Gaia Community: Gaia Team's Blog

Friday Five of the 4th of July

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:40:18 GMT

Hello All

Jessica here.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July in the USA, our Independence Day. And this week our Friday Five is about just that, tea parties in Boston, fireworks, powdered wigs and sovereignty.

1) Do you celebrate the 4th of July?

2) Which do you prefer: pasta salad, potato salad, cole slaw or apple pie?

3) Do you watch or read the news? (freedom is a global issue afterall)

4) Do you vote?

5) Would you have fought in the revolutionary war?

Here's mine :)

Tags: Friday Five, 4th of July, Independence, freedom

Friday Five of Soothing

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:01:01 GMT

Hello Beautifuls!

This is Jessica.

This week we're celebrating the simple and peaceful things that make our busy lives more beautiful and relaxing. We need to take care of ourselves so we can care for others, after all! So, please join me in answering the questions for this Friday Five. It's my hope that we can share ideas and help each other take better care of ourselves and, as a result, the world around us.

1) What music soothes you? (an artist, genre, song, etc.)

2) Do you use scents for relaxation, if so which ones? (essential oils, bath salts, food, candles)

3) Do you ever get massage, acupuncture or do yoga?

4) Which friend(s) or family members do you go to for support and love?

5) If you could go anywhere to relax where would it be?

As for mine :)

Now, we have a little present for you! We're going to take you on a journey with the video below. It shows a single photo of a beautiful sunset over the water and has affirmations we've created for Gaia and Gaia Soulmates. It is intended for Soulmates users, so it's focus is on bringing forth healthy and loving relationships, but don't we all need that?

Seriously, this was recorded by our very own Jodi - with her lovely South African accent no less - and is so deeply relaxing. The first time I listened I felt calm and hopeful. I felt like I was remembering what was important and who I can be in the world. So please...take a deep breath, click play, close your eyes and enjoy.

Gaia Soulmates Affirmations

I hope you are all feeling warm and inspired. May you have gorgeous, peaceful and warm weekends of goodness.

Tags: friday five, soothing, self-care, relaxation, affirmation

Indistinguishable from magic.

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:32:24 GMT

Hello everyone!

Though many of you saw this newsletter from earlier in the week, I'm posting it here, too, as there's still plenty of time to sign up, and because the line-up (and offer) is fabulous. (And who can argue with free? :)

----

Indistinguishable from magic.

Beautiful people of Gaia...

One of my favorite "laws" comes from Arthur C. Clarke. "Any sufficiently advanced technology," he wrote, "is indistinguishable from magic."

It's true, no? I'm amazed by the amount of magic I've witnessed in my own life so far... and I'm delighted to invite you to come experience a new variety of magic this July.

In a few days, MaestroConference will unveil the beta version of a new telegathering technology. As part of their launch, they're offering over 60 free trainings with luminaries such as Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and Gregg Braden. (The full calendar is here.)

My personal not-to-be-missed is Patty and Paul Richard's free Wild Attraction: The Energetics of Extraordinary Relationship, which will take place on July 9th. Patty and Paul are two undiscovered teachers with amazing heart and integrity, and I've found their work magical in its own right. But there are dozens of others to choose from, and I'm sure no matter which you attend you'll be impressed.

Also, I just want to say that I'm happy the launch is finally here. :) I was lucky enough to preview an earlier version of Maestro a few weeks ago. I found it more interactive and participatory and vivid and fun than any other online or virtual training I've tried--so much so that It was hard not to chirp about the news to others. Because of this, I understand why their crew is sponsoring this event. If you enjoy the experience as much as I did, you'll be bound to tell others, and so there's no need for any "catch" when you register--just a full month of free programs and calls.

Again, you can register (and find out more about MaestroConference) by following this link. Have a click, and have a look, and mark your calendars... July is going to be wonderful. :)

To love and learning and the crazy wonderful miracles we so often and so easily and so innocently take for granted,

Siona.

I've heard Gregg Braden and Marianne Williamson's calls are already full, but there are still plenty open. And again, the Maestro technology is FUN. (Coaches, interviewers, workshop-leaders... do take note. It definitely makes the classroom experience more real.)

