Photo - Jade Hopley
Issue 2 June 2014
Editor Josephine Flynn Layout James O’Malley Cover Image Jade Hopley
EDITORS LETTER As I’m sitting here reading through all of the inspiring and thought provoking articles we have for you in Issue 2, I see a theme emerging; dream big! From Kim Churchill beginning his career busking to now being on the World stage and one of the most sought after musicians in the country; he dreamt big! Burra Jurra surf school beginning as a conversation on the side of a football field, to now winning “Best documentary” at the Byron Bay Film Festival with ambassadors like Layne Beachley and Adam Melling; they dreamt big. Jan Harvey having a dream to be able to do more for children in Bali; she dreamt big. Jernej Rakuscek from Slovenia wanted to surf, he taught himself and is now riding the biggest waves in the world and is a published author; he dreamt big. The moral of the story here is, “If you can dream it, you can become it.” You are the only person standing between you and your dreams, so I hope you enjoy this very inspiring issue and are motivated to go out and live your best lives. Let us know how you go! Josephine x
CVH
KIM CHURCHILL
CHRIS BENNIE
BeachFest
RAW
PERSPECTIVES
business we love
wellbeing
nutrition
culture
art
music
business we love
culture BURRA JURRA
RECOVER WELBEING
newrybar
Surf rider foundation
Jan harvey
BOHOL
MY FIRST REAL SURF LESSON
art
wellbeing
surf
environment
inspirational person
environment
sweet street
music Tijuana cartel
MR MEDITATE
ART OF MANIFESTATION
CULTURAL
BURRA JURRA Bundjalung for “Ocean/Seashore”
Written By Josephine Flynn Images Matty Mcann
It’s a Saturday morning in Brunswick Heads, 2007. A local kid’s footy match is well underway, with Steve Foreman, a proud parent (and World renowned surf coach of Layne Beachley and Adam Melling just to name a few) watching from the sidelines. A conversation strikes up between Steve and Yvonne Stewart, then CEO of the Arakwal Corporation, in regards to the possibility of a surf program for the local Indigenous youth. Little did anyone know that this conversation would change the lives of so many local people, young and old, in so
many positive ways. Talking to Steve about the program, you can see the passion and enthusiasm he has for it. The immense pleasure he gets from seeing the local youth not only stand up on a wave for the first time, but more importantly, interact with their Elders, learn the history of their people and reconnect with the water. “Arakwal people are Ocean people and so are surfers. It makes sense that they have a connection with the water, even if they don’t know it before they come to the program.” Steve comments
on the natural talent he sees in the youth when they participate in the program. Funnily enough though, it is not surfing that we end up talking about when it comes to what Steve is most proud of in terms of the outcomes of the program. “I thought teaching the Aboriginal kids to surf would be the major outcome, but it’s turned out to be quite minor in relation to the social outcomes.” Over the seven years, the program has grown immensely. “The initial program we held had 10 students. Now it’s not uncommon to have up to 130 mob sitting in the park up at the Pass having lunch after we take the kids out; telling stories, throwing Frisbee’s and spending quality time with their parents and Elders. That’s the best part of it.” As well as the social outcomes, there are also physical outcomes from
the program for the youth involved. “We teach them the holistic values of surfing. They’re getting physically fit, mentally fit, we’re teaching them healthy life choices, but it’s what happens after they get out of the surf that’s really making the difference.” Steve says about how the youth have responded to the program. “They have time after the surf to sit down with their parents and their Elders and learn about the Indigenous diet, their country and their history. We’re benefiting from it too though! My staff are getting educated on the Aboriginal way of life by Aboriginal people. Our two communities are working together for a common good.” When asked why Steve doesn’t take the idea to a National level, it is obvious he’s been asked this question before. “We want to keep it local. If we have local people doing local programs,
it continues on into the main street. I’ve made lots of positive relationships through the program and I now see the kids down the street saying “Hi Sean, Hi Dave, Hi Steve” and viceversa. If it’s an outside body coming into the community to run the program, you don’t get that continued sense of community and that’s been the most positive outcome.” For the last three years, the program has been funded by UK based sports funding body Laureus. “Layne was very instrumental in getting our last 3.5 years of funding.” Steve talks of his former pupil and still close friend. “With the money we’ve been able to hold one program every month, which has meant 20 programs over the last 3.5 years. It’s made a huge difference.” Now that the funding has stopped however, Burra Jurra needs another source of income to keep the programs running.
“I’ve got 8 accredited coaches taking the programs and two Indigenous coaches, 2 Indigenous chefs catering for the lunches and 2 buses running from Ballina, Lismore and Byron. The program is completely free for the kids and we want it to stay this way. We’re just looking now at how we can continue to run the program without the funding from Laureus. The program is in recess until September, so we’ll need to figure something out before then.” After spending a couple of hours with Steve and seeing the program in action down at ‘The Pass’ in Byron Bay, we very quickly realise it’s programs like this that need continued support and promotion to keep alive. The benefits to not only the Indigenous youth of the area, but the entire Northern Rivers community is apparent. If you want more information in regards
to the program, how to get involved, or donate, please contact Burra Jurra surf below.
www.arakwal.com.au/burra-jurra-surfing-program/
CURRUMBIN VALLEY HARVEST “If you want a relationship for 5 years, get a dog. If you want a relationship for 25 years, get married. If you want a relationship for a lifetime, get a garden.” - Peter Fleming.
Currumbin Valley Harvest, nestled in the stunningly beautiful Currumbin Valley, is the result of Peter and Jan Fleming’s 40 years of farming knowledge. Both being brought up as broad acre farmers, Peter and Jan moved from Hawkesbury to Currumbin in 1984 and began a hydroponic farm in 1986. The farm grew to become the second largest farm in QLD, stretching 8000m2. Eight years ago, Peter and Jan were looking for ways to improve the nutritional content in the produce they were growing. They knew they were blessed with an environmentally rich and clean area to grow their produce and although they were using minimal chemicals, they wanted to explore other options. A four day course with Nutritech Solutions changed their lives and their farming practices forever.
“All we wanted was soft chemical options. At the end of the four days, we wanted out of Hydroponics” Jan tell us. Peter then goes on to explain how over the next 3.5 years, they ripped up their hydroponic gardens, improved the nature of the soil, cleaned up the farm and focused on sustainability. They opened the farm up to the public to buy fresh and the business grew. “There haven’t been any chemicals on this farm for the last 8 years.” Peter tells us. “The plant seeds, the spray and the fertilisers we use are all organic. We have the pH level of the soil tested every week to ensure the soil is always in the best condition.” While we sit with Peter and Jan (over a cup of freshly made and hand-picked herbal tea- recipe below) it is obvious how much they love this place and the customers that visit them
over the weekend. They know everyone by name and take the time to talk to each person about their plots, produce, farming, tips for gardening or how to keep your produce fresh once picked (which we learnt is best stored in a wet tea towel in the fridge!) “About 50% of our clientele these days are the young, 25-30 year olds, which is nice to see.” Explains Jan. As well as buying fresh produce straight from the farm, Peter and Jan have plots available to rent and grow your own produce. “The allotments are 6m2, you just tell us what you want in the beds and well plant them, spray them, fertilise them, water them and maintain them for you. We usually plant from organic seeds, however, if there’s produce around that we can plant in your bed to get it started, we like to do that.” “Most people come every weekend
to harvest their produce” Jan continues seamlessly, “but we do have some that come every fortnight or less. If the plots are starting to look overgrown, we will pick it for them, wrap them up and hold them in the fridge until they can come and get it.” There really is a lovely sense of Community around the garden. “If someone has only had one head of broccoli sprout, for example and would like more, we’ll give them one of ours from the table. We’d prefer it to get eaten anyway and we’ve got so much here.” Coming soon to the peaceful and rejuvenating property will be a B&B. Mainly available during the weekends, it will give visitors to the area (and locals looking for some R and R) a serene, calming and nurturing space to rest up. After spending the morning with Peter and Jan, walking around their property,
drinking tea, meeting the owners of the plots and gifted with a huge bundle of freshly picked greens (we were walking with Peter as he picked them), we can see why the locals are making this a weekend ritual. For more details on Currumbin Valley Harvest or the upcoming B&B, visit their website, FaceBook page or call the number below. We’ll be seeing you there!
Currumbin Valley Harvest Herbal Tea Chocolate mint leaves Mint leaves Lemon Balm Lemongrass Ginger Lemon Honey Hot water Method: Combine all ingredients together in a tea pot (to taste), sit back and enjoy. Pure heaven in a cup!
