Newsletter - December 31st, 2015 - Volume 2, Issue 13
TSW Posts from the Past Month As we exit a very tumultuous 2015 and the world teeters on the breaking point of our various economic, societal, and natural eco-systems, I thought it interesting to try and understand what are some of the root causes and significant milestones that have lead us
to this point in time.
Links worth Investigating - Six Foundations for Building Community Resilience, A concept paper by Post Carbon Institute: 'Virtually every American
community is part of—and dependent on—a deeply interconnected and highly complex global civilization of nearly 200 countries, tens of thousands of cities, and over seven billion people. The prices we pay at the grocery store and the gas station, the investments our businesses make, the regulations our governments set, and even the weather we experience every day are potentially influenced by countless events and decisions made around the world—and all to a degree that was barely conceivable just
half a century ago. Although many of the challenges our communities face would exist regardless, this global interconnection is the dominant factor of our modern world and brings us rewards and risks (neither of which are distributed equally) that we cannot ignore. If the aim of community resilience—at minimum—is to safeguard the health and well-being of people in the face of the
21st century’s many complex challenges, those challenges need to be understood in a global context."
- Humiliation is the Root of All
Terrorism - Peter Gabel writing in Tikkun Magazine. "Tikkun has long advocated for the adoption of a Strategy of Generosity in US foreign policy, decisively shifting our perspective on how we relate to the rest of the world from the “power over” approach which has failed miserably for 7000 years and produced nothing but violence and counter violence to a deep spiritual approach that recognizes the humanity of others and demonstrates our care
for the well-being of all who live on the planet. Peter Gabel offers a philosophical foundation for that vision that shows the relationship between healing and repairing the wounds that separate us and ending the otherwise unending cycle of violence that causes so much human suffering."
- The Surprising Benefits of a Quiet Ego, by Scott Barry Kaufman. "Don’t get me wrong: it’s good to have a healthy
sense of self. But as psychologist Mark Leary has pointed out, while the self can be our greatest resource, it can also be our darkest enemy. On the one hand, the fundamentally human capacities for self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-control are essential for reaching our goals. On the other, the self has a perpetual desire to be seen in a positive light. The self will do anything to disavow itself of responsibility for any negative outcome it might deserve. As one researcher put it, the
self engenders “a self-zoo of self-defense mechanisms.” from Susan Cain’s Quiet Revolution Blog
- A recent episode of NPR's On Being Podcast with Krista Tippet: The Evolution of Medicine, will give hope to all who view mainstream medicine as being off the mark in terms of true healing. "A transformation of
medicine is underway, a transition from a science of treating disease to a science of health. Dr. Mark Hyman of the Cleveland Clinic is a family physician and a pioneer in the new discipline of functional medicine. Dr. James Gordon is an expert in using mind-body medicine to heal depression, anxiety, and psychological trauma. Penny George became a philanthropist of integrative medicine after she experienced cancer in mid-life. Before a live audience at the University of Minnesota, they
discuss the challenge and promise of aligning medicine with a 21st century understanding of human wholeness.” [Hyman in particular understands how the future of medicine is recognizing that the body is an information processing system; and that the information comes embedded in all aspects of our environment - food, water, air, sun, and more. Well worth a listen. Pair with a previous post - The (re)-Discovery of the Human Energy Field.
- Why Manning Up is the Worst Thing To Do. "This generation is witness to a collision between traditional masculinity and a new wave, one that values intimacy, caregiving, and nurturing. But many of us have spent our lives under immense pressure to stifle emotional expression of any kind. And we’re learning there’s a cost: Men are suffering higher rates of life-threatening disease, depression, and death. Simply put, the suppression of emotional expression in men is damaging their health and well-being.“
Yes! Magazine
- Did You Know That Meditation Increases The Size Of Your Brain? [Video] | In this TedX video Neuroscientist Sara Lazar talks about the changes meditation
has on the physical structure of your brain and the significant increases it brings about in terms of learning and memory performance.
