T. Krisphnamacharya & Nalamdana – Packing my Bags

I am looking forward to my third trip to Chenai (Maddras) this January where I will be lucky enough to visit T.K.V. Desikachar’s school of Yoga named after and in honor of his father T. Krishnamacharya. The Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram was named to honor Krishnamacharya’s lifelong study of the human spirit and Yoga. Mandiram means Manda (darkness) and ram (fire)… the school is the fire that dispelled the darkness…

In preparation for my trip I am reading Health, Healing and Beyond Yoga and the Living Tradition of T. Krishnamacyarya by his son T.K.V. Kesikachar with R.H. Cravens. It is whetting my appetite for what I belive will be a truly fruitful trip to visit my dear friends and to reinvigorate the work I am doing with Nalamdana.

If anyone is not yet initiated into the work of Nalamdana and wants to support them please feel free to shoot me off an email and I will connect you. This is my 8th Year as Vice President of the Friends of Nalamdana Board of Trustees (US) and every year I see the impact of their work and how they are able to impact thousands and thousands of people with an annual budget covering EVERYTHING with only $50,000. This is something that makes me feel as if my money is well spent! Providing life-saving health messages through talented and creative dedicated people who I happen to know personally and respect greatly!

Nalamdana’s Mission
Nalamdana is a non-profit organization that uses creative, innovative and entertaining behavior change methods with community participation, to enable people to make better-informed decisions about their health and their families.

About Nalamdana
Nalamdana’s vision is to create positive social change through communication, for a healthier and better educated society. We believe access to complete and correct information is a basic right for all communities irrespective of social, economic or educational status. Our mission is to use creative, innovative, participatory behaviour change communication to enable target audiences to make better informed decisions about their health and for their families.

Initially, Nalamdana addressed a wide variety of health topics ranging from alcoholism, cancer prevention and suicide prevention to clean water and personal health and hygiene. Starting in 2000, after seven years of working closely with communities, Nalamdana zeroed in on HIV AIDS prevention and Maternal and Child Health as the two areas most critically in need of knowledge intervention. The belief that the message-embedded-in-entertainment method has extraordinary retention and recall. Using response-driven participatory methods – the communication media reflects the changing nature and knowledge level of audiences. The micro beliefs – for instance, sexual taboos and attitudes, misconceptions about pregnancy and so on – of the community are be woven into the script and successfully addressed.

If you are based in the US, tax deductible donations may be made through FRIENDS OF NALAMDANA. Friends of Nalamdana is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, whose purpose is to support the work of Nalamdana.
Please mail your checks to: (made payable to Friends of Nalamdana)
Friends of Nalamdana c/o B. Weinstein 207 West 98th Street NY, NY 10025

Coney Island Celebrated! (For You, Frannie, You Are Missed)

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Natural Wonders

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Best of New York!

“Describes how to find and explore some of the greener parts of the concrete jungle.” — The Record

Leslie Day is a biology and life science teacher at The Elisabeth Morrow School. She developed the City Naturalists Summer Institute with the Central Park Conservancy and is the author of Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City, also published by Johns Hopkins. Trudy Smoke (my aunt) is a professor of English at Hunter College, City University of New York, and a talented writer, photographer, and [amazing] illustrator.

Not only is this guide beautiful, from the paper chosen to make the illustrations pop off the page, to the photographs, and the great maps (my uncle contributed) … and of course, it is also beautifully written (Leslie!).

I have ordering multiple copies now for the holidays! I think everyone in New York needs a copy — we forget how beautiful and diverse our Big Apple really is.

Delicious Colors of the Season

Halloween Merriment to All.

WaterAid Video Hip Hip Poo Poo

Came across this while researching a water project and think its worth a viewing. While a minute too long the humor is good and this is well done (no pun intended on the well….)

Wind Energy Ad wins Cannes Award

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Epuron Wind from Christos on Vimeo.

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Worth watching!

Aunt Ethel (RIP) and Sisters

While looking at recent photos of my great aunt Ethel, my grandmother’s sister, I happened upon the photo above of my grandmother and my mother. I always found this to be such a beautiful image.

Cheers to Aunt Ethel who just passed away at 94 earlier this month. She was a witty, no-nonsense, loving, woman and a great card player. Ethel Shapiro Elson will be sorely missed.. she was the last remaining of her generation on my mother’s side (four sisters and one brother).

My family will be gathering to celebrate Ethel in Atlantic City …

Very smart :) and Fun :-O

my uncle’s utube channel is so funny .. newest video

poem written for me by a talented wordsmith

Once in a while we decide that we have collected too much and attempt to redistribute the wealth. The hardest thing for me to give up is my books and honestly I am not very successful at it. In my most recent attempt I came across a book There is No Such Place as Far Away by Richard Bach which was given to me during college.

When I opened the cover I discovered this lovely poem written for me . Now I know why this remains on my bookshelf to this day.

Here is hoping everyone opens a book and finds joy inside.

from the greater whole, one; infinite
across various patterns,
selves interacting in
beautiful, unadultered expression

as I watched
I gradually fell from
one level to another
all beautiful…vital
all equal; unique,
different levels
of varying intensity.

man, you can drown,
but it feels so good!

(at the end is says…… I love you …, XXXX*)
*XXXX to protect the innocent