"that's where we are as human beings - we're deeply hooked into one another...from the beginning of life, from conception to the very end"
According to girls' journals, 50-60 years ago their primary concern was the contribution they could make to society, now it's "what do I look like?" or "will I be accepted by my peers?"
Authority comes from attachment.
Self-esteem is not about what others think of us or peer approval.
Development needs vulnerability. The primary quality for learning is a sense of curiosity, curiosity is vulnerable, it means you care about something and that you don't know.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Thursday, 24 February 2011
The Trecena of Source
Ix, the Jaguar, is one of the most enigmatic and mystical animals on earth. Called “the silk hand” in South America for its soundless, soft step that you don’t hear until it’s too late, the jaguar embodies the very source of Mother Earth, bearing a deep, feminine energy that heals as well as culls, bearing a profound intuition about the essence of all things, and everlasting patience that follows in the footsteps of time until that critical split-second of decisive action arrives.
Endowed with extraordinary strength and resilience, Ix rules the spirit of jungles, plains and mountains. Its intelligence often comes paired with clairvoyance—and there is no surprise there, as this powerful energy is free of the debilitating effects of ego, ambition, judgment, fear and control.
So when you connect to your source, remember that this too is yours, this primal, unspoken and ancient energy that underpins our collective consciousness. Here, no ego, no judgment, no self-doubt or fear exist, for these mindsets are far too close to the surface of our human emotions to have any impact on the ancient archetypes, the elemental currents underlying life itself.
Many native traditions emphasize the importance of walking to commune with Nature and her soul—and, by extension, our own. This tradition has been nearly lost on the modern world, where even those of us who do take walks in the outdoors rarely stop to look and listen to the extraordinary diversity of life all around us. So next time you take a walk, with a friend, colleague or family, try to talk less and listen more.
Liberate yourself from the shackles of societal imprints, and walk the path of the Jaguar—you alone, in tune with your own natural essence.
~ Birgitte Rasine
Endowed with extraordinary strength and resilience, Ix rules the spirit of jungles, plains and mountains. Its intelligence often comes paired with clairvoyance—and there is no surprise there, as this powerful energy is free of the debilitating effects of ego, ambition, judgment, fear and control.
So when you connect to your source, remember that this too is yours, this primal, unspoken and ancient energy that underpins our collective consciousness. Here, no ego, no judgment, no self-doubt or fear exist, for these mindsets are far too close to the surface of our human emotions to have any impact on the ancient archetypes, the elemental currents underlying life itself.
Many native traditions emphasize the importance of walking to commune with Nature and her soul—and, by extension, our own. This tradition has been nearly lost on the modern world, where even those of us who do take walks in the outdoors rarely stop to look and listen to the extraordinary diversity of life all around us. So next time you take a walk, with a friend, colleague or family, try to talk less and listen more.
Liberate yourself from the shackles of societal imprints, and walk the path of the Jaguar—you alone, in tune with your own natural essence.
~ Birgitte Rasine
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
If Modern Humans Are So Smart, Why Are Our Brains Shrinking?
Here are some leading theories about the why the human brain has been getting smaller since the Stone Age.
by Kathleen McAuliffe; illustrations by Stuart Bradford
From the September 2010 issue of Discover; published online January 20, 2011
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/sep/25-modern-humans-smart-why-brain-shrinking
John Hawks is in the middle of explaining his research on human evolution when he drops a bombshell. Running down a list of changes that have occurred in our skeleton and skull since the Stone Age, the University of Wisconsin anthropologist nonchalantly adds, “And it’s also clear the brain has been shrinking.”
“Shrinking?” I ask. “I thought it was getting larger.” The whole ascent-of-man thing.
“That was true for 2 million years of our evolution,” Hawks says. “But there has been a reversal.”
He rattles off some dismaying numbers: Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. “I’d call that major downsizing in an evolutionary eyeblink,” he says. “This happened in China, Europe, Africa—everywhere we look.” If our brain keeps dwindling at that rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of that found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc. Possibly owing to said shrinkage, it takes me a while to catch on. “Are you saying we’re getting dumber?” I ask.
advertisement | article continues below
Hawks, a bearish man with rounded features and a jovial disposition, looks at me with an amused expression. “It certainly gives you a different perspective on the advantage of a big brain,” he says.
After meeting with Hawks, I call around to other experts to see if they know about our shrinking brain. Geneticists who study the evolution of the human genome seem as surprised as I am (typical response: “No kidding!”), which makes me wonder if I’m the world’s most gullible person. But no, Hawks is not pulling my leg. As I soon discover, only a tight-knit circle of paleontologists seem to be in on the secret, and even they seem a bit muddled about the matter. Their theories as to why the human brain is shrinking are all over the map.
Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. (Late-night talk show hosts, take note—there’s got to be some good comic material to mine here.) Other authorities argue just the opposite: As the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. Still others believe that the reduction in brain size is proof that we have tamed ourselves, just as we domesticated sheep, pigs, and cattle, all of which are smaller-brained than their wild ancestors. The more I learn, the more baffled I become that news of our shrinking brain has been so underplayed, not just in the media but among scientists. “It’s strange, I agree,” says Christopher Stringer, a paleoanthropologist and expert on human origins at the Natural History Museum in London. “Scientists haven’t given the matter the attention it deserves. Many ignore it or consider it an insignificant detail.”
But the routine dismissal is not as weird as it seems at first blush, Stringer suggests, due to the issue of scaling. “As a general rule,” he says, “the more meat on your bones, the more brain you need to control massive muscle blocks.” An elephant brain, for instance, can weigh four times as much as a human’s. Scaling is also why nobody seems too surprised by the large brains of the Neanderthals, the burly hominids that died out about 30,000 years ago.
The Homo sapiens with the biggest brains lived 20,000 to 30,000 years ago in Europe. Called the Cro-Magnons, they had barrel chests and huge, jutting jaws with enormous teeth. Consequently, their large brains have often been attributed to brawniness rather than brilliance. In support of that claim, one widely cited study found that the ratio of brain volume to body mass—commonly referred to as the encephalization quotient, or EQ—was the same for Cro-Magnons as it is for us. On that basis, Stringer says, our ancestors were presumed to have the same raw cognitive horsepower.
Now many anthropologists are rethinking the equation. For one thing, it is no longer clear that EQs flatlined back in the Stone Age. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More important, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systems—an indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed. The impact of these mutations remains uncertain, but many scientists say it is plausible that our temperament or reasoning abilities shifted as a result.
Numerous phone calls later, it dawns on me that the world’s foremost experts do not really know why our organ of intellect has been vanishing. But after long ignoring the issue, some of them have at least decided the matter is of sufficient importance to warrant a formal inquiry. They have even drawn some bold, albeit preliminary, conclusions.
DUMBING DOWN
In search of a global explanation for our cranial downsizing, some scientists have pointed to a warming trend in the earth’s climate that also began 20,000 years ago. Since bulky bodies are better at conserving heat, larger frames may have fared better in the colder climate. As the planet warmed, selection might have favored people of slighter stature. So, the argument goes, skeletons and skulls shrank as the temperature rose—and the brain got smaller in the process. Stringer thinks there is something to that idea, but he doubts it is the whole explanation. As he points out, comparable warming periods occurred many times over the previous 2 million years, yet body and brain size regularly increased.
Another popular theory attributes the decrease to the advent of agriculture, which, paradoxically, had the initial effect of worsening nutrition. Quite simply, the first farmers were not very successful at eking out a living from the land, and their grain-heavy diet was deficient in protein and vitamins—critical for fueling growth of the body and brain. In response to chronic malnutrition, our body and brain might have shrunk. Many anthropologists are skeptical of that explanation, however. The reason: The agricultural revolution did not arrive in Australia or southern Africa until almost contemporary times, yet brain size has declined since the Stone Age in those places, too.
Which brings us to an unpleasant possibility. “You may not want to hear this,” says cognitive scientist David Geary of the University of Missouri, “but I think the best explanation for the decline in our brain size is the idiocracy theory.” Geary is referring to the eponymous 2006 film by Mike Judge about an ordinary guy who becomes involved in a hibernation experiment at the dawn of the 21st century. When he wakes up 500 years later, he is easily the smartest person on the dumbed-down planet. “I think something a little bit like that happened to us,” Geary says. In other words, idiocracy is where we are now.
by Kathleen McAuliffe; illustrations by Stuart Bradford
From the September 2010 issue of Discover; published online January 20, 2011
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/sep/25-modern-humans-smart-why-brain-shrinking
John Hawks is in the middle of explaining his research on human evolution when he drops a bombshell. Running down a list of changes that have occurred in our skeleton and skull since the Stone Age, the University of Wisconsin anthropologist nonchalantly adds, “And it’s also clear the brain has been shrinking.”
“Shrinking?” I ask. “I thought it was getting larger.” The whole ascent-of-man thing.
“That was true for 2 million years of our evolution,” Hawks says. “But there has been a reversal.”
He rattles off some dismaying numbers: Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. “I’d call that major downsizing in an evolutionary eyeblink,” he says. “This happened in China, Europe, Africa—everywhere we look.” If our brain keeps dwindling at that rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of that found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc. Possibly owing to said shrinkage, it takes me a while to catch on. “Are you saying we’re getting dumber?” I ask.
advertisement | article continues below
Hawks, a bearish man with rounded features and a jovial disposition, looks at me with an amused expression. “It certainly gives you a different perspective on the advantage of a big brain,” he says.
