Archive for the ‘MSI News’ Category
01/05/2010
Iceland Ash, NASA
You may have noticed we’ve not been been posting for almost 14 days. We were stuck in Paris. Tough duty but someone had to do it. Due to Iceland’s volcanic ash event, what had meant to be a 5-day trip, turned into a 13+day one. I hadn’t brought my computer, and if you know anything about Paris, everything including computer time is expensive, (and not readily available).
My wife headed over to support her twin sister who was running the Paris Marathon. (Congrats to Lindy Roberts by the way for completing the marathon in good style!) I caught a later flight (thanks Priceline) to support Lindy as well, and spend a few days there with Amanda. Since there was an apartment anyway, I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
I’ve also been delayed on postings because, right before I left, I mistakenly re-formatted a portable drive which contained all my images. No big worries though, I had other back-ups of almost everything, but I’m still shuffling files around since my delayed return stateside.
The good news? We were stuck in Paris. It was good be back in France. We had extra time to see the Louvre, speak my second language (of five) again, be away from the computer, (isn’t that what MSI is about anyway?) and play some guitar and sing on the streets in the evening.
I brought my guitar in order to practice for a gig back in New Hampshire, which I had to cancel because of the ash cloud. So instead of practicing for the gig, I decided to throw my guitar case open and see what I could earn to help pay for the trip. I earned a total of 2.24 Euros (about $1.75), one cigarette (I don’t smoke), one cigar in a small tin, (cigars either, but nice tin), and some flowers placed in my case by a nice fellow. I guess I’m a little rusty on my busqing skills.
Anyway, thanks for your patience. I’m back, and expect to see more postings soon, and maybe even a few images and thoughts on Paris.
R. Richards
Tags:Airport Delays, Busque, Iceland Ash Cloud Volcano, Paris, Playing music on the streets, Sense of humor perspective
Posted in Climate Change, Environment, Focus on MSI People, MSI News, Music, Power of Place, Sense of Humor Perspective, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
12/04/2010
Tai Chi, Huaraz, Peru
We’ve decided to add a second program headed to Peru for August. If you’d like to learn more about the program, dates and cost, visit our webpage. The program will focus Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca. This is our twelfth year leading educational programs to Peru. Before that, R. Richards was guiding high altitude summits.
“It’s not about tourism and snapping images” says founder Richards. “Like all our programs, it’s about learning from the culture, giving back with service, a smile and learning the language, and of course stepping out of your comfort zone.”
We will also be working more with Jorge Martel in the Cordillera Blanca on the range’s east side. Stay tuned to see images of this region. If you’d like information please contact us.
Tags:Experiential Education, Huaraz, Mountain Spirit, Peru, Programs
Posted in Experiential Education, MSI News, Peru, Service, South America, Spiritual, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
12/04/2010
Mountain Spirit Institute announces Benefit Concert with Snatam Kaur
Snatam Kaur
Snatam Kaur will be playing at the Lebanon, NH, USA Opera House on September 1st, 2010 for a evening of meditative music. Kaur is an internationally known recording artist, who’s music is highly soul soothing.
Say Cindy Heath, Mountain Spirit Board Member and Coordinator of the concert, “I happened to be at a Kripalu event and heard her playing for a yoga event. I had remembered her music when we had it playing at a MSI board meeting.” Adds Heath, “When I approached them to see if they’d be interested in Snatam playing under an invitation from Mountain Spirit Institute as a fundraiser concert for the organization, they eventually said yes.”
It took a while, but after the booking person looked at MSI’s website, they deemed our organization has a similar mission to Snatam’s. Tickets for the concert will be sold through the Lebanon Opera House
- Concert in Toronto
“I was first introduced to Snatam’s music by my wife, Amanda, who listened to Kaur’s music while attending meditation and yoga retreats in India during the summer of 2008,” says Randy Richards, director of Mountain Spirit. “I have just about worn out Snatam’s CD’s, and when we heard from Cindy that she had met Snatam and there might be the possibility of a concert, we jumped at the chance.”
Read more about the upcoming Snatam Kaur/Mountain Spirit Institute Benefit Concert at our webpage on the concert. To listen and learn more about Snatam’s music visit her website.
Tags:Amanda Richards, Benefit Concert, Cindy Heath, Fundraiser, Lebanon Opera House, Mountain Spirit, Randy Richards, Snatam Kaur
Posted in Inner Work, MSI News, Music, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
08/04/2010
Hopono'ono (Sp!)
