Petrified Forest National Park

This is footage that I shot today at the Petrified Forest National Park. Thanks to my wonderful husband for the camera.

Walk In Their Shoes

With the help of some awesome peace activists & volunteers, I designed and did the sleepless dirty work to make this art installation happen back in 2007 on the Washington National Mall. Each pair of shoes represented an Iraqi who died in the war. Each shoe had a name tag with the name of an Iraqi, how he or she died, and his or her age. I only had one month to do this, from start to finish. I also had a zero dollar budget to gather the shoes with. I used Internet social networking to get people from all around the USA to send their old dirty shoes to Washington DC.  It worked, and by the time I got to DC ( I organized this from LA) there were about 10,000 smelly used shoes waiting for me! It was like Christmas! Again, I only had a month to do this! The display got picture of the week in the New York Times. It made it to the Washington Post and even made it into a major newspaper in India. I never posted it on my blog, and lately people have asked me about it. So here it is. This is the picture of the final product.

Southwest, Summer 2011

From my stop at Mesa Verde National Park

Ok, so here I am in New Mexico. Last week I drove from Portland, Oregon where it felt like the beginning of fall. I stormed the length of Oregon, Idaho, Utah north to south, the southeastern edge of Colorado, and finally 100 degree+ New Mexico--five states and two seasons over the course of two days. Phew, I'm tired just from typing such a list. I wonder if I'd make a good trucker. Hmmm...

I'm here in New Mexico producing a documentary about homeless women veterans. It's an intense subject, but this is the work I'm most passionate about. Today I conducted my first interview, and the physical sensation of the buzz and warmth of my open heart helped me to remember something after it was done; I'm most alive when I'm helping people who have experienced trauma to share their stories. It's when I really feel that I'm fulfilling my life's work. 

Voicing stories is the beginning of healing, and I've facilitated this type of healing for nearly a decade. I just haven't realized how it's been the majority of my work until now. I have helped victims of war--especially women--to voice their stories around the world: from Cambodia, Afghanistan, Nepal, East Timor and even here in my own country. 

I don't know where all this work is leading, but I now fully own the identity of Story Healer. Yep, that's what I am.

Mohammed Was a Feminist

I'm still quiet and emerging into something new. I do want to share this. I read it at my friend's house:

Few Words

Hello! I'm flooded with amazing work right now, so my usual blogging has been put to the back burner. I do want to keep my flow, and a picture tells a story too.

This is a photo that I took in Timor Leste (formerly known as East Timor) back in 2007. Yes, it's a praying mantis, framed with an ocean backdrop.

I wonder how this image speaks to me right now. Praying is important to me, so maybe that's why I find it to be special.

These are more pictures from my time in Timor Leste:
http://bit.ly/kRgCkt

Say NO!!! to the Clutter.

‎I rarely post quotes to my blog, but this one is worth it. Please note, I am in full support of following worldly issues through the media, however, I know there is a line that can be crossed. We cannot let the negativity collectively take us down. We are lights in the darkness. Continue to burn strong.

"I refuse to clutter my mind with most media turbulence. The media is good at stirring up our emotions and selling fear. If you read a newspaper from cover to cover every day, you’ll live in fear. They want you to buy a new paper each day to find out what to be afraid of that day. It’s the same with the television news. If you want to sleep poorly, watch the late-night news just before you go to sleep." Louise Hay

Revealing Wrists...

I will never forget joking with my western friends in Afghanistan about showing skin when I lived there. And I'm not talking about anything Americans consider to be risque. I'm talking about showing my wrists :-) I never showed my arms in public--they were always covered in long-sleeve shirts. I was a guest in Afghanistan and my fashion choices came from my respect for the Afghan culture. To be honest, I never felt like my freedom or empowerment was compromised because of my conservative wardrobe. My western female friends sported the same respectful attire.

