Latest Deed

Wow Wow Wow!

How to describe the Bali Spirit Festival to someone who has not yet had the supreme fortune to attend this festival themselves....... YET.

 I say yet because if this post inspires you even a little you WILL be there in person some time in the future.

Our beautiful product partner we'ar yoga clothing make organic, ethically and environmentally friendly stylish yoga clothing in Bali initially inspired me to attend this festival. They took some great footage at the festival and with The Yoga Barns founder Charlie Patton. You can see this footage on last years blog post about the Bali spirit festival with film maker Jason Moon.

Upon arriving in Ubud I had to visit we'ar signature store on Hanoman street, Ubud. Their unique signage and stylish decor cannot be missed, their location opposite and slightly north of the well known clean eating cafe KAFE, also known as the food subsidiary of The Yoga Barn.

The festival itself was a 5km scooter ride out of town at an amazing grassed location Purnati Centre of the Arts, Batuan.

This venue had 7 independent areas for a very broad schedule of classes to take place and a large swimming pool also blessed the location.

This year the festival dates were March 20th til March 24. The extensive timetable began at 8am and closed at 5pm each day with a HUGE array of spirit classes ranging from yoga, Qi Gong, sound healing, Capoeira, self development master classes, singing, african drumming, conscious being and many others. The teachers are experts in their fields from around the world.

The night celebrations began again in Ubud at ARMA(Agung Rai Museum of Art) a beautiful location in the city of Ubud, so could be easily reached on foot from most hotels. World re known artists and bands united to deliver blessings through some kirtan and music for the ears. Some of these included Kevin James, OKA, Medicine for the People and new comer Dustin Thomas, a brilliant up and coming talent from Hawaii who blessed us with his easy to learn lyrics and unique uplifting voice.

I could write an extremely long post about all of the parts of The Bali Spirit Festival that touched my heart and uplifted my spirit.

Here are some of the highlights of my experience there this year:

• The people of Bali being so peaceful and gracious
• The approachability of all mentors and teachers
• Amazing CLEAN food
• The healing huts- chiropractors to clairvoyants to help with any necessary healing.
• Seeing we'ar yoga clothing being worn and loved all over Ubud and as a key outfit at the Bali Spirit Festival
• Classes I was fortunate to attend which have made a lasting impression on my spirit are:

1. Les Leventhal Vinyasa Flow Yoga- USA (Ganesh is Fresh) www.yogawithles.com
2. Michiko Minegeshi (Vinyasa Flow Yoga- Japan) http://www.yogaaid.com/michikominegishi
3. Eoin Finn (Yoga surf and Blissology)- Canada www.blissology.com
4. John Weddepohl, Self Knowledge Yoga- South Africa www.theyogaco.com
5. Charlie Patton Sunday Dance- USA www.theyogabarn.com
6. Graduado Noko- Capoeira- Indonesia/Brazil www.capoeirabali.com 
7. Jamie Catto Inspirational Speaker- UK www.jamiecatto.com;
8. Igor Olivier Ezendam from Holland and Italy www.feelingsound.com

I highly recommend any of these instructors DVD's practices and knowledge to anyone looking for direction, instruction or mentoring. 

Will I attend Bali Spirit Festival again????? ABSOLUTELY!!!! It is a very refreshing, soul/physical nurturing, experience with AMAZING people.

Thank you Thank you Thank you to ALL of the organizers of Bali spirit Festival! With much love and Blessings 

Charlie Patton, Fenti from we'ar and Belinda fro GoodieDo

 Belinda's husband Adam showcasing Muchacho(tshirt) and we'ar it  moving through the yogi crowd

 Another lover of we'ar yoga clothing ordering super healthy nutritious food

 Charlie Patton's Sunday Dance with we'ar yoga mens freestyle shorts at Bali Spirit Festival

The night concerts at ARMA!!!

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Bob Marley said "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain".

If you havent yet seen or heard this short clip about how music is changing an entire community in the barrios of Paraguay by one inventive rubbish recycler, it is a must!

Bebi plays the Cello made from an oil can and wood thrown away in the garbage, the pegs are made from an old tool used to tenderize beef and it sounds AMAZING!

This short film is about kids born into a rubbish dump in Paraguay with little or no hope for a future and the birth of a youth orchestra! Which has changed EVERYTHING!  

Amongst piles of stinky rubbish, creativity and invention was sparked by Nicolas, a recycler with no previous experience in making musical instruments. Nicolas's desire for change, his gift to the children of Catera,Paraguay caught the eye of Maestro Luis Szaran, director of "sounds of the Earth,' who has formed a "recycled orchestra" with children living at the dump.

