The New Agora October 2017

9

Signs You’re Lying to Yourself Without Knowing It

Lies are a little fortress; inside them you can feel safe and powerful. Through your little fortress of lies you try to run your life and manipulate others. But the fortress needs walls, so you build some. These are the justifications for your lies. You know, like you are doing this to protect someone you love, to keep them from feeling pain. Whatever works, just so you feel okay about the lies.

– William Paul Young

By Aletheia Luna lonerwolf.com

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ISHONESTY is a trait that most of us have no problem pointing out in others We feel a sense of anger, disgust, and mistrust towards those who try to deceive us. In fact, deception is such a dishonorable quality to us that we spend large amounts of our time reading about shady politicians and watching shows that center around lying and cheating characters. Secretly, it feels good to point the finger at others because it makes us feel morally righteous.

But here’s the truth: at the end of the day, most of us fail to see that we also lie – to ourselves – frequently.

Sadly, most people aren’t willing to explore their hidden tendencies and face the truth. Deception is such a despicable quality that we would rather disown it than face it honestly. Unfortunately, the more we disown our darker tendencies, the more deeply we bury them within our Shadow Selves, and the more delusional we become. And the more delusional we are, the less mental and emotional clarity we have, which leads to a legion of problems.

Some of these problems are life-destroying.

4 Reasons Why We Lie To Ourselves

If deceit is such a contemptible quality, why do we lie to ourselves? Here are a few reasons why: n It’s comfortable – you don’t have to face the hard truth n It’s convenient – you can keep doing the same thing without having to change anything n It makes you feel better about yourself (preserves self-esteem) n It helps you to avoid self-responsibility for your actions For example, a man who cheats on his wife may justify his actions by saying, “If only she had given me more affection and love, I wouldn’t have strayed.” This justification, of course, is a form of self-deception because it prevents the man from fully coming to terms with what he has done. Furthermore, lying to himself helps him to preserve the belief that he’s a “good and faithful” person.

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Examples Of Self-Deception

The following examples might help to deepen your understanding of self-deception more. See if you can relate to any of these examples: n Example 1: A woman gets a high-paying attorney job at a popular firm. After months in her job, she begins to experience chronic illness and panic attacks. Convinced that she’s just going through a bout of bad health, she continues working in her high-stress job until she has a nervous breakdown. n Example 2: A man is in a relationship with a woman who he believes is his soul mate. The man continues to believe that the woman loves him, even after she has repeatedly told him that she wants to break up. n Example 3: A student is preparing for a college exam. He finds himself frequently procrastinating and keeps telling himself that he’s “not in the mood to study.” He then takes the exam and fails. In reality, he was procrastinating because he was scared of the pressure that comes with good grades. n Example 4: A woman has joined a local church. She loves hearing sermons about love, acceptance, and compassion. But after the ceremonies, she observes that the fellow churchgoers are judgmental, racist, and narrow-minded. She turns a “blind eye” on the behavior of these people, convincing herself that she is on the “right moral path.” n Example 5: A man decides to become a monk. He believes that his choice comes from the desire to live a religious life. In reality, his choice comes from the desire to escape his problems. n Example 6: A couple loves to travel.

But it isn’t traveling to other countries that they really enjoy; it is escaping from their inner sense of emptiness. n Example 7: An entrepreneur keeps being offered amazing opportunities to expand her business, but she turns them all down. She keeps saying, “I don’t have time,” and “I have too much work.” The truth is that she’s scared to expand because she lacks self-confidence.

9 Signs That You’re Lying To Yourself

Are you lying to yourself? Answering this question can be hard because our self-deception is so often unconscious.

But if you suspect that you might be lying to yourself, congratulate yourself! It takes a tremendous amount of courage and self-awareness to even entertain the possibility. It can be scary to own up to the fact that you might be deceiving yourself, but this honesty will take

Please see YOURSELF, page 22

By Dennis Kingsley kingsleydennis.com

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HILOSOPHERS, ARTISTS, and scientists have been debating for centuries the questions concerning human consciousness: what it is and how it emerges. The question of human consciousness has also been at the heart of many mystical teachings, although these have tended to be based on revelation rather than investigation and discussion. Over the course of these many and varied investigations, debates have been divided between materialistic and what may be rather loosely termed as spiritual-metaphysical worldviews.

In recent decades, thanks largely to the advance of sophisticated scientific methods and technology, scientists have been able to map and study the human brain, including neuronal patterns, brain disorders, and pathways of human thinking. This has led to an increased certitude among many scientists of a material view of human consciousness. In other words, consciousness as a by-product of the physical brain and as such cannot exist without brain function. This is the dominant paradigm amongst materialist thinkers and scientists. In more recent years, with the further research into nonlocal phenomena and theories of a holographic universe, various investigators have been re-visiting our received understanding of human consciousness. From these renewed scientific insights into the nature of a nonlocal cosmos, new findings have appeared that throw light onto how consciousness may operate. Furthermore, a nonlocal understanding of consciousness can provide cutting-edge implications for an increasingly interconnected human society. The research and ideas that I am going to put forth in this series of essays will imply that the future of human evolution upon this planet is largely also a question of the evolution of consciousness – specifically, conscious evolution. And the implication of conscious evolution is that it provides purpose – meaning – for a life that participates in this developmental impulse. I begin by examining

Consciousness, Cosmos & Purpose

Implications of a non-local view of human consciousness

Part 1:

some of the new perspectives or ‘concepts’ regarding human consciousness.

In his Consciousness in the Cosmos trilogy[i] Ervin Laszlo put forth what he termed the ‘Third Concept of Consciousness.’

In brief, Dr. Laszlo outlined various anomalies in current orthodox scientific theories of consciousness. In his exposition Laszlo clarified how it was unlikely that consciousness could be generated by the brain as a form of by-product – what he referred to as the ‘turbine theory.’ In this theory, which is the current mainstream model, the set of experiences we define as consciousness is generated by the living brain. This is similar to how a stream of electrons would be generated by a working turbine (hence Laszlo’s naming).

Therefore, just as electricity is a by-product of the turbine, so too is human consciousness

the by-product of a functioning human brain.

This theory postulates human consciousness as being local; as being produced from something tangible. Also, when this producer stops functioning – i.e., the brain ceases to be alive – then consciousness, and related streams of experience likewise stop. Medical science has gone a long way to validate the ‘turbine theory’ of consciousness by repeated experiments on how impaired brain functioning results in distorted consciousness.

The basic premise of this understanding of consciousness is that neuronal networks in the human brain have evolved to such a height of complexity that they produce a level of self-consciousness above that of any other animal on the planet (except perhaps dolphins and porpoises). This ‘turbine theory’ is thus not limited solely to human beings but is

By Steve Waller

http://thespiritscience.net

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OU GOT TOP GRADES in school, you excelled through college, and you graduated with a first class degree from a tier one university. Surely that makes you intelligent, right?

There’s no doubting your academic abilities, and you’ve clearly been blessed with a very capable mind in many respects. But intelligent? Are you 100% sure about that?

Being amongst the standout performers on the educational front is certainly a sign that you’ve got a lot going on between your ears, but there are some major differences between having ‘book smarts’ and exhibiting true intelligence. These are:

1. Knowing Versus Understanding

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

– Albert Einstein There is often a vast, gaping chasm between knowing something and understanding it in greater detail. You may know that combining chemical X with chemical Y produces a rather explosive result, but this knowledge is NOT the same as having a full, working grasp of why these particular chemicals react the way they do.

Knowing is superficial; it relies heavily on observation and memory. Understanding requires something altogether deeper; an inquisitive nature that seeks to explain why.

This why is an utterly essential part of understanding, it calls out to the truly intelligent minds, beckoning them to follow the clues to find it.

Breakthroughs are not born from knowledge; they come about through curiosity and the courage to make leaps of faith into the dark void of mystery. We’d still be living in caves if our ancestors hadn’t explored and expanded their capabilities by pursuing their inquisitive nature.

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Six Differences Between

Book Smarts and True Intelligence 2. Taking Context Into Account

A fact is useless in isolation. Until you are able to explain how that fact relates to the many other threads that weave their way through a greater context, your intelligence remains limited.

I could tell you that ocean acidification is adversely affecting the ability of corals to form their skeletons. An interesting observation, no doubt, but not very helpful when taken in isolation. Until you look at the wider context and explain how this will impact the complex and diverse ecosystems that rely on these vital

coral habitats, the standalone fact means little.

Intelligent people are more acutely aware of how a single piece of information relates to the bigger picture. They understand (there’s that word again) the relationship between things; or if they don’t, they try to figure it out.

Book smart people tend not to worry so much about anything that falls outside the scope of their narrow field of thought.

3. The Emotional Perspective

There are, without doubt, many people out there who can wage a decent argument and

applicable to the vast range of living beings on the planet. Yet the level of complexity in biological evolution is, in this theory, related to the degree of consciousness produced by each specific living creature.

Even though in recent years there have been renewed calls for a neurological basis for consciousness such pioneering theories still maintain an orthodox position. For example, neuroscientist Christof Koch, chief scientific officer at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, has publicly stated that ‘consciousness arises within any sufficiently complex, informationprocessing system. All animals, from humans on down to earthworms, are conscious…

That’s just the way the universe works.’[ii] For Koch, consciousness is a by-product of complexity; thus, complex systems produce varying levels of consciousness, and ‘how much consciousness they have depends on how many connections they have and how they’re wired up.’[iii] Another so-called ‘cutting-edge’ theory from science is “orchestrated objective reduction” (‘Orch OR’), which was first put forward in the mid-1990s by eminent mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose, and prominent anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff. [iv] This theory claims that consciousness derives from deeper level, finer scale activities inside brain neurons. Although controversial at the time it has now gained greater credibility since the recent discovery of quantum vibrations in “microtubules” inside brain neurons now appears to corroborate this theory. Yet despite such recent examples of radical new scientific theories of consciousness, they still cling to the basis of an old paradigm ‘turbine theory.’ In other words, that consciousness is a secondary phenomenon resulting from primary activity located in the human brain.

Despite the apparent strengthening of the mainstream outlook on consciousness such a perspective has come under increasing critical doubt, owing to a range of

Please see CONSCIOUSNESS, page 18 defend their point of view against an opponent.

Despite this, there are times when you’d be better off ceding your ground and defusing a situation with your humility and good grace.

Truly intelligent people can recognize these times and act accordingly. Those limited to book smarts aren’t always able to do so.

But why does it matter, you may be wondering? Well, it comes down to the interaction between knowledge and emotion. The key word here is balance. When your inner state is one of equilibrium, you are equipped to utilize your knowledge to its best effect. When you are overcome with emotion, the knowledge makes way for arrogance and stubbornness – traits that many would consider negative.

In a friendly debate, the truly intelligent person will be able to sense rising tensions and bring things to a close in a diplomatic way.

In the absence of this emotional awareness, a debate can quickly spill over into a heated argument that serves neither party.

4. Consider The Other Person

The emotional acuity mentioned above plays another role in intelligence – it allows a person to consider the impact of their actions on others. Call it empathy, call it theory of mind, call it what you like, this ability to understand how one’s actions influence the outside world is not something you can learn from a book.

This aspect of intelligence is more natural, more innate than that of pure knowledge alone.

It asks the individual to step into the shoes of another being and to see how they are feeling. This is then fed back into the decision-making process.

Without this pivotal aspect of a rounded intelligence, you end up with a blundering buffoon who relentlessly pursues his cause at the expense of all others. The type of person who says and does things that upset others and then

Please see INTELLIGENCE, page 20

FEATURES Consciousness, Cosmos and Purpose (Part 1)

3

Love Wins When You Follow Your Heart

4

The Rise of The Presence

12

Revitalize Your Passion for Life

23

EDITORIAL 5

Resolving Cognitive Dissonance

5

HELP YOURSELF HEADLINES 8-9 HEALTH 6

Cannabis Beats Brain Cancer

10

Healthy Sugar Alternatives

15

Fixing Leaky Gut Syndrome

16

OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS Nine Signs You’re Lying to Yourself

2

Why You’re in the Rat Race

7

Companies That Cause Then Sell Disease Cures

11

CONSCIOUSNESS Book Smarts vs. True Intelligence Principles of Zen and How to Apply Them

3 14

The Next Level of Now 19

COVER AND LAYOUT

Cover - ‘’Resurfacing’’ by Autumn Skye Morrison

www.autumnskyemorrison.com

Page Layout by Mike de Give bellawellaink@cruzio.com

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

By Phillip Schneider www.wakingtimes.com

Autumn Skies

Total Water Cleaners

When You Follow Your Heart, Love Wins

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HEN YOU HEAR the words “follow your heart,” what do you think? As it turns out, that expression is a lot more literal than you might conceive. As revealed by the non-profit research organization Institute of Heart Math, the heart is actually a complex intelligence system similar to the brain. In fact, research has concluded that the heart is more powerful at a degree of over 60 times electrically and 5,000 times magnetically than the brain.

These findings have led the researchers at HeartMath to a new understanding of the link between heart and intelligence. One of the institutes most influential breakthroughs is the finding that the heart’s electromagnetic field actually changes according to emotional states, which affects the nervous system.

“It became clear that negative emotions lead to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby adversely affecting the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions create increased harmony and coherence in heart rhythms and improve balance in the nervous system.” – HeartMath Institute The studies conducted by HeartMath suggest a greater necessity to pay attention to the way your heart feels. The better you feel the more your heart and brain work together in synergy creating greater clarity and balance, which is ideal no matter what you’re doing.

