THE HEALING CRANE NEWSLETTER
OF THE INDIANA HOLISTIC HEALTH NETWORK
| | Holistic
Resources and Alternative Therapies Directory
The Indiana Holistic Health Network
Directory (IHHN) is the most comprehensive directory of holistic and alternative
wellness practitioners in Indiana, Nearby Ohio, and Kentuky. Click
to find out how you can become an IHHN Associate. |
Thank
you for the blessing that you are within the world, within your family, within
your community!
| IN
THIS ISSUE | PRACTITIONER'S
SPOTLIGHT Namaste'
Sacred Arts | Angeles
Arrien says that life will be simple if we follow the four-fold way counselled
by indigenous peoples: 1. Show up, being present with all four mental,
emotional, physical and spiritual intelligences. 2. Pay attention to what has
heart and meaning. 3. Tell the truth without blame or judgment. 4. Be open
to outcome, not attached to outcome. | | "All
the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." Indian
Proverb (Remember -if saving seed use Open Pollinated Seeds only - Hybrid Seeds
do no breed true!). |
| -IHHN
Wellness Expo | | -Wish
List for IHHN | | -
Practitioner Spotlight - Namaste Sacred Arts | | -The
Many Benefits of Meditation by Owen Waters | | -
Indiana Marriage Amendment | | -
Children - Appetite for Change | | -
Food Security | | -
Susun S. Weed - Worried About Breast Cancer? | | -
Shop the IHHN - Create Our Own Shopping Directory! | -Book
and Music Reviews | |
- Educational Resources | | -
Sustainable Community | | -Call
for Board Members | | -Earth
Talk and Organic News | | -
New Links | |
- Tarot
- A Tool for Self-Development & Personal Guidance | | -
BROW CHAKRA | | -
Aromatherapy for Pets | | -
Calendar | And
More | | ARTICLES
AND NEWSLETTER DIRECTORY |
| May
we strive for peace and harmony, may we work for it now and seek out it everyday. | | Welcome
to The CRANE! Yes, this
has been a long time coming. There is much to do and we will do what we can. It
would be great to have more hands and more resources to make everything move more
smothly and make it possible to get more work done on your behalf. While we work
on that, your support and good thoughts are appreciated. We appreciate the new
support we have attracted due primarily to our high web standing and Wellness
Expo 2006. Soon to follow this
newsletter will be: · the release of our updated w advertising information
· an invitation to be a part of the organizing team for Wellness Expo
2007 which is already underway! You will have the opportunity to workshop with
Susun B. Weed! The IHHN continues
to receive request for people from around Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky to come visit
our facilities, and yes, we can envision the time when the Indiana Holistic Health
Network's Sara Leah Center will be in existence as a retreat center housing our
office, and as place for a variety of healing and wellness arts activities offering
workshops year around! We are still working toward achieving financial balance
so that we can maintain this organization and meet its day-to-day needs. Support
the IHHN, become an advertiser or sponsor, make a donation of something listed
on our Wish List.
Support our site advertisers and sponsors, and consider making a tax deductible
donation today! We are a non-profit and your monetary donations are tax deductible.
Our resources determine what can be done on your behalf to develop and maintain
this directory. For information on making your tax deductible contribution toward
the continuation and support of the Indiana Holistic Health Network, or toward
the building of the Sara Leah Center, please contact us at:mail.ihhn@gmail.com.
As always, may we each know
the blessings of a peaceful heart, a healthy body and the circle of a loving,
supportive community of friends and family. May you evolve further toward your
greatest intentions! Blessings,
P.CC. ., Editor, and the IHHN
Crew | Marriage
is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental
to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on
so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes,
classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the
heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens
of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that
the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discriminations.
Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another
race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State. From
Loving v Virginia When
I left home and headed to Chicago to start college, I met a young man who became
a life long friend. In the tradition of great college friendships, we shared
many meals and study sessions late at night at a local restaurant. On one of
these nights, stumbling home after too many onion rings, we talked about love.
My new friend was gay and came out of the closet to me that night. He said,
"Amy, there is so much hate in this world that what difference does it
make who I love, as long as I am loving and not hating." Speaking
of hate, the Indiana General Assembly is at it again. A new anti-gay-marriage
resolution has just left the Indiana State Senate Judiciary Committee and
is heading to the senate floor for a vote. Senate Joint Resolution 007 (SJR
7) reminds me of the anti-miscegenation laws of the 20th century in which many
US states forbade the marrying of blacks and whites. Anti-miscegenation laws
were overturned in 1967 by the US Supreme court in the landmark decision
Loving v Virginia. The Indiana General Assembly wants to revive the discriminatory
laws of the Jim Crow era by defining marriage as a union between one man and
one woman and then expressly forbidding any unmarried couples from receiving
legal benefits that would be awarded to married couples. (To read the amendment
go to http://www.in.gov/legislative/ and search for SJR 007) All
unmarried couples could lose the right to adopt children, the protections of domestic
violence laws, and the protections of any contractual care agreements they have
made with their partners. Companies and Universities in the state of Indiana
may lose their right to offer domestic partner benefits, benefits that allow our
state to attract and retain the best and brightest minds in education, research
and business. My husband
and I have absolutely no interest in denying our gay and lesbian friends, neighbors
and co-workers the same benefits of marital union that we enjoy and take for
granted. Furthermore, we fail to see how restricting marriage to straight
couples only, and then refusing to give all unmarried couples benefits will
in any way protect or sanctify our marriage. In fact, the very act of amending
the constitution to take away any citizen's rights in the name of saving marriage
makes a mockery of the entire institution of marriage. I
urge all Hoosiers not to allow this to happen in our state. Don't let the voices
of bigotry and zealotry overtake common sense. All heterosexual men and women
should speak out against SJR 007. We need to march on the state house, call
our legislators, and tell our family stories to churches, friends, co-workers
and neighbors. The voices of the majority of the people who do not want to
see the state constitution amended to deny civil rights to the people of Indiana must
be heard. In Indiana, do not
allow hate to win over love. To
find your legislators go to this website: http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/ To
learn more about how this amendment would affect Indiana go to: www.stoptheamendment.org
Reprinted with permission of the Herald Times. Amy Cornell is a Bloomington,
IN based writer and can be reached at amylcornell@gmail.com
| | Thank
you to all new to our mailing list and directory | | Link
toWFHB Pod Cast Health
Interviews | | President
Bush just proposed drastic cuts to NPR and PBS. We've stopped similar cuts in
the past, but enough is enough: With the new Congress, we can make sure this never
happens again. We need Congress to
save NPR and PBS once and for all. Can
you help out by signing this petition to Congress? It's really easy-just click
the link below: http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/?referring_id=- 2446640-Xqaz1P
| | GIVE
GIFTS THAT SUPPORTS WELLNESS THROUGH OUT THE YEAR ! Forget
about commercial gift cards and instead offer something unique. The IHHN Directory
can provide you with a wide variety of gifts that support your loved ones or friends'
health and well being with the added bonus of supporting your local economy! Give
a gift certificate for a relaxing Reiki treatment from Reiki Peace and Wellness
Arts to reduce stress levels, or have a gentle massage, visit Tibetan Medical
Doctor Yangbum Gyal - 812-219-0529 or Naturopath Scarlett Winters. Sit back and
explore the relaxing sounds of singing bowls and more, through the music of Janiece
Jaffee's at www.janiecejaffe.com! Maybe you are looking for something with a lovely
scent, contact Martha Sattinger and make an appointment to examine youngLIVING
Essential Oils and other oil enhanced products www.youngliving.org/343198. Want
something edible? Quilters
Comfort Tea or XanGo 317-769-3148, Middleway Foodworks Cookies, www.middlewayfoodworks.org/
are just a few edibles to explore. And then, there is always chocolate, and we
hear that RUSTIC CHOCOLATE will soon be online! Want more ideas; check out the
IHHN Directory where you will find hundreds of unique gift possibilities that
will show your thoughtfulness and consideration all year long!. | Practitioners
Spotlight Namaste'
Sacred Arts located at 111 E. Kirkwood above the Book Corner, is a center
for growth, healing and transformation in our community. We offer crystal singing
bowl meditations, workshops, dialogue and conflict resolution, movement classes,
yoga, and energetic consultation as opportunities for individuals to "remember"
who they are as their true living essence. Specifically, we work for truth and
justice through self-discovery and recognition of the interconnectedness of the
oneness of humanity.It is
important, in this day and age, to resurrect "love and forgiveness"
in our individual lives and in our larger community. Too often, we become overly
busy in our lives and we often forget how to be effective listeners and to show
loving actions with our fellow neighbors and people on the street in simple ways.
