Vol. 2, No. 8.3
April 2010
An Educational Guide
to Sustainability and Spiritual Well-being
Maya Ruins contain a resonance captured through history and brought up through time Saving animals Saving water
page 9
Shopping co-op Environmentalism, community ownership lead to common good
page 12
Homeopathy Getting serious attention from world governments
page 19
page 4
Earth Odyssey Contributors An educational guide to sustainability and spiritual well-being Our Mission The mission of Earth Odyssey is to encourage individuals to develop a sustainable lifestyle and healthier wellbeing by providing educational information needed to make wiser choices. We envision an extended community of individuals who care passionately about their environment and their own spiritual well-being and recognize the symbiotic relationship between the two.
Theodore G. Manno (Ph.D., Biology, Auburn University) is a teacher and freelance writer based in Arizona. Manno’s scientific research includes scarlet macaws in Costa Rica, ground squirrels in Canada, and prairie dogs in Utah. Manno has published over 30 scholarly works and magazine articles and his research has received national press in sources like Discovery News, Science News and New Scientist. He received his B.S. from Rider University in New Jersey while working as a jazz musician.
Kimberley Paterson is a New Zealand-based journalist, author and public relations specialist who has a deep passion for stories about visionary individuals, businesses and projects and anything to do with positive world change. You can read more about her work on www.soulpr.com and www.lodestarmedia.co.nz.
Magazine Staff Publisher/Editor Ann Haver-Allen Photographic, Web and PR Director Pia Wyer Advertising Art Director Distribution Manager Jason Allen Advertising Representative Jo Ann Johnson
Advertising Inquiries 928-778-1782
Debra White is a freelance pet and environmental writer in Phoenix. A car accident on Jan. 6, 1994 left her with disabling injuries, thus ending her social work career. She reinvented herself as a pet therapist, animal shelter volunteer and freelance writer. Debra volunteers with the Phoenix Animal Care Coalition, Arizona Animal Welfare League and the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra Club.
Subscriptions Earth Odyssey is published weekly online by Pinon Pine Press LLC at EarthOdysseyOnline.com. Sign up for our mailing list (no charge) to receive weekly notices when each issue is ready for your reading enjoyment. Send comments and suggestions to: editor@EarthOdysseyOnline.com Phone: (928) 778-1782 The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or advertisers. Copyright © 2010. Pinon Pine Press LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission. For photo reprints, contact Pia Wyer at pia@animistarts.com.
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Carla Woody is the author of the books “Standing Stark” and “Calling Our Spirits Home” and documentary film “One World Wisdom.” In 1999 she founded Kenosis LLC, an organization based in Prescott, Arizona, to support human potential through workshops and spiritual travel opportunities. She leads retreats internationally sharing an integration of NLP, subtle energy work and world sacred traditions, with a special emphasis on the mysticism of the Andes. Since 1992 she has worked with individuals and groups in areas of transition, relationships, spirituality and whole health. In 2007, Carla founded Kenosis Spirit Keepers, a nonprofit organization working to preserve Indigenous wisdom traditions. See www.kenosis.net and www.kenosisspiritkeepers.org. On The Cover: Palenque, in the Mexican state of Chiapas, flourished in the seventh century CE. After its decline it was absorbed into the jungle, but has been excavated and restored and is now a famous archaeological site attracting thousands of visitors. Palenque is much smaller than Tikal or Copán, but it contains some of the finest architecture, sculpture, roof comb and bas-relief carvings the Maya produced. See story on page 4. Photo by Anna Maj Michelson EarthOdysseyOnline
Vol. 2, No. 8.3 April 2010
www.EarthOdysseyOnline.com
Features 4
Maya Ruins A resonance captured through history, brought up through time Story by Carla Woody
9
Saving animals Saving water Story by Debra J. White
12
Southwesterners shop co-op Environmentalism, community ownership lead to common good Story by Theodore G. Manno
19
Homeopathy Getting serious attention from world governments Story by Kimberley Paterson
Entertainment 18 New book: A journey of recovery following paralyzing fall 21 E.D.U. Movie by Jason Allen 22 The Herb Guy by Ron Nye 23 Inward Bound by Sarah McLean 24 Puzzle Page 25 Calendar
Puzzle Solutions
Logic Puzzle
Rachel has 4 quarts of milk and 9 cups of sugar and can make 4 batches of ice cream. Eric has 7 quarts of milk and 4 cups of sugar and can make 2 batches of ice cream. Katherine has 10 quarts of milk and 6 cups of sugar and can make 3 batches of ice cream. Abigail has 2 quarts of milk and 10 cups of sugar and can make 2 batches of ice cream. Brandon has 3 quarts of milk and 2 cups of sugar and can make 1 batch of ice cream. Jordan has 5 quarts of milk and 8 cups of sugar and can make 4 batches of ice cream. EarthOdysseyOnline
Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 3
Maya Ruins contain a resonance captured through history and brought up through time
Story by Carla Woody
Photo by Jacob Rus Bonampak is known for the colorful Maya paintings still in tact (see photo on page 5). The famous paintings are in the rooms at the top of this pyramid.
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f I have an indulgence, it’s travel. On second thought, it’s not an indulgence at all, but one of the significant ways I care for myself. It serves as a gateway to wider experience of the world—and self-discoveries as well. These are intangibles I can bring home, like souvenirs, even if no one else can see them. But they won’t be put away in a drawer or gather dust on a shelf. Instead,
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they impact who and how I am in the world. But it’s not just any kind of travel that has this effect. It’s the kind where I choose to step outside time. Having identified specific points in the calendar that the journey will begin and end, with a wide reach in between, l just let go of any schedules or agendas. So strongly programmed by our culture to have both those things as absolute ne-
cessities of life, the residue may linger on for a bit until it clears completely. When the space vacates, it opens a portal toward untold treasures. I’ve just returned from such a time. My traveling companion and I landed in Villahermosa, Mexico, the arbitrary juncture where this trip began and ended because our plane landed there. Truth be told, the journey began months prior, when we dreamt of posEarthOdysseyOnline
sibilities, where we may go, and will likely fade out a long time after I’ve published this article, if ever.
Palenque, Mexico Over the years I’ve found myself drawn repeatedly to the Mexican state of Chiapas bordering Guatemala, particularly the Palenque area. My companion and I headed there first. Although we then moved across the frontier, traversed Guatemala from top to bottom, and stopped off in San Cristóbal de las Casas after re-entrying Mexico, we looped back to Palenque. I was compelled, couldn’t stay away. The village of Palenque holds no real fascination. It’s much like countless other villages across Mexico. Stepping off the bus though, I did feel the familiar sense of anticipation. For as we headed out of town in a taxi
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toward our destination, climbing a bit in elevation, feeling the balmy air soothing my skin, a part of me sighed, “Ahhhh... home again.” There was the dirt path alongside the road. Playing over memories of the many different times I traversed there, to and from the ruins, breaking out of the thick, moist rainforest from who knew where, or headed to Mayabel for a cold one in their open-air café, the screams of howler monkeys periodically punctuating the air in early morning or dusk. Turning into the maze cut out of jungle known as El Panchan, a mishmash of cabanas and restaurants hidden down various winding trails, I felt my excitement building. My attraction for the off-beat and unusual was certain to be well satisfied there, but it was much more than that. It was captivation for what was hidden in
the tangled mountains a couple of miles up the road—the Maya ruins and what lie deep beyond that. The Palenque ruins, and those of Yaxchilán and Bonampak buried in the rainforest, contain a resonance, one captured through history and brought up through time. Unfortunately to me, things have changed and these places aren’t as obscure as they once were, but the vibration endures. Tourists who sprint through won’t experience it though. It takes lingering and opening to what these timeless places have to share. It takes immersion. Only then will they offer up their secrets.