One day my western male friend saw me lift my sleeve to check my watch. In a joking tone he said, "No Liz, I can't take it. Put it away. Not until we're married." Maybe it's just funnier to me since I was there, but he always gave me a rise with that one. At the same time, I'm sure there may have been some guys in Afghanistan who were excited by the sight of a wrist. Actually, I'm working on a film right now called Scarlet Poppy, about an American man who falls in love with an Afghan woman because he sees her toenails sticking out from her burqa. The idea of being attracted to something so subtle may not be so far-fetched.

While living in Afghanistan, I noticed that some guys get weird when most of the women are covered up on the streets. That's a whole other blog entry, but I'll put it this way... I was single the whole time I was in Afghanistan, and with good reason.

The Meaning of Life, or Not

Last month I asked my Twitter followers what I should blog about. Bridget Pilloud (@intuitivebridge on Twitter) responded with "the meaning of life", so here it goes.

My kneejerk response is to live from love. Then, when I meditate on it, I really believe that individuals make their own meaning, and no meaning is wrong.

The strongest thought I had when Bridget suggested this is, "Huh, I really don't sit and wonder about the meaning of life anymore". I pondered it deeply, up until I was 21 when I sat with my first spiritual teacher in Nepal. And by the way, I measure my life in two different time frames: before Kali Baba (BKB) and after Kali Baba (AKB). The first time period didn't feel spiritual, and now this second period does.

When I didn't feel like I was on a spiritual path, I wanted to know the meaning of life. Now that I recognize my spiritual journey, I have no questions about the meaning of life. Is it because spirit is so fulfilling? Probably, and I also don't have a desire "to know" anymore. The more I think I know, the more limited my reality feels. I just want to experience life moment to moment, allowing the meaning to change when my path calls for it.

Monkey Bar Religion

When did you first realize that judging people based on their religion is silly and pointless? I honestly remember that moment much more than my first kiss.

I've been passionate about breaking down religious barriers all my life, and today I wondered "Why am I like this? Was I born this way?" 

I dug deep into the files, and I remembered my first realization of this was on the playground. I was in second grade, playing on the monkey bars with my pigtailed cohorts. One of the girls asked the group, "What kind of Christian are you?" I didn't get it. I thought, "Christians are divided?!? How is that possible?" So I asked her what she meant. She said, "Well, we go to Congregational Church and we're the best kind of Christian. That's what mom says". I was almost afraid to say it, but I piped up, "My family is Catholic. How are you guys better? Don't we all believe in Jesus?" All the girls gave me a blank stare and went back to doing kamikaze back flips on the bars while simultaneously trying to blow the world's biggest chewing gum bubbles. Those were the days... No wonder I'm always going to the chiropractor.

It's crazy how kids pick this up at such an early age, and you know they get it from home.  And here I am now, still scratching my head at why people fight over religion, when we're all just worshiping the same God by a different name. Some days, I just don't know.

Creative Commons Photo by Jon Nicholls

Happy January

It's the last day of January, and it's my first blog entry of the month :-) It has been another busy month with lots of abundance. On the first day of January, I was celebrating the New Year in Greenwich Village, NY. I finished edits on a documentary about Iraq's Constitution, and then I flew to Oregon where I hung out for a week, packed my bags, got rained on, and then hit the road for sunny California.

Afghanistan: A Grounded Perspective

Everything about my experience in Afghanistan has been instrumental to my personal, spiritual and professional growth. Afghanistan’s chaos, disparity and catastrophe is upsetting to me and I won’t feel satisfied until its people are able to live in peace. I’ve been pondering the situation, and continue to educate myself on what’s happening in the area by following many different media sources, studying Afghanistan’s history and by talking with friends who work there in humanitarian aid and development. When looking for a valid firsthand experience, out of my entire network I think of Peter because he has a clear, empirical perpective on a very confusing and messy situation. I met Peter when I worked for the Parliamentary Election in 2005. He worked in the electoral office of public outreach and was in charge of the film and television campaign for civic education. Upon meeting Peter, his humble sensibility, down to earth perspective, and passion to understand the Afghan people impressed me immediately.

