Help us raise hope for the Congo

This event is being hosted by my very dear friend and Be Well Ambassador, Stephanie Jolluck, owner of Coleccion Luna and Dialogue, Start One    http://dialoguestartone.com          Please try to join us~ And help us raise hope for the women of the Congo!  John Prendergast is Co-Chair of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and      crimes against humanity. During the Clinton administration, John was involved in a number of peace processes in Africa while he was director of African Affairs at the National Security Council and special advisor at the Department of State. John has also worked for members of Congress, the United Nations, human rights organizations, and think tanks, as well as having been a youth counselor and basketball coach in the United States. He has authored eight books on Africa, including  Not on Our Watch, a New York Times bestseller and NAACP non-fiction book of the year that he co-authored with actor Don Cheadle. John has helped produce documentaries, consulted on movie scripts, and was part of a series of episodes of CBS’ “60 Minutes” which earned an Emmy Award for Best Continuing News Coverage. With NBA stars Tracy McGrady and Derek Fisher, he co-founded the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Program, which connects schools in the United States with schools in the Darfurian refugee camps Candice Knezevic is the Congo Campaign Manager for Enough. She most recently served as the assistant director of the Washington DC office of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS).  There, she managed the grassroots and congressional advocacy efforts in support of HIAS’s immigrant and refugee protection agenda, and in particular,  led the organization’s efforts to restore Supplemental Security Income eligibility for refugees, as well as to enhance the faith-based community’s role in the broader immigration debate.  She was previously the program associate for Human Rights First’s Washington DC Asylum Program.  In that position, she coordinated the Asylum Legal Representation Program, which places asylum-seekers with pro bono counsel, and assisted with the program’s congressional and administrative advocacy efforts.   www.raisehopeforcongo.org www.enoughproject.org

My Unforgettable Yoga experience at The Aquarium

I have been doing yoga at The Georgia Aquarium in The US…the classes are in front of the Beluga whales and it can best be described as a dream.
To flow into poses as the whales swim and float through the water is so beautiful…it is hard to find words. As I connect with their dance and vibration through my yoga practice I can dive into my inner spirit. It is a truly beautiful experience and has had a powerful impact on my dreams since I began
classes there a month ago. I am so grateful to Kimberly Hard and Be Well Atlanta for this powerful experience!
By Stephanie Jolluck

Be Well Atlanta Yoga under the Sea (You Tube)

Yoga under the Sea

Be Well Atlanta on CNN

It’s no surprise that the swirling, languid movements of the aquarium’s three belugas — Nico, Maris and Natasha — enhance the experience, said instructor Kimberly Hard, CEO/Founder of Be Well Atlanta .

Be Well Atlanta invites you to do Yoga Under The Sea

Be Well Atlanta invites you to join us Sunday Feb 8th for the launch of Yoga under the Sea. This is the first class of its kind in the world. You will find the experience truly unique and life changing for adults and children.

Here is what one student had to say……

There isn’t a proper word in the English language to describe the immediate and long-term effects of the Beluga yoga class at the Georgia Aquarium. The whales are such mesmerizing and hypnotic creatures that I found it difficult to close my eyes and focus on the postures instead of the playful whales. I kept sneaking a peek at them instead of focusing inward but eventually it was possible to tune in to my body and get into the yoga. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the high vibrational energy from them. It was a bit intoxicating and powerful. Yoga has been an important part of my life for over 12 years now, but this class was oh, so different.

I walked away with an incredible sense of inner peace, serenity, and joy. What a shift from “I really didn’t have the time to take the class today, I have a million things to do” to “what a beautiful and necessary gift I just gave myself!”

Yoga means “union” and experiencing that union with the peaceful and gentle Beluga whales was transformational on many levels. It is an event you will definitely want to experience for yourself!
Jennifer H Atlanta, Ga

Details: Please join us…..
Adult + Children Classes ages 3-14 (Parents can get a break)
Georgia Aquarium (Main Gate)
225 Baker Street
Atlanta, GA 30313
404-581-4000

Yoga classes begin Sunday February 8th
9:30AM-11 (Worth waking up early)

Cost:
Adults $35 (non-aquarium members) you get a free pass to the aquarium good for 90 days
Members $20

Children $25non-aquarium members) you get a free pass to the aquarium good for 90 days
Members $20

Value program (This is amazing)
5 classes passes, Aquarium Annual membership, Be Well Atlanta lifestyle card $290 value Your cost $145
You can only receive this program through the call center
Visitor Services:
Call (404)581-4000

www.georgiaaquarium.org
(You will be able to sign up online next week)

you can send us a message on facebook if you have any question.

