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This may sound crazy, but... Moderators: Moderators Jump to page : 1 2 Now viewing page 2 [25 messages per page]	View previous thread :: View next thread
Yoga -> Philosophy and Religion	Message format

jeansyoga

Posted 2005-05-12 11:41 AM (#23972 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

"Indians and Nepalis are so much more open to dealing with themselves than others..maybe because of the culture and how deep they like to explore. They don't seem to be as superficial and phony and are more accepting of their mistakes and stupid actions."

Maybe Americans are so afraid to admit mistakes because so many people in America are so judgemental! Nobody seems to be able to just allow and respect another's path without telling them how wrong they are about it. That tends to make everybody just a wee bit defensive about what they say and do.

Then again, the need to judge and correct other people's behavior may be a step on another person's path, so we can't judge that either. Just accept everyone's opinion as just that - their opinion. Take what is meaningful to you at this time, and leave the rest.

Thushara

Posted 2005-05-12 11:56 PM (#24005 - in reply to #23972)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Jeans you are right! But when 1 user start offending every other user in the forum of course there is much more to what you said

I deal with lot of foreigners all around the world when it comes to business.. What I see in Americans/Europeans is that they are ready to complain about everything.. Even for nothing.. they find something to complain about all the time.. May be its due to their lifestyle.. People living in this part of the world cannot complain about every simple thing as they have lot more serious things in life to worry about..Its just "ok.. can deal with this" or "never mind" attitude… I think that’s the difference.. I see a good side to this.. in this way its very less presure in life., Asians are more calm and tolerable people compared to west people (except me I think :

Edited by Thushara 2005-05-12 11:59 PM

Thushara

Posted 2005-05-13 12:03 AM (#24006 - in reply to #23945)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Edited by Thushara 2005-05-13 12:07 AM

Cyndi

Posted 2005-05-13 9:26 AM (#24021 - in reply to #24005)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Expert Yogi

Posts: 5098
5000

Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC

Thushara - 2005-05-12 11:56 PM

I deal with lot of foreigners all around the world when it comes to business.. What I see in Americans/Europeans is that they are ready to complain about everything.. Even for nothing.. they find something to complain about all the time.. May be its due to their lifestyle.. People living in this part of the world cannot complain about every simple thing as they have lot more serious things in life to worry about..Its just "ok.. can deal with this" or "never mind" attitude… I think that’s the difference.. I see a good side to this.. in this way its very less presure in life., Asians are more calm and tolerable people compared to west people (except me I think :

Thushara,

It's really not about Asians and Westerner's anymore. It is all about environment, lifestyle and habits. One day, when your country gets to a point where you are so technically advanced...you will see the change in how people act. It is already starting. You ask any Indian or Asian about the Western lifestyle and how they are being affected by this lifestyle. When you loose your nature, and your simplicity, you will loose your mind and your way of life too!! That to me is what I have observed here in America. I live not too far from the Cherokee Indian Reservation. When you visit this area and observe these people, they live a very simple life. The younger ones are struggling in trying to live outside of their culture and watching the technology encroach their way of life is heartbreaking...its even heartbreaking for me because I am a naturalist too and want to live my simple life. I despise people that come to the countryside and do the things they do to nature and the environment. I also despise the city because there is no fresh water anymore, creeks and rivers are polluted, and the noise and rumble of the earth shaking is so scary. I may complain, but my complaints are at least justified by watching ignorant humans destroy themselves and the planet.

Thushara

Posted 2005-05-13 9:38 AM (#24022 - in reply to #24021)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

May be.. But I think they complain coz their expectations are higher than us..maybe coz they have better living conditions than some of the Asian countiries.. I dont know.. You must be knowing better...
anyway Im different and Im not so tolerant like other Asians ...

..
So ... Shape up or Ship out ...