Now 30 members strong the hopes and dreams of these children can go far beyond the confines of their current environment in tune with Beethoven symphony.

You can follow this story at the Creative Visions Foundation

Frank Zappa once said 'Without deviation of the norm, progress is not possible.'

Share with us your creative, inspirational change for 2013

And please share this story with friends and loved ones to uplift their day!

Shop for GOOD!

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What a great concept! 

AIM: To raise awareness and start conversations about the benefits of economies based on sharing.

Post Growth Institute an international network that explores and inspires alternative paths to global prosperity came up with this great idea. 

Global prosperity without economic growth....hmmmm sound interesting?

How Free Money Day works:

• People from around the globe take any amount out of their pockets and give it to a complete stranger; on the street, in the park, in a cafe,supermarket, on the bus or on a plane. 
• The only instruction is for that person to then share HALF of the amount to another person.

"One of the biggest myths that we believe is that there is not enough to go around", says co- founder Dr Donnie Maclurcan.

The 2nd international Free Money Day was hosted on September 15th across 6 continents.

Post Growth Institute are all about the end of BIGGER things for the start of better things.

Post Growth Institute have some great Action steps , Tools for Change and Personal Steps based on their starting principles, some of these include:

1. How to host a zero waste event
2. When I buy new things I try to buy good quality items that last a long time
3. Buying local with seasonal eating

Here is a short clip about Free Money Day. Even though this years official date has passed Free Money Day can really be any day.

 If you are feeling like you need a boost of GIVING antioxidants. You know that feel good ZING you get from putting a smile on someone's face?
Then give a few coins from your pocket to a stranger and tell them to give half to someone else then tell us about it below.

Here's to creating a better quality way of living for ALL!!!

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Because it FEELS GREAT!

Today I said 'Goodbye and happy travels' to a massive box of baby boy clothes. 

This box of clothing had serviced my son Jude very well and is now on an adventure to clothe children of Uganda.

It gets even better than that! 

The beautiful, wonderful, talented girls at Love Mercy Foundation- Caitlin Barrett and Australian Olympian Eloise Wellings working alongside Ugandan Olympic Athlete Julius Achon have achieved a milestone dream of building a health centre in Otuke County, Uganda.

The centre to be named Kristina Achuma Clinic in memory of Julius' mother who perished without adequate medical attention when shot by the Lord's Resistance Army in 2004- Now Better known as KONY's army of children.

Prior to the building of this centre the nearest medical centre was in Lira 42 miles from Otuke County. And the vast majority of Otuke residents cannot afford transportation to Lira or the care offered there. As a result many suffer of die needlessly due to a lack routine preventative healthcare or emergency medical treatment.

The Kristina Achuma clinic will officially open in August with a massive town celebration.

The Love Mercy Foundation have raised funds in Australia in excess of $150,000 to build, employ staff and cover the ongoing costs associated with running a health centre.

A large proportion of the fundraising has come from the annual Sutherland to Surf fun run of 11km. With kids, mum's, dad's and dogs gaining sponsorship from friends and family to participate in the run and raise money for the Love Mercy Foundation. (Eloise pictured centre of picture with participants from the 2011 Sutherland to Surf run)

Sutherland to Surf will be run Sunday the 22nd of July and Love Mercy have already surpassed their fundraising goal of $50,000. It is so fun to watch the fundraising meter click higher and higher. Participants running for the Love Mercy Foundation will be treated to a breakfast in Cronulla at the end of their run.

So Bye Bye baby clothes 'Hello' that ZING I was talking about in my last blog.

Picturing little Ugandan babies decked out in warm cuddly outfits Jude used to wear gives my heart a warm ZING!

You can jump on the bandwagon too

1. Participate in the Sutherland to surf. Create a fundraising page and raise funds for Love Mercy Foundation. There is always 2013 if it is to late for this year.

2. Just donate on Love Mercy's Home page

3. Watch Love Mercy's fundometer tick over and share this story and your excitement with a friend

4. Contact the girls at Love Mercy and see if you can volunteer in their health centre if you are traveling to Uganda. (they may not be able to answer this until it opens)

Whatever you decide to do. Just jump on the Doing Good bandwagon because it feels GREAT!!!!

Have a super week finding your ZING!

This bog post is about GOOD people doing good things for communities. 

Shop GOOD for communities HERE Australia or HERE Hong Kong.

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You can help disadvantaged women who have been trapped in a cycle of poverty to financially provide for their families and pave the way to a BRIGHTER future by purchasing these gorgeous handmade gift cards by Bebas cards.

It takes guts to move to another country, see an opportunity for others to live a better life. Commit to and carry out a project that empowers others. 

Bianca Zietsch at Bebas cards has done just that! 

