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Bangladesh rickshaw puller starts clinic for the poor
By Anbarasan Ethirajan BBC News, Mymensingh

Joynal Abedin started a clinic with his savings as a rickshaw puller, and then launched a coaching centre for children

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• New horizons for Bangladeshi doctors
• Bangladesh healthcare crisis
• Clampdown on rickshaws in Dhaka

Joynal Abedin still remembers the rainy and windy night when he saw his father die because there was no medical treatment.

His village in the northern Mymensingh district of Bangladesh did not have any medical facility at that time, and the nearest hospital was about 20km (12 miles) away.

The death of his father, about 30 years ago, changed the life of Mr Abedin, who was working as a farm labourer then.

He could not console himself and vowed to establish a basic medical centre in his village of Tanashadia, about 100km (60 miles) north of the capital Dhaka, so that lives of poor villagers could be saved.

Though he had the ambition, he had no money, so he set out for the capital Dhaka with his wife.

Mr Abedin vowed to start a clinic to help villagers after his father's death

"When I landed in Dhaka it was a new experience for us. We were amazed by the size and energy of the city. Initially, we were not sure how we could survive there," Mr Abedin, 61, remembers.

Like many other migrants, he started pulling a rickshaw. But it was not easy in the city's busy traffic. Gradually, he learnt how to negotiate swerving cars and trucks. For two decades, Mr Abedin pulled rickshaws, carrying passengers and goods from one point of the city to another.

His wife, Lal Banu, managed to find a job as an assistant in a local clinic. But Mr Abedin always kept a secret from his wife.

He opened a bank account to save money and start a health clinic in his village. His wife did not know about it.

"Sometimes my wife used to argue with me for not bringing enough money to run the family. But I always saved some money. Even during difficult times, I never touched my savings," Mr Abedin recalls.

After he had saved more than $4,000 (£2,550) Mr Abedin decided to return to his village.
Disbelief

“Start Quote

Previously, when I was a rickshaw puller, people use to ignore me and I faced lots of abuses”
End QuoteJoynal Abedin

It was a surprise move as villagers who come to Dhaka seeking livelihoods normally prefer to stay in the capital - given its better hospital and school facilities - and better basic services.

Mr Abedin bought a small plot of land with his savings. He built a tin roof house for himself and then built another shed for the clinic.

With the remaining money he bought a few tables and beds for the clinic.

When he shared his idea of starting a clinic with his fellow villagers, they did not take him seriously.

"People were making fun. They did not believe that a rickshaw puller could start a clinic. Even doctors were not willing to come to this centre," reminisces Mr Abedin.

Mr Abedin named his clinic as Mumtaz Hospital. He initially requested a paramedic to give first aid treatment.

The clinic treats several people every day

As the news went out, more villagers came to the clinic to get basic treatment. Those with serious conditions were referred to a hospital in the town of Mymensingh.

Every day, the medical centre treats around 100 patients. A local paramedic treats patients in the clinic and a doctor pays a weekly visit.

With the help of some individuals and companies Mr Abedin has also set up a basic pharmacy, which distributes medicines for free to the patients.

The health centre treats minor ailments like fever, diarrhoea and simple injuries and helps those who suffer from asthma.

It also has a small maternity ward, but those with complications are immediately referred to a hospital. The staff members also talk to rural women on maternal health and child care.

Hospital dream

Villagers from neighbouring areas speak highly of Mr Abedin's work. They commend the former rickshaw puller's determination and courage.

"This hospital helps poor people like us in this area. The government hospital is far away and I cannot afford private clinics. So, I come here whenever I require treatment and it's free," said Abdul Malik, a farmer living in a nearby village.

When the local media reported on his work and his clinic, some individuals donated money to him, which he used to build a couple of more tin roof sheds and started a coaching centre for primary school students.

The coaching centre caters to the children of day labourers and farmers. More than 150 students are studying Bengali, Arabic and basic maths and English.

The clinic is popular with locals, and has received praise from local media

"Though it is not a proper hospital, Mr Abedin's clinic offers vital support to the villagers. He has become a role model in our country," Lokman Hossain Miah, a senior government official in Mymensingh district, told the BBC.

"We have given free books to the students there and are also trying to arrange donations from individuals for the clinic."

It is unusual in a country like Bangladesh for a rickshaw puller to invest his entire savings to start a clinic for others.

Rickshaw pullers are among the bottom rung of society and earn less than a dollar a day.
Mr Abedin stopped being a rickshaw puller late last year because of ill health. He spends his time looking after his clinic.

"Previously, when I was a rickshaw puller, people use to ignore me and I faced lots of abuse. Now people are showing respect, they are inviting me to their houses to have tea with them. This would have never happened if I had been a normal rickshaw puller," said Mr Abedin.

"My dream is to convert this clinic into a full-fledged hospital with the help of the government and other donors."

Everyone knows that sometimes accidents just happen, but some accidents are truly too horrible to fathom. In the video below, you will see a mother watch her baby’s stroller roll onto
subway tracks. What happens next can be described as nothing short of a miracle. In fact, many people who watch this video see and angel watching over the endangered infant.

Watch carefully to see if you notice the angel and then share this amazing video to all your friends!

A Huge Miracle for a Tiny Baby (and her mother)

http://youtu.be/xJFETFgZRKk

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Recipe for Aromatherapy Room & Linen Spray

Have you ever had the blues? (Raising my hand.) Have you ever been revved up and too wound to sleep? (Hand up again.) Have you ever been overwhelmed or stressed with work or life in general and needed help relieving your stress? (Both hands up… trying to raise my leg over my head too.)
Using essential oils can enhance your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. These powerful oils can be diluted in a carrier oil for topical use, dripped into a bath, added to personal care products, or used in a diffuser. Direct inhalation, however, works best for immediate effects.

How It Works

I will attempt to explain how essential oils can improve mood in my very best (but most likely flawed) scientific way. Here it goes… tiny receptors in our nostrils are stimulated by the essential oil molecules. The essence of the aroma is immediately sent to the limbic system–this is the part of the brain that affects emotion. Once the limbic system is stimulated, it releases chemicals like serotonin and endorphins which help us achieve a more relaxed state. (Feel free to correct me if you have a better understanding of this fancy schmancy science stuff!)

Some of my favorite essential oils have very therapeutic properties and can be utilized for aromatherapy in the home. I keep small spray bottles of aromatherapy spray in different rooms of the house… one at the bedside as a linen spray, one on my desk for alertness, and one in the living room as a general air freshener and pick-me-up.

  Homemade Aromatherapy SprayIngredients:

• small spray bottle with a fine mister (2 oz. works well)
• 1 ounce distilled water or high-proof vodka, or a combination of the two
• 20 drops of your favorite essential oil blend depending on the mood you want to achieve (see suggestions below)

  Directions:

Combine ingredients in spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray as needed to achieve desired effect.

  Suggested Essential Oil Blends to Use:

  For a calming pillow/linen spray:

• 15 drops chamomile and 5 drops lavender OR,
• 10 drops chamomile, 5 drops sage, and 5 drops bergamot OR,
• 10 drops rosemary and 10 drops lavenderFor an energizing room spray:

• 12 drops rosemary and 8 drops bergamot OR,
• 10 drops peppermint and 10 drops lemon OR,
• 10 drops bergamot, 5 drops orange, and 5 drops grapefruitFor a spray that beats the blues:

• 12 drops orange and 8 drops grapefruit OR,
• 20 drops grapefruit

  Tips and Warnings:

• Always store things made with essential oils in a cool place away from sunlight.
• Use only light colored oils for pillow/linen sprays to avoid staining linens.
• Carefully select essential oils that are right for you, keeping safety precautions in mind. Use this chart to learn more about each oil or to experiment with your own oil blends.
• Always use essential oils with care. They are very volatile, pure plant extracts.

  http://www.diynatural.com/aromatherapy-room-linen-spray-recipe/

Aw-rick-cue-lo-what?! Does the Ear Contain a Secret Map for Healing? : Exculsive Renegade Health Article

Could this type of healing be as easy as watching a sunset?

