Check out this great site for ORGANIC products, info and lots of
great stuff.
http://www.organicreverence.com-a.googlepages.com/home
love, light, laugh, dream, chronicles, truth and musings.... a collection of randomness and anything else that might wander into my thoughts < ^.^ >
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Wise Words......
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Laws Work
There are "laws", principles and life lessons which, when applied, will absolutely change your life. These "laws" work for everyone all the time.
You have the right to be who you are.
You have the right to speak out and stand up for yourself.
You have the right to respect yourself and to be treated respectfully.
You have the right to set your own personal standards and boundaries.
You have the right to think your own thoughts and choose your own beliefs.
You have the right to be the strong, self-confident, creative person you were born to be.
You have the right to express your inner and outer beauty and your divine essence and energy.
You have the right to be YOU, THE REAL YOU, absolutely, totally, with no apologies.
You have the right to live in an atmosphere of peace.
You have the right to develop your talents and abilities.
You have the right to love yourself unconditionally.
You have the right to trust and believe in yourself.
You have the right to enjoy your life.
You have the right to be happy now.
These rights are not earned. They are yours because you exist.
You have the right to be who you are.
You have the right to speak out and stand up for yourself.
You have the right to respect yourself and to be treated respectfully.
You have the right to set your own personal standards and boundaries.
You have the right to think your own thoughts and choose your own beliefs.
You have the right to be the strong, self-confident, creative person you were born to be.
You have the right to express your inner and outer beauty and your divine essence and energy.
You have the right to be YOU, THE REAL YOU, absolutely, totally, with no apologies.
You have the right to live in an atmosphere of peace.
You have the right to develop your talents and abilities.
You have the right to love yourself unconditionally.
You have the right to trust and believe in yourself.
You have the right to enjoy your life.
You have the right to be happy now.
These rights are not earned. They are yours because you exist.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Angelic Readings
A wonderful place to find help and answers from the Angels in
an Angelic Tarot Card Reading......
an Angelic Tarot Card Reading......
Wonderful Message
Watch this video for a beautiful message
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Animal Medicine
We all need a little animal medicine now and again.
I we could just listen and learn from our animal friends
they would have much to teach us.
There is much they could show us in what we might be needing
at the present time by just paying attention to our surroundings
and if we do not have access to a wilderness or nature in harmony,
we do have the medicine cards and animal totems to help guide us
and help us along our path to become who we are born to be.
Medicine Cards are based on ancient Native American wisdom.
They show the healing power animals bring us through each animal's unique ability. Once you are familiar with different Medicine Cards, whenever you happen upon an animal in your life, whether it be a photograph, or seeing one, you can be aware of their medicine and see what they are showing you about yourself in that moment.
http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/thepowerofanimals.html
http://www.medicinecards.com/
I we could just listen and learn from our animal friends
they would have much to teach us.
There is much they could show us in what we might be needing
at the present time by just paying attention to our surroundings
and if we do not have access to a wilderness or nature in harmony,
we do have the medicine cards and animal totems to help guide us
and help us along our path to become who we are born to be.
Medicine Cards are based on ancient Native American wisdom.
They show the healing power animals bring us through each animal's unique ability. Once you are familiar with different Medicine Cards, whenever you happen upon an animal in your life, whether it be a photograph, or seeing one, you can be aware of their medicine and see what they are showing you about yourself in that moment.
http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/thepowerofanimals.html
http://www.medicinecards.com/
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
LUNAR ECLIPSE
Eclipses are rare, exciting events in the solar system.
On August 28 there will be a spectacular sight in the sky, with the Lunar Eclipse of the moon. 2007 is unique for having two lunar eclipse events visible in North America. The first lunar eclipse of 2007 was on March 3. Prior to that, the last lunar eclipse was on October 28, 2004.
Total eclipses are spectacular sights. It is worth your time to make time to be outside to witness this breathtaking natural phenomena as it occurs in the heavens.
The total lunar eclipse occurs during a full Moon, when the Moon is obscured from the sun by the earth. The lunar eclipses will be visible by the naked eye, but a telescope will afford a better view of this rare event..
As the moon passes behind the earth, it will change colors. Every lunar eclipse has a different appearance, because of different atmospheric conditions. During the eclipse, the moon may change in color from gray to orange and even bright red.
There are two main categories of eclipses: solar and lunar. In addition there are full and partial eclipses. The elipses have a path, so not all eclipses can be seen by everybody in the world.
Total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon travels into the umbra of the earth and is obscured from the sun.
Lunar eclipse's differ from solar eclipses in that they are safe to watch.