After meeting with Hawks, I call around to other experts to see if they know about our shrinking brain. Geneticists who study the evolution of the human genome seem as surprised as I am (typical response: “No kidding!”), which makes me wonder if I’m the world’s most gullible person. But no, Hawks is not pulling my leg. As I soon discover, only a tight-knit circle of paleontologists seem to be in on the secret, and even they seem a bit muddled about the matter. Their theories as to why the human brain is shrinking are all over the map.
Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. (Late-night talk show hosts, take note—there’s got to be some good comic material to mine here.) Other authorities argue just the opposite: As the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. Still others believe that the reduction in brain size is proof that we have tamed ourselves, just as we domesticated sheep, pigs, and cattle, all of which are smaller-brained than their wild ancestors. The more I learn, the more baffled I become that news of our shrinking brain has been so underplayed, not just in the media but among scientists. “It’s strange, I agree,” says Christopher Stringer, a paleoanthropologist and expert on human origins at the Natural History Museum in London. “Scientists haven’t given the matter the attention it deserves. Many ignore it or consider it an insignificant detail.”
But the routine dismissal is not as weird as it seems at first blush, Stringer suggests, due to the issue of scaling. “As a general rule,” he says, “the more meat on your bones, the more brain you need to control massive muscle blocks.” An elephant brain, for instance, can weigh four times as much as a human’s. Scaling is also why nobody seems too surprised by the large brains of the Neanderthals, the burly hominids that died out about 30,000 years ago.
The Homo sapiens with the biggest brains lived 20,000 to 30,000 years ago in Europe. Called the Cro-Magnons, they had barrel chests and huge, jutting jaws with enormous teeth. Consequently, their large brains have often been attributed to brawniness rather than brilliance. In support of that claim, one widely cited study found that the ratio of brain volume to body mass—commonly referred to as the encephalization quotient, or EQ—was the same for Cro-Magnons as it is for us. On that basis, Stringer says, our ancestors were presumed to have the same raw cognitive horsepower.
Now many anthropologists are rethinking the equation. For one thing, it is no longer clear that EQs flatlined back in the Stone Age. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More important, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systems—an indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed. The impact of these mutations remains uncertain, but many scientists say it is plausible that our temperament or reasoning abilities shifted as a result.
Numerous phone calls later, it dawns on me that the world’s foremost experts do not really know why our organ of intellect has been vanishing. But after long ignoring the issue, some of them have at least decided the matter is of sufficient importance to warrant a formal inquiry. They have even drawn some bold, albeit preliminary, conclusions.
DUMBING DOWN
In search of a global explanation for our cranial downsizing, some scientists have pointed to a warming trend in the earth’s climate that also began 20,000 years ago. Since bulky bodies are better at conserving heat, larger frames may have fared better in the colder climate. As the planet warmed, selection might have favored people of slighter stature. So, the argument goes, skeletons and skulls shrank as the temperature rose—and the brain got smaller in the process. Stringer thinks there is something to that idea, but he doubts it is the whole explanation. As he points out, comparable warming periods occurred many times over the previous 2 million years, yet body and brain size regularly increased.
Another popular theory attributes the decrease to the advent of agriculture, which, paradoxically, had the initial effect of worsening nutrition. Quite simply, the first farmers were not very successful at eking out a living from the land, and their grain-heavy diet was deficient in protein and vitamins—critical for fueling growth of the body and brain. In response to chronic malnutrition, our body and brain might have shrunk. Many anthropologists are skeptical of that explanation, however. The reason: The agricultural revolution did not arrive in Australia or southern Africa until almost contemporary times, yet brain size has declined since the Stone Age in those places, too.
Which brings us to an unpleasant possibility. “You may not want to hear this,” says cognitive scientist David Geary of the University of Missouri, “but I think the best explanation for the decline in our brain size is the idiocracy theory.” Geary is referring to the eponymous 2006 film by Mike Judge about an ordinary guy who becomes involved in a hibernation experiment at the dawn of the 21st century. When he wakes up 500 years later, he is easily the smartest person on the dumbed-down planet. “I think something a little bit like that happened to us,” Geary says. In other words, idiocracy is where we are now.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Earthing - go barefoot!
Earthing might be a better antioxidant than foods and supplements combined. We've insulated ourselves from the earth's unlimited supply of electrons since we began wearing rubber soled shoes in the 1960s. Earthing (or grounding) rejoins us with earth's natural healing energy. A plethora of studies document the amazing effects of earthing as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, pain-reliever, wound-healer, nervous system balancer, blood sugar regulator, thyroid regulator, cortisol regulator, and blood thinner. The second benefit of earthing is that it protects you from EMFs*. Alix demonstrates this effect using a voltmeter. (*I say in the video that earthing "discharges" EMFs, but "protects" or "shields" is probably more accurate.) Sounds too good to be true? Early studies do support these findings. In Part 1, Alix gets a bit personal & shares some of her story of a missed Lyme diagnosis and how earthing has helped her 14 year-long headache and 8 year-long battle with Lyme-inducted insomnia. More info on earthing: www.earthing.com
more wild edibles
In Cornwall, but to be found in many other places:
gorse flowers - they taste a bit like coconut
rose garlic
and most seaweed is edible, with a few exceptions - if you fancy it...
gorse flowers - they taste a bit like coconut
rose garlic
and most seaweed is edible, with a few exceptions - if you fancy it...
Monday, 21 February 2011
wonderful rhodiola
I don't generally use this blog as a place to promote products, but as so few people I meet seem to have heard of rhodiola and it is so wonderful I am going to mention it here. When I occasionally provide refreshments for talks and events I always turn up with the usual teas and coffees that I know most people will want but also with my supplies of tulsi, ginkgo and rhodiola and I am always encouraged by the positive response when i explain about them. Personally i think that in the current state of play many of us need some kind of stimulation to keep our brains working at very best. To keep it short, our pineal and other glands are under producing important hormones and also we live in suppressing unnatural environments. Years ago I was a user of caffeine and alcohol, which I personally felt in the end to be detrimental to my freedom - they gave me something but took away more. I have also been through an abstemious strictly raw phase where I would hardly even allow myself a cup of herbal tea - I was straining at the leash...I now use herbal teas that fill the gap, helping my mind become clearer and boosting those neurotransmitters in a sustainable way.
Rhodiola rosea is a root grown in Russia that provides a healthy caffeine free alternative to coffee and tea. It is useful for mental work - it gives you that edge of clarity and bit of a buzz that a cup of coffee gives you without the side-effects and can be used to help stay awake if needing to work or wanting to play late. I drink it mixed with ginkgo (improves memory) and tulsi (adaptogen and relaxant) early in the day. It is becoming increasingly popular in the Russian party scene as an alternative to unhealthy stimulants.
Basically rhodiola is a kind of 'good for everything' folk remedy which also increases serotonin levels (caffeine reduces them - not many people know this) and gives you a healthy lift without a come down.
"Folk medicine has used rhodiola for practically every known ailment; to increase energy, endurance, longevity, stimulate sexual arousal, enhance mood and psychic abilities. In Siberian mountain villages, the roots are still given to couples prior to marriage to assure fertility and many healthy children. It's just now getting notice here in the west due to extensive pharmacological and clinical studies showing Rhodiola to enhance cognition; improving memory and learning, greatly reduce stress and fatigue, stimulate the immune system, increase metabolism, aid thyroid function, protect the cardiovascular system, boost fertility and sexual function, and alleviate depression.
Modern research has shown that it increases the body's resistance to any type of stress by regulating the body's hormonal response. Its use has been shown to have a protective effect upon the neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain. The root also enhances the transport of serotonin's precursors into the brain and studies have shown that use of this herb can increase brain serotonin by up to 30%. It has an enhancing effect upon physical endurance. Taken late in the day, the root's powerful psychostimulant effects can keep you awake, and once asleep induce vivid dreams. The root is an adaptogen. Unlike most adaptogens that need to be taken for several weeks to be effective, rhodiola begins to act with the first dose. "
Rhodiola rosea is a root grown in Russia that provides a healthy caffeine free alternative to coffee and tea. It is useful for mental work - it gives you that edge of clarity and bit of a buzz that a cup of coffee gives you without the side-effects and can be used to help stay awake if needing to work or wanting to play late. I drink it mixed with ginkgo (improves memory) and tulsi (adaptogen and relaxant) early in the day. It is becoming increasingly popular in the Russian party scene as an alternative to unhealthy stimulants.
Basically rhodiola is a kind of 'good for everything' folk remedy which also increases serotonin levels (caffeine reduces them - not many people know this) and gives you a healthy lift without a come down.
"Folk medicine has used rhodiola for practically every known ailment; to increase energy, endurance, longevity, stimulate sexual arousal, enhance mood and psychic abilities. In Siberian mountain villages, the roots are still given to couples prior to marriage to assure fertility and many healthy children. It's just now getting notice here in the west due to extensive pharmacological and clinical studies showing Rhodiola to enhance cognition; improving memory and learning, greatly reduce stress and fatigue, stimulate the immune system, increase metabolism, aid thyroid function, protect the cardiovascular system, boost fertility and sexual function, and alleviate depression.
