One of my contacts has told me he now has a date for the banking system changes.  However he hasn't given it to me yet.  Sigh... Sheldan's post fits right in with what my contact told me.  Things are very, very, very close to happening. -AK

Sheldan Nidle’s Update from the Galactic Federation of Light and Spiritual Hierarchy

"Disclosure does nothing less than open up this vast galaxy to you once again. With disclosure you will be privy to things that will drastically and irrevocably alter the way you perceive the universe and your place in it."

3 Chicchan, 13 Uo, 9 Eb

Dratzo! We return! At present, we are waiting for the date to begin the preliminaries that are to take place prior to bringing the new banking system on-line. This period will be swiftly followed by the formal announcement of this new global financial system, which by its very nature will create a situation that makes it impossible for the dark cabal to subsist. It is the subsequent new governments which will allow the prosperity funds to be delivered. Long ago, your world was prevailed upon to accept not only that the irrational Anunnaki worldview was 'real' but that no other reality was possible. This belief will be shattered by the new financial system which will open doors that have been kept firmly shut by the dark cabal. The upcoming, vast transference of funds will remove the lockdown on progress that the dark has imposed on you for decades, and once this clamp is gone, the new procedures and accompanying official expositions can go forward. However, these are merely the initial steps that will lead quickly to a massive operation that is to manifest the full agenda decreed by the Light and morph this present nightmare realm into a Light-infused dream.

As these various improvements are announced and your world accordingly changes for the better, a whole new style of governance will come into being which will make a point of imparting more and more details of the changes afoot on many levels. We have come here to be mentors for this great change. One of the big transformative factors will be the release of much technology withheld from you for many decades. We are also keen to make the announcements that lead to disclosure.


Disclosure does nothing less than open up this vast galaxy to you once again. With disclosure you will be privy to things that will drastically and irrevocably alter the way you perceive the universe and your place in it. It will no longer be a place of inhospitable, uncharted space; suddenly it will contain places where friends and family reside, and which will be easily accessible, using your new technology. But most importantly, it will be a realm fully fathomable, which gloriously affirms your oneness with all life by demonstrating to you how intertwined we all are to the Creator and to all of Heaven.

Our reunion with you will bring you to the very brink of full consciousness, by allowing you to see just how easy it is to make the final move into your natural state of existence. Once whole again, you can resume your sacred service as Gaia's faithful mentors, thereby re-establishing a pledge we humans made to her nearly 900,000 years ago. Indeed, this mentorship includes the overseeing of your entire solar system. Resuming your divine service includes reunion with your Inner Earth family and meeting a great many non-corporal Beings who have come from throughout this solar system and who have been carrying out those tasks that you are about to take on again. Your local Spiritual Hierarchy assures us that you are quite ready for these and other tasks which are soon to require your attention. The Agarthans and their cetacean associates are preparing the proclamations to be made to you once you have transformed back into your fully conscious state. This will involve the story of how you originally came to Earth and why many Spiritual Hierarchies agreed to make you fully conscious Beings long ago on Vega.

This history forms part of a huge process of reconnecting you to your special origins, and then, introducing you to the duties of full consciousness and your many responsibilities to this part of physicality. As you begin to recall your origins, it will be necessary to provide a general education that can assist your nascent galactic society to fulfil its truly incredible destiny. Those of you who have agreed in your life contracts to remain here have to become aware of what is expected of you by your local Spiritual Hierarchy. Heaven and you are to work closely to unfold the divine plan in this sector of physicality. One aspect we have already mentioned to you is your mentorship of a vast group of Beings who dearly wish to acquire a Lightbody and make the sacred journey to full consciousness. Such capabilities are what make you very special Beings, and it is why you are being watched by so many throughout the galaxy. It also explains why Heaven permitted us to set up this first contact mission.

Blessings! We are your Ascended Masters! We come on this date with some good news! We are now allowed to explain to you that a new banking system is very close to manifesting. Major banks around your world are currently preparing for the implementation of numerous new rules. These regulations are to alter the operation of international transactions and to prepare for the series of announcements introducing a new hard-backed currency. The governments of your globe have been advised that an international version of N.E.S.A.R.A is to be implemented, and this will precipitate a rapid change in your global political systems. Accordingly, the Galactic Federation has placed several defense ships in position to ensure that these changes happen as agreed to by the dark cabal. The time has come for these dark ones to surrender their power to the Light!

Bagan - sacred temples

These changes can allow our sacred secret societies to begin to disburse the prosperity funds to the world. We have also advised our associates to prepare a number of special teachings which will explain a great many truths that have been either greatly modified or completely hidden from you for millennia. These circumstances made it necessary for us to hide this information deep within the vaults of many temples and cathedrals until such time as we could release it to you. You may be somewhat shocked at first, but these sacred Truths need to become part once again of your spiritual knowledge of this physical realm. It will begin a process of clarification regarding the wonders and miracles of the state of full consciousness that you are returning to. This subject matter will move to center stage in your lives during the weeks ahead because you are needed by Heaven to resume your sacred service to the Light.

We the Ascended Masters have a divine duty to bring you through the sacred veil and return you to your true Beingness as physical Angels. Thus we welcome the arrival of our kin and the means in Inner Earth for restoring you to that most precious state. All that is being set in motion is done with the aim of fulfilling Heaven's mandate. You have wandered around in a state of artificial amnesia for far too long, and it is time to reinstate your former wisdom and abilities. The societies cooked up by the dark and orchestrated by the Anunnaki are to cease. Your innate Oneness will be re-established, allowing you to develop a wonderful prototype of galactic society. This new realm of yours is to welcome the former dark empires of this galaxy and transform them to Light by providing them with a full Lightbody, along with the techniques and etiquette that Spirit requires.

Today, we supplied you with more detail about what is clandestinely happening around your world. These preparations will enable big changes in banking, which in turn will result in the ousting of the dark. The Galactic Federation and its defence ships are supporting these actions and thus the end of this obstructive cabal is near! Be in joy, and ready to accept the gifts of Heaven! Know, dear Ones, that the countless Supply and never-ending Prosperity of Heaven are indeed Yours! So Be It! Selamat Gajun! Selamat Ja! (Sirian for Be One! and Be in Joy!)

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Much love.

Channeler:
Julie Miller

Being MIND-ful is a Beautiful Thing

http://lightworkers.org/channeling/166432/being-mind-ful-beautiful-thing

Serapis Bey’s Weekly Message ~ August 31 – September 07, 2012

Channeled by: Julie Miller August 31, 2012

Every opportunity to speak to each of you is a blessing in itself. As we begin this transcription I have been patiently waiting to deliver, I surround you with my own energy to uplift you and heal you through any discord or disharmony that may have entered your spirit. May all discord leave as quickly as it came and in its place remains a person at deep peace with themselves and the world. One of my favourite subjects’ dear ones is self-discipline.

Today’s transmission is mainly about this particular field. Dear ones to successfully control your mind, first you will are required to comprehend what the mind is. You already know the mind is a vast and progressive active structure that is not only connected to your brain but to the rest of your body. This form of gifted energy has been highly created by your consciousness; thus allowing you to think and see yourself through keen observation.