1380 Currumbin Creek Road www.currumbinvalleyharvest.com www.facebook.com/CurrumbinValleyHarvest (07) 5533 0309
MUSIC
KIM CHURCHILL Images Jade Hopley
We are lucky enough to get to meet and work with some seriously talented muso’s here at HL, but sometimes we meet people that just blow us away. Not only is Kim a stupidly talented musician, but he is also one of the most genuine and down to earth people on the planet; spending up to 2 hours after a gig hanging out, giving hugs, taking photos, signing autographs and really getting to know his fans. 2014 is gearing up to be Kim’s biggest and some would say his most successful year to date, so we were super stoked to be able to catch up with him during his epic touring schedule.
In 2009, you won the Byron Bay BluesFest Buskers Competition. Five years on, you’re playing on the main stages in packed out tents. Do you think winning that competition helped boost your profile here in Australia? Yeah, it was a real moment for me. I was looking for a way to reach more people and I feel forever grateful to the busking competition, the festival and the people that helped me out during that time. Bluesfest has always felt like my home in Australia and although I started a few years earlier as a punter, the busking competition was where my professional relationship began. I feel very lucky to have it. The first time we saw you play was on stage with Marshal O’Kell at Blues on Broadbeach here on the Gold Coast. Do you value the camaraderie that the Australian blues and roots scene, seems to have? Is it similar in Canada?
Yeah, there is a brilliant sense of friendship between us all. Marshall especially has been like a brother to me, and I have learnt a lot. The times we all have together are one of the most attractive things about life on the road in Australia. You have supported iconic musicians like Michael Franti and Billy Bragg. What’s it like being a young musician not only meeting such influential artists but getting to play along side them? Do you ever get star struck? By the end of my tours with Billy Bragg I was totally star struck. Not because of his fame and influence or anything but purely who he was as a person. No one has inspired me with my dreams and ideas about how to be on this earth as much as he did. Except for my parents perhaps. Has your songwriting been influenced by touring with such influential songwriters? Yes. My songs always become reflections of my environment and the people I’m with. I try to be an open book in both giving and receiving music. It’s the best way to keep the art form fresh and full of life I think.
Do you have a particular songwriting process? Or do the songs just come to you while you’re cruising along in your van? I have found the best process is to ready your mind and inner space in a way that gives ideas and art a place to grow from. Basically becoming very quiet in every way. Sooner or later songs start coming in one form or another and I then just diligently harvest them ď Š At a time when most kids your age were probably listening to punk rock and EDM, you decided to start playing and writing blues music. Is this a family influence or have you always had an appreciation for this genre? Well, Australia in particular was going through a real blues and roots movement when I was a kid. It was a fast transition from some other rubbish to that style for me but it’s definitely happening everywhere. Musicians like John Butler and Xavier Rudd, Ben Harper and the Beautiful Girls; these guys had wonderful messages for us younger generation and I feel quite blessed to have had them there as my idols for a time. You tour and travel in Canada and Europe a lot, usually during the Australian summer. Being a surfer, do you ever long to be home soaking up the long Aussie summer days on the beach? Oh yes, about once every 2 minutes : ) But its ok, we all long for things, makes them extra special when we have them.
Speaking of Canada you are signed to a Canadian record label. How did that come about? Yes, I first signed to a label called Indica Records who saw me play at a festival celebrating Poutine (long story). It’s started a wonderful relationship with Quebec and of course the rest of Canada. I was really lucky! Why is it, do you think, that the Canadians love the Aussie blues and roots musicians so much? It’s quite honest and most of it asked humans to be kind and caring to one another. I have found Canadians to value these things very highly. Are you digging any local Australian musicians at the moment? Who should our readers be checking out? Yes, I think there is amazing stuff coming out of our country. Saskwatch, Benjalu and Chet Faker are my favourites at the moment. What’s next for Kim Churchill? I have a new album coming out on the 23rd of May called ‘Silence/Win’ and will be touring all over the country. Info at www.kimchurchill.com
Article Images - Jade Hopley
Chris Bennie ART
Article Jade Hopley Images Chris Bennie
Chris Bennie is a NZ expat who now calls SE QLD home. He is the recipient of many accolades including 1st prize in the 2013 Swell Sculpture Festival. Read on to hear about what Chris has to say about winning Swell and what motivates him to create his highly interesting and thought provoking video and installation works.
Chris can you tell our readers a bit about your arts practice? What are your medium/s and, where you were trained? I make videos. Sometimes I make paintings. Other times I make photographs. I also make sculpture. Recently I have been incorporating video into sculpture and video into installation. I began my training at the Otago School of Art in Dunedin and completed it at Griffith University Queensland College of Art. You are originally from New Zealand, What brought you to Australia? A holiday that I never returned from. In 1999 I was 24 and was on a summer holiday/road-trip from Sydney to Brisbane with my then girlfriend Kim. When we got to the Gold Coast, we got an opportunity to house sit an apartment at Nobbys Beach. Kim had just graduated and I was stuck in a rut working in a polystyrene factory. We decided to stay. My parents were supportive, but my employer was a bit pissed off. I completed my undergraduate and Honours Degrees in Fine Art on the Gold Coast, then moved to Brisbane to complete my doctorate. I have recently returned to Mermaid Beach. How did the move (if at all) affect your Arts practice? The Otago School of Art emphasised technique. I learnt core skills in photography, printmaking, sculpture, painting, ceramics and video art. Although I dropped out of Otago, by the time I got to Australia and attended Griffith University Queensland College of Art (QCA) I was ready to be a professional artist. QCA has a rigorous conceptual and
theoretical approach to art education that initially proved to be challenging. I was taught by amazing artists like Bruce Reynolds, Robert Moore and Donna Marcus to explore concepts through to resolution in different mediums. They helped me develop as an artist and a young person. I consider them to be true mentors. You recently exhibited the work; Fern Studio Floor- A Cosmology, at The Walls Contemporary Art Space at Miami on the Gold Coast. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind that work? In December 2013 I spent three weeks at the Bundanon Trust Artist Residency on Arthur Boyd’s Estate, 40 minutes west of Nowra, NSW. The estate manages the Boyd family homestead, 7 artist studios and 1100 acres of farmland flanked majestically by the Shoalhaven River. It is a stunningly beautiful and equally remote part of the world. Artists can apply to stay as long as they like. It’s an opportunity for us to work and develop new projects in the sanctuary of the bush and under the auspice of one of Australia’s most respected painters. It is a marvellous opportunity. While I was there I spent a lot of the time with my head down. I was working through some personal issues that were troubling me, but what really caught my eye was the residue of previous residents. Bundanon can accommodate artists of all disciplines - dancers, musicians, writers, but Fern Studio was clearly used by painters. It’s not uncommon for art studios to be covered in paint, but what makes Fern Studio interesting is its history. Each swatch of colour, drip and splatter represents the work of an artist who has participated in the residency prior to my arrival. Each of us, I presume, motivated by Boyd’s legacy and the prospect of creating something meaningful.
Armed with a camera and a wide stance I commenced documenting the floor, searching for dramatic compositions. It seemed that everywhere I looked there was a new constellation of colour and form. It’s no secret artists suffer from a grandiosity complex. We hold on to a romantic belief that what we do is important. The isolation of a residency amplifies that delusion, more so in the bush. While I struggled with personal demons I was comforted by Boyd’s generosity. It was written colourfully across the floor, and in some places the walls. In moments of sadness I looked down and was reminded that the impulse to create is not unique but shared. Like all my work, in which overlooked things are transformed and allegorised, Fern Studio’s floor is rendered fantastical through its treatment as an animation of slow moving photographs. This process has been informed by the potential for each image to appear not only as a paint-covered floor, but something else. At The Walls, Fern Studio Floor is projected upwards, onto a floating screen hanging from the ceiling. Visitors are encouraged to lie down and be seduced by this well-trodden floor and its transformation into art.
Fern Studio Floor explores the significance of the Bundanon Trust Artist Residency to the artists who have worked there. It is partly documentary, partly abstract, and partly science fiction. It summarises three decades of spilled paint into a romantically cosmic affirmation of a grandiose artistic impulse and Boyd’s patronage. We’ve also seen some of your work as part of the Bleach* Festival Fibro Coast exhibition, at LaCosta Motel. What was it like being part of such a huge arts festival, and how was your work received? In March this year I was one of 6 artists who exhibited new work in fibro buildings in Balinga and Coolangatta for the Bleach* Fibro Coast Extension Project. The project was curated by Viginia Rignay, senior curator Gold Coast Art Gallery. I was given two units and the facade of the La Costa Motel, Balinga. I was interested in interrupting the architecture of the motel and developed a series of performance videos that explored the intimate and psychological qualities of that space. Performance plays a significant role in my practice and is often used to explore experience from a very guttural and authentic perspective. For Fibro Coast I tried to inhabit the persona of characters of La Costa residents prior to their removal for its refurbishment as an airport-servicing motel. You had an interesting work, in one of the rooms at LaCosta Motel, in which you were slapping a giggling girl’s buttock. Can you tell us a bit more about this work? My work with video can be categorised as either portrait or landscape. Portraits include myself and sometimes another person. They mediate on modes of experience that is guttural and slightly bizarre and are often playful. They tend to be humorous and a bit sensual. Elasticity is the title of the work you refer to. I projected it onto an upturned bed base in one of the units at La Costa. It’s a short work in which a man wobbles a woman’s bottom. The woman’s laughter is infectious. I’ve added the sound of a trumpet to mimic the sound of a bottom wobbling. Its relationship to a Motel Unit is very clear. I was hoping to create a tension in which viewers would be confronted but also amused.
