Unplug and unwind. These two words influence many a plane ticket purchase. My dream journey checklist includes plenty of sunshine, an expansive lush jungle, big waves and gorgeous Yoga retreat centers. Most importantly, there must be such a minimal number of tourists so I can enjoy a walk on the beach without seeing another soul. The answer – Costa Rica – where I visited three amazing places that quenched my desires for peace and quiet, relaxation, fresh organic meals, killer views, amazing surf and of course – Yoga. I recommend visiting each one in order for a fulfilled Costa Rican adventure: Ama Tierra Retreat and Wellness Center, nestled deep within the oxygen-rich jungle-covered mountains; Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat on Playa Hermosa beach in Santa Teresa and Anamaya Body, Mind and Spirit Resort, atop the hills overlooking the coast of Montezuma.

Jungle Love
For pure tranquility, peace, quiet and some serious alone time, Ama Tierra is the answer. Upon your landing, expect to be pampered with the simplicity of organic surrounds and two hosts who are masters at creating sacred space and transformational time.

After short connecting flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, a driver sent by owners Bob and Jill Ruttenberg picked me up within the hour and whisked me off to their resort. At first glance, Ama Tierra already far exceeded my expectations. I felt at home within the embrace of the center’s natural elements. My lungs expanded, welcoming the abundance of fresh oxygen produced by the surrounding jungle. As I strode into the new open-air Yoga pavilion, the fresh scent of teak wood complimented the beautiful expansive view.

A spacious, private room awaited and immediately satisfied my longing to be alone where I dove into my inner self through consistent journal writing. Moments with Jill helped me understand the feelings of interconnectedness I was experiencing here.

“Our motto is ‘cared for and carefree.’ We attract people who want to go deep inside themselves while they are here,” Jill said. “Usually, a person can only do an hour or two of Yoga or meditation. Here, they can do it as much as they want…some people are working things out and we can help them with that. A lot of people come because they are in a transitional part of their lives, ready to make a change.” Jill, a registered herbalist, offers a variety of therapies on the premises including massage and spa treatments, energy and chakra balancing, Reiki and Vibrational Sound Therapy.

I tried Jill’s abdominal chi massage, wanting to release old energy. My spiritual connection to Costa Rica, combined with Jill’s skillful touch, finally brought me back to the person I felt I had lost in Los Angeles.

Each day I woke to the soothing sounds of birds, stretched out my worries with hours of Hatha Yoga, hiked through the jungle to a stream, strolled through the organic garden and spendt peaceful moments by the pool.

I understood why Ama Tierra was a retreat destination of choice for Yoga teachers worldwide. Not only were full amenities offered onsite, students could also partake in a wide variety of activities nearby. I suggest the infamous Costa Rican zip line and aerial tram ride through the rainforest at Turubari Park, snorkeling at Tortuga Island, visiting La Paz waterfall and/or surfing at Jaco Beach. Jill and Bob coordinate with each teacher on a deeply personal level to create the perfect holistic package.

Beachside Beauty
The sea began calling my surf-addicted self so my next destination involved surf and sand, meeting up with friends (Ken and Janine) from LA and the new Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa. My solo trek from jungle heaven to the sea involved a six-hour bus ride from San Jose to Mal Pais, then a ten-minute cab ride to Santa Teresa.

I had surfed Mal Pais once before with family and the hippie town adored by yogis worldwide has been calling me back ever since. Longtime friend Ken Jordan, producer of the electronic music duo The Crystal Method and his fiancée Janine hinted to their beach home in Santa Teresa and I was there before they could fully extend the invitation, especially when they mentioned their neighbors, the new resort Pranamar. Since the neighboring resort opened, Ken and Janine have rented out their ocean view two-story open-air house when there were overflows of Yoga students.

Pranamar was opened and created by a close-knit family: Nancy Goodfellow, her mother Susan Money, her husband Greg and ex-husband Stefano Allegri (Yoga teacher and massage therapist). After running and selling nearby resort Florblanca, they decided to focus this version of paradise on Yoga.