The Lacandón Maya Also camouflaged over the centuries, the Lacandón Maya reside in this region. Photo by Jacob Rus One of the Maya paintings at Bonampak.
Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 5
Photo by Jacob Rus The Palenque ruins are in the Mexican state of Chiapas bordering Guatemala.
In many ways, the Lacandones remind me of the Q’ero Indians of the Peruvian Andes. The Q’eros left Cusco with the influx of the conquistadors, taking their esoteric knowledge with them, guarding it, as they still do, in isolation at 17,500 feet. Hence, their traditions remain pure today. They have much to teach us. It’s said that about the same time, the Lacandones moved into the depths of the jungle for similar reasons. Some anthropologists say they fled the Yucatan, while others conjecture that they’re the Page 6 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
direct descendants of the Maya who built Palenque and other nearby complexes. One thing is sure. Their appearance and form of traditional sacred rituals sets them apart from the Highland Maya. Their creation stories have the familiar ring of what we know from the ancient Maya of that area. For centuries they avoided contact with the outside world, continuing their practices and passing stories down through generations. Lamentably, they weren’t hidden enough. Unlike the Q’eros in
the extreme height of their arid Andean home, the rainforest of the Lacandones— and their souls—were only too attractive to outsiders with an agenda. In the last several decades, like an infestation of fleas, missionaries and loggers descended.
Chan K’in Viejo Instead, what I’d like to celebrate are those who remained true and would not sell out. The central guardian of the ancient traditions was Chan K’in Viejo, the spirit holder of the Lacandones, living in EarthOdysseyOnline
the small enclave of Najá, a difficult place to reach, in the heart of the Lacandón Biosphere. As the vast rainforest was whittled away around him, and more of his people were enticed away by Western trappings, he was steadfast in the virtues his tradition brought him. Quietly tending his crops, feeding the god pots with copal, leading the balché ceremonies and telling stories for those who would still listen, he held to the central truth. “The roots of all things are connected. When a tree is cut in the forest, a star falls in the sky.” By the time he left this world in 1996 at the age, some say, of 116 years, he may have sadly marveled there was any light left overhead so open was the view to the heavens! His great concern was also that the Lacandónes would have no home and their ancient, esoteric tradition would no longer exist.
Trudi Duby Blom Perhaps because of this threat, Gertrude Duby, a photographer, was allowed entry into their closed community. This in and of itself was an anomaly. But what was a lone Swedish woman doing in such a wild land in the 1950s away from polite society and all its accoutrements? Her persuasive powers and intent must have been incredible. Not only was she able to gain acceptance where no gringa had gone, but she persuaded Danish archaeologist Frans Blom to include her on his expeditions when he was adamantly against it. She later married him. From the 1950s until her passing in 1993, she photographed many parts of Lacandóon life, thereby documenting people and their traditions, nearly lost to us today. Courtesy photos The Maya people created the longest lasting civilization of the New World and the earliest inscriptions credited to the May date to the 3rd century BCE. The Maya hieroglypic writing is very complex, with hundreds of unique signs or glyphs in the form of humans, animals, supernaturals, objects and abstract designs. The top Maya inscription are right is at the National Museum of Mexico in Mexico City. The bottom limestone lintel is located at the British Museum in London. EarthOdysseyOnline
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A deep friendship endured. Even today, should any Lacandónes venture from their jungle homes to San Cristóbal, they have lodging at Na Balom, the House of the Jaguar. Once the home of Gertrude Duby Blom and Frans Blom, it’s now a museum focusing on the life and traditions of the Lacandón Maya. When my companion and I were in San Cristóbal, we visited Na Bolom, having lingered over the photos and ritual objects. I stood a long time in Trudi Blom’s small bedroom, looking at her personal items, gazing at her clothing still hung in a wardrobe, imagining what it must have been like to live her life.
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What inspires me? As we were leaving my friend said to me, “What inspires you?” At the moment he asked, not surprisingly, the same question was in my head. This had been happening a lot on the trip. Who knew who had thoughts first, but just beat the other one to voicing them? I was also noticing the sense of fullness I was feeling in my body, heart warm and open. This, to me, is the internal resonance of what inspires me. Inspiration is what takes us out of the ordinary into the non-ordinary. Inspiration is all around us, especially in nature. It’s only non-ordinary because we typically don’t notice, but when we do it segues to deep appreciation. These
moments are precious.
What inspires me? People who stand for what they believe, living an unprescribed life—unless it’s a prescription of their own making. They are fresh and enduring, even if their unprescribed life is a secret they hold, unknown to the masses, one practiced alone or acknowledged by few. Then there are the places in this world that have invoked inspiration for many. The collective energy is maintained through the intensity of the ageless offerings and the beauty of the land. These things are food for the soul discovered through my own wanderings and with those who consent to accompany me.
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Saving animals, saving water Story by Debra J. White
“With the cistern, the Potter League for Animals will be the first shelter to demonstrate success in water reduction in their new green building,” said Lucinda Schlaffer, principal architect with ARQ Architects.
Photo by Pat Heller, Potter League The Potter League for Animals in Middletown, R.I., opened in November 2009 and recently earned a gold LEED certification, the first for an animal shelter. EarthOdysseyOnline
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Photo by Pat Heller, Potter League The dog-viewing area at the The Potter League for Animals in Middletown, R.I.
Animal shelters use lots of water. Daily, thousands of gallons flow out of hoses to clean and disinfect kennels to prevent the spread of contagious diseases such as canine parvo virus and distemper. Water bowls are filled then topped off during the day. Plants, trees, flowers and shrubbery on the grounds at some shelters need watering or else they’ll shrivel up and die. Water conservation measures slowly seep into animal shelter management. The Potter League for Animals, on an island off the coast of Rhode Island, opened a green shelter in November 2009 that recently earned a gold LEED certification, the first for an animal shelter. Pat Heller, director of development and outreach says that a 15,000 gallon cistern captures nearly 90 percent of the area’s ample rainwater. That non-potable water is then used for cleaning. Other water conservation measures include low-flush toilets and drought resistant landscape. Across the country in California, Humane Society Silicon Valley’s new green shelter opened in March 2009 and includes an array of water saving measures. “Stained concrete flooring requires less Page 10 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
water and chemicals to clean,” said Laura Fulda, vice president for marketing and communications. A highly efficient cleansing system uses only 2.2 gallons a minute, less than half the standard rate. Less irrigation is needed for the drought resistant landscaping and the artificial turf in the dog park. Low flush toilets and modern washing machines cut water use too. Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center opened an eco-friendly shelter in November 2007. One of the most innovative green features includes an on-site waste water treatment system. Nearly 10,000 gallons of water per day flush germs, dirt and feces out of the kennels. All this water is now recycled for cleaning. “This closed loop system, sometimes referred to as a living machine, consists of a series of containers constructed with a water-proof liner, then filled with gravel and wetland plants,” said Robert Van Buren of the city of Dallas. Over three days, water is flushed through the system. Plants feed off the nutrients found in the effluent, cleaning the water to a “near po-
table level.” The water is then “polished” with chlorine to remove any bacteria and used for cleaning. No city water cleans or disinfects the shelter. Noah’s Ark in Fairfield, Iowa, also recycles wastewater, both human and animal. According to Laura Cohen, executive director, water flows into septic tanks where it is partially treated, then filtered. The effluent enters gravel-filled tanks filled with various wetland plants that provide oxygen to the system, thus enhancing the treatment process. “The wastewater becomes highly treated as it flows through the plant root zone in the cells,” Cohen said. Noah’s Ark uses a subsurface constructed wetland to minimize the exposure to untreated wastewater and to reduce mosquito breeding. The subsurface constructed wetland adds texture and character to the landscape by creating a natural habitat for plants and wildlife Cohen added. Heather E. Lewis, an architect with Animal Arts Design Studios in Boulder, Colo., designs animal facilities, including shelters. She suggests the following to EarthOdysseyOnline
save water: • Let dogs out of the cages more often, reducing the need for spot cleaning. • Use medium pressure hoses instead of garden hoses. Less water is used. • When practical, pick up solids before cleaning the cages. Water isn’t needed then to flush waste down the drain. Lewis suggests washing with cold water. That won’t save water but modern cleaning products work just as effectively with cold water, thus lowering energy bills. She also pushes rainwater collection and low-flush toilets. “It makes a difference,” she said. Water conservation at shelters not only helps Mother Nature but it slices utility bills, too. Cities and states raise utility rates as leverage to reduce water use. Squeezing money from utility bills leaves more for animal care. Despite skeptics, evidences points to continued global warming. Weather patterns are variable and sometimes frightening. Water will become scarcer in some parts of the United States; other areas will be flooded. Green shelters already in operation or under construction prove that
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Courtesy photo The Animal Community Center in Silicon Valley has grooming facilities, a veterinary hospital, a spay/neuter medical center, a community dog park and training center, doggie daycare, boarding and grooming, education center, community events room, pet store and a pet-friendly cafe.
