MANTRA YOGA + HEALTH ISSUE 15

MANTRA YOGA HEALTH M A R A N DA P L E ASA N T ’ S

2re0cipeVse+gidaeans

OUR FAV

The new 50!

SEANE CORN+

SHIVA REA TURN 50

*

POWERFUL. STRONG BEAUTIFUL

bohemians

IN AT IO N T R AV E L D E ST

ayurveda

S

wellness

COLD & FLU REMEDIES RULES for JAVA DRINKERS

influencers

holistic health

HERBS to HELP

YOU SLEEP

n o i t u l o v < e R s n o i t Resolu healing Our F av

SPAS • JEWELRY NATURAL REMEDIES

+violence FROM

MARANDA PLEASANTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

THRIVE PLAnT-BASED: CuLTurE. FooD. LiFESTyLE.

of VEGAn BEST Fashion. Athletes.

RockeRs. Gifts.

100+

recipes && recipes food food ideas ideas Innovative eAsy Gourmet

mantra

CONTENTS

58 12

this side

32

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this side

24 30

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8

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other side

J ew el ry !

Page 8

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CONTENTS this side

other side

For years, these women have kept me adorned, protected, and empowered

Foodie inspiration: Verena Frei, Switzerland

8 maranda’s jewelry picks

12 living a life less ordinary

Lisa Danielle Smith, sunkissed beach bohemian and mermaid explorer, reminds us of our own magic

24 magick mandalas

Fortune hunter, fiber witch, flower princess, Finley Jordan

30 Two months In The Caribbean Two bags. 10 islands. One warm winter

32 America’s Favorite Farmer-Florist

Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower, on growing beauty, gardening essentials, an unconventional career, and the soul of the soil

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Improving Core Strength

Pilates for a strong yoga practice

62 Heather Shereé Titus

Our heroine + the love story behind the Sedona Yoga Festival

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eat. live. create. vibrantly

4 postures to help you stay grounded

Feeling stressed, spacey, out of balance? You don’t have to do an hour-long yoga practice to get back to center.

36 breathe your way to bliss Build a home pranayama practice

44 beyond downward dog

Six reasons to push past your yoga comfort zone

48 Healing from Violence

What can we do to heal our fear and worry when acts of terror are apparently possible anywhere?

52

How One Company Makes Giving Back Their Business

A new model for socially conscious entrepreneurs and example for large companies.

62 punk rock meets spirituality

Author, addiction and recovery teacher, and founder, Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, Noah Levine

54 seane corn this side

Aging Wildly, Turning 50, the Best Advice from Her Mom, and Her Youth Serum

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mantra yoga + health

EDITOR’S LETTER

mantra TEAM PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Maranda Pleasant Twitter: @marandapleasant CREATIVE DIRECTOR Melody Tarver SENIOR EDITOR Antoine Level COPY EDITOR Colin Legerton COVER PHOTOGRAPHY this side Norman Seeff

Resolutions This Is Our Year!

< Revolution

other side TOP ROW: Lauren Bullen SECOND ROW: Floret Flower, Lisa Danielle Smith, Shane Woodward THIRD ROW: (Left + Middle): Finley Jordan, Monika Broz LAST ROW: Ellie Bullen Contact uS

We don’t need more resolutions. We need a revolution.

Head Ninja editor@mantramag.com

A personal and cultural revolution where we speak our truth, make long overdue changes, and challenge the systems of inequality. We rise together this year.

Can you believe that Seane and Shiva just turned 50? I love women redefining what’s possible and really claiming the strength, beauty, power, and wisdom that comes with aging. Our current culture says that our value diminishes as we wrinkle, and nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s to reclaiming any piece of ourselves we’ve lost to fear or shame because we have a jacked society that tries to decrease our worth with age. It’s time to celebrate ourselves like never before.

The last 12 months I have been traveling the world, on the road constantly. It has been my bucket list year.

Let’s not live life on the sidelines, wishing, hoping, and dreaming, but never doing. This is our year. That thing that maybe you’re afraid of, that you’ve always longed for; put it on your calendar.

Don’t you just love our wanderlust travel inspiration features? I love people who make the world seem bigger, showing us what is possible.

Advertising ads@mantramag.com Subscriptions mantramag.com SUBMISSIONS mantramag.com/article-submission Ad Rates + Specs mantramag.com/advertise Rates begin at $3,400/Full page 713.922.8584

We’re also stoked to be the first vegan yoga magazine. With everything we know about climate change, deforestation, cattle farming, pollution, and compassion for all sentient beings, vegan is really the only option for us. Wherever you are on your journey, we support and encourage you.

Twitter: @mantrayogamag

I am elated to announce that our new Ayurveda partners for 2017, Kripalu Yoga & Health, have curated so much of this issue with us. After spending a month with them in New England this fall, it is our second home­—deeply nourishing, relaxing, and surrounded by nature with our favorite teachers. I couldn’t be more proud. Fingers crossed, we’ll have a Wild Woman retreat there this year.

ORIGIN MAGAZINE editor@originmagazine.com Twitter: @originmagazine thrive magazine

Maranda Pleasant Mantra Yoga + Health • ORIGIN Magazine • THRIVE Magazine • REAL Magazine Founder / Editor-in-Chief

C heck out our other 2 titles

ORIGIN + THRIVE on stands now

The ConsCious CulTure Magazine V e gan

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Tonics and Elixirs

Gourmet Vegan recipes + food ideas

* yoga leaders

balancing Motherhood + c areer

le ge n d + c anc er thr iVer

melissa etheridge

women who eat impossible for breakfast

ayurveda

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THRIVE PLAnT-BASED: CuLTurE. FooD. LiFESTyLE.

one on the road

wellness trendsetters

{Muses:a Mber Vallet ta

best of travel Year

MARANDA PLEASANT’S

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M a r a n da P l e as a n t ’ s

editor@mythrivemag.com Twitter: @readthrive

D ai ly In sp ira ti on .

Fi nd us on In stag ra m @ ma nt ra ma ga zi ne

BEST of VEGAn

Fashion. Athletes.

RockeRs. Gifts.

&& recipes food 100+recipes food ideas ideas Innovative eAsy Gourmet

groundbreakers

athle tes. ec o P io neers

185 trees planted this issue

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lenny kravitz

Bal an ci ng M ot he rh oo d + c ar ee r

{ ANANDA SOUL } Ethically Made, Sourced, and Created with Love + Intention. Our inspiration, Christina Zipperlen, creates jewelry as a portal for women to remind them of their beauty, strength, and wisdom.

{ S H I VA L O K A }

Instagram: @anandasoulcreations anandasoul.com

The most exquisite malas I’ve ever seen. I feel like an urban priestess when I wear these.

Swathimaa, the creative force, called me one day from Bali, as I was sitting in my car, during one of the toughest months of my life. She told me she felt like I needed protection and express shipped some of the most beautiful, unique pieces I’ve ever seen. Powerful, healing with an ancient soul feel.

Her story is pretty mystical.

Jewelry Designers

Wear I kept me e v a h n e m o w se e th , rs For yea Maranda’s Picks @MarandaPleasant

powered. em & , ted c rote p , adorned

Instagram: @shivaloka_soul_jewelry omshivaloka.com

{ S wati J r . } Wild Moon Goddess + Urban Priestess Saraswati hand creates each piece. I am not actually sure she is from this realm. She conjures up the mystical and magical and channels the spiritual into the tangible. Cosmic sorcery in jewelry form. A Vedic Astrology prophet mixing metals and jewels like potions, creating some kind of visual alchemy that I’ve never seen before.

Instagram: @swatijr FB: @swatijrjewelry.beagoddess

{ S AT YA }

{ S hakti } I discovered Shakti this year. Every day I wear my medicine pouch, filled with love stones, my Lakshmi choker, and Ganesh mantra necklaces. Can you tell I like to layer?

Instagram: @shaktijewelry iloveshakti.com

I met Satya four years ago, at Sharon Gannon’s book party. I was fangirling over Sting holding our magazine, when she walked up to me and introduced herself. I had been trying to meet her for years.

She literally took a six-strand bracelet off her wrist and gave it to me. Still wearing it as I type this. I don’t take her necklaces and rings off. I’m guilty of sleeping in them.

She gives me superpowers.

Instagram: @satyajewelry satyajewelry.com

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I tend to layer layer layer these pieces.

MANTRAMAG.COM

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3 o f t h e B est Fa c i als + S p as i n t h e C o u n t r y La Mar and a’s Top Pic ks: NYC + g, Hea lthy Ski n Sec ret s to Vib ran t, Glo win

Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts katesomerville.com The only place I go on the West Coast.

BEST of LA

We love vibrant, healthy, natural looking skin. Long hours, traveling, and compounded with stress, my skin wasn’t recognizable. I needed a little help from the pros to achieve that glow again.

When three Oscar winners and a trusted friend raved about Kate’s skin spa, I listened.

I’m not into crazy stuff, but Laser Genesis literally took the last five hard years of work off my face. I like aging, but not prematurely. Finally, radiant skin again. Takes around 20 minutes, and it doesn’t even leave you red.

Five treatments later, I couldn’t attend a conference without people raving about my skin. Seriously. It’s an LA secret, and it works.

B E S T OF NYC Pratima Spa pratimaskincare.com/spa Our refuge of calm in the city, where you’ll find one-of-a-kind Ayurvedic body treatments and the best deep clean detox facials in Manhattan, when your nervous system and skin have been pushed to the limit.

The best haven to relax when you want to escape. Feels like a quiet sanctuary. Mindful.

Peaceful. Ayurvedic experts and it is affordable.

Is that possible? Yep.

Ne w Y o r k C i ty Tracie Martyn

traciemartyn.com Living in a city that never sleeps, I had heard Tracie works skin miracles. My first visit I wondered if it was up to all of the hype. Honestly, you won’t be able to sit in the lobby without being surrounded by celebrities. During my Red Carpet Facial with Tracie, she did half of my face first, and showed me the immediate difference. Sold.

Definitely a splurge. Definitely worth it.

mantra

{

Lisa Danielle Smith Instagram:@lisadanielle__

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}

”

It’s important to travel with an open heart and open mind , to immerse yourself in other cultures to experien ce their beliefs and the way they live .

Q: You travel so much. How do you stay centered and healthy on the road?

A: I love to scout out local markets for fresh fruit and veggies, practice yoga, and pamper myself with face masks. I also love to have a break from technology and do some serious exploring in nature!

Q: What are some of your favorite beaches in the world?

A: My top favorites are Whites Beach in New South Wales, Waimea Bay in Hawaii, and Uluwatu in Indonesia Q: What are a few of your favorite experiences? Any recommendations?

A: When I travelled around Morocco, which was a sensory overload! Sounds, smells, heat, rugs, kittens, and all-pink everything! Also driving to the Sahara Desert to camp under the stars, dining and riding camels with the Berber people—this was incredible and an experience I will never forget! And one of my favorite experiences at home in Byron Bay—once a month I love

to go to the beach with my best friends to watch the sunset and then watch the full moon rise over the ocean—absolute magic and everyone should experience this!

Q: Travel essentials? What are your must-haves?

”

A: My travel essentials are some easy throw-on dresses, my camera, swimmers, a Turkish towel, my reusable water bottle, perfume, and toiletries! Oh, and my Insta hubby, of course.

Q: Why is travel so important for the soul?

A: Travel is so important so you can feel connected to others in the world and to meet amazing people. It’s important to travel with an open heart and open mind, to immerse yourself in other cultures to experience their beliefs and the way they live. I believe there is something you can learn from everyone you meet! It’s also good for the soul to witness all of the beautiful natural wonders that are out there, so we can appreciate it and take care of this precious planet. ➸

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T r a v e l i s s o i mp o r t a n t s o you can feel connected to others in the world and meet amazing people.

”

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O n Sta n d s N ow !

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The ConsCious CulTure Magazine V e gan

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best of travel Year

Tonics and Elixirs

Gourmet Vegan recipes + food ideas

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* yoga leaders

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balanc ing Mothe rhood + c aree r

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the conscious culture magazine origin magazine

Recipes. Home. Travel. Green Living. Real. No B.S. Yoga Leaders Wellness Trendsetters. Women Who Eat Impossible for Breakfast

Subscribe originmagazine.com / subscribe Photo of Holly Rose by Shane Woodward MANTRAMAG.COM

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g n i t t o r T e b o Gl

g n i r e d n a W World d Tripping.

Roa

{ G y p sea L ust }

Lauren Bullen Instagram: Gypsea_lust gypsealust.com

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A: Watching the sky fill with hot air balloons while having breakfast on the rooftop of our hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey.

Our entire India trip with beautiful destinations, weddings, and Holi festival.

Q: Travel must-haves?

A: Noise-cancelling headphones, a minimum of 10 different swimsuits, and of course my boyfriend.

”

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences traveling?

is e f i l t a h t s i h t u r t e h T ld u o h s u o y d n a , t r o h s o to y n a f o t s o m e h t e k a m

”

opportunity.

Q: What’s your wellness routine on the road?

A: Staying healthy on the road is a huge, important struggle.

During flights I find it the hardest, but I try to regularly work out even when on work trips. I’m vegetarian, so lots of the food options end up being pretty healthy.

Q: Favorite beaches?

A: Of course home, Australia, has some of the best!

Q: You and Jack have more than 2.5 million followers that are inspired by your travel lust. How’d that start?

A: I was just doing my own travels and learning how to use a camera and do edits when I got into instagramming, then after a while my local tourism in Queensland contacted me to be a part of a job which was so exciting!

Q: Why is travel good for the soul?

A: It broadens your mind, lets you be who you are, you meet people from all walks of life, and you learn so much! Travelling is how you learn the most important lessons in life.

Q: Truth you live by?

A: The truth is that life is too short, and you should make the most of any opportunity.

”

u o y w o h s i g n i l l e v a Tr t n a t r o p m i t s o m e h t learn in life. lessons

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n e l l u B n e r u a L { G y p sea L ust }

t r av e l m u s t- h av e s : N o i s e- c a nc el lin g

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On Travel:

s w i m s u i ts , a nd o f

It broadens your

co u r s e my b o y f riend.

mind, lets you be who you are, you meet people from all walks of life, and you learn so much!

Surrender to the slowness that’s so deeply rooted in the flower’s being.

Like doing yoga, it’s a practice and a ritual.

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mantra

retreats

Our Yoga Paradise Luxury Resort & Retreat Center

R Y T H M I A

Guanacaste, Costa Rica Rythmia.com | Instagram: rythmialac

Why we l o v e it :

O

ur teacher Shiva Rea created their yoga program. Most of us know she is a beloved, globally recognized yoga teacher, activist, and innovator in the evolution of Prana Vinyasa Yoga.

She created and oversees a unique yoga program for rejuvenation, healing, and wellness, which you can can enjoy twice a day during your stay.

Shiva brings her energetic and soulful approach to yoga, as well as her adventure retreats and ecstatic trance dance classes—all have been infused into the Prana Vinyasa program she has curated exclusively for Rythmia. Love it!

Prana Vinyasa Flow Yoga is an energetic, creative, full-spectrum approach to embodying the flow of yoga. Students of all levels are empowered to experience prana, the universal source of breath, life-energy, and conscious intelligence, as the navigating source of yoga practice and vital living. Practitioners learn classical and innovative approaches to Vinyasa Yoga and the state of flow drawn from Krishnamacharya’s teachings, Tantra, Ayurveda, Bhakti, Somatics, and Shiva’s teaching experience from the last fifteen years.

What else do we love? Temples.

Labyrinths. Buddhas. Outdoor Yoga.

Rythmia has designed and built yoga temples dedicated to your practice. Classes are scheduled in the morning (solar) and evening (lunar) and are both great ways to either enter a day of healing or complete all that you have learned and experienced.

Yoga classes are held in a walls-free, roof-covered space with a resilient studio floor, so you’re essentially outdoors practicing, watching the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening.

If you’d prefer the meditation without the yoga, guests can join group meditation daily or go solo and meditate at the labyrinth or one of the buddhas.

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Ry t h m i a h a s designed and built yoga temples dedicated to your practice.

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mantra YOGA

Strategies for Overcoming Busyness and Allowing Yourself to Feel Deep Grief Interview with

S a n t a C r u z , CA

Eoin Finn

Bali, Indonesia

Yogi, Surfer, Blissology Founder

Vancouver, Canada Instagram: @blissology

Q: What’s something that you’ve struggled with and what helped you overcome it?

I sat alone on a rock overlooking the harbor, the green mountains, and the Vancouver city skyline.

As images of my dad passed through my mind, I realized that what I was feeling was a huge distillation of what it means to be human: intense sorrow and joy, love and loss.

A: Busyness.

Teaching yoga is a dream; however, the “hustle factor” that is required is amazing. There are contracts to sign, travel to organize, marketing materials, projects, and staff to manage. On top of all of this, I have to maintain my creative juices and develop inspiring course content. Sometimes it would seem impossible to maintain this energy if there was no such thing as coffee!

There was a time where I tried to deal with pain in a more stoic way, thinking I was practicing the equanimity of the yogis. I could control how I felt by using my breath and inner calm. But instead I gave myself full permission to be with the grief I felt without pushing it away or sweeping it under the rug.

This is not unique to teaching yoga; it’s the name of the game for small business entrepreneurs, especially those who have decided to make a living by following their bliss.

Have I perfected busyness? No. It’s still a monster in my life that I wrestle with. However, I’ve got two essential strategies that help me maintain perspective.

One is that several times a day I reconnect to my life mission of being a conduit for love. Everything I do to make a living is grounded in my desire to leave a legacy of love and positivity. This puts incredible wind in my sails, and even when I am filling out the most mundane form or standing in line at TSA, I reconnect to this mission and what was once work soon feels like joy.

Secondly, I take ten minutes every day to shut down all systems and get out into nature. I find

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something beautiful even in a city and let it speak to my soul. My mantra is “relax, breathe, observe, and receive.”This resets my connection to peace and reverence for life. In a very small period of time, my energy and perspective are restored. To me, it is one step deeper than meditation or mindfulness as it plugs me back to my interconnection with all life and makes all the difference.

Q: How did you pick yourself up in one of your lowest moments?

A: When my dad died eight years ago, life offered me a massive paradigm shift. It seemed like the equivalent of losing the moon from the sky; my whole universe was altered.

I gave space to emotions, opened my mouth, and created space in my throat for what needed to move through me. I know that the first noble truth of Buddhism is that “all life is sorrowful,” but I had never known anything this intense.

Instead of fighting the tears, I let them flow down my face to merge with the incoming tide.

I had no expectations from this process, but what happened amazed me. I started to feel the gift of this grief. It was like I never knew what it was like to be fully alive before; I had never known the connections I had to others. It felt as if in this pain I walked hand-in-hand with grief.

The lesson is: do not be afraid of grief; make friends with it. Grief opens the door to the heart if you let it—it is the opposite side of a coin to love. We can’t have love without heartbreak.

mantra travel Beach

Bohemians.

Deep

Sea

Soul

Dw e l l e r s .

Free

Sp i r i t s .

Two months In The Caribbean Two Bags. 10 Islands. One Warm Winter #CaribbeanWinter | Maranda Pleasant | Instagram: @MarandaPleasant

So we are sitting here in the Virgin Islands, listening to the sound of the Ocean outside. A perfect office.

I wanted a deep soul rewilding. I needed nature and the ocean can heal like no other. We’ve spent the last five days snorkeling and diving the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen, letting the ocean hold and support us, effortlessly. Swimming from island to island, in seamlessly clear water. Sting rays, octopus, turtles, and a vivid underwater exploration at every stop.

Our favorite beaches for snorkeling so far are on St. John and the overlooked St.Croix. Trunk Bay is paradise. One of our fav snorkeling spots on St. John: Cinnamon Bay. You’ll also fall in love with the wildness of Maho Bay. St. John will steal your heart and has the small town, hitchhike vibe we were looking for. Stick out your thumb on the tiny island, and hitch it between beaches.

We unexpectedly fell in love with the least populated island, St. Croix. Our favorite dives, secluded beaches, the art scene, cafes— we’re in this laid-back Eden, eating fruit off the trees. Jurassic Park scenery with fewer people and lower prices.

We’re sailing the Caribbean for two months. The Virgin Islands, Turks, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Tulum, Costa Rica, Caymans, Cuba, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia.

We’d love your recommendations. Join us on our adventure: @mantramagazine.

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artist feature

Bad Girls Throughout History

100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World A uthor . I llustrator . R evolutionary

O ur H eroine A nn S hen ann-shen.com | Instagram: @anndanger Conversation w/ Maranda Pleasant quiet, and subservient way than boys are allowed to behave. My title is asking people to re-examine the rules that have been laid out in their own lives, and to find a little more courage to pursue their wildest dreams, especially if it means breaking the rules to do it. A lot of the women in the book do just that—break the rules of their society, status, or stories to become trailblazers.

Q: Why did you write this book? I saw you say it was for anyone who felt at some point in their lives less than, lost, or scared. This is quite moving.

A: I came up with the idea when I was in a time in my life where I was feeling all these things: less than, lost, scared about the future. Then I thought about all the people who came before, especially women, who accomplished great things with their lives­—but before they did that, they may have felt the same doubts and fears, which made me feel connected and braver. The great quote by Marie Wilson, “You can’t be what you can’t see,” speaks to how females, especially, need to see representations of strong women in the history books of our world.

Q: These women in your book were human and complicated like us all, but you mentioned the one thing in common: they didn’t give a crap about what other people thought. They kept rising. Tell us more, and why we need pioneers more than ever.

A: I think it’s easy to forget how recently we’ve gained equal rights for women and minorities.

We can get too comfortable in what we’ve have already and forget that we need to keep moving forward as pioneers in every field so that all our interests are represented. Also, we have to keep pushing as trailblazers, even in small ways, so that we no longer need books like these because it’s so normal to see people of all genders, shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds in every field. Imagine what’s already been accomplished in just the last 200 years— this with mostly males in power.

That’s without tapping into over half the population’s talents and experiences until the most recent decades. Now let’s imagine what we can accomplish if we were all out here pushing the boundaries, inventing, and discovering new things.

Q: You’ve said that being the first in anything is hard. Being the first woman in anything is harder. Can you expand on that?

A: Being the first in anything means you’re creating a path where there previously wasn’t one. That could be anything from inventing something to taking on a role that didn’t exist before; or it could mean breaking the rules of conduct about how something was previously done. For women, that often means both. Rules are made by the people who wield the power— and historically it has been men. It’s no secret that the same rules don’t apply to both men and women, and that the world has been molded to preserve the power of the ones who hold it by repressing the groups of people who don’t. So women often have to not only build a new path where one didn’t exist before, they also have to break past gender barriers and social constructs that have told them how they should behave to get to the path in the first place.

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We c an get too c omforta b le in w hat w e have already and forget that w e need to kee p moving forward as p ioneers in every field so that all our interests are re p resented .

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Q: The book serves as inspiration for modern

}

females challenging gender myths. You said that when women dare to speak up they are viewed as bad girls and boys are considered mavericks or leaders, and growing up, it was the worst thing to be considered a bad girl. You mentioned that we need to re-examine what bad means and where the constructs of good vs. bad came from—create

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a shift where bad can be a good thing, when you have to break a few rules to succeed. Can you say more about this? Bad girl vs. badass?

A: Being a bad girl is the same as being a badass.

The use of “bad girl” in my book is subverting a term that has been used to shame girls into socially acceptable behaviors that have thus far ruled that they should behave in a more modest,

Deepak Chopra

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D e e p a k C h o p r a : How can I heal myself and heal the collective insanity right now.

M P : Collective Insanity?

D C : Yes. What are the symptoms of collective insanity? War, terrorism, eco destruction, extinction of species, climate change, mechanized debt, contamination of food, destroying our oceans, and our collective psychosisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;soon to be a terminal patient, and that patient is the human species.

M P : So the biggest question is how do I heal myself?

