December 01, 2008
Social Art & the Art of Society
I have always advocated social networking in every form; so much so that I even view it as an art form which contributes to our daily well-being. A daily dose of communication with someone you haven’t met before can not only boost endorphins (and increase karma if it is a good encounter), but can open up windows for future friendships, relationships, or career opportunities. As eloquently stated on my Starbucks cup:
“I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stumped by this for many years. And then I realized, you just say, "Hi." They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word.� -- Augusten Burroughs (author of Running with Scissors)
The more recent inspiration for this entry came from my flights from Detroit, to Washington D.C., to New York (for the Thanksgiving Holiday) – and then from New York, to Chicago, to Detroit. On my connector flight from Washington-Dulles to LaGuardia, I was seated next to an eccentric man with an eclectic style sense. We hit it off immediately – especially once he mentioned he was a stylist for Vogue, Sex & the City, and Ugly Betty. I was fascinated to hear about his travels to numerous countries for photoshoots, along with his own entrepreneurship through his own Vintage Warehouse. A manhattan native, he knows the fashion industry as well as the subway routes. Before we went our separate ways I made sure to get his e-mail address so he could send me updates on the latest movie looks and whereabouts of his Vintage Warehouse. Such great inspirations can emerge from exchanging a few words with a ‘stranger.’ Although I hate the term ‘stanger;’ after all, wasn’t your closest friend merely a ‘stranger’ once?
Similar to photography or sculpture, socializing with ‘strangers’ takes a certain level of confidence in your perspective and advances. Here are some suggestions to get you on your feet, or to get the words out of your mouth, rather.
1 - People don’t bite. A lot of people are really open to conversation. In fact, you’d be amazed at how many girls will be practically overjoyed that you came and talked to them, as if they’ve been waiting for you to approach them.
2 - Rejection is no big deal. I can’t repeat this enough. Still, fear of rejection will be the main reason why guys people go out and try this.
3 - Authenticity is the silver bullet. An honest individuality is the most magnetic of human qualities.
4 - The people around you aren’t watching. And, even when they are, it’s usually in shock and awe, rather than because they’re laughing at you.
5 - Other guys/girls will get out of your way. You’ll be amazed how often other guys/girls simply fade into the background when you approach their female/male friends.
(excerpt extracted from here.)
Start by talking to one person you have never interacted with before every day for 30 days. There are more opportunities for conversation than you may realize - while waiting on line for coffee or groceries, in the few dead minutes before or after lecture, or in a campus dining hall. You will always have at least one thing in common with another person (since you are in the same location at the same time...or ordering the same triple-shot cappuccino after pulling an all-nighter). It's okay if the conversation doesn't progress any further than a few words - that's all it takes to brighten someone else’s day (or your own day).
By the end of those thirty days, social networking, like artistic inclinations, will become second nature. Maybe even an afterthought. The more comfortable you are talking to strangers, the more comfortable you will feel about yourself and will contribute to your attainment of Self-Realization.
Another added bonus: you never know who you may meet.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 07:12 PM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2008
Fair Trade; Fair Wage; Fair Transaction.
Alongside my core requirement classes for my business degree, I opted to enroll in a weekly women's studies class this semester as an outlet for my free-flowing thoughts. The class itself is a great stress-reliever, as twelve of us meet on Wednesday nights to discuss "gendered lives in the U.S." As a final project, we were told to pinpoint an issue in contemporary society and come up with a plan-of action. A revelation. A solution.
I chose the topic of fair trade...which led into free trade...and intertwined with women's working wages. All of the above affect all members of our community. I don't think that enough people are aware of the importance of sustainablity in today's world:
The phrase “Fair Trade� has been tossed around in contemporary society as frequently and nonchalantly as yesterday’s forecast or political propaganda. But does the public really know the difference between fair trade and free trade? How about the impact of trade barriers on women’s working wages? Or that the products they hand-pick in the supermarket had previously been in the hands of exploited workers? Essentially, I have chosen to focus in on the importance of fair and liberated trade; I will be emphasizing the importance of relaxing trade barriers in order to ultimately result in an increase in job openings for women – with equal salaries cemented into the employment description. Through informed consumption, written letters to people in positions of power, and protesting, we can work to educate others on this emerging issue while fighting for socio-economic change.The first aspect of the problem, fair trade, involves a number of criteria: payment of a fair price to producers, safe working conditions, no forced labor or child labor environmentally sustainable farming, direct trade with importers, and partial proceeds devoted to social development projects. This issue typically pertains to the export of goods (handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, bananas, cotton, etc.) from developing countries to developed countries. Outside of the government and the businesses directly involved in the transactions, society comes into play; a good number of consumers are unaware of what goes on behind-the-scenes of America’s imports. Additionally, consumers may be unaware of the ethical decisions (or lack thereof) of large businesses on a daily basis as they profit maximize while minimizing their morals.