saving animals and saving the environment go hand in hand. Green shelters are open in upstate NY, Michigan, California, Texas, Canada, North Carolina and Canada. More are
under construction in about six other states. The trend is slow, but green shelters are becoming more popular, especially as cities and states enact stricter green building codes.
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Southwesterners shop co-op Environmentalism, community ownership lead to common good
Story by Theodore G. Manno, Ph.D. Photos by Amber Forest McHale Page 12 • March 2010
Earth Odyssey • www.EarthOdysseyOnline.com
At the Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-op (OBPC) in San Diego, households invest a mere $15 to become “owner-members” and receive a say in the running of a retail vegetarian food store that provides the highest quality natural and organic products at a fair price.
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n October 2008, the USA was in the midst of campaigns for the 44th president of the country. After running more or less even with Arizona senator John McCain, upstart Democrat Barack Obama pulled ahead for good after several major banks collapsed and jobs started disappearing en masse, disabling the economy and rendering McCain unable to distance himself from an unsuccessful incumbent political party. The complaints of the American people were simple—the underlying presence of a corrupted, unsustainable free-market system and unbridled, unabated, unregulated, in-your-face capitalism. With CEOs flying private planes to ask for bailout money to “survive,” executives accepting gargantuan bonuses and a profit über alles health care system, any pretension of businesses existing to serve the community at large had disappeared. Instead, most Americans saw money-grubbing companies that served to perpetuate themselves and to make money for the owner. Do companies owe something to the communities that perpetuate them? Is accountability to the community in a company’s best interests? These are not easy questions to contemplate, but more are moving toward an affirmative answer.
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It is an understandable movement, as the idea of “regular people” sharing the wealth that they help build instead of absorbing exploitation by the rich is hardly novel. Revolutionaries like Adam Smith argued for the seemingly paradoxical notion that competitive markets advanced broader social interests, and Karl Marx advocated direct worker ownership and administration of resource allocation. American entrepreneur Milton Hershey had his workers and surrounding community share in the wealth of his gargantuan chocolate company by using milk from local farmers, reinvesting profit back into the operation, building a prosperous and utopian town surrounding the chocolate factory and founding a hybrid orphanage-agricultural school that flourishes to this day. And there are other current American businesses that have long been hip to the community involvement philosophy that may not be flying under the national radar for much longer. Enter the consumer cooperative, more commonly referred to as a “co-op,” a business organization that is actually owned and operated by the people who use its services for their mutual benefit. With people united to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs, cooperative members believe firmly in social responsibility and accountability to the community. Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 13
Derived from feudal “profit-sharing” between workers and owners in the 1800s, the model now dictates the operations of various organic food grocery stores, many of which are in Arizona and California.
Organic Food Co-op At the Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-op (OBPC) in San Diego, households invest a mere $15 to become “ownermembers” and receive a say in the running of a retail vegetarian food store that provides the highest quality natural and organic products at a fair price. “We consider the co-op to be the better business model because the people generating the business activity are the ones profiting from the activity,” said General Manager Nancy Casady, “There is no profit motive beyond what the owner-members want for the operation of the store.” It was the c. 1844 Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, a group of artisans who used the setup to sell food they could not otherwise afford, who originally devised cooperative business principles. Adopted by thousands of cooperatives, including Page 14 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
the OBPC, the seven-tiered principle system results in a true cooperative enterprise and avoids a small dictatorial segment that creates inequality and exploits workers. The principles are hallmarked by voluntary and open membership for all interested members of the public, democratic member control with economic participation, and sustainable development of the community through policy. In addition, at least part of the capital is usually the common property of the cooperative and used toward common goals. As the overall organization is influenced by owner-member input, “bang-for-buck” is maximized and the money stays in the community—contributing to the area’s economic strength rather than getting swallowed by big-business administration. “Any profits are returned in lower prices,” Casady said, “owner-members usually live and work close to the store, and those are additional funds that they can spend in the local community. Profits do not concentrate, since everything goes back into the co-op. There are not excess profits that get sent away and someone takes them and puts them into their bank account like other business set-ups.” EarthOdysseyOnline
For example, owner-members at OBPC were willing to pay enough to generate surplus for constructing a home that serves as a regional model of socially and environmentally conscious construction. The “green” building was constructed using recycled content steel and sustainable, no-habitats-destroyed lumber. With open-beam ceilings, exposed framing and minimal flooring designs, material use is significantly reduced. The delicatessen area and community room have marmoleum flooring made of natural materials such as linseed oil, woodflour, pine rosin, jute and limestone. Landscaping using endemic desert plants thwarts water usage. Performing at 36 percent above the required minimum by California law, the building has also won awards for energy efficiency. North-facing windows maximize day lighting instead of over-using light bulbs, and this adjustment combined with special window placement to maximize cross ventilation stops dependency on expensive and polluting air-conditioning. Photovoltaic cells on the roof provide electricity, and a solar thermosyphon system heats water. Finally, in the true spirit of social consciousness, materials from the old building were recycled and used for housing in economically depressed areas of Tijuana.
Food Conspiracy The Food Conspiracy Natural Foods Market in Tucson, Arizona, is another cooperatively owned institution that is open to the public. Since 1971, they have been committed to empowering
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owner-members to conduct healthy, sustainable, cooperative and community-minded lives while providing the highest quality foods to the community. Aligning with their commitment to environmentalism, social justice and education, Food Conspiracy is constantly expanding their line of local, fair trade and independently produced items. In 2005, the co-op developed a closer relationship with fair trade farmers by sending an outreach coordinator to visit an agrarian cooperative in Peru, thus expanding product awareness into social justice issues. There is even an opportunity for owner-members to eat more local and become “loca-vores” by signing up for the Eat Local Challenge event in July, a time when local growers generally have a bounteous harvest. Upon entrance to the store, purple signs highlight areas for local products such as Arizona citrus, bread made from Southwestern crops, honey from the Sonoran Desert, milk, cheese and eggs from local dairy cows and chickens, and handmade wellness potions from the Mogollon Rim. Even the beers and hot sauce are from local companies. “There has always been an inherent relationship between local growers and co-ops,” said Torey Ligon, outreach coordinator at FC. “One of our store’s great attributes is that it is small enough to be able to communicate with local farmers and give really small growers an outlet.” With an extensive bulk selection that is completely organic,
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the store maintains the same approach as their San Diego counterparts by eschewing products with genetically engineered organisms. Such products have genes taken from one species an inserted into another in a way that is beyond the scope of natural occurrence, usually used to make food more physically “attractive” or for reduced susceptibility to pests.
