))))=Save the Date: Saturday, June 21st=(((((

Reality Sandwich and Jivamukti Yoga Present

SOULSTICE: An Evolver Salon
Celebrate the sunniest day of the year with a jubilant night of music, ideas, art, and alchemy, hosted by Reality Sandwich and Jivamukti Yoga School. Featuring eleven workshops from diverse groups across the city, music, and a paradigm-shifting panel discussion.

Workshops:
NY Shamanic Circle: Shamanic Soulstice Alchemy
Nat Bletter: All the Plants in the Entheogenic Universe
Purnima (Jivamukti Yoga School): The Secret Language of Asanas: The Return of the Fairy Queen & Goddess Danu
Kehilat Romemu: “Havdalah” - Trance After Sabbath
Basem Hassan: Angels & Angles - Making Geometry Sacred
BioTour: Journey Into a Sustainable Future
Johnny (Holes) Treanor: The Cajon - A Percussion Workshop
Carlos Ganesh-das (Jivamukti Yoga School): Soulstice Meditation
Trinity of the Dancing Path: Wild Soulstice Journey Dance
New Realities’ Alan Steinfield: The Nature of Reality - Where are We?
Souldish & EFT Personal Training: Rebalancing the Creative Spirit

10pm: Payer & Music by Rene Collins

Panel: “Healing Ourselves to Heal the World”
How do we bring awareness gained through spiritual discipline back into the gritty realities of political struggle and the fight against global inequity of wealth and resources? Do we simply make “the present moment… the focal point of [our] life,” as Eckhart Tolle suggests in order to bring about “a New Earth,” or does it take hard work, action, and visionary invention to enact mass change? Featuring Rabbi David Ingber of Kehilat Romemu, Ethan Nichtern of The ID Project and author of “One City: A Declaration of Interdependence,” Derek Beres of GlobeSonic and author of “Sound Against Flame: The Process of Yoga & Atheism in America,” Yoga Instructor and Selfcentered’s NY Representative Tammy Lynne, & more.

(5:45p, $20 adv/$25 dr)
Saturday, June 21
Doors 5:45pm, Workshops start at 6pm. Event goes until Midnight.
Jivamukti Yoga School
841 Broadway
$20 adv/$25 door
Tickets: http://jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/event_fm.html
(Click “To Register Online for Events” in pink text at top left corner.)
http://www.realitysandwich.com/soulstice

=====Figment=====

FIGMENT is almost here! The deadline for submissions is this Thursday, June 5, at 11:59pm. Please submit any projects that you’ve been considering submitting, and spread the word! We’d like to have as much art and creative activity on Governors Island for FIGMENT, and we want your project there! (The full Call for Participation is at the bottom of this email.)
Submit your project here:
http://www.figmentnyc.org/participate/

See you at FIGMENT on June 27-29.

)))))=Current=(((((

=====Thursday, June 5th=====

To The Stop Shopping Faithful: June 5th Union Square

5pm A festive assembly.  While the local Business Improvement District,  The Union Square Partnership, is having their annual cocktail party in the glossy confines of the W hotel we gather in the Park to protect its magical power. Save Union Square.  Keep the Park Public.  We encircle the Pavilion with incantations and the ghosts of radical history. We unhinge the confidence of development, exploit the insecurity of elected officals, capitalize on the hubris of privatizers. We drive the devil out of our talismanic, shamanistic and totally outrageous power-washing chakra generator Union Square Park…Join George Washington, Dorothy Day, Emma Goldman, Paul Robeson, and Lucy Parsons. Join The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir and The Rude Mechanical Orchestra. Join Reverend Billy. Join your fellow citizens for a 90 minute festival of freedom at Union Square Park.  All out.   Please forward freely, widely, and indiscriminately, the future of Union Square really is in our hands. Bloomberg and his cronies have a vision of New York City where parks are for-profit, people are squeezed out of public spaces, and free assembly is made nearly impossible.  More information at revbilly.com/blog  Sign the petition at revbilly.com/petition Call council member Rosie Mendez at 212-677-107 or email her at rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov tell her “no restaurant in Union Square STOP PRIVATIZING OUR PARKS!”

(5p, Free)
Northwest corner of Union Square Park
http://www.revbilly.com/blog

=====Also on Thursday=====

‘POP DEITIES”
Large scale paintings by
‘Contemporary Pop’ artist Kelli Bickman
Private Viewing June 5th, 2008 7pm

Press Release
For Immediate Release

Contact: Gizem Bacaz
Seed Gallery, 239 Washington Street, Newark NJ
Email: seedgallery@mac.com
Ph: 917.607.4440

“Bickman dares to mix — color, theme, mythology — and she does so with respect and humor at the same time. A difficult feat…Kelli Bickman, a serious artist to be sure, proved to me that art produced from a sense of joy could lead to an artist’s life — you know, the kind we all dream of, where our art is our living and our living is our art. I think art such as Bickman’s is actually the most “serious” of all in that it expresses something joyful and ecstatic about being human. I think, too, that art like this can only come from a certain kind of soul — a happy, broad-minded, and delighted-with-life soul.” from http://blisschick.net.  Seed Gallery, a visionary arts collective and gallery devoted to unveiling the beauty of our existence, in Newark, NJ presents “POP DEITIES” a series of large scale paintings by West Village Artist, Kelli Bickman.  A multi media artist, Bickman transcends the boundries of fine artist and illustrator.  Her work has been showcased by MTV, she has designed billboards for Budweiser, done product branding for City Gourmet and Herbal Creations Teas, designed several notable book and magazine covers, painted giant murals for public art grants as well as installations in the homes of famous authors, launched her own line of greeting cards, and Tori Amos even has one of her whimsical paintings in her private collection. She currently has several book projects in development and is in the process of launching an earth friendly clothing line decorated with her vibrant art.  Kelli believes deeply in the statement ‘thoughts create your reality.’ This reminds her to be mindful and to embrace the joy of creation.  You can see her work at:  http://kellibickman.net or http://cafepress.com/kellibickman.  If you are interested in interviewing the artist, please email her at kbickman@gmail.com

