Peace...

Sharing the beautiful words of Christine Caiola describing the Global Mala event that she will be hosting across the world in Palau. I asked permission to share her words, as they conveyed what our intention was, which can sometimes fade from consciousness as we become involved in the acts of service necessary to manifest our vision.
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"The intention of this worldwide event is clear: to create peace in the world through yoga, through coming together and performing 108 Sun Salutations together, in unison, One heart, One mind, One purpose. Why the Global Mala for Peace Event? It is our belief that peace begins within, that WE are the embodiment of Peace. Creating harmony and peace within, creates harmony and peace throughout the world. This event also hold its intention that we are responsible for peace and that peace begins with ME. Peace is our responsibility, peace is a choice, and we can choose peace at every moment throughout our day."

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Global Mala: September 18th, 2010. Vulcan Park. Birmingham, Alabama.

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"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart".

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Quote of the Day...

"A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror."
~ Innerspace

Inspiration...

Finish the race. Never give up.

Natural foods...

Definition of Natural Foods: Food that does not contain any additives, preservatives or artificial coloring.

In spite of the increasing popularity of Organic food these days, most of the people do not have a clear idea regarding the definition of organic food. In simple words, Organic foods are those foods that are produced, processed and packaged without using chemicals. They have been accepted due to their perceived health benefits over conventional food. The organic industry is growing rapidly and has caught the attention of farmers, manufacturers and, above all, consumers.

Organic foods protect from heart disease and cancer, as they contain Phenolic compounds. Organic food ensures high food quality, which other conventional foods cannot give. Organic food is natural and fresh, and thus, it is tasty! Many people prefer to grow organic food in their home gardens, because it costs about 20% more than the conventional food. Organic gardening uses organic seeds, organic fertilizers, compost, organic root stimulators, and organic pest control. It has been claimed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious. Some of the features that can be associated with organic food are quality, good taste, proper selection of crop varieties etc.

So, why don't we all eat natural, organic foods?
Money, convenience, southern eating habits, the list goes on and on. Yes, organic foods are more expensive, but this expense comes at a good price. The added expense is the time it takes for the farmers to naturally grow & care for the crop. In "chemical farming" there is a process called chemical ripening where the food is ripened faster with chemicals so the farmers can produce a higher volume of crop. Chemical farmers also use genetically modified ingredients.

When purchasing organic food look for the Organic Certification, this will let you know that the farmers meet the organic farming requirements.

Support your local farmers!
Most cities have a local farmers market. In addition to supporting your local farmers you will be eating fresh foods that are in season. Certain foods grow at a certain time of year for a reason! We should suppport our bodies with in-season foods.

In Birmingham the Alabama Farmers Market is a place full of magic. Open air, open year round, locally grown fruits and vegetables & located in West Birmingham.

The Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine is a great way to stay up to date with organic grocery news.

Why not???

Eating better makes you feel good. Think of how you feel after Thanksgiving dinner. Nap time? Yes, please. As Americans we have so many traditions that revolve around food, if we made that food whole grain, natural and organic we would feel a lot lighter after dinner!

Also, Americans are obsessed with looking good. Starvation diets, surgery, pills... you name it. How about working on how your body looks from the inside-out? I promise it will feel a lot better than all the other weight loss tricks!

In addition to the Alabama Farmers Market a few local (Birmingham) grocery stores that carry natural, organic foods are: Whole Foods, Golden Temple, Organic Harvest, Manna Market, Red Rain & Health Foods West. Also remember that your every day grocery store (such as Publix) has an organic section too!

Kashi also has a great selection of organic, whole grain food items that can be purchased at most any grocery store. They offer snack bars, cereal, frozen entree's & more... no excuses!

*Visit the Organic Food Stores Locator to find local Organic Grocery in your town!

Healthy eating!

Recycle!!!...

The Alabama Environmental Council organized and still runs the oldest nonprofit recycling center in the state. It processes about 600 tons of newspaper, glass, plastic, aluminum, mixed paper and cardboard a year. AEC helped launch curbside recycling programs around the state, promote recycling education in schools and low-income communities, and operate a recycling hotline.

Toll Free Recycling Hotline: 1-800-982-4364.

The AEC downtown Birmingham recycling center is located at 2431 2nd Avenue North (Birmingham, AL) and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Helpful brochures and staff are available to make the center more user-friendly.

Recycling is the third R of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Recycling means taking a product or material at the end of its useful life and turning it into a usable raw material to make another product.

Recycling Facts & Figures
In 1999, recycling and composting activities prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators. Today, this country recycles 32 percent of its waste, a rate that has almost doubled during the past 15 years.

While recycling has grown in general, recycling of specific materials has grown even more drastically: 50 percent of all paper, 34 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles, 45 percent of all aluminum beer and soft drink cans, 63 percent of all steel packaging, and 67 percent of all major appliances are now recycled.

Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States, which collected several materials at the curb. By 2005, almost 9,000 curbside programs had sprouted up across the nation. As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!!

Mala beads...

With Global Mala soon approaching I thought I would explain exactly what Mala Beads represent...

I found this beautiful article in Tricycle, Winter 06 that offered a lovely explanation of mala beads as it relates to the Buddhist tradition. Yogic philosophy is not that far removed from the Buddhist traditions and my research into both have found more similarities than differences:

"All beads are worry beads - from the Pope's rosary all the way down to those little wrist malas...' worn by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. People of every religious tradition will claim that their beads are for praying - for appealing to a higher power, for collecting the spirit or concentrating the mind - and while this is indisputably true, that is not their primary purpose. Beads are for worry. They answer a human need so basic it actually precedes a religious consciousness - and that is to fret over things... The difference between the Buddhist mala and the various Western-style rosaries is simply that it makes this explicit in the symbolism of its beads."

"The message of the Buddhist mala is 'Don't worry about things; worry about the fact that you are so worried all the time, and address the foot of that."

Usage of your Mala beads...
There are numerous explanations why there are 108 beads, with the number 108 bearing special religious significance in a number of Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

The 109th bead on a mala is called the sumeru, bindu, stupa, or guru bead. Counting should always begin with a bead next to the sumeru. In the Hindu, Vedic tradition, if more than one mala of repetitions is to be done, one changes directions when reaching the sumeru rather than crossing it. The sumeru thus becomes the static point on the mala.

"The larger bead at the end of the mala is the equivalent of the crucifix on a Catholic rosary. It is the teacher - and the teaching - we keep coming back to with every cycle we pray." (Tricycle, Clark Strand; Winter 2006)

Om Shanti,

Sweet Om Alabama...

For your $30 donation you will receive this great t-shirt!

Ladies: t-shirt color is Dark Blue, Bamboo material (Super soft! Same material as last year)

Men: t-shirt color is Dark Blue, Organic Cotton material

***Remember your donation benefits the Alabama Rivers Alliance and Wildlife Conservation Society***

Contact me if you would like to pre-order your t-shirt!

Global Mala 2010...

Internationally, Global Mala is a world-wide experiment to unite the global yoga community that forms a mala (108 interconnected beads as a meditation necklace) around the earth through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108. Takes place at the Fall Equinox, the UN International Day of Peace, and National Yoga Month and serves as the yoga world's offering to world peace.

* GLOBAL MALA WEEKEND! * Sept 17-19. We are crossing the borders of our mats and yoga studios and raising awareness and funds for an important issue... Clean Water! The yoga community is coming together as one to raise money for the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Wildlife Conservation Society (specifically their rescue initiatives with the sea turtles in the Gulf). The 2010 edition Sweet Om Alabama shirts will be given to the first 200 people donating $30 or more at any of the following events:

Friday, Sept. 17, 6:00-9:00 pm. Gather at the Cahaba Pumping Station Museum (4012 Sicard Hollow Road) for an evening of Kundalini and Kirtan. Akasha will lead kundalini and Bhakti Messenger, (a kirtan band from Atlanta) will entrance us with music. Included in the evening will be a silent auction of items ranging from a spa experience to art. Doors open at 6:00 pm with Kundalini beginning at 6:30. You can reserve your space (not required, but will assure your space as long as you show up by 6:15) for this event through a donation at: http://birminghamyoga.eventbrite.com/

MAIN EVENT!!! Saturday, Sept 18, 8:30-10:00 am. Join us at Vulcan Park for 108 Sun Salutations! Overlook the city, feel the rhythms of a drumming circle, and practice along with 100+ friends as we offer our practice for world peace.

Sunday, Sept. 19, YOGA CRAWL fever hits Birmingham! Immerse, play or sample different styles of yoga and teachers at different venues across the city. Imagine almost 12 hours of yoga in one day!! We'll be levitating by days end :-)

Yoga Crawl Schedule (Sept 19)
8:30-9:00 am: Rise with Kundalini at Birmingham Yoga (Akasha)
10:00-11:30am: Yoga off the Mat at Yoga Circle (Jasper)
1:00-2:00pm: Yoga Nidra at Heartwood Yoga (Kate Tremblay)
3:00-4:00pm: You're Better Than You Think You Are at Ph Balance, Vestavia, (Ravi Chhabra)
4:30-5:30pm: Trance Dance at Soho Piyo (Gabriela Pomplova)
6:00pm: Community Dinner at Silver Linings (April Jones and Taj India)

You can make your donation at one location or all locations.
***ALL donations benefit the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Wildlife Conservation Society!***
Sweet OM Alabama T-shirt design to follow!!!

Quote of the Day...

"I have faith that whatever comes, I have been given all I need to handle it. I have all the strength, all the creativeness, all the genius, in any given situation, to see it through with integrity, intelligence, and grace."
~ Laura Tyree