THE COMMUNITY FOR SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Whole Life Network Release
The Community for Spiritual Awareness, a new spiritual organization in
Montrose, is making a difference in both the local and global communities
through its inclusive perspective, events and service. The Community was
founded in January of 2005 to meet the needs of people who wanted more
inclusive spiritual opportunities.
Since its creation in January of 2005, the Community has donated a portion
of its income every month to support other humanitarian organizations in the
local community, such as Sharing Ministries, the Dolphin House and the Friends
of Tibet. The Community also
contributed globally to Heifer International, Inc. and made a generous
contribution to the Salvation Army and the ASCPA for hurricane relief. The Helping Hand Fund of the Community gives
temporary assistance to members in need.
The Community also sponsors the popular Cultural Awareness Series, to
educate people about other cultures and their beliefs, and the monthly
Spiritual Cinema Circle, showing uplifting and inspiring films, documentaries
and shorts. The Community sponsored the
world premiere of “Indigo, the Movie” and “Shortcut to Nirvana.” The Community
will again host the world premiere showing of “Indigo, the Documentary” in
January of 2006 and “Conversations with God, the Human Story,” in October.
Other recent programs were the Circle of Peace event with the Dances of
Universal Peace; the Great Community Giveaway, the Blessing of the Animals and
the Equinox and Solstice Drumming Circles and the Main in Motion Drumming
Circle.
The affairs of the Community are governed by a Council of elected
directors. The officers of the Council are President Hans Claassen,
Vice-President Anne Pletsch, Treasurer Joseph LoGiudice and Secretary Donald
Ludlow, who bring a diversity of spiritual paths and life experiences to the
Council. The mission of the Community is to be “an inclusive spiritual
community celebrating the many names of God, the many paths to God, and the
many ways to worship God, demonstrating that the Divine is present everywhere
in each of us and in all things.”
The spiritual leader is Rev. Arlyn Macdonald. The Sunday celebrations are
held weekly at the Lions Park Community Building at 602 North Nevada in
Montrose. The services begin at 9:30 a.m. with a Discussion Group, which is
currently discussing Book II of the “Conversations with God” series by Neale
Donald Walsch. The interfaith service begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by a light
lunch. The new Higher Education Classes follow from 1:00-2:30 p.m. under the
directorship of Polly Cady.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Sunday Celebration Services and the other
activities of the Community. For more information, contact Rev. Arlyn Macdonald
at 252-0908. Check out the Community’s web site at www.spiritaware.org for a
list of upcoming events.
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16th Annual Membership Meeting
Whole Life Network Release
In accordance with the
By-Laws of The Whole Life Network, Inc., your Board of Directors has scheduled
our annual membership meeting for the evening of November 4th at
6:00 pm at the Pavilion Gardens Club House, 2366 Robins Way in Montrose. The
meeting will start with a Pot Luck dinner.The main course and beverages will be
provided. The clubhouse has a complete kitchen, so dishes can be warmed on
arrival. Following our meal, a short business meeting will be conducted and we
will elect the new Board for 2006. We are proud of our contribution to our
community during our first 16 years and we stand on our accomplishments, ready
to do more. To achieve our goals and fulfill our threefold mission, we need
more volunteers. Can you serve on the 2006 Board of Directors? Can you
donate some time and energy to sustain a network of ” those integrating
personal wellness, spiritual awareness, and the sacredness of our environment”?
Call Jody at 240-0234 to find out how you can help.
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How to catch (and prevent) a cold
by Judith Boice, N.D., L.Ac.
Here is a simple recipe
for catching a cold: decide to spend Thanksgiving with your family in
Brattelboro, Vermont. Board a plane in Denver, two time zones away, on the
busiest travel day of the year. Stand
in line with 300 other people, directly behind a woman with two small children
who sneeze incessantly. Board the plane and sit next to the man with a barking
cough. Watch while he fills the seat pocket with used tissues. Breathe deeply
while the plane is taxiing down the runway, inhaling extra carbon monoxide. Buy
two wine coolers and doze off during the remainder of the flight.
