author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
testing
Edward Vilga
yoga instructor. canine comrade. moviemaker.
Edward Vilga is an internationally known yoga instructor and author who has had six books published (many of which involve yoga) and written and directed two feature films. [www.EdwardVilga.com]
There was a lot of both the magic and the tragic in my childhood. Early on, I began to try to understand religion and philosophy. I remember reading yoga books when I was a young teenager, as a way of trying to figure out my life and be happier. That’s where things began for me.
Since then, I’ve continued to dig deeply. People often don’t want you to test and fine-tune things when it comes to belief systems and religions, but that’s what I love to do. It’s interesting to explore and play around with things like the Law of Attraction – to not be afraid of testing. I try to gain a better understanding of life on a spiritual level, in a way that really makes sense to me, even when that takes a turn toward the unusual.
One of my greatest teachers has been Belle, who’s a dog. I’d been teaching yoga in New York for several years at a place where I had to give a short talk that tied in with a spiritual theme at the start of class. Because I’d gotten endless inspiration from Belle, more and more of my talks involved her. At first, I was nervous that people would think of me as that crazy guy with the dog, but people actually found the talks and conversations about Belle appealing and helpful.
There’s something universal about Belle’s appeal. She’s amazing at so many of the spiritual concepts I strive for in my practice, like letting go, being in the present moment, and loving unconditionally. In some ways, she’s become my teacher of all the philosophical and spiritual truths I’ve wanted to increase in my own life.
Our incredible partnership evolved into Belle becoming my example of how to be happy, enlightened, and living in the moment. Because she’s so temperamentally suited to simply being and to loving people, I’ve had her certified as a service dog by the Humane Society. There’s real power in her presence, which reminds me that who I am and the energy I’m giving out is much more important than anything I can say.
Belle’s complete authenticity and honesty are so reassuring. She does more by being herself and being loving than a million words could do. She has an intrinsic sense of her own worthiness, which we humans sometimes don’t – we’re brainwashed to believe that we have to prove our worthiness. Belle doesn’t do that. She’s a constant, powerful reminder that we don’t have to justify our existence.
– Edward Vilga
Edward Vilga’s free eBook about Belle is available at www.UpwardDogBook.com.
Explore More Meaning
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team builder. motivator. creator.
Ruth Grodek founded Creation, a company that coaches senior management teams and individual leaders to be authentic, powerful, inspiring, and compassionate. [www.creation-uk.com]
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author. coach. creative spark plug.
Internationally renowned success coach and the best-selling author Michael Neill has spent 20 years as a coach, adviser, friend, mentor, and creative spark plug to people who want to get more out of their lives. [www.geniuscatalyst.com]
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nurse vietnam veteran. healer. conscious percussionist.
Sarah Blum is a nurse Vietnam veteran, nurse psychotherapist, life coach, energy healer, spiritual guide, author, activist, African drummer, and has a black belt in aikido. [www.sarahshealinghaven.com]
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history explorer. renaissance man. moral contributor.
Law professor, writer, film and record producer, musician, and creative risk taker, John Thomas recently penned Kalamazoo Gals which tells the hidden story of the women who built Gibson's WWII guitars. [www.kalamazoogals.com]
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curious writer. time-traveler. knowledge cultivator.
Author-historian Vicki León delights in writing about the hidden side of history in The Joy of Sexus and other books that have won rave reviews from Publishers Weekly to People. [www.vickileon.com]
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forward payer. braceletier. path changer.
Charley Johnson is the president of the Pay it Forward Foundation and founder the PIF Experience, which collects stories from all over the world of people doing good by paying it forward. [www.pifexperience.org]
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Editor-in-Chief. Power Woman. Proponent of Fun.
Cynthia Leive is the editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine. She was named the "Most Powerful U.S. Fashion Magazine Editor" by Forbes. www.glamour.com
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lifelong giver. quality thinker. balanced believer.
Michael Browne coaches, mentors, leads intercultural and people-development seminars, and blogs for the Huffington Post. He writes on culture, history and business under the nom de plum "O'Brien Browne." [www.omomnetwork.com]
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