Thanks to Travelycia.com for the link!

Angor Wat in Cambodia:

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Two Life Lessons from the Great Teachers

Father Juan stood before the group speaking from the heart in a heavy but understandable Guatemalan accent. The topic was love and by the end of his homily, tears were rolling down my cheeks.

A traveler was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by robbers who stripped him and left him half+dead in the street. A priest and a Hebrew man passed by without helping him. But a Samaritan (at the time Samaritans were seen as society’s outcasts) stopped and cared for him, by taking him to an inn where he paid for the beaten man’s care and stay.

This is of course, the story of the Good Samaritan. Father Juan had an interesting interpretation. Everywhere we look, he said, there are those who represent the half+dead man in this parable. He pointed to the marginalized of society.

He encouraged us to consider suicidal individuals, racial minorities, women considering abortions, and orphans. There are people that need our help. Help them. Show love to the marginalized members of society without regard for the differences that may exist between you and them.

When Jesus told this parable, his message was simple: “Go and do as the Samaritan did.” Father Juan’s message in his homily, “We are all human beings. People need our help. Look into your heart. Go help.”

As I sat with my eyes tearing up and a smile across my face, I came to a conclusion: the more we study the great ancient teachers…. Jesus, Buddha, or the more recent greats…. Gandhi, Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela, the more we see that they are preaching two of the same lessons:

1. Love.

2. We are all one.

Has a spiritual passage, a homily, a teaching, or a simple conversation ever touched you in a similar way?

Growing Kale from Seeds vs. Transplanting

In previous posts, we touched on the fact that we were interested in growing kale from seeds. We initially set out to grow kale because of it’s health benefits and the fact that it is a durable, resistant plant that grows easily.

In the beginning, we had tremendous success in transplanting kale seedlings into our garden. We chose seedlings (transplants) over seeds as beginners because we thought it would be easier. As a result, we were blessed with an abundance of kale.

But it felt as though there was a little something missing. Sure, we nurtured and maintained the kale after it’s infancy but there’s an allure to growing from seed.

Four weeks ago, we purchased Lacinato Kale seeds and decided to grow from seed.

Methods we used in growing Kale from Seeds

1. Planting the seeds directly in our garden (We first soaked the seeds in water for 12 hours to speed up germinating process)

2. Planting the seeds in compostable seedling starter kits and nursing them inside for 2.5 weeks (We created a .75″ hole by pressing the soil down with the tip of a pencil, then planted two seeds in each hole and covered. The soil we used was take from our garden in order to stay consistent)

Here are pictures of the progress of both methods:

The results have been interesting to say the least. Of the 20 outdoor seeds that were planted, only 3 made it, but the three that made it have grown tremendously.

On the other hand, almost all of the indoor seeds sprouted within 5 days but the growth sputtered within the following week.

Last week, we transplanted the indoor seeds into the garden (without removing them from their compostable starter kits.) They’re planted right along side the 3 outdoor seedlings that made it so we’ll be able to track progress and growth.

It has been fulfilling, the feeling of nurturing a seed from its beginning. We’re excited to see the kale grow and hopefully provide us with healthy, sustainable, organic food in the coming months!

Have you ever grown your own organic kale? Feel free to describe your experience in the comments section!

Positive Energy Can Change Your Life

I know from first hand experiences that positive energy can change your life. There are so many benefits of bringing positive energy in every day life. Here’s a small piece of my story to help you understand how positive energy can change your life.

My Early College Years

I played American football in at Union College and my team was my life. In the beginning years, I was tight with everyone on the team and tended to shy away from people who weren’t on the team. Sure, after the “big win,” I would go out and celebrate and open up to others but alcohol induced interactions aren’t necessarily genuine or meaningful. I was the guy wearing the my football sweatsuit around campus with my hoodie up and with no interest in meeting others.

Opening Up to Positive Energy

In my last 2.5 years of college and grad school, something changed. I started to open up and meet new people. I started having authentic, intentional, meaningful relationships with people. I started reading books about philosophy, life, and business.

I started practicing yoga because there was something about it that made me feel connected with my true self and others around me. I showed genuine interest in other’s lives and I reached outside of my circle of American football friends. Most of all, I started helping others. Whether it was something as small as holding a door for someone and smiling (do this 20x in one day and let us know how good it feels) or something as major as starting a community service group, I did it all.

Meeting New People Increases Positive Energy

I met as many people as I could from all different backgrounds. I reached out to everyone I came across. I mean it, everyone. I was on a first name basis with all of the employees at the college cafeteria, the school’s maintenance crew, the local gas station attendants, exchange students, professors, and more. For those 2.5 years, learning about their backgrounds, their families, their struggles, and their experiences was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.

I learned a ton about myself. I had some of the best experiences (which I will encapsulate in future posts) and formed life+long relationships. I met my amasing girlfriend and some of my best friends (see below picture in Thailand with Jim) in the world all as a result of bringing positive energy into the world. When we bring a positive outlook to relationships and facilitate real, meaningful discussions and form a genuine interest for other people, magic happens.

