This made me smile – Russia enjoys the flash mob phenomenon.
A Persian warrior who was marching to battle was carrying a bow but no arrows. On the road he met a friend who asked why he had brought no ammunition. “How will you fight?” asked his friend. “I will use the arrows sent by the enemy,” he replied. “But what if no arrow comes?” “Then” replied the bowman, “there will be no war”.
Interesting that the trials of Khmer Rouge leaders is happening the week that Garlands for Ashes has been released. Check out this article and this video from the BBC
One of the few traditional instrument players that survived the Khmer Rouge genocides.
Interesting clip from Cambodia about the resurgence of Khmer arts.
“There has been a revival of traditional and contemporary arts across the country and Phnom Penh has become a hotbed of creativity and young talent. Michelle Jana Chan travelled to the capital to look at this resurgence.”
A UN-backed tribunal in Cambodia is holding its first hearing in the trial of four former top Khmer Rouge leaders.
In the context of the last few days news of famine, Euro bail outs and gutter press – its good to remember the amazing planet that we are part of. Take a moment and smile at the diversity.
Here’s a reminder of a blog I wrote in 2009 when the word crisis was banded about a lot – “In this season where the media is bombarding us with the financial crisis that is crippling the world my question is what is our response? Interestingly like most Mandarin words, the word “crisis” (wēijī) consists of two syllables that are written with two separate characters, wēi and jī. These separate characters mean “danger” and “opportunity”. Maybe this paradox can point us towards a counter cultural view point. Do we choose to worry about the danger that may be lurking around the corner or do we look for opportunities to be generous?”
Here is a fascinating documentary on the power of arts to manipulate people within communist North Korea. Jason Carter a musician friend who has played in the country forwarded this to me. Read More
Check out this fascinating program on the World Service about the Slow Food movement and how we need to learn from indigenous peoples.
“Sheila Dillon hears from some of the world’s disappearing food tribes and finds out why efforts are underway to preserve indigenous food cultures in north America, Scandinavia and in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands.”
Thoughts on the journey – Read More
In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions: When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?
On a hillside, high above a ravine lived a small boy and his family. There home was a very ordinary wood shack surrounded on three sides by trees. Life seemed very boring to this young boy and he dreamed of excitement and adventure. Often he would sit on their wooden porch late in the evening and watch the valley below, change colours as the sun went down. On the other side of the valley was another building and on certain evenings there would be an amazing sight, a miracle would happen, the house would explode with amazing golden windows. He would sit and dream about who lived there, how special they must be to live in such an amazing place. Read More
