You can read the article here. Amazing!

Dr. Mercola is a change agent. He is not afraid to STAND UP!
I am so tired of all the commercialism of the pharmaceutical industry. It's in my email, in my news, in my magazines, and on my television. I am sure that you are inundated with it too.
Watch this and see if you make the connection. And next time your handed a prescription, think twice...and JUST SAY NO!

I really enjoyed this work! Thought I'd share it with YOU!

Old enough to know better....young enough not to care!

Change Agent, I love that title.

I can think of four very special Change Agents that I have the pleasure of knowing. I am in awe of their inspired vision and their determination to take action and share their ideas with the world. They follow their bliss, even when the journey is rough. These conscious entrepreneurs take their passions to the world with the intention of affecting a shift in consciousness while courageously bringing to world what they hold in their hearts.

Ward M. Powers is the Creator and Director and of ONE The Movie. Early one morning, in April, 2002, a middle-aged father of three from Michigan suddenly awoke from a sound sleep, overcome by a strange compulsion... to make a movie.

What made this so strange, is that he was not a film-maker. In fact, he had no training, education or experience whatsoever in the field. So, he immediately called his cousin and best friend to enlist their help with the project. They eagerly agreed.

Powers has been a practicing civil trial attorney in the State of Michigan for over 24 years. ONE is his first foray into independent filmmaking. An amateur musician, sculptor and author he has enjoyed a lifelong interest in the arts and creative expression. Powers took action to bring his dream to the world.

One spring day towards the end of 2004, Rhonda Byrne discovered a secret - the secret laws and principles of the universe. Almost immediately her life was transformed, as she began to put into practice what she had learned. It seemed to Rhonda that almost no-one knew the things that she had discovered, even though the concepts could be found in almost every religion and field of human endeavor throughout history. And in that moment her greatest wish, and mission, was to share this knowledge with the world.
Rhonda began to see that her entire life - everything she had ever done - had been quietly and steadily moving her towards the most perfect place for her to be able to fulfill her wish. And to fulfill it on the grandest possible scale! She had gone from working as a producer at the Nine Network in Melbourne, Australia, to starting her own television production company, Prime Time Productions, in 1994. And after ten years of creating internationally successful shows such as 'The World's Greatest Commercials', 'Great Escapes', 'Marry Me', and 'Sensing Murder', Rhonda was ready for something new. She wanted to take Prime Time Productions in a different direction; in a direction that fulfilled people rather than just entertained them.
And on that spring day in 2004, when a small, old book called The Science of Getting Rich was put into her hands, and Rhonda's whole life suddenly pulled into spectacular focus, she knew exactly what her mission was to become. She was going to take this knowledge to the world. She was going to make a movie to carry joy to every corner of the Earth. And so the great journey that was The Secret began.
Rhonda Byrne is an excellent example of a change agent in my mind.

Richard Gere is a well known Buddhist and an active supporter of the Dalai Lama. He has also been a persistent advocate for better human rights in Tibet, and was a co-founder of the Tibet House and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Campaign For Tibet. He also campaigns for ecological causes and for AIDS awareness, and has expressed his concern for AIDS problems in India. Because he strongly supports Tibetan Independence Movement, he is permanently banned from entering China.
Gere currently serves on the Board of Directors for Healing the Divide, which concerns itself with global initiatives that promote peace, justice and understanding.
Gere was banned as an Academy Award presenter in 1993 after he used the opportunity to condemn the Chinese government.
Richard Gere uses his time, money and inspiration as a vehicle to voice his opinions. His position is to stand strong, and to use his successes in a way that he hopes will change the world.

And last but certainly not least Jon Slavet. Jon was Co-CEO of Guru Worldwide Inc., a human capital management company backed by American Express. Jon's previous work includes executive positions at Wired and NPR. Jon serves on the Advisory Boards of several Bay Area organizations, and is an honors graduate of Dartmouth College. Obviously no stranger to success. Yet when the stress of success began to take it's toll on Jon Slavet, he realized that his life was out of balance. His newest venture was born out of this realization. He sought out the best information he could and founded The Balance Company. His mission is to help others to become aware of our priorities in life and to keep our life in balance, while successfully pursuing our dreams. The Balance Company is an excellent example of enlightened entrepreneurship, and Jon Slavet a change agent indeed.

These four people have brought me joy with the messages from their heart. I appreciate their contribution to this world. I share what they value in life. And I admire the way that they live their lives. These are just four of the people whom I regard as change agents.

I wanted to thank ~C for holding the space, and for Brian for beginning this discussion.

In Joy and admiration,

JoySeeker Laura

Published on LIME.com (http://www.lime.com)
What's Your Dosha?
By madfoot
Created Aug 29 2006 - 7:59am
Looking for love in all the wrong places? Been burned too many times by what seemed like an astrological sure-thing? It might be time to turn your eyes from the heavens to the ancient scientific practice of Ayurveda. At least, Lissa Coffey thinks it's a good place to start.

