Yoga, training and health inspiration for you

"Yoga has the ability to heal. Yoga has the ability to bring about peace. So the more people we can inspire to practice the happier and healthier this world will become. By taking yoga into the art world I hope we can inspire more people into yoga." Richard Pilnick, also known as the Yoga Photographer, shares his beautiful encounter with yoga and how it completely changed his life. 

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In 2008 I went to India, a journey that would shape my life. I was working in the fashion industry at the time, inspired by Richard Alvedon, Irving Penn and David Bailey. I decided to take some time out, get some perspective and ensure I was creating images from my heart and not shooting what I thought people wanted to see. An unconventional introduction to yoga ensued - little did I know that it would become such a huge part of my life. My first yoga session took place on a roof top in Jodhpur, the blue city, half an hour of Sun Salutations to the rising sun, followed by a ginger black tea philosophising about life and flying kites with the local kids - I was reading ‘the Kite Runner’ at the time, so I really felt like I was in Kabul… 

Heading south to the small village, Gokarna, Karnataka - 3 days quickly turned into a month, captivated by the people, both local and foreigner, I decided to capture the essence of this beautiful space through the eyes of the people. I went into the village and managed to get all the supplies I needed to build a studio on the beach, 12 foot bamboo poles from our guest house, a hammock maker made me a 20x20 foot white sheet to diffuse the sunlight and a black sheet for negative fill, I acquired rice sacks to fill with sand to weigh everything down and rope and a sickle from the hardware store. 

On the 2nd of January 2009 my alarm sounded at 05:30, although it wasn't actually needed, as I had not slept due to excitement. I dragged everything down to the beach and began building the studio. By about 07:00 there was a group of local lads all helping me finalise the structure, even though they had no idea what I was doing, or why - they were just so intrigued. But when we had finished and the camera came out, they were all fighting for a picture and exchanging clothes, ensuring they looked their best… I was shooting on a Hasselblad 500 at that time and shot around 35 rolls of film throughout the day, one guy even swam the length of the beach to see what was going on. But there was one picture that changed everything for me, now the poem has been written by the German Face Reader, Eric Standop, he is known as ‘Sad Eyes’. He waited patiently with his bags to present himself to me for a portrait, without language he did this with no knowledge of who I was or what I was doing, but we shared a moment together that transcended verbal communication. 

My guardian angel
Captivated by this image, it was the first print I had done returning to London, followed by a moment of realisation - I was a portrait photographer, this is the journey I needed to take… I quit everything, spoke to all my clients and all the other photographers I was working for at the time and said I was leaving and ended up spending three and a half years living and working in Asia. Returning to Gokarna on numerous occasions in search of Sad Eyes, armed with this print, I would ask around, it’s a small local village where everyone knows everyone, yet no one knows who he is or where he is from. 

He is my guardian angel, he presented himself to me for me to realise my destiny and purpose, to share the messages from around the world. Everyday I ask myself, was he really there…?

Looking back on the morning after my wedding, I was reflecting on my life up to that point, the work I had done, the pictures taken and my inspiration, which led me to a series I did with the Indian Yogi, Shiva Shankar, in the same village of Gokarna. Yoga… Yoga Photography… Returning to London I introduced myself to Cat Alip-Douglas and asked if we could shoot, I needed to shoot more Yoga if that was going to be the direction I would take, inspired by my portraiture, she gleefully accepted, this followed a portrait of Cat and her husband, Phil. I took to frames of the couple and knew they were wrong, they didn’t feel connected with the situation and the camera, so we moved everything around, I took one more picture - that picture ended up not only in the National Portrait Gallery in London, but also on a huge poster on the outside showcasing the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. 

I was on the right path; I had a nod and a wink from the Universe. 

I needed to change the image that is used to portray yoga. We all need to inspire people into this wonderful world of self-development and understanding, we need to honour the practice that is giving us so much. Bibi McGill aptly writes "We've turned yoga into the "look at me" selfie syndrome" - this is not yoga, this is not honest… We need to create content that is achievable and attainable, yes we will photograph beautiful one-handed handstand, but we will also be photographing upward dog just as beautifully, as it is pictures like this that will inspire people to practice for the first time. It is the one handed handstand that will inspire the advanced practitioner.

Let's make a change - together
So, We are creating a global resource of unique yoga photographs to inspire and honour the practice helping us on our journey in this life. We want to bring integrity back to the images portraying yoga - inspiring more people in to the world of yoga through photography.

Together with you, we need to raise £23,000 creating the self-sustaining business, yogaphotography.com. The revenue from online prints sales will enable us to continue to document the 1000’s of Asana out there, but we need to get started, we need to build a community with people that believe in us and our vision and believe Yoga is an integral part in transforming society today.

I spoke to John Scott about this project and why he wanted to be involved - 

"Yoga is also art, and the body is a piece of art to be appreciated to admire its beauty and to perfect its beauty and take it to its unlimited potentiality. So initially I was taken out of my senses to being inspired by Derek [Ireland] and it was through Derek who gave me the key to go to Pattabhi Jois, Guruji became the one that turned that all around to say look within. So, see that beauty that you’re seeing outside and see if you can see that on the inside. And so for me, thats where the yoga really starts to go from the one where your mind is being drawn outward, maybe distracted by all the stimulus out there, the pratyahara is to know that the beauty exists out there only because of what comes from the inside. So then we are guided by our practice to look in…"

Sponsor the project
There are various tiers of sponsorship, from post cards, dedicated sun salutations, fine art prints & time shooting with Richard. Create your own fine art Asana pictures while helping to create this global resource. Please find packages below. Sponsor and bookings, please visit the website here!

• Book 1 or 2 days with Richard for 5 or 10 teachers/students to create a series of your very own Asana pictures. Each Teacher/student will have 1 ½ hours shooting time and receive 7 final retouched B&W images.
  • £1,597 - 1 day Friends/studio digital package 5 Pax (£319.4 each)
  • £2,584 - 2 days Friends/studio digital package 10 Pax. (£258.4 each)
• Order digital museum quality prints, the site will launching with over 250 images, Asanas & portraits, all of which are available for pre order at a reduced price of £55, multiple orders possible (each print £55, if you’d like 3, pledge £165) coupon codes will be sent out after site launch for you to order. 

 

Get inspired

• Meet the yoga photographer - interview with Richard Pilnick.
• Yogis & yoginis - let's get lost together, by Simon Krohn, yoga teacher with an MA in philosophy.
• Accessible yoga for everyone, by Sam Rudra Swartz, ordained interfaith minister & yoga teacher.

Life works in mysterious ways, right? Today I practice hatha yoga almost every day, and share it with others: some in wheelchairs and others with bodies in varying conditions. How did I get here? How did "this" happen? In this text I share a peace of my story, from american football player to yoga teacher on wheels.

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How did “this” happen? And what is “this”? Am I referring to the “this” that was the day my toes were swollen and then within weeks my whole body was riddled in pain from inflammation and I could barely walk down the street to the subway? Am I referring to the “this” that has me requiring the use of a wheelchair for my body to feel comfortable enough to move from one point to the next? Or am I talking about the “this” which is me sharing my practice of yoga with others from said wheelchair? A yoga teacher, how did THAT happen? The answer is yes, yes to all of the above “this” moments and so much more. 

For as long as I can remember, in my mind, I knew what was going to happen next. I was going to play football, American style, helmets, shoulder pads, et al, in school. Play for a major university program and then off to the NFL. Sure, why not? Then my mind shifted to wanting to attend one of the many top music conservatories where I would excel in my craft. I was certainly going to audition and win the tuba chair in a major symphony orchestra, somewhere in the world, and have a career as a musician. Of course!

But somehow, my mind and my life didn’t ever quite align itself with what would become my current reality.

There is no way I could have said that I would teach yoga until I was doing just that, starting in 2011 at Integral Yoga Institute. I first learned about the studio in 2001 from one of my customers when I was still a waiter (that was B.W. - before wheelchair). However, it has been there, in New York City since 1966, founded by Swami Satchidananda, the Guru from India who opened the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969, who chanted OM’s and gave an opening invocation and blessing. Nestled on 13th Street in Greenwich Village, The IYINY has been thriving for 50 years. It’s kind of a big deal in the yoga world.

So as you might hear in my tone, I still carry a little bit of a New York City, “edge,” and come off a little sarcastic at times.  Please forgive me, I have a daily sadhana, a spiritual practice, that I feel allows me to relax and accept my authentic self. Even that, “ego,” thing that still carries the programming and the personality traits I have come to know so well AND even like. While I know, from my study of the yoga sutras, that my mind might be calmer, clearer, and better off with a few more adjustments, I also realize that judgment and a lack of acceptance of the, “me,” that  I know so well, won’t help me relax further into equanimity, acceptance, and self-love either. 

