When you need a distraction, RAVE! (video)

Caitlyn Trudnich (kroq.cbslocal.com); Dev, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

(Tove Lo) "Habits (Stay High)" She's Not on Drugs, just in love. See Sunset Strip Music Festival

Summer concerts, Los Angeles (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images/kroq.cbslocal.com)

Sigh. Coachella, Outside Lands, and HARD Summer have officially come and gone.  We’ve hung up our flower headbands and put away our wellies.  But don’t worry, there are still plenty of awesome music festivals coming up in a nearby location. From indie rock, to hip hop, to EDM, these upcoming events have something for every type of music-lover.

DIY Fest, Pomona

What's so "spiritual" about a concert? It's a communal experience with matching physical moves to a single cue, dancing to the beat. That's a way of peacefully nonverbally communicating, NVC, it's fun, it's a distraction, it can even be a celebration. We get out of our left brains and into our bodies. Then there are the lights, the stars, the other people coming together for a single purpose. It doesn't have to be a spiritual experience, but it can be!

• Dead Kennedys' singer Jello Biafra
• Unlocking The Truth to play Hollywood! (Coachella)
• Sweden's Lykke Li in L.A. ("Get Some")

Together Pangea

Echo Park Rising – August 15th-17th

Now in its fourth year, Echo Park Rising is a FREE festival, combining live music, art, food, and activities celebrating the eclectic neighborhood that is Echo Park.  Live performances from over 200 of LA’s best up-and-coming acts, including Local’s Only band Together Pangea. Enjoy strolling the local businesses and restaurants, including Blue Bag Records, Origami Vinyl, and Mohawk Bend. And it wouldn’t be a festival without yummy food!  Food trucks in attendance include Coolhaus and The Grilled Cheese Truck – mmm!

Located on main routes of Sunset Blvd., Glendale Blvd., Alvarado Ave. and Echo Park Ave. Friday 4:00-10:00 pm, Saturday 12:00-10:00 pm, Sunday 12:00-10:00 pm. Free Admission.

(Courtesy of Getty Images/Kevin Winter)

Uforia Music Festival – August 16th

Sponsored by the Hispanic American music service Uforia, this festival includes two stages, featuring popular acts in both Latin and hip hop genres, including Kid Cudi, Ludacris, and Mexican rock group Camila. Held at LA’s Exposition Park, the festival will also include a Vendor’s Village and tons of food-trucks all day.

Exposition Park, 700 State Dr., Los Angeles. 2:45 pm-12:00 am. Gen. Admission $46.05 + fees.

(Courtesy of Getty Images/Robyn Beck)

Venice Beach Music Fest – August 23rd

Whenever we visit Venice Beach, it’s guaranteed we’ll find an eclectic mix of cultures and unique arts.  The 9th Annual Venice Beach Music Fest perfectly reflects the spirit of the area, with an all-day fun and FREE experience! Live performances include legendary singer Willie Chambers, funk rockers Zen Robbi, and Middle Eastern bellydancing from Ya Harissa Bellydance Theater.  And don’t forget to hit up the after-party, featuring a founding member of Black Flag, Chuck Dukowski!

Windward Plaza Park, 1 Windward Ave., Venice Beach. 11:00 am-7:00 pm. Free admission.

(Courtesy of Getty Images/Trixie Trextor)

FYF Fest – August 23rd-24th

What began as a small music event in Echo Park created by an 18 year-old Sean Carlson, has now become a massive music festival that tons of LA festival goers look forward to every year!  Now in its 11th year and located at The LA Sports Arena and Exposition Park, this upcoming SOLD-OUT festival (like all other sellouts has lots of tickets available at the window, scalpers out front, people with a few extras, dealers, brokers, and craigslisters) promises to be a massive talent fest. With names like The Strokes, Phoenix, Interpol, Haim, Against Me!, and more, it’s sure to be a blast.

 

LA Sports Arena and Exposition Park, 3939 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. Saturday & Sunday, 2:00 pm-12:00 am.

Long Beach Psyclone August 29th-31st

SoCal rockabilly lovers will definitely love this music festival, featuring tons of rockabilly and psychobilly performances happening all Labor Day weekend long. Held at the Seaport Marina Hotel, the weekend includes internationally known performers like The Sharks (UK) and The Long Tall Texans (UK), as well as fun record hop events, and a pool party and BBQ to culminate the weekend!

Seaport Marina Hotel, 6400 E. Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach. Weekend Pass Admission $80 + fees.

