mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Asteya

October 4, 2012

Honoring what belongs to others is a yama, or social restraint, set out by Patanjali in the yoga sutras. To practice asteya is to understand that being satisfied with what I have is essential to my contribution to society. It also requires that I honor the time, accomplishments, and possesions of others. The yamas are simple and straightforward, designed for endless practice.   They provide an ethical framework for living in this world while seeking enlightenment. Asteya has the effect of priming the pump by a mindset of coveting absolutely nothing. It is to be satisfied.  It is to respect everyone’s boundaries and belongings.  The most precious belonging anyone has is time.

Lena West

At the TribeUpNY on the equinox we enjoyed the presence and the teachings of Ms. Lena West, social marketing historian/wizard/teacher cum laude.  She made the excellent point that time is not money, as the trite saying would have us believe.  She ably demonstrated that time wasted can never be found.  Money can be leveraged.   If one cares to increase the value and the impact of time it must be leveraged as well.  Her point is that influence is real, is valuable, and is gained by leveraging ( focusing) time. It was not her intention to come off yogic.  Her message was 100 % asteya.  Do what you do well. Don’t try to digest the entirety of the world at all times.  Make and respect boundaries that create value.  When you focus on your own well, take care of it and set limits on it, flow happens.  When your focus travels to distractions of any kind you loose the value of the time that is only given once.  I think Lena Patanjali West is brilliant. Here is her presentation from TribeUp:

Big Chief

October 2, 2012 — 2 Comments

Triberr held the first TribeUpNYC on the equinox, 22 September, 2012. I flew in the day before to enjoy the neighborhood with some friends. I was very happy to be in the city after so many years of absence. The weather was perfect, the crowd was the right size, and the speakers all delivered value in different ways.  The face of Triberr is Dino Dogan.  He has a booming voice with a cute tiny accent.  He is welcoming and very self assured.  This event was like no others because this tribe is itself unique.  The material presented was valuable and current. It was the combination of the hospitality provided by Media Labs and the sponsors and the high quality of every aspect of the event that created a memorable afternoon.  To be true to the tribe’s core value of influence over traffic the small group was treated to delicious party food and drink while given plenty of time and space to schmooze.  No name tags, very little Powerpoint, and one guy won a new iPad in the drawing…this was my kind of conference. I am not so much encouraging extra participation in the next New York TribeUP because it was outstanding to be there off peak ( for the first one).  There is a plan to spread the Tribal spirit throughout the land.  I think that is a good idea.  Let’s TribeUp Tucson!!  ( not the same as cowboy up for those of you who live here).

Satya

September 26, 2012 — 1 Comment

ST Teresa of Avila

Truth and the relationship one has with it are both elements of  discernment. Each person has a reality that is colored by the limits placed on observation. I have noticed that Americans have been trending toward believing what can be seen has value, whereas what is invisible has no merit or value.  When presented with a choice of money or wisdom it would be very common for most to choose money as a solution to any problem.  If we only consider short term solutions, money does come in handy.  If we look at how the problem to be solved now has arisen we often find there has been misuse of finances.  If no new wisdom arrives with new funding, this problem will very likely to expand to the extent that the new funding allows.

Some of you are naturally thinking of politics, but that is not my subject today.  Satya, or the truth that is love, exists.  It has no need to be believed in order to continue being true.  The details, and the attention given to the infinitesimal either hide or make clear what is true.  You are a detective in your own life.  You not only choose your environment and the people you encounter, but you fill in all the details by focusing on some while ignoring others.  When I loose an object in my office and start to hunt for it I never cease to be amazed by what I find while searching.  The longer it takes me to find the desired object, the more I am able to sort, file, dump, and make clear what is in there all the time. Clearing away the outdated, the insignificant, and the garbage makes a new level of truth exist between my office and me.

