If you pride yourself on your late model car or your trendy clothes, you may be chagrined to learn you’re walking around in a body designed more than a million years ago. This is around the time the Homo erectus model was first introduced; the Neanderthal version came out around 100,000 years ago and the very latest (but only slightly modified) body style, Homo sapiens, was introduced approximately 40,000 years ago. Almost no aspect of civilization since then, including the development of agriculture (around 10,000 years ago), the industrial revolution (a few hundred years ago), and the first McDonald’s (around 60 years ago), has even made a dent in our genetic design. You see, this evolution business is rather slow going, requiring tens of thousands of generations for any observable mutation to occur. Extrapolating on the basis of the time span comprising a generation, fruit flies (with a generation of only nine days) evolve around 852 times more quickly than humans. (Makes one wonder why they aren’t the master species in the white lab coats peering at tiny humans stuffed into test tubes or copulating in Petri dishes.)

Anyway, the point is your body thinks it’s still back in the Pleistocene epoch, and if you think you have a hard time getting psyched for your day, imagine your body’s surprise and disappointment to find itself planted in front of a computer for eight hours instead of romping through the jungle chasing (or being chased by) saber-toothed tigers. (This dismay and confusion is sometimes expressed in the form of Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.)

Now we’re told that approximately 133 percent of our country’s population is obese, and an even greater percentage is just plain overweight. In contrast, Google “prehistoric man and South Beach diet” and you’ll find no direct hits—zilch. This research methodology has led scientists to conclude that obesity was not present among our prehistoric ancestors. This makes sense given the dramatic differences in our lifestyles, particularly related to diet and exercise. Think about it—we struggle against super-sizing; they struggled against famine. We exercise to get rid of excess food; they exercised to get enough food and to avoid becoming food (and, I might add, burned a lot of calories in the process).

With regard to that pursuit of food, it appears that before we became hunters and gatherers, we were that less enterprising predator, the scavenger. Now that doesn’t sound like a terribly demanding workout—wandering listlessly through alleys sifting through trash. Many of us forage through the contents of our fridges at 2 a.m. without breaking a sweat. But as we evolved into hunters and gatherers, our exercise routines were definitely kicked up a notch or two.

Hunting, as practiced by cavemen, could be quite demanding. It involved setting one’s alarm for an ungodly hour and taking long walks through the forest on unpaved roads in bare feet. Weapons of choice were heavy stones and long sharp spears (think shotput and javelins). And then there was the intensely aerobic aspect of the activity, which occurred when it turned out the large (but surprisingly agile for his six tons) mastodon had become highly irritated by the barrage of stones and spears, instead of highly dead.

Now gathering is something I haven’t done much of but I feel like this activity involves a lot of bending over, crouching and almost certainly squatting. Picture it: squat for a berry, get up, squat for a nut, get up . . . repeat a thousand times a day. (That’s a lot of reps.) In contrast, today’s equivalent of exerting oneself for a meal means opting for carryout instead of delivery, or bothering to put the leftovers in the microwave instead of eating them cold.

In terms of dietary differences, what we know about the eating habits of our Ice Age ancestor is that he favored raw meat but wasn’t very picky, i.e., he was an “opportunistic carnivore,” willing to dine on insects if convenient. He also enjoyed leafy plants, vegetables, fruits, nuts and roots, and apparently derived his carbs from “tubers.” (In case you don’t know what these are, Wikipedia defines them as “plant underground storage organs.” Hope that clears things up for you.) Other items on the menu were birds’ eggs; tissues, brains, kidneys and livers of mammals; rodents and, I’m sorry to say, carrion. It’s also possible our distant relative indulged in the occasional “neighborly” meal, though the issue of cannibalism among our forefathers is subject to debate.

