"The degree of our enlightenment is the degree of passion that we will have for the entire world."~Greystone Mandala~

.....not JUST a self-centered, narcissistic interest in our own individual quest for consuming. It is no new news that the world is finding a divide between the alleged "haves" and "have nots". I say "alleged" because being insulated by the constant prison, and greed,  of "having" goods severely clouds the higher vision of so many.  Nothing makes it clearer than the dichotomy in our political system today, with many couching their greed in political terms, when it really is not at all political ... it is rather a a rationalization of greed.


True character, and its usual attributes are slipping away.  I look at the children in my sphere with both joy and sadness.  The deficit, when it really comes down to it, is the least of their problems.  With parents and extended systems, who continually lie, cheat, plunder, and believe that they have succeeded without realizing how many backs they have climbed over ... well, I'll say no more. You get it!


You may or may not like Michael Moore.  At the very least he speaks a BUNCH of truth...which is the predominant reason for his rejection by those who are materialistically insatiable, who have little compassion for truth and for every soul with which they inhabit this earth.  I found this letter to be spot on. ..compelling.  (Unless the reader cannot handle true facts.) You can make your own decision, of course.  One of my outreach goals is to offer information which perhaps the busy person of today misses out on. "


I congratulate Moore on creating a forum for those youth whose voices, opinions...MUST be heard....MUST be affirmed ... MUST be considered for their own truths.

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Dear High School Students:


How inspired are you by the thousands of students from Wisconsin high schools who began walking out of class four days ago and have now occupied the State Capitol building and its grounds in Madison, demanding that the governor stop his assault on teachers and other government workers? I have to say it's one of the most exciting things I've seen in years.

We are, right now, living in an amazing moment of history. And this moment has happened because the youth around the world have decided they've had enough. Young people are in revolt -- and it's about time.

You, the students and young adults, from Cairo, Egypt to Madison, Wisconsin, are now rising up, taking to the streets, organizing, protesting and refusing to move until your voices are heard. Effing amazing!! It has scared the pants off those in power, the adults who were so convinced they had done a heckuva job trying to dumb you down and distract you with useless nonsense so that you'd end up feeling powerless, just another cog in the wheel, another brick in the wall. You've been fed a lot of propaganda about "how the system works" and so many lies about what took place in history that I'm amazed you've been able to sort through all the bs and see the truth for what it is. This was all done in the hopes you would just keep your mouths shut, get in line and follow orders. And don't rock the boat. Because if you do, you could end up without a good job! You could end up looking like a freak! You've been told politics isn't cool and that one person really can't make a difference.

And for some beautiful, unknown reason, you've refused to listen. Maybe it's because you've figured out that we adults are about to hand you a very empty and increasingly miserable world, with its melting polar ice caps, its low-paying jobs, its incessant war machine, and its plan to put you in permanent debt at age 18 with the racket known as college loans.

On top of that, you've had to listen to adults tell you that you may not be able to legally marry the person you love, that your uterus isn't really yours to control, and that if a black guy somehow makes it into the White House, he must've entered illegally from Kenya.

Yet, from what I've seen, the vast majority of you have rejected all of this crap. Never forget that it was you, the young people, who made Barack Obama president. First you formed his army of election volunteers to get him the nomination. Then you came out in record numbers in November of 2008. Did you know that the only age group where Obama won the white vote was with 18-29-year-olds? The majority of every white age group over 29 years old voted for McCain -- and yet Obama still won! How'd that happen? Because there were so many youth voters of all races -- a record turnout that overcame the vast numbers of fearful white adults who simply couldn't see someone whose middle name was Hussein in the Oval Office. Thank you young voters for making that happen!

Young people elsewhere in the world, most notably in the Middle East, have taken to the streets and overthrown dictatorial governments without firing a shot. Their courage has inspired others to take a stand. There's a huge momentum right now, a youth-backed mojo that can't and won't be stopped.

Although I've long since left your age group, I've been so inspired by recent events that I'd like to do my bit and lend a hand. I've decided to turn over a part of my website to high school students so they -- you -- can have the opportunity to get the word out to millions more people. For a long time I've wondered, how come we don't hear the true voices of teenagers in our mainstream media? Why is your voice any less valid than an adult's?

