The Abode of the Message is a Sufi community, retreat and conference center owned and operated by The Sufi Order of North America. Individuals and groups are welcome to discover the beauty and serenity, an easy three hour drive from New York City or Boston and just forty minutes from the Albany airport. This 400 acre Berkshire Mountains sanctuary offers a complex of historic Shaker buildings including rooms for short term rental, a hall for gatherings of up to fifty participants, and a secluded campground conference center capable of hosting up to two hundred guests in tents, huts and cabins. A portion of the proceeds of our Rumi: Heart of the Beloved 2008 calendar go to support this organization. For programs and information, visit www.theabode.net.
Robin Bachtler Cushman, whose photographs appear in The Organic Kitchen Garden 2008 calendar, is a horticultural photographer specializing in organic practices. Her work has appeared in Sunset, Horticulture and Fine Gardening magazines as well as in more than twenty-five Sunset books. Her images can also be found in Williams-Sonoma cookbooks. To view some of her photos, visit www.asmporegon.com.
Beth Baker is the author of the Meditation Journal and founder of Conscious Cuisine, a home cooked organic, vegetarian cooking service. Eight years ago Beth began cooking in retreat settings. This eventually led to becoming the Kitchen Manager at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California where she still continues to cook for those on silent retreat as her schedule allows. Her website is www.bakercooks.com.
Coleman Barks is the author of numerous Rumi translations and has been a student of Sufism since 1977. His work with Rumi was the subject of an hour-long segment in Bill Moyers's Language of Life series on PBS, and he is a featured poet and translator in Bill Moyers's poetry special, "Fooling with Words." His works include, The Essential Rumi, The Illuminated Rumi and Rumi: The Books of Love. His work appears in our Rumi: Heart of the Beloved 2008 wall calendar. For more information on his books and events, visit www.colemanbarks.com.
Durga Bernhard is the artist for the Primal Echoes greeting cards. Her artwork explores both personal and archetypal imagery through contemporary techniques. Her themes include birth and mothering, healing and transformation, animals and nature, family and community, myth and dream, ritual, prayer - and more. Galleries of her work are available at her website, www.durgabernhard.com.
The Chicano Art 2008 wall calendar is based on a series of Chicana/o art books published by the Bilingual Review Press (BRP). Founded in 1973 and housed at the Arizona State University Hispanic Research Center since 1986, the BRP publishes, in book and multimedia formats, literature and scholarship by or about U.S. Latinos and Latinas. Among its significant contributions are its Chicano Classics series, its promotion of Chicana and Latina authors, and its dedication to bilingual publishing in Spanish and English. To learn more about the BRP and the titles it offers, visit www.asu.edu/brp.
Gary Braasch is the collaborative photographer for the Feng Shui 2008 calendar and Feng Shui journal. His photography grows from a deeply felt connection with nature and an ardent conservation ethic. He is an active contributor to environmental efforts ranging from forest preservation in his home state of Oregon to international conservation campaigns. For more information on his work, visit www.braaschphotography.com.
Linda L. Broadfoot, the artist for the 2008 Orchids wall calendar and Orchids greeting cards, has a creative style of imaging that has rarely appeared since the passing of the hand-bound botanical editions of the 18th century. She has been drawn to nature all her life and now focuses this passion on a large body of work using flora and exotic insects as her subject palette. Her use of the 20x24 Polaroid transfer process creates beautifully rendered images of handmade beauty.
The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) collects, documents and exhibits posters relating to worldwide movements for peace and social justice. Through traveling and online exhibitions, publications and workshops, CSPG is reclaiming the power of art to educate and inspire people to action. With approximately 60,000 human rights and protest posters dating back to 1900, CSPG’s growing collection is a unique and invaluable resource for artists, activists, filmmakers, researchers and students. The majority of the collection covers the 1960s to the present, and CSPG has the largest collection of post-WWII protest posters in the United States. For more information, please visit www.politicalgraphics.org.
