Balancing life

In the Indian tradition, life is said to have four aims—wealth, pleasure, ethical conduct, or goodness, and enlightenment—and they are meant to be held in balance. What would your life be like if you were to cultivate each of these areas equally?

Wealth
Resources that sustain your life: skills, education, job, money, housing, food, clothing

Pleasure
Every form of healthy enjoyment: sports; sex; theater, literature, music, and art; practicing your own form of creative expression

Ethical conduct
Earning a living honestly, taking care of responsibilities, acting morally and according to your highest values, helping others

Enlightenment
Realizing your deepest nature; recognizing the oneness of everything; pursuing practices such as yoga, meditation, and spiritual study to make this possible

Help pass the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act

I just took action online to prevent cruelty to "downed" animals

and protect public health. "Downers" are animals too sick or
injured to walk on their own. They are often dragged to
slaughter with chains or just left to suffer and die, sometimes
for days. This kind of suffering is inexcusable. In addition,
downed animals have a higher risk of carrying diseases, like mad
cow, E. coli, and Salmonella. Congress is considering a bill to
ban the slaughter of downed animals. I hope you will join me and
encourage your Representative and Senators to support the Downed
Animal and Food Safety Protection Act. It will only take a
minute -- here is the link:

TAKE ACTION HERE!

Our goals for our house

Guidelines for Green House

•  Use reusable shopping bags when getting groceries
• Carpool to grocery stores and buy in bulk
• Change lightbulbs to eco-friendly ones
• Change cleaning supplies to eco-friendly ones
• Plant a tree
• Use recycled paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, etc)
• Take shorter showers (and less baths) to conserve water
• Wash clothes in cold water
• Turn off appliances when out of home
• Use candles instead of light when possible

Also, our house is hosting a LIVE EARTH viewing!

Yogis Getting Green (Friends of Live Earth)

Come, have fun, hear awesome music, and get green!

Time:	Saturday, July 7 at 8:00 PM
Duration:	1 hour
Host:	Agatha Glowacki
Contact Phone:	386-237-0658
Location:	Agi and Kathleen's House (Washington, DC) 1304 W St. NW Washington, DC 20009 View Map: Google Maps MapQuest Yahoo! Maps
Directions:	2 blocks from U st. and plenty of street parking available.

check it out and participate in LIVE EARTH in DC!!!

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Announces "Mother Earth" Performances

A special Indian Summer Showcase concert in the spirit of the Live Earth concerts
July 7, 2007

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian announced that it will host a special concert event called "Mother Earth" Saturday, July 7, with musical performances and speakers from the scientific and American Indian cultural communities in the spirit of the Live Earth message. Live Earth is a 24-hour, seven-continent concert series that will bring together more than 100 music artists to raise awareness about climate change. As part of this environmental message, the museum will make the broadcast of Mother Earth available to Live Earth.

"There is no more important matter before us than the question of how to live sustainably on the Earth," said Tim Johnson (Mohawk), acting director of the museum. "As an institution of living cultures, the National Museum of the American Indian is committed to elevating human understanding of global climate change through education and cultural performances."

The concert is free and open to the public. It will take place on the museum's Welcome Plaza at 4th Street and Independence Avenue SW, facing the U.S. Capitol. Mother Earth will begin with an opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. immediately followed by the concert's first act, Blues Nation, an Oklahoma-based rhythm and blues band. Native American rock, funk, punk, reggae, gospel and Andean music; films; and guest speakers will fill out the day ending with a finale by Blues Nation at 9:30 p.m.

Schedule of Events:
10:30 a.m. Opening Ceremony and Welcome with Blues Nation. Remarks by guest speakers: Henrietta Mann, Ph.D. (Cheyenne and member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma), professor emeritus and special assistant to the president of Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont.; Katsi Cook (Akwesasne Mohawk Nation), traditional midwife and founding director of the First Environment Project of Running Strong for American Indian Youth.

11:30 a.m. Native Roots, reggae band from Albuquerque, N.M.

12:15 p.m. Remarks by guest speakers: Daniel Wildcat, Ph.D., professor at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan. and co-director of the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center; Henrietta Mann; and Katsi Cook

12:30 p.m. Yarina (Kichua), traditional and contemporary Andean music and dance from Boston, Mass.

1:30 p.m. Film: "The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy." Rasmuson Theater
(Note: During the film there will be no performances on the Welcome Plaza stage.)

3 p.m. Trail of Tears discussion with Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Okla., Rasmuson Theater

3:45 p.m. The Plateros (Diné), rock-tinged gospel from Canoncito, N.M.

4:30 p.m. The Breaking Wind, rock, funk, and blues from Canada's Six Nations Reserve in Ontario

5:15 p.m. Remarks by guest speakers: Nancy G. Maynard, Ph.D., senior research scientist in the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. and manager of NASA's Tribal College and University Project; and Anthony D. Socci, Ph.D, senior science and communication fellow in the Atmospheric Policy Program at the American Meteorological Society in Washington, D.C.

