A new kind of Energy

Energy is a pretty loose term that can mean a lot of different things ranging from your sense of spirituality to those things you plug into the wall but the actual experience of these things is drastically different. The use of your appliances and the payment of your electric bill is far from spiritual . . . it’s pretty much something you have to do in a very specific way. There’s nothing warm and fuzzy about Con Edison. I mean, seriously, I’ve actually wondered whether the people they have working for them are real. They all have this weird digitalized/robotic tone in their voice – I can’t imagine how they could get so many different people to sound so completely dull and lifeless . . . as if all of the energy has been sucked out of them.

This is one of the biggest businesses in the world . . . . so why is it such a monopoly? I think there is a fundamental, underlying problem with big business which is that wherever there is power there is always the potential for the abuse of it. Sadly, I think the most effective ‘mis-use’ of power in this country comes from shitty systems that never get updated. Things like the school system . . . the energy systems, etc. It’s always been possible for car manufacturers to make more fuel efficient cars . . . . . but they never wanted to because all of the fuel was making someone else money (and they’re probably all part of the same conglomerate, etc.). See the movie ‘Who Killed the Electric Car’ if you really want to know what I’m talking about.

It’s like the difference between people who believe in intelligent design – innovation – efficiency – and perfection vs. the people who will take whatever they can get at any cost. It’s the conscious vs. the unconscious . . . . the future vs. the past and I think this is a dividing line that is becoming increasingly obvious and relevant in our society. It’s the difference between Wal-Mart and Target. I was in Kansas City on Easter and struck by this great idea for shoe design so I went out to try and buy some stuff to make prototypes. Not very much was open because it was Easter but I did notice that Target was closed and Wal-Mart was open. I would really have to be desperate to buy from Wal-Mart but I did because I really wanted the stuff. Walking through the aisles, it just had a weird vibe. It’s very plastic – tired – and organized but not fully there, if you know what I mean. The next day I went to Target and I bought a huge yellow purse for $30 . . . I love it.

We need to start taking a closer look at companies and products in order to really understand what we’re getting ourselves into. Buying things is like having a relationship . . . you let a certain energy into your life. Why did the FDA approve neutrasweet when they know it’s a neuro-toxin? Probably because it’s a billion dollar industry and those health problems create more billion dollar industries. It’s really kind of sick, when you think about the fact that many people see the world this way.

Instead of seeing these people as our ‘enemy’ and waging some ‘war’ against them, I think it’s easier to look at them and see how barbaric and childish it really is . . . . to think that you are here to conquer the world and hoard everything in sight. This sort of behavior implies an underlying lack of self-confidence and lack of trust in the meaning of life. While I do admit that ‘things’ have energy . . . .what kind of person would actually want to be defined by their ‘things’ whether they are sunglasses or cars or clothes or whatever. You are the essence of your soul – you are your values – your ideas and your inherent nature. We’re not all striving to be some cookie cutter rock star/movie star. We’re striving to be ourselves – for real – and that truly is good work. That’s the kind of work you should be doing so don’t let your sense of a ‘day job’ rule your life. As Sharon Gannon says, “Give up the love of power for the power of love.”

It’s pretty obvious to me that the people running the energy industry are not enlightened individuals. One of the major points made during a talk I attended the other night is the fact that our use of energy is not efficient. For example, the hardware is structured to be able to store power but this function has not been utilized. We could reduce overall power requirements by around 30% if we addressed the issue of finding a way to store power. Another point that was made is that a lot of heat is lost during the generation of power and that heat should be captured and re-used to make the systems more efficient. Pretty basic stuff you know . . . so why isn’t this happening?

Ryan Wartena, PhD, is Vice President of Research, Engineering and Development of Nano Sol Systems, Inc., and has recently been named to the Advisory Board of Watts Up America, www.wattsupamerica.com. One of his current projects is to train and employ California low-income residents in PV production and installation of solar energy systems. His talk focused mainly on the fact that people need to first become aware of how much energy they use and secondly figure out how to generate enough energy to cover their personal needs. This is an idea that could change the world.