(7p, Free)
Seed Gallery, 239 Washington Street, Newark NJ
Gizem Bacaz at SeedGallery@mac.com
http://www.newarkseed.com

=====Also on Thursday=====

Albert Hoffman’s Going Away Party

Candlelight Tribute at midnight- Deco by Kelly Newman.  Free, 21 and up (ID a must)   Free Pez Dispenser Giveaways.  Psy Trance DJs:   3am Unwashed Tomato (LIVE) -  Andy comes from Buffalo and has been a pioneer in the new higher BPM darker sounds.  Goa Gil has recently been using his tracks.  Come hear Andy play live.  1am - 2am El Nadiv (Israel)- El Nadiv is a master of high power sets.  He has been a stalwart in throwing the largest events in NYC.  12am -1am Influx (Brazil)- Luis is commonly regarded as one of New York’s best psy dj’s.  He throws a party every 3 weeks at Sullivan Room.  9pm - 12am Machinelf  - Stumbling out of retirement, Jeff is the Energizer Bunny of trance in New York.  Come hear him play an actual psy/goa set that won’t lull you to sleep.

(9p - 4a, Free) 21 and up ID a must
Downstairs at Karma 51
1st avenue b/w 3rd & 4th streets NYC
Best flyer. ever.
http://www.tranceamericana.org/hoffmannfarewell.gif

===Also on Thursday=====

Minimal, tech house, and deep house

Every Thursday.  6/5 (thu.) @Identity (downstairs inside) in East Village.  This time, a live painting featured by Mami.  Resident DJs:-Tsutomu-Hisaki-Yugo

(10p - 4a, Free)
-Identity (downstairs inside)
511 E6th st. (btw/ ave.A & ave.B)

=====Friday, June 6th=====

Sub Swara 030: Album Release Party

Check one! We’re celebrating the release of Coup D’Yah , the new album from Sub Swara (out on Low Motion Records), with a special residents only throwdown!
Hear it and grab it at SS 030 before it officially hits the street on June 10.  Residents:  Dhruva, Sunder, Haj, Sharmaji, MC Juakali.   About the Album:  Two years in the making, the 12 tracks on Coup D’Yah unleash the devastating bass-weighted sound which has become the recognized trademark of the crew’s eponymous NYC club night and its blazing live sets. Coup spans a broad spectrum, from the dub-wise depths to dancefloor crushing bangers.  SS has carved a unique global footprint, leading with heavy ragga inflection, thick beats, wide basslines, and live organic instrumentation ranging from the drums and wind instruments of India to the marching horns of New Orleans. The album showcases the signature vocal talents of Zulu (Ghislain Poirier, DJ C), MC Coppa (Al Haca, Stereotyp) Napoleon Solo (Ming & FS), and Sub Swara’s own rising star Juakali (Sub Swara, Kush Arora, Pinch, D1 and more).  Sub Swara Music Membership:  Become a member of Sub Swara Music and get the full digital album (plus instrumentals) TODAY. You’ll also get lots of other goods, exclusive digital single, releases, DJ mixes, one complimentary guest list spot at a Sub Swara club night of your choosing at Love, and more. Click here ( insert topspin link) for more details…RSVP at http://www.going.com/subswarareleaseparty for a chance to win free tickets!

(10p-4a, $10 dr)
Love
179 MacDougal
http://www.musicislove.net
http://www.subswara.com

=====Also on Friday=====

Altered State’s Masquerade

Altered State’s Masquerade is a Benefit and counter-cultural celebration of Burning Man inspired art, music, dancing and culture,  for Burning Mansculpture at The National Arts Club.   Wear your favorite masked disguise on Friday, June 6th, for a night of revelry, music, dancing, sculpture, photography, cocktails and Burning Man culture enveloped in the decadence of The National Arts Club. The official invite and sculpture illustration is attached and tickets are selling quickly. This should be an amazing night.  For your exploration and experience:~Sculpture previews by Burning Man artists:  Kate Raudenbush (Altered State), Quill Hyde (Drum Wagon), Chassy Cleland (The Cave), and Preston Dane, Annie Vainchenker and David Ort (Arbor Animus).~Projected Techno-morphic evolutions: Dreams in High Fidelity by Spot~Silent Auction of rare Burning Man photographic art by Robert and Robbie Bailey and Kate Raudenbush~Event soundtrack by:  DJ Morgan Stoner & DJ Orion~Event Sound by: Ben Mehlman~Open Beer & Wine bar from 7:30-9pm.  $40 -advance tickets, tickets and information: http://www.alteredstatesculpture.com/  All proceeds from this benefit make the creation of Altered State possible. Thank you for supporting the arts and its artists.  life isn’t about finding yourself, *life is about creating yourself*

(7p - 12a, $45 dr)
The National Arts Club
15 Gramercy Park South
(20th Street , between Park Avenue South and Irving)

$40 adv. tickets:  http://www.alteredstatesculpture.com/?goto=advancemasqueradetickets
http://www.kateraudenbush.com/

=====FORMAT====Also on Friday=====

Divine Warrior Training With Thomas Capshew, Ph.D.

