Which countries come to mind when you hear the word “religious”? Israel? India? Istanbul?
Ok, ok, Istanbul isn’t a country, but it was the inspiration for that catchy tune.
Well, if you guessed any of the above, you didn’t hit even one of the countries that made the top 11 Most Religious Countries in the world in a recent Gallup Poll.
Coming in at the top spot was Egypt, followed by Bangladesh, and a host of African countries, along with Indonesia.
On the flip side, which are the least religious countries in the world?
Estonia had the lowest percentage of people who said that religion plays an important part in their lives, followed by a few fair-skinned places: Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Rounding out the top five is a former Communist territory, the Czech Republic.
Even more interesting, according to the same poll:
A population’s religiosity level is strongly related to its average standard of living…(the poll) indicates that 8 of the 11 countries in which almost all residents (at least 98%) say religion is important in their daily lives are poorer nations in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
And you guessed it, several of the least religious countries have the highest living standards, including Hong Kong, Japan, and the fair-haired triple whammy mentioned above.
What does this mean exactly? Is there a clear link between being devoted to a higher power and having no money in your pocket?
Of course, one of the problems with this purported correlation is the United States, which has both a high standard of living AND high marks for being religious.
What do you think – is there a real correlation between religion and standard of living? Share your thoughts below.
Pattabhi Jois and students at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.
Follow Nick Rosen, a self-proclaimed skeptic, on his beginner’s journey into the world of yoga.
Filmmaker Kate Churchill has been practicing yoga for 12 years. In that time, the form and variety of yoga has exploded, but she remains convinced that yoga can transform anyone.
Enter Nick Rosen, a New York journalist and all around skeptic.
He’s fairly certain yoga is good for nothing more than staying limber, but he’s willing to try any school, and meet any guru, to see if it’s more than skin deep. The resulting film, Enlighten Up, is a fascinating journey into the heart and history of yoga.
Watch the trailer:
Surpsingly (at least for me) the film is about more than this ancient spiritual practice.
Nick ends up battling his own psyche as much as his flexibility; and Kate plays a much larger role than she originally intended. Both participants learn that the path into their perfect practice is really a path into themselves.
On the eve of her film’s premiere, I spoke with Kate Churchill in an illuminating interview about life, poses, and the secret of happiness.
BNT: What first attracted you to yoga?
Kate: I started practicing yoga consistently about 12 years ago (it was 7 when I started making this film). After decades of playing sports, my body was starting to fall apart. A yoga studio opened in the neighoborhood and I decided to try it to allieve some of my physical aches and pains.
How did you come up with the idea for Enlighten Up?
Director Kate Churchill with Gurusharanananda at his ashram in Northern India.
The initial idea for this film came from Tom and Jeanne Hagerty, the Executive Producers, who had gone on their honeymoon to Hawaii and met Norman Allen, an unusual yogi who lives in a remote part of the island.
The following year, they approached me about making a film. At that point, we were all practicing at the same yoga studio, and I don’t think we had any idea what we were endeavoring to do.
What drew you to casting Nick Rosen as the yoga guinea pig? Was there anyone else that came close?
We considered a number of different people. Ultimately we chose Nick for a number of reasons. I liked that he was a journalist, he was good at researching and asking important questions and he was skeptical about yoga.
In the film, you come across a bit like a task-master, keeping Nick to his yoga goals. Did you anticipate that you would need to play this role?
I had never planned to be in this movie. When we set out, I had no idea the conflict between my expectations and Nick’s identity would become such an issue. Ultimately, in the edit room, we realized that conflict was the driving engine of our film.
What was one of the biggest challenges making this film?
The biggest challenge for me was accepting to include the conflict between Nick and me as a vital part of the story. Putting myself in the film, and examining how my actions affected Nick was a very humbling experience.
Throughout the course of the film, Nick learns how yoga intersects with ideas of God and happiness. What did you personally take away from these experiences?
I learned that there are many different ways to find happiness and many different ways to develop a spiritual path. What matters the most is what works for you.
How did your own perception of yoga change throughout the course of the film?
Nick Rosen’s perspective is turned upside down in Pune, India.
I started out thinking we would find one yoga practice and teacher that would answers all of our questions. I ended up realizing that there is no one teacher or practice that will give me everything I need.
Were there any favourite scenes that had to be cut?
We shot more than 500 hours of material, so there were many interviews and scenes that had to be cut. One scene I really liked that we had to cut was when Nick went to visit Russell Simmons, a dedicated yogi and prominent leader in the hip hop world.
What was the most important insight you learned about yourself?
I learned that my expectations can sabotage my journey, and I can find what I need right in front of me if I am aware.
Enlighten Up premieres April 1, 2009 in New York City. Check out the official website for more upcoming showtimes.
Sure, yoga should be accessible to everyone, but are new forms of yoga more about the cha-ching than deepening awareness?
Photo: Daniel Sandoval
When I first began practicing yoga about seven years ago, I chose to learn the Iyengar form over Ashtanga or Bikram, the two other main types of yoga classes offered at the time.
Now, it seems I can’t look left or right without seeing a new “form” of yoga, most of which are trademarked before they even make it out the door and into a gym near you.
The newest crazes include Acroyoga , for those who feel like using a partner to stretch beyond their normal limits, and AntiGravity Yoga, or its sister (i.e. differently trademarked) Aerial Yoga, acrobatic forms of this ancient practice.
Then there is rope yoga, which uses a contraption that looks a bit like a Pilates rebounder, and the similarly-named but completely different approach of flat rope yoga, which has a person literally sitting on tight rope and holding a pose.