Bisbee Food Co-op Even small towns are joining in the co-op fun. Towns like Bisbee, Arizona, enjoy a progressive, prosperous society that centers on patronizing local businesses, including the Bisbee Food Co-op. Owner-members enjoy similar economic benefits, participate in decision making and experience a sense of community that is heightened by the town’s desolation. “We’ve grown from a garbage can of beans and rice to 600 members,” said General Manager Greg Wingard, “when you’re Page 16 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
talking about a town like Bisbee, that’s one-tenth of the population. But co-ops can exist anywhere where there is a mentality that supports them, and people here are concerned about their health and what they are intaking.” With their proximity to Mexico, the Bisbee Food Co-op has a prime opportunity to involve multiculturalism in their approach. Working with the Latino community, an owner-member is heading an outreach division to find out about the health concerns of a population that spends time on both sides of the border. Owner-members will likely benefit with high-quality ethnic food, and give Mexican food preparers an outlet for their skills. “And all of our profits will be returned to the infrastructure,” Wingard said. Casady also said that owner-members benefit from the lack of spending by the co-op on explicit advertising—having the highest quality products, she said, is the marketing niche. EarthOdysseyOnline
These three organizations and others like them share a belief in the power of the consumer and making choices that have far reaching impacts on the community. As much of the USA disintegrates into the same old chain stores in the same dreary strip malls with money flying outside of the community, co-ops remind us of the people’s ability to distribute profit. Besides the novelty of community ownership, co-ops such as those in San Diego, Tucson and Bisbee offer us the potential to influence our own quality of life through adapting a cooperative culture. By demanding fairly traded coffee that enables an African farmer to support his family better, we reap further individual rewards through sustainable worldwide economies that can continue bartering. By using our purchasing choices to insist that businesses respect employees, compensate them fairly and provide them with a safe and supportive working environment, we benefit ourselves with an excellent shopping experience. And by enabling businesses where many consumers profit instead of a few executives, we benefit from ownership of our community. Instead of worshipping a free-market capitalist system where individuals create businesses to run each other over for immediate financial gratification as if nothing else matters, co-ops offer an opportunity to indirectly improve ourselves by making choices for the betterment of all of society. We benefit when others benefit. Fellow Southwesterners, it’s time to shop co-op.
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Therapist transforms memoir into self-help guide
A journey of recovery following a paralyzing 40-foot fall
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fter falling from a 40-foot cliff that crushed three vertebrae in her upper back, therapist Nancy M. Turcich, NTS, RPP, RPE has published “Finding My Way From Paralysis To A Rich, Full Life,” a new memoir that is an alluring story as well as a profound educational resource. After enduring spinal surgery and countless hours of physical therapy to initiate corporeal change, Turcich discovered that holistic therapy led to her full recovery—even years after the accident. As a young woman unfamiliar with massage, Turcich narrates her recovery from paralysis through traditional medicine to complete health by way of a myriad of holistic therapies.
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Without the entanglement of confusing terms or dialogue, Turcich leads readers through picturesque descriptions. “Finding My Way From Paralysis To A Rich, Full Life” is a memoir, a self-help guide and a useful reference tool for read-
ers contemplating alternative therapies. The story not only taps into Turcich’s personal understanding of healing as a client, but also healing as a therapist. Turcich has been a practicing natural massage therapist for more than 20 years and is an expert in the field of holistic therapy. She is a resident of Prescott, Arizona, where she administers treatments and provides educational insight to her clientele in natural massage therapy methods. She maintains professional affiliations with the American Massage Therapy Association and the American Polarity Therapy Association. Locally, Turcich is a member of the Professional Writers of Prescott and Prescott Healing Arts Association. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Finding My Way From Paralysis To A Rich, Full Life” benefit the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. For additional information, visit www. naturalmassagetherapy.com. EarthOdysseyOnline
Homeopathy getting serious attention from world governments By Kimberley Paterson
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ired rhetoric may still be in play regarding homeopathy around the world—but the natural health industry has a vibrant and promising economic future. Despite the sceptics—who these days increasingly risk insulting the huge swathe of consumers who choose natural remedies as their first health option— natural health, including homeopathy, is now a normal fact of modern life. What is now called Traditional and Complementary Medicine or TCAM (formerly known as alternative or holistic health) is getting serious attention from governments around the world. Malaysia is just one case in point. In January, natural health authority Phillip Cottingham—founder of New Zealand’s leading TCAM training institute Wellpark College of Natural Therapies—travelled to Malaysia to investigate how TCAM, including homeopathy, has been integrated into the national health system. What he found was the exciting implementation of TCAM philosophy and practice deep into the heart of mainstream Malaysian health clinics and hospitals. “To date there are really only two major countries who have successfully brought TCAM into their health care systems—China and India,” Cottingham said. “Of these two, only China has really integrated TCAM and modern health care. India runs a parallel system rather than a truly integrative model. Now Malaysia has taken the bold step of formally integrating TCAM systems into its national health delivery and it is creating a model that could be adapted to many other countries—including New Zealand.” The impetus for Malaysia’s TCAM move came in 2001 from the Director EarthOdysseyOnline
Courtesy photo Phillip Cottingham is the founder of New Zealand’s leading Traditional and Complementary Medicine training institute, Wellpark College of Natural Therapies.
General of Health who appointed pharmacist Dr. Ramli Ghani to spearhead the initiative. Their aim was four-fold: 1. Practice—a phased approach from self-regulation to statutory regulation of TCAM practitioners; registry of all practitioners (currently 13,399 in Malaysia); ensure safety and ethics and that premises are appropriate 2. Education and training—get approved TCAM programs running in credible institutions; educate orthodox practitioners in TCAM; educate the public in TCAM 3. Raw materials and products—sustainability and standardization of natural health products; strengthen control on production, import, export 4. Research—a priority under the new health scheme. Only modalities with clear qualifications are included in the integrative health system. These include degree programs in homeopathy, chiropractic,
ayuvedic, acupuncture, TCAM and traditional Chinese medicine—and diploma programs in massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, acupuncture, natural medicine, Malay massage and Islamic medicine. Malaysia has 20 institutes teaching homeopathy; 33 teaching traditional Chinese medicine and another 21 teaching other natural health modalities. Cottingham said there are now six TCAM units in hospitals across the country. “I was able to visit Putrajaya Hospital in Malaysia’s new capital city (just outside of Kuala Lumpur),” he said. “The hospital is new and the TCAM clinic delivers acupuncture, herbalism and traditional Malay massage. At first, the clinic ran as a separate unit receiving their own outpatients; now they run almost exclusively on referral from within the hospital.” Additional natural therapies employed include herbalism as an adjunct treatment for cancer; acupuncture for chronic pain and post-stroke; and Malay traditional Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 19
medicine for post natal care. Usage of TCAM is well regarded across many Asian countries. According to the World Health Organization percentages of populations using TCAM are 69.4 percent in Malaysia; 45 percent in Singapore; 50 percent in Vietnam; 49 percent in Japan; 69 percent in Korea; 90 percent in China and 48.5 percent in Australia. Last year, the Third International Conference of Complementary Medicine held in Sydney drew 400 delegates from 30 countries. Among topics discussed at the conference: • Sandra McClukas, the Parliamentary Undersecretary of Health and Aging, told how Australians now spend more of the health dollar on TCAM than conventional treatments and that two thirds of the adult Australian population use TCAM. • Gustav Dobos from the University of Duisburg-Essen, which established Germany’s first hospital for Internal and Integrative Medicine, said evidence of TCAM’s success is so strong medical insurance companies are now paying for TCAM treatments. That hospital now has 54 beds using TCAM practitioners including naturopaths, massage therapists, traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and conventional doctors. • Pharmacist Lesley Braun, who has been studying TCAM in hospital settings, said TCAM is no longer considered a “fringe therapy.” • Nisha Manek from the Mayo Clinic spoke of the role TCAM is beginning to play—especially in the area of rheumatology. • Heather Boon from the University of Toronto talked of a study of consumer decision making about natural health products—which found “natural” and “no chemical” were strong motivators for purchasing. • Alan Bensoussan from the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at the University of Western Sydney spoke of the untapped resource TCAM offers in depression treatment in the context of high cost and limited response to SSRI pharmaceutical drug treatments. • Professor Nikolas Sucher from NICMR Page 20 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
How safe modern medicine really? Around 3,000 New Zealanders die each year from iatrogenic illness (as a direct result of medically prescribed drugs or orthodox medicine interventions) according to government sources. Dr. Robin Youngson, an anaesthetist and hospital safety campaigner, has been quoted saying that a total of 66,000 New Zealanders could suffer adverse effects to drugs and medicine each year; 3,250 of these people would die and another 9,000 would be disabled. That means for every bed taken up by a traffic injury patient, another five are taken up with medical injury related patients. Hospitals like Auckland Hospital are currently estimated to be spending around $5 million a year on treatment and longer stays for those suffering such medical misadventures. Another study found New Zealand rates of adverse reactions were higher than in Britain and the United States. Adverse events were higher and more serious in those aged 65 and over and resulted in a doubling of the time they spent in hospital. According to an Australian Hospital Care Study, which examined the medical records of 14,179 patients who attended 28 public and private hospitals, as many as 14,000 Australians die each year through preventable mistakes. Another approximate 30,000 are left with some degree of serious or permanent disability as a result of such mistakes. In the United States medical mistakes kill around 88,000 Americans each year. In a report by the Institute of Medicine problems include mistakes in dosage and drugs given and failure to keep up with rapidly growing medical and technological knowledge.
