the wind at dawn has secrets to tell you. do not go back to sleep.

Art Whino exhibit during Art Basel

Thinking outside of the box

Think outside the box this holiday season. Instead of shopping at "big box" or national chain stores, shop instead at your local neighborhood stores. You'll find your neighborhood "mom-n-pop" shops have most everything you need for your holiday gift-giving and home decorating. And you're much more likely to discover some unexpected wonder or unique handmade treasure at a locally-owned shop.

Shopping at locally-owned independent shops also helps strengthen the local economy. Did you know that:

• A locally-owned shop returns 68% of its revenues to the local economy, whereas a national chain returns only 43%?

• Locally-owned shops employ more local residents and pay them substantially higher wages, in addition to having a broader range of jobs available?

• Local businesses buy more than twice as much from other local businesses, and also are more likely to use local banks and other service providers?

• Local businesses contribute more to the community through charitable giving, school funding, and other non-profit organizations?

Every dollar spent in a locally-owned shop is a vote for the health and welfare of your community and supports your neighbors in their livelihoods. This holiday season, think "outside the box" and support your locally-owned stores. Your neighbors thank you!

via the Mindful Hands Newsletter. Mindful Hands, a specialty shop for serene living, is located at 211 King St.

Oneness is achieved by recognizing yourself

Image: Ganesha at Chidambaram, Sri Gurudev's Mahasamadhi shrine at Yogaville, which is open for prayer and meditation.

Interesting articles I've read recently:

Jung at Heart The Red Book is a volume Jung composed during a state of "active imagination" --that is, of reverie or waking dream. As he said, he wanted to see what would happen when he "switched off consciousness." The result recalls an allegorical-mythological amalgam of Nietzsche's "Also Sprach Zarathustra", Blake's illuminated poems, Renaissance Neoplatonic dialogue, Eastern scriptre, Dante's "Inferno,", Yeats's "A Vision", and even the biblical book of Revelation. According to the editor, Sonu Shamdasani, "The overall theme of the book is how Jung regains his soul and overcomes the contemporary malaise of spiritual alienation. This is ultimately achieved through enabling the rebirth of a new image of God in his soul and developing a new worldview in the form of a psychological and theological cosmogony."
When Jung emerged from this period of midlife crisis, he brought with him the first inklings of his most important contribution to psychology -- positing the existence of a collective unconsciousness common to all human beings. This primordial ocean within us affects our lives through various universal "archetypes." In Jung's view a successful life was all about balance, wholeness. If our lives erred too much in one direction, our unconscious would compensate for the inequality.
The now famous mythic pattern Jung introduced was later elaborated by such Jung-inspired scholars as Otto Rank, Lord Raglan, and Joseph Campbell (The Hero With a Thousand Faces). (paraphrased from the article linked above)

Protests at Sidwell Friends

Potomac Conservancy blames chemical runoff for intersex fish in the Potomac

When I was drinking coffee with my good friend Seungwon a few months ago he told me that this year was the 10th anniversary of when he started studying with his Zen master. I asked him what he had learned after 10 years, and, after a thoughtful silence he responded, "I have learned to have more confidence in my own decisions and trust my own self." I thought this was a great answer. With divine listening, you develop intuition and your connection to the source is strengthened. One has more self confidence in one's decisions. That you are making the decision the divine intended for you, becoming a transmitter of the divine light with confidence.

Galilean Nights are here!

The latest International Year of Astronomy 2009 cornerstone project, Galilean Nights, is underway. This global celebration of the 400^th anniversary of Galileo's observations is taking place between 22 and 24 October. Find an event near you and learn more, click here! Also, for those in the DC area, there are a number of astronomy events around the DC region this weekend in conjunction with the IYA Galilean Nights. Take a look at this link which has a google calendar of public events in the region. Star parties, lectures throughout the weekend.

our basic heart nature yearns to relax into love

Will's awesome chairs made from unexpected objects! So cool :) What a genius!

Google earth launches climate layer

2009 Solar Decathlon on the National Mall! The model homes will be assembled right on the Mall and will be open to the public on Oct. 9-13 and Oct. 15-18.

A fun site :)

The practice of seeing clearly is what finally moves us toward kindness. Seeing, again and again, the infinite variety of traps we create for seducing the mind into struggle, seeing the endless rounds of meaningless suffering over lusts and aversions (which, although seemingly urgent, are essentially empty), we feel compassion for ourselves. And then, quite naturally, we feel compassion for everyone else. We know as we have never known before that we are stuck, all of us, with bodies and minds and instincts and impulses, all in a tug-of-war with our basic heart nature that yearns to relax into love. Then we surrender. We love. We laugh. We appreciate.

