Beaming
Bioneers + Ideas Festival = Sustainability Now!
by Joan May, Executive Director, Sheep Mountain Alliance
In the spirit of collaboration, this year Telluride’s Beaming Bioneers
conference in mid October will be a co-production of The Telluride Institute,
The Outloud Lecture Series and Sheep Mountain Alliance.
When planning began for the third annual Beaming Bioneers Conference in
Telluride, event organizers agreed that more emphasis is needed on action and
on bringing balance to our off-balance lives.
With this intention, it was no surprise that The Telluride Institute,
planning an Ideas Festival around the theme of local sustainability, merged
with Beaming Bioneers to form this year’s event: Sustainability Now!
As part of the Beaming Bioneers/Ideas Festival, Bioneers Plenary Sessions
will be simulcast live from the main Bioneers Conference in San Rafael
California, October 14-16.
This year’s Bioneers festival showcases some of the world’s latest
visionaries and activists. Speakers from the 16th annual Bioneers
Festival will be “beamed” via satellite to the screen at the Sheridan Opera
House in Telluride. Telluride is one of twelve “beaming” sites across the country.
Some of the sessions include: Bill McKibben: Global Warming—A Climate of Fear
and Opportunity, Diane Wilson: UnReasonableness and Where it Gets You, Wil
Bullock: You are Where You Eat, Jeremy Narby: Intellegence in Nature—A
Predator’s Inquiry, Rha Goddess: Cultivating Feminine Centered Leadership, and
Ohki Simime Forest: Return of the Ancient Council Ways—Indigenous Survival in
Chiapas.
Additional Bioneers speakers include Janine Benyus, Thom Hartmann, Carolyn
Raffensperger, Omar Freilla, Michael Abelman, David Orr and many more.
The Telluride Ideas Festival will bring the thoughts from the inspiring
national Bioneers speakers down to the local level, so that participants may
leave with tools for action in their local communities.
The Ideas Festival, beginning Thursday, October 13, will center around a
variety of interactive discussions and activities focused on building and
nurturing sustainable communities. Discussions and workshops will include such
topics as environment, energy, food and waste (including recycling, composting)
and sustainable business. There will be roundtable discussions about health and
wellness, life as a 20-something, a success story: one town’s air quality
improvement, and marketing for sustainability. The Ideas Festival plans to include
an organic, local dinner and a live speaker. The keynote address by Bernard
Leitaer, “The Future of Money” promises to be inspiring.
The Ideas Festival happens October 13-16 from early morning till late
evening. Events will be held at the Nugget Theater and the Sheridan Opera
House. Beaming Bioneers will be at the Sheridan Opera House Friday and
Saturday, October 14 and 15, from 10 am to 1 pm plus an hour in the evening.
Sunday’s simulcast will be from 10 am to 2 pm. All events—except meals—are free
and open to the public. For information about Bioneers, please go to
www.bioneers.org. For festival information please contact Kris Holstrom at
tomtenfarm@planet-save.com or Joan May at joan@sheepmountainalliance.org or
call 970.728.3729.
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The Ritalin Generation
by Laurel Ann Browne
ADHD/ADD
Generation
Is
it really true?
Let me ask you some
straight questions…
Is raising your
difficult child causing too much stress in your life?
Would you lie to put
an end to your child’s talking back?
Are you tired
of your child interrupting you when you are doing something important?
Are you tired of dreading
what your child will do next?
Is a healthy
relationship with your child important to you?
Is a quiet and
peaceful home important to you?
Would you like to be able
to talk and have your child listen?
Would you like to have a
child who is obedient?
Would you like to feel
like you are the one running the home and not your difficult child?
Do you want the confidence
of knowing what to do to handle your difficult child?
