Hands Across the Sea: Maui to the Maldives

Posted in client stories events hints of inspiration by Kristin Hettermann on

Photo by Cat Vinton

International Water/Wo/Men Event Hosted by Six Senses Resorts and Spas Joins Maui-Based +H20 with Global Athletes and Humanitarians to Raise Funds and Awareness for Marine Conservation and Water Sanitation Projects

Powerful connections, magical synergy, perfect timing, and beckoning global challenges = a recipe for success, and history in the making. At Water/Wo/Men 2011, +H20 tested the waters and realized that yes, setting goals and reaching for a dream can translate into concrete action and forward-moving inspiration.

Maui-based +H20, a platform for water awareness founded by professional windsurfers Levi Siver, Keith Teboul, Pascal Bronnimann and Jake Miller, celebrated their official one-year anniversary with an international fundraising event of epic proportions, generously hosted by Six Senses Resorts and Spas.  The inaugural Water/Wo/Men event, hosted September 30- October 4, brought over one hundred selected invitees together with guests at Six Senses’ latest sustainably chic and slow-life focused resort.

Photo by Cat Vinton

Convening on the island of Laamu in the southern atoll of the Maldives, a tiny Indian Ocean island nation, was an inspiring collection of iconic water sports athletes, leading conservationists and activists, award-winning filmmakers, celebrities and media. Five days of water sports clinics in windsurfing, stand up paddleboarding, kite surfing, surfing, wake boarding and freediving was complemented by exhibitions, debates, culinary decadence and smart dialogue. The result was lots of water fun as well as a playground for the exchanging of information regarding the marine preservation and water sanitation challenges facing our world today.

Bethany teaches local girl to surf. Photo by Noah Hamilton.

The idea? People who love the water can all come together to do good things, utilizing the power of collaboration to facilitate change on a local to global level.

+H20 Windsurfer Levi Siver

The reality? All that and more. By joining hot international iconic watermen and women together with leading water and marine intelligentsia, the sexiness made the scientists that much more appealing and doing good became part of a developing brand. The international media went crazy, with photographers and journalists abuzz for five days covering the excitement. Word is now traveling globally as articles and photo shoots spread from publications such as Conde Nast Traveler Magazine and Vogue.

Joining +H20 was Kauai’s Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton, Maui’s Buzzy Kerbox the co-inventor of tow-in surfing, Maui-tied Japanese surfing filmmaker and entrepreneur Takuji Masuda, wakeboarding stuntman Duncan Zuur, Maui artist Kim McDonald and seven-time women’s world surfing champion Layne Beachley; actresses Daryl Hannah, Melanie Laurent and Kate Bosworth, musicians Beth Orton, Rami Jaffee of the Foo Fighters and Kirk Pengilly of INXS, Bollywood filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and model Helena Christensen; National Geographic explorer Jon Bowermaster, third generation ocean explorer Fabien Cousteau, leading oceanographer Carl Gustaf Lundin and water public policy advocate and Running Dry producer James Thebaut. Proceeds from Water/Wo/Men benefit Plant a Fish Foundation, the Blue Marine Foundation and Water Charity.

+H20, four Maui-based athletes set out last year to leverage their visibility as professional athletes in efforts of connecting community with companies and non-profits to raise awareness for global clean water challenges. “We believe in athletes being positive role models that lead by example. We have dedicated our lives to the water, and it is the water that fuels our passion, supports our profession and gives us the world back,” +H20 team captain Jake Miller said. “+H2O is a platform for us to share our joy of water sports, while also giving back to that which has given us so much.”

+H20 launched in October 2010 with the successful first annual Paia Town and North Shore Clean Up, with over 250 people joining to collect 13,400 pounds of trash of solid wastes and metals including 8 recovered cars. They raised almost $4000 at a fundraiser that evening, which then awarded the opportunity to partner and create a fund with Water Charity, an international organization with a proven track record of successful clean water projects in communities around the world. Water Charity implements practical solutions to provide safe water, effective sanitation and meaningful health education to those in need. The +H2O Water Charity fund has been created to fund selected projects in specified surf locations as chosen by the +H2O watermen team.

Bethany Hamilton with Local Island Girls

The first project funded in this effort was +H20 Six Senses Water Charity Rainwater Capture and Storage Project, announced officially last month at Water/Wo/Men’s Hands Across the Sea event on the island of Kunahandhoo. This project will address the freshwater scarcity challenges faced by Kunahandhoo, Hithadhoo, Maamendhoo and Gaadhoo during the northeast monsoon by supplying these vulnerable rural island communities with reliable sources of fresh drinking water.  This project is a joint venture generously funded by Six Senses Resorts & Spas via their Clean Water Projects initiative currently associated with Water/Wo/Men, in collaboration with Water Charity and Positive H2O (+H2O).***

Six Senses Kim Verma Modi with +H20's Kristin Hettermann, Daryl Hannah, Fabien Cousteau and Pierre Franckh

Gatherings like Six Senses Water/Wo/Men are of extreme importance on both a local and global scale; boosting international awareness, addressing challenges through smart dialogue, mobilizing people with power, and creating synergy and strategy to move forward toward positive change. “Humans, being reactive by nature, seem to understand the problem only when it’s at their doorstep and affecting them then and there. Often, this is too late. This further emphasizes the importance of proactive people to educate and empower people to help steer our course in a different direction,” said Plant A fish Foundation’s Fabien Cousteau. “It is possible and we can do it.”

Plant a Fish's Fabien Cousteau holding three fingers: one for the ocean, once for the future, and one for the Maldives.

How do you get involved? Check out the +H20 website for more information on events, upcoming projects and getting involved, and make sure to get connected! Stay informed through our blog, and connect with us through Facebook and YouTube. http://www.positive-h2o.com/

For photo gallery of event, please refer to Six Senses Water/Wo/Men website and also the Grace Delivers photo library.

Please also check out our island water sports partners, Ocean Dimensions on their website or Facebook page.

*** Maldives, being an atoll nation consisting of one percent land and 99 percent ocean, is a country with very little in terms of freshwater resources. Consequently, accessing sanitary and sustainable fresh drinking water is a major challenge faced by the population of Maldives, particularly rural communities such as Kunahandhoo, Hithadhoo, Maamendhoo and Gaadhoo. Traditionally, for all of their freshwater requirements, including drinking, these four communities have been dependent upon shallow fresh groundwater aquifers, aka freshwater lenses, which exist beneath all islands in Maldives, accessed via wells. These freshwater lenses accumulate through rainfall infiltration into the sandy soils of the islands and this freshwater being less dense than saltwater subsequently floats on top of the saline groundwater which infiltrates the islands’ soils from the surrounding sea. However, in the face of growing populations the capacity of the freshwater lenses to meet the needs of the populations of Kunahandhoo, Hithadhoo, Maamendhoo and Gaadhoo has become limited through things such as saltwater intrusion due to soil erosion, over exploitation of the freshwater lenses and monsoonal rainfall changes. Similarly, degradation of wells and pollution of the freshwater lenses due to inadequate sewage management, industrial effluent infiltration and inappropriate agricultural practices all place pressure on local freshwater resources.

Yin Yang Wave Maldives

Prioritizing Paradise: Water/Wo/Men Line-Up Announced

Posted in events hints of inspiration by Kristin Hettermann on

Paradise…clear waters, abundant marine life, long white beaches that stretch to nowhere. That is what many of us think of, but for some, paradise would be just simple access to clean water and sanitation. Whatever your definition of paradise, we all know that it is a state of comfort and happiness that all beings (and creatures!) deserve to experience in their lifetime.

