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! 

Ecological Footprint

The U.K. uses 7.7 billion plastic bottles each year! 117 bottles on average per person per year. 

Our ecological footprint is a measure of our communal consumption levels in terms of the Earth's surface measured in hectares which are needed to support us. This figure includes crops, such as palm oil and soya, and land for farm animals for food, harvesting timber, catching fish, etc., and is caused through burning fossil fuels, deforestation, etc.
Bangladesh is 0.5 hectares: UK is 5.4 hectares; and USA is 9.5 hectares!
Rich countries are responsible for the greatest consumption and the greatest production of carbon dioxide but poorer countries are being affected most seriously.

To 'Awaken' What does it mean?

Several times, the word 'awake' is mentioned in the Bible. It is also mentioned in The Koran and it is frequently mentioned in New Age philosophy; but what does it mean to awaken? We all know what it means to sleep (we spend a third of our life in this unconscious state) but why use metaphorical language when it confuses such an important matter? We can surely be more articulate and explain ourselves properly, using appropriate words in the English language.

What does it mean to be 'enlightened'? There is so much talk about it - but very little meaningful explanation available! It is concerning that the instantaneous moments of mind expansion so often described by spiritual teachers would be described as 'psychotic' episodes by doctors. Can one become enlightened through navel gazing? I think not! If anything an 'enlightened' state is one of awareness, where we are keenly aware of what is happening, where we take action for needs of others in a non self serving way.

Highly Sensitive People

  

Are you highly sensitive or hyper aware? With apologies for the advert at the beginning which you can skip if you like, the video is enlightening and worth watching. 

HSPs are often highly empathic and open to the needs of others, they have a keen sense of justice and are often highly intelligent. 

They might be very sensitive to loud noises, intensity of light, changes in temperature, and the moods of other people. They might be a person who needs to chose their friends, their work and their environment carefully so as not to becomed overwhelmed.

 They often like their own company, to be in the company of one other person and may find crowds are threatening to their sense of control. They are often shy, retiring or reclusive. They feel stress intensely, and might also find their energies quickly depleted. 

Collective Responsibility

When the ideology of any particular faith presumes to speak with authority or impose its beliefs or ideologies on those who do not hold those same views, it breeds division, bigotry, hatred, repression, and violence and is a very dangerous way to determine social and economic policy for a nation or the world.

A healthy belief in spiritual teachings, should manifest values based on respect, truth, compassion, mutuality, diversity, tolerance, and inclusiveness. We are heading towards a global population of 9 billion people; 9 billion people who will aspire to achieve a middle class life style. Yet environmental scientists are warning our planet cannot sustainably support this consumeristic and materialistic standard of living for everyone who can afford it because already we are well beyond sustainability. Ignoring reality is a form of ignorance that we can no longer enjoy.

By Karen Tate

My gateway into Goddess Spirituality was via the teachings of Dianic women immersed in Women's Mysteries and Goddess herstory.  I owe them a debt of gratitude for introducing me to Goddess but this relationship wasn’t without many challenges. Like a “cafeteria catholic” moving down the food line of spiritual beliefs, choosing what ideas resonated with me, I put some of their ideas on my tray of life and rejected others leaving them to dry out on the sterno.

I was interested in a Feminine Face of God and not a male God so much. Christianity and patriarchy turned me off to institutional  man-made dogma, religion and Jesus for a long time. For me, the male God could be a consort of Goddess, perhaps her equal, provided she maintained her full autonomy and authority. Think of the Super Couple of Isis and Osiris for example. The feminist aspects of Dianics also appealed to me. Coming from a lower-middle-class family, growing up without a lot, I understood the importance of feminism to lift us all up to achieve equality. So the female empowerment aspect, the primary deity as female, feminism and herstory were really attractive concepts of Dianic Spirituality.