Moved to Bali, fallen in LOVE with the people, seen their every day financial struggles, witnessed the unfair labor of women sewing beads on garments tirelessly all day to be paid $1 for their labour, while the garment is sold overseas for over $100 and decided to DEDICATE her efforts to helping women like Ibu Komang.

Ibu, her husband and daughter Dia lived in a koskosan( a small building housing many poor families). She has recently had to return to her village to help her sick and blind elderly parents. There is little work in the village and her husband makes a measley $70 a month. Ibu is very grateful to make some extra much needed funds through the Bebas card project to help look after her parents and start a small business raising ducks on her village.

Stella Adler once said 'Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one'

'An artist cannot fail, it is a success to be one' - Charles Horton Cooley

Bebas cards are helping hundreds of people affected by poverty find meaningful well paid work which helps entire communities.

Help yourself by purchasing a pack of 5 cards for $22aud or one for only $4.50aud 

Know that this card is made from recycled cardstock and has made a massive difference in the artists life.

I bought a stack of Bebas cards for myself. When you touch and feel them you get a tingle inside. So sending them with a special message to someone you love that feeling of giving is multiplied a million times!!!

These beauties hit ALL of our DO GOOD CRITERIA

GOOD for Women

GOOD for the Earth

GOOD for Communities

GOOD for Cultural preservation

GOOD for Giving

Buy a pack of 5 today for $22aud or $176hkd to give you peace of mind knowing you have gorgeous gift cards handy.

Or buy one for your EXTRA SPECIAL person for only $4.50aud or $36hkd

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Qu Faraday from Being Public has! 

Well just about he is up to night 19 out of 20 days of sleeping and living in public places in and around Sydney.

A few interesting homeless facts:

• Sydney CBD 2009 399 people were sleeping outside in public areas
• 2006 the Australian census indicated 100,000 Australians as homeless
• Hong Kong 2003 519 people were living on the streets with up to 100 000 in caged homeless shelters
• America estimates 3.5 million people as homeless annually
• The United Nations conservatively estimated 100 million to be homeless around the world in 2005

WHY is Qu Being Public for 20 days and nights?

'All for the GOOD of the world' Qu says

How can one man sleeping in public places help the world you might ask?

Qu aims to get a first hand experience of living in Sydney's public areas around the clock to understand which areas are beneficial and actually 'work' for the public. With his portable video camera tucked into his pillowcase Qu is putting together valuable footage to create a mini series of one man taking on public spaces for 20 days and nights for the good of the world.

To create massive social movement it takes effort!!! 

Speaking with the right people and documenting his experience of Being Public for 20 days and nights is just Stage 1 of this project.

So what is Stage  going to be ALL about?  you might ask. 

A little suspense veils the full details of Stage 2 of Being Public however it has been reported that there will be some Public Structures being built  which will aim to increase public safety and "life" on the streets.

Qu kindly shared this video of Urban deign guru Jane Jacobs about creating healthy urban environments. 

I love this stuff!!! 

A skate Park would be awesome in my local park,  to take the kids on skate boards off the roads and give them a safe local place to hang out, play and learn from each other.

What would you improve in your local neighborhood?

What could be built in your local neighborhood to make it more 'LIVABLE'?

How YOU can help:

1. Like Being Public on facebook to stay informed about the release of the Being Public mini series.

2. Tell Being Public the best public structure that would benefit your neighborhood

3. Tell us what your hardest part of living in Public Places for 20 days and nights would be?

4. Share this blog post and story about this inspirational young guy Qu Faraday and his efforts to make a change in his world for the better of many!!! GO QU!!!

This Blog post is about GOOD people Doing GOOD things

To shop for GOOD click HERE for Australia and HERE for Hong Kong

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Described as a Kindness Revolution

Kindness toward ourselves, each other and the natural world

Their mission is simple: To WAKE UP the best part of yourself! To stop living like a zombie just going through the motions of life.

What or Who is 

A growing group of a few thousand people in Sydney who are anonymously doing kind things for others.

And thanks to Jono Fisher the founder of wake up Sydney this group is now exposed to inspirational live events

Uplifting speakers + film + meditation + musicians

Inspiring you to live your best life!

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"Children are great imitators so give them something great to imitate" (Anonymous) AND teach them to be responsible through their actions.

Kids4kids is a non profit organization founded in Hong Kong who inspire and empower kids of all ages to make positive changes in the world through their meaningful actions both in their local community and globally.

They host competitions like 

• Art for a Cause  - partnering with G.O.D to produce 6 unique designs for 'My Hong Kong' placemats
• Writing for a Cause- to engage kids with their writing skills to produce published books.

