Finding Balance During Uncertain Times

2011-02-27T01:46:00.000-05:00

Several interesting realizations about humanity and the approaching of 2012
With the advent of the internet, literally almost every aspect of humanity is changing. Considering mankind is dictated by his five senses, and the media has been widely dominated by elitism to control the opinions of the masses via sensationalism and propaganda, the internet created an open source of information available to the public. The most recent and obvious display of this is the wiki leaks. What is so great about the wiki leaks is not just the information that is being made available to the public - but WikiLeaks itself is showing the collective consciousness 1) the power of the internet, 2) the reluctance of the global elite and powerful to release or have ‘sensitive’ intelligence or data released, 3) the fact that information is actually privatized, and lastly, 4) the possibility of truly having freedom of information around the globe, via the internet
As we are approaching 2012, it seems like now that we have the internet and you tube, google, and online news sites such as yahoo.com - certain global events that have been playing out have actually been teaching humanity , on a global scale, things which as a collective we never realized.
For instance, you had 9/11, which years later shed light on the fact that a vast portion of Americans and non-Americans think 9-11 was an inside job. This showed that as a collective, mankind doesn’t really trust its political or governing bodies.
Then you had the War on Terror, and the War in Iraq. These two wars shed consciousness on the Bush administration, global elitism, and the role of Oil in global elitism. It helped to lead to the investigation which shed light on the elite powers that be, their quest for oil, and it also stirred up consciousness about the conflict in the middle east. This is turn will probably lead to the shedding of more light on the Israeli-Palestine conflict, which plays a huge role in global terrorism in the West by Arabic extremists.
Then, you have the global financial crisis of 2008. This shed light on how the global elite manipulate the money markets. It showed just how true films like Zeitgeist are. It brought to the collective consciousness the realization that the global elite have been creating and manipulating money out of thin air.
Now in the news, we are seeing in Egypt, Central America, Africa, and even in European countries, people are protesting and rioting - and overthrowing their leaders - demanding democracy. People are finally standing up because the collective consciousness is becoming more aware of elitism, and how the power of the masses are being striped away by the tiny elite ruling body which governs us.
I almost forgot, the Gulf Oil Spill! This lead the collective consciousness to realize the importance of environmental awareness and health - and the relationship between corporations and environmental health. After this was brought to the awareness of the collective consciousness, you can only hope that corporations will be more conscious about the decisions they make, and much more afraid to let something like this happen again, lest the people get fed up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

I can only think what this year, 2011, will bring, and the following years after 2012. It truly does seem that things are changing exponentially, and I find it hard that anyone could deny that the time-line of modern history is accelerating at a exponential speed.

Can anyone deny that in the past decade we have seen an increase in spiritual movements, environmental awareness, natural disasters, increased awareness of global elitism, protests and movements demanding democracy, and in general - AN INCREASE IN COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS……

It is coming. Call it 2012. Call it a New Age. Call it whatever you want - the times ARE changing, something NEW is coming, and it is our responsibility to prepare ourselves.

The Meatrix

2009-05-18T18:28:00.001-04:00

I thought this was interesting, and comical at the same time! I found this site a few years ago, and just recently remembered it. If you get a chance, check out the flash videos!

http://www.themeatrix.com/

(A parody/theme using the Matrix to portray the dark side of meat production)

Former President John F. Kennedy....

2009-04-22T00:33:00.002-04:00

once warned us about secret societies, and those who use their influence to privately dictate the affairs of the American people. He said that as a president, he would not stand for it. Well, as citizens, we should not either.

A copy of the transcript can be found here: http://www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com/transcripts/JFK_Video_Speech.html

The actual audio found here, on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBF5DbPbg_A

Excerpts:

"The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it. Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment. That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it’s in my control. And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know."

It requires a change in outlook, a change in tactics, a change in missions--by the government, by the people, by every businessman or labor leader, and by every newspaper. For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence--on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations."

" And so it is to the printing press--to the recorder of man's deeds, the keeper of his conscience, the courier of his news--that we look for strength and assistance, confident that with your help man will be what he was born to be: free and independent."

Stand up for America. Stand up for the World. Stand up for humanity. Educate yourself, Examine yourself, and be an example among those around you.

The Time is Coming

2008-12-05T04:27:00.001-05:00

I feel the light once again . Cristin, princess - has helped awaken me, just through her love.
What a beautiful angel. I am ready to ask for forgiveness. I have faced my satanic side, my darkenss, and it
wasn't as bad as I once thought

I no longer fear my illness. I no longer fear insanity. My life is in Gods hands, and I am ready to start listening.

Lord, Show me the way of the One True Living God, Show me to the spring of life, away from this matrix of programmed death. I am ready to help lead my people.

Prophecy was given in a bittersweet message. 2004-2008 would be my HARDEST challenges. I am not ready for your
life and light to enter my body. I have chosen light - only because I accepted the darkness.

I am ready to join the ranks of the great white brotherhood of light, destined to help guide humanity back to
truth, wisdom, love, and power.

The system is going to collapse, but God will help us survive. The economy is dead. The old way is dead. The plans have already been made, and on the higher realms are already in place. Its up to us, the lightworkers in the physical realm - to raise our vibrations and that of t
the world.

Dear God, listen to my heart. It is waiting for your beat to fuse with mine. My Yoga is my love for You, My Yoga is Love. Dana means generosity - and its time to fulfill my destiny as Dana, Hanuman. The warrior of light who came
to the dark era to help clean up.

I'm ready to travel, I'm ready to breath. I'm ready to listen, and I'm ready for your love and life. A fire is burning inside of me to get

Here is my prayer:

Lord, Help those who are blind to see.
Lord, Help me gain the strength to raise my vibrations.
Lord, Let me be an example , a beacon, for my lost brethren.
Lord, We are ready, we are wanting, our souls are aching for your return
Come back to Earth, Bring us your life and light.

Let my inner circle see me shine - and let them go out and help others to shine as well. Lets be honest with our earthly situations - and not run from them. Hell is only fear. Heaven is nought but acceptance.

The cloud is being lifted - the veil is thinning. The truth is here, knocking at the door. Lets let God in. Lets let religion die. Lets let the government and mad made institutions crumble. They are only shackles which bind us to the false illusion of body identification.

I'm ready to claim my power. I'm ready Lord - Reveal yourself to me as you see fit. Use me as your tool, help those who come in contact with me to gain empowerments and to realize your Love.

Let the new inner circle form. Let my commander lead us to victory, through Gods Love.If she cant, then use whatever tool you see fit to transform our dreamspell influenced minds into a clear, pristine, new way of existance.

Lord- Raise me Up
Your Son, Dana Livio D'Agostino, Hanuman

Mayan 6th day we have entered!

2008-12-03T11:18:00.001-05:00

THE MAYAN SIXTH DAY Begins on
November 13, 2008

Tzolkin Date: 13 IMIX

11^th of 13 Heavens (7 Days and 6 Nights of Creation) of the Galactic Cycle

The Sixth Day heralds a time of flowering for the plant - awakening, unfolding, opening up to new possibilities. Most scholars use the words “enlightenment” and “renaissance” to define this creative period. Historically, the Sixth Day on other levels or cycles corresponded to the invention of tools, first attempts at agriculture and building shelter; the European Renaissance itself; and the flower children movement of the 1960's.

This Heaven of Light, the Sixth Day, begins with 13 Imix on the Sacred Calendar, the Tzolkin. The number 13 represents co-creation, unconditional love and culmination of spiritual enlightenment. The number 13 is the final number in the sequence of 13 numbers of the Tzolkin. Imix is the first of the 20 day signs comprising the Tzolkin. Imix is symbolized by the Crocodile and the Waterlily – beginning, receptivity, trust, Earth Mother, nourishment, protection, primordial ocean of possibilities.

The intention of the enlightenment or ascension energy combined with the primal energy of Imix gives us the ability to feel a new era unfolding.

INTO THE SIXTH DAY

As we transit from the twilight of the Fifth Night into the twilight of the Sixth Day, our burdens become lighter as we discard what no longer serves us in order to evolve to the next stage of growth in this new reality. Just as a plant follows the Fibonacci Sequence by looking back in order to evolve, humanity has a unique opportunity to look back to our ancestors and incorporate ancestral knowledge in order to evolve into our true destiny of being co-creators and caretakers of this beautiful planet we call Earth or Gaia.

With time acceleration and the concrescence of novelty becoming more apparent to individuals, and as more individuals begin to open to awareness and the increased photon field that we seem to be moving through, we realize that our minds alone cannot keep up with the evolutionary changes. It has become necessary to rely upon our instincts and feelings to navigate through this new vibrational field.

In order to continue to the next growth stage in this fantastic journey, we must not only incorporate ancient wisdom by performing sacred ceremonies and rituals, but also tune into our instinctual knowledge. As the number of choices we are called upon to make increase, let our intuition guide us along the ascending path. Consciously choose to take the high road – be positive, loving and compassionate – choose love over fear or anger.

The Fifth Night saw the beginning of the end of dominance. Dominance on every level is beginning to fall away: dominance of governments, religions, corporations, individuals, ego. Each individual will begin to realize their own worth as dominance falls away. Each will feel their own purpose, their own responsibility, and begin to realize their full potential as loving human beings.

To maximize the incoming influx of light energies and to better handle the rapid changes, it is very important to stay grounded. Incorporate a daily movement practice such as qigong, tai chi, yoga; meditation; perform ceremonies and rituals, even just lighting a candle and offering a prayer; practice kindness and compassion; maintain a good diet and a positive attitude; and follow the Mayan Sacred Calendar – the Tzolkin. As we go into the Sixth Day, let us each be like the bud of a flower, ready to open to our full beauty. Let us embrace the ascending spiral of light with a flame of hope and gratitude in our hearts.

In Lak’ech,

William and Viola

www.tzolkincalendar.com

Endorphins - Internal Morphine

2008-09-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

What are Endorphins?

The word "Endorphin" comes from the two words, "endogenous + morphine." Endorphins are small, protein molecules that are produced by cells in your nervous system and other parts of your body. An important role of endorphins is to work with sedative receptors that are known to relieve common pain. These analgesia-producing receptors are located in your brain, spinal cord, and other nerve endings. Endorphins are not a single molecule, but actually come in several forms, and can be anywhere from eighteen to five hundred times as powerful as any man-made analgesic. And, they are non-addictive.

Endorphins have been shown to . . .

Control persistent pain
Control the craving for chocolate and potentially addictive substances
Control feelings of stress and frustration
Regulate the production of growth and sex hormones
Reduce symptoms associated with eating disorders

More About Endorphins:

Because they are naturally produced by the body, endorphins are possibly the best (and most legal way) to achieve a natural high. Chemically speaking, endorphins are polypeptides, which are able to bind to the neuro-receptors in the brain to give relief from pain. They are one reason why soldiers wounded in battle can continue to fight or have the strength to save someone else; it also accounts for the so called runner's high, or why some people are drawn to dangerous activities like car racing, sky diving and bungee jumping.

Endorphins are polypeptides containing 30 amino acid units. Opioids are considered stress hormones like corticotrophin, cortisol, and catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline), and are manufactured by the body to reduce stress and relieve pain. Usually produced during periods of extreme stress, endorphins naturally block pain signals produced by the nervous system.

The human body produces at least 20 different endorphins with possible benefits and uses that researchers are investigating. Beta-endorphin appears to be the endorphin that seems to have the strongest affect on the brain and body during exercise; it is one kind of peptide hormone that is formed mainly by Tyrosine, an amino acid. The molecular structure is very similar to morphine but with different chemical properties.

While many people are vaguely aware that the blissful feelings one experiences after sex may be endorphin related, few are aware that endorphins are naturally produced by a wide range of activities like meditation, deep breathing, ribald laughter, eating spicy food, or receiving acupuncture treatments or chiropractic adjustments. Fewer still know that endorphins are actually good for health, and can play a role in helping drug and alcohol abusers overcome their addiction. Let's explore some of the dynamics of endorphins and how they affect our daily lives.

