Category Archives: spirituality

Neocons rewriting the Bible

by

…well, I wish I could say this is a surprise…but, no, I was waiting for the “re-write” because Jesus is just too, too, liberal…you know, feeding people, healing the sick without being paid, throwing the bankers out of the Temple…

See, the neocons were hiding behind the “Moral Majority” schtick and intimidating folks with their self-righteous blather.  Now that some of us have been speaking out about spirituality, they have suddenly realized their game is up.

Sorry, neocons….try as you might, you cannot have a re-do to support your selfish, hateful, punitive actions that feed the dark side.

123 years after Wounded Knee massacre

by

Warrior Publications has a blog up on the massacre at Wounded Knee.

As I look at the photo of the mass grave, it is a shocking picture too similar to the Jews in Nazi Germany camps.

Something that is really important to know—these Native Americans had laid down their guns.  They had given all their weaponry to the calvary in what they thought was a truce…

…and then they were fired upon…

Unarmed men, women, and children gunned down…

~~~~~

Warrior Publications also has this up on Carter Camp, of the 1973 Wounded Knee siege.   Treaty after treaty had been broken, and the Native Americans were asserting their right to exist, their right to practice their spirituality–which had been outlawed–and their right to their land.  They were protesting the war-like atmosphere created by Dick Wilson, whom thought of the traditional American Indians as “communists” .  He terrorized the traditionals.

The movie Thunderheart is loosely based on the events at Wounded Knee.  (Pay close attention to the bartender in one of the scenes–Crosby, Stills, and Nash fans will see a familiar face. 🙂

On the message board under portrayal of elders, a commenter talks about Grandpa Reaches being their favorite character in the movie–he was a medicine man, but not full of himself, not holier-than-thou.  He was the genuine deal.

Another commenter was commenting on the scene where Grandpa’s TV and ancient sacred turtle rattle are destroyed–they were trying to explain to someone why Grandpa would be upset about them breaking his TV, but not the sacred rattle.

It struck me odd, too, but trying to think as the Native Americans do about possessions, perhaps it was supposed to be a “letting go” of possessions such as the rattle, because it, too, could be replaced?  Or perhaps Grandpa Reaches thought that the rattle represented connection with the Creator, but he didn’t need an object because he was always connected?  I don’t know the answer, but it’s a good question.

They also talked about what Grandpa Reaches gave Ray Levoi for his sunglasses.  I thought it was probably a stone that Grandpa had blessed?

Anyway, I hope I haven’t given too much away to anyone who hasn’t seen it but wishes to–a really good movie full of twists and historical value.

Letting go

by

James Radcliffe has a post up on meditation and its wonderful effects on the rest of your activities in life.  It is one of the most difficult things to achieve–letting go of all the cares and worries of the world, quieting your mind,  and just BE.  It’s especially difficult for me because of the mercury interfering with brain function.  The brain, heart, and soul are intertwined and it is difficult to connect with God/Higher Power/Creator when your mind is scrambling with thoughts bouncing all over the place.  But on those few occasions when I am able to clear my head and stop the active thinking, and allow the release of the worldly concerns, it is wonderful.  And I do feel more connected with God and all of creation with meditation….a gift.

 

Israel citizens want to teach Peace

by

The opening quote is an understatement. (love the mural, too)

Of course, the people want peace–it’s the politicians and war profiteers who want war.  Most of the people in the world just want to live in peace…raise their families…earn a living…follow their own paths….

…but then you get to the end of the article…<sigh>….well, baby steps towards Peace…but I’ll take it.

Remedies of nature

by

First, the legal stuff:  Statements posted on this blog are for information only, and should NOT be taken as medical advice. If you need medical advice, you should seek it from those who are licensed to give medical advice. You are responsible for any decisions you make, or actions you take (or do not take).

(It is sooo stupid that I have to say that when I have had more harm done by licensed medical professionals than by non-professionals. Pshaw.)

Okay—I was doing research on herbs used to rid the body of xenoestrogens, and came across several helpful sites. (xenoestrogens are plastics/chemicals that match the body’s estrogen receptors, taking the place of the real hormones).

One of the sites mentioned the connection between xenoestrogens and breast lumps.  I had tried this product, Estrosense, many years ago, but stopped taking it because of an adverse reaction.  I was unaware of that I was full of mercury at the time, and since turmeric is sulfuric, it made me miserable….being that I was sulfur dominant from the mercury.

I tried it again the last two months, and had a successful go of it this time around.

And guys, if you think this is *just* a woman’s concern…think again.  Signs are out there that these stupid fake hormones are affecting men, as well.  So ixnay on the hormones-only-affect-women-bit.

More here on the connection to breast cancer and xenoestrogens.

Here’s a good blog on what to do to avoid them.  I think it is always better to avoid them in the first place rather than trying to remove them afterwards.

While doing that research, I came across a blood purifer using plants, called Kroeger blood toner.  I researched the ingredients, one by one, and found a fairly helpful site on herbs here.  It just never gets old discovering all the neat stuff that plants can do for us.  Like I’ve said a zillion times before–we’ll discover that all the stuff we called “weeds” were the cure for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc….

Milkweed being one of those undervalued plants….as shown by the site.  Now we see the damage that herbicides are doing through the chain of nature…first the milkweed, then the butterflies:

A major cause is farming with Roundup, a herbicide that kills virtually all plants except crops that are genetically modified to survive it. As a result, millions of acres of native plants, especially milkweed, an important source of nectar for many species, and vital for monarch butterfly larvae, have been wiped out.

