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In Scotland, the average household throws away £430 worth of food waste every year!

There are many simple things that can be done to put that money back in your pocket and the Love Food Hate Waste team are here to help with our handy hints and tips video.


Love Food Hate Waste: Hints and Tips


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93beXTGySHI


Looking for creative ways of using up leftover ingredients?

The Love Food Hate Waste team demonstrates the campaign's new online recipe finder, which finds simple, tasty recipes for ingredients already in your home.

For this, and many more tasty recipe ideas and handy hints and tips to help you reduce your food waste and save money visit the LFHW website
http://www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk



Love Food Hate Waste: Leftover Challenge


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrZtwtjyvLo

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Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief

Adapted from Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston and Steven Maimes (Healing Arts Press, 2007).


In the West, we don’t have a perfect word to describe the mind-body-spirit connection. We sometimes use the terms psychospiritual and psychophysiology to express the mind-body-spirit connection. There is also psychoneuroimmunology, the study of mind-body interactions and their effects on the immune system. Mind-body and/or spiritual energy are integrated with, not separate from, our physical body, and many believe that good health includes nourishing this connection.


Several adaptogen herbs have been used to aid meditation and deliver nutrients to the mind that are necessary for the experience of enlivened consciousness. They can be used as aids to elevate the mood and spirit and to calm the mind. The following adaptogens have been used to enhance the mind-body-spirit connection: Asian ginseng, holy basil, licorice, reishi and shatavari.


• Asian ginseng calms the spirit and helps one gain wisdom. It also could be said that ginseng calms the distressed mind while strengthening the body.


• Holy basil affects the body’s “energy field” according to Ayurvedic physician and author Dr. Vasant Lad, Holy basil opens the heart and the mind, bestowing the energy of love and devotion (bhakti).


• Licorice commonly is used as a tea by Buddhist monks and called “the peacemaker” herb by the Chinese. Licorice root tea helps calm and prepare the mind for meditation.


• Reishi generates a sense of inner calm and harmony while also heightening mental perception, both logical and intuitive.


• Shatavari is thought to foster the energy of tolerance and compassion.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/adaptogen-herbs-and-the-mind-body-spirit-connection.html#ixzz10OFIVdLY

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Heart attack symptoms in men and women



Heart attack symptoms in men and women
Symptoms the same for both, study finds
© beerkoff - Fotolia.com



The symptoms of a heart attack is men and women are very similar, a new study has found.

"Both the media and some patient educational materials frequently suggest that women experience symptoms of a heart attack very differently from men," said Martha Mackay from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, who led the study. "These findings suggest that this is simply not the case."


In the study, scientists monitored the symptoms of 305 patients undergoing angioplasty - a procedure which involves inserting and inflating a balloon into narrowed arteries to expand them.

This briefly causes symptoms in the patient simililar to those experienced during a heart attack.


Researchers found no difference in the symptoms reported by men and women, including rates of chest discomfort and 'typical' signs such as arm discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, indigestion-like symptoms, and clammy skin.


While both women and men experienced typical or non-typical symptoms, women were, however, more likely to report throat, jaw and neck discomfort than men.


"Clear educational messages need to be crafted to ensure that both women and healthcare professionals realize the classic symptoms are equally common in men and women", Ms MacKay said.


She added that suspected heart disease patients should be questioned more thoroughly about their symptoms by doctors.


Heart attack warning signs (women and men)


Pain


This includes:


• Sudden discomfort or pain that does not go away with rest
• Pain that may be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
• Pain that may feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
• In women, pain may be more vague
• Chest pain or discomfort that is brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing

Nausea
• Indigestion
• Vomiting
Sweating
• Cool, clammy skin
Fear
• Anxiety
• Denial

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Packing 400 lunches - and love - to serve the homeless

Kansas City's 'mother of the streets' rises at 4:30 each morning, packs 400 decorated bags, and then seeks out the homeless.


Marcia Merrick’ s Reaching Out Inc., in Kansas City, Mo., serves the city’s homeless. Here, she delivers socks and toiletries.

David Conrads
By David Conrads, Contributor / March 8, 2010
Kansas City, Mo.


For years, Marcia Merrick began her day making lunches for her two children. Her kids are grown up now, but Ms. Merrick still makes lunches every morning – 400 of them. Each decorated paper bag contains a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich or a bean burrito, chips, fruit, and two homemade cookies. She also includes a note of encouragement – and then distributes them to the homeless of Kansas City, Mo.

Dubbed the “mother of the streets,” Merrick starts every day (Christmas and other holidays included) at 4:30 a.m. so she can finish her preparations and make the 15-minute drive to downtown Kansas City by 6 a.m., the time when most homeless shelters close and their overnight guests are turned out. She also makes stops at homeless encampments tucked away in secluded spots around the fringes of the city, under bridges and highway overpasses, and along the banks of the Missouri River.

Each day is a little different. She gives out half of the 400 lunches in the morning and the rest during a similar afternoon run, before the shelters open again at 4 p.m. The time in between is taken up with other tasks, such as driving someone to a social services office or to court or a health clinic. She also gives away items like clothing and bedding based on individual needs. In addition, Merrick and the volunteers who work with her help some 370 homeless families a year.

Merrick doesn’t just feed and clothe the homeless. She talks with them, learns their names, listens to their stories, and gives them hugs and encouraging words. As a result, she’s well known on the streets of Kansas City and has the trust of many of the city’s homeless.

“Really, the food and clothing I give them is just a way to get into their hearts,” she says. “A lot of them want to change, but they don’t have ... the knowledge and the emotional support to do that. Some have been on the streets so long they don’t even know where to start.”

What keeps her going, she says, is the success she has had in helping destitute individuals and families turn their lives around.

Kim and Wayne Hill are one such case. The self-employed house painters found their work all but evaporated when the economy began to sour a few years ago. In time they lost their house and found themselves living with their young son in a family shelter.

That’s where they met Merrick. She was able to do many things to help them reclaim a normal life, including helping Mr. Hill receive much needed dental work. She even found painting jobs for the couple.

“I can’t begin to tell you everything Marcia did for us,” says Mrs. Hill, whose family now lives in an apartment in a large complex, where her husband is the staff painter. “She’s so compassionate. She’s good at finding that place in your heart that’s lacking – any heartache or sadness – and then filling that void. She’s the ultimate mother.”

Merrick works not only to meet the basic needs of the homeless, but to uphold their dignity and self-respect.

Gloria Brown is the kitchen manager for the City Union Mission Family Center, which provides long-term shelter for homeless families. One Saturday a month, Merrick and a group of volunteers bring food and prepare and serve a breakfast to the residents, who number as many as 120. Ms. Brown says that instead of having the residents line up and receive their food at the serving window, as is customary, Merrick puts out place mats, silverware, and a small vase of flowers on each table. She and her helpers then take the residents’ orders.

“They wait on them like they are in a restaurant,” Brown says. “She just likes to treat them with respect and let them know that somebody cares about them.”

“Marcia serves,” says Gary Blakeman, a retiree and volunteer who has worked with Merrick for seven years. “She doesn’t just dole out food. She actually serves the homeless. And she does what she does with love. She’s truly concerned with their welfare.”

Merrick says her work of providing care and hope for society’s disadvantaged began when she was in high school in Wichita, Kan. She made several church mission trips, one for an entire summer, where she first encountered large numbers of needy people.

“I realized what a difference it makes in how I felt, caring for other people,” she says. “I didn’t know it then, but I think I was developing a heart for people who had been shunted aside by society.”

Her charitable work took a back seat to her own family for a time. But 10 years ago, when her daughter was 15, Merrick felt the need to resume her caring activities. At first, she matched up friends and acquaintances who had items they were willing to give away with people in need. The recipients were not just the homeless, but also victims of domestic violence, the unemployed, the recently divorced – pretty much anyone she knew of who had a need.

“It kind of snowballed from there,” she says. In 2001, as her activity increased and donors asked for tax write-offs, she started a nonprofit, Reaching Out Inc. Today, about 80 percent of her work is for the homeless.

Her organization works with an area church, which provides her with storage space for food, furniture, and supplies. An ever-changing roster of volunteers – school groups, church groups, friends, and acquaintances – help with decorating the bags, putting together hygiene bags (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, clean pair of socks, and the like), baking cookies, and organizing food and clothing drives. Occasionally, volunteers go out with her on her rounds.

Merrick herself gets by modestly on alimony and a small pension. Circumstances may compel her to return to the paid workforce sometime this summer, which would necessitate an adjustment to her current grueling volunteer schedule. Regardless of what the future holds, she says, she will continue to work on behalf of the homeless in one way or another.