Erhard Seminars Training

 

The Way To The Center Meditation

Meditation! 
Start with breathing exercises and close your eyes. Visualize that you are standing at the top of a staircase in a dark so complete you can´t see your hand in front of your face. Picture your body as it is standing on top of that staircase. Surround yourself with the colour red. Your whole body is enveloped in the colour red as you step down on step. Remember to breathe. On the next step you are surrounded by orange feel the colour orange and than step down one more step. Feel your body relax and while you step down, let the colour orange change into a warming yellow. Suffuse your aura with that yellow glow remembering to breath deeply and evenly. Take another step down slowly the yellow changes into a rich green light. Your muscles are relaxing more and more as your mind becomes clearer.

Spiritual Energy

I never liked Styrofoam cups, plastic bags, or aerosol cans. I always knew that they were bad for the environment. Now, I am an advocate of the green initiative. I understand that everything that we humans do affects our eco-system, including our spiritual development.

I have experienced two wars in my lifetime. Countries normally go to war for one reason, to get more resources. There are many who believe that the wars in the Middle East were all about oil. Oil is a limited resource and it is becoming scarcer with each passing day. We are inundated with commercials about Congress wanting to drill in the most obscure places. Some have predicted that the world is going to run completely out of oil in the near future.

Psychodrama

What is psychodrama? 

Jacob L Moreno (1889-1974) created this technique for gaining insight into relationships that are buried in the unconscious. A New York psychiatrist, social scientist and polymath, his very early interest in theatre in Vienna led to psychodrama as a form of therapy around 1910 and it became very popular in the 1960s and 70s amongst the personal growth movement. Moreno was a pioneer and early psychotherapist. His work is profoundly interesting and reveals many aspects of the way we relate to others, especially family members. His writing is of great interest to those who follow his innovative understanding of interpersonal relationships and is well worth further study. 

Dr Iain McGilchrist

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! 

Thomas Traherne

Who was Thomas Traherne?

Living from 1636 - 1674, Traherne was an English writer, mystic and religious teacher. His still popular book 'Centuries of Meditations' provides sincere moments of life to nourish and inspire. His biography is appreciated by many around the world. The attainment of a state of bliss was to experience being in the moment, to love all that is good and beautiful, and to seek and love the truth. His work influenced the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, C S Lewis, and others. 

NLP - Part 1

In my experience there are several factors that can prevent people from getting what they want in their lives, whether in business or in other areas:

- Lack of clear goal & evidence
- Not addressing the benefits of the current situation (aka. secondary gain)
- Familiarity of the current situation (a particularly sneaky benefit)
- Lack of belief and/or limiting beliefs

In Robert Anton Wilson's book Prometheus Rising , he models the mind as having two main parts; a thinker and a prover. The thinker is extremely flexible, and can think any number of things. The thinker can think the earth is flat; the thinker can think the earth is spherical. It can think all men are poison; it can think all men are essentially good. The thinker can think that women are intuitive and men are rational; it can think the opposite. It can think that there isn't enough to go round; it can think we live in a world of unlimited abundance. The thinker can think pretty much anything. The prover is much more predictable: what the thinker thinks, the prover proves.

Chris Street asks ‘Is London the City of Revelation?’

There have been several attempts to re-build London as ‘The New Jerusalem’. The first was by the Knights Templar who, in 1185, modelled their Temple Church in Holborn on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and sited the building exactly the same distance from St. Pauls Cathedral as the Holy Sepulchre is sited from the Dome of the Rock. Clearly they saw a connection, or wanted to create one. Approx 500 years later, following the Great Fire of London, Sir Christopher Wren conceived his own plan to re-build London as the New Jerusalem, whilst his rival, John Evelyn, devised a design for the city based upon the cabbalistic tree of life.

Barbara Marx Hubbard

                                                                                                                        An excerpt from the book 'Conscious Evolution' by Barbara Marx Hubbard:

 

The world is ready for the advent of a new stage of human consciousness and action. It is time for a “planetary birth experience,” a collective awakening, an experience of shared empathy, love, and creativity. Just as we once evolved from Neanderthal to Homo sapiens through a mysterious set of circumstances, not fully understood, so now we are emerging as Homo universalis, a species capable of conscious evolution on Earth and beyond.