Arrive in Brattelboro
dehydrated from breathing recirculated air and drinking alcohol.Have a hard
time falling asleep (after all, you are now two hours ahead of your usual
schedule) and wake up with a stiff back. Make polite conversation with your
parents until your brother arrives. Start an argument about who flattened the
neighbor’s mailbox when you were eight and ten years old. During dinner eat
everything in sight while reliving all of your childhood traumas – potatoes
boiled in your failure to make the junior high school cheerleading squad,
turkey basted in the bitterness of your two-timing 10th grade boyfriend, etc.
After dinner sit in misery watching your favorite football team lose in the
Banana Bowl.
Go out for a walk as the
snow begins to fall. Return home with soggy boots, chilled to the bone. Refuse
the extra sweater your mom offers. At dinnertime eat again even though you are
not hungry. Play a game of Crazy Eights with the uncle who always sits on some
of the cards so no one can win. At 10
P.M. crawl into bed and spend the next two hours tossing and turning before
finally falling asleep.
The recipe includes
physical “insults” such as dehydration, lack of sleep, and cold exposure.
Emotional traumas, such as arguing with a brother and reliving childhood
experiences, also play a role. Remember that the digestive system shuts down
when we are under stress. The huge holiday meal sours in the digestive tract,
producing toxins that effect the rest of the body. The sneezing children and
coughing man provide only the seed of illness; the physical and emotional
traumas prepare the soil. The bacteria and viruses that cause infections
surround us all the time. Only when the immune system is challenged beyond its
ability to defend the body does the bacteria or virus gain a foothold and
foment an infection.
Preventing Colds and
Flu:
·
Wash your hands frequently. A hospital in
New Jersey has a special ward devoted to studying the common cold. The nurses
and physicians there are rarely ill. They attribute their lack of infection to
frequent hand washing. Wash your hands every time you enter a building, before
you handle food, and after every sneeze or nose blowing session (to avoid re-infecting
yourself and others).
·
Sleep as much as you can. Most of us probably need 9 – 10 hours
of sleep, rather than the 8 hours routinely recommended. Lack of sleep will
diminish natural killer cells, B cells, and other important components of the
immune system.
·
Avoid sugar. As little as one gram of
sugar will decrease immune function for up to 24 hours. Remember that Succanat,
Turbinado sugar, and evaporated cane juice are all euphemisms for “sugar.”
·
Focus on foods rich in carotenoids and
flavenoids, which boost immune function. Think of richly colored foods, e.g.
blueberries, red peppers, carrots, winter squash, and paprika. Sorry, orange
Kool-aid™ doesn’t count.
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New Business Member Profile:
Continuing Education Seminars For
Wellness Therapists
Whole Life Network Release
Based in Grand Junction,
we were established in January of 2005 as a non-profit organization formed to
provide educational seminars for wellness therapists. Our executive board
consists of Marilyn Veselack, president, Mary T. “Polly” Tackett,
vice-president and Brenn Luff, administrative facilitator. By our definition,
the term “wellness therapists” includes massage therapists, but also extends to
individuals engaged in therapies that promote and preserve health. As new
knowledge, research and therapeutic techniques are developed, we will provide
seminars, with the opportunity to earn continuing education units that are
nationally recognized and valued. This
service will help reduce the need to travel long distances for members to
maintain professional status. While non-members of our organization are welcome
to participate, we encourage membership by offering benefits that include:
advance notification of workshops that are given four times per calendar year,
networking opportunities, quarterly on-line newsletter, workshop discounts, and
a web registry of members and their wellness categories. Please visit our
website, ceswt.org and view our logo. Our logo is a combination of symbols that
represent our mission. It is a metaphorical representation that combines the
Japanese symbol for “Chi” and a set of heart shaped leaves seeking heaven.
“Chi” is defined as the life force energy that flows within each and everyone.
It is the link between body, soul and spirit. The heart shaped leaves represent
personal growth that is different for each person and always-seeking knowledge.
To join or for more information go to our website or call 970 263-9118.
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Remembering Aztlán
a Column of Poetry, Culture & Spirit by Art Goodtimes
NAVAJO LAKE TRAIL
… Imagine a couple of aging geezers hiking by moonlight in the shadow of Wilson
Peak. Jimbo’s a couple of years older than me. Not that you’d measure his
athletic prowess by age. His rigor and outdoorsmanship have long been the envy
of our Norwood circle of friends … He was famous, when younger, as the BLM’s
bootless ranger. The uniformed summer hire who’d come traipsing into your
desert camp, barefoot, in the heat of the day, miles from the nearest road …
And he’s the one who brings us fresh Scow Bay oysters (the best!) from the
coast, when he comes back to Naturita Canyon to check on his canyon orchard.