Products produced from these competitions are are sold to raise funds for children's charities.

Kids4kids community outreach program includes a:

Reading Program in which volunteer children read to younger children at kindergartens and childcare centers, to instill the love of reading in the children being read to. 

What great ROLE MODELS for the younger children!

Play Program- Volunteer children go to the Princess Margaret Hospital to play with sick children and children with special needs.

Kids4kids have many great events which you can be a part of. 

In April 2011 following China's devastating earthquakes they organized a group of young people to travel to Yunnan Province in China to help make a difference at Long Bin Primary School. See below.

You can support this great program or get involved by:

1. Liking them on facebook
2. Become a volunteer
3. Buy a gorgeous book or placemat as a gift
4. Watch out for their fundraiser profile on GoodieDo- coming soon! (We will donate 30% of sales to their program!)

P.S. Inspirational, action oriented kids make earth moving adults. Let's encourage this movement!

This blog post is about things GOOD for Communities and GOOD for Giving

Shop GOOD for Communities

Shop GOOD for Giving

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Does doing GOOD have a domino effect?

It appears to. This weeks Do GOOD deed is about a small coffee house in Bluffton, South Carolina called Corner Perk.

It first started 2 years ago when a woman paid her bill then left an extra $100. Asking the staff to pay for everyone who ordered after her, until her money ran out.

The very same customer asked to remain anonymous and has returned every 2 to 3 months to leave another donation.

Customers at Corner Perk said:

• "When I went to go pay, they said "oh it's paid for, somebody paid it forward". 
• "It made my day, it really did."
• "It's very inspiring to just see someone living out what so many of us talk about, and doing things for other people"

This wave of generosity for this township of 12 000 people has created a movement of GIVING. 

More and more people have said "I WANT TO DO THAT TOO." 

The shop's owner Josh Cooke, says some people don't even order anything when they come in, they just leave their money and head right back out.

Pretty inspiring story. 

It would be lovely to see the same generosity build momentum and continues at our own local coffee shops.

Who's up for it?

Will the next coffee you order be PRE PAID by someone else?

This kind of GENEROSITY provides a more lasting pick me up than the caffeine in the coffee.

This blog post is about GOOD for Communities and GOOD for Giving

Click HERE to shop GOOD for Communities

Click HERE to shop GOOD for Giving

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You just cant find that........? 

There is NO point in buying one because you know everyone else buys one and then uses it for a while, doesn't need it anymore then tosses it in the rubbish.

So you know there are heaps hanging around not being used somewhere????? 

What a waste of cash and resources to buy this item. AND they probably take about 500years to break down.

Heard of a Swap-O-Matic? This awesome New York City based vending machine project, aims to "shift culture away from an emphasis on unconscious consumption" and encourage people to donate, and receive used items for FREE!!!!

Designer and creator of the Swap-O-Matic, Lina Fenequito found her interest in sustainable living and  responsible consumption of resources from traveling extensively as a child.  She saw the disparity in lifestyles between the western consumerist society and those of the local people of living in the slums of other cities. 

A picture that clearly sticks in her mind from her childhood travels is her brother in Morocco sitting "with a coke in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other while a young boy the same age looked longingly."

Another is being dragged from the mall by her mother crying "because she would not let me buy the new, brown loafers I thought I could not live without"

Lina lists some great references to the many reason's we need to reduce consumption now! (In the Read about it section)

How the machine works?

• Users enter their email address using the touch screen interface, 
• They either donate, receive or swap an item. 
• New users receive 3 credits to start. A credit is earned when a user donates to the system. 
• A flag system prevents misuse of the system.

There is currently only ONE machine based in The Ample Hills Creamery, an all -natural ice cream shop in Brooklyn, America.

Swap-O-Matic recently set up a facebook page and has been inundated with requests for them in other countries including Hong Kong, Australia, and other parts of the States. 

There is a clear demand for tools which help EVERYONE beat the mindset culturally ingrained into our psyche by advertising and 'keeping up with the Jones's' " to buy blindly without regards to consequences which inevitably ensue".

AAAHHH what a great project to support. 

• Who would LOVE a Swap-O-Matic in their community?
• What would you DONATE?
• What would you like to RECEIVE?

Help bring these to a location near you by:

1. Liking Swap-O-Matic on facebook and keeping up with their status

I really WISH we had many of these funky NEW vending machines in Australia. Don't you?

P.S. I would donate a years worth of baby boy clothes to someone in NEED. If you or anyone you know are in NEED of this lets do a Swap-O-Matic.

This blog is about someone/something doing GOOD things for Communities and the Earth.

Click HERE to shop GOOD for the EARTH

Click HERE to shop GOOD for COMMUNITITES

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