Ho’O What?
Old Hawaiian system of communication and engaging with the universe that actually works to make a better world.
I’ve been meaning to write about this book for a while, and a recent email prompted me to follow through. On one hand, while the cover, and some of the book’s precepts are a bit hokey, such as getting the woman and car you want, I doubt I’d be married to the wonderful woman that’s my wife, had I not actively engaged the universe and actually asked for what I want. I was using this technique during the summer just before we met. I was leading a mountaineering course in Alaska at the time, and while in the mountains, practiced the technique about 30 times per day. This book illustrates a technique that has quite a track record and impressive story behind it. Below is an email from a good friend to whom I recommended the book and technique. As Tolle says, “Are you polluting the world or cleaning up the mess?” This technique helps you do your part to clean up the mess.
Hi Randy,
I really enjoyed our conversation today.
Shortly after our conversation, I Googled some reviews of “Zero Limits” as well as several pages of the book itself in the form of a preview. In it are perhaps the most potentially life changing ideas I have ever encountered. I thank you very much for introducing it to me. I am going to order copies for several friends and myself.
Thanks
J.M.
Dear J,
Yes, this technique of simply saying “I love you, I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you”, is still working wonders in my life. It’s time to raise the bar for all of us, isn’t it.
Thanks for the link to Meninger. I’ll check it out.
Looking forward to seeing you.
Warmest regards,
Randy
Tags:Alaska, Health, Ho'Oponopono, Joe Vitali, love, Manifesting, Meditation, Mountain Spirit, wealth, Zero Limits
Posted in Books, Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Leadership, MSI News, Spiritual | Leave a Comment »
06/04/2010
I’d grown up, skiing every spring, on Mt. Washington’s east side – Tuckerman’s, Gulf of Slides, and Great Gulf. Once, I think I took one run, years ago on the west side, but last week Junji Itagaki suggested we head up to his favorite haunt. I don’t often get in ski touring mode when back east, but the west side of Mt. Washington is as close as it gets to a wonderful alpine touring experience on the east coast of the U.S.
We climbed up Munro Gully, then headed to the Lake of the Clouds, then over to the summit of Mt. Washington, for a nice descent down Ammonoosuc Ravine, on thick but great snow. I think we had record-breaking temperatures that day. (See my earlier post on getting kids outside, which was filmed in Ammonoosuc Ravine).
Mt. Washington's West Side
Pictured above, Junji Itagaki, Lake of the Clouds and its Hut, Mt. Washington to the right.
Tags:Backcounrty Telemarking, Lake of the Clouds, Mountain Spirit, Mt. Washington, Munro Gully, New Hampshire, Ski Touring, Summit, Sunapee
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Mountain People, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
01/04/2010
Llama with Cordillera Blanca in Background
Below is an excerpt from someone asking a question, who will most likely be joining us on a Peru: Machu Picchu/Cordillera Blanca combo trekking program in 2011.
Dear Randall,
Here are a few of my thoughts and ideas and questions as I have started to read about Peru and hiking and Machu Picchu.
I think we would like to have a day where we could do some type of community service so we could give back to the people and the country.
Yours,
Nancy C.
Shamans, Peru. Circa 1997
Dear Nancy,
Excellent, glad your thinking along these lines.
Additionally, as you know, we are a unique educational organization – a hybrid, or cross between a guide service, an experiential educational org and a holistic learning center on the fly.
So if you and the other participants are willing to step out of their comfort zone, try new things and be willing to let the place, the mountains, the people and the experience change you, then it will be a good fit.
I get the feeling you and your friends fit this description. See you soon for an orientation.
Randy
Tags:Comfort Zone, Cordillera Blanca, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Jorge Martel, Llamas, Peru, Shamans, Spiritual growth, Trekking
Posted in Experiential Education, Inbox, MSI News, Peru | Leave a Comment »
26/03/2010
MSI at Colby Sawyer College International Festival
New London, NH, USA
R. Richards tells about MSI's programs, B. Dowst in background
Mountain Spirit Institute had a booth at Colby Sawyer College’s International Festival in New London NH, USA yesterday on Thursday March 25th. Foreign students and college staff were dressed in their traditional national clothing and served food from their country. The Peruvian band Inka Wasi, from Boston, taught audience members how to play the zampoña, then percussion instruments. Later, the trio later played traditional folklore songs from the Andes countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina. Mountain Spirit Institute’s director R. Richards, spoke with one of the band members about the band Chimu Inka from Cusco. MSI sponsored Chimu Inka in the fall of 2008. The two discussed about some possible collaboration with the two bands in the future, when Chimu Inka returns to the U.S.