And this year was a record harvest – Golden Delicious, Rambo, Northern Spy. All
dozen or so of his trees seemed to fruit – an unparalleled output for many a
year in this apple-challenged clime of ours … Well, he always tries to interest
me in some sort of wilderness trek when he’s here. Usually I’m too busy. But
darn, I was game this fall. He proposed a hike up from Wood’s Lake, starting
late in the day, and coming back by moonlight. Intriguing, I thought. I’ve
always loved moonlit jaunts … And so we did it. Rousting Roudy Roudebush and
horsehair crew at Woods Lake. Dogging it up to treeline, in time for a majestic
sunset over the Dolores Peaks. And then making our way back down the trail,
with just the cloud-reflected moonlight to light our way. No flashlight all the
way down. And neither of us fell, or lost our way (although we did whistle a
bit to let the bears know we were coming) … It was a delightful way to remember
why we love this mountain paradise of ours. One last alpine fling, before the
cold weather sets in.
POEM AS PROSE
… Newspaper don’t like long poems. So I’m condensing the following piece by
long-time Western Slope editor, teacher, writer and Headwaters organizer George
Sibley of Gunnison … Turning it into a kind of prose poem (and taking some
liberties with the punctuation). Prose or poetry, it’s great read aloud. George
performed it for a bunch of us at the recent Silverton Mountain Writing
Workshop. And he’s kindly given us permission to run it.
SOMETIMES RECOVERING
WRITER … Hello. My name is George, and I’m a recovering
writer. Sometimes, anyway. Sometimes I’m recovering. Sitting down with the
newspaper when I wake up early. Going to the processed word rather than the
word generator. Reading what I’m supposed to read. Trying to think about what
I’m supposed to think about. Thinking that no news, nothing new, is good news …
But all that while my addiction is latent, lurking. And I’m thinking about
words, words lining up in front of me. Words like shots in the dark. Shots like
lightning before me, lighting me up. Words pouring into me. Out of me. Words
dancing on the table in front of me. Words. Words. Me drunk on words. Words
pouring out in a flood of feeling. Flood of meaning. Flood of words. Trying to
say the unsayable. Speak the unspeakable. Make it all make a higher sense.
High. High. High on words trying to say something. Say -- something, please.
Something. Anything. Usually just drunk on words. Soggy. Smitten. Words down
the drain. Down the head of the thirsting soul … But sometimes – well, once,
maybe, or maybe once imagined. The words fired. Took fire. Burned with the
white heat of joy, anger, anguish. No hate, no fear, nothing but the joy beyond
fear. The love for, for .... Well, drunk again. Drunk on words. And where they take
me. Take me ... Sometimes I’m a recovering writer. But mostly I’m just drunk on
words and where they take me.
FIRST WORLD? …
Last September, a Category 5 hurricane battered the small island of Cuba with
160-mile-per-hour winds. More than 1.5 million Cubans were evacuated to higher
ground ahead of the storm. Although the hurricane destroyed 20,000 houses, no
one died.
MYCELLIUM RUNNING
… Paul Stamet’s revolutionary book on how mushrooms can help save the world has
just come out from Ten Speed Press (www.tenspeed.com). As Michael Pollan,
author of The Botany of Desire, has written, “Stamets is a visionary
emissary from the fungus [kindom] to our world, and the message he’s brought
back in this book, about the possibilities fungi hold for healing the environment,
will fill you with wonder and hope.” … It’s an audacious read. Stamets starts
with the premise that mycelium – the maze of one-celled strands that make up
the underground latticework roots of a mushroom -- is nothing short of “the
neurological network of nature.” These mycological membranes are “aware, react
to change, and collectively have the long-term health of the host environment
in mind.” … This is a radical change in perspective from most scientific
researchers. Stamets views mushrooms as biological equals. He takes a Deep
Ecology attitude towards the object of his study and experiments. Rather than
treat mycelia as expendable lab mice, he honors them as sentient beings and
seeks to learn with them, not just from them. And he credits his experience
with Psilocbye species – his “mushroom spirit teachers -- as engendering
this novel approach to the study of mycology … But this is not a New Age paean
to psychedelia. Far from it. This is a practical hands-on compendium of
experiments and discoveries relating to a new field of science that Stamets has
dubbed “mycorestoration”, that is, engaging mycelia for healing habitats
through mycofiltration, mycoforestry, mycoremediation and mycopesticides … And
the how-to nature of this treatise relates to another startling premise Stamets
uses in advancing his ideas about mushrooms – random selection is no longer the
dominant force of human evolution. For better or worse, according to Stamets,
conscious human processes in politics, economics and biotechnology now appear
to hold the key to our specie’s future. This may not exactly be the
“intelligent design” theory advanced by our faith-based brethren, but it’s a
significant change in the history of the world that appears to be happening,
almost unnoticed, all around us.