talking on the neuroprotective effects of Chinese herbal medicines. • Professor Andrew Scholey from the Brain Sciences Institute in Melbourne talked about the role of herbal medicines, particularly sage (Salvia officialis) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) in neuro protection for Alzheimer’s development. • Dr. Kerryn Phelps, formerly president of the Australian Medical Association and now a firm convert to TCAM, said that education of all health professionals will evolve to integrate TCAM into mainstream healthcare systems. • Dr. Josephine Briggs, director of the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Washington said her institute is funded to the tune of $120 million annually, much of which is spent on research. She also talked of the world’s largest supporter of biomedical medicine, the National Institute of Health, which now allocates .04 percent of its annual $28 billion budget to TCAM.
• Professor Gerald Bodekar from the University of Oxford Medical School and author of the WHO Global Atlas of Traditional and Complementary Medicine called for a public health research agenda for TCAM. • Professor Harald Walach from Northampton University spoke of the need of new methodologies to research TCAM effectiveness. “What the conference showed was the great deal of excitement about the future of natural medicine,” Cottingham said. “It showed the future of TCAM lies in research ... but research on our terms. TCAM consists of whole systems of care that combine a wide range of modalities to provide individualized treatment. The complexity of these interventions and their potential synergistic effect requires innovative evaluative approaches. “Classical randomized controlled trials are limited in their ability to address this: we need new methods of approach to research that hold qualitative and quantitative research in equal esteem.” EarthOdysseyOnline
Conspiracy theory
Intriguing story never dies
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his movie, “JFK II The Bush Connection” starts off with a study of the 1963 assassination with footage and testimony of the attending doctors and reporters. This intro sets the purpose of the film by stating that the ones responsible for the assassination were in high seats of power then and are still in seats of power today. The film goes through that fateful day step-by-step and covers a handful of flaws that are inconsistent with standard operating procedure. High up on the list is how JFK was completely unguarded and put out in the open until the deed was done. Also, how the president’s body was taken from Dallas against federal law and flown to D.C. to perform the autopsy. The body was somehow stolen in between Dallas and D.C. and the original wounds were altered. The wounds had to be altered to support that all the shots came from behind, because 100 percent of the Dallas doctors agreed that many of the wounds came from the front, with rear exit wounds. So, the main issue here is the “who.” Who could have managed to order the secret service to stand down, change the parade route, make the driver slow down while the car was under fire until after the president had half his head blown off, make the president’s body go missing, orchestrate a cover up and influence the press to take a nap? All roads lead to George Herbert Walker Bush. His ties are woven through every part of this story; most of them EarthOdysseyOnline
Movie Reviews by Jason Allen
Movies that won’t make you dumber
originate from his membership and his father’s membership in Skull and Bones, which is directly tied to the CIA. Basically, the start of Kennedy’s downfall was his refusal to support the CIA’s Cuban insurrection at the Bay of Pigs. Because the director of the CIA, Allen Dulles, orchestrated the Bay of Pigs against Kennedy’s orders, Kennedy fired Dulles and was working to eliminate the CIA, which really upset a few very powerful people. Another nail in the coffin was Kennedy’s obsession with peace, as he was planning to end the covert war in Vietnam. His enemies were making some plans of their own because peace is bad for business. The main tie between GHWB and the assassination is Howard Hunt, the CIA assassin who was the supervisor of the Bay Pigs. He was busted for breaking into Watergate a couple of years later and also supervised the assassination of JFK.
When he was in jail for Watergate, he threatened to talk about the assassination if Nixon didn’t pay him to shut up. GHWB’s closest business partner paid him $1 million in hush money. The film also covers the Warren commission, which was appointed to investigate the crime. People whom JFK had fired, namely Dulles, who had close ties to GHWB and his father, headed it. During the 1975 Senate investigation of the assassination and of the CIA’s involvement, William Colby, the current director, was informing the Senate that Hunt and Bush were in charge of the assassination plot. He was fired and replaced by GHWB, who then ended the CIA’s cooperation with the committee and shut down the investigation. “The Bush Connection” suggested that I watch the Warner Brothers JFK by Oliver Stone, so having never seen it before, I agreed. I was
very surprised and impressed at its thoroughness. I had never seen it because I don’t think too much of Kevin Costner and I figured since it was a main stream movie that it would be a lot of fluff. I was mistaken on both counts. It was actually more tightly condensed with information than most documentaries I’ve seen. What “The Bush Connection” follows in more detail is the chain of people involved and the ties between them, which had a lot to do with the Bay of Pigs. This film’s presentation is quite calm and logical, loaded with facts, and plays devil’s advocate repeatedly. It is flavored with very amusing little animations, which illustrate the conspiracy. Before the film starts, it has an FBI warning, but it’s not the normal one. It’s a warning against the FBI and encourages private reproduction and sale of the film. It’s a low-budget film, with pretty low sound quality, but I still have to say that it’s a must see, and it’s so condensed with information that you should see it more than once. Jason Allen is the advertising art director for Earth Odyssey. He received his B.F.A. in studio arts from the University of South Carolina. His artwork has been featured in group and solo shows in New Jersey, South Carolina and Arizona. Jason teaches photography at Yavapai College. He is a career artist specializing in found art. Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 21
By Ronald Nye The Herb Guy
Shea butter smooths everything it touches
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y name is Ronald Nye and I bring to you my teachings from the herbal world through my teachers in the Native American world. What we will talk about in this column is not only the anecdotal information that I have learned from my native brothers, but also the main stream teachings of some very educated herbalists. I am a great follower of the herbalists David Hoffman, Earl Mindel and of the great organizations that try very hard to govern our body of learning, such as The herbalist Guild and the ABC or the American Botanical Society. I want to educate readers about a nut butter that is especially good for using in the environment here in Arizona: shea butter.