Although more research needs to be done, endorphins are believed to produce four key effects on the bodymind: they enhance the immune system, they relieve pain, they reduce stress, and postpone the aging process. Scientists also have found that beta-endorphins can activate human NK (Natural Killer) cells and boost the immune system against diseases and kill cancer cells. In contrast to short-intensity workouts like sprinting or weightlifting, prolonged, continuous exercise like running, long-distance swimming, aerobics, cycling or cross-country skiing appears to contribute to an increased production and release of endorphins. This results in a sense of euphoria that has been popularly labeled the "runner's high."

Endorphins may also contribute to what some athletes call a "second wind." Rather than feeling pain and exhaustion while running, endorphins may help us actually feel limber and energized towards the end of a race. According to William Straw, M.D., a team physician for the San Jose Sharks, "at some point you may feel a little more energetic and you can kick-in when you did not feel like you could kick-in before."

Endorphins release varies according to the individual: one runner may have an endorphin rush (experienced as a second wind) after running for ten minutes, while another may need to run for thirty minutes before feeling a second wind.

The blissful feeling one often experiences after making love is due to the body's production of endorphins: in fact, endorphin production can increase 200% from the beginning to the end of sexual activity. Recent studies, beginning with those of Candace Pert, Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University, have documented the connection between orgasm and endorphins, although ongoing physical contact, and not just sex alone, also helps produce endorphins, along with the hormone oxytocin. Together, they are like natural opiates and help stabilize a relationship between a loving couple by inducing what famed obstetrician Michel Odent, of London's Primal Health Research Center (whose book, The Scientification of Love, was published in England in 1999 and available through www.amazon.co.uk), calls "a drug like dependency." Although there are many reasons why two people choose to maintain a close and loving relationship, endorphins may be a factor.

A connection between good sex, endorphins and staying young may exist. In a 10-year study involving 3500 people, Dr. David Weeks, a neuropsychologist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and author of Secrets of the Super Young (Berkley, 1999) found that men and women who have sex four to five times a week look more than 10 years younger than the average person, who has sex twice a week. Dr. Weeks believes that the pleasure derived from sex was a crucial factor in preserving youth. "It makes us happy and produces chemicals [endorphins and oxytocin] telling us so." However, he found that indulging in promiscuous sex did not have the same benefits of enjoying loving sex in a long-term relationship, and it was more likely to promote the aging process rather than reduce it.

Many mothers can testify that labor can be excruciatingly painful; however at the same time, the body offers a reward for this exertion in the form of powerful painkilling endorphins and other chemicals that give the mother a genuine "high" during the birthing experience. By contrast, epidurals and other painkilling procedures prevent the production of endorphins for both mother and baby. Some researchers believe that this can actually cause harm to both mother and child, especially regarding mother-child bonding and the ability of the baby to adapt to a new life outside the womb. Adjuncts to natural birthing techniques (including exercise, massage, water, movement in labor, hypnosis, breathing and visualization) can increase the production of pain-killing endorphins for both the mother and her baby.

It has become well established that certain foods increase the body's natural production of endorphins. Although my 90-year-old great aunt was not aware of the scientific research showing that chocolate causes an endorphin rush, she frequently remarked that eating several ounces of chocolate every day made her life a lot more enjoyable. Chocolate is by far the most popular endorphin-producing food on earth. Known by the Greeks as the "food of the Gods," chocolate is derived from cacao beans that were revered by the Aztecs, who believed that eating chocolate would confer wisdom and vitality. In addition to sugar, caffeine and fat, chocolate contains more than 300 different constituent compounds, including anandamide, a chemical that mimics marijuana's soothing effects on the brain. It also contains chemical compounds such as flavonoids (which are also found in wine) that have antioxident properties and reduce serum cholesterol. Although the combined psychochemical effects of these compounds on the central nervous system are poorly understood, the production of endorphins are believed to contribute to the renowned "inner glow" experienced by dedicated chocolate lovers.

In contrast to chocolate, which is smooth and luscious, chili peppers provide a stimulating heat and "bite" that increases the body's production of endorphins. Many popular ethnic foods, including Tex-Mex, Mexican, Cajun, Indian, Chinese (especially Szechuan) and Thai, are renowned for their spiciness, and the resulting endorphin rush keeps diners coming back for more.

Chili peppers are not all created equal: red peppers are generally more pungent than green ones, and hotter chilies grow at higher altitudes and warmer temperatures. Chilies also release their heat differently; some are experienced as "hot" immediately, or their pungency is released over time; some chilies cause a burning sensation in the back of the throat, while others affect the tongue or the lips. And while chili peppers vary as to flavor, texture and color, they all provide important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, calcium and vitamin C.

Although all hot chilies produce endorphins, they vary in pungency: the hotter the pepper, the greater the ability to stimulate endorphin production, When measured in Scoville heat units or Shu (a standard measurement of pungency in chilies) ancho chilies contain 900-1500 Shu, jalapeno peppers have 2500-6500, cayenne peppers can contain between 30,000 and 50,000 units, while the hottest of all - the habanero - pack between 200,000 and 300,000 Shu.

Several popular healing modalities have been found to stimulate the body's production of pain-killing endorphins. They include acupuncture, massage (including shiatsu), local electrical stimulation (electrotherapy), chiropractic and hydrotherapy, which can involve underwater massage with jets of water (hydromassage), alternating hot and cold showers or baths, hot and/or cold compresses, steam baths, far infrared saunas, colonic irrigations, or applying jets of water under pressure to various parts of the body.

One of the first to document the healing power of laughter was Norman Cousins in his book Anatomy of an Illness. Later research found that powerful, ribald laughter triggered the release of endorphins which not only relieve the pain of accident or illness, but can actually enhance the healing process by helping us develop greater optimism and joy. The manifold implications of this research highlights the body's psychosomatic network and its potential for healing. Pain clinics use creative visualization and deep breathing to increase the body's endorphin production for pain-relief, as well as the creative use of placebos, which are also related to endorphin production.

Music has always exerted powerful physical and psychological effects on humans, but scientists have only recently made the connection of different types of music with the production of endorphins. Although music affects each individual differently, research has shown that classical, rock, heavy metal, and even the music in elevators produces specific physical and psychological effects. By judiciously choosing the types (and pieces) of music we most enjoy, we can enhance endorphin production in our everyday lives.

Scientists have recently found that in addition to calming the nerves and reducing blood pressure, the regular practice of meditation (as well as the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong and yogic breathing) help the body produce endorphins for a feeling of well being.
Recent studies have shown that chronic stress, anger and depression cause the body to manufacture chemicals that can inhibit the healing process and shorten life expectancy, while euphoria protects us from stress, illness and premature death. While apparently unscientific, these findings are promoted by Candace Pert and other neuroscientists. Some of the major ways that we can experience a greater sense of joy and well being in our lives: becoming conscious, daily relaxation, enjoyable exercise, "pointless" recreational activities, tapping into our dreams, guiltless goofing off, experiencing pleasure in little things, public and private displays of affection, sex without guilt, greater laughter and additional sources of merriment.

Recent studies have found that nutritional and biochemical imbalances, rather than lack of will power or character, may increase the potential for substance abuse. Specifically, alcohol and drugs give temporary relief for a depleted endorphin level, which is one reason why they produce addiction. Although more research needs to be done, scientists believe that certain individuals may be genetically predisposed to alcohol abuse because they lack the ability to produce their own endorphins. In addition to counseling, support and 12-Step programs, people who are alcohol-dependent need to address problems linked to nutritional imbalances, like candida, food intolerance, hypoglycemia, stress and thyroid dysfunction in the treatment of addiction. The use of vitamin and mineral supplements, especially vitamin C, E, selenium and amino acids like glutamine, taurine and tyrosene may be helpful as well.

A Prayer

2008-07-13T00:54:00.001-04:00

Lately I've become aware that I have "settled for less" in life. From the time I can remember, my life has always been about soul searching, truth seeker, and figuring out what is really going on here. One of my earliest memories is being a young child, and looking up to the sky, asking this mysterious creation in its entirety "Who Am I?" I recognized, even as a young child, that this body was only an extension of my true self, and that there was much more of me, I just realize it at that time. I knew the truth was out there, but didnt know the means to pursuing the truth.

As I got older, my life had been about finding the means of pursuing the truth, and actively doing so. I remember being 12, 13, 14 years of age, studying yoga and meditation, taking psychedelic drugs in order to investigate the mysteries of consciousness. By the time I was 18, I had read atleast 100 books dealing on the subjects of mysticism, meditation, yoga, buddhism, hinduism, christianity, occultism, and paranormal. I had an unquenchable thirst for truth, and it was around that time that I met my first teacher. For years she caused me to grow, challenge myself, and question who I was. She contradicted me, despite my wishes, and forced me to face my fears and to be more honest with myself.

During the past few months, maybe 6 or so, I've pretty much settled for a lot less than who I really am inside, something I fear too many people on this planet do. I stopped investigating the mysteries of this universe and my soul, and started indulging in more material pursuits. Spirituality slowly made its way to the background of my existance.
However, during this time, my heart had never given up. It was always there, sometimes irritatingly so, to remind me that the reason I came to this Earth in the first place was to discover the mysteries of my Soul, thus unlocking the mysteries of the Universe. No one in the world could convince me otherwise.
Despite me trying to run from myself and this world, and the burdens that come with material existance and having a physical body, my heart would always remind me, in every second that it could, that there is a much deeper purpose for me being here. Despite my constant numbing and running, my heart was there to whisper in my ear " You are a warrior. You are a truth seeker. You are a believer. You have a greater purpose than what you are living up to. You can't hide from this forever."

And, I can't. Last night I said the first real prayer I've said in a while. It lasted over an hour, and had only a few words - but my heart was speaking directly to God. I actually listened to my heart for once, and it was rejoicing. It was so excited that I decided to listen. I had finally had enough of numbing myself, enough of fooling myself....enough of seeking the company of others just so I didn't have to be in the company of myself.
And my prayer was answered. Today my sister asked me to go to church with here, a christian metaphysical church located in Roswell. I had been to this church before, and was actually the one who introduced my sister to this church years before. It had been the first time in about two years that I've been here, and suprisingly , the two founders, who are husband and wife, remembered me!
I received a 10 to 15 minute session of healing, in which several people in dressed in all white layed their hands on me, and did reiki, or energy healing. I could feel tensions rising and dissipating, and I was able to relax to a depth I had not been able to for an extremely long time.

Eternally grateful that I got to enjoy this with my sister and mother - and spend some quality time with my family, I suddenly realized on the ride back home that my prayer from last night had been answered. God listened, and became active in my life.

I have faith that God is real. I have faith that life is good, and most importantly, I have faith that I have a purpose.

For the rest of this summer, I'm going to take it day by day, and slowly but surely regain myself, and emerge myself in a Quest that was once the most important thing in every second and breath of my life. I know this is my purpose. I know this is why I'm here. It's time to reclaim my true sprituality, and once again live in my heart.

God, I love you. Please forgive me for being fake, with myself and others, and closing my eyes and hears. You have always loved me, and throughout this life I have turned my eyes and ears away from You, out of fear. No longer. Thats not the warrior who you Created. Thank you for helping to remind me of my divine purpose in life, and thank you for always being there for me, from before Atlantis and far after this incarnation. I Love YOU.

The Light Warrior Prophecy

2008-05-21T02:51:00.002-04:00

taken from Code of the Third Millennium Warrior by Michael Colley

The Light Warrior Prophecy
(A Battle of Light and Dark)

"The Lion will be called upon to awaken from its internal sleep, rise to face and meet the Dragons of Darkness on a battlefield. The battlefield is the soul and the field must be won for the lion to see its destiny. The lion's heart will evolve by the power of virtue and Light. The heart of the warrior will shape-shift and become a Warrior of the Heart. This will neutralize the Dragons and move beyond the internal battle to set an intention to balance the Darkness that has fallen upon the planet. The lion will gather other lions together as an army of Light Warriors to do battle with an Ocean of Evil. These lions, all equal and unified by a circle of Light will unite other circles until a great circle of Light covers the planet. The soul of the human body and the soul of the earth body will merge to become one and the same. The light will shine from the heart unto the great planetary shadow as if a great sword of truth emerged from the hearts of all Light Warriors. The Light Warriors will be called upon in a time of Darkness to step forward and represent what is best in humanity. The shadow once exposed will subside into the void from which it came. Here within lies the beginning of what has always been."