These Sacred Circles are based on Divine Warrior Training, a process which assists the participant to re-member themselves to the divine by discarding limiting beliefs and behaviors.  Reiki Master Tom Capshew combines Reiki energy healing and shamanic practices, creating sacred space centering around an altar.  Dr. Capshew, author of Divine Warrior Training, leads a heart-centering meditation allowing each participant to access their own answers to the questions they are living.

(8-10p.m. $15)
East West Books (Yoga)
78 5th Ave
http://www.eastwestnyc.com

=====Also on Friday=====

Hawaiian Wisdom Teachings Iokepa Hanalei Imaikalani

A gathering and Circle.  Until 1972 aboriginal Hawaiians (kanaka maoli) were to a large extent prohibited from practicing their ancient Huna religion and culture, even speaking their language in public, using traditional healing plants, or dancing the authentic, sacred hula. Fortunately, traditional Hawaiian culture has made a comeback, and we are fortunate to have Iokepa, one of its most important contemporary figures and ambassadors, to share with us this evening some of the primordal spiritual wisdom passed down from the ancient Polynesians.  He will share stories and teachings about gratitude, love and living without fear, and teach us ways to connect to Spirit through prayer, dreams, dance, chanting and ritual—simple but unequaled tools to find our way to our own true path.  Iokepa Hanalei Imaikalani is the carrier of a 1,000-year-old kanaka maoli (aboriginal Hawaiian) prophecy, a responsibility which required him to surrender all his wealth and possessions to wander throughout Hawaii and beyond to advocate for Hawaiian native land and cultural rights.

(7p, $20)
NY Open Center
83 Spring St; 212.219.2527
http://www.opencenter.org/content/view/1717/5/

=====Saturday, June 7th=====

Healing Hands massage & Raw Food Party  (connecting people through touch)

Healing Hands creates a safe, gentle and relaxed environment where people who wish to share in healing and positive energy exchange can come together for the express purpose of connecting that energy through touch.  Today’s repressive environment tends to discourage close human contact, creating a deeply felt need for gentle and nurturing human touch. Unfortunately, touch has been either sexualized or avoided altogether as though something so natural and beautiful is taboo. This has resulted in an imbalance that isolates and alienates us from one another. Many people from all walks of life are hungry for more human contact. Healing Hands wishes to help meet the need for more human contact by facilitating events and workshops where rejuvenating human touch is recognized and given the place of honor and importance that it deserves.

(7p, $20) (includes yoga class & raw food buffet)
The Gristmill Cafe
4a Lenape Rd
Andover, NJ; 973-786-6400
http://www.myspace.com/gristmillcafe
http://www.healinghandsmassageparty.com

=====Sunday, June 8th=====

The 5th Annual New York Loving Day Celebration presented by Loving Day

Come celebrate the 41st anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that legalized interracial relationships in the United States.  DJ Spooky With Dhundee (Sugarcuts Music)  Free BBQ Grilling for you all day long.  Free beer Free Asahi the first hour.  Frree ice cream, Free Ben & Jerry’s for the 1st hour.  Big prizes, Raffle all day: Puma and Zipcar.  Rainor shine Our huge tent will keep you happy.  No Cover • Everyone is Welcome • All Ages (21+ to drink) • Multicultural • International • Good Sunday Vibes.  Thanks to our sponsors: Asahi, Ben & Jerry’s, Zipcar, Solar One, WorldUp, DJ Spooky, Puma.  Also, thanks to our supporter in the multiethnic community: Association of MultiEthnic Americans (AMEA) Swirl NYC.

(3p-7p, Free)
Solar 1
East River Waterfront at East
23rd St.
Subway: 6 train to 23rd, the M23 bus or walk east past Ave. C & FDR. Look for the Gulf gas station. Or, L train to 1st Ave: Walk N. to 23rd.
BY Car: from the south, FDR to 20-23rd St. exit. Right on Ave. C, right on 23rd as if going to Gulf gas station, then service road to Solar 1.

RSVP your spot: lovingdayparty@gmail.com
http://www.lovingday.org

=====Monday, June 9th=====

White Magic Study Group: An Introduction to Subtle Energies

An Introduction to the Subtle Energy Bodies and Techniques of Spiritual Training for Healing Ourselves and the Planet.  Join this monthly discussion group on developing techniques for soul alignment. The goal of white magic is to learn to align with soul energies for healing and spiritual growth both for ourselves and for others. You will learn simple yet powerful concentration techniques: to strengthen visualization skills, to purify and stimulate the subtle bodies and to create new energy patterns in your life.  Recommended Reading:  A Treatise on White Magic by Alice A. Bailey.  Study Group.  This group is facilitated by Kathy Newburn, author of A PLANETARY AWAKENING. Kathy works for the Seven Ray Institute, writing and lecturing on the Ageless Wisdom teachings as formulated by Alice A. Bailey. For more information please visit: www.sevenray.net or www.kathynewburn.com.  $5 minimum cafe purchase required.