In high schools all across America, students have great ideas to make things better or to question what is going on -- and often these thoughts and opinions are ignored or silenced. How often in school is the will of the student body ignored? How many students today will try to speak out, to stand up for something important, to simply try to right a wrong -- and will be swiftly shut down by those in authority, or by other students themselves?

I've seen students over the years attempt to participate in the democratic process only to be told that high schools aren't democracies and that they have no rights (even though the Supreme Court has said that a student doesn't give up his or her rights "when they enter the schoolhouse door").

It's always amazed me how adults preach to young people about what a great "democracy" we have, but when students seek to be part of it, they are reminded that they are not full citizens yet and must behave somehow as indentured servants. Is it any wonder then why some students, when they become adults, don't feel like participating in our political system -- because they've been taught by example for the past 12 years that they have no say in the decisions that affect them?

We like to say that we have this great "free press," and yet how free are high school newspapers? How free are you to write or blog about what you want? I've been sent stories from teenagers that they couldn't get published at school. Why not? Why must we silence or keep out of sight the voice of our teenagers?t's not that way in other countries. The voting age in places like Austria, Brazil or Nicaragua is 16. In France, students can shut down the country by simply walking out of school and taking to the streets.

But here in the U.S. you're told to obey and to basically butt out and let the adults run the show.

Let's change that!  I'm starting something on my site called, "HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER."Here you will be able to write what you want and I will publish it. I will also post those articles that you've tried to get published at your school but were turned down. On my site you will have freedom and an open forum and a chance to have your voice heard by millions.

I've asked my 17-year-old niece, Molly, to kick things off by editing this page for the first six months. She will ask you to send her your stories and ideas and the best ones will be posted on  MichaelMoore.com  .I'll give you the platform you deserve. It will be my honor to have you on my site and I encourage you to take advantage of it.

You are often called "our future." That future is today, right here, right now. You've already proven you can change the world. Keep doing it. And I'd be honored to help you.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com

"Transform Fear Through Core Issue Work" from Want To Know.com

Transform Fear Through Core Issue Work

Most of us have one or more core issues or challenges which surface repeatedly over the course of our lives. These issues are usually rooted in deep, unexpressed fears. Depending on your perspective, core issues either cause all sorts of problems, or present many opportunities for transformation. When you choose to look at core issues as an opportunity, you are much more likely to transform your fears into learning tools which lead to a better life. Below are the most common core issues, their related fears, and suggestions for dealing with them.

Examples of Common Core Issues and Associated Fears

• Abandonment – Nobody cares about me. I'm all alone. I don't matter.
• Arrogance – I'm better than all of you. I'm too much. I'm right and you're wrong.
• Damaged – Something is wrong with me. I'm a failure. I'm damaged.
• Inferiority – I'm not good enough. I'm stupid. I'm worthless. I'm boring. I'm hopeless.
• Rejection – I'm a burden. I'm unwanted. Nobody wants to spend time with me.
• Shame – I'm bad. I'm evil. I'm a mistake. I'm a monster. I'm disgusting. I'm possessed.

Our core issues often originate from childhood family scenarios. They can be a result of negative messages that were repeated many times to us by our parents or other significant people in our lives. Or one of these beliefs may have been driven deep into us during one or more traumatic experiences. Was one of the above statements drilled into you in your early years?

Note that some people are overcompensators. If you are in this category, you may unconsciously do everything you can to make it appear as if you are anything but your core issue. For instance, someone with inferiority as a core fear might outwardly appear very macho or domineering. Yet deep inside, this is covering up a fear of being inferior. A person dealing with shame may be overly nice and giving to cover up a fear that they are really bad. Particularly if you are having trouble finding a core issue, notice if any of your behavior is opposite of the core issues above.

Examples of Behavior of Overcompensators

• Abandonment – Always need to be included, join everything to avoid deeper feelings.
• Arrogance – Act very humble, hiding their deeper belief that no one can match them.
• Damaged – Present themselves as always great, avoid talking about their problems.
• Inferiority – Macho, domineering, need to prove they are better than others.
• Rejection – Present themselves as incredibly desirable, yet reject others easily.
• Shame – Overly nice and giving. Overcompetency. Secretly fear being exposed as fraud.

