Enlightenment and meditation: Achieving calm in our fast-paced world

When I listen to the sounds in the video at left, I feel safe, content and at peace. On a broader level, there are 4 main points to my current understanding of tranquility:

(1) Meditation. One of the books on my shelf right now is Becoming Enlightened by Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama. The book explains that the key to enlightenment is "morality, concentrated meditation, and wisdom, enhanced by compassion." The book recommends to meditate in 2-4 daily sessions of several minutes each, and to gradually increase session length over time.

(2) Respect for others. I've recently read an important thought of a very classic author, Dale Carnegie: you should never argue, since there is no way to win an argument. Even if you suceed in proving the other person wrong, you have not created an ally. You have made the other person feel annoyed and/or incompentent. It is better to respect others' opinions and beliefs.

(3) Self control. Carnegie's no-argue rule ties into a belief of Napoleon Hill's (from Napoleon Hill's Golden Rules): There is no greater power than complete self control. Once you have mastered self control, you are truly on your way to success. Nothing can affect your mood, and therefore you can make consistent, clear-headed decisions. You can always act in your best interest.

(4) Allowing. Here I am referring to the Abraham Hicks teaching known as the Art of Allowing (this is detailed in The Law of Attraction: The Basic Teachings of Abraham by Esther and Jerry Hicks). Being an Allower means that you feel positive emotion connected to who you are in life, regardless of what others do or say. Allowing is not to be confused with tolerating, which is a state when you feel negative emotion but don't display it. Allowing is a state in which you feel happy and content and respectful, both towards yourself and others, regardless of others' opinions.

These points come together to form a clear picture about calmness. Once these points are mastered, the sense of self is strengthened and a person's life objectives become clearer and easier to obtain.

Going further with objectives and attaining goals, I recently attended a seminar on the Law of Attraction in Manhattan. At one point, we were told to close our eyes and go to a place where we were supremely happy. I envisioned a breathtaking rainforest where the leaves were bright green and the trunks of trees were black with moisture. I was sitting on a huge rock overlooking a river and there was a roaring waterfall nearby. I could see a jaguar moving smoothly in the forest on the other side of the river, and I could hear monkeys and birds calling from high branches above. It was heaven.

What an eye-opening experience! I learned that I can harness the power I feel from my rainforest fantasy to feel more at peace in everyday life. Because my "happy place" is the rainforest, I have begun listening to calming rainforest sounds while at home cleaning or studying. These sounds allow me to create tranquil pictures in my mind that I associate with extreme peace and contentment. This is a form of pseudo-meditation that brings my vibration closer to what I would like to achieve.

Enjoy the calming sounds of the rainforest. May you attract everything you wish to have. And according to Becoming Enlightened, "Appreciate how rare and full of potential your situation is in this world, and take joy in it, and use it to your best advantage."

Read full entry

Off the cuff: Discoveries in big cat art

Lately in my random internet searches for tidbits on lions and tigers, I've come across some stunning work! The three artists that I'm choosing to highlight here are Uffe Christoffersen (Tigerwalk 3, oil painting/ computer art, far left), Nick Brandt (Lions Head to Head, photograph, left) and Taryn Simon. Read my full entry to learn more and to see more beautiful work from these three masterminds.


UFFE CHRISTOFFERSEN
"Uffe Christoffersen is a figurative artist in the true sense of the word. Christoffersen...has become known for his colourful representations of wild animals, especially concentrating on the individual animal’s characteristics:- shape, colour, texture, movement, and most difficult of all, the psyche of the wild animal. Like many of his generation’s artists he has rediscovered painting as a means of expression. His treatment of oil paint as a medium is very consciously full of colour nuances...his interest for animal life contains a warm affection for nature which is in constant threat of destruction because of man’s misuse." —Uffe Christoffersen's official website. At right: Tigerwalk 2, oil painting/ computer art.

