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SPIRIT CARD
OF THE WEEK
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Allow the Magic
by Atmara Rebecca Cloe
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THE NEW ALTWIRE
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Welcome to OmPlace's Altwire newsletter. Our aim is to present informative articles relating to conscious living, holistic health, environmental issues, spirituality and more. Please direct your submissions and suggestions to: susan@omplace.com
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HERB OF THE WEEK
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Kava - Powerful Anti-Stress Herb Dr. Michael Tierra L.Ac., O.M.D. / Founder of the American Herbalists Guild
Kava is a very experiential herb. Taking it is like imbibing the soothing, spiritual essence of the South Pacific Islands on a mild warm sunny day accompanied by a pleasant westerly breeze. It induces an immediate sense of ease, warmth and relaxation that continues to increase over a span of several hours. There is never any accompanied drowsiness or disorientation, just a sense of ease and well being, It does not interfere with one's ability to focus, concentrate or otherwise navigate.
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QUOTES OF
THE WEEK
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"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."
- Margaret Young
"Love conquers all things; let us too surrender to Love."
- Virgil (70 BC - 19 BC), Eclogues
"First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others."
- Thomas A. Kempis (1380 - 1471)
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THOUGHTS & EXPRESSION
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One Sacred Moment In Time And Space by Gururattan Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D. / Author and Teacher of Kundalini Yoga
"... For one heartbeat stop holding on. Let go / And feel the universal energy that is always available for you. Give yourself one precious experience in time and space. With all your heart, body and soul / Surrender into the arms of the unknown. Indulge in the panorama of the cosmic perspective. Breathe in the wine of cosmic vitality. Cuddle in the embrace of the infinite. Soak in the nurturing presence of Divine Love. Trust that you are taken care of. Know that you are loved. For one precious moment, choose Love."
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FYI
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The Kusun Ensemble, a music and dance troup from Ghana, West Africa, will begin a short tour in
Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center on August 21, 2002. Their final performance is at the Floyd World Music
Festival in Floyd, VA, September 27-29!!! (floydfest.com)
The group offers a rare opportunity to study with them in Virginia at the scenic Indian Valley Retreat
Center (indianvalleyretreat.com)September 6-8. (See
ghanadrumschool.com for a closer look). To register, go to
lightshaper.com/tettey or contact Melody at Winter Sun Productions
(540)745-7882.
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MOVIE REVIEW
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Possession by Ed Gonzalez / Slant Magazine
Two literary sleuths fall in love during an amateur detective mission that seeks to shed light on the romantic, extra-marital exploits of the fictional poet Randolph Henry Ash. "Possession," based on the novel by A.S. Byatt, is concerned with the quaint notion that much of history shall forever remain elusive and unknown.
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ALTERNATIVE NEWS |
Gulf of Tonkin Incident - Event That Pushed US Into Vietnam War - Probably Never Happened, Tapes Show by Bob Richter / San Antonio Express-News
Thirty-eight years ago Sunday (Aug. 4), network television was interrupted at 11:36 p.m. EDT so President Lyndon B. Johnson could tell the nation that U.S. warships in a place called the Gulf of Tonkin had been attacked by North Vietnamese PT boats. In response to what he described as "open aggression on the open seas," Johnson ordered U.S. airstrikes on North Vietnam. The airstrikes opened the door to a war that would kill 1 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans and divide the nation along class and generational lines. Over the years, debate has swirled around whether U.S. ships actually were attacked that night, or whether, as some skeptics suggest, the Johnson administration staged or provoked an event to get congressional authority to act against North Vietnam. Recently released tapes of White House phone conversations indicate the attack probably never happened.
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ENTERTAINMENT |
 Eva Cassidy's Music Has a Life of Its Own by Sherri Dalphonse / The Washingtonian
It was the fall of 1996, and Eva Cassidy was dying. As she lay in bed in the home of her parents, musicians in a nearby studio were laying guitar, piano, and violin tracks on vocals Cassidy had recorded over the years. "After they'd finish, they'd come in and say, 'Eva, we just finished one of your songs—would you like to hear it?' " recalls friend Jackie Fletcher. "She had left so many incredible recordings." No one guessed then how the voice of Eva Cassidy would spread. Four and a half years after her death from melanoma, a posthumous album, Songbird, reached number one on the United Kingdom chart with more than a million copies sold. One website devoted to Cassidy — there are five and counting — has messages from fans in Australia, Poland, Hong Kong, even Vatican City. In this country, National Public Radio aired a nine-minute segment on Cassidy in December 2000, and soon her albums occupied five of the top seven slots on Amazon's bestseller list. See also the excellent EvaCassidy.org
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SPIRITUALITY
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 What Is Healing Music? by Shirley E. Kaiser, M.A. / Pianist and Composer of "Journey Within"
If you look on the Internet or go into your nearby audio store you're likely to find music labeled "Healing Music." The section may include music for relaxation, meditation, stress reduction, pain relief or tapping into one's soul. There may be a variety of instruments or sounds from a forest or the ocean. So what makes this music "healing music?" Music has a way of stirring our innermost feelings and all of our senses, of tapping into parts of ourselves unlike anything else. Music is a universal language that has the ability to speak to us deeply and uniquely. If you've paid much attention to how you respond to a variety of music, you may have noticed that some music seems to energize you, some music can move you to tears or spark a special memory of a time, place, food, or perhaps a certain person. Some music seems to make you relax, feel less stressed, and feel happier. And some music fills us with deep spiritual attunement.