(Fisherman’s Beach outside of Nosara, Costa Rica)

A good number of years ago, I was sitting in my friend Nick Ortner’s apartment (you may know him from The Tapping Solution)…

He had just purchased a massive DVD set from a guy named Gary Craig. The DVDs were a complete course on how to use meridian point tapping (or EFT) to help with anxiety, weight loss, fear and phobias, physical pain, disease and more. Gary developed this strange technique by following many of Dr. Roger Callahan’s work with a practice called TFT or Thought Field Therapy.

Usually, we’d watch movies or a football game, but that day he wanted me to watch one of the DVDs where Mr. Criag manages to completely eliminate a man’s fear of water.

As the program started, there was a montage of images of people pressing and tapping their faces and torsos. I looked at Nick wondering if my friend had finally gone too far. He’d always been into self improvement and energy techniques, but this was absurd.

He told me to keep watching.

Reluctantly, I did.

What I saw was amazing…

We both sat in awe as Mr. Craig brought a man – who was obviously deathly afraid of swimming – into a pool using this crazy tapping technique and eventually managed to make him comfortable enough to float around on a few pool noodles.

My perspective on energy techniques completely shifted that day.

Eventually I watched the whole series, interviewed and met other practitioners of EFT like Carol Look and Rick Wilkes, read Donna Eden’s energy medicine books and promised to keep my mind open to possibilities I otherwise might have written off a foolish.

Recently, I was introduced to another type of energy therapy that – before I got into EFT – I would have laughed at, but these days, I’m kind of excited about.

The technique is called Auriculotherapy (aw-rick-cue-lo-therapy) and its roots are planted deeply in Chinese medicine. This is an ancient form of acupressure that has been used for years to help eliminate pain, anxiety (did people have anxiety 5000 years ago in China?), physical aliments and more.

In the 1950’s, a French physicist named Dr. Paul Nogier took the technology and turned it into more of a “western” science by mapping the ear. His findings determined that the ear was similar to the fetus (upside-down) and points on and around the ear corresponded to certain meridian points in the body.

Keep in mind, if I hadn’t found EFT or tapping, I would have scoffed at all of this, but any type of acupressure technique I come across these days, I explore – my thought is that if they work there’s little risk at all – they’re non-invasive, cheap and may have significant returns.

I purchased a book Nick tipped me off to called The Amazing Science of Auriculotherapy to start my research. Basically, wanted I wanted to find out was if there was any truth to the claims that it could “unlock” the body’s own “pharmacy” to relieve pain, reduce high blood pressure, quit smoking permanently, revive low sex drive and effectively treat hundreds of other health problems and diseases.

Pretty big claims, but were they true?

Here’s what I found (and you might be surprised…)

1. Healing through the ear is deeply rooted in Chinese, Ayurvedic and Western Massage practices.
When I look to see the efficacy of any type of therapy, the first thing I ask is how long has it been around?
While the name Auriculotherapy has been around for only about 50-60 years, the manual manipulation of the ear as therapy has been around for thousands more.
You can find roots in Chinese medicine as well as Ayurvedic practices.
Here’s a quick video of a Chinese practitioner demonstrating some of the meridian points in the ear…
Ear Massage, Chinese Medicine DVD, English Subtitled, Buy atwww.HeyChinese.com

http://youtu.be/Qj2wCn79MLY

These practices have been adopted by modern massage therapists too. As you can see here…
http://youtu.be/XQBEtcax3BY

Qi Gong masters will sometimes advocate the massaging of the ears as a daily practice as well.
While history may not be able to determine if something is effective or not, generally things that stand the test of time are worth looking into.
2. What about the science?
Unfortunately, there’s little money to made by proving the efficacy of a technique that is free to do and can be done by anyone at home. This makes finding science on most natural techniques very difficult.
What’s promising about the science behind – at least acupuncture and acupressure – is that they have been studied sufficiently to determine that they’re viable and useful tools. In fact, the NIH has approved acupuncture for medical usage, and inside of this approval includes using the technique on the ears and other meridians.
I’m generally hot and cold with scientific research anyway. Sometimes it’s necessary and sometimes it’s not – other times the science is just wrong or interpreted poorly.
So when I look to something like this, I understand that the value of a therapy may not lie in it’s body or research, but what it physically or effectively does for you.
I’ll explain here…
3. If it feels good, something must be happening.
After reading the book, I spent some time practicing pressing some of the target points that have been mapped out originally by Dr. Nogier.
The first thing that struck me was how good it felt to press these points on my ear. This wasn’t just a feel-good-because-I-hope-I-will feeling. I actually felt a physical endorphin reaction in my body.
This chemical release is one of the first indications to me that a protocol like this could actually unlock the body’s ability to heal – since our emotions are so carefully linked to your physical well being.
The only other massage technique that gives me this similar feeling is foot reflexology. If you’ve ever had this type of therapy, you understand how amazing your whole body can feel afterwords.
It’s true that your disease state is directly related to your feeling state.
4. The hunger and cravings point works!
I don’t have many health complaints. I shouldn’t really. I’m young, I’m active, and upbeat.
Some of you may know about my 100% raw food experiments that went haywire, but I can share those again some other time.
As I was looking through the book at all the points (it must list over 50 or more for specific issues) the one that struck me the most was the cravings / hunger suppression point.
I was hungry at the time – I hadn’t eaten in probably 8 hours or so – and I decided to push on the point to see if there was any instant relief. I was doubtful when I did, but very quickly I felt the pangs in my stomach disappear. It seemed that my squeezing was like the equivalent of sliding a dimmer switch. The harder I pressed the less hunger I felt.
After doing this a few times, I was amazed that my hunger and cravings for food had completely gone away. (Which, if you ask Annmarie, is quite an impossible feat, LOL!)
In case you’re wondering, I’ll share this point with you right now…
It’s actually right on the “tragus,” which is the little flap that sticks out in front of your ear canal.
Give it a squeeze and see what happens…
Pic - Aw-rick-cue-lo-what 2

5. Mercury toxicity point?
Every therapy has it’s pluses and minuses. I personally think that Auriculotherapy is a great tool for many issues related to stress, anxiety, pain, cravings, and dealing with the emotions that are associated with disease. I also know that acupressure channels can open up meridians to allow the body to heal, so yes, it’s likely that the healing process can be assisted using this tool (in conjunction with a well thought out treatment plan.)
Where I think the therapy does fall short is at the “mercury detoxification point” and a few others that were mentioned in the book (including Tuberculosis). I’m sure there’s no science behind this particular claim (or a few others), nor would I rely on pressing points on the ear to effectively remove toxic metals from my body.
But like all therapies, you have to know their limitations and by working within those parameters, you can have success.
6. Cost effective, “no harm, no foul,” and high value proposition.
When I take a look at therapies the other thing I like to do, besides looking at its actual effectiveness is compare the cost to value in terms of healing.
Some therapies cost thousands of dollars and can save your life. Others cost pennies and can harm you.
So there’s a value vs. cost vs. potential effectiveness play that goes into what I do for myself and what I don’t.
So for instance when it comes to water filters, you can buy a good reverse osmosis system for a couple hundred dollars and completely clean and filter your water. On the other hand, you can buy a water ionizer for $4000 that doesn’t even remove fluoride.
I’d – every time – recommend that reverse osmosis system because it does more for its value.
When it comes to Auriculotherapy, this is a no-brainer. Why? Because you just need to get a book for $39.95 – your only investment – and take the time to do it yourself. (You don’t even need to buy a book, but it’s best to have a road map!)
There’s no harm in pressing points on your ear and the rewards could be significant for you. What if you could eliminate smoking or other addictions, stop being nervous, eliminate stress, lose weight, control cravings, relieve constipation, headaches, insomnia or more?
In my time working on the American Stock Exchange (very short time, BTW), I learned that you wanted to hedge your trades to limit your financial exposure.
Health is obviously much different than trading “puts” or “calls” of International Paper, but this same concept applies in this way – you want to make sure that you’re measuring the risk vs. reward in any proposition. Does the cost of the treatment yield great results or are there risks involved that could point you toward another treatment that could give you the same results with less financial or health risk?
This is, of course, up to you to to determine based on your own goals, lifestyle disease and whatever other considerations you may have.
7. Find out for yourself…
I don’t want you to rely on me to determine what works or what not. I want you to try things on your own and come to conclusions that work for you.
In terms of Auriculotherapy, I’d suggest getting a copy of this ebook that maps out completely over 50 different points on the ear that can help you heal – or at the very least – release your cravings and hunger pangs like it did for me!
Here’s where you can read more about this therapy and get the book now…
http://www.renegadehealth.com/ear
Your question of the day: Have you tried this therapy? Do you believe energy therapy works?
Live Awesome!
Kev
P.S. You can learn more about my friend Nick’s work here:
http://www.thetappingsolution.com
http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/11/16/auriculotherapy-does-the-ear-contain-a-secret-map-for-healing/

'Iceman Oetzi' lived for a while after arrow wound

Oetzi, the 5,300-year-old "Iceman" mummy of the Alps, lived for some time after being shot in the back by an arrow, scientists said on Tuesday after using forensic technology to analyse his preserved blood.

Contrary to a leading theory, Oetzi did not expire immediately from his wounds, they reported in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, published by Britain's academy of sciences.

The mummy of an iceman named Oetzi, discovered on 1991 in the Italian Schnal Valley glacier, displayed at the Archeological Museum of Bolzano in 2011. Oetzi, the 5,300-year-old "Iceman" mummy of the Alps, lived for some time after being shot in the back by an arrow, scientists said on Tuesday after using forensic technology to analyse his preserved blood

Scientists led by Albert Zink of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, southern Germany used nano-scale methods to probe the oldest blood known to modern science, preserved by thousands of years of alpine chill.

Using a so-called atomic force microscope able to resolve images just a few nanometers (billionths of a metre) across, they identified corpuscles with the classic doughtnut shape of healthy blood cells.

"To be absolutely sure that we were not dealing with pollen, bacteria or even a negative imprint of a blood cell, but indeed with actual blood cells, we used a second analytical method," Zink said.

They deployed Raman spectroscopy, in which refracted light from a laser beam gives chemical clues about a sample.

This showed the presence of haemoglobin and fibrin, which are key components in blood clotting, at the arrow wound on Oetzi's back.

"Because fibrin is present in fresh wounds and then degrades, the theory that Oetzi died straight after he had been injured by the arrow, as had once been mooted, and not some days after, can no longer be upheld," Zink said.

Oetzi's remains were discovered by two German hikers in September 1991 in the Oetztal Alps in South Tyrol, northern Italy, 3,210 metres (10,500 feet) above sea level.

Scientists have used high-tech, non-invasive diagnostics and genomic sequencing to penetrate his mysterious past.

These efforts have determined Oetzi died around the age of 45, was about 1.60 metres (five foot, three inches) tall and weighed 50 kilos (110 pounds).

He suffered a violent death, with an arrow severing a major blood vessel between the rib cage and the left scapula, as well as a laceration on the hand.

According to DNA analysis presented in February, Oetzi had brown eyes and hair and was allergic to milk products.

This supports the theory that despite the increasing spread of agriculture and dairying at the time, lactose intolerance was still common.

According to a theory aired in 2010 by an Italian archaeologist, based on seasonal pollen found in his stomach contents and at the burial site, Oetzi did not die at the spot where his remains were found. Instead, he was only ceremonially interred there.

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Native American prayer

The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.

- Denis Waitley –

Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy.
Jacques Maritain

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.

- Steve Jobs –

I've learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.

Martha Washington

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

Carl Gustav Jung

Love is so exquisitely elusive. It cannot be bought, cannot be badgered, cannot be hijacked. It is available only in one rare form: as the natural response of a healthy mind and healthy heart.

Eknath Easwaran

Words to Live By

I can feel guilty about the past, apprehensive about the future, but only in the present can I act. The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.

Abraham Maslow

Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.

Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence.

Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.

Yoko Ono

Gratitude is twofold - love coming to visit us and love running out to greet a welcome guest.

Henry Van Dyke

If God sends you down a stony path, may God give you strong shoes.
Irish Blessing

Daring to dream what is deepest in our collective longings is what makes us most human and fully alive.

Wendy Wright

The Vigil

Many an individual has turned from the mean, personal, acquisitive point of view to one that sees society as a whole and works for its benefit. If there has been such a change in one person, there can be the same change in many.

Mahatma Gandhi

Love makes labour light. Love alone gives value to all things.

St. Teresa of Avila

In the time of your life, live — so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.

William Saroyan

The Time of Your Life

You are putting yourself at risk for spreading viruses & causing virtual dis-ease
Something we all needs to know about Net-Edicate called Neticate. When
you send & receive forwards to large numbers of people, you are
putting yourself at risk for spreading viruses & causing virtual
dis-ease

We should ALL be sending the BCC mail - without everyone else's info
being visible in the email.

Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail?

Do you hate it?

Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from
the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail
addresses & names.

As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and
builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a
virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every E-mail
address that has come across his computer.

Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk
mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will
make five cents for each hit.

That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it?
Well, there are several easy steps:

(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that
appear in the body of the message (at the top).

That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace
them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do.

You MUST click the "Forward" button first and then you will have full
editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If
you don't click on"Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the
message at all.

(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use
the To: or CC: fields for adding e-mail addresses.

Always use the BCC:(blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses.

This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail
address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To:
and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose
BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message
will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients in the "TO:" field of
the people who receive
it.

(3) Remove any "FW :" in the subject line. You Can re-name the subject
if you wish or even fix spelling.

(4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail (page) you
are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to
read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from he
actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to
open many e-mails just to see what you sent. Unless you use AOL. If
you do get another ISP.

(5) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a
position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it
to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can
beforwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email
addresses.

A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to
a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email
addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send
it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient.

Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a
laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if
you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever
cause it supports? And don't believe the ones that say that the email
is being traced, it just ain't so!

"Send this email to 10 people and you'll see something great run
across your screen." AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!!!!!

So please, in the future, let's stop the the viruses causing dis-ease.

Finally, here's an idea! Let's send this to everyone we know (but
please delete my address). This is something that SHOULD be forwarded.

The following interview outlines much of what I've talked about for years...THE GOOD GUYS ARE WINNING!

The "Good Guy" Interview
This might take the whole weekend to digest!
May the Road you choose be the Right Road.
Bix Weir

www.RoadtoRoota.com

DAVID WILCOCK with DRAKE Interview 29March2012 ( DivineCosmos.com )

 
http://youtu.be/KjZgsRt8PBc
http://www.roadtoroota.com/public/857.cfm

2012 Pleiadian Meditation for Gaia:

Do this meditation, with or without the soundtrack, every day possible in the lead-up to the 12.12.12! I channelled the meditation at the request of one of my Light tribe, Ka’t Mandu, who is manifesting 144,000 Light tribe to be doing a planetary meditation for cleansing all negativity within Earth and Her energetic body at at midnight Eastern Standard Time to give impetus to the Earth’s Ascension for 2012.

It turned out to be a process in which we all connect with the Core Crystal of Gaia, energising Her and speeding up the process of clearing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th dimensions so that we are more easily able to connect with the fifth dimension.

by indianinthemachine2

2012 Pleiadian Meditation for Gaia
http://youtu.be/UDIfB07eTac

Download this meditation free here: http://www.solara.org.uk (The written transcript is also on the website)

Do this meditation, with or without the soundtrack, every day possible in the lead-up to the 12.12.12! I channelled the meditation at the request of one of my Light tribe, Ka't Mandu, who is manifesting 144,000 Light tribe to be doing a planetary meditation for cleansing all negativity within Earth and Her energetic body at at midnight Eastern Standard Time to give impetus to the Earth's Ascension for 2012.

It turned out to be a process in which we all connect with the Core Crystal of Gaia, energising Her and speeding up the process of clearing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th dimensions so that we are more easily able to connect with the fifth dimension.

Love and thank you thank you to my Pleiadian friends for this meditation!

Love love love,
Solara An-Ra Goddess of the Light

2012 Meditation - Manifesting 5D SOLARA AN-RA
http://youtu.be/4DrNQJt43rA

Happy 2012 my dearest Light tribe of Gaia! What a year it has been and what a year to come ... 2012 is here at last!
My guides gave me this meditation in my morning meditation today, and it felt bliss-ful -- I hope it feels that way to you also. The music is by Robert Haig Coxon.
For the free download and/or the written transcript, see here:

http://www.solara.org.uk/meditation.aspx?element=325

Love love love
Solara An-Ra Goddess of the Light

Menominee Seventh Grader Suspended for Saying "I Love You" in her Native Language

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges. Discussion »

SHAWANO, WISCONSIN - What's love got to do with it? Not much, especially if you say the words "I love you" in the Menominee language in front of a certain Wisconsin teacher.