“I truly believe we can make a difference in their lives, and I don’t want anybody to ever think that somebody doesn’t care,” she says. “They’re homeless, but they’re still human.”
To learn more about Marcia Merrick’s work, go to www.reachingoutinc.org

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Jaime Escalante - Stand and Deliver


Jaime Escalante - Stand and Deliver


Do you have 'ganas'? That's Jaime's word for the determination, discipline, and hard work that leads to success. For decades, Jaime Escalante taught math in the tough neighbourhoods of LA -- and again and again succeeded with students others had given up on. His untiring commitment and passion now lives on in the work of his many grateful students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6blsMhPRQ&feature=player_embedded


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This was sent to me from a friend. I thought it was rather interesting and wanted to share it with all my friends. Blessings. MelodieConversation with GodPart I - Conversations with God...about Gold and Silver!Bix Weir*The following interview was conducted in a similar manner as was conducted in the best selling book series "Conversations With God" by Neale Donald Walsch. Although I do not possess the same intimate knowledge of spirituality as Mr. Walsch, my 10 year journey following precious metal markets has connected me to some very powerful spiritual monetary beings…and they have something to say. So let's begin.________________________________________Me: Is anybody there?God: Yes, I am here.Me: Hi God! How do I do this? I read the books but I don't want to sound like I'm anyone special because I can talk to God.God: But you are special…we all are. You just ask your questions and the answers will be provided by your thoughts. Don't stop to edit your thoughts.Just trust your answers and we will both provide the answers we need.Me: Ok. I'll start with an easy one. Are gold and silver markets manipulated?God: Of course they are… Duh!Me: Wait, is God supposed to say duh?God: Don't waste my time. What's your next question?Me: Who is doing it and why?God: There are many groups of people who manipulate all markets and they all have different reasons. Some are driven by money, some by power but the largest group is driven by fear.Me: Fear?! These people control the world…what could they be afraid of.God: They are afraid of you and people like you. They are afraid they will be found out and the world as they know it will come crashing down. They are afraid that the people of the world will begin to understand the fiat money fraud and will be angry.Me: Well don't the ones with the money, the rich and powerful, make the rules? Why would this ever end?God: The "rich and the powerful" are only rich with their monetary illusion. Without fiat currency they are not rich and their power crumbles. The rules will be changed very soon.Me: How soon? I thought this would be over years ago. What will stop them from running this scam FOREVER?God: You are stopping them…and people like you. There is also a group of people who have been working on taking these people down much longer than most know. They have been hoarding physical gold for many years and are preparing to go on a gold standard. They have been VERY secretive but they are ready to end the fiat money system.Me: When?God: They will pull the plug very soon…Me: Who are these people?God: They are mostly very patriotic Americans but also others around the world including a very powerful group within China.Me: Wait. Won't China be hurt by the destruction of the US Dollar since they are the largest holder?God: No. It was part of the plan. China never wanted US Dollars.They wanted to build their manufacturing infrastructure. Multi-national companies have spent Trillions building their factories in China. The destruction of the fiat currencies will leave China very well off.Me: Doesn't China need the US to sell all their goods at stores like WalMart?God: No. China has over a billion people. There is no shortage of domestic customers only a shortage of those fiat pieces of paper.Me: What about Globalization?God: Globalization will end with the fiat currencies. When the fiat money crashes every country will fend for themselves and take care of their own needs the best they can.Me: What will happen to the United States?God: They will benefit the most since they have the highest debt and the most natural resources.Me: Wait what will happen to debt? People are drowning in debt in the US.God: All debt will disappear without the fiat currency and a new monetary system will be put in place in each country. Fiat money will end.Me: Since we NEED some kind of money, how will the new money get distributed?God: There are many equitable ways but the best is through the Social Security system. In this allocation system those who are the oldest and have made the most money over the years will be allocated money first and in equitable amounts. This will also SOLVE the Social Security "problem" that has hung over the US Dollar for decades. This was Alan Greenspan's idea back in the early 1970's when he implemented the first computer market rigging programs.Me: So what will happen when the fiat system crashes? Will it be good, bad or the same?God: Like any change there will be some pain BUT most of that pain will be felt by the small number of very wealthy. 99% of the population of the world is already in pain and will FINALLY get to share in the wealth of their nations. They will feel rich because the wealth will be reallocated.Me: Isn't that kinda socialistic for the American system of government?God: It may feel like that to the rich but this would be a one time occurrence. A "restart" of the American Way that was stolen by the fiat money crowd. Just imagine no more debt and a more equitable distribution of the wealth of the USA. Almost everyone would feel like millionaires overnight!Me: Sounds great! Will the currency be backed by gold and silver again?God: The founding fathers never meant for the money to be "backed" by gold and silver. The money of the United States of America IS gold and silver. Period. If people chose to use paper script in lieu of carrying around metal that will be their choice. There is also no problem with many forms of money as long as they are transparent so there may spring up other methods of payment such as paper, electronic credits and barter. Individuals will be free to choose their own forms of money. Ultimately, gold and silver will prove to be the most sound of all the monetary choices available.Me: What if the current "Powers-That-Be" don't allow any of this to transpire?God: They have no choice. The power lies with the people now and although the bad guys continue to fight their defeat is at hand. The intent is to have a peaceful transition but there are some within the manipulation crowd that are resisting to the very end.Me: Where does the power to overthrow the bad guys come from?God: The power has always been with the people but the tools being implemented are within the financial computer systems of the world. The end of the fiat money system has been programmed in and is only awaiting the execute command. The world will change overnight.Me: I've been studying and preparing for this for years yet I still feel very afraid of this kind of drastic change. Is there anything I can do to prepare?God: Yes. Be prepared for a few months of chaos. Keep enough food and water on hand in case the transition takes longer than we hope. But most of all have faith that this is a VERY GOOD thing for humanity.Me: Is there anything else I should do?God: Yes. Get some sleep and stop thinking about all this stuff. Spend time with your friends and family.Me: Ok, can I come back with more questions? I have a lot of friends and colleagues who will wonder why I didn't ask more.God: Yes, I am always here with you.Me: Thanks. I feel better.God: Me tooMay the Road you choose be the Right RoadBix Weirhttp://www.roadtoroota.com/public/254.cfm
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Make Your Own Wheatgrass and Living Bread

Make Your Own Wheatgrass and Living Bread
posted by Angel Flinn

Wheatgrass juice is a rich, green chlorophyll drink, extremely high in enzymes and nutrition. Wheatgrass is easy to grow and ensures a supply of fresh, live vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. The juice can be extracted using a specialized juicer, and is great to drink straight or in a smoothie. You can also simply chew the grass, which is extremely beneficial for the teeth and gums.


Sprouted wheat berries can also be used to make living essene breads, which are very helpful if you’re trying to maintain a totally raw diet. See page 4 for some simple essene bread recipes, and don’t miss out on the recipe for ‘raw pizza’ using a sprouted wheat crust! (See further down)

For those who are not familiar with wheatgrass, consider the following list of benefits experienced by individuals who have adopted a wheatgrass regimen.

• Stronger immune system
• General detoxification
• Better digestion
• More energy and better sleep
• Improved eyesight
• Healthier teeth and gums
• Reduced inflammation in the entire body
• Lessened appetite cravings
• Increased mental clarity
• Steadier nerves


Buying wheatgrass at juice bars or elsewhere can be costly, but with a little time and effort, you can grow your own and enjoy it fresh any time.


You will need:
• Large wide mouth jars
• Screens or other porous cloth; (cheese cloth, screening, clean nylon stockings)
• Strong rubber bands to hold screen in place
• Wheat berries – approximately 1 1/2 cups of dry wheat berries will grow one garden flat of wheatgrass.
• Healthy soil in gardening flats. (To grow grass only. Not necessary to spout berries for bread.)
• Shade cloth


1. Begin by inspecting the seeds and removing anything that looks irregular in color. Rinse them once in a jar.

2. Fill the jar with water two inches above the berries. Soak for 10–12 hours.

3. Drain water and rinse again. Cover the mouth of the jar with a screen and hold in place with a strong rubber band or an open mason jar lid. Place jar on a rack, at a 45° angle, to drain. Cover with a towel or shade cloth.

4. Continue rinsing and draining 2–3 times a day for 2–3 days until the sprout’s tail is at least one eighth of an inch long. Once they have reached this stage, sprouted wheat berries can either be planted to grow wheatgrass or used in this sprouted state to make Essene breads. See pages 4&5 for recipes. To grow grass, continue to next page.

5. To prepare soil, a good mixture is 75% top soil and 25% peat moss or 50% top soil, 25% compost and 25% peat moss. You can also use a prepared potting soil. Mix soil in a bucket or box. Fill trays at least 1 1/2 inches high with soil.


(We have also had great success growing wheatgrass in raised garden beds. Use 15 lbs. dry wheat berries for a 4’ x 10’ raised bed, flipping soil over after harvesting.)

6. Sprinkle berries on top of the soil, keeping them close but not piled on top of each other. Water well, then cover with a shade cloth. Keep them shaded for the first three days and then partially shaded for the remaining days. Water at least once a day. In hot climates, water more often. Keep your crop protected from birds and other small animals – they like the seeds!

7. Harvest in 5–7 days from planting. Wheatgrass harvesting requires a sharp knife, scissors or grass clippers. Cut grass half an inch above the base. Cut only what you need, and let the rest continue growing. It is overgrown at 8–9 days. The second growth does not have the same potency, so it is suggested to harvest the grass only once, and then compost the roots and soil.

8. Any problems can usually be solved by a slight change in the growing process. Mold may grow if the seeds are too damp, planted too closely or have poor ventilation. Use shade cloth to increase aeration, and water less. A sparse crop can happen if the seeds were soaked too long or not watered properly. Pale grass may be caused by insufficient sunlight. Wheatgrass likes filtered sunlight better than direct hot sunlight.

9. It takes approximately seven days from soaking to harvest. One pound of wheatgrass should yield at least 10 oz. of wheatgrass juice.

Sprouted breads have been around for centuries, and are becoming a staple in the raw food diet. You can buy them in health food stores (which is probably a good idea if you want to find out whether they appeal to you at all), but you can also make them yourself with a little patience.

Whole wheat berries have more gluten and make a sweeter, more ‘doughy’ bread. Juicing the wheat berries first (such as through a Champion Juicer) removes some of the gluten and makes a lighter, crispier bread. The following recipes suggest juicing the sprouted berries, but the choice is up to you.


Herb Essene Bread
yields 8–10 loaves


4 cups sprouted wheat berries
1/2 cup carrots, finely grated
1–2 tsp. sea salt (or substitute) to taste
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. fresh basil
(or use your favorite herbs)
1. Put sprouted wheat berries through a Champion® juicer, using the juicing screen. This will remove some of the excess gluten. Discard the liquid.
2. Mix in grated carrots, seasonings and herbs to the dough.
3. Flatten or form into thin loaves and put on trays to dehydrate. Dehydrate for four hours; flip over and continue dehydrating until firm. If a dehydrator is not available, dehydrate in the oven below 101°.


Sweet Wheat Essene Bread
yields 8 loaves


4 cups sprouted wheat berries
2 small bananas, sliced
1/4+ cup raisins
1 Tbsp. maple syrup* (optional)

1. Put sprouted wheat berries through a Champion® juicer, using the juicing screen. This will remove some of the excess gluten. Discard the liquid.


2. Mix in raisins, bananas, and maple syrup.

3. Flatten or make small thin loaves on a tray to dehydrate. Dehydrate for five hours. Flip over for another 3–4 hours until bread is firm and not sticking to tray.


* To produce maple syrup, sap has to be collected and boiled down. During the boiling, a drop of lard, shortening or vegetable oil is sometimes added to prevent the sap from foaming up, and this ingredient is not listed on the label. When buying maple syrup, look for the kosher symbol, or call the company to see that they use vegetable-based defoamers.


Pesto Pizza
yields 6 small pizza pies

Raw Pizza Crust
4 cups sprouted wheat berries
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Pesto Sauce
1 cup pine nuts
1–2 cloves garlic, diced
1–2 cups fresh basil, chopped
1/8 cup water
sea salt or substitute, to taste
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast


Toppings
1–2 tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup peppers, diced
1/3 cup mushrooms, sliced

1. Put sprouted wheat berries through a Champion® juicer, using the juicing screen. This will remove some of the excess gluten. Discard the liquid.


2. Thoroughly mix the remaining dough ingredients in with the wheat berries.


3. Press dough into small, personal-sized circles on flat dehydrating sheets (4 per sheet). Dehydrate at 100° for three hours; turn over and continue for another three hours until dough is firm but not dried out. (If you don’t have a dehydrator, place the pizza crusts in an oven at 100° for several hours, or use a solar dryer.)


4. Blend all pesto sauce ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Spread on finished rounds of pizza crust. Add toppings and serve.


Gentle World is a non-profit educational organization, whose core purpose is to help build a more peaceful society, by educating the public about the reasons for being vegan, the benefits of vegan living, and how to go about making such a transition. Incredibly Delicious: Recipes for a New Paradigm contains an extensive chapter on raw food preparation as well as many more tips to make the transition to veganism easy and delicious! Visit www.GentleWorld.org for more information.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sprout-your-own-wheat-berries-diy-wheatgrass-essene-breads.html?page=5#ixzz0zdpgXY6L


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Near-Death Experience NDE Story of Mellen -Thomas Benedict Journey Through the Light and Back


In 1982 I died from terminal cancer. The condition I had was inoperable, and any kind of chemotherapy they could give me would just have made me more of a vegetable. I was given six to eight months to live.

I had been an information freak in the1970’s, and I had become increasingly despondent over the nuclear crisis, the ecology crisis, and so forth. So, since I did not have a spiritual basis, I began to believe that nature had made a mistake, and that we were probably a cancerous organism on the planet. I saw no way that we could get out from all the problems we had created for ourselves and the planet. I perceived all humans as cancer, and that is what I got.

That is what killed me. Be careful what your world view is. It can feed back on you, especially if it is a negative world view. I had a seriously negative one. That is what led me into my death. I tried all sorts of alternative healing methods, but nothing helped.

So I determined that this was really just between me and God. I had never really faced God before, or even dealt with God. I was not into any kind of spirituality at the time, but I began a journey into learning about spirituality and alterna¬tive healing. I set out to do all the reading I could and bone up on the subject, because I did not want to be surprised on the other side. So I started reading on various religions and philosophies. They were all very interesting, and gave hope that there was something on the other side. I ended up in hospice care.

I remember waking up one morning at home about 4:30 AM, and I just knew that this was it. This was the day I was going to die. So I called a few friends and said goodbye. I woke up my hospice caretaker and told her. I had a private agreement with her that she would leave my dead body alone for six hours, since I had read that all kinds of interesting things happen when you die. I went back to sleep.

The next thing I remember is the beginning of a typical near-death experience. Suddenly I was fully aware and I was standing up, but my body was in the bed. There was this darkness around me. Being out of my body was even more vivid than ordinary experience. It was so vivid that I could see every room in the house, I could see the top of the house, I could see around the house, I could see under the house.

There was this Light shining. I turned toward the Light. The Light was very similar to what many other people have described in their near-death experiences. It was so magnificent. It is tangible; you can feel it. It is alluring; you want to go to it like you would want to go to your ideal mother’s or father’s arms.

As I began to move toward the Light, I knew intuitively that if I went to the Light, I would be dead. So as I was moving toward the Light I said, “Please wait a minute, just hold on a second here. I want to think about this; I would like to talk to you before I go.” To my surprise, the entire experience halted at that point. You are in control of your life after death experience. You are not on a roller coaster ride.

So my request was honored and I had some conversations with the Light. The Light kept changing into different figures, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, mandalas, archetypal images and signs. I asked the Light, “What is going on here? Please, Light, clarify yourself for me. I really want to know the reality of the situation.” I cannot really say the exact words, because it was sort of telepathy.

The Light responded. The information transferred to me was that during your life after death experience your beliefs shape the kind of feedback you are getting before the Light. If you were a Buddhist or Catholic or Fundamentalist, you get a feedback loop of your own stuff. You have a chance to look at it and examine it, but most people do not. As the Light revealed itself to me, I became aware that what I was really seeing was our higher Self matrix.

We all have a higher Self, or an oversoul part of our being. It revealed itself to me in its truest energy form. The only way I can really describe it is that the being of the higher Self is more like a conduit. It did not look like that, but it is a direct connection to the Source that each and every one of us has. We are directly connected to the Source. So the Light was showing me the higher Self matrix. I was not committed to one particular religion. So that is what was being fed back to me during my life after death experience.

As I asked the Light to keep clearing for me, to keep explaining, I understood what the higher Self matrix is. We have a grid around the planet where all the higher Selves are connected.

This is like a great company, a next subtle level of energy around us, the spirit level, you might say. Then, after a couple of minutes, I asked for more clarification. I really wanted to know what the universe is about, and I was ready to go at that time. I said “I am ready, take me.”

Then the Light turned into the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen: a mandala of human souls on this planet. Now I came to this with my negative view of what was happening on the planet. So as I asked the Light to keep clarifying for me, I saw in this magnificent mandala how beautiful we all are in our essence, our core. We are the most beautiful creations.

The human soul, the human matrix that we all make together is absolutely fantastic, elegant, exotic, everything. I just cannot say enough about how it changed my opinion of human beings in that instant. I said, “Oh, God, I did not know how beautiful we are.” At any level, high or low, in whatever shape you are in, you are the most beautiful creation, you are.

The revelations coming from the Light and seemed to go on and on, then I asked the Light, “Does this mean that Mankind will be saved?” Then, like a trumpet blast with a shower of spiraling lights, the Great Light spoke, saying, “Remember this and never forget; you save, redeem and heal yourself. You always have. You always will. You were created with the power to do so from before the beginning of the world.”

In that instant I realized even more. I realized that WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAVED, and we saved ourselves because we were designed to self-correct like the rest of God’s universe.

This is what the second coming is about. I thanked the Light of God with all my heart. The best thing I could come up with was these simple words of total appreciation: “Oh dear God, dear Universe, dear Great Self, I Love My Life.”

The Light seemed to breathe me in even more deeply. It was as if the Light was completely absorbing me. The Love Light is, to this day, indescribable. I entered into another realm, more profound than the last, and became aware of something more, much more. It was an enormous stream of Light, vast and full, deep in the Heart of Life. I asked what this was.

The Light responded, “This is the RIVER OF LIFE. Drink of this manna water to your heart’s content.” So I did. I took one big drink and then another. To drink of Life Itself! I was in ecstasy.
Then the Light said, “You have a desire.” The Light knew all about me, everything past, present and future. “Yes!” I whispered.

I asked to see the rest of the Universe; beyond our solar system, beyond all human illusion. The Light then told me that I could go with the Stream. I did, and was carried Through the Light at the End of the Tunnel. I felt and heard a series of very soft sonic booms. What a rush!