St Teresa of Avila was a woman determined to see the divine in the details of life.  Interesting to me is that her focus on every little tiny thing eventually brought her a big fat vision of Interior Castles.  I take this to mean that when and if I finally clear out all the junk in my life I too will see my interior wealth.  I already prize teaching over money, but St. Teresa is hinting at something even more elaborate and permanent.  I am sure that the stern Teresa could never have allowed her office to become such a mess.  She does give hope in her quote, “To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.”  This is very good news.  There may well be castles under all this junk.

New York Revisited

September 25, 2012 — 4 Comments

I had not been to New York City since June of 2001. The World Trade Center was there last time I looked. A recent visit for a fast paced weekend reminded me why I love the city.  I like the way NewYorkers talk, dress, act, and the way they interact.  For one afternoon I attended a conference for bloggers which I enjoyed immensely.  I met in person some people I have known digitally for a long time, and others I had just recently followed. The Triberr conference made the trip worth the effort, but the city itself provided the perfect place to be.

I stayed in Chelsea at a very well priced and, for me, well positioned small hotel called the Chelsea Inn.  It was Euro stye with breakfast vouchers for the Belgian cafe next door.  I was happy with my giant room on the ground floor with antique fixtures and furniture.  It was comfortable, secure, and clean.  The staff made me feel very welcome.  I did share a wall and the street noise with Manhattan’s busiest nightclub, The Splash.  For me, this was not a problem.  Not everyone is prepared to deal with that level of noise, but I was just reminded that I was not in Tucson any more.  The up sides of the area far outweighed the issue of the pulsing beat all night.

My spacious room at the Inn

I thrift shop for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the chance to find some vintage items in good condition.  I sew and know fabric, so I usually feel self assured about my talent and skill as a savvy thrift shopper.  In New York City, however, the thrifters have a bigger, better market from which to choose.  They may even have jobs in the fashion industry.  I noticed right off the bat that the company of shoppers was very advanced in discernment.  The prices were so low and the quality so high that I wanted the entire inventory at the Angel Street Shop.  I was over my head here, and had no room in my carry on baggage to take much back home with me.   I had to leave empty in order to return later with more composure.

I dined, shopped, walked and gawked at the architectural detail in Chelsea, which is forever to be my new New York ‘hood.  I have determined, after a really excellent shopping spree with my friend Margaret, that it can be totally worth the effort and the airfare to fly here and do all of one’s shopping.  I did not even take in the two very local museums, Rubin and Jewish History, just blocks from my new hotel home.  The value and the entertainment never stop in New York.  I will not wait so long to return.

Thrift Angel

Inn

Reversible jacket fits

Tony Hsieh

September 16, 2012

Tony Hsieh of Zappos

On my recent tour of Zappos headquarters in Henderson NV I was treated to a glimpse of Tony Hsieh himself. As I departed with my shuttle driver for the ride back to town he was entering the building I was exiting. I stared for a moment to make sure he was himself.  I had a fleeting question in my mind about the possibility that a hologram of Tony is somehow implanted into each person’s visit, but they are all prerecorded and projected on a green screen or something.  He was low key, in jeans, and moving along with purpose.  He did have the presence of mind not to be sitting in his desk when the tour comes along, but I was very excited to see him.  It is hard to describe the way I think of his celebrity and my connection to it.  I have been a shoe lover forever, but this is so much more than just shoes.

I admire him for his mastery of alchemy in capitalism.  I admire his good taste and his smart choices.  Moving the headquarters to the former Las Vegas City Hall is an example of upcycling that makes my heart beat faster.  He has a strong agenda to grow his culture and provide right livelihood for his employees.  The company and all of the customers who shop there are the major lucky beneficiaries of his vision of business.  I love the way they completely make obvious how the culture works, how it remains strong, and how it serves all involved.