Posted by: Siona

Tags: teachers, telegathering, teleconferences, workshops, lectures, seminars, marianne williamson, gregg braden

Wendesday Welcome

http://team.gaia.com — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:18:57 GMT

Hello wonderful people!

It's Jessica.

I'm happy to be here Wednesday welcoming our new Gaia members to this beautiful community. This week we're going to be welcoming two lovely ladies and asking a few simple questions about joy, learning and life.

Please give a warm round of welcome hugs to le soleil. She is a gorgeous soul who loves nature and beauty. Check out her stunning and artistic blogs! And, here is what she had to share with us :)

Gaia: What in your life gives you the most joy?
le soleil: Being in the wilderness farrrr from “civilization” :)

What called you to Gaia? What were you seeking?

I was looking for an online oasis in the midst of all the noisy,
controversial, superficial social sites where you have to have 100s of
“friends” to be “worthy.” I prefer a smaller, authentic group of
friends both on- and off-line. Gaia offers a wide variety of groups
and discussions, allowing one to interact at their own pace; I like
that.

What would you most like to learn, or what would you most like help with?
My spirituality is sourced from nature and creating, but I enjoy learning
about others' spiritual sources and exploring together without anyone
imposing their “right way” on others. This kind of environment creates
a safe, free space to share and explore…and undoubtedly, triggers new
ideas, thoughts… :)

What is your favorite animal?
I simply adore (big) dogs (like huskies, wolf hounds, German shepherds, Great Danes…)

Now say hello and give some love to Flowering. She's a deep thinker, like so many of you and loves exploring spirituality and doing yoga. Her answers are simple and lovely:

Gaia: What in your life gives you the most joy?
Flowering: My children and husband, Colorado mountains, sunshine, fresh air, meditation.

What called you to Gaia? What were you seeking?
Like-minded friends and a place to express myself and read others' genuine expressions.

What would you most like to learn, or what would you most like help with?
I would most like to just be my genuine self, thereby giving others permission or example to also be that!

What is your favorite animal?
Cats.

Let's spread some kindness and love and send our hellos to these fresh faces ;)

Tags: wednesday welcomes, community, interview, members

Come to our Café :)

http://team.gaia.com — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:54:13 GMT

Hello Lovely People,

It's Jessica.

It's my pleasure to offer you all an invitation to our Café Counter conversations in the Lounge. We've been posting topics to spur discussion and debate about ourselves and the world around us. We believe these kinds of conversations help us understand what it means to be alive on Earth today and how to make the world a better place. This week we're talking about modernity and simplicity. Here's our question:

Is modern life too stressful? If so, how can we create simplicity and strengthen supportive connections and community?

Come read more and share your view with us in the Lounge!

Tags: Cafe counter, discussions, lounge, conversations, modernity, simplicity

Friday Five of Magic

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:01:05 GMT

Helloooo Lovely People!

It's Jessica :)

I hope you're having a beautiful week of wonder. I've been thinking about magical beings lately and fantastical creatures. I don't know about you, but I love the idea of a sparkling world of the unexpected and beautiful. So this week is about magic and the unseen wonder of life.

Please share the magic with us...

1) Do you believe in angels?
2) What is your favorite magical creature? (unicorn, phoenix, gnomes, pegasus)
3) Did you believe in the tooth fairy, Santa or the Easter Bunny as a child?
4) Do you believe in fairies? (clap your hands ;)
5) Do you like fairy tales or fantasy stories?

As for me...

Tags: Friday Five, Magic, fantasy, angels

Another update on Gaia's recent move

http://team.gaia.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:00:53 GMT

Lovely inhabitants of Gaia...

It's Siona agian. :)

As you've likely noticed, our site has settled comfortably in her new home--and is responding and loading more rapidly than ever. (See Chris's blog for a little visual. Wow, no? Six times faster?) We've taken care of a few of the problems that were troubling our IE8 users, too, on the discussions and in the comments area. So things are moving along nicely.

Unfortunately, we're still having trouble with the notifications about new messages and comments and digests and the like. For the time being, we're continuing to send them manually (thank you Ryan!), which means some of you will receive them in fits and starts. I expect we'll get the problem sorted out in the next day or so, and I do apologize, again, for the delay.

