December Community Ambassador – Deepak Chopra

Last Updated on Monday, 5 December 2011 05:12 Written by Urban Zen Monday, 5 December 2011 04:56

Dr. Chopra has been a long-time friend of Urban Zen and an immeasurable wealth of inspiration. He is a world-renowned authority in the field of mind-body healing, a best-selling author, and the founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. Heralded by Time Magazine as the “poet-prophet of alternative medicine,” he is also the host of the popular weekly Wellness Radio program on Sirius/XM Stars.

A global force in the field of human empowerment, Dr. Chopra is the prolific author of more than fifty-five books, including fourteen bestsellers on mind-body health, quantum mechanics, spirituality, and peace. Dr. Chopra’s books have been published in more than eighty-five languages. His New York Times bestseller Peace Is the Way won a prestigious Quill Award, and The Book of Secrets was awarded the grand prize at the 2005 Nautilus Book Awards; his bestselling novel, Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment, was released in 2008. He is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and Washington Post On Faith and contributes regularly to Intent.com and the Huffington Post.

Remembering 9/11

Last Updated on Friday, 16 September 2011 06:21 Written by Donna Karan Sunday, 11 September 2011 08:45

September 11th means so much to me, on so many different levels. It’s seems like yesterday. What happened has been indented into our souls. I will never forget. No one will ever forget.

Everyone has a story for where they were when 9/11 happened; what they saw, how it changed them. My story is that it was the day of my DKNY show, and my wedding anniversary – the first after Stephan’s death. It was the first time that Stephan would not be at a show.

As I prepared for the show, I didn’t know how I would be able to walk out on the runway without Stephan there. So, I arranged to bring a piece of him with me – the sculpture of Stephan in his chair. I wanted to see him when I walked out. I began the day consumed with my own grief, not knowing that the day was going to turn into one of complete devastation, not knowing about the lives we would lose or those who would wait for news of missing loved ones.

By the time the sculpture arrived, our city had been attacked. The location of my DKNY show was barred off and security was asking if they could use the space as a hospital. The place that was going to house my show, was now a place of refuge for New Yorkers.

This is why I am opening the doors of the Urban Zen Center on Sunday, the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Once again, I want to do what I can to offer a space that can be a place of refuge for the community.

It is still hard for me to separate fashion week from this devastation. We can’t forget what happened; it’s important for us to remember. The anniversary of 9/11 is a time for us to come together to champion peace, healing and restoration. We all have our own unique and personal ways to commemorate this day, but if you find yourself wanting to be with community, to be in a place of calm, I want you to know that the doors of Urban Zen are open. We are here for you.

This Week’s Community Highlights!

Last Updated on Friday, 16 September 2011 06:05 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 26 August 2011 06:44

This week, the Urban Zen community pondered over the difference between our generation versus the ones which came before us. Some think we are moving too fast and technology is enforcing a more self-involved “me” mentality. Others believe there is great potential for a truly interconnected world through social media. The intersection of technology and spirituality is especially relevant for us. Can our online community foster spiritual growth? If we are to effect change through a movement of mind, body, spirit encompassing philanthropy and commerce, we must adapt skillful means. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject. Moreover, it is exciting to hear from our WIE contest winners on Twitter as they express their excitement about attending the symposium with Donna.
Feel free to say hello to our spotlighted members this week. We recommend you follow them as they are passionate about thoughtful discussion and engagement. #FF

• @wbtphdjd
• @tenaj81
• @KatGad
• @RitaLuppino
• @ElleRicchuito
• @DoGoodBuyUs
• @heartconnexion
• @TheArcSanDiego
• @JATetro

THE DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION: BRINGING STRESS-REDUCING MEDITATION TO AT-RISK STUDENTS

Last Updated on Friday, 8 July 2011 12:28 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 8 July 2011 12:03

The Urban Zen Foundation feels extraordinarily blessed to know and work with the David Lynch Foundation. We love the way they are taking the life-changing principles of meditation and making them accessible for those who need it most.

Just recently, we were able to catch up with Heather Hartnett a key member of the David Lynch Foundation team. Heather talked with us about DLF’s “Quiet Time Program,” an amazing program that they are implementing in hundreds of schools that is benefitting children tremendously.

It’s a beautiful approach to empowering children and we are thrilled to be able to share Heather’s insights on the “Quiet Time Program” with you here:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is no longer a terrible epidemic restricted to soldiers returning from combat, who suffer from prolonged bouts of acute anxiety and depression; sleep deprivation; and impulsive, violent behavior. Frighteningly, PTSD is now spreading to inner-city students as young at 10 years old—a debilitating disorder for children and teens which undermines the educational process, damaging health and learning ability, and promoting substance abuse, violence, even suicide.

Six years ago, iconic filmmaker David Lynch launched the David Lynch Foundation, to bring the stress-reducing, nonreligious Transcendental Meditation technique to schools, to help address the growing problem of traumatic stress among the youth.

A Beautiful, Soulful Evening with the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 June 2011 03:26 Written by Donna Karan Tuesday, 14 June 2011 04:02

On Friday night the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers held a sacred evening at the Urban Zen Center and it was the most beautiful, soulful experience. For me, it was the perfect environment to meditate and think about Stephan on the 10th anniversary of his passing.

At first, I wasn’t sure about having an event on June 10th, a day that is so personal and painful for me. I wasn’t sure if I would have the emotional stamina to be “on,” to host an event in Stephan’s studio. But, as I opened my heart to the idea, I really felt that Stephan was saying to me, “I know I can’t be there with you, so I am sending the Thirteen Grandmothers to be with you instead.”

Having the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers holding an evening of prayer and meditation was exactly the right choice; it was the most deeply exquisite way to honor Stephan – my husband and partner in all things.

Preserving the mind, body and spirit of ancient, cultural wisdom is something I fervently believe in. Yes, it is integral to the mission of Urban Zen, but it is also integral to my belief in humanity. We must learn from each other, we must seek out the wisdom of our elders and we must revel in our cultures. Friday night encapsulated all of these elements. Each grandmother was unique, wise, and openly generous with her wisdom.