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HOLISTIC HEALTH |
 Guided by The Winds of Change – Ayurvedic Ideas for Staying Healthy In The Fall by Christine and Venkat Machiraju / Ayurvedic Practitioners
Each season is governed by an element. In the coming Fall, the air element is prominent. The air element is responsible for many functions within the human body, including movement of thought, movement of food through the digestive system, elimination of waste, assimilation of food and imagination and creativity. The air element is dry, mobile, light, cool, rough, and subtle. We may notice that our bodies begin to pick up some of these qualities as their own air element increases. The cooling effect of the air element causes a sudden drop in temperature that may result in a cooling of the body or a stagnation of body fluids. The result of this can be body pains, coughs, colds, allergies, chest congestion and fatigue or depression. Increased air and wind have a drying effect on the environment and on the body as well. The skin and digestive system may dry out. In order to help the body maintain health and avoid the build up of toxins, one should increase fluid intake in the form of water, soups, stews and eat foods that contain a bit more butter or foods that are sweet, sour and salt to increase fluid levels in the body.
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CONSCIOUS TRAVEL |
 Dispatches From the Bus - Adventures in El Salvador by Nick Putman / Far-and-Near.com
Our overriding impression of the people of El Salvador was that they are, on the whole, very friendly. Time and again they would go just that little bit further to make you feel welcome. If I had to choose the friendliest country in Central America it would have to be El Salvador. Having said this, there were exceptions to the rule. There were those who had us down as Americans. After twelve years of civil war, during which the American government donated $6 billion to the El Salvador government's efforts to quash the growing guerilla movement (a war in which tens of thousands of El Salvadorans were killed), and the more recent moves to dollarisation (El Salvador now has a dual economy), anti-American sentiment runs fairly high. Perhaps we should not have been surprised then to be on the receiving end of comments such as "Go home Yankee" or rather stronger words to that effect.
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VEGETARIAN FOOD
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Aspartame - Why Isn't The FDA Protecting Your Health? by Dr. Joseph Mercola / Optimal Wellness Center
"Aspartame was the most studied additive ever approved by the Food and Drug Administration," argues Martha Stone, Nutrition Advisor and professor at Colorado State University. Stone, an advocate for aspartame, claims that "aspartame wouldn't have gotten to the market if it caused problems in humans" (qtd. In Castrone 12D). Does "most studied" imply safe for human consumption? More importantly, what were the results of these studies and how was aspartame approved? An in depth look at the history of aspartame approval reveals a trail of suspicious methods and possible collusion between the FDA and the G.D. Searle company, manufacturer of aspartame.
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YOGA |
Kirtan
of Bhakti Yoga - Inspiring Vibrational Music by Susan Kramer / Vocalist on
"Integral Yoga Kirtan" led by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Kirtan prepares us for cosmic attunement in meditation. In meditation following kirtan we continue to vibrate inwardly just as we did outwardly while singing; chanting. Chanting bridges the gap between the ordinary day-to-day physical world of matter and thoughts with the inner realization of what great power is causing this world as its reaction, its fruit. Just as breath permeates the body cells via the lungs which surround our physical heart, so the cosmic energy of OM surrounds, encompasses, energizes our spiritual heart - feelings of love, care, perfect attunement with all in the experiences of joy, bliss, peace.
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TAROT |
 Reading Reversed Cards by Biddy / BiddyTarot.com
It can be quite overwhelming starting with both upright and reversed meanings when you are new to Tarot, so it is usually best to learn the upright cards first until you have a firm understanding of the numerous dimensions and aspects involved in a card. It is also helpful to understand the many facets of that card in different positions and different spreads. This allows you to add your own meaning to the card through your experience, rather than simply following the often dogmatic meanings from a Tarot book. Introducing reversed cards to your Tarot spreads can be extremely beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly it opens your readings up to another seventy-six new meanings, thus increasing the breadth and depth of your reading ability. Secondly, using reversed cards can open a new door to Tarot study, especially enlightening when you feel you have learnt all you need to know already. Lastly, most Tarot boards, such as the Tarot Certification Board, require readers to be able to read reversed cards in order to progress in certification and recognition.