Whether you are an overcompensator or not, by exploring the deep, underlying fears of your core issues, you can transform your life for the better. Though you may find that you have more than one core issue, generally one will be more prominent than the others. Particularly if this is new to you, we highly recommend you first focus on exploring your most prominent core issue. To deal with this core issue, you can design intentions to gradually shift this deeply ingrained fear.

Suggested Intentions for Transforming Fears, Core Issues

• Abandonment – I am worthy of love. I can find ways to safely share myself with others.
• Arrogance – I can learn from all around me. I can see goodness in everyone I meet.
• Damaged – I am whole and complete just as I am. I can choose to love all of me.
• Inferiority – I am a good, valuable person. I can make meaningful contributions to the world.
• Rejection – I am an attractive, interesting person. People can enjoy getting to know me.
• Shame – I can be gentle with myself. I can hold the best intentions for all deep in my heart. 

At the root of all of these core issues is a lack of acceptance and a deep feeling of being disconnected. The disconnection can be from ourselves, from others, from our spiritual nature, or from any combination of these. Here are two empowering intentions for dealing with these most basic core issues: May I ever deepen my acceptance of myself and all around me. May I choose ever deeper connection with myself and all around me.

The above intentions are merely suggestions which you may or may not choose to use. By developing your own statements that resonate more strongly with your personal experience, you can transform your fears on a deeper level. Set aside time to explore these issues. Change the wording any time you find something more appropriate. You might also invite close friends or family members to give suggestions. Writing down your intentions is highly recommended. Consider writing a set of life intentions, and review them frequently to help keep you on track.

Once you have developed your intentions, cultivate an awareness of how and when your core issue is triggered. Notice when you are telling yourself that same old story. Each time this happens, remind yourself of your deeper intention and open to shifting from your old, disempowering self-image into a new, fuller way of being. You can continually choose transformation by remembering to recognize fear as an invitation to growth.

This is not to suggest that you avoid or suppress your fears and core issues. Working to accept and understand all parts of yourself, including your core issues, opens the door to transformation and allows you more easily and naturally to access your beautiful deeper essence. This, in turn, can help you to live a much fuller and richer life. For overcompensators, who often have a strong tendency to avoid their fears, this is particularly important. You can find some empowering ideas on developing acceptance and understanding at this link.

Don't be surprised if after having a significant breakthrough in transforming a core issue, you eventually find the same issue rearing its ugly head again in a different form. Most people find that transforming fear through working with their core issues is like peeling away layers of an onion. You make a significant breakthrough, only to eventually find the same issue manifesting in another, more subtle form. Yet as each layer is peeled away, you will very likely find your life to be richer, more meaningful, and more enjoyable than it was before.

By identifying and choosing to deal with our core issues, we can transform our deepest fears and end up feeling more alive and more connected with ourselves and with those around us. This then inspires us to participate more fully and effectively in building a brighter future for all of us.

For more on transforming fear and core issues, there are many books, therapists, and workshops which explore this fertile topic. We particularly recommend two inspiring books. Eckart Tolle's A New Earth provides many powerful suggestions to recognize and transform limiting aspects of ourselves. Undefended Love, by Jett Psaris and Marlena Lyons, also gives excellent ideas and tools (note that the language in this book is of a new age flavor). Or search "transform fear" and "core issues" on any search engine to find more. By transforming your fears, you can have a richer life.

http://www.WantToKnow.info

"There Is Still No Such Thing as Socialsecuritymedicareandmedicaid!"

FEBRUARY 16, 2011, 9:54 AM

There Is Still No Such Thing As Socialsecuritymedicareandmedicaid

And President Obama, I’m glad to see, knows that:

The truth is Social Security is not the huge contributor to the deficit that the other two entitlements are. I’m confident we can get Social Security done in the same way that Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill were able to get it done, by parties coming together, making some modest adjustments. I think we can avoid slashing benefits, and I think we can make it stable and stronger for not only this generation but for the next generation.

It’s also important to realize that the conceptual issues are very different for Social Security than they are for M&M. For SS, we decide the level of benefits; for M&M, we can’t do that, because health costs for any individual are unpredictable; so cost-savings on the health-care programs essentially involve deciding what we’ll pay for rather than how much we’ll pay. (Death panels!)