Knowledge is power,
including parenting.. Understanding the generational behavior patterns must be
acknowledged from both the physical, social, and spiritual aspects that are all
contributing to our current existence . We need to question why our
children are being diagnosed with ADHD/ADD. Do you really know what it
is? Do you know what the contributing factors are and why? Has the breakdown in
parenting rights been a contributor? Of
course it has, they took our rights to discipline away and kids know it. But on
the other hand if these kids have come in to teach us to change, then they have
accomplished that. The pendulum is in the swing, no discipline is easier, or I
just don’t want to know, or, I can’t do this anymore throw them out! The
explosion of change is upon us, and our children. These high tech new age
children are teaching us how to use computers, think with our right brains,
question our doubts of self, taunt our convictions and make us tow the line of example,
no double standards here. This is not a “do as I say” generation, not any more!
Really, does ADD really have the ability to multitask, move in many dimensions
at the same time, and understand long before we do or just “know”? Do we need
to discipline them into our “boxes” on broken down structures that haven’t
worked for a long long time anyway”? They do not fit into our boxes, so we
label them with an explanation of what is termed “The Ritalin Generation”. It began in the early 70’s, progressed rapidly
in the 80’s , exploded in the 90’s and we see the results of our progressive
generation before your very eyes. Our
kids are drugged before they’re age 10 or earlier now with “medications” that
help, parents, teachers, or anyone around them feel they have taken back there
power over these developmental difficulties.
We have our peace back, they’re quiet now, they don’t ask questions,
they do what they’re told, and of course, they’re not disruptive anymore…but I
love my children…do you really?
FACTS:
War on our minds,
children and adults.
ASPARTAME: Suppresses
the intellect; is used in thousands of foodstuffs and in almost every soft
drink available. Children allowed to
drink soda drinks at a very early age can be controlled easier. Who are the
biggest consumers of soft drinks? Children! Let’s turn our children into
unthinking, unquestioning, clones at an early age. Adults who drink a lot of
soft drinks are, after time, resigned to there enigmatic lives. Who are we to
question the industry? Aspartame is an “artificial sweetener” 200 hundred times
the strength of real sugar, and an alternative to the negative effects of
sugar. It is known under the trade
names like Nutra Sweet, Equal, and Spoonful, among others, was introduced in
1981 and has been the subject of 75%of the complaints reported to the Adverse
Reaction Monitoring system of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These
complaints have included headaches, dizziness, attention difficulties,
(ADHD/ADD), memory loss, slurred speech, and vision problems. Such symptoms are
now known as “aspartame disease”, just as the affects of the preservative
Monosodium Glutamate are called the Glutamate Syndrome, John W. Olney, MD of
the Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, believes there may be a
link between aspartame and brain tumors. And aspartame is no longer confined to
diet drinks. It changes brain chemistry
and lowers the threshold for seizures, causes mood disorders and other problems
of the nervous system. It is also
addictive. .Symptoms of multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid
arthritis, depression and other mood disorders have vanished in many patients
after the stopped aspartame consumption. The FDA has approved this poison which
breaks down after ingestion into methanol, a nervous system toxin also know as
free methyl alcohol or wood alcohol.
Extremely harmful to the optic nerve and the main ingredient of
“moonshine” liquor made during Prohibition. Methanol released into the bloodstream
becomes neurotoxin and cancer causing formaldehyde (birth deformities) and
formic acid, the poison in ant stings.
Fancy a soda? Go ahead, but don’t blame it on your children! This addictive drug in “diet soda” reached
it’s height in sales as a “diet” controller, when in fact, it is not a diet at
all, it actually increases the craving for carbohydrates by suppressing the
production of serotonin. Do you have a “drink” to keep you awake?
PROZAC: Early studies of
Prozac in 1982 began research by David Dunner of the University of Washington.
They accepted $1.4 million for research and seminars. Some of this “research”
was conducted by a member of the Food and Drug Administration’s
Psychopharmocalogic Drugs Advisory Committee, responsible for reviewing FDA
interest and approval. Eli Lilly was the
producer of these Prozac seminars. According to the public record, Lilly’s test
on Prozac was no more effective than a useless placebo, as Lilly failed to
disclose or report the psychotic episodes of the uses of Prozac. The FDA failed
to disclose the “large number of reports (15,000) the adverse number had
reached 28,600 by 1992 with another 1,700 deaths. Only about one percent of
adverse reactions were reported. The
bottom line of Prozac is that is caused it’s victims to react with violence,
depression. Now they are introducing Prozac to our children and teens as a
means for mind control. One of the teenagers in the Columbine High School
shooting, was reported to be taking the drug Luvox, which is given the same
classification as Prozac.