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MASSAGE |
Massage Therapy Reduces Migraine Pain, Study Shows from Marker's Massage Health Spa
A recent study shows that massage therapy lessens the symptoms associated with migraine headaches, including pain and sleep disturbances; and increases serotonin levels. The study was conducted by researchers from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, and researchers from the University of Central Florida. Twenty-six adults who had experienced chronic headaches for at least six months were assigned to either a control group, which received no treatment; or to a group that received two 30-minute massage sessions per week for five consecutive weeks. The massaged group reported decreased headache pain immediately following the first day's session. Participants in that group also reported, after five weeks' treatment, a lower Global Headache Score, meaning that they had more headache-free days and fewer days with mild headache pain. This group also reported sleeping more and waking up less often during the night, and lessened feelings of anxiety. The massaged group also showed an overall increase in serotonin levels.
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READING ROOM |
 The Yoga of Menopause - Kundalini Energy and Alternatives to Hormone Therapy by Susun S. Weed / Author, herbalist and voice of the Wise Woman Way
As a long-time student of yoga, I was struck by the many similarities between menopausal symptoms and the well-known esoteric goal of "awakening of the kundalini." Kundalini is the root of all spiritual experience . . . Kundalini is a special kind of energy known in many cultures, including Tibetan, Indian, Sumerian, Chinese, Irish, Aztec, and Greek. Kundalini is said to be hot, fast, powerful, and large. It exists within the earth, within all life, and within each person. Psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung called kundalini "anima." East Indian yogis spend lifetimes learning to activate, or wake up, their kundalini. This is also called "achieving enlightenment." When they succeed, a surge of super-heated energy goes up the spine, throughout the nerves, dilating blood vessels, and fueling itself with hormones. As kundalini continues to travel up the spine, it changes the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Not just in yogis, but in any woman who allows herself to become aware of it. Menopause is a kind of enlightenment. Hot flashes are kundalini training sessions.
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HOLISTIC ANIMAL CARE |
 Hydro-Massage Helps Help Heal Dogs' Muscles by Jodi Richard / Founder of Bonnie's K9 Corp
Hydro-massage works because it promotes voluntary muscle movement while your pet is weightless. When your pet enters the warm water and starts to swim, your pet's limbs will have a full range of motion without the impact of hitting the ground. The resistance of the water also helps your pet rebuild muscle that has atrophied. The warm water (approximately 87 degrees), also relaxes your pet almost instantly, which also allows the muscles to move. While your pet is swimming, gentle massage, acupressure, and Cranio-Sacral manipulation (skull to tail) is used to realign and adjust vertebrae, relieve pain, loosen muscle knots, and strengthen and retrain muscles.
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ASTROLOGY & DIVINATION |
 Summer 2002 Messages by Elissa Heyman / Psychic Counselor and Astrologer
Under this summer’s influence, people will have a unique ability to focus and become expert in their chosen artistic expressions and technologies. Creative, innovative energy is at an all-time high. Many people in government become stellar communicators. It is a summer of high-level planning and rule-making and making demands known. There is much communication, skillful negotiating, and creative problem-solving, but there is a lot to dismantle. For individuals, it’s a time of learning, exploring, and making new plans, launching them, and getting oneself out into the world. This article includes individual sun, moon and element horoscopes.
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ENVIRONMENT |
Alberta Makes 'Mad Elk' Disease Testing Mandatory After Man's Death from Reuters (via Environmental News Network)
Farmed elk and deer in Alberta must now be tested for chronic wasting disease, an affliction related to mad cow disease, the provincial government said Thursday as mad cow fears spread in North America following the death of a man in nearby Saskatchewan. The North American agriculture and food industries were shaken Thursday when a Saskatchewan man was confirmed as Canada's first victim of the human strain of mad cow disease. There is no treatment for chronic wasting disease, which like bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, belongs to a group of related afflictions called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Symptoms include excessive salivation, trouble swallowing, and difficulty judging distance. There is no evidence the disease can be contracted by humans or other domestic livestock. There are more than 65,000 elk and deer on 600 licensed game farms in Alberta. The animals, known as cervids, are slaughtered for meat and hides. The velvet from antlers is also used in various remedies.
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SOCIAL ISSUES |
Hungry Countries Now Accepting GM Corn by Katy Salmon / InterPress Service (via Common Dreams News Service)
Hungry countries around the world are facing a difficult ethical dilemma as a result of the widespread use of genetically modified (GM) crops. As Francis Nthuku of Biotechnology Trust Africa puts it: ‘'Do you prefer to die of hunger now or eat and die later? A hungry country does not have a choice at times. A hungry country will eat GM organisms," he says. The recent stand-off between Zimbabwe and the United States over the use of GM food aid has brought this issue into sharp focus. Zimbabwe has a long-standing policy against GM food on the grounds of human safety and the potential threat that GM crop contamination could pose for the local environment. But with over 6 million of its people facing famine, the Zimbabwean government has agreed to accept GM maize from the United States on the condition it is milled.
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