Our work is designed to help facilitate individuals in finding their place of
inner silence and in discovering the gifts that each person has to share with
others. The more we can find this place of "true peace" deep inside
us that highlights the importance of "remembering" who we are, listening
deeply to others, loving and practicing forgiveness in the world . . . bringing
it to light in our personal and collective lives, the more we can transform the
world. Currently, Namaste'
is participating in a nationwide initiative promoting the "Mystery of Love"
PBS documentary and hosting a series of dialogue sessions to "put love into
action" in Bloomington. This project is in collaboration with the Community
Justice and Mediation Center in partnership with the Independent Production Fund,
Active Voice, and the national Campaign for Love and Forgiveness -initiated by
the Fetzer Institute. The dialogue series will occur in January and February 2007.
For more information , please contact Lisa-Marie Napoli at 812-219-9310 or lnapoli@indiana.edu. | Ojibwe
scrolls come full circle The
sacred scrolls took a 275-year journey from a medicine lodge to a doctor then
to his grandson in Kentucky -- who came to realize he was their guardian, not
their owner.TOWER, MINN. - For those
who believe in spiritual forces, the story of the sacred scrolls of the Bois Forte
Chippewa offers a wonderful affirmation. For those who believe we walk alone,
the story offers an amazing coincidence. In September, members of the northern
Minnesota tribe gathered at Spirit Island on Nett Lake for a ceremony. There,
according to witnesses, a drumkeeper named Shane Drift recounted his recent dream
that forgotten stories and songs of the tribe would somehow "come back to
us." Read
All | Susun
B. Weed will be a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the 2007 IHHN Wellness
Expo "Creating Healthy Sustainable Communities"! Interested in being
a sponsor, contact us! | WORRIED
ABOUT BREAST CANCER? Susun Weed THINGS
STRONGLY IMPLICATED IN THE INITIATION, PROMOTION, OR GROWTH OF BREAST CANCER
HORMONES Especially estradiol and progesterone.
Sources: Your ovaries, commercial meat and milk, hormone pills, progesterone
creams, steroids, cortisone.
Reduced by: Strenuous physical activity, pregnancy and lactation, menopause,
wise lifestyle and food choices, high levels of phytoestrogens in the diet. ORGANOCHLORINES Pesticides,
herbicides, bleach, plastics Sources:
By-products of bleaching paper, drinking and bathing in chlorinated water,
use of bleached tampons, chemical farming practices, and water pollution. Reduced
by: Eating organically-grown food, filtering drinking and bathing water, using
unbleached paper, using less plastic, buying fresh (not canned) food. RADIATION Especially
when young Sources: Mammograms,
fallout, x?rays, cell-phones.
Reduced by: Avoidance. Doses are cumulative. EMFS
(Electromagnetic Fields) Sources:
TVs, hair dryers, microwave towers and ovens, computer monitors, all electrical
appliances and lines. Reduced
by: Distance; shielding does little. VEGETABLE
OILS Hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated fats Sources:
Corn, sesame, canola, sunflower, soy, flax, and other seed oils; margarine,
commercial baked goods and snacks. Reduced
by: Avoidance; read labels. Use organic butter and olive oil exclusively. EXCESSIVE
USE OF ALCOHOL EXCESSIVE CALORIES IN THE DIET Sources:
Easy availability, peer pressure, convenience. Reduced
by: Wise food choices, herbal infusions, hugs. GROWING OLDER Source:
Living long. Reduced by:
Dying young. (Not worth it.) Breast
Health! THINGS THAT COUNTER AND
REVERSE THE INITIATION, PROMOTION, AND GROWTH OF CANCER. CONSUMPTION OF
PHYTOESTROGENS Sources: Red clover infusion, lentils, miso, tamari,
roots. A DIET RICH IN RED CLOVER
INFUSION, POMEGRANATES, ROOTS A DIET RICH IN CABBAGE FAMILY PLANTS, GRAINS,
AND BEANS Sources: Semi-vegetarian
diet. HIGH DIETARY INTAKE OF
CAROTENES Sources: Dark
leafy greens, orange and yellow produce. HIGH
DIETARY LEVELS OF VITAMIN C COMPLEX Sources:
Six to eight servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Reduced by: Oxidation from washing, heating, aging. HIGH
DIETARY LEVELS OF VITAMIN E Sources:
Sunflower seeds, freshly ground wheat, freshly pressed oils, olive oil, nut
butters, freshly-ground flax seeds. Reduced
by: Heat, light, time. HIGH
DIETARY LEVELS OF SELENIUM Sources:
Organically grown garlic, onions, mushrooms. SUFFICIENT
PRODUCTION AND ABSORPTION OF VITAMIN D Sources:
Sunlight, 10 minutes daily; sardines, tuna. ADEQUATE
LEVELS OF MELATONIN PRODUCTION Sources: Darkness, low?calorie diet.
Reduced by: Adequate levels of melatonin. Alcohol, beta?blockers, lights
on at night, red clover infusion, pomegranates, roots.
REGULAR, SIGNIFICANT EXERCISE THROUGHOUT ONE'S LIFE
Sources:
Active lifestyle, yoga, dance, moving! Important:
Supplemental vitamin C and E are known to promote cancer. Avoid pills. Get nutrients
from whole foods, weeds, and herbs. Breast
Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way Ó2000, Susun S. Weed Susun
Weed PO Box 64 Woodstock, NY 12498 Fax: 1-845-246-8081 Visit
Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com
and www.ash-tree-publishing.com For
permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com Vibrant,
passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation
for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition.
She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast
encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated
and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative. Susun
is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches
to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists
and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around
the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com | ORGANIC
CONSUMERS NEWS AND TIPS http://www.organicconsumers.org/ | WEB
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: WHAT COLOR IS YOUR MEAT? In this hilarious
new animation, Jim Hightower tells us how the majority of non-organic U.S. beef
is now injected with carbon monoxide to make it appear fresh and pink. Most meat
consumers look at the color of beef to determine if meat is rotten or not. But
carbon monoxide injection makes even rancid meats appear fresh. The FDA approved
this process without any public comment period, ignoring overwhelming evidence
that artificial meat coloring is blatantly misleading to consumers. Watch the
video here: ww.hightowerdownload.com/node/26 | Appetite
for a Change: Children's Environmental Health A campaign to reduce children's
exposure to pesticides, toxins, and junk foods. The
Four Appetite for a Change Goals: · STOP spraying toxic pesticides on
school property, playgrounds and in buildings, and convert to integrated pest
management practices. · KICK junk foods and junk food ads out of our
schools. · START converting school lunches to healthier menus, using
locally grown and/or organic and transition to organic ingredients (no pesticides,
antibiotics, hormones, irradiation or genetically engineered ingredients). Offer
vegetarian options. · TEACH kids about healthy food choices and sustainable
agriculture through school garden projects and curriculum materials. http://www.organicconsumers.org/afc.cfm |
Big Biotech is Forcing Farmers to Buy GMO Seeds The Plot
Against Mexican Corn By John Ross CounterPunch Magazine, Feb
14, 2007 http://www.counterpunch.org/ross02142007.html The "diableros"
(hand truck hostlers) from Lagunilla market clustered around La Lupita's Ricos
Tacos in the rough and tumble barrio of Tepito were not smiling. "Yesterday
these cost me six pesos. Today, it's eight. Tomorrow, who knows, ten?" complained
Rodrigo Aldama, 28, pointing at the three greasy tacos on his paper plate, "Vitamin
T is rich man's food now." Vitamin T, a staple of urban diet here, includes
tacos, tostadas, tamales, tortillas, and most any kind of street food concocted
from corn.