D C : And heal the world. There is no social transformation in the absence of personal transformation. Personal transformation must be focused on love, compassion, joy, peace, equality, and creativity.

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H ealing

a Traumatic Childhood, PTSD, and Learning that if You Don't Like your Life, Only You Have the Power to Change It.

T ab i t h a H o lbe r t Law & Order: SVU actor + Founder of BoHo Yogo Instagram : @bohoyogo

Q: Tell us about your childhood in Texas.You grew up without a mother or father present, moved from home to home, and were illiterate at the age of 16. Now you’re a successful, accomplished actress and founder of BoHo Yogo. How did your childhood impact and inspire you?

Q: You discovered restorative yoga and it helped you overcome your trauma.

Can you expand on that?

both good and bad. When I was 16, one of my teachers told me, “Just because you’ve been dealt a bad hand, it doesn’t mean you can’t win the game.” Growing up without parents was not easy. From a very young age I was set up for failure. I missed so many windows of opportunities to develop myself and did not have emotional support needed in your early stages of life. I had to start from scratch later in my life and build a foundation for life all by myself. With all that being said, having a difficult childhood and young adult life made me see the value in little things, while teaching me how to persevere through hard times even when it seemed impossible. As a result of my ability to overcome these challenges, I am now able to help not only myself, but others who might have similar life struggles.

A: Yes, restorative yoga changed my life.The aftermaths of trauma experienced at a young age were certainly present in my adulthood. I use the asana (the physical practice) to create moments of “self-talk.” I strongly believe in the statement that “how one practices yoga is how one engages with life.”

If there are moments of being uncomfortable, how does one talk to him/ herself? Do you build yourself up with reassuring mantras, or do you allow your inner voice to tear you down? Another tool I use within restorative practice is breathing. I use my breath to ground myself in present time. It is a powerful technique that helped me when a moment triggers. A veteran can walk down the street and hear the sound of the car backfire. This can trigger a memory that can activate the panic mode and put him/her back in the same mindset of being in war. A woman sees a man who from far away resembles her abuser. This can also trigger a memory that puts her in a panic mode. Grounding oneself through breathing helps slow heart rate and focus on present time, a crucial step in order to avoid flashbacks.

Q: Can you tell us about your PTSD?

Q: What makes you feel vulnerable?

A: PTSD has many, many symptoms associated with it. Each person has his or her own journey. I struggled with a laundry list of symptoms. Through my practice I began to unpack these symptoms, learn the origin, and understand why they are here and where they come from. Then when I would feel that old feeling creep up, I would stop, breathe, and ground myself in present time.

A: Many things make me feel vulnerable; but I think vulnerability is incredibly beautiful. I feel vulnerable in yoga. I feel vulnerable telling my story. I felt incredibly vulnerable creating this app, because it’s for the 21st century yogi, but it’s also very personal. I feel it is important to share my story because it’s proof yoga works.

A: Oh, goodness. I think my childhood impacted my life in many ways,

bohoyogo.com

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" I k n o w h o w i t f eels t o h a v e a se c r et s h i el d , this veil of trauma."

Q: What belief, piece of advice, or experience really made the difference in your life?

A: Mrs. Francis. That teacher changed my life. Mrs. Francis gave me seeds of knowledge, patience, and love every day. The two things she said that motivate me daily, drive me when I can’t push myself, and fuel my passion when I lack it: a) Just because you are dealt a bad hand doesn’t mean you can’t win. b) If you ever don’t like your life, only you have the power to change it.

Q: What is your mission/vision?

A: My mission for BoHo Yogo is to fill the demand for “Yoga on the Go” and at the same time partner with a corresponding shelter or VA center. My vision is to continue to grow this company to the point where we have restorative yoga and meditation in shelters, hospitals, and prisons all across the country. Wherever there is a need to rebuild, we want to be there.

Q: Why did you start BoHo Yogo? Can you tell us about it?

A: I started BoHo Yogo because I know how it feels to have a secret shield, this veil of trauma. We all have it in some way or another, and I wanted to create a company that gives one-on-one care, and gives back to those who need it the most.

Tabitha Holbert, a successful actor and founder of BoHo Yogo, is most well known for her recurring role on Law & Order: SVU. Despite her successful acting career now, Tabitha had a very difficult life growing up in Texas, moving from home to home, enduring several years of trauma. At the age of 16, Tabitha was illiterate and nearly dropped out of school until a teacher discovered her talent for acting and persuaded her to audition for the school play. Tabitha went on to finish high school and then on to study acting where she first discovered yoga and its healing benefits. After graduating, Tabitha landed her first audition ever for a recurring role on Law & Order. Understanding the impact yoga had on her success and ability to help heal her childhood wounds, she decided to create BoHo Yogo as a way to help others be a source of inspiration and self-empowerment. Tabitha has lived in NYC since 2006 and currently resides in Brooklyn. BoHo Yogo is available on iTunes and Google Play.

Ashtanga mantra

feature

“

Daily practice offers the reminder this process of living and understanding is an inside job.

”

{ Laruga Glaser } Ashtanga Yoga Confluence 2017 K o n a

K a i

R e s o r t

&

Instagram: @AYC_Confluence |

Q: What is the importance of breath?

A: Breath is the cornerstone of the practice as it anchors us into the present moment. It connects our internal reality with the external world. In my eyes, there is nothing more powerful in making that bridge, especially in the beginning stages of yoga practice.When we simply bring consciousness of the breath, it has a way of naturally lengthening and deepening, which has an immediate effect on our frazzled nervous system. The breath awakens our awareness to the energetic nature of our being and unites us with the undercurrent that is our spiritual nature.

I often tell students of the practice, if all else fails in terms of how we adhere to the asanas, just breathe, connect there first. The breath calms and centers our mind and body and allows us to enter a state of attentive relaxation, which gives higher results than how we ultimately perform the asanas.

I find the breath to be magical and mysterious, one reason I personally feel there is much more for me to learn in terms of the importance and beauty of it. I deeply feel the more we can practice conscious breathing daily, even off the mat, it can assist in aligning to the flow of life that is ultimately guiding us to our highest potential, whatever that may be.

Q: What do you hope people take with them into their daily practice? What does the yoga community need to do to take the practice of yoga to the next level?

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ashtangayogaconfluence.com

A: It really goes back to one of my favorites quotes, which states: “The one you are looking for is the one who is looking.” The yoga practice takes us into the heart of our existence. Daily practice offers the reminder this process of living and understanding is an inside job. There is a wisdom inside that connects all beings on this planet. Everyone has access to it if we simply settle the mind and allow it to flow into our awareness. Taking it to the next level is to sincerely live it by practicing this way of being within our interactions with others, within our communities and immediate environment, and of course within.

Q: Explain what it means to be a part of the next generation of Ashtanga yoga teachers.

A: It means a great deal as I play a very small part in a community that reaches both far and wide.

Today, Ashtanga yoga has reached almost every corner of the world as more people are benefiting from the practice, and because of that there is a new wave of teachers also sharing and spreading the practice. Because of this reach, it is my hope that this next generation can be open-minded to various perspectives and experiences within the yoga community and that through it all we must be able to unite within our differences and see contrast as a strength to be cherished as it adds color to the fabric of the community in a beautiful way.

Ashtanga mantra

“

The practice done on the mat becomes a place for self-inquiry and reflection, while bringing strength and vitality to the body, and hence to the mind.

feature

”

As hta ng a Ma ste r Tea ch er { Mark Robberd } Ashtanga Yoga Confluence 2017 March 30-April 2, 2017 K o n a S a n

K a i

R e s o r t

D i e g o ,

&

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Instagram: @AYC_Confluence ashtangayogaconfluence.com

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poisons, and the light of our inner nature shines forth.” He knew all about the body/mind connection and he emphasized an intense physical practice as a way to purify the heart and mind. His legacy is that he has passed on this lifechanging practice and way of life to his daughter and son, grandson and granddaughter, as well as thousands of dedicated teachers who learned from him, and are continuing to share this tradition throughout the world.

Q: Ashtanga yoga in the West has

come to mean a set of hatha yoga Q: How can students apply Ashtanga sequences taught by Pattabhi Jois. yoga to their daily lives, and how can What were his main teachings and they keep Pattabhi Jois’s legacy alive legacy? in the Western world?

A: Yes, the term Ashtanga yoga has A: The first place to start is by in the West become synonymous developing a daily practice, which is with the hatha yoga sequences about creating the ritual of turning taught by Pattabhi Jois, but this is your mind within and creating a because as humans we need to positive and healthy way of being. label things and put them into a The practice done on the mat box. Pattabhi Jois (in my opinion of becomes a place for self-inquiry and what he thought) actually taught reflection, while bringing strength Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga. Meaning and vitality to the body, and hence that when studying with him in to the mind. The real purpose of all Mysore, or on his tours overseas, he of that, though, is to take that same would not only teach asana classes mindfulness, that same awareness, in the mornings, but would also into the rest of your life, so that teach pranayama and give talks and all of life becomes a part of your discussions on yoga philosophy—as understanding of what yoga is. The he was a master of this and could legacy of Pattabhi Jois will continue recite any scripture by heart. He to live on as long as we all stay true emphasized the importance of to discovering within ourselves what becoming well established in the he was pointing us towards—that first four limbs of Yama, Niyama, inner light of awareness that is our Asana, and Pranayama. From true nature. there, as the Sutras indicate, the

next four limbs would happen Q: What do you hope people take spontaneously. As with all Indian with them into their daily practice? philosophy, his own philosophy What does the yoga community drew from a mixture of viewpoints, need to do to take the practice of ranging from the nonduality of yoga to the next level?

Advaita, the rituals and practices of Tantra, to the seeming duality of A: I hope that people take with Patanjali, and the use of the hatha them a taste of happiness, or even yoga texts to teach yoga as a way of better, they are able to bring more life. One of my favorite expressions and more happiness into their lives. of his philosophy, teaching, and Into their practice, I would like to see practice is this: “In the yoga shastra, the childlike mind of playfulness, it is said that God dwells in our heart curiosity, and open-mindedness. The in the form of light, but this light yoga community as a whole, in order is covered by six poisons: kama, to take yoga to the next level, has to krodha, moha, lobha, matsarya, use social media wisely; we need to and mada. These are desire, anger, spend less time talking about what delusion, greed, envy, and sloth. others are doing, speak with less When practice is sustained with judgment and gossip less, encourage great diligence and dedication over inspiration and discovery, and move a long period of time, the heat forward with a sense of togetherness generated from it burns away these and community.

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Ashtanga mantra

“

feature

These days, it is taken for granted that the local corner shop yoga center offers Ashtanga-type classes but for our senior masters, they had to bus through Iran and Pakistan to get to South India to get any of this knowledge.

”

{ Tim Feldmann } Ashtanga Yoga Confluence 2017 M a r c h 3 0 - Ap r i l 2 , 2 0 1 7 K o n a

K a i S a n

R e s o r t D i e g o ,

&

Sp a

C a

Instagram: @AYC_Confluence ashtangayogaconfluence.com

r e h c a e T r e t s a Ashtanga M Q: What are the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga?

Q: How is the Ashtanga yoga community today Do you have a favorite limb, and what is the with Pattabhi Jois no longer here? main limb your students overlook?

A: I miss him. I think we are many who do. He A: The eight limbs are the cornerstone of both was a very special human. He offered a lot of Patanjali and Guruji’s method towards yoga. hope to a lot of people. But he lives on in the There is no difference between what Guruji heart of us all. Even people who never knew taught us and Patanjali’s thesis. It is same. him carry him around with them these days as

their teacher, and teachers’ love for him seeps Dharana is an important limb to me at the time through the boundaries of space and time. being. To maintain steady focus through every limb The community is growing like a wildfire. It is and in my life as a whole is a significant one for me. somewhat no longer a subculture of weirdos but

a main brand option at most yoga studios. It’s At first most of us get logged into Ashtanga yoga getting a life of its own. (as we know it in the West) through the exciting

and exotic challenges of learning these weird Q: Explain what it means to be a part of the next movements. They look so special and weird, and generation of Ashtanga yoga teachers. half scary and fun and cool and we want to try

that on for fits. Later, I think we get a kick out of A: As a practitioner finding Ashtanga in the the feeling of health, connectedness, and mental late ‘90s, I have always had a magnificent row of clarity. Then again, the sincerity of the community Ashtangis to look up to, to look to for advice, to we find is very soothing too. At a later date, we be inspired by, to yearn towards. When I began often either drop out or begin to find a special my primary series, there were two teachers in type of tickle from experiencing how our daily asana Europe. Two! Line Miele and John Scott. And then practice begins to open up our understanding of there were the Americans whom I only knew how the world works. We begin to find deep from videos, such as David Swenson, Richard philosophical principles directly applicable Freeman, Chuck and Mati, Tim Miller and a few to our lives, mostly for the better. So, I’d say, others. They were like devatas to me! Because of depending on our cycle with yoga, it is different this group of men and women who walked this limbs that turn us on.

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path with such brilliance and shine, I managed to find my way to Guruji—to the tradition and to what it’s all about.

As I find myself turning 50 years old and with about 20+ years on my back with this yoga method, I begin to find students who seek a similar inspiration in what I do, what I have done with yoga. It is a schizoid experience because I still long to embody yoga the way these fine women and gentlemen do. I am so very grateful for being there in those initial years where I was able to attend a class, open a book, watch a VHS (oh yes!), and getting such a direct handson evidence and spirit poured right into me. I believe I must have been that first generation of aspiring Ashtangis who could so easily access the Ashtanga method all because of the pioneers.

These days, it is taken for granted that the local corner shop yoga center offers Ashtanga-type classes, but for our senior masters, they had to bus through Iran and Pakistan to get to South India to get any of this knowledge. That’s pretty significant to me and it puts a tender bit of responsibility on me as an Ashtangi who has audacity to attempt a following act, teaching around the globe. So, being the next generation after this lot, well, I’m just trying to keep up really.

Mantra Book Club: Author Feature

Bringing Asana,

Hindu Myth, Mantra, Mudra, and Meditation, together, into an immersive experience, accessible to everyone.

Our Yoga Teacher, Writer, Artist + Author of

Yoga 365

Instagram : @susannaharwoodrubin

Q: What is your approach to teaching these days?

A: I teach Devi Soul Yoga, “devi” meaning “goddess.” I combine yoga asana class with Hindu myth, mantra, mudra, and meditation, weaving the practices together into an immersive experience.

Q: What is your best advice for how to begin taking your yoga off the mat and into your life?

A: Create a five to ten minute practice and do it every day for a month. See what happens. How does it change your life if you get up in the morning, set the timer, choose an intention for your day, move for a few minutes on your mat, then finish with a few rounds of pranayama, mantra, or meditation?

Keep it simple and sweet so you can easily meet your commitment.

Q: What is your new book, Yoga 365, about?

A: Yoga 365 offers daily contemplations and strategies for bringing yoga off the mat and into our lives. Each entry explores a mind-body theme such as balance, strength, or resilience. It is written for all levels, so a new yogi can enjoy it, but I’ve been thrilled to hear from teachers that they have been using it in class. There is a ton of information in Yoga 365, from myths and philosophical concepts to mantras, mudras, meditations, and breathing practices. So it is also a good reference book.

Q: Before writing Yoga 365, you wrote extensively about yoga philosophy, myth, and visiting South India. How did this interest begin?

A: I’ve been studying for 15 years with scholar Dr. Douglas Brooks, and began going with him to Tamil Nadu in 2008. When I first arrived at the great Nataraja Temple of Chidambaram, I felt as if I had come home. It was an overwhelming sensation of poignancy, and familiarity, as if I had stepped into a dream I had always been having. My relationship with that temple is tumultuous and beautiful, like a love affair, yet challenging to explain, so I began to write about it in order to understand it myself.

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Q: How did you balance these specific interests with your goal of making Yoga 365 accessible?

A: My editor at Chronicle Books kept telling me to simplify, and she was right. I spend my time with other yoga philosophy nerds, so my sense of what is common knowledge was skewed. My background was writing and lecturing for MoMA, so I was accustomed to making complex Modernist artworks understandable. I did the same thing in the yoga world. I asked my friends and family, “What do you know about pranayama? Kali? Mantra practice?” They looked at me and said, “Hmmm…” I quickly figured out that I needed to define terms to engage the reader. I care deeply about making things accessible.

Susanna Harwood Rubin is the author of Yoga 365. She is a yoga teacher, writer, and artist whose work is rooted in South Indian Philosophy. Based in NYC, Susanna teaches internationally and online. She is the creator of Devi Soul Yoga and Writing Your Practice.

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mantra

Ellie Bullen Instagram: @elsas_wholesomelife elsaswholesomelife.com

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Vegan

Q: Your fav smoothie ingredients?

F av re c ip e

A: Bananas, spinach, berries, and almond milk.

Sometimes I even blend through some peanut butter and it tastes amazing!

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Q: You live a magical life. What inspires you?

A: I am inspired by everything around me. Living by the sea in a beautiful part of the world yet always wanting to explore and see more of it.

Eating healthy food and feeling inspired to share that with others through recipes and imagery and being surrounded by creative and motivating people.

Q: What are a few of your favorite experiences?

Any recommendations?

A: I just went away and stayed at a little Airbnb south of Sydney, Australia, in a little town called Milton. I spent the weekend on a beautifully designed property sitting by the fire, cooking good food, and relaxing. It really reminded me how important it is to take time away from your busy life just to relax and enjoy good company.

Q: Travel essentials? We imagine that you travel lightly, but what are your must-haves?

A: Must-haves are a good skin moisturizer, and a bikini, because beach is always on the cards.

Q: How do you stay centered and healthy on the road?

A: When travelling, I like to try do as much of my own cooking as I can. While it’s so great to experience other cultures, I also love buying local ingredients and cooking my own healthy food.

Q: Why is travel so important for the soul?

serves 8 to 12

}

INGREDIENTS 200 g pecans 2 cups buckwheat groats 4 tbsp linseed/flaxseed 4 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp oil (1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp olive oil) ¼ cup 100% maple syrup 1-2 tsp cinnamon powder ½ tsp cardamom powder Pinch of sea salt Optional extra: 8-10 drops orange essential oil, or 2 tbsp grated orange rind

H O W TO MAKE I T Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F, fan-forced.

Combine the nuts, buckwheat, seeds, salt, and spices in a large bowl, pour over the oil and maple, add orange oil/rind if you choose, and toss so that it is evenly coated.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and transfer contents of the bowl to the tray.

Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.

A: I think travel is really important because you

Check on them at 15-20 minutes, and turn them over so that the bottom gets cooked too.

learn so much, not just knowledge, but you learn things about yourself, other cultures, and common sense. You also learn to appreciate the world and how diverse and amazing it is as well as realizing how lucky you are to live where you do.

Set aside on a bench to cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve fresh with some coconut yoghurt and fresh fruit, or store in a sealed jar. I keep mine in a jar in the fridge for extra freshness.

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Working with floral is a whole lot of earth, and I take a moment each day to light a candle, sage or palo santo and set intention with fire in order to be balanced in all elements.

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dan } r o J y e l n i F { fury joshuanight Instagram: @ m o c . t s o fauxgh com f u r y. t u m b l r. joshuanight

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”

Q: Can you tell us about your flower mandalas?

What do they represent to you?

Nature is the truest form of regener ative life. I t is in a constan t state of motion, growth, and healing .

”

A: Most of these works are created in collaboration with tattoo artist, Pony Reinhardt (@freeorgy) of Tenderfoot Studio, and florist, Alea Joy (@aleajoy) of Solabee Flowers & Botanicals, both Portlandbased.

In hopes of carrying on the lives and stories of already admired “used” floral, we’re meditatively and ritualistically honoring, giving thanks, and offering them back to the earth. For me, this is a practice that has taken many different forms, exploring collection, taxonomy, momentary curation, tactile purpose, and material ephemerality, depending on the objects (ex. found bones, created sculptures, studio materials, digital prints, harvested vegetables, etc). In this iteration, the floral has seemingly struck a collective chord of consciousness. It’s another leap from buying a bouquet and admiring it through to its death, when the last petal has fallen. Honoring the work that’s gone into the growing, the magic in the earth’s creating, and mirroring her slowness in process and progress.

In the floral industry there can be a lot of waste. You sometimes make 50 centerpieces, get consumed by the hustle of one event, and at the end of the night you’re tearing apart and composting the work you created five hours before. Sometimes this is all there is time for, and a whisper of a “thank you” as you send it back to the earth through the compost bucket will have to do. This process has been a way for us to step back for a second, take a breath, and give ourselves to the flowers. Consider the shape of each individual petal, admire the wiggly stems, understand the growth patterns in a specific way you can only see through deconstruction into petal confetti, surrender to the slowness that’s so deeply rooted in the flower’s being. Like doing yoga, it’s a practice and a ritual; you give in and you get healed. ➸

y e l in

F Q: Why is nature so vital?

A: Nature is the truest form of regenerative life.

It is in a constant state of motion, growth, and healing. It is the life giver for every single other thing on this planet. In it, exist many cycles: birth, life, death, rebirth, and so on throughout every level, down to the smallest of particles and the most basic of organisms. It becomes a mantra and greater metaphor to find all of the answers. It teaches me how to heal, how to move on, how to appreciate the chaos and admire the uniqueness, and very frequently it teaches that we aren’t in control. In dark times, it reminds us that light will return, which has been a cliffhanger, recurring meditation for me lately.

Q: What is something that is important to you?

A: Keeping a clear mind, staying centered, and finding balance in all things.

Q: How do you stay centered and healthy?

A: Creating rituals and seeing them through.

“Wake up, make coffee.” is one that I can check off the list most days and this keeps me a little more sane. It’s not the caffeine or the dependency, it’s the act of setting intention, following through, and showing up. Creating altars. I’m an Aquarius sun, Cancer moon, and Gemini rising, which is a lot of air and a little water. In order to create balance with that, I find that adding some fire and earth elements into my rituals helps bring me back to center. For example, working with floral is a whole lot of earth, and I take a moment each day to light a candle, sage, or palo santo and set intention with fire in order to be balanced in all elements. Ultimately, creating a solid foundation, respecting and healing the physical vessel that is my body, in order to make space for the unknown that is, most often, the creating process.

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jord

an

Q: What is a truth you know for sure?

A: A truth I know for sure is that Karma is real and it’s fierce.

Q: Tell us about what you create.

A: I like to describe myself as a fortune hunter, pack rat, fiber witch, flower princess. My current material of choice is most often flowers, but it’s been a long path of casting spells, planting seeds, and growing them to fruition. I have a slow studio practice of experimental fiber work, which sometimes takes the form of wearable sculptures, sometimes exists as conceptual cloth, and other times it simply exists as utilitarian home objects. Throughout the materials, there is an emphasis on working super hard on specific ideas that seem meaningful and important while allowing space for spontaneity and growth in unexpected directions. Learning that “feeling” is as valid to trust as tangible reasoning. The work is consistently experiential, while still being devoted to each “object” or physicality.

”

Surrender to the slowness that ' s so deeply rooted in the flower ' s being.

Like doing yoga, it 's a practice and a ritual; you give in and you get healed.

”

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Erin is the founder of Floret, a small flower farm and specialty seed company, based in Washington’s Skagit Valley. Erin is considered the nation’s leading farmer-florist, a term used to describe those skilled at both flower farming and floral design. Floret provides training and resources to flower lovers.

Our total crush!

Q: You live a beautiful life filled with nature and color. You also have one of the most beautiful, inspiring feeds on Instagram. What inspires you?

A: Thanks so much! My inspiration always comes from the seasons. I love the different colors, tastes, textures, and temperatures that define each day and capture that moment in time. My designs draw directly from the natural world and the abundance of whatever is blooming.

The flowers in my fields and on my table reflect that particular day—whether it is tulips and lilacs in the spring or dahlias and heirloom mums in the fall, I love the ephemeral nature of what is in bloom at that moment.

Q: Gardening essentials? What are your favs?

