Okay, we’ve almost got plastic grocery bags eliminated – I’ve seen everyone from moms to tattooed biker guys with their canvas bags at the grocery store. Fantastic! We even have canvas bags for sale at my other web site: Hippy Grandma.

But I found myself reaching for plastic produce bags the other day in the produce isle at my local grocery store and wondering what the heck I was doing. You know those little clear plastic bags we put potatoes and beans and carrots in? I had reduced using those bags by a long shot – preferring to not use them at all for bananas or oranges and other stuff that gets peeled or doesn’t drip. But when I bought swiss chard or walnuts in bulk I was stuck using a small, plastic bag.

Then the other day in the checkout line I saw a shopper with all her produce in mesh bags that were clearly reusable. I asked her where she got them and she mentioned The Market Kitchen, a kitchen supply store on Granville Island.

So then I started doing a little research and found a number of great ideas for replacing plastic produce bags. My favorite so far is Lioli, for a few reasons:

1. It comes as a large tote for groceries with six little bags for produce.
2. The smaller bags come in mesh style (for produce) or cotton canvas for things like nuts or grains. (Produce Or Grain – POG. Get it?)
3. The large canvas tote has an outside pocket to hold the little POG sacks.
4. The coloured bags are made with azo free low impact dyes and all lioli bags are made fair wage/fair labour.
5. A portion of the proceeds from all bags goes to the David Suzuki foundation.

Colour me happy!

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business.”

Choices Market is a locally owned and operated grocery store here in the Vancouver area (they just recently added a new store in the BC Interior town of Kelowna, as well). As Western Canada’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods, Choices has always been a leader in the local business community and have always placed a focus on supporting local growers and producers. They have also led the way in making choices (pun intended) and taking action to ensure that their stores operate in the most sustainable way possible.

And they listen to their customers! (How often do you encounter that in a large retailer these days?) Choices customers have voiced their opinion that less packaging is better, and as usual, Choices is listening. They’ve created the Sustainability Program.

From their web site (choicesmarket.com): The Choices Sustainability Program will allow proactive Brand Owners the opportunity to fully close the recycling loop.

The program is simple.

* Select Brand Owners will approve the return of all their packaging to Choices Recycling Centre
* Shelf signs with the Choices Recycling Centre logo will be placed in front of products that may be returned to Choices Recycling Centre
* Consumers return authorized packaging to the Choices Recycling Centre
* Packaging is collected by the Choices Recycling Centre and sent off to the appropriate recycling depot
* Any revenues for collected materials will be donated to local charities.

Choices Markets strives to take responsibility for the full life cycle of the products we sell. We are proud to incorporate this program into our store and we are excited to be an integral part of the solution.

From everyone here at Shakti Sage, congratulations once again to a community leader, Choices Market, for a great idea and for taking one more step toward a fully sustainable future.

namaste,
Zoey

Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business.”

Georgina Varveris is part owner of Open Door Yoga studios, which operate on Commercial Drive and Main Street in Vancouver. She recently began what she calls The Bag Project to help artists and those struggling with homelessness in her community.

The Bag Project works like this: Varveris has sourced hemp/cotton bags, appropriate for groceries or other purchases, and produced locally at HT Basics. She commissioned struggling artist Jason Bouchard to provide the artwork for the outside of each bag. The bags are sold by Roger Wilson, a man who lives on the streets around Commercial Drive. (Bags can also be purchased at the Open Door Yoga studio Commercial Drive location.) Profits from the sale of each $13 bag are then divided between Jason and Roger.

Varveris explained to the Vancouver Courier newspaper that she was inspired by Pivot Legal Society (who we’ve written about on this blog) and their work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Pivot’s Hope In Shadows project distributes cameras in the Downtown Eastside community and holds a contest with the resulting photographs. The 12 winning entries are then used to produce a calendar, which community members sell on the streets of Vancouver in the late part of each year. The sellers receive 50% of the sale price of each calendar. In 2008 the calendars sold out.

Each one of us can make a difference in our community. Georgina Varveris and Pivot Legal Society know this intimately.

We leave you today with this quote:

Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business.”

There is a non-profit legal society in Vancouver that has been working to improve the lives of some of the most marginalized people in society.

Pivot Legal Society works to use the law to achieve social change, addressing the root causes that undermine the quality of life for those on the margins. They practice strategic legal advocacy, meaning they are not a legal aid society, but one that focuses on the causes of problems rather than the symptoms and tries to find ways that the law can address those causes.

For example, a few years ago a hotel in the Downtown Eastside (Canada’s poorest neighborhood) was closed due to long-standing maintenance issues. The City of Vancouver had the power to rectify those issues through the Standards of Maintenance By-law but had not done so. Pivot took up this issue on behalf of the residents of the closed hotel, and on behalf of all those in the neighborhood who rely on single room occupancy hotels for housing, and sued the City for not enforcing the bylaw. In March of 2009, Vancouver City Council resolved to enforce the bylaw, following presentations by Pivot and others; with the support of the council behind it the bylaw is now working.

Based on the premise that everyone deserves a safe, secure place to live, Pivot has once again used the law to enact positive change in a desperately poor and drug-ravaged neighborhood. Go to Pivot’s web site (pivotlegal.org) to find out more about all the amazing projects and initiatives that they have going on in the name of a healthy, inclusive community.

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business.”

Have you heard of the concept of car sharing? This is an idea that was born in Europe in the 1970s and has finally made its way to North America.

Car sharing works a lot like having a library card (to quote the Cooperative Auto Network’s web site). When you have a library card you have access to a large number of books and have a deadline for when you need to return the books you’ve borrowed. With car sharing you have access to a fleet of cars and a deadline for when you need to return the car you’ve borrowed.

And just like the library, car sharing does a number of great things for the environment. Those who car share drive between 5000 and 10,000 fewer kilometres each year. This reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality for everyone. Fewer cars on the roads means less dependence on oil and safer, quieter and less crowded streets.

Car sharing has lots of personal benefits for its participants as well. One of our employees here at Shakti Sage belongs to a car sharing network, and she finds that not owning her own car encourages her to walk more and to make an effort to car pool when she is using a car. She reports that at first it made her a little nervous to think of letting go of her car, but now that she’s done it and has joined a car sharing network, she loves it. She’s saving money (several hundred dollars a month!), doing her part for the environment and getting to know her neighbors a little better because she has slowed down to walk to the shops in her area.

Learn more about car sharing here.

Namaste,

Zoey – founding hippy at hippy grandma

Zoey Ryan
life, business & leadership coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul and the heart & soul of your business”

Are you a heart-centered and “soulful shopper”? Know of a new baby arriving? Keep the heart, soul & hippy love flowing for generations with purchases from Hippy Grandma: an Eco-Boutique selling fair trade, earth friendly treasures.

Through your purchases, you help local artisans, hand-crafting grandmas on a pension, women’s fair trade co-ops and programs designed to support vulnerable mamas & babies. Please share Hippy Grandma widely and wildly with your soul sisters. www.hippygrandma.com

Women & Self-Care Enchantments: “Being a Shakti Sage & Integrity”!

“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” 
—Janis Joplin

We tend, through life, to be confronted with many ethical dilemmas where we need to draw on our personal codes and guiding principles. These dilemmas may feel small or large, depending on the circumstance. Part of “life coaching” is helping folks develop clarity about their personal guiding principles and values. I often suggest that clients ask themselves the following question; “can you live with yourself, with your integrity intact, if you make that decision”?

I found the following definitions of the word “integrity” to be very interesting (from: http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/integrity)
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility 
2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness 
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

Most folks I talk with are familiar with the first definition, however, it is the third definition that I find fascinating, especially if one applies this to people not cell membranes! In ancient traditions one often hears about each person’s aura or “egg” of energy. In psychological and mind/body terms, one talks about “containment” and the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts.

What if we placed the emphasis on first “getting whole” and then making decisions; would that automatically mean we make integral decisions?

Now I know this discussion may seem airy fairy to some, yet, it is a serious question. If we design a practice and actions so that we have a “felt experience” of being whole, complete and contained, with all parts of us, mind, body, spirit and emotions connecting and integrated, then, I would say, we can’t help but function with integrity.

In our Western culture, we are encouraged to use primarily our mind in making decisions. What if we also asked “what would my heart say about this”, or ”how does gut feel” with that decision?

In previous postings about being a shakti sage, I have discussed a variety of qualities from wisdom to power, from courage to gentleness; with incorporating the word “integrity” we add in both meanings of the word and draw on the concept of wholeness or completeness as well as a personal code of ethics.

So, you see, being a Shakti Sage with integrity may encompass so much more than just being true to oneself. Janis Joplin has half the equation! Imagine a world where we all make decisions with both our head and our hearts for the purposes of deeper connection!

This week, luscious ladies, play around with the following questions

“Self-care Enchantments”:
1. When have you experienced a challenge to your personal code of ethics? How did you respond?

2. Do you or how do you experience a sense of wholeness or containment?

3. This week, when making a decision, run it through your head, your heart and your gut and see if the process feels different.

Please share your comments!

Namaste,

Zoey – founding hippy at hippy grandma

Zoey Ryan
life, business & leadership coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul and the heart & soul of your business”

Are you a heart-centered and “soulful shopper”? Know of a new baby arriving? Keep the heart, soul & hippy love flowing for generations with purchases from Hippy Grandma: an Eco-Boutique selling fair trade, earth friendly treasures.

Through your purchases, you help local artisans, hand-crafting grandmas on a pension, women’s fair trade co-ops and programs designed to support vulnerable mamas & babies. Please share Hippy Grandma widely and wildly with your soul sisters. www.hippygrandma.com

Coffee shops are ubiquitous here in Vancouver. We are after all just 200 km north of the birthplace of Starbucks. The good news among all this caffeine and biscotti is that there is a locally owned and operated coffee company here that is making a huge difference to the local community.

Blenz Coffee’s first store was opened in 1992 on Vancouver’s famous Robson Street. Since then Blenz has grown to have more than 85 stores in BC and internationally. This coffee retailer has also taken giving back to a whole new level.

Blenz Cares is a program developed by the founders of Blenz Coffee that is so elegant and simple, we can’t believe someone didn’t think of it years ago. It works like this: when you order a bag of coffee or tea from the Blenz Cares web site, you set up the charity of your choice (or choose one from a list on the site). Each month a cheque for the net proceeds from all your purchases is sent to your chosen charity. So, for example, if you buy one bag of Machu Picchu whole beans for $16, $7.28 will be sent to the charity of your choice. It’s that simple.

Some of the charities who presently benefit from this program are the TB Vets, Canuck Place Children’s Hospital, the Arthritis Society, the Alzheimer’s Society, and Rotary International. Imagine purchasing coffee for your office knowing that each cup you drink gives back to those in need. For more info please visit blenzcares.com.

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
www.shaktisage.com
604-323-3700

“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business.”

Inrageous/Outrageous Self-Care Enchantments for This Week

With interesting synchronistic timing, just after sending out the last POW I received an email from a dear friend containing children’s messages to God.  I am including a sampling below as reminders to us all of the purity and simplicity of childlike sacredness:

~*~*~*~*

* Dear God,

I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church.  Is this OK?

Neil

* Dear God,

In bible times, did they really talk that fancy?

Jennifer

* Dear God,

I think about you sometimes, even when I’m not praying.

Elliot

* Dear God,

I bet it is very hard to you to love all of everybody in the whole world.  There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it!

Nan

* Dear God,

Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter – cause there is nothing good in there now.

Ginny

~*~*~*~*

Your self care enchantments for this week are about simplicity & sacredness, holidays and festivals.

Self Care Enchantments for the week:

1.  In this upcoming season of religious and spiritual festivals, how can you bring sacred simplicity into your life?

2.  Do one thing this week that scares you!

3.  Consider making a donation to your charity of choice this week.

“The Angels were all singing out of tune, and hoarse with having little else to do, excepting to wind up the sun and moon or curb a runaway young star or two.”  -  Lord Byron

We would love to hear about your experience with these enchantments.  Please share about your learning and exploration with these enchantments on www.thepowblog.com in the comments section!

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan
coach . catalyst . shakti sage
life & business coach for women
“Coaching for your heart & soul and the heart & soul of your business”
www.positivelyoutrageouswomen.com
www.entrepreneurialsuperstars.com
604-323-3700

Support fair trade gift giving at Hippy Grandma: hippy love for generations – an online eco-boutique selling fair trade & earth friendly treasures for your grandbabies, their mamas and you! www.hippygrandma.com

Have you had experience with “the book angel”?  Do you know the one I mean?  Other people may call it synchronicity, “just at the right time” or a coincidence when the perfect verse, saying, article or book falls into one’s lap at just the perfect time with the perfect information for one’s current life situation or issue.  I call her “the book angel” and while I have been experiencing this phenomena for about 20 years, it never ceases to provide a profound sense of awe when it happens.

 

In a coaching conversation last week, my client mentioned something similar, she didn’t call it her “book angel”, however, the, process was the same.  Just at the right moment, necessary information, encouragement, inspiration would show up, provide direction and resonate deeply.

 

So, in this sacred build up time to all the festivals, holidays and celebrations of December, attune to your “book angel” and notice how support and “just in time” help and information may be available to you!  Of course, you may have different names or way of describing this and we would love to hear these stories too!

 

Self Care Enchantments for the week:

 

1.  Make note this week of the times that crazy coincidences or synchronistic events happen and write about this in your journal.  Stay open to the energy of this process and just for fun, give it a name.

 

2.  Continue the process of letting go of the old to make room for the new with the start of a new “soul year”, the first Sunday of Advent,

 

3.  Take some time to organize for the busyness of the season ahead.  It can be very helpful to stock up on non-perishable groceries, buy gifts early, decide to not buy gifts at all etc so that you can fully enjoy the sacredness of the season in all its glory.  This is a time when attention to one’s self-care and health is particularly important!