Peter has worked in Afghanistan off and on since his first visit in 2001. What I find most intriguing is that most of his work there has been developing communication strategies for organizations like the UN, USAID, and the Afghan and Pakistani government, in order to reach citizens in both countries, and even to specifically reach the Taliban. Not only is he a friend, but because of his concern for the planet and experience in our shared field of development, he is also a mentor. The following interview took place on the 26th of January 2009.

Following Ganesh

Thanks to my mom, I just met cultural anthropologist and photographer Stephen Huyler at a recent screening of his film Sonabai (see film excerpt here) during my Christmas vacation in Maine. 

It's perfect how it happened, and it's another synchronistic story of how life works for me.

Several years back, my mom heard Huyler speak about his work with women artists in India and thought that I should meet him because of my experience living in Nepal's Hindu culture. She lives in Maine, and I'm based in the West Coast, so it didn't seem possible at the time.

Earlier this year, Mom saw an exotic looking Toyota Prius in a beach parking lot on the Maine coast. It had a unique paint job with a reddish paisley design--the kind you'd see on a Kashmir shawl--with a dancing Ganesh on one of the passenger doors and a small Ganesh statue mounted on the hood. 

Ganesh Hood Ornament. Brilliant!!!!

She gazed to the shoreline where she thought she saw Stephen Huyler relaxing with what looked like family members. She asked a woman near the car if Stephen was really on the beach. The woman said yes and that it was ok to say hello.  Mom didn't want to bother him, so she returned to her car and drove away.

Finding Peace In India

I am a world traveler and seeker of holy and soul stirring moments. I have been overpowered by unexplainable feelings of ecstasy and peace in the presence of spiritual masters many times during the course of my global jaunts, from Oregon to Nepal with many stops in between.

In January of 2009, I deepened my exploration for inner peace when I attended the teachings of the Karmapa, the supreme leader of one of the major lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The teachings were at the ancient Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India where the Buddha found enlightenment. King Ashoka commissioned the towering stone temple in the 3rd century B.C. in honor of this most auspicious event.

It was a unique and authentic experience with few western tourists about. I spent five days sitting as an observer in wafting clouds of incense while watching thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns from 5 to 80 years old, dressed in fiery orange and saffron robes. They meditated and chanted in Sanskrit all hours of the day.

The Auspicious Butterfly

November 18th was one of the most dazzling and rapturous days of my life, and it's a good example of how I function.

It started out in a usual way. I was editing a film with my work partner, checking emails, drinking more coffee than I should. Then this email popped up in my box. The header said, "blurb" and it was from an entrancing storyteller and visionary activist named James O'Dea who I just met at a leadership conference in Long Beach California.

I gasped and my pulse quickened because I knew what I was about to see would probably make me squeak like a schoolgirl. I clicked, and the following appeared on my screen:

Butterfly on the Road gives us an authentic taste of what it is like to step into your power, and live the great adventure of spirituality and service." (James O'Dea, visionary activist, author and former president of IONS and Director of the Washington Office of Amnesty International www.jamesodea.com)

I hate to admit it, but yes, I squeaked like I thought I would. It's a little embarrassing, but I get so excited sometimes. My heart and being exploded with gratitude because James endorsed my book, Butterfly On The Road. Some of you may know about it. If not, you can learn about it here.

Podcast Update: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

I just met a Cambodian who survived the genocide of the Khmer Rouge. He told me how he knows he still has trauma. He said that, "War is never good. Never any winners..." He still has issues with trust and feeling so alone after all these years, and he knows it's because of the stress he experienced during the war. I gave him a recommendation because of my own experience with PTSD. Have a listen to the full podcast here. 

