Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a therapy mainly for relief from post traumatic stress disorder. Founded by an American psycholologist, Dr Francine Shapiro in the 1980s. Similar to how the brain naturally processes stressful events when it uses rapid eye movements during sleep, the therapist assists the client to use their eye movements to wipe the memory of the traumatic event from the brain.
Sleep
paralysis is a sleep state where the person thinks they are awake, but
cannot move their muscles. They have very vivid dreams that they think
are true life. It is very common and the person loses good quality
sleep, feeling very tired throughout the day. Stress tends to make this worse. Create a stress-free bedtime routine where you have a light meal, listen to some gentle music or a relaxation meditation. Organise your life for the morning when you awake and forget the stresses of the day.
Recorded at St James's Church, Piccadilly, the Blake Society Lecture features Dr
Iain McGilchrist who is the leading expert on left brain/right brain
research. We hear so much in the New Age 'I am analytical, I must be
'left' brain' or 'I am artistic, I must be right brain'. Watch this
video, simply put, it is far more complex than that - we use different
areas of our brain all the time! Even more complex than presented - a
left handed person has their hemispheres reversed!
Despite the US and the UK resisting, bee campaigners are celebrating the European Union prohibition on the use of systemic pesticides which have been demonstrated to be toxic to bees. A total of 15 of the 27 European member states voted for a 2 year ban on neonicotinoids and 300,000 people in the UK signed a petition to bring in a ban. Most bumblebee species are declining and 6 species have suffered an 80% reduction in numbers in recent years. In the past 100 years, 20 British bee species have become extinct and 35 British bees are currently at risk of extinction. This is due to several factors, not just the chemicals which reduce their immune system capabilities, but loss of habitat plays a large role as does the removal of honey from hives and replacing it with sugar water which provides none of the valuable nutrients for bees throughout the winter, and does not provide the antibacterial that is needed for them to fight diseases. With 98% of wild flower meadows vanishing since 1950, we need to plant flowers that will help bees to thrive. They play a crucial role in plant pollination.
Depression is a lonely existance, because other people don't understand. It is a low energy illness, a feeling of meaninglessness, guilt, shame, worthlessness and hopelessness. It is not just a state of mind, but an illness, a disability and can sometimes lead to suicide in very serious cases. Advice does not usually work, even when meant well because the person is often totally unable to take it. There is much the person can do to help themselves, but they need to feel well enough to find them for themselves. Suggestions: breathing exercises, walks in nature, meetings with friends, an uplifting book, dancing, gardening, handicrafts, exercise, join a club, travel, volunteering. Learn more, and conquer this affliction without drugs...
The African Lion and the Sunda Clouded Leopard could be extinct within a few years due to lack of food and water in the wild caused by changing weather conditions.
In 1979, Africa had 1,300,000 wild Elephants, today, there are 400,000 alive and the land is guarded by park rangers and it is estimated more than 1,000 rangers have been killed by armed militia groups in the past ten years trying to protect them.
23 tonnes of Elephant Ivory was confiscated in 2012 - equivalent to the tusks of 2,500 Elephants. Seizures of illegal ivory are at their highest for 20 years The price of Rhino horn has increased to £37.500 per kilogram, twice the price of gold and platinum (and more valuable than black market diamonds or cocaine). The illegal trade in wildlife is one of the most lucrative trades in the world, worth £6,000,000,000 per year and is ruthless in its quest. Animals are viciously killed and people are also killed. This trade is fueled by the new middle classes of the Far East, Vietnam is the top destination point for Rhino horn where they trade in carcass, tusk and horn, in one haul 1,200 Rhino tusks were seized in Hong Kong. Approx 5,000 Rhinos remain in the wild. The species is 50 million years old!
The higher self is a part of ourself which is beyond and transcends the individual ego, beyond the self serving and selfish aspect of the self. It is understanding and appreciating the sacred and avoids religious dogma and traditions. Altered states of consciousness can be experienced. Spiritual development and values such as serenity, self understanding, joy and gratitude are part of the bigger spiritual picture.
Runes are letters of an alphabet that developed from extremely ancient illustrations, each of which once had a specific meaning. These gradually developed into an ancient form of writing, which can be traced back from markings that appeared on rocks as early as the neolithic period. Among the signs engraved on these early Runes were parts of the body, weapons, animals and variations on the square, circle and swastika. Later on, these symbols became simplified into abstract hieroglyphics, wich were composed of lines that no longer resembled specific objects. In addition to being used to communicate ideas, Runic letter images were considered so powerful and magical that they were inscribed into tools, weapons, rocks, altars and personal items. In addition, from these earliest of days, these magical markings were inscribed into wooden pieces that were thrown down and "read" as an early form of fortune telling.
