Beyond Magazine Issue 24 Summer 2017

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C O N T E N TS

T H E

E M OT I O N

OWNER AND GENERAL MANAGER Pascale Choueiri Saad

14 PLANTING NEW HOPE

B E YO N D

Symbolic gestures at a high level

CO-OWNER Ronald Saad

18 GOODBYE, PARIS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Pascale Choueiri Saad

Trump turns his back on the future

ESSENCE 40 SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND A spiritual journey through India

68 HAUNTED BY THE PAST Samara and Natalie Noureddine are capturing Lebanon’s abandoned spaces with their mobile phones

H O R I ZO N S 88 HEAVEN CAN WAIT Mount Pelion is the place to be

120 MODERN LIFE GOT YOU DOWN? Ask the Ancients what to do

T E A M

CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Edgard Chehab ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Bassam AlKantar COPY EDITOR Jody Jaffe ART DIRECTOR Zeina Moawad El-Hajj RESPONSIBLE DIRECTOR Antoine Hajj CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tamara Batshon, Alia Fawaz, Bassam AlKantar, John Gray, Nour El Hachem, Varouj Tenbelian, Malek Hakim, Ginou Choueiri, Dianna Tannoury GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS Phillippe Khoury, Olivier Scheffer, Karim Thoumy, Dianna Tannoury, Ginou Choueiri, Avedis Kalpaklian, All Rights Reserved PRINTED BY Chamas for Printing & Publishing, Mazraa, Colombia Center ADVERTISING & MARKETING FST, info@fivestarstourism.com EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES mag.beyond@gmail.com

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Block 01 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 1 994 006 Fax: +961 1 994 007 THIS MAGAZINE IS PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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Beyond magazine is a creative culture and sustainable living publication that takes the time for meaningful moments of observation. We cover subjects that matter, all of them deeply-rooted in nature and related to Mother Earth. We aim to be a source of inspiration for those who seek a responsible lifestyle, for now and for generations to come.

As we become ever more accustomed to the polluted cities of our "developed" world, we experience less and less of the essence of this amazing planet on which we live. Yet, as Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said, “Beauty will save the world,� and this is a concept in which Beyond magazine believes and aims to showcase in each and every publication.

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L E TT E R

F RO M

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE...

It was summer, and the world smelled of roses and jasmine. The sunshine shimmered like powdered gold on the edge of blue wildflowers and over the verdant mountains. The days were long, stretching into one another, motionless and quiet. Everything was on pause and yet happening at the same time.

And in every breath you took, there was a sense of excitement, a feeling that anything was possible. It was in summer that we sought our escape and dreamt of distant worlds, nostalgic places and cozy dwellings.

O U R

E D I TO R

As Mother Nature once again ushers in summer with heavenly shining light, blue skies and blooming green forests, we celebrate this season that always brings the best of what might be and its long-anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility.

As ever, in this issue of Beyond magazine we don’t feel the need to explain; rather, we convey impressions and tell stories with images and colors. I hope that this summer edition brings you the kind of emotional satisfaction that you cannot find elsewhere and that you find the experience enjoyable.

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M A I N

C O N T R I B U T O R S

EDGARD CHEHAB With 17 years of experience in the environmental field, Edgard Chehab is a renowned name in local and regional green circles. He is the assistant resident representative and manager of the Energy and Environment Program of UNDP, Lebanon. He is also the advisor to the Ministry of the Environment. Beyond is lucky to have Mr. Chehab as its environmental consultant and dear friend.

ALIA FAWAZ Alia Fawaz is a freelance writer based in Beirut with a passion to see a greener, cleaner Lebanon. Can we influence others to be environmentally responsible? Trying to answer this question is both a challenge and the source of inspiration for her as a regular contributor to Beyond. She covers the increasing renewable energy projects and eco-initiatives in the country and shares snippets of natural wonders from around the globe.

BASSAM ALKANTAR A seasoned Lebanese journalist, Bassam Al Kantar frequently writes about environment and human rights. Beyond's environmental consultant, is the founder and executive director of the Lebanese Human Rights monitor upr-lebanon.org. Alkantar was nominated to Lebanon's National Human Rights Institute (NHRI). He is currently the managing editor for greenarea.me.

DIANA TANNOURY In her contributions to Beyond, Diana Boudargham Tannoury continues to push her poetic license to the next level. With a master’s degree in international communications and international relations from Boston University, Mrs. Boudargham Tannoury enjoys writing short stories and poems in the hope that her words will help raise awareness about nature’s fragility.

NOUR EL HACHEM Nour El Hachem has been head of the Legal Department of Middle East Airlines since 2012. She is a passionate defender of the environment, believing that nature is God’s kindest gift to humanity. Having obtained a master’s degree in international and comparative law of the environment from Limoges University (France) in 2006, El Hachem argues that Lebanon’s legal system should be used to protect the country’s green spaces. She urges all Lebanese to work together to preserve the natural treasures that God has bestowed on them.

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E M O T I O N

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SYMBOLIC GREEN GESTURES Nature’s gifts cannot be valued in monetary terms. Like clean air, they are often taken for granted, at least until they become scarce. This is why we must all be aware that the protection and improvement of the human environment is a major issue, which affects the wellbeing of peoples and economic development throughout the world. To honor the environment and to promote environmental awareness, June 5th has been designated as World Environment Day. On this day in Lebanon, Prime Minister Saad Hariri wished to send a symbolic message to the Lebanese people by planting two cedar trees in front of the Grand Serail.

In addition, Claudine Aoun Roukoz, the president’s advisor for environmental affairs, supervised the placing of seven beehives in the garden of the Presidential Palace in Baabda. Her gesture highlighted the vital role that bees play in the environment, by pollinating trees and plants and thereby enabling their propagation. As these symbolic moves suggest, making green initiatives among the country’s top priorities is the direction of the new government.

PR MINISTER SAAD HARIRI

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PR MINISTER SAAD HARIRI PLANTS A TREE FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISOR CLAUDINE AOUN ROUKOZ SUPERVISES THE PLACEMENT OF BEEHIVES IN THE GARDEN OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

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A GREEN DIRECTION FOR LEBANON To know more about the green strategies and those that impact public services, Beyond speaks exclusively to Claudine Aoun, special advisor to President Michel Aoun.

CLAUDINE AOUN ROUKOZ, PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

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What long-term solution is in place to deal with Lebanon’s garbage? We cannot rely on landfills, as they serve a short-term solution.

We believe in the decentralization of waste management as a sustainable solution for our garbage crisis in Lebanon. Decentralization induces delegating each region or municipal zone to handle the whole process of waste collection to final disposal passing by a series of procedures to limit waste at the first place and smart segregation and of course recycling and reuse of dumped materials.

Many developed countries enforce recycling of garbage and any household/establishment that does not comply is fined. Can Lebanon enforce this on a national level through each municipality? We are giving tickets to cars parked illegally, why not for garbage thrown recklessly?

Exactly that is our vision that we aspire to implement to solve once and for all this vicious cycle of waste pilling in our streets. As stated before, decentralization is the key, that each municipal zone or union should initiate awareness campaigns to segregate materials and limit waste disposal. This move will help automatically identify recyclable materials and others that need treatment or conversion. I strongly believe that this process will help in limiting significantly the waste in our landfills.

When will we have a wastewater sewage system in place?

Concerning the wastewater, the Ministry of Energy and Water has developed a complete wastewater strategy, which was approved by the Cabinet in October 2012. Responding to your question, this strategy focused on collecting and treating wastewater according to national standards and regional agreements, keeping in mind that only eight percent of wastewater collected is being treated currently. The investment requirements to set up a modern sewage system are still being readied and efforts are being made to mobilize the required funds, which are estimated to be around $3.1 billion.

What will be done to improve household water supply? What reforms (if any) can we expect in this sector?

We know the extreme importance of water as a vital element that must be available to citizens according to the highest standards. Therefore, the Government has proposed a strategy for household water supply. The key challenge in this issue lies in the lack of developed infrastructure that we need and the sources to make water accessible to all citizens. The mismanagement of this resource is also another obstacle hindering the access to consumable water. To create a solution for these issues, the Government has embarked since 2012 on a set of initiatives to solve the lingering problems of water access. It intends to build seven dams, and replace 800 kilometers of obsolete pipelines, while 30 million cubic meters have been mobilized yearly from underground water through drilling and equipping wells. Efforts are underway to muster more funds for additional investments in the sector Lebanon’s forests are diminishing at an alarming rate. What plans are in place to preserve the existing ones and to do reforestation?

According to new data, we have no real loss of forested and green areas over the country; in fact we still have 13 percent of pure forest cover and 11.5 percent of areas classified other as wooded lands, so we still see around 25 percent of our country having wooded or wild natural zones. NCRS has re-illustrated a new map on green cover in Lebanon and demonstrated that our green cover is still stable, more or less. What we need to be working on is regulating urban expansion over the forests and there are rules that must be set with urban planning authorities to stop that, because this is where the loss really lies. The competent ministry is working on re-forestation to increase the forest cover to 20 percent (from 13 percent), i.e., planting 40 million trees over 70 thousand hectares. In addition to that, the ministry

is working actively to recruit more forest rangers on duty and is increasing forest centers to protect these green areas. Moreover, it is being very strict on licensing and controlling any activity related to land reclamation in light of some breaches committed by some investors and abuse of forested areas. Efforts are focused right now towards upgrading the obsolete forestry laws and propose other legislative frameworks to face pressing issues and challenges.

Ugly quarries spoil many green mountainous areas. What can be done to stop this?

It is true that quarries cause extensive damage to nature. In the last years many owners have invested illegally in quarries all around the Lebanese regions in violation to the laws. The State issued a Decree number 1735 that designates limited regions to establish quarries, while taking into consideration environmental standards. The same law prohibits any activity of new quarries in any wild forested or natural reserves designated by the state, and in a move to limit the activities of the quarries the Ministry of the Interior ordered the closure of all illegal quarries working contrary to the law, giving them a grace period to regulate their work and try to sell what they have of existing stock.

There have been some recent efforts to provide longer hours of electricity.

What improvements can we expect in the near future?

We already have a plan set up to supply electricity immediately and without delay in addition to long- term plans to sustain the increasing demand of Lebanese citizens. In fact the Ministry of Energy is now completing two power plants in Zouk and Jiyeh. These are going to be inaugurated soon by the President and will be producing 280 MWs which is equivalent to three hours of supply.

Other proposed plans for the short term include renting two powerships producing 800 MWs of electricity, meaning eight additional hours of supply.

In addition to this, the State is planning a bid to provide three governorates with photovoltaic farms, each providing 45 MWs. Furthermore, the Ministry of Energy is also contracting firms to provide wind power that is expected to supply 100 MWs for the grid. Over the long term, more power plants are going to be built according to the PPP concept that will see plants built in Deir Ammar and Sellaata providing 1,000 MWs of electricity.

Construction is notoriously chaotic in Lebanon. Urban planning hardly exists. Can any reforms be expected here?

We are working on it now.

Traffic and overload of vehicles on our streets is only increasing. Are there any plans for more public transportation to reduce cars? Are there any plans towards reducing traffic on our main highway?

First of all the State is planning to implement a sustainable strategy for public transportation in Beirut and the regions that will help decrease traffic and pollution in the capital in a significant manner. The proposed public transportation strategy is based on a train solution that will service Beirut.

Moreover, the President is urging the Government to prioritize the implementation of the Jounieh highway expansion in addition to the strategic circular highway that will service key areas in Lebanon ranging from Khalde in the South to Oquaibe in Keserwane using also in the middle of the highway the bus rapid transit from Khalde to Dbayeh. This plan will certainly mitigate traffic problems on the gates of Beirut and will ensure smooth commuting between the capital and the regions. Moreover, the State is concentrating on urgently rolling out the Téléferique project, which is a vital part of providing public transport to individuals and encouraging them to give up using cars for short-range trips.

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GOODBYE PARIS TRUMP TURNS HIS BACK ON THE FUTURE WORDS BASSAM ALKANTAR

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In December 2015, after years of negotiations, 195 countries made a new commitment to work together to address global climate change. This landmark agreement, signed in Paris, was seen as a turning point for global climate policy, and it came into force on November 4, 2016. As of June 2017, 195 UNFCCC (The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) members had signed the agreement, and 148 had ratified it.

As eager as President Trump seemed to be to denounce and bolt from the Paris Agreement, he also appeared eager to project a willingness to re-engage. Three times during his speech in the Rose Garden, he declared an openness to renegotiating the landmark climate agreement or negotiating a new deal “that’s fair.”

It’s hardly clear what the president might have had in mind, but let’s consider some of the options.

First, it’s far-fetched to think that other countries are so desperate for the U.S. to stay in that they’re going to discard the Paris Agreement. The agreement is a sensible approach to an urgent challenge. It has been universally embraced – and universally reaffirmed -- despite Trump’s skepticism.

As far as the implementation of the Paris Agreement is concerned, we remain optimistic, because the rest of the world backs the agreement. Over the past few weeks we have had many encouraging signals from Europe, China, Russia, India, Canada, and many other countries. German Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks said with regard to President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement: “The rest of the world is closing ranks; the commitment to climate action has become even stronger. Trump has opted for the past; the rest of the world has chosen the future."

As France, Germany, and Italy made clear within hours of the

president’s speech, the basic terms of the agreement are not open for renegotiation. The Paris Agreement is critical for the future of our planet. It provides a strong framework for taking ambitious action to mitigate climate change, and to help people and ecosystems across the globe to adapt to its impacts. The Paris Agreement, adopted by almost 200 countries, is too robust to be broken by any one nation. Country after country – both developed and developing – has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the agreement. Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement will not stop global action on climate change.

