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Editor Steven Nicolaides
Design New Gaia Designs
Writers Anna Karides
www.annakarides.com
Elena Angel
www.elenaangel.com Ekaterina Sophia www.livingeternity.org.uk Irene Arango www.blissbites.co.uk Rich Havardi www.therawfoodscompany.com Steven Nicolaides www.lucuma.co.uk Sam Way iamsamway.tumblr.com Ariadna Bakhmatova www.ariadnasthread.com
The raw food Dude (Justin Staunton)
www.facebook.com/therawfooddude
Josefine Jäger
www.jfine.se
Front & Back Cover ‘Technicolor daydream’ by Stephanie Allison
www.stephallisonart.com
Advertising papillon@lucuma.co.uk Om Noms, Goodies, Adornments creamy@lucuma.co.uk
www.lucuma.co.uk © Lúcuma No part of this magazine can be reproduced without our permission Information in Lúcuma is for information only and no part of it is a substitute for health diagnosis, care or treatment. Lúcuma and its contributors, editors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken by any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, stories contributions or advertisements in this publication, website or related product.
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HIGH
fter the intense trailblazing spiritual articles of issue 03 we are getting relaxed and cosy for issue 04. We are all about tree houses, swimming and savouring food this issue! Creations and lifestyle are just as important for a whole and satisfying life as the spiritual side.
Completeness
Many people in the raw food world think all they have to do is eat raw and they will feel complete, others in the vegan scene think that’s all that is required, then there is the yoga crowd and they think yoga is all you need. And don’t get me started on the multitude of spiritual practices and their gurus! What if you cannot be complete unless you are living a complete life? A holistic life brings with it a feeling of being whole, so that means every facet of your life even the products you buy, the food you eat, your pastimes, your thoughts, your home, your clothes, so on and so forth, have an impact on your well being. Of course you may not be in a position to change everything overnight, but one can at least be willing and take the necessary steps as and when they come.
Tree Houses I’m so pleased we have a tree house featured this issue. Seeing images of tree houses was an inspiration to the creation of this magazine. In Facebook land there are often pictures of tree homes and other lifestyle images that do the rounds, and more often than not they are of an unknown origin. I’m interested in knowing more about them and taking the steps in creating them in this reality, not just having them as dreams. Tree houses are also symbolic for me of living in harmony with nature which is an ideal of mine and many on the Earth at this time. A note from Steven Nicolaides (founder of Lúcuma Magazine)
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CONTENTS 18
ADORNMENTS
6
GOODIES
THE ORGANIC IDEAL
OM NOMS
12 WHIRLWIND ROMANCE WITH YOURSELF
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ART: STEPHANIE ALLISON
CHIN
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AYURVE DETOX T ANCIEN
HEMLOFT
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LOS NCHES
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EDA: THE NT WAY
AYURVEDA PURA
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SWIMMING PONDS BY GARDENART
ACROYOGA
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TRAVEL: PACARI CACAO ROAD TOUR A TASTE OF TANTRA: PART 1
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RECIPES # 4
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ADORNMENTS FEELING THE LOVE FOR DESIGNER ‘GRIZZLYLOVE’ We’ve fallen head over heals in love for the creations of San Fransisco based designer Grizzylove. The sacred geometry and positive message prints are very much of the moment. The designs are hand drawn by Grizzly herself, what’s more they are a silk screen printed using eco-friendly, water-based inks. www.etsy.com/shop/GrizzyLove
tt TREE OF LIFE & HAMSA BRACELET SET - Black onyx, Lava, Turquoise, Rose Quartz £30.33 GBP
SRI YANTRA OMBRE u Dream Catcher Racerback Tank £17.43 GBP 6
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tt LOVED Racerback Tank £17.43 GBP
qq THE ILLUMINATI INSPIRED Tri Blend Raglan Pullover £25.47 GBP
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Adornments
pp CHAKRA LOVE Crown Chakra Oversized Crop Tee £16.09 GBP pp FLOWER OF LIFE SACRED GEOMETRY Burnout Crop Tank in Creme £16.09 GBP qq SRI YANTRA SACRED GEOMETRY - UNISEX V-Neck - Tri-Blend Coffee £17.43 GBP
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Adornments
METATRON’S CUBE u Sacred Geometry Sheer Cross Back Tank £16.09 GBP
tt LISTEN TO THE UNIVERSE Unisex V-Neck Tee £17.52 GBP
LIGHTNING BOLT u Raw Brass & Amethyst Necklace - Gift Boxed £16.09 GBP
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Adornments
Patchwork Embroidered Coat u £150.00 GBP
qq VELVET COAT £160.00 GBP
SOPHISTIC ATION & PASSION - FAIR TRADE CLOTHING FROM NOMADS A cherry pick of some of Nomads current collections. We are big fans of this ethical and sustainable brand. Nomads have been advocates of fair trade for 20 years now and are strong believers in a ‘trade not aid’ policy, which creates “a sustainable and profitable living for the producers and ourselves”. All colouring dyes used in Nomads clothing are Azo free and natural, which have the least impact on the environment. www.nomadsclothing.com
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Adornments Twist Front Jersey Dress u £48.00 GBP
tt HALTERNECK DRESS £35.00 GBP
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OM NOMS NEW CREATIVE NATURE COLD PRESSED VEGAN SNACK BARS Superfood brand Creative Nature have introduced three new bars. Great for when you’re out and about or need something to fill the hunger gap. They are all low in fat and packed with yummy super foods. All three are very different from each other ‘Brownie Bar’ being chocolate flavoured, ‘Super Berry’ a slightly tropical version of a trail bar with pineapple and papaya included in the mix, and ‘Super seed’ as the most protein rich with peanuts, sunflower and hemp seeds. Price: £1.60 GBP www.creativenaturesuperfoods.com
APPLE CRISPS Our new favourite raw snack of the moment; locally grown apples that have been thinly sliced into crinkle cuts and air dried. Wonderfully tangy and of course a great crispy texture. The crunchiness is one of the plus points for me as it can be lacking in a high raw food diet, (which mostly tends to be soft, chewy and wet!) They come in three varieties Tangy Apple, Sweet Apple and Pear. Price: £12.00 GBP for 24 packets www.perrycourtfarm.co.uk
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LETS GET NÁKD Four new exciting flavours from Nákd, Apple, Cocoa, Banana and Strawberry, but this time they have added some crunchy soya crispies to the usual smooshed goodness of date, raisins & cashews. These really are some of the best bars that Nákd produce, especially the Banana Crunch (made from real banana). If you are already a fan of the regular Nákd bars these new ‘crunch’ additions are a good alternative - especially if like me you can eat 2 or 3 bars in one go! Price: £1.60 GBP www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk
LET’S GO ON ANOTHER TREK! The TREK range from Natural balance foods has some new additions based on a Flapjack style, and we must say they have really .....’raised the bar’ in what a Trail Bar can be. The new flavours are excellent, especially ‘Cocoa coconut’. There is enough variety to keep you interested even on the longest trek. www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk
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’ WE VE GONE ALL TROPICAL! With the totally tropical taste of Organic Bananas (Flakes & Powder), Coconut Flour and Cane Juice Crystals
• ‘Sugar as it should be’ • The cane juice is extracted, impurities removed, and allowed to crystalize in the sun.