(6:30 - 7:30 ,$5)
Cafe at East West Living
78 5th Ave. @ 14th St.
http://www.sevenray.net
http://www.kathynewburn.com

=====Tuesday, June 10th=====

Introduction To Meditation With Edizen Archer

Tibet House’s introductory meditation classes were featured in New York Magazine’s top picks (4 stars.)  Intended for All Levels – No Meditation Experience Necessary.  Tibet House Shrine & Gallery will be open for Silent Individual Meditation @ 6:00 PM -Instruction Begins at 7 P.M.  This is a Walk-In Class – Please Call Day of to Confirm Session is being held.

(7p, $10)
June 10, July 15, 22 & 29
Tibet House Gallery ; (212) 807-0563
22 W 15th St.
http://www.tibethouse.org/

=====Wednesday, June 11th=====

Pan-cultural Worldbeat Mashup

Come Together pan-cultural worldbeat mashup Every weds. at Mehanata Bulgarian Bar (Downstairs) Live Music Worldbeat Dance Party w/ DJ Stylus.  Live performance on June 11th by.  8pm Tchaka (Haitian/Zimbabwean) myspace. com/negtiginen.  9pm Next Tribe (worldbeat jam rock) myspace. com/nexttribe.  Apocryphon Productions.

(7p, $5 before 11p, $10 after)
Mehanata Bulgarian Bar
113 Ludlow btw. Rivington and Delancey
kelly.heresy at gmail dot com
http://www.myspace.com/kellyheresy

=====Thursday, June 12th=====

Ecstasy Now - Entheologue

Join Dr. Julie Holland and Alex Grey as they discuss MDMA (ecstasy), its use in psychotherapy, its prominence in the rave scene, and its effects on culture and the arts.  A board certified psychiatrist in New York City, Dr. Holland is a renowned expert on psychology and neural sciences, with a concentration in neural psycho-pharmacology (brain drugs). She is a recognized authority on MDMA, acknowledged in countless magazines, newspapers and website journals addressing the subject. An article on the question of neurotoxicity in MDMA, written by Dr. Holland, was published in the internationally respected Lancet Journal of the Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Holland, who also writes articles and reviews for the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), has surveyed the use of ecstasy and other drugs at New York City raves.

(8p - 12a, $20)
Chapel of Sacred Mirrors
542 W 27th St
http://www.cosm.org

=====Friday, June 13th=====

Sounds Like Music

Check out this event: Sounds Like Music at the Seed Gallery.  It sounds like Seed Gallery, I Level Productions, and curator Sarah
Wellington are creating a positive blend of visual art and music… Friday June 13th at Seed Gallery 239 Washington St. Newark NJ, come witness the movement when best of both worlds collide, and see what it sounds like for yourself…plant the good word and watch the Seed grow…. (open the attached flyer and see for yourself) keep it fearless…respect! g.  Jazz vs. the Space Tiger, Tom Garcia, Daoapo, Somerville Town Drunks, DJ KNS, and after party with DJ L’ement

(5p - 9p) Free Permaculture & Dark Matter opening reception
(9p - 1a, $10) Music
Seed Gallery
239 Washington Street
http://www.newarkseed.com

=====Also on Friday, June 13th=====

Primordiale @ CoSM

… a night of tribal fusion dance and acoustic and electronic music.  East Coast Tribal bellydance of the lunar flavor will ignite the evening with bold sensual movement by Sera, Solstice, Sarah Johannson Locke, and more.  Violinist Hannah Thiem with Copal, Boston-based electronic ambient group combines traditional sounds stemming from Spanish gypsy, Eastern European, Nordic and Middle Eastern influences with electronic beats and soundscapes of the modern age.  Nyxyss, a collaboration of Haj and Hannah, and Mikio with special guests, bring the evening to a peak with lush and compelling sounds, an expansive sense of journey and and an eye to the dancefloor.  The DJs and musicians will guide us on a journey into the mysteries, in one of the most amazing venues in New York City.  If you didn’t know, The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is the home of infamous paintings by artist Alex Gray. This is an opportunity to witness what others travel 1000s of miles to see in person…a fusion of body, mind, and spirit depicted in elegant detail in large figurative paintings.
As performers in this enlightened space, we wish to give honor to these works, and further inspiration to all participants.  Featuring:  Sera and Solstice.  Sarah Johansson Locke and Alchemy Dance Theatre.  Danielle and special guests.  Hannah Thiem and Copal (Boston), Nyxyss feat. Haj (Sub Swara | Freek Factory) and Hannah, Mikio (Freek Factory | CoSM) and special guests

(7-11p, $10)
CoSM: Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors
542 W 27th Street, 4th floor
http://www.cosm.org/

=====June 14th=====

Entheocentric Salon (Last One of the Summer)

Alex Grey discusses Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll.  Party ensues afterwards with live music, DJ’s, live painting,  and more…

(8p - 4a, $20)
CoSM: Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors
542 W 27th Street, 4th floor
http://www.cosm.org/

=====Call for Volunteers Saturday June 14th=====

Volunteers Wanted for Evolve 2012 Music & Arts Festival’s Mural Project
Kids Camp Presents…The Artistry Jubilee  Saturday June 14th 2008