Here on site on Laamu and preparing for Six Senses Water/Wo/Men, this attention to the importance of raising awareness for global marine preservation and water sanitation issues is on our agenda, daily. In ten days, Six Senses Laamu (Maldives), in partnership with +H20, will host over fifty international changemakers convening on the island, an inspiring collection of iconic water sports athletes, leading conservationists and activists, award-winning filmmakers, celebrities and media, all coming together to utilize the power of collaboration to facilitate change, on a local to global level. Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton, Daryl Hannah, Fabien Cousteau, Bollywood filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, National Geographic explorer Jon Bowermaster, windsurfing movie star Levi Siver, wakeboarding stuntman Duncan Zuur, Japanese filmmaker and champion surfer Takuji Masuda…the list continues and is inspiring and expansive! (see below for full listing and bios)

From this year forward, Six Senses Water/Wo/Men at Laamu offers an innovative, meaningful opportunity to play in the Indian Ocean among living water sports legends…while also playing a unique part to move our global community toward action in protecting and preserving our marine environments and providing safe drinking water to those in need.

Gatherings like Six Senses Water/Wo/Men are of extreme importance on both a local and global scale; boosting international awareness, addressing challenges through smart dialogue, mobilizing people with power, and creating synergy and strategy to move forward toward positive change.

Read on to learn about the amazing people who will be on Laamu, and about their work. Spread the word and be a part of the action! Follow us on: http://www.facebook.com/positiveH2O and http://www.facebook.com/SixSensesLaamu.

You can refer to our ebrochure for more information and to see a calendar of events: Six Senses Water/Wo/Men.

WATER/WO/MEN 2011, presented by Six Senses Resorts & Spas and in partnership with+H20, will unite the world’s greatest water sport icons together with marine and water conservationists in an event that raises funds and awareness for marine preservation, coral restoration and clean water and sanitation projects. Joining them from September 30- October 4th at the prestigious Six Senses Resort & Spa Laamu, Maldives will be musicians, artists, celebrities, guests and media for five days of water exhibitions, clinics, eco-activities, one-on-one teaching opportunities, conservation debates, movie screenings, delicious meals and festivities. Proceeds from guest stays will benefit Plant a Fish Foundation founded by Fabien Cousteau; Water Charity founded by Averill Strasser; and Blue Marine Foundation founded by Chris Gorell Barnes.

WATER/WO/MEN ATHLETES

Layne Beachley

Layne Beachley started surfing when she was just four years old, after she showed natural ability and balance on a skateboard. She entered her first surf contest at 14 and turned professional at the age of 16. By the age of 20 she was ranked sixth in the world. Beachley became the Women’s ASP World Champion in 1998, and won the title again in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006. She is the first woman in history to gain 7 World Championships, six of them consecutive. In 2004, Layne was given a wildcard entry into the Energy Australia Open held at Newcastle, one of the rare occasions a woman has competed in a men’s surfing event.

Pascal Bronnimann

Pascal is a Swiss dreadlocked phenomenon who learned windsurfing from his mother 29 years ago and has been windsurfing ever since. He won first place in the Diamond Head Pro-Am for 1999 and 2000, but after a successful few years in competition, he opted to retire into freesurf and management. He moved from the island of Oahu to call Maui home. He serves as sales manager for Quatro International and Goya Windsurfing, recognizing the value of corporate marketing efforts within the industry. He is a founder of +H20 and loves spending time with his son Fynn, an up and coming waterman himself.

Alex Caizergues

After graduating with a degree in marketing from the Marseille Business School in 2002, Alex started kiteboarding and within three years he was taking part in his first kitespeed competition. It did not take long for him to rise to the top. In 2006, he became the Vice World Champion. He continued his success with three world titles in a row- 2007, 2008 and 2009. In addition to seeking world championships, he’s also chasing speed records. In 2008 and 2010, he beat the world speed sailing record, and in 2010 for the first time in sailing history he broke the 100 km/h barrier (Luderitz, Namibia). Alex was born in Marseille in 1979 and raised in Port-Saint-Louis, which is where he now calls home.

Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. Born into a family of surfers in 1990 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany won her first surf competition at the age of 8. At the age of thirteen, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore. The attack left Bethany with a severed left arm. Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water to continue pursuing her goal to become a professional surfer. In January of 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition; placing 5th in the Open Women’s division of that contest. With no intention of stopping, Bethany continued to enter and excel in competition. Just over a year after the attack she took 1st place in the Explorer Women’s division of the 2005 NSSA National Championships – winning her first National Title. In 2007, Bethany realized her dream and turned pro. Bethany has since participated in numerous ASP and World Tour Events with her major highlight being a second place finish in the ASP 2009 World Junior Championships.

In October 2004, Bethany shared her life story in her autobiography entitled Soul Surfer. The book was released as a major motion picture by Sony Pictures in April 2011. Other books Bethany has written include “Devotions for the Soul Surfer,” “Rise Above,” A “Soul Surfer” Bible, “Ask Bethany,” and “Clash,” “Burned,” “Storm,” and “Crunch.” Further, Bethany was the inspiration behind Becky Baumgartner’s 2007 documentary entitled Heart of a Soul Surfer.

Burton Dean “Buzzy” Kerbox

Buzzy Kerbox began his life as a waterman at Waikiki at the age of 11. He proved himself in local contests and, in 1974, won the Smirnoff Pro Am. On Oahu’s North Shore, Buzzy progressed to the semi finals at Sunset Beach and the awards kept coming. Soon to be 10th in the world ranking, Buzzy had become one of the elite pioneers of the world circuit, remaining in the top 16 for many years. In 1978 he won the World Cup at Sunset Beach, finishing 6th in the IPS World Title Rankings, then struck again down under winning the 1980 Surf a Bout in Sydney, Australia.

Twenty-one years into this odyssey, Buzzy cemented his own place in surf history when he and Laird Hamilton began to experiment towing each other into gigantic Phantoms and Outside Backyards in an inflatable boat on the North Shore. By 1993 they had refined this new approach and decamped to Maui in search of the Unridden Realm. In opening Jaws to the surfing world, their tow-in approach to tackling massive waves has changed big wave riding forever.

While he was out of the water, Buzzy found time to become one of the first icons of extreme sports. Splashed in the pages of Vogue Magazine in 1978, Ralph Lauren chose him as the face of Polo Sport for more than quarter of century. Now 50, and charging a little less harder, Buzzy is discovering life on the other side of the lens and never goes anywhere without his camera.

Takuji Masuda

Takuji Masuda is a surfer, writer and filmmaker who merges his love for the ocean with a passion for media efforts and raising awareness for important issues. Raised in Kamakura, Japan, he was schooled in St Michael University School, Victoria BC and received a BA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He is a former ASP competitor (highest ranking was 5th in the 1994 Biarritz Surf Festival) and also JPSA Grand Champion in 2001. He self-published SUPER X magazine from 1996-2001 and COMBINE in 2003. He produced the book Bunker Spreckels, Surfing’s Divine Prince of Decadence in 2007, a story on the brief life of the surfing legend and international playboy. His film highlights include directing Yuzen on Surf in 2003 and Origin of Blue (Sony Music Entertainment) in 2000.

