®

An Amazing Race...

2012-01-24T04:38:00.000-08:00

CRAZY: Here's me and the contestants (back seat), camera man, and celebrity guest from the Amazing Race (European version: PK Express).

The other day, I was on my way home from Sagada with my latest trash painting (see below!) when I noticed a gaggle of white people in my village.

They were doing their best to wave down cars. In three months, I haven't seen another white person in my village, so, after dropping off my stuff at home, Tomayo, my Police officer buddy, drove down with me in the police truck to investigate. We were immediately swarmed and asked for a ride! Two Belgians and a Parisienne were urgently trying to get to Baguio.

Two of them spoke no English, only French-- (which fortunately for them I speak!). I was able to understand that they were part of a race to get to Baguio. At the moment they were badly last. The younger teams were ahead of them with their English and good looks (a group of girls had put on Bikini tops to get a ride!).

My mind raced to help them out. Tomayo could only drive so far in the Police car. Who could help us in Sabangan to get to Baguio? I had Tomayo stop at the mayor's house along the highway. Mayor Donato, keen to help, had us jump in his highpowered SUV in a stunning display of impetuous generosity. Off we went! A crazy, full out, auto-race ensued on the most winding and precarious mountain road that you can possibly imagine. The mayor was an AMAZING driver and we we took hair pin turns at full speed. By nightfall-- skimming past the others in outrageous driving maneuvers, we were all queasy, but-- in second place!

In Baguio, I got them to my friend Akira, who let them sleep at the back of her bar (the rules are that the contestants can't pay for anything and everything has to be given to them). I bought them dinner. It was the least I could do for two Belgians-- when I was in their country on my amazing journey, know that I was shown sooo much kindness and hospitality. My new Baguio buddy, Alvin, stayed up all night with me and we found a van to take them the next morning at 7:55 AM.

And juuuust in time, the race began again at 8 AM!

I am proud to say that Alvin and I got them then up to first (in another outrageous pass that will surely make the show)-- even if we faltered a bit at the end. They caught a ride in a fast car in the town where they were required to transfer, and off they went!

I wish them the best of luck and am deeply grateful for the profound lesson in following one's intuition.

The art of following one's intuition never stops folks. To waver in one's unending gratitude for each twist and turn, to regret the past, to wish something other than it is-- is to falter on the journey. To give kindness to anyone at any moment is furthermore the best possible thing you can ever do, no matter the intricacy or solidity of one's own plans in that moment. Do what you can! That's what we are here for.

Merci Damien, Noela, Daniel, et Christophe!

'Persistence' -- Our Latest Abstract Trash Canvas!

2012-01-24T02:23:00.001-08:00

Detail from canvas #4: Persistence

So, you all I've been working with Trash. We're making all sorts of great products with the trash weaving in the villages-- from bags to wallets to placemats. These weavings are collaborations with communities as we collect, wash, cut, and assemble the trash.

Of course, I am first and foremost an artist. Thus, what I am most passionate about are the Trash Paintings that we are making using this same technique of weaving used sachets and wrappers.

I am tremendously excited about this. I've been working with the villages and the women weavers for almost a year now to establish the technique of weaving the trash in a compelling abstract aesthetic and mounting them appropriately. They are getting better and better!

And, now we now have a new painting complete!

Title: Persistence
By: Russell Maier, Karen Kalinga, (created in Sagada and Sabangan villages)
Size: 4'9 x 3'3 (145cm x 100cm)
Medium: woven trash (wrappers)
Price: 1900$ (available)
Framing: to be mounted on a pine stretcher backing (can be easily assembled and dissembled for shipping)

Trash to Treasure-- progress!

2012-01-23T22:00:00.001-08:00

We've been real busy here in the village experimenting with home you can transform Trash to useful, beautiful and salable items. The idea is that by transforming trash three things can happen:

1. transform community pollution
2. increase the standard of living of poor folks with freely-made functional items
3. generate a new stream of livelihood income for the unemployed (mothers, farmers, out-of-school youth).

My house has been transformed into more than even a studio-- a laboratory for playing with trash: creating, refining and using. We've had three workshops now and created the coolest stuff. Here's some photos of our progress and play!

A table made from small plastic Yakult bottles (which are 100% non-recyclable!)

This one is simple but revolutionary-- drinking glasses from bottles. Here a mother's group learns to make them for their homes and to sell. The finished glasses are beautifully sanded and far nicer than the cheap glasses that folks normally here buy.

This table was made entirely from gin bottles.

I've also been working with Aunt Rose (who literally works at a city street corner as she sells candy and cigarettes to passer-byes) to transform drinking straws into mats, lamp shades and placemats.

Using wrappers of every sort I've been working with the local ladies to make everything from wallets, to clutch bags, to placemats and more.

My biggest passion however remains art. We are using the technique of weaving wrappers to generate large abstract "paintings" made entirely of trash. Here's some more examples of artistic collaborations using nothing but trash:

My dream is to show BIG trash canvases back in Paris and Berlin. We've got a few new ones in the pipe. I'll post soon!

A Full out Day of reTrashing

2011-12-20T05:09:00.001-08:00

So, as many of you know, I've opened up a laboratory here in the mountain-perched village of Sabagan. My lover Bianca and I have been experimenting with transforming what is commonly know as Trash into our living accouterments in what was our bare house.

The house, has turned into a virtual laboratory. Studio or house is no longer the word. We've been delving deep into the requisite conceptual shift to see trash not as trash but rather something immensely practical.

We've been making some dazzling discoveries.

Today, I opened up the house to show the village youth and a mother's group our discoveries. The type of creations we are making out of trash are imminently salable products. Knowing how to make this stuff is an awesome livelihood skill for these out-of-school youth and unemployed mothers.

Fun! Here they are learning to cut bottles to make glasses, vases, ash trays, etc. We're all excited! Tomorrow everyone comes back for more.

Poverty as a Creative Opportunity

2011-11-23T20:08:00.001-08:00

A living on the street in Manila receives a heart shaped banana pancake in a decorated banana leave sleeve.

I've been reflecting alot on my art practice in the last year. I have been doing art (which is usually for rich people) in one of the most materially poor countries in the world.

What is poverty exactly?

When it comes right down to it, poverty is a perspective, personal or collective on one's financial, material or existential state. Yep, that's what I am saying: fundamentally, poverty is an idea, a label-- a belief even. It is the idea you are lacking something that you should have or need.

Now, many spiritual folks will debate that this is in fact possible: Our moments are our perfect creations and we have all that we need Here in the Now. Poor people however, will urgently disagree, "I could really could use some food/money/gas right now!"

Such thoughts of lack however provide an opportunity to the other-- the neighbor, you and me. It is the opportunity for generosity, magnimitty, goodness, love. Poverty is an opportunity for the you and me to provide those immersed in need, precisely what they feel they lack. The condition of poverty is the perfect correlate for it's polar opposite to express itself: abundance and generosity!

Yet relieving another's need can be peformed in different ways. Giving can be cold and mechanical-- a welfare check from the government in the mail. Or it can be full of creativity and colour-- a gift wrapped in a hand painted paper and encircled with flowers. It can be about admelioring societal statistics, or it can be about creatively embracing the unique nuances of a person or people's existential state. The later takes time and imagination of course-- like a good painting. Truly, it is not so much about the material provided, but about the way of giving-- the way one expresses abundance to the other. As such, giving becomes an art. As such, I dare say, poverty becomes a blank canvas of artistic opportunity.

In this way the antiquitated verb 'to bless' gains relevance. In the way that The Lord would 'bless' a person or people with particular abundance, so too can we artfully address poverty with profound, poetic and luminous blessings of creativity.

This is even more so when we unite together to collectively and creatively express light to the shadows of lack and poverty. When two or more join together to craft and weave a blessing, the effect gains luminosity exponentially. Through socially media, an unprecedented opportunity presents itself for social co-creative blessings.

Such blessings are like a soft and colourful tapestry woven by a village to lay over a neighbour's rough and jagged floor. The co-creative expression that is woven for poverty has the opportunity to attain the highest ideals of beauty. For this is a tapestry woven not out of threads of cotton or silk but of hands joined together in a common task. The primary colours that form the expression are not red, blues and green, but instead joy, connection and oneness.

I can see it now, one day in the not so distant future, things will be alot more harmonious here on planet Earth. The enlightened humanity ahead of us will shake their heads with envy at our era. "There was so much poverty back then!" Poverty will then be seen clearly and valued for what it is. "They had so much glorious opportunity to manifest the most beautiful things and express love so colorfully!"

I am smack dab in the field here. Drop me a line if you'd like to help co-create.

Jaffari gives the Japanese ambassador an origami lotus flower made out of his youth group's prayer for the Japanese people after the 2011 Earthquake.

Completed! The Women of Gilbraltor neighborhood, Baguio, Phillippines pose with 113 coasters made entirely from recycled and woven trash (sachets from chips and other corporate food). These Trashure coasters are next their way to a Fair Trade store in Germany. Orders like this inspire massively here in the cities, jump-starting community recycling and, most of all, getting folks to think differently about garbage.

2011-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

Building a re-Home

2011-11-19T01:53:00.001-08:00

My lover Bianca and I have decided to undertake a novel challenge.

We have been laying the ground work to manifest another library project in the village of Sabagan for the last month. The library is to be built using recycled bottles. Bianca and I will be moving there in the next two days to fully apply our expertise to the project. The mayor, councillors, the guide association and schools are getting very excited by the project we are proposing. They are keen to get the community recycling going and with the "trash" that flows in, build their library.

But our moving there is the easy part. Getting settled is another matter! We'll be moving into a completely empty house. We'll be bringing our backpacks with nothing but our cloths and living gear. And... our creativity.

You see, we are going to make our furnishing from trash. Our chosen house, is located right beside the library site and the town recycling depot. The depot is there but the community is not yet using it. I will be working with all the community schools to jump start the project. Soon the recycling depot will be filled with all sorts of exciting and sorted items.

And... We're going to build our home! Yep. That's our self imposed challenge! We're going to build everything from our couches to mats to mattreses using recycled materials.

You can follow our village adventure and more of my Trashured discoveries (trash > treasure) on this new Facebook page that I have setup.

Www.Facebook.com/trashured

Creative Destruction

2011-11-11T06:28:00.001-08:00

I am reminded from my early fire painting days that destruction is the beginning of creation, failure the requisite passage to success, a problem the spark of solution. The best and most meaningful beauty is shorn of the fires of tribulation, trial and test.

Failure. Complete.

2011-10-21T04:34:00.001-07:00

Well, it's official. I feel like a total failure. It is October 8th. I've been trying to return to Canada for a year to be at my little brother's wedding. And, I am here in Sagada. I havent been able to pay one 400$ bill and get my visa right. People keep offering my tickets, but thats even more depressing because i cant do shit with the offer. I've tried working here but the wages are so low that I get sick and my savings are all wiped out.

Failure.

I DO have all sorts of great projects blossoming. Alas they have all failed to flower in time to see me back. To get a sustainable and profitable local/global business going takes at least a year.

So what the hell? Is it Bad luck? Bad planning? Complete Moral failure? These conclusions and condemnations wallow my mind in a mire. I write about them lightly, yet in truth they hang about me like dead weights, dragging down my I initiative and enthusiasm like some convict thrown over the boat with a ball chained to his ankle.

I am so sad I can't be there for my little brothers wedding. I think that's the worst of it. I feel like I am letting him and my whole family down.

Typhoon Survival with Chicken Soup

2011-09-28T03:25:00.001-07:00

A massive typhoon has just passed over the Northern Philippines. It hit here really hard. The winds and rain have knocked out the power, the cell service, trees and more.

But, the folks here are used to such things! Already things are returning to normal. Alas, landslides have blocked all roads connecting the town back to the rest of the world. My friend Federico, who has been visiting from Manila, will have to stay another night!

Bianca, Federico and I spent yesterday inside the house as the ferrocious wind battered the hills, houses and trees. We watched from the cozy comfort of the balcony doors as it blasted branches away.

The brown-out evening was spent cooking a warm and spicy chicken soup together with a couple bottles of beer. We enjoyed our cooking over candle light, then gathered around a fire in the fireplace to sip our hot chocolate and tell stories while cuddling on the couch. Well, just Bianca and I enjoyed that last one!

It's a great thing that Federico brought so many great books up for the Guina'ang library project. We've been testing them out. What a pleasure to curl up in doors and read one wonderful book after another! Some amazing children's books have been donated.

The generator at the hospital is working. Hopefully, their wifi is to and I can post this.

Strawed!

2011-09-24T22:27:00.001-07:00

Woven Straw Mat. This is a new art medium my Dutch friend and I are exploring: Co-Creating with villagers canvases and products out of used drinking straws.

My new Dutch friend Maartin has been visiting Bianca and I here in Sagada. It's perfect timing because Bianca and I have just moved into a gorgeous new house with lots of room, a great kitchen and living room complete with grand balcony and hearth. It's one of the nicest houses in Sagada. I am pleased to say that Maarten has been entertained in great style!

Maartin has been searching for business opportunities in the Philippines. For nine months he came up short. Then he met my friend Muriel who told him about our trash art endeavors here in the North. He made the 14 hour trip up to talk business.

