I’m privileged to co-host a conversation with writing client Satyama Ratna Lasby launching her book, freshly published on the Amazon platform. Below is the invite.
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Join us for a celebration of LOVE this Wednesday, May 26th from 3-7pm at Buddha Cafe for the book launch of Satyama’s new release:
“The Tao of Tantric Yoga”
We are happy to invite the community of Koh Phangan to drop in with great consciousness for on-the-spot tantric exercises to go with the theme of the book and for a visit.
You are also invited for
snacks,
a raffle
a reading by the author, some background of the process on KPG.
a special invitation to a Tantric Yoga masterclass with Satyama will be given to those attending the book launch, so you can experience this style of yoga, her teachings, and get a glimpse into some of the topics she introduces in the book.
to purchase the book in paperback form signed for 500THB
CNN’s Bangkok-based Hunter Forgan did a thoughtful long-form piece on the economic and social prospects for my home island of Koh Phangan, Thailand this week. He and photographer Aidan Dockery stopped by my house for an extended afternoon feed. My dear Supansa Boonmatum whipped up a feast, which Hunter said was the best Thai meal he had had for weeks. Of course it was.
Here is an excerpt, with my short quote.
“There’s Far More to Koh Phangan than the party”
While a “same, same, but just slightly different” attitude appears to prevail (for now at least) in Haad Rin, Koh Phangan as a whole has witnessed a more nuanced evolution in recent times.
The party has, in the past, tended to define the entire island, with many regarding it as a feral wild child, especially in comparison with more polished Thai tourist destinations like Phuket or Koh Samui.
A blissed-out counter-culture-friendly vibe remains. But the island has broadened its appeal beyond backpackers to attract high net worth holidaymakers, families, yogis attracted by a vibrant wellness community centered on the village of Sri Thanu, digital entrepreneurs and Bangkokians seeking refuge from city life.
“The image of the island presented by the Full Moon Party is potent,” admits island-based author and writing coach Brian Gruber, one of the administrators of the Koh Phangan Conscious Community Facebook page, an online hub for island-relevant events, information and discussion with over 50,000 active members.
“But I think that the message that there’s far more to Koh Phangan than the party has been filtering through for a while.”
The economic pain caused by the pandemic has, of course, been acute for many people. But in some ways, Koh Phangan appears to be not just surviving but thriving.
Hunter promises to pick up my bar tab next time I am in Bangkok.
I launched Koh Phangan’s public forum Phangan Forum in February after getting 500 responses to a post. On Earth Day, 22 April, 2021, we will hold our first program, a 3-hour event at Jaran’s.
We will use the TED format, all talks under 18 minutes, focused on one brilliant idea, artfully presented. A license application to TED for a TEDxKoh Phangan event in July is pending.
The theme of the event is focused on Koh Phangan’s ecological future:
How do we help keep our gorgeous island protected, pristine, and unpolluted? What are the rich eco-initiatives deserving attention and support? How do we live a life contributing to rather than despoiling Phangan’s natural beauty? Who are the eco-heroes doing the work, and how might we participate?
For more on Phangan Forum, go to our Facebook page,
I will be moderating a panel with three Myanmar political activists at Karma Kafe in Srithanu, Koh Phangan Saturday night, March 6, at 8pm. I will share my experiences holding a “writeshop” with a social justice project in Yangon, and leading a tour of NGO initiatives in country with senior EU reporters (including forums on journalism and the rule of law), in conjunction with the European Journalism Centre.
We will also host a presentation by the Amnesty International campaign leader for Myanmar.
The event is being put on by the restaurant’s proprietor, Brogan Dinsdale, and Roxy Nagarwalla.
Please join us! The event will conclude with specific ways to support the Myanmar community on the island and their efforts to restore democracy back home.
I have been privileged to work with Aaron Wexler on his new book, a fascinating guide for young athletes seeking inspiration and a balanced life. While coaching Aaron, he started a podcast which has had marvelous success. Check it out. And thanks Aaron for the shoutout. The complete interview can be found on Shout Out LA. Here are excerpts.
