My Roatan - Adventures in Creating Nirvana

yoga on the go @ sfo

2012-02-03T12:31:00.002-06:00

Stressed out by flying? Travelers in Northern California can now find their inner calm in the Yoga Room at San Francisco International Airport. The quiet, dimly lit studio officially opened last week in a former storage room just past the security checkpoint at SFO's Terminal 2. Airport officials believe the 150-square-foot (14-square-meter) room with mirrored walls is the world's first airport yoga studio, said spokesman Mike McCarron.

Wow, yet another reason to love SFO. Hope they add one in the international terminal.

Photo and source: Yahoo News

mmmmm!

2012-02-01T15:37:00.000-06:00

Bliss Beach. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

eurofreeze

2012-02-01T08:25:00.003-06:00

These images of winter in Europe make me really appreciate Roatan's mild weather.

Photo: spiegel.de

different worlds all tossed together

2012-01-31T22:41:00.000-06:00

There is no "Florida." Starting at the bottom, you've got your gay Mecca - Key West. Then all those boat bums, idle fisherman, ex-weed haulers, treasure divers, et. al., up the Keys to Miami.

Miami to about Palm Beach or Launderdale is the Florida most people think of. But there's Havana - it's not "Little Havana" any more. It's just Havana. Calle Ocho. Etc.

The middle of the state is a damn big swamp, with DisneyWorld on the West side. Miles and miles of retirement communities in various states of collapse.

You got the Panhandle - Cracker Country for sure. The big ass airbase. And we didn't cover Tampa and St. Pete yet, either, because the Gulf Coast is always the last thing folks talk about when they talk Florida.

It's many, many different worlds all tossed together. But there is no "Florida."

- Tundra Grifter @ Wonkette

One of the best (and funniest!) descriptions I've ever heard of the State of Florida.

quote of the day

2012-01-31T22:14:00.002-06:00

We support the Falklands' right to self-determination, and what the Argentinians have been saying recently I would argue is actually far more like colonialism, because [the Falkland] people want to remain British, and the Argentinians want them to do something else.

- British Prime Minister David Cameron

The people of Roatan and the Bay Islands wanted to remain British, too. (Pressured by the United States, the United Kingdom ceded the islands to the new Republic of Honduras in 1860.) Many of us islanders wonder at times how different things would now be had someone like David Cameron stood up for us back then.

determining your future now

2012-01-30T16:45:00.001-06:00

You create your future with the power of your intention. Intention is simply the conscious act of determining your future now. Health, harmony in relationships, happiness, money, creativity, and love will come to you in the future, based on your intentions now.

Intend every day and create your future life.

- lessons from The Secret

roatan's "autumn"

2012-01-27T16:39:00.000-06:00

This astounding, MoMA-worthy photograph (taken - incredibly! - with my Blackberry's camera) is another view from my balcony here ~~in heaven~~ at Paya Bay.

This time of year, after the rainy season, the leaves of the sea almond trees turn beautiful shades of orange and red, and then they fall. This annual "clean the slate and start over" behavior by trees is rarer here in the tropics, where most everything stays green and keeps growing year round. Interestingly, when the almond trees re-bud and create fresh crops of new leaves in a week or two, they will abandon branches that - for some reason or the other - failed to contribute adequately to each particular tree's 'greater good.' These internally cut-off branches don't get new leaves and eventually dry up and fall off. Obviously, even trees practice 'tough love' and make necessary corrections in their growth. This leaf-shedding event gives a dash of brilliant color to the natural tropical surroundings.

it's time

2012-01-26T17:30:00.001-06:00

It's time for revolution.

bliss

2012-01-26T16:08:00.003-06:00

Sunset yoga at the Ananda Pavilion. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

one or the other

2012-01-26T16:05:00.002-06:00

In life you have to be either really present or really absent.

- Layle, or as I teasingly call her, "The First World Trust Fund Babe," one of my twisted Australian friends who resides here in (what's becoming a quite hip and cosmopolitan) Roatan.

the sky trail

2012-01-25T18:20:00.000-06:00

Views of the tropical vegetation and fascinating rock formations along the Sky Trail (this section of the trail is near the Ananda Pavilion). Some family friends call this part of the property "Daviland," as my low-impact, respectful approach to development is used throughout it. :) Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras. See the resort's map.