Shoreline Jam Music Festival – August 30th-31st

This awesome, Labor Day Weekend event, sponsored by KROQ, features a jam-packed live music lineup, including KROQ favorites The Dirty Heads, Pepper, and Seedless!  Located at the historic Queen Mary in Long Beach, festival-goers can enjoy a cold drink and yummy food as you stroll through the many vendors and take in the scenic views of the Long Beach harbor!

The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach. General Admission $25.  VIP Admission $75 (includes 2 drink tickets, VIP Lounge access, and access to explore the Queen Mary!)

(Courtesy of Getty Images/Theo Wargo)

Made In America Festival – August 30th-31st

Co-created by hip hop mogul Jay Z in 2012, this successful festival originated in Philadelphia. But this year marks the first time the festival will be held in Los Angeles at Grand Park. The Rocky Stage, Liberty Stage, and Freedom Tent will feature performances from some of the best in rock, hip hop, and EDM, including Imagine Dragons, Kayne West, John Mayer, Iggy Azalea, Weezer, Rise Against, Capital Cities, Steve Aoki, and many more.

Grand Park, 227 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles. 2-Day Pass Admission $200 + fees.

Mad Decent Block Party – September 13th

Created by Mad Decent founder Diplo in 2008, this Block Party tour will be visiting Los Angeles in September. Taking place at the LA Center Studios, this vibrant event will include performances from members of the Mad Decent family, including Laidback Luke, singer Elliphant, and Diplo himself!  Hey, who knows?  Maybe even rapper Riff Raff will make a guest appearance.

LA Center Studios, 1201 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles. Doors 1:00 pm

(Britt Bickel)

Sunset Strip Music Festival – September 20th-21st

One of the most happening music events in LA is the SSMF! Since 2008, the iconic Sunset Strip has been filled with performances on the street and on the legendary stages of venues such as the Whiskey A Go-Go, The Roxy Theatre, and Rainbow Bar & Grill. This year, expect the Strip to get rocked with major performances including, Jane’s Addiction, Empire Of The Sun, Cold War Kids, Mayer Hawthorne, Tove Lo of "Habits (Stay High)" fame, and more.

Saturday, 2:00-11:00 pm, Sunday, 2:00-10:00 pm. 2 Day Pass Admission $125 + fees.

How Los Angeles celebrates Vesak

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara, Pasadena

Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara, 920 N. Summit Ave. at Mountain, Pasadena, CA 91101

The Buddha against the clouds on the island, Bentota Gama Vihara, Sri Lanka

  

A shower of Dharma, a spiritual offering to the Buddha, is made through the cultivation of virtue and meditation (sila-bhavana).

"The audience (hearers and learners) of Gautama ever awakens happily, day and night recollecting the qualities of the Buddha."

- Dhammapada

 

Gal Vihara (UNESCO/Alagz/mac.com/flickr)

The Pasadena monastery, known as the Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara on Mountain and Summit, planned out a full day of activities open to all on Vesak, May 17, 2014. At 8:00 am we took on eight precepts and participants recollected and made offerings to the memory of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. At 9:00 am there was morning tea, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) having been a British colony previously known as the Island of Serendipity. At 9:15 Ven. Karunagoda gave English meditation instructions. At 10:45 there were more devotions and offerings to the memory of the Buddha. 

Adam Eurich, Dr. Ven. Karunananda (WQ)

At 11:00 there was a lunch of island delicacies -- red field rice, green jack fruit, golden curry, orange dal, bright greens with coconut shavings, crisp yellow papadum, fruits, treacle sweets, colorful strips of sauteed vegetables in tangy juices, and more. At 12:00 pm there was a recess to digest all that great food. At 12:30 pirith (parittas, protective mantras) chanting. At 1:00 there was a Dharma Forum, a lively discussion on the Buddha's message, with audience questions, and three very learned monks and a nun to discuss. At 3:30 we had more tea; it's what Ceylon and the Lipton Company are famous for. At 3:45 there was a Dharma Sermon in Sinhalese by a guest monk. At 4:45 a Buddhist Sermon and meditation practice in English with Ven. Chandananda, recently back from Sri Lanka. And at 6:00 a concluding eight precept observance (when practitioners revert to observing the Five Precepts), closing with a sharing of merits.

"We can influence others for the good by the good we are thinking."

- the Buddha

Day went into night with the cultural program running from 6:00-10:00 pm. The summer-like evening began with devotional songs (bhakti gita), a free food stand (dansala), and the exhibition of the rotating Vesak lantern.

While this event sounds unique splendid, it is only one of dozens throughout the city this month as Burmese, Thai, Laotian, Cambodian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Bangladeshi temples also celebrate. There are at least eight local Sri Lankan temples. On Sunday the North Hollywood Sarathchandra Buddhist Temple puts on a larger display. The highlight will be the big all-Buddhist Thai lay Dhammakaya-meditation movement evening, which annually invites every single Buddhist school and tradition to participate. Happy Vesak!

