, and other goods from nearby farms to take back to your suite or on the go. www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC travel

FtC Travel Connection Wanderlusters, Adventurers, Explorers, and Travel Photographers –‘Sharing Our Stories’ This month features unique perspectives and creative expressions of travel from aerial and drone shots, to amazing night captures, and more! Jess Bonde of Australia,Tobias Haag of Sweden, and Aya Okawa and Jeffrey Pratt of the U.S. share stunning images, their approach to travel photography, and favorite scenes to capture.

“Make visible what, without you, might never be seen.” –Robert Bresson

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ftc travel connection

Jess Bonde

PLACE I Call Home: Tasmania, Australia Instagram: @j_bonde www.jbonde.com

ftC fAce the current

travel connection

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APPROACH TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Usually I like to shoot around sunrise or sunset for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the light and wind conditions are usually best, and secondly, if it’s a busy location there is always less people there than in the middle of the day. On a hike I will always bring my DSLR with two or three lenses, and my tripod.

Typically I will have a certain kind of image in mind, but I also like shooting along the way to get some unique shots and to tell the whole story of the adventure.

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travel connection

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I want to inspire people to get outside, experience these places for themselves, and hopefully get them developing their own connection to nature.

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travel connection

FAVORITE TYPES OF SCENES TO CAPTURE I love shooting dramatic landscapes with a human Element. The power of the landscape is what usually draws your eye, but adding a person not only gives the image scale, but a sense of tangibility to the viewer as well. I try to evoke that feeling of ”Wow, that could be me standing there,” because I want to inspire people to get outside, experience these places for themselves, and hopefully get them developing their own connection to nature.

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Tobias Hägg

PLACE I Call Home: Eskilstuna, Sweden Instagram: @airpixels www.airpixelsmedia.com APPROACH TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY When I am out traveling and shooting I try to depict the area I am traveling to in the best way possible. I want people that see my images are to be inspired by the place I am traveling in and to get a sense of everything that I see in a very real and honest way of the place I am exploring. I always travel with professional camera equipment. While I have nothing against shooting on my iPhone, I consider myself very serious in my work and find that the best results for me are made through use of my professional gear.

When I travel I like to get a sense of the place for myself. Therefore, I like to spend more time on location and do longer hikes instead of just rushing through scenes.

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FAVORITE TYPES OF SCENES TO CAPTURE I consider myself very broad when it comes to photography and film. There is so much that I like within the profession, so I have a hard time choosing favorites. I feel at home when I am in nature and nature alone is also one of my biggest keys to inspiration. I love to play with human scale in nature and landscape photography.

The best scenes are often uncalled for and are almost always gone within seconds of them appearing so I just hope I am ready when they appear.

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travel connection

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Aya Okawa

PLACE i Call Home: San Francisco Bay Area Instagram: @labyrinthiansmile www.aya.photo

APPROACH TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY In my work I am fascinated by finding abstract patterns in nature and exploring the juxtaposition between nature’s designs and human activity. I shoot with a Nikon DSLR from small planes; I love the feeling of flying and seeing the world from a different perspective. Flying allows me to circumvent the boundaries and obstructions that can often limit our vision at ground level, and transforms my perception of our environments. I shoot in the remote wilderness, rural regions or urban centers, flying at either sunrise or sunset as the golden, transitional light illuminates the landscape.

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Flying allows me to circumvent the boundaries and obstructions that can often limit our vision at ground level

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travel connection FAVORITE TYPES OF SCENES TO CAPTURE Before every shoot I do a lot of research, scouting out regions and phenomena to shoot and explore – but I am always – and I love to be - surprised by new and unexpected patterns and shapes that I find in flight.

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Jeffrey Pratt

PLACE i Call Home: Carmichaels, Pennsylvania Instagram: @_jeffreypratt APPROACH TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY I live in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, which is a very small town in the southwestern part of the state. Living in an area that is not exactly photogenic has its obstacles.

As I grow as a photographer, I am learning to capture nature’s beauty in the places where I never thought I could. My approach to travel photography, as crazy as it sounds, is to simply wing it. I take my camera and drone with me everywhere I go, and I snap as many shots as I can. For me, the key to my success is leaving the lens cap off at all times. This allows me to be ready for the perfect shot at any moment. www.facethecurrent.com

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FAVORITE TYPES OF SCENES TO CAPTURE My favorite scenes to capture are lifestyle and nature photography. I have a love for being outdoors, and seeking the beauty in the average place that I call home is not only a hobby, but it is my passion.

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culture

50. LIFE EXPRESSION THROUGH ART 54. The Smaller Picture 58. Sacred Spaces with Land Artist Jaime Filipe 64. SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT 48

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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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By David Aiello Since the earliest times, art has been used to express societal and human issues.

From cave paintings at Lascaux, arguably used as part of some spiritual ritual, to the Za’atari Project today, a series of public murals that engages young Syrian refugees in art to make refugee camps more hospitable, artists have expressed through their efforts, a deep concern about what is happening around them.

Many times the artist’s work is the first to question authority, oppose social ills, injustice, and oppression.

People need to be exposed to ideas through art to help them think critically and interpret information.This exposure opens minds to different perspectives, which is highly important in our increasingly global age.

Here is an incomplete sampling of how life experiences and beliefs have been expressed by the artist.

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Art and Life Throughout the centuries, artists have created paintings capturing the banalities of life while casting the light of dignity on the common subjects of their work. This social commentary was often not sympathetic to the affluent and instead portrayed the plight of the working class with compassion.

Called genre painting, this school or category of art, realistically depicted scenes of everyday life.

For example, in the first half of the 19th century in France, Jean Francois Millet (1814-1875), attempted to document with paint, the drudgery and suffering of his fellow peasants. The son of a farmer, Millet concentrated on scenes of rural France in which he depicted the hard but dignified life of the peasantry in works like “The Gleaners” (1857), “The Angelus” (1859) and “Man with a Hoe” (1862).

The efforts of Millet and his peers including Gustave Courbet and Honore Daumier started to push art beyond its primary aesthetic function to provide moral and social education to the masses. Their school of painting could be considered the precursor of the modern photo journalist.

Folk Art In terms of life expressions, folk art, and all its variations, is a wonderful window into the culture of those who produced it. Traditionally this is utilitarian and decorative art was created by impoverish artisans in rural areas. Its power comes from the fact that it is made by individuals whose creative skills convey their community’s cultural identity. These artisans, mostly untrained, are able to capture everyday life experiences and traditions, much like genre painters, in the creation and decoration of everyday objects.

A wonderful example of a gifted folk artist was Anna Mary Robertson, also known as “Grandma Moses.”

Sometimes referred to as an American primitive artist because she was self-taught, Moses became widely famous for her nostalgic paintings depicting rural American life–at the young age of seventy!

According to the New York Times, she once said that “I’ll get an inspiration and start painting; then I’ll forget everything, everything except how things used to be and how to paint it so people will know how we used to live.” Some of her images, such as “Applebutter Making” (1947) and “Pumpkins” (1959), brightly depict her memories of farm life in rural New York and Virginia. Others, such as “Joy Ride” (1953), illustrate happy childhood memories (yet notice people are still working even in these images). www.facethecurrent.com

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Art and Religion There exists an interesting symbiotic relationship between art and religion. Both have been employed to explain our existence in this universe, to give our lives purpose beyond just surviving. They strengthen the social bond of a culture and produce a variety of emotions including hope, compassion and also fear.

So entwined was art and religion that in ancient Egypt the same hieroglyphic was used to express both.

Art from the Renaissance, was often commissioned by the Catholic Church and other secular leaders to instruct, inspire feelings of devotion, and to impress and convert non-believers.

For maximum impact, these works were large-scale pictorial presentations of uplifting messages, easily viewable and understood by the viewer. The culmination of this relationship may be Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel. Covering the entire ceiling, the work tells the story of the book of Genesis and has images of the family and prophets of Christ.

Yet as a deeply religious man who frequently worked for the church, Michelangelo chose to fill the chapel ceiling with as some have described, rampant, joyful nudity.

While he was a sculptor and fascinated by the human form, some believe his intent was to support the more progressive views of some clergy in the age of the more austere Reformation movement. Regardless at the time, his work definitely set off a debate with an equivalent of a modern day PR firestorm.

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Superheroes as Cultural Warriors One might not think of comic books as a life expression but many that feature superheroes propose hope and a means to achieve a better world. In this sense, the authors and artists that depict those superheroes are social activists.

Captain America, for example, was conceive by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, two Jewish Americans, as a symbol of social justice aimed directly at fascism and the Third Reich in Germany.

Captain America debuted in early 1941, before America’s entry into WWII. At the time, Marvel Comics was harshly criticized for making such a bold political statement with their comics. Even today Marvel continues to champion issues of equality and diversity by introducing new characters such as the Afro-Hispanic, Miles Morales as the new Spiderman (after Peter Parker’s demise), and African American, Riri Williams as Iron heart (after Tony Stark, a.k.a. Ironman, falls into a coma battling CAPT Marvel).

Art and Technology The incorporation of technology as a component of artistic expression started to advance rapidly in the 19th century. For example the advent of photography soon advanced to motion pictures. Film provided us a fusion that we had never experienced before. It was a union of photographic, narrative, pictorial, performing, and audiovisual art forms.

Today, combining existing art forms with digital technology opens the door to similarly create new art forms and experiences.

We are all familiar with computer generated imagery and how it has become a Hollywood standard—especially applied to the mega budget franchise fantasy films the industry seems so enamored with of late. But perhaps more important, supporting technologies such as the internet and social media have broadened the boundaries of how we interact with art.

These tools have increased access and made art more of a participatory experience – to a more diverse audience.

And that may be the real power of technology on life expressions– its power to broaden and deepen the audience experience.

For example, the arts can use technology to create communities around performances, shows and exhibitions. The Broadway show ‘Next to Normal’ was responsible for enlarging and even creating online communities to discuss and share resources on mental illness.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 285 million visually impaired people worldwide, excluding these people from fully experiencing the world of art. Technology is helping with 3D printing.

Touchable three-dimensional versions of famous artworks are now possible to produce. Those who have never experienced the Mona Lisa or The Scream, can now feel their way through these celebrated works.

Exit Through the Museum Gift Shop Painting, sculpture, music, literature and the other arts, it has been said, are considered the repository of a society’s collective memory. But they can also establish the dialogue by giving voice to the politically or socially disenfranchised.

And even if the general public is unaware of whom the latest Nobel laureate in literature is, or what the meaning behind Andy Warhol’s soup cans is (it’s a message of liberation), interest in art remains strong through popular films, television shows, fiction, and music. These efforts contribute to helping us understand something while also feeling it emotionally. Perhaps this is why art motivates people to turn their thoughts into actions.

ymore info: •The Za’atari Project https://joelartista.com/syrian-refugees-the-zaatari-project-jordan/ •How the Sistine Chapel spawned a public relations nightmare http://ideas.ted.com/how-the-sistine-chapel-spawned-apublic-relations-nightmare/ •Superheroes Have Always Been Social Justice Warriors http://comicbook.com/marvel/2017/01/18/superheroes-havealways-been-social-justice-warriors/ •5 Innovative Ways Art is Becoming More Accessible to the Blind Community http://mashable.com/2016/12/29/artaccessibility-blind-low-vision www.facethecurrent.com

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The Smaller Picture

By Jasen Sousa I have been many things in my life. I first fell in love with concrete and asphalt basketball courts in Boston and spent many summers as a teenager perfecting my craft. Around the age of 18-years-old, many of my childhood peers fell in love with substances, which would numb them from their realities. I miraculously stayed away from drugs due to the strong identity and discipline that comes from sports.