Joseph Chamberlain, whose art appears in The Lakota Way 2008 wall calendar, is a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Joseph seeks his inspiration from stories he remembers hearing as a young child. He hopes the images that he produces portray certain traditions that have been handed down generation to generation. They also tell stories that make his people who and what they are from beginning to end. Joseph also believes in passing on our teachings to our young and is involved in the Native community promoting sobriety and well being. For more of his work, visit www.yanktonart.com.
Pema Chödrön is a leading exponent of teachings on meditation and how they apply to everyday life. She is widely known for her charming and down-to-earth interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism for Western audiences. Pema is the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery for Westerners, and has authored several books, including When Things Fall Apart and Start Where You Are. The Pema Chödrön: Awakening the Heart 2008 calendar features quotes from Ms. Chödrön’s book Comfortable with Uncertainty. For more information on her books and programs, visit www.shambhala.org/teachers/pema and www.gampoabbey.org/ane_pema.
Lisa Cook, whose work is featured in the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar, finds inspiration through the odd mismatched pieces tossed into a box at an estate sale, pondering how these “pieces left behind” could have a new future in her artwork. She designs and writes for many altered arts books and magazines. www.lisacookstudio.com.
Gerald Cournoyer, a Lakota from Marty, South Dakota, is a contributor to the Lakota Way 2008 wall calendar. Cournoyer came from a skilled background of stylized Ledger art and figurative Indian portraits, which over time expanded into vibrant abstract watercolors and acrylics. This eventually led him into patterns of Lakota quillwork on canvas, including large nonfigurative expanses of color and form that offer the viewer an opportunity to explore the depth of scintillating color combined with Native patterns. These intricate patterns are based on the early quillwork of the Northern Plains quill designs and are prominent in the Lakota iconography. Gerald Cournoyer’s work is now shown regionally, nationally and in international venues and can be seen at www.geraldcournoyer.com.
Jen Delyth draws from her Welsh heritage to craft original intricate artworks that weave ancient patternings into a new living form. Her work conveys archetypal, spiritual and mythical themes which express the Celtic belief in the interconnectedness of all things. She is the author and artist of our Celtic Mandala 2008 wall calendar, Celtic Spirit greeting cards, the Awen Spirit journal, and the Celtic Mandala journal.Visit her website at www.kelticdesigns.com for other products with her artwork, including prints, clothing, jewelry and more.
Development of Children and Women Centre was established in 2000 in Nepal to provide relief and support to the many poor peoples of Nepal, especially to women and children, with the emphasis on education, healthcare and the provision of relief items in times of hardship and disaster. A portion of the proceeds from our Sacred Images of Tibet 2008 calendar supports this organization. Please visit www.dcwcnepal.org for program and donation information.
Paula Dion is the creator of the "Her Majesty" card in the Collage Art greeting card series as well as a contributor to the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar. She is a self-taught alterer and collage artist and a lover of all things vintage, enjoying the process of taking an unused item and giving it a new dignity and beauty. Her art has appeared in Somerset Studio, Stampers Sampler, Art Doll Quarterly, Transparent Art and can be seen at www.picturetrail.com/po11ewog.
Mark Downey's images are featured in the Dalai Lama:Heart of Wisdom 2008 calendar,. His work has been published in numerous books and magazines, including Forbes, Geo, Islands, National Geographic, New York Times, Newsweek, and Time. He has donated proceeds from his work to UNICEF, (Children of the World calendar), and in 2005 he did a benefit to raise money for Tsunami relief. His most amazing expierence of his career was being blessed by his Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2001. “His Holiness radiates more love and Compassion than any human being I have ever met.” Downey’s agency, Lucid Images documents the cultures of the world, and important leaders and issues of our time.
Dr. Masaru Emoto, creator of the Hidden Messages in Water 2008 wall calendar, is the author of the best-selling books Messages from Water, The Hidden Messages in Water, and The True Power of Water. He is a long-time advocate for peace in relation to water. He is currently the head of the I.H.M. General Research Institute and president emeritus of the International Water for Life Foundation, a not-for-profit organization.