Modern research has shown that it increases the body's resistance to any type of stress by regulating the body's hormonal response. Its use has been shown to have a protective effect upon the neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain. The root also enhances the transport of serotonin's precursors into the brain and studies have shown that use of this herb can increase brain serotonin by up to 30%. It has an enhancing effect upon physical endurance. Taken late in the day, the root's powerful psychostimulant effects can keep you awake, and once asleep induce vivid dreams. The root is an adaptogen. Unlike most adaptogens that need to be taken for several weeks to be effective, rhodiola begins to act with the first dose. "
edible wild greens
In South Devon the wild greens are now emerging out of the hedgerows.
Unlike with some other greens, you can consume lots of nettles for a long time and get nothing but benefit; I juice hundreds of them with unwashed organic carrots to bulk the juice out. Raw carrots contain the monatomic elements rhodium and iridium which facilitate subtle perception. Nettles increase serotonin levels, raise metabolic rate, and very mild positive psychoactive effects. You can juice nettles with a twin gear or hand turned juicer or add the leaves to a juice in a blender and drink with a straw.
Young cleavers are also great juiced or in salad and are very cleansing. I was delighted to find some garlic mustard peeping out between them today.
Penny wort is a lovely mild leaf for salads.
and wild garlic is also lovely in salads; also blended with tomato, sun-dried tomato, avocado, carrot and spring water to make a raw soup.
Unlike with some other greens, you can consume lots of nettles for a long time and get nothing but benefit; I juice hundreds of them with unwashed organic carrots to bulk the juice out. Raw carrots contain the monatomic elements rhodium and iridium which facilitate subtle perception. Nettles increase serotonin levels, raise metabolic rate, and very mild positive psychoactive effects. You can juice nettles with a twin gear or hand turned juicer or add the leaves to a juice in a blender and drink with a straw.
Young cleavers are also great juiced or in salad and are very cleansing. I was delighted to find some garlic mustard peeping out between them today.
Penny wort is a lovely mild leaf for salads.
and wild garlic is also lovely in salads; also blended with tomato, sun-dried tomato, avocado, carrot and spring water to make a raw soup.
Saturday, 19 February 2011
The greatest transition - the return of paradise - Susan Joy Rennison
The greatest transition in the history of mankind - the return of paradise - Susan Joy Rennison
"To understand the fact that our world is a facing the greatest transition in the history of mankind and that means rapid evolutionary change with a new destiny for mankind, it is necessary to recognize that this scenario has been predicted by a wide cross section of religious, esoteric, and indigenous traditions. Astronomical information relating to cosmic cycles − that occur over vast periods of time − have been retained and passed down through millennia. Today, Mayan calendars have been popularized, but there are many other calendars
and information embedded into art, architecture and literature.
The understanding amongst the learned that has been passed down to us is that after the Conflagration there will be a Restoration, a New Heavens and a New Earth − literally Earth’s tilt will change and the dome of heaven will appear differently. Since, changes are already occurring, maybe we can hope that there is a
universal plan for planet Earth that does not involve major catastrophe. "
Susan Joy Rennison
http://www.susanrennison.com/Greatest%20Transition%20V1.1%2014th%20September%202010%20Part%201.pdf
"In terms of evolutionary change within the cosmos, for a few decades, cosmologists agreed to promote the Big Bang model of the evolution of the universe that emphasised the beginning. In retrospect, it seems that it’s introduction in the 1930s by a Belgium astrophysicist and priest Abbé Georges Edouard Lemaître (1894-1966) served the purpose of uniting religion with science, in an effort to elevate Christian beliefs into our origin, to a new sublime level of credibility with the masses. It took a while, but the scientific community
became convinced when better mathematical detail was produced by George Gamow and Ralph Alpher in 1948. These days, it seems many scientists are losing patience with Big Bang cosmology and are proposing new alternatives like ‘The Big Bounce’. This is a quote is from the Universe Forum produced for NASA by the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics:
“The Big Bang is actually not a “theory” at all, but rather a scenario or model about the early moments of our universe, for which the evidence is overwhelming. But the Big Bang scenario cannot be the whole story, and its details are a subject of intense research.”
“It is a common misconception that the Big Bang was the origin of the universe. In reality, the Big Bang scenario is completely silent about how the universe came into existence in the first place. In fact, the closer we look to time “zero,” the less certain we are about what actually happened, because our current description of physical laws do not yet apply to such extremes of nature. The Big Bang scenario simply assumes that space, time, and energy already existed. But it tells us nothing about where they came from or why the universe was born hot and dense to begin with.”
We must presume that many can no longer suspend their critical thinking capabilities and believe that something as magnificent as the universe came from nothing, this is alongside the need to reject the incompatibility with the ‘hallowed’ laws of physics."
"Simply, the metaphysical belief by a wide range of groups and believers is that we are entering a New Golden Age. However, a more scientific explanation is that due to the changing cosmic environment, there is a strong possibility that Earth could be headed towards an intense high energy plasma environment. If this is correct,then ancient knowledge − that we think of as mythology, rituals, and traditional art from diverse cultures around the globe − is abundantly clear, primeval man experienced a wondrous and enigmatic firmament, that may have lasted for thousands of years, where various stages of extremely intense electrical discharges in the sky, were recorded as petroglyphs or “rock art.”"
“In Celtic creation stories, trees were the ancestors of mankind, elder beings of wisdom who provided the alphabet, the calendar, and entrance to the realms of the Gods. Trees were also associated in the Shamanic beliefs of the Druids and other Celtic peoples with the supernatural world.”
“Trees were a connection to the world of the spirits and the ancestors, living entities, and doorways into other worlds. The most sacred tree of all was the Oak tree, which represented the axis mundi, the center of the world. The Celtic name for oak, daur, is the origin of the word door- the root of the oak was literally the
doorway to the Otherworld, the realm of Fairy.”
"The mythology of ancestors that were associated with a Sacred Tree, does not make sense if we only think in terms of a hypothetical world axis, but it makes perfect sense if the Sacred World Tree was a massive Birkeland current in glow mode that was seen at various points around the globe and was used by plasma entities as the easiest way to travel in and out of Earth’s environment."
http://www.susanrennison.com/Greatest%20Transition%20V1.1%2014th%20September%202010%20Part%202.pdf
"To understand the fact that our world is a facing the greatest transition in the history of mankind and that means rapid evolutionary change with a new destiny for mankind, it is necessary to recognize that this scenario has been predicted by a wide cross section of religious, esoteric, and indigenous traditions. Astronomical information relating to cosmic cycles − that occur over vast periods of time − have been retained and passed down through millennia. Today, Mayan calendars have been popularized, but there are many other calendars
and information embedded into art, architecture and literature.
The understanding amongst the learned that has been passed down to us is that after the Conflagration there will be a Restoration, a New Heavens and a New Earth − literally Earth’s tilt will change and the dome of heaven will appear differently. Since, changes are already occurring, maybe we can hope that there is a
universal plan for planet Earth that does not involve major catastrophe. "
Susan Joy Rennison
http://www.susanrennison.com/Greatest%20Transition%20V1.1%2014th%20September%202010%20Part%201.pdf
"In terms of evolutionary change within the cosmos, for a few decades, cosmologists agreed to promote the Big Bang model of the evolution of the universe that emphasised the beginning. In retrospect, it seems that it’s introduction in the 1930s by a Belgium astrophysicist and priest Abbé Georges Edouard Lemaître (1894-1966) served the purpose of uniting religion with science, in an effort to elevate Christian beliefs into our origin, to a new sublime level of credibility with the masses. It took a while, but the scientific community
became convinced when better mathematical detail was produced by George Gamow and Ralph Alpher in 1948. These days, it seems many scientists are losing patience with Big Bang cosmology and are proposing new alternatives like ‘The Big Bounce’. This is a quote is from the Universe Forum produced for NASA by the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics:
“The Big Bang is actually not a “theory” at all, but rather a scenario or model about the early moments of our universe, for which the evidence is overwhelming. But the Big Bang scenario cannot be the whole story, and its details are a subject of intense research.”
“It is a common misconception that the Big Bang was the origin of the universe. In reality, the Big Bang scenario is completely silent about how the universe came into existence in the first place. In fact, the closer we look to time “zero,” the less certain we are about what actually happened, because our current description of physical laws do not yet apply to such extremes of nature. The Big Bang scenario simply assumes that space, time, and energy already existed. But it tells us nothing about where they came from or why the universe was born hot and dense to begin with.”
We must presume that many can no longer suspend their critical thinking capabilities and believe that something as magnificent as the universe came from nothing, this is alongside the need to reject the incompatibility with the ‘hallowed’ laws of physics."
"Simply, the metaphysical belief by a wide range of groups and believers is that we are entering a New Golden Age. However, a more scientific explanation is that due to the changing cosmic environment, there is a strong possibility that Earth could be headed towards an intense high energy plasma environment. If this is correct,then ancient knowledge − that we think of as mythology, rituals, and traditional art from diverse cultures around the globe − is abundantly clear, primeval man experienced a wondrous and enigmatic firmament, that may have lasted for thousands of years, where various stages of extremely intense electrical discharges in the sky, were recorded as petroglyphs or “rock art.”"
“In Celtic creation stories, trees were the ancestors of mankind, elder beings of wisdom who provided the alphabet, the calendar, and entrance to the realms of the Gods. Trees were also associated in the Shamanic beliefs of the Druids and other Celtic peoples with the supernatural world.”
