I am incredibly lucky to have some very strong, creative, forward thinking, beautiful, innovative, independent, inspiring women in my life. I decided that I wanted to help raise the Universal awareness of their awesomeness. They’re ruling their Universe one day at a time, they’re being them and they’re making a positive contribution to their communities, the world and others lives. Let me introduce the first rockin’ lady: Miss Heidi Minx!
You see so much bad stuff in the world, or so many stupid things in the press; banal things that don’t make a difference in the world except to fuel a gossip fire. I have had so many people reach out to me since starting this – offering their skills, wanting to come and work with me while I am there. People I have never met, but who have found out about the project because of people spreading the word virally. I like people stepping up, and saying, “I don’t have a lot of money, but I can build a website, or pitch a documentary movie.” It is a very amazing reminder that we are a global community, one that’s not always dictated by language or lines on a map. ~Heidi Minx, Built On Respect (book extract)
10 Reasons Why Heidi is Ruling It:
1) Built On Respect. As part of Built On Respect it’s Miss Minx goal to embrace the DIY mentality, to personally work to raise funds, and also to directly oversee their disbursement while documenting it, working side by side with different community organizations. The majority of her work has been done in India working with Tibetan communities in exile teaching them sustainable business practices, English and helping at a free art school which works to help keep Tibetan Traditional art alive. For more info check out BuiltOnRespect.com.
2) Punk Rock Domestics is Heidi getting her Martha Stewart on. On PRD she says: Feel more like a home wrecker than a home designer? Tired of 10,000 shows on the home and garden network that DON’T include decorating with spray paint, or vegan recipes? Only know the names of flowers from your tattoo artist? Then you’re in the right place. Never mind Martha Stewart, we’re here to share recipes, decorating tips, even how to make your clothing better!” Check it out for your dose of D.I.Y.
3) Franky & Minx. Heidi has ran and created her own fashion line Franky & Minx. Every lady’s dream! They have super cute handbags (as rocked by Davey Havok, he has a PVC clutch, Mei-Ling Koller has a pink one & Camilla ex-Horrorpops rocks tartan print)! And the clothes & accessories have been worn by members of Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, H20, Madball and more!
4) Home Rockanomics is a book Heidi has recently released. I just got my copy from Amazon.com in the mail! It’s an extension of Punk rock Domestics. Filled with d.i.y projects and recipes from your favourite bands. For more info on the book click here.
5) Inked For a Cause. Heidi does a regular column for US tattoo/culture mag Inked. She chats with awesome people that do awesome things. Inked For a Cause specialises in promoting people that are inked and that help others.
6) Rumor has it that Miss Heidi is hard at work on a project about Tibetan tattoos/tattooing while on her latest visit to India. Another feather in the cap, another way to bring attention to the cause :)
7) I admire Heidi for using her success for good. She’s been interviewed countless times, wrote for various mags and appeared in magazine spreads. Despite her rising profile Heidi remains grounded and continues to go about her business as usual.
8) I think it’s wonderful that she’s a business woman. She does business without selling her soul. Heidi has a super work ethic—she’s always doing a million things at once and always ready for new opportunities that arise.
9) She sees the world while helping it. As well as working in Dharamsala, India Heidi has also contributed her time and effort working as a volunteer in Haiti. Recently I came across the book 500 Places Where You Can Make A Difference. It’s a travel while helping people, animals and the planet guide. You can serve communities while exploring them in a unique, connected way. Care for orphans in Delhi, India, teach English on the beaches of Salvador, Brazil, track dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii, help build a school in Madagascar, care for baby elephants in Sri Lanka, or teach swimming to kids in Fiji. There’s 500 ideas, surely one will resonate with you!
10) Last but not least, she has cultivated a great network and support group of friends to help her on her adventures. Heidi isn’t trying to sell something to people, she’s trying to connect with them and share information. Finally is you don’t believe me about Heidi’s awesomeness have a listen to what Heidi’s pals have to say:
My & Heidi’s pals The Bouncing Souls:
Heidi visiting Tamding in his studio to hear about his art (he’s a tattooist and musican), how he uses it to promote a Free Tibet, and how he came to live in exile:
Sick of It All Inked for a Casue:
If you know any awesome ladies doing awesome things let me know!