Edited by Thushara 2005-05-13 9:41 AM

Bay Guy

Posted 2005-05-13 9:56 AM (#24024 - in reply to #24022)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Expert Yogi

Posts: 2479
2000

Location: A Blue State

Thushara, you are right about people in the US complaining too easily.
(I don't know how things are in Sri Lanka, but I will take your word for it.)
In this country, the standard of living is, dare I say, absurdly high and the
expectations match. Serve someone a piece of fruit with a blemish on it,
and they'll send it back for one that it perfect. Most of us have little comprehension
of privation or of just how good we have things here.

My pet peeve of the month is the rate of energy consumption in the US.
Worldwide, energy consumption in 2003 was about 12 terawatts (12 trillion watts).
That same year, the US consumed 3 terawatts, or 1/4 of the world's energy.
The US amounts to just 5% of the world's population. We also account
for 25% or more of the world's CO_2 emissions. And for the most part, it appears
to me that people here don't give a flying f*ck about this imbalance...just look
at the vehicles people drive here.

Oh, ooppps, I'm late for a meeting....

jeansyoga

Posted 2005-05-13 10:25 AM (#24030 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Hey now, some of us do the best we can. There's a small minority of people who care!

LoraB

Posted 2005-05-13 11:04 AM (#24037 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Well, on a brighter note, please know that there is a whole generation of architects and designers about to change the world by incorporating green design into their structures! That means addressing not only energy consumption, water conservation/reuse systems, improved air quality, and materials and dyes that contribute to an open life cycle rather than closed, but focusing on the ways people interact and the changing needs based on technology. technoloby doesn't have to be a bad thing - but we can adjust the way we react to it. There are a lot of really really passionate people working on these thigns right now - but we need help! We need creative people to design products that are similar in appearance and function to current products, to market them to the general public and increase awareness of their existence, and to purchase them. We need clients who insist on projects that are as sustainable as possible, and we need the LEED critera (a sustainable architecture/interior certification) to disregard its big-industry connections. If you get a chance, take a look at Australia. They're AWESOME when it comes to the stringent criteria for getting a building LEED-certified, and are definitely on the leading edge of water conservation and reuse. Currently there are more things that we can do system-wise. The furniture and materials aren't quite there - but materials more than furniture. But rest assured, we're working on it! Check out William McDonough and his Cradle to Cradle Philosophy - he's fabulous! It's on the way, trust me.

Orbilia

Posted 2005-05-13 11:06 AM (#24038 - in reply to #24022)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

I suspect the reason may be even simpler than that. Once a country is monied, leisure time increases. That is, folk have the time to whinge!

Fee

Edited by Orbilia 2005-05-13 11:07 AM

Cyndi

Posted 2005-05-13 11:37 AM (#24042 - in reply to #24037)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Expert Yogi

Posts: 5098
5000

Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC

Lora, I appreciate what your trying to say and I see this in major cities everywhere with the new buildings. However, the architects and the greenspace theory is a little bit too late. Trees are being cut down everywhere and old growth forests are being destroyed...thousands of acres every day on the planet. There is no technology that is going to be able to replace this...humans cannot manufacture the rainforest and nature...sorry. They say the Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions. This is not enough for what we are taking from the earth every day. People are going to have to wake up and change their lifestyles and if they don't...their lifestyles may just change anyway without a choice in the not to distant future because we are on the verge of loosing sooo much. The clock is ticking away...tick, tick, tick, tick

LoraB

Posted 2005-05-13 12:18 PM (#24045 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Of course we can't replace rainforests...but we CAN specify only forest stewardship council approved wood, or reclaimed wood from previous structures. And, it is possible to get some of the rarer woods from either of the above sources. Of course we can't undo what's already been done, but it's frustrating to me to see people lament what's already happened rather than be encouraged by the actions that people ARE taking. I'm not pegging you specifically on that - I see a lot of it - and it seems like such a waste. I just wish people would focus that energy on designing more attractive products based on sustainable principles.

As designers coming out of school, my classmates and I are in a great position to give the clients sustainable design whether they realize it or not! There are clients out there who DO currently insist on building this way, but many look simply at the bottom line. This isn't wrong, necessarily, because they're in business to make a profit - it's our job (the designer/architect) to educate them on the benefits to them to get them to buy in.