5:30 p.m. Blues Nation, original and standard blues from Okla.

6:30 p.m. The Reddmen, punk rock band from Rapid City, S.D.

7:15 p.m. Native Roots

8 p.m. Yarina

8:45 p.m. The Reddmen

9:30 p.m. Closing remarks by Henrietta Mann and Katsi Cook. Musical finale with Blues Nation and friends.

The schedule is subject to change.
For updates, visit the Museum's Web site at www.AmericanIndian.si.edu/motherearth.

The broadcast portion of Mother Earth is being produced by Herring Media Group, Inc. of Connecticut, (HMG). HMG Chairman and CEO Marc Herring, said, "It is an honor and privilege to work with the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and to collaborate with Live Earth to present this important program and to celebrate a new era of ecology awareness."

T. Krishnamacharya's disciple coming to NYC!

Practicum of Vinyasa Krama Yoga

with Srivatsa Ramaswami

Course Description:
Vinyasa Krama was the core system taught by Sri T Krishnamacharya in his teachings of yogasanas. Srivatsa Ramaswami studied this system in considerable detail during his 30 year study under the Master. Vinyasa is the art form of Yoga practice, with elaborate, aesthetic variations and movements in essential Yoga Postures. In this program the basic elements of classical Vinyasa Krama, or Vinyasa Yoga, will be considered in detail.

Close to 200 essential Vinyasas in a number of sequences forming the basis of the system will be taught along with the appropriate synchronous breathing. Discussions and practice of different elements of Pranayama will also be addressed, apart from introduction to important Sanskrit chants useful for Yoga practice.

Reference Book: "The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga" by Srivatsa Ramaswami.

When: Saturday and Sunday August 25th & 26th 12:00 - 5:00PM both days

Cost: $200 advance pay only

Srivatsa Ramaswami was the longest standing student of T Krishnamacharya outside the Master's family. He has written four books: "Basic Tenets of Patanjala Yoga," "Yoga for the Three Stages of Life," "The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga," and "Yoga Beneath the Surface." Mr. Ramaswami has also recorded about 40 audio cassettes and CDs in India of various Sanskrit chants like Sun Salutation, Gayatri, Siva Kavacham, etc.

Say YES and help out in any way you can!

Ramana Seva Samiti - "Say Yes Now!"

YES, is an opportunity to share in what is happening here in whatever way works best for the individual. Not everyone is ready to hop on a plane and join us in the villages but they can sponsor any of the ongoing programs or design one of their own.

Check out the incredible work of Dr. Prabhavati and Ramana's Garden, a home and school for orphans and destitute children in the mountains of Northern India. Ramana's Garden houses 55 children, whom no one else would take in or care for, and provides an education to 138 children. Please visit her website to learn about the various programs she has started there, and if you feel compelled to help, you can do everything from sending supplies, donating money, to volunteering! Ever thought about visiting India? Well, why don't you go visit and VOLUNTEER at Ramana's Garden?! They are looking for volunteers and will welcome you with open arms!

1. DONATE!

2. VOLUNTEER!

.....................Turns out that DC has its very own charity, created by Willow Street Yoga, to support Ramana's Garden...........

Friends of Ramana's Garden, Inc.

The founders of Friends of Ramana's Garden, Inc. were introduced to Prabhavati in 2004, when she visited the United States and was hosted in the D.C. area by the Willow Street Yoga Center. Suzie Hurley, the owner and director of Willow Street Yoga Center, had met Prabhavati in India, where she visited Ramana's Garden Home for Destitute Children and experienced firsthand the remarkable changes Prabhavati has made in these children's lives.

Make a donation through Friends of Ramana's Garden, click here.

The story behind Lululemon - how empowering!

How Lululemon came into being - A GROSS GENERALIZATION
by Chip Wilson

In the early 1970's, "the pill" came into being. The pill immediately transformed the sex lives of anyone under the age of 40, particularly teenagers. Suddenly females had total control over whether they wanted children and if so, when and how many. Females no longer had to "make" relationships work because with birth control, came a sense of financial and life control. A sense of equality was established because women no longer had to relinquish their independence to a male provider.

Women's lives changed immediately. Men's lives didn't change however and they continued to search for a stay at home wife like their mothers. Men did not know how to relate to the new female. Thus came the era of divorces.

With divorce and publicity around equality, women in the 1970's/80's found themselves operating as "Power Women". The media convinced women that they could win at home and be a man's equal in the business world. Women put in 12 hour work days, attempted to keep a clean and orderly house, and give their children all the love they had pre-divorce. What they gave up however was their social life, exercise, balance, and sleep.

The 1980's gave way to Power Women dressing like men in boardroom attire with big shoulder pads. They went to 3 martini lunches and smoked because this is what their "successful" fathers did in the business world.

Girls raised by Power Women knew that education was essential because "when they got divorced" they too would need enough income to manage a house and a job at the same time. I term the daughters of Power Women, "Super Girls".

Super Girls spent weekends with a divorced father who had no training on how to be with a daughter for 2 straight days. So fathers did what they knew best: they got their daughters into sports and became their coaches and mentors.

