The cozy Art Bar off to the side of the Galdstone Hotel quickly filled up as the evening dimmed. The karaoke from next door poured in creating a bizarre and sometimes perfectly comical backdrop to the evening.

Inspired Lives editor Clea McDougall started off the evening with a reading from Bo Lozoff’s interview, talking about embracing all sides of inspiration, not just the bright happy side. Inspired Lives addresses the harder parts of life, the deep struggle that people experience, which Lozoff is familiar with, running an Ashram that invites prisoners to be part of their community once they are released.

Contributor Marcus Boon then read one of his latest essays entitled Disney Tibet which was about his experiences with his Buddhist teacher Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rimpoche, learning how to deal with a world that is both illusory and real, falling apart and being put back together again, and about understanding that the cheesiest parts of Disney World are as spiritual as the most holy temple of Tibet, because it's how the mind see it that makes the difference.

All the way from upstate New York, our third Inspired Lives author Sparrow stepped up to the stage to read new thoughts, quotes, poems, letters, and journal entries, some of which were written on the train on the way to the book launch. Riffling through his pile of scrap paper, and extracting random thoughts, Sparrows words seemed to work perfectly with the karaoke wafting in. He has just released his latest book on Soft Skull press America: A Prophecy: A Sparrow Reader, which was edited by his good friend Marcus Boon.

Between readings the crowd bustled around eating the fine snacks, sipping beverages, and some happy winners of raffle prizes received books, CDs, DVDs, t-shirts and yoga class passes.

The Fake New Age Music Band was up next with Ryan Driver playing the balloons, Sandro Perri on sounds of nature, Justin Hayes on guitar and Jean Martin on drums. The improvisational group played a brilliant, bizarre and captivating set to the packed room, sometimes playing with, sometimes playing against the music next door.

The evening drifted along until the only ones left in the Art Bar were the musicians and authors, with no one really wanting the night to end. It was a remarkable evening of ideas and music, with the expansive collection Inspired Lives at the centre of it all, expressing that our evening was a small glimpse into the best of real life yoga.