“Our research and that of others indicate that the heart is far more than a simple pump. The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional ‘brain’ that communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways.” – HeartMath Institute

How Art And Music Affects The Heart

Research by the late Masaru Emoto has paved the way to a new understanding of the effect that sound and words have on water and the human body. What may be one of the greatest discoveries of the twentyfirst century so far is the realization that water reacts and stores geometric memories in the form of crystal formations which come from both written and spoken words, as well as music and photography.

By filling jars with water and subsequently subjecting them to photography, music, words, and prayer, then quickly freezing the water, Emoto was able to create varying crystal patterns which seem to correspond either negatively or positively to each stimuli. Words like love, truth, harmony, wisdom, and peace created beautiful crystal formations while words like “fool” and “disgust,” as well as heavy metal music, created distorted and ugly patterns.

Considering that the human heart and brain are made up of around 75% water, it makes sense that the state of that water would make an impact upon the heart and mind, influencing clarity of thought.

“Water records information, and while circulating throughout the earth distributes information. This water sent from the universe is full of the information of life…” ― Masaru Emoto, The Hidden Messages in Water There is another way which sound can be shown to create geometric patterns known as cymatics. By sprinkling salt on a board and sending different sound frequencies through it, geometric patterns are formed. As the pitch of the sound increases, the patterns in the salt be come more complex.

Amazing Resonance Experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJAgrUBF4w “I believe that the greatest truths of the Universe don’t lie outside, in the study of the stars and planets. They lie deep within us, in the magnificence of our heart, mind, and soul.

Until we understand what is within, we can’t understand what is without.” – Anita Moorjani, Near-Death Experiencer

When You Follow Your Heart, Love Wins

If you ever feel like you’re lost, remember what makes you feel alive.

Your heart might not lead you in the direction you had in mind. It might get you in trouble or not make sense at first, but it will never lead you astray from the path that’s right for you. Seek to empower, inform, and uplift others with an open heart and that magic will come back to you in time. When you follow your heart, Love Wins.

“Defeating evil is truly as simple as practicing good consistently, repeatedly and with a sense of genuine love for humanity in your heart. Each and every day, you make a hundred small choices that seem inconsequential at the time, but they actually add up in a big way. By making those choices in the interests of the protection of life, you multiply the good in the world.” – Mike Adams, Natural News

About the Author

Phillip Schneider is a student and a staff writer for Waking Times.

This article (When You Follow Your Heart, Love Wins) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Phillip Schneider and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.

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ELLO TO ALL of our lovely readers and welcome to our fantastic October edition. Autumn Skye, one of our favourite artists, perfectly named for the season, is once again empowering us all with her gorgeously inspirational artwork. This month’s cover painting is named ‘Resurfacing’ which is certainly an appropriate one for the times. At the bottom of the page you’ll find more information on her intriguing ten day painting in

Happy Autum Skies paradise and yoga retreat.

We at the new Agora are super excited about all the wonderful new shows and events (and more besides) that we get to enjoy, promote and share with all of you. As you look through our current edition you’ll see many an announcement and advertisement for shows, plays, movies and other fun events. Through our combined participation with these wonderful promoters and creators

Resolving

CognitiveDissonance

By Lisa Renee

www.energeticsynthesis.com

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URRENTLY THE EARTH and all inhabitants are subjected to hidden and obvious mind control technologies used to increase Cognitive Dissonance that socially engineer the collective consciousness Consent to accept the Death Culture.

Most people on earth would not give their consent to be slaves or to be used for energy, so they are mind controlled to stay in denial, survival or escapism to avoid seeing this painful truth. Consumer marketing campaigns capitalize on cognitive dissonance by framing their advertising in such way that the easiest magical solution to reduce pain or discomfort from problems is to buy or support their product or Propaganda. Through media bombardment they consistently form positive associations to the negative behaviors of the death culture in order to increase cognitive dissonance in the way people think, which increases suggestibility and gullibility into programming. People that are highly suggestible are programmed in such ways that directly impact the unconscious formation of Doublethink (act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct. ed) into socially acceptable belief systems.

This is purposed to covertly, yet directly stimulate the unresolved conflicts in the instinctual and unconscious mind’s reactions, eliminating critical thinking, common sense,

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consistency and coherent thoughts. This way people are led to associate the negative belief systems being propagated, with the positive associations being programmed for them.

When the actions or results of those associations are actually entirely negative and spiritually destructive to them. As an example, why would humanity endorse the death culture when its purpose is to enslave and kill members of the human race?

This is cognitive dissonance in action, the deliberate ignoring and denial of the on the earth in order to avoid conflicting thoughts.

This further influences and shapes what the collective unconscious creates as the main value system in society, which reflect what type of external structures people have given away their consent to.

Because money and Materialism are highly valued by the masses, this is the area in which most people give away their power of Consent.

Doublethink produces lack of coherence and inconsistency in one’s thoughts, which is similar to the state of cognitive dissonance.

People that are mind controlled with cognitive dissonance or doublethink, refuse to acknowledge what is in plain sight or right in front of their eyes in full evidence, because they are still clinging to denial and self-deception generated from fear and pain avoidance.

Cognitive Dissonance is the uncomfortable tension that exists when

we get the opportunity to share with our loving and interested readers some complementary tickets to these shows. To qualify, if you haven’t already, please go to our website and sign up to our email list.

From the VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) and the VFMF (Vancouver folk Music Festival) independent shows, to the Vancouver Health Show where we will be personally attending along with many of the New

Agora members and participators this coming November 4th and 5th, getting on our email list will keep you in loop for event opportunities as well as for great discounts for sponsored shows and products. Please check out our current issue for specific dates and shows.

Everyone at the New Agora wishes you a wonderful and magical autumn.

All the best, Everyone at The New Agora.

holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time, or it is the tension that exists between the actions of the mind, and the actions of the heart. It is the state of incoherence or inconsistency within our thinking, when conflicting thoughts surface into the mind and cannot be reconciled, clarified or neutralized.

Therefore, the state of cognitive dissonance usually brought on by Negative Ego fears, manifests as a range of psychoemotional-spiritual conflicts that impact the functioning of body, mind, heart and spirit.

Many people misplace their consent through the mental state of cognitive dissonance, because they do not know the core spiritual self, and thus their Consent is given away through the confusion they have with conflicting belief systems.

When a person makes decisions that are based in self-deception or group deception, they are basing their consent on the beliefs that the deception is true or going along with the popular opinion because it’s easier.

This is the way to manufacture consent in the masses through the setup of the Imposter.

Because a person is consenting to something that represents itself or markets itself with Propaganda, as something other than what it really is. When we believe manipulated lies as truth, we give up critical thinking, common sense and intuition that help us make informed decisions about where we place consent.

Dissonance between the Ego and Heart Cognitive dissonance happens commonly between the beliefs of the ego mind, and the core beliefs or truth that exists within evidential facts as considered through the open heart and spiritual intelligence. If we ignore our spirit, and go against our heart intelligence to give consent to the ego intelligence, we create cognitive dissonance in our thinking which manifests as unresolved conflicts that generate energetic blocks in our pain body.

These blocks are created when consciously aware of dissonance, or unconsciously reacting to dissonance through uncontrolled impulses.

Dissonance or uncomfortable tension that we feel is very strong when we believe something about ourselves and then perform an action that is against that belief.

Dissonant based tension and anxiety is much more powerful when there are conflicts about our self-image, who we believe we are, and what we identify with as our personality.

The more dissonance, tension or mental anxiety we feel, the more attachment and dependency we have to defining our self-image based upon those sets of beliefs.

Mental Anxiety produced from cognitive dissonance magnifies considerably in relation to how important the subject is to us and how much we identify with it.

It also relates to how polarizing the opposing thoughts are that are in conflict within us, and our inability to rationalize, explain away or resolve the conflict. This makes it clear that Confirmation Bias and Self-Justification through Ego Defense Mechanisms are commonly used to explain away the conflicts, in order to make people feel instantly better.

People will ignore evidence that is contrary to their own beliefs, in order to preserve their mental beliefs that have become important to their personality, and to avoid feeling the tension of conflicts.

It takes personal dedication to honestly face internal conflicts in order to evolve past cognitive dissonance and into the higher clarity of discerning resonances. This means asking equally if we are being lied to through mass manipulation, or if we are lying to ourselves to avoid a painful truth. In either case our Consent is not in alignment to Universal Law, and we can feel this through our heart intelligence.

In order to resolve mental tension and inner conflicts that results from Cognitive Dissonance, one must first recognize that they have the power to make different choices. In taking responsibility for the choices they make, they can learn to change the way they think and change their behavior in ways that restore Coherence and consistency.

Please see RESOLVING, page 20

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E ARE AWARE of the need to keep the body hydrated. We are also aware and concerned with the waste of the precious the natural resource we rely on for our very lives: water. As the population continues to surge and our water supplies are threatened by pollution and irresponsible usage, we are seeking solutions for this serious situation.

We are encouraged to down our daily quota of water per day to maintain a healthy body. But not just any water: we want good quality water that enhances our body’s vitality. Here in North America we are lucky to have water from our taps that is generally safe from microbial contaminants.

Chlorine and more recently chloramine is used to treat

By Glennis Taylor our municipal drinking water making it largely free of disease producing microorganisms.

New and innovative ways of purifying water are being researched and marketed as the technology explodes in this crucial area of concern. Beyond the threat of microbes in our tap water, we are now identifying other horrifying and invisible health altering contaminants that are present in a sparking glass of tap water. As you sip that cool, thirst quenching gift of life on a hot day, did you know that you are possibly getting a dose of antibiotics or antidepressants; or how about birth control hormones or anti

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Total Water Cleaner anxiety meds along with trace amounts of cancer medications and other common pharmaceuticals! From old pipes we may get copper or lead and even asbestos.

With this growing knowledge base, we are less inclined to drink right from the tap. We are seeing the booming bottled water business flood the shelves with clear plastic bottles of “pristine” looking water. With minimal regulation in place for bottled water, some studies have shown that most of the brands of bottled water tested had some contaminants. It is not only the questionable quality of the water in the bottles, but the bottles themselves that have become an enormous issue.

When we consider the economic and environmental costs of producing that bottle of water and the plastic trail of used bottles, it is not a good proposition. Every step of bottled water production leaves its mark on the environment. According to some stats, only one bottle in five are recycled.

The rest find their way into landfills or lakes and oceans where they impact our water ecology. It may take several centuries before the plastic breaks down.

We don’t want to contribute to this growing problem, nor do we want to drink water from the tap that may be harmful to our health in many ways.

The chlorine and chloramine (chlorine and ammonia) that disinfects tap water affects our microbiome by killing off the good bacteria that are instrumental in the maintenance of good health. THM’s

or trihalomethanes are formed by the interaction of organic matter in the water with chlorine. More research is needed, but there may be a link between THM’s and cancer and possibly other health concerns. Avoiding most of these undesirables in our city tap water, although we are exposed to THM’s in the shower as well, is actually easier and more affordable than you may think.. Chad from Total Water Cleaners explained the effective methods of eliminating toxins from our treated city water supply.

Total Water Cleaners distributes a whole home water cleaner system that uses a carbon filter made from coconut shells. This GAC (granulated activated carbon) filter is made of loose finely ground carbon that is a highly porous material providing a very large surface area that is able to adsorb organic compounds in the city water. One gram of GAC has a surface area of approximately one thousand square meters. One pound has a surface area equivalent of about 100 football fields. The ability of GAC to adsorb contaminants in the water makes it ideal as a home filtration system. The slight positive electrical charge of the carbon attracts to its surface chemicals and impurities in tap water.

Besides removing the chlorine and chloramides and resulting THM’s, it can effectively reduce 95% of VOC’s, herbacides, pesticides, man-made

chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, as well as some heavy metals and even radon. The beneficial essential minerals found in the water remain intact.

Total Water Cleaners uses the whole home system to clean the city water as it enters your home. The GAC filter tank uses highest grade NSF certified carbon and is installed just past the water meter system and takes up minimal space with its upright profile: only 8 inches around and 44 inches high. This system will effectively clean the water for all household uses and generally lasts a family of four about 4 to 6 years. It is a closed system with virtually no maintenance required.

The company services areas of Manitoba and Saskatchewan as well as the Richmond and Victoria areas. Customers see and feel the difference in their water and resulting health. Skin problems such as dry skin, eczema and psoriasis may clear up as well as improvement in some lung conditions where the disinfectants can be respiratory irritants. So many benefits! Chad said that the retention rate of customers is so high because people get results and feel good about the water they are using.

Total Water Cleaners offers a 30-day trial with 100% guarantee for satisfaction. For less than the cost of a small coffee a day you can provide safe, clean water for your family. Whether rented or purchased, it is one good investment!!!

“If you are not drinking filtered water, you ARE the filter.”

For More Info and Details please see advert below and www.newagora.ca.

The reason you work so hard to participate in the

by M.J. Higby

rat race

www.wakingtimes.com

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ALPH WALDO EMERSON once said, “A man in debt is so far a slave.” Money has no intrinsic value yet we spend our days damaging our health and spirit in order to obtain it. Why do we sacrifice our well-being for it? Is it the cliché that “we just want to provide a better life for our kids than we had?” Is it just way of the civilized world? The most important question to ask, however, is what power do we have to change this way of thinking and living?

The reality is simple: money is a vehicle for social control. Debt makes us good, obedient workers and citizens.

The traditional workweek started in 1908 at The New England Cotton Mill in order to allow followers of the Jewish religion to adhere to Sabbath. With the passage of The Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, the 40-hour workweek became the norm. Data from the 2013 American Community Survey showed that the average commute time in America is about 26 minutes each way. According to a Gallup poll, the average workweek in America is 34.4 hours, however, when only taking into account full time workers, that average shoots up to 47, or 9.4 hours per day during a 5-day workweek. Keeping averages in mind then, between commuting, working and figuring in an hour for lunch (usually less), that puts us at approximately 11 hours and 40 minutes for the average full time worker. If you have a family with young kids, just add in another few hours for homework, baths, etc.