I then fell in love with the written word once I realized how much young people hated books, especially young people from the inner city, primarily due to the fact that there is a lack of literature that depicts their environments. I dedicated my educational and personal life trying to fill those blank pages with words and images to make books cool. I continue to write books, but have been fortunate enough to find another creative outlet, which tugs at my existence and has brought me to captivating locations I overlooked living my entire life in the Boston and New England area.

It is the images of the world, which inspires me to write. I have all of these emotions and desires which are rumbling inside of me screaming to be let free, but is the connection to life, nature, society, and humanity which motivates me to build letters into words, words into sentences, and sentences into meaning. I love writing stories, but the process can be so frustratingly long. Rough drafts, edits, revisions, the publishing process. It can take two years or longer before your story even sees the light of day. That’s why I have fallen in love with the intricacies of photography. The image or scene I am trying to capture can be taken home, worked on for a bit and shared to the world. It is a much more immediate relationship I am able to have with my audience. However, with all of the different options available to consumers and creative individuals, it’s not always easy to know which camera you need for the job.

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Photo credit: Jasen Sousa

Camera Phones The saying goes, “The camera that you have on you all of the time is your best camera.” This is true to an extent, but lets explore it a little deeper to ensure that when we find ourselves in a beautiful place in nature, or stumble upon a captivating scene on the way to work, that we have the right camera for the right situation. A lot depends on what you like to shoot. I use my camera phone (iPhone SE) for street photography and for capturing images that will help me tell my story like signs, words, and names of buildings and stores.

When I take photographs of people riding the subway in Boston, I have to be as inconspicuous as possible because I could easily anger the subject for invading their privacy and lose the candidness of the shot. While some might think I am mindlessly playing Pokémon or Candy Crush, I am able to capture the shot without causing commotion. If I had a large DSLR camera (Digital Single-lens Reflex) I could be a target for theft, or I would lose the intimacy of the moment, which usually lasts for 5 seconds of less. I am always on the hunt for the moment, something that speaks to me, the same way I look for something inspirational to

write about.

The problem with camera phones is that due to a small camera sensor, they are inferior at capturing dynamic range, meaning if you take a landscape shot with your phone, you will be able to see the picture get less and less sharp as you zoom from the foreground to the background of the image. That is why you really need something more powerful if you plan one capturing and sharing the beauty of an exotic location.

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Packing Light: The Mirrorless Revolution After long and draining weeks in boring office jobs, most of us enjoy being weekend warriors and getting out and exploring and documenting what we see so we can share it with the world through social media. However, it’s difficult to fit protein bars, water bottles and rain jackets into our backpacks along with a clunky DSLR and extra lenses. This is where the mirrorless revolution has impacted outdoor enthusiasts and travelers and helped them capture professional quality

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landscape and scenic vistas.

Mirrorless cameras are about half the size and weight of DSLR cameras made traditionally by Canon and Nikon. This is why Sony has taken such a big piece of the camera market recently. People want better results than what their camera phones can give them and they want to be able to carry it around with them all day without being too tired to take it out and snap a picture. Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus

have all put out some pretty impressive mirrorless cameras in APSC, Micro Four Thirds, and Full Frame formats. APSC and Micro Four Thirds will give your great results, but a Full Frame format will still give you the best sharpness and dynamic range, but will also cost you more money.

The Weight of Words

The Weight of Words Escaping the solitude of writing and being out in nature has done wonders for my mental health and inspiration. When it comes to creative arts, don’t be afraid to dabble in other mediums. Sometimes in life we struggle so much to find an identity that once we find it, we are afraid to let to go. I have been many different things in my life and look forward to finding out how my interests and passions can continue to build bridges for my creativity and lead me to places I never imagined traveling to both

physically and mentally.

Getting out for a hike and exploring majestic landscapes doesn’t mean that you have carry around heavy and fancy equipment that will make you miserable and not feel inspired to capture moments as they occur. Current camera technology has made it possible for you to carry around essentials in your backpack along with camera equipment that is not intimidating or obtrusive. These new

lightweight mirrorless cameras will help you to better enjoy the moment and still be able to share high quality captures on social media with family, friends, and strangers who you might end up motivating to find their own inspiration through travel and exploration.

ymore info: jasensousa.net Instagram: @jasensousa www.facethecurrent.com

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Sacred Spaces with Land

Artist Jaime Filipe

By Naia Reid

Music festivals aren’t just all about music. They are a traditional gathering point and melting pot for creatives and a canvas where harmony, respect, connection, togetherness and a greater awareness of the important things in life can be expressed and shared. Jaime Filipe is a Portuguese land artist, who subconsciously co-creates his works with Nature to create spectacular installations created from consciously gathered natural objects.

His ethereal, majestic and often gravity defying works stretch the mind, unfetter the imagination and connect the observer to the earth and the elements. His work has been aired on national TV, enjoyed by the public at many well-known festivals such as Boom, BEING and Waking Life and is now coming under global demand in public and private spaces. He very recently won the Support Don’t Punish Street Art Challenge which ran simultaneously in 100 countries and had thousands of entrants. Jaime Filipe talks with us about his special connection with the earth and the ripple effect of this driving force.

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Photo: 13 Cycles Upwards In A Centripetal Spiral

Photo: BEING Gathering 2015 Naia Reid:You have quite an unusual and very pure form of art. How did you find yourself getting into this particular style using natural materials?

Jaime Filipe: For me, I have always felt at home in nature. When I was 11 years old, I was a scout. This allowed me to watch adults making incredible things out of simple natural materials.

There are studies that show that if kids don’t have a relationship with nature when they are kids, it probably won’t emerge when they are adults because they are completely disconnected from it. I would always rather go to the top of an isolated mountain than the best hotel to sleep! What is happing to nature all around the planet; this system that is destroying the globe, turning everything natural into something industrial. My work is related to this, because what is happening makes me very uncomfortable.

I feel a huge pressure to say something about it through my work. My first real public piece was a Human Cocoon, which I created for an event held in Ponte de Lima, the oldest village in Portugal and this in turn was where I was invited to the Boom Festival, which in terms of

impact is a really incredible collective.

NR:You take up residence onsite quite some time before the events begin usually, to prepare your installations, some of which can take a month to build. What is it like to observe and be a part of the process of events like these and your creations taking shape alongside them?

machines, no one working; this is the best time to become connected with Nature.

To watch security, the conditioning of the site and then the influx of characters brings such an incredible mix of energy, and it’s amazing to be a part of. I don’t like to finish the works immediately.

There are several aspects I take into consideration during the process and sometimes I am creating up to 4 installations at the same time. When they are loosely defined, but not completed, I work between them depending on shade, my mood and whichever gives me more happiness in that moment. I am always aware of the importance of the energy that is put into each at the time.

NR: What kinds of interactions take place between the myriad of artists who attend and contribute to these kind of creative events and the attendees?

Photo: Jaime by Ruben Salgado Escudero JF: Really incredible. There is a process that I refer to as the “spiral of madness!”

At the beginning everything is peaceful, calm and in its natural state. There are no

JF: Those involved in the artwork and installations are usually very involved in their works, with everything having to be finished to deadlines and under quite extreme conditions sometimes, for example heat, dust and wind. It’s very demanding on the body. Boom is so big, often artists don’t meet, or sometimes www.facethecurrent.com

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Photo: Moon Portal there just isn’t time to do so until it’s over. The parties people make around the installations creates a fantastic feeling. I love not to sleep, to work all night, feeling the energy building and changing around me. It’s really amazing to see the people enjoying them and to feel the energetic feedback. I work on my pieces in a meditative state, without consciousness dictating how they will turn out and aware that the thoughts and intention that I put into the process will cause an effect on those who will see and be around it.

What you pair with your thoughts, feelings, and heart is going to be felt by the people. When the works are made on this level of consciousness it’s amazing. The connections are usually more numerous in smaller festivals because the processes are simpler and less time consuming.

NR:Tell us about some of the most poignant moments you have experienced with your work.

JF: For my most recent event, the theme was “Shamanism.” I built 4 single cocoons around a tree with an

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Photo: 13 Cycles Upwards In A Centripetal Spiral alter inside the circle for the “Sacred Fire.” When I chose the stones for the fire pit, I chose without realising, the very same stones that were used on the last sacred fire there.

I had one piece at the second edition of the BEING Festival in Portugal, it is the festival between Booms. I was given the amazing opportunity to do the entrance installation piece, which turned out to be 16m x 6m. It took one full month to do the piece. I created it 5km away from the site, so it had to be lifted onto a truck and transported there, which was quite breath-taking to watch!

Another time, I was inside a structure I was working on. I was crouched in a hollow under it, filling it with banks of flowers and plants to make patterns.

I started to hear this beautiful natural music all around me, the ‘Divine Chorus,’ which is a low frequency that is there all the time, but only with time, in the silence of Nature do you start to notice it. When you start to listen you notice it more.

Photo: Fall Mandala My most recent installation at Waking Life Festival was based on The Goddess of Fertility- Venus of Willandorf. She is the oldest statue ever found, dating from 28,000 – 25,000 BCE. She looks a little like a female Buddha, with hair in that raised geometric grid pattern. I wanted to create a representation of this energy and incorporate the idea of protection and shelter. Usually I work alone, but I had help from a landscape designer who was also very connected and understood the effect of intentions. On the last days before the festival, there were lots of people who were stressed and this was the place they came to relax and destress. They said they got a special feeling there.

NR: Is it hard to put so much

time and work into something so beautiful, knowing it is just a temporary fixture and not going to last for long?

JF: When people exhibit at a festival like Boom for example, they know their art will be destroyed.You want to give the people the chance to respect your work.

If the wind, rain, or a wave destroys your art, you can be at peace with that. If it’s a man who destroys your piece, it gives you the opportunity not to judge.

People become more sensitive at these kinds of festivals, and it gives them the opportunity to feel the vibration of and story behind the art. I love the opportunity to contribute elements like shelter, hope, peace, cooperation of energy, and watch that unfold.

NR: Are your creations interactive?

JF: I go with the flow. Sometimes if I make something with an altar, it is a more sensitive piece and better not to touch.

Others are to be used. I try to make these stronger, more durable. I did the cocoons for one person and sometimes I was seeing 3 people in them at a time.

NR:You describe your works as co-created with nature. Can you describe how some of these pieces take shape?

JF: One of the first major structures I made, I started by marking a 5m circle and making holes around the diameter, which I started to weave sticks into.

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Photo: Boom Festival 2014

Photo: Waking Life 2017 a strong wind during the whole process, during the 5 days I was creating the initial structure, so I just allowed the wind to dictate how I would shape the weave, instead of trying to fight against the natural current. It was amazing how, during the month that the installation was there, that the wind changed the shape of the structure, it turned out really beautiful. I would love to have done a time-lapse of this piece as it was quite literally co-created with the wind!

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NR: Where do you feel your work is organically taking you? And what’s the dream?

JF: I focus on what is happening on the planet. I would love to organise a Land Art festival to make a beautiful message for nature. I also love and want to go deeper into the shamanic world.

I have one invitation, from a connection with someone I met on Vipassana, who would like me to do a more permanent structure on his 400 acres of land

where they are going to organise shamanic ceremonies. At this last festival I attended, contacts opened up for Slovakia, Germany and Berlin. This is the beginning of my process. I am just going with the flow of ideas that never stops.

I like to vary things. I love to challenge myself with variety by doing things I’ve never done, and all the while allow the structures and projects to grow more complex.

At a typical festival people see the

Photo: Jaime Co creating with Wind

Photo: Gate at Boom Festival 2016 installations for just 4-5 days. I would love to make shamanic ceremony pieces that people can visit any time of the year.

Shamanism is the most powerful way to defend nature. I am open to going anywhere to do this.

NR:Your work is so inspiring and thought provoking. How can people get involved and learn more about what you do?

JF: During the winter I organise mandala workshops that incorporate a mixture

of Yoga, mandala making and land art.

They are currently held in a beautiful national park in Portugal, but the location for these kind of courses is really quite open. I will probably organise one in September if I’m not away somewhere.