You are the recipient of many Art prizes, which prize do you hold most dearly to you and why? My Gold Coast Art Prize win was significant because it was for a work I am very proud of. The Western Fields 2012 is a poetic study of North Brisbane’s Chermside Shopping Centre Car Park, in particular the thousands of small birds who inhabit the car park nightly. Dr Campbell Grey, Director University of Queensland Art Museum awarded the prize, and the Gold Coast Art Gallery purchased the work for their collection. Julie Ewington, Curatorial Manager Gallery of Modern Art was the 2013 Swell Sculpture Festival judge who awarded The Kissing Swan first prize. The Kissing Swans is a repurposed flood-affected caravan from Bundaberg that has been transformed into sculpture and features
video with sound inside. This is another significant win for me due to the credentials of the judge, but also as an acknowledgement of the potential for contemporary art to explore issues relevant to local audiences like the Queensland floods. Tell us more about your planned Residency to research Tsunami Affected areas at Youkobo Art Space in Japan? Later this year I will travel to Tokyo to spend two month as the artist in resident at Youkobo Artspace, It’s an initiative courtesy of Asialink, who orchestrates a number of residency programs for artists in the South East Asia region. It’s a very competitive program so I’m very honoured to be able to go. I will research disaster-affected objects and communities to extend upon themes I explored in The Kissing Swans. I’m currently researching Japanese culture and preparing myself for the potentially traumatic experience of visiting sites ravaged by the 2011 earthquake and Tsunami. I’ve started a blog dedicated to this project; readers can follow my research and keep up to date on my research at lapsandlanelines/timlblr.com. The residency will also provide me with an invaluable opportunity to connect with Japanese artists and industry professionals. Your work The Kissing Swans Won 1st prize at The Swell Sculpture festival in 2013. The work brings new life to the flood-affected caravan. We are all for up cycling and repurposing. Where was the caravan sourced? I was interested in presenting moving-image artworks in outdoor environments and in Sculpture Exhibitions. The problem is most people view art in these contexts during the day. I wanted to capitalise on the number of visitors an exhibition like the Swell Sculpture Festival gets, as well as challenge myself to make new work relevant to life in Australia. After contacting the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery and Bundaberg Regional Council I was offered two 22-foot caravans from the councils Waste Management Department. They were about to be dismantled and sold as scrap. They found their way to the dump after being damaged by flooding. The same flooding that caused the closure of Finemore and Riverdale Caravan Parks. I left the caravans as I found them and projected videos inside. One of the caravans has a hand-
painted picture of two swans kissing above its back window, which inspired the development of the video I projected inside it. The Kissing Swans contains scenes of a couple dancing in kitchens with tea towels, a bearded man banging pots, and an unrehearsed ballet performance (with frying pans). People have to look through the vans windows to see the projection which is displayed over the kitchenette and bathroom area. At Swell, The Kissing Swans sat stoically on the foreshore amongst other, more traditional sculptures. The work makes use of an object considered useless. Its pathos has the potential to help traumatised communities, while its conceptual framework develops our understanding of sculpture. What message did you intend to portray when creating this piece? I wanted to explore sculpture as a medium and I wanted to make work relevant to Australian audiences. The Kissing Swans is a confronting artwork, particularly in the context of a traditional sculpture festival. A lot of people were bemused and confused by its appearance at Swell, including a council officer, who, during installation told the Swell organisers that ‘the caravan has to go!’. On the other hand, the concept of the found object in art is not new. Marcel Duchamp famously exhibited a urinal in 1917 and is widely acknowledged as the inventor of this style of art. The Kissing Swans draws upon the impulse to use existing objects but asks us to question their potency as sculpture. Do you currently have any exhibitions in SE QLD/NTH NSW, that our readers can check out?
My photograph Levitating Caravan was a finalist in the Josephine Ulrich and Wynn Schubert Photography Prize at the Gold Coast Art Gallery. I’ve been developing a major Sculpture and Community Engagement Project with the Bundaberg Council, that will take place in the second half of the year. And of course I am travelling to Japan at the end of the year for my two month Asialink Residency at Youkobo Artspace. Who are some current local emerging artists we should keep an eye out for? I have not been on the Gold Coast long enough to be able to offer any great advice on that point. I teach in Brisbane at the Queensland College of Art at South Bank, so in many ways I am embedded in another scene. The Gold Coast Campus of the Griffith University Queensland College of Art has consistently produced good artists and there has always been an emerging art scene here of one sort or another. I urge anyone interested in contemporary art, including the challenges it poses in terms of comprehensibility, to attend exhibitions and public programs at The Walls Contemporary Art Space in Miami. As far as I know it’s the only dedicated Contemporary Art Venue on the GC that has a specific agenda. By that I mean it doesn’t have a coffee shop attached, nor do bands play there on the weekends. It’s solely for the presentation and critical engagement of art of our time. I do however have the privilege of teaching some fine young people who live on the Gold Coast including Creation Saffigna and Michelle Gunther. Keep an eye out for them in the not too distant future.
CULTURE
BEACHFEST Cabarita Beach, Friday 9th May 2014
Article Josephine Flynn Article Images by Andrea Di Carlo
Each year, students from the Diploma of Sports Management (Surfing) at Southern Cross University, pull together their resources, imagination, athleticism, surf boards and love of the Ocean to create BeachFest. Held at the beautiful Cabarita Beach, BeachFest is a local surf competition, which, this year, also promoted local unsigned musicians and helped to raise awareness of mental illness through the “Fluro Friday expression session.” The guys were super lucky with the weather this year, considering the entire week leading up to the event on Friday, the weather was extremely temperamental. Blessed with plenty of sunshine and some nice little sets, it was nothing but smiles down at Caba. Even the local Mayor, Barry Longland came down to show his support and watch the competition heat up. Prior to the finals, the crew kitted up in their “finest” fluro for the “Fluro Friday expression session”. The movement was created by the non-profit surf community One wave is all it takes. Their mission is to “help raise awareness and show support for everyone who has ever suffered, or knows someone, who has dealt with depression and other funk disorders.” This incredible organisation just wants to get people in the water and “get them talking” about mental illness. There were prizes galore including a surfing trip to Indonesia donated by Mojo Surf for one lucky surfer as a lucky door prize. As each year sees new students running the event, the 3 Directors
this year (Coline Merlet, Tim Fox and Nicole Box) should be congratulated on their organisation, professionalism and overall sense of fun they created. Congratulations must also go to the winners of the day; Mitch James in the men’s, who walked away with a custom made surf board from Primitive Surf in Tugun and Clasje Goebel-Try in the women’s, who won a Volcom prize pack and a Jet pack experience donated by JetPack Adventures.
RAW NUTRITION
Written By Kelly Fielding Images Kelly Fielding
‘Raw foods beautifies the body, mind and spirit. They carry with them the vitality of health and life - the vibrant sun energy that nourishes all life on Earth. By taking these foods into your body, you can overcome any health challenge, you can improve your life in every way. For when your health improves, every other aspect of your life improves simultaneously.’ ~ David Wolfe.
What is a Raw Food Diet? Raw or living foods are whole and unprocessed and contain their full range of natural vitamins, minerals and nutrients. These living foods are complete with all the enzymes necessary to turn food into energy that the body can readily use. Studies have proven that when food is heated to over 50 degrees, 100% of the enzymes are destroyed and 70-80% of the vitamins are also no longer apparent. Furthermore, at these high temperatures, pesticides and fungicides begin to break down and form toxic compounds in the body, protein in the food becomes 50% less assimilable and there is an increase in free radical production. Live food exists at its optimal peak, making it a brilliant prescription for health and longevity. Studies have shown that people who eat a high percentage of living and organic food are free from
most illnesses, have greater mental clarity and higher overall energy levels. The human body is an innately intelligent and self-healing mechanism and when introduced to a higher intake of living foods, the body begins to restore itself to a more natural state of equilibrium which results in a more radiant and positive you! What are Raw Living Foods? When referring to raw foods, this generally includes ripe or dried fruits, fresh greens, vegetables and herbs, sprouted nuts and seeds, sea vegetables, sprouted alkaline grains such as buckwheat, linseed and quinoa, superfoods such as maca, cacao, goji berries, spirulina, hemp seeds, maqui, lucuma, mesquite, acai and foods high in healthy fats such as avocado, coconut, olives and durian. These foods are highly alkalizing and contain the highest percentage of natural concentrated energy and life force. They are the most ideal nourishment for health, healing and vibrant living. How can I incorporate more Living Food into my diet? A great start is to begin adding more fresh foods into your diet. For example, for breakfast start adding fresh fruits to cereals or smoothies or try having a fresh juice every morning. For lunch and Dinner add fresh salad and greens to every meal and top meals with sprouts, seeds, avocado and fresh herbs. Try experimenting with things like zucchini noodles instead of real pasta and cashew cheese in place of dairy cheese. Throughout the day snack on whole fruits and cut up vegetables with raw dips or freshly made almond butter. Without even realizing the transition, your diet will become
half cooked and half raw which means with every meal you are providing your body with additional enzymes and whole nutrients that will assist with the digestion and assimilation of the cooked food and nutrients and also train your body and mind into gravitating towards healthier eating patterns. To begin, at home you can begin to sprout nuts, seeds and legumes yourself and make your own almond milk too. Sprouts are brimming with life force and living enzymes and are therefore one of the most nutritious foods available to the body. Sprouting is an easy and fun project that can be done in any home in any space. Sprouting only takes a few minutes of rinsing a day and you are rewarded with an array of alfalfa, mung bean sprouts, lentil sprouts and activated nuts and seeds.