~~~~~~

Monsanto, milkweed, and the monarch butterfly.  A 59% decline!!

Gah, I remember when we saw milkweed *everywhere* we went.  Now you’re lucky if you see a few plants scattered here and there.  Same with burdock.   Our dog rarely came home without burrs on him (this was back in the day when you let your dogs run loose.)

Nope…now we need manicured lawns with nary a weed on them.  Got to be perfect.

I used to allow a small (24 x 24) patch of my lawn go to weed…much to the irritation of my neighbors who thought of me as the local hippie of the neighborhood.  It.just.was.not.done.  It was like I was letting the whole neighborhood go to hell.  And the thing was–my little overgrown patch was off the road behind a line of private evergreens.  Only two neighbors could actually see the *jungle* (said with a grin).

Anyway….I’m all for allowing more manicured space go back to its natural habitat.

There’s a certain peace, tranquility, and restfulness when nature is allowed to be…nature.  There’s nothing like bending over to admire a plant when a butterfly comes floating by and lands on a plant near you….as if to say hello…

…and *thanks* for not messing with my nourishment and my home…

 

 

 

 

Bloomberg: if you’re homeless, it’s God’s fault **edited

by

Diane Ravitch has a blog up on a homeless girl, Dasani, and the heartless comment about her living conditions by Michael Bloomberg, as self-righteous as they come.

What a smug, heartless little turd.

Jesus has said one can only have one Master–money or God.

Obviously, Bloomberg chose money.

I read stories like this and feel such despair….

**edited to add:  There’s quite a discussion going on at Diane’s blog, and I thought I’d explain my thoughts.  Here’s a comment I left at Diane’s:

Wow, I must have struck a chord. I personally am poor and homeless as I write this. I am nothing like what Bloomberg, et al, would like to characterize the poor as– I’m college educated, once lived an upper middle class lifestyle. Being poor has taught me so much–that I could have and should have done so much more when I was wealthy. If I had money again, I would choose driving a Ford over a Mercedes, and give that difference to the poor.

To me, that is choosing God over money.

Your mileage may vary.

Boiling the frog…

by

Idle No More has a virtual “teach-in” up on the web (scroll down) by Sharon Venne.   It’s a really interesting piece on the historical treatment of the indigenous and how s-l-o-w-l-y their culture and their land has been “disappeared”.

As she says in her talk, it goes on over such a slow period of time, that one doesn’t realize what is happening until it’s almost too late….like the frog put in a pan of water that the heat is turned up so slowly that the frog doesn’t realize it’s being boiled to death.

It’s really worth watching it all the way through–she has such a good story to tell of her own struggle to get an education.  She tells the story of not being able to read until going to university.  (By the way, Literacy Volunteers are out there to help folks learn to read–check with your local library). She was continually kept in stress mode by them not sending her monthly stipends on time so she could pay her rent.  God Bless the administrator who helped her.

She makes an important point at about 29:00 minutes in– of what sounds like the precursor to “corporations are people, too”.  If anything, we need to pay better attention to what is going on in other countries…especially to the poor and minorities…because it seems to be a worldwide power grab–given that there have been austerity measures all over the globe and attacks on teacher’s unions and such.  More here.

And here.