*The salt in the ambient air is starting to work its magic on my camera. Can you tell? Salty air is great for humans but not so much for hyper-sensitive electronics.

fight obstruction with action

2012-01-24T22:29:00.000-06:00

...I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

- President Obama, 2012 State of the Union address

I have a deep and sincere respect for this gentleman. Let's face it, back in January 2009, G.W. Bush handed President Obama an economic disaster of historic proportions (back then, I often wondered if "W" and his puppeteer, Dick Cheney, were deliberately screwing things up as much as possible in order to trigger - in their bogus reality - some kind of sick, Bible-sourced "End Times.") Today (a mere 36 months later), Mr. Obama and his team can point with cautious pride to a U.S. economy that is growing (albeit slowly) while many other developed economies around the world are still teetering on the edge. Not only has the amazing talent of the Obama Administration deftly doused a "five alarm" economic conflagration (one that ominously threatened to take the whole world's economy down with it), the Administration is now using the charred remains to rebuild the house.

Astonishingly, the current U.S. administration has done all this while being relentlessly whipped, denigrated, and beaten down by what has seemed like a bitter, cynical, selfish, corporate interests-first, country-second Republican opposition. Under close analysis one realizes that what the brilliant, tenacious Obama economic team has achieved in such short time is nothing short of miraculous. If the extremely disturbing tragedy that was the W "administration" deserved reelection, Mr. Obama deserves it one thousand times more.

photo of the day

2012-01-24T17:51:00.000-06:00

There is no doubt you live in the Caribbean when this is one view from your balcony. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

*The salt in the ambient air is starting to work its magic on my camera. Can you tell? Salty air is great for humans but not so much for hyper-sensitive electronics.

a great desire for positivity

2012-01-23T16:16:00.002-06:00

If you have a problem with a member of your family who is negative, begin by writing a list of all the things you appreciate about that person. Remember to include gratitude to them for giving you a great desire for positivity in your life; because that is a gift they are giving you. As you focus with all of your strength on appreciation, you will not only reduce your exposure to the negativity, but at the same time you will be attracting positive people into your life.

Get yourself on to the appreciation frequency, and the law of attraction can only surround you with people who are in a positive state.

- lessons from The Secret

memories of esalen

2012-01-21T12:11:00.000-06:00

Food for thought. Esalen, Big Sur, California.

open up the door to receiving

2012-01-19T18:02:00.000-06:00

Giving opens up the door to receiving. You have so many opportunities to give every day.

Give kind words. Give a smile. Give appreciation and love. Give compliments. You can give courtesy to other motorists while you are driving. You can give a smile to the car parking attendant. You can give a warm greeting to the newspaper stand person or the person who makes your coffee. You can give by allowing a stranger to go ahead of you into an elevator, and you can give by asking which floor they are going to and pressing the button for them. If someone drops something you can give a helping hand and pick it up for them. You can give warm embraces to those you love. And you can give appreciation and encouragement to everyone.

There are so many opportunities for you to give and thereby open the door to receiving.

- lessons from The Secret

current temps

2012-01-16T10:52:00.001-06:00

The current temps in my world. Tonight I return to warm Roatan. What an amazing week I've had here in 'nippley' California!

Image: weather.com

when you withdraw

2012-01-11T23:07:00.002-06:00

When you withdraw from me, I'll withdraw from you
I'll distance myself from me so you will never know how I feel
I'll suffer and feel lonely
I'll blame you for not meeting my needs
I'll be secretly angry at you

When you withdraw from me
I'll remember all the times you have hurt me in the past
I'll wonder if anything will ever work between us
I'll mistrust what you say and judge what you do
I'll doubt ever wanting to be with you

When you withdraw from me I don't know what to do
I want to keep my love
I want to be close to myself and to you
I want to feel compassion
But, I just don't know what to do

When you withdraw from me, I'll withdraw from you

-Menachem Tabanpour

Menachem (pronounced Meh-nah-hem) is an amazing young man I've met here at Esalen. What bright light shines from this angel! I aspire to be like Menachem as I become more and more Truly Alive!

far greater wisdom

2012-01-11T01:50:00.001-06:00

Your life is a learning process - you can only become wiser from learning. Sometimes you might have to attract making a painful mistake to learn something important, but after the mistake you have far greater wisdom. Wisdom cannot be bought with money - it can only be acquired through living life. With wisdom comes strength, courage, knowing, and an ever-increasing peace.

- lessons from The Secret

stopping to smell the flowers

2012-01-10T23:24:00.000-06:00

I'm currently on vacation at Esalen in Big Sur, CA. I may not get to post much this week as I my activities here don't allow for much front-of-the-laptop time.

As always, I'm having an incredible time at this beautiful, magical, transformational place.

count them

2012-01-06T14:17:00.000-06:00

Count your blessings, Davi. You hear what I'm saying to you? Count your blessings, my son.