What are signs of the emergence of a new era of evolution? Ken Carey wrote in The Third Millennium:

Friedrich Glasl

 

Servant Leadership

The Ambiguity Effect

The Bandwagon Effect

 

The Dunning Kruger Effect

 

The Framing Effect

 

 

The Gamblers Fallacy

 

Zeigarnik Effect

Transactional Analysis & Gestalt

Dr Eric Byrne, a psychiatric therapist, developed in the early 1950s a theory about personality and personality development which is closely tied to a theory about communication. Known as transactional analysis (TA) it was popularised through the books, ‘Games People Play’, and ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’. These explain ego states, and divide them into Parent, Adult and Child. 

Children are likely to think that however they feel, others must feel the same. Take for instance, a child is cold and thinks others must be cold too or feels unhappy and thinks others are unhappy too. Adults who are unaware, or who have not reflected on themselves in relation to others, all tend to think that those outside themselves are mirror images. Because they have no money, they think that others are also broke, or if they are rich, they think others have no money problems. As we become more mature, we can question more, deal more with complexities, and understand that we are independent and autonomous beings. 

Gigi Azmy

 “In the beginning of a romantic connection; the masculine’s priority of provision for the feminine; needs to be safety, safety and more safety.” Not money or status!

And if that is what she is looking for in the beginning - to move in quickly and for you to take care of her, you are most likely going to regret it. That I can guarantee.

Safety of her body, heart, mind and soul. Not snide comments. Not tearing her down with sarcasm. Not hurting her so she feels less than. Not withholding love. Not withholding attention and affection. Not being so wrapped up in your process that she is constantly emotionally or physically caring for you. Not being afraid of her big feelings and emotions. Not asking her to be patient. Not asking her to accept your excuses to play less than. Not trading gifts or experiences for love. Not money. Not a home. Instead: Safety of her entire being in your presence.

She should NEVER feel afraid around you. She should NEVER feel small around you, unless it’s her own inadequate feelings coming up. She should NEVER feel confused by you. She might feel lonely with you sometimes, she might be discontented, she might be cranky, but she should never feel afraid, small or confused by you. 

Loneliness - Ben Lazare Mijuskovic

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Feeling Lonesome - The Philosophy and Psychology 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 this world specialist, Dr Ben Mijuskovic.

Check out the videos of Brunel University Symposium:

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/environment/themes/ageing-studies/ESRC/videos

Feeling Lonesome' follows on the heels of 'Loneliness in Philosophy, Psychology and Literature' by the same author - now in its third edition. 

'Feeling Lonesome' is a good buy for the student of life or as a gift for a psychologist including those who feel lonely and want to understand themselves better. For more information about Dr Mijuskovic and his work, visit: http://benlazaremijuskovic.authorsxpress.com/

 

Sacred Attention Therapy

 

Predispositions of the Stalker

Not all stalkers possess all the following traits but they are all very common amongst psychopaths and narcissists, of which stalkers inherit their behaviour patterns. 

Behaviour and attitudes: Basically parasitic and underhand, they are stunted emotionally and incapable of change. They want to possess and own you, considering you as nothing more than an object for their purposes. They harbour resentments and cannot cope with rejection. 

They like high risk activities, demonstrating little sense of fear. Their greatest joy is in winning, or rather gloating when you lose out to them. 

Are they a good friend? Only to themselves! Their idealistic ego is to be pampered, plumped and polished all day every day by themselves and by everyone they bully. They like to put you down to the level that you will crawl. How they love compliance! Degradation satisfies them and justifies, in their small minds, the disrespect they have for you.

Meister Eckhart

Who was Meister Eckhart?

He was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic in the late £13 century when there was conflict between many religious groups. He was accused of heresy but died before being sentenced. His sermons featured aspects of contemplation and of detachment:

From Caroline Myss

Caroline Myss Archetypes: 

Addict. Advocate. Alchemist. Angel. Artist. Athlete. Avenger. Beggar. Bully. Divine child. Eternal child. Magical child. Wounded child. Orphan child. Companion. Destroyer. Detective. Don Juan. Engineer. Exorcist. Father. Femme fatale. Fool. Gambler. Goddess. God. Gossip. Guide. Healer. Hedonist. Hermit. Hero. Heroine. Judge. King. Knight. Liberator. Lover. Martyr. Mediator. Mentor. Messiah. Miser. Mother. Mystic. Mountaineer. Networker. Pioneer. Poet. Priest. Prince. Princess. Prostitute. Queen. Rebel. Rescuer. Saboteur. Samaritan. Scribe. Seeker. Servant. Shapeshifter. Slave. Storyteller. Student. Teacher. Thief. Trickster. Vampire. Victim. Victor. Visionary. Warrior.

