global warming
Mood:  bright
Topic: Musings

this message came from a friend in the US.

love Rachael xxx

Every One of Us Is a Mystic

Every one of us is a mystic. We may or may not realize it; we may not even like it. But whether we know it or not, whether we accept it or not, mystical experience is always there, inviting us on a journey of ultimate discovery.

We have been given the gift of life in this perplexing world to become who we ultimately are: creatures of boundless love, caring, compassion, and wisdom.

Existence is a summons to the eternal journey of the sage -- the sage we all are, if only we could see.

The Mystic Heart
Wayne Teasdale (1945-2004)
Catholic lay monk

Last Friday we went to the Museum of Natural History to see an exhibit on Ben Franklin. While there wandered into a room that showed (in a series of 12 large paintings) what Colorado looked like over the past years, starting with 150 million years BC. It was fascinating. I never thought of Colorado being 600 feet under water as it was 80 million years ago.

The earth is a living organ, and must grow. To do so she must keep eliminating things that hold back her growth and produce new species to help her accomplish her next phase. Right now we are probably entering a mini ice age that usually prepares the earth for a drastic warming age. Is man accelerating the passage of these phases ? Almost certainly. Is he the major cause of this change of weather ? I seriously doubt it. The earth is way overdue in her progress. The last "ice age" was just over 1000 years ago, during the Dark Ages (which was one of the reasons for the Dark Age - no food - and Mother Earth conveniently used a depleted, undernourished population to eliminated 100 million people with various diseases.) She is very mean at times.

The future is certainly scarry. Be pleased you and I were born when we were. In fact, I think we are probably one of the luckiest generations ever to live on earth. Think of the progress we have witnessed, and we did it all in comfortable style. Add to that that we were the children of what is considered "The Greatest Generation" and we can go to our graves with smiles on our faces.

Cheap compost bins!

Composting is Nature's way of recycling and helps to reduce the amount of waste we put out for the bin men. By composting kitchen and garden waste you can easily improve the quality of your soil and be well on your way to a more beautiful garden.

http://www.recyclenow.com/compost/

I am ever under the gaze of an angel who protects and prays for me.

-Pope John XXIII

 

I had a Dream
Mood:  bright
Topic: Musings

from a friend at the Humanities Team-

I had a dream last night. The most wonderful and deeply fulfilling dream I've ever had.
I dreamt that I was living on a planet in Peace, in a place were everyONE around me was Love, Joy and Truth.

Were I was surrounded by people who are able to express their highest visions about humanity,manifested in the way they are acting towards each other and to themselves.

I dreamt that each morning when I woke up I went down to the restaurant,

and was meet by amazingly beautiful spirited people, who hugged me and touched me, and expressed their LOVE for me, in so many different inspiring ways.

I dreamt that we were dancing, laughing and playing together all through the day,

and that we were talking about life in an environment, were everyONE felt completely safe and unconditionally loved, and were laughter, joy and amazement were the shared experience.

I dreamt that these people all was so fantastically peaceful, accepting and loving, that it was possible for a woman to allow 5 men to give her soothing massage, alone with them in a room only lit by candles, without any fearful thoughts, knowing that noONE would touch here anywhere that she would not want them to.

I dreamt that I saw this profoundly liberating display of love, when ONE man in the circle rose from his chair, to take a walk around in our circle, kissing everyONE on their lips,

without any kind of resentment or fear, in full acceptance from all involved.

I dreamt that we were hugging each other, and looking deeply into each other's eyes, recognizing our own beautiful soul dancing such a marvelous dance of LOVE, making us feel totally and completely LOVEd, and creating deep acceptance of our selves, synergistically raising our energies to a higher level than I have ever experienced before.

I dreamt that we could talk about anything without fearing any form of judgment, that everyONE present listened respectfully and let the speaking person finish without interrupting.

That when someONE had need for comfort or support, it was not necessary to ask for it,

because everyONE was feeling the others fully and completely, and was there for you instantly.

I dreamt that Great Masters of life, some not even seeing their own greatness, surrounded me.

Masters of Love, Laughter, Truth, Play, Dance, Singing, Healing and many more.

That I was healed by some of them so much that my physical being was relieved of old pain,

and I even experienced my energy rising to a level where bright white light lit up my head inside.

I dreamt that we went out into the streets, and showed humanity a glimpse of its beautiful nature. That we filled the public room with dancing, singing, laughter and angelic touches of each other. And that more and more people came to us, awakening by the divinity in this display of LOVE, and brought great gifts of HOPE, LOVE and KINDNESS back to their family.

I dreamt that I was walking in The Garden of EDEN, with Adam and Eve, and all the great prophets of history.

That I was making love to god all day long, while angels were singing tales of what humanity can become when it awakens.

And then I realized.

I was not dreaming at all.

All of this is for real.

Thank you god, for letting me experience this at the 4th friendship gathering, in Prague.

This week alone would have been enough reason for me to choose to be born on earth this time.

I am deeply grateful to each individual version of you, god, for being so incredibly amazing, and especially for being my teachers in so many special and wonderful ways.

Thank you for teaching me to LOVE myself, for I cannot overlook how amazing I must be, to be allowed to walk amongst you and receive the gift of your unconditional LOVE.

The tears that are falling from my eyes right now are tears of GRATITUDE and LOVE.

You bring HOPE to humanity and you will change the world into a place where every BEING on this planet Earth will be able to experience a LIFE like I just experienced last week.

I honor you all for having the courage and determination to reCREATE our world in LOVE.

I have no words to express my LOVE for you, but I know you can feel me.

Thank you for showing me your divine nature god.

And thank you for BEING here in this time of change.

Bent.

 

THE TAIRONA HERITAGE TRUST
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Positive News!!

THE TAIRONA HERITAGE TRUST

Report on Alan Ereira's visit to the Sierra, Feb. 2007

This visit had three objectives
1. To establish the current state of affairs among the indigenous people, especially the Kogi
2. To provide assistance to Ramón Gil in ensuring continuity in the passing on of traditional knowledge
3. To explore the possibility of making a new film, with the direct involvement of indigenous people in the process.

1. On my arrival I met up with Eric Julien of the French charity Tchendukua, who we helped last year with the purchase of some land for the Kogi. Eric had managed to persuade the local police to provide a free helicopter ride to the mountain peaks, and I joined him. The snow peaks are seen as an essential life-source of the Sierra; when they made the original film in 1990 the Kogi Mamas warned that the retreat of the glaciers there was potentially catastrophic, and that it should be seen as an indication of heating-up that was affecting the whole planet. It was also seen as a process mirrored by the final invasion of the mountain itself, the Heart of the World, by violent and rapacious Younger Brother (us), in a potentially apocalyptic end-time scenario in which the Great Mother herself suffers and ultimately dies.

Bad news, then. The glaciers are almost gone. The snow that remains will probably have vanished in two or three years.

Jan 1990 - permanent snows Feb 2007 - the peaks are drying out

At the same time, the invasion of the Sierra continues. A number of dam projects are being developed to take possession of the remaining water. Gonawindua Tairona, the indigenous organisation which has exercised a level of governmental authority within the northern part of the Sierra, has been informed that it is no longer entitled to state funding, and that its activities (health, sanitation, education etc.) are to be put out to tender to private companies, without any obligation to treat indigenous territory as different from any other part of Colombia.

Parts of the Sierra are a little safer than they were, due to a quite extensive military occupation and the (notional?) disbanding of paramilitary forces. But Kogi society has been massively disrupted, Kogi towns have a military presence, Kogi have been murdered.

The indigenous response has been different among different communities. The Arhouaco have been organising politically, sending many young people to university, looking for sources of help abroad. The Asario (who now prefer to be known as "Wiwa") have been concentrating on cultural revival - hardly any of the old generation of Wiwa Mamas remain alive, and they need to find ways of teaching the young who they are. The Kogi were described to me as standing silent and frozen, with outsiders unable to comprehend them. To the invaders, they seem to be as mute and uncomprehending as stones and trees. The invaders do not understand stones, trees or Kogi.

But some Kogi are politically engaged. Mama Juan Mamacatan is the governor of Gonawindua Tairona and fighting for its survival. Arregoces has set up the Consejo Territorial de los Cabildos (Territorial Council of Governors) to pull the four peoples of the Sierra (Kogi, Arhoucao, Wiwa, Kangwama) into a political force with a single voice. For this work they both need cash to help Mamas and leaders travel to meetings. I said we would consider ways of providing some.

To unwind, I went to bathe in the sea in the beautiful bay of Taganga, just along the coast from Santa Marta. I found the water so polluted that it was like swimming in the Dead Sea - I could not sink. There is now a plan to build a storm-drain to carry floodwater from Santa Marta into Taganga Bay. Santa Marta floods regularly in heavy rains. The tunnel will carry all the muck from the streets, sewage, dead rats etc. into the bay. It is to run through a sacred site.