Look for Be Well Atlanta in this months Atlantan magazine, CNN,CNN Espanol and the AJC

Be Well Atlanta Partners with Georgia Aquarium

The peaceful energy of the Belugas, whale sharks, and the serene setting of the oversized viewing windows, offers Atlantans an opportunity of a lifetime.

Breathing Meditations By:Kimberly Hard

The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practicing a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. 

We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.

We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breath. Breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on it excluding everything else around you

If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath.

Enjoy!

Medication Or Meditation

Millions of children and adults are being prescribed medications like Prozac and Ambien for issues.This has been a growing concern in our country for quite some time. Depression, anxiety, and sleep issues are commonly treated with such mood altering medications.

I have been teaching meditation for over ten years and have personally experienced its unlimited benefits.  Through the power of meditation you can expect to calm the nervous system, lower blood pressure, and ease depression, stress and add the ability to focus.  By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances.

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. For many, the use of prescription drugs assist in attaining proper sleep, aiding in ones sex life, and altering moods. 

Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It often affects our health. The common thought is that there is no time to stop and meditate! But the practice of meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. 

A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation as explained below can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.If we train in meditation, we will be able to attain a more peaceful and healthy state from many common problems such as depression, sleep issues, lack of focus, and low libido. We will also discover I amsure the need for less medication in our lives.

In this way, we will come to experience a permanent inner peace, known as “liberation” or “nirvana”. Then, day and night in life after life, we will experience only peace and happiness.

The Essential Truth About Water

 

 

 

Turn on your kitcthen tap for a glass of water and you get as much clean, fresh water as you want. But what if you just got a trickle, or worse yet, nothing at all?

It’s a problem for every one of the 6.6 billion people that live on this planet. Fresh water makes up just 3 percent of the world’s water supply. 

“There is a water crisis today. But the crisis is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs. It is a crisis of managing water so badly that billions of people – and the environment – suffer.

“Water is everybody’s business” was one the the key messages of the 2^nd World Water Forum.

Small changes that protect water supply and improve water quality

• Check all water-using appliances and equipment in your home for leaks. Running toilets, steady faucet drips, home water treatment units and outdoor sprinkler systems are common sources of leaks.
• Consider water-efficient landscaping in your  yard. 
• Replace old toilets. The major water use inside the home is toilet flushing. If your home was built in 1992 and you haven’t replaced your toilets since then, you probably could benefit from installing high-efficiency toilets that use 1.6 gallons or less per flush. A family of four can save between 14,000 and 25,000 gallons of water per year be making this change. 
• Don’t let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Before pouring water down the drain, consider using it for other uses, such as watering plants. You can catch this water by placing a bucket in the shower or the sink.
• Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
• Sweep driveways and sidewalks rather than hosing them off.
• When using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shutoff valve.
• Install low-flow shower head 

What is Yoga?

The word “yoga” means union – to connect with all living beings and finding balance within the body, mind and spirit. Yoga is an Eastern philosophy of health living that has existed in the East for thousands of years and is in no way a religion.

 Yoga will assist you in achieving unlimited possibility and discover your inner beauty and stillness. This practice will allow you to find the time for yourself, unlock your fullest potential and overcome physical, emotional, and mental obstacles to develop confidence in yourself and your body. Discover the delicate balance between creating harmony in your life and equalizing the mind and body. Align yourself with the universe, becoming conscious of your inner self as well as everything around you.

Yoga’s Effects On the Body:The following is only a partial list of yoga’s benefits:

• reduced stress
• sound sleep
• reduced cortisol levels
• improvement of many medical conditions
• allergy and asthma symptom relief
• lower blood pressure
• smoking cessation help
• lower heart rate
• spiritual growth
• sense of well-being
• reduced anxiety and muscle tension
• increased strength and flexibility
• slowed aging process

Yoga’s benefits are so numerous, it gives a high payoff for the amount of effort involved.

Here is a few of our favorite yoga studios in Atlanta: