Bringing “CARE” back to Healthcare at Kent State University

Last Updated on Friday, 9 March 2012 05:48 Written by Urban Zen Wednesday, 7 March 2012 11:51

One of the missions of our founder, Donna Karan, is to make care an integral part of the healthcare paradigm. It is a deeply personal mission and something that is a pillar of the Urban Zen well-being initiative.

As a part of our collective efforts to raise awareness and inspire change, Donna, along with our UZIT leadership team, traveled to Ohio to participate in a series of important healthcare conferences. During this time, Donna had the opportunity to share her passion and heartfelt quest for creating change in the healthcare field with a community of industry leaders at Kent State University.

This Week’s Community Highlights: Discussing the Importance of Meditation

Last Updated on Friday, 17 February 2012 12:28 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 17 February 2012 12:28

The importance of meditation was this week’s thread of commonality for the Urban Zen community. We tweeted the quote, “Any action done with awareness is #meditation,” and asked, “Do you agree? Or, should meditation require more ritual?” Friends such as @viltwitt and @SacredFoodGuru responded by sharing their thoughts on the expansiveness of meditation and how it can be practiced in a variety of ways, including in the heart of your kitchen. We especially loved @shantignr8tion’s wise meditation tip, “experience the Haunting Silence of your Rambling Mind!”

Richard Freeman: Freedom on the Edge of Sensation

Last Updated on Monday, 23 January 2012 05:53 Written by Ali Schechter Monday, 23 January 2012 04:19

Nearly 75 yogis gathered at the Urban Zen Center last Thursday for class with longtime Ashtanga yoga teacher Richard Freeman. Freeman and his wife, Mary Taylor, return to Urban Zen this weekend to lead the yoga philosophy portion of the Urban Zen Integrative Therapist Program.

“Tonight we will explore the internal practice of Ashtanga yoga,” Richard began. “We will align inside, so that even when you are old, or even when you are on your death bed, you can do the pose. It may look like this…” (nothing happens, the room laughs) “…but you will be doing the pose, perfected, the ultimate experience of samadhi,” he says, skillfully raising an eyebrow, and only half kidding.

Though our asanas on Thursday were visible beyond the mind’s eye, Richard lived up to his promise and helped us refine each pose with precise anatomical cues and vivid imagery. We discovered that we had golden tails extending from coccyx to earth, kidney wings that spread across the back and beyond, buoyant hearts, and cobra hoodies (my favorite) fanning up and over our crown and palette. With an inhale, we swam our limbs through space; with an exhale, awareness traced the spine.

This Week’s Community Highlights

Last Updated on Saturday, 17 September 2011 07:50 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 16 September 2011 06:05

This week, community members discussed the wonderful experiences they’ve had teaching yoga to children. From warrior poses to singing meditation, elementary students in @cookeegirll’s class absolutely love the exercises as effortless play. One mother, @TMEECHIN, explained that backbends and inversions helps with her son’s asthma. @BabyDoll1976 taught her students yogic moves in order to relax them before taking tests and @ketchumyoga lets her students string together poses to tell stories. The warrior climbed a tree and crossed the bridge! Yoga teachers such as @namaste_miami are cultivating spiritual values such as the interdependence of life and compassion towards others in need. By teaching our children such important ethics, we may be able to overcome an epidemic sweeping across the country as countless numbers of Americans are suffering from exhaustion. As it turns out, our community offered crucial insights regarding this societal dilemma. @Chas_Mystic believes it is due to poor lifestyle choices while @Nigaya pinpointed the materialistic values which results in those decisions being made. One of our WIE contest winners, @JamieMcglin, even suggested the Daoist approach of living simply. Urban Zen is very fortunate to have a community dedicated to a transformative movement for mind, body, and spirit.

A Sacred Place to Commemorate 9/11

Last Updated on Friday, 16 September 2011 06:32 Written by Urban Zen Sunday, 11 September 2011 01:06

With the healing sounds of rhythmic gonging reverberating through the studio, the Urban Zen Center was transformed into a sacred place on Sunday morning, in memoriam of the September 11th attacks that devastated the country one decade ago. Donna Karan opened her doors to the community, encouraging anyone who felt the need to come together to join her in a mindful meditation of remembrance.

Through the guidance of Robert Chodo Campbell and Koshin Paley Ellison, co-founders and co-executive directors of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, the soulful morning shed light on an energy that permeated the entire city; an energy of collective healing, resilience and strength.

We will never forget what happened. We will keep pressing forward with renewed peace and the promise of restoration. And, we will continue to carry forth a message seen on too many billboards, t-shirts and coffee mugs to count: New York, we love you.