EARTH STA R · Tim Gunns • Carmen Harra Meryl Davids Landau • Robyn Griggs Lawrence Joseph Mercola • D. Patrick Miller Robert Moss • Donna Rae • Ed Welch SUBMISSIONS Manuscripts,

JUN / JUL 2011 CONSCIOUS LIVING IN THE 21ST CENTURYEARTH STAR

MIRACLES OF MIRACLES OF AA LIFETIMELIFETIME

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ON THE COVER22 Miracles of A Lifetime

by D. Patrick Miller

26 How To Break A Dream Droughtby Robert Moss

35 Inner ResolveAn Essential Key to Cancer Survival and Healingby Leigh Fortson

FEATURES12 Down To Earth Astrology

by Tim Gunns

16 7 Short-Cuts to Daily Blissby Meryl Davids Landau

32 The Simple Exercise that Can Banish Your Bulging Bellyby Dr. Joseph Mercola

38 Iodine In Black Walnut Tincture May Be Effective Against Radiation Exposureby Donna Rae

39 In Memoriam - Sathya Sai Baba

42 Predictions: December 21, 2012 by Carmen Harra

46 Serious Energy Savings with Passive House Designby Ed Welch

52 Off the Grid and Constantly Awareby Robyn Griggs Lawrence

54 Grow A Medicinal Herb Gardenby Steven Foster

57 The Nutrient Your Pet Needs More of as They Ageby Dr. Karen Becker

60 iPhone Keeps Record of Everywhere You Goby Charles Arthur

63 Strange Emissions By Sun Are Suddenly Mutating Matterby Terrence Aym

DEPARTMENTS

5 Up Front

18 Book Reviews

40 Calendar of Events

50 Green Living

EARTH STARCONTENTS JUNE / JULY 2011

Page 35

Page 42

Page 26

Cover ArtHawaiian Dreamby Jim Warren

From the wild & whimsical tothe sweet & sensuous, forover 30 years Jim Warren hasbeen painting his way into thehearts and minds of peoplethe world over. Already con-sidered a "living legend of theart world", Jim is ever-growing& ever-changing. His versatili-ty ranges from his unique por-traits for celebrities, CEO'sand families, to his illustra-tions for books, movies andalbum covers. Most notablyJim won a Grammy award forhis artwork on Bob Seger's1981 album "Against theWind". His fine art oil paint-ings are featured in some ofthe top galleries in the world.Jim's latest paintings and clas-sics are now being producedas high quality, limited editionGiclee canvas print. You canvisit his website at:www.jimwarren.com

Jim Warren

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Earth Star Up FrontHH U B B L EU B B L E TT E L E S C O P EE L E S C O P E Snaps Photo for 21st Birthday

T o celebrate the 21st anniversaryof the Hubble Space Telescope,astronomers pointed Hubble’s

eye at an especially photogenic pair ofinteracting galaxies called Arp 273.

A whirlpool-like spiral galaxy isbeing distorted by the gravitational pullof a neighbor in a new photo fromNASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

The photo was released on April20th to mark the orbiting observatory’supcoming 21st birthday. Hubble waslaunched into space April 24, 1990aboard the space shuttle Discovery

“For twenty-one years, Hubble hasprofoundly changed our view of the uni-verse, allowing us to see deep into thepast while opening our eyes to themajesty and wonders around us,” NASAAdministrator Charles Bolden said in astatement. “I was privileged to pilotspace shuttle Discovery as it deployedHubble. After all this time, new Hubbleimages still inspire awe and are a testa-ment to the extraordinary work of themany people behind the world's mostfamous observatory.”

The new Hubble picture shows apair of interacting galaxies called Arp273. The large spiral galaxy at the top isknown as UGC 1810. It is being pulledapart by the tidal gravitational forces(similar to the tug of the moon on Earth)from its companion, the smaller galaxyUGC 1813.

The glittering blue points at the topof the image are clusters of bright, hot,young stars that shine fiercely in blueand ultraviolet light. The warped spiral

arms of the larger galaxy have beenknocked out of their normal plane by thegravity of the smaller one, which isthought to have plunged through itsbehemoth companion in the past,researchers said.

This picture (above) was taken inDecember 2010 through three separatefilters by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3(WFC3). The filters cover various wave-lengths over the ultraviolet, blueand redportions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

“Hubble is America's gift to theworld,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.,said in a statement. “Its jaw-droppingimages have rewritten the textbooks andinspired generations of schoolchildren

to study math and science. It has beendocumenting the history of our universefor 21 years. Thanks to the daring of ourbrave astronauts, a successful servicingmission in 2009 gave Hubble new life. Ilook forward to Hubble’s amazingimages and inspiring discoveries foryears to come.”

Arp 273 lies in the constellationAndromeda, roughly 300 million light-years away from Earth. The two inter-acting galaxies are separated from eachother by tens of thousands of light-years. —Space.com

Photo credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

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EARTH STARThe Leading Magazine for Holistic Living

in New England

EDITOR/PUBLISHERCody Bideaux

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ASSOCIATE EDITORTim Gunns

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DESIGN & PRODUCTIONEarthstar ProductionsJay Scott Hackleman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCharles Arthur • Terrence Aym • Karen Becker

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Robert Moss • Donna Rae • Ed Welch

SUBMISSIONSManuscripts, artwork, and photographs

must be accompanied by a self-addressed,stamped envelope. Earth Star Magazine

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Earth Star Up Front

A drink with as little as one gramof lemon grass containsenough citral to prompt cancer

cells to commit suicide in the test tube,say Israeli researchers at Ben GurionUniversity

At first, Benny Zabidov, an Israeliagriculturalist, who grows greenhousesfull of lush spices on a pastoral farm inKfar Yedidya in the Sharon region,couldn’t understand why so many can-cer patients from around the countrywere showing up on his doorstep askingfor fresh lemon grass. It turned out thattheir doctors had sent them.

“They had been told to drink eightglasses of hot water with fresh lemongrass steeped in it on the days that theywent for their radiation and chemother-apy treatments,” Zabidov toldISRAEL21c. “And this is the place yougo to in Israel for fresh lemon grass.”

It all began when researchers at BenGurion University of the Negev discov-ered last year that the lemon aroma inherbs like lemon grass kills cancer cellsin vitro, while leaving healthy cellsunharmed. The research team was ledby Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. YakovWeinstein, incumbent of the Albert KatzChair in Cell-Differentiation andMalignant Diseases, from theDepartment of Microbiology andImmunology at BGU.

Citral is the key component thatgives the lemony aroma and taste in sev-eral herbal plants such as lemon grass(Cymbopogon citratus), melissa(Melissa officinalis) and verbena(Verbena officinalis.)

According to Ofir, the study foundthat citral causes cancer cells to“commit suicide: using apoptosis, amechanism called programmed celldeath.” A drink with as little as one gramof lemon grass contains enough citral toprompt the cancer cells to commitsuicide in the test tube.

The BGU investigators checked theinfluence of the citral on cancerous cellsby adding them to both cancerous cells

and normal cells that were grown in apetri dish. The quantity added in theconcentrate was equivalent to theamount contained in a cup of regular teausing one gram of lemon herbs in hotwater. While the citral killed the cancer-ous cells, the normal cells remainedunharmed.

The findings were published in thescientific journal Planta Medica, whichhighlights research on alternative andherbal remedies. Shortly afterwards, thediscovery was featured in the popularIsraeli press.—Common Ground Independent Media

MARIJUANAMARIJUANA CUTS LUNG CANCERCUTS LUNG CANCERTUMOR GROWTH IN HALF TUMOR GROWTH IN HALF

T he active ingredient inmarijuana cuts tumorgrowth in common

lung cancer in half and signifi-cantly reduces the ability of thecancer to spread, sayresearchers at HarvardUniversity who tested thechemical in both lab andmouse studies.

They say this is the first setof experiments to show that thecompound, Delta-tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC), inhibitsEGF-induced growth andmigration in epidermal growth

factor receptor (EGFR) expressingnon-small cell lung cancer cell lines.Lung cancers that over-express EGFRare usually highly aggressive andresistant to chemotherapy.

THC that targets cannabinoidreceptors CB1 and CB2 is similar infunction to endocannabinoids, whichare cannabinoids that are naturally pro-duced in the body and activate thesereceptors. The researchers suggest thatTHC or other designer agents that acti-vate these receptors might be used in atargeted fashion to treat lung cancer.—Science Daily

Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer CellsApoptosis to Cancer Cells

8 EARTH STAR JUNE / JULY 2011 www.earthstarmag.com

Earth Star Up Front

Disease-Sniffing DogsDisease-Sniffing Dogs

I t’s usually complicated andincredibly expensive to develop anew way to screen for cancer or

to diagnose other serious medicalproblems—but not always! DailyHealth News just learned about apromising new approach to detectingcancer that requires no radiation, noblood sample and no biopsy, is costeffective and highly accurate, andfurry. Researchers are finding that dogsand other animals can be highly effec-tive at finding the disease in humansearly, accurately and economically.Moreover, when animals detect a dis-ease, the procedure is noninvasive.

Michael McCulloch, LAc, MPH,PhD, is the head researcher of the PineStreet Foundation, a cancer researchorganization in San Anselmo,

California. Dr. McCulloch says that inone of the foundation’s recent studies,a group of eighty-six volunteer patientsknown to have breast or lung cancer atvarying stages were asked to breatheinto small containers that stored theirexhaled breath. Later, two groups ofvolunteers sniffed some of eachpatient’s exhaled air. The first group ofvolunteers was human, while the nextgroup consisted of three Labradorretrievers and two Portuguese waterdogs, all trained to sit or lie down whenthey smelled the exhaled breath of aperson with cancer. Their results werecompared with results on exhaledbreath samples from eighty-threehealthy people.

While dogs are not yet being usedto diagnose cancer, the results of thestudy were more than promising. Thehuman sniffers failed to pick up on anyof the cancer patients. But for the dogs,Dr. McCulloch said that “the accuracyin lung cancer was 99% and in breastcancer it was 88%”—adding that theaccuracy rate was higher than it is withstandard diagnostic methods. He saidthat more research is necessary beforethe canine crew can be put to work. Inparticular, there needs to be a compar-ative study where the breath sniffing is

included during routine cancer screen-ing, with the outcome evaluatedagainst accepted diagnostic proto-cols—and examined after a period oftime. A study like this would extendover, say, five years, when cancermight be either confirmed or excluded,as this would help to see whether dogsare able to detect the disease evenbefore symptoms develop.

Though some people may find allof this surprising, the truth is that ani-mals’ detection abilities are familiar inother spheres of life—police blood-hounds, drug- and explosive-sniffingdogs at airports and border crossings,rescue dogs searching for signs of lifein the rubble after natural disasters,“service” dogs who are able to detectimminent seizures. Dogs have alsolocated land mines that were over-looked by mechanical sensors. Notlong ago, The New England Journal ofMedicine reported that a cat in a nurs-ing home identified residents who werenear death by making frequent visits tothose patients’ rooms. The operativetheory is that the cat could smell thechemical changes associated with aperson’s end-of-life transition, aprocess called cellular necrosis, wherethe body’s cells begin to degrade.

Mobile WMobile Wallet Offered Tallet Offered To UK Shopperso UK Shoppers

T he first service that allowsusers to pay for purchases viatheir mobile phone has been

launched in the UK.Among shops signed up to the sys-

tem are McDonalds, EAT, Pret-a-Manger and some Boots stores.

Users wishing to use the system—dubbed Quick Tap—will need Orangeand Barclaycard accounts as well as ahandset set up for contactless pay-ments.

The idea of the mobile wallet isgaining popularity around Europe.

Motoway TollThe service is made possible by NearField Communication (NFC), theshort-range wireless technology thatunderpins many wireless paymentsystems.

Quick Tap is a collaborationbetween Orange and Barclaycard. Itwill require a NFC-enabled SamsungTocco Lite handset, which also goes onsale on Friday.

Only purchases up to a value of£15 can be made using the service butusers can preload their mobile with upto £100.

“Having a wallet on my phone hasmade it much more convenient to makepurchases on the move and I like that itallows me to keep track of what I'mspending as I go,” said David Chan,chief executive of BarclaycardConsumer.

“It is going to start a revolution inthe way we pay for things on the highstreet,” added Pippa Dunn, vice presi-dent of Orange. —BBC News, UK

JUNE / JULY 2011 EARTH STAR 9www.earthstarmag.com

Earth Star Up FrontLarge Hadron ColliderLarge Hadron Collider rumoured to have found God ParticleGod Particle

S cientists at theLarge HadronCollider are

rumoured to havefound the elusive so-called “God Particle”.

Detectors at theLarge Hadron Colliderat CERN, nearGeneva, had picked upsignals that could bethe long sought afterparticle, called theHiggs boson.

One of the mainscientific goals of thehuge £6 billion atomsmasher was to provethe existence of theHiggs boson, a theo-retical particlebelieved to give every-thing in the universemass.

The particle is akey part of the stan-dard model used inphysics to describe how particles andatoms are made up.

Rumours that scientists working onthe LHC had found evidence of theHiggs boson began to circulate after ansupposed internal memo was posted onthe internet.

But physicists were quick to urgecaution over the claims as many candi-dates for the particle that appear in col-lision experiments at the LHC are sub-sequently dismissed on further examina-tion.

Officials at CERN said the resulthad not yet been properly verified andcould turn out to be a false alarm.

The memo revealed that one of theparticle detectors at the LHC had caughta particle that could be a Higgs bosondecaying into other two high-energyparticles known as photons.

The memo, written by four scien-tists working on the LHC’s ATLASexperiment, warned the rate at whichthis happened was thirty times largerthan would have been expected.

But it added: “The present result isthe first definitive observation ofphysics beyond the standard model.

“Exciting new physics, includingnew particles, may be expected to befound in the very near future.”

Some scientists initially said theybelieved the memo could have been ahoax, but it was confirmed as genuineby officials at CERN.

James Gillies, official spokesmanfor CERN, said that while the resultsnote was genuine, it was one of thou-sands constantly being produced by sci-entists and that is was still in the veryearly stages of assessment.

He said: “It is far too early to say ifthere is anything to it or not. There are3,000 scientists working on ATLAS andthey divide the analysis work upbetween them.

“This is an internal communicationthat highlights something interesting,but it has to go through several stages ofassessment by the scientific team beforeit will be released as an official result bythe collaborative team.

“The majority of these things turnout to be nothing at all. It is very specu-lative at this stage, but there is a greatdeal of excitement and anticipation thatsomething will be found which is prob-ably why this has found its way onto the

internet.”Despite the official caution, there

was intense speculation on internetblogs and scientific websites that theresults described in the memo signalledthe first discovery of the Higgs boson.

The rumours come as officials inCERN revealed they had set a newworld record by producing the mostintense beams of particles everachieved.

The memo first appeared on theblog of physicist Peter Woit, fromColumbia University. He wrote: “It’s thesort of thing you would expect to see ifthere were a Higgs at that mass, but thenumber of events seen is about thirtytimes more than the standard modelwould predict.”

Professor Brian Cox, a particlephysicist at Manchester University andpresenter of the BBC’s Wonders of theUniverse, urged caution over the results.

Writing on the social networkingsite Twitter, he said: “The Higgsrumours are from an internal,unchecked ATLAS document. Very badscience to leak it. Many mistakes aremade in un-reviewed papers.”—The Telegraph, UK

1 0 EARTH STAR JUNE / JULY 2011 www.earthstarmag.com

Earth Star Up FrontGoGovernment Shuts Dovernment Shuts Down ET Monitoringwn ET Monitoring

A monitoring system for poten-tial extraterrestrial communi-cation has been shelved due to

budget cuts, one of its partners saidTuesday.

With funding dried up, the SETI(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)established in 1984, had to put the AllenTelescope Array (ATA) on an indefinitepause, the institute said in a letter.

The telescopes, at the Hat CreekRadio Observatory north of SanFrancisco, California, had been moni-toring for potential messages beyondour planet.

“Effective this week, the ATA hasbeen placed in hibernation due to fund-

ing shortfalls foroperations of theHat Creek RadioObservatory wherethe ATA is locat-ed,” said a letterfrom Tom Pierson,CEO of SETIInstitute on April 27.

Funding forHCRO had beencut to one tenth itsformer level, hesaid, noting thatpartners werebeing sought.—Activist Post

New Solar Product Captures Up to 95% of Light Energy

E fficiency is a problem withtoday's solar panels; they onlycollect about twenty percent

of available light. Now, a University ofMissouri engineer has developed aflexible solar sheet that captures morethan ninety percent of available light,and he plans to make prototypes avail-able to consumers within the next fiveyears.

Patrick Pinhero, an associate pro-fessor in the MU ChemicalEngineering Department, says energygenerated using traditional photovolta-ic (PV) methods of solar collection is

inefficient and neglects much of theavailable solar electromagnetic (sun-light) spectrum. The device his teamhas developed—essentially a thin,moldable sheet of small antennascalled nantenna—can harvest the heatfrom industrial processes and convertit into usable electricity. Their ambi-tion is to extend this concept to a directsolar facing nantenna device capableof collecting solar irradiation in thenear infrared and optical regions of thesolar spectrum.

Working with his former team atthe Idaho National Laboratory and

Garrett Moddel, an electricalengineering professor at theUniversity of Colorado,Pinhero and his team havenow developed a way toextract electricity from thecollected heat and sunlightusing special high-speed elec-trical circuitry. This team alsopartners with Dennis Slafer ofMicroContinuum, Inc., ofCambridge, Mass., to immedi-ately port laboratory bench-scale technologies into manu-facturable devices that can beinexpensively mass-produced.

“Our overall goal is to col-lect and utilize as much solarenergy as is theoretically pos-sible and bring it to the com-

mercial market in an inexpensive pack-age that is accessible to everyone,”Pinhero said. “If successful, this prod-uct will put us orders of magnitudesahead of the current solar energy tech-nologies we have available to ustoday.”

As part of a rollout plan, the teamis securing funding from the U.S.Department of Energy and privateinvestors. The second phase featuresan energy-harvesting device for exist-ing industrial infrastructure, includingheat-process factories and solar farms.

Within five years, the researchteam believes they will have a productthat complements conventional PVsolar panels. Because it's a flexiblefilm, Pinhero believes it could beincorporated into roof shingle prod-ucts, or be custom-made to powervehicles.

Once the funding is secure,Pinhero envisions several commercialproduct spin-offs, including infrared(IR) detection. These include improvedcontraband-identifying products forairports and the military, optical com-puting, and infrared line-of-sighttelecommunications.

A study on the design and manu-facturing process was published in theJournal of Solar Energy Engineering.—Science Daily

JUNE / JULY 2011 EARTH STAR 1 1www.earthstarmag.com

Earth Star Up FrontMany Eco-Friendly Bulbs Contain Toxic Chemicals

T hough the notion now borderson political incorrectnessamong many environmentalists,

the simple incandescent light bulb is stillthe cleanest, most non-toxic form ofconsumer lighting available. A newstudy published by the University ofCalifornia - Irvine (UCI) has found thatpopular energy-saving LED light bulbsare filled with high levels of lead,arsenic, and various other toxicchemicals.

Much like hazardous compact fluo-rescent light bulbs (CFLs), whichnumerous investigations have showncontain dangerously high levels of mer-cury that damage human health and pol-lute the environment, the LED bulbsused in things like Christmas lights,traffic signals, and vehicle headlights,may be just as bad.

Oladele Ogunseitan, professor ofpublic health and social ecology at UCIand lead author of the new study, and histeam, crushed a variety of different LEDbulbs to expose their internal chemicals.They then simulated an acid-rain sce-nario to see how the chemicals in thebulbs would react, and what the result-

ing liquid would be composed of.They found that high-intensity red

LED bulbs contained the highest levelsof arsenic, a toxic element that dam-ages cells and leads to cardiovascularproblems, among other things. Andlow-intensity red LED bulbs werefound to have the highest levels oflead, a toxic heavy metal that damagesbones, the heart, intestines, kidneys,and the reproductive and nervous sys-tems. White bulbs had high level ofnickel, another potentially damagingmetal that can cause skin problems.

In a landfill situation, broken LEDbulbs can contaminate ground watersupplies, rivers, streams, and lakes. Inindividual homes, the breakage of suchbulbs is similar to CFLs in that carefulcleanup is necessary as the residue ishighly toxic. And even when takingprecautions, bulb fumes and their cor-responding chemicals can get into car-pet and other hard-to-clean places,exposing young children to untold lev-els of such toxins over long periods oftime. —Natural News

TTidal Energy with idal Energy with UUUUnnnnddddeeeerrrrwwwwaaaatttteeeerrrr KKKKiiii tttteeeessss

M inesto, a spin-off of theSaab Group, contributes asolution to the worldwide

energy demand by offering a uniquetechnology that explores the vast,renewable and abundant ocean powerresource.