Mara Friedman’s work is presented in our Art of Mara Friedman 2008 wall calendar. Her paintings focus upon images of women, and can be described as richly colorful, deep and spiritual. In her work, Mara explores the healing qualities of color, of harmonious rhythms and of universal symbols and form. Inspiration comes in many ways - the beauty of nature, the art and teachings of native cultures around the world and from the great circle of women, past and present, that she is a part of. For prints, shirts and a tarot deck featuring her work, visit www.newmoonvisions.com.
Karyn Gartel is the creator of the Altered Diva greeting card series and a contributor to the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar. She is a self-taught mixed media artist who is deeply inspired by vibrant colors and soul-stirring words. Her work consists of several layers, including gesso, acrylic paints, gel medium, found images, and words, charcoal, and oil pastels. You can see her work at www.altered-diva.com.
The Gitter-Yelen collection of Zenga paintings featured in the Zen Mind 2008 calendar is widely regarded as one of the preeminent collections in the West. The Manyo'an Collection of Japanese Art focuses on Edo-period (1615-1868) works in the Zenga, Nanga, Rinpa, Maruyama-Shijo, Ukiyoe, and Eccentric styles. The term "Manyo'an" meaning a myriad of autumn leaves, was coined by the late Harold P. Stern, former director of the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Dr. Kurt A. Gitter began the collection in the 1960's while working as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air force on the island of Kyushu, Japan. The artworks have been acquired over the past thirty-five years and new acquisitions continue to expand the Manyo'an Collection. Visit www.gitter-yelen.org for program information and image galleries.
Laura Goode Killmaster is an artist and graphic designer living in Marin, California. Her design work for the Hafiz greeting card series utilized traditional Mughal art forms which she manipulated with complex computer programs into modern photocollage creations. Visit her at www.laurakillmaster.com.
The Environmental Art 2008 wall calendar features work from the global archives of greenmuseum.org. As a not-for-profit online museum (with a very small office near San Francisco, California), greenmuseum.org transcends geography, highlighting a range of artworks and interconnecting the diverse practitioners of this exciting movement. We show people what’s possible, where to find it and then work with colleagues around the world to develop resources to help inspire the creation of new art.
We believe that in order to build a healthier world, the arts need to be engaged effectively. Please visit www.greenmuseum.org to learn more about this movement and join us in the global effort to make what’s good for our communities and ecosystems even better.
Alex Grey is the creator of the amazing Alex Grey 2008 calendar. Grey's paintings have been featured in venues as diverse as the album art of TOOL, SCI, the Beastie Boys and Nirvana, Newsweek magazine, the Discovery Channel, Rave flyers and sheets of blotter acid. His work has been exhibited worldwide, including Feature Inc., Tibet House, Stux Gallery, P.S. 1, The Outsider Art Fair and the New Museum in NYC, the Grand Palais in Paris, the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Alex has been a keynote speaker at conferences all over the world including Tokyo, Amsterdam, Basel, Barcelona and Manaus. The international psychedelic community has embraced Grey as an important mapmaker and spokesman for the visionary realm. Galleries, exhibit information and an online store are available at www.alexgrey.com.
Christopher Gruver's stunning flower photographs are featured in the Flowers: A Universe Revealed 2008 calendar, the Flowers boxed note card set and Flowers greeting cards. "The technical description of my work is very simple. It is digital photography, digital image management and the production of museum quality chromogenic prints. We have an abundance of technology at our fingertips, but the overriding and primary influence upon me as an individual and as an artist remains nature itself. When I see a magnificent flower very closely, it captivates me completely and I would like for the sensuality and grace of such an experience to overcome people." More of his photos, as well as process information is available at www.christophergruver.com.
Heather Hacker is the artist of the "Create Your Self" card in the Collage Art greeting card series as well as a contributor to the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar. As a mixed media artist, Heather turns old ephemera and items that other people have thrown away into art. “Create Your Self” is a piece that celebrates this ability to sew together many little experiences and turn them into a larger, more beautiful whole. Her work has appeared in publications such as Somerset Studio, Collage Cat, A Somerset Home, as illustration for various websites, and at NYC’s Lincoln Center.www.ripearts.com.