When the day is done, how much time do you have for yourself? To exercise, meditate or otherwise unwind the way that all the healthy living gurus preach?

And how much of yourself, your presence of mind, is left to devote to family? We give the company the heat of our most intense mental fire while our families get the smoke. Yet Jeb Bush, the 2016 GOP presidential hopeful, says we need to work more.

The answer to why we put ourselves through this daily grind is multifaceted. The most pervasive reason is workplace and societal pressures. We are raised in a matrix of sorts.

The cycle starts around the age of five when we are expected to adhere to a regimented 8-hour day of school. At this age, we don’t have the intellect to question why, so we mechanistically follow the path that’s laid out. This daily path becomes engraved in our minds and becomes as automatic as the sun’s daily journey. Our school system is adept at churning out working class individuals en masse. We are taught along the way not to question authority, again adhering to the working class mentality.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those in power. They are the ones that like to color outside the lines. Many books abound with titles such as The Wisdom of Psychopaths that illustrate how people with psychopathic traits, ones who don’t tend to follow rules, are often found in managerial roles such as CEOs all the way up to presidents of countries. With these rare manipulative, Page 7

coldhearted personalities in place and the rest of us following like good sheeple without questioning, the stage is set for compliance.

If you have been in the working world long enough, then the following statement should ring true: if you work extra hours, you are a great worker; if you decline, you’re useless and apathetic. In the work world, there’s typically no in between. The pressure to succeed for the pride and benefit of the company unfortunately supersedes that of the pressure to be a good parent, sibling, son or daughter. According to a study done by the economic policy institute, between 1948 and 2013, productivity has grown 240% while income for non-managerial workers has grown by 108%. To make up for this discordance, pride of doing what’s best for the company has been employed as a motivational tactic.

This tactic has been used as a sharp IV needle that’s been inserted into our veins and we have willingly ingested the contents that are injected through it. Pressure to conform toward achieving the company’s goals has overcome our will to be compensated accordingly.

The other side of this pressure comes from society as a whole outside the education/ workplace. A close friend of mine works for a state court and makes about $40K/year. He is also a self-employed business owner on the off hours. I estimate that he works about 70-80 hours a week. He owns a home in a well-to do neighborhood and he drives a seventy thousand dollar luxury car. This crystallizes the saying ‘big hat, no cattle.’ But when a lie is told over and over, the lie becomes the truth.

When we look at someone who drives a luxury car and lives in an upscale part of town, we see this as success because of how often that visual of it has been pounded tirelessly into our minds.

We fail to see that these are nothing but symbols of success and false ones at that. They appear real because as a society, we have been conditioned to see them this way by the advertising industry.

In the book, The Millionaire Next Door, the authors annihilate this illusion. Numbers don’t lie and the statistics show that most true millionaires, those with a net worth of over one million dollars, do not own those luxuries that we typically associate with success and wealth.

They view them as the reality of what they are: a depreciating liability. According to the book, the typical millionaire owns a home in the two to three hundred thousand dollar-range and a non-luxury automobile. If something goes wrong with either, they have the cash reserves to fix it. On the other hand, the commonplace owner of the luxury home and car can’t afford the roof and the tires respectively without going deeper into debt if they should need replacing.

Ownership of these symbols of wealth becomes a self-perpetuating illusion to satisfy the psychological need for acceptance.

Unfortunately, human behavior dictates that emotional needs often override logical thinking. It’s been said that the borrower is slave to the debt-owner, and with luxury items

Please see RAT RACE, page 18

Impact VIFF’s Impact Stream - Films that spark action and change the way we see the world.

Finance

in 2015, the debate rages on over the best way to tackle the issue. One aspect many people can agree on, however, is the fact that doctors are overprescribing these dangerous drugs, spurring addictions that can eventually send patients to the street to get their next high once their prescription runs out. http://bit.ly/2fCkFvQ

n Senate Approves Massive Funding for Endless US Wars of Aggression

Evolution of Organic

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n Monday, the Senate overwhelmingly passed its version of the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Only four undemocratic Dems and four Republicans voted against it. The bipartisan Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved it earlier, authorizing $700 billion for unprecedented militarism and aggressive wars against nations threatening no one. http://bit.ly/2x2iZOU

Mark Kitchell, USA, 87 min.

SAT. SEP 30 SUN. OCT 1

6:30 PM 1:15 PM

SFU-GCA SFU-GCA

“Organic” has become such a garden variety term that few of us give much thought to how this movement might’ve originated. Consequently, Mark Kitchell’s insightful documentary makes for engrossing viewing as it retraces the first steps of the motley, rebellious pioneers who thumbed their noses at chemical farming and set in motion a wave of change. Much more than just backstory, Evolution is essential viewing thanks to the glimpses it offers of the sustainable alternatives waiting on the horizon.

n The International Banking Cartel: Most Secret of Secrets

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here is a Criminal Banking Cartel (CBC) – which is an international organized crime syndicate. A grand misnomer is in the belief that they make all of their money by charging interest on loans. This is mistaken – they make their money through a financial mechanism called Fractional Reserve Banking. The interest that the bank collects on outstanding loans is intended solely as a “facsade” – a smoke screen to hide the real mechanism behind their wealth.

The true mechanism is a combination of Ponzi scheme and money laundering known as fractional reserve. http://bit.ly/2xI2wkX

n Financialization And The Sept 28 to Oct 13 Discover viff.org

Premier Partner

Premier Supporters

Supported by the Province of British Columbia

Destruction Of The Real Economy

S

trip an economy of capital, productive incentives, talent and yes, ethics, and what are we left with? An economy spiraling toward an inevitable collapse. Financialization is destroying the real economy, but few in power seem to notice or care. The reason why is painfully obvious: those in power are reaping vast fortunes from the engines of financialization–for example, former President Obama: Obama Goes From White House to Wall Street in Less Than One Year. http://bit.ly/2x2fLuT

Geo-Politics n Kinder Morgan Paid $115,000 To State Police To Stop Pipeline Protests

N

ew documents reveal the Massachusetts State Police were paid over $100,000 by Kinder Morgan Inc to prevent local activists and representatives of indigenous communities from stopping the Connecticut Expansion Pipeline project.

Environmental activists and local indigenous communities have been fighting the Connecticut Expansion Pipeline since 2014 when Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. first applied for development of the project. In recent months opponents of the project have been arrested for attempting blockades and obstruction of pipeline construction. However, newly released invoices may add more fuel to the fire as they reveal a cozy business relationship between the Kinder Morgan subsidiary and the Massachusetts State Police. http://bit.ly/2ywVsH1

n Big Pharma bribes 68,000 doctors with $47 million to prescribe dangerous painkiller drugs, analysis finds

I Page 8

As America grapples with alleviating the opioid addictioncrisis that killed more than 30,000 people in the country

n Pacific Northwest Resident Documents Metallic Fibers Falling From Sky

A

MI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) Smart Meters (AMI SMs) are being forced on to everyone’s home, apartment, condo and businesses in the United States with total disregard for numerous legal aspects, with one specifically-egregious issue experiencing total abandonment or disregard for the U.S. Constitution, plus individuals’ rights under their respective home states’ constitutions. Another issue I will not discuss here, but is crucial, is AMI SMs are fire hazards since most are built with plastic parts, are not grounded with surge protectors as analog meters were, and are subject to spiking sinusoidal wave activity, aka “dirty electricity”, thousands of times each day traveling over 60 Hz-rated copper wires inside home walls. If there’s a fire caused by an AMI SM, it’s deemed to be the property owner’s fault. Really! http://bit.ly/2xGCi2p

Health n Another Medical Study Links Fluoride To Lower IQ In Children

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luoridating municipal water supplies is akin to medicating someone without their consent, and is an abuse of human rights. The practice of fluoridation is justified as a necessary public health intervention to combat tooth decay, even thought the known dangers of fluoridation far exceed the potential benefit. The notion that drinking fluoridated water decreases IQ in children is backed up by a number of studies and testimony by people at the highest levels of public health. In 2012, a major Harvard study found that public water fluoridation poses a risk to the developing intelligence of children, essentially lowering the IQ of those in communities with public water fluoridation. http://bit.ly/2fwrueR

n CONFIRMED: Desk jobs and lots of daily sitting lead to an early graves

A

s technology advances, more workers are becoming electronically chained to their desks for several hours per day, and that sedentary work life is taking its toll, according to new research confirming earlier studies indicating lengthy sitting at work can lead to an early grave. As reported by The Washington Times, a new study by researchers from Columbia University builds on previous research and adds to an evergrowing body of evidence that our modern workplace and lifestyle is killing us sooner, even if we take time during the week to exercise regularly. The evidence seems to indicate that no matter our race, gender, sex, or other demographic factors, the results are the same — long periods of uninterrupted sitting is just not healthy http://bit.ly/2h7EVCh

Science, Tech & Beyond

n PROOF: Flu shots are the greatest medical fraud in the history of the world

A

Believe it or not, there are still millions of people, doctors, pharmacists and even journalists who do not yet realize there is a very high concentration of mercury in influenza vaccines given to pregnant women, children and senior citizens. Most people, you see, have been lied to by the media which has stated over and over again that mercury was removed from all vaccines. That’s simply not true. http://bit.ly/2fd9sBV

n Is This What You Want Outside Your Bedroom Window?

5

G is creating an environmental nightmare in more ways than technology addicts even can imagine! Since 5G waves don’t travel very far, innovative ‘cell towers’ of all shapes, types and sizes—including that of a refrigerator size—most likely will be ‘planted’ on a pole of some sort outside most buildings, including your home! 5G cell towers are noisy suckers, too, as they contain fans to keep them cool!

Another fire hazard like AMI Smart Meters? Just imagine “whirl, whirl, whirl” all night long outside your bedroom window sending EMF radiation along with that constant droning noise! And you can’t stop it!

n Researchers Connect A Human Mind To The Internet For First Time

H

ave you ever thought about whether future humans will live out aspects of their lives online in simulated environments, or even extend their natural lifespans by uploading their minds to a secure cloud ecosystem? It’s been a familiar idea in science fiction for decades. With news that Elon Musk was attempting to build a “neural lace,” the concept of a brainmachine interface (BMI) entered the public lexicon. Now, researchers at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa, claim to have linked a human mind to the Internet in real time — a biomedical first. The project, dubbed the “Brainternet,” required the researchers to gather EEG brainwave signals using only an Emotiv EEG device and a simple Raspberry Pi computer. The experiment allowed the human brain to become an information node in the Internet of Things (IoT). http://bit.ly/2fxaLIn

http://bit.ly/2kau8vM

n Scientists develop self-healing rubber that could mean punctured tires repair themselves as you drive

n Britain exports banned deadly weed killer to developing countries

T

housands of tonnes of highly-toxic weed killer not authorized for use in the EU is being produced in Britain and exported to the developing world, it has been revealed. Paraquat, a pesticide that can be lethal with a single sip, has caused thousands of accidental deaths and suicides globally, and was outlawed by EU states in 2007. It can be absorbed through the skin and has been linked to Parkinson’s disease. http://bit.ly/2xHAo1a Page 9

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lat tires and weak rubber bands may very soon become a thing of the past as researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) recently developed a new tough, self-healing rubber. While self-healing materials are not new, engineering the same properties on dry materials such as rubber poses a bigger challenge. According to the researchers, this is due to the rubber’s material make-up. Rubber is made up of polymers linked by permanent, covalent bonds that do not reconnect once broken. Following the molecular process, the scientists were able to create a transparent, tough, selfhealing rubber. http://bit.ly/2yLyEUQ

“Each scan I received after that was showing an improvement. I had been told that chemotherapy and radiotherapy doesn’t make much difference, so I knew it must be the cannabis doing it.”

By Tracey Watson www.naturalnews.com

A

SCOTTISH WOMAN GIVEN just months to live back in 2013 claims that she has cannabis oil to thank for the fact that she has been in remission for nearly four years. After being diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor, Lynn Cameron was subjected to the usual assault of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but to no avail – scans revealed no change, and doctors gave her between six and 18 months to live.

In desperation, Lynn eliminated sugar and processed foods from her diet (which was the best thing she could have done), and started researching alternative treatments. Initially skeptical about the healing powers of cannabis oil but feeling that she had nothing to lose, Lynn decided to give it a shot. Her results were nothing short of miraculous.

The Daily Mail recently reported that after suffering a sudden seizure in November 2013, Lynn was rushed to Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, where it was determined that she had a brain tumor; she was scheduled for surgery on December 16. The surgery was not a success, however, and doctors informed her that they had been unable to get the tumor out in its entirety, that her cancer was at stage 4, and that she was terminal. (Related: Learn more about cancer prevention and treatment and all the latest medical breakthroughs at Oncology.news.)

Though she initially tried conventional treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, when nothing else worked, Lynn overcame her earlier skepticism and decided to try cannabis oil.

Lynn ensured that the cannabis oil quickly and effectively entered her bloodstream by

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Cannabis beats ‘incurable’ brain tumor after chemo fails

placing the drops directly under her tongue.

She told the Daily Record, “I found it hard to believe that it would cure brain cancer so advanced. Each scan I received after that was showing an improvement. I had been told that chemotherapy and radiotherapy doesn’t make much difference, so I knew it must be the cannabis doing it. By the sixth MRI, the cancer had gone.”

Though she initially kept her cannabis oil treatment secret from her oncology team, when the treatment proved to be successful, she shared the information with them. They were less than convinced, however.

Nonetheless, Lynn is far from being the only cancer patient to provide anecdotal evidence of their successful use of cannabis oil to treat this condition.

