Common Ground Nov 2014 - Bob Weir Interview

THE BAY AREA’S MAGAZINE FOR CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

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NOVEMBER 2014 | FREE

BAY AREA TRANSFORMATION Honoring the Pioneers

GIVING THANKS Path to Health and Happiness

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY Our Covers Through the Decades

THE COMMON GROUND INTERVIEW Bob Weir, Gratefully

1974–2014

YEARS OF GRATITUDE

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contents

FEATURES

NOVEMBER 2014

52



40 Years of Gratitude 1974–2014

52

The Common Ground Interview: Bob Weir, Gratefully



60



By Rob Sidon

40 Years of Common Ground Covers

A Pictorial Retrospective

DEPARTMENTS on our radar 18

On Beatniks and Be-Ins

20

Heroes of the Sexual Revolution

22

The 40-Year Advance for LGBT Equality

24

The Social and Ecological Crisis

26

Bay Area Buddhism

28

Peter Coyote

38

A Healing Revolution

40

The Whole Food Movement

42

Psychology and the Contemporary Western Spiritual Tradition



42



Musings on the Hippie Era By Wes Nisker By Chas August

Reasons to Be Grateful (“Kiss Cam” Not Included) By Tom Ammiano Root Causes By Randy Hayes

How the Golden Gate Rises from the Mist By Lama Surya Das Profile of a Bay Area Renaissance Man By Terry Bisson

healthy living

46







IN EVERY ISSUE



From the Publisher

»» 16



Green Scene

30



Common Ground founder Andy Alpine

People in Your Neighborhood

34



Happenings =70



Professional Services Directory 55 72 Last Words

82

1974 to 2014 By Dana Ullman

A 40-Year Review By Ed Bauman

By Mariana Caplan

44

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

46

The Saints of India and the Tsunami of Yoga





Why Thankfulness Makes Us Healthier By Ocean Robbins

By Jeffrey Armstrong and Kavindra Rishi

art & soul 50

Reviews

The Grateful Life The Physics of Angels The Sacred Seed The Science and Practice of Humility Watershed: Music Inspired by the Place That Connects Us

The Bay Area’s Magazine for Conscious Community since 1974 775 East Blithesdale Ave. #222, Mill Valley, CA 94941 Phone: 415-459-4900 or 415-505-1410 www.commongroundmag.com Common Ground is published by Common Ground Publishing Inc.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Rob Sidon Art Director Tom Lorphanpaibul Senior Editor Carrie Grossman [email protected] Music Editor Lloyd Barde Copy Editor/Proofreader John Vias Distribution Alice Tokars, Reliable Distribution [email protected], 415-637-4280 Display and Directory Advertising Rob Sidon 415-505-1410 [email protected] Ganshet Nandoskar 415-251-7651

This hopeful book integrates spirituality and activism, and sounds a wake up call to a culture in crisis. It explores waking up – what it is, and how it can happen – individually and in culture. By consciously evolving and waking up, we engage more in the world and help solve the immense challenges of our time. Waking UP is available at Amazon.com and some Bay Area bookstores.

WakingUpJourney.com

Contributing Artists Drew Altizer, Jay Blakesberg, Martin Cohen, Emily Goodman, Ron Henggeler, Mark Kuroda, Rosie Mcgee, Susana Millman, Scott Strezzante Suggest a story or artwork Consult our website for guidelines. Email submissions to [email protected]. Submit a letter to the editor Email [email protected] with the subject line “letter to the editor.” Suggest an event for the calender Email [email protected] with the subject line “calendar event.”

Taylor Hawke, a Bay Area resident, serves on the Steering Committees of 350 Bay Area and 350 Marin.

Bill McKibben: “A fascinating account of how our biggest global crisis may relate to some of our smallest internal battles. Provocative!” Rabbi Michael Lerner: “Waking UP reminds us that the consciousness that can save this world is not solely what we do inside ourselves, but also what we can do together to save the life-support-system of the planet.”

14  NOVEMBER 2014

Contributing Writers Tom Ammiano, Jeffrey Armstrong, Chas August, Ed Bauman, Terry Bisson, Mariana Caplan, Paige Churchman, Sarah Cirillo, Lama Surya Das, Randy Hayes, Wes Nisker, Anna Padaka, Kavindra Rishi, Colin Rolfe, Ocean Robbins, Dana Ullman

We like to think of Common Ground as a Bay Area beacon of positivity, and this since 1974. As of the May 2009 issue, the publication is under independent ownership, reflecting an increased focus on local trends in green living, social change, health and wellness, spirituality, and personal growth. It is our ongoing intent to make a lasting, substantive, positive change — around the block and around the world. The distribution of our magazine is free and supported solely by our dear advertisers. We thank them for making this possible, though the publication assumes no liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. Please notify us in the event you have a compliment, complaint, or comment. Advertisers of products and services are fully and solely responsible for providing same as advertised. All contents © Common Ground Publishing Inc.

from the publisher

40 Years of Gratitude

I

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t has been a roller coaster assembling this commemorative issue, akin to October baseball. Gratefully, the Giants prevailed with Madison Bumgarner (the ace pitcher, who wears the number 40) and so have we. Our goal was to gather essays from experts who witnessed the transformation within the various sectors representing Common Ground’s bailiwick. We sought to honor the trailblazers whose efforts have made the world a better place. Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead is my esteemed interviewee. Bob tells the story of the night he met band mate Jerry Garcia on New Year’s Eve in 1964 and never had to interview for another job again. He candidly recounts being at the hot center of the psychedelic movement, the transformative ’70s, the lucrative ’80s, and the loss of Jerry, his wingman, in 1995. A self-described “professional kid,” Bob experienced every nuance of the sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll culture, but never lost his ardent spiritual flame. Throughout, he envisioned spending his golden years in a monastery. Read the interview to find out more. I caught up with Andy Alpine, my mentor who founded Common Ground. Andy discussed his gratitude for California (he came from New York) and how the magazine put him at the hot center of the human potential movement. Jeffrey Armstrong offers a masterful essay on the spiritual yoga culture we’ve inherited from India, while Lama Surya Das outlines the relevance of Buddhism to the Bay Area. Dana Ullman and Ed Bauman have respectively written about advances in health care and the food industry. Charles August shares how the sex positive movement has blossomed, while Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, who worked side by side with Harvey Milk, chronicles the giant steps toward equalization of the LGBT contingent. Mariana Caplan’s essay delineates the emergence of spirituality in contemporary psychology, while Randy Hayes, who founded Rainforest Action Network, examines the root causes of our environmental crisis. Wes “Scoop” Nisker, another who was also “there” shares anecdotes about ’60s idealism and how that set the groundwork for the Common Ground era. Terry Bisson profiles his famous college classmate, Peter Coyote, the quintessential Bay Area Renaissance man. Finally, we take a walk down memory lane to expose the legacy of four decades of sometimes stunning magazine covers. To some readers these will be reminders—to others a first. To our staff: Carrie Grossman, my so-called partner in editorial crime, thank you for your sensibility and for your part of a productive dialectic. Tom Lorphapaibul, my graphics pro, thank you for kicking ass. Your layouts are sober yet breathtaking and you get it done. John Vias, my copy editor, you’ve no idea how much I honor your skills. You make everyone’s writing better; you are cherished. Ganshet Nandoskar, thank you for helping keep the wheels turning. To our readers—and advertisers, thank you. To anyone connected to keeping this magazine alive—I simply cup my hands in gratitude. I’ve no words but “thank you, thank you, thank you.”

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To the next 40! ROB SIDON, Publisher and Editor in Chief

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on our radar NOVEMBER 2014

On Beatnicks and Be-Ins Musings on the Hippie Era BY WES NISKER

B

rothers and sisters, lovers and friends, are you hip yet? Can you dig it? If not, just put some flowers in your hair and some flowers in your pipe, and suddenly we are in San Francisco during one of those dreamy summers of love. You have started the day with a toke or two, and now you’re heading toward the park to see what’s happening, and you’re groovin’ on the scene as a Volkswagen van full of laughing hippies drives by with “Sergeant Pepper” blasting away on the radio, and suddenly you can’t decide whether to spend the day trying to save the world or just savor the world . . . and so you have another toke. I’m just trying to explore some of the history behind the fact that you are now reading the 40th anniversary issue of Common Ground. It’s a matter of honoring the ancestors and giving a nod and a bow to those who gave birth to what is now known as the “new age.” Our magical mystery tour begins just after World War II, when the baby boom was born and America became a superpower, taking over the former European colonies with television and Coca Cola and dreams too rich to ever be fulfilled. It was an America where the cars had started to grow fins, and the terrorists were called communists, and the American dream was just starting to put everyone to sleep. And in the heart of the new empire, a bunch of young rogues and visionaries began to articulate a different sensibility—a counterculture—a movement that drew on the ideas of European dada and existentialism; a movement that turned toward the East, to the Tao, the Buddha, and the Jai Jai Ram; a movement fueled by the drumbeats of essential Africa and that found its American voice in the musical forms of jazz and rock ’n’ roll and in the writings of the beatniks. It was the gang of Jack Kerouac, mad to live and to dig every note in the great riff of life,

18  NOVEMBER 2014

driven along the road by the crazy looping solos of Charlie Parker and the offbeat chords of Thelonious Monk. The beatniks were romantics and mystics at heart. As Ginsberg said, they were “beatifically beat,” searching for what Kerouac called “the golden eternity.” And in their travels they saw the light come shining down from the East, and before long they were introducing strange new words into the hipster’s jive lexicon—words like “karma” and “dharma” and “mantra” and “Tantra.” And it all sounded so exotic that I finally decided to come to San Francisco to become a beatnik. But I was too late to make the scene, so I got assigned to the hippies instead. And I am proud to say I was a hippie! Can I get a witness? The hippies were idealistic and optimistic and became known as “flower children.” That’s because we dragged Bohemia out of the dark bars and coffeehouses for a few brief years of colorful frolicking in the sun, celebrating the Age of Aquarius, always accompanied by the ecstatic wail of electric guitars. And we spent a lot of our abundant free time experimenting with consciousness—yes, by ingesting illegal substances—but also through meditation and yoga and the new psychologies of gestalt and

bodywork and breath-based therapies. I was part of that grand conspiracy of young people who—at least for a few years—refused to join the “straights” and their consumer economy, known to us as “the system.” We rejected the old-world mentality of our parents, with their Depression-era fears of scarcity and war, and their uptight puritan morality. Instead, we sought a new ethos and mythology, one that would celebrate life and sexuality and nature…. One that would embrace the world as one. Okay, so maybe we were a little naïve. Or maybe we just had it too good. As the psychologist Paul Goodman wrote in his famous book Growing Up Absurd, “It was destined that the children of affluence, who grew up without toilet training, and freely masturbating, would turn out to be daring, disobedient, and simpleminded.” So maybe that’s why we started chanting, “We want the world, and we want it now!” We were poorly potty trained and prone to tantrums! But we were just trying to create a better world, and especially trying to stop our government from conducting a criminal, horrific war. But at heart, the hippies weren’t very po-

litical. We had no analysis or five-year plan. Instead, our revolution was expressed in gatherings known as “be-ins,” communal celebrations of just being. Here’s the San Francisco Oracle—once a Haight-Ashbury journal—announcing that the first “human be-in” would take place in Golden Gate Park: “The spiritual revolution will be manifest and proven. We will shower the nation with waves of ecstasy and purification. Fear will be washed away. Ignorance exposed to sunlight. Profits and Empire will lie drying on deserted beaches.” Yes, it was a spiritual revolution! And if the hippies have a legacy, it’s in this journal you are reading and in the yoga and meditation centers now in every town in America. And it’s also in the modern environmental movement that got its start in the late ’60s with back-tothe-land visions of “eco-topia,” plus a Whole Earth Catalog of appropriate technologies, now becoming a testament to our vision and prophecies and also necessary for our survival. The hippies were right, and still right on! It’s time to scale down and simplify. It is time to re-create community, and celebrate existence and make a whole new world full of peace, love, and good vibes. So, in honor of the hippie legacy, I propose that somewhere—maybe on the mall in Washington, DC—there should be a statue erected to “the unknown hippie.” People could visit and leave old buttons, beads, flowers. And maybe in honor of all the offbeat ancestors who seeded the so-called “new age,” we could hold an annual day of remembrance and tribute, a day when we turn off all our isolating computers and just go out into the streets and start talking to people about life, or about how to end all the disgusting wars or deal with climate change. Or else we could go to the park and just sit down and feel the earth, and maybe even give her a big hug like the hippies used to, and then vow to do everything we can to see that this little biosphere project continues—this awesome experiment in life and consciousness. And then, brothers and sisters, even if it’s just for a few hours, let’s banish our sorrow over what is happening to the world, let go of the fear and the greed, and then have ourselves a good old-fashioned be-in. Let’s celebrate life and the mystery of it all! And remember, as always, if you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own. Wes “Scoop” Nisker is a Buddhist meditation teacher, author, radio commentator, and performer. Wes’s famous tagline is: “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own.” WesNisker.com COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  19

on our radar » sex

Heroes of The Sexual Revolution BY CHAS AUGUST

I

n honor of Common Ground’s 40th anniversary, here is a brief list of some of the Bay Area’s heroes of the past 40 years. I am a relationship and intimacy coach, as well as a sex, love, and intimacy workshop leader, so my heroes are the brave men and women who risked everything to bring sex out of the closet, out of the gutter, out of the darkness, and into the light. I think of these men and women as the heroes of the revolution. I’m talking about the socalled sexual revolution that the media talked about in the 1960s. You see, we “won“ the sexual revolution—sex norms actually changed, and there was a dramatic shift in values related to sex and sexuality. Sex became more socially acceptable, both inside and outside the strict boundaries of heterosexual marriage. We won the war, but we lost the aftermath. By the mid-1970s we all knew we were supposed to have somehow shaken off the narrow attitudes and roles of the 1950s, but most of us had no tools or training for this brave new sexually awakened world. Thank goodness it all began to change, right around the time this magazine was first published. Teachers, coaches, workshops, and trainings started showing up to help lead all of us out of the chaos and into fulfilling, shame-free sexuality and relationships. The Bay Area has been particularly blessed with a rich and varied collection of teachers and coaches working in and around human sexuality. A few that come readily to mind are Lori Grace and her Celebrations of Love relationship skills training center; clinical sexologist and psychosexual expert Claudia Six; Reichian therapist Michele Newmark and her Center for Healing and Expression; Nicole Daedone and her Orgasmic Meditation teaching at One Taste/SF; all the resident and visiting teachers, workshop leaders, and therapists at Harbin Hot Springs clothing-optional spa, retreat, and workshop center; Steve and Lokita Carter and their EcstaticLiving Institute and

20  NOVEMBER 2014

Tantra trainings and classes; alternative healer and “channel” Evalina Rose; Celeste and Danielle, creators of the Somatica Method of Sex Therapy and Relationship Coaching; Dossie Easton and her groundbreaking book The Ethical Slut; sex-positive feminist Susie Bright; and sex columnist Isadora Alman (“Ask Isadora”). Let me introduce you to a cross-section of my personal Bay Area heroes—teachers and leaders who made a real and lasting difference for everyone reading this.

Maggi Rubenstein Maggi Rubenstein has been called San Francisco’s “godmother of sex ed.” In 1972 she began working at the National Sex Forum at Glide Memorial Church, offering workshops and courses about everyday human sexuality—masturbation, pornography, men’s sexuality, women’s sexuality, sex and disability, and much more. In 1976 these trainings became the basis for an accredited program that became the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. In 1973 she also cofounded the Bisexual Center and the San Francisco Sex Information Hotline (SFSI). Graduates of the SFSI training program include Isadora Alman, Susie Bright, Patrick Califia, Carol Queen, Midori, and Violet Blue. The organization an-

swers about 3,000 phone calls and about twice as many emails every year.

Starhawk Starhawk is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction—The Spiral Dance, The Fifth Sacred Thing—that explores and celebrates what she calls feminist neo-paganism, ecofeminism, and the use and abuse of power. She believes our patriarchal society has confused eroticism with violence and domination, and she passionately advocates sexuality as “sacred because through it we make a connection with another self—but it is misused and perverted when it becomes an arena of ‘power over,’ a means of treating another—or oneself—as an object.”

Marty Klein Dr. Marty Klein is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist as well as an author, speaker, and advocate for understanding and accepting sexuality. His self-stated goal is to tell the truth about sexuality, helping people feel sexually adequate and powerful, and supporting the healthy sexual expression and exploration of women and men. In his own words, “I’ve continually called attention to the social and political conditions

that keep so many of us feeling guilty, confused, scared, and hopeless about our sexual feelings, experiences, and relationships.”

Joanie Blank Joanie Blank is a writer, publisher, sex therapist, and family-planning counselor. In 1975 she wrote and published her first book, The Playbook for Women About Sex. Leading support groups for women who wanted help to be orgasmic, or more orgasmic, Joanie often suggested trying sex toys, including vibrators. Sadly, the only places such things could be purchased were through mail order or at local adult bookstores. The mail order info was mostly found only in men’s sex magazines, and the local stores did not feel safe or inviting to most women.  In 1977 Joanie opened Good Vibrations, the first women-oriented sex toy shop in the Bay Area (and only the second such shop in the country). Good Vibrations offered sex information and education, featured erotica and books about sexual health and pleasure, and pioneered the concept of, in Joanie’s words, “a sex-positive, clean, well-lighted place” to buy sex toys. 

“Del” Martin The late “Del” Martin was the first openly gay woman to be appointed to the SF Commission on the Status of Women (SFCOSW) by then mayor George Moscone in 1977. Martin joined forces with other minority SFCOSW commissioners, such as Kathleen Hardiman Arnold and  Ella Hill Hutch,  to focus on the nexus of gay women’s rights and racial and ethnic discrimination. Martin was ahead of her time in understanding the cultural aspects of gay health. 

Sandy “Mama” Reinhardt  Mama is a leader in the leather, BDSM,  and  LGBT  communities and is very active in the fundraising arena for her annual Breast Cancer Dinners; LeatherWalk (for the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund), which kicks off Leather Pride Week leading up to the  Folsom Street Fair;  and Toy Drive for Camp Sunburst, a program for children and families living with HIV/AIDS. She has devoted her life to helping others by networking and organizing community activists for short-term and ongoing campaigns.

Joseph Kramer Joseph Kramer, PhD, is one of the foremost teachers of erotic massage in the world. In

1984 he founded the Body Electric School in Oakland, where he trained thousands of professional massage therapists, erotic body workers, and educators. The Body Electric is the world’s largest community network offering safe sex education today—and for the last 25 years. Body Electric is committed to expanding people’s understanding of the role that sexuality can play in their personal and spiritual lives.  Joseph has also created and distributed one of the finest collections of videos about our bodies and our sexuality. Videos like Fire on the Mountain and Fire in the Valley offer shame-free, easy-to-understand instructions for genital massage and play that have delighted, educated, and transformed thousands of adults’ sex lives (including my own).

Stan Dale  No list of my heroes could be complete without including my friend and mentor, the late Dr. Stan Dale. In 1972, after being pushed out of his psychotherapeutic call-in radio show in Chicago after 19 years for being too supportive of the anti-war movement, Stan moved to Santa Rosa and restarted his show. And he began looking for a home for the “Stan Dale Sex Workshops,” which later became the Human Awareness Institute.  Stan was the only person I’ve known well who truly loved everyone. He believed and taught that everything we humans do could be seen as acts of love or cries for love. Stan liked to say that “every second we get a second chance” to move toward love and loving connections. His workshops were, and are (they’re still going strong seven years after his passing), powerful, heart-opening experiences that are juicy and fun, risky and completely safe, shameless and innocent. So, let’s raise a glass and offer a toast to our Bay Area sex heroes. These past 40 years they’ve helped make all of us more tolerant, more loving, more sexually liberated, more educated, more alive, and spicier than we might otherwise have been. And a toast to Common Ground and 40 years of promoting workshops and events that transform us all. Chas August is a workshop leader, hypnotherapist, and marketing director for Human Awareness Institute Global (HAI.org). He is also a Life, Relationship & Intimacy Coach, and his offerings include the Healing Anger Workshop, Techniques for Listening, Conflict Transformation, and Couples Communication. ChasAugust.com

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on our radar » equality

PHOTO: RON HENGGELER

The 40-Year Advance for LGBT Equality Reasons to Be Grateful (“Kiss Cam” Not Included) BY TOM AMMIANO

I

f I think about 40 years of gratitude, it has to be gratitude for the changes we’ve won. But we still have more to do. Today we have a president who refers to gay men and lesbians as “our brothers and sisters.” That’s not what we had for most of the past four decades. Those were decades of silence in the face of a disease killing our people and decades in which we were told that “don’t ask, don’t tell” was a policy we should like. We are grateful for how far we’ve come from that. The focus of my gratitude, however, is on the activists—gay and lesbian and transgender and bisexual activists and our allies—who have worked for this change. It hasn’t been handed to us. Ours is not a passive gratitude. We came out and went out to get what we deserved. I’m thankful for that. Look at all the positives we’ve seen: official acknowledgement of the rights of transgender people, positive images and support in popular culture from Modern Family to the Harvey Milk postage stamp, the emerging voice of LGBT athletes, and yes, the growth of marriage equality. If Rip van Winkle fell asleep in the Castro in the 1970s and woke up today, his head would be spinning. Giddy gratitude, however, is balanced by sober sadness. I don’t want to be Debbie Downer, but you have to recognize that in the depths of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, we lost beloved friends every week. Even as we fought for attention to the epidemic and fought against homophobic bias, some of us could not even count on living until 2014. The odds were against us, it seemed, and yet here I am.