Miranda Washinawatok
Menominee

Seventh grader Miranda Washinawatok, Menominee, found this out.

Miranda speaks two languages: Menominee and English. She also plays on her basketball team.

However, two Thursdays ago she was suspended for one basketball game because she spoke Menominee to a fellow classmate during class.

Miranda attends Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Shawano, Wisconsin. The school body is over 60 percent American Indian. The school is approximately six miles from the south border of the Menominee Indian Tribe Reservation.

"On January 19 I was told by Miranda she was being benched from playing that night. I found out at 4:20 and we were back at school at 6:30 pm so I could get to the bottom of why she could not play," said Tanaes Washinawatok, Miranda's mother.

"Miranda kept saying she was only told by her assistant coach she was being benched because two teachers said she had a bad attitude. I wanted to know what she did to make them say she had a bad attitude."

At the school, the teachers and coaching staff seemed to want to cast blame on each other, according to Miranda's mother.

"I wanted to talk to the principal, but he was not there before the game started," stated Tanaes Washinawatok. Being a persistent concerned parent, Washinawatok was back at the school by 7:30 the next morning to speak to the principal.

The principal told Washinawatok that the assistant coach told him she was told by two teachers to bench Miranda for attitude problems.

The alleged 'attitude problem' turned out to be that Miranda said the Menominee word

“posoh”that means
“hello”

and said

“Ketapanen”in Menominee that means "I love you."

Miranda and a fellow classmate were talking to each other when Miranda told her how to say "Hello" and "I love you" in Menominee.

"The teacher went back to where the two were sitting and literally slammed her hand down on the desk and said, "How do I know you are not saying something bad?"

The story did not end there. In the next session, another teacher told Miranda she did not appreciate her getting the other teacher upset because "she is like a daughter to me."

By the time, Miranda was picked up by her mother she was upset for being suspended.

"Miranda knows quite a bit of the Menominee language. We speak it. My mother, Karen Washinawatok, is the director of the Language and Culture Commission of the Menominee Tribe. She has a degree in linguistics from the University of Arizona's College of Education-AILDI American Indian Language Development Institute. She is a former tribal chair and is strong into our culture," states Tanaes Washinawatok.

Washinawatok has had a total of three meetings with school officials and was promised Miranda would receive a public apology, as would the Menominee Tribe, and the apologies would be publically placed.

"On Wednesday, a letter was sent to parents and guardians. A real generic letter of apology, that really did not go into specifics as to why there was this apology,"

Washinawatok told the Native News Network Thursday evening.

"I still don't think it was enough,"

Sacred Heart Catholic Academy is operated by the Diocese of Green Bay, which ironically has an option on its answering machine for Spanish, but not Menominee. A call put in late Thursday afternoon by the Native News Network was not returned by press time.

Watch out for Jupiter and Venus

Jupiter and Venus will appear closest over the next two nights, according to astronomers.

Although the planets are far apart in space, they will appear to be separated by only a few degrees.

Amateur astronomers will be excited by the prospect of two of the brightest planets in the solar system appearing so closely together, according to Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.

He said: "Although conjunctions are not that rare, the interest in this one is a result of how spectacular it is.

"Both planets are very bright in the night sky. If you know where to look, you can even see Venus in the day. The two being so close together will be beautiful. Last night (Sunday) they looked like two beacons.

"It is also interesting for people because it just happens to be something which you can see for yourself. In the northern hemisphere we should look for them in the south west this evening. The pair will appear to move to the west over the course of the night.

"While the pair will drift apart after a couple of days, Jupiter will be visible for at least another two weeks."

Last Monday, Mars made its closest pass of earth in more than two years, and in June Venus will appear to cross in front of the sun from some positions on Earth.

Preparing for Death: The Final Days of Death Row Inmate Jaturun "Jay" Siripongs

An interview with... Ajahn Pasanno

"You've got to get rid of me . . . then you have to let go of yourself."

Jaturun "Jay" Siripongs, a native of Thailand, was convicted in 1983 for the murders of Garden Grove market owner Pakawan "Pat" Watta-naporn and store clerk Quach Nguyen. While Siripongs admitted to involvement in the robbery, he denied having committed the murders. Yet he refused to name his accomplice and was convicted and sentenced to death.

Six days before Jay Siripongs was to be executed, his friend, attorney Kendall Goh contacted Abhayagiri Monastery seeking a Buddhist spiritual advisor. Two days later, Abhayagiri Co-abbot Ajahn Pasanno expeditiously received security clearance to enter San Quentin Prison and spent three extraordinary days with Jay Siripongs, the last three days of Siripongs life. Jay Siripongs died by lethal injection on February 9, 1999.

There were many reports that Siripongs went through a remarkable spiritual transformation while in prison. As a youth, Siripongs had taken temporary Buddhist monastic ordination in Thailand, a common Thai cultural practice. While in prison, he drew upon the meditation training he had received during his ordination and practiced consistently. Guards and inmates alike recognized that he lived his life at San Quentin peacefully. Several guards supported the clemency appeal for Siripongs, some openly. Even former San Quentin Warden Daniel B. Vasquez supported a plea for commutation of Siripongs sentence to life imprisonment.

Kathryn Guta and Dennis Crean spoke with Ajahn Pasanno in May 1999.

Fearless Mountain: How did you come to be called in as Jay Siripongs, spiritual counselor?
Ajahn Pasanno: The first time Jay expected to be executed was November 17, 1998. At that time, he was accompanied by a Christian minister, a woman who had attended several other executions at San Quentin. Although Jay liked the minister very much and had known her for years, there was a dynamic between them that increased his anxiety. In November, in the final hours before his scheduled death, the two talked incessantly, and Jay was distracted from composing his mind. Jay had had a clear sense of what he needed to do in order to prepare for death, but he did not do it in November. Then, at the last moment, a federal court granted a stay, and Jay was not executed for another three months. He was very fortunate that this first execution had been stayed. His situation and reactions became clear to him. He wanted to make his death as peaceful as possible, and he knew he had to do the inner work to make it so.

For the second execution date, Jay was determined to go to his execution alone so that he could try to be calm and collected in his last hours. His friend Kendall Goh was concerned about his lack of spiritual support and offered to find a Buddhist advisor. It was apparently not easy for Jay to ask for a different spiritual advisor; he encountered difficulties both from San Quentin and others, and he was cautious. I thought that his caution was reasonable as clearly the last thing he needed at that stage was some pious lecture from a monk. However, immediately after we met we connected, and he was happy to have me there.

FM: How did it feel to serve as a spiritual counselor to a condemned man?

AP: At first, I felt happy to help. Then I thought, I'm going into a hell realm, and there was a certain amount of trepidation. There were gates, chains, a metal detector and guards.

Then there was a second metal detector, guards to stamp my hand after I'd cleared it, then more gates and guards. Yet there were also many conflicting images. I heard a guard call children visitors by their names as if he knew them.

When I saw Jay, he was not like others I have been with who are approaching their deaths. Jay was young and healthy, in control of his faculties. He was sharp, intelligent and talented. It was clear he had lived the last years of his life skillfully. Although he was waist-chained, he remained dignified. He was gracious and hugged his visitors. The whole situation took on a surreal quality. Everything appeared normal, but at midnight on Monday this human being would die, he would be executed.

FM: Was there any tension in the air considering that Jay would soon be put to death?

_____________________________________________________

Taking Refuge, seeing the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha as enlightened knowing,
truth and the embodiment of goodness. Jay was so happy that his friends
could hear Dhamma and that he could share this with them.

_____________________________________________________

AP: Not really. The atmosphere was relaxed and not gloomy. Sometimes we got down to the nitty gritty of the mind. Other times we joked and laughed. On the first day especially, Jay was a very gracious host. Prior to my arrival he had set up a chair for me on one side of a table and for his friends on the other side. He had instructed them very strictly on how to behave in the presence of a monk, and he had planned to offer a meal. He said it was the first time he had been able to feed a monk in twenty years. In response to questions from his friends, I talked about the Buddhist theory of awakening using the lotus flower metaphor. I also talked quite a bit about the meaning of Taking Refuge, seeing the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha as enlightened knowing, truth and the embodiment of goodness. Jay was so happy that his friends could hear Dhamma and that he could share this with them.