Zappos, the Zenith of Capitalism

September 14, 2012 — 1 Comment

Zappos headquarters

Rasta office humor

At different times in history humans have taken giant leaps that transformed the world quickly and forever. We look at the printing press, the industrial revolution, and the digital age as big new waves of change. We tested the theory of capitalism against the theory of Marxism.  Societies languished in state capitalism ( a la USSR) and never created the utopia they attempted.  Greed and corruption have triumphed in many cases, while workers have been disempowered.  The unrest and ignorance that spreads can be exasperating.  I have some very good news, gentle readers.  There is hope that systems of excellent good will and happiness can be created from pure capitalism.  I have seen with my own eyes the purposeful and systematic creation of happiness.  It is not a surprise to me that pure happiness is created by the mastery of a refined, balanced and efficient way to enchant customers.   Providing the perfect footwear and more for each person and on every occasion is done purposefully.  Zappos is truly the happiest place on earth.  The employees practice happiness in themselves, to each other, and always with the customer.

Offering employees support and coaching for both personal and company goals includes them all in a feeling of belonging to a happy group.  The work environment is as unstructured as possible, but completely measured and analyzed.  If a worker wants to take one of the ongoing classes, the schedule is altered if possible and the training is placed on the schedule.  The same is true if an employee wants to take advantage of the personal coach, or the entire training department available for a review or update on the company training that may be needed. At the busiest times, all employees pitch in and answer phones.  They all have the current training and they all live by the core values, or they will not stay at Zappos.  Statistics are posted on boards to make all aware of the rate of success.  When they break a previous record for sales in one day, everyone in the company is given a commemorative t shirt.  Chances are that almost everyone was very busy cross training to reach that new one day goal, so they share the glory.  In fact, I think the big secret is that they share the glory.  They also share great benefits and fairly unlimited ability to be promoted within the company.

The core values run the company, and the people benefit from the purity of the core values.  The happy clients and the happy customer service aces share the beauty of the efficient ,well defined way to do business.  I always knew heaven would include a super selection of shoes.

Zappos office

Environmental Design

September 11, 2012

largest chocolate fountain

conservatory

conservatory of light and decorative planting

fantasy giant bee

flower lady bugs

flute playing nymph

acrobatic arts

water fountain

glass ceiling flowers

When you travel what kind of design changes do you like to make? I usually enjoy design that is neat and modern, uncluttered and sleek.  This is just not the way to design a gambling casino, as I have discovered.  When I see the world’s largest chocolate fountain I am not at all attracted to it.  It is obvious that many people like it a lot.  There is a place for public art, and since casinos have a lot of the public’s cash to use, it is fitting that they create adult fantasy environments. If flowing chocolate and giant bees are your thing, you will totally love the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Vitriol

September 9, 2012

Vitriol

I am studying the alchemist archtype in my life. I have used the word vitriol, but have not associated it with alchemy until I found it in my reading yesterday.  I purchased a beautiful book, Signs & Symbols by Beryl Dhanjal.  In this excellent art and prose work I discovered that vitriol is an acronym, just like OMG.  It stands for Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem,” “Visit the interior of the earth and rectifying (purifying) you will find the hidden stone.” The motto originated in L’Azoth des Philosophes by the 15th Century alchemist Basilius Valentinus.  Both Alchemists and Freemasons use this motto.

In chemistry ancient science referred to sulfuric acid is vitriol.  I have a strong memory of the alchemist in chief in my life, my father, teaching me to make hydrogen bombs. I was probably about 8.   We dissolved magnesium metal bits in hydrochloric acid, but vinegar works, or any acid, I think.  The combination makes hydrogen gas that when ignited, explodes.  At school in the 1950s we had air raid drills about hydrogen bombs.  At home I got to make them.  Both my dad and I liked the little ones we made in test tubes, so we went big one day.  He put the acid and the metal in a gallon jar, which was somehow closed and directed into a plastic tube about 30 ft. long. My dad had no experience in the hurt locker, just in fracking and blowing up oil reservoirs underground.  My mother watched from the upstairs window horrified as my dad lit the end of the hose, which I think was supposed to blow a can in the air.  The tube with the gas in it flamed across my dad’s beloved lawn and the glass bottle blew to smithereens.  I was thrilled, but my father was significantly freaked out.  I think we went on a hiatus from explosion chemistry for a while after that.  I am pretty sure that is when I had to build the crystal radio.  I remember not being nearly as pleased with that radio as I had been with our explosive past.  It is good to have an alchemist for a father.  They combine things that other fathers do not.