Within The Game Podcast is all about learning about what tools others use to stay inspired, and how you can best relate the information back to your own life. For me, the work has been 2 fold: researching and learning about my guests to be best prepared for our episodes, as well as implementing what I learn from each guest into my own life. During this process, I have found that I am becoming more inspired in my own life, more creative, more focused, and I flat out am having more fun with my journey as a writer and business owner. Looking back on my journey, I am most proud of the relationships I have created and grown. I love connecting with other people, especially those who’s stories’ really inspire me. I am proud of knowing that I am making a positive impact on my community with the content I am putting out by sharing their stories. I am also proud of the questions my writing coach Brian Gruber and I came up with because they are truly unique & eccentric, especially for athletes, coaches, and entrepreneurs!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to my writing coach, Brian Gruber (grubermedia.com)! I met Brian in Thailand at a yoga ashram, and after taking a creative writing workshop led by him, I signed up for his coaching services. Brian has been with me every step of the way in the writing process of my forthcoming book, as well as in the creation and structure of my podcast. I can’t thank him enough and highly recommend him for anyone looking for help with their own book or idea for a book! I would also like to give a shoutout to my team of editors Olley Thorpe & Garette Shaun of DAF Global (dafglobal.co.uk). Olley has been instrumental in helping me setup a vision for my podcast and coaching me through the nuts and bolts of its operations, and Garette is an absolute pro when it comes to editing.
I had the pleasure to coach Wendy May through her process of writing and publishing her book Regenerative Purpose. She also conducted a highly successful Kickstarter campaign to support key aspects of her product launch. I was privileged to write the book’s Foreword.
Wendy recently announced the launch of her audio book. You can purchase the audiobook – and all other versions – here.
She is also leading a workshop that may interest you. This from an email she sent out today:
2020 has certainly tested us… with physical, emotional, financial and egoic death. We’ve had to meet our limits and transcend them. We have been permanently changed.
Are you clear now on what’s next? How do you want to shape 2021?
For me, so many questions have arisen about…
MY PLACE IN THE WORLD What is the nature of life and death? What makes a human life worth living? How do I speak my truth when the word “truth” itself triggers confusion?
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF How do I measure my value in the world when I’m not actively working? What does it feel to take up space when I’m not confident in my direction?
MY LIFE LESSONS TO LEARN Can I love and give fully and fearlessly, without knowing who will receive it? Can I boldly walk to the edge of my discomfort and expand from there?
AND, HOW TO KEEP GOING Can I step forward into what’s next without being able to see the whole path? What is it to be a leader in the new planetary paradigm? Am I ready for that?
SO MANY QUESTIONS
Maybe you have been considering some of the same questions.
I don’t know any of the answers.
But I do know that when we come together to ask these kinds of questions, magic always happens. I’m inviting a small group of devoted souls to join me in kicking off 2021 with Regenerative Purpose Co-Lab.
Announcing… REGENERATIVE PURPOSE CO-LAB
It’s an 11-week journey to support the living integration of Regenerative Purpose.
It’s not coaching. It’s not an online course. It is a group r/evolution co-creation lab.
It’s limited to 6 people, to make sure there’s spaciousness for sharing and reflections.
The purpose of the Co-Lab experience is to come together in community and find clarity, while releasing the need for control. We are pointing each other towards that sweet spot of creative contribution that is active (not pushy) and receptive (not passive).
This work helps us get clear on what we want in life, how we want to live and serve, and what choices we’re willing to make to realize that reality. Yet we can relax the normal management and control functions that create stress around striving. We learn the art of reading and responding to life, so we can shape our path with ease.
For experienced coaches and facilitators, there is also the possibility to get trained and licensed to lead Regenerative Purpose Co-Lab circles yourself.
Before embarking on the Surmountable book project, I interviewed 25 community leaders, business owners, long-time residents, characters, and storytellers, both Thai and expat. With Surmountable about to launch, I have resumed the Koh Phangan interviews.
The short-term intention is to get an oral history ebook up by mid-year 2021. And, then, a longer-form work for print and ebook by year-end. These things take the time they need to take, so those are tentative, though achievable timeframes.
My first visit to the island was 10 years ago. I moved here full-time five years back. I hope to relate the magic dimensions of Phangan life. There are many stories to tell.
We are all storytellers. Imagining the world, then sharing our tales through the written and spoken word is our genetic heritage. Come join Writers of Koh Phangan each Tuesday night at Orion’s waterfront Beach Shala for an evening of communing, writing, and sharing. Every level of writing experience welcome, including non-native English speakers. We learn, we swap ideas, and we have a ball writing and sharing on a theme, from a prompt. Bring something to write on, then shuffle in to the shala next to the restaurant, grab a mat and a bolster or two, and leave with a new story.
Brian Gruber is an author, writing coach, and marketing consultant living on the Thai island of Koh Phangan. He has spent 40 years studying, leading, and founding new media companies and projects.
snacks,