And lab tests have confirmed that certain compounds in cannabis oil can kill some cancer cells.

Cannabis oil contains two main medicinal compounds: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the “high” associated with cannabis use, and which is a powerful painkiller; and cannabidiol (CBD), which has the powerful ability to kill cancer cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue.

In the U.S. 30 states have now legalized cannabis for medicinal use, and in the U.K.

CBD has been classified as a medicine for its “restoring, correcting or modifying” effects in humans, while THC has been accepted as an effective painkiller.

A recent study by researchers from the University of London found that a compound in CBD was a significant weapon against cancerous tumors in leukemia. Of course, researchers felt obliged to combine the CBD treatment with conventional chemotherapy.

The Mail reported on the researchers’ findings: Combining existing chemotherapy treatments with cannabinoids – the active chemicals in cannabis – had better results than chemotherapy alone. The findings suggest that a lower dose of chemotherapy can be used on patients, minimizing side effects of the treatment.

Of course, the researchers didn’t think to try CBD alone.

Interestingly, the study’s lead author, Dr. Wai Liu, stressed the critical importance of administering CBD after the use of chemotherapy. He noted, “We have shown for the first time that the order in which cannabinoids and chemotherapy are used is crucial in determining the overall effectiveness of this treatment.”

Of course that could be because chemotherapy is nothing but a toxic chemical cocktail that destroys the body’s immune system, while CBD is a powerful healer that can actually kill cancer cells without damaging the body. They need to make sure you get the CBD after the chemotherapy has just about killed you.

Of course, the mainstream medical establishment would never admit that.

Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk; DailyRecord.co.uk

By Cameron S. Bigger www.wakingtimes.com

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ISTED BELOW are four lethal connections between Big Pharma and some of our most popular consumer products, of which all consumers deserve to be made aware.

Nestlé and Prometheus Therapeutics & Diagnostics

Nestlé is the world’s largest food & beverage corporation, owning more than 2,000 brands in 191 countries. The vast majority of Nestlé’s profits come from dairy-centric products. Some of their most popular brands include Gerber Baby, Nesquik Chocolate Milk, Toll House, Kit Kat, Crunch Bar, Hot Pockets, DiGiorno, Lean Cuisine, and Dreyer’s Ice Cream.

Nestlé also owns the pharmaceutical company Prometheus Therapeutics and Diagnostics, whose message to doctors is: “Prometheus is your partner in helping patients with chronic digestive disorders live active, healthy lives.”

Celiac disease is one of today’s most prevalent and lucrative digestive disorders, estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Prometheus has its very own celiac disease website, which heavily warns against gluten intake, but doesn’t mention that a patient’s symptomatology could be caused by lactose intolerance, even though the symptoms of the two diseases are very similar, and it’s well recognized that celiac patients have a proven high chance of lactose intolerance. In fact, regarding the global rise in celiac disease prevalence, prominent celiac researcher Dr. Detlef Schuppan declared: “The amount of gluten ingested does not explain it.”

When a corporation so heavily profits from the commercial use of dairy, a well-known digestive irritant, while also

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4 Popular Companies Who Own The Medical Treatments For The Diseases Their Products Cause

profiting from prescribing treatments for the side effects of improper digestion, is a major conflict of interest. If we continue to pay Nestlé $92.3B per year, watch celiac cases continue to skyrocket—even amidst all the new gluten-free options.

Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals

The main ingredient of Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ) baby powder is talcum powder, or talc. Several studies have linked frequent usage of talc in the genital region to pelvic inflammation and an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

JNJ also owns Janssen Pharmaceuticals, who manufactures one of the top ovarian cancer chemotherapy drugs: Doxil. Doxil costs $2,758 per every 25ml. Ovarian cancer patients are recommended to have 50ml injected once a month for at least 4 monthly cycles. So,

50ml of Doxil, the monthly dosage, costs $5,516, and if repeated for 4 monthly cycles, as recommended, the total cost of Doxil treatment is $22,064.

In 2017, about 22,000 women in the U.S. will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer, and about 14,000 U.S. women will die from ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is ranked 5th among all cancer deaths in women, making it the most lethal form of cancer of the female reproductive system.

Today, an American woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer during her lifetime is around 1 in 75, and her chances of dying from ovarian cancer is around 1 in 100.

When we multiply the 22,000 thousand new U.S. cases of ovarian cancer per year by the $22,000 cost of a round of Doxil chemo, this comes out to a $484 million per year opportunity for JNJ. It should now be evident why Johnson & Johnson shouldn’t be allowed to sell talcum-laced baby powder while also

selling ovarian cancer chemo treatments.

Merisant Sweeteners and vTv Therapeutics

Merisant is a top global manufacturer of artificial sweetener brands whose products are currently being sold in over 90 countries. Equal Zero Calorie Sweetener is Merisant’s flagship product, which produced sales of $36.2 million in 2014.

Merisant is owned by MacAndrews and Forbes, who also own vTv Therapeutics. vTv Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the clinical-stage discovery and invention of treatments, primarily for Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 Diabetes, as well as central nervous system diseases, metabolic disorders, inflammation, and cancer.

Now, one of Equal Sweetener’s main ingredients is aspartame. Human research has already proven aspartame’s connection to memory loss and learning impairment, and there is promising animal research indicating both aspartame’s role in promoting obesity by blocking gut enzyme activity and that aspartame induces significant increases in lymphomas and leukaemias at doses very near to those at which humans can be exposed.

Should we really continue to allow the people who so massively profit from selling aspartame-laced Equal Sweetener the opportunity to also own and sell the pharmaceuticals that deal with the sideeffects of aspartame consumption?

Hearthside Food Solutions and 21st Century Oncology

Hearthside Food Solutions is the United States’ largest independent bakery,

Please see MEDICAL, page 20

Along with the transcendence of our consciousness comes a transformation of our senses, which

The Rise of

“The Presence”

by Jurgen Ziewe

www.multidimensonalman.com

Focusing our attention on living in the present we will inevitably become aware of a completely new aspect entering our lives, which feels like a Presence, a personification of the present, the here and now, the Stillness surrounding us. This becomes our new silent companion, a “Being” or “Beingness” that in some curious way almost appears external to us but is in fact our intimate partner that desires nothing more than to be united with us. Whenever we choose to merge with this presence, we are rewarded by a feeling of rapture and joy and the only expressions we can respond with are surrender and unconditional love.

One could say that this “Presence” can act as a lever or as an elevator, which can take us into a super dimensional state of consciousness. It is always close at hand, waiting patiently for our attention from the moment we open our eyes in the morning to when we close them at night and it will even be there in our dreams. Poets have referred to it as their lover.

This is a commonly reported phenomena

and it has been given many names, such as God, a religious avatar like Jesus, Krishna, etc. depending on religious conditioning. Atheists (and they are not excluded from realizing the higher consciousness), may simply refer to it as the “Observer” or Consciousness. Whatever name we choose to give it, it is thought of as originating from within the right hemisphere of our brain, the area which becomes more activated during regular meditation. We could be forgiven for thinking that it is simply the release of serotonin and a function of the brain activated by a deliberate reprogramming, but this is not the point. Whatever the mechanics the undeniable fact remains that we have opened the lock, even if it is a chemical one, to a higher state of consciousness and reality. The argument put forward by materialistic science, that it is all in the brain, is simply pointless and irrelevant to the actual experience.

Some people regard this ”Presence” coming to the fore as the “Higher Self”.

Others think of it as their Soul or if they are conditioned by religious belief they may regard it as their Guardian Angel, Jesus or another representative or deity of their religion.

However, names are little more than

labels for something that is very much beyond definition. What matters is the reality of being aware that we are not alone, that we have a permanent connection to a higher and truly universal consciousness. In a sense we could regard it as a personalized aspect of this consciousness, which provides a connection that allows us to shift our focus instantly from our mundane everyday world into a greater reality that is truly where we belong.

There can be an instantaneousness to enlightenment, but more often than not enlightenment is a gradual process, which develops from a small overgrown track and into a grand highway the more we travel it using meditation as our transport.

A new illuminated mindset

Along with the transcendence of our consciousness comes a transformation of our senses, which greatly affects our perception, our emotional life, our thinking and how we experience reality.

Here I would like to report how such change may manifest in our everyday life and the effect it has. True to the spirit of this paper and my website I can only report the phenomena (in a very limited way) as I have experienced them myself, and I am certain that the manifestation will vary according to individual temperament and disposition.

We also have to free ourselves from the misconception propagated over the years that this state of consciousness propels us into a category of higher beings, to be revered and worshipped.

This is simply nonsense and a remnant of our old spiritual conditioning that puts this natural state of consciousness beyond the reach of ordinary people.

We will have to get used to the fact that we are talking about the most natural state of being which should really be regarded as the status quo for every one of us. I simply do not accept that this state of mind will make us stand out from the crowd. I have come across people in my life who would never consider themselves to be enlightened, and yet they fulfilled all the criteria outlined earlier. We also need to consider that the enlightened way is not a closed path, but an infinitely expanding and unwinding road.

Until now I have only presented the most common description that describes the awakened mind from a cognitive viewpoint. There are however other aspects which affect our emotion, perception and subliminal sensory awareness.

All this may vary from person to person and is heavily reliant on the individual temperament.

In the end it is the experience of the individuals to build up their own database, because each one of us is different. The beauty is that each of us will manifest their new universe in their own individual way. My own bias, as an artist, is heavily weighted in favour of visual perception, and it has helped me to unlock an inner space and landscape that I regard as my own particularized manifestation of the greater reality.

Emotional

One of the most powerful signs of an awakening consciousness is the absence of existential fear.

Our lack of identification with the phenomena surrounding us gives us a new sense of freedom. There is a constant feeling of ease as we realize we are on home ground wherever we are. Instead of getting involved in the theatre around us we become the audience, watching from a position of stillness without judgment. Sometimes the enjoyment this brings can be a source of entertainment as well as amusement.

When faced with tragedy deep empathy and compassion arises and a powerful urge to help to alleviate suffering. At the same time we are also the observer that prevents us from being swallowed up by external events. It’s not the knowledge that events are transient, but the actual experience of the underlying stillness

One of the most powerful signs of an awakening consciousness is the absence of existential fear.

One could say that this “Presence” which can take us into a super dim Page 12

h greatly affects our perception, our emotional life, our thinking and how we experience reality. not hampered by having to represent fixed viewpoints. Instead we adapt dynamically to reality as it is rather than as it appears. The illuminated mind picks out underlying patterns and observes connections within complex systems in relationship to adopted viewing angles, always aware that adopted points are subject to the dynamic flow of reality.

Sometimes pure genius can be a result of this. This illuminated genius can manifest in any human endeavors, whether it is science, the arts or any other playing field where the mind is employed as a trusted instrument of a higher consciousness. Characterized by detachment from traditional dogma, beliefs and rigid mental constructs, openness to new ideas, spontaneity and a sense of adventure take its place often pursuing very untraditional ways to effect an outcome which can be revolutionary and original.

Taking credit for a positive outcome is never part of an agenda. Dialogues are carried by wisdom and if judgments have to be made they are based on enlightened common sense and not on traditional dictates. Focus and attention on a subject are guided by an inner awareness of their reality and driven towards unity and conclusion.

The principles of oneness and unity are paramount in exchanges of thoughts and ideas.

Perceptual

which underpins all events and which allows us such detachment and even peace amidst external turmoil.

Generally life is experienced on a note of calm, ease and peace. Confidence in our place of where we are at any one moment, and an intimate awareness that there is nothing outside of consciousness instills a deep sense of “being at home”. We experience our life as a great privilege and are humbled by the fact that we are given a place in the great arena.

Our constant awareness of the present (and the “Presence”) is often expressed by an intense outpouring of love. We experience a deep connection towards fellow life forms. Being aware that there are underlying causes for everything and our understanding that life is as it is meant to be instills in us a non-judgmental attitude towards experiences, events and people.

Instead of defining our own ego and its social attachments, our new consciousness encompasses much more. We have little interest in prestige, acclaim and recognition and the party games of our social selves. Praise and awards are water off a duck’s back. Any former attachments to display ourselves in a “good light” are replaced by authenticity and humility as we are constantly shown that we are only one part in an infinite sea of a greater consciousness, which embraces all.

Cognitive

Although we may not see the minute intricacies and underlying connections of an external event we are nevertheless aware of an ever-evolving flow of causality, which prevents us from rushing into conclusion and judgment.

This doesn’t prevent us from taking action, but the action is part of the flow of circumstances and never dictated by dogma or prejudice. Our new thinking operates from a vantage point of unity rather than separation. Our action is

Without the distraction of the internal chatter of our thoughts our attention is more focused on the moment. Consequently we become much more aware of the sights and sounds surrounding us and entering our awareness.

As I mentioned in a previous chapter (http://www.multidimensionalman.com/ Multidimensional-Man/What_is_Heaven_like. html) on the super dimensional reality, we are operating from a higher dimensional level, which is characterized by a state of order and symmetry. As the universe manifests on the lower material dimensions, chaos is introduced. Our awakened senses of perception are conditioned by the principles of symmetry and harmony, which the higher consciousness infuses into our mind from a dimension of unity. As a result it is not unusual for our perception to undergo a dramatic change.

Instead of seeing the random chaos of our material senses we perceive the world around us as a manifestation of a higher order or more accurately, we perceive the order within the chaos. We consider such perception as evidence that the “external” verifiable universe is in essence a projection of consciousness. We manifest our own heaven, our own universe in the way we perceive. For example it can mean that a heightened sense of awareness no longer see the pebbles on the path as random, but instead perceives its underlying symmetry which shunts it into a pleasing pattern. The same may equally apply to the colours that may become more vibrant.