© 2004 Art Goodtimes
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Dea's Kitchen: Autumn Ritual
by Dea Jacobson
As I write this, the
aspen stands, stripped bare of leaves, appear as grey stubble, bristling on the
shoulders of the Grand Mesa. A storm earlier this week has prepared the forest
for hunting season, and the jeeps, pickups, SUV's and campers steadily climb up
the hill, pulling 4-wheelers, horse trailers, you name it! So different from
last Sunday afternoon, the day we celebrated the first (hopefully!) annual Great Cider Pressing party! On that
day, the aspens glittered golden against a deep blue sky, and a light breeze
sent them shimmering down around hikers' shoulders to the ground. Today, the
light and shadows of a partly cloudy day play on the oak brush, as the greens
turns into shades of yellow, orange and a deep burgundy red. Fall is settling
into the foothills of the mesa.
Apples have been in
great supply this year, and my friend Gerry, who kindly shared apricots with me
last month, invited me and 30 or so of her like-minded buddies up to her place
to press fresh cider. The only requirement was to bring bottles to fill, and I
found four half gallon jars up to the task. As I arrived, the party was in full
production mode, with rows of workers lining each side of a wooden work bench,
chopping apples in half, digging out worms, sharing jokes, jibes and gossip. I
found a place and relieved someone who was ready for a break. The bench had a
slot all along its length, filled with apples supplied from a vat where they
bobbed in cold water while awaiting their fate. Winesaps, golden delicious,
romes, and a few varieties no one could rightly identify, kept coming by the
box-load.
Workers efficiently
picked up the plastic tubs as we filled them with cut apples and delivered them
to the grinder, next on the "assembly line". The grinder had a caste
iron wheel with a crank that, when turned, chopped the apples and dropped them
into another vat below, ready for the press. With a big guy on each side, a
T-shaped screw handle was turned onto a plate over the slotted container
holding all those chopped apples. Sweet juice squished and bubbled out into a
deep pan, sometimes overflowing in response to the enthusiasm of the pressers.
Next, the precious cider, along with excited bees looking for a sip, was poured
into a huge vat on metal legs, reminiscent of a laundry sink, with a faucet at
the bottom. Bottle after bottle was filled to overflowing with the golden amber
nectar, the bottlers ducking the bees as they wiped down the sticky containers.
Next to the grinder was a pitcher of fresh cider to quench the thirst of the
workers.
When one wanted a to
take a break (and someone was always there to take your place), there was a
long table filled with everything from chips and dips to stuffed mushrooms,
veggies and hot chili, and, of course, a big cooler of beer. The Broncos were playing
on the TV in the house, and occasionally someone went in to give us an update.
It was a totally great party. It also doubled as a going away party for Gerry
and her husband, who were heading south in a few days to spend the winter in
Arizona. What a gift to give to your friends! I came away with my two gallons,
and was given one more for a friend. Since we ran out of bottles, I also left
with several bags of apples, that I will dry, make apple butter and sauce out
of.
I heard a speaker on the
Bioneers the other day say that food was really about relationship...with the
land and with each other. He referred to local growing areas as
"foodsheds" to be recognized, nurtured and cared for. Gerry said
that, when she and Denny came to Cedaredge, they recognized it as a place where
this type of relationship could be practiced. Judging from the turnout, she's
right. We were all hungry for community and thisty for the juice we got from
it. Thanks so much, Gerry, and happy
Winter!