Minesto develops a new conceptfor tidal power plants called DeepGreen. Deep Green is based on a fun-damentally new principle for electric-ity generation from tidal currents. Thepower plant is applicable in areaswhere no other known technology canoperate cost effectively due to itsunique ability to operate in low veloc-ities. Minesto expands the totalmarine energy potential and offers astep change in cost for tidal energy.

These underwater kites move ten-times faster than the tidal flow at anygiven time. Speed and energy have acubic relationship, whereby a kite

moving ten times the speed of the sur-rounding water yields one thousandtimes the energy of the flow on thekites.

Minesto claims that these kites

would leave a small environmentalfootprint and that tidal energy is guar-anteed and predictable 365 days a year.—ForbiddenKnoledge.com

www.earthstarmag.com1 2 EARTH STAR JUNE / JULY 2011

The intellect is highly stimulatedby June’s new moon on the 1stin 11°02'° Gemini, which isalso a partial solar eclipse.People will want to talk about

what and how they feel, and moods couldchange like the wind. Work on developing newtalents and aptitudes, perhaps to replace skillsthat are no longer used or needed.

Mercury, messenger of the gods, entersGemini on the 2nd (till June 16th), when themind quickens and thoughts flow swiftly, con-stantly shifting, like wind-blown desert sands.Be sure to note all the good new ideas thatcome to mind during this mentally fertile period.Enroll in a course, workshop, or educationalprogram.

Dreamy Neptune stations retrograde on the 3rd,in 01° Pisces, when unresolved issues, neglectedfeelings, and emotional undercurrents from thepast may surface from time to time during thenext five months, to be reviewed and reevaluatedfor greater understanding.

Jupiter enters earthy Taurus on June 4th, a celes-tial augury which suggests that a period of finan-cial expansion is at hand. While tangible assetswill have greater appeal now, don’t underesti-mate the value of your intellectual resources, soput your knowledge to work for you! Any urge tospend your precious resources on a whim shouldbe tempered by practicality.

Magnanimous Jupiter sextiles distant Neptuneprecisely on June 8th, enhancing one’s abilityto feel compassion, express sympathy and toshow benevolence. This planetary alignment issuperbly helpful for meditation and spiritualpractices. Indeed, a very mystical vibe per-vades the ethers now.

When the sun conjuncts Mercury on the 12th, in

22° Gemini, important announcements or deci-sions could be forthcoming. Thoughts turntowards ways and means of improving commu-nications, and issues relating to one’s personalsurroundings. Let your instincts guide you indecision-making now. Be alert to educationalopportunities, or highly valued information.

Later on the 12th, Saturn, planet of disciplineand karma, stations Direct, in 11° Libra. Howhave you responded to the professional oppor-tunities or challenges that have come your wayduring Saturn’s 4-1/2 months in review mode?Have you behaved responsibly and fairly withpartners and the significant others in your life?As the ringed planet gradually gathers forwardmomentum, tangible progress towards covetedcareer goals and in key relationships maybecome perceptible.

Thoughts turn to domestic issues duringMercury’s transit through Cancer, from June16-July 1, when the notion of relocation maycross your mind. Be aware that unconsciousdesires could influence one’s decision-makingprocess now.

Venus trines Saturn on the 17th,, when theestablishment of new connections or relation-ships may have karmic implications.Reorganize your business affairs to increasestability and efficiency. Discuss partnership orbusiness expectations now. Seek financialinvestors for a business venture.

Mercury’s square to Uranus on the 18th is oftena harbinger of mechanical or systems failures sobe sure to back-up important computer filesbeforehand, and take extra care while driving. Itmay be wise to postpone important decisions orsignings for a few days, as mental processesmight tend to be somewhat erratic. A great timeto brainstorm, though!

The intellect is vigorously stimulated whenMars enters Gemini on the 20th. Local activi-ties increase, with more “coming and going”.The proper use and direction of one’s creativeenergies now can offset the potential for rest-lessness or irritability.

The summer solstice occurs as the sun entersCancer at 10:17am, PDT, on June 21st, thatpivotal point in Mother Earth’s cycle aroundour sun when the forces of light and dark, dayand night, are in perfect equipoise. As springtransitions into summer, the emphasis of thesolar energies shifts from the logic-orientedmental realm of Gemini into the more feeling,nurturing, growth-sustaining environment ofCancer, so make an effort to be more supportiveof family, friends and colleagues—let themknow you care! Home, family, and roots assumegreater importance for the next month. Securityof home, and homeland, becomes more of aconcern throughout the summer season, whenfamily or domestic obligations will need to betaken more seriously. However, with focusedeffort, much constructive growth can occur.

Later on the 21st, a square (90° aspect)between Mars and Neptune, planet of illusion,perfects, a juncture at which to be alert to self-destructive impulses, or giving vent to sup-pressed anger. Escapist tendencies prevailnow, so avoid any kind of artificial stimulant;even moderate the use of prescription drugs, ifpossible, as one’s physical tolerance to foreignsubstances is lowered. Deception may be rife,and the truth behind actions or events may bedeliberately obscured. Know where you’regoing now, and why!

Lightening the mood, the sun trines dreamyNeptune on the 22nd, when clear, properlyfocused creative visualization techniquescould produce rapid results. Take photographs,or begin filming for a movie—under this

JJUUNNEE -- JJUULLYY 22001111

www.earthstarmag.com JUNE / JULY 2011 EARTH STAR 1 3

beguiling influence it may very well turn outto be spellbinding!

On the 26th, the sun makes a jarring square toUranus, planet of surprises, when suddenchanges or disruptions in one’s daily routinecould occur. Accept inevitable changes, but thisis not the time to initiate change based solelyupon a desire for greater personal freedom.One’s need for self-expression may have toyield to more pressing demands or constraintsbeyond your control. Don’t try to “buck the sys-tem” just now. Instead, cultivate patience.

Some creative financial adjustments may haveto be made around the time the sun opposesdistant Pluto on the 27th, when the break-upof a major financial institution or a significantcessation of funding could make the head-lines. Be alert to attempts at intimidation,coercion or “power plays”. Some intenseencounters or events are possible for a weekor so around this juncture.

The first of two new moons in July, a power-ful partial solar eclipse, arrives on the 1st, in10° Cancer, initiating a four-week cycle inwhich emotional sensitivity increases, while agrowing need for greater security becomesmore important—a trend that continuesthroughout the year. Be more nurturing tothose around you. Trust your instincts nowregarding proposed new ventures or alliances.Resolve to jettison any detrimental emotionalattachments that may be holding you back.

Wherever an eclipse occurs in a natalhoroscope, a residual, latent charge remains,an energetic imprint that may be activated andthe energies released by transits of other plan-ets over, and to, that particular degree. In otherwords, an eclipse energizes and illuminatesthe degree of the zodiac and affairs of thehouse in which it occurs—for the next six totwelve months.

Following Mercury’s entry into Leo’s world ofdrama, also on the 1st, communications canassume a more theatrical air. This four-weektransit may provide a boost to sales or PR oper-ations. It also favors creative mental work.

The sun squares Saturn on July 2nd, when theflow of vitality we receive from the sun isrestricted by Saturn, bringing frustrations andimpatience, so you may need to exercise agreater measure of self-discipline around thisjuncture. On the personal level, this heavyaspect can illuminate personality flaws, per-haps to show where work needs to be done.

Duties and responsibilities can seem onerousnow. Don’t expect any favors from your boss,teacher, or other authority figure just now. Dopersevere, however, as achievement will comethrough hard work and effort—is it ever anydifferent? To lift your spirits, meditate onsomething cheerful or inspiring.

Venus enters Cancer—America’s sun sign—on July 3rd, fuelling a fervent love of countryin patriotic Americans over the July 4thHoliday weekend.

On Independence Day (4th), Mercury trinesunpredictable Uranus, when unexpected newsor announcements are may be forthcoming.Your intuition or a flash of brilliance couldhelp you solve a problem around this juncture.Activities with friends or groups could be par-ticularly stimulating and enjoyable. If youhave a natal horoscope, study it now fortimely insights.

Mars trines Saturn on July 6th, when stamina,endurance and determination are considerablyincreased. Opportunities for growth oradvancement could occur, so be prepared toact quickly on business or career options thatmay come your way.

Giant Jupiter trines distant Pluto precisely onJuly 7th for the first such (120°) alignment sinceJuly 1st, 2003, encouraging expansion and self-improvement through creative enterprise andspiritual evolvement in the coming weeks. Thepresent house locations of Jupiter and Pluto inone’s natal horoscope indicate the life areas inwhich the transformation of stagnant conditionsmay have become necessary in order for furtherevolutionary progress to be made.

Expect a few shocks, surprises, and a lot ofnervous energy for several days either side ofthe Uranus retrograde station on July 9th, in05° Aries. Don’t take too much for grantedduring this generally unstable period, whenrecklessness and impatience can lead theunwary astray. Uranus in retrograde (till Dec9th) asks us to review our ambitions andcareer objectives, to redefine our goals, perhapsalong more humanistic or progressive lines,and to reconnect with the higher mind or“Christ principle” within when seeking guid-ance. Pay attention to your intuition now,learn to trust it; give your hunches more cred-ibility. Aviation-related events or stories maybe in the news, while unstable weather condi-tions and seismic activity are possible.

Tensions rise as a total lunar eclipse occurs atthe full moon on June 14th, in 29° Capricorn,which may herald a turning point in a domesticor professional matter ripe for resolution orchange. It might also become necessary to setrealistic boundaries regarding where work orcareer ends, and personal “down” time begins.Take some time out for reflection, assimila-tion, and future planning.

As the sun enters its home sign of Leo on the22nd it boosts courage and self-confidence,enhancing one’s creative prowess, andencouraging one and all to reconnect withtheir inner child over the next thirty days.Make time to play; not only is it fun but it canrelieve stress and pent up pressures.

A flash of pure genius may facilitate progresstowards a goal or cherished ambition when thesun trines Uranus on the 27th. Look for newways of raising investment capital or offinancing a project dear to your heart. Delveinto astrological or metaphysical studies fortimely insights.

When Venus enters Leo on July 28th for afour-week transit, affairs of the heart and cre-ative activities receive a helpful boost, whiledramatic self-expression increases—a boonfor actors!

A new cycle of personal creativity begins onthe 30th with the second new moon—a BlueMoon—in the month of July; this time itoccurs in Leo. It may now become apparentthat a greater level of self-reliance, self-suffi-ciency, and independence from traditionalconstraints is necessary in order to makeprogress towards coveted objectives. Be sureto keep loved ones appraised of your plans.

As July draws to a close, Venus trines Uranuson the 31st and, while this influence is gener-ally positive, remain skeptical of any unex-pected business, financial or romantic over-tures, as they’re likely to be short lived, orsimply speculative. Nonetheless, this is ahighly stimulating and progressive transit,when new products can be successfully pro-moted. Artistic inspiration also permeates theethers, so endeavor to tap into it.

Following is a general overview of how theplanetary trends for June/July, 2011 apply toeach sun sign. If you know your rising sign(Ascendant), read that, too, for additionalinsights.

DDoowwnn TToo EEaarrtthh AAssttrroollooggyy


DDoowwnn TToo EEaarrtthh AAssttrroollooggyyAries (March 20—April 19)

Your thoughts and activities may be gearedtowards supplementing your income in early

June, as you work steadily towards your goals for the futureor a particular cherished objective. And you’re not short ofbright ideas either, with your fertile imagination and intellectshifting into overdrive following the vibrant Gemini newmoon solar eclipse on the 1st in your solar third house ofnovel notions. Timing will be important to the eventualsuccess of your endeavors, so be sure to have all yourproverbial ducks in a row before making any key decisions.Your patience and resolve are strengthened in July and you’rekeen to move forward with your plans. Keep a tight rein onyour spending and maintain a practical budget. It’s possiblethat your bank balance could look substantially healthier bymonth's end, but you’ll need to guard against impulsivepurchases in order to keep it that way.

Taurus (April 19—May 20)

Life is certainly looking up for many Bull-clan members these days, when yourprospects for happiness are set to soar.

Whatever personal goal you can dream of or imaginenow, begin it. For there is magic and power at yourside right now! While your vitality and energy levelsare riding high, accomplish everything on your “todo” list, and you will gain an extra measure of satis-faction. Seek out new sources of income that will addto your sense of security, particularly where yourplans for the future are involved. Consider opening anew savings account specifically for this purpose,into which you can channel the new revenue streamsyou may tap.

Gemini (May 20—June 21)

You’re off to the races in early June, asMercury, Venus and Mars follow the new

moon into your sign and solar first house. Thispowerful lunation and accompanying planetaryinfluence will kindle your imagination, your ambitionand creative drive to the point where you resolve topursue your goals and heart’s desire until youeventually succeed. Clearly visualize your objective inyour mind’s eye, with the feeling and certainknowledge that it is, even now, beginning to manifestin reality. Focus, too, on generating a new and reliablesource of income, particularly during July, when anopportunity to do so may suddenly occur. Timingmight be an important factor, so be prepared to actquickly, even though it may seem inconvenient. Youwill most likely be glad that you did!

Cancer (June 21—July22)

Dare to dream, with the sure knowledge thatall things are possible. With June’s Gemini

new moon energizing your solar twelfth house, in positiveaspect to Saturn, you have the power to make the

intangible a reality in the weeks and months ahead.Believe in yourself and your abilities, and clearlyvisualize your goals. Enlist the help of friends and lovedones to keep you focused, and to raise your spirits shouldyou waver in your quest. The summer solstice on June21st heralds your time to shine, as the sun illuminatesyour solar first house, increasing your vitality, courageand willpower to succeed. There may be elements of yourpast that it is now time to release, whether people, painfulmemories, or emotional attachments that you’veoutgrown, If you find yourself at a crossroads, take thepath of least resistance, towards a future filled with hopeand healing.

Leo (July 22—August 23)

I t ’s t ime to pu r sue your goa l s w i threnewed de te rmina t ion and a g rea t e r

sense of ambit ion. Formulate a game plan thatcombines your ski l ls , ta lents and abi l i t ies with abo ld new approach to a t t a in ing a che r i shedobject ive. Enl is t the help of f r iends or par tners toassis t you in your quest . Don’t a l low pride to s tandin your way, for your eventual success wil l tas te somuch sweeter with loved ones by your s ide toshare in your joy and sat isfact ion. With luckyJupi ter now at the apex of your solar char t , in t r ineto Pluto the t ransformer, the sky’s the l imit whereworldly success is concerned. Be sure to set as idesome quiet t ime to reenergize your vis ion of thefuture , and to recharge your inner bat ter ies tosustain your motivat ion.

Virgo (August 23—September 23)

June’s Gemini new moon in your solart en th house sows seeds fo r newbeginnings where career aspirat ions are

concerned. I t ’s t ime to leave the past behind andmove towards a bold new future , fi l led with hopeand opt imism that a new chapter in your l i fe isshor t ly to beg in . Some Vi rgo na t ives wi l lcons ider moving to a new loca t ion , one tha to ffe r s t he poss ib i l i t y o f more in sp i r ing andcomfor table surroundings . Home is where theheart is , and your hear t may have a yen foradventure in the months that lay ahead. Spendsome qual i ty t ime with fr iends, for they wil linspire you to set new goals for the future—object ives that may be more in l ine with a futureyou’d only dreamed of .

Libra (September 23—October 23)

Rejuvenat ion and self- improvement areprominent themes underscor ing yourl i fe these days. I t ’s possible that you

may decide to go back to school , or to enrol l in aworkshop or s tudy program, perhaps with a viewto fu r the r ing your ca ree r o r p ro fes s iona l


DDoowwnn TToo EEaarrtthh AAssttrroollooggyyaspirat ions. You have more self discipl ine now,with Saturn in your s ign and solar fi rs t house,and f ee l t ha t you can app ly your se l fwholehear ted ly to any th ing you may beg in—part icular ly i f i t wi l l enhance your sense of self-worth. I t ’s possible that you may decide to shareyour knowledge and experience with others insome form of teaching capaci ty. Ei ther way, youare seeking to broaden both your mind and yourworldly experience, and cer ta inly won' t be hidingyour l ight under a bushel .

Scorpio (October 23—November 22)

You feel a great need to break with thepas t , to r egenera te yourse l f and your

energies , in order to move on to the next phase ofyour l i fe . There is a wel lspr ing of creat ivi ty with-in you just wai t ing to be tapped, and you sensethat in doing so, much heal ing from past t raumasor disappointments wil l surely fol low. There aret imes when your thoughts may be deep and dark,and yet , when you feel inspired, your spir i ts soaras you connect with higher levels of your being.I t ’s t ime to “ l i f t thine eyes to the hi l ls” and surveynew horizons, and to envis ion a br ight future fi l ledwith hope, joy and happiness .

Sagittarius (November 21—December 21)

Change is one constant in l i fe , which issometh ing tha t your r e s t l e s s andexpansive nature welcomes, par t icular ly

if i t a l lows you to express yourself in ever morecreat ive ways. You may find that your values andprior i t ies are in a s ta te of f lux, and respond toyour creat ive impulses . Though your work orvocat ional act ivi t ies may have provided an out le tfo r t hese ene rg ie s r ecen t ly, th i s i s abou t t ochange, as you begin to spend more t ime withs ign i f i can t o the r s i n your l i f e . You may beinsp i r ed to enhance your hea l th and f i t nes sregimen in the coming months, and seek ways toimprove your appearance. Always young at hear t ,you might a lso have a yen to look more youthful ,too.

Capricorn (December 21—January 19)

New pro fes s iona l cha l l enges beckon ,and you’re keen to pu r sue the

possibi l i t ies you’ve already ident i fied. However,there may be other opportuni t ies for you to plyyour t rade or in which to invest your vocat ionalexperience. Perhaps something you’d forgot tenabout or given up hope of ever becoming involvedwith, but which now could be back on the tablefor your considerat ion. I t ’s a lways nice to bespoi led for choice—just make sure you choose

what’s r ight for you now, at this juncture in yourl i fe journey. A par tnership arrangement , perhapswith a f r iend or former col league, is anotherpossibi l i ty, perhaps in an innovat ive venture . Justbe su re you examine a l l t he ang le s , be fo recommit t ing to the addi t ional responsibi l i ty.

Aquarius (January 19—February 18)

Afte r some daun t ing cha l l enges inrecent years , you ' re seeking more joy

and fulfi l lment in your l i fe and to der ive greaterp leasu re and sa t i s fac t ion f rom your work .Something that a l lows you to f lex your creat ivemusc le s , and tha t you can in fuse wi th yourunique s tyle of innovat ion and or iginal i ty. Youare, indeed, blessed with a quick mind and afe r t i l e imag ina t ion , and now i t ’s t ime toincorporate these gif ts into a progressive venturein which your ta lents can t ruly shine. You maydecide to “feather your nest” during the summermonths, or perhaps move to a new, more spaciousresidence from which you could also comfortablyconduct your professional or business affairs .

Pisces (February 18—March 20)

You feel inspired to make some positivechanges in your lifestyle, as a new cycleof personal growth and development

takes root deep within your psyche. As you releaseyour fears, traumas, and emotional conditioningfrom the past, a whole new world of possibilitiesopens up to you. You’re keen to make some radicaladjustments to your goals and plans for the future,which reflect essential shifts in your worldview thatwill bring you more into alignment with yourchanging values and priorities. As this processcontinues, your creative energies begin to flow morefreely, providing intellectual stimulation, and ameasure of joy and satisfaction that makes yourspirit soar.

Tim Gunns is an astrological consultant,conference coordinator and producer,and formerly program director of theL.A. Conscious Life Expo, and thenational Whole Life Expos.Tim prepares personalized no-nonsense inter-

pretations of Natal Horoscopes ($40), Future Forecast TransitReports ($75 for 1 full year), and Relationship CompatibilityReports ($45). Shipping is free. Send: Name (as you'd like it toappear on the chart), Date of Birth, Time (as close as possible),Place of Birth (city/country, etc.) for each person, and your returnaddress, phone# and check to: Tim Gunns, c/o110 Hilltop Drive,Waynesville NC 28786. (828) 452-7885. Consultations byphone may also be scheduled.

1 6 EARTH STAR JUNE / JULY 2011

Sure, the ancient yogis found inner bliss bystretching in their yoga poses and sitting ontheir cushions for hours on end. But we livein the real world—frequently too busytreading water to spare that kind of time!