 

“The true harvest of my life is intangible – a little star dust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched” – Henry David Thoreau

 

We would love to hear about your experience with these enchantments.  Please share about your learning and exploration with these enchantments on www.thepowblog.com in the comments section!

 

namaste,

 

Zoey

 

Zoey Ryan

coach . catalyst . shakti sage

life & business coach for women

“Coaching for your heart & soul and the heart & soul of your business”

www.positivelyoutrageouswomen.com

www.entrepreneurialsuperstars.com

604-323-3700

Support fair trade, eco-friendly gift giving at Hippy Grandma: hippy love for generations – earth friendly treasures for your grandbabies, their mamas and you! www.hippygrandma.com

Did you know that many businesses do extremely well during a time of

“an “economic re-balancing”?  Why do you think this is? 

 

Business & life coaches love discussions about economic downturns as it opens up the conversation to deeply investigate personal attitudes, expectations and beliefs.  With this type of an exploration, we start to “re-light the fire of burning desire” and ignite those powerful and dynamic internal forces that are the signature characteristics of extraordinary entrepreneurs who truly run sustainable superstar businesses.  This doesn’t mean that it is a comfortable or easy process, in fact, it is often quite the reverse, it can be scary, uncomfortable and edgy.  In retrospect though, women entrepreneurs often look back and also say that it was exhilarating!

 

Entrepreneurs who are competitive and like challenges often respond to an economic downturn by making a “game of it”, saying things like “I am not going to let this get to me”, “I’m going to prove this thing wrong” etc.  Their attitude and pattern of responding to a challenge often kick starts them into massive action, which generates huge business momentum.  Pam talks about this in her article, in www.thesuperstarblog.com ,how during a recession, businesses clean house and often actually re-invent themselves, resulting in a revitalized business.

 

Just knowing that many businesses flourish in times of a re-balancing, expands expectations of what is possible in business.  Rather than expect that there will be negative results, ask yourself how you and your business can leverage this natural part of an economic cycle.  You may find that by asking questions about how you can make this work for you, creative and innovative ideas pop in.  Yes, it is a cliché, however, remember that “what goes down, must come up.”  How can you position your self and your business to tap into the upswing?

 

A really powerful shift can happen for many women entrepreneurs when they allow themselves to use an economic downturn as a “gateway” or catalyst to explore their dominant belief patterns.  I highly expect that as a business woman, faced with the possibility of a “recession” your personal “limiting beliefs” will be very easy to access.  I experience this myself.  As well, any “dominant cultural limiting beliefs” will be accessible and you may feel the strong pull towards a downward spiral of negativity.  You can halt this downward spiral and use this is an amazing opportunity to work on changing your beliefs and your internal self-talk. 

 

Warren Buffett apparently loves economic down turns and I love Warren Buffett.  I love Warren Buffett because from what I read about him, he is an amazing and brilliant person who in spite of being incredibly wealthy, continues to drive an old model vehicle, live in his “normal house” and it sounds like, has instilled solid values in his children.  I love Warren Buffett because he seems to value the amazing people who manage under capitalized businesses.  I love Warren Buffett because he understands that it is the power of the people in an organization that makes the organization strong and dynamic.  My guess is that Warren Buffett has a pretty clear set of wonderful “enabling and prospering beliefs”.

 

An economic downturn is the best time to change your “limiting beliefs” to “enabling and prospering beliefs”.  I never underestimate the power of the human spirit, when pushed to the edge with a recession to create, innovate, inspire, collaborate, re-design, re-vitalize, experiment and in fact “leap frog” into something new and amazing.  I love the following quote, although I can’t remember where I first heard it…“Whether you believe you can, or whether you believe you can’t, you are right!”  Changing belief systems is an intense exploration and often requires the support of a skilled life & business coach or other professional as it is very easy to get stuck in the process.

 

Yes, these are platitudes and yes, these are true, however, remember… the power of positive belief and expectation, you can do it if you believe you can and never, ever, ever give up!  You have the power within you to shift your beliefs, make this economic situation work for you and we believe in you too!

 

 

namaste,

 

Zoey

 

Zoey Ryan

coach . catalyst . shakti sage

life & business coach for women

"Coaching for your heart & soul and the heart & soul of your business"

www.positivelyoutrageouswomen.com

www.entrepreneurialsuperstars.com

604-323-3700

Support fair trade, eco-friendly gift giving at Hippy Grandma: hippy love for generations - earth friendly treasures for your grandbabies, their mamas and you! www.hippygrandma.com