• 100% banana • Use in milkshakes, desserts, ice creams, smoothies
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• High in dietary fibre and protein • Gluten Free
• A healthy alternative to refined sugar
www.bonpom.com
• 100% banana • Great crunchy texture! • Use in milkshakes, desserts, ice creams, smoothies
OM NONS
RAW CHOCOLATE WITH LIZARD SEX INSIDE! There, that got your attention didn’t it? Well more on that later. First the chocolate. There are some interesting flavours and varieties in the range of the new brand, such as pineapple & inca berry, mulberry & vanilla and almond & fig. All have lúcuma in them (which always works well with chocolate) and are sweetened with coconut blossom nectar. The taste and textures are perfect and the clever eco-friendly packaging makes me swoon over this brand. I also love the positive affirmation inside and of course the pyschedelic tribal art complete with lizards making love! Price: £1.60 GBP www.lovechock.com
GELATINE FREE, ORGANIC VEGAN SWEETS With natural vegan sweets as good as these there really is no excuse to eat the old fashioned junk food versions. Great for people new to vegan food products or people looking for a healthier version of gummy sweets. The pomegranate flavour is pretty cool and original too. Price: £1.60 GBP www.biona.co.uk
WILD GARLIC PESTOS I was very excited to see this new product at the Natural & Organic Products Europe show in April. I’m a big fan of wild garlic, both is terms of flavour and the beneficial health properties. Wild garlic is a wild plant that usually grows near water. Its lush leaves have a garlic/spring onion taste. Wild garlic is full of vitamins, minerals, essential oils and helps cleanse the intestines. There are three varieties, plain wild garlic, or wild garlic with hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds. I think they work well with either sweet or savoury raw crackers and of course pasta dishes. www.goldenapple.si # 4
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OM NOMS
SNACK PACK SIZES OF RAW CHOCOLATE HEAVEN! OK you know we love these treats from the Raw Chocolate Company as we’ve featured them in issue 2, but now they come in small 32g size packs making it even more difficult to past a health food store without buying them! I love putting one on my tongue and allowing the chocolate coating to melt before devouring the berry inside...yum yum. Price: Raw Chocolate Mulberries £1.29 GBP Raw Chocolate Goji berries £1.49 GBP www.therawchocolatecompany.com
LUXURY ORGANIC GRANOLAS A new range of tasty vegan granolas have just hit the shelves. There are four varieties Fruit and Nut, Hazelnut and Vanilla, Cherry and Almond, and Chocolate and Coconut. All are sweetened with Organic agave syrup. www.whatonearth.co.uk
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GET A PACKET FREE! The Raw Chocolate Company are offering Lúcuma readers a free pack with every order on their website. Just type SNACKPACKPLEASE Valid until end May 2013 www.therawchocolatecompany.com
ADVERTISE HERE! A Great opportunity to advertise in the most gorgeous eco friendly lifestyle magazine out there
• LUCUMA IS CREATED BY THE ‘SURFERS OF THE WAVES OF CHANGE’ AND IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE RAW FOOD, HEALTHY & CONSCIOUS LIVING AND SPIRITUAL SCENE • HELP SUPPORT LUCUMA MAGAZINE & PROMOTE YOUR BRAND AT THE SAME TIME! • PRESENT YOUR BRAND TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE Average of 9,600 views worldwide per issue. With even back issues still being shared via Twitter & Facebook increasing viewing figures daily. • FULL PAGE & DOUBLE PAGE ADVERTISING SPACE AVAILABLE
For Prices & Details Contact: papillon@lucuma.co.uk # 4
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GOODIES tt ROUND PALM LEAF BOWL (8’’) Pack of 25 £13.50 GBP
‘PLATES THAT GROW ON TREES’ Sometimes a product comes along that’s a win win win situation for everyone. Wholeleaf products is one of those! Wholeleaf products are made from naturally fallen Indian palm leaves which is a completely renewable material (almost 60 billion palm leaves fall to ground in India every year). The leaves are then washed in locally sourced spring water and heat pressed into plates, bowls or platters providing an attractive, eco friendly and 100% biodegradable product. We think they are great for picnics, parties or even catering events. www.thewholeleafco.com
tt PALM LEAF PLATE CUADRA DESIGN (7’’x10’’) Pack of 25 £11.99 GBP
tt PALM LEAF BOWL AMUSE BOUCHE SIZE (3’’) Pack of 25 £6.00 GBP
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tt PICNIC PACK FOR 6 6 x plates, 6 x knives and 6 x forks £7.99 GBP
GET SAVVY A new natural laundry and dishwasher detergent has burst onto the scene. Savvy Green is a perfect option for those with sensitive skin or allergies. The ingredients are Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Silicate and Coco alcohol ethoxylate (derived from coconut oil) all are natural and disperse safely in the environment. Savvy Green does not leave any residues on clothing so there is no need to use a fabric softener. In a test wash my clothes came out clean and soft to the touch.
MOBILE PHONE & WIFI HARMONISER The Harmoniser comes as an easy-to-use wafer thin adhesive patch that can be attached to any transmitting device such as a mobile, laptop, sat nav, baby monitor or cordless phone. The Harmoniser is Orgone based so basically it attracts -ve ions which help balance and ‘harmonise’ the +ve ions emitted by electronic devices. I’ve always been skeptical of technology like this, but after giving this a go I am quite impressed. If you’re sensitive to energy you don’t need me to tell you that talking on a phone for a long time can cause headaches and disruptions to your energy field. I am particularly sensitive to energy, so I was able to notice the difference straight away. My phone felt energetically a lot more stable than usual and the energy that radiated from it was a lot ‘cooler’ than before. You can place the Harmoniser in the battery compartment if you want to reuse it or peel it from the adhesive backing like a sticker and stick on the exterior. I also stuck a harmoniser on my Macbook Air and from my perception the computer seems to be vibrating at a much more peaceful rate.
The packaging is also of course recyclable plus its super-concentrated formula gives you 80 loads from a mere 2.64 lbs., in a 1.2 kg bag. That adds up to 70% less packaging! Very Savvy indeed. www.savvygreen.net
FAB SUPER OILS FOR INSIDE & OUT All three of these oils are incredible natural moisturisers for the skin and hair and are loaded with vitamins which help keep off free radicals and helps protect against wrinkles and fine lines. They are extremely powerful on dry skin patches and the rosehip oil can work wonders on scars. I sensed these were top quality products the moment I applied them to my skin. My skin soaked them up instantly. Coconut oil is useful during and after sun exposure for keep from drying out and also acts as a very mild sun screen. All three oils can be used internally too, try them over salads or add to pestos and smoothies. The coconut oil is defineatly one for desserts like raw vegan ‘cheese‘ cakes! TIP: try adding a few drops of fragrant essential oils to make your own divine smelling beauty products. www.fushi.co.uk
qq ARGAN OIL ORGANIC £9.00 GBP
Price: £20 GBP www.quantumbalanceuk.com
COCONUT OIL u ORGANIC £5.80 GBP
tt ROSEHIP OIL ORGANIC £14.00 GBP # 4
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MUSIC
CHINCHA LOVE F
ongo is the debut album from London based ‘Los Chinches’ consisting of four Europeans (three from England, one from France) and four Latin American percussionists (three Peruvians and a Colombian).
The sound Los Chinches generate is infectious! A psychedelic mix of peruvian Cumbia and 1960s Surf & Pop music with a sprinkling of Punk and Ska that will get you up and moving to the delicious Latin rhythms. ‘Fongo’ is bright, catchy and a lot of fun and has already become one of the soundtrack records to my Spring. Los Chinches are also a fantastic live act. I first came across them a few years back at a small festival gig and I was totally blown away by the passion and energy they were creating. Since then they have gone on to play at Glastonbury, Bestival, The Big Chill and WOMAD.