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Shea butter is derived from the nut of the Karite tree, which grows only in Africa. It grows in a belt across the African continent from Ghana in the west to the eastern coast. This belt runs just under the Saharan desert and above the tropics. The people of this region rely on the Karite tree for their living. It is this nut that shea butter has been made from for thousands of years. It is used in cooking and health care in African villages. Shea butter is used today in the food industry, the cosmetic industry and in the herbal industry in Europe. It is called a CBE (Cocoa Butter Extender) in the chocolate industries of Europe. It is what makes Swiss, Belgium and German chocolates so
smooth and creamy. Not recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration for food consumption, it is sadly missing in U.S. chocolates. The cosmetic and soap industries worldwide use shea butter for its moisturizing properties and the ability to smooth out some soap and cream recipes. The problem with this is these manufacturers need a consistent color and aroma. Shea butter has a distinct aroma and colors ranging from cream to tan to green. The manufacturers cook shea butter until the color is white and no aroma remains. Well guess what? All of the nutrients are also removed. That is such a shame for the buyers because shea butter
contains large amounts of vitamins A and E and other healthy ingredients that are so beneficial to our skin. Using shea butter has so many health benefits for so many different skin conditions. And it is also one of the best moisturizers available. If you were to go to the Shea Butter Institute on the Web, you can find the 21 reasons to use shea butter. The Shea Butter Institute was started by Dr. Samuel Hunter in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the world’s foremost authority on shea butter and its health benefits. Check out his Web site and then head down to your local health food store and pick up a jar. Ronald Nye is the owner of White Sage Herbals. He sells Pure Raw Shea Butter at azwhitesage.com and at the following retail outlets: Vita Mart in Payson Ariz., New Frontiers in Flagstaff, Ariz., and New Frontiers in Sedona, Ariz.
EarthOdysseyOnline
Silence is Golden
The Practice of Noble Silence
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love to get up early and go outside, especially in the spring. Sometimes there is no breeze and the delicate peach and plum trees and their blossoms stand as silent and unmoving as the red rocks. Silence is always refreshing. I love the early mornings before the jeeps start to crawl through the forests, or the helicopters hover above the wilderness. As I walk closer to the trees, the sound emerged of the bees buzzing in the blossoms. After a few minutes, the finches serenade me as I head back into the house, I hear them along with the sound of my breath and my feet as I walk. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of the gods.” Silence can be hard to come by and easy to avoid these days. We all are busy. As a remedy to the rampant noise and distraction, some people practice meditation in activity, in the form of mindfulness, a discipline of being fully present while doing just one thing. During the years I lived in the meditation-training center, we were mindful in meditation and in activity. We also spent many days in silence during the week- and month-long retreats. I would eat, cook, work and meditate in silence. Sometimes called Noble Silence, this practice helps to settle down distracting thoughts and experience what I am actually experiencing. Practicing Noble Silence means making a commitment to being in silence. You take a certain amount of time to withdraw from the activity of speech and communication of any kind, and avoid entertainment such as listening to music or the radio, watching television or movies or reading. Why? These activities capture your attention, and direct it outward. In contrast, silence is a process of turning your attention inward and simply being. When beginning the practice, you might notice your internal dialogue
EarthOdysseyOnline
becomes even more turbulent, sometimes referred to as “monkey mind.” Some people begin to feel an intense need to say or communicate just about anything, even “thank you,” “please” or “sorry.” A sense of urgency or anxiety may come up or they may get fixated on a thought. When we stay with the practice, the internal dialogue about the past, the future and the inner commentary about life and what surrounds us begins to settle. Maybe the mind gives up; perhaps it figures there’s no point in going around and around if you’re not going to speak, period. As the internal dialogue slows down you will begin to experience the stillness of the present moment, the here, the now. You might experience that you’re more of a human “being” rather than a human “doing,” as you witness your actions and thoughts in this silence. Who is this witness? Who are you really? Silence helps you to realize your true, expanded self. It also provides an opportunity to commune with yourself and hear a wiser voice, perhaps it’s intuition or perhaps it’s the whispers of the gods that Emerson was referring to. Could you spend a day or part of a day in silence? Decide when to take the time off, let your loved ones know, and take a vow of silence. Remind them you are not ignoring them, you will be speaking to them again. Turn off your TV, cell phone and home phone, take a day off from the computer and electronics, don’t listen to music or read. Don’t speak or write to anyone, don’t make wild gestures to communicate with your family. Instead, be with yourself, turn your attention inward with the intention to get to know yourself. Experience yourself and the sensations as you walk, cook, eat, shower and meditate. Closely pay attention to what you see, touch, taste, smell and hear. Be the witness to your internal and ex-
By Sarah McLean
ternal. This practice will help you to be fully present to your life, one moment after another. Another way to experience silence is to give yourself some time in nature. And no, the walk from your front door to the car, or from your car to the entrance of the grocery store doesn’t count. Most of us spend most of our time indoors, focused on the busyness of our lives and disconnected from the earth and nature. But much of what we truly need can only be found under the naked sky, alongside red rocks, on paths through the forest, or by the creek with our cell phone turned off and without our iPods. Sometimes taking a walk in the evening as the sun sets or feeling the wind on your face may be all that’s needed to reconnect with nature and ourselves. Being in the natural world can calm the mind and emotions, and helps us let go of mental stress. We are as much a part of nature as are the leaves on a tree or the birds. Silence, like being in nature, is a practice that helps us to discover who we really are, that we are each whole, peaceful and perfect. It helps us to relieve stress and a perfect way to shift our perception as it allows us to see the world as happening for us rather than happening to us. Sarah McLean is the director of Sedona Meditation Training & Retreats and is certified and recommended by Dr. Deepak Chopra. She can be reached via e-mail at sarah@sedonameditation.com, phone at 928-204-0067 or fax at 866-654-1705. You can also visit online at www.SedonaMeditation.com. Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 23
Sudoku!
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains numbers 1 through 9. The puzzle has only one solution. The solutions are on page 3.
Abigail, Jordan, Katherine, Eric, Brandon and Rachel want to make ice cream. They each have a different amount of milk (3, 10, 5, 7, 2 and 4 quarts) and a different amount of sugar (9, 4, 8, 10, 2 and 6 cups). One batch of ice cream requires 3 cups of milk and 2 cups of sugar. Figure out how much milk and sugar each person has and then calculate the maximum number of batches of ice cream each can make. 1. If Rachel had 7 more cups of sugar, Rachel would have a total of 8 pints of sugar. 2. If Abigail had 10 more cups of sugar, Abigail would have a total of 10 pints of sugar. 3. If Jordan had 7 times as much milk, Jordan would have 8 gallons and 3 quarts of milk. 4. Eric can make at least 1 batch of ice cream. 5. Katherine can make at least 2 batches of ice cream. 6. If Brandon had 6 times as much milk, Brandon would have 4 gallons and 2 quarts of milk. 7. The person, who has 4 cups of sugar, has 24 less cups of sugar than cups of milk. 8. If Katherine had 6 times as much milk, Katherine would have 15 gallons of milk. 9. The person, who has 8 cups of sugar, has 12 less cups of sugar than cups of milk. 10. The person, who has 9 cups of sugar, has 7 less cups of sugar than cups of milk. 11. If Abigail had 7 times as much milk, Abigail would have 3 gallons and 2 quarts of milk. 12. The person, who has 6 cups of sugar, has 34 less cups of sugar than cups of milk. Page 24 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
EarthOdysseyOnline
All time and location information is correct at publication. Please call the facility in advance to verify that no changes have occurred in the interim.