22  NOVEMBER 2014

I am here, and I’ve been here since Harvey Milk was a leader. That’s why I often find myself reminding people of Harvey’s advice that gratitude for progress has to be accompanied by vigilance. We must stand sentinel, or what we have built can be eroded away in a flash. History has shown this over and over. Closely connected to that is Harvey’s message that the LGBT struggle has to be allied with other struggles. We have to connect the dots to other communities. We have worked with labor, with the disabled community, with those concerned about housing, with those seeking funding for mental health services. In part, it’s because those struggles are our struggles. It’s also about having friends when you need them. Without the support of a union, the struggle I faced as a teacher coming out 40 years ago would have been harder. Housing? Homelessness rates are highest in the LGBT community, especially among youth. Every issue is our issue. LGBT is truly everywhere. That doesn’t mean I think assimilation is the answer. I have a more gay liberation perspective. We are different; we aren’t cookie-cutter people. Our community contributes in its own unique ways, and we don’t want to apologize. Not apologizing is something we learned from having to battle AIDS. I’m grateful that we learned it, but I wish we didn’t have to. We had to push for the recognition that this disease was affecting people and needed to be addressed, and it took political will to make that happen. We can be grateful that we’ve reached a time when the medical community doesn’t just consider it a gay disease. So many things about the LGBT community used to be reduced to how we had sex. When you said “gay,” people thought everything was about sex. Now,

there’s way more recognition that there is a gay culture. We are not just in a few neighborhoods—Castro, Polk, Valencia—but all over the city. You can do that when you’re not worried about being beaten up, when you’re not worried about being evicted because you’re gay. These are big things that we should be very grateful for. There are still a few frontiers for the LGBT community, and we can at least be happy that they are discussed. One area is the realm of gay and lesbian athletes. That they can come out at all is a step, but many are still closeted or punished (losing endorsements, for example) for speaking out about who they are. And you would think we’re still back in high school with the limits on public displays of affection. It’s rare to see a same-sex couple holding hands, let alone kissing in public, outside the “safe” neighborhoods. And as a baseball fan, I’m disappointed that the Giants’ “Kiss Cam” doesn’t seem to find any gay or lesbian fans. In San Francisco! If one of the baseball players wants to volunteer for same-sex “Kiss Cam,” I’m willing. The team had a slogan around the early 1990s, “We’ve got a Giant attitude.” If they can bring about Kiss Cam equality, then we’d have a Giant gratitude. Tom Ammiano has served San Francisco for four decades as a teacher, civil rights leader, educator, supervisor, and assembly member. In 1975, he became the first public school teacher in San Francisco to make his sexual orientation public. He was elected to the School Board in 1990, to the Board of Supervisors in 1994, and to the California Assembly in 2008. His bills have protected domestic workers, transgender students, domestic partners, victims of bullying, LGBT foster youth, and tenants.

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COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  23

on our radar » issues

The Social and Ecological Crisis Root Causes BY RANDY HAYES

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ince its inception, Common Ground has shined a light on the social and ecological issues facing our planet. Over the last 40 years, these concerns have become ever more pressing, and we can no longer turn a blind eye to the challenges. We must heal the root causes of our planetary crisis. As founder of the Rainforest Action Network, my influences have come from rubbing shoulders mostly in the southwest deserts near the Grand Canyon and in Northern California. This was with many Hopi elders and other fine people such as the nature poet Gary Snyder, David Brower, Hazel Henderson, Fritjof Capra, and Donella Meadows. The learning curve continued more recently with people such as Public Media Center’s Herb Gunther and Jerry Mander. Here is a little bit of what I’ve learned. While others in this special issue of the magazine will discuss specific gains, you might look

24  NOVEMBER 2014

at those articles in light of this analysis of the root causes. I believe the house is on fire. This and the next few decades will be tumultuous. A deeper analysis of the core problems is a key step to get from false solutions to the real deal. There are various valid ways to conceptualize the root causes of our social and ecological crisis. I adapted this list from a Foundation for Deep Ecology document, adding four or so points. The list evolves as I learn. How do you see it? My suggestion is to take what you agree with and add items to your own list. Patriarchy/Anthropocentrism The assumption of human superiority over other life forms, as if we were dominant over nature’s laws, ecological principles, or the web of life. Natural carrying capacity is not harmonized with equitable and dignified lifestyles, sensible technologies, the size of our population, and the needs of other creatures. Patriarchy is a manifestation of this sense of superiority. Irresponsible Economic Growth The prevailing ethic of Western society that unlimited economic growth—the market economy with billions committed to commodity accumulation, consumption, and waste—is desirable and possible on a finite planet. This “cheater economy” externalizes pollution costs and ignores carrying-capacity issues. The “true-cost economy” is the alternative. Technology Worship The prevailing paradigm that technological evolution (especially industrial technology) is invariably good and that problems caused by technology can be solved by more technology. Technological Lock-In Given our reliance on fossil fuels, individuals have little choice to opt out. People have the feeling that they are unable to change their lifestyle (e.g., they have to drive to work, as there is no public transportation). To solve our environmental problems, we are asking people to change almost all their behaviors—housing, transportation, eating, shopping, vacationing, and more—when as we know from dieting and smoking that singlebehavior changes are extremely hard. Modern Chemistry The invention of substances for which the planet does not have organic counterparts capable of biologically degrading or productively integrating in natural cycles. Mass Media The domination and advance-

ment of viewpoints that serve the interests of the industrial world and suppress alternative views, keeping them from the public consciousness. What was once called the “free press” is now called the “mass media.” Concentration of Power The loss of public governance due to the concentration of power within a small number of corporate executives and business owners is detrimental to nature and to society’s future. Lack of Holistic Thinking Insufficient education in whole-systems thinking in countries planet-wide. This leads to ecological illiteracy, lack of appreciation for wild nature, and lack of ecological design. Indigenous communities, more exposed to nature’s ways, have much to offer to better understand a holistic worldview or perspective. Lack of a Geologic or Long-Term Perspective Actions based on the desire for short-term gratification (such as quarterly profits) can degrade the conditions for life and reduce the options for subsequent generations. The industrial economy seems unable to deal with complex, long-term problems. We are capable of both good and evil, yet when the chips are down, industrial society tends to be more motivated by fear and greed than by altruism. Insufficient Leadership and Institutional Mandate Locally, nationally, and globally, there has been a failure of leadership. Despite the best efforts of many, there is no institution powerful enough to challenge business as usual and make the sweeping changes essential for survival. Current messages and techniques have failed to raise planetary concerns to the top of the list. Issues such as the economy/jobs, terrorism/defense, health, education, crime, and religion dominate the political agenda in almost every country. Remember that there is no economic development on a dead planet. There is no social equity to be found there, either. Perhaps the rising number of extreme weather events and economic downturns will create the context for change at a scale commensurate with the problems we face. Use those windows of opportunity to your advantage and jam through the deeper solutions. Your work can lead us to a better world. Randy Hayes founded Rainforest Action Network (RAN.org). He is executive director of Foundation Earth. EarthFDNEarth.org

on our radar » religion

Bay Area Buddhism How the Golden Gate Rises from the Mist BY LAMA SURYA DAS

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n the early seventies, my own late Lama Kalu Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama’s yoga teacher, looked out over the twinkling Bay Area lights and said, “It looks like thousands of butter lamp offerings laid out on an altar.” This was how he saw the great bay, via BuddhaVision. As Bay Area Buddhism goes, so goes Buddhism in the West. San Francisco and its surrounding environs have long been a hotbed and vital breeding ground for dharma practice and study, along with sangha community. Early American Buddhas and bodhisattvas doubtless abounded at Saint Francis’s beautiful bay. John Muir was certainly one among them, in contemplative reverie deep in his beloved redwood groves on Mount Tamalpais. Buddhism in California specifically begins with mid-eighteenth-century Chinese immigration to the “Gold Mountain” (America), hoping for lessimpoverished and freer lives. Americans would come to Buddhism later, after World War I, then in earnest in the fifties and countercultural sixties, and since. Just visit the Japanese tea garden or de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, and you will get the picture, if not enlightened. I often meet people there. San Francisco’s Chinatown has long been the most fascinating in the entire Western world. More fascinating yet is this infinite spiritual journey, from Berkeley to Buddhahood and back, and becoming American Buddhas.

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For we are all Buddhas by nature; we only have to recognize and awaken to who and what we truly are. City Lights, poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s hip paperback bookstore on North Hill in San Francisco, was a beacon for artists, intellectuals, Buddhists, and bodhisattvas, including Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, Diane Di Prima, and Allen Ginsberg. Then came the exemplary pioneers among the first wave of Asian master teachers to come ashore, such as Suzuki Roshi, Tarthang Tulku, Kobun Chino Sensai, and the female Burmese teacher Rina Sircar. Mike Murphy’s groundbreaking Esalen Institute in Big Sur welcomed innumerable erudite spiritual luminaries. Even Lama Govinda left India to rest in the shade near Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in Muir Beach, and eventually passed away nearby. In 1969 the San Francisco Zen Center acquired a building on Page Street, where Governor Jerry Brown often showed up. Frank Ostaseki would later start its pioneering

Zen Hospice Project, now the country’s largest Buddhist hospice center. The next wave brought in American teachers trained in both Asia and the West by Eastern masters: Richard Baker-Roshi and Bill Kwong Sensei, and then Reb Anderson, Mel Weisman, Baba Ram Dass (spiritual pioneer), and others. Three of the foremost longtime Buddhist publishers, Shambhala Publications, Parallax Press, and the Nyingma Dharma Press, began in Berkeley, as did the Wind Bell, Inquiring Mind (Vipassana community) journal, and The Turning Wheel (of Engaged Buddhism). In the late seventies, Jack Kornfield pioneered west from the seminal Insight Meditation Society he’d founded with Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg in Massachusetts, and other friends who trained under the great gurus in Asia, to build what would become Spirit Rock Meditation Center on sacred Native American land in Woodacre—perhaps the most prominent center in the Bay Area today. Besides their intensive insight meditation (Vipassana) and loving-kindness (metta) retreats and programs, Jack and his associates established the first authentic multiyear Buddhist teacher training in the Western world, still unequalled today, and are helping further the mindfulness movement. The most recent wave of Bay Area dharma teachers includes Americans trained mostly by Americans: Mel Weitzman, Paul Haller, Blanche Hartman, and James Baraz. Noteworthy among today’s youthful local Buddhas are Adyashanti and Anam Thubten Rinpoche, Ari Goldfield, Rose Taylor, Norman Fisher-Sensei, Shaila Catherine, and Will Kabat-Zinn, each and all of whom I happily recommend to anyone interested.What would a Bay Area–yana be without Silicon Valley, including heavyweights Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Mitch Kapor, and Dustin Moscowitz—all heavily influenced by Buddhist thought, practice, and ethics—and many others? Chade-Meng Tan’s 60-day SIY (search inside yourself ) course at Google is worth mentioning, as well as the burgeoning world of online courses, teacher train-

ings, virtual retreats, mindfulness apps, and other upcoming, ever more envelope-pushing, immersive, virtual reality techniques for entraining positive mental states, including concentration and creative visualization, compassion and altruism, mindfulness and equanimity. Meng’s SIY specifically aims to help secular practitioners develop attention training, self-knowledge, and self-mastery, intent upon contributing to cocreating a more peaceful and sustainable world. We’ve been almost painfully devoted to preserving our precious treasury of ancient traditions and timeless lineages, yet adaptation-innovation also remains an important touchstone in the New World. Buddhadharma is currently experiencing a resurgence in today’s mindfulness movement. Moreover, Buddhism has had a terrific impact on several significant aspects of American life, from healing and neuroscience to psychotherapy, poetry, architecture and the arts, nonviolent social activism, higher education, vegetarianism and whole foods, animal rights, interconnectedness, and the environment. Three thousand research papers on the power of compassion and mindfulness training alone have been published in the last two decades, fomenting an entirely new discussion about the global impact of inculcating these values and practices in modern people and societies. Today, there are over 5,000 Buddhist centers in North America, and fully half of all Western Buddhist teachers are women, unlike in the Old World. But who’s thinking about Buddhism for the future? Where will tomorrow’s enlightened leaders arise from, and who are the Future BuddhaFarmers of America? Contemporary Buddhist systems thinkers like Joanna Macy and analysts like David Loy and Ken Green write well about the interdependence of worldly and spiritual dharmas, but almost no one is discussing Dharma Large and the future of timeless wisdom development on this endangered globe. Those of us concerned with passing on our accumulated wisdom and transformative lineage traditions to future generations are keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities involved. If Lord Buddha himself walked among us, who would recognize him? Would he be arrested, in his faded, patched robes? Jewish-Buddhist grandmother Sylvia Boorstein, a psychotherapist by trade, writes that Buddhism is an inside job. We are the bridge between heaven and earth; let’s join hands, heads, and hearts, and act to make our survival on this endangered planet sustainable by turning the base metal of human nature into Buddha nature. Equanimous acceptance is its own transformative, alchemical magic. One moment of total awareness is one moment of freedom and enlightenment. For the sake of our children and all generations, let’s co-meditate and “Occupy Spirituality,” awaken together, further the We-volution, keep lobbying for enlightenment through our compassion in action, and make this dreamlike reality a good dream rather than a nightmare—for the peace, happiness, and ultimate benefit of one and all. For me, the Middle Way is Buddha’s greatest teaching. Time is coemergent and almost simultaneous, so what does the future hold? It begins right now. If you want to know what your future life will be, look at your Being and Doing now—the great Middle Way between past and future. It’s now or never, as always. Carpe diem. Lama Surya Das, whom the Dalai Lama affectionately calls “the American Lama,” is an authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist order and founder of the Dzogchen Center (Dzogchen.org). He is the author of the bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within and 12 other books, including his latest release, Buddha Standard Time: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now. Surya.org • AskTheLama.com

800.457.6213

www.lovesticks.com COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  27

on our radar » profile

as ambitions; you learn to shut up and listen. Meditation is work. Stillness is learning. There was always work to do. Motorcycles to fix, protest songs needing new verses, lame trucks cared for like lame friends, a wrench to polish like a chalice. A Buddhist robe to sew, but still with a secular Jew inside, always forgiving but never accepting the half-truths and easy lies of the American dream. Free Leonard Peltier. Stop the Keystone pipeline. Save the family farm. Imagine, if you will, a Zen lay priest with a love for long guns, for

Peter Coyote Profile of a Bay Area Renaissance Man BY TERRY BISSON

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Peter Coyote

Caravans of hippies crisscrossed the country, from Olema in Marin, to Black Bear in the Sasquatch country, to Libre in the Colorado Sangres. They called themselves the Free Family. But California always called him back. The Bay Area for him was where world met Spirit, like the cliffs shaped by the sea. As everlasting as clouds. The Haight was a garden at first, then a zoo. Drugs lofted you into the arms of the angels, then dropped you into the maw of Hell. Falling can feel a lot like flying, at first. The trick is to land on your feet. Then raise your arms to catch your friends and lovers. Jerry Brown was just weird enough to appoint him to the California Arts Council. There, he gathered bouquets of wildflower artists who had never been picked before, but the experience changed him as well. He learned to turn adversaries into colleagues and then into friends. They elected him chairman but never bought him a car. Peter learned to keep the old VW running. When a few lucky breaks led to Hollywood, he grabbed the brass ring but held it at arm’s length. He worked with the stars, but always went home to Mill Valley and the stern instruction of the redwoods. He rewrote the ending of E.T. Zen was a door into a quieter room, more spacious still. Compassion changes everything: diets as well as hearts, understandings as well

PHOTO: MARTIN COHEN

e came from the East and never looked back. Well, maybe once or twice. But California rang him like a bell. Growing up in Jersey, in the arms of a big Jewish family, he learned the art of disputation from old commie uncles. On Martha’s Vineyard, folk songs from Tom Rush. In New York, the fierce discipline of modern jazz from Buddy Jones, Charlie Parker’s roommate. At Grinnell, a small college in the Midwest, it was history, literature, theatre, the humanities. He liked the heft and hope of that last word. He wanted to be a writer. He came to San Francisco to study poetry with Robert Duncan and was soon seduced into the Mime Troupe, which took on the task of waking up America. There was a war on. There was work to do. Peter had several gifts—movie star looks, a Henry Fonda voice, and a ready laugh. Plus the ability to laugh at himself. Fame was fun, even by the spoonful. (Those who say it isn’t, lie.) Bill Graham was a familiar soul. So was Janis Joplin. The Sixties were a soul-opening time. Some burst into blossom, some into flame. Some just burst. Emmett Grogan was a familiar soul. The Diggers took theater straight to the people. Liberation was the play. The audience members were now the actors. The streets were the stage. Between the acts the Diggers fed the flower children. Break a leg. Enlightenment came in bits and pieces, like sunlight through tall trees. Drugs, music, lovers, teachers. Teachers, always teachers. Savants and shamans from more-ancient tribes (the Modoc, the Ohlone, the Beats) shared a potlatch of the spirit. The times, they were a-changing. He changed his name from Cohon to Coyote, in honor of the trickster god he met the first time he ate peyote. Trust your luck. Save the planet.

soft chants and loud engines, for bluegrass and bebop, for chamomile tea and Cuban cigars, who numbers Hells Angels in hospital and Weathermen in prison among his dearly beloveds. We met at that same small college 50 years ago. I went east, Peter went west, but we were both riding on the same wild, sweet wind, so we never lost touch. Change was in the air. There was work to do. Still is. So Coyote’s busy writing books, wrenching on his old Dodge, sitting zazen, making films and narrating documentaries, and speaking out on things that matter like wildlife, old growth, political prisoners, healthy food, human rights (not just equal but abundant) for all. He’s still learning new guitar licks, tightening up his poems, fitting world and Spirit together as best he can. Reminding people of the beautiful creature that’s within them, and listening to others. Always listening. Peter does good work. Terry Bisson is the author of Any Day Now and an editor with PM Press in Oakland. Peter Coyote’s newest book, The Rainman’s Third Cure, will be published by Counterpoint next year.

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Giants win the Series!

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Ralph Metzner, Rob Sidon, Stanislov Grof at CIIS Grof commemoration, SF

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Tim and Tara Dale (Yoga Tree) celebrate 15 years, in GG Park

Tim Dale, Janet Stone, Yvonne Schellerup, Tara Dale, GG Park

Marissa LaMagna and Dana Frasz, Earth Island Institute fundraiser

William Keepin, Satyana Institute, honoring Stan Grof

SCOTT STREZZANTE, SF CHRONICLE

DREW ALTIZER

Sarah Drew, Fort Mason

Rachel Maddow and Willie Brown at his Breakfast Club in SF Nick Day, Steve Raspa, Lee Menichella at Burning Man Decompression, SF

Lindsey Allen (Rainforest Action Network) and Atossa Soltani (Amazon Watch) at RAN fundraiser

Nick Morgan, David Shearer, Ana Roth. Helen Arrick, Russ Eddy at RAN fundraiser, SF

Dennis Darring and Miche Sirgent (Bio K-Plus) at Venus, Berkeley

Jack Kornfield honoring Stan Grof, Hotel Whitcomb in SF Julian

Yoga Tree 15th anniversary Sara Laine, Mymuna Damone, Valerie Grossman at Terrapin Crossroads

30  NOVEMBER 2014

Nora Clifford, Jennifer Wills, Danielle Hirsch, Mike and Tara Schon, Corte Madera

Matt Segall and Becca Tarnas at Stan Grof commemoration, SF

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Kenji Williams, Bella Gaia, San Rafael

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Tony Montenieri, Susan Celia Swan, Eve Ensler, Colleen Creegan at Bioneers

Eve Ensler and Rob NASCAR driver Leilani Sidon at Bioneers Munter with Rob Sidon Conference at RAN fundraiser, SF

Janice Mirikitani and Cecil Williams (Glide Memorial Church) at Bioneers

Vandana Shiva, speaking at Bioneers Conference, San Rafael

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32  NOVEMBER 2014

John Roulac (Nutiva) at Bioneers

Maurizio and Zaya Benazzo, SAND Conference in San Jose

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Andy Alpine Common Ground founder BY ROB SIDON

Forty years ago you launched Common Ground with the idea of federating the then nascent conscious communities. Did you ever imagine that the magazine would survive so long?

Not at all. I was a dropout lawyer getting into the California lifestyle and just going moment to moment, but it took off. It was the social network of the time. In certain ways it went viral. We started to put out 5,000 copies, then 10,000 copies, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, up to over 100,000. It filled a specific need of the time. But not thinking 40 years in advance. I remember vividly the first time we met. Do you?