An Update

I saw this hippo at Disney's Animal Kingdom back in September. I'm now inspired to reincarnate as a hippo. :-)

This year, my ruptured appendix (thankfully) forced me to have a quiet and relaxing summer. Recovery took several months, and I'm told that one typically takes a year to fully recover from surgery. Every now and then, I understand that when I feel a weird pain in the area of my scar, or if I feel unusually tired. Most of the time, I'm feeling pretty happy and well. I've been going to the gym a lot, and taking better care of myself, more then ever before.  This is the year that I really got how invincible I'm not. That's ok, and I think it's a blessed reminder.  I needed that kick to really get a little more serious about my health.

I had a good 6 weeks of family time from August to September. My in-laws visited from India, and then we all (husband included) went to Disney World to meet up with my parents. It was a trip to visit Disney World as an adult. I now think of it as a PG 13 Burning Man, because it's all about many worlds that you can easily move between, and there's an overall theme of magic.

Leaders Causing Leaders. See You There?

Leaders Causing Leaders will happen on November 6th & 7th in Long Beach, California. I am grateful to be a speaker at this inspirational gathering. I have the honor of sharing my voice along with many amazing inspirational leaders such as Byron Katie, Niurka, NY Times Bestseller Ishmael Beah and so many more amazing beings who cover topics from business, technology, to spirituality. Award winning musician and billboard topper Jason Mraz will also be there!

Here's the Leaders Causing Leaders Mission Statement: 

Leadership is a defining characteristic of any generation. Where it is created, innovation and change become real possibilities – and this November 6th & 7th at the Long Beach Convention Center we intend a groundbreaking experience which awakens the leader within.

We’re assembling leaders and visionaries, creating exhilarating panels from technology to social entrepreneurship to spirituality, arranging and hosting seminars and workshops with some of the great teachers of our time and celebrating this experience together with a  Saturday evening conscious music festival.

Join us for this bold new step into the future of leadership.
Learn more at www.leaderscausingleaders.com

My Guest Post On Girls Trek Too!

I recently had the pleasure of sharing the story of how I found my guru Kali Baba on Girls Trek Too!, the blog of author Cara Lopez Lee. She was kind enough to host me, and I do hope that she will share something from her adventures here at Galactic Stillness. Be on the lookout for her upcoming book, They Only Eat Their Husbands: A Memoir of Alaskan Love, World Travel, and the Power of Running Away

Here's what I wrote:

I was meandering atop a mountain ridge outside of Kathmandu, when I came upon a barren hilltop where one ancient twisting tree stood with a small mud hut beneath it. White sandalwood smoke rolled out from the hut’s shabby door, and I heard nothing but the sharp crackling of a fire speaking in its own language.

I approached the doorway, feeling nervous and confused. I couldn’t see inside, because of the smoke now floating around my head. “Come in! Come in!” a voice said. In proper Asian style, I removed my shoes and walked into the most profound chapter of my life so far.

Upon entering the hut, I could see the face of my host shining through the smoke. His sparkling eyes lit his coffee colored cheeks and nose. He said, “Namaste. Me Kali Baba. You welcome. You sitting. You tea drinking? You name?” Kali Baba held a smoking pipe in his hand, and his mystical air made me feel Alice in Wonderland in the den of the caterpillar... Read the full post at Girl's Trek Too

Survival Recipe

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I went to Cambodia. I only knew that it was going to be difficult. My goal was to document what local activists were doing to protect street children from child sex tourists, indigenous tribes that were fighting to protect their dwindling rainforests, and women landmine survivors who were learning how to make a proud living through weaving, a tradition that was nearly erased during the dark days of the genocidal Khmer Rouge, the name of Cambodia’s totalitarian ruling Communist Party of Kampuchia. Oh, and by the way, it was my first time visiting a country where massive genocide took place. I wasn’t sure how I could deal with this emotionally and I felt uneasy.

My Thoughts On The Burqa

Photo by Peter Bussian

I'm tired of people and their judgements of the burqa. Let women wear what they want. Yes, it's true that some women do choose to wear the burqa. There are some who wear it by force, and I think that's a shame. I just want to show this ridiculous fashion debate in another light. The world is not so black and white. Listen to my latest podcast episode to hear more.