All Posts Tagged With: "Inspiration"

Solar Publishing is located in Owing Mills, MD and is a multi-media production company. “We utilize print, video, animation and web-based media to encourage humanity to embrace our connection with the environment.” “Solar Publishing promotes cultural awareness, planetary responsibility and holistic living.” Their books help teach kids about the environment and the diverse peoples around them ultimately giving a stronger sense of themselves and the world around them.

Baltimore Medical System (BMS) is building a Healthy Living Center in Highlandtown on a City-owned parking lot. From the lifeless asphalt will soon rise a LEED Certified building, housing a LEED Platinum community health center. On Friday, June 13, we went to their groundbreaking ceremony, which was both heartwarming and well-attended.

Twenty-three years ago, BMS began providing quality primary health care to the citizens of Highlandtown, many of whom were elderly and wished to age gracefully in their own homes. Today, BMS provides care to 14,000 people, including traditional east Baltimore residents, as well as new refugee and immigrant patients from around the world.

This new center will continue to provide the full range of health services for all people, whether insured or uninsured. The new space will allow BMS to increase their patient base to 21,000 and to provide educational programming such as smoking cessation, prenatal classes, and healthy eating in a new community room. As it increases its staff, it will continue to be the largest employer in Highlandtown. Continued

Charm City Yoga is owned and operated by Kim Manfredi. She teaches with an emphasizes on the eight limbs of Patanjali Yoga . Offering two locations in Fells Point and Mt Vernon with a branch opening soon in Towson has allowed the Center to invite more then 20 instructors, "from a variety of traditions to begin to share their teachings. Some of those traditions have included astanga, sivananda, Iyengar, and more. Kim feels strongly that there really is a yoga for everyone, and she feels an important part of her own growth as a yogini is her increasing awareness of the infinite number of paths to enlightenment."

Breathe Books is a multifaceted books-and-accessories store, located on the famed "Avenue" in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, and offers its patrons more than just books — its products espouse the concept of "conscious living, personal growth, and spiritual awareness" touted by founder and proprietor Susan Weis. In addition to the offerings of the store itself — with themes such as shamanism, acupuncture, ghosts, numerology, magic, Chinese medicine, and tarot — the bookstore’s website features "Susan’s Musings," the owner’s blog about her travels, talks, and discoveries.

It was a thrill to vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday during the (I prefer to call it) Chesapeake Primary.

I came to my decision about Obama suddenly and with absolute clarity about a month ago, after reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s wonderful book about Lincoln and his cabinet, "Team of Rivals." I was so inspired by Lincoln’s example of brilliant, strategic, and compassionate leadership. The man reached out to his rivals, knowing that they were critical to the work that lay ahead. He readily gave others credit and always took responsibility for anything that went wrong. Because he cared so profoundly about this country, he was unremitting in his drive to prove that self-governance is not an absurdity. He had an easy way with people, was a great storyteller, and could relate in a genuine way to any person.

I know it sounds crazy, but - Lincoln was from Illinois (didn’t quite make Senator), was considered an underdog, and initially underestimated by many. Sound familiar? Just to test my theory, I also read "Dreams From My Father ," Barack Obama’s fascinating memoir of his childhood and early adulthood. He tells of his search for identity and meaning with great candor - Continued

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between 2 wolves.” One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed”.

Community Conferencing relies on the brilliantly simple idea of shifting the focus from who did what and how can they be punished, to who has been affected and how to repair the harm. When people come together in a conference, they don’t even have to agree on what happened. The conversation draws out ways to work together to make it better. The facilitator is something of a magician, subtly guiding the process and creating the setting for the group’s compassion and wisdom to blossom.

I love the stories. Continued

Seeds is a holistic heath center in Baltimore offering healing practices in acupuncture, massage, nutrition, ayurueda and naturopathy. If you’ve never heard of Ayurveda it’s a 4,000 year old healing tradition from India which like most practices at Seeds promotes a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature. A holistic approach to your health resists the impulse to diagnose a one size fits all pill to what your body is in defense of and whether it’s preventive care or getting your mind/body back on track visit seedsofwellnes.com. You can also learn more and get involved by taking one of many Whole Health Course workshops.