 

Documenting Buddhism in America (seekingheartwood.com)

• The Buddha's Birthday at Dhammakaya, L.A.
• Hindu temple opening in Chicago, Illinois

Native American Herb Walks (April 5, 2014)

Xochitl, Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Moonbeam (FollowYourHeart.com)

Bee harmlessly collects nectar and sunflower pollen under an approving Surya (S-K)

The Heart Center, (818) 348-3240

Follow Your Heart (FYH) and Wisdom Quarterly invite everyone to join in a very fun, beautiful, and informative Herb Walk through Bee Canyon.
 
Our guide William Broen will identify and talk about medicinal and edible plants of California. Broen will focus particularly on the traditional Native American and modern uses of 2-30 different native and introduced plants including: elderberry, mugwort, yerba santa, milk thistle, nettles, black sage, and many more. Our guide will also discuss folklore and legends associated with many of the plants. The three-hour walks will be on easy trails well suited for people of all levels of hiking experience.

• FREE, Saturday, April 5, 2014
• 11:00 am-2:00 pm + 3:00-6:00 pm
• O'Melveny Park, Granada Hills

Wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers, bring hat and sunglasses and sunscreen. Water and trail mix will be provided by FYH.

 

O'Melveny Park: Bee Canyon (AllTrails.com), O'Melveny (Yelp reviews), O'Melveny (LAMountains.com), O'Melveny (LA Trails), O Melveny Park (LA Times), Lookout Loop (Nobody Hikes in L.A.)

 

Sacred lands

Follow Your Heart on Pinterest, Facebook

Indigenous Tongva (Los Angeles) and Chumash (Malibu) and Tataviam (NW LA/Ventura) and Acagchemem (Orange County) peoples were lovers of Nature, lovers of flowers, lovers of herbs and herbal cures. Plants cure what ails human beings and other earthlings. But with the loss of Native languages, lineages, the lore, plant knowledge is disappearing only to be revived by Americans passionate about what was lost/displaced when we overran the original inhabitants' subsisting on their native lands.

DIRECTIONS: From Follow Your Heart [21825 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91303, (818) 348-3240] take Topanga Canyon Bl. north to Hwy 118 East. Exit Balboa going north for about two miles to Sesnon Ave. (just past Crozco). Go left on Sesnon and drive about 1/4 mile until reaching the O'Melveny Park parking lot on the right side of street. Group will meet at the far end of the lot at 11:00 am and again at 3:00 pm sharp.

WILLIAM BROEN attended Pacific School of Herbal Medicine in Oakland, CA. He works as an educator for Herb Pharm (Herbal Healthcare Products), a company which produces high quality organic and wild herbal supplements sold at FYH. He is also the Herbal Expert at FYH, working Fridays from 4:00-9:00 pm.

Indian Film Festival, L.A. (April 8-13, 2014)

Seven, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly; IndianFilmFestival.org, IFFLA on Facebook, IFFLA

India's Bollywood comes to Hollywood, Indian Film Festival of L.A., April 8-13 (IFFLA)

OM (aum) is the sound of the cosmos (EO)

FAITH CONNECTIONS: Every three years Hindus and yogis and others gather at one of four rotating sites for the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious celebrations of faith and devotion, marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the river Ganges. With 100 million participants in 2013, these pilgrimages are said to be the largest organized gatherings on the planet for any single purpose. While never losing site of the enormity and scope of the event, it brings viewers the individuals, sharing their unique stories: How did they come to be here to share in their belief in the divine?

(FC) Every three years 100 million Hindus and others gather at one of four
rotating sites for the Kumbh Mela, a devotional celebration at the Ganges.
  

Through stories of pilgrims searching for lost children, marijuana-smoking ascetics, adoptive father yogis, mind-bending physical acts, and a special lost boy who dreams of becoming a sadhu (Indian holyman), IFFLA alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering. This vision of the ancient tradition  is rarely seen in the West, bringing the Kumbha Mela to human scale. More
  

Love.Love.Love

But kids?