RITALIN
Another mind-altering
drug targeted at children and can seriously affect their behavior. It has been connected to many acts of
violence. It’s shared the same effects as cocaine and then we wonder why our
kids hit high school and “do drugs”. The only purpose of Ritalin in children is
to slow them down, mentally, spiritually, physically. It’s the easy way out for
parents and teachers alike. The
children who are taking Ritalin in the earlier school years, later are
prescribed Prozac. The effects of Ritalin can continue long after the
prescription is stopped. It is on the record that these individuals are far
more likely to commit violent crimes and an increase in child suicide The FDA
has admitted they have no idea of the long-term effects! The main targets are
the kids with active minds and those who act differently to the “norm”. Will
you please take the time to figure out what that is?
FLUORIDE
Come on, drink it up or
brush your teeth with it. Fluoride is
another major intellect suppressant that is being added to drinking water
supplies and toothpaste. Sodium fluoride is a common ingredient in rat and
cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military
nerve gas. It is one of the basic ingredients in Prozac and the Sarin nerve gas
used in the attack in the Japanese subway
system. Fluoride causes various mental disturbances and makes people
stupid, docile and subservient. It was
prevalent in WWII, used by the Germans as well. Hitler envisioned a world to be
dominated and controlled. Next time your dentist says your child needs and
extra Fluoride treatment, save your money.
So you have a disruptive
child? What about you? There are alternative answers, one being “don’t do
prescribed drugs” and the other is awareness, knowledge, education and a willingness
to learn “how” differently. If Child Behavior is an issue in your home, then go
to http://addadhdadvances.com for more information. Find out how you are doing
as a parent to your ADD ADHD child or is it Bipolar? Or is it just “Indigo”.
Laurel Ann Browne is
leaving the Montrose, Co area and moving to Austin, TX
It has been my pleasure
to submit these articles of Parent Awareness and I will continue to work in
this capacity wherever I go. I want to
thank my colleagues, my help mates and friends for all of the support. I truly hope that more Support Groups for
the Exceptional Children and Parenting will grow. My research on the “Indigo Children” has opened many doors of
understanding for me and I hope for you.
Laurel Ann
For more information: 970-249-1345
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Remembering Aztlán
a column of poetry, culture & spirit by Art Goodtimes
TURNING 60
… Now that’s seriously old for a hippie (actually, recognizing the shift that
comes with being issued an AARP card, I’ve taken to calling myself a
“paleohippie”) … Although, if you’d
been to the Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass back in August for the ERIS Society’s
26th annual conference (www.erissociety.org), you’d’ve heard Dr.
Aubrey de Grey, a biologist and computer scientist at the Department of
Genetics at Cambridge, explaining just how close we are to extending the human
lifetime – thanks to technological interventions to retard and reverse the
aging process. All seven of the primary biological systems vulnerable to aging,
according to Aubrey, have been identified in mice … As an aside, honestly, what
labs do to living things in the interests of science disturbs me greatly -- as
much as the wholesale slaughter of grizzlies and wolves turn of the century
before this. Nope, I don’t exactly remember back that far. But I remember
hearing folks talking about that far back -- that time when they were
youngsters … Reach sixty and it seems like you’re pushing the outer limits of a
person’s useful spin on the planet, at least this incarnation, embodiment,
enlightened state around … But imagine a world where, for a price, some could
afford to live to 150? Such was the shiny apple de Grey tossed the Erisians
last week … Eris, of course, being the Greek goddess of misfortune and discord,
the one credited by Hesiod with starting the Trojan War (the same patriarchal
bard who gave us Pandora opening her box of ills) … Also at the Silvertree’s
plush cabaret room, Erisians watched Peyton Quinn’s self defense training camp
videos and learned of “adrenal stress conditioning” – basically running
simulations for prepped “victims” in that state of heightened fear and
alertness when one faces an unprovoked surprise attack (the attackers are
completely padded and will take blows, but are trained martial artists). Quinn
wrote A Bouncer’s Guide to Barroom Brawling 15 years ago and runs
workshops out of his Colorado Springs compound. A number of folks scribbled
down his contacts after the talk. Including me … Does age make one more
paranoid, or is it just a natural concurrence of the exploding future moment? …
I was confounded and amused the other day, out by Borcherdt’s Auto in Norwood,
to see a series of state highway signs lined up in a row. “Stop. Bump. Stop”
That’s it! I thought. The jerky personal routine we go through before the implied
& unlimited go. That’s what it’s like to reach 60. Relax. Opposition.