Suddenly I seemed to be rocketing away from the planet on this stream of Life. I saw the earth fly away. The solar system, in all its splendor, whizzed by and disappeared. At faster than light speed, I flew through the center of the galaxy, absorbing more knowledge as I went. I learned that this galaxy, and all of the Universe, is bursting with many different varieties of LIFE. I saw many worlds. The good news is that we are not alone in this Universe!

As I rode this stream of consciousness through the center of the galaxy, the stream was expanding in awesome fractal waves of energy. The super clusters of galaxies with all their ancient wisdom flew by. At first I thought I was going somewhere; actually traveling. But then I realized that, as the stream was expanding, my own consciousness was also expanding to take in everything in the Universe! All creation passed by me. It was an unimaginable wonder! I truly was a Wonder Child; a babe in Wonderland!

At this point, I found myself in a profound stillness, beyond all silence. I could see or perceive FOREVER, beyond Infinity.

I was in the Void.

I was in pre-creation, before the Big Bang. I had crossed over the beginning of time/the First Word/the First vibration. I was in the Eye of Creation. I felt as if I was touching the Face of God. It was not a religious feeling. Simply I was at one with Absolute Life and Consciousness.

When I say that I could see or perceive forever, I mean that I could experience all of creation generating itself. It was without beginning and without end. That’s a mind expanding thought, isn’t it?

Scientists perceive the Big Bang as a single event which created the Universe. I saw during my life after death experience that the Big Bang is only one of an infinite number of Big Bangs creating Universes endlessly and simultaneously. The only images that even come close in human terms would be those created by super computers using fractal geometry equations.

The ancients knew of this. They said God had periodically created new Universes by breathing out, and recreated other Universes by breathing in. These epochs were called Yugas. Modern science called this the Big Bang. I was in absolute, pure consciousness. I could see or perceive all the Big Bangs or Yugas creating and recreating themselves. Instantly I entered into them all simultaneously. I saw that each and every little piece of creation has the power to create. It is very difficult to try to explain this. I am still speechless about this.

It took me years after I returned from my near-death experience to assimilate any words at all for the Void experience. I can tell you this now: the Void is less than nothing, yet more than everything that is! The Void is absolute zero; chaos forming all possibilities. It is Absolute Consciousness; much more than even Universal Intelligence.

The Void is the vacuum or nothingness between all physical manifestations. The SPACE between atoms and their components. Modern science has begun to study this space between everything. They call it Zero point. Whenever they try to measure it, their instruments go off the scale, or to infinity, so to speak. They have no way, as of yet, to measure infinity accurately.

There is more of the 0 space in your own body and the Universe than anything else!

What mystics call the Void is not a void. It is so full of energy, a different kind of energy that has created everything that we are. Everything since the Big Bang is vibration, from the first Word, which is the first vibration. The biblical “I am” really has a question mark after it. “I am—What am I?” So creation is God exploring God’s Self through every way imaginable, in an on¬going, infinite exploration through every one of us. I began to see during my near-death experience that everything that is, is the Self, literally, your Self, my Self. Everything is the great Self. That is why God knows even when a leaf falls. That is possible because wherever you are is the center of the universe. Wherever any atom is, that is the center of the universe. There is God in that, and God in the Void.

As I was exploring the Void during my life after death experience and all the Yugas or creations, I was completely out of time and space as we know it. In this expanded state, I discovered that creation is about Absolute Pure Consciousness, or God, coming into the Experience of Life as we know it. The Void itself is devoid of experience. It is pre life, before the first vibration. Godhead is about more than Life and Death. Therefore there is even more than Life and Death to experience in the Universe!

When I realized this I was finished with the Void, and wanted to return to this creation, or Yuga. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. Then I suddenly came back through the second Light, or the Big Bang, hearing several more velvet booms. I rode the stream of consciousness back through all of creation, and what a ride it was! The super clusters of galaxies came through me with even more insights. I passed through the center of our galaxy, which is a black hole. Black holes are the great processors or recyclers of the Universe.

Do you know what is on the other side of a Black Hole? We are; our galaxy, which has been reprocessed from another Universe. In its total energy configuration, the galaxy looked like a fantastic city of lights. All energy this side of the Big Bang is light. Every sub atom, atom, star, planet, even consciousness itself is made of light and has a frequency and/or particle. Light is living stuff. Everything is made of light, even stones. So everything is alive. Everything is made from the Light of God; everything is very intelligent.

As I rode the stream on and on, I could eventually see a huge Light coming. I knew it was the First Light; the higher Self Light Matrix of our solar system. Then the entire solar system appeared in the Light, accompanied by one of those velvet booms.

I could see all the energy that this solar system generates, and it is an incredible light show! I could hear the Music of the Spheres. Our solar system, as do all celestial bodies, generates a unique matrix of light, sound and vibratory energies. Advanced civilizations from other star systems can spot life as we know it in the universe by the vibratory or energy matrix imprint. It is child’s play. The earth’s Wonder child (human beings) make an abundance of sound right now, like children playing in the backyard of the universe.

The Light explained to me that there is no death; we are immortal beings. We have already been alive forever! I realized that we are part of a natural living system that recycles itself endlessly. I was never told that I had to come back. I just knew that I would. It was only natural, from what I had seen during my life after death experience.

I don’t know how long I was with the Light, in human time. But there came a moment when I realized that all my questions had been answered and my return was near. When I say that all my questions were answered on the other side, I mean to say just that. All my questions have been answered. Every human has a different life and set of questions to explore. Some of our questions are Universal, but each of us is exploring this thing we call Life in our own unique way. So is every other form of life, from mountains to every leaf on every tree.

And that is very important to the rest of us in this Universe. Because it all contributes to the Big Picture, the fullness of Life. We are literally God exploring God’s self in an infinite Dance of Life. Your uniqueness enhances all of Life.

As I began my return to the life cycle, it never crossed my mind, nor was I told that I would return to the same body. It just did not matter. I had complete trust in the Light and the Life process. As the stream merged with the great Light, I asked never to forget the revelations and the feelings of what I had learned on the other side.

There was a “Yes.” It felt like a kiss to my soul.

Then I was taken back through the Light into the vibratory realm again. The whole process reversed, with even more information being given to me. I came back home, and I was given lessons from my near-death experience on the mechanics of reincarnation. I was given answers to all those little questions I had: “How does this work? How does that work?” I knew that I would be reincarnated.

The earth is a great processor of energy, and individual consciousness evolves out of that into each one of us. I thought of myself as a human for the first time, and I was happy to be that.

From what I have seen, I would be happy to be an atom in this universe. An atom. So to be the human part of God... this is the most fantastic blessing. It is a blessing beyond our wildest estimation of what blessing can be. For each and every one of us to be the human part of this experience is awesome, and magnificent. Each and every one of us, no matter where we are, screwed up or not, is a blessing to the planet, right where we are.

I went through the reincarnation process expecting to be a baby somewhere. But I was given a lesson on how individual identity and consciousness evolve. I was so surprised when I opened my eyes. I do not know why, because I understood it, but it was still such a surprise to be back in this body, back in my room with someone looking over me crying her eyes out. It was my hospice caretaker. She had given up an hour and a half after finding me dead. My body was stiff and inflexible. She went into the other room. Then I awakened and saw the light outside. I tried to get up to go to it, but I fell out of the bed. She heard a loud “clunk,” ran in and found me on the floor.

When I recovered, I was very surprised and yet very awed about what had happened to me during my near-death experience. At first all the memory of the trip that I have now was not there. I kept slipping out of this world and kept asking, “Am I alive?” This world seemed more like a dream than that one. Within three days I was feeling normal again, clearer, yet different than I had ever felt in my life. My memory of my near-death experience came back later. I could see nothing wrong with any human being I had ever seen. Before that I was really judgmental. I thought a lot of people were really screwed up, in fact I thought that everybody was screwed up but me. But I got clear on all that.

About three months later a friend said I should get tested, so I went and got the scans and so forth. I really felt good, so I was afraid of getting bad news. I remember the doctor at the clinic looking at the before and after scans, saying, “Well, there is nothing here now.” I said, “Really, it must be a miracle”’ He said “No, these things happen; they are called spontaneous remission.”

He acted very unimpressed. But here was a miracle, and I was impressed, even if no one else was.

During my near-death experience I had a descent into what you might call Hell, and it was very surprising. I did not see Satan or evil. My descent into Hell was a descent into each person’s customized human misery, ignorance, and darkness of not knowing. It seemed like a miserable eternity. But each of the millions of souls around me had a little star of light always available. But no one seemed to pay attention to it. They were so consumed with their own grief, trauma and misery. But, after what seemed an eternity, I started calling out to that Light, like a child calling to a parent for help.

Then the Light opened up and formed a tunnel that came right to me and insulated me from all that fear and pain, That is what Hell really is. So what we are doing is learning to hold hands, to come together. The doors of Hell are open now. We are going to link up, hold hands, and walk out of Hell together. The Light came to me and turned into a huge golden angel. I said, “Are you the angel of death?” It expressed to me that it was my oversoul, my higher Self matrix, a super ancient part of ourselves. Then I was taken to the Light.

Soon our science will quantify spirit. Isn’t that going to be wonderful? We are coming up with devices now that are sensitive to subtle energy or spirit energy. Physicists use these atomic colliders to smash atoms to see what they are made of. They have got it down to quarks and charm, and all that. Well, one day they are going to come down to the little thing that holds it all together, and they are going to have to call that ... God. We are just beginning to understand that we are creating too, as we go along. As I saw forever, I came to a realm during my near-death experience in which there is a point where we pass all knowledge and begin creating the next fractal, the next level. We have that power to create as we explore. And that is God expanding itself through us.