The mind is vast and beautiful and part of your understanding, knowing of self and perception of all that you are. It does have an important role and that is to aid in your ability to think independently in order for you to have and maintain separate and different characteristics. Society in general dear ones has been conditioned far too long into believing the mind is located within the brain. Spiritually speaking this misconception makes it difficult for anyone to understand what the mind really is.

Your mind dear ones is not limited to the confined space of where your brain resides within your body. The mind, the body and the brain are intertwined into such a magnificent system of unified interaction of each other. This working of your mind and your body dear ones is a natural active method where your true thinking really does occur. Your real true thinking does not take place within the brain dear ones.

Your brain does not have the skill to discern what is real or not, and cannot tell what it sees to what can be remembered. The information stored within the brain as you know is compared to a computer chip. You take in information, you process it, and you decide consciously and sub-consciously where this information is to go. One of the differences when compared to a computer chip dear ones is that your brain processes the information you bring at such a high level that it ends up creating an illusion that the brain does truly think.

I have given you much to think about and I see this vessel raise her eye brow. I am sure she will want to research later on what I just spoke of when we are done. Even though there are many advanced souls on your Earth who understand what I mean when I speak about disciplining the mind, but there are still some folks that have been living in a state of fear for so long because of one circumstance or another, and through conditioning from upbringing, society and choices. One way to tell if your mind is disciplined dear ones is through your meditation attempts. If you constantly fight with yourself to empty your thoughts to gain calm then your mind is not yet disciplined enough.

It when you finally have a quiet mind when all your daily burdens rush in for attention and it is then when you are to push them back until you are at peace from within yourself that your outer self immediately responds in a calm fashion. You have been receiving information before you were born dear ones, and information comes to you even while you sleep. Now you have grown from the child stage into the adult and there is even more distracting stimuli that have an opportunity to enter your thoughts at a moment’s notice and some of these have negative influences.

All the stimulating distractions you come across all have purpose dear ones. They help guide you to decisions and can cause various thought patterns to emerge. It is up to you dear ones on how able you are to resist the temptations that are always surrounding you. Some temptations could be food, excessive shopping, use of drugs, promiscuity, spreading rumours, lying, etc.

The list of examples can be quite extensive when speaking of what can tempt you. It is up to you dear ones to walk away from the distractions and choose not be bought into manipulation. Your choices have great effect on each and every outcome. I urge you through my pure and divine heart to always choose to represent your God-self in every action and reaction. Learning is it to be embraced regardless of your choice and how your journey unfolds. Rejoice dear ones in the bounty of knowledge available to you and the great changes you can apply to your mind, body, spirit and heart.

You are a beautiful creative being who is always changing and progressing. Where you now sit on your journey’s path is incredible, yet it is nowhere near over. So much is still waiting to unfold just for you. It is always possible to free yourself from any and all negative distractions simply by the choices you make through even through your media devices. Watch less television; discover books that are about empowering the mind and spirit, investigate different music; music that is less distracting and more welcomed by your heart.

As you take in time for yourself, your own awareness will increase greatly to the point you will learn to notice all negative energy as it approaches. This does not mean you have to befriend all the people you know. This means you will be more aware and you will be able to take sufficient precautions to protect your heart and spirit by use of your Light energy and still love purely and unconditionally at the same time. There are negative messages hidden, that are subliminal in many media forms you choose to watch especially in film.

Don’t get drawn into the negative energies that surround many films. Enjoy the film without absorbing the negative energy that is intertwined within one of its frames. Your conscious mind will be inept to tell the difference. But your sub-conscious mind will. You may notice an energy change within your mind that may induce a compulsive reaction relating to what you are watching. This is found a normally in the means of advertisements.

What also has been greatly noticed that can easily disrupt the purity of your mind dear ones and that is any thoughts you have that contain fear. There are many kinds of fears dear ones. And today we are mostly conversing about emotional and mental fears. Fear is a huge emotion that has a great impact on your entire being.

Fear is easily described as being destructive. When fear fills your thought-forms you have a disruption in your ability to bring peace and calm into your whole being. Fear instead invites chaos and discord. I see people fear many things, including themselves. Fear will prevent clear thinking and often what results when people react through fear is they forget they can combat all fear through love. Fear easily can give you a victim state of feeling. In some circumstances I know are harder to step away from than others, but nothing is impossible.

Dear ones, if you allow yourself to be surrounded by too much fear, what you are doing is feeding your ego and it is the ego we wish to balance. Yes dear ones the Ego is a part of you. There are a few precious souls who have not been born with one and there are some who have met with enough abuse and violence that the Ego does not exist but they also can become a victim from the Ego of others. It is up to you dear ones to control the Ego and to balance it within your thinking mind. When your Ego is under control you will find it much easier to discipline your mind and free yourself into a higher state of consciousness. There will be no more, “I think I can”.

There will only be, “I can!” Any time you use the words, “I think”, “I’m not sure”, “Hmm…maybe” and others that begin on a negative note are usually signals of the Ego at work. When you create, move, act, speak and be positive, you are confident. You do not allow second guessing because you have developed a deep knowing of yourself through reflective self-discovery of your true SELF. Dispel all fear dear ones with Love, that is pure and unclouded that is found inside your precious heart. So many want to control their Ego and they can very easily.

You control your Ego when you become and demonstrate responsibility for your actions. When you are without responsibility for your actions and reactions, your Ego becomes in control and disempowers you. If you give you Ego enough of your own personal power, it can and will influence many of your decisions. I see so many shake their heads in understanding. They have been under the influence of the Ego before and they have also felt the Egos of others. It does take great inner strength and perseverance to conquer the Ego but it is worth it dear ones.

As you will be left feeling lighter and the lighter you feel from the inside the more love you will be able to give and receive. And dear ones, each of you is a reflection of God. And God’s word is love. Even more reason to make a point of controlling the troublesome Ego and empower your deep inner self to reach far beyond any previous expectation for your spiritual and personal growth. Love will always be your solution. Believe in its incredible power, let your heart open up as wide as you can, dissolve that fear and live through your loving hearts.

I see time certainly has moved and I was not aware of how long we sat here conversing. Definitely I enjoyed today’s conversation. Beautiful and sweet children of God, you are loved so richly by me and by God. As we continue to close I encourage any of you, all of you when you are ready and in need of my energies, please do not hesitate to invoke my presence. I am a stern teacher, there is no dilly dallying with me. I will guide you and love you through truth and honesty that is alive within your divine hearts.

I AM Ascended Master, Serapis Bey through Julie Miller

The Aquarian Christ:

The Aquarian Christ waits on the Etheric Plane – a Mission which has taken Centuries in its Planning and Conception.

During the Piscean Age, preparations were well advanced in the Spiritual Planes for the New Age of Aquarius and the Aquarian Christ.

The Aquarian Christ comes from an Extremely High Plane, and for those who wish to work with Him, negativity must be erased, as the Aquarian Christ works only on a Positive Ray – Light, of Vibration and Sound.