| A
Guide to Green Campuses · A resource round-up for picking
an eco-friendly college By Jenna Fisher Utne Reader, Feb 15, 2007
http://www.utne.com/webwatch/2007_287/news/12446-1.html | Consumers
Are Being Systemically Misled by Food Labels Industry criticised
over controversial new guidelines on fat, salt and sugar By Felicity Lawrence
The Guardian - UK, Feb 15, 2007 http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,2013425,00.html | Domestic
Fair Trade: For Health, Justice & Sustainability · By
Erbin Crowell and Michael Sligh Social Policy, February 2007 http://socialpolicy.org/index.php?id=807 |
The Indiana Recycling Coalition
and its diverse group of supporters announced a new advocacy Web site today to
keep the public informed about state level changes that could harm recycling:
www.DefendRecycling.org. National and state advocates believe that Indiana's unchecked
agenda to rollback recycling could: · Undermine community recycling
programs in Indiana · Eliminate state funding for legitimate recycling
industries and businesses · Put Indiana on the map as the new home for
unproven and risky technologies that aren't backed by scientific data | | The
Many Benefits of Meditation by
Owen Waters The hustle and bustle
of today's fast-paced world almost makes you want to cry out, "Where can
I find some peace and quiet?" Meditation
has become a very popular answer to the need for balance in today's fast-moving
society. Meditation was designed primarily for spiritual development, rather than
mental or physical benefits. However, by nourishing the spiritual self, its
benefits are then reflected throughout the human mind and body. Spiritual
benefits: Human beings function
on spiritual, mental, emotional and physical levels, with each level impressing
the next. Your soul impresses your mind and helps you to choose your beliefs about
reality. These beliefs then channel your thoughts into patterns which fit into
that view of reality. Your thoughts feed into your emotions, and your emotions
affect the well-being of your physical form. It
makes sense, therefore, to see that the root of the human tree, your spiritual
self, is given the best possible nourishment. Through
meditation you contact the most real part of you. This part is the spiritual source
which existed before your physical body was formed. Through contact with that
reality, the essence of your soul, you become more identified with that inner
you. Your inner self is who you really are. Then, you begin to realize more of
your potential because you are able to identify what that potential is. Your
soul is the fountain of wisdom within you. It has access to all information in
the universe because it is consciously connected to the entire universe. Your
soul is your personal connection to Infinite Being. Through
contacting your inner self, you become more aware of your greatest inner joy.
When you follow that innermost joy, you consciously resonate with your soul and
manifest your true potential in life. This inner resonance enhances yourintuition,
making you more capable of choosing the best options in life. This increases the
synchronicity in your life as you have then achieved a natural flow which is
more in harmony with the universe around you. Mental
benefits: Living in the now is
a spiritual practice and a habit which requires mental attention. By focusing
on the now, you bring inner issues under control. Your belief system says that
you cannot change the past, and that you can only change thefuture by acting in
the present. It is therefore the "now" which holds the key to effective
action. When past-related regrets or future-related worries are brought into
the now, they can be experienced, examined for what they are, and then acted upon. Meditation
is well-known for producing increased mental clarity. Greater concentration and
creativity are produced, as well as greater memory. The expression of creativity
is one of the great natural joys in life, one which appears more and more as you
follow your true path through life. Emotional
benefits: The more you contact
your inner self, the more you understand who you really are. This brings forth
a balanced sense of self-esteem, one which relies upon your true self rather than
the judgments of others. Inner
strength is awakened. This is a calm and self-assured strength, one which helps
you face stress and anxiety with renewed energy and poise. With
stress under control, your capacity for happiness is naturally expanded. Physical
benefits: Meditation provides
a deep form of rest that works wonders for the human nervous system. This increases
the human capacity for managing stressful situations and provides a sense of increased
energy for handling all aspects of daily living. Meditation
brings the body, mind, emotions and spirit into harmony. Disease is a word meaning
"dis-ease," literally a form of discord which reflects from the emotions
onto the physical body. Extensive research projects have produced valid claims
for meditation helping control many ailments, including hypertension, anxiety
and panic attacks. With as many
benefits as these, it is little wonder that meditation has become such a popular
tool in helping people cope with today's fast-paced world. The
Infinite Being Meditation technique is designed for the ultimate in spiritual
results, yet it reflects its benefits throughout your entire system, nourishing
your mental, emotional and physical bodies. Make
meditation your daily haven of spirituality in today's noisy world. In no time
at all, your morning meditation session will become the highlight of your day.
For a full description of the
Infinite Being Meditation technique, visit the InfiniteBeing.com web site or follow
this link: http://www.infinitebeing.com/0405/ibmeditation.htm. AOL users click
here: <a href="http://www.infinitebeing.com/0405/ibmeditation.htm">
Infinite Being Meditation.</a> This
article was written by Owen Waters, author of "The Shift: The Revolution
in Human Consciousness" "More
spiritual insights for the New Awareness can be found at: http://www.InfiniteBeing.com" |  | Tendre
Press - Book: This Vast Being: A voyage Through Grief and Exaltation, Ann Kreilkamp.
THIS VAST BEING: A Voyage through Grief and Exaltation,
By Ann Kreilkamp, Ph.D., Situated at the juncture between physical and spiritual
planes, This Vast Being breaks through the usual grieving customs and renders
meaningful our most painful experiences. The author, a doctor of philosophy,
penetrates the mysterious reaches of
the psyche, | | fearlessly
admits what others may be ashamed of, and yokes the spirit's release to the body's
howl. 182-334-1987, 134 N. Overhill Drive, Bloomington, IN 47408, ann@tendrepress.com
|
|  | | | Are
you listening to what your Soul has to say? Claim Your Basic Rights - Create a
Practical Partnership with Your Soul written by Jennifer Palmquist and Daniel
Cohen, M.D is a book written to help you journey toward | understanding
by developing a practical dialog with your Soul and God. Most of the book is written
in a dialog format between a fictitious personality and "their soul".
This book outlines ten basic rights focusing on the first three rights and can
assist you in exploring questions such as, "Do you have a Soul? And, "Can
you be in communication with your Soul?" This well written book can be used
as a guide to assist you in the process of deep listening so that you may hear
your own inner guiding voice. This book is not a quick read, it is a tool that
can take you on a journey where you will want to retrace your steps, each time
discovering more of the scenery - the scenery that connects you to a deeper level
of mental and emotional understanding with your Soul Self! |
| EARTH
TALK From the Editors of E/ Earth
Talk Plastic Containers
 "Getty
Images."