As global temperatures continue to rise, severe floods, droughts, and super storms are becoming more and more commonplace. It is the most vulnerable people who are hit first. The poorest countries will be affected twice more: first by the U.S.’s unwillingness to curb U.S. carbon emissions, and then by a planned decrease in climate financing to support people in adapting to the impacts of climate change and in making a transition to clean energy for poor countries.

The implementation of the Paris Agreement is the only way for the human family to protect itself from the threat of global warming. Our children and grandchildren risk being the losers as a result of Trump’s misguided decision.

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WISHING UPON A STAR THE SEARCH FOR FUSION ENERGY HEATS UP WORDS ALIA FAWAZ

Meeting the world's energy demands is one of the major challenges of our time. Our overdependence on fossil fuels to meet our energy needs (nearly 80 percent of global energy comes from them) has significantly contributed to global warming and climate change. Today the use of renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) is on the rise, but the cost, infrastructure, and technology has still not come close to enabling such energy to power the world. Nuclear fission still remains unpopular because of its radioactive waste and potential dangers (as in Chernobyl and Fukushima). One hope is for scientists to make fusion energy a reality: a pollution-free, cheap source of energy that would potentially power human development infinitely.

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The Sun is 93 million miles away, yet we can see this ball of fire and feel its immense energy every day. How does this happen? The Sun shines because it is able to convert energy from gravity into light.

The hydrogen gas in the core of the Sun gets squeezed together so tightly that four hydrogen nuclei combine to form one helium atom. This is called nuclear fusion.

In the process, some of the mass of the hydrogen atoms is converted into energy in the form of light. In fact, scientists have been attempting to replicate this and turn nuclear fusion into a viable energy source since the 1950s. The idea is to create a giant star to replicate the chemical reaction that occurs naturally on the Sun to produce energy here on Earth. Scientists believe that it is worth trying to design and build a fusion power station, and currently there are numerous research and development fusion projects around the world with this same goal in mind.

Engineering fusion Of course, the real challenge is harnessing the power of the Sun in a laboratory setting, because we don’t have the gravity of the Sun. One way to achieve fusion is to use powerful magnets to contain an ex-

tremely hot gas of electrically-charged deuterium and tritium nuclei and electrons.

This hot charged gas is called plasma. In fact the plasma must be so hot – more than 100 million degrees Celsius – that the positively-charged nuclei move fast enough to overcome their electrical repulsion and fuse. When the nuclei fuse, they form two energetic particles – an alpha particle (the nucleus of the helium atom) and a neutron.

Heating the plasma to such a high temperature requires a lot of energy – which must be put into the reactor before fusion can begin. But once it gets going, fusion has the potential to generate enough energy to maintain its own heat, enabling us to draw off excess heat that can be converted into steam to drive turbines and put power onto the electricity grid.

Making wishful thinking a reality Human-engineered fusion has already been demonstrated on a small scale.

However, the major challenges facing the engineering community are to find ways to scale up the fusion process to commercial proportions, in an efficient and economical way.

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One high-profile fusion research facility project is ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor).

Once completed, this fusion plant will weigh 23,000 tons and it will be as big as 60 football fields. ITER is currently being built in the south of France by a group of countries including the US, China, Russia, Japan and the EU. ITER employs the design known as the tokamak*. It involves donutshaped plasma, confined in a very strong magnetic field, which is partly created by electrical current that flows in the plasma itself. This ambitious project, which is expected to cost more than 20 billion euros, is a testament to the commitment to and the need for fusion energy.

In terms of scale, the energy potential of the fusion reaction is superior to all other energy sources known on Earth.

Fusing atoms together in a controlled way releases nearly four million times more energy than a chemical reaction such as the burning of coal, oil or gas and four times more than nuclear fission. Fusion doesn't produce runaway chain reactions in the way that fission

can (meaning that there is no need to worry about meltdowns), nor does it produce the large amounts of dangerous radioactive waste of fission reactions. That's why it's such a desirable source of energy.

If we can successfully harness the clean and limitless energy from fusion we will have hit the green energy jackpot. While small technical advances are constantly being made in this highly promising technology, it still remains elusive. The big question remains: Will it become a reality in our lifetime? *The tokamak, which is a donut shape, is the most developed magnetic confinement system and is the basis for the design of future fusion reactors. It was invented in the Soviet Union during the 1960s and has been adopted by researchers around the world. Another method of confining thermonuclear plasmas involves stellarators, which are used in other fusion projects. This design has five-fold symmetry, like the middle of a pentagon.

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E S S E N C E

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HOUSE OF PERE LACROIX , BY PAUL CEZANNE (1873)

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MASTERS OF THE UNTAMED WHEN ART MET LIGHT OUTDOORS WORDS TAMARA BATSHON From the beginning of human history, nature has played a vital role in inspiring our creative expression. Nature’s breathtaking beauty and force is ingrained in our lives. It has inspired literature, songs, and art for as long as human history has been recorded. The school of art known as “Impressionism” is perhaps the artistic movement that is most acclaimed for its depictions of nature.

With the birth of Impressionism, the avant-garde art movement that appeared at the end of the 19th century, artists took their canvas to the countryside and started to paint en plain air (outdoors).

Nature was the driving force for many artists, including Monet, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne, and Degas. These artists and their contemporaries could not resist depicting nature and its beauty in new ways, which forever changed the face of art.

To this day Impressionist painting is arguably the most attractive in the history of modern art.

Its retrospective works in museums draw great crowds. The style is still immensely popular today, and it is applied by many artists. Marked by the striking use of colors and a focus on the depiction of light, the paintings are often vibrant and uplifting. The brush strokes are typically applied quickly, creating an illusion of movement and spontaneity. The artists were not

interested in rendering details, but instead they wanted to create an image of the whole scene as though it were perceived in a single, fleeting glance. Even reflections on the water’s surface would appear to be as substantial as any of the real objects in a scene. In other words how nature is seen and felt in that very moment by the artist is poetically and skillfully captured on the canvas.

Impressionist masters Perhaps Claude Monet is the most well-known Impressionist artist of this period. He had a preference for landscapes, and water in particular.

His famous Water Lilies series, along with his paintings Haystacks and Impression, Sunrise (the painting attributed to giving Impressionism its name) is inspired by nature. His friend Auguste Renoir also often painted his subjects outdoors. In fact the two worked side by side during their early works, often depicting the same scenes of the boathouse parties in suburban Paris in 1869 (La Grenouillère).

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"PAINTING FROM NATURE IS NOT COPYING THE OBJECT; IT IS REALIZING ONE'S SENSATIONS".

PAUL CEZANNE

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CHARING CROSS BRIDGE, LONDON, BY CAMILLE PISSARRO (1890)

THE OLIVE ORCHARD, BY VINCENT VAN GOGH, (1889)

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PICKING FLOWERS, BY AUGUSTE RENOIR (1875)

THE BATTLE OF LOVE, BY PAUL CEZANNE (1880)

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"I am following Nature without being able to grasp her...

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."

Claude Monet

WOMAN SEATED UNDER THE WILLOWS

BY CLAUDE MONET (1880) Another impressionist star, Vincent Van Gogh, was also known for his nature-inspired paintings. His famous works, such as Starry Night, Wheatfield under Clouded Sky, and Daubigny’s Garden featured his unique thick swirling brush strokes, giving the impression that his painting is constantly moving.

Henri Rousseau, the postImpressionist painter, famously claimed that he had “no teacher other than nature.” A self-taught artist, Rousseau was famous for his depictions of the jungle. His nature painting The Flamingos and the Dream showcases the juxtaposition of the real and the imaginary.

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FOUR DANCERS , BY EDGAR DEGAS , (1899)

BALLET DANCERS, BY EDGAR DEGAS (1877)

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"There are colors which cause each other to shine brilliantly, which form a couple which complete each other like man and woman."

Vincent van Gogh

"ART IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE, BUT WHAT YOU MAKE OTHERS SEE".

EDGAR DEGAS

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HAMPTON COURT GREEN, BY CAMILLE PISSARRO, (1891)

Camille Pissarro was more realistic and gritty. He addressed the reality of nature and agriculture in landscapes, often with figures.

Peasant woman and animals were often portrayed in nature, as seen in Pissarro’s famous Donkey Ride at la Roche-Guyan and Hay Harvest

at Éragny. Artist Paul Cezanne was highly influenced by Pissarro, and the two often painted landscapes together.

Acclaimed works by Cezanne include the Mont SainteVictoire series and The Bathers, a painting depicting nude women bathing outdoors.

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"ALL THE SORROWS, ALL THE BITTERNESSES, ALL THE SADNESSES, I FORGET THEM AND IGNORE THEM IN THE JOY OF WORKING".

CAMILLE PISSARRO

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WHEN M OT H E R I N D I A C A L L S Many people will tell you that going to India has been the most memorable and life- changing trip in their lives. India is a fascinating nation brimming with life – from the colors, the food, the people, to its beautiful natural landscape.

India is not a country that you simply see but one that you really feel. It awakens your senses in so many ways that you cannot help but feel the happiness. Going to India can change one’s life perspective because it has that unique ability to

make you feel truly alive. Its undeniable positive vibes have touched so many visitors, including a few friends and regular contributors to Beyond.

We have decided to share their stories with you in this issue, including accounts of two singular and diverse experiences from our contributing writers (Ginou Choueiry and Diana Tannoury).

We hope that you will feel inspired by these heartfelt narratives depicting personal journeys to India.

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"India is happiness, India is positive vibes, India is the most beautiful colors in the world, India is good people, generous souls, and India is everything else you read about.

People might be poor, but loving; they can give you the only piece of bread that they have.

India is rich in love, compassion, and help.

India is healthy; you go there and you leave all your worries behind.

The peace that its people inspire in you is not found anywhere in the world, even in the most luxurious places.

They are poor, but they have the greatest smile, the widest open arms, and the tiniest gifts that you can never give away, but will keep next to you.

India is the most beautiful country that I have ever visited... palaces, temples, eco-friendly villages, nature, respect for the animals, for Earth and for humans."

Lara Hanna Debs

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INDIA IS A KIND OF SEPARATE CONTINENT; EACH PART OF IT IS DIFFERENT. IT IS TOURISTIC AND CROWDED IN SOME PLACES. IT IS ALSO VERY SPIRITUAL, VERY REAL, AND SOME VILLAGES HAVE ALREADY BEGUN LIVING WITH ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS AND ARE A MODEL FOR ALL OTHER COUNTRIES. INDIA FOR ME IS MAGIC. IT IS ANCIENT AND FULL OF MYSTICISM. EMILE CHOUEIRY

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SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH INDIA WORDS GINOU CHOUEIRY

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WOMAN SELLING FLOWERS, USED OFFERINGS TO GIVE TO THE GANGA RIVER

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If five years ago someone had asked me whether I would be interested in traveling to India, I would have immediately said no. The image that sprang to my mind was one of crowded, polluted cities filled with begging children, rats mingling around people’s feet, and dead bodies floating in the river.

I wasn’t entirely mistaken, but at the time I had no idea that India also held many secrets of invaluable wisdom that I would one day discover.

Fast-forwarding a few years…India started popping frequently into my mind. I was subject to countless stories from fellow travelers who had gone to the spiritual Mecca and came back transformed. Being a perpetual seeker, I was intrigued by what piece of the puzzle in my endless quest I would discover if I stepped into the land of chai and Shiva. It was time for me to find out.

My first encounter with the spirit of India was at the Indian Embassy in Lebanon. Unlike many other embassieswhere the personnel seem to thrive with sadistic pleasure on their power to deny your visa the people behind the desk at the Indian Embassy were humble and greeted me with welcoming eyes. Enthusiastically, they ask me what was taking me to their country. Curiosity, I answered.

Their smiles confirmed that this was a good enough answer.

My first stop in India was Goa, as I knew some friends who were already there. My plane landed at dawn. I was greeted by the tropical landscape as it opened its eyes to the first rays of morning light. The taxi ride was a delight as the sun played hide-and-seek behind the low-story houses. I watched as it flirtatiously changed hues, going from red to orange to yellow, while the morning slowly rose to its

feet. The view from the car window was like watching a film in fast-forward motion. Rapid images of women in colorful saris with baskets on their heads, grazing cows, and workers in spice plantations passed me by. I felt a stir of anticipation towards the adventure that lay ahead.

As I got closer to Arambol, my destination in the north of Goa, successive signs of hotels and restaurants filled the side of the roads. The taxi dropped me off at my friend Leila’s place. She had rented a small apartment, a ten-minute walk from the beach. The town was still asleep. It was Sunday morning and people were probably still recuperating from their Saturday night out.

Goa was once an off-the map hippie haven. In the 1960s, musicians, travelers, seekers, and bohemians converged on this tropical, white sandy beach paradise that smelled of freedom. It was there that the Goa Psychedelic Trance dance subculture was born. Goa became famous for its all night dance raves, and today, while it is still a destination for laid-back travelers, the place has become a popular tourist destination harboring everyone from local Indian families on holiday to international college students who want to experience Goa’s psychedelic scene. The beaches were no longer untouched, with lounge chairs scrawled across the shoreline. However one ritual that celebrated the essence of Goa’s culture still survived: Every sunset, a drum circle would form where people would gather to dance throughout the night.

My friend Leila had spoken to me about her singing lessons with a Kazakhstani woman called Hanza who lived in Arambol part of the year. Within the first two days of my arrival, Hanza showed up at our doorstep. Hanza was a trained opera singer who was also a shaman. I told her that I was interested in taking singing classes with her. She looked at me with piercing eyes and in her strong accent, she said that she could help me. What I did not know at the time was that Hanza was about to guide me on a journey of deep personal healing.

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The next day, I headed over to her place across town. She was sitting by her electric piano, which was against the wall in the small narrow room that served as her studio, kitchen, and bedroom. She was wearing a pink, strapless cotton dress that showed off her smooth, plump arms.