This is not such a far-fetched concept. We only have to remember what the world looks like when we are depressed or happy, because the outside world is a reflection of our inner world. On the higher state of consciousness what is traditionally regarded as beautiful becomes more beautiful and trance evoking.

Auditory impressions too are no longer experienced as chaotic noise, but are often heard as if being carried by some form of coherent score. Where they are experienced in nature, away from the overbearing loudness of modern life, the sounds blend and harmonize together. The soundscape of nature can be

” can act as a lever or as an elevator, mensional state of consciousness.

Page 13

experienced as a form of symphony, perceived as a synchronistic composition. Our other senses become enhanced and purified. Subtle tastes and smells are experienced in a new way and more distinguished.

Repetition becomes a thing of the past. The daily drive to the office is experienced as if for the first time, each time. The reality of newness and nonrepetition of the higher plane where creation is a constant renewal, finds its way down in our experience of the worldly reality. This is partly due to the fact that we have stopped comparing with past experience and are learning to appreciate the constant subtle flow of manifestation in any present moment.

We can compare this experience to that of a child who investigates the bark of a tree for the first time before it has learned that the tree or its bark has a name. This too points to the fact that our right brain hemisphere adopts a more prominent position in our perception of the world. However, this does not mean that we have to unlearn our language, quite the opposite, words too reveal themselves at a deeper level and give us access to their true meaning and their

inner poetry.

Extrasensory

Increased heightened sensitivity to other people, awareness of their inner life and their psychological makeup is simply a result that our perception is no longer filtered through our interpretation and prejudice. We see people for what they are and any gameplay becomes obvious. We can no longer be deceived.

Taken to another level and we may even develop clairvoyance.

But any new extrasensory skills that may or may not show up are generally regarded with the same attitude as all our other sensual enhancements. They are simply seen as a natural extension to our awareness and regarded with detachment.

This applies to other new sets of skill such as Lucid dreams and Outof-body experiences, which may naturally occur as we become more aware of our nocturnal existence. They are rarely pursued for their own sake, because the core of our awareness is rooted in a much higher dimension. These added skills are neither rejected nor given a special place. They are simple integrated as part of our new and enhanced awareness of reality.

The argument put forward by materialistic science, that it is all in the brain, is simply pointless and irrelevant to the actual experience.

Wild Mediterranean Oil of Oregano

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” ~ Zen Proverb

By Gary Z Mcgee

fractalenlightenment.com

I

N OUR WESTERN WORLD, we have the tendency to always seek an end result. We’re taught to work toward an end that justifies the means. We’re often conditioned to put the cart of our needto-reach-enlightenment in front of the horse that will get us there. “There” being some heightened or exalted state “above it all.”

Zen teaches the opposite of this. There is no such state. There is no final enlightenment.

Or, if there is, it can only possibly exist in the moment, during the process, unattached to enlightenment. Or, so completely nonattached to it that one becomes connected to all things through it. It’s not a destination but a direction. It’s not a truth but a process. It is only achievable when it is understood that it is ultimately unachievable. The only way to find enlightenment is not to seek it, but to simply be it without needing to be it.

Just breathe through it. Breathe in World.

Breathe out Ego. Repeat.

But if that’s not enough for you, here are seven empowering Zen practices you can add to your arsenal of enlightenment.

1) Zen and the art of deep questioning

“The Truth knocks on the door and you say, ‘Go away, I’m looking for the truth,’ and so it goes away, puzzled.” ~ Robert M. Pirsig What’s crucial to understand is that the focus in Zen is to ask the right questions. Questions are primary. Answers are secondary, if even that.

This is because answers are fluid and extremely personal, unique to each person. In Zen answers are flexible and malleable constructs, or should be.

Questions are as well, but questions are more of a foundation than answers.

7 Zen Principles and How to Apply Them to Modern Life

Deep questioning is philosophical questioning: spiritual and existential questions that emerge organically from Zen contemplation. The attempt to answer these deep questions is a joy in itself, whether or not one arrives at an “answer.” In the art of deep questioning, improving upon the question is important, discovering an answer is less important.

2) Insight and Zen Koans:

“If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” ~ Zen Koan Zen koans are mental puzzles meant to force or shock the mind into enlightenment. Like this section’s opening quote for example. It shocks the mind into no-mind. It forces the independent mind to open up to the interdependent mind. It rescues us from drowning in our all too comfortable yet

stagnant waters.

The point of the koan is to exhaust the analytic and egoic mind in order to reveal the more intuitive no-mind.

They simply point out that reality itself cannot be “caught” in explanation, only released into improvisation. We can all use Zen koans to leverage some insight into our mostly imperceptive lives.

Better yet, create some unique koans of your own and see what happens.

3) De-emphasize mere knowledge of sutras and sacred doctrines:

“I have lived with several Zen masters– all of them cats.” ~ Eckhart Tolle Don’t overestimate sacred doctrines.

Most of them are overrated at best and outdated at worst. They will quickly make you spiritually lazy and existentially complacent.

Read them, absorb them, take them into deep consideration, and then move on with your Zen-full heart filled but your deep questioning mind open to fresh possibilities.

Favor direct insight into spiritual and Zen practices. Getting hands-on with the process through meditation practice and daily discipline is far superior and healthier than

relying only on sutras and doctrine.

Take from them what healthy knowledge you can gain, but focus more on learning directly through Zazen or hands-on with accomplished teachers.

4) Zazen: Get to know your “original face”:

“It is simply sitting silently, witnessing the thoughts, passing before you. Just witnessing, not interfering not even judging, because the moment you judge you have lost the pure witness. The moment you say, “this is good, this is bad,” you have already jumped onto the thought process.” ~ Osho Zazen is the core practice of Zen. It literally means, “seated meditation.” It’s all about sitting and breathing and letting thoughts, images, ideas, and words to just pass by without getting involved with them. It’s simply deep focused breathing with the intent to clear the mind and relinquish it of all things, including the self.

Once the overactive monkey mind is quieted one’s “original face” appears. As Zen master Daito explained, “Thoughts can be compared to clouds. When clouds vanish, the moon appears. The moon of suchness is the Original Face. Thoughts are also like the fogging of a mirror. When you wipe away all condensation, a mirror reflects clearly. Quiet your thoughts and behold your Original Face before you were born.”

5) Zen Chanting (Om):

“Om the Divine song is at the same time Symmetry, Supersymmetry, broken Symmetry, and the unbroken Symmetry of Nature.” ~ Amit Ray Om has been described as the sound of the universe. It is the primordial frequency of the universe that contains all sounds in itself. As such, Om is the sound of supreme

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Nature Has the Solutions

By Sayer Ji

www.greenmedinfo.com

Y

OU MAY THINK that staying slim and eating healthfully means NO sweets, but guess what? There are natural and delicious sweeteners that won’t wreck your diet, and are even GOOD for you!

No arena of health and wellness is more debatable than what we should be eating. Looking back through time, the foods that constitute a healthy diet have changed so dramatically, you can literally mark the passage of time by the coming and going of dietary fads. n Weight-loss clubs and diet pill popping in the 1970s n Cabbage soup and liquid diets in the ‘80s n The Zone and blood-type diets (along with lawsuits related to diet pills!) in the ‘90s n In the aughts, Atkins and glutenfree n In the 2010’s, it’s Paleo, raw, and local Despite this obsessive focus on what to eat, Americans are fatter and in many ways, unhealthier than ever before[1]. In 2016, two-thirds of the adult population were considered overweight or obese, according to a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services study[2]. This health epidemic spans ethnic and cultural boundaries, and is affecting more adults and children every year.

One factor that is contributing to America’s growing problem with weight is our obsession with sugar. You probably don’t need to see the results of a clinical study to believe that the more sugary calories you consume, the greater your risks of obesity[3]. What you may not know is that what passes for sugar these days is actually a hyper-sweetened extract of one of the cheapest, most heavilysprayed, GMO-pervasive crops on the planet.

Wondering what options this leaves you when only something sweet will do?

Fortunately, nature has got you covered.

Here are four solutions for satisfying your sweet tooth that won’t rot your teeth, create blood sugar imbalance, or cause weight gain. In fact, these natural wonders pack some amazing health benefits!

Xylitol

4 Healthy

Sugar Alternatives increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, fatty liver disease, diabetes, and more[6].

What About ZeroCalorie Sweeteners?

Why Sugar Isn’t Sugar Anymore Despite a marked decrease in consumption of refined cane and beet sugars over the last generation, we are taking in more dietary sugar overall, thanks to the prevalence of corn-based sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, in nearly everything on grocery store shelves[4].

Switching to corn-based sweeteners is a case of jumping from the funnel cake grease into the fire! Corn syrup has become the go-to sweetening agent for processed foods due to its low cost and high concentration (at least 1.5 times that of cane sugar). Thanks to government subsidies, corn is alluringly cheap for

Page 15

food and beverage companies that need a steady supply of sweetness.

Corn is also a top GMO crop with at least 92% of the nation’s corn supply being genetically modified to withstand large doses of herbicides[5]. Setting aside the shocking effects of GMO consumption, this intense concentration of simple sugar is wreaking havoc on the collective metabolism. Studies abound correlating intake of high-fructose sweeteners to

Aspartame, Equal, sucralose, Splenda, saccharin: they go by many names but do any of them sound truly sweet? Not when you read the nearly 100 scientific abstracts Greenmedinfo has collected on the perils of artificial sweeteners. Chemical fascimiles of sugar, these unnatural compounds can be far worse than the real thing.

Linked to increased risks of kidney disease, metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, and obesity, these calorie-free sugar substitutes trick consumers into thinking that previously unhealthy foods can get “a sugar-free pass.” But fake sugars are far from harmless. Studies show consuming synthetic sweeteners generates excessive cravings for the sweet taste, leading to weight gain and other negative effects linked to excessive sugar consumption[7].

While it might be tempting to think that these sugar imposters can help you bypass the weight and still eat the treats, if you value your health, steer clear of these dietary destroyers!

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from xylose - a crystalline sugar found in birch bark[8]. Sweet like sugar but with only 40% of the calories, xylitol is fast becoming the preferred sweetener of health-conscious consumers.

Low-carb dieters will find xylitol appealing, with less than a quarter of the carbohydrates found in cane sugar. It also stands apart from synthetic sweeteners thanks to its natural origins. Besides birch trees, xylitol is found in the cellular structure of fruits like raspberries, and in vegetables like the corn-cob. Even our bodies produce xylitol (between 5-15 grams per day) during normal metabolic processes.

With a glycemic rating of 13, xylitol is metabolized around eight times slower than regular sugar, making it a safer choice for diabetics. Unlike sugar, which provokes the release of insulin in response to its consumption, xylitol is metabolized independently of insulin in the gut. It metabolizes slower and steadier than sugar, making it a much safer sweetener for hypoglycemics and the sugar-sensitive.

And there’s good news for sufferers of cavities or Candida: Xylitol actually discourages the bacterial growth that feeds these conditions. The bacteria that cause candida, dental caries, and even Streptococcus mutans, thrive in acidbased environments, with sugar as their food of choice. Xylitol is non-fermentable, creating an alkaline reaction in the body that bacteria find inhospitable.

Xylitol consumption has been shown to dramatically decrease cavities and ear and throat infections, among other infectious organisms.

The dental health community is one of the biggest supporters of Xylitol. Studies have shown that plaque build-up and dental caries can be reduced by 80% with the introduction of moderate amounts of xylitol (up to half an ounce per day).

Research also indicates that consuming xylitol may increase bone strength and bone density. *Important Notes: Xylitol can have a laxative effect, so start slowly. It is best to obtain Xylitol from a manufacturer who uses birch rather than corn. Finally, Xylitol

Please see SUGAR ALTERNATIVES, page 17

By Tru Foods Nutrition www.naturalnewsblogs.com

T

HIS IS A BUZZ word lately along with gut health and the microbiome. Why is this such as big deal? Should you even be concerned, especially if you do not have any stomach digestive issues?

The answer is yes, you should know how your gut health impacts many aspects of your health, not just physical but your mental health as well. It is a very common health issue today yet many people are unaware of it and traditional medical professionals do not address it typically, most likely because they have never been taught about it in medical school

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? (LGS)

Leaky gut syndrome (LGS) and intestinal permeability mean the same thing. When you have LGS, food particles that should normally be broken down into their parts (usually these are proteins) are instead passed through the gut lining in their unbroken down state. They then travel through the blood stream and can wreak havoc in your body.

While there they trigger an over stimulation of the immune system and allergic reactions.

In a healthy gut, you would have tight junctions along the gut wall so that food gets digested and absorbed via the normal digestion process. This gut lining can become inflamed (for many reasons-see list below) and these tight junctions can separate creating holes in this protective barrier. The toxins are now passing through these tears in the intestinal wall. Once they enter the blood stream they can trigger an immune response which is protective rather than a healing response.

Think of LGS as intruders invading your home. If the door stays open (LGS) the intruders will constantly enter with nothing to stop them.

Thus, if your root causes for LGS are not addressed, that door will continue to stay open and more damage will be done to your home.

Page 16

Leaky Gut Syndrome And Why You Need to Know About It LGS Symptoms

Gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation ADHD Depression Anxiety Alzheimer’s disease Autism Bipolar GERD Poor immune functioning (get every cold that comes around or take a long time to recover form illness) Brain fog, memory loss Headaches Excessive fatigue Nutritional deficiencies (not absorbing your nutrients) Allergies

Asthma Skin issues (eczema, psoriasis, acne) IBS IBD Other autoimmune conditions such as Hashimotos, celiac disease, fibromyalgia Arthritis, inflamed joints, chronic pain Changes in mood, weight, and appetite

What to Do if Have a Leaky Gut

The first thing to do if you know you have leaky gut is to identify what is causing it.