I remember you coming into the office, sure. I have a confession. I never told you this, but the day before meeting we talked on the phone, and I remember thinking, He’s got a New York accent; I am probably not going to like this guy. Of course my prejudice disappeared immediately when I saw those soft blue eyes of yours. You looked like Gandalf the White. Then I agreed to sell some ads, figuring I’d stick around for about three weeks.

Make some money and move on. But we had an initial heart connection. I respected your business sense as well as your own spiritual bent. You reminded me of me. I was a New York lawyer, but within me was someone who had studied Zen Buddhism and Chinese language and those sorts of things and had come to California to let that bloom. Common Ground was the vehicle. One thing I’ve noticed in the job is that so many ideologies, causes, activist movements come to my attention. It’s a challenge not to get drawn to all of them. Was that your experience?

Actually, I didn’t because at that time there really was a separation between the spiritual folk—the so-called me generation—in contrast to the political movements of the time. There 34  NOVEMBER 2014

Rob Sidon, Common Ground’s current publisher, and its founder and original publisher, Andy Alpine

was even some animosity between these different camps. The great divide between the marchers and meditators. That’s a big ambition of mine—to further bridge that gap. Increasingly, I see activists embracing spiritual pursuits while yogis understand the dharma of eco-activism, for instance.

I see that when I read Common Ground now; we need to learn to share the planet. I was sad to learn that the Bay Guardian stopped printing, as did Open Exchange. I was always grateful to [Open Exchange publisher] Bart Brodsky for the healthy competition. We kept each other honest, kept each other moving. A number of related publications have come and gone: Share Guide, Bay Area Naturally, Yogi Times, Vision, Psychic Reader, Eucalyptus. I might be forgetting some. Thankfully, we’re going strong. The issues seem to vanish at the distribution points. The Bay Area is a tough crowd. I call it the “been there, done that” crowd. So we have to be sharp and offer a diversity of expression.

You’re doing a terrific job. You are the right person to take over. You have that spiritual depth combined with journalistic curiosity and the right business skills. Barely a day goes by where I am not grateful for what you started 40 years ago. Common Ground is the granddaddy of them all, setting a precedent for similar magazines around the world, showcasing the alternative. Any other gratitude you want to share?

I’m grateful to Common Ground for transplanting me from New York City and giving me a right livelihood here, in a transformational capacity. I was trekking in the mountains of Vietnam about 15 years ago when I met a farmer there who spoke some English. He reminded me how fortunate I am to have been born an American during this period of time. “The opportunities are endless for you,” he said. “Here I am, what can I do? Maybe get a little extra plot to plant some more tobacco.” He was intelligent. I saw myself in his eyes, and it really touched me. He could’ve been me; I could’ve been him. I’m grateful for the staffers that have come through. Sherman Chickering—my original

people in your neighborhood partner—and Sharon Skolnick designed the listings. David Ackerman-Gray, who brought me into the digital age when he came as production manager. Diane Hilton kept the ship on even keel. We had one person, Barbara Bell, who brought national attention because she channeled Barbie Doll. It was very funny, but people wanted to interview her. Karin Kinsey for her layouts. Virginia Lee did our interviews. Lisa Kristine contributed so many amazing covers. And all the people I am forgetting. What sorts of things have you been involved with since Common Ground?

with the help of the magazine. We’ve been a clearinghouse for all the “isms.” What can you say about the ’70s and ’80s, when the human potential movement was blooming?

It was a vibrant time, a time of experimentation on every level. For me it started with the alternative lifestyle. We created the Briarpatch, which was a community network of about 200 small businesses helping one another. It was the time of E. F. Schumacher, who wrote Small Is Beautiful, advocating simple living and the fact that people weren’t fundamentally interested in driving around in fancy cars and such. They just wanted to find out about

I have published a special interest and adventure travel magazine and website for travel agents. The idea had come during meditation, the idea of doing a directory listing–style trade publication. I’ve a number of passions, notably scuba and travel. With my wife, Daya, we’ve been to many exotic places such as Burma, Laos, Vietnam, India, the Maldives, and Fiji.

Yes, I remember seeing you whirl at a performance at the Palace of Fine Arts. Had you already started the magazine when you discovered Sufism?

It was only a year or so after starting Common Ground that I got involved. But the magazine helped me to develop that avenue. I had a spiritual bent and caught my love of God through my father in synagogues, but it was covered over. I didn’t practice a lot of Judaism; however, through Sufism I was able to touch and develop that relationship with God. Common Ground has a long track record of connecting people—students to teachers and vice versa. I’ve heard many stories of people who found their path 36  NOVEMBER 2014

My volunteer work is part of the Center for Attitudinal Healing. Originally, I was visiting cancer patients in hospitals who couldn’t come to groups. Currently, I co-facilitate a support group of individuals with life-threatening illnesses, caregivers to people with life-threatening illnesses, as well as couples where one or both of the participants has a life-threatening illness. I’ve been doing it for over 20 years. How has your inner work affected your approach?

When someone is hit with an illness, we always try to find out if they have a practice— something they can turn to each day—a place where they can tap in to get beyond the physical pain and fear. We don’t give advice, as one of our tenets is that each of us has our own best answers. My own personal life has been a spiritual test. I’ve learned so much from listening to people and drawing on the information gleaned over all these years. What else makes your heart leap?

In publishing you mostly used your spiritual name Baha’uddin. What does that mean, and how did you discover Sufism?

It means “glory of the faith.” It was given to me by my teacher, Wali Ali, a disciple of Murshid Sam Lewis. I discovered Sufism as an EST volunteer at a Kahutec comet celebration. There was singing and moving and dancing and people chanting “Allah, Allah.” Growing up a Jewish guy from New York and hearing about the problems in Israel—the Six Day War, etc.— Allah was considered the bad guys’ God, but I didn’t let that get in the way. After a year of Sufi dancing, Allah became just another word for “God.” Later, I was initiated into the Mevlevi order of the whirling dervishes.

You volunteer extensively with cancer support groups.

One of the early Common Ground covers. To see more, turn to page xx.

themselves. The Briarpatch was created as a way to find out about ourselves through a humanistic approach to business. That morphed into learning about “resources for personal transformation,” which was the magazine’s original tagline. For me it was a time to learn about my personal transformation. We used to joke because part of me is the Jewish lawyer from New York, Andy AIpine, who wanted to handle business as a businessman. Then there was Baha’uddin, who wanted to handle it more broadly, from the heart. So there’s always that balancing act. I can relate. I always liked that phrase I learned from you: “Operate a business with heart.” I am curious how you’ve observed your fellow classmates of your generation, so to speak, and how they’ve grown up along the path.

The people around me have stayed with it each in our own way; it wasn’t just a fad. We might not do as much of the practice we did, but at least we know the importance. It’s not just a small part of life but a continuing part. It’s what keeps us healthy.

When I see people hug one another, when I see people develop and heal themselves. My heart leaps when I see my dog running up and down the hills in the sunset, in the beauty that surrounds us. So much of my life is involved with the woman I love, so my heart leaps when we are together. We love the Giants and the Warriors and watch just about every game together. Back in 2002, when the Giants were in the World Series, your infectious enthusiasm carried over to me. But you started as a Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a kid, right?

I was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan until Walter O’Malley left and took the Brooklyn Dodgers with him. Now we’re beyond avid Giants fans. Even our dog wears the colors. Since 2010, it’s just been sumptuous. I never thought I’d see a day when my moods would be predicated, at least in part, by the outcome of sports contests.

You just get enraptured with it, riding the wave, like surfing. We’ll check in for the 50th anniversary issue. In the meantime, let’s get home and watch some World Series baseball.

Go Giants! Don’t stop believin’. Rob Sidon is publisher and editor-in-chief of Common Ground.

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COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  37

healthy living » alternatives

A Healing Revolution 1974 to 2014 BY DANA ULLMAN

1974

is not just 40 years ago; it is also many revolutions and evolutions ago. At that time, alternatives to conventional medical care were exceedingly rare, and people who sought them were usually considered fringe, weird, or just hippies. And yet, history repeatedly shows us that much of today’s medicines may be tomorrow’s quackery, and some of today’s quackery may be tomorrow’s medicines. These past 40 years have verified this historical pattern, and we are all better for it. In 1974, doctors were taught that vitamin C prevents scurvy but had no other significant health benefits. In fact, food was not considered to have any real impact on physical or psychological health. Milk was considered for “every body” (despite large numbers of adults being allergic or hypersensitive to it), wheat was the “staff of life” (problems from gluten were not even considered), and “TV dinners” were a relatively new invention. In 1974, the mind and the body were seemingly two separate things. The concept of the mind influencing the body was denied, and psychosomatic symptoms were the catchall diagnosis for anyone with symptoms that doctors could not understand.

The Health Revolution Cometh A convergence of many revolutions occurred in the early ’70s. The “back to the earth” movement led to appreciation for organic foods. The women’s movement led to increased selfcare and mutual care. The human potential movement led to acceptance of the dynamic interactions between the mind and the body. The environmental movement led to the realization that polluting our planet leads to our polluting our bodies. And the emergence of a natural health movement led to respecting that “inner doctor” inside all of us and to the recognition of the importance of using gentle 38  NOVEMBER 2014

therapeutics that nourish and nurture our own self-healing propensities. Those of us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area can and should be proud that so many of these revolutions were started or strongly influenced by key players and organizations here. Each of these revolutions and evolutions fed each other, helping to make each stronger, more sophisticated, and more integrated into our lives and culture. The organics movement grew with the gardening and the “grow your own” efforts. It also changed the world of nutritional supplements away from the simple A, B, and C vitamins, as well as various minerals, to the incorporation of powerful herbal remedies and superfoods. The organics movement also collaborated with the environmental movement that sought to minimize pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and later, sought to insist upon proper labeling of GMOs. The women’s consciousness-raising groups of the ’70s helped to revolutionize our malebased culture and spiritual practices to help us all to learn to respect the mother and the sister in each of us so that we can live our lives in greater balance. Women had suffered from the over-medicalization of their bodies, and female and male feminists have actively sought to explore safer, more gentle, and more ecologically sound treatments rather than militaristic surgical interventions that invade women’s bodies. The human potential movement not only helped to spawn various consciousness-raising practices to “know thyself,” but also led to growth of various bodywork disciplines that sought to understand and treat people’s emotional and physical ailments through touch and alignment. Diverse spiritual practices also emanated from and were popularized by the human potential movement, helping to create a real rainbow of sacred ceremonies and practices, including those like meditation and yoga that have profound benefits for mind, body, and spirt. The environmental movement helped to plant important seeds to a paradigm shift that took us from living in a human-centered

world with a “man dominating nature” mentality to co-living on a planet Gaia with plant, mineral, and animal kingdoms in a mutually sustainable way. The natural health movement incorporated all of the above revolutions and developed strategies and practices that helped people treat themselves and their families with healthy foods, healing botanicals, and immune-en-

hancing homeopathic medicines. While some chronic diseases require the attention of medical or health professionals who are trained and skilled in specific natural therapies, today an increasing number of medical doctors practice “integrative medicine” and utilize many natural therapeutics before resorting to more risky conventional medical interventions. Further, the emergence of licensed naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists, and chiropractors make access to natural treatments accessible and often reimbursable. We all stand on the shoulders and walk in arms with those before us who helped to lead one or more of these revolutions. Although this world is very far from perfect, we can and should be grateful for the contributions from previous generations that have brought us here. And it is now the responsibility of each of us to take us further toward a healthier planet and healthier inhabitants of it. Dana Ullman, MPH, CCH, is the author of nine books, including the popular guidebook Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines and his latest, The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy. He practices in Berkeley, seeing patients from all over the world via Skype. Homeopathic.com

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healthy living » eating well

The Whole Food Movement A 40-Year Review BY ED BAUMAN

F

orty years ago, mainstream Americans were eating meat and potatoes, macaroni and cheese, Wonder Bread, bologna and mayonnaise sandwiches, Big Macs, Cokes, and Kool Aid—a chemical feast of manufactured food products. Thankfully, a new message entered the food conversation: a return to fresh, whole, natural foods. Healthy-food enthusiasts suggested we eat more out of the box, such as brown rice, miso, and seaweed; hummus and greens; yogurt and granola; whole wheat bread, avocado, and sprouts. In 1974, the whole food movement was a quaint counterculture alternative. It was often dismissed and marginalized by the press and big food producers. Whole food enthusiasts were called health nuts. I was one, as were many of you. Today, although backlash still persists, there is greater acceptance of the movement. Consumers, farmers, manufacturers, researchers, and even doctors are riding the whole food bandwagon. Let’s look at the process, people, and trends that have contributed to this movement, and at what lies ahead on the food frontier.

Whole Food Pioneers Nearly 40 years ago, I moved to Berkeley from an organic farm outside of Amherst, Massachusetts, to teach holistic health and nutrition at the Berkeley Holistic Health Center. Once in the East Bay, I became a fan of Chez Panisse restaurant, the epicenter of the farmto-table movement. Alice Waters brought in a new style (California cuisine), taste, and ecoliteracy. Other traditional fine dining chefs— Jacques Pepin, Thomas Keller, and John Ash— like Alice Waters, loved European elegance and insisted on flavor, freshness, and top-quality ingredients. Gourmet international food blew open the bland American palate set to 40  NOVEMBER 2014

salt, sugar, and fat instead of savory spice and nuanced flavor. Nutritional foodies appeared in the ’70s with a dizzying variety of whole food approaches. Ann Wigmore touted a raw food diet with sprouts and wheatgrass. Michio Kushi popularized Japanese-based macrobiotics. Paul Bragg advocated radical healing with raw apple cider vinegar and water fasting. John Robbins made the case for an earth-friendly vegan diet. Ayurveda brought traditional East Indian food to the West with savory curries, ghee (clarified butter), and chai tea. Italian

food became the Mediterranean diet. Many of us tried all of these approaches, seeking to find our way.

Co-Ops and Health Food Stores The food co-op movement burst onto the scene in the 1970s, reflecting the spirit of community, sharing, and leveraging group buying power. Co-ops were locally owned, and staffed with a mix of employees and volunteers. The food was fresh and healthy. Health food stores soon followed, offering a wide array of supple-

ments, packaged foods, and a stable of refrigerated and frozen food items. In 1978, John Mackey, a vegetarian, worked in a food co-op in Austin, Texas. Borrowing money, he and his girlfriend started a small health food store. In 1980, they merged with another local health food store and changed the name to Whole Foods Market. Now there are 399 stores and counting in the US, UK, and Canada.

Farmers Markets Since 1976, the number of active US farmers markets has grown from about 350 to well over 3,500, or an average of 75 per state. Buying food outdoors, in the midst of a marketplace with growers standing proudly behind the fruits of their labor, brings the message of people, food, culture, and community together in a vibrant way that is fun, healthy, and socially uplifting.

Organic Food Rachel Carson’s apocryphal 1962 book, Silent Spring, was so titled as a lament for the loss of songbirds and harm to all life from the overuse of DDT. The European biodynamic farming methods of Rudolph Steiner inspired Ameri-

can small farmers to focus on conservation, natural soil cultivation, and pest control. The Green movement emerged in the 1970s and has steadily grown, with organic food as its centerpiece. Naturally (pun intended), the giant food conglomerates have relentlessly challenged the nutritional and health benefits of organic food, despite published research from a highly reputable 2010 study by Newcastle University in England. Genetically modified foods—found in soy, corn, canola oil, and cottonseed—are the latest toxic threat from the manmade alteration of nature. Jeffrey Smith, of the Institute for Responsible Technology, has spelled out the documented health risks of GM foods and advocacy for GMO labeling. Many countries have total or partial bans on GM foods. Why not the US?

What’s Ahead Whole, fresh food and nutritional bars, powders, and supplements are making inroads into the mainstream and are exceeding the growth of mainstream food products. Public schools in California and across the country were mandated to implement nutrition and physical activity programs by 2010. Diet sodas and can-

dy are being removed from a growing number of schools. The garden-to-school movement is taking off, with farmers contracting to grow organic food for schools, and children seeing once again that their food comes from a garden or pasture, not a supermarket or feedlot. Michael Pollan’s battle cry—“eat food, mostly plants, and not too much”—is a great food mantra. Media are still influencing consumers to buy more fast foods, sodas, and diet products than salmon, quinoa, and kale. We have a growing global ecology, food distribution, and health challenge. Individually, let’s hold the whole food movement accountable for staying in integrity and be grateful for the flavors of health we are so blessed to enjoy. Ed Bauman, MEd, PhD, founder of Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts and the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, has been at the forefront of the holistic health and nutrition renaissance for the past 40 years. He is the author of the bestselling Holistic Health Handbook, Flavors of Health Cookbook, and Whole Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors. BaumanCollege.org

COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  41

healthy living » spirituality

Psychology and the Contemporary Western Spiritual Tradition BY MARIANA CAPLAN

I

would give an arm and a leg to have been at Esalen naked in the hot tubs in 1967 with Michael Murphy and George Leonard, processing and recovering from an encounter group led by Fritz Perls; or to have sat around a table in the lower Haight with Alan Watts and Haridaus Chaurduri, dreaming up what would eventually become The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS); or to have studied alongside Claudio Naranjo and Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) as they were learning a new tool called the Enneagram from their teacher, Oscar Ichazo; or to have been in Golden Gate Park tripping with Ram Dass, Timothy Leary, and Ralph Metzner in an attempt to discern whether LSD and MDMA (ecstasy) could really replace years of therapy and meditation . . . or not. Even though I may have needed several years of subsequent psychotherapy to recover from such intense and at times psychologically risky explorations, it would have been worth it. Each of these individuals—a few who continue to teach locally and can still be accessed—possessed extraordinary intelligence, passion, and vision, combined with a courageous willingness to delve into the deep psyche. They were trailblazing the still-new field of psychology, which is just 135 years old, compared to 2,500 years of Buddhist psychology and the 4,000- to 5,000-year-old yogic model of transformation. Most of the great leaps forward in the past 40 years in psychology, and its increasing intersection with spirituality, have emerged in the Bay Area. Even the great pioneers who did not live here always came through town, and still do. One of the things I love most about living here is the ceaseless flow of opportunity to study with the world’s greatest teachers of psychology and spirituality, and to participate in the developments in these fields as they emerge. After the publication of my book The Guru Question in 2011, a man called to ask for a recommendation for a teacher of integrity whom he could access without having to cross a bridge. “Is he for real?” I thought. What

42  NOVEMBER 2014

a blessing we are given to have access to the great developments in Western psychology and spirituality a stone’s throw away, even if we have to cross a bridge to get there! Innovations have emerged from every psychological angle you can imagine, including some you have to stretch your imagination to get your mind around. John Gray, and John and Jennifer Welwood, brought to public attention the path of “conscious relationship.” In another part of Mill Valley, their neighbors Stanislav and the late Christina Grof were creating the first Spiritual Emergence Network so that those having spiritual crises would have access to trained psychologists experienced in these areas instead of a psychiatric diagnosis and medication. And Roger Walsh forged the still-emerging field of Transpersonal Psychiatry, so that medication, meditation, and psychotherapy could be approached as complementary modalities to treatment. A. H. Almaas formed The Diamond Approach, while Claudio Naranjo and his protégés brought the Enneagram to a much wider audience. Joanna Macy and others linked Deep Ecology and Ecopsychology to the field of psychology, and the beloved Angeles Arrien taught people to age consciously, and provided an important bridge between cross-cultural and indigenous wisdom and psychology. The new psychologies proliferated in the

alternative universities that sprung up, including The California Institute of Integral Studies, John F. Kennedy University, and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, now Sofia University. Transpersonal Psychology became an accredited field of study, initially supported by Ken Wilber, who later denounced the field in favor of his Integral Theory. There is a buzz around Nondual Psychology these days, and many scholars in the alternative universities are legitimizing a psychological exploration into shamanic “plant medicines.” In the 1970s, Thomas Hanna introduced the term “somatics,” and the field greatly accelerated. Many excellent new approaches and schools of Somatic Psychology have subsequently emerged, including Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Feldenkrais, Core Energetics, and iRest. Strong momentum continues in the emergence of body-centered psychotherapies due to their effectiveness in treatment. In the past two decades, Western Buddhism as a whole has embraced the value of psychotherapy as a support to spiritual practice, and most recently has begun to include neuroscientific insights as taught by Rick Hanson, Kelly McGonigal, and others. Still newer is Western yoga’s embrace of innovations in psychology, with an increasing number of academic psychology programs integrating yoga studies into their curricula, and yoga trainings that teach somatics and psychology. When I hear young psychologists criticizing pioneers like Sigmund Freud, or the experiments of the Bay Area’s early “psychonauts,” I think how lucky we are to have had such daring forefathers and foremothers who provided the foundation upon which we can continue to build the extraordinary tradition of psychology, which many people consider to be an emerging spiritual tradition in the West. Any of us whose lives have been touched by psychology have benefitted from the passionate explorations of those who have come before us. Let us aspire to draw upon the best of what they learned and continue to evolve the field with integrity and discernment. Mariana Caplan, PhD, MFT, is a Bay Area psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and author of six books on psychology and spirituality, including Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path and the forthcoming Yoga and Psyche. Besides teaching on the relationship between yoga and Western psychology, she specializes in somatic approaches to support spiritual practitioners, teachers, and communities of all traditions to heal from complex spiritual trauma. RealSpirituality.com

