Holistic Living - Issue 3 August 2014

Photo - Kris Klein

Issue 3 - August 2014 1

Editor Josephine Flynn Layout James O’Malley Cover Image Kris Klein 2

EDITORS LETTER Happiness I feel very fortunate to be able to work with and meet so many incredible and inspirational people through HL. This issue has certainly been no different, if anything, it has made me even more grateful and motivated by the passion of the individuals in the following pages.

This issue, we saw a real focus and awareness of doing what makes you happy. Many of the individuals you will come across in this issue have had other lives before doing what they are doing now and since deciding to do what they were passionate about, are leading incredibly fulfilling and happy lives. Yes, it’s nice to be able to have some money in the bank and go on overseas holidays, but if you’re not happy, all the money in the world won’t help you.

We love a happy story here at HL headquarters and we hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.

Josephine x

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JOINING HANDS 12

Patagonia 20

Kuranda roots 16

HUMPBACKS & HIGHRISES 24

Jadeo walks away 28

inspirational

environment

environment

culture

business

business

art Celeste Twikler 6

Ben 'GUMBY' GUMBLEton 34

bullhorn 56

living food through winter 60

greg howell 65

mermaid beach 69

wellbeing

wellbeing

sweet street

surf

nutrition

music

music west end girls 42

Women's Bodies pt2 78

NIa 82

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Art

Celeste Twikler ARTIST

If she isn’t down at Wategos sliding onto a wave, or skating around her home town of Byron, Celeste Twikler is in her home studio, smashing out some of the most beautiful hand made jewellery, illustrations and paintings you’ll ever lay your eyes on.

Motivated and inspired by the laid back northern rivers lifestyle, and her coastal surroundings, you would not be mistaken to assume her art is ocean inspired. Think land dwelling mermaids riding longboards into the sunset, with flowing hair, bejewelled with dazzling raw crystals and gems, and you have imagined every single piece in Celeste’s collection. We recently caught up with this multi talented wonder woman to pick her brain about all things Celeste…

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Tell us about where you’re from & how you became a professional artist?

I grew up on the rugged Mornington Peninsula which made me tough and appreciative of places like sunny, calm Byron Bay where I now call home. It was my friends and family that always encouraged me to pursue art. I studied visual arts at Swinburne but never had the confidence to make it a career.

I was working in retail management and I felt like a caged animal; I knew I needed to be more creative. I made a spur of the moment decision to write my resignation letter and I sent it off with the daily totals. The next day I was walking to the surf when an acquaintance yelled from his balcony ‘hey Celeste, I heard you can draw’. I showed him my work and I got my first paid job with ‘Prevention for Obesity Australia’. Its funny Credit: Carly Brown photography for Lisa’s Closet

what the universe throws at you if you let it. That may sound simplistic but I believe that when something is done with good intentions, things just work out.

You do not limit yourself to one medium, working in illustration, painting, and jewelry design (have I missed anything?). Where did you start & Do you have a favorite?

Yes, I like being able to do what I want, when I want. Not in a bratty, don’t tell me what to do way, but it’s important to have freedom to enjoy your life and add to the world in a positive way. It doesn’t serve anyone denying your passion.

I have always loved drawing but I have imagination rather than skill so I worked with that and developed my own style. My love of jewellery developed from a young ageeven though I was always in boys clothes and outdoors- I 7

Credit: Carly Brown

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always had on jewellery, so it seemed only natural to start making it. It was my way of showing my feminine side. At the moment I am taking baby steps to pursue interior design and I would love to be a stylist.

I dont have a favorite I just like having big ideas, being creative and having creative freedom.

adorned in the gold jewellery was striking. I also Love Cowrie shells!! My first piece of jewellery I ever made was a wrist band full of cowrie shells and my most recent range is again based around cowrie shells as they were one of the first forms of currency in India and very common in traditional clothing.

Do you have any major inspirations?

What advice do you have for artists wanting to break into the art world?

Maybe too, many! But if I had to narrow it down, cultures inspire me more than individuals. Indigenous tribes have always been my number one fascination. I travelled all the way to Canada when I was 19 just to see a Totem pole.

Australian indigenous art and culture is another major inspiration and something that I have always had a great curiosity and admiration for. Visiting India seeing the modest beauty of the woman, their bright coloured Saris,

Before you break into it, break it down. Ask yourself what your trying to gain, is it the personal fulfillment, financial benefits, the challenge?

All these things should be thought about, so you can take and make the right opportunities. Social media is amazing and can get you started instantly. Dont worry about what you don’t have money, time etc- just do what you can and watch the ball roll. You dont have to start

big, to start. Don’t let lack of confidence stop you either. You’ll have people love what you do and some that are not interested at all, just focus on the ones that are.

You recently travelled through India and Sri Lanka am I right?

What was that like? And how did it inspire your work?

Yes, I was also lucky enough to visit Nepal. I spent a total of three months away designing my new range. I was in my element! I love adventure, outdoors and jewellery so it was a giant Ah moment for me, I had reached my Mecca. India is like being Alice in Wonderland in the best possible way, nothing is as what it seems. ‘Yes’ means ‘No’, time frames and promises are fickle, and its just one big awesome surprise. You have to laugh at everything and understand its a different place of different value. It reassured me that we don’t necessarily have to deny the luxuries we have but to certainly appreciate them, and how lucky we are in Australia to have a choice to pursue our dreams.

It inspired me to continue being grateful. That of course has an after effect and flows into what you do naturally It’s seems as though Byron bay has an abundance of amazing, independent strong, creative women, that work together and are really supportive of each other, what is it like being part of this community?

Its been amazing, one particular person that really stands out for me and embodies all of these characters is Lisa Wright from Lisa’s Closet. We started talking out of mutual respect for one another’s product which then lead to many collaborations and now a great friendship. I really admire her attitude to helping 9

other women in business and in life. She is one of those people that sees an individual’s strength and potential and somehow brings out your best and I love this attitude, it can be really tough with lots of people trying to bring you down, we are all in the same boat so why not float it together.

Do you have any rituals/routines before beginning work?

I love breakfast! Its crucial for me to function along with a nice warm cup of tea. I love green tea with lemon and honey, a dash of apple cider vinegar and grated ginger. Also a surf is a must!

What are you working on at the moment?

My new range, a new lookbook, Splendour in the Grass, building an outdoor shower, metal stamping, learning how to surf switch, learning how to skateboard again and giving myself days off... the last is a working progress.

Do you have any local exhibitions coming up?

Not at the moment, but I would love to exhibit at Dbah Gallery again. It is such a beautiful gallery with supportive staff. They really do support emerging, existing and local artists.

How can our readers get in contact with you/see your work?

Instagram is usually the best for casual updates: @celestetwikler_art_jewellery Or celestetwikler@gmail.com www.celestetwikler.com

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Credit: Carly Brown photography for Lisa’s Closet

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Business

Words By Josephine Flynn Pictures care of Joining Hands Have a think for a moment about how peaceful you feel after a massage, reiki, acupuncture or bowen therapy treatment.

Now think about how much better you would feel knowing that your therapy would allow one vulnerable member of the community a treatment in return. This is the idea behind the inspirational organisation, Joining Hands.

Kylie Lowe, co-founder of Joining Hands, has been working in the youth homeless and justice sector for 17 years. In 2002, she started practicing homeopathy and set up a practise in her home before she was struck with breast cancer. Initially setting up her practise for the general public, her “dance with 12

death” provided an enlightened view of life and how she wanted to use her experience and gifts. “I worked out pretty quickly what was a priority. For me, it’s about what brings me joy.” Turning her back on a private practise, Kylie invented the idea of Joining Hands; creating a space where her two worlds (homeless youth and natural therapies) would meet.

Joining Hands provides individual treatments to the general public, workplace massages and mindfulness workshops and retreats. For each individual that goes on a retreat and every five workplace treatments, one homeless or vulnerable member of the community will receive free access to a service that would normally be unattainable for them.

Every night, 44,000 young people are homeless across Australia. In 2013, Joining Hands gave back ¼ of their annual turnover to helping these young people gain access to complimentary and preventative therapies. “I have never been able to afford to try out these types of treatments and my anxiety reduced after only one treatment.” States one of the recipients of the free treatments. Another youth adds “I am more able to trust that someone would want to use touch as a way to promote health and wellbeing, rather than to inflict pain or control. The treatment also helps with headaches I get having cysts on my brain. I am able to sleep better at night and I find it helps with my depression.”

Adding to the incredible treatments Joining Hands are able to provide for the recipients, once a month, they offer free services at the Gold Coast Youth Service. “Mental health is one of the reasons why some people find themselves homeless 13

or vulnerable. We wanted to create access to affordable holistic health care.” Kylie continues when discussing the work they do at the centre.

Next time you feel like a massage, reiki, bowen therarpy or acupuncture treatment, why not go to a place where you know you’ll be giving back. You’ll walk out of the treatment, not only feeling amazing due to the effects of the therapy, but knowing that you’re helping someone who needs it more.

The next retreat is being held October 10th-12th at Gunnebah Retreat Centre, Murwillumbah.

Over the weekend, you will experience Nia and yoga by the lovely Taryn Pallister (see our article on Nia in this issue), nutritional and art workshops and enjoy music from a couple of the boys from The Lamplights.

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To find out more visit the website, or contact below: W – joininghands.com.au E – kylie@joininghands.org.au P – 0431 436 939

spring into joyretreat This nourishing weekend will leave you feeling recharged, joyful and inspired!