Fall is the most beautiful season, with so many colours and an abundance of water, which I like to make my works in or near.

I’m available for festivals and co-creations in nature, gardens, parks and public spaces, and workshops. Soon I also plan to take commissions on works that I will

deliver internationally. I like to let things just happen. I don’t think about the future or try to force it. There are moments we need to let things just flow.

ymore info: www.facebook.com/JaimeLandArt jaimelandart@gmail.com www.flickr.com/photos/phi_leap www.facethecurrent.com

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SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

By Michael Malone We all remember feeling the pressure of answering the age old question, “What do you wanna be when you grow up?” Lace Larrabbee had a great answer; “Singer, Dancer, Actress, Model.” With an answer like that, little Lace Larrabee was destined to be an overachiever... or a scatter brained failure.

Lace grew up in trailer park on the outskirts of Atlanta Georgia where any of those careers listed above are almost impossible to achieve in the late eighties.

Lace didn’t let that stop her though. She spent most of her childhood forcing her younger sister into playing dress up and performing shows in her parent’s living room when their parents had company over.

Lace no longer had to chase down stardome, it was coming to Georgia.

Lace and her mother arrived the next morning on set and stood in line with all the other extras. No, they didn’t have an appointment. No, they didn’t know anyone working on the film or have any “hook ups.” The only thing they had was faith. Faith that this was Lace’s destiny. They believed that once someone working on the film got just one look at her daughter they would be packing up their trailer home and moving it to Hollywood.

“Name?” The lady working the check-in counter asked abruptly.

“Larrabee, Ginger, Lace.” Her mother responded with confidence.

“I would write my own plays and then make everyone watch me perform...poorly.” Lace shared with me as she chuckled.

“My sister would be miserable. I would just dress her up in whatever I could find. My mom’s old slips, and cheerleading outfits from high school. I even sold fake tickets to my shows to family members,” Lace continued.

Then one day, what once seemed like an impossible dream became reality.

Lace’s mother received a phone from her sister saying that they were filming a movie starring Julia Roberts just a couple hours away from their hometown. Lace’s mother hung up the phone, called off work for the next few days, and hit the road with her nine year daughter the next morning.

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“... I don’t see you on the list.” The lady said searching the call sheets.

“Well we are supposed to be here. We were confirmed weeks ago.” Lace’s mother said with an attitude.

“Okay. Fill out this form and come on in.”

The lady responded.

It worked! It actually worked! Lace and her mother were on a real life movie set.

Granted they were just extras in a crowd of thousands, but just yesterday they were just sitting on their couch in a trailer

park. Now they are on a legit movie set.

A movie set which they were not even invited too. That’s pretty impressive.

Little did nine year old Lace know, that this would be just the beginning.

After they found out how easy it was to get on set, Lace’s mother made a few phone calls and asked more of the family to come on down to the set. Lace’s grandma and grandpa were there. Her aunt and father showed up. Before long, their entire family had snuck on set.

In the first few days of filming, Lace and her father were picked to be what tinsel town calls, “Featured Extras.” Her father played a cameraman for the ‘Local News’ and Lace got mixed in with random people that the director hand strung together to make a good looking family to fill the first few rows of the large arena. This was it, all of her childhood dreams were coming true. This would be Lace’s debut as a Hollywood starlet. Her mother didn’t know what ‘it’ was, but she was convinced her daughter had ‘it.’

“My mother was always so on board with whatever I decided to do. Whatever needed to be done, she supported it one hundred percent.” Lace said smiling as she reminisced about her childhood.

After Lace was picked to be a featured extra, her mother knew she was born to be a star. When they returned to their small trailer park home on the outskirts of Georgia, Lace’s mother got to work.

Her mother searched through phone books for acting studios, agencies, and talent bookers. Armed with only her blind faith in her daugher, she sent out headshots and letters to commercial agents and management teams all over the country.

And it worked.

Lace actually got invited to a few auditions.

She never landed anything from it, but her mother never lost faith in her. A few years down the road Lace stopped acting and decided she would switch to modeling. So her mother did she does best. She went to work.

She studied catwalk videos and runaway etiquette. She worked with Lace on costumes and hair tricks. She entered Lace into local fashion shows and competitions… Lace even won a few.

But soon, Lace didn’t want to be a model anymore. No, she longed for something different. Something a bit more expressive.

Stand Up Comedy.

“We watched comedy a lot when I was a kid, but when I told her I wanted to be a comedian she really started obsessing over it.” Lace confessed. “She would call me and tell me what other comedians were doing on television. She would try and tell me how to write jokes, and what to wear.”

Lace continued.

Blind faith. Not every parent is equipped with it. Sure, all parents want their children to do well and to succeed, but it’s a special kind of parent that actually puts in the work and helps their child achieve their dreams.

It was her mother’s blind faith that powered her journey from a small town in the middle of America to the silver screen in Hollywood. Then down to the runway and back to doing live performances like she did when she was a child. It was such a journey that could only be fueled by faith.

Since Lace started doing comedy, she has been featured on the television

show, ‘Laughs.’ The comedy game show, ‘Punchlines.’ She has been featured in the film Good Hair. The first season of ‘Flophouse’ on Viceland and had her comedy animated for shorts on TBS. So, I think it’s safe to say she finally found her calling.

“It kind of feels like all the heartache and time and effort and my mom just believing, believing and believing in me…

I can finally be like, ‘Hey mom, I know it’s just d*ck jokes but...I’m doing something with it ya know. Lace said as she started to tear up a little. “She saw me start to do something, and now I’m doing it. Like legit.

I’m on stage all the time. People laugh and smile and tell me they like me after great shows… and that feels good. That feels really good.”

ymore info: www.malonecomedy.com www.punchedup.blog www.facethecurrent.com

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Yoga For Musicians BY Woody Woodrow Making Scenes With Musical Story teller Scott Doherty the most sophisticated house musiC Luis Moreira Translating the Cosmos Hairclubbing: Blade Hairclub

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fAce the current

is proud to present the new monthly web series

s Yoga For Musicianinstr uctor

hosted by acclaimed musician and yoga

Woody Woodrow

In this series, Woody talks with musicians from around the globe to discuss how they find flow in their life and what tools they use to step into their power on and off stage.

Woody recognizes not everyone is into yoga, but insists everyone experiences flow in some way, usually by doing something they love. Yoga For Musicians explores how to find flow in different ways. You will learn techniques that musicians use to become more capable in their mind, body, and practice so that we can take these tools into our lives whether we play music, do yoga, or just dance to the beat of our own drum.

We all deserve to feel good, be happy and do what we love. So get ready to rock out and join Woody as he discover s and shares how to become the rock stars of our own lives!

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Visit

www.facethecurrent.com

to check out his latest feature! or a c l i c k h e r e ! a s c a n

www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC music

Making Scenes With Musical Story teller

Scott Doherty

By Naia Reid

Master of emotive soundscapes, L.A. based Scott Doherty has become a highly sought after composer who has won many awards for his scores for documentaries, films, numerous networks and some of the world’s most popular series, such as ‘Orange is the New Black,’ Netflix’s most watched program and ‘The Holdouts’ a comedy series starring Kevin Corrigan (‘The Get Down,’ ‘Damages’) & Jayce Bartok (‘Blindspot,’ ‘White Collar.’ Starting out as a singer and guitarist in a band, Scott stepped into the shoes of Musical Director for stage productions and eventually found his passion and flair for score production after some incredible synchronicities led him into the fast paced world of television.

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Naia Reid: At what age did you start showing interest in musical instruments?

Scott Doherty: When I was five years old, my mother bought me a Fisher Price percussion set, which soon after led to piano lessons. One of my earliest memories of taking lessons consisted of playing by ear and not understanding why the teacher was so frustrated by my refusal to read the notes on the page.

NR: When did you know that you would dedicate your life to musical expression?

SD: When I was 18 years old, I decided to move to California from Maine after a successful summer of making a living playing music at coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. That was definitely the moment I realized playing music everyday was going to be a life well spent.

NR: How many instruments can you play? What is the most unusual or rare instrument you have played and what’s left on your bucket list to try?

SD: I play a lot of instruments. Some I feel very confident playing and could jump on stage with a band and improvise without concern. Some I would reserve for private studio moments where no one can see me quickly relearning a technique or scale. I recently visited with one of my favorite musicians, Douglas Lee, who has built and acquired some of most rare instruments I have come across. This last visit to his workshop he encouraged me to play a Cristal Baschet, a friction-based instrument made out of glass rods. It was one of the most beautiful and haunting sounds I’ve ever heard.

NR: How did the connection arise between you and your former composing team American Matador?

SD: At that point in my career, I had just transitioned from a full-time band member to part-time composer. I had written a few pieces for the show ‘Weeds’ on Showtime, created the score for a theatre show, and had placed a few songs in a feature-length documentary.

I knew at that point that I had been www.facethecurrent.com

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bitten by the composer bug, but was still contemplating putting together a band. A guitarist friend called and said he knew a producer he thought I would connect with musically. The three of us met a few days later and quickly realized none of us were interested in recording a traditional record or touring for months at a time. However, we discovered that our skills complemented each other.

Collectively, we had some TV contacts that perhaps could create an opportunity for us to become “a band that does music for TV”. Two days later, I was at a club in Hollywood and ran into a music supervisor friend who had just taken a job at E! Network. She was looking for composers for a new show and I was quick to tell her about our new “TV band”. We landed our first gig that week and went on to score a handful of shows and theme songs for various networks as American Matador.

It was a fantastic introduction to the fast-paced schedule of television and an important endurance builder.

NR:Talk about being guided by perfect synchronicities!

You compose the score for the series ‘Orange is the New Black;’ Netflix’s most viewed program, which has won a long list of awards.

Do you feel pressure to rise to expectations at times?

How do you keep your creativity and flow open?

SD: Just like any job, you don’t want to suck at it. When you are involved with a successful project that lots of people are talking about, I don’t think it’s pressure that you feel, but pride to make sure you are continuing to uphold the standard you have set for yourself.

As far as keeping my flow open, I write music constantly, whether it’s to picture or just free form. I try to exercise

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my brain regularly. I also like to get out and see live music as much as possible.

Watching others create is always inspiring.

NR: When you read a script/watch the trackless imagery of a film or documentary, do you get an immediate sense or vision of how you are going to work the music or does it slowly unfold?

SD: Honestly, it can happen either way.

I always hope to have an immediate thought or specific musical idea, but sometimes it’s a matter of just playing through the scene a few times and seeing

what is not working to uncover what will work.

NR: Is there a difference in the approach to composing for networks like NBC,VH1, Nickelodeon, MTV, CMT and composing for independents?

SD: Other than budget and deadlines, there is no difference for me. I work through every project with the same dedication, creativity and focus on storytelling.

NR: Finish this sentence:To be a successful composer, you must…

and you should never…

SD: To be a successful composer, you must love music and you should never stop learning.

NR: Scott, thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us, we wish you continued success and many more exciting projects!

ymore info: www.scottdohertymusic.com Twitter: @ScottDohertyTBA Facebook: Scott Doherty 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!

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ARTIST Freiboitar TITTLE I Need Your Love label No Brainer Records genre Nu Disco / Indie Dance Release 2017-09-08

ARTIST Syap TITTLE Good Stuff Piano (Original Mix) label Cajual genre House Release 2017-09-01

ARTIST BKT, Memzee, Scott Diaz TITTLE Love Somebody (Scott Diaz Grand Plans Dub) label South East Studios genre DEEP House Release 2017-09-25

ARTIST The Checkup, Deeleegenz TITTLE My Kingdom label Peppermint Jam genre DEEP House Release 2017-09-08

FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

ARTIST R. Clivilles, Kimberly Davis, Louie Vega, Eric Kupper TITTLE Set Me Free (Louie Vega Vs C&C Music Factory Remix) label Hysteria genre Soulful House Release 2017-09-15

ARTIST Lupe Fuentes, DJ Rae, Flashmob TITTLE Reachin (Flashmob Vocal Mix) label In The Loop genre House Release 2017-09-08

ARTIST Illyus & Barrientos TITTLE California label BMKLTSCH RCRDS genre house Release 2017-09-08

ARTIST Tuff City Kids TITTLE Beau-Tan label suol genre DEEP House Release 2017-09-01

ARTIST Sterling Void, Vincent Coleman, DJ Spen TITTLE Sweat (DJ Spen Remix) label Quantize Recordings genre soulful House Release 2017-09-11

ARTIST The Deepshakerz, DJ Rae TITTLE I’ll Tell You Baby (Original Mix) label Toolroom genre Tech House Release 2017-08-25 www.facethecurrent.com

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Luis Moreira

Translating the Cosmos

By Naia Reid

Luis Moreira is a ground-breaking, norm-challenging young Portuguese DJ, Producer and sound adventurer to watch out for. His artful music composition is incredibly intelligent, emotional and imbues a deep sense of awareness of something bigger than just the self. He morphs Techno based vibes and beats, bring them to a whole new exciting level and is catching the attention of some big names in the industry. Unobstructed by the widely followed approach of remaining strictly within specific sub genres, Luis’s uplifting and profound style incorporates several genres, pure flow, plus his own unique translation of emotion to create something deliciously different and engaging for those who love to be taken on a cosmic music journey. Luis chats with us out of Festival Forte, Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal!

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Photo: Ricardo Mussa

Naia Reid :Tell me about your early influences and how you got started playing these journeys into existence!

creatively. What are you thinking, feeling and trying to impart in your music when you compose/produce?

Luis Moreira: Back in the day, I was really influenced by my Grandfather who played the keyboard and the harmonica. When I was really young, I was always playing a small keyboard I had and playing music by ear just feeling it. At the age of 18 I started a Sound Technician course, where some of my colleagues really pushed me to start putting some musical ideas into a computer system! I was always really drawn to hypnotic, minimalistic and progressive Techno vibes.

LM: That’s a good question, however I find it hard to answer. Usually, when I start a track, I don’t think too much about what I want to do. I just let it flow with my mood and the people around me have a huge influence on what comes out through the music.

I also think that I make music from somewhere within my subconscious; it’s all about what I am feeling and where the track itself is taking me. It’s a great way to be expressive!

NR : Music is a universal language, medicine for many and it is without boundaries

NR:You played a full set at Boom 2016 that comprised all your own music.There are very few DJs who can claim that kind of

originality in their sets. Why is originality so important to you and what would you say to others who are trying to decide between working primarily with remixes or on their own material?

LM: My Boom set was like a history of 7 years of making music where I built a 2-hour journey with some of my favourite originals and remixes under Luis M. It took me some time to be happy with my own productions. Initially, I just made music because I liked it so much. It was an escape from reality (and I think it still is!) so I got addicted to it.

I think that when you play your own music it becomes a more intimate experience as you give 100% of yourself to people, and it’s more fun! www.facethecurrent.com

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NR: Can you tell us, as a native of the land, why you think Portugal is becoming such a popular location for Alternativescene festivals? Describe the kind of people who gather and the vibe between “the Tribe.”

LM: Nowadays, there are many event organisation crews joining together in many different places in Portugal.

In my opinion, due to its very good weather and quality of lifestyle. I think we have excellent taste in music and food. Usually the small festivals are the best, because you can get to meet and share beautiful moments with people from everywhere from all over the world. It’s hard to go to a festival and not find a big community of foreign people who came from all over the globe to join the “Tribes.”

Alternative scene festivals bring together a community of people who

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respect and accept everyone, where people are free to be whatever they want without judgement.

NR: Where has music taken you, both emotionally and physically?

LM: Some music has brought tears to my eyes. I can’t really explain what exactly makes it do that, I just feel it take me over, and it’s amazing when it happens. My body must be completely relaxed and my mind completely focused on the music; it’s a feeling of deep connection.

Physically, I have had the opportunity to play my music in many different countries, such as Morocco, England, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland and Russia. I particularly love outdoor events. The people are always different, but the vibe is always the same.

NR:Techno has a history and

association for many as being hard, repetitive and furiously paced.Your translations however, could be described as cosmic, profound, intricate, multidimensional…a journey for the soul. How do these soundscapes come about? Are they the translation of a vision, a thought, a feeling? Take us through how they form and grow.

LM: My sound is a mixture of many different Techno strands. It has a bit of Progressive Trance, Minimal, PsyTrance, Deep Melodic and Techno.

Usually, it is very powerful and groovy, accompanied by some beautiful, melodic sounds. I don’t think about it much, and I don’t have rules- it just comes out. I start to connect the dots when people ask me questions like this! It makes me think about it!

NR:Travelling the globe with your music is an awesome achievement…and you have been warmly received all around. What have been your most memorable experiences?

Where will music be taking you in the near future?

LM: The Swiss Alps (Shankra Festival) was definitely the most beautiful natural location I have played. I really felt “home” playing such an awesome, raw and pure location.

The gig in Moscow was also really memorable and I still carry it in my heart. For September, I have a couple of gigs confirmed in France (Hadra Festival) and Berlin, Germany (TBA indoor event) There’s more to be confirmed, so keep an eye out for announcements if you’d like to join the Tribe! I have plans to play in India, Thailand and South Africa.

the good vibes!

NR:Tell us about your kit and producing essentials in the studio.

LM: The most important thing is to choose your instruments and tools wisely. It’s all about personal taste really. I work with both analogue and digital gear, such as the Minitaur (analogue synth) and some virtual Studio Technology instruments, such as Serum and Omnisphere. The sound processing phase is also crucial, as well as your skills in mixing and mastering in order to get the sound quality just perfect and the effects optimal yet perfectly balanced.

LUIS M Another World

NR:You get to enjoy some really creative collaborations. Where are the most interesting things happening these days for you?

LM: I see sharing knowledge as the way forward in improvements and the creative evolution of making music. It has become possible and easy to collaborate with different producers from around the globe.

Sharing in studio or virtually is how fresh new ideas are born and something I love to be involved with.

NR:Yuli Fershtat, who played 4 sets at the epic Global Eclipse Gathering in Oregon is playing your cosmic tracks. How does it feel knowing your tracks are touching so many people at these kind of vibrational energy awareness gatherings?

LM: Actually, this was one of my biggest dreams come true, having Yuli/Perfect Stranger playing and supporting my productions, as he has been one of my biggest influences for many years! It’s all about spreading

NR: What labels are you working with at the moment?

Luis M Modi5 Digital Structures

LM: I am a part of Blind Arc and Techngosis Records. I organise some events in Portugal in collaboration with my friends who run Blind Arc; a Portuguese label which is focused on releasing quality Psychedelic Techno music, supporting some of the best electronic producers on the scene in Portugal. As an A&R at Techngosis Records, I am happy to be involved in finding new talents and quality productions.

NR: Luis, thanks so much for the insight into your inner workings and perspectives and we wish you all the best with the physical manifestations yet to come!

Luis Moreira Crossroads

ymore info: www.beatport.com/artist/luism/137444 www.soundcloud.com/luismlive Facebook: facebook.com/luismpage www.facethecurrent.com

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Hairclubbing?!

Blade Hairclub e Salon Scene Is JAZZING Up Th

By Naia Reid

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Soho, London: known for its colourful characters, vibrant nightlife and out of the box thinkers. It’s in the spotlight this time, for the birth of an intriguing concept called Hair-Clubbing. HairClubbing is a mashup of a regular hair salon and a funky social gathering place with rocking rhythms and atmosphere!

Some innovative stylists have teamed up to transform a normally tiresome task, usually filled with irksome small talk, into a more enjoyable and convivial experience!

Up Styling - a Fresh Look According to Julia, who trained with renowned stylists Toni & Guy and spent time working in some of the top salons in the London area, “there is absolutely no need for such a frequent necessity as hairdressing to feel like a dentist’s appointment - not in the 21st century, anyway. Imagine doing your hair to a high standard, but while hanging out with your friends or meeting new ones in your favorite social spot - that’s HairClubbing!”

Located on Frith Street in London, Blade Hairclub offers a combination of hairdressing, craft cocktails and sumptuous hand-picked, full on danceable tunage. The brainchild of Blade Soho, stylist Julia Olofsson and musician D.T. Stroo together fulfill their longing to create a down-to-earth, sociable space to get your hair done and hang out or maybe even get chatted up! At Blade Hairclub you get to combine the latest cuts and styling treatments while indulging the senses with great company, elegant music, and creative food and drinks served with character, from a hidden subterranean bar by expert mixologists.

Life and Lusciousness DT Stroo has a history in music and a passion for Blues, Soul and Jazz. Stroo has combined business savvy and an understanding and appreciation of the multi-cultural, easy going Soho community, to deliver a musical background to accompany you perfectly through this fresh experience. He takes great pride in hand selecting what gets played at the salon! You won’t find a tired CD player on repeat at this venue.

Stroo insists on an authentic set of turntables to really give his tunes salonquality lusciousness. Blade Hairclub is also a live jazz venue! Check out their schedule to catch one of their regular evening ‘Live Jazz, Cuts, & Cocktails’

events.

The Hair Clubbing experience includes the chance to enjoy a beverage selection beyond the average pot of coffee and tea basket, and instead offering incredible products and delicacies you won’t find anywhere else, like ceremonial grade matcha green tea, individually selected biodynamic wines, cold pressed juices, craft beers that will start a conversation by themselves, and ridiculously rich, single origin coffee beans for a tasty uplift.

The Modern Tech Twist Even though the experience is designed to help you chill out, have fun and leave looking amazing, Julia and Stroo appreciate that many people have busy schedules to keep on top of too. They make sure to accommodate those in need of cyber connection, business updates or otherwise, to remain connected and unhurried, with built in iPads available on the salon chairs.

It’s a great concept that is definitely worth checking out if you’re in Soho.

Expect a warm welcome, service to impress, and a new you!

ymore info: www.bladesoho.co.uk www.facethecurrent.com

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sports & FITNESS 84.

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Courtney Atkinson Runs the World Over: An Olympian’s Travel Guide Getting Creative With Movement Get Fit On the Go With This Simple Workout Behind the Lens Adventures & Perspectives of Award Winning Sports Photographer Reuben Krabbe FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

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FtC sports

Courtney Atkinson

Runs the World Over: An Olympian’s Travel Guide Interview By Nick Cisik Courtney Atkinson is a two-time Australian Olympian who represented his country as the number one male triathlete in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games. He has won the Noosa Triathlon three consecutive times (a record), is a six-time Australian Triathlon champion, and in 2010 was crowned winner of the London Triathlon, the largest in the world. He is a devoted husband and father of two. His most recent endurance sport endeavour was a week-long “running project” done in his native country where he set the summiting speed record for seven of Australia’s highest peaks.The project took him through some of the most extreme terrain and elements that his homeland has to offer, not excluding the sweltering heat of the Australian rainforest, over the snow and ice capped peaks of Mounts Bogong and Ossa, and through the razor sharp grasslands of Mount Zeil. Atkinson made seven ascents–one each day–which all culminated in 4.8 miles of vertical gain over a distance of 89.5 total miles. All this was done in a week. He flew and drove to reach these remote locations, but mostly, he ran. Charging uphill at an elite racer’s pace, he set the fastest known times up several of his chosen climbs.

Below, we talk to the Olympian about adversity, winning versus losing, coaching and the facility of change, and what makes Australians Aussies.

Brett Hemmings.

Red Bull Content Pool 84 Credit: FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

Credit: Wade Lewis Art Romanpace Photography Nick Cisik:You have said that after running a half marathon you take a week off to recover because your body is completely destroyed.

During this latest running project you were, admittedly, putting your body through an even more severe degree of stress on a daily basis over the course of that week. Why do you suppose your body was able to adapt and not buckle under such extreme conditions as you suspected it might?

Courtney Atkinson: Yes, it was as if I was running an uphill marathon at an elite level pace. It really does rip your muscles up. My heart rate up the climbs was equivalent to that grueling pace, but the legs are using different muscles when the terrain is very steep or downhill. In other words, I find that with multi-day conditioning, each day I do become more tired. At the same time, however, my muscles adapt and although they become very sore, they also strengthen and I oftentimes feel better after a few days in the terrain.

NC: During this running project, not to mention throughout your storied career as a triathlete, you have obviously faced moments of intense adversity coming not only from within yourself, but from environmental forces as well. What sort of psychological “tricks of the trade” do you deploy in those moments when your ability to persevere is challenged?

CA: I don’t give my mind too much of a chance to think in those situations. I find that the first response your mind and body provide is normally a pretty good assessment of the situation.

Physically, I just break everything into small chunks–day by day, mountain by mountain, sections of each mountain, and sometimes down to just ten steps on each leg when things have really gone to shit. This addresses both the mental and physical challenges I am dealing with at the time. Basically, I don’t worry about what is coming down the track–I stay in the present as much as I can.

Some of the most challenging parts of this project had nothing to do with the actual running, but getting to the more remote locations. Or what to do, for example, when you are locked in a national park at night with no food or water and have just been running for six hours. It was problem solving when tired–similar to being bogged [up] to the axels in a quicksand river three hours from anyone and in a rented 4x4 pickup– no tools, just a satellite phone. After your initial response to shit hitting the fan, how do you then work through what needs to be done. Have you ever heard the saying it’s not an adventure until something goes wrong? :) NC: Who have some of the more prominent figures in your life been and what have you learned from them?

CA: My parents first. I believe parents mold one’s life. Not to say that we can’t change, but it’s a big help when you have good direction starting at a young age.

In Australia we have so many of the www.facethecurrent.com

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Credit: Brett Hemmings. Red Bull Content Pool world’s top coaches. Being a triathlete I have had the opportunity to work with the best and have always acted like a sponge– absorbing what works for me, but also what doesn’t. It has always amazed me how individual coaching is.

What makes one athlete an Olympic gold medalist can also be detrimental to an athlete with a different makeup. Since I have become what you might call a “free surfer” of endurance sport I’ve looked to some of the best coaches available, like Richard Usher of New Zealand, to help me acquire the skills I am lacking. I can’t get enough of learning new techniques and skills when it comes to sport. I utilize them in maintaining my Olympic endurance standard.

NC: What did you learn about your country through your participation in this Australian running project?

CA: It reminded me of just how big Australia is–mainly the distance between towns and the changes in terrain from state to state.You can start in the heat of the Queensland rainforest–leeches all

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over you. The next day you’re running in snow and on the following day you’re in a desert–all within one week’s time.

To give you an idea of the whole trip’s expansiveness on the actual trails: it was twenty five hours of running in which time I only saw a couple of people in the whole of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) while I was running on Bimberi Mountain. I also ran into a guy at Pelion Hut who had read in the news about what I was doing–but that was it. These are remote tracks.

NC:You obviously work with topnotch nutritionists. What foods have they told you provide the most sustainable energy? What are your dietary staples, or rather, what have you found you need the most of?

CA: Yes, throughout my career I have.

But to be honest, on this project, all that went out the door. It was just myself and a mate, each traveling with a 20kg duffel, which had to carry all of our tents, clothes, and running supplies for the week. Food was an anything goes

approach. Generally, I was at an airport each day so I’d quickly eat at the airport club. Then we’d drive to the location where we’d be camping, so I’d quickly grab what I could eat from a supermarket and make that last throughout the long car trip–I didn’t take much prepared food. So basically, hot chooks, bread, and chocolate. Breakfast often came from musli that I carried with me or some fast food from a drive through…a bacon egg Mcmuffin and coffee ain’t that bad.

The food I did carry with me was for running–trail mix, chocolate, energy bars, and drinks. I used a Kathmandu soft flask with water filter, which worked on six out of seven of my runs. On the last, the mountain’s water supply was weak.

NC: Have you eliminated anything from your diet entirely? Do you add anything in particular, such as supplements?

CA: Back when I was racing Olympic Triathlons, weight was a big factor and just like your average person looking to lose weight and trying fad diets, I did try

elimination dieting. When you make a change to something you do consistently you often see a quick reactive change, but the question is how long will that change last? Normally it’s not a long term result. In a nutshell...eat fresh, eat healthy, and eat a variety. Train specifically and the body does a good job of gaining or losing the appropriate amount of weight.

As a rule of thumb, I like eating some low GI carbs just after exercise while I sometimes use sugars and caffeine for high intensity–a RedBull around the trails and a cuppa [coffee] in the cafe. ;) NC: As a runner your joints take a beating. What are your methods for maintaining their strength, integrity, and elasticity?

CA: I try to go through a routine every time I finish running. This involves using rollers and balls on my feet, calves, quads, gluts, hip flexors, and psoas. Because I travel so much these days to remote locations that are distanced from available treatment I rely on myself to maintain my body most of the time. My wife always gets annoyed when I poke myself in trigger points while sitting around, but it’s a habit that has kept me injury free for nearly two decades.

NC: A clear and peaceful mind is essential in the pursuit of optimal performance. What is your pre-race routine as far as mental preparation is concerned?

CA: I’m pretty relaxed these days. My biggest days of competition, like the Olympics, are behind me, so the events I compete in are all entered for the right reasons. I love them, so I’m relaxed–there isn’t much stress involved. The funny thing is, that when you’re relaxed, that’s when the optimal performance comes easiest.

But I do know what it’s like to be under pressure. An Olympic event where fifty guys are standing shoulder to shoulder, jumping off a pontoon into the water with only two minutes to sort everyone out as each Olympian attempts to get around a single buoy–that is stress. All you can do is have a solid plan, trust in the training, and not rush the execution.

NC: Let’s get into the idea of competition, specifically as it relates to the concept of winning.You have www.facethecurrent.com 87 Credit: Andy Green. Red Bull Content Pool

Credit: Miles Holden. Red Bull Content Pool

Credit: Ian Regnard won and lost. How do you sit with each of those outcomes? What is your relationship with them and how have those relationships changed over time?

CA: I loved winning and I hated losing.

To be honest, I was the athlete that regardless of what condition I might have been in, I always believed I could and would win, and I would always race like that, even though it oftentimes hurt my result. When you have had wins at high levels in a career you are familiar with that winning feeling and it is addictive.

As we get older we get wiser and I have learned to create goals for myself that do not rest solely on a winning result.

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Breca Swimrun. Graeme Murray. Red Bull Content Pool NC: In that same vein, you represented Australia as the number one male triathlete in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and almost qualified for Rio in 2016. As someone who has been a champion triathlete many times over, how did you deal with the disappointment of not being selected to compete in last year’s Olympics? What was that process about for you?

CA: I told myself that I had everything to gain and nothing to lose. I had already moved on post London Olympics to successfully win at longer course events, but they didn’t provide the same fulfillment for me as the fast and close racing of the Olympic events. I

was still physically moving very well so I made a year’s commitment to try and return–big difference to a four year campaign. Although I didn’t get there I did experience the excitement of being back in that arena and came away with a few good results. I never dwell on what might have been because as one door shuts, another is opened providing new opportunities in other areas that I might have missed out on. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else than what I am doing at this moment. Sport keeps giving me an amazing life.

NC:You are a husband as well as a father of two. What have the major challenges been in that area of your life and how has your experience

Credit: Brett Hemmings. Red Bull Content Pool

Credit: Philipp Strauss.Red Bull Content Pool

Credit: Brett Hemmings. Red Bull Content Pool as a triathlete helped you to overcome those challenges and vice versa? Also, can you comment on balancing your time and energy between your roles as a devoted husband/father and a professional triathlete?

CA: Triathlon is a sport that is so time consuming that it can easily become all encompassing. Having a family has allowed me to draw a distinction between work (triathlon) and home.

This separation has given my career a longevity I don’t believe it would have had otherwise. Even now, in my life beyond just racing, where sport meets content creation meets tourism and travel...my family adds value to that as

well. Go check out @AwolFamily and see what we get up to!

what I reckon is the best place on the planet to do so.

NC: Australians are historically well traveled and seem to embody some innate lust for life. How do you explain this cultural aspect of your country’s people?

Watch Courtney’s VIDEO “Best Way to Travel Australia In 7 Days”

CA: It’s no secret how far away from the rest of the world (barring New Zealand) we are. So when we make a commitment to travel abroad...it’s such a long way that we always make the most of it. But I believe it’s our landscape (which is perfect for outdoor life down here) that makes us Aussies. I think my mountain running project shows that landscape.

Most of us live an active outdoor life in

ymore info: www.courtneyatkinson.com.au Instagram: @courtneyatkinsonathlete

@AwolFamily Facebook: @courtneyatkinsonathlete Twitter: @courtney_akco www.facethecurrent.com

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FtC fitness

Getting Creative

With Movement BY

Dr. Jeremy Princi

DC BSc (Chiro), BChiro (Hons), Pg.Dip. (Sports Chiro), ICCSP, HLC

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If there is one thing I have learnt after nearly a decade in clinical chiropractic practice, it’s how important it is to look after your body. Watching someone walk into my office bent over and stuck in an antalgic posture in 10/10 pain or even worse the patients whose joints are so degenerated that the joints are virtually fusing themselves and staring down the barrel of invasive surgery is enough of a motivation for me to not take that path! There are two broad categories of these types of patients: one are the guys that just do nothing

about their health. They live a pretty sedentary life, the only exercise they get is walking to their car to drive to work to then have to sit all day in an office at a computer. The second are those who are on the other end of the spectrum and exercise routinely. They are up at 5am in the morning to get to their group HIIT classes for the intense 45 min session, or there are the religious gym folks who never miss a day, and if they do their whole world is going to collapse.

These are the guys that love their weight training, love watching themselves in the

mirror working their biceps, chest, etc., and perhaps throw in a token stretch or two at the end with a few rolls on the foam roller if they are lucky. I know the latter very well from personal experience!

I grew up very active in competitive sports, and when I made the decision to choose a career that had longevity versus sport, I needed some form of physical activity. So in my early 20’s my male ego spoke out, and I got immersed in weight training, the gym and building a solid

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male physique. And that I did… I was the young guy taking protein powders, pre/ intra & post-workout magic potions, low fat, carb loading, oats and egg whites for breakfast, etc., whilst going to the gym daily. I loved the way it made me feel to have a strong, lean, muscular body that projected an image of confidence.

Unfortunately at the time, but in hindsight and absolute blessing, this came at price.

I spent the best part of 3 months in significant and quite disabling low back and leg pain with a lumbar disc injury.

Not long after that, I was introduced to Paul Chek’s work and decided to do his Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Program, along with many other courses of his. All I can say is this changed my whole philosophy surrounding, not only movement/exercise, but diet, nutrition, and meditation. It largely shaped the way I developed my clinical practice with my patients and clients.

Paul Chek is spot on when he says exercise is like a drug. It has to be prescribed in the right dose, frequency, tempo, etc. You over do it, and essentially you overdose. So I dropped all the artificial, highly processed, heavily marketed gym supplements and stuck to real, whole food, good quality water, adequate sleep and recovery. I dropped the egotistical young male in me that just wanted a strong fit looking physique, and what followed was my a complete turnaround of my health. Not only with my injury, but my skin cleared up, energy improved, and I no longer woke up tight as a drum. Pretty much everything in my life improved.

Soon after I discovered someone who truly understood movement: Ido Portal. I took some of his courses, did some online training with Odelia Goldschmidt from his “tribe,” and realised I had struck gold.