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COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  43

healthy living » studies

actually grateful for? It’s a question that could change your life. Recent studies have concluded that the expression of gratitude can have profound and positive effects on our health, our moods, and even the survival of our marriages. As Drs. Blaire and Rita Justice reported, “a growing body of research shows that gratitude is truly amazing in its physical and psychosocial benefits.” In one study on gratitude, conducted by Robert A. Emmons and his colleague Mike McCullough, randomly assigned participants were given one of three tasks. Each week, participants kept a short journal. One group briefly described five things they were grateful for that had occurred in the past week, another five recorded daily hassles from the previous week, and the neutral group was asked to list five events or circumstances that affected them, but they were not told whether to focus on the positive or on the negative. Ten weeks later, participants in the gratitude group felt better about their lives and were a full 25% happier than the hassled group. They reported fewer health complaints and exercised an average of 1.5 hours more. Why Thankfulness Makes Us Healthier In a later study by Emmons, people were asked to write every day about BY OCEAN ROBBINS things for which they were grateful. Not surur world is pretty messed up. With prisingly, this daily practice led to greater inall the violence, pollution, and crazy creases in gratitude than did the weekly journthings people do, it would be easy to aling in the first study. But the results showed turn into a grouchy old man without being another benefit: participants in the gratitude either elderly or male. There’s certainly no group also reported offering others more emoshortage of justification for disappointment tional support or help with a personal proband cynicism. lem, indicating that the gratitude exercise inBut consider this: negative attitudes are bad creased their goodwill toward others. for you. And gratitude, it turns out, makes you Another study on gratitude was conducted happier and healthier. If you invest in a way of with adults having congenital and adult-onset seeing the world that is mean and frustrated, neuromuscular disorders, with the majoryou’re going to get a world that is, well, more ity having post-polio syndrome. Compared mean and frustrating. But if you can find any to those who were not jotting down their authentic reason to give thanks, anything that blessings nightly, participants in the gratitude is going right with the world or your life, and group reported more hours of sleep each night put your attention there, then research says and feeling more refreshed upon waking. The you’re going to be better off. gratitude group also reported more satisfacDoes this mean to live in a state of contion with their lives, felt more optimism about stant denial and to put your head in the sand? the upcoming week, and felt considerably Of course not. Gratitude works when you’re more connected with others than those in the grateful for something real. Feeling euphoric control group. and spending money like you just won the lotPerhaps most tellingly, the positive changes tery when you didn’t is probably going to make were noticeable to others. According to the reyou real poor, real quick. But what are you searchers, “Spouses of the participants in the

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

O

44  NOVEMBER 2014

gratitude [group] reported that the participants appeared to have higher subjective wellbeing than did the spouses of the participants in the control [group].” There’s an old saying that if you’ve forgotten the language of gratitude, you’ll never be on speaking terms with happiness. It turns out this isn’t just a fluffy idea. Several studies have shown depression to be inversely correlated to gratitude. It seems that the more grateful a person is, the less depressed they are. Philip Watkins, a clinical psychologist, found that clinically depressed individuals showed significantly lower gratitude (nearly 50% less) than non-depressed controls. Dr. John Gottman has been researching marriages for two decades. The conclusion of all that research, he states, is that unless a couple is able to maintain a high ratio of positive to negative encounters (5:1 or greater), it is likely the marriage will end. With 90% accuracy, Gottman says he can predict, often after only three minutes of observation, which marriages are likely to flourish and which are likely to founder. The formula is that for every negative expression (a complaint, frown, put-down, expression of anger) there needs to be about five positive ones (smiles, compliments, laughter, expressions of appreciation and gratitude). Apparently, positive vibes aren’t just for hippies. If you want in on the fun, here are some simple things you can do to build positive momentum toward a more happy and fulfilling life: »» Keep a daily journal of three things you are thankful for. This works well first thing in the morning, or just before you go to bed. »» Make it a practice to tell a spouse, partner, or friend something you appreciate about them every day. »» Look in the mirror when you are brushing your teeth, and think about something you have done well recently or something you like about yourself. Sure, this world gives us plenty of reasons to despair. But when we get off the fast track to morbidity and cultivate instead an attitude of gratitude, things don’t just look better—they actually get better. Thankfulness feels good, it’s good for you, and it’s a blessing for the people around you too. It’s such a win-win-win that I’d say we have cause for gratitude. Ocean Robbins is an author, speaker, father, and CEO of the 150,000-member Food Revolution Network. To learn more about his work, visit FoodRevolution.org.

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COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  45

healthy living » yogapedia

The Saints of India and the Tsunami of Yoga BY JEFFREY ARMSTRONG AND KAVINDRA RISHI

They brought spiritual secrets that had been passed down for thousands of years, and there was no angry God, hell, or coercive proselytizing. If the British conquered the world for 300 years with violence, India conquered it in 50 years with wisdom, and today there are over 100 million non-Indian yogis throughout the world. Along with yoga and enlightenment, another surprising force migrated from India. One might wonder how the country famous for meditation and cows could go from primitive to taking over computer technology in just a few years. The answer is that India is not only the oldest mystic culture but also the oldest scientific culture. Scientists use Latin to name new discoveries, but Sanskrit is the parent language of Latin and Greek. Sanskrit is almost as precise as a programming language. There is a huge library of mystic and scientific knowledge in Sanskrit called the Vedas. For many years, Germany has had the largest Sanskrit

I

n 1974, tsunamis were flooding our planet. But these were not waves that drown you and wash your home away. These waves started out in India, spreading east and west until they encompassed the whole planet. What washed ashore, first in New York and San Francisco, and then everywhere else, were the healing waters of ancient yogic wisdom that had sustained and fed the Orient for over 10,000 years. In 1600, India was the wealthiest country in the world. By 1900, bled of its wealth by British colonialization, India appeared to be a broken and subdued giant. But the giant was only sleeping. Under the cover of the social change and transformation that was the 1960s, an unexpected group of immigrants from India were quietly invading North America, the citadel of material power. The soft-spoken, well-mannered invaders had no money, did not know each other, and were not here to promote a religion or political agenda. They were neither Marxist nor capitalist—they were mantra-preneurs! Spiritual teachers, mystics, and professors—unfunded, longhaired or bald, nondenominational, universal, peace-loving, profound, loving, and equal opportunity. With a common source of knowledge—the ancient Vedic library—each master carried their own unique flavor, lineage, and mojo.

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Those ships returned carrying Indian gurus with their Vedic books of wisdom and science, which they subsequently taught at the library of Alexandria. From that transfer of knowledge, Greek, Roman, and eventually European culture developed roots directly connected to the India of 2,000 years ago. During the last 50 years, we have witnessed another historic sharing of Vedic culture at the port of San Francisco, in the midst of a psychedelic transformation, a musical renaissance, and a cultural revolution ignited at the modern Alexandria—Berkeley. We went from “Be there then” to “Be here now.” On our 40th anniversary, Common Ground is honoring the many gurus and mantra-preneurs of India who have been and are still reshaping our lives, and who were always nudging us gently toward sustainability, biodiversity, and universal respect for all life. What all these modern pundits of mystic or scientific thought have been spreading worldwide is based upon the desire for all beings to be free while cooperating with the laws of nature and each other. Join in as we offer “Namaste” and pranams to a few of the game-changing spiritual teachers who have shared the wisdom jewels of their ancient culture.

The Dawn of Eastern Wisdom in the West

library in the world outside of India. Quantum physics, rocket science, medicine, surgery, and many other scientific disciplines were borrowed from this ancient Sanskrit library by the Germans. Remarkably, this process of India sharing its wisdom with the world has occurred before. Roman records state that during the time of Jesus, 150 ships a year left Rome to import luxury items from India. The most famous seaport of the time was Alexandria, Egypt.

The early signal that Vedic waves were about to arrive came in 1841 in Boston through Emerson, Thoreau, W. H. Channing, Parker, and others who, from the Unitarian far left of Christianity, began to study translations of the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Puranas. It was too soon to publicly call themselves yogis, so they came to be known as the American transcendentalists, but behind closed doors they really were the “Boston Brahmins.” Then in 1893, a dashing young spiritual genius called Swami Vivekananda took a steamship from India to speak in Chicago at the Parliament of World’s Religions. In seven minutes, his articulate and compelling message of universal brotherhood electrified the audience. He then toured the US, attracting thousands of students and publishing books on Vedic philosophy in English. During the Roaring Twenties, more underground yoga practice blossomed. By the end of World War  I, yoga and the push to modernity went into high gear. In 1920, Paramahansa Yogananda set up a permanent camp in Los

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healthy living » yogapedia Angeles and founded the Self-Realization Fellowship, whose yoga teachings included an altar with a picture of Christ and a picture of Krishna. Twenty-five years later, thousands of hippies would read his Autobiography of a Yogi and become yogis themselves. Until the ’60s, yoga gradually gained momentum. Jiddu Krishnamurti, an eloquent yoga philosopher, arrived in California in the 1930s and touched thousands with his profound lectures on self-realization. Indra Devi, known as the “first lady of yoga,” opened her pioneering yoga studio in 1947. Swami Vishnudevananda, disciple of Swami Sivananda, immigrated in 1958 and soon thereafter founded the first yoga ashram in the West, thus extending the Sivananda branch of the modern yoga movement. As the 1960s counterculture began to take hold, the Veda flood began in earnest. The Kennedy assassinations, war in Vietnam, psychedelics, rock music, sexual revolution, racial integration, nuclear weapons, women’s liberation—the whole fabric of Western civilization ripped open in a historic moment that changed everything. Now, an entire generation of disenfranchised youth were looking for new alternatives and directions. With psychedelics as the amplifier and rock ’n’ roll as the carrier, the ripples of Vedic culture became a wave and then a flood. Every entrepreneur needs a historic moment, and the mantra-preneurs now found that by divine design, this moment was theirs. A global rock concert of new thought and emotion, of universal love, inner visions, outer freedom, a breaking of sectarian boundaries, and opposition to military solutions began to emerge. Leading this new vibration was a master sitar player named Ravi Shankar, whose mystic concerts and enchanting vibrations reached everyone. Along with the exotic vibration of Indian music came gurus chanting mantras, the magic portals of mystic vibrations connected to realms beyond. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi carried the secrets of Transcendental Meditation to millions and opened the doors to Ayurvedic medicine, Vedic astrology, and many Vedic sciences. Deepak Chopra was one of his influential students. Swami Satchidananda, creator of Integral Yoga, with his long hair and beard, became both a symbol of and the grand elder for the Woodstock generation. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami brought us Krishna. His street-wise and ecstatic presentation of the “Hare Krishna” mantra echoed through urban centers and finally over the radio from the lips of George Harrisson’s “My Sweet Lord.” In the ashtanga yoga world, several disciples 48  NOVEMBER 2014

of the great teacher Krishnamacharya (including Indra Devi) soon made yoga a household word: T. K. V. Desikachar, whose approach is called Viniyoga and emphasizes yoga therapy and individualized instruction; Pattabhi Jois developed his physical style of Ashtanga Yoga, while B. K. S. Iyengar, whose books Light on Yoga and Light on Pranayama are widely used along with his style, which is associated with meticulous postural alignment and precise methods of teaching. Bikram Choudhur y, a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda’s younger brother, Charan Ghosh, became famous for his 26-posture asana sequence, taught in a heated room. Yogi Bhajan, whose disciples were vivid in their white clothing and turbans and who called his group 3HO (healthy, happy, and holy), taught Kundalini Yoga, a unique blend of mystic yoga and the Sikh tradition. The silent yoga master, Baba Hari Das, shared his pure yogic vision in the mountains of Santa Cruz for many years and is also known for producing the first full-stage productions of the Ramayana to be performed outside of India. Yogi Amrit Desai founded Kripalu Yoga on the East Coast, teaching a spontaneous flow of yoga postures. Swami Rama founded the Himalayan Institute, promoting raja yoga, with its philosophical and deeply meditative approach. Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual master, poet, musician, and athlete, taught and inspired the likes of John McLaughlin from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, as well as local musical heroes such as Carlos Santana and Michael Narada Walden. Ramana Maharshi, who left his body in 1950, transmitted the grace of Advaita Vedanta to his disciple, Papaji—and he, in turn, transmitted the nondual teachings to several Western students who now share the wisdom of awakening as teachers in their own right. Rajneesh, or Osho, failed in his attempt to create a commune in Oregon, but that did not diminish the profundity of his many writings and his insistence upon freedom as the ultimate goal of life. Swami Muktananda, a disciple of the great Bhagavan Nityananda, passed the ancient “siddha yoga” initiation on to thousands in a tradition that is carried forward by siblings Swami Chidvilasandanda (Gurumayi) and her brother, Nityananda. Satya Sai Baba never left India, but his mystic powers attracted millions and had airliners full of amazed disciples flying to India from around the world. Likewise, from a humble abode in Northern India, Neem Karoli Baba (Maharajji) extended his enlightenment to the West through devotees like Ram Dass (whose epic book Be Here Now, published in 1971, influenced millions), Krishna Das and Jai Uttal (whose kirtan music

is ubiquitous in yoga studios), and Larry Brilliant, who founded the Seva Foundation.

T

hough less represented (until recently) than their male counterparts, there has been a wave of female teachers, embodiments of the Divine Mother, sharing their feminine grace in the form of darshan (blessings). Anandamayi Ma, who never left India and passed in 1982, was known as the guru to the gurus. Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma) attracts thousands who come to receive her transformative hug blessings and participate in humanitarian service at the MA Center in San Ramon. Conversely, Shree Ma’s ashram in the Napa County is very discreet. Mother Meera, based in Germany, travels periodically to the West, as does Karunamayi, who offers blessings and Vedic fire rituals for world peace.

The Wisdom of India These teachers and many more have acted as carriers of the vast Vedic library and its streams of ancient wisdom. At least 10,000 years of wisdom has flowed down the Himalayas to become the wisdom waves of this most recent cultural exchange between “Mother India” and the greater world. Our planet is poised at an unprecedented tipping point. Our ability to alter matter through technology is both amazing and a threat to all life. We are redefining life on earth with scientific powers, but their use is currently distorted by greed and abuse of power. If we are to use the powers we have unleashed for the good of all, we will need all the wisdom we can get—ancient and modern. While the yogic knowledge, preventive medicine, vegetarian diet, and global vision of a cooperative society have emerged from India, some interesting trends are also appearing. One of these is that 70% of yoga practitioners are female. Other trends include many subjects that our technological culture has overlooked or ignored, including right exercise, preventive medicine, wholesome diet, organic farming, healing use of herbs and massage, natural childbirth, education in universal knowledge, correct breathing, meditative life skills, male and female intimacy skills for relationship, peaceful methods of overcoming differences, knowledge of keeping water pure, regrowth of wilderness animal populations, and protection of all creatures that share the planet. Our consumption of meat, alcohol, and GMO foods are increasingly excessive and toxic. Our addiction to nonrenewable energy must be overcome quickly. In addition, yogic philosophy teaches meditation upon a Divine both male and female, something missing in modern culture. The

result has been a distortion of our social relationship with the feminine and an exploitive attitude toward Mother Earth and all female beings. What may not be immediately obvious is that all of these are related subjects and values that are necessary for perfection in yoga. Could it be that the female yogis of our world are actually the immune cells in the body of Mother Earth? Are they the heart and thought leaders asking us, through yoga, to learn to live sustainably? It may appear that the majority of gurus and mantra-preneurs were men, but what if all of them consciously believed in and were serving the vision of a male and female Divine and were espousing the same views that our many female yogis around the world are now embracing? Could it be that India and yoga are not a religion but rather a set of universal cooperative values and ways of living that allow us to live

in harmonious yoga—connection or union with the Divine, nature, and all beings? What if the tsunami of ancient wisdom flowing from India is, like water, something that belongs to everyone? What if what appears to be many contradictory philosophical views is actually ideological biodiversity? What if we are divine beings growing and learning over thousands of lives in a grand curriculum where the universe is a university and our planet is a campus? We are not only honoring the mantra-preneurs and gurus of India, but truth tellers, seekers, and wisdom carriers of all types and from all cultures who also rode the waves of this flood of culture. That is the universal spirit of yoga, the healing waters of the Ganges of universal truth flowing to water our arid hearts so that a beautiful garden may grow there. Too idealistic, you reply—but in a dangerous world, is there such a thing as too much

love, forgiveness, or hope? From Common Ground to everyone, we hope the waters of divine joy and enlightenment are always flowing in your hearts. And as the yogis teach, go within and find your blissful connection to the Divine, look without in order to live in harmony and peace with the laws of nature, and look around to become friends with all entities living on this sacred earth. Namaste—we bow to the Divine within your heart. Jeffrey Armstrong (Kavindra Rishi) is a yoga philosopher, inspirational speaker, relationship expert, Vedic astrologer, and teacher of the Vedas for over 40 years. An award-winning poet and best-selling author of numerous books including Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar and Ancient Wisdom for a New World. JeffreyArmstrong.com COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  49

art+soul » reviews

BOOKS The Science and Practice of Humility By Jason Gregory In this fascinating book, comparative religion and East/West philosophy scholar Jason Gregory moves beyond our basic understanding of humility as an attribute to strive for. He provides a step-by-step process outlining how being humble can lead us to life as a jivanmukta, one who is fully liberated. The book breaks down our preconceived notions about the “why” of our being, leading us through a three-step progression of understanding the great work of eternity, allowing our perception of reality to evolve, and discovering truth through the science of humility. Along the way we learn that our warrior mentality of trying to change the world—even when trying to change it for the better—is just an expression of our ego, which ends up creating more harm than good. Instead, we should undertake refining our consciousness, the work of the sage. This practice does not ask us to renounce our lives as householders but urges us to recognize that nirvana and samsara are inextricably linked: we can only reach enlightenment through the “wheel of life.” Perfect for any yogi, meditator, or spiritual seeker, The Science and Practice of Humility provides a great opportunity to take your spiritual practice to the next level, allowing you not only to become mindful of the ego but to transcend it in favor of the simple path of the sage. 

The Grateful Life The Secret to Happiness and the Science of Contentment By Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons

—SARAH CIRILLO

The Physics of Angels Exploring the Realm Where Science and Spirit Meet By Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake “It may seem unlikely,” reads the beginning of 50  NOVEMBER 2014

the preface to The Physics of Angels, “that a scientist and a theologian would discuss angels in the twenty-first century. Both disciplines at the end of the modern era appear equally embarrassed by this subject.” Yet for the next 219 pages, internationally acclaimed spiritual theologian Matthew Fox and biologist and awardwinning author Rupert Sheldrake breathe new life into a sacred concept lost to the “machine cosmology” brought about by the seventeenth century’s scientific revolution. The Physics of Angels doesn’t discredit either science or theology, approaching each subject as having awe for the other. Analyzing and structuring the book around the writings of theological heavyweights Dionysius the Areopagite, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Hildegard of Bingen, and utilizing contemporary scientific and astronomical knowledge, Fox and Sheldrake provide a perspective on angels that may be different than we’ve thought about them (powerful, not “barebottomed cherubs”) and explain their role in the present day. When talking about St. Thomas Aquinas’s views on angels as the governing body of the universe, the authors take into account how our knowledge of the universe is expanding every day, as is the universe itself, pointing out how interconnected science and religion can be. —COLIN ROLFE 

Did you know that there were two words that have the power to transform your life? That using those words can improve your health, outlook, relationships, job performance, and even help you sleep better at night? It isn’t magic, doesn’t cost anything, and you don’t have to join an organization. All you have to do is em-

brace the power behind saying “thank you” each and every day, and you will see an improvement in your life. And guess what? There are numerous research studies that support this idea. A new book, The Grateful Life: The Secret to Happiness and the Science of Contentment, reveals the science behind gratitude’s many benefits. Although it sounds easy to say thanks, it takes training. That’s where this book comes in with its inspirational stories, tips, and practices. It will help readers change the way they perceive situations and experience higher levels of satisfaction in their lives. 