Dear
EarthTalk: Dairy products like yogurt always seem to come in packages of low recyclabilty
(labeled 5, which our town won't take). Why arent these containers
more recyclable? And isn't there a more eco-friendly container these companies
could use? -- John Marble, Portland, ME The
ability to recycle a plastic item rests with many factors, including its material,
its usability in new products once it has been broken down into its original components,
and whether or not a market is in place that can facilitate transactions of the
recycled materials from sellers to buyers. Recycling polypropylene (designated
with a 5), the material used in many food containers, is technically
possible. The challenge is in separating it from other plastics, including its
own many variations, once it arrives at the waste station and beyond. Because
of the difficulty and expense of sorting, collecting, cleaning and reprocessing
plastics of all kinds, in many places it is only economically viable to recycle
a few select types. These usually include polyethylene terephthalate (PETE, designated
with a 1), high-density polyethylene (HDPE, 2), and sometimes
polyvinyl chloride (PVC, 3). According to the Society of the
Plastics Industry, polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer, meaning
that it has the density and resins that give it a high melting point, enabling
it to tolerate hot liquid without breaking down. As such, it is used in a wide
range of food packaging applications in which the product initially goes into
the container hot or is later microwave heated in the container. It is also used
to make bottle caps, computer disks, straws and film packaging. Its toughness,
strength, ability to be a barrier to moisture, and resistance to grease, oil and
chemicals also make it a very attractive material for many uses. Environmentally
friendly alternatives to polypropylene and other plastics are beginning to be
developed, however. NatureWorks, a division of Cargill, has developed a corn-based
plastic called polylactic acid (PLA). While it looks and functions like other
plastics PLA is fully biodegradable, given that it is derived from plant-based
materials. Whether it is composted or landfilled, it will biodegrade into its
constituent organic parts, though there are debates as to how long that process
takes. Another pioneering company is Massachusetts-based Metabolix, which
has partnered with corporate giant, Archer Daniels Midland, to make corn plastics
that the company claims will biodegrade benignly in a wide range of environments,
including marine and wetlands. A handful of natural foods companies
and retailers, including Newman's Own Organics, Del Monte Fresh Produce and Wild
Oats Markets, are already using corn plastic for some of their packaging, though
not yet to replace heat-resistant polypropylene. Analysts expect such plant-based
alternatives to come on stronger and stronger in the days ahead as petroleum becomes
more expensive and more politically unstable. Even Coca-Cola has started experimenting
with replacing its traditional plastic soda bottles with a corn-based alternative.
And last October, as part of its green overhaul, Wal-Mart announced
it would replace 114 million plastic produce containers a year with PLA varieties,
sparing about 800,000 barrels of oil annually. CONTACTS: NatureWorks,
www.natureworksllc.com; Metabolix, www.metabolix.com ; The Society of the Plastics
Industry, www.plasticsindustry.org. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send
it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT
06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. . WE
NEED YOUR SUPPORT - This content is presented to you as a free public
service of Green Dove and E/ The Environmental Magazine. Support this work
- make a donation today! -------------------------- HUNGRY
OR KNOW OF OTHERS WHO ARE IN NEED OF FOOD? Local Food has a list of local resources
- CLICK HERE FOR HELP! MORE
FROM E NEWS COMMENTARY:
Greenpeace Proposes an Energy Revolution The day after President
Bush's State of the Union Address, Greenpeace released the findings of its "energy
revolution" report, debunking the President's proposals for "clean coal,"
"safe nuclear power" and a heavy reliance on ethanol. The report, commissioned
from the German Aerospace Center, showed that the U.S. could reduce its carbon
dioxide emissions by 72 percent by 2050 through aggressive federal regulations
and investment in renewable energy sources, from wind to solar to biomass power
plants. By Brita Belli - http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3588 Top
CEOs Call for Federal Action on Climate Change The chief executives
of 10 major U.S. corporations have joined together to call for immediate federal
action to combat human-induced global warming, saying that voluntary efforts are
inadequate to do the job. http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3576 Car
Free in America The Alternative
is Rail, Buses, Bikes and Just Plain Walking Our shrunken, financially imperiled
Amtrak system is a ghost of the network we tore up in search of modernity and
the personal freedom afforded by automobiles. Our rail infrastructure now has
half as many miles as existed in 1910. But cities are beginning to rebuild what
was lost, turning to light-rail systems, fast ferryboats and dedicated bus corridors.
By Jim Motavalli http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3570 Spic
and Span A Greener Approach
to Cleaning Products There's nothing like a cleanser that actually works as
advertised, bulldozing through dirt and leaving a surface sparkling clean. But
conventional cleaning products can actually leave indoor air polluted with a toxic
smog of petrochemical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the synthetic fragrances
used to mask them. Here are some ingredients to avoid in cleaning products, and
safer, simpler alternatives. By Mindy Pennybacker http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3534 It's
Alive! Yogurt's Health Secret
is Live Bacterial Cultures "Cow's milk yogurt is packed with calcium,
protein and Vitamin D," says Althea Zincowski, a spokesperson for the American
Dietetic Association. People who are allergic to milk products, or very lactose
intolerant, can try a non-milk soy-based yogurt. Most, but not all of the lactose
(natural milk sugar) in yogurt is digested by beneficial bacteria, so the majority
of lactose-intolerant people can eat yogurt unless they are very sensitive. For
a more exotic flavor or animal alternative to cow's milk, there are also goat's
milk and sheep's milk yogurts. By Starre Vartan http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3533 Behind
the Label Processed Foods Serve
Up Questionable Additives Even at the green grocery store, harmful food additives
lurk behind innocent-looking labels. Hundreds of shoppers who reached for "Quorn"
veggie burgers, for example, became ill with severe vomiting and diarrhea. Others
developed hives and had trouble breathing. Government regulators protect the public
from harmful food additives much of the time, but there are obvious holes in the
system. By Melissa Knopper http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3532
| TO
TOP | ORGANIC
CONSUMERS HEALTH TIP : A CUP A DAY WILL KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY
- Apple cider vinegar has traditionally been known to be beneficial
for your health due to its high concentration of vitamins and minerals. A regular
dose of apple cider vinegar, honey and water can help the body pass acid crystals,
thus preventing and/or reducing muscle and joint stiffness, including pains due
to arthritis. That same mixture has the benefit of thinning the blood, thereby
reducing blood pressure. Apple cider vinegar can also aid digestion and kill harmful
bacteria in the digestive tract. Pure apple cider vinegar can also be used to
wash pesticides and bacteria or fungus off of fresh produce. Most commercial apple
cider vinegars have been pasteurized and filtered, which destroys much of the
inherent beneficial elements. Look for cold-pressed, unpasteurized and organic
apple cider vinegar. Learn more: www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4028.cfm | | WINTER-SPRING
HEALTH TIPS - Many of us, young and old may suffer periods
of dry cracking irritated skin during the cold months. Of course there are lots
of products available on the market to offer relief. These are just a few ideas
suggested after conversations with friends. First
of all, everyone agreed, although it feels great to take hot showers, if your
skin is dry, cracking and irritated this momentary pleasure can be very damaging.
It is recommended that you take brief showers in warm water and cool those temperatures
down as much as you can tolerate before getting out and patting your skin dry.
Patting helps to avoid further irritation. Once dry apply an emollient rich lotion,
or even better (some think) calendula oil or ointment. You can find it in most
health food stores. If you are adventurous, this summer consider making your own.
Or rub olive oil or some other light oil over your entire body. For additional
benefit, if you are not sensitive to fragrances, add a little essential oil of
lavender or sandalwood. For more information on the use of herbs and essential
oils, you may want to speak with one of the Herbalist
or Aromatherapist listed in our directory.
Add a small quantity of shea
butter or coconut oil to palm, mix with lotion and apply. Shea butter is also
good alone and is not too oily or sticky. Coconut Oil is also soothing, but oily.
Oatmeal Water is very soothing
and easy to use after 1. soaking it in warm water, apply the liquid to your
skin 2. or take a small cloth bag and fill it with oats and hang over faucet
allowing water to flow across the bag 3. and or take an wet oat filled bag,
and run it all over your body. In
some instances, you may want to consult a Nutritionist
to learn about foods and nutritional supplements that may support your achieving
and maintaining healthy skin. Please
send us other ideas you think our readers would enjoy hearing. IHHN | | A
blog that chronicles the community engagement project of The Mystery of Love
PBS documentary The Following
Events are presented by Namaste' Sacred Arts and the Community Justice & Mediation
Center in partnership with the Independent Production Fund (a New York-based production
company who produced the Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell documentary series),
Active Voice (a San Francisco-based organization), and The Fetzer Institute's
Campaign for Love and Forgiveness. The Mystery of Love
Dialogue Series! The Bloomington-based "Mystery of Love Project"
is coordinated by Namaste' Sacred Arts, in collaboration with the Community Justice
& Mediation Center. Bloomington is one of 10 grassroots sites around the country
chosen to participate in this innovative national dialogue effort. The Project
is a community-based initiative that uses the PBS premiere of the new documentary,
The Mystery of Love, as a springboard for conversations about the many forms of
love in peoples' lives. The goal of the documentary, as well as the dialogue sessions,
is to inspire people to put love into action. Participants in The Mystery
of Love Dialogue Series viewed excerpts of the PBS documentary and used them as
launching points for discussion. It has been be an insightful and inspiring time.