Fortunately, after digesting tons of spiritual books andattending myriad workshops, then experimenting withwhat works for me, I’ve created my own Reader’sDigest-ish short-cut to daily bliss. To connect to yourelevated interior, try (as best as you can) to sprinklethese simple steps throughout your day:

1. Sing in the shower. One thing the ancient yogis wereright about: Set a good tone first thing in the morningand you float through the day. But I can’t drag myselfout of bed early enough to meditate, so my solution is, Ising in the shower. Rather than fixate on problems andto-dos, I send my thoughts skyward via song. I learnedthis technique from a healthy and joyful 99-year-oldman, whom I’m convinced got that way because he beltsout “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning” with every sham-poo. I prefer Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten.”

2. Listen for the bird chirp (or the dog bark….).Several years ago, I read the old Aldous Huxley novel,Island, where the Mynah birds on his utopian Pala con-stantly shout, “Attention, attention,” to remind thenatives that here-and-now is most important. I decidedto use the occasional chirping of the birds outside mySouth Florida window as my own prompt to pause. Istop and take a long, deep breath, and am immediatelypulled into the present moment—the only place we canaccess our higher selves. If you don’t have regularlycacophonous fowls, any vocal animal, or even a neigh-bor’s crying baby, are equally wonderful cues.

3. Stop whining. The biggest problem with our chroniccomplaints: They keep the mind fixated on what’s goingwrong, rather than on the higher-vibration, fabulousthings that are working. Next time you’re ready to criti-cize or complain, stop and ask, “What is this unhappysituation making me desire?” Then turn your wholefocus to that.

4. Stretch your arms up. As a longtime, big-time fan ofyoga, I know the value of sneaking even a couple ofposes into the day. The stretches make you feel great

DDaaiillyyBBlliissssBy Meryl Davids Landau

77 SShhoorrtt--CCuuttssttoo

physically, and, equally important, they expand yourmind. My favorite micro session when I can’t do a fullclass: A boat pose (aka Superman), a full forward bend,and a half spinal twist. (If you’re at your desk: raisingyour arms and arching backward and holding a minute,folding forward down to your ankles for another, thentwisting around to the right side, then the left.)

5. Sit on your rump. I’m not talking about all thosehours we spend on the computer. I’m talking about med-itation. Not necessarily the 15 to 30 minutes twice dailythat experts recommend. (Definitely do that when youcan. But I’m talking shortcuts here.) Ten, or even 5, min-utes once or twice anytime in the day can be sufficient.By focusing the mind on one thing (a word like “peace,”a sound like “om,” the flicker of a candle…), you’retraining it to release the worries about the past or fearsover the future that keep us from fully experiencing thepresent. I adore my 10 minute mini-meds, and, moreimportant, the way they spill into the rest of my day.

6. Fantasize. No, not about sex—although you’re wel-come to do that, too. Fantasize about what you’re want-ing for your life. The teachings about law of attractionby Esther and Jerry Hicks make clear that you get whatyou think about. I used to spend much of my day pon-

dering things as they were (what the Hicks’ call “tell-it-like-it-is-itis”). But if our thoughts create, it behooves usto shift to those that make our hearts sing: the desiredjob, financial state, health status, dream trip, romanticpartner, and/or situation in the world. Ponder yourdesires in great detail, until you feel enthusiasm stirring.

7. Kiss your pillow (and your partner, too). Beforegoing to bed each night, think about 5 people, events,and/or objects you appreciate. Begin with the easiest:items right in your delicious bed (including yourscrumptious pillow and, if someone is there, your mate).How better to end your day than by connecting to yourhighest self—which, as pure love, always appreciates?You will drift off with ease, and, more important, set aglorious vibration to wake up in tomorrow morning.

Meryl Davids Landau is the author of the new spiritualwomen’s novel, Downward Dog, Upward Fog, whichForeWord Reviews touts as “an inspirational gem that willappeal to introspective, evolving women.” She has also writ-ten for many national magazines—including Reader’s Digest,Whole Living, Self, O-The Oprah magazine and more. Formore information about Meryl and her debut novel pleasevisit: http://www.downwarddogupwardfog.com

JUNE / JULY 2011 EARTH STAR 1 7

It's Not Your AGE That Counts

S amuel Ullman wrote: “Youthis not a time of life; it is astate of mind; it is not a mat-

ter of rosy cheeks, red lips and- sup-ple knees; it is a matter of will, aquality of imagination, a vigor of theemotions; it is the freshness of thedeep springs of life.

“Youth means a temperamentalpredominance of courage over timid-ity, of the appetite for adventure overthe love of ease. This often exists ina man of sixty more than a boy oftwenty. Nobody grows old merely byliving a number of years. We grow

old by deserting our ideals. Yearsmay wrinkle the skin, but to giveup enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.Worry, fear, self-doubt bows theheart and turns the spirit back todust.

“Whether sixty or sixteen,there is in every human being’sheart the lure of wonder, theunfailing childlike curiosity ofwhat's next, and the joy of thegame of living. In the center of yourheart and mine there is a wireless sta-tion; so long as it receives messagesof beauty, hope, cheer and courage,

you are young.“When the antennas are down,

and your spirit is covered with thesnows of cynicism and ice of pes-

simism, then you havegrown old, even at twenty.But so long as your anten-nas are up, to catch the opti-mism and create enthusi-asm, there is hope you maydie YOUNG at eighty.” It’sNot Your AGE That Counts—www.rense.com

http://www.downwarddogupwardfog.com


Summer Reading Summer Reading Chakra Awakening

Transform Your Reality UsingCrystals, Color, Aromatherapy &

the Power of Positive ThoughtBy Margaret Ann Lembo

This in-depth and practical guidedemonstrates how to activate and bal-ance the seven main chakras—energycenters that influence everything frommigraines and fertility to communica-tion and intuition. Perform simple tech-niques with gems, crystals, and otherpowerful tools to manifest any goal and create positive change in yourphysical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Chakra Awakening alsofeatures color photos and exercises for clearing negative energy, dis-pelling outdated belief systems, and identifying areas in your life thatmay be out of balance.

Llewellyn Worldwide. Paperback, $19.95.

The Well That Never Runs Dry

By Joann Davis

In Joann Davis’s enthralling companionto her acclaimed The Book of the

Shepherd, which Paulo Coelho called “aninspiring and moving fable,” The Well

That Never Runs Dry chronicles the storyof Elizabeth, a midwife and healer on ajourney to uncover one of the greatesttruths of life. Readers stirred by The

Alchemist and The Celestine Prophesy

will discover new inspiration in Davis’s life-changing narrative of grief,hope, and the power of love.

HarperOne. Hardcover, $19.99.

Green MedicineChallenging the Assumptions ofConventional Health CareBy Larry Malerba, D.O.

According to Dr. Larry Malerba, modern medi-cine has perfected the short-term technicalrepair of the physical body at the expense ofthe long-term psychological and spiritual well-being of the whole person. In Green Medicine

he examines this issue and provides a realisticblueprint for wellness and a valuable guide forthose seeking deeper and more lasting healing.

Written in an accessible style, the book draws on a rich range of fields—physics, philosophy, shamanism, alchemy, Eastern thought, Western eso-tericism, sustainability, orthodox medicine—to create a green medicalparadigm that represents a powerful integrative medical perspective.

North Atlantic Books. Paperback, $18.95.

The Complete Tao Te Chingwith the Four Canons of the Yellow EmperorBy Jean Levi

Based on both the Mawangdui version of theTao Te Ching and the recently discoveredGuodian version, this book is the first to restorethe Four Canons of the Yellow Emperor to itsrightful place alongside the Book of the Way.Complementing the philosophy of the Tao TeChing with its more practical advice, the FourCanons cover the art of ruling, metaphysics,military matters, and ways of meditation.

Showing how this pairing of texts established the foundations of the HanDynasty’s power, Jean Levi offers extensive notes throughout the text,providing information essential for understanding as well as highlightingthe many connections between these two classic works.

Inner Traditions. Hardcover, $18.95.

The Survival of the SoulBy Lisa Williams

Many of us have questions about the passageof life and often wonder what happens whenwe die. In this amazingly insightful book bymedium/clairvoyant Lisa Williams, evidence ofthe afterlife is explored. Through various chan-nels such as meditation, psychic readings,communication with her Spirit Guide, and apersonal near-death experience, Lisa delvesinto the journey of the soul, discusses the dif-ferent stages of the afterlife, and reveals what

life is really like on the other side. The Survival of the Soul addresses themyriad questions many of us have surrounding this subject, especiallyif we’ve gone through the painful experience of having lost loved ones.Lisa provides a reassuring glimpse into this fascinating topic by explor-ing the pathway to the afterlife and then to reincarnation; with the real-ization that death is not final, but rather a transition into the worldbeyond—a place that should be honored, not feared.

Hay House. Hardcover, $24.95.

Meditation for BeginnersBy Jack Kornfield

With Meditation for Beginners, trustedteacher Jack Kornfield shows you howsimple it is to start—and stick with—a dailymeditation practice. “Insight” or vipas-sana meditation is the time-honored skillof calming the spirit and clearing themind for higher understanding. Now, inthis complete course created especiallyfor beginners, Kornfield offers a straight-forward, step-by-step method for bringing meditation into your life.Using these six guided meditations, you will discover how easy it isto use your breath, physical sensations to create tranquility and lov-ing kindness in your everyday life. These simple, elegant practicesare so easy to learn that you will begin enjoying the benefits of med-itation immediately—while laying the foundation for a lifetime of innerdiscovery and awakening.

Sounds True. Paperback & CD, $14.95.


Summer Reading Summer Reading RawliciousDelicious Raw Recipes for Radiant HealthBy Peter Daniel and Beryn Daniel, Foreword by Victoria Boutenko

Rawlicious introduces readers to alifestyle that marries long-term healthbenefits and higher energy levels withdelicious and simple raw recipes. Frombasics like stocking your raw kitchen,juicing, salad preparation, and making

smoothies, to more advanced, gourmet dishes. Full-color photosthroughout will inspire readers to get into their kitchen, and clear, easyinstructions to 144 recipes will encourage them to stay. Clean designand clear explanations of raw food principles and recipes make this oneof the most inviting raw recipe books on the market. This new editionoffers both U.S. and metric measurements for an international audience.


Time of the QuickeningProphecies for the Coming Utopian AgeBy Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D.

Reviewing the cycles of history from biblicaltimes to the present and prophecies of thefuture from Nostradamus to Edgar Cayce andJeane Dixon, Susan B. Martinez reveals thatour current “time of troubles” is not the begin-ning of Rapture, the Apocalypse, orArmageddon, but of the embryonic stage of aUtopian Age—the “Quickening” of the human

race. Reviving the lost science of prophecy, Martinez explains why somany “great prophecies” have failed and presents the 12,000-year-oldEgyptian system of prediction so exact it can foretell every day of theyear, a method based not on the planets, astrology, or intuition but onEarth’s magnetic rhythms.

Bear & Company. Paperback, $20.00.

Am I Being KindHow Asking One Simple Question

Can Change Your Life...and YourWorld

By Michael J. Chase

In this captivating guide to personal transfor-mation, author and inspirational speakerMichael J. Chase reveals how one simple ques-tion has the power to change your life and thelives of those around you. As you ask, “am Ibeing kind” in seven vital areas of your life, youdiscover the secret to creating unlimited joy,inner peace, and the life you’ve always dreamed of. Having experienced the“art of unkindness” throughout much of his life, Michael shares his ownjourney of self-discovery and the lessons learned from unlikely spiritualteachers along the way. Through riveting true stories and a unique step-by-step program, Am I Being Kind shows you how the astonishing power ofkindness can change your heart, your life, and ultimately, your world.

Hay House. Paperback, $14.95.

First ContactScientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt

for Life Beyond Earth By Marc Kaufman

In this masterful book, Kaufman takes us tothe frontiers of astrobiology's quest forextraterrestrial life and shows how thisquest is inextricably linked with the quest tounderstand life on Earth. He takes us deepunder the glaciers of Antarctica, into themouth of an Alaskan volcano, and beneaththe Earth into the unbearable heat of aSouth African mine, and leads us to theworld's driest desert. For thousands of years, humans have wonderedabout who and what might be living beyond the confines of our plan-et. First Contact transports us into the cosmos to bring those musingsback to Earth and recast our humanity.

Simon & Schuster. Hardcover, $26.00.

The Four Purposes of LifeFinding Meaning and Direction in a Changing WorldBy Dan Millman

For many of us, life seems like a puzzle withmissing pieces. We form plans and changethem; we choose one path then another, try-ing to find the right mate and career, hopingthat we’ve made the right decision and that itwill all work out. At some point, we ask our-selves the central question: What is the pur-pose of my life? In The Four Purposes of Life,

Millman distills decades of exploration and experience into a concise mapof what we’re here to accomplish on our life’s journey. This book is foranyone seeking deeper insight into themselves and their lives, but espe-cially for those at a crossroads, facing a challenge or change, when pastapproaches no longer work.. These four purposes —learning life’s les-sons, finding your career and calling, discovering your life path, andattending to this arising moment —will bring your life into sharper focus.

New World Library. Hardcover, $17.00.

The Subtle BodyAn Encyclopedia of Your

Energetic AnatomyBy Cyndi Dale

The Subtle Body is the first comprehensiveencyclopedia of the human energeticanatomy. Here is a reference that no per-sonal or professional health care libraryshould be without: an in-depth, illustratedguide to the invisible energies of spirit,psyche, and consciousness that influence every aspect of our well-being. Whether you are looking for the complementary medicine toenhance your own healing practice, seeking perennial wisdom aboutyour body's energetic nature from world traditions, or exploring thequantum edge of intention-based care, The Subtle Body is an indis-pensable companion for exploring virtually any facet of holistic healing.

Sounds True. Oversize Paperback, $39.95.


The Miracle of WaterBy Masaru Emoto

Masaru Emoto has photographed thou-sands of water crystals throughout hisyears of research, yet few have been asbeautiful and life affirming as thoseformed from the words “love and grati-tude.” In The Miracle of Water, Dr. Emotodemonstrates how water’s unique role intransporting the natural vibration of thesewords can help you welcome change andlive a more positive and happy life. Thisthoughtful book includes new and

extraordinary water-crystal photographs that provide convincing rea-sons for all of us to choose positive words and strive for perfect reso-nance for a more healthy, peaceful, and happy life.

Atria. Paperback, $16.99.

Cultivating QiAn Introduction to Chinese Body-Mind EnergeticsBy Jun Wang, Ph.D., C.M.D.

In simple, accessible language, JunWang, a doctor of Chinese medicine,presents three specific qi exercises:the Yijin Jing, a popular form of calis-thenics associated with both ChineseBuddhist and Daoist traditions; TaijiNeigong, a series of 34 movementsadapted from the Wu-Hao style of TaijiQuan; and the “Six Healing Breaths,”

which combines spoken sounds with movements associated with thesix major vital organs of Chinese medicine. Written for beginning stu-dents of Chinese medicine as well as laypersons, healthcare practition-ers, and martial artists, Cultivating Qi includes clear explanations ofChinese medical terminology, as well as step-by-step instruction in thethree exercises. Accompanied by 100 photographs,


How to Read the Akashic Records

Accessing the Archive of the Souland Its Journey

By Linda Howe

The universe is alive—and it has a memo-ry just like you. Known as the AkashicRecords, this energetic archive of soulinformation stands ready to lovingly guideyou. Once accessible to rare spiritualmasters, now the Records are available to anyone. After a lifelongsearch for truth, master teacher and healer Linda Howe has developedan infallible method for accessing this reservoir of information: thePathway Prayer Process. By lifting you to a divine level of conscious-ness, this sacred prayer opens the doors of the Records, where your“soul blueprint”—everything you need to know about your soul's des-tiny—awaits you. Grounded with the success stories of dozens of peo-ple whose lives have been touched by the Records, this comprehen-sive guidebook will help you confidently read the Records for yourself—or another—and find inspiration for your own spiritual path.

Sounds True. Paperback, $14.95.

Active Dreaming Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a

Life of Wild FreedomBy Robert Moss

Active Dreaming is a way of being fully of thisworld while maintaining constant contact withanother world, the world-behind-the-world,where the deeper logic and purpose of our livesare to be found. Active Dreaming offers threecore areas of practice: talking and walking ourdreams to bring energy and guidance from thedreamworld into everyday life; shamanic luciddreaming; and conscious living. Active dreamers are choosers, saysMoss. They learn to recognize that whatever situation they are in, theyalways have choice.

New World Library. Paperback, $14.95

2012: A Clarion CallYour Soul’s Purpose in Conscious EvolutionBy Nicolya Christi

In 2012: A Clarion Call, Nicolya Christi offerscore psychological insights and exercises,spiritual teachings, guided visualizations,and a concise overview of the spiritual andastronomical events surrounding 2012, aswell as identifying the signs and symptomsof the 12 different stages of ascension, aprocess that millions are currently experi-

encing as we approach the global spiritual awakening of 2012. Sheexplains how to clear past-life, ancestral, and current trauma imprintslodged within your energy field to accelerate the process of consciousevolution and ascension. This book provides a way to rediscover yoursoul’s higher purpose, thus serving your own evolutionary journey aswell as that of the Earth.

Bear & Company. Paperback, $16.00.

The Heart's Note Sounding Love in Your Life from

Your Heart's Secret ChamberBy Stewart Pearce

In The Heart’s Note, internationallyrenowned voice coach and sound heal-er Stewart Pearce summons us to live bymaking all decisions from the heart,speaking from the heart, healing our-selves and shaping our destiny from theheart. For something is critically lackingin today’s society: we have become dis-connected from the heart—the seat ofthe soul. As you read this book, you willbe enchanted by the magical ease through which you begin creatinga wholly new personal and planetary paradigm from your heart’ssecret chamber—the shante ishta. This is where the individual soulattunes to the collective, universal heartbeat, uniting us all through afield of vast consciousness. The result is that we move from a love ofpower to the power of love!

Findhorn Press. Paperback, $14.95.


Financial RecoveryDeveloping a Healthy Relationshipwith MoneyBy Karen McCall

Whether you are suffering under crushingdebt, unable to save money, or caught inthe tangle of inherited wealth, KarenMcCall’s Financial Recovery offers a time-tested plan for building a stable and satis-fying way of life—and keeping it that way. Itwill help you make a fundamental shift inthe way you understand and behavearound money. Forget budgets that don’twork, quick fixes that fail, and yo-yo debt-

ing. Financial Recovery presents a simple system that enables you todiscover your underlying attitudes about money—often the cause ofself-defeating money behaviors such as overspending, chronic debt,underearning, and low or no savings—and provides the tools, strate-gies, and support to achieve financial well-being.

New World Library. Paperback, $14.95.

A Sea in FlamesThe Deepwater Horizon Oil BlowoutBy Carl Safina

Conservationist Carl Safina expertly decon-structs the series of calamitous misjudgmentsthat caused the Deepwater Horizon blowoutthe Gulf of Mexico, zeroes in on BP’s misstate-ments, evasions, and denials, reassesses hisown reaction to the government’s crisis han-dling, and reviews the consequences of theleak. Based on extensive research and inter-

views with fishermen, coastal residents, biologists, and governmentofficials, A Sea In Flames has some surprising answers on whether itwas “Obama’s Katrina,” whether the Coast Guard was as inept in itsresponse as BP was misleading, and whether this worst unintendedrelease of oil in history was really America’s worst ecological disaster.

Crown. Hardcover, $25.00.

The Power of the PoppyHarnessing Nature’s Most Dangerous

Plant AllyBy Kenaz Filan

Few plant allies have a history as long and well-documented as Papaver somniferum, the cele-brated and infamous opium poppy. For thousandsof years people around the world have beenunable to resist the poppy’s siren song of intoxi-cating pleasure, pain relief, and visionary states--so much so that this potent plant has literallyadapted itself to human civilization: in increasing its intoxicating properties,it came to rely solely on humankind for its propagation. Covering tech-niques of cultivation, extraction, and safe consumption along with methodsfor overcoming addiction and staying “clean,” this book offers a sensibleapproach to the poppy that recognizes the plant not as a crop to be har-vested or eradicated but as a living, sentient ally that can offer healing orharm and must be approached with respect and caution.

Park Street Press. Paperback, $18.95.

The Real Men in BlackEvidence, Famous Cases, and True

Stories of These Mysterious Menand Their Connection to

the UFO PhenomenaBy Nick Redfern

The Men in Black were elevated to super-star status in 1997 in the hit movie of thesame name. Although the Hollywoodblockbuster was fiction, the real Men inBlack have consistently attempted tosilence the witnesses of UFO and para-normal phenomena since the 1950s. InThe Real Men in Black, author NickRedfern delves deep into the mysterious world of these mysteriousoperatives. He reveals their origins and discusses classic cases, previ-ously unknown reports, secret government files, and the many theoriesthat have been presented to explain the mystery.

New Page Books. Paperback, $15.99.