Some causes of leaky gut include (not an exhaustible list):

Over time then the issue becomes chronic.

Once the issue becomes chronic, it places stress upon the liver. The liver attempts to clean up this toxic overload but the liver may now be overburdened and cannot keep up. This burden will lead to even more consequences over time.

Over time this leads to low grade infections within the body and can affect your gut health but can also affect your brain and your liver. It can contribute to autoimmune disease, autism and allergies. It has been linked to MS, chronic fatigue syndrome, acne, eczema, psoriasis, and IBS to name a few.

When you Have Identified your Causes

NSAIDS Anorexia Candida Old age Alcohol abuse Chemo and radiation Parasitic infection GMO’s, pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate Antibiotic use Food allergies/food sensitivities Standard American Diet Diet high in refined sugar and processed, refined carbs Gluten (today’s gluten is sprayed) Pasteurized dairy Meats from CAFO (confined animal factory operations) Chronic elevated cortisol levels

(often there is more than one) Then Follow a Step by Step Protocol: n Remove the identifying causes from your diet (if you need to, work with a nutritional professional who can help you identify your root causes and possibly order testing such as IgG food allergy testing, Stool testing, Organic Acid tests, zonulin or lactulose tests ). n Add in supportive foods for your body, such as leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, quality fats and proteins. Eat whole foods as much as possible.

Hydrate with filtered water and organic herbal teas. n Add in herbs and supportive supplements to promote gut healing and liver detox (it is best to work under the guidance of

a professional at this point as some herbs and supplements can interact with meds or may not be suitable for some health conditions) n Add in prebiotic and probiotic rich foods such as kefir, kimchi, fermented vegetables, miso and tempeh, raw onions and garlic, asparagus and Jerusalem artichoke.

How to Avoid LGS

The best way to avoid LGS is to avoid the list of roots causes above. In addition to that, supporting your gut health and your immune health is key with prebiotic and probiotic rich foods daily and stick to a whole foods diet as much as you can (I like an 80/20 plan).

Uses herbs and supplements as needed on an individualized basis. I don’t recommend specifics here because everyone has different needs and a different constitution and thus each plan should be targeted for your health needs instead of generalized.

Sources

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/25734566 https://chriskresser.com/howstress-wreaks-havoc-on-your-gut/ Bauman, E. & Friedlander, J. (2014) Therapeutics in Nutrition. CA: Bauman College Nichols, T. & Faas, N. (2005) Optimal Digestive Health. VT: Healing Arts Press. /www.functionalmedicine university.com/public/leaky-gut.cfm Tru Foods Nutrition: Nutrition Consultant At Tru Foods Nutrition Services LLC (http:// trufoodsnutrition.com%20/) I am a nutrition professional with a focus on mental health and gut health. I am also passionate about getting nutrition information out to the public so that others can take charge of their own health instead of living on meds.

I help others who have tried the medical route and who are often are worse off because of it. Nutrition therapy has an individualized approach and addresses root causes.

SWEET CHERUBIM

VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE

Sugar Alternatives From page 15

is extremely toxic to dogs, so please keep it away from Fido! Xylitol is sometimes made from corn, which includes GMO corn. Look for the higher quality, nonGMO certified, and best of all: birch tree derived form.

Stevia

300 times sweeter than sugar and without caloric content, the Stevia plant has been used by native people to sweeten food and drink for centuries. Stevia’s popularity as a modern sugar substitute grew in the 1990’s, and new research confirms what tribal cultures knew: this plant provides a safe, affordable and tasty alternative to expensive and potentially dangerous sweeteners.

The study[9], published in August 2017, calls Stevia “a suitable calorie-free sweetener,” with both “pharmacological and therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and anticancer.” Researchers further heralded Stevia’s positive effects on those metabolic conditions aggravated by excess sugar consumption, namely obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Stevia reduces blood sugar, reduces blood pressure, combats infections, and reduces risks of diabetes. One study even found that consuming stevia was as effective as a popular oral antidiabetic drug, but with fewer side effects.

If you haven’t tried Stevia in a while, you will be pleasantly surprised by new formulations. What began as a strongtasting plant extract only available in Ciwko & Cristall present

health food stores, is now widely available in crystallized-sugar form, as a finely distilled concentrate, and in formulations that approximate the less-sweet taste of cane sugar, but without the negative effects!

Raw Honey

Identified as containing more than 181 health-promoting substances[10], honey converts the vital, healing energy of plants into a medium that is perfect for human consumption. Rich in phytonutrients (nutrients absorbed from plants), raw honey is renowned worldwide for having powerful anti-oxidative and antiinflammatory properties[11].

Raw, unfiltered honey is very different from the pasteurized product you find on most grocery store shelves. Nearly all commercially-produced honey is heated to kill potentially harmful bacteria, reduce crystallization, and improve product flow.

Unfortunately, this process also kills the vital, living enzymes and good bacteria which make raw honey one of the world’s oldest-known superfoods.

The bacteria in raw honey serves as a prebiotic: a substance containing helpful microorganisms that aid in the process of digestion. When consumed raw, honey’s natural enzymes aid in the breakdown and assimilation of the many nutrients it contains.

Raw honey is also rich in powerful antioxidants called phenolic compounds, known to play an important role in cancer prevention[12]. These compounds found in honey have also shown promise in reducing arterial blockages and lowering overall risks associated with cardiovascular disease[13].

Perhaps most profound of all is that

Ani DiFranco BINARY on tour

Monday November 6 8pm Vancouver Playhouse New Record New Songs Same Great Artist! ticketstonight.ca Page 17

raw honey contains probiotic strains that are so ancient that one form of Lactobacillus present with certain varieties is believed to be of a lineage 80 million years old. Learn more: Could Eating Honey Be A Form of Microbial Time Travel?

Molasses

Blackstrap molasses, known to sugar-refiners as “final molasses,” refers to the thick, brown syrup that is the end result of boiling sugar cane during the production of table sugar.

What sets molasses apart from cane sugar, besides the obvious appearance, is its high nutritional value. Unlike its nutritionally bankrupt cousin, a 3.5 oz serving of blackstrap molasses contains more than a quarter of your daily supply of vital minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and B vitamins[14]. Molasses delivers this nutritional punch with much less sugar, thanks to being at the end of the line of the crystalline-sugar extraction process[15].

Molasses has long been a popular folk remedy, treating everything from menstrual cramps to constipation[16].

An old wives’ tale credits an elixir of molasses and milk with having the power to maintain endless youth and beauty.

There may be some truth to this, thanks to molasses’ high antioxidant content[17].

Polyphenols, the plant compounds that imbue antioxidant properties, are abundant in molasses, and have been recognized for having anti-cancer properties[18] in clinical studies.

A 2011 study showed that adding molasses to a high-fat diet had the effect of reducing body weight and body fat

percentages, thanks to decreased calorie absorption. Researchers concluded that “supplementing food with molasses extract might be a way to address the escalating rates of overweight and obesity.”[19] Rich in copper, iron, and calcium, molasses can play a vital role in maintaining healthy blood and bones.

This makes molasses a great alternative to non-nutritive sweeteners for pregnant or nursing women, or women who are trying to become pregnant. It also makes a great dietary supplement for women at risk of developing osteoporosis.

These four, healthful alternatives to sugar prove that craving a taste of sweetness doesn’t have to cause cavities, promote weight gain, or lead to blood sugar imbalances. On the contrary, when we look to nature, we find natural foods that actually sweeten our health, as well as our palates.

For a list of complete references and source materials please go to: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/ blog/4-sugar-alternatives-wont-poisonyou Sayer Ji is founder of Greenmedinfo. com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Consciousness From page 3

experiences that appear to throw doubt upon its validity. Challenges to the turbine theory of consciousness have come from increasing evidence of ‘after death’ conscious experiences. According to the orthodox view, consciousness ceases when the brain dies – i.e., no generator, no current. For most of us this may seem like an obvious deduction.

However, evidence to the contrary is now contradicting this theory. Many cases are now proving that human consciousness is maintained even though a person is technically declared brain dead. The near-death experience (known as the NDE) has been reported by sufficiently large numbers of people who were declared brain-dead.

Conscious experience in brain dead people has been reported in almost 25 percent of tracked cases. The NDE phenomenon has now been widely researched and discussed by many credible sources.[v] Furthermore, this phenomenon is not new and there are accounts of NDEs occurring in medieval times.[vi] The existence of consciousness – a by-product of brain activity – in the absence of brain function cannot be accounted for by the mainstream turbine theory. There are also numerous indications that human consciousness exists in cases of permanent death. That is, many years after a person has died their consciousness remains available for contact and communication; whether through channelling or forms of ESP. However, in these cases the actual person is unable to return to life to corroborate the experience personally.

Yet there is now enough credible evidence to put doubt into the mainstream theory that consciousness is solely a by-product of

Rat Race From page 7

debt is the rule not the exception. Debt is healthy for those in power and contributes to a needy and thus obligated worker.

The current wisdom of slave, spend and save for retirement has only one destiny. That destiny can be summed up in three sentences.

Spend your healthiest and most productive years working to support a life of materials and thus illusions of success while elevated stress damage your health. During this time, be sure to save enough money for retirement so you can enjoy those years of the subsequent poor health. And lastly, do it in the name of pride for your company and country.

I take pride in being American, as I’m sure most Americans do, however, if you’re reading this you’re likely smart enough to see the holes in the daily grind. It saps our creative potential and our physical, as well as our spiritual energy. We don’t need any studies to tell us how stressed we are and subsequently, how unhealthy we are. The physical manifestations of stress such as obesity, hypertension, heart disease, increased risk of cancer, depression, anxiety and many others tell us all we need to know. They tell us that we need a better work/ life balance. They tell us that the pendulum has swung too much in the direction of work and away from life. Fortunately, there’s a way that we can take it back.

Tyler Durden

The most important way to restore this balance is to realize the power that we, as consumers, hold. Tyler Durden, the protagonist in the film, Fight Club said it best… “…advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.”

The marketing and advertising industry know, more than anyone else, what motivates the human mind and how to tap into those instinctual drives. To defend against this Page 18

localized brain activity.

From this position of critical uncertainty Laszlo took the next step to suggest that a way to account for such anomalies is to assume that consciousness is in some way conserved beyond the brain; that is, as a nonlocal phenomenon. Laszlo posited the ‘cloud theory,’ to use computer terminology. In this hypothesis, consciousness is something stored external to the brain.

In terms of Laszlo’s ‘computer theory’ of consciousness, this is similar to how information would be conserved on digital platforms accessed by computer networks or other cloud-enabled devices. Likewise, using this analogy, the mainstream theory of consciousness would be akin to an oldfashioned computer without built-in-memory that would lose all its data once switched off. In this regard, the cloud theory posits consciousness as non-local, rather than localized within the brain. Further, the cloud theory allows for not only individual consciousness to be stored, and be recalled, but multiple ones as well. This perspective of accessing multiple consciousnesses, beyond our individual one, is reminiscent of Jung’s collective consciousness. This theory would appear to support the observations of psychiatrists and consciousness researchers who have induced altered states of consciousness in their clients. When in altered states a vast majority of people have the capacity to recall almost everything that has happened to them. Moreover, their recall is not limited solely to their own experience but can also include the experiences of other people as well.[vii] This cloud theory therefore suggests something akin to a collective field of consciousness that makes complete information available relative to the mode of access. This perspecindustries’ seductiveness, we need to journey within ourselves and bring to light what’s really important to us. What most of us will find is that experiences and time well spent, not materials, are what makes us happy. In the book, aptly titled Well Being, the authors Tom Rath and Jim Harter discuss how experiences have been proven to make us happier than material possessions.

We revel in the anticipation of the experience, we enjoy the experience itself and we look back on it fondly for as long as we live. We do this while the expensive car or house that we borrowed money long ago to obtain falls apart causing us to borrow more money. If we live according to the rule that everything we purchase, with the exception of a home, is acquired by cash, then we fail to become slaves to debt and by extension, work. We no longer relinquish our power to creditors.

Oscar Wilde was famously quoted as saying that anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.

Materialistically speaking, living by this notion will bind us with shackles to a life of debt servitude. When we rip those shackles of debt from our wrists, our minds become clear and we see what truly makes us happy. We spend more time with friends and family. We focus on our passions and hobbies. In essence, we get back to the foundation of what it means to be human.

After all, none of us will ever arrive upon the mountain of our last moments of existence wishing we spent more time at the office. We will instead arrive wishing we completed that book, that painting or that experience with those we love most. For those can be purchased not with debt, but with time. And there is no more cunning, covert and deceitful thief of time as that villain we call debt.

About the Author

M.J. Higby practices medicine in Phoenix, AZ. He is passionate about martial arts, most notably Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He enjoys writing about mental, spiritual and physical well being and questioning the methods by which we attain it. You can reach him on Facebook and Twitter @MJHigby

tive shares similarities with the scientific research on the Akashic Field[viii] and Morphic Resonance[ix]. Yet it also appears that despite the appropriateness of the cloud theory of consciousness, it too does not account for all observations.

In various recorded accounts of altered state consciousness it appears that contact/access is not only made with traces of one’s nonlocal consciousness but also with distinctive separate conscious intelligence. That is, with an active consciousness that is not the consciousness of a living person. Such experiences, once the realm of shamanic or indigenous traditions, has increasingly entered into mainstream cultures. Previously, such ‘encounters’ were labeled as mystical or simply conveniently ignored as a quirky anomaly. However, as western science has developed its exploration of the inner realms (such as in transpersonal psychology and similar practices), such experiences have become more widespread and thus need to be accounted for. From this evidence a remarkable conclusion arises: that human consciousness can connect, and often communicate, with conscious entities that not only manifest a sense of self, but also carry distinct memories and information. This experience can neither be accounted for in the mainstream turbine theory nor the more radical cloud theory of consciousness. According to Ervin Laszlo, the most likely explanation is a ‘third concept’ – that consciousness is a cosmic phenomenon with holographic qualities (the ‘hologram theory’).