Since my return I have experienced the Light spontaneously, and I have learned how to get to that space almost any time in my meditation. Each one of you can do this. You do not have to die or have a near-death experience to do this. It is within your equipment; you are wired for it already. The body is the most magnificent Light being there is. The body is a universe of incredible Light. Spirit is not pushing us to dissolve this body. That is not what is happening. Stop trying to become God; God is becoming you. Here.

I asked God: “What is the best religion on the planet? Which one is right?” And Godhead said, with great love: “I don’t care.” That was incredible grace. When Godhead said, “I don’t care,” I immediately understood that it is for us to care about. It is important, because we are the caring beings. It matters to us and that is where it is important. What you have is the energy equation in spirituality. Ultimate Godhead does not care if you are Protestant, Buddhist, or whatever. It is all a blooming facet of the whole. I wish that all religions would realize it and let each other be. It is not the end of each religion, but we are talking about the same God. Live and let live. Each has a different view. And it all adds up to the big picture; it is all important.

I went over to the other side during my near-death experience with a lot of fears about toxic waste, nuclear missiles, the population explosion, the rainforest. I came back loving every single problem. I love nuclear waste. I love the mushroom cloud; this is the holiest mandala that we have manifested to date, as an archetype. It, more than any religion or philosophy on earth, brought us together all of a sudden, to a new level of consciousness. Knowing that maybe we can blow up the planet fifty times, or 500 times, we finally realize that maybe we are all here together now.

For a period they had to keep setting off more bombs to get it in to us. Then we started saying, “we do not need this any more.” Now we are actually in a safer world than we have ever been in, and it is going to get safer. So I came back from my near-death experience loving toxic waste, because it brought us together. These things are so big. As Peter Russell might say, these problems are now “soul size.” Do we have soul size answers” YES!

The clearing of the rain forest will slow down, and in fifty years there will be more trees on the planet than in a long time. If you are into ecology, go for it; you are that part of the system that is becoming aware. Go for it with all your might, but do not be depressed. It is part of a larger thing.

Earth is in the process of domesticating itself. It is never again going to be as wild a place as it once was. There will be great wild places, reserves where nature thrives. Gardening and reserves will be the thing in the future. Population increase is getting very close to the optimal range of energy to cause a shift in consciousness. That shift in consciousness will change politics, money, energy.

After dying, going through my near-death experience and coming back, I really respect life and death. In our DNA experiments we may have opened the door to a great secret. Soon we will be able to live as long as we want to live in this body.

After living 150 years or so, there will be an intuitive soul sense that you will want to change channels. Living forever in one body is not as creative as reincarnation, as transferring energy in this fantastic vortex of energy that we are in. We are actually going to see the wisdom of life and death, and enjoy it. As it is now, we have already been alive forever.

This body, that you are in, has been alive forever. It comes from an unending stream of life, going back to the Big Bang and beyond.

This body gives life to the next life, in dense and subtle energy.

This body has been alive forever already.

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The Children were asked questions about the Old and

Posted by Elizabeth CusovaBlessed wekend, smilesThe Children were asked questions about the Old andNew Testaments. The following statements about the Biblewere written by the children. They have not been correctedthus ( the incorrect spelling is their own ). I hope you enjoywhat the children wrote.....1. In the first book of the bible, Guinessis, God got tired ofcreating the world, so he took the Sabbath off.2. Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark. Noah built an ark whichthe animals come on to in pears.3. Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire bynight.4. The Jews were a proud people and throughout history theyhad trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals.5. Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray bya Jezebel like Delilah.6. Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of theApostles.7. Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they madeunleavened bread, which is bread without any ingredients.8. The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert.Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the tenamendments.9. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eatthe apple.10. The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admitadultery.11. Moses died before he ever reached Canada. ThenJoshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.12. The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told hisson to stand still and he obeyed him.13. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. Hefought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived inBiblical times.14. Solomon, one of David's sons, had 300 wives and 700porcupines.15. When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus, shesang the Magna Carta.16. When the three wise guys from the east side arrived, theyfound Jesus in the manager.17. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculatecontraption.18. St. John the blacksmith dumped water on his head.19. Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to doone to others before they do one to you. He also explained,"a man doth not live by sweat alone."20. It was a miracle when Jesus rose from the dead andmanaged to get the tombstone off the entrance.21. The people who followed the lord were called the 12decibels.22. The epistles were the wives of the apostles.23. One of the opossums was St. Matthew who was alsoa taxi man.24. St. Paul cavorted to Christianity. He preached holyacrimony, which is another name for marriage.25. Christians have only one spouse. This is calledmonotony._________________________All My Love & Prayers,
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Hello my beautiful friends, I wish you a wonderful weekend and week of love, laughter, peace and joy. Blessings & Pure Energy coming your way, Melodie



The creation of Man-Kind and the Flood - A Pima Legend

Pima People


After the world was ready, Earth Doctor made all kinds of animals and creeping things. Then he made images of clay, and told them to be people. After a while there were so many people that there was not food and water enough for all.


They were never sick and none died. At last there grew to be so many they were obliged to eat each other.

Then Earth Doctor, because he could not give them food and water enough, killed them all. He caught the hook of his staff into the sky and pulled it down so that it crushed all the people and all the animals, until there was nothing living on the earth.

Earth Doctor made a hole through the earth with his stick, and through that he went, coming out safe, but alone, on the other side.


He called upon the sun and moon to come out of the wreck of the world and sky, and they did so. But there was no sky for them to travel through, no stars, and no Milky Way. So Earth Doctor made these all over again.

Then he created another race of men and animals.


Then Coyote was born. Moon was his mother. When Coyote was large and strong he came to the land where the Pima Indians lived.

Coyote


Then Elder Brother was born. Earth was his mother, and Sky his father. He was so powerful that he spoke roughly to Earth Doctor, who trembled before him. The people began to increase in numbers, just as they had done before, but Elder Brother shortened their lives, so the earth did not become so crowded.

But Elder Brother did not like the people created by Earth Doctor, so he planned to destroy them again. So Elder Brother planned to create a magic baby. . . .


The screams of the baby shook the earth. They could be heard for a great distance. Then Earth Doctor called all the people together, and told them there would be a great flood. He sang a magic song and then bored a hole through the flat earth-plain through to the other side. Some of the people went into the hole to escape the flood that was coming, but not very many got through.

Some of the people asked Elder Brother to help them, but he did not answer. Only Coyote he answered. He told Coyote to find a big log and sit on it, so that he would float on the surface of the water with the driftwood. Elder Brother got into a big olla which he had made, and closed it tight. So he rolled along on the ground under the olla. He sang a magic song as he climbed into his olla.

Olla


A young man went to the place where the baby was screaming. Its tears were a great torrent which cut gorges in the earth before it. The water was rising all over the earth. He bent over the child to pick it up, and immediately both became birds and flew above the flood.

Only five birds were saved from the flood. One was a flicker and one a vulture. They clung by their beaks to the sky to keep themselves above the waters, but the tail of the flicker was washed by the waves and that is why it is stiff to this day. At last a god took pity on them and gave them power to make "nests of down" from their own breasts on which they floated on the water.

Flicker

One of these birds was the vipisimal, and if any one injures it to this day, the flood may come again.


Now South Doctor called his people to him and told them that a flood was coming. He sang a magic song and he bored a hole in the ground with a cane so that people might go through to the other side. Others he sent to Earth Doctor, but Earth Doctor told them they were too late. So they sent the people to the top of a high mountain called Crooked Mountain. South Doctor sang a magic song and traced his cane around the mountain, but that held back the waters only for a short time. Four times he sang and traced a line around the mountain, yet the flood rose again each time. There was only one thing more to do.


He held his magic crystals in his left hand and sang a song. Then he struck it with his cane. A thunder peal rang through the mountains. He threw his staff into the water and it cracked with a loud noise. Turning, he saw a dog near him. He said, "How high is the tide?" The dog said, "It is very near the top." He looked at the people as he said it. When they heard his voice they all turned to stone.

They stood just as they were, and they are there to this day in groups: some of the men talking, some of the women cooking, and some crying.


But Earth Doctor escaped by enclosing himself in his reed staff, which floated upon the water. Elder Brother rolled along in his olla until he came near the mouth of the Colorado River. The olla is now called Black Mountain. After the flood he came out and visited all parts of the land.

Pima Home and Way of Life


When he met Coyote and Earth Doctor, each claimed to have been the first to appear after the flood, but at last they admitted Elder Brother was the first, so he became ruler of the world.

Pima Baskets and Pottery



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How to do EFT Tapping + Chronic Pain, PTSD and CFS + EFT for Pain
EFT for Pain


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKuRq7euTPw


Chronic Pain, PTSD and CFS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl3f2V59_CY

How to do EFT Tapping


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7d_7Dkco0M


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Hello my dear friends, sending you Positive Blessings, much Happiness and Unconditional Love. Wishing you a wonderful Weekend and Week. Take care and be happy, Blessings Melodie



Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle - An Abenaki Legend



Long ago, Gluscabi lived with his grandmother, Woodchuck, in a small lodge beside the big water.