Alongside fair trade lies the issue of barriers to trade. Quotas, or limitations on the country’s imports, have a greater affect on society than they seem. Not only do quotas limit the product diversity in our country, but a restriction on trade reduces the number of available jobs – along with the available jobs that provide equal pay for women: “A study of 35 developing countries found a strong positive correlation between the number of female workers per 100 male workers and export growth� (Wood 1991). Additionally, the gender wage gap can be closed through trade expansion; trade increases competition amongst firms, causing a downward pressure on costs and less discrimination against women with comparable skills to men: “A cross-country study that investigated the impact of trade on the gender wage gap suggests that within occupations, increasing trade in most cases is associated with narrowing gender wage gaps� (Oostendorp 2004). I believe that this will be eye-opening news to today’s young future leaders – especially women – who will be the target audience for the implementation process of my solution.
My proposed solution to battle the problem of tightly restricted trade and the persistent gender wage gap begins with informing young adults about the perils of the situation. Therefore, I will encourage informed consumption of fair trade products by posting powerful flyers around campus advertising the importance of supporting fair trade industries. Building on this foundation of spreading knowledge to my peers, I will urge people to write letters to their home-state representatives, advocating a relaxation of trade restrictions in order to ultimately close the gender wage gap that continues to plague today’s society. Telling students to write to their home-state representatives will help knowledge of the quota issue to spread to other states besides Michigan, working towards a nation-wide campaign for policy alteration. Finally, I will seek out student groups on campus (such as S.O.L.E) to help organize boycotts and protests against local businesses which are unethical in their decisions. This will simultaneously impact the way those businesses view their policies, while further demonstrating the importance of fair trade and informed consumption – which powerfully reinforces the previous steps of my solution.
You can read-up on the impact of trade ont he gender-wage gap here.
Here is a flyer I made to get the word out.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 01:35 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2008
The Cronicles of Local & Organic Living
Food fuels our bodies; these foods significantly influence our daily productivity and overall well-being. Therefore, shouldn’t we put just as much effort into our grocery purchases as we do into our morning yoga poses? When it comes to grocery shopping, the battle between locally-grown and organically-grown goods rages in the mind of every health-savvy consumer. The recent wave stressing the importance of organically-grown food has heightened consumers’ awareness of the types of foods they purchase, along with what happens to those foods during growth, packaging, and distribution. But is an organically-grown pear shipped from across the country any better than a branded pear grown in your current state of residence? I’m not convinced.
Sticking with the category of produce, organically-grown fruits are already free from pesticides and DDT. Therefore, they will naturally (no pun intended) rot at a faster rate than produce which has been fortified against exponential deterioration. Thus, en route to its destination, this organic fruit will be more vulnerable to deterioration, bruising, and aging – ultimately making the fruit less fresh upon delivery – not to mention its short shelf-life. Unless the grocery store re-stocks the organic produce almost daily, it isn’t safe to say that the fruit will be the freshest, or healthiest, in the bunch. On the other hand, locally-grown produce will most likely be re-stocked often (since shipping won’t be much of an issue). Although these fruits might have been exposed to some chemicals to keep them fresh, the amount of chemicals used will be significantly less (since the transport route will be short) compared to big-brand producers who ship mass amounts of produce from different states).
In the end, it really comes down to which matters more to you – 100% chemical-free produce that is on the verge of rotting, or 90% crisp, chemical-free produce hand-picked by your local friendly farmer. While I agree that organic living is important in the long run for human and planet sustainability, I would choose locally-grown over organically-grown because I believe that “local is the new organic�
For our convenience, stores like Whole Foods have been unfolding across the United States to satisfy our organic cravings. Not only does Whole Foods have an outrageous selection of prime products and healthy versions of nearly every “junk food,� but they also accommodate for a myriad of common allergies. When I set foot into Whole Foods for the first time and asked an employee to direct me towards the gluten-free bread, he instead directed me towards the information desk and gave me a complete directory of gluten-free products that Whole Foods had in stock.
Essentially, organic and locally-grown goods are now widely available enough to leave your backyard gardens unkempt. Just take care not to overanalyze your produce purchases. It might interfere with your balanced mind.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2008
Zen: the most lucid canvas primer
All artists can admit to have experienced pangs of creativity-block at some point in time. Personally, I have found myself to have difficulty cranking out different pieces week after week when put on a rigid art class assignment schedule. In my high school drawing and painting courses we were required to complete weekly drawings for in-class critiques, along with bi-monthly perfected works of art. I find it difficult to be inspired upon command - especially when assigned topics or "themes" in which I had little or no control. Tossing in other school commitments, exams, meetings, and after-school activities, my designated “creative time� was pushed back in disarray to some time frame between 1 and 3am.