– Sylvia Boorstein, from “On the Cushion,” Tricycle, Summer 2002

Fall!!

Washington Area Bicyclist Association 50 States and 13 Colonies Ride this Saturday Sept 26!

"Venus Music and Arts Festival is a three day, two night camping festival featuring over 100 artists from complimenting genres and mixed media of expression! Festival goers will enjoy fire artist competitions, workshops, graffiti paint exhibition, and art market. Van Hoy Farms, in scenic Harmony, NC, features amenities such as a swimming pool, showers, primitive camping, a general store, and 80 RV hook-ups! Come and be a part of this landmark event for the Carolinas!"

Carl Jung: the Holy Grail of the Unconscious

Autumn Leaves: Walks and hikes an easy drive from Washington with splendid foliage

Another list of Good Outdoor Walks for Fall via the Washingtonian

Learn to tap the source, dive deep within!

I'm so excited that fall, my favorite season, is almost officially here. I am looking forward to the warm days, cool night breezes, harvest moons, and changing colors of the leaves. And the overall sense of a time of change...

A link to a great article on the Six Elements meditation, from Tricycle magazine.

Even more reason to help fight global warming and love our Mother Earth, a study shows that the outlook is poor for the Great Barrier Reef. :(

Olive Leaf, traditional to ancient Egypt and hailed by Hippocrates.
Seasonal foods: winter squash, apples, pears
A recipe I want to try: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

Water Filter: Too much of the world lacks access to clean drinking water. Engineer Michael Pritchard did something about it -- inventing the portable Lifesaver filter, which can make the most revolting water drinkable in seconds. An amazing demo from TEDGlobal 2009.

The Virginia Wine Festival is this weekend in Centerville! Also, the Fall Festival Guide from the Washingtonian.

Quote of the day:

In meditation we seem to be sitting by ourselves, but we do not sit just for ourselves. By focusing our attention on the breath, the body, thoughts, feelings, and sensations, or any other facet of our experience in meditation, we become more mindful—not mindless—through the transformative power of moment-to-moment alertness and presence of mind. Instead of absentmindedly stumbling through life like sleepwalkers, we can use contemplative practice to achieve extraordinary insight into ourselves and the world in which we live; to inhabit and appreciate more fully the here and now; to free our minds and open our hearts, and to relax into our natural state. The cultivation of mindfulness helps us wake up to things as they are rather than as we would like them to be. And as we wake up to truth, to reality, we become a force for universal awakening, working with what actually is, not delusive fictions.

–Lama Surya Das

The September clouds are the best

After living here for 2 years now, as an avid cloudspotter I can say that the September clouds are the best in the DC area. :)

Tomorrow night, at the Freer and Sackler Galleries: the Asia after Dark event!

Understanding the consumer side of sustainability

RIP DJ AM
click here for some 2002 mixes

At the Sacred Circle Bookstore in Old Town Alexandria:

Friday, September 18 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Meet 2012 Expert Thia Belden

Thia Belden, M.S. spiritual life coach, teacher and intuitive, has spent 20 years studying spirituality and alternative healing with indigenous, vibrational medicine and new age masters including Drunvalo Melchizedeck. Synthesizing these combined studies, she has developed her own 2012 teaching and coaching practice in vibrational alchemy of ascension into the 5TH dimension. She will be presenting 2 workshops on Sept.20 and 27. FREE

A breathing exercise:
First, find a comfortable seated position, either on the floor or in a chair. Close your eyes and start to tune in to your breath. Notice the breath pace and pattern, temperament, and flow. As you begin to relate to your breath, notice where it gets stuck, then breathe into those areas to encourage a consistent flow of prana.

Once you've established a comfortable breath pace, inhale deeply through your nose to a count of 4. Retain the breath for 4 counts, and then exhale for 8 counts. Hold the breath out for 4 counts. Repeat for 10 cycles.

This breath pattern is called visamavrtti pranayama as the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation. You can also try samavrtti pranayama, where you hold the inhalation, exhalation, and retention for equal amounts of time.

Give it a go, and see what works for you. Every body is as different as every day, so tune in to what you need and cultivate your sadhana (personal practice) with ease.