The situation is not without hope. Taganga has responded with an environmental campaign that draws its inspiration from the indigenous people. Their core text is the film From the Heart of the World. It is kept in the library, and children are instructed to watch it. And there are Mamas working in Taganga. Perhaps something may yet be done.

2. Ramón Gil, who was instrumental in helping me make that film, is concentrating now on protecting his father's community of Wiwa (his mother was Kogi). He has now become their highest-ranking Mama, and at Gonawindua's request the Trust has provided the finance for the first six months of his new "Colegio de Mamas", where young Wiwa men are to learn traditional law, medicine, philosophy and history.

Ramón teaching

The school is in a new community in the Guachaca river-valley, on land which was a remote colonnos farm until we provided the funds for Gonawindua to buy it. In those days it was called "El Encato" - "The Enchanted". Now it is "Gotzedzi", "The place of purifying waters".

 

Water is, of course, a synonym for spirit, but in more material terms the river there did have to be purified. Two farms on the opposite bank had, until recently, five cocaine factories spewing poisonous effluent into it.

The factories are gone now, and the water is purer.

Photo by indigenous Wiwa Raphael Mojica

A government eradication team came and destroyed the commercial coca crop by hand. It does seem as though fumigation has been suspended, which is just as well - I met Arhouacos from the Palomino valley who have been blinded by the spray from aircraft, and whose children are born horribly deformed, or with cancers.

Ramón wants to buy these farms before the factories re-appear. The first one, covering some 200 hectares (500 acres) will cost about COL160,000 (£40,000, or $80,000). It looks like a good buy - at one swoop, we block part of the cocaine trade, protect the environment of the Sierra and help the survival of an indigenous community. I promised that the Trust would take this seriously.

The land to be bought

I was rewarded for the Trust's efforts with a six-hour presentation of music, dance and singing. Sitting on a green plastic chair (the only chair in the town), I felt rather embarrassed, an imitation viceroy in a community that receives little help from elsewhere (though Evangelical Christians are keen to get involved). There are only 5000 Wiwa left, and only 2800 still speak their language, Duhmuhna. An alphabet is being developed for them, and they asked for materials to help them learn English.

3. I discussed the idea of a new film with a number of leaders - Kogi, Arhouaco and Wiwa. My idea is that the documentary format has a limited (serious) audience, and this time we need to tell a story - one which sees the Sierra as it is, was and may become through the experience of just a very few people, and which carries the audience into a world permeated by other ways of seeing and being. To my surprise, the response was genuinely enthusiastic, and various people are now out collecting stories, both mythic and present-day, which can act as a spine for a narrative that shows the reality of the Sierra now, and the reasons why we need desperately to understand the vision that still survives there, of how human beings can be in the world without destroying it. And how much Younger Brother has to learn from Elder Brother, if we can just be brought to respect and listen before we wipe it all away.

 

 

 

We are the Elder Brothers,
with knowledge of all things, material and spiritual

Four hundred years ago the Tairona people of northern Colombia retreated into their mountain fastness. They call it The Heart of the World. From there they watched us, the "Younger Brothers", destroy the indigenous population and plunder the earth, the Mother.

They say we have no understanding of Aluna, the mind inside nature.

Their spiritual leaders, the Mamas, have the task of caring for the world by meditation and offerings. But they now know that the damage we are doing is beyond their power to repair.

For that reason, the most reclusive of the Tairona descendants, the Kogi, invited a BBC film crew to help them speak to the Younger Brother. The feature-length documentary that resulted, From the Heart of the World: The Elder Brothers' Warning, is a classic work.

They draw a parallel between the invasion of their own sanctuary (the final step in the conquest of America) and the final destruction of the Mother.

You can stay in touch with these remarkable people and help them, through
The Tairona Heritage Trust
90 Summerlee Avenue
London N2 9QH
www.taironatrust.org

Name........................................

Address....................................

................................................

................................................

email.........................................

I enclose a donation of ..............

A DVD of the film is given as a gift to donors contributing £25 ($50) or more

Free E-Book
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Musings
free excellent e book

http://www.natural-person.ca/pdf/mary_croft.pdf   

check p 86 for the run up to 2012

namaste

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!!!!
Mood:  bright
Topic: Positive News!!
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
At a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen, an International Women's Day of no fixed date was proposed to honour the women's rights movement and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. Over 100 women from 17 countries unanimously agreed the proposal. 3 of these women were later elected the first women to the Finnish parliament.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.

1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 - 2007
IWD is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google even changes its logo on its global search pages. Corporations like HSBC host the UK's largest and longest running IWD event delivered by women's company Aurora. Last year Nortel sponsored IWD activities in over 20 countries and thousands of women participated. Nortel continues to connect its global workforce though a coordinated program of high-level IWD activity, as does Accenture both virtually and offline. Accenture supports more than 2,000 of its employees to participate in its International Women's Day activities that include leadership development sessions, career workshops and corporate citizenship events held across six continents - in eight cities in the United States and in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, South Africa and the UK. Accenture also coordinated am IWD webcast featuring stories about Accenture women worldwide that ran uninterrupted for 30 hours across 11 time zones via Accenture's intranet. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

 

more than 100 tips to save water!
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Musings

#1. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
#2. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
#3. Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.
#4. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
#5. Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month.
#6. Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
#7. Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
#8. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
#9. Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
#10. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
#11. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
#12. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
#13. Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
#14. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
#15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.
#16. If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
#17. Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
#18. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.
#19. We're more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks.
#20. Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
#21. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.
#22. When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy-efficient than older appliances.
#23. Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month.
#24. Install low-volume toilets.
#25. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
#26. When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
#27. Use the sprinkler for larger areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
#28. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.
#29. Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
#30. Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.
#31. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
#32. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.
#33. Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
#34. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
#35. Don't use running water to thaw food.
#36. Choose a water-efficient drip irrigation system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective, be careful not to over water.
#37. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save 140 gallons a week.
#38. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs, and ground cover with rock and granite mulching.
#39. When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
#40. Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.
#41. Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good shape.
#42. Before you lather up, install a low-flow showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save your family more than 500 gallons a week.
#43. Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
#44. Don't water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don't need water.
#45. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.
#46. Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
#47. When watering grass on steep slopes, use a soaker hose to prevent wasteful runoff.
#48. Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.
#49. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.
#50. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
#51. Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.
#52. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
#53. Don't buy recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
#54. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
#55. Buy a rain gauge to track how much rain or irrigation your yard receives. Check with your local water agency to see how much rain is needed to skip an irrigation cycle.
#56. Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
#57. Teach your family how to shut off your automatic watering systems. Turn sprinklers off if the system is malfunctioning or when a storm is approaching.
#58. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden with a hose.
#59. Make sure your toilet flapper doesn't stick open after flushing.
#60. Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets.
#61. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
#62. Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.
#63. Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later. Your pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch each day.
#64. Cut back on rinsing if your dishwasher is new. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
#65. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don't water. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of gallons of water annually.
#66. Avoid overseeding your lawn with winter grass. Once established, ryegrass needs water every three to five days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water only once a month.
#67. Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.
#68. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
#69. Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps.
#70. Bathe your young children together.
#71. Landscape with Xeriscape trees, plants and groundcovers. Call your local conservation office for more information about these water thrifty plants.
#72. Winterize outdoor spigots when temps dip to 20 degrees F to prevent pipes from bursting or freezing.
#73. Insulate hot water pipes so you don't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.
#74. Wash your car on the grass. This will water your lawn at the same time.
#75. Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time.
#76. If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to a flowerbed, tree, or your lawn.
#77. Make suggestions to your employer to save water (and dollars) at work.
#78. Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.
#79. Use a hose nozzle and turn off the water while you wash your car and save more than 100 gallons.
#80. Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.
#81. If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.
#82. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness.
#83. Wash clothes only when you have a full load and save up to 600 gallons each month.
#84. Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
#85. Pick-up the phone and report significant water losses from broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water management district.
#86. Bermuda grasses are dormant (brown) in the winter and will only require water once every three to four weeks or less if it rains.
#87. Start a compost pile. Using compost when you plant adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
#88. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
#89. Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. Fixing a leak can save 500 gallons each month.
#90. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Be sure only to water plants when necessary.
#91. Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
#92. Adjust your watering schedule to the season. Water your summer lawn every third day and your winter lawn every fifth day.
#93. Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.
#94. Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.
#95. Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
#96. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.
#97. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
#98. Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
#99. Place an empty tuna can on your lawn to catch and measure the water output of your sprinklers. For lawn watering advice, contact your local conservation office.
#100. Turn off the water while you shave and you can save more than 100 gallons a week.
#101. When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
#102. If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
#103. To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
#104. While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
#105. When backwashing your pool, consider using the water on your
landscaping.
#106. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
#107. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent from using the garbage disposal.
#108. When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don't throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.
#109. Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.
#110. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
#111. When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.

2012 and article from Starhawk
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Musings

2012 seems to be everywhere!! everyone is talking about it- I was at a talk yesterday by Andrew Smith who has channelled a book called Revolution 2012. It was really interesting- up to the point where he said we will have to choose whether to stay on earth and 'ascend' or go to live on other planets- he lost me from there?!!

On reading what the Mayan translators say we are moving in to an exciting time of spiritual advancement where our vibrations will be hightened. I believe this is why healing practices and attunements are becoming so popualr- our higher selves are leading us to ways of increasing our vibrational frequency so we will be prepared when 2012 comes!

I have some info on Mayan calendars and birth charts if you are interested do email me- info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk

enjoy the rest of your weekend! love Rachael x

I have traveled more than anyone else, and I have noticed that even the angels speak English with an accent.

-Mark Twain,
"Following the Equator"

 

 THE 2012 PROPHESIES - A COMMENT

There is an event, from when I was nine years old, that I have never forgotten. A boy was weeping in the school playground as other boys teased him, sprinkling water on him and making spooky noises. I was told that his family belonged to a religious sect who believed the world was about to end in a great flood. Armageddon. Apocalypse. The sprinkled water thrown by the boys was supposed to be the first drops of the prophesied tidal waves. This was a sad situation.

When I first became involved in new age and holistic spirituality, I myself became totally certain that humanity was living through a time of cosmic importance and dramatic transformation. But I was stopped in my tracks by some history I had to read as part of my mature student's degree, which taught me that decade by decade throughout history there has always been a group of people claiming that their moment in time was cosmically significant and heralding profound transformation, including the end of life on Earth. These are called millennial movements.

A millennial movement building up steam at the moment is based on the Mayan calendar, which suggests that the December Solstice 2012 will be a cosmically significant event. What will happen in 2012 was never made clear by the Mayans, but it is nevertheless being described by some authors and others as apocalyptic. There are at least 20 books published now on the subject. A 2012 prophetic business is building up.

Now - I absolutely support any movement that gets us to live more harmoniously with our environment. I also support all global meditations and prayers for healing and peace. But I am very uncomfortable with any ideas that stimulate anxiety, hysteria and frozen-in-the-headlights syndrome. What good does that do? Some of you may remember the hysteria that surrounded the millennium bug when people thought that the lack of four digits in Microsoft's internal calendar software would bring about global disaster. I know several new age luminaries who took to the mountains on 31 December 1999, their cabins and cottages stocked up for the famine and chaos.

***

So why is it that people buy into these prophesies?

One strong energetic possibility is that our planet carries the imprint and memory of previous disasters. Just like a house or a room can absorb the moods and vibrations of the people who lived there, which visitors and future owners can feel, so Earth and our collective psyche are also carrying memories. Just pause for a moment and imagine the powerful vibrational imprint of the second world war and holocaust. They are very recent history. So too are the killing fields of Cambodia and the genocides in Europe and Africa. Going further back in history, there have been terrible floods, famines and plagues. There have been great climate changes, such as the ice ages. Civilisations have come and gone. All these are huge events, alive in the energy field of our history. We feel them - and sometimes we channel them.

The energy of these historical happenings float, in my opinion, like magnetic clouds in the collective psyche of our species and planet. Sometimes, when we are in a particular mood or have a particular attitude, we act like lightening rods and channel the tragic energy of these past events. It is no wonder that some people get caught up, trance-like, almost as if a spell has been cast, in a collective movement of anxiety, paranoia and conspiracy.

The cataclysmic disasters are indeed a reality. They are still alive in the energy field and in our unconscious. But they happened before. They are history and not the future. One of our responsibilities, I suggest, is not to channel, recycle or feed these ancient traumas, but to understand, heal and transform them.

Let's be clear. The Mayans did not interpret the Solstice 2012 event. They only stated that it was significant. What is happening now, at worst, is that some authors, would-be prophets and conspiracy theorists are hanging all kinds of other information on to the 2012 date, peddling their own fears and philosophies, tuning into the disasters of the past and inaccurately asserting that they are the future. We need to steer away from the hissy fit delusions of those who claim that the end of the world is nigh and who create more problems than solutions.

Of course, I may be wrong - but I'm prepared to take bets that looking back from 2020, 2012 will be just another one of those movements whose prophesies were not fulfilled.

***

I want to put my energy into a more hopeful interpretation of December Solstice 2012. The actual astronomy of the Mayan calendar is interesting. As I understand it, it points out that a rare and close alignment will take place between Earth, our sun and the core of the Milky Way, our parent galaxy.

Have you ever contemplated the symbolism of the name, the Milky Way? Our galaxy is the nurturing milk of the Cosmic Mother. The idea that the December Solstice 2012 will bring us close to that source is one of healing and hope. What better help could there be for us than to feel the love and nurture of the divine parent?

Readers, of course, are free to make up their own minds, but I am raising my flag here. I don't really know if 2012 is a significant date or not. If it is, then I choose to interpret it as a sign of hope and I reject any claim that it heralds some kind of Armageddon. We have enough real problems - ecological and social - to solve without getting caught up in that illusion.

***

If you want to comment on this piece of writing, you are welcomed to participate in a conversation on my Forum - www.williambloom.com/forum www.williambloom.com 

Hey friends, as some of you know, I'm a panelist on the Washington Post/Newsweek religion blog On Faith. Each week they pose a question which we are invited to answer. This week's question is on whether you can criticize Israel without being anti-Semitic. You can probably imagine my reply. Actually, you don't have to imagine it as it's below, but I encourage you to check out the site and add your comments, not necessarily to my post but to the ongoing discussion on others, as well. Right now my response is on my personal page, sometime in the next week it will probably be posted on the main page. The URL is:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith

To Be a True Friend of the Jewish People
By Starhawk

I can think of nothing more unfaithful to the strong Jewish traditions of social justice than the current climate of vicious denunciation towards anyone who raises criticisms of Israel's policies. Judaism is the religion of the prophets, who never held back from calling to account the people or the kings. Jewish culture thrives on intellectual freedom, argument and debate. "Where there are two Jews, there are three opinions," we used to say, proudly. How have we allowed this vibrant diversity to be stifled?

Anti-Semitism is a form of prejudice, and the essence of any prejudice is seeing all members of a group as the same and erasing the differences among them. To label any criticism of Israel as ‘anti-Semitic" is to obscure the real differences between Israel as a state, Judaism as a religion, and Jews as a varied and diverse group of people. It is to ignore the thousands of Jews and Israelis who are strong critics of many of Israel's policies, and to erase the many courageous Jews who have crossed the line to stand with Palestinians in demonstrations against the wall, who have rebuilt demolished Palestinian homes, taken public stands in favor of justice for both peoples, and worked to build bridges of peace. It is to give a pack of strident lobbyists credence over the measured critiques of rabbis like Michael Lerner, Arthur Waskow, Aerik Asherman of Rabbis for Human Rights and so many more, the organizations like Jewish Voices for Peace, Gush Shalom, Bat Shalom, Btszelem, Israeli Committee Against Home Demolition, Jewish Peace Fellowship, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Tikkun, and many more.

Although, as readers of this blog will have noted, I'm a practicing Pagan, I was raised as an American Jew in the postwar period, when Israel was our great dream realized, our one compensation for the horrors of the Holocaust. I grew up saving my pennies to buy trees to plant in the Holy Land, and spent my vacation, at fifteen, on a Hebrew High School summer-in-Israel program. I know the tug Israel has on our hearts, the deep pain we feel when that dream is threatened in any way, the excruciating process we must go through to challenge the myths and stories we were brought up on.

But I have also seen the other side. I have volunteered four times with the International Solidarity Movement, a group which supports nonviolent resistance to the occupation in Palestine. And yes, there is a strong nonviolent movement among the Palestinian people, and though the media rarely report on it. For the last two years or more, almost every day has seen protests at the wall, and hundreds of courageous Israelis have crossed the line to join marches, peace camps, and demonstrations together with their Palestinian neighbors.

I have been a witness in refugee camps under siege and negotiated with soldiers as they searched-and trashed-Palestinian homes. I have stood in line at checkpoints and experienced a taste of the daily frustration and humiliation of life in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. I have huddled with children trying to do their homework as soldiers fired bullets into their homes and tanks prowled outside, and I've sat in meetings with village elders searching desperately for some nonviolent means to resist the wall which would shortly confiscate their farmlands and their ancient olive groves. I know that every day in the occupied territories, people live with terror, with the death and loss of loved ones, with arbitrary restrictions imposed on their movements and their livelihoods, with hunger, want, and humiliation. I can never condone terrorism as a response to oppression, but I do know that under the conditions of the occupation, frustration and rage will breed violence as sure as stagnant water will breed algae.

Only justice for the Palestinian people can bring security to Israel and bring peace to both peoples. Every day that justice is delayed increases the danger to Israel and to the Jewish people worldwide. True friends of Israel will not support her in policies that sow hatred and reap retribution. Real allies of the Jewish people will listen to and amplify the voices of all those who cry out for justice.