And talk business we did! We have all sorts of exciting ideas on leveraging recycling, community manufacturing, and our international connections.

He returns to Holland now and shortly I return to Canada. We'll see what we happens!

Trash for Sale

2011-09-18T21:43:00.001-07:00

My exhibition at the Baguio Museum ends this week. The two small paintings have sold but not the big one (4ft x 2.5ft) Price 1100$. It is made by the trash weaving women in Natonin. The frame is custom constructed to be easy to assemble and dissemble. Orders welcome! Drop me a line.

Luminal Deliveries

2011-09-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

Phew! I have returned from three weeks of Jedi traveling between villages. I have Wifi and can now at last post some pictures of the luminal deliveries, cocreations and connections that occurred as I passed through this particularly impoverished and disconnected region of the Philippines that sees no tourists or foreigners.

Several folks have made trash painting purchases in the last few weeks. These purchased enabled these three weeks of luminal deliveries. I promised these patrons some photos of where their money is going.

Here we are!

Some of the ladies who do the weaving for the trash bags and canvases that we've been selling, live in the remote village of Natonin. There's no banking here! I passed and was able to pay them for the items that have sold. I was able to give them new designs, and get them started on new orders for Holland and Canadian markets.

I was able to make a two hour side excursion to BNTAS Highschool. I had been invited to their crazy remote and challenged school. With zero art supplies the students all worked with trash and plants to build these amazingly beautiful Mandalas. I was also able to buy various tools for them to use in future recycling projects.

I was able to make a second visit to the Paracelis National Highschool on my journey back. I saw to the completion of this giant mosaic mandala with the 2nd year highschool class. Here I pose with the teachers who hosted me and with whom I lectured in their classes.

I delivered a baby crib, cloths, food and toys for this family that has just had a newborn baby born to their daughter-- now an otherwise destitute single mother. The family lives in the humblest bamboo and grass hut, without electricity or running water. It was a great pleasure to bring this hardworking and hospitable home some unexpected blessings.

Upon returning to Sagada I was able to deliver the specs for an order of 100 coasters for Germany to the women who weave. Here are the first six!

Making mandalas with Trash and Organic Materials

2011-08-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a little video of my work with the crazy remote school I mentioned in my past post. The movie features a series of trash and plant mandalas made by students from the Ga'dan tribe. BNTAS Annonat Extension
is a remote school in the Paracelis region of the Northern Philippines. It was established four years ago to serve the isolated Ga'dan tribe. Six teachers live full time at the school. They work hard under Spartan conditions to not only teach but also to establish
the basic infrastructure and repair typhoon damage. Our Mandalas are dedicated to them!

122 Letters

2011-08-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

I've been sharing my recent work with a crazy remote and challenged school in the mountains of Paracelis, Philipinnes. The school serves the isolated Ga'dan tribe. The teachers make a 2 hour commute over rough road, then stay the week in the two room school-- the other four rooms were recently destroyed by a Typhoon.

Despite their sparse and challenging situation, the students are so keen to learn and connect.

When I did my little customary spiel on Canada, they we're full of questions. Do you grow rice? How do you get married? What foods do you eat? What do they youth do for fun? Etc. These students come from such a vastly different culture. It struck me that they would make fantastic pen pals for students of the same age back in Canada. I asked them what they thought of the idea. They loved it!

So, we wrote some letters! 122 to be precise. Each letter begins "Dear Mystery Friend". The student introduces themselves and where they are from. I personally love to write letters, so I shared some techniques with them-- including some flowers or leaves, making a little drawing or two, custom made envelopes.

The result: We've got 122 amazing letters just waiting for mystery friends! Anyone out there have a class or bunch of youth who would be interested in old-fashioned-pen-pals? The kids were aged 9-16. If so, drop me a line!

Becoming a Jedi...

2011-08-27T17:58:00.001-07:00

I am finally getting the hang of being a Jedi. It's easy actually. It's all about flowing with the force. You flow, the force does the rest.

In this way I showed up to the Gag'gad'dumpay Youth conference on the Environment with Irene and several other teachers last week. It took us nine hours to get there. I had just traveled six hours from my art exhibit in Baguio, and didn't have time to even get home to Sagada, let alone prepare for the conference.

The conference was being convened to give the youth of the Paracelis, a poor and isolated are of the Philipinnes, a chance to be empowered on environmental and population issues. Irene, from the department of Education had seen what I had done in the mandalas I done in the past and wanted me to do another.

And so, with barely even having a chance to talk to Irene, nor to get a supply of art materials, we arrived. One hundred and fifty youth greeted us and a dozen teachers. I was the only foreigner and everyone was expecting some sort of miracle from me! I must admit a bit of panic and frustration overcame me.

I was there with nothing!

But, that folks, is how a Jedi works.

He shows up with nothing but faith, openness and creativity. The openness and the creativity being one and the same.

And sure enough, everything fell into place. Magically. First, I discovered a classroom with the most lusciously bare wall you can imagine. It's alluring blankness enchanted me at first sight. My eyes widdened and my heart began to pound-- it was perfect!

And thus the weekend co-creation began. Sure enough the students and I found lots of colorful garbage. We began to cut it up into little squares. And then, with paper and pen and a couple boxes of crayons, we all made mandala sketches on paper (imagine sharing 5 boxes of crayons crayons with 60 kids! There were only 7 crayons a box and I felt slightly biblical as I broke them and passed them around to all).

Even with only seven boxes of crayons, these paper sketches turned out amazing. We then mined them for symbols and patterns, we used the most prevalent to sketch with chalk on the beautiful blank wall.

With the pattern established we said a little prayer to bless the mandala and the process. The youngest began, then the oldest, then everyone joined in adding pieces to the blossoming mandala of garbage.

And... a week later, with the help of another class of highschool students, we finished it off. Tad aaa!

Mosaic Trash Mandala in Progress

2011-08-26T01:01:00.001-07:00

I was in Paracelis last week for the Gag-gag-Dumpay youth Conference. Here with 150 youth at the environmental summit, we began a mosaic mandala-- out of trash! Here it is unfolding, piece by piece of colorful-cut-up-sachets at-a-time. I am as surprised as you and everyone else how people it is turning out to be!

122 Students, 2 Rooms, 1 Ball, 1 Computer and Some Very Committed Teachers

2011-08-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've been making mandalas from a crazy remote and challenged school in the mountains of Paracelis, Philipinnes. The school serves the isolated Ga'dan tribe. The teachers make a 2 hour commute over rough road, then stay the week in the two room school-- the other four rooms were recently destroyed by a Typhoon. The coffee and food is cooked over a wood fire in their plank and bamboo living quarters. The school has one ball and one computer for 122 students, yet boy are they eager to learn! I don't think I have taught at a school yet were I was received by a cheering crowd, so many smiles and so much grattitude by both the teachers... and the students!

Despite the complete lack of art supplies... we all worked together and made the most amazing mandalas ever! The students scavagenged garbage, leaves and grass to make the most original and beautiful mosaic mandalas. The teachers themselves we're dazzled. When I arrived they asked me what art supplies I was bringing with me. I had just smiled.

"We didn't think you could actually coordinate 120 kids at once, let alone have them make such beautiful art"

I think that was my biggest reward-- to see the kids inspired to new heights by the creative and collaborative challenge.

Once I am back in civilization and I can connect to WIFI I will post pics.

Trashing the Gallery

2011-08-16T19:51:00.001-07:00

I am very proud of this.

Last week, the weaving women and I finished off all of prototype pieces. With the help of framers, carpenters and friends, I was able to make it to Baguio with the art pieces for the show.

It was a great example of existential determinism manifesting magically. Traditionally, my art has been about my personal culture and my work. This time, it's about the work and collaboration of women (household and family supporters) in different villages and their indigenous culture. The work all came together beautifully. But, by the time all the art was ready to leave Sagada I had missed the last bus to Baguio. Jed helped me pack it all up and I left town with a massive 6 foot long roll on my shoulder. I ended up hiking 3 or 4 kilometers this way until a gold mining truck picked me up. He was heading straight to Baguio!

We made it late that night, and the next day I got all the art setup. The evening opening featured my work and that of five other cordillera artists. The show featured the leading edge Igorot artistic explorers of a region already immensely rich in culture. What an honor to be part of it!

Rebekah, an American friend who made it to the opening, gave me a particularly profound compliment after the show. She said that in all her travels she had never met someone doing what I was doing. Usually a 'foreigner' experiences a culture. Here I am honored with a position to help shape it, to take and work with an exceptionally good part of the culture, use my skills and connections, and take it (and the other artists) to a whole new level.

It's kinda like when you're watching the tide on the beach. The waves come in to a certain distance. Then, sometimes, one, two, even three waves happen to coincide and... Whoosh... They propel each in so much further soaking your socks and shoes!

Like that. But the waves are the best elements of different cultures on our planet.

One Man's Trash is a Woman's Treasure...

2011-08-02T02:18:00.001-07:00

"One man's trash is anothers Treasure."

So the saying goes. But perhaps we can make that a little more relevant... "One man's trash is a women's treasure."

Here in the Northern aphilippines, the older women use a splendid technique to weave the trash from chips and sachets into all sorts of bags and things. They take discarded sachets and wrappers, diligently clean and fold them, then weave them up. I've been working hard with four different women to apply modern aesthetics to technique and on improving their designs and taking sales from Canada, Spain and Holland.

We're working hard towards an exhibit in Baguio on the 9th. My friend Victor has invited me to show at the Baguio Museum with five other Philipino artists. I am very excited and honored. So too are Brenda and Stanpi, the weavers! Above is the latest design.

My dream is to show much much larger pieces at an exhibition in Berlin. In the meanwhile I am working hard with my local buddy Jed, who has a dream of segregated waste baskets throughout Sagada. We'll soon be running out of garbage to weave unless we call get a recycling system going. Jed's baskets would get that the trash right to the ladies, so they can turn it I to treasure!

Bringing Light!

2011-07-28T19:02:00.001-07:00

My friend Jed's restaurant has an amazing window that let's in beautiful light. One morning inspiration struck. I've used glass bottles and food coloring in exhibits back in Canada. Why not bring some light to Sagada?

I dutifully collected bottles from my house parties over the last month, and soaked off the labels. My little friend Dianne helped me concoct the colors. Sammi the cook helped me hang them, and my friend Angela was able to bring the colors of the rainbow up with her from Manila. And here it now hangs!

I just love the radiant colour effect! I can sit there at Jed's restaurant with my morning coffee and just stare at the luminous colours for a good moment! Depending on my mood one colour or another draws me more.

The technique is so simple. I highly recommend it!

A Collective Blessing & Luminous Moment

2011-07-24T02:17:00.001-07:00

Well, I haven't blogged for a while. As usual this not because there hasn't been anything to blog about-- but rather too much!

I just got back from a momentous two days in the mountains. Packages or books have arrived from Lorraine in Canada and Jane and Claire in Australia. With the help of Laura from Spain and Irina in Manila we got half of Lorraine's books up to Sagada. It's truly an epic collaboration! Laura and I then made the journey to the school together.

What a luminous pleasure to deliver the books.

The staff had been delighted the day before to receive Jane and Clair's books (and photos of their "jolly" visit teaching there). In the big box we brought up, there were dozens of awesome quality books. Thank you Lorraine!

I spent the day visiting each of the classes and reading stories. The students gathered round in ecstatic silence round as I flipped through "The boy who fooled the giant", "Thumbelina" and "Little Red Ridinghood". These kids have never seen beautiful books like these.

There was a moment when I looked up from my reading to see three dozen wide open eyes staring with rapt attention at me and the pictures. I breathed deeply to take it in. Wow. What a beautiful and fufiling moment.

After several classes, my voice was getting a little dry from my animated readings. So, I decided to try something else. I brought the entire box up and handed the books out to all the pupils. Amazing! Despite the random distribution, the kids fell I to a rapt silence-- they devoured with their eyes and fingers the beautiful pictures, words and photos. I might as well have been handing iPads out to a class of Canadian students!

Another box awaits in Manila, Ray has a big crate coming from Manila, and I just got a message from my Mum that she can send some too.

Slow and steady the collective intention blossoms!

To Build a Library...

2011-06-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

I have lots of good news to report!

The Guina'ang 1Book project is taking on a life of it's own. Here in the Philippines, school is back in session and the seeds of intention sewn back in December are blossoming.

When we first talked about "building a library", I honestly was kinda just thinking "books". Of course, you gotta be careful about what words you use-- We did in fact say "build a library".

Two weeks ago, I met Derek and Andrew as they were passing through Sagada. Derek and Andrew were deeply interested in what we are doing. After coordinating with Manuela, the principal, they set out a day later on the rough mountain road to visit the school. They stayed the night and then met the teachers and students in the morning.

It was an all around luminous experience of connection.

Andrew was the first real American most had ever met! Andrew talked about the USA and his home in Washington D.C. Derek (their second Canadian!) talked about the children of Afghanistan where he had last worked. The Guina'ang students have little global experience. The brief presentations will be experiences the kids won't forget for a long time.