- timeless, loving advice from my Grandmother Doris (who has transcended)

(uncompensated) apple plug

2012-01-04T22:52:00.001-06:00

I love my McBook Pro. It's definitely the BMW of computers.

Steve Jobs was a genius, a man maximizing his human experience, and -- without doubt -- someone worthy of emulation. He is arguably a picture-perfect example of the (somewhat controversial) idea of American exceptionalism. He'll continue to inspire many of us for a long time to come.

I'm happy and grateful for the privilege of owning and using one of these superb machines.

folkloric latin wisdom

2012-01-04T19:06:00.001-06:00

El que no gozó aqui y al cielo no vá, lo joden aqui y lo recontrajoden allá.

- a Latin-American saying (one of several the Catholic Church probably hates)

It roughly translates: The one who didn't enjoy life here and then doesn't go to heaven, gets f_cked here and, furthermore, gets super-ref_cked there.

After all, who knows how picky the bouncer at the supposed "Pearly Gates" will be? What if the cigarettes you had behind the shed at 12 are a deal-breaker? Makes one think, doesn't it? This idea may help explain why latinos are -- in general -- such warm, relaxed, happy, expressive, dance-y, touch-ey, feel-ey, joyful, sexy people.

With globalization and the sharing of cultural norms, perhaps this "latin energy" is something the rest of the world could adopt from us.

Hat tip: Nicolás.

give more value

2012-01-03T14:10:00.000-06:00

"Give every person more in use value than you take from them in cash value."
WALLACE WATTLES (1860-1911)
The Science of Getting Rich

Remember this, and never take money from anyone without giving more in use value than the money you are receiving. In people's lives, this is one of the main causes of lack of money, unsuccessful job experiences, and failed businesses. Give more value than the money you are receiving; in your job, in your business, and in every part of your life.

- lessons from The Secret

practice patience and compassion

2012-01-01T22:14:00.001-06:00

One of the important lessons of Yoga Sutra I.17 is that you are not supposed to be able to master everything immediately - and no one else is either! Shift a pattern of being critical of yourself or others by noticing when that judgmental voice starts to pop up and immediately countering it with a true and positive thought. If you find yourself getting impatient at the checkout line because the cashier is slow, focus on the fact that she is thorough and careful. If you are feeling critical of your child's teacher for not responding to emails in a timely manner, think how great she is in the classroom. And if you are frustrated with yourself because you are having a difficulty with something, remind yourself of your valuable skills.

You can also try this more formal practice: Sit comfortably and take a few relaxed breaths. As you continue breathing comfortably, allow the mind to settle on one person or area where you are feeling impatience, criticism, or judgement.

Over the course of the next few breaths, acknowledge this situation or person "as is" and try to look at the seeming deficiency from a more positive angle. If it is a quality in yourself that you are unhappy with, examine your choices. Instead of feeling down about yourself, do you want to put in the effort to change? (Take a class to improve your computer skills? Spend time practicing your Spanish?) Or can you be content with the skill level you have and be free of self-criticism?

If you are frustrated by the lack of progress in your yoga practice or in any other endeavor, cultivate patience and self-compassion by reminding yourself that insights and change will come in their own time with continued diligence.

This practice, whether you do it formally or simply reflect on it periodically as you go about your day, can help counteract the perfectionism, impatience, and high expectations that keep you from being patient and compassionate with yourself and others. Ultimately if can lead you to greater peace of mind in the midst of all your pursuits.

- Yoga Journal

Learn more about yoga at Paya Bay Resort in Roatan, Honduras.

2012-01-01T21:31:00.002-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

C'mon people, it's up to us...
Let's make 2012 rock!
Yeah!

now entering 2012

2011-12-31T13:11:00.001-06:00

It's already the New Year in Sidney, Australia! Happy 2012! May the fireworks inspire and remind each of us of our beautiful, bright, sparkling, explosive potential.

I'm happy and grateful 2012 will be a wonderful and transcendental year for humanity.

Photo: La Prensa

keywords 2011

2011-12-29T18:09:00.001-06:00

Being Present.

This simple idea is said to be the key to perpetual happiness. Getting better at this one, but, despite knowing better, I still find myself taking the occasional joy-squelching detour into "the past," "the future," or some full-fledged, outrageous, Broadway-worthy drama that is just going on in my head.

karmic rewards

2011-12-28T18:21:00.001-06:00

Special guests Jan and Lisa tackle some choppy, wintry waters off Bliss Beach. Great friends are one of life's sweetest rewards.

2011 keywords

2011-12-28T18:12:00.000-06:00

Forgiveness.