A: My Farmer-Florist tool belt is hands-down my favorite tool. Seriously, it changed my life! Now I never lose my phone, my jeans no longer have holes in the back pockets, and I can always find a pen or Sharpie when I need it. Sounds silly, but it really was a game-changer for me. A close second favorite tool would be my garden snips.

After using and testing dozens of different pairs in the flower field, I finally found the perfect pair.

They are lightweight, stay super sharp, and are a great size for women. No more aching wrists and sore hands at the end of the day. ➸

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I find that for far too many people, conventional career paths have left them feeling emotionally and creatively empty, so they are drawn to opportunities to connect them to what really matters. For many, that is having a closer connection to earth and their families.

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Q: What would you say is the core of your success and your happiness?

A: I love being able to do what I love alongside my family. There is nothing better, really. I also love sharing the beauty of what we are growing and creating through photographs and stories.

There’s no sense hoarding all these pretty flowers for ourselves, so every day we share snippets of our flower-filled life on the Floret website and through social media. Over the years I’ve shared my experience and my family’s story on the Floret blog, which I think really resonates with people. I find that for far too many people, conventional career paths have left them feeling emotionally and creatively empty, so they are drawn to opportunities to connect them to what really matters. For many, that is having a closer connection to earth and their families.

Q: You grow beauty. How did it begin for you?

A: My husband, Chris, and I wanted to be able to raise our family surrounded by nature, so we moved from Seattle to the Skagit Valley. We tilled up our tiny two-acre plot to first create a huge vegetable garden. Tucked in with all the vegetables was a double row of flowering sweet peas planted in memory of my great-grandmother.

Grammy had introduced me to gardening and flowers at a very young age. As a child, I was her “little flower girl” and she tasked me with making bouquets for her bedside table. Flowers were a source of great joy and connection between us.

So, when the first flush of sweet peas bloomed in our new garden, it felt as if she were there with me. I shared much of the garden’s bounty with friends, family, and anyone who crossed my path. When I delivered my first bouquet, the recipient teared up as she buried her face in the flowers. Seeing the impact that flowers had on her and so many others who received our flowers was tremendous. After seeing all the tears, smiles, joy, and memories evoked by my flowers, I knew I had found my calling.

Q: Why is the soil so important for the soul?

A: In our everyday lives, especially during tumultuous times for our country or in our own personal lives, we must find activities—like gardening and connecting with nature—that bring us peace. I’m constantly amazed by the power that flowers have to tap into our deepest emotions. Flowers have a remarkable ability to make us smile and bring us joy. They provide comfort and help heal broken hearts. They spark memories and stir nostalgia. The joy in growing, sharing, or receiving flowers is pretty remarkable, really. For me, few other things in life provide such simple satisfaction.

Q: What is a truth you know for sure?

A: There are so many reasons to grow, share, and enjoy seasonal flowers. Whether you plant flowers in honor or in memory of a loved one, to provide food for bees or other pollinators, for a business, or exclusively for your own personal pleasure, flowers are a beautiful balm for the soul.

“

I’m constantly amazed by the power that flowers have to tap into our deepest emotions.

Flowers have a remarkable ability to make us smile and bring us joy. They provide comfort and help heal broken hearts. They spark memories and stir nostalgia. The joy in growing, sharing, or receiving flowers is pretty remarkable, really.

”

Floret Flower

{

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mantra

TRAVEL + WELLNESS

My Secret

Escape Saint Croix

Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort + Spa Instagram: @rencarambola marriott.com/stxbr Maranda Pleasant

I

photo: Tim Linse Sweet Bottom Dive Center

’m typing this from our enclosed porch, which is bigger than my Manhattan apartment, watching the waves outside our door.

For 12 months, we’ve been traveling the globe, and this is the first place I’ve found that we’ve really been able to deeply relax. We live in a world where calm and quiet have almost become extinct. I’ve traveled for months looking for the most peaceful places to renew and nourish. This is our number one spot so far.

Their white powder sand beach sits at the foothills of a Jurassic Park-like, surreal rainforest. Maybe the wild scenery is a backdrop for my own need for soul rewilding. It’s unpretentious, laid-back, natural luxury, unlike anything we’ve seen before.

For wellness and restoration, we just can’t do mega-resorts. No more hotels jampacked along a coast. Such a breath of fresh air, not being surrounded by chain hotels and hordes of people.

It’s on a private, wild, secluded beach where we sit on our screened deck surrounded by lush tropical terrain, listening to the waves, crickets, frogs, while watching mongooses run outside our door.

It feels like a home. I’m able to slow down and see the magic in nature again.

St. Croix is the least populated island and the most overlooked—probably why it’s our favorite.

It retains its natural, untouched beauty.

Our team’s best dives happened here. They have a stunning dive wall, two minutes off their coast. No boat required. Our French editor got certified at their onsite diving shop, which took us out every day. I really like easy and effortless. My new mantra. This was it. This island overall has several world-class diving sites, shipwrecks, and the most colorful coral I’ve ever seen.

As vegans, it’s not always easy traveling. Having black bean burgers, salads, and tofu dishes delivered to our suite during long night deadlines was pretty sweet. And let’s not forget the thatched roof massage cabanas on the sand.

It’s rare to find a place where you can feel so one with nature, where A-types like me can sit over the ocean in a hammock for hours, with no phone.

Stay tuned! It’s now our first choice for our first yoga/dive, wild woman, wellness retreat this year.

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photo: Tim Linse Sweet Bottom Dive Center

photo: Tim Linse Sweet Bottom Dive Center

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mantra pilates

P i la t es Te ac h e r F e ature

Pilates for a

g n o r St Yoga Practice Improving Core Strength Miami Teacher

Em i ly B e n c h - L a h r s s e n

Pilathon, Founder + Owner | PMA-Certified Pilates Teacher | IIN Holistic Health Coach

pilathon.com | Instagram: @Pilathon

i

had always wanted to put smiles on people’s faces, so a career choice was super easy for me! I went to dental school. I loved my work, but long hours stooping and bending over patients took its toll and frequently my upper back and neck pain was severe. Pilates came to my rescue.

Literally. After just half a dozen sessions, a dramatic improvement, and I was back to my usual strong and healthy self! But something else happened; I guess I fell in love!

To cut a long story short, I enrolled in a leading Pilates training school in Miami, successfully completed their program, taught at their school and learned the ropes, and bonded with another dentist/Pilates teacher and decided to go into business together and Pilathon was born!

Many clients at Pilathon are yoga practitioners

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and yoga teachers who came to us wanting to improve core strength, which made me wonder why. I could understand this for runners, tennis players, or athletes, but yogis? I decided to join a yoga training course.

The greatest reward that I get from my work is buckets full of job satisfaction, and the knowledge that I really am making other people healthier and happier and even inspiring them to spread the word.

Though Pilates and yoga complement each other wonderfully, I now know and firmly believe that the core strength and core control that you acquire from Pilates is essential for healthy yoga practice. In other words, Pilates really will improve your yoga!

The icing on the cake for me personally has been that in October this year we launched our own teacher training program in response to the demands who said loud and clear that they wanted to follow our footsteps and become Pilates and health coaches. These trainees include people from different walks of life: a physical therapist, video producers, marketing specialists, an English teacher, and would you believe, a dentist!

But don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge yoga fan.

I think anybody and everybody who wants to improve their health and lifestyle should practice yoga. To quote a dear friend, my personal yoga teacher, Cat Haayen, “Pilates is the main course, but yoga is the dessert.”

We have created a ripple effect and are now teaching our followers to be leaders!

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a

s full-time touring movement instructors, Marlo Fisken and I have the opportunity to see incredibly diverse landscapes, cultures, and people. When visiting a foreign country, there’s often the barrier of differing languages and customs. Time and time again, we fall back to one of the most useful universal languages—body language.

We get around with gestures, and teach with our bodies. After class, we discover that a unique bond is shared with our students; even without a single communicable word, we’ve a sudden and authentic relationship with those we’ve moved with.

This concept led us to this project almost two years ago, in early 2015.

Instagram: @poleninjaphotography | @marloathlete flowmovement.net | poleninjaphotography.com

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A dancer’s profession is to express through movement. Movement, and shape, is arguably the most universal of languages, crossing boundaries of race, sex, class, education, and even species and sentience.

Within biology, there is a law: function follows form, and form follows function. Improper function or form leads to early degeneration. Whether in mechanics or architecture, or the earth and everything on it, we instinctively recognize natural shape and alignment, good form and function, and we call it beautiful. Just the same, we recognize authenticity in expression.

Marlo once told me that if she is asked to perform movements she cannot embody due to discordant ideas between her and the choreographer, or because of a lack of connection with the music, it feels like she is lying. Those watching will feel this and they, too, will lose their connection with the performance.

We also don’t enjoy typical tourism: wait in line and take selfies with monuments. We need to interact and move and create within an environment to feel like we’ve actually been there.

This led us to our goal: the seamless unification of varying elements: raw nature and human nature, of time and the timeless, of structure and chance, using both the universal language of light—photography, and the universal language of movement— shape.

I picked up photography to document the diversity of the world, but I’ve ended up creating an ever-growing series about unity between all things, through two universal languages.

This unified world of light and movement is fantastical, otherworldly, magical—and very real.

It’s a combination of meticulous planning and spontaneity that creates each of these images. We are honored to recently have our work selected as the first-place album of the International Photography Awards 2016 for our category.

None of the elements in these images have been photoshopped in. Nor have Marlo’s shapes been digitally altered.

I hope you can take a moment to hear what she is saying.

Kenneth Kao is the doctor and owner of Vital Balance Chiropractic and the winner of the 2016 International Photography Awards for the Advertising: Self-Promotion category, as well as a finalist in the 2015 Travel Photographer of the Year Awards.

Since her youth, Marlo Fisken has dedicated her life to the study of movement.

She’s taught in over 45 countries and is the creator of Flow Movement®, Floor Flow® and Flowbility®.

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Yogis at 50 Feature

Aging Wildly Turning 50,

the Best Advice from Her Mom, and Her Serum.

Youth

Seane Corn SeaneCorn.com | Instagram: @SeaneCorn

{

Photos:

Norman Seeff

“You do not look your age.” “For fifty… you look great!” “Is it okay to say you’re fifty?” “If you had Botox, you wouldn’t look so, you know, tired.” “You should get a little filler around your mouth, you’d look so much younger.”

“Do you regret not having kids, I mean, who’s going to take care of you when you get sick?”

“I’d still totally fuck you…!”

- This is the shit I hear. -

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}

I do not feel less beautiful, lovable, or desirable because I look differently today than I did in my 20s. Quite the opposite, actually. Aging has given me experience and wisdom and a level of confidence that you can never have when you’re young.

O

”

n September 19, I turned 50. Contrary to societal opinion, I am excited to have made it to this age and do not feel sad or apologetic for the changes that come with it. It’s part of the deal. You live, and if you’re lucky enough, you get old. Getting older is complex, deeply personal, and I won’t dictate to you what your experience with aging can or should be. Aging, like everything else in life, is a process and different for everyone. All I can do is share with you my own journey as I age: what I have learned, the choices I’m making, and what I am committed to with each passing day. By far my favorite part of aging is the “I don’t give a fuck”-ness that comes with it. Getting older means that you’ve earned the right to do whatever the hell you want to with your life, body, face, etc., and aren’t obligated to have to explain or defend your decisions to anyone!

I look at aging as a privilege, and as I get older I truly appreciate how short our time is in these bodies, and I don’t want to take a second of this journey for granted. I am very grateful. I’m grateful for my health, my resilience, my commitment to growth and change. Grateful for my family, my yoga practice, my community, my amazing body that can do so many interesting things, and all the love I’ve been given and have been able to give in return. In these 50 years, I have lived big, loved deeply, turned my passion into a career, got to explore the world, buried a parent, lost more beloved animals than I care to think about, opened my heart to God, created my own unconventional family, and have had more wonderful, tragic, and weird moments than I could ever possibly describe. Life, for me, has been deep and beautiful, and although terribly heartbreaking at times, I’ve treasured this wild and unpredictable ride. I can’t wait to see what wisdom comes from the (hopefully) many, many days I have left. ➸

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Yogis at 50 Feature than she is (which she finds fabulous, and loves to see the expression on their face when she tells them her age). She has never had plastic surgery or Botox, and she never will. She is stunning, but what radiates from her and makes her so captivating is her enthusiasm for life, openness to new ideas, readiness for adventure, killer sense of humor, and immense gratitude. She said to me many years ago, “Seane, the face you have at 50 is the face you deserve. Be kind and love with all your might. It will show.” When I asked her what her advice would be for “aging gracefully,” she said, “Screw gracefully! Age wildly!! Move along with the times, keep learning, stay curious, have a ball, laugh louder than everyone else in the room, let go of bullshit that really doesn’t matter, and get the fuck on with it!” My mother has been an example to me about how to celebrate and honor the privilege of aging, and that selfconfidence is the true key to agelessness (and that a well-placed F-bomb is sometimes essential when making a point!).

”

Age means nothing to me, except as a marker for time. The only thing that makes me sad about aging is the inevitability of death that comes with it. I’m sad to say goodbye to those I love and will (at this writing, at least) be sad to transition and leave this particular incarnation. Although I know this being-ness is only temporal and that part of the practice of yoga is learning impermanence, loss is still the aspect of the human experience that can break me to my core. And, as anyone who is older can tell you, losing people you love becomes more and more frequent as we age. This loss is the only part of aging I truly struggle with, and yet, as I said when I eulogized my father, “To hurt this badly only means I got to love that big, and for that I will always be grateful.”

Often what people grieve, as they grow older, (and spend a fortune staving off) are the inevitable changes that will come to their body and face.

Losing strength and mobility in my muscles and joints has been an adjustment, that’s for sure, but not the end of the world. Seeing the changes in my face has been a curious and thoughtprovoking process as well, but nothing I dwell on or consider doing anything about in order to halt the process. Since the mid ‘90s, I have been on over 30 magazine covers. I can see the changes in my body and face with each year that passes, and so can everyone else. I have had to fight hard within my industry not to have my lines and wrinkles airbrushed and photoshopped out of existence.

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I do not want to participate in or perpetuate the unrealistic standards of beauty that make change and aging so uncomfortable and scary for so many. Each line on my face tells a story and I want to preserve the integrity of a life well lived, even if it’s lived across my face! I am proud that I am still asked to be on covers, and I intend to continue “modeling” to the world what healthy aging looks like for THIS particular body.

I do not define myself by my looks or my agility.

I do not feel less beautiful, lovable, or desirable because I look differently today than I did in my 20s. Quite the opposite, actually. Aging has given me experience and wisdom and a level of confidence that you can never have when you’re young. If I’m still “beautiful for my age,” it’s because of this confidence. I’ve worked hard for it. I’ve earned it. I’ll take your compliment, but I will change it slightly, albeit significantly. You see, I do not subscribe to the belief that youth culture is more desirable, or that aging is something to slow down, hide, or be apologetic for. Therefore, I am not beautiful FOR my age; I am beautiful BECAUSE of it.

I believe that I have a healthy relationship with aging because of my mother, Alice. She is 71, absolutely physically and emotionally beautiful, with bright red hair, a particular shade of which you will never see in nature! Since my dad died, she is often asked out by men much younger

I do not subscribe to the belief that youth culture is more desirable, or that aging is something to slow down, hide, or be apologetic for. Therefore, I am not beautiful FOR my age; I am beautiful BECAUSE of it.

”

This time last year, I took a much-needed sabbatical. One reason was so I could write a book, but also as a 50th birthday present to myself. I wanted to take a break from teaching and use the time off the road to reflect. Turning 50 was a milestone moment, and I wanted to mark it with some kind of initiation. I wanted to look back at my last 49 years and honor this passing of time, reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, what I learned, and what I resisted. I wanted to confront any limited beliefs that I might still have, reframe all old narratives that I was still attached to and let them go. I wanted to meet with other women older than me and see what wisdom they had to share. I wanted to ritualize this transition and set clear and empowered intentions so that I could step into this sacred phase of my life meaningfully. For me, turning 50 was about letting go of shit that doesn’t matter, taking full ownership of my emotional experiences and the wisdom that I have gained along the way, using my voice, talent, and skills more deliberately and courageously, stepping fully into my role as a leader, being of service in a more mature and integrated way, and mentoring others (especially young women) as they navigate through their own experience of life. If aging means I get to do all of this with strength, confidence, humility, gratitude, and grace… then bring it on!!

I do not want to participate in or perpetuate the unrealistic standards of beauty that make change and aging so uncomfortable and scary for so many.

Seane Corn” a g i n g w i l d ly

There is much I can share that I learned during that time off, but unsurprisingly, the biggest takeaway I can offer you is to forgive. I know you have heard this before, but there is a reason for it. Resentment is a poisonous, caustic energy that depletes us of vitality. I don’t have any interest in holding on to any resentments or anger from my past. It’s not worth it. It’s an old, yet familiar, energy that does not serve my health, happiness, wellness, or growth. So I’m done. I forgive. If there is a “youth serum,” then it is to love—big, beautifully, messily, with devotion, tenderness, and real care— everyone and everything as extensions of your own magnificent soul.

So age on! Grab each second heartily and kiss life fully and deliciously on the mouth. Let’s not buy into the limitations that aging in our society presents; let’s instead redefine aging as something we “get” to do. Something that not all souls will have the option of. Let’s heal our own limited beliefs around aging and beauty and do the inner work necessary for self-confidence, acceptance, and empowerment. Let’s share our wisdom, be of service to this planet, and not be attached to things we can’t control. Let’s embrace the inevitability of change and experience the true beauty of our being as LOVE. Let’s allow the quality of our lifelong joy to be determined not by the amount of days in our life, but by the amount of life we live each and every day.

May your life be blessed in all ways. May your journey towards awakening bring you home to who you truly are and illuminate the transcendent presence of Source that is within. May your selfworth not be dependent on how your body or face looks, or your age; instead, may your selfconfidence come from knowing who you truly are. May you honor that ageless soul within that knows that our ultimate beauty is in our infinite ability to love. Be that love, share that love, serve that love, and live forevermore, timelessly, agelessly, infinitely in God’s grace and light. Blessed be.

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Yogis at 50 Feature

Shiva Rea

On Turning 50 Columnist:

m u r t c e p S Live Full { } I feel a greater desire to go beyond the surface, to be more mySelf, to pass the fire on, to not miss this moment.

I

am a few months away from marking 50 circumambulations around the sun—29 billion miles. It is astounding to be alive.

Turning 50, there is a heightening wisdom that life is short. Dissolution, impermanence, climate change, and the next four years—creativity and realization of what really counts are often born from such intensity.

I see 50 as a marker of life experience. I would love to live in vitality to 108 and beyond, offering yoga as long as possible to all beings everywhere.

Fuck the vision of the zombie apocalypse that is being sold to us. I want to be around to serve our organic breath and see the end of fossil fuels. We have to honor and protect the wilderness in our cells, upon the earth, and in the heavens.

As I am coming up on 50, everything has gotten deeper—meditation, contemplation, lovemaking, listening to close friends, complex emotions, tender tears, inner strength—the full spectrum.

I feel a greater desire to go beyond the surface, to be more myself, to pass the fire on, to not miss this moment. I turn 50 in sync with MahaShivratri—the all-night festival for Shiva.

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When my father gave me this seed name, I signed up for the dance of life —full-spectrum.

I began my yogic journey at 14, and meditation was opening my ears to listen deeper. After a close friend committed suicide, I was shut down and disheartened, so I decided to defer going to university and go to do volunteer work in East Africa. My adult yoga journey begins here, and breath by breath, my heart has become more alive, loving, and connected.

I feel this allegiance and devotion to primal intelligence, life-current, prana-shakti now more than ever. When I turned 40, one of my greatest fears of connecting with Nagas (snakes) dissolved and opened a decade-long awakening into the ancient and primal movements. Nagas are honored cross-culturally for their innate healing power. To feel their slow, connected movement and creative energy in many forms has been part transmission in retrieving primal intelligence. At 50, I am ready to follow this inner current even more deeply and at the same time, lighten up!

So 50 begins another pilgrimage. From travels to almost 50 countries and India for the 15th time, my family has become global citizens. The

ancient places and indigenous ways are calling all of us to listen to the cells in our body. Where are you being called in your own community?

Upon this sacred earth? Something is there for you.

So turning 50—the halfway point as it is called—is like a spiritual equinox where we can see on the horizon both sunset and moonrise, light within darkness, fullness within emptiness, creation within dissolution, living within dying, our essence within reemergence. I poignantly feel this teaching in opening to the totality of the dance of life. The yogic process has become the realization of the “mover behind the movement.”

As I turn 50, I want to go through the portal and begin the journey anew. I want to leave behind all forms of unnecessary suffering and be a positive conduit for collective evolution through yoga and sacred activism. We are all needed at this time. I am grateful for my root teachers, my soul-partner Demetri, son Jai, family and friends around the world.

Life is the dance I want to live fully with you.

”

As I am coming up on 50, everything has gotten deeper—meditation, contemplation, lovemaking, listening to close friends, complex emotions, tender tears, inner strength—the full spectrum.

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Yogis at 50 Feature

Face to Face with our

Fear of Aging THE FALL of the MATRIX,THE BOREDOM of the MATING GAME, and….TURNING 50

Sitting next to a lovely woman on a flight from Denver to San Diego, I learned of her top three greatest fears.

Among spiders and something else I can’t remember, which

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KENLYN KOLLEEN

BY

Photo: Edica Pacha

also seemed like an archetype in our collective consciousness, was her fear of aging. Sheepishly, she revealed that she had just turned 40. “Well, sister,” I said, “You’re in good company.”

I have done a lot of work with resistance energy.

Lama Tsultrim Allione’s Feeding Your Demons meditation is one of my favorite practices to lean into what I am resisting. It’s a potent and effective process for facing the things that scare you most and getting to the other side. The freed-up resistance energy can become your ally. That’s what happened to me.

As I worked with my resistance energy and turned myself into nectar to feed the demons that were telling me that I was old, ugly, and not good enough; that I had lost my power; and that my life was effectively over, I noticed that my view popped up a level. I stopped identifying with

those thoughts. Instead of panicking and strategizing, I got curious. Curiosity was the beginning of claiming my power—the power to create a context that would have me live powerfully, no matter what my age.

That’s when I saw through the matrix.

The setup in the matrix is the biological imperative to procreate. Like peacocks doing a mating dance with their feathers spread wide, we humans are not so dissimilar. One of the underlying motives in our teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s is to attract a mate, even if we do not desire to have children. Our genetics don’t know that. They have been wired over thousands, if not millions, of years with the message to perpetuate the species. We sniff out viable partners. They have a look and a feel that our DNA knows and loves. The currency of the matrix is not money but the ability to attract these partners. Currency is sexual power that is largely based on beauty and youth. This currency can get you out of a speeding ticket with the right cop.

”

Recently, I became present to my fear of aging for one really good reason: soon I was going to be turning 50. At some point in my youth, I labeled 50 as old, and I never updated my files. Perhaps I didn’t think turning 50 would ever happen to me.

But midway through age 48, my gaze shifted, and I saw the writing on the wall. My mind quickly went to strategizing: perhaps I could move my “old” marker to another decade further out. After all, I have a 90-year-old friend who is still forming companies and traveling the world. Nevertheless, a spark of curiosity kept me on my mission to reckon with this fear.

Let’s be clear. There’s nothing wrong with the matrix. We are alive and on this planet because of it. It’s natural and beautiful. It’s life doing life.

It’s just not the full story.

Curiosity was the beginning of claiming my power—the power to create a context that would have me live powerfully, no matter what my age.

Reimagine what’s possible Step powerfully into your 50s

”

As we age, therefore, it is normal that we fear the loss of currency, which is ultimately the loss of power inside the matrix. To our DNA, that loss of power could mean the loss of our survival or the survival of our children. Power in the matrix is also convenient because we know how to get it and how to use it. No wonder we have anxiety as the matrix starts to dissolve.