Hi Everyone,  

Night Terrors

What are night terrors and How is it best to deal with them? 
Night Terrors usually occurs in childhood and children often grow out of them but they can occur during adulthood. This type of frightening dream occurs in a particular time during the sleep cycle. Sometimes, during this period, the person might cry out, scream or shake, they might shout or lash out. They might also get up during their sleep and walk around, as though they are awake, but they are in fact, fully asleep. They can often be triggered by a stressful experience. In children, they should be allowed to take their course, in adults, they might require a relaxing bedtime routine, sleep without interruption from outside noise. 

Internal Family Systems Therapy

 

Gestalt Introjection

What is Gestalt Introjection? Introjection is a Gestalt psychological term, implying a readiness - without sufficient assessment - to internalise ideas that belong to other people. Ideas can involve beliefs, including false beliefs. There are many Gestalt terms for unconscious material which is deemed toxic. Only material in awareness can be considered healthy or useful. By uncovering our 'real' selves through awareness, we lose discomfort in our own neuroses.

Clients are often guided to dialogue with different subpersonalities, such as 'alternate chair technique'.  

Locus of Control

The locus is: the position, point or place, a location where something occurs. 

Those who have an internal locus of control believe they can change circumstances of their lives. They believe they can make things happen through their own ability or hard work. They take responsibility for their actions, they are not influenced by others, and they often prefer to work at their own pace. Their personal decisions drive the outcomes of their life. 

Those with an external local of control, place power outside of themselves. They believe things happen to them that are not within their power to change, causing them to feel disempowered and to blame others when things go wrong. They are influenced by the opinion of other people, following trends and popularisers. They often believe that god, the stars or the spirits control their destiny. 

Bullying!

There are always posts on social media about narcissism and psychopathy, but bullying is a symptom, often seen from childhood that develops - if allowed to and not addressed - into a personality disorder that includes these two very common traits. 

Bullying features extraordinary strategies that are easily identified. It is amazing that young children display these strategies, but if we look at dogs especially and other pack animals, such as apes and chimps, we see these strategies are being portrayed. Humans are also pack animals and bullying is a pack animal behaviour. 

Bullying involves a perpetrator and a victim and the bully uses personal attacks, put-downs, invalidations, accusations, name calling, blaming, intimidation, aggression, threats, criticisms and judgements, shaming, slander or libel, in fact, anything that controls and undermines the victim’s confidence, and removes their standing and credibility in the eyes of others, so they are silenced and left powerless and distraught. It is very stressful for the victim who will often suffer mental health problems, such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression and loss of self esteem, and inability to concentrate. They may also have physical illness related to stress, and often they don’t do well in school or in the workplace, taking time out to avoid the bully. The perpetrator feels all powerful and satisfied with their abilities to cause trauma. Usually jealousy is the cause! 

Books on herbs

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal - A Practical Guide to Medicinal Herbs with Remedies for Common Ailments by Penelope Ody published by Dorling Kindersley.

A fully illustrated herbal in full colour, ideal for identification and for information on how to select, grow, create medicines on a wide variety of common and easily available herbs. Beginning with the use of herbs in the distant past, in countries across the world, we have profiled Yarrow, Lady's Mantle, Garlic, Aloe, Marshmallow, Angelica, Celery, Burdock, Borage, Tea, Cayenne, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Hawthorn, Yam, Eucalyptus, Meadowsweet, Fennel, Cleavers, Gentian, Hops, St John's Wort, Hyssop, Juniper, Lavender, Motherwort, Honeysuckle, Lemon Balm, Mint, Basil, Rose, Rosemary, Sage, Comfrey, Feverfew, Dandelion, Thyme, Stinging Nettle, and many more. 

