Spirited Woman Blogger Team

I Hope You Dance

How’s this for a job: Unlimited travel, a tripod, and just you? That is Matt Harding’s new life as he, a former computer game designer, travels the world and records himself “dancing badly” in exotic locations. If you’d like four minutes of pure joy, watch this video.

This week Matt brought his 2012 video to the school where I sometimes work. Before his arrival, I was skeptical—what is the point, I thought, in filming a jig in front of the Taj Mahal. But when my students begged to dance with him and he agreed, the smiles on their faces said it all.

A love of travel took Matt on hiatus from his tech job in 2002. He was soon recording himself dancing alone in front of monuments and landmarks around the world. But then a stranger hijacked his facebook entry and posted it on Youtube. When Matt caught up with it, a million hits later, he knew he was onto something.  So did sponsors.  Funds waltzed in.

When he went to Rwanda, he found no monuments for a backdrop, so he danced with kids. That’s when he realized his true purpose: to show that there are friendly people all over the world, and that “we don’t need to be afraid of each other.” Now all of his clips show him connecting and laughing with people through dance, the universal language.

Viewers are astounded when they see him dancing in places the average American would never go: North Korea, Gaza Strip, Iraq, Yemen. But he believes “the world is safer than it’s ever been.” Americans need to shake off their ever-debilitating fear.

Guest Blogger - Eve Agee - Ever Heard of A Hot Flash Mob?

Instead of dreading menopause, what if we threw a great big party to celebrate it? Medical Anthropologist Dr. Eve Agee, is our new guest blogger.  In her final lpost in her three-part series exclusively for Spirited Woman, Eve writes about how we can find new ways to celebrate and thrive during peri-menopause, menopause and post menopause in honor of National Menopause Awareness Month.

Instead of dreading menopause, what if we threw a great big party to celebrate it?

September is National Menopause Awareness Month and we are celebrating it in style with the Hot Flash Mob Movement. My dear friend, Jeanette DePatie, and I dreamed up the Hot Flash Mobs as a way to help women come together, support one another and find fun, healthy ways to embrace the change of life.

As a cultural anthropologist, I knew that in many traditional societies, people mark moving into important life stages with public ritual and ceremonies that often involve dancing.  We wanted to come up with something women can do to commemorate being menopausal that would be fun, get us moving more to reduce symptoms, and would also have meaning and provide us with the opportunity to celebrate and connect with other women. Hence the Hot Flash Mob Movement was born.

Hot Flash Mobs are a worldwide, synchronized dance movement that utilizes the popularity and fun of flash mobs - where people come together in a public place and dance together--to raise awareness and change perceptions about menopause.  The Hot Flash Mobs are an inclusive way to celebrate the grace, beauty and strength of peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women.  Men, women and children of every age, shape, size and ability are invited to come dance the Hot Flash Mob and celebrate life.

This September, we will be dancing the Menopause Mambo, which is choreographed to a super-fun, hot Latin beat. Whether you would like to join a Hot Flash Mob near you, gather a few friends and start your own, or simply learn this wonderful dance for your own pleasure, the Menopause Mambo is sure to put a smile on your face.

I hope you’ll consider joining us for this celebration of women everywhere.  This is a great opportunity for us to show the world that menopause doesn’t have to be an ending, but rather can serve as a beginning to a new rich stage of life.  If you would like to learn the Menopause Mambo, Jeanette will walk you through the steps right here in the video.  And I would love it if you let me know, how does it feel to celebrate menopause with a dance?

Dr. Eve Agee, www.eveagee.com
Click here for more of Eve's posts.

Dr. Eve Agee, Ph.D. is an international bestselling author, medical anthropologist, certified life coach and leading global authority on menopause and women's wellness.  Her best-selling book, The Uterine Health Companion: A Holistic Guide to Lifelong Wellness (Random House), is the winner of the International Book Awards for Women’s Health.

Nature & Technology Blend Together in Singapore

It's just amazing, how many ideas and inspirations people create today for going green - exploring new design spaces which combine enjoyment, education in a sustainable man-made environment.

In Singapore at Gardens by The Bay, Project Directory Dr. Kiat Tan is on the leading edge of inspiration and science fiction where his gardens and technology are blending together to take going green to new heights. His creation, termed "Super Trees," are beautiful steel trees 40 meters tall - home to thousands of plants creating a living architectural marvel.

Dr. Tan, refers to them as the "hook" that will draw people in, people who never look at gardens will come and enjoy this space and connect with nature through the work of a group of dedicated engineers, horticulturists, architects, and landscape designers, who have turned their inspired vision into reality right in the heart of Singapore. Enjoy this marvel on video!

Thrive: What On Earth Will It Take?

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Life just shouldn't be this hard..." When we look around at the awe inspiring beauty and intricacies of the balance in nature we intuitively know that to Thrive is the natural order of things. But it's not the reality that we experience day-to-day. Why is that? What is keeping us from Thriving?