Almond milk simply involves soaking the almonds overnight in filtered water and then rinsing them and blending them with fresh water. The milk is then poured into a nut milk bag and squeezed to separate the nut pulp from the creamy milk. For a few simple recipes for almond milk and cashew cheese follow this link‌ http://www.bellaandbhakti. c om/taking-the-switchfrom-dairy-4-re cip es-forraw-vegan-almond-milkc o c o n ut - yo g u r t - a l m o n d mayonnais e-and-cashewcheese/ Make Every Day CountIncorporating more living foods into your diet does require slightly more planning and pre thinking, but it is worth the additional effort! Take snacks with you when you leave the house, simple trail mixes or raw crackers, fresh fruit and
vegetable sticks with home made dip. Eating raw doesn’t mean you need to avoid social environments. At restaurants you can almost always choose a fresh salad or soup, or try to encourage friends and family to eat at a vegetarian or even raw food establishment. Offer to make food at home rather than always going out, your friends and family will most likely be inspired and delighted! Take food with you when you are traveling, especially on long plane flights. Use the internet to look up health food stores, local farmers markets and vegetarian or raw cafes when you are in different places. You will find that as you follow the steps towards a raw or vegan diet, many cravings fall away, or they are able to be replaced quite easily- choose an organic, vegan red wine, choose a cold pressed organic coffee, choose from the plethora of raw vegan organic chocolate now available!
TM
RAW, ORGANIC & VEGAN. GLUTEN, DAIRY & SUGAR FREE
Serving green superfood smoothies, slow pressed juices, hot and iced chai, coffee, mate and chocolate made with homemade nut milk. Try our freshly made raw vegan grab-&-go breakfasts and lunches and a delectable array of mouthwatering desserts. Also serving music, laughter, smiles and a whole heap of love!
A raw food lifestyle should be one of abundance and joy, not deprivation and lack. It is about living consciously, enjoying life in its natural perfect state and caring about your body enough to treat it as best as you can.
Kelly Fielding – Chef at Naked Treaties, Byron Bay. Follow her blog and recipes at www.bellaandbhakti.com Try a simple and delicious chia seed pudding recipe from her blog here… http://www.bellaandbhakti.com/chia-seed-pudding-withvanilla-pecans-and-mulberries/
2/3 Marvell Street, Byron Bay, NSW 2481 www.nakedtreaties.com • info@nakedtreaties.com
Women’s bodies and their perspectives PART 1
As women, we’re hard on ourselves! We feel a pressure from society to always look good, feel in control, be on top of everything, have it all organised, know how to cook, clean, iron, darn (is that still a word (?)), know where everyone is at every moment and be on time. We all know this is not reality and on the odd occasion when we do feel on top of things, we’re still thinking “I wish my thighs were smaller. If only I could lose 5kgs. I wish I could wear those shorts! Wow, she looks amazing, why don’t I look like that when I wear those jeans? Why is she so much skinnier than me, I work out and eat the same as she does?” We all do it and we decided we need to stop doing it! We need to reclaim our bodies and be thankful and grateful for the incredible gift we have been given as women, to be able to inhabit these incredible, curvy, sexy, soft and most importantly individual bodies. In this two part series, we’ve asked women to describe their own ideas and perspectives of their own bodies. We hope you enjoy reading and relating to them, just as much as we have, and most importantly, finish reading with a sense of love and gratitude for your “life’s vessel.”
ate, as my new mission in life was to no longer be that ‘Big Girl’. I was 5’3 and 50kgs.
‘Big Girl’ I’ve always been a thicker girl. If I didn’t notice it, someone was always sure to point it out to me, using the term ‘Big Girl’. It was said in such a way that I was sure to know it is not a thing of pride to be both big and a girl. Friends would not let me borrow their clothes because I was a ‘Big Girl’. I remember an old woman once, in effort to be kind I suppose, told me I was pretty for a ‘ Big Girl’. These moments and countless influences from movies and television to friends and boys on the playground led to me scheduling my first diet and exercise routine at age 12. I would skip around the garage and watch what I
It took me to the age of 22 to realise that pretty and skinny wasn’t the rent I had to pay in order to be a worthwhile human being. I wondered what the world would look like if every piece of mental energy women and girls spend worrying about the size of their thighs was instead spent worrying about other people’s welfare. If the money spent on surgeries to nip and tuck and pull and lift was spent on feeding, educating and housing those in need. I decided to stop wasting my time and energy on trying to achieve the unachievable, the unreal and idolised idea of female physical perfection. My body is my life’s vessel. It needs to be loved, to be fed, to be nurtured, and it was up to me to do it. My
relationship with my body is still not perfect. I know I can do better in the areas of food and exercise. I’ve gone up in weight to 90kgs, which makes me technically overweight. However, now I look at myself with love. I cherish my thighs as they help me to walk. I don’t notice my wobbly arms until I’m out shopping for tops, but I know I give great hugs. My belly gets poked by my young nephew and I think, ha ha yeah it does wobble. No longer am I chained in the cage of body hatred. I actually believe I am beautiful now. I just have one tiny problem that persists; people still call me a ‘Big Girl’. – Camilla, 31
‘Just the way I am’ Growing up I was so skinny & tall (6ft), my nick name was stix. People would always tell me how skinny I was.... as if I didn’t know. I had my first of three children at 16 and my body went straight back to string bean status. When I had my daughter (my last baby,) I was 23 and thought that it would be the same as the first two and just pop back the way it used to be.... Wrong! So I
gave it time. Two kids, 13 months apart, I would be busy running after them... nope that didn’t help. Played netball 2-3 times a week... nothing budged it. Many times over the years I have managed to lose a few kilos, but it tends to find me again and bring a couple of extra. I am now 42 years old & 100kg. I have days where I hate myself and get down, but then my husband tells me to stop being stupid! He tells me my body is beautiful and he loves me just the way I am... And I love him for that! Jo, 42
Ana’s Story Loving my body does not come naturally to me. In fact I don’t believe it comes natural to most women. From so early we are told what beauty is. It may not have been as explicit as our parents stating that fat is ugly and skinny is beautiful, but remarks like “Oh, look how much weight she’s lost, she looks fantastic!” And “That girl should NOT be wearing that bikini!” Are thrown around enough that we soon learn what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’. For me the combination of yoyo dieting parents (whose weight influenced their own self –worth), receiving food as reward and attending all girls boarding school, made it unsurprising that I developed an eating disorder by my early teens. So for 15 years I have been disrespecting my body through Bulimia and you
for? I’m certainly not any happier. But how do we change beliefs that are so indoctrinated into our core as women?
know what I’ve concluded after countless cycles of binging and purging? After good days (or months) or bad ones? After spending the last of my money on food that I don’t want, or even like, only to look myself in the mirror and say “No, sorry, still not good enough?” (SIGH) Being a woman is tiring! And being a woman who hates her body is pure exhaustion! So recently I decided, for f@#k sake, enough is enough! I’m too smart to think this is an appropriate lifestyle choice and I began to question myself. Why do I do this and who am I doing this
I have gone back to university and am studying psychology in the hopes that one day I can make a small impact on women’s mental health. And I’m learning. I’m learning about how much injustice there STILL is towards women in our everyday professional and personal lives. I’m learning how much of our worth is still based on physical appearance, rather than what we can contribute intellectually or creativity. But most importantly, I am learning how many other women are also tired. They’re tired of trying to
have that perfect body, tired of having to ‘dumb’ themselves down. And that fills me with hope. Hope that we can change each other’s views by learning to change our own towards ourselves. I believe that in order to be able to love your body you have to get to know it. So I implore you to make it your mission; to get to know yourself. Do yoga, feel your muscles and tendons move and flow and work together. Meditate and feel your breathe. Listen to your thoughts, but don’t believe them….question them! And while we’re learning to love and respect our body for the beautiful, sexual, strong and highly functional machines they are, we should try thisFat Free Talk: Please just try it for one day. It’s really hard. Fat Free Talk means not engaging in talk directly at yourself or anyone else
that involves an assessment of weight. No “Do I look fat/ skinny in this?” No “That dress makes you look so thin.” No “God, I look like a chunky blob today!” None of that shit! It’s about being kind to ourselves and others. Compliment someone on their hair, the colour of their shoes; look at how nice your eyes look today. Just stay away from Fat Talk. After one day I’m sure you will see just how much we use these phrases and how damaging they are for us. And we are worth SO much more than that! Good Luck!