SOLD: Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold -- a National Book Award finalist about child sex trafficking -- into a vivid, harrowing, and inspiring story of a 13-year-old girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty. Young Lakshmi travels to India with the promise of a job and money to send back to her family in Nepal. She quickly learns the terrible truth: she has been sold into prostitution and must work for years to pay back her parents’ debts. While Lakshmi contends with abuse from the brothel’s tyrannical madame and its lustful customers, a nearby activist organization struggles to work against corrupt officials to bring the brothel down. Ultimately, she must resolve not to lose hope and use her wits to escape. More

 

Kashmir(s) in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India

SHEPHERDS OF PARADISE: Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of horses, cows, goats, and sheep across Jammu all the way to the natural wonderland valley of Kashmir (J&K) so they can graze. An already difficult journey of nearly 200 miles done by foot covered in 21 days, Gafoor faces the added challenges of military checkpoints and impenetrable terrain in blinding winter conditions. At 75, Gafoor also carries on a way of life for his family that the young seem less and less interested in following. More
 

Shorts Program 1 (IFFLA)

LIAR'S DICE: Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for a bracing and unforgettable directorial debut, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows the journey of Kamala (Geetanjali Thapi), a woman living and working in a remote Himalayan village with her young daughter Manya.

Kamala's husband -- gone off to work in Delhi -- has been out of contact for several months, and Kamala fears the worst. Determined to find what's happened to him, she gathers Manya (and the family's pet goat) to set off for the city. Hardships ensue, as Kamala struggles with directions, money, and the dangers of being a woman alone in a strange place. She hires a guide -- the unfriendly and possibly criminal wanderer Nawazuddin (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), whose interest may lie more in his own personal gain than in any help he can offer others. More


JADOO: Set in Leicester [Lester], England, Amit Gupta’s delicious and delightful comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a big falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment -- directly across the street from each other!



Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the wedding feast together. But resentment runs deep, and neither man can so much as hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. The prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini -- and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area -- forces Raja and Jagi to work together, but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history, and culinary perfection, Gupta’s cast is relentlessly charming. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food... More

 

SKIN DEEP: Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love, and their future together shines brightly and perfectly, filled with possibility -- that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Bombay/Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them. More 

SIDDHARTH: Barely able to support his family fixing chain zippers, Mahendra is hopeful their lives will improve now that his 12-year-old son, Siddharth [the Hindi form of the Sanskrit name Siddhartha], has found work 200 miles north of Delhi. When the boy fails to return for Diwali, the "Festival of Lights," a few months later, Mahendra and his wife Suman are simply told he ran away. The parents' nightmare is only made worse by indifferent authorities more interested in lecturing them than finding out what happened to their young child. As Mahendra and Suman find out more of the truth, it becomes clear that no one cares what happened to their son but them. More

BOMBAY TALKIES: A quartet of short films celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in the charming omnibus film featuring work from Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap -- four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors.

Starlet Katrina Kaif, FHM cover

Each one crafts a tale of ordinary people, whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives: secret lovers who bond over a little girl’s performance of their favorite Bollywood song, an out-of-work father plucked from a crowd to perform a brief role in a Ranbir Kapoor film, a little boy who dreams of being a dancer like the luminous Indian starlet Katrina Kaif, and a son whose ailing father sends him on a quest to receive a blessing from megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

Shorts Program 2 (indianfilmfestival.org)

The brightest stars of Bollywood invite us to share in the joy, heartbreak, and reverence we feel in a movie theater. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film? (For this selection, admission is restricted to guests 21+).

• 2014 FILM GUIDE

St. Patrick's Day celebration, SoCal

Seth Auberon and Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly; Moonbeam, FollowYourHeart.com

I'll destroy the pagans and make sure snakes do not return with their nature worship! (CP)

Flowery bhumi-deva Pagan ceremony, Avebury (Solar/Shahmai Network/shahmai.org)

   

It might be better to be in Amherst, Mass.

CANOGA PARK, California - Deep in "The Valley," the world-famous stretch of suburban flatlands that end only as the sea and mountains and desert get to be too much, there is an interesting old park. Well, it's less grassy "park" than asphalt town: Canoga Park held its St. Paddy's Day party with a parade that began at the Madrid Theatre on Sherman Way with a sidewalk march. There were stilt walkers, bag pipers, the sanctified patriarch himself, and friends all over Old Town Canoga Park. It culminated in a lot on Owensmouth with live Irish music from Jerry McLean and tales by True Thomas the Irish Storyteller. (CanogaParkCal.com)

Follow Your Heart!

For health, longevity, spirituality, love, and herbal cures, FYH has it all at (818) 348-3240.

  

Yoga unites body, mind, and breath (spiritus).