Derek has a military background, and just as he would do back on the job, he conducted a thorough field assessment of the library situation at Guina'ang. This included scouting out the terrain and logistics for an independent library building.

Only a few days later, Derek and I met Andrew B.-- a world class Australian architect who designs mega buildings in the middle east. A little tired of fancy-dancy-building-designing, Andrew B. jumped at the chance to help out. As I type he is making his way back from the school after also braving the rugged mountain road and the enthusiastic kids!

We are now talking about a potential mandalic library design. We are envisioning a building that makes use of the local building materials, yet leverages the latest global eco-innovative building techniques we've got going on in Canada and Australia-- like the use of timber frames and straw bales. You should see the amazing timber they have here. With Andrew's help, the right builders, and a combo of local resources and global innovation, we can manifest a structure that is a regional inspiration!

In the meantime, crates of books are arriving now from Lorraine in BC, and Ray in Manitoba (his box was too heavy for his van!). In Manila the youth of a Muslim/Christian youth group that I have worked with heared about the project. They live in the humblest of neighborhoods, but, scoured their shelves and came up with two boxes of books for "our brothers and sisters in mountain province". See their portrait below.

I head there soon to lead the mandala workshop with school-- this is where the school gets to give back to you guys.

You can see and share the project details as always here: www.1Mandala.org/1actions

Thank you everybody for your support, books, donations and kind words.

We're co-creating something beautiful!

Here are the latest photos:

The Muslim Christian Youth of Tala pose with the 1Books they've collected for Guina'ang.

Andrew and Derek with Manuela and staff

The site for the new library

The current makeshift library-- those are all our books in the corner!

Andrew introducing America

Derek talks about the life of Afghanistan kids

The students listen

The school after the rain

The Harvest Slaughter And the Changing of a Prayer

2011-06-13T00:18:00.001-07:00

I should really be blogging about this.

This would be the type of experience that anthropologists and travelers dream of. To me it's just becoming my routine daily life. Regardless-- I should really write about it! So here goes.

My Igorot basketball buddies (Igorot is the name of the tribe here) invited me to join in one of their thrice yearly rituals yesterday. I was a bit reluctant-- they take these things pretty seriously, wearing their best tribal attire-- and I am very conscientious not to intrude. Yet, they insisted.

So, I skipped my regular morning WIFI check and headed out across the rice paddies towards the town's sacred tree.

On the way I met my friends. I hardly recognized them because they were wearing loin cloths, adorned in wild boar tusks and carrying spears. As they crossed the rice paddies with me, the vibrant red of their attire silhouetted majestically against the verdant green of the harvest ready rice. Watching them march in single file with their spears held high, I felt as if I had been swept into a time machine, watching an ephemeral vision of ancient days.

They led me up to the Dop-ai (the central village fire pit, social hub, and decision making centre). There I waited while they went up to the sacred tree for the first prayer. Contigents of six Igorot began arriving from all the different barangays (sub-villages). They all converged at the top of the hill around the tree. They yelled and whooped as they made their way up.

Prior to gathering they had all bathed ritually in the river to purify themselves. The shaman, who led the ritual, had been fasting for two days in preparation. There on the hill-top he lead the prayers for an abundant harvest.

When the Igorot men had finished, they descended carrying pigs, dogs and chickens. The Do-pai is a little like a mini stonehenge made of river rocks and large erect stones. It quickly filled with the chanting men and reluctant animals. The shaman, adorned in a majestically feathered hat, and wearing a great necklace of wild boar tusks that had been passed down through many generations, then proceeded over the slaughter. I watched from a disconcertingly close distance with my new friend Muriel. We vowed we wouldnt be eating any dog! The screeches of the pigs could be heared echoing throughout the valley.

Once completed, the women, they too adorned in their vibrant red Tapis (woven skirt), coloured beads, and snake vertebrae head bands, made their way in a single line to the Do-pai. The men gathered the gifts of rice wine, bread, drink and rice that each women brought. The chanting resumed and all partook together in a ritual dance to the mesmirizing beat of the brass gongs.

Once the dance was complete, the contingents of men began to depart the way they had come. This time however, the prongs of their spears hung heavy with great chunks of bloody meat. Laden-so the men headed back to their respective Barangay Do-pai's. There, in the dozen or so Barangays that make up Sagada, the men would cook the meat, pray and share stories around the fire. The rice harvest would begin the next day.

I too started to head home. I hadn't yet checked my e-mail!! On my way, I passed one of the other Barangay Do-pai's. The men had already gathered there and had begun to cook their meat. One of the guys I play basketball with called me over to join them. I motioned that I was heading onwards.

Having gone a ways ahead, I stopped, overcome with a feeling that I should return. I said goodbye to Muriel, turned around, and went back to the Do-pai.

The Do-Pai's are like really a mini stonehenge. Particularly this one. They are just for the men, the women having their seperate communal house. Pageleyn, my buddy, was glad to see me back. He explained that the tall stones sticking up around the fire pit were over 600 years old. Many had been erected to commemorate the community's warriors who had lost their heads to the neighboring tribes in days long long past. This was one of the oldest dopai's in the area.

I joined the men sitting around the fire and bubbling pot. We sat in a rest-full, contemplative silence, sipping rice wine, watching the fire and waiting for the food. When the meal was ready, the oldest man began to pray.

He prayed and prayed. It was as if he were having a conversation with the beasts chopped up in the pot. His speech was in thick and old Kakana'ue (the local dialect). I could only understand a little, yet observed that at one point in the prayer, he was curiously interrupted by another old man and some intense words were exchanged. It wasn't til afterwards that my friend translated what had transpired.

The soup and meal were stupendous. It consisted of chicken boiled with etag, a salted pork speciality. I have been trying to eat less and less meat these days, but this was a very worthy of an exception. Added to the wood-fire-boiled-and-roasted chicken soup was Tapui-- a very special year-long fermented rice. It had been opened especially for this occasion by the women.

Wow.

I've never had anything like this before! Nor I doubt will I ever have-- local, 115% organic, double ritual blessed by a shaman and a sacred dance, cooked and eaten in an ancient ritual and place. It was served of course with rice harvested and processed by hand from the fields next door.

We ate with our bare hands, squatted on the centuries old stones, as dozens of generations had before in a long and unbroken cycle. As we ate my friend explained what had happened during the prayer.

The old man had been undoubtedly repeating the prayers he had heared as a child, and which had likewise been passed down over the generations. After asking for blessings of health and a plentiful harvest to the village he had been asking that injuries and accidents prevail upon those in the adjacent villages who had been enemies or competitors.

The other old man, had stopped him. "You can't say that anymore!" "Our young men are marrying and moving into those villages more and more these days! They are family now!"

There had been a long pause, and as the oneness consciousness had crept into the gathering, the prayer had been changed. The old man resumed. This time he prayed that the men of the village be blessed with great sexual appeal so that the women of the other villages and countries be attracted to them and come settle here instead!

Mmmm... That was good soup. Excuse me while I go down to the bar and see if the prayer had any effect!

Trash Transformed Art!

2011-05-30T01:28:00.001-07:00

My experience in the remote village of Natonin has me deeply inspired.. Their vibrant culture, the beauty of their environment, the trash problem in the community, and the amazing weaving of the women have sparked inspiration.

I have begun work with the local weavers to create an amazing series of trash canvases. Using the vibrant colours of the cleaned trash, combined with the traditional weaving, the local symbols, and my expertise laying out a fine-art painting, the co-creations will be dazzlingly beautiful.

The woven, pixelared effect of the wrappers, is so cool, so slick, so pop-art-colourful, so texture-rich, it almost doesn't matter what makes the picture! As Marshall McCluan says "The Medium is the Message". I am going in the direction of Québécois artists Yves Gaucher and Riopelle, to keep it ultra simple and let the colour combinations do the talking.


The weaving - photo by Muriel Bakker

Weaving is part of the culture, from loin cloths, blankets, abaca hats, to a new way of weaving trash wrappers.

The medium of these pieces will be transformed trash-- and all that this symbolizes. But even more so, the medium will be the process: a global collaboration that reinforces the precarious traditional values and environment of an indigenous community. In contrast to missionary or development work that brings something new, this process will be a way to reinforce that which is already there -- the weaving, the culture, the symbols, the nature.

I have budgeted out the preliminary village costs to create and ship the first canvases to a friend in Victoria B.C. Its about 1400$ to get the first ten paintings done. That's nothing of course-- that's the price for one small painting in a Canadian gallery! And that price revolutionizes a village! It includes not only paying the weavers, shipping, my expenses but also setting up the basic town recycling infrastructure, a town clean-up, training and recycling signs and directions. This infrastructure would then give the women a boost to make the hand bags, wallets, and other trash-woven goods they have already started making on an experimental scale. And then, if one or two additional paintings sell in Canada, that funds the next wave of creation and exhibition.

To start though, we'll take pledges from 10 people in the Victoria (and BC) area to get the first 10 paintings done. Price 140$ each!

One of the women weaving - photo by Muriel Bakker

Preliminary Painting sketch of woven green packaging with black symbols (size 30' x 20'): man: people / horn: unite / shield: protect / house: our home / flower: the environment / axe: work + persevere

In Natonin, environmental consciousness is precariously low. The folks don't realize the immense wealth of biodiversity, natural beauty, water, and their own indigenous culture they are surrounded by. The issue of throwing trash into the ditch is just the tip of the iceberg.

Art making, in particular mandala making, is all about raising consciousness. Personal and collective. This will be a bold experiment in both! The canvases that will result will an inspirational story of transforming problems into solutions.

Preliminary Painting sketch on my iPhone : woven green and red packaging with black symbols (size 30' x 20')

Trash Transformed by Indigenous Culture

2011-05-27T20:58:00.001-07:00

I am in awe of this amazing weaving technique they have developed to transform junk food wrappers into bags and useful items here in the villages. There is rich artistic potential here for a collaboration between an international artist and the native community.

Traveling in developing countries I've always been flabbergasted by the litter that contaminates the beautiful landscapes. In Canada, growing up, we were deeply instilled with "Put Litter in it's Place" And so, we learned at the earliest age, that wrappers go in the garbage can, and that cans and bottles go in the blue recycling books.

Here and in so many developing countries trash and litter is everywhere. Why? The reasons are manifold-- lack of education, lack of disposal and recycling resources and an abundance of massive marketing pressure to consume the corporate manufactured foods.

In places like Natonin, traditional foods and their "packaging" were always completely biodegradable. You can chuck a banana leaf wrapper or an orange peel into the ditch no problemo. The concept of garbage is completely foreign. In fact the word in their language, is foreign. 'Basura' (from the Spanish).

Yet, this weaving technique, using the old ways, reclaims the irresponsible corporate trash and creates something startlingly beautiful.

Here you can see my new little bag. It is made by friend Brenda in Natonin. Her weaving uses Coke bottle wrappers to make repeating patterns and colours!

Its an awesome pratical example of what we did with the Omen-Lahe Mandala of transforming trash with indegenuous culture back into something beautiful. Her's is both useful and beautiful!

Just as the First Nations back in the Canadian prairies woukd use every sinew of a slain buffalo, now too the packaging can be reclaimed from the corporations to make something beautiful, useful and... Saleable!

I am scheming with Brenda to do a series of large "paintings" in this way. They would essentially be rectangular "canvases" made of the colourful metalic weaving. We would focus on simple designs with a striking colour scheme that portrays one of the village native symbols.

As Marshall McCluan says "The Medium is the Message".

The Omen-Lahe Mandala Movie

2011-05-24T06:22:00.001-07:00

Here it is! The movie of transforming trash into a mandala with much meaning. I am thinking that through working with village, a series of trash-transformed paintings would be a real success....

During the 'Gag-gag-ay di Dumap ay Youth Summit on the Environment', 85 youth from the remote and mountainous region of Natonin gathered to co-create the Omen-Lahe Mandala. Together they picked-up, washed, cut and transformed the "trash" littering the streets and forest of Natonin using the ancient and sacred art of the mandala. Using the symbols of Natonin, their mandala represents the resolution of the youth to Unite (horn), Protect (shield), Work (bolo) and Persevere (axe) in 'Omen-lahe' (moving forward) to keep Natonin a beautiful place to live. The 'Omen-Lahe Mandala' is a wonderful example of how we can work together harmoniously to realize our dreams, transform our problems, and make our community and world beautiful.

Made possible by:

UNFPA-MT province
DEPED-Mt Province
CPFI-CAR
Provincial Health Office
Provincial Population Office
Provincial and Natonin SK
Natonin Municipal Local Gov't Unit

Co-created by

The 85 Natonin Gag-gag-ay Di Dumap-ay Youth Summit Delegates
Mt. Prov. Summit coordinator Irene Bakisan
Special thanks to the other facilitators,
Mayor & Shirley Chiyawan, Bernard,
carpenters & great cooks.
Music of the gongs by Barangay Tonglayan

Orchestrated by artist ®

Who Needs Tibetan Sand When You've got Trash?

2011-05-22T21:28:00.001-07:00

Certified Friendly! :-)

2011-05-21T20:02:00.001-07:00

I've never really cared much for certificates or awards. For me it's just about doing what you love to do-- and thats the reward in itself. So when I do get a reward, its an added bonus. In this case, a real honor.