One day Gluscabi was walking around when he looked out and saw some ducks in the bay.


"I think it is time to go hunt some ducks," he said. So he took his bow and arrows and got into his canoe. He began to paddle out into the bay and as he paddled he sang:

Ki yo wah ji neh
yo hey ho hey
Ki yo wah ji neh
Ki yo wah ji neh

But a wind came up and it turned his canoe and blew him back to shore. Once again Gluscabi began to paddle out and this time he sang his song a little harder.

KI YO WAH JI NEH
YO HEY HO HEY
KI YO WAH JI NEH
KI YO WAH JI NEH

But again the wind came and blew him back to shore. Four times he tried to paddle out into the bay and four times he failed.


He was not happy. He went back to the lodge of his grandmother and walked right in, even though there was a stick leaning across the door, which meant that the person inside was doing some work and did not want to be disturbed.

"Grandmother," Gluscabi asked, "What makes the wind blow?"

Grandmother Woodchuck looked up from her work. "Gluscabi," she said, "Why do you want to know?"

Then Gluscabi answered her just as every child in the world does when they are asked such a question. "Because," he said.

Grandmother Woodchuck looked at him. "Ah, Gluscabi, " she said. "Whenever you ask such questions I feel there is going to be trouble. And perhaps I should not tell you. But I know that you are very stubborn and would never stop asking. So, I shall tell you. If you walk always facing the wind you will come to the place where Wuchowsen stands."

"Thank you, Grandmother," said Gluscabi. He stepped out of the lodge and faced into the wind and began to walk.


He walked across the fields and through the woods and the wind blew hard. He walked through the valleys and into the hills and the wind blew harder still. He came to the foothills and began to climb and the wind still blew harder.

Now the foothills were becoming mountains and the wind was very strong. Soon there were no longer any trees and the wind was very, very strong.

The wind was so strong that it blew off Gluscabi's moccasins. But he was very stubborn and he kept on walking, leaning into the wind. Now the wind was so strong that it blew off his shirt, but he kept on walking. Now the wind was so strong that it blew off all his clothes and he was naked, but he still kept walking.

Now the wind was so strong that it blew off his hair, but Gluscabi still kept walking, facing into the wind. The wind was so strong that it blew off his eyebrows, but he still continued to walk.


Now the wind was so strong that he could hardly stand. He had to pull himself along by grabbing hold of the boulders. But there, on the peak ahead of him, he could see a great bird flapping its wings. It was Wuchowsen, the Wind Eagle.

Gluscabi took a deep breath, "GRANDFATHER!" he shouted.

The Wind Eagle stopped flapping his wings and looked around. "Who calls me Grandfather?" he said.


Gluscabi stood up. "It's me, Grandfather. I came up here to tell you that you do a very good job making the wind blow."

The Wind Eagle puffed out his chest with pride. "You mean like this?" he said and flapped his wings even harder. The wind that he made was so strong that it lifted Gluscabi right off his feet, and he would have been blown right off the mountain had he not reached out and grabbed a boulder again.


"GRANDFATHER!!!" Gluscabi shouted again.

The Wind Eagle stopped flapping his wings. "Yes?" he said.

Gluscabi stood up and came closer to Wuchowsen. "You do a very good job of making the wind blow, Grandfather.

This is so. But it seems to me that you could do an even better job if you were on that peak over there."

The Wind Eagle looked over toward the other peak. "That may be so," he said, "but how would I get from here to there?"

Gluscabi smiled. "Grandfather," he said, "I will carry you. Wait here."

Then Gluscabi ran back down the mountain until he came to a big basswood tree. He stripped off the outer bark and from the inner bark he braided a strong carrying strap which he took back up the mountain to the Wind Eagle.

"Here, Grandfather," he said, "let me wrap this around you so I can lift you more easily." Then he wrapped the carrying strap so tightly around Wuchowsen that his wings were pulled in to his sides and he could hardly breathe.

"Now, Grandfather," said Gluscabi, picking the Wind Eagle up, "I will take you to a better place."

He began to walk toward the other peak, but as he walked he came to a place where there was a large crevice, and as he stepped over it he let go of the carrying strap and the Wind Eagle slid down into the crevice, upside down, and was stuck.

"Now," Gluscabi said, "it is time to go hunt some ducks."



He walked back down the mountain and there was no wind at all. He waited till he came to the tree line and still no wind blew. He walked down to the foothills and down to the hills and the valleys and still there was no wind. He walked through the forest and the fields and the wind did not blow at all.

He walked and walked until he got back to the lodge by the water, and by now all his hair had grown back.

He put on some fine new clothing and a new pair of moccasins and took his bow and arrows and went back to the bay and climbed into his boat to hunt ducks.

He paddled out into the water and sang his canoeing song:

Ki yo wah ji neh
yo hey ho hey
Ki yo wah ji neh
Ki yo wah ji neh

But the air was very hot and still and he began to sweat. The air was so still and hot that it was hard to breathe. Soon the water began to grow dirty and smell bad and there was so much foam on the water he could hardly paddle.

He was not pleased at all and he returned to the shore and went straight to his grandmother's lodge and walked in.

"Grandmother," he said, "what is wrong? The air is hot and still and it is making me sweat and it is hard to breathe. The water is dirty and covered with foam. I cannot hunt ducks at all like this."

Grandmother Woodchuck looked up at Gluscabi. "Gluscabi," she said, "what have you done now?"

And Gluscabi answered just as every child in the world answers when asked that question, "Oh, nothing," he said.

"Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck again, "Tell me what you have done."

Then Gluscabi told her about going to visit the Wind Eagle and what he had done to stop the wind.



"Oh, Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck, "will you never learn? Tabaldak, The Owner, set the Wind Eagle on that mountain to make the wind because we need the wind. The wind keeps the air cool and clean. The wind brings the clouds that give us rain to wash the Earth.

The wind moves the waters to keep them fresh and sweet. Without the wind, life will not be good for us, for our children, or our children's children.

Gluscabi nodded his head. "Kaamoji, Grandmother," he said. "I understand."

Then he went outside. He faced in the direction from which the wind had once come and began to walk.

He walked through the fields and through the forests and the wind did not blow and he felt very hot. He walked through the valleys and up the hills and there was no wind and it was very hard for him to breathe. He came to the foothills and began to climb and he was very hot and sweaty indeed.



At last he came to the to the mountain where the Wind Eagle once stood and he went and looked down into the crevice. There was Wuchosen, the Wind Eagle, wedged upside down.

"Uncle?" Gluscabi called.

The Wind Eagle looked up as best he could. "Who calls me Uncle?" he said.

"It is Gluscabi, Uncle. I'm up here. But what are you doing down there?"

"Oh, Gluscabi," said the Wind Eagle, "a very ugly naked man with no hair told me that he would take me to the other peak so that I could do a better job of making the wind blow. He tied my wings and picked me up, but as he stepped over this crevice he dropped me in and I am stuck. And I am not comfortable here at all."

"Ah, Grandfath . . . er, Uncle, I will get you out."

Then Gluscabi climbed down into the crevice. He pulled the Wind Eagle free and placed him back on the mountain and untied his wings.

"Uncle," Gluscabi said, "it is good that the wind should blow sometimes and other times it is good that it should be still."

The Wind Eagle looked at Gluscabi and then nodded his head. "Grandson," he said, "I hear what you say."

So it is that sometimes there is wind and sometimes it is very still to this very day.

And so the story goes.


Sounds of Acadia Wabanaki


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYSgbLAhS68


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Twelve Principles for the New Reality, Self-help and guidance.



I found this article by Owen Waters and I thought others could gain from it here.

The New Reality brings with it a new vista of awareness. In order to operate successfully in the new environment, you need to apply the new principles which come with this expanded view of reality.

Such knowledge empowers you to awaken to your newly expanded potential and manifest it with ease.

Here are some basic principles of the universe, as seen from the expanded vista of New Reality consciousness.

In this, the ultimate reality is recognized as universal consciousness, which is the formative essence behind all that exists within the universe. This essence can be called Infinite Being because it is the awareness behind everything within the universe.

Here are twelve principles which describe the New Reality awareness.

1. Infinite Being is All That Is. Nothing exists outside of it.

The universe exists within the consciousness of Infinite Being. The physical world exists within the consciousness of Infinite Being. We exist within the consciousness of Infinite Being.

2. We are Infinite Being.

Creation is holographic in nature, meaning that the one can be found within the all. For example, the oak tree produces acorns and yet the life-form of a complete oak tree is contained within each acorn. If a picture hologram is divided into two, both parts will still retain the complete original picture.

While you are a part of the consciousness of Infinite Being, you are also Infinite Being itself. At the deepest level of reality, all that Infinite Being is, you are.

Therefore we are, each one of us, Infinite Being.

3. Purpose in life.

Your overall purpose in life is to experience it from one individual, unique point of view. Just as each snowflake is unique, so is each person. From a cosmic point of view, you are one expression of Infinite Being as it experiences itself from all possible viewpoints. In this way, through you and all life, Infinite Being gains infinite experience.

At a personal level, you, as a soul, pre-planned the major themes of your life. You chose the time, the place and your parents in order to set a life plan in motion which would explore those themes. Such pre-planning gave rise to the occurrence of related, meaningful events in your life which may have already given you the impression that destiny exists.