The problem with (and the possibility from) evolution is that it hasn’t caught up to our doubled life span. No longer is 40 or 50 the end of the road. If we are to live out the average lifespan for a modern privileged woman, we will have a second life.

Psychologist Carl Jung explained that different rules apply for the second half of life than the first half of life. Using my modern vernacular, I assert that women who are turning 50 are stepping out of the matrix. Even if advances in science would allow a woman to get pregnant after 50 with increased success, by the time she turns 50, her psyche has changed. The matrix has become boring. She is fucking over it.

Rest assured, that doesn’t mean that she is over sex. Quite the contrary. She is over mating game sex, which is a totally different kind of sex.

Sex outside the mating game has much more potential for fulfillment than sex inside the mating game. But that’s a story for another day.

In the absence of the matrix supplying us with as much currency as our DNA can muster, our psyches need a new mental framework.

Psychiatrist Dan Siegel defines mental wellness as an integration of the right and left hemispheres— archetypes, dreams, and images integrated with a coherent narrative. Thus, our psyches need a coherent narrative to live the second half of life outside the matrix. Otherwise, like freed animals who prefer a cage, we will pretend that we live inside the matrix, and we will make ourselves miserable, anxiety-ridden, and fearful as we age.

The coherent narrative I discovered is that 50 is the threshold crossing from our un-individuated selves to our authentic selves. We are compelled by an inner force to live in alignment with our true essence, to speak our truth even when the perceived cost is great, and to relax into what we know and who we are. It’s a time when we discover a new currency that is part of the essential qualities of being a spirit having an experience in a body.

It’s a time when the quality of radiance is most available to us. This is the new currency.

In the world of the archetypes, the threshold crossing into our 50s is the crossing from The Mother into The Queen. She is now the ruler of herself and no longer a slave to the matrix. She does not need to sacrifice herself or her desires for another’s wellbeing. Her contribution to others and the planet deepens by just being herself. She is inner directed. She attracts those who truly see her. Her spirit is free. She is you.

She is us.

Kenlyn Kolleen is the author of The Art of Turning 50: A Woman’s Guide to Initiating Herself Into Her Most Authentic and Radiant Life. TheArtofTurning50. com. She leads powerful women’s groups and coaches women to claim their wisdom, power, and radiance.

Contact her at kenlyn@evolvingsisters.com

TheArtofTurning50.com

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mantra YOGA

Love

Our Heroine + the Story Behind the Sedona Yoga Festival

Heather Shereé Titus {

D i r e c t o r ,

Sedona Yoga Festival

sedonayogafestival.com

Q: Tell me about your passions.

A: As long as I can remember I was driven to and found joy in orchestrating events, parties, and gatherings. My earliest memory of this was a surprise birthday party for my little sister.

We were with the extended family and I made sure everyone had a task and an opportunity to contribute. The littlest kids went to pick the wild strawberries for the pies, my uncles made the signs, my aunts went to the store. It’s somehow ingrained in my nature to see how if we all work together we can make something really special.

What’s odd about it is that I truly am an introvert.

I need and take lots of time alone to keep my energy balanced and available for interactions.

As this continued in my adult life, I would get what I called the post-production blues. Yoga was my stress reliever, acting as the counterpose for the way I was living my life, which proved to be inconsistent with my being. With steady practice and the self-realizations that occurred, yoga

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|

Instagram: @shreeaz

}

became my true passion—an incredibly powerful science that assists with maintaining balance and cultivating discernment. I began to know and see myself more clearly, and others, too. This is why I eventually “retired” from production management; at least I did up until the Sedona Yoga Festival started!

Q: What in the world inspired you to start the Sedona Yoga Festival?

A: I didn’t! Marc did. How did I get involved?

Well, it isn’t my first festival. What inspired me to dive in and carry it forward to what is now year five? When I first met my beloved and we began to recognize each other and spend the time to get to know one another, eventually unfolding our stories, he made an excellent decision. He didn’t tell me he was trying to start a festival! Having just cultivated the support team I needed to leave another annual event I had created and managed for seven years, I communicated to him that I

"

There's always a struggle available

to us, presented to us, but there is

a way to be in the flow of it , true to self, that takes the sting —and

actually the struggle —out of it .

"

moved to Sedona with a yogi’s peaceful heart and quiet mind and had chosen, very determinedly, to leave the production world behind. Hike, meditate, teach yoga, repeat. I did notice his left eyebrow shoot up when I said, “I used to produce festivals and events!” Finally, after a few blissful months, Marc communicated to me that he really, really needed my help. Of course, I said no. Marc had created and promoted an incredible lineup of yogis to manifest his vision for the Sedona Yoga Festival, but he didn’t know very much about producing the event itself. When I looked in my heart, and the little journal I had with me in Sedona, I was able to truly say that if he hadn’t done it I probably would have done something like it myself. So, I said yes. We worked together beautifully and our partnership became purposeful and it’s been that way ever since. We vision together and together we do what needs to be done to accomplish our intentions. In that first year, sleeping only three hours per night, running to nine, maybe ten different venues all around Sedona, hosting and organizing the logistics around over 100 sessions, I was not the least bit exhausted after and no post-production blues. The profound reality of that for me was that I had finally married my passion and purpose with my ingrained set of skills. This is a great gift to have in life: to be able to work for what you love and to know that what you are doing serves people and cultivates more peace in the world. I have so much gratitude for the practice of yoga and could not help but share it. I am so blessed to be able to share it in such a massive platform as this, in such a powerful container as the Sedona Vortex, and to be able to share it with a partner who is equally driven to do so. Although there have been many, many challenges along the way with bootstrapping this experience, we’ve always come back to the knowing that this is what we are supposed to be doing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Q: What is something that you’ve struggled with and how did you get through it?

A: My husband has PTSD. Still figuring that one out. Egad. Our love is so great that I would not walk away from what was clearly suffering. I had to figure out my own response mechanisms, triggers, habits. He was a great guide in that respect, leading the way whenever possible toward tackling the very powerful symptoms of it. Yoga! Of course. This is how I get through all of it. I highly recommend it. And I will continue to study and we will offer trainings that empower people to manage their stress, their life, their triggers, their fears, their inspirations with the powerful science and practice of yoga. There’s always a struggle available to us, presented to us, but there is a way to be in the flow of it, true to self, that takes the sting—and actually the struggle—out of it.

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photographer feature

M oving

from

L o o ki ng to

{

S e e i ng

Photographer:

Jason H Reinhart

Instagram: jasonhreinhart# jasonhreinhart.tumblr.com I create to share how I see in the world around me. I believe we all try to share what we see in the world and photography allows me to do that. When I got into photography, I slowed down to take in the details of my daily surroundings. And, as I slowed down, I began to focus on things such as the way light acts on tall grass, the beauty of a yoga pose in harmony with natural or man-made structures, and the character in the faces of the people I’d meet. While I had been somewhat aware of these things in the past, I had not paid attention to the fine details. So what I really hope for with my photography is that someone views one of my images and sees what I have seen at that moment in time. I want those that see my photos to be encouraged to slow down, look at the world around them, maybe even explore what is familiar to them, and see more of what they have been looking at. There is a considerable difference between “looking at something” and “seeing something” and I want to move people from “looking” to “seeing.”

Name: Nikki Holtzheuser | Instagram: @nikkiibear Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Name: Kindred Ashley Sheeler | Instagram: @iamkindred Location: Sarasota, Florida

Something Name: Stefani Rose | Instagram: @stefaniroseyoga Location: New York, New York

Name: Riva G. | Instagram: @riva_g Location: New York, New York

Name: Kelli Lanette D. | Instagram: @kdyogachick | dynamicyogaandfitness.net | Locat ion: Port Orange, Florida

Name: Blake Mason | Instagram: @blakealexiss | blakealexiss.com | Location: Orlando, Florida

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The AR t of Meal Planning:

five Steps from Hungry to Healthy {

photo:

o l i a s a u n d e r s o f PS . N Y

}

2

Vision your Week and Assess

your Time.

It takes about 30 minutes a day to cook a whole-foods, plant-based diet and about 30 minutes weekly to plan, plus shopping time once or twice a week. Start by sketching out your week. This is a great ritual for a quiet Sunday afternoon or your day off. Think about what type of week it will be—filled to the brim? Then don’t think big. Even if you cook one more vegetable this week than you did last week, you’re improving your diet.

3

i

n another study proving what we already knew, researchers at Johns Hopkins found that those who cook at home eat a much healthier diet than those who don’t. Regular home cooking lowers your intake of calories and refined sugar, which bolsters the nutrient value of your diet. And yet, we don’t cook. We squeeze in a stop at the grocery store on the way home from a long day, and grab stuff from the freezer or deli.

How can we bring mindfulness to the experience of gathering and preparing food when we’re so pressed for time, and when the most accessible options are rarely the healthiest ones?

1

Kripalu.org

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MANTRAMAG.COM

Begin with Intention.

Take a few moments to write down why you want to spend a little more time in your kitchen. What are you looking to cultivate in your life? How might you feel when you are eating better more of the time? Science suggests that you literally become what you eat, so your choices matter.

S k e t c h o u t a S i m p l e M e n u f o r t h e W e e k .

Now that you have a sense of your week, think about what you want to cook at home. If you have a busy week coming up, aim for making just one plant-based dinner—maybe a pot of your favorite whole grain and a vegetable. Think about other meals and snacks, too: How much fruit will you eat? What will you have for breakfast?

4

M a k e a S h o p p i n g L i s t .

Make a shopping list based on the menus you’ve sketched out. It’ll keep you on point so you stay in the produce and refrigerator aisles and far away from the prepared food.

5

M i n i m i z e F o o d W a s t e .

If you find yourself tossing lots of your formerly beautiful produce, no worries. It’s a natural phase of the process.

One easy way to save veggies that are on the way out: chop them, blanch them, and freeze them to be used later in soup stock or sauce. Fruit can be cut and frozen for smoothies or baked goods.

Gathering and preparing a whole-foods, plant-based diet is all about cultivating the planning, shopping, and cooking habits that will get you in the groove. Whatever time and energy you put toward planning will pay off, and remember to give yourself props for the effort that you’re making.

mantra

Ayurveda

Ay u r v e d i c

Cold & Flu

Remedies {

Photo: Christoffer Persson

}

If you find yourself sniffling, sneezing, or coughing—or if you’re down for the count with the flu—try these all-natural remedies from Ayurveda. Some of them are also backed by modern science.

Flush out toxins. You know the old adage:

Drink plenty of fluids when you’re sick (to prevent dehydration and mobilize congestion, says the Mayo Clinic). Ayurveda is more specific: Drink lots of hot water. Why? According to this ancient healing system, hot water • Is easier for the body to absorb than tepid or cold water • Flushes out immunity-compromising ama (toxins) from your system • Hydrates your mucus membranes, loosening mucus • Pacifies the dry, cold vata dosha with its hot, hydrating properties.

Take astragalus to boost your immunity.

A pilot study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that astragalus extract activates immune cells within 24 hours. Follow the dosage on the bottle. (Check with your doctor first if you’re concerned about how the herb might interact with other medications you’re taking.)

Fight the cold from your kitchen.

Ayurveda suggests using food as medicine. Eat light, simple, and warm foods, particularly “clear foods”—vegetable broths, clear liquids (water and teas), and seasonal veggies that have some translucence once they’re thoroughly cooked, such as leeks, bok choy, and kale.

Avoid heavy, thick, dense, rich foods, which can be challenging to digest when you’re sick. Also, avoid cold, frozen, dry, and raw foods, which are all hard to digest.

Gargle with salt water. Gargling with salt water loosens excess mucus and removes bacteria and fungi from the throat. The Mayo Clinic confirms that it can provide temporary relief for sore, itchy throats. Dissolve ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt in 1 cup of warm water, according to the clinic’s website.

Take ginger. Numerous studies have found that ginger relieves the symptoms of nausea and vomiting. According to Ayurvedic theory, ginger is one of the best remedy for colds, too.

Inhale ginger-infused steam to reduce sinus and lung congestion. First, boil 1 teaspoon of ginger in 1 pint of water. Once the water cools a bit, you can lean your face toward the pot (just to the point where it’s comfortable), drape a towel over your head, and inhale the steam through your nose for several minutes. Repeat as needed.

Kripalu.org

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mantra recipes

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Soup 1 small onion Fresh ginger (hazelnut sized) About 400 g fresh beetroot 1 apple Some lemon juice 100 ml coconut milk 100 ml plant-based cream Salt and pepper I used fresh beetroot. If you are in a hurry you can use precooked ones as well. I packed the fresh ones in foil and put them in the oven for nearly 1 hour at 150°C/300°F. Peel the ginger and the onions and cut them in small pieces, then fry in olive oil. Add the beetroot, apple (both cut in pieces), and the liquid. Let cook for 5-10 minutes.

Purée and season with salt and pepper.

For The Roasted Chickpeas 1½ cups organic precooked chickpeas 1 tbsp olive oil Salt, pepper, curry, and paprika or any other spices you like Drain the chickpeas and dry them a bit, then add olive oil and spices. Mix well and roast at 175°C/350°F for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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For the Chia Pudding 1½ cups almond milk 13 ⁄ cup chia seeds Some vanilla Some rice syrup For the Blue Layer 1 cup coconut yoghurt Some agave or rice syrup 1 tsp spirulina powder For the Pink Layer Mashed pink dragon fruit Mix the chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla, and syrup, refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight Layer in a glass and add the mashed dragonfruit.

Mix the coconut yoghurt, spirulina powder, and syrup and layer on top of the dragon fruit. Top with berries and fruits that are in season. Enjoy!

Q: What is something new that you recommend us trying in the kitchen that many of us might not think of?

A: Get creative in the kitchen. I know we are not supposed to play with our food, but I don’t think there is anything wrong with trying fun things. I see my food and dishes as pieces of art and as long as nothing gets wasted I will try new shapes and combinations, like the avocado bun burger or beautifully layered parfaits. I believe that healthy food even tastes better when presented in a nice way and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that nature’s fruits and veggies are so colorful and pretty.

Q: What ingredients do you think are underused at home when we cook?

A: I think beetroot is underused since a lot of people don’t like it or don’t know how to prepare it. But it is so versatile.

I add it to soups, smoothies, roast it in the oven, or you can even add it to brownies or cakes. Let’s not forget its great ability to work as food color! It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and I love its earthy charm.

Q: Any food secret you swear by?

A: It may not be the biggest secret, but I think it’s so important to get your kids helping in the kitchen at an early age. Let them help chopping, preparing, and most importantly let them try every single ingredient, raw and cooked. They learn so much about the variety of flavors and it makes it so much easier for them to make healthy choices later.

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mantra recipes

2 pounds purple sweet potatoes, peeled 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided 2 tsp dried thyme Sea salt & black pepper to taste 2 red onions, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 serrano pepper, minced 6 cups vegetable broth 14 oz silken tofu Fresh parsley for garnish 1½ tbsp olive oil 10-15 basil leaves 1 lemon (zest half, juice whole) 2 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Chop sweet potatoes into ½ inch pieces. Coat potatoes with 1½ tbsp avocado oil and toss with thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

Place potatoes on baking tray and bake for approximately 30 minutes until tender and soft, flipping once halfway through.

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While potatoes are roasting, heat the remaining ½ tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and pepper to taste, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

During the last few minutes of cooking, add garlic and serrano pepper. Remove from heat.

Heat vegetable broth in a large Dutch oven until it is warm and steaming, but not boiling.

Meanwhile, drain tofu and place in a food processor or high-speed blender. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Blend until tofu is thoroughly broken down and you have a thick, creamy texture.

Once the potatoes are done cooking, transfer potatoes, onion mixture, and vegetable broth to a blender, working in batches. Place a kitchen towel over the center hole to allow steam to escape.

Purée the soup until smooth. Continue with the remaining ingredients.

Once all of the soup is puréed, return it to the Dutch oven. Add in the puréed tofu, and stir.

Check for seasonings. Let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

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Executive Chef, Kripalu: Jeremy Rock Smith

A C o n v e r sat i o n w i t h Ch e f

Jeremy Rock Smith {

Executive Chef, Kripalu

}

Q: What tips would you give to people who need a little more confidence in the kitchen?

A: Keep it simple. Don’t feel like you have to start Q: What are the basic ingredients

for healthy cooking that everyone should have in their kitchen?

“

A: • A good organic olive oil ● • Himalayan sea salt ● • Aged balsamic vinegar to add that extra punch of quick flavor ● • Miso paste for making a quick healthy broth or stew with leftover vegetables; it has incredible health benefits and, because it’s fermented, it doesn’t go bad ● • Brown rice and red rice ● • Black beans and chickpeas, for a quick hit of protein ● • Sturdy braising greens like kale and chard, which last for a while in the fridge ● • Organic frozen vegetables ● • Spices you love Q: What do you like to cook

I find that cooking with and for other people is more rewarding and more fun.

Kripalu.org

18

”

MANTRAMAG.COM

at home?

A: I like cooking simple, traditional dishes from different cuisines, including French, Italian, and Asian. The success of classic recipes often relies on a simple, brilliant technique and a few highquality ingredients. These days, there are so many options and so much information available to us that it can be overwhelming. Cooking simple, delicious things helps me decompress.

with a 20-course meal. It’s a practice, like yoga or meditation. If you want to start doing yoga, you might commit to doing four Sun Salutations a day.

It’s the same with cooking: Start with steaming a pot of rice once a week. Be patient with yourself and do something that’s obtainable. It also helps to make it a social experience. I find that cooking with and for other people is more rewarding and more fun. And don’t worry too much!

What’s the worst-case scenario? It tastes bad; so what? Practice non-attachment and don’t let limiting beliefs stop you.

Q: What inspires and motivates you?

A: People. I love feeding and teaching the guests at Kripalu. When returning guests tell me, “I think about you every time I chop cilantro” or “You totally changed my world with that garlic-chopping trick,” I realize how much of an impact my team and I can make. The things I know about cooking can help others to better nourish themselves and their loved ones.

Q: What brought you to your current role at Kripalu?

A: I had a midlife cooking crisis and decided I really wanted to cook food that was healthy and nutritious. I started at Kripalu as Chef de Cuisine and became Executive Chef in 2013.

PHOTOs: gregory cherin. (top left): kristin teig

origin.

M a r a n da P l e asa n t â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

The ConsCious CulTure Magazine V e ga n

83

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To nic s an d Eli xir s

Gourmet on on the ro ad Vegan recipes + food ideas * yoga ow ellnnessStands Nationally Nleaders wO ters trendset

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ba la nc in g M ot he rh oo d + c a r e er

le ge n d + c an c er th r iVe r

melissa etheridge

women who eat impossible for breakfast

a yu rv ed a

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Mu se s : g ise le. t ia bl a nc o a Mb er Val let ta

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mantra recipes

Holistic Health Coach + Plant-based Chef

r e d a S e i l a h t Na Empowers Women to Love Themselves T h r o u g h

Healthy Rituals Instagram: @nathaliesader

nathaliesader.com

nathalie sader, photo by Angie Myers

Q: What is something new that you recommend us trying in the kitchen that many of us might not think of?

A: I love lighting a candle, playing my favorite tune, and setting an intention for the meal I am cooking.

Let’s say I am preparing a soup for my daughter who just caught a cold. I just get all the ingredients ready, place my hands over them and set the intention of nourishment and recovery, and cook with that intention in mind. I believe that food’s energy can be transformed by our own energy and intention while cooking. And this makes the whole cooking process much more fun and empowering. But unless you believe in it, it won’t work.

Q: What ingredients do you think are underused at home when we cook?

A: Spices and herbs can be easily underused when we cook! We tend to focus more on main ingredients, but herbs and spices can enhance any meal’s flavor, scent, digestibility, and nutrition. Spices have been used for centuries in some cultures for their medicinal properties: turmeric, for example, works like magic in fighting inflammation and other diseases; sumac, my favorite, has the highest antioxidant activity of any fruit and vegetable known, with an ORAC above 300,000!

Herbs and spices are like magic dust that can transform any meal into a delicious healing potion.

Q: Any food secret you swear by?

A: Food is love made visible, right? I would say, cook with love and intention! Immerse yourself into the cooking process. This is one secret behind why one exact recipe made by different people will give different results! It is all about the energy you pour into the meal you are prepping.

Q: How has food impacted your life/health?

A: You know those big “aha” moments in life?

Food was one of them. The act of eating was almost unconscious to me, like when it comes to what I was eating, what the food was made of, what I was giving to my body, and the correlation between food and health were nonexistent! The first time I cut off sugar, dairy, and meat, all of the above became instantly relevant and a new world of awareness and mindfulness just opened up to me, and it was not only limited to food but it expanded to all other areas of my life.

MANTRAMAG.COM

21

mantra recipes

Pumpkin Spice latte Makes

4

cups

½ cup hemp hearts 1 cup spring water ¾ cup pumpkin purée ½ cup water 10 medjool dates 1 tsp pumpkin spice 1 tsp maca powder 1 tbsp orange blossom water Serving bowls 2 small pumpkins Toppings Coconut butter Hemp hearts Cacao nibs Shredded coconut More pumpkin spice to taste

Add the rest of the ingredients and keep blending until all the ingredients are well incorporated and smooth (about 2 mins).

If you would like to serve them in pumpkin bowls, go ahead and empty the pumpkin with a spoon. You can keep the seeds, wash them and separate them from the seeds, and roast them, in the oven at 175°C/350°F for 10 mins.

Pour your pumpkin latte in your pumpkin bowls and top with coconut butter (if it is hard you can liquefy a bit by adding a tbsp of hot water), cacao nibs, hemp hearts, shredded coconut, and more pumpkin spice. Enjoy!

Start by making your milk for the recipe by blending hemp hearts with 1 cup water until really smooth.

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mantra YOGA

Postures

to Help You

Stay

Grounded Feeling stressed, spacey, out of balance?

You don’t have to do an hour-long yoga practice to get back to center. Just a single posture, practiced with awareness and slow, deep breathing, can change how you’re feeling instantly.

Photo: tony felgueiras

Legs Up the Wall

Legs Up the Wall counterbalances all the excess movement that comes with a busy day at work, traveling, or taking care of kids. This pose, which consists of lying on your back, hips close to the wall and both legs resting against it, allows blood to flow down toward the heart, restoring calm in the nervous system. Place a bolster or a cushion under your sacrum and an eye pillow over your eyes for extra support. Practice this pose after a long day or before going out at night.

Downward-Facing Dog If you need energy, Downward-Facing Dog could be your go-to pose. It’s a mild inversion that balances the nervous system and alleviates stress.

You’ll love how strong you feel in your legs and shoulders after practicing this pose. Practice Downward-Facing Dog, and then move on with your day with more focus and a fresh perspective.

Reclined Bound Angle

Reclined Bound Angle is a restorative pose that supports the back body beautifully. To boost the relaxation quotient, try placing some warmed bean bags, anywhere from one to five pounds, in your hands, on your hip flexors, and on your sternum. Wrap a soft fleece blanket around your head and ears and—voilà—you’re transported to a place of sweet, calming bliss.

Low Lunge

Low Lunge is a great pose to do in a pinch, because it activates the whole body. With your feet and legs engaged and rooted on the earth, you’ll feel a sense of grounding stability. Hip flexors stretch and your navel and chest expand, allowing you to be more joyous and openhearted. Reaching upward, you’ll feel connected and fully embodied.

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Connect to your best self.

