Seventeen-year-old Iraqi piano prodigy Zuhal Sultan has confirmed plans for the first-ever National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. Her ambitious program will debut in August 2009 in the northern Kurdish region, and will feature performances by a 35-piece orchestra comprised of Iraq’s most promising young classical musicians. Read more...
Often when I travel, I look for a good local bookstore. I am curious to know what people are reading and what is the role of the bookstore in the community. Plus, I have found that books can be treasures that transport you back in history or possibly forward in time to events yet to take place.
In Cairo, I discovered Diwan Bookstore in Zamalek. It is a special bookstore featuring books in Arabic, English, French and German. When I entered, they had on display front and center their recommended books, among them: Read more...
Recession. Economic crisis. The air is abuzz with these words, from the concerned whispers of colleagues and friends, to the speculation and predictions of the media. Who will sink? Who will swim? How bad is it? How long will it last? Although it came as a shock, the current economic crisis serves as a reminder of the oldest, most pervasive and predictable aspect of life itself: change. The only thing that is certain, is change. In our society, our attitude toward change is often of sticking our heads in the sand. We try to pretend that it doesn't exist. We become rigid, seeking the illusory permanence of routine to make us feel safe, to feel in control. Many of us spend our lives dedicated to creating a stable environment; a solid career, a dependable spouse. But even the longest marriages can end in divorce, the largest fortunes in the world can dwindle down to nothing. Read more...
InFocus, a web site created by Andrew Kilbourn and Faith Model, is an online, not-for-profit resource featuring "short documentary films that bring a thoughtful and thorough awareness to the positive forces of change in regions hammered by conflict, poverty, oppression or distaste", according to InFocusworld.org.
Their web site states their goal as "to tell stories of hope and inspire change. All too often, we are faced with images of certain parts of the world that are shocking; deplorable living conditions, war torn villages; starving children. But what we don’t always hear about are the everyday extraordinary people whom, in the midst of these struggles, are effecting real change in their homes and in their communities." Read more...
“Are you Obama?” Imagine my surprise when young and old yelled this question to me as I walked through crowded Cairo just days after US President Barack Obama visited Egypt. Being blonde and blue eyed, I realized when I questioned them they were asking me if I was American. I had to smile and realize an era has passed. Read more...
I work in an industry with a deservedly poor reputation: affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketers are paid to drive web traffic to ecommerce sites. In fact, we clog the web with sites designed to manipulate people, and clog inboxes with torrents of spam.
I didn’t appreciate how mindless and heartless commerce could be until I was dropped in to the middle of the most mindlessly heartless segment of it. I wish that I could do my work with some purpose beyond convincing people that they need what they don’t.
This desire has driven some friends and I to create Wishnut.com. Read more...
Many of us read Ode magazine for inspiration and encouragement for continuing to do the work that we do for positive and peaceful causes. In this light, I want to share with you the inspiring work of my colleague, Susan Allen, Ph.D., a media anthropologist who has worked in the area of nonviolence education for many years.
She has been the creative force behind the development of a Campaign for Nonviolence on the Kansas State University campus and has more recently been successful in developing a Nonviolence Education program at that same university. Read more...
Howard Glasser, author of Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach
Having worked in the non-profit social service arena, one of the biggest concerns I have is that is has become bureaucratized. In some cases, it seems as though procedure and protocol have trumped passionate concern about human rights.
Yet I know grassroots advocacy is still alive and well, because I am currently immersed in it. No More Tears (NMT) is a non-profit that provides individualized assistance to victims of domestic violence and their children. Read more...
In light of the current heated and frequently negative debate surrounding aid to Africa and development in general, I would like to highlight what I consider to be an incredibly uplifting approach to fighting global poverty, embodied in the model of Flying Kites Global, a non-profit organization started by three young intelligent optimists. Read more...
During my many years in Japan, I've taken the opportunity to dabble in various Japanese arts. I always come away feeling inspired by the sensitivity and attention to detail that is expressed.
One of my explorations led me to take some lessons in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. During my brief training, my teacher told me the following:
"In contrast to the massing of blooms typical of flower arrangements in the West, Ikebana is usually characterized by a line of twigs and/or leaves, connected by a sparse arrangement of flowers. The idea being to give the viewer the sense that they have come across a scene in nature." Read more...
Ode's co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Jurriaan Kamp was fortunate enough to moderate a panel on Fortune 500 companies embracing sustainability at the annual LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) Forum happening this week in Boulder, Colorado. The panel had representatives from Walmart, Coca Cola and the Mohawk group answering questions about the steps their companies are taking in the transition toward sustainability.
“We haven’t been sustainable for a long time, but we have a vision to be zero-waste. It’s a lofty vision, but it’s there.” said Candace Taylor, Walmart’s Director of Strategy and Sustainability. Read more...
As a child growing up in New York City, singer Chloe Temtchine’s parents took her to visit Harlem’s Hale House on a regular basis. Six-year old Chloe brought clothes and toys to the sick children, spent time with them, and formed an early sense of compassion that continues today, with her involvement in Musicians On Call, Life Beat, Dewitt Nursing Home and elsewhere. Read more...