(We're also working to ensure that there are no missing pictures; though everything has been fed over and updated, there might still be a few broken image links over the next few days, due to the site "looking" for photos in the wrong place. It's a temporary thing, though, and will improve as the site keeps being used. So keep hitting the reload button. ;)

Finally, please please don't hesitate to get in touch with support if you discover any other troubles. And as always, you can also email us in a pinch.

Thank you all for your patience through the move, and, even more, for your love and energy and vibrance and hearts. I feel so fortunate to be among you.

Tags: gaia, servers, move

Gaia's Weekend Hiccups

http://team.gaia.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:13:25 GMT

Weekend visitors to Gaia...

Siona here.

I know a few of you have been experiencing intermittent errors over the past day or so, especially in the Group / discussion areas. They're merely the result of Gaia getting settled into her new servers (it takes a bit for the 6 million pages or so that make up the site to each get comfy), and we expect our Team'll have them all sorted out by Monday. Until then, it's a good idea to compose any posts in a separate file before pasting them into a response, just to be on the safe side.

We're also working on a smaller glitchy issue with the notifications you're used to getting about comments and messages, which Ryan's needing to push out manually. I apologize if you're needing to wait for those alerts; it's not nice to keep responses waiting. Again, though, this too should be fixed by Monday.

With that, I hope you've each got beautiful Sundays ahead of you. And please don't hesitate to contact support if something other than the known troubles above come up. :)

Tags: update, site, move, servers, gaia

Friday Five of Stars

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:01:37 GMT

Hello lovely Gaians :)

It's Jodi.

Jessica asked me to post a Friday Five all about the stars. Living in the Southern Hemisphere we have great stargazing experiences here in South Africa. I love stargazing and all the mythology surrounding the stars and planets. Here are five questions about our heavens.

Let us know...

1) Do you wish on shooting stars?
2) Would you like to travel to outer space?
3) Do you like astrology?
4) If you could name a new planet, what would you call it?
5) Do you enjoy star-gazing?

Here's what I said.

Can't wait to hear all about your astral experiences. :)

Tags: Friday Five, stars, planets, astrology, astronomy, space

Gaia Developer Update and Downtime

http://team.gaia.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:08:38 GMT

Hello all!

It's Chris, reporting from the Gaia Dev Trenches.

Remember us? It's been a while since we've posted a developer update, and we've got big news. We've been working under the hood, getting ready to move the Gaia website to a new set of servers.

No small task, that. :)

We'll explain more, but before we get to that, the Official Notice:

Gaia will be down on the night of Tuesday June 9th, 11:59pm US MST (-6 GMT) for a period of (hopefully!) no longer than two hours.

If you check in during that time and find no Gaia, don't worry! We'll have the site up and running again by the morning, with everything just as you left it. (However, if you jump right back on in the early hours, immediately after the site is restored, you may see that not all of your images are on the new server. Those will all be back within 12 hours--promise.) All of your blog posts, discussions, comments, photos, profile text, everything will be in place the next day like nothing ever happened.

We're excited about the move, too, as we've got an incredible new technology partner, Blue Box Group, out of Tacoma, WA. Jesse and Stephen and the crew have taken such good care of us, and they will continue to do so.

We do hope that the site will feel less bumpy, and as we achieve a few more goals this summer, the site should feel faster, too. (Our load times are almost the exact same as Facebook, but we want to do so much better.)

This transition has been a huge project, and we've taken care of literally hundreds of taks over the past month to help make sure it goes smoothly. If it goes off without a hitch, then we've just done our jobs. If it doesn't and there are hiccups, please accept our apologies, and let us know right away in the Support Group.

Onwards and upwards we go...

Love,

Chris, Ryan, Franc, and the whole Gaia team

Tags: update, transition, gaia, community, news, blue box

Friday Five on Film

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:16:20 GMT

Hello Gaians :)

It's Jessica.

I've been thinking about the impact of film lately and looking around in the Gaia Film section. Also, I just joined Spiritual Cinema Circle! I love movies. I live in Los Angeles so I tend to be inundated with Hollywood-culture. We have so many billboards and celebrities here and so many people work in the film industry. Sometimes I think it's a bit ostentatious and funny ;) but, it is entertaining. So this week's Friday Five is about movies.

Let us know...

1) What is the last movie you saw and did you like it?

2) What was one of your favorite films as a child?