Panic attacks are very common and are hugely disabling. People who experience a panic attack often feel that they are going to die. Going outside the house, meeting people, just waking up in the morning to face the day, can trigger an attack. Until a panic attack is defined and dealt with, it is a crushing and terrifying illness. It seems to run in families. Even some doctors do not understand, they hand out tablets which have side effects and can cause addiction. If this is happening to you or someone you know, there is a great deal this person can do to help themselves.
Who was Abraham Maslow? He (1980 - 1970) was born in New York and was the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant. He is one of the founding fathers of human potential and peak experiences. He studied the Native American culture and taught psychology at Broklyn College and was part of the humanistic psychology movement with Margaret Mead, Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and other visionaries of the era. He worked at the Esalen Institute where he was one of the principal mentors in the 1960s. He did not study mental illness, but believed that the study of healthy individuals gave the greatest potential for growth and development of the individual. He was interested in 'self actualised' people, those who are exceptionally healthy, fulfilled and successful, who are balanced, calm, loving and just. His work influenced business, management, marketing, education, health care, and theology.
Fishing is taking place throughout the Earth's oceans at such a pace that our oceans are dying and many fish species are now extinct and many are extremely unhealthy with all kinds of dangerous pollutants both for them and for us when we consume them. Ocean acidification is caused by pollution, global warming is causing the seas to heat up, causing the death of many fish and mammals who are suffering. When fish stock are low, more farm land is required for farm animals which create more carbon emissions. Governments and institutions need to realise that the future of people - our children and grandchildren's - lives are at stake. Only buy fish from sustainable sources!
MBS Book Review: Feeling Lonesome - The Philosophy and Psychoogy of Loneliness by Ben Lazare Mijuskovic PhD published by Praeger, 204 pages. This is a meaty academic study for serious students of this subject. It discusses the major viewpoints of great thinkers from ancient times to the modern day. This book explains who we are and why we are the way we are, how loneliness is innate and how it has inspired, motivated and created us. God, time, sanity, war and other subjects are tackled by the world specialist. Check out the videos of Brunel University Symposium: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/environment/themes/ageing-studies/ESRC/videos
What is Bioenergetics? Bioenergetics is the study and practice of using energy within the body in better ways. It is based upon the controversial work of Wilheim Reich and was created by two of Reich's students, principally Alexander Lowen, who included some of the theories of Reich's tutor, Sigmund Freud. It focuses on releasing unconscious blocks within the body that cause headaches, backache, etc., through physical exercises so that the person becomes more physically and psychologically free.
The energy transition is here! As fossil fuel resources shrink, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, oil, and natural gas, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.
During Spiritualism’s heyday,
philanthropists, political activists, (including vegetarians and animal welfare
activists), and all kinds of intellectuals and Establishment figures believed
that spirits in the Afterlife could be contacted to aid learning and help those
in the physical world live a better life. Queen Victoria and the royal family
are said to be ardent believers. Spiritualism’s ‘Pope’, the flamboyant
socialist Hannen Swaffer (who opposed capital punishment and always wore a hat)
was an ardent campaigner for Spiritualism.
We are learning from the ancient tribal peoples - age old wisdom - that we must care for what we have or we will lose it. Shamanism is the original form of contact with nature spirits for the health and wellbeing of individuals and the tribe. All who heard the voice of God, prophets, sybils, seers and others, such as Moses, Jesus, Muhammed, were the equivalent of shamans. Eco shamanism is about listening to the nature spirits and caring for and protecting nature. Our unique and finite planet is in danger due to humankind's use of resources, and lack of awarerness with regards to how we dispose of toxic substances. Protecting the seas, the soil and the air is now a priority as is conserving the biodiveersity of our planet where every species relies on each other.
THE GREAT TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO SOLAR AND WIND
The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way.
As fossil fuel prices rise, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.
Miek Pot speaking on Conscious TV on the Information Channel about her life as a recluse. Miek, a spiritual counsellor began her search for silence in her early 20s by visiting and investigating the traditions of India, the Greek Orthodox and eventually a strict Christian Carthusian hermitage in Belgium (similar to the Desert Fathers) where she stayed for 12 years. Her parents were allowed to visit her twice a year.
Indian artifacts show the history of meditation dates back 5000 years. Researchers suggest that primitive hunting and gathering societies may have discovered meditation and its many different states of consciousness while gazing into the flames of their fires. The history of Meditation has evolved over thousands of years, into a structured practice that people use daily.
Who was Viktor Frankl? Living from 1905 - 1997, Frankl was a Jewish Austrian holocaust survivor who went on to become a leading psychiatrist and neurologist. He was the founder of the controversial Logotherapy and his most famous book is Mans Search for Meaning.
Non violent communication is a new method of dealing with conflict. Often communication can escalate when conflict is not resolved. If you would like to speak with someone in a way which respects their point of view but also gets your point of view across in a way which is not inflationary, this is the way to go about it!