While living in Encinitas, Nancy began her twenty year study of Yoga with Ashtanga and then continued exploring the practice in a variety of studios and traditions, including Anusara. Her teaching is now Anusara-inspired, focused on therapeutic practices for the injured, surfer-strengthening Yoga and daily Pilates. She fell in love with Costa Rica enough to call it home when she drove a VW van through the country seventeen years ago, following her mom who was running a bed and breakfast in Tamarindo.

“Costa Rica is a place that is so vibrating with nature. When you are here, you feel it. This area is intense with this vibration, this idea that we honor nature. Everything is vibrating with Shakti. The idea is not that we need to transcend this world. We can fully live in this world and still live a yogic lifestyle,” Nancy describes.

Merely days after my trip to Costa Rica, memories still lingering, I was dancing outdoors to DJ David Starfire at the event Lightning in a Bottle. As I glanced around at my fellow dancers smiling in unison, a grey-haired couple caught my eye. In magical moments like these, I realize I am right where I need to be in my life. Honey and Heart Akerson were from the small beachside town of Mal Pais, Costa Rica. I had met them just a week prior, when they were delivering food to a farmers’ market! Now at Lightning, they were promoting their project for solar power.

Secluded, Pranamar is nestled beside the Pacific Coast waters of the Nicoya Peninsula. The Yoga studio fits up to seventy people and each private villa opens its doors to the edge of a tranquil pool. It is still close enough to other activities, including snorkeling in a nearby cove, ATV riding on dirt roads, hiking through the jungle, dancing at a beachside club and of course – surf. Rumor had it that I was in town during the biggest swell of the season, which churned my desire to trek the ten minutes down the beach framed by jungle filled with monkeys swinging through the trees.

Sunset Celebration
Even after the Costa Rican sun sets, warmer temperatures linger as the small towns come alive with the sounds of reggae music spilling out from resorts and beaches. Anamaya Body, Mind and Spirit Resort, an elegantly decorated open-air estate boasting a 180-degree view of the coastline, resides about thirty minutes from Pranamar, a five-minute walk from the breathtaking tall Montezuma Falls and a short drive from Costa Rica’s oldest nature reserve, Cabo Blanco.

During my stay, Anamaya was hosting a party. And Anamaya is a great place to bring the joy that emerges in a Yoga practice to a party. The resorts’ owners are professional entertainers who host events including a multicourse meal, delicious drinks and desserts, dance parties and aerial acrobatics instruction. My travel companions for this stint of the trip were quick to participate: Ken jumped on the decks and played music, while Janine joined a group of local firedancers.

As I packed my bags the following day, a feeling of deep satisfaction swept over me. I accepted the many gifts offered by each retreat, carried memories of love and leisure never to be forgotten and noted my second trip to Costa Rica a success. Join me for round three?

Ama Tierra (Bob and Jill Ruttenberg): amatierra.com or for planning your Yoga rereat or vacation: ricayoga.com

Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat: pranamaryoga.com

Anamaya Body, Mind, Spirit Resort: AnamayaResort.com

Ken Jordan’s home can be viewed at: TheWhiteHouseofCostaRica.com

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post On The Road: A Perfect Retreat appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Deep within a forest of oak trees, a world of pure delight was discovered by those seeking a festival featuring the stuff of dreams. This community structured on love, yoga, dance, music and art found a chosen family within the trees.

I admit it: I’m a Lightning in a Bottle addict, and I can truly say that this was the best one yet. The Do LaB, characters of creativity who have produced the green event since 2000, took 2009 off; needless to say, our community suffered a severe case of separation anxiety.

Shiva’s Yoga Trance, Photo By Adam Latham

Then 2010 delivered with a transcendent line-up: Primal Yoga and Trance Dance with Shiva Rea; guest speaker Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith; world-class DJs Adam Freeland, Sandra Collins and Lee Burridge, camping by a lake, art installations surrounding three stages with musicians, performers and DJs; recycling stations and free filtered water.

Workshops at the Sustainability Stage fed the desire of those seeking education, including organic gardening with Jessica Viola; those longing to tap into their inner activist went on an interactive tour with Francis DellaVecchia’s upcoming Joyful Activist Playbook. Yogis aiming to increase self-love found fulfillment in Jesse Lombardi’s “Yoga in a Bottle” class, while environmentalists enjoyed numerous discussions, including one led by Chris Paine, director of the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?