Coffey wasn't always "The Diva of Dosha," as she calls herself. She majored in sociology at UCLA, worked in television, and started her own company after she had kids. But as her interest in holistic health increased, she felt drawn to study with Deepak Chopra. When she learned about Ayurveda, she had an "Aha!" moment.

By combining her sociological background with the 5,000 year old science of Ayurdveda, Coffey considers the ways in which doshas - the personality types described in Ayurveda -impact romantic relationships. Enter another "Aha" moment. The Dosha Diva was born. Coffey's book, What's Your Dosha, Baby? [1] explores the ways in which Ayurveda can be applied to relationships.

LIME sat down with Coffey and tea (Earl Grey) to discuss her unique approach and matchmaking in general, the Dosha way.

LIME: So can you give those of us unfamiliar with Ayurveda a general overview?

COFFEY: The word "Ayurveda" is Sanskrit, and it literally means "the science of life." The practice is over 5,000 years old and explains the nature of the universe. Through Ayurveda, we get hints about everything, including our health and, as I see it, the health of our relationships. In India, you'd never just do yoga without Ayurveda, or meditation without Ayurveda. They blend together beautifully to enhance each other's practice. We just have yet to catch on here in the West.

LIME: And when did the practice start?

COFFEY: About 5,000 years ago, in India. The first Ayurvedic practitioner was named Dhanvantari, and actually, it's not clear if he was a real person or a legend, but he's often referred to as the Hindu God of Medicine.

LIME: So is Ayurveda religion-based?

COFFEY: No, Ayurveda has nothing to do with religion at all. Vedanta was the prominent religion in India at that time, and that led to Buddhism and Hinduism, but both are separate from Ayurveda. From Ayurveda came Greek medicine, and from Greek medicine came our current form of Western medicine, which is called Allopathic medicine. Ayurveda has always been practiced in India, but many in the West are just getting to it now. Now that yoga and meditation are becoming more popular—those two being the sister sciences to Ayurveda—people are seeing how it works and wanting more. In India, all three are practiced together for maximum benefit.

LIME: So I know Tantra was first brought to the West when Richard Burton mis-translated the hell out of it, and Yoga found its way here in the '60s, but how did Vedic medicine find its way to the U.S.?

COFFEY: Actually, Paramahansa Yogananda brought Yoga to the West in the 1920's, but yes, the '60s was when it really took off. The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the person that the Beatles studied with. He also founded Transcendental Meditation, and was Deepak Chopra's teacher for awhile. The Maharishi has a line of Ayurvedic products, but really, it's Deepak who's most responsible for bringing Ayurveda to the Western audience.

LIME: So this really is relatively new to Americans.

COFFEY: Old to the rest of the world, new to us. Deepak endorsed my book, by the way, and Dr. Vasant Lad, who founded the Ayurvedic Institute, wrote the forward to it. I've gotten a lot of kudos from people in India who are impressed that an American woman is talking about Ayurveda and relationships.

LIME: Well, let's get to that. Your central idea is that we all fall into these three categories, called doshas, and the better we understand our own and others' doshas, the more we can improve our relationships.

COFFEY: Yes, doshas are central, so you've got to have a good understanding of them.

LIME: And how do you determine your dosha?

COFFEY: Ayurveda says there are 5 elements in nature: air, space, fire, water and earth. Each dosha is a combination of these elements. Vata is air and space. Pitta is fire and water. Kapha is water and earth. Since we have all 5 elements in our physiology, we have all three doshas in our physiology, just in different proportions. Our dosha is like our fingerprint, unique to us.

LIME: But each of us has a dominant one, and that's the general category we fit into?

COFFEY: Yes. For example: Vatas are lean, lanky - you can see the bones in their wrists and their collar bones. They have cold hands, and often, their skin and hair are dry. They're often nervous or anxious, so they may bite their nails. Since they're so dry, and Vata is seated in the colon, they often have constipation.

Personality-wise, they're really creative, talkative, funny, often the class clown. They think really fast, they're impatient, they get bored easily. They also get worn out easily. They love activity and being in new places, but the actual traveling part is difficult for them—because of the movement there's too much air and space and they get out of balance, they get anxiety and nausea.

They can be hyper. A lot of times when people have ADHD, it's a Vata imbalance. Vatas are really unorganized. They start projects easily but have a hard time finishing things up. But they have a lot of enthusiasm. They say "yes" a lot, probably too much!

LIME: Who's a Vata? Someone we all know?

COFFEY: Cameron Diaz, for example. She's such a Vata.

LIME: And Pittas?