Inka Wasi director teaching Zampoña
Many local residents came out see this popular event which has been running a number of years here in this New England college town. MSI board members Brenda Dowst and Amanda Richards, and Randy Richards manned the booth.
The Carrolls visit at MSI's booth
Local author Dave Carroll and his wife Laurett stopped by the booth to say hi as did other Sunapee and New London residents. Both the Carrolls were not only fans but supporters of the Chimu Inka 2008 Peruvian/USA Music Exchange tour.
Tags:Amanda Richards, Brenda Dowst, Chimu Inka, Colby Sawyer College, David Carroll, Inka Wasi, International Festival, Laurette Carroll, Mountain Spirit, Peruvian Music, Zampona
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Music, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
23/03/2010
Mountain Spirit Institute’s founder and director was on stage last month at the Sunapee Community CoffeeHouse in Sunapee, NH, where he performed for an evening of solo piano, original folk songs, a bit of Zampona and Native American flute. You can learn more about his music and background at his webpage on MSI’s website. Here he sings a version of Life Imitates Art from a CD by Three Track Mind of Seattle, possibly written by Kevin Jones.
Tags:Keven Jones, Manadala, Music, Randy Richards, Three Track Mind, Zampona
Posted in 1- Video Posts, MSI News, Music | Leave a Comment »
05/03/2010
By D.R. Richards
FaceBook Twitter
It’s a beautiful day. I should be spring skiing at Mt. Sunapee, but we’ve been making some new additions to the website, and this blog. We’ve added Facebook and Twitter icons on various pages, and reintroduced online forms on our Contact and Fair Trade and Donation pages. We’ve also made it easier to find the Fair Trade Page by adding a link to the main pages. We’ve migrated this blog to www.mtnspirit.org as of today, so our address is slightly different but you can still reach us at the old address.
Our Booth, I'l Festival, VT Getting the word out.
Getting our name out there is almost as important as fundraising and continuing to offer safe, meaningful programs. While our heart is in the mountains, we’ve stayed indoors to get these important features added to our site. Keep track of our Facebook page, we’ll be using that as our online photo album for various programs, past and present. Now to go hear Greg Mortenson tonight…
Tags:Conctact., Donation, Facebook, Fair Trade, Mountain Spirit, Mt. Sunapee, Support, Twitter, Vermont International Festival
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
27/02/2010
By D.R. Richards
Do Your Part: Breathe
I wrote in a recent post, “As I write this, my wife is sitting peacefully in the mountains of Quebec at a Vipassana retreat center. I feel the ripple effect. Janice Vien, in her Iyengar Yoga classes always closes with the phrase, ‘May the benefits of this practice be extended to others’”.
Knowing that somebody in your family is sitting quietly in a little mountain snow-bound retreat without saying a word for four days, has a profound effect. Through Amanda’s action in meditation, I feel calmer. What’s more, she borrowed my watch, for the alarm function, to wake up at 4am to begin meditation. So I find myself staring at my wrist a few times these past days.
Scientific studies have shown that groups of people meditating can actually bring down the crime rate. One particular study/meditation event in Washington D.C. had dramatic effects. Now I see.
Tolle says “You’re either part of the problem or cleaning up the mess”, and that “No one else it going to do it. If you wait for the rest of the world to become enlightened, you’ll wait forever. Start by cleaning up the inner landscape, and in that way you’ll make a change in the world.”
I’ve been meditating since I was about 11 years old. I read The Making of a Psychiatrist by David Viscott when I was about 12. I’m not sure why, I just took to it. When I was about 20, I read the complete works of Emerson. So I’ve been on my path for while – but to quietly feel the presence of my wife’s meditation in southern Quebec, while I’m south of the border, is quite an amazing experience.
So if you wonder if the inner work you’re doing has an impact on those around you, I definitely say yes.
Tags:Holistic Living, Iyengar Yoga, Meditation, Mountains, Quebec, Retreats, Vipassna, Yoga
Posted in Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Inspirational People, MSI News, Power of Place, Spiritual | 3 Comments »
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