“Trees were a connection to the world of the spirits and the ancestors, living entities, and doorways into other worlds. The most sacred tree of all was the Oak tree, which represented the axis mundi, the center of the world. The Celtic name for oak, daur, is the origin of the word door- the root of the oak was literally the
doorway to the Otherworld, the realm of Fairy.”
"The mythology of ancestors that were associated with a Sacred Tree, does not make sense if we only think in terms of a hypothetical world axis, but it makes perfect sense if the Sacred World Tree was a massive Birkeland current in glow mode that was seen at various points around the globe and was used by plasma entities as the easiest way to travel in and out of Earth’s environment."
http://www.susanrennison.com/Greatest%20Transition%20V1.1%2014th%20September%202010%20Part%202.pdf
Friday, 18 February 2011
activating genes and genius, spring water
Daniel Vitalis and David Wolfe talk about how habitat shapes our genetic expression; the significance of bringing up children in a natural environment; how the shamanic perspective can be interjected into the modern world; spring water; and bioactive and neurologically active food substances and the effect on intellectual prowess - "people could be having very new conversations".
"there's still water on the earth that's never seen any pollution and that water comes to the surface as springs - people can go to a spring and gather their own water... and over the course of a few days...with water alone you could make 75% of your body...out of the cleanest substance available anywhere on the earth"
http://www.thebestdayever.com/news/podcast/podcast-52-david-wolfe-and-daniel-vitalis/
"there's still water on the earth that's never seen any pollution and that water comes to the surface as springs - people can go to a spring and gather their own water... and over the course of a few days...with water alone you could make 75% of your body...out of the cleanest substance available anywhere on the earth"
http://www.thebestdayever.com/news/podcast/podcast-52-david-wolfe-and-daniel-vitalis/
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Eden was a Garden, Not a Farm
Is Sustainable Agriculture an Oxymoron?
Published in Permaculture Activist #60, May, 2006)
Jared Diamond calls it “the worst mistake in the history of the human race.”(1) Bill Mollison says that it can “destroy whole landscapes.”(2) Are they describing nuclear energy? Suburbia? Coal mining? No. They are talking about agriculture. The problem is not simply that farming in its current industrial manifestation is destroying topsoil and biodiversity. Agriculture in any form is inherently unsustainable. At its doorstep can also be laid the basis of our culture’s split between humans and nature, much disease and poor health, and the origins of dominator hierarchies and the police state. Those are big claims, so let’s explore them.
Permaculture, although it encompasses many disciplines, orbits most fundamentally around food. Anthropologists, too, agree that food defines culture more than our two other physical needs of shelter and reproduction. A single home-building stint provides a place to live for decades. A brief sexual encounter can result in children. But food must be gotten every day, usually several times a day. Until very recently, all human beings spent much of their time obtaining food, and the different ways of doing that drove cultures down very divergent paths.
Anthropologist Yehudi Cohen (3) and many subsequent scholars break human cultures into five categories based on how they get food. These five are foragers (or hunter-gatherers), horticulturists, agriculturists, pastoralists, and industrial cultures. Knowing which category a people falls into allows you to predict many attributes of that group. For example, foragers tend to be animist/pantheist, living in a world rich with spirit and in which all beings and many objects are ascribed a status equal to their own in value and meaning. Foragers live in small bands and tribes. Some foragers may be better than others at certain skills, like tool making or medicine, but almost none have exclusive specialties and everyone helps gather food. Though there may be chiefs and shamans, hierarchies are nearly flat and all members have access to the leaders. A skirmish causing two or three deaths is a major war. Most of a forager’s calories come from meat or fish, supplemented with fruit, nuts, and some wild grain and tubers.(4) It’s rare that a forager will overexploit his environment, as the linkage is so tight that destruction of a resource one season means starvation the next. Populations tend to peak at low numbers and stabilize.
read more here
Published in Permaculture Activist #60, May, 2006)
Jared Diamond calls it “the worst mistake in the history of the human race.”(1) Bill Mollison says that it can “destroy whole landscapes.”(2) Are they describing nuclear energy? Suburbia? Coal mining? No. They are talking about agriculture. The problem is not simply that farming in its current industrial manifestation is destroying topsoil and biodiversity. Agriculture in any form is inherently unsustainable. At its doorstep can also be laid the basis of our culture’s split between humans and nature, much disease and poor health, and the origins of dominator hierarchies and the police state. Those are big claims, so let’s explore them.
Permaculture, although it encompasses many disciplines, orbits most fundamentally around food. Anthropologists, too, agree that food defines culture more than our two other physical needs of shelter and reproduction. A single home-building stint provides a place to live for decades. A brief sexual encounter can result in children. But food must be gotten every day, usually several times a day. Until very recently, all human beings spent much of their time obtaining food, and the different ways of doing that drove cultures down very divergent paths.
Anthropologist Yehudi Cohen (3) and many subsequent scholars break human cultures into five categories based on how they get food. These five are foragers (or hunter-gatherers), horticulturists, agriculturists, pastoralists, and industrial cultures. Knowing which category a people falls into allows you to predict many attributes of that group. For example, foragers tend to be animist/pantheist, living in a world rich with spirit and in which all beings and many objects are ascribed a status equal to their own in value and meaning. Foragers live in small bands and tribes. Some foragers may be better than others at certain skills, like tool making or medicine, but almost none have exclusive specialties and everyone helps gather food. Though there may be chiefs and shamans, hierarchies are nearly flat and all members have access to the leaders. A skirmish causing two or three deaths is a major war. Most of a forager’s calories come from meat or fish, supplemented with fruit, nuts, and some wild grain and tubers.(4) It’s rare that a forager will overexploit his environment, as the linkage is so tight that destruction of a resource one season means starvation the next. Populations tend to peak at low numbers and stabilize.
read more here
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
The Fall of the Wisdom Goddess
" Here in a nine-part synopsis is one version of the sacred myth of Sophia, the "fallen goddess" of the Pagan Mysteries. The fallen goddess scenario (FGS) is not the invention of this author, John Lash. It is his reconstruction of a mythic narrative developed by ancient seers who applied it as a vision story for guiding humanity to evolve interactively with the living planet, Gaia. I consider this complex narrative to be the singular and paramount explanation of cosmic purpose produced by human imagination, truly a myth to guide the species."
- JLL, October 2010
http://www.metahistory.org/GAIA%20SOPHIA/Synopsis9SM.php
- JLL, October 2010
http://www.metahistory.org/GAIA%20SOPHIA/Synopsis9SM.php
getting lucky!
"...research revealed that lucky people generate good fortune via four principles...They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition, create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3335275.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3335275.stm
Monday, 14 February 2011
John Fielder on Raw Children, Animal Products, Vegan Pregnancy Problems
In John Fielder's experience women need some kind of animal produce to conceive and produce strong healthy children. This can be raw, for example kefir.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
The Trecena of Innovation
We in the West get really excited about anything "new". New technologies, new friends, new jobs, new homes, new options on the menus of our favorite restaurants. And so you'd think today would be reason for celebration throughout the entire Maya world. But it's not.
There are two reasons for this.
First, Imix is not the first daysign of the Sacred Tzolk'in for all Maya people, as we have been taught to believe for so many years. K'iche' Mayan Elder Don Rigoberto Itzep Chanchavac of Momostenango, and various texts by Mayan Calendar scholars, including Ken Johnson and Dr. Robert Sitler, confirm that the K'iche' Maya celebrate the new round of the Tzolk'in on 8 B'atz' (Chuen). Yet many other Maya populations do indeed use 1 Imix.
Secondly, and more importantly, for the Maya, time is cyclical, and so there is no beginning or end. There is no "last Tzolk'in round", no end date, whether it's October 28, 2011 or whatever other dates have been proposed. That is quite simply impossible if you're talking about the true Mayan Calendar, because it's not how the Maya practice it. The trecenas simply repeat, one following the other in an unending choreography of time. Their celebrations honor the sacred, the cyclical, the timeless. The numbers and day signs, of course, do have meaning, and that is what matters, more than beginnings or endings.
As one of our Facebook community members said today, "I watch detached because I see the dates as just another division amongst people. We need to get out of dates and get in touch with evolutionary cycles, prepare the people spiritually for the shift happening. "
Imix is the Alligator, the initiator of new ideas and activities, a sign of radiant Eastern energy. He will rule the next thirteen days, and as his fresh essence percolates through your consciousness, don't worry too much about getting work done. In fact, the Maya themselves avoid any appreciable amount of activity, because for them, Imix is a challenging day, charged with reflecting the deep, visionary aspect of reality, sometimes called the "left side" of reality... not unlike, as author Ken Johnson describes it, Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious.
Take this time to plan the next phase of your personal or professional journey, flesh out your vision, dreams and goals, and prepare for the time when you will need to take that first step.
Birgitte Rasine
http://www.maya-portal.net/
There are two reasons for this.
First, Imix is not the first daysign of the Sacred Tzolk'in for all Maya people, as we have been taught to believe for so many years. K'iche' Mayan Elder Don Rigoberto Itzep Chanchavac of Momostenango, and various texts by Mayan Calendar scholars, including Ken Johnson and Dr. Robert Sitler, confirm that the K'iche' Maya celebrate the new round of the Tzolk'in on 8 B'atz' (Chuen). Yet many other Maya populations do indeed use 1 Imix.