The Book of LightAsk and Heaven Will Answer

By Alexandra Solnado

The Book of Light offers simple yet pro-found wisdom through inspiring messageschanneled directly to Alexandra Solnadofrom heaven. These messages are heav-en's attempt to provide you with solaceand inspiration. To find an answer aboutsomething that may be worrying you, sim-ply pick out two Aramaic letters. An inter-nal reference chart will then guide you toheaven's inspirational response to yourconcern. The heavenly messages found inthese pages address fundamental life issues such as forgiveness,unconditional love, guilt, loss, gratitude, abundance, risk, protection,meaning, and more. Utilize this divine guidance daily or whenever apressing question arises. More than a book, The Book of Light is alifelong guide.

Atria Paperback. $18.00.

The HomeopathicEmergency GuideA Quick Reference Guide toAccurate Homeopathic CareBy Thomas Kruzel

As homeopathic medicine becomesmore available, increasing numbersof clinicians, families and patients arelearning how to use these naturalmedicines to treat common ailments.Using homeopathic medicines, how-ever, is not as simple as matchingsymptoms with remedies. To get thebest results with homeopathic medi-cines, it is essential to individalize a

remedy according to the pattern of symptoms shown in the sickperson. Dr. Kruzel’s Homeopathic Emergency Guide is a quick andreliable handbook.



M iraclesof a Lifetime

There is a classic Taoist story that illus-trates the folly of interpreting life’sunpredictable events and shifting circum-stances according to our short-term needsand preferences:

A poor farmer who had worked his crops for many yearswith only one horse woke up one day to discover that thehorse had run away. He told his neighbor, who immedi-ately sympathized: “That’s such bad luck!”

“Perhaps,” the farmer mused. The next morning the horse had inexplicably

returned, accompanied by three other wild horses. “My,how your fortune has turned!” his neighbor exclaimed.

“Perhaps,” the farmer allowed.The very same day, his son tried to ride one of the

untamed horses without supervision and was thrown,breaking his leg. The farmer’s neighbor helped set theboy’s leg and commented, “I guess those horses are notreally a blessing after all.”

“Perhaps,” the farmer sighed.The next day, a band of military officials rode into

the village to draft young men into the army. Visiting thefarmer and seeing that his son’s leg was broken, they lethim stay home. Dumbfounded, the neighbor exclaimed,“Things have turned out well for you after all!”

“Perhaps,” the farmer concluded.

By D. Patrick Miller

It takes great learning to understand that all things, events, encounters andcircumstances are helpful. It is only to the extent to which they are helpful

that any degree of reality should be accorded them in this world of illusion.– MANUAL FOR TEACHERS, 4-A:4

Reprinted from LIVING WITH MIRACLES by D. Patrick Miller with the permission ofTarcher/Penguin, a member of Penguin Group USA. Copyright 2011 by D. Patrick Miller.


Of course, when a major catastrophebefalls us, it can be very difficult tosuspend all judgment about the ulti-mate value of the event, or be will-ing to wait for future developmentsthat may redeem something thatseems like a disaster now. Yet ACourse in Miracles is unequivocalin this regard: “All things worktogether for good. There are noexceptions except in the ego’s judg-ment.” [Ch4,V]

A key element in understandingthis perspective has to do with time,and the fact that an egocentric out-look binds us to the experience ofour individual bodies and lifespans.In a number of references, ACIMclearly implies that our spiritualdevelopment takes place over amuch greater arc of time. The text following Lesson 97suggests, for instance, that “Each time you practice,awareness is brought a little nearer at least; sometimes athousand years or more are saved.”And early in the Text,it is noted that “The miracle substitutes for learning thatmight have taken thousands of years.” [CH1,II:6]

Paradoxically, ACIM offers an ambivalent perspec-tive on reincarnation, which it addresses in a sectionentitled “Is Reincarnation So?” in the Manual forTeachers:

In the ultimate sense, reincarnation is impossible.There is no past or future, and the idea of birth into abody has no meaning either once or many times.Reincarnation cannot, then, be true in any real sense.Our only question should be, “Is the concept helpful?”And that depends, of course, on what it is used for. If itis used to strengthen the recognition of the eternal natureof life, it is helpful indeed. Is any other question about itreally useful in lighting up the way? Like many otherbeliefs, it can be bitterly misused. At least, such misuseoffers preoccupation and perhaps pride in the past. Atworst, it induces inertia in the present. In between, manykinds of folly are possible….

Does this mean that the teacher of God should notbelieve in reincarnation himself, or discuss it with otherswho do? The answer is, certainly not! If he does believein reincarnation, it would be a mistake for him torenounce the belief unless his internal Teacher soadvised. And this is most unlikely. He might be advisedthat he is misusing the belief in some way that is detri-mental to his pupil’s advance or his own.Reinterpretation would then be recommended, because

it is necessary. All that must be recognized, however, isthat birth was not the beginning, and death is not the end.Yet even this much is not required of the beginner. Heneed merely accept the idea that what he knows is notnecessarily all there is to learn. His journey has begun.[MANUAL,24:1,5]

Experiencing Rebirth

I’m no expert on the theory of reincarnation and don’thave a firm opinion about its validity. But there havebeen times in my decades-long study of the Coursewhen I’ve had the distinct feeling that the evolution ofmy thinking or feeling processes has been mysteriouslyaccelerated. When that occurs, there is also the sensationthat a stagnant or “dead” part of me has been rejuvenat-ed, and I am open to learning in a way that was previ-ously closed-off. In this way, I’ve experienced a rebirthwithin my own psyche. To me, this is what being “bornagain” really means, and it has little or nothing to dowith the acceptance of a religious belief.

As I’ve described earlier in this book, I began study-ing the Course during a period of intense personal crisis,not long after falling seriously ill and being diagnosedwith chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The seven yearsof suffering and recovery that followed brought about somuch change that it is difficult to remember how Iviewed the world before that time, but I do recall oneattitude quite clearly.

By age thirty or so, I had decided that my develop-ment as an adult human being was more or less com-plete. I wasn’t satisfied with who I was and certainly not


with what I had achieved, but I was reasonably certainthat my fundamental beliefs and attitudes were set forlife. And overall, those beliefs and attitudes did not addup to a happy frame of mind. Looking back now, I wouldsay that the ego-self that had crystallized by the time Iwas thirty was characterized by a keenly felt loss of theinnocence that I had known as a child.The state of childhood innocence, which I would furtherdefine as consciousness undivided by fear, was poetical-ly described by Wordsworth in “Ode: Intimations ofImmortality”:

There was a time when meadow, grove and stream

The earth and every common sightDid seem to meAppareled in celestial lightThe glory and the freshness of a dream.

My earliest memories come from such a world,where I ran through viney woods too fast to look whereI was going, trusting that I could not be injured or getlost in natural surroundings that usually felt more com-fortable than human company. My experience of the out-doors was instinctively shamanistic; I saw all things,stones as well as snakes, as beings with some kind ofspiritual if unspoken intelligence, on equal footing withme. Only gradually did I become embarrassed aboutconversing with trees and animals—an embarrassmentthat no doubt increased in direct proportion to my desireto be “grown-up.”

When my father told me that thunder resulted fromGod rolling a wheelbarrow over a great wooden bridge,that idea seemed both awesome and reassuring. But evenat the age of five, I did not take the story literally, nor did

I imagine a heaven physically placed inthe universe where such a bridge couldexist. I was aware even than that therecould be other explanations for thunder; Iwas willing for more than one idea to betruewithout it negating the value of anotheridea.

One of the long-term miracles of myCourse study is that I’ve regained at least afragment of this innocent consciousness.By allowing for a plurality of truths—mythic, emotional, and empirical truths—this state of mind is more pliable, tolerant,and peaceful than a narrowly rational orfervently religious state of mind. When webelieve there is only one way of know-ing—or worse yet, a fixed set of beliefs

that will provide all the answers we need in life—we arewell on the way to discrimination or persecution of thosewho think and believe differently.

The attempt to appear certain may also lead to themost damaging sacrifice we can make on the altar ofadulthood: forgetting how to learn. We think it is naturalthat our capacity to learn decreases over time, and thatthe refinement of our senses and intellect requires a nar-rowing of interests. But we can see from watchinginfants that they are learning about everything all atonce and all the time. It often appears to me that we takethis great inborn learning capacity and gradually convertmuch of it to a prejudiced certainty about the world: thatis, we largely stop learning because we think we know itall.

The Confidence of Innocence

What we lose thereby is what the Indian philosopherJiddu Krishnamurti, in Think on These Things, called theconfidence of innocence, “the confidence of a child whois so completely innocent he will try anything.”Krishnamurti clearly distinguished this inborn attitudefrom self-confidence, which he described as “alwayscolored by this arrogance of the self, the feeling ‘It is Iwho do it.’” He maintained that the development of self-confidence—an attitude highly valued in Western socie-ty—actually serves to keep our beliefs and behaviorwithin the confines of societal expectations, and serious-ly blunts our true potential. It is “innocent confidencethat will bring about a new civilization,” Krishnamurtisuggested, “but this innocent confidence cannot comeinto being as long as you remain within the societal pat-tern.”


I first read these thoughts of Krishnamurti duringmy adolescence, and I found them at once absorbing,disorienting, and aggravating. I mistook much of whathe said about breaking free of social patterns as support-ive of my youthful urge to rebel. Many years were topass before I understood that most forms of rebellion—whether adolescent, sexual, political, or cultural – actu-ally comprise an important part of dominant social pat-terns. A description of a particular society that includedonly its predominant and conformist behaviors would beseriously incomplete; in order to understand a society’s“personality,” one needs to see the rebellions it inspires,and how it weathers or is changed by them. (The samecould be said for the psychological study of individuals,whose internal conflicts, if honestly conveyed, are usu-ally more revealing than the personae they present topublic view.) But the “innocent confidence” describedby Krishnamurti is not regained by rebelling against cul-ture or society; rather it comes from letting go of theknow-it-all ego. In Course lingo, that means surrender-ing our awareness to the Holy Spirit, a wise inner voicethat transcends our egocentric concerns.

I was both angered and awed by Krishnamurti formost of the years of my passage into adulthood. But mypersonal frustration with this distant teacher was one ofthe healthiest and most compelling feelings I experi-enced between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. Hespoke, in a sense, to the instinctive part of me thatremembered my innocent confidence. He reminded methat I had once observed and learned about the world ina much faster, more inclusive and insightful manner.And he reminded me that it was the child in me–not theincreasingly confused young adult—who knew how todo this. I was angry because I could see no way out oflosing my innocence.

As a child who often received warnings from myparents and teachers about being too idealistic, I felt thisloss keenly. I was very frustrated during my high schoolyears about the discrepancy between what I felt to betrue learning and the education I was receiving. Myoverall desire was essentially spiritual, although I wouldhave strongly resisted that label at the time. I simplywanted the world to make sense, so that I could see howI belonged in it. I was fairly certain that I was unlikelyto gain understanding through some final answer to themysteries of human existence.

Growing up in the Christian fundamentalist cultureof North Carolina had made it amply clear to me thatpeople who accepted and clung to final answers seldomdisplayed a natural curiosity. Even if I could not havearticulated it at the time, I felt that the process of instinc-

tive, innocent learning was the meaning of life. Thus,making sense of the world was a matter of continual dis-covery, not reaching a final conclusion or, on the otherhand, admitting defeat in the face of too much contra-dictory information.

Yet a sense of defeat haunted my late teens, maxi-mizing my feeling that nothing around me was real any-more. As I approached the inevitability of living on myown without a clear sense of purpose (or a practicalchoice of career), I felt increasing pressure to accept the

“real world” of 20th century capitalist America: thatworld of “making a living” which, for all but a luckyfew, clearly entailed boredom and no small degree ofservitude for the sake of survival. I gradually came to theunpleasant conclusion that growing up meant facingthese disheartening facts and doing the best I could inthe situation. But the emotional cost of this conclusionwas dangerously high: the more I faced the “real world,”the less real I felt.

Thus I gradually came to accept that the real worldwas inherently confused, conflictive, and dangerous, afloating crap game at best. It seemed that the most youcould do in life was to look out for yourself, your friendsand family, and to demonstrate a wider compassion orpolitical concern when you could spare the time. Thechild’s magical world of learning—where you lookedaround to see what you could find—had painfully andinexorably become the adult world of survival, whereyou usually had to be looking out for number one. Bymy early thirties, this confusion and bitterness had crys-tallized into the sensation that I was done “growing up,”and no meaningful change was on the horizon.


Have you lost touch with your dreams? Isyour dream recall limited to fragmentsthat fade away as you hurry off into thebusiness and traffic of the day? Relax.Here are some fun and easy ways to

renew and refresh your relationship with your dreams:

1.Set an intention for the nightBefore sleep, write down an intention for the hours ofdream and twilight that lie ahead. This can be a travel

plan (“I would like to go to Hawaii” or “I would like tovisit my girlfriend/boyfriend”). It might be a specificrequest for guidance (“I want to know what will happenif I change my job”). It could be a more general settingof direction (“I ask for healing” or “I open myself to mycreative source”). You might simply say, “I want to havefun in my dreams and remember.”

Make sure your intention has some juice. Don’tmake dream recall one more chore to fit in with all theothers.

How to Break aHow to Break a

By Robert Moss

Dream DroughtDream Drought


If you like, you can make a little ritual of dreamincubation, a simple version of what ancient seekers didwhen they traveled to temples of dream healing likethose of Asklepios in hopes of a night encounter with asacred guide. You can take a special bath or shower, playa recording of the sounds of nature or running water, andmeditate for a while on an object or picture that relatesto your intention. You might want to avoid eating heavi-ly or drinking alcohol within a couple of hours of sleep.You could get yourself a little mugwort pillow—in folktradition, mugwort is an excellent dreambringer—andplace it under or near your regular pillow.

2. Be ready to receive

Having set your intention, make sure you have themeans to honor it. Keep pen and paper (or a voicerecorder) next to your bed so you are ready to recordwhen you wake up. Record something whenever youwake up, even if it’s at 3 a.m. If you have to go to thebathroom, take your notebook with you and practicedoing two things at once. Sometimes the dreams wemost need to hear come visiting at rather anti-socialhours, from the viewpoint of the little everyday mind.

3. Be kind to fragments

Don’t give up on fragments from your night dreams. Thewispiest trace of a dream can be exciting to play with,and as you play with it you may find you are pullingback more of the previously forgotten dream.The oddword or phrase left over from a dream may be an intrigu-ing clue, if you are willing to do a little detective work.

Suppose you wake with nothing more than the senseof a certain color. It could be quite interesting to noticethat today is a Red Day, or a Green Day, to dressaccordingly, to allow the energy of that color to travelwith you, and to meditate on the qualities of red or greenand see what life memories that evokes..

4. Still no dream recall? No worries

If you don’t remember a dream when you first wake up,laze in bed for a few minutes and see if something comesback. Wiggle around in the bed. Sometimes returning tothe body posture we were in earlier in the night helps tobring back what we were dreaming when our bodieswere arranged that way.

If you still don’t have a dream, write somethingdown anyway: whatever is in your awareness, includingfeelings and physical sensations. You are catching the

residue of a dream even if the dream itself is gone. Asyou do this, you are saying to the source of your dreams,“I’m listening. Talk to me.”

You may find that, though your dreams have flown,you have a sense of clarity and direction that is the lega-cy of the night. We solve problems in our sleep evenwhen we don’t remember the problem-solving processthat went on in our dreaming minds.

5. Remember you don’t need togo to sleep in order to dream

The incidents of everyday life will speak to us likedream symbols if we will are willing to pay attention.Keep a lookout for the first unusual or striking thing thatenters your field of perception in the course of the dayand ask whether there could be a message there.Sometimes it’s in your face, as happened to a woman Iknow who was mourning the end of a romance but hadto laugh when she noticed that the bumper sticker of thered convertible in front of her said, “I use ex-lovers asspeed bumps.” After this incident, she had startedrecalling dreams again, and had several to share in thenew class. She had dreamed she was in Washington DC,at a conference on transportation. As we explored thisdream, she revealed that she had a friend in Washingtonand that her current work mostly consisted of arrangingconferences. “But I know nothing about transportation -except maybe how to drive the wrong way down a one-way street.”

When we start paying attention to the dreamlikesymbols of the day, we often reopen our connection tothe dreams of the night.

Robert Moss is the creator of Active Dreaming, an originalmethod of dreamwork and healing through the imagination.Born in Australia, his fascination with the dreamworld beganin his childhood, when he had three near-death experiencesand first learned the ways of a traditional dreaming peoplethrough his friendship with Aborigines. A former professor ofancient history, he is also a novelist, journalist, and independ-ent scholar. His eight books on dreaming, shamanism andimagination include Conscious Dreaming, Dreamways of theIroquois, The Three “Only” Things, The Secret History ofDreaming, Dreamgates and the newly-published ActiveDreaming. Visit him online at http://www.mossdreams.com

Based on the book Active Dreaming. Copyright ” 2011 byRobert Moss. Reprinted with permission of New WorldLibrary, Novato, CA. http://www.newworldlibrary.com or 1-800-972-6657 ext. 52.

http://www.mossdreams.com

http://www.newworldlibrary.com


Robert Moss is the creator of ActiveDreaming, an original method of dream-work and healing through the imagina-tion. Born in Australia, his fascinationwith the dreamworld began in his child-

hood, when he had three near-death experiences andfirst learned the ways of a traditional dreaming peoplethrough his friendship with Aborigines. A former pro-fessor of ancient history, he is also a novelist, journalist,and independent scholar. His eight books on dreaming,shamanism and imagination include ConsciousDreaming, Dreamways of the Iroquois, The Three“Only” Things, The Secret History of Dreaming,Dreamgates and the newly-published Active Dreaming.Visit him online at http://www.mossdreams.com

What do you mean when you say, “active dreamers arechoosers?”By my observation, what we encounter on any day has agreat deal to do with what we bring to that day. We drawor repel different events and encounters according to ourattitudes and the basic energy we are carrying. We finddoors open or closed according to our willingness orrefusal to change our expectations and our plans as cir-cumstances change.

We choose every day, whether we are aware of thisor not. If we tell ourselves we have no choice, that is achoice we are making. If we tell ourselves that we haveno choice because a situation is beyond our control, weforget that we can still choose our response to the world,and that can change everything.

Whenever I hear someone—perhaps a voice withinmyself—bleating or protesting that the world is crueland can’t be changed, I think of Viktor Frankl in thenightmare of Auschwitz. Reduced to a tattooed number,starved and worked almost to death, liable to be killed atany moment, Frankl chose to project his mind into avision of an “impossible” future in which the Nazis werean ancient memory and he was again a respectedpyschologist, lecturing to an enthusiastic audience on“the psychology of the concentration camps.” In grow-ing the vision of a future beyond the pain and horror,Frankl found the means of survival—and throws downthe gauntlet to all of us who tell ourselves, under gentlerpressures, that we have no choice.

You talk about waking up and dreaming. Isn’t dream-ing done during sleep? What do you mean? Dreaming is not fundamentally about what happens dur-ing sleep. It’s about waking up. In ordinary life, we areoften in the condition of sleepwalkers, going through themotions, trying to keep up with pre-set schedules and tomeet other people’s expectations and requirements. Welet other people determine what’s important. We letthem define who we are and what we are able and notable to do and become. Ruled by habit and the need toget through the daily grind, we forget that our lives mayhave a larger purpose.

Dreaming, we wake up to a bigger story. Themoment of awakening may come in a sleep dream, whenwe get out of our own way and it is easier for us toencounter something beyond the projections of the daily

A Talk withRobert Moss

Author of Active Dreaming

http://www.mossdreams.com


trivial mind and the consensual hallucinations thatweave much of our default reality. The awakening maycome in the luminal zone between sleep and waking thatthe French used to call dorveille, which literally meanssleep-wake. It may come in a flash of illumination dur-ing a walk in nature, perhaps at the moment when thesun rises above the mountains and opens a path across alake across a lake. The awakening may be hard-won. Itmay come at the price of illness, defeat or despair, ofevents or recurring disappointments that push us downand back so hard we have to re-vision and revalueeverything we once heldto be givens.

The initiation maycome in the way familiarto true shamans, when apower of the deeper lifeseizes us and tears usapart and consents, whenwe are re-membered, tobecome our life ally.Angels can appear asfierce as tigers, or astigers. We don’t reallyneed to go hunting ourpower; our power is for-ever hunting us. Toawaken to the Guide inour lives, the one whodoes not judge us and iswith us always, we don’thave to cross the desertand fast on the mountain-top unless we have for-gotten that the soul of thesoul is always near, andis lost to us only whenwe are lost to him.

What are the three modes of active dreaming? First, Active Dreaming is a way of talking and walkingour dreams, of bringing energy and guidance from thedreamworld into everyday life. We learn how to create asafe space where we can share dreams of the night anddreams of life with others, receive helpful feedback, andencourage each other to move towards creative andhealing action.