Nothing in the fossils indicates that the trim figures of these early humans was the result of iron wills or super self-control. What they lacked, however, was gastronomical temptations of the kind we face today. Thus it’s hard to imagine this conversation between Wilma and Betty: “I just hate myself—last night I polished off a ton of roots and tubers, and after that I binged on a half-carcass of Giant Wildebeest.” One wonders what would have become of our species if Pliocene man had been exposed to such mouth-watering delectables as double bacon cheeseburgers, deep dish stuffed pizza and caramel pecan Cinnabons. Would he have steadfastly resisted, preferring termites and plant underground storage organs, or become a pizzavore like the rest of us? My money’s on succumbing—after all he was only (mostly) human. And what would have happened next? (I mean after he erased all those pictures of bison on his cave walls and replaced them with triple whoppers and DQ Oreo blizzards.)

Well, one possibility, certainly, is that our species would have become extinct.  But there is also the chance we could have adapted, and done so in a magnificent way. Over the course of tens of thousands of generations we might have developed a super metabolism, capable of burning 20,000 plus calories a day. Our doctors would be prescribing fettucine alfredo, hot fudge sundaes and pills to increase our cholesterol; scurvy would be defined as the lack of sufficient butter and whipped cream in the diet.

Think how much further along the evolutionary path we’d be if Homo erectus had the foresight 500,000 years ago to invent cheese fries and polish sausage instead of fire. Perhaps not what Darwin had in mind when he coined the phrase “survival of the fittest,” but oh, so much better.

In a way it’s too bad we aren’t fruit flies. You hardly ever see a fat fruit fly.

Optional Diet and Exercise Plan

You, too, can be as svelte as a Neanderthal. Here’s a diet and exercise routine based on the habits of our cave-dwelling ancestors:

Breakfast: eggs of extinct birds, scrambled; fruits and berries

Lunch: flesh of Giant Ground Sloth; termites; side of carrion. (Tip: for flavorful leftovers mash up extra meat with a large stone and sprinkle with assorted insects)

Snack: small fried rodent; nuts and sedge grass

Dinner: leafy plant salad; brains of Woolly Rhino; roots; kidneys of cave dweller living next door (if he happens to be slower than you)

Complementary workout: Vigorously chase your pet around the living room hurling small stones and sticks; throw a hundred or so pennies on the floor and squat to pick up each coin individually.

—Alissa Singer

Alisa Singer’s humorous essays have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines across the country and in Canada. Visit her website or contact her via e-mail at ASingerAuthor@gmail.com.

Photo courtesy Erich Ferdinand

Tags: healthy eating, obesity, tight jeans

According to several recent studies from the National Sleep Foundation and Science Daily, the answer to that question is a disconcerting “yes.” Insomnia seems harmless enough. Perhaps you simply have a hard time falling asleep at night. Or maybe you toss and turn for a few hours, and then wake up the next morning and drink an extra cup of coffee to make up for it. How could this be harmful?

While it has been proven the body can physiologically survive for 11-18 days without sleeping, the side effects and danger begin after the very first night: irritability and blurry vision, slowed reaction time, and diminished memory capacity and speech control are some of the noticeable effects. From there it can build to a persistent underlying sense of nausea,  and an increase in cortisol, which is linked to depression and cardiovascular disease. Even at the most benign level, you’re still 300 percent more likely to catch a cold if you sleep for fewer than seven hours a night.

The effects of sleeplessness are considered so harmful that it has been shunned as a form of unethical research and used as torture. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that there are about 200,000 car accidents a year caused by sleepy drivers, even more than those killed by drunk driving. You’re also considered at a higher risk for developing—or sloughing off—depression.

Often the insomniac becomes his or her own worst enemy, creating a cycle of drinking coffee or energy drinks, taking habit-forming medications that don’t allow for REM sleep, and staying in bed longer each morning in an attempt to catch up on what has been missed. As the insomnia becomes worse, so does the anxiety and frustration, and the cycle continues.

It may seem daunting but you can break the cycle. While there is much to be said for making modifications in your diet to support sleep hygiene, as well as creating a routine that trains your body to relax, you can also supplement these changes with traditional Chinese herbs. Herbal supplements have been used for centuries to repair the body’s natural balance by helping to induce the very REM sleep that you need in order to wake up rested the next morning.