I like the way Jonathan Bernstein puts it:

In my view, those who are upset about the long-term federal budget deficit should talk about it in terms of what it is, health care costs. Just as the phrase “weapons of mass destruction” encourages sloppy thinking (because nuclear weapons are not really similar at all to chemical and biological weapons in lots of important ways), talking about “entitlements” confuses the budget situation. I could see “Medicare and Medicaid” or, perhaps, “government health programs,” but not entitlements.

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"Fear and Changing Times" by Ken Page & Nancy Nestor

The other day, I received an excellent email about the changing times and our frequent response of fear. It acutely addresses the current times and chaos, especially on a personal level:

Fear and Changing Times

We've been getting a lot of emails, session questions and calls that ask why people around us are changing. The most out of control feelings we might have is when a loved one, or person you are with, changes the way they feel about you. It brings up so many fears - rejection, abandonment and disappointment to name a few. Perhaps you might even be angry at yourself because you just became aware that the other person feels differently about you than you had thought.

Many times, the answer arrives that the individual was jealous or afraid of you. There might be a medical problem that interferes with their emotional stability - like depression, stress, serious illness... As we age, changes in our memory affect us and everyone else. Some people just want to feel more in control, so they change things or people around them to help themselves feel better.

Personally, we have been disappointed and saddened when age brings such forgetfulness about the love and affection we felt was shared in the past with someone else, even family members. The memories and emotions have been forgotten, as if the experiences were just erased from time itself.

As time changes and people change, we find ourselves asking if we really knew 'them' or they really knew 'us' in the way we thought. It might surprise you to know that the majority of individuals in your life actually think of you differently than you think of yourself. Some even hold onto a memory of you from when you were young. You have changed and they still remember you the way you used to be.

And when your beliefs, and your truths are different than someone else, others can become fearful of you. Their understanding of life is not the same as yours and they must hold on to their reality with all their might. After all, who would they be without their own ideas?

Both of us have lost friends and some members of our own family because we are unique and remain true to ourselves. That actually takes some people outside their comfort zone of understanding. We just can't be how or who they think we ought to be. Like mismatched puzzle pieces, we just don't seem to fit in as well as we would like.

Do we fit into different metaphysical circles?
No, for there is a lot of misinformation out there;
Do we fit into the way most religions believe?
No, there is so much more to creation than they teach;
Do we fit in with the way others want to hold us?
No, because we don't believe there are limitations to the way any of us are.
Do we fit into any place that would not allow us to be who we are?
No, for we would not want to be there anyway.

Sometimes being different causes people to make judgments or projections that have a paralyzing affect on our lives and our creations. Something interesting happens when someone judges us. In that moment, all the creative and transformative energy involved is frozen. A piece of our reality becomes locked into place. Any aspect judged becomes locked into a freeze frame of reality. It's as if we are carrying around thousands of snapshots and movie clips that grow heavier each day. The particular aspect of ourselves that was judged becomes psychically welded in our life, weighted down by the opinions, thoughts and ideas of someone else. Until we can free ourselves from those projections (and we can!), ten years can go by and the other person is still having the same judgment. If we were wrong then, we are still wrong now. It is apparent they have not changed.

So what happens when we change and others don't? How does that make us feel? We continue to grow and they remain stuck in their old judgments, their way of life, their 'story'. We have all seen others we know who are stuck, going down a path that won't help them yet could hurt them. They might even be destroyed by their choices and yet we can't help them. If they are ones we care about or love, it makes it even harder to let them go. By letting them go, we don't mean anything other than allowing them to be who they are. We just don't choose to stay around and watch what happens.

That's what compassion has taught us - to accept others and their choices without attempting to change them, only being available to help if and when we are asked.

*The Bottom Line: Love

So what is the bottom line in all of this? It's Love - unconditional love of self and unconditional compassion for others. When we have love for ourselves, the changes in others don't affect us in the same way, the judgments of others can't remain in our higher vibration.

The opposite of love is fear. We know fear paralyzes people. So if you know someone in fear, send them this newsletter. Tell them about the energetic clearing technique which can help them be more present-centered and come to love themselves; share with them the technique about being liquid light and remaining fluid so that the changes won't ripple so hard in their lives. Help them learn how to be less reactive to energy that hurts by using the Living Light Breath. Give them our website address so they can find more than 5,000 pages of free information and books to help themselves during these changing times.