• Unwind and rebalance with gentle yoga by Taryn • Increase your vitality through the fun expressive movement practice of Nia • Unleash your creativity with music and art workshops with Ash, Mattie, Ryan and Jo • Be nourished by delicious whole foods • Discover healthy lifestyle choices in a nutritional workshop by Jenni from Coconutmagic • Get your groove on at an intimate concert with Ryan, Mattie and Ash from the Lamplights For every person on our retreat we ‘Give Back’ 1x free natural health service to homeless and vulnerable young people in our community.

Reward yourself with an amazing weekend getaway and feel twice as good!

Further information call our Joining Hands team 0431 436 939

Pay $200 deposit

by July 31st receive a $50 early bird discount

“The food was amazing, wholesome and delicious” (Joy retreat 2013)

October 10 - 12th 2014 Gunnebah Retreat Centre 586 Nobbys Creek Rd Murwilumbah NSW

Costs: starts from $425 depending on accom

“ I feel nourished and recharged” (Joy retreat 2013)

“ The program was fantastic” (Joy retreat 2013)

www.joininghands.com.au

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KURANDA ROOTS FESTIVAL 20-22 JUNE 2014

Last year, we were very happily introduced to the splendour that is Island Vibe Festival. This year, we were fortunate enough to be invited to the rainforest community of Kuranda in Northern Queensland and experience the good vibes and amazing energy that is Kuranda Roots Festival.

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Situated in the magical spot of “The Billabong” just outside of Kuranda, Kuranda Roots features the best in Australian and International Reggae, Dub and World music. This year saw the 11th year for the festival featuring artists such as Tippa Irie, Dub Terminator and Ras Stone and Brisbane locals Bullhorn, Kooii, Zennith, Schoolfight, Die Rude and Spankinhide.

Each morning would start off with group yoga (and what a spot to do your Sun Salutations surrounded by rainforest and wonderful people.)

Workshops continued throughout the day including drumming, storytelling, weaving and bush tucker walks. What we loved about this festival, though, was the real sense of pride in Community and Culture.

The organisers and some of the artists were born and raised in the area just outside of Cairns, which

created a real sense of “home.”

Created by the organisers of Island Vibe, Kuranda Roots had the same relaxed, cruisy, positive and soul hugging energy that you can’t help smiling at. Kids were having a ball in the ride around Pirate Ship, hay bales and not to mention the dance floor, while festival go-ers chilled in the sun, danced to the best of the International and Local music, drank from fresh coconuts and made new friends.

Once again, we have been blown away by the people, places, culture, talent and energy we are lucky enough to work with and can’t wait to see what next year brings for Kuranda Roots. If you want to experience this for yourself, Island Vibe is coming up at the end of October, so look out for line-up announcements and ticket info on our Facebook page.

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Business

PATAGONIA THE PERFECT FIT

Words and pictures by Tommy Leitch

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For over 50 years, Yvon Chouinard has been preaching to the choir. The only problem is, the choir wasn’t in earshot…until now.

Chouinard is founder and owner of Patagonia clothing company, now proudly sporting it’s very latest outlet in Jonson Street, Byron Bay. So who is the choir and what has he been preaching? Well, dear fellow Byronians, we are that choir and his message is one intrinsic to our town’s ethos.

Patagonia, despite being a multinational company turning over hundreds of millions of dollars every single year, is just about as ethical a business as you are ever likely to find. Originally, the company was in the market of climbing gear. Chouinard, an avid climber himself, saw the unsustainable damage done to cliff faces by equipment and sought to find an alternative.

Find it he did and, once this

started taking off, he expanded into clothing, always with acute environmental and ethical consciousness.

Now, half a century on, Chouinard is the proud papa of over 50 independent stores and a legacy to be proud of: one of, if not the, first major business to incorporate childcare facilities onsite, one of the first to implement paid maternity leave, a head office – in Ventura, California – made of 95% recycled materials, an organic cafeteria, clothing that is both recycled and recyclable, indeed, an actual incentive program to encourage customers to bring in their old clothing for recycling, organic cotton, advanced wetsuits that incorporate marino wool and plant-based neoprene substitutes, absolute dedication to fair trade and ethical manufacture at every single level of business and cofounder of 1% For The Planet

– a foundation enabling major businesses to donate 1% of their gross annual earnings to environmental causes. And all this, amazing and admirable though it is, is just the tip of the iceberg.

Since launching in Australia, Patagonia has ventured into the surfing industry and, given the nature of both the environmental mentality of the company and Australia’s highly ocean-oriented marketplace; it has been a fruitful evolution.

Patagonia ambassador and long-time reluctant surf industry spokesperson, Wayne Lynch, reflects: “Back in the late 60s, one thing that we as surfers started talking about was looking after the environment and making clothing that was organic or recyclable and we always thought that’s where surfing should have gone. It’s always amazed me that the industry 21

grew in completely the opposite direction. It really upset me and, consequently, I got fired – endlessly!” But, he hastens to add, Patagonia has never allowed itself to slip into this formula.

“People kept saying that you can’t make money out of it, it’s too hard, but Yvon has showed that it’s possible and the breadth of what can be done.”

Surf Mecca as it is, Byron Bay will always attract surf brands, but what makes this recent connection so significant is Patagonia‘s alignment to the more spiritual side of the Bay, that profound awareness of nature and our duty to protect it at every level of our lives.

Californian Keith Malloy, another of Patagonia‘s ambassadors was present for the Byron Bay store’s launch in October last year: “I think the store is just perfect for the area. I think there are a lot of like-minded people here in Byron Bay who thinks a lot about environmental issues. It’s pretty neat because Patagonia has based their company around doing smart business environmentally for so many years – they haven’t just jumped on the bandwagon in the last few years. And I bet a lot of the Byron locals are like that too – they’ve been doing it for a lot longer than the latest fad. They’ve been thinking and caring about the environment for a long time. So it really makes a lot of sense for Patagonia to be here.”

Lynch concurs: “I think there’s a certain awareness in Byron, generally speaking, that you don’t really get in a lot of places in Australia, environmental, social and so on – they see a bigger picture, and I think Patagonia really fits into that because the product is so heavily based around responsibility, both 22

environmentally and socially.”

More than just a surf store though, Patagonia offers men’s and women’s clothing for a wider range of tastes and applications. No garish colours are on display, no latest trends pursued. Patagonia has always walked it’s own path, often through the availability or ethics of fabrics and designs, and through this has developed it’s own style; subtle, functional, simple, and all with a fundamental

wawareness of the planet and its many creatures.

As Patagonia Byron Bay store manager and former Patagonia Australia distribution licensee and brand manager, Glenn Casey says, “We [Patagonia] have, for many years, aimed to inspire and create a different thinking in a lot of people’s minds about what we can do as a company and what we can give back to people.

I think Byron is a beautiful place, I find all of the people here beautiful, I’ve tried to create something beautiful and I hope you come in and enjoy it.”

Patagonia Byron Bay is now open at: Byron Bay: 58 Jonson St Burleigh Heads: 15 James St Go take a peak…

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Environment

HUMPBACKS & HIGHRISES Words and pictures courtesy of Humpbacks & Highrises

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Humpbacks & High-rises (HHR) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to marine mammal research & protection on the Gold Coast.

Olaf Meynecke, researcher with the Griffith Center for Coastal Management and HHR Director says: “It is our task to provide independent research on marine mammals. Our interest is to ensure a future for these magnificent animals in our region. Our work dependents on the goodwill and support of the public and relies on the many volunteers dedicating their time to collect data.

We do not have government funding or any other form of funding that hinders us to discover the truth.�

Rapid development on the Gold Coast and increased tourism activities have the potential to impact whale behavior and health, and need to be managed carefully and sensitively.

Without such consideration, we expect incidents with shark nets and boats to double or triple as seen in recent years. Humpbacks and High Rises aims to learn more how Gold Coast waters are used by whales so that their movements and gathering sites can be better predicted. We hope to help end these potentially tragic and avoidable incidents, and ensure these majestic creatures are provided a safe and clear passage through

the waters we both call home.

Each year on the Gold Coast, approximately 80 000 people enjoy whale watching, generating more than $5 million dollars for the city, plus additional indirect economic stimulation for the tourism industry. Our stunning stretch of coastline experiences one of the world’s largest Humpback Whale migration every year. Around 18 000 Humpbacks travelled through our beautiful waters in 2014 on their round trip voyage from their Antarctic summer feeding grounds to their tropical winter breeding grounds and back again. Yet our graceful humpbacks still need many years to recover from their 90% population

decline caused by decades of whaling, and are still considered ‘‘vulnerable’’ by the World Conservation Union and Australian agencies.

To date, there has been an estimated 30-50% world wide recovery of the original population since the end of the commercial whaling industry but the pressure is still on, with some countries undertaking whaling.

Climate change is also a real concern as it threatens the whales’ main food source, krill and changes ocean currents. There is concern that krill depletion and shifts are underway due to temperature changes and 25

ocean acidification.

The ocean continues to absorb large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, making the water more acidic and harder for krill to build their shell leaving a potential smaller food supply for the whales returning from migration.

Olaf Meynecke encourages everyone to participate in the research and protection of our marine mammals by either volunteering, donating or using the newly developed free app Whale Trails available on iTunes and Googleplay.

You love the sea? Then join us for the best sea par-tea

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on the coast. Dress up as a sea worthy creature, enjoy our BBQ, presentation, prizes and music for a fun night for a good course. Protecting the sea has never been easier. The coast is famous for fun and we are famous for sea and we fore-sea a great night!!! Join Humpbacks and Highrises on 6th Sept. at Kurrawa Surfclub at 630pm for this very special event. www.hhr.org.au

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Environment

JADEO WALKS AWAY Written and Photographed

by Jade Hopley

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As my car turned down the winding road toward my destination, I came to a sudden halt. Right there in front of me was the most spectacular sunrise, unfolding before my eyes, the sun was coming up over this bay, the rocky headland silhouetted, the sky on fire with hues of orange, the sun a giant yellow ball, its rays stretched as far as the eye could see. A lone fisherman stood on the rocks and a pelican floating around the bay, watching the fisherman reel in his breakfast… I had found my paradise!