Who knew you could have a wheelchair yoga practice?
Every morning, that I wake up at the Integral Yoga Ashram, inside of the IY Institute, I have to give myself a little push to get to morning meditation at 6:00 a.m. Personal hatha yoga practice at 7:00 a.m. follows for me and the other resident yogis. When I first began practicing hatha yoga in a wheelchair I had no idea what I was doing or how I could even attempt to practice. Although I had taken several classes at IYINY, ‘B.W.,’ I still had no idea that one could have a chair yoga practice. I had not heard of the teachers who already taught people to practice in a chair, I did not know there were trainings and books about chair yoga…nothing. What I did know, or thought, was that I had taken enough classes that I had a general idea of how yoga was practiced and that I was going to try and imitate that from my wheelchair.

IT WORKED! HERE I AM! I am practicing hatha yoga almost every day and I even share my practice with others, or as some would say, “teach,” it to others. I share with some people in wheelchairs and share it with others who have bodies in varying conditions, from the very fit to the, slightly and extremely, challenged. Most days I am in awe wondering how I even know how to do what I do and wonder, “how did “THIS” happen?” How did I end up “here?”  “Is it too late to still be a musician?” 

Although my mind is still patterned to ask these questions, I contemplate them a lot less. Thank you yoga and meditation! Thank you Gurus and teachers, who have shared with me and others their yoga practice! I now know, and I am not sure that it is by conscious choice or not…I don’t have to, “know.” It has been a much more fulfilling, surprising, and fun, “ride,” in life to be surprised, to be in awe that I have the opportunity to practice and share yoga this way. The fact that it is while I require the use of a wheelchair and that has provided me with the ability to share with ALL others, no matter how the body looks or moves, leaves me speechless and truly grateful.  

OM Shanti

Accessible Yoga - online videos

https://yogobe.com/videos/7t6s|Introduction to Accessible Yoga|What is Accessible Yoga? Sam Rudra Swartz explains.

https://yogobe.com/videos/f5g3|Yoga Nidra class|Accessible Yoga: Yoga Nidra class for deep relaxation with Sam Rudra Swartz.

https://yogobe.com/videos/45ws|Full body asana|Accessible Yoga: Full body asana practice with adjustments with Sam Rudra Swartz.

https://yogobe.com/videos/g23z|Adapting yoga poses|Accessible Yoga: Adapting yoga poses for everybody with Sam Rudra Swartz.

Links

• Prana, does it really exist? By Simon Krohn.
• Make a long term investment in your body, by Matthew Griffiths.

Foto: Saritphotography

Do you wish you had more energy? Are you having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night or wish you could stop overthinking in the evenings? This is the last part of a months journey with yoga teacher Amanda Holmström, where she has been sharing her best tips and guidance for better sleep and ways to recharge.

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How is it going? I hope you have started to experience some effects from your new routines! Remember that a little is better than nothing, and that a three times a week effort (or in this case, letting go of effort!) is better than nothing.

Most importantly, maybe you have begun to reflect over what works for you and what might not, creating a bedtime routine that is right for you is the most important thing and the following six steps are a general guideline which you are free to experiment with. 

1. Set a time for yourself when you wish to be in bed
2. Detox from electronics one hour pre bedtime (at the latest 10pm)
3. 3 minutes conscious breathing
4. 5 minutes yoga (or more!)
5. 8 hours of rest
6. Let go

Even though there seems to be something magical about getting 8 hours of sleep, don’t let the hours of sleep turn against you. If you’re having trouble falling asleep see if you can let go of checking the watch and counting how many hours until you have to get up. Instead, see if you can take a different approach, even though your mind might be awake you can still allow the body to rest and try to enjoy lying in bed not having to do anything. 

Let go.

That’s right, you don’t have to do anything, no planning or problem solving needs to be done at 2 am. There’s usually nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow morning and worrying is never the answer. If you have a lot of thoughts in your head that you can’t seem to get rid of, try writing them down to empty the head.