Jake Miller

Jake Miller brings 18 years of windsurfing experience to +H2O, complemented by impressive multi-media skills, specializing in video production and contest organization. A Windsurfing pro, he won the last two years of the Men’s Gorge Freestyle Frenzy. He also contributed to the first livestreaming webcast from Hookipa, Jaws and Hood River, Oregon and his video work is featured in The Windsurfing Movie, The Windsurfing Movie 2, Four Dimensions and Epicsessions.tv. Jake has been a professional windsurfer and waterman for the past 11 years and is excited to incorporate the philosophy of +H2O into is daily life and the Water/Wo/Men event.

Tripoli Patterson

Tripoli Patterson starting surfing at the age of eight, and once he hit the waves it’s been hard to stop him. He won 2nd place in Menehunes at the East Coast Championships and continued competing for the New York State surf team for many years, maintaining his first place NYS title in Menehunes, Boys, and Jr. Men. Trip then moved to Bali, Indonesia, with his family at the age 13. He had the opportunity to go to G-Land, where he surfed big waves and was inspired by established international surfers. Trip spent his twenties between Bali, the Hamptons, New Zealand, Santa Cruz, California and the North Shore of Oahu, surfing every spot along the way.

Since 2005, Trip has combined his love of surfing with his love of fine art by organizing, producing and curating art shows. He has shown the work of surf legend, Herbie Fletcher, as well as Danny Fuller, Lisa de Kooning and many other established and emerging artists. In 2009, he opened the Tripoli Gallery of Contemporary Art on Job’s Lane in Southampton, New York.  He has continued to curate exhibitions there, as well as being called upon to curate private shows in New York City and, most recently, a benefit and silent auction for Planned Parenthood at the Bridgehampton Surf Club, which raised over $200,000. His recent solo exhibition for Lola Schnabel was reviewed in the Wall Street Journal.

Mark Shinn

Mark was born in 1972 on the south coast of the UK. After trying many watersports including surfing, sailing and windsurfing he moved to Tenerife, Canary Islands to pursue his dreams of year round conditions. In 1999 he was exposed to kiteboarding for the first time and was immediately hooked. In 2000, he competed on the first World Tour of kiteboarding finishing a respectable 2nd, as he did also in 2001. In 2002, Mark became World Champion in both the World Tours of Kiteboarding and also won the prestigious Red Bull King of the Air event in Maui. After 10 years of touring Mark is happy to be once again based full time in Tenerife and guiding the development of his brand “Shinn.”

Levi Siver

Dubbed the “King of Style” by the international media, Levi Siver has the ability to draw flawless lines and create smooth, inspired maneuvers which he says comes from the inspiration he gathers from snowboarding and surfing. Levi Siver is one of the most established extreme windsurfing icons in the world, having conquered many waves windsurfing that many surfers would not even imagine tackling, including the infamous JAWS. He is a distinguished participant in the Professional Windsurfing Association World Wave Tour and a famed Red Bull Rider. Levi co-starred and produced in the biggest windsurfing film to date The Windsurfing Movie 2 a follow-up to his role in 2007′s genre-defining The Windsurfing Movie, a film that won best director and best soundtrack at the X-Dance awards in 2007. He recently starred and produced Oxbow’s Walls of Perception. He is a founder of +H20.

Keith Teboul

In addition to being one of the top windsurfers in the world, Keith Teboul is recognized as being the top windsurfing board shaper in the world, with a client list that profiles some of the most extreme and talented watermen on the circuit today. He has been windsurfing for 28 years and is originally from Madagascar. Keith was a featured athlete in The Windsurfing Movie 2. When Keith is not at the shop, you can find him at the celebrated Ho’okipa surf spot on the North Shore of Maui or chasing waves in the most exotic locations in the world. He is a founder of +H20.

Terry ”Simba” Simms

Terry Simms, “surf coach to the stars,” has been surfing for over forty-five years, transferring his love for the sport to thousands of people around the world as a surf ambassador and instructor. Born in 1959 on the sunny shores of California in Pacific Beach, it did not take long for this natural to turn pro and from 1986-1999 he competed in the PSAA & ASP long board division. In 1995, he was ranked in the top 15 in the world. In 1997, he was featured in four international cover photos…twice in Surfers Journal and once each in Longboard Magazine and Pacific Longboarder Magazine. He started his private surf lesson company in 1997 and loves to take adventurers on surf trips around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California with his wife and newborn baby girl.

Sherry Tsai

Sherry Tsai is a three-time Olympic swimmer from Hong Kong. She swam at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. She won Hong Kong’s Best Swimmer Award 9 times, and at one time held 18 Hong Kong Records. At the 2004 Olympics, she was Hong Kong’s flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony. She was born in 1983 in Hong Kong and studied at Diocesan Girls’ School. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor’s Degree and received a Master’s Degree in Sport Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2010.

Anna von Boetticher

Anna von Boetticher has been diving most of her life. She started her underwater journey with a first scuba course in the freezing, dark waters of lake Constance at only seventeen years of age. The professional levels followed and she has worked as an instructor and dive guide around the world. In 2001 she continued her training to dive to depths below 100m using trimix, a blend of air and helium. To gain a better understanding of herself under water in these potentially dangerous situations, she took a course in basic freediving in April 2007 and was immediately fascinated by the sport. After just six months, she broke all three German depth records and won a bronze medal in the 2007 AIDA world championships in Sharm El Sheikh.

Since then, she has carried on setting national records and breaking them, and has successfully represented Germany in several world championships. She holds the German records in six disciplines and was the first German woman to reach 100m last year. She is currently training to break the world record (126m) in the discipline variable weight, where the diver descends with a weighted sled but must return to the surface himself.

Duncan Zuur

O’Neill team rider and top international wakeboarder Duncan Zuur is one of the most successful wakeboarders to come out of Europe. After establishing himself as an ever-present threat on the competitive wakeboard scene on both a national and international scale, Zuur has become well-known for pulling off audacious stunts, including wakeboarding across a flooded St. Mark’s Square in Venice and carving his way down the narrow canals of Amsterdam. Born in Sydney, Australia, Duncan is more at home on water than on land- something that his list of accomplishments seems to support. From national championship titles to World Championship medal positions, Zuur has only just begun.

WATER/WO/MEN CONSERVATIONISTS

Jon Bowermaster

Jon Bowermaster is a writer, filmmaker and adventurer. Jon’s recently concluded OCEANS 8 project took him and his teams around the world by sea kayak during the past ten years, on expeditions ranging from the Aleutian Islands to Vietnam, French Polynesia to Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, Gabon to Croatia and Tasmania to Antarctica. Seeing the world from the seat of a sea kayak has given Jon a one-of-a-kind look at both the health of the planet’s ocean and the lives of the nearly 3 billion people around the globe who depend on them.

An eight-part film series documenting the OCEANS 8 project has shown in 150 countries on the National Geographic Channel. His most recent documentaries are “Terra Antarctica, Rediscovering the Seventh Continent,” “What Would Darwin Think? Man v. Nature in the Galapagos” and “SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories.”

Jon’s website and blog (Notes from Sea Level, www.jonbowermaster.com) continues his reporting on the world’s coastlines, the people who live along them and issues of importance to anyone interested in and concerned about the planet’s oceans.