For Laszlo, the hologram theory posits that consciousness may manifest ‘in’ spacetime yet is a source that exists in a realm beyond spacetime. In other words,

Zen

From page 14 consciousness, the purest name of God. When we chant the Om mantra we are speaking the language of God (Infinity/Creation).

Om chanting, especially at 432 Hz, is a way to connect with the ideal within oneself. When done in combination with deep breathing practice it is a powerful way to open the throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra. Practice a basic Om meditation during Zazen or even in active meditation like Kinhin: Zazen in movement. Chanting major sutras such as the heart sutra can also help the Zen practitioner to connect more deeply to the bodhisattva path.

6) Zen and Art (Wabi-sabi):

“These mountains that you’re carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” ~ Najwa Zebian Zen art is about capturing the Buddha essence of an object, scene, or feeling. In Zen circles, spiritual mastery in the arts is primary and technical mastery is secondary. It’s often more about spontaneity and improvisation after deep meditative contemplation than about trial and error in technique.

The style of painting favored by Zen artists is known as sumi-e. A Zen inspired form of drama is called no-drama. Then there is the familiar Zen of haiku poetry. All of these arts are Zen-like in that they attempt to harness the “most essence through the least possible means.” Then there is wabisabi considered by many as the material representation of Zen Buddhism. Here is a short list comprising the basic principles of wabi-sabi: Fukinsei: asymmetry, irregularity; Kanso: simplicity; Koko: basic, weathered; Shizen: without pretense, natural; Yugen: subtly profound grace, not obvious;

consciousness has its origins in a deeper dimension (in a ‘unitary cosmic matrix’), and yet is manifested as a holographic projection within our quantifiable reality.

This, Laszlo tells us, posits that all forms of localized consciousness are manifestations of an integral consciousness that is beyond spacetime. The implications of this understanding are that consciousness is not ‘in’ the brain, ‘produced’ by the brain, nor ‘stored’ beyond the brain, but is a localized aspect of a conscious intelligence that infuses the cosmos with its source beyond spacetime. Such understanding takes us beyond linear thinking, where consciousness is seen as a by-product of the brain, to integral thinking that says the brain receives and interprets consciousness, which is infused in the cosmos, but does not produce it. This realization, aided by the very latest scientific findings, points toward a unified cosmic matrix (also previously referred to as zero-point, cosmic plenum, or vacuum) as generating what we perceive as spacetime. The materiality of spacetime is thus a holographic projection, coded from an underlying cosmic matrix, which is the source of conscious intelligence. All things which emerge into our reality are holographic projections from a deeper dimension.

The understanding that consciousness belongs to a deeper dimension of reality has been the domain of a long perennial tradition that has been embraced by many well-known spiritual figures, artists, and even a handful of intuitive scientists. Now it is emerging as the new scientific paradigm for our era. And the evidence for this, it appears, lies in the incredible coherence of the cosmos.

Bibliography: http://kingsleydennis.com/consciousness-cosmos-purpose/ Datsuzoku: unbounded by convention, free; Seijaku: tranquility.

7) Zen humor and crazy wisdom:

“Like they say in Zen, when you attain Satori, nothing is left for you in that moment than to have a good laugh.” ~ Alan Watts Crazy wisdom is about harnessing the renegade Buddha inside us all, that part of us that is divine but also wild and free. That part of us that hides in the weeds of the unconscious ready to trick us into higher consciousness. Coined by Chogyam Trungpa, it has nonetheless existed since the beginning of Buddhism.

The Buddha himself was a spiritual renegade, after all.

Two of the more famous crazy wisdom Zen teachers were 9th century Zen-poet Hanshan and Zen master Ikkyu. Han-shan (Cold Mountain) ran off to live in a cave as a hermit and was known to laugh hysterically when anyone asked him about the nature of Zen. Ikkyu was eccentric, mischievous and always out-smarting his teachers as a heretic/saint who often gave teachings in brothels and bars instead of Buddhist temples.

Crazy wisdom teaches perhaps the most important lesson in our attempt at achieving enlightenment: To always maintain a good sense of humor.

Zen Buddhism in 3 minutes

https://youtu.be/RozWiUA-GCk Gary ‘Z’ McGee, a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher, is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man. His works are inspired by the great philosophers of the ages and his wide awake view of the modern world.

Read more at: https:// fractalenlightenment.com/42640/ spirituality/7-zen-principles-applymodern-life | FractalEnlightenment.com

By High Vibe Tribe

A

LL THINGS ARE new. The old systems and paradigms are crumbling before our eyes and minds. Outdated mechanisms of knowledge and understanding have shifted and are passing. For those who are open and ready, it’s an amazing time for letting go.

It can be conceived as timeline or dimensional shifts and bleed-throughs, if you like. Those experiencing and tracking these changes will understand, others may sense something fundamentally different but are having a more difficult time, but all will continue to progress. For those wanting to move with this energetic shift it will come, and more understanding as well as awareness will seep in. It can be subtle, or sometimes one psychic or transdimensional experience can trigger a big leap forward.

While we have so much in common we are all on unique paths. There’s no “one way” but there are commonalities that we all experience.

This energetic shift simply requires letting go into it, because it just is. As sure as we’re alive and Source eternally exists, our progression is assured one way or the other. The move “forward” is always there if we’re willing to move into it, but even if we hang back the overall field is moving anyway. This gets to the crux of our learning experience here, as there are several paradoxical aspects to all of this.

Those who’ve been seeking and learning and growing and working to bring about a better world as well as a more realized self expression have gone through much. While our most profound realizations are incredibly simple, all we’ve gone through to get there has been essential. Each of our paths are distinctly individual, yet we are a form of collective soul at the same time, each yearning for mastery of our being with the best possible outcome for all. This obviously does not apply to all those we share the planet with at this point, but the opportunity is available to all.

While many of us have striven to bring truth and openness to a deliberately darkened world, we’ve gone through many stages in the process. We’ve been the dreaming child, the system slave, the dropout, the student, the philosopher, the hungry researcher, the activist, the warrior, the preacher, the pundit, the angry cynic, the tired observer, the insider, the outcast, etc. The list is long, but these stages, whatever they’ve been, were essential to our development.

We eventually learn we cannot impose receiving the truth on anyone, only offer what we individually have learned,

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Upgrade to the Next Level

of Now

and it’s up to others what they do with it. Increased communication has been one of the driving forces for this recent acceleration of awareness that’s sweeping the planet, in addition to other unseen influences. For those engaged in these activities it’s right at whatever level they’ve chosen, but we must be aware of being drawn back into their vibrational level.

We need to help in whatever effective way possible but we can’t force it or interfere with free will, despite the fact that the matrix operates this way.

It operates on a judgmental frequency. Source does not.

Whatever our outlook, a rising tide lifts all boats.

And the tide is rising.

The Dissolving Past

Not only is the external structure collapsing, albeit somewhat violently, old manners and frameworks of perception are dissipating. How much each old system is sustained depends on how many cling to these often self-projected or believed paradigms, as nothing can override our choice to progress or hold on to the status quo. This is causing a separation of worlds in many respects, as realities split apart, much like worlds or timelines.

This is real.

This is not always obviously manifested externally, certainly not to the satisfaction of the skeptic or naysayer. It is evident, however, in changed lives, raised and lowered vibrations, new discoveries and ideas surfacing, and new social trends taking hold. In fact, it’s quite remarkable once you can perceive them.

A Place Called Now

For the sincere seekers, our search

has been for meaning, for the full experience of living, and the Truth that permeates all things. We look for answers to the fundamental questions of life and eventually come to realize we’ve contained them all along in our heart of hearts. We have a knowing about a Source that emanates from within and without and have always been set out to connect with it.

It appears in the timeless state of Now. We get glimpses of it; our feelings draw us towards it, and our hearts long to experience more of it. A certain amount of information helps us along the way, but the reality we seek is beyond it, as what we perceive through this limitation only provides arrows pointing towards the unspeakable, which we experience in moments outside of time.

This has long been known, yet even this experience is transcending the old concepts and belief systems. We’ve accumulated many helpful understandings from past teachings, yet in the light of this truly new energetic shift even those are outdated in many respects. Reference points can be anchors if we’re not fully conscious, which is clearly seen in the fullness of a truly fresh Now experience.

The Now is a portal. It’s always there, it’s always here. The Now is the ever present zero point everyone is striving for, yet it is always with us. It exists – over and over, yet timelessly. It’s we who have the difficulty in turning into it fully. Again the paradox: finding no time while inhabiting a world seemingly bound by time.

The Now just is, yet we struggle to find it, to understand it, as it slips through our fingers. Or so we think. In fact we’re flickering in and out of it continuously.

Sometimes we can feel its ecstasy, sometimes not. We know we should live in it, yet time sweeps us along like the current of a mighty river, only allowing temporary glimpses of the majestic Now. Our minds then scurry to understand what only the heart can perceive, our everpresent conundrum in this denser world of duality.

How do we escape time and explore this amazing realm of Now? It’s not always easy, yet it happens spontaneously with little or no effort. Mind gets in the way to make work of it, or identify when it is happening. Filtration mechanisms

working overtime dull our nowness.

Concerns and habits shroud our sensibilities. Circumstances and physical conditions blind the senses. Ever-new as well as old ephemeral belief systems cloak our awareness.

Yet inspiration opens the door continually. Imagination lights the way.

Each of our developmental stages were paving stones that led up to now, and they will continue, albeit in continued transformational manifestations. Yet those too must be let go of in deep energetic and forgiving ways in so many respects so as not to hold us back from previous perceptions.

Everything Is New

The truth is we can all be more in the Now than we are, but the inspiring realization is we’re there a lot more than we think we are. Besides always being in it whether we’re fully conscious of it or not, our lives are filled with breakthrough Now experiences.

Techniques such as meditation and more quiet time and deep experience in nature enhance this, while moments of emotional release, insights and creative imagination and inspiration abound in our lives, often spontaneously, resulting in the same. Making room for more of all of these aspects being a higher priority than ever in our lives soon goes without saying, once we’re really serious about this transition personally as well as for all of humanity and our planetary condition.

Therein lies a commitment to be made.

The Letting Go

We each experience a great falling away of many things in this process. Old unfruitful relationships, locations, living conditions, modes of expression and cherished belief systems. All of these shift or evaporate altogether. Let them pass.

The new will manifest almost immediately and in many cases concurrently.

While we may experience times of isolation and solitude, it’s all a wonderful growing opportunity. It can be quite an emotional journey facing ourselves honestly and seeing former close acquaintances or beliefs fade from our lives. The beauty here is that our true friends and family become manifest.

And we are many.

Depending on our rate of acceleration as well as preparation, this shifting process can be a bit disconcerting. While our previous efforts may appear to have been off course or pointless in light of what we

Please see UPGRADE, page 20

Resolving From page 5

In this way by resolving or removing issues of cognitive dissonance (mental anxiety from inner conflicts) they become more coherent and consistent in their thoughts, which allow for better choices to be made with the power of their own consent. When people remain in cognitive dissonance and they refuse to take responsibility for their choices to resolve conflicts, the negative consequences of dissonance are that it attracts more dissonant or negative energies.

Our thoughts shape our beliefs, which inform decisions about

Upgrade From page 19

learn down the road, they weren’t. Many ideas and concepts and viewpoints will prove to have been quite off course in relation to what we come to learn is true, but they were what helped get us here. It’s seeing that and letting the old go that are at issue.

It’s easy if we’re malleable and trusting. Call it faith in the divine nature of it all, but that is something we can all be securely confident of, despite the seemingly bizarre nature and consequences of many of the choices that have taken place on this evolving planet.

There are no mistakes. There is no condemnation except what we personally ascribe to. Outside of us everything is

Intelligence From page 3

can’t understand why they react in such a way.

5. Implementation

Book smarts can only take someone so far in life. After all, only through action and implementation of knowledge can anything be achieved. This step is where some rather academically bright people fall down. They simply do not have the wherewithal to put things into practice.

At this point they tend to find that their lives plateau and stagnate. They don’t have the practical or emotional nous (philosophy of the mind, practical intelligence. Ed.) to push themselves higher up the corporate ladder, and they lack the raw ambition and determination to forge their own path in business or otherwise.

Their gift for absorbing and recalling

Medical From page 11

and the global food industry’s leader in the full-service contract manufacturing of processed grain-based foods and snacks, including baked goods, granola bars, snack bars, energy bars, cookies, crackers, pretzels, croutons, and breadcrumbs.

Hearthside is owned by Vestar Capital Partners, who also own 21st Century Oncology.

21st Century Oncology is a leading cancer-care service provider across

beautifully neutral. There is no judgment.

We invent and comply with that, in accordance with separation. When we realize all is One in different facets and stages and in the process of expansion we don’t judge, we accept, and in love, seeing the wonder of Creation both seen and unseen.

The Paradox of ThreeDimensional Life Yet paradoxically there is the part we are each here to do, most of all to truly awaken and rise in conscious awareness and enduring unconditional love. The ultimate solution. Nothing to wait for. Just be it. The rest will follow as we let go of old triggers toward less fruitful endeavors. It’s very tempting to get into the fray and all things reactive and fight it out in our minds or in

where to place consent. So the process of cognitive dissonance becomes the basis for how we evaluate situations and make decisions. It is the central mechanism by which we perceive or experience differences that we encounter in the world.