Sleep Disorder Remedies

Sleep disorders are amongst the most frequent clinical issues encountered. A growing list of health risks has been documented in recent studies. Heart illness, diabetes and obesity have been linked to chronic sleep loss. Inadequate or insufficient sleep can impair high quality of life of an individual. There are various sleep disorder treatments obtainable to improve the top quality of sleep. The best sleep disorder remedy depends upon the underlying trigger.

Sleep disorder treatments are normally grouped below following categories:

Shamanic Guided Journey

 

A popular free YouTube guided meditation as per modern shamanic insight and wisdom. Do not operate a vehicle and ensure you are not interrupted for the duration of the journey. Beginning with a relaxation prior to the guided journey. 

Mithras

 

“Mithras, Lord of pastures fast and green, we praise Thee with loud voices. Before the Sun illumines the hills, you appear, old everlasting one. First being, clothes in gold, we are on Earth see you on the mountain tops. From mistress, Lord of pasture is vast and green, we praise the with loud voices. Before the Sun illumines the hills, you appear, old everlasting one. First being, clothed in gold, we on Earth see you on the mountain tops. From those heights, Oh Mithras, you in your power observe the home of the Magi, dwelling in calm and stillness.” Excerpt from an Invocation to Mithras 500BC

The consort of Mithras is Goddess if the Ocean, Anahita. “Mighty Anahita, shining in splendour, ever youthful, radiating enchantment and beauty, adorned with your sacred belt, straight as a young bride, ever free, clothed in your many-folded gown and gold embroidered cloak. We invoke the to appear before us.”From an invocation to Anahita 500 BC

Agave

Tequila is the national alcoholic drink of Mexico, famous worldwide for its unique taste and high alcohol content. It is made from the fermentation of the blue agave plant. Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mesoamerica, the ancient cultures had a similar drink that they called pulque. It's still made today, from the sap harvested from the A americana species of plant.

Agave americana is called maguey, and also well known as the century plant due to how long it takes to flower; the nickname is a bit of a misnomer, as the plant certainly doesn't have a 100-year lifespan, but it does typically live an impressive 10 to 30 years before it flowers and dies. It originates from Mexico, but is currently cultivated all over the world, as it is a very popular ornamental plant. Over the years it has naturalized, able to grow wild in places as far away as India, Australia, South Africa, and parts of Europe.

Eric Berne

Who was Eric Berne?

Eric Berne was a Canadian psychiatrist and served in WWII (1910-1970). After 15 years of psychoanalytic study, he was refused admission to San Francisco Analytic Institute and gave up psychoanalysis to create his own method of examining the unconscious mind, using Freudian ideas as a base for an 'insight' therapy style. He divided 'transactions' (any communication that occurs between people) into three states: 'parent', 'adult' and 'child'. 'Transactions' that are unaware or unconscious, he called 'games'. His book 'Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy' (1961) brought TA to a wide professional audience, extending the method into group therapy. 'Games People Play - The Psychology of Human Relationships' became a best seller when launched in 1964. In 'Games People Play'.     

Jason Shulman - Kabbalistic Healing

Jason Shulman specialises in Kabbalistic Healing. Kabbalah is about our relationship to life, to ourselves and others. As a young adult, he was a Zen Buddhist. He was attracted to seek for the truth that he felt was hidden and he was interested in uniting opposites. He suffered from a mysterious illness for many years and considered suicide but began to receive messages from the spirit world and found a psychic healer and naturapath and was so impressed he gave up his work in publishing to become a healer and establish this teaching method.

Emotional Freedom Technique

 

What is EFT? 

Emotional Freedom Technique, also called 'tapping' is a very popular method of controlling anxiety, depression, discomfort or pain. You can use the method at any time or place that you feel comfortable. Using affirmations whilst tapping on acupressure points of the body will help ease personal difficulties of all kinds. 

Vicktor Frankl

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 Man's Search for Meaning. 

Elias Amidon - Murshid Teacher

“A Sufi is one who knows that nothing matters, yet acts as if everything does.”