Brian, me, and our new friend Jim Siri from Siri Guesthose in Chiang Mai, Thailand

My friend, the Ashtangi as an Example of Positive Energy

I have a friend who brings a tremendous amount of positive energy into his life and the life of others. My friend, an avid Asthanga yoga practitioner, was low on money. By chance, through some of the positive energy relationships he has formed over the past few years, he was introduced to a local Ashtanga yoga instructor.

My friend Quinn the Ashtangi posing at Sunrise, Photograph by Danielle Lussier of Lucid Practice

I don’t think the instructor had any knowledge of my friend’s financial situation (or did he intuitively?) but for whatever reason asked him to come practice at his studio for free. The instructor said that the studio welcomes people like him — people who are eager to learn, people who are genuinely kind, people who uplift others, and people who want to connect with others in a meaningful way.

The instructor’s invitation was contingent on one commitment — one Ashtanga principle: commitment. The instructor welcomed my friend into the studio but said that my friend must be there for practice at 5:30am 6 days/week. Like Sharath Jois often says with a smile, “Ashtanga is for everyone. Except for the lazy.” As you can guess, my friend was there every morning because that’s the type of person he is.

If it Changed my Life, Positive Energy Can Change Your Life too

My “body of work” on campus and in the community during those 2.5 years represent my proudest life accomplishments. Watching our community service group projects blossom and having people thank me for changing their lives by sharing the positive energy philosophy — these are things that I will always cherish especially because it seemed so implausible 3 years prior to their occurence.

I share these stories in the hopes that people will consider embracing this way of life. Put good out into the world and good will happen unto you. The greatest part is that no matter what we’ve done in life up to this point, we can change whenever we want. Including right now.

If just one person reads this and decides to bring positive energy to their life: mission accomplished. I’m so grateful for what the philosophy of positive energy has brought into my life — if you haven’t found this way of living, I hope and pray that you will. Positive energy can change your life!

“Passions are like breadcrumbs leading you onto the path of discovering your destiny.”

As yoga practitioners, one of the most gratifying experiences we can have is sharing the practice with those that we love. It doesn’t have to be forceful and it doesn’t have to be immediate. But over time we can explain the benefits that exist and the reasons for practicing.

When I first came back from a transformative yoga retreat in Thailand two years ago, I insisted that all of my family members start practicing because of the amazing physical and mental benefits. I realize now that this was a flawed approach. We can suggest that our loved ones practice but to push something on someone is counterproductive.

In the beginning, the person you suggest yoga to might not be ready. Remember that, when the time is right, they will find the practice.

Nowadays, I don’t usually outwardly recommend that someone start practicing unless I’m asked. Sometimes people ask me, “Why are you so calm all the time?” or “Don’t you ever get angry?” and it’s at this point that they’ve given me a perfect segway to recommend the practice.

It’s important to anticipate your friend or acquaintance’s response when you recommend the practice. Keep in mind the misconceptions of yoga in the West and consider your friend’s probable perception. Often times, it’s questions like, “Do you do the hot yoga?” or “Can I do the video I bought from Walmart?” Be prepared and know how you’re going to respond to these questions.

Recently, I was able to recommend yoga to two of my friends. Two drastically different people (one woman in her 60s, one woman in her 20s) separately asked me about the practice and I gladly referred them to read certain books and visit select teachers and studios in the area. In the ensuing weeks, my two friends have been so grateful for the physical and mental benefits or the practice — and I’ve been so grateful to have the opportunity to do my small part in guiding them down the path.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Stay lucid ~

A heart in love with beauty never grows old. ~Turkish Proverb

Sound is energy. Music changes us. We respond to the sound waves and vibrations of music. Music can uplift us and give us positive energy — if we listen to the right kind.

“Classical music is boring.” Is that what you’re thinking? Up until two years ago, I would have agreed with you.  In this post, I’ll explain how you can escape the “boring” aspect and come to appreciate the music.

But first, here’s a look at the health benefits of classical music:

• Increased Tranquility and Focus (many surgeons listen to classical music while performing surgery)
• Positive Energy (London government played classical music in dangerous neighborhoods and robberies decreased 33%, assaults decreased 25%, and vandalism decreased 37%) read more in Malcom Gladwell’s fantastic book: Outliers
• Increase in vitality and well being (in a 1973 experiment, plants grew towards and intertwined themselves around speakers playing Hayden, Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert. But, in a similar experiment where violent music was played, the plants died)
• Better Sleep (Hungarian researchers showed listening to 45 minutes of classical music before bedtime helped students from 19 to 28, who had problems falling asleep)
• Increased Intelligence through improved information processing and memory (studies show heightened IQ scores)

But here’s the best part: Classical music doesn’t have to be boring! If it’s foreign concept to you, start by listening a blend of classical and new age music by 2Cellos.  Connect by recognizing the familiar song and by appreciating the beauty of the art of music. I shared this link with friends and they loved it and can’t stop listening!! After enjoying 2Cellos for a couple weeks, you’ll naturally be expanding to beautiful pieces by Yo-Yo Ma, Bach, Brahams, etc. in no time !!

Stay lucid ~