By Jade Hopley
BUSINESSES WE LOVE
Empower Pilates
Written By Josephine Flynn Article Images Recover Wellbeing
Walking into the tranquil space of Empower Pilates in Kirra, we find the delightful Sarah Paxford. Barefoot and beaming; we immediately feel welcome and comfortable. Sarah’s business Recover Wellbeing is housed in this peaceful studio in Kirra, providing occupational therapy, education and support to women going through and recovering from breast cancer.
Sarah’s love of Pilates began when she was 17, after beginning the exercise to treat her scoliosis. After experiencing the benefits Pilates had on her life, she then completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy after finishing school. It was during a prac placement in a lymphodema clinic, where her idea for Recover Wellbeing was born. “I saw a lot of women coming in for treatment on their lower body; however, I noticed that there were also a lot of women coming in who were recovering from breast cancer. These women needed to work their upper bodies, specifically after surgery, and there was no one on the Gold Coast who was offering them that service.” 18 months later, Sarah Paxford’s dream of providing this service came to fruition. As well as the regular Pilates classes, Sarah provides movements classes to women going through and recovering from Breast cancer, both in one on one and small (3-4 people) classes. She uses her knowledge of doterra essential oils during the treatments and works with each female individually to design a program based on the client’s needs in relation to their current treatment. “My goal for my clients is to build up their wellbeing and get their lives back on track; being able to do what they were doing before breast cancer.” Sarah explains. As well as the physical support, Sarah has an abundance of emotional support networks to share with the women she works with. “We have a massage therapist, Linda Green, who works out of the studio as well. She is trained in oncology massage and also uses essential oils.” Sarah explains of her colleague as she shows us around the studio. “There are a lot of different support groups that we can refer our clients to and we work very closely with them.” Sarah realises the importance of early detection when it comes to breast cancer, so she offers a breast care class once a month for $10. On top of this, she also gives away one free aroma touch therapy session per month. To find out more about these services, or to get in touch with Sarah, her details are below: Visit: Empower Pilates: 3/74 Musgrave St, Kirra Beach, QLD Mob: 0432245958 Facebook: www.facebook.com/rwellbeing E-mail: sarah@recoverwellbeing.com.au
MUSIC
TIJUANACARTEL Being local to the Gold Coast, we have always been Tijuana Cartel fans. Their ever changing style and infectious beats always draw huge crowds, from festivals to community halls, to venues around the World. We sat down with lead singer and epic guitarist, Paul George to chat about jungles, journeys and visas. “Still fighting� was written and recorded in the jungles of Bali, with a retired hippie/ muso named Richard Kaal gracing us with his striking vocal abilities. How did you come to meet Richard? Richard was a friend of a friend I met in Bali, he told us about a small villa Richard
Image Tijuana Cartel
owned up in the mountains. We heard he had a great collection of ancient Balinese Gamalan instruments; we’re music nerds so we trekked up over a day’s journey and had a look. After a few drinks we decided to set up a portable music studio to record the Gamalan instruments, as we worked on the song we heard Richard could sing and thought, perfect… Do you often retreat to secluded, exotic locations to write new music? We do try; we’ve recorded in India, Thailand, China and a lot of Europe. We have a penchant for recording great musicians in their home. It’s also a great way to travel. How do different locations influence your song writing? You definitely get inspired from where ever you are. Sometimes subconsciously, after spending time in India we found we had changed the way we wrote music entirely, we hadn’t meant to but it just permeated what we did. How did the Band form and how long have you been together? Carey O’Sullivan and I started playing music in High School; we’ve been on a long journey over the years. Along the way we’ve worked with many musicians that have helped make our CD’s, though the core has always been the two of us. How have you evolved as a band since the early days? Very much so, we’ve tried out many different hats. Recently we’ve copped a little bit of slack for changing so much, though it’s how we’ve always approached things. We do it because we find it compelling, so if one week we feel like being a world music act and the next we feel like being a rock band we just go
for it and cross our fingers people will relate to it. We hear you played a few gigs (5 nights a week) in the Coolest Bar in Beijing during the Olympics in 2008. What’s your fondest and least fond memory of that experience? Fondest was going to see the underground punk bands in Beijing, they would sing in English so government representatives wouldn’t know they were singing anti-government lyrics. Worst would be finding out our visas were revoked and then having to bribe airport staff to leave the country. Anyone that has seen a Tijuana Cartel gig will testify that you have a HUGE stage presence, and a knack for making the ladies weak at the knees. Has your showmanship come naturally as a performer or is it something you have to work on? Haha, not sure how to answer that, we just go for it. It took a little while to feel relaxed, but I now feel more comfortable on stage than I do in real life. It’s a great feeling to connect with people in the way we do at a live show. The local music scene from Brisbane to Byron Bay is really flourishing at the moment. Being local to the Gold Coast do you get to see any live music when you’re not busy touring? I don’t get to be on the Gold Coast very much anymore, but I do see as many bands as I can when we’re around, there’s definitely some amazing talent on the Gold Coast. What local bands have you seen lately and who do you recommend our readers check out? I love a few local bands including the amazing Felicity Lawless, Bleading Knees Club and Karl S Williams
What’s coming up next for Tijuana Cartel? We play at the Sound Lounge in Currumbin on the 27th of June, and we’ll have a new album coming out sometime in August. www.tijuanacartel.com
NEWRYBAR SWEET STREET
Nestled in the Byron Bay Hinterland is the charming village of Newrybar. Just a stone’s throw away from the highway, this tranquil little spot is an absolute must-do for lovers of unique and community minded businesses. Written by Josephine Flynn Images Kris Klein
Harvest Cafe and Deli If you’re anywhere within 100 kms of this place, trust us when we say it’s well worth the drive! Known to attract people from as far as Melbourne, Harvest Café and Deli are making a huge name for themselves in organic, local produce exquisitely combined and presented for their customers. Owners Kassia and Tristan Grier and Brooke Hudson pride themselves in sustainable, organic practices and showcasing local produce as much as possible. With a deli, bakery and café garden on site, as well as two farms off site, you know that everything you order is fresh and with minimal human handling. Sprawled across three lovingly restored turn of the Century buildings, Harvest also offers an intimate private dining room for 8 and hire out the enchanting Bakery space for events. We highly recommend following them on Facebook, instagram or visiting their website regularly to keep an eye on what’s happening in this unique and inviting business, or even better, go there and experience it for yourself. Thank us later! 18 Old Pacific Hwy, Newrybar (02) 6687 2644 www.harvestcafe.com.au www.instagram.com/harvestnewrybar www.facebook.com/Harvest-Cafe
COUNTRY HOUSE ANTIQUES Just across the road from Harvest CafÊ and Deli you will find the charming Country House Antiques. Fittingly positioned in yet another turn of the Century house, Country House Antiques sells exquisite furniture and unique home pieces, as well as create individual pieces to suit their customer’s requests. Offering more than the usual Antique store, the crew from Country House Antiques can come into your home, design, create and build pieces from old timber to suit your needs. Additionally, they offer the very distinctive service of renting out pieces for events such as weddings. Also situated in the nearby town of Bangalow, we entreat you to get lost in the past and explore pieces from times gone by. 19 Old Pacific Hwy, Newrybar (02) 6687 1601 www.countryhouseantiques.com.au
BYRON BAY COFFEE COMPANY For coffee drinkers like myself, walking into the heart of the Byron Bay Coffee Company, is like being invited on the “behind the scenes tour” of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Annie and Franco Ivancich have built this ethical and inspirational business from the ground up and with 25 years and 110 awards under their belt (including “Champion of Show”) it’s not difficult to see why this family run company is considered one of the best in its class for service, quality and customer satisfaction. Byron Bay Coffee Company was the first in their field to place Retail and Hospitality Rainforest Alliance blends into the market place. Annie and Franco are very passionate about supporting Rainforest Rescue and have re-planted sections of rainforest on their picturesque property, where the company is located. Additionally, after constructing a creek bed for water catchment, they inadvertently began to regenerate the frog population on the acreage, which is now something they have continued and are very proud of. With three of their coffee blends being organic, two being fair-trade, all products being animal free and creating some of the best quality coffee in Australia (definitely my favourite) it’s not rocket science to figure out why we love Byron Bay Coffee Company. 169 Broken Head Road, Newrybar (02) 6687 1043 www.byronbaycoffeeco.com.au www.facebook.com/byronbaycoffeeco www.instagram.com/byronbaycoffeecompany
ENVIRONMENT
Written By Josephine Flynn Images Surf Rider Foundation
SURF RIDER FOUNDATION. In Issue one, we covered SOSBA (Save our Southern Beaches Alliance) and their fight to save Kirra’s beautiful beachfront from the proposed development of a cruise ship terminal. We also covered Eco-challenge Gold Coast and their event at Bleach*, raising awareness for sustainable practices for business and regenerating our beaches. The Surfrider Foundation is a not for profit organisation that was heavily involved in both of these events, as well as many others Worldwide. We are so impressed with the incredible work they do, not only here in South East QLD and Northern Rivers but around the World, so we thought they needed some attention!