I had some time off work, a very rare whole weekend in fact. I had no plans and was in a spontaneous mood, so I ended up on a road trip to spend 3 days in the wilderness surviving on the bag of trail mix, whatever food we caught and small amount of water. I was just north of Newcastle with a guy from Lennox Head

named Walk Away Dave.

You might remember him from our interview with Walk Away, in Issue 1. Dave has been surviving out there for 2 months, cleaning beaches and sand dunes to raise awareness about plastic pollution. It was amazing being out in the bush, surrounded by wildlife, woken daily by giant black cockatoos and white-bellied sea eagles.

The first day was spent exploring the area, and chilling out at Number 1 beach with some local groms. They told me stories of what it was like growing up here, and what they do for fun, before hoping in for a quick surf. They spent the rest of the arvo hanging out with us at the campsite.

It was refreshing getting to know some kids that could amuse themselves with outdoor adventures and were not afraid of “being bored” just sitting around passing time. I remember thinking, If I ever 29

have kids, I’d be so proud if they turned out like these little legends.

On my 2nd day, Dave took me on an approximately 30km round trip, to a part of the beach inaccessible by vehicle.

All there is on this beach is sand dunes for miles. It is indigenous land with many sacred sites, so no roads, have ever been allowed to be built through the area. Dave calls it the “Last Frontier” as it is the only stretch of beach on the East Coast like it.

Dave had already cleaned that stretch, he marks out where he has left the bags of rubbish with big sticks and will go pick them up at the end of his trip. He has a trolley that he fills up and goes back and forth. He said it was nice to see that since he had been there 2 weeks before, no other rubbish had washed in. The beach was how it should be, pristine and untouched, not 30

even a footprint.

The walk there was long and hard, that damned headland just kept getting further away it seemed, but we had a welcome respite when a family of Dolphins decided to join us on the journey. I stopped for a while and took photos, but it seemed they were too busy fishing in the waves, to give me any good shots. We eventually got to the Big Gibba headland. After a rest, some water and a nibble on some trail mix, we climbed up and over the cliff face to find a cave on the beach on the other side.

The Cave was filled to the brim with plastic pollution that had washed in from the ocean, most of which was plastic water bottles.

I was deeply saddened by the state of this sacred site, and understand now why Dave is so passionate about raising awareness about our

addiction to single use plastic.

We gathered all the plastic (I say plastic and not rubbish because it was literally ALL plastic). Almost all of the rubbish Dave had collected so far; from the beach and the sand dunes was plastic, with the exception of some old beer cans and Styrofoam. Humans did not leave behind this stuff on the beach; it has washed in on the tides, most likely from the giant metropolis of Newcastle around 2 hours south of where we stood.

As we walked back to o ur camp that afternoon, Dave told me a story of his last adventure here last year. He chose to stay out fishing after sunset as he was desperate for food, it got dark and he had no torch. He spent the night running around in circles in the bush, wild animals everywhere, dingo’s, emu...

He panicked and eventually gave in. He lay on the ground, telling himself this was it; this

is how it ends, for a moment there he had given up. But something clicked, he had a new found mission, he was intent on surviving, now that he was calm, he got up and set out to find camp again. At 3am he finally found his tent, he collapsed inside and passed out.

As I walked along the beach that afternoon, and as we witnessed the most spectacular sunset I’ve ever seen, I tried to imagine his plight in my head. I understood it would’ve been scary and how intense the situation was, but you can never really know until you’re in that person’s shoes. Little did I know, I was about to be...

We had lost track of time.

Neither of us had realized, I was too busy being a photographer stopping for photos along the way, especially when the sun started to set. I didn’t even think about how far away 31

from camp we still were, the tide was coming in, and we were now trekking along the soft sand, Dave sinking as he pulls his trolley full of plastic behind him. I’m physically exhausted my legs are almost numb, and I’m freezing, but mentally my senses were becoming awakened, as it got darker and darker. I started to worry, I hear dingo’s howling, and I realize, I have literally found myself in Dave’s shoes.

We get to the end of the beach and its time to get up the bush trail to our camp. As soon as we step off the beach into the bush, I start to image Dave’s story. I am in awe of how he survived, and you literally cannot see a thing! Not one little thing! If you put your hand in front of your face you wouldn’t see it.

Luckily Dave had a lighter he went ahead and flinted the lighter as he walked, warning me of obstacles I had ahead of me. I was so grateful we were 32

on an actual pathway up to the campsite and not finding our way, like Dave had last year, through a wild jungle.

I kept myself sane by telling Dave how insane he was, I’m pretty sure I used the words “Nut Job” a dozen times! I mean seriously who goes through something like this not only once but twice!

We eventually get to the end of the path, to the clearance where the campsite was. I cannot describe the emotions I was feeling to finally be out of that bush and back to camp.

It was nearly 7pm, we had left camp around 10:30am that morning. All we had eaten was a few handfuls of nuts but I cared nothing for food, all I wanted was warmth. We lit a fire and spent the night laughing about the situation we got ourselves into.

The next day was my last; I was setting off on my journey home in the afternoon. But

before we left I had one more site to see, a Lake, the Lake Dave had been fishing at when he got lost the year before. The bush was even more dense and there were a few more “your a bloody nut jobs” thrown around, before it was time to check the surf.

Unfortunately it was a bay, as flat as the lake. I considered going in for a swim, however the thought of walking along that sand, made me violently ill. In a way it was probably good there was no surf, I don’t think my legs would’ve been able to push me up on a board anyways...

So I said goodbye to Walk Away, wished him luck for the rest of his trip and set off back to Coolangatta with a new found respect for my friend and my own mission to rid my life of single use plastic...

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Inspirational Person

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Words by Jade Hopley

BEN ‘GUMBY’ GUMBELTON Six or so months ago our resident contributor and photographer Jade Hopley was at her day job. When not running around taking snaps or sitting in her apartment writing articles for us, She is a disability support worker ,working for an incredible northern NSW based organization call Lifebridge East inc. She began this shift with Jakey as usual, meeting the school bus at the respite house, making sure he is comfortable, and giving him some afternoon tea, it was during this usual routine that something amazing happened….

Credit: Bethany Ryles

Today six months after posting a comment on the wall of Newcastle 5 piece band Benjalu, I am sitting here with Jakey waiting to meet the bands, lead singer and guitarist Ben ‘Gumby’ Gumbelton. We originally set out to make this article one of the musicians we love articles, but we decided that Ben Gumbelton really is an inspirational human and deserves to be recognized for that.

However Before I get into that, I want to tell you a little about Jake. Jake is a teenage boy I look after; he has Cerebral Palsy a cognitive condition that primarily affects movement. In Australia every 15 hours a person is born with Cerebral Palsy.

It is the most common physical disability in childhood. The Cerebral Palsy Alliance state ‘It can range from weakness in one hand, to an almost complete lack of voluntary movement requiring 24 hour care.’ Jake is on the later end of the spectrum.

Although he has such a severe physical disability, like almost all people with Cerebral Palsy it is just physical. Jake does not have the ability to speak, however he has full comprehension and likes to be involved and engages in conversation with

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laughter, noises and gestures, and he has a wonderful sense of humor. Jake’s three favorite things in life are Music, being in the water and good food.

Music, water and food are also passions of mine, so its only natural that Jakey and I get along. On the particular afternoon stated above, I was playing Jake one of my favorite bands latest EP Boondoggle. The song ‘caught in a mile’ came on. Up until this day, the only engagement

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I got out of Jake was laughter when we were joking around or he was being cheeky, or he would push me away when he had, had enough to drink etc, Today was special, when this song played, Jake grabbed my arm pulled me close, and really looked into my eyes, then he smiled the sweetest smile. We connected on a new level and it was through the music of Benjalu. I was deeply touched, and afterward, I wrote to the band telling them, how their music, had made this happen.

The band, (in particular Ben) were so touched by the moment I had shared with Jake, they offered to meet and play for him. So here we are today on a beautiful winter afternoon in July, sitting in the sunshine at a park in Coolangatta, with Gumby playing a private acoustic show just for Jake and I. After the show I asked Gumby some questions about the experience, and some of the other random acts of kindness he has performed that lead us

to admire Ben and regard him as an inspirational human… And because his music is also really important, We also found out what he and the band have been up to of late…

I know how special that moment I wrote to you about was for me, and I knew I needed to share it with you, however I did not expect the reaction, I got from not only you, but also the dozens of people who read the post and commented. Can you tell me what it meant to you to read the message and the preceding comments?

Never in a million years did I think lyrics I wrote could mean so much to others. When I read this story I wasn’t with the other boys, but it didn’t take long for everyone to be ringing each other with the same emotions. Your story and Jake inspired so many people that day and is still something we talk to people about on the road. It will be something we cherish and remember. I’m sitting in a Cafe at the moment looking at a quote on the wall by Bob Marley, “You just can’t live in a negative way, make way for a positive day”. That’s what you do for Jake everyday and what I saw when we got to hang out. BEAUTIFUL!

Credit: Jade Hopley

6 months later Jake finally gets to meet you and hear you play live. I know by Jake’s reaction and the unrelenting smile during & afterward how stoked he was, How did you feel about the day?

I felt complete happiness and inspiration! I think it’s safe to say we would have been happy to stay there in the park all afternoon together, as we got lost in music with me playing and him clapping his hands along with the rhythm. There are so many ways, in my eyes, that a personal connection can be made other than a verbal conversation, and that moment was ours.

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I certainly shed some tears of happiness in my own time before the show that night.