—ANNA PADAKA

Sacred Seed Various authors Sacred Seed is a cry from 37 spiritual leaders about what’s happening to the world’s seeds (in case you’ve missed it: monoculture, genetic modification, intellectual property rights on ancient wild plants). Vandana Shiva, who writes the introduction, has been working for years to wake us up to what the commercialization of agriculture really means. This powerful little book joins some deeply authoritative voices with hers. Some have esteemed titles—the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, respected swamis, a Tibetan Buddhist Karmapa, an evangelical, a famous kick-ass Benedictine nun, a Greek scholar, rabbis. Others (an indigenous herbal healer, a “spiritual agitator” of the Lakota nation, a visionary with the wonderful name of Chief Tamale Bwoya,) write from the authority of their

hearts. These 31 essays are mixed together like a patch of wildflowers discovered in a glen. SpiritualEcology.org  —PAIGE CHURCHMAN

MUSIC Various Artists Watershed Music Inspired by the Place That Connects Us Over the past few decades, the Bay Area has spawned a wealth of musicians. When coupled with a worthy cause, music magic tends to happen. This Watershed CD will not only inspire and delight you with its water- and watershed-themed music, all proceeds support the Gallinas Watershed Council’s efforts to protect the Gallinas Creek watershed and other Marin County watersheds. This collection of mostly original songs by local folk, pop, and bluegrass musicians convey the movement and energy of a stream in the music itself and address the impacts of human activity on our often threatened waterways and wetlands. Noted singer-songwriter Laurie Lewis, along with Tom Rozum, performers on A Prairie Home Companion, and the acclaimed fiddle player Darol Anger and his Republic of Strings provide big-name appeal and the two strongest tunes. Amber Cross performs her original song “San Joaquin,” a cautionary Dust Bowl ballad sung in a haunting voice that seems to come from out of the past. On “Lazy Tide,” singer-guitarist Simon Linsteadt and Steep Ravine conjure a breezy, carefree acoustic drive on Highway 1. The CD also features Marin’s Kurt Huget, singer-guitarists Alice DiMicele and Jeff Norman, and other fine musicians. Local interest, local musicians, and a local cause of great importance invite the next logical step: “buy local.” GallinasWatershed.org 

—LLOYD BARDE

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Bob Weir, Saint of Circumstance

52  NOVEMBER 2014

THE COMMON GROUND INTERVIEW

{ BY ROB SIDON } ob Weir was born out of wedlock in San Francisco in 1947. His adoptive family first lived on upper Broadway and eventually moved near Palo Alto, where as a 17-year-old he met Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and cofounded the Warlocks in 1964. The band was renamed the Grateful Dead in 1965. We caught up with Bob at his home in Marin County for a candid discussion commemorating Common Ground’s 40th anniversary issue. Common Ground: The theme of this issue being “40 Years of Gratitude,” I thought you could tell the story of how the Grateful Dead got that name.

Bob Weir: It was a dark, stormy November night at Phil’s house in Palo Alto, with Jerry and I and Phil. The band’s name at the time was the Warlocks, but we found that another band had trademarked that name. We’d been a couple weeks trying to come up with a new name with limited success. In a fit of frustration, Jerry sprung off the couch and ran over to the biggest book he could see on Phil’s shelf, which was a dictionary of musical terms. He just ran through the pages and stuck his finger in, and that’s the name he landed on. It is an ethnomusicological term having to do with a genre of ballads from Northern Ireland and Scotland as catalogued by Francis Child, I think from the sixteenth or seventeenth century. It’s a thoughtful name for a band. What has been the effect of carrying that name?

I hated it at first but was outvoted, so we stuck with it. What’s been the effect of carrying that name? I have no idea. It probably held us back in some regards.

PHOTO: JAY BLAKESBERG

You met Jerry in ’64. Can you tell the story?

I was with a couple of friends walking the back streets of Palo Alto on New Year’s Eve at about 7:30, headed to a coffeehouse to get some music and celebrate. We heard banjo music coming out of the back of a local music store and just knocked on the door and got invited in. We knew who it was; we knew it was Jerry. He was waiting for his banjo students, and I said, “Jerry, listen, it’s 7:30 on New Year’s Eve, and I don’t think you’re going to be seeing your students tonight.” He agreed and asked if we played instruments. We all eagerly nodded yes and broke into the front of the store to grab some instruments. We played all night and had a wonderful time. We decided at that point we had enough amateur talent to start a jug band, which were popular at the time. We started practicing that week and got a gig shortly thereafter. Off it went from there. You never had to interview for another job again?

No, not really, no. Having no idea what you were about to get into.

Neither of us did. But we were game for anything. Were you drawn to spirituality at a young age?

I was. My folks had me going to [Episcopal] church, and as soon as I found out about God, I wanted to meet this dude. How did the path unfold?

It’s been a long and winding path, for sure. When I was a kid I paid attention in Sunday school as best I could, but there were lots of diversions. I ended up being an altar boy in church. Like I said, I wanted to meet God, so I thought,

COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  53

yesterday, I was talking to an old-timer at the gym, who was telling me about the idealism of ’60s. He used the phrase “keeping the dream alive,” which sparked my curiosity.

1968, Golden Gate Park

I’m still quite idealistic; I was born that way. Kids by nature are idealistic, and I never outgrew that and hope my brethren in that movement haven’t outgrown that, and maybe when we get to be older and revered, we will help to bring that worldview back around to greater prominence, like it was back then. PHOTOS: ROSIE MCGEE

With that phrase, this old-timer described sharing art for art’s sake, as opposed to commercialism.

“Okay, well, this is one way to do it.” In the act of being an altar boy, I spent a lot of time fucking around because we really couldn’t hear what the preacher was saying up in front. There were the girls in the choir we were flirting with. I didn’t get serious about spirituality because the Christian experience for me was pretty much a pro forma, by-the-letters thing, and after a while I became aware that it wasn’t lighting me up. In my early to mid-teens, Zen Buddhism became a popular subject in the press. Alan Watts wrote a famous book, which caught the fancy of the forward-thinking American public. He ended up being one of my neighbors when I first moved to Mill Valley. What was the effect of Zen Buddhism on you?

I liked it. I figured okay, there was no mention of God in this “religion”—which was good because I had been frustrated in my attempts to meet God by praying and stuff. I didn’t get a particularly satisfactory return on my investment. All I wanted to do, like I said, was just meet the Divine if there was such a thing. What you were expecting from the meeting?

I had no expectations. I didn’t know if something was going to talk to me or move through me or any of that kind of stuff. I was open and available, but nothing happened. But the Zen approach, with the poems, the haikus, the expressions of the great mysteries through miseries—that was attractive to me and accessible for some reason. In my late teens I met a guy named Neal Cassady, about whom books are written. He was the Dean Moriarty character in On the 54  NOVEMBER 2014

Road and figured prominently in Jack Kerouac’s books and was a most remarkable man. We spent a lot of time together, on the bus. Neal taught me how to drive, for instance. Every now and again I find myself pulling a “Captain Neal behind the wheel.” But he was like no other human that I had ever heard of, much less met. I think the guy’s mind transferred through time and space at will. He was tapped into something—a wizard in his own way?

I’ll make an illustration. He was a guy, the only guy I ever met, who could drive through rushhour traffic in San Francisco at 55–60 miles an hour, never stopping for a red light or for traffic or stop signs. He was on the sidewalk, he was on the other side of the street. It didn’t matter. He never hit anything. At the same time, he had one hand on the steering wheel and one hand feeling up his girlfriend in the middle seat, while I sat shotgun. He would play the buttons on the radio that would come up with some dialogue with my own inner voice, and it was his—I won’t say it was his voice, but it was coming through, I guess as his fingers were hitting the buttons on the radio. It was pretty amazing to watch and be a part of. Not just some gonzo but a Zen master, in your book?

Yeah, of some sort. He wasn’t just your average cookie-cutter yahoo, by any means. You were smack-dab in the middle of the psychedelic movement. What can you say about that era?

Well, all I’ll say about that era is I hope it’s not dead. It’s funny you answer that way because

There were two or three years that we were starving artists and lived a great life. Then we became increasingly successful, and we still had great lives, but we moved on to another mode of existence—we were relatively successful artists. I think almost necessarily the cream of the crop in any artistic endeavor is going to go through that transformation. What is the effect of success?

It took a number of us out. Too much success too soon is something that you have to be fast on your feet to live through. The band was known for ingesting heroic doses of acid. My long-held curiosity has me asking how you kept it together to even stand up on stage, let alone remember lyrics and play instruments.

There were times during the acid tests when we would go onstage and try to start playing in such a profound state of—what’s the word I’m looking for?—bewilderment, disorientation—that we would just bail and come back when done peaking. That was when we started developing our style of performance and band improvisation, of taking a simple riff and working it pretty endlessly and then moving on to something else. It was leaderless; the leader was the song. Where did the discipline and grounding come from despite being so far out on the astral plane?

We had spent enough time living on top of each other in a communal style that we learned to listen to each other, to make room for each other and appreciate each other to the point where we could accept each other’s leadership at any minute regarding any given idea that was presented. We spent all our time together, whether we were practicing music or just raving, just kicking things around. There was very little that was straightforward. We specialized

in taking what someone was saying out of context and redirecting the conversation in whatever direction. Just for fun we would make sure that nothing ever made sense—except in the greater sense. The conversation was, in a sense, poetry. We rapped a lot. I don’t know how to more clearly describe that, but it’s evident in our music. Like echoes, musically speaking. If Jerry would uncork a phrase that led somewhere, then I would take something maybe about three-quarters of the way through that would suggest something different, perhaps in a harmonically contrasting direction—and that would become an overlay. There would necessarily be a conflict in Jerry’s harmonic development on top of which I suggested something he hadn’t intended. The resolution of that conflict would be to morph that kind of stuff. All art is tension and release, conflict and resolve—that is where art is born. Our entire lives were art, not just what we did on stage but what we did in conversation and everything. There was very little we could say that we didn’t already know about each other. In a conversation with any of the guys, there was little they could say that we didn’t know was already coming. We were pretty intimate, so where do you go from there? We found a place to go; it’s most evident in the music. What we found were surprises, endless surprises, coaxed out of our ensemble’s efforts.

All human needs for community, conversation, creative camaraderie were answered. You would want everyone in the world to have that experience, right?

nature. That fueled what was happening out here on the West Coast, and it spread to some degree worldwide.

Right. I sure would. The world would be a different place if people could have that experience.

Richard Alpert migrated to India and met his guru. It’s a beautiful story and a beautiful path. Did you ever connect with a spiritual master, per se?

To my understanding, there were two fundamental approaches in the psychedelic era. One was that of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters—balls out, on the bus, extraverted, and in the world. The other was the scholarly, introverted Timothy Leary approach—in controlled environments, a studied trip into the psyche.

That was the East Coast approach as we saw it, and ours was West Coast. No, we never went there. I met Tim Leary and particularly Richard Alpert—now Ram Dass—early on, but we were never exposed to that scholarly approach, and we were kind of bemused by it. For us LSD was an active exploration but also an act of rebellion. Our whole thrust was rebellious in

No. Everybody was everybody’s guru in our view. I wish I had met and maybe someday I will walk into a guru, but at this point it hasn’t happened. Here in the Bay Area, Common Ground came together as a magazine during the post-hippie era, as part of the human potential movement. Isn’t that about the time you kicked into high gear as a songwriter?

Yeah. In the early ’70s I was in full stride as a songwriter. What’s your recollection of the zeitgeist of that time?

»

Clockwise from top: 1971, with Jerry Garcia, Eiffel Tower, Paris; 1969 “Live Dead” outtakes (left to right): Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Tom Constanten, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Phil Lesh, Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart; 1973 with Jerry

A beautiful insight into being one of “the boys.” And the effect of psychedelics on the dialectic?

PHOTOS: ROSIE MCGEE

Because of our profound disorientation being high on acid, I might play something, but one of my bandmates would probably hear and react differently from how I would expect. Like if you just turn on the radio but don’t know where the phrase began. We used to do that as an exercise. We’d turn on the radio and pick something off, and somebody would hum what they had just heard. Insofar as no one knew where it began, it was out of context, and we’d riff off of that. We would do that in the car going to rehearsal and in normal conversation. We just got adept while we were taking acid at hearing things differently from how they were originally intended, so that any idea, any phrase presented had surprises in it. It’s a very difficult concept to get across. Basically, we’d learned to listen to each other intently in a situation that was close to pandemonium and make our own sense of it—and re-present it. It sounds fantastically fun.

Yeah, it was. COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  55

We were trying to organize ourselves and make sense of the explosion that happened in the ’60s and grab the forward-leaning shards that we could pull together to engineer a new direction, musically. I think we found some success there and put out some good albums and discovered an approach that was going to bring us to new places. It seemed like the beautiful songs for ages and harmonies came together in the ’70s.

Yeah. We were listening to everything except popular music and learned from each other. Jerry was deep into country and string band music and all that kind of stuff from his bluegrass days. We also listened to blues and jazz idioms. From early on Phil brought the modern classical. We just listened to everything, tried to assimilate it and bring it to some sort of fruition.

Christ, drugs took the lives of a lot of people in my life. I was good friends with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and needless to say, Jerry. Drugs took them out. Beyond that, it very much diminished the capacity of a number of other folks that are still alive. They had an effect on my life. I had to take painkillers for a shoulder issue for a number of years, and that’s something I’m still dealing with. You have to differentiate between the drugs we took dur-

1979

Any caution to youth?

Bottom line: you’re better off straight. Stay the hell away from heroin; it’ll take you out. It’ll ruin your life. Meth, the same thing. Cocaine—stay away from cocaine and any of the addictive drugs. Try not to take sleeping pills in your life. If you have a chronic pain issue, better to figure out how to deal with it other than with pain medication.

Can you summarize the ’80s?

We were basically the same kids playing in a very different sandbox where the trappings had changed. Now there were drugs that weren’t available in the ’60s, particularly cocaine and heroin. I guess the heroin was available in the ’60s and early ’70s, but I never saw much of it. By the time the ’80s came around, it was fairly abundant. Herpes and AIDS came along. That put a different complexion on the free-love aesthetic of the ’60s. We had become fairly enormously popular, at least with Grateful Dead heads, playing stadiums. That changed things for us. It wasn’t as easy for us to go out and mingle, so we were forced to group together more tightly. Is there a period that you consider a creative zenith?

I loved what we were up to in the late ’80s. Jerry was in great shape, having slipped the bonds of his drug existence for a few years. We had come together and become strong singers. We had a good sense of dynamics and were a good band. If we had been able to maintain that plateau as a band, some monumental music might have resulted. We lost Brent [Mydland], then Jerry also receded back into the drugs. Drugs cast their long shadow. Can you talk about their un-beautiful facet? 56  NOVEMBER 2014

I say, no matter what I do, just give me this amount.” That was a tough job. I gave him a daily allotment. He’d trust me. Every now and again he would invite me to join him, and I would. But I never got into it. It was fun to go into his world on a given evening after a show, but it’s not a place I found I wanted to stay—or at least that part of his world. It was fun going into that little corner of his world where he didn’t let other folks in. A place to visit but you wouldn’t want to live there. He did. I’m not sure.

Have you had that conversation with your own daughters yet?

Not so far. I think they’ve got the good sense. They’ve seen the elephant. I’ve had pain issues and dealt with them unsuccessfully, and they’ve witnessed that; they can see where that goes. The ’90s were the most commercially successful, no? It seemed the Gen-X crowd had found you.

ing the acid tests, the LSD. There was a shadow to that experience too, but it was just a situation where we had to pick up the pieces of our existence after it had been completely blown up and rearranged by the insights that we had during the experience. What can you say about heroin?

I can’t find much good to say about heroin. I tried it a time or two. For instance, I used to carry Jerry’s dope around on tour; I used to be his bagman. At the beginning of the tour, he would tell me, “Okay, no matter what

The ’90s were very much an extension of what happened in the late ’80s. I think in ’87 we had a single [“Touch of Grey”] accompanied by a video, and it escalated our popularity to the point where we were sort of over the top. We just stayed that way from then on. Since the beginning, it seemed that about every four or five years we’d get a new sea of young faces in the front rows of our shows. Their older siblings would turn them onto us. Our music is a little complicated for younger teens, with the rough edges being a little more than they could take. The ones that were up to a little adventure in life were the ones who related, and we’d have a new freshman class with big numbers starting in the mid-’80s and through the ’90s, until 1995, when we had to call it quits.

What are you willing to share about losing Jerry?

It was time to become reflective and reinvent myself. With the Dead, the way Jerry and I left it off, he was supporting me when I was singing, and I was supporting him when he was singing. I would direct the band when he was singing, and he would direct the band when I was singing. We focused on each other intently and tried to supply what the song called for. Because the role of the singer, whether it be me or Jerry or whoever, was to step out of the mix and just not even be there—to get out of the way and let the character tell the story. With the singer having incapacitated himself, so to speak, it’s important for his wingman to supply the nuts and bolts, the foundational materials, for that song to build itself around. Jerry and I, doing the bulk of the singing, were deepest into those principles. After Jerry’s departure, if I was going to get out of the way, I wasn’t going to have that wingman. I had to figure out how to be that wingman and get myself out of the way at the same time. I’m still trying to refine that skill, but I’m getting better at it.

but certainly have my share of blessings. I don’t know about angels. If so, they provide misdirection from time to time. I find my way forward by triangulation, going off my path and then from those missteps I manage to triangulate to where I am headed. You’ve been famous since you were a teenager. What’s the effect of that?

There are good parts and bad parts. Good

You once said to me that people’s projections of him, as a guru, is what killed him.

What are you most grateful for?

I’ve been lucky. I was fortunate. Hell, to begin with I was born out of wedlock and at a time when that wasn’t a great thing. Right off the bat, I got adopted into a wonderful family. Things picked up from there. I have my temptations PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD: JAY BLAKESBERG

In some regards, if you’re famous you have to, because that notoriety is something of a hindrance. I carry a lot of associations for a lot of people. Last night I was at a big party that the San Francisco Giants 2009 threw, and since I’m kind of associated with that outfit and that community, it’s sort of incumbent on me to show up and hobnob a bit, which I did. There were a couple thousand people there, and I didn’t know many who came up to me. Being famous, you just have to sort of take it on the chin that you’re going to be having conversations with people who have had a number of drinks and want to talk about their past revelries.

Right, or Jerry Garcia, for instance. Jerry’s fame was such a burden to him he finally just hid from it with drugs. That’s what it was all about. It was painful to him to not be able to get out into the world without being battered by people’s notions of what he amounted to. It was different from who he really was.

You’re not going to develop that kind of collaboration very quickly with anyone. Worthy of mention is the fact that when he died, he was in the act of trying to shed the drugs again. He was in a rehab facility when he had his heart attack.

A long time ago your sister Wendy described you to me as someone who has two good angels on his shoulders, while most of us have a good one and a devilish one.

It seems the rich and famous build walls around themselves.

Hey, you got it good compared to pop stars like Michael Jackson or Madonna.

You never recaptured that kind of collaboration?

Well, number one is the gift of having been able to live a life where I was able to stay a kid. To never have to grow up—to live with the wonder that a kid finds and stick with that.

knows who you are and you don’t know anyone. On the other hand, I get to play and sing for a living, which is all I’ve ever wanted to do. So back and forth, back and forth.

parts, you can spread a little light every now and again where other people wouldn’t have as much opportunity. A smile from someone who’s famous goes a little further than a smile from regular folk. Wish it weren’t that way, but it seems to be. You have to watch what you do because people are watching. If you’re not setting a good example, there are people who are apt to follow in that example, which is not a good thing for anyone to do. Aside from that, there are times when it’s tough to be in crowds, especially if everyone

Yeah, basically, because he wasn’t. He was just a guy on a quest, and a lot of folks figured he had found something that they needed to access. He hadn’t found anything other than his direction in life, which was to play and sing and make music and be who he was. He didn’t have some sort of gem to offer people. Popularly, that was what a lot of people thought. He was not a guru. He wasn’t there to dispense some sort of divine method of attaining enlightenment, other than by his example. He did seem to embody the old-soul archetype of a shaman.

Something like that. In the moment when we were working together, we could let some light shine through. We found a way to open COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  57

Natasha with daughter Monet

your friends tease you when both your children turned out to be daughters?

“Karma, karma, karma. How does it feel to be a dad?” I got that from a lot of people.

PHOTOS: SUSANA MILLMAN

If you could talk to your younger self, what advice would you give?

Stick with it. Have faith in your footsteps. I wouldn’t have done things differently. I would have advised myself to make the mistakes that I made—too numerous to mention here—but be humble enough to admit that they were mistakes. And to learn from them.

Wedding photo with longtime lyricist John Perry Barlow and bride Natasha Muenter-Weir

up some heavenly windows, I guess. But it was momentary. We knew it. We knew that if we worked together we could oftentimes tap into that, but that was as far as it went. You know the lyric: “Once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.” Deadheads spend a lot of time peeling back and interpreting lyrics.

If they are looking for divinity, they’re probably looking for a divinity within themselves rather than in what we were doing. Bob Dylan, someone you knew well, famously has that problem of people interpreting his lyrics. You saw how fame affected him.

Right. He’s done a remarkable job of overcoming the shackles of his fame. He’s had to just insulate himself from a great deal of the world, but he’s a master of disguises. He can go out in the world and not be recognized; I’ve seen him do it. That wasn’t something Jerry was able to do. Jerry was born with a physical look about him that you couldn’t disguise. Bottom line: fame—is it worth it?

Excellent question. Ask me later. Ha! When later?

When I’m lying on my death bed. We’ve talked about drugs and rock ’n’ roll but not about sex. What was it like to be a young man and have countless women willing to have sex with you?

It was fun, though a bit distracting. I’d probably be further advanced as a musician had it not been for the availability of the sexual and romantic encounters. I’m romantic by nature, as most men tend to be. The combination of my nature and my situation made it difficult, 58  NOVEMBER 2014

I would tell myself to relax and not fret so much. God’s got this one.

if not impossible, for me to settle down until I was about 50, though I tried numerous times in my life. Each time it seemed to blow up in my face. At least that situation offered me the opportunity to shop around. A lot of guys I know have been married a number of times, whereas I am married once. I was wondering to myself if it was possible to maintain the rock ’n’ roll tomcat lifestyle with anything resembling grace. I looked around, and from what I could see—I was looking at Mick Jagger, for instance—that prospect looked pretty dismal to me. What do you mean about Mick Jagger?