After experiencing a profound spiritual awakening, SageWoman 2008 wall calendar contributor Melissa Harris began channeling guides in Spirit, which turned into hands-on healing sessions. She wanted to find a way to combine her interest in metaphysics with her artwork, thus her company, Creatrix, was born, which features her artwork and messages on notecards, prints, and other gift items. Her images grace the covers of books, CDs, magazines, and calendars worldwide, as well as the popular Goddess on the Go affirmation deck. For more information, visit www.melissaharris.com.
Jeff Hoke, the author and artist of the Museum of Lost Wonder 2008 wall calendar, has been creating museum exhibits for the last twenty-five years and has recently been awarded the 2006 Muse Award for Exhibit Design and the 2007 Thea Award for Exhibit Design at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where he currently holds the position of Senior Exhibit Designer. Hoke’s book, The Museum of Lost Wonder, was Published by Red Wheel/Weiser LLC. You can learn more about this fascinating book at www.lostwonder.org.
Chungliang Al Huang, author of the Chinese Animal Powers 2008 calendar and greeting cards, is a highly regarded and internationally respected Tai Ji master and authority of East-West cultural synthesis. His unique approach to Tai Ji allows students to first experience the joy of physical awareness and Tai Ji's natural principles before engaging in its determinant components. He is the author and co-author of numerous books on Tai Ji, mind-body-spirit integration, and Taoism as it relates to business, performance and daily life, including the best-selling classic Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: The Essence of Tai Ji, which has celebrated its 30th anniversary and been translated into twelve languages. He is a research fellow at the Academia Sinica, a member of the World Academy of Art and Science, and recipient of the Republic of China's Gold Medal of Education. For more information, visit www.livingtao.org/source/about-chungliang.htm.
Lisa Hunt, a watercolorist featured in the SageWoman 2008 wall calendar, has spent her life exploring how art can serve as a vehicle for communicating ideas, feelings and imagery contained within the psyche. Her goal is to elicit a sense of wonder—to allow the viewer to reach into something deeper within, where dreams live and breathe and are very much part of who we are. Lisa is the artist for several tarot decks and is the author/artist of the acclaimed Animals Divine Tarot (Llewellyn), winner of a 2006 COVR award. Her most recent deck is the Fantastical Creatures Tarot (US Games). She is also the author/artist of the book Celestial Goddesses: An Illustrated Meditation Guide (Llewellyn), a book that took her many years of meticulous research. For more information, visit www.lisahuntart.com.
Since 1974, Inkworks Press has been a worker-managed union shop supporting efforts for peace and social justice. Toward that end they have invested their resources to respond to emergencies and to aid grassroots projects. Inkworks has produced materials to support the recent anti-war effort, defend affirmative action, free Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier, abolish the death penalty, and oppose the WTO, the FTAA and global economic apartheid. They are an environmentally conscious, certified green business that combines printing trade skills with a commitment to build a more just and humane society. For more information, visit www.inkworkspress.org.
Inner Traditions is one of the oldest and largest publishers devoted to the spiritual and healing traditions of the world. They are a leading publisher of books on indigenous cultures, perennial philosophy, visionary art, spiritual traditions of the East and West, sexuality, holistic health and healing and self-development, as well as recordings of ethnic music and accompaniments for meditation. Visit their site at www.innertraditions.com.
The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) works to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet and helps promote awareness about Tibet during this crucial period in its history. Founded in 1988, ICT is a non-profit membership organization with offices worldwide. To find out more, or become a member, go to www.savetibet.org.
Hrana Janto, a contributor to the SageWoman 2008 wall calendar, is an artist long inhabiting the realms of history, fantasy, myth and the sacred. Painting Goddesses has been an longtime passion. Her commissioned works include historical paintings for the PBS series “Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth” with Bill Moyers, numerous book covers and calendars, and magazine illustration. Hrana co-created the internationally published The Goddess Oracle deck, featuring her art and calligraphy. Her first children’s book is King for a Day, from Scott Foresman/Pearson. Most recently, she co-created and painted 110 brush drawings for 108 Yoga Poses, from Alpha Books. For more information, visit www.hranajanto.com.