This isn’t the first random act of kindness you have engaged in, I remember reading you picked up a bunch of lost teenagers on the way to Newcastle one night, can you tell us about that evening?

Haha yes that was a funny one. Those guys were legends.

Just trying to get from one place to another. I saw three taxis go past them as they tried to wave them down, so I turned around and helped them out. And, turned out they were Benjalu fans!

The same thing happened just last week, only on a bigger scale. I had just finished a show in Bellingen at 9:30pm and was driving back to Port Macquarie to my accommodation, when I saw four people next to their car with the hazards on in the 38

Credit: Bethany Ryles

dark. I pulled over to ask if they were ok. The car had broken down and the tow truck was on the way. They were on their way to Splendour In The Grass, but it was looking like they wouldn’t make it and would have to get a greyhound bus back to Sydney. I somehow decided to drop my gear off at the closest service station, go back and pick them up and drive four hours in the opposite direction to get them to an amazing festival. I got them there at 1am, then drove six hours back to Port, arriving at 7am. Lucky I don’t seem to need much sleep!

Ben, Once again in Germany you made an impromptu 5-hour detour to play for some special fans you had met at show, can you tell us that story?

We met a beautiful lady at one of our first gigs in Germany. She ended up coming to a few more shows with her husband, who was in a wheelchair. Our song Little Darling resonated quickly and strongly with them. She told me her dream was to have me play at their house for them and their close friends. That was a dream I could easily help to make a reality! We had an amazing afternoon in her garden, with a massive bbq lunch and lots of smiling faces.

Not only the nicest guy in Aussie music, you have to be one of the hardest working. Doing 40 gigs in 30 days around Europe.

What’s your fondest memory of the tour?

Thankyou for the lovely comment. There are a bunch of kindhearted, hard-working musicians out there that I know of, and I am just honored to be a part of that community. There are so many fond memories of that European tour, but I guess the

most memorable part would be simply seeing people from the other side of the world singing along to our songs and refreshing my thoughts on the power of music and the connection that can be made with strangers.

Straight off a plane and back to Australia to continue the Benjalu Acoustic tour, which is being received really well.

Do you plan to release a recording of this strippedback version of the Lu? Well we had a run of shows with the full band first when we got back. It was so good to have the lads back in the van, making noise together on stage again. It’s been amazing on so many levels with this acoustic tour.

Seeing and hearing about new connections our friends are having with the songs has been really cool. When we play as a band they are

Credit: Bethany Ryles

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connecting with the beat, the fun vibe, and a moment. With it being in acoustic form, they are more attached to the story and message within the lyrics and vocal performance. It’s been great for me to have that connection with our songs as well.

You are regulars on the festival scene, what’s your favorite festival experience?

We really love any festival we are asked to play! To be part of an amazing lineup and hang with other artists for a day or two is always an epic experience. If I had to name two favourites so far, they would be Byron Bay Blues Festival (because it’s like 40

playing alongside our record collections, all the awesome artists we grew up listening to!), and Gumball Festival.

Gumball is the best small, community festival out there for sure, we get super stoked every time we are able to get back there.

What is next for Benjalu, once you finally return home to your musical compadres?

The big one on the table for us is the debut album. We have no real deadline, which is the best thing about be independent. We also have always written most of the music together and hopefully

we can keep it that way. So it could take a little while, but we don’t mind. Just want to put something out we are all stoked about. We’ll always be touring as a full band, and will hopefully have more opportunities to do the acoustic thing as well.

Where can our readers find info about tours and releases?

We try to advertise as well as we possibly can in the media, but our website and Facebook page would be the best places to keep an eye out!

Lastly, can you tell our readers which Aussie musicians you’re digging at the moment?

There are so many! The ones on highest rotation in the car at the moment are Kim Churchill, Melody Pool, Mat McHugh and The Beautiful Girls, Ash Grunwald, Violent Soho, Sticky Fingers, Dune Rats and Al Parkinson.

Credit: Jade Hopley

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Music

It’s not secret we love live local music and we’ve been noticing a lot lately that the local girls are absolutely kicking music butt! We caught up with five of our most favourite and inspirational female musicians to find out more about how they got into music, influences, how to make it in a “boys club” and why they love living here as much as we do:

WEST END GIRLS 42

Billie Weston Who/what was your inspiration to get into music?

I was raised with music. My parents are both musicians and from as far back as I can remember, having a band in the lounge room was completely normal. I spent my childhood stepping over mounds of leads, sitting on amps and singing along to my parent’s band. They had a very diverse taste in music and I was brought up with everything from Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Bob Marley and the Stones to Little Richard, Tom Waits and Billy Holliday. I definitely took on that same taste for diversity but growing up in the 80’s, I was particularly obsessed with Michael Jackson. I thought he was magical, I still do. My grade five teacher wrote in my report card ‘I would like to see Billie reading less music magazines and more of the books that were given to her in class.’ What was she thinking?

How would you describe your music/style?

Dubmarine are an 8 piece band that create live, high energy

Credit: Lachlan Douglas

Credit: Lachlan Douglas

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dance music that is inspired by bass driven musical styles from around the world. We incorporate many different elements of reggae, dub, dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass, hip hop, trap, glitch, synth/ electronica and a touch of metal. We fuse it all together with the mission of uniting and inspiring people via one massive dance party. We work very hard but it’s an incredibly rewarding band to be a part of.

What do you love about living in this beautiful part of the world?

I live in beautiful West End in Brisbane and I love this place for it’s culture and

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strong sense of community, especially amongst creatives living in the area. It’s quite unique to find that in a city.

I grew up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland and moved to Brisbane after finishing highschool. My parents are from London and when my Dad met my Mum in a ska club in Brixton in the mid 70’s, he had just returned from a few years travelling around the world where he had ended up living and working in Australia.

According to mum, the night they met, he still had a tan and wore a white shirt to make it stand out. Dad recalls mum was skanking on her own on the dance floor, like

a boss. So my father said to my mother, ‘ I am going to take you to Australia and we are going to go and live in the best part of the world’. So they did. They spent two years jumping through immigration hoops and landed in Brisbane 1976.

I am incredibly grateful for what my parents went through to come here, they left everything behind with nothing but two suitcases to give my sister and I a better life and I am thankful for that, everyday. I have spent a few years living overseas and I’m sure they wont be the last but Brisbane will always be home. I feel that Brisbane has allowed me to do all the

things I have set out to do. It has given me opportunities that have allowed me to perform to thousands of people all over the world with Dubmarine, have an amazing career in makeup and also meet some of the dearest, most wonderful friends one could ask for. Summer can be a right bitch though, blimey.

There are so many incredible female musicians in this area, why do you think the music industry is more male dominant?

You know, I never really think about that. I think that in music, especially in this part of the world, if you are awesome at what

you do, nobody cares at all if you are male or female.

Perhaps yes, there is a higher populous of males in the industry but I don’t think that is a result of men being sexist. Fly girls need to put themselves forward! Say if a band is auditioning for a new drummer and a girl comes in and blows everyone away, they are going to go with the girl because she is the better drummer, right?

All of my male friends in the industry absolutely celebrate the female artists they collaborate with, because they are awesome musicians, vocalists and performers. If a girl is in a band with guys and feels she is not an equal,

Credit: Lisa Sista

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then they are not good guys and she needs to go find some better people to make music with. I am the only girl in a band with 7 guys and they are my brothers. From day one, we have been absolute equals. Actually, that’s not true, I drink more of the rider than them.

excited to see the rare Morning Glory Cloud formation that occurs in the area during the time of the festival. We also have a new single dropping towards the end of the year so we are working on that release and gearing up for the ever-crazy summer festival season.

Who would you want to collaborate with?

I’m going to head back to my London roots on this wish list and say Tricky, SBTRKT, Faithless, Leftfield, Rudimental and Disclosure. As a result of my British DNA, I’ve been a huge fan of UK Garage since I was a teenager (much to my alienation at times) and it has never really taken off in Australia until now. I’ve been faithfully waiting for 15 years for it to come full circle and finally, hoorah! So yes, a collaboration on a fresh 2-step garage track would be rad!

How can readers find out more about you?

To keep up to date with Dubmarine’s news and upcoming shows, head to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/ mellowdubmarine When I’m not singing, I’m working behind the scenes in music as a makeup artist and hairstylist. You can check out my page here: www.facebook.com/billiemakeupartist

What other local musicians are you loving at the moment?

It goes without saying but all of the amazing women in this feature totally blow my mind. There is so much great music coming out of this area! I’m loving MKO, Bullhorn, Kingfisha, Oka and the amazing dj’s/producers from the Dub Temple Records crew. I also recently discovered a DJ from Uki, Dancing Tiger. I haven’t danced like that in a while, be sure to check him out and his GLO Dance events throughout the Northern Rivers region.

What’s in the pipeline?

Dubmarine are headed out to Bourketown in September for The Morning Glory Festival, which will be an amazing experience. As well as performing, we will be doing music workshops with the kids from the area and we are very 46

Follow myself and Dubmarine on Instagram: @billie_weston @dubmarine

Ashleigh Mannix Who/what was your inspiration to get into music?

My year 3 teacher used to bring her guitar in to school and sing us songs a few times a week. I remember being in absolute awe and wanted more than anything to be able to play the guitar like she did. So I begged my parents to get me guitar lessons until they gave in! :) How would you describe your music/style?

I never know how to answer this question! I guess my music sits somewhere between folk, blues, roots and pop.....but I’m really not sure! Haha!

What do you love about living in this beautiful part of the World?

When I first moved to the Gold Coast, nearly 3 years ago now, I instantly felt at home. I absolutely love living here. I love the people, the lifestyle and the weather; but most of all I love the sense of creativity I feel flowing through the place.