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JUNE 2 – 4

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Seane Corn The Yoga of Awakening

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Bryan Kest and Travis Eliot A Power Yoga Weekend: Transformation for Total Health

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JULY 16 – 21

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Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa Radiant Power of Women

Jessamyn Jason Crandell Stanley Power, Precision, Vinyasa Yoga with and Mindfulness Jessamyn

OCTOBER 20 – 22

Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee A Journey into Asana, Meditation, and Pranayama

SEPTEMBER 1 – 3

DECEMBER 29 – JANUARY 1

Rusty Wells New Year Bhakti Flow

mantra

WELLNESS

Photo: andreas engel

Ways to Th r i v e

in Winter

If you’d like to do more than simply endure another winter, here are some ways to during the frostiest time of the year.

thrive

itation: outdoor med

{

Th i s i s a s i m p l e y e t ct p o w e r fu l w a y t o c o n n e w i t h t h e s ea s o n a l s u n l c y c l e a n d y o u r n at u ra circadian rhythm.

N

ourish yourself. Turn on the oven and stovetop for hearty stews and warming casseroles. Be mindful to combat the dry quality of the season by incorporating healthy oils like olive oil into your dishes.

Favor cooked fruits or a hot grain cereal for breakfast over a smoothie or cold fruit. Bring soups and stews to work for lunch in an insulated thermos. Roast veggies and bake breads for a light dinner.

Find an outdoor spot for meditation.

This is a simple yet powerful way to connect with the seasonal sun cycle and your natural circadian rhythm.

Look for a south-facing, wind-protected nook outside, in the most natural setting available. Visit once or twice a day, or more if you have time. Dress warmly and bring along a thermos of your favorite hot beverage. Establish a comfortable seat facing the sun. Do not wear contacts, eyeglasses, or sunglasses of any kind. For five to 10 minutes, breathe fully and deeply. Be sure your eyes are receiving light from the sun.

Follow tracks in the snow.

Get outside when there’s snow on the ground and look for animal tracks. See if you can identify which animals made them; as you do this, stay in the present moment and allow your awareness to open up to the communities of creatures that you share your environment with. There’s so much we can learn from nature.

Do early morning meditation.

Winter, with its increased darkness, is an excellent time to begin an early morning meditation practice.

The stillness and extra darkness of the morning hours is prime time for meditation. The hour before sunrise is called “brahma mahurta” and is considered by yoga and Ayurveda practitioners to be the most subtle time of day to shift awareness inward and deeply listen to the still, small voice within.

Try something new.

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Winter is ideal for investing in activities you’d never have time for in warmer seasons. Pick up knitting, complete a 1,000-piece puzzle, learn a new musical instrument, or join a community choir. It’s a great time of year to discover your untapped creativity and interests.

No More New Year’s Resolutions: Rina Jakubowicz

No More New Year’s

Resolutions Y o u a r e in cha rg e o f yo ur l i f e.

Rina Jakubowicz rinayoga.com Instagram: @rinayoga

t

he New Year is a time of reflection and of positive change.

We all make huge attempts to change for the better within the next year. Since resolutions are a tradition, these changes are often forced on us, implying a herd mentality. Therefore, we are coming from a place of self-judgment instead of from awareness and truth. This collective and impulsive approach perpetuates stress and an unrealistic expectation of permanent change.

Ideally, we want to shift our perspective from creating a New Year’s Resolution to experiencing a New Day’s Reflection!

Stress exists because we haven’t been taught how to manage our lives in a healthy way. My teacher Swami A. Parthasarathy states, “Living is an art, a skill, a technique.” It’s not assured that because you are alive, you will know how to live.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: human beings were naturally designed to live happily and freely. Instead, we live stressed, lost, and in perpetual suffering, with moments of alleviation, which we describe as happiness or

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peace. The cause of this disconnection with our natural state is that we have been having the wrong attitude towards the outside world. We don’t know how to relate to it.

We have been trained to be extroverts, to look outside of ourselves for answers, truth, and happiness. We cannot find any of these in the outer world. Ironically, we also tend to judge others on their mistakes prior to reflecting on ourselves first to see where we made mistakes.

In addition, we have a possessive attitude towards objects and people. We label them as “mine” and “my.” This causes the external world to possess or control us instead. We spend so much time worrying about the past (what it meant to you) and having anxiety about the future (what will it be like later and if we’ll lose what we have now). We think the possession fills a void: a void that makes you feel a false sense of comfort even though your stress level is high. This will ensure continuous suffering throughout your life.

The following solutions can help you free yourself from suffering and stress: *First ask yourself, “How free and happy do I want to be?” If you are sick of living like you have been living and can see the truths sprinkled in this article so far, then you are ready. If you aren’t ready yet, that’s okay too.

Save this article and come back to it later. I’ll be here when you need me. *Second, become an introvert! Start looking within for your answers, truth, and happiness. Study the ancient teachings of yoga, like the Bhagavad Gita, to help you gain profound knowledge that will restructure your inner world and your new thought process. In these teachings, you will learn that you can only find happiness within yourself and it will give you a roadmap to help you find your own way. With practice and dedication, I ensure that you will get positive results. You will gain confidence and empower yourself by yourself.

“

We want to change the outside world so much, yet we fail to realize that the only way to change the outside world is to change your inner world first. You are in charge of your life.

”

*Very importantly, get in the habit of asking yourself where you can grow more and change your unfavorable behaviors and thoughts. Stop judging others for their mistakes before reflecting if you also make similar mistakes. This ability to introspect speaks volumes of your growth and also makes you walk taller, more grounded, and with more peace in this world.

The way you relate to objects and people will also need to shift. Nothing will possess or control you when you learn how to relate better to it. Keep in mind that it’s not about how many possessions you have; it’s your relationship to them. You could have a lot of clothes, toys, stuff in general, but if you aren’t attached to them, then you’re free. Conversely, you could only have a few objects in your home, but you’re so attached to them that they make you suffer immensely if they break, get lost, etc.

Instead of being attached to things around you, see them for what they truly are: borrowed.

Everything in life has an expiration date; nothing lasts forever, even though we like to delude ourselves into thinking the opposite. With further reflection, you will see the truth in this statement and find peace and acceptance with this law of nature. Then you will be free.

We want to change the outside world so much, yet we fail to realize that the only way to change the outside world is to change your inner world first. You are in charge of your life.

Wake up! Stand up! Learn! Look within! Act! So that today is your New Day’s Reflection!

Rina Jakubowicz is an international bilingual yoga teacher, motivational speaker, and author. As a teacher of teachers, she is known for her vibrant, uplifting, and practical approach to yoga.

mantra

WELLNESS

Photo: lyle hawthorne

d l r o W e h t n Whe

h c u M o o T Is “My heart hurts.

That’s the honest truth.”

{

Sara Clark

Sometimes I want to curl up in bed for a very, very long time. Long enough so that when I wake up, I am no longer afraid of a police officer approaching me. Long enough so that I can wear a hoodie without feeling as though I’m risking my life. Long enough so that I don’t have to worry about another bomb exploding in my city, or hearing about another killing of an innocent black man or woman, or a Muslim, or someone in the LGBT community, or even our precious schoolkids. I want to sleep for so long that when I wake up there isn’t any more confusion and debate between whites and blacks in regard to the broken structure of our country, or why black lives matter. Why is that even up for discussion?

”

Sometimes I want to curl up in bed for a

”

very, very long time. Long enough so that when I wake up, I am no longer afraid of a police officer approaching me.

S

ometimes, even when I talk about self-love and raising one’s vibration to support the vibration of the world, and when I talk about gratitude and mindfulness and yoga and turning off the news and going within ... my heart is still in pain. Don’t get it twisted: I still practice this stuff and it helps tremendously. But sometimes my breath is shallow and my stomach knots up.

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}

I sometimes want to sleep for so long that when I wake up, we have all stopped. We have ended the polarization, the bigotry, the racism, the sexism, the segregation, the violence, the hate. I want to go to sleep and then wake up in a world where everyone finally feels safe and loved.

My heart hurts. That’s the honest truth.

I’m thankful for yoga, meditation, and other practices that create space for me to find balance both for myself and for those who take my classes. Wanting to go to sleep for a long time is a cop-out, I know. But sometimes the world is much too much and unplugging feels like the only thing under my control. But, alas, we are not designed to give up. I find this quote by Margaret Mead comforting: “Never believe that a few caring people cannot change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”

Don’t go to sleep, and I won’t either. Let’s press on together. We are the change—we just have to start believing it.

Sara Clark, known for her compassionate teaching style and calming presence, has been practicing yoga for more than 14 years. She teaches in New York City and internationally, and has created a series of online meditation, yoga, and pranayama videos.

YOGA. PSYCHE. SOUL. With

Ashley Turner, MA, MFTI

Advanced Yoga Psychology Teacher Training Six Modules, Live or On-Line (taken individually or combined)

yoga-psychology.co

mantra health

N at u r a l L i g h t for

Optimal Health {

L i s a B . N e l s o n , MD

}

K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y

But what if technology itself is a risk factor for chronic disease? What if our increasing reliance on computers, smartphones, and the Internet is undermining our health, apart from the way these devices keep us sedentary?

I recently had the opportunity to speak on a panel at the Library of Congress on the role of lifestyle in healthy aging. One of the copanelists was Dr. Eugenia Ellis, an architect and researcher at Drexel University who is examining the effect of artificial light on sleep, endocrine regulation, and chronic disease. She discussed the relatively recent discovery of light-sensitive cells in our retina called ipRGCs (“intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells”) that are largely separate from visual perception. These cells, which comprise only about one percent of the retina, communicate directly with the hypothalamus and play an integral part in regulating our circadian rhythms.

It has long been observed that shift workers and others who sleep during the day and stay awake at night are at increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and even certain cancers. But why? What is the

Kripalu.org

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What can we do to avoid this disturbance in our biological clock? We can make sure we’re exposed to natural bright light during the middle of the day (by taking a walk at noon, for example) Dr. Ellis explained that, over the course of a day, and avoid artificial blue-shifted light in the there is a natural shift in the pattern of light that evening and late at night. Simple changes can directly affects how our circadian clock is “set.” make a huge difference, such as using dim or In the mornings and evenings, as we move first red-shifted lights in our bedrooms, turning off out of and later into sleep, natural light is shifted the TV and computer after 8:00 pm, and not toward the red end of the light spectrum. During keeping your phone by the bed for late-night the middle of the day, when light is brightest, texting. Ayurveda has long advocated the it is blue-shifted. This pattern of light-shifting could directly determine critical variations in the importance of adhering to our natural rhythms levels of specific hormones, such as melatonin to support and maintain good health. The role of and cortisol, that regulate sleep, insulin release, natural light in regulating our circadian rhythms, metabolism, and other and therefore our metabolic functions. health, is just one more example The role of natural of how Western science is Here’s where technolvalidating ancient wisdom. light in regulating ogy enters the picture: our circadian rhythms, Artificial light—from an and therefore our Lisa B. Nelson, MD, is Director LED lightbulb, computer of Medical Education at Kripalu. screen, smartphone, or metabolic health, is TV—is largely bluejust one more example She holds a medical degree from the University of Massachusetts shifted. So when we are of how Western in Worcester and completed her surrounded by artificial science is validating residency in family medicine at light in the evening, Boston Medical Center. A longtime be it in our work ancient wisdom. advocate for community wellness, environment or Lisa is a practicing physician in watching late-night Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and serves as medical TV or surfing the Internet, our internal clock is director of the Nutrition Center, a nonprofit being told that it’s midday. No wonder so many organization whose mission is to inspire a healthy people have trouble falling asleep at night. This relationship with food through counseling, nutrition, disruption in the natural light cycle can lead not and culinary education. only to insomnia, itself an increasingly common disorder, but also to the hormonal and metabolic dysregulation that promotes obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. mechanism that explains how disruptions in sleep/wake cycles impact health?

”

O

ver the past decade, researchers in the fields of medicine and public health have been discussing, with increasing frequency and alarm, the ongoing increase in obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, despite advances in technology. We often use the term “lifestyle disease” to highlight the role of diet, exercise, and stress in the etiology of these conditions.

”

PHOTOs (left): tony felgueiras, (right): emily beaulieu

Dallas Teacher Series

Q: What is advice that got you through a hard time?

”

Take loving care of yourself first. It’s not selfish—it’s essential.

”

A: “Barb… It’s just contribution.” After the death of my sister (she was 21 and I was 12), feelings of fear seemed to slowly but exponentially feast on any perceived personal failure or limitation. Unconsciously, I began to practice the art of “pleasing” others, developing a strong streak of perfectionism. Besides the ever-present fear of being found lacking, I developed an agonizing fear of public speaking. I was definitely one of those who would have checked the “I prefer death over public speaking” box. Before becoming a yoga teacher, I was in a highly visible position that required regular presentations and interactions with high-profile folks.

For me it was a recipe for living in constant angst. One night a friend asked why I seemed worried and anxious.

I broke down and told her about my HUGE (in my mind) presentation the next day, knowing I was going to make a total fool of myself. But she smiled and said, “Barb, it’s just contribution. You are giving a gift of what you know.” Adding more wisdom, she reminded me I was only in charge of what I brought to the situation and that I could not control what others asked or thought.

I continue to use and share this advice with others on a regular basis, especially young teachers worried about getting things right. And when self-doubt arises, I remind myself to listen for a minute, to trust my gut and to appreciate my “contribution.”

Q: What helps you forgive when it is hard?

Forgiving When It’s Hard,

Her Business Advice, and the Fear of Public Speaking

Healing

{

Barb Totzke

}

Instagram: @twostudios bespokeyoga.buzz Interview: Melody Tarver Photo: dee hill

hair + makeup: vivienne vermuth | Wardrobe: abi ferrin

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A: It helps to remember that we all get to where we are currently—based on our life experience. And understanding that if someone is doling out suffering to themselves or others, it’s likely because they’ve known some pretty significant suffering themselves. This practice of “compassionate remembering” didn’t blossom overnight, nor is it perfected—but it’s getting easier. Raised in a loving Catholic family, I was unaware how much my world was colored by ideas of “right and wrong,” “black or white.” And then one night, several years ago in a meditation class, our monk/teacher shared the idea of “no wrong no right,” only “ignorance or awareness.” Immediately, I felt a suffocating judgmental blanket lift from my head and heart.

As a yoga student and teacher, I understood compassion, but after that particular class, my almost unconscious practice of constant judgment began to unravel. I opened up fully to the idea that all of us are coming from wherever we are at any given time—spiritually, emotionally, physically—and often that place we are coming from is one of pain and suffering. With practice, it has become easier to forgive another’s or my own anger or thoughtless behavior. I’m forever grateful to that beautiful monk for helping make the virtue of compassion more real in my life.

Q: What’s a huge lesson you’ve learned in business?

Any advice?

A: I knew NOTHING about running my own business when I took the plunge and opened a yoga studio.

I think the primary lesson for myself and for those who want to turn a passion into a career is: do NOT forget to include your own wellbeing in all business equations. Decide on a suitable salary and necessary benefits and definitely assure you have time off to take care of YOU. It’s a well-worn adage but it’s true—you cannot pour from an empty cup. Take loving care of yourself first. It’s not selfish—it’s essential.

Leaving Your job to

Q: What advice got you through a hard time?

A: When I decided to leave my steady paycheck and

Teach Yoga Full-TIme, Anxiety Around Money + When It’s Hard

step full-time into private yoga instruction, I knew I would need to manage the stress of a roller-coaster income. Growing up one of four children with a single parent, I’ve carried money worry with me since childhood.

And while this “lack” created a determined self-sufficiency in me as a teenager and as an adult, I still have an almost paralyzing anxiety about going broke hardwired into my cells. I start to imagine myself on street corners.

Accessing the part of me that knows the current state of things is only temporary—that I will be ok—is one of the hardest things for me to do. And ironically, the work itself allows me to manage day-to-day stress about money. In the moments when I’m teaching I’m never more sure that I’m doing what I was meant to do now.

And when I practice sitting with myself, in the center of my self—in the cave of my own heart—I can access the instinctual knowing that reminds me that despite financial vicissitudes, I have what I need.

Forgiving {

Instagram: @shanny108

”

Photo: michael carter

I’ve carried money worry with me since childhood.

And while this “lack” created a determined self-sufficiency in me as a teenager and as an adult, I still have an almost paralyzing anxiety about going broke hardwired into my cells.

A: Walking. Moving. A physically demanding yoga

“

work and overwhelm, I give myself permission to feed my soul: naps, walking in nature, regular massage, selfstudy, a nourishing meal, music, and good conversation.

”

A: On the days when practice and teaching feel like

“

Q: How do you practice self-love?

}

shannon-thornton-yoga.com

Q: What helps you forgive when forgiveness is hard? practice. When I’m barraged by the thoughts that constellate around the feeling of having been somehow betrayed—consciously or unconsciously—movement “moves” that swirl of anger, despair or sadness through and out of my body. When I can get back to a level of physical and emotional stasis, meaningful dialogue can happen and I’ll have opened within me the space to forgive.

Shannon Thornton

Taking good care of yourself, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, is the best gift you can give your loved ones.

Can’t Learning

Why We Hold On To from Anger and AA, One Breath at a Time { Julie Wright } FACEBOOK: julie.wright.399 Photos: mel marie

Q: What is advice that got you through a hard time?

A: Many years ago as I was trying to get sober, I learned in AA, “One day at a time.” It finally worked. I have used the advice in many situations, often breaking it down to “one breath at a time.” Staying in the moment rather than looking at the overwhelming giant picture can help you get through a hard time.

Q: What truth do you know for sure?

A: The truth I know for sure is to always be kind. In any situation, kindness

Q: Any practice you’ve discovered to help you practice self-love?

is the best route. It isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but in the long run it is the right thing to do. It doesn’t cost a thing, but sometimes it requires swallowing pride. Get past the ego and be kind. #ahimsa

A: As a mother and teacher I am a nurturer. I want to serve and help my children and students and I realize now that I must lead by quiet example. A large portion of my life, even though I have taken very good care physically, I feel I Q: What helps you forgive when it is hard? wasn’t practicing real self-love. My teacher Rod Stryker said several years ago in a training that serving our Highest Self serves all. I have heard it said so many A: When it is hard to forgive, I remember that I have made many mistakes different ways for many years, but for some reason I finally listened. Taking good in my life. I believe that we all can turn our lives around if given the chance. care of yourself, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, is the best gift you can give I remember the people that forgave me and am forever grateful. Also, holding your loved ones. So in a roundabout way, wanting to serve others and Rod’s words on to anger is very self-destructive and I strive for a peaceful life. of wisdom lead me to self-love.

MANTRAMAG.COM

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Dallas Teacher Series

Power

The of Choosing Forgiveness

{

Joseph Stingley

}

Instagram: @soulmotivation josephstingley.com Photos: Jesica Clay

Q: What helps you forgive when it is hard?

A: I remind myself that it is possible my mind sees something that is not actually there. I strive to look at the situation through my soul and to see as our Creator sees: a brother or a sister that I’m to show unconditional love. So, I ask for a miracle of forgiveness which can only be granted by my choosing to bring it forth in that situation.

”

Q: Any practice you’ve discovered to help you practice self love?

I remind myself that it is possible my mind sees something that is not actually there.

I strive to look at the situation through my soul and to see as our Creator sees.

A: Before I leave my home every morning, I spend

”

quality time in stillness, prayer, and meditation. In this time, I use a prayer that puts me into a position of being blessed, where I can be a blessing to all I come in contact with, whether the contact is financial, energy-based, physical/verbal communication, or vibration-based.

When I don’t want to forgive, I usually notice that my ego is out of balance.

”

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Ground

How to in the Middle of Crisis

{

Daniel Todd

}

Instagram: @danieltodd.yoga | danieltodd.yoga Photo: tim morris

Q: What is advice that got you through a hard time?

A: This summer I struggled with the loss of my pet, the second this year. In the same week, my husband lost his job two weeks before moving into the house we were building. As I talked through all of this with my friend, I heard a voice inside of me say HERE AND NOW. The phrase has stuck with me and reminds me that my practice is every day, every minute. The opportunities that arise are to love more and become present. There is only the HERE AND NOW.

Q: What truth do you know for sure?

A: I know that there is a divine light inside each of us. When I lose sight of that because of circumstances, I take a walk, intentionally smiling and making eye

”

contact with everyone I can. The practice reminds me to let my light shine regardless of what is going on around me and to actively look for, and bring out, the light in others.

Q: What helps you forgive when it is hard?

A: When I don’t want to forgive, I usually notice that my ego is out of balance. When I remind myself that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have, I begin to see the possibilities for that person and am able to operate from a place of grace and compassion. When I connect with this mindset, I feel growth and grounded in truth rather than judgment.

Q: Any practice you’ve discovered to help you practice self-love?

A: The mantra ANG SOHANG is a powerful tool to help me redirect my thoughts and energies when I need some self-love. “What I am to be I already am.” It reminds me that the desires of my heart are already creating a future where those desires are fulfilled. If I’m feeling a lack of love, I picture the love I want in my future and experience that love now. The same goes for healing, knowledge, or anything I aspire to.

the spiritual classic that started a revolution in consciousness Receive Papajiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direct transmission revealing the possibility of immediate Selfrealization.

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A must read for all generations of truth seekers.

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Punk to Monk Feature Series

Punk Rock Rule Breakers + Non Conformers: The New Thought Leaders

Interview: Keli Lalita Reddy, Mantralogy

Punk rock Meets Spirituality:

Dharma Punx Author, Addiction and Recovery Teacher, and Founder, Against The Stream Buddhist Meditation Society

Noah Levine

Keli Lalita Reddy: Tell us how you got into punk and hardcore music.

KR: How did you leave the California hardcore scene and wind up in India?

Noah Levine: My life set me up for listening to punk. When I was five years old I was already feeling actively suicidal, and by the time I was seven I was taking drugs. I was smoking pot and I was drinking. By the time I was 10, I felt like I didn’t even want to exist because of the pain of existence. And it was then that I heard punk for the first time. It was mostly English punk, like the Sex Pistols. I had an older sister who was dating skate punk/surf punk guys in Santa Cruz, which is where I grew up. One of the guys turned me on to punk.

NL: When I got sober and was going to the 12-step program, they told me that I needed a spiritual solution to stay sober. When I had been in juvenile hall in 1988, my father had given me some basic mindfulness Buddhist meditation instructions. And I was practicing meditation. When I went to the 12-step program and they told me that I had to believe in God, and that essentially God is going to remove your addiction and your defects of character, and that “you’re powerless” and only God can help, that didn’t make sense to me. I was an atheist punk rocker and I didn’t believe in any of that shit. But I also felt hopeless and I wanted to find my way. I became open-minded about finding out what the solution might be. I was comfortable with Eastern thought. My father was kind of Hindu/Buddhist, which is unique to the followers of Neem Karoli Baba. My dad sort of thought Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism were all good. As long as it wasn’t Judeo-Christian philosophy.

When I heard punk for the first time, I felt like it was the expression of all the rage against injustice that I was feeling. Once I heard it, I was full on. There were great California hardcore bands too: Black Flag and Circle Jerks. As I said in my book Dharma Punx, hearing Johnny Rotten was like hearing the voice of God to me. Rage, dissatisfaction. That’s how I felt. I loved the Exploited and the Clash, the Damned, the Buzzcocks. All of that. Minor Threat and 7 Seconds. I was drinking along to the straightedge bands.

What also happened for me was that along with this punk rock rebellion came alcoholism, drug addiction, and self-destruction. I was supported by the community on some level. But by the by the time I was seventeen, I was completely strung out and in and out of juvenile hall, over and over. I realized I was an addict and that I somehow had to get clean. But there was the fear there. What will my community be? Who will be my friends? Where will I find a scene?

When I finally did get sober, I realized that there was a scene out there. I remembered bands like 7 Seconds, and that there was a straightedge scene that would support someone like me who was just getting clean, someone that wanted to stay involved in the punk/hardcore scene, but who didn’t want to do drugs anymore. That was in 1988, which was a pinnacle and resurgence of straightedge led by Youth of Today. Right when I got sober, Schism, Revelation Records, and then a little later Equal Vision Records, all of these important labels were just getting established. I bought basically everything that Revelation Records ever did.