The abundance of trees and a lakeside view of Irvine’s Oak Creek Ranch created the perfect destination to cater the crowd of 7,000 attendees, yet the most impressive area, located at the top of a hill, was The Temple of Consciousness. Shiva’s session here was listed in the guide as Yoga and dance, but organically evolved into a worship of nature, as she placed attendees in a circle around a beautiful oak tree. Within minutes, each person had their hands on the tree and the group chanted in unison in a celebration of all united as

Lee Burridge, Photo By Adam Latham

While the days provided tools for finding one’s inner self, the nights were designed for one to get lost. Favorite acts included DJ/producer Adam Freeland, who succeeded in mind control of the crowd with heavy hitting break beats; William and the Earth Harp, who spanned his instrument’s strings hundreds of feet; DJ Treavor Moontribe, who unleashed acts of wizardry through sound; Terrakroma, a trio who took live production to a whole new level; and Beats Antique, who catered to dub step addicts. And who could live without Jesse Wright and Sammy Bliss, creators of the Woogie Stage, who blessed us with nonstop house music and funky dirty glitchy beats, day and night.

The close of the weekend brought a sense of fulfillment. Dancing hard eight hours for three nights, engaging in outdoor Yoga and eating organic vegetarian food was a much-needed prescription that could only be filled by Lightning in a Bottle. Until next year!

For more information about this annual festival, visit: LightningInABottle.org.

Adam Latham is a photographer whose innovative work has been seen throughout LA YOGA: angeladam.com.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post A Chosen Family appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

In October, 2007, a pod of 35 surfers silently slipped into the ocean off the coast of Taiji, where the water washing around their ankles was tainted red, confirming they had reached their destination. Taiji is a small fishing village in Japan, notorious among ocean activists as the “killing cove.” More than 2,000 pilot whales and other dolphins are slaughtered here each year; this number represents only a portion of the over 23,000 cetaceans (whales and dolphins) killed in Japan annually.

These surfers were participating in the first nonviolent protest in Taiji, organized by the nonprofit Surfers for Cetaceans (S4C). Their statement was broadcast around the world by a group of intrepid cameramen committed to the mission of ahimsa (nonviolence). S4C founder Dave Rastovich (a self-proclaimed dolphin defender) and his wife, mermaid model and yogi Hannah Fraser, had rallied the crew after seeing news reports of animals dripping with blood, slowly bleeding to death, being dragged into boats and often gutted while still alive.

Rastovich and Fraser were joined by Australian actress and yogi Isabel Lucas; Heroes star Hayden Panettiere; The Whale Warriors author Peter Heller, professional surfer Karina Petroni; representatives from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Save the Waves, Minds in the Water, The Whaleman Foundation and a slew of other celebrities and musicians, all paddling toward fishermen intent on hunting pilot whales. Sitting on their boards in the water, they joined hands silently and formed a traditional surfers’ memorial prayer circle.

Their peaceful protest succeeded in staving off the bloodshed, at least for one day. But by the following morning, fisherman had erected tarps and netted off the bay in an attempt to hide evidence of the overnight slaughter of 30 pilot whales. It was still dark when the surfers arrived to resume their prayer circle. The fishermen screamed at the surfers to go home, threatened them with propeller blades and attacked them with a long wooden pole. Recalling these events months later, Fraser said, “We were all crying when they started to kill the whales.” Lucas added, “It was really emotional for all of us. There was a lot of heavy energy when we got to the bay. The [surviving] pilot whales were swimming five meters away from us.”

“They were swimming in their family’s blood and knew they were in danger,” Fraser continued. “As soon as we got into the water, they swam toward us and got as close as they could. You have to wonder how intelligent these creatures are for them to perceive that we are trying to help them.”

Taiji’s whaling-for-food tradition is deadly in more ways than one. Aside from the fact that the slaughter beneath the tarps is inhumane, the meat of the dolphins and whales killed in Japanese waters harbors highly toxic levels of methyl mercury. Studies conducted by the Japanese government showed that dolphin and whale meat can contain up to 10 – 16 times the government’s limit for mercury and methyl mercury. This toxicity is the reason for the Sea Shepherd Society’s “Toxic Lunch” campaign.