A yellow flower protruded from her long black hair. She smiled at me and asked that I sit next to her. We went through classical singing exercises on the piano, which lasted for around 20 minutes. Then she directed me to sit on the floor, on a straw mat next to her bed as she faced me. She guided me through a series of repetitive breathing exercises, telling me to keep looking into her eyes, as we swayed and breathed in synchronized back and forth motion. Sporadically, without taking her eyes off mine, she would share something she sensed pertaining to my life, and her intuition was spot on. I allowed myself to surrender further to this hypnotic state, my initial discomfort towards this intimate experience slowly fading away. I would return to see Hanza three times a week for a total of three weeks, where I underwent her powerful energetic healing sessions, which she later revealed stemmed from esoteric tantric practices. Every time I stepped out of her dark room into the Indian sun, I emerged feeling lighter, as if a load was taken off my shoulders.

I had heard about a Sadhu who lived up in the forest, under a banyan tree. A Sadhu is a holy man who renounces all material comfort in exchange for spiritual liberation.

Apparently, we were allowed to go and visit him, so my friend and I decided to head there. We asked a few locals along the way who guided us immediately in the right direction. We walked to the end of the beach and followed a narrow path up into the forest. We soon realized that we were not the only ones on this mission. There were numerous other tourists in front of us and behind us on the

dirt path. At one point I could see the banyan tree standing majestically in the distance. It stood out because of its size and unique trunk of crawling intertwined roots. Banyans are revered as sacred trees in India. Shrines and offerings are almost always found at the base of their massive trunks, as are Sadhus, also known to grow dreadlocks, as they resemble the twisted and knotted branches of this sacred tree.

Once we reached the tree, I saw the Sadhu sitting underneath.

There were about fifteen people, mostly foreigners, gathered around him in a circle. A few people were standing in the back taking pictures. People were sitting there silently, staring at him, some with veneration others with curiosity.

A few were meditating. I wasn’t quite sure what to do. There was a lady in a shiny pink overall cat suit that covered her entire body from head to toe. Beads of sweat dripped down her face, her red lipstick on the verge of meltdown. She held her hands in prayer, looking at the Sadhu with imploring eyes filled with tears. The Sadhu looked bored, not paying much attention to the crowd around him, as if he was so accustomed to curious eyes watching that he forgot that they were even there. He had a few helpers, young travelers, who were preparing a meal on a fire in a corner. Boxes of food, tea, candles, and cigarettes were stacked behind him. It felt like we were in a zoo waiting for an animal to perform a trick.

After twenty minutes of this awkward scene, I was ready to leave.

I had heard of people sitting in the presence of an enlightened being and feeling something special in their presence. I definitely didn’t get that feeling here, although I was not sure what to expect in such a situation anyway. Maybe my skeptical mind required solid proof, like a halo hovering the person’s head, or maybe my intuition was just telling me that there was something odd about this situation.

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RISHI KUMARS WALKING OUT OF ASHRAM

VIEW FROM HIGHEST SHIVA TEMPLE IN WORLD

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VIEW OF ASHRAM WINDOW

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FIVE YOUNG MONKS DURING HOLY FESTIVAL OF COLOR

On our way back down the path, a voice shouted from the forest. I could make out a man with white hair and beard sitting under a tree. He gestured for us to join him. After a moment’s hesitation, curiosity got the best of us, and we headed his way. He asked us what we were doing and we told him about our recent visit. “How was it?” he asked.

“Strange…” I replied. He beamed, nodding his head.

“Let me tell you something.” He kept us waiting in suspense as he rolled a joint filled with hash “That banyan tree… it was my home. I am the real Sadhu!” He lit his joint, took a long puff, holding his breath in, and then released the smoke that formed a big cloud over our heads before dissipating into the humid air. He continued, “I lived under that tree for many

years! This man up there is a fake. He is no Sadhu! He threw me out and took my place. Now he is getting money from tourists.” He proceeded to show us his business card which had his name and underneath a title which read, “The Real Sadhu from the Banyan Tree”.

He also said that he gave massages and would be happy to give us one. Although I didn’t trust this guy as a Sadhu or massage therapist, he certainly added more layers to the “The Sadhu of the Banyan Tree” enigma.

My next stop was the holy city of Rishikesh that lay at the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains, alongside the sacred river Ganga. People from all over India converge to the Ganga to pray, bathe, heal and, and ultimately, to burn their dead.

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NIGHTLY FIRE CEREMONY RISHIKESH

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Walking around the narrow streets of Rishikesh, alongside the hustle and bustle of local daily life, one can expect to encounter strolling cows blocking traffic, sneaky monkeys waiting for the opportune moment to snatch a meal from a distracted fruit vendor, and Sadhus (real ones) in deep meditation. It is a place where the sacred and mundane blend into India’s paradoxical, harmonious chaos.

Every evening a crowd gathered by the Ganga to take part in a fire ceremony known as Aarti. The young priests would lead the ritual, offering flowers, rice, and incense to the fire while reciting mantras. The crowd gathered in prayer and song alongside the water lit up with flowers and candles. I looked around moved by the feeling of love and peace that emanated from this scene.

wiped cleaner every day. Suddenly everything around me seemed brighter and more alive. I realized that I was also free of the inner nagging dialogues that for years had set up camp in my mental landscape. At the end of the course, my teacher invited me and few fellow students to join her on a pilgrimage higher into the Himalayas, where we would visit some of the most ancient temples of the Hindu gods.

As we drove up the narrow windy roads the air became cooler and the horizon grew wider. The next morning, we started our walk towards a cave that my teacher had discovered by chance while exploring the surroundings eighteen years back.

It was apparently a sacred cave where the Hindu God Shiva came into being. She hadn’t been back to that cave since then. She led us on a path into the forest where we reached an old bridge that crossed a deep valley, linking two steep mountains. The bridge was missing some planks here and there and was rocking in the wind. We were not sure if it was even functional, as no one was around, but following our teacher’s steps, we courageously set across hoping it would carry us through. Once on the other side, we walked another ten minutes and reached a small, cold and damp cave. A few offerings of flowers were signs that this was the sacred cave we were seeking. We sat and fell silently into meditation.

My days at the ashram started at sunrise, with morning meditation by the Ganga. The rest of the day was a continuous immersion into sound yoga and meditation.

The effect of this practice was immensely impactful. I was drinking straight from the nectar of life, which filled me with deep inner bliss. I also felt the lenses of my perception being

As I learned on this trip, Shiva, one of the main gods from the Hindu pantheon, is the creator and destroyer of universes. He is consciousness itself, what everything is made of and where our souls return. Connecting to this archetypal energy helps us to connect to our true essence, where we are beyond conditioning, beyond our fears and limited thoughts.

I arrived at the ashram where I had signed up for a monthlong yoga training. It was my first time in an ashram, which is similar to a monastery, where one can go to learn about spirituality and practice meditation. Rishi Kumars, young priests in orange gowns, were hurrying about their business.

Statues of Indian gods stood out in bright colors against the lush green gardens. Monkeys were playfully swaying on trees.

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My attraction to the Hindu gods was first aroused by the visual feast of colors and symbols they carried. I loved entering shrines filled with shiny and bright decorations. My curiosity soon extended to the stories behind these colorful and exuberant figures that were hanging out in every shop, house and street corner. Each Hindu god represents a particular attribute that is also an aspiring human trait, such as strength, wisdom, and compassion. Connecting to these gods means connecting to the higher values that we want to strengthen in ourselves.

The walk to the temple took about four hours up the mountain.

I finally reached the top, panting due to the low oxygen in the air. All fatigue washed away as soon as I took in the 360 degrees panoramic view of mountains stretching across the horizon in blue grey hues. The sound of silence dominated, only occasionally interrupted by birds and temple bells singing in the wind. I inhaled the moment and tried to retain every detail, pushing away the thought that my time in India was coming to an end.

The next stop was to the highest Shiva temple in the world that dates back over 4,000 years. As we journeyed higher into the mountains, time seemed to slow down. Disconnecting from technology and the fast paced life of our modern world brought me back to the present moment, which was filled with a soft serenity I hadn’t felt in a long time. I noticed that there was more space between my thoughts.

A week later I was back in Beirut. I held on tightly to the experience of my three-month journey, but my possessive Mediterranean city quickly took over, invading all my senses without asking for permission.

There is the traveler’s tendency to romanticize foreign lands like the euphoric feeling brought on by the gaze of a new lover. India’s sensual residue filled me with longing.

ANOTHER SUNSET IN GOA

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In contrast, Beirut was acting like an old husband walking around the house in outgrown slippers and torn boxer shorts. It was familiar, perhaps too familiar. I knew all its moves by heart. India, on the other hand, was offering new terrains to explore. It was the getaway from the mundane to the mystical.

It nourished my yearning for depth with the layers of spiritual wisdom that permeated its soil. India held the key to the invisible world, where gods and humans could mingle over masala chai, sharing tales of woes and wisdom. It is a place where peace seemed to prevail even amidst the turmoil, where people treat patience as if it were their only child. In India, everything is revered. Life itself is a prayer.

As weeks passed, the memories of my trip were receding into the distance like a faded dream. However I noticed something had changed. My perception

of reality had shifted, more specifically; I no longer experienced the material and spiritual as separate realms. They were one of the same, intertwined like the branches of the banyan tree. God, universal consciousness, divine intelligence, or whatever you want to call it, dwells everywhere - from the quarks of our cells to the eternal dark matter in the universe.

The divine, I could finally confirm, was even present in my morning coffee - which, I admit, I’ve always considered as one of the most sacred inventions of the universe. The point is that we are all part of this sublime, creative process. Nothing is separate.

We are all interconnected parts of a larger whole.

I understood this, not only conceptually but also through personal experience during deep moments of meditation. This is the truth that I discovered in India and brought back home with me.

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112 FEET ADIYOGI (FIRST YOGI) AND YOGHESWAR LINGA IN FRONT OF IT (ISHA YOGA FOUNDATION)

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A BREATH OF NEW LIFE WORDS DIANA BOU DARGHAM TANNOURY

MEDITATION ON THE DAY AFTER SILENCE PROGRAM IN INDIA.

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When I close my eyes and remember India, my memories linger on two voyages. Voyages to a land that deep within me, I had always sought.

YOGA MAT IN ISHA ASHRAM GARDEN It was February 2015 and I was boarding a plane to Coimbatore when the realization that I had been preparing myself for this moment since I was aware enough as a child to ask why?, dawned on me. Why am I here? Why is there so much suffering in this world? Why do we die? What can I do? This was the first time in a very long time that I was on my own journey, a journey through which I had the possibility to explore my spiritual yearnings, to seek the unknown, to seek what is and what is not.

This journey commenced, seven years ago, not in India but in Lebanon. It began the first time that I was in the presence of Jaggi Vasudev Sadhguru, a spiritual master, yogi, mystic, humanitarian, visionary, and the founder of Isha Yoga Foundation, at a two-day speaking engagement in Lebanon.

Back then, I had read books about how to unleash our hidden forces, about how to visualize what we want from the universe, about how to train our minds, about love, philosophy, religion, spirituality, God, and much more. A lot of my readings made sense on an intellectual level, but the hard part was applying this knowledge to life. One thing I had read that I recalled afterward, when I saw Sadhguru, was that there is no need to seek your Guru because he will come to you. Here was the Master, all the way from India, giving a talk at the Regency Hotel, which was right next to my home in Adma. After this first encounter, listening to him speak for hours as well as experiencing his guided meditations, I discovered a logic with which my energies identified, it was a logic that I not only grasped on an intellectual level but that also shook up my stagnant energies to their core. I did not realize the extent of my readiness or the intensity of my thirst for the ancient science of

yoga until days after, when on a trip, I found myself yearning to sit, close my eyes, and meditate.

That same year, I attended my first yoga program, Inner Engineering, at the Isha Yoga Centre in Lebanon and over the next two years, I completed all the other ones (three- to seven-day programs). I spent the following years doing my daily practices and meditations on my own as often as I could.

Although I experienced my yoga practices as a support system that helped me to live well in full awareness of and gratitude for the present moment, aligning my mental, physical, emotional and inner energies, I wanted more. I had reconnected with my inner being, with the breath that infused life within me and I sought to explore the deeper realms of my life. It was time for the Samyama Program, the Silence Program in India, given by the Master himself, by Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Foundation.

After two months of disciplined yogic practices and a vegan diet, as I boarded the plane that morning in February, leaving Beirut and all its madness behind, I felt stir within me the words a yogi friend had uttered a few days before: “Let the silent revolution of self-realization begin, have a nice last evening before your life changes forever.� I answered that I was ready for the silent revolution of self-realization to begin.

But was I ready for my life to change forever? I asked myself. I brushed the thought aside as I settled into my seat on the plane and began to daydream of the soon to be adventures. Looking back today, two and a half years later and after my second trip to India and to the Isha ashram, my life on the outside is more or less the same but my being has changed. I prefer to say that it is returning to its true nature.

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In the taxi, leaving the sleeping small town of Coimbatore heading toward the natural reserve where the Isha ashram is located in the foothills of the Vellangiri Mountains, I watched my first sunrise in a land to which I was so connected and I felt the sun’s first timid rays gently bathe my skin. The heat at that early hour and during the month of February was still bearable. Entering the beautifully and powerfully energized space of the ashram at dawn touched by the first morning light, embraced by the Vellangiri mountain range, I was coming back to a place my spirit had always known. The taxi drove up a rock-paved road surrounded by trees, reached another gravel road and stopped at the entrance of a small building, its doorway bursting with colors from the blooming trees nearby. I took off my shoes, walked into the reception area, and admired the open courtyard with a garden in the middle. My room was in the adjacent two-story building, one of many housing facilities at the ashram, with open-air stairs and a bigger courtyard connected to the same garden. It was spacious and very comfortable. I had one week to settle into the rhythm of life here before I would leave the haven of this room and move to the Adiyogi (first yogi) hall with seven hundred other men and women to begin the silence program.