All I can say is I’m looking at a guy who was in his 50s and still sporting about, and it just didn’t look that graceful to me. At the same time, I’ve always loved kids, and I met a girl who was a teacher who was real good with kids as well as making me laugh, which not a lot of girls could do. We had a wonderful romantic relationship, so I finally settled down. Yeah, you got the great girl from the North Country. What are your appreciations about married life?

It’s given me a family and another focus in my life, a fuller measure of fulfillment. Curiously, I had always harbored the notion that I might spend my golden years in a monastery, but I’m a family guy so it’s put that notion off for a while. Seriously? You’d envisioned the endgame in a monastery?

Yeah. If I had stayed single, I eventually would’ve ended in a monastery. It was a short step from a single existence to a monastery. It’s a longer step from a family existence to a monastery. Given your active single lifestyle, didn’t

Right. Though I’m not sure that I put this on God or any higher self. My higher self is here— my flesh. My higher self is me working my way through all this stuff. It’s tough for me to find words for it, but it’s all one big continuum: the mistakes, the learning, the revelations and the closing of that loop, the fulfillment of that revelation and the growth it provides. Some people call it God—the whole thing, the mistakes, the whole thing.

I’m God. As Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within.” That implies to me that one is divine right now if one just has the ability to realize it. That ability is there to be found. That ability, if it comes at all, tends to come later in life. What do you make of the phrase “youth is wasted on the young”?

No, I don’t believe that because I’ve been a professional kid all my life. I solidified into what I am and what I’m doing somewhere around the age of 14 or 15. I met Jerry, and that just crystallized and formalized. I’m a musician and an adventurer of sorts. I realized that before I met Jerry, but after that meeting we were off into the world, in our little joint endeavor. Do you have hang-ups about aging?

Hell no. It’s going to hurt a little bit, but pain and suffering is part of life—part of the lesson that you learn and how you deal with it. There’s pain early in life in terms of the frustration of what you can’t do, that you learn. But then as you get older, a new set of limitations arise. That’s always going to be part of existence. I just received a batch of photos of you as a young longhair—all that youthful vitality. Do you ever look at those photos and think “those were the days”?

I find that youthful vitality in the characters of many of the songs I sing. I live there again. My

Bob Dylan and the Dead, 1987

next few years with the ascendancy of digital music, which right now is in infant form, music will re-ascend to cultural prominence. You’re on a winning streak. Every time you sing the national anthem before a Giants game, the team wins.

[Knocks his own head] Knock on wood. Will you sing for the World Series?

PHOTO: JAY BLAKESBERG

Because there are no more superstitious people on earth than baseball players, the Giants would love to have us sing. To my understanding that request is in. In the playoffs they have their say, but when it gets to the Series, not so much. Major League Baseball and Fox Sports are looking for something considerably glossier than yours truly. The suits take over.

Let’s say when it comes to the World Series, the suits take over. quest to manifest some sort of fulfillment in my existence takes youthful vitality. I find that in the morning every day. It’s a matter of embracing that and bringing it to focus and good use. Like I say, I’m a professional kid. There’s an openness that I try to embrace, and on a good day I do bring it to my life.

Soul Survivors: Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir

What connections do you make between gratitude and humility, gratitude and charity?

A phrase that I heard when I was in my early teens that more or less formalized an approach for me in life was this: “There but for fortune go you or I.” In other words, I really do try to put myself in other people’s shoes.

I got involved in the environmental movement because it just doesn’t look right to me when I see what we’re doing to the planet, the disrespect that humanity brings to our planet, our life-support system, the planet’s life-support system. Now, by having kids the issue is compounded because that disrespect is going to affect them. Something’s got to be done; I’ve got to do what I can. We supported Greenpeace as soon as we learned about them, which was right when they were starting. We did benefits and stuff like that to get them rolling. Other shit that pisses you off?

Too much and too deep to get into here. Let’s just say the enemy here is massive willful ignorance; it somehow must be overcome.

PHOTO: JAY BLAKESBERG

You’ve long been focused on environmental charities.

Besides our sports teams, any special appreciations about the Bay Area?

I am a pathological 49ers fan, but sports is the cherry on the sundae. The Bay Area is a huge wellspring of creativity and to some degree, enlightenment. We have a couple of major universities here, Berkeley and Stanford—hotbeds of learning. From learning comes creativity. Television was invented here, the Internet. The nonprofit culture, the yoga culture is important here. There was a time when the Bay Area was a hotbed of music, and I think gradually over the

For our 40th anniversary issue, any final remarks to our readership, which is one of the groovy thought leaders by the bay?

I definitely like the worldview that’s promoted by Common Ground. It’s been one hell of a ride. I imagine it will continue to be that. It will continue to be, period. I’m grateful to have been born into this time, into this place. Very grateful. Rob Sidon is publisher and editor-in-chief of Common Ground magazine. COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  59

1970s

Four Decades of Common Ground Common Ground pioneered the eco-health-wellness premise 40 years ago and helped advance a higher vision for our planet. Starting with black-and-white newsprint that eventually led to colorful recycled stock, the magazine’s covers have traced the eras with bold panache and alternative style. We’ve compiled a retrospective we hope you will appreciate. Some images you may have missed—and some you may remember. We sincerely thank the photographers and illustrators along the way—too many to name—whose impressive art speaks volumes.

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1980s COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  61

1990s

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2000s

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APRIL 2011 | FREE

The new ChivaLry reawakening The feMinine inBorn BeauTy MeeT kaMaLa harris

The Green Issue OUR SACRED EARTH

The Women Issue Leading froM The hearT Conversations with Alice Walker, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Joanna Macy, Nina Simons, Akaya Windwood

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Wonder in a Wounded World

THE BAY AREA’S MAGAZINE FOR CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

BAY AREA ACTIVISM Guarding the Amazon

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NOVEMBER 2012 | FREE

YOGA IN NATURE

Step Outside

38th Anniversary Issue

SF EARTH DAY ECOCITIES GREEN PARENTING WIRELESS RADIATION CAMPUS ENVIRONMENTALISM

YOGA OF MONEY 2012 TRANSFORMATIONAL FESTIVALS WISDOM OF BUYING HANDMADE GREEN THANKSGIVING RECIPES

COMMON GROUND INTERVIEW Foster Gamble, Blue-Blooded Whistle-Blower

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Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise DAY IN THE WORLD

A Pictorial Expression of Humankind

WORDS CAN CHANGE YOUR BRAIN

The Neuroscience of Communication

AWAKENING IN THE CHARNEL GROUND

Embracing Discomfort With Curiosity and Compassion

THE BAY AREA’S MAGAZINE FOR CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

The Bay area’s Magazine for ConsCious CoMMuniTy sinCe 1974

JULY/AUGUST 2012 | FREE

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IMPROVE YOUR SUMMER RELATIONSHIP THE YOGA OF LIVE MUSIC GMO LABELING ON THE BALLOT PROJECT HAPPINESS THE DIGNITY OF BEING DUMPED

september 2012 | Free

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September Is National Yoga Month

Deepak Chopra

The Summer Issue

The Common Ground Interview

BLACK ROCK CITY

FERTILITY 2.0

Playa Art Preview

THE POWER OF HUMOR New Age Spoofapedia

THE BAY AREA’S MAGAZINE FOR CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

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yoga on a PedesTal

Fight Club Yoga generation Sweat 10 South baY FaveS luSCiouS YoginiS Yoga SeekS Men Surrender, the PraCtiCe oF

The Ephemeral Architecture of Burning Man

Advanced Practice with John Friend

sPiriTual ByPass

Perils of Sidestepping Psychological Health for Transcendent Bliss

sTrengTh and graCe

A Pictorial of Men in Posture

MAY/JUNE 2014 | FREE

The Creativity Issue

The Bay area’s Magazine for ConsCious CoMMuniTy sinCe 1974

18 THINGS CREATIVES DO DIFFERENTLY POETIC MEDICINE FAILURE AND CONFIDENCE CALLIGRAPHY CREATIVITY IN THE CURRICULUM

AWAKENED FEMININE

The Art of Mayumi Oda

Our Holiday Issue

A Roundup

The Common Ground Interview

EXTRAORDINARY CONSCIOUSNESS

THE CREATIVE SOUL OF ANNE LAMOTT

december 2011 / JANUArY 2012 | Free

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SUMMER FESTIVALS

The 2012 Discussion

Reconnecting to Source

A cosmic momenT in Time

THE BAY AREA’S MAGAZINE FOR CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

The Shift Hits the Fan

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APRIL 2014 | FREE

crop circles: yoU DeciDe

From Above or Below? Or Both?

2012: WhAT BAy AreA yogis Think We Asked Around

The Green Issue BAY AREA PUMA

Mountain Lions Among Us

SMART METER BACKLASH

Health Risks and Privacy Concerns

MARTIN LUTHER KING, ECOLOGICAL THINKER

Exclusive New Study

reTUrn of QUeTzAlcoáTl Occupy the Prophecy

LOVE LETTER TO THE EARTH KARMA OF PLASTIC ECOLOGY AND IMAGINATION GMOS DEPLETE MONARCH BUTTERFLY PEACE AND QUIET = GREEN

The Common Ground Interview

22-YEAR-OLD ERIN SCHRODE’S GREEN MILLENNIAL GENERATION

Common Ground Interview:

John Major Jenkins

ApocAlypse… Whenever The UniversAliTy of TeA DelAncey sTreeT resTAUrAnT The DAlAi lAmA AnD DesmonD TUTU’s online hAngoUT

COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  69

happenings NOVEMBER 2014

11/14–16 Green Festival at SF Fort Mason Center The Herbst and Festival pavilions at Fort Mason replace the beloved Concourse Exhibition Center as home to the 13th iteration of the popular Green Festival. With more than 300 sponsors and vendors, the festival features products and services from a wide selection of categories like food, health and wellness, nutrition, body care, fashion to energy, transportation, home construction, gardening, and design. Bring the family to visit the unique stages and pavilions, including the Sustainable Beer and Wine Garden; Yoga Pavilion, featuring free yoga instruction and classes; Family Fun stage with interactive and educational activities for young eco-warriors; Vegan/Vegetarian Food Court, featuring local artisanal cuisine; and Lifestyle Stage, featuring experts on the green business and technology sector, and a special section focusing on how SF neighborhoods promote green living. Ford and BMW will be providing neighborhood test drives of the latest eco-friendly models. In cooperation with Global Exchange and Green America. Come visit our booth. See you there, at 2 Marina Boulevard. GreenFestivals.org

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11/6–9 O+ Festival, Petaluma— Art in Exchange for Healthcare Discover the O+ Festival, a three-day, community-run celebration of music and the arts whereby participating artists exchange their contributions in return for healthcare services from art-loving doctors, dentists, and other wellness providers at the O+ Clinic. This grassroots solution aims to offer healthcare for the creative community. By programming the festival’s art and music events in various venues, O+ supports and unites local businesses and residents, artists, musicians, and doctors, strengthening the fabric of a community to make it more sustainable and vibrant. Founded in Kingston, New York, in 2010, the second branch of national expansion begins on Petaluma’s Putnam Plaza. Learn how you can attend and participate at OPositiveFestival.org.

projects. Join Burning Man cofounder Harley Dubois and Flux Foundation cofounder Rebecca Anders for a conversation about female leadership as a catalyst for creative expression and community building. At CIIS Main Building, 7–9 p.m. CIIS.edu/publicprograms

11/15 Lila & Love: Bhakti Night at Yoga Tree Corte Madera Join a luscious evening of yoga at 7 p.m., followed by soulful kirtan led by Adam Bauer, Ben Leinbach, David Estes, Lakshmi Devi, Christine and Friends. DJ Eric Monkhouse takes over at 10 p.m. 67 Tamal Vista Boulevard. Amma

In 2013, Jonathan Stack and Dr. Doug Stein launched World Vasectomy Day with the hope of informing people about vasectomies and bringing these services to those furthest afield, and to inspire men to engage in the conversation about family planning. A hundred doctors in 25 countries conducted 1,000 vasectomies in a 24-hour period, to the intrigue of journalists and bloggers worldwide. Learn more from a doctor near you. WorldVasectomyDay.com

Join a public forum with renowned speakers  Daniel Ellsberg, Norman Solomon, Trevor Timm, Marjorie Cohn, and Ahmed Ghappour to discuss the public’s need for greater transparency and constitutional protection from government intrusion and abuse. Learn why independent media and whistleblowers have emerged as a powerful check on the corporate lobbyists’ hold on Congress. At 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave., Berkeley. BrownPaperTickets.com

11/13 Women of Burning Man: Fueling Creativity and Community at CIIS Women hold pivotal roles in creating community around the world. Burning Man culture advances the role of women in creating community through playa art and through organizations such as the Flux Foundation, where volunteers learn skills such as welding and creating art

11/20–23 Meet Swami Vidyadhishananda Hailing from the ancient nath lineage in the Himalayas, KriyaYoga meditation adept Swami Vidyadhishananda offers a free lecture series on Vedic spiritual philosophy. Sanskrit peace chants, guided meditation, and a close-up greeting with the swami are part of the fellowships on 9/20 in Santa Rosa, 9/22 in San Rafael, and 9/23 in Santa Clara. Swamahiman.org/events

11/7 World Vasectomy Day

11/9 Whistleblowers and Independent Media: A Check on Government Power

Swami Vidyadhishananda

11/22 Black Rock Arts Foundation ARTumnal Gathering

11/19–22 Amma, the “Hugging Saint,” in Castro Valley Renowned humanitarian and spiritual figure Mata Amritanandamayi makes only two appearances in the US in the fall, at the MA Center in Castro Valley and in Michigan. Free public darshan program Nov. 19, followed by a retreat Nov. 20–22, and a final public program on the evening of Nov. 22. MA Center, 10200 Crow Canyon Road, Castro Valley. Carpooling sometimes required. Amma.org

11/20 Annual Pachamama Alliance Luncheon Fundraiser

Enter an enchanted world of interactive art experiences, stunning live performances, an array of local and national DJ talent, and a sumptuous pre-event dinner with live and silent auctions, absinthe tasting, and special gifts. Considered one of SF’s grooviest gatherings at the Bently Reserve, 400 Sansome St. BlackRockArts.org

11/27 Thanksgiving Workshops at Yogaworks in Marin Consider spending Thanksgiving morning with James Higgins (Larkspur) or Christy Brown (Mill Valley), setting the tone by cultivating gratitude through the quieting, calming, centering effect of yoga, practiced mindfully. A two-hour gratitude workshop from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. as a precursor to a soulful holiday. Yogaworks.com

Join friends and Pachamama Alliance leaders to learn about their work to protect one of the most biodiverse places on earth. One of the largest nonprofit fundraisers in the Bay Area takes place at the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center, and you can be part of it. Donations raised aim to transform the systems and structures standing in the way of our shared dream of a thriving, sustainable human presence on this planet. Pachamama.org COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  71

professional services directory Business & Professional Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Certification & Degrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conferences, Workshops & Classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Healing & Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intuitive Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Massage & Bodywork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psychology, Counseling & Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spas, Retreats & Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spiritual Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Resources for a Well-Balanced Lifestyle Welcome to our thriving village of skilled healers and active doers — a community of progressive, heart-centered individuals and companies commited to the pursuit of physical health, mental bliss, social justice, and a sustainable world.

Business & Professional Services Accounting MAKE MORE MONEY, MINIMIZE TAXES & HAVE MORE FUN. Financial prosperity and spirituality used to be looked at as opposite ends of the spectrum. After more than thirty years as a C.P.A., I discovered that being a whole person includes financial maturity as well as personal growth. After establishing a successful practice in N.Y.C., I began to look for more meaningful ways in which to relate to life. While exploring the metaphysical, my family and I found our way to Marin in 1977. I spent the next 10 years leading trans-

formational trainings, human potential workshops and seminars throughout the USA and internationally. I reached a nurturing balance in my own life, and now through the blending of Financial Principles with Transformational work, I am able to support people’s Financial Well-being in a unique way. I enjoy productive and nurturing relationships with my clients. What we do together is: set up low-cost efficient accounting systems; establish simple yet essential money management, tax planning and business practices; reduce worry and stress; establish real priorities; clean up old messes; make more money, minimize taxes and have more fun. It may be a perfect fit. Call IRVING WILLIAM BERNSTEIN, C.P.A. 415.389.8500

Acting to Solve Debt ADVOCATES IN BANKRUPTCY Move Forward with a Financial Fresh Start! When you find yourself struggling each month to balance bills that seem overwhelming, when you find yourself financially swimming furiously just to stay afloat, you’re closing yourself off from the opportunity to move on and up to success.

to the time the foreclosure sale was stopped. Imagine Lowering Your Car Payments While Keeping Your Vehicle and Other Assets: I restructure your financial picture so that you can move forward while maintaining what you already have. I ensure the safety of your car, your home, your business. Imagine Reenergizing Your Business: The number one reason businesses fail is poor cash flow. I immediately and dramatically improve your bottom line, allowing you to focus on making your business a success. Imagine an Attorney Who Offers Personal, Creative Service: I pride myself on the individualized attention I give. For example, I’ve lowered mortgage payments for contractors during the rainy season, and for teachers during the summer months. What I Offer: • Free Consultations • Evening & Weekend Hours • Payment Plans • Money-Back Guarantee • Offices in San Francisco & Pacifica • Small Business Turnarounds • Member Better Business Bureau If you want to reenergize your business or your personal financial life, call me. 415.351.2265 www.ebankruptcycenter.com BANKRUPTCY CENTER OF JOHN D. RAYMOND A Creative Debt Relief Agency

Professional DJ DJ HEARTBEAT MESMERIZING, MAGICAL MUSICAL MIXES Lloyd Barde has an instinctive gift for providing music for creative movement, dance & healing. As DJ Heartbeat, Lloyd brings an exquisite depth of knowledge and presence to his work as Movement Wizard, playing music that invites the body to move and inspires the heart to soar. Besides his vast music collection, spanning six decades in all styles, is his innate sense of “reading the room” and tuning into his audience. His music is at once playful, unexpected, and lends a special “live magic”.

Dances, weddings, private parties, fund-raisers, birthdays, and whatever else might suit your musical fancies—all are fair game for DJ Heartbeat. Let him co-design the music you really want to include at your events! Since 1985, DJ Heartbeat has brought his magic mixes to Barefoot Boogie, Rudramandir, Groove Garden, Spirit Rock, Inverness Yacht Club, World Dance & Fitness, Larkspur Café Theater, and Rosie the Riveter as well as countless private events. “Of all the many DJs I enjoy in the Bay Area, DJ Heartbeat is the most inventive and spontaneous and fun, with his ability to respond to the dancer’s energies around him. He’s the best alternative DJ I have ever heard!” —W. Lewis

Business & Professional Services

Business & Professional Services

Get a second chance! I am a lawyer specializing in the field of bankruptcy, a legitimate legal tool we can use to remove your draining burden of debt. I love my work because bankruptcy is one of the few areas of the law where quick, dramatic results are obtained. Over the past 19 years, I have helped over 10,000 people move forward in their financial lives. I can help with: • Credit Card Harassment • IRS • Stopping Car Repossessions & Lowering Payments • Preventing Home Foreclosures • Student Loans Imagine a Fresh Start Within a Single Day: I typically get a federal court order preventing any kind of bill collection within 24 hours. I once saved a home in 38 minutes — from the time a client came into my office Business & Professional Services

72  NOVEMBER 2014

Call or email Lloyd aka DJ Heartbeat: 415.924.4848 [email protected], www.lloydbarde.com/dj-heartbeat.html

Certification & Degrees Certification & Degrees

Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine BECOME A LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST If you are seeking a new and meaningful career in healthcare, you may wish to research becoming a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, two of the fastest growing healthcare professions in the U.S. With campuses in San Jose and Santa Cruz, Five Branches offers Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The college is nationally accredited and offers Federal financial aid. Minimum entrance requirements are 2 years of college.

Since 1984, Five Branches has trained exceptional medical professionals in Acupuncture, Herbology, Dietary Medicine, Qigong and Tuina massage, the five major branches of Chinese Medicine. We are proud to have the highest passing rate in the California Licensing exam. Our faculty are practicing physicians, most with over 20 years medical experience in leading hospitals in China and the U.S. Our clinic sees over 100 patients a day. We invite you to visit our campuses, or request a free catalog at: (toll free) 877.838.6789 email: [email protected] 3031 Tisch Way, San Jose, CA 95128 200 7th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 www.fivebranches.edu

Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine CHINESE MEDICINE Traditional Chinese Medicine is more than just needles and formulas. TCM is the art of acupuncture, acupressure, herbal prescription, Taiji Quan, and meditation, based on the foundation theories of yin and yang, the five elements and eight principles. The Academy explores the methodologies of proper healing while preserving the cultural and spiritual aspects of the inner self. Before you can heal others, you must know how to heal yourself. The Program The Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine is an accredited, professional degree curriculum designed to prepare graduates to become effective, competent, and caring members of the Chinese medicine profession. The Tui Na Massage Therapy Certificate is a California BPPVE approved 180 or 300-hour program in specialized Chinese, acupressure (massage) therapy. Location and Facilities The Academy is located in vibrant Oakland, California, just across the bay from San Francisco. The Academy campus is near Oakland’s City Center

and Elihu Harris Plaza, and easily accessed by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) public transportation system. Admissions Admission is open to all qualified applicants. Equal educational opportunities will be provided to all persons, regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, sexual preference, age, or physical handicap. Academics The program emphasizes the cultivation of the intellect and an understanding of human nature. The ability to analyze, evaluate, and effectively translate Chinese medical information into practical clinical use is essential. The Clinic The teaching clinic is a clinical program of TCM that is open to the public. The clinic provides high-quality care at low cost, offering complete alternative medical services to the community.