“The mercury content has been known about for some years,” Fraser explained. “Various protestors and concerned individuals have been trying to get the word out, do more studies and show the fishermen the results. However, the fishermen laugh it off and don’t want to know the information as it threatens their business. We made this a key issue of the protest in the hope that consumers in Japan would realize they are being poisoned. “We actually achieved something really amazing. People around the world heard about the dolphin killing and then started to research online and the mercury issue became paramount.”

Yet unlike expensive whale meat, dolphin meat is not a delicacy in Japan. And according to the group Save Japan Dolphins (savejapan dolphins.org), the Japanese government issues permits to kill dolphins by the thousands every year not because of food culture, or traditional consumption of dolphin meat, but for alleged pest control – preserving the ocean’s fish for the fishermen by eliminating the competition.

Prior to their journey to Japanese waters, Fraser intensified her strict yoga and meditation practice as she grew increasingly aware of the potential opposition they would be facing. And she needs the discipline even more now, since S4C has been speaking worldwide on behalf of the threatened cetaceans (including appearances at Los Angeles Earth Day events), and collaborating with other organizations to launch a global protest of cetacean-killing, riding a surging wave of ahimsa (nonviolence) and peace.

Surfers for Cetaceans, formed in 2004, urges surfers to conserve and protect whales, dolphins and other marine wildlife as well as the greater environment. S4C also sends representatives to educate members of the public around the world. Visit SurfersforCetaceans.com, SaveTheWhales.com, SaveJapanDolphins.org and HannahMermaid.com for further information.

GotMercury.com lists the mercury levels in foods.

For more information or to get involved with the effort to save Japan’s dolphins, visit:savejapandolphins.org.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post From Mermaids to Activists appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Daniel Stewart

If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out

“MUSIC IS ONE OF THE FIRST WAYS that we worshipped God,” says Daniel Stewart, co-owner, with Claire Hartley, of Rising Lotus Yoga in Sherman Oaks. “The emotional vibrations of sound speak directly to our soul.” A Yoga teacher, retreat facilitator, kirtan leader and life counselor working in private practice, Daniel shares the powerful heartbased components of Yoga and music in his classes and kirtan (devotional, call-and-response singing) events.

“In this practice of focusing on a mantra [sacred syllable] and singing joyfully, we are led away from thinking, back to feeling and embodied awareness. Really, the only way we know anything essential is through the body and the powerful feelings that rise in the realm of our heart, not our head.” According to Daniel, the practice of Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of devotion) is considered to be the most immediate pathway to this experience of union with the divine aspect of our psyche and self.

Bhakti Yoga, as described in the Narada Bhakti Sutra, is the thread of love that binds the heart of the devotee to divine consciousness or God, as Daniel explains. Kirtan, an ancient form of devotional chanting, is a vehicle to this union. Chanting divine names inspires the ability to live with an experience of feeling grounded in the moment while simultaneously encouraging profound heart opening, ultimately facilitating what Daniel sees as a desired goal: experiencing our natural state of wholeness.

“Bhakti and music together create a state of ego surrender, where we effortlessly experience the inherent wholeness of the psyche and rest in our natural state of bliss,” Daniel describes.

The effectiveness of this is evident in kirtan’s massive current popularity “Even during this economic downturn,” Daniel says, “Yoga and kirtan are exploding. The feeling of community and unity grows as we resonate with the archetypal energies in mythology sung as mantra…these stories symbolize our inner dance to reconcile the powerful energies at work in our own psyches.”

Daniel utilizes music, song and voice to draw students in – to the practice and to themselves – at the beginning of a class. Aside from its ability to still the mind and return a practitioner to the present moment, Daniel honors kirtan for its healing abilities in his own life and the lives of his students.

“As I developed my personal practice and my work as a life counselor and teacher, no matter which lens I looked through – my studies in Carl Jung’s work of depth psychology, Eastern wisdom traditions, ecstatic poetry or Yoga – I saw that we all long for the freedom from suffering that only occurs when we embrace ALL the split-off aspects of our selves. We are called to connect, again and again, with our vital life-force as it cries out for expression.”

“The musical meditation of kirtan is a powerful way to experience this profound healing and transformation in an immediate, embodied way.”