Thanks for reading.
Many Blessings,
Ken and Nancy

Law of Attraction-Quantum Physics Guide from MindBridge

This is the Law of Attraction Quantum Physics guide for beginners. For the beginning student, or for one curious about The

Secret, or the Law of Attraction: hold on to your horses because this can be an incredible journey!

Now, you get to decide whether to take the gentle route along the carriage path, or whether you want to climb straight up through the labyrinthine trail. I work with children, and can tell you that they have a natural connection to the Law of Attraction. When a child looks up and sees something they want, they naturally claim it. A 3 year old I work with says, "Hey, Nancy, there's my car!" This is quite natural and at first was disconcerting to me as I was looking for his father's car. But, he wasn't seeing his father's car, he was looking at his brand new, shiny, big wheel pickup truck! He does it everytime he sees a black, new, pickup truck. This ownership, in the present time, his admiration, joy, and committment to this truck, is the Law of Attraction in a nutshell. -- That's the carriage trail. There's more to it of course.

We, from Mindbridge, also train people to use simple affirmations. Whenever a member of the family is sick, or hurting, we all recite, "I am, whole and perfect. I am, strong and powerful. I am, happy, harmonious, healthy, wealthy and wise." This makes you feel instantly better because it is using Law of Attraction Quantum Physics. What you are doing is sending instructions to your unconscious to heal you, or make you feel better. Your unconscious has control over your immune system and your hormonal and endocrine system which raises your vibrational rate which puts you in sinc with other elements with that higher vibrational rate, raising you above those which are sick. It knows how to make you feel better fast if you just send that instruction!

The movie, The Secret can be a good place to start and you can find that at many bookstores, and online at www.thesecret.TV by clicking on the banner link in the corner. This presents in a clear and exciting format The Secret. It is not actually a secret, but the Law of Attraction, and that has been written about since the early 1900's. Prior to that, it was known and used by the Mayans, the Essenes and students of the Kaballah. Some aspects of the Law of Attraction have been talked about by Buddhists and Yogis. As you can see, prior to the turn of the last century, it was only studied as part of a spiritual quest.

Thoughts become things. This is the Law of Attraction Quantum Physics rule for all of us.

Another way of putting it is that whatever you think about ... comes about.


http://www.mindbridge-loa.com

"Do you think about what you buy?

I received this from a friend, and thought it was well worth posting!

FOR EXAMPLE, THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF THEMANDARINORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN FROM CHINA . SO, FOR A FEW MORE CENTS you can buy LIBERTY GOLD BRAND OR THE DOLE IS FROM CALIFORNIA .

ALSO WATCH FOR PICKLES. A LOT OF THE NO-NAME PICKLES COME FROM INDIA . BICK'S ARE FROM CANADA. WORTH THE SMALL DIFFERENCE IN PRICE.

 

Another example was in canned mushrooms. No-Namebrand came from Indonesia. 
Next to them were President Choice brand. Produce of Canada

The P. C. went into my grocery bag.

 

Also check those little fruit cups we give our children. They use to be made here in Canada in the Niagara region until about 2 years ago....

They are now packaged in China !

 

While

the Chinese export inferior and even toxic products and dangerous toys

and goods to be sold in North American markets.

 

Yet 70% of North Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.

 

Well, duh... why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?


 

SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF!

 

Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong), choose another product, or none at all.


 

You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.

 

Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some North American farmer. Easter is just an example, the point is... do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.

 

Canadian Thermos bottles

were made here for many years. Thermos sold out in the 1990's and now

the bottles that keep our food warm or cold are now made in CHINA .. We

Lost---about 200 jobs!

 

THINK ABOUT THIS, 
If

200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese

goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favour...

fast!!

 

The downside? Some Canadian/American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory.

 

The

solution?  Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. Most

of the people who have been reading about this matter are

planning for one month not to purchase anything made in China .



That

is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for

1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their North American exports. Then they

will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance

and lawlessness were worth it.

 

EVEN BETTER. . . START NOW and don't stop, but continue if you can..

 

Spread

this message to everybody you know. Let's show that we are intelligent

Canadians/Americans, and NOBODY can take us for granted.

 

On the other hand, if we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!

"Ushering Wellness: The Convergence of Buddhism and Psychanalysis"

Pilar Jennings, Ph.D.

Researcher, Clinical aspects of Buddhism

Posted: December 23, 2010 10:21 AM

Once considered esoteric by most Westerners, Buddhism and psychoanalysis have come to infiltrate much of contemporary culture. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has become a universal symbol of peace and good will. Buddhist meditation centers abound in most urban centers, and increasingly the scientific community has given credence to the ameliorative impact of meditation on many psychological struggles, including depression and anxiety. 

The same is true for psychoanalysis. What was once a stigmatized option for the mentally ill and affluent, therapy -- at least in most urban settings -- is today almost a rite of passage. It's the rare New Yorker who has made it through the various travails of contemporary life -- finishing one's formal education, finding a partner, making a living -- without seeking some form of psychoanalytic support. Add to these pervasive struggles the distressing issue of terrorism, the rise of childhood diseases including autism and leukemia and the onslaught of stimulation from advances in technology, and you have a population increasingly eager for help in finding psychological and spiritual wellness.

What has changed in recent years, and captured the attention of both Buddhist teachers and psychoanalysts, is the fascinating relationship between these divergent traditions. Today, there are growing numbers of people looking for therapists who respect their need for meditation and spiritual support. So too, there are scores of long-term (even second generation) meditators who have come to realize that spiritual practice does not always eliminate the psychological problems they hoped it would. In this way, these two radically different approaches to wellness have begun to intersect with new levels of respect and curiosity.

As a caveat to this growing conversation, scholars of both traditions have been quick to point out that the differences between these two healing realms are extensive. Buddhism arose some 2,500 years ago in India. Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, was a young man of great wealth who grew up in cloistered privilege. It was through his introduction, at the age of 29, to the suffering world of sickness, aging and death that he was inspired to explore how we might relate to our basic vulnerability and still remain happy. In his 84,000 ensuing teachings, he emphasized that despite the pain we would invariably endure, happiness was our most basic birthright.

Psychoanalysis, in contrast, first developed in Europe just over 100 years ago. Sigmund Freud, its founder and steadfast protector, lead a radically different life from the young Siddhartha. At an early age, Freud knew the pain of loneliness and struggle and went on to suffer the traumas of anti-semitism, two world wars and the loss of a child. It is not surprising that his approach to healing would posit a basic conflict inherent to the human condition. Freud believed that much like the warring world that raged around him, within our own psyches was another kind of battlefield of raging instincts that constantly seek expression. His was a more pessimistic view: that the best we can do is find ways to sublimate our sexual and aggressive urges and settle for "common unhappiness." Yet, he brought to light the impact of the unconscious, and the ways in which we can live with less suffering and more integrity if we accept the truth of what is in our unconscious.

The interest in how Buddha Shakyamuni's approach to wellness might converge with Freud's, began more than 60 years ago. In the 1950s, psychoanalysts including Karen Horney and Eric Fromm wrote about their growing interest in Zen Buddhism, and its more hopeful vision for how people might come to genuinely enjoy their lives, despite the pain of loss and the power of desire. In the intervening years, many more therapists and Buddhist teachers joined in this conversation, exploring the tools of each path, and seeking creative ways to bring them together. 

Such theorists point out that each tradition has something unique to offer and limitations to overcome. Psychoanalysis has been extremely useful in helping people understand how their earliest experience of relationship influences their sense of self and their approach to interpersonal relationships. It has respected the importance of early childhood and the particular ways in which each individual will respond to his or her caretakers. The downside of this self-centric process, say its critics, is the solipsism that can result from too many years of parsing personal struggles. 

Theorists interested in how Buddhism and psychotherapy might work together, have suggested that this very solipsism is powerfully challenged in Buddhist practice. Buddhism takes a more universal view of our human struggles, suggesting that all of us, regardless of our caretakers or personal traumas, can be helped by remembering that everything changes, including our most entrenched struggles and vexing relationships. It's simply the nature of reality. So too, we depend upon each other for everything -- our food, education, healthcare, companionship. According to Buddhist thought, none of us can get through this life, or achieve abiding happiness, alone. So it makes sense to treat each other with genuine care, knowing that we share the same wish to be happy and free from suffering.