Another Day

2008-05-14T00:38:00.002-04:00

I sit, waiting--
for what, I'm never quite sure,
life seems to pass me by,
but I'm oblivious;
Always trying harder,
to be perfect --
Eat better, be healthier, read more, sleep less;
for what?--
Life is quite cruel,
or am I cruel to myself?
In all honesty, the latter seems more realistic.
I want my life to be a perfect mandala.
what if I stopped trying so hard--
perhaps then I would
see the underlying perfections,
perfectly present in all things.
Yes! Thats it! Just stop trying,
and let everything flow, as it is.
If only I knew how to stop trying.
then I could just Be.
Maybe tomorrow;
Yes! Tomorrow I will be perfect!

What's Really Going On?

2008-05-14T00:37:00.001-04:00

What's going on in the world right now? Does anyone else have a really weird feeling about what's happening in the world right now?

I just turned on my television today, and the Ambassador of China was on PBS, being interviewed by some women, talking about the state of affairs regarding the Olympics in China and the Tibetan Protests.

This is a really important issue right now, and Tibet is a nation that has preserved one of the oldest religions of the world, Vajrayana, Tibetan Buddhism. Much valuable information about the wonderful religion is being destroyed, along with the culture of an entire people.

The next thing that came on was a world renowned investor and financial analyst, I forget his name. He was talking about the coming economic collapse - but something was different about him from the rest of the people I've heard speak of this throughout the years-- he didnt seem fanatic at all, and what he was saying made perfect sense.

Gas prices are rising, NOT spiking, but steadily rising with no plans to stop in the next few years.

Two major disasters have recently happened. Not to mention the crazy disasters that have been happening worldwide on a really large scale, in the past few years. Katrina. Tsunami.
etc etc

The United States government is giving money back to the people. 300-600 dollars.
Does anyone think this might be a diversion? To take our minds off of the crisis situation our country, and possibly world is in?

I'm not trying to sound like a raving lunatic - but its apparent that something really unusual has been taking place , and the situation only seems to become more fantasy like everyday.

I'm trying to be "rational" about all of this, and say its just coincidences, not to be alarmed -- but even my rational side, along with my intuitive side, is not convinced that these are coincidences.

Does anyone else feel that a really intense change is coming?

Buddhist Christianity

2007-10-02T00:57:00.001-04:00

Here's a link to an interesting web-site. This web-site is an informational database regarding a sect of Christians known as Essenes. They consider themselves Buddhist Christians. Check it out!

http://essenes.net/new/subintro.html

Eco-Friendly

2007-08-21T22:49:00.000-04:00

Being eco-friendly in these times isn't just about being hip, it is about being conscious. The choices we make in this life greatly reflect our level of awareness. Being eco-friendly is about choosing the best alternatives to preserve the health of our environment and bodies.
Lately I've been reading a lot of eco-friendly choices we can make. Here are some ideas:

Filter your shower and bath water.
Recycle (Wow, a big suprise there!)
Eat Organic. Not only is this a much smarter choice health-wise, it is also much better for our environment. If enough people eat organic foods, this will convince over farms to switch over to not using chemicals that kill our environment and bodies.
Turn off lights and appliances when not using them (another big suprise...)
Switch to hardfloor instead of carpet. A much healthier decision.
Stop wearing deodorants and hygiene products that have offensive chemicals in them. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON YOUR SKIN YOU WOULDNT PUT IN YOUR MOUTH.

These are just some ideas. Come up with your own!

How Can you Buy or Sell Land?

2007-08-04T12:12:00.001-04:00

Date: Jul 31, 2007 3:42 PM
Subject: Greatest Speech Ever!!! How....
Body: How Can You Buy or Sell the Sky?

This is a speech made in 1851 by Seattle, chief of the Suquamish, in response to a treaty proposal under which the Indians would sell two million acres of land for $150,000. Buckminster Fuller calls it "one of the most beautiful and profound environmental statements ever made".

How Can You Buy or Sell the Sky?

How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man.

The white man's dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man--all belong to the same family.

So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. The Great Chief sends word he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably to ourselves. He will be our father and we will be his children.

So we will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy. For this land is sacred to us. This shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father.

The rivers are our brothers; they quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. If we sell you our land, you must remember, and teach your children, that the rivers are our brothers and yours, and you must henceforth give the rivers the kindness you would give any brother.

We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on.

He leaves his father's grave behind, and he does not care. His father's grave and his children's birthright are forgotten. He treats his mother, the earth, and his brother, the sky, as things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep or bright beads. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert.

You do not know. Our ways are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. There is no quiet place in the white man's cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring or the rustle of the insect's wings. The clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of the frogs around the pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand. The Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind itself, cleansed by a midday rain, or scented with pinon pine.

The air is precious to the red man for all things share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days he is numb to the stench. But if we sell you our land, you must remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.

The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. And if we sell you our land, you must keep it apart and sacred as a place where even the white man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow's flowers.

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.

This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. All things are connected. We may be brothers after all. We shall see. One thing we know which the white man may one day discover: Our God is the same God.

You may think now that you own Him as you wish to own our land; but you cannot. He is the God of man, and His compassion is equal for the red man and the white. This earth is precious to Him; and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator. The whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.

But in your perishing you will shine brightly fired by the strength of the God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this land and over the red man.

That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not understand when the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tame, the secret corners of the forest heavy with scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills blotted by talking wires.

Where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone.

The end of living and the beginning of survival.

What the world needs at this time

2007-07-18T12:45:00.001-04:00

Some are calling this the Information Age. In my sociology class today, we discussed the various stages that a civilization goes through. We start out at hunting and gathering, which appears to be the main drive for movement/interaction in the early stages of civilization. Then, ideally, a civilization would advance to pasture caretaking and horticulture. Cultivating animals and plants for our basic needs. From there, we go to agricultral, where we use tools to cultivate plants. Then, civilization takes a major jump. We become an industrial society, where we produce and sell goods amongst each other. This creates a drastic change in our evolution, for many reasons.

Next, we reach the information age. This is where sociologists believe we exist now. If this is true, then what is the "peak" of the information age? I've always believed that the internet was going to be a major catalyst for the new Golden Age. If anything, the internet was definately the "peak" of the information age.

When the internet and relevant technologies, I think the next step we need to take is to sort out information. A sort of centralized information system, which anyone in the world could access. Not just a global library, but an interactive, accurate, and ever-changing system of databases constantly collecting and sorting information every millisecond.

Without getting ahead of myself, I would definately say that with the Information Age, should come an accurate , or atleast more accurate understanding of Knowledge.

These are the main areas I hope to see represented ACCURATELY within my lifetime. I say accurately , because thus far mainstream sources have FAILED humanity to portray what is TRUE in these field:

HISTORY. Wouldn't it be nice to learn the truth about history? Where it REALLY began? What if we could accurately gather the historical references from Sumeria, Egypt, Ancient China and on, and form an honest truth as to how humanity originated, and the links between each civilization. Why does mainstream history fail to recognize the great floods, Atlantis, the link between all civilizations, when evidence is already there? What about the global understanding that needs to be achieved about reincarnation, not just as individuals, but as soul groups, and the understanding of why humans are at this point in our civilization, and how its NOT the first time we've been here (at this level of technological advancement). The evidence has already been brought forth. Why hasn't this evidence been sorted and put into a logical frame of understanding?
HEALTH AND NUTRITION. Wouldn't it be great to know the truth and Health and Healing? We live in a society that depends upon man-made chemicals, most toxic to our system, to heal diseases that are already in their later stages of development by the time they are diagnosed. Our current medical establishment has absolutely no cures for viruses, auto-immune disorders, and many other illnesses plaguing our people today. Shouldn't mankind have an accurate understanding of health by this point in our civilization? Many great healers have come and gone, teaching mankind the ways to living perfectly healthy. Their voices are usually blotted out by the bigger voice, the American Medical Assocation, as heretic and useless. Why have the ancient healing arts of Reiki, Fasting, Proper Nutrition, and Preventative disease almost dissappeared? True Health is an inner art form, an inner science, that is greatly misunderstood and needed in today's world. Perphaps the powers that be don't want a truly healthy society. Or, perphaps our illnesses are a reflection of how we treat the Earth as well as our bodies. How can a society be considered positive and productive when its people are sick with all kinds of unnecessary dis-eases?
Current Events. What can we say is more biased in today's world than the mass media, who's job it is to inform us of current events, and happenings around the world. Why is all the media so focused on War and Turmoil, and not technological advances, medical advances, positive things happening, etc etc. When will our society finally receive the proper media it deserves? With today's technology, people in our culture should have a better understanding of other cultures, a better awareness, and perhaps we wouldn't have so much ethnocentrism which is destroying America.
Spirituality. And finally, with the peak of the Information Age, humanity should have a developed understanding of what true spirituality is, apart from localized beliefs, values, opinions, and religions. The inner wisdom, the inner peace, the inner chambers of Mankind. The techniques of yogic and disciplined practices which allow one to investigate his own inner nature. The mystic, esoteric, and exoteric practices that are the tools, or technology, of the inner self. We definately see an emerging spirituality shaking the beliefs of our Country, especially with the New Age movement...but it is still in its early stages, and still attached to certain dogmas and beliefs that really aren't what the true science of spirituality is. We've had hundreds, no thousands, no more illuminated and enlightened beings come to us in the human form to teach us these sciences, now all we need to do is unbiasly learn and reveal them to ourselves through inner practice and dedication.

The point of this blog? To sum up, humanity is at the stage of development where it has the opportunity to seperate that which is false from that which is true....and to share this knowledge all over the world. Those four fields are some of the most important and misunderstood fields of knowledge which mankind needs to be educated in as a whole.

It's time we start now. Stop trusting the media...the government....the doctors....the bankers....the priests......time to start sorting out information for yourself, and learning on your own what is true and what is not.

Significance of 2012?

2007-04-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

This is re-posted from a thread on www.zaadz.com, in the 2012 pod. (To find or join, just go to zaadz.com and search pods for "2012". It is the first one that comes up). This is one persons opinion, which I highly resonate to....maybe others will too...

What is significant with year 2012? To better interpret what will happen in 2012 it is helpful to understand a bit about the history of our unique quadrant within Creation. To help establish a common perspective of some terms used in the following message here is quick outline of some the terms.

What is Source? The Source is simultaneously a singularity and collective. It is a single consciousness and within that consciousness there exists aspects of individuality. These individual aspects are given free will to create and experience. It is through these individual experiences that Source is able to experience all that can be imagined. Individual aspects are created with varying degrees of Source consciousness (remembrance). Do you remember the excitement of discovering something for the first time? If the individual aspects had complete remembrance of all that exists (Source consciousness) then there would be no surprises, no profound discovery, no new frontiers to explore.

What is energy? The basic concept is that all ‘things' are energy and that energy is the basis for everything in vastness of Creation. Energy has a frequency and a pattern of vibration. What we perceive in this 3^rd dimensional reality is a particular frequency/vibration that our 5 physical senses interpret as a person, place, or thing. We are always directing our energy to create. We create experiences in our lives, we create a microcosm of a reality around us, when we daydream / visualize we create these entire visions but they vibrating at a frequency that is not interpreted by any of 5 physical senses.

What is time? Time is a perception of segmented space. From the perspective of a being looking at this segment of Creation from the outside there is no time. There is a linear unfoldment but instantly the probabilities of the future are available. Past lives are our perception of time. They are truly concurrent parallel lives that exist in another frequency division (dimension). Not to be confused with parallel lives within the same space/time. Ten thousand earth years is a blink of an eye in Creation time. The unfoldment of manifestations in earth time is uniquely slow to materialize.

In order to understand where we are today it may be helpful to look at our current space/time from three different perspectives. 1)What was the original blueprint of this quadrant. 2) What shifted / changed to create our current world. 3) How does it get realigned and what happens.