Surfrider describe themselves as “A not for profit sea-roots organisation dedicated to the protection of Australia’s waves and beaches through Conservation, Activism, Research and Education (CARE).” The Australian family is made up of 25 volunteer branches stretching across 6 states of our beautiful Island home. For the past 20 years, Surfrider Foundation has been fighting for and protecting many of our beach breaks through their “Endangered Wave Campaign”, the most recent of course, being our very own Kirra. Their current fight is for another local break, TOS (The Other Side at South Stradbroke Island.) It was listed in their “Endangered Wave Campaign” in July 2013 after the proposal for the Broadwater Marine Project (BMP), which once again includes a cruise ship terminal. The spot has had its history with similar proposals, the first in 2005. The largest petition ever presented to a State Government of 38,000 signatures was presented, fighting against the proposal. Nine years on, the fight continues to save one of the World’s best breaks right at our doorstep. A continual campaign for Surfrider is the “Rise Against Plastic” campaign. It is becoming more and more apparent how much our ever increasing use of single use plastics is damaging our Oceans and we are all to blame. Surfrider believes that few people use and enjoy the Ocean more than surfers, so they have stood up to fight for and raise awareness about this issue to stop our Ocean’s becoming a “plastic soup.” The campaign was launched in March 2012 and is based on the idea of educating not only surfers and beach goers, but the general public about ways they can reduce their plastic usage and become part of the solution, as opposed to the problem. The Surfrider website has a handy downloadable toolkit for
anyone interested in reducing the use of single use plastics in their local community, as well as educating readers on plastic pollution and the environmental impact. You don’t need to be a surfer to be involved in the Surfrider Foundation, if you have a love for the Ocean you’ll fit right in. Information regarding your closest branch, campaigns, how to donate and education on how to help in your local community are all on the website www.surfrider.org.au www.facebook.com/SurfriderAus www.twitter.com/surfrideraus
10 Ways To Rise Above Plastics 1 Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water. Cloth bags and metal or glass reusable bottles are available locally at great prices. 2 Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other ‘disposable’ plastics. Carry reusable utensils in your purse, backpack or car to use at bbq’s, potlucks or take-out restaurants. 3 Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos. 4 Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smoothie shop or restaurants that let you use them. A great way to reduce lids, plastic cups and/or plastic-lined cups. 5 Go digital! No need for plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online. 6 Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on. 7 Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plastics. Avoid plastic bags and polystyrene foam as both typically have very low recycling rates. 8 Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently. 9 Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills. 10 Spread the word.
[source: www.surfrider.org.au]
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The amount of plastic produced from 2000 – 2010 exceeds the amount produced during the entire last century. Plastic is the most common type of marine litter worldwide. An estimated 100,000 marine mammals and up to 1 million sea birds die every year after ingesting or being tangled in plastic marine litter. Up to 80% of the plastic in our oceans comes from landbased sources. Plastics comprise up to 90% of floating marine debris. In 2009 about 3.8 million tons of waste plastic “bags, sacks and wraps” were generated in the United States alone, but only 9.4% of this total was recycled. Plastics do not biodegrade, but instead break down into small particles that persist in the ocean, absorb toxins, and enter our food chain through fish, sea birds and other marine life. Plastic bags are problematic in the litter stream because they float easily in the air and water, traveling long distances and never fully breaking down in water. Cleanup of plastic bags is costly. For example California spends $25 million annually to landfill discarded plastic bags, and public agencies spend more than $300 million annually in litter cleanup. It is estimated that Americans go through about 100 billion plastic bags a year, or 360 bags per year for every man, woman and child in the country. [source: www.surfrider.org.au]
JAN HARVEY INSPIRATIONAL PERSON
Article Jade Hopley. Images Courtesy Of Jan Harvey
Jan Harvey is the Owner/Operator of Crystal Journey in Tweed Heads. She is also the Founder of the Balinese Support Program. BSP is an initiative which helps to provide much-needed support to many children and families in Bali, Indonesia. We recently interviewed this incredibly inspirational woman to found out exactly how much work goes into starting and running such an endeavor.
What is it that drew you to Bali? I went to Bali for a Feng Shui Workshop in 2007. It was in Amed, East Bali, a 2.5 hour drive from Kuta. The village people were so inspiring; living from hand to mouth, each growing crops in the rocky volcanic soil, scarcely producing enough for their family’s needs. Their simplicity, calmness and sense of family were most impressive. The most they wanted out of life was education for their children. Returning to Australia I contacted the Education Assistance Program at The John Fawcett Foundation in Sanur. I had already met several families in need whilst in Amed and in 2008, I began to sponsor seventeen children (couldn’t say no) and have continued every year since. Several children have graduated from Year 12 including girls... who are not considered worth taking past year 10!
What/who inspired you to start the Balinese Support Program? Whilst in Amed I asked a simple question “Are there any orphanages nearby?” In April 2008 I linked up with Brenton Whittaker at Bali Kids and have maintained close contact with the Kids and the medical/dental center to this day. I formed the Balinese Support Program as a personal endeavor to bring awareness to Australians of how easy it is to share many things that we take for granted. How much work goes into running such an endeavor? Constant work has been involved in daily research, networking, and visits to many Orphanages, as well as establishing the credentials of which I support and whom I recommend. The welfare of the children is number one priority ...not the management. What organisations do you support? 80% of my efforts go to Bali Kids as they have a medical/dental team that travel throughout MANY orphanages providing free treatment and an education program on personal hygiene
and awareness of HIV. John Fawcett Foundation is proven for their Ed. Program, and for the amazing mobile clinics that provide free eye care and cataract/cleft palate operations. Jodie O’Shea Orphanage in Denpasar, Indonesia Sole Men for their amazing “hands on” work in the slums of Denpasar and the very pro-active Foundation Soul Surf, where orphanage kids are taught to swim and surf. Many kids are handicapped
or disabled. Each week they swim in the Hydrotherapy pool at Bali Kids. The interaction between all these groups is pure, and inspiring. What are you working on at the moment? One of my most recent and completed projects, I’ve been working with Michael and Natasha Pedlow at Loot Homewares Centro Tweed to provide $4500 for stainless steel safety railings down a steep incline, to allow handicapped children/ wheel chairs to access the Hydrotherapy pool at Bali Kids. The other project was payment of medical expenses for a brilliant young student to have her near blindness successfully reversed. How can our readers assist the Balinese Support Program to continue to do
the amazing work it does? Follow me on Face Book. My aim is to encourage people to just “do SOMETHING” no matter how small. I have done lots of hard work in assessing some of the most honorable and worthy places to support and help you too, to leave a positive impact on the world. For more information on the Balinese Support Program, or any of the inspiring businesses Jan works with, follow the links below. facebookcom/balinesesupportprogram balikids.org balieye.org careforkids.org indonesiasolemen.org foundationsoulsurf.org
BOHOL The Bohol Reef Recovery Project (BRRP) started with a simple shared passion for climate change, music and coastal life. Christine Olive is the daughter of Paul Finlay, who has over forty years experience in earthquake recovery engineering. Paul moved to the beautiful
center island of Bohol on October 5th, starting his retirement, when ten days later the 7.2 magnitude quake shook the entire Philippines and surrounding areas. Ever since the disaster, Paul has been an active member in the recovery processes. From the start this
has been an intriguing, heart breaking yet astonishing story. On behalf of the BRRP I thank you for focusing your attention on the matter. Christine Olive is a musician that has, after ten years professionally playing, decided to focus both musically and her personal
REEF RECOVERY PROJECT
daily routine on supporting the cause of the BRRP. When she teamed up with me, we both left our jobs, making the decision to give entirely to the cause. The cause is to first restore and improve the way of life in Bohol, and secondly preserve what we can in order to create a sustainable
Article & Images Leah Mayer
system in terms of marine life and land development. The centre point of the quake uplifted the island of Bohol from the sea 600-1000mm exposing 40 kilometres of coral reef. The result of this raised earth is a decline in oxygen for the sea animals. Due to the raised earth, it has
exposed interesting fossils and become a hot spot destination for resorts and tourism. The Typhoon Haiyan (November 8th 2013) occurred after the quake creating one of the largest double natural disasters in history. New research is being conducted at the San Carlos University and engineers are reaching out for qualified biologists, marine biologists and geologists from Australia to survey the land and give detailed reports. Our main focus is on community and unity, bringing people together and sharing educational and inspirational stories to better the earth and its environments. From meeting with professional surfers and successful musicians, to eating free meals at community centers and breaking down on the side of the highway, this project has been a crazy ride. And we’ve only just begun... A devastating 1.3 million people were affected by the earthquake. Historical buildings, houses, bridges, and roads crumbled to the ground. The massive reef brings big potential for tourism. We have planned for an International walkway/ cycleway using sustainable building practices and community engagement. With enough funds, an educational program to engage local residents with the new research is a big goal of The BRRP, improving their understanding and vice versa. Our vision is to create a place where people from all over the world can enjoy this magical place on a limestone walkway/ cycleway, with inlets to go either in land or out land. Ultimately we are creating a community based place where everyone is welcome, safe and in for a brand new experience. We aim for both visitors and residents to be informed of the land to water relationship of the reef during and after the research has taken place. We also hope for the true Philippine
culture to be shared while on their land. Having travelled a fair amount of my life, I have found that the effects of using sustainable material as opposed to concrete or imported products create another dimension to a holiday. Knowing an area is being used as an environmentally restored and preserved space, I find, creates a kind of serene state of mind to coexist with the pre-existing feeling of holiday. As proof of honestly used funds, the BRRP has decided to publicize the account in which all donations are placed. We are also going to show the direct activity of the Project through our Facebook page (www.facebook. com/protecttheboholreef). Our values are as follows: Sustainable practices of the Earth, educational opportunities for all peoples,
enhancing quality of life in our oceans and lands. We make our decisions based on an honest, ethical and ecologically friendly basis. Initially, ten thousand dollars for flight costs is the goal of our fundraising. We are hosting a mini day festival at Board Culture in Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast occurring in the next few weeks- more information on that online. Next is to organise a place to educate locals and engage them in working with the sea life and practicing sustainable fishing, using efficient materials for rebuilding houses and fair trading grounds, basically working as much as we can given our tools (donations and personal time given). Again, it is all about giving back to others less fortunate. We will know more about the funds needed for the next step after the first flight over. Updates on social media are available around the clock.