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pp Los Chinches - ‘ Fongo’ Album artwork by Bolivian illustrator, graphic designer and artist Marco Toxico WHAT DOES FONGO MEAN? According to the band ‘Fongo’ is taken from the name of “a mysterious deity, a visionary and a clown with a taste for jungle liquor and Amazonian beauties”. It is, they continue, “through Fongo that we channel the spirit of Chicha who acts as a spiritual councillor and a guide for Los Chinches. We ask Fongo to bless us all with good vibrations. There is a Fongo in all of us and our quest is to bring out the spirit of Fongo in everyone who hears our sound. I am Fongo...you are Fongo...we are all Fongo!” # 4
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Welcome to
Hemloft A secret self-funded creation built on crown land in Whistler, Canada Words by Steven Nicolaides
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HOME - HEMLOFT
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uilt around a single tree on a precipitous slope, HemLoft is surrounded BY Hemlock trees in the pristine beauty of Whistler, Canada. HemLoft was born out of Joel Allens love of the outdoors, carpentry and the need for a permanent base from which to explore the surrounding nature. The egg shaped design was thought up by Joel and his friends Mark and Jayne. They produced a basic 3D rendering and tested the structure by building a smaller scale model. Confident in the design Joel then set about searching for the ‘perfect tree’ for HemLoft and raising the structure. The ‘perfect tree’ just happened to be located on a 45 degree slope which complicated things even further. The construction was carried out in secret during the early hours of the morning or late evenings, during which Joel even encountered wild bears! Despite these dangers and the difficulties of building HemLoft on his own, Joel persevered, and in 2011 he finished the project with the help of his partner Heidi, whom he met during a break in the construction. Joel himself spent $6500 in materials and the remaining $10,000 of materials were picked up for free, mostly through website Craigslist. Despite HemLoft being built in secret Joel & Heidi took the decision to publicise it. HemLoft has been featured in architecture magazines, has its own website and a tour video of the tree house has had over half a million views on youtube! The future of HemLoft was always uncertain and Joel recently announced on the website he was offering HemLoft as a disassembled DIY package for free! n Website Video
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HOME - HEMLOFT
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HOME - HEMLOFT
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HOME - HEMLOFT
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24 - 27 May 2013 - Earls Court, London 42 incredible workshop leaders 32 hours of free stage demos and concerts Special features:
Inspiral CafĂŠ The Mantra Lounge The Pop Up Temple The Love Dome The Wellbeing Studio Birkan Tore Jeff Foster Anna Hunt Meir Schneider
Carolyn Cowan Art Giser Jill Purce Nicole Daedone Derek Mills John Lockley Barbara Meiklejohn-Free
Satish Kumar John Parkin Barefoot Doctor
Vena Ramphal Sergio Magana Graham Hancock Richard Lawrence Alla Svirinskaya Tracey Ash
Kyle Gray David Hamilton Jez Hughes Zulma Reyo
Summer of love
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and many more.
DIANA COOPER
SHAZZIE
JONATHAN CAINER
JAMIE CATTO
YOGI ASHOKANANDA
MARLISE KARLIN
www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk www
A Deeper Light European tour MindBodySpirit P RE S E N TS
Friday 14th June, 2013
EXCLUSIVE LONDON CONCERT
Coronet Theatre, 28 New Kent Road London, SE1 6TJ
For more information and to book tickets www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk or call: 0207 371 91 91 # 4
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Natural
SwimmingPonds Dive into the magniFIcent CREATIONS of swimming pond specialists - GarTenart Words by Steven Nicolaides Photos by www.gartenart.co.uk
Gartenart Swimming Ponds | www.gartenart.co.uk 30
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART GARDENART
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orget old fashioned chlorine swimming pools - they are so 20th century! These are NATURAL Swimming ponds! NATURAL Swimming PONDS EMULATE THE NATURAL STATE OF LAKES AND PONDS by harnessing the power of nature to purify and clean the water. Plants and shingle are used around the edges of the pool (the filtration area) to absorb nutrients, to ensure that single-celled algae are unable to grow. Impurities, as well as harmful bacteria, are also transformed by the plants and natural water organisms. The only ‘technology’ that is required is a pump to circulate the water. The result is a beautiful natural pool that is a delight to the eye as well as the body to swim in. Customers of swimming pool specialists Gartenart, report that the water is crystal clear and feels alive, vibrant and silky smooth on the skin - a totally different experience to swimming in a conventional chlorine pool. Because a large proportion of a swimming pond’s space is devoted to aquatic plants, it is as much a garden feature as a pool, with the natural surrounding edges also being a haven for wildlife such as dragonflies. The pool can be admired all year round without the need to be covered at the end of summer. Gartenart offer a bespoke service creating a design based on your needs and location. Formal designs are also possible as well as conversions of existing conventional pools and renovations of old ponds and lakes. Costs obviously depend on the area and design but as a rough guide a 100sqm pool with a 10m x 5m swimming area would cost up to £70,000 GBP. There is also the added benefit of lower maintenance costs in comparison to conventional pools as there are no heating or chemical costs n www.gartenart.co.uk
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART
Natural Pool with oriental tea hut Gartenart Swimming Ponds | www.gartenart.co.uk
Natural Pool in Greece Gartenart Swimming Ponds www.gartenart.co.uk # 4
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART
Gartenart Swimming Ponds www.gartenart.co.uk # 4
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART
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SWIMMING PONDS - GARTENART
Gartenart Swimming Ponds www.gartenart.co.uk # 4
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ACRO YOGA TRUST - BALANCE - STRENGTH Words by Anna Karides Photos shot on location in Cyprus
Photo by Antonis Mina 38
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ACRO YOGA
I
have always been fascinated about anything that involves the human body, it’s movements, capabilities and limitations. I tried everything I was exposed to - from 13 years of classical ballet, to swimming, tennis, and even judo. In my teenage years, I started competitively running in cross-country races and partaking in aerobic marathons.
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ACRO YOGA
However, this was too much for my body, and ignoring the warnings my body was giving me to rest, I suffered a stressfracture on my hip. That left me not only in crutches for months, but also extremely frustrated for not being able to do any physical exercise. Yoga had always intrigued me and also seemed to be the answer to rehabilitating not only my hip injury, but also an aid to easing the asthma attacks that had been troubling me for years. The first few months I was doing yoga at least 3 times a week and I had seen amazing improvement in my flexibility and my hip rehabilitation, and a developing fascination for back bends, arm balances and inversions. So a few years later I embarked on the journey to become a Certified Yoga Teacher. Very soon after I came across Acro Yoga, and instantly got hooked!
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ACRO YOGA
Photo by Elena Markitani 42
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cro Yoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the dynamic power of acrobatics, and the loving kindness of Thai Massage. These three lineages form the foundation of a practice that cultivates trust, playfulness, and community; in other words Acro Yoga is the yoga of trust and communication. Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jason Nemer co-founded the practice in 2003, which has since touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people world-wide.