Daniel was initially uncertain about how to integrate his love of music and his practice. Insecure about his singing voice he realized that his own faith in the process he taught needed to be his touchstone as he explored his own truth. “I loved singing so much, that I knew I had to embrace the practice despite my doubt. When we surrender our fear in the service of growth, we allow the wisdom of the unconscious to come through us as teachers. Then there is nothing to judge about the individual voice or leader, only the bhav or bhakti rising in the ecstatic communion of the group”

“Here’s the thing,” explains Daniel. “I was led because I followed. The ecstatic poet Rumi said that if we follow what we love, it would lead us home to our selves. I was always called to music, so I followed it. Yoga became a saving grace for me because it was the embodiment of spirit, and during a difficult stage in my life, depth psychology opened my eyes to the powerful autonomous archetypal energies of the unconscious. The more I surrendered to the call of my truth in the integration of these practices, the more I had to let go of my ego. This led me to my path. It might not have been the path I expected, but it is so much more beautiful than what I could have imagined.” Finding joy in these moments and trusting the universe gave Daniel the courage to share his voice.

“My teacher Jai Uttal reminds me that the goal is to get out of the way,” Daniel explained of his singing. “If you open up and become transparent, something arrives from the unconscious. For me, it was the courage to finally have faith in my voice as a vehicle for transformation.”

The creation of Rising Lotus is another vehicle for transformation and expression of Daniel’s voice. At the studio, Daniel’s gentle masculine spirit and musical expression joined with Claire Hartley’s feminine shakti and her gifts as director of teacher training to make the studio part of a vibrant community, contributing to the lifting energy in the valley. Rising Lotus, celebrating its third year, has recently added a second asana room and is flourishing. Even when Daniel’s not singing, the walls hold the vibration of the sacred sound.

“The music brings joy, not only to my students, but to me. I bathe in it when I am singing; feeling the gift of this music and the community it creates. I ask myself how all of this could be happening? And then stop and say, ‘Yes, let it happen!’”

Daniel Stewart leads retreats and teaches at Rising Lotus Yoga in Sherman Oaks where he celebrates kirtan regularly: risinglotusyoga.com.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post Teacher Profile: Daniel Stewart appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

It was a percussion aficionado’s dream when the stage of UCLA’s Royce Hall filled with the Global Drum Project. Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart and tabla master Zakir Hussain were joined by Puerto Rican percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo and Nigerian drummer Sikiru Adepoju. Knowing the experience and historical significance of these musicians, the audience sat at the edge of their seats anticipating a steller performance. If anything, our expectations were exceeded.

The two icons, Mickey Hart and Zakir Hussain, share a 33-year musical history through their passion for world percussion and bringing together masters from around the world. Hart founded the Global Drum Project to collect a percussion dream team of musicians, who Hart called “deities in their own cultures.”

The dream team approached an endless sea of instruments on stage that waited patiently to be played. Hussain, Hidalgo and Adepoju unleashed practices, rhythms and classical traditions that have been part of their cultures for centuries. Their organic melodies blended harmoniously with sophisticated digital processors which they used to overdub and create layers of psychedelic sounds in real time, providing additional texture.

On a personal note, I was immersed in delight. I had witnessed Hart’s stellar “Drumz” performances at Dead shows (which were long breaks for Jerry Garcia) and I was also familiar with Hussain. But it wasn’t long before the show expanded beyond my conditioned expectations to provide new definitions for what the human body can do with an instrument. Hart provided the backbeat to the others, who feverishly beat on the instruments with hands, wrists, elbows…whatever they could to diversify and mutate the sound. They gave the instruments voice, in particularly powerful moments, Hidalgo and Adepoju mimicked Hussain’s vocals with their congas and an African talking drum. The interplay of musicians continued with uninterrupted sync and precision to wild extravagant crescendo.

Lost in time and space, there was nowhere to go but inside the drumbeats where the sounds rose and fell, pushing faster and dropping slower, before falling into minimalism, all the while drawing us in so we felt the music vibrate in our bones. The standing ovations did not do the performance justice, nor do these words. Global Drum is all about the living percussive beat.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post Featured Kirtan Events: Dream Drums: Mickey Hart & Global Drum Project appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

October 2008: Volume 7 / No. 8

Salt Water, Surf and Cystic Fibrosis

Detoxification, cleansing, rejuvenation and healing can happen on the mat and for some people, particularly surfers, in the sea.