Just wanted to let you know how thankful I am that I get to converse and collaborate with inspiring, creative, innovative individuals every single day. I pinch myself over and over to make sure I’m not dreaming. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? I will be forever that inquisitive kid questioning and trying to understand the world, my place in the world and myself. Thought I’d share a mash-up of some of the punk rock wisdom and hip hop insight I’ve gained on my journey:
To keep playing music; that’s what we [Rancid] love, that’s what we do. I have new ideas, always new things. People always ask me ‘Is Operation Ivy gonna get back together?’ You know they’re my homies—Matt Freeman is my brother—but it’s like, ‘Nah man, I’m on to something new. I want to do new shit.’ …to live a good life and take care of myself and have my friends and family around me. I’m blessed to still have my family here. My dad and mum are still here and still been married after 50 years. My brother got back from Iraq. My other brother is one of the bookers at Gilman Street. As an artist I just want to keep doing new shit. I got some ideas, always! They never stop… I love playing music! That’s my number one thing. It’s all I have ever done.
It’s achieving a goal that you set for yourself, that goal may not be money. For me, Eleventh Hour was a successful endeavour. It had a lot more to do with me and what was going on in my life than trying to sell the album for money. It wasn’t about that. It was about getting this knowledge in my head to work out everything I need to. It came out dope. On this album I was right there, concentrated and focused. I didn’t want this album to be scattered—that took a lot of work. After years of not focusing and just doing it… I’m used to just doing… after a while I figured that wasn’t enough. I felt like I had to put more effort into it. Realising that was successful to me. There was a lot of things around me that tried to stop me. I just kept going. Now I’m ready to go after more success. I’ve grown.
Anger [laughs] and frustration at how stupid people still are [laughs] but you know what? I read a lot of books from centuries ago and people were stupid then and then they’re still stupid now a hundred years later! They don’t learn. Only a select, I won’t say handful ’cause it’s more than that but, some people are just happy meandering through life and not having to think about anything or have any responsibility for their actions. They don’t want to know either. They just want to wander through life and get their pay check at the end of the week and that’s it. That’s fine but that shit just boogles my mind. I could never go through life like that.
It means everything because I don’t think that you can use that term loosely in the art world period. I don’t think that everyone that calls themselves artists is that. You could be an act signed to a label but that definitely doesn’t define you as an artist to me. To me an artist is a person who is instrumental in being groundbreaking and trying to push the envelope and that are very instrumental in what they write and the music choices that they make – they can make you feel a certain way. They’re definitely not cookie cutter; they have a long shelf life.
“If I had to boil it down to one word it would be “kindness.” It goes beyond that, though. Spirituality is a training of the mind and heart in wisdom and compassion practices and ways of living that increase understanding of the way that the world, ourselves or reality really are . Spirituality is also learning how to respond skilfully to the suffering and confusion in the world. The only rational response being to care about it, to feel compassion for all of the confusion and suffering that’s present both personally and in society or the world.” Noah Levine on spirituality (book extract).
In my travels I’ve explored and encountered many different cultures and their unique perspectives and philosophies on life. I’ve come across some things that have fit me well and those that didn’t at all. Something I found that has resonated strongly with me though is the Buddhist idea/concept of The Noble Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path is a collection of eight enduring principles which if taken onboard can help you be and do your best. I’ve found that by incorporating these virtues into my own life it has helped me create things that bring benefit to others and lasting value to people’s lives—inspiring them to take action and make a positive difference themself—as well as my own.
Working with the following tools, I feel you can’t really go wrong. It’s all common sense. I don’t define myself as Buddhist (I find stuff in Buddhism that I don’t necessarily agree with) but I do appreciate and practice the things that ring true to me. Have a read, see what you think & make your own mind up.
We’re all interconnected and interdependent—as are the values associated with the path’s principles: wisdom, ethics & mindful-awareness—maybe have a think about what you’re contributing to the world with what you do in your everyday and of your values and what you believe. I’ve found that when exercising the following steps my life is more successful in all areas.
The Eight Steps to living your best life:
Right View. Right View is understanding your reality. It’s realising that a conditioned existence if unacceptable. It’s visualising your highest potential while maintaining a realistic view of where you’re at and what you’re doing. Ask the questions: How do I see myself? What is my purpose? How does it impact the world? What are my gifts? How am I utilising them? What is my grand vision for my life?
It’s important to have a vision and to really see that vision and believe it. Having a clear idea of self and what you do is a great foundation for anything in life. Often our idea of self can be distorted by ego and delusions. Having Right View will help you see beyond that and influence your day-to-day decisions for the better. If you’re having trouble seeing yourself, why not ask a trusted friend for help. Friends can sometimes see what we can’t. They can give us a fresh perspective on ourselves. It’s time to awaken to the real you… wakey, wakey! Rise and shine.
Having Right View is looking at all the ‘good’ and all the ‘bad’ bits that make up you. Once you acknowledge your truth and accept where you’re at, you can work on changing those things that don’t fit. It can also be about keeping ourselves free from prejudice and superstition.
Right Intention. With your thoughts you create your world and with your intentions you set the tone and dedication of your mission. Your mission is what you do; it should drive and excite you.
Your intentions behind what you do, determines the quality of your interactions and life experience. Choosing your intentions chooses your experience. Ask yourself what is my mission? I’ve found the practice and cultivation of equanimity can be helpful here as it can nurture innovation and promote open-minded thinking. How we think influences how we feel and how we feel affects what we say and what we do.
Right Speech. Think before you speak. Lose the ego and bad attitude. Think about what are you saying? How are you saying it? Right Speech is saying things that matter and that are not hurtful or causes harm to others. That includes things like idle chatter, there’s a lot of people out there that just talk for the sake of talking, silence can definitely be golden sometimes.
I admit that in the past I’ve totally been guilty of saying hurtful things to others (I’m pretty sure that we’ve all been guilty of that at some point). The important thing though is that I woke up and saw what I was doing and have worked super hard every day since to be mindful of my words. I’ve also apologised (where I have been able to) to those I have hurt. As with all these ideas it takes practice, dedication and work.
A funny thing I’ve noticed since consciously practising Right Speech is that sometimes the people that are on the receiving end of what I am saying get a little taken aback by the truth. Maybe at times I haven’t phrased what I’m saying so great, right speech to me is also choosing your words wisely. Think about what it is you’re really trying to say, don’t just grab the first word available and think that’ll do.
Note: Also typing mindfully would fall under Right Speech to me. In our day and age our interactions on the internet, chats, forums etc (our online voice) is equally as powerful. Don’t hide behind your keyboard being a hero gossiping and slagging people off, contribute something of value to discussions—be helpful not hurtful.
Right Action is understanding that your actions have consequences. It’s about walking the walk and talking the talk and treating others how you want to be treated. It’s always a work in progress; we are always upgrading ourselves so obviously it can change moment to moment. It’s basically just not acting in ways that would be dishonest or bring harm to oneself or to others.
Right Livelihood. Seriously, the world needs you to do what you love! When you’re passionate, engaged, aware you’re at your best. It’s all about loving what you do and taking up a vocation that is non-detrimental to others. It’s also appreciating what you have, your talents, and your abilities and using them for the power of good.
Right Effort is combining your intelligence with your intuition. It’s performing at the top of your game. Exercising efficiency in your work, you don’t need to work a million hours a week. It’s about making the effort to work smarter not harder. Exercising Right Effort enhances you productivity. It’s about practice and perseverance, it can take a lot of effort and energy to go against the grain and change our habits and conditioning.
Practising Right Mindfulness is being aware. It’s staying fluid. It’s being a witness. It’s being in the moment. It’s being thoughtful in your actions (if you haven’t noticed yet, all of these principles overlap and work in unison with each other). It’s keeping in mind what motivates you? Please cherish your mind lovelies. To me the Eightfold Noble Path is all about being mindful of yourself and others.
Right Concentration is collecting your energy, focusing and once again staying in the moment. It’s cultivating a strong mind. Meditation has helped me with this. Having clarity of mind can help us do great things.
For more info on the above: Dharma Punx author Noah Levine talks about The Eightfold Path here. Also, the Dharma Punx NYC site has more information on the Eightfold Noble Path and some interesting, helpful talks and guided meditations on everything from dealing with stress & anxiety to working with depression.
“In fact, punk rock means exemplary manners towards your fellow human being”
~Joe Strummer
Punk rock and hip hop music have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have my older brother and sisters with their schizophrenic cassette tape and record collections to thank for getting me into it, and my life off to a running start. It’s helped inspire me along the path to fighting the good fight.
Both punk and hip hop culture has helped educate me about the world we live in (as well as other dimensions—just ask Gift of Gab :))—but that’s a discussion for another day… ha, ha!). They’ve helped craft my values; ideas shared in the music and lyrics have influenced my views on the world and helped shaped my beliefs. They’ve encouraged me to open my eyes to my own potentiality and helped unlock my heart. They’ve empowered me with tools to do anything I want to in life. The cultures provide a platform in which I can have a voice and the friends that I have made on my journey navigating the cultures make me feel like I matter. Being a part of the communities for over half my life has helped illuminate my awareness and nurture my self-awareness. In a way, it feels like they have been parents to me… mi familia.
Time and time again punk (I include hardcore too, it’s all punk to me) and hip hop, facilitate the experience of being wholly present in the moment. When I am present I feel truly alive, time seems to stop and nothing else matters beyond that moment. It is something profoundly sacred to me, pure and beyond words. I know that many of you reading this will totally know what I mean. Those who get it will and those who don’t won’t … and that’s totally fine too! I just speak from what I know to be true for me, from my heart and my experience.
Conversations with Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue is by far my most ambitious project to date (it is only the beginning :)). It is a celebration of mi familia and a discovery and journey of self. It’s an exercise in questioning, asking why and how? It’s all about conversations on the pursuit of happiness. It prompts you to reflect on your own life and dig deeper for your best. It’s about sharing information and (hopefully) opening up thoughtful discussion.
Conversations with Punx… is the foundation for this site and an extension of the community of like-minded individuals championing creativity across the globe that is always building slowly yet surely (sometimes in secret… I love the underground, bedroom jams and crafts from the kitchen table). It’s a coming together in celebration of individuality and commonalities. It’s about the human condition and life… one that I am thankful to have.
In short: 60+ conversations with creators from the punk and hardcore world sharing their thoughts & feelings on and experiences with creativity, music and spirituality! How exciting!
It’s been six years since I first started the project. I had the idea for it around a year or so before that. In a way I’ve felt that everything I have done and everything I’ve learnt along the way has propelled me to this point… so my friends, this has been a loooong time coming. Thank you to all who have supported and who continue to support both me and my projects. Thanks old friends and new friends, each of you means the world to me. I appreciate that you care, as I do too. We understand each other; we’re on that same frequency (no matter if we’re into punk, hip hop or something else entirely—we all ultimately want to be happy and are on a search for our truth—whatever that means for us). This project is for the True Hearts, True Believers & the Truth Seekers.
Now without further ado the news you’ve all been waiting (patiently) for…
Conversations with Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue release details:
The book will first be released as a series of limited-edition handmade zines over a twelve-month period. Each issue will feature around 5 conversations possibly more (there are still a few I’m finishing up now). They’ll be around 60-70 pages in total give or take a few.
A new issue will be released each month. Each issue will be available to order from the first day of the month until the last day of the month. Once the month is up though that’s it, you will have to wait for the limited edition (numbered) hardcover book release or the concise paperback edition (which will feature additional conversations never before seen).
To get a piece of my [he]art to your letter box (old school) post style—it’ll be super fun to receive more than only bills every month—you will be able to choose your own adventure and purchase as you go (month by month) or get it as a 12-month subscription. If you make the one-off subscription payment you will be really and truly helping me fund the project! As a thank you, you will receive the zines at a cut-rate price as well as having the option to receive a (currently) top secret bonus I’m working on. I’m trying my best to pull it all together as soon as I can, I want to make sure I give you guys my best though as you do to me.
More details to be released soon…
Kind words from kind people:
“I’m looking forward to reading the finished piece. I’m glad that you are getting so much out of the process.”
~Ian MacKaye
“Can’t wait to hold a copy of the book in my hands!”
~Vic DiCara
“Can’t wait to see the book, so happy to be a part of it. Go Bianca!”
~Jonah Matranga
“I’m psyched to see the finished product.”
~Rob Fusco
“I look forward to reading the book and thank you again for having me be a part of it… it’s such a worthwhile project”
~Robert Ehrenbrand
“I am really happy with our conversation and it is very gratifying to know that it will be out there in the world… you really have a fantastic journalistic style. I think you are on the right path with your book and with your interest in spirituality… keep up your excellent work… I think it’s an important book.”
~Jesse Michaels
I hope you guys are digging the way I’ve decided to release the project. It’s taken me a long while to reach the decision of how to release this work. I thought about it, a lot! I asked a lot of people for advice. Personally, I didn’t want to release it as a book and then that’s it—as what often happens—there’s so many books released every day. I wanted to do something more with it. I wanted to create something wonderful, something sincere, meaningful and long lasting—to create something special. The thoughts contained on the pages are too thoughtful, extraordinary and important.