Destiny does exist, to the extent that the major themes of your life are pre-planned, by you, ahead of time.

As you pass through life, certain names, places, people and activities resonate with certain specialness in your consciousness. It’s almost as if you knew them once before, but you can’t quite remember when or where. That is destiny, as it unfolds important, pre-planned and pre-viewed events into your life.

In the phenomenon called déjà vu, scenes that you recognize as they unfold in your life are scenes which you had previously viewed in another state of consciousness. This previewing occurred either during your pre-life planning or, more often, in a recent, out-of-body, dream-state where, in order to help yourself remain on-purpose, you reviewed the important, upcoming events in your life.

4. Free will enables you to explore your true potential.

Free will fills in all the details. It can be used to any degree that you choose. The most productive use of free will is to explore your true potential within the themes of your life, thus gaining the greatest possible experience from your life plan.

5. Reincarnation.

Reincarnation exists to provide a variety of experiences, so that life skills may be gained, and so that, while in a physical body, you can rediscover your spiritual connection within.

6. Life after ‘death’.

From the point of view of your true, inner personality, passing away from the physical realm is like stepping out of a suit that you have worn for a while. The suit is not the real you. In your spirit body, you move into the spirit realm, which is a place of joy and healing. After meeting with friends and relatives who have passed on before, you start work on resolving the issues which caused inner conflict during your physical life. Then, as you move into the higher realms, remembering more about who you really are, you experience reunion with the rest of your immediate and extended soul families.

7. Life reflects what you project.

Reflectance is a property of the universe. Also known as karma, this principle states that life reflects your beliefs, emotions and actions. The stronger these are, the more apparent it becomes that life is a mirror of what you project.

Every time you change the way you view life, the universe, just like a mirror, reflects your new view of reality. This may not occur instantaneously as, often, circumstances do not allow the new reflection to immediately manifest. In this case, the new reality is held, like a pressure within the aura of your body’s subtle magnetic field. You then walk around in life, surrounded by this magnetic potential, as it influences your circumstances to adapt into a form where the new reality will be able to manifest and operate.

Reflectance, sooner or later, produces manifestation. Therefore, if you don’t like something in your life, the most powerful way to change its effect permanently is to discover how you are generating that reflection, and then change your point of view so that you change the reflection that you are causing from the universe.

That’s how reflectance works. It’s just like law in physics. It’s how the universe was designed. The mirror of life will shine happiness upon you, but not until you first decide, within yourself, to become a happy person. Then it will reflect your new reality.

8. Abundance is natural.

Natural abundance comes from ‘getting into the flow,’ by doing work that brings a sense of inner excitement. The phrase “Follow your inner joy” is actually the key to abundance. Once you follow your innermost joy and adapt your situation to doing work that you love, then synchronicity begins to flow. Synchronicity is the universe’s way of telling you that you’re on the right track. It is a flow of events where everything starts clicking into place in order to support your efforts.

Synchronicity brings you opportunities, people, events and circumstances exactly when and where they need to be. When life flows naturally, the universe’s natural state of abundance follows automatically.

9. Love is the only reality.

Unconditional, holistic love is the answer to all of life’s challenges. We are here on Earth to learn how to love ourselves and others, and to accept ourselves and others completely, without judgment.

At this point, some people ask, “What, are you supposed to love someone who is bent on being anti-social, even destructive?” The secret here is that there is a difference between an acceptance of the outer beliefs of a person and an acceptance of their inner essence.

Regardless of that person’s outward belief system, and whether you agree with it or not, it is the inner essence of the person that you learn to recognize, love and accept.

The secret is that unconditional love will heal the world, and there is no shortage of its supply. The universe is permeated by, and held together by, the love aspect of the One Creator. You have only to allow it to flow through you in order to experience its wonder.

10. Self-responsibility.

You create your own reality and take personal responsibility for it. Your life is a reflection of your point of view in this, the set of experiences that you, as a soul, planned for this life.

11. Truth is everywhere.

The ultimate truth is to be found within, yet the study of a variety of sources of information helps you to reawaken and remember your inner truth. Your intuitive sense is your guide as to what material is most appropriate for you at any particular time during your personal development.

12. Inner connection and insight.

Inner connection with your spiritual source promotes spiritual transformation and the achievement of your true potential. Developing intuition, both in men and women, provides an essential insight into life’s experiences.

The way this is achieved is through regular, daily meditation. The regular practice of meditation promotes intuitive insight, unconditional love and personal spiritual experiences. Any meditation technique that you prefer will function perfectly well, but the Infinite Being meditation technique is particularly powerful.

With practice, you actually need no technique at all, because you will find that you can go into those deeper levels of awareness, whenever you wish, as an acquired habit. In the meantime, check out the ultimate door-opener to the higher realms of human consciousness, the Infinite Being meditation technique.

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Kitaro: Heaven and Earth (video) + So Much More

Kitaro credits powers beyond himself for his music, which focuses on peace and spirituality.

He first became known in the 1970s as a New Age musician, using a synthesizer to create the sounds of many instruments. His most famous work was the soundtrack for the NHK series, The Silk Road.


Heaven and Earth received a Golden Globe award for Best Original Score. The title track is here paired with evocative imagery, much of it pictures on or around the Li River in China. The pictures are lovely though I don’t care for many of the transitions. Nevertheless, watch it full screen.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/kitaro-heaven-and-earth-video.html#ixzz0zYaVKOKM




Kitaro, Heaven and Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO82u7CKj1k


The light of the Spirit KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9SmQW2TPgM


THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT" KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E1-BDMRSVc


GAIA KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39jntYJap6Q


Relaxing - New Age - Kitaro - Ocean Of Wisdom- ORIENTAL MUSIC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUshvaA3lH8


After The Rain KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nwIa4vyZUA


Cosmic Energy KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jQuoVb3WvU


Milky Way KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv1s3ph1uqE


Everlasting Road KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuPsKwRaMt0


Moon Flower KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5YYvVSldrc


DANCE OF SARASVATI KITARO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhOWn1sI1JQ

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Overcoming Fear and Anxiety With Prayer and Spirituality


Fear is a reality of life. It is true for believers and anyone else. However, those who are grounded in faith and spirituality, find that they have God to lean back on when the going gets tough.


We don't have to let fear defeat us. We can triumph over it and feel safe.


For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:7)


Building a Sense of Confidence


The faith can help us overcome fear. We can't expect God to protect us from every evil of the world during this life. But we can have utter confidence that we are, indeed, loved by God, and that, ultimately, we will be redeemed.


We can take solace in knowing that we are loved by God. That knowledge should provide us with reassurance.


Many theologians believe that fear is a form of suffering. The key is to accept it for what it is and not to indulge it. Think less of what may come to us and our loved ones and more of who God is and what God wants. Then we turn ourselves over to the love and the care of God.


God has promised us eternal peace. Do not be afraid.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).


The way to find and keep peace is outlined for us by the Prophet Isaiah: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isa. 26:3). We find God's will (and His peace) by staying grounded in our spirituality, where we find His will for our lives.


One of the most peaceful thoughts in the entire world was written by the Apostle Paul: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). If we truly believe this promise and appropriate it for our daily living, we will know complete and abiding peace. The divine promise remains true: "The Lord will bless his people with peace" (Ps. 29:11).


Countless multitudes have ridden themselves of their fear knowing the power in God's presence
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. (Psalm 23:4)


Henry Ward Beecher says the Twenty-third Psalm is the nightingale of the Psalms. The nightingale sings its sweetest when the night is darkest. And for most of us death is the most terrifying fact of life. Death makes us afraid. We feel so helpless and alone.


Of course, "the valley of the shadow of death" refers to more than the actual experiences of physical death. It has been translated, "the glen of gloom." It might refer to every hard and terrifying experience of life.


The Basque Sheepherder describes an actual Valley of the Shadow of Death in Palestine. It leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and is a very narrow and dangerous pathway through the mountain range. The path is rough, and there is danger that a sheep may fall at any moment to its death.


It is a forbidding journey that one dreads to take. But the sheep is not afraid. Why? Because the shepherd is with it.


And so come those dark places in life through which we are compelled to pass. Death is one. Disappointment is another. Loneliness is another. Phobias, compulsions, obsessions, and reliving traumatic experiences fill us with fear.


If you feel you are in "the valley of the shadow," get off to a quiet place. Quit struggling for a little while. Forget the many details. Stop your mind for a little while from hurrying on to the morrow and to next year and beyond.


Just stop, become still and quiet, and in the midst of your "glen of gloom" you will feel a strange and marvelous presence more powerfully than you have ever felt it before. Many have felt that presence-they have heard the nightingale sing in the darkness.


Wherever my pathway leads, I will not be afraid, "for thou art with me." There is power in His presence. Countless multitudes have ridden themselves of their fear knowing that eternal truth.
Excerpted from: God's Psychiatry by Charles L. Allen


God Provides us strength against life's storms
Where is your faith? (Luke 8:25).

If the devil has another name, it is Fear. He strives to enter our minds and put a fear in us that is a living thing. It nags us. Nauseates us-literally makes us sick. Follows us. Torments us.