COFFEY: Either average build, or muscular and athletic. Many athletes and politicians are Pittas, they're determined and goal oriented. They're logical, and visual. They've got a lot of fire in them, so they're "hot" in more ways than one! They're passionate, as in good lovers. And they're also passionate about work, and can be workaholics. That heat can turn into anger, and they are often judgmental and critical. Highly intelligent, though - they love to debate and argue. Pitta is seated in the stomach, so Pittas may be prone to ulcers and stomach problems, like acid reflux.

With Pittas you can see red in their hair or skin, often they have fair skin and freckles - they sunburn easily and need to be careful in the sun. They often have grey hair or are prematurely bald. Usually have light eyes. They're ambitious, sometimes to a fault. They have warm hands. They're organized, businesslike, professional.

Justin Timberlake is a Pitta. So is Michael Douglas.

LIME: What about Kaphas?

COFFEY: Kaphas are heavier set, bigger boned than the other doshas. They have soft smooth skin, often thick, dark hair - thick eyebrows and eyelashes. They look younger than they are. Kapha is seated in the respiratory tract, so Kaphas have a tendency to have allergies, bronchitis, sinus problems, things like that. Congestion.

There's a sweetness to Kaphas, they are very loving and caring. They are concerned about the environment, they want to take care of people. They make good teachers, doctors and parents. They have rich voices—very musical in quality.

Kaphas are very loyal, they have friends for a long long time. They have a hard time getting things started, but they have great follow-through. They're responsible. But when they get out of balance, they can be depressed, unmotivated. Kaphas don't like change, even though change and stimulation is the best thing to keep them in balance. They are homebodies, they love to have people over, they love to "nest." Angelina Jolie is a Kapha.

LIME: And this is this fixed, like your star-sign?

COFFEY: Exactly. You're born with it. And if you get out of balance, by working too much, eating the wrong foods, becoming overtired, you get out of balance. When you are in balance, as you were the day you were born, you're happiest and healthiest. So Ayurveda recommends certain lifestyle routines to keep in balance.

LIME: And how does this work with dating? Don't Indian matchmakers use astrology to make their matches, or do they use this too?

COFFEY: Doshas are definitely used by Indian matchmakers! They also use Jyotish, which is Indian Astrology, based on the moon rather than western astrology which is based on the sun. Of course, these days, couples get the matchmaker info and still decide themselves whether or not to marry.

LIME: But it is part of a tradition.

COFFEY: Absolutely. The doshas affect our personality, so they affect how we deal with people and what kind of a temperament we have.

LIME: So when someone reads your book, what are they going to learn how to do?

COFFEY: I've got whole chapters on how the Ayurveda can help us with all the relationships in our life. The first thing you do is identify your dosha. The whole point of Ayurveda is self-discovery, learn about yourself, discover yourself. Once you've done that, you can look for a partner that will blend best with your dosha.

Ayurveda teaches us to love and understand "what is" rather than what we think "should be." It teaches us how to get along with people better because we're not trying to change them. We understand their nature, and our own nature, and work with what we've got. It makes life a lot easier, a lot more pleasant! It works really well with parenting. We give up our unrealistic expectations and focus instead on a child's strengths, so everyone in the family is happier! With work, Ayurveda helps us choose careers that are suited to our personalities. And it helps us to get ahead in our careers by showing us how to work well with the people around us.

LIME: So it's a way to choose people who might be best suited to you, or to pinpoint the ways in which you're likely to be dreadfully different.

COFFEY: Right. It doesn't mean you can't date people, but paying attention to your Doshas can give you a leg up on likely problems.

LIME: So if Brad Pitt is a Pitta and Angelina Jolie is a Kapha...

COFFEY: They're actually a better match. Jennifer Aniston is also a Pitta. They both wanted to be the boss and they were competitive with one another. There was no real leader. And Jennifer Aniston also hooked up with a Kapha, Vince Vaughn.

LIME: And you mentioned Cameron Diaz ...

COFFEY: And Justin Timberlake is a Pitta. They're a good pair. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a Kapha, and Michael Douglas is a Pitta. Another solid matchup.

LIME: So back in the real world—how can I tell what someone else's dosha is?

COFFEY: Sometimes you can tell just by looking. As you get to know someone, you can find more cues. Nothing is absolute, as I said, we all have pieces of all three doshas in us. But watching for the physical cues is a great way to start.

LIME: So what happens if I really fall hard for another Kapha? Does that sound the death-knell for the relationship?

COFFEY: Oh, no. You just have to know what you are getting yourself into. You have to know how to stay in balance yourself, and how to stay balanced within the relationship, and correct for your differences, compensate for them. The point is to be aware of the pitfalls so you can avoid them.


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Source URL:
http://www.lime.com/balance/story/4192/whats_your_dosha
Links:
[1] http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/