Paris 2015 Alternative Choices in Holiday Shopping
Home is where the heart and hands are fulfilled; welcome!
“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as [for] the body.”
~ Benjamin Franklin, 1706 – 1790
This alternative choice in holiday shopping in Paris is intended to offer another creative and communal difference as contrasted with the cookie-cutter, frenzied commercialism fundamental to the global, corporate, holiday shopping experience. It is not Panglossian. The model is similar to that used by church and school communities, granges of old, small villages or neighbourhoods in large cities. It is community. This idea in my community this year is the outgrowth of experiences, and is an offer coordinated by a generous, thoughtful, courageous activist and community leader. She profoundly believes in the collective’s ability to shape the world in which we live. She is a model for choosing and supporting experiences in which wellness-oriented awareness abounds. She believes in a world that supports independent professionals who offer services and products with a dedication to caring for others and for our planet.
In my neighbourhood and city, currently we are involved in an ‘experiment in community’ that is an ongoing experience of community evolution (hmmm, … metaphor)? It is with and through this global citizen’s enthusiasm and activism, that during nearly one year of experiences many therapists in personal development of various sorts, as well as naturopaths, osteopaths, chiropractors, artists, photographers, and creators, largely unknown to one another, gathered, contributed and grew. This experiment intentionally leaves the space flexible to make choices, shift activities, and to allow breadth of activities for fun and growth along the journey. This format, champions choice as a principal, and structured objectives, goals or outcomes, remain continuously adjustable throughout clarity that arrives through experience, and by employing authentic communication to develop ongoing changes.
This community experiment relies on the human heart, the camaraderie in beliefs and values, and the generosity of each participant to share openly and authentically of oneself. This experiment, in my experiences, is a successful example of organic, asset-based community development. Yet, the heart strings are especially tugged after being a target of attempts to destroy community. To recognize that now, more than ever, the community will serve to ever expand and to hold global consciousness in thinking, speaking, feeling and acting with greater clarity to support life in general with an intimate connection to the community of humanity on our shared home; our planet.
The Dali Lama reminds us that,
“Of course the mind can rationalize fighting back … but the heart, the heart would never understand. Then you would be divided in yourself, the heart and the mind, and the war would be inside you.”
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Power strips, beauty strips and spirulina nutritional strips.
In this photo story, this particular holiday shopping alternative supports talented teachers and artists: one can find products and gifts and gift certificates for cuisine, singing and performance, yoga and tarot among other health and well-being, education and practice opportunities.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Cuisine to live a fully energised life and experience the most out of your natural life-given energies.
“Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait. The grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas”
~ Henry Ford, 1863 – 1947
This alternative shopping choice consciously supports independent talents and materials that serve a healthy sustainable planet by carefully selecting services and products that contain natural and known ingredients and production processes that are in accord with equitable and fair trade products and services.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Well-being products balance energies in the form of power strips, beauty strips and spirulina nutritional strips. The design of this bird and following examples are designed and created by a young, 82 year French artist.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Skin and body care products are offered by independent professionals in relational marketing and services.
This Paris holiday shopping alternative presents members and any other interested participators with opportunities to support this alternative approach, and moreover to experiment with a bit of him or herself. They consciously trying the alternative approach to thinking on ‘auto-pilot’ and note what it feels like for a change to stop engaging in the predominant socially structured shopping model in which the large, corporate structures may or may not be less interested in any individuals affected in the chain of production and services. It most often takes a bit of commitment to think, feel, speak and act in alternative opportunities, and this conscious commitment may even awaken some sense of joy or feeling of ease or wellness in terms of value in actions which contributes to the shifting values that rapidly are spreading across the globe, in messages of love from all ages, ethnicities and nations on the planet.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
This artist’s collage holiday products make a personal and unique contribution to a friend or loved one.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Soft, natural and beautiful alpaca yarns to stay warm during the cold days and nights of the winter season.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Gift certificates for Yoga, tarot cards and readings, and natural essences of plant products to relax.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Decorative and playful pins can make a furry friend for a child’s special winter coat!
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”
~ Dr. Seuss
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Decorative headwear brightens a grey day.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Bird collages accompany any decor, and books and disks inform, guide and entertain.
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Love this bird!
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Paris 2015 Alternative Choice in Holiday Shopping
Unique and unrepeatable designs – one of a kind – made with great attention to detail and impeccable care.
En (in) joy, BEING open to giving a little more attention to your choices this holiday season: this alone is a contribution to expanding humanity. Master coach Tony Robbins opines that all humans in some way are determined to fill their basic needs as follows. Give a moment to think about yours. Choice is the fire and fuel for life. Happy holidays.
The Six Human Needs
1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
2. Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed
4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding
6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”
~ Robert Kennedy, 1925 – 1968
Page Links:
https://training.tonyrobbins.com/
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