Today, these two paradigms are mixing minds and ideas through an expanding population of Westerners who want to understand the influence of their own personal history, while not getting too caught up in it. In this way, Buddhism and psychoanalysis have begun to cultivate a true partnership that seems to be ushering in wellness on a new scale.

Gregg Braden - The Holographic Nature of The Universe

"There Are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves" by James Kavanaugh

Dedicated to DM, MW, and JH:


There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men too gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant's profit and gain.
There are men too gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of candied apples and ferris wheels
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who devour them with eager appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.
There are men too gentle for an accountant's world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove.
Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant's world,
Unless they have a gentle one to love.

"Why Obama Has to Get Egypt Right" by George Soros

George Soros | The Washington Post | February 03, 2011

Revolutions usually start with enthusiasm and end in tears. In the case of the Middle East, the tears could be avoided if President Obama stands firmly by the values that got him elected. Although American power and influence in the world have declined, our allies and their armies look to us for direction. These armies are strong enough to maintain law and order as long as they stay out of politics; thus the revolutions can remain peaceful. That is what the United States should insist on while encouraging corrupt and repressive rulers who are no longer tolerated by their people to step aside and allow new leaders to be elected in free and fair elections.That is the course that the revolution in Tunisia is taking. Tunisia has a relatively well-developed middle class, women there enjoy greater rights and opportunities than in most Muslim countries, and the failed regime was secular in character. The prospects for democratic change are favorable.

Egypt is more complex and, ultimaely, more influential, which is why it is so important to get it right. The protesters are very diverse, including highly educated and common people, young and old, well-to-do and desperately poor. While the slogans and crowds in Tahrir Square are not advancing a theocratic agenda at all, the best-organized political opposition that managed to survive in that country's repressive environment is the Muslim Brotherhood. In free elections, the Brotherhood is bound to emerge as a major political force, though it is far from assured of a majority.

Some have articulated fears of adverse consequences of free elections, suggesting that the Egyptian military may seek to falsify the results; that Israel may be adamantly opposed to a regime change; that the domino effect of extremist politics spreading to other countries must be avoided; and that the supply of oil from the region could be disrupted. These notions constitute the old conventional wisdom about the Middle East - and need to be changed, lest Washington incorrectly put up resistance to or hesitate in supporting transition in Egypt.

That would be regrettable. President Obama personally and the United States as a country have much to gain by moving out in front and siding with the public demand for dignity and democracy. This would help rebuild America's leadership and remove a lingering structural weakness in our alliances that comes from being associated with unpopular and repressive regimes. Most important, doing so would open the way to peaceful progress in the region. The Muslim Brotherhood's cooperation with Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel laureate who is seeking to run for president, is a hopeful sign that it intends to play a constructive role in a democratic political system. As regards contagion, it is more likely to endanger the enemies of the United States - Syria and Iran - than our allies, provided that they are willing to move out ahead of the avalanche.

The main stumbling block is Israel. In reality, Israel has as much to gain from the spread of democracy in the Middle East as the United States has. But Israel is unlikely to recognize its own best interests because the change is too sudden and carries too many risks. And some U.S. supporters of Israel are more rigid and ideological than Israelis themselves. Fortunately, Obama is not beholden to the religious right, which has carried on a veritable vendetta against him. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is no longer monolithic or the sole representative of the Jewish community. The main danger is that the Obama administration will not adjust its policies quickly enough to the suddenly changed reality.

I am, as a general rule, wary of revolutions. But in the case of Egypt, I see a good chance of success. As a committed advocate of democracy and open society, I cannot help but share in the enthusiasm that is sweeping across the Middle East. I hope President Obama will expeditiously support the people of Egypt. My foundations are prepared to contribute what they can. In practice, that means establishing resource centers for supporting the rule of law, constitutional reform, fighting corruption and strengthening democratic institutions in those countries that request help in establishing them, while staying out of those countries where such efforts are not welcome.

Source: The Washington Post       Link to site on right

What the White House Isn't Saying

What the White House Isn't Saying