— Murshid Fazal Inayat-Khan

Video from Conscious TV on the Information Channel featuring Elias Amidon leading a Murshid meditation. Elias Amidon has been a practising Sufi for more than 40 years. The International Sufi Way is an eclectic school which includes Indian Sufi teachings (Inayat Khan). The environment is at the forefront of his concerns. 

spiritual journey

 

Philip Roderick was brought up as a Methodist and had an altered state of consciousness as a child in Wales. He later discovered this place was the site of an ancient monastery. He taught in Sunday School when he was 14 years old and wrote poetry as he wanted to be a poet. He became attracted and read books on the mystery traditions as a young adult. He had a vision of a woman dressed in blue whilst at University in Cardiff. He has a special interest in how the body can be used in prayer (body prayer) and developed an interest in meditation, Transcendental Meditation, the Vedic traditions, Sufism and Zen. 

Are you Clairvoyant, Clairaudient or Clairsentient?

 

                                             

Find out if you are psychic and what kind of psychic you are! 
This meditation might cause a light trance so please do not drive a vehicle. Allow 30 minutes for this meditation. Make yourself comfortable, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and relax!  This guided meditation video was created by Dawn Rumsey with text by Wendy Stokes.  

Rapid Transformational Therapy

 

A Healing Meditation

 This video meditation created by Jo Barnard with text by Wendy Stokes. The meditation might cause a light trance, so do not drive a vehicle. Allow 30 minutes to fully relax without interruption. Make yourself comfortable, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and enjoy the experience.  https;//wendystokes.co.uk

Resurgence

For free ecards, try Resurgence Magazine: www.resurgence.org/ecards

Resurgence Magazine is, it’s thought, the longest-running environmental magazine in Britain. Its survival so long, without millionaire backing and without turning itself into a consumer lifestyle accessory, with the advertising to match, tells a compelling story – not only of conviction, commitment and endurance but of need, role and relevance. It was founded in 1966 by John Papworth, a well-known peace campaigner with connections to the Committee of 100 and the Peace Pledge Union, but rapidly broadened its critique from the nuclear nightmare generated by the Cold War to pollution, intensive farming and food production and the related political problems of centralisation, bigness and the growing separation of economics from ethics.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate Nostril Breathing is also known as 'Anuloma Viloma'. 

An established relaxation technique! 

1. Sit in a comfortable position. You middle finger of your right hand is placed on your forehead while your thumb rests on your right nostril, your ring and little fingers rest on your left nostril.
2. Inhale and exhale. Then close your right nostril with your thumb while inhailing through your left nostril for a count of 5 seconds. 
3. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 5 seconds.
4. Lift your thumb and exhale through your right nostril for 5 seconds.
5.  Inhale through your right nostril, hold, close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.

Music Therapy

Music is an ancient form of self expression and communication. With modern day technology, it is possible to show how to brain reacts to music and how it can assist people who are unwell. It has been shown to make a positive impack on dementia patients and autistic patients and in brain injuries, such as stroke or brain accident. It is a valuable way in which patients can help themselves. It can also be an emotional support for those going through difficult times and can relieve anxiety and depression. Blood pressure can be reduced and stress levels decreased.

How is money created?

Do you know how our money is created? Most people don’t, but it isn't complicated, says Bruce Nixon! 97% of our money is created by commercial banks when they make loans, i.e. interest bearing debt, not by the Bank of England or the Mint. Only 3% is created in the form of notes and coins. Thus the profits of creating money go to the commercial banks rather than the public purse.

Over the last 40 years commercial banks have increased the money supply at an average of 11.5% a year. And that was obviously too much, too quickly. If the increase in the money supply were say 5% a year, about £60bn a year could go to the government and reduce our taxes by that amount.