Don't worry

I hope this blog post gives you a moment of clarity and peace, along with some insightful knowledge. Breathe easy!

http://www.350.org/ : An international day of climate action, a global movement to solve the climate crisis, on my birthday this year! :)

CarbonFreeDC Extreme Green Neighborhood Makeover: Home Improvement Volunteer Form Click the link if you're interested in helping volunteer in either Shaw or Deanwood for a weekend in September working with deserving families by installing energy efficient and planet-friendly products! You can indicate your availability to volunteer to install equipment at the homes.

Deep Green Autunm Retreat: The Journey Inward: Accessing Inner Wisdom through Yoga and Plant Medicines. I am planning to attend this retreat October 16-18, which looks to be in an absolutely lovely setting and promises to be transformative. Click on the link to visit the Deep Green Wellness page for a link to their retreats.

Idealist.org grad fair in DC, September 21st, at the Washington Convention Center 801 Mount Vernon Place NW DC

Currently listening to: Issamu's new mix. Legit. Also check out the link to his blog on my favorite links, Third Eye Buisness.

The summer night sky is filled with a multitude of the Milky Way's stars, hundreds of billions of stars making up its flowing river of soft light.

Seasonal recipe: Garden fresh pasta salad, I'd probably add some summer squash too, or maybe tofu.

Listen with your heart. Heart-centered listening, including how the heart communicates with the body and brain, can be used to create greater peace and love not just in your life, but in the world. You can help to gather the information to listen to in your heart by doing an anahata (heart chakra) kundalini meditation. Sitting comfortably on the floor in your meditation posture, place your left hand in front of your heart chakra face down and hold your right arm up, extended in the air at a 60 degree angle from the floor. The right had is collecting the information from the universe, while the left collects information from you lower chakras, and brings it all to the heart.

Thoughts on meditation via the Tricycle weekly newsletter:

Everything changes and all will wither away. There is no permanent and abiding "self." And to top it all off, life is suffering.

Wow, Buddhism can be a real buzz-kill. Sometimes, anyway. But there are many doors to joy. According to Vipassana teacher James Baraz, it's just a question of opening them:

Methods for opening the mind to joy and happiness are found throughout the Buddha’s teachings. One sure way is through skillful practice of meditation. Through seeing clearly, we can free the mind of grasping, aversion, and ignorance, allowing our natural joy to manifest. In fact, research has amply demonstrated that meditation increases activity in areas of the brain associated with positive emotions.

Quotes of the day: "There is great power in patience because it cuts through arrogance and ingratitude. It is the path that lets us move from resistance to acceptance and spontaneous presence. Holding on to our judgments about others and ourselves is a major cause of impatience. Repeating softly to ourselves, “May I be happy just as I am” and “May I be peaceful with whatever is happening” helps us accept our vulnerabilities, imperfections, and losses: everything from chronic physical and emotional pain, to the death of loved ones, the end of a job or relationship—even nightmare traffic jams."

"Life is really generous to those who pursue their destiny." Paulo Coelho
my thoughts: I believe this is true, as long as you have realized your destiny through divine listening.

Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. Once you have determined the spiritual principles you wish to exemplify, abide by these rules as if they were laws, as if it were indeed sinful to compromise them. Don't mind if others don't share your convictions. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer.

Epictetus (c. 50-120)


We don’t open our heart and mind because we haven’t experienced the benefit of doing that. Once we have experienced the truth, there isn’t even an issue. There is no worry. The whole question of whether we are ready to open our heart and mind to the truth isn’t even a concern.

89.3 Jazz & Justice

Pick up these natural air allies from your local nursery: philodendrons, spider plants, and ivy.

They are just a few of the green friends that can help scrub harmful compounds from household air. Just one plant per 100 square feet of living space will help absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Also,
RealAge Benefit: Having a good social support system of family and friends can make your RealAge up to 3.5 years younger.

via RealAge.com

Heard this song on the best radio station in DC, 89.3 Jazz & Justice, last night. Summer in the City by Regina Spektor. <3 Check out her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/reginaspektor

I also really love their hip hop show at 10pm weeknights. Click here for the full list of programming/DJs. Another one of my favorite shows is the Sunday night "Sounds of Brasil." :)

More or Less at the Hexagon in Bmore tonight.

Word of the Day:

dulcet \DUHL-sit\, adjective:

1. Pleasing to the ear; melodious; harmonious.
2. Generally pleasing, soothing, or agreeable.
3. (Archaic) Sweet to the taste.