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There are so many incredible female musicians in this area, why do you think the music industry is generally male dominant?

That’s a hard one. I’m not sure why that is... I guess there are loads of different industries that are generally male dominant.

But that certainly doesn’t mean the women are any less talented!

Who would you love to collaborate with?

If I could choose to collaborate with any musician in the world, it would be James Taylor. In my mind he is an absolutely timeless artist.

What other local musicians are you loving at the moment?

The Gold Coast is filled with so many great artists and so much wonderful music - but there are these two fellows who occasionally busk outside the Tugun IGA on a Sunday afternoon...and gosh they’re good!

What’s in the pipeline?

I’m heading over to Japan to tour with my dear friend Justin Carter in September, and I’ll be back just in time for a big show with Taylor at the SoundLounge in Currumbin.

How can our readers find out more about you?

Head on over to my website www.ashleighmannix.com.au or to my facebook page - there’s all sorts of things happening there!

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FELICITY LAWLESS Who/what was your inspiration to get into music?

Music got into me.. From about 6, I jumped on the piano and started writing songs and have been addicted ever since. I guess my parents encouraging me to play piano... I don’t feel like I had a choice, it just kept happening again and again that I was playing music!!

How would you describe your music/style?

Trying to describe my musical style is like trying to paint with one’s eyes close. It is a fusion of Gypsy, world, reggae and rock elements with soaring vocal melodies and flashy, Spanish-style guitar.

What do you love about living in this beautiful part of the World?

I love that I can live in the forest and still be 15 minutes from the beach and all of my favourite cafes and the places I play music. I also love the emerging, dynamic arts scene which is of world class and all the great peeps in Palm Beach!!!

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There are so many incredible female musicians in this area, why do you think the music industry is generally male dominant?

Because it is a boys’ club in general and most men are encouraged from a young age to show off and be proud of their skills, whereas girls (particularly teenage) are often chastised for being great at sport or music. I think it is changing, slowly but surely. Success for a woman in music depends on one’s ability to utilise the boys’ club to advantage.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Bjork or The Cat Empire....

What other local musicians are you loving at the moment?

CC the Cat, Tijuana Cartel, Street 66 and Julia Rose What’s in the pipeline?

I am about to release my new, full-length album ‘Ouroboros’ upon the masses this August which will involve huge Gold Coast, Brisbane and Byron shows. I am on a mini-tour at the moment of NSW and ACT where we played a snow residency at Perisher and many other shows, and will return on August 3 to play with my trio at Nobby’s Surf Club. I am also playing at Swell Sculpture Festival on September 21. The rest of the year is all about launching the album which is my favourite work so far...

How can our readers find out more about you?

Visit either my website www.felicitylawless.com or my facebook www.facebook.com/FelicityLawlessMusic 50

JULIA ROSE Who/what was your inspiration to get into music?

My inspiration to get into music at a young age was my family and a killer 5 part harmony song everywhere we went. The extraordinary talented CC the Cat is my big sister, we grew up singing in choirs and playing classical piano, I studied that for for 15 years. I picked up my 2nd instrument... I chose the sax and played big band tunes with that for 8 years. Then

when I graduated high school my folks bought me my first nylon-stringed guitar and I learned my first song which was a Chili Peppers ‘Californication’ and as soon as I hit Uni I discovered just how sexy the bass was and Flea & Bootsy became my muses and I’ve never looked back and started 2 funk/ska bands Bertha Control and Anarchist Duck. I started Julia Rose 4 years ago, my little sister Lou plays in that with me, Dan Hitzke and Brando. The magnificent Felicity Lawless has been a

huge influence on my music, we have been playing music together for 12 years across all bands and genres.

How would you describe your music/style?

As Julia Rose I play Baroque / Folk style which is anything from Operatic Ballads to Flamenco style Rock, just depends what mood we’re in.

What do you love about living in this beautiful part of the World?

My Favourite thing about living in this part of the world is the peace, the pace, the killer sunsets and the ocean.

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There are so many incredible female musicians in this area, why do you think the music industry is generally male dominant?

I think most industries are male dominant and that doesn’t surprise me, I’ve been lucky to have found a good mix of fantastic women and fellas to jam with.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

I would love to collaborate with Victor Wooten What other local musicians are you loving at the moment?

Local muso’s I’m digging at the moment are CC the Cat, the Hussy Hicks, Felicity Lawless, Mia Dyson, Liz Stringer, His Merry Men, Bullhorn.

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What’s in the pipeline?

We are gearing up for our massive single launch and tour in Oct this year, including a gig at the Soundlounge October 3 with Allensworth USA. We have some fantastic new stuff and are working along some industry giants which is great. We’ll be touring Oz, Canada, Japan and USA over the next year and releasing our Debut album mid 2015.

How can our readers find out more about you?

Readers can check out all our music etc at www.juliarosemusic.com you’ll find links to all our sites and itunes there.

Come say hi at a gig soon, I’d love to share a bevvy and story with you.

Claire Cottone Who/what was your Inspiration to get into music?

I grew up on music. My mum is an amazing musician and so are all my siblings. My dad is a writer and a poet and always encouraged us to walk the Artist’s way. We learnt instruments from a young age and we all sang from the time we could talk. I studied classical piano for 15 years with an inspirational teacher in Brisbane, and then moved to the dark side in my 20s when I began to worship the god of Rock. In my early 20s I met Ras Hori, one of the formative musicians of the Brisbane reggae scene and started singing BVs in his band. He taught me reggae and I’ve been playing reggae ever since. Also my first band Bertha Control (all-girl political 6-piece) launched all of its members into music with a galactic girl-power bang.

I started CC the Cat back in 2006 and all the musicians I have played with in my band since then have also inspired the shit out of me.

How would you describe your music/style?

Roots rock reggae with a funky underbelly and a smashing of sweet sexy soul.

What do you love about living in this beautiful part of the World?

I’ve travelled a lot around the world and I have to say I’m always stoked to come home to Oz. I love the spaciousness, the generally pristine environment, the incredible landscapes and the down-to-earth peeps. I’ve been living on the Gold Coast 53

for the past ten years and just recently moved further south into the Byron hills.

I’m addicted to the ocean, the creeks, the rainforest and the sunsets. Life is freakin’ beautiful round here. We complain a lot but compared to a lot of places in the world we have a lot of freedom and privilege living in Australia.

It’s important not to forget that.

There are so many incredible female musicians in this area, why do you think the music industry is generally male dominant?

Great question and it’s one I’ve been pondering my whole music career. I’ll be launching a blog later this

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year and this is one of the topics I’d like to cover, to find out what people on all sides of the music industry think about this serious question. You do have to be fairly ballsy to get yourself a gig in this competitive environment! That said, I’ve learnt to run my band in a feminine way and that works for me. I sometimes feel sidelined by the boys club when I don’t get a gig I think I deserve, but its impossible to know whether I’m hitting a glass ceiling because of my sex or because it’s a difficult industry across the board.

of collaborators including my band mates, music and video producers, photographers and brother and sister bands… I’d love to have more management support and I just wish I had more money to throw at my team to get more done with bigger budgets and more time. I’d love to collaborate more with Polly Snowden who’s one of the most inspiring artists I’ve worked with consistently over the years. She’s an incredible music video producer and photographer, stylist, promoter and general music industry guru.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

I already have a dream team

What other local musicians are you loving at the moment?

Totally digging OKA’s live shows, they were so deep they made me cry at their show on Australia Day at the Brunswick Hotel and I have been known to be seen dancing like a devotee with my man at a bunch of their gigs this year. We were stoked to play a show with them at the Motor Room in West End back in May.

with the help of the amazing beings currently rocking with me in CC the Cat, namely my sister Julia Rose (bass), Dave Bell (drums), Stevie Buchanan (trumpet) and Ange Gadd (trombone). I’m also preparing to launch a new online blog and creativity coaching business for artists and people wanting to tap into their creative expression.

What’s in the pipeline?

We’re currently writing tunes for a new album in our drummer Dave’s jam cave in West End, hoping to get back in the studio early next year. Deep, juicy reggae tracks and I’d go so far as to say some of the best music I’ve written over the years

How can our readers find out more about you?

Jump on our band website www.ccthecat.com and follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/ ccthecatmusic. Also get on my mailing list (you can join on the website) for inside goss and inspiring artist tips.

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Music

BULLHORN The mighty Bullhorn have been on our radar for some time now. If you’re yet to hear the incredible, dance enducing sound these guys make with horns, a drum kit and some epic MC action, do yourselves a favour and keep a look out for their new album and upcoming tour around the Country. We caught up with Stevie to talk all things horn, collaborating, the new album and of course rap battles.

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So Stevie, tell us a little bit about how Bullhorn all started. Where did the idea come from?

I was keen to start a brass band that played rad modern material like hip hop, drum & bass, funk and soul music.

There’s a lot of these sorts of bands coming out of the States, but most of them struggle to let go of their brass band roots and still end up sounding kind of hokey. I’d been playing in the Brisbane music scene for years, so knew a lot of horn players. So I spent a few months writing and arranging, got a 45min set of material together, and in 2011 started BULLHORN.

Since then it’s taken on a life of it’s own, with new band members, and as well as a front man, Roman MC. It’s not just my band anymore, but a collaborative effort, and an even more amazing band for it!

a more collaborative process.

But we’re all working towards the same concept of Bullhorn.

We just want to create something new and awesome.

To play tunes that people love that 1st and 100th time they’ve listened to them.

With so many talented musicians in your band, what is your song writing/creating process?

The song writing process in Bullhorn is constantly changing and adapting, different for every tune.

Sometimes individuals have a clear vision and bring in nearly complete, charted tunes. Then other times it’s

Your music lends really well to some excellent collaborations. Who else would you love to collaborate with?