The Aquarian Ray – Light, is the Blue Ray – Light, a colour of Great Beauty and Magnificence.  The Blue Ray has within its endings the gentle Aquamarine Ray – Light, as they belong together, and strands of Aquamarine are always to be found within the Blue Ray – Light of Aquarius and the Aquarian Christ.

The Work of the Aquarian Christ is to raise the Vibration of people to such an extent whilst life is lived on earth, so that when the moment of death comes and the Soul Crosses over the Bridge between Earth and Heaven, it leaves behind him/her, a Great Light, so those who watch upon the Earth Plane, see a Being of Light cross the Bridge to those Loved ones and Guides, and Angelic Beings, who wait, to go with the Newly Departed Soul.

However, there is much to be done, for that state of being is far from being here.

The Aquarian Christ comes clothed in Blue – the Blue Ray – Light, and the Aquarian Christ, are enveloped completely in Blue, which, if you would look at this Great Being, all you would be aware of is of a Great Blue Ray – Light of Vibration and Power – Awesome in its completeness.

The Blue Ray – Light of the Aquarian Christ, is of such purity that a great deal of clearing away the debris, needs to be addressed and activated upon, for those who wish to meet up with this Great Being on the Ethers of Light.

The Aquarian Christ resides on a Ray of Light of Great Positivity, nothing negative can get through to the Plane wherein He waits.

That must surely be enough for most of us, to wash away any negativity which is ours and has been perhaps for far too long.

Once these steps have been taken, and worked upon that Positive Vibration, then are we able to attune ourselves to the Aquarian Christ, and as we do so, Excitement Reigns, Peace and that Inner Awareness has come to our Innermost Being, and in so doing, we have Remembered Home.

For the Aquarian Christ goes back to the Dawn of Time, that Great Being to whom we gave our Pledge and Love.  Promises were made, vows as well, that at a Far Distant Time and Place, we would meet again and spread the Spirituality and Truth, which the Aquarian Christ brings upon the Etheric Plane of Light.

Stage by stage, as we tune into His Essence, memories will resurface, lives long lived, when He and We, Lived as One.

In the Divine Spheres, we Walked, Talked and shared Moments of Bliss, Joy was felt as we were all bathed in the Radiance of God-The Father-Mother-Son, and within the Orbit of the Spiritual Sun, the Power behind the Physical Sun.

As we are able to readjust our radar, tune into the Blue Light – Ray of the Aquarian Christ, then we are automatically transported back to those Aeons past, when we all Walked as One, Lived as One, and were Blessed indeed by The Father-Mother-Son.  Within the Third Aspect of the Trinity, rests the Progression and Ascension of Humanity, as the soul not only goes back to it’s Beginning in those Glorious Days, but is then able to Ascend into Future Worlds of Light – not all of which have yet been born.

It will take no time at all for Worlds to be Born, for they have been Aeons in the Planning by The Creator; and all it takes is sufficient people to remember and raise their consciousness, so as to be able to attune itself to the Divine Mind, when, those Plans held for the moment by The Creator, will be put into Operation.

The Time Draws Near, the Aquarian Christ Waits, Resides within the Etheric Planes of Light.  He waits there for all, who can Hear His Call.

Being able to Tune into The Blue Light – Ray of the Aquarian Ray and The Aquarian Christ, will help with the Attunement Necessary, and also Raise the Vibrations of the Planet Earth.

Ask Him also to Draw Near, so you can be aware of His Essence and Vibration on the Planes of Light.

Pat Grabham

1 September, 2012.

The Amethyst Ray Light and the Aquamarine Ray Light:

The Amethyst Ray –  Light, beautiful beyond compare as it is, remains, without the Aquamarine Ray within its Orbit – Vibration, incomplete, as to its Original Origin, as a Dual Ray – Light, from God The Father, in the Dawn of Time.

The absence of one without the other, can be likened to an Eternal Flame – incomplete, as to how it was when these two Rays – Lights, were Created Dual, but able to separate at will, one from the other.

The qualities and attributes, aspects of the Amethyst Ray needs the Aquamarine Ray – Light, for Complete Balance and Inner Harmony – thence will the Spheres sing with joy at the Marriage Feast being born again in the Spheres of Light, in which there is no night.

It can be beneficial beyond compare, to the depths of each soul, being able to tune into and visualise together at times, both the Mighty Amethyst Ray – Light, and the Aquamarine Ray - Light, (but belonging to the Aquamarine Ray – Light, is linked also the Blue Aquarian Ray – Light, for the Aquarian Ray – Light, is of a deep vivid bright blue, but where it touches an individual, will often have strands of Aquamarine). 

Therefore, it is difficult to be aware of the Aquamarine Ray – Light, without at the same time being aware of the Great Blue Ray – Light, of Aquarius, and subsequently The Aquarian Christ.

To be fully aware of the Aquarian Ray – Light, means an inner awareness of the Aquamarine Ray – Light, they are indivisible, one without the other.

The Aquarian Ray – Light, and all that concerns it, is of incredible purity.

Those who would Serve the Aquarian Christ, will find purification of themselves on its many levels will be carried out on all planes, which at the end of an earth life, will have ensured that much higher learning and attunement will have taken place, so that upon the return to the spirit realms, it will have proven invaluable on many different levels.

Pat Grabham

23 August, 2012.

A listener of InLight Radio has asked to have the differences between Ascension and enlightenment clarified. Please allow me to do that here.

There is no difference per se between ascension as a generic process and enlightenment or illumination.

The Ascension we’re going through on Dec. 21, 2012 (or earlier) is an enlightenment. However it has some extra features about it that make it different from the generic process of enlightenment associated with it, that persuade me to call it “enlightenment plus” and I’ll get to those differences below.

By the same token there are many levels of enlightenment stretching all the way back to the final mergence with God. That comes to us so many lifetimes down the road that we have no conception of that event.

In just the Third-Dimensional range, there are at least four stages of enlightenment: (1) spiritual awakening, which occurs when the kundalini reaches the fourth-chakra, (2) savikalpa samadhi, when the kundalini reaches the sixth chakra, (3) Brahamjnana or God-Realization, seventh chakra, and (4) sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi, spiritual heart or hridayam. We can have each of these enlightenment experiences and still remain in the Third Dimension.

But Ascension will mean that we leave the Third/Fourth Dimension of our physical and spirit lives and migrate to the Fifth Dimension. This is a difference between enlightenment per se and our present Ascension.

If we were on the spirit side of life, an ascension would involve the passage from one dimension to another. So when we pass from the Astral Plane (Fourth Dimension) to the Mental Plane (Fifth Dimension), we’re said to have ascended because we’ll shed our astral body for our mental body. But when we pass from the Middle Summerlands of the Astral Plane to the Higher Summerlands, we’re not said to have ascended because we retain our astral body. Movement from one subplane to another does not involve ascension; movement from one plane or dimension to another does involve ascension.

That is why Shankara would say: “When all the five coverings are removed, the pure Atman [the Self or Christ] is revealed.” (1) By successive ascensions, we remove the five coverings or bodies associated with the previous plane or dimension until, well after the experience Shankara is referring to, all that is left is God Himself/Herself. We have uncovered or revealed God by successive ascensions.