To find out where things are with this project - Please contact Lisa-Marie
Napoli (219-9310 or lnapoli@indiana.edu). ENJOY "The Mystery of
Love Night-Out" on Valentine's Day - (this event has been rescheduled due
to weather) - Contact sponsor for updates The public is welcome to attend
this free night-out where we will view excerpts of the highly-acclaimed PBS documentary,
The Mystery of Love, with musical Interludes (performed by Dena El Saffar, Frances
Miller, Tim Moore and others). Please contact the Community Justice
& Mediation Center (336-8677) to register. Bill
Moyers comments about The Mystery Of Love broadcast "as deep, tender, and
ineffable as the subject itself, and as eye-opening, exhilarating, and beguiling
as the first moment it happens to you." Local events for The Mystery
of Love Project are sponsored by Namaste' Sacred Arts in collaboration with the
Community Justice & Mediation Center (CJAM). Be a part of the Mystery
of Love Project! Contact 219-9310 or lnapoli@indiana.edu for more information. | The
Bloomington area is truely a magnet for health and sustainable community oriented
people! If you are excited after you read the following article then contact them,
they are very welcoming! -For similar organizations contact the Center
for Sustainable Living and of course look through the IHHN directory. -With
YOUR generous assistance the Indiana Holistic Health Network will have offices
and we will build the Sarah Leah Retreat Center that serves as a concrete
reflection of our organization and lifestyle choices toward permaculture,green
building, edible landscaping and the like. -Contact us for information about
donating to our building fund and other ways you may help with this exciting sustainable
project. | Permaculture
Activist Magazine Moves to Bloomington, IN Geoff
Lawton, Pc designer, teacher said, "You can fix all the world's problems,
in a garden. You can solve them all in a garden. You can solve all your pollution
problems, and all your supply line needs in a garden. And most people today actually
don't know that, and that makes most people very insecure." Bill
Mollison, co-originator of the Permaculture concept reminds us, "The ultimate
end to a growth economy is the same as an analagous growth: cancer. But for national
economies, the victims are nature, soils, forests, people, water, and quality
of life. There is one, and only one, solution,and we have almost no time to try
it. We must turn all our resources
to repairing the natural world,and train all our young people to help. They
want to. We need to give them
this last chance to create forests, soils, clean waters, clean energies, secure
communities, stable regions,and to know how to do it from hands-on experience". Hello! I'm
the coordinator of Alliance for a Post Petroleum Local Economy - Bloomington (APPLE
- Bloomington, IN) and the Relocalization Network (http://www.relocalize.net).
I am sending you this email to invite you to join a Local Post Carbon Group. Please
forward it to friendly people who INTEND to survive and thrive in the challenging
times before us. Anyone who breathes is qualified to help (I hate to be limiting
but one has to draw the line somewhere...oh, heck, call on your ancestors, too.
The more the merrier). This growing
alliance of groups represents an opportunity to blend and strengthen the personal
and organizational energies of all those in every locale who love our beautiful
blue-green planet. We are the
ones we've been waiting for. It's time. Together
we can do the difficult, but necessary work, of regenerating a BLOOMING culture
quickly and, hopefully, gracefully. If the current collection of idiots in Washington
(and elsewhere) has done anything at all, it's been to wake a significant number
of people out of their lassitude and stupor. Let's not go back to sleep. More
than at any time in the history of the planet, we need people willing to restore
the garden, one yard at a time (or even two or three). We can no longer count
on the "chains" of supply to meet our REAL needs, but we must be able
to count on each other. In every garden lives the promise and pattern for true
abundance. More is good. Growth is good. Ask any gardener. You
can see the new website created for our local group at http://www.relocalize.net/groups/applebloomington Take
a few minutes to read the short story about The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived
Peak Oil by Megan Quinn. This will give you a sense of what is required of us.
It's fairly simple really. Or
try out Toby Hemenway's article, Seeing the Garden in the Jungle: Beyond Wilderness
for a renewed perspective on forests that may remind you of some of the descriptions
of Eden, our first garden. Feeling
a bit removed from that original garden? Look into Heather Flores' new book, Food
Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard Into a Garden and Your Neighborhood Into a Community. If
you have a more technical bent, you might enjoy The Lean Economy: A Vision of
Civility for a World in Trouble by David Fleming. Be sure to read the section
on 'play and fun'. You might learn what it feels like to have not only the courage
of your convictions, but the courage of your location. If
that gets your juices flowing, you'll enjoy Designing and Teaching for Change
by Peter Bane who informs us that, " Reducing fossil energy consumption worldwide
by 90% in the next decade is probably the minimum price of admission to a livable
future. The changes the world must make cannot be mandated by any single authority,
no matter how powerful, but must rather be adopted by people everywhere from a
sense that these are the best approaches we can make toward preserving a livable
world. Everyone must have a stake in their success." Wondering
how to tap into your creativity like never before? Here's another hint from Peter
Bane's article, "My experience as a teacher of design has shown me what insightful
thinkers have also pointed out-that people's potential to solve apparently intractable
problems is far greater than we imagine, but, if that capacity is to be realized,
people must be given respect, access to information, and a sense of the importance
of the job to be done." If
that isn't enough to motivate you, read Between the Ice and Ocean: The Rising
Tide by Albert Bates and find out a bit more about "the importance of the
job to be done". I don't
know about you, but I need all the help I can get, so, please lend a hand (...or
an arm or a leg...or even your WHOLE self). C'mon. Your grandchildren will praise
you rather than curse you...and that's a good thing, eh? Thanks, Keith
Johnson Permaculture Activist Magazine PO Box 5516 Bloomington, IN 47408 (812)
335-0383 http://www.permacultureactivist.net also Patterns for Abundance
Design & Consulting also APPLE-Bloomington (Alliance
for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy) It's a small world after oil. http://www.relocalize.net/groups/applebloomington also
Bloomington Permaculture Guild | TO
TOP | Aromatherapy
for Pets by Liz Santher Pets
can enjoy the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as much as humans can. Aside
from possibly eliminating bad odors and giving your pet a pleasant perfume, essential
oils also serve many practical functions such as boosting your pet's immune system,
fighting off bacteria and viruses, preventing the growth of yeasts and molds and
repelling insects. Aromatherapy
is used by enthusiasts, groomers and pet salons to treat mild ailments such as
skin inflammations, itchy skin ear infections, rashes, bad breath, flatulence
and motions sickness. Psychologically, certain oils also have a calming or relaxing
effect on animals. For example lavender oil not only helps kitties repel insects
but it also makes them feel sleepy or content. Roman chamomile can be used to
treat an ear infection as well as soothe the nerves of a dog in pain. Essential
oils are also frequently used as home remedies. However before you attempt to
use aromatherapy on your own pets, keep in mind that essential oils are always
diluted before they are applied to a pet's skin or sprayed on their coat. Almond
oil, olive oil and jojoba oil are common base oils to which a few drops of the
essential oil is added. Usually all that is needed is about one ounce of the base
oil combined with two to three drops of the essential oil.
