Healing In The Winter Season
With Acupuncture
by Dennis Willmont |
The winter season is upon us with unique
challenges and opportunities. In the West we usually think of the winter
solstice as the beginning of winter. However, given the four seasons of
the year with three months to a season, it is easy to see why the ancient
Chinese considered the three months of winter to be December, January and
February. As the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice marks the
turning point of the winter season. It is here that the waning life force
begins to return after having reached its minimum.
In nature one can see this process in the
deciduous trees which lose their leaves in fall, lie dormant throughout
December, and then slowly develop their buds in January and February as
the light force returns in preparation for their opening in spring. In the
same way that trees gather and store their vital force in winter, the fire
of life in humans slowly consolidates within.
The fire of life is the human spirit, and
is considered yang. It emerges from the yin of emptiness and non-being,
and enters the physical body (also yin) at the time when yin changes to
yang, the winter solstice. One aspect of spirit, destiny, comes into us
from heaven at this time to become the infant spark of life potential that
activates all other movement in the body/mind. If this spark is carefully
nurtured, it will grow into the fully matured spirit six months later at
the summer solstice when the yang-ch'i is at its peak. In order for this
development to occur, the winter solstice has always been treated in
ancient China as the resting time of the year when this dynamic life force
could be strengthened and renewed.
These ideas are set forth in many of
ancient China's classical texts. For example in the Tao-te ching,
the classic of the way and its power, a manual for aligning spirit with
daily life, the winter solstice is the time when humans can most easily
return to their source. It is here that they gather support from their
unity with all things. The Lieh-tzu, a fourth century text named
after the legendary Taoist sage, associates the human spirit with Source
by calling it the "unborn" and "unchanging," and
recognizes its development between the spiritual to the mundane as
occurring, like the seasons, through cyclic progressions.
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Seeing
Life With New Eyes
Celebrating The Living Soul In A
Living Energy Universe
|
If you watched famed
psychic medium John Edwards on Dateline recently, or had the
privilege of seeing the HBO special, Life After Life, than
you're already familiar with Gary Schwartz and Linda Russek of the Living
Energy Universe Foundation and the University of Arizona Human Energy
Systems Laboratory. Now you can meet them in person and discover their
scientific/spiritual research into the afterlife.
A groundbreaking national
conference that will challenge your assumptions on life after death is
being presented on March 8-10, 2001 in Tucson, Arizona. The conference is
sponsored by The University of Arizona Human Energy Systems Laboratory and
The Living Energy Universe Foundation.
In a first of its kind, this
national conference celebrates the marriage of science and spirituality.
Provocative sessions present a blend of two ways of knowing the world—science
joined with the reality of human experience.
Breaking with tradition,
dynamic workshops will focus on the marriage of these disparate styles,
with serious discussion integrating the two. Presentations feature new
research from scientists and visionary leaders, with more data than ever
before from physics, psychology, mind-body medicine, energy medicine and
spiritual medicine.
From the subatomic to the
cosmic, from cells and ideas to souls and God, all dynamic systems are
alive and have memory. Studies from The University of Arizona Human Energy
Systems Laboratory document the "Universal Living Memory
Theory," in which:
 |
Every idea is forever
contained in the universe |
|
Consciousness survives
death |
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God exists - and is
evolving. |
Conference organizers Gary
Schwartz and Linda Russek, authors of The Living Energy Universe
and directors of the University of Arizona Human Energy Systems
Laboratory, have the ride of a lifetime in store for you. Through stories,
research data, visual demonstrations and hands-on participation, they will
also help you validate some of your own intuitions and life experiences.
You will experience evidence-based spirituality.
Whether you are a spiritualist
with New Age beliefs or a scientist seeking a community in which to safely
share your heart as well as your head, learn to extend your capacity for
living. Join with others willing to challenge the status quo. Look at all
of the data. Now is the time to see the "Living Energy Universe"
with new eyes.