I've just returned from two weeks in the isolated region of Natonin. It took me two days hike down a rough dirt road, through virgin jungle, a mountain range, and villages where I was the first white person to visit.

I had been staying and participating in Natonin's Sasaliwa Festival. It was their yearly celebration of culture and community in Natonin. Folks from villages far around had come to participate. I made many new friends, and on my walk back to civilization I was able to visit many of them. I emerged back to civilization adorned in feathers, wearing a birds nest abaca hat, and sporting a traditional tiger-grass broom-- all gifts from my new Natonians friends. I must have made quite the sight!

I also came back with a Certificate of Appreciation.

On the last day of the festival they had a an awards ceremony-- mainly for the winners of the sports, cultural games and beauty pageant. I was urged to attend.

To my great surprise, I was called up! The mayor had created a Certificate of Appreciation for me! It reads:

"To Russel Maier for actively participating in the volleyball exhibition and for being friendly to the locals for the whole duration of the 4th Sas-saliwa Festival"

Wow. How cool is that eh? It's good to be friendly!

But it was so easy. Since I was the only white person in the village everyone was always looking at me, then smiling, and I was always compelled to give a big smile back! This led to many a friendly talk in which I strived hard to learn their local dialect. And then, this lead to me getting invited to play volleyball and to almost the whole community turning out to watch the tall white guy spike the ball ("You have a strong Boom Chewog" said one of my friends).

I am really really proud and happy to have my certificate. Before I left, I invited all my new friends to sign it. It filled up quickly with kind messages in half a dozen dialects! Today, I proudly hang it on my wall here in Sagada.

CHEWOG: My new name

2011-05-18T21:47:00.001-07:00

Chewog.

That's my new name. It is a custom here in the Igorot culture to have a Christian name and an Igorot or indigenous name. My new name was ordained upon a misty mountaintop.

Through my mandala making project here, I am meeting folks from every level of this incredibly remote community. The other day I joined an expedition to the summit of the local mountain. On a grassy knoll near the top, the surrounding mountains peaking through a white carpet of clouds around us, Sasaweg, our guide, turned around and gave me the name. Once we got back below to the village, the word spread. Now I hear kids using the name in the streets.

I am told the name is of a warrior ancestor. He was known for his beauty and strength. The name essentially means "Beautiful Man".

Wow.

I am in awe at the honor! Back when I lived in Paris, I was just a normal guy walking the streets. My lover, a striking blond, got all the attention. Growing up, I never really considered myself "beautiful".

Everyone should spend a stint living in a community of a starkly different ethnicity. It's a fantastic experience that cuts through the massively contrived bull-shit marketing that spawns so many insecurities. It is an experience to remind one that we humans are beautiful creatures!

Here, I am as much enchanted by their smooth dark skin and jet black hair as they by my white skin and curly hair. I find them all fantastically beautiful. My goodness, the women wouldn't be single for a second back in Europe or America!

And, I am beautiful to them. We are all beautiful!

Yesterday, during a town volleyball game, the mayor, who knew I played, talked to the referee and team captains and they invited me to join. Volleyball is their big sport here, so it was an honor and a crazy challenge to be invited on. These guys were good-- running plays and positions. And, they had already been playing a whole set when I joined on the court, completely cold! Volleyball however is one of my favorite sports-- there was no way I would miss the opportunity.

However, I was wearing a sweater when I came down from the stands. I had a t-shirt in my bag, but there was no where to change. So, I stripped off my shirt quickly and... The whole crowd cheered! Wow. That's never ever happened to me before!

I am Chewog. I am beautiful!

Native Games

2011-05-18T01:30:00.001-07:00

It's the fourth or fifth day of the Natonin village festival. I've been staying here almost a week now. I am the only white person in the village even for this event. Walking down the main street I am assailed with smiles. When i meet the folks curious looks and stares their looks always melt into shimmering eyes and great big smiles. I haven't smiled so much in a long time!

Yesterday they had the Native Games. This involved a race making rice! Dressed in their native attire, a man and a women would begin the laborious process of taking two bunches of harvested rice, separating, grinding, sifting and cleaning. All in all it took about half an hour. It was amazing to watch! This is really what they still do, so they are good at it. Natonin is famous for it's rice terraces and rice. The contest was graded on who finished first, and also the quality and colour of the rice (each couple had brought rice from their own field).

A giant moth on my doorstep to start the morning...

2011-05-17T01:49:00.000-07:00

Making a Mandala out of Trash deep in the Jungle Mountains

2011-05-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

This morning, I step out into the sunshine to discover a foot wide, gigantic and vibrant moth sitting on my doorstep.

I am in a magical and beautiful place.

Hi there Team,

I write you from the really isolated mountain village of Natonin! I've not had internet for 5 days!

I've been here leading the local youth in making a mandala prayer on taking care of their environment. The mandala is being made out of trasht that we picked up around the village.

Its very remote and beautiful here. The people and culture are amazing. I danced with them in one of their eagle dance rituals last night. They drink the water from the river, eat the snails and crabs and eels still. A really amazing place.

No wifi here so I can't yet post any photos. Shortly!

More of My Mural Progress: Handing my lover the Apple of Presence while our shadows melt into the void

2011-04-27T03:35:00.001-07:00

My Sagada Mural Progress...

2011-04-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

My Sagada Mural gets going

2011-04-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

Almost Lunch time... Another Sagada Sketch

2011-04-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

Sagada Subconscious

2011-04-14T22:06:00.001-07:00

One of my watercolor sketches for the mural

All my life I've wanted to live in a traditional indigenous village. I pictured it being somewhere in the amazon. Little did I expect it would happen this past year in the mountains of the Philippines. But it did. What an unbelievable experience. I mean, it has been off the freaking charts. First, it has been unbelievably tough. Running out of food, money, everything. Second, it has been unbelievably profound. You know how it is the modern-generation-x dream to sell everything and live in an Eco-intentional-community? Well, baby-- the village I live in is a last vestige of full out old fashioned sustainability and integrated indegious wisdom community and family. I feel like a fool for not integrating more deeply into the community sometimes.

But, that's me just being hard on myself. I have learned so much. What I take with me, the stories and the sights, are the type of profound wisdom that us modern-yuppy-hippies (I write from a Starbucks) need to integrate. And we are. And this experience surely has meaning and wealth to it far beyond what I can see from this plush couch.

I desperately need to process this. And so I am. I am doing a mural in my friend Vince's cafe. Vince is one of my best friends here. He's given me beer and food when I was tapped out. The mural will be an ode of grattitude, inspiration, integration and subconscious processing of the unbelievably rich life I have lived this last year.

Colorful Condoms for Creative Consciousness

2011-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

150 youth leaders from all over Mountain Province were involved in the co-creation of the Colorful Condoms for Consciousness Mandala. It was a fantastic consciousness raising success during the Youth Summit for Health, Population and the Environment.

The creative process involved touching, opening, and inspecting condoms. Like many, many other towns in developing countries, most of the folks here have never seen a condom, let alone touched or talked about them. Sex and protection are an unspoken taboo-- despite of course sex's ubiquitous inevitable reality. And, alas, the heavy toll of unconscious sex on health, population and the environment.

Having the condoms around in this playful artistic context gave the youth an opportunity to socialize, laugh and joke around-- busting through fears, naiveté and ignorance!

The provincial Governor passed by to see what we were doing. In a speech praising the activity, he admitted that he too had never seen a condom before. Other speakers likewise talked about how this minimal sexual and reproductive consciousness weighs heavy on social systems and the environment.

It was an awesome example of how art and mandalas raise consciousness.

Together we read and affirmed the intention/prayer: "May the youth of Mountain Province be empowered to be conscious and intentional about using their sexual and creative energy to make the world a better place."

Amen! Let it be so!

11111111111111111111111111

Condoms supplied by Frenzy Condoms

Co-created by

Artist ® / Irina Otmakhova / Ebgan Inc / United Community for Modern Patriots /
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) / UNFPA Philippines

We are grateful for the solidarity shown to us by our international friends members of WGNRR:

Youth Action Nepal
SAYWHAT, Zimbabwe
Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Netwokr, Nigeria
Fortress of Hope Africa, Kenya
Peace Foundation, Pakistan

Read more on the artist's blog: http://missive452.blogspot.com/2011/04/colorful-condoms-for-consciousness.html

Colorful Condoms for Consciousness

2011-04-08T21:29:00.001-07:00

This has to be one of the coolest mandalas I've co-created so far.

The idea was sparked a month ago when my friend Irina made a visit to Sagada. We both lamented the dire lack of sexual consciousness and the dire toll that inexorable over population on the environment and quality of life in the Philippines. A personal experience involving two friends and an accidental pregnancy had brought the issue close to heart.

I reflected that Mandalas are all about raising consciousness. Why not put them to work here?

Why not build a mandala out of thousands of condoms!

It was a crazy thought, but within days the elements began to coalesce. The intention took on a birthing of its own. We met Tyronne and May in Bontoc who resonated with the idea and scheduled it in an upcoming conference. Irina returned to Manila and within a week had secured condoms. Funds then followed.

And... This past Monday, during the Youth Summit for Population, Health and the Environment, we pulled it off!

150 youth leaders from all over Mountain Province arrived and became involved in the co-creation. That morning, Paulo from Frenzy condoms arrived with 3500 condoms in a rainbow of colors. With the help of Lloyd, May and the 'Bontoc United Community for Modern patriots' we began sketching out the design. As the conference progressed, condom by condom, the mandala emerged.

It was a fantastic consciousness raising success! The process involved involved touching, opening, and inspecting condoms. You must understand that here, like many, many other towns in developing countries, most folks have never seen a condom, let alone touched or talked about them. Sex and protection are an unspoken of taboo subject here- despite of course it's ubiquitous inevitable reality among the demographic. Having the condoms around in this playful artistic context gave the youth an opportunity to socialize, laugh and joke around-- busting through fears and naivety.

The provincial Governor passed by to see what we were doing. In a speech praising the activity, he admitted that he too had never seen a condom before. Other speakers likewise talked about how this minimal sexual and reproductive consciousness has a major environmental and social toll.

It was an awesome example of how art and mandalas raise consciousness. The creative process meant the experience of seeing, touching and talking and joking about the condoms.

Irina had been skeptical about opening some of the condoms to add them mandala, thinking it a waste. I too! But at the end, she and I saw it differently. "Now they actually know how to open a condom. They aren't scared of them anymore."

Inspired by the way my lover Sarah does mandalas, we paused the conference, held hands around the mandala, and performed a ritual reading. Together we read and affirmed the intention/prayer: "May the youth of Mountain Province be empowered to be conscious and intentional about using their sexual and creative energy to make the world a better place."

Amen! Let it be so!

At the end of the conference as we processed the experience, the youth were effusive about how they enjoyed and learned from the creative process. A young man got the mike and made a joke. "Today I got a glimpse into the crystal ball of my friends' futures here... You won't be having babies any time soon!"

View the full gallery of photos on Facebook

Movie to come!

Art for River Healing

2011-04-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

After a recent visit to the Coloocan river, the youth from MCYPD we're deeply moved by just how polluted their river has become. The elders shared stories of how fish, turtles and people used to swim and play in the water. The youth felt strongly that one day they would like to see the turtles return. It will be alot of work, but we started today with a little step. Using chalk we drew fish, turles, and more marine life around a community drain. The drain of course flows to the river. And the river to the ocean. We must be conscious of our contributions to the river of life. And a little re-minder always helps! Next we hope to paint the creatures beside the other drains in the community.

A dramatic peace portrait of the General Secretary of the Japanese Embassy receiving a Lotus with one of your prayers from a Muslim youth

2011-04-01T22:23:00.001-07:00

The 1Mandala artists recently were at work with the Muslim/Christian youth of Tala-- a humble urban community outside of Manila. The youth there, who like the Japanese after the recent Tsunami, lost their homes to Typhoon Ondoy flooding in 2009. The hearts of the Tala community went out to the Japanese people-- and their prayers. Through the guidance of 1Mandala artists Russell and Sarah, they learned to make origami lotuses-- a flower that symbolize rebirth and renewal.

We then asked you, our 1Mandala followers to share your prayers for Japan on our Facebook page. The prayers that you posted, the youth wrote onto their papers before transforming them into lotuses.

The lotus were presented this week in a mandala interfaith prayer ceremony and ritual in front of the Japanese Embassy. It was attended by leaders of half a dozen faiths. The centerpiece lotus, shown here, was handed by Jafarri to the General Secretary of the Embassy. It is a beautiful multi layered symbol of our interconnectedness across times of renewal, catastrophe, and culture.

You can view the full album of photos from the event here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32711&id=140007482730458&l=cb3ab02840

tags: peaceportraitoftheday, 1actions, 1lotus, japan, philippines

Lotus Presentation & Ceremony

2011-03-30T06:13:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we presented the lotus flowers at an inter-faith prayer ceremony in front of the Japanese embassy. In a moving moment, one of the youth presented a lotus to the embassy general secretary.