Whether the cause of your sleeplessness is due to everyday stressors, such as situational stress, over-thinking, anxiety, worry, restlessness or grief, Chinese herbs have been highly effective in helping hundreds of thousands of individuals reclaim their health and prevent further, more life-threatening diseases.  In comparison to the Western counterparts, Traditional Chinese herbs do not cause “hangovers” that decrease work productivity or feed into the caffeinate/sedate cycle. Simply put, you have the opportunity to wake up feeling refreshed each and every morning by investing in some ancient herbal remedies.

—Cathy Margolin

Cathy Margolin, LAc and herbalist, is the founder of Pac Herbs, a packager of Chinese medicinal herb supplements.

Photo courtesy MoonSoleil

Tags: insomnia, PacHerbs, risks, sleeplessness, Traditional Chinese herbs

The Caribbean islands, land of white sand beaches and tourist delights, is a collection of approximately 31 islands that starts alphabetically with Anguilla and goes right through to the United Virgin Islands. Local cuisine is diverse, as would be expected from such a cultural crossroads, and features flavors of French, Creole, African and Caribbean International cooking, sometimes in surprising new combinations.

One of the most traditional ways of keeping healthy in the islands is by reverting back to basics with what is termed “ground provision.” This is a local way of collectively referring to root vegetables, such as yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, eddoes and dasheen root.

Since the islands were originally agrarian, many of the national dishes of the Caribbean use some form of ground provision in their signature dishes, whether boiled, fried, mashed, baked or made into a pie. They add a unique flavor and also thicken the dish, adding texture and complex layers of flavor that cannot be found with any other vegetable.

Barbados serves Bajan Flying Fish with a side of ground provision; the Dominican Republic favors sancocho, a hearty soup with chunks of ground provision; and in Jamaica it forms the basis of Ital food, which is food prepared without any animal products, sugar or salt. Yah mon!

Yams are irregular potato-shaped root vegetables that come in about 200 varieties. The outer skin can be deep-brown, purple or white in color. The inside is pure white and becomes creamy when cooked. It is packed with manganese, which activates the body’s enzymes, adding vitamin B6 and C, potassium and dietary fibers. It is of particular interest to women as it assists with PMS, morning sickness, and development of healthy breast tissue. It also lowers blood pressure.

Eddoes are generally small in size with a rough brown skin. When cooked they have a semisweet nutty flavor. Eddoes contain protein, dietary fibers and sugars, and are high in carbohydrates. They are especially recommended for diabetics as they reduce insulin, slow the absorption of glucose, remove bile acids from the intestine, and lower cholesterol levels. Eddoes are very filling and help with dieting, since they create a prolonged feeling of fullness.

Dasheen root is such a close relation to eddoes that they are used interchangeably. It is high in potassium and a staple in various cultures by such names as taro, satoimo or arrowroot.

Cassava is a major food staple across the globe. It looks like an elongated brown potato with a pure white, thick interior. It has similar nutritional values to the yam, with vitamin B6 and C, potassium, iron, manganese and carbohydrates. Cassava helps to control diabetes and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer. The pudding known as tapioca comes from the cassava in the form of beaded starch that looks like pearls until moistened.

Sweet potatoes are similar in shape to potatoes but have a purple, pink or orange skin with a thick solid interior of pale white to orange. They are high in vitamin A, C and B6, as well as copper, potassium, manganese, iron and dietary fibers. Due to their high levels of antioxidants, sweet potatoes help to regulate high blood pressure and protect against inflammatory conditions. They are a great source of beta carotene, believed to reduce the risk of cancer.

Cassava Fritters

These crispy, crunchy fritters will go well with either a sweet or savory chutney.

1 lb. cassava

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

3 cloves garlic

¼ onion

1 tsp. dried chives

Salt & pepper

Oil for frying

1. Peel cassava and chop into cubes.

2. Place in food processor with garlic, onion and chives, and purée.

3. Empty mixture into a bowl and add the egg to make a dense, firm consistency.

3. Drop a heaping teaspoon of mixture into the palm of your hand and form into either a ball or flat shape.

4. Place into hot oil and fry until golden brown.

5. Drain and serve with your choice of chutney.

Eddoe Chips

On hot summer days a light snack of eddoes chips with dip is great for grazing. These delicious chips have a nutty, semisweet flavor that brings its own ray of sunshine.