Super Girls were influenced by Saturday morning cartoons which traditionally featured 4 men wearing capes and lycra suits, running around saving the world. Cartoons started to show a female in the group, also wearing tight, stylish lycra and a cape. This sexy, powerful and equal woman became an icon to Super Girls who were doing what most teenagers do – dressing opposite to their mothers. They did not have the same need to look like boys or men to compete with them. In the early 1990's, girls abandoned the grunge/skateboard/snowboard/male dominated sport look and moved towards tighter tops and more feminine colors.

The surf companies were among the first to establish a feminine look in girl's athletic clothing. But in functional athletic clothing, only "dumbed down" versions of men's styles were available for women.

Almost overnight, women went from 20% to 56% of the university population. By the 1990's, Super Girls were finishing university where they excelled at school and sports. They then entered the work force en masse and tried to figure out how to compete in a 12-hour-a-day competitive job market and have a functioning family. Rarely did the two reconcile which created, and is still creating, an inordinate amount of stress on women today. Fortunately, there is a direct correlation between education and health. Super Girls knew that the best way to combat stress and sickness was to create natural endorphins found in athletics.

Breast cancer also came into prominence in the 1990's. I suggest this was due to the number of cigarette-smoking Power Women who were on the pill (initial concentrations of hormones in the pill were very high) and taking on the stress previously left to men in the working world.

In 1997 or so, yoga emerged as an activity that was both accessible and non-competitive for its participants. It showed up at a time when women recognized the benefits of decompressing and living in the moment. Yoga provided the same great feeling as snowboarding or surfing but could be done in an hour and a half and close to home.

Ultimately, lululemon was formed because female education levels, breast cancer, yoga/athletics and the desire to dress feminine came together all at one time. lululemon saw the opportunity to make the best technologically advanced components for the Super Girl market .

CHECK OUT THE NEW LULULEMON STORE IN CLARENDON!

And..........yet another cat!

Since I gave Adam and Eve to my mom to take care of, I have been in serious withdrawl. I miss my kitties and call my mom daily (sometimes multiple times a day) to find out what they are up to. Invariably, Adam is scheming somehow while Eva is minding her own business and sticking to herself.

Anyway, now my current house, the so-called House of Kali, has their own cat now.........meet Tonia! She is staying at the ASPCA and looking for a home, but in the meantime, I am sponsoring her and she is our own........

 

Tonia is a beautiful three year old tabby cat. Tonia was very shy when she first came to the ASPCA, but under the caring attention of staff and volunteers she has become more comfortable.  She really adores having her head scratched and closes her eyes in ecstasy, and is happy to snooze on the pillows in the Urban Cat Habitat where she can usually be found.  Tonia has been at the shelter for quite a while, but she knows the right person is out there who can appreciate all her wonderful qualities and respect her limitations.

Mindfulness going mainstream

In the Classroom, a New Focus on Quieting the Mind

James Alexander, a student at Piedmont Avenue Elementary in Oakland, Calif., practiced being mindful, using a technique he learned in class.

By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN

Published: June 16, 2007

OAKLAND, Calif., June 12 — The lesson began with the striking of a Tibetan singing bowl to induce mindful awareness.

A student holds an instrument used in mindfulness techniques.

With the sound of their new school bell, the fifth graders at Piedmont Avenue Elementary School here closed their eyes and focused on their breathing, as they tried to imagine "loving kindness" on the playground.

"I was losing at baseball and I was about to throw a bat," Alex Menton, 11, reported to his classmates the next day. "The mindfulness really helped."

As summer looms, students at dozens of schools across the country are trying hard to be in the present moment. This is what is known as mindfulness training, in which stress-reducing techniques drawn from Buddhist meditation are wedged between reading and spelling tests.

To read the rest of the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/16/us/16mindful.html?ei=5087%0A&em=&en=82f0d6b99161d582&ex=1182484800&pagewanted=print

Excerpts:

Dr. Amy Saltzman, a physician in Palo Alto, Calif., who started the Association for Mindfulness in Education three years ago, thinks of mindfulness education as "talk yoga." Practitioners tend to use sticky-mat buzzwords like "being present" and "cultivating compassion," while avoiding anything spiritual.

Dr. Saltzman, co-director of the mindfulness study at Stanford, said the initial findings showed increased control of attention and "less negative internal chatter — what one girl described as 'the gossip inside my head: I'm stupid, I'm fat or I'm going to fail math,' " Dr. Saltzman said.

A recent study of teenagers by Kaiser Permanente in San Jose, Calif., found that meditation techniques helped improve mood disorders, depression, and self-harming behaviors like anorexia and bulimia.

Dr. Susan L. Smalley, a professor of psychiatry at U.C.L.A. and director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center there, which is studying the effects on schoolchildren, said one 4-year-old noticed her mother succumbing to road rage while stuck in traffic. "She said, 'Mommy, Mommy, you have to sing the breathing song,' " Dr. Smalley said.