3) Do you like scary movies?

4) What type(s) of films do you like best? (comedy, documentary, history)

5) What film(s) have inspired you?

Here's what I like.

If you want to share more about your favorites films, please come hang out in the Gaia Films section ;) You can also see trailers for our featured films there.

Did you know our favorite Gaia Community film is The Matrix, that's based on everyone who has listed it and put it on their bookshelf :) I love it too.

Tags: Friday Five, Film, movies

Friday Five at Home

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:46:44 GMT

Hello Gaians :)

Jessica here.

It's your weekly Friday Five. I've spent some time traveling and it's made me think about how nice it can be to be at home, to feel at home somewhere or with someone. So, we're going to talk about what makes us feel calm, content, safe and loved because that's what home is all about.

1) What is you favorite room in your house/ apartment?

2) Who do you feel at home with? (friends, a partner, family, a pet)

3) What colors do you have in your home?

4) If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

5) Finish this sentence in two to five words: Home is where the .....

As for mine :)

Tags: Friday Five, Home, Community

It's Wednesday!

http://team.gaia.com — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:24:47 GMT

Hello Lovely People,

It's Wednesday again and that means we're going to welcome more members to this beautiful community of ours. We had so many heart-filled answers to our questions last week that we decided to include a few more here.

These women are amazing.

Please open your arms to Anne. She's a UK Gaian and a wonderful example of introspection and deep thought. Here's what she has to say:

Gaia: Right now, what is the main source of inspiration in your life? What do you get excited about?
Anne: My main source of inspiration in life are the people who I have met at Findhorn and Osho Leela community. Two very different spiritual communities in Scotland and Dorset, UK. There I have met people who held up a mirror for me to be reflected in, who made me realise my strengths and the things which are really worth loving myself for… Simply wonderful to have supportive people on a path of spiritual discovery- and they showed me how to really dance as if no one is watching!!

What has been your greatest (recent) challenge, and what have you learned from it?
My greatest recent challenge has been to really learn to love myself, simply for being me. I always tended to compare myself with others and always wondered why I felt so lonely, but realising that before I am able to really love others I first need to love myself I have been able to open up and learn to appreciate my own beauty and uniqueness.
I have also been having a general struggle with materialism, feeling tied down and unable to become free for the clutter and associations of my daily accumulations in the materialistic level. Since starting to sell and give away my belongings I feel I have become much freer…something that's not easy in todays materialistic world.

I find those responses deeply inspiring. I hope we're all out there in the world dancing like no one is watching and loving our unique beauty. Now join me in greeting the luminous Sunshine Storm. She just packed up her life in the US and followed her heart to Europe.

Gaia: What called you to Gaia? What were you seeking?
Sunshine Storm: This community of like-minded souls is a wonderful opportunity to connect. Another learning experience of my adventure is that we are all One, no matter the customs and borders and technology we go through to connect. I like expanding my borders, and look forward to expanding them through Gaia :)

What was the most beautiful thing you've seen recently?
I could wax lyrical on this question endlessly! In short, it would have to be the magical rain and lightning and thunderstorm in Prague last week. I was laying on the stairs of the Castle Cathedral perched high on the hill, meditating. Suddenly the sky broke open with electricity and I had an incredible (and incredibly wet!) walk home through the ancient streets of the oldest part of the city. The beauty was more than visual - it was an immeasurably perfect poetic moment of connection with Source energy. My whole soul was burst wide open and feeling every drop, every roll of thunder, and every person who'd ever walked those streets in the past, present, or future.

What would you most like to learn, or what would you most like help with?
Wow….learning is endless, and all learning is important. In this moment my greatest intention is a permanent state of ego-free grateful surrender….so when I 'learn' that I will be delighted! I would most like to help with the shift of the planet, which is encouraging all of us to recognize and realize our greatest potential and our greatest yet-to-be. We all know we are here to be luminous and illuminate the planet. So let's shine!!!!!! Let's follow our bliss!!!!!

Wow. I think they said it best. Please say hello to these lovely ladies and if they inspired you, then feel free to share your own responses to the above questions here in the comments section or in your own blog ;)

Tags: wednesday welcomes, community, interview, members

Wednesday Welcomes :)

http://team.gaia.com — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:52:08 GMT

Hello Beautiful People!