There are those out there, such as Shirley Archer, IDEA mind/body exercise spokesperson, who believe these different forms are simply expanding yoga to a wider audience:
I think yoga can reach people at many levels of interest and need. Some people seek yoga practice for the mental benefits, to clear their mind and achieve deeper levels of relaxation. Others practice it to enhance their own mind-body connection. Some simply enjoy the physical conditioning benefits in a more gentle environment.
But is this spiritually-based form of movement, practiced for free for literally thousands of years by millions of people, in danger of becoming just another capitalist exploit?
Take a look at Bikram’s lawsuit-happy approach to yoga. After obtaining a copywright in 2002 for his series of 26 postures taught in a 105 degree room, he began filing suits.
Any yoga instructor that has not completed his $6,600 teacher-training program who proceeds to teach this “hot” form of yoga is at risk of being slapped upside the head with some serious legal fees.
Other forms are not only costly, but can be life-threatening, as a lawsuit against Dahn yoga enterprises shows. The family of a woman who died of heat stroke and dehydration during a Master training hike filed a wrongful death suit against the group that some have alleged is cultish and money-hungry.
What do you think about the ever-expanding choices around yoga? Share your thoughts below.
From the living room carpet, to exotic adventures around the world, these cartoons showed us how to imagine.
We travelers all tend to look inwardly at times, searching for the source of our desire to travel.
Whether we’re exploring Buddhist meditation or just walking along the street to work in a different country, each of us may arrive at unique conclusions. Were we always this way? Probably not, but it’s hard to imagine at what point in our lives we finally decided to run with our dreams.
Maybe you were exposed to more culture at university than that which existed at home. Maybe you set out to spite the author of your less-than-appealing high school prophecy.
Maybe the actual source of your wanderlust started back at a time when you cared for nothing but sugar and Saturday morning cartoons.
What animated classics most influenced us twenty-somethings in our passion for travel?
1. Ducktales
It’s always one travel adventure to the next with each passing episode of Ducktales.
Join Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad McQuack, and the nephews as they travel to Scotland and match wits with everything from an ancient Druidic cult, to the heart of the Yukon to pan for gold, and to ancient temples to discover buried treasure and hidden tombs.
Ducktales taught us to reach out into the world, while never losing sight of that enormous Moneybin waiting back home.
2. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
The franchise that spawned a cartoon, a successful line of computer games, a board game, and even a game show.
Somewhere in the world, that’s for sure, and only through a series of geography and history questions will you find your way to the next clue, and that much closer to catching the elusive woman.
3. Talespin
Talespin is the ideal cartoon for those with their minds on Alaskan bush pilots or island-hopping the Polynesian chains.
Although there are a few episodes completely land-locked, the bulk of the series is all about flying from island to island in search of adventure with Baloo and Kit Cloudkicker in the SeaDuck.
Dodging the dangerous Air Pirates, stopping for a well-deserved drink on Louie’s Island, and flying “free as a bird… the skies are yours!”
And from later years…
4. Pokemon
Despite the marketing intent backing the Pokemon cartoon, kids still have the chance to pick up on some valuable tips, not one of which is “gotta catch ‘em all”.
Ash Ketchum does in fact teach us the appeal of traveling by foot for the majority of the journey. When he and his team arrive in a new town, they immediately turn to the nearest “Pokemon Center” for local information, food, and company – I suppose the equivalent would be youth hostels.
And every week it’s an adventure to a different town and a new world of possibilities.
5. Dora the Explorer
Many of my generation were in our teens by the time this show premiered, but I applaud Nickelodeon for trying to instill the virtues of travel at a young age.
Each episode features Dora and Boots – her monkey and best friend – venture to three or four new places, meeting friends and speaking foreign languages (depends on the country of broadcast).
Although the show is intended for a very juvenile audience and thus a little repetitive, Dora teaches children the value in being bilingual, to always have a map handy (in her case, a talking map), and to pack for any eventuality (Several ladders, Dora? Really?)
What cartoons influened your wanderlust growing up? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Robin Esrock aka The Gonzo Traveler knows you’ve heard of medical tourism, faith tourism and voluntourism. Yet he still manages to reveal 8 Tour-isms You’ve Never Heard Of.
For many around the world, the “American Dream” used to mean that no matter where you came from, with enough grit and determination, you could make something of yourself. So how did it go so wrong? Read Vanity’s Fair’s epic article “Rethinking The American Dream.”
Are you drawn to travel with a craving you can’t ignore? Fresh New Life explains Why Travel Is So Addictive.
Finally, Lara Dunston explores the beta of Offbeat Travel Guides, and finds herself pessimistcally pondering the future of travel guides. Read parts one, two, and three.
My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a ‘lone traveler’ and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude…
On the pursuit of happiness:
I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves — this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth.
Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts — possessions, outward success, luxury — have always seemed to me contemptible.
On the marvel of life:
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.
And finally, on how to be a good person:
It is the duty of every man of good will to strive steadfastly in his own little world to make this teaching of pure humanity a living force, so far as he can. If he makes an honest attempt in this direction without being crushed and trampled under foot by his contemporaries, he may consider himself and the community to which he belongs lucky.
What does it take to make you stop, feel, listen? What brings you bliss?
This video is an example of how powerful it can be to simply slow down and feel the moment. After watching, it’ll be hard not to see that beauty that surrounds us, and the realization that we can find calm in many different places.