Lotus Prayers for Japan

2011-03-29T21:50:00.001-07:00

Lotus Prayers for the Japanese Embassy

2011-03-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

Last night Sarah and I gathered with the Muslim/Christian Youth Group in Tala to make the lotus origami prayers. Today will be aranging them in a ceremony in front of the Japanese embassy in Manila. It bodes to be beautiful.

Thank you again to all those who contributed their prayer after seeing our Lotus Prayers for

Japan movie.

See the full gallery of photos from the co-creation here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32492&l=134f6ec318&id=140007482730458

Prayer Portraits for Japan

2011-03-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend I have been staying with and leading workshops from the community center in Tala. Coloocan-- a barrio of Manila. It is a humble urban community where chickens and ducks walk around on the earthen streets and children play barefoot amidst the cinder block houses. Roosters crow and tricycles putter loudly. These tricycles are the motorcycle taxis are the main means of transportation, mainly because they are ideal for navigating around the ducks, chickens and other speed bumps on the narrow streets.

In 2009 a Typhoon caused two dams to overflow. A wall of water flooded their neighborhood river and washed out everything. The youth told me stories about how they had to flee their homes with but their shirt on their back and take shelter in the basketball court. They told me how when the water receded everything was encased in mud. Words like destruction, sadness, loss, calamity, loss of control, and more came up as we talked about it. But then so too did the words hope, coming together, community, help and unity. Unity was a word they all agreed on was best to describe what was most important in the aftermath. The Christians and Muslims that live here all came together to help each other out.

The youth have a deep empathy for what is happening in Japan. They've been through it. I was here mainly to do a social media workshop, but that has turned into a spontaneous art prayer workshop. The children wrote out their prayers for Japan on pieces of paper and we photographed them. These we uploaded as a Facebook album-- using their new social media skills.

You can find a link to the full gallery here:
www.1mandala.org/1actions

Here are their prayers for unity in Japan.

Building a Social Media Team

2011-03-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

Today I write from Coloocan, a barrio on the edge of Manila. I am out here because I am very excited about a group of youths.

Here in this urban community, Muslims and Christians live together in harmony in their humble yet warm and welcoming homes. I am staying with Eric and Emily who are the elder leaders for the interfaith youth group that is based here. I am very grateful for their kind and generous hospitality and the group they are helping to cultivate. These youth, who range in age from 10 to 18 are exceptionally motivated. Over the last few years the have been trained by Peacemaker's circle-- a Manila NGO that through the United Religions Initiative helps set up "cooperation circles". This youth group is one such circle.

They do some awesome stuff.

It was with them that we deep the Lights for Peace project which President Aquino, generals, and civic leaders partook-- literally hand in hand with the youth. In my stay last month in their community I noticed their voracious passion for Facebook. They are all on. They all spend hours each day chatting and sharing and poking and gaming and messaging.

However, the discrepancy between their peace passion and their facebook passion was palpable.

So, after some discussions and an invitation by Edmark the president, I made the long trip here to do a little social media workshop for the youth. They were a little skeptical at first-- thinking they already knew all about how to use Facebook...

About 30 of them partook in two sessions today. We went over really basic fundamentals of Facebook systems and most importantly-- organizing as a group. The idea being, that with a little more understanding of the social media systems they are already using, they can co-creatively dramatically empower their social actions. Social media is where it is at these days. This is where the potential lies to spark movements and manifestations.

We all got excited. Now they too see the potential and our day ended in a internet cafe with a two hour flurry of connection coordination. What a great experience and what a great community!

I can't wait to see what they will do! More on our ideas tomorrow...

Making an Interfaith Community Mandala

2011-03-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

Working with these awesome Muslim/Christian Youth Leaders

2011-03-14T02:49:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I made the trip down to Manila to do some exciting art with 80 Muslim and Christian Youth leaders! Two different communities for the first time at an Eco park in the city to get to know each and continue us their peacemaker training. United Religions Initiative has been working with them to train them as leaders and peacemakers. What an awesome group they've got going!

Sarah, Orlan and I led them through the fundamentals of mandalas and cocreation. This mandala we made out of chalk, their personal drawings, leaves and stones was the culmination of the day.

These are amazing kids with great potential. During my time with them, I shared some social media basics. All these kids use Facebook. If they come together virtually as well as they did this weekend to co-create the sky is the limit!

This beautiful collaborative mandala is fantastic example of what they will achieve working together.

Creative Generosity

2011-02-26T18:23:00.001-08:00

I am learning generosity here in the Philippines. But not just any generosity. Creative generosity.

I've never had so little money in my life. Yet I've never been able to be so generous. I am learning that true generosity, truly sharing a blessing, has nothing to do with money. It's about creativity and intent. And those are mine to give at any moment!

From intent flows creativity-- the more creative your generosity, the more you are giving, and the greater the blessing all around!

About as many pesos as would buy two Starbucks coffees enabled Sarah and I to buy the healthiest ingredients for a massive batch of banana, oatmeal, cinnamon, raisin, wholewheat pancakes. We got the local kids involved in the cooking. Kids that get very little family attention or artistic opportunity. We then got them drawing on the banana leaves that we would be using as wrappers. They had a joyful blast drawing shapes and smiles and people and animals to decorate them. The rest of the family came into the kitchen to watch and help. Everyone got into it as they learned of our homeless food production plan!

Sarah has now been commuting around the city with the pancakes on hand to give away. People are always asking for food. Or maybe you just see them sleeping on the streets.

Just imagine being alone in the dark on the street then being handed a homemade, love infused, banana pancake, packaged in children's drawings!

:-)

Exactly.

Sarah shared with me the other day that after handing some pancakes out, the couple called back to her-- "The children who made these are heaven sent!"

1 Pair of Pants, 12 Days

2011-02-23T05:05:00.001-08:00

I just got back to Sagada from my week and a half stay in Manila. My decision to go to Manila was made on the fly while visiting another village. I jumped on the bus with only one change of cloths and a small bag. I had three shirts, but alas only one pair of pants!

Oh my, it's good to be back in Sagada. Fresh air, quiet, and... Clean pants!

What a 12 days it was though.

I am still reeling from my intense and momentous time with Sarah, the president and the Muslim and Christian youth.

Yes, at times I really wished I had a change of pants. But openeness to the creative flow is what being an artist is all about. Stepping out of comfort into challenge and the unknown is where the creativity magically flows. Wether it's modifying some breakfast buns or making a mandala with the president, the most authentic and brilliant creations are strangely unplanned. Indeed, it's when the universe has a chance to work with you.

Art, and dare I say life, is all about accepting what you've got in your moment and creating, and loving, grandly.

This was my way of making breakfast for Sarah one morning.

Processing

2011-02-20T23:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Sarah and I made the long trip out to Caloocan, the barrio outside the city where Eric and his group of Muslim - Christian youth leaders live. These are the amazing kids that helped us lead the workshop with NHC high-school to make the clay candle holders for the peace ritual. The youth leaders were challenged by four times as many kids showing up than we had planned-- yet came through brilliantly. That's us posing in the photo above.

The purpose of our visit yesterday was to process the experience with them. These kids live way out of the city and just as far from the polical machinations of the country. To suddenly be on TV and meet the president was a major experience. I am glad we made it. Sarah and I saw how much emotion and thoughts they had to express. We went around the circle and shared.

Here's some of what came out of it.

"Nothing is impossible if we work together"

"Even though it looked impossible to teach so many kids, I learned that if the intention is good, beautiful things come of it."

"It was my first time to do something for change"

"When suddenly we had to work with 16 kids each [instead of the planned 4 per youth leader], I was like 'Can we do it?! 16 youth!'. But the kids were smiling so much with the clay that even though we were all tired the tiredness went away and we were able to show them all how to do it"

"I was soooo nervous when we were doing the rituals with all the officials"

"It was my first time face to face with the president"

"I got to see myself on TV"

"It's an honor to be a bridge for peace between Christians and Muslims."-Jafarri

"It was such an honor for the community to do something for the country." -Eric

Global Blessing > Local Art > Global Blessing...

2011-02-18T20:18:00.001-08:00

I've been working hard lately. Not just at making local art, but on global systems to facilitate global participation. It's got me thinking about the relationship between the two that will enable the synchronous spread and manifestation of both a local blessing (like the Guina'Ang 1Book library) and a global blessing (like the Candles for Peace mandala or the mandala that will come from the Guina'Ang project).

So I did some chalk drawing with the local kids today. Here's what we came up with! Not sure if I got it right though. Perhaps it's actually Local blessing > Global art. Hmmmm...

Lights for Peace - Children's Voices Through Art

2011-02-18T04:16:00.000-08:00

I am really proud to post this one.

My partner Sarah and I have been hard at work over the last week.

And before that we were hard at work with lots of kids to make this happen. It was so cool how it all came together magically. This time last year, I was writing alot about 'co-creation' and even 'supra-sexual-co-creation'-- the idea that by harnessing the distinct male and female creative energies, we can create, heal, and acheive in ways far beyond what we can do individually.

This creation-- a harmonious blend of my creativity, Sarah's, and everyone elses'-- is a fantastic example of co-creation in action. It wasn't easy. The co-creative process brought up all sorts of ego and artist and personal issues for Sarah and I-- but the end effect of letting go of ego and working synchroniously together was... this! Kinda like when two waves combine to create a tide that surges far further than the ones before and gets your shoes wet.

Be sure to check it out.

Here's the full description....
_______________________________

A Mandalic co-creation featuring President Aquino and 400 Children.

After decades of conflict, long awaited Peace Talks are set to resume between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (also with the National Democratic Front and the Moro National Liberation Front).

Four hundred children from diverse faith backgrounds gathered with artists, ritual leaders and indigenous musicians to channel the power of art and ritual for peace building. On February 7th, 2011 the children were invited to craft terra-cotta candle and flower holders inspired by the Tri-People culture of Mindanao.

The next day the children were joined by the President of the Philippines, leaders of the military, universities, police, government agencies, and NGOs for a ritual lighting of a peace mandala of candles featuring their clay creations. It was the call of the children to end armed conflict in their generation. It was a celebration of the end of the cycle of war, misunderstanding, and separation. It was a reminder of our interconnection across lines and generations. United, one light at a time, peace will shine.

*The project was made possible by United Muslim-Christian Peacemakers' Association of Tala, Peacemakers' Circle Foundation, 1Mandala, GINHAWA, and SangHabi.

Fishes, Loaves, Pastels

2011-02-14T23:56:00.001-08:00

With the 1Books that have arrived in Guina'ang, so too has arrived a box of pastels. 1 Box to precise. Thanks Dan!

While there I figured I'd do a little mandala workshop. Boy did the pastels come in handy. It was like a scene from the Bible. The one box of pastels somehow got broken up, divided, shared around (like the loafs and fishes) and was used by a class of 50 students!

The class happened to be doing a lesson on fractions and ratios. We incorporated that into mandala making. The children choose a number and divided their paper accordingly. Working with a given fraction of their favorite number, they divided their paper up into sections of color. Then, I gave them another fraction, and they cut up their colored paper into pieces.

And then we made Mandalas! Their Mandalas became iterations of their favorite number. They were so keen that in the afternoon we went ahead and built collaborative Mandalas. More on that in my next post.

Making a Mandala with President Aquino and...

2011-02-13T05:38:00.001-08:00

...400 kids!

I am in Manila this week on a spontaneous co-creation with my lover Sarah. This weekend, long awaited international peace talks resume over the war torn province of Mindinao in the Southern Philippines. To help launch the talks we orchestrated with the presidential staff a mandalic peace ritual. Sarah was instrumental in ensuring this ritual that drew on Philipino roots was part of the event. And, it was by far the most successful and engaging part of it.

We began with the co-creation of clay candle and flower holders with 400 kids of diverse faith backgrounds. That's alot of kids! Its a minor miracle it worked out.

We had the amazing help of an interfaith group of youth leaders from a Manila neighborhood. The holders were arranged with leaves and flowers to make a candle lighting ritual that was assisted by president Aquino, his generals, government and spiritual leaders, and of course the kids.

The youth partook in the ritual directly. The president just said a speech. It was way more fun working with the kids!

What is the way to peace and harmony? It is to be peace and harmony! That's what the mandala making process was all about.

Here's the full Facebook gallery.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=59063&id=123451754375588

Movie to come...

The artists: Sarah and I, the youth leaders.

The Secretary for Peace lights a candle with her grand daughter.

The president looks on.

Arrived!

2011-02-12T19:23:00.001-08:00

I made the long trip into Guina'Ang the other day. I absolutely delighted to see the first pile of 1Books that have arrived.

Wow!

How amazing to see the parcels from all over the world there in that little village high in the mountains! Even more amazing was to see the smiles on their faces as they opened up these beautiful books and flipped through them. The small group that helped me sort through them were thoroughly fascinated and could barely put them down.

We're really on to something powerful and amazing with the 1Action concept. It chilled me to the soul to witness the blessing coming together there in the mountains.

We're learning lots from this first one! It's taking much longer than we thought, but its happening. I can't wait to go back next week to the school with Sarah (who's coming up from Manila!) to do the second artistic component of the project.

