In the midst of a dire economic crisis, the citizens of Venezuela are enduring rampant shortages of food and basic goods. Because Venezuela imports a majority of these staple goods from other countries, hyperinflation has set in as its currency, the bolivar, has collapsed. Prices have risen so much that paying in physical currency has become arduous. At best, citizens face long waits and empty shelves at the supermarket. At worst, looting and theft rule the day.
The worst aspect of the crisis is that the Venezuelan government has refused to accept humanitarian aid, leaving citizens isolated and unable to access much needed assistance. In this episode, Jenny and Mike interview Belsay Gonzalez, a Venezuelan native and Florida-based activist that has raised over $7,000 for the crisis through gofundme.com. Hear what motivated Belsay to get active and how she circumvented government controls to provide relief to family and friends in the region.
Mike and Jenny intro the episode with a discussion of community-based giving and some food for thought about how you approach your charitable donations. If you would like to donate to help send food to Venezuela, you can access Belsay’s gofundme.com campaign here - https://www.gofundme.com/FoodtoVenezuela.
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Namaste,
Mike & Jenny
Ashton Szabo is a yoga teacher, educator, story teller, martial artist, and full blown anatomy geek. He currently hosts The Sivana Podcast: Eastern Spirituality, Yoga Philosophy, and Conscious Living.
Ashton has been studying and practicing yoga for more than twenty years, having first been introduced to the practice when he was twelve years old by his Japanese Ju Jitsu Sensei, Steve Copping. His martial arts training began even earlier, at the ripe young age of five. Ashton's natural curiosity and drive for understanding has lead him to various spiritual art forms from traditions all over the world.
Near the end of 2005, Ashton gave away most of his belongings, packed the rest into storage, and bought a one way ticket to Asia. He spent the next six and a half years based on a small island in Thailand, but traveled all over the world. He spent extensive time in India and Peru, but also journeyed to countries like Nepal, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Bolivia, as well as traveling all over the US and Canada. He studied with yogis, shamans, scholars, doctors, saints and sages.
In 2011, he met his partner, Kristi, and they fell instantly in love. They had a child (their daughter, Sequoia) not too long after and decided to move back to the United States, where they now live in California. Ashton teaches a wide range of styles of yoga from asana based yoga like hatha, vinyasa, chakra and yin yoga, in addition to kundalini yoga, pranayama, meditation, yogic and tantric philosophy (jnana yoga) and more.
When not teaching yoga, you’re likely to find Ashton with his daughter, in the water surfing, on the practice mat or with a book in hand. He lives and breathes his practices and is committed to a life of service and sharing the gifts of yoga.
Asthon's website - http://yogawithashton.com/about/about-ashton/