Hitting the water refreshes the body and calms the mind. As a surfer rides a wave, magic unfolds. Time stops, washing away all worries. This is when the meditation begins. The strong healing properties of saltwater are a surfer’s medicine, both physically and emotionally. This is the case for people living with the chronic genetic disease of cystic fibrosis (CF), who find spending time in the ocean provides an even deeper healing benefit than what would appear on the surface.

Mark Elkins, a researcher at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital began noticing differences among his patients with cystic fibrosis: several were in generally better health than others. The common thread among his healthier patients was they were all avid surfers, who reported that their chests and sinuses felt clear, and they coughed up much of the thick mucus that clogged their lungs.

CF is an inherited chronic disease in which a defective gene, and therefore the defective protein produced by its encoding, leads the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus. This mucus clogs the lungs and interferes with release of enzymes from the pancreas. This affects digestion and respiration. The sticky mucus creates a fertile home for bacteria and other infectious agents and can make affected persons more susceptible to contracting and succumbing to life-threatening lung infections. Even though there is a thick layer of mucus, the lungs of people with CF do not produce the normal, thin watery lubricant that lines the airway. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 30,000 children and adults in America, and 70,000 worldwide are currently diagnosed with the disease.

When Elkins investigated the connection between his surfing patients and their disease processes, he discovered the salty ocean mist actually helped re-hydrate their lungs.

On the shores of another ocean, Dr. Scott Donaldson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, noted a similar effect as stated on CNN, “surfers with cystic fibrosis had fewer lung exacerbations.” The lungs of patients who inhaled the saltwater, he added, became “re-hydrated by adding a layer of water to the airway surface. That acts as a lubricant, which makes it easier to clear the mucus.”

Following the surfers’ feedback and studies, doctors in Australia and America started to test whether water saltier than the body’s own salinity (hypertonic) might help replace the natural lubrication missing in a person with cystic fibrosis. Researchers hoped the extra salt would draw water out of the lung tissue onto the space within the airway and provide a thin layer of liquid to ease mucus out of the lung.

The result of this discovery was the development of a breathing treatment for those salt water, surf and cystic fibrosis with CF called hypertonic saline solution, which mimics a “surf session” for the lungs. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, inhaling a mix of this specially mixed sterile saltwater solution at least twice a day results in improvements in lung function and significant reductions in hospitalizations.

In celebration of the link between surfing and its healing aspects for CF patients, a group of CF Foundation activists and professional surfers gathered together to raise money to help find a cure for the deadly disease.

On Saturday, July 19, 2008, surfing legends gathered at the PacSun Pipeline to a Cure gala at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach, California. Honorary co-chairs and big wave surfers Laird Hamilton and David Kalama were joined by surfing stars Mickey Munoz, Gerry Lopez, Jericho Poplar, Lisa Andersen and others to support the event which included dinner, an auction and performances by Social Distortion and Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The successful event raised nearly $425,000.

Hamilton and Kalama continually risk their lives for the perfect ride by surfing 70 foot walls of water. While they battle and conquer fierce elements by choice, the two legendary watermen now hold an additional hero in their hearts – a young surfer girl with CF, Emily Haager, who surfs to survive. A surfer from Diamond Bar, California, Haager is the face for Pipeline to a Cure. She was born with the genetic disease and diagnosed when six months old.

When Haager was born in 1983, the median life expectancy of a person with CF was less than 18 years. Due to support of the Cystic Fybrosis Foundation, by fundraising campaigns like Pipeline to a Cure, the average life expectancy is now 37. At age 25, Haager has surpassed her doctors’ expectations and stands strong against the odds.

Hamilton expressed his enthusiasm for honoring the link between his most cherished sport and CF. “To me, the healing aspect of surfing for CF patients makes perfect sense. I see what surfing has done for me with recharge, recovery and how it affects me personally. Those with CF do not live forever and carry a horrible physical burden that none of us [without CF] can imagine. This is why Dave and I want to participate in this cause, so that we can help raise money for additional medical research and hopefully find a cure.”