1) Original Blueprint -

The formulation of this universe within Creation was based on a logical and mathematically exact unfoldment of conscious expansion. This universe as well as all the other playgrounds for consciousness experiences were created from the combination of thought and intent of the Source. Our quadrant was created according to a divine order just like all the others. Many types of beings, or aspects, assisted in creating this slowly vibrating physical manifestation. These Creation beings do not require a physical body to exist. They are in general terms spirit beings. These beings create everything from the minute details of sub atomic particles to the manifestation of planets. As you can imagine there is a vast amount energy that needs to be transmuted to various patterns and frequencies to create a world like our. There are basic geometric boilerplates that are used to create a playground. There are basic laws of Creation. One of these laws is the law of free will. Each and every being regardless of size, origin, shape, color, frequency, or pattern has a Source given right to free will in absolutely all aspects of experience.

With in the divine order every being's thoughts are shared with others. There are no secrets and no reason to lie for every experience was easy, joyful, and abundant.

Each thought that we have is a cascading wave of energy that is sent out in all directions. For instance, when we pray to God, however you perceive God(s), that wave of energy is transmitted through a complex array of intersecting grids to all corners of Creation. Within the divine plan there is not one single thought that is not available across Creation. Each being has a connection back to the Source. Each being knows to a varying degree that they are a part of a larger aspect, the law of one, at one with all that exists, an aspect of oneself. There is harmony, there is divine purpose, and there is help and support.

2) What got shifted -

Some 500 thousand years ago a group of beings thought it would exciting to sever the energetic connection between this quadrant and the rest of Creation. They manipulated the energetic grids so that they in effect were in control of the energetic grids. This is often referred to as a veil or existing in a sleep state. We lost our connection to who and what we really are, an aspect of the Source. At first it was simply an experiment to see what would happen. It was a slow unfoldment. Incarnate being that lost their connection to the Source slowly forgot how to find God within. We lost our ability to remember why we are here and what our purpose is. We forgot that everyone on this planet is simply another aspect of our true self. We forgot how to connect to our higher self consciousness. We ever so slowly slipped into an existence where we now think we are simply bio physical sentient beings living a world of disharmony. The beings that created this disharmony have been playing with us. They have seeded the earth grid with thoughts (energy) of dislocation, desperation, isolation, condemnation, hierarchy, and such. They have manipulated aspects of our physicality in an attempt to prevent us from regaining our connection to the Truth.

3) What is happening today -

At a certain point the disharmonious beings went too far. They stole our free will and imposed their will upon us. From the Sources perspective they exceeded their right of free will and our existence of experience was quickly slipping into chaos. The intent of Source was to correct this disharmony. Since all that exists is an energetic vibration of the Source it was immediately executed. If you recall the outline for time you will remember that 10 thousand years is a blink of a spirit being eye and that transmuting of energy within this slowly vibrating quadrant is slow to manifest from our humanly perspective. For the prophets, shaman, clairvoyants, … that are able to perceive this from the outside looking in, it has already happened. Some can see the momentum of energy, some can feel the Source intent, some can see the possibilities of physical unfoldment.

There are human beings on this planet that know all this. Each time they incarnate they are rediscovered and re-taught these Truths. Unfortunately, only a handful are working to realign this existence. There are more that are taught how to maintain the hierarchy, how to manipulate the humans, how to create and maintain power. The human race has been enslaved by the unified intent of both physical and non-physical beings. They have orchestrated global events, media messages, built institutions, created the hierarchical segregation, and penetrated almost all level of our existence. They have created belief systems, and promoted emotional traumas that create disharmony in our energetic fields that prevents us from vibrating at a high enough level where we can access the Truth.

What is 2012 all about? -

The first thing to believe is that 2012 is not an “event”. There is a uniqueness of this time period but the world does not change instantly at this point in time. There is free will and each of us has the infinite power to create so if you intend to create and/or experience an ‘event' you may materialize it. The Truth is that a specific energetic shift started thousands of years ago and is now being felt in our physical world. The earth grid veil was pierced and the vibration of the Source was reestablished on this planet. 2012 is not just about our little planet. It is about this entire quadrant of Creation. The energetic grids that link this section of the universe to the Source are being reconstructed to the original blueprint as well as our earth grid. There will be a universal alignment of planets and grids that will bring us back into the awareness of our true nature. When earth is shifted and the grids restored we will all be reconnected to our source and re-experience our soul lineage. Harmony, abundance, peace, oneness, Love,.. will be the predominate available thoughts, feelings and experiences. We will once again have the choice to enjoy our path to glorious experiences and creations - or for some NOT.

The shift of energy is happening today. The way our governments are operating are starting to shift. More and more people are become more aware. It is not a matter of learning - it is simply a matter of remembering. There is really nothing to “DO” to merge with your true nature. It only requires the willingness to be open to the possibility that there is more to this existence than what your 5 physical senses present to you. Develop a willingness to trust your larger consciousness. You will never loose your individuality even when fully merged with the Source consciousness. You will gain the ability to become at one with all the other aspects of consciousness. You will shed your physical mind perspective and reunite with your larger consciousness. Some may say shed your ego and some may say that it is simply a shift in consciousness to a higher perspective. It will be helpful if you develop a sense of discernment. As the energy of an experience, a message, an inspiration, a feeling, a thought, or idea passes through your awareness take a second to use your core guilt feel then make a conscious decision on how you want to proceed. As we get closer to 2012 everyone will become aware of their own personal energy field and the false belief systems, the emotional links, and the cellular memory events that act as filters and blocks to remembering the Truth. These energetic blobs in your field hinder you from raising your vibration to a high enough level to where you can fully merge with your larger consciousness. There is a direct correlation between your corporeal body and that of your energetic body.

The disharmonious beings are not real fond of relinquishing control. They will take action in an attempt to maintain their rank in the hierarchy. Their control is based on fear, intimidation, uncertainty, separation,… If you hear a message that sounds like “Us vs. Them”, “be fearful of …”, “protect yourself” then recognize it as a mechanism to separate you from the other aspects of yourself. The heightened “Orange Security Alert” at the airports was a fantastic creation of control. The constant droning of “be afraid, close up, don't trust anyone, the world is uncertain” targeted at the mid to upper class was pure genius.

With only a handful of exceptions, every single human being on this planet truly wants to live in harmony with the world and everyone in it. There may be disharmonious manifestations that the world population will experience leading up to 2012. It will be important not to focus your awareness on the lower vibration of this experience. Instead, ask that we all experience the highest vibration of Love that each of us can embody. The direct access to God will be experienced when you exercise your own personal power and free will to experience your own reality and not that of others.

As we get closer to 2012 -

Every being has free will to pursue the newly available experiences or to remain in the older patterns. If you make the choice to move forward you will notice changes happening all around you. You will notice that changes are happening to you. Things that were comfortable for you in the past may not be comfortable for you any longer. You career may take a change direction, you feel inclined to move, you may loose relationship and create new ones. Activities that you enjoyed in the past may no longer bring you pleasure. The messages from the elite world leaders may become transparent. The manipulative messages that are presented in the media will become less effective and people will see past the message to the intent and the attempt to control will become clear. You may be blissful in one moment and in the next you may feel as though your world is collapsing.

Some might say that the epic clash between good and evil is at hand. Some might say the second coming of Christ and the presence of the devil will become evident. If you think in terms of Christ as good and devil as evil and that everything is energy then you may start to build personal understanding of what has been prophesized. If the thought and intent energy of the Truth is symbolized by Christ, or any of the other version of saviors, and if the thought energy of the unified disharmonious beings is the energetic control or veil then yes there will be a vividly evident display of conflicting energy. The intent of the disharmonious beings will be to create conflict, confusion, fear, separation. And the intent of Source is to provide an energetic path to getting home. As this unfolds over the next 5 years it will become increasing more polarized. The disharmony will be obviously visible in all of its manifestations and the demonstration of our true lineage will be equally as visible. We, the beings on this earth, will have a choice on how this plays out in our experience.

Our perception of time is that it is moving quicker. This is based on the fact that the frequency of everything around us is vibrating higher and the space that we perceive as distance and time is less dense. This may be analogous to light vs. dark. How darkness can not exist in the presence of light. How darkness/disharmony is simply the absence of light/higher vibration. The natural state of Creation is a constant connection to the highest vibration of Source. The energetic veil that disrupted this frequency from being anchored on this planet is fading quickly and will be dissolved by 2012.

As we move closer to 2012 each person will have the opportunity to reawaken to the Truth. It will be an individual choice as to whether you what to listen to the message or continue living in this veiled existence. There is never a right or wrong choice - there is simply the option to express free will and experience any reality you care to create for yourself or care to allow someone to create for you.

Take a moment to consider the perspective of the Source. You watch this world of experiences slowly slip into disconnectedness. You feel, hear, and sense the disharmony of the corrupted energy. There are billions of aspects of yourself that have become isolated, lonely, scared, confused, lost, … Of course your intent is save and reconnect each and every aspect. Your intent is to save even the disharmonious aspects and transmute them to whole for they have simply fallen into a state of forgetfulness too. From this perspective wouldn't you make every effort to make this transition as easy, painless, comfortable, healthy, and natural as possible? Wouldn't you make every attempt to unfold your intent with grace? Remember you are an aspect of God and if you place yourself in this perspective and set your individual intent to experience a glorious transition not only for yourself but for all aspects of God you will create and anchor heaven on earth. 02/13/07

Immortal Technique Videos: Time for Revolution

2007-04-17T14:01:00.001-04:00

Athough there is a great deal of anger or violence in these videos, I think its a great reflection of what's going on in America. As immortal technique says "You created me" and "Don't follow me, I'm just a man" His message is clear. It's truthful. It also inspires us to face the negativity and reality of the Dark Forces on this planet that have almost destroyed us...including the Earth. Check them out!

"Bin Laden":

"The Point of No Return" :

"The 4th Branch":

Red Meat linked to Breast Cancer

2007-04-17T13:57:00.001-04:00

Red and processed meat linked to breast cancer Mon Apr 16, 3:05 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who eat a lot of meat, particularly red or processed meats, may be more likely to develop breast cancer, according to a large study of British women.

Researchers found that among 35,372 women, between the ages of 35 and 69 years old, who were followed for 8 years, those who ate the largest amount of meat were more likely than non-meat eaters to develop breast cancer before or after menopause.

The link was stronger among postmenopausal women, with red and processed meat seeming to particularly raise their risk of breast cancer. Women who ate the most red meat (2 or more ounces per day) were 56 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than the women who ate no red meat.

Meanwhile, those who ate the most processed meat (more than three quarters of an ounce per day) showed a 64-percent increase in their risk of the disease.

The association between meat in the diet and breast cancer was weaker among premenopausal women, but those with the highest total meat intake were still 20 percent more likely to develop the disease than non-meat eaters.

Professor Janet E. Cade and her colleagues at the University of Leeds report the findings in the British Journal of Cancer.

Many studies have investigated the relationship between diet and breast cancer. Some, but not all, have found that meat and saturated fat may raise women's risk of the disease. One of the strengths of the current study was the detailed dietary information it collected, according to the authors.

Meat intake remained linked to breast cancer risk even after the researchers factored in the women's overall diet content and quantity, age, weight, exercise habits and smoking.

There are a number of reasons that heavy meat consumption could theoretically contribute to breast cancer, according to experts. One possibility is saturated fat, which research suggests may promote the growth of tumor cells. Another explanation may be certain compounds produced when meat is grilled -- heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - that have been shown to promote tumors in animals, and possibly in humans.

While studies have come to conflicting conclusions over the connection between meat and breast cancer, the current findings suggest that it's best for women to have their burgers in moderation, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

"This new study offers further confirmation of AICR's standing recommendation to limit intake of red meat to less than 3 ounces per day," Dr. Ritva Butrum, a science advisor to the group, said in a statement.

"If these results are confirmed by other investigations in the future," Butrum added, "post-menopausal women may wish to limit their intake of meat, especially processed meat, even further."

SOURCE: British Journal of Cancer, April 2007

How to Achieve Happiness

2006-12-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

How to Achieve Happiness

· Forgive.

Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Stop holding on to what you and others have done in the past – no matter how painful or great it has been.

· PMA (Positive Mental Attitude)

If you believe in something, if you REALLY believe in something, don’t you try to hold on to it, and defend it at any cost? Why not believe in yourself. Keep your emotions up, at any cost. If you are experiencing high vibes and a lot of joy, it is very hard for things to go wrong. IT IS VERY HARD TO CATCH COLDS OR GET SICK

· Meditation

Take some take everyday to sit quietly, and observe your thoughts. 5-10 minutes is sufficient if you don’t already have a traditional practice. The best times are when you wake up, or before you go to sleep. Enjoy sitting with yourself – because if you can’t – others can’t either!

· Exercise

Find some form of physical movement that you enjoy, and do it. Hiking, walking, weight lifting, skiing, hatha yoga, stretching, whatsoever it may be. When you exercise, you help to purify your physical body and mind – which is especially needed because of what we do to our bodies and minds. Without exercise, we become lazy, ill, and unproductive. This is not the way to happiness!

· Relationships

Having poor relationships with others is not efficient. One needs to learn how to be productive within families, jobs, and friendships. Our relationship with others is a huge reflection of our relationship with ourselves.

· Expression

It is of utmost importance that an individual finds a way to express himself. Through self-expression, one learns to channel and release energy in a productive manner, for all the world to see. Examples are music, art, writing, film, or even spiritual practice.

Dangers of consuming cow products:

2006-11-21T01:28:00.000-05:00

Consuming cow products should be avoided, or atleast strictly limited. The consumption of cow milk and/or red meat are known to cause the following disesases and disorders:

Heart Disease,
Obesity,
Allergies,
High Cholestrol,
Anemia,
Cancers of all types (prostate, breast, colon, pancreatic, and many more),
Ostoperosis
and many, many more.

Not to mention the inhumane proceedure of killing the animals, and the horrible environmental destruction as a direct result of factory-farming.

Sources:

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/eng/article/veg10.html

http://www.alternet.org/story/12002/

http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/54/4/190

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20021015/practice.html

http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/site/c.itIWK2OSG/b.788359/k.6989/Dietary_Fats_and_Red_Meat.htm

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=159572006

http://www.usaweekend.com/98_issues/980517/980517eat__smart_vita_c.html

http://www.meatfactor.org/

Still Drinking Cow Milk?

2006-11-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

From: Radical Pacifist (Hindu - Free Spirit)
Date: Aug 13, 2006 9:51 PM

WHITE POISON: THE HORRORS OF MILK

By: Shanti Rangwani
ColorLines / AlterNet
December 3, 2001

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12002

Got milk? If not, then thank your lucky stars. Because if you do, medical research shows that you are likely to be plagued by anemia, migraine, bloating, gas, indigestion, asthma, prostate cancer, and a host of potentially fatal allergies -- especially if you are a person of color.

Ignoring this, the government declares that milk is essential to good health, subsidizes the milk industry to the tune of billions of dollars, and requires milk in its public school lunch programs. And celebrity shills sporting milk mustaches tell us that milk is rich in proteins, calcium, and vitamins -- and very cool to boot.

They forget to tell you about the dangers lurking in that innocuous-looking glass of white. Once criticized only by naturopaths and vegans, now the health effects of milk are being decried by many mainstream doctors. The supposedly hip milk mustache is actually a creamy layer of mucus, live bacteria, and pus.

Former Chairman of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, Frank Oski, M.D.
even has a book called Don't Drink Your Milk which blames every second health problem kids suffer on hormone-ridden commercial milk. Sixty percent of ear infections in kids under six years of age are milk-induced, and milk consumption is the number one cause of iron-deficiency anemia in infants today according to the American Association of Pediatrics.

But milk is also a racial issue. Almost 90 percent of African Americans and most Latinos, Asians, and Southern Europeans lack the genes necessary to digest lactose, the primary sugar in milk. The milk industry's response is classic: they have launched new campaigns arguing that non-whites can digest milk if they take in small sips during the day. There is a burgeoning industry worth $450 million a year churning out products designed to minimize lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance is the most common "food allergy," but to call it an allergy is to take a white-centric view that trivializes the fact that most of the world's people are not biologically designed to digest milk.

Milk does no body good, but for the vast majority of the world's people--people of color -- it is a public health disaster.

No other animal drinks cow's milk, not even calves once they are weaned. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, the U.S.'s leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding "cow's glue" to children, saying it can cause anemia, allergies, and diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease, the number one cause of death in this country.

Most of milk's much-vaunted protein is contained in casein -- which is also a raw material for commercial glue. Undigested, it simply sticks to the intestinal walls and blocks nutrient absorption.

The mainstream media and the government ignore the medical studies showing that milk is a serious health threat, in part because people of color are the main victims. The institutionalization of racism is highlighted by U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson Eilene Kennedy's statement on milk, that the government's recommended food pyramid is intended for "the majority of Americans. It doesn't communicate to all Americans."

The USDA continues to require that school lunch programs include milk with every meal, and recommend that we glug milk for calcium, even though Harvard studies show an increase in osteoporosis and bone-breakage in people who consume milk. It says we should drink milk to prevent heart disease (and is echoed by Larry King) even though saturated fat constitutes 55 percent of milk solids.

The dairy lobby perpetrates lies to ensure its profits. It benefits directly from the exaggerated support prices the government shells out for this "health food." The government pays over a billion dollars a year for surplus butter. A General Accounting Office (GAO) study concluded that a reduction in the government price support system would have netted consumers savings of $10.4 billion from 1986 to 2001. And the USDA pays inflated prices to purchase dairy products for both the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and federal school lunch programs -- milking the taxpayers and actually getting them to pay for poisoning 26 million school kids.

The milk lobby has whipsawed its way into the highest echelons of power. Staffers under Richard Nixon were indicted for accepting $300,000 from the dairy lobby for making milk part of the school lunch program.

Dr. Robert Cohen of the Dairy Education Board, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing the milk lobby, contends that the dramatic 52 percent rise in asthma deaths among minority kids in New York coincided with the surplus milk, cheese, and butter pumped into them under the USDA's free school lunch and breakfast giveaway programs. The incidence of asthma deaths may be even higher since asthma is not a reportable disease, and asthma deaths are sometimes certified as cardiovascular disease.

There is also a direct link between milk consumption and prostate cancer among African Americans, who have the highest incidence of this disease in the world. A study in Cancer has shown that men who reported drinking three or more glasses of whole milk daily had a higher risk for prostate cancer than men who reported never drinking whole milk.

The controversial Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) -- banned in most countries -- is pumped into U.S. milch cows to increase annual yield (50,000 pounds of milk per cow today compared to 2,000 pounds in 1959). Milk from cows treated with BGH is likely to contain pus from their udders since the hormone leads to mastitis, or udder infection. BGH use results in a tumor-promoting chemical (IGF-I) that has been implicated in an explosive increase of cancer of the colon, smooth muscle, and breast.

The antibiotics dairy farmers use to treat BGH-caused infections in cows appear in their milk and greatly hasten human tolerance to most antibiotics, a potentially life-threatening state of affairs. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that 38 percent of milk samples in 10 cities were contaminated with sulfa drugs and other antibiotics.

A fightback is beginning. Protesters picketed New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's planned milk promotion campaign with a photo of the mayor wearing a milk mustache over the caption, "Got Prostate Cancer?" Giuliani (who, like his father, has prostate cancer) dropped the campaign. And doctors from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) persuaded Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams not to declare May 11 as "Drink Chocolate Milk Day" by presenting evidence that milk is harmful, especially to people of color.

The PCRM -- composed of some of the leading doctors in the U.S. -- has campaigned extensively in the health and consumer press and led a successful legal effort in 1999 to make dairy products optional in the federal food guidelines. The campaign was supported by a number of prominent civil rights organizations and leaders, including the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, Martin Luther King, III, Jesse Jackson, Jr., the National Hispanic Medical Association, and former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders.

The dairy lobby remains cozy with most medical practitioners to perpetrate its "drink milk" propaganda. However, not one of the 1,500 papers listed in Medicine that deal with milk points to its goodness -- only to the pus, blood, antibiotics, and carcinogens in milk, and the chronic fatigue, anemia, asthma, and autoimmune disorders milk consumption causes.

The time has come for the milk industry to face the kind of scrutiny that the tobacco companies face today. Meanwhile, discard the moo juice.

Hieronimus & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 648, Owings Mills, MD 21117 USA
Voice Mail: (410) 356-4852 Fax: (410) 356-6229

(Special thanks to my cousin Marty for the info)

Sutras taken From "Heart of a Buddha"

2006-11-08T23:48:00.000-05:00

Some good advice for those in need:

"Do not dwell in the past.
Do not dream of the future.
Concentrate the mind on the present moment."

"Even if everyone else Is not doing good, I alone will.
Even if everyone else is doing wrong, I alone will not."

"Everything changes,
Nothing remains without Change"

"If a man's mind becomes pure,
his surroundings will also become pure"

"Hatred never cease by hatred; but by love"

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe,
deserve your love and affection."

"Focus not on the rudeness of others, not on what they've done or left undone,
but on what you have and have not done yourself."

"Life is an illusion,
a dream,
a bubble,
a shadow.

Nothing is real.
Nothing is worthy of anger.
Nothing is worthy of dispute.

Nothing"

"Overcome:
...greed with generosity.
....anger with lovingkindness.
...ignorance with understanding."

A Tantric Sutra

2006-11-02T13:33:00.000-05:00

...from the seventh century Cittavisuddhiprakarana...

Identity of the world (samsara) and nirvana.

Mind is the origin of all things.
Mind is the universal seed,
Both samsara and nirvana spring forth from it. [41.]

As is nirvana, so is samsara.
Do not think there is any distinction.
Yet it possesses no single nature
For I know it as quite pure. [102]

Here there is no beginning, no middle, no end,
Neither samsara nor nirvana.
In this state of highest bliss
There is neither self nor other. [27]

Whatever you see, that is it,
In front, behind, in all the ten directions. [28]

One should not think of molecules or atoms;
It is this supreme bliss that pours forth unceasingly as existence. [61]

Do not sit at home, do not go to the forest,
But recognize mind wherever you are.
When one abides in complete and perfect enlightenment,
When samsara and where is nirvana?

10 Tips for College Students, Essay by Steve Pavlina

2006-10-02T17:16:00.000-04:00

Searching the net for helpful college tips, I came across this article. I found it very helpful and inspiring, by someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Hopefully sharing this article will help benefit others :)

Taken from: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/05/10-tips-for-college-students/

"1. Answer the question, “Why am I going to college?”

Many college students really don’t have a clear reason for being there other than the fact that they don’t know what else to do yet. They inherit goals from family and peers which aren’t truly their own. That was how I started college. Is this you as well?

As I’ve stated previously on this blog, the three-semester deal wasn’t my first time at college. I had previously gone to college when I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be there. In high school I was a straight-A honors student, President of the math club, and captain of the Academic Decathlon team. That momentum carried me forward, and without really ever deciding if it was what I wanted, I found myself with four more years of school ahead of me. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but my heart just wasn’t in it. Consequently, I sabotaged myself in a big way. I blew off my classes and got an education in parties and alcohol. Apparently some administrator was biased against students whose GPA starts with a decimal point, so I was soon expelled.

That experience sent me into a bit of a tailspin. I was in a funk for about six months, mostly just playing video games. Finally in an attempt to re-ground myself, I got a retail sales job and tried to stay under the radar while taking some time to “find myself.” That was the time I began developing an interest in personal development, and boy did it pay off. A year later I was ready to go back to college, and I started over as a freshman. But this time I knew why I was there. I wanted to be a programmer, and I wanted to earn my Computer Science degree (I later added the Math degree). But it was more than that. I knew I was capable of a lot more, and I wanted to push myself. I wanted to create the richest experience I could. For me that meant a really dense schedule.

Your goals for college will likely be different than mine. What are they? Why are you there? If you don’t know — and I mean really know it in your gut — then you have no focal point for your experience. You may as well not even be there. What is it about your experience that resonates as true for you? What are you there to learn? What do you want to experience?

2. Imagine your ideal college experience.

Once you know why you’re going to college, imagine your ideal outcome. Let it flow outward from the reason you’re there. Whether you’ve already started college or not, stop and simply write down some attributes of your ideal experience. Describe it in as much detail as you can.