The astonishing site of the now-exposed reef shall remain a landmark of example for future generations to come, with the help of our supporters, the Filipino government, legislature, and Byron Bay’s generosity through Christine Olive’s music, busking nearly every night to help donate. We also thank local businesses, investors and Board Culture for the space for our fundraiser. Thank you to so many incredible artists for their donations to our raffle prize package. Thank you to all the big hearted people who donated along the way including a spare tyre, jerry can, gas for meetings at Southern Cross University, meetings with marine biologists, a big thank you to Sean Samer for being on board with the project, and to all those in contact with support. Thank you to Sea Shephard for being a massive inspiration and thanks to Sirens for the Sea, of course all our family and friends around the globe. Ultimately we are bringing community together and working towards positive impacts with the knowledge we have on climate change. Thank you Holistic Living for the space in your lovely magazine. It is yet another blessing. I am incredibly honored to have been given the role of Project Manager, and every step of the way has been a journey in itself. All proceeds go to a noble cause, and the BRRP strives for a ripple effect of people’s choices on how we use our water, our land and the precious tools that Mother Nature has so generously given us. Here’s to giving back. Leah Mayer, Project Manager of the Bohol Reef Recovery Project. www.facebook.com/protecttheboholreef
MY FIRST REAL SURF LESSON
Article & Images Jernej Rakuscek
We tend to, or shall we say gravitate to, generalizations. It makes it easier to handle the complexities of life. Yet, we see piles of clouds. There are files of trees in the forest. A tree has layers of leaves. People look different, still the same. Our brain is designed to detect patterns. We struggle with the screamingly obvious fact - every wave is different, even at the same tideless spot. Being true to this layered life, there are many first lessons about surfing. On the physical plane, my first lesson included my brother explaining to me stuff about the ocean; the board, how to spring up, paddle and all the usual we hear in a surf school. As soon as I entered the water, another ‘first’ lesson appeared: it’s all easy talk on land, but a totally different thing in the ocean. Maybe that was my first mental lesson - the energy is never still and to do anything at all, you need to compose your focus, be attentive and adapt. And the layers go on. Still, I did find what I would call my first ‘real’ surf lesson; the one that struck me the deepest and essentially changed the course of my life for the next 11 years. It happen after 5 years of tinkering around Europe’s breaks. I was with a group of enthusiastic friends who
apparently had the joy of self - learning. Sure there are always magazines for photo inspection, videos for slow motion analysis, and debates about what to do when on what kind of a wave. What good is all that theory, if you live in a wave-less country? The lesson the ocean gave me happened in the Canary Islands. I went there with a friend to escape the cold winter in Slovenia and of course, to surf as much as possible. Slowly, we became frustrated with our progress. Despite all the walking, hitch-hiking, tent sleeping and paddling, we felt we got stuck. We started talking about how to improve this and that, especially how to come up with a method to
continually progress, if you teach yourself. We were both learning how to do a proper turn on a short board. Not the one where a surfer shyly fades away from the wave and then trims back onto it, the one where you put the board on the rail, engage the tail and swoosh it wherever you want. We were lost in the technical jungle. Yes, this body part needs to do this, meanwhile that one that, but there was no time on the wave to pay attention to all that! Then, a simple solution appeared maybe you just have to turn your eyes to where you wish to go? We were embarrassed. It was that simple. First look, then all will follow. Isn’t it so in life as well?
You need to look in the direction you wish to go. Focus with intention; decisively so, then all follows. Things fall into place, no need to over-analyse the technique if the heart sets the course. To ride the wave with our eyes. My real first surf lesson was, and daily, still is, that surfing represents the metaphor for the life lived on land; that the ocean mirrors my stagnant, change resisting domains. Layers, if you will. And that the way to improve in surfing lays in addressing those issues, which I know are blocking my view.
Jernej Rakušek, is a creative visionary. His demeanor is centered, balanced, and spiritual. Wherever he goes or whatever he does, he is at peace with himself and his surroundings. A multi-talented athlete whose purpose is to extend his knowledge and teachings, he hopes to improve the quality of your world and share his experiences to enlighten you, inspire you, and set you in motion to achieve your dreams and goals – Don from Hawaii. Excerpt from Jernej Rakuscek’s book “The Teachings of the Ocean.” www.facebook.com/jernejrakuscek
Taking time out to look after your most precious resource!
MEDITATION Article and Images by Tomas Jajesnica
Are you ever a human being…or are you always a human doing? The world we live in is busier than ever… and getting more so. Our attention buzzes around between focusing on work, conversations, emails, phone calls, text messages, social media and so on. There is
more information coming at us than ever before and it’s reducing our attention spans. Our mind is our most precious resource. We depend on it for our happiness, feelings, thoughts and actions. It helps us to concentrate, be creative and get things done. And yet, we don’t take any time out to
look after it. In fact, we spend more time looking after our cars, our clothes and even our hair. The mind spins away like a washing machine going round and round, lots of difficult, confusing emotions and we don’t really know how to deal with that. The
several multi-millionaires as a teenager, I quickly learnt that it’s not the case. Some of them were more agitated than ever and kept wanting more and more money – a bottomless pit. It was never enough. I learnt that there must be something else. This led me to meditation. Even though I had several of my own stereotyped ideas about meditation (shaved heads, chanting, Buddha’s, wearing robes, being a monk or a hippy, vegetarians…you name it), I thought I’d give it a go and see what it’s all about. The interesting thing was that the people who did it, looked happier and more peaceful than some of these millionaires I’d met, so what did I have to lose? I thought it would be a great way to relax and de-stress though never realised it could do so much more, like build self-confidence, improve learning ability and make me more productive. We all deal with stress in different ways. Some people will bury themselves in work, grateful for the distraction. Others will turn to their friends, their family, looking for support. Some people hit the bottle or start taking medication. My own way of dealing with it was to try to quieten the mind and to understand the real causes of the stress. It taught me a greater appreciation and an understanding for the present moment. By that I mean not being lost in thought, not being distracted, not being overwhelmed by difficult emotions, but instead learning how to be in the here and now; how to be present. sad fact is that we are so distracted that we’re no longer present in the world in which we live. We miss out on the things that are most important to us, and the crazy thing is that everybody just assumes ‘that’s the way life is’. We just kind of get on with it and that’s really not
how it has to be. I thought that money made people happy and worked out quite early in life it doesn’t (well for the long term at least). The “if only I had a million dollars, then I’d be happy” idea doesn’t work. Yet, we spend so much of our time craving it. Having met
I think the present moment is so underrated. It sounds so ordinary, and yet we spend so little time in the present moment that it’s anything but ordinary. There is a Harvard University research paper which says that on average, our minds are lost in thought almost 47% of the time. Forty-seven percent! At the same time, this sort of constant mind-wandering is also a direct cause of unhappiness. Now we’re not here for that long anyway, but to spend almost half of our life lost in thought and potentially quite unhappy, seems kind of tragic, especially when there’s something we can do about it. There’s a positive, practical, achievable, scientifically proven technique which allows our mind to be healthier, to be more mindful and less distracted. And the beauty of it is that even though it need only take about 10-20 minutes a day, it impacts our entire life.
