Feel Good Friday…Feed the Hunger

As many of you know food is a “thing” with me. I love growing it, eating it, sharing it, cooking it. I hate the fact that some 38 million Americans are food “insecure” these days. That means they do not have enough food to eat 7 days a week or 4 weeks out of the month. If they are receiving food stamps there is only enough to eat 3 weeks out of 4. The person most likely to go hungry…a single mother of two. She will feed her children and then not eat herself. Then layer that sort of information on top of the fact that we throw away tons of edible food every day. The seeming contradiction is maddening.

Here is one man’s answer:
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1318

We are working on this problem locally…with our community garden to feed people and the hands of hope food program. If you want more information I how you can participate drop me a line!

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...Can Art Change the World

Feel Good Friday…Can Art Change the World?

In this TED talk French street artist JR talks about his art projects. Its 24 minutes but very revealing in terms of who we are as human beings…the project becomes useful, the photos were used as roofs for shacks. At about the 17 minute mark there is a brief video that is very revealing.
What we see changes who we are. This project is part of a bigger vision…and his statement is here:
I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we’ll turn the world…INSIDE OUT.
When we act together it becomes bigger than the sum of the parts. There is a way for you to participate if you go to www.insideoutproject.net
Watch the video, it is very good.
Remember…something good is going to happen to you today!
Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...Nourishing with Love

Feel Good Friday…Nourishing with Love

Every small act of kindness makes a difference, says Magnus McFarlane-Barro in this short video about his project. The project began as a simple delivery of supplies to Bosnia. Today his “project” feeds over 400,000 kids everyday in 15 countries. What! Do you think those meals are making a difference to the people who are eating them? You bet they are.

Here at home, Patricia Glover started a branch of Hands of Hope in Fernley. Yesterday 49 families received fruits and vegetables, milk, and bread from quality grocery stores. No candy, no junk food, and very little “commodity” food in the boxes. The project started with 2 or 3 families driving to Reno to pick up their food at hands of hope. We expect to serve 100 families soon. My landlord, Bal and Lucky Gosal generously allow us to use an empty unit to stage the project every Thursday. The work is done by volunteers (mostly Patricia).

The point is that every act of kindness makes a difference. And you never know how much until much much later.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...the Dark Side of the Lens

Feel Good Friday…the Dark Side of the Lens

Have you ever seen a photograph and wondered how in the world the person behind the camera ever got that shot? Did they use telephoto lenses, or were they right on top of the action? In this video we get to see how some of those pictures got snapped. Now the question becomes where was the shooter who shot the pictures of the guy shooting the picture? There are some absolutely amazing and amazingly beautiful pictures in this video. Enjoy it here:

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2220

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...People Are Awesome

Feel Good Friday…People are Awesome

People do amazing things. There are some things on this video that are downright scary. And some others that are staggering. And a bunch of them that had me wondering how anyone thought of that?
Anyway its fun and it will bring a smile to your face and might even make your jaw drop a bit!
Go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Vo0Cazxj_yc

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...Chewing Gum Art

Feel Good Friday…Chewing Gum Art

“Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.” Confucius
I have to admit I never thought of discarded chewing gum as beautiful, especially gum thrown on the sidewalk. But here it is:
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2165
I find people fascinating. How did someone decide to start painting chewing gum on the sidewalk? After watching the video and the painstaking work the artist puts into his art you really have to wonder what possessed him to do that the first time. And then why would you continue to do it? There is no money in it. As a matter of fact the man even got arrested once. You have to figure it is for the sake of doing the art. But lying on the sidewalk and painting gum? How very fascinating.

Where do you do your art? Why do you do it? Why do you keep doing it? Why aren’t you doing more of it? Interesting questions.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Feel Good Friday...The Power of Vulnerability

Feel Good Friday…The Power of Vulnerability

This video has come to me twice now so I must share it with you! As many of you know, I am a huge believer in the power of kind acts. They are good for you because those acts create a feeling in you that you are a kind and worthy person. It turns out they are also good for you because they connect you to others in an open and vulnerable way. I require all of my students to do acts of kindness to be eligible for their next belt test. For far too many of them this is the hardest component of their curriculum. I guess learning to punch and kick and hurt is easier than doing nice, kind and healing things. Such is the world we live in, I suppose.

Here are 2 links to the same video:
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2212
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0

It is about 20 minutes long but very well worth it!
Enjoy!

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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