Relax. Lots of milestone peaks & bottomless pits amid the monotone
vibratory plateaus of the same old same old. Or what Terence McKenna used to
call, “Time Wave Zero” … Okay, I’m jumping around. But that’s it too. I’m all
over the place. Coming to closure, even as I uncover new things … My youngest
son Gorio’s birthday was yesterday, the 11th. A week before mine.
He’s just turned seven. The fabled age of reason. A huge curiosity to understand
how it all works … Seems like I’m still right there. Just beginning to
understand. Sixty reaching back to seven.
COLOR HEALING
… By the way, one of best speakers at the Eris Society meet was the Santa
Monica-based Swedish naturopath Dr. Michael Karnfeldt … I’ve experienced muscle
response testing, and seen how the body musculature can lock and unlock
information not available to the conscious mind. But I’d never seen someone use
muscle response testing on the soles of another’s feet to demonstrate a person’s
sensitivity to colors … Dr. Karnfeldt did deep tissue massage on the soles of
two volunteers from the audience, until he found a sore spot. In one it was the
liver spot, in another the stomach spot. Then he had the person put a swath of
color fabric over that spot, while he massaged the tender spot again …
Amazingly, on both folks, a color was found where no soreness was experienced,
while most colors simply evoked an involuntary body spasm of pain at
Karnfeldt’s rubbing the sore spot on the sole … Karnfeldt attributed various
qualities to colors: blue evoked decisiveness – a power color – while green
slowed one down and gave one time to feel things … Google the good doc if you
want to learn more.
WEEKLY QUOTA
… "Being born in the elite in the U.S. gives you a constellation of
privileges that very few people in the world have ever experienced. Being born
poor in the U.S. gives you disadvantages unlike anything in Western Europe and
Japan and Canada." - David I. Levine, an economist at the University of
California, Berkeley.
BIONEERS
… If, like me, you’ve always wanted to attend this fabulous California
conference -- and now you can! Telluride’s Restore Our World is hosting a
simulcast of the Bioneers conference in mid-October. Here’s your chance to hear
revolutionary speakers and to participate in local discussions of the ideas
presented. Email info@restore-ourworld.com for more info.
MYCELIUM RUNNING
… Bioneer lecturer and legendary psychonaut, Paul Stamets was once again the
Telluride Mushroom Festival’s star attraction back in August. His last talk on
how mycoremediation has the potential to help us heal the planet drew a
standing ovation from the crowd at the Galaxy. His latest book on mushrooms, a
magnum opus, dazzles with explanations of how anti-viral polypores can foil
bioterrorist attacks, how non-chemical insecticides could end forest beetle
infestations, and how Pleurotus ostreatus loves oil spills … Imagine for
a moment the parallel universe of the fungal kindom (not “kingdom” you royalist
jerk) hiding right beneath our noses, and [what the bleep!] you realize
quantum theory may not be all that radical, even if over half the country
doesn’t believe in evolution (let alone Vernadsky’s noosphere) … Besides having
his new book just now available in the bookstores, Stamets’ company Fungi
Perfecti is hosting the International Medicinal Mushroom Conference in Port
Townsend, Washington, Oct. 12-17 (www.fungi.com/immc) -- the first conference
of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms to be held in
America … Paul will be speaking about
“Medicinal Polypores Indigenous to the Pacific Northwest Old Growth Forests of
North America: Screening for Novel Antiviral Activity,” and Telluride’s
mushfest co-founder Gary Lincoff will give a talk on “How the Fly-Agaric, Amanita
muscaria, Used by Siberian Shamans, Is an Effective Medicinal Mushroom.”
