TRANCEending the ordinary

See the world from fresh eyes,
you are the alchemist.
You have the ability to transform a painfully mundane moment
into pure magic.
Enter the flow…

…find that inner spark,
blow air onto it,
and allow it to burn.
Feel the warmth, the bliss.

Listen to that song, the birds, the traffic, the people, to that voice from within.
Feel the wind, the heat, the raindrops, the vibrations, your heart.
Look at the view, the colors, the light, beneath the surface.
Touch your feet to the ground, the textures, the hearts of all the people around you.

It is contagious and irresistible and a potent remedy.

 

FUSE: Interactive Art For The Whole Family

Today I had to do some errands downtown and serendipitously stumbled upon the first ever Family FUSE Weekend at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I had the young apprentices with me so naturally they were excited about all of the great activities that were going around the VAGs perimeters, inside and out.

making seed balls

We hula hooped, stilt walked, made an animation, and even made seed balls. The Environmental Youth Alliance creates events that connect youth to wholesome activities ranging from gardening plots, walks to educate on edible herbs growing in our environment ect. Seedballs are a great way to re-plant areas that don’t have great soil or irrigation conditions, it involves mixing local seeds with clay and soil, the clay holds the water, helping the seeds to germinate in less than ideal conditions. These seeds can be planted anywhere including in unsuspecting abandoned lots and unnoticed free spaces of land in our environments. I think guerrilla gardening is pretty cool.

parkour krew

Solen was thrilled and amazed by the Parkour demo. It is impressive… think of the stunts from The Matrix, guys running up walls and doing back flips off, guys diving through the air and doing acrobatics over stair wells in sequence ninja style. It is amazing what we humans are capable of training our bodies to do.

painting bliss

While Sarina and Solen did some paintings that will be displayed at the VAG for the next week I got to dance to a DJ while admiring all of the chalk art and other engaging activities. Later on, while exploring the Annex inside we found the amazing goo sculpture that mesmerized Sarina & Solen at Granville Island. Sarina was transfixed upon the florescent goo coming out of all of the pipes ever so beautifully and I literally had to drag her away. Vancouver based sculptor added the ink from 50 highlighter pens to 250 gallons of non-toxic polymer to create a beautiful snot-inspired visceral piece to appease his wacky sense of humor while managing to create a dynamic piece that captivated all children who crossed its path.

glow in the dark goo

The VAG has a new Director who was at the TATE before coming to Vancouver. The Family Fuse Weekends will be happening three weekends of the year. Don’t miss it! Check out the new programing!

marbles

After spending 5 hours at the beach yesterday I had no problem playing downtown on such a gorgeous day. I am drinking up all of the creativity boosting goodness that we stumbled upon.

 

Magic Carpets and Master Musicians

Almost one full rotation around the sun ago I found myself weaving in and out of a beautiful crowd fed full on divine music. With my young apprentices ecstatically exploring rhythms so divine, I too danced myself into bliss. It was the weekend of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. The sun was shining, giving the landscape a blessing of luminosity. The ocean danced with sparkles and sail boats on the surface. I stumbled into The Master Musicians of Jajouka playing music capable of teleporting you to another world. A world of magic carpets, senses appeased with ecstasy, and every moment filled with a story worth telling…

Go ahead, watch the entire 7 minutes if you dare. Just be sure to empty your mind enough for just those few minutes to tune into the perfection that mastering a traditional art can offer.

 

last.fm [sound escape]

I have just returned from spending the long weekend in a beautiful forest, just 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver. I left my laptop behind and unplugged my mind from the juicy web to absorb the ever so precious forest energy. I feel so balanced and rejuvenated, ready to jump right back at a busy schedule.

forest escape

As I sit at my computer and get into work flow, plugging myself right back in, I am ecstatic to log into last.fm and type in my favorite band du jour to have a continuous stream of related tracks play on my computer. For $3/month it’s pretty decent exposure to music you may never get the chance to groove to and if you are savvy enough you can sync it to your ipod. And if I discover a group that moves me enough, I’ll definitely go out and buy their CD. Although I have over 3,000 songs on my computer, I get restless and seek new sonic expressions/music. I also love the back ground info that accompanies each musician/genre with last.fm. Music is king, and there are some wicked musicians raising it up out there, transforming a mundane moment into total bliss.

…currently drinking a spicy mix of root tea.

 

pink swells… then fades to green

Outside my window it appears to be snowing. The pink blossoms from the giant cherry tree in my back yard have swollen, and are now slowly making their way to the ground. When I cross my yard it appears as if fresh petals have been laid upon my path. The birds surround me with symphonic beauty, I feel miles away from the city that I am living in and deeply connected to the pockets of nature that surround me. The cherry tree fades from pink to red and green.