Foster Gamble set out on a journey 25 years ago to answer the question, "is it even possible for humans to thrive?" He has brought together his questions and the surprising answers he has found from all of the great minds he encountered along his quest. The result is a compelling documentary that brings together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism and offers real solutions that empower people to take bold steps. The documentary THRIVE: What on Earth Will it Take? will be released globally on the Internet on 11-11-11.

The documentary includes interviews with : Duane Elgin, Nassim Haramein, Steven Greer, Jack Kasher, Daniel Sheehan, Adam Trombly, Brian O'Leary, Vandana Shiva, John Gatto, John Robbins, Deepak Chopra, David Icke, Catherine Austin Fitts, G. Edward Griffin, Bill Still, John Perkins, Paul Hawken, Aqeela Sherrills, Evon Peter, Angel Kyodo Williams, Elisabet Sahtouris, Amy Goodman, and Barbara Marx Hubbard.

BZ Riger www.artofallowingmindset.com
Click here for more of BZ's posts.

Answer The Call to Wake-Up & See Life With New Eyes

There is so much changing, a lot of it feels chaotic and frightening to people. I've gone through my share of chaotic changes this summer like loosing my housing and various other material world shake-ups. Through it all I have come to realize that I have not lost anything. I've, in fact, expanded my experience and the joy I receive simply by moving through my day, whatever it brings, and connecting with people and the natural world around me.

We may perceive the fast changes raining down on us as chaotic, stressful, unnerving... but there is a something larger occurring. I believe the "landmass" of humanity's foundation is shifting and realigning and taking a new shape. We are being called to "awaken" from our eons of slumber -  what we call "reality" and to reconnect with the innate wisdom within each of us. The old ways are crumbling and despite some appearances we will not be left with ruin but with something we have never really experienced before. Living from the heart, experiencing true happiness in a world that works for everyone.

I created a video to help people answer the call to awaken from the nightmare of duality. See if it resonates with your inner-knowing, and makes the light shine a little brighter. If you feel a resonance share it with a friend and leave a comment with your thoughts and what is coming up for you in this time of change. I'm glad to be back with the wonderful Spirited Woman Blogger Team and moving through this fast-paced journey we are on with all of you.

Love and Light, BZ

BZ Riger www.artofallowingmindset.com
Click here for more of BZ's posts.

Beauty from the Inside Out and Outside In

A few months ago I met a lovely woman, image consultant Kimberly Seltzer, owner of Elite Image Makeovers. In fact, she was teaching a workshop on image and I was very impressed with her. Boldly, I walked up to Kim after the class, told her who I was and asked if she would work with me, so that I could write a story for Spirited Woman on my makeover experience and share the tips with you - but my real reason if truth be told, was to get a little much needed confidence in the way I look and dress and feel about myself.

From the time I was a little girl, I never felt pretty. I was constantly told by my family that what I was wearing was not right, the way I wore my hair not stylish, that I shouldn't eat certain foods or I would get fat or my skin would break out and on and on. It was an extremely critical environment were I never felt "enough" on just about every level. There were also other emotional-related issues that were so severe in the household - that I could not stand to have certain fabrics touch my skin, or I felt extremely uncomfortable in anything that constricted me - from jackets to skinny skirts to pants.

As I got older, I developed a style of wearing colorful, loose fitting comfortable clothing with leggings. Shopping in a department store or just about any store became a nightmare. Kim and I spent a long afternoon shopping in Bloomingdales no less!, and she taught me many things. But, I would say the most important thing I learned - was how attached your emotions are to your clothes. I found myself crying in the store, and releasing years of attachments to feelings that were no longer true.

Kim and I plan to go shopping again in the fall and I will write about it. In the meantime, I wanted to start you off, with Kim's initial answers as to what an image consultant does and why our clothes so often reflect who we are on the inside and out. This is a long post, but chock fulll of info and well worth the read.

Q. I know this is a basic, but what does an image consultant do?
A. An image consultant is defined as “a professional who advises individuals and companies about their image. They specialize in visual appearance, verbal and nonverbal communication.” For me, the focus on the verbal and nonverbal cues AND the attire is an important distinction from say a stylist or a personal shopper. It’s not just throwing on the latest cookie-cutter trend and shopping for a client. We really look at a person’s entire presentation such as their clothing, grooming, tonality, vocabulary, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures and etiquette. We help you shop for clothes that flatter your figure, determine what colors go with your skin tone, consult with strategic partners such as hair stylists and make-up artists, assist in closet organization and more…

Q. Why would someone hire an image consultant?
A. Image is extremely important no matter who you are, where you are or what you do. If you look at the definition of image, it relates to a mental conception of a person which determines how they will be treated. Our first impression of people are usually based on two elements…attire and attitude. If you think about it, image matters because people often make assumptions based on limited information. There are studies that show that we tend to observe a single physical characteristic or behavior in someone and we then assume that person has a number of other qualities too. For instance, if a man shows up on a date dressed sloppy with stains on his shirt, the woman might assume that he has a messy house and is a dirty individual. Moreover, other studies have shown that your appearance strongly influences others’ perception of your financial success, authority, trustworthiness, intelligence and suitability for hire and promotion.