This month, I borrowed a
recipe from this month's Vegetarian Times Magazine. It's a spread that will
make a wonderful addition to the holiday snack tray and is served on sliced
pears and apples, of course!
Creamy
Maple-Pumpkin Spread
3/4 cup light cream
cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 TBSP. Maple Syrup
1 TSP. cinnamon
Combine cream cheese,
pumpkin and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and mix till well blended with the
tool of your choice. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat till smooth. Cover and
chill 30 minutes. Serve with fruit slices, etc! Enjoy!
Author Dea Jacobson, RYT
is the director of Blue Heron Yoga and Fitness. She offers classes in Delta and Mesa Counties and is a registered
yoga teacher, graduate of Naturally Grand Cooking School and a licensed Religious
Science Practitioner. She can be reached at www.blueheronyoga.com, at 970 856
4905, or at P.O. Box 95, Cedaredge, Colorado
81413.
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Our Gracious, Giving, Grandmothers
by Jill Burkey
In January, I attended a
women's writing retreat and as we sat around the circle sharing our writing and
experiences, we noticed a central theme of grandmothers emerging. I wondered why grandmothers were so influential
in our lives and as I tried to answer that question, I didn't have far to
look. My mom's mother, who we
affectionately call Granny, is a woman whose perspective and way of being in
the world inspire me to be a better person.
Her attentiveness to me since I was a young girl, in the form of time
spent together, special gifts, and the way she talked proudly about me to other
people, all helped make me feel like I mattered. Not that my parents didn't do those things, but after all they
were my parents and were supposed to.
My grandparent's love, however, was unexpected. I found it delightful that these people who
didn't live with me and who weren't part of my immediate life, loved me, shared
things with me, and wanted to teach me things.
In some ways, I wish I
could become more like Granny, and I'm drawn toward the insight and history her
91 years hold. She commented several
times throughout her life that the 60's were her favorite age. She said she
felt like she had arrived in her 60's and had the sense to know it. Settled and free from the sense of pressure
and competition, she entered that decade of her life with four grandchildren
ranging in from age two to seven.
As Granny alluded to,
grandparents are at a point in their lives when they can slow down and enjoy
their grandchildren in ways parents can't.
They are one step removed from the daily care and worries of parenting
and can be more like friends and mentors than parents. They have more time and space to explore
life with their grandchildren.
Grandchildren and their
grandparents seem to have an automatic bond by being exclusive members in the
club that intimately knows the flaws and strengths of the generation between
them. Grandparents can be a soft place
to fall, or even just to think about, when children's own parents disappoint
them, justifiably or not.
Maybe realizing they
didn't raise perfect children who aren't going to be perfect parents,
grandparents can fill in the parenting gaps their own offspring leave. Maybe there are things they wish they had
taught their own children but didn't during the rush of everyday life and
towing the party line of parenthood.
Maybe being a grandparent is a second chance to get things right, and
realizing life is short, they make the best of that chance. Maybe there's a reason these parents of
parents are described as grand and great.
Sure there are exceptions, but most are well deserving of the title.
Jill Burkey is a
freelance writer & stay-at-home mother of 2 children. She has a B.S. in
English, Business, and Secondary Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University
& provides professional writing services through Word Wise, Ink. Contact
Jill at 255-7348 or at burkey@frontier.net.
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Peaceful Contributions for the Soul
by Kathy Gates
November is a good time
to look within. A good time to retreat into the silence of meditation. A
wonderful time to have solitude and quiet, to be at peace.
Reflecting on self,
listening to your inner feelings and spending time with your Creator. The
greatest gift to self is the communion with the Divine within.
During this time of
looking within you can learn about truth and seeing all that is your life more
clearly. See what ideas come up that can assist you in making positive changes.
Ask yourself questions, am I happy? What would it take to make me happy? Am I
healthy? What can I do to be healthier? What are my fears? Why do I have these
fears? Ask any questions within yourself, that you feel need honest answers.
And then listen with your inner voice.
Know in your heart when
the truthful answers from within arise, the answers from your communication
with the Divine come through, write them down. Then you'll know exactly what
you need to do to make any necessary changes to improve the quality of your
life. Spirit always guides all perfectly and never fails.