Former mushfest speakers Sasha Shulgin and David Arora will also make
presentations.
THE TALKING GOURD
Over
When it’s all over
And everyone goes home
It’s not over, it just begun --
I’m never less alone
Than when I’m by myself
-Jack Mueller
the Log Hill Buddada
©
2004 Art Goodtimes
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Dea's Kitchen: Free Food!
by Dea Jacobson
"C'mon over and pick some of these
apricots", called my friend, Gerry, from her house a couple of miles down
the road. "There's still a ton
left!" I thought I'd missed out
on a fruit that is usually found right after cherry season in July. It was early September. Imagine my surprise! Her place is at about 7000 feet elevation,
and things tend to ripen late, but this was almost unheard of. Down the road I went, with a big basket to
carry them all, and a small one for collecting. Climbing over small boulders at the base of the tree, I peered
down at the lower branches hanging over the tumbling creek below. Hmmmm...I'll get them later. I reach for a higher branch, weighted down
with clusters of tasty ripe fruit.
Balancing on one foot, I gingerly fill my small basket. Eeeouch!
A yellow jacket was there first, lunching on the cluster I'd
grabbed. Stung on my ring finger, I
drop back to the boulder just below, grateful for the yoga practice that gives
me balance when it counts! Such are the perils of the "hunter gatherer". Catching my
breath, I continue to pick, mindful of my fellow gleaners. After I'd filled the big basket, Gerry piled
on some of her husband's tomatillos, anaheim peppers and green onions, which
I'll add to my own tomatoes and cilantro and a friend's gift of fresh garlic,
for a fine fresh salsa.
Back when I was in my
twenties, living in Paonia, I picked fruit for a living. After that, on a small
farm where my daughter was born, I gardened and raised apples, often trading
them for cherries and other produce, making sure no one's extra went to waste. Moving to Grand Junction and working in an
office for many years changed all that,
but now I'm back where I belong.
Living at 8000 feet doesn't allow for much gardening, so I have to be
content with my greenhouse of tomatoes, kale and herbs, a year 'round project I
love. I have become more attuned to
finding berry bushes and mushrooms in the wild, and seldom turn down a friend's
invitation to help harvest what's left after their family's cupboards are full. Recently, I went with my closest neighbor to
a place up high on Grand Mesa and found chantarelle mushrooms. Most were little bite-sized, saffron-
colored things. But one was over six
inches across, a giant by Colorado standards.
A friend of mine from Washington State, who used to pick big ones up
there in the deep woods, sautéed them with butter, garlic and cilantro. What a
treat!
My current project is
picking seedless grapes from a vine
near the place I used to live in town. Roy, my husband, has made me a simple
solar dryer so I can make both jelly and raisins. Dodging dive-bombing paper wasps that make the harvest all the
more precious makes progress slow. Then, it's on to plums, apples, and whatever
I'm able to catch wind of or find. I never think of myself as a beggar...just
blessed to be in a place where I can eat the best food money can't buy!
Now, I'll share the
cobbler recipe I used for the apricots that were left over when I couldn't make
another pint of jam. This is adapted
from The Joy of Cooking.
Fall
Fruit Cobbler
Combine and heat on the
stove 3 cups prepared fruit, 2/3 cup of sugar or sucanat (or substitute), one
tablespoon of flour (or more of the fruit is real juicy) and 3/4 teaspoon of
cinnamon. Heat till bubbling while making
Fluffy Bisquit dough: Combine 1 cup of flour of your choice, 1/2 teaspoon of
salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder. Cut into the mixture 2 to 4 tablespoons of
cold butter, with a pastry cutter or fingers.
Make a well in the middle, and add 1/2 cup cold milk. Stir until the dough leaves the sides of the
bowl, adding more flour if needed.