NICK BRANDT
From a recent feature in the UK's Conde Nast Traveler: "London-born photographer Nick Brandt believes animals are as worthy of life as humans. His portraits of them are elegant and intimate, depicting a dream-like world of beauty, strength and vulnerability. But he has an urgent mission: he wants to help raise awareness of the issues that are putting these magnificent creatures under threat, and capture the majesty of East African wildlife before it disappears."

From left: Lioness looking over plains, Masai Mara, 2004. Sitting lionesses, Serengeti, 2002. View these and many more at Brandt's offical website.




TARYN SIMON
Simon doesn't specialize in photographing big cats. However, her recent series An American Index: The Hidden and Unfamiliar marked a big step in educating the public about big cats in captivity. The series included a photograph of Kenny, an adult white tiger who was conceived as the result of irresponsible inbreeding. As a result, Kenny lived his life with many deformities, including mental retardation, malformed teeth, abnormal bone structure and a deep-set nosed that caused breathing difficulties.

Simon's series highlights a number of American pseudo-secrets: concepts, places and facilities that are kept somewhat under wraps... Crumbs of the American apple pie that are swept under a shiny red, white and blue rug. Other photographs in the Hidden and Unfamiliar series feature a cryopreservation unit, art on display at the CIA Headquarters, and a marijuana research crop room at the National Center for Natural Products Research. What prompted her idea for this series? "After September 11th, when the American government and media was so deeply invested in finding secret sites (the inaccessible) beyond its borders, I decided to look inward—to find the hidden and unfamiliar, the out-of-view and off-the-radar within American borders." To view more of Taryn's work, visit her official website.

Why not do a quick search for "big cat art" and see what images you can find? Will you see majesty? Inspiration? Sadness? I guarantee that if you look hard enough, you will find some unexpected way to relate to these endangered gems that we hold close to our hearts.
Read full entry

Bookshelf: Enlightened, content and internally at peace

Ommmm... :) In continuing with my recent search for growing peace and an appreciation of oneness, I am excited to report a great new find: The Art of Happiness, a book that centers around direct dialogue with the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. In the past two months, I've learned lessons from listening to/ reading work by names such as Napoleon Hill, Jack Canfield and Steve Pavlina. These works planted seeds that made my mind ready for many of the Dalai Lama's teachings.

For example, he advocates treating an 'enemy' as a rare treasure, as enemies offer us the opportunity to practice our skills of patience and tolerance. Now, I'm hardly a superhero with an arch nemesis, so I wouldn't say I have any real enemies. From time to time, I encounter those who directly or inadvertently hurt my feelings, but that's about it. So I am applying his teachings in this sense: Instead of being irked when someone makes an off comment or is plain rude to you—what if, instead of annoyance, you felt excitement? Excitement at the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to exert self control, to remind yourself of self-respect and value, and to treat that person respectfully, even if it is eventually necessary to avoid interacting with that person in the future.

The Dalai Lama wisely asserts, "In fact, the enemy is the necessary condition for practicing patience...So, from this standpoint we can consider our enemy as a great teacher, and revere them for giving us this precious opportunity to practice patience."

"Now there are many, many people in the world, but relatively few with whom we interact, and even fewer who cause us problems. So when you come across such a chance for practicing patience and tolerance, you should treat it with gratitude. It is rare. Just as having unexpectedly found a treasure in your own house, you should be happy and grateful towards your enemy for providing that precious opportunity." Co-author Howard C. Cutler, M.D., adds, "It's the very struggle of life that makes us who we are. And it is our enemies that test us, provide us with the resistance necessary for growth."

These statements about adversity remind me of an experience I had in high school, when some of the girls in my class insulted me because I wasn't very athletic. I would run laps after class sometimes, and at first I was very slow. Instead of being weakened by their insults and staying home, I chose to continue jogging after class. As time went on, I got better and built up my endurance. Eventually one of the girls apologized and asked for my forgiveness. I said, "Don't worry about it, I'm actually glad you treated me that way." Surprised, she asked why. I said, "Because if you hadn't, this wouldn't have been a challenge." Now I can look back and fully embrace the fleeting understanding I felt at that moment, and I can strive to apply that understanding to every adversity I face in my life, whether it is trival or pivotal.