Author of eleven books, his most recent are “Descending the Dragon” about his travels in Vietnam published by National Geographic Books and “Wildebeest in a Rainstorm,” a collection of profiles of our most intriguing conservationists and explorers and published by Menasha Ridge Press. His companion book to the new Jacques Perrin/DisneyNature film “Oceans” was published alongside the premiere of the film on Earth Day, April 2010. Jon lives in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Chris Gorell Barnes

Chris Gorell Barnes is the Executive Producer of The End of the Line and Co-Founder of the BLUE Marine Foundation. BLUE exists to fix the largest solvable problem on the planet – the crisis in the oceans. BLUE enables new partnership opportunities for the sea, working with the private sector to raise critical funds for marine conservation, and with governments to construct the right legislative framework for success.

Chris was Executive Producer on the acclaimed film ‘The End of the Line’, the world’s first documentary about the devastating effect of overfishing. The film, coupled with Chris’s passion and belief in bringing together big business and good causes for mutual benefit, has already contributed to changes in fish sustainability policies of the British Government and major retailers, including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Pret-a-Manger.

Chris is a recognised thought-leader in new media, technology and advertising and a leading voice in online video and the future of multichannel technology. He is CEO of Adjust Your Set and a Non Executive Director of Eagle Eye Solutions.

Jacqueline Chan

Jacqueline is co-founder and President of Water Charity. She graduated as a Doctor of Public Health from Loma Linda University, California. Jacky has a passion to discover and teach simple lifestyle practices so even the poorest might increase their access to optimal health and improved quality of life.

As a lifestyle research professor at Loma Linda University, her findings related to her particular interests, health benefits of pure water and sunshine (vitamin D), have been published in peer reviewed scientific journals. Her work also includes being a co-investigator in Adventist Health Study-2, a very large cohort of 97,000 participants from across the U.S. and Canada. Loma Linda is one of the nine worldwide “Blue Zones” known for the longevity of their inhabitants, as discovered by Dan Buettner with National Geographic.

She is excited to be working with Water Charity to make pure water available to those around the world who lack this most basic human right. Her recreational pursuits include swimming (especially at the beautiful beaches of Sydney, Australia), hiking, tennis, reading and gardening.

Fabien Cousteau

Fabien Cousteau is founder of Plant a Fish. Plant A Fish is an active, hands-on outdoor education and restoration experience that empowers communities and children to help restore their local water ecosystems through the healthy “replanting” of key marine species. Initial programmes include the restoring of oysters in New York’s Hudson River, mangroves in South Florida, sea turtles in the Gulf and El Salvador and corals in the Maldives.

Growing up on the salt-stained decks of his famous Grandfather’s ships, Calypso and Alcyone, Fabien Cousteau was destined to follow in the family footsteps of exploring and working tirelessly to protect our planet’s immense and endangered marine habitats. Having dived since age four, Fabien was irrevocably imprinted with an unwavering appreciation for the wonder, beauty, and importance of our aquatic ecosystems to sustaining life on our big blue planet.

In 2006, Fabien partnered with his father, Jean-Michel Cousteau, and sister, Celine, to complete a three-year multi-hour series for PBS called “Ocean Adventures.” Topics explored ranged from the Grey whale migration of the west coast of the Americas to the magical coral spawning of the Caribbean to diving with squadrons of goliath groupers to the ghost ships of the Great Lakes. Additional hours cover exotic places such as the Amazon, Samoa, Christmas Island, Papua New Guinea, the Arctic and many other wonders of nature.

An active writer, he is currently working on a children’s book trilogy. Fabien has been seen on network TV, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and as a regular guest/contributor to NBC’s Today Show.

Daryl Hannah

Daryl Hannah has starred and acted in over forty films and has been an effective, passionate activist and advocate for a more ethical sustainable world for decades.

She is the founder of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (SBA), which is a certification program and set of best practices for sustainably produced, harvested and distributed biofuels.

She sits on the boards of the Environmental Media Association (EMA), Sylvia Earle Alliance, Mission Blue, the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance and the Action Sports Environmental Coalition. She has received numerous awards for her advocacy and activism.

Daryl has been arrested three times for actions of conscience, first in an attempt to help save the South Central Farm and the other to try to usher in an end to Mountaintop Removal and most recently at the Whitehouse in Washington D.C., along with over 1200 other citizens, to try to stop the dangerous Keystone XL pipeline from getting approval.

In 2005 she created and designed dhlovelife.com, her website dedicated to sharing solutions on how to live more harmoniously with the planet and all other living things. The site features weekly five-minute inspirational video blogs which Daryl produces and films as well as daily news updates, alerts, community and access to goods and services.

Daryl has produced, hosted and shot numerous environmental awareness TV appearances; she has been a greening consultant for events and has done numerous speaking engagements and keynote speeches. She’s written articles on self-

sufficiency and sustainability for many magazines.

Daryl is a documentary and narrative filmmaker. Her short, The Last Supper, won a prize at the Berlin Film Festival among others. She produced, directed and shot the documentary Strip Notes and is editing a documentary at the moment on human trafficking.

She’s been actively practicing a low impact lifestyle for years, she’s writing a book, invented board games and toys, keeps bees, rescues stray animals, and loves music, hot springs, wild things and wilderness.

Prahlad Kakar

Prahlad Kakar is Advertising Film Director for Genesis Film Production, one of India’s oldest and foremost ad film production houses since its inception in 1977. Prahlad founded Genesis in 1977 and invented a genre of television advertising in India in the years that followed. Prahlad has ruled the advertising world with his brand of irreverent humor, memorable brand building campaigns and has created award-winning commercials for the most reputed corporations and agencies in India and the Asia Pacific region.

After having assisted renowned feature filmmaker, Mr. Shyam Benegal, he moved onto advertising films. Known as the “ad guru” he has been instrumental in changing the face of advertising in India, bringing in the appropriate “regional Indianess” and values into an urban context through his films, creative workshops, articles and interviews. He has won several awards for technical excellence, innovation and creativity in advertising over the years in India. Genesis won both Gold and Silver awards including ”Campaign of the Year” for the Pepsi commercials at AAAI in 1996.

His public service films for Ceat won awards in the New York Festival of Advertising. Commercials directed by Prahlad have also been nominated for Lions at Cannes. 30 years down the line Prahlad Kakar has earned himself a Lifetime Achievement Award by the IAAFA in the year 1999 and has got Genesis the top production House for 2 years in a row for years 2003 and 2004 by the Brand Equity.

He is also the co-founder member of Reef Watch Marine Conservation, involved in creating marine awareness, education, scientific research and documentation. Prahlad is a certified scuba diving instructor, successfully running ‘Lacadives’, the first scuba diving school in the Kadmat and Bangaram islands of Lakshadweep and in Wandoor, Andamans.

Mitali Dutt Kakar

Mitali Dutt Kakar, mother of 3, began her career in Advertising-Film Production 21 years ago. Today she runs her own Production House, Offspring, and is a Managing Partner in her husband’s film production house, Genesis. In addition, she has made pioneering efforts in the field of marine conservation as the Founder and Director of ReefWatch Marine Conservation. ReefWatch is involved in marine conservation through research, documentation and scientific support to administrative bodies such as the Government of India, international bodies, academic and other institutions.

A Scuba diver since 1989, and a diving instructor for over 10 years, her experiences directed her innate passion for Nature towards conservation of our fragile marine ecosystems. Mitali’s vision to translate this knowledge to popular understanding has led ReefWatch’s Capacity Building Programs and Education & Awareness campaigns at various levels ranging from schoolchildren to rural and tribal communities to Government Agencies. Mitali firmly believes that the core of all conservation efforts is in the perception of our environment as a whole, to which, education is the key.