The help and hard work of our volunteer staff is an essential part in producing an environmentally responsible weekend of music, art, & education. We need a volunteer staff to assist in a variety of behind the scenes tasks that include cleaning up (composting, recycling, litter removal, & minimizing festival waste), parking vehicles, providing hospitality services, and contributing to the overall wholeness of Evolve 2012 Music & Arts Festival. www.evolve2012.org “  Here is the info about the mural project ( The Artistry Jubilee ) I have also sent this in a word document that is in the format of the flyer.. Let me know if you think of anybody that would like to get involved as an artist designing a mural or just get involved in helping create the mural.  Please join us at Kids Camp for a day of creativity, painting, music, food, and fun. Kids Camp is a non-profit campground dedicated to sharing the wonders of New Jersey’s wildlife with inner-city children. Everyday our camp is filled with the excitement and energy of Newark’s students who are eager to explore our Warren county homeland. We would like the walls of our Main Lodge Building to reflect this liveliness, so   Give Back to the New Jersey Community!  We are calling students & adults of all ages and levels to participate in a day of mural making with a select team of New Jersey’s practiced artists! This is an excellent opportunity to give the gift of art and beauty to your New Jersey community!  Every painter needs a muse, so we are also calling performers of all kinds to participate. We envision a drum circle filling the center of the room, keeping the creative energy flowing. All acoustic instruments are welcome.  Please arrive at Kids Camp at 10:30am. Continental breakfast will be served upon arrival.  A delicious & nutritious lunch will be provided for everybody contributing energy toward our project!  Mural renderings will continue into the early evening. A reception party will follow the completion of the murals. Feel free to invite friends & family to come see the finished artwork!

(10:30a, Free)
Kids Camp
139 Lincoln-Laurel Rd.
Newton, NJ
http://www.evolve2012.org

=====Saturday, June 14th=====

Earth Spirit Walk & Shamanic Ceremony

Honor the summer solstice.  Connect with the Earth Through Shamanic Ceremony.  Hiking Along the Palisades Ridgeline Overlooking the Hudson River.  Harmonize with the Cycles, Rhythms, and Energies of the Earth.  Explore the Wisdom, Power and Magic of Nature.  Treat yourself to an adventure in nature.  Transcend the stresses of everyday life.  Exercise your body and quiet your mind.  Rejuvenate your spirit.  Meet like-minded people.  Explore shamanic ceremony and practices.  Develop tools for relaxation and inner guidance.  Join us in visiting two power spots on a plateau overlooking the magnificent Hudson River where we will participate in shamanic ceremony and meditative journeying to restore inner balance, deepen our connection with the natural world, and enhance our intuitive awareness of the invisible.  This is a light to moderate hike.  There will be breaks for talks, rest and snacks.  Please bring water, a snack, and a journal.  Registration required.  Space is limited.  Next Date: Sunday July 27, 2008  1pm - 5pm.  Guide Joey Levine is a leader of the New York Shamanic Circle and founder of DreamLab, a workshop inspiring people to live life in a fully alive state of joy, peace and well-being.

(1p-5p, $50)
Location:  Beautiful Rockland County, NY (near Nyack)
Approximately 45 minutes from NYC by car.
Carpools & public transport available including rides from
Tarrytown MetroNorth Train Station.
earthspirit@optonline.net

=====Saturday, June 14th & Sunday June 15th=====

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Svoboda and Dr. Scott Blossom will once again be visiting AYNY for a lecture series to be held on Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th June from 1 - 4pm. The cost is $65 per person per day. The lectures will cover the following:  “Agni: The Wisdom of Fire” - Fire embodies the sun, and is its spirit on Earth. Fire is the celebrant of sacrifices, and “digester” of life experiences. We rely on fire’s good judgment to keep the other Elements in right relationship to one another. These lectures will discuss how best to invoke fire into our lives, internally & externally; how to prevent fires in places we don’t want them to start; how to align our internal fires; and how to keep Tejas predominant, and Pitta subservient.  Consultations will also be offered on Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th June between 1:30pm - 5:45pm. The cost is $180 per consultation. You will meet with both Dr. Svoboda and Dr. Blossom for a total of one hour for each consultation.  To book your place for the lectures and/or consultations please contact Youngblood Roche at youngblood@namarupa.org.

(1p -4p, $65)
Ashtanga Yoga New York & Sri Ganesha Temple
430 Broome Street #2
http://ayny.org/

=====Friday, June 20th=====

Telling Stories to Change the World: Book Release Party - NYC

Telling Stories to Change the World is a powerful collection of essays about community-based and interest-based projects where storytelling is used as a strategy for speaking out for justice. Contributors from across the globe?including Uganda, Darfur, China, Afghanistan, South Africa, New Orleans, and Chicago?describe grassroots projects in which communities use storytelling as a way of exploring what a more just society might look like and what civic engagement means. Together, these projects demonstrate the contemporary power of stories to stimulate engagement, active citizenship, the pride of identity, and the humility of human connectedness.

(7:30p, Free)
The Brecht Forum
451 West St. (on the corner of Bank St.)
We’ll be signing copies of the book and many of our contributors will speak about their projects giving updates on their work!
For more details visit my site - http://www.artivista.org/

)))))=Save the Date: Saturday, June 21st=(((((

Reality Sandwich and Jivamukti Yoga Present

SOULSTICE: An Evolver Salon
Celebrate the sunniest day of the year with a jubilant night of music, ideas, art, and alchemy, hosted by Reality Sandwich and Jivamukti Yoga School. Featuring eleven workshops from diverse groups across the city, music, and a paradigm-shifting panel discussion.