Acro Yoga poses look so beautiful and elegant, and never pass by unnoticed. Acro Yoga is great fun and unlike most other forms of yoga, the practice is performed mainly in pairs or in groups. Working with a partner helps you move beyond your own self-limiting ideas of what you can and can’t do, and also offers a unique opportunity to relate deeply to another person. Trust, connection and playfulness are the major principles of Acro Yoga and for anyone who has experienced this practice will surely confirm this. An Acro Yoga class first takes a typical vinyasa flow in a circle, and can then include partner flows/partner acrobatics and then into the air with the support of your partner, whether that is for a therapeutic or acrobatic flow. Partner flow is a creative sequence of mutually beneficial partner asanas and stretches. Communication, self-acceptance, and honesty are the roots of the partner experience. Central to this practice are trust and compassion, the first two observances of Yoga. The asanas included in an Acro Yoga partner flow are mutually beneficial for both partners and actively increase strength and flexibility. Flying which plays a major role in Acro Yoga classes, is a practice which all of our emotional with-holdings manifest in a physical from. If a pair of partners are not able to work harmoniously during flying, more likely than not, there is an emotional/ psychological foundation for their imbalance. The flyer in order to relax has to really trust the base. In therapeutic flying the less relaxed the flyer is, the less effective and enjoyable the “flight” is. Additionally, flying utilizes gravity to release and open the flyer’s spine while grounding and empowering the base. Flying flows can range from gentle, massaged-based stretches to more dynamic balancing or acrobatic sequences. I often like to take part in public demos and performances, and a favourite past time is to jam in the park especially when the sun is shining. Due to the nature of this practice, Acro Yoga is a very social style of yoga that brings people together, with communities all around the globe. So it’s not just about taking your practice to another level.
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ACRO YOGA
Photo by Antonis Mina
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ACRO YOGA
There are plenty of ongoing Acro Yoga classes in London and workshops throughout the country, and in fact all over the world!
For more details: www.annakarides.com www.acroyoga.org
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A VI R I D I A N N U T R I T I O N G U I D E
reasons t
health 1 Range
With tens of thousands of different natural products to choose from, health stores are a one-stop shop for everything natural, ethical and environmental.
If yo face the
3 Knowledge Allow trained and knowledgeable advisors take you through the vitamin maze and develop the ideal programme of nutritional supplements just for you.
5 Specialist Wholefoods, organics, raw foods, allergy-free foods, vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, sports nutrition, essential fatty acids, cruelty-free bodycare, environmental-friendly household cleaners AND recycled paper products all under one roof.
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At the heart of the natural health community in your town, health stores are often family-run businesses proudly serving the local population. 4
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Environment
Staying local to do your shopping reduces your carbon footprint and will also save you fuel!
There are more than 1000 independent health stores across the UK, to find your closest visit viridian-nutrition.com or nahs.co.uk and say a big organic 'hello' to your local health food store today!
9 E
Ask in-st Health, D Heart H Men's H mance, U Health & been ask
to visit your local
h food store
you've ever examined a food label, worried about the chemicals in your e cream or questioned the environmental impact of your washing up liquid en, chances are, you will find plenty to interest you in a health food store.
2 Quality
Health food store owners are true gate-keepers ensuring that nothing poor quality or unethical reaches the shelves.
Exciting 4 New Products
Regular events and an eye for new product selection ensures that customers always have a fresh reason to visit. Ongoing research by manufacturers ensures that new products are being released every month.
6 Compassion
Where else would someone take you by the hand, offer a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a knowledgeable mind and a kind heart?
Experience
tore about Acne, Allergies, Children's Digestion, Energy, Fatigue, Hair, Skin & Nails, Health, Joint Mobility, Memory, Menopause, Health, PMS, Sleep Disorders, Sports PerforUrinary Health,Weight Control,Women's & much more. Don’t be embarrassed, we’ve ked before - and helped!
Health food stores stocking Viridian products are part of a charity donation programme which has so far seen more than £150,000 handed over to charities including Friends of the Earth, NSPCC,Woodland Trust, Save the Children and many more.
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Y The
Organic Ideal Words by Sam Way
E
THE ORGANIC IDEAL
W
hen we think organic we think of vegetables, maybe of milk, or even of coffee. But lets not just think about organic food here, lets think about an organic life. What does the Organic Ideal mean? And how can this wonderful philosophy help us live happier lives. Imagine you’re a vegetable, I’d be a sweet potato, and then think of the soil your growing in. Is it rich and full of nutrients, or is it hard and dry. How can you flourish if you’re not being fed the right things, if you’re not in the right environment for optimal growth? Are you even aware of where you’ve taken root, or been planted? Are you aware of what’s around you? Would you be better somewhere else? What are you feeding yourself with? Physically, emotionally and mentally.
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THE ORGANIC IDEAL
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THE ORGANIC IDEAL
I am not a sweet potato. You are not a vegetable. We have the power to choose our environment, can choose where we dig ourselves into the earth, can choose the soil we feed upon. Are you being enriched? Or would you be better somewhere else? If you want the best ‘out’ of yourself then the Organic Ideal can remind you simply to be mindful of what you’re putting ‘in.’ It can be said too that nothing grows in constant change. Roots need time to spread. A life uprooted, constantly on the move is a miserable one. We need to plant somewhere, find our home and give things time…the Organic Ideal demands no results, the Organic Ideal is all about process, not results. In the Organic Ideal things
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are ready when they’re ready… things can’t be rushed…things can’t be forced….and I think this attitude to life is incredibly beneficial, and refreshing. Stop stressing. Stop trying to force things. To build anything of worth, of goodness, will take time, and eventually you’ll flourish….it’s inevitable…if you’re in the right place, surrounded by the right things and feeding of rich earth it’s only a matter of the moments sliding past one-another, of time passing, something that will happen without any effort on your part. So grow yourself from the best soil, with no pressure, as nature intended, and in turn you’ll help others, the people you hold dear, the ones you love, whomever you relate too, because they’ll see your goodness and feed off it too n
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Have a Whirlwind Romance... with Yourself! Words by Ekaterina Sophia
Doodles by Steven Nicolaides 54
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HAVE A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE WITH YOURSELF
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ife purpose, the big question. Like most deeply profound life questions IT has a simple answer. The purpose is to love. Most importantly IT is to love yourself. What does it mean to love your self? How does if feel being in love, but with your SELF? IS THIS REALLY ARROGANCE or is it just another myth striping us of our true power? The answer can be revealed by a simple exercise: Take a moment now to remember when you fell deeply in love, instantaneously, at the very first sight. Feel that unforgettable, unexplainable moment of pure infatuation. Eyes sparkling, mind floating in an ocean of love and pure joy. You could not keep the smile of your face even from a single mention of their name. This very special someone did not have to look a particular way or even say anything interesting to make you light up like a light bulb. They walked into the room and it really did make your day. Now you have let yourself bathe in this wonderful feeling of life, imagine feeling like this all the time! It gets better, feeling in love all the time but without any external person or event dictating this feeling! Enough said - the idea is definitely deliciously tempting. Well if the idea of walking around totally infatuated with yourself did not push some deep conditioning and bunker thick boundaries we will proceed further. Our life is a relationship with the world, a relationship with ourselves. The more we actively ‘try’ to love the relationship or the person we are with the harder it gets. We have all been there, thinking of reasons of why we love them, why we need to keep on trying, what benefits it brings and how difficult it would be if we lost it. What we don’t always notice is the more we focus on why we should be doing something, the more we notice why we should not be doing it. Ever spiraling down into endless polarity we start to wonder - what was the point and where did it all go wrong.