Where to start!? We’ve collaborated with so many great artists since the band began in 2011. Most recently we’ve been blessed to work with Laneous (Laneous & the Family Yah) and Kazman

(DubMarine) on our upcoming album. Last year we did a Hip Hop and Soul review at The Joynt and worked with dozens of amazing Brisbane artists including Billie Weston (Dubmarine), Claire Cottone (CC the Cat), Bec Laughton, Matty Witney, Ofa Fanaika (Chocolate Strings/ Captain Dreamboat), Ryan Svarc (Signature Series), Ladi Abundance, Sian Evans (Rusty Datsuns), Sabrina Lawrie (and the Hunting Party), Hannah Macklin (MKO), Mark Welge (Skinz), Ray Bourne (Rainman), Callum Robertson (Calski), Rui Da Cruz Vieira (Astro Travelers) and many others!

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Who knows what artist we’ll work with in the future? There are heaps of amazing local, national and international artists we’d love to work with, but we’ll just have to see where the journey takes us!

Rumour has it that some of the guys spend tour time in rap battles with each other. Should Roman be worried?

Haha! Bullhorn spends a lot of time on the road, and what better way to kill the time then some epic rap battles!?

We’ve definitely got some multi-talented horn players in Bullhorn, but Roman is the only true word smith in Bullhorn and has nothing to worry about :-)

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Tell us about your favourite gig.

That’s a hard question! We’ve had so many amazing shows!

The recent Kuranda Roots Festival was actually one of my favourite shows! We’ve been touring a lot lately, so the band is sounding really tight.

Our set time at the festival was late on the Saturday night, so everyone was ready to party, and we had the pleasure of working with a great crew at the festival, so it all just came together for a killer gig! We put everything into that show, and the crowd just went nuts! They loved it!

Very excited about the new album about to drop. What should we expect?

We are so excited about and proud of the new album, Players Sounds. Our engineer and producer Skritch has done an incredible job of capturing our distinctive but eclectic sound. The 11 tracks cross many genres including reggae, funk, drum & bass, jazz and hip hop. We’ve also had the absolute pleasure of working with multiple guests including Kazman (Dubmarine) and Laneous (Laneous & the family Yah).

New album means a tour right? What should our readers expect from your shows if they haven’t had the pleasure of seeing you yet?

Yeah we’ve got a massive tour coming up throughout SepNov up and down the East

Coast including Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, heaps of venues and a few festivals. If you haven’t seen our show, just be ready to dance! The combination of 7 mo. fo horns and Roman MC’s infectious stage presence gets every audience worked up into a lather.

What’s next for Bullhorn and how can our readers get involved?

At the moment we’re just working hard on finishing the album and getting the tour together. We’re really proud and excited about what we’ve come up with so far.

We’ve funded it all ourselves so far, by playing a lot of shows, selling a lot of merch, putting nearly all the money

back into the band and every member contributing huge amounts of time and effort to the cause. But recording and touring is expensive, and we need funding! So we’ve put together a Pozible campaign to help fund the new album.

Please check it out at www.pozible.com/bullhorn.

We’ve got heaps of great bonuses on offer including pre-release copies of the album and thanks in the notes! Any contribution no matter how big or small would be massively appreciated!

Web – bullhornmusic.com.au FB - /bullhorn

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Nutrition

staying nourished with living foods in winter.

It tends to be far easier to eat an abundance of raw food in the summer time when all you really crave is salad, smoothies and fruit eaten outdoors underneath sun-kissed skies. When Autumn begins to roll in and the mornings are crisp and fresh and the days begin to shorten, you tend to crave hearty soups and heavier foods that will warm and comfort you.

Words and pictures by Kelly Fielding.

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Chinese and Indian medicine both speak of the importance of warming food in the diet.

These ancient medicines follow guidelines that stoke the digestive fire and use heating herbs and spices as well as predominately cooked food to create balance in the body and ward off illness and infection. Chinese and Indian practitioners determine an individual’s health in terms of their very own unique make up or constitution, and create a diet, exercise and wellness regime based around the elements of earth, fire, air and water, that takes into account every aspect of that person from their breakfast to their digestion to the colour of their tongue. These medicines are centuries old and rich in both knowledge and practice.

Raw food comes from an entirely different line of thought. Raw foodists focus on the energy that is contained in living food and the way in which raw food is abundant in enzymes that enable food to be digested by itself and does not rob the body of enzymes or energy used on digestion. Raw food is seen as being specifically medicinal and life-giving in itself- it contains all of its rich vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and these nutrients are not tampered with nor obliterated when heated or cooked. Raw foodists claim to get sick very little, if at all, have abundant energy, have better sleep patterns, digestion and vitality in general.

With these varied approaches to health, all one can really do is take all of the information on board, and then see what works best for one’s own body and constitution. You certainly don’t need to eat 100% raw food all year around. It is wonderful to be able to listen to what feel right for you.

It is also great to keep in mind though if you are striving to keep up a good intake of raw food in your diet all year round, the best trick is to add plenty of warming spices into your food to give you that internal fire. Spices such as chilli and cayenne are obviously wonderful, but other warming spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, turmeric, cardamon, paprika and more! Try playing around with these spices in your food and see how they feel for you. The recipes below are mostly raw but have the option of being served warm or at room temperature. Give them a try and see for yourself how vibrant and nourishing living foods can be- even in winter!

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Banana Chai Smoothie This recipe for a Chai smoothie is one of my absolute favourites as the weather begins to cool. I also like to make it with pear instead of banana or even persimmon too. I still like to use frozen bananas for the texture and consistency, but by all means use ripe fresh bananas if you don’t want that frosty hit!

• 2 frozen bananas • 2 cups of nut milk (almond of cashew works best) • 1 teaspoon of tahini • 1 teaspoon of coconut oil • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon • 1/2 a teaspoon of cardamon • 1/2 a teaspoon of powdered ginger • 1/2 a teaspoon of fresh ginger • a dash of freshly grated nutmeg • 1 teaspoon of coconut nectar (optional if you like it sweeter!)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Taste to see of you need to add any additional spices or sweetener. Pour into a glass and scatter with coconut and cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Raw Carrot Cake and Morning Spice Porridge: This is a raw version of traditional cooked porridge, however if you would like is as a warm meal, simply make this recipe as follows below and warm it gently on the stove top before serving.

• 1 cup quinoa flakes • 1/2 cup buckwheat groats soaked overnight, rinsed.

• 1 1/2 cups almond milk • 1 grated carrot • 1 grated apple • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger • 1/2 teaspoon cardamon • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg • 2 teaspoons coconut nectar • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Place the quinoa flakes, strained buckwheat, almond milk, carrot, apple and spices in a blender or food processor and pulse gently several times until the mixture comes together but it still quite chunky and thick in consistency.Transfer this mixture to a bowl and add the coconut nectar, pumpkin seeds, goji berries and coconut and stir well.

Have a taste to make sure it is sweet enough for you ( I use very little sweetener, usually 1/2 a teaspoon or none at all, but it is nicer a little sweeter!) and then serve with an extra scattering of cinnamon and coconut.

• 2 table spoons of goji berries • 1/4 cup coconut 63

Vibrant Warm Pumpkin Soup The ingredients in this soup are predominantly raw but the pumpkin is steamed so that when you blend the soup, the result is a beautiful warm soup with the added vitality of all the fresh raw ingredients- it is perfect for winter!

Ingredients • 2 cups of steamed pumpkin • 1 red capsicum • 2 tomatoes • 5 sun dried tomatoes plus ½-1 cup of the soak water • 2 tablespoons tamari • 1 teaspoon cumin • 1 teaspoon curry • 1 teaspoon Italian herbs • 1/4 bunch basil • 1 inch piece of ginger • 1 spring onion • ½ teaspoon of salt • 1 fresh date • ½ an avocado.

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Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy using enough of the soak water from the sun dried tomatoes as needed to reach your desired consistency.

I like mine quick thick so I only add enough to blend it through.

You may need to do the soup in two batches if your blender is quite small or add some extra water if you use raw pumpkin as opposed to steamed pumpkin.

Season to your desired taste and enjoy!

For more information and nourishing recipes please visit my blog and download my brand new 60 page ebook at- www.bellaandbhakti.com

Surf

By Greg Howell

SurfIng is something different to all who try

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Personally I can’t imagine life without surfing. The connection to the ocean has given me, my family and friends, memorable moments with nature and a unique way of life. I still remember my first experience on a surf board. My father pushing me on a foamy when I was about 4 years old in Port Phillip Bay, the thrill of propelling forward on what must have been a tiddler of a wave but the feeling stuck deep within my core and I’m still doing it today.

You have to understand to grow up in Melbourne on the bay the only swell you got was in winter with a howling onshore wind which would provide wave chop of varying sizes. Sometimes the wind would be so strong when walking down the path 66

through the tea trees your board would be wrenched from your arms and flung skyward landing back up the street.

So if you grew up on the Gold Coast with gorgeous regular surf at your doorstep just consider those hardcore southerners that risked it all just to be pounded by sloppy bay waves in freezing cold conditions.

Yeah yeah I can hear some of you…bloody Victorian go back to where you came from hahaha well I reck’n I’ve earnt my honorary Queenslander status after working with Surfrider Foundation to protect our surf amenity for 20+ years. Anyway I tell people now that I’m a sensible Victorian because I live in Queensland now.

When you’re young, without

a car it was 4-5 hours by public transport to get to either east or west coast, holidays were so important. A month or two at an ocean side location was bloody heaven especially when your folks expected you to disappear and only show to stuff your face and sleep.