Jessica here.

It's Wednesday and I'd like to take a minute to introduce you all to a few brilliant new members here on Gaia. There are always new lovely faces and they've come here - just like you - to expand their minds and share their hearts. So, I've conducted mini-interviews with some of our latest members to help show who's here and to offer a taste of the extraordinary people waiting to meet us on Gaia and in the wonderful world. It was an honor to peak into their souls.

Please help me welcome Raine, a mother, teacher and peace-seeking spirit. I was moved by her warm and open answers to our questions below.

Gaia: Right now, what is the main source of inspiration in your life? What do you get excited about?
Raine: Nature, just a simple thing like the flowers under my window coming into bloom. Seeing the different colours against the vibrant green background of foliage. My daughter her enthusiasm, when she does her work there's a look of such determination on her face. The children in my class and at school they way they get excited and express their ideas.

What has been your greatest (recent) challenge, and what have you learned from it?
Getting my drivers license, it took me a long time to get. I kept stopping and starting and each time I restarted I'd be a square 1. I got so frustrated I went from instructor to instructor hoping that this time would be different. My friend who had been in a similar situation said “sometimes its not the instructor that needs to change”. And she was right when I started seeing the lessons as practice and a way of building on my knowledge things changed. I relied less on the instructor, took on the responsibility and passed. It was not an easy road and I know deep down I could have been. The whole experience has helped me get stronger.

What called you to Gaia? What were you seeking?
I was listening to some great audio on learnoutloud.com and it linked to this website.

What was the most beautiful thing you've seen recently?
There are a few things that have made my heart melt, friends smiles. My Lilly coming into bloom. My flat as I clear away my clutter.

What would you most like to learn, or what would you most like help with?
To help myself and others, to move forward in my life. And I know that I am in the right place place to do this :)

Now say hello to Nino, he's a deep thinker, writer and thrilled to meet you, (really!) he blogged all about it!

Gaia: Right now, what is the main source of inspiration in your life? What do you get excited about?
Nino: Expressing my Self creatively from my deepest and highest aspects, by looking within. It results in a growing universal love for all that is.

What has been your greatest (recent) challenge, and what have you learned from it?
Setting boundries and showing the world who I am, even if it means letting go of things and people you love.

What called you to Gaia? What were you seeking?
What called me were synchronized events, probably called on by my Self on an energetic level. I was seeking Home.

What was the most beautiful thing you've seen recently?
All you people. I'm touched by your kindness and the things you do for others.

What would you most like to learn, or what would you most like help with?
I feel awakening of yet unknown feelings and abilities. I have absolutely no control over them and I like that. But I wonder what they're there for.

Both Raine and Nino joined last week, so send 'em hugs.

PS: We'll be featuring new Gaians every Wednesday and we can't possibly show them all, but there are so many seeking like-minded souls and good discussion, so if you're looking for those fresh faces or a new take on things, just search the Members section and "Sort by" sign-up or visit the Lounge and say hi ;)

Tags: wednesday welcomes, community, interview, members

You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring.

http://team.gaia.com — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:11:21 GMT

This made my morning.

Below is Paul Hawken's commencement address to the University of Portland's Class of 2009. I think we are all always learning, and all always graduating, and speech is too wonderful, and too inspiring, not to share.

(If anyone can find a video of it, please let me know!)

Commencement Address to the Class of 2009

University of Portland, May 3rd, 2009

Paul Hawken

When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was “direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful.” Boy, no pressure there.

But let’s begin with the startling part. Hey, Class of 2009: you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation – but not one peer-reviewed paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement.

Basically, the earth needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades.

This planet came with a set of operating instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or air, and don’t let the earth get overcrowded, and don’t touch the thermostat have been broken. Buckminster Fuller said that spaceship earth was so ingeniously designed that no one has a clue that we are on one, flying through the universe at a million miles per hour, with no need for seatbelts, lots of room in coach, and really good food – but all that is changing.

There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and in case you didn’t bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it says: YOU ARE BRILLIANT, AND THE EARTH IS HIRING. The earth couldn’t afford to send any recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain, sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute person you are dating. Take the hint. And here’s the deal: Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world. The poet Adrienne Rich wrote, "So much has been destroyed I have cast my lot with those who, age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world." There could be no better description. Humanity is coalescing. It is reconstituting the world, and the action is taking place in schoolrooms, farms, jungles, villages, campuses, companies, refuge camps, deserts, fisheries, and slums.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more. This is the largest movement the world has ever seen.

Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. Like Mercy Corps, it works behind the scenes and gets the job done. Large as it is, no one knows the true size of this movement. It provides hope, support, and meaning to billions of people in the world. Its clout resides in idea, not in force. It is made up of teachers, children, peasants, businesspeople, rappers, organic farmers, nuns, artists, government workers, fisherfolk, engineers, students, incorrigible writers, weeping Muslims, concerned mothers, poets, doctors without borders, grieving Christians, street musicians, the President of the United States of America, and as the writer David James Duncan would say, the Creator, the One who loves us all in such a huge way.

There is a rabbinical teaching that says if the world is ending and the Messiah arrives, first plant a tree, and then see if the story is true. Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity’s willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider. "One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice," is Mary Oliver’s description of moving away from the profane toward a deep sense of connectedness to the living world.

Millions of people are working on behalf of strangers, even if the evening news is usually about the death of strangers. This kindness of strangers has religious, even mythic origins, and very specific eighteenth-century roots. Abolitionists were the first people to create a national and global movement to defend the rights of those they did not know. Until that time, no group had filed a grievance except on behalf of itself. The founders of this movement were largely unknown – Granville Clark, Thomas Clarkson, Josiah Wedgwood – and their goal was ridiculous on the face of it: at that time three out of four people in the world were enslaved. Enslaving each other was what human beings had done for ages. And the abolitionist movement was greeted with incredulity. Conservative spokesmen ridiculed the abolitionists as liberals, progressives, do-gooders, meddlers, and activists. They were told they would ruin the economy and drive England into poverty. But for the first time in history a group of people organized themselves to help people they would never know, from whom they would never receive direct or indirect benefit. And today tens of millions of people do this every day. It is called the world of non-profits, civil society, schools, social entrepreneurship, and non-governmental organizations, of companies who place social and environmental justice at the top of their strategic goals. The scope and scale of this effort is unparalleled inhistory.

The living world is not "out there" somewhere, but in your heart. What do we know about life? In the words of biologist Janine Benyus, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. I can think of no better motto for a future economy. We have tens of thousands of abandoned homes without people and tens of thousands of abandoned people without homes. We have failed bankers advising failed regulators on how to save failed assets. Think about this: we are the only species on this planet without full employment. Brilliant. We have an economy that tells us that it is cheaper to destroy earth in real time than to renew, restore, and sustain it. You can print money to bail out a bank but you can’t print life to bail out a planet. At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product. We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

The first living cell came into being nearly 40 million centuries ago, and its direct descendants are in all of our bloodstreams. Literally you are breathing molecules this very second that were inhaled by Moses, Mother Teresa, and Bono. We are vastly interconnected. Our fates are inseparable. We are here because the dream of every cell is to become two cells. In each of you are one quadrillion cells, 90 percent of which are not human cells. Your body is a community, and without those other microorganisms you would perish in hours. Each human cell has 400 billion molecules conducting millions of processes between trillions of atoms. The total cellular activity in one human body is staggering: one septillion actions at any one moment, a one with twenty-four zeros after it. In a millisecond, our body has undergone ten times more processes than there are stars in the universe – exactly what Charles Darwin foretold when he said science would discover that each living creature was a "little universe, formed of a host of self-propagating organisms, inconceivably minute and as numerous as the stars of heaven."

So I have two questions for you all: First, can you feel your body? Stop for a moment. Feel your body. One septillion activities going on simultaneously, and your body does this so well you are free to ignore it, and wonder instead when this speech will end. Second question: who is in charge of your body? Who is managing those molecules? Hopefully not a political party. Life is creating the conditions that are conducive to life inside you, just as in all of nature. What I want you to imagine is that collectively humanity is evincing a deep innate wisdom in coming together to heal the wounds and insults of the past.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would become religious overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead the stars come out every night, and we watch television.