Secondly, and more importantly, for the Maya, time is cyclical, and so there is no beginning or end. There is no "last Tzolk'in round", no end date, whether it's October 28, 2011 or whatever other dates have been proposed. That is quite simply impossible if you're talking about the true Mayan Calendar, because it's not how the Maya practice it. The trecenas simply repeat, one following the other in an unending choreography of time. Their celebrations honor the sacred, the cyclical, the timeless. The numbers and day signs, of course, do have meaning, and that is what matters, more than beginnings or endings.
As one of our Facebook community members said today, "I watch detached because I see the dates as just another division amongst people. We need to get out of dates and get in touch with evolutionary cycles, prepare the people spiritually for the shift happening. "
Imix is the Alligator, the initiator of new ideas and activities, a sign of radiant Eastern energy. He will rule the next thirteen days, and as his fresh essence percolates through your consciousness, don't worry too much about getting work done. In fact, the Maya themselves avoid any appreciable amount of activity, because for them, Imix is a challenging day, charged with reflecting the deep, visionary aspect of reality, sometimes called the "left side" of reality... not unlike, as author Ken Johnson describes it, Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious.
Take this time to plan the next phase of your personal or professional journey, flesh out your vision, dreams and goals, and prepare for the time when you will need to take that first step.
Birgitte Rasine
http://www.maya-portal.net/
Raw Foods We No Longer Eat : Renegade Health
interesting...
agave, kombucha, tamari, chocolate, spirulina, dehydrated foods, cashews, nut milks, wheat, oats...
my experience is very similar, most of these would be on my list too, they just fell away of their own accord. I do eat raw cacao still though suspect that will fall away more, the only dehydrated food i eat is my almond and honey cereal which seems different somehow, cashews feel too uncomfortable to eat, hemp milk I use but not nut milks, and no grains, agave, kombucha or tamari. I ate all these foods when I first went raw.
http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/02/11/raw-foods-we-no-longer-eat/
agave, kombucha, tamari, chocolate, spirulina, dehydrated foods, cashews, nut milks, wheat, oats...
my experience is very similar, most of these would be on my list too, they just fell away of their own accord. I do eat raw cacao still though suspect that will fall away more, the only dehydrated food i eat is my almond and honey cereal which seems different somehow, cashews feel too uncomfortable to eat, hemp milk I use but not nut milks, and no grains, agave, kombucha or tamari. I ate all these foods when I first went raw.
http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/02/11/raw-foods-we-no-longer-eat/
Thursday, 10 February 2011
doing fun things and making money
"Instead of focusing on trying to make more money, put your time and energy into CREATING and DELIVERING real value. Find a way to give people what they want and/or need".
from 'How to succeed during a recession' by Steve Pavlina in winter 2011 issue of Funky Raw magazine:
Very entertaining and inspiring article - Steve Pavlina's website is here http://www.stevepavlina.com/
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
bringing order to the biological diversity
"Over many eons the fallen goddess produces an atmosphere and oceans. The Generator veils herself demurely in the cloudy marbled vapors of the biosphere. Upon her planetary body life arises in rampant forms. Creatures great and small appear in such abundance that Sophia is unable to manage her progeny. Looking on from the galactic core, the Generators see her plight. By communal assent they send her counterpart, the Aeon Christos, to bring order to the biological diversity teeming in Sophia’s world. In an action that reflects intentionally what Sophia committed without intention, Christos crosses the Pleromic boundary and intercedes in the experiment unfolding in the spiral arms. The Generator organizes the life-forms burgeoning upon the planet and then recedes, withdrawing to the galactic center."
from The Fall of the Wisdom Goddess by John Lamb Lash
from The Fall of the Wisdom Goddess by John Lamb Lash
ninth wave
Carl Calleman says March 9th is actually the beginning of the ninth wave:
http://treeoflifecelebration.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19:an-explanatory-note-regarding-february-11-2011-and-march-9-2011&catid=1:discussions&Itemid=1&lang=en
http://treeoflifecelebration.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19:an-explanatory-note-regarding-february-11-2011-and-march-9-2011&catid=1:discussions&Itemid=1&lang=en
raw food humour competition intensifies...
Durianrider reviews David Wolfe's ant extract and deer placenta:
Daniel Vitalis spoofs David Wolfe, Matt Monarch and himself:
Bananarider explains how to eat raw in cold climates
Pete Vincent declares World Raw III:
http://petevincent.typepad.com/rawhumourblog/2011/01/raw-controversy-over-raw-food-controversies.html
and Matt Monarch declares Raw Food is Lame!
Daniel Vitalis spoofs David Wolfe, Matt Monarch and himself:
Bananarider explains how to eat raw in cold climates
Pete Vincent declares World Raw III:
http://petevincent.typepad.com/rawhumourblog/2011/01/raw-controversy-over-raw-food-controversies.html
and Matt Monarch declares Raw Food is Lame!
John Lash - Not in HIS Image
fascinating interview - this Gnostic material challenges some of the deepest programming in our minds; we so often don't spot it because it is ubiquitous
'Researcher and author John Lamb Lash joins us to discuss his book "Not in His Image: Gnostic Vision, Sacred Ecology, and the Future of Belief". We begin to talk about Gnosticism, the origins of the Gnostic Texts, who've done the translation? We move on talking about the Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We focus on Christianity and talk about the Saviour Complex and God's need for a Sacrifice. Topics Discussed: Religion, Manipulation, Elaine Pagels, Nag Hammâdi, Translation Problems, Dead Sea Scrolls, The Gnostics, Yahweh; The schizoid God and much more.'
'Researcher and author John Lamb Lash joins us to discuss his book "Not in His Image: Gnostic Vision, Sacred Ecology, and the Future of Belief". We begin to talk about Gnosticism, the origins of the Gnostic Texts, who've done the translation? We move on talking about the Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We focus on Christianity and talk about the Saviour Complex and God's need for a Sacrifice. Topics Discussed: Religion, Manipulation, Elaine Pagels, Nag Hammâdi, Translation Problems, Dead Sea Scrolls, The Gnostics, Yahweh; The schizoid God and much more.'
myths of vegetarian nutrition
Myths About Whole Grains and Vegetarianism
By Marlene Merritt, DOM, LAc, ACN
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32369
Continuing with the theme of what we "think" we know about food and nutrition, I would like to deal with two sacred cows -- whole grains, and vegetarianism. Not in the way of right and wrong, but rather with the realization that without adequate information, most people are damaging their health completely inadvertently, and quite significantly.
Let's start with grains. From a blood sugar perspective grains will cause an insulin reaction, so I recommend that people pay attention to how much they have, measure the grams of carbs, and learn what a serving size is, or just limit them. I'm going to assume that you know that refined grains are a complete waste of time. But the myth is that we have to eat grains, and that we think we can digest them. Let me explain. Grains, nuts and seeds, just like soy, contain a number of "anti-nutrients" that need to be dealt before they become digestible. Think about a bird eating a seed -- the seed is designed to survive the digestive track of the bird, so that it can live to sprout another day. Those protections are also present when you eat those grains, nuts and seeds. Just like soy (and legumes and seeds in general), all grains contain phytic acid in the hull of the seeds, and phytic acid combines with calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, and especially zinc, preventing their absorption in the digestive tract. Other anti-nutrients include enzyme inhibitors (inhibiting trypsin and chymotrypsin) which puts stress on the pancreas and inhibits digestion. There are also tannins which can irritate the system, along with gluten and other related difficult-to-digest proteins that can cause digestive problems, and lead to over 40
different diseases. We had a patient with multiple sclerosis reduce her symptoms to zero by finding out she had Celiac disease.
Anti-nutrients are there to protect the seed -- they prevent sprouting until the time is right. What we forget is that animals that nourish themselves on plants and grains have longer, slower digestive tracts, with some having multiple stomachs for digestion. Those plants, grains and seeds want moisture, warmth, time and slight acidity to sprout, and imitating that is what will allow you to eat grains and legumes (soy excluded), extract the nutrients from them, and not have them cause short and long-term damage. All traditional cultures eating grains either fermented or soaked them. So what should you do to your rice, granola, oats, beans, and your wheat for homemade bread?
Soak your legumes, grains and seeds overnight in water with a little whey or other acid-like lemon. Make sure you don't eat them raw -- cook your grains, even just a little, to reduce the anti-nutrients. Heat alone will not negate these compounds (although the very high heat used to extrude grains to make cereals will damage the nutrients completely and make the proteins into poisonous compounds) but some heat has to be used. Add a little whey, vinegar, lemon juice, kefir or yogurt to provide the acidity to activate phytases and break down some of the anti-nutrients. For great suggestions on this, read "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon Morel, who provides recipes and explains why the traditional methods of preparation prevented many of the nutritional problems we see today.
Another "myth" about food is that being vegetarian is healthier. I am not, in any way, against vegetarianism from a philosophical point of view -- my only qualm with it is that many, if not most, vegetarians, and to a greater extent, vegans, are damaging their health due to a lack of knowledge about nutrition. Take the grains I just wrote about -- vegetarians tend to be the worst offenders in terms of carbohydrate intake. The staple of many vegetarian diets is, in all honesty, not vegetables, but rather foods like pastas, beans, breads, and grains. If someone is trying to be "healthy," hose might be whole grains, but for most people, it's a mix at best. I see insulin-resistant vegetarians all the time in my practice, and they got there because their thoughts are that if they're eating whole grains, it must be OK. Did you know that a serving size of rice is one-third of a cup? cooked? Do you know anyone who is eating that small of a serving? I don't. Nor are those grains, nuts and seeds being properly prepared to prevent the problems mentioned above.