A Lunar Eclipse occurs only during a full moon. The moon passes through some portion of the earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses take place in the nighttime sky. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the light of the Sun from reaching the Moon. The Total Lunar Eclipse is interesting and beautiful because of the filtering and refracting effect the the Earth's atmosphere. Every Lunar Eclipse has a different appearance, depending on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere.
Unlike Solar eclipses, lunar events are completely safe to watch. When observing solar eclipses, protective filters must be used to protect the eyes. Lunar eclipses do not require any protective gear. You don't need a telescope to see the lunar eclipse, but it will add to the enjoyment of the event. A telescope will allow you to get a better view of the moon and the craters on the moon.
Lunar eclipses are rare events, so it is a good idea to see them when you can.
The total lunar eclipse on August 28 will be visible from all of North America, but the best views will be in the west. Only observers west of the Rocky Mountain Range, including Alaska, will be treated to seeing the entire eclipse. All phases of the eclipse will also be visible from the islands of the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand and eastern Australia. Various stages of the eclipse will be in progress at moonrise in eastern Asia. The eclipse will not be visible from Europe, Africa and western Asia.
On September 17 the partial solar eclipse will be visible from South America, Antarctica and the South Atlantic.
Following are the eclipses of the next few years, from the NASA website.
Total Lunar Eclipse: The moon travels completely into the Earth's umbra and is obscured from the.sun: August 28, 2007; February 21, 2008; July 22, 2009
Partial Lunar Eclipse: The moon travels partially into the earth's umbra and is obscured from the sun" December 31, 2009; December 21, 2010
Total Solar Eclipse: The umbra of the moon's shadow touches a region on the earth's surface. The surface of the sun is completely blocked by the moon. August 1, 2008; July 22, 2009, July 11, 2010
Annular Solar Eclipse: February 7, 2008; January 26, 2009; January 15, 2010
Partial Solar Eclipse: Penumbra of the moon's shadow passes over a region on the surface of the earth. The sun is partially blocked by the moon. September 11, 2007;
Resources:
sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov
Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2007, fergc, xtock_xchange
Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2007
On August 28 there will be a spectacular sight in the sky, with the Lunar Eclipse of the moon. 2007 is unique for having two lunar eclipse events visible in North America. The first lunar eclipse of 2007 was on March 3. Prior to that, the last lunar eclipse was on October 28, 2004.
Total eclipses are spectacular sights. It is worth your time to make time to be outside to witness this breathtaking natural phenomena as it occurs in the heavens.
The total lunar eclipse occurs during a full Moon, when the Moon is obscured from the sun by the earth. The lunar eclipses will be visible by the naked eye, but a telescope will afford a better view of this rare event..
As the moon passes behind the earth, it will change colors. Every lunar eclipse has a different appearance, because of different atmospheric conditions. During the eclipse, the moon may change in color from gray to orange and even bright red.
There are two main categories of eclipses: solar and lunar. In addition there are full and partial eclipses. The elipses have a path, so not all eclipses can be seen by everybody in the world.
Total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon travels into the umbra of the earth and is obscured from the sun.
Lunar eclipse's differ from solar eclipses in that they are safe to watch.
A Lunar Eclipse occurs only during a full moon. The moon passes through some portion of the earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses take place in the nighttime sky. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the light of the Sun from reaching the Moon. The Total Lunar Eclipse is interesting and beautiful because of the filtering and refracting effect the the Earth's atmosphere. Every Lunar Eclipse has a different appearance, depending on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere.
Unlike Solar eclipses, lunar events are completely safe to watch. When observing solar eclipses, protective filters must be used to protect the eyes. Lunar eclipses do not require any protective gear. You don't need a telescope to see the lunar eclipse, but it will add to the enjoyment of the event. A telescope will allow you to get a better view of the moon and the craters on the moon.
Lunar eclipses are rare events, so it is a good idea to see them when you can.
The total lunar eclipse on August 28 will be visible from all of North America, but the best views will be in the west. Only observers west of the Rocky Mountain Range, including Alaska, will be treated to seeing the entire eclipse. All phases of the eclipse will also be visible from the islands of the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand and eastern Australia. Various stages of the eclipse will be in progress at moonrise in eastern Asia. The eclipse will not be visible from Europe, Africa and western Asia.
On September 17 the partial solar eclipse will be visible from South America, Antarctica and the South Atlantic.
Following are the eclipses of the next few years, from the NASA website.
Total Lunar Eclipse: The moon travels completely into the Earth's umbra and is obscured from the.sun: August 28, 2007; February 21, 2008; July 22, 2009
Partial Lunar Eclipse: The moon travels partially into the earth's umbra and is obscured from the sun" December 31, 2009; December 21, 2010
Total Solar Eclipse: The umbra of the moon's shadow touches a region on the earth's surface. The surface of the sun is completely blocked by the moon. August 1, 2008; July 22, 2009, July 11, 2010
Annular Solar Eclipse: February 7, 2008; January 26, 2009; January 15, 2010
Partial Solar Eclipse: Penumbra of the moon's shadow passes over a region on the surface of the earth. The sun is partially blocked by the moon. September 11, 2007;
Resources:
sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov
Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2007, fergc, xtock_xchange
Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2007
beautiful reminder email from NIA teacher
below is a wonderful email I received from my NIA teacher...
something I think everyone should try
at least once in their lives...its inspiring!!!
HI everyone,
something I think everyone should try
at least once in their lives...its inspiring!!!
HI everyone,
Today's tidbit it about awareness. There have been two articles recently written about Nia and I have had many new students coming to class from them. I am reminded about the process of learning Nia and find it's a great opportunity for everyone to return to the basics of NIa. The two most important things about Nia are JOY as an energy to connect with each class and sustain, as well as awareness. Let's explore awareness and how this tool is used in NIa. Awareness is a tool used that supports conditioning. Conditioning being healing the body and finding pleasure in movement,both fitness and passion about life. Awareness effects not just the body, but the mind, emotions, and spirit. It is recognizing information and acknowledging something is happening. We can be mind aware of our thoughts, emotional aware which is aware of feelings, or spirit aware which is aware of something unique to the self. The spirit aware is often accompanied by a deep inner appreciation. In the physical body, the sensation most frequently felt is pain. Pain is a signal to change what your doing, so the pain diminishes or stops. Awareness can be placed in any part of your life. It is a tool for you to call on and consciously use. For instance, noticing the position of toes during class. Also noticing tone of voice as you communicate during the day. Awareness is paying attention to detail. It can be something happening in any realm. There are many ways it's used in class, like using the eyes to move the head. Awareness is a way to function along the path of the body. Aware of your breath ( less tangible) would access the movement form of Feldenkrais. The fact is that you can access sensation at any moment. Take a moment now and notice your belly movement or sensation as you breath. Stopping long enough to feel sensation is bringing meditation in to your life. There are many studies backing up how meditation improves health. Recognizing sensation in the body keeps you body centered and out of your head. Often in class I say "do it your body's way", this is the reminder to become aware of what your doing, how you do what you do. Though we may all do a heal lead step, we are all encouraged to notice our unique way of doing it. Can you be aware of how you do what you do. So aware that what you become motivated by is seeking pleasure over pain. By following pleasure and using awareness what you do is eventually more functional. As a new student, connecting to the sensation of flow is a great place to place your attention. Seeking the sensation of the whole body connected. It is felt by feeling movement from one joint to another. For example, movement might start in your right foot and then move up and out through the body in different ways. Sometimes the flow is linear, or circular or spiral. Notice the flow and notice where the communication is broken or not. Not judging this as good or bad, but noticing. It's like connecting the dots through the joints of the body. For instance, Wagging the tail in class activates flow through the spine. Where in your body do you feel the movement flow?
In JOY everyone,
Kelly
In JOY everyone,
Kelly
to find a NIA Teacher near you go here: http://nianow.com/classesandevents/
Friday, August 24, 2007
Guidance
Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
If God has done anything for you in your life,
please share this message with someone else.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards;
so let's continue to pray for one another.
And I Hope You Dance !
Monday, August 20, 2007
Yellowstar*Essentials Sacred Spirit Treatment Oils
Yellowstar*Essentials presents:
*Sparomatherapy
Therapeutic Massage Oils
& Sacred Spirit Treatment Oils
Holistic Restorative Therapy for Healers & Their Clientele
Everyone Loves A Little TLC (That’s Tender Loving Care) Now And Again.
Treat Yourself And Your Clients To A Delightful Healing
*Sparomatherapy Experience.
*Sparomatherapy
Therapeutic Massage Oils
& Sacred Spirit Treatment Oils
Holistic Restorative Therapy for Healers & Their Clientele
Everyone Loves A Little TLC (That’s Tender Loving Care) Now And Again.
Treat Yourself And Your Clients To A Delightful Healing
*Sparomatherapy Experience.
Freshly Hand-Crafted At Yellowstar*Essentials
lush Florida gardens and around the world I’ve searched for the best
Organic And 100% Natural Botanical Ingredients.
There are no synthetic fragrances, petroleum derivatives or other harmful chemicals
used in any of the Yellowstar*Essentials products.
