“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”
~ Maya Angelou
http://kottke.org/13/05/steven-soderbergh-the-state-of-cinema
“But before we talk about movies we should talk about art in general, if that’s possible. Given all the incredible suffering in the world I wonder, what is art for, really? If the collected works of Shakespeare can’t prevent genocide then really, what is it for? Shouldn’t we be spending the time and resources alleviating suffering and helping other people instead of going to the movies and plays and art installations? When we did Ocean’s Thirteen the casino set used $60,000 of electricity every week. How do you justify that? Do you justify that by saying, the people who could’ve had that electricity are going to watch the movie for two hours and be entertained – except they probably can’t, because they don’t have any electricity, because we used it. Then I think, what about all the resources spent on all the pieces of entertainment? What about the carbon footprint of getting me here? Then I think, why are you even thinking that way and worrying about how many miles per gallon my car gets, when we have NASCAR, and monster truck pulls on TV? So what I finally decided was, art is simply inevitable. It was on the wall of a cave in France 30,000 years ago, and it’s because we are a species that’s driven by narrative. Art is storytelling, and we need to tell stories to pass along ideas and information, and to try and make sense out of all this chaos. And sometimes when you get a really good artist and a compelling story, you can almost achieve that thing that’s impossible which is entering the consciousness of another human being – literally seeing the world the way they see it. Then, if you have a really good piece of art and a really good artist, you are altered in some way, and so the experience is transformative and in the minute you’re experiencing that piece of art, you’re not alone. You’re connected to the arts. So I feel like that can’t be too bad.”
http://www.andrewoswald.com/docs/Young-faculty-researchers-PhDs-talk-Oswaldapril2013.pdf
“If everyone likes your work, you can be certain that you haven’t done anything important.”
“Conflict and pain go with the territory.”
“The main difference between world-class researchers and sound researchers is not intellect; it is energy, single-mindedness, more energy, and the ability to withstand what will sometimes feel like never-ending disappointment, tiredness and psychological pain. Tenacity is almost everything.
http://sarasyogajoint.com/mbyoga/asana1.mp3
“I’ve been practicing yoga since I was 18 and teaching since I was 19. In truth, my entire adult life has been shaped and influenced by yoga; by great teachers, practices, conversations, relationships, successes and failures. Now I am 35, and I would rather have my work speak as my credentials. So here you go, a free class to download and form your own opinions of me.” ~Mitchell Bleier
“Do the things you love to do. Do the things that make you happy.”
“Why the Nike Fuel Band Works and Google Glass Doesn’t”
“AT THE ALL THINGS D CONFERENCE, THE TECH GIANT’S COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF SHARED HIS THOUGHTS ON THE HOTTEST SPACE IN TECHNOLOGY: WEARABLES.”
Via FastCodeDesign.com
Meditation is universal. Just like you don’t need to be Italian to eat pasta.
What if everyone could have a more peaceful and clear mind?
We are all connected. We can create a better world and it starts with something as simple as closing your eyes, meditating and feeling a deeper connection with yourself.
To really open your eyes, sometimes you have to close them.
Amen.
What is the first limb of yoga according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras?
Yama is first limb of yoga and it is as important if not more important as the asana (physical postures).
“Practice of asanas without the backing of Yama and Niyama is mere acrobatics.” -B.K.S Iyengar
The Yamas: Ethical disciplines. The Yamas represent a series of “right living.”
The Yamas are comprised of five principles that Patanjali listed in his Yoga Sutras:
1. Ahimsa: Nonviolence. The yogi sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings and therefore opposes violence and loses all fear. The yogi is stern with himself when dealing with his own faults but gentle with the faults of others.
2. Satya: Truth. Truth is God and God is Truth. Satya presupposes perfect truthfulness is thought, word, and deed. When the mind bears malice towards none, it is filled with charity towards all. The man firmly established in truth gets the fruit of his actions without apparently doing anything. God the source of all truth, supplies his needs and looks after his welfare.
3. Asteya: Non-stealing. Goes past not only taking what belongs to someone else. The yogi should reduce his physical needs to the minimum, believing that if he gathers things he does not really need, he is a thief. While other men crave for wealth, power, fame or enjoyment, the yogi has one craving and that is to adore the Lord. He who obeys the commandment Thou Shalt Not Steal, becomes a trusted repository of all treasures.
4. Brachmacharya: Life of celibacy, religious study and self-restraint. It is the battery that sparks the torch of wisdom. Without experiencing human love and happiness it is not possible to know divine love.
5. Aparigraha: To be free from hoarding. The yogi should feel that the collection of things implies a lack of faith in God and in himself to provide for his future. The yogi trains his mind not to feel the loss or the lack of anything. Then everything he really needs will come to him by itself at the proper time. Keep the mind in a state of equilibrium. Develop the capacity to remain satisfied with whatever happens to you. To those who worship Him alone with single minded devotion,which are in harmony with Him every moment, He brings full security. He shall supply all their wants and shall protect them forever.
Descriptions are from Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar.
How do you incorporate the Yamas into your daily practice on and off the mat?
Think you’ll be happy if you reach all your goals? Think again.
It turns out that the kinds of goals we choose to pursue matter just as much, if not more than, whether or not we actually reach them!
Studies show that pursuing wealth, power, popularity, validation and fame – what psychologists call extrinsic goals – leads to only fleeting happiness if you succeed. You always need more and more, and you never end up getting your fill. Which is why so many “successful” people look so miserable, in case you were wondering.
On the other hand, when our goals are about connecting with others, learning and growing, and doing the things that feel authentic – that speak to the real you – it’s another story. We experience Happiness with capital “H” – the kind that lasts. And we don’t just feel it when we reach a goal – we feel it on the journey, too.
-Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson via Entheos.com