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
connection
Margaret Burns Vap
yoga instructor. entrepreneur. latte-lovin' montana cowgirl.
Margaret Burns Vap is a yoga teacher and entrepreneur in Bozeman, Montana. She's a former city-girl fashionista transformed by yoga and motherhood into an outdoorsy Montana cowgirl who still loves a latte. [www.cowgirlyoga.com]
Connection is the craving behind all human existence. In the words of T.S. Eliot, “Hell is a place where nothing connects with nothing.” We’re healthy when we connect with others in meaningful ways and when we connect with animals, nature, and what’s going on inside ourselves.
As a yoga teacher and entrepreneur, I’ve witnessed the awakening of connection in myself and in many others. People wonder why yoga feels so good. There are many reasons, but consider that the word yoga means union.
Despite the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter, we live in a disconnected culture. In an ironic twist, technology has caused us to become disconnected from ourselves in ways that threaten our humanity. Whether we realize it or not, we crave connection on a more simple, primal level. This means enriching our lives by spending time with other people, spending time outdoors, and reveling in the basic processes of moving and breathing – as we do in a yoga practice.
The evolution of my yoga practice and teaching has led me to this one word: connection. And my thoughts about this are still evolving. After more than ten years of doing my own yoga practice and teaching hundreds of others, I’ve had many warm, fuzzy moments that have sometimes been hard to define. Yoga is so appealing because it is cumulative and because there are connections forged through yoga. Every time I’m on my mat I connect to something inside myself. Every time I teach or touch someone, we connect. It all adds up.
About five years ago, my family and I moved from a big city to Montana and I started a yoga retreat business founded on connecting yoga to the benefits of being outdoors in one of the most wildly beautiful places I’d ever seen. Bringing together yoga and the outdoors has created connection on a much deeper level for me. It’s evolved into my life’s work to share that with others.
I see disconnection as the biggest life challenge we face in our culture at this time. Whenever we get on a path of disconnection and continue down it, we move away from an understanding of what we need to create meaningful connection in our lives, and we lose things: perspective, physical and emotional health, relationships, and our potential for happiness.
Reconnecting requires effort and energy. For me, reconnection comes from yoga, horses, and being outdoors. Without those connections, I feel like my soul is starving.
– Margaret Burns Vap
Explore More Meaning
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Artist. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ambassador.
Mileece I'anson is a multi-disciplined sonic artist and hydrogen fuel cell ambassador. She designs installations that enable human interaction with plants and other elements and organisms in our galaxy. [www.soniferousearth.com]
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spiritual connector. yogi philanthropist. magic carpet rider.
Brian Hyman teaches donation-based yoga classes at Strand Street Yoga in Santa Monica, and 12-Step Yoga at various Los Angeles facilities. He's writing a book about his path to wellness. [www.brianhymanyoga.com]
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miboso guru. life lover. light shiner.
Sabrina Bolin founded MyMiBoSo (My MInd, BOdy, and SOul), a coaching and healing practice where she compassionately guides others to create joy through the mind, body, and soul. [www.MyMiBoSo.com]
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manager. student. joy infuser.
As a business manager, Nicholas Brown frees artists from the daily responsibility of handling their money, demonstrating trust, integrity, and service as the platform of his business foundation. [www.gsogroup.com]
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shadow reader. broken heart hugger. whole self lover.
Amanda Enclade is an unschooler, DIY educator, progressive parent, far-out thinker, non-conformist, foodie, lover, inventor, aromatherapist magic mixer, and healer of everyday things. [www.auntvis.com]
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omnibuilder. nomad. inspirationalist.
Bassam Tarazi is the Director of Operations of Omnibuild and a co-founder of Nomading Film Festival. He has recently launched Colipera, which focuses on collective inspiration and personal accountability. [www.colipera.com]
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yogi. truth pursuer. no bs'er.
Claudia Azula Altucher is an ardent student and teacher of yoga, meditation, and philosophy. She has travelled the world in search of truth only to realize that it can only be found within. [www.claudiayoga.com]
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constant learner. memory catcher. inspirational artist.
Jenni Young is an award-winning film producer, professional photographer, and life coach who lives her dream daily, serving people around the world seeking health and inspiration. [www.simplereminders.com]
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