Knead quickly and press or roll out to fit an 8x8" pan or pie
plate. Put the hot fruit mixture in the
bottom of the pan, dot with butter, and
cover with the bisquit dough. Bake 1/2
hour in a 425 degree oven.
Careful! It bubbles over, so
protect the bottom of the stove! Serve
with...what else? French vanilla ice
cream! Yum! Happy hunting!
Dea Jacobson, RYT, is
the owner of Blue Heron Yoga, conducting classes and private therapy in Delta
and Mesa Counties, and based in
Cedaredge, Colorado. She is a
registered yoga instructor (RYT 500, Yoga Alliance), a graduate of Naturally
Grand Cooking School, and a licensed Religious Science practitioner, as well as
a recovering politician. She can be reached at www.blueheronyoga.com, at 970
856 4905, or at Box 95, Cedaredge, Colorado
81413.
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Sustainable Courage
by Jill Burkey
Some of the speakers
lined up for this year's Sustainability Now! event in Telluride October 13th
-16th look great. What a nice idea, to be self-sustainable in
an uncertain world, to rely on ourselves to meet our physical, mental, and
spiritual needs. Aren't we
self-reliant, deep down on some level, even if we don't know it, or even if
we've never been called upon to prove it?
I hope so, and as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has shown us, most
people are incredibly resilient. I
can't help but wonder how I would have weathered the storm, especially if I did
not have means to evacuate before it hit.
Would I have survived? Would my
children be okay? How would I have
sustained myself and my family?
I recently watched the
Discovery Channel special on UA Flight 93, "The Flight that Fought
Back," which commemorated and honored the victims of 9/11 on the 4th
anniversary of the attacks. The men and
women on that flight were courageous enough to rely on their own strengths and
experiences to try to overtake the terrorists and their devious plot. Of course we all know their unfortunate
fate, but isn't sustainability at its core the courage to rely on
yourself? We may not know everything we
need to know, but we can learn, and I suppose that's the point of the festival.
In all reality, most of
us will not be able to achieve a state of complete self-sustainability, but we
can do things that will bring us closer.
We took a small step towards that end this summer when we planted our
first family garden. I haven't had a
garden since I was a girl in 4-H and it felt good. It wasn't as big as we wanted it to be, and it had a few weeds,
but we harvested the produce completely guilt free, it tasted great, and I knew
it was good for us. I may not know how
a tiny white seed can turn soil, water and sun into an abundance of juicy ripe
tomatoes, but if a tiny courageous seed can do that, what is possible for a
human being?
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
October is a magical time of year, a time to
slow down, a time to take stock of experiences, a time to go within like the
Grizzly bear who goes into hibernation. Fall is a good time to go within
spiritually, to gain strength from the knowledge gained. We too need to look
closely and see that which is around us is also within us.
Like the leaves of golden yellow, orange,
and red falling to settle on the ground, protecting the earth from the cold
that comes in winter. Preparing the earth for what is ahead. We too need to
prepare ourselves for what is ahead in our own lives.
Through this simple
meditation you can visualize creating harmony between your inner self and the
area around you. Preparing for whatever may come. (Do not meditate while
driving) Find a peaceful quiet place in nature. Let go of time for a while; get
in touch with your feelings and listen to your inner voice. This voice is the
voice that will direct you to your perfect truth. As you sit in quiet
meditation embrace the peace within you, feel your heart beat; this heart is
your gift of love, the gift of life. Let your heart fill with love.
As you continue to
breathe in and out breathe in Love and breathe out Peace. Let this Love flow in
all directions around you. Watch as it flows like a river to all the places
around you, to the places where you go and to the people you are in contact
with each day. See how far you can take this river of love coming from you. And
with each of the out breaths, wherever the river of Love is, behind it stands
Peace and Harmony. Continue to focus on your daily routine as you fill each
place with this overflowing of Love. Surround the areas of your everyday life
with Harmony.
Know that your Love is
the Love you have for yourself. Know that the Love and Peace inside of you has
great power to transform anger and fear into love and peace.