Right now a lot of the furniture that is being produced sustainably is, frankly, not that attractive. Or if it's not ugly, it's done in an Asian style - great if that's the look you're going for - not so great if you're doing any other project. Clients and designers aren't really willing to sacrifice the aesthetics of a project. Aside from that, many of the manufacturers are more than happy to produce a piece based on sustainable specifications - but it's custom and therefore costs quite a bit more. It's the old catch-22: it's specified less because of the higher cost, but the cost won't come down until it's specified more. ARGH! But just as the damage didn't happen overnight, the problem can't be fixed overnight.

Just out of curiousity, how sustainable are any of your homes? Are you, or have you taken, any steps to increase it's environmental friendliness? If you haven't, what has been the deciding factor (time, money, lack of resources, etc.)? What about your workplaces?

Empress Echo

Posted 2005-05-13 2:06 PM (#24052 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Uh... I'm hesitant to bring this up... but weren't we discussing astral travel/OBE's and the like?

Then again, that didn't seem to be going so well! LOL! Carry on with the rainforest...!

tourist

Posted 2005-05-13 7:15 PM (#24072 - in reply to #24045)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
5000

Lora - our house was a show home about 20 years ago with an R2000 rating. We could probably update some features but it has great passive solar heat so that in the winter if it is sunny (ok, not often here on the coast!) I come in and wonder "who the heck left the heat on?!?" Our heating bills are lower than they were in our old house which was half the size, and of course prices have risen in the past 8 years. We save a ton on hot water since we have a hot tub

One day I'll do a photo like Bruce's - just haven't got around to it yet

But my proudest "green" thing right now is a daughter who is up in the BC interior planting trees. It is hard, hard work but she is apparently doing well and hoping to become a "highballer" who plants so many trees each day she'll come home with her suitcase full o' cash. She has already (in her first few days) surpassed her boyfriend's best day. Tough cookie! I'm so proud of her

easternsun

Posted 2005-05-14 5:21 AM (#24088 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

i am trying to compost my raw garbage (on my veranda, in the city

). i keep a full bottle of water in the toilet tank so that it doesnt require so much water to fill the tank.....not much huh! i dont have a car, clothes dryer or air conditioner......ok we have one but i have never turned it on (husband won it in a bet with his best friend

)

i want to do a lot more! my next yoga mats for my classes will be pvc free......suggestions welcome!

glenda,

you must have raised one tough chickie because that is one of the hardest jobs in the world!!

sorry empress echo...

it seems your discussion has been hijacked. i am afraid that my only OBE was years ago - after drinking a dodgy lassi in thailand (never again) and that doesnt count now does it.

it seems as though you are opening up a little socially, (YEAY!) any chance you are feeling more confident about social situations off the net?

tourist

Posted 2005-05-14 9:40 AM (#24096 - in reply to #24088)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
5000

Kira - our studio has a worm composting bin IN the kitchen! It fits under the sink in a smallish cupboard and you can't even tell it is there unless the worm-tending yogini takes the bin out to add compost. The biggest "problem" is people leaving too many fruit peels etc. in the "to be composted" bin so there are occasionally fruit flies around that. I am very curious about it and keep thinking I should get one but I do expend most of my nurturing energy at work and on my students and am not doing great on tending to much else. My garden looks like a jungle and my few houseplants barely survive(except for the d*mn poinsettia DH brough home at Christmas which seemingly will not die - maybe I should send it to one of the Bikramites to have trouble keeping plants alive n their studios...).

I am very keen to hear from my daughter again soon. She said it was indeed hard but that she has worked that hard before so it was actually not as difficult as she thought it would be. Her previous BF was an organic farmer so she has spent many days hauling compost, turning soil and planting seedlings so that experience has served her well. Anyway, I hope she calls this weekend so I can hear about what it is like after those first few honeymoon days are over. They are also not in camp yet and staying at a local college dorm so the after work hours life is pretty cushy

So this is one place she will be grateful for her dad's genetic background - not little and delicate (okay, wimpy...) like mom but 5'11", big-boned (she says "sturdy" is the word that describes her best. Think female rower ...) and strong as heck.