Jesus dealt with fear by pointing to faith as the answer. In the height of the storm on Galilee, His disciples were overcome with fear. Then they asked Him a question that only increased their doubts and fears: "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"


Jesus did not withdraw from the human stream, from the misery and the torments that we pass through. He developed a way of life, a rhythm of a time to seed and harvest; a faith in God as the source of supply and a relationship with God that gave Him strength on the inside so that when He was in these problems He could rest, He could have a calmness of spirit.


After Jesus calmed the storm, He asked the disciples, "Where is your faith? Why were you so afraid?" He was saying, 'Look, the very faith I have in My Father you can have. The very fact that I was able to find strength to relax and be strong in this storm means that you can find that same strength. You don't have to be afraid. Why are you so fearful when you can have this relationship with God, when you can open up yourself and give and expect a miracle? Where is your faith?"


Our feelings will lie to us. In life we are dealing with reality, not just feelings. When we analyze the problem of fear, nine times out of ten we find that we are guilty of wrong believing. We are believing that God doesn't care what happens to us. This is what Satan, "the father of lies' would have us believe. Faith and fear both come from our believing. Wrong believing brings fear. Right believing brings faith.


Excerpted From: Oral Roberts' Favorite Healing Scriptures


Action Steps

Kenneth W. Caine and Brian P. Kaufmann in their book 'Prayer, Faith and Healing' suggested several actions you can take to face and manage fear.


Use reasonable precautions.


If you are fearful of crime, take practical steps to improve security at home and when we travel. This helps prevent crime. It also makes us feel better. Even small steps, such as leaving the light on at night, help soothe fears considerably following traumatic experiences.


Seek help.

Fears can develop into debilitating phobias if left unchecked. Seek professional help if you are having a hard time handling your fears. When fear becomes immobilizing or interferes with your normal functions, it's time to seek counseling.


Face fear head on.


A fear faced is often a fear defeated.


An old saying goes, "Boats are safe anchored in the harbor, but that's not what boats are made for."


A person was frightened of speaking in front of groups. Her boss asked her to make a presentation at a staff meeting. When she stood up, she realized that she was nervous, and said so. Her throat was dry, and she took a drink of water. Then she began. Acknowledging her fears and focusing momentarily on something else-getting a drink of water-helped her through the moment. The next time she spoke, she wasn't quite so nervous.


The young woman had prayed to Jesus before the meeting, asking directly for His help in dealing with her fear.

Accentuate the positive.


The Apostle Paul in his letters in the bible wrote frequently of the need to focus on the good things in life, not the bad. "Whatever is true," he wrote to the Philippians, "whatever is honorable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

To turn your mind away from your fear, make a list of pleasant thoughts and memories and add to it regularly. When you are tempted to start dwelling on something negative, you will have something that's good and true to put in your minds to replace it with.


Turn off sources of bad news.


The evening news is often full of stories about crime, horror, and terrorism. Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers, the US television showed the image of the planes attacking the world trade center repeatedly followed by the image of the towers collapsing. Exposure to this type of news and images are unsettling to many. Studies of television viewers show that people who spent lot of time watching television perceive a more violent world.


When you are overwhelmed by what you are seeing on the TV, turn off the TV. If you don't want to turn it off, close your eyes, or think of pleasant things.


Keep your spirituality strong.


Pay attention to your spiritual life. It will help you tide over the difficult times. Keep up regularly on prayer, worship, fellowship, and service.


A lot of our insecurities come from an unspoken awareness that we've veered off the path from God or from our inner fear that we're not living as we're called to live. Being strong spiritually, means that we feel that we are walking where we are meant to walk, and that we are being watched and protected by God. There's enormous security in that feeling.


Participate in community activities.


Spirituality allows us to being part of communities such as church. Communities can provide their members opportunities for mutual cooperation and support. Community is an important element of our spiritual security blanket. We can do much to allay our fears if we wrap ourselves tightly in a network of believers by attending services regularly, participating in church social activities, and doing volunteer service. Studies conducted in Duke University in the US has shown that church activities provided health benefits.

Read more…
Posted by Elizabeth Cusova


A gift from a child with sea-blue eyes and hair the color sand

Posted by Elizabeth Cusova

She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sandcastle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.



“Hello,” she said. I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child. “I’m building,” she said.


“I see that. What is it?” I asked, not caring.


“Oh, I don’t know, I just like the feel of sand.


“That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by.


“That’s a joy,” the child said.

“It’s a what?”


“It’s a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy.” The bird went glding down the beach.

“Good-bye joy,” I muttered to myself, “hello pain,” and turned to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed completely out of balance.


“What’s your name?” She wouldn’t give up.


“Ruth,” I answered. “I’m Ruth Peterson.”


“Mine’s Wendy… I’m six.”


“Hi, Wendy.”


She giggled. “You’re funny,” she said. In spite of my gloom I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.


“Come again, Mrs. P,” she called. “We’ll have another happy day.”


The days and weeks that followed belong to others: a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater. “I need a sandpiper,” I said to myself, gathering up my coat. The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me.


The breeze was chilly, but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed. I had forgotten the child and was startled when she appeared.


“Hello, Mrs. P,” she said. “Do you want to play?”


“What did you have in mind?” I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.


“I don’t know, you say.”


“How about charades?” I asked sarcastically.


The tinkling laughter burst forth again. “I don’t know what that is.”


“Then let’s just walk.” Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face
“Where do you live?” I asked.


“Over there.” She pointed toward a row of summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter.


“Where do you go to school?”


“I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.” She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.


Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed. Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like demanding she keep her child at home.


“Look, if you don’t mind,” I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, “I’d rather be alone today.”
She seems unusually pale and out of breath.


“Why?” she asked.


I turned to her and shouted, “Because my mother died!” and thought, my God, why was I saying this to a little child?


“Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.”


“Yes, and yesterday and the day before and-oh, go away!”


“Did it hurt? ”


“Did what hurt?” I was exasperated with her, with myself.


“When she died?” “Of course it hurt!” I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off. A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.


“Hello,” I said. “I’m Ruth Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was.”


“Oh yes, Mrs. Peterson, please come in” “Wendy talked of you so much.


I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies.”


“Not at all-she’s a delightful child,” I said, suddenly realizing that I meant it. “Where is she?”


“Wendy died last week, Mrs. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.” Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. My breath caught.

“She loved this beach; so when she asked to come, we couldn’t say no.


She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly…” her voice faltered.


“She left something for you…if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?”


I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something, anything, to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope, with MRS. P printed in bold, childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues-a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed:

A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY


Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I muttered over and over, and we wept together.


The precious little picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words- one for each year of her life- that speak to me of harmony, courage, undemanding love. A gift from a child with sea-blue eyes and hair the color sand— who taught me the gift of love. Ruth Peterson


Read more…
Without inflammation, cholesterol won't accumulate in bloodvessel walls and cause heart disease• Posted by Dr. Darius Homi Umrigar MD (AM) on May 21, 2010 at 9:49am• Send Message View Dr. Darius Homi Umrigar MD (AM)'s blogWithout inflammation, cholesterol won't accumulate in blood vessel walls and cause heart diseaseHeart Surgeon Admits Huge Mistake!All Physicians with all the training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong.So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong.. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries,today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labeled "opinion makers."Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted fromthe simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol. The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake.The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice.It Is Not Working!These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences.Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year. Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended.It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defense to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the bodyto injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation.Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial. What thoughtful person would willfully expose himself repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body? Well, smokers perhaps, but at least they made that choice willfully. The rest of us have simply followed the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates, not knowing we were causing repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease,stroke, diabetes and obesity.Let me repeat that. The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine. What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. you kept this up several times a day, every day for five years. If you could tolerate this painful brushing, you would have a bleeding, swollen infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now.Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causingthe body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation.While we savor the tantalizing taste of a sweet roll, our bodies respond alarmingly as if a foreign invader arrived declaring war. Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades.These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone. How does eating a simple sweet roll create a cascade of inflammation to make you sick?Imagine spilling syrup on your keyboard and you have a visual of what occurs inside the cell. When we consume simple carbohydrates such as sugar, blood sugar rises rapidly. In response, your pancreas secretes insulin whose primary purpose is to drive sugar into each cell where it is stored for energy. If the cell is full and does not need glucose, it is rejected to avoid extra sugar gumming up the works.When your full cells reject the extra glucose, blood sugar rises producing more insulin and the glucose converts to stored fat.What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your bloodsugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels. While you may not be able to see it, rest assured it is there.I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator — inflammation in their arteries.Let’s get back to the sweet roll. That innocent looking goody not only contains sugars, it is baked in one of many omega-6 oils such as soybean.Chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life.While omega-6’s are essential –they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell — they must be in the correct balance with omega-3’s. If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.Today’s mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That’s a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today’s food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimaland healthy.To make matters worse, the excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. The process that began with a sweet roll turns into a vicious cycle over time that creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer’s disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated.There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils. There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables.Cut down on or eliminate inflammation-causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them. One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labeled polyunsaturated.Forget the "science" that has been drummed into your head for decades.The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent.The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak.Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today. The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation.Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in yourarteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.Dr Darius H Umrigar
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DailyOm – Return and Reclaim

DailyOm – Return and Reclaim
July 30, 2010


Return and Reclaim


Returning to Creative Dreams


Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.


As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold—from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor.


Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim.

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