Soy is another minefield. People, and vegetarians in particular, have been told that eating soy is healthy, and it cannot be said more emphatically that it is not. As one of the most genetically modified foods grown, soy for that reason alone should be avoided - indigestibility, phytoestrogens, and link to hypothyroidism are just a few of the many reasons that it should not be a staple in anyone's diet (fermented soy excepted). My article in AT's January 2011 edition titled, "Food Myths: Bamboozled by the Soy Hype" discusses the drawbacks of soy in detail.
Another big myth is that vegetarians can get all their nutrients from plant products. Fat-soluble vitamin A is a good example. Assuming someone has all the enzymes necessary in the correct amounts to cause a conversion from beta-carotene to vitamin A (a certain percentage always will not), one would have to eat two cups of cooked kale, two cups of carrots, or one cup of sweet potatoes per day versus the one serving per week of liver, or the half teaspoon of cod liver oil that provides the same amount. The conversion rate is not 1:1 but, depending on an individual, anywhere between 2.4 and 20.2, which explains why a study involving pregnant Indonesian women who were fed enough carotenes for three times the recommended amount of vitamin A (according to WHO), had a large amount of them suffering from vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin D, associated with sunshine and cod liver oil, has been shown again and again to protect against cancer, prevent autoimmune diseases, increase bone density -- the list goes on and on. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the form most effective for humans, although a vegetarian form of vitamin D2 has been found in mushrooms exposed to UV light. Vitamin D2, however, appears to be five to 10 times less effective at supporting good nutritional status, and had been linked to abnormal calcification of the kidneys and arteries. That's the form added to soy and rice milk.Vitamin B12 is often very deficient in vegetarians and while the end result of B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia and irreversible nervous system damage, other conditions manifest earlier, most often neurological problems like numbness, pins-and-needles sensations, memory loss, irrational anger, and psychological conditions like dementia, depression and OCD. President Kennedy was quoted as saying that he never would have become president without vitamin B12 injections to deal with many of his illnesses.Vegetarian references often state that one can get adequate vitamin B12 from plant sources, but that's incorrect -- sources like spirulina and seaweed contain analogs of B12 (called cobamides) that actually block the B12 receptors and prevents absorption of the real B12. High intake of folic acid (from green leafy vegetables) can also mask B12 deficiency and it's for that reason that it's best to take B12 and folic acid together. The food sources of B12 are almost exclusively in the animal products of shellfish, liver (these are the best sources), meat, fish, milk and eggs. Unfortunately, eggs also contain a substance that blocks vitamin B12 absorption, leaving only milk as a good source of B12 for vegetarians (although pasteurization deforms the milk proteins that aid in absorption). And vitamin B12 deficiency is rampant -- as early as 1974, it was found that 92 percent of vegans, 64 percent of lactovegetarians, 47 percent of lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 20 percent of semi-vegetarians had blood levels below normal (meaning, below the low range that marks pernicious anemia).
Some others that shouldn't be ignored: vitamin B6 in plant form is ineffective without B2, which is found in animal products, essential fatty acids from plant forms are more vulnerable to oxidation and increase omega-6 inflammation, vitamin K2, which only comes from animal products and natto, amino acids like carnitine, taurine, glycine, creatine, zinc -- the list is long. There is not enough space to write about other potential deficiencies.
It might be best said in the words of one of my patients, "I completely agree with the philosophy of being vegetarian; it's just that I'm unwilling to sacrifice my health over it." It's with that thought that, if you wanted to find a middle ground, it would be great to incorporate eggs, and butter, and full-fat cheeses. Adding seafood would be huge. You just want to make sure of a couple of things: that your food is organic and nutrient-dense, that
it's local if you can get it (for example, vitamin C in broccoli is lost in seven days, so it might not have much if it's been shipped), that it's non-GMO, that your meat is also nutrient-dense, meaning it's grass-fed, pasture-raised or wild-farmed. There is definitely a way to eat responsibly and attain optimal health in order to prevent the scourge of health issues from the typical American diet. It's just a matter of educating yourself and your patients.
To read Marlene Merritt's previous articles on nutrition "The Snackwell Effect" and "Food Myths: Bamboozled by the Soy Hype" visit www.acupuncturetoday.com.
By Marlene Merritt, DOM, LAc, ACN
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32369
Continuing with the theme of what we "think" we know about food and nutrition, I would like to deal with two sacred cows -- whole grains, and vegetarianism. Not in the way of right and wrong, but rather with the realization that without adequate information, most people are damaging their health completely inadvertently, and quite significantly.
Let's start with grains. From a blood sugar perspective grains will cause an insulin reaction, so I recommend that people pay attention to how much they have, measure the grams of carbs, and learn what a serving size is, or just limit them. I'm going to assume that you know that refined grains are a complete waste of time. But the myth is that we have to eat grains, and that we think we can digest them. Let me explain. Grains, nuts and seeds, just like soy, contain a number of "anti-nutrients" that need to be dealt before they become digestible. Think about a bird eating a seed -- the seed is designed to survive the digestive track of the bird, so that it can live to sprout another day. Those protections are also present when you eat those grains, nuts and seeds. Just like soy (and legumes and seeds in general), all grains contain phytic acid in the hull of the seeds, and phytic acid combines with calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, and especially zinc, preventing their absorption in the digestive tract. Other anti-nutrients include enzyme inhibitors (inhibiting trypsin and chymotrypsin) which puts stress on the pancreas and inhibits digestion. There are also tannins which can irritate the system, along with gluten and other related difficult-to-digest proteins that can cause digestive problems, and lead to over 40
different diseases. We had a patient with multiple sclerosis reduce her symptoms to zero by finding out she had Celiac disease.
Anti-nutrients are there to protect the seed -- they prevent sprouting until the time is right. What we forget is that animals that nourish themselves on plants and grains have longer, slower digestive tracts, with some having multiple stomachs for digestion. Those plants, grains and seeds want moisture, warmth, time and slight acidity to sprout, and imitating that is what will allow you to eat grains and legumes (soy excluded), extract the nutrients from them, and not have them cause short and long-term damage. All traditional cultures eating grains either fermented or soaked them. So what should you do to your rice, granola, oats, beans, and your wheat for homemade bread?
Soak your legumes, grains and seeds overnight in water with a little whey or other acid-like lemon. Make sure you don't eat them raw -- cook your grains, even just a little, to reduce the anti-nutrients. Heat alone will not negate these compounds (although the very high heat used to extrude grains to make cereals will damage the nutrients completely and make the proteins into poisonous compounds) but some heat has to be used. Add a little whey, vinegar, lemon juice, kefir or yogurt to provide the acidity to activate phytases and break down some of the anti-nutrients. For great suggestions on this, read "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon Morel, who provides recipes and explains why the traditional methods of preparation prevented many of the nutritional problems we see today.
Another "myth" about food is that being vegetarian is healthier. I am not, in any way, against vegetarianism from a philosophical point of view -- my only qualm with it is that many, if not most, vegetarians, and to a greater extent, vegans, are damaging their health due to a lack of knowledge about nutrition. Take the grains I just wrote about -- vegetarians tend to be the worst offenders in terms of carbohydrate intake. The staple of many vegetarian diets is, in all honesty, not vegetables, but rather foods like pastas, beans, breads, and grains. If someone is trying to be "healthy," hose might be whole grains, but for most people, it's a mix at best. I see insulin-resistant vegetarians all the time in my practice, and they got there because their thoughts are that if they're eating whole grains, it must be OK. Did you know that a serving size of rice is one-third of a cup? cooked? Do you know anyone who is eating that small of a serving? I don't. Nor are those grains, nuts and seeds being properly prepared to prevent the problems mentioned above.
Soy is another minefield. People, and vegetarians in particular, have been told that eating soy is healthy, and it cannot be said more emphatically that it is not. As one of the most genetically modified foods grown, soy for that reason alone should be avoided - indigestibility, phytoestrogens, and link to hypothyroidism are just a few of the many reasons that it should not be a staple in anyone's diet (fermented soy excepted). My article in AT's January 2011 edition titled, "Food Myths: Bamboozled by the Soy Hype" discusses the drawbacks of soy in detail.
Another big myth is that vegetarians can get all their nutrients from plant products. Fat-soluble vitamin A is a good example. Assuming someone has all the enzymes necessary in the correct amounts to cause a conversion from beta-carotene to vitamin A (a certain percentage always will not), one would have to eat two cups of cooked kale, two cups of carrots, or one cup of sweet potatoes per day versus the one serving per week of liver, or the half teaspoon of cod liver oil that provides the same amount. The conversion rate is not 1:1 but, depending on an individual, anywhere between 2.4 and 20.2, which explains why a study involving pregnant Indonesian women who were fed enough carotenes for three times the recommended amount of vitamin A (according to WHO), had a large amount of them suffering from vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin D, associated with sunshine and cod liver oil, has been shown again and again to protect against cancer, prevent autoimmune diseases, increase bone density -- the list goes on and on. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the form most effective for humans, although a vegetarian form of vitamin D2 has been found in mushrooms exposed to UV light. Vitamin D2, however, appears to be five to 10 times less effective at supporting good nutritional status, and had been linked to abnormal calcification of the kidneys and arteries. That's the form added to soy and rice milk.Vitamin B12 is often very deficient in vegetarians and while the end result of B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia and irreversible nervous system damage, other conditions manifest earlier, most often neurological problems like numbness, pins-and-needles sensations, memory loss, irrational anger, and psychological conditions like dementia, depression and OCD. President Kennedy was quoted as saying that he never would have become president without vitamin B12 injections to deal with many of his illnesses.Vegetarian references often state that one can get adequate vitamin B12 from plant sources, but that's incorrect -- sources like spirulina and seaweed contain analogs of B12 (called cobamides) that actually block the B12 receptors and prevents absorption of the real B12. High intake of folic acid (from green leafy vegetables) can also mask B12 deficiency and it's for that reason that it's best to take B12 and folic acid together. The food sources of B12 are almost exclusively in the animal products of shellfish, liver (these are the best sources), meat, fish, milk and eggs. Unfortunately, eggs also contain a substance that blocks vitamin B12 absorption, leaving only milk as a good source of B12 for vegetarians (although pasteurization deforms the milk proteins that aid in absorption). And vitamin B12 deficiency is rampant -- as early as 1974, it was found that 92 percent of vegans, 64 percent of lactovegetarians, 47 percent of lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 20 percent of semi-vegetarians had blood levels below normal (meaning, below the low range that marks pernicious anemia).