Quote of the Day:
Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping; For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together; For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow. -Khalil Gibran

Karma Kitchen

Such a cool idea! I visited the Karma Kitchen last time I was in Berkeley, and now there's one in DC! The Karma Kitchen is open on Sundays for lunch in Dupont, it's volunteer run, and there are no prices, so you pay what you can for the meal.
Karma Kitchen is held at Polo India Club, 1736 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-483-8705. Open for lunch Sundays noon to 3.

Virginia Yoga Week, June 21-28, 2009. Free and discounted yoga classes :)

IBM and Danish Hospital Pioneer Smarter Patient Records to Improve Patient Care -thanks Christine

A little bit about Svaroopa Yoga

Corcoran Free Admission Summer Saturdays

When the petty ego appears, do not be concerned with it. Simply ignore it. When a negative thought strikes you, acknowledge it, then drop it.

The Zen saying goes, “The occurrence of an evil thought is an affliction; not to continue it is the remedy.”

–Katsuki Sekida, from A Guide to Zen (New World Library)

Manipura

A few interesting links I've come across recently:

Now in America: Indian Mangoes

Ideas for Outdoor Activities in Washington the kayaking/canoeing looks especially fun!

Transformus, a summer festival at Deerfields in Asheville, NC. Other festivals coming up...All Good...Summer Solstice Projekt Festival...

Carolina Anusara Yoga Retreat and Gathering

The Heritage, VA Beach, one of my favorite places! Also amazing, the Edgar Cayce Center, the A.R.E. I think I will dediate a blog entry to Edgar Cayce soon.

A pretty amazing video, John Chang, a healer with extraordinary power who decided to share publicly what you can achieve through meditation:

Mother's Day!

Here are some mother's day ideas to honor all the special mothers in your life :) As well as some other DC area links I came across during my search...and be sure to try and buy organic, local, and fair-trade gifts!

Brunch in DC, or Old Town!

Mother's day spa treatment specials

Mount Vernon Garden Tours (this is my Mom's pick for the day!)

Other Gardens in the DC Area

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival

Cruise along the Potomac

Mother's day in Virginia (scroll to bottom for Northern VA, including winery and vineyard specials)

DC Yoga Week: May 2-9, free or $5 classes at participating yoga studios in DC!

Also, a list of good hiking trails in the DC area. I've hiked some of the AT, in the Shennandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest, Great Falls, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Bull Run park. I'd like to try Rock Creek Park, Black Hill Park, Catoctin Mountain Park, and Cunningham Falls. :)
View of the sunset from my apartment window

DC is the new NYC?

DC is the new New York? via vogue.com

Best of Old Town: 12 Great Shops via washingtonian.com

DC this weekend

French Market in Georgetown this Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm. "The more-than 30 Book Hill shops host the sidewalk sale of the season! With strolling musicians, grilled merguez, outdoor crepes, and more! All your Georgetown favorites will have their goods out for the pickings, and even a few great Eastern Market finds!"

National Arboretum Events page (the full moon walk is highly recommended)

Great Grapes Wine Arts and Food Festival at the Reston Town Center,

Saturday, Apr 25 12:00p

Over 200 Wines and 20 Virginia Wineries. The festival is an inexpensive way to see Virginia Wine Country - right in your own backyard.

Ideas for inexpensive dates in Washington :)

Invasive Plant Removal Day, May 2nd

Today's musings

Global Shift - About the Institute of Noetic Sciences

I want to try this restaurant, located north of Old Town, next time I go out for brunch or dinner: Indigo Landing

Best Outdoor Food and Dining via the Washingtonian

Great Day Spas 2009 via the Washingtonian (check out the new spa at 1600 King St.!)

Tricycle Magazine: The Buddhist Review

Earth Ball, Sahaja Meditation

The DC Earth Ball will take place on May 1st at the Mott House at 122 Maryland Ave, NE. All proceeds will be donated to urban vegetable garden programs benefiting moderate and low-income residents of the District.

I joined the Sahaja Meditation meetup group but have not yet been to a meeting. I was just checking out more about Sahaja meditation and click here for more info about the meetup group.


Subtle System from Dheeraj Agarwal on Vimeo.

Filmfest DC

Yesterday afternoon I saw a wonderful Japanese film, Megane (Glasses), part of the International DC Film Festival. I think if I made a movie it would be something like this, lots of ocean views and shots of the water. Exquisite and meditative.

Check out drum n bass and dubstep mixes at Expansion Brodcast and Dirtbox radio, especially good are Encryption and Dave J! :)

Tonight!