In our Ascension on Dec. 21, 2012, we’ll ascend with the physical body, which is a first and new development in ascension. Because we will, we’ll need to raise the vibrations of that body gradually as it changes from carbon-based to crystalline-based so that it can exist in the higher vibrations of the Fifth Dimension. But in all ascensions on the spirit side of life, we would have simply shed the previous body.

But where our Ascension on 21/12/12 resembles all other ascensions is that we’ll pass from one plane or dimension to another; in this case, from the Third/Fourth Dimensions associated with our usual physical and spirit lives to the Fifth Dimension. So, because it represents a dimensional shift, we call it an ascension.

So, yes, it does involve a process of enlightenment. Whether that is the enlightenment associated with the seventh chakra, which is called Brahmajnana and does not result in a permanent heart opening or liberation from rebirth or the enlightenment associated with the spiritual heart or hridayam, known as sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi, which does result in a permanent heart opening and liberation, I don’t know. I should probably ask Archangel Michael about that.

That’s my understanding. There’s no difference between Ascension and enlightenment in many respects. But our 21/12/12 Ascension is enlightenment plus, because in it we also get to take our physical bodies with us (renewed, of course), need not die, get to leave the Third Dimension for the Fifth (whereas in ordinary enlightenment we would not get to leave), etc.

VIDEO MESSAGE

More pictures I took are available at www.olysses.deviantart.com

into dust- with lyrics 

Another video with pictures of beautiful nature

Thank's for listening!

NAMASTE

NAMASTE

Researchers Close to Matrix-Style Learning

9th January 2012

By Madison Ruppert

As every week passes, the world becomes more like a science fiction film. Some of these developments are nothing short of disturbing, especially for people like me who are concerned with just how this technology will be used.

Yet there is also a bright side to these emerging technologies. Not all of these developments are negative and many could actually improve the lives of many people across the world and perhaps better all of humanity.

Unlike the ominous “threat assessment” technology which seems like it was ripped straight out of the pages of Philip K. Dick’s short story Minority Report, scientists recently published research that appears to be almost exactly like the technology seen in the popular science fiction film The Matrix.

No, this isn’t insects that burrow under your skin or robots that harvest energy from human beings, this is the ability to “learn high-performance tasks with little or no conscious effort,” according to the National Science Foundation.

I don’t know about you, but I would love to be able to pick up Mandarin Chinese without having to spend years in a classroom, and I doubt many people would argue that such an advancement would be unwelcome.

Early last month, research was published in the prominent journal Science which suggests that it very well might be possible to use emerging technology to learn such diverse tasks as playing a piano to hitting a curve ball.

This is much like in The Matrix when they need to learn how to fly a helicopter at a moment’s notice so they simply load up a program and – bam – they know how to perfectly pilot a helicopter.

Boston University, in the United States, along with ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan, both conducted experiments which found that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology could be used to induce brain activity patterns which match a previously known target state.

This is done through the person’s visual cortex, and the decoded fMRI induces a state of brain activity which mirrors a known state which can improve performance on visual tasks.

While this sounds somewhat hard to grasp, it really isn’t once you understand it.

The subject’s brain patterns are modified by the fMRI to match the previously established patterns of someone like a high-performing athlete.

Another promising aspect of this research is that it can be used to modify or recuperate from an accident or debilitating disease.

At this stage this research is purely preliminary, but according to the National Science Foundation, “researchers say such possibilities may exist in the future.”

The key is that adult early visual areas of the brain are “plastic” enough to actually allow learning through visual perception.

When they speak of plastic, they do not mean it literally, but instead are speaking of neuroplasticity, a concept which describes the ability of the brain to change and adapt as need be.

Neuroscientists have discovered that images build up in a person’s brain in a gradual manner, first appearing simply as lines, then edges, shapes, color and motion in these early visual areas of the brain.

The brain then fills in more detail in order to make a clear picture appear of whatever object or objects the individual is observing.

Based on these findings, researchers studied the ability of the early visual areas to create improvements in visual performance and learning tasks.

Some previous research confirmed a correlation between improving visual performance and changes in early visual areas, while other researchers found correlations in higher visual and decision areas,” said Takeo Watanabe, director of Boston University’s Visual Science Laboratory.

However, none of these studies directly addressed the question of whether early visual areas are sufficiently plastic to cause visual perceptual learning.

That is, of course, until this most recent research emerged which displays a new learning approach which could create long-term improvement in the many tasks that require visual performance.

A post-doctoral fellow at Boston University named Kazuhisa Shibata designed a new method which uses decoded fMRI neurofeedback to create a specific brain activation pattern which corresponds to a pattern which is evoked by a specific visual feature in the brain region they are focusing on.

A crude example is if fMRI activity was used to monitor brain activity while someone played piano, then the resulting activity patterns were decoded and used to induce the same activity pattern in a different individual.

The researchers studied if repeating this activation pattern could actually improve the visual performance on that particular visual feature.

Boston University’s Watanabe developed the idea for the research project alongside the director of the Japanese ATR lab, Mitsuo Kawato, and an assistant in neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital named Yuka Sasaki.

Watanabe describes just how exciting and astounding this emerging technology is in saying, “The most surprising thing in this study is that mere inductions of neural activation patterns corresponding to a specific visual feature led to visual performance improvement on the visual feature, without presenting the feature or subjects’ awareness of what was to be learned.”

That’s right; you could actually improve your visual performance on a certain visual feature without even knowing it!

That is what Watanabe means when he mentions, “performance improvement … without presenting the feature or subjects’ awareness of what was to be learned.”

Watanabe makes this almost unbelievable finding even more clear in saying that they, “found that subjects were not aware of what was to be learned while behavioral data obtained before and after the neurofeedback training showed that subjects’ visual performance improved specifically for the target orientation, which was used in the neurofeedback training.”

The director of the ATR lab, Mitsuo Kawato, said that in principle, this technology could be used as “hypnosis or a type of automated learning,” while pointing out that at this point their research is only in the preliminary stages.

“In this study we confirmed the validity of our method only in visual perceptual learning. So we have to test if the method works in other types of learning in the future. At the same time, we have to be careful so that this method is not used in an unethical way,” Kawato said.

I find it encouraging that Kawato is considering the ethical implications even at this early stage, as there are many dark ways I can see this technology being used, but even more potential positive ways exist.

Currently, even in these relatively crude stages of the technology, it can be used to “for various types of learning, including memory, motor and rehabilitation,” according to the National Science Foundation.

Hopefully Kawato and the other researchers will keep in mind the possible unethical ways in which this technology could be used, such as military and intelligence applications, and instead make sure that it is used for the betterment of all mankind.

About the Author

Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis database End The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. 

Common Conditions that Cause Disability

• Arthritis and other musculoskeletal problems. These are the most common causes of long-term disability. They make up as much as a third of all disability cases. Arthritis is probably the biggest single cause. About one in three people say that arthritis affects their ability to do their jobs in some way, according to the CDC. Other muscle and joint problems -- bad backs, bones that never mend, bad hips -- are common causes of disability too, says Matt Tassey, past chairman of the nonprofit Life and Health insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE).