2 c. sliced eddoes

Water to boil

1/2 c. vegetable oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Cajun spices (optional)

1. Wash eddoes and place unpeeled in pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

2. Peel skin and cut into thin slices.

3. Heat oil in a frying pan

4. Add eddoes slices and fry until golden brown.

5. Drain, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and enjoy with your favorite dip. Eddoe chips are also tasty when sprinkled with Cajun spices.

—Nadia Ali

Photo courtesy of Raisah Ali

Where to Buy

AfiBean Market

720 N. La Brea Ave.

Inglewood 90302

310.419.0400

www.afribean.com

African Produce Market

4564 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles 90016

323.932.1722

Right Choice Caribbean Market

4233 Crenshaw Blvd.

Los Angeles 90008

323.292.8921

Tags: Caribbean food, cassava, dasheen, eddoes, fritters, ground provision

We’ve finally figured out that it’s good to buy produce at our local farmers markets and shop at neighborhood merchants, but there is something about our finances—perhaps a general lack of understanding about how banking works—that still makes us tend to “go with a name you can trust.” So with the filmic zeitgeist of the fragile, small-town Bedford Falls Building & Loan lurking in our collective imagination, we stick with the big guns—the ones, as it turns out, we can trust least.

Consumer complaints about banks are up 42 percent since 2008, according to the Better Business Bureau, while a recent Zogby survey found that 32 percent of displeased customers have contemplated leaving their big banks, and 14 percent have. Justified or not, there is outrage over executive compensation and big banks receiving “bailout” funds from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that is leading some customers to rethink their banking choices.

There are more direct personal affronts, too, from über banks—usurious credit card fees; and nearly unbelievable individual stories—active bank account holders who’ve had their safe deposit boxes and all the contents destroyed.

Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Chase and Bank of America may have trillions of dollars in assets, but those funds aren’t necessarily directed to creating strong, local communities—that sucking sound you hear is more likely to be our hard-earned dollars going to Wall Street and exotic global locations. Community banks, which generally have assets of $1 billion or less, tend to be more attuned to local environs. For example, small businesses accounted for less than 20 percent of large banks’ loan portfolios, while they represented half of the loans for community banks in 2009.

According to the Independent Community Bankers of America, “Community banks channel most of their loans to the neighborhoods where their depositors live and work, helping to keep local communities vibrant and growing.” Out of almost 8,200 U.S. banks, nearly 8,000 are locally owned community banks. Of these, some 300 are in California, with 75 percent of those fitting the $1 billion or less definition.

So despite comments from power players such as Charles Prince, Citigroup’s former chairman and CEO, who pronounced the days of “small, local-based banks and financial institutions” past when recently addressing the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, a significant number of individuals and small businesses moving to big-bank alternatives could further strengthen locally based banking.

“Community banks are important because we know our clients and we know the markets in which they operate,” says L. Bruce Mills, president and CEO of Partners Bank of California. “We focus on finding the right products and services based on understanding the customers’ needs, as opposed to trying to fit the customer into a specific box or product,” adds Mills, whose bank serves business-to-business customers in Southern California.

Major banks are good for customers who fit into menu-driven boxes that work on a mass scale. But community bankers, such as Mills, differentiate themselves by very personalized service and a deeper community understanding. These bankers have a more hands-on approach to working with customers and talking about their exact banking needs. “Where else can you reach out and talk to the president of the bank?” asks Mills, rhetorically. “That’s a community bank.”

W. Henry Walker, a fourth generation CEO of Farmers & Merchants Bank (F&M), also espouses the value of service-driven community banking guided by sound judgment. A full-service bank that provides commercial and small business banking, too, the Long Beach-based institution has served Southern California for more than 100 years and is recognized as the strongest bank in the state and one of the strongest in the country.