Second, Active Dreaming is a method of shamaniclucid dreaming. It is founded on the understanding thatwe don’t need to go to sleep in order to dream. The eas-iest way to become a conscious or lucid dreamer is tostart out lucid and stay that way. We learn to embark on

conscious or lucid dreaming from the liminal state ofawareness known as hynagogia, when we are betweensleep and waking, or between waking and sleep. Welearn to use the doorway of a remembered dream toembark on a wide-awake and conscious dream journey..We learn to embark on mutual and group adventures inconscious dreaming, journeying into nonordinary reali-ty with one or more partners and bringing back gifts andmutual confirmation.

Third, Active Dreaming is a way of conscious living.This requires us to reclaim our inner child, and the

child’s gift of spontaneity,play and imagination. Itrequires us to claim thepower of naming anddefine our life project. Itinvites us to discover andfollow the natural path ofour energies. It calls us toremember and tell and liveour bigger story in such away that it can be heardand received by others. It isabout navigating by syn-chronicity and receivingthe chance events and sym-bolic pop-ups on our dailyroads as clues to a deeperorder. Beyond this, it isabout grasping that theenergy we carry and theattitudes we choose havemagnetic effect on theworld around us, drawingor repelling encounters andcircumstances.

You talk about dreamgroups as models for a new community. What do youmean by that? Active Dreaming groups are intentional communities inwhich each member receives the gift of deep listening,the chance to play leader or teacher, and the opportuni-ty to tell their life stories and re-vision those stories.

In Active Dreaming circles, we recognize the needfor strong leadership to provide the structure anddynamic within which extraordinary group experiencescan be shared. This includes selecting and defining asafe and protected physical space. It means gentlyinsisting on time limits (dreamers can get things doneon time), building and maintaining circle energy andkeeping everything moving for the two or three hours of


a typical session, and making sure that everyone feels athome and that everyone’s voice is heard. Part of theleader’s job in an Active Dreaming circle is to ensurethat a lively alternation of discussion, movement andconscious group dream travel keeps everyone alert andengaged..

Above all, the leader enforce simple rules thatensure that no one present—least of all the leader her-self—will try to claim authority over anyone else’sdreams or life story. We are only permitted to commenton each other’s material by saying “if it were my dream”or “if it were my life.” In this way, we offer associationsand suggestions while encouraging the dreamer to claimthe power of her owndreams - and to take thenecessary action to embodytheir energy and guidancein the world. Finally, theleader of an ActiveDreaming circle gives herpower away repeatedly byinviting others to takecharge in leading theprocesses.

In these ways, we fulfillPeter Block’s definition ofthe mode of leadershiprequired to restore and re-story our communities:“Perhaps the real task ofleadership is to confrontpeople with their freedom.”

What is the lightningdreamwork game? This is an original, funprocess that enables us toopen a safe space where we can share a dream (or some-thing like a dream) with just about anyone, anywhere,get helpful feedback, and guide each other to creativeaction to bring energy and guidance from the dream intoregular life.

It has four simple steps. (1) We get the dreamer totell the dream, simply and clearly, as a story. (2) We askthree essential questions about the dream, always start-ing with the dreamer’s first feelings on waking. (3) Wesay to the dreamer “if it were my dream…” and then addwhatever thoughts or associations come to us. We cansay whatever we like as long as we are polite about it –and we are confirming the dreamer as the final authori-ty on the meaning of his or her dream (and his or herlife). (4) We encourage the dreamer to take action based

on the dream guidance, which could range fromresearching that funny word, to wearing the color red, totrying to go back inside the dream (through the dreamreentry technique that I teach) to get more informationor talk to a dream character.

The lightning dreamwork technique is high-energyand fun and can be demonstrated in a couple of minuteson the air.

How does one break a dream drought?Give yourself a juicy intention for the night. (“I want togo to Hawaii and not pay for the ticket.” “I want to meetMr Right”. “I open myself for my creative source.”)

Be ready to receive—havewriting or recording toolsready and get somethingdown whenever you wakeup.

If you don’t remembera dream, write somethingdown anyway—your firstthoughts or feelings. Dothat, and you say to yourdream source, “I’m ready toreceive”.

Be kind to fragments.The slightest wisp of adream memory can unfoldinto something really inter-esting.

Pay attention to coinci-dence and the dream likesymbols of everyday life.

What is the single mostimportant gift dreaminghas given you?

Dreaming has put me in touch with my life’s calling.When we know we are following a deeper calling, workbecomes The Work—which is to say, no work (in theroutine sense) at all—and every day becomes a holiday.

You say, “We dream the future, maybe all the time”?How can we learn to work with dreams of the future tomake choices?I have the impression that every night, my dream self istraveling ahead of me on my possible roads into thefuture, scouting the ways. He brings me memories of thefuture, the way you or I might bring back postcards andsouvenirs from a trip abroad. Part of my daily practice isto scan every detail that I remember from my dreamswith this in mind, asking: is it remotely possible that any


of this could happen in the future, literally or symboli-cally

Any future we can foresee is a possible—notinevitable—future. When we wake up to the fact that wehave access to memories of the future, especially indreams, we can start drawing on this data bank to changethings for the better. We may receive an early warningsof a possible future development we may not want - acrisis at work, the bust-up of a relationship, a healthproblem, a car accident. If we read the clues correctly,we can use such early warnings to avoid a possiblefuture problem by taking preemptive action.

You say, “the body believes in images and those imagescan make us well.” And that we can help provide ahealing image for someone in need of one. Tell usabout the “Shark Guy.”We can help to grow a dream—a healing image, a lifevision, perhaps a pathway to the next world—to some-one in need of a dream. Dream Transfer is a powerfuland innovative technique that has emerged from myteaching and practice over many years..

Essentially we grow a vision for someone whoneeds one. We invite them to take any part of it they canuse, and develop it into a story that can help them move,body and mind, in the direction of health. My personalnarrative of helping a cancer patient receive a Hawaiian“shark guy” as an ally in healing is a moving example ofhow this works..

You say that dreaming is not so much about sleeping asabout “waking up” and that this has been the under-standing—and the survival strategy— for most humancultures before the modern era. Have we lost contactwith ancestral wisdom?As a society, we are undergoing a protracted dreamdrought, and for most human cultures, this is a very seri-ous condition, because it means we have lost touch withthe three great gifts of dreaming: (1) our ability to seeinto the future; (2) our ability to call on dreams for diag-nosis and healing and above all (3) our ability, throughdreaming, to maintain a personal connection with spirit,with the God we can talk to.

It’s through dreams, say the Navajo, that humanskeep in touch with the spirit realm. If you have lost yourdreams, say the Iroquois, you’ve lost part of your soul.“It is an age-old fact,” declared the great psychologistC.G.Jung in his last major essay, “that God speakschiefly through dreams and visions.”

There are three main reasons for the dream drought inmany modern lives:

1. Bad habits

The rhythms and routines of a typical urban life simplydon’t support dream recall. Too often, we are joltedawake by alarm clocks—or bed mates, or kids who needto get to school—and stumble out into the world, fueledwith caffeine, to try to get through our rounds of dead-lines and obligations.

2. Fear and regret

We run away from our dreams because we think theymight be telling us something we don’t want to hear—about the dark side of ourselves, or trouble or illnessahead—missing advisories that could help us do better,

Alternatively, we dream of something wonderful.But when we wake up we tell ourselves we can’t manifestwhat we enjoyed in our dreams. So we kiss off the dreams,forgetting that if we dream it we may be able to do it.

3. Artificial sleep cycles

Very often our concept of a good night’s sleep is at oddswith our dreams. We are told we need to spend seven oreight hours each night in uninterrupted sleep. This ideawould have amazed our ancestors. Before the advent ofartificial lighting most humans experienced “segmentedsleep” divided into at least two distinct cycles“Consolidated sleep”, as we experience it today, isn’tnatural and does not support dreaming.

Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to aLife of Wild Freedom, by Robert Moss, New World Library,Novato, CA. http://www.newworldlibrary.com

http://www.newworldlibrary.com


Apush-up not only helps you to get astronger upper body, but also a strongermidsection. It incorporates the stabiliza-tion muscles of your core, combining anupper-body pushing movement with a

plank. It is, in fact, one of the best and most basic exer-cises for your midsection.

According to The Post Game:“Push-ups are a higher value plank. You’re not onlystrengthening your abdominals by holding them stillwhile gravity’s trying to push your hips towards theground, but you’re also strengthening your upper-bodypushing muscles: your chest, shoulders and triceps.”

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Indeed, push-ups don’t just give you a stronger upperbody, they also train your abs—as long as you’re doingthem correctly. Normally the accompanying videos tothe article are useful to view but this video is imperativeas Darin actually demonstrates the techniques describedbelow and, as has been said for nearly a hundred years

now:“One picture is worth a thousand words”Here, Darin Steen demonstrates the perfect push-up,

and goes through the three key strategies for buildinggreat abs:

1. Proper form2. Alternating your technique to target different

muscle groups3. The progression of exercises so that you can get

stronger and gain muscle

Proper Form is Crucial to Avoid Injury and Get the Benefits

Common mistakes most people make when performinga push-up include:

• Going too fast• Using only partial range of motion

First, slow it down and use a three-second contraction.Try to really feel the muscle groups you’re targeting, anddo a full range of motion; starting all the way down atthe floor and pushing all the way up.

The Simple ExerciseThat Can Banish Your

Bulging Belly

Dr. Joseph Mercola


Pay particular attention to the alignment of yourelbows. The ideal angle from your sides is about 45degrees. This allows you to effectively work your chestmuscles.I recommend watching Darin’s demonstration of theproper form, but here’s a summary of key points toremember:

• Keep your body stiff and straight as a plank• Elbows at a 45 degree angle from your sides• Breathe in on the way down• Lower your body all the way down, allowing

your sternum to gently touch the floor• Breathe out on the way up

Techniques for Targeting Different Muscle Groups

Push-ups are traditionally used to work your chest mus-cles, but by altering your technique slightly, you canwork different muscle groups, including your abs.

But first, you need to understand the structure of theabdominal wall.Your transverse abdominis (TVA) is like an inner sheaththat holds your gut in place. On top of that are yourinternal and external obliques, and on top of that,beneath your skin, is your six-pack rectus abdominis.You also have lower pelvic muscles that are responsiblefor sexual function and elimination of urine at the bot-tom of the abdominal wall. On top, you have thediaphragm.

The technique Darin demonstrates allows you tofocus on and really feel those abdominal muscles atwork while you’re doing the push-up.Here are two key points:

• While in plank position, pull in your belly-button. Your bellybutton is attached to your transverseabdominis, that inner sheath that holds your gut insideand gives your spine and vertebrae a nice, weight belt-

tightening type of support. So by pulling it in, you beginto contract that deep inner transverse abdominis muscle.

• Next, do a Kegel squeeze. More women thanmen might be familiar with this term. A Kegel squeezeis performed by drawing your lower pelvic muscles upand holding them up high and tight. For men who aren’tfamiliar with that term, it’s similar to trying to stop uri-nating in the middle of the flow. This squeeze will allowyou to feel and focus on your abdominal muscles.

If you want to work your six-pack rectus abdominismuscle, drive your chin down toward your toes whileyou’re focused on squeezing your bellybutton in.

These techniques are very effective, and will buildthe deep inner core muscles that lay the groundwork forthat six-pack look. Keep in mind however, that in orderto really get “six-pack” abs, you have to shed fat. Menneed to get their body fat down to about six percent, andwomen around nine percent in order to achieve that clas-sic six-pack.

How to Progressively Get Stronger and Build Muscle

Using a progression of exercises can help you focus onthe abdominal techniques described above while stimu-lating the muscles in different ways.

You’re probably familiar with the advice to avoiddoing the same exercises all the time. You need to “con-fuse” the muscle to keep building it. Darin demonstratesseveral unique techniques to accomplish this, no matterwhat level you’re starting out at.

How do you know when it’s time to progress to thenext level?Once you can do 12, 15, or 18 repetitions for two orthree sets, move on to the next level or technique.

Chest Pushup

Knee Pushup


First, if you’re just starting out doing push-ups, youmay want to begin by keeping your knees on the floor.Bring your heels up toward your buttocks, and keep yourbody straight. In this position you can still pull yourbellybutton in and perform a Kegel squeeze to workthose deeper ab muscles. Remember to go slow and usefull range of motion, allowing your chest to gently touchthe floor. By pulling your elbows closer to your sides,you can place more focus on your chest muscles.

Once you can comfortably perform about a dozen push-ups this way, advance to the regular push-up technique,keeping your legs straight and balancing on your toes.

A more advanced technique that will improve thestrength and grip of your hands is to do push-ups offyour fingertips.

Another advanced technique is to do push-ups off anunstable surface. Two medicine balls will work well forthis. Place the palms of your hands on top of the ballsand perform the push-up from there.

The next progression could be to put your feet high-er than your hands. This will put additional weight onyour chest- and ab muscles. Find a bench, stool or otherlevel surface that is about 12-16 inches high, and withyour feet on this surface, perform your push-up.

If at any point you find the push-up causing pain inyour wrists, simply use a couple of light dumbbells. Bygripping the dumbbell instead of having your palm flaton the floor, your wrist will stay nice and straight, pre-venting painful strain.

Lastly, here’s a very advanced technique called apush-up dumbbell row. This will give you great abdevelopment!

In his demonstration, Darin uses 20-lb dumbbells,but you can start at a weight suitable to your current

level of strength and fitness and progress into higherweights as you go along. Place the dumbbell’s at a 45-degree angle; pull in your bellybutton; draw up yourlower pelvic muscles (Kegel squeeze), and breathe in asyou lower your upper body to the floor. Breathe out onthe way up, and once your arms are in the fully extend-ed position, perform a row—pulling the right dumbbellup toward your chest.

On the next push-up, pull up with your left.This technique will work your abs from side to side,

and target those deep core muscles as well.

Push-Up Plyometrics—A Mini Peak 8 Exercise

To further stimulate the muscles of your core, try push-up plyometrics. Plyometrics are quick, explosive typesof movement. To do a plyometric push-up, once yoursternum touches the floor, hold your position andbreathe for about three seconds, then perform an explo-sive push upward.

Another technique called the three-minute push-upchallenge is extremely challenging, but delivers fantas-tic results.

It’s quite simply, how many push-ups can you do inthree minutes?

You need to have good technique, good form, and astrategy. If you go all out you’ll lose your energy andlikely won’t last for three minutes. So go at a pace ofabout 80 percent of your total ability, and when youcan’t go any further, rest for 20-30 seconds; stretch, andthen resume.

The last technique is super-advanced and works yourshoulders, triceps and core—the handstand push-up.

Facing a wall, place your hands at a 45 degree angleabout one-to two hand-lengths from the wall. Kick yourlegs up. You can use the wall to stabilize you as you per-form the push-up. Breathe in as you lower yourself tothe floor, and breathe out as you push yourself up.

Again, I recommend you watch the video to reallyget the proper forms and techniques before you try theseon your own. It’ll definitely keep you from wasting timeand effort on ineffective technique.

Dr. Mercola is the founder of theworld’s most visited naturalhealth web site,www.Mercola.com. You canlearn the hazardous side effectsof OTC Remedies by getting aFREE copy of his latest specialreport The Dangers of Over theCounter Remedies by going to hisReport Page.


After my first two diagnoses, I had wel-comed the love, participation, and con-tribution of friends and family—evenstrangers. This time around, however, Ifelt the need for strict privacy. I had to

protect myself from other people’s fears about what athird diagnosis might mean and their doubts about howI was choosing to heal. I shared the news only with myimmediate family, my closest in-town friends, and myoffice mates. By then, Robin, the ostomy nurse, hadbecome a treasured friend. Her spiritual philosophy fedme daily nourishment.

I felt strange about withholding the news from dearand devoted friends, those who had so vigorously and

lovingly supported me in the past. But I needed everyounce of energy to invest in myself. I couldn’t carry any-one else’s skepticism because every now and then I hadtoo much of my own. It was an intensely delicate andinternal time. To support myself, I wanted to hear abouthow other people had healed. I needed to know both howthey did it and that they had succeeded. I needed to heartheir stories to help me create my own. I was eating raw foods and feeling better than I had everfelt before. I was sharpening my mind with an under-standing of its power, and I still wasn’t sure I wanted todo the CyberKnife. Dr. C., who offered the procedure,was very respectful and said that he understood.

“But don’t you think it’s best to do everything you

Excerpted with permission from Embrace, Release, Heal: An Empowering Guide to Talking About,Thinking About, and Treating Cancer by Leigh Fortson (Sounds True, May 2011). © 2011 Leigh Fortson

By Leigh Fortson

Inner RInner Resolvesolvee

After her third cancer diagnosis in three years, Leigh Fortson was given few options by her doctors andlittle hope for a bright future. For weeks, she mourned the life she thought she was losing—until she wasintroduced to an idea that changed everything: Our thoughts and emotions influence every cell in ourbody. Embrace, Release, Heal shares insights into the power of our mind-body connection, inspiring sto-ries from people who survived cancer after being given a terminal diagnosis, and interviews with 20experts on progressive cancer treatments.

AN ESSENTIALAN ESSENTIAL KEYKEY TTO O CANCER SURCANCER SURVIVVIVALAL

AND HEALINGAND HEALING


possibly can?” he asked in a gentle, noninvasive manner.I did, but I was also dubious. And I knew that I

would need to find a way to believe in it for the proce-dure to work most effectively. By then, Dr. BruceLipton’s book The Biology of Belief: Unleashing thePower of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles hadtaught me about the enormous power of the subcon-scious mind and how it can sabotage even our strongestconscious desires.5 I decided to visit a hypnotherapist totry and access the resistance toward the CyberKnife thatwas hidden behind the shade of my conscious mind.After only one session, I wasfully onboard with doing theCyberKnife.

The treatments lasted onlyfive days. I spent my eveningsin a hotel in Boulder as BarackObama won the presidentialelection. I was full of hope formy country and for myself. Ireturned home with only minorside effects and a bag full ofseeds that I intended to sproutfor my new culinary regimen.

I was done with conven-tional treatment, but my questfor wholeness continued. Ipoured through books aboutself-healing. I read daily fromDr. David Hawkins’ book,Healing and Recovery. MyrtleFillmore, cofounder of theUnity Church, hugely influ-enced me through her bookHow to Let God Help You.Filmore had healed herselffrom terminal tuberculosis inthe mid 1800s, and her philosophy can be reduced to asingle line from the book: “The body and its functionsrespond readily and fully to the bidding of the mind. Soyou see, healing is always assured!”6 After reading herbook, I began a dialogue with my cells and practicedhealing visualization every night.

I committed myself to the philosophy of Abraham, aschanneled through Esther Hicks, and paid full attentionto being well rather than having cancer. Of course, Iwould slip up and be gripped with terror that I waswrong, that emotions and mental focus had nothing todo with cancer, and that I was doomed. But then, Iwould circle back to my highest, deepest, broadest inten-tion, which was to heal fully.

I flew out to California and met with Dr. Lando, whoput me on a strict regimen of herbs and homeopathicremedies.

My life changed dramatically during those months. Ibecame acutely aware of a power within that I had neverneeded to tap into before. I was lifted in spirit and light-ened in load. The food I ate was pure and good; thethoughts I had were positive; the gratitude I felt wastremendous. I found happiness in the depths of myself.

In February I had my first follow-up scan with Dr. C.The tumor had not grown, andthat was good news.

“But it’s still there?” I asked,surprised.

“Yes, but it hasn’t grown.That’s what we want,” the nursereported.

“I’ll take care of it,” I said,smiling.

“What?”“I’ll take care of the tumor.”

“OK,” she said, unsure of howto respond. “But this is goodnews.”

As happy as I was, the monthsthat followed were full of loss-es. In March my mother’scousin, whom I was close with,died of pancreatic cancer. ThenHerbert, who’d brought mebaggy pants after surgery, washospitalized with complicationsin his heart. Finally, in May,after months of vaginal bleed-ing, my mother was diagnosed

with very aggressive acute myeloid leukemia (AML).The type of chemo it required would kill her. She wasgiven eight weeks to live.

I spent hours looking for alternative solutions for mymother. I contacted several of the doctors whom I hadinterviewed for this book, but the people I spoke to hadnot successfully treated AML.

Mom went to Denver and met with a variety of spe-cialists. One doctor said there was a chemo that wouldwork, but Medicare didn’t cover it. It would cost tens ofthousands of dollars and alter her quality of life expo-nentially. My mother was a lively seventy-nine-year-oldwith few financial reserves. It was all overwhelming.