• Heart disease and stroke.While we tend to think of cardiovascular disease in terms of sudden medical events -- like a heart attack or stroke -- it's often a chronic condition. People live with heart disease for years or decades. It can severely limit their ability to work. Studies estimate that heart disease is now the reason for 17% of all health costs in the U.S.

• Cancer. While cancer itself can be disabling, treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can also make it difficult to work.
"Cancer is the fastest-growing cause for disability claims," Tassey says. Why? In part, this reflects a rising rate of cancer, he says. It could also result from more effective treatment. "We're doing medical miracles today," he says. "People are living much longer after a cancer diagnosis than they once did."

• Mental health problems. You might think of disability as physical, but mental health problems can make work difficult or impossible. Depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions can be as disabling as any physical illness. Mental health problems are the most common reason that people file for Social Security disability, Tassey tells WebMD.

• Diabetes. As a cause of disability, diabetes is rising fast, Tassey says. Along with obesity, it's linked to a number of serious health problems, like heart disease.

Diabetes is a costly disease to manage too, in part because of the drugs and supplies.

Typically, treating it without health insurance costs between $350 and $900 a month.

• Nervous system disorders. This category includes a number of conditions --
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, ALS, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions that affect the brain or nerves. MS is a leading cause of disability in young adults. It most often appears between ages 20 and 40.

• Pregnancy. You might not think about pregnancy as a disabling condition.

Since most women in the U.S. don't get paid maternity leave, it effectively is. The Family and Medical Leave Act offers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. However, it isn't available to many women who are self-employed, work at small businesses, or who haven't worked long enough with an employer to be eligible. Some employers and a few states offer women short-term disability payments for pregnancy. The rest have to get by using sick days and vacation.

Long-term disability caused by pregnancy is relatively rare.Women who wind up needing bed rest while they're pregnant or who suffer from complications afterward -- like postpartum depression -- can face serious financial stress.

• Accidents. Although surveys show that people assume accidents are the most likely cause of disability, they are actually the cause of less than 10% of disability cases. This category includes not only accidents at home or on the road, but accidental poisoning too.

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/top-causes-disability

To read other interesting posts on my Group here at Shamballa called "Herbs, Plants, Spices and Medical topics", click on this link: http://www.cityofshamballa.net/group/herbs-plants-spices-and-medical-topics

Rescuing Dash-9, An Orphaned Dog
posted by rrgirl63 on Jan 24, 2010

I don't know how others will respond to my first story, but I do know that it was something I was compelled to do, regardless if the recipient was "only a dog".

I work for the railroad, which can be a very dangerous place. It is also usually located in the poorest of neighborhoods. Unfortunately, we often see homeless, hungry animals hanging around looking for scraps of food. Often, they are large, scary-loooking dogs who end up at the pound.

For the last few weeks there has been a rather large, red dog who has been hanging around with an obvious leg injury.

He was scared and would not come near any of us. Each day I came to work I would talk to him, toss him a bite to eat and go about my business. After about two weeks of this, this wonderful creature saw me arrive at work one evening and bolted straight for me!! I must admit I was a bit frightened at first, now knowing what his intentions were, but I was soon to find out. He came straight up to me, lunged at me and began showing me his love and affection in the only way he knew how..........wonderful and powerful kisses (okay, licks...LOL).

All I had with me at the time were some cans of cat food in the back of my truck, but I felt it was better than nothing, so I opened them up and filled his tummy. I also offered him some clean water, which from the looks of him I was pretty sure he hadn't had in a while. Amazingly enough, this little act changed this dog in a way I could only imagine. He followed me around the yard for the rest of the night, which was kind of scary, as it can be a dangerous place, as I said. When I got up on the engine to work, he stayed on the ground looking up at me and howling like he had lost his best friend. I finally had to go back down and take him to safety across the tracks. I made him a cardboard bed and, believe it or not, he layed there like he knew what I had done for him. And yes, he waited my entire shift for me to return.

Now, for my dilemma. I knew this guy needed a home and medical treatment. However, I have 5 cats, two dogs and a 3 yr old grandson. Not knowing this dog, personally, how could I risk the safety of my family at home for a stray? I knew I could not, but it was breaking my heart to leave him there. Call it my "mom" instincts but I knew this guy really would make a good companion for someone, I just wasn't sure it would be me.

By the end of the next day, several of my co-workers came to me and were flabbergasted that I had "made friends" with this dog. Not only that, but he was also beginning to trust the guys I worked with and was showing to be very loving and playful. They were amazed. And even more amazing, there were more than one of them who were willing to take this wonderful dog we had labeled as "Dash-9" (it's a type of locomotive) into their hearts and homes.

I am happy to say that "Dash" is now being treated for his injured leg and being lovingly nurtured and nursed back to health. And I know that he will "pay it forward" by being a devoted and loving pet in his new home.

http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=17909

A Volcanic Eruption of Kindness in London
posted by JellyLegs on Sep 9, 2010

I run a hotel in London. During the problems with the now infamous ash cloud, I spent the morning listening to people calling in to a radio show on London's LBC radio station to tell their stories of woe....some had missed flights for holidays, some couldn't get home following the volcanic eruption.

The story that struck me the most was a call from a man named Peter who had just gotten married the previous weekend to Maz. They were due to leave for their honeymoon to the Dominican Republic but could not due to the ash cloud. When James O'Brien, the radio presenter, asked if he was upset, Peter said: "Not at all, I've married the loveliest girl in the world whom I adore so no I'm not unhappy at all". Both, the presenter and I were blown away by the beautiful answer.

A little later, after numerous cancellations due to people not being able to travel, I had an idea and called the LBC station. I spoke to the producer of the show and asked if she could contact Peter to offer him and his wife a room for the weekend at the hotel. She later called back to say Peter and Maz were delighted and would love to take up the offer,. The producer asked if I would like to formally offer them the room on the radio show, but I declined as did not want any publicity for it.

So, two days later, Peter and Maz arrived at the hotel and checked in. What is incredible is the sequence of events that followed after my initial offer.

The hotel is situated in Kensington, which is mainly a residential area and thus parking can be a bit of a problem. Peter had parked outside the hotel in the residents parking zone and had written a note explaining the situation about their honeymoon and staying at the hotel and left it on the dashboard of the car. Later that day he spotted a traffic warden reading the note and walking off! Kensington traffic wardens are notorious in their severity and ruthlessness. When Peter ran outside to see if parking there would be ok, the traffic warden said, "I don't know if another traffic warden will be as nice as me but I won't be giving you a ticket". Considering traffic wardens work on commission, and having had numerous run-ins with them myself, I was dumb struck.

Peter and Maz decided to celebrate and go out to Covent Garden for dinner. While eating, they were chatting to their waiter, who asked why they were in London. When Peter told him about their honeymoon, and then the hotel room gift and finally the traffic warden, the waiter was just as surprised with all the generosity they had received. When Peter came to pay the bill, all the waiter said was " Your dinner's on me!" and wished them all the very best!