Point Leo was my oasis and Suicides my destiny. Suicides is a gnarly right hand rocky point break not for the feint hearted but an amazing solid wave.

As a pre-teen showing up at a new beach not knowing anyone, well you started at the bottom rung and it took years of part time dedication to earn any respect from the older crew.

You had to be searching for any opportunity to catch the eye of a guy who actually owned a proper surfboard, at

this point the foamy didn’t cut it anymore especially when your guts were red raw from chaffing and hey that wasn’t a cool look.

So patrolling the break for anyone who’d lost their board which happened all the time pre leg rope…so you’d spot someone fall off and the board heading to the rocks.. you’d swim like crazy and if you reached the board in time, paddle it back to its owner there might be a slim chance that once he’d finished his surf you might be able to remind him you’d saved his pride and joy from carnage and enjoy a few waves. Those few waves you were under so much pressure to perform with style and not end up on the rocks so you could borrow it again one day.

I couldn’t believe my luck one day I was walking up the beach and spotted half a

Brookes twin fin swallow tail flyer kneeboard and then the other half…woohoo. Someone would be looking for it for sure…after searching, asking & not really wanting to find the owner but in those days it was the done thing. It was mine, all mine hahahahahaha I just needed to stick it back together.

It took days wandering around the caravan park before spotting a tourist who’d come to grief at Suicides and repairing his board who I told my story and helped put my first board back together. I didn’t care it was a crippleboard (old slang) it was mine, so I became a kneeboarder for years until the same scenario with a stand up board, that was a bloody good day too.

Where ever you are on the surfing scale you probably do it for the same or similar

reasons as everyone else because it feels good.

The advantages to our elder or senior members of the community are far reaching from getting back in touch with their inner child to maintaining a healthy mind and body. This can be done in a safe nurturing way with potentially exhilarating extreme results.

Surfing keeps you stoked (happy) with life, improves coordination, increases your smile lines and we all know that’s a good thing!

So remember at your next surf…we are all there for the same thing…just in different capacities.

Greg Howell

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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!

2/3 Marvell Street, Byron Bay, NSW 2481 www.nakedtreaties.com • info@nakedtreaties.com 68

SWEET STREET

MERMAID BEACH Those of you who know the Gold Coast, would know the Highway that runs from Surfers all the way down to Coolangatta is a very long stretch of road. Many of you may use it every day to get to/from work. We wanted to pin point a few businesses on this very busy strip that are slowing down the pace, getting back to community and creating their own little piece of paradise amongst the chaos.

Written by Josephine Flynn Images Jade Hopeley

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BOARD CULTURE “The surf shop is the vehicle; culture (board culture) and helping and building the Community is what we’re about.” – Travis – Owner Walking into Board Culture, immediately you feel there’s something different about this space, the vibe and the focus of the store. Perhaps it’s the smell of the barista crafted coffees that are getting picked up from regulars as they pull up right out the front of the store, or the local art works adorning the walls, or the “Melbourne alleyway” vibe of the walk through to the sunny courtyard out the back. Possibly it’s the ample space upstairs where they hold FREE Yoga classes every Saturday morning and open the spaces up to local events for fundraises. It could also be the fact that once a month they hold a “Street vendors market” (next one first Saturday in September) showcasing authentic Mexican and Latin American wares. We’re not sure what exactly is making this place SO different from any other surf store, but it could also be the fact they’re not brand specific. All boards are from local or Australian shapers and each one has a story.

Board Culture is a place everyone needs to visit and experience for themselves, either as a surfer, yogi, community minded individual, coffee connoisseur, or motivational business owner, we just love everything about this place and what it’s about. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Board Culture in coming issues and we’re really excited to promote a surf shop that’s all about heart.

W – boardculture.com.au A - 2442 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach.

P – (07) 5572 0035

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VIVRE AVIE “To live a life” – French Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast Hwy, you’ll find a quaint and tranquil little slice of Europe. Director Lara Forsyth fell in love with the way the Europeans eat and their ideas around food. “I love how people go to their butcher, their baker, their local grocer and get good quality, real food that tastes like food. That’s what I wanted to create here.”

Vivre A Vie hand makes all of their own breads, pastries, pies and even yummy raw treats daily with all local organic produce. “If we can’t get it organic, we don’t make it.” They even have their own vegie and herb garden out the back to add to their paddock to plate culture.

The wood and hessian interior of the Bakery and Café has an antique/ homey feel to it with the textured walls creating an inviting space. Out the back is a huge outdoor grassy seating area, perfect for that midmorning catch and very child friendly.

The café has it’s own brand of coffee, candles, homemade organic jams, chocolates and biscuits on top of the yummy bakery selection. If you love your food to taste like real food, there’s nowhere better on the coast. Take a trip to Vivre A Vie. W – vivreavie.com A – 1 & 2 2364 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach P – 07 5526 1920

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KUS DESIGNS We’re obsessed with recycling, but we’re even more obsessed with upcycling.

Kus design’s range of homewares and furnishings is a unique mixture of reclaimed and recycled materials, as well as antiques, surf art and lighting.

Situated on the corner of Peerless Ave and the Gold Coast Highway, the sunny shop has ample space both inside and out to sit down and enjoy a house made coffee, all day brekky, smoothie, coconut or juice.

Opened in October 2013, this family run business was inspired by a passion for good quality, handmade, unique furniture and a love of good coffee. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, Martin is more than happy to custom make furniture to order. Just tell them what you’re after and they’ll be happy to help.

If you’re looking for that piece to make your house a home, or the perfect gift, pop into Kus Design and have a look around, you’ll be sure to find something you love.

W – kusdesign.com.au A – 2581 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach P – (07) 5536 3005

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MANDALA ORGANIC ARTS CAFE Mandala Organic Arts Café has been a favourite of ours for a while now. We like to think of this place as our “second office” and have been known many a time to be sitting down to a meeting over a yummy vegan pizza or raw pad thai.

Comfy couches, lounge chairs, beanbags and local art work adorn the front room, where you can find live music every weekend. We highly recommend keeping up to date with their Facebook page or website to see what new and interesting acts they have coming up.

Even if you’re not vegan, the food at Mandala appeals to every taste.

The pizza’s are known all over the Coast as some of the best, the probiotic Kambucha bar nourishes the body with delicious drinks and the deserts…don’t even get us started!!

The unique spaces can be booked out for events, functions, birthdays or any other celebration, alternatively if you love their food but are having a celebration elsewhere or at home, not a problem they cater too!

If you’re yet to experience Mandala Organic Arts Café, take a trip there this weekend with some good company, you’ll walk away feeling nourished, full and refreshed all at the same time.

W – mandalaorganicarts.com.au A – 4/2558 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach P – (07) 5679 1762

Mandala Images by Matthew Macann

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Women’s bodies and their perspectives PART 2

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In Issue 2, we started to explore why we, as women, are so completely and irrationally hard on ourselves when it comes to our bodies and our ideas of “perfection.” We were so overwhelmed with the responses we were getting from our readers, that we had to make it a two part series.

We hope you, Male or Female, enjoy the inspiring and thought provoking ideas these stories bring and walk away feeling uplifted and loving of your body. We need reminding to do that sometimes….

My Body Sitting here after 10pm, one day before the deadline is due wondering how to start!

Of course I have spent the last hour searching through photos for the perfect one to accompany my story that I am yet to begin writing.

I am 42 and each day I learn to love and accept my body more deeply. For me this has not always been easy or come naturally. I have an amazing life and have gratitude every day for what my body has been through with me and for the infinite wisdom it holds and the signs it provides me.

As I grow and experience life the more I learn to honour

and listen to my body. Some days I am tuned in and listening and other days I am not. When I am not my body turns up the volume until I am listening and take action (or generally stop!)

In 2008 after many years of not truly listening to and honouring my body, it spoke to me loudly and clearly. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36. I had two daughters who at the time were aged 4 years and 8 months (still being breastfed).

There were 7 tumours in the right breast and full lymph node involvement on the right hand side. From a medical perspective the prognosis given was a 25% chance of living past 5 years after a full mastectomy

and lymph node removal, 5 months of chemotherapy, 5 weeks of daily radiation and medication. I undertook all of the treatments except the on-going medication. I also changed my entire life, which is another story in itself and the reason I am sitting here typing today.

I was walking along the beach today and reflecting on the impact this had on me.

At the time the first haircut from really long hair to short actually impacted on me more than the mastectomy and loss of breast. I felt stripped bare and so extremely vulnerable. This did not last long. A close friend, family and my daughters had a head shave ‘party’ before I started losing it to chemotherapy.

This was a very powerful ritual. All of us took turns in shaving my hair off. With each slide of the clippers I released being attached to part of my ‘identity’. I let go of being a ‘partner’, ‘mother’, ‘sister’, ‘daughter’ and it went on. This was such an empowering experience and I looked amazing bald and decided to stay bald in an effort to inspire others and challenge society and its ideals of beauty. So I became a one breasted, bald warrior with a big smile and often a flower behind my ear.

Today I am often asked why I have not had a breast reconstruction. At the time of the mastectomy the cancer cells were so close to the chest wall I was unable

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to have a reconstruction done. A few years ago I did come to the top of public hospital list to have a reconstruction, however, this meant not being able to lift for 6 weeks, removal of stomach fat to ‘create’ the breast and removal of back muscle as well. At the time I was a single parent with my 2 girls and this would have been very difficult for many reasons. So I said no. Today I have only one breast and rarely think about it. It is only in the moments that I would love to not wear a bra in public that I miss, especially after being in the ocean. I know that one day I will be brave enough to do this as well.

Two things that I discovered

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bring me immense joy and are a huge part of my healing and living an incredible life, are surfing and Nia dance.