Interestingly, Napoleon Hill remarks in The Law of Success, "...without a single exception, anything which irritates you and arouses you to anger, hatred, dislike or cynicism, is destructive and very bad for you." Hmmm. I highly doubt that Hill's meaning here is completely literal, as he ultimately advocates the power of self control and the eventual mastery of the mind through honor and respect for mankind. But I will briefly deconstruct this statement; at face value, it seems to underline a major subconscious belief of today's society.

It seems highly unlikely that we can remove all sources of anger and irritation from our lives. It seems much more reasonable to instead work on how we deal with the aspects that cause us to struggle. As Steve Pavlina mentions in many of his blog entries, mistakes and failures are supposed to happen. Emotions are supposed to happen. Fighting against our emotions or attempting to remove negative emotions from our lives is completely illogical—we'll be fighting a losing battle. It makes much more sense to face these problems head on, as opportunies to learn and grow, instead of attempting to remove them from our lives. In the words of Dr. Cutler, "In our daily lives problems are bound to arise...if you confront your problems rather than avoid them, you will be in a better position to deal with them."

In Buddhism, one of the Four Noble Truths is an acknowledgement of suffering, which is rooted in ignorance, craving and hatred. As long as our lives are even slightly tainted by these three, we will experience suffering on some level. However, in The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama emphasizes, "There is a possibility of freedom from suffering. By removing the causes of suffering, it is possible to attain a state of Liberation, a state free from suffering...By generating insight into the true nature of reality and eliminating afflictive states of mind such as craving and hatred, one can achieve a completely purified state of mind, free from suffering."

In conclusion: Don't embark on a journey to find happiness. Prepare yourself for adversity, face it when it comes, and allow happiness to be a key component of the journey itself.

Read full entry

In the works: Panthera paper on livestock compensation

This August, I began working on a paper for Panthera, an organization that is one of the biggest players in wild cat conservation. I am honored to have Panthera's Executive Director, Luke Hunter, as my mentor in this project. Working with Dr. Hunter is a wonderful learning experience. I also recently had the pleasure of meeting CEO Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, another legend in the world of big cat conservation. What a lovely summer treat!

During my time at Panthera's headquarters in Manhattan, I began a literature review of livestock compensation programs. I completed and submitted my first draft of the review last week. When it's polished, the document will form a foundation for Panthera's intra-office policy on livestock compensation. (Photo at left by Thomas D. Mangelsen; photograph rights are not owned by or affiliated with Panthera.) So, what are livestock compensation programs, and what problem do they attempt to solve? Read on to learn more.

The root of the problem: In areas where predators reside, habitat fragmentation and loss often means that there are fewer prey animals to feed on in the wild. Carnivores are often forced to encroach on neighboring human communities, picking off the livestock that have lost many anti-predator defense mechanisms in the domestication process. Community members are understandably upset by these attacks, and often retaliate with acts of violence against predators. This results in the further decline of predator populations that are already in danger of vanishing.



Here's where conservation efforts come into play. In order to stop community violence against predators, conservationists must assign some sort of financial value to the predator population. In other words, community members must see some economic value in having the predators stick around. There are a number of proposed solutions to do this, and livestock compensation is one of them. The concept is simple: When one of the community's goats, cattle, sheep, etc. is picked off by a carnivore, the compensation program hands over some money or a replacement animal. There are so many ways to modify and alter these programs to fit community needs and preferences. However, these programs have come under close scrutiny in the world of conservation, and their efficacy is largely variable. Also, the concept itself has some major flaws. These programs:

• aren't economically self-sustaining
• don't try to solve the problem -- simply throw some money at it
• may encourage the community not to protect livestock from predators (i.e. The less you protect your animals, the more of them the predator eats and the more money you get... It's like siphoning an indefinite amount of conservation funds into a bottomless pit.)
  