I relished that week, woke early to the sounds of the birds and animals in the reserve, took my yoga mat to a beautiful garden with a small pond, and did my yoga practices facing the magical Vellangiri mountains. I felt grounded walking barefoot in the ashram’s consecrated spaces, meditating in these powerful and subtle energy centers in which I promised myself to spend more time, on my next trip. I could finally just be.

Sitting cross-legged on the clean floor in my kurta (loose collarless shirt) and loose pants with others, I enjoyed the freedom of eating tasty vegan meals with my fingers, of feeling the food with my bare skin, of feeding myself. I took care of and loved myself, it was just me, it was so simple an act, yet one I tended to forgot about at times back home.

I met people from all walks of life, swamis (a Sanskrit word that means one who knows, who is master of himself) who had made the ashram their home and worked there, teaching in the schools or in the various yoga programs, trained teachers from various nationalities including Lebanese and volunteers who had decided to live in the ashram, others who were passing through and had decided to stay a while and volunteer, visitors who had come to attend a program like myself and many others. I met a woman in her twenties who arrived in India from Beirut on a bicycle; she crossed the bodies of water by boat, the rest she traversed by bicycle, sometimes she rode in a group; other times, alone. She had shaved her head to attract less attention and was physically strong. Here I was, flying over and feeling so brave and this woman had ridden her bicycle for months. The ashram was a beautiful and clean small village with pulsating energies where everything seemed to effortlessly flow.

The night before the silence program, I was anxious and did not sleep well. Early in the morning, I walked toward the Adiyogi hall dressed in my white kurta and white yoga pants with some of my belongings in a small bag. I had seven identical outfits in my bag, all white. I registered and handed over my phone,

watch and other valuables for safe storage. A doctor approved my health form and I was given the number 135, which would be the only thing that linked me to the outside world for the next week. I saw my favourite number 777 pass me by and I wondered who the lucky person was. I put my belongings in the baggage area, which I could access during breaks and entered the hall.

I picked my mattress and left to get a pillow and sheets. When I headed back, a few minutes later, there was a number on the empty mattress next to mine, 777.

The Samyama program is an eight-day residential program conducted by Sadhguru. The Samyama meditations are described as providing the experiential possibility to free oneself from the bonds of karma and purify the body and mind to receive higher levels of energy. It presents the potential for heightened levels of consciousness and deep states of meditation in the presence of a living master. For seekers with great longing, Samyama is a possibility for true transformation, which has never in spiritual history been given to so many people at one time.1 The rules were simple. There would be no communication of any kind with anyone, including Sadhguru, the teachers and volunteers, either through speech, looks, smiles, eye contact, gestures, or notes. We were asked to bring all necessary medication in case we became sick because we were responsible for our own well-being. If silence was broken in any way, we would be asked to leave the program. We would be given breaks throughout the day, in which we were to maintain our state of silence and could leave the hall only to go to directly adjacent premises for eating, showering, or using the restroom facilities.

The volunteers would help prepare our vegan meals and clean the hall burning incense every morning. The first day and the rest of the week was spent in intense guided meditations, our eyes open only during breaks that were sounded by bongs and to watch videos about the meditation processes.

The sound of the bong woke us up every morning at 4:30 a.m.; I would open my eyes, my ears catching the sweeping noises of floors being swept, ever so softly. I had no concept of time for the rest of the day but I think that we slept around 10 p.m.

I felt better on the second day, more adjusted and my nervousness had subsided. I was meditating with ease and had slept well. I could not believe how easy it was to share my personal space with seven hundred others.

I could hear some breathe heavy and sneeze, others snore or cough, but I felt that this was our world, that we were all protected in this womb, that we were one. By this time, although I had appeased the noises in my head and withdrawn into myself, I felt my ego resisting, needing to attach itself to an identity. I walked around during breaks wondering if this was all a figment of my imagination, questioning the fine line between my realities and illusions.

People moved around me, all in white, engrossed in their worlds just as I was in mine, each one with a different plan on how to use the free time during breaks. I realized that even when humans were left with the most basic of choices, they still managed to organize their time in different ways. One thing we all did unfailingly was our yoga asanas. As soon as I heard the bong,

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SADHGURU CONSECRATING YOGESHWAR LINGA

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I would grab my mat and run out to the open air space in order to ensure a place to practice my hatha yoga. In addition to a long practice we did every morning, holding the different yoga postures during breaks provided us with great support during meditations.

The mind has a need to plan and I was grateful to it in this situation. Each free minute became precious for taking care of me in order to make it through the rest of the days. I organized my time to eat, rest, shower, get some fresh air and sun every day. It was in the courtyard on such a day, as I was washing my plate in a hurry before the bong sounded, that I realized that life can only be lived through experience; no amount of books could impart to me what I was experiencing. It sounds simple, but to grasp it on an experiential level is mind-blowing.

It was not until the third day that my mind started acting up.

There were scary moments in which I thought that I would never leave the hall, that nothing existed in my life prior to the silence program, and that the rest was all an illusion. I also felt I had lost my previous life and my loved ones; that my old self had never really existed or had died. I would feel my mind try to take over, it was afraid of change, even for the better, only wanting to stay attached to that with which it could identify. However, the time spent in breathing awareness and meditations accompanied by live music was so relaxing and soothing that all my fears quickly dissipated. I remembered what I had learned in my first yoga program, in Inner Engineering: this is my reality now because this moment is the only moment that I will ever experience. I have never experienced the past nor will I ever experience the future; it was always now. I need to trust this moment that I am in and be aware enough to glide smoothly into the next one.

During the most intense sessions, I cried and I felt myself surrender, letting go of all attachments, my ego was stripped naked of all pretences, and I was reunited with the source of creation. I experienced that I was not the body and not the mind, that my breath was my connection to the infinite and immortal source of life within me. The rest of the time seemed to fly by, my struggle was nearing its end and I flowed in and out of the days. With each passing one, I felt myself shedding baggage that I had been carrying for so long that it felt like second skin; heavy skin that had been stuck to my flesh for decades and maybe even lifetimes.

I realized that it was all about the life within me, about my breath connecting this life to the world we call Earth. I had spent eight days cherishing this breath, concentrating on it, as if it were the first breath I had ever taken or will take again. I became my main focus, I had finally come home.

After the program ended, I met the woman with the number 777, the woman who had been sleeping on the mattress to my right over the past week. She was staying in a room not far from mine; we broke our silence together. Her name was Geeta and she told me that she was writing a book about Indian fashion, from thousands of years ago until the present, to be published by Hachette. I was thrilled to learn about her book and I felt that it was a sign for me to advance with my writing and publish my book of poetry. As we took a walk together, it started to rain and we both ran. In that moment, I was the lightest, happiest, and most carefree that I had ever been so far in my life. It is the memory of this feeling, if only for a fleeting moment, that keeps the flame burning within me.

It is the realization that we are the masters of our own happiness and that we complete ourselves within that has transformed my life forever. In that moment I understood what my friend meant when she said to get ready for my life to change forever. I was ready for my life to change and it had. Nothing around me has changed but my awareness of life has and even in my saddest moments, if I close my eyes and seek, there is peace within me.

Two years passed during which I continued to meditate and do my yoga practices as often as possible considering my other responsibilities and the busy lifestyle that I led. During these two years, I continued to shed the extra skin; I did not even have to shed because it came off on its own. I could take care of myself, love myself, put myself first without feeling guilty that I had forgotten to do something for someone or that I had not given enough time or attention to this or that person. I finally gave myself a break; I started understanding who I was as a being and listening to my needs. Once again, this did not happen on a mental level, it happened on an experiential and energy level.

The more I practiced yoga, the more balanced my energies became and my innermost core started finding its expression.

This is how I discovered what I wanted to do and how I wanted to deal with many aspects of my life, not from the impressions the world had imparted in me over the decades, not from the environment in which I lived, nor from the relations I had with others but from my inner self. My perception and experience of life were enhanced and I lived it fully in the moment. My interpersonal relationships deepened because I only accepted to spend time with and energy on the ones that welcomed this exchange with me.

There were still challenges and struggles but I no longer resisted, I experienced them in the moment and ultimately, being present with all my senses even in suffering yet also capable of being an observer, of maintaining a distance between myself and my mind, my physicality and my emotions, pushed my spiritual growth further. My mental clarity and sleep quality improved, my energy levels increased. I had access to the innate intelligence within me and my creativity blossomed. I entered the Walt Whitman poetry competition, but I needed a total of forty eight poems. I was missing twelve which I wrote in a week before the deadline, pouring my being into my writing. I had finally found greater peace and joy in everyday life.

I still yearned to go back to India and I felt the pull in my energies.

I learned that the Isha Yoga Foundation had designed and built a steel 112-foot bust of the first yogi, the Adiyogi and the source of yoga, representing the 112 methods of yoga that he introduced fifteen thousand years ago in the upper regions of the Himalayas.

The Adiyogi statue would be consecrated by Sadhguru on February 24, 2017 on Mahashivaratri night at the Isha Yoga Center in the presence of Prime Minister Modi. The Mahashivaratri celebration is the biggest and most significant amongst the sacred festival nights of India. It takes place on the darkest night of the year or the longest night of the year and celebrates the grace of Shiva, who is considered the Adiyogi or the First Guru. The unique planetary positions on this night initiate an upsurge of energy in the human system. One can reap immense benefits by staying awake all night and keeping the spine erect.

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SADHGURU AND PM MODI ON MAHASHIVARATRI Starting on February 20th until the 23rd, Sadhguru would consecrate a unique linga (elliptical stone) that would be installed in front of the 112-foot statue of Adiyogi on February 24th. I knew that “participating in a consecration of this nature is a tremendously powerful process” in Sadhguru’s exact words. However, the dates coincided with a previously planned family trip, but I decided to do whatever was needed to be present at the unveiling of the Adiyogi statue. I returned to Beirut from my trip on the 22nd in the afternoon and on the morning of the 23rd, I was on my way to Coimbatore. I arrived at the Isha ashram on the 24th at dawn and found it bustling with people. There were thousands of visitors who had come from all over India and the world to participate in the consecration. The lodgings were all full and tents had been erected on vacant terrain inside and outside the ashram. There was a tremendous amount of activity going on with volunteers organizing the last details of the Mahashivaratri celebrations that would start at 6 p.m. that day. There would be around eight hundred thousand people that night, with a show lasting till dawn. There was intensity in the air and added excitement because it was finally confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit the ashram and inaugurate the Adiyogi statue. Many members of the government and dignitaries were staying at the ashram for the event and the security in some areas was very tight. This was a different ashram from the one that I left behind two years ago but I liked it.

I was registered to stay in one of the tents that had been especially erected for the event, complete with beds, furniture, rugs, an AC, and a bathroom. There were rows of these tents set up to accommodate the visitors who did not find rooms. As I waited for my tent to be prepared, I noticed that there was a Pancha Bhuta Aradhana ceremony taking place. The ceremony cleanses the five elements (water, earth, fire, wind, limitless space) in the human system, to establish overall wellbeing of body and mind. It is given on the 14th

day of each lunar month with its culmination on the day of Mahashivaratri. In five minutes, I found a private space where I could change into my yoga pants and kurta, left my belongings at the welcome desk, and ran toward the temple of the Dhyanalinga.

Dhyana in the Sanskrit language means “meditation” and linga means “form.” It is a powerful and unique energy form created from the distilled essence of yogic sciences and the first of its kind to be completed in over 2,000 years. It is a meditative space that does not ascribe to any particular faith or religious system. The Dhyanalinga was consecrated by Sadhguru in 1999 after three years of intense prana (life force or life energy) work. Measuring 13 feet 9 inches in height, Dhyanalinga is the largest live mercurybased linga in the world; it is an energy center of tremendous proportions and a doorway to enlightenment as well as liberation.

The cool and soothing space of the inner sanctum is spanned by a dome built from natural materials, mainly mud mortar, brick, and herbal additives.

There is a gold copper linga that covers the central opening of the dome, a design that helps in ventilation and regulating the temperature. There are twenty eight aura cells within the circular granite wall supporting the dome, which offer intimate spaces to sit and meditate. Just sitting silently for a few minutes within the sphere of Dhyanalinga is enough to make even those unaware of meditation experience a state of deep meditativeness.

I took part in the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana ceremony sitting in the energized space of the Dhyanalinga, experiencing the qualities of each of the five elements being made accessible through ancient scientific processes involving mantra (sound) and form (yantra). Soil was used to represent the element earth, water was brought from the Vellangiri Mountains, flames represented the element of fire, and wind was created waving colossal fans made of Mahavilva leaves in synchronized movements. Finally, there was the limitless space made available through Sadhguru’s grace, which holds the other four elements.

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VIEW FROM 112 FEET ADIYOGI ON MAHASHIVARATRI After the ceremony, I headed to my tent with my belongings.

Although I had not slept in twenty four hours and I knew I would be up all night for Mahashivaratri, I felt energized and refreshed. I dozed for an hour, woke, and started preparing myself for the event. We were all supposed to leave the main gates by 4 p.m. before Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Ashram and walk toward the Adiyogi grounds where the consecration would take place. I left the tent, picked up my color tag at the welcome desk, which showed my seating area, and headed toward my designated location.

I met up with friends who had attended the three days’ consecration processes by Sadhguru, which began on February 20th. They described the intensity of the experience and the depth of the meditations to me while I listened to them wideeyed with a little remorse that I had been unable to attend this once in a lifetime experience from the start. However, I was overcome with gratitude that I had made it for Mahashivaratri.