Just like the leaves
protecting the earth in winter from the cold, we have the ability to protect
ourselves, our community, our family and friends through prayer and through
sending out rays of light and love to all we come in contact with.
Know that Life Itself
loves you; you are a gift to the Universe. Enjoy this moment filled with joy.
When you feel ready embrace yourself with Love and come back to the beauty of
the day.
Peace
and blessings Kathy
wsretreat@aol.com www.womensspiritretreats.com
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The Great Pumpkin
© Anne Calzada
Pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima) ARE great!! A celebrated food by many cultures, the
cultivation of the pumpkin has become worldwide. Pumpkins are members of the
Cucurbitaceae family or more commonly known as the "gourd" family.
Pumpkins are really squashes.. They are originated in Central America and there
were even remains found in ancient cliff dwellings in the Southwestern United
Sates. Native American tribes feasted on pumpkin and introduced them to
Europeans who brought seeds with them back to Europe. Pumpkins were a staple at
the original "Thanksgiving " celebrations and continue today in
tradition. They are used decoratively at this time of year as well as consumed.
Many could not imagine Halloween without a jack-o-lantern. History shows in
Irish/Celtic practices, dressing and carving pumpkins, squashes, gourds and
themselves were thought to scare off dead souls that came back on SamHain. This
and the story of a mischievous Irishman named Jack O'Lantern!
Pumpkins have many
nutritional and health benefits. Like all vegetables that are orange, pumpkins
are a rich source of beta-carotene. Carotenoids are great sources of
antioxidants. Pumpkins are also a significant source of vitamin C and potassium
besides being high in fiber. They are cooling and sweet in flavor. This means
that they are helpful in heat conditions such as skin inflammations. Pumpkin
can help to relieve dampness such as lung congestion and edema.
Pumpkins seeds also
known as "pepitas" have enjoyed much notoriety. Pumpkin seeds, being
one of the greatest food sources of zinc, are supportive of the male
reproductive system. The seeds contain a compound called
"cucurbitacin" that actually helps the body prevent conversion of
testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone can increase prostate
cells to continue to grow, thus encouraging an enlarged prostate gland. Maybe
you have even heard commercials about DHTcontributing to hair loss? Pumpkin
seeds are also anti-parasitic and are used to rid the body of worms and
parasites.
Pumpkin seed oil is an
unsaturated vegetable oil. It is rich in omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids as
well as vitamin A, E and zinc. The oil is known to strengthen smooth muscle
tissue such as the bladder and support the prostate gland. It supports the
health of the skin, hair, eyes and brain functioning.
As if all of these
wonderful benefits were not enough, pumpkins are known in spas for beautifying
the skin. Due to it's high beta-carotene, A, E and zinc content.
Pumpkins have made an
impression on our culture! Remember the story of Cinderella and her carriage
that would turn into a pumpkin if she were not home by midnight? Maybe some of
you remember the band "The Smashing Pumpkins"?
Pumpkin will grace many
a table soon and it has already made an appearance at my house, since it is my
favorite pie! You can bet if I get the chance to see "It's the great
pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on television this Halloween, I will be smiling!
Happy Halloween, SamHain, All Souls Day, All Saints Day and Dia de los muertas!
Toasty Pumpkin Seeds
Remove the seeds from
the pumpkin, clean and dry them.
Arrange them on a pan,
drizzle olive oil and salt on them.
Bake @ 350 for about 30
minutes or until golden. Turn them over several times while baking them.
Add spices like garlic
or chilli powder for an interesting flare!
Pumpkin Facial Masque
3 TBSP. pumpkin (canned
or peeled)
3 TBSP. pineapple
(canned or fresh)
Puree these ingredients.
Mix in…
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. milk
1 drop of essential oil
such as carrot, chamomile, rose, lavender or tea tree.
Stir in 1 TBSP of clay
as needed for consistency.
Apply for at least 10
minutes or longer. Enjoy!