Make a commitment to let go of the day when you lie down in bed. When I turn off the light I consciously let go of the day by going through the day in my mind from the moment I woke up in the morning until now. I begin to cultivate a feeling of gratitude for all the good things and circumstances that have happened. You can cultivate this feeling of gratitude towards anything from having an energizing cup of coffee, something someone said, that the sun was shining on your way to work this morning or the challenges that help you grow. See if you can find something to thank yourself for doing as well, something to be proud of. 

And remember, right now everything is good, everything is okay. 

Thank you for joining me on this challenge to recharge this month, 

Sweet dreams and namastay in bed!
Amanda

Videosuositukset

• Viparita Karani Mudra – Kaisa Kärkkäinen
• Ujjayi - syvä kurkkuhengitys – Satu Tuomela
• Nadi Shodana - hengitysharjoitus joka puhdistaa nadeja ja rauhoittaa mieltäsi – Satu Tuomela
• Calming and Grounding Yoga Nidra Practice – Mona Anand
• Fall asleep Yoga Nidra practice – Mona Anand
• Rentouttuva hyvän yön yin – Kaisa Kärkkäinen

Lue lisää

• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 1/4
• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 2/4
• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 3/4
• Vaivu syvään uneen – Vinkkejä jooga-asennoista
• Terveelliset elämäntavat

Do you wish you had more energy? Are you having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night or wish you could stop overthinking in the evenings? Let yoga teacher Amanda Holmström guide you through May with tips and guidance for better sleep and ways to recharge.

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We are halfway through the four-week program and this week I am introducing how yoga can be a perfect solution for investing in yourself, re-energizing and improving your sleep!

1. Set a time for yourself when you wish to be in bed
2. Detox from electronics one hour pre bedtime (at the latest 10pm)
3. 3 minutes conscious breathing
4. 5 minutes of yoga (or more!)

Instead of keeping the mental activity high in the evening by being on the phone, on the computer or planning for tomorrow, allow yourself to surrender to the soothing energies that the evening offers with yoga as a tool. 

I simply love this quote: “If you have time for Facebook, you have time for yoga”, it just nails it. By setting aside 8 minutes to your evening routine you can experience the calming effects of a breathing technique (see previous post) and what a simple yoga pose can do for you. In the evening we want to avoid any vigorous practice, but gentle yoga such as moon salutations, forward folds and shoulder stand are examples of ways to unwind and let go of mental and physical tension. 

Bedtime Yoga
According to Yogi Bhajan, if you are going to do only one yoga pose Legs-up-the-wall is the one to do due to the many therapeutic effects it has, such as calming the mind, relieving stress and anxiety, improving digestion and circulation and regulating blood pressure.

Lie on your back with your sit bones as close to the wall as comfortable and extend the legs up. Your arms can rest by your side, on your belly or above the head. Option to elevate the hips on a block, blankets or pillows so that you find a position that works for you. Close the eyes and enjoy the pose from five minutes up to 10 or 15 minutes for deeper relaxation. 

Whenever you notice that your thoughts have drifted off to whatever might have happened during the day or to worrying about tomorrow, gently bring your awareness back to your breath. Another way to practice present moment awareness is by scanning through the body to see if you are tensing anywhere where you actually could relax right now. Let go of mental and physical tension and allow time to do the work for you as you relax deeper with each exhale and visualize breathing out any tensions, stress or worries.

You can even do this pose lying in bed if you have a wall beside you to extend the legs up against!

If you wish to practice a longer sequence, click here for a bedtime yoga sequence by Eveliina Hanski. Remember that this is a time for letting go and relaxing, so see if you can let go of temptations of reaching further or striving for results and instead surrender to what is. 

More tools for calming an overactive mind, wandering thoughts and how to let go coming up next week!

Snooze better with a calm body and a calm mind. Namaste,
Amanda

Videosuositukset

• Viparita Karani Mudra – Kaisa Kärkkäinen
• Ujjayi - syvä kurkkuhengitys – Satu Tuomela
• Nadi Shodana - hengitysharjoitus joka puhdistaa nadeja ja rauhoittaa mieltäsi – Satu Tuomela
• Calming and Grounding Yoga Nidra Practice – Mona Anand
• Fall asleep Yoga Nidra practice – Mona Anand
• Rentouttuva hyvän yön yin – Kaisa Kärkkäinen

Lue lisää

• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 1/4
• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 2/4
• Vaivu syvään uneen – Vinkkejä jooga-asennoista

Photo taken by Saara Oinonen at Wasa Yoga Center

Do you wish you had more energy? Are you having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night or wish you could stop overthinking in the evenings? Let yoga teacher Amanda Holmström guide you through May with tips and guidance for better sleep and ways to recharge.