The evening started at 6 p.m. with performances by famous Indian singers. I looked around me in a daze. As far as my eyesight could reach behind me stretching for miles, there were hundreds of thousands of people. I was impressed that the venue was so easily accessible to so many spectators and that everything progressed in such an orderly fashion. There was a huge stage set up in front of the breathtakingly grandiose Adiyogi statue and in front of the energized Yogeshwar linga that had been consecrated by Sadhguru during the last three days. To my left and right were enormous screens broadcasting the event live, simultaneously in seven languages, to over fifty million people through over twenty three satellite television channels and several online platforms. A man sitting next to me showed me the front page of the India Times with a picture of the 112-foot statue of the AdiYogi telling me that it would be the largest face of the planet and was recognized as the largest bust in the Guinness World Records.

Just as his words resonated in my ears, the sound of helicopters

caught my attention and I looked up to see them flying overhead. One was transporting Prime Minister Modi to the ashram. We watched on the screens as Sadhguru welcomed him, took him to the Dhyanalinga, and escorted him toward the event venue.

Upon his arrival, PM Modi unveiled the Yogeshwar linga and introduced the 112-foot Adiyogi sculpture. He expressed his desire that the Adiyogi would inspire many generations to take up yoga and his gratitude for Sadhguru for bringing it to us. Describing the significance of Adiyogi, Sadhguru said: “It is essential that the next generations of people on this planet are seekers, not believers….For the first time in the history of humanity, Adiyogi introduced the idea that the simple laws of nature are not permanent restrictions. If one is willing to strive, one can go beyond all limitations and attain liberation, moving humanity from assumed stagnation to conscious evolution”.

The rest of the night was filled with musical and dance performances by world-class artists as well as colorful cultural programs. I was enthralled by the choreography of the dances, the colourful costumes, the talented acrobatic dance troops, the African drum players, the Indian singers and musicians, by sounds of Isha (Isha’s home grown group of musicians), and so much more.

It was an endless array of shows, one after the other, which even included child performers and lasted till dawn. At midnight, we all partook in a powerful meditation guided by Sadhguru and listened to his discourse. This was followed by other meditations throughout the night and by an oath that one million people took to teach a simple form of yoga to at least a hundred people each in the coming year, and touch at least a hundred million people before the next Mahashivaratri.

At 6 a.m., with the first morning light, eight hundred thousand people gracefully left the venue as quietly and gently as they had arrived. I had never witnessed such a procession of humans glide effortlessly and disappear. I reached my tent still in a dream.

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I had danced, laughed, and meditated all night, my senses filled with music and art. I fell onto the bed and slept until the early afternoon. The next day, the Ashram slowly started to retake its original form, with tents being pulled down and people departing. The day after, the government officials and security personnel had left and I moved into the lodgings that I had occupied on my first trip to India.

I was happy to rediscover the quiet and serenity of the ashram grounds and I spent eight days on a well-planned schedule. I did my practices every day in my favorite garden surrounded by the Vellangiri Mountains. I would eat light at the little eatery next to the yoga shop and buy some fruits from the minimarket.

I enjoyed some ayurveda treatments at the wellness center. I visited the Dhyanalinga energy center twice a day at 11:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. for Nada Aradhana or the offering of sound. The etheric blend of flowing vocals, singing bowls, and melodious instruments enhances one’s receptivity to the energies of the Dhyanalinga. In these moments of ecstatic meditations, I felt my spirit soar, I was vibrant and alive. In all the beauty I had experienced in life, my moment sitting cross-legged open to the universe, just being, was ultimate in its purity and infinite in its possibilities.

As I closed my eyes and breathed, I awakened to the eternal possibilities within me, to the blossoming awareness of all that I was and will always be.

Nearly every night after dinner, I visited another beautifully energized center consecrated by Sadhguru called Linga Bhairavi, or the Devi Temple. I loved to meditate there because of its subtle form of female energy. It is not as intense as the energy at the Dhyanalinga, but it is strong in a gentle way and is felt gradually.

After which, if it were not too late, I would walk toward the Adiyogi statue and admire its beauty, basking in the energy of its newly consecrated Yogeshwar linga.

One night, after a vegan dinner sitting on the floor in the Biksha dining hall, I looked across and saw Geeta. Our eyes met in instant recognition. She came over; we hugged and talked about all we had done the last two years. She had attended the Yogeshwar linga consecration and the Mahashivaratri event. I was excited to hear that Geeta had published her book called Style of India with Hachette. Since I had not yet found a publisher nor really started the process, I asked her a few questions and she gave me some invaluable insights. Geeta was leaving the next morning; we wished each other luck and promised to keep in touch. A few days later, I left the Ashram with my heart content and at peace, promising myself to visit again next year. On my return back to Lebanon, I basked in my serenity for months and whenever I felt drained, I would close my eyes, start my yoga practices, and through my energies, I would return to India.

I was asked many times what is so special about India. Why do people love being there and say that it has good vibes and great energies? While writing about my experiences, I touched upon the ancient science of consecration. The Isha ashram is a vibrant space in which to live because it is a consecrated space with three energized lingas. Sadhguru explains that India has a science of consecration, which is a live process because there is a need to get in touch with the source of creation. Every street has at least three temples because it is important for human well-being to walk in consecrated spaces.

Temples were consecrated according to the science of energizing form, using life energies to enhance human life.

MOUNT KAILASH, TIBET

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Everything thus can become a divine possibility and everything is the same energy manifesting itself in a million different ways. Thus idols in the Hindu way of life were not a mere depiction of gods, but were scientifically created as powerful energy centers.

“The significance of Indian culture is that it is a scientific process towards human liberation and well -being. No other culture has looked at a human being with as much depth and understanding as this culture has… Indian culture has been among the few cultures on this planet where for thousands of years, the whole population was focused only on the ultimate well-being of a human being” and “this sense of no human being should live in a non consecrated space is something which is deep rooted in this culture, because it is just like you plant something into this earth, only if the roots are sticking into a rich earth will the flower and fruit come out….it is not just about what you eat, it is not just about what kind of work you do, what kind of space you live in, this is very important in the East….because if you want to produce generations of enhanced human beings you need this kind of space…this culture produced a galaxy of knowledge, a galaxy of enlightened beings …but all that got fractured 800 to 900 years because of invasions and displacement of peoples…”(Sadhguru) Sadhguru tells us that India is a land, where 1,200 years ago, ancient temples were only created for Shiva. The word Shiva literally means “that which is not,” that which is beyond the physical. Back then, thousands of temples were built with no deity in mind. They were only Shiva temples with a representative form and it was a linga, a perfect ellipsoid. Sadhguru explains that creation started as an ellipsoid and then became many things. Likewise, before the point of an absolute form of dissolution, energy takes the form of an ellipsoid or linga again. In between both is creation and beyond is Shiva. Thus, it is through this ancient science of form that all over India, temples were consecrated.

“A temple is the creation of a space where the physical becomes thin, and something beyond becomes visible to you. This science of making the physical less manifest is the science of consecration so that the dimension beyond physical becomes apparent or visible to you if you are willing.” (Sadhguru) The Kedarnath temple on the Garhwal Himalayan range is such a space that has been energised by thousands of mystics and yogis over the ages. These mystics’ way of making an offering to this world was by leaving their energies, their path, and their work in a certain energy form in these spaces. These energy forms are felt all over consecrated spaces, in temples such as Badrinath in Uttarakhand (Himalayan region) and Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu and Kashi in Uttar Pradesh, which was the centre of rituals and the oldest living city of the planet, planned 15,000 years ago, it was a complex and geometrically perfect design; in mountains such as Mount Kailash in western Tibet which Sadhguru calls the greatest mystical library.

“For thousands of years realised beings always travelled to Mount Kailash and deposited their knowledge in a certain energy form… when I bow to Kailash, I bow down to it the same way I would bow down to my Guru…in terms of inner dimensions, anything that you ever want to know is in Kailash.”(Sadhguru) It is only since 1,200 years that temples have been built with specific deities in mind and not specifically focused on the science of consecration. This is why Sadhguru’s consecrated spaces at the Isha ashram are powerful. He is reviving this lost science that has made it possible for India to reverberate with energy through thousands of years until today.

1. Information taken from Isha Yoga Foundation literature.

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GROW CALMER, NATURALLY FOREST BATHING IS WHERE IT'S AT WORDS TAMARA BATSHON Today we live in a world so demanding that it gives us little time to disconnect and find our inner peace. Most of us are struggling with extreme sensory overload in our day-to-day lives. Simply too much is thrown at us. Many people succumb to depression, anxiety, and illnesses when their minds and bodies can no longer cope with what is going on. Many resort to temporary fixes such as antidepressants, extreme shopping sprees, and even binge drinking. You may want to take up regular forest bathing to de-stress. It provides heaps of benefits.

Health benefits of forest bathing Forest bathing is not about stripping down and scrubbing off in a lake; it is about being around trees and taking a purposeful walk in their presence. In fact, the Japanese have even coined a word for it – shirinyoku, which means “taking in the forest atmosphere.”

For decades this has been practiced in Japan, in order to combat stress.

From 2004 to 2012, Japanese officials spent nearly $4 million studying the physiological and psychological ef-

fects of forest bathing, designating 48 therapy trails based on the results.

Experts then measured the activity of human natural killer (NK) cells in the immune system before and after the exposure to the woods (these cells, which are associated with the immune system and cancer prevention, play a major role in the host’s rejection of both tumors and virally-infected cells).

The experts found major increases in NK cell activity in the week after the forest visit, lasting for at least a month.

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"I go to nature to be soothed and healed.

And to have my senses put in tune once more".

John Burroughs

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"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."

Henry David Thoreau

One reason is because we are inhaling phytoncide, which is present in the forest air. It comes from various essential oils, found in wood, plants, and some fruit and vegetables, which trees emit to protect themselves from germs and insects. This means that inhaling the fresh forest air actually improves your immune system functioning. Other studies have also shown that when people walk through a forested area, their cortisol levels decrease by 16 percent more than when they walk in a cityscape. In addition, after 15 minutes, their blood pressure levels decrease as well.

Aside from health benefits, regular forest bathing is encouraged in Japan for the general well-being. It enables a deeper and clearer intuition, increased flow of energy, and an overall increase in the sense of happiness.

It also allows us to connect with the land and its species. The walks also lead to a deepening of friendships and an increase of eros (life force).

Being in the forest resets our nervous system Unfortunately, we now live in times in which we are chronically stressed. We have developed our capacity to respond to threats in our environment, meaning that our nervous systems are doing something

that they’re not designed to do: They’re keeping us constantly a little bit on edge. The effects on our health can be serious, leading to heart disease and high blood pressure, to name a few. Increasingly, experts are learning about the benefits of forest bathing, with more and more nature walks being organized around the world. Not to be confused with hiking, these are not strenuous trekking trips, but rather tranquil, languid walks that enable people to take in the atmosphere and even stop and just reflect along the way.

These nature walks lead to a reset of the nervous system, as people can relax their minds and be in the present moment. Here people are not stuck in traffic, they can get away from their smartphones and social media updates, and they’re not watching the 24-hour news cycle (all of which are pretty stressful). They’re very much in the present moment, taking in the beauty of nature while allowing their bodies and minds to heal. And if you are wondering why nature is so healing, you have to understand that it is pretty much our home. After all, we evolved out of the forests and there’s something really deep in us that has a sense of recognition and connection with forests.

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HAUNTED BY THE PAST SAMARA AND NATALIE NOUREDDINE ARE CAPTURING LEBANON’S ABANDONED SPACES WITH THEIR MOBILE PHONES WORDS BASSAM ALKANTAR

Samara Noureddine says in an interview with Beyond: “Abandoned places have always sent me shivers down my spine and raised numerous questions in my head. In fact, the memories left behind by those forsaken places have intrigued me into venturing and pondering the hostile muddy roads, corroded fences, broken doors, shattered windows, and un-piled-up furniture.”

As a freshly graduated architect, concrete has been Noureddine’s main interest; however, framing the stories behind those vernacularly and traditionally built masterpieces has grown from a hobby to a passion. This passion has been taking her places, places that have been partly vandalized but never forgotten.

Numerous buildings and constructions in Lebanon have been abandoned. Empty hotels, deserted train stations, uninhabited buildings, and other places that were once full of life and people are left as a reminder of what was and what could have been. Beneath all the dust, rust and cracks, there are stories of people who used to live or take their daily train rides there, and when you try to imagine these people and their lives, each picture acquires a special aura of nostalgia. It’s as if the people in these places had just picked up and left.

For Natalie, venturing in these abandoned places is the closest we get to archeology. Discovering these new places is by far the most fascinating and pleasant experience that we’ve ever had. Before reaching our destinations, millions of thoughts run through our minds when it comes to how the scenery would be and how it will make us feel. Every place that we have visited has left us speechless, turning what was once a hobby into a passion. We are willing to sustain these adventures by creating awareness in people. The energies inside every house and in every location give us an idea about what might have taken place inside.

Here’s a selection of some of the abandoned places around Lebanon, every single one of which has its own special charm. The pictures behind these abandoned places are taken via mobile phone, in the era of transforming mobile phone technology and camera into a pocket studio.

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“IT SEEMS, IN FACT, THAT THE MORE ADVANCED A SOCIETY IS, THE GREATER WILL BE ITS INTEREST IN RUINED THINGS, FOR IT WILL SEE IN THEM A REDEMPTIVELY SOBERING REMINDER OF THE FRAGILITY OF ITS OWN ACHIEVEMENTS. RUINS POSE A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO OUR CONCERN WITH POWER AND RANK, WITH BUSTLE AND FAME. THEY PUNCTURE THE INFLATED FOLLY OF OUR EXHAUSTIVE AND FRENETIC PURSUIT OF WEALTH.” ALAIN DE BOTTON, THE PLEASURES AND SORROWS OF WORK

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BEIT ISA'AD EL TOUFOULA SCHOOL SOUK EL GHARB – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

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After the Palestinian Disaster in 1948, the Arab Palestinian Women’s Union was established to help the Palestinians in Lebanon. Subsequently, this committee has greatly influenced the building of the Palestinian School “Beit Isa’d El Toufoula” in Souk Al Gharb.