Essential oils can also be
diluted in a spray bottle and misted onto the pet or the pet's bedding. You can
simply dilute a few drops in distilled water or you can use water and a mixture
of aloe, witch hazel or cider vinegar. The traditional recommendation is to use
20 to 30 drops of oil per eight ounces of liquid. Any less might not be effective
and any more might be toxic to the pet. Oils
can also be diluted in vodka or brandy and dabbed on the bottom of the pet's paws
or on an acupressure point such as the tips of the ears. This is the technique
to use if you are dealing with a panicky pet. Never feed your pet alcohol or essential
oil directly. Essential oils
are also effective flea and tick repellents and are nearly as effective as sprays
and powders that contain a lot of toxic chemicals. Oils such as peppermint, citronella,
lavender, eucalyptus, lemon, geranium, bay and myrrh have been components of herbal
flea sprays and flea collars for many years. You can easily make your own flea
and tick spray by combining about 25 drops of any of these oils into eight ounces
of water. Shake the mixture well and spray it on your pet, being careful to shield
its eyes from mist. This mixture can also be sprayed anywhere that you suspect
there may be a breeding bug infestation. When
using essential oils it is also essential for you to remember that a dog or cat's
sense of smell is much more acute than our own. Signs that an aromatherapy treatment
is too overwhelming for your pet are tearing eyes, sneezing, pacing or whining.
Cats may lick themselves excessively and dogs may rub their head on the ground
in order to escape the smell. Many pets also have allergies to essential oils.
For instance, chamomile is related to the ragweed plant, which is a common allergen
for both pets and humans. This is why it is so important to use a mild solution
at first and use your powers of observation the first few times you use an essential
oil mixture on a pet. About the
Author Liz Santher is a aromatherapy enthusiast and freelance author. http://www.AromaTherapySecret.com
(c) 2005 Liz Santher - All Rights Reserved. Reprinted from articlecity.com
|
|
|
A
dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that
he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.' - Oscar Wilde |
|
| | | | | REIKI
PEACE AND WELLNESS ARTS GIFT CERTIFICATE Mention
the Indiana Holistic Health Network when scheduling your appointment and recieve
10% off your first appointment! Get
one for yourself and send one to some of your friends! CLICK
FOR PRINTABLE COUPON |
| |
| | |   Indiana
Cooks!: Great Restaurant Recipes For The Home Kitchen (Quarry Books) |
| | | | | | |
Designing beautiful accessible web homes |  http://www.homerenovators.net
Breathe
new life into your old home! For information call Rob at 812-331-0886
| | Wish
List - please consider donating
something on our list. We also welcome suggestions of items you would like to
donate to the IHHN. · Printer Ink - always - contact us to see what
printer we are using · 100% recycled copy paper · Freelance
Advertising Agents · Bookkeeper/accountant · Article Writers
and news researchers for Newsletter ·
Large Flat Screen Monitor · In need of a good up-to-date laptop computer ·
Sponsors for Speakers to Wellness Expo 2007 · Scholarship workshops
for Board Members and Volunteers · Board Members · Sponsorship
to Green Building Fund · Donation for 6 months or year of telephone
services · Donation for cost of Bloomington, Indiana Business Expo Booth ·
Power surge protectors · Portable document storage unit ·
New or used LCD projector for presentations · A good digital camera
for visual documentation of events for web and promotional use · Full
Scholarships so that we can organize and offer services and workshops to underserved
youth and adults · A year of web hosting and internet access fees
|
| | | Wild
Wood Furniture 

Built by local craftsmen from Indiana hardwoods. Available at By Hand
Gallery, in Fountain Square Mall Bloomington, IN (812)334-3255
| CELEBRATIONS,
MARTIN LUTHER KING AND EARTH DAY RESOURCES | Lothlorian
Seasonal Calendar | | | Environmental
Scorecard - Find out what pollutants are in your neighborhood |
POETRY
OF PEACE | | | | |
| | Orenda
International, Kim Richmond, Anti Aging, Immune Science and Weight Loss supplements | The
Bloomington Winter Market is underway! Soon spring markets will
follow - Remember we have lots of herbal
and gardening resources listed in the Indiana Holistic Health Directory, including
CSA'S, direct lines to Indiana gardens, Farmers Markets, Plant
Data Bases, Virtual Gardens, Indiana
Gardens, Herb , Gardens,
and Herbal Resources. CLICK
HERE. Also check out Green Dove, our parent organization for Local
Food Resources
and don't forget Permaculture!
|
| | Recipe
for a Revolution: How a Cookbook Renaissance Heated Up the Sustainable-Food Movement ·
By Tom Philpott Grist
Magazine, Feb 15, 2007
| | In
the postmodern United States, a cultural critic laments, "The pleasures of
the table are rarely appreciated at face value." A
near-hysterical concern with health has replaced common sense, he continues, leading
to all manner of dubious decisions: "Americans blithely drink sodas filled
with artificial flavors and sweeteners, yet paste warning labels on bottles of
wine; they decry the dangers of eating butter and claim that margarine, a completely
manufactured artificial product, is better for you." For
Americans, he worries, eating has been drained of joy and imbued instead with
anxiety. "Are we so out of touch with our senses, our intuition, and our
cultural heritage," he wonders, "that we cannot eat without consulting
medical journals and diet books?" |
| Educational
Resources | | The
Educators Network - an educators resource for Earth
Day | | 22
March - World Day for Water 2007: Coping with Water Scarcity World
Water Day (WWD) 2007 will be guided by the theme 'Coping with Water Scarcity'
under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
This year's theme highlights the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide
and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable,
efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international
and local levels. http://www.unesco.org/water/water_celebrations/ | | | The
Greening of the World's Religion
By
MARY EVELYN TUCKER and JOHN GRIM As reported last year in the Millennium Ecosystems
Assessment, we humans are destroying the life-support systems of the planet at
an alarming rate. The data keep pouring in that we are altering the climate and
toxifying the air, water, and soil so that the health of humans and other species
is at risk. The population explosion in the 20th century from two billion to more
than six billion people and the consequent devouring of resources are on a collision
course with global sustainability. Global warming is already evident in melting
glaciers, thawing tundra, and flooding of coastal regions. Furthermore, scientists
are documenting that we are living in the midst of a sixth extinction, with more
than 20,000 species lost annually. This period represents the largest loss of
species since the extinction of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. In other
words, we are shutting down life systems and causing the end of our geological
era. For many years, environmental issues were considered to be the concern
of scientists, lawyers, and policy makers. Now the ethical dimensions of the environmental
crisis are becoming more evident. What is our moral responsibility toward future
generations? How can we ensure equitable development that does not destroy the
environment? Can religious and cultural perspectives be considered in creating
viable solutions to environmental challenges? Until recently religious communities
have been so absorbed in internal sectarian affairs that they were unaware of
the magnitude of the environmental crisis at hand. Certainly the natural world
figures prominently in the major religions: God's creation of material reality
in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the manifestation of the divine in the karmic
processes underlying the recycling of matter in Hinduism and Jainism; the interdependence
of life in Buddhism; and the Tao (the Way) that courses through nature in Confucianism
and Taoism. Despite those emphases on creation, many religions turned from the
turbulent world in a redemptive flight to a serene, transcendent afterlife.
The
questions arise, then: If religions are willing to stand by and witness the withering
of the earth, has not something of their religious sensibilities become deadened,
or at best severely reduced? Why have religions been so late in responding to
environmental issues, and what are the obstacles to their full participation?
Has concern for personal salvation or redemption become an obstacle to caring
for creation? Why has apocalyptic thinking come to interpret ecological collapse
as a manifestation of the end time?
Some
within religious communities, such as the cultural historian Thomas Berry, do
acknowledge the critical nature of our present moment. The concern arising in
some religious and environmental circles is whether humans are indeed a viable
species - whether our presence on the planet is sustainable. As the Greek Orthodox
theologian the Metropolitan John of Pergamon has written, the problem is not simply
about creating a stewardship ethic in which humans "manage" the earth.
Rather, he suggests that the current crisis challenges us to reformulate our ontology,
our very nature as humans.