Enjoy the colors, sights and sounds of spring. After spring fades into summer, you won’t get to see it for another year, unless you travel to the southern hemisphere of course.

Drinking SUMITRAspice tea.

 

EARTHday Everyday

I had a conversation with my son today about the EARTH, and we concluded that because there are now an unprecedented number of us humans co-habituating on this planet that everything we do, every choice we make, has to be done with mindfulness. We have been using five planet’s resources, this has to change. We can do it.

I see the current state of the global economy as an opportunity for the less ethical structures to crumble, giving rise to the sustainably focused organizations to flourish. There are artists that are thriving now because their work educates, inspires, raises awareness… they are living in line with their souls purpose.

life blossoming

Earth is a vortex of LIFE, in a barren galaxy there rotates a ball filled with living creatures, large and minuscule. All lifeforms are what should be celebrated, all lifeforms have the opportunity to teleport us into bliss.

I had the wonderful opportunity to be a doula for my friends first baby’s birth. I have only slept for a few hours since Sunday, yet I am so full of energy, and love. As I held her this evening I felt so much peace, so much purity. When I looked at my friend’s baby girl, I didn’t just see a new born baby, I saw a mass of energy so profound, so pure. We all are born with this purity, we all have this vulnerability to us. Please, do your hardest to never harm anyone. And all life on this planet is precious, we must defend it. And yes, I am high from the experience.

 

Star Catcher

Spring has sprung, and with the change in seasons comes a boost in our spirit. Use this extra energy to dream big, aim for the stars. All of the beautiful blossoms adorning the streets and landscapes of the northern hemisphere are promising luscious fruit in the months to come.

I am not much of a gamer, but have fun catching stars and bringing them down to Earth to light lanterns in Star Catcher. Beware of the dark clouds! This game was developed by Big Hadron Games, masters students at The Centre For Digital Media. Check it out.

Dream big. Now is the time.

Currently gazing at the stars and drinking rose hip tea…

 

Projecting Change Film Festival

A heads up on a sustainable focused film festival in Vancouver starting April 2nd: Projecting Change Film Festival. “Projecting Change is where environmentalists, film lovers, families, community leaders, local businesses and key decision makers gather to watch films and discuss key issues.” I got my tix, I will be heading down with my young apprentices to watch a film or two.

I feel inspired when I see collective initiatives with a focus on making our lives on Earth more inspired, more gentle, more meaningful. A magnitude of inertia is required to halt destructive practices by us humans as we focus all of our mighty energy to building each other up, making choices centered from spirit rather than from ego or greed. I enjoy watching people and organizations change destructive patterns and practices to be a part of the solution.

So check out the Projecting Change Festival Website to check out movies and speakers. If you are not in Vancouver it is still inspiring to see the movies/documentaries/amazing work that filmmakers are creating. Inspiration. They even have an iPhone friendly site where you can buy tix from…

Still drinking Spring Cleanse Tea.

 

Currently Drinking: Spring Cleanse Tea

Spring has sprung, the cycles of the seasons are turning. It feels so exciting that life is regenerating itself, that the days will grow longer and warmer, and that my yard will be in full bloom soon enough. Last night I celebrated Persian New Year on the first full day of Spring.

This past Winter was somewhat hectic for me. I worked hard, played hard, and drank a lot of matcha. When I wasn’t drinking matcha I was drinking chai and green tea, as well as my herbal favorites. A few weeks ago I got my first headache from drinking too much caffeine and promptly decided to cut it out, at least on a daily basis. I have been there before, and want to do it again. So I quit drinking caffeine. I totally suffered for a few days with lethargy and headache but felt amazing shortly after… I took the leap and am enjoying the benefits.

In the Spring our bodies naturally go through a detox and that is when many people get the flu or a cold. It is a good time to do a cleanse. I personally am drinking Spring Cleanse Tea which is a combination of: licorice root, red clover herb, burdock root, oregon grape root, fennel seed, dandelion leaf, dandelion root, cleavers herb, chickweed herb, nettle leaf and peppermint leaf. I buy it loose from my local herbal dispensary. I will be eliminating sugar as well as caffeine from my diet until I feel good and ready to stop my ’spring cleanse’. I am hoping to draw from the energy of the mighty weeds in the tea, which ultimately come from the Earth, and use the energy of the Sun to give me the drive to continue with my previous caffeine induced productive schedule. And if I don’t get as much done, then so be it.