One of the most exciting things Ryan discussed was the idea of people putting energy back into the grid. Apparently, the current infrastructure already supports this so it wouldn’t be hard to implement on a grand scale. If people can find ways to generate their own energy, they can reduce their electrical bills or possibly even make money off of extra energy – as well as share it with their community. All of the sudden, it feels like energy might not be such a distant and unapproachable topic. I’ve had all kinds of thoughts about harvesting the energy from health club machines . . . . creating buses where people pedal (a health club on wheels or just getting from point a to b) . . . . why not put solar panels on the rooftops of cars . . . . I mean, who knows, anything is possible.

I’ve been going to more of these events lately and I think it’s great to get together to talk about it but I also feel that we need to just start doing things. It doesn’t have to be official or officially funded by anyone or approved or whatever . . . . we just need to make shit happen. And we know we can do that . . . so let’s start a trend and get this going in cities all over the U.S. I think the only way we can control our destiny is to learn how to do things ourselves . . . better . . . faster . . . cheaper . . . now. Knowledge is power and we are capable people. I keep reading books about the Industrial Revolution because I know that it’s not over, we need to make more things happen, together.

You talk about thinking outside of the box . . . .let’s throw the fucking box against the wall. Let’s turn the box into a garden and take the necessary steps to sustain our culture. Some part of me always thinks that the only limitation is mental. For all of those people who are still chasing after world domination . . . . I suggest a yoga class – better yet a yoga retreat. Meditation, counseling, writing a book about your life or falling in love for real. You either decide to make things better in the world or you get out of the road because we are in the process of re-paving it.

gratitude

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness.

(excerpt from the Daily Om - )

hip hop = consciousness

Beyond the hype and the shows - the magazines and the ticket sales, in the world of music there truly is a place that is grounded and real and this is exactly what we were talking about in our panel last night where we spent four hours discussing the consciousness of hip hop. It was pretty cool to think about the development of musical styles in conjunction with social movements such as the correlation between gangster rap and the downfall to crack in the cities.

Everyone agreed that hip hop is the most universal form of music because it has affected every part of the globe. It is the most universal musical language and that’s a powerful thing. However, it’s probably too powerful because it inevitably (and perhaps inexplicably, ha ha) got watered down over the years with violence and bullshit, now to manifest in the crystal clear precision of pop artists who make records about things that don’t really matter . . . . because I guess that’s the point.

Hip hop is the language of the streets, it’s the beat of our hearts and it has the potential to put the ‘unity’ back in the ‘community’ if we are willing to let it survive under the radar. It’s a weird time to be living in where everything is mixing. Everyone was saying last night that we have to get back to our roots and that is true . .. but we also have to sow new seeds for the future and I think this means building people up and empowering them to utilize their unique gifts and potential.

One of the major points that was made last night is that hip hop is not just a form of music – it’s a style, a fashion, a way of being, a way of talking and a way of existing in the world. And it is certainly not about being like everyone else - it’s about being yourself. For the most part, unfortunately, that’s not really happening out there in the world too much right now. We’re looking at a homogenous group of dis-empowered individuals who focus mainly on exactly what they don’t have whether it’s internal or external.

Power-less-ness is not a condition, it’s a choice. Change starts with analyzing that choice because you are always the one that will have to make it. You need to decide whether the world happens to you – whether you are a victim of the world – or you decide that you create your own world and actively start doing it. Life is unknown but it is not ill-intentioned, this much I do believe. Life is a perspective and you have to grasp that if you want to set yourself free. Reach for the stars, search for yourself, be who you are.

defying gravity

The people you fall in love with . . . well, what can I say except that they can show up in any form or format. I am grateful for all relationships that are true and meaningful . . . . in the end, surely, you know who you are and yet it is not always easy to take the time to express what is true, what is here, what is now. . . . no-where and now-here.

I live in Brooklyn. I make jewelry and music and politics and pretty much anything else that comes to mind here in the land of opportunity. Great things have already happened. The key is to remember, to learn, to grow, innovate and create the future that we all desire to experience together.

“the moment I jumped off of it, was the moment I touched down.”

Alanis Morrisette