The school was built in 1965 in Souk Al Gharb (Aley District), overlooking the sea and surrounded by green trees.

In 1982, during the inhumane Israeli attack on Lebanon to destroy its infrastructure, the Palestinian school was brutally bombed.

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THE FOREST HOUSE AINAB – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) NATALIE NOUREDDINE

Located in the middle of a huge forest lies a house of a thousand melodies. The walls that have listened to the melodies that were played on the piano, where little fingerprints are still engraved on the keys, still play the same melodies, only this time, to each other.

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EL BARON IBRAHIM YOUSSEF SALMAN’S HOUSE, RAMLIEH ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

Ibrahim Salman was among the immigrants who left Lebanon to Argentina back in 1915. He worked hard in Argentina, and when he came back to his homeland he was known for being wealthy and generous. The house was built in 1918 on the remains of a semi-existing old house.

The family lived the typical bourgeois (middle-class) family life.

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SILK MILL KFARMATTA – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

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During the reign of Prince Fakher Eddine, the town of Kfarmatta (Aley District) prospered with the cultivation of berries and silkworms.

The silk mill was one of the biggest mills in Lebanon, well- designed and fully equipped. It operated until 1964.

However, during the civil war, the silk mill was used a military barracks and severe armed conflicts took place in the town, which led to the destruction of the mill and it red-bricked roof.

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KASIR AL BAJAA AINAB - ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) NATALIE NOUREDDINE

From its name, we can just imagine how huge this castle is! This castle has over 80 heirs who most probably don’t know about it. It is located in the heart of Ainab far from the main road and it is planted between yards and yards of acorn trees. This image represents what I like to call a doorception; it is a representation of a frame within a frame. These doors leading to beautifully carved rooms have been modified by some retouches from nature.

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GRAND HOTEL SAWFAR – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

Directly, opposite the train station, the center of attraction was built by the Sursocks: the Sawfar Grand Hotel. The preliminary architectural work started in 1840 and the hotel opened its door to greet its guests in 1890. Ever since its opening, this legendary hotel attracted the highest class of society, as well as the elite of gamblers until it was forced to shut down because of the civil war in 1975.

This picture represents the lonely elevator that has withstood the silent days and the harshness of those winter nights. Rust has eaten its doors, vandalism has shattered its glass, and fissures have appeared in its fierce walls.

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TRAIN STATION SHWEIT – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) NATALIE NOUREDDINE

Early in 1995, the last train journey between Beirut and Shakka took place.

As for today, Lebanon only has a small number of trains, including 30 in Rayak, six trains at the Mar Mikhael West station and in Tripoli, and one in Saadnayel.

The port of Beirut train station and the stations in Zahle were destroyed and demolished, while the stations of Mar Mikhael, Khan al-Shabab, Baabda, Shweit, Sawfar, Dahr al-Baidar, Maryjat, and Yihfofa were preserved.

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GRAND HOTEL SAWFAR – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) NATALIE NOUREDDINE

The sink still stands where everything around it has fallen! Years after the harsh history of Lebanon’s civil war, this old bathroom remains as one of the most untouched symbols in one of the rooms of the hotel. These are hotels that greeted guests and a bathroom that overheard the laughs and love of couples and the sobs of strangers in the silent and lonely nights of their lives.

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WATER MILL MERDASHIEH – ZGHARTA (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

Until recently, the ancient water mill, which belonged to the Antonine Maronite Monastic Order, was still in good shape and functioning properly, with people rushing there eagerly to grind their wheat crops into flour.

The large massive grinding stones were still spinning and performing their tasks to the fullest, drawing it water from the rumbling river of Rash’een.

However, in 1995, the spinning stones stopped spinning and in 2005 the water mill’s doors were closed to its hard-working villagers after its main function changed.

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WATER MILL AIN ZHALTA – ALEY (PHOTO CREDIT) SAMARA NOUREDDINE

The ancient water mill has been sadly neglected after it was lastly run by the eighty-year-old Kezhaya Tanious Abed El Salib from the neighboring town of Mrayjat.

The mill is about 200 years old. It was used by the villagers and the neighboring towns to grind the wheat to make flour, and it was powered by water coming from the spring of Nabeh El Safa. Adjacent to the mill lied an olive press; however, it was destroyed my man’s greed.

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PEAK PERFORMANCE BEYOND INTERVIEWS AVEDIA KALPAKLIAN WORDS ALIA FAWAZ

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ANNOUBIN VALLEY, LEBANON / BY WALID NOHRA

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Avedis Kalpaklian. I was born in Lebanon, and I am of Armenian decent. I am a mountaineer, adventurer, and mountain guide. I mostly train in trail running, so you can say that I am a trail runner too. In fact, I have so far run the Lebanon Mountain Trail twice from Andqet in the north (near Qoubayat) to Marjayoun in the South (a distance of 452 kilometers with 23,000 meters of ascents) in just nine days – the equivalent of two marathons daily.

My main job is mountain guiding. I have my outdoor group on Facebook: the page is Sports 4 Life. I organize hikes all over Lebanon every weekend. I also manage a rock climbing school yearly. We just had one session for five days on June 17-18 and June 24, 25, and 26.

I also do caving, rappelling, camping, mountain biking, ski mountaineering – basically anything on land.

In addition I lead and guide expeditions to several mountains worldwide, such as Kilimanjaro (top of Africa), Elbrus (top of Europe), Ararat and many others.

Tell us your mountain climbing CV. I have climbed more than 45 significant mountains of above 4,000 meters in altitude all over the world since 2009.

As mountaineers, one of the biggest challenges is the seven-summits project, which involves climbing the highest peak in each continent. I am part of Team Lebanon and we are the first national team and Arab team on the quest to complete this challenge. With my teammates we have climbed five of the seven peaks so far. We have Mt. Everest, the top of the world, (8,848 meters high) and Mt. Vinson in Antarctica still to climb. We are aiming for Mt. Vinson (4,892 meters high) in December, but getting sponsors for it is very hard as it costs $55,000 per person and we are four climbers.

Who is in Team Lebanon for Mt. Everest and Mt. Vinson?

We are all Lebanese: Peter Mouracade, Lindos Daou, Georges Mikhael, and I. (Facebook: Team Lebanon). We hope to conquer our last two iconic mountains.

What was your most recent climbing expedition?

My latest achievement was Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina (6,962 meters high). I actually couldn’t climb it back in 2012 with the team; I was 170 meters short of the summit and I succumbed to altitude sickness!

I climbed it again last February, unguided this time, and it took me 18 days. Mt. Aconcagua is considered the highest peak in South America, but also the highest of both Americas and the highest outside the Himalayan range and the Western Hemisphere.

Yet another national achievement of mine comes to my mind. I climbed four of the seven summits last year in a 10-month period: Denali in Alaska (6,190 meters high) in June, Elbrus in Russia (5,462 meters high) in August, Aconcagua in February and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5,895 meters high) in March. I am the only Lebanese who has ever done that.

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CEDAR FOREST IN LEBANON MOUNTAINS

Where have you climbed in Lebanon?

I want to point out that I started mountaineering here in Lebanon. If you know which lines, routes, and trails to climb on our steep incline faces of Mount Lebanon, this is a perfect training for all the mountains of the world! I have climbed our three main summits countless times: Sannine (2,621 meters high), Mount Hermon (2,814 meters high) and Qurnat As Sawda (3,088 meters high). I’ve done them on foot, on mountain bike, and ski touring (also known as backcountry skiing) Where are your next climbs?

With Team Lebanon Mt. Vinson is next, set for December 2017 and Mt. Everest is set for May 2018, granted that we obtain sponsors for them. Everest costs $80,000 per person and it involves two and a half months spent on the mountain. On my own I will be climbing Mont Blanc in August with some friends and a couple of 4,000-meter high mountains in France.

How do you train for these big climbing expeditions?

Basically with trail running as I said before, I run three days a week for a distance of 15 kilometers. I do some routine workouts and I am in the outdoors all the time.

What do you pack? What do you take with you?

Every mountain requires its own type of equipment. Basically, we wear layers of clothes to stay warm and dry for each altitude and temperature.

What drives you to climb?

It is my passion, I feel comfortable while doing it and if a few days pass without my being in nature I don’t feel right. If you give me the name of a country, the first thing that comes to my mind is “what is the highest mountain in that country?”, so it is like an obsession for me!

When you hit the wall, and it seems that you cannot go any further, what do you do? [missing text] What is your next personal challenge?

Personally what is next for me is climbing 7,000-meter high and 8,000-meter high mountains such as Lenin Peak (7,134 meters high) in Tajikistan or Himlong Himal (7,124 meters high) in Nepal, and that’s a big challenge! I am also organizing a trip to Mexico to climb the four highest volcanoes there, meet the local Lebanese community, and discover the culture and history of this exotic country by the end of November 2017.

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H O R I Z O N S

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VIEW OF THE PICTURESQUE VILLAGE OF MAKRINITSA

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HEAVEN CAN WAIT MOUNT PELION IS THE PLACE TO BE WORDS JOHN GRAY

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There are parts of Greece that are still relatively undiscovered with regard to tourism. One can say this about Mount Pelion, a mountainous area that juts into the Aegean Sea between Salonika and Athens. This stunning peninsula is incredibly lush and picturesque, filled with vegetation from olive trees, pine trees, and apple orchards. At an altitude of 5,300 feet, Mount Pelion also provides some of the best skiing and hiking trails in Greece. Surrounding it are dozens of charming little villages linked by cobbled paths, making it the perfect holiday destination for those in search of rustic charm and tranquility.

Beautiful beaches

Scenic villages

During the summer months, the locals come down from the hills to enjoy the gorgeous, exotic beaches, which can be found on both sides of the peninsula. Generally the western side to the Pagasetic Gulf has smaller, sandy beaches with calm waters, whereas the beaches on the eastern (Aegean) side are huge and sandy, with deep waters and occasional big waves. The most sought-after beach in Pelion is Mylopotamos, marked by two striking arches that were carved out of the rocks by the sea.

Further north you’ll find Damouchari Beach (where the film Mama Mia was shot), a smaller beach with white and pink pebbles. Agios Ioannis and Fakistra are also stunning beaches worth visiting. Further away off the Aegean shore you’ll find the Sporades, a clutch of islands that includes Skiathos, Alonisos, and Skopelos.

Over on the gulf, Kala Nera is a beautiful coastal settlement, and a little to the south there’s another popular resort in Afissos.

If you don’t want to spend most of your time on the beach there are lots of scenic, traditional villages to discover by foot.

Perhaps the most beautiful of them is Tsagkarada, which is a preserved medieval settlement (founded in 1500) nestled within the oak and chestnut tree forest.

This sparsely populated village is ideal for nature walks and relaxation. It boasts the oldest and largest plane tree in Europe in Agia Paraskevi Square and the deepest gorge in Pelion (Koutra). It also has lovely restaurants and bars in the town squares to keep you entertained.

If you want to experience more culture, Zagora is worth checking out. Unlike Tsagkarada, it is a densely populated village, situated on the eastern slopes of Mount Pelion. During the 17th and the 18th centuries, the village was an important center of trade, cottage industry, and culture.

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MYLOPOTAMOS BEACH

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BEACH IN MILINA VILLAGE

PORTARIA MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

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MAKRINITSA VILLAGE

Since the 18th century its central square, Agios Georgios, has hosted the famous Public Library, which has thousands of rare books. Zagora also has some really beautiful old churches with unique iconostasis. This area is also famous for its diverse variety of fruits, such as apples, sloes, plums, and strawberries.

The village of Milies on the northwestern side is the starting point of the legendary steam train of Pelio (Moutzouris). Its railroad track runs along a picturesque route connecting Volos to West Pelion. Milies is no doubt one of the most picturesque and traditional big villages of Pelion. Built

in an amphitheatric style on the green mountain slopes of Mount Dikri, Milies is dotted with old mansions, marble fountains, and olive trees. Milies is the place with the beautiful famous cave where the mythic Centaur Chiron and his students used to live.

According to Greek legend, Pelion was the land of the Centaurs (mythical creatures that were half men and half horses) and the holiday resort of the gods. After visiting this magical peninsula blessed with natural bounty, you’ll know why the ancient gods chose Pelion as their holiday destination.

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WAVES OF PLEASURE GREECE'S BEST BEACHES FOR BLISSFUL DAYS WORDS JOHN GRAY Greece is a country that is blessed with gorgeous Mediterranean weather coupled with an endless aquamarine coastline. It has thousands of islands with many stunning beaches to explore, each with its own beauty and charm. While it is impossible to mention all of them, here are seven white sand beaches that will blow you away.

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Navagio, Zakynthos, Ionian Islands Secluded and stunning, Navagio is surrounded by steep limestone cliffs. It is reachable only by boat. Located on Zakynthos, the third largest of the Ionian Islands, it is distinguished by the ruins of a shipwreck dating back to the early 20th century that sits on the pristine white sand.

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Elafonissi, Crete If you think that a dreamy, tropical beach doesn’t exist in the Mediterranean, then you haven’t been to Elafonissi on the island of Crete. Elafonissi is a long and soft, sandy beach with clear, shallow turquoise waters. The sand is even pinkish in many places, taking its color from thousands of broken shells. Near the breaking point of the peninsula, the water does not exceed one meter in depth, creating a small lagoon that you can walk through to reach the island.

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Pori, Ano Koufonissi, Cyclades Islands A far cry from the nearby, glitzy islands of Santorini and Mykonos, this beach on the Cyclades Islands is the perfect place to chill while gazing at wild scenery, incredible azure waters and endless white sand. If it gets too lonely after a while, take a walk to the nearest town, Chora, which is 3.5 kilometers away.