- Is Pharma Trying to Eliminate the Homeopathic Competition? - "Homeopathy is a thorn in the side of Pharma because of the fact that its unique medicines are FDA regulated, safe, inexpensive, and can't be patented. Now that the deadline for public comment at FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has officially come to a close, supporters of homeopathy are waiting to see what steps,
if any, will be taken to further regulate the marketing of homeopathic medicines. In light of these developments and other recent events, some believe that there is an organized effort under way to discredit this venerable medical art and science.” [Always follow the money...]. Greenmedinfo.com
Proactive Access to Knowledge and Wisdom - How to never forget
anything ever again: My exploration of Spaced Repetition by Mattan Griffel. " I learned that spaced repetition is a learning technique that relies on something called the spacing effect. The spacing effect says that it’s easier for you to learn or remember something if it’s repeated over a long period of time (a few months) rather than a short time (one night —i.e. “cramming”).”
from Medium.com
- There is something extraordinary happening in the
world: by Brazilian author Gustavo Tanaka. "Most of us haven’t quite realized there is something extraordinary happening. A few months ago I freed myself from standard-procedure society, I broke the chains of fear that kept me locked up into the system. Since then, I see the world from a different perspective: the one that everything is going through change and that most of us are unware of that. Why is the world changing? In
this post I’ll point out the 8 reasons that lead me to believe it."
- Brain
Scans Show Conservatives & Liberals View The World Differently | TruthTheory "Is there something politicians know that the vast majority of the US voters don’t? Some of them are proof that all they need to know is how their voters think. You don’t really believe some of them talk the way they do because they’re stupid do you? It may at times appear that way, but they are speaking to voter
profiles."
- “Until you practice surrender, the spiritual dimension is something you read about, talk about, get excited about, write books about, think about, believe in — or don’t, as the case may be. It makes no difference. Not until you surrender does it become a living reality in your life.” - Eckhart Tolle
- What are you trying to do, and what are the consequences? To me that’s systems thinking. It’s thinking about how one action here affects the whole. It’s taking responsibility for taking actions. —Doria Robinson, Urban Tilth
"After all, the greatest gift of the Force is not the ability to move objects with one’s mind, but a real sense of one’s connectedness to all people, all creatures, all things, all places. When we can feel the unity between ourselves and everyone else, anger and hatred lose their value as well as their hold on us. This vision of unity is the source of our knowledge and compassion. More importantly, it is the
source of our hope. As we look around at the world today, we see that we are in the midst of great conflicts between many Empires and many Rebel Alliances. Sustainable solutions to these conflicts are not easy to find. But there is much to be hopeful for. There are many people of conscience making local efforts, listening, feeding, healing, caring, speaking truth to Empire. We must multiply their efforts with our efforts. It
all starts with a personal commitment to unity, knowledge, and compassion. To end the war in our stars, we first have to end the war inside ourselves.” - from the article "The Forces Inside of Us: 'Star Wars' as a Modern Mythology for Our Time by Rahim Snow
- In a time of drastic
change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. —Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition
- For those who embrace sustainability in the fullest sense—as an environmental, social, economic, and political ideal—we’re at a crossroads in our civilization. There are two
paths to take: continue with business as usual, ignore the science of climate change, and pretend that our economic system isn’t on life support—or, remake and redefine our society along the lines of sustainability. —Jeremy Caradonna, Sustainability: A History
- Hope is…an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance
to succeed… It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. —Vaclav Havel, Disturbing the Peace
- “Our prayers for world peace, our desire for unity, our efforts to create peace within, are quintessential. For if we wish to change the way life looks outside, we need to first change
what’s happening on the inside. Carl Jung once said: 'One doesn’t become enlightened by just imagining figures of light but rather by making the darkness conscious.’ Many use the light to bring forth the shadow and to heal it. For it is the substance of peace, and not the behavior of war, that will ultimately heal our fear. Therefore, acts of love, faith, joy, humility, compassion, patience and gratitude, to name just a few, need to become the awakened gestures of our
daily existence, to create world healing, through manifesting personal catharsis." - Stewart Pearce from his book, The Heart’s Note
- "Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry -- all forms of fear -- are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and
all forms of non forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence. - Eckhart Tolle
"What Lessons Did You Learn This Past Year?"
A warm December produced many stunning sun-sets for us here in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Have a Great Month, Stay Positive, and Proactively Choose Your Thoughts to Create Your Desired Reality.
Wishing you and your family a very happy New Year!
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