I stumbled upon a web entry that addresses this issue that plagues artists, both young and old. The key to artistic inspiration and creativity-block lies in the way in which you prime your mental canvas. Here are some tips to help you dispose of last month's stash of Gesso:
Have an attitude of low expectations and nothing to lose. Try to make deliberate, thoughtful, rhythmic movements. While not necessarily alone, be solitary. Allow yourself to dream, flow and indulge your fancies. Be philosophic about your weaknesses and creative faults. Let your tools and your media do the talking. Let your work tell you what it needs. Let yourself yin and yang between thought and no thought. Accept imperfection. Try for the spirit of attaining. Teach yourself to teach yourself as you go. Be in the now, but look gently ahead. Be not lazy in your relaxation.(excerpt extracted from “The Art of Zen�)
Adding a splash of Zen to your artistic processes will allow you to expand your mind towards realization – which will also clear your clogged creative arteries. The practice of Zen in itself emphasizes the practice of dharma and experiential wisdom,working towards the ultimate goal of realization.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2008
Sahaja Yoga
As a supporter of holistic health, I am always looking for simple new ways to stay centered. I stumbled upon Sahaja Yoga - a method of meditation focused on Self-Realization - through CrazyWisdom Bookstore's weekly e-Newsletter. (The CrazyWisdom Tea Room, located above the bookstore is also worth the detour to Main Street on a tranquil afternoon). They offer a free weekly group Sahaja Yoga session on Thursdays from 5:30-6:30pm. At first, being the active-minded person that I am, I had difficulty tapping in to a thoughtless state of mind. After several sessions, I noticed an improvement in my sleep habits, along with a reduction in my physical and emotional stress level.
As for some background on the Yoga form, Sahaja Yoga was founded by Shri Mataji in 1970. Mataji believes that each person must be his or her own guru, and that mental and spiritual unity, or yoga, can be achieved through Self-Realization; this prime focus revolves around the fluidity and balance of the central nervous system. Through Sahaja Yoga, one is able to tap into a consiousness that is freed from thoughts or worries. In this intrinsic meditation process, one passes energy through an energy chain of chakras:
1. Mooladhara Chakra - the base chakra of innocence and purity; located below the sacrum bone.
2. Swadishthan Chakra - chakra of creativity, pure attention and pure knowledge; located in the the lower abdomen
3. Nabhi Chakra - chakra of generosity, contentment, & satisfaction; located on the left and right sides of the body.
4. The Void - represents the power of mastry within us; surrounds the second & third chakra.
5. Anahat Chakra - chakra of the heart; connected to our spirit.
6. Vishuddhi Chakra - chakra of pure relationships & bonds.
7. Agnya Chakra - chakra of compassion & forgiveness; located at the temples.
8. Sahasrara Chakra - final level of human awareness.
For more in-depth insight into the various chakras
Sahaja Yoga sessions are held free of charge and the process can be practiced as part of a group, or individually. However, I noticed a stronger sense of relaxation through meditation with a group - the collective silence and focus circulating in a room of people takes on its own form of renewable energy.
For such a simple practice, Sahaja Yoga can be so rewarding, providing an instant gratification of heightened self-awareness in a matter of minutes. I would advise giving it more than one try before abandoning the path towards reaching a mental state of Awakening altogether; the positive results are internalized within oneself, but the benefits of Self-Realization will naturally spread unto others.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 10:29 PM | Comments (2)
October 08, 2008
Welcome!
Namo namah!
(Hello, in Sanskrit)
I am devoting this blog site essentially to the art of zen - or the pleasant combination and perfect overlap of the concepts behind those two words. Mainly, I will be writing about delightful ways to incorporate art, meditation, yoga, and a quiet piece of mind into everyday life. After being an avid participant in the Yoga festival in the heart of NYC ( SOLSTICE in Times Square) this past June, I have found that it is indefinitely possible to keep your mind completely at peace - even when surrounded by persistent noise and chaos. (In photo #2 of the slideshow on the main page, I am the third person over from the right!)
Visit often for interesting insights and quirky additions.
शांति
Karen Rockwood
Posted by rockwood at 09:25 PM | Comments (0)
September 30, 2008
Test
Hello, World! http://www.umich.edu
Posted by rockwood at 09:18 AM