Amber Lotus has published the Joseph Campbell: Follow Your Bliss 2008 calendar in conjunction with the Joseph Cambell Foundation. Joseph Campbell was a life-long student and teacher of mythology and the human spirit. His focus was not just on cultures long dead, but on living myth as it manifests in modern culture and influences society. He observed that all myths carry a unifying thread – humankind’s yearning for deeper meaning and individual purpose. Mr. Campbell called this drive to discover one’s true meaning or passion to "follow your bliss." For more on this organization’s resources, visit www.jcf.org.
Amber Lotus has published the Prayer & Meditations 2008 calendar in conjunction with Truth Consciousness. Founded in 1974 by Prabhushri Swami Amar Jyoti, Truth Consciousness maintains Ashrams and Spiritual Centers in the United States devoted to the principles of Truth and Dharma (Righteousness) and the freeing of human consciousness into Divine Consciousness. Monastic disciples reside at the Ashrams in Colorado and Arizona and, along with lay devotees, gather twice weekly for Satsang and daily for aarati (Sanskrit mantras and worship), meditation, chanting and karma yoga (selfless service). Every facet of life is seen as part of spiritual practice. The Eternal Wisdom of the Himalayan sages is embodied in the oral teachings and writings of Swami Amar Jyoti. For more information, visit http://www.truthconsciousness.org .
Alice Kelley is the artist for the Fractal Cosmos 2008 calendar. Jenn House of Magical Blend's Natural Beauty & Health magazine writes, "Alice Kelley's fractal designs are astonishing, both emotionally and psychologically, and her yearly calendar has presented the very best of her art. Fractals are those intriguing shapes that are characterized by self-similarity and based on mathematics. These range from flashy to sublime, from energetic bursts to inward-moving mandala-like shapes." Visit her site at www.alicekelley.com to view hundreds of images and software information.
Knox is an acclaimed photographer known for his award winning, emotional photos of the grittier side of street life. When Knox discovered his studio was a neighbor to a whole colony of feral cats, he began care-taking them as well as photographing their plight. His sensitive and artful photographs are a gentle reminder that these little souls need our help.The Urban Tails 2008 wall calendar is based on the book, “Urban Tails”, published by New World Library. To see more of Knox's work go to Avatar Photography at www.avatarphotoart.com. To learn more about his book and learn how you can help, please visit www.urbantailsbook.com.
Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great nature photographers of our time. His influential work appears in books, magazines, and exhibitions around the world. For more than two decades he has documented wildlife and our relationship with nature in environments from the Amazon to Antarctica. He portrays wild creatures as ambassadors for the preservation of complete ecosystems, and his many publications have increased worldwide awareness of endangered ecological treasures in far corners of the earth. His photography is featured in our Pema Chödrön: Awakening the Heart 2008 calendar. Galleries of his work are available at www.lanting.com.
Mark Lerner, author of the Mark Lerner Zen Astrological 2008 calendar has been a professional astrologer with a worldwide practice for over three decades. He is the author of Mysteries of Venus, co-author of Inner Child Cards and Baseball Tarot and publishes the well-respected Earth Aquarius News astrology journal and website. A subscription is required to access most of his website, www.earthaquariusnews.com
It is Living Tao's distinction to correlate Eastern philosophies, physical disciplines and fine arts with those of the West. They offer a curriculum that focuses on Tai Ji movement and its related disciplines, and incorporates Taoist and Confucian classics, Qi Gong healing exercises, brush calligraphy, music and poetry. Living Tao Foundation was founded in 1976 and maintains a home office in the United States, providing seminars, workshops and training programs for members and interest groups throughout the world. For more information, visit www.livingtao.org.
Ann Lovejoy ranks among the country’s leading garden experts and has been featured on HGTV, National Public radio, and national public television. In addition to our A Year of Healthy Living 2008 calendar, she has written over 20 books on gardening and cooking, including Ann Lovejoy’s Organic Garden Design School, The American Mixed Border, Further Along The Garden Path, and Fragrance in Bloom. She is a regular garden and food columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Her classes are offered regionally and nationally in multiple venues. Some of her more unusual classes introduce gardeners to natural care, beneficial bugs, and aerobically brewed compost teas. Her classes accommodate both professional and amateur groups and often include regional continuing education programs for Master Gardeners. Her Garden School travel programs take gardeners as far afield as Europe and Central America, where Ann has developed a gardener’s eco-tour program for EcoTeach, a nonprofit foundation that supports environmental protection programs in Costa Rica. Many of her books can be purchased through www.sasquatchbooks.com.