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**
”…all who have ever been associated with or supported The Whole Life Network
have true cause for remembering and celebrating our heritage.” (15th
Anniversary Gathering)
**”Thanks to the
organizational efforts and the determination of a trio of Telluride feminine
environmentalists, the 15th annual Bioneers Conference will again be
simulcast by satellite into the San Juans.” (Elisabeth Gick, Betsy McKinney,
Joan May)
Five Years Ago**
”The Western Colorado Congress observed its twentieth anniversary, at its
annual meeting, Saturday September 9th. The feature of the day was the appearance of Ralph Nader,
candidate for President running under the Green Party banner.”
**Earl Sires interviewed
Peter Russell: “I’ve always been an explorer, not so much on the physical but
the spiritual. For that you have to go
off on your own and not follow the scheduled ways…”.
Ten Years Ago**
”Larry Dossey, a medical doctor and The Whole Life Network’s upcoming speaker,
has been one of the seminal leaders of the consciousness movement that has led
man out of the mechanistic mode of life….”.
**Geoff Tischbein
submitted a report on his investments in Working Assets: “(they) refused to
invest in any companies that were involved with nuclear arms or power,
environmentally harmful products, animal testing, or did not have women or
minorities on their board of directors”.
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The Power of an Apology
by Dr. Jerry Overton
I just looked up the
definition of “apology” in my trusty Webster’s New World Compact Dictionary and
was surprised by what I found. There were two definitions: 1. a formal defense
of some idea, doctrine, etc., and 2. an expression of regret for a fault,
insult, etc.
Those two definitions
explain a lot of what I see happening these days, depending on which type of
apology is being used. For example. All too often we see people, especially our
beloved politicians, playing the role of an “apologist”, defending to the hilt
some favorite idea or doctrine—usually because of some direct vested interest.
They use all the spin they can muster to convince us of their point of view,
even though the particular idea or doctrine makes no sense whatsoever. They are
so persuasive and forceful that we find ourselves wanting to believe them, even
though everything inside us says it’s insane. Then, only in hindsight, do we
discover that our intuition was right, and they were wrong. And yet, even then,
they don’t give in to their mistake, but keep defending their position—and we
find ourselves losing both faith and trust in them and in their leadership.
How refreshing it would
be to hear that one who has been using definition #1 to make their case to
finally make a simple definition #2 apology—a forthright and honest expression
of regret for their fault and deception. It would make all the difference in
the world in restoring our sense of faith and trust in them as people and in
their leadership.
Now, admittedly, there
are surely times to be the #1 type of apologist, and to stand by our position
no matter what. But when we discover our mistake or are finally willing to
admit that we’ve been proven wrong, then a #2 apology is in order. For it has
the power to set everything right again, especially when it is followed by a
willingness to make a change in position and set a new course.
It seems to me that the
time is right to start using more of that power of an honest definition #2
apology—to express sincere regret for the mistakes that have been made and to
begin to bring some sanity to bear in bringing the needed corrections. It’s
never too late to say “I’m sorry” and to then address the faults.
And that’s true not only
for politicians, but for us all. For I suspect all of us can be found on any
given occasion to be defending some particular idea or belief even when both we
and they know we are mistaken in our position. And we fear giving in because we
don’t like to see ourselves being “wrong”—it brings a sense of shame. And yet,
the paradox is that when we’re willing to make that honest apology, instead of
it causing us shame, it brings us honor and respect. For the other is able to
see past our mistakes to our willingness to make them right.
I can tell you from
personal experience that when I’m willing to simply acknowledge my mistakes and
apologize, it cleans the slate. Then, I’m free to begin again, to set about to
make things right, and healing happens.
There is power in
an honest apology—the power to heal the breaches in our relationships, the
power to bring us together, the power to set us on new courses of addressing
all the wrongs in our society, and the power to build a new world. And God
knows, we need all that! So, let it begin with each one of us today. And then,
who knows, maybe those we choose to elect to lead us forth will get the idea,
too!
Copyright
2005 Dr. Jerry D. Overton
Jerry is a Master
Certified Coach, therapist, and director of The Center for Personal and
Spiritual Growth, 600 S. Park, Montrose. He can be reached at 970-252-9311, and
he welcomes your call.
