We’re at IMMA’s Earth Rising Festival in September!

Astraea will exhibit at IMMA’s Earth Rising festival this September. IMMA welcomed people from all walks of life for this 4-day event that invites “eco related programming showcasing the most exciting innovators in the field of eco citizen science, design & creativity, empowering audiences to become agents of change.” That’s us! Our installation Feast Upon …
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Reflections on Activism

We attended a protest outside the Irish Parliament to object to the deal that Coillte, a State company, made with a UK venture capital company. In this Big Picture Conversation, we reflect on why we went to the gathering and whether activism works.

Happy St Brigid’s Bank Holiday

Happy St Brigid’s Bank Holiday. It is a great step to establish a holiday to honour Ireland’s matron saint. This is a meaningful day in its recognition of the feminine; an embracing of the qualities of compassion, nature, nurture, inclusion and collaboration that are so urgently needed in the world today; with Brigid’s fire to …
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Brigit: From Goddess to Saint via the Patriarchy

Happy – and historic – St Brigit*’s Day: Today marks the first time an Irish national holiday is established in honor of a female saint. Why is this important? Establishing a national holiday in Brigit’s name is a recognition of the feminine. Today’s world is run as a patriarchy, or as the late bell hooks …
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How Happiness Works

Last’ week’s “code red for humanity” got me thinking – ironically – about happiness. What makes you happy? Actually, let’s back up. What IS happiness, that feeling of positive lightness that makes the world seem rosy? “Hap” is the Middle English word for “chance, luck, a chance occurrence”. Sounds about right. “Happy” is defined as …
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Why Naomi Klein Must Not Blame Capitalism

“I haven’t finished reading the book; I don’t want to know who wins, capitalism or the climate, but I assume it’s capitalism because the book costs $30 and it’s printed on dead trees.”
–Stephen Colbert, interviewing Naomi Klein (23 Sept 2014)

Mr. BKS Iyengar’s Light shines on

Like millions of others, I have been influenced by this great yoga teacher, though I have never met him. I have read The Tree of Yoga. I refer to Light on Yoga and Light on Pranayama. I study Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I use props to aid my alignment. I am aware …
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25 Amazing Food Cures

I was sent this Men’s Health link listing 25 “amazing food cures”. The foods do things like boost serotonin and endorphins, provide particular vitamins, fatty acids, probiotics and anti-oxidants, boost metabolism, and so forth. In any case, variety and moderation are the key to a healthy diet (and for me that even includes movie-night binging …
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