With practice you can
raise your sensitivity to the voice of Spirit. It will help you to be more
receptive to yourself and others. Drink a nice hot cup of chamomile tea, it
will help you to relax to the point you can make an inward journey, that will
allow you to look deep within, and find the solutions you are looking for.
Have compassion for
yourself; sometimes meditation can make you smile and other times tears will
flow. This is healing taking place within. This is your own Life force working
for your happiness. Be patient with yourself and let this Life energy move
through you. Let it heal your soul. Let
it love you. Be joyful and grateful for this special time you take for you. It's
well worth the time. This time will bring you peace and calm and wisdom from
the Universe. And you are totally worth it.
Affirmation: With
unconditional love, I love myself the way I am and the way that I can be.
Women's Spirit Retreat
is offering 3-day silent retreats during the months of November and December,
if you are looking for a place of solitude surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Email wsretreat@aol.com or call 970-856-7665 for reservation request.
Workshops for November
include:
·
7 Healing Chakras the first and 3rd
Saturdays from 11 am to 1 pm ongoing
until completed.
·
Sun Bears Visions-Medicine Wheel
Teachings-2nd and 4th Saturdays from 11 am to 1 pm. ongoing
·
Women's Sacred Circle gatherings the 2nd
Saturday each month from 3-5pm.
Blessings to all living
beings. Kathy
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Culinary Spices As Medicine
© Anne Calzada Herbalist
Coveted by the wealthy
and cherished by the wise, spices were a part of the ancient trading route.
Today, spices are still esteemed, perhaps more for their culinary actions as
opposed to their monetary value, however if you have ever sought out a vanilla
bean from Madagascar, then you know the price of their worth. Saffron remains
the most expensive spice in the world. Many people may not realize the healing
benefits of the culinary spices in their cupboard. Oregano and basil may invoke
thoughts of Italian food. Cayenne and chilli's may remind you of Spanish food.
Curry and turmeric may take you to India. Ginger and sesame and you start
craving Asian food! Here are a few of the more common herbs used as spices in
most homes.
Cayenne Capsicum
frutescens
Loaded with Vitamin C
and carotene, this spice is a circulatory stimulant, antiseptic, antioxidant,
antiviral, and diaphoretic. In hot climates it used to cool oneself off through
perspiration. It speeds up your metabolism via thermogenisis. Cayenne is used
topically for pain due to it's constituent called capsaicin. It blocks pain
transmission and stimulates endorphin production. It increases circulation and
can be useful for normalizing blood pressure.
Cinnamon Cinnamonium sp.
Cinnamon is antiseptic,
antifungal, aphrodisiac, carminative, and anti-viral. It helps to soothe GI
tract upsets, as it is good for nausea and diarrhea. It has a drying effect on
dampness in the body. It is warming and energizing in the body, therefore
helpful for pains such as arthritis. It helps to ward of viruses and microbes.
It is an aphrodisiac, increasing circulation and delighting the senses if
smelled. It is also used to freshen the breath. A little cinnamon may be
relaxing.
Garlic Alliums sativum
One of the best-known
spices this "stinking rose" as it is sometimes called, is a member of
the Lily family. It is anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic
and an immune stimulant. Garlic helps prevent heart disease. A clove a day
keeps the doctor away and maybe some of your friends too! It regulates high and
low blood pressure as it is vaso-dilating and reduces blood platelet
aggregation. Garlic contains allicin, which is antibacterial in effect,
stimulating the body's immune response. It is helpful for sore throats, colds
and flu.
Ginger Zingiber
officinale
This root is
antispasmodic, carminative, circulatory stimulant, expectorant, diaphoretic,
and anti-parasitic. Ginger outdoes dramamine in terms of morning and sea sickness.
Calming to upset stomach conditions such as nausea, gas and indigestion. It
helps to soothe sore muscles as it is warming and circulating, similar to
cayenne. Ginger will also help with cramps and menstruation due to its
anti-spasmodic activity. It can help to bring on a delayed period. It is used
to rid the body of parasites.
