Samsara Happy Hour

Rachel Gonzalez is the founder & owner of Body Alive Yoga and Exotic Eye Tattoo. A certified yoga teacher since 2003, she completed her first teacher training at Kalani Honua on the Big Island of Hawaii, where her teacher inspired her to use yoga as a way to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves. Rachel has always felt that people take themselves and life too seriously and continually strives to incorporate laughter and excitement in her classes, an overarching goal of both her personal life and her careers in yoga, tattoo and performance. Highlights include: ►[0:10] Introducing Rachel G, Conquistadora & Valley Isle Kombucha

►[1:59] From the Big Apple to the Big Island

►[5:04] Rachel's Yoga Teacher Training and Root Teachers

►[7:55] The Beauty of Body Alive Yoga

►[10:29] The Evolution of Exotic Eye Tattoo

►[12:24] Rachel's unique perspective & program: "Yoga for Tattoo Artists"

►[17:29] Find Your Paradise Right in Front of You (wherever you are)

►[21:26] Blessings in Disguise (how Rachel reacted to her house burning down)

►[23:21] Vipassana Ventures (how Rachel reacted to a potentially deadly spider bite)

►[25:58] Not Too Loose, Not Too Tight (body as mirror, yoga as balancing act)

►[28:04] Valley Isle Kombucha Review

►[30:47] Digs and Diets (conscious living)

►[33:33] Power of Now, Under the Bridge (synchronicity at its best)

►[36:22] Collective Consciousness (festivals, fire dancing, fusion)

►[40:05] Do What Gives You the Goosebumps!

For more info on Body Alive Yoga, Exotic Eye Tattoo and Valley Isle Kombucha, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Marcus Fung is a student of Life and a lover of the great Mystery. An early childhood music and movement educator, Marcus has also completed MacEwan University's diploma programs in Jazz Performance and Composition. Marcus is a trained and seasoned drum circle facilitator and has presented in classrooms, communities, churches, camps, conferences, colleges, group homes, offices, yoga studios, festivals and fundraisers across Alberta. Additional interests of his include laughter yoga, non-violent communication, storytelling, sound healing, clowning and permaculture. Poised with this unique background and skill set, Marcus continues to be a sincere seeker as an explorer of plant medicines and as an apprenticing shaman in Peru and beyond. Highlights include: ►[1:40] Why Marcus defines himself as a "sincere seeker"

►[4:42] Why not taking yourself seriously should be taken seriously

►[6:46] How a rave introduced Marcus to the spiritual technology of drumming

►[12:12] Substances & raves, BPM & heart rate, Nirvana's use of consonance & dissonance, music as caffeine & aphrodisiac

►[17:45] What does spiritual mastery look like?

►[21:48] Ayinger Celebrator & Runa drink reviews

►[28:04] Overviews of ayahuasca and Marcus's 68 days in Peru

►[34:25] How Marcus experiences "Mother Ayahuasca"

►[37:48] The role of the shaman

►[47:56] The role of the purge ("pukeformances")

►[50:33] From energy battles, power struggles & manipulation to "a no bullshit path" filled with self-honesty & harmlessness

►[55:00] Marcus reviews drinking his urine while on retreat in Peru

►[01:00:04] How to contact Marcus. For more information on Marcus Fung, Ayinger Celebrator, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Born and raised in San Diego, Garrett Marrero completed a BA degree in Economics in 2000 at UC Davis in northern California. By 2005, after falling in love with Maui, Garrett started Maui Brewing Co. with the motivation of providing world class beer that is—as much as possible—locally sourced, community driven and sustainably produced. Less than 10 years later, thanks to Garrett's ethics and enthusiasm, Maui Brewing has achieved the status of Hawaii's largest craft brewery and has lived up to its tagline of offering "Handcrafted Ales and Lagers Brewed with Aloha."

Highlights include:

►[1:11] Video footage and intro of new Kihei brewery and brewpub

►[2:52] Canned flagship beer and limited releases (Lahaina Town Brown and Lorenzini Double IPA)

►[4:35] Shipping to Canada and general distribution info

►[6:00] Why Maui is so magical and how Maui Brewing captures that magic

►[8:45] Eco-friendly six-pack holders and adding to the local economy

►[11:38] Who holds the title of Hawaii's largest craft brewery?

►[13:30] What makes Maui Brewing's suds so sustainable?

►[16:10] Importance of the ribbon cutting and blessing of the new brewery

►[17:58] One of the reasons why Garrett moved to Maui

►[18:47] Why Maui Brewing uses cans instead of bottles

►[21:34] Local ingredients, craft beverages, dietary options and staff fun factor

►[26:01] Who holds the title of craft beer capital—San Diego or Portland?