Allan Mandell, whose images are featured in the 2008 Gardens of the Spirit wall calendar, approaches garden photography with an artist’s eye. His compositions are rooted in simplicity of line and harmony of proportion, two design qualities which are abundant in Japanese gardens. Allan’s lectures and photography workshops are based on his belief that photography is as much a gateway to the inner world of the photographer/viewer as it is to the beauty displayed in the outer world. To see more of his work, please go to www.gardenphotographer.com.
Simon Marsden, author and photographer of The Haunted Realm 2008 calendar and the Mysteries of the Knights Templars 2008 calendar is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose work can be found in the Getty Museum in California and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His books include This Spectred Isle, The Haunted Realm, Journal of a Ghosthunter, Twilight Hour, and Ghosthunter: A Journey Through Haunted France.. For books and prints of his work, visit www.simonmarsden.co.uk.
In his career Joseph Marshall III, author and artist of The Lakota Way 2008 wall calendar, has been a teacher at the high school and college levels, an educational and health programs administrator for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a craftsman of primitive Lakota bows and arrows, an historian, and a writer. He has helped to form a non-profit advocacy group for Native American students and parents, develop and implement Native American studies curriculum, spearhead the planning and design phase for the eventual construction of a hospital, as well as serve as a founder and charter board member of Sinte Gleska University. Joseph has published five books and several screenplays. Visit his site at www.thunderdreamers.com.
Shiloh Sophia McCloud, featured in the SageWoman 2008 wall calendar, has dedicated the past seventeen years to the study and practice of art as a spiritual discipline, as well as helping women develop their own creative potential. Shiloh’s artwork is dedicated to providing healing images of women and family. As Shiloh says, “The work of a woman visionary is to know the past, dream the future, and take powerful action in the present.” She and her husband own Wisdom House Gallery in Mendocino, California. For more information, visit www.colorofwoman.com.
The Meditation Art 2008 wall calendar features images from the Meditation Art Gallery in New Orleans. The collection includes hand-painted prints, one-of-a-kind paintings, and original lithographs made in traditional style from a litho stone, as opposed to the zinc plates more commonly used. The artists’ use of antique papers, parchments and cloth adds to the uniqueness of these offerings. Curator Gary Zoller says, “At Meditation Art, I am able to support artists through Fair Trade and I am proud to represent them. Exposing their work to a wide audience directly supports indigenous artists committed to continuing their craft. I travel with the art and all its inherent good energy to places I enjoy and I interact with people who love the art as much as I do.” You can see the whole collection at www.meditationart.com.
The Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior 2008 wall calendar is based on Dan Millman’sWisdom of the Peaceful Warrior (New World Library), which is a companion book to Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Dan Millman is a former world trampoline champion, hall-of-fame gymnast, university coach, college professor, and best-selling author whose books have inspired millions of readers in over twenty languages. His books and seminars have influenced people from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, business, education, entertainment, and sports. His website is www.danmillman.com.
Amber Lotus has partnered with New World Library to publish The Power of Now, Spirit Horses, The Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior, and The Urban Tails 2008 wall calendars. New World Library publishes books and audios that inspire and challenge us to improve the quality of our lives and our world. The ultimate goal of the company is a sweeping one: personal and planetary transformation — awakening both individual consciousness and global social potential by publishing inspirational and practical materials in spirituality, personal growth, and other related areas. Their publications include books by authors such as Joseph Campbell, Eckhart Tolle, Mother Teresa, Alan Watts and Shakti Gawain. Visit them at www.newworldlibrary.com.
Jen Osborn, a featured artist in the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar, says "I have always been an artist. It’s rooted deep in my heart, pulses through my blood, and there is no escaping it! What a joy it has been to incorporate my love of sewing into my love of make believe and tiny things." Visit www.identityseven.com to see more of her work.