I recently read a quote that equated switching off cell phone chargers to bailing out the Titanic with a teaspoon. While I understand that the simple act of unplugging a cell phone charger is going to save a negligible amount of electricity, I tend to look at these acts on an environmental fitness scale.
For example, you can’t expect someone who has never worked out a day in his or her life to jump off the couch and run a marathon. The people who are now unplugging their cell phone chargers didn’t even know that the ship was sinking a year ago - so even in that there is progress. Read more...
Green singles and members of the natural dating community have a new home online: EcoDater.com. EcoDater is an eco-friendly online dating site for green single men and women who care about living a natural, holistic lifestyle. Members include environmentalists, vegans and vegetarians, organic farmers, outdoor enthusiasts, yoga practitioners, adventure singles, activists and much more.
"EcoDater.com is a very open-minded place," says Ryel Kestano, EcoDater founder. "We believe in building a community one person at a time, giving each person the resources to share passions, interests, or musings. We created EcoDater because it represents the best of what we see and experience in this world - community, connectivity, friendship, and a respect for the natural life." Read more...
Three years ago when I was working as a bi-lingual bi-cultural therapist in a middle school, many mothers came to me to ask if I knew of a job they could do in order to help their families become more self-sufficient. It was very frustrating that only once in a while I could help one or two women, usually with a job they were not excited about. For many years as an artist and a psychotherapist I have worked with low income communities in collaborative projects where people helped and supported each other, and felt good about the art they were making. Out of these experiences grew the Si/See Project.
I got together with five Latino women who were interested in my idea and its mission and the project got underway. The mission of Si/See is to bridge cultural diversity, improve standards of living while being environmentally sensitive, and encourage connection through art. Rug hooking, a North American craft, has been the inspiration and foundation of the project. Latino woman who are also known for their colorful handcrafted work are introduced to rug hooking traditions and are encouraged to incorporate what they learn with their own sense of artistic knowledge and traditions. Read more...
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On June 23rd a remarkable album, eight years in the making, will be released. Listen is a collection of 15 original songs, written by children who stutter, and recorded by iconic artists including Carly Simon, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Duncan Sheik, John Forte, Mandy Patinkin and many others. In addition, Jon Bon Jovi donated the use of his studio, so that his state-of-the-art facility could support the recording process. Superstars from the worlds of pop, rock, R&B, Broadway, hip-hop and more joined together to contribute their time and talents to a cause bigger than stuttering - a call for compassion and acceptance, and for respect of one-another’s differences. Read more...
My friend Sue is a Master Gardener, and the large patches of earth circling her home near Banks, Oregon, reflect that. Every time I visit her we take a leisurely turn around the garden. She points out new starts and interesting things she’s learned; pruning a little here, pulling a weed there. I ask about this or that and just generally gawk at the beauty she’s created.
This Sunday I saw for the very first time a pink poppy. I didn’t even know they existed. I am not a Master Gardener, as you may have guessed. I am, however, a bit of a photographer; so I immediately had to take a photo of this anomaly. I delighted for several minutes in this new find. Not only did I learn something new (which I love to do) while reveling in the splendor of Sue’s garden; but I also opened another window of possibility in my mind. Read more...
The French side of the tiny Caribbean island nation of St. Martin (87 km2) is addressing its environmental problems in a novel way. On May 12, they held a swearing in ceremony for its newly formed environmental enforcers.
These environmental agents from the Brigade de l’Environment and Direction de l’Environment will have powers similar to those of police officers to issue fines for any offenses committed anywhere on the French side that are deemed detrimental to the environment. Read more...
In his latest weekly address, President Obama says health care reform must no longer mean “reform that throws good money after bad habits”.
A wide array of interest groups that have lined up against Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) hope President Obama’s commitment to eradicating health care reform bad habits extends to the nation’s de facto investment in genetically modified crops which have been linked to 65 health risks and long-term health care costs. Read more...
Life is so very interesting how it twists and turns, allows our thoughts to manifest in mysterious ways. A passing thought can create a whole world of its own. I just wanted to share a little about that world that we all share and encourage everyone to not only be knowledgeable about how this time and space works, but to apply that knowledge for the greater good.
2009 seems to be a tipping point as we approach the 12/21/12 shift and I find it amazing how so many global peace projects have found their way into the consciousness of man, culminating at what seems to be a pinnacle peak of need at this time of war and economic shake-downs. As one tip of the scale loosens it's grip, the other reaches out to fill the void. I fully believe we are at that point where we as a team fully realize that we are all connected, and by knowing this, reach out with our hearts and minds and unify in peace. Read more...
The U.S. military is known for using super secret codes to identify sensitive projects. The key word here is sensitive. Who would have thought that the US military has a softer side? Project code name: iRest, short for Integrative Restoration, a code name for yoga nidra.