But the black flies are NASTY!

Empress Echo

Posted 2005-05-14 10:07 AM (#24098 - in reply to #24088)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

easternsun - 2005-05-14 5:21 AM sorry empress echo... it seems your discussion has been hijacked. i am afraid that my only OBE was years ago - after drinking a dodgy lassi in thailand (never again) and that doesnt count now does it.

it seems as though you are opening up a little socially, (YEAY!) any chance you are feeling more confident about social situations off the net?

LOL - No problem, really! You'll find I'm quite easygoing in most cases.

It's funny - I am much more social on the web, but then, I don't have to actually "face" you folks, you know? It's hard to describe. However, I think it IS helping me in the "real" world as well - my therapist & I had a good talk about that yesterday, that my interaction here does make me more confident about interacting with others.

Also if you met me face to face, you'd probably never know that I'm agoraphobic - I keep it pretty well hidden, unless a major panic attack hits. If I'm put into a social situation that I can't avoid, I'll talk and smile and pretend I'm just fine, but the entire time it's an internal battle not to flee. Sometimes I win & sometimes I lose...

Yoga is helping too, improving my confidence & giving me a peace that I'd not previously known

Thank you for asking about it! That's very kind!

Hugs,

Echo

Bay Guy

Posted 2005-05-14 10:33 AM (#24101 - in reply to #24037)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but...

Expert Yogi

Posts: 2479
2000

Location: A Blue State

LoraB - 2005-05-13 11:04 AM

Well, on a brighter note, please know that there is a whole generation of architects and designers about to change the world by incorporating green design into their structures! That means addressing not only energy consumption, water conservation/reuse systems, improved air quality, and materials and dyes that contribute to an open life cycle rather than closed, but focusing on the ways people interact and the changing needs based on technology.

In fact, buildings consume 39% of the energy used in the US. Making them more energy
efficient would go a long way toward reducing our energy consumption and the corresponding
CO_2 emissions.....

easternsun

Posted 2005-06-03 9:44 AM (#24986 - in reply to #23758)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

glenda - how is your kidlet? still all honeymoon or has it progressed to the real deal? tree planting is tough stuff!

i had to add this link because it is just one of those things that i see everyday that has me shaking my head and laughing....

At a fashion show to be held in June at the Aichi Expo, don't expect to see stick-thin women walking down the runway in the season's most outlandish styles. Instead, the models gracing the catwalk will be business leaders such as Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Hiroshi Okuda showcasing the latest in lightweight office wear.

The idea is the brainchild of Environment Minister Yuriko Koike and is intended to draw attention to government efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recently announced that from June, government officials will ditch their jackets and ties so that air conditioners in their offices can be turned down to save energy. Koike has asked business leaders to follow suit.

read the whole article here:

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200504230130.html

Edited by easternsun 2005-06-03 9:46 AM

tourist

Posted 2005-06-03 10:20 AM (#24994 - in reply to #24986)
Subject: RE: This may sound crazy, but.

Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
5000

Kira - I just talked to her last night and she is doing well. Her top day was 2160 trees, which is unheard of for a first time planter. The "highballers" who have been doing it for years do upwards of 3000 trees per day. At 10.5 cents a tree, that is good money. She has seen a moose and the other day had to walk out because there was a "small" cougar on her piece of land. The foreman had to come and chase it away with an air horn. Eek!

She is bitten badly by black flies and mosquitoes, has a sore wrist and is scratched up by the brush but says she feels like a "warrior" - what a great way for a strong young woman to feel, eh? We're pretty proud of her

I love the article about the clothes! I hate going into stores that are so cold you need a jacket in the middle of summer. It really doesn't get hot enough here to need air conditioning, as you know. One or two days a year a couple of fans are nice but that's about it. We all need to work on this, I think.

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