Recurring Events Fourth Annual Rachel Carson ‘Sense of Wonder’ Contest—The categories are poetry, photography, essays and dance. The deadline is June 16, 2010. Winners will be announced in October 2010. For more info, see www.epa.gov/aging/resources/ thesenseofwonder/index.htm. Celiac (gluten free) Support Group, Payson. We will provide important resources and information for people on gluten-free diets. Snacks will be provided from Gluten Free creations bakery in Phoenix! Contact Christine for more information 928-595-2379. Monday nights, 7 p.m.—Self Search/Channeled Readings, The Way To The Light Within, Phoenix. In the first part of the class, Dominique uses her psychic ability and StarWheel™ tiles to give each participant a mini reading. Bring your questions about anything you want to know, because in the second part of the class Dominique connects to her own as well as your guides, to get answers and guidance for you. Dominique is also a medium and can connect with and give you information from departed loved ones or friends. $20, Call 602-279-2941 to reserve your place. Saturdays, 9 a.m., Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, Scottsdale, Flagstaff and Page 25 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
Eclectic music festival sponsors Native Peoples
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reat yourself to an energizing and relaxing concert of five performers at the Eclectic Music Festival and Wine Tasting at The Smoki Museum in Prescott on Saturday, May 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Kenosis Spirit Keepers, a nonprofit for U.S. native people-topeople exchange culture in Mexico and Peru. “This fourth sell-out concert seeks to preserve traditions for the Hopi and Lacandón Maya and other projects,” said Carla Woody, founding president of Kenosis Spirit Keepers. “Native peoples are living in difficult situations. Detrimental aspects of Western ways are extracting ancient traditions that have served to provide a foundational sense of connection and place. If that continues to happen, we all lose, including those who come after we are long gone. Last year, we collaborated to build a school high in the Andes in Peru.” Performing musicians include RIO Flamenco, Rita Cantu, Native American flautist Sunny Heartley and the AZ Rhythm Connection with Frank Thompson and his African drumming troupe, Synaptic Soul. Rio Flamenco will keep you on the edge of your seat. Since 2003, they sizzle a
spicy mix of flamenco dance and hot Latin rhythms. The Prescott based troupe consists of: Tony Cocilovo on guitar and vocals, Billy Deal and Max West on percussion and dancers Anna Cocilovo and Leova Mejia. Rio Flamenco’s dedicated fan base appreciates the full-tilt musical, cultural and educational experience that is Rio Flamenco. Native American Flautist Sunny Heartley, who opens for Deepak Chopra’s conferences in Sedona, is a master at recreating the deepest vibrations of the soul. His original flute music evokes a sense of wonder and adventure. He uses exclusively, up to 15, of his handmade Sun-Heart flutes. Expect to be transported, uplifted and carried to new places. One of Arizona’s favorite folksingers, Rita Cantu draws upon indigenous cultures and her rich experiences of living in spectacular areas including
Prescott. She delights audiences with her heartfelt guitar and inspiring songs of life and wild lands. Bring your own percussion instruments to jam with Frank Thompson’s drum circle. Be swept up by Synaptic Soul’s sevenpiece band, both from Scottsdale. Hopi tacos and other for-purchase refreshments will raise funds for community building. A silent auction will feature art from Peru and Mexico and beadwork from Bali. Advance tickets for the concert and wine tasting are available online at www. kenosisspiritkeepers.org/ events.html or at Adventure Travel in Prescott for $25, or $35 at the door. “We offer young adults and U.S. native people sponsorships to participate in travel programs that promote the exchange of cultural wisdom in Mexico and Peru,” Woody said. “Our goal is preserve cultural heritage and ancient traditions. The journeys are life-changing for communities involved.” For information, call Carla Woody at 778-1058. Tickets are limited and may not be available at the door. Signed music CDs will be offered, in addition to a kaleidoscope of fair trade silent auction items. EarthOdysseyOnline
Kingman—Saturday Solar Seminars presented by Arizona Solar Power. Learn about solar energy for your home. Listen to a presentation on the most up-to-date products, how they work, and how they can save homeowners and even businesses money! Question and answer session follows, so you’re sure to leave with a greater knowledge of solar and how it can be one of the smartest investments you’ll make for yourself and the future. Call to reserve your place at either of our great locations: Cottonwood 928-634-7341, Prescott Valley/Dewey 928-632-5525, Scottsdale 480-607-5339, Flagstaff 928-774-0753, Kingman 877-496-0167. First Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Prescott—Children’s Clinic: Free Vibrational Realignment (spiritual healing) sessions will be offered to children at Mountain Spirit Co-Op, 107 N. Cortez St. No appointment necessary. Donation requested. For more info, call Michael Davis at 928-254-0775. Sundays, 4 p.m.–5:30 p.m., Tucson—West African Drumming Classes with Martin Klabunde. Learn West African rhythms on Djembe and Dununs. Drums available for class use. Please RSVP. Drum Priority will go to those who RSVP. $75/4 weeks, drop in fee $20. Ask about our reduced rate referral program. For more information, call Martin at 520-245-4547.
Nonrecurring Events April 23, 7 p.m.–8:15 EarthOdysseyOnline
Piano Concert features ancient, sacred music April 22, 7 p.m., Prescott—Piano Concert: Ancient and Sacred Music. Music of the Inner Search: Asian Songs, Eastern Orthodox Chants, Great Temple Hymns, and Dances of the Sayyids and Dervishes of G I. Gurdjieff and Thomas de Hartmann. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff was born in Russian Armenia and traveled widely on a spiritual quest to remote places in the Middle East and Central Asia more than 100 years ago. During these journeys, he heard the music of many ethnic traditions, remote temples and monasteries as he studied their rituals, dance and music. Gurdjieff was convinced that this music preserved essential characteristics of differ-
ent cultures and conveyed deeper religious meanings that cannot be expressed in words. Later, in collaboration with the composer Thomas de Hartmann, Gurdjieff ’s musical recollections evolved into hundreds of pieces of sacred piano music, not only for students in the Gurdjieff work, but also for those who heard the music and were touched by its unique range of impressions. Stafford Ordahl is the pianist. The concert will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 630 Park Ave. (Park and Copper Basin). For tickets call 928-771-8998 or 928-925-0154. E-mail: 4thway.az@gmail.com or write to: Gurdjieff Foundation of Prescott, P.O. Box 3967, Prescott, AZ 86302.
p.m.—The Shaman’s Drum: Meditation and Relaxation with Live Music, Tucson—In these sessions, we use ancient and modern energy building techniques to help you to move into and maintain a newly-focused awareness. $15 per person. The Ranch, 3742 N Edith Blvd. 520-2454547, martin@kalumba.org, kalumba.org.
0067.
April 23–25, Austin, Texas—The Yoga of Writing: A Women’s Meditation and Writing Retreat. During the retreat, we’ll give attention to silence, stillness and the present moment. You’ll write, listen to yourself, and be heard, perhaps for the very first time. No writing, yoga or meditation experience is necessary. Facilitated by meditation instructor Sarah McLean and writer/artist Victoria Nelson. For more info, call 928-204-
May 1, 5:30–8:30 p.m., Prescott—Kenosis Spirit Keepers Benefit Concert and Wine Tasting at the Smoki Museum of American Indian Art and Culture, Pueblo Room, 147 N. Arizona St. Featuring Synaptic Soul, AZ Rhythm Connection Drum Circle, RIO Flamenco, guitarist Rita Cantu and Native American flute with Sunny Heartley. Indigenous wisdom slide show, silent auction and more. Advance tickets $25
May 1, 2 p.m.–4:30 p.m., Sedona— Everyday Meditation class, (aka Meditation 101) where you’ll learn a lifelong meditation practice in a little over two hours! Discover an ancient, silent breath and sound meditation technique that you can use anywhere. For more info, call 928-204-0067.