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By trying to accept something less than pure love and and pretend we are happy we create ever growing self confusion, blame and eventually hate. The relationship becomes about everything except the being ‘in love’. So I say don’t try to love the world, don’t try to love yourself as you will most definitely fail. Instead remember the feeling of been in love. You did not ‘try’ to love them, it happened and it felt great, and life just happened. The biggest trick is that you think you have to change your life in some way. Well I tell you now, you do not. You do not even need to change yourself in any way, nothing at all. All you have to do is remember how it feels to be in love with you. A baby does not do much except love and think about themselves. They cry when they want food and poo their pants when they want to go. Now please note that while I do not recommend
you poo your pants if you can help it, knowing what you want and wanting it without any insecurities is a really great thing. Plus we are no longer babies, so we don’t have to depend on anyone else giving us what we want. Yes indeed it is one of the biggest problems of being grown up that most us miss! The fact is you are grown up - you can now give yourself everything you want and need to enjoy life! So why is it that we choose to not enjoy life fully and be totally in love? We have all the tools and the techniques. Yet we somehow disregard all that and choose to aimlessly drift in the victim mentality and social conditioning. In fact we enjoy and actively participate in blame and externalisation of all our endless problems in pretty much every aspect of our life. Imagine someone making a film where everyone was constantly happy and only wonderful things happened to all the characters - would it be a hit in the cinema? And why not? Are we addicts of misery? And if so why is that? At what age did it happen? As a child did we dream of suffering or having a hard time? When did it change and the most important question can we change? Of course we can change, but we need to individually change the world inside each of us. To internalize and see that your world our universe is inside. Individually we make our world and this is the true power n
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THE SEEKER
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ART: STEPHANIE ALLISON
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What helps spark your creativity? There are so many things that inspire me, it could really come from almost anywhere. But I’d have to say that I am most inspired by nature, music, and my travels. Sometimes a particular lyric from a song will stick in my head and it just repeats over and over as I’m creating a painting. Listening to Smashing Pumpkins lyrics is something that I often do. The words are like poetry to me. Visiting Italy last summer was a hugely inspiring trip. I visited countless museums and cathedrals and got to see Botticelli’s “Primavera” in person, which is one of my favorite paintings of all time.
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You have a strong range of high quality pieces. It was a real struggle for us to select a few to showcase your art! Do you have any moments when a painting is ‘just not working out’ and if so what do you do to rescue that situation? Thank you, that is very kind! For me there is a difference between creating an acrylic painting versus a mixed media painting. During the acrylic painting progress, It is so hard to get over that hump where all I can think of is how ugly the painting looks. I have actually thrown my paintings across the room before just out of frustration. (Although it’s been a while since I’ve done that.) I just have to keep telling myself to keep going, eventually it will look like how I pictured it. With the mixed media paintings there are so many clear steps; first tea-stain, then pencil, then, micron pen, then watercolor, then acrylic highlights, then collage... so it’s easier for me to get through the mixed media paintings. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel sooner than with the acrylic paintings. Although I feel much more excited when I finish an acrylic painting because they take so much more blood, sweat and tears.
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Does your art style have any influences? I guess you could say that I’m influenced by the current movement of pop surrealism/lowbrow art. Artists like Mia Araujo, Audrey Kawasaki and Amy Sol provide these richly creative scenes that I just want to dive into. I’m also influenced by all the members of The Bad Apple Artist Collective which I am honored to be a part of. Each one of them has such an amazing and different style, it’s hard not to be influenced by them!
You make use of tea stains in some of your art. How did that come about and what do you like about that technique? When I first started painting I used primarily acrylic paints. About 7 years ago I inherited a ton of watercolor paper and paints from my late great aunt, Arlene who was a watercolor artist. I then began to experiment with watercolors and found that I loved them! I really like the look of vintage paper when it starts to yellow, so I decided to yellow my watercolor paper by squeezing tea bags across the paper. I let it dry on it’s own and am always excited to see the results. Sometimes I’m inspired by the way the tea drips appear and will create a piece based off of that.
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Most of your paintings are of women. What is it about the female form that fascinates you? Although I grew up as a tomboy, I can say now that I am a total girly girl. My favorite part of painting a woman is deciding what style I’m going to give to her. Will she have pink hair or brown? Curly or straight? How will the make-up look? It is extremely fun for me to create the outfit that the girl will be wearing also. Maybe I should have been a make-up artist or stylist! 66
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There is a dreamy almost dark quality to some pieces. What are your thoughts on dark and light? There was a time in my life when I felt so incredibly awkward, and so I tend to paint my girls in a somewhat awkward position. They look a bit uncomfortable and contemplative, and honestly I don’t know if I do that on purpose or it just happens. I’ve been asked before why my girls are never smiling, and to me it’s because they are thinking about something very deeply. When I space out, I think about everything that is going on in my life, what is going good, what’s not, how can I fix it, etc.. I’m not smiling when I’m spacing out. # 4
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Do you get inspiration from dream time? Some of your paintings look like they are straight from dream world.
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They are definitely straight out of my day dreams. My imagination is pretty active for a 30 year old. Sometimes I still feel like a kid when I think about these dream worlds. I just start to think about some certain scenario and I elaborate on that until it looks complete in my head. From there I usually will transfer the image from my head straight to the canvas with pencil. Then I’ll paint it. I’m not much of a sketcher because I really just don’t have time for it.
Animals feature prominently in your paintings. Do you love animals? Very much so! I actually used to be a biology major along with my art major, because of my love for animals. But I had to drop it because the math was too much for my artist brain to handle. I have tons of books on animals that i delve into often for inspiration. I recently traveled to Australia where I got to hold a Koala and since then I just love them! It was exciting to see all the marsupials that I had only read about in books. Also, I’ve always loved butterflies and have incorporated them into my artwork a lot since I was a kid. I suppose It’s pretty trendy now to add butterflies, but I still love it. My one and only tattoo is of a monarch.
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Stephanie Allison Website: www.stephallisonart.com For Merchandise (Bags/postcards/stickers/buttons/clothing/& more) www.zazzle.com/steph_allison ETSY shop: www.etsy.com/shop/8stephallison8 Red Bubble (Art Prints/Canvas Prints/Postcards) www.redbubble.com/people/stephallison
All images copyright Š Stephanie Allison
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…∞… Ayurveda Detox - the Ancient Way Words by Ariadna Bakhmatova
Looking for new ways to detox? Try Ayurveda – an ancient holistic system of health originating from India. Ayurveda is becoming more and more popular these days, and no wonder. Not only is it capable of keeping you healthy and balanced, but it also can treat a huge list of ailments.
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here couldn’t be a better way to experience Ayurveda than in a dedicated resort. Particularly if it’s one of the first Ayurveda resorts in the world. Sri Lanka’s authentic Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts include Barberyn Reef, located in Beruwala and Barberyn Beach, located in Weligama, and have been in operation as an Ayurvedic resort for over 25 years. Barberyn Resorts provide all the advantages of a resort hotel with the facilities of a professional Ayurvedic health center. Both resorts are designed to improve guests’ health and wellbeing through Ayurvedic diagnosis, healing treatments, herbal medications, Ayurvedic diet, yoga and meditation. The original Barberyn Reef resort was founded in 1968 by Sudana Rodrigo and still remains a family run business. Barberyn Reef is known for being the first health resort in Sri Lanka to offer authentic Ayurveda treatments to Western audience. Many of the Barberyn Reef staff have been with the resort for many years, and, like the Rodrigo family members, look after the resort as if it were their home, contributing to the strong sense of warmth and hospitality.