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​I hope you are still with me on detoxing from electronics one hour before chosen bedtime? If not, don’t worry, there is no such thing as failure! Creating new habits and breaking old ones takes time so be gentle with yourself. As every day is a new beginning, every evening is of importance. Begin today and add a breathing technique to your routine to lower stress hormones and tap into the parasympathetic nervous system.

1. ​Set a time for yourself when you wish to be in bed
2. Detox from electronics one hour pre bedtime (at the latest 10pm)
3. At least 3 minutes of conscious breathing

Breathe, but how?
Throughout the day one nostril is more dominant than the other one which automatically alternates after a two-hour period. The right nostril is associated with the sympathetic nervous system, keeping us focused, energized and alert and the left nostril is associated to the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for relaxation, digestion and healing. 

Try left nostril breathing to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, a breathing technique that in Sanskrit is called Chandra-Bhendi. Chandra translates to moon, which represents cooling energies. 

1. Start by sitting in a comfortable position and block the right nostril with the right thumb with the palm flat, fingers pointing up. 
2. Close the eyes and begin to breathe deeply in and out through the left nostril. 
3. Allow the exhalation to be longer than the inhalation.
4. Count as you breathe (especially helpful if the mind is restless to center yourself). 
5. Inhale to a count of four and exhale to a count of eight 
6. Give your breath your full awareness, experiencing every breath with curiosity. 
7. Continue for at least three minutes before slowly lowering down the right hand, begin to breathe normally again and experience the cooling effects of the practice.

If you wake up during the night and have difficulties falling asleep again, try sitting up in bed for a couple of minutes to practice left nostril breathing, before lying down on your right side to enable the left nostril to be open and dominant. 

You can also check out Satu Tuomelas videos for Nadi Shodhana and Ujjayi Breathing for more inspiration!
Surrender into cooling moon energies. Bedtime yoga and strategies for letting go of the day coming up, so stay tuned, stay rested.

Namaste, 
Amanda

Videosuositukset

• Ujjayi - syvä kurkkuhengitys – Satu Tuomela
• Nadi Shodana - hengitysharjoitus joka puhdistaa nadeja ja rauhoittaa mieltäsi – Satu Tuomela
• Calming and Grounding Yoga Nidra Practice – Mona Anand
• Fall asleep Yoga Nidra practice – Mona Anand
• Rentouttuva hyvän yön yin – Kaisa Kärkkäinen

Lue lisää

• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 1/4
• Vaivu syvään uneen – Vinkkejä jooga-asennoista

Photo taken by Saara Oinonen at Wasa Yoga Center

Do you wish you had more energy? Are you having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night or wish you could stop overthinking in the evenings? Let yoga teacher Amanda Holmström guide you through May with tips and guidance for better sleep and ways to recharge.

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We sleep about one third of our lives and the quality and amount of sleep we get is a foundation for optimal balance and well-being. According to research one of three women and one of five men experience suffering from sleeping issues and speaking from experience Yoga and its sister science Ayurveda offers many tools to improve sleep. During these upcoming weeks I will share practical tips for you that I have found helpful, so join me in this 4-week program to, step by step, create a routine to wind down and recharge!

Create a bedtime routine
Most of us had a bedtime when we were children and from a yogic point of view, we still benefit from having a routine as adults! Ayurveda recommends finding an appropriate time to go to bed, sometime between 9.30 and 11 pm. 

Due to the fast-paced lives we live, constantly being online and expected to be available, 40% of women and 35% of men suffer from stress, which of course has an effect on our ability to wind down and relax. 

Try shutting down electronic devices around you one hour before you go to bed in order for the relaxation hormones to kick in and see what effect it has on your ability to wind down. So instead of keeping your phone by your bed and scrolling through Instagram that one last time (guilty as charged) or watching television right before bedtime, are you with me on detoxing from electronics one hour before going to bed this month?