Before I returned to school, I spent hours visualizing the kind of experience I wanted to have. I saw myself being challenged but managing it easily and without stress. I saw myself making new friends. I saw myself having a really great time. Most of all I imagined a very balanced experience — a blend of academics, activities, socialization, and fun. The keyword I used was “richness.”

This was a really important step. I didn’t understand the mechanism at the time, but I was pre-programming myself to succeed. Whenever I encountered obstacles, my ideal vision was so much more compelling that I was always able to find a way to get what I wanted. I became a co-creator of my experience instead of a passive victim of it.

Visualization allows you to make mistakes in advance. If you can’t get a clear visualization, your experience is likely to be just as fuzzy. Debug your visualization until it inspires you.

Real life will of course turn out differently than you visualize. The point of visualization isn’t to predict the future or to restrict your freedom to decide later. The point is to give you more clarity for making decisions right now. Your ideal scene serves as a map that can guide you through the quagmire of options.

3. Take at least one extra class each semester.

Students are taught that 12-15 semester units (3-5 classes) is a “full” schedule. But a schedule that light is hardly full. A person with a full-time job will put in a good 40+ hours per week, and students enjoy every possible vacation day plus spring break, winter break, and summer vacation. If you want to spend four or more years in college, add more degrees or get a job on the side. Don’t feel you have to go at a snail’s pace just because everyone else does.

Now you might be thinking that 12-15 units are supposed to equate to a 40-hour week with all the outside homework and studying, but that’s only going to happen if you do things very inefficiently (which sadly is what most people do). If you follow some of the time-saving tips later in this article, then 15 units should only require a few additional hours outside of class to complete assignments. Obviously I couldn’t have taken 31-39 units per semester if it meant doing double those hours in outside homework. I didn’t succeed by overworking myself.

If you’re an above average student, you can certainly handle an above average schedule. Sometimes we don’t know what we can handle until we push ourselves a little. If you think you can handle 15 units, take 18 or 21. You can easily shave a year off your schedule. Or you may be able to add a minor or a double major.

What about prerequisites? For the most part I simply ignored them, and fortunately at my school they weren’t enforced too well. I found that most of the time a prerequisite is listed, it’s geared towards below average students. Don’t let pointless bureaucracy slow you down if you want to graduate sooner. There’s always a way around it — it’s usually just a matter of getting some random form signed by someone who’s too bored to care either way. A smile and a compliment go a long way.

By the law of forced efficiency, if you put more things on your plate, you’ll find a way to get them done with the time you have available. So if you don’t challenge yourself a little, that extra time will slip through your fingers.

I think the real benefit to a dense schedule isn’t that you’ll graduate sooner. The real benefit is that you’ll enjoy a richer experience. Taking five classes instead of four means more learning, more achievement, and more friends. And what employer wouldn’t be attracted to a student who graduated more quickly than his/her peers? This sort of thing sure looks great on a resume.

4. Set clear goals for each class.

Decide what you want out of each specific class. Is this a subject you’re eager to learn? Do you want to target this teacher for a letter of recommendation? Is this a required class you must take but which doesn’t otherwise interest you?

My goals for each class determined how often I would show up, whether I’d sit in the front or the back, how actively I’d participate, and what kind of relationship I’d seek to establish with the teacher.

For some classes I wanted to master the material. For others I just wanted an A grade. And for others I wanted to set myself up for glowing letters of recommendations from enthusiastic teachers whose native language was English (so the letters would be highly readable and positive).

My mom has been a college math professor for decades. At home she’d comment about students she barely knew who’d ask her for letters of recommendation. Many times she had to turn them down because she just didn’t have anything positive to say in the letter. On the other hand, she was happy to support those students who put in a serious effort. Most teachers want to help you, but you have to let them see your strengths. Even if you don’t get an A in a particular class, you can still give a teacher plenty of material for a great letter of recommendation if you participate actively and show respect toward the teacher.

This is not about manipulating your professors into lying on your behalf. The simple truth is that the quality of a letter of recommendation ultimately comes down to how much a teacher respects you. Don’t put yourself in the desperate situation of having to request a letter of recommendation from a teacher who doesn’t even remember you — or worse, one who thinks poorly of you. Set yourself up for success in advance.

One of my professors learned about my packed academic schedule and expressed interest in learning how I was managing it. We had a very nice conversation about time management techniques. I had several programming classes with this professor and aced them all. I happened to think he was an excellent teacher, I had great respect for him, and I quite enjoyed his classes. When it came time to ask him for a letter of recommendation, he wrote one of the most glowing letters imaginable (”best student I’ve encountered in my career,” etc.).

On the other hand, I had certain teachers who were downright lousy. I ditched their classes often and learned the material from the textbook. Obviously I didn’t seek out their assistance down the road.

Sometimes you’ll achieve your goals; sometimes you won’t. Even if you do your best, you may still fall short. You may encounter teachers that are unfair, lazy, sexist, racist, or otherwise incompetent. My wife had an overtly sexist professor who would never give a female student a grade higher than a B, no matter how well she did. He would say things like, “If you’re a male, you’ll have to work hard in this class. If you’re a female, just come by my office after hours.” Eventually sexual harrassment charges were filed against him. You’ll have to pick your battles. Some are worth fighting; others are best ignored. Having clear goals will help you decide which is which.

5. Triage ruthlessly.

You don’t need to put an equal amount of effort into every class. Inject extra effort when it’s important to you, but feel free to back off a little from classes that are a low priority based on your specific goals. For me this was an important way to conserve energy. I couldn’t play full out in every class, or I’d burn out, so I invested my energy where it mattered most.

In every student’s schedule, some classes are critical while others are almost trivial. In a typical week, I’d usually ditch around 40% of my classes because I just didn’t need to be there. For some classes attendance was necessary, but for others it didn’t make much difference. I could simply get the notes from another student if needed, or I could learn the material from the textbook. If it wasn’t necessary for me to attend a particular class (based on my goals for that class), I usually ditched it. That saved me a lot of time and kept me from having to sit in class all day long. Sometimes I’d just grab some food with friends to give myself an extra break.

I would also triage individual assignments. If I felt an assignment was lame, pointless, or unnecessarily tedious, and if it wouldn’t have too negative an impact on my grade, I would actually decline to do it. One time I was assigned a tedious paper that represented 10% of my grade. I really didn’t want to do it, and it required a lot more hours than I felt it was worth. I was headed for an A in the class, and if I didn’t do this assignment, I’d drop to an A-. So I respectfully told the professor I was declining the assignment and that I thought it was a fair trade to receive an A- in order to reinvest those hours elsewhere. He already knew me and understood my reasons. He gave me an A-, and I was fine with that. It was indeed a fair trade. In fact, looking back I wish I’d done this sort of thing more often.

Sometimes teachers get a little too homework happy and dole out assignments that really don’t justify the effort. You’re in charge of your academic experience though, not your teachers. Don’t feel you must do every assignment just because the teacher feels it’s a good idea. You be the judge in accordance with your own reasons for being there. Just be sure to consider the consequences of your decision.

By stealing time from low priority assignments, I was able to invest more time in the real gems. Some creative assignments taught me a great deal. I usually hated group projects with a passion, but there was one particular group project where the team really gelled. I enjoyed it tremendously and learned a lot from it.

A cool triage technique I used was timeboxing. I would decide how much time an assignment warranted, and then I’d do the best job I could within the allotted time. So if I had to write a 10-page research page on European history, I might devote 8 hours to it total. I’d slice up the 8 hours into topic selection, planning, library research, outlining, writing, and editing, and then I’d do my best to stay within those times. This was a great way to keep me from overengineering an assignment that didn’t need it.

In a way this was my own method of academic load balancing. Some of your assignments will be unbalanced in the sense that they seem to require an unreasonable amount of effort compared to how much of your grade they represent or how much you expect to benefit from completing them. Sometimes I would decide that the effort to write an A-paper just wasn’t warranted. Maybe I’d estimate it would take me 20 hours to do an A job but only 10 hours to do a B job. And if the assignment was only 10% of my grade, perhaps I could accept a B there. I often thought in this Machiavellian fashion back then, and often to my surprise I found that my B-quality papers would come back with As anyway.

6. Get an early start to each day.

I’ve written previously about the benefits of becoming an early riser. I wasn’t getting up at 5am when I was in college, but I’d usually get up around 6-7am. I found that getting an early start each day helped me get a lot more done, not just in the morning but throughout the day. I began each day with a 25-minute run followed by a shower and breakfast. This simple morning routine got me out the door feeling alert and energized.

I’d be lying if I said I got up early because I wanted to. It was really out of necessity. I had many morning classes, including 7:30am classes one semester. But I’m glad I did that because if I didn’t have those morning classes, I just would have slept more than I needed to. Even if you hate morning classes, you may find as I did that you’re a lot more productive if you schedule them anyway.

7. Reclaim wasted time during your classes.

Let’s face it. Not every class is going to require your utmost concentration. Sometimes teachers babble. Sometimes they reiterate what you already know. What percentage of class time requires your complete, focused attention? For some classes it’s 90%. For others it’s 20%. If you aren’t actively learning during class, you’re wasting time. If a class is really challenging, sit in the front and soak up every word. But if a class isn’t challenging you, then sit in the back, do homework for other classes, and pop your head up every once in a while to see if there’s anything worth jotting down. Always have a book open, so when your hippie professor goes off on yet another nostalgia trip about the 60s, you’ll have something productive to do.

This was a surprisingly great cure for boredom. If the professor was droning on and putting everyone to sleep, I’d be working on programming assignments. I used to write them out on paper and then go to the computer lab between classes and type them up. That way I didn’t have to spend much time outside class in the lab, sometimes just 10-15 minutes if my program worked the first time.

You’ll be amazed at how much time you can free up using this method. I was able to complete the bulk of my assignments in class (but usually not in the classes in which the tasks were assigned). If you’re in school right now, I challenge you to see how much extra homework you can complete during your normal class time today. Then estimate how many hours you’ll save every week from this practice. It really adds up.

You can’t concentrate at peak efficiency continuously, so be sure to take breaks. When you need a break though, take a real break. I used to meditate or nap on the grass between classes in order to recharge myself. I’d use my wristwatch alarm to signal when it was time to get up and go again. Those breaks were very restorative, and I could go to the next class and work full out once again. I never worked flat out all day long. I worked in waves between total concentration and total relaxation, cycling many times per day.

8. Learn material the very first time it’s presented.

One of the biggest time wasters in school is having to relearn something you didn’t learn properly the first time. When students say they’re studying, most of the time they’re making up for a previous failure to learn the material.

In software development it’s well known that bugs should be fixed as soon as possible after they’re introduced. Waiting to fix a bug near the end of a project can take 50x as much effort as it would take to fix the bug the first time it was noticed. Failing to learn what you’re supposedly taught each day is a serious bug. Don’t try to pile new material on top of an unstable foundation, since it will take even more time to rebuild it later.

If you don’t understand something you were taught in class today, treat it as a bug that must be fixed ASAP. Do not put it off. Do not pile new material on top of it. If you don’t understand a word, a concept, or a lesson, then drop everything and do whatever it takes to learn it before you continue on. Ask questions in class, get a fellow student to explain it to you, read and re-read the textbook, and/or visit the professor during office hours, but learn it no matter what.

I was normally an ace in math, perhaps because my mother is a college math professor who was taking calculus classes while I was in the womb. Plus my father was an aerospace engineer, so I’ve certainly got the genes for it. But there were a couple topics I found incomprehensible when they were first introduced: eigenvalues and eigenvectors. I’m a highly visual learner, which is normally a strength academically, but I found these abstract concepts difficult to visualize. Many of my classmates found them confusing too. I invested the extra effort required to grasp these concepts and earned an A in the class because I treated my confusion as a bug that had to be fixed immediately. Those students who allowed their confusion to linger found themselves becoming more and more lost as the course progressed, and cramming at the end couldn’t bestow complete comprehension. Just like programming bugs, confusion multiplies if left untreated, so stamp it out as early as possible. If you’re confused about anything you’re being taught, you’ve got a bug that needs fixing. Don’t move on until you can honestly say to yourself, “Yes, I understand that… what’s next?”