This has been a perennial spiritual lesson for me. Being present seems to be the perfect antidote for neutralizing the negative energy inherent in past "wrongs," whether real or imagined. The more I master being present the better I'm getting at forgiving.

you are free too

2011-12-27T17:56:00.002-06:00

It is possible to be happy and joyful most of the time. You just have to look at little children and see their natural joy. You may say that little children are free and don't have anything to worry about, but you are free too! You are free to choose worry or to choose joy, and whatever you choose will attract exactly that. Worry attracts more worry. Joy attracts more joy.

- lessons from The Secret

quote of the day

2011-12-27T17:42:00.003-06:00

You have to be strong.

- Mom

seeing the light...

2011-12-27T17:40:00.000-06:00

...at the end of the tunnel. 2012 will be a year of many victories for Lurlene Cooper, my astonishing mother. Here the "Iron Angel" poses in front of the trellis tunnel on the western portion of our Paya Bay property.

2011 keywords

2011-12-22T20:30:00.003-06:00

Surrender.

There is a crucial spiritual lesson wrapped in this simple idea. Either you completely trust Infinite Intelligence or you don't trust it at all. You can't half-trust, in much the same way a woman can't be half-pregnant. It's one or the other. 1 or 0. Black or white. If you truly - TRULY - trust Infinite Good, you quickly realize that there is no other option but to completely surrender.

I'm sensing I've made a bit of progress with this spiritual challenge this year. Incredibly, I'm also finding that the more I let go and allow the Universe to gently unfold the next moment of my conscious awareness, the more amazing those present moments become.

december solstice

2011-12-21T11:43:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow, December 22, is the December Solstice (also known as the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). It marks the shortest day of the year; after which subsequent days will start becoming longer. This astronomical event is the true (and -- if you really think about -- the most legitimate) origin of the celebrations humans have held throughout history at this time of the year.

Merry Winter Solstice! May you experience much peace, love, abundance, and spiritual expansion during the next twelve months... and beyond...

[Thanks, Lisa, for your sweet assistance with this post.]

belgian white chocolate

2011-12-20T03:15:00.003-06:00

Yum, yum, jan.

your whole future life

2011-12-20T02:44:00.002-06:00

It is not enough to know the principles in The Secret - you must DO them, unceasingly, every single day. You must LIVE the principles. Step by step you will become the master of your thoughts and feelings, and the master of your life.

There is nothing more important than this, because your whole future life relies on you.

- lessons from The Secret

east zone

2011-12-20T02:18:00.000-06:00

Just one of many reasons eastern Roatan is so exquisitely charming.

holes to heaven

2011-12-20T02:05:00.000-06:00

And there were so many fewer questions
When stars were still just the holes to heaven

- Jack Johnson

Thanks, Lisa! I love you so much, my dear friend.

your own reason

2011-12-18T19:52:00.001-06:00

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.

- Dalai Lama

power of appreciation

2011-12-16T17:51:00.003-06:00

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

- Dalai Lama

I'm happy and grateful for the extraordinary life the Universe lovingly unfolds before me. A life experience that follows the path of truth and leads me ever upward and ever outward. An amazing life that only gets better every day.

a beautiful fairy tale

2011-12-15T13:01:00.002-06:00

A stunning image from Lana and Bruce's ethereal beach wedding celebrated recently on Bliss Beach at Paya Bay Resort. To learn more about having your wedding at Paya Bay, click here.

kindness

2011-12-15T12:59:00.002-06:00

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

- Dalai Lama

person of the year

2011-12-14T11:39:00.003-06:00

All over the world, the protesters of 2011 share a belief that their countries' political systems and economies have grown dysfunctional and corrupt — sham democracies rigged to favor the rich and powerful and prevent significant change. They are fervent small-d democrats. Two decades after the final failure and abandonment of communism, they believe they're experiencing the failure of hell-bent megascaled crony hypercapitalism and pine for some third way, a new social contract.

- TIME

I've been leading an arduous little revolution of my own against entrenched irrationality, bigotry, injustice, and ignorance. I'm definitely feeling vindicated. I sense that perhaps the Mayans were right on target about 2012. It will be a year in which we'll witness profound changes in key paradigms and a transformation of world reality as we know it.

I'm all for a New Age, or, as I also call it, Humanity 2.0. A quick survey of recent world events makes our "current age" seem astonishingly primitive, shockingly irrational, and -- frankly - "below" the potential of an evolved 2011 human being. It's way past time for a software upgrade on human consciousness. The crap currently installed is buggy, outdated, and crashes way too often.

Fascinatingly, just as it allows us to upgrade our iTunes software, the Internet -- being the information superhighway that it is -- is the technology phenomenon that underlies and is driving the already-in-motion transformation of our collective consciousness. As a species we'll be eternally in debt to Mr. Gore for inventing it.