We
need not deny the limits or the intolerant dimensions of religions as expressed
in sectarianism and violence. Examples are evident throughout history as well
as in contemporary global conflicts. However, religions have also contributed
to liberating movements for social justice and human rights. In that spirit, it
is important to note that religions have changed over time, transforming themselves
and their dogma in response to new ideas and circumstances. Although Christianity
had no ban against slavery, Christian churches in Britain and the United States
came to embrace the abolitionist position. Many Christians became leaders in the
abolitionist movement of the 19th century and in the civil-rights movement of
the 20th. Given that history, we have reason to believe that as the moral dimension
of the environmental crisis becomes ever more apparent, religions will energize
and support a new generation of leaders in the environmental movement.
Indeed,
many people recognize that religions, as enduring shapers of culture and values,
can make seminal contributions to the rethinking of our current environmental
impasse. Religions have developed ethics for homicide, suicide, and genocide;
now they are challenged to respond to biocide and ecocide. Moreover, the environment
presents itself as one of the most compelling concerns for robust interreligious
dialogue. The common ground is the earth itself, along with a shared sense among
the world's religions of the interdependence of all life. This shared sensibility
and the extent of the environmental crisis present themselves as a moment of enormous
opportunity for cooperation around a common cause - the activation of flourishing
human-earth relations. A new scholarly field of religion and ecology is emerging,
with implications for environmental policy as well as for understanding the complexity
and variety of human attitudes toward nature. The Yale School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies, for example, under the leadership of Dean James Gustave
(Gus) Speth, has initiated an interdisciplinary project on climate change that
includes the role of religion and values. Many environmental-studies programs
in the United States are seeking to incorporate such a broad ethical approach
into their curricula. Scientists and policy makers are also recognizing the
importance of religious and cultural values when discussing the environment. The
biologist E.O. Wilson, in his recent book, The Creation, urges cooperation between
religion and science on environmental issues. The Stanford scientists Paul Ehrlich
and Donald Kennedy have called for a major study of human behavior and values
in relation to environmental protection and preservation.
The
effort to identify religiously diverse attitudes and practices toward nature was
the focus of a major international conference series from 1996 to 1998 on world
religions and ecology. Held at the Center for the Study of World Religions, at
the Harvard Divinity School, it resulted in a 10-volume series of books, published
by the center and distributed by Harvard University Press. More than 800 scholars
of religions and environmentalists attended, leading to a continuing forum on
religion and ecology that has grown to more than 4,000 participants. The series
concluded in New York with conferences at the United Nations and the American
Museum of Natural History, featuring religious representatives in discussion with
scientists, economists, educators, and policy makers. Meanwhile the American
Academy of Religion has a vibrant section focusing on scholarship and teaching
in religion and ecology. A scholarly journal, Worldviews: Environment, Culture,
Religion, is celebrating its 10th year of publication. A two-volume encyclopedia
of religion and nature has been published by Continuum. Clearly this field of
study will continue to expand as the environmental crisis grows in complexity
and requires increasingly creative interdisciplinary responses. As scholars
and theologians explore culturally diverse environmental ethics, religions are
starting to find their voices regarding the environment. The monotheistic traditions
of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are formulating original eco-theologies and
eco-justice practices regarding stewardship and care for creation. Hinduism and
Jainism in South Asia, and Buddhism in both Asia and the West, have undertaken
projects of ecological restoration. Indigenous peoples bring to the discussion
alternative ways of knowing and engaging the natural world. All of those religious
traditions are moving forward to find the language, symbols, rituals, and ethics
for encouraging protection of bioregions and species. Religions are beginning
to generate the energy needed for restoring the earth in such practices as tree
planting, coral-reef preservation, and river cleanup. In addition, religions are
bridging the gap between those concerned with social and economic justice and
those working for a sustainable environment.
In
many settings around the world, religious leaders and local communities draw on
traditional religious ways of respecting place, land, and life as well as current
understanding of environmental science. For example, in Malaysia, as health officials
plan protocols for malaria reduction, they take into account the concerns of indigenous
Temiar elders regarding the use of pesticides and the well-being of birds that
inspire their traditional healers. Tree-planting ceremonies in Zimbabwe bring
together congregations of Dutch Reformed African Zionist Churches and indigenous
Shona villagers. In northern Thailand, efforts to block the construction of a
tourist gondola on Doi Suthep, a mountain, coalesce around the local Buddhist
monastery's appreciation of the peak as similar to a sacred stupa that holds the
relics of a Buddha.
In
the United States, the greening of churches and synagogues leads religious communities
to search out sustainable building materials and renewable energy sources through
InterFaith Power and Light, a nonprofit organization that works with religious
organizations on environmental issues. A group of Christian leaders in the Evangelical
Climate Initiative is focusing on climate change as a moral issue that will adversely
and disproportionately affect the poor around the world. "Green Yoga"
is exploring ways in which yoga practitioners can bring their meditative focus
to greater awareness of environmental concern. The "Green Nuns," a group
of Roman Catholic religious women in North America, sponsors a variety of environmental
programs drawing on the ecological vision of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme, who
describe the story of the universe in both sacred and scientific terms. In Canada
the Indigenous Environmental Network is speaking out about the negative effects
of resource extraction and military-related pollution on First Nations Reserves.
Internationally, the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has led several
international symposia on religion, science, and the environment, focused on water
issues.
Some
of the most striking examples of the intersection of religion and ecology have
taken place in Iran and Indonesia. In June 2001 and May 2005, under former President
Mohammad Khatami, the government of Iran and the United Nations Environment Programme
sponsored conferences in Tehran focused on Islamic principles and practices for
environmental protection. The Iranian Constitution identifies Islamic values for
appropriate ecological practices and threatens legal sanctions against those who
do not follow them. In Indonesia projects of tree planting and restoration work
draw on the Islamic principle of maintaining balance (mizaan) in nature. Students
in Islamic boarding schools are taught such principles and are encouraged to apply
the Islamic doctrine of trusteeship regarding the environment.
As
those examples illustrate, a many-faceted alliance of religion and ecology is
emerging around the planet, with attitudes and behaviors being re-examined with
attention toward the future of the whole community of life, not just humans. This
is a new moment for the world's religions, and they have a vital role to play
in the development of a more comprehensive environmental ethics. The urgency of
this process cannot be underestimated. Indeed, the flourishing of the earth community
may depend on it.
Mary
Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, founders of the Forum on Religion and Ecology, teach
religion and ecology at Yale University. They are editors of the Harvard book
series on World Religions and Ecology. More information on the Forum on Religion
and Ecology is available online (at http://www.religionandecology.org). http://chronicle.com Section:
The Chronicle Review Volume 53, Issue 23, Page B9 | CALENDAR
OF UPCOMING EVENTS | | | |
The Mystery of Love Project.