Oregano Origanum vulgare
Oregano is
antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, cholagouge and an expectorant. t is a
pungent aromatic plant. It helps to delay the onset of colds and flu. It
supports the immune system. It helps to expect phlegm from the lungs. It is
supportive of the liver and the gallbladder. It can calm indigestion, nausea
and headaches. Fresh oregano can be applied to a toothache.
Parsley Petroselinum
crispum
It is antioxidant,
carminative and diueretic. Parsley is sweet and neutral in flavor, however it
is rich in iron, vitamin C and beta-carotene. It extremely rich in chlorophyll,
which helps to build the blood. Used as a nutritive, parsley nourishes anemia.
Benefiting the kidneys, it reduces water retention and edema. It helps to clear
the kidney ducts from stones and toxic build up. It is well known as a breath
freshener, so the next time it is served to you as garnish on your plate, you
may be enticed to consume this leafy green! Use parsley as food, tea, capsule
or extract.
Turmeric Curcuma longa
Turmeric is antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, and anti-tumoral. A member of the Ginger
family. Turmeric protects the liver and gallbladder. It reduces inflammation,
making it helpful for arthritic conditions. It calms swellings in wounds and
bruises. It has anticoagulant properties and is anti-mutagenic, decreasing
tumoral formation. It is used for beautifying the skin insides and out in
India.
Vanilla Vanilla
planifolia
Vanilla is a member of
the Orchid family. It is sweet and warm in flavor. It is one of the most well
known aphrodisiacs. It is the second most expensive spice in the world. It is
calming, soothing and luxuriating. Aromatically speaking it invokes romance and
sensuality.Use real vanilla extract without chemicals in it. Try purchasing the
bean and substitute ½ inch bean for 1 tsp. extract.
Vanilla Extract
Slice four vanilla pods
down the center and chop them into pieces. Put the pieces in a small jar and
cover with ¼ cup of vodka or brandy. Your extract will be ready in 6 weeks!
Garlic Honey
Peel the cloves of
garlic from a whole bulb of garlic and put in a blender. Pour in honey until it
covers the garlic. Blend. Add more honey if desired. Keep refrigerated. Use 1
to 2 TBSP. as needed for sore throats, lung congestion, colds and flu.
Anne Calzada is a
Certified Herbalist and founder of Healing Heart Herbs. Her products can be
found at Food For Thought in Ridgway and at other fine natural health outlets.
For consultations or classes she may be reached at 626-5663 or by email
annecalzada@aol.com).
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ReConnections: A Look Back
The heritage of The Whole Life Network from the pages of Connections.
One Year Ago**In
an interview with Betsy McKinney of ReStore Our World: “Our challenge is to
repair the damage that the practices of humanity have produced in the past
century. We will either enter the age
of Restoration or the age of Extinction”.
**Dr. Judith Boice envisioned
a meeting to connect our community: “…the ranchers, farmers, aging hippies, and
environmentalists standing together on a third corner, neither left nor right,
but out in front, focused on our common love for the earth.”
Five Years Ago**”He
(Peter Russell) will be introducing his newest book, From Science To God
during WLN Symposium 2000.
**Rev. Arlyn Macdonald
contributed the following wisdom: “One of the greatest discoveries of modern
times is that each of us, no matter our gender, contains both a feminine and
masculine consciousness or awareness. … By embracing the consciousness of both
minds, we become whole”.
Ten Years Ago**Don
Bailey reflections: “Our prayer of a successful Symposium was answered – the
Dosseys were superb and real and the Symposium brought us together and
lightened our hearts”.
**Cindy Sullivan
announced The Give Away Ceremony thusly: “Everything on earth id
continually giving away something to another kind of being on earth. In this way, balance and harmony are maintained”.
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What Does It Mean to Support Our Troops?
by Dr. Jerry Overton
Recently I received an
e-mail from a friend who has been a military wife most of her life—her husband
is now retired from the Marines and they have two sons who are Marines. The
e-mail was one of several she has sent me encouraging “support of our troops”,
and it described in detail the profile of the average soldier—young, bright,
innocent, brave, male and female, patriotic, efficient and effective in
warfare, not old enough to buy a beer but old enough to die for his/her
country, has seen more death than he/she should have, willing to take orders
without question and give their life for our freedom. It was complete with
pictures of some of them both in combat and general living situations in Iraq.
It ended with a “prayer wheel” in which we were all asked to pray for them as
they stood tall to protect us.