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Voldokilia, Messinia, Peloponnese Islands This exceptional beach has a perfectly shaped half circle of sand, as though it had been traced with a giant compass. This dreamy, turquoise bay is adjoined by a lagoon behind it, which is often frequented by flamingos. After a swim you can hike up to the ruins of the 13th century castle and enjoy this magnificent view from above.

Voutoumi, Antipaxos, Ionian Islands Located on Antipaxos, the smallest of the Ionian Islands, Voutoumi is a spectacular beach surrounded by towering cliffs and greenery, overlooking turquoise and indigo waters. If you are willing to climb some steps (200 to be exact), go to the Bella Vista Taverna, which offers a great view. Like Navagio, you need to get here by a water taxi from the nearest port.

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“…There is the heat of Love, the pulsing rush of Longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible, magic to make the sanest man go mad.”

Homer, The Iliad

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Myrtos, Kefallonia, Ionian Islands Considered one of the most picturesque beaches in Greece, Myrtos Beach was featured in the film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. This marvelous bay is backed by tall green cliffs and it is made up of millions of white small pebbles. The sea, which changes from dark blue to turquoise, is perfect for snorkeling and has many secret caves that are ideal for exploration. From land you can reach it by taking the steep, winding two-kilometer road that leads down to the beach from the village of Divarta.

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Koukounaries, Skiathos, Sporades Islands Considered the most popular beach on Skiathos, Koukounaries is known for its extremely fine, white sand and the surrounding fragrant pine forest from which the region took its name. It is a protected environment and considered to be the most unspoiled natural beach of the Mediterranean. The bustling town center in Skiathos is only 20 minutes away, and it is accessible by the island bus.

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“Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean sea.�

Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek

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WORSHIPPING THE VIEW BREATHTAKING CHURCHES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WORDS JOHN GRAY Some of the most stunning churches are located on the Mediterranean coast. They range from grand cathedrals to small, intimate churches. Whether having the shimmering Mediterranean Sea as a direct backdrop or being just a short distance from the coast, these places of worship have a uniqueness and beauty all their own.

Church of Santa Maria – Cadaques (Catalonia), Spain Located in the heart of the old section of Cadaques, this 16th century Gothic-style church is pure-white simplicity on the outside, which is a stark contrast to its lavish and ornate interior. The church also holds the most important 18th century baroque altarpiece, which is a remarkable piece of gilded wood iconography.

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The Anastasis Church of Oia - Santorini, Greece The whitewashed church with the striking blue dome beautifully stands out along the coast of Santorini. There are actually nearly 70 churches in this small region. People used to build churches in order to ensure that God would favor them with safe journeys. In particular, the relatives of the sailors and the captains promised to erect a church to a saint so that their loved ones would come back safe. Consequently, most of these churches are privately owned, being inherited by the ancestors of each family.

Amalfi Cathedral – Amalfi, Italy The Amalfi Cathedral is home to the relics of Sant’Andrea (St. Andrew) who is the patron saint and protector of Amalfi. Located on top of a sweeping flight of stairs, the impressive cathedral features a Sicilian Arabic-Norman style architecture that dates back to the 10th century. Its huge bronze doors were actually made in Constantinople (Turkey) around 1060 by Symeon of Syria and shipped to Amalfi.

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WHAT IF THERE WERE A COMMANDMENT ON A WORLDWIDE SCALE THAT SAID:

“THOU SHALL RESPECT AND PROTECT NATURE”?

COULD HUMANS, THINK, BELIEVE, AND ACT DIFFERENTLY? FOR INSTANCE, COULD THEY CHANGE IN THEIR DAILY EXISTENCE IN ORDER TO HONOR, PRESERVE, AND ENHANCE THE RESOURCES OF NATURE? DO WE REALLY HAVE THE COURAGE TO JUDGE OURSELVES? TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND ASK, HOW INNOCENT ARE WE REALLY? WOULD YOU CONFIRM OR DENY THAT WE ARE GUILTY AS CHARGED, BY KILLING THE FORTHCOMING EXISTENCE OF THE ONLY ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED FOR OUR UNBORN CHILDREN? ARE WE HONORING OUR PARENTS’ UNBORN GRANDCHILDREN? WHAT ABOUT THE ETHICAL CONDUCT THAT IS REQUIRED TOWARDS ALL LIVING ORGANISMS ON EARTH? ARE WE NOT BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING THE WEALTH OF THE EARTH, OF RAPING THE STABILITY OF OUR ECOSYSTEMS, DISFIGURING THE STAGGERING BEAUTY AND RICHNESS OF OUR WOODLANDS, COMPROMISING OUR WATERS, POLLUTING OUR SOILS, ENDANGERING THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE, ALL INSTEAD OF PRESERVING AND SAFEGUARDING AND ENGINEERING WAYS TO RECOMPENSE NATURE? CAN ANYONE DENY THE DEVOURING DESIRE AND VANITY OF HUMAN BEINGS IN DISPLACING MOTHER NATURE’S NECESSITIES? LET US GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, WHEN NATURE WAS BROUGHT FORTH, AND EVERY TREE THAT GREW WAS PLEASANT TO THE SIGHT AND GOOD FOR FOOD, AND THEN, IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, THERE IT WAS: “THE TREE” OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL: THE “TREE OF LIFE.” WE HAVE GOT TO CHANGE TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES, FOR WE MUST BE ALWAYS REMINDED: MOTHER NATURE, THAT BREATHTAKING AND STUNNING BEAUTY, HAS ANOTHER, VENGEFUL SIDE, AN OUTRAGEOUS FORCE THAT SWEEPS US AWAY WITH ONE SWIFT CHANGE IN THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS IS A TOUGH “MOTHER,” NOT TO BE MESSED WITH. WE, HUMANS, HAVE NOT YET BREACHED THE MAIN BOUNDARIES, WHICH PROHIBIT US FROM EVER BEING SANCTIFIED, BECAUSE OF OUR UNCARING APPROACH, CONTINUOUS MISMANAGEMENT, ABUSE, AND DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND’S GREATEST BLESSINGS. LET US EMBRACE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, BY RESPECTING, PROTECTING, SAFEGUARDING, IMPROVING, LEARNING, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTING… ALL TO SAVE NATURE. NOUR EL HACHEM

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Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – Galicia, Spain The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is one of the most important shrines in Christianity, as it is said to be the final resting place of Saint James the Greater, one of the 12 Apostles. According to historians, James brought the new Christian message of love, hope, and brotherhood to the Iberian Peninsula after Jesus’s death. The Way of St. James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the Middle Ages (often referred as the road to Santiago).

Saydet al Bahr - Batroun, Lebanon No visit to Batroun is complete without seeing the majestic Lady of the Sea church. Strategically located, it was built on the ruins of a Byzantine church in the 19th century. The beautiful Greek Orthodox Church is adjacent to the beach near the Phoenician Marine Wall (a 225-meter long maritime structure that the Phoenicians carved into rocks in the sea). The church houses golden icons made by Isaac of Jerusalem in 1863.

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Santa Maria Assunta, Positano, Italy The church of Santa Maria Assunta sits right in the heart of the gorgeous seaside village of Positano on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Perched on the hillside next to colorful villas stacked on top of one another, the church is a mere stone’s throw away from the Marina Grande beach, which it overlooks. It plays an important role in Positano’s cultural, religious, and architectural landscape, and is one of the town’s iconic symbols, with its colorful majolica tiled dome.

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Portals – Mallorca, Spain The largest of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca is part of Spain but has a more rugged and dramatic landscape than the rest of the country. This beautiful seaside church is nestled in the beautiful village of Calva in the west of Palma de Mallorca. No doubt this place of worship, overlooking the emerald waters with breathtaking views, would be an ideal venue for an intimate wedding during the summer months.

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ROUTE 66 IN THE MOJAVE DESERT

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GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66 A DRIVE THROUGH AMERICAN HISTORY

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Beginning in Chicago and finishing on the California coast in Santa Monica, Route 66, the 3,939.6- kilometer (2,448-mile) road, or the “Mother Road” as it is called in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, is considered to be the epitome of American driving experiences. Crossing eight states and three time zones, Route 66 passes through a stunning cross-section of American scenes, monuments, museums, and it is lined by hundreds of cafés, motels, service stations, and tourist attractions.

There is no perfect season in which to drive Route 66. Because of its sheer size, it’s likely to experience adverse weather conditions. If you’re planning to drive the route in its entirety, not less than three weeks are needed to make the most of the sights and activities along the way. Also, consider staying in a mix of accommodation ranging from relatively simple motels to renowned chain hotels.

Usually, Chicago is considered the starting point for most Route 66 tours and not the other way around, from Santa Monica to Chicago. A couple of nights’ stay is necessary in Chicago as there’s plenty to discover there, including live music venues and museums, the sculptures of Millennium Park. and the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. From Chicago, it takes 2 1/2 hours through prairies and farmland to reach Springfield, the capital of Illinois. Despite its proximity to Chicago, Springfield has a different charm. Its red brick architecture makes an interesting contrast to Chicago’s sprawling high rises. Spending a night here is recommended. Springfield was the hometown of Abraham Lincoln before he became president.

Although the 504 kilometers of Route 66 that pass through Missouri have

been replaced by bigger highways, and what remains is a bit cobbled, the state is still packed full of fantastic Route 66 diners and roadside attractions.

From St. Louis, Missouri, there are two choices: to continue along Route 66 to another city called Springfield, or to detour slightly through the undulating Ozark Mountains to the city of Branson. It’s on the road from St. Louis to Branson that a lot of Route 66’s weird and wonderful attractions are located, such as the world’s largest rocking chair and the world’s largest catsup, or ketchup, bottle. The Kansas section of Route 66 isn't lengthy by any means. In fact, it's just 14 miles long, but it's absolutely worth a visit.

There are over 605 kilometers (376 miles) of Route 66 in Oklahoma, the longest drivable stretch of the Mother Road. There are so many charming towns, historic attractions, and quirky roadside wonders, and half a dozen Route 66-focused museums throughout the state, of which the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum and National Route 66 & Transportation Museum are a couple of the best. To break up the journey, two nights in Oklahoma City are advisable. There are several places to explore, from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

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CHICAGO SKYLINE AERIAL VIEW WITH ROAD

BY THE BEACH, VINTAGE COLORS

SUNSET OVER ROCK FORMATIONS AT GARDEN OF THE GODS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

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CLIMATRON AT THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDENS

CLIFF AT PETIT JEAN STATE PARK

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BRANSON, MISSOURI-MAY 24, 2015: WHITE RIVER FISH HOUSE RESTAURANT ON LAKE TANEYCOMO

OLD GAS PUMP IN THE TEXAS DESERT

A RIVERSIDE PARK IN KANSAS CITY ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER

RED PEPPERS IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Heading into the Texas Panhandle, the prairies of Oklahoma give way to a drier landscape. Texas has about 150 miles of Route 66. A few highlights include Shamrock, Texas, which is home to the Conoco Tower. The mid-way point of Route 66 is marked by a road sign in the tiny town of Adrian, Texas. Adrian is little more than one street and a quintessential small-town café, where a jukebox plays in the corner and various American license number plates hang on the walls.

Spanish influence in Santa Fe Santa Fe in New Mexico is your next destination. Entering Santa Fe you feel as if you’ve been transported to the Mediterranean, such is the contrast of the city compared to its Texan neigh-

bor. The Spanish-influenced old town square and Pueblo-style adobe architecture, with its sandstone colored walls and rounded edges, provide a beautiful setting, and a two-night break is recommended here. There’s plenty to visit, including art galleries, museums, and antique shops. Santa Fe is also a large producer of chilies.

The Sandia Mountains rise up around you as you drive from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, and if you drive through around sunset you’ll witness the light casting a red glow on the rocks. Around an hour and a half’s drive from Santa Fe, Albuquerque is a sprawling city where there are a number of Mexican and Spanish museums to explore.

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ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTIAL SUBURBS, NEW MEXICO

PONIES IN NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK

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SELIGMAN, ARIZONA, USA

CLEAR SKY OVER LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

From Albuquerque you’ll travel into Arizona as you make your way to Winslow.

En route you pass through the Petrified Forest National Park, where there have been numerous paleontological discoveries. The forest’s name derives from the fossilized wood found here.

One night in Winslow to break up your Route 66 holiday is enough.

A detour to the Grand Canyon While the Grand Canyon is not technically on Route 66, a detour to visit it is a must. It takes around three hours to reach the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This section is deeper and wider than the other rims and it is where most of the impressive views are located, as well as hotels. As with the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas is not considered part of the original Route 66. However, it’s a city many people are keen to experience at least once and its proximity to the canyon makes it easily accessible.

You’ll re-join Route 66 in Williams,

LAS VEGAS

HOLLYWOOD SIGN DISTRICT IN LOS ANGELES, USA

before continuing onto Las Vegas. En route is Seligman, a classic Route 66 town of traditional motels, diners, shops, and flashing neon signs, and an interesting place to break up the five-hour drive to Las Vegas. It takes around four hours to drive from Las Vegas to the final destination on Route 66: Santa Monica, near Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is an expansive city and you’ll find yourself navigating some of the USA’s most recognizable areas as you make your way to Santa Monica. A drive through Hollywood and Beverley Hills gives you a brief introduction to this Californian city, before the sandy beach and brightlylit Ferris wheel on Santa Monica’s pier signal the end of your trip. The sign marking the end of Route 66 is located on the pier. Nearby The Last Stop Shop will provide you with a novelty certificate confirming that you’ve completed the drive.

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GRANDMA KNOWS BEST CURES FROM YOUR KITCHEN CUPBOARD WORDS ALIA FAWAZ We have become a society that is quite dependent on pharmaceuticals, even for the simplest ailments. Many of us rush off to the local pharmacy to treat minor wounds, itchy mosquito bite bumps, and even the slightest of headaches. However, a century ago, simple home remedies were used to treat minor illnesses, pains, and injuries. Lately people are going back to their grandmothers’ treatments because they know that going natural is the best option, if it does the trick. Scientific research is even proving that many old-fashioned treatments do actually work. So it might be worth trying these folk remedies, even if they sound too easy to be true.