She returned from her trip clear about three things:she would spend the summer in Estes Park with her sis-


ters, she would take my family and me to Hawaii in thefall, and then she would find the money and do thechemo.

The next day she had another stroke, her third. Thistime it was significant, and she would not be able toreturn to the life she had lived before. This time I couldtake care of her: I gently took away her car keys, quick-ly found an assisted-living home, and immediatelymoved her essential items into it.

Seven days later, I held her hand once again as shedied.

As I sat with her in the gold light of that ending day,just before my sisters and children were to arrive, I wasstruck by how you cannot save anyone else—no one, nomatter how much you love them. You can only saveyourself—or die trying.

I was also struck by how natural death is. It didn’tfrighten me. It was the course of things. In her case, itwas the only course left.

Both Farrah Fawcett and our dear friend Herbertdied that same week. Then, to top it off, my dog Gradiegot cancer on her foot. One year after getting a toeremoved, Gradie sits beside me now, anxious to go on awalk. Tika’s tail continues to wag.

During the flurry of my aunt’s death and the stormof Mom’s diagnosis and death, I didn’t have any follow-up scans until July, a year after my third diagnosis.When the time finally came, I was once again frozenwith fear. What if my approach had been wrong? Whatif I were riddled with cancer? What if the maliciousgang of doubts had been right?

The scan was conducted in Grand Junction and dig-itally sent to Dr. C. in Boulder. Eddie and I paced thehouse, awaiting his call.

When the phone rang, the nurse from Dr. C.’s officewas out of breath. “We have verrrry goooood news,” shebellowed. “It’s gone. It has vanished! The tumor van-ished! Your cancer is resolved!”

We jumped like cheerleaders, and Eddie swept meinto his arms. We cried and held each other so tightlyyou’d have thought we were one.

The journey isn’t over—as long as I live, it will con-tinue—but the path I had chosen proved worthy of pur-suit. I felt myself relax in a way that I hadn’t been ableto until I got the news that the cancer was resolved.That’s truly what I had done to heal—resolved.

I resolved to continually weed out negative thinkingand work through emotions that were prickly with anger,blame, resentment, and what I’ve come to know as toxic.I still do.

I resolved to put good food into my body and beaware of what my body needs, wants, doesn’t tolerate,

and on occasion must indulge in. I still do.I resolved to exercise and be active, but to be gentle

and have fun along the way. I still do.I resolved to be true to my purpose and create clear

intentions with every new layer of life that reveals itselfto me. I still do.

I resolved to be well. I still do.The tears of joy I tasted the day I found out that my

cancer was resolved were different than the ones born ofsorrow, grief, and loss. They were sweet. They weremellow. They were soft. They still are.

For this is the great error of our day that the physi-cians separate the soul from the body.

—HIPPOCRATES

Leigh Fortson has coauthored and edited numerous booksabout health, nutrition, and alternative medicine. She spentdecades learning about and practicing healthy lifestyle habitsand was shocked to find out in 2006 that she had cancer.Today she lives in Colorado with her family and continues tomanage her life so she can maintain a clean bill of health.

For purchase information, plus links to the experts inter-viewed in her book, visit\http://www.embracehealingcancer.com

http://www.embracehealingcancer.com


Concerns over the Fukushima nuclear power plantexplosion in Japan in March 2011 continue to grow.China began reporting traces of radioactive materialalong its coastline on March 27, 2011. An article inDiscovery News dated March 28, 2011 reports thatradioactive dust and other materials are falling ontofarm crops and other vegetation. Highly radioactivewater is seeping into the Pacific Ocean. A Reutersreport published on March 29, 2011 stated that radioac-tive iodine in trace amounts were being detected inEastern Russia. As the supply of kelp and potassiumiodide dwindle across the United States, many peopleare searching for safe and natural alternatives for iodine.One such alternative is black walnut tincture.

Black Walnut Tincture Is a Safeand Effective Source For Iodine

Black walnut tincture is not only high in a bio-assimila-ble, plant form of iodide, but it also has anti-bacterial,anti-parasitic, and fungicidal properties. The amount ofiodine in black walnut tincture is so high that it can beused as a substitute for iodine antiseptics. Black walnuttincture works as an iodine antiseptic because it is anoxidizing agent. This means it acts as an electrolytewhich upsets the cellular balance of any bacteria or othermicrobial it comes in contact with.

In his blog, master herbalist Dr. Richard Schulzementions using black walnut tincture with his studentsduring the Chernobyl nuclear power plant meltdown. Dr.Schulze says he suggested that patients be wiped downwith iodine tincture or black walnut tincture. The iodinein the two tinctures was absorbed into the body throughthe skin. Testing later showed that the patients who hadbeen “painted” with black walnut or iodine tinctureswere just as protected against radiation exposure as thepatients who took potassium iodide (SSKI). Simply wip-ing a small amount of black walnut or iodine tincture ona knee cap or the palm of one hand was enough to meetthe body’s need for iodine, according to Dr. Schulze.

How to Make Black Walnut Tincture

Black walnut tincture is easy to make, but it is not easy

to get high quality black walnut hulls. Dark black wal-nut hull powder can be obtained from reputable herbcompanies. However, master herbalists agree that the“greener” in color the black walnut tincture is, the betterthe tincture will be. Many herbalists like to wildcraftblack walnuts off of male trees soon after the trees budin the spring. They look for an emerald green color onthe hulls. About fifteen green black walnuts are neededfor every quart (or liter) of 100 proof vodka in order tomake the tincture.

Clean a quart sized glass canning jar, and fill the jarwith black walnut powder to the halfway mark. Pourenough vodka over the powdered hulls to cover the herbsand to create a two-inch float line of vodka above theherbs. As the herbs absorb the vodka, they will begin toswell. Add more vodka in order to keep the float line attwo inches. Screw on the lid, shake well, and store in acool, dark place for three days.

After three days, pour the contents of the jar into ahigh quality blender. Whirl the herbs in the blender for afew minutes, then pour this blend back into the canningjar. Add more vodka to make a two inch float. Allow thismixture to sit for a minimum of two weeks, shaking thejar once or twice daily. After two weeks, the black wal-nut tincture will be ready to use.

By: Donna Rae

IODINE INIODINE IN BLACK WBLACK WALNUT TINCTUREALNUT TINCTUREMay Be Effective Against Radiation Exposure


H indu guru Sathya Sai Baba, revered by mil-lions worldwide, died on Sunday, May 1st,after nearly a month of hospital treatment

near his southern Indian ashram. He was 86.The news brought an outpouring of grief from his

followers, including high Indian officials, whoremembered him as a pious person who worked self-lessly to help others with the billions of dollars donat-ed to his charitabletrust.

Women sellingmarigold garlandsbroke down in tearsoutside the ashram,while devoteesbegan flocking tothe temple complexwhere the guru’sbody will lie throughTuesday.

Sai Baba had ahuge following, withashrams in over 126countries and devo-tees in India includ-ing high-placedpoliticians, moviestars, world-classathletes and indus-trialists.

He was said to perform miracles, conjuring jewel-ry, Rolex watches and “vibhuti”—a sacred ash that hisfollowers applied to their foreheads—from his halo ofwild, frizzy hair.

“Sri Satya Sai Baba was a spiritual leader whoinspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life,even as they followed the religion of their choice,”Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement.“The nation deeply mourns his passing away.”

Andhra Pradesh state, where Puttaparti is located,declared four days of mourning, with its top officialcalling Sai Baba “a symbol of love, affection and pas-sion.”

“Sri Satya Sai Baba has given his great self to theservice of humanity,” Chief Minister N. Kiran KumarReddy said. “He will be remembered for ages to come

by all sections of people all over the world.”Born Nov. 23, 1926, as Sathyanarayana Raju, he

was said as a child to display a tendency toward spir-ituality and unusual intelligence, which he expressedthrough music, dance and writing poetry and plays.

In 1940, at the age of 14, he declared himself an“avatar,” or reincarnation, of another Hindu holy mancalled the Sai Baba of Shirdi, a town in western

Maharashtra state,who died in 1918.

As the youngguru attracted fol-lowers, his home ofPuttaparti grewfrom a sleepy vil-lage into a vibranttown with thes p r a w l i n g“ P r a s a n t h iNilayam” ashrambuilt in 1950, aswell as a large hos-pital, a universityand schools run byhis Satya SaiCentral Trust, set upin 1972 with dona-tions from devotees.

The trust—esti-mated to be worth at

least $8.9 billion and possibly much more—alsoestablished spiritual centers in the cities of Mumbai,Hyderabad and Chennai. It built another hospital inBangalore, where Sai Baba had a summer home, andfunded water supply projects in several southernstates.

Though no successor has been named to run thetrust, “there is or will be no vacuum,” a statementreleased after the guru was hospitalized said.

Health woes over recent years had forced SaiBaba to cut down on public appearances. He surviveda stroke and a series of heart attacks in 1963. In 2005,he began using a wheelchair, and a year later he frac-tured his hip when a student fell from a stool ontohim.

Sai Baba was never married and has no children.

In MemoriamSaSaththyya Sai Baa Sai Bababa (1926 - 2011)

4 0 EARTH STAR JUNE / JULY 2011

events workshopsfestivals classes

6/18: Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-a-WhirlBand are appearing at the KnickerbockerCafe, 35 Railroad Ave, Westerly, RI 02891.For tickets and info call (401) 315-5070.

Top Photo

CALENDARCALENDAR

JUNE / JULY7/6-7/16: His Holiness the FourteenthDalai Lama will confer the Kalachakra forWorld Peace ritual in Washington, DC, atthe Verizon Center. The Capital AreaTibetan Association (CATA) welcomes allthose who wish to join in this historic event,which is offered with the heartfelt motiva-tion to inspire harmonious relationships andabiding peace in the hearts of all the peopleof the world. The host, CATA humbly offersits work on this great event as an expressionof gratitude to the people of the UnitedStates and to all those around the world whohave so kindly supported the preservation ofTibet’s rich cultural heritage. For additionalinformation including tickets, please visithttp://www.kalachakra2011.com

6/14: Jyotti Mandir presents Krishna Das“Samsara By Bus” Tour, June 14th, at theSeaside Center for Spiritual Living, 1613Lake Drive, Encinitas, CA. Tickets fromhttp://www.jyotimandir.com

ONGOINGFood As Medicine Workshop, Sharon A.Kane, Instructor. Live Superfoods canrepair the intestinal damage associated withceliac, gluten intolerance, candida, IBS,leaky gut and food allergies. This 8-sessioncourse teaches simple techniques to createlow cost live food at home. Kombucha,kefir, gluten free bread, lacto-fermentedpickles. For complete info call Sharon A.Kane, (508) 881-5678 or [email protected].

Exquisite Energysm for Healers. Relax andget a dose of the good stuff for yourself. Easymovements from qigong and hands-on healingwith Cerridwen. Third Saturdays 7:00pm-10:00pm. Aquarius Sanctuary, Littleton, MA.(978) 486-0248. $20. Call ahead.

Reiki Certification, Boston and Wilton,NH. Libby Barnett, MSW. 26 years expe-rience. Reiki Energy Medicine co-author.Notebook, pin, certificate awarded.

Visa/MC accepted. CEU's. Call 1-888-REIKI-4-U or (603) 654-2787.

Exquisite Energysm for Women. Center,ground, and open to the flow. A nourishing,feel-good event. Cerridwen guides easymovements from qigong and hands-on heal-ing. Second Thursdays 7:30pm-9:30pm,Aquarius Sanctuary, Littleton, MA. (978)486-0248. $20. Call ahead.

Buddhist Meditation Group with PegTravers, Ordained Priest, Buddha HeartUSA, Sunday evenings, Haverhill, MA,5:00pm-6:00pm. Learn and practice theancient arts of meditation, chanting,QiGong, Buddhist Yoga & Reiki. Call theCenter for Spiritual Development, HaverhillMA, (978)-372-5173 or online atwww.uuhaverhill.org/happenings.

Drumming Circle with Kristine Malpica(of Imagine Studios) on third Friday of eachmonth. 7:00pm-8:30pm. Center for SpiritualDevelopment, 15 Kenoza Ave, Haverhill,MA. (978)-372-5173.

http://www.kalachakra2011.com

http://www.jyotimandir.com

JUNE / JULY 2011 EARTH STAR 4 1

Shamanic DrummingCircle, founded 1993. Usually Secondand Fourth Fridays of every month,7:00pm. Quaker meeting-house,Cambridge. Open to all, but please callfirst for full details and directions.Terrence (978)-952-2704 or Emily(781)-641-3980.

Workshops for Pain Managementand Improved Wellness. Offerings forBodyworkers, athletes, PersonalTrainers, Coaches and general pain-sufferers. Please visit our website:web.maynard.ma.us/biz/bmassage, orcall Barry Bailey at (978)-897-0110for information and brochure of cur-rent offerings.

The Labyrinth Ladies SpiritualEmpowerment Workshops, go towww.thelabyrinthladies.com for ourlatest programs and walks or call (401)-847-6551 for more information.Facilitator Trainings, site consultations,workshops for schools, hospitals andbusinesses.

Christ Church Unity - Experience thehealing power of music, prayer andmeditation, every Wednesday at

7:00pm. Daily Word Discusion Sundays at10:00am. Sunday Service, 11:00am. Cornerof Colchester & Chapel Streets, Brookline,MA 02466. Call (617) 232-4548 for moreinformation or visit: www.unityboston.org.

Free Energy Healing in Arlington. Johreihealing is available each Wednesdayevening from 7:00pm-9:00pm at 81Cleveland St. in Arlington, MA. Johrei puri-fies the spirit through the channeling ofdivine light, restores inner spiritual balanceand eases physical, mental, & emotional dis-tress. There is no charge for Johrei. Pleasecall (781) 646-0614 for directions or infor-mation on other area locations.

Stress Management, Imagery, and a rangeof Reiki programs, with CEUs for nurses,led by holistic nurse educators. Centered inAmesbury, MA with other locations inMaine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.Visit www.LymanCenter.com or call: 1-(888)-TLC-8485.

Earth Star Calendar

7/6-7/16: His Holiness theFourteenth Dalai Lama will confer theKalachakra for World Peace ritual inWashington, DC from July 6–16, 2011, at theVerizon Center. For tickets and info pleasevisit http://www.kalachakra2011.com

9/2: Marcia Ball headlines at the Rhythym ‘n RootsFestival, Ninigret Park, 4890A Old Post Rd, Rt 1,Charlestown, RI on Friday Sept 2nd. Tickets and info at1-(888)-855-6940, http://www.rhythmandroots.com

The Deadline for listings in the

August/September 2011 issue

is July 26th

6/26: Award winning harmonica player Dennis Gruenlingheadlines on Sunday, June 26th at the Knickerbocker Cafe, 35Railroad Ave, Westerly, RI 02891. For tickets and informationcall (401) 315-5070.

http://www.kalachakra2011.com

http://www.rhythmandroots.com


In the last six billion years or so, every planetand satellite in our system has made a certainnumber of rotations, all to reach a perfectalignment. And this alignment will happen onDecember 21, 2012. This is the phenomenon

that the Mayans so precisely calculated. It is also thereason we’ve seen more and more energy in our solarsystem, which has caused the planets to appear brighter,lighter, and warmer. In addition to affecting our solarsystem, this energy, because it’s so alive and intelligent,has entered our bodies. It activates our DNA andenlightens our minds, thereby spurring us to take a stepforward. Yet it escalates tensions on a large scale in thepolitical, economic, religious, and social worlds as well.

Our perception is expanding, and we are beginningto comprehend that time is more than a three-dimen-sional idea now that we have an awareness of the paral-lel reality that exists beyond our universe. Thus, there isanother element of time. Einstein established the notion

of the space-time continuum, but we’ll soon discoverthat we can actually move through the three dimensionsof time: the astral space, the dream space, and the para-normal space.

Our own planet is also raising its vibration, and thiswill be a liberation. In its movement through the galaxy,Earth is entering a great field of vibration that willchange human DNA, allowing us to have incrediblylong life spans. During this time, we will finally under-stand the necessity of honoring life and the Divine. Themoment humanity reaches unity with Spirit will be themoment we witness true reality.

The world around us will take on new meaning andnew importance. We’re entering a golden age in whichthe cosmic cycle of darkness is definitively endingbecause we’re making contact with Spirit. Becausehumanity will embrace wholeliness, the following pre-dictions are based on how this will influence life onearth:

PPrreeddiiccttiioonnssPPrreeddiiccttiioonnss

By Carmen Harra

The following excerpt is taken from the book Wholeliness by Carmen Harra. It is published by Hay House(May 1, 2011) and available at all bookstores or online at: www.hayhouse.com.

December 21, 2012


— December 21, 2012, will not be a doomsday or theend of the world—but we are headed toward great suf-fering and climate changes if we don’t break out of ourdenial and begin to raise our consciousness. We mustchange the course of human history. The date of the win-ter solstice in the year 2012, the end of the Mayan cal-endar, has the energy of 11 (1 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 0 + 1 +2 =11), which, according to numerology, is the numberof enlightenment. This is the official beginning of a newera in the human experience, of raised consciousness, aswe evolve into beings with greater awareness and under-standing of our Divine nature. In connection with this,the satellites surrounding the earth will be affected dur-ing 2012, indirectly speeding up the process of changein financial institutions. Because the satellites willbecome temporarily unavailable, people will scramble tocreate alternatives to the systems that have been auto-matically regulated by those satellites. As we approachthe end of the Mayan calendar, things will become morechallenging. Both 2011 and 2012 will be years of awak-ening, as we start to realize just how serious our situa-tion is. World leaders will begin to come together toimagine new economic systems and ways of dealingwith climate change and natural disasters. Even furtherin the future, the world will have but one form of lead-ership governing every part of the globe.

• In the years to come, the numerous monetary systemsall over the world will be condensed into one. We’ll findnew ways to be reimbursed for our labor, pay for goods,and so on. We will come to the realization that papermoney needs to be replaced with a more efficient alter-native—thus, we will develop electronic currency.

In addition, the countless banks that exist today willconverge into one single bank that spans across theglobe. As always, one system must die out to give birthto a more improved one.

• We’ll finally see that our economy and financial mar-kets are not improving because the issues are muchdeeper than we can imagine. The European economywill deteriorate first, aggravating the global economy.The rate of unemployment will increase, and, interest-ingly, many people will begin to work from their homesvia the Internet.

Acting as separate nations, we cannot hope to fix theproblem. Almost every place in the world is experienc-ing financial collapse, meaning that we’re all in thistogether. Therefore, we must rectify the economytogether. We’ve been looking at the matter ethnocentri-cally, but our approach needs to shift to a global one.

Only by developing one international financial systemwill the economy become whole and healed. Money willno longer be the root of all evil.

• The world may go through a state of chaos, which isnecessary for progress, but this won’t last for very long.In particular, we will witness intense, natural commo-tions in our universe: There will be increased cosmicradiation, more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions scat-tered around the globe, and a spike in solar activity. Theactivity of Schumann resonances (electromagneticwaves in the atmosphere) will peak, making it seem as ifphysical time is moving faster than it really is. More andmore floods will inundate various parts of the planet,and Earth’s rotation will slow down. The global temper-ature will fluctuate and be hard to anticipate, resulting ina decrease in the population of sea creatures and fauna.

Even if we also see institutions collapsing and ourleaders in trouble, be assured that these are only tempo-rary instances of disorder brought on for the advance-ment of the human race.

• I believe that human DNA will increase in complexi-ty, thereby expanding our mental capacity and the levelof our perception. We will begin to understand that

we’re all connected to the Divine Force in the same way.We’ll acknowledge that all forms of life are actually apart of Spirit, under whom we are united as one. We’llfinally realize that the different religions and gods of theworld that we’ve held on to throughout centuries havebeen far too effective in helping us create hatred, war,anger, and separation.

Further, the Catholic Church will continue to expe-rience problems, especially in regards to pedophilia and


its wrongful hostility toward homosexuals. PopeBenedict will be the last Pope before we see a universalunity of religions. A widespread change in the beliefsystem of humankind is upon us—in fact, we are alreadystarting to come together under a common belief system,and more and more people will regard death as simply atransition from the human body into a higher dimensionof being. As we shift from religion to spirituality, indi-viduals will use their abilities to harness energy for thepurposes of healing, to interact with others, and to cre-ate positive changes.

• Humanity will come together in terms of leadership.The long-ruling systems of monarchy, papacy, presiden-cy, dictatorship, and so on won’t survive. For example,Queen Elizabeth will be replaced by Prince William, andhe will be the last king of the British monarchy. We’llsee more people of faith guiding the world toward com-ing together as one global family. As a result, we’llaccept each other the way we are, help out in ways wenever have before, and love each other unconditionally.This might sound quite utopian, but the golden era that’sapproaching will create a paradise, the way the earthwas originally designed.