Maggie Oster is the photographer and author of the Herb Gardens and Gardens of the Spirit 2008 wall calendars. She has also served as regional editor for the National Gardening Association’s website and is the author of seventeen books, including The Herbal Palate, Herbal Vinegar and Ortho's Herbs. Visit her at www.maggieoster.com.
Parallax Press has published books and other resources for mindful living since 1987. As the premier publisher of Thich Nhat Hanh and other teachers of engaged Buddhism, they offer books for beginners, experienced practitioners, children, and families. The text of the Thich Nhat Hanh:The Energy of Prayer 2008 wall calendar is courtesy of Parallax Press. Visit them at www.parallax.org.
Julie Rappaport is a Yoga teacher and the author of the Yoga Shakti Journal. Julie holds advanced degrees in Psychology and Theatre and writes about yoga for numerous on-line and print magazines. Her yoga influences are many and include Desikachar/ Krishnamacharya, Ashtanga, Vinyasa & Iyengar Yoga, contemporary movement training, yoga from the inner body, personal practice and intuition. Other approaches to body work that shape her teaching include Authentic Movement, Drama therapy, Contact Improvisation (dance) and the arts in general. For information on classes and workshops, as well as an online store, visit www.yogabliss.com.
Tracy Roos, a contributor to the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar says "The written word is almost always the inspiration for my artwork. When I’m feeling the need to create, I open up a book of poetry, quotes or children’s stories and absorb. Since I’m choosing text that moves and inspires me, I’m able to pour my passion into the piece." To find out more about Tracy, visit her at www.tracyroos.com or tracyroos.typepad.com.
Seva Sight Programs are a combined effort of the Seva Foundation, based in Berkeley, California, USA, and the Seva Service Society, based in Vancouver, Canada. For two decades, Seva has played a vital role in international efforts to reduce avoidable blindness around the globe. Seva's sight program team develops and disseminates effective methods to restore sight to cataract-blind people, and to build comprehensive, sustainable blindness prevention programs. A portion of the proceeds from our Tibetan Voices cards are donated to this fund. Visit www.seva.org for more information.
For over 35 years Shambhala Publications has specialized in books that present creative and conscious ways of transforming the individual, the society, and the planet. They’ve published books on Buddhism, Christianity, Feng Shui and Yoga from the likes of Pema Chödrön, Ken Wilber, and Chögyam Trungpa. For more information, see www.shambhala.com.
Mellissa Shields, featured in the Collage Art 2008 wall calendar, says "The art of collage is a romance in imagery that grabs my eye for a dance. As I live in time, full to the brim with centuries of world art, I dare to hold any printed image like it’s real, with the heartbeats of the timeless artist intact. And when this beauty craves companionship, as all beauty does, the art of collage hears the call." Her website is www.maharamaarts.com.
Freddy Silva, author of the Crop Circles 2008 calendar, is one of the world's leading experts on crop circles and sacred space and best-selling author of Secrets in the Fields: The Science and Mysticism of Crop Circles, hailed by many as the most comprehensive book ever written on this fascinating and multi-disciplinary phenomenon. He is a researcher, international lecturer, and a life-long student of Earth Mysteries, Sacred Space and ancient systems of knowledge. Freddy has appeared in TV documentaries for The History Channel and Discovery Channel, as well as numerous video documentaries, and guested on radio shows throughout the US. His website is www.cropcirclesecrets.org.
Snow Lion Publications has become the largest press devoted to Tibetan Buddhism, having published over 200 titles on Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism (printing over one million copies) and distributing over 650 titles published by other presses. Snow Lion distributes hundreds of Dharma products, including video and audio tapes of teachings by Tibetan lamas, thangkas and other wall hangings, statues of buddhas, ritual items, prayer beads, T-shirts, meditation cushions, prayer flags, posters, and postcards connected to Tibetan religious practice and culture. Visit them at www.snowlionpub.com.
Our friends at Sounds True offer more than 500 titles about spiritual traditions, meditation, psychology, creativity, health and healing, self-discovery, relationships, and more. Their audio and video products bring to an ever-growing audience important new ideas in a compact, undiluted form, often years before the information is presented in books. Over the years they have recorded the outstanding wisdom teachers of our day, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Huston Smith, Jack Kornfield, Alice Walker, Ram Dass and hundreds of others. Visit them at www.soundstrue.com.
Sandra Stanton has been exploring the realm of myth and world cultures in her paintings for over 25 years. Much of her work explores the interrelationship between women and nature, emphasizing compassion for, and communication with, our fellow creatures. In all, her great love of animals shines through. Her work has been widely exhibited and published nationally and internationally. For more images and information, please visit her website, The Goddess in World Mythology, at www.goddessmyths.com.
Tony Stromberg’s photographs, which appear in the Spirit Horses 2008 wall calendar, are an homage to the equine spirit, and a celebration of their remarkable presence in our lives. Oftentimes referred to as "visual poetry", his images truly embrace and reveal the incredible beauty and grace of the horse. Prints and galleries of his work are available at www.tonystromberg.com.
Sustainability Store is a free searchable database that includes retailers, service providers and organizations who are leaders in environmental and social responsibility. Here you can shop from the most ecological and socially responsible businesses on Earth. You will find lots of everyday items like natural soaps, organic cotton clothing, hemp products, books, baby products, toys, body care, kitchen supplies, office supply, recycled paper products and more. By making informed purchasing decisions that favor sustainable business practices, you help foster a sustainable future through expanding the market for sustainably produced products and services. Please visit them at www.sustainabilitystore.com.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, scholar, and human rights activist. In 1967, he was nominated by Martin Luther King, Jr., for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is author of more than one hundred books, sixty in English, including Being Peace, Old Path White Clouds, Anger, and No Death, No Fear. He lives at Plum Village, his meditation center in France, and travels worldwide, leading retreats on "the art of mindful living." Amber Lotus has published the Thich Nhat Hanh: The Energy of Prayer 2008 calendar. His quotes also appear on two of the cards in our Lotus Blossoms greeting card series. His books are published by Parallax Press.
Tibet House New York is part of a worldwide network of Tibetan institutions committed to ensuring that the light of the Tibetan spirit never disappears from the face of the earth. A portion of the proceeds of the Dalai Lama: Heart of Wisdom 2008 calendar supports this organization. Visit their site for donation information and program information, including benefit concerts, mediation classes and retreats at http://www.tibethouse.org/index.html.
The Tibetan Lama Fund is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation that supports the monks of Ling Khangtsen, in Southern India, where monks from Tibet have sought refuge to study and practice Buddhism. A portion of sales of our Sacred Images of Tibet 2008 calendar and greeting cards is donated to this fund. Visit their website at www.tibetanlamafund.org for ways to support their emergency medical funds and housing for refugee monks in India.
Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now 2008 calendar explains in remarkably clear terms how living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. He is emerging as one of the most original and inspiring spiritual teachers of our time. Eckhart is not aligned with any particular religion or tradition, but excludes none. His profound yet simple and practical teachings have helped thousands of people find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives. At the core of his teachings lies the transformation of individual and collective human consciousness - a global spiritual awakening. Events and book information can be found at www.eckharttolle.com and www.namastepublishing.com.
In 1977, artist Pieter Weltevrede became fascinated with the healing
and centering power of the ancient tantric practice of yantra painting. Traveling annually to India, he devoted his attention to mastering the North Indian iconographic painting techniques. Pieter has illustrated many books, among which is the latest edition of the book Chakras by
his mentor, the late Harish Johari. Pieter's extraordinary paintings are showcased in the Chakras 2008 wall calendar, Chakras greeting cards, Hindu Gods & Goddesses 2008 wall calendar and Hindu Gods & Goddesses greeting cards. His works are on display at many exhibitions in Europe and America. More information and images of all of his paintings may be found at www.sanatansociety.com.
Wabun Wind is the author of the text for the Medicine Wheel: Earth Astrology 2008 calendar. She is also the author of 10 other books including the Medicine Wheel: Earth Astrology, which has been reissued in a 25th Anniversary Edition this year (Fireside Books/ Simon and Schuster Trade Paperbacks). For information on her books and future projects, visit www.marlisewabunwind.com.