I’ve thought of this
e-mail a lot lately. It reminds me of just how sweet and precious our
children-turned soldiers are, and how vulnerable and innocent they are—AND
susceptible to the propaganda of war. Our leaders convince them that they are
doing the right thing—being heroes as they protect our freedom, being patriots,
being all that they should be. They often entice them with promises of a better
future and the prospects of being a hero. And these young precious ones,
because they have been taught to trust their leaders, sign their life away in
the midst of visions of being the patriot-hero as they protect their country.
And then many of us sit
by and bother to tell them that it CANall be a scam—that in some cases, certain
individuals in high political places connected to certain corporations like
Halliburton and Brown and Root are making billions off the sacrifice of their
lives. We don’t bother to tell them, perhaps because we don’t want to believe
it either, that there are political money-mongers out there who will readily
send them off to be in harms way, and see it as just the cost of doing
business, collateral damage, of no consequence, especially given the fact that
they will NEVER send their own children over there to be such “patriots”.
In some cases, to be
sure, military action may be necessary in order to protect ourselves, our
freedom. But we must be very careful that the data actually supports that
action. We must NEVER simply accept the “word” of those in leadership, just
because they say so, especially when it is so obvious (at least to me) that
there may be direct vested monetary interests for those making the decisions—as
in the case of Dick Cheney and Halliburton, and especially when contracts are
already in the works BEFORE war is even decided, mush less declared—and NEVER
when the data does NOT support that military action.
If we were to take
seriously our “support of our troops”, we’d make sure that NO ONE, not the
president nor any one else EVER takes their lives so lightly, and we’d do our
homework and do everything possible to protect them from such propaganda. We’d
educate them as to the potential scam of “war for money and profit”, AND we’d
be quick to prosecute those who try to convince us and them otherwise.
It’s precisely because our
children-turned soldiers ARE so innocent and vulnerable AND so susceptible to
such propaganda that we MUST protect them. And we surely can’t let ourselves
fall into the spin of the politicians who wave the flag in our faces to get us
on their side, and yet have direct vested interests in war as a way to make
billions (we’re spending nearly 6 billion a month—and their companies and those
of their supporters are getting a huge piece of that!!!).
As you can tell, I was
never for this war. And from all I’ve heard and read, the data surely never
supported it. And Cheney and his cronies are surely making much of those
billions—all at the expense of those same young men and women in those
pictures—and those some 2000 dead, and the countless tens of thousands who have
been maimed (who we never hear about) not to mention all the suffering parents,
spouses, siblings, friends, and others who are grieving the loss. All the
while, our “leaders” sit in their luxury and carry on with business as usual.
I’ve thought a lot
lately about what might go through the head of someone who wants to start a
business and be assured of getting rich. Consider this scenario. As they begin
planning where they would direct their efforts, they consider who would have
the most money to spend AND on what products. As they do their research, it
probably wouldn’t take them long to begin to consider the Federal government,
and the billions of tax dollars at their disposal, and the types of products
that the government would readily buy, and could easily justify buying through
simply inducing a huge measure of fear in the people. They’d soon realize that
that’s a pretty sweet deal. So it is no wonder that those in power see this
gold mine of tax dollars and seek to tap into it through war—for war is THE
most profitable business in the world!! And it doesn’t cost those who start
them anything—and surely not the lives of their own precious children! I can
assure you, their children are NOT in any of those pictures!
So, it strikes me that
if we were really serious about supporting our troops, we wouldn’t just stick
little yellow ribbons on the back of our pickup trucks and feel good about ourselves—or
even send out little sentimental e-mails. Rather, we would begin by honoring
the bravery and the patriotism of our precious children, AND by acknowledging
their innocence and vulnerability. And we would make sure that because they are
so innocent and vulnerable and so willing to give their lives, that it all
doesn’t get used against them by those who would use them for their own gain.
And we would take the next step in our protection of them by calling to account
those who have put them in harms way for their own profit.
Our children are just
too precious and beautiful to be so used!
Copyright 2005 Dr. Jerry D. Overton
Jerry is a therapist,
Master certified Coach, and director of The Center for Personal and Spiritual
Growth, 600 S. Park. He can be reached at jerry@jerryoverton.com.
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