Shekhar Kapur

Shekhar Kapur is one of world’s most well known film directors and has worked extensively in India’s film Industry (Bollywood) as well as in Hollywood.

He started his film career with the Hindi film “Masoom” which went on to win 5 filmfare awards, the biggest awards in India, followed by “Mr. India,” which is considered an iconic film of India cinema. He then directed the critically acclaimed “Bandit Queen” which became an international success.

Kapur got international recognition for directing “Elizabeth,” which was nominated for 7 Oscars and won the Oscar for best make-up. He followed that by directing Heath Ledger in “The Four Feathers.” Kapur then executive produced “The Guru” starring Heather Graham. Kapur returned to direct Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” in the sequel to the original Elizabeth. Golden Age was nominated for 2 Oscars including Cate Blanchett for best actress, and won the Oscar for best costume design. He directed a segment of the film “New York, I love you” made by 12 internationally acclaimed directors which was similar in concept to the successful film “Paris, je t’aime.” He directed a short film “Passage” set in Buenos Aires which was commissioned by Swarovski and was then invited to do an installation based on the film at Swarovski’s Kristallwelten museum in Austria.

Shekhar recently produced the documentary “Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told” that was invited to the official selection of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was the festival’s most successful Saturday night premiere.

Shekhar is regularly invited to speak at the World Economic Forum. He is currently an environmental activist with water conservation related issues. He is also on the board of the International Global Water Challenge, the world’s premier body for water related issues.

Kapur is presently working on his passion project, “Paani” about the impending water wars in the world.

Abram Le Cerf

Abram is the Social and Environment Manager at Six Senses Laamu. In this role, Abram is responsible for all functions and activities related to Six Senses Laamu’s social and environmental aspects. He focuses on maintaining and improving the resort’s social and environmental standards and its sustainability performance.

Growing up in a culturally diverse rural area on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, Abram has had a keen interest in, and love for, the natural world and human cultures since childhood.  In 2005 Abram undertook a Certificate IV in Tourism (Operations) and subsequently a Diploma in Tourism (Operations Management), graduating with distinction in both programs. He then went on to achieve a Bachelor of Environmental Tourism Management at Southern Cross University. Upon graduation Abram received The Judith McGilvray Memorial Prize for 2008, awarded to the graduating student with the best academic performance in the Bachelor of Environmental Tourism Management.

Upon completion of his bachelor degree, Abram undertook an internship with Borneo Eco Tours in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where he worked to develop and fund community-based natural resource rehabilitation and conservation, and poverty alleviation initiatives. During his time in Borneo, Abram also conducted a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the sustainability performance of Sukau Rainforest Lodge, and prepared comprehensive recommendations for improvement.

In 2009, Abram travelled to Maldives where he worked as Assistant Lecturer, Course Coordinator – BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism and Chair of Curriculum Committee, at The Maldives National University, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies. Abram’s key contribution to the university was to lead the faculty Curriculum Committee to develop Maldives’ first nationally administered Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, before joining Six Senses Laamu in 2011.

Carl Gustaf Lundin

Carl Gustaf Lundin is the Director of the Global Marine Programme, International Union for the Conservation of Nature. His primary responsibility is to develop the program in four areas: marine protected areas; building partnerships for conservation of ecosystems and endangered marine species; sustainable fisheries management; and climate change effects on marine resources. He is responsible for all aspects of managing the program as well as fundraising and development of public information materials.

Before joining IUCN he worked with the World Bank for more than 12 years. His primary focus was coastal and marine management issues in several regions of the world including Argentina Coastal Contamination and Marine Pollution project; China Coastal Development Project; Eritrea Port Project; Indonesia Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Project; Mexico’s Natural Protected Areas Project 1 + 2; Mesoamerican Biological Corridor Project; Aquaculture Development Project; Seychelles Biodiversity and Marine Pollution Project; and the Uruguay Maritime Management Project. He has worked on a wide range of reports and publications in this field as well. 

He received a Bachelors degree in Biology from Uppsala University in his native Sweden, and a Licentiate in Philosophy, Natural Resources Management, from Stockholm University.

Michaela Merten

The actress and bestselling author Michaela Merten is over 20 years a fixture in the film and TV area, she completed her acting training at the renowned Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna. At the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, she received her dance training.

Her theater career began at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. She earned her great popularity with the TV series (Sat 1) “Katrin is the best.” From the magazine TV-New she was voted the most popular German actress in 1999. In recent years she excelled e.g. in Int. Co-productions and TV series.

Her area of interest in naturopathy and alternative healing methods led her to attend various therapy training. She attracted attention with her, with the “trend-price” excellent water-glass collection “Water Balance”, which was launched by the renowned Spiegelau crystal glass factory on the market. With the company Vita Juwel another design innovation was brought to market: VitaJuwel by MM Archangel Edition.

Arnfinn Oines

Arnfinn Oines works as Social & Environmental Conscience for Six Senses Resorts & Spa. He is overlooking the responsible business practices at Six Senses, which have received numerous environmental awards including the prestigious World Travel & Tourism Council’s Tourism for Tomorrow Award 2008. He oversees the operational resorts and supports the new projects are being developed in line with the company value known as SLOW LIFE™ (Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wholesome   Learning-Inspiring-Fun- Experiences).

Arnfinn has been involved in implementing and establishing the Six Senses Carbon Calculator, Six Senses Clean Water Projects, Six Senses Reforestation Project, The SLOW LIFE Trust, Six Senses SLOW LIFE Symposium and the groups Social & Environmental PnPs.

He joined Six Senses in 2005 and set up an Environmental Management System, which led Evason Phuket to become the first resort in South East Asia to become Earth Check Certified. Arnfinn was also heavily involved in the development Earth Check’s Sector Benchmark Indicators for Spa Operations, world’s first ecolabel for spas.

Arnfinn co-founded and opened Earthworkers Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia as General Manager for a year. He also worked as Course Director for International Tourism Institute in Andalusia, Spain. He holds a BA in Adventure Tourism Management and MBA in Hospitality & Tourism.

Callum Roberts

Callum Roberts is a marine scientist and conservationist at the University of York in England and author of The Unnatural History of the Sea. His book charts the effects of 1000 years of hunting and fishing on ocean life and won the 2008 Rachel Carson Environment Book Award of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Callum’s research has revealed the extraordinary rise and fall of fisheries over the last 200 years, but also shows how life can make a remarkable comeback after protection is granted. His team at York provided the scientific case for the world’s first network of high seas marine reserves in the North Atlantic that in 2010 placed nearly 300,000km2 of ocean under protection. Callum works with many environmental charities and is a WWF UK Ambassador, trustee of Seaweb, Fauna and Flora International and Blue Marine Foundation, and advisor to Save our Seas. His next book, The Ocean of Life, explores how the oceans are changing under human influence and will be published in 2012.

Averill Strasser

Averill is an attorney, systems engineer, and mechanical engineer. He co-founded and runs Water Charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that does water, sanitation, and public health projects worldwide. In the past 3 years, Water Charity has undertaken over 500 projects in 60 countries, the majority of them in partnership with Six Senses.

He previously practiced law in Beverly Hills, for over 20 years, specializing in litigation. He served as Senior Environmental Planner in the Mayor’s Office of the City of Los Angeles, designing environmental systems and implementing the Model Cities Program. He also served as a Planner in the City Manager’s Office of the City of Compton, where he wrote legislation and founded the Housing Authority. As Professor of Engineering at the University of San Andres in La Paz, Bolivia, he led students in the implementation of water projects in various parts of the interior.

He enjoys hang gliding, skiing, tennis, swimming, kayaking, hiking, and other fun activities in the great outdoors.

Jim Thebaut

Jim Thebaut is an accomplished and experienced CEO, President with expertise and extensive achievements as an environmental planner, journalist, Executive Producer of documentaries, educator, world traveler and ambassador of diplomacy and a public policy expert.

As Chief Executive Officer, President and Executive Producer of the Chronicles Group, Inc, a non profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation he’s influencing critical public policy about the threat of the evolving global humanitarian water crisis and its dire effect on international security. He has managed multi-disciplinary teams and created the public information education documentary feature projects THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST: ARE WE RUNNING DRY?, RUNNING DRY and THE COLD WAR AND BEYOND.

Most importantly, he organized two significant Capital Hill Events on February 2005 and May 2007 and his public policy leadership and vision led to the enactment of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act which authorizes funding for water and sanitation in developing nations. Furthermore, on July 28th, 2009 he organized National Water Policy Event at Capital Visitor Center on Capital Hill.

As President of Jim Thebaut Associates and Vice president, Environmental Services for Northwest Environmental Technology Labs, Thebaut managed multi-disciplinary technical teams through successful execution of complex projects in the Pacific Northwest. He managed teams of scientists, sociologists, economists and other experts and accomplished hundreds of  environmental impact statements, energy and regional planning studies which has led to major public policy and a model for groundbreaking environmental analysis.  Specifically, he managed the first programmatic environmental impact statement ever accomplished in the United States, THE ENERGY 1990 STUDY which established energy conservation policy in the City of Seattle and Pacific Northwest.

Also as an Executive Producer/Producer and journalist, Jim Thebaut has strived to educate, motivate and entertain diversified international audiences through his  socially significant and acclaimed films. He has been affiliated and produced for CBS, ABC News, HBO, The Arts & Entertainment Network, Public Television and his films have been distributed and broadcast throughout the world.

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Six Senses is a world leader in creating enlightening and nourishing luxury travel experiences that rejuvenate and refresh, focusing on the delivery of all of the beauties of clean living and the slow life to a discerning, conscious and aware customer.

+H20 is a platform for water awareness that brings together a community of athletes, conservationists, non-profits and corporations to create purposeful solutions that facilitate positive change on a local to global scale. Leveraging the visibility of professional athletes combined with a mission for the greater good, +H20 was founded by watermen Levi Siver, Pascal Bronnimann, Jake Miller and Keith Teboul and is based on Maui, Hawaii. The +H20 network celebrates water sports and extends inspiration for clean living practices that are in support of health, wellness and environmental balance.

I’m So Tired of Myself: Wardrobe Change!

Posted in communications marketing magic by Kristin Hettermann on

Do you ever get tired of yourself? I faced this the other day as I sat down to re-write my bio. “About me” needed to get “about the biggest facelift ever.” Bios I guess are kind of like this…on and on it went, accomplishment after accomplishment leading up to my launch of Grace Delivers in April of 2009. Blah blah blah. Ha ha ha. No wonder I moved to the middle of the jungle at the age of 30.

On the brink of three years on Maui, it’s time to regroup. Look to the past, honor it, hold it, make love to it, and maybe even let it go a bit. That starts with…all…of…the…things…I have done…in my career…………..and then ends up with where I am going. Where to start?

Well, how about with MY dream. What is my dream? I spend a lot of time with people talking about their dreams, but when was the last time that I really sat down and defined mine. I must practice what I preach. So, I just wrote it. And this is how it went.

Kristin Hettermann: Inspired, Grace Delivers

I love the question, “tell me about yourself?” because it is when I feel that I really get to shine (normally I revel in making my clients shine). But the story of who I am, and what I do, really comes from looking at the past and present at the “we”; after all, I am only a reflection of those that surround me. A beautiful collage of experiences, employers, adventures, successes and challenges that make up Grace Delivers, launched in 2009 from Maui, Hawai’i. So, what have “we” done? We always start with the dream.

Our business savvy and graceful presentation makes us as appealing in the boardroom as stretched across a hammock over the sparkling Pacific. From Wall Street to right off the runway, our clients span industries and service markets. Entities worked with include top financial institutions, global public relations companies, recognized chefs and restaurants, aspiring fashion designers, game-changing technology ventures, institutions of higher academics, talented artists, iconic athletes, real estate investment and development entities, luxury resorts, smart products, wellness offerings, non-profit organizations heralding change and making a difference, and so much more. Why limit yourself, when the world is so juicy?

Our commitment to giving back forms the foundation of everything that we do- for our clients and our community. We are about creative and innovative ideas that are making communities stronger, happier and healthier…and the brilliant people behind them. Our efforts have contributed to raising and granting over three million dollars to benefit non-profit organizations. This includes orchestrating major fundraising galas around the world to creating donor engagement and retention strategies that keep non-profit organizations moving forward in demanding times. We are proud that our mana’o (ideas and energy) have supported countless non-profits in their mission of greater good.

The fusion and translation of right and left-brain activity is where Grace Delivers resides, always has. I left Ivy League University of Pennsylvania as a college basketball player studying business at The Wharton Undergraduate School to becoming a proud Tri-Delta sorority girl at the University of Virginia majoring in French and Foreign Affairs. I wanted to travel the world, make things happen and be a social philanthropist. My years at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology prepared me for innovation, but not for being a global citizen or fashionista. It was time for more, and off I went my junior year in college to study with Vanderbilt University in Aix-en-Provence, France. (I wish I still dreamed in French. Maybe someday again!) Eight years as a party planning socialite in the etiquette-appropriate southern Holy City of Charleston, SC was balanced by fun with the financial and real estate investment markets through my work with Merrill Lynch and the launch of my real estate investment LLC, KLH Properties. I was finished off quite well, and it was time to begin.

When not applying business strategy to just about everything that needs it, I have a camera in my hand, am exploring my inner mermaid in the vast oceans of the world, coordinating my social schedule (which often involves a dance floor, I insist) or constructing spirit sculptures. Off I go again, don’t be surprised. Our mission is global and it is of the highest deliverance.

We always end with the dream. It is our dream to do international business, travel the world and connect people to potential. Using our gifts to help others, our vision has been one of collaboration and collective manifestation. From visiting rural villages in Africa to help envision social entrepreneurship projects; to journeying far into the remote islands of the Indian Ocean to help a resort achieve a fundraising event of the highest global reach; to connecting together a technology team operating in London, Maui, Chicago, Australia and Spain to create an investment report profiling a technology that is answering the world’s cry over global warming; to blogging from a holistic health spa in Northern Thailand with an internationally renowned Tao leader; if there is a global “adventure in business” calling, we’re there.

Oh, and did I tell you I came to Maui to live in the middle of the jungle with Dennis, a highly simply spiritual being that I met when I ran out of gas on the Road to Hana while on vacation? That’s a story I prefer to tell in person.

Look up. I’ll meet you there.

Visit us at Grace Delivers.

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What’s Up with Looking Up? The Path of Intelligent Optimism

Posted in communications hints of inspiration by Kristin Hettermann on

Ok, so I’m a converted eternal hopeful optimist. Life just seemed to get a lot better when I started tuning into the positive things around me and turning inspiration into action. I believe that the how, what and why you receive information is of utmost importance to how you disintegrate and integrate the messages and then convert them into action.

At 23, I stopped watching TV. I realized that watching the standard mass marketed news and TV shows had a profound effect on my anxiety and fear level, so I turned the TV off. Did I desire to be clueless? Not at all. I wanted to tune in, but tune in to things that elevated my state of well-being and consciousness. I realized that I was a much calmer, more balanced and positive person when I was paying attention to the things the made me happy and feel safe, rather than the contrary. Unfortunately, the large amount of information being divulged by the media and much of popular culture does not inspire that. I spent a few years completely cut off from media, for better or for worse. A little bubble I was in, but as they say what you don’t know can’t hurt you. Or can it?

I wanted to make up with media. Really, what type of PR and communications consultant does not watch TV or read the newspaper? Gasp. I would neeeevvvvver admit it. Then one day a light came on. I picked up an Ode Magazine waiting in line at a health food store in Charleston, SC…for intelligent optimists the cover said. I liked the sound of that.

Ode is a print and online publication about positive news, about the people and ideas that are changing our world for the better. In print and online, Ode’s aim is to bring a new reality into view, to explore opportunities for positive change in our daily lives and our daily minds. Ode was founded in the spring of 1995 with a vision to create an alternative to mainstream publications, a magazine that was open to new inspirations and new visions from around the world.”

From that day forward, for the past ten years, Ode Magazine has been a bit of a modern media bible for me. If the information age is a complicated highway system, positive media might be the most powerful navigator. So, when I recently saw my favorite magazine was creating a daily wire service of worthy news bites, I was ecstatic. Now this was something I could sink my teeth into.

OdeWire presents news to inspire intelligent optimists. Our unique wire is constantly refreshed by an automated system that combines advanced semantic technology with the guidance of our editorial staff. Around the clock and around the world, OdeWire is always looking at the most authoritative news sources for stories that focus on solutions rather than problems, and on positive changes rather than negative ones. Unlike other news sources that are over-weighted with negativity, OdeWire contributes to a more balanced media diet.”

“OdeWire is a collaboration between Ode Magazine, the global magazine for intelligent optimists, and Federated Media Publishing, which powers the best of the independent Web, using technology that originated at TextDigger, a Silicon Valley firm developing ground-breaking semantic search technology.”

In this article in the Scientific American, Daniel Stone breaks down how it works. “The slant engine dives deeper into algorithmic programming. It starts by classifying a story’s topic as either a world problem (disease and poverty, for example) or a social good (health care and education). Then it looks for revealing phrases. “Efforts against” in a story, referring to a world problem, would signal something good. “Setbacks to” a social good, likely bad. Thousands of questions later every story is eventually assigned a score between 0 and 1—above 0.95 fast-tracks the story to Ode’s Web interface, called OdeWire. The system is trained to only collect themes that are “meaningfully optimistic,” meaning it throws away flash-in-the-pan stories about things like sports or celebrities.”

The goal of Odewire, as stated by editor of Ode Magazine Jurriaan Kamp, is not to ignore the realities, “drowning out the gloom to focus on rainbows and unicorns.” Kamp states that the focus is also on looking at things from a different angle, turning otherwise downers into inspirational stories that encourage positive action.

As Rebecca Solnit discusses on the nourishment of hope, “Think of hope as something that requires care and feeding. You feed it by finding news sources that give you information about alternative movements and new possibilities. The real territory for hope is the possibilities we possess for acting, changing, mattering.”

Through communication, we can change the world. Ten years later, Ode’s vision has served as a beacon of light for me as I have progressed through my career and into my own vision of providing conscious communication strategies that celebrate passion and optimism in business, firmly rooted in the concept of community and the power of giving back. I believe that in my role as a gifted communicator, connector and agent of change, it is part of my duty to serve as a conduit of inspiring and important information that makes a difference. Change must be facilitated on a local to global scale, and technology now provides us plenty of connectivity to share stories. In the online world of social media, when I share something, I share because I hope it will inspire, uplift and engage. In the world of business, I bring balanced and positive energy into situations and help bring clarity through right intent and action. Yes, there are struggles in the world. But what part can you play in addressing them? I believe positive change comes from each individual action and the butterfly effect that those actions lead to.

I love what His Holiness the Dalai Lama has to say on this topic. “History reflects our understanding. The history of humanity is, in some respects, the history of man’s understanding. Historical events, wars, progress, tragedies, and so on, all of these reflect the negative and positive thoughts of mankind. All the great personalities of history, the liberators, the great thinkers, all such people reflect positive thinking; whereas tragic events, tyranny, and terrible wars have resulted from negative thinking. Therefore the only thing that is really worthwhile is to increase the power and influence of positive thinking, and to reduce the occurrence of negative thinking. If you let anger and hatred run loose, you are lost. And no sensible being wants to be lost.”

“And no sensible being wants to be lost,” including me! I have much gratitude for the beauty that I discovered within finding my way, and for all of the inspiration that has supported me personally and professionally though the years. Here’s to following the path of intelligent optimism…kudos to Ode for leading the way.

Revolutionize news with OdeWire from Ode on Vimeo.

Redefining Your Experience? Balance Your Senses

Posted in hints of inspiration by Kristin Hettermann on

“Trust me, it’s paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven’t tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience.”

One of my favorite movie lines of all time, in The Beach, Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) pretty much sums up what it is to be a global citizen. I feel that I have been getting intimate with my global citizen this month, and even as I return home to Maui, Hawai’i, I continue in the journey. This month, I traveled through the Philippines, Singapore, Maldives, Northern and Southern Thailand, and Malaysia. Granted, some of these stops were ”travel-through,” but never underestimate the power of a walk-around the local airport. You can learn a lot. I experienced at least five paths of spirituality: Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and swimming with the turtles (this is a Maui thing, you all know if you’ve done it).

To be a global citizen really means your home is where you lay your head. Every time I visit a new spot, departure is traumatic and normally involves tears, unless I know I am coming back soon. How is it that I feel so connected, everywhere?

Well, this month brings one explanation- when I travel, it is my intention and my goal to balance the senses; the movement inspires balance for me, in some bizarre and perhaps seemingly backwards sort of way. Traveling into the unknown- isn’t that chaos? Or maybe it is exactly that which gets us going in the right direction.

To me, balance involves receiving as much information as I can, and then creating a beautiful collage for my magic carpet ride. There are no answers, only the experience. So, how do you redefine your experience? This advertisement that I came across in one of the airline mags sums it up pretty well…

“No one is in control of your happiness. The question in life is not how much time do we have but what do we do with it. Life is short, don’t hesitate. Life starts at the end of your comfort zone; live outside the box. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. This is your life do what you love and do it often. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them so go out and start creating. Life is like a story, don’t live in others. Real happiness is not complicated at all.”

It was appropriate that one of my final legs of my journey took me to Six Senses Yao Noi. The pyramid of six spheres used to identify the Six Senses “re-experience” represents the philosophy that is fundamental to the human experience, and to the experience that I always aspire to have as a human being.