Yet I felt very concerned that Jay look after the quality of his own mind and not let people distract him due to their own traumas about his imminent death. Jay recognized the dynamic that was going on around him; he was certainly not trying to maintain social contact because of agitation or restlessness. Still, he realized that he had to take responsibility for his own stability. Although he gave himself completely to his friends during the visiting hours, he meditated many of the other hours of the day beginning when he awoke at two or three oh clock in the morning.

During the days before his death, I pushed Jay into not becoming distracted. He had a lot of visitors. I told him it's best not to get too caught up with all these people. Kendall had told me when I first came that Jay was doing fine, that it was the rest of them who were falling apart. It was very obvious that Jay had touched the lives of many people, and they gathered around him before his death. His sister, Triya, was there. Some of his friends considered him their spiritual teacher. Many of his friends were lawyers, other friends were born-again Christians. So there were many different needs, and Jay, being kind-hearted and generous, tried to fulfill them all.

Jaturun "Jay" Siripongs, Self-Portrait

FM:Is it true that Jay was also an accomplished artist?

AP: Yes. Jay showed me his portfolio. He had become skilled in many different media and was obviously talented. He also gave away most of his art (over 600 pieces) to acquaintances and friends over the years. Jay used art to express his process of growing and changing. He often used butterflies as a symbol of his metamorphosis. At some time during his incarceration, he had realized that his life would end in prison. He thought, I can't continue hating myself or others.

During the last eight years, Jay underwent a deep transformation and came to a real understanding of himself. He told me that he had been in prison for a long time and couldn't say it was a bad thing. He felt he had been able to grow in prison in a way that would not have been possible had he not been in such difficult and extreme circumstances. He learned to reflect deeply on what would create well-being and clarity in his mind. The closer he got to the execution, the more he learned about what would obstruct the mind from growth and peace. He turned himself to the process of applying the mind to truth.

FM: And this included taking up Buddhist meditation?

AP: That's right. Jay had learned how to meditate when he was a monk in Thailand many years earlier. While in the monastery, he had had a very clear vision of light while meditating, but when he had tried to replicate the experience, it didn't come back.

FM:That sounds like the common meditation experience of grasping after what is pleasant.

AP: Yes. I teased him about that. Jay then reported that three weeks earlier the light had come back. This was very encouraging to me. Since Jay was a visual artist, I realized that he could use the vision of light as an anchor at the moment of his death. I led him in guided meditations centering on the breath and light. Since his breath would only be there until the injection took effect, I told Jay that there would come a time to let the breath go and focus instead on the image of light.

FM: How else were you able to help Jay with his inner work? Was he afraid of death?

AP: The first night we talked on the phone, I had asked Jay, "What's your mental state." "I'm at peace," he said. "I've accepted what will happen. But I still have things I want to know."

Growing up in Thailand, Jay believed in rebirth. He joked that he wanted his ashes scattered in the sea so that they might be eaten by fish and then the fish by humans. In this way, he could quickly return to the human realm to continue his work. He knew that human birth was the place where learning was possible, a place to understand pain and joy, good and evil, right and wrong. Growth and understanding were the results of choices one made. Jay had made some very bad choices over the years, but he had also made some good ones. He felt he had learned some real lessons in this lifetime and was determined to stay on the path of Dhamma in the next life.

FM: Did you ever to talk to Jay about those bad choices, about his crimes?

AP: No, I never talked to Jay specifically about the past. There was not enough time. I focused instead on his spiritual well-being, on his ability to face death with as composed a mind as possible. I was not relating to him as a person convicted of a crime. I was relating to him as a person facing death.

Poem from the journal of Jaturun "Jay" Siripongs

FM:What were the last few hours with Jay like?

_____________________________________________________

On Jay's November execution date he had been allowed a mala in his cell,
but before giving it to him, one of the guards had put it on the floor and stepped on it. ______________________________________________________

AP: Six hours before an execution, the prisoner leaves his family and friends behind and goes to a very cramped cell right next to the execution chamber. Only his spiritual advisor can accompany him. There are six guards, called the execution squad, in a very confined space, and people like the prison psychiatrist and the warden also come in from time to time. There can be a lot of intimidation from the guards right before the execution. They might be carrying on loud conversations or be obnoxious in other ways. They may be watching TV very loudly just three feet away from the condemned man.

On Jay's November execution date he had been allowed a mala in his cell, but before giving it to him, one of the guards had put it on the floor and stepped on it. After I was strip searched, I was taken to one of these death row holding cells. There, Jay and I were separated into two different cells connected only by a small corner. Right away I did protective chanting as a way of cleaning out negative energy. "We'll take the game away from them," I told Jay.

We had planned for Jay to ask for the Refuges and Precepts in Pali, but he mistakenly did the chant to request a Dhamma talk instead. So I gave a short Dhamma talk to him and the guards.

FM: What did you talk about?

AP: I told the story of the Buddha, just after his enlightenment, not wanting to teach, as he thought nobody would understand. I talked about the nature of delusion of the human world and the liberation of the Dhamma. I talked about the Four Noble Truths, about how letting go was not a rejection of anything. I instructed Jay to pay attention to the arising of consciousness.

Rather than inclining the mind towards that which will result in suffering and rebirth, I told Jay to move instead towards relinquishment and focusing the mind. In terms of letting go or relinquishment, we talked about forgiveness in the context of "not self." If we haven't forgiven, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn. That is what suffers. I asked Jay, "Is there anybody you have not forgiven yet?" I meant the system, his parents, others. Jay thought about it. "I haven't forgiven myself completely," he said softly at last. It was touching.

He had a memory of being a person who had been involved in something wrong in the past, yet now in the present he was a different person. It was helpful for him to see that he was not this memory of himself, to let go of the person in the past who was involved in the crimes. It was also interesting to see that the guards seemed intent on what I was saying, and throughout the evening they were actually very solicitous and respectful of both of us.

FM: Was Jay preoccupied with the numerous appeals to save his life that continued during this time?

AP: Jay did not seem concerned or worried about justice. He did not hold out great hope for the appeals to go through. When the final appeals were turned down, it was not a big deal. "I'm accepting the fact that I'll be executed," he said.

FM:What was Jay's state of mind as he got closer to the execution?

AP:At one point, Jay asked, "If I am not the body, not the feelings, not the mind, then what is it that is liberated?" I told him that such a question appearing then in his mind was simply doubt arising. When you let go of everything and experience the peace and clarity inherent in that, you don't have to put a name or identity on it. At another point Jay said, "I have two people on my mind, . . . me and you." I said, "You've got to get rid of me. I'm not going in there with you. And then you have to let go of yourself." We really laughed about that.

Basically, I helped prepare Jay for the many distractions that might take place during the execution. "People will be strapping you down; things will be happening around you," I warned. "You need to establish the mind without going to externals. Keep your attention within." We spent the whole evening meditating, chanting and talking Dhamma. So in the last hour Jay was very peaceful and able to establish his mind firmly on his meditation object. Toward the end, we took the time to do a ceremony of sharing merit and offering blessings, even to the guards. After his final appeal had been turned down, Jay also asked me to do some chanting for the lawyers involved in his case. He had a quality of thoughtfulness right up until the end.

FM: Were you present at the execution?

AP:No. That had been decided before I first visited Jay at San Quentin. I believe that not having yet met me, Jay elected not to have me there with him. When I read the papers the next day, though, they reported that he lay very still during the execution and kept his eyes closed. I found this heartening because I felt he was composing his mind.

FM: How did you feel after the execution?

AP: I was very grateful to have been there. It was very humbling. One can't help but consider what any one of us would have done in a similar circumstance - relating to our death not as something abstract, sometime off in the future, but knowing that at precisely 12:01 a.m. we will definitely die

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/jaysdeath.html

2012: The Year of Freedom, Courage, & Change!
http://youtu.be/Q35W_W8i4kk

Archangel Michael messages for 2012, Doreen Virtue
http://youtu.be/PfTnwFpSqhI

Doreen Virtue about 2012 and the end of Mayan Calendar
http://youtu.be/4D93EYvxxgc

This is the best video regarding the year 2012 ! ... ( November 2010 )
http://youtu.be/vv83H4evKiM

Thought you might like a look at this home in Wales.
I want one!!