For more information:

My accounts of my time in the Occupied Territories can be found in the archives of my website, www.starhawk.org

I highly recommend Jimmy Carter's Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid. All the attacks he has suffered cannot obscure the calmness, fairness, and clarity of his account-and the fact that no other politician has yet delivered a long lasting peace agreement like the one he brokered between Israel and Egypt.

Some other good websites:

International Solidarity Movement www.palsolidarity.org

Gush Shalom
http://gush-shalom.org

I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.

-Booker T. Washington

All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts, we make our world.

Buddha

March (early) Newsletter
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: archive newsletters

March 2007
Free e-newsletter
From Rachael Hertogs

Well, this month has been pretty full on, I've had 2 weekend retreats away which have been life changing! The first weekend on Dartmoor reminded me how much I miss being outdoors and also helped me clear my mind and focus with clarity about where I want my business to be heading. I also met some amazing women- one of whom organises the Budapest Goddess Festival- she asked me to run some workshops over there in 2008! www.goddessbudapest.com
The second weekend was with a small group of women on our yearly gathering in Glastonbury - we had a magical moonlit walk up the Tor as well as visiting Bride's Mound and generally getting in touch with our inner Goddess'!
From these weekends away I've devised 2 new workshops- both seasonal celebrations! See below and my Workshops Page on my new website- see www.rachaelhertogs.co.uk (hence I have a new email address! Please add it to your non- spam list!)
Lisa did a great job of creating it for me. If you're interested in her web design skills see her ad in my Networking Section. My Products Page allows you to ‘buy on line' and the Art Page gives a bit of background on the inspiration behind my art!
Fingers crossed I'm going to be moving house across the river to Southville- once all the paper work is finalised- which we hope will be before Easter so we can be moved and settled before Sacred Arts Camp in May. So lots of change and excitement all round this month!
An affirmation for you - Today I have a sense of rightness about all that comes my way. Nature's way is my way, because I am of nature, and there is nothing to oppose the full flowering of my good.
Much love and many blessings, Rachael xxx
This month we have-
Classes and Workshops
events in and around Bristol
networking section

*Classes *
Reiki Evening Classes over 6 weeks
What makes my classes different from others? Most Reiki Teachers run their courses over a weekend- I believe the body needs time to adjust to the subtle energy changes that Reiki creates. Attending a weekly class allows your body to adjust at a gentle pace making the attunement process less of a ‘clearing' and more of a mystical experience!
Classes usually consist of 6 students - allowing for individual support.
Reiki means "universal wisdom and life energy", it is also known as ‘the secret art of inviting happiness'. It is a Japanese form of healing similar to spiritual healing where the practitioner channels divine light to aid the physical and energy body to heal.
further info or to book 9245040 email info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk
Reiki I- this level allows you to channel reiki energy and thus treat yourself and others. The class consists of an attunement and all the required information & practical exercises to allow you to understand and use Reiki.
Reiki II- building on Level I, this level increases the flow of reiki energy and includes a further attunement. Reiki symbols are also given to help with more specific areas of healing and to allow distant treatments.
Reiki I attunements can be arranged for a donation, you will learn the basic self healing hand positions and principles but won't get a certificate. This is more for people who only want to use Reiki for their own self healing and for one reason or another cannot attend a class. One to One Sessions to learn Reiki I can be arranged - please contact me for more information on this.
Feedback from my Reiki Classes has been "Reiki is an amazing life skill and I'm excited of how my life will develop" "Reiki has helped me feel more confident and relaxed" ‘Rachael is enthusiastic, calm and down to earth in her style- which makes Reiki more accessible" "it was great to have the space to share our experiences and developments- rather like a healing group!" "There was such emotional support, Rachael is sensitive and compassionate to our personal journeys" "Reiki has helped me to manage my emotions, accept myself and my limitations and has given me a more positive outlook on life".
FFI contact Rachael 9245040 or email info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk  www.rachaelhertogs.co.uk  

Womens Summer Solstice Celebration!

Join me and a group of women in celebrating the summer solstice with a day of creativity, singing, movement, visualisation, stories, touching nature and honouring one another

Saturday June 23rd
St Werburghs
£50 per woman
payment covers hire of a beautiful space - in nature, workshop materials, refreshments and chocolate!
Summer Solstice Celebration - embracing the creative energy of the sun. We will use song, visualisation and art to connect within. There will be glitter and sparkle, laughter and chocolate! We will explore where we are and where we want to be on our journey of life, what is holding us back, and how can we break though and transform them. We will rewrite our futures and honour ourselves as women!
Contact Rachael for further info or to book 9245040 info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk
At Wise Women's Workshops we offer unique healing spaces for women