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Ayurveda at Barberyn
Both Barberyn resorts have in-house Ayurvedic health centres. The team consists of resident Ayurvedic doctors, physicians, therapists, dieticians, and visiting specialists. Both health centres prepare their own Ayurvedic medicines and oils for the guests. Newly arrived guests visit the health centre for the consultation and diagnoses with the Ayurvedic doctor who creates an individual programme of treatments for each guests consisting of oil, herbal massages, herbal baths, herbal medicines and liqueurs, as well as an individual diet for the period of their stay at Barberyn. A healthy diet is an integral part of Ayurveda. At Barberyn, each meal provides various examples of all the Ayurvedic food taste categories that influence our body energy – sweet, salty, spicy, hot, cold and bitter. There is a trained Ayurvedic dietician on hand at every meal to advise guests on the foods to take and avoid according to their prescribed treatments. Barberyn encourages self-awareness and spiritual development of its guests offering yoga, Tai Chi and meditation classes. There are no TVs in the room to encourage self-reflection and help create a tranquil environment. There is a library at the resort with a wide selection of books. Both resorts also organise regular sightseeing trips to the surrounding countryside for the guests.
Summer Promotion
From April to November 2013, Barberyn Resorts run a special summer promotion: book one night, stay one night for free # 4
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About Ayurveda
Originating some 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda, “the science of life”, is one of the oldest forms of scientific medicine and is based on the philosophy of detoxification and rejuvenation. Ayurveda treats the body, mind and spirit as an entity, and works on the basis that the mind and body affect each other, and by working together can overcome illness. It has two main aims: to treat the cause and symptoms of illnesses that have already manifested and to help strengthen the immune system and maintain good health. In Ayurvedic philosophy, the body is comprise of three life energies: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These constitutions shape the physical and mental character of each person. Diseases result from the body’s imbalance of these three doshas. Imbalances result from unhealthy habits such as unhealthy eating patterns, stress, negative feelings, lack of exercise, tension, air and noise pollution.
www.barberynresorts.com
Ayurveda consultation
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Ayurveda Pura: P u r e Wellbeing Words by Ariadna Bakhmatova When it comes to dealing with any health-related issues, Ayurveda is one of my top remedies of choice. This comprehensive holistic system of health has got an answer to practically every ailment one can come across. It is also a great tool to maintain good health & wellbeing and stay truly balanced in your body & mind. When in London, My Ayurvedic destination of choice is undoubtedly Ayurveda Pura - this warm and cosy Spa located in North Greenwich is my idea of wellness, peace and happiness.
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he Spa’s leading practitioner, Dr Deepa Apte, is in my opinion the embodiment of a truly balanced person herself, one of those people that make you feel calm and happy just by being around you. “Practice what you preach” is definitely Dr Apte’s case.
I paid a visit to Ayurveda Pura Spa having just come back from a holiday, to try and bring my digestion back into normality – long Asian trips, no matter how soul nourishing, can be a bit tough on your guts (Naan bread with Nutella on a Goan beach late at night.. oh the good times!). As per the Ayurvedic protocol, Dr Apte first conducted a health consultation with me to identify where imbalances lie. An Ayurvedic consultation involves various lifestylerelated questions being asked, as well as your tongue and pulse being checked. As a seasoned Spa goer I’ve had Ayurvedic consultations done to me before, but Dr Apte’s way of doing it seemed more profound to me than those I’ve ever experienced. The way she checked my pulse was particularly different to how it was done to me before. She spent a lot more time measuring the pulse than I was expecting, and at the end she was not only able to pin point my specific physical imbalances but also identify some of my unique personal characteristics.
A number of eye opening conclusions came out of that consultation which made me look at myself and my lifestyle in a new way. A few days after the consultation I received a comprehensive Therapy Plan from Deepa including recommendations on food, herbs and exercise for me to incorporate into my daily life in order to bring the body back into balance. Triphala, Turmeric, Chyawanprash and lots of ginger & lemon tea are now on my daily menu. The part after the consultation at the Spa was my favourite bit – a body treatment. I was recommended a warm and nourishing Pinda Sveda Herbal Bolus De-Stress massage – exactly what I needed having just come back from the hot climate into freezing London. During this rejuvenating treatment Dr Apte was using cotton poultice bags filled with specially selected herbs which were pressed gently over my body. The treatment helps alleviate muscle and joint pain, release tensions and stress. It sent me into a deep mind & body relaxation state, and all I wanted was for it to continue for another few hours. I walked out of the Spa feeling a lot more grounded and nourished than before, armed with new knowledge about myself and lifestyle tips to bring into my daily routine. And once again have I realised the power of Ayurveda and what this ancient science of life can do to you. A must for all of us to experience for themselves.
www.ayurvedapura.com
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A Taste of
Tantra ...discovering the rich flavours of Tantric living... Words by Elena Angel
U
pon setting my eyes on an issue of LĂşcuma for the first time, I knew I had to make a contribution. The obvious choice: to write something! But it had to be special...
As a Tantric healer, teacher and coach, I have written and spoken about various aspects of Tantra and Taoism, sexual (and non-sexual!) practices, healing, conscious relating, alchemy and manifestation, but now I was really feeling for something new, different, more, somehow tastier, richer, more colourful, textured and fragrant. Tangible. Sensuous. Personal. What this has turned out to be, then, is a series on Tantric living, offering you a taste of Tantra. I promise to whet your appetite and, at the very least, spice things up for you a little. Follow the hints and you’ll see... You might fire up that Kundalini *big time*... And so, the story begins at the beginning, the obvious question being: why? Why would anyone get into Tantra in the first place?
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ell, Tantra is one of those things that one encounters along the way. In itself a path, a way, not a destination, it can, nonetheless, feel like a coming home. It absolutely felt like home to me when I ‘officially’ came to Tantra in my THIRTIES. You may already be living a Tantric lifestyle, just don’t realise it just yet... My sexual quest had actually started very early on. Irrespective of any specific gender identity and in relation to myself only, I’d worked out how to orgasm before I was old enough to go to school, and I simply loved the delicious, hot feeling of ripples of energy rising up through my body. I gave myself orgasms many times each day and just loved touching my body, my skin, feeling the temperature, the texture and all the sensations that arose. I experienced many different emotions, but mostly an openness. Soft caresses brought me a pleasant, soothing feeling, and I remained gently, innocently curious, discovering this whole world of sensation anew each time. A kind of play I never got bored with!
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Tantra honours the body as a temple for the Divine residing within, itself Divine. The senses are enlivened, permitting us to dive into experience, present in the moment, and bring us to a meditative, expansive state. And as anyone who works with me quickly discovers, sensuous, conscious touch is a key ingredient for deepening intimacy and heightening pleasure. It’s the starting point for mind-blowing Tantric lovemaking and, just this one aspect, can significantly alleviate a whole range of sexual challenges, performance anxiety, issues with libido and arousal response - to name a few. Alongside the sensual, my exploration of Self had a distinctly spiritual side, though, of course, I didn’t think of it in such terms at the time! I was somehow very sensitive to ‘atmosphere’, qualities, energies or states beyond my physical boundaries, just in the space or in others, and I often wondered where ‘I’ ended and ‘other’ began. I experienced everything the same way, pretty much, through a ‘feeling’ sense. I also felt time and space to be very flexible, past, present and future did not appear linear, but somehow interchangeable, and I was really surprised to find that I could not physically fly or instantly tele-transport - I had a *very* hard time accepting that...