Dannii, Anthony, Jhonny and Everett thank you for having conversations with me on the day I decided to release the project this way… your words, thoughts and opinions help guide my decision—without you even knowing it!
So many people I spoke to just wanted me to release it as a book (apparently releasing a book comes with prestige (ha!)) and while I can’t wait for the book (!!!) I knew I wanted to do something else too. Ian’s words, ‘I’m glad that you are getting so much out of the process’ made me stop and think about the process… I came to the conclusion that I’m still not done with the process. I’m still really enjoying myself, now more than ever. Now it’s getting really exciting because I’m sharing it with you guys and making so many new friends worldwide. I want to give it the release it deserves. I’ve always been reluctant to just hand the book and its contents over to someone else. I had thoughts of ‘Would they change it?’, ‘Not get it?’, and ‘Just try to cash in from it?’ The people I’m working with to bring you it, are remarkable, good people… you’ll find out more about them as the process unfolds.
Part of why I wanted to release it as a series of zines over 12-months is because to do something like that takes a commitment. I wanted to commit to myself and I wanted to create something beautiful—handmade zines (to start) just felt right. Making that commitment means that I have to be on my game at all times, I have to organise myself, look after myself, stay healthy, positive, rise to challenges, learn new things (my Jhonny is teaching me to screen-print the zine covers!), push myself past my limitations… in short, it’s a commitment to me living my best life.
Releasing it over 12-months also gives you guys a chance to really absorb the stories, lessons, love in each conversation and hopefully find something that rings true to you that you can take onboard and utilise to make changes—lasting, positive changes in your life. As a whole piece, the 60+ conversations can be really, really intense!! Even to me, who has looked at them every single day over the last 6 years, I find it overwhelming! I laugh, I cry, I shake my head in disbelief or nod in agreement or disagreement as I read. Some of the conversations just make me want to give the person I’m speaking to a big old hug—they’ve all given so much of themselves to their creativity, art and the world. They inspire me by being themselves and following their heart for better or worse.
From day one of this project I have told myself that the bottom line is to enjoy the process, keep my mind and heart open, make new friends and contribute something positive and rad to the world…. and it’s been so far so good. Thank you for joining me on my journey. Let’s commit to the next part together. Let’s encourage each other to live our best life.
As the exquisite, strong, inspiring lady Corey Parks told me:
We’re not victims of circumstance; we create our own reality. I love that we can draw anything to us through the laws of attraction and that through the power of our words we can access anything we want in life. I want to have a life beyond my wildest dreams. That’s my divine right. That’s your divine right. That’s Duane’s divine right and little Clash’s here [laughs].
“There is a prayer that I say every morning, it’s actually a long sequence of prayers. The one part of it that really sums up my theology goes something like—actually I know exactly what it is but I’ll take it out of the scriptural language—“Whoever you are you made this energy in me. Whatever it is that keeps my heart beating, whatever in this world is or isn’t, whatever is an illusion or whatever isn’t, we’re alive, whatever that means. While this energy is here and in me for as long as it is in me, thanks.”
When Jonah told me the above, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and right on things I’ve heard anyone say. I believe that we are all energy and everything is energies and daily we come into contact with all types of energy that can affect our well being.
My pal Prue told me about ‘happy shields’ the other day. She was telling me how when you have your happy shield up you can deflect negative energy… ‘phew! phew! phew!’ that’s the sound of negative vibes deflecting off my happy shield! ha… ha.. ha! I definitely had mine up yesterday… in short it was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong and all I heard was bad news. I put that happy shield up though and by the end of the evening I was back on track.
Waking up and giving thanks, giving gratitude, for our energy and being alive is the ultimate way to start the day.
Get those happy shields up!
PS – A great big Happy birthday must go to my dear, darling big sister Juanita de Valentino. I admire your strength, perseverance and positive outlook on life Juanita despite all the struggles you have endure. You inspire me incredibly by being you. I love you times a million and one and am thankful to have you in my Universe. Good luck with you film work this year Nita! xoxo
“Music is the voice of spirituality. It’s the one beautiful thing that we still do to alleviate the sadness that we create for ourselves. To me that’s the clearest form of spirituality. Everything we do goes against nature and destroys our chances in this world in some way except music.”
I’m so frickin’ excited I’m finally getting to share my project with you guys! Every single day I am so inspired by the words, thoughts & experiences of my punk rock, hardcore, hip hop, music/art friends.
PS - Thought for the day: Be an observer, not a judge!