Women 2 Drive: The Rain Starts With a Drop

One of my favorite things to do is to sit on the couch near an open window when it has been hot and dry and no rain for everrr and to feel that cool breeze just hinting and the rustle of the leaves and the sky going a silvery green as the change in weather sweeps in. Those first few drops of rain bring such a feeling of hope and joy and freedom - the kiss of life affirming rain upon the air and the promise of change.

To reflect upon the above metaphor - in Saudi Arabia, Manal al-Sharif is one of hundreds of women who are taking small steps to be part of this promise of change. As their saying goes, "The rain starts with a drop" and they are doing it by taking the wheel in life as they literally get behind the wheel and begin to drive in their country for the very first time. They have organized their Women 2 Drive on their Facebook page and began getting behind the wheel on June 17th. In the Law of Attraction the number 17 has significance because as you hold a thought and focus your energy for 17 seconds you start to move in the direction of that thought. The women of Saudi Arabia have begun to move in the direction of freedom.

To watch a CNN video about their story click here.

BZ Riger www.artofallowingmindset.com, www.internetradiowithjuice.com
Click here for more of BZ's posts.

Spirited Kid, Lizzie Marie Cooks Up Good Things in Life

All girls dream of riding and hanging out with horses, and when Lizzie Marie at age six, told her parents she wanted lessons and wanted to pay for them herself... well, that's when she started cooking up good things in life.

It has been a fun and expansive road, now at the age of 11 she is a spirited entrepreneur with her own blog, Lizzie Marie Cuisine and has a number of projects in the works to bring her passion and inspiration for eating healthy and making it yourself to kids all over the world.

I love this story for many reasons because I think it is a wonderful illustration for parents to support their kids in pursuing their passions. Not holding them back or off because you think they are too young.

It's also a reminder to kids - from 6 to 96 - that by pursuing your ideas, inspiration, and passions, you will open up whole new vistas to explore in your life. What are your nudges? Start cooking up good things in life.

Here is a wonderful video on Lizzie: http://cnn.com/video/?/video/business/2011/06/14/nr.lizzie.marie.cnn.

BZ Riger www.artofallowingmindset.com, www.internetradiowithjuice.com
Click here for more of BZ's posts.

Watch and Wonder in the Night Sky for the Full Lunar Eclipse

June 2011 is a very busy month with several important celestial events. There are three eclipses and the summer/winter solstice all taking place this month. The first eclipse took place on June 1st and the most powerful and interesting one takes place on June 15th. It is a full moon and a full lunar eclipse, in fact, it is the longest lunar eclipse in more than 11 years. The moon will be blocked from view for over 100 minutes, it is one of only three lunar eclipses in the last 100 years to have this long of an eclipse duration.

Take some time not only on the night of the 15th to look up into the sky and the wonders it holds but all this month. We are a part of our celestial neighborhood and it's a really good time to stop and notice what you see, sense, and feel when you look up into the night's sky. Since I live on Martha's Vineyard and will not be able to see directly this powerful lunar event I really enjoyed watching this video created to give me a view of the total lunar eclipse from many different perspectives. I can feel like I am watching it from earth, the sun, and the moon's surface.

Here is the direct video link: http://youtu.be/JhZ-bd7R9Yg.

BZ Riger www.artofallowingmindset.com, www.internetradiowithjuice.com
Click here for more of BZ's posts.

Intimate Learning with Technology Fires the Imagination and Expands the Mind

You may think it is an oxymoron to be able to have an intimate learning experience when technology, videos, the internet... are involved. But you can. I remember when I took my training for being a certified business and life coach. The curriculum was intense and extensive - all done virtually. Hundreds of hours of study done over a telephone bridgeline with students from all over the world in class at the same time.

That was back in 2000, and the first thing that struck me was that it was such an intimate way to learn and to really connect with people and get to know them. I remember thinking this kind of learning should be mandatory in every learning establishment at every level for at least a few classes. Why? Because the class setting removed judgement and distractions often present in "regular" classroom settings. It was also possible to go back and experience the material on my own time at my own pace and I could dive into the other materials provided from anywhere with access to the internet.

I realize now what I experienced, though it was very powerful and effective, was in the "stone age" compared to all the new things technology is unfolding each day. One example of intimate learning and technology is Khan Academy started by Salman Khan who was trying to be a good cousin and help his younger cousins with their homework. Today it is an amazing virtual academy with over 2,100 videos and more than 2 million people engaged with all the things to learn and explore. Sal is the only person who "works" at the academy. The technology allows people to learn and explore things in their own way and pace and it fires the imagination and sparks the light of learning with others.