• may encourage increases in human and livestock populations, leading to increased habitat loss
• don't provide universal benefits to the community -- only those who lose livestock to predators receive any economic incentive
• don't create a positive image of carnivores/ conservation (i.e. One alterntative to livestock compensation involves rewarding communities who tolerate the presence of predators on their land, giving extra bonuses for special circumstances -- such as sightings of youngsters. That type of program creates a direct link between conservation and economic value.)

To make a long story short, my research has shown that livestock compensation programs are very difficult to operate successfully. There are alternatives that have worked beautifully, and I hope to explore them further in a future paper.

Working on this paper has certainly taught me a great deal about conservation and the work that goes into planning and orchestration. I'm also very lucky and honored to be working with Panthera, a greatly respected organization that is doing phenomenal things for wild cat conservation.

As always, more to come about big cat conservation in the future.
Read full entry

Graphic design junkie: turning a sketch into a vector

I'm always designing—even when no one's looking.
I love taking breathers for myself in which I just... am. I just doodle. I just mess around in Photoshop. Those little segments of my day really put an oomph in my step.

To the left, I give you my latest (literally just finished it seconds ago) creation: my soon-to-be personal thank you card. I adore thank you cards, and I'm always scouting for the prettiest ones. This is one I'll be using in the near future!

First I drew the edges, inspired by a napkin! I scanned my drawing into the computer and used Adobe Illustrator to convert my hand-drawn design into a vector, then imported it into Photoshop to rasterize and fiddle with the colors. Voila!

Read on to find out exactly how to convert a sketch to a vector.

Scan the illustration in at 300 dpi (grayscale) and save it as a JPEG. Then:

1. Create a new file in Illustrator, then import your sketch by going to FILE/PLACE.

2. Select the import and go to OBJECT/LIVE TRACE/MAKE AND EXPAND. (You might get a warning stating there are to many paths to convert; don't worry about that.)

3. Once you've performed your live trace function you have one more step before adding color. Select your image and go to OBJECT/UNGROUP. Now click anywhere on the art board to deselect your artwork.

4. Select all, then copy and paste into Photoshop (I paste as SmartObject, but there are a number of options).

5. If you like, you can toy with the SmartObject. When you're done, you can rasterize it and tinker with it some more. (After I rasterized this henna design, I inverted the colors and then opened the Hue/ Saturation channel. I checked off "Colorize" and then fiddled with the channels until I arrived at this nature-inspired green.)
Read full entry

Bookshelf: Developing inner power to change the world

Each of us has a strong inner power of positivity and strength. To change the world for the better, you must acknowledge that inner power and channel it to bring out the best in yourself and the best in others. You must focus on your strengths and have a positive outlook.

This past month, I've begun building the habit of reading several inspiring pages of a book each day. I've noticed that I tackle my days with more enthusiasm and gusto, and that I believe in my power to initiate a ripple of positivity every day.

These books hold very exciting tokens! I've never delved into books like these before, and as I eagerly devour them now, my mind is riddled with thoughts of expanding their power. Imagine if children were taught these positive ideals from birth. Imagine if positive thinking were a concept taught and enforced in schools. Imagine if each nation's leader were an expert at exercising the principles outlined in books that teach persuasion vs. force, projection of joy and candor, truth, oneness, and the power of one's mind. Would there be fewer disagreements? Perhaps not. But there would be better and stronger resolutions, more constructive negotiations, more empowering connections and relationships.

I am so grateful to have found books that strengthen my resolve in my goals to change the world for the better. Inspiring words have the power to incite change. Read on to discover the books I'm reading so that you can develop your inner power to change the world! I want to emphasize how inspiring I find these books -- if you pick one up and read only a sentence or two, you will understand what I mean! Please don't take my word for it; try them yourself.