• The global population will reach seven billion beforethe date of December 21, 2012. It is interesting to notethat, according to United Nations estimates, the popula-tion entered the six billion mark around October 12,1999. Now, almost exactly 12 years later, we haveincreased to one billion more. In terms of numerology,the number 12 represents a perfect cycle of time, so itseems that we are in accordance with the Divine calcu-lations of the universe. The fact that the number of peo-ple in the world is reaching seven billion also foretellsthat we will reclaim our connection to the Divine: sevenis a sacred number, the number of God, and we will soonbecome seven billion souls united by our mutual faith inone all-powerful Spirit.

Ironically, we had to wait until this time in history to

reach this level because humanity is only now enteringthe golden era and able to raise its consciousness. Beforethis time, we were killing each other and not knowingwhy—it was because we were not allowed to hit this sig-nificant number seven as a population and evolve. Onlynow are we equipped with enough wisdom, love, anddesire for unity to exist under the influence of such aDivine number. I predict that once we collectively reachthe seven billion mark, we will stop killing each other.

• Brilliant new discoveries in the medical field will beaimed at reversing the aging process, and human beingswill live much longer. As a result, we’ll enjoy healthier,more fulfilling, more peaceful lives in harmony withnature and each other. We’ll no longer depend on somany drugs, and we won’t suffer physically or experi-ence so much fear.

Our life spans will increase due to several differentfactors. Probably the most significant is that our DNA istransforming. Carbon 12, the very basis of the humanbody, will transmute into carbon 7. Carbon 12 currentlyis composed of 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons,lending it the energy of 6-6-6 . . . which the book ofRevelation in the Bible renders as the “number of thebeast.” Until now, due to carbon 12’s frequency in thenatural world, we have been greatly influenced by thisenergy, which has manifested itself throughout humanhistory in war, hatred, killing, and a tendency towarddestruction.

Very soon, however, the components of carbon with-in our DNA will change into 6 protons, 1 neutron, and 6electrons: 6-1-6, the components of carbon 7. Just ascarbon 12 influenced our DNA negatively, carbon 7 willaffect us in a positive manner. This change in our genet-ic makeup will amplify multidimensional thought andlead to higher levels of understanding. Thus, we willbegin to see death as a transition to a new plane of exis-tence, and once and for all decipher the mystery of lifeafter death.

History has referred to this interesting element insymbolic ways. The concept ofMetatron’s Cube contains 13 equal cir-cles: six circles are placed in a hexago-nal pattern around one central circle,while the other six extend out along thesame radial lines. Further, in Leonardoda Vinci’s The Last Supper, Jesus sitsat the center of the table with six disci-ples on one side and six on the other.

Also leading to longer lifespans are advancements in the medicalfield at the level of cellular behavior.


We will be able to heal illnesses such as cancer andautoimmune diseases by dealing with their source: cellsthat malfunction. In addition, we will identify a fine,etheric substance that binds cells to each other. Thismicroscopic discovery will lead to a revolution in medi-cine as it will allow us to manipulate positively the wayin which cells relate to each other and react to outsideinfluences.

• The feminine energy will become stronger and morepowerful, bringing unity and healing to us all. We willbegin to see increasing numbers of women as nationalleaders: the Divine feminine force will bring unity andharmony between the energies of the sexes.

• Barack Obama will be a one-term President.

• Future generations will be much more knowledge-able, especially in the sense that they will be connectedto nature. The children of Earth will return to a depend-ency on, and respect for, the natural world.

• The future of medicine lies in natural healing throughwholesome foods, the mind, light therapy, balancing ourenergy fields, and healing at the cellular level. We willwitness amazing discoveries in health care, especially inregards to reducing the need to cut into the body so oftenby understanding the integrity of the body as a whole.Embryonic stem cells produced through therapeuticcloning will be integrated into future therapies.

• Humanity will travel in space and, in the distant

future, we will each own our own airplane.

• Living creatures will visit us from other galaxies, butthey won’t be the frightening aliens we’ve seen inmovies.

• We’ll discover other planets and better understand theuniverse—specifically, how to work with it for our ownbenefit. However, we will do so through innovativemeans that aren’t destructive. A foreign planet will soonpass through our solar system, making for some veryinteresting encounters and supernatural occurrences.

• We’ll identify life on other planets. We’ll also relo-cate to other planets when the shift of the poles takesplace. After this subsides, we’ll return to Earth.

• We’ll utilize more of the capacity of our brains andinvent devices to connect to the next dimension: therealm of continuous time where souls live without bod-ies.

• Telepathy, teleportation, and the intuitive mind willbe used as methods for connecting to each other andpreventing events from happening.

As a result of these changes, life on Earth will be farmore harmonious and peaceful. I know it’s difficult toenvision a world like this with our present perspective,but we’re evolving our thinking and finally letting go oflimitations. Look into the future and see us together.Start celebrating, and forget about the negative predic-tions, which are simply vestiges of an era of darkness.


Chances are you’ve already given somethought to energy efficiency at home.You may even live in an Energy Starhome—this label is the EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s standard for ener-

gy-efficient houses. But as more people realize the valueof saving energy at home and having a smaller carbonfootprint, some green builders are raising the bar. Enterthe Passive House standard.

For example, an Energy Star home is already 20 to30 percent more efficient than typical building codestandards. In contrast, a certified Passive House will usean estimated 90 to 95 percent less energy for heating andcooling and 60 to 70 percent less overall energy than atypical code-built home. Although some of the elementsof Passive House design add to the cost of the home(think super-efficient windows), that investment pays offthrough ultra-low energy bills over the life of the home.

Not to be confused with passive solar—a set ofdesign principles focused primarily on capturing heatfrom the sun—the Passive House standard focuses onthe house as a complete, airtight, highly insulated sys-tem that uses a very low level of energy per square footwhile also improving the home’s indoor air quality. As

Katrin Klingenberg, executive director of the PassiveHouse Institute U.S. (PHIUS) says, “Passive House isstrictly an energy metric and performance-based certifi-cation that works complementary to all other sustainablerating systems already in the marketplace.”

Another exciting thing about the Passive Housestandard is that it can be applied to existing homes aswell as new construction. Certified Passive House con-sultant Graham Irwin of Essential Habitat recently com-pleted the first Passive House certified retrofit inCalifornia (see photo). Retrofitting an older home tomeet these high energy standards is no small task, Irwinsays. “A Passive House retrofit is a significant and com-prehensive lifetime upgrade to the performance andquality of a home.”

Passive House Principles

The Passive House concept was introduced in 1988 byGerman physicist Wolfgang Feist and Swedish professorBo Adamson. Feist founded the Passive House Institutein Germany in 1996. The U.S. branch of this organiza-tion is PHIUS in Urbana, Ill., which was authorized tocertify projects and train Passive House consultants in

Serious Energy SavingsSerious Energy SavingsWith Passive House Design

By Ed Welch


2008. Worldwide, there are about15,000 buildings certified to thePassive House standard, but onlyabout a dozen in the United States,where Passive House is just beginningto catch on.

An important part of the standardis the Passive House PlanningPackage (PHPP) that Feist developed.This energy-modeling tool enablesdesigners and consultants to manipu-late design elements and buildingcomponents to see how differentoptions would affect energy perform-ance. For example, they can see howchanging the amount or type of insu-lation—or the type, size or location ofwindows—would affect the home’soverall efficiency.

The Passive House standard requires that a homehave a heating load no greater than 1.4 kilowatt-hours(kwh) per square foot per year, the same standard for atotal cooling load, and a total annual source energy con-sumption not exceeding 11.1 kwh per square foot. To geta better idea of what that means, let’s take a closer lookat the numbers for space heating.

To meet the Passive House standard, a 2,000-square-foot home would need to use less than 2,800 kwh forspace heating a year. The average U.S. home uses theequivalent of 11,800 kwh for space heating, according tothe most recent figures from the U.S. EnergyInformation Administration.

Altogether, the Passive House concept represents acomprehensive building-performance standard thatenables homes to use much less energy for heating andcooling than do conventionally built houses. To achievethat high level of energy efficiency, Passive Housedesign centers on the following building strategies.

Reducing Air Infiltration. In most houses, air leaksoccur in numerous places, including cracks in the base-ment, walls, floors and ceilings; through gaps aroundwindows and doors; and through leaks in the ductwork.Air leaks in and out of the house, and within the houseair moves between insulated and uninsulated spaces, sothat heated (or cooled) air is constantly being lost.

Trained home-performance contractors can measurethe air infiltration of a home using a blower door test.The International Residential Code’s current energycode allows a maximum 7 air changes per hour (ACH)at 50 pascals of pressure. Energy Star allows 5 or 6 ACHdepending on the climate. In contrast, the Passive House

air infiltration standard is no greater than 0.6 ACH,meaning Passive Houses are almost 10 times more tight-ly sealed than Energy Star requires!

Another important benefit of reduced air infiltrationis increased building durability. Moisture travels throughair in the form of humidity, so as air infiltrates buildingcavities, the potential for condensation, mold and rotincreases dramatically. Less air infiltration means lessbuilding degradation.

Superinsulation. Of course, air leaks aren’t the onlyway a home loses heat in the winter—heat also travelsthrough solid materials, such as your walls and roof. Thebetter insulated your home, the more you can slow downthat heat movement. Passive Houses rely on thick, prop-erly installed wall and ceiling assemblies. The exactrequirements are specific to the climate, site and proj-ect—whatever is necessary to meet the Passive Housestandard for energy use per square foot. For example, inSan Jose, Calif., a moderate climate, builders may onlyneed R-14 under-slab insulation, R-22 walls and R-50ceilings to reach the Passive House standard. In Salem,Ore., the standard may require R-50 suspended floors,R-44 walls and R-95 ceilings. That’s certainly a lot ofinsulation, but keep in mind that insulation is one of theleast expensive building components.

Eliminating Thermal Bridging. Conventional insula-tion typically only slows heat movement between studsand joists, but what about the rest of the house? Whenheat is able to pass through those other uninsulatedareas, it’s called thermal bridging. Most thermal bridg-ing occurs through the house framing, but other uninsu-


lated areas may be found aroundconcrete foundations, combustionappliance venting, fireplaces andplumbing vents. These are alldirect conductive links to the out-side. Brrrr! Strategies that buildersmight use to minimize thermalbridging include insulating underall interior concrete slabs and usingexterior rigid foam assemblies anddouble wall framing.

High-Performance (and ProperlyPlaced) Windows and Doors.These high-performance windowsand doors will likely be the highestadditional cost in constructing orremodeling to the Passive Housestandard. Usually, triple-pane win-dows or heat mirror technologywill be required to meet the standard, but double-panewindows may be sufficient in moderate climates. The U-factor rating measures the efficiency of the windows.That number (which is the inverse of the more familiarR-value that we use to measure insulation) always needsto be low in cold climates. To give you some perspectiveon window performance, the federal government givestax rebates on windows that achieve a U-factor below0.30 (R-3.3) in most climate zones. Most double-panewindows are 0.5 (R-2), and single-pane windows have aU-factor of barely 1 (R-1). Passive House windows startwith a U-factor of approximately 0.15 (R-6.6), and cango as low as 0.05 (R-20).

A second important window measurement is theSolar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), which is the

amount ofsolar gain aw i n d o wallows. A goodPassive Houseconsultant willadvise whereto positionwindows andwhich types ofglass to use tolet in or blockheat. Here’swhere we getinto some ofthe same terri-tory as passive

solar design. In the northern hemi-sphere, south-facing windows area good way to take advantage ofthe sun’s heat in winter. However,shading from overhangs or decidu-ous trees also needs to be consid-ered. It’s important to block thesun in the summer to help yourhome stay cool.

Super-Efficient, BalancedVentilation Systems. The finalcritical element of a Passive Houseis using a high-efficiency heatexchanger and a balanced mechan-ical ventilation system to supplyoccupants with the ideal amount ofclean, fresh air. “Balanced” simplymeans that approximately thesame amount of air exits the house

as enters the house.In the heat exchanger in this ventilation system, out-

going interior air exchanges heat with incoming exteriorair (the air itself does not mix). During a harsh winter ina cold climate, interior air that’s 70 degrees Fahrenheitexits the building and intersects with and transmits heatto the incoming zero-degree exterior air. In state-of-the-art ventilation systems, that heat is transferred at 75 to95 percent efficiency, warming the cold incoming air to52 to 66 degrees.

Another way to think about it is that Passive Housesrecycle all internal heat gains, including body heat fromthe 98.6-degree humans, as well as any heat from thedog, the appliances, the computer, the light bulbs—evenlava lamps! With a super-tight shell and a 95 percentefficient ventilation system, much of the home’s heatingand cooling needs can be fulfilled passively, and thenonly smaller and less expensive heating and cooling sys-tems are necessary. Some of the popular heating systemchoices for Passive Houses are heat pumps, solar ther-mal systems and electric baseboard heaters.

Final Considerations. Notice that most of the factorsthat affect the energy performance of the home aren’tvisible to the casual observer. That means that a PassiveHouse could potentially be almost any style of home.However, compact designs increase the likelihood ofmeeting the standard. Energy-efficient appliances andlighting will reduce the internal heat gains in the sum-mer, and choosing healthy building materials and fur-nishings is always a good idea.


Construction Costs and Energy Savings

As previously mentioned, building to the Passive Housestandard will slash a homeowner’s long-term energybills, but when calculating the bottom line, you need tofactor in the higher initial construction costs. Costs relat-ed to building a Passive House can vary considerably,estimates range from 5 to 20 percent more than a con-ventional home. “It all depends on the building type, cli-mate, and experience of the builder and designer,” saysKlingenberg of the PHIUS.

Experience and knowledge mean everything, whichis likely why upfront costs are lower in Europe than theyare in the United States. After 20 years of experiencewith the Passive House standard, the Europeans arebuilding single-family Passive Houses that cost only 5percent more than conventional construction, and multi-family dwellings at no additional cost. As the PassiveHouse standard becomes more popular in the UnitedStates, costs can be expected to come down here as well.

Some builders are already finding effective ways toreduce costs. In Salem, Ore., Passive House consultantBlake Bilyeu recently completed an attractive, 1,885-square-foot Passive House for only 6 percent more thanstandard construction. “The Rue-Evans house requiredan additional $18,000—six percent of the total contractprice of $300,000 ($159 per square foot)—to meetPassive House requirements,” Bilyeu explains. “Theextra cost was primarily a result of higher-performancewindows and doors, more insulation, air sealing laborand materials, and a more extensive ventilation systemin comparison to our typical projects.” Bilyeu adds that,having now gone through the entire process of design-ing, building and successfully having this home certifiedas a Passive House, he is confident he can bring the costsdown to even lower levels on future projects.

Meanwhile, his clients love their new home, and havecalculated that the total energy savings could pay for theextra construction costs in as little as 10 years. (SeePassive House Energy Savings for a breakdown of justthe heating savings.)

It’s not hard to understand the appeal of owning asuper-efficient home. As Alex Wilson, a prominentleader in the U.S. green building community, says,“Passive House standards demonstrate just how far wecan go in reducing the energy consumption of homes.Such homes cost far less to operate.”

Life in a Passive House

Passive House owner Sarah Evans talks about her super-efficient home. Get more details on the home in PassiveHouse Energy Savings.

During the colder months of the year, can you feel adifference between living in your Passive House and apast home?It’s like night and day. In our old house, we constantlyran our heater during the fall and still felt cold. In ourPassive House, we didn’t have to turn on the mini-splitheat pump until Nov. 19.

Can you sit comfortably in front of the high-perform-ance windows and doors? What about on a cold, windyday?Yes, most definitely. The high-performance windowsand doors do not leak or transfer much of the cold, so sit-ting next to them feels the same as anywhere else in thehouse.

Are there any apparent visual differences between yourPassive House and a similarly designed home?

Our Passive House doesn’t look much dif-ferent than a typical home. One visual dif-ference is the foot-thick walls, which makefor built-in window seats that our pets love.

What’s it like living in a home with anenergy-recovery ventilation system? Arethere any special maintenance require-ments?I appreciate having it, knowing we havebetter control over the quality and tempera-ture of the air moving in and out of thehouse. We will occasionally have to changethe filter, but no more often than we wouldwith a furnace.


GREEN LIVING natural home and garden

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RabbitAir Stylish, Innovative Air Purifiers

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GREEN LIVING natural home and garden

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Water Hyacinth Meditation Tray

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Teak Bath Stool

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When Paula and Matt built theirhome on a rural Vermont back road11 years ago, the cost of running autility line was about the same asbuying a minimal amount of solar

panels (enough for a couple without kids to get by):$10,000. The couple chose solar. “We have never regret-ted that decision,” Paula says. “We now have 1.5 kW insolar power, and this is perfect for our needs—mostmonths, anyway!”

Paula and Matt started out with a 600-watt system,which forced them to think wisely when they designedtheir home and purchased appliances. “We built a housewith plenty of natural light!” Paula says. As the familygrew to four, Paula and Matt installed more panels tosupport a dishwasher, a front-loading washer, a (rarelyused) gas dryer, a Sunfrost refrigerator, an efficient DCfreezer and a computer. In winter, the family cooks andheats water on a wood cookstove, which Paula also fires

up on summer mornings to prep veggies for quiche(baked in the toaster oven) later in the day.

Paula says the family has enough power to do every-thing it wants and needs to do. The only drawback shesees to off-the-grid living is that when parts break, wearout or get hit by lightning, the power’s off until that partis fixed. In 11 years, the system’s batteries have wornout and the inverter inexplicably burned up. “My adviceis that families plan ahead for expenses like these, whichcan run a few thousand dollars,” Paula says.

She doesn’t miss monthly utility bills, power out-ages, coal or imported oil. “What I like most is that wehave a constant awareness of what electrical power is,where it comes from, and how much we are using,”Paula says. “Our sons have grown up living off-grid, andtheir simple acceptance of this lifestyle is also one of thebest things about it. I think many people on the grid viewgoing off-grid as a sacrifice. But it doesn’t have to be!”

Off the GridOff the Gridand Constantly Aware

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence

Paula and Matt designed their home to get lots of natural light


Cooking and cleaning up for a family of fourtakes a lot of wood.

Paula is living the good life

These kids love living off the grid

Solar panels feed the family’selectricity needs, and gardens feed the family

Save time and money by stocking your back-yard or windowsill gardens with five basicmedicinal herbs. These superstars will treatcommon ailments such as colds and flu,inflammation, minor cuts, infections, pain,

muscle spasms, anxiety, poor digestion and insomnia.Every medicinal herb garden should include chamomile,yarrow, lemon balm, Echinacea and peppermint. Thesefive basics are safe and effective for the vast majority ofpeople when used as simple teas, poultices or salves.

Echinacea: Super Immune-Booster

Echinacea products are amongthe top-selling herbs in health-food stores. Many gardenersknow this group collectively aspurple coneflower (Echinaceapurpurea), but echinacea hasemerged as the most widely usedcommon name.

The seeds of E. purpureagerminate readily, or plants can

be easily propagated by dividing the roots. This speciesdoes well in any well-drained soil, will tolerate up tohalf shade, and is remarkably drought-resistant. Plantsand seeds of E. augustifolia are harder to find, and theseeds germinate much less readily.

While most references suggest using Echinacea rootfor medicinal use, I make a tea of the fresh or driedflowers of E. purpurea: the chemical constituents of theflowers are similar to those of the root. In summer orfall, I simply pour a cup of boiling water over a choppedflower head and steep it, uncovered, for 10 minutes.For winter use, I make a tincture. I chop an entire plant,

place it in a wide-mouthed gal-lon jar, and pour in around 750ml (26 oz, or 3.17 cups) of 190-proof grain alcohol (never woodor rubbing alcohol) and a quartof water – just enough to coverthe plant material. I put on thelid and set the jar aside for twoweeks. After this, the tincture isready to use. It will retain itseffectiveness for at least a year. I


GROW A

By Steven Foster

Medicinal Medicinal Herb GardenHerb Garden


swallow about 30-60 drops (1-2 teaspoons) of the tinc-ture four or five times a day when I feel a cold coming on.

Chamomile: Gentle Yet Powerful

Most chamomile tea is madefrom the dried or fresh flowers ofthe annual German or Hungarianchamomile (Matricaria recutita,formerly M. chamomilla orChamomilla recutita). Roman orEnglish chamomile, the flowerof the perennial Chamaemelumnobile, is also commonly grownin herb gardens. All can be usedinterchangeably.

People have used chamomiletea for centuries as a gentle sleepaid (particularly for children), aswell as to ease digestion, pro-mote urination and relieve colic.The also used chamomile tea to wash wounds and sores.Today, the pharmacopoeias (official authorities) of 26countries approve it to treat inflammation, infection,colic, muscle spasms and tension. All uses except seda-tive claims have been confirmed by recent research.