Ideally there should be no need to study outside of class, at least in the sense of relearning material you didn’t learn the first time. You can review old material to refresh your memory, but you shouldn’t have to devote a minute of your time to learning something that was taught a month or two earlier.

During finals I was probably the least-stressed student of all. I didn’t have to study because by the time the final exam came up, in my mind the course was already over. The test was just a formality. While everyone else was cramming, I’d be at the arcade playing video games. I’d already learned the material and completed all the assignments (at least the ones I was going to complete). At most I’d just spend some time reviewing my notes to refresh the material the night before the test. Isn’t this how academic learning is supposed to work? Otherwise what’s the point of showing up to class for an entire semester?

During each semester ask yourself this question: Am I ready to be tested right now on everything that has been taught up to this point? If your answer is ever “no,” then you know you’re falling behind, and you need to catch up immediately. Ideally you should be able to answer “yes” to this question at least once a week for every subject.

Falling behind even a little is an enormous stressor and time waster. First, you have to go back and re-learn the old material when the rest of the class has already moved on. Secondly, you may not learn the new material as well if it builds on the old material because you lack a solid foundation, so you just end up falling further and further behind. Then when you come to the end of the semester, you end up having to re-learn everything you were supposed to learn. But because you cram at the last minute, after finals you forget everything anyway. What’s the point of that silliness? It’s like overspending on a credit card that charges you 25% interest. Eventually you’ll have to pay up, and it will cost you a lot more time in the long run.

Put in the effort to learn your material well enough to get As in all your classes. It will pay off. Much of the material you learn will build on earlier material. If you get As in your freshman courses, you’ll be well prepared to pile on new material in your sophomore year. But if you get Cs that first year, you’re already going into your second year with an unstable foundation, making it that much harder to bring your grades up and really master the material. Make straight As your goal every semester. In the long run, it’s much easier. I found that C students tended to work a lot harder than I did, especially in their junior and senior years, because they were always playing catch up. Despite my packed schedule, it wasn’t stressful for me because I kept on top of every subject. Consequently, I had plenty of time for fun while other students experienced lots of stress because they constantly felt unprepared.

9. Master advanced memory techniques.

One of the keys to learning material the first time it’s taught is to train yourself in advanced memory techniques. I used them often in classes that required rote memorization of certain facts, including names, dates, and mathematical formulas. If a teacher wrote something on the board that had to be memorized verbatim for an upcoming exam, I’d memorize it then and there. Then I wouldn’t have to go back and study it later.

I’m sure you’ve encountered simple mnemonic techniques such as using the phrase “Every good boy does fine” to memorize the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F. Those kinds of tricks work well in certain situations, but they’re so grammar school. There are far more efficient visual techniques. The two I relied on most in school were chaining and pegging.

It’s beyond the scope of this article to explain these techniques in detail, but you can simply visit this site to learn all about them. Or you can pick up a book on memory improvement, such as The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne. I recommend learning from a book because then you’ll build a solid foundation step by step.

These techniques will allow you to memorize information very rapidly. For example, with pegging I could usually memorize a list of 20 items in about 90 seconds with perfect recall even weeks later. Experts at this are faster. Anyone can do it — it’s just a matter of training yourself.

I still use these techniques today. Chaining allows me to memorize my speeches visually. When I give a speech, my imagination runs through the visual movie I’ve created while I select words on the fly to fit the images. It’s like narrating a movie. My speech isn’t memorized word for word, so it sounds natural and spontaneous and can be adapted on the fly to fit the situation. Memorizing visually is much faster and more robust than trying to memorize words. If you memorize a speech word for word and forget a line, it can really throw you off. But with a series of images, it’s easier to jump ahead to the next frame if make a mistake. Our brains are better suited to visualize memorization than phonetic memorization.

I don’t recommend memorizing by repetition because it’s way too slow. Pegging and chaining do not require repetition — they allow you to imbed strong memories on a single pass, usually in seconds. The downside is that pegging and chaining require a lot of up-front practice to master, but once you learn them, these are valuable skills you’ll have for life. I also found that learning these techniques seemed to improve my memory as a whole, even when I’m not actively trying to memorize. I think this practice trained my subconscious to store and recall information more effectively.

It’s a shame these techniques aren’t normally taught in school. They would save students an enormous amount of time. Do yourself a favor and learn them while you’re young. They have a lot of practical applications, including remembering people’s names.

10. Have some serious fun!

Challenge yourself academically, but give yourself plenty of time for fun as well. Don’t squander your leisure time hanging around doing nothing. Go out and do something active that will blow off steam and increase your energy.

One of my favorite college leisure activities was frisbee golf (also called disc golf). I used to play for hours at night with a couple friends, sometimes until my fingers became blistered… or until campus security gave us the boot for hitting one too many non-player students.

While playing frisbee golf, we would often have to scavenge through bushes, wade through fountains, and climb over various hazards trying to recover errant frisbees. It was always lots of fun, and we’d often “play through” these obstacles. Several hours of frisbee golf served as a delightful reward at the end of a challenging week. I still remember an incredible “hole in one” shot I made from a second-story balcony to hit a light post at the edge of the soccer field.

My biggest regret about college is that I didn’t have a girlfriend during that time. If I had it to do all over again, I probably would have added an extra semester to make time for that someone special. I had the opportunity, but I had to pass it up because my schedule was already packed. Girlfriends can be a lot of fun, but most aren’t very efficient.

This article’s advice centers on making your college experience as rich and memorable as possible. Get your school work done quickly and efficiently, so you have plenty of time for the variety of activities college can offer. Join clubs. Play frisbee golf. Get a boyfriend or girlfriend. The worst thing you can do is spend your time falling behind academically due to poor habits, feeling stressed and unprepared all the time, and then playing catch up. Squeeze as much juice out of college as you can, and let it serve as a springboard to a lifetime of fulfillment.

People often assume my aggressive schedule must have been stressful and exhausting, but the irony is that it was just the opposite. I seemed to have an easier, more enjoyable experience than my peers. Students with lighter schedules slacked off and fell behind because they convinced themselves they could make up for it later. But I couldn’t afford to do that because it would have been impossible for me to catch up on a dozen different classes… and way too stressful to even think about it. If I fell even a week behind, I’d be in serious trouble. So I was compelled to develop good habits that kept me perpetually relaxed, focused, and energized. Many of the habits discussed above were simply the result of setting the goal to graduate in three semesters. That goal dictated the process. I’m very grateful for the experience because it showed me just how much more effective we can be when we push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. It taught me to keep setting goals beyond what I feel certain I can accomplish. Many times what we assume to be impossible just isn’t. We only think it is."

Building an Altar

2006-09-24T22:08:00.000-04:00

When you hear the world altar, what is the first thought that crosses your mind?
An altar is described by wikipedia as "...any structure upon which sacrifices or other offerings are offered for religious purposes."
Traditionally, an altar is a physical place of worship, usually decorated with candles, pictures, flowers, etc. However, an altar can also be a non-physical place inside one's own self. How does this work? And why would anyone want to have one? Let me explain:

Have you ever been in a time of crisis, or extreme stress, to where nothing seems to calm your nerves? Then, all of a sudden, you remember something someone has told you, perphaps a word of advice. Or, maybe you remember a calm, quiet place you've been to that has always brought you relief. AHHHH....suddenly the anxiety fades away. =)

An altar is a familiar place where you can surrender your guard, open your heart, and feel safe. You put your heart on an altar as the greatest sacrifice.
Ultimately, an altar is a place of refuge.

Interested? Here's the keys to building an altar:

Physical Altar:

Find a secluded, special place that you can access daily, preferrably within your own home.
Either use the ground, or a small table.
Decorate your "altar" with pictures of loved ones, flowers, candles, incense, or anything of value to you , that brings comfort and familiarity.
Energize/Empower the alter. This is the key. Visit this place daily, even if for only 5 minutes. You can quiet your mind here, read a book, eat a meal (with mindfulness of course), etc etc. Spend time in this spot and let it soak into you

Mental Altar:

Take a couple minutes to clear your mind. Relax your body. Stop thinking about your busy day at work, your illnesses, and all of lifes business and problems.
Brainstorm and start thinking about people, places, and events that have brought you happiness in life.
Find a way to incorporate these into a "mental construct". It can be as simple as a pure golden sea or white light......or as complex as a beautiful festival with familiar faces, pretty scenary, and great temples designed to your liking. Whatever setting you are comfortable in.
Take 5 minutes a day to visualize this same place, and let it generate feelings of love, peace, and happiness.

Now that you've built your altar, you must empower it daily. 5 minutes is sufficient. The more time you invest in it, the more powerful it becomes.

Here are some benefits to building an altar:

Stress Relief
Improved concentration and memory; clear-mindedness
Lower blood pressure, heart rate, and relief from minor physical symptoms
A more open, compassionate heart
A refuge from the distracting business of this world
More productivity thoughout the day
Renewed vitality to approach life's problems and difficulties

Good luck with your altar :)
and as always, I hope this benefits someone, in some way as much as it has helped my life.

Online Community

2006-07-17T20:24:00.000-04:00

Perphaps the most important tool of our time is the internet. Well, I guess that includes language and electricity too, but lets say the most important INVENTION of our time. That'd definately be the internet.

With the internet, we can meet and connect with all kinds of people. We can form online communities, search for long lost friends, stay in touch - and spread information in no time. This is what makes the internet so special.

In what ways the internet with revolutionize our civilizations across the globe no one is sure yet. One thing we do know, is that it is changing the way we walk and think on this earth faster than anything else ever has.

Here is a list of some online communities I participate in:

www.zaadz.com - Online "Zaangha" for anyone who wants to make a difference in the world, or has a spiritual interent.

www.hipforums.com - Online resource and forums for hippies :D

www.myspace.com - I'm sure you guys know this one. Great tool for networking, meeting long lost friends, and ~~dating 15 year old girls~~ :)

www.cleanvibe.com - Small community of some hipsters, who are into psychedelics, festivals, and alternative community/living. Really awesome guys and gals.

Yama

2006-07-11T00:32:00.000-04:00

Yama
is sanskrit.
It refers to self-discipline, restraint, or even morals.

In the Eightfold path of Yoga, Yama is the first step. It literally means to restrain. Every step of yoga is personalized and suited for each individual, but there are five general consistencies associated with Yama in the Eightfold yoga path.

Ahimsa. (.harmlessness.) - The word ahimsa literally mean not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. This includes in our actions, words, or thoughts.

Satya. (.truthfulness.) - When someone speaks with honesty, it holds more power than the average person is aware of. It causes a subtle vibration to run through the persons body, and other people notice it. It builds character. When we speak truth, we learn more about ourselves as well.

Asteya. (non-theft) - Steya means "to steal"; asteya is the opposite-to take nothing that does not belong to us. This also means that if we are in a situation where someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her.

Brahmacharya - Energy Control. Specifically dealing with sexual energy. Restraining the scattered energy which originates from our Being, and storing it.

Aparigraha. (non-grasping) - Refers to our natural instinct to latch onto, or grasp things that cause of joy. Perphaps the most difficult of all yamas, it suggests that we should sit in our aloneness, our anxiety. Not to find happiness in running away, or tuning out.

Meeting a Buddhist

2006-07-03T13:31:00.000-04:00

A few months back, because of physical ailments, and mental and emotional turmoil, I had become very depressed. I got to the point where I was deciding wether or not I wanted to continue going on this life. Sometimes we reach points where we wonder if it is even worth it to continue.
I got the urge to go to Barnes and Nobles, which happens often. Usually, when my intuition kicks into gear like this, its because I'm supposed to learn something, or experience something. So, I went to Barnes and Noble, in the most depressed of moods, and started reading magazines.
I went to the Spiritual magazine section, and started reading books on buddhism. I noticed an asian man, with a shaved head sit down next to me. He seemed to observe me a bit, but kept his distance, and didn't make himself too noticable. After a good 5-10 minutes, I decided to say Hi to him, which seemed the invitation he was waiting for.
He introduced himself, to which I found out he was a Buddhist from Vietnam. He showed me a picture of him with the Dalai Lama, and seemed overly joyed and helping me in my current situation.
I told him I was meditating, and I also explained my worries and fears about my health. Comforting me like no other, he said to relax, take time S-L-O-W-L-Y, and to practice a simple breathing exercise.
He explained that the best place to start, is by asking ourselves "What do we REALLY want in Life?"