Early registration by February
7: $295. For more info on registration and travel discounts, visit their
website: www.livingenergyuniverse.com.
The
Ugly Side of Beauty
by Judi Vance
|
For ten long years, Judi Vance,
author of Beauty to Die For - The Cosmetic Consequence has been voicing a
conflicting account on the safety of cosmetics. Her latest endeavor is an
Internet community, Cosmetics - Are they worth the risk? The
publisher sponsored Web site allows Vance to continue her quest to educate
on the subject of cosmetic risks.
“Not everything we
women do in an attempt to enhance our beauty is necessarily good for
us.” says Vance “Years ago, in the Elizabethan times, it was
fashionable (and aristocratic) to present a pasty white complexion. Women
powdered their faces with a mixture including white lead called ceruse,
and colored their lips with a reddener containing fucus-red mercuric
sulfide. Even though this beauty regime destroyed the outer layer of skin,
they continued using these poison palettes well into the 18th
century.”
“Today isn’t much
different,” Vance concedes. “Thousands
of Filipino women expose themselves to the dangers of severe skin
disorders and possibly even cancer through their desire to have paler
skin. Although the full extent of the dangers of hydroquinone , the active
ingredient in the skin bleaching cream are still unknown, U.S. studies
have linked it with leukemia, liver damage, and thyroid disorders. Animal
studies show that it could cause mutations in developing fetuses.”
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"If you think education
is expensive,
try ignorance."
~ Anonymous
(bumper sticker)
"Minds are like parachutes,
they only function when open."
~ Anonymous
(bumper sticker)
"The most violent element in
society is ignorance."
~ Anonymous
(bumper sticker)
|
Interview
With Rick Roberts
Native American Style Flute Maker
by Carol Bedrosian |
Rick Roberts Making A
Native American Style Flute
|
As with most magical events in life, a
series of flirtations with synchronicity brought Rick Roberts to the
door of Spirit of Change two months ago. Just as I typed in the last word
for a classified ad seeking an office manager, the phone rings. It's Linda
Roberts, Rick's wife, inquiring about employment. "Does Spirit of
Change, by any chance, have any office positions open?" she asks.
As
one thing led to another, it quickly became apparent that Linda and
Rick had the combined skills necessary to navigate Spirit of Change
towards it's next level of growth. An accomplished flute player and
crafter, Rick is also a high tech expert. Through a series of computer
consultations which promptly turned into creative jam sessions, we soon
realized this connection was about more than just computers. In fact, it
seemed that Spirit of Change had been mysteriously swirling around in the
background of Rick's creative path over the last three years as he
established himself as a master craftsman and musician. Rick's
story plays out with the smoothness and resonance of a rich and soothing
flute melody. His first CD of Native American flute music, "Spirit
Wind" was just released this year. Carol:
I just think it's pretty amazing how we ended up doing this interview
here today. I was surprised when I discovered that the person calling for
an office position with Spirit of Change was the wife of "that flute
player" I kept crossing paths with over the past several years. Why
don't you talk a little bit about how all this came about. Rick:
Linda has this standing joke that whenever someone asks me a question, I
always preface it with, "Well, when I was a young kid born in
Whitinsville...," to try and explain the story. Seems all my paths
lead back to my beginnings here. But
anyway, several years ago, both Linda and I had jobs in the area and for a
vacation we took two weeks off and went out to Taos, New Mexico. We went
out there with another couple to learn how to make houses out of used
tires. While I was there, I went into these lovely little stores, and one
of them had a Native American flute. I picked it up and I played it. Carol:
Had you ever played the flute before? Rick:
No. But as I played it, there was...
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Myths
& Truths About Forgiveness
by Mariah Burton Nelson
|
Some people are wary of forgiveness, having been told that they should
"forgive and forget." Usually this means: Keep quiet, stop
complaining, let him off the hook, and welcome him back into your life. No
wonder we're wary.
Yet many of us want to forgive. We know
from experience that forgiving feels better than hating and hurting. We
want to express our generosity and compassion. But we don't really
understand what forgiveness is and is not.