The Internet isn't just networking our computers, it's networking our minds. Think about that.

approaching god

2011-12-13T17:35:00.000-06:00

The Higgs boson or "God particle" suddenly seems excitingly close.

Photo: Spiegel

what is it that I want?

2011-12-13T11:53:00.001-06:00

You can make 2012 the best year of your life! And you can do it very easily, right now.

All you have to do is set the most powerful intention you can ever set in your life, which is that you will focus only on what you want, think only about what you want, and talk only about what you want. Decide right now that anytime you find yourself thinking or talking about what you don't want, you will stop and demand of yourself, "What is it that I want?" And with all your might, with all your strength, with all your willpower - you will focus on what you want!

This one intention, repeated daily until the New Year and reinforced through 2012, will ensure that you make 2012 the year that your dreams came true, and the greatest year of your life!

- lessons from The Secret

overheard

2011-12-08T22:44:00.001-06:00

Some people try to control everything. You can't. You can't control everything. All you can control is how you react to any given situation.

- a special Paya Bay guest

human rights

2011-12-07T14:57:00.001-06:00

The US took a groundbreaking step on global LGBT rights Tuesday, joining the UK in tying foreign aid to governments’ protection of sexual minorities, raising the stakes in the increasingly globalized battle over gay rights.

The Obama Administration’s sweeping initiative —which will potentially steer billions of dollars in US aid toward countries and programs that protect rights while expanding efforts to protect LGBT refugees — was announced ahead of Human Rights Day. The timing reinforced a now-common refrain that has been spoken, chanted and shouted by rights activists around the world for decades: Gay rights equal human rights.

- GlobalPost

A gutsy, admirable, and transcendental move by the Obama administration. There is no argument stronger than human rights. I repeat: There is no argument stronger than human rights. Despite the despicable lies zealously perpetuated by some fear-mongering religions, it should be obvious to the reasoning person that no Love-based, omniscient, infallible "Creator" (if, indeed, such an entity exists) would discriminate against parts of its own creation. It's like God saying, "I'm Infinite Intelligence and Infinite Love, but -- just for kicks -- I'll create some humans with a sexual orientation "mistake" so the other 90% of humans can judge, bully, reject, vilify, and/or crucify them." Sorry. That simply makes no logical sense. If such a psychotic God entity exists, it should be locked in a padded room at an insane asylum. It's certainly not worthy of worship, that's for sure.

The "shining city upon a hill" is regaining some of its lost luster.

the greatest human gift

2011-12-05T20:04:00.001-06:00

Change in a country begins with one person. Each country reflects the inner peace or turmoil of its mass population, and so as one person changes they affect the rest of the population. One person has the power within them to bring massive change to their country through immense love and peace within themselves. But we cannot bring about peace and well-being to our country unless we have conquered that in our own life. Do you see? You cannot give what you do not have.

Each person's job is to bring utter harmony into their own life, and then they will become the greatest human gift for their country and the world.

- lessons from The Secret

photo of the day

2011-12-04T18:40:00.000-06:00

A crab catcher hunts in the Wetlands Reserve. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

overheard

2011-12-02T20:35:00.007-06:00

Money is very toxic.

- Mikhail

This brilliant young gentleman, who happens to be a Jewish Indian, is an example of having attracted a member the world's intelligentsia to my family's resort.

ms. aung san suu kyi + sec. clinton

2011-12-02T02:08:00.020-06:00

Wow! Angels.

An incredibly powerful, paradigm-changing moment. This simple handshake between two extraordinary women is the antithesis of the very disturbing, very questionable, "pre-emptive" ~~Halliburton~~ U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The historic (herstoric?) image above reminds me of the "feel good" Bill Clinton Presidency. It is a visual that helps heal the collective human psyche. Personally, it gives me renewed respect and admiration for the Great American Nation. A nation which in its very recent past has -- at times -- seemed alarmingly hijacked by its lowest common denominator.

It only gets better.

shout out to susie

2011-12-01T21:23:00.001-06:00

I special shout out to my friend (and recent Paya Bay guest) Susie! One of few people I suspect may know me better than I know myself. You never cease to amaze me, friend.

Thank you for sharing your light and beautiful energy.

Namaste.

photo of the day

2011-12-01T10:21:00.001-06:00

Roadside lychee fruit stand. Roatan, Honduras.

powerful

2011-12-01T01:19:00.003-06:00

...And so it is.

Powerful little phrase, that one.

choosing to be happy

2011-11-28T16:54:00.001-06:00

Happiness is a state of being, and comes from the inside of you. By the law of attraction you must become on the inside what you want on the outside.