This extraordinary time when we are globally aware of each other and the multiple dangers that threaten civilization has never happened, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand years. Each of us is as complex and beautiful as all the stars in the universe. We have done great things and we have gone way off course in terms of honoring creation. You are graduating to the most amazing, challenging, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. The generations before you failed. They didn’t stay up all night. They got distracted and lost sight of the fact that life is a miracle every moment of your existence. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn’t ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hopefulness only makes sense when it doesn’t make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

------

This is your century? This is our century. And the world is in each of our hearts.

Posted by: Siona

Tags: gaia, paul hawken, blessed unrest, movement

Friday Five of Celebration :)

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:38:04 GMT

Hello Lovelies!

This is Jessica.

Perhaps you've seen Siona's recent post about the Celebrate Your Life conference. I am inspired by the very idea of celebrating life. This time of year is filled with celebration, especially for many students here on Gaia. Maybe you're out there finishing your semesters, graduating and accomplishing. Or maybe you're not in school, but you're simply celebrating the oncoming summer, the longer days of May and upcoming vacations with family or friends. Maybe you are just celebrating you. So, this week's Friday Five is about rejoicing and honoring, because there is always something worth celebrating in life.

Share with us...

1) Name one thing you want to celebrate about your life. (A loved one, an accomplishment, your health, the Sun...)

2) Do you like to celebrate birthdays?

3) Do you like confetti, fireworks and balloons?

4) What's one of your favorite ways to celebrate a big event in you life? (A party with lots of friends, a reward of quiet relaxation, going out on the town, presents?)

5) When did you last go to a party and what was it for?

Here's mine!

Tags: Friday Five, Celebration, joy, party

This week's release...

http://team.gaia.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:42:14 GMT

Beings of Gaia!

One more little update today, this one site-specific. We've got a few neat updates in our latest release, and I just wanted to introduce them here.

As of today, your user icon is now set in profile update page (which should reduce the number of smilies on the site, as new members can instantly add a photo :)
We've (finally!) added a 'ShareThis' feature (just click the green button below!) to blog posts, photos, and group discussions, for sharing to Digg, Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Friendfeed, 30 others (literally), email, and sms;
Our 'people search' has been improved, for more reliable results;
You can conduct a 'Lijit search' from your Gaia sidebar inside the regular Gaia Search results (and soon be able to use the search from your sidebar);
We've sped up the queries for comments and invites;
Subscribed blogs now show all subscribed blogs now, not just friends; and last but not least;
Some discussion notification stuff now lives in the background, again to speed up the site.

Thank you developers, as always and always. :)

Posted by: Siona

Tags: updates, gaia, bugs, features, fixes, search, blogs

Free Tickets to Celebrate your Life (and another book giveaway)

http://team.gaia.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:45:04 GMT

Gaia!

It's Siona. I've got a few things to share this beautiful Thursday. :)

The first involves a bit of news from one of our own. Liz Dawn (along with her sister Jaime and mother Ariel) is one of the founders of the Celebrate Your Life conference—a twice-yearly event held in Phoenix and Chicago. She's holding a drawing for a pair of tickets to the Chicago event (June 5 to 7, 2009), and she wanted to extend the offer to our community. (And it's not just for those in Illinois; there are already people traveling from as far as The Netherlands to attend.)

It's a wonderful opportunity: this year, the conference is bringing luminaries like Neale Donald Walsch (author of Conversations with God), spiritual medium James Van Praagh, Michael Beckwith, Dr. Christiane Northrup (Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom,) Caroline Myss (one of my personal heroes) and a list of others.

I want to give a personal beam of appreciation for Liz herself, as she's done a wonderful job in creating this event. I've spoken with a few people who've attended in the past, and they've all just glowed about their experiences. (Hearing what a treat it is to share a physical space with the authors and speakers most of us have 'met' only on conference calls or through audio seminars, and how amazing it is to experience the energy and support of an in-person community was a great reminder for me: I spend so much time in this virtual sphere, and so I like being reminded that nothing approaches the beauty of in-person connections.)

To enter (or to purchase your own guaranteed tickets :), just click here and follow the instructions. If you decide to attend, let me (or Jessica!) know….It would be wonderful to arrange a Gaia Gathering at Celebrate Your Life in Chicago.

Also, our sponsor Isha has given me two copies of her book, Why Walk When You Can Fly? to raffle off. (The trailer of the just released movie is below.)