Currently on my bookshelf:
Napoleon Hill's Golden Rules, Napoleon Hill. True to its name, this book reads like literary gold. I especially like the principles of self discipline outlined here. Hill describes the building blocks for living a successful goal-oriented life. One of my favorite quotes from this book is "I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit alike all who participate in it." Hill writes in a way that stirs the reader, alluding that the only things between you and your ideal career is your own determination and willpower.

The Master-Key to Riches, Napoleon Hill. For me, attaining riches is not a key point of interest. I'm more focused on attaining a life filled with the opportunity to change the world for the better. However, the principles in this book are written for those who wish to find success, and I find them very applicable to my goals. In this book, Hill writes about the value of self discipline and going the extra mile. He also tackles the negative connotations of the word "ego," and describes how courage and self-confidence are linked. (He also emphasizes the delicate balance between confident, complete self control and overinflation of ego.)

Personal Development for Smart People, Steve Pavlina. This book is very probing. It talks about three main cores of being: truth, love and power. The book really causes self reflection with questions that you must answer for yourself truthfully -- questions about how you complete tasks, interact with others, and set goals for yourself. Very, very insightful and philosophical. You can also read some entries on Steve's blog to get an idea for his writing style.

The Law of Attraction, Esther and Jerry Hicks.So much of this book seems intuitive, but if it's applied to daily life it is truly a revelation. The Law of Attraction states that what you project is what you will receive in kind. In fact, The Law advocates that you are always thinking about you want -- never of what you don't want. In that way, you will subconsciously take steps toward whatever you want, because you will be focused on attaining it. This book explains The Law and claims you can use it to get everything you want, ranging from good grades to an amazing job to wonderful friendships.
Read full entry

Fall issue now at sapnamagazine.com

What an issue! From punk rock to breast cancer awareness, our fall features span a broad range of topics. I directed the "Sexy Rediscovered" photoshoot that took place in NYC this June (featured on the cover and in the fashion section). Find a virtually flippable magazine of this romantic photoshoot by clicking this link. The shoot took place at the beautiful Tandem Bar in Brooklyn, New York. (Read our review of Tandem's yummy menu.)


"Sexy Rediscovered"
Photography credits:
Art Director Mariam Kamal
Art Production Manager Aziz Hasan
Photographer Bianca Alexis
Stylist Elle Horton
Makeup Hope Choman
Hair Mischa Gobie
Models [in order of appearance] Gunjan Sewhani, Naqib Ahmed, Rashi Stephens, Ragini Patel
Special thanks to Jane and Cathy Virga of Tandem Bar in Brooklyn, New York; Nyla Hashmi and Fatima Monkush of Eva Khurshid New York

Read full entry

Jack Canfield: There are no obstacles, only oppurtunities

This video is amazing! In it, well-known motivational speaker Jack Canfield discusses the concept of reverse paranoia: a state of mind in which you believe that everything happening around you is propelling you towards an amazing future. Jack doesn't think that anything should be viewed as failure -- not even being laid off! Instead, he encourages us to see setbacks as a golden opportunity to do better next time. Incorporating this philosophy into your life will make you a more positive thinker. As Jack proposes, "Good is not an accident, but something you create with your attitudes."

More about Jack Canfield, "America's Success Coach," from his website:
It doesn't matter if your goals are to be the top sales person in your company, become a leading architect, lose weight, become a better parent, increase confidence, buy your dream home or make millions of dollars – Jack can help you develop a clear, personal plan of action that will completely transform your life into exactly what you want it to be.

For more than 30 years, Jack has been coaching individuals, entrepreneurs, educators, and corporate leaders how to accelerate the achievement of their personal and professional goals, live their dreams, and create more joy in their life on a day-to-day basis.

The bottom line: Believe you can achieve your goals and dreams. See EVERY event in your life as a positive opportunity. Nothing can stop you from achieving your ideal life. Your ideal life is waiting for you to achieve it!

You CAN do it!

Read full entry