This movement philosophy challenged my inner voice and ego, as it’s not centered on aesthetics. In fact Ido argues that focusing on aesthetics is actually reverse engineering. In my observation and experience this perspective of his is focused around unlocking the human movement potential, and gradually and strategically unwinding the body to allow it to express itself to its fullest potential. We use gymnastics rings, a lot

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of bodyweight movements, locomotion, handstands, loaded progressive stretching plus other forms of movement as part of the training. Most important, however, is the creativity and the play aspect that goes with it. The discovery of “gold” is the creativity that this style of training allows us to do once our joints are not only opened up and mobile, but the strength and resilience that the body has through this mobility. As for the aesthetics, you will find that this method of training shapes a naturally strong

looking physique.

Exploring childhood movement patterns, different movement complexities, body awareness, and articulating our body around on the floor, on the rings, and through the air, brings a whole new sensory and neurological stimulation that we as a modern society have become so detached from by living in this incongruent manner that we have been in for so long now. If this method of training sounds appealing to you, I’d

recommend checking out Ido’s YouTube and having a go at his hanging and squatting routines.

WATCH Ido Portal’s “The Movement”

ymore info: www.holisticlifestyler.com Instagram: @holistic_lifestyler www.idoportal.com www.facethecurrent.com

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Get Fit On the Go With This Simple Workout BY

David Ryan Fitness

One of the most important aspects of getting fit is consistency. Life happens and we are busier than ever.You need a go to workout that is simple, fast, effective, and even fun. My favorite is a combination of bodyweight and a single power band.

1. Banded Deadlifts

2. Lunges

3. Banded Front squat

4. Jumps

Bodyweight exercises are great since they require no equipment and can be done anywhere. Many require multiple muscle groups to work, so it’s great for strength building and calorie burning.

It always helps to keep your body guessing with different movements and types of stimuli. The resistance band offers constant tension and can be used to activate the “pulling” muscles that are often neglected in bodyweight only exercises.

This combination of bodyweight and resistance bands exercises provides maximum results and convenience at the same time.

Try this lower body circuit to strengthen your legs, butt, and core while burning fat at the same time.

yTraining programs & Resistance bands: www.DavidRyanFitness.com Instagram: DavidRyanFitness YouTube: LIFTSTRONG 94

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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

10% off with code FTC10 W W W. DAV I D RYA N F I T N E S S .C O M

FtC sports

Behind the Lens

Adventures & Perspectives

of Award Winning Sports

Photographer Reuben Krabbe Interview By Sasha Frate; Foreword By David Aiello Reuben Krabbe grew up on the prairies of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, staring longingly at the Rocky Mountains and has since lived in different regions of B.C., Canada surrounded and inspired by more stunning landscapes. Having grown up as the youngest of 3 boys in his family, photography provided the outlet he desired and felt he needed to develop as an individual. Reuben recognized that with every phone being a virtual camera and video recorder, he had to differentiate himself in some way. With sport and outdoors a huge part of his life growing up, his solution was to capture professional athletes in planned rarities such those set under the Aurora Borealis in the Yukon, or fronting the solar eclipse in Svalbard.

Yet while concentrating his efforts on outdoor sports related imagery, Reuben has been recognized for his ability to create imagery that is authentic to the experience of being in a place.

His goal is to photograph not just the subject, but the “soul, culture, community and natural beauty that defines the lives” of his subjects.

His success is written on the multiple awards he has received, including winning the Whistler Pro Photo Showdown People’s Choice, Nikon Pro Canada Gallery, and the Hot Lapse Revelstoke Photo Competition.

Reuben recently took time from his global wanderlust to talk with Face the Current’s Sasha Frate about his fascinating career and the grand adventures and stories behind pulling everything together for an incredible moment captured in a single frame.

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Tombstone Ski.Yukon

Tombstone Ski.Yukon Sasha Frate: You describe your intention with sports photography as capturing “not the athletes who are in front of [your] lens, but moreover the soul, culture, community and natural beauty that defines the lives of [your] subjects.”

What are some of the ways you succeed in having these aspects come through your lens and feel part of a ‘moment captured?’

shot, of a mountain biker wearing red, riding away from the camera through the misty blue mystery of the coast rainforest is a shot that everyone seems to love.You see almost no trail, just a hint of a ladder bridge. The forest, it’s eerie light, and nature are the hero.

Reuben Krabbe: There are a few moments of action that are so transformative that they really deserve everyone’s attention. So, I’m not always focusing on that peak action, gnarly, big jump. Instead, I like to try and shoot imagery that evokes and captures the essence of the experiences we share in our love of the outdoors.

SF: The passions of both yourself and the athlete are brought together in these images, with both of you simultaneously in a state of your personal flow, yet on two different sides of the lens. How does this experience differ for you during the shoot and afterwards upon reflection and review of what was captured? Do you believe it can be felt in the image itself that is produced from this experience as well?

It’s hard for me to be the one to pick out where I’ve succeeded. That’s up to the jury of viewers online and in magazines.

However, I do get to see which images ‘do well’ and resonate with people. One

RK: It’s funny how difficult it is to create imagery that is authentic to the experience of being in a place.

Photography only captures a frame of a moment of visual light, where the

experience of the moment as I shoot includes my relationship to the athlete, the day’s events, the current snow stability and danger, the smells and tastes that surround it. So, looking back on the experience of a day, photography won’t often feel accurate to the experience.

However, it will often feel like and encapsulate some specific emotion or altruism that’s important.

SF: It’s easy to fixate and get lost in many of the images you’ve captured, but in stepping back a bit from any one of these shots one might quickly realize that there must have been grand adventures and stories behind pulling everything together for a single moment captured in a frame.

Just to get the right viewpoint, you have to be right there with your subjects. Can you describe some of the most precarious setups you’ve had in order to position yourself for a shoot? www.facethecurrent.com

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From climbing power towers as an amateur photographer hunting for an angle, to hanging from an ice screw (aka glorified corkscrew stuck into a face of ice) over an ice cliff, I put myself in many crazy places. However, some of the most vulnerable places aren’t simply high off the ground. My second time winter camping was in -25C, two days self propelled travel from the nearest road. Or, in Svalbard on polar bear watch, hanging out with a headlamp in the middle of the night with a flare gun to hopefully spook a potential threat.

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Svalbard pyramiden RK: There’s a quite spectrum here!

From climbing power towers as an amateur photographer hunting for an angle, to hanging from an ice screw (aka glorified corkscrew stuck into a face of ice) over an ice cliff, I put myself in many crazy places. And, I can only recommend to travel with skilled people to help you pull it off and keep safe. However, some of the most vulnerable places aren’t simply high off the ground. My second time winter camping was in -25C, two days self propelled travel from the nearest road. Or, in Svalbard on polar bear watch, hanging out with a headlamp in the middle of the night with a flare gun to hopefully spook a potential threat.

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speed, and style of movement have all come with time. When I started, some of my athlete friends would justifiably poke fun of my junky gear and lack of skill, but I made up for it with effort.

Photographers and mentors, Jordan Manley, and Christian Pondella, talk about being the athlete beside the talent and reducing gear volume to move quickly, and those perspectives manifested in the way I try to shoot now.

SF: What about the journeys just to get there? What is like being the athlete behind the lens?

SF: At what point did you transition from ‘backcountry adventures’ to extreme and high risk remote setups, and what were some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced since venturing into the more ‘extreme’ realm of sports photography?

RK: At age 20 when I started calling myself ‘a photographer’ I hadn’t backcountry skied, and I hadn’t gone on an overnight mountain bike trip. So, the learning curve has been steep. Skills, snow and safety knowledge, athletic

RK: There isn’t a specific moment that you ‘transition’ from simple adventures to ‘extreme.’ It’s not like you all of a sudden acquire athleticism or skill to go further.

Instead, it’s a slow creep where you find

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your interests and ambitions pushing you towards things that are harder to do.

Maybe, if you want to pick out particular moments, the first time you’re using ropes in your skiing is when you might realize that you now can get into really difficult and consequential terrain.

I think the biggest challenge with risk, is trying to decipher and work with your own drive to do dangerous things. Why do you want to be there? How much does it matter to you? How quickly can these things end up really changing the course of your life? How does it affect your family? There’s no answer in that web of ambition and apprehension.

But, you need to spend time wandering through those questions.

For people looking at going further into the backcountry, skills courses in avalanche, weather, and first aid are obvious, and mandatory. But, the more difficult and equally important thing is assessing and understanding how the

www.facethecurrent.com 99 Strand Leish Peak Whis

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Everyone you disagree with is a person who you haven’t yet empathized with. We’re products of our ambition partially, but moreover products of our upbringing and culture.

SF: Can you share 2-3 of your biggest takeaways from any of your expeditions and time spent with pro athletes and/or mentor photographers?

Spending time with people is valuable.

No, that’s not a difficult or world changing idea. However, the simple and important things are often the most difficult to remember. I gained more from spending 3 weeks with Bjarne Salen (Skier, Cinematographer on the Eclipse trip) than from other friends I’ve known for years. It’s partly how great of a human he is, and equal part spending 3 weeks in a tent living together.

Everyone you disagree with is a person who you haven’t yet empathized with.

We’re products of our ambition partially, but moreover products of our upbringing and culture. Shooting mountain biking in

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“

people you choose to travel with effect your risk, your trajectory, and ultimate safety. Try traveling with a bunch of different people so you can start to assess everyone’s risk tolerance and style.

Alabama was key for this insight.

SF: What is your approach, or intention in your aim to depict ‘place’ through your photography?

RK: For any subject, be it human, sport, building, event or otherwise, there’s so much more to that thing than the thing itself. So, for skiing photography I’m trying to wrap location into a picture. For a location or landscape, I’m trying to find a way to capture that entire idea, not just the solitary subject.

SF: Capturing the essence of ‘place’ can be quite challenging through an image alone. How do you portray and carry through elements such as the feelings, sounds, smells, etc. as though one were standing in your shoes behind the lens?

RK: There’s design in photography that makes us like an image; shapes, composition, contrast. However, to portray place I try to incorporate enough environment or side details to build out the locations we travel through. It’s not just a shot of Black Tusk that makes a Whistler place look like Whistler. The

rainforest’s details of old man’s beard, fog, whirling snow, those are the things that make me know I’m in Whistler, and not Aspen or Banff. Then, the trick is to avoid simply slapping one on top of the other, but using composition and design to beautifully incorporate all of the details into a single image.

SF: How are you able to incorporate culture into your photography with your work being primarily sports, athletes, and nature focused?

RK: Culture, as we often understand it, is a group of people’s way of living that we categorize by region. However, the cultures of action sport are partially location based, but more mindset based.

I have more in common with some people from Colorado, than my neighbor in Squamish BC. So, I try to keep that in mind while shooting action, but also the lifestyle that surrounds the action. Those kinds of ideas make an image of someone melting wax onto a ski with an iron, into something that’s not just a static moment of movement, but a unifying action.

DeepSummer Peak Night

Deep Winter Bluebird

www.facethecurrent.com 101 Svalbard Eclipse

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Svalbard Mid Glacier

Tombstone Ski Yukon

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Tombstone Ski.Yukon SF:You captured an amazing shot of Tobin Seagel skiing under the Aurora Borealis in Yukon Tombstone, and also depicted the experience of the Aurora Borealis in the following words: To one’s eye it burns above, but from no fuel It dances without rhythm, ebbs and flows upon it’s own accord To one’s skin it offers no warmth Without warning, it doubles back and surges forward To one’s year, curtains waving in the wind, a trick of the mind Wind nor gale can blow the magical flames To one’s nose and mouth, it pays no notice Fire of the sky What do you think is so captivating about experiencing the dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis overhead, and how did it feel to bring these magic moments together into one frame with Seagel and the mountainscape?