Why Walk When You Can Fly? The Movie

To enter that giveaway, just send an email to books@gaia.com.

So good luck with both drawings, and again, do let me know if you decide to attend Celebrate Your Life. We'll get you connected with our own warm tribe. :)

Tags: celebrate your life, raffle, books, tickets, life, conference

Boundless Creative Inspiration!

http://team.gaia.com — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:02:58 GMT

The Image is 'Gold Bird Pink Sunset', a painting by our very own Jean Hart.

Hello all!

Jodi here. :)

For those of you who've not met me yet: I am on the Member Actualization (support) Team at Gaia... and needless to say I'm honored to get to support all of you here.

One of the best parts of my job getting to interact with so many wonderful people and Groups on the site. So, starting today, I'll be doing regular posts here in our Team blog featuring members and Groups that you might like learning more about.

I decided to start off by focusing on something that interests me personally. (If you're into creativity and the arts, this post is for you. :)

As a writer and visual artist, I've found that Gaia is an incredible collection of creative minds. When I first joined the community, in early 2006, my goal was to connect with other creative people--people with similar interests who might inspire and support me (just as I could them). And I soon found myself surrounded by something far more special than I could ever have anticipated or imagined: visual artists, writers, musicians, dancers, potters, poets, designers, crafters ... the list goes on and on.

And today we have such a variety of wonderful Groups focused on the creative process. I've found so much support and encouragement from other writers and artists--just having a system of creative minds can give such great new perspectives and inspiration.

One of these Groups is Diving Deeper: A Writing Workshop. This Group is focused on creative writing and is based on support tips from Sandra Jensen's Diving Deeper process. I love the questions that introduce the Group:

Do you feel compelled to write, but something is stopping you from getting on with it?
Do you feel you have a story to tell, or simply something ‘to say’ but don’t know how to start, or how to continue?
Are you looking for a deeper connection to your self, or a sense of fulfillment?

Members get a variety of great resources and structured tips and exercises. From writing poetry to screenwriting and play-writing, the options are endless.

I'd invite you to connect with Sandra herself. She's not only the cultivator of the Diving Deeper group and an author, but a Gaia Ambassador as well. So feel free to drop by and say hello. :) You will find a valuable friend.

A wonderful visual artist with a heArt of gold is Jean Hart. She's a warm person who makes acrylic paintings and sculptures that speak of love. In her own words she loves "laughing out loud, being part of something bigger than myself, organizing everything, cooking, DAYDREAMING" I think she's such an inspiration. :)

If you are a creative spirit in the broader sense of the word, you might want to look at Dreams of Artists.

This is a group focused on a variety of creative endeavors. It's a great place to post about the creative projects and artworks you're working on, and to get constructive feedback from people within the same and similar fields. There are Rooms devoted to completing projects and marketing concepts as well as projects and general discussions surrounding creativity and "what goes into art of any kind".

The cultivator of this Group is Kathy Smith. Kathy is an artist, writer, filmmaker, vegetarian who has the admirable goals of "World Peace", "Total Spiritual Freedom" and "Reshaping the Destiny of the Earth". Again, another source of inspiration.

Next time, same place, I hope to bring you more creative energy, people and groups. And if there's a new Group or theme you'd like to see profiled, please let me know. :)

"True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist."

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Tags: Gaia Community, Team, Art, Creativity, Writing, Artists, Groups, Community, Inspiration

Friday Five on Mother's Day

http://team.gaia.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:11:07 GMT

Hello Lovely Gaians

This is Jessica.

We're approaching Mother's Day in the United States. It's that special time when we celebrate the amazing women who gave us life and brought us into this great world. Mothers are a great gift. That's why this week's Friday Five is about our mommas and what they've done for us. Now, I know not everyone grew up with a mother, so just in case, you can pick whatever mother-figure suits you best. It could be an older sister, grandmother, teacher or friend. So, please join me in celebrating the inspiring ladies in our lives...

Please tell us...

1) How do you celebrate Mother's Day?

2) Pick three words that describe your mother or an inspiring woman in your life.

3) What qualities do you think are important for a mother? (pick 2 or 3)

4) Do you have children?

5) What is one thing you admire about your mother?

As for me...

Tags: Friday Five, Mother's Day, mom, women