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting.
Forgiveness does not mean martyrdom. Forgiveness does not guarantee trust
or reconciliation. After forgiveness, we shouldn’t continue getting
abused or betrayed or used or mocked or insulted. We can forgive and also
say no. We can forgive and file for divorce.
Here are four major myths of forgiveness,
followed by four useful truths:
Myth #1: I should only forgive if they
apologize.
Without apology, contrition, reparations,
promises of reform, or at least guarantees of sincerity on the part of the
wrongdoer, it’s tough to forgive. We wait for the wrongdoer to do
something right for a change. How long should we wait?
Not too long. Forgiveness should not be
used as a bargaining chip to control someone who misbehaved. We
shouldn’t relinquish control like that. Otherwise, we leave our
forgiveness -- our peace of mind -- in their hands.
Myth #2: If I forgave, I'd be letting that
person off the hook.
Forgiveness and justice are separate
issues...
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|
This Week's
Book Recommendation |
Not in opposition to, but (surprisingly) in conjunction with impressive
advances in the medical sciences, growing numbers of people are seeking
gentle botanical methods for treating illnesses. Coauthors David Simon,
M.D., and Deepak Chopra, M.D., attribute this "herbal
renaissance" to our thriving information age and the resulting
self-empowered "patients" who aren't nearly so patient as they
once were. In celebration of this integrated healing approach, one that
involves treating the mind and spirit as well as the body, Simon and
Chopra fully describe the 40 most frequently herbs used in their Chopra
Center for Well Being in La Jolla, California.
Simon and Chopra's approach draws heavily
on Ayurveda, India's ancient medical system that honors the dynamic
exchange of energy between humans and the entire universe. They discuss
their holistic approach to healing, provide a self-guided test to assess
current health, and offer insights on treating problems related to
digestion, emotion, metabolism, energy, and more. These thoughts easily
carry over into the second part of the book, the herb guide. Simple pencil
drawings of each leafy specimen accentuate the written details: scientific
research substantiating the herb's healing properties, ancient and modern
uses, current available forms, doses, and wise precautions. Along with
such practical information, the authors offer an Ayurvedic perspective,
briefly outlining each herb's effects on pitta
(metabolism/"fire"), kapha (structure/"earth"),
and vata (motion/"wind"). Throughout the book, the two
authors beautifully interweave fact, anecdote, and analogy to make for an
informative, delightful collection. ~ Liane Thomas, Amazon.com
Reviewer
The
Soul At Work
by Jodie Foster
|
This is a journey of love. It is the path
of the sacred rose. The journey is the destination. It is the
excitement and the adventure and the experience that fill us with joy now.
It is our collective leap that is forthcoming. Forerunners exist as
light-bearers to show us the way. It is their chosen path in this
existence. This noble task has incredible value. For without these
forerunners, where would the collective be? It is true that the value is
hard to see in the midst of day-to-day life, yet the immensity forces us
to view this from a much higher perspective. It is only then that the true
level of value can be clearly seen. The forerunners offer a priceless gift
to the collective. It is so highly valued that a price would seem
indefinable! This value is the stuff of gold and numerous riches, a
collective treasury of all the governments. It is a valuable service that
these willing souls journey to the edge of their own reality to
accomplish. It is all a selfless act of humanity and love.
It is the role of the forerunner to step
ahead of the pack and to lead. It is the role of the tour guide in
the jungle, swinging a machete to cut and clear a path for all to follow
with ease. This job has been done over and over again. The forerunners
excel in their chosen field. They have lead each turning point in history,
each time stepping out on their own to cut the path, to clear the way.
They mark the path, leaving breadcrumbs, a trail of string in the maze;
sometimes it is visible, other times it is veiled. True initiates of the
journey will uncover a trail left unkempt for centuries. This is where the
forerunners of today have begun.
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Merry
Christmas
To You
&
Yours
From All
Of Us At OfSpirit.com |
|