Man Builds Fairy Tale Home for $4700--by Heidi Stevenson , Original Story, Jan 28, 2012

Simon Dale is a family man in Wales, the western part of Great Britain. His interest in self-sustainability and an ecological awareness led him to dig out and build his own home—one of the loveliest, warmest, most inviting dwellings you could ever imagine. And it cost him only £3,000, about $4,700 American dollars!
Can you imagine a more charming entrance than this?

Simon gives two reasons for building the home. The first elegant one, from his website, is:

It’s fun. Living your own life, in your own way is rewarding. Following our dreams keeps our souls alive.
His second reason is a plea for sustainability, in which he states that “our supplies are dwindling and our planet is in ecological catastrophe”. You can read the full and passionate statement here.

Simon is also a photographer, and as you can see throughout this article, a talented one.

A beautiful view in another home that Simon is helping build for someone else. (Originally, this was mistakenly identified as a photo of the home he and his family are living in.)

The tools are fairly simple. The main concession to modernity was a chainsaw, which he used to cut down about 30 small trees. No old growth forest fell to his family’s needs. He focused on tools that used his own energy, like shovel, chisel, and hammer. Yet it took him only four months to produce this lovely home.

The home is constructed from wood, stone, straw, and has a sod roof. It’s heated with a wood fireplace and has a solar panel for power. Most materials were scavenged. The effect, though, isn’t of a run-down get-by-with-second-best sort. It’s creative, artistic, elegant, and cozy.Most amazingly, the home didn’t require years of training or experience. Simon had none. He’s not an architect. He’s not an engineer. He’s not a carpenter. He started from scratch in every sense. He told the Daily Mail:

Being your own have-a-go architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land rather than, at worst, a mass-produced box designed for maximum profit and the convenience of the construction industry.

Building from natural materials does away with producers’ profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings.

He was fortunate in obtaining the land for his home. The plot, a bit of a large piece, was given to him in exchange for its caretaking.

Simon Dale, his wife Jasmine Saville, and their two children in front of their completed home just 4 months after starting it! This and all photos on this page are by Simon Dale (http://simondale.net).

The attention to making the home eco-friendly extends to a compost toilet, the use of straw over a plastic layer for insulation, and a refrigerator that’s cooled with air that flows from under the home’s foundation. Cement is a high carbon emitter, so the interior walls are finished with lime plaster instead of cement plaster.

Simon is now involved in building another home for the Lammas Project, an organization dedicted to low-impact building. Focus is not only on the homes themselves, but also on planting trees and gardens, and on low impact living in general. Here’s how he sums up his view on his home and the Lammas Project:

This building is one part of a low-impact or permaculture approach to life. This sort of life is about living in harmony with both the natural world and ourselves, doing things simply and using appropriate levels of technology. These sort of low cost, natural buildings have a place not only in their own sustainability, but also in their potential to provide affordable housing which allows people access to land and the opportunity to lead more simple, sustainable lives.

I cannot imagine a home more lovely, appealing, and livable than this one. This could be and should be the wave of the future in home building.

For more information about Simon Dale’s home, plans, and more photos, please go to his website, A Low Impact Woodland Home

Policeman ‘chased himself’ for 20 minutes while looking for suspect

A police officer chased himself for more than 20 minutes whilst on the look out for someone “acting suspiciously”, it has been revealed.

The officer chased himself while attempting to find a suspect spotted on CCTV.The probationary officer, from Sussex Police, was undercover checking out an area that had been hit by a spate of burglaries when he was alerted by CCTV operators to a nearby suspect. Unaware that the suspect was himself, the officer set off to track them down – chasing his own tail for more than 20 minutes.

The mistake was only realised after a sergeant inside the CCTV control room recognised the young officer, prompting mass hilarity. The pursuit came to light after a senior officer spoke of the incident to a magazine published by the Police Federation.

“Every time the man darted in to another side alleyway, the PC was turning immediately into the same alleyway, but every time the CCTV operator asked what he could see there was no trace,” the senior officer revealed.

“It was at this point that the sergeant entered the control room where he recognised the junior officer.

“With the sergeant's sides aching from laughter he pointed out to the PC that the operator had been watching him unaware that he was a plain-clothes officer – thus the PC had been chasing himself round the streets,” he added.

Sussex Police also managed to see the funny side of the incident. “Policing is often a serious business, so we all enjoy moments of light relief,” a spokesperson said.

“This story was shared anonymously with the Police Federation magazine, so unfortunately without the date or location, confirming the details and locating the officer is harder for us than it was for the CCTV operator.”
@YahooNewsUK

Fat free sponge with raspberries and cream

Fat free sponge with raspberries and cream

Recipe by James Tanner

Skill Level Easy
Serves 4
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
James Tanner's lighter version of a delicious treat!

Ingredients

• Oil, for greasing
• 4 large free-range eggs, separated
• 175 g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
• 150 g self-raising flour, sifted
• Pinch of crushed sea salt
• 150 ml whipping cream
• 225 g raspberries

OR

• Oil, for greasing
• 4 large free-range eggs, separated
• 6¼ oz caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
• 5¼ oz self-raising flour, sifted
• Pinch of crushed sea salt
• 5¼ fl oz whipping cream
• 8 oz raspberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
2. Grease and line two 18cm sponge tins with baking parchment
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Whisk the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
5. Fold in the flour in small batches using a large metal spoon. Repeat until all the flour is combined. Fold in the salt.
6. Divide the mixture between the two lined tins and bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden. Remove from the oven; turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
7. For the filling, pass 75g of the raspberries through a fine sieve. Set aside.
8. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spread over one of the cooled sponges.
9. Spoon the remaining raspberries over the cream and drizzle over the raspberry purée.
10. Top with the remaining cooled sponge and dredge with caster or icing sugar.

Slimming World haddock fish pie

Slimming World haddock fish pie

A homely, hearty fish pie recipe from Slimming World made with low-fat ingredients, this is a great alternative to classic, creamier fish pie recipes.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cooking time: 1 hr
• Total time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Skill level: Easy peasy
• Costs: Cheap as chips

• Make in advance

Ingredients

Carrot and swede are great low carbohydrate alternatives to mashed potato for a pie topping.

• 312g/11oz fat-free natural yogurt
• 142g/5oz fat-free natural fromage frais
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 4tbsp finely chopped dill
• 2tbsp chopped parsley
• 4 hard boiled eggs, shelled and cut in half
• 6 spring onions, finely chopped
• 198g/7oz smoked haddock fillets, cooked, skinned and flaked
• 198g/7oz prawns, peeled and cooked

For the topping:

• 340g/12oz each carrots and swede, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4tbsp fat-free natural yogurt
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. First make the topping by boiling the carrots and swede in a large pan of boiling water for 15-20 mins until tender. Drain, return to the pan and mash. Allow to cool, then stir in the beaten egg and yogurt, season and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. In a bowl mix together the yogurt, fromage frais, nutmeg, dill and parsley. Season well and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl place the hard boiled eggs, spring onions, flaked haddock, prawns and lemon juice. Pour over the fromage frais mixture and toss to mix well. Spoon this mixture into a deep, ovenproof dish. Spoon over the topping and spread evenly.

Rough up the surface with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins or until the topping is lightly browned. Serve immediately on its own or with steamed green vegetables.

By Slimming World

Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Slimming World chicken and tarragon fricassee

Slimming World chicken and tarragon fricassee

Fricassee is a creamy stew recipe. This 30-minute chicken recipe with healthy seasonal vegetables is from Slimming World and uses low-fat ingredients

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 20 mins
• Total time: 30 mins
• Skill level: Easy peasy
• Costs: Mid-price

Ingredients

• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 800g/1lb 12oz chicken breast, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick batons
• 1 head of garlic, separated but not peeled
• 400ml/14fl oz chicken stock
• 4-5 sprigs of tarragon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz green beans, halved
• 200g/7oz fat free natural fromage frais, to serve

Method

1. Spray a large non-stick casserole dish with low-calorie cooking spray. Place over a high heat, add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides.

2. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, stock, and tarragon, season well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover tightly with the lid of the casserole dish and allow to cook gently for 15 mins. Add the green beans to the stew and cook for a further 5 mins.