Some others that shouldn't be ignored: vitamin B6 in plant form is ineffective without B2, which is found in animal products, essential fatty acids from plant forms are more vulnerable to oxidation and increase omega-6 inflammation, vitamin K2, which only comes from animal products and natto, amino acids like carnitine, taurine, glycine, creatine, zinc -- the list is long. There is not enough space to write about other potential deficiencies.
It might be best said in the words of one of my patients, "I completely agree with the philosophy of being vegetarian; it's just that I'm unwilling to sacrifice my health over it." It's with that thought that, if you wanted to find a middle ground, it would be great to incorporate eggs, and butter, and full-fat cheeses. Adding seafood would be huge. You just want to make sure of a couple of things: that your food is organic and nutrient-dense, that
it's local if you can get it (for example, vitamin C in broccoli is lost in seven days, so it might not have much if it's been shipped), that it's non-GMO, that your meat is also nutrient-dense, meaning it's grass-fed, pasture-raised or wild-farmed. There is definitely a way to eat responsibly and attain optimal health in order to prevent the scourge of health issues from the typical American diet. It's just a matter of educating yourself and your patients.
To read Marlene Merritt's previous articles on nutrition "The Snackwell Effect" and "Food Myths: Bamboozled by the Soy Hype" visit www.acupuncturetoday.com.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Lierre Keith on agriculture and ancient diets
Lierre Keith examines some of the myths about modern agriculture and ancient diets in the second part of her interview on Grok-the-Talk radio.
listen now
Personally i think there was a human existence before hunting; however clearly many plant foods eaten today are not our natural biological foods, our bodies are designed for fruit rather than vegetables. Grains are especially foriegn to us and can trigger auto-immune disorders.
listen now
Personally i think there was a human existence before hunting; however clearly many plant foods eaten today are not our natural biological foods, our bodies are designed for fruit rather than vegetables. Grains are especially foriegn to us and can trigger auto-immune disorders.
Monday, 7 February 2011
Abe on alternative therapies
"it's all vibrational...a really effective healer gets in the vortex and is guided to the process that is most likely to coax them closer in the vicinity of allowing their own healing...no healing takes place outside the vortex..you put your new and improved version of them in your vortex - that's why we call it co-creation"
anger management
"no matter how angry we get at somebody else we still don't have any control over them"
Friday, 4 February 2011
Why Young Brains Are Sick
Sick Brains in Teens - Is There A Root Cause?
Thursday, February 03, 2011 by: Dr Sherri Tenpenny, citizen journalist
Natural News
http://www.naturalnews.com/031198_psychiatry_teens.html
The list of assailing particles on children is long, and starts with chemical exposure in the womb. In July, 2005, the Environmental Working Group released a hallmark study using cord blood to assess the chemical exposure of neonates in-utero. The placenta has long been thought to shield the developing baby from pollutants in the environment. The study's alarming results dispelled this as a wishful myth. Of the 287 chemicals identified in the umbilical cord blood of 10 infants, 180 were known carcinogens, 217 were toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 have been associated with birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The study concluded that, "the dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied."(4)
Within hours of emerging from the womb, a newborn is given a dollop of antibiotics in the eyes, injected with the hepatitis b vaccine, with known neurotoxic properties,(5)and jabbed with a vitamin K shot, which contains 9 mg of benzyl alcohol. In 1992, Golding published concerns that vitamin K injections could be associated with a doubled risk of malignant disease in children, particularly leukemia. While there have been considerable doubts about whether the association is coincidental or causal, the controversy has never been completely resolved.(6)
Starting around the 60th day of life, infants with still immature immune systems are subjected to a battery of vaccines: DTaP, HiB, polio, Prevnar, and a squirt of oral rotavirus vaccine, all generally given at the same time. The onslaught of these shots, including two additional injections of hepatitis b vaccine, repeats twice, every 60 days. This deposits approximately 66 different viral or bacterial antigens and measurable amounts of a dozen different chemicals into a six month old infant.
By the time a child is five years old, a little 40 pound human will receive up to 35 injections, containing at least 110 different weakened pathogens (or pathogen particles), and an assortment of 59 different chemicals. If all approved shots are administered, the little tot will also be injected with stray viral DNA, four types of animal cells, cells from aborted fetal tissue and a bit of human albumin (a foreign protein.) By the way, all of these substances are listed on package inserts for each vaccine.
Subjective Labels for Brain Pathology
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, nearly 20 percent of American children and adolescents suffer from a mental disorder so significant, it interferes with their day-to-day life.(7) The plethora of diagnoses fall into a few fairly well defined categories: Conduct disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); learning disabilities, a spectrum of speech delay and comprehension issues; and mood disorders, which include depression, bipolar disorder and chronic anxiety.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approximates that nearly 5.4 million children 4 to 17 years of age have been diagnosed with ADHD alone (2007 data). This represents nearly 1 in 10 of all children - and the number has been escalating. Between 2003 and 2007,(8) the number of parent-reported children diagnosed with ADHD increased by 22 percent. Disturbingly, in an attempt to quell their out-of-control behavior, more than two thirds of these children have been placed on at least one prescription medication. Since the underlying cause for the sick brain and hyperkinetic behavior has not been identified and addressed, the drugging is akin to tightening down the lid on a boiling pot of water.
One of these behavioral disorders, called Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD),(9)is said to manifest around 8 years of age. Mannerisms include: easily losing one's temper; aggressively arguing with adults and defying requests; refusing to follow rules; deliberately annoying other people; blaming others for one's own mistakes or misbehavior; and being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive. In 2008, ODD was the most common reason children were referred to mental health professionals for an assessment, accounting for at least half of all out patient visits to psychiatrists and psychiatric practitioners. These children, mostly boys, are commonly diagnosed and treated for several coexisting mental disorders.(10)
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) is about to be released, replacing the older DSM-IV. The DSM (11) is a catalog of hundreds of psychiatric conditions, including a long list of anxiety, personality and adjustment disorders. Diagnoses are available to give children who struggle with math and writing skills a diagnosis (Mathematics Disorder 315.1 and Disorder of Written Expression 315.2, respectively), labeling a child who has a missing skill with a mental deficiency. New disorders are on the horizon too, such as Temper Dysregulation Disorder with Dysphoria (TDD),(12)a tweak to the current diagnosis of bipolar disorders for children under the age of ten.
Treatments offered for malfunctioning, unhealthy brains include an extensive list of prescription medications, divided by class, based on the effect they are thought to have on brain chemistry. Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics and sedatives are prescribed to ostensibly correct imbalances in brain chemicals. If one drug doesn't work, more are added, perhaps with unintended consequences on behavior.
A recent 69-month study identified 484 drugs that accounted for 780,169 serious adverse events, including violence and aggressive behavior. The drugs were associated with 387 reports of homicide, 404 physical assaults, 27 cases indicating physical abuse, 896 homicidal ideation reports, and 223 cases described as violence-related symptoms. Medications most strongly associated with violence(13) were 11 different antidepressants, particularly the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ex: Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft); 6 different sedative/ hypnotics (ex: Xanax and Clonipin) and 3 drugs given for ADHD, including Ritalin and Concerta. Additionally, the anti-psychotics drugs, Seroquel, Zyprexa and Respirdol, commonly used to treat ODD,(14)are among drugs that can lead to violence.
Combined Effects
Significant populations of children in the U.S. have been exposed to a combination of chemicals, vaccines and multiple prescription medications - from infancy through early adulthood. No studies have examined the effect these components have individually on brain function, let alone in combination. Mental health experts try to convince us that the chemical exposures are so small they cannot have negative effects. Same with vaccines. "Experts" espouse that vaccinations are safe, effective, protective and harmless. No thought -- or research -- has been done to examine the potential problems that can arise from the combined effect of four or more simultaneous medications, vaccines and chemicals. There has been little effort by the government (FDA/CDC), the pharmaceutical industry or doctors -- all of whom profit handsomely from massive drug and vaccine use --- to evaluate the combined negative effects of these exposures.