A TASTE OF TANTRA
My identity generally seemed pretty fluid and not all that separate from anything or anyone else. I felt myself permeable to feelings or experiences. Everything had a magical quality: I was always witnessing miracles! My feeling was that anything was possible, although I had a sense that, whilst observing it, I was somehow creating my experience. Tantra takes us from the mundane experience of apparent duality and separation to Oneness consciousness. Through Tantric practice, one awakens to the state of Unity. Lovers blissfully melt into One, and anyone can access the One Universal Heart, aware of Unity, wholeness, totality, openness, transparent awareness. The Tantric understanding - not unlike what quantum physics reveal - is that everything is energy manifesting in different forms. Nothing is all that solid! It is possible to enhance our energetic awareness and capacity so that we can summon, direct, transmute, exchange, direct energy at
will. Lovers learn how to share energy in this way and can experience greatly enhanced pleasure, new sensations and amazing energetic orgasms on all levels of their being, in their physical bodies and genitals but also way beyond with and without physical touch! Furthermore, once one realises that what we experience as sexual energy is the same creative (or Creator) energy that has created us and everything in existence, a whole new world of possibilities opens up... We can - and do! - create our very own universe, all of our experiences. We literally create what we observe (again I’m reminded of quantum physics and energy behaving as matter when observed) and, as we raise our consciousness and exercise our free will and intention, we can really work magic in our lives. By this I mean in *any* area of our lives, not only in spirituality or relationships. Really, for me, no Tantric training can be thought complete unless it addresses manifestation. It is totally possible, indeed, as Divine humans, this is our purpose: to create paradise on earth.
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To conclude part one of the series, here’s an exercise to get you started on your Tantric exploration: Next time you are having your favourite drink or food (for me it tends to be aromatic green tea with lotus flowers and orange or mango, yummy, soft raw chocolate truffles, and sweet, ripe and juicy cherries), stop everything else (talking to your friend, listening to music or other sounds around, reading, looking at whatever’s around) and place all of your attention to this particular food or drink. Observe it, feel it with all your senses. See it, smell it, touch it, listen to it! Pay attention to every subtle detail, every nuance. Feel the sensations blossom inside of you and feel your desire rising... Continue to sense and appreciate this magnificent object of desire and let yourself somehow flow into it and feel it from the inside. Feel how it rejoices in its gorgeous aroma, body, texture... feel its desire and zest for life - and for you! When you are full with sensation, take a sip or a bite and allow more sensations to explode in your mouth! Feel the texture, the temperature, and all the dimensions and layers of taste and aroma, the glorious music... Having been the one tasting, then the one tasted, allow yourself to melt into the sense of taste itself, become the pure experience... Feel the whole of your body and being become flavours, texture, intensity, height, depth, vibration, aliveness... Feel the waves or sensation expand... There is no beginning and no end... Keep going, savouring every mouthful, and allow yourself to float gently back into your ‘ordinary’ (by now most extraordinary!) state of being and awareness. Breathe.
You’re tasting life. You’re tasting Tantra. Next: In part two of the series, the ‘outside’ world wants to play... The Tantric journey continues with mind games, identities, healing quest and more... Recommended reading: Desire: The Tantric Path to Awakening, by Daniel Odier
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Rosemary Lemon Kale Chips Recipe by Josefine Jäger Ingredients 2 heads of kale 1 & ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 2 organic lemons, juice and zest 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tbsp ground rosemary 1 tbsp tamari 1 medjool date, pitted 2 pinches sea salt 1 pinch ground ginger Method Wash and tear kale into small pieces. In a vitamix or high speed blender, add all of the ingredients, minus the kale. Blend on high until very smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce over the kale and massage the dressing into the kale. Dehydrate at 105°F (46°C) for 6-8 hours, or until crunchy. Enjoy!
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Raw Key Lime Mousse Recipe by Justin Staunton Ingredients - Makes 2 servings The flesh of 2 ripe avocado’s 1 ripe banana 1 tsp of raw coconut butter 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice Sweetener of your choice 1 tsp of unwaxed lemon/lime rind 1 pinch of Celtic sea salt *Tip* add Ÿ teaspoon of chlorella/spirulina for extra nutrition! Method Add all ingredients to the blender/food processor and puree on the lowest setting. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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Luscious Lúcuma Smoothie Recipe by Irene Arango & Rich Havardi of NAMA foods At NAMA we love Lúcuma, and we don’t mean only the superfood. This magazine has become part of our family offering support and guidance since we started our journey into the restaurant business. For this reason, we created this delicious drink that everyday reminds us that there is people out there that will stand by us when needed! This has become our favourite smoothie. Malty, caramel like, and full of nutrition - it is just divine. Very versatile, it can be the perfect end to a meal as a dessert or to start the day as breakfast At home, we sometimes sprinkle some crushed nuts or coconut flakes for some extra texture. Ingredients - serves 2 2 cups almond milk ½ tsp vanilla powder 3 tbsp lúcuma powder 1 tbsp hulled hemp seeds 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp chia seeds, powdered 1 tbsp coconut sugar, ground Pinch Himalayan salt Method Blend until smooth. Add 1 tbsp melted coconut oil and blend until well incorporated. Try not to drink it too fast!
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Asian cones Recipe by Irene Arango & Rich Havardi of NAMA foods These Asian spice nori cones are bursting with flavour. They are great to bring to work as they travel pretty well in a sealed container and you can eat them with your hands. Just bear in mind that if you are not consuming them immediately, you might want to add some spinach leaves on top of the seaweed before rolling to keep it crunchy. Sesame dressing ¼ cup tamari ¼ cup tahini 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil (not raw) 1 tbsp coconut sugar 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar ½ inch piece ginger 1/8 tsp garlic powder 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp lemon juice • Blend all ingredients in high powered blender until smooth Sesame parsnip rice 3 medium parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped ¼ cup sesame dressing • Grind ingredients in food processor until ‘rice-like’ ASSEMBLY makes 6 cones (out of 3 sheets): 3 nori sheets, cut in half 2 carrots, julienned 1 cucumber, julienned 1 red pepper, julienned 1 avocado, cut into thin slices Parsnip rice Mixed sprouts Spinach, chopped • • • • •
Place nori sheet with shiny side down Layer nori sheet with spinach, so as to avoid nori sheet becoming soggy Place desired amount of parsnip rice at one end of nori sheet Layer carrot, cucumber, red pepper, sprouts and avocado over parsnip rice Roll the nori sheet at a diagonal angle to create a cone shape, using water if necessary to seal the nori sheet • Drizzle the inside of the nori cone with more dressing if desired
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Berry Jelly Recipe by Irene Arango & Rich Havardi of NAMA foods If you have already read the recipe for the lúcuma smoothie, you know that we consider Lúcuma (the magazine) part of the family. Well, this recipe really put this love to test! One (cloudy) day, Steven aka ‘Stevia’ Nicolaides, dropped by NAMA and suggested/coerced us to come up with a recipe for a raw & vegan jelly. We tried several times with little success to make raw jelly and just the last try before giving up, we managed to make it vegan saving our relationship with Lúcuma! ;) This is not a fully raw recipe, but it is fun and quite simple to make. Feel free to substitute with other fresh fruit or medicine flavour extracts that you prefer. Ingredients - Makes 1 jelly (serves 2) 1 & ½ cups water 1 tbsp agar flakes/powder 1-2 tbsp xylitol, powdered Blueberries & Pomegranates Strawberry medicine flower extract Method • Bring water to a low simmer. Add agar powder and keep stirring on a low simmer for 3-5 minutes until agar has completely dissolved. • Turn down the heat and add 10 drops of strawberry extract and 1-2 tbsp xylitol to desired sweetness. • Pour little of agar mixture into glass and place in fridge to set for a few minutes. Keep remaining agar mixture on the hob on a low heat to avoid setting. • Once agar in glass is set, layer with some of the fresh fruit and pour some more agar mix over the top. Repeat this process 4-5 times until the fruit is layered in the glass in the agar jelly • Using an offset spatula, turn jelly out onto a plate or bowl and let the fun begin!