Kalama saw his support as a natural progression from his love for surfing. “In regards to the event’s success, I think that can be attributed to the legitimate connection between surfing and saltwater being an organic healing treatment for cystic fibrosis,” he said. “This tie has motivated everyone here because we all understand it. Everyone understands how important saltwater is, not just to ride waves but the benefits mentally and physically.”

Emily Haager certainly knows how to ride the waves and they have benefitted her body and spirit. “It is my dream to go a day without treatments and eventually be the longest living female surfing survivor of cystic fibrosis out in the water,” Haager said with hope.

Hamilton, Kalama and the other individuals involved with Pipeline to a Cure are striving to make Haager’s dream a reality.

PacSun Pipeline to a Cure was the first fundraising event for the campaign. To learn more about the campaign, visit: PipelineToACure.org.

For Emily’s story, visit: youtube.com/watch. For more information about cystic fibrosis, visit: cff.org.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post Surfing To Live appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Walking upon the grounds of Cornucopia at Malibu High School is an experience that touches upon all of the senses. The alluring site is filled with the scents of hummingbird sage and lavender, the bright vibrancy of poppies, giant sunflowers and native trees; and nature’s delicious flavors, including pineapple guavas, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini and potatoes.

Before Santa Monica – Malibu United School District generously granted Cornucopia permits to use the land, it was a disarray of brush and weeds, albeit with an ocean view. The beauty of this lush edible landscape and natural outdoor classroom exists from the hard work completed by Cornucopia’s dynamic founders, Debra Bianco and Remy O’Neill. The duo’s sweat and landscaping efforts – augmented by the ongoing efforts of volunteers who believe in the project – have created a beautiful setting: a dry stream bed now decorated with rocks camouflages a cement ditch, a shaded teaching amphitheater offers space for before and after school enrichment programs, science classes and summer programs. They’re hard at work on future projects: a yurt, cabanas, a secret garden and the installation of more picnic tables.

Cornucopia Garden

The Cornucopia Foundation is a learning center that teaches sustainability through the hands-on application of ecological principles. Bianco and O’Neill believe in the importance of food: grown simply, high in quality, safety and variety. At the site, they teach Cornucopia’s founding principles: the process of returning back to nature through “cradle to cradle.” Cradle to cradle follows the natural cycle of life: students participate in the planting of seeds and growing food, then composting with worm mulch, and finally re-planting in the new compost – leading to rebirth. Bianco and O’Neill stress the importance of educating children about the wonders of organic farming and sustainability using this approach. By imitating nature, they hope to conquer problems of pollution, global warming, resource degradation and a broken sense of community.

“The more you get attached to the land and to nature, the more you want to protect it,” O’Neill said. “When you see the elegance of the design of nature, we cannot come close. It’s amazing to see children and adults watch and learn how nature solves its own problems through its own strategies for survival. If we had been watching nature, and not busy doing it ‘our way’ so arrogantly, we would have fewer environmental problems and be further ahead.”

When you see the elegance of the design of nature, we cannot come close

Bianco and O’Neill teach children, elementary through high school, in the outdoor classroom and offer workshops and seminars for adults. There is also a Citizens’ Scientist Program: an interactive and hands-on program that teaches students biology, conservation and observation of birds and bird habitats. They pass on information to Cornell University’s Ornithology Lab.

“The kids get to be citizen scientists because the data that they collect, they send to Cornell and it gets published online for the scientists of the world to view and research. The sense of their self worth is at an all-time high and we have the honor of owning this curriculum.”

In Bianco and O’Neill’s before and after school programs, students learn gardening and cooking with integrated science lessons.

“The children did a project with pumpkins where they planted the seeds in a garden, measured them as they grew, and then they had a big harvest and a parade,” Bianco said. “They cooked them and made soup and pie. Then they put the scraps into the worm farm. They are learning the cradle to cradle technique.”

Cornucopia supported their project by hosting Malibu’s Farmers Market for six years and Bianco and O’Neill are hoping to bring the market back to life. To support their cause and learn about supporting the foundation through donations (including a tool shed), visit: http://www.malibucopia.com.

Lori Denman

When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.

The post Growing the Seeds of Change appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.