Ayurvedic Certification THE AYURVEDIC INSTITUTE The Ayurvedic Institute offers authentic comprehensive introductory and advanced Ayurvedic education. Founded in 1984 by internationally recognized Ayurvedic expert, Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic Physician, B.A.M.&S, M.A.Sc., and licensed by the state of New Mexico since 1994, its programs include: Ayurvedic Studies Program - Level 1 30-week residential program, 730 hours: Students learn to live an Ayurvedic lifestyle and offer lifestyle counseling and education to help clients improve their health and wellness by practicing an Ayurvedic lifestyle. M-1 visas available. Ayurvedic Studies Program - Level 2 30-week residential program, 735 hours: offers continued training in Ayurvedic theory and practice for students planning a clinical career as an Ayurvedic practi-

tioner including lifestyle management, Ayurvedic herbology, and Ayuryoga® recommendations. Ayurvedic Studies Program - Level 3 Pune, India Students study with Dr. Lad for 120 hours to learn the healing application of Ayurveda to patients in a clinical setting. Weekend Seminars and 7-Day Intensives - offer in-depth Ayurvedic topics. Continuing Education Units are available. Panchakarma Therapy – authentic, classical Ayurvedic 5-Day program for healing, cleansing, and rejuvenation. Located in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico, facilities include classrooms, yoga studio, correspondence course, retail store, and herb department.

Herbalism CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF HERBAL STUDIES Founded in 1978 by Rosemary Gladstar, CSHS is one of America’s oldest centers for herbal education. Our goal is to empower individuals with the skills, spirit and experience needed to be capable community herbalists. CSHS is located on 80 acres in Forestville, CA, including a medicinal garden with over 250 species of medicinal plants. Classes from one day to our 8-month intensive. What is growing in the garden will guide each class as we focus on the medicinal

plants that are ready to harvest and utilize this season. Our exploration will span from the medicinal to the magical, and the cultural to the culinary. Each session is a blend of lecture and hands-on time in the garden and lab. Upcoming classes * Mushroom Walk: November 15 * Medicinal Mushrooms: November 22 * Herbal Holiday Gift Making: December 6

Certification & Degrees

Study at one of our four locations, or complete our Nutrition Consultant Program from home with our structured yet flexible, Distance Learning Program. We also offer a comprehensive 8-week personal growth course, Nutrition Essentials for Everyone, which teaches the core concepts of holistic nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Certification & Degrees

Certification & Degrees

Certification & Degrees

BAUMAN COLLEGE: NATURAL CHEF & NUTRITION CONSULTANT CERTIFICATION Change the world through nutrition. NATURAL CHEF Master a healthful holistic approach to culinary arts. Certify in 7 months. NUTRITION CONSULTANT Learn a therapeutic approach to the promotion of optimal health and wellness. Certify in 18 months.

Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences 1601 Clay St. Oakland, CA. 94612 Phone: 510.763.7787 Fax: 510.834.8646 Website: www.acchs.edu E-mail: [email protected]

Free catalog. 505-291-9698 PO Box 23445, Albuquerque, NM 87192-1445 www.ayurveda.com [email protected]

See our website for class details. For information call (707) 887-7457 CSHS P.O. Box 39, Forestville, CA 95436 E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.cshs.com

• Berkeley, CA • Sonoma County, CA • Santa Cruz, CA • Boulder, CO • Distance Learning Schedule an appointment with an Admissions Advisor or contact us to find out more. baumancollege.org • 800-987-7530

COMMONGROUNDMAG.COM  73

Ayurvedic Training STUDY AUTHENTIC AYURVEDA IN THE EAST BAY Vedika Global fulfills its mission to ignite a community healing and wellness movement via Ayurvedic Medical Education (Gurukula), Community Workshops (Satsangha) and Ayurvedic Charitable Clinics (Seva). Make a Difference - Harness the power of Vedika Global’s signature education programs complete with personalized and spiritualized training, practical hands-on learning, excellent clinical training and customized graduate support.

Give your personal health and wellbeing a Jumpstart! Join Vedika’s popular two-month self-care course which includes: • Hands-on teaching and seasonal care instruction • In-class demos of nutrition rules and recipes • Step-by-step guidance in self-care rituals to heal the body Become an Ayurveda Community Educator: 1 year Certificate Course in the Science, Philosophy & Spirituality of Ayurveda Become a Certified Ayurveda Health Counselor: 2.5 Year Specialist Diploma in Ayurveda Preventative Medicine & Community Health

Massage and Aquatic Bodywork Training HARBIN SCHOOL OF HEALING ARTS At Harbin Hot Springs For over 30 years, the massage and aquatic bodywork school at Harbin Hot Springs has been teaching classes. Formerly known  as the School of Shiatsu and Massage, Harbin is now the owner and operator of the school. We offer 258 hour Massage Practitioner, 558 hour Massage Therapist and many more

training programs. Courses include Massage, Anatomy, Kinesiology, Pathology, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral, Trigger Point Therapy and our renowned aquatic bodywork classes in Watsu®, Waterdance® and Healing Dance®. Our Training Programs can get you started in a new career in massage therapy. But our classes can also be taken individually for personal growth or to add skills for established bodyworkers. Taking classes here at beautiful Harbin Hot Springs, located just north of the Napa Valley in Middletown CA, is a wonderful way to connect with body, mind and spirit.

Massage School on Maui MAUI SCHOOL OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE Become a Licensed Massage Therapist while enjoying the sun and sea of Hawaii! Our 650hour professional program is one of the most comprehensive and prepares you for a richly rewarding career. $5,500 tuition makes our school one of the most affordable anywhere. The school is located on the beautiful island of Maui where the warm ocean, gentle climate and lush tropical beauty encourage inner harmony, deep relaxation and support of one’s healing process. Curriculum includes: Anatomy & Kinesiology, Swedish, Hawaiian Lomilomi, Hydrotherapy & Spa

Treatments, Deep Tissue & Neuromuscular Therapy, Assessment & Clinical Treatments, Shiatsu, Sports Massage & Therapeutic Exercise, Reflexology, and Body/Mind Integration. Our popular student clinic is supervised by MSTM’s exceptional and experienced faculty. 12-month part-time programs and 7-month full-time programs begin every September and March. Maui School of Therapeutic Massage is licensed by the HI Department of Education and is approved for VA benefits. Graduates are eligible for licensure in most states and countries. Student visas are available. We also offer programs for transfer students to receive their Hawaii license. For more information and catalogue:

HAVE A CAREER YOU LOVE AS A MASSAGE THERAPIST! Since 1979, National Holistic Institute’s mission has been “Helping People Have Work They Love!” It’s never too late to start an exciting career in massage therapy. NHI is one of the largest and most respected massage therapy schools in the nation because of the dedicated staff, exclusive massage therapy focus, and real-world experience.

• 7 California Campus Locations: Emeryville, San Francisco, San Jose, Petaluma, Sacramento, Studio City (Los Angeles) & Santa Ana (Orange County) • Nationally Accredited • Lifetime Career Placement Assistance • Financial Aid available for those who qualify • Daytime, Evening or Weekend Schedule According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, massage jobs are expected to increase more than 20% from 2006 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. NHI provides flexible schedules to meet your busy lifestyle and we have trained staff that can provide a variety of financial options to assist you in getting the training you need.

Certification & Degrees

Certification & Degrees

Certification & Degrees

Certification & Degrees

Pursue a Rewarding Career in Massage Therapy!

Vedika Global [email protected] 510-601-8334 • www.vedikaglobal.org

707-987-3801, [email protected] www.harbinschoolofhealingarts.org

MAUI SCHOOL OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE P.O. Box 1891, Makawao, HI 96768 808-572-1888 www.massagemaui.com, [email protected]

Contact National Holistic Institute today at 888.771.7008 NHIMassage.com • NHI.edu/disclosure

Conferences, Workshops & Classes Conferences, Workshops & Classes Breathwork

GROF HOLOTROPIC BREATHWORK “Stanislav Grof is one of the most important pioneers in the scientific understanding of consciousness. He and his wife, Christina, have contributed both to its intellectual and experiential understanding through their work with Holotropic Breathwork.”  —Deepak Chopra Join Stanislav Grof, M.D., for the experiential weekend workshop, The Adventure of Self-Discovery, or his Friday evening lecture, The Healing Potential of Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness. Stan Grof

is the co-originator (with Christina Grof ) of Holotropic Breathwork and one of the founders of transpersonal psychology Through effective breathing, powerful music and a safe and honoring space, Holotropic Breathwork allows you access to your own inner healing wisdom. Each individual goes on a personal inner journey that can include aspects of your personal biography, psychological death/rebirth, and all types of transpersonal states and experiences. There will be time for questions and discussion with Stan Grof. Emphasis is placed on integration of the breathwork experience in a supportive environment. January 16 (evening) through 18 (12:30pm), San Francisco (near airport), CA. Or join one of our 6-day retreats in Taos, NM, Pennsylvania & Joshua Tree, CA. [email protected], 415 383-8779

Consider Placing Your Ad in Common Ground. Connecting People for 40 Years. Call 415-505-1410. 74  NOVEMBER 2014

Healing & Wellness Allergies BE ALLERGY FREE Adults and children are often free of allergies in 3 or 4 sessions. Noninvasive • Painless • Drug-Free • No Needles • No Rotation Diet Common allergies that can be cleared: Hayfever • Grass • Dust • Animals • Chemicals • Food • Bees • Other allergic reactions Allergies often stem from old feelings of fear, confusion, loneliness or sadness. These emotions, held in acupuncture meridians, unconsciously exert their influence over our current thoughts and body functions. Our work together accesses these emotions and memories — releasing them, allowing the

body to return to health. People who have been plagued all their lives with allergies experience great relief, sometimes after just one session. The allergies do not return. I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work and have been trained by the originators of Option Therapy and Bio-Energy Balancing. I developed this effective and versatile method using a synthesis of my education and clinical experiences. I have over 20 years’ experience working with adults, children and animals. For the past eighteen years, I have been working with the connection between body and mind with exciting results. I am committed to creating a safe place where issues can be worked through with respect and gentleness. Don’t let your allergies limit your life any longer! Lynn Corwin 415.456.2648

Healing & Wellness

Experience the power of Soul Healing: • Soul Healing sessions • Karma Cleansing for life or specific conditions • Soul Readings • Soul Wisdom classes Peggy Werner and Ximena Gavino are Worldwide Representatives of Master Sha. They are advanced Soul Healers, Soul Teachers and Soul Communicators with a powerful Third Eye and the authority to read all levels of the Akashic records, past, present and future, and to offer Divine Karma Cleansing for a condition or life.

Healing & Wellness

BE ALLERGY FREE

MASTER SHA’S LOVE PEACE HARMONY CENTER “Heal the soul first; then healing and transformation of every aspect of life will follow.” —Master Zhi Gang Soul Healing focuses on the soul—your soul, the soul of your organs, your house, your relationships, your business, your finances, etc. Soul Healing brings divine love and light to transform the energy and spiritual blockages that are often the root cause of challenges for any aspect of your life, e.g., health, relationships, business, finance, spirituality.

Visit website for intro events and classes. Call for an appointment! Master Sha’s Love Peace Harmony Center 1549 California St., San Francisco, CA 94109 415.971.7373 www.LovePeaceHarmonyCenterSF.com [email protected]

Healing Music MEDITATIONS TO SUPPORT SOBRIETY & RECOVERY by JOHN BRADSHAW & STEVEN HALPERN Addiction is often about an inner emptiness, a spiritual vacuum. Let John Bradshaw guide you in two meditations to support spiritual well-being. Program includes information on stress, addiction and spirituality, plus bonus album: “Lullabies for your Inner Child.” MP3

available now; CDs 11/11/14. Healing music is a meaningful gift that lasts all year long. John Bradshaw is an iconic figure in the self-help movement, a # 1 New York Times bestselling author, PBS series host and counselor. Steven Halpern is Grammy® nominated recording artist, composer and sound healer whose music has helped millions experience the inner silence in meditation to fill the spiritual vacuum. His music provides the soundtrack for Bradshaw’s Inner Child workshops, PBS series and recordings.

Nutrition THE AWARE BODY: MARY SERPHOS, CERTIFIED HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH, LICENSED PSYCHOTHERAPIST, INTEGRATED NUTRITION COUNSELING As a certified nutrition consultant, licensed psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher, focused on results, I work with individuals and families to help them eat and feel better. After creating a personalized, goal- focused plan I team with clients to tackle obstacles, expand self-awareness and address chronic health concerns. I have helped clients recover from Lyme disease, Chron’s disease and other digestive disorders, migraines, depression, chronic fatigue, and diabetes. I have helped children, teens, men and women improve body image and lose weight. Comprehensive programs that are either one, three or six months long are

suggested based upon client’s personal needs. These programs include: • Science based nutrition education • A balanced menu plan designed around nutritional preferences (gluten-free, flexitarian, locavore, nourishing traditions, vegetarian) • Cooking support • 3-7 day mindful whole body cleanse • Grocery store tour • Meditation and mindfulness coaching • Emotional health support • An integrated stress reduction plan The overall mission of The Aware Body is to provide clients with restored balance, revitalized health, improved relationships, increased energy, and personal transformation. Graduate training and degrees: Smith College School for Social Work and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Call for a consultation and begin your results-focused, fully supported program for improved health.

Internal Cleansing GENTLE, INTUITIVE DETOX Cleansing SUPPORT IN MARIN Consciously Woods Gravity Method Colon Hygiene Woods Gravity (also known as colonics) is now available to Method Colon the Bay Area community! This is the original Hygiene method used by Dr. Robert Woods and Dr. Norman Walker, and allows for a simultaneous Anjali Krystofiak in/out flow—meaning water enters and exits at the same time.

Unlike other modalities, no machines, motors, or pumps are used. I will be administering treatments at Project Detox, a body cleansing studio in San Anselmo that offers customized cleansing programs reflecting each person’s unique physiology. I am present throughout the session, intuitively supporting you in your treatment, and utilize Do Terra essential oils and abdominal massage. With this sought-out technique, we gently awaken the bowels with triple filtered UV water to do what they are meant to do—release. Please visit my website to find out more about colon hygiene and other offerings. It would be my pleasure to be of service! Anjali Krystofiak Email: [email protected] CleansingConsciously.com 641-919-7929

Healing & Wellness

Healing & Wellness

Healing & Wellness

Hear samples at: StevenHalpern.com/Bradshaw Facebook.com/StevenHalpernFanPage

Mary Serphos, LCSW, CHHC 415-412-5490 [email protected] • www.theawarebody.com

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Healing & Wellness

Hormone / Allergy / Thyroid / Nutrition DISCOVER A WAY TO END YOUR HORMONAL IMBALANCES Tired of being told “It’s all in your head” and that you need to “learn to live with it?” Experiencing: • Fatigue • Anxiety • Panic Attacks • Cold Hands / Feet • Cold Sensitive • Headaches • Cramping • Sugar / Bread Cravings • Low Libido

Hypnotherapy, Dharma Coaching SHAMANIC HYPNOTHERAPY & DHARMA LIFE COACHING Is emotional, mental or spiritual pain getting in the way of you experiencing a joyous expanded self? If so, there’s an antidote… As your guide, I offer tools that guide you back to your joyous authentic self. My expertise focuses on transforming mental, emotional and spiritual pain through integrating Shamanic Hypnotherapy and Personal Development Coaching with Eastern Spiritual Practices to offer you the most cutting-edge coaching system available today. Let Shamanic Hypnotherapy,

Healing & Wellness

• Hair Loss / Thinning • Constipation • Muscle Aches • Sinus Congestion • Bloating • Belly Fat • Brain Fog Call now to schedule a consult to learn more about natural hormone balancing. The first 33 people to call receive our initial examination for only $47 ($240 value). Triad Of Health Family Healing and Hormone Balancing Center 4340 Redwood Highway, Suite D318 San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 459-4313 Office www.triadofhealth.net and Dharma Life Coaching support you healing: • Anxiety & Depression, • Emotional & Sexual Pain, Addictions • Loss of Life Direction, Confidence & Purpose • Relationship Problems • Emotional Disconnection & Energy Blockages Join me today, as you awaken your joyous wisdom within, allowing your creative purpose & spiritual gifts to shine. Maitri Joy, MS CHT CLC Wings of Bliss Coaching (415) 990-8977• www.wingsofbliss.com • [email protected] Individual & Couples Sessions Available. 2 office Locations; Marin/SF & Sonoma

Healing & Wellness

BEYOND SOMATIC THERAPY CREATING DEEP & LASTING CHANGE Decades ago, I created 5 simple direct steps to transform problems simply and directly—once and for all. TRANSFORMING EMBODIMENT® changes the very underpinnings of short & long-term struggles, transforming the essence from pain into healing. You will find that recurring issues, mysterious physical symptoms, unwanted emotions and the beliefs that construct your experience are finally transformed.

Working at somatic, energetic, cognitive and karmic levels, transforms your past and present. What sets me apart is that I survived a near death twice and a 3 yr long kundalini awakening that connected me directly to Source. “Elizabeth has an incredible gift to see the unknown, understand the complicated, and make sense of life events. She is able to put together pieces that are often unclear, seeing the whole and healing deep wounds, as a result.” Clients have benefited from this groundbreaking work that blends Buddhist, Taoist and Hawaiian traditions with psychic insights since 1983. Let me help you find answers and understanding.

Facial Skin Health DISCOVER MICROCURRENT FACE REJUVENATION Microcurrent skin rejuvenation is a holistic approach to aging at your own pace, using color and microcurrent light. Sessions are non-invasive, without side effects, pain, or healing down time. In addition, I use the Bemer microcirculation body pad that improves capillary microcirculation by allowing increased oxygen and nutrients to reach the skin and body cells.

The sessions are successful to: * Encourage Collagen Production * Smooth Fine Lines and Wrinkles * Firm Skin Tone * Improve Skin Texture * Diminish Blemishes * Minimize Puffiness * Lift Eyebrows Therapy benefits are felt after the first session. Noticeable results generally occur after three sessions. Dramatic results are seen after ten sessions. Depending on your age and skin condition, microcurrent therapy requires 10-20 sessions followed by maintenance once every 4 to 6 weeks.

Healing & Wellness

ELIZABETH BURKE MA  415 925-1509  In person or by phone. For details => www.healingorigins.com  Call in Nov and receive 10 % off.

Call Renita Zies for a free consultation. Package deals are available. (408) 348-8302

Intuitive Arts Vedic Astrology VEDIC ASTROLOGY Vedic Astrology (Jyotisha) was developed by the illumined seers of ancient India to help individuals attain the fourfold goals of human existence: Dharma (Life Purpose), Artha (Prosperity), Kama (Pleasure), and Moksha (Spiritual Liberation). It is renowned for its spiritual depth, predictive accuracy, and practical applications. Since 1972, Stephen Quong (Umananda) has travelled extensively throughout India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, meeting and studying with many of the greatest masters of Vedic Astrology and Palmistry. In addition, he has been closely associated with Shree Anandamayi Ma and other highly respected spiritual teachers, whose guidance, blessings and personal example have been a major influence in his life and work. Stephen is one of a very few Americans honored by the Indian Council on Astrological Sciences with the titles of Jyotisha Kovida, Jyotisha Vachaspati, and Life Fellow, and is respected by astrologers and clients around the world for his expertise in Vedic Intuitive Arts

76  NOVEMBER 2014

Astrology. Upon meeting him in 1993, K.N. Rao, then director of the largest astrology school in India, told a client, “Go see Stephen Quong. He is the best Vedic Astrologer in America.” A personal consultation with Stephen will include helpful, practical advice offered with loving-kindness, as well as in-depth astrological analysis and predictions for the future. Business, legal and financial issues can be discussed. All consultations are private, confidential, and tape-recorded for your convenience. Stephen’s international clientele includes prominent spiritual teachers, healers, political leaders, business executives, portfolio managers, attorneys, scientists, doctors, psychologists, musicians, artists, and writers. People from all walks of life are welcome as clients. To receive a free brochure and a sampling of unsolicited client testimonials, or to schedule a personal consultation, please call: STEPHEN QUONG PO Box 4524, Antioch, CA 94531 (925) 754-8858, Fax: (925) 754-8575 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jyotisha.com

Massage & Bodywork rather than a “bulldozer” approach which characterized much of the current structural body work approaches. This very slow movement directing the tissue repositioning discourages triggering the pain receptors, thus changing the entire dynamics of body restructuring. In the course of my 35 year career I’ve performed restructuring programs on clients demanding the highest levels of achievable performance including professional athletic champions.   Non-series work is also available for short-term problems such as: • Repetitive Stress • Carpal Tunnel • Whiplash • Tennis Elbow • Sciatic Nerve Injuries • TMJ & Cranial Problems (which can often be corrected in several sessions.)