3. To serve, remove the stew from the heat, stir in the fromage frais and check the seasoning. Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls.

 
This recipe is taken from Slimming World’s 30 minute meals recipe book.

Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Slimming World spicy vegetable chilli

Slimming World spicy vegetable chilli

Perfect to warm you up during the winter, this vegetarian chilli from Slimming World will be good for your mood and your waistline

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 25 mins
(may need an extra 5 mins)
• Cooking time: 40 mins
• Total time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Skill level: Easy peasy
• Costs: Cheap as chips

• Freezable
• Make in advance

Ingredients

• Low calorie oil spray
• 200g (7oz) Quorn mince
• 1 red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped or sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm (1-2in) dice
• 2 sticks celery, cut into 1cm (1-2in) dice
• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Large handful of coriander leaves, chopped
For the guacamole
• 1 ripe avocado, stoned, peeled and cut into 1cm (1-2in) diced
• 1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 plum tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• Small handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

To serve

• Very low-fat natural fromage frais

Method

1. Spray a large, non-stick frying pan with oil and place over a medium heat. Add the Quorn, onion, chilies, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, carrot and celery and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and beans, season well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring often.

3. Meanwhile make the guacamole. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, season well and set aside until needed.

4. Remove the Quorn mixture from the heat, stir in the chopped coriander and serve immediately, garnished with a little fromage frais and accompanied by the guacamole.
Syns per serving (When following the Slimming World diet you are allowed 15 syns per day)
Original: 3½
Green: 13½

This recipe was taken from Slimming World's Best Ever Recipes,

Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Spiced Thai beef salad with wild rice

Spiced Thai beef salad with wild rice

This Slimming World spiced Thai beef rice salad is healthy, low-fat and great if you're on their Extra Easy diet!

• Serves: 4
• Cooking time: 55 mins
-60

Ingredients

'Whenever I cook rice or pasta, the pan would always boil over and mess up my hobs. My mum told me to rub the inside of the pan with vegetable oil to stop this. It works brilliantly.' Janice Wood, 38, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

• 198g (7oz) dried wild and longgrain rice
• 397g (14oz) lean frying, sirloin or fillet steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1tsp finely grated ginger
• 1tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 red chillies, deseeded (optional) and finely chopped
• 1tbsp dark soy sauce
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) beef stock
• ½ cucumber, finely shredded
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• ½ tsp artificial sweetener (optional)

Method

1. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, drain and transfer to a wide mixing bowl.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan or wok over a high heat and when hot, add the beef strips, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, spring onions and red chillies. Stir-fry over a high heat for 5-6 mins or until the beef is sealed and lightly browned.
3. Add the soy sauce and stock and bring to the boil. Cook over a moderate heat for 8-10 mins, stirring often until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside. Toss the cucumber with the reserved rice and divide between four serving plates or bowls.
4. Mix together the lime juice, fish sauce and sweetener, if using, and stir until dissolved. Spoon this mixture over the beef and toss to mix well. Spoon the beef mixture over the rice and serve immediately.

Slimming World 'syns' per serving: Free on Extra Easy

By slimmingworld.com

Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Slimming World Spaghetti Bolognese

Slimming World Spaghetti Bolognese

Try this low-fat, full-flavour spaghetti Bolognese from the Slimming World Diet.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 20 mins
• Skill level: Easy peasy
• Costs: Cheap as chips

• Child friendly

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 small red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 113g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
• 4 large sticks celery, chopped
• 227ml/8fl oz stock
• A pinch of dried chilli
• 283g/10oz extra lean minced beef
• 1 397g/14oz can chopped tomatoes or passata
• 4 level tbs tomato purée
• 1tbs chopped fresh oregano
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 400g cooked, wholemeal spaghetti

Method

1. To make the Bolognese: Fry chopped garlic, celery and onion using a low calorie oil spray, until soft.
2. Add extra lean minced beef (or Quorn if you want a vegetarian option) and brown in the pan.
3. Add chopped mushrooms, peppers, canned tomatoes or passata, oregano, thyme, carrots, tomato puree, dried chilli and a drop of balsamic vinegar if you like.
4. Simmer until sauce is thickened.
5. Season to taste. Pour over spaghetti and serve with a green salad on the side.
Syns per serving:
½ Syn on Extra Easy and Original*
* add 6 Syns if not using wholemeal pasta as a Healthy Extra

By slimmingworld.com

Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Slimming World's chicken and potato curry

Slimming World's chicken and potato curry

This guilt-free chicken curry from Slimming World is lower in calories than an Indian takeaway and is ready in 40 mins.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 30 mins
(may need an extra 6 mins)
• Total time: 40 mins
• Skill level: Easy peasy
• Costs: Mid-price

• Spice level Medium
• Freezable
• Make in advance

Ingredients

Top tip: Using cheaper cuts of chicken like leg and thighs, will help to make this chicken curry less expensive.
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 794g (1lb 12oz) skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces
• 170g (6oz) baby leaf spinach, roughly chopped
• 2tbsp medium or hot curry powder
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A large handful of chopped coriander and mint leaves

Method

1. Place a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When hot add the onion, chicken, potatoes, spinach and curry powder, stir to mix well. Stir-fry for 2-3 mins.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and 397ml (14fl oz) of water and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 25-30 mins, or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through and tender.

3. Remove from the heat and season well with salt and black pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs and serve immediately.
Syns per serving: Free* on Extra Easy
(When following the Slimming World diet you are allowed 15 syns per day)

By Slimming World
Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Make Your Own Lotion Bars for Holiday Gifts!
by Rosalee de la Forêt

Every year during the holiday season we pump out some extra HerbMentor newsletters to help you with creative herbal gift ideas, healthy and delicious food recipes and herbal medicine recipes. I’ve been thinking about these newsletters all year long and am excited to finally begin sharing them with you.

Our first newsletter is a really fun craft project. We’re giving it to you well in advance of the December holidays so you’ll have plenty of time to source the ingredients and make them yourself.
Every week I spend a couple of hours with my young friend Tova Rose. We explore the plant world together, making herbal remedies, reading stories and playing games.

Tova recently turned 10 and I wanted to give her something special for her birthday. I’d already given her every book I could find for kids involving herbs, including many coloring books. We’d already made salves and syrups.... what to do?

Finally, with the brainstorming of friends I was given a great idea. A lotion bar kit!

Lotion bars are firm bars that can be rubbed onto the skin like lotion. They are great for dry cracked skin (like the knuckles or heels). A friend told me she specifically uses them to moisturize her cuticles and fingernail beds.

Making lotion bars is fairly easy too, a lot like salves in fact, and just involves different proportions of wax to oil. I’ve since made a handful of batches and each time I’ve used slightly different ingredients. Here’s my favorite mix so far.

The lotion bars themselves are great gifts and even the giving of a lotion bar kit makes a wonderful holiday present as well.

The following recipe makes about seven one-ounce bars

To make this recipe you’ll need...

• 3 ounces of beeswax
• 1.5 ounces of cocoa butter
• 1.5 ounces of shea butter
• 3 ounces of an herbal infused oil
• mold or tin
• saucepan reserved for salve making
• something to stir with (I use jumbo popsicle sticks)
• essential oils (optional)
• GET YOUR SUPPLIES right here at Mountain Rose Herbs

Measure out the wax and butters by weight. Begin by melting the beeswax, cocoa butter and shea butter. I use a pan exclusively for salve making for this (I got it at the thrift store for $2!). You want to heat this on as low heat as possible. Some people even use a double boiler. Stir frequently to avoid burning the wax and butters.

Once the wax and butters are melted you are going to add the oil. This is measured by volume and can be any cosmetic oil. I personally like jojoba or grape seed oil. Both of these oils are “dry” oils, meaning they absorb into the skin readily. Rose hip seed oils is also lovely. Olive oil can be used but it will have a more oily feeling to it.

To make this extra special you can infuse the oil with herbs. I chose calendula for mine. If you’ve never infused an oil before you can learn how in the Herbal Basics course on HerbMentor.com. You can also use an oil that hasn’t been infused with herbs.

When the oil is added to the melted materials the wax and butters may harden a bit.

Keep stirring with the heat on low until the mixture is completely melted. Oils will go rancid more quickly when exposed to too much heat, so limit the amount of heat on the actual oils as much as possible.