KR: For me, straightedge hardcore music was a refuge because I never got into drugs and alcohol. I felt so happy that I could still be a cool teenager and have a scene and a place to go and hang out, because the pressure to drink and take drugs was so intense.

NL: I feel like straightedge was mostly about that: a positive place where you didn’t have to feel pressure to do that. But it was also such a refuge for those of us that had done that and didn’t want to anymore. It gave us a scene to identify with. dharmapunx.com

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But eventually, I read the Bible, I read the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita… like a World Religions study course. I wanted to find my own way and commit to a spiritual path. I was looking for the spiritual solution that was recommended to me in my recovery program and I wanted to find out which one of these philosophies I could get behind. Which one makes sense to me?

Krishna Core was big in my world then; Shelter and 108 and that was good for me. All the straightedge hardcore bands that I liked were now into Krishna Consciousness. It really influenced me. I chanted Hare Krishna, I meditated, I went to Sufi gatherings. I did all of that stuff.

By the time I went to India in 1995, I was solidly in a place of knowing that Buddhism is what made the most sense to me. I wanted to go on a pilgrimage. On my first trip I went to all the ISKCON temples. There was a big celebration that year and I ran into Vic/Vraja Kishor from 108 and I sat and spoke with him. But I was on my own. I was more Buddhist and I never got completely behind Krishna Core. I was always a little out of the loop.

It never really happened for me. My path was a different one. The Buddhist world made the most sense to me.

Looking back, what really led me to India was my search for spiritual life. I had a youthful idea that I was going to get enlightened. Maybe it’s part of being a recovering addict, but I went there with a ton of energy to answer the question: what will free me from suffering? And I’m going to immerse myself, chant over and over, meditate over and over, go on long retreats, and go to India and find the happiness that I was looking for in the drugs. I am going to find that in spiritual practice. ›

PHOTOs: Sarit Z Rogers

“

I also have such a core distrust of authority, which is what drew me to the punk scene.

So being in really hierarchical spiritual and religious communities was always really difficult for me.

I just don’t trust easily.

”

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Punk to Monk Feature Series

Punk Rock Rule Breakers + Non Conformers: The New Thought Leaders

the mind to healthier neurological patterns. That just made more sense to me.

KR: What is the connection for those of you who made the journey to spiritual life from all of the loud, violent, aggressive dancing and music in the punk and hardcore universe to the Shanti practice of something like Metta meditation?

NL: We learn that the First Noble Truth of Buddhism is to turn towards the suffering and see it clearly and to face it and to break the denial about how difficult this human existence really is. We live with impermanence, greed, hatred, and delusion inside of us and outside of us. Punk and hardcore expresses that dissatisfaction, the First Noble Truth. Life is difficult. There is tremendous corruption and ignorance and people are making it worse.

Punk and hardcore offer a cathartic release of fierce wisdom.

If you are in the scene and you’re going to live shows, you also have the physical embodiment of expressing fierce wisdom. You’re throwing your body against other bodies. And there was variety in the way things were expressed. For instance, the straightedge/Krishna Core scene also expressed fierce wisdom, but it was about positivity, devotion, truth, and renunciation.

It had a core wisdom message being expressed.

Hardcore music is a clear critique of the human condition, and of society and of culture, which I think is very important. But that got balance for us in spiritual life by being a devotee or a Buddhist. Because we knew there were problems, but what was the solution? The solution came for us in these spiritual practices.

be sad, to “Ifeelknowgrief,how toto experience

KR: It seems like you really knew your path all along, and that you searched in different places to come home to Buddhism again.

NL: When I went to India, I thought to myself, “Maybe I will find an enlightened guru.” I went to Ammaji. I went to Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram, Ramana Maharshi’s place. I went to a bunch of Hindu ashrams. Also went to a bunch of ISKCON temples. I had gone to Thailand and Burma and did the Buddhist circuit. By the time I got to India, I did want to go to Bodh Gaya.

But what I really was looking for was an enlightened guru, because I felt like I didn’t really want to do the work myself. I loved the idea of some sort of grace and blessing of God doing it for me, some external source taking care of it all for me. I loved that idea. I thought, what if I could meet a guru that would wipe away my anger, hatred, and fear? Sign me up! I met so many people who told me that gurus could do that.

I even had some amazing out-of-body experiences with some of the gurus I visited. But I guess I am too rational. I would always tell myself that it was just projection or just my excitement.

I also have such a core distrust of authority, which is what drew me to the punk scene. So being in really hierarchical spiritual and religious communities was always really difficult for me. I just don’t trust easily. Also growing up with my father, who was part of the Neem Karoli community, and knowing all of the gossip about all of the gurus, all of the stories, good and bad, helped lead me to a place in Buddhism which says you are on your own, you have to do the work yourself, you have to train your own heart and mind. In Buddhism, there are mantras to chant, but they aren’t magic, they just train

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sadness and loneliness without meeting it with hatred.

”

—noah levine KR: Advice for your 20-year-old self?

NL: Mostly, I feel like that 20-year-old me did everything right. I was trying all different things, but it really worked out well for me.

This was a really difficult year for me. I’m 45 and I got divorced this year and my father died. But somehow I landed in this place of, like, “I am totally ok,” mostly because of all of the practices I have been doing since I was twenty.

I know how to be sad, to feel grief, to experience sadness and loneliness without meeting it with hatred. I’ve learned compassion. I’ve learned forgiveness. My 20-year-old self set me on a path to be where I am now.

Noah Levine is the founder of Against The Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, with centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco and more than 20 affiliated groups in North America and Europe. Noah has created a process of addiction recovery based on the teachings of the Buddha, called Refuge Recovery. He is the author of Dharma Punx, Against the Stream, Heart of the Revolution, and Refuge Recovery.

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Ayurveda

Java for Your Dosha :

Five

A y u r v e d i c • Rules for Coffee Drinkers •

Coffee:

R

esearchers have found that drinking moderate amounts of coffee might reduce your chances of developing type-2 diabetes, dementia, and certain types of cancer. Yet evidence also suggests that coffee can affect women’s estrogen levels, raise blood pressure, and trigger an increased release of stress hormones.

So how do you know if coffee’s right for you?

According to Ayurveda, every type of food can be “a poison or a medicine,” depending on what your individual constitution is—and how and when you consume it.

Kathryn Templeton, founder of the Himalayan Institute’s Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist training program and a graduate of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, says, “Although Ayurveda would never recommend that you supersize your daily cup of coffee, under the right conditions, at the right time, you can drink it in moderation.”

Here are five Ayurvedic guidelines for coffee drinkers.

Know your dosha.

Different mind-body types react to coffee differently, so it’s important to determine your Ayurvedic constitution and make choices accordingly. There are three doshas, or subtle energies: vata, pitta, and kapha, although one is typically dominant.

Coffee can be balancing for those who have a lot of kapha (the mind-body principle related to the elements of earth and water) in their constitution. Signs of excess kapha include water retention, weight gain, sinus congestion, a lack of motivation, and a general feeling of being foggy-headed. If you fit the bill, drink one cup daily. Coffee’s hot, dry, stimulating qualities will counterbalance your dominant dosha’s heavy, wet, sluggish qualities.

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Good

or

bad

for

you?

Photo: john dolan People with high pitta (fire and water) or high vata (air and ether) in their constitutions, on the other hand, should be more cautious. The rule in Ayurveda is that “like increases like,” so if someone with high pitta is already overheating, emotionally or physically, the hot, pungent qualities of coffee will make them even hotter.

Control your portion size. “A little bit of coffee can be medicinal,” observes Kathryn, “but we often gulp it down in Dunkin’ super cups.” Overdosing on coffee can deplete the adrenals, dehydrate the system, and lead to other unpleasant side effects, such as acid reflux or a racing mind, she says.

Avoid coffee if you have signs of a pitta imbalance, such as acid indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, or skin rashes, or if you’re often agitated, irritated, hypercritical, judgmental, or angry, or if you have symptoms of excess vata, such as dehydration, dry hair, dry skin, constipation, insomnia, forgetfulness, restlessness, or if you feel scattered, spacey, or frazzled. Coffee will make these symptoms worse.

Ayurveda doesn’t recommend more than one cup of coffee per day for anyone—even kaphas.

If you need to curb your coffee habit, Kathryn recommends cutting your intake in half and drinking a cup of warm water first, to hydrate your system—and always drink it on a full stomach. Try an Ayurvedic Morning Coffee Routine.

Follow these rules for your dosha: V a t a s : If you’re not experiencing the symptoms listed above, take your coffee creamy and sweet, because it will have a grounding, nourishing effect on your system. Drink no more than one cup daily.

P i t t a s : Sweeten your coffee with a highquality maple syrup or organic cane sugar, but skip the cream, to counteract the beverage’s acidic qualities (assuming you are not experiencing the pitta imbalances listed above). Drink no more than one cup daily.

When you drink coffee on an empty stomach— especially first thing in the morning—it increases acidity in your system. Plus, the jolt of caffeine can make your mind race and your energy erratic, says Kathryn. Instead, follow this Ayurvedic morning coffee routine: Drink a cup of hot water with the juice of 1 one lemon and a teaspoon of honey at least 20 minutes before breakfast. This drink will stimulate agni and evacuation, so your system is primed for your morning meal.

K a p h a s : Take your coffee black. Milk or cream can increase congestion and sweeteners can cause weight gain for kaphas. Drink one cup daily, but not more.

. Eat a grounding breakfast with some fruit, 2 protein, and whole grains.

Get your fix before 10:00 am. The best time of day to drink coffee is between 6:00 and 10:00 am, when the “cool, heavy, earthy” qualities of the kapha dosha make us feel a little sluggish, says Kathryn. Coffee’s heating, stimulating qualities can counterbalance that sluggishness by stimulating the mind and agni (digestive fire).

further stoke your agni, so the drink acts as a digestive aid.

Drink your cup of coffee (prepared according 3 to your dosha) to stimulate your mind and

Remember, one of the keys to Ayurvedic healing is self-observation, so ask yourself: Is my coffee hurting me or healing me?

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mantra

inspiration

{

The Wonder in the Ordinary. Our Love: Coby Kozlowski

}

• K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y •

You can let you r des per ati on dri ve you to see k att ent ion , ext ern al val ida tio n, the nee d to be no tic ed, ,or som e oth er way to try to fil l tha t voi d. Or you can let you r de sp er ati on kno ck you to you r kne es unt il you cru mb le, unt il eve ryt hin g fal ls apa rt— and onl y inf ini te po ss ib ili tie s are lef t.

W h e n yo u l o s e h o p e ,

b e gra t e f u l . W h e n a l l s e e m s l o s t,

o n l y fr e e d o m i s l e f t.

Photo: Monika Broz

t

he you that you hold so tightly to, that you’ve worked so hard to become, is now bruised, shaken, and trembling. Let it all go. Feel your own heart break and, in that surrender, grace will reveal her face.

R e m e m b e r , you are riding a wave and it will pass you are in a season and another will come.

This time, though it may be hard to believe, is a gift, an opportunity to learn, to open, to move beyond the old wounds and stories. You can do it now or later, your choice, but what is left undone will come again. So why not now?

Be daring to be alone.

Look at those places inside most would not ever want to admit they have.

Turn over every stone, look in every dark corner, until you have found your center.

Reveal the you that is not broken, that nothing ever happened to, that is whole, that is divine.

Find that place inside where you know infinity and the roar of joy that put this all into motion.

Be alone until you find that raw love. The love that you have looked for out there, is actually in every cell of your body, in every drop of rain, in the quiet of the mountains. kripalu.org

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Learn to let go, by letting go.

It’s no more complicated than that. You just keep letting go—again and again, and again.

Learn to ground, by connecting with the earth.

Learn to trust, by trusting.

Learn to love, by loving.

Learn to heal, by giving yourself permission to heal. You may still have scars and it might not look like you think it should, but healing is available, right now.

Only you can do that work from the inside out.

There are many who can help but, at the end of the day, every breath you have is another chance to say this is the moment, the moment to heal.

And our personal healing is the healing we need for the world we live in. The world may seem crazy right now. It’s easy to question whether anything we do actually matters or makes a difference. But it is critical that each one of us commit to our personal work and our passions, and ask if it they are in service to the world we want to live in. We all need to take a look at our own shit, and ask ourselves, What am I contributing to the collective reality that we are all living in?

Yes, there are many injustices in the world that we can no longer tolerate—but we must stop pointing the finger at someone else. We cannot ignore our personal responsibility. It’s easy to

ignore our own shadow, the hurt we spread through our actions and the words we choose.

Each of us must look at the little lies we tell, examine our own judgments, become aware of whether we’re acting from a place of ignorance or truth. You have a story but, I promise, you are not your story.

If you are angry, let you anger be a catalyst to take positive action. Don’t let your anger turn to hatred. Let’s all rise above and take this as a bold opportunity to step up our game—each and every one of us.

When you are confused, remember that nobody knows what is going on. Take time to be quiet and savor in the symphony of silence. Feel the aliveness in stillness and the healing in movement.

Find the wonder in the ordinary. And remember that everything is amazing. Everything.

Coby Kozlowski, MA, a faculty member for the Kripalu School of Yoga, is the founder of Karma Yoga Leadership Intensive: A One Degree Revolution, Souluna Life Coach Certification, and the evolutionary program Quarter-Life Calling: Creating an Extraordinary Life in Your 20s. Her vibrant style as a life coach trainer; yoga, dance, and meditation educator; inspirational speaker; and transformative leadership expert is infused with intelligence and heartfelt humor.

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mantra YOGA

e h t a e r B Photo: tony felgueiras

Y o u r Way

to Bliss - Build a Home Pranayama Practice {

Larissa Hall Carlson

}

K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y

y

Prepare a steady, comfortable seat.

ou know those emotional ruts you fall into over and over, the ones that even willpower and determination can’t help you avoid? Next time, try this allnatural tool for increasing wellbeing: the breath.

That’s right: Consciously regulating the way you inhale and exhale (known as pranayama in the yoga tradition) can help you break unconscious patterns, both physical and emotional.

Sitting on a cushion or folded blanket is ideal to support level hips, an erect spine, and a relaxed belly. If the knees are tender or the hips are tight, sitting on a block or straddling a bolster are wonderful options. Even sitting on the edge of a chair with the feet grounded and the knees over the ankles can provide comfort for tender spots or long sessions.

Begin with a body scan to check how you’re feeling —physically, energetically,

Don’t believe it? Try it and notice how different you feel. Here’s how to create a pranayama practice you can do at home every day.

Begin by creating safe and sacred space for your practice. Choose a private

place free from interruption and distraction, with good air circulation. If possible, find a spot void of electronics. In good weather, consider an outdoor location (this is my favorite and most frequent choice for my personal pranayama practice). Make it welcoming: beautify your space with bits of inspiration (fresh flowers, mala beads, statues, photos of loved ones or teachers,

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sentimental objects, favorite quotes). Have fresh water, tissues, and a journal handy.

Choose a time to practice daily.

Pranayama is best done in the early morning and on an empty stomach, but gentle techniques such as dirgha, ujjayi, and nadi shodhana can be practiced just about any time of day. Consistency is more important than duration, so choose the most viable time to delve into your home practice.

mentally, and spiritually—and consciously relax the major tension holders in the body (the forehead, eyes, jaw, shoulders, belly, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet). Take a few deep abdominal breaths to ground your attention in the present moment and transition from the activities of the day into a time of simplicity, serenity, and mindful awareness.

Set an intention. Reading an inspiring

quote or choosing an internal focal point for transformation can provide profound healing in every session.

Pick your favorite breathing techniques and do them daily.

You might want to try this sequence: • Dirgha (Three-Part Breath): three to five minutes. Fill the belly, ribcage, and collarbones with a smooth, wave-like breath to anchor the attention in the present moment. When you establish a comfortable rhythm, layer on ujjayi (Ocean-Sounding Breath) by creating a soft constriction in the throat. Create the meditative ocean sound in the throat to further calm and quiet the fluctuations of the mind. Keep the breath fluid and rhythmic; avoid straining or forcing the breath.

Pause and feel the harmonizing effects of dirgha and ujjayi. Scan for new sensations.

• Kapalabhati (Skull-Polishing Breath): 30 seconds to one minute. Engage a steady stream of strong exhalations and passive inhalations through the nose initiated by the pumping of the belly during the exhalations. Don’t force the breath, but rather focus on the rejuvenating power of the belly pumping. Keep the breath even and rhythmic. (Contraindications: Don’t practice kapalabhati if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, respiratory infection, or abdominal discomfort; have had surgery recently; are pregnant; or are on the first few days of menses.) ● Pause and feel the effects of kapalabhati. Scan for sensations of vibrant aliveness (vibration, heat, tingling, lightness, expansion, softness, enhanced awareness). ● • Nadi Shodhana (Alternate-Nostril Breath/ Channel-Purifying Breath): three to five minutes.

Using the right hand in Vishnu mudra (folding the middle and index fingers into the palm and keeping the ring and little fingers and thumb straight), close off the right nostril gently with the thumb and inhale slowly and deeply through the left nostril. Switch, exhaling through the right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril, switch, and exhale through the left nostril.

Continue this sequence at a comfortable, relaxing rhythm. Keep the breath smooth, long, and gentle to balance the hemispheres of the brain, soothe the nervous system, and quiet the mind.

Pause and feel the physical, energetic, mental, and spiritual effects of nadi shodhana. ● • Take several minutes of silent meditation to bask in the raised prana and integrate the fruits of your practice.

Larissa Hall Carlson, E-RYT 500, former Dean of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, guides retreats, directs trainings, and provides Ayurvedic consultations throughout the country.

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mantra

Ayurveda

H o w t o T h r i v e in an U r b a n E n v i r o n m e n t Let’s face it—regardless of where you live, stress will be a part of your life. But city dwellers often experience a particular brand of stress that emerges from sensory overload, a sense of compressed time, a n d t h e pressure t o go, go, go!

Ayurveda offers self-care routines f o r supporting, nourishing, a n d rejuvenating mind, body, a n d spirit. Here are five tips t h a t are beneficial f o r everyone, but especially city dwellers.

1 Eat lunch.

Who knew that eating a good lunch could make such a difference in your life? “Like many New Yorkers I know, I used to skip lunch all the time,” says Kristen Rae Stevens, E-RYT, a Kripalu-trained Ayurvedic Consultant and Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist who lives in Brooklyn. It seems so much more convenient to power through your day, grab a yogurt or energy bar, and save up your calories for a good dinner.

But Ayurveda teaches that we should eat our biggest meal in the middle of the day, when the digestive fires are at their strongest.

2 Take in the sky, trees, flowers, and natural light.

So many urbanites spend their days traveling underground and working eight-plus hours in buildings with temperature control and fluorescent lighting. Ayurveda teaches that it’s our nature to be with nature. Getting outdoors to take a walk in a nearby park, sit in a garden, or just inhale some fresh air can improve our outlook, calm the nervous system, and bring greater clarity. “If I have errands to run, I often book appointments or look for establishments near a park or along the waterfront,” says Kristen.

3 Drink warm water.

In Ayurveda, the key to good health is through the care of the digestive system. This requires a good look at the foods and liquids we consume.

Drinking glass upon glass of ice-cold water is easy to do on sweltering summer days, or while you’re waiting for your meal at a restaurant.

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But the digestive system is hot by nature, and we need these acids to thrive in order to properly digest and assimilate our food. Ayurveda suggests sipping warm water during a meal to aid digestion, and not chugging a glassful of water prior to eating as it cools down the agni (digestive fire).

4 Take a loving-kindness commute.

It’s rush hour, and your subway car is packed. Or someone just grabbed that cab that you were desperately hailing, and you’re already late.

This is the opportunity to put meditation and deep breathing into practice. Every conscious slow breath will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the relaxation response. As you exhale and allow your body to soften rather than stiffen, you’ll feel more open to those around you and realize that we’re all just trying to get somewhere together.

5 Pay attention to your feet.

In Ayurveda, a hugely important practice of self-care includes daily self-massage, or abhyanga, using oil. If you don’t have time to massage your whole body, focus on your feet, which get a daily workout pounding the city sidewalks. Sesame oil is recommended for cool weather, and coconut oil for warm. After a long day, a foot rub with warm oil will relieve stress and relax you before bed.

Ideally, start your day this way, too, and take on the city feeling balanced and nurtured from head to toe.

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mantra

wellbeing

Sit

Write Love

Both meditation and journaling create an openhearted space of discovery— we’re not changing, not critiquing, but simply observing and noting our thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise.

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Meditation & Journaling

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Here’s how Move: 5 Minutes. Stir up some energy: Do yoga poses, stretch, jump around, shake, make some noise—anything that lets you get in touch with your body to create a physical and emotional space conducive to meditation and journaling.

ove to write but can’t bring yourself to meditate? Or maybe you sit regularly, but haven’t kept a diary since you were 11?

Turns out the two practices have a lot in common, and combining them can enhance and deepen your experience.

Meditate: 5 Minutes. Once the energy is stirred, sit in a comfortable position, spine tall, eyes closed or gaze soft. Focus on the breath as you allow the energy gathered to settle and ground. Open up to your senses and welcome in all sensations.

Both meditation and journaling create an openhearted space of discovery—we’re not changing, not critiquing, but simply observing and noting our thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise. Meditation hones our attention and expands our awareness by allowing us to pause from the busyness of our lives. Journaling provides a complementary practice: Putting our thoughts into words helps us clear the mind and gain perspective. It’s a chance to document our process, to reflect on and release our longings and questions.

Journal: 5 Minutes. Express yourself from a place of spaciousness, allowing your journaling to be organic and intuitive. It could be freestyle—writing what comes to you with no direction or filter—or you could use a word or phrase that resonates with you (such as “what if”) as a launching pad.

Incorporating both into your life doesn’t have to be time-consuming or elaborate. Twenty minutes each day could be all you need to reap the benefits.

By combining the two practices, you can access the wisdom from the deeper layers of your being and develop a greater understanding of the messages they have to offer.

Meditate: 5 Minutes. Observe the thoughts and feelings that arise from the journaling. Allow them to wash over you without judgment or attachment.

PHOTOs (from top): emily beaulieu, stephanie zollshan, john dolan, doug baz

mantra health

Ma k e

Your Run a Meditation in Mot ion Leave the smartphone at home and hit the trails, road, or sand with nothing to focus on but putting one foot in front of the other, taking one breath after the next—your whole body in communion with nature and movement.

Synchronize the breath with your footfalls.

S a r a je a n

Activate the sense of hearing.

This is a great anchor for the mind. Try inhaling for four steps and exhaling for four steps; as other thoughts start to come into your mind, bring your attention back to the breath and the footfalls.

Try these Count your steps. techniques to turn your run into a meditation Use the five senses. in motion

Pick a number—say eight—and count up to eight with eight footfalls, and down from eight with eight more footfalls. As you focus on counting, the mind will naturally land in a meditative state and begin to let go of whatever unfinished business you left behind when you laced up.

{

Sarajean Rudman K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y

Kripalu.org

}

Bring your attention to the sense of sight— noticing the colors of the landscape, maybe looking for all the shades of green or blue you can find.

Listen for the farthest sound, then the closest sound, then all the sounds in between. Feel the wind or sun on your skin; tune in to the scents in the air.

Finish a sentence.

Try completing a sentence like “I am aware of” or “I notice…” For instance: “I notice a tree that is changing colors; I notice a child playing; I notice I am sweating; I notice my heartbeat…” You might notice the same things repeatedly—that’s okay!

Meditation is not cessation of thoughts, but simply noticing and being present with them as they arise and then fall away. Every run is a chance to be in communion with yourself and your surroundings.

Sarajean Rudman is a 500-hour Kripalu Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda Health Counselor program. She has more than a decade of experience in personal training and group fitness.