Brain inflammation has been the hallmark of severe reactions since the first vaccine -- smallpox. The pertussis vaccination can have profound effects on the developing brain of a child, leading to permanent changes in behavior, personality, intelligence, emotional stability, and physical ability. Virtually every year--from 1933 to the mid-1980s-- a paper was published discussing the adverse effects of the whole cell pertussis vaccine.(15) Instead of spending more money to create new drugs and vaccines, we should demand that industry and governments study the complications and injuries caused by the combined use of the products we already have.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031198_psychiatry_teens.html#ixzz1Cx9vJn2o
Thursday, February 03, 2011 by: Dr Sherri Tenpenny, citizen journalist
Natural News
http://www.naturalnews.com/031198_psychiatry_teens.html
The list of assailing particles on children is long, and starts with chemical exposure in the womb. In July, 2005, the Environmental Working Group released a hallmark study using cord blood to assess the chemical exposure of neonates in-utero. The placenta has long been thought to shield the developing baby from pollutants in the environment. The study's alarming results dispelled this as a wishful myth. Of the 287 chemicals identified in the umbilical cord blood of 10 infants, 180 were known carcinogens, 217 were toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 have been associated with birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The study concluded that, "the dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied."(4)
Within hours of emerging from the womb, a newborn is given a dollop of antibiotics in the eyes, injected with the hepatitis b vaccine, with known neurotoxic properties,(5)and jabbed with a vitamin K shot, which contains 9 mg of benzyl alcohol. In 1992, Golding published concerns that vitamin K injections could be associated with a doubled risk of malignant disease in children, particularly leukemia. While there have been considerable doubts about whether the association is coincidental or causal, the controversy has never been completely resolved.(6)
Starting around the 60th day of life, infants with still immature immune systems are subjected to a battery of vaccines: DTaP, HiB, polio, Prevnar, and a squirt of oral rotavirus vaccine, all generally given at the same time. The onslaught of these shots, including two additional injections of hepatitis b vaccine, repeats twice, every 60 days. This deposits approximately 66 different viral or bacterial antigens and measurable amounts of a dozen different chemicals into a six month old infant.
By the time a child is five years old, a little 40 pound human will receive up to 35 injections, containing at least 110 different weakened pathogens (or pathogen particles), and an assortment of 59 different chemicals. If all approved shots are administered, the little tot will also be injected with stray viral DNA, four types of animal cells, cells from aborted fetal tissue and a bit of human albumin (a foreign protein.) By the way, all of these substances are listed on package inserts for each vaccine.
Subjective Labels for Brain Pathology
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, nearly 20 percent of American children and adolescents suffer from a mental disorder so significant, it interferes with their day-to-day life.(7) The plethora of diagnoses fall into a few fairly well defined categories: Conduct disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); learning disabilities, a spectrum of speech delay and comprehension issues; and mood disorders, which include depression, bipolar disorder and chronic anxiety.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approximates that nearly 5.4 million children 4 to 17 years of age have been diagnosed with ADHD alone (2007 data). This represents nearly 1 in 10 of all children - and the number has been escalating. Between 2003 and 2007,(8) the number of parent-reported children diagnosed with ADHD increased by 22 percent. Disturbingly, in an attempt to quell their out-of-control behavior, more than two thirds of these children have been placed on at least one prescription medication. Since the underlying cause for the sick brain and hyperkinetic behavior has not been identified and addressed, the drugging is akin to tightening down the lid on a boiling pot of water.
One of these behavioral disorders, called Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD),(9)is said to manifest around 8 years of age. Mannerisms include: easily losing one's temper; aggressively arguing with adults and defying requests; refusing to follow rules; deliberately annoying other people; blaming others for one's own mistakes or misbehavior; and being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive. In 2008, ODD was the most common reason children were referred to mental health professionals for an assessment, accounting for at least half of all out patient visits to psychiatrists and psychiatric practitioners. These children, mostly boys, are commonly diagnosed and treated for several coexisting mental disorders.(10)
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) is about to be released, replacing the older DSM-IV. The DSM (11) is a catalog of hundreds of psychiatric conditions, including a long list of anxiety, personality and adjustment disorders. Diagnoses are available to give children who struggle with math and writing skills a diagnosis (Mathematics Disorder 315.1 and Disorder of Written Expression 315.2, respectively), labeling a child who has a missing skill with a mental deficiency. New disorders are on the horizon too, such as Temper Dysregulation Disorder with Dysphoria (TDD),(12)a tweak to the current diagnosis of bipolar disorders for children under the age of ten.
Treatments offered for malfunctioning, unhealthy brains include an extensive list of prescription medications, divided by class, based on the effect they are thought to have on brain chemistry. Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics and sedatives are prescribed to ostensibly correct imbalances in brain chemicals. If one drug doesn't work, more are added, perhaps with unintended consequences on behavior.
A recent 69-month study identified 484 drugs that accounted for 780,169 serious adverse events, including violence and aggressive behavior. The drugs were associated with 387 reports of homicide, 404 physical assaults, 27 cases indicating physical abuse, 896 homicidal ideation reports, and 223 cases described as violence-related symptoms. Medications most strongly associated with violence(13) were 11 different antidepressants, particularly the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ex: Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft); 6 different sedative/ hypnotics (ex: Xanax and Clonipin) and 3 drugs given for ADHD, including Ritalin and Concerta. Additionally, the anti-psychotics drugs, Seroquel, Zyprexa and Respirdol, commonly used to treat ODD,(14)are among drugs that can lead to violence.
Combined Effects
Significant populations of children in the U.S. have been exposed to a combination of chemicals, vaccines and multiple prescription medications - from infancy through early adulthood. No studies have examined the effect these components have individually on brain function, let alone in combination. Mental health experts try to convince us that the chemical exposures are so small they cannot have negative effects. Same with vaccines. "Experts" espouse that vaccinations are safe, effective, protective and harmless. No thought -- or research -- has been done to examine the potential problems that can arise from the combined effect of four or more simultaneous medications, vaccines and chemicals. There has been little effort by the government (FDA/CDC), the pharmaceutical industry or doctors -- all of whom profit handsomely from massive drug and vaccine use --- to evaluate the combined negative effects of these exposures.
Brain inflammation has been the hallmark of severe reactions since the first vaccine -- smallpox. The pertussis vaccination can have profound effects on the developing brain of a child, leading to permanent changes in behavior, personality, intelligence, emotional stability, and physical ability. Virtually every year--from 1933 to the mid-1980s-- a paper was published discussing the adverse effects of the whole cell pertussis vaccine.(15) Instead of spending more money to create new drugs and vaccines, we should demand that industry and governments study the complications and injuries caused by the combined use of the products we already have.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031198_psychiatry_teens.html#ixzz1Cx9vJn2o
The nature of conflict
Highlights from the book, The Nature of Conflict, by Tom Crum
By Joyce A. DeVoss
It may be helpful in learning to deal with daily conflict to reflect on its nature and see beyond what meets the eye. Conflict is natural. It is neither positive or negative. It just is. Conflict is just an interference pattern of energies. Nature uses conflict as its primary motivator for change, creating beautiful beaches, canyons, mountains, and pearls! It’s not whether you have conflict in your life. It’s what you do with that conflict that makes the difference. Conflict is not a contest. Winning and losing are goals for games, not for conflicts.
Learning, growing and cooperating are goals for resolving conflicts. Conflict can be seen as a gift of energy, in which neither side loses and a new dance is created. Resolving conflict is rarely about who is right. It is about acknowledgement and appreciation of differences. Conflict begins within. As we unhitch the burden of belief systems and heighten our perceptions, we live more fully and freely.
Conflict resolution blog :
http://www.conflictresolutionblog.com/2007/03/whats-your-conflict-quotient/
Eastern cultures embrace conflict, knowing that it is only an interference of opposing energy patterns. Simply put, two or more person’s positions (energy patterns) are at odds or inconsistent with those of the other’s. The word “embrace” is deliberately italicized. Eastern cultures urge us to welcome, if not befriend, conflict in order to align our intentions and energies with it, thereby offering little – if any – resistance. Once so aligned, we are able to move positively through the conflict, gradually embracing the outcome. One Eastern philosopher has described this principle as, “Embrace Tiger, return to mountain”.
By Joyce A. DeVoss
It may be helpful in learning to deal with daily conflict to reflect on its nature and see beyond what meets the eye. Conflict is natural. It is neither positive or negative. It just is. Conflict is just an interference pattern of energies. Nature uses conflict as its primary motivator for change, creating beautiful beaches, canyons, mountains, and pearls! It’s not whether you have conflict in your life. It’s what you do with that conflict that makes the difference. Conflict is not a contest. Winning and losing are goals for games, not for conflicts.
Learning, growing and cooperating are goals for resolving conflicts. Conflict can be seen as a gift of energy, in which neither side loses and a new dance is created. Resolving conflict is rarely about who is right. It is about acknowledgement and appreciation of differences. Conflict begins within. As we unhitch the burden of belief systems and heighten our perceptions, we live more fully and freely.
Conflict resolution blog :
http://www.conflictresolutionblog.com/2007/03/whats-your-conflict-quotient/
Eastern cultures embrace conflict, knowing that it is only an interference of opposing energy patterns. Simply put, two or more person’s positions (energy patterns) are at odds or inconsistent with those of the other’s. The word “embrace” is deliberately italicized. Eastern cultures urge us to welcome, if not befriend, conflict in order to align our intentions and energies with it, thereby offering little – if any – resistance. Once so aligned, we are able to move positively through the conflict, gradually embracing the outcome. One Eastern philosopher has described this principle as, “Embrace Tiger, return to mountain”.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)