at Adventure Travel at 130 Grove Street, or available online. For more info, call 928-778-1058, e-mail info@ kenosisspiritkeepers.org or visit www.kenosisspiritkeepers.org. May 1 and 2, 1 p.m.–5 p.m., Prescott—Introduction to Animal Communication, The Basic Course with animal communicator Nancy Windheart. Learn the basics of how to communicate with animals of any species through the universal language of telepathy. Creekside Center, Prescott. For more info, call 928-227-2868 or visit www.CommunicateWithYourAnimals.com. May 2, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Sedona—Meditation for the Wild Women of Sedona. For more info, call 928-204-0067 or e-mail sue@wildboomerwomen.com. Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 26
May 7–9, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Payson—Payson Art League’s Neath the Rim Studio Tour with juried artist exhibits in their studio locations. Featuring demonstrations and refreshments. Free admission and maps at the Rim Country Chamber of Commerce (Hwy. 87 and Main) or the Payson Library, 328 N. McLane Road. For more info, contact Sally Myers at 928-472-8651. May 7–9, South Lake Tahoe—Heart Opening Retreat with Sarah McLean and Kathy Zavada. Take this journey back into your own enchanting heart center this spring in Lake Tahoe and immerse yourself in uplifting music, deep silent meditations, and self-awareness practices. I co-lead this retreat with a very special woman, Kathy Zavada from Mount Shasta. Not only is she a phenomenal singer and songwriter (listen to her music here), she’s also an insightful and gifted retreat leader. For more info, call 928-204-0067. May 7, 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Tucson—Sacred Drumming Healing Ceremony. A formal ceremony using the drum as a tool for spiritual awakening and transformation. They provide participants an opportunity to put teachings into action. Experience a genuine healing drum ceremony. Learn to use the drum as the heartbeat of mother earth and doorway to the Universe! $10 per person. The Ranch, 3742 N Edith Blvd. 520-245-4547, martin@ kalumba.org, kalumba.org. May 15, Sedona—Deepak Page 27 • Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010
Festival encourages people to ‘Be Aware’
Courtesy photo Gabriel of Urantia and The Bright & Morning Star Band will perform at Tubac’s “Be Aware” Festival on May 7 to May 9.
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abriel of Urantia and The Bright & Morning Star Band begin a national “Be Aware” concert tour to raise awareness of important environmental, social and spiritual issues at the biannual Be Aware Festival on May 7 to May 9 at Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and EcoVillage in Tubac, Ariz. Global Change MultiMedia presents the Be Aware Festival featuring the 11-piece Gabriel of Urantia and The Bright & Morning Star Band. Additional artists scheduled to appear include Van’sGuard, Starseed Acoustic Ensemble, The Change Agents Band, DeoVibe, Israfel Awakened and SaTNesu. Gabriel of Urantia encourages everyone to “Be Aware” of:
• The need for more green products and to live more sustainably. • The need to buy locally and to grow organic gardens. • The chemicals and toxins in many foods manufactured by greedy, uncaring companies. • The unethical corporate entities taking people’s money and keeping them in slave labor. • The unequal distribution of wealth, supplies and material goods, keeping the poor fighting among themselves. • The lack of proper health care and the high costs of medical services. • The need for true spiritual and political leadership. “These issues aren’t being addressed by mainstream media,” said Global Change Multi-Media Executive Director, BenDameean Steinhardt.
“People need to realize how important these topics are. To change the world, we have to identify the problems and find viable solutions.” In addition to live music, the festival includes camping, independent films, activist theater, ecoconscious speakers, Kids’ Village, hayride tours, ethnic foods, vendors and more. The festival is free for kids 11 and younger. Suggested donations for ages 12 and up are taken at the gate. The festival is sponsored by Elastek. “By suggested donation people of all ages, races and economic brackets are encouraged to come, including the poor and disenfranchised,” said Gabriel of Urantia. “We trust people who have will support the “new-paradigm admission” and give freely from their hearts to keep these festivals by suggested donation so that those less fortunate can attend.” A resident visitor experience is offered after the festival for those interested in learning more about organic gardening, ecovillage living and the vision behind the “Be Aware” movement. For more information and camping reservations visit www.BeAware2010. org or call 520-603-9932. EarthOdysseyOnline
Chopra’s Primordial Sound Meditation Technique. For more info, call 928-204-0067. May 21–23, Sedona—The Yoga of Writing: A Women’s Meditation and Writing Retreat. During the retreat, we’ll give attention to silence, stillness and the present moment. You’ll write, listen to yourself, and be heard, perhaps for the very first time. No writing, yoga or meditation experience is necessary. Facilitated by meditation instructor Sarah McLean and writer/artist Victoria Nelson. For more info, call 928-204-0067. May 25, 6:30 p.m., Prescott Valley—Free talk on Animal Communication with animal communicator Nancy Windheart. Find out how telepathic communication with all species is possible, how it works, and how it can be
helpful. Kennel Kamp Village, Prescott Valley. E-mail nancy@ communicatewithyouranimals. com for more information. July 10, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Sedona— Everyday Meditation class, (aka Meditation 101) where you’ll learn a lifelong meditation practice in a little over two hours! Discover an ancient, silent breath and sound meditation technique that you can use anywhere. For more info, call 928-204-0067. July 11, Sedona—Deepak Chopra’s Primordial Sound Meditation Technique. For more info, call 928-2040067. July 17, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Phoenix at Storm Wisdom—Everyday Meditation class, (aka Meditation 101) where you’ll learn a lifelong meditation practice in a little
over two hours! Discover an ancient, silent breath and sound meditation technique that you can use anywhere. For more info, call 928-204-0067. Aug. 13–15, Portland, Maine—The Yoga of Writing: A Women’s Meditation and Writing Retreat. During the retreat, we’ll give attention to silence, stillness and the present moment. You’ll write, listen to yourself, and be heard, perhaps for the very first time. No writing, yoga or meditation experience is necessary. Facilitated by meditation instructor Sarah McLean and writer/artist Victoria Nelson. For more info, call 928-204-0067. Oct. 29–31, Sedona—The Yoga of Writing: A Women’s Meditation and Writing Retreat. During the retreat, we’ll give attention to silence, still-
ness and the present moment. You’ll write, listen to yourself, and be heard, perhaps for the very first time. No writing, yoga or meditation experience is necessary. Facilitated by meditation instructor Sarah McLean and writer/artist Victoria Nelson. For more info, call 928-204-0067. Jan. 12-24, 2011—Entering the Maya Mysteries with Carla Woody, Alonso Mendez and Carol Karasik. Spiritual travel to Mexico visiting hidden sacred places and engaging in nearly extinct ceremonies with Don Antonio Martinez, the last Spirit Keeper of the Lacandón Maya. A Spirit Keepers Journey co-sponsored by Kenosis and Kenosis Spirit Keepers. For info, visit www.kenosisspiritkeepers.org, e-mail info@kenosisspiritkeepers.org or call 928-778-1058.
Prescott Farmer’s Market opens May 15
T
he Prescott Farmer’s Market will begin its 14th season on Saturday, May 15, in the main parking lot at Yavapai College. This year’s market will include farm-fresh, locally grown produce, meat and dairy, honey, baked goods, tamales and BBQ, agricultural crafts, body care products, gourmet foods, starter plants, advice from local growers, chef demos and samples, live music, special events and much more! The market will occur Saturday mornings through Oct. 30. The Prescott Farmer’s Market will also oper-
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ate markets in Prescott Valley and Chino Valley. The Prescott Valley Farmer’s Market will run Tuesday afternoons June 1 through Sept. 28 in the Entertainment District, and the Chino Valley Farmer’s Market will run Thursday afternoons June 3 through Sept. 30 in downtown Chino Valley. The Prescott Farmer’s Market is currently accepting local vendors, artists, volunteers, musicians and chefs who
would like to sell, perform or otherwise support any of the tri-city markets. Apply at www.prescottfarmersmarket.org. The Prescott Farmer’s Market is an agricultural cooperative of Yavapai County agricultural producers. The markets are “growers only” and permit no re-selling. All vendors grow their own produce in Arizona or make their food or crafts with Arizona-grown products. To find out more about the Prescott Farmer’s Market, call 928-713-1227 or visit www.prescottfarmersmarket.org.
Vol. 2 No. 8.3 April 2010 • Page 28