When everything is melted you can add your optional essential oils.

Lastly, pour the mixture into molds or tin containers.

Not sure whether to use a mold or a container?

The plus side of molds is that you can buy these silicon molds in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Once the lotion bars have cooled it’s really easy to remove them from the mold. You could also try using muffin baking sheet (warning, I haven’t done this). I would grease the tins with coconut oil before pour the mixture into the baking sheet.

The tins offer more protection to the bar and could be carried in purses etc. If using tins make sure they have a flat side so that when the lotion bar solidifies it can easily slip out. If there is a curled lip at the rim you’ll have a hard time getting it out! If you live in a hot environment I strongly suggest using a tin for lotion bars.

When these are completely cooled you can pop them out of the mold or tin and put them to use.
Keep these in a cool place. If they get too hot they will melt again. If you are giving them as a gift - be sure to tell the recipient to keep them in a cool place.

These make great gifts! In the picture below I’ve wrapped the lotion bar in a cello bag (along with all the ingredients). (Available at Mountain Rose Herbs).

It's all I want for Christmas

Twinkling star cupcakes

Prep time: 1 hr, plus 2 hrs drying
Cook time: 20 min
Serves: 12

Pastel pink and green icing and sparkling, glittery stars, make Angela Nilsen's pretty cakes perfect to serve at parties

Ingredients

For the decorations

• 250 g ready-to-roll whiteicing
• claret and mint green edible pastefood colouring
• small silvercoloured dragees
• edible glitter, such as Disco white hologram by Edable Art

For the cupcakes

• 115 g softenedbutter, cubed
• 115 g goldencaster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 125 g self-raising flour
• 25 g groundalmonds
• ½ tsp almond extract

For the icing

• 250 g fondanticing sugar
• claret and mint green edible pastefood colouring

Method

1.For the decorations: slice off a quarter of the ready-to-roll icing (wrap the rest to prevent it drying out) then colour one half of it pastel pink and one half pastel green. Wrap both colours in cling film.

2. On a work surface lightly sprinkled with icing sugar, roll out the reserved white icing. Cut out 12 white stars using an 8cm diameter star cutter. (You will need to re-roll the trimmings.) Place a 3.5-4cm star cutter in the centre of one star and cut out a smaller star, so you have a large cut-out star and a smaller star. Repeat to give 12 cut-out and 12 smaller white stars. Keep re-rolling the trimmings to give you enough white stars.

3. Press a few silver dragees into the smallest white stars and lay all the stars on a large board lined with baking parchment.

4. Using a 5-5.5cm star cutter, roll out the pink and green icings and cut out 6 stars from each colour. Lay them by the white stars, brush each one with a little edible glitter, then leave them all to dry and firm up, about 1½-2 hrs.

5. For the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole bun tin with silver paper cases.

6. Tip the butter, sugar, eggs and flour into a large bowl and beat together with an electric hand mixer for 1½-2 minutes until the mixture is light and well mixed. Using a large metal spoon, lightly fold in the ground almonds and almond extract.

7. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake for 20 minutes until risen. Leave in the tin for a couple of minutes, then lift the cakes onto a wire rack and leave until cold.

8. For the icing: stir about 2 tablespoons water into the fondant icing sugar to give a smooth, thickish icing. Remove half to a second bowl and colour one batch pastel pink and the other pastel green, using the edible food colourings. Spoon the icings over the cooled cakes so that the tops are almost covered and leave to set for a few minutes.

9. Arrange one large white star, one medium coloured star (using pink stars on the green iced cakes, and green stars on the pink iced ones) then one small white star on top of each cupcake, securing with a little of the fondant icing if necessary.

Death by chocolate cupcake
By: Lisa Harris

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serves: makes 12

Chunky chocolate chip sponge, a swirl of decadent frosting and a topping made from all your favourite chocolate bars – can you handle Lisa Harris’s Death by Chocolate cupcake?

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 100 g self-raising flour, sifted
• 145 g goldencaster sugar
• 40 g butter, at room temperature
• 20 g cocoa powder
• 120 ml wholemilk
• 1 largeegg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1tsp hot water
• 100 g 70% cocoadark chocolate, cut into chunks

For the frosting

• 225 g butter
• 350 g icing sugar, sifted
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp wholemilk

To decorate

• Assortedchocolate bars, cut into small pieces (such as Mars bars, twix, flake, maltesers, chocolate buttons…)

Method

1. For the sponge: preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole tin with cupcake paper cases. Tip the flour, sugar, butter and cocoa powder into a food processor and blitz on a slow speed for one minute, until you achieve a sandy consistency.

2. Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until just incorporated. Don’t worry if it looks a little messy at this stage – it will come together! In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining milk together with the egg, vanilla essence and coffee. Pour into the batter and beat for a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl to catch any unmixed ingredients as you go. Fold through the chocolate chunks with a spoon.

3. Divide the mixture between the 12 paper cases, filling each one up two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when prodded with a finger. Leave to cool on a wire rack while you make the frosting.

4. For the frosting: Tip the butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder into a food processor and beat until well combined. Add the milk and then beat again for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.

5. When the sponges have cooled completely, carefully spoon a third of the frosting into a piping bag and use it to decorate the first four cupcakes. Repeat until you have finished them all. Alternatively, just use a palette knife to spread about 2 tbsp of frosting onto each cupcake.

6. Decorate as you like with different chocolate bar pieces.

Cooks Tips...

Leftover frosting? Try sandwiching two digestive biscuits together with a dollop for a quick pudding.

Don't worry if your cupcake comes out of the oven looking a little flat - it's supposed to happen! A flat sponge is ideal when it comes to frosting the cupcake.

Christmas cupcakes

These beautiful and classy little cakes make lovely gifts, and kids will enjoy decorating them too

Makes 12

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 40 mins
Cook 45 mins
Can be frozen un-iced

Ingredients

• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 175g butter , chopped
• 700g luxury mixed dried fruits
• 50g glacé cherries
• 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
• zest and juice 1 orange
• 100ml dark rum , brandy or orange juice
• 85g/3oz pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 3 large eggs , beaten
• 85g ground almonds
• 200g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 400g pack ready-rolled marzipan (we used Dr Oetker)
• 4 tbsp warm apricot jam or shredless marmalade
• 500g pack fondant icing sugar
• icing sugar , for dusting

• 6 gold and 6 silver muffin cases
• 6 gold and 6 silver sugared almonds
• snowflake sprinkles

1. Tip the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice into a large pan. Pour over the rum, brandy or juice, then put on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and bubble gently, uncovered for 10 mins, stirring every now and again to make sure the mixture doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside for 30 mins to cool.

2. Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit, then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Your batter is ready.

3. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Scoop the cake mix into 12 deep muffin cases (an ice-cream scoop works well), then level tops with a spoon dipped in hot water. Bake for 35-45 mins until golden and just firm to touch. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

4. Unravel the marzipan onto a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Stamp out 12 rounds, 6cm across. Brush the cake tops with apricot jam, top with a marzipan round and press down lightly.

5. Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then swirl on top of each cupcake. Decorate with sugared almonds and snowflakes, then leave to set. Will keep in a tin for 3 weeks.

833 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 139g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 3g, sugar 125g, salt 0.44 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2009.

Christmas Tree Cup Cakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

1 quantity buttermilk sponge mixture

For the decoration

• 1 quantity meringue buttercream
• Green food colouring paste
• Edible green glitter
• Coloured sugar balls
• Gold and silver sugar stars

Equipment

• 1–2 muffin tins, lined with 12 brown paper cupcake cases
• Large piping bag, fitted with a medium star-shaped nozzle

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Divide the sponge mixture between the cupcake cases, filling them two-thirds full.

2. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden, well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Put three-quarters of the buttercream in a bowl and tint it green using the food colouring paste. Leave the rest untinted and spread some of this over the top of each cold cupcake.

4. Fill the piping bag with the green frosting and, working from the centre, pipe pointed branch shapes towards the edges of the cupcake. Keep doing this, turning the cupcake as you go, until you have the bottom of a tree. Repeat with the next layer up, making the branches shorter. Carry on with more layers, making the branches ever shorter as you get to the top of the tree.

5. Dust with green glitter and decorate with coloured sugar balls. Top with a gold or silver star.