Once we become more self-aware, we evolve beyond egoic levels of cognitive dissonance and into choices based on deep inner feelings of nonjudgmental personal resonances, which is the higher sensory language of the heart and spiritual intelligence guidance system.

For definitions and links please go to: https://www.energeticsynthesis.com/resource-tools/ blog-timeline-shift/3199-cognitive-dissonance

the streets or on the staged informational platform at their low density level, but it’s to no avail and only muddies the waters.

Steer clear. Don’t feed the miasma.

Be aware of it but don’t even touch it.

It’s a tar baby designed to short circuit our connectivity to Source and who we truly, deeply are. That’s what they fear.

Not our activism or exposure, although that’s all part of it. It’s us getting the real understanding of our true power as well as what energizes them and keeps them in business, which we then refuse to supply as we rise to a higher vibration with much more effectiveness.

That’s non-compliance.

Get free. Stay free. Help raise the planetary vibration. Share love, speak truth, live in the true joy of real Knowing that transcends these tricks and traps and manifestations of ignorance. Live

according to your passion. The world is starving for love, kindness, gentleness, hope and happiness. We’re awash in it if we look around. Don’t let them drag us down to their level.

Let’s rise up and be the living solution.

All is well and right in the grand scheme of things, the BIG picture.

Creation keeps expanding and learning, and we are an amazing and integral part of it all!

What a wonder!

This article (Upgrade to the Next Level of Now) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to High Vibe Tribe and WakingTimes.com.

It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution and author bio.

Knowing is superficial; it relies heavily on observation and memory.

Understanding requires something altogether deeper; an inquisitive nature that seeks to explain why. information cannot make up for their shortfall when it comes to putting plans into action.

Socrates is often, and incorrectly, quoted as saying “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” This idea points towards the final piece in the puzzle of true intelligence. You see, intelligence knows its own limits and, therefore, to rightly claim that you are intelligent, you must, in essence, be willing to admit that you know nothing at all.

This Socratic Paradox is a concept that

those with book smarts alone often cannot fathom. To them it seems almost ludicrous to fill their heads with bites of information, only to then surrender them all to doubt. For that is essentially what an intelligent person does when they renounce their full understanding of the things they claim to understand.

Intelligence says: “I understand from my very limited point of view, but I yield the unequivocal understanding to the universe alone.”

Book smarts remains resolute in his knowledge and understanding and refuses to accept the possibility that he is wrong.

So there you have it. If you ever need to

decide whether someone is truly intelligent or merely book smart, you can refer to these six points. The components are interlinked in such a way that intelligence requires all of them to be present to some degree or another. ~Credits~ Steve Waller is the founder of up and coming personal development portal A Conscious Rethink which serves as a one-stop resource for those looking to unleash their potential and enhance their lives. He and his team seek to help people tackle their problems and unblock the paths towards fulfillment and peace

multiple modalities, including colorectal, breast, uterine, and testicular cancers, and was also named the world’s largest radiation oncology provider, operating 179 global radiation centers, including 143 locations in 17 U.S. states.

While most people already know that eating processed grains is unhealthy, some might not be aware of the high correlation between the consumption of processed, simple carbs with certain types of cancer development, such as prostate, colorectal and uterine cancers, while on the contrary, choosing healthy, complex carbs like legumes and leafy greens is

correlated with a significant reduction in the risk for breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers.

Even the ultra-conservative American Cancer Society states on its website that “Food processing may alter foods in ways that might affect cancer risk. An example is the refining of grains, which greatly lowers the amount of fiber and other compounds that may reduce cancer risk.”

Should we really continue to allow the global leaders of processed grainbased foods and snacks the ability to also own the world’s largest tumor radiation company?

About the Author: Cameron is an internationally-published vegan fitness model & writer who’s passionate about bringing to light the vast medicinal benefits of a whole-foods, plant-based diet, along with consistent exercise.

This article (4 Popular Companies Who Own the Medical Treatments For the Diseases Their Products Cause) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Cameron S. Bigger and WakingTimes. com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution and author bio.

6. Knowing You Know Nothing

Astrology & Related Practices

Page 21

Yourself

but on the other hand, that reason is blatant bullshit. Unconsciously we know that we’re just making excuses, but consciously we’re oblivious.

From page 2

you far on your spiritual path.

Here are some signs you should look out for:

1. You Feel Like You’re Running Away From Something

It’s hard to admit … but you feel like you’re trying to escape something; maybe a thought, a realization, a harsh truth? Something is lurking in the darkness, and you don’t like it. You feel the need to escape, but you don’t know why.

2. You Keep Justifying Other People’s Behavior

In order to evade the truth, you find yourself making excuses for other people and their bad behavior. For example, you might tell yourself that your emotionally abusive husband is just “blowing off steam from work” or that your backstabbing friend “just made a stupid mistake.”

Justifying other people’s behavior is much easier than facing the truth and making hard decisions.

3. You Keep Justifying Your Behavior

“I didn’t hurt him, I just taught him a lesson,” “I don’t hate my career, I’m just feeling a little stressed,” “I can’t move, I have no other option,” “I’m not terrified of moving out of my comfort zone, I’m just busy with commitments.”

Self-justification is deceptive: on one hand it makes us believe that we have a “good reason,”

4. You Have A Rigid Attitude

You cannot accept blame or responsibility for anything that has happened, instead, other people are always to blame. This tendency to perceive yourself as always being right, and others as always wrong, hides a tremendous amount of fear. Beneath the narrow-mindedness, you’re secretly afraid of answering to the truth, so in an attempt to escape reality, you form rigid mental barriers and point the finger at others.

5. You Feel Inauthentic

You can’t seem to shake the feeling that you’re a “fake” or “sham.” Inside of you, there is a sense that you’ve lost touch with who you really are. You go places you don’t want to go.

You make friends with people you don’t like.

You buy things you can’t afford. You laugh when the joke isn’t funny. You don’t know what makes you happy or who you really want to be in life anymore.

6. You Prefer To Wear RoseTinted Glasses

You prefer to live in a dreamworld rather than in reality. For example, in your relationships, you project your fantasies onto your partner, believing that everything is fine, even when it isn’t. The idealist in you believes that you can make everything work out, but your idealism is a form of escapism that obscures the truth. In order to buffer yourself against the harsh realities of life, you prefer to see the

world in a naive way.

7. You Don’t Like Listening To Other’s Advice

When a friend, colleague, or family member gives you a fresh perspective on your situation, you immediately close off. Feelings such as anger, sadness, and irritation are triggered within you, often causing you to lash out at the poor soul who dares to help you. Why does this happen? When you are lying to yourself, you will tend to only favor others who reassure you – not challenge you. Anyone who challenges you, even with the best of intentions, poses a risk to exposing your elaborate self-fabricated lie.

8. You Carry Around DeeplyRooted Anxiety

No matter what you do, you feel a sense of subtle unease and insecurity following you everywhere. This pervasive sense of unease causes you to constantly second-guess yourself and privately wonder if you really are doing the right thing or making the best decisions. Sometimes this deeply-rooted anxiety may manifest as a sense of guilt that you do not want to face and try to bury.

9. Your Heart Contradicts Your Mind

You keep trying to convince yourself that everything is fine and you’re in control, when emotionally, you are a wreck. You might find yourself exploding in anger at others or trying to hide your tears, and you might wonder where such emotions came from. If you are extremely disconnected from your heart, you might find your emotions manifesting in your body instead. You mind might believe that everything is peachy, when your body is suffering from tension, high blood pressure, infections, and other afflictions.

How To Stop Lying To Yourself

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We all lie to ourselves: no one is excluded. In fact, self-deception is part of being human, and in a sense, is necessary for our inner growth.

If you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable about this topic, you’re not alone. I have caught myself in my own web of self-deception many times, and it isn’t an enjoyable experience.

However, for any true soul work to occur, we must all honestly take a look at ourselves.

Lies only serve to alienate ourselves from the truth of who we are.

If you think you might be struggling with selfdelusion, here are some useful pieces of advice: n Journal and write down your true feelings. Journalling is a safe space that allows

you to let out all of your suppressed thoughts and emotions. Don’t hold back anything: go wild.

Sometimes it takes a bit of time to fully “unleash the Kraken,” but with patience, you will find this practice invaluable. Read more about journalling. n Honestly examine your fears. Ask yourself, “What am I running away from?”

Take some time to introspect, preferably in solitude. Solitude is easy to create: simply set aside half an hour a day to spend with your thoughts. If you have a busy schedule, prioritize, and see what other tasks you can shorten.

Read more about solitude. n Focus on gaining self-esteem from within yourself. Often, what triggers selfdeception is the desire to please others and gain validation. Notice your tendency to look outside of yourself for your self-worth. Are you relying on others to make you feel special, worthy, or loveable? Realize how unstable and dangerous gaining your self-worth from others is: at any moment a person could turn against you, and thereby crush your self-esteem. Begin to gain approval from within yourself. Work on loving yourself and embracing who you are. n Open up to other people’s points of view. Different perspectives are always very valuable, even if they aren’t necessarily right.

However, often those closest to us have an uncanny way of seeing the truth that we too often can’t perceive. So don’t close yourself off. Listen. n Figure out your needs vs. desires. Needs are always honest, desires can be misleading.

What do you truly need? What do your heart and soul crave for? Answer these questions, and you will free yourself from self-deception. *** So, after reading this article, what are your thoughts?

Please understand that there’s no need to punish or blame yourself if you do discover that you’re lying to yourself. Most of us lie to ourselves unintentionally as a self-protection mechanism. So treat yourself with kindness.

You are not a “bad person”; you are simply a human being with flaws. But now that you’re at least partly conscious of any smokescreens that are enveloping you, you can work to bring more truth into your everyday life.

Aletheia Luna is an influential spiritual writer whose work has changed the lives of thousands of people worldwide. After escaping the religious sect she was raised in, Luna experienced a profound existential crisis that led to her spiritual awakening. As a mystic and spiritual mentor, Luna’s mission is to help others become conscious of their entrapment and find joy, empowerment, and liberation in any circumstance. Read More: https://lonerwolf. com/about/]

By Christine Horner

get sucked in. Consider ending support of violent media content. Become response-able for you and your corner of the world. Seek common ground with those you come into contact with by supporting needed change.

www.collective-evolution.com

I

N BRIEF: The difference between maintaining your zeal for life and heartbreaking disillusionment during turbulent times ultimately begins with you and where you are placing your focus. Here are seven proactive life responses for the most common reasons why you might feel your passion for life slipping away.

Thanks to social media, you’ve survived the “me” generation. “Me” exploded into “we” and a socially conscious generation was born.

What was once considered personal fulfillment has changed for the better.

Undoubtedly, your hopes and dreams are different than they once were. Change is occurring at such speeds, you might not be sure of what to wish for except for a global group hug.

“Despite what the evening news would have you believe, your prospects for a higher quality of life are opening wide as we consciously merge mind, body, and spirit — including science.”

A new science is emerging linking happiness to our well-being. According to the “World Happiness Report 2017,” published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the United States ranks 14th in the world.

The difference between maintaining your zeal for life and heartbreaking disillusionment during turbulent times ultimately begins with you and where you are placing your focus.

What is the common thread of personal wellbeing, or even the ever-elusive personal fulfillment?

Here are seven proactive life responses for the most common reasons why you might feel your passion for life slipping away.

Celebrate failure

Feeling cynical or defeated, or that your hard work is not paying off? When there is a disappointment in life, seeing everything as an opportunity will keep you invigorated

Reconnect with nature

Do you ever walk your neighbourhood and ask where all the people are? When was the last time you roamed a nature trail? Technology is nice, but it’s not nicer than a sense of community and all the wisdom and health benefits hidden in nature’s vastness. If you’ve forgotten this, stop what you’re doing right now. Come back in 30 minutes and report your findings.

7 Ways To Revitalize Your Passion For Life In Turbulent Times and challenged in a good way. The ability to adapt and learn is vital to living the good life.

The path to success is shared with the path of failure. Celebrate every step of the journey.

Make a living or live brilliantly?

Making a living becomes complicated when you wish to live like someone else.

Materialism and title are fake substitutes for real affluence — the ability to inspire people. Make a list of what you admire and begin to make changes in your life to reflect your values.

Simplify, minimize, and let go of clutter

The economy provides us with the sustenance of life, but when it becomes the goal, you work like a machine mortgaging your life, losing your passion for living. Investigate new

markets that allow you greater life flexibility through stewardship rather than ownership.

Rediscover your inner child: Explore your inner world

Innovation and automation have provided us with more free time than we’ve ever had.

Instead of TV, smartphones, information, and shopping, regain a sense of wonder by looking at every day as another opportunity to explore and learn about your inner world. Focus and your natural state of happiness are cultivated through meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

Be a beacon of light despite a chaotic world

Living the good life is being peaceful even when those around you are stirring the pot. When others engage in negativity, don’t

Include service to others in your weekly schedule

Self-love and self-care are certainly important, but keeping a healthy balance between ego and selflessness is the heart of personal fulfillment. In a synergetic world, personal fulfillment and social responsibility are intimately connected. Try volunteering just eight hours a month to discover what you would grumble about at minimum wage. It is a gift — the most exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling gift you could ever give — the gift of you!

Your passion for life can never be taken away from you — unless you take away your focus. Focus is the key to the mastery of life as an ongoing practice.

“Finding balance between economic, social, and environmental objectives is key to personal and community well-being and happiness.”

Let go of the non-essentials.

Keep your focus on your internal compass help you maintain external balance.

Merging mind, body, and spirit, you become joyful, the gratitude flowing just for being alive.

Embrace life from every angle and finally begin to thrive!

Putting your heart into everything you do, your passion for life becoming voracious — this is your brilliant future here, now.

You were made for this. You can do it!