ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! bliss....

Got Stress? Got Pain? Try acupuncture....
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Heal This Planet Please!

Ah... the lore of the Sunday paper. I have not really read any of the bad news in it for the past two weeks. Last week i read the sales, comics and the art section. Could not bear to read the front page. But there it was this morning...in bed ... with my coffee that i peaked and then peaked somemore. Bad idea. All bad, sad news. Nothing is changed. In fact i am sure things have gotten worse. Is that possible? HOW is that possible?

So we are cancelling the Sunday paper. Ignorance is bliss. I have been a happier person since i have let go of being addicted to the news. My worrying about the stupidity of our world leaders does not help anyone. On some level i am sure it makes it worse. Maybe if we all ignore them they will go away. Instead of Impeach Bush bumper stickers we could have Ignore Bush.

There is one reality that none of us can ignore. This planet needs healing. Maybe i will add a Visualize World Healing design soon! Meanwhile here is one that is appropriate.

Healing the Planet design

Artists for Peace

It has been almost 2 weeks since I have watched or read news. So nice not to be bombarded with images of things blowing up and flames raging in the background of Wolf Blitzer's head.

However today while at the laundra-mat, MSNBC was blaring in the background. Wow... the Middle East is fighting again... shocker.... and Tucker Carlson screaming from somewhere over there was not even wearing his bow-tie.... so it must be war! Ok...I do admit i peaked... however I was not tempted to go home and watch more.

This past weekend I watched a very interesting dvd called THE SECRET. It had to do with the power of creating a world you choose to live in. It's message was to focus on the positive. So if you are against war then be Pro-peace. If you are focused on being against the war or poverty or crime you only give it more power. (Sort of like the War on Terror isn't really doing very well.)

You can watch the dvd on the website The Secret
Please note that the website is very slow and takes a long time to load. It is worth the wait! I am hoping soon that the library will have it.

Artists for Peace on clothing and gifts

got chi?

got chi?
If not do some Tai Chi.. Qi Gong.. Yoga... Try Acupuncture... Shiatsu... Take your vitamins...
Eat your veggies ....

got chi? on other fun gifts

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Crayola Warfare

I am still on my kick to start a revolution with crayons. Wouldn't it be nice if all we had to worry about was what color crayons were in our kid's backpacks?

Maybe Donald Rumsfeld didn't have crayolas as a kid. Could it be that giving your kid a box of crayolas now is a way to prevent him or her from starting the next world war?

Should we send a few boxes over to the UN? ....the Pentagon?...Middle East?

Crayons Not Guns design on clothing and other revolutionary gifts.

Send in the Crayons

On the way home from a most peaceful weekend in the mountains we were forced to stop on the Mass Turnpike for gas. The only option was a huge Exxon complex with a McDonalds, Ben and Jerry's and a Donut chain. To use the restrooms one is forced to walk through this mall of sugar and grease. Wouldn't you know that there were TVs posted all around simultaneously playing non other than...... FOX NEWS rambling on about the Middle East blowing up.
Could someone please send those guys some crayons and change the station?

click here to see the Crayons Not War design on clothing and gifts

The Monks and their Dogs of New Skete

A proverb in the time of Saint Bernard
Who loves me will love my dog also.--Sermo Primus.

I have just returned from a visit with the Monks of New Skete and their German Shepherds. It was such an inspiration to watch the Monks with their dogs. There is such a mutual bond of love and respect between them. The dogs are happy....very happy. The monks are down to earth men who seem to be able to balance living in this world and the spiritual side of it. It was amazing to experience it. So refreshing to see a religious group walk their talk and at the same time just be normal folks.

Their monastery is located in the mountains of NY and while there I felt as if I were in a remote European village. It was quiet, peaceful and only the sound of birds and the occasional bark. I was fortunate to be able to watch Brother Christopher train a few dogs. All i can say is....WOW! Anyone who has a dog or is thinking about getting a dog should read their books. For more info check out their website.
The Monks of New Skete
As I write this the monks are doing their nightly Vesper service. I have a feeling the dogs are too.

Latin for Dog Lovers design at the Planet Calamari Store

We miss you Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo
7-6- 1907 to 7-13-1954

"I hope the leaving is joyful and I hope never to return."

In Memory of Frida who flew away 52 years ago....
Art Never Dies.

The Blessing Moon and Festival of Tara

Happy Full Moon!

In the Buddhist tradition, this Full Moon marks the Festival of Tara, the female deity of compassion.

7/7 to 7/14: Mahayana Buddhist festival of Tara/Kuan Yin/Kannon, Supreme Goddess of Nature and Perfect Buddha of many emanations; celebrates Her enlightenment and Her vow to help all sentient beings. [Buddhists act daily on their vows to help all sentient beings.] [6th Chinese month, 12th to 19th days]

* 7/11: Day Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhists do good deeds and chant the name of Buddha God Amitabha/Omito/Amida to gain entry to His Pure Land and aid in attaining nirvana. [a/k/a Amitabha Buddha Day, 15th day, UT Full Moon day]

May the Compassion of Tara, Kuan Yin and Amitabha pour down onto this planet.

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Tazza Del Mundo!