The answer, if we search hard enough, is usually along the same lines. To have happiness, the opposite of suffering.

I believe now that any true spiritual path should start with the basic question "What do we want in Life, before we Die". This question, if asked and answered honestly and thoughfully, can easily put us on the path that guides the rest of our lives.

Don't we all just want happiness, in SOME form?
A peace that lasts through difficult and turbulent times?
A peace of mind.
Tranquilty.
Peace.

2012: A Time of Change

2006-07-02T01:30:00.000-04:00

Many people have already heard about the prophecies regarding 2012, and usually involve either A) humanity ending, or B) a complete and lasting change to our current condition
There are many different opinions out there, but main theories developed about 2012 have been the consequence of :
1) The Mayan Calender and its end at 2012
2) The Timewave Zero concept by Terrence Mckenna
3) Certain Hindi sects believe 2012 to be the beginning of a Golden Age
4) Certain Spiritual sects believe 2012 to be the Age of Aqaurius
5) Hopi Indians and they're prophecies
6) Mentioned by Tibetans

My Vision of 2012

From my own intuitions, I have had many revelations about the times on earth from now until 2012. Many things have occured to set the stage, including the coming of Jesus 2,000 years ago, creation of the united states, two world wars, tibet (one of the last free and holy countries) invaded in the 40s until present by China, USA's involvement in the middle East, the invention of the internet, to name just a few important events. Some of my intuitions include increased natural disasters, increased disease and emotional turmoil, increased spread of instant communication, globalization, another world war (not like the first 2 though), a spiritual revolution around the globe and a civil war in the united states (not necessarily physical).
From my rational mind, I can also see the events leading up to 2012 as divinely inspired. With the creation of the internet, everything from spread of information, careers, business, social relations and networking, and more has been completely changed and refined. We can also see and prove the ecological changes occuring around the globe, including increased pollution, global warming, destruction of the rainforests and ozone, and contamination of water to name a few.
If one looks hard enough and develops a clear enough perspective, you can easily see that our world is rapidly changing. Things change faster now then they did 20 years ago, 50 years ago, 2,000 years ago, etc. Its as if humanity is now on a fast path, and decisions must be made quickly and consciously to determine how we end up.
One could see devastating and terrible outcomes, or a complete spiritual transformation and uplifting of our entire race.

Hindu's call this the Kali Yuga, The Dark Age. It is said there are four ages, and we are in the end of the last one. Our time is marked by greed, attachment and living for the sake of money, corruption of the religious institutions, increased violence, and misfortune in general among other things.

Some things

I believe exist that can ease the pressures of the times, which is what my whole blog is about.

Daily Meditation. One can start and easily practice by taking just 15 minutes of time out of the day to sit in one place, without any distractions, and focus on the point between the eyebrows. (or listen to music, or pray to God, there are many ways to just "sit")
Eating properly. What we eat directly effects our physical, mental, and emotional well being.
Positive Mental Attitude. Trying to be mindful in general of our mental state. Just reflecting on our attitudes throughout the day. Anger and anxiety drains our energy, causing physical weakness and tiredness. Thoughts of positivity and happiness can increase and generate energy and productivity and good fortune.
Connecting with others. Its important not to isolate ourselves. But we also need solitary moments as well.
Spending time outdoors. Its healthier, and improves the mood. Also, its great to spend time in the woods, or hiking, or even camping. It greatly purifies the mind.

Kaizen: Constant Refinement

2006-07-02T01:23:00.000-04:00

My meditation teacher recently made me aware of the term "Kaizen" which means constant refinement. I find it very interesting, because most of my life I have spent constantly changing, refining, and re-evaluating my physical and mental space.

Kaizen - Dictionary.com's definition:

"	Japanese for continuous and incremental improvement, a business philosophy about working practices and efficiency; improvement in productivity or performance"

To refine means to tweak or alter, in order to clean up or make more efficient.

Refine - Dictionary.com's definition:
"To remove by purifying."

I think its really a profound and important concept to be familiar with. Everything in our life is constantly changing, and if we understand the practice and application of refinement, we can work with the qualities of change to improve the qualities in our lives.

For instance, refinement can involve cleaning a room, or moving furniture or items in a house to make it more accessable or comfortable.

Mental kaizen would be very important as well. Practicing some sort of mental defragging, or meditation to clear the mind and help remove pains, problems, habitual thinking, anxieties, etc.

McDonalds gets a McShift?

2006-06-10T00:47:00.000-04:00

http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/17/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/
Times are certainly a changin'! In this article, it appears that:

Mcdonalds sales started decreasing in 2002, which is weird because for some reason I've been catching my mind wondering if McDonalds is as popular as it once was.
They are selling way more chicken products than beef products.
They are creating new healthier items, such as salads with soybeans, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MAKING THEM. If enough people chose to eat healthy, any major food corporation HAS to adapt, or someone else will get the sale.

It definately seems like good things are happening in the corporate world. It just makes me realize that perphaps corporations never really were the problem. Maybe if people themselves woke up, and started following the right ways, corporations would HAVE to conform. Maybe people themselves really do have all the power, if only we could wake up?

Nutrition: Red Meat Damages DNA?

2006-05-31T23:40:00.001-04:00

Source: http://www.newstarget.com/019037.html

Highlight:
The Cancer Research Journal has published a study that claims red meat damages DNA and increases the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Original source:
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=159572006

EATING red meat alters your DNA and may lead to an increased risk of developing bowel cancer, scientists said yesterday.
Chemical compounds formed while digesting meat can cause DNA to mutate and increase the likelihood of cancerous cells developing.
People who eat two portions or more of red meat a day suffer significantly more DNA damage to the cells of their colon than those who follow a largely vegetarian diet or eat red meat less than once a week.
The research, published in Cancer Research journal, found that people who eat large quantities of red or processed meat are more likely to develop cancerous tumours in their large bowel.
N-nitroso compounds are formed in the large bowel after eating red meat and can attach themselves to DNA and cause it to mutate.
Scientists compared the cells of healthy volunteers, some of them on a vegetarian diet, others eating large quantities of meat and over a period of two weeks were able to pinpoint DNA damage.
"This research showed damage in healthy people so you can imagine that if someone was predisposed to bowel cancer or had an inflamed gut the effects would be more severe.
Research by the Medical Research Council published last year showed the chance of developing colorectal cancer was a third higher in people who regularly ate more than two portions of red or processed meat a day compared to those who ate less than one portion a week.
The charity advises people to eat no more than 80g of meat per day, as recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund.
A spokeswoman for charity Beating Bowel Cancer said: "A third of all cancers are linked to what we eat and we must not underestimate the importance of a well-balanced diet in the prevention of bowel cancer.""

Link: Who Wrote the Bible?

2006-05-29T22:25:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE: Who Wrote the Bible? I just had to post this link. It definately is worthy of reading...for anyone interested in the creation/compilation of the Bible.

Nutrition and Diet

2006-05-29T22:14:00.000-04:00

Many people today ignore the importance of Nutrition and Diet. However, its almost impossible to have a strong, steady, spiritual practice in life without atleast SOME awareness on what does into the mouth and belly. Here are some rough guidlines I drew up a while back, which have served me well in all aspects of life.

Concept: The body needs to consume in order to sustain. There are four structures of matter that the body needs.

1) Carbohydrates - our bodies main source of energy
2) Protein - our bodies building material
3) Fat - necessary to live and secondary source of BOTH energy and growth material
4) Water - transportation, elimination, cleansing. the most important physical form of energy needed to consume. water alone can cure disease and restore a body if used properly
+
(5) - Vitamins and Minerals. Found within the four above mentioned structures, so not considered a structure on it's own. They are necessary for survival, growth, and maintenance of the body.

The body is much like a sponge. Therefore, the idea is (1)to acquire the four above mentioned physical energy structures necessary to support our physical life, WITHOUT any additional waste, or toxins (only pure food, and only eating what is readily consumed into flesh or needed), (2) consume the energy structures (food) properly

With that said, the types of food eaten are: Fruits, Vegetables, Beans, Nuts, Seeds, Sprouts, and Herbs

Also, but not as pure and easily digestable: Fish, Chicken (fresh , ree-range, and without anti-biotics), Grains, Dairy products

Common sense would tell you that you should go organic and all natural whenever possibly. Common sense would also tell you that freezing food, cooking food, or doing anything unatural like processing food can ONLY LIMIT ITS VALUE AND HEALTH GIVING PROPERTIES. In some cases, cooking can be better, like with certain vegetables for instance. The reason for this is that the cell walls are very tough, and not easily digestable by humans. When cooked however, the cell walls weaken, allowing our systems to digest the food easier, thus allowing for more micronutrients to be absorbed.

THINGS TO AVOID: "White" products (white sugar, white flour, salt) Over-processed foods, red meat (mostly), Sodas, Overly Spicy Food, Rotten or underripe food, coffee (and other caffeinated products) and drugs, Milk and Dairy products (known for causing allergins, yet can be used safely in moderation), Candies, fried foods

This diet is fully understood and appreciated only with proper meditation. The diet is not solely based on the types of food you put into your body, but rather eating consciously as a whole. Are you craving some sugar? Eat a cookie. Craving meat? Eat a juicy steak. The diet is not based on repressing yourself, only to drain your energy thinking about what you COULD be eating. If you follow the diet honestly and consciously, you will naturally crave the addictive and unhealthy foods less and less. This diet is based on L=o=v=e, not blame or self-ridicule.

General Guidlines:

Chew Food Well (The most important part of digestion happens in the mouth)

Drink plenty of water (A general formula is divide your body weight in half, and whatever that is in OUNCES is what you should drink daily. For instance, I weigh 130....therefore I would drink roughly 65oz of water a day.)

KNOW YOUR BODY (Some people should eat twice a day, and NEVER snack. Others should eat 6 light meals a day, NEVER eating a heavy meal. KNOW YOUR BODY, know your restrictions)

Vegetables and Fruit Daily (It's been recommended in America to eat 5 servings of fruit a day, and 5 servings of vegetables a day. I highly agree, nothing could be more important for the health, nutritionally speaking, then this important message)

Only Eat When You Are

1) HUNGRY
2) Happy

It's such a simple diet. You can't mess up, because it allows you to eat whatever you want, it only gives GUIDELINES.
The more and more you accept yourself, and believe in these sacred teachings of nutrition, the more and more it will come NATURALLY, without forcing yourself to eat a certain way.

Metaphysical Tools

2006-05-29T21:33:00.000-04:00

There are many tools, techniques, and practices one can use that can be beneficial to spiritual work. One technique I learned a year or so back, but just recently learned the importance of it.

The basic foundation is making a list. You make two lists actually. On one side, you make a list of activities that you feel boost your energy. Any activity that stimulates your body, mind or soul.
The second part is making a list of activities that steal your energy, or create disharmony.

The benefits of this practice, are that you will be suprised at how well you "know" what activities stimulate you, and what activities drain you. Afterall, a huge part of any spiritual system is the conserving, or proper usage of energy.

Here is my list:

Activities that stimulate my soul:

Meditation
Reading
Outdoor activities (Hiking, swimming, mountain biking, caving, etc)
Drumming
Coloring
Prayer
School work (although I dislike it! it does however create an empowerment when you force yourself to do something you dislike, especially if you have a blockage towards it)
Weightlifting
Waking up early, sleeping moderatly
maintaining proper diet
taking baths! especially decked out baths with Candles, Music, Epsom salt for sore muscles, and bubble bath!
Writing
Festivals and Concerts

Then there are the activities which drain my energy:

Over sleeping or over eating
Negative Emotions (jealousy, anger, etc)
Arguing
Sitting and watching television, or at a computer for too long
Caffeine, sugar, and other toxicants

Anyone interested should make their list! It really helps to be mindful of that which gives or takes away our energy