Both surfing and Nia give me the gift of deepening my connection and love for my body. I want to share a recent experience I had in the surf. I had recently completed 7 days of intensive Nia training prior to this experience. I went surfing and had just caught a magic wave....aaaaahhhh.....the sensation was absolutely incredible. When I dropped off my board into the water after the ride I felt a sense like I have never had before.

I ‘thought’ I was in my body before this moment. For the first time I felt like my body, mind and spirit were one. I had the awareness that up

until this moment I had had a separate connection to my body. It was profound and difficult to express in words. The sensation of my body in the water and on my surfboard in the ocean, in the beaming sunshine was truly incredible, blissful and wonderful.

This experienced allowed me to feel and sense the disconnect I had been experiencing. I then thanked and acknowledged my body for all that is has been through with ‘me’ and was in a true sense of amazement for my body that I felt like I was discovering for the ‹first time›. I thanked it for our journey together through cancer, through injuries, through bringing my divine

children into the universe and for always being there for ‹me› no matter what. I realized also the extent that my ‹mind chatter› is often not kind to my beautiful amazing body.

Each day is a practice in deepening my connection to self and to source.

It’s beautiful to connect with you all and thank you for taking the time to read my story. You can read more about my cancer journey at http://www.freewebs.com/ kylielowefoundation/.

Kylie Lowe Co-founder and Director Joining Hands

Body Image Mine Overall I think I have a good body image even though I think it’s not perfect when I compare it to a “perfect” body. I appreciate the body I’ve got for what it is: athletic, healthy, energetic, strong and alive.

I love yoga and any sport, and can do most of them easily because my body allows it and I love that. I’m happy with my hair sometimes, my skin and my eyes and I guess the overall shape. It has allowed me to give life, dance, swim, chase kids, cuddle,

climb mountains, breastfeed, walk a million miles, and mostly I take it for granted.

I would like to be at least 5kgs heavier but only on the top half!! Yes, I would love much bigger boobs, wider hips, longer legs and I don’t like my belly button, moles, freckles, scars and veins. I have had sciatica for years, migraines, wisdom teeth removed and not long ago a hysterectomy.

All of these things remind me that my body is not “perfect” but I still respect the amazing way it has allowed me to experience life from every aspect.

I eat or how much, my weight never changes. I do wonder why, but guess it’s just the high metabolism that runs in my family. I do listen to others opinions and it does momentarily affect my body image but not for long! I love being alive in this body.

I’m more aware lately of the fact it’s getting older or wiser and slowing down but I’m more than willing to take better care of it and I’m happy to stay fit and give it what it needs as it has given me everything I need…..

Robyn

I’ve always been called “skinny” and that I need to eat, but it doesn’t matter what

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NIA Words and pictures – Taryn Pallister

Nia is a Joyful movement practice which offers a great work out, while connecting you to your body.

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The Nia class experience is unlike anything you have experienced before. A typical class runs for one hour and begins with setting a focus/ intent before mindfully stepping in to the class. We consciously warmup the 13 joints of the body and move into the ‘get moving’ section of the class, where nonimpact aerobic conditioning is sustained. Cool down involves strength training, stretching and floor “play”. To complete the experience we consciously step out energised, alive and more connected to ourselves.

Classes are taken barefoot, to a variety of soul stirring sounds which inspire and ignite movement. A Nia class always blends some of Nia’s 52 moves, which provide the foundations of the technique.

All Nia moves are designed according to the science of the body and are sustainable for your joints. Nia can be adapted for first time movers

to athletes in training. It is for everybody, you don’t have to be fit or coordinated, and no experience is needed before taking a class. All steps are guided to be tweaked according to your bodies needs and flavoured with your own expression. So the wild woman/man within may be unleashed in a safe environment.

The 52 moves of Nia are draw from a combination of Jazz, Modern and Duncan Dance styles, Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do and Aikido; and the body/mind healing arts of Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique and Yoga. There is loads of variety and stimulation for your body, your brain and your Spirit. A Nia class is never boring. Bodies move as well as emotions.

The warm up may feel very flowy and tai chi like, as we get moving you could experience 83

the sensation of Tae Kwon Do kicking, punching, blocking, or free dancing, to modern or jazz like dancing. Every move we make in Nia is influenced by the work of Moshe Feldencraise, who taught movement with awareness of sensation and essentially moving to self-heal.

Benefits of the Nia Technique - Nia benefits the body, mind and spirit in many ways:

· Reduces stress and anxiety · Increases cardiovascular, circulatory and mental health

· Improves balance and flexibility · Increases strength and power through the Martial arts

· Invites playfulness and expression through the Dance Arts

· Inspires mindfulness and self-healing through the Healing arts

· Enhances sensuality and allows you to feel good in your skin Now!

· Boosts whole body stability, agility and mobility

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Body - Mind - Spirit Benefits In addition to the physical benefits, Nia also stimulates self-awareness, playfulness and enhances confidence, mindfulness and relaxation.

Often referred to as the ‘Love Your Body, Love Your Life workout’, Nia empowers people to confidently own who they are and respect their bodies.

Taryn’s Personal Story 11 years ago I could not have imagined how Nia could influence my wellbeing and my life. I discovered Nia whilst travelling in America and was immediately touched by the depth and quality of the technique. At the time whilst living in America, I took my White and Blue Belt with the

founders of Nia and began teaching in California and also Italy. In Australia I did my Green Belt and the Brown Belt in Hawaii. I recently completed the Black Belt – the highest level of Nia training in Hamburg Germany.

I am currently teaching at Gwinganna Health/Lifestyle Retreat (Winner 2013, 2014 World Luxury Spa Awards), and weekly classes in the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Nia has taught me to love my body, to move it with reverence, and to walk my unique path through life! From early childhood I subscribed to the “no pain no gain” philosophy, always pushing and stressing to get results. Nia has taught me to slow down, connect and get results in a more grounded

and pleasurable way. Needless to say Nia has changed my body and how I approach every aspect of my life.

Nia’s purpose Nia’s purpose is to grow a worldwide community of healthy people who are empowered to do great things.

We believe every person can discover, explore, unleash and enhance their individual potential to live a fulfilling and meaningful life – by engaging their senses and listening to their bodies. With the right tools and education, we can increase our confidence and happiness. We can become connected to others to shape a consciousness that extends beyond our own.

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Nia’s Origins Even though you may just be hearing about Nia for the first time it has actually been around for over 30 years. It was created in America by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Aya Rosas; Debbie an aerobics instructor and Carlos a professional tennis player who became an instructor too. They were struggling to maintain their aerobics classes without pain and injury and were seeking more connection to their bodies and a fitness practice that would be sustainable.

Each day, Carlos was rolling out of bed and grimacing through stretches to work out tendinitis.

He was downing coffee and aspirin before each class to rev up for an hour of instruction that was murder on his shin splints. Together, they began to question the source of their pain. They knew deep down that there had to be a better way –one that would efficiently and safely sculpt the body while conditioning the heart and enriching the mind and soul.

At that time, the widely accepted health mantra was, “no pain, no gain.” Together, Carlos and Debbie defined a new approach to wellness – one that broke away from high-impact aerobics, repetitive movement and mind-body separation. They spent 13 years working, living and creating Nia together.

This catalyzed a tremendous shift towards fusion fitness. Rather than obsessing over physical results, Nia tuned into the needs of the body, mind, spirit and emotions. Athletes, dancers, casual exercisers and gym-haters alike began to embrace the movement lifestyle because it felt good.

It was exhilarating, not guilt-driven; expressive instead of one-dimensional, healing, and not exhausting. Nia ultimately forged the category known as mind-body fitness today.

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How to become a Nia teacher

How to find classes and training in Australia

The first step to become a Nia teacher is to take the White Belt, dedicated to the Art of Sensation. During your White Belt you will learn the first 13 Principles of Nia and from there you can immediately begin teaching. Dive into the art of sensation, immersing into a week of Nia’s body-centered approach to health, wellness and fitness.

For more information on classes/trainings throughout Australia go to - niaaustralia.com.au or nianow.com.

Learning to teach Nia, first and foremost, is a journey of selfdiscovery about your body’s way and how to move and live making choices to feel good. The same Nia principles and techniques that you learn to teach Nia classes, will guide you to create a life of meaning and purpose living into your potential as a human being.

The White Belt is for everybody interested in exploring selfhealing, self-discovery and self-mastery via movement, music, philosophy, science and anatomy. No prior Nia experience is necessary.

Classes with Taryn: Wednesdays 9.30 – 10.30 Tugun Progress Hall, 4 Golden Four Drive, Tugun Saturdays 9.00 – 10.30 Brunswick Heads Primary School Hall, Fingal Street, Brunswick Heads.

Contact: taryn111@hotmail.com 0410 964 806 Everybody is welcome!

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GIVEAWAY

2 Adult Season Passes for Island Vibe Festival Ta k e a f r i e n d w i t h y o u t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e wonder that is Island Vibe, then tell our readers all about it in the following issue for HL emag. Our photographer Jadeo will be there capturing the events as they unfold to m a k e i t a w e e k e n d t o r e m e m b e r.

How to Enter: Tell us in 25 words or less why we should make YOU our on the scenes reporter for Island Vibe 2014.

Send entries to Josephine@holisticlivi n g t v. c o m o r j a d e @ h o l i s t i c l i v i n g t v. c o m b y 2 2 n d S e p t e m b e r.

W i n n e r a n n o u n c e d 2 9 t S e p t e m b e r.

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Huge thanks to the guys at Island Vibe Festival, RudeKat Records and Scenestr! www.islandvibe.com.au For tickets and details

www.holisticlivingtv.com Facebook: holisticlivingtv Contributions, advertising and enquiries: Josephine@holisticlivingtv.com Jade@holisticlivingtv.com

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