1. Set a time for yourself when you wish to be in bed
2. Detox from electronics one hour pre bedtime (at the latest 10pm)

What to do instead? you might wonder. Well, the last hour you are awake is a time for you to take care of yourself and nourish your mind, body and soul. Create a bedtime routine that you enjoy, for example read a book, drink a cup of calming herbal tea, practice gentle yoga, write in a journal, do breathing exercises or take a bath. Information and practical tips on breathing techniques, bedtime yoga and how to let go to calm down are coming up soon, so stay tuned.

Good luck and stay committed to your decision to unplug, rest and reset! 
Amanda

Videosuositukset

• Ujjayi - syvä kurkkuhengitys – Satu Tuomela
• Nadi Shodana - hengitysharjoitus joka puhdistaa nadeja ja rauhoittaa mieltäsi – Satu Tuomela
• Calming and Grounding Yoga Nidra Practice – Mona Anand
• Fall asleep Yoga Nidra practice – Mona Anand
• Rentouttuva hyvän yön yin – Kaisa Kärkkäinen

Lue lisää

• Recharge and improve your sleep in May 2/4
• Vaivu syvään uneen – Vinkkejä jooga-asennoista

According to yogic philosophy Truthfulness, or Satya is a core value and foundation for a balanced and joyful life. The meaning and practice of Satya reaches further than only speaking the truth. It is about being honest with yourself in your emotions, thoughts and actions. When living in your own truth you become more at ease with yourself, feel more confident, are able to take care of your own needs and to make decisions that serve your higher self. Read this inspiring text from yoga teacher Amanda Holmström and start living your truth!

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You are much more than a sum of your past, what you've been through and the decisions you have made. You are far more than the labels we put on ourselves, whether it be a mother, a yogi, a teacher or something else. Even though these roles may serve you and give you purpose one way or another, they might also limit you as they put you in a box of, for example, what we have been told a yogi should be like. If you experience these adjectives as negative, for example “unemployed” or “sick”, it becomes even more important not to identify with these limiting roles and tap into who you are beyond this. 

Yoga teaches that you are already whole as you are and that nothing needs to be improved or changed. The yogic path is not about becoming someone or something else. Through a steady practice we can learn to accept ourselves and shed what does not serve us, from here we can make conscious decisions to express ourselves and live according to our true values.

We easily get caught up spending our days on auto pilot and turning to quick fixes when we feel disconnected or out of balance, which is a way of searching for the truth or a deeper meaning outside ourselves. All the answers you are searching for and your truth already exists within you and cannot be found externally. Yoga is the opposite of a quick fix, its path is honest and sustainable, with present moment awareness as the foundation and acceptance as a key. 

Yoga postures, breathing techniques and meditation are great tools to learn how to accept rather than change. These practices calm the body and silence the mind in order to tap into stillness where you can connect with your authentic self. 

Make it a habit to ask yourself questions, write in a journal and take time to get to know yourself and your dreams. What do you enjoy? What makes you grow and what do you seek? To make a vision board is a creative and fun way to discover and become curious about your dreams and desires! When self-reflecting, see if you can see past influences of friends, family and society. What are your core values and how can you live more accordingly to them? 

When facing decisions, both bigger and smaller ones, practice turning of the auto pilot and ask yourself what you feel and what you need right now. For example, before you step on your mat, ask yourself what you need today. What does your body need, what are your limits and what are your challenges? What does your mind need? How are your thoughts and emotions? Checking in with yourself on a daily basis on the mat gives you a foundation to honor yourself of the mat as well. 

Trust yourself and trust the process!

With love,
Amanda

Further readings

• New research findings on anxiety
• Tantra and desire, by Sarah Platt-Finger

Video recommendations

Yogobe Video: x2g5 Yogobe Video: 3u4g

The social tectonic plates of the world are massively shifting and they are way up there on the hypothetical richter scale. Peace in the world must start with peace within ourselves. Finding balance and harmony in our lives, souls and for the planet upon which we walk our walk cannot be done from the outside. It cannot be structured or forced. It cannot be packaged and sold off the shelf. It must come from the inside.

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I believe this fact scares a more and more disconnected community, because we have to confront our primal drivers, identity and authentic selves. We can't just treat the symptoms with a pill. We need to look at the origin, at the source, at the reason for the symptom and attack there! What we are looking at is NO QUICKFIX. Frankly: Isn't that ok? Why are we in a rush? As long as we are moving toward the light, toward love., the pace can be adjusted to be sustainable.
- Definitely a side effect of globalization and an evermore hectic and rapidly changing reality.