In the meantime, we're hard at work on a revamped website and social systems to coordinate the next 1Action. Dan sent in 1box of pastels with his book and that precipitated and amazing mandala making session with 50 kids while I was there. One box made such a blessing! That's already giving us new ideas!

I am a little delayed getting the photos up as I am having iPhone challenges. First thing though, I wanted to share these photos with you guys! You'll recognize your books i think! A second batch of books awaits in Manila still.

Grand Spontaneous Artistic Co-Creation

2011-02-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

Completely on the spur of the moment, I took off on the 12 hour bus ride to Manila yesterday. I am here co-creating with my lover Sarah, an extraordinary art project that celebrates the return to peace talks in the Southern Philipinnes this month.

I was honored to lead this workshop with Sarah and the Interfaith Youth Workers in Manila today. We expected 100 kids, we got 400+! Nonetheless, it was a great success. Using clay, rice and seeds we spread the raw materials all around to create candle holders for a peace ceremony tomorrow. We arranged the finished holders in a mandala this afternoon.

Tomorrow we continue with a ceremony to be attended by government officials.

You can see the full gallery of the day here:

Student Grattitude!

2011-02-05T17:27:00.001-08:00

The other day I was finally able to make it back to Guina'Ang village and school. Alas, I only had one day to visit. My purpose was to see the 1Books that had arrived and to touch base with the teachers.

However, to have some fun, I offered to do a workshop with one of the classes.

It had been a good two months since I was there last. Imagine my surprise and delight to find this on the chalk board when I and the principal walked into the grade four class! The principal was going to introduce me. However, the kids remembered me and on their own initiative made this beautiful greeting for me on the chalkboard!

Talk about gratitude and enthusiasm! The students were 100% eager to learn and listen. And grateful. At the end of the class--get this-- they all lined up to shake my hand. All 50 of them!

When students are this eager what can you do? I gave them my attention the whole day and, incorporating mandala art into their current math lesson on ratios, we made the most amazing Mandalas together.

More photos to come!

The students with all the 1Books that have arrived.

To Leap

2011-01-23T17:20:00.001-08:00

Hiking the other day, the trail I was following died out. I had to make my way down the cliff side to the river bed in the valley below. Bushwhacking we call it in Canada. At one point I had to swing out on long grass to to get down a sheer 5 meter drop. Phew!

Somehow I had to cross the river back to the main road and to civilization. The Chico river, although it is low now, is nonetheless fast and deep. I found a place where for about 200 meters there were many stones sticking out and scattered throughout the flow. I set across, leaping stone to stone.

At one point, I was daunted by a major leap. I back tracked, trying to find another easier way across. There was nothing. I made my way back and faced my foe. A metre and half leap was required to a stone with no flat landing. I would have to land and hold myself up with my hands. Upon landing I had two more stones to jump across, each with only room for one foot.

There would be no stopping. No turning back. I would have to jump, jump, jump-- the last two without pause, jumping with the foot I landed on It was the deepest part of the river. If I fell in, there would be no catching myself with my feet.

It felt like I was in the midst of some Life Metaphor! Except, the words were stones and the lesson the cool, deep, fast water.

I gave the rocks a good look over. I imagined the jumps in my head. The required series of muscle movements played in my mind. My heart was pounding and my legs shaking. I breathed deeply, striving for calm. Then sun was getting low in the sky.

Then, without a second thought I just jumped. My hands firmly grasped the first rock. I pulled myself over. A long pause. Leap! ... Left, Right, left...

I made it! I was alive! I hopped my way to the other side, the remaining jumps nothing in comparison.

This hike had begun by exiting the main road, the Known, for the Unknown, across the rusty bridge. The spiritual author Osho was a great influence here. He argued persuasively that we must always choose the Unknown. This is where living happens. This is when we are deepest in our moments and our world scintillates with possibilities, passion, inspiration and life.

Yep.

The River

2011-01-20T04:24:00.001-08:00

On my hike, I wrote these lines and took this photo while at the foot of the Chico river as it coursed over the pebble strewn river bed. The path had died out and I was forced down the mountain side to negotiate a crossing.

There is something deeply refreshing about the the swirl and sound of a river. Like liquid crystal it courses the bottom of this verdant canyon that I find myself in-- I a speck of red sweatshirt in a vein of wild, untamed life force. I drink with my ears, eyes and soul; peace is it's gift to me.

Across the Rusty Bridge: Hello Unknown!

2011-01-18T23:02:00.001-08:00

I have made the walk from Bontoc to Sagada a few times now. It's beautiful. The road runs along a winding mountain river. Green mountains tower up on either side. Rice terraces flow down the mountain side like the steps of some long gone race of giants.

It's an easy walk really. A smooth, paved road, everyone takes it. However, on my last walk, I noticed a rusty suspension bridge to the other side of the river for the farmers and the faint wisp of a trail cut into the green mountains.

I have a personal dictum. "Always choose the unknown". Its inspired by a book by Osho entitled 'Courage'. The Unknown is where learning, experience, wisdom, adventure and indeed life take place! Yet, indeed, to leave our comfortable well worn road of patterns, places and people-- the Known-- it takes Courage. With a capital C.

A rickety suspension bridge separates the nice paved road and the other side where the farmers labour with oxen and hand tools on the rising steps of the ancient terraces. I stood there for a good five minutes trying to decide what path to take!

My dictum called to me over my fears and the beckoning coziness of comfort.

With a leery first step I stepped out on the bridge. You can see right through the rusted iron to the river far below. The entire structure shuddered in the wind. The bridge was oddly symbolic to me this day. To live or not to live? The unknown or the well worn path?

My sweaty hands grasped firm the rickety iron railings the whole way over to the other side. As I stepped onto the grass on the other shore, I beamed. An epic hike of aliveness, trial, tribulation, dead ends, victory, leaps, scratches and heart thumping, leg shaking moments awaited me.

Alive I am!

Western Union is Evil - Part II

2011-01-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

Today a friend sent in a 1Mandala project donation. The donation was for 30$. The Western Union fee was 12$. That's a 40%! Insane.

The fees basically get larger the less you send. So for the global phenomenon of oversees workers sending small sums of money back to their families in developing countries, this means that the poorer one is, the more one pays. Crazy.

Do you know why it's called Western Union? I read a book on the advent of the telegraph in the 1900's. Western Union was one of the first telegraph (telegram delivery) companies. It was a union of smaller telegraph services that merged to serve more broadly. It connected the Western American states to the Eastern states. Then the states to Europe and the world.

When the first telegram was instantaneously sent between England and America there was great rejoicing! How could wars continue? So mused a headline at the time-- now world leaders could communicate across the distances and talk! And if we can all talk and connect then any problem could be resolved before it became a war! This was the vision of the technology's pioneers.

And despite the massive wars of the last century, there is still wisdom and truth to that vision of interconnectedness and peace. The more we connect the harder time injustice has. To think that the company founded on such hopes and vision is now ripping global class separation wider.

Time to connect and unite.

Once again here is the Avaaz petition:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_giving_powerful/?copy

Western Union is Evil

2011-01-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

Back when I was in university, I did my philosophy ethics thesis on "Usury". Most haven't heard of this word. It's a term from a forgotten age-- the good old medival days when lending money at a rate of interest was considered a sin.

Yes. Interest was a sin. And 'Usury' was it's name. And not just a little sin! Dante put the usurers on a level all their on in his Inferno. They had a special place of suffering in Hell all their own for their particular monetary deeds. Indeed, usury also was one of the Seven Deadly sins. Muslims concur by the way, and have banks and financial systems now that work without charging interest.

In university the concept was academic. Living here in Sagada, I now experientially understand.

You see, there's no bank machines here that work with my card. In order to live here, I've had to rely on Western Union to receive my money that comes in from international art donations and sales.

As you may know Philipinos go to work all around the world, then send money home to family-- to places like Sagada. It is one of the biggest sectors in their economy. And they too must use Western Union. In this way, I have suddenly become a financial Filipino! This is how Filipinos must send their money. And Africans, and Latin Americans and so many other workers from developing countries that go to developed countries to work.

I've almost fainted each time I've had someone send me a national Western Union transfer. I've almost passed out when I've done international transfers. The fees are insane. Local transfers are from 10% to 20%. International fees go up to 30%. Thats my hard earned money and kind donations vanishing into corporate coffers. It's fucking crazy.

But when your financial options are limited by location, country, status, education and Internet access, there just aren't any other options! The financial instruments available to first worlders-- credit cards, wire transfers, paypal, and even just a bank account just arenet available.

And so Western Union usurously exploits.

Of course Western Union doesn't charge by percent. They call it a"fee". Which is bullshit. Dante would see right through that. The quotes above are the percentage value of the "fee" to the amount sent.

And that's mighty reminiscent of Usury-- charging a percentage for access to money. Usury was a sin in the medival days because folks saw clearly how it enslaved the borrower to the lender. Poor borrowers became incapable of capital repayment because they could only just barely pay the interest. Rich lenders would in fact make the most from the poorest borrowers. Its not a matter of personal weakness but of social power balance. We see it today clearly with credit card debt, and of course poor countries and their debt enslavement to the IMF and first world countries.

Western Union is essentially no different. Except it doesn't just enslave people, or even countries. It basically is ripping wider the gap between the planetwide classes of rich and poor. Western Union's client base is folks in disadvantaged countries all over the world. Folks with no access to the Internet, to banking, to financial instruments. Families in Filipino villages like mine, or Africa or Nicaragua, or somewhere else where there are no other financial options.

I've just discovered that alot more people think the same. Check this Avaaz petition out:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_giving_powerful/?copy

Christmas Love Pancakes

2011-01-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

I returned to Manila for Christmas. Walking the streets with my lover,we were hit hard by the street kids simply asking for food. A charity had just given away some meals-- alas packed in styrofoam and leaving a big mess. It got me thinking.

Manila is full of the disadvantaged and hunger and poverty and want and.... opportunity! Opportunity for creative generosity. It grates the soul each day to walk by people just asking for need. Rather than turn a blind eye, why not get creative and doing something beautiful with the opportunity? In my country the poor are pushed to the margins. Here the opportunities are for giving and touching folks are at every turn.

So... Both of us being professional artists... We got creative! Next time I am in Manila I will make another monster batch of pancakes and walk around with them in my bag. :-)

Thanks to Darragh Kenny for the use of his music. It was just right. He and recorded that track together in Amsterdam!

I am who I am Becoming

2011-01-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

Who am I?

Tis a fitting question for the end of a year and the beginning of a new one.

Holy shit have I had a crazy intense year. From Canada to Paris, where I lived with my lover in an amazing and posh pad, to six months of being down and out in a remote Filipino village where they sacrifice chickens and drink cobra blood.

Wow... I could never ever have imagined all this. Yet, despite the vast material, relationship and geographical fluctuations my intentions and purpose have never been more consistent and focused. And thus a realization about this very blog.

This blog has a lot of white in it does it not? It's pretty plain. Even the title is vacuous. I came up with the title on a 2AM whim two years ago. I went with white and the sparse design because, well, I suppose I felt alot like a blank slate. I was discarding skins that were not my own to become he who I am becoming.

Now, hundreds of posts later, thousands of kilometers and through countless moments of heart rending beauty, I have much more to say about myself. I feel I can now say it and express because of one paradoxical reason: I know it isn't me. I mean, it is me now, in this moment, yet I can and will change-- but what the heck-- why not just be it full out while I am it!

So this blog will now be evolving dramatically to catch up with he who I am becoming.

Let's start with my blog bio:

Russell Maier is a Jedi Artist. Integrating locally to co-create globally, Russell speaks over seven languages from Arabic to German to local indigenous dialects. His art has exhibited in galleries from Vancouver to New York to Berlin. Yet, he is most at home far from the great cities. Believing passionately that Art is not just for the wealthy but is one of our most powerful Oneness Consciousness tools, he travels the Earth, sharing the sacred art of the Mandala to the disadvantaged and disconnected in humble villages and challenged lands.

New Years in Sagada!

2011-01-02T01:35:00.001-08:00

The scene from my New Year, in Sagada: 12:00 AM - the locals do their ancient circle dance to the beat of their brass gongs. A hazy mist of cloud, bond-fire smoke, and the remnant of fire crackers has fallen over the village. All around he town erupts in dancing, gongs and firecrackers. Bang, boom! It feels half like a war zone and half like a tribal celebration as a cacophony of sounds erupts all over the normally sleepy town. Young and old form spontaneous rhythmic circles of dance in the streets. My friend and I duck and take cover as misguided pyrotechnics fly at us from the other side of the square.

What a night! And all this after stumbling on a feast full of friends, french food and a profound conversation and connection.

What a truly beautiful beginning to the new year!

Love from Manila, Philippines

2010-12-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

A Filipino Roast Monkey Christmas?

2010-12-26T19:56:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

My friend Andrew asked me the other day what kind of roast Monkey I had had for my Filipino Christmas dinner. He was joking of course, but it got me reflecting on the Christmas cultural experience I've been experiencing this last Holiday week. I've completely stopped working and have left Sagada for the Holidays.