*Events*
The Vagina Monologues
24 & 25th Feb St Pauls Church, Portland Sq
2 March The Folk House, Park Street
Ticket price: £5
For tickets contact: www.bristolticketshop.co.uk

Your Community Clinic
offers a gateway to complementary therapies for a minimum donation of £10 for 30 mins.
treatments are 30 minutes- although 1 hour sessions can be booked.
Therapies:
 Aromatherapy, Back, Shoulder & Head Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy*, Crystal Healing, Ear Acupuncture, Facial Massages, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Reiki & Shiatsu *only on Saturdays

please call to pre-book a treatment - we also have gift vouchers available!
ffi and bookings contact Rachael on 0117 9245040 email- info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk
see web site for venue and dates http://communityclinic.tripod.com

Provide yourself with an opportunity for rest and enhance self esteem, feel more peaceful, content, positive and better able to cope with day to day stresses!

Dances of Universal Peace
Mar 17
with Zubin
Programme runs from 10.30 to 4.00
doors open & drinks available from 10. Please bring vegetarian food to share for lunch. No pre-booking or previous experience needed.
Cost for the Day £25 (£20 concessions)
Ffi please contact John 01453 731424 john@jsrees.freeserve.co.uk
or Lucy 01373 813591
www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org.uk

*Networking*

SACRED ARTS CAMP
International Dances of Universal Peace Camp

25 May - 2/3 June 2006
Nr Reading

The world's biggest gathering of our peace dance family.This camp is for all the family.
There is dancing to live music, with harmony singing, yoga and other spiritual practices,
clay work, painting, woodcraft, parachute games, waterplay, nightly story time,
women's circles & men's groups, the experience of cooperative living in a beautiful secluded field.
Camp life - camp fires, hot showers, sweat lodges, café, sacred foot ball, & pancakes, open hearted people from many countries, lots of spirit - no alcohol.
Cost - only £140 per adult; £40 per child (5 -12); £50 per teenager (13 -18); £80 per young adult (19 - 26).
Enquiries - Diane 01297 33700 or Gitta 01202825450
e-mail: mail@sacred-arts-camp.org.uk Details & updates on www.sacred-arts-camp.org.uk  

Websites don't have to be expensive. They can cost as little as £50 to set up a simple one and are a great way to let people know about you and what you do. You can use them to promote your business or to share family photos with friends overseas. Contact Lisa Cole - moomum@lactivist.co.uk   for more details.

And to finish:

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace deep peace
Deep peace of the sleeping stones to you
Deep peace of the wandering wind to you
Deep peace of the flock of stars to you
Deep peace deep peace
Deep peace of the eastern wind to you
Deep peace of the westeren wind to you
Deep peace of the northern wind to you
Blue wind of the south to you
Pure red of the whirling flame to you
Pure white of the silver moon to you
Pure green of the emerald grass to you
Deep peace deep peace

LOVE
Mood:  amorous
Topic: Musings
Neale Donald Walsch had a message for Valentine's Day that i wanted to share with you, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

love Rachael xxx

"Most people (appear) to me, enter into relationships for the wrong
reason.
The purpose of relationship is for us to create a context within which
we might announce and declare, express and fulfill, our highest notion of who we really are. Very few people understand romantic relationships in thisway.

I certainly didn't in my life, and since I have been given this
information I have found myself challenged at the very highest level. I have not  always met the challenge. Indeed, I have failed time and time again to  fulfill the highest notion I have had about myself in my relationships with others.
Yet I believe that by my failures I have grown, and come to know more and more about what it means to be truly loving.

The first person that I have to be truly loving with, is myself. I
know that sounds like nothing more than a shallow cliché, but I assure you that it is profoundly true -- and immensely important. Loving oneself does not mean being selfish. It does mean not becoming a chameleon, not allowing yourself to change colors and change truths and change intentions and change the way
it is that you are as an individual human being simply to keep another person in the room. It means loving yourself enough to be authentically YOU  even if it looks like doing so will cause others to depart.

What will happen, in truth, is that certain people will depart, but
certain other people will join you in your life in a new and powerful way.
They will join you because they resonate with who you are. They are in harmony with the very essence of your being. They agree with your agenda.
They hold the same intentions. They are compatible with you in many ways.
They are not the same as you, but they are compatible. I cannot begin to  tell you how important this is. A person cannot know -- nor can you --  whether or not they are compatible unless they know who you are in your  Truthful Being."

So my friends, as you profess your love with roses or other delights on Valentines day do be the person you wish to be and may you all have a lovely day in  the process.