You are either choosing to be happy now, or you are making up excuses for not choosing to be happy. But there are no excuses for the law!

- lessons from The Secret

380,000 square miles

2011-11-26T12:01:00.002-06:00

The Australian government has announced plans to establish the world's largest protected marine area in the Coral Sea. The proposed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve will cover 989,842 square kilometers (around 380,000 square miles) -- an area roughly one tenth the size of the U.S.

Photo and source: CNN

Very positive and encouraging news. Australians rock!

a good heart

2011-11-25T17:32:00.002-06:00

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

- Dalai Lama

loving the swans

2011-11-24T19:00:00.000-06:00

Swans are gathered up in the fall in Hamburg, Germany, and are fed and taken care of over the winter. See Spiegel's awesome slideshow.

Today I'm grateful for human love and kindness.

overheard

2011-11-23T20:53:00.005-06:00

I've got too many skills to put a label on it.

Alright! Sassy!

photo of the day

2011-11-23T15:39:00.000-06:00

Rich, a special guest, enjoys the sunset from Secret Cove. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

greater victory

2011-11-23T15:35:00.000-06:00

To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.

- Dalai Lama

scenes of bliss

2011-11-22T18:18:00.001-06:00

A father and his daughter kayak off Bliss Beach late this afternoon...

...while his other daughter watches from shore. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

as healthy, if not healthier

2011-11-22T18:07:00.000-06:00

As people alive today, we must consider future generations: a clean environment is a human right like any other. It is therefore part of our responsibility toward others to ensure that the world we pass on is as healthy, if not healthier, than we found it.

- Dalai Lama

apres yoga

2011-11-21T17:55:00.000-06:00

A beautiful, ethereal sunset was the reward at the end of today's yoga session at the Ananda Pavilion. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

desire everything. need nothing.

2011-11-21T17:35:00.000-06:00

To desire something is in proper accordance with the law. You attract what you desire. To need something is misuse of the law. You cannot attract what you need if you feel you need it urgently or desperately, because that emotion contains fear. That kind of "needing" keeps things away.

Desire everything. Need nothing.

- lessons from The Secret

photo of the day

2011-11-18T15:46:00.003-06:00

Special guests enjoy the plunge pool on Bliss Beach. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

oh my!

2011-11-17T23:31:00.006-06:00

"Stop being silly, everyone!" A Wonkette must read. As is always the case, the snarky comments from the "Wonkeratti" are the best part of Wonkette.

the sweet life

2011-11-17T10:22:00.003-06:00

How does it feel to be holding the sweet life in the palm of your hand?

- from a Splenda® packet this A.M.

It feels good.

quote of the day

2011-11-16T21:45:00.011-06:00

I love the ad....I knew so many people would be offended, first because it is a kiss between 2 men...and 2nd because it is the pope is a joke, the church is the biggest propaganda machine in the world and everyone who follows it are a bunch of ignorant sheep, get a life have your own thoughts about what is right for you.....they send their pedophile priests to other parishes to hide their own abusers...disgusting...they should all be in jail...they only care about protecting the church not the millions of victims!! there has been more killings in the history of the world based on religion, it is a book people...written by people and you follow it like it the WORD... no one knows how we got here, why were here or what happens when we leave here....stop the fear and live life without the crutch of the hateful bully church.....

- A reaction to Unhate

In other words, the emperor (religion) has no clothes. I concur wholeheartedly with most of what this person has expressed.

unhate

2011-11-16T11:56:00.005-06:00

"The central theme is the kiss, the most universal symbol of love, between world political and religious leaders. These are symbolic images of reconciliation - with a touch of ironic hope and constructive provocation - to stimulate reflection on how politics, faith and ideas, even when they are divergent and mutually opposed, must still lead to dialogue and mediation.”

- Benetton

So controversial, but SO perfect! I love it! Go Benetton!

Images courtesy of Benetton's Unhate campaign.

be happy

2011-11-15T15:12:00.002-06:00

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

- Dalai Lama

photo of the day

2011-11-15T15:11:00.000-06:00

A fragile long-legged crab feeds atop a sponge. Photo taken on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Roatan, Honduras.

remember to remember

2011-11-14T17:35:00.001-06:00

Remember to remember means remember to be aware. Remember to be aware in this moment right now. Being aware is seeing everything around you, hearing everything around you, feeling everything around you, and being completely focused on what you are doing right now.

Most people bring what they do not want because they are not aware that they are listening to the thoughts in their heads about the past and the future. They are not even aware that they are being hypnotized by those thoughts, and are therefore living their life unconsciously.

