Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Thomas Merton
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Winter Mulled Wine Recipe
Mulled Wine Recipe:
Serves: 4
Serves: 4
- 1 litre dry red wine
- 2 (5cm) cinnamon sticks
- 1 dessertspoon whole cloves
- 1 dessertspoon whole allspice
- 1 large piece orange rind (avoid the pith)
- 1 large piece lemon rind (avoid the pith)
- 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
Monday, November 21, 2022
An Overview of the Structure in Afar Poetry by David Tatham
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Environment Health
Permaculture offers a natural and sustainable gardening philosophy, developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in 1978, it has taken off as a means of looking after plants and animals holistically and organically. Energy is conserved, rain water is used rather than reservoir water, natural compost is used too. Prince Charles, next in line to the British throne, is very interested in using these permaculture methods. Three core laws apply:
- Care for the earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply. This is the first principle, because without a healthy earth, humans cannot flourish.
- Care for the people: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
- Return of surplus: Reinvesting surpluses back into the system to provide for the first two ethics. This includes returning waste back into the system to recycle into usefulness. The third ethic is sometimes referred to as Fair Share to reflect that each of us should take no more than what we need before we reinvest the surplus.
Friday, November 18, 2022
Recycle, Renovate and Restore
What should be recycled?
Aluminium foil, batteries, cans and tins, cooking oil, electrical equipment, engine oil, glass, mobile phones, paper, printer cartridges, Tetra Pak cartons, tyres, paint, plastics, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.Home composting involves garden leaves, food waste, paper, etc. These biodegradable items can be saved from incineration and will provide good quality soil for the next year. Much of the soil on sale in garden centres is from irreplaceable peat bogs from places such as Ireland, so try to buy, if you must, non peat soil. Limestone pavements are also popular rocks seen in garden centres which are precious natural habitats, and get a water butt for the collection of rainwater.
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Yoko Ono & Sean Lennon Against Fracking
Artists Against Fracking has been launched by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon as a new coalition of artists, musicians, filmmakers and public figures opposed to hydraulic fracking. The growing coalition now includes more than 180 members, including Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Anne Hathaway, Alec Baldwin, Marina Abramovic, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Sherman, MGMT, Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Liv Tyler, Mario Batali, Roberta Flack, Robert De Niro, Mark Ruffalo, Uma Thurman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and many others.
Disappearing Wildlife Red Alert
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.
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Save our seas!
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!
The Benefits Of Alpha
When you start practicing meditation you open brain faculties which haven't been used since your childhood.
Monday, November 14, 2022
Saving Planet Earth
We live on a planet which is overpopulated by human beings. Most people feel powerless to do anything to save our planet from climate change with extreme weather, pollution of seas, soil and air. The over population by humans decreases numbers of all other species, sometimes to the point of extinction. We need biodiversity, we need tropical forests, we need clean oceans and clean air for our health and the health of those yet to be born.
However, even the smallest change, when a nation gets involved, can make a huge difference. Our human population has grown from 3 billion in 1960 to 9 billion by 2030.
Join the Wildlife Campaign
The two major threats to our planet’s animal species are loss of territory and slaughtering for body parts. We can support their protection by challenging the fashion industry, confronting the lies presented as ‘traditional’ medicine, stop the decorative uses of body parts of hunted species, and by campaigning against taking animals from the wild to keep as pets in extremely poor and unhealthy conditions.
All species on our planet are interdependent, when we lose one species, the loss has a knock on effect where others also become extinct. 60% of the planet’s mammals, birds, reptiles and fish are endangered and on the verge of extinction. Goodwill Ambassadors are coming forward, such as Aiden Gallagher, Nadya Hutagalung, Wang Junkai and Dia Mirza.
The Dangers of Climate Change
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Gaia - Our Living Planet
We live on a beautiful, astounding and intelligent planet. The Piping Plover draws predators away from her nest by feigning a broken wing. Dogs follow the direction of our gaze, chickens are measurably upset when they see their chicks buffeted by the wind, mosquitos can do simple addition and subtraction and sticklebacks identify individuals and remember them! Is this not a planet of unrecognised intelligence, creativity and abundant life! We live on an extraordinary, finite and unique planet. In 1979, the British scientist and NASA consultant (and perhaps the most well known environmentalist), Professor James Lovelock, suggested that our planet is a living being, that breathes, lives in every living species, and will one day die. He named his study of the planet, the Gaia Theory, after the Greek Goddess of the Earth. James Locklock wrote the book 'Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth which is highly recommended to readers of Mind Body Spirit Magazine. The ecology of our planet must be the New Age paradigm and James Lovelock was fifty years ahead of his time in noticing the interdependence of all species on each other and the importance of protecting from pollution our seas, air and soil.