RK: The northern lights are magic, in the way they don’t act or respond to any stimulus or logical movement that we can easily understand. They move and appear in ways that are unlike anything else… they’re beyond comprehension.

(Yes, I know what they are, and how they work, however, no person could describe

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what they’ll do next. They’re on their on program.)

We actually thought we had failed on the night we got the shot. We had tried many setups, for several hours in the frigid cold, and then we agreed to take on a final frame, success or failure. A camera setting made the image appear incorrect on the back of the camera, so we returned to camp with mediocre feelings.

Only back on my computer at home did the image spring to life when I found the camera settings hadn’t been working.

That was a tremendous feeling.

SF: Do you personally seek out such unique settings for pro sports photo shoots as the Aurora Borealis in the Yukon and the solar eclipse in Svalbard? What tends to land you in these remote and incredible locations?

RK: Both of those images are specific plans, trying to make a certain image that’s very different from the other imagery you see. I’m very driven by a passion for divergence. As imagery production becomes so universal with everyone doing it, a photographer has to differentiate in some way. My way has frequently been with planned rarities or absurd ideas.

Photo: McSkimming Francisty Fissile

“

This shot took months of planning. We had to be on a certain strip on the earth where the moon’s shadow would lie, we needed clear skies, timing with skiers down to the minute, GPS, compass, and several scouted locations. For gear we had multiple cameras, huge lenses, special solar filters and batteries kept warm in our jackets.

“

Svalbard Eclipse SF: What all went into landing the images of the solar eclipse in Svalbard with the silhouette of pro skiers along the mountain ridge?

inducing your desire for creative expression through photography, and why did you gravitate towards sports photography?

RK: This shot took months of planning, but I still attribute the success largely to a good team and a ton of luck. We had to be on a certain strip on the earth where the moon’s shadow would lie, we needed clear skies, timing with skiers down to the minute, GPS, compass, and several scouted locations. For gear we had multiple cameras, huge lenses, special solar filters and batteries kept warm in our jackets. We had a short list of variants we wanted to try during the eclipse, and set ourselves up to tackle as many as we could.

RK: Sport and outdoors were a huge part of my life growing up. My dad had a 35mm that went on vacation with us, and it always seemed to be a really cool mystical thing that would click a valuable piece of film once or twice a day at most.

When I started playing with cameras in my mid-teens, several friends were as well, which provided a great playful learning experience. Then, later it started to provide a creative outlet, and a way to become more of an individual, striving for something that was uniquely me, having grown up as the youngest of 3 boys in the family.

SF: Having grown up surrounded by beautiful landscapes in Canada, what was the greatest factor

SF:To date your work has been featured on an extensive list of

magazine covers, in ad campaigns, and you’ve quite the list of awards!

Out of these achievements has there been any award or cover feature that was particularly meaningful to you?

RK: Way back, I won an honorable mention in a newspaper photo contest, with a bland photo of a waterfall that had been taken on one of the first rolls of film I shot. I think that little nod meant a lot to me back in the day, and out of most awards, it meant the most to me as a person, and brought me to where I am now.

ymore info:

www.reubenkrabbe.com Instagram: @reubenkrabbe Facebook: @ReubenKrabbePhotography www.facethecurrent.com

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HEALTH 108.

110.

114.

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EQ vs. IQ COLOUR ME HEALTHY The Hidden Secret to Health, Wellness and Aging

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Fidalgo Island Health Center Experience the Future of Health Care Now with Dr. James Bentz Brain Based Treatment with NIS (Neurological Integration System) Health Coaching Programs Initial Consultation at no Cost

www.f idalgoislandhealthcenter.com 316 O Ave., Anacortes, WA 98221 360-588-9108

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FtC

EQ vs. IQ health

By Dr. Vaughn Bowman

Which is more important, your emotional quotient (EQ) or your intelligence quotient (IQ)? Does it even matter? In some respects this raises the old question of ‘nature vs. nurture,’ however I would argue it’s not quite that simple. First, let’s review a little background on the meaning and history of both measurements of mental capacity.

Most of us are rather familiar with intelligence or IQ testing. Indeed, the idea of quantifying intelligence dates back to 1883 and standard testing has been around since 1905. This has been used to measure intellectual capacity primarily in the education arena by looking at aspects of spatial processing, fluid reasoning,

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memory, quantitative reasoning, and general knowledge of the world. This was originally thought to determine one’s ability to succeed in school and obtain a high paying job.

By comparison, emotional intelligence was only first brought to light in 1985 and forms of testing didn’t exist until the early 90’s. Your emotional quotient is a measurement of more social related abilities such as perceiving, evaluating, and correctly identifying emotions in others while being able to recognize and control emotion in yourself. Basically, it’s a measurement of social skills; how well you relate to and communicate with others.

Since the introduction of EQ, there

has been steady debate on which measurement of intelligence is more important (book smarts or street smarts).

The simple and easy answer is that both are important. However, when pushed to choose one over the other, the emotional aspect seems to often edge out the more traditional or scholastic version of testing. Consider that many companies are now requiring EQ testing of potential employees to determine those best suited to positions in everything from sales and human resources to management.

Obviously, having a high IQ would help here, but the social aspect of EQ has been found to be of even greater value for positions of leadership.

Right about now you are likely wondering what your measurements for both quotients are like—if you don’t know already. And thankfully, if you are less than pleased with your numbers, studies show that you can improve your scores over time. There are puzzles, games, and plenty of software that can improve your IQ. Some studies have shown how just learning something new like a language or dance can stimulate the brain to create new patterns and neural connections which improve overall intelligence. Your emotional quotient is even easier to

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increase. Many schools and workplaces now offer classes in social and emotional learning. Such programs make a point to model positive behavior in an effort to improve empathy and understanding. To a great degree, IQ and EQ are two sides of the same coin. One study showing how students enrolled in an emotional training course also benefited from a 40% increase in overall grade point average.

Therefore, you can’t easily separate the two models and declare one ‘king.’ They are entwined as complicated parts of the self and both play an important role in our

perceived intelligence. So, go ahead and start learning that new language you’ve been putting off, or that new dance move that you’ve admired. No time for such endeavors? Try one of the many apps on your phone for increasing cognitive function or memory and play with it while on break, commuting, or during that boring conference call.

ymore info: www.drvbowman.com

The social aspect of EQ has been found to be of even greater value for positions of leadership, compared to IQ.

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FtC health

by Danielle Redmond There is a common theme which emerges when clients come to see me, mainly a confusion about what to eat. What is good for me? How much should I eat? It’s no wonder we are uncertain when so much conflicting information and many different diet theories are presented to us daily.

Animals instinctively eat what is good for them. During my training at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating; the founder and best-selling author Marc David gave a funny analogy in one of his lectures stating that you don’t see a cow wondering “shall I eat some grass or shall I just have a Coke?” Humans are different. We lack the natural inborn genetically driven sense of distinction that will guide us only towards those specific foods that are good for us. As humans, we are on a journey with food which changes over the course of your life. as it is dependent on lifestyle, age, gender, health, metabolism, story, job, season, climate, exercise etc.Taking all these factors into account and making what would be the perfect diet at any given time, means there isn’t such a thing as the perfect diet. It’s a moving target.

There are however a few simple rules of thumb we can easily apply for better overall health.

Usually what I find is that people are eating too many refined foods, too few macro-nutrients and not enough whole foods. To support you in making your healthiest food choice I encourage you to eat various whole foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts in moderation), from a variety of macronutrient sources.

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REALITY CHECK I believe in eating real food, known as “whole foods“ which could be equated to the way people used to eat 100 years ago. Basically, we need to eat foods which haven’t been altered from their natural state- foods which retain the same the form from harvesting until purchased at the market or store.

Refined foods (refined grains, refined sugars, processed empty foods) contain additives like salts, fats and other preservatives and they are devoid of nutrients and vital force. When we lack nutrient density, meaning not ingesting enough vitamins, minerals ... the body is not always smart enough to say “hey, you are a little low on calcium” and unfortunately the body just says “hungry!“ Refined foods make the stomach feel full for a short period of time, but leave the body hungry and the cravings start along with losing the nutrients which our bodies need in order to be healthy.

Your body will thank you for cooking with whole foods, as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Getting these through food, your body can absorb, break down and assimilate them properly into the proteins, fats and carbohydrates that are to be used for energy.

If you make these fresh, whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods the base of your diet, you will be well on your path to improved overall health, a sturdy immune system and digestive tract and increased energy, along with better body composition to name a few. They may have a shorter shelf life, but they will allow you to live a longer life.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE Our bodies are designed to carry us through life beautifully. For our bodies to function optimally, we require a broad range of nutrients and so we need to be consuming a diverse and nutrient dense diet. If you are eating the same thing for breakfast every day, consider broadening your choices; get creative and have a peppermint tea instead of the usual black tea… oatmeal and apple one day and perhaps brown toast and banana the next. www.facethecurrent.com

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WHAT FUELS OUR BODIES? Your body requires fuel for energy to cope with life’s physical, emotional and mental activities. The calories needed for human energy are fueled by the exponents called macronutrients found in whole foods. These energy-providing chemical substances enter the body from the three primary sources: carbohydrates (sugars), lipids (fats) and proteins.

We do need the right proportion of macronutrients to maintain optimal health, but I am not going to propose any single ratio, as what this entails varies for each one of us. If your macronutrient ratios vary daily, listen to what your body has to say, what days have you experienced more energy both physically and mentally? Experiment eating like that for a week at time and see if that energy is sustained better than on the days that you eat differently. Listen to the guru inside you, your body is wise, all you have to do is pay attention.

FOOD IS MEDICINE Vitamins and minerals act as biological modifiers, changing our biochemistry. They help our body repair itself, which is why we can identify food as medicine. Vitamins are organic compounds and a vital nutrient that we require for the normal growth or functioning of the body. We obtain them in small amounts from fresh foods and we produce very very few of them from our own body. Minerals are essential for the function of all the tissue and organ cells, by aiding enzymes to metabolize our macronutrients. Minerals also help in maintaining the PH status of our blood. This is the acid-alkaline balance, both in our stomachs and our cells, our tissues and our fluids.Your body also produces structural elements such as bone every day, again with the help of minerals. Minerals are formed naturally in the earth and we are dependent on our diet for all our minerals as our bodies do not make them.

The body needs at least 50 known nutrients which are considered essential. A lot of people eat a diet high in calories and low in micronutrients. Even if you take a multivitamin a day, even the best of multivitamins only contain 25 nutrients, so we

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need to eat a balance of whole foods to meet our complete nutritional needs. In fact, serious side-effects of relying on vitamin supplements in place of this balance, have been documented on longterm health.

Then there is the category of phytonutrients. These chemicals give plants their colour, flavour, and their disease resistance; protecting them from threats, germs, fungi and bugs.

When humans ingest phytonutrients, they act to keep the body working properly by promoting health and preventing disease. They act either as anti-oxidants or by stimulating enzyme systems and altering our hormone production. Everybody gets the benefits of these phytochemical and phytonutrients when they eat a diet that is rich in whole foods with a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, whole-grains and herb teas.

All the minerals vitamins and phytonutrients are found in nature and in our body. Foods are going to have all the micro and macro nutrients and they will be present in the appropriate ratios that our bodies need. So the first place to get your nutrients is from a wide variety of organic natural foods.

EAT THE RAINBOW

Cranberry, Red Grape, Red Cabbage.

So along with a balanced macronutrient diet, a good rule of thumb to follow to get all the nutrients we need for optimal health, is to “eat the rainbow” or include all the colours of the rainbow in your food, seeing as different coloured whole foods provide different nutrients. A plate of different coloured M&M’s isn’t what we are talking about here! The rainbow concept applies to whole foods. It’s simple to implement, plus a colourful plate will stimulate your interest, enjoyment and appetite.