I've been here in Manila for the last week with my lover. Although Sarah is Filipina, she is also vegetarian, so, alas no roast monkey! And no, they don't eat monkey here-- that's just a figment of Andrew's rampant imagination!

However, they do have a tradition here that they call Noche Buena. That means a midnight on the 24th they have a big feast (A big ham or roast chicken). We spent the last few days and Christmas eve evening with her family and had a really really nice time.

Christmas Eve we went to an absolutely packed Christmas Mass. The country is very Catholic and that means everyone goes to Church this day. We had to stand way at the back by the door for an hour-- as long as we could endure!

Back at the family home, we were treated to a really nice Christmas meal. Various plates of tofu, rice, fish and shrimp were served. Then their special chocolate cake desert. They even cracked a bottle of Champagne for me! They don't normally do this, but after hearing how a Christmas Eve bottle of sherry is part of my tradition-- well, champagne was the closest thing to sherry that they had! That was very nice. A touch of home for me.

At midnight, the family said a prayer, then the kids excitedly opened their presents. After the gift giving we said goodbye and returned to our place. The streets were full if singing and firecrackers and people celebrating.

I am however not a vegetarian. The next night, I was compelled by a primitive carnivorous Christmas urge. I snuck off from Sarah and bought one of the remaining roast chickens at the roaster across the street and treated myself to a private feast. Of course, I got in a little trouble when I showed up late and full to her apartment for dinner!

Fortunately it's Christmas.

Forgiveness is the the spirit of the season.

Ummm... Right Sarah?

The Ancients Smile - II

2010-12-17T02:22:00.000-08:00

These woman are the pillars of culture and wisdom in the village. They have lived. The evidence of the generations they have supported is written on their faces. Despite this, they can give the most dazzling smiles.

Now that the portraits are officially delivered, here is a second photo taken of the old women of the village of Mainit. I was asked to take this photo, only if I brought a copy back to the ladies. They were laughing about how tall I was and how much difficulty I was having with eating the rice with my hands!

Delivered!

2010-12-16T02:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I received this handwritten note. It was from my friends who I sent deep into the mountains to deliver photos-- to the family's and old ladies mentioned in my last post.

The note is clear. As I promised them... They had quite the adventure! The expedition took them waaayyyy off the beaten tourist and even backpacker track. I am sincerely proud of them. Their note describes the perils of the journey-- lost, running out of water, and being hosted the night in the furtherthest village.

Despite the arduous adventure, I detect in between the lines that it was well worth it. A rare and special experience-- they're going to have some great stories to tell!

The Ancients

2010-12-14T17:46:00.001-08:00

In the remote villages here in the Northern Philipines, you see the most amazing faces and smiles. It's like that in rural and traditional communities around the world. Especially with the young and the elderly. The faces of the elderly tell the stories of ages long past.

Perhaps never in human history has the disparity between the generations been so great. The elderly here in the remote villages remember an era before the missionaries had arrived, when loin cloths were the normal attire and the houses were made of grass.

The other day, on a dirt road, I passed an old bent man wearing a loin cloth and carrying a spear. His passing was like touching a shadow. A last flickering shadow of an ancient way of life .

Its next to impossible to get photos of the old people. The young people here are shy enough! The old folks so much more-- Especially of white people and technology. Yet, I've been here a while now and the people know me. There's a remote village I have visited three or four times now. At a wedding I was invited to, my limited Kankanue got me talking with the old women. And, to my immense surprise-- they asked me if I could take their photo!

What an honor.

But there was one condition. They asked me if I could bring them copies of the photos. I gladly and solemnly consented. In the dusk and firelight, I snapped a few precious shots the best I could.

I haven't been able to return to the village and fulfill my promise-- til this past weekend. I set some backpackers up with a journey into the mountains to make portrait deliveries. You can read about that in my last post. In the meantime, I am honored to share these portraits of these amazing beings with you.

More portraits to come...

Blessing Delivery

2010-12-10T06:36:00.001-08:00

My three new friends sit on top of the local Jeepney holding three envelopes full of blessings. I met the three travelers the other day on their visit to Sagada. They seemed like an adventurous bunch capable of handling a route off the beaten path.

I have three sets of portraits that I have been meaning to deliver to three villages in the area. It's a fairly rigorous hike out there, so I've been bidding my time to return. However, these guys were eager for some adventure, so I told them about the delivery mission. They were keen, so I drew them a map and taught them some basic Kankanue. After some printing problems were vanquished, they were off after a nice brunch together.

This is a photo of them heading off photos in hand! We'll see if they make it back!

Co-Creating the Guina'ang Elementary Library & Mandala / Oneness in Action

2010-12-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

The final movie is now launched! I really excited about this project. Anyone can help make it happen. Co-Create a library and mandala with us in a remote elementary school in the Northern Philippines. We're doing it 1 simple and small action, donation and book at a time. Together we co-create a beautiful blessing! Read the full project brief here: http://www.1mandala.org/1Actions

Working hard on 1Actions

2010-12-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

We're almost ready to post the final version of the Guina'ang project video. We'll be using this one to gather momentum for manifesting a mandala and library and mandala for the school. It will be a full out social media experiment in connecting people 1 to 1. Folks will mail their books right to the students and 1 Book at a time we'll co-create the library.

Co-Creating the Guina'Ang 1Book Movie

2010-11-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

We're getting a movie ready for our Guina'Ang social 1Action. Here's a little clip on how you can help us make the movie-- by sending me a photo of a book and you.

"One!" -- from the students of Xijen IT College, in Bontoc, Philippines after a presentation by 1Mandala artist on our systems

2010-11-23T21:51:00.000-08:00

I was delighted to make the trip this morning into Bontoc to meet with Joel and his students at Xijen IT college. This college runs independently of the government, yet manages to have vibrant bunch of students-- even if they were a little shy! I've never had to encourage students so much just to hold up their hands to make a comment!

I gave them a little overview of the emerging word of social media and the various web technologies that I see at the forefront-- HTML5, Open source SMSs, Facebook Pages, etc. Of course, the 1Mandala is using all these, so I gave them a tour of our backend systems, a philosophical brief on the concept of Oneness, a crash course in sacred geometry, and a short dissertation on Jungian Collective Consciousness. I was really impressed when at the end I asked some random summary question-- and they had not only been listening, but understanding!

And of course, I invited them to take a peace portrait.

------

Holding up 1 finger and saying "Peace!" the students of Xijen Information Technolgy College and Russell pose for a peace portrait. The students and college are collaborating to translate the 1Mandala site into Tagalog (the Filippino language) over the next weeks as Russell introduces them to the latest applications of social media, CMS and translation technology.

6 Months of Full-Out-Off-The-Cliff-Hard-Relentness-Work

2010-11-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of about 50 pages of charts, spreadsheets, prose and point form. This is the 1Mandala Intention Map. This is what I, nay, WE have been working on for the last six months. My team and I have coalesced about 200 pages of google docs into this 50 page equivalent of a business plan. We call it an 'Intention Map'. It takes our meticulously crafted statement of Intention and lays out the two year plan to make it happen.

I printed it out just yesterday. What a feeling to hold the document in my hands for the first time! The six of us in the 1Mandala core team have been pouring over it for the last couple weeks now. We're at version 0.9.8. We're almost at the point where we will release it!

You can't put together an intention as crystal clear and co-creatively shared as this without the Universe taking note. Already, we have a line-up of business persons eager to see what we have put together. We're applying cutting edge consciousness principles into an incredibly innovative and beautiful endeavour.

Many you have followed my tumultuous six months here in Sagada. At times, with resources at a bare minimum, I have questioned my sanity and soul to dedicate so much on this plan without any secure funding, salaries or rewards. I felt like I was jumping of a cliff. Yet, I held fast and persevered. Now, as we emerged with this document, this map and this intention firmly in hand, I am not just getting excited... I am seeing with gratitude my last four months in this small village.

To compose and refine a document like this, you gotta be focused. Yet this is a classic Catch 21-- the impossible predicament that faces any entrepreneur. In order to survive with one's work/business/organization/project it needs to be running, and you need to be running it-- not waxing philosophical about principles and intentions! Yet to be successful, you need a solid plan. This is why so few start-ups ever get going and get successful.

Yet, being able to live in this isolated place without any distracting opportunities, lovers, or money... I have had an unbelievably amazing and unique moment to mine the requisite clarity. I mean... living expenses are so low here and the people so kind and trusting, its actually been possible. It's little short of a miracle.

I am grateful.

What we're all about in words.... a Wordless creation by Sarah Queblatin created from the 1Mandala blo.

2010-11-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

After Work Smiles

2010-10-31T06:56:00.001-07:00

I met Floyd and his mum on my walk from one town to another yesterday. A little rain started to fall and so I took shelter with them as they were coming out of the mountains from working their rice fields all day.

Despite a long day in the fields Floyd was full of energy and playful joy. I guess thats what happens when your outside all day working your land surrounded by green mountains. Floyd was dancing around, jumping off rocks, drawing on the walls and driving his Mum crazy. I had to laugh. And so did they.

They had both such amazing smiles! I had to ask them if I could take their portrait to share with the world. Their response was to give us this great mother and son pose!

Oneness Delivery to Delican

2010-10-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

This is my journey to Delican, a remote village in the Filipino mountains, to deliver a portrait of a family that I met on my last pass through their village. The village is 12 hours bus from Manila. One hour by rough dirt road. Three hours hike on a winding foot path. There's no road access, let alone phones, computers, printers or cameras.

I filmed this a few weeks ago. It's a real rough movie shot entirely with first takes. I have been a little ashamed to put it up, not just because it is so rough, but because so much effort went into gifting so little.

The Book of Job

2010-10-23T22:53:00.001-07:00

I was talking to a friend the other day. She listed off the various things that have happened to me in the last few months-- being hit by a massive Typhpon, landslides isolating my village, getting deathly sick, running out of food, having no connection to the outside world, forsaken by a lover, being stripped of all my wealth, etc. It reminded me of the Book of Job in the Bible-- you know the one where God decides to test his faithful servant Job by besetting him with every possible calamity.

So the other day I took the afternoon off work, picked up the Gideon Bible in my hotel, and read the Book of Job. Reading out loud some of the passages where Job speaks, it was as if I was speaking what I had to say.

So anyway, I just give up.

I think that's gotta be one of the messages of the book. If God can be so frivolous and do all that nasty stuff to his best servant, and no matter what Job says or does, he can't make it better-- then what's the point in trying anyway?

I don't mean give up, give up. Job may have wished he was dead, but he kept going. I mean, I am just going to give up fighting the current.

The current took Job from being a wealthy man, to a diseased and impoverished nobody who's most trusted and loved friends forsook him with judgement, then back again to his former stature.

Job had a great life until the demise of his success. I've had the most amazing life ever, almost like multiple lives within a life. I've been like a father with a log cabin house in the countryside with a a wife and two kids. I've lived amazing lives in central America, the middle east, Europe, a loft in Paris and heck I've even been a farmer in Iceland. Now I am a missionary embedded in a remote Philipino village.

That's where the current has taken me.

So rather than resist, I am going to just let it be. And in the meanwhile be as massively generous as I can be with what I happen to have.

So, whatever. Now that I think of it, now that I release the dire grip on my expectations and wants, I actually have lots to give still, and many people I can bless.

So, I am just going to keep going with that current.

The Flower

2010-10-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

We're right in the middle of the typhoon here in Sagada... crazy winds and rain for the last two days...all the power, cell, phone are out... just managaged to get on at a place that has a generator and a special line! I might not be able to communic

2010-10-19T01:02:00.001-07:00

Yelling, Cursing and Screaming are Good

2010-10-09T17:58:00.001-07:00

Have you ever just yelled and cursed at the top of your lungs?

I don't think I have have. Not til this afternoon on my walk back to Sagada, anyway. I am too mild mannered and come from a culture where politeness and reason reign.

I've been cooped up in bed for a long time being sick. Thankfully, I think I am finally on the mend. Returning to normal. So, I choose to walk the relatively easy part of the road back from Bontoc to Sagada today-- to get some fresh air and exercise. I've barely eaten in five days nor left the hotel. The walk home to Sagada is a gorgeous winding and lonely road through the towering green mountains. Just what I need.

In this fever time, I have also been getting really angry-- at myself, my situation, the universe, my conservative brother, my lover who abandoned me through silence, my geographic plight, the fates, the gods, money, etc. In fact, my intense feelings probably went a long way to making me sick and attracting my situation.

Haha... "Probably"... Of course they did. Its nobody's doing to me. Judging and blaming only make one sick. It is just how it works. I guess, best just to laugh at what I already know too well.

So there on the road I realized that there was no one else around! The road workers and rice harvesters seemed to have gone home, no trucks were coming, and I had this vast and silent and imposing landscape to look out upon from the perched highway. That's when the idea overcame me.

YELL. Let it all out.

I stood on the embankment and yelled and yelled and yelled. All the profanities and curses and anger and emotion and frustration and shit. I just yelled it all out.

Wow!

Did that feel good. I highly recommend it.

I felt alot of weight lifted. Purged. That seems to be the theme of this crazy last week were anything I ate would flow right out of me. It was like a seven day fast with a full system flush concluded with an emotional purge.