►[27:20] Why Garrett started Maui Brewing and where you can find it online

►[28:12] Why Jason drinks Maui Brewing, what makes Kihei Kölsch so great and how Maui Brewing offers 60 more styles locally throughout the year! For more information on Garrett Marrero and Maui Brewing Co., or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Pat Hart is a doctoral student in the Religious Studies program at the University of Alberta and an associate at the law firm of Jackie Handerek & Forester in Leduc. He previously received a B.A. (Philosophy) and M.A. (Religious Studies) from the University of Alberta and obtained a J.D. from Queen's University. Pat has a general interest in the development of various forms of early Christianity (or early Christianities) and his doctoral research is focussed on the formation of an 'orthodox' apostle Paul over the second and third centuries C.E. Despite his interest in these peculiar and obscure subjects, he has never had a desire to become a priest.

Highlights include:

►[1:02] Pat's sour beer face proves that we're indeed drinking beer

►[2:53] How Willie Brown's "Introduction to the New Testament" rocked Pat's worldview

►[5:03] What the hell was Jesus trying to say?

►[6:55] "Question everything" including the authors of quotes & authority in general

►[10:33] Nietzsche, Heidegger, Heidecker, Wareheim

►[14:00] Rodenbach Beer Review

►[17:22] Why Pat doesn't drink alcohol

►[18:25] Cults, religions and the "spiritual but not religious" saying

►[21:24] Does Pat identify as an atheist, agnostic or anything at all?

►[24:56] What can we really know?

►[30:14] Pat asks Jason about his core beliefs

►[32:54] The ancient Greek concepts of forgetting & unforgetting

►[34:35] How Pat uses philosophy in his law practice

►[37:29] Closing gong show. For more information on Pat Hart and Rodenbach, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

In 2010 Chelsea brought her keen intellect and organizing prowess to Alberta where she has since overseen environmental justice initiatives both as a volunteer activist and a paid professional. From championing renewable energy solutions and the rights of indigenous peoples to tackling water quality issues and tar sands emissions, Chelsea is doing all that she can to keep us on our toes and all the while with a loving spirit.

Highlights include:

►[1:11] Using different names for different purposes

►[4:03] Is humanity going to survive? What's it going to take?

►[6:35] If we drop fossil fuels, can current renewable energies satisfy our demands?

►[9:05] How an understanding of our precolonial histories can help us shape our futures

►[12:37] How we can help David Suzuki appear more normal

►[15:47] Jason's morning hops cravings and Chelsea's enjoyment of drinking stinky sandwiches

►[17:22] Chelsea sings her latest song and explains its therapeutic power

►[19:37] Disrupting parliament in 2009 and following up with a meaningful tattoo

►[22:29] Knowing that you don't know, analyzing inner voices and enjoying the mystery of being

►[26:54] When economies collapse, our religious tolerances may crumble alongside

►[28:29] Finding balance through good food, yoga, nature, making space and changing up activities

►[30:43] How her queer yoga class is a safe haven from heterosexual harassment & fashion showiness

►[33:25] How history is mostly written by able-bodied, heterosexual, propertied white males

►[35:21] Community building as a church and how it's healthy for body, mind and spirit

►[36:08] A hilarious example of how the politics of needs interpretation can go wrong For more info on Chelsea Taylor Flook and Lagunitas Maximus, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Alain Beauclair is a full-time faculty member in the Humanities Department at MacEwan University. Alain received his M.A. at the University of Toronto and his PhD from the University of Oregon. Alain specializes in ethics, and has published articles in the areas of phenomenology, ancient philosophy, American philosophy, philosophy and film, and philosophy and education. Topics include It's Educational; Phavourite Philosophers; "What Am I Supposed To Do About It?"; Self-Development and Service; The Project of Self-Fashioning; Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Beer review; Alcohol Yoga; Alain's Wedding Speech; and How Alain Won His Wife's Love. For more information on Alain Beauclair and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Nand Narine Ph.D., RYT 500, is a university lecturer, author and yoga teacher based in Edmonton. He teaches yoga philosophy and Sanskrit at international seminars, workshops and yoga teacher training programs. Topics include Being and Becoming; Sharing the Mystery; Trusting the Process; "Get the Hell Out of the Room"; The Yoga Sandwich; Alley Kat Amber Beer review; Alcohol and Creativity; Yoga Therapy; Sex and Spirituality; Energy Blockages; and Bookends. For more information on Nand Narine and Alley Kat Amber, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.

Christopher Peel's spiritual path includes Buddhism and Burning Man, Cameras and Community, Yoga and You. Since 2009, through his initiative called Edmonton Vipassana, Christopher has organized annual meditation retreats with visiting teachers from northern California's Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Topics include the meaning of spirituality; sleep and waking up; dreams and astral travel; meditation and present moment awareness; nondualism; thoughts and beliefs; Lucky Buddha review; evolution and reincarnation; spiritual relationships; spirituality at work and play; and compassion. For more information on Christopher Peel and Lucky Buddha beer, or to watch this episode, please visit www.samsarahappyhour.com.