I love how a simple phone call, led to a sequence of events that would touch so many. I was so pleased to have made a bad situation better for a young couple, but what I really love is how it snowballed into so much more.

http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=21818

A Volcanic Eruption of Kindness in London
posted by JellyLegs on Sep 9, 2010

I run a hotel in London. During the problems with the now infamous ash cloud, I spent the morning listening to people calling in to a radio show on London's LBC radio station to tell their stories of woe....some had missed flights for holidays, some couldn't get home following the volcanic eruption.

The story that struck me the most was a call from a man named Peter who had just gotten married the previous weekend to Maz. They were due to leave for their honeymoon to the Dominican Republic but could not due to the ash cloud. When James O'Brien, the radio presenter, asked if he was upset, Peter said: "Not at all, I've married the loveliest girl in the world whom I adore so no I'm not unhappy at all". Both, the presenter and I were blown away by the beautiful answer.

A little later, after numerous cancellations due to people not being able to travel, I had an idea and called the LBC station. I spoke to the producer of the show and asked if she could contact Peter to offer him and his wife a room for the weekend at the hotel. She later called back to say Peter and Maz were delighted and would love to take up the offer,. The producer asked if I would like to formally offer them the room on the radio show, but I declined as did not want any publicity for it.

So, two days later, Peter and Maz arrived at the hotel and checked in. What is incredible is the sequence of events that followed after my initial offer.

The hotel is situated in Kensington, which is mainly a residential area and thus parking can be a bit of a problem. Peter had parked outside the hotel in the residents parking zone and had written a note explaining the situation about their honeymoon and staying at the hotel and left it on the dashboard of the car. Later that day he spotted a traffic warden reading the note and walking off! Kensington traffic wardens are notorious in their severity and ruthlessness. When Peter ran outside to see if parking there would be ok, the traffic warden said, "I don't know if another traffic warden will be as nice as me but I won't be giving you a ticket". Considering traffic wardens work on commission, and having had numerous run-ins with them myself, I was dumb struck.

Peter and Maz decided to celebrate and go out to Covent Garden for dinner. While eating, they were chatting to their waiter, who asked why they were in London. When Peter told him about their honeymoon, and then the hotel room gift and finally the traffic warden, the waiter was just as surprised with all the generosity they had received. When Peter came to pay the bill, all the waiter said was " Your dinner's on me!" and wished them all the very best!

I love how a simple phone call, led to a sequence of events that would touch so many. I was so pleased to have made a bad situation better for a young couple, but what I really love is how it snowballed into so much more.

http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=21818

Panic Disorder
From Katharina Star, your Guide to Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that affects approximately 6 million adults in the United States in any given year. Are you wondering if you are among those that are impacted by panic disorder? Learning more about the basics of this condition can influence your treatment and recovery process. Discover more about panic disorder, including typical symptoms, how it is diagnosed, common myths, and risk factors for developing panic disorder.

The Symptoms of Panic Disorder

Understanding panic disorder begins by knowing more about the symptoms of this mental health condition. Panic disorder is characterized by a combination of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that can be difficult to manage. Many of these symptoms are similar to the indicators of other conditions, making it difficult to tell if your symptoms are related to panic disorder or not. Here you will information on the most common symptoms of panic disorder, including important facts on panic attacks and agoraphobia.

Panic Disorder Risk Factors

Did you know that a person's age, gender, medical history, and past life events can all contribute to the risk of developing panic disorder? Research has found that many factors are associated with the development of this condition. However, these factors are not considered causes of panic disorder. Here you will find information on the most frequently observed risk factors associated with panic disorder.

Diagnosis of Panic Disorder

Do you want to know about how panic disorder is diagnosed? In order to be diagnosed with panic disorder, certain diagnostic criteria must be met. Only a qualified doctor or mental health specialist will be able to provide you with a proper diagnosis. Get information here on the top 6 things you should know about the diagnosis of panic disorder.

Myths About Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is a mental health disorder that is frequently misunderstood by the general population. For instance, many people mistakenly use the term "panic attack" to describe feelings of nervousness.

Misconceptions about panic disorder can cause a lot of confusion for those who think they may have this condition and can even impact treatment and recovery. Learn to determine fact from fiction and find out the truth regarding the most common myths about panic disorder.

http://panicdisorder.about.com/lr/panic_disorder_symptoms/1646081/1/?nl=1

To read other interesting posts on my Group here at Shamballa called "Herbs, Plants, Spices and Medical topics", click on this link: http://www.cityofshamballa.net/group/herbs-plants-spices-and-medical-topics

The Weird Reasons You're so Tired
By Mehmet Oz

Has your energy level been low? Have you felt exhausted, despite regulating your sleep and stress? If so, you're not alone. Nearly one-third of US primary care patients report significant fatigue, accounting for 7 million office visits every year. Learn four surprising reasons that could account for your exhaustion, along with Dr. Oz's unusual-but effective-cures. Of course, if your energy level is unusually low, get your blood checked by your physician.

Bad Bacteria in Your Gut Prevent Deep Sleep

Two-thirds of the world's population--over 4.5 billion people--have bad bacteria known as H. Pylori living in their stomach. This harmful bacteria can be a major source of fatigue. Your stomach's inner lining produces acid to digest food, while simultaneously creating protective mucus to guard from this acid. H. pylori bacteria invade the stomach, destroying your protective mucus layer and leaving you vulnerable to ulcers, or tiny sores on the stomach's lining. While you sleep, acid can escape the stomach through these ulcers and flow up into your esophagus, causing a sore throat and ruining your ability to get deep, restorative sleep. Additionally, as blood escapes from the ulcers, it may cause anemia, further lowering your energy throughout the day.

Fortunately, H. Pylori infection is easy to detect and treat. A simple breath test from your doctor will detect the bacteria. Antibiotics can kill the bad bacteria and acid-reducing medications will treat the ulcers. You can also try taking antacids before bed; if they seem to lead to a better night's sleep, it may indicate the presence of H. Pylori.

Phlegm Build-Up May Clog Airways

Healthy breathing draws oxygen through your nose and down to your lungs, giving your body the energy it needs. But as you sleep, phlegm can build up in the back of your throat, blocking the passage of oxygen from the nose to the lungs. You may compensate by breathing through the mouth, but a recent study shows that doing so is correlated to a significantly lower blood-oxygen level, which can lead to fatigue. Gargling every morning, whether with mouthwash or salt water, can help clear the throat's phlegm, allowing more oxygen to reach the lungs which boosts your energy.

Your Morning Coffee Could Be Making You More Tired

Many of us turn to coffee or tea for a morning pick-me-up, but it could be the cause of your fatigue for two reasons. First, when consumed in excess, coffee causes a surge in your metabolism, followed by a crash. Second, caffeine has a dehydrating effect. When you wake up, you tend to already be dehydrated from not drinking water for hours. If you don't consume any other beverages, your coffee could cause further dehydration and drain your energy. The key is to drink caffeine in moderation and to drink a full 8-ounce glass of water around the same time as your morning cup of joe to stay hydrated.