Workshops:
NY Shamanic Circle: Shamanic Soulstice Alchemy
Nat Bletter: All the Plants in the Entheogenic Universe
Purnima (Jivamukti Yoga School): The Secret Language of Asanas: The Return of the Fairy Queen & Goddess Danu
Kehilat Romemu: “Havdalah” - Trance After Sabbath
Basem Hassan: Angels & Angles - Making Geometry Sacred
BioTour: Journey Into a Sustainable Future
Johnny (Holes) Treanor: The Cajon - A Percussion Workshop
Carlos Ganesh-das (Jivamukti Yoga School): Soulstice Meditation
Trinity of the Dancing Path: Wild Soulstice Journey Dance
New Realities’ Alan Steinfield: The Nature of Reality - Where are We?
Souldish & EFT Personal Training: Rebalancing the Creative Spirit

10pm: Payer & Music by Rene Collins

Panel: “Healing Ourselves to Heal the World”
How do we bring awareness gained through spiritual discipline back into the gritty realities of political struggle and the fight against global inequity of wealth and resources? Do we simply make “the present moment… the focal point of [our] life,” as Eckhart Tolle suggests in order to bring about “a New Earth,” or does it take hard work, action, and visionary invention to enact mass change? Featuring Rabbi David Ingber of Kehilat Romemu, Ethan Nichtern of The ID Project and author of “One City: A Declaration of Interdependence,” Derek Beres of GlobeSonic and author of “Sound Against Flame: The Process of Yoga & Atheism in America,” Yoga Instructor and Selfcentered’s NY Representative Tammy Lynne, & more.

(5:45p, $20 adv/$25 dr)
Saturday, June 21
Doors 5:45pm, Workshops start at 6pm. Event goes until Midnight.
Jivamukti Yoga School
841 Broadway
$20 adv/$25 door
Tickets: http://jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/event_fm.html
(Click “To Register Online for Events” in pink text at top left corner.)
http://www.realitysandwich.com/soulstice

=====Saturday, June 21st=====

Third Annual Urb Alt Festival Shines inSun Ra Celebration of First Day of Summer

V. Jeffrey Smith, Tay Zonday,  Melvin Gibbs, MuthaWit and eclectic artists perform 14 Hours of Alternative Music Over 3 Days at Harlem Stage Gatehouse and BAMcafe

NEW YORK, NY (May 29, 2008) - The third annual URB ALT Festival brings the bleeding edge of multi-cultural music/film artists to New York City’s Harlem Stage Gatehouse and BAMcafe. On the first day of summer June 21st in conjunction with the city-wide Make Music NY, the three day URB ALT Festival launches from the Harlem Stage Gatehouse terrace with a 7 hour outdoor concert event.  The festival, hosted by co-founder Shena Verrett, celebrates the legacy of Sun Ra as fused through the musical and visual creativity of internationally recognized and underground artists.  Events are free with a $10 suggested donation for adults going towards registration for URB ALT gift raffles and voter registration initiatives through Rock the Vote.  For more information contact Michelle at 917.328.0367 or girlsonmedia@hotmail.com    The opening day at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse features the avant-garde bass mastery of Melvin Gibbs(Rollins Band, Harriet Tubman); the soulful alternative hip hop/funk of Atlantan, Stacy Epps; the “Chocolate Rain” afforded musical ubiquity of Tay Zonday; the cosmic jazz vocal stylings of Los Angelino, Waberi Jordan; the soul laced protorock melodicism of Tenderhead; the electronica infused funk/rock of OMG; the funky blues rock of Devi; the folk/soul of honey voiced crooner Kendal; the Latin rock/punk experimentalism of Millsted; and the futuristic big band exploratory missions of the MuthaWit Orchestra(URB ALT Festival house band).  Artists will be performing their original material as well as a composition from Sun Ra’s songbook.  URB ALT founder Boston Fielder, says “Sun Ra is a beacon for creators of all mediums who want to explore the connection between the spirit, entertainment and commerce.  The Sun Ra Arkestra was/is a functioning politico-economic-social system that I was exposed to early in life as my cousin was a mainstay drummer for the group.  It’s an honor to present some of Sun Ra’s compositions to our audience.”  June 27th and 28th finds the URB ALT Festival crossing the river into Brooklyn where the events dock at the popular BAMcafe.  These two special nights of the URB ALT Festival close out the BAMcafe Live season by featuring the soul/rock gypsy sound of Brig Feltus with members of Pillow Theory; the polyphonic harp virtuosity of Brandee Younger(Ravi Coltrane); the LES reggae/rock/soul power of Faith; the rock/soul/pop songcraft mastery of V. Jeffrey Smith(Family Stand); the punk/pop/rock runway histrionics of Tenderhead; and a special collaboration between the MuthaWit Orchestra and two very special guests.  Both nights will feature the computer generated? projections of Italy based visual artist Roy Lagrone, The Matrix film series animation director Lyndon Barrois and “Harbinger” feature film director Tim Fielder.