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Eco-Tourism! The Holidays of the Future
When you are taking a holiday, remember the huge resources this costs our planet, especially in air flight, water provision and non local produce. When you take a trip abroad, consider visiting a national park or wildlife reserve where funds are ploughed back into nature conservation. Remember that bush meat is cruel in its hunting and often kills endangered species, that the changes in land use causes a loss of species territory, pollution, climate change, and all affects wildlife and causes conflict with humans. The human population grows exponentially and takes from the planet and it’s other soecies, often those teetering on the very edge of extinction.
Friday, November 11, 2022
The Benefits of Fairtrade
Fairtrade is a commodity registered trade mark which provides a better deal for third world producers. It pays them a fair price for products, gives up front payments and guarantees long term trading partners. It exists to improve the lives of those abroad, it promotes development through education and improved quality, and prevents exploitation and promotes social justice for children, women, etc. Of the products available on the Fairtrade market are foods, clothes, handicrafts, footballs, roses, and cotton wool. Precious metals and gemstones are being considered for this label. Why should people in the rich West not pay a few pence more to ensure those living in the poorest ways get a fair price for their work!
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Pulsing
What is Pulsing Therapy?
Pulsing as a style of massage with soft movements and rhythmic rocking. It gently releases tension, harmonises, energises, and nourishes. It is bodywork without being painful. It is powerful yet soft.
Rhythms are the breath, peristaltic digestive rhythms, the heart beat, the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness, brain rhythms, hormonal, endocrine and many others within the body and mind.
Pulsing was developed in the mid 1970s by Curtis Turchin who was originally a Postural Integration therapist. He took some aspects of the Trager Approach to create a stretching and lifting style of bodywork to rock the client's body in order to release tension and stress. It is Rhythmic and meditative. Ideal to relax hyperactive children, Aspergers and other disabilities. Releases tension!
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is often shortened to PTSD. It can occur following an accident, a crime, a bad experience of any kind. Anyone can suffer from it if the stresses are great enough. It can have physiological and psychological causes, such as sleeplessness, nightmares, panic attacks, free floating anxiety, tearfulness, loss of memory, feelings of anger, depression and distress.
Monday, November 7, 2022
Carl Jung - Helping Psychology
Extraversion-Introversion is a key component of what makes up the human personality. More aggressive and gregarious individuals are generally referred to as extraverts, while introverts tend to prefer solitude and worry less about being social. By no means are introverts lonely people, they simply prefer to socialize and work in smaller groups. Extraverts live to meet new people and constantly expand their circle of friends, and they often do this quite actively.
Friday, November 4, 2022
Martine Batchelor - Buddhist teacher
As a young person, Martine was politically active due to her socialist family background. She wanted to travel and hitchhiked through many countries on her way to India and Thailand and worked in an unskilled capacity to support herself. She stayed in a Buddhist monastery in Korea for 10 years and became a nun. She had prolonged periods of deep meditation and solitude and studied under a Zen tutor and was instructed to ask herself 'What Is It?' and later 'Why did the guru say 'no'!' She learnt to 'bear beyond strength'. It is not what you say you are - but what other people find you to be which is of relevance and wisdom and compassion motivated her. She wishes to live without harm to others or herself. When her Master died, she left the monastery and returned to Europe.
Thursday, November 3, 2022
What is a Mantra?
A mantra is a repetitive group of words, that becomes a prolonged chant. Sometimes spoken and sometimes sung. Sometimes the words have meaning - calling upon a deity for instance - and sometimes they are just a group of words to focus the mind on a topic, such as health or happiness. A well known chant is that of Tibetan Buddhism 'Aum Mani Padme Hum' or 'Om Namashi Vaya' a Hindu chant. The repetitive words of many Christian prayers are also a chant, focussing the mind on devotion and clearing the mind of other thoughts.
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