Issue #5: February 2005, Time for Compassion
Covering It:
Time for Compassion, by Kylie Loynd
Last fall I heard a native elder speak about how women are the heart of the family and of civilization. She asked us to imagine what the world would be like if each woman on this planet got up 15 minutes earlier and began her day by lighting a candle and praying for herself and her family - nothing more. As she spoke, the idea that we are all related rushed through my body in a visceral way. What would the world be like?
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Whole Foods:
Free of Wheat: the Gluten Gap, by Kylie Loynd
In our homeschool co-op, we have what you might call an interesting assortment of nutritional needs. Our potluck holiday party commenced with the moms walking around the food table, reciting ingredients to each other. Months before, the combined list of our kids' allergies and sensitivities had come as a shock, with the wheat-free challenge the mother of them all. Over time, though, exploring food alternatives is beginning to feel less like a restrictive diet and more like a culinary adventure.
From the Ground Up:
Kind Cuts: A Pruning Primer, by Marian Wineman
Humans like to control nature. I have to admit, an unnerving sense of power wells up in me when I finally finish my annual pruning binge on our fruit trees and view my latest conquest. Maybe pruning is one of the few places people can exert control in their lives. It must be this innate desire for mastery gone awry that breeds yards with tortured gumdrop and lollipop trees.
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Everything Herbal:
Remember Rosemary, by Kylie Loynd
When you've been cocooning yourself from the cold for far too long, a familiar kitchen friend can entice your energy to rise again. Rummage through your spice rack and pull the rosemary forward. An evergreen herb, rosemary begins to bloom in late January. Its glorious, edible flowers are a visual reminder of the rejuvenation you'll experience by using this plant from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. (read the entire article)
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A Balance of Health:
Energy Healing: on the Rise, by Kylie Loynd
Do you remember when "alternative medicine" was an edgy subject? Now, taking a centering breath before broaching the topic is rarely necessary. Many of us already know the name of a good acupuncturist or craniosacral practitioner, have a naturopath as a primary care physician or make regular visits to a chiropractor or massage therapist. Better still, a health care plan is probably footing part of the bill. These alternative medicines were the icebreakers, readying the medical mainstream for the crest of the next alternative wave: energy healing.
New Life, by Dr. David Ramaley
As we transition from winter into spring, we see new life unfolding before our eyes. It is one of my favorite seasons and always signals new beginnings and a rebirth of our spirit. Amazingly enough, our bodies are changing all the time. Every 120 days we replace our entire supply of red blood cells. Our bones are completely new in one year. In fact, every seven years our physical body has completely changed, with all new cells. (read the complete article)
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Treading Lightly:
Eco-Office, Reuse and Recycle, by Lee Revere
Want to venture a guess about the percentage of retired computers that are gathering dust in American homes? According to a study by the National Safety Council, the answer is a whopping 75 percent. The EPA's statistics are even worse: In 2001, only 11 percent of personal computers in this country were recycled. I know that I, myself, have one lurking in my garage. So, what is the issue here?
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With Our Hands:
An Easy-to-build Children's Workbench, by Derrick Burke
Most of us enjoy taking on do-it-yourself projects and our kids seem to enjoy them, as well. Learning about hand tools and making something by hand is one of those must-have experiences in life. Recently, I got together with a buddy of mine and in a matter of a few hours we both made workstations for our girls. In just a few short weeks, my kids have already used their benches for artistic projects, storing their toys, and practicing hammering. All it takes to build a bench is some basic tools and a few hours of your time.
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Life Out Loud:
Turn out the Lights, by Lee Revere
"I wish we'd lose power again," my husband, Jon, said one winter evening last year. I looked at him in amazement. "What?" I asked, suspecting that he just wanted an excuse to bring home some greasy roast chicken and Jojos from the grocery store - which has somehow become part of our power-outage routine.
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Looking Within:
A Whole New Love, by Alexa Robbins
We all want love. Our impulse to merge with love, to connect to the deepest parts of it, is a natural thing to desire. We try, through human relationships, to find our way back to the connection we all must have felt before our umbilical cords were severed. So when clients come to me for a session, the main thing on their minds is love.
Meet the Gays, by Khris Fruits
What is it like to be a gay man today? When I first considered writing about the subject, I felt only fear and disassociation. I don't know anything about being an average gay man. Why should anybody care anyway? And therein lies the whole point: Why should anybody care about the experience of one gay man? Really, what you're probably saying to yourself is something about you yourself not being gay, that you don't know any gay people or that if you do, they seem like normal human beings to you. (read the complete article)
The Case of the Recovering Hypochondriac, by Marie J. Nelson
I've always been a bit of a hypochondriac. As a child, when sick, I would crawl around on all fours, head down, breath labored because in my mind I was too weak to walk. My sister, who easily saw through my act, would occasionally kick me as I inched by. My mother had a more tactful way of dealing with my drama. "Oh, Marie," she would say with a sigh, "she's an artist."
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This Spinning Earth
Where there is Wildlife, by Lee Revere
"I've got a screech owl in my car," my husband told me by cell phone. Just a few miles from our home, Jon had nearly run over the owl that was lying in the middle of the road. "Can you call and find out where we can take it?" That was nearly three years ago, but I can still remember frantically searching the phone book, for a wildlife rehabilitator. Finally, a veterinarian gave me the name of one near us. When Jon got home, we poked holes in a box, carefully placed the owl in it and headed for Second Chance Wildlife Care Center. I was about to get my first glimpse of wildlife rehabilitation.
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Backing Out:
One Nation, by Kylie Loynd
Pre-dawn November 4, I stood under the stars, shattered by our presidential election. This time, when I prayed for my family during my morning ritual, I felt the concept of family extend to our entire nation.
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Covering It:
A Helping of Gratefulness