Gli Italiani hanno vinto la tazza del mondo!
È un miracolo
Ravioli for all tonight!

Yin Yang Ba Gua

The concept of Yin and Yang and the Ba Gua according to Wikipedia:

Everything can be described as both yin and yang.

1. Yin and yang are opposites.

Everything has its opposite—although this is never absolute, only relative. No one thing is completely yin or completely yang. Each contains the seed of its opposite. For example, winter can turn into summer; "what goes up must come down".

2. Yin and yang are interdependent.

One cannot exist without the other. For example, day cannot exist without night. Light cannot exist without darkness.

3. Yin and yang can be further subdivided into yin and yang.

Any yin or yang aspect can be further subdivided into yin and yang. For example, temperature can be seen as either hot or cold. However, hot can be further divided into warm or burning; cold into cool or icy. Within each spectrum, there is a smaller spectrum; every beginning is a moment in time, and has a beginning and end, just as every hour has a beginning and end.Click here for the rest of this Wikipedia entry on Yin and Yang

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Still Celebrating Frida Kahlo's Birthday!

Frida Calamari
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Happy Birthday Frida Kahlo! Viva the Uni-brow!

Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 -July 13, 1954)

I finally got it...this is the way things are and the rest is just window dressing"
-Frida Kahlo

Frida is one of my favorite artists and such an inspiration.
Her art lives on and on.
So today in honor of Frida, go ahead... wear a uni-brow...
put on some red lipstick and have a few margaritas!

Click to see more of this Viva Frida design at the Planet Calamari store

Happy Birthday to His Holiness the Dalai Lama!

Happy Birthday to His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso

Born July 6, 1935

"All of us human beings want freedom and the right to determine our own destiny as individuals and as peoples."

- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

There's No Place Like OM

Just Say Om!

With 4th of July around the corner I thought it best not to post anything political that would only make us sad or angry. Instead here is the Word OM and Symbol for it. May this holiday be filled with the compassion and love expressed by this.

Just say Om!

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There is so much to explain concerning the word Om and the symbol that I thought it best to have this link to Wikipedia which explains it much better than I could.

Click here for the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia article

Aum (also Om, ) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism, symbolizing the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe. This syllable is sometimes called the "Udgitha" or "pranava mantra" (primordial mantra), because it is considered to be the primal sound, and because most mantras begin with it. It first came to light in the Vedic Tradition. As a seed syllable (bija), it is also considered holy in Esoteric Buddhism.

The Aum symbol is a ligature of Devanagari ओ+ँ (oṃ, encoded in Unicode at U+0950 ॐ, the Tibetan script variant ༀ at U+0F00).

The Magician

So many magicians, so little time!

Merlin, Gandalf, Obi Wan Kenobi, Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter....

The Magician represents a focused individual who uses the power of creativity, with imagination, willpower and determination. He reminds us that we already have everything we need to create the life we want for ourselves. We can accomplish anything if we keep focused on what our heart desires.

Walt Disney who believed in magic, faeries and wizards
made his staff say the following mantra every morning.
"My Imagination Creates My Reality."

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Zen and the Universe

The Universe
by Zen Abbott Sengai Gibon (1750-1838)

Circle, Triangle and Square represent the primary shapes of the universe.
This is one of my favorite designs. It is so simple and has such a calming effect.



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The Tao of Dog

The Tao of Dog

One of the most popular designs at Planet Calamari!

Still celebrating the Year of the Dog!

Click here to see this design on t-shirts and other fun gifts

To learn more about Acupuncture for Dogs visit the Four Paws Acupuncture site
FourPawsAcupuncture.com

Taoist Master of Longevity, Peaches & John Prine!

It is Peach Season!

The Taoist Master of Longevity holds a peach, a symbol for abundance and good health.

One of my favorite John Prine Songs is "Spanish Pipedream" which is about blowing up your tv and eating lots of peaches...
Don't you think that is probably is the key to longevity?

Spanish Pipedream (AKA Blow Up Your TV)
© John Prine

She was a level-headed dancer on the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
Well she pressed her chest against me
About the time the juke box broke
Yeah, she gave me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke

Chorus:
Blow up your TV throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try an find Jesus on your own

Well, I sat there at the table and I acted real naive
For I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve
Well, she danced around the bar room and she did the hoochy-coo
Yeah she sang her song all night long, tellin' me what to do

Repeat chorus:

Well, I was young and hungry and about to leave that place
When just as I was leavin', well she looked me in the face
I said "You must know the answer."
"She said, "No but I'll give it a try."
And to this very day we've been livin' our way
And here is the reason why

We blew up our TV threw away our paper
Went to the country, built us a home
Had a lot of children, fed 'em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own

If you like the John Prine lyrics I recommend that you blow up your tv and order a few cds before peach season is over.

Click here for OhBoy.com

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Happy Summer Solstice!

Happy Summer Solstice.

This is celebrated as a time of new beginnings and life-enriching endings. On this day the sun reaches it's peak of power and begins the season of shorter days that eventually bring with them autumn's chills.

Celebrate the Sun while it is here! Winter will be upon us before we know it.

Happy Summer from Planet Calamari!

Click here to see The Sun design on clothing and other summer gifts