Advanced Structural Integration PROVEN METHOD OF ELIMINATING CHRONIC & ACUTE PAIN AND RESTORING Advanced BALANCE & STABILITY TO THE BODY Structural During my 35 years practicing Certified Integration Advanced Structural Integration, Reviwith talizing and Improving Body Structure, I Eugene Sage developed  a unique approach; now making this work much easier to receive,  as well as, 35 Years Experience providing 90% longer permanence than traditional “Ten Series.” I work deeply within the connective tissue layers—molding, stretching and repositioning them, but using slow, melting, sensitive movement

Eugene Sage, Advanced Structural Integration 510-506-6085 for information or to set-up appointment. 40% off first session.

Rolfing ROLFING® with KATE INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS & CLASSES Rolfing is a manual therapy that frees restrictions in the connective tissue, which allows for new movement and pain-free postures. Over time, old injuries and postural patterns cause strain and movement restrictions. The body needs assistance to release these patterns to return to a more natural state of structural alignment.

Rolfing need not be painful; more gentle methods may bring better results. Results are permanent. BENEFITS: • Release from chronic tension and pain • Balances your body • Better athletic performance • Feel better than before the pain began • Learn new posture and movement habits • Reduce injuries • Release from emotional ruts • Helps your entire body move better Kate Spaulding, MSc. (510) 919-0153 Shattuck near Cedar ½ mile from Berkeley BART www.RolfingWithKate.com Email: [email protected]

Massage & Bodywork

On Site Massage EXPERIENCE ON-SITE THERAPEUTIC BLISS WITH GIANNA AND WILLOW Allow your body, mind and spirit to settle into the serenity of Sonoma Valley with a therapeutic massage delivered to you on-site. We are Gianna and Willow—a deeply experienced duo of professional therapists, specialized in customizing our expertise to meet individual needs. We

blend techniques, adjust touch to your preferred pressure and respond to the unique rhythm of breath—permitting you to surrender into a state of blissful tranquility. Our Wine County On-Site Massage is unique, combining: Acupressure, Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue, Swedish, and Lymphatic techniques through 60, 75, or 90 minute sessions. We will travel so individuals, couples, and groups can enjoy healing and relaxation delivered to your home, vacation rental, hotel room, or retreat. Consider the gift of massage as an offering to enhance a party, wedding, wine event, seminar or business retreat. Contact Gianna or Willow at 707-363-5630 Email: [email protected] Schedule an appointment to let the healing begin.

Massage & Bodywork

Hellerwork™ ROY STRASSMAN - DEEP TISSUE HELLERWORK™ FLEXIBILITY, FLUIDITY & FREEDOM FROM PAIN Hellerwork™ is a powerful system consisting of a series of eleven 90-minute, deeptissue structural bodywork and movement education sessions designed to re-align your body’s muscles and joints, and re-educate

movement. Hellerwork™ can also be experienced in non-series tune-up sessions. Relaxing deep-tissue massage, based upon Hellerwork principles, is also available at a reduced rate. House calls available Roy Strassman, M.S. has been practicing Hellerwork™ for 28 years and is one of founder Joseph Heller’s original students. He currently practices in the Bay Area (including at Absolute Chiropractic in Alamo) and Sacramento. Roy works with his hands, but feels with his heart. When he works on you he weaves decades of experience, a lifetime on the spiritual path, and years of direct study with his teacher into a tapestry of healing that has to be experienced to be believed. Just give him one chance and you’ll see what I mean. -Stanley Young, Climate Change Communications Professional Learn more and have a PAYMENT OPTIONAL SESSION by contacting Roy at (510) 232-5700 or [email protected], roystrassman.com

Massage & Bodywork

Massage & Bodywork

their movement. The sessions provide long-lasting relief from tension, stress, aches and pains. Properly aligning your body helps you regain your natural well-being and grace in

Psychology, Counseling & Therapy Psychology, Counseling & Therapy Breathwork

REICHIAN THERAPY Come alive to your sexuality and joy of life ... Reichian Therapy is a non-verbal “breathing” therapy. Whereas “talk” is a great way to avoid what you’re feeling, there is no way to avoid your feelings while lying there breathing in a Reichian session. Over time, chronically stiff and hard muscles blocking sensation and energy flow will soften. Eventually, the rage we hold in our muscles will surface, giving way to more feelings of pleasure, freeing blocked energy and sexual dysfunction.

We spend an enormous part of our energy holding back basic needs and feelings which we’ve learned were not OK. An effective way to free these blocked energies, release anger and reawaken to your natural vitality and pleasure is through the breathing, movement and sounds of Reichian sessions. Michele T. Newmark, M.S., D.D., has been involved in the study of human sexuality for over 30 years. The basis for her work is grounded in Reichian Therapy. Michele has an ongoing private practice in Santa Rosa and in San Francisco at the Center for Healing and Expression. She also holds classes on “Tantra, Yoga and Breath, an Exploration of Sexual Energy” and “The Tantric Art of Self-Pleasuring” for women. San Francisco: 415.775.6145 Santa Rosa: 707.538.3778 www.thecenter-sf.org

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Psychology, Counseling & Therapy

Aninha Livingstone, Ph.D.

SUPPORTING WOMEN RESPOND TO THE CALL OF THEIR SOUL Walking the path of the Soul’s call asks much of us. As women, we must learn to trust our inner guidance, to break patterns in our female lineages, to honor difficult emotions but not let them stop us, and to stand tall in the wisdom we carry. We are not meant to do this alone.

Psychology, Counseling & Therapy EMDR Counseling

NOURISHING YOUR TRUE SELF What is your deepest desire? I can help you discover how you hold yourself back Deeply from what you most want. Often what holds Healing us back are unacknowledged competing valTherapy ues. Through deep inquiry, body awareness and present-moment attention, I help honor Suzanne Berens, MFT where you are now, as well as open up to the richness that lies dormant within you. Humanistic-existential, somatic and transpersonal modalities inform my work. I also Psychology, Counseling & Therapy Relationship, Sexuality & Erotic Integrity®

CLAUDIA SIX, PHD KNOW YOURSELF, BE YOURSELF Erotic Integrity is about knowing who you truly are as a sexual being, and living that authentically. My style is direct and compassionate. Your difficulties make perfect sense. I work with individuals and couples. My work is very similar to marriage and couples therapy and has an added focus on sexuality. As a Clinical Sexologist, I am inherently sex-positive. Create a relationship that works? I can help. Single: - Why can’t I find a mate? - Why he won’t call (it’s not personal) - Why it’s not personal (really) Psychology, Counseling & Therapy

ACTIVATE YOUR SON’S NATURAL MASCULINE WISDOM What’s Happening To Our Sons? Young men are at alarmingly high risk for irresponsibility, laziness, feeling entitled, struggling in school, legal issues, immature social behaviors and emotional problems--as well as drug, alcohol and digital addiction. The Purpose of My Work: To show parents and their sons how to develop more caring and cooperative relationships by respectfully responding to each others’ needs. As a result, young men are better prepared for Psychology, Counseling & Therapy A Joyful Loving Therapy

RE-MOTHERING UNDERMOTHERED WOMEN Many of us undermothered women have a deep vision of who we could be, an undeniable longing for the life we are meant to live. Yet we are afraid to act on the dreams and aspirations embedded in our “soul’s code,” for fear of not being loved. The pain of not living out our truths manifests in many

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NEW THIS FALL: Clarity Process on-line: A seven week process for gaining clarity of calling. We will dive into non-linear processes such as expressive arts, somatic awareness, and landbased practices to unearth your unique genius. (Open to both men and women) CONTINUED OFFERINGS: A Woman’s Clarity Process: A deep & rich process for women seeking clarity of calling. Rituals for Change: A potent shamanic approach to meeting and creating change. Aninha Esperanza Livingstone, Ph.D. Ancestral Wisdom for Purposeful Living www.aninhalivingstone.com, (415) 458-8321 I invite you to call me for a free 20-minute consultation am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing). When we have sustained trauma—be it physical, sexual or emotional—our traumatized parts lag behind what our adult selves know intellectually about the present moment. EMDR is an evidence-based modality that is highly effective for integrating our scared and limited parts with our wisest and most grounded selves. With warmth, compassion and sensitivity, I help you let go of old patterns that no longer serve you and embrace your strengths and inner wisdom—so you can live in a more soulful and authentic way. Suzanne Berens, MFT 3179 College Ave. 3C, Berkeley, CA 94705 and 1600 S. Main St., Suite 240, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (510) 541-8868 • www.TherapistBayArea.com - Commitment phobic (it’s not just the guys) - Newly dating again? You can feel prepared. Coupled: - Not feeling appreciated? - Feel like you never do it right? - How to make your woman happy - Why he doesn’t read your mind - Birds do it, bees do it…Are you? - Avoiding sex to not get turned down? -Learn how to change that. Ambivalent? Humans are ambivalent creatures. I will help you understand how your choices serve you, thus empowering you to make choices that support what you really want. Claudia Six, MA, PhD is a Board Certified Clinical Sexologist, and a Relationship Coach, practicing in San Rafael. (415)453-6218 www.drsix.net • drsix.net/erotic-integrity/ I invite you to call for a free 15 minute consultation. a life of happiness and independence. How I Help Parents By integrating ageless family wisdom with the sciences of adolescent brain development, parent bonding, personal growth and stress management, I teach parents how to restore caring and mutually beneficial relationships with their difficult or defiant sons. Dr. Mark Schillinger, DC is a pioneer in the field of family dynamics and adolescent young men. ChallengingTeenageSons.com 1050 Northgate Dr. San Rafael, CA. (415) 785 – 8818 [email protected] symptoms: depression, anxiety, loneliness, eating disorders, etc. I have 34 years of experience guiding undermothered women of all life styles to feel loved and cared for. It can be such a wonderful, nourishing experience to have your emotionality, sensitivity, and spirituality embraced by an attuned mothering figure. When you learn to re-connect with your deep feminine wisdom, you can soulfully manifest your life’s work and create loving relationships that your heart and body are hungering for. You are very welcome to call me for a free phone interview. Soonja Kim, LCSW (License # : 10157) 510.558.0410 www.motheringwomen.com

Psychology, Counseling & Therapy Somatic Healing

Wisdom of The Body provides multidimensional therapy for helping professionals, and others on a path of personal growth and transformation. Clients who have exhausted other modalities often report that WoB sparks healing on a level they hadn’t known was possible. Benefits of multiple sessions include: -Deeper, longer, sounder sleep -Abatement of chronic physical symptoms Psychology, Counseling & Therapy Healing Workshop

RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS? CAREER BLOCKS? PARENTING CHALLENGES? ANGER? DEPRESSION? FEAR? The Process for Personal Change is an effective, short term, intensive therapy for relief from your emotional pain. In nine weeks, you will discover emotional healing and personal transformation. The Process helps you to decode and come to terms with

-Enhanced calm, connectedness, vitality and well-being -Shifting of thought and behavior patterns -Awakened emotional intelligence, particularly self-awareness During your time, we unearth and answer your deepest longings for healing and transformation with intuitive and multifaceted offerings. Your session may include touch, movement, dialogue, cognitive insight and psychospiritual attunement. With synergistic intuition, we co-create your experience. “[L]ike Family Constellation meets Hakomi meets Gestalt meets psychic energy work…This is cutting edge somatic healing.” —Ilya Yacobson, L.Ac Jill Nagle (415) 509-6430, [email protected] WisdomOfTheBody.com (live in July) the messages you received in childhood.  These messages tell us who we are, how we behave, and most importantly, how we judge ourselves.  But they are not necessarily relevant for us as adults.  The Process is presented in steps which combine the best aspects of group and individual therapy.  It skillfully utilizes understanding and techniques similar to modern depth, humanistic, gestalt, cognitive, and transpersonal psychologies. Your Process therapist helps you maximize your growth in a safe and nurturing environment.  While other forms of therapy can take years, the Process can achieve even better results in only two months. Institute for Personal Change TheProcessWorks.org 650-737-1368 Licensed

Spas, Retreats & Travel Guest Houses COMMONWEAL Commonweal, a nonprofit institute with service and research programs in environmental health, is located on a beautiful 60acre site overlooking the Pacific in the Point Reyes National Seashore, near the small town of Bolinas, about one hour’s drive from San Francisco. Our three furnished guest houses are available to small groups for retreats, workshops, conferences, and similar uses which are compatible with Commonweal’s nonprofit purposes and with the peaceful, iso-

lated rural environment. Pacific House is a historic, 12-bedroom building with a stone fireplace in the large living room and a fully equipped kitchen. Bothin House and Kohler House are smaller guest houses nearby, with two and three bedrooms, respectively, and with fireplaces. Because the houses are often booked well in advance, early reservations are recommended. For additional information, please visit our website: www.commonweal.org COMMONWEAL, P.O. Box 316, Bolinas, CA 94924 415.868.0970

Hawaii Retreat KALANI OCEANSIDE RETREAT Revel in the spirit of aloha in our secluded retreat on the lush southeast coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Kalani celebrates nature, culture and wellness on our 120 coastal acres of botanical splendor along black sand beaches, near the world’s most active volcano, where we invite you to meditate, sunbathe, play with dol-

phins, practice in our daily yoga classes, dance, discover hidden waterfalls, and more. Enjoy our comfortable accommodations, delicious healthful cuisine, massage therapies; relax by our Olympic-size pool; or just lay back in Hawaii! Kalani is one of the most potent and nurturing retreat centers in the world… –Shiva Rea Come to vacation, to attend a workshop, or bring your own group to this corner of paradise called Kalani...

Retreat & Workshop Center HARBIN HOT SPRINGS Whether you are visiting for the first time or returning after many years, now is a great time to experience Harbin Hot Springs, our non-profit retreat center located in the wine region north of Calistoga. Hike 1700 acres of wilderness… soak in natural hot, warm and cold spring pools... warm yourself in the sauna or on one of the clothing-optional sun decks... then schedule a nurturing massage, Watsu® or pampering spa treatment. Our restaurant serves breakfast and dinner daily, or prepare your

own vegetarian meals in the guest kitchen. Be sure to visit our garden, market, book store and cafés. Free guest events include daily yoga and weekly dances. Weekend workshops and massage classes are held throughout the year. Secluded conference facilities for groups up to 300 are available. We also have openings for residential employment. Call or visit our web site for more details on any of these offerings. Stop by for a day visit, or choose camping, dorms, private rooms or cottages for overnight stays. Room reservations are recommended. Ask about reduced weekday rates. Reservations: (707) 987-2477 (10am to 5pm) CA toll-free 1-800-622-2477 Middletown, CA 95461 www.harbin.org/cg

Spas, Retreats & Travel

Spas, Retreats & Travel

Spas, Retreats & Travel

www.kalani.com [email protected] 800.800.6886 or 808.965.7828

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Spas, Retreats & Travel

Spas, Retreats & Travel

30 Years of Paradise in Downtown San Anselmo

IONS EARTHRISE For Your Workshops, Retreats, and Events    IONS EarthRise, the transformative learning center of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, is the perfect location for your events—multiple meeting rooms, exceptional meals, and lodging for 100+ guests on 194 beautiful acres.

We invite you to hold your event here. We also invite you to join us as a participant in an incredible line up of transformative workshops and events.

Day Spa SHIBUI GARDENS SPA Pronounced:  ‘Shi - boo - ee’—“an unpretentious sense of tastefulness or virtue; humility”) Nestled in a quaint and serene San Anselmo garden setting, Shibui has been happily serving its community for over 30 years. Employee-owned, Shibui offers various professional massage therapy modalities

including Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, NeuroMuscular Therapy, Cranial Sacral, Visceral, Prenatal, Sports Massage and more. These modalities can be combined for an even deeper lasting effect with certified therapists —many of whom have 20 or 30 years of professional training and experience. Or just come with the heavenly goal of relaxing and restoring after a hectic day in the hot tubs or cedar wood sauna. Sit in the garden before or after your session to soak in the serenity before venturing into whatever’s next. Discounts for wellness, seniors and children. You deserve a break; come make an appointment for paradise today. Shibui Gardens Outdoor Spa 19 Tamalpais Ave., San Anselmo, CA (415) 457-0283; www.shibuigardens.com

To hold your event here, contact: Lisa Koester, CMP, Sales Director: 707.779.8202 or [email protected] To take a workshop: www.IONSEarthRise.org or 707.781.7401 IONS EarthRise, 101 San Antonio Rd, Petaluma, CA 94952

Special Products Special Products

Dietary Mineral Supplements TRUE COLLOIDAL SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, ZINC, SILICA MesoSilver® is one of the only True Colloidal Silver products being produced in the world today. MesoSilver has the smallest silver particles (not ions) ever produced (.65 nm). The Particle Surface Area (which determines effectiveness) is many times higher than any other product on the market.

Contrary to older and incorrect scientific assertions, a true silver colloid is NOT clear. Compared to true colloidal silver, all home generators, as well as most silver products being sold are ionic silver, which IS clear and colorless. The problem with ionic silver is that, by definition, it has a (positive) charge, which immediately reacts with the chloride ions (negative charge) in the stomach acid or bloodstream to form silver chloride. Silver chloride has not been shown to have the same antimicrobial effects as nanoparticle (true colloidal) silver. Therefore, while ionic silver is a fine antimicrobial agent externally, when ingested, ionic silver is of little use. A true colloid (especially with sub-nanometer particles) is much more effective. Learn more about MesoSilver® Silver at www.purestcolloids.com Call: 609-267-2112

Special Products

Healthy Juicer: Manual Wheatgrass Juicer GET HEALTHY AND DETOX WITH THE HEALTHY JUICER! The Healthy Juicer is by far the best manual leafy green and wheatgrass juicer on the market! The best part? It is only $49.99! Super easy to clean (only four main parts) makes it a quick 3-minute cleanup with only a quick rinse needed. So what’s the trick with the easy clean-up? No internal screen to clog,

scrub or cleanup! Juicing leafy greens is by far the best way to detox, clean your system and give yourself natural energy. Wheatgrass has more protein per ounce than beef! The Healthy Juicer has a 1-Year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Visit www.HealthyJuicer.com for more information, product demonstration videos and store locations!

Spiritual Practices Shamanic Studies DANCE OF THE DEER The Dance of the Deer Foundation sponsors seminars, pilgrimages and ongoing study groups throughout the world, particularly in the U.S., Mexico and Europe. These programs are led by Brant Secunda, a recognized shaman in the tradition of the Huichol Indians of Mexico, and are usually held at beautiful and sacred places of power. They emphasize the importance of ceremony for personal well-being and for the continued survival of the environment and Mother Earth, and they provide a rare opportunity to experience Huichol Indian Shamanism.

Participants in these programs take part in Huichol ceremonies, the sacred Dance of the Deer, vision quests and pilgrimages to places of power. They learn practices of shamanic health and healing, and how to approach sacred places of power and bring that power into their hearts to help them live more balanced lives. Special Upcoming Programs and Retreats: -Menla Mountain: Weekend Shamanic Retreat • Phoenicia, NY • Nov 14-16, 2014 -Pacific Ocean: West Coast OnGoing Meeting • Santa Cruz, CA • Dec 3-7, 2014 -New Year Retreat: Initiate Your Intentions • Nevada City, CA • Dec 30-Jan 3, 2015

Meditation SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP: BAY AREA TEMPLE & MEDITATION CENTERS “The more you feel peace in meditation, the closer you are to God.” —Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of A Yogi

your divine essence. WEEKLY SERVICES: Each week our centers in the Bay Area hold inspirational services that focus on meditation and spiritual ideals for everyday living. By applying these principles, you can create a life of lasting happiness and harmony in body, mind, and soul. We would love to have you join us for silent meditation and readings from the writings of Yogananda! To learn more, please visit the SRF home page at www.yogananda-srf.org or contact one of the locations below for details.

Spiritual Practices

Spiritual Practices

PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA Fo u n d e r (1893-1952)

The timeless, scientific methods of Kriya Yoga meditation taught by Paramahansa Yogananda help dissolve the inner barriers between you and the infinite Peace that is 80  NOVEMBER 2014

DANCE OF THE DEER FOUNDATION CENTER FOR SHAMANIC STUDIES P.O. Box 699, Soquel, CA 95073 831.475.9560 • E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.shamanism.com or www.danceofthedeer.com

SRF Berkeley Temple–510.984.0084 SRF Sacramento Center–916.483.9644 SRF Los Gatos Center–408.252.5299 SRF San Francisco Meditation Group–415.584.8270

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“Water has a memory and carries within it our thoughts and prayers. As you yourself are water, no matter where you are, your prayers will be carried to the rest of the world.” 

—Dr. Masaru Emoto (July 22, 1943–October 17, 2014)

“Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right” 

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—Grateful Dead

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A hairpin turn that makes your hair stand up straight.

An 18-wheeler begging to be passed. Your dog’s head at the window with a smile bigger than Alaska.

A long straight road nicknamed “Woo-hoo.”

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