When you remember to be aware, you are aware immediately. You just have to remember to remember!

- lessons from The Secret

flying over earth

2011-11-13T19:49:00.007-06:00

Watch in fullscreen mode. This little five-minute video makes all the billions spent on the International Space Station worth it for me. Fantastic stuff!

bliss beach

2011-11-12T15:02:00.004-06:00

One of the planet's extra special places. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: Bern Loibl

rabbit holes

2011-11-11T18:02:00.016-06:00

Are you sure you REALLY want to go down THAT rabbit hole?

- The Universe

In a Universe of Infinite Possibilities we must choose our "rabbit holes" wisely. Or as my friend, Lisa Bronkhorst, smartly points out: not choose ANY rabbit holes at all. Misled by vestigial (but frustratingly pervasive) the-world's-going-to-end religions, it seems to the observer that the last stop on humanity's current train is -- to put it lightly -- mind-bogglingly tragic.

There are many much more positive and upbeat trains our species could choose to board. It's not to late. We're beginning to wake up. And not a minute too soon.

photo of the day

2011-11-10T08:29:00.002-06:00

Early morning horseback riding. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: Bern Loibl

the big lie?

2011-11-09T20:44:00.000-06:00

[Hugo] Chávez wants his people to believe that he was “cured” months ago and that recent visits to Cuba have been to confirm his miraculous recovery. In fact, his physical deterioration is advancing faster than doctors had expected.

- Interamerican Security Watch

as significant an impression

2011-11-09T10:34:00.000-06:00

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

- Dalai Lama

nica

2011-11-09T00:38:00.003-06:00

"The electoral circus is over. Now let's continue building the Kingdom of God Two on Earth."

Cartoon courtesy of laprensa.com.ni

job creation

2011-11-08T21:35:00.000-06:00

- Wonkette

focus on health

2011-11-08T08:06:00.001-06:00

If a person is focused on illness then they are inadvertently attracting more illness to them. On the other hand, if a person focuses more on health than illness, then the law of attraction must obey and produce health. The principles of the law of attraction are a powerful tool to summon the healing power within us, and can be used as an aid in total harmony with all of the wonderful medical procedures that are available today.

Remember that if there were no healing power within us, nothing could be healed.

- lessons from The Secret

photo of the day

2011-11-05T14:48:00.002-06:00

Sunset yoga at the Ananda Movement Center. Yoga sessions are clothing-optional during our naturist weeks. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: Bern

inseparable from stillness

2011-11-04T11:53:00.001-06:00

When you lose touch with inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world.

Your innermost sense of self, of who you are, is inseparable from stillness. This is the I Am that is deeper than name and form.

- Eckhart Tolle

halloween 2011

2011-11-01T17:59:00.002-06:00

One of Paya Bay's best Halloween Celebrations yet! It only gets better!

just think about what you want

2011-10-31T16:04:00.001-06:00

The tighter you try and hold on to something that you are afraid of losing, the more you are pushing it away. Those thoughts are filled with fear, and if you continue to persist, what you fear the most will come upon you.

Fear nothing - just think about what you want. It feels so much better!

- lessons from The Secret

guest blogger: liz davies

2011-10-31T14:48:00.002-06:00

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April. Her article follows:

How Exercise Can Aide in Cancer Treatment

Going through cancer diagnosis and treatment is a difficult road and for most survivors, keeping the cancer from coming back is their first priority. Research has shown that exercise may help. Even for those still going through treatments, exercise can help by strengthening the body and becoming a strong motivator. Exercise and healthy eating has been recommended for years as a way to avoid cancer, but it is also becoming apparent that the same combination can aid with cancer recovery and help keep the cancer from returning.

In general, exercise is beneficial to nearly everyone, but cancer patients may find it extremely beneficial as it is well known that exercise can improve mood and reduce fatigue, something that cancer patients in particular may suffer from as they go through treatment. Many people slow down during their struggle with cancer, as depression sets in and cancer treatments wear down the body. Then, after recovery, they tend to remain sedentary and let fatigue get the best of them. That is the point when an exercise plan should be implemented. This is true for people will all types of cancer such as breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and even rare forms of papillary mesothelioma.

Since everyone is different, it is important to consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program. However, these basic types of exercises will help cancer patients, and anyone else, return to fitness.

Flexibility exercises are an easy way to start easing into an exercise program. Stretching or beginner yoga is a good start to improving flexibility. Those not ready for more vigorous exercise can at least work on staying flexible and mobile.