June 21, 2008 noon-7pm:
The Harlem Stage Gatehouse Terrace, Hosted by Shena Verrett of Girls On…Productions, Stacy Epps, Melvin Gibbs, M, MuthaWit Orchestra, Tay Zonday, Tenderhead, Millsted, Kendal, Pierre Fignole, The Nocturnes, Devi, Oh My Goodness

June 27, 8pm-11pm:  BAMcafe
Hosted by Shena Verrett of Girls On…Productions; Brandee Younger, harpist for Ravi Coltrane; Faith; Brig Feltus with members of Pillow Theory; MuthaWit Orchestra with special guests

June 28 8pm-11pm:  BAMcafe
Hosted by Shena Verrett of Girls On…Productions.  V. Jeffrey Smith of the Family Stand.  Tenderhead.  MuthaWit Orchestra with special guests.  Raffle tickets for Apple Computer products, a Daisy Rock Guitar, Airline gift certificates and more prizes included with the $10 donation.  Various raffle winners will be announced and awarded during the course of eachevent.  Food and retail vendor space for June 21st outdoor event is available by contacting Michelle at 917-328-0367 or girlsonmedia@hotmail.com.  Space is limited.

(12 noon - 7p, Free or $10 suggested donation)
Saturday June 21, Noon-7pm:
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
150 Convent Avenue
at West 135th Street
http://harlemstage.org/SEASON/index.php?id=1

(8p, Free)
Friday June 27, 8pm and Saturday June 28, 8pm:
BAMcafe
Peter Jay Sharp Building
30 Lafayette Avenue / Brklyn,
http://www.bam.org/events/bamcafelive.aspx

=====Wednesday, June 25th=====

An Evening With…Liz Phair - performing songs from Exile In Guyville

(7p, $30)
Hiro Ballroom, 21+
363 West 16th St.; 212-242-4300

=====July 10th=====

ORB Festival 2008

We are happy to officially announce ORB Festival 2008, July 10th -13th! @ The New Echo Lake: 185 Echo Lake Lane, Afton, NY  The time has come to go outdoors for the second year’s gathering to celebrate the purity of nature and music, in a beautiful resort with a magical forest hugging a peaceful wide lake. Getaway from your daily routine to a well produced festival with great vibes, happy people and an unforgettable adventure. Motivated by the purity of nature and music, originating the culture of awareness and appreciation, Orb Festival builds a village to celebrate life.  This year’s festival will feature a selection of the best electronic music:  Full-on, progressive, dark, electro, and chill out music crafted by the world’s top artists and producers.  ORB Festival is the biggest electronic music gathering on the east coast and this year it will be bigger than ever.  The Festival will take place in “The New Echo Lake” (AKA Echo lake) Afton NY.  A beautiful campground, two and a half hours away from Manhattan featuring plenty of parking space, well-maintained camping site, hot showers, clean restrooms and economy cabins available for rental. ORB festival 2008 will host two stages with top of the line sound systems, work shops, drums circles, fire performances, backdrops & structure decorations, visual art, yoga, 24 hours active chai shops, delicious organic food, body painting, bars & vendors market, several designated public camping tents, fishing, boating, swimming, horse back riding, and lots more.  For directions, ride shares, camping tips and location map go to: http://www.OrbFestival.com  This one for sure will be another unforgettable gathering.  So prepare your camping gear and mark your calendars.  Rain or Shine Event.  See you all there!  Peace Love & Light ‘n Trance.  Orb Crew by Alladin Group.  Vendors:  If you feel that your merchandise can be sold to our crowd and it is a demographic that interests your company’s promotion, it will be a  great opportunity for you to take part of this event. Please email us at orbfestival@gmail.com with the subject Vendors. Volunteers: If you think you can contribute in any way and would like to be a part of ORB 2008! We need good responsible individuals to work and we need all the hands that we can get!  Please email us at orbfestival@gmail.com with the subject volunteers.  ***Gates Open on July 10, Thu @ 12 pm until Sunday @ 3 pm, July 13***

(12p 7/10 - 3p 7/13. $135)
The New Echo Lake
185 Echo Lake Lane, Afton, NY
For paper tickets Call (1917) 569-1177
http://www.alladinproject.net

=====Weekend Retreat:  July 30th - August 3rd=====

SpiritFire Festival 2008 (July 30 - August 3, New Lebanon NY) (New York)

SpiritFire Festival is a five-day intensive fire circle retreat held in New Lebanon, NY (near Pittsfield, MA), celebrating life and spirit through the pathways of music, movement, voice, Seva, and the Mysteries.  Spend a weekend in harmony with a welcoming community exploring diverse pathways, but united in a Spirit of joyous celebration, deep listening, infectious groove, and ecstatic trance!  During the day, attend workshops for all levels on drumming, dance, didgeredoo, vocal improvisation and more. Enjoy two community circles each night: evening jams honoring different music and movement traditions with fantastic fire spinning, and then 11pm-to-dawn fire circle rituals.  You can learn more about SpiritFire, and register online (or download the mail-in form) at: http://www.spiritfirefestival.org

(10a - all weekend, adult $350 youth $190)
http://spiritfirefestival.org/register.php
http://spiritfirefestival.org/

=====September 28 - October 4th=====

Rumi, Freedom & The Dance of Liberation

Presented  by MovingVentures School at the Alexis Zorbas Retreat Center  Corfu, Greece with Ellen Watson & Parashakti.  Parashakti & Ellen invite you to join us in Corfu, at Alexis Zorbas Center, to celebrate Rumi’s 801st birthday.  Rumi, a scholar turned mystic, turned dancing dervish, whose poetry takes us step by step to meet God within ourselves is our inspiration for this retreat.   Ecstatic dance is the oldest spiritual practice on earth.  The  practices of Native American Shamanism combine ritual, trance & dance  in a communal ceremony that liberates the dancers’ inner light.  This group begins with dinner on Sunday, 9/28, and ends with morning class on Saturday, 10/3; check out, 10/4.  This is a full immersion retreat and will include a day of cleansing & fasting, an all night ritual, and a day spent in silence with yourself.