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CONTRIBUTORS Steven Nicolaides
Ekaterina Sophia
Sam Way
Editor & Founder of Lúcuma
Spiritualist healer
Creative soul, Musician, Writer, Model
Steven is the founder and designer of Lúcuma. He has a background in music and design.
Eternally striving to higher depths I aim to enjoy every moment of this existence. Ever flowing into new experiences. I am forever changing, yet remain fundamentally basic.
Lets all ascend into and claim our own Bhuddahood. Why are we here? What is love? How can we live the best possible lives? These are the questions I ask…
I have grown to believe that to get higher I must also grow ever deeper roots into our beloved mother earth. To fly and be on Earth, one must breathe like the wind, flow though life as though water, be stable as a rock and let your heart be alive like fire.
Incurably curious
www.livingeternity.org.uk
Meet my mind here: iamsamway.tumblr.com
Disillusioned with the conventional way of life he desired to unplug from the illusion and gain more freedoms on every level. Spirituality, creating, veganism and mindfulness has been his passion since the turn of the millennium. He is a natural creative able to communicate ideas and concepts through a variety of media. He started doing free-lance design under the name New Gaia designs in 2008. He loves spending time in nature, guitars, drums, chanting, meditating, travelling flowers and nice scents. My Photography: fizzyimages.imagekind.com My Design: www.newgaiadesigns.com
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Twitter @livingeternity
Passionately compassionate. On a journey, the path less travelled, and always trying to help others along on theirs.
My soul here: soundcloud.com/iamsamway My body here (ahem): www.models1.co.uk And follow @iamsamway
Ariadna Bakhmatova
Stephanie Allison
Anna Karides
Wellbeing PR and Communications
Artist
Acro Yoga teacher
Ariadna was introduced to the philosophy of yoga when she was in her teens. Since then, wellbeing has been her passion, hobby and a lifestyle choice. Over the past years she has been discovering and trying various tools and techniques that can help people live a healthier and happier life; from various types of yoga to Ayurveda and holistic massages to Reiki to flower remedies and superfoods‌ and so on. She is a believer that small things can make a big difference and is interested in discovering how wellbeing can be incorporated into a busy city lifestyle. For work, Ariadna does PR and communications specialising in holistic health and wellbeing.
Stephanie Allison was raised among a family of ceramic artists who traveled around California to do arts and craft fairs. Originally from the central coast of California, Stephanie currently resides in Clovis, CA where she works and attends California State University of Fresno. She will be graduating this spring and finishing up her teaching credential next year so that she can teach High School painting. Stephanie frequently exhibits her artwork in and around Fresno County, and has shown around the United States, as well as in Italy and Australia.
Anna Karides started practicing yoga at the age of fifteen following a serious hip injury that ensued after extensive training for long-distance running competitions in Cyprus. She is a certified Yoga and AcroYoga teacher, based in London and has international teaching and training experience. Anna spends most of her time upside down!
www.ariadnasthread.com
Merchandise: www.zazzle.com/steph_allison
Twitter @AriadnaWell
www.annakarides.com
Website: www.stephallisonart.com
ETSY: www.etsy.com/shop/8stephallison8 Art Prints: www.redbubble.com/people/ stephallison
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CONTRIBUTORS Irene Arango
Rich Havardi
Raw Food Dude (Justin Staunton)
Founder of Nama foods restaurant & Bliss Bites & Detox
Founder of Nama foods restaurant & the Raw Foods Company
Raw Food Chef
Irene started her journey into raw food in her search for better health, more energy and ideal weight. Delighted that she found it, she has since then dedicated her life to help others to embark on the same fulfilling path trying to bring raw food and its benefits to mainstream knowledge showing how exciting raw dishes can be using your creativity and imagination.
Rich Havardi has always had a passion for food and nutrition and is a firm believer in the value of a healthy diet for body, mind and spirit.
Raw food is a way to bring your life to the next level. Raw food contains more life giving energy (chi) and when you eat it you feel more alive and get more energy to do what you want! Studies have confirmed that eating raw fruits, vegetables, and greens enhance health and heal the body.
Founder of Bliss Bites, a raw chocolate, cakes, nut cheese and kale crisps online business and Bliss Detox, Irene spends her days working in her West London kitchen, producing the healthy raw treats for business Bliss Bites, developing exciting new recipes and making bespoke juices for her detox clients. Irene also runs health related events in the UK and Spain, caters for meetings, dinner parties, conferences and retreats in Europe and runs raw food and chocolate workshops to encourage and inspire more people to embrace the raw lifestyle. Irene believes that raw foods are not only a way to become healthier but also to use your imagination and nurture your spirit. Irene is founder and chef at Nama foods in Queens Park, London, England. www.blissbites.co.uk www.namafoods.com 106
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In the last few years, he has been bringing more raw foods and superfoods into his diet and has experienced massive benefits to his health since following this path. “My energy levels have dramatically improved, I feel more focused and balanced, my skin feels radiant, I don’t suffer from any digestive problems and can’t remember when I last got sick. By focusing on a path of improving my nutrition, wonderful synchronicities have enriched my life to help me fulfil my dreams.” After 9 months, as the raw food chef at ‘Down to Earth’, a vegetarian cafe in Kensington, he has now opened Nama, a raw food bar situated in the heart of Queens Park, West London. At Nama you can buy artisan raw food dishes, attend workshops and enjoy juice/food-cleansing programs. Nama also offers bespoke raw catering for events and retreats in addition to providing a delivery service. www.therawfoodscompany.com www.namafoods.com
By replacing a lot of toxic forming foods like meat and dairy with highly nutritious foods like algae, seaweeds and superfoods one can completely transform their level of health and experience a new dimension of reality. At my raw food demonstrations at Food for Thought health stores in Kingston & Guildford I show people how easy it is to make raw food recipes. I also hold workshops in Kingston, Surrey .The workshops are designed to teach people the basics of raw, living food and how they can easily integrate it into their life. I am currently studying a diploma in Naturopathic nutrition in London, learning about health and nutrition has been an interest of mine for many years. Following a raw food diet has increased my level of health and helped me to better control my type 1 diabetes. www.facebook.com/therawfooddude
Josefine Jäger
Elena Angel
Raw Food Chef & Founder at Jfine cuisine
Tantric practitioner, healer and coach
Founder of Jfine Cuisine, Josefine Jäger is known for her unique style of raw and plant based cuisine. Her core intention is to get people to say: Hello green!
Her unique sessions and immersive trainings have transformed the lives of hundreds of men and women seeking joy, fulfilment and empowerment. She presents talks and writes on Tantra, Sacred Sexuality, Sex, Intimacy and Relationship, runs workshops and retreats, and offers a regular webinar series and a dedicated Women’s circle meeting monthly in London.
www.jfine.se
Elena’s work has attracted widespread media attention and she has been featured in The Sunday Times, GQ, Natural Health, Om Yoga Magazine and other publications. Her pioneering article “Tantric orgasm: beyond Masters and Johnson”, co-authored with Mike Lousada, was published by the Sexual and Relationship Therapy Journal, and is available online. www.elenaangel.com
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