Five Days of Fever

2010-10-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

This will be what I call a Vaughn post-- where I write about bad stuff. Bad stuff, sickness, accidents, anger, frustration are so much harder to write about. My good friend Vaughn urged me once after two months of golden sunshine posts that I needed to make it real. Life's got its ups and downs and I can't be visiting school children everyday.

I write with a fever. This should be interesting.

Just before I was about to leave the remote village of Mainit I got sick. I had been out delivering portraits and toys to an even more remote village. Maybe it was the food there. I felt Real bad. Fever. chills. diarrhea. It sucked because their was no Internet or cell access and no pharmacy. My good friend/angel Sarah helped me get the medicine I needed.

I got back to town and felt beter. Then it got worse. And worse. Now five days later I am back at square one with a fever. Shitty. I feel like I am going to slowly wither and weaken away into meaningless nothingness. Satre would smile and say I've made a great existential revelation.

My friend points out that everything is connected. So my last blog commented on the challenges and obstacles with my art project. It's at that crazy stage where it is collapsing and exploding at the same time. My finances just ran out to see it through over the gap. The hosting and domain all expire in a two days. The crazy thing is we have a great sponsor lead and just today I was going to talk to a business man that I have been preparing a doc to show him for over a year (well, and show others too). It's agonizing... After so much work and the doc is so strong now.... Facebook would friggin commission us...

Ok... Too tired to type now. I rest. No happy ending here folks. It's insane really...

Steady, steady...

2010-10-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

So, for those of you who have been following the 1Mandala project you have been getting our updates each week. Each update is the culmination of months of work by our team. Each newsletter reveals a component of the project that we've co-created over the last eight months. Each newsletter is a piece of our Intention Map, new website content and a series of pre-planned blasts to bring our 3000 followers up to speed with the new project.

Of course, now that the momentum is going again, all sorts of temptations are arising. Getting back to my journey, starting the project movie, contacting investors, etc. At the same time things are getting immensely challenging-- my resources are dwindling and yet cost and bills and debts threaten to strangle this critical stage.

I feel a little bit like Luke Skywalker as he flies his X-Wing fighter into the Death Star to take it out. As he approaches his target he is bombarded by fire on a sides. The target is small and requires steadiness and focus.

It's hard! It requires not just trust but humility and faith. Trust in the process, the universe and the unfolding of the intention. Humility to let go of expectations and of pride. Working with a team in the cocreative way means fluiding accepting all the ideas that come. Faith that when you follow your dreams, calling and heart the universe conspires with you.

However, one is still the creator. Your humility (or ego) either thwarts or enables. The most challenging consequence is when it comes time for asking for and accepting help. Is the work important? Are you important? Then asking for help is often part of the process.

"Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open-end to you". Of course, if you don't knock, seek or ask, Well... Yep. Exactly.

Oneness and Mandalas in at Ginayan Elementary School, Philippines

2010-10-04T02:49:00.000-07:00

On my way to visit some friends in a remote village in the mountains, my trail literally took me through the school yard of the Ginayan elementary school-- a not so remote, but still pretty remote village in the mountains of the Philippine Cordilleras. As I walked through the school yard and all the kids excitedly pointed and gleefully exclaimed 'Americano! Americano!'

On my way through the yard I made the acquaintance of Manuella and Celestina-- one a teacher and the other the headmistress. I asked them if on my way back through, they might like me to talk a little about Canada.

So, later that afternoon, on my way back, I dropped by again and was kindly invited in for coffee. The next day, I was invited to talk to the kids about Canada and why I am in the Philippines.

I had a lot of fun. There's about 300 kids in the school (and only 7 teachers!). I made the rounds to each classroom and spoke in my now slightly functional Kakana'e dialect. It felt important to talk to the kids.

You have to understand that this village is roughly 12 hours by bus from Manila, then another 1.5 hours by really really rough road into the mountains. There is only one computer in the school. None of the kids have ever been out of the country. Most probably never out of the village or province. The English books date from the 1960's and the class sizes are 30-50. There is no administration. Those 7 teachers do all the work. To have any visitor at all is remarkable. To have a white guy who speaks English fluently and their language-- no matter what the details of who I am-- is a rare connection and glimpse of the social web on Earth.

The passing of Dr. Robert Muller was still on my mind (see my last blog post). One of Dr. Muller big ideas and initiatives was to teach a universal educational foundation to all kids. He emphasizing teaching to the kids their place in the web of life, and how we are all apart of it irrespective of borders or ethnicity. His foundation (which fits on one page) teaches first the solar system, the place of earth in it, then our place on Earth. And so, before I introduced them to Canada, I drew the solar system and I explained I was from planet Earth-- a corner called Canada. I explained I was collecting smiles from all over the planet to share with people from all over the planet. I asked if I could take a portrait of their smile to share with my friends around the world.

They gleefully obliged.

Here you are! (I had trouble up loading the photos to my blog so here is the Facebook Gallery link)

The Passing of Robert Müller

2010-09-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, I climbed to the top of a mountain in Costa Rica. There, in a humble wooden home, I met Dr. Robert Muller.

For those that don't know the work of Dr. Muller, he was a pioneer for world peace and global education. Dr. Muller was the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for 40 years; Recipient of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize; Co-Founder and Chancellor Emeritus of the University for Peace in Costa Rica; and Nuclear Age Peace Foundation World Citizen honoree for 2002. In 2003 he was awarded the Goi Peace Award. (from AOND).

It was a sunny, golden and green Costa Rican afternoon. I had walked three hours up a mountain road to get there. The smiling old man, put in his hearing aid, apologized for talking loudly, then invited me to join him for coffee. I had heared rumours about Dr. Muller in my time living in Costa Rica and I was brimming with curiosity. I asked him many questions.

One of the most fascinating conversations of my life ensued. Dr. Mueller truly and deeply "thought" of the world in a way that transcended borders and nations.

Long before twitter, blogs and Facebook, he would sit-down and write out an idea for world peace every day. His assistants would send it out on email lists. A book was being compilled. I still remember several of the ideas he brought up:

- Corporate executives should by be compelled to meet and make decisions in places surrounded by nature. This way, in making their big decisions they would remember the beauty and interconnectedness of the ecosystems their decisions would inevitably draw upon and effect.

- Government foreign ministries should be abolished and renamed-- "foreign" ministries imply a nation's separation from the rest of world. Better: 'Ministry of Global Affairs'.

That's two of hundreds of peace sparkling gems.

It's amazing how much I remember from the brief encounter. It was as if he had crucial ideas that he had to pass on to me. He cut right to the chase. He even pulled out a tape recorder to record the conversation-- for me!

The most memorable moment however, was something else all together. After sharing his ideas on peace and international political reform he looked off wistfully off into the horizon. The sun glinted behind a cloud in the brilliant blue sky. It was almost as if he was talking to himself at this point.

He sighed. In his Alsace German accent, the sun glinting off his metal framed spectacles, the lush green tropical trees wavering lazily in the breeze, he spoke. I paraphrase:

"There are so few humans on the planet who truly think beyond the man-made, antiquated constructs of borders, nations and geopolitical lines. Yet 'think' is the wrong word. I mean, to truly know, operate, live and be in a way that acknowledges we're all on a planet. I am one of only a couple hundred who are thinking this way now. This must change".

For some time afterwards, his statement struck me as slightly arrogant. Surely, there were alot more people who thought of the world on a global level! Like me for example. Surely.

As the years have gone by I have reflected on this statement. And, I have seen the truth in it. To truly transcend the cumbersome ideas of a world divided into nations that we are born into in this civilizational moment is truly no easy task. If you have a chance to read about Robert's amazing birth, childhood and life during the second world war do so. Robert was brought up amazingly citizenless-- being born in the contested and at the time nationless area of Alsace-Lauren. This upbringing gave him a remarkable boost to being able to think beyond borders and propelled the small town boy into his amazing career with the United Nations.

And this led him to found the Universidad por la Paz in Costa Rica. And for him to settle on the top of the mountain beside it in his 'retirement'. Some one would argue this has been his most consequential time. Like me. The Canadian expatriate who was in the foreign country of Costa Rica and who walked up the mountain to meet him that fateful and infinitely inspiring day. That day, I began to climb a new mountain, to steadily become, truly and deeply, a citizen of Planet Earth.

Peace from a Waterfall

2010-09-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

A little meditative journey to a little waterfall in the International Day of Peace to get a little wet and to reflect. Bomatoc Falls, Philippines.

Apple Expedition

2010-09-22T09:06:00.001-07:00

Today I made a beautiful 8km hike into Fedilisan. Thanks to 1Mandala donations by Sarah and Andrew I was equipped with a bushel of apples and some family portrait printed from my last visit.

The only way to get to Fedelisan is a winding, precarious mountain foot path that takes a good 20 minutes down and 30 minutes up. It is a humble village of small tin houses perched on the side of a dazzling verdent valley of rice terraces.

From my last visit I had learned that many of the kids had never tried apples before! It seems they grow everything here in the Philippines-- except apples. They are eight times the cost of the local bananas and you can only get them in the larger towns and cities. I picked up some in my pass through Sagada and brought them with me.

They also don't have cameras or printers in Fedelisan! The family I had met on my last visit had no photos of their kids. I had snapped some of her family and her really shy son on my last visit. You should have seen the mother's smile when she opened up the envelope with the pics!

I was invited into the community hall for coffee. There I met Dawanee and Douane. Douane is 15 days old! Dawnee asked if I could take some photos of her newborn. Her first baby photos! Can you imagine not having photos of your newborn? I'll be sure she gets some prints too.

250m below: Subteraean Inspiration

2010-09-19T22:38:00.001-07:00

The other day, chance led Sarah and I to join a caving expedition here in Sagada. I've been meaning to visit the local caves for a while now. They are one of the main attractions of the area-- but I keep putting it off-- they are a serious spelunk that require a guide and a professional lanttern. I have been patiently waiting for the right moment.

And then a guide and two mexicans walked by us and invited us to join them. This was the moment! I am so glad to have had Sarah with me. What a beautiful moment and adventure.

The two hour voyage takes you 250 meters below ground into the dazzling sculpture studio of Mother Earth. There, for the last hundred of thousand of years, she has been diligently at work. Here her water has had it's way with the limestone-- hewing it into the must surreal shapes-- smooth, curved, bulbuos, undulating forms that would inspire the most abstract sculptor. Curtains, elephants, and crocodiles emerge in the curvaceous stone formations. Water trickles everywhere, forming endless streams, pools and cascades of water over the subterranean playground. My limited and flashless iPhone photos doesn't do it an iota of justice.

You'll just have to take my words and imagine. All I can say is that it was very, very, very cool.

The sheer monstrosity of the time involved in the making of these wonders is deeply humbling. One drop of water at time made all this. It is a grand testimony to the inevitable creativity and beauty of persistence, consistency and determination.

Thanks Mother Earth.

A Stroll through the Bontoc Market

2010-09-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

A cornucopia of Filipino sights, sounds and colours as Russell and Sarah walk through the local market in downtown Bontoc, Philipines.

Saluting the Sagada Dawn this Morning

2010-09-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

Bana Gets a Tatoo by Sarah

2010-09-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

She is Light

2010-09-15T23:56:00.001-07:00

My good friend Sarah is visiting me in Sagada from Manila. We have been experimenting with a new way to do 1Mandala portraits using mudras-- symbolic hand gestures with ancient meanings. Here is one great shot. This mudra is associated with the statement "I am light".

Location:Halsema Hwy,Bontoc,Philippines

Rejection - A good Sign!

2010-09-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

I read this today and was inspired!

"If you aren't getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren't ambitious enough"

http://cdixon.org/2010/09/12/getting-rejected/

A video intro to Sagada and 1Mandala Strategy

2010-09-10T19:43:00.001-07:00

"Russell in Sagada leads the 1Mandala team through a circular flow chart that integrates each social element of the 1Mandala project into a contagious cocreative circle that can inspire and sustain viral growth."

1Baby Cloths

2010-09-07T05:36:00.001-07:00

As I make my through different countries and some of the most disadvantages places, I have the unique opportunity to direct the good energy of the advantaged into creative blessings to those who aren't asking asking, but sure are happy to receive.

Here in the village where I am now staying, I eat out at the local restaurants. There I was served by an incredibly dour and grumpy waitress. I verged on judgement and condemnation. Fortunately, circumstances conspired for me to find out a little more.

I discovered the story. She's 18, pregnant and alone from her family. Her boyfriend had just run away to leave her on her own 7 months in. It is sadly a common phenomenon here in Catholic Philipines, where womans reproductive rights, education and birth control is virtually non-existent. She had been having a rough day.

As the French say, "Tout comprendre c'est tout pardoner". To understand all is to be able to forgive all.

Andrew and Susie have both just donated to the 1Mandala. I used their $ to buy baby cloths, which I heard from a colleague she was in need of. The girl makes less than a $100 a month so this kind of thing is hard to afford, yet, important!

She was totally surprised and really happy-- but a little shy! Here's a photo taken to pass on the thanks to Andrew and Susie.

Location:Sagada,Philippines

®