Synesthesia

September 6, 2012

The merging of the senses is a process and a practice. To create an artist or inventor can call on all the senses and blend the associations into new meaning.  You may be synesthetic in certain parts of you life, such as personal fashion or cuisine.  I make an attempt to both try new experiences and blend all the sensory information into art.  My artistic sense was inspired long ago by my design teacher, Max Gottschalk, who began the semester with a lecture about designing your life.  I also hung out with Max later in his life and had the pleasure of doing some major synesthesia with him when he was 92 and pretty far out there.  At that time he used to refer to “sonic water”  when we were in the water.  I questioned him thoroughly about this sonic water, but he provided little detail.  I still wonder about that.

I went to Las Vegas to tour Zappos headquarters recently.  My goals were entirely fulfilled on the tour.  In order to get there I flew to Vegas, stayed at a big casino hotel, and coincidentally went to a fashion show.  I flew home after a little more than 24 hours, but the tightly scheduled events, including the Mormons on the plane ride back, have all become one big circus in my mind.  Without intending to do so, I created the circumstances that are perfect for synesthetic problem solving.  I left with a design in my head for a very important event I had been planning for ages.  The juxtaposition of over the top Bellagio surroundings, Zappo’s over the top customer service, and clothing designer Joey Galon’s over the top evening gowns have all merged in my creative process to outline the best little mermaid bat mitzvah after party ever attempted.

I am on a mission to create for my 13 year old friend Mollie a party that expresses her own creativity and that of a few of her close friends.  With the date is closing in, and I had no real plan to pull this whole idea into shape.  I have given her a sewing machine, a 20 minute sewing lesson, and some prom dresses.  Thanks to the various senses that merged the Las Vegas experience for me, we now know what we are going to do!!! Mollie will assemble the girls and fit them into the dresses they like best.  She will cut off the bottom of the dress and we will retrofit them all to be mermaid dresses.  Some individual craft work on the bottom of each dress will make each an individual and unique piece of art.  I always like to put lessons inside a fun project because that inspires me.  I believe I can deliver sewing and fashion design lessons from the upcycle perspective to some unsuspecting young ladies.

office of the most successful capitalists on earth

glass flowers

Mythology

June 13, 2012 — 2 Comments

Each of us is operating inside of a myth.  We hold beliefs that are common to our culture, our friends, and our family.  Some people use icons, art , music, and movement to bring the beliefs into physical existence.  I was first given instruction in Tibetan Buddhist mythology when The Dalai Lama came to Tucson in 1993 to teach patience.  The group of us who would be in a retreat with his holiness were offered a year long training and initiation to the ideas and methods he uses.  This was infinitely helpful, since the Tibetan practices are complicated and follow ancient traditions.  By studying each month and going on retreat once with our teacher, a monk who was also a law professor, we had a very good head start when the time finally came to study with him.

We gathered in a hotel conference room to hear teachings, meditate, and exchange questions and answers with his holiness.  He empowered us all  to Green Tara, emphasizing to us that she was known for her swift action.  We were to visualize her in great detail, having a postcard sized image to follow in our packets.  The really difficult instruction was that the eyes were to be slightly open, gaze fuzzy and unfocused.  I had not done such a visualization that required precision like that before, and found it to be challenging.  Meeting her as I did for the first time when I was 42, I was not very accomplished as a Green Tara visualizer.  The yoga I had done had always involved holding asana poses so long and so precisely that the mind and body required full attention to the task at hand, and therefore rose above distractions.  Sitting still in a room full of people in folding chairs picturing an incarnation of the mother of all Buddhas was a new experience.  I have since had the very good fortune to study with his holiness twice more, once in Zurich in 2005, and again in Tucson a few months later in 2005.  Each time, although he covers the same texts, Shantideva’s Bodhisattva Way of Life, I deepen my understanding and ability to practice.