Buddhism

From 2,500 years ago, there is an ancient story od a young man who was the son of a chieftan. The chieftan's wife had a dream of an elephant when she was pregnant and they suspected this would be a powerful child. The young man's name was Siddartha Gautama of Nepal and he was spoilt and protected. Whilst out one day, he saw a beggar by the side of the road and he realised that he knew nothing of the world and its harsh realities. He left home and travelled widely, asking questions and seeking truth, often starving himself in renunciation, without achieving anything. Eventually, he stopped his travels and seeking and sat under a tree, relaxed and meditated. In this way, he became 'enlightened' and free from the trappings of this world, in acceptance and contentment, and in finding a middle way between asceticicism and hedonism. He also created 8 challenges, called the Noble Eightfold Path, of Right Views, Intent, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort , Mindfulness and Concentration. Four Truths accompany these laws: that life involves suffering; that suffering is caused by our desires; that ending our desires will end suffering and the way to end desire is to practice the 8 challenges.In addition, there are 3 trainings of concentration, morality and wisdom.  The philosophy spread across South East Asia and now to the world. It offers a viable alternative to the many problems that beset human life, relationships and the problems that beset our planet which other religions ignore, much to the peril of those who will inherit a world of gross pollution and illhealth.

Extract - London - The Novel

 The clerk moved one of the chequers. The court proceeded imperviously while the sheriff, sitting at one end of the table, nodded nervously. After the throne, this table, known as the Great Exchequer, was the most important piece of furniture in the kingdom. It was a curious thing to look at. 10 feet long and 5 feet wide, it had a ledge four fingers high running round its edge, giving it the appearance of a gaming table. Covering a surface was a black cloth marked into squares by white lines that gave the court its name.

Depending on the square it occupied, a chequer might represent £1000, or £10, or even the humble silver penny that was a common labour’s daily wage. The chequered cloth was, therefore, nothing more than a kind of abacus, a primitive manual computer on which the revenues and expenses of the kingdom could be reckoned and reviewed.

Every year, at the spring and autumn feasts of Easter and Michaelmas, the sheriffs of the counties of England came to the Exchequer to render their accounts. First, in an outer chamber, the sacks of silver pennies they brought were tested for quality and counted. If good, 20 dozen pennies weighed a pound. Since the Normans called the English penny an Esterlin, which was transcribed into Latin and became sterlingus, a unit of account had become known as pound sterling. 

Benefits of meditation?

Meditation is an act of controlling your mind. Whatever you've heard, the objective of meditation is 100% absolute focus. What you focus on is up to you and the form of meditation you are practicing. A few of the options are:

1. your breathing--nothing more and nothing less
2. a mantra, saying or affirmation
3. an ideal such as love or gratitude
4. a problem, such as how you are consumed with desire or suffering
5. a quiet mind (opinions on what this is vary)
6. swaying or some other form of rhythmic movement
7. a repetitive sound such as a beating drum, heart, etc.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

 

What is EMDR? 

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. 

Eric Gross

We are in a crisis, environmentally, politically and economically. The world is in a perpetual conflict. People are seeking power and possessions as solutions to their feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction and lack of peace. We are brainwashed to think of ourselves as lacking rather than feeling whole and healthy. We are so hungry for validation from others, seeking to impress others and live up to expectations of what they think we should do with our lives. The effect is illusory and we are unaware that it is causing us to feel unfulfilled, unsatisfied, unhappy!  There is a positive aspect to our ego and a negative aspect. Contentment should be our goal in life and to live our life free of the demands of others. 

Scotland - Coorie!

Coorie (aka Cosagach in Gaelic) a Scottish word that means to snuggle or cuddle. 

Coorie is a Scottish wellness trend based on simplicity, balance and harmony.  It is similar to Danish art of 'hygge' 

The Art of Coorie is a book by Gabriella Bennett describes the ancient traditions based on an embracing of landscapes and wild places that provide health and wellbeing, an appreciation of home grown and home cooked foods, and taking comfort in 'blethering' with close friends and caring for one another. A swapping of stressful demands for a quieter and easier lifestyle is recommended. 

Progressive Relaxation video

  

 Please don't drive or operate machinery while listening to this guided meditation video. Allow 30 minutes to fully relax without interruption. The text is by Wendy Stokes 

Make yourself comfortable, lie down, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and enjoy the experience. 

This video will relieve stress and aid wellbeing and health.