Your Clothes May Be Too Comfy (and the Wrong Color)

Getting too comfortable may actually make you more tired. Baggy and stretchy clothing makes it much easier to slouch, which strains your joints and muscles as they work extra hard to distribute oxygen throughout your body. Dressing up not only prevents slouching, but also boosts confidence. Confidence, in turn, tends to improved posture, allowing for healthy breathing.

The color of your clothing may also be tiring you out. Dark colors like black, navy and brown stimulate the secretion of melatonin--the chemical that makes you sleepy. The good news is that studies show there are many colors to keep you energized. White clothes suppress sleep-inducing melatonin and boost serotonin--the feel-good chemical in your brain. Red is good for an aggressive kind of energy. It's also been shown to increase blood flow and stimulate adrenal glands. Yellow has been proven to stimulate the brain, build self-confidence, and encourage optimism.

Unexpected Cures for Your Fatigue

Eggs and Cantaloupe
Even though it may be an unusual combination, eggs and cantaloupe could be a winning duo to beat your fatigue. Eggs are an inexpensive and low-calorie source of protein on their own, but they're even better when paired with a complex carbohydrate like cantaloupe. The protein in the eggs helps slow the absorption of the fruit's sugar, preventing sugar spikes and sustaining energy throughout the day.

Cordyceps Mushrooms
Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that naturally grows on the head of a caterpillar. An animal study determined cordyceps helped improve metabolism, which can alleviate fatigue and increase physical endurance as you age. In 1993, two female Chinese athletes beat world records for the 1500-, 3000-, and 10,000-meter runs and attributed their success to cordyceps supplements. Try 3g per day. They're available for about $7 at health food stores.

Nopal Cactus
Normally, cacti are best admired from a distance, but the Nopal cactus, also known as "prickly pear," can be an effective cure for your fatigue. It's sold fresh, dried, and in jams for use in Mexican and South Western cuisines. Nopal is also available as a supplement. It's packed with antioxidants that can help the liver detoxify the body and reduce inflammation-related fatigue. Try 1000 mg with a full glass of water per day. You can buy Nopal cactus for about $12 at health food stores.

"The Walrus" Exercise
Although you may get a few looks at the gym, this unusual exercise is a great way to boost your energy. First, lie on your stomach with your arms outstretched on the floor in front of you. Plant your palms and use the strength of your arms and core to pull yourself forward and upright. Hold that position for a second, then lower your body, extend your arms. Repeat this while traveling across the floor like a walrus on the move. As with all exercise, "the walrus" speeds up your metabolism.

Additionally, by working often-neglected muscles, you'll be activating new areas of your brain involved in coordination and muscle memory. Most importantly, this back-arching exercise is a great way to stretch, improve circulation, and relieve the muscle tension that could be bringing your energy level down.

http://shine.yahoo.com/secrets-to-your-success/weird-reasons-youre-tired-004500025.html

To read other interesting posts on my Group here at Shamballa called "Herbs, Plants, Spices and Medical topics", click on this link: http://www.cityofshamballa.net/group/herbs-plants-spices-and-medical-topics

May I live this day compassionate of heart, clear in word, gracious in awareness, courageous in thought, generous in love. --John O'Donohue

Rediscovering the Lost Art of Blessing--by Karen Horneffer Ginter, Jun 25, 2012

 
In his book, “To Bless the Space Between Us,” John O’Donohue describes an experience he had when he was a young priest visiting a group of nuns. He was asked by one of the older women to offer her a blessing. After he finished, he knelt down in front of her, and similarly asked her for a blessing. She was completely taken aback by this because, apparently, no one had ever asked her for such a thing.

It’s odd to live in a world where some people, but not all people, feel worthy of offering blessings. To change this inequity, O’Donohue encourages all of us to rediscover our power to bless one another.

I’ve become enchanted with this invitation, regardless of whether we define a blessing as being a wish or a prayer, whether we conceive it as coming from us or through us, or whether we offer blessings though what we say, write, or think. In any of these forms, the act of blessing another contains several irresistible qualities.

First, blessings are empowering because they connect us to our capacity to offer good to the world through simple thoughts and actions. They also provide us with a constructive way to redirect our thoughts and emotions, which might otherwise get channeled into worry, frustration, or self-absorption. Our concern for our child can be held in a blessing: “May this situation work out for you.”

Our frustration at work can fuel a thought: “May this situation find harmony.”

When we find ourselves consumed with our own predicament, we can expand our thinking by offering blessings to others who might be involved in similar situations: “May we all find resolution and clarity.”

Such shifts in our awareness can help us to broaden our patterns of thinking so that we don’t get caught up in a tight web of repetitive and consuming thoughts.

When we find ourselves responding to numerous requests for money and time, it’s also helpful to have ways of initiating acts of generosity. When we don’t have time to do this by engaging in “random acts of kindness,” offering blessings gives us something we can do in no time at all—just by thinking a positive thought about someone else. Allowing our attention to move outside of ourselves can be a refreshing change when we feel overwhelmed by all that’s on our to-do list.

Thinking such thoughts is useful in times when we wish we could be helpful, but there’s nothing we can do. It helps to remind us that we can always, at least, offer a wish to the person or situation in need. We can also develop a habit of offering blessings to people we pass by or interact with, as a way of regularly turning our thoughts toward compassion. Our wish, on their behalf, can be quite simple: “May you find fulfillment in your work,” “May your travels be safe.” We can also write out such blessings to loved ones just as we might tuck a note inside of our child’s lunch box: “May you find unexpected joy today,” “May you always know how much I love you.”

It’s fun to be creative with our blessings by finding small objects—maybe a heart or a fall leaf—which symbolize our wish, or writing our words on something interesting, like a stone. We should also consider including ourselves in our blessings, possibly starting the day with a kind thought: “May I feel peaceful and happy today.”

The more we offer such blessings to ourselves and to others, the more contagious it becomes to water these seeds of kindness and generosity in our own mind and heart, and in the world around us.

Be The Change
Make a conscious effort to share your blessings today -- with some who are known and others who are unknown

Happiness is like jam, you can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself.
--Vern McLellan

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades
--by Lori Weiss, Original Story, Jun 29, 2012

Somewhere in West Tennessee, not far from Graceland, nine women -- or "The 9 Nanas," as they prefer to be called -- gather in the darkness of night. At 4am they begin their daily routine -- a ritual that no one, not even their husbands, knew about for 30 years. They have one mission and one mission only: to create happiness. And it all begins with baked goods.

“One of us starts sifting the flour and another washing the eggs,” explained Nana Mary Ellen, the appointed spokesperson for their secret society. “And someone else makes sure the pans are all ready. We switch off, depending on what we feel like doing that day.

“But you make sure to say Nana Pearl is in charge, because she’s the oldest!” she added with a wink and a smile.

Over the next three hours, The 9 Nanas (who all consider themselves sisters, despite what some of their birth certificates say) will whip up hundreds of pound cakes, as part of a grand scheme to help those in need. And then, before anyone gets as much as a glimpse of them, they’ll disappear back into their daily lives. The only hint that may remain is the heavenly scent of vanilla, lemon and lime, lingering in the air.