500 Euros for shared room with two delicious vegetarian meals daily.  Single housing available for additional payment.
Tuition: 600 Euros. Work/study available for tuition; must pay for own room/board or negotiate a fair trade with leaders.

For full course descriptions, please visit website:
http://www.movingventures.org,
http://www.danceofliberation.org
To register:  info@movingventures.org,
Course questions: ellen@movingventures.org

MovingVentures School
,P.O. Box 572
Big Sur, CA. 93920 ph: 831 667 0477
http://movingventures.org
http:// danceofliberation.org
http://www.alexiszorbas.com
http://movingventures.org/workshops/2008/09/28/greek_island_retreat_greece_english

)))))=Volunteer=(((((

=====Call for Volunteers Saturday June 14th (repeat)=====

Volunteers Wanted for Evolve 2012 Music & Arts Festival’s Mural Project
Kids Camp Presents…The Artistry Jubilee  Saturday June 14th 2008

The help and hard work of our volunteer staff is an essential part in producing an environmentally responsible weekend of music, art, & education. We need a volunteer staff to assist in a variety of behind the scenes tasks that include cleaning up (composting, recycling, litter removal, & minimizing festival waste), parking vehicles, providing hospitality services, and contributing to the overall wholeness of Evolve 2012 Music & Arts Festival. www.evolve2012.org “  Here is the info about the mural project ( The Artistry Jubilee ) I have also sent this in a word document that is in the format of the flyer.. Let me know if you think of anybody that would like to get involved as an artist designing a mural or just get involved in helping create the mural.  Please join us at Kids Camp for a day of creativity, painting, music, food, and fun. Kids Camp is a non-profit campground dedicated to sharing the wonders of New Jersey’s wildlife with inner-city children. Everyday our camp is filled with the excitement and energy of Newark’s students who are eager to explore our Warren county homeland. We would like the walls of our Main Lodge Building to reflect this liveliness, so   Give Back to the New Jersey Community!  We are calling students & adults of all ages and levels to participate in a day of mural making with a select team of New Jersey’s practiced artists! This is an excellent opportunity to give the gift of art and beauty to your New Jersey community!  Every painter needs a muse, so we are also calling performers of all kinds to participate. We envision a drum circle filling the center of the room, keeping the creative energy flowing. All acoustic instruments are welcome.  Please arrive at Kids Camp at 10:30am. Continental breakfast will be served upon arrival.  A delicious & nutritious lunch will be provided for everybody contributing energy toward our project!  Mural renderings will continue into the early evening. A reception party will follow the completion of the murals. Feel free to invite friends & family to come see the finished artwork!

(10:30a, Free)
Kids Camp
139 Lincoln-Laurel Rd.
Newton, NJ
http://www.evolve2012.org

)))))=Ongoing=(((((

Alan Steinfeld has compiled some wonderful ongoing class listings for you to consider:
http://www.newrealities.com/events_ongoing.html

)))))=Podcast/Videocast=(((((

Ralph Metzner Speaks about Shamans
http://mefeedia.com/entry/ralph-metzner-speaks-about-shamans/9712235/

)))))=Links=(((((

Dennis Mckenna at the World Psychedelic Forum
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MmjZoKY3dHM&feature=related

Dimensional vortex UFO?
http://teleomorph.blogspot.com/search/label/trippy

Transpersonal Hypnotherapy
http://www.findingtruemagic.com/

Visionary art by Nemo and friends
http://www.r6xx.com

Evolve 2012 Music and Arts Festival
http://www.evolve2012.org

SEED Gallery
http://www.newardseed.com

Sacred Space:
http://www.cosm.org

The Pharmacratic Inquisition
http://www.pharmacratic-inquisition.com/main/

The Lycaeum works to promote public education about all aspects of psychoactive drugs and drug use, including, but not limited to:
* Visionary and entheogenic aspects of drug use,
* Ethnobotany of indigenous cultures,
* Harm reduction, and
* Health and legal risks of drug use.
http://leda.lycaeum.org/?Table=Taxonomy&All=1

=====
There is a section of the Pacific Ocean twice the size of the continental United States called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Within it, 100 million tons of plastic swirl in a vortex of currents. There is so much plastic in the water that it outnumbers zooplankton by six to one!

Every one of us needs to do our part to reduce our dependence on plastic. »

Plastic in the ocean and along beaches ends up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals. In fact, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die globally each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics.

Plastic is forever, with virtually every piece of petroleum based plastic ever made still in existence. That’s why it’s so critical to our oceans and beaches that we dramatically reduce our use of plastics, especially single-use plastics, starting today.

You can make a difference for our world’s oceans, waves and beaches — pledge to rise above plastics today. »
Thanks for taking action!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/128097118?z00m=15373902

I’m happy to announce that my fourth book, Sound Against Flame: The Process of Yoga and Atheism in America, is now out! You can order from Amazon, or you can read more here about the book. (For some reason Amazon lists it as out of stock, but I can assure you they have them!) Nearly a year-and-a-half in the making, I look forward to watching where the work spreads out to from here. - Derek Beres
http://www.otbpublishing.com/books/soundagainstflame.html