It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
-Maya Angelou
Today over a thousand Isla Vistans gathered on the shore of Depressions Beach and paddled out together past the breaking waves to participate in this beautiful ceremony. Carrying flower sprigs in their teeth or wearing leis around their necks, students paddled far out into the ocean and formed a giant circle to honor our fellow Gauchos who tragically died this past weekend.
Photo Credits to Lily Hansen
Thank you to all who helped make this event possible, I have never felt more a part of a family than I did today. In loving memory of George Chen, James Cheng, David Wang, Veronika Weiss, Katie Cooper and Chris Martinez.
“Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.”
–Maya Angelou
At UCSB there is a meditation class twice a week that I just started attending this quarter. The woman who leads it does mostly guided visualizations either from a CD or from memory, and besides the annoying fan that occasionally goes off in the room, attending this class has been a relaxing and healing routine for me these past few weeks. When I was at Vajrapani on my meditation retreat, we learned that meditation has many benefits that go outside just relaxation and stress-relief. Focusing the mind for just a few minutes of the day can lead to a greater sense of well-being, less illness, and better sleep 🙂
To meditate you don’t really need anything, just your body and a quiet place where you won’t be distracted. There are a variety of different types of meditation you can do, I personally really like visualization but there is also Zen meditation, Transcendental meditation, Tai Chi, yoga, as well as many others. There are also walking and meditations you can do, where you focus all of your attention on a certain aspect of the body as you move or go about your day. You can even be mindful when you are shampooing your hair in the shower or putting on your shoes.
Anyway, if you choose to do a seated meditation, all you need is a comfortable place to sit and be still. I like to sit on a pillow, but you can sit in a chair too, or lay down (just don’t fall asleep haha). In Zen and Tibetan Buddhism they sit on a small cushion in the lotus position (which is like cross-legged but more difficult) but do whatever is comfortable, you don’t want your legs to fall asleep halfway through!
To start, close your eyes and begin to settle into your posture. Notice if any part of your body is uncomfortable. Your spine should be straight and your shoulders should be back to allow for deep breathing, but the rest of your body should be very relaxed. Start to focus on your breathing as it already is. Then gradually make your breathing slower and deeper, inhaling into your stomach and then letting your belly relax with each exhale. Do this for a few minutes, noticing if your mind wanders, and then bringing it back to focusing on your breathing. The key element to meditation is to notice when your mind gets off track and starts planning, or thinking about something other than being in this present moment, right now. This can actually be pretty difficult, as the mind likes to distract itself with anything it can. But returning to the breath anchors you back to this moment, there is nowhere to be and nothing to do but be here!
If you feel frustrated when you’re meditating, don’t be hard on yourself! It helps to pretend you’re playing a game, and that the goal is to reign back in your mind every time it strays. When doing a breathing meditation, it can also help to set a timer. Just ten minutes every day can make a huge difference in your life, and you can gradually work up to longer and longer durations. Feel free to explore other methods of meditation, as each person is different and what might work for a Tibetan monk might not be your cup of tea. The most important thing is to relax and celebrate the fact that you are doing something good for your mind and for your spirit 🙂
“Because you are alive, everything is possible.” –Thich Nhat Hanh
*All illustrations drawn by Yumi Sakugawa
Check out her website here: http://www.yumisakugawa.com
In celebration of Easter this year I went and saw Flume live for the first time in downtown Santa Barbara at the Casa de la Raza. My friend Katy who goes to LMU came up for the concert, and after drinking Bacardi Red Cherry with Squirt as chaser (classy) we boarded the bus that would take us and a large group of UCSB students downtown to the show.
However, as soon as we boarded the bus some guy in one of the back rows starts screaming “DAB, DAB!!” (for those of you aren’t caught up with the latest slang, this means “drunk-ass-b****”). We both turn around to see this poor dude fully supporting some girl as she intoxicatedly shuffles towards the front of the bus. We all knew what was coming, and sure enough her head rolls to one side and she begins to spew vomit all over herself and the bus floor.
Amidst the screams of the bus crowd, she eventually makes it to the front of the bus, and, after one final hurl, exits to her new seat on the sidewalk outside. Luckily I don’t think too many people were caught directly in the firing line, but we all did have to hold our feet off the ground the rest of the ride to avoid stepping in puke.
In response to this experience, I thought I’d make a list of precautions any DAB can take and significantly reduce her chances of making it rain barf on her fellow bus-riders.
1. Eat something beforehand. Go out for a nice Thai food dinner.
2. Take your time when you’re drinking. Try to make your pre-game last more than ten minutes. Appreciate the decorative scenery in your friend’s tiny apartment. Has that stain on the carpet always been there?
3. Try to keep it under eight shots. Yes, we know you have a high tolerance. Side note: If you don’t have a high tolerance, disregard this and drink less. Much less.
4. Scared of your drunk wearing off later on? Bring a flask! Have a guy friend hide it for you if you’re wearing a skintight dress. That’s why men’s pants are so baggy.
5. Finally, if none of these tips worked (or you ignored them) and you find yourself in a similar situation to the poor girl this post is about, hang your head low so we don’t see your face. People like to Snapchat that kind of thing and you don’t want to be recognized later on. Also, say thank you to the guy who carried you out. Preferably later when you’re sober.
To end on a happier note, here is some of the music Flume performed at the concert.
This one was my favorite of the set he played:
And this wasn’t released until just yesterday:
And finally, here is a picture from that night of me and Katy on the back of a truck.
Hope everyone else had a fun Easter holiday too!
mindwavvez 