Even the UPS driver, who picks up hundreds of packages at a time, has no clue what these women, who range in age from 54 to 72, are doing. He’s just happy to get a hug and a bag filled with special treats. What he doesn’t know is that he’s part of their master plan. A plan that began 35 years ago -- when the “sisters” got together for their weekly card game -- something their husbands referred to as “Broads and Bridge.”

“Pearl says it was all her idea,” Mary Ellen teased, “but as I remember it, we were sitting around reminiscing about MaMaw and PaPaw and all the different ways they would lend a hand in the community.” MaMaw and PaPaw are the grandparents who raised four of the women, Mary Ellen included, when their mother passed away; and they took in Pearl as their own, when her parents needed some help.

“MaMaw Ruth would read in the paper that someone had died,” Mary Ellen remembered, “and she’d send off one of her special pound cakes. She didn’t have to know the family. She just wanted to put a little smile on their faces. And we started thinking about what we could do to make a difference like that. What if we had a million dollars? How would we spend it?

So the ladies began brainstorming.

“One of the sisters suggested that we should all start doing our own laundry and put the money we saved to good use. I admit, I protested at first. There’s just something about laundering that I don’t like. But I was outnumbered! So among the nine of us, we’d put aside about $400 a month and our husbands never noticed a thing. Their shirts looked just fine.”

And then the women started listening. They’d eavesdrop -- all with good intentions, of course -- at the local beauty shop or when they were picking up groceries. And when they heard about a widow or a single mom who needed a little help, they’d step in and anonymously pay a utility bill or buy some new clothes for the children.

“We wanted to help as much as we could,” Mary Ellen said, “without taking away from our own families, so we became coupon clippers. And we’d use green stamps. Remember those? We’d use green stamps and we’d make sure to go to Goldsmith’s department store on Wednesdays. Every week they’d have a big sale and you could spend $100 and walk away with $700 worth of merchandise.”

The Nanas would find out where the person lived and send a package with a note that simply said, “Somebody loves you” -- and they’d be sure to include one of MaMaw Ruth’s special pound cakes.

The more people they helped, the bolder they became.

“We gave new meaning to the term drive-by,” Mary Ellen said with delight. “We’d drive through low-income neighborhoods and look for homes that had fans in the window. That told us that the people who lived there didn’t have air-conditioning. Or we’d see that there were no lights on at night, which meant there was a good chance their utilities had been turned off. Then we’d return before the sun came up, like cat burglars, and drop off a little care package.”

For three decades, the ladies’ good deeds went undetected -- that is, until five years ago, when Mary Ellen’s husband, whom she lovingly calls “Southern Charmer,” started noticing extra mileage on the car and large amounts of cash being withdrawn from their savings account.

“He brought out bank statements and they were highlighted!” Mary Ellen said, recalling the horror she felt. “I tried to explain that I had bought some things, but he had this look on his face that I’d never seen before -- and I realized what he must have been thinking. I called the sisters and said, 'You all need to get over here right away.'”

So 30 years into their secret mission, the 9 Nanas and their husbands gathered in Mary Ellen’s living room and the sisters came clean. They told the husbands about the laundry and the eavesdropping -- even the drive-bys. And that’s where their story gets even better -- because the husbands offered to help.

“They were amazed that we were doing this and even more amazed that they never knew. We can keep a good secret! All but three of them are retired now, so sometimes they come with us on our drive-bys. In our area, all you need is an address to pay someone’s utility bill, so we keep the men busy jotting down numbers.”

It wasn’t long before the couples decided it was also time to tell their grown children. And that’s when happiness began to happen in an even bigger way. The children encouraged their mothers to start selling MaMaw Ruth’s pound cakes online, so they could raise money to help even more people. And it wasn’t long before they were receiving more than 100 orders in a day.

“The first time we saw those orders roll in, we were jumping up and down,” Mary Ellen said with a laugh. “We were so excited that we did a ring-around-the-rosie! Then we called all the children and said, 'What do we do next?'"

That’s when the 9 Nanas moved their covert baking operation out of their homes and into the commercial kitchen of a restaurant owned by one of their sons, where they can sneak in before sunrise and sneak out before the staff comes in. They even hired a “happiness coordinator” (whose code name is “Sunny,” of course). Her identity needs to be a secret, too, so she can help out with the eavesdropping.

“We swore her to secrecy -- her parents think she works in marketing. And, really, if you think about it, she is doing public relations and spends a lot of time looking for people to help at the supermarket!”
These days, The 9 Nanas are able to take on even bigger projects, given their online success.

Recently they donated more than $5,000 of pillows and linens and personal care products to a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. And this August, they’ll celebrate their second consecutive “Happiness Happens Month” by sending tokens of their appreciation to one person in every state who has made a difference in their own community.

And that million dollars they once wished for? They’re almost there. In the last 35 years, the 9 Nanas have contributed nearly $900,000 of happiness to their local community.

But that doesn’t mean they’re too busy to continue doing the little things that make life a bit happier. Sometimes they just pull out the phone book and send off pound cakes to complete strangers. And if the Nanas spot someone at the grocery store who appears to need a little help, it’s not unusual for them to start filling a stranger’s cart.

“Not everyone is as lucky as we were to have MaMaw and PaPaw to take care of them, to fix all those things that are wrong.

“So this is our way of giving back,” Mary Ellen said. “We want people to know that someone out there cares enough to do something. We want to make sure that happiness happens.”

To learn more about The 9 Nanas and Happiness Happens or to purchase one of MaMaw Ruth’s special pound cakes, you can visit their website:

Happiness-Happens.com.

You can't lead the people if you don't love the people. You can't save the people if you don't serve the people. --Cornel West

The Power of a Grandmother's Heart--by Huffington Post, Original Story, Aug 29, 2012

Amid rampant gang violence in a Chicago South Side neighborhood, a grandmother has an open door policy.

Roseland resident Diane Latiker, 54, started a nonprofit community with 10 kids in her living room in 2003. The program, Kids Off The Block, has grown to become a successful mentoring site and haven for Chicago's youth, serving 300 kids last year, CNN reports.

Latiker, who has eight kids and 13 grandkids of her own, has been recognized as a CNN Hero. She talks about her work with the young people who count on Kids Off The Block:

"It doesn't matter where they come from, what they've done," Latiker said. "We've had six gangs in my living room at one time...But that was the safe place. And you know what? They respected that."

On any given day, 30 to 50 young people show up at the center for tutoring sessions with teachers and retired educators, job interview training and field trips to museums or the movies.

Last year, Latiker was able to move the program into a building next-door to her house -- but not before making her share of personal sacrifices. She sold the family television for program funds and gave away her dining room set to make room for a computer station.

Maurice Gilchrist, 15, tells CNN how grateful he is to Latiker.

"I was 12 when I got in a gang -- robbing people, stealing. Miss Diane, she just changed my life. I love her for that."

http://youtu.be/iOSnsE55tTM