The foundation spheres represent the three primary senses of sight, sound and touch. The second level balances upon this foundation by satisfying the more acute senses of taste and smell. The apex sphere symbolizes a sense of elation discovered only by balancing the first five – the unique experience of all senses elevated beyond expectations. This Sixth Sense, this is what leads you forward.

So in the name of all journeys had and to have, I pay honor to the inspiration of Six Senses and lands far away to bring balance to my senses. Thank you for a set of once in a lifetime experiences. I feel like a new woman.

See pictures of Six Senses Yao Noi here.

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Smile to Your Organs. Trust Me, It Feels Good.

Posted in hints of inspiration travel by Kristin Hettermann on

Got your attention, eh? My first day at Tao Garden Holistic Health Spa in Northern Thailand seemed to be rather fabulously typical to an internationally renowned health spa with a Master Taoist spiritual leader, until a beautiful German woman told me to smile to my organs. Now that’s a new approach!

But as new as it might seem, that concept as well as many others that form the base of the Tao philosophy at the foundation of Tao Garden are rooted in over two thousand years of tradition and practice.

Your inner smile is sure to be found and radiated from within at Tao Garden in Chiang Mai, one of the world’s top holistic health retreats. Master Mantak Chia welcomes you to his magic land, where his teachings and the practices of Tao are celebrated by a daily lifestyle of nourishment, care and compassion. (See pictures of Tao Garden here)

So, as I left Tao Garden today, the top ten gems that I was gifted by my time in this beautiful place (not counting all of my new international friends!) are below.

1) SMILE. To yourself, others and most importantly, to your organs. Ok, so the first two seem easy, enough. But think about it, how often do you smile, to yourself? You often smile at someone, in reflection to something, but how often do you really look within and give yourself a loving smile? Try it now. You’ll feel a weight lift from your chest. Now, smile to your organs? Sounds pretty crazy, but through a simple daily exercise of drawing awareness, breath and love into the very things that provide you life and wellness, you would be amazed at how your body thanks you. Have health issues? Anxiety? Depression? Lost sense of self? In the Tao health philosophy, the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual all work, or don’t work, due to connectivity or lack thereof. Everything needs oxygen to live, and love to prosper.

2) BALANCE THE YIN AND THE YANG. One of the foundational premises of the Tao philosophy, the yin and the yang is a representation of our most fundamental core compositional components: the masculine and the feminine. As Master Chiang says, “Always balance the positive with the negative. Electricity no work without negative and positive. Neither body. Push down, the earth pushes back.”

Feeling emotional? Sick? The Six Healing Sounds practice changes the negative into positive energy to improve health and spiritual energy. The quickest and most profound results come from a daily practice of about twenty minutes. “You do it, you get it; you don’t do it, you don’t get it!”

3) THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. Tight chest? Headaches? Caught up in your head? Running on the hamster wheel? Try this. Release your head and heart energy down into Mother Earth and envision pure light energy coming from the heavens to replace it. This practice results in energy being recycling and purified, to be shared again with others in the spirit of community evolution. The flow of energy (chi) is one of Taoism’s primary points of wellness. When chi is blocked, you have increased sickness and disease. Communities are weak. This flow of energy talk might be a bit beyond your metaphysical comfort zone, but just think about it like this…you will never have a smooth and efficient ride on the highway if you keep getting stopped by accidents. Clear the accidents, happy journeys! The highways connect us all.

4) RESPECT AND HONOR. Everywhere you go in Thailand, you will see pictures of people for reverence- family, politicians, the heads of a Buddhist monasteries. Remembrances are a beautiful thing, we must know where we came from to know where we are going. The standard greeting in Thailand is a head bow with hands in prayer, showing respect for all. The connection starts, and ends, with respect.

5) BUILD MONUMENTS. Temples, temples everywhere. Never underestimate the power of reminders to keep you conscious and aware of the things you want to continue to respect and honor in your life. It does not have to be a form of worship, but could also be a subtle structure that grabs your subconscious attention in the name of a higher good and/or gives you a destination at which to engage in a wellness practice. We must never lose site of our principles. But, it takes practice. I’ll take a reminder any day!

6) CLEAN YOUR CELLS. The open secret to physical health? Clean cells (all 6.5 trillion of them) and clean blood. The qualities Master Chia envisioned for Tao Garden focus on this state of clean: good air, good water, good food, good chi, good heart, good intention. What is this chi anyway? It is life force. It needs to be sustained through smart choices and purposeful actions.

7) BE PLAYFUL. Don’t lose your connection with that inner child and DEFINITELY don’t take yourself too seriously. Thai people are the sweetest people I know. They giggle and laugh, a lot. They make jokes and their lighthearted approach to life cannot help but brighten your day. Seriously, what pill are they on? The reality of it is, it’s a cultural practice, a foundational pillar of happiness, translated into a way of being that circumvents the premise that you have to grab for medication to be happy. I’ll toast to that!

8) DON’T BE SCARED TO TRY THE UNKNOWN. I came to Tao Garden in search of answers. For over a year and a half, I have been battling health issues with a list of symptoms too long to write. Extreme fatigue, vertigo, naseousness, inflammation, rashes, spots in my eyesight, extreme intestinal issues, and on and on and on. With the major meltdown after I retuned from a trip to Africa In February of 2010, easy call was parasites. Yet, I tried everything seemingly available to me eastern and western medicine style, and still could not quite fully recover. My journey to Tao Garden was to experience their large diversity of medical treatments. And that I did. I sat with a machine that electronically zapped the bacteria and parasites in my body; I had my colon thoroughly cleansed; I had extensive specialty abdominal massages; my blood was taken from my body, cleaned with UV light and infused with ozone; I sat in boiling infrared saunas for sessions upon sessions; I drank olive oil and did a liver flush that had me crying to God at 5 am…anyway, you get the picture. I am happy to report that I feel strong, clear and in touch…the most promising state I have been in for a while. Don’t doubt what you haven’t tried.

9) JUST SAY NO TO ELEPHANT RIDES. When I came to Thailand, you better bet one of the things at the top of my list was to ride an elephant. One of those childhood dreams, that gets passed into your adult psyche. Without being given a reason to question, it remains a thing that tops your international wish list. I signed myself right up for a trip to the elephant kingdom, a tourist trap that imprisons elephants and walks them up and down rivers all day with overly enthusiastic tourists just like me on their backs. Thankfully, I ran into Nicolas that night, a French student of Master Chia’s who enlightened me to the Tao philosophy surrounding animals. And all of the sudden, the light shone. Here I am, being all zen and conscious, and yet not questioning my selfish desire to engage in supporting the abuse of one of my fellow earthly creatures. It’s not revolution (against the accepted practices), it’s evolution. Let’s think about our actions, every one of them, with a discerning eye to what is right and what is wrong.

10) AUTHENTICITY. There are many paths, but they lead to one. As global citizens, we are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happy space (thank you Kevin). They teach you at Tao Garden to master yourself. Become your own teacher and healer, and in doing so, reclaim your health, wealth, longevity and spirit. Be authentic…listen closely to what makes your soul sing, and let it guide you. Then learn the notes, master the song and start composing. The concerto just gets more and more beautiful along the way.

I know I will be back to Tao Garden, and when I do, Taeng at the Yellow House down the road will still be there, welcoming visitors and serving up all your favorite coffee shop items and the cutest keepsakes that you can imagine. Until then, I bow to all my new friends and the staff at Tao Garden who lined my wellness path.

Learn about Master Mantak Chia.

Learn about Tao Garden.

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