Cough There’s nothing worse than coughing, whether it’s the dry, tickling kind or the one that comes with a heavy flu. While a cough usually goes away with time, there are some things that you can do to suppress it.

Lemon Honey Syrup: Mix two tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon of honey. Heat it until warm and take a teaspoon every hour.

Ginger Tea: Add one tablespoon of freshly grated ginger to a cup of boiled water. Wait for ten minutes, strain, and sweeten it if needed.

Oil Rub: Mix five drops of eucalyptus essential oil with two tablespoons of almond oil and rub it on your chest. Cover it with a hot water bottle or heating pad wrapped in a thin towel. Leave it on for 20 minutes.

Earache Whereas we think that earaches occur mostly in children, earaches afflict adults too, especially after a cold or sinus infection. You can try some of these to relieve the pain.

Oil: We may be familiar with this one thanks to our Lebanese grandmothers’ ancient recipe. Here, just warm some olive oil and squeeze a few drops onto a cotton ball. Place the oiled side gently inside your ear for a few hours.

Drink and Gargle: Swallow and gargle warm water. This can stimulate the muscles around the Eustachian tubes, which may help to drain trapped fluid.

Heat Compress: Soak a hand towel in hot water (wring out the excess) and at the longer side fold it in thirds. Place it under your chin and wrap the ends along your jaw line up to your ears. Hold it in place until it gets cold (repeat a few times a day).

Massage: Try the Chinese qigong therapy. Place your middle finger in front of your ear and your index finger behind. Begin at the earlobes and press firmly while moving your fingers in a V shape upward along your ear. Repeat this many times to help drain fluid from the ear canal.

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Cuts and Scrapes Once bleeding stops soon after a cut or scratch, clean the area with soap and water. You can then try these two home remedies to help healing.

Honey: Dab a little honey onto the wound and cover with a bandage, or you can just let the honey dry on its own as a coating. Honey has natural bacteria-fighting properties.

Calendula: Put calendula salve or spray nonalcoholic calendula spray on the wound.

Once it is dry, cover the area with a bandage or gauze.

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Bruises When we bang ourselves, this will usually produce bruises. `They start as purple and gradually become yellowish in color. They usually go away on their own, but you can try a few things that can help with the healing process.

Chill it: Probably what most of us do already after a bump. Ice can help to constrict blood vessels and limit the release of blood from damaged vessels.

Immediately place an ice pack (it can be a thin towel filled with ice cubes) on the bruise. Leave it for ten minutes, with intervals in between, for several hours (as needed).

Heat It: After 24 hours have passed, apply gentle heat to improve the circulation to the bruise. The heat may come from a heating pad or a hot water bottle. Apply heat for 10-20 minutes several times a day Arnica: Apply arnica cream or gel to the bruise several times a day. You can obtain this in most pharmacies.

Tea Bag: Soak a tea bag in cold water, wring out the excess, and apply it to the bruise.

Vinegar: Vinegar (or even witch hazel) acts like a mild stringent and helps to accelerate the healing process.

Eczema No matter which part of the skin is affected, eczema is almost always itchy. It may run in the family or it may appear in conjunction with hay fever or even asthma.

Steroid creams are often prescribed to treat it, but you can try a few natural ways to cool it down.

Avocado: Mash the avocado and apply it onto the affected area for 20 minutes, and then rinse. The fruit’s oil and vitamins help to soothe skin irritations.

Milk: Soak a washcloth with ice-cold milk. Wring out the excess and apply it on the skin.

Chamomile Relief: Dip a cotton ball in strongly brewed chamomile tea and apply it generously to the affected area.

Oil Massage: Massage olive or sweet almond oil onto the affected area. This will help to prevent moisture loss and soothe the area.

Oatmeal bath: Add oatmeal to your bath (a packet) and soak for up to 10 minutes.

You can also apply it to the skin directly in the form of a paste.

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Constipation Granted this is something that happens to most of us at some point, and it can be chronic. You would be considered constipated if you have not had a bowel movement for more than three to four days. Find relief with these simple fixes: Fiber: Too little fiber can cause constipation. Add more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to your diet. Go for fiber-rich foods such as: prunes, figs, raspberries, oatmeal, wheat bran, beans, and lentils.

Hot Lemon Water: Before you drink your morning coffee have a glass of lemonade. Just add one to two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to one cup of hot water (If it is too sour you can add a little honey to it).

Hydrate: Drink plenty of water. Aim for eight glasses of water a day.

Turmeric: Not only is turmeric considered a powerful herb for fighting and reversing disease, but it also aids digestion. Rich in compounds, this spice, which is found in curry, can be ingested in many ways. You can mix a half-teaspoon of the powder in plain yoghurt, spread it on your sandwich or a baked potato, or add it to tomato soup or to your stir-fried vegetables and/or meat dishes.

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LIVE LONG AND PROSPER GLOBAL SECRETS TO AGEING IN STYLE WORDS TAMARA BATSHON

Our quest for longevity and happiness is universal, but could there a secret formula for a long and happy life?

According to a study of the “Blue Zones” by best-selling author Dan Buettner, there are five places in the world where people live the longest and are the healthiest. These Blue Zones are: Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Icaria (Greece), and among the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California. A team of scientists found that there were common characteristics among all the world’s longest-living people.

Perhaps the rest of us can learn a thing or two about their habits and put them into practice.

OLDER PEOPLE WALKING ALONG THE BEACH. COSTA RICA, TOURIST PARADISE CAREER SATISFACTION Do what you love! The word’s happiest people choose a profession that is geared to their passion, and they are rewarded with personal satisfaction. Your job should not be about shallow pursuits, such as whom you will impress. It should not also be just about how much it pays. You can do volunteer work, which gives you satisfaction and a sense of self-worth. Try to be part of an activity group – such as a hiking group, a book club, or a church choir. Belonging to a group of mutually committed friends is healthy, and it can blossom into new friendships. The people of Okinawa, among the world’s happiest people, are found to have strong supportive connections with committed friends who enjoy activities together.

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OLD JAPANESE WOMAN FARMING IN A HOME GARDEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN SOCIAL NETWORK Surrounding yourself with the right people and spending quality time with them is key to a healthy lifestyle. Get rid of toxic, negative people. Build a social network of people who accept you for who you are and not for what you have. Foster open and honest communication with others. Listen and respect each other’s differences. Try to put family first – people in the happiest cultures tend to marry, have children, and build their lives around the family unit. If you have a small or estranged family, bring those whom you love into your circle and treat them as kin. Try to spend dinner time to relax and interact with family and friends. Have a glass of wine with them too, as it can increase dopamine – the happiness-inducing chemical in the brain.

MOLYVOS, LESVOS, GREECE

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A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY GO TOGETHER Lower your stress level. Inflammation caused by stress has been linked to many age-related illnesses. Try to find your sanctuary and detox from stress. It could be spirituality, faith, or connecting with nature. Studies have shown that spiritual people have lower rates of heart disease, depression, suicide, and a stronger immune system. In the blue zones, studies have also shown that centenarians love their land and spending hours in their gardens. Another trick is to perform mental practice (beginning at any age) to keep your brain more sharp and focused. You can learn a new language, play card games, do crosswords, play chess, or learn how to play a musical instrument. Consume foods rich in Vitamin B, such as bananas, nuts, and chicken. B vitamins – niacin, thiamine, B6 and B12 - help to repair brain tissue. Start walking! Put aside 30 minutes a day to take a brisk walk (meaning that you should be able to speak but not comfortably converse as you walk). This habit can boost energy, lower weight, elevate mood, and reduce your risk of heart attack by half.

HAPPY GRANDMA MAKING A PIZZA DOUGH IN HER KITCHEN, SARDINIA, ITALY

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EAT WISELY Eating well is also linked to healthy minds. The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda are vegetarians, and their exceptional longevity is associated with their predominantly plant-based diet (excess salt and fat are often found in meat dishes). While you don’t have to eliminate meat from your diet altogether, you should reduce it. Buettner recommends eating a meat portion the size of a deck of cards, less than twice a week.

Go for antioxidant-rich foods as they eliminate free radicals that accumulate in the body and damage cells. Antioxidants can be found in vegetables, grains, herbs, and especially blue-purple colored fruits (berries and cherries). Green tea and soybeans are also rich in antioxidants. Italians (and the Lebanese, too) live on a healthy Mediterranean diet that has plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and olive oil, which are packed with healthy fats and good cholesterol-boosters.

LOVING SENIOR COUPLE HAVING FUN BY THE WATER, LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA

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MODERN LIFE GOT YOU DOWN? ASK THE ANCIENTS WHAT TO DO WORDS ALIA FAWAZ There are a myriad of ways to feel better with the help of healing traditions in the form of massage therapy, reflexology and yoga. These and many other alternativehealing methods have endured the test of time and continue to thrive in society alongside conventional medical practices. However, unlike conventional medicine, which is based on scientific evidence, healing traditions come from historical or cultural traditions. While they must not be used as a substitute for conventional medicine, healing practices have much to offer for those who want to explore their inner and outer health and achieve balance and harmony.

Meditation The hectic demands of modern life leave many of us stressed and exhausted, which can affect our health.

Meditation – for just 10-15 minutes a day- can make you relaxed, more focused, and even stimulate your immune system. To meditate, you need to simply close your eyes and practice turning your attention to a single point of reference. It can involve focusing on your breath (the rhythm, sound, and the feeling), or touch (you can hold on to a smooth rounded stone or prayer beads and gently roll the stones with your hands) or you can chant a word repeatedly; as you exhale you draw out the word, as though it is the source of stress leaving your body with the breath.

The key to getting meditation right is to practice regularly. Experts recommend meditating twice daily for 10-20 minutes each time.

Meditation can elevate gamma brain waves We know that gamma brainwaves are the fastest documented brainwave frequency, and they are associated with the highest levels of cognitive function in humans. They are also referred to as “nature’s anti-depressant.” Actually we all have a certain amount of naturally occurring gamma waves, and meditation is the best way to increase their activity. This has been proven by recent studies of Tibetan monks, which showed increased gamma activity during their meditation. In fact, you can try this simple exercise for three minutes (first thing in the morning or before going to bed) for healthier brain activity: First, place your hand on your heart center. Next, slow your breathing to inhale and exhale for five minutes each time.

While you do this, focus your thoughts and emo-

tion purely on feelings of gratitude, appreciation, and compassion.

Aromatherapy Aromatic plants and their oils (concentrated extracts from the roots, leaves, seeds, or blossoms of plants) have been used to heal, cleanse, and enhance mood for centuries. The oils can be inhaled or massaged into the skin and each has a specific purpose; some are used to treat inflammation or infections, while others are used to promote relaxation. To beat stress you can try gently inhaling this concoction: Mix in a dark dropper bottle (dark glass protects against sunlight) three drops of clary sage, one drop of lemon, and one drop of lavender. To fight insomnia combine two drops of sandalwood, two drops of juniper, and two drops of ylang ylang. To reduce a sore back massage gently onto the lower back a blend of five drops of rosemary, three drops of peppermint, and two drops of chamomile essential oil with two teaspoons of sweet almond or another carrier oil. To relieve a headache mix three drops of lavender oil and two drops of peppermint oil in 30 milliliters of sweet almond oil (or a similar carrier oil). Shut your eyes and breathe deeply as you massage the mixture around your temples.

Hydrotherapy The use of water for therapy has been around for hundreds of years (as far back as 4,500 B.C.), and it forms an integral part in many traditional medicine systems. In fact, bathhouses were an important element of ancient Roman culture. Passed down from generations in Japan hot springs, known as onsen, are also important in Japanese culture.

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A WOMAN MEDITATES IN THE FOREST SITTING ON A TREE STUMP ON A SUNNY SUMMER DAY

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QI GONG, FIVE ANIMAL FROLIC, SNAKE FORM Hydrotherapy makes use of the body's reaction to the pressure exerted by the water, whether it is the sensation of the water itself or the cold and hot stimuli to the body. Water therapies are inexpensive and the perfect way to relax and hydrate the body throughout the year. This summer definitely go swimming and take advantage of the abundance of pools and beaches in Lebanon. Exercising in water and swimming provides resistance to body movements, strengthens our muscles. and reduces stress on joints. It’s also the perfect exercise to cool off during the heat. Water is also useful in improving the body’s circulation, and here is a simple exercise that you can do at home: Fill one basin with hot water and another with cold. Sit in a chair with the tubs side by side. First soak your feet in the hot water tub for a minute then plunge them into the cold-water tub for up to 30 seconds.

Repeat this several times.

Qigong With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, Qigong (pronounced CHEE-gung) is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation. Qigong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi, which refers to the energy of life. It helps gener-

ate and reinforce energy in both body and mind. It is practiced by all ages in China and throughout the world, offering a wide range of levels to suit all abilities. Try these simple Qigong exercises that you can do at home or out in nature.

Rolling Qi Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat in front of you. Then imagine that your body is afloat on the surface of the water. Allow your spine to feel free and imagine that someone is gently lifting you above as though a string is attached to the crown of your head.

Inhale deeply and let the energy within you enable your arms to rise to shoulder height. As you exhale, return your arms to your sides. Repeat this several times and focus on the energy within that drives the movement of your arms.

Strength and Balance Qi While standing, spread your legs and bend them at the knees. As you inhale draw your hands up to chest level and pretend that you are drawing a bow (left arm forward and right arm back), and follow your arms with your eyes. As you exhale bring your arms back to your sides. Next, inhale and draw the bow on the other side, then exhale when you bring your arms down.

Repeat the entire process on both sides several times.

200.0 x 278.0 mm