 

Maintaining a Clear Mind Through Meditation

It has been a full week, and I am currently enjoying watching the moon full up with light. It is just days away from reaching its monthly peak of lunar rays that permeate every living substance on this Earth…

I have been enjoying working with SierraSil, it has been an exciting week for the small but quickly expanding natural mineral supplement company based out of Vancouver, BC. They have helped thousands stay off of nasty anti-inflammatory drugs and have been so much fun to work with. Worth mentioning this week was the Midforms Festival, presented by the New Forms Media Society. Also, a Kirtan with Durga Das at Semperviva, fun bike rides in the winter sun, teaching my son to skateboard and a good girlfriend in town from Topanga, CA adding to a juicy and spicy week.

With all of the busyness, the balance of work and play, family and friends, personal practice and creative pursuits, how does one contain all of this and stay clear? Meditation! In keeping with last week’s theme, here is an article I wrote for My Yoga Online… Drink some tea and try it out. If you are an avid meditator (!) then a reminder of the foundations never hurts…

As we develop a greater self-awareness with our unfolding yoga practice, cultivating mindfulness through meditation techniques is a natural progression on our path. The benefits of meditation have been proven by modern science to significantly reduce stress and tension, greatly improving our health, a necessary component to a balanced lifestyle in today’s fast paced world. The Seven Points of Meditation Posture is a key foundation to a successful meditation practice.

Seven Points of Meditation Posture

The seven points of meditation posture have been used for thousands of years by great Masters and Yogis and have proven to be highly effective for creating successful meditation practices. These meditation cues are a necessary foundation to become successful in taming your mind through this ancient practice. Whenever preparing to meditate, check into your body and encourage that all 7 points are in position.

For a person not used to meditating, the sitting posture may be an uncomfortable position to achieve. The most difficult part can be sitting in a cross-legged position called Full Lotus Pose (Padmasana). If you cannot do the Full Lotus Position, then explore Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padmasana). If you still cannot be relaxed or comfortable in Half Lotus, then just sit in a position that is comfortable and stable. Generally, people can sit in a loosely, cross-legged posture with the feet beneath the legs, but many people do not naturally have flexible joints or may have some injuries or damage. So please do not be shy if you need to use a chair or sit on props. Folded up blankets work nicely as well to elevate the hips and release discomfort or tension out of the legs, hips, and back.

The seven points of meditation posture are:

1. The sitting position, preferably the Lotus position.

2. The position of your back should be straight but not tense or tight.

3. The position of your shoulders should be back a little. Raise your shoulders up to your ears and then roll them back so that your shoulder blades move downwards. This motion helps to guide the upper body into position.

4. The position of our hands-there are three methods;
a) For general relaxation, your hands are in your lap, not too low, with the right hand in the left hand, palms up and the thumbs touching.
b) For determination, your hands are flat, palms down, resting one hand on each knee.
c) For stimulation, which activates and frees the energy systems of the body (especially the Body, Speech and Mind), each hand has the thumb touching the base of the ring finger, and the fingers closed firmly, not too tight, round the thumb, and the hand resting palm down on each knee.

5. The position of your neck is held tall while lightly tilting the skull down a few millimeters (by gently bringing in your chin). Ensure the balance of the skull is maintained over the neck.

6. The position of your eyes: there are three methods;
a) The eyes look down following the tip of your nose.
b) The eyes are gently closed.
c) The eyes look straight ahead, but very slightly lower than level or lower than the horizon.

7. The position of your mouth and tongue; your mouth can either be closed or just slightly open so air can escape (as if you were saying softly the letter AH). The tongue is relaxed in a natural position, or the tip of the tongue can lightly touch the roof of the mouth just behind the area where the gums meet the upper front teeth (this called Jalandhara Bandha).

Now that you have an idea of a comfortable meditation position, you simply breathe out, breathe in, relax, and watch the breath without interfering. The traffic of your thoughts in your mind is always there. Just let the thoughts move, do not interfere or try to change anything, do not try to diminish anything, or try to increase anything. As you rest and watch the breath, the thoughts will dissolve on their own. They will diminish and dissolve to the earth, dissolve to space, and dissolve to the air. The mind will relax on it’s own and become more peaceful and content.

For those who wish to pursue meditation, it is crucial to understand this Three-Point Instruction:

1. Meditation is not meditation unless you make it a habit. When meditation practice becomes habitual, this becomes meditation.

2. You have to spin the twisted yarn or string of the mind not too tight and not too loose. Too tight, it will be too hard and it will break. And too loose, it will be too soft and it also will break. When you find this balance of mental tension, this becomes meditation.

3. If you do not stir water, it settles and remains clear. If you do not disturb the mind, it will settle and become peaceful and free. When you achieve this state, this is mediation.

A regular meditation practice will definitely allow your mind to organize and stabilize itself, and this will allow us to gain peace, happiness, clarity, and tranquility. Mastering the seven points of meditation posture as well as understanding the Three-point instructions on meditation are key elements in cultivating a solid foundation for your meditation practice. Enjoy your peace of mind. This planet needs you to.