Ommmmmmmm

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Let me just start out by setting the record straight. I'm not a hippy-dip. I don't wear clothes made from hemp, or burn incense or decorate with crystals. I do practice yoga, but only because it's offered for free during my lunch hour at work. As much as I like the nap-part at the end, I'm really there for the work out rather than any type of spiritual enlightenment.

However, I did want to share with you an interesting experience I had at yoga on Monday. We had a new instructor who was definitely drinking the kool-aide. Every time we went backwards, she said "Look to the past with an open heart." Which was kind of a cool saying, but also a bit outside my comfort zone when it's said to a room of women in spandex bending in unnatural ways.

At the end of the session, she asked us all to join her in saying the word "Om". Being the good student I am, I joined in. And the surprising thing? I got chills. It felt like there was a vibration in the room; an energy. I've gotten that feeling a few times before in a variety of settings - church, travelling, being outdoors on a gorgeous day.

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History of the word "Om" is a very interesting subject. I remember from my time in India - where Om symbols are everywhere, even painted on the outside of a home near our school- learning that some scholars believe a variety of cultures and religions have valued derivations of the word "Om" as holy words. Most notably, they argue that "Om" and "Amen" are linguistically related. Similar words have been identified in Greek, Egyptian and Islamic traditions. The theory is that the word and it's relatives has a power transcendent of religious, geographic and historical boundaries.

Honestly, as crunchy as it may be I love this idea. I'm all about there being something larger that unites and overshadows religious differences. So while I don't know that I'll be adding "Om" to my normal rotation of words, I like that saying it has reminded me of the interconnectedness of this world we call home.

Let's Go: Abu Dhabi

Summer in Indiana is hot as a desert. Why not make the experience complete with a little dream trip to Abu Dhabi?

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This capitol city of the UAE is known for it's luxurious lifestyle (the average net worth of an individual in the Emirate is $17 million), striking landscape and modern architecture. As pride and joy of the city, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is an opulent tribute to the country's Muslim heritage - as well as their oil-fueled largess.

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  Constructed from materials from across the globe, the Grand Mosque features 82 domes, room for 40,000 and the world's largest carpet. Snap. And given all that, the Grand Mosque still isn't the only architectural marvel in Abu Dhabi. Just check out some of these buildings:

Hyatt Capitol Gate, here

Yas Viceroy, here

Helix Hotel, here

 Besides that, there's the beach - a glorious, white sand beach to be exact. Just look at that view!

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And if the fast-paced city life gets to be too much, head out on a desert safari, complete with camel companion.

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   Just remember - be a teensy bit more thoughtful than the SATC ladies; ie. keep your nipples covered, don't perform sex acts at restaurants and keep your condoms in your purse. You know, for cultural sensitivity.

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What do you think? Want to go to Abu Dhabi?

Peace Be On You

Today, I want to go here:

From here via Pinterest

Take a look at the colors of the tiles - blue, green and amber- and then take a look out your window. As I see it right now, this is exactly the colors of this early fall day: green trees and grasses, bold blue sky and the first hint of gold in the turning leaves. I've never been to the Middle East, but I'd love to go. Islamic architecture, with it's geometric patterns and structures, is amazing (i.e. see the Taj Mahal).

So finding the image above on Pinterest was exciting on its own. Then I clicked over to the source and discovered the website http://www.islamispeace.org.uk/. The site is a campaign by British Muslims to clear up misconceptions about their religion that have formed as a result of terrorist attacks, fundamentalist fatwas and political tension. It's a neat site for anyone who is curious about some of the basic ideas of Islam (and especially a good resource for people who have noticed that little tinge of prejudice within themselves.)

Especially interesting, to me at least, is the section on women in Islam (here). The teaching of the Koran does not endorse the subjugation of women - in fact, the Prophet Muhammad was firmly in favor of women's independence and his first wife, Kadhijah, was a successful business woman. The site says, "If women in the Muslim World today don't have their rights and if a particular society oppresses women, it does so in spite of Islam, not because of it." I think that's pretty true of most religions, don't you?

And to anyone who thinks the hijab (women's headscarf) is a sign of opression, take a look at the chicness below.

From Hijab-Fashion via Pinterest