F&M’s net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 totaled $10.1 million versus $2.9 million for the prior year period, which, Walker says, indicates the escalating trend in people switching from big banking institutions to community banks. “The growth of our core deposit accounts is a testament to the bank’s strength and stability,” says Walker of his bank, which did not invest in subprime loans during the stoked-up housing market.

Close ties between customers and employees, many of whom have worked with the bank for more than 20 years, are another distinguishing difference at F&M. “You can call and someone who knows you and your business will pick up the phone to help you,” says Walker.

Credit Unions

Another alternative to the large bank is the credit union, a concept born of necessity in 19^th century Europe to mitigate for food shortages, which found its way to America and was formalized by the Federal Credit Union Act of 1934.

In contrast to for-profit banks, where earnings go to shareholders, credit unions are nonprofit, member-owned institutions. This means credit union earnings go to members in the form of lower loan rates, higher savings rates and lower fees. As with FDIC-insured banks, credit union accounts are insured up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Administration and the federal government.

Regulated by the federal government and the chartering state, credit unions offer many of the same services as banks, such as ATM access, direct deposit, online banking, credit cards and loans. Anyone can join a credit union, which serves a field of membership. The field is based on a commonality, be it geographic location, employer or membership in a group such as a union, school or homeowners’ association. Joining a credit union is generally a minimal $5 to $10, though there may be a minimum balance requirement.

“Credit unions have realized growth in areas where banks are declining, or are experiencing growth at a faster rate than banks,” says Cathy Dominguez, marketing vice president, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, which added 18,000 new members in 2009, bringing total membership to 200,000. Formerly the Hughes Aircraft Employees Federal Credit Union, the organization was, again, a solution born out of need in 1940. Hughes employees spent too much lunchtime driving to downtown Los Angeles to do their banking; the answer was an onsite credit union.

Earth Ethics

Reinvesting “surplus” to benefit Earth and its people is a founding principle of the Permaculture Credit Union, which subscribes to putting funds in the local community and not investing in destructive technologies, exploitative industries or insensitive social practices.

“We’ve learned how to run PCU with permaculture ethics and loan policies that are reflective of that,” says Wesley Roe, PCU board member and a founder of the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network. PCU offers sustainable discount loans for fuel-efficient vehicles and organic farming and supports energy conservation through second mortgage loans that might include solar heating, photovoltaic energy systems, weatherizing and rainwater collection for PCU customers, many of whom are in the San Francisco Bay area, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, as well as across the country.

When PCU began in 2000, it was the first new credit union chartered in New Mexico in 30 years. “There was a real commitment by people to deposit with us, and we had a broad base to draw from,” says Roe. “The first year, we took in $1 million in deposits; we’re now at $4.3 million and will grow this year to more than $5 million.”

As PCU continues to grow, the Santa Fe-based organization is exploring micro-lending, a program in which members pool funds to provide small loans of a few thousand dollars to groups and businesses. This is part of what’s becoming known as the slow money movement. PCU is particularly interested in looking at the agricultural base—what used to be the basis of wealth in America—to regrow wealth.

PCU has a diverse membership that includes 1,000 members, including rural farmers and urban dwellers growing food within a city. Shana Levy McCracken, chief strategist with Gigantic Idea Studio in Oakland and a PCU member, was first introduced to the financial institution several years ago while earning a Green MBA. In the market to buy a Toyota Prius, she learned PCU offered favorable loan rates for hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles.

“I was impressed with the level of service and got a lot of hand-holding for a modest loan,” says McCracken. “The CEO actually helped me find a car—not just a loan.”

McCracken’s experience has shown her there’s a higher level of accountability with the credit union. “It’s an excellent alternative and a great way to live your values,” she says. “I feel like part of a community; they stay in touch, and I know where the money is going with PCU.”

Moving funds to community banks and credit unions, particularly ones such as PCU with a sustainable model, may just be the start of rethinking how we do our banking, be it handling basic checking and savings to sourcing funding for the growth of our small businesses. What’s clear is that failures seen in the large, complex financing structures are leading people to consider alternatives.

The idea of state-owned banks is gaining traction as well. North Dakota operates the only state-owned bank, and its longevity has generated interest from other states in exploring this option to help mitigate risk and stabilize local economies. In all the upheaval of 2009, the venerable institution (it was established by legislative action in 1919, driven by a populist movement) never lost its footing or was in danger of being absorbed by the bigger players. Au contraire, it earned record profits.

Some have even suggested that Facebook, with its large user base, might have the potential to move into the realm of banking services. Relocalizing enough business transactions to create communities with stronger financial pillars just might create real positive change out of financial chaos.

For more information on changing banks, visit findabetterbank.com and http://moveyourmoney.info.

—Maria Fotopoulos

After researching this article, L.A.-based writer Maria Fotopoulos (on Twitter @TurboDog50) is reconsidering her banking options.

Tags: Bedford Falls, credit union, local bank, Main Street, Permaculture Credit Union

Tucked into the lush, wild rainforest of the 12,000-acre Laughing Falcon Nature Preserve, where howling monkeys and breezes lift off the Rio Grande River below, is a place where pampering is uncompromised.

At Machaca Hill, an all-inclusive property that opened last year in English-speaking Belize, organic snacks are served in the spa, the wine list is top notch and guides are at guests’ disposal. There are no packed beaches, late-night discos or carb-heavy buffets; rather, the flat nightly rate includes private cabins (with airy screened-in porches overlooking the rainforest), escorted excursions and healthful meals that draw from an organic farm on the property. The onsite spa and yoga classes assure that you’ll find deep relaxation.

Machaca Hill pampers the environs as well as its guests. Several production initiatives are underway, including cacao growing and chocolate manufacturing, gourmet coffee growing and roasting, and artisan cheese making. Fast-growing teak trees on the property are used to build furnishings in the lodge’s dining areas, cabins and main building. And any of the garden’s bounteous coffee, fruit, rice, vegetables and herbs not allocated to guests is donated to the community.

Guests are invited to join in the farm’s agricultural pursuits or venture on off-property adventures with trusted guides. In addition to rainforest excursions (especially exciting by night), snorkeling and fishing, there are 30 tiny Mayan villages in the region to explore. Punta Gorda (pop. 6,000), five miles to the south, is the capital of the Toledo District and fans out to the villages of San Antonio, Santa Cruz, San Miguel and Blue Creek, 20 miles north- and southwest. The villages are dotted with thatched huts of only one or two rooms, and villagers eat traditional meals of tortillas, rice and beans. Women walking along the unpaved road carry baskets of food and wear brightly colored, handmade dresses.

At a farmers market on Front Street in Punta Gorda, I watched fish mongers slice their fresh catch, chatted with a local Amish farmer about his gigantic vegetables, and shopped at the Fajina Craft Center, where locals sell handcrafted items, from baskets to clothing to raw chocolate.

Afterward we dropped by a cacao farm called The Organic Chocolate Master and received a chocolate-making demo—and some delicious hands-on immersion. Shots of chocolate wine were a new treat to discover—it’s got the intensity and heat of sherry, with only hints of chocolate.

Another day we brought a picnic lunch on a boat ride to the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, which is easily accessible via the Rio Grande River behind the lodge, and relaxed on an island in the reserve’s Snake Cayes. We also drove to Rio Blanco National Park, 30 miles west of Punta Gorda, where travelers enjoy easy hiking or a more adventurous challenge—jumping off cliffs into sparkling lagoons below.

On our way back we stopped along the roadside to purchase baskets woven by local women. As our car slowed a handful of women ran down a sloping hillside, their dresses a rainbow of color. The delight in one woman’s eyes as she handed me one of her beautiful creations and gently took the $20-dollar bill from my hands was priceless. I was glad my payment would help her family, and equally delighted to be the proud owner of an authentic, beautiful souvenir.

—Kristine Hansen

Tags: Belize, Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Punta Gorda, Rio Blanco National Park, The Organic Chocolate Master

Dawn has barely broken this morning when I step out of the house with a solitary goal in mind: to get The Oregonian, deposited each morning in an oblong, yellow container that stands next to the mailbox. This morning I am in a hurry, and my mind churns with I-centric thoughts of future time. What should I eat for breakfast? I need to return those calls from yesterday. What handouts do I need to print for that next class? I wonder how many clients I am seeing today. I’m running late, so I’d better hurry….

Halfway down the long driveway, a jolting awareness suddenly breaks into this stream of thoughts. I stop in my tracks. The message is clear and direct: I’m not really here, not really present. It’s true. Like the characters in the television series Lost, I am marooned and separated from what I most long for: a connection to what is true, real, and meaningful. I have drifted off to planning and musing about the next thing. This is a time- and outcome-based approach, one driven, at least to some extent, by the desire to determine and control the future. But where does it get me when I’m walking to pick up the newspaper? Does it really add anything?

And so, instead of walking to get the morning newspaper, I walk simply in order to walk. The effect is rather like being blind one moment and then looking through a telescope that magnifies not only sight but also sound and all other senses. In the blink of an eye it all changes, and I am no longer alone. Walking to walk, I notice the towering fir trees, the chilly morning air, the brown pinecones on the ground, the warble of a red-headed finch darting across my path, the gurgling of a fountain, my own pulsing body, muscles contracting and loosening in my legs and arms with each small step. All catapult me into the undeniable aliveness of the moment. As I walk simply to walk, each breath fills my lungs with crisp, invigorating air. The demands of time and things not yet done have fallen away, and this is what remains. I’ve suddenly returned to the present, where time is endless and everlasting.

It probably takes me a good ten minutes to get the paper and return to the house (so much for being in a hurry!). But there is a new view in my eyes, my mind and my heart. For a few moments I have simply followed the path described by Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book The Sabbath, in which he describes the Sabbath as a sacred time that occurs when one stops being the artist, painter and creator of the world’s canvas, pausing instead to put the easel aside and simply be in the world. Heschel says, “To observe the Sabbath is to celebrate the coronation of a day in the spiritual wonderland of time.”

Each of us has the capability to enter this holy wonderland by fully entering the present. Many paradigm shifts have been written about, but perhaps none is more attainable and nourishing than shifting from endless mind-tripping to doing one thing—walking, eating, sitting, standing, reading—with total presence, ease and joy.

Many retail stores now utilize what are known as performance monitoring systems to speed up the checkout process by timing each transaction. Some cashiers who work under such systems are actually afraid to do anything that might slow them down, such as smiling or talking with customers. If you, too, feel as though you are a slave to time and efficiency, you can always enter the present moment—which is beyond time—by making use of the strategy that follows.

When was the last time you completely dedicated and devoted yourself to the experience you were having with another person? Bring your full attention to deeply notice another person today—the color of his eyes or the gentle curvature of her forehead, the way the hair falls, the unique sound and tone of the voice, the shape of the hand and fingers, and even the deeper need for well-being and happiness. Know that this person is the most important person in your life in this moment, for as Tolstoy writes in his short story “Three Questions,” “The most necessary [individual] is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else.”

This practice not only brings you into the present but also honors the uniqueness that exists in each being. Let this meeting with another be the most important thing in your life, just for the few moments or minutes that it lasts. Could you live each moment of your day this way? How beautiful!

—Joe Altman

Excerpted from The Mindfulness Code: Keys for Overcoming Stress, Anxiety, Fear, and Unhappiness ©2010 by Donald Altman. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA.

Tags: being present, Joe Altman, New World Library

A thousand artists from 40 countries submitted their eco-aware artwork to the upcoming Common Ground 2010 exhibit at the A&I Gallery in Hollywood. The touring exhibition of museum quality digital prints by 35 of these artists opens July 8 and runs through August 13. Opening reception July 8 is open to the public, with organic edibles and live music. The Eclipse Quartet will perform a piece of music composed by TV composer David Williams specifically for an “electric” string quartet, called UnityTerra. A portion of all proceeds generated from the touring exhibition is slated to benefit non-profit organizations including World Wildlife Fund, Global Giving and The Global Environmental Institute.

Art: Infinite and Yes by Judith Margolis

Tags: A&I, Common Ground, David Williams, digital art, Eclipse Quartet, new media