ORANGE/YELLOW Carrot, Pumpkin, Bell Pepper, Sweet Potato, Squash, Apricot, Cantaloupe, Mango, Nectarine, Papaya, Peach.

GREEN Rucola, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Green beans, Kale, Mixed Greens, Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Watercress.

Here’s a list of superheroes for each food colour category:

BLUE/PURPLE Blueberry, Purple Grape, Raisin, Blackberry, Aubergine, Fig, Plum, Prune.

RED Tomato, Beetroot, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Raspberry,

WHITE Garlic, Onion, Banana, Potato, Cauliflower, Ginger, Mushroom, Parsnip, Turnip.

I encourage you to consider the dietary choices that you currently make. Over time, by eating high quality food sources, providing a variety of macronutrients, you will easily meet your nutritional needs and likely fuel all your metabolic needs.

Prepare to thrive!

Be CREATIVE and FUEL your BODY with a VARIETY of REAL food.

I wish you all the best of health!

ymore info:

Email: hi@yumyumguru.com Phone: +34660775748 Website: www.yumyumguru.com www.facethecurrent.com

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The Hidden Secret to

Health, Wellness and Aging

By Dr. James Bentz What if there was a common denominator to all disease, degeneration and aging? Would that be something you would want to know about?

Would you be interested to know what you could do to improve your health and to avoid disease? If so, it will be worth your time to read this article. I’m going to reveal to you the “bottom line” of health, wellness and aging.

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There is a lot of money spent researching “cures” to all sorts of “conditions” such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and the list goes on. Yet we continue to see the number of people affected by almost all diseases increase rather than decrease. The numbers are on the rise and staggering: Autism

1:45

Allergies

1:4

Major Depression

1:2

Attention Deficit Disorder Asthma

1:10 (70% are Allergies medicated) 1:10 Obesity

1:4

Cancer

1:2

1:3

Dementia

1:1

Health care costs are out of control. National health expenditures hit $3.35 trillion in 2016, which works out to $10,345 for every man, woman and child. Medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. Let’s face it, what we’re doing in healthcare isn’t working.

What if we’re looking for health in all the wrong places?

It turns out that’s exactly what’s happening.

Let’s take cancer as an example. Cancer research has been focused on the genetic aspects of the disease. There is now mounting evidence that the genetic changes seen in the DNA of cancer cells are secondary to cellular changes taking place outside the nucleus of the cell and the DNA. This idea was first proposed by Otto Warburg, a German physiologist, cell biologist, and medical doctor who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discoveries about cellular metabolism in 1931. Warburg discovered that cancer cells produce energy through a process known as respiratory fermentation, which allowed them to grow and develop in the absence of oxygen.

The genetic changes seen in cancer cells were an adaptation to this metabolic shift from aerobic to anaerobic respiration. Cancer researchers have largely ignored Warburg’s groundbreaking work, and focused on the genetic changes instead of the metabolic change that preceded them. This is why we are losing the war on cancer: all cancer research is based on a faulty premise. That premise being that cancer is a genetic rather than a metabolic disease.

Warburg’s work has been resurrected by American researcher Thomas Seyfried whose work has culminated in his book “Cancer as a Metabolic Disease” published in 2012. His 30 years of research has shown that Warburg was correct. In the preface to his book he says “Cancer treatments are often feared as much as the disease itself. The view of cancer as a genetic disease has confounded the problem and is largely responsible for the failure to develop effective therapies.”

While this article isn’t specifically about cancer, the reason we don’t have effective treatments for cancer is the very reason we are losing the battle with all diseases. And that is the failure to recognize the underlying cause of disease. It is also why Otto Warburg’s work almost 100 years ago is so important because it points to the fact that all disease can be linked to the breakdown of energy production inside the cell.

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Cancer treatments are often feared as much as the disease itself. The view of cancer as a genetic disease has confounded the problem and is largely responsible for the failure to develop effective therapies

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Lets take a look at how that happens…

We cannot produce energy on our own. Our bodies are dependent on the little energy factories in our cells known as mitochondria. Mitochondria are actually not part of us. They have different DNA than we do, and are actually foreign organelles inside our own cells. They are so important to health, aging, and disease that it’s important to give you a little background on what they are and how they work. To do that, we need to dive into evolutionary biology, since mitochondria are responsible for the rise of life as we know it on earth.

For over two billion years, the only life forms on earth were bacteria. About 1.5 billion years ago, something happened that allowed the rise of more complex life forms like plants and animals. That event was the advent of the first eukaryotes. Eukaryotes are cells that have a true nucleus and depend on mitochondria for energy production. DNA evidence points to the fact that mitochondria are bacterial in origin. It seems that one type of bacteria actually engulfed another bacteria,

which then developed into mitochondria. Bacteria are limited in their ability to produce energy because of their size and simplicity. The more complex eukaryotes escaped the restraints of bacterial energy production, which eventually led to the development of multicellular organisms.

Not only do mitochondria produce our energy, they play a huge role in many other cellular functions, and even influence our genes. In order to understand their function in health and disease we need to consider 3 things: 1. How mitochondria produce energy.

2. How mitochondria affect cell function though the processes of autophagy and apoptosis.

3. How we can affect mitochondrial function to live a healthier life and avoid the diseases usually associated with aging.

Mitochondrial Respiration This is a complex subject, so I want to make it as simple as possible without leaving out the essential facts. Mitochondria take the food we eat and convert it to energy. They do this though a process called mitochondrial respiration. Mitochondrial respiration can only use two fuel sources: sugar and fat. Burning sugar can be compared to heating your house with wood; it’s dirty. There is smoke and ash, which in the cell are known as AGE’s (advanced glycation end products). Burning sugar results in inflammation at a cellular level. In contrast, burning fat can be compared to burning natural gas; it is clean and efficient, and reduces mitochondrial stress. Inflammation resulting from mitochondrial stress is now known to be the root of all disease processes.

“

Mitochondrial respiration can only use two fuel sources: sugar and fat. Burning sugar can be compared to heating your house with wood; it’s dirty. There is smoke and ash, which in the cell are known as AGE’s (advanced glycation end products). Burning sugar results in inflammation at a cellular level. In contrast, burning fat can be compared to burning natural gas; it is clean and efficient, and reduces mitochondrial stress.

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Autophagy and Apoptosis

Keeping Your Mitochondria Happy

Mitochondria directly control these two processes. Autophagy is the process by which the cell cleans itself up, removing toxins and parts of the cell that are worn out and need to be replaced. This happens mainly during sleep, which is one reason why good sleep is crucial to good health. Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death, basically cell suicide. We all lose about 10 million cells daily to this process, and it allows for healthy turnover of cells in the body. As the number and function of the mitochondria go down in a cell, energy production decreases until a critical point is reached and the mitochondria trigger the release of a cascade of enzymes that dissolve the cell. This is a normal process. If apoptosis accelerates too quickly, cells die more quickly than they can be replaced and we begin to suffer degeneration of different tissues.

By now, it should be clear that the mitochondria run the show at the cellular level. While our DNA provides our genetic blueprint, the mitochondria are the operating system. Putting as little stress as possible on our mitochondria is foundational to health.

“

Studies show that caloric restriction can increase life span in some species by as much as 50%.

A long history of both animal and human studies have shown that the one thing that reduces mitochondrial stress is caloric restriction. I want to be clear that there is a distinction between caloric restriction and dieting.

Studies show that caloric restriction can increase life span in some species by as much as 50%. The studies also show that with prolonged life span, there is also a considerable decrease in the degenerative conditions associated with aging such as arthritis, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. This has huge implications for all of us. We know that some humans do age without the degeneration and diseases normally associated with aging.

Studies have also shown that caloric restriction stimulates the mitochondria to induce autophagy, which is crucial to cellular health. Caloric restriction also inhibits apoptosis from eliminating cells more quickly than they can be replaced.

“

So exactly what does caloric restriction mean, and how is this different from “dieting?”

Dieting usually means eating a reduced amount of calories on a daily basis, but still eating the same number of calories day in and day out. One of the problems with dieting is that our bodies adapt to the reduced food intake by slowing our metabolism. This is the main reason dieting doesn’t work.

Caloric restriction mimics the feast-famine cycles that are part of our evolutionary heritage. As my friend Dr. Dan Pompa says: ”It’s not about eating less, but rather eating less often.” This is called diet variation. Before the advent of agriculture, supermarkets and refrigeration, our ancestors were well adapted to an inconsistent food supply. There were periods of plenty and scarcity depending on the seasons, animal migrations and other

factors. Our biology is still geared to these cycles, but in the modern era of a steady food supply, we have overridden our own biology to our detriment.

Scientific research has validated that diet variation has a beneficial effect on our mitochondria and therefore our health. Diet variation is achieved through various forms of fasting. Fasting has a long history as an ancient healing strategy. Animals do this instinctively when sick or injured. Diet variation and fasting avoid the metabolic slowdown associated with dieting, and actually will increase your energy levels by approving mitochondria function. It’s even been shown to stimulate mitogenesis, an increase in the number of mitochondria in our cells. www.facethecurrent.com

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There are several strategies you can use to reap the benefits of fasting: 1. Eliminate snacking.

This is the easiest strategy to implement. Not eating between meals and especially at night before bed is very health promoting.

2. Intermittent fasting.

This is going longer between meals. For instance eating supper in the evening and skipping breakfast the next day and then having a light lunch would give you the benefit of an 18-hour fast.

3. Block fasting.

These are longer periods of fasting, anywhere from 1 to several days. Consuming only water or bone broth are the most effective ways to block fast. There is extensive scientific data on the benefits of prolonged fasting. Some research suggests that 4-7 days fasts done a few times a year can reduce cancer risk by 80% or more!

4. Becoming fat adapted: The foods we eat have a big impact on mitochondrial health. Shifting our metabolism from sugar burning to fat burning is one of the best strategies for improving our health.

Remember that the more sugar we feed our mitochondria, the more inflammation we produce at the cellular level. Becoming fat adapted will help you fast more easily and effectively, while reducing cellular inflammation.

“

Shifting our metabolism from sugar burning to fat burning is one of the best strategies for improving our health. Remember that the more sugar we feed our mitochondria, the more inflammation we produce at the cellular level. Becoming fat adapted will help you fast more easily and effectively, while reducing cellular inflammation.

“

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Here are some other strategies known to increase mitochondrial numbers and function: High intensity exercise: Also known as “burst training”, doing short bursts of high intensity movement or exercise has been shown to increase mitochondrial density in muscles, and to release Human Growth Hormone which increases lean muscle mass and a host of other health benefits.

Cold Thermogenesis: Exposure to cold temperatures decreases inflammation as well as stimulating mitochondrial function and numbers. Similar to the idea behind diet variation, exposure to variations in temperature is very beneficial. This can range from cold showers to ice baths and other forms of cold exposure.

Avoid industrial oils: There are a number of reasons to avoid industrial processed oils like soy, canola, safflower, and corn oils. These are used in almost all processed foods, baked goods, salad dressings, chips etc. These oils interfere with mitochondrial respiration, and with the signaling between mitochondria and the nuclear DNA, and the cell receptors for hormones and neurotransmitters.

Get checked regularly with NIS (Neurological Integration System): Your nervous system monitors every cell in your body.

Your mitochondria send and receive signals not only to the cell nucleus, but receive input from receptors at the cell surface. Having optimal neurological signaling helps insure optimal mitochondrial function.

If you wan t to dig dee per into fast ing wat ch this VID EO ”A Com plet e Gui de to Fast ing with Dr. Jaso n Fon g.”

Conclusion Hopefully you now understand the significance of the mitochondria to your health. It is possible to age gracefully without the diseases and conditions usually associated with old age. Paying attention to your mitochondria and keeping them happy and healthy is the key to health, wellness, and aging disease free. As Dr.Jack Kruse says, we should all learn to be “mitochondriacs”.

ymore info:

www.fidalgoislandhealthcenter.com www.facethecurrent.com

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