The sneak preview of excerpts of the video (not shown in its entirety) will be
accompanied by musical interludes from local musicians at Namaste' (located at
111 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington (see elsewhere in newsletter) | | Call
for Board Members - Green
Dove Peace Network, inc., a Bloomington, IN non profit
and the parent organization of the Indiana Holistic Health Network and
Local Food is seeking Board Members and other Volunteers. If you are interested,
please submit a statement of interest and bio to greendove(at)gmail.com. We are
a 501C3 under the umbrella of the Center
of Sustainable Living | | Patricia
C. Coleman RMT will teach and co-facilitate a variety of workshops in the Bloomington,
IN area during 2007. To be put on the workshop mailing list or for more information
she can be reached at:healingart@gmail.com. Workshops will include Reiki Level
I and II, Storytelling, Maskmaking, Spirit Healing Doll, A Night of Healing, and
Gratitude Book Workshop and other workshops are available upon request. | | "YOGA
FROM THE INSIDE OUT" classes, ongoing -At BLOOMINGLOTUS (6th and Walnut above
"Roots", entrance on 6th) call Allana 824-4085 or email-aradecki@indiana.edu
| YOUR AD HERE | In
Honor of Women's History Month (March)& International Women's Day (March 8th):
Wandering Turtle Art Gallery & Gifts Presents: "As We See
Ourselves" Multi-media Self-Portraits by Local & Regional Women
Artists Show dates: February 8 - March 24, 2007 Artists' Reception:
First Friday, March 2, 2007, 5:30 - 7:30 For images and more information
on this special exhibit, Please click on the following link: http://www.wanderingturtle.com/artist.html
Participating Artists: Paula Bates, Yara Cluver, Patricia Coleman, Arlene
Huss Cook, Fides Driscoll, Holly Graef, Mary Hambly, Jan Ley, Bonnie Gordon-Lucas,
Ellen Starr Lyon, Sara Steffey-McQueen, MB Stephens, Jaime Sweany, Yelena Yahontova Beginning
March 2nd Resuming extended regular hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 - 7:00 Friday
& Saturday 9:30 - 8:00 Sunday 11:00 - 5:00 Wandering Turtle Art
Gallery & Gifts 224 N. College Avenue Bloomington, IN 47404 Phone:
812-330-1990 Email: art@wanderingturtle.com Women's
History Month: "Women's History Week" was established
in California in 1978 to address the absence of women's history in the K-12 curriculum
and general public awareness. With much enthusiastic support of the week's mission
and activities spreading quickly to other states, a Congressional Resolution was
passed in 1981 declaring a "National Women's History Week." Within a
few years, thousands of schools and communities were celebrating National Women's
History Week, supported and encouraged by resolutions from governors, city councils,
school boards, and the U.S. Congress. In 1987, the National Women's History Project
petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month of
March. Since then, the National Women's History Month Resolution has been approved
with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. For more information
on Women's History Month, please refer to the following website: http://www.nwhp.org
International Women's Day: International Women's
Day has been celebrated for almost 90 years. It began in 1911, and was inspired
by an American recognition of working women. The early events began to advocate
for the cause of peace as well as women's rights, and has evolved into a tradition
that celebrates women's struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
The U.N. began sponsoring International Women's Day in 1975. Celebrated the world
over, IWD has been commemorated as a National Holiday in many nations. For
more information on IWD, please refer to the following website: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
| Ancient and
Modern Resonance: The Art and
Technology of Healing Music FREE Saturday, March 3, 3:00pm, IU Chemistry Building,
Room 122Janiece Jaffe is a world-renowned
jazz singer who practices healing by toning with her pure voice and playing Singing
Bowls. Syndee Earthart is a teacher
and healer who has used Crystal and Tibetan Singing Bowls in her practice for
over a decade. Jonathan Mills
is a professor of computer science, shamanic practitioner and composer who integrates
the sounds of nature and Tibetan Singing Bowls into his modern, orchestral and
healing music. | |
Saturday, March 3, Intuitive Arts Fair Namaste
- 111 E. Kirkwood (Above Tara). 1:00pm -7:00pm and Sunday, March 4th, 1:00 to
5:00pm. $15 per each 20 minute session. Tarot, Palmistry, Crystal Gazing, Healing
Energy Work, Herbal Products, Aromatherapy, Gem and Crystal Jewelry, Original
Artwork and more! For more information contact cme11@scbglobal.net. | | MARCH
5: Bloomington Transportation Options for People: next speaker--the first in our
2007 Livable Cities Series-will be at the City Council Chambers at Showers, Monday,
March 5th from 3-5 pm, to speak on "Street Design, Transportation
Planning and Community Livability". His Name is Dr. Norman Garrick,
he got his PhD. at Purdue, and he has taught engineering at UConn for twenty years!
Among other pertinent topics, he specializes in Urban Planning and Street Design,
and Sustainable Transportation Planning. He has also consulted for the ITE (Institute
of Transportation Engineers) on a new draft document about designing urban thoroughfares
for walkable communities! A very timely topic in Bloomington, of late!! A flyer
will follow as soon as it's drafted. | April
13th, 2007 - 2007 Summit on Children's
Health and the Environment Indianapolis - Co-hosted by the
Indiana University Center for Environmental Health, Improving Kids' Environment,
the Hoosier Environmental Council and IUPUI's School of Public and Environmental
Affairs, this one-day session will bring together leaders from government, academia,
business, the health professions and the advocacy community to consider key environmental
influences on children's health in Indiana. For a registration form, please
click here. To view the Save the Date letter from Dr. Virginia Caine, Senator
Gard, and Dr. Ora Pescovitz, please click here. For more information, please
visit: http://ikecoalition.org/Environmental_Summit _2007.htm. | | The
Good Life Alternative Abundant Health Retreats
Who:
Everyone interested in jump starting their goals for better health and wellness,
everyone seeking to use natural health methods, everyone needing a change of
scenery and a fun, healthy atmosphere. Whether you are managing your weight, quitting
smoking, living with chronic health problems, trying to prevent them, or just
need to get away for 24 hours,this retreat is for you. When: April 28-29, 2007
from 3pm Saturday to 3pm Sunday Where: Kordes Retreat Center, Ferdinand, Indiana Cost:
$120 for double occupancy (early bird) $130 after February 15th $135 for single
occupancy (early bird) $145 after February 15th $ 90 for commuters (early
bird) $100 after February 15th What is included: Overnight accomodations (unless
commuting), three buffet meals, retreat activities. About Kordes: Kordes is
a great facility for group retreats such as this, meetings, workshops, or just
individual time away. Located in beautiful Southern Indiana, Kordes Retreat
Center offers 34 bedrooms with twin beds, home-cooked, buffet-style meals, comfortable
lounges, a bookstore, and all-day tea and coffee service. It sits on the campus
of Monastery Immaculate Conception, a Benedictine monastery for women, that also
offers tennis courts, outdoor areas ideal for sitting and reflecting, walking,
hiking, jogging, and bicycling, a meditation labyrinth and a gift shop for retreat
attendees. Contact Scarlett at
The Good Life Alternative for an information sheet or to register for this great
retreat. You can reach her at 812-340-0937 or email:Scarlett@ccnh.edu or visit
our website at www.goodlifealternative.com. | Arthritis
Eased by Acupuncture A study
by a German team of researchers may give hope to the more than 46 million people
who suffer from some form of arthritis. The study, published in the November 2006
issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism, suggests acupuncture can help reduce pain and
improve quality of life, which is particularly encouraging news for the millions
who suffer from arthritis and would like to avoid conventional medical approaches
to treatment, which usually involves drugs. The 3,633 participants of the
study were divided into three groups: an acupuncture group (357), a control group
(355), and a nonrandomized acupuncture group (2,921). All of the patients were
allowed to continue their regular medical care during the study. The two acupuncture
groups received 15 sessions within the first three months; while the control group
was offered the acupuncture treatments in the final three months. A symptom and
pain questionnaire was completed by all subjects at the beginning and end of the
six-month period. Survey results showed that patients who received the initial
round of treatments experienced a sustained improvement during the next three
months. Those who underwent the second round of sessions had comparable improvement
at the end of the three months. Also, those who continued their routine medical
care demonstrated a significant improvement in their quality of life, which included
pain reduction and increased mobility. Resource from Acupuncture Today Newsletter
- http://www.acupuncturetoday.com · Witt C, Jena S, Brinkhaus B, et
al. Acupuncture in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip: a randomized,
controlled trial with an additional nonrandomized arm. Arthritis and Rheumatism
2006;54(11):3485-3493. Editors
Note - I founda great deal of relief after removing nightshade foods from my diet.
At first I thought it would never be possible. I am very grateful for the abundance
and variety of foods available.. As always - check with your health care provider
if you are concerned about eating a balanced diet. | | Call
for contributions - Do you have memories of freshly baked homemade biscuits?
If you do and would like to share them, send biscuit poems, stories or recipes
for homemade biscuits or sauces, to Beautiful Biscuits, P.O. Box 8172, Bloomington,
IN 47407 | TO
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