More aerobic exercise such as jogging, swimming or walking is ideal for getting the heart rate up, burning more calories and building endurance. Exercise can begin with short walks and then build up to more brisk walks or jogging. Bicycling is another good aerobic exercise to add to a routine.

Weight lifting is one of the most helpful types of exercise and also the type that typically gets neglected. It is especially important for cancer patients as they tend to lose muscle and gain fat during treatment. Weight training can considerably boost metabolism, build muscle and burn calories. Start with appropriate level hand weights and then move up slowly.

Experts recommend 30-60 minutes of light to vigorous exercise five days a week. Those patients who were previously active before cancer may find it easier to get back into an exercise routine, while those just beginning will want to start more slowly and build up to more vigorous activity. For any level of fitness though, exercise will almost certainly lift moods, boost metabolism and strengthen the body

compliment

2011-10-31T00:55:00.010-06:00

You bring a nice energy to this place.

- a very nice compliment received from a Paya Bay guest this evening

Thank you, Mr. Silky, for all you have taught me! I love you so much, my brother. As you know well, you're one of the brightest and most beautiful stars in My Personal Milky Way®. Your dazzling and exquisitely twisted light reminds those of us fortunate enough to be caught in the Silky Vortex® how absolutely astonishing a human being can be. Dude, I can't imagine you ever having anything less than a 100% of my love, respect, gratitude, and admiration.

honduran honor

2011-10-30T01:39:00.018-05:00

El hondureño que se venda motivado por corrupción o avaricia en perjuicio de su propia patria y sus propios compatriotas no merece el noble honor de ser hondureño. Punto.

(The Honduran who sells out motivated by corruption or greed to the detriment of his own country and his own countrymen doesn't deserve the noble honor of being a Honduran. Period.)

photo of the day

2011-10-28T19:55:00.004-05:00

A very special tree. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: Naomi Ford

paya poetry

2011-10-28T18:47:00.004-05:00

The twisted, awesome literary creation of Richelle, Marlo, Naomi, and Lisa. Crazy-assed friends make life sparkle.

desiderata

2011-10-27T02:20:00.003-05:00

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

- Max Ehrmann

Thanks for the reminder, Lisa! I love you, Ms. Bright Star in my Personal Milky Way.

rina

2011-10-25T14:25:00.004-05:00

I'm back in Roatan and facing the anxiety of dealing with a glancing blow from Rina, which will likely become a major category 3 hurricane some 120 miles or so north of Roatan. Fortunately for the Bay Islands of Honduras, the storm is forecasted to continue moving away from our area. Our best wishes go out to our neighbors on the Yucatan Peninsula who may have to deal with a major hurricane head-on.

Here's an infrared image of the storm at noon today, with its forecasted path indicated by the red icons. The outer bands of the hurricane are currently giving us tropical storm-like conditions here in Roatan: strong surf, waves of heavy rain, and strong winds.

Image: NOAA

the center of divine operation

2011-10-24T20:08:00.000-05:00

Your job is you and only you. When you are working in harmony with the law, no-one can come between you and the Universe. However if you think another person can get in the way of what you want, then you have done a flip to the negative. Focus on creating what you want.

You are the center of divine operation in your life, and your partner is the Universe. No one can get in the way of your creation.

- lessons from The Secret

panama canal

2011-10-22T23:22:00.002-05:00

Today, while Michelle shopped, I took a quick tour of the Bridge of the Americas, the span that connects North and South America, and then visited the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal. I walked away with a sense of awe at these engineering marvels.

catm 2011

2011-10-22T22:46:00.003-05:00

Images from the Central America Travel Market event in Panama.

The last photo shows Paya Bay's Michelle McNab meeting with a travel buyer at the fair.

welcome to panama!

2011-10-20T01:52:00.002-05:00

The Central America Travel Market Welcome Reception was held in the courtyard of the Panamanian Foreign Ministry building. In addition to some amazing food, there was lots of show, dance, and general highlighting of Panamanian culture and folkloric traditions.

My niece, Michelle, poses with a handsome Panamanian military officer. From what I've seen so far, Panama is a truly spectacular country!

they line up

2011-10-19T17:18:00.001-05:00

A view of the Bay of Panama from my hotel. I circled some of the ships that are lined up to use the canal. Apparently this line can stretch for a mile sometimes. One busy canal.

canal town bound

2011-10-18T17:51:00.003-05:00

My niece, Michelle, and I are currently in San José, Costa Rica on our way to Ciudad Panamá for the Central American Travel Market (CATM), an industry fair. For both of us, it's our first time traveling to this (sorta) Central American country. Judging by photos of the capital city's skyline, it seems much more "First World" than any Honduran city. It should be a very interesting, eye-opening trip.