PHOTO (top): stephanie zollshan, (left): Edward Rudman

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Beyond

6 Reasons D o w n war d D o g

{

}

t o P u s h Pa s t

Your Yoga Comfort Zone {

Yoganand Michael Carroll

}

K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y Photo: stephanie zollshan

Yoga teaches that each time we do yet another Downward Dog, or Warrior I, or Triangle, our presence in and awareness of the moment make it all new again. So what do we gain when we move out those familiar postures and experiment with asanas in which we don’t feel nearly as comfortable or confident? Here are six reasons to explore your edge—whether you’re a teacher, a student, or both.

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3}

Cultivate Body Awareness.

Advanced postures are great for cultivating body awareness. When you’re moving into a posture you’re not familiar with, it’s very important to stay connected with what you’re experiencing in order to avoid injury. As you enter the posture incrementally, ask yourself: Is this appropriate for me? Am I stretched out enough? Do I need to do more developmental work before I can safely practice this posture? If you’re balancing and you’re not entirely stable, notice how long you’re able to balance before you fall, and notice what happens right before you fall.

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1}

Expand Your Repertoire. For the most part, there are no clear demarcations between “basic” postures and “advanced” postures.

If you only ever practiced 10 or 20 postures, you would still reap the benefits of yoga. That said, if we don’t expose ourselves to more unfamiliar postures, and just stay with what’s easy and manageable, that can limit our experience of yoga. Yoga is a developmental process—you practice, build your strength and flexibility, and eventually grow into more complex poses.

Advanced postures are great to introduce if you practice the same group asanas week after week, and can gradually prepare you for a more advanced practice.

2}

Reach New Pl aces. Some stretches are unique to a particular posture—there’s a place between my shoulder blades that I can only get to by practicing Yoga Mudra, and there’s another I can only get to by doing Rabbit. There are more places in the body to activate and stretch than we can reach with a couple dozen postures.

When I teach advanced asana, students often have “aha” moments. I hear things like, “I feel my shoulders in a way I never felt them before.”

Remember Beginner’s Mind.

Advanced asanas are wonderful tools for putting you back into the beginner’s mind. They require patience, self-acceptance, and acknowledgment of your limitations. My students almost always find several postures that they will never be able to do. My 13-year-old niece can go right into Full Lotus, but I know a yoga teacher who has been practicing for 30 years and can’t do Full Lotus because her knees don’t allow it. In the 400-posture training I took in India, there were many postures I couldn’t practice, because my body just didn’t do that, and that’s okay.

5}

Preserve the History. As yoga has become more mainstream and fitness-based, many of the ancient practices have been lost or fallen out of favor. Reintroducing lesser-known postures preserves the biodiversity of yoga, so to speak. When we lose a practice or technique, we lose a fraction of the yoga tradition. Expanding our range as far as methodology, as well as philosophy, opens the door to a deeper and fuller understanding of the many facets of yoga.

6}

Experience Mastery. We often focus on the healing aspects of yoga, but there is also the empowerment aspect. Working with advanced asanas offers an experience of mastery, of growth and evolution, of vitality and accomplishment—the feeling that comes when we transcend ourselves, when we find ourselves doing something we couldn’t do before.

Yoganand Michael Carroll is the Dean of the Kripalu School of Yoga and the creator of Pranakriya Yoga.

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mantra f a m i l y

Director of the Kripalu Schools

Phot o: Elai na Mor tali

I can say from personal experience that yogis have a tendency to become quite self-involved: self-study, self-care, self-inquiry.

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ratyahara, or turning inward, is one of the eight limbs of classical yoga, and it has always been an important part of my practice: diving deep and exploring my internal landscapes, observing what can be seen when the eyes close and the inner eye opens. But things have shifted ever since I became a father.

When my son, Stryder, was two, I thought of him as a pratyahara detector. I would try to practice in the living room first thing in the morning, but Stryder is an early riser so it was a challenge for me to try and squeeze in my routine. As soon as my awareness drifted away from the realm of the living room, littered with toy trains and matchbox cars, and into my inner world, I would hear Stryder scamper over yelling, “Dadda, noooooo!” as if I were about to throw every toy he cherishes over Niagara Falls.

What is difficult to understand before having children is the extent to which they take up every bit of space and time in your life.

If I attempted Child’s Pose, for example, Stryder had a little trick to distract me that always worked. He’d climb onto my back, reach his arms around my face, and dig his fingers into my eyelids as if to peel them open. He could sense when my attention wasn’t on him, when he wasn’t the center of my world.

This was a huge adjustment for a yogi turned householder. I can say from personal experience that yogis have a tendency to become quite self-involved: self-study, self-care, self-inquiry … you get the idea. And as much as we practice working on ourselves, nothing I have ever encountered has brought me as face-to-face with my own egocentrism as the overwhelming love for my children, and knowing that they rely on me completely. So I practice letting go of what was and embracing what is. It can be messy, being a parent, but it’s who I am now, and I am grateful for it.

A huge part of my practice is being present for my family at a moment’s notice. There is no time for warm-up, no centering; it’s full speed ahead, and it’s my sacred duty. All my years of inward focus have been leading me up to this, the ultimate posture: Dad-asana.

Micah Mortali, Director of the Kripalu Schools and longtime Kripalu Yoga teacher, has been leading groups in wilderness and corporate settings for more than 15 years. With a passion for sharing the empowering, life-affirming practices of yoga and Ayurveda, Micah is dedicated to the idea that there is a power and a limitless possibility within every human heart, and believes that the purpose of life is to awaken and experience that possibility.

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mantra

wellbeing

By Maria Sirois

K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y

Healing from

Violence

What Can We Do to Heal Our Fear and Worry When Acts of Terror Are Apparently Possible Anywhere?

Photo: BILL TIPPER

M

y daughter and her boyfriend were having dinner in a café in Paris, November 13, 2015, while terrorists attacked the city. She escaped danger that night; Nohemi Gonzalez, a senior at California State University Long Beach, did not.

On another day almost a year later, my daughter drove to Boston with three friends to support the Gay Pride Parade, and returned home the next afternoon, again safe, and again saddened and scared and angered because 49 others in Orlando did not.

If she keeps loving life, loving her friends, advocating for tolerance and peace and compassion, this will keep happening for her. If we care for others, if we care for anything beyond ourselves, we are none of us spared violence, loss, fear, and hate. Bad things happen, and horrible, awful things happen, too.

So what can we do to heal our fear and worry when acts of terror are apparently possible anywhere?

As a teacher of both resilience and Positive Psychology, I often hear this question, and I offer these four elements on the path toward healing:

Feel What You Feel. We know that the most resilient of us begin healing by first allowing ourselves to feel what we feel—neither hide sadness and despair, nor deny the depths of pain. Emotions, when set free within us, have a natural rhythm to them, an ebbing and flowing, that not only signals to us what we are uniquely experiencing, but also connects us to the state of being human. As we allow ourselves to feel all that we feel, even complicated and confusing feelings, we create space within to begin to know what we must do to heal. Do we need to reach out to others? Take action? Pray? Or are we better served by resting? Wisdom emerges, though kripalu.org

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only after we have allowed ourselves to be human first, and invite our emotions to naturally rise and then shift.

Connect. Positive Psychology research reveals that connection is a preeminent source of healing. When we reach out to others, we experience a sense of community; we feel less alone and more optimistic, generally less anxious, and often more peaceful. In times of darkness, connection provides a sense of safety, and even an increase in bravery. As I witness others posting on social media about their care for those who have lost loved ones in Orlando, I find the courage to post myself. Our vulnerability decreases in the presence of connection, which leads to an increased capacity to stand up for what we believe in and to call out injustice.

Here, too, in the territory of connection, deeper healings occur. The hearts of those who lost their sons, daughters, friends, lovers, and parents in that dance club will never be fully rendered whole—but connection to others who care will soften the edges of that shattering over time and, perhaps, one day, illuminate a remembrance of peace.

Practice Mindfulness. So much is written about mindfulness and how it catalyzes awareness, presence, and serenity. It can decrease anxiety and ease fear. For those of us who study humanity at its best, we understand as well that mindfulness brings about something else: the capacity to pause before choosing the next action or voicing the next statement. In states of anxiety or fear, we are prone to make choices that serve to keep us safe, or that strike out against that which we fear. Yet other choices exist, ones that bring about understanding, clarity, and wisdom. When the world is falling apart around us, we need to be clear in our thoughts and deeds, so that we don’t cause harm to ourselves, inflame the wounds of others, or act carelessly.

“

We know that the most resilient of us begin healing by first allowing ourselves to feel what we feel—neither hide sadness and despair, nor deny the depths of pain.

”

Hold on to Hope. Not a Pollyanna-ish hope that all is well—that would be delusional in the face of such violence—or that all will be perfect one day. No, I am speaking of a hope grounded in reality. People are cruel.

Life is tragic. And yet, we are also capable of astonishing kindness. Tal Ben-Shahar, a thought leader in the field of Positive Psychology, teaches us to move toward a grounded optimism, a hopefulness based on facing reality as it is, inclusive of both the difficult and the good, the excruciating and the uplifting. Howard Zinn, history professor and playwright, offers a similar sentiment: “To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places— and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of the world in a different direction.”

I wish for my daughter a world that is safe and kind. I cannot promise her that. She will need to discover how to discern what most helps her recover from acts of hate or moments of loss, so that she can continue to experience the beauty of living, and can find within herself the capacity to offer her own good, her own gifts and passions. I wish the same for all of us.

Maria Sirois, PsyD, psychologist and seminar leader, is an international expert in the fields of resilience and flourishing.

Known for her wisdom, authenticity, and humor, she brings invigorating practices and perspectives to corporate and nonprofit audiences alike. Maria is the author of A Short Course in Happiness After Loss (And Other Dark, Difficult Times) and Every Day Counts.

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mantra meditation

A Five-Step Pra c t i c e

for

Being Here

{Now} Stephen Cope • K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y • By

Photo: emily beaulieu The centerpiece of all meditative technique is the simple practice of being present for experience. Being fully here, right now. In the body. In the breath.

Not leaning forward into the next moment. Not reaching back into the previous moment, but allowing this moment to be okay exactly as it is. In the Buddhist tradition, this practice is often referred to as mindfulness, which is defined as “the practice of paying attention, on purpose, to the experience of the present moment—without judgment or reactivity.”

Mindfulness is bare attention to the present moment.

Well, it turns out this isn’t as easy as it sounds. No sooner have we sat down to meditate than we feel a vague hankering to get up and get a cup of tea or check e-mail. We are a restless people. Being with the moment, exactly as it is, is not our specialty.

So, what to do? I found out early on in my contemplative practice that it helps to have some small technique to help us to be fully present to now—some simple practice to help us be with the flow of thoughts, feelings, sensations that arise in each moment—and in fact are the moment.

When I first arrived at Kripalu, almost 25 years ago, I was taught just such a simple and straightforward technique.

It is called BRFWA (pronounced “bur-fwa”). BRFWA is an acronym for “breathe, relax, feel, watch, allow”—a simple technique for being present with our moment-to-moment experience. For 25 years now, I have used this technique almost every day. I can’t believe how powerful, useful, and practical it is. It’s right there in my back pocket all the time.

Here’s how it goes.

It’s not complicated at all. { Step One:

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{ Step Two: R e l a x . In this step, we consciously relax the

musculature of the body. I like to coach myself to scan through the body and find areas of muscles that feel tight and constricted, and then I literally coax them to soften, relax, let go. Often the belly is the most effective area to begin relaxing, because when the belly relaxes, the whole body begins to soften and let go. Our deep, diaphragmatic breaths continue to support this process of relaxation. Full yogic breath helps the muscles relax and automatically cuts through any fight-or-flight response.

" It ’ s impossible to be stuck in an endless, obsessive thought-loop while you ’ re breathing consciously. "

B r e a t h e . Simply remembering to breathe consciously in the midst of a difficult or challenging moment can begin the process of shifting everything. Take some full, deep breaths. If we’ve become tight or scared or anxious, the breath itself will begin to break up this dense emotional state.

Kripalu.org

If we’re caught in some kind of obsessive thought loop—worrying, fretting— the breath will break the pattern right away. (A small miracle here: It’s impossible to be stuck in an endless, obsessive thought loop while you’re breathing consciously.)

{ Step Three:

F e e l . This refers to an active state of feeling—moving actively toward the sensations in the body, the energy, the emotions. By actively feeling, we develop the acuity of our awareness so that we can begin to feel the whole range of sensations and emotions in the body—their color, their texture, their intensity, their mood. Actively feeling means turning our attention minutely toward our moment-by-moment experience— dropping our judgments and learning to be with things exactly as they are.

{ Step Four: W a t c h .

Now we bring in the part of the mind that yogis often call “the witness.” In Western psychology, this part of the mind is sometimes called “the observing ego.” This is the part of the self that stands at the center of the storms of experience, the part that sees and knows without judging. As we become absorbed in “the witness,” we begin to loosen our identification with the experience, to hold it more lightly, and to let it be exactly as it is. Our attention is focused on “How is it?” rather than “Why is it?” or “Do I like it or dislike it?”

➵

{ Step Five:

A l l o w . In the final phase of the process, we coach ourselves to allow the process to happen. To let it wash through us.

We let go into it. We let go of control. When we don’t try to control our experience, we’re free to surrender to the waves of sensation, of feeling, and of energy—exactly as they are.

As we become more experienced with the BRFWA process, we learn to trust that all we need to do is support the process through simple and consistent self-coaching—and the process itself moves us to full integration.

Breathe, relax, feel, watch, allow. Breathe, relax, feel, watch, allow.

The next time you’re confronted with a difficult emotional moment in your life, give this technique a try. If you can, find a quiet place to sit—a place where you feel safe and won’t be disturbed. Then launch in, gently. Breathe. Relax.

Feel. Watch. Allow. BRFWA is a trustworthy companion on the road of life, a way to return to our true home at any moment, no matter where we are.

Stephen Cope, MSW, Scholar-In-Residence and Kripalu Ambassador, is a psychotherapist and Kripalu Yoga teacher. He is the best-selling author of several books, including The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living and the forthcoming Soul Friends.

ni qu e is ch te e iv at it ed m l al of e ec " Th e ce nt er pi p r a c ti c e of b ei ng pr es en t th e s im p le . w o n t h ig ,r e r e h y ll u f ng ei B . fo r ex pe ri en ce fo rw ar d in to g in an le t No h. at re b e th In In th e b od y. to th e pr ev io us in k ac b ng hi ac re t No t. en th e ne xt m om to t n e m o m is th g in w lo al ut b m om en t , .

b e o k a y e x a c tl y a s it is "

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Conscious Company Feature

Interview:

Dean Jerrehian, F o u n d e r Jade Yoga Mats

How One Company Makes Giving Back Their Business A

New Model for Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs and Example for Large Companies. jadeyoga.com | Facebook: jadeyoga | Instagram: @jadeyogamats

Maranda Pleasant: Dean. We’ve known each other for so many years. I met you when I was starting this magazine, shoveling boxes out of the back of my car at almost every yoga festival. I once had to drag you on stage with Michael Franti to introduce you to a crowd of 1000 yogis. It is one of the things that I love the most about you. You hate the spotlight, and yet you seem to give more than almost anyone I know. Your eco and giving back programs are unparalleled, and it has taken me two years to pin you down for an interview.

You are modest, kind, soft-spoken, and have one of the best hearts that I know. My yoga crush.

Dean Jerrehian: Maranda, you are funny. Thanks for being interested in what I have to say.

MP: How has yoga made a difference in your life?

DJ: Yoga has had much more impact than I ever thought it would—especially considering that it was really an unexpected journey for me. First, yoga changed the way I look at the world. While practicing law for years, my life was largely about conflict, competition, deadlines, winners, and losers.

At the first yoga conference I attended, I saw two people having an argument—the disagreement quickly ended with a hug and I knew I had entered a whole new world. Life doesn’t have to be a zero sum game where there is a loser for each winner, but a place where we can work together to make the world better. Second, yoga gave me context to give back to the community and the world, which we will talk more about in a minute. Third, yoga has brought a calmness to my life that often surprises me. Before yoga, I spent most of my life in a fairly frantic state—always worried or stressed about one thing or another—but yoga has really slowed life down for me.

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MP: What has been one of the biggest lessons that you have learned in business?

DJ: I remember reading somewhere that you can learn a lot more by listening than by talking. In fact, we would not even be having this conversation if I wasn’t willing to listen when a customer called in one day, before we were even in the yoga business (if you don’t know this, long before Jade was a yoga business, we made rug pads used under area rugs to keep them from slipping). The customer told me how our rug pads made great yoga mats. Despite knowing nothing about yoga at that time, I started asking around and found out that there was a real need for a yoga mat that wasn’t slippery, was eco-friendly, and was non-toxic. The rest is history. Similarly, for several years, my friend Dara Barr, who had ovarian cancer, asked us to create a teal yoga mat to raise money for ovarian cancer. Thinking I knew better, I told her teal was too bright and it would never sell.

Dara was nothing if not persistent, so we gave it a try and teal has been one of our most popular colors, and together with our customers we have contributed over $250,000 to ovarian cancer support, education, and research. Again, if I did not listen, this would not have happened.

else are you doing?” until I realized that there was more we could do. At this point, I also heard my mother’s voice talking about how I should “give back.” I thought long and hard about how we could give back, and since our mats come from trees, I realized that we needed to thank the trees, so we decided to plant a tree with every mat sold.

Of course, our Buy a Mat, Plant a Tree program is just part of what we do. In addition, through our “Color Cause” program, we donate $5 from each mat of a specific color mat to a specific cause. For example, $5 from the sale of each teal mat goes to ovarian cancer causes, $5 from each pink mat goes to breast cancer charities, and $5 from each saffron mat goes to autism causes.

MP: What is your giving back program and why in the world did you start it?

Third, we wholeheartedly believe that very often the people who can benefit most from yoga are the ones least likely to have the opportunity to take a yoga class. Fortunately, we have found yoga teachers to be among the most giving people we have ever met, with so many teachers volunteering their time to teach yoga in shelters, hospitals, rehab centers, prisons, schools, and more. With so many teachers willing to give their time, often what is missing are mats. Thus we are committed to giving away 1,000 mats this year for use in these programs.

DJ: Our giving programs started not long after we began in the yoga business. I remember talking to a yogi who was asking about our business. She asked what we were doing for the community and the earth and I responded that we were making the world’s best eco-friendly yoga mat in the USA out of natural rubber tapped from rubber trees, a rapidly renewable resource—which I thought was pretty good. She kept asking, “What

Fourth, there are currently four days throughout the year that we donate a portion of profits to specific causes. First, of course, on Earth Day, we give 10% of our online sales proceeds to an environmental organization. On Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday, we give to organizations that are very personal to us, including the Support Center for Child Advocates, a non-profit that provides legal and social services to abused

and neglected children, and the Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation, an organization providing support, education, and research for these rare but very serious bone marrow disorders.

Finally, our newest program is called the “10th of Jade.” Through this program, on the 10th day of every month we donate one-tenth of our online sales to a little known, under-supported, but deserving charity. This program started after I met Chris and Brooke Bell, a young couple who came by our office to buy some yoga mats as they were just starting to get into yoga. Chris and Brooke had just been through the tragedy no parent should ever have to endure of losing their six-month-old daughter, Lily. The told me their story about Lily and how much she benefited from music therapy while she was hospitalized.

It was a heartbreaking and uplifting story and I really wanted to help, but their request did not fit into any of our existing programs, so we had to come up with a new idea­—this turned into the 10th of Jade. Not only do we hope to raise money for these causes, but we hope to raise awareness.

In fact, just last week, I got an email from Chris telling me that a local TV news channel wanted to do a story about Lily’s Lullaby Fund and music therapy; the especially gratifying part for me was that the reporter was a yogi who heard about Lily from our 10th of Jade program.

them—making this not only an ecologically and environmentally sustainable process. Through this program we have planted more than one million trees so far. I really want to be sure to thank all your readers who have bought our mats in the past (and will in the future) as we could not do this without you.

MP: How can other companies do more to give back?

DJ: The first step is to move past the mindset of “the purpose of business is to make profits.” I think most successful businesses start with a passion, but quickly get caught up in focus on the bottom line. Yes, businesses need profits to survive, but let’s think about a higher purpose for the business and use those profits for helping achieve that purpose. More and more businesses are changing the definition of the bottom line, and in addition to profit, look at social and environmental responsibility. The next step is to think about what you care about. Giving back requires a commitment and you are more likely to be committed to something meaningful to you. Finally, any give back program has to be economically sustainable.

MP: Is it true that you actually plant trees for every mat sold? Tell me more.

DJ: Absolutely! Our mission is to give back to the earth with every product sold. We want to leave the earth a better place than when we found it.

As Jade mats come from trees, we decided to give back by planting a tree for every mat sold. I looked into a number of organizations that we could work with and found Trees for the Future to be a great fit. What I love about Trees for the Future is that it doesn’t just plant trees, but goes into villages in the developing world and works with that community to find out what is the right tree or combination of trees for that location, and then teaches the community the value of the trees and how to plant and maintain

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mantra health

Herbs to Help You Sleep + Build Immunity B y:

P u kk a

H er b s

Pukkaherbs.com There are all sorts of different symptoms associated with insomnia, such as difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty in staying asleep, restlessness at night, excessive dreaming and irregular sleeping patterns, and long-term health issues associated with sleep deprivation.

Here are eight herbs to help s u pp o r t h e a l t h y s l e e p i n g pat t e r n s :

1

L a v e n d e r : A renowned herb for settling frazzled nerves. The aromatic essential oils in this plant can help reduce difficulty falling asleep and prevent nighttime wakening.

i m e f l o w e r : A traditional remedy for 2Lnightmares and bad dreams. Its calming effect

on the nervous system also makes it effective in treating nervous digestion. The perfect gentle remedy for children.

e r i a n : Directly promotes relaxation of 3 Vthea lnervous system through enhancement of

GABA neurotransmission. It encourages healthy sleeping patterns, ensuring you wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

s h w a g a n d h a : A traditional Ayurvedic 4 Aremedy shown to improve sleep quality by up

to 66%. It tackles core energy levels, enabling the body to adapt and respond to stress in a more energy-efficient way.

a t f l o w e r : Oats are a natural source of 5Otryptophan.

Tryptophan helps regulate our body’s

natural circadian rhythms, and melatonin is synthesised from tryptophan. It is melatonin that influences you to feel sleepy; its release can be inhibited even by the presence of artificial lights.

w a g a n d h a : Stress is normally at 6 Athes hheart of sleeping problems. Ashwagandha

is an adaptogen (adapts to your lovely, unique body) and calms the nerves. It can be particularly beneficial for those who tend to feel ‘wired’, with insomnia caused by anxiety or stress.

7

G o t u k o l a : Traditionally used for relaxing the nervous system and calming the mind.

8

N u t m e g : Can be particularly good for making sure that once you’re asleep, you stay in a lovely, deep, good quality sleep.

Sleeping pills often cause just as many problems as they solve. But plants in their natural state have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicines to support all areas of health.

Whole herbs contain all the natural constituents of the plant, which create a natural balance and work with the body rather than suppressing its natural functions.

How do you boost your immunity?

A large proportion of health issues are rooted within our immune system and are a result of a deficiency or imbalance, directly or indirectly affecting the health and wellbeing of the rest of our body. Our immune system maintains the ecological relationship between the mindbody-spirit and the world in which we live and interact. Here are some ingredients your immune system loves: • Elderberries: Bursting with brightly colored pigments that act as natural antioxidants and are a natural source of Vitamin C. Elderberries have also demonstrated the ability to deactivate 10 strains of the flu virus.

• Echinacea: A classic and very traditional remedy for the immune system. It’s particularly effective when individuals have become ‘run-down’ as a result of stress or overwork. The classic scenario being that an individual becomes ill as soon as they start to relax. Echinacea will support and gradually strengthen a weakened immune system.

• Andrographis: A very traditional Ayurvedic herb, with a distinctive and strong bitter taste.

It has the ability to reduce the severity and duration of an infection. Needless to say, no infection will last long in the presence of andrographis.