Yoga is one of the newest ‘secret weapons’ in the US Armed Forces. Major Nisha Money, who currently serves as the Chief of Air Force Fitness for the Surgeon General at USAF Headquarters in Washington DC, gave me the scoop. Soldiers suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. within a specialized care program that incorporates the iRest protocol. Major Money stated that she hopes that it will not be long before there is a movement to integrate body-mind-spirit healing modalities that not only serve as treatment interventions for emotional and physical trauma but also play a role in prevention by attenuating the impact of emotional trauma experienced in the battlefield. Read more...
Imagine that you had the chance to take part in a project that could literally change our world. Project Peace on Earth is a daring idea to raise global awareness through sacred music that empowers each of us to realize our innate divinity, and with this realization, take one small step toward making the world a better place. Read more...
People often ask me how they can love themselves unconditionally, regardless of what they have done or how they think or feel. When we realize our spiritual nature, we have a better way of looking at what we do as human beings. By remembering who we are spiritually, we can more easily be loving and accepting towards ourselves and all that comes forward in our lives. So, I suggest that as we start out and complete with each day, we take the opportunity to engage ourselves inwardly in the Spirit first.
When we choose to realize ourselves spiritually, we find ourselves functioning according to the laws of Spirit - acceptance, cooperation, understanding, enthusiasm and empathy. There is an aligning of how we are intending ourselves spiritually, as souls who are one with God. A key is to appreciate with gratitude whatever comes your way. Everything has value. Nothing needs to be different from what it is, including you. Yet, in this world, change is constant. While living in the world and coping with change may be challenging, you can learn to align with and practice how to apply the laws of Spirit and love it all. Read more...
There are two scientific camps on altruism. One says that altruism is a cultural tool, a distinctly human behavior, which allows social groups to function and survive by constraining our selfish impulses. Another camp says that altruism is an ancient appetite, over six million years old, pre-dating even human existence. Either way, our altruistic impulses play a significant role in the planet’s ultimate opera of life and death, good vs. evil.
As a mother and a part-time teacher I have spent a large part of the past twelve years amongst groups of children. I have witnessed both unbridled brutality and fantastic altruism. The brutality never surprises me. The altruism always does, and, gloriously, it prevails. Small children act on their impulses so readily. When they sense need, they rush like water through a canyon to fill it. They are empowered by their own goodness. Their brethren are empowered. The world around them is empowered. I have been inspired by children, and often remind myself to act like some child or another, to try to remember the goodness that is buried deep inside, and the energy that goodness liberates. Read more...
World Oceans Day is on June 8 and coincides with the release of an extraordinary new film. The End of the Line is a documentary based on a book of the same name by award winning English environmental journalist Charles Clover. Ted Danson narrates this important feature, which earned a rare standing ovation at Sundance in January. Read more...
In 2005, I visited Ghana as a volunteer. There I met a young man at an internet cafe who was gracious enough to show me around his hometown so I could see what life was like away from the tourist attractions. We later "adopted each other" after I left. I helped his son finish secondary school because his grandmother who raised him was behind in school fees.
He now is a successful micro businessman and started an after-school program that is using my nonprofit's name: HYBASIA After-school Program. He also adopted a boy whose father had just died and was looking for work. He wanted to help his mother feed his siblings. Read more...
I believe this is noteworthy: Last week, in the Miami Herald there was an article which stated that in order to save the religion department of Florida International University, The Dalai Lama said he wanted to donate $100,000 to the university.
The school, hurting from the economic crisis, said it is closing the department, to save $600,000. The department has 12 full time professors and is a center for religious growth in the community and the world. The Dalai Lama has spoken there twice, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate. Nathan Katz, of the department has become a good friend of the Dalai Lama. Read more...
Finding an eco-friendly way to manage your summer lawn mowing doesn’t have to involve a manual push mower or even an expensive electric version. For some innovative yet old-school organizations, this year's hottest new green tool is the goat. From Google to the state of Maryland, goats are eating away at overgrown lawns across the country.
At the Mountain View, California Google headquarters about 200 goats spent a week clearing a nearby field, helping to reduce the area fire-hazard and clear out brush and weeds. More information can be found about the Google goats on the official Google blog. Read more...
The street I live on in Tokyo is so narrow a car can barely make it through. Because of this, a system for lining up everyone's bicycles on one side of the street is necessary.
As instructed when moving in, my wife, my daughter, and myself, park our bicycles across the street in front of my neighbor's house. Their house sits just 21 inches (53 cm.) back from the curb. Such a scale of living makes it obvious where the aesthetic of "bonsai" plants comes from! Read more...
My friend Yang-May Ooi, social marketing guru, author and writer of the popular www.fusionview.co.uk blog recently commented on a plea from poetry publisher Salt to "buy just one book," to help the beleaguered mostly family-owned business to survive the current economic downturn.
See Yang-May's insightful comments and the email from Salt here: www.fusionview.co.uk/2009/05/a-sad-day-for-the-book-industry Read more...
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