IT’S MY SOUL!

We have been road trippin’ for a while now. Sorry, no new updates from It’s My Soul! Feel free to check out our road trip blog in the meantime to keep tabs on our “spiritual journey of the USA.”

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the Tibetan people’s peaceful uprising against Communist China’s repression in Tibet. From the International Campaign for Tibet here is the “March 10th Statement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama” Continue reading →

This past week was the Tibetan New Year known as Losar. Among the many celebrations and ceremonies that accompany the Tibetian holiday, there seem to be just as many protests and demonstrations against the Chinese government. Check out this BBC story about a monk who was shot when he set himself on fire as a form of protest after prayer ceremonies at his monastery were canceled. For more news and updates about Losar, and Tibet check out www.savetibet.org and sign-up to receive their newsletter, action alerts and updates. This March will mark the 50th anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet and the popular uprising against Chinese rule that left tens of thousands dead and compelled tens of thousands more to escape into exile. More to come about that.

This is one of my favorite cooking shows EVER! I love Indian food, I love cooking it and I especially love eating it. Manjula recipes are very simple, quick and easy. I recommend subscribing to her videos on youtube. You may also want to check out her website: www.ManjulasKitchen.com You will find her blog, a great forum and MORE RECIPES!!! I will post some more videos of hers from time to time… for now I chose her 2 part samosa video… enjoy… Continue reading →

I was very happy to find this today. While checking out Dharma TV I noticed one of teaching series videos is featuring the Venerable Tenzin Palmo. My wife and I were fortunate to have met Tenzin Palmo back in 2004 on our first trip to India (Kerala). We were more fortunate to meet with her once again in January 2008 when we returned for a second trip. This time we were able to visit her at the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery which Tenzin Palmo started. We met Anila (Tenzin Palmo) in Kerala at an Ayurvedic clinic where we were learning and she was receiving some treatments and it wasnt until after we came back to the states that we really realized who she was and what great things she has done in her lifetime. Since we met her the first time she had expanded the nunnery and more building was going on while we visited. Tenzin Palmo has also recently been given the title of Jetsunma, which means Venerable Master, by His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, Head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage.

So Dharma TV is presenting a complete teaching in six parts by Venerable Tenzin Palmo, entitled Leading a Meaningful Life, which was given at the Shambhala Meditation Center of New York on May 9, 2007. The teaching features a lively explanation of the Six Paramitas. VIEW IT HERE!

Check out “A Cave in the Snow” by Vicki Mackenzie to find our more about Venerable Tenzin Palmo’s story. Or visit the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery website for news and other info.

In an article on the Buddhist Channel, writer Mark Henderson explains: “Darwin’s moral philosophy may have been inspired by the writings of Buddhist monks, according to one of the world’s leading experts on the evolution of emotions.” To read the whole article go HERE. PS - Happy 200 Charles!

Nine months to the day M.I.A. still shows up to perform “Swagga Like Us” along with T.I., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West at this tears Grammy Awards. M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” which was produced by Diplo was also nominated for an award this year, but unfortunately did not win. Here is a partial list of this years winners… Continue reading →

I stumbled upon this great blog the other day. Music from the Third Floor is posting vinyl rips of great Bollywood soundtracks. They state: “A box of some 150-175 Bollywood soundtracks on vinyl; classics, duds, and those with one or two good songs on them. The plan: Make MP3s and upload them all here, on a semi-regular basis. And keep going until I’ve done the whole box, or otherwise been asked or told to stop by convincing parties. So enjoy, start dancing, go mad, whatever. Comments are nice if you’d like to leave any. “ Continue reading →

Bullshit is a documentary film by PeÃ… Holmquist and Suzanne Khardalian, 2005. 73 min.

I found about this film from sociallyresponsiblefilms.blogspot.com and after being in India a couple of times and learning about some of the topics in this film I would recommend it to anyone interested…

Her opponents call her “The Green Killer”. They gave her “The Bullshit Award” for sustaining poverty. TIME says she is a hero of our times, an icon for youngsters all over the world.

The film is about Vandana Shiva, Indian environmental activist and nuclear physicist, who was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1993. It’s a film on globalization and patenting, on genetic engineering, bio-piracy, indigenous knowledge.

In this documentary, the filmmakers follow Vandana Shiva over a two-year period, from her organic farm at the foot of the Himalayas to institutions of power all over the world. Here Vandana Shiva does battle with one of her toughest opponents, Monsanto, a huge American biotech company, when they try to patent an ancient Indian strain of wheat. Together with Dalits she tries to close down a Coca-Cola plant in Kerala, in a conflict involving groundwater pollution. In this film Vandana Shiva also tackles the question of farmers’ suicide, a backlash of the globalization.

The filmmakers describe Monsanto from the inside and arrange what proves a shaking meeting between Vandana Shiva and Barun Mitra, liberal think-tank, lobbyist and fierce critic of Vandana Shiva – and the man who gave her the “Bullshit Prize”.

PeÃ… Holmquist and Suzanne Khardalian are Swedish independent filmmakers who have directed more than 50 documentaries, among them several award-winning films, like Gaza Ghetto, Back to Ararat, Unsafe Ground, Her Armenian Prince, From Opium to Chrysanthemums, My Dad the Inspector and I Hate Dogs – the last survivor. Continue reading →