Now, we need to know how to do it. We need an exercise. We need a framework to learn how to be more mindful. That’s essentially what meditation is. It’s familiarising ourselves with the present moment. But we also need to know how to approach it in the right way to get the best from it. Most people assume that meditation is all about stopping thoughts, getting rid of emotions, but actually it’s quite different from that. It’s more about stepping back, seeing the thought clearly, witnessing it coming and going, emotions coming and going without judgment, but with a relaxed, focused mind.
How To Meditate 1. Sit comfortably upright and close your eyes. 2. Focus on your breath between your nostrils and upper lip. 3. When your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath. (Set up a timer for the duration of your session so you don’t have to think about time. I usually aim for 10/20 minutes per session, but this is at your own discretion). 4. You’re meditating!
Everybody encounters problems when they meditate…everybody. It’s how you overcome these problems that counts. Give it a proper trial and experience the benefits for yourself. If it doesn’t work, then let us know and we’ll help you. If it does work, then let us know too - we love hearing your stories. Share it with others too and tell them of what you’ve been able to achieve! Life is going to continue to throw its ups and downs at you, we can’t change that. Though what you’ll experience through meditation is a much more balanced mind, to better deal with them. Meditation offers the opportunity and the potential to step back and to get a different perspective, to see that things aren’t always as they appear. We can’t change every little thing that happens to us in life,
but we can change the way that we experience it. That’s the potential of meditation. You don’t have to burn any incense, and you definitely don’t have to sit in a lotus position or even on the floor. All you need to do is to take 10-20 minutes of your day to take time out to just be and not do; to slow down and get into the present moment, so that you get to experience a greater sense of focus, calm and clarity in your life. We wish you every success in your practice.
Be Happy! Tomas Jajesnica is the Chief Meditation Officer at Mr Meditate. To make the greatest impact, Mr Meditate teaches strategies used by Google, Facebook and Twitter to companies in Australia. They show how cutting edge practice enables employees to achieve and sustain top performance while reducing stress levels and improving their overall wellbeing. www.MrMeditate.com
THE ART OF
MANIFESTING unlocking the creative powers in your life.
Written by Claire Cottone Images by Jade Hopley Your life is like a movie that you are writing. You are the protagonist. Do you behave in ways that make the audience cringe or applaud? Are you watching your movie as it unfolds, with the serene awareness of a Buddha? Or are you reacting and getting thrown around on the emotional rollercoaster? Are you the victor or the victim? Are you dwelling in the cause or in the effect?
It’s becoming more apparent to me by the day how truthful and powerful this simple statement is: What you think, you create. Our beliefs about ourselves, and the things we dwell on, are the things that expand in our life and determine our experience. But there is a flip side to this truth: the role of destiny and the play of the Universe, our Karma and our Dharma. Can we really control our life experience, or must we learn to cooperate with the creative forces at work beyond our infinitesimal, and yet infinite, selves? There is an abundance of talk and literature on the topic of conscious creation and manifestation as humans are becoming more and more attuned to the creative potential in our lives, and as time speeds up, the universal energy vibrates more rapidly, and we move by the minute into higher levels of
consciousness and conscious living. As a working artist deeply interested in the process of creativity itself, over the past few years I discovered that the same tools I use to tap into my creativity in my art form, I can use in my life to create or manifest the things I want to bring into my life experience. And hence I have been consciously practicing the Art of Manifesting as a part of my creative process over the past 5 or 6 years, with some interesting results… About 5 years ago, I was living at the top of a very long and steep hill in Tallebudgera Valley in the Gold Coast Hinterland. I loved to ride my bike to work, and the downhill ride was great but the climb home was impossible. I was reading Esther and Jerry Hicks’ Law of Attraction at the time and I thought I’d give the principles
of the power of thought a go. So I rode to work one day, and spent all day imagining that at the end of the day, when I rode towards home and got to the bottom of the hill, a ute with an empty tray would come past and take me up the hill and drop me and my bike home. That afternoon as I approached the bottom of my street, and started to look up its 70% incline, who should hurtle around the corner but my neighbor in his ute, on his way up the hill, with an empty tray. I hailed him down and he dropped me home, bike and all. Boom. But why is it that some simple things, like getting a ride up a hill, can be so easy to manifest, and others, for example,
finding one’s soul mate, or making a stack of money, can be so hard? One answer is that we are often unconsciously grappling with our conditioning and selflimiting beliefs, and these must first be cleared so we can make way for the things we are wanting to come in. Therefore, in creating our lives, we must look not only at what we desire, but simultaneously at what we believe, about ourselves, about the workings of the world, and about human nature and the people around us. Another answer is that Mick Jagger was right when he wrote the hit: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – a cautionary message to his wife Marianne Faithfull whose life was characterised by great pain and hardship (read her autobiography Faithfull). While a lot of current big
business and personal development discourse would like to have us think that we can create/attract/ have/be anything we want, in my view and the views of my spiritual teachers, we can’t in fact control everything, and the universe does have a bigger plan for us that we can’t always see. I have seen many personal development and business coaches selling selfimprovement courses at exorbitant rates to naïve customers, promising great dividends but resulting in nothing but large debts for these people – as they may be going against the flow of their nature and are therefore setting themselves up for failure. Which, in turn, does not discount the importance of failing forward and learning from our mistakes. This is where the play of Karma and Dharma comes in – Karma bringing us the
important lessons we need to learn in this life, that may be devastating as often as they are rewarding; and Dharma driving us to pursue our life path or purpose, which is given to us before we are born, and which guides us relentlessly if we will only learn to listen. When we deny our Karma, or stray from our Dharma, that is when negative cycles can really take hold. Sometimes life gives us a gift of disappointment, pain or depression, and these are the kinds of experiences that can lead us into our deepest spiritual journeys. My greatest periods of transformation have often been preceded by periods of great pain and sadness. However, I have risen up out of them by “doing the work” including tuning into my inner knowing, rediscovering my path, asking for help, and taking action. Achieving a spiritual state of
one-ness and bliss of being is perhaps more important than having every material and immaterial thing that you could ever want. Just sayin’. Therefore, I believe to really unlock your creative power in your life, it’s essential to do the ground work first: establish your spiritual practice; discover your purpose; accept and surrender to the play of the Universe and its role in your destiny; clear away obstacles; commit to the ongoing process of growth and transformation (for this is LIFE); and THEN ask for what it is that you need to help you achieve your true self, your higher purpose, that which you came here to do. Then, my good friends, all will be coming.
Here are six simple steps to the Art of Manifesting: 1 See your dreams and desires as sacred signifiers of your soul’s purpose. Get clear on what you want. Desire it strongly. Write it down. Draw it. Vision-board it. Get granular. Meditation, vision-boarding and journaling can all be tools to the same end: to help you “see” what it is that you are desiring and therefore to help you bring it into effect through the power of intentional thought and visualization, taking action, attraction, and eventual manifestation. 2 Feel the feeling of having that thing you want. Imagine that you have the thing that you are wanting and feel that feeling inside your body. This creates a vibration in your body that has the power to attract things of a matching vibration. You can’t attract “money” if you constantly think, feel and talk “no money”. When you feel a lack you amplify that lacking. Exercise your nervous system to be ready to receive the gift that you are asking for. 3 Clear away any obstacles (beliefs, conditioning, behaviours) that are getting in the way of what you desire. Your own spiritual practice is essential here, however counselors, coaches and teachers can also help you see what is going on at a deep level and help you shift your patterning so that you can break through sticking points and move into new possibilities. 4 Be vigilant with your thoughts, words and actions. Thoughts become words, words become actions and actions become habits. Watch how you think and speak about yourself and others. Your thoughts are the launching pad of your experience. 5 Give thanks and be grateful for everything you have, including the un-pleasurable experiences (for they too contain valuable gifts), as well as for all that is on its way. If you are looking for love, look for the love that is already in your life and focus on that – you will attract more of what you focus on. If you are looking for financial abundance, look for the flow of money that is already in your life and it will increase. 6 Practice patience and the art of allowing. Be willing to let go and allow the Universe to do its share of the work, all in perfect universal timing. Make a God Jar: write your wishes on little pieces of paper, put them in a bottle and hand them over to God.
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