Siege Perilous - An excerpt

Each year, the Knights of the Round Table gathered at Camelot for the Feast of Pentecost, five Sundays after Easter. Here they related their greatest deeds and marvels. Each year, however, their company remained incomplete, for the last place at table remained empty. According to custom, each year, their names were written in gold for them to take their correct seat at table. But this one year, they found a new name written above the empty chair, denoting the words Siege Perilous. They covered this with a silk cloth to hide the words so the rightful knight would not see them and be deterred from joining them at table. Suddenly, an old man entered Camelot’s grand hall accompanied by an unarmed youth. He carried only an empty scabbard. The old man led the boy to be seated at the a table beside Lancelot. Lifting the silk cloth from the chair, all knights saw the lettering had changed to This is the siege of Galahad, the haut Prince. The boy took the seat and the old man left the hall. The knights whispered as they discussed how a boy could possibly take this exceptional seat on King Arthur’s Round Table in Camelot’s grand hall, but Lancelot recognised that this youth was Galahad, his son, and that the prophecy would be fulfilled. 

    The following day, Arthur led Galahad to a lake where his knights had discovered a sword set in stone. The sword was inscribed with lettering that stated only the best and highest knight could pull it from the stone. Sir Gawain and Sir Percival both tried and failed. Galahad easily pulled it clear and the sword was placed into his empty scabbard, a perfect fit. 

Relationship Breakdown Advice

 The statistics for relationship breakdown are so enormous that it shows how difficult we find maintaining a close relationship. Under the stress of CoVid, the situation has increased with the distress of job anxiety, home insecurity and many people have their future in question.  Even when we are similar in our tastes, priorities and energy, there are common difficulties. Many relationship problems lead to conflict rather than clean separation. Men and women have some similarities in finding relationships difficult, but there are also differences. If you offer your partner the best you can in terms of, listening and caring, and a commitment to make it work, your relationship will have some staying power. When things go wrong, speak about it, whether it is a power play, jealousy, generalised anger, or whatever, work at it and have good will and be determined to give and get the best in love that is possible. 

Rockpool Moon Goddess Diary New Year

 For the New Year…

I feel gratitude to the path I walked this year, for the experiences I had, and the people I shared this adventure with. I am also thankful for the learning I received and the wisdom I gained. I give thanks to all my angels, my spirit guides, to Mother Earth, the seasons, the planets and the moon for holding me as I moved through this year. 

Ethical Shopping Decisions

"Shop wisely from ethical sources, and only buy what you need. Recycle, renovate and repair" 
Many goods made for the Western market are made using poorly paid staff from poor countries with bad human rights records. We must consider paying a little more for the purchased item in order to give a reasonable wage. In the past, children in India were paid in pennies, some as young as seven years old. They were tied to carpet looms to stop them from running away! When you can, buy Fair Trade Products that give producers a living wage. You might want to complain to the shop owner if goods are wrongly labelled, such as many real fur products which are labeled as fake fur because real fur is cheaper than fake fur! You can write to trade magazines also with your preferences and concerns and also tell your MP who might be able to assist with new legislation.

Tonglen

In Tibetan Buddhism, a breathing meditation practice of giving and taking, sending and  receiving. It is designed to unite self with others. It is one of the special offerings of the self, with patience, concentration, wisdom, joyous effort for others and ethics and reduces self centredness and increases a sense of self renunciation.

A Better World is Possible

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: A Better World is Possible by Bruce Nixon, Published by: O-Books as Paperback: £14.99 and E book: £8.23 409 pages Visit Author’s website where you can download your free ebook: www.brucenixon.com

Bruce Nixon is a veteran change agent, activist, writer, speaker, facilitator and business school teacher and he is passionate about sustainability, global justice, inclusive democracy and non-violence. In this comprehensive book, he brings all his knowledge and experience into the analysis of the state we are in, how we got here, and – more importantly – how we can turn things around and create a new and positive society by facing “the biggest challenge in our history”.

Earth Dance

 
Elisabeth Sahtouris is a highly qualified evolutionary biologist and environmentalist, whose work mirrors that of James Lovelock.