• Medicinal mushrooms: All medicinal mushrooms contain a constituent known as beta glucan, which supports the immune system. Mushrooms are also adaptogenic and will stimulate where there is deficiency and calm where there is overactivity.

• Tulsi (Holy Basil): In Ayurveda, tulsi is used in meditative practices to bring a sense of mental clarity. The perfect herb for dispelling the winter blues, especially if you are suffering with a bout of cold or flu, it’s packed with natural essential oils that can help clear congestion.

A large proportion of health issues are rooted within our immune system and are a result of a deficiency or imbalance, directly or indirectly affecting the health and wellbeing of the rest of our body.

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Reasons to G o Nat i v e The Short List

N

Malloy Smith

Photos: Susan Gottlieb

ative plants maintain and restore California’s natural heritage.

Reincorporating native plants into the landscape helps bring the state closer to its own evolutionary and ecological history.

T h e y a r e b e au t i f u l a n d f u n c t i o n a l .

Everyone loves a beautiful garden. With native plants, a garden can achieve beauty with purpose.

M a n y o f t h e m a r e e x t r e m e ly f r a g r a n t .

If stepping outside and smelling the true fragrance of nature appeals, then native plants are the way to go.

T h e y p r ov i d e f o o d a n d h a b i tat f o r n at i v e w i l d l i f e , s u pp o r t i n g b i o d i v e r s i t y.

Supporting biodiversity in cities is part of a new wave of environmentalism, a movement that promotes aligning two things that have historically been at odds: human enterprise and conservation.

M o s t a r e d r o u g h t- t o l e r a n t.

With the ongoing drought, the importance of saving water is self-explanatory.

M a n y p r o d u c e lo n g r o ot systems, which help control soil erosion.

According to World Wildlife Fund, half of the world’s topsoil has been lost in the last 150 years. Soil erosion is a serious issue that threatens the viability of flora and fauna.

Native plants don’t require fertilizer and are pest-resistant. Avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides helps prevent chemical pollution and the contamination of groundwater.

T h e y a r e low- m a i n t e n a n c e .

Once native plants take root in a garden, they require very minimal upkeep compared to non-native plants. Who doesn’t love doing good for the world without a huge time commitment?

C o n v e r t i n g c a n b e d o n e c h e a p ly.

Converting to a native garden doesn’t have to break the bank.

For those on an extremely tight budget, just a few native plants will still make a difference. They are many resources available to help amateur gardeners switch to native landscaping inexpensively.

B e i n g a r o u n d n at u r e a n d w i l d l i f e i s g o o d f o r h u m a n h e a lt h a n d c o g n i t i o n .

Studies have shown that being in nature and experiencing wildlife strengthens the immune system, reduces stress, and improves memory and cognition. Plant away and create an oasis of healing right in your backyard!

Read more: The Gottlieb Native Garden: A California Love Story

by Susan Gottlieb, an environmental philanthropist with a passion for gardening for wildlife. In 1990 she created the renowned Gottlieb Native Garden at her home in Beverly Hills. thegottliebnativegarden.com

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Editor’s pick

{ F e at u r e d G e m o f t h e M o n t h }

l e G e r a Arnic We took it for a test drive a year ago when we started our travels. For 12 months we’ve been on the road and outdoors constantly. This has quickly become one of our staples. We don’t leave home without it.

O ur Fr e n c h ed it o r br o k e h i s f o ot i n S t o c k h o l m . It w a s r ea l l y e ff ec t i v e w it h h i s br u i s i ng a n d s we l l i ng . I h a d t o car r y h i s l u gg a ge f o r s i x we e k s , s o it he l ped w it h m y t i r ed ba c k .

It doesn't fee l gr o ss. I have an aversion t o st icky. It's n ot st icky or greasy. It’s c o ol ing and t hank go odness it is unscented , so I don’t sme l l l ike my grandpa’ s vap or r ub. arnicare.com

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I al ways prefer nat ural homeo pat hic remed ies. It’s made f rom p lant s, i nc ludi ng Ar nica monta na.

Its t herape utic pr operti es have been used for centur ies.

Ar ni ca is pr et t y mu ch M A G IC .

Y oga f our t imes a week, divi ng, hiki ng, r unni ng, and air l i ne seats cramped i n l ike sardi nes can leave I have a penchant f or overdoi ng my bag. yoga my n i our body sore. So o t hes i nversions , so it’s my p o or sore musc les, Also grea t f or begi nners, l ike our He especi al l y my l o wer back male edit or and t ho se new t o yoga. can f i nal l y t ouch his t oes, bt w! YAY! and neck.

mantra health

Practices 3 Better Night’s Sleep for a

Photo: stephanie zollshan

to sw itc h em st sy s ou rv ne ur yo n ai tr re u If yo s tim e to re la x an d on by its el f , wh en it ’re wi th ou t sl ee p , it ’ll ha pp en moto sequlfic klmey — - di ca te . th e us e of su bs ta nc es -

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By

Jennifer Reis

K r i p a l u S c h o o l s Fa c u l t y

}

W

e’re so busy and disembodied in the modern world, multitasking and moving in multiple directions at once.

Feeling relaxed and grounded is the key to restful sleep. If you retrain your nervous system to switch on by itself, when it’s time to relax and sleep, it’ll happen more quickly—without the use of substances to self-medicate.

Yoga turns our senses inward for restoration and peace. These simple practices can help you fall asleep and wake feeling refreshed and renewed.

T hese si mple p racti ces ca n h elp y o u fall a slee p and w ake feeling r efreshed and r ene wed

"

When You Can’t Sleep

• Lie down, get comfortable, and close your eyes.

• Become aware of your breathing.

• Slowly count the exhalations backward, starting with 10. Keep your focus solely on the breath.

• If you lose track while counting, begin again with 10.

The Sandman Winding-Down Spinal Twist • Sit cross-legged on the bed and exhale as you place your right hand on your left knee and left hand on the bed behind your tailbone.

• Gently twist your torso to the left.

• Allow your gaze to follow, looking over your left shoulder. Breathe deeply, then return to center and repeat on the opposite side.

• Lie down and close your eyes.

• Imagine your body filled and weighted with sand.

• Observe and scan your body, without movement. Isolate each body part in succession.

• Breathe deeply throughout the practice.

• Feel the heaviness of your body connecting to the earth.

Jennifer Reis, E-RYT 500, faculty member in the Kripalu School of Yoga and Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy, is the creator of Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra® and Five Element Yoga®.

Kripalu.org

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Punk to Monk Feature Series

Punk Rock Rule Breakers + Non Conformers: The New Thought Leaders

The Power Punk : The hardcore Buddhist of

Actor + Rocker + Buddhist:

Jessica Pimentel

Interview: Keli Lalita Reddy, Mantralogy

Keli Lalita Reddy: From a very early age, you were attracted to the Tibetan Buddhist knot, which represents eternality and the teachings of the Buddha. In fact, you have the tattoo. Do you believe that your spontaneous attraction to this symbol was an indication that your practice of Buddhism is a continuation of your spiritual path from a past lifetime?

Jessica Pimentel: When I would ask my teacher a really complex question, about something that I would want him to teach me, or if I wasn’t sure how to do something, my teacher would say, “You already know. Just remember.”

I think that’s very significant. I was talking to someone today who was asking me how they should bless a statue to bring divine energy into their home. Their idea was to offer flowers or to write a mantra to enliven the sacred space.

When they asked if I thought that was right, I told them, “You got it. Your instincts are correct.”

I believe that our innate knowledge comes from previous lives and previous births.

When I saw the symbol of the Tibetan Knot, I was very much attracted to it. I thought it was so beautiful, though I didn’t yet know what it was.

I first saw it when I was a little child and I cut it out of a magazine. I kept it in my pocket. I would take it out to look at it. When I got a little older I thought, “This would be such a cool tattoo.” I still didn’t know what it meant. I just thought it was really cool. As I was slowly introduced into Buddhism, I saw somewhere that the symbol meant “Chinese symbol, Good Luck.” I thought I should research what it meant before I put it on my body forever, just in case it meant something bad. Knowing that it meant Good Luck was enough to me and I got it done.

Interestingly, it was that marking that led me almost directly to the feet of my teacher. A monk saw it on me one day in Central Park and said,

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“You belong with us. You’re a Buddhist.” Tricycle Magazine was having an event in Central Park called Change Your Mind Day, which was basically an all-day Buddhist celebration. It was the first time I had ever heard another being speak about these topics. I have since taken refuge in the teachings and the sangha, but this was the first day of that awakening. There were so many amazing speakers, Allen Ginsberg among them.

who doesn’t even speak English? I was not yet about that. I wasn’t into assimilating into another culture. I was happy getting Buddhism in a very Western and relatable way.

It was timely for me. I was on the path of looking for a teacher because one can only study so much on one’s own. My core beliefs were very much in line with and attuned to Buddhism, but I knew at that point in my life that I needed to find a teacher. I was 17 years old.

JP: The moment my teacher walked through the door, I knew that he was my teacher and I began to weep. And when I say weep, it was almost like the panic that one would see in the faces of the young girls in old photos of when the Beatles came to America. I was crying hysterically and thought I was going to faint. The friend I was with asked me if I was ok and all I could say was “That’s my teacher, that’s my teacher.”

And I just knew.

At Change Your Mind Day in Central Park, Buddhist schools from all over the world were present. They held a debate, all in Tibetan. It was a traditional debate that is done in all Tibetan monasteries, arguing about karma, etc. I didn’t understand what was being said, but I knew that it was where I needed to be.

It was there that I met a Western monk and he encouraged me to join his sangha. I did and from that point on there was no turning back for me. I studied in New York at ACI for one year, and then my meditation teacher Thupten Phuntsok said that his teacher, H.E. Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin, was giving a class in Howell, NJ. This was the first center of Tibetan Buddhism in the United States. The center was started by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to give Mongolian Kalmyks a place to pray. My teacher was sent to become the leader of that temple and later an Abbot of Sera Mey monastery.

At first I really resisted having to go to all the way to New Jersey. I didn’t want to get up early and take a bus and a train and I knew it would take me four hours. Plus to listen to some old dude

KR: The teacher-student relationship is so emphasized in the Dhammapada. Tell me your experience when you met your teacher for the first time that day.

My teacher called me over and said, “Do you remember me?” And I said, “I think I do.” It was like seeing your long lost mother that you have been separated from and that you thought was dead. That level of disbelief.

My teacher told me not to cry and repeated, “Don’t cry, it’s only me.”

KR: I’m crying now.

JP: Sometimes I don’t even want to tell people this story because they think that finding a guru has to be like this. I worry that they might feel like they need to have this same experience, which is not the case. I just had an exceptionally strong reaction to seeing my guru. But it’s like finding love. It may not always be insane fireworks. It could be something that is very calm and very natural, like a deep friendship. Love does not always have to be intense fireworks for it to be true love.

“

we begin to understand that everything is all in the perception of the perceiver. We can change our perception of what is really happening.

”

KR: Is our destiny shaped by karma or by practice?

JP: Both. We do believe that life is shaped by karma. Karma is what you walk in with: it determines who your parents are, how you look, who you meet. It doesn’t mean that those are the only seeds that you will acquire in your life.

Something as simple as practicing Shamata meditation allows you to control your emotions.

If you practice this, you may find yourself in a situation that makes you angry, but you would no longer have a negative response. The next level would be that you wouldn’t even think badly of a person that was screaming or yelling at you.

Because you would have developed compassion.

Then comes the development of wisdom and compassion like the two wings of a bird. So you have the positive effect of no longer being angry, but then you develop the wing of compassion and you actually feel love towards the person who is causing you difficulty.

Farther down the road, we begin to understand that everything is all in the perception of the perceiver. We can change our perception of what is really happening. If you start to change your perception into first a neutral and later in the higher states of realization, into a blissful experience, you life will manifest that way. First inwardly to you, and then later outwardly in your behavior toward others.

KR: How did you get into hardcore music in the midst of all of this?

JP: I was a regular New York City kid, just starting high school. I was 14 years old. I saw other kids in my high school going to shows all the time, and I found out that they were all-ages shows. So young kids at that time were able to go hear live music, which is not so common now. ›

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Punk to Monk Feature Series So my mom took a friend and me over to a show at the Wetlands. She didn’t like the name of the place for some reason, but she came in and checked it out and saw that it was really just a bunch of kids. The bands playing that day were called 13 Stitches and Sweet Diesel. My mom felt ok with it after she saw what was up. She even talked to the bouncer.

It was a powerful experience being able to hear music that loud and to be able to jump up and down and sing along with your friends and mosh and jump off the stage, and sing into the microphone. And then when you’re done, being able to go up to the people in the bands and thank them for their show and tell them what something meant to you. I had been to stadium shows, but I couldn’t talk to the bands. This was better.

The shows also provided a great release from the frustrations and the angst of life, of being a teenager, and of growing up in a very strict and old-fashioned household. At the shows I was free. I was extremely free. We got sweaty, and we danced and laughed and it was fun. I was basically a fixture at CBGB, Coney Island High, and the Continental. It wasn’t just hardcore music either.

It was also ska, metal, techno, reggae, and hip hop. It was a fluid scene for me.

KR: It’s so funny because my band 108 played at the Wetlands around that time.

JP: Yeah, I’ve seen 108 about a million times!

KR: What were some your favorite bands from that era?

JP: Sheer Terror, Killing Time, Agnostic Front, Madball, Sick of It All, and Yuppicide. I used to see Yuppicide a lot. My mom used to let me go see them because she knew Jesse, the lead singer, because he was from my neighborhood.

I am from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. I had a big Yuppicide patch on my backpack. In my mind I was bringing down Wall Street.

KR: It is amazing to talk to you because the hardcore scene really had something that was completely unparalleled and counterculture. I am not sure it has ever existed before. There was something so powerful about that community.

And that is something that comes up every time people talk about their experience. Not the music, not the fashion, but the community. But also, how the shows were a place of freedom and release. What about that kind of music, which seems really violent and loud, led so many of us into deep, committed practices, into the sangha and to our teachers?

JP: The people that need to express themselves that way, that are drawn to that kind of volume and intensity, are dissatisfied with life: outwardly with what is going on in the world and inwardly they are depressed, they are suffering. This music is an outward manifestation of that suffering

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Punk Rock Rule Breakers + Non Conformers: The New Thought Leaders

and a perfect metaphor for their dissatisfaction.

The quick release is that of the music and the screaming, the raising of your voice. But the long-term medicine is a spiritual practice; it is changing the mind. It’s not that it has to be tied to any religion, but it is about changing the attitude and the thought. In hardcore we call it PMA, positive mental attitude. If you get your PMA straight, then you can change the world around you. Change your mind and the rest will follow.

KR: In my opinion, hardcore music was filled with some of the great thinkers and “feelers” of our generation.

JP: These are people who are absolutely sensitive and they refuse to be beat down by their government or their class system or their economic circumstance. They spoke about it and connected about it. They were not going to just lie down and accept that life was like this. They knew instinctively that life was supposed to be better. Bands like H2O and The Bad Brains were extremely positive and were teaching people that our lives can be changed by different thinking, just like in Buddhism.

“

You can,t live your life worrying about what people think, and you can,t look to other people to accept you and validate you.

You have to validate yourself.

”

KR: In a way, hardcore music honors the Four Noble Truths. To begin with, life is suffering.

JP: That’s why you get into hardcore.

KR: Current band?

JP: Alekhine’s Gun is my current band. I am one of the composers of the music and I play guitar on some of the tracks and I write all the lyrics.

Ninety percent of the lyrics are from Tibetan Buddhist texts. One of the last songs that we recorded, that hasn’t been released yet, is a heavy metal version of The Praise of the Twenty-One Taras. One is a praise to Vajrapani, and another song is about the protectress, Palden Lhamo. It tells of her story and about what her purpose is. Also, “Crown of Knives,” which is a teaching on lojong mind training. So a lot of these lyrics are based on what would be the curriculum of Tibetan practice and the meditational deities.

KR: This is going to blow people’s minds, you know that, right?

JP: Yes, because they might just hear me screaming and see all of my black makeup and have no idea.

KR: In addition to the music you are making, you are an actress in the very popular TV show, Orange Is the New Black. Does the incredible focus of your Buddhist practices influence how you approach the life work of your acting career?

JP: The actual work of becoming a character for me is accomplished through the Bodhisattva practice of exchanging oneself with others in order to develop compassion for other beings. In this case I am forced to exchange myself with a being in prison, and I have to exchange myself not just with my character, but also with the other characters. I have to do that so that I can empathize with their situation. And it helps me understand that what we are doing is part of a giant conversation on the human condition. I hope every time that we lay something down on film that it will open someone’s eyes or ears or hearts to a story, to a race, a culture, an ethnicity, or to a situation they would never know about.

In a smaller sense, in order to play a character correctly, one has to develop great concentration.

Even to know your lines you have to be present in the moment. In a sense, you have to establish that moment-to-moment reality.

KR: Does being in Alekhine’s Gun help you be more of a badass, so that you can play your character in Orange Is the New Black?

JP: No, but in order to be a badass, you do have to have certain qualities: confidence and belief in yourself. You can’t even hit those notes unless you believe in yourself. You have to commit fully to that scream. To have good stage presence you have to believe in it more than anyone else and believe that you have the power to do anything.

Once you believe that, there are no limits. You have to have no fear. It’s the same as in life.

You can’t live your life worrying about what people think, and you can’t look to other people to accept you and validate you.You have to validate yourself.

KR: What advice would your grown-up self have for your 20-year-old self?

JP: Trust your gut. Don’t let your instincts get overridden by your fear or your insecurity. Don’t think to yourself, what I am supposed to do?

Just trust.

Life is a dream and you can absolutely create it however you choose to, once you believe that there are no limits. If you can believe it, you can do it. It will happen. And don’t lose faith. But there is no finish line in life. Keep your eyes and ears open, and let go of your idea of what life is supposed to be and think about what it could be.

And then manifest it.

“

Life is a dream and you can absolutely create it however you choose to, once you believe that there are no limits.

If you can believe it, you can do it.

­—

Jessica Pimentel

”

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Punk to Monk Feature Series

Punk Rock Rule Breakers + Non Conformers: The New Thought Leaders

l l i h c e h t Brea t h e f ck out * and

Chris Grosso,

the Indie Spiritualist

Punk Music as Introduction to Spiritual Life, Learning to Think for Yourself and Explore What Is True, Rather than Blindly Accepting What Schools and Society Feed Us Interview: Keli Lalita Reddy, Mantralogy

Keli Lalita Reddy: In your new book, Everything Mind, you offer your readers some meditations, which seem very influenced by Buddhist teaching.

Do you consider yourself to be a Buddhist?

Chris Grosso: I’m often confused as a Buddhist because I do reference the teachings a lot. And while I have a deep reverence for Buddhism, as I do for Advaita and the other non-dual teachings from all the great wisdom traditions, I don’t identify as anything specific. I have friends who are Buddhists and Christians, and friends who have no interest as all in any of the spirituality and religion thing, those who are atheist or agnostic or even into Satanism, and that’s cool. But I don’t personally identify myself as anything. I have learned from the great Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu texts. The Dhammapada, the Gita, and The Gospel of Thomas are a few user-friendly examples. But I’ve just never felt moved to identify as anything specific. I am often confused as a Buddhist, because I reference many of the Buddhist teachings when I write or speak, which I do because they work well for a lot of the people in my audience, the younger crowd who may be skeptical or cynical towards spirituality that incorporates God. I’m cool with the God word myself, but I understand why others may not be.

So there is a long-winded way of saying, nope, not a Buddhist.

KR: In the back pages of The Indie Spiritualist, you list a number of bands that influenced your journey to sobriety and ultimately to spiritual

life. Which bands would you say were the most influential in that journey, and why?

CG: Geez, there have been so many bands who’ve impacted my life. So many. When I was first introduced to punk and hardcore music, it was a lot of bands from labels like Equal Vision, Hydra Head, Revelation, Trustkill, and Victory. Bands like Deadguy, Inside Out, Cable, Bloodlet, 108, and Converge. And then I went into a heavier, more chaotic phase with bands like Coalesce and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Then there was the sludgy, droney, noisy sort of stuff like Isis, Eyehategod, and Neurosis. And I still love all of these bands.

But in the grand scheme of things, I’d have to say the most influential musician in my life has been Johnny Cash. I’ll never forget hanging out with some of my friends in Cable at a party and their drummer, Vic, put on one of his later records, Unchained. I was blown away by Cash’s deeply pained, yet hauntingly beautiful voice.

KR: You’re not alone. Tons of people from the punk world love Johnny Cash. He’s like the grandfather guru of the punk vibe.

CG: The man in black. He was so punk without even trying.

KR: Hardcore music is so loud and sometimes seen as being violent. What are your views on the apparent contradiction between that and mindfulness meditation?

many people on the spiritual path, but to me spirituality has been a loud and violent endeavor.

What I mean by that is that I look at spirituality as a process going within and ruthlessly cutting away all of the bullshit that is in there, all of the deeply ingrained beliefs like the “we’re an isolated separate self.” So it’s been a sincerely ruthless pursuit, and that to me is a wonderful and perfect extension of punk and hardcore music.

As I wrote in The Indie Spiritualist, punk music was my introduction to spiritual life. It was where I began to think for myself and explore what was true for me rather than blindly accept what school and society as a whole was feeding me.

It was about ten years later that I stepped onto a more formal spiritual path and I went through the spiritual materialism phase that most of us do. I was the “spiritual guy” who wore Malas and said Mantras. Not that there is anything wrong at all with either of those things, but the way I was doing them, it was another ego trip. I was spiritualizing my ego rather than peeling it away.

The peeling away aspect, didn’t sincerely start for me until a few years after stepping on the path, and that was a loud and violent process. And at times, it continues to be a loud, and violent process, and I wouldn’t have it any other way because for me, that is the authentic-ness of it.

Dismantling ego nature is not a blissful experience.

It kicks and screams and bites. It’s a loud and violent experience. It’s essentially killing ourselves, at least, the false self we’ve spent most of our lives believing we are. Fun, right?

CG: I know this probably isn’t the case for theindiespiritualist.com

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PHOTO: Sarit Z Rogers

“

Spirituality for me has been a loud and violent endeavor. I look at spirituality as a process going within and ruthlessly cutting away all of the bullshit , that is in there, all of the deeply ingrained beliefs like the we re an isolated , separate self. So it's been a sincerely ruthless pursuit.

”

KR: You travel regularly to teach, and so you come in contact with a wide spectrum of the yoga world. Do you think that there is a strong tendency toward what you just described, a tendency for people to get caught up in spiritual branding?

CG: I see it all the time. And I go back and forth on this. On the one hand, people need to pay their bills and people need to put food on the table and make money. I understand. So money and success is not villainous. But on the other hand, when I see people that are really turning spirituality, yoga, and meditation into a commodity, into something that is marketable and profitable, well yeah, it makes me feel sick.

Literally. When big sales and successful branding is someone’s main intention in this field, rather than truly helping others to heal and wake up, I think, “Fuck that, that’s not OK.” But then I have to watch that and keep myself in check because it’s my own egoic shit coming up. For all the people out there who are successful while maintaining their integrity, though, I’ve got nothing but respect.

KR: We watched this exact phenomenon happen in hardcore music, where the whole scene was originally filled with pure intention and then it started to shift toward money-making. Some pure essence always dies, then, doesn’t it?

CG: So true. I mean, twenty years ago when I was touring in bands, we would just hit the road and show up at a club with no idea where you were staying that night, and nine times out of ten, someone would put us up. It was about friendship, family, and community, not about how many views you had on YouTube. Hell, there was no such thing as YouTube. For the most part, I don’t think that really happens now. Times have changed, but I guess that’s the only thing that’s constant. Change.

KR: If you could share one of your realizations from your adult life with your 20-year-old self, what would it be?

CG: Oh man... the first that comes to mind is “Breathe and chill the fuck out.”

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