The jewel of the city, however, what puts it on the map and makes it worth visiting, is an awesome institution called Follow Your Heart (FYH)! It's a health food store, a vegetarian restaurant, a health center with free seminars and group meditation, a yoga studio, a product brand, a hippie haven, a hangout bar none near the California communes of Topanga in the wooded hills above and behind Santa Monica and Malibu beaches. More

• So Bohemian: Topanga: Malibu's hippie cousin? (CNN)
• VISIT: 21825 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91303
• The Real History of St. Patrick's Day
• St. Patrick's Day: 5 places to find a bit of blarney

Feed the needy: Food Not Bombs (volunteer)

Pat Macpherson, Irma Quintero, Wisdom Quarterly; FoodNotBombs.net

WANTED: Looking for enthusiastic and committed new members for the Reseda Chapter of Food Not Bombs. Help is particularly needed from those willing to drive and/or those with transportation to carry goods.

Willing to cook and prepare healthy food using goods provided? All help is welcome!

We provide fresh produce and vegan food FREE for the community. If interested, please contact us via Craigslist email. We appreciate all volunteers! We are active only on Sunday afternoons. For more information about the organization, visit FoodNotBombs.net.

No Satanic sex killers, please. Unless you have a van with the windows blacked out...or other transportation. No, no, not even if you have transportation. Thanks!

Fukushima: crowdsourcing Geiger readings

Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Pfc. Sandoval, Wisdom Quarterly; SAFECAST.org; Democracy Now

Protests Grow in Japan: "Bring our message to the world to stop nuclear power plants"

Volunteers crowdsource radiation monitoring, map risk on every Japanese street

Reporting live from Japan

Amy Goodman, Denis Moynihan (DemocracyNow.org)

Hiroshima like Nagasaki (kootation.com)

TOKYO, Japan - “I write these facts as dispassionately as I can in the hope that they will act as a warning to the world,” wrote the journalist Wilfred Burchett from Hiroshima [site of the atomic bombing by the US].

Get your own Geiger counter

His story under the headline “The Atomic Plague” appeared in the London Daily Express on Sept. 5, 1945.

Burchett violated the U.S. military blockade of Hiroshima. He was the first Western journalist to visit the devastated city after the bombing. He wrote, “Hiroshima does not look like a bombed city. It looks as if a monster steamroller had passed over it and squashed it out of existence.”

Small, portable Geiger counters (safecast.org)

Jump ahead 66 years to March 11, 2011. Six hundred miles north is the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, where the Great East Japan Earthquake [possibly set in motion by the HAARP weapon as the US had previously threatened Japan] caused a tsunami, which led to the nuclear disaster at the nuclear power site. Listen

• "We want to fight for this cause": Nuclear refugees from Fukushima join anti-nuke protests
• Mayor of town that hosted Fukushima Nuclear Plant says he was told: “No accident could ever happen”
• Fukushima: An Ongoing Warning to the World
• Mushrooms can de-contaminate waste (fungi.com)

KOAN: Ummon's Farm Rice-Cake

Roshi Jeff Albrizee, Seven, PasaDharma.org, The Book of Equanimity, Case 78

Yum, now they're hemp-a-licious! Lundberg brand rice cakes are not as bad as popcorn.

PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY

When you seek the cost all over heaven, you’ll be paid the price all over the Earth.

To seek after 100 schemes is just a shame.

Isn't there some one who knows to advance and retreat, and who recognizes the duality?

MAIN CASE

Eat or fast, but mindfully with clear comprehension

Attention!

Master Ummon spoke to the assembly of monastics: “Even if a single word instantaneously puts the 10,000 differences in the same groove, including the minutest particle, it is still an expression of teaching. What is a patch-robe monastic to say? If you argue about the words of the ancestors and the buddhas, the unique way of Zen will be destroyed. Is there any one here who can put it right? If you can speak, come forward.”

Then a monk asked, “What is speech that transcends the buddhas and goes beyond the ancestors?”

Ummon replied, “Farm rice-cake.”

Then the monk asked, “What connection is there between the farm rice-cake and the speech that transcends the buddhas and ancestors?”

Master Ummon replied, “Exactly! What’s the connection? What are you calling buddhas and what are you calling ancestors?”

 

Eat like a wise vegetarian monastic -- healthy, tasty, and kindly (3D-pictures.feedio.net)

 

Ummon further explained, “Right now, is anything the matter? If you really don’t have any clue, then for a time go into yourself and investigate thoroughly on your own. In the 24 hours of the day, when you are wearing a robe, eating, defecating, and urinating, even including the flies in the latrine, is there still any speech that transcends buddhas and ancestors?”

APPRECIATORY VERSE

“Farm rice-cake” is speech that transcends buddhas and ancestors.

In this phrase there’s no flavor.

How can you penetrate it?

Zen monastics who one day know satisfaction will see no shame on Ummon’s face.

Obligate carnivores appreciate and trust kind vegetarians (3D-pictures.feedio.net)