German chamomile is easily grown from seed. Thedaisylike flowers usually appear within six weeks ofplanting. It does best in cooler climates; in theSouth it quickly bolts and shrivels under theintense summer sun. German chamomilelikes a neutral to slightly acidic, well-drainedsandy loam and full sun. Plants self-sowfreely, so you’ll probably not need to plant itagain after the first season. During the sever-al weeks in which chamomile blooms, youcan make several pickings. Spread the flowersin a basket in a warm, dark place to dry.

To make tea, just pour one cup of boilingwater over one heaping teaspoon of driedflowers. Steep covered for ten minutes thenstrain into a cup. Sip a cup of tea 3-4 times aday to relieve an upset stomach or have a cupto relax before going to bed.

NOTE: Those allergic to the pollen ofother aster family members such as ragweedmay also be allergic to chamomile.

Yarrow: First Aid in the Garden

Color variations include white, purple, pink,orange, yellow, and tan

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), another member of theaster family, contains achilleine, an alkaloid responsiblefor staunching blood flow. Yarrow contains more than120 other chemical components, some of which have

been shown to reduce inflamma-tion and muscle spasms, and torelieve pain. Others are believeto ease digestion, calm anxiety,treat baldness and relieve hyper-tension.Nearly all yarrows require no

care, remain pest-free and arewinter-hardy in Zones 3 thru 9,blooming June thru September.Plants are easily grown fromseed or propagated by dividingthe roots in the spring or fall.Yarrow adapts well to many soiltypes but thrives in moderatelyrich soil in full sun. Harvest thestalks when in full bloom and

hang to dry.Minor cuts should first be washed thoroughly since

yarrow doesn’t inhibit bacterial growth. Crush leaves orflowers and apply to cut.

To make tea, pour a cup of boiling water over 1-2teaspoons of the dried herb and steep, covered, for 10-15minutes.


Lemon Balm: A Tasty Healer

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a favoriteof bees as its generic name attests: Melissa isGreek for “bee.” Traditionally, lemon balmhas been used to reduce fevers and treat coldsby inducing sweating, calm the digestivetract, relieve spasms related to cramps andheadaches, and overcome insomnia. Recentresearch confirms the plant’s ability to calmanxiety, relieve spasms and inhibit the growthof fungi and bacteria.

Reaching two feet in height, lemon balmis easy to grow from seeds sown in the springor early fall. It is hardy in Zones 4 thru 9. Afertile, moist soil is ideal with a wide range ofacidity – from pH 5 to 7.8. It likes a cool habi-tat, grown under shade. It can be invasive, soprune the flowering tops before they go toseed.

It is most effective when used fresh orfreshly dried. Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup ofboiling water, steeping for 10 minutes.

Peppermint: Spicy-Sweet,Digestive Aid

Mint is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, the world’s old-est surviving medical text, believed to date from the 16thcentury B.C.E. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is actu-ally a sterile hybrid of spearmint (M. spicata) and watermint (M. aquatica).

Traditionally used to ally insomnia, upset stomach,indigestion, nervous tension, colds, cramps, diarrhea andnausea, recent research has shown that the essential oilcontains substances that relieve muscle spasms andinhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses. Its primaryconstituent—menthol—gives this hardy perennial herbits spicy-sweet scent and flavor.

Grow mints in containers as they can be highly inva-sive. Since you can’t grow plants from its sterile seeds,you can increase your stock by dividing the roots. Plant

in moist, but well-drained soiland full sun. Harvest leaves assoon as they mature and drythem in a warm, dark place.

One teaspoon per cup ofboiling water makes a deli-cious and refreshing tea, upto three times a day to aiddigestion

NOTE: People prone togastric reflux should not drinkpeppermint tea, as it relaxesthe esophageal sphincter,allowing gastric juices to flowinto the esophagus, possiblyirritating it and/or causinginflammation.


Dogs and cats need 22 amino acids to behealthy. Dogs can synthesize (make)twelve of those twenty-two; cats cansynthesize eleven of them. The remain-ing amino acids must come from the

food they eat, which is why they’re called ‘essential’amino acids.

Pets get amino acids from the protein they eat. Andthe quality and quantity of protein is extremely impor-tant for carnivores—it’s the very foundation of theirhealth.

Not All Protein is Created Equal

Protein quality is extremely variable. There are highlyassimilable and digestible proteins (proteins your pet’sbody can easily absorb and make use of), and there areproteins that are wholly indigestible. For example beaks,feet, hides, tails and snouts are 100 percent protein, butall 100 percent is indigestible.

All protein has a biologic value, which is its usableamino acid content. Eggs have the highest biologic value

at one hundred percent. Fish is a close second at 92 per-cent. Feathers, as you might guess, have zero biologicvalue. They are all protein, but they are neitherdigestible nor assimilable.

Now there are some foods high in protein that arenot species-appropriate for dogs and cats. Soy is a goodexample, with a biologic value of sixty-seven percent.Many popular pet foods contain soy as a protein source,as well as corn. This is an inexpensive way for pet foodmanufacturers to increase protein content on the guaran-teed analysis printed on the label.

But because soy and corn are not species-appropriate, I don’t recommend you feed pet foods thatcontain it.

Unfortunately, digestion and assimilation are notmeasured for dog and cat foods, so manufacturers caninclude other types of protein that have no biologicvalue for the species of animal eating it (this is also whymelamine was added to pet foods that killed thousandsof animals). You can be fooled into thinking you’re feed-ing a higher-protein food, when the reality is the proteinisn’t biologically appropriate for your pet.

The NutrientNutrientYour PET Needs

More of as They Age

By Dr. Karen Becker


Rendered Pet Food – The Worst of the Worst

Asking a dog’s or cat’s liver and kidneys toprocess low-quality, indigestible protein over along period of time is exactly how protein inpet food got a bad rap.

In the 1940s and 1950s, there were reallyno high quality commercial pet foods on themarket. Formulas at that time contained 100percent run-off or rendered byproducts fromthe human food industry.

Pet food companies took all the pieces andparts left over at slaughterhouses, mixed themwith discarded vegetables and grains not fit forhuman consumption, added a synthetic vita-min-mineral supplement, and called it petfood.

While there was a fair amount of protein inpet food back then, the quality was just terrible. Becausethe protein was so difficult for dogs and cats to digest,kidney and liver function suffered.

That’s why veterinarians around the mid-centurymark started recommending lower protein senior petfoods. Senior formulas came into being because of theterrible quality of dog and cat foods on the market.

That’s why I strongly recommend if you’re feedinga rendered pet food formula—food that contains proteinthat is not digestible or assimilable—that you reduce theamount of protein you’re feeding. Your pet’s organscan’t process a steady diet of terrible quality protein.

Your Pet’s Protein Requirement Increases with Age

The good news is the quality of pet food has increaseddramatically in the last thirty to forty years.

And in 1992 Dr. Delmar Finco, a veterinary nutri-tionist, discovered protein requirements actuallyincrease as pets age. Even in animals with kidney fail-ure, restricting protein didn’t improve their health orlongevity.

In fact, Dr. Finco’s research proved cats on low pro-tein diets developed hypoproteinemia. They had musclewasting, became catabolic, and lost weight. The more

protein was restricted, the more ill thesekitties became. Fortunately, Dr. Fincodiscovered it was the level of phosphorusin foods, not necessarily the amount ofprotein that exacerbated kidney disease.

Since that research was published, vet-erinary recommendations have changed.What we’re recommending for animalsstruggling with under-functioning kid-neys and livers is that you feed reallygood quality protein that is highlydigestible and assimilable.

We also recommend you restrict phos-phorus in the diet, but not necessarilyprotein.

We know that cats and dogs, as carni-vores, require lots of high quality proteinnot only to maintain good organ andimmune function, but also to maintainhealthy muscle mass as they go throughlife and the aging process.


Whole, Raw, Natural Foods Are Best

Some foods are metabolically stressful and some createlow metabolic stress on your dog or cat.

Foods that generate the least amount of metabolicstress are whole, raw, unprocessed, and in their naturalform. Foods that have not been dehydrated or processedare the most assimilable for your pet’s body.

These foods are biologically appropriate. All themoisture in the food remains in the food.

Foods that have been dehydrated, extruded orprocessed can have drastically depleted moisture con-tent. It can drop from seventy percent down to as low astwelve percent, in fact. Your pet’s kidneys and liverbecome stressed due to chronic low-grade dehydration.

Dogs and especially kitties must drink lots of waterto rehydrate their bodies after eating dehydrated food.This situation can stress organs that are congenitallydefective or are experiencing age-related changes.

I recommend serving your pet food in its naturalstate to provide needed moisture, and to insure the high-est level of biologic assimilation and digestion.

Appropriate Food for the Species

‘Species-appropriate’ for your dog or cat means a foodthat is high in protein in its natural form, and low ingrain content. Your pet is a carnivore – dogs are scav-enging carnivores and cats are obligate carnivores.Carnivores need to eat animal protein and fat in order tobe healthy.

Foods thatcause metabolicstress—those that arehighly processedand/or dehydrated—are not species-appro-priate. Take high-pro-tein kibble, for exam-ple.

In recognitionthat dogs and cats do

better on higher protein, low-grain diets, over the last fif-teen years there’s been movement by veterinarians andpet food companies toward formulas containing moreprotein and fewer carbohydrates.

I can certainly agree with that, except in situationswhere the food is not biologically, species-appropriate.

Pets eating a protein-based diet do just fine as longas it contains seventy to eighty percent moisture. Butwhen you take moisture out of high protein foods, theybecome difficult for your pet’s body to process because

of the dehydration factor. That’s why I prefer foods thatare unprocessed and therefore not dehydrated.

Feed Your Pet Exactly What His Body Needs

When you’re contemplating the issue of protein for yourdog or cat, it’s important to recognize you can’t save kid-ney function with a low protein diet.

Your carnivorous companion needs protein to behealthy throughout life, and especially as she deals withthe muscle wasting that comes with the aging process.

I recommend you feed your pet food in its naturalform, full of moisture and unprocessed. This will pro-vide the best species-appropriate nourishment for yourdog or cat, with an optimum level of digestion andassimilation.

Privacy fears raised as researchers revealfile on iPhone that stores location coordi-nates and timestamps of owner’s move-ments.

Security researchers have discovered that Apple’siPhone keeps track of where you go—and saves everydetail of it to a secret file on the device which is thencopied to the owner’s computer when the two are syn-chronised.

The file contains the latitude and longitude of thephone’s recorded coordinates along with a timestamp,meaning that anyone who stole the phone or the com-puter could discover details about the owner’s move-ments using a simple program.

For some phones, there could be almost a year’sworth of data stored, as the recording of data seems tohave started with Apple’s iOS 4 update to the phone’soperating system, released in June 2010.

“Apple has made it possible for almost anybody – ajealous spouse, a private detective – with access to yourphone or computer to get detailed information aboutwhere you’ve been,” said Pete Warden, one of theresearchers.

Only the iPhone records the user’s location in thisway, say Warden and Alasdair Allan, the data scientistswho discovered the file and are presenting their findingsat the Where 2.0 conference in San Francisco onWednesday. “Alasdair has looked for similar trackingcode in [Google’s] Android phones and couldn’t findany,” said Warden. “We haven’t come across anyinstances of other phone manufacturers doing this.”

Simon Davies, director of the pressure groupPrivacy International, said: “This is a worrying discov-ery. Location is one of the most sensitive elements inanyone’s life – just think where people go in theevening. The existence of that data creates a real threatto privacy. The absence of notice to users or any controloption can only stem from an ignorance about privacy atthe design stage.”

Warden and Allan point out that the file is movedonto new devices when an old one is replaced: “Applemight have new features in mind that require a history ofyour location, but that’s our specualtion. The fact that[the file] is transferred across [to a new iPhone or iPad]when you migrate is evidence that the data-gatheringisn’t accidental.” But they said it does not seem to betransmitted to Apple itself.


iPhoneiPhone Keeps RecordKeeps Recordof Everywhere of Everywhere YOUYOU GoGo

By Charles Arthur


Although mobile networks already record phones’ loca-tions, it is only available to the police and other recog-nised organisations following a court order under theRegulation of Investigatory Power Act. Standard phonesdo not record location data.

MPs in 2009 criticised the search engine giantGoogle for its “Latitude” system, which allowed peopleto enable their mobile to give out details of their locationto trusted contacts. At the time MPs said that Latitude“could substantially endanger user privacy”, but Googlepointed out that users had to specifically choose to maketheir data available.

The iPhone system, by contrast, appears to recordthe data whether or not the user agrees. Apple declinedto comment on why the file is created or whether it canbe disabled.

Warden and Allan have set up a web page which

answers questions about the file, and created a simpledownloadable application to let Apple users check forthemselves what location data the phone is retaining.The Guardian has confirmed that 3G-enabled devicesincluding the iPad also retain the data and copy it to theowner’s computer.

If someone were to steal an iPhone and “jailbreak”it, giving them direct access to the files it contains, theycould extract the location database directly.Alternatively, anyone with direct access to a user’s com-puter could run the application and see a visualisation oftheir movements. Encrypting data on the computer isone way to protect against it, though that still leaves thefile on the phone.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at thesecurity company Sophos, said: “If the data isn’trequired for anything, then it shouldn’t store the loca-

Map shows location data collected from an iPhone that had been used in the southwest of England

The data inside the file containing the location and time information. This is used to plot the map above


tion. And it doesn’t need to keep an archive on yourmachine of where you’ve been.” He suggested thatApple might be hoping that it would yield data for futuremobile advertising targeted by location, although headded: “I tend to subscribe to cockup rather than con-spiracy on things like this – I don’t think Apple is reallytrying to monitor where users are.”

The location file came to light when Warden andAllan were looking for a source of mobile data. “We’dbeen discussing doing a visualisation of mobile data, and

while Alasdair was researching into what was available,he discovered this file. At first we weren’t sure howmuch data was there, but after we dug further and visu-alised the extracted data, it became clear that there wasa scary amount of detail on our movements,” Wardensaid.

They have blogged about their discovery atO’Reilly’s Radar site, noting that “why this data isstored and how Apple intends to use it—or not—areimportant questions that need to be explored.”

The pair of data scientists have collaborated on anumber of data visualisations, including a map of radia-tion levels in Japan for The Guardian. They are develop-ing a Data Science Toolkit for dealing with location data.

Davies said that the discovery of the file indicatedthat Apple had failed to take users’ privacy seriously.

Apple can legitimately claim that it has permissionto collect the data: near the end of the 15,200-wordterms and conditions for its iTunes program, used to syn-chronise with iPhones, iPods and iPads, is an 86-wordparagraph about “location-based services”.

It says that “Apple and our partners and licenseesmay collect, use, and share precise location data, includ-ing the real-time geographic location of your Applecomputer or device.

This location data is collected anonymously in aform that does not personally identify you and is used byApple and our partners and licensees to provide andimprove location-based products and services. Forexample, we may share geographic location with appli-cation providers when you opt in to their location serv-ices.”

New Study Verifies Mercury In Flu Shots Is Toxic

Y et another peer-reviewed, sci-entific study proving the con-nection between the mercury

in medicine and human illnesses hasjust been released. The latest study isthe sixth one published in recentmonths. This report specifically exam-ines the harm inflicted on developingfetuses and children by Thimerosal, amercury-based compound routinelyused as a preservative in flu shots.

Members of non-profit groups likethe Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs(CoMeD) are actively sharing the latestscientific data about the dangers ofmedical mercury with the public, largelybecause they recognize that the mercuryin Thimerosal is a factor in numerouschildhood diseases.

Thimerosal is the Eli Lilly tradename for sodium ethylmercurithiosali-cylate when used as a preservative invaccines and other drug products. It isalso known as “Thiomersal” in Europeand “Merthiolate” when used as anantiseptic. Consisting of approximately49.6% mercury by weight, Thimerosalhas been phased out of many vac-cines in the United States becauseof concerns about its “potentialrisk.” However, it is still in most flushots even though much safer, cost-effective alternatives are alreadybeing used.

The newest study aboutThimerosal, from the University ofBrazil, warns that while vaccinesare essential to the well-being of

children around the world, the use ofThimerosal should be reconsidered.The author, Dr. José Dórea, reviews thepublished science which demonstratesthat infant exposure to the amount ofThimerosal in vaccines is toxic tohuman brain cells.—Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs


For months mounting fear has drivenresearchers to wring their hands over theapproaching solar storms. Some have pre-dicted devastating solar tsunamis thatcould wipe away our advanced technology,

others voiced dire warnings that violent explosions onthe surface of the sun could reach out to Earth, breachour magnetic field, and expose billions to high intensityX-rays and other deadly forms of cancer-causing radia-tion.

Now evidence has surfaced that something poten-tially more dangerous is happening deep within the hid-den core of our life-giving star: never-before-seen parti-cles—or some mysterious force—is being shot out fromthe sun and it’s hitting Earth.

Whatever it is, the evidence suggests it’s affectingall matter.

Strange And Unknown

Alarmed physicists first became aware of this threat overthe past several years. Initially dismissed as an anomaly,now frantic scientists are shooting e-mails back andforth to colleagues across the world attempting to graspexactly what is happening to the sun.

Something impossible has happened. Yet the“impossible” has been proven to be true. Laboratoriesaround the globe have confirmed that the rate of radioac-tive decay—once thought to be a constant and a bedrockof science—is no longer a constant. Something beingemitted from the sun is interacting with matter in strangeand unknown ways with the startling potential to dra-matically change the nature of the very Earth itself.

Exactly what has scientists so on edge is the fact thatthe natural rate of decay of atomic particles has alwaysbeen predictable. Indeed, using the decay rate of

Strange EmissionsStrange Emissions by the SunSunAre Suddenly Mutating Matter

ByTerrence Aym

The Angry Sun


Carbon-14 has been a method to date archeological arti-facts. The process, known as carbon dating, measuresthe quantity of Carbon-14 within organic objects.According to the numbers, Carbon-14 has a specifichalf-life of 5,730 years. Physicists have proven throughexhaustive observation and experimentation over thecourse of a century that it takes 5,730 years for Carbon-14 atoms to decay into a stable Nitrogen-14.

The values don’t change—or at least they never havein the past. With certain evidence that radioactive decaycan be significantly affected by an unknown effect fromthe sun, much of science is turned on its head.

Rate of Decay Speeding Up

Worst of all, if the decay rates of matter are being mutat-ed then all matter on Earth is being affected includingthe matter that makes up life.

The mutation may go so far as to change the under-lying reality of the quantum universe—and by extrapo-lation-the nature of life, the principles of physics, per-haps even the uniform flow of time.

In fact, some evidence of time dilation has beengleaned from close observation of the decay rate. If parti-cles interacting with the matter are not the cause—andmatter is being affected by a new force of nature-then timeitself may be speeding up and there’s no way to stop it.

Neutrinos The Cause?

Researchers have correlated the anomalies in the decayrate to a 33-day period. That time frame matches the 33-day rotation of the solar core. Such a match strainscredulity as being a mere coincidence.

Since the sun’s core is known to blast out continuousstreams of particles called neutrinos, some scientists areattempting to find evidence that neutrinos are the cul-prits behind the mutation of matter.

There’s a problem with that hypothesis, however, asneutrinos are like ghost particles. They’re extremely dif-ficult to detect. Normally, neutrinos pass through theEarth without any interaction at all. To a neutrino, it’s asif the Earth doesn’t exist.

Other than discovering a previously unknown prop-erty of neutrinos, or finding a new particle altogether, thepossibility exists that no particle is behind the changesrecorded in the radioactive decay rates. What could becausing the phenomenon is a previously unknown force.

Unknown Dangers

As the sun builds towards solar maximum and a periodof dangerous intensity never experienced by any livingperson inexorably approaches, strange, uncontrollableforces could be building deep within its fiery nuclearfurnace.

It’s already been proven that the sun’s mass warpstime, bends light waves and accounts for mutation ofspecies on Earth. Now this new force may be directlyinteracting with matter in a way that could not onlychange Mankind’s understanding of physics, but change

Mankind itself…and not necessarily in a beneficial way.Yes, the e-mails will continue to fly and the hands willcontinue to wring. But in the end, we are all justobservers.

Whether the phenomenon has no real impact onhumanity, or the worst impact imaginable, nothing canbe done to stop it. Once again, the titanic forces of naturerear up to overwhelm our technology—and we find our-selves like the playthings of gods... Utterly helpless.


Documents

EARTH STA R · Tim Gunns • Carmen Harra Meryl Davids Landau • Robyn Griggs Lawrence Joseph Mercola • D. Patrick Miller Robert Moss • Donna Rae • Ed Welch SUBMISSIONS Manuscripts,