You can feel good that you’re using something that cares back…
Sacred Spirit Treatment Oils / Holistic Restorative Therapy
Each bottle is lovingly prepared with organic essential oils, therapeutic healing carrier oils and hand picked flowers and herbs from the gardens. I make each one unique by infusing them with Florida sunshine and healing energies at just the right time. I also incorporate the use of healing crystals, gems, and the very special Harmonic Resonance Genesis Crystals. The Genesis crystal is an accelerator of thought: a prayer accelerator. The generator winding, inspired by the designs of the modern visionary Nikola Tesla, create a magnetic field which receives vibratory information from the person holding it and focuses it to the crystal. The crystal and the resonator circuit receive the impulse and emanate it to the subtle bodies in an amplified form on a wide range of harmonic frequencies. This light based tool is a bridge between the morphogenic and physical planes. It contains the unity of opposites - Yin and Yang, right and left brain, masculine and feminine, past and future, aspiration and inspiration - as a perfect null point corresponding with the stillness at the root of polarity.(click here for more information about Sacred Geometry Harmonic Resonance and Genesis Crystals through evolutionary technology).
We have many treatments to choose from and always make your batch to order so it will arrive fresh and full of energy. If you do not see the treatment you are looking for in our list of blends/synergies below just email us and we’ll do our best to create one just for you.
Our newest line of Sacred Treatment/Holistic Restorative Therapeutic Oils are mixed with a specially crafted carrier oil consisting of: organic sunflower seed, wheat germ, sweet almond, jojoba, emu, rosehip seed with vit. C, pure and natural mineral and extra virgin olive oils infused with Florida sunshine, amazingly sweet wild roses and gorgeous gardenias. During the infusion period, Genesis Crystals are attuned to a healing vibration and thus giving the oils extra healing power. This infusion is then mixed with specific essential oils to suit your needs.
List of Blends-
Abundance
Aches & Pains
Alertness
Angel Blends
(for Archangels Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, etc.
or Personal Guardians)
Anti-Bacterial
Anxiety
Aphrodisiac
Arthritis
Awaken
Awareness
Balance
Be Here Now/ Present Time
Bliss
Breath Of Life Or Breathe Right
Burn-Out
Calming - Relaxing
Carpe Diem/ Seize The Day
Centeredness
Cellulite Buster
Citrus Breeze
Chronic Fatigue
Clarity
Cleanse
Cold & Flu
Communication (Relaxed)
Compassion
Courage
Creativity (Brain Power)
Dandruff
Daydream
Depression (Non Sedative Blend)
Depression (Sedative Blend )
DETOX
Dreamcatcher
Dreams
Earth
Eczema / Psoriasis
Emotional Healing
Enchantment
Energy Plus
Exhaustion
Exotic
Faith
Fear
Feminine Balance
Fight-A-Flu
Finding Joy
Focus
Forgiveness
Forest Blend
Friendship
Gathering
Grief
Grounding
Guilt From The Past
Happiness
Harmony
Headache/Migraine Relief
Healing
Home Blessing
Hope
Humility
Impatience
Indecision
Inner Child
Insight
Insomnia
Inspiration
Intention
Invigorate
Joy
Laughter
Letting Go
Loneliness
Loss Of Appetite
Love
Luck
Luxury
Massage Blends (for any type)
Meditation
Migraine /Headache Relief
Mind Focus Blend Or Study-time
Mother Nature
Moving On
Muscle Therapy
Nervous Tension
Opening
Pain Relief/PainAway
Passion
Past/Present/Future
Peace
Peace&Calm
Peaceful Sleep
Peace of Mind
Perception
PMS
Prayer
Present Time/ Be Here Now
Problem Solving
Prosperity
Purification
Quiet-time
Rebalancing
Recharging
Relaxation
Release
RENEW
Revitalizing
Sacred Mountains
Sacred Space
Sadness
Scar Blend
Seasons (Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall)
Self Confidence
Serenity
Shingles Relief
Solstice (winter&summer)
Soul-itude
Spirit Massage Blend
Spirit Quest
Strength
Stress Relief
Success
Summer Garden
Sweet Dreams
Tension Ease
Tranquility
Uplifting
Abundance
Aches & Pains
Alertness
Angel Blends
(for Archangels Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, etc.
or Personal Guardians)
Anti-Bacterial
Anxiety
Aphrodisiac
Arthritis
Awaken
Awareness
Balance
Be Here Now/ Present Time
Bliss
Breath Of Life Or Breathe Right
Burn-Out
Calming - Relaxing
Carpe Diem/ Seize The Day
Centeredness
Cellulite Buster
Citrus Breeze
Chronic Fatigue
Clarity
Cleanse
Cold & Flu
Communication (Relaxed)
Compassion
Courage
Creativity (Brain Power)
Dandruff
Daydream
Depression (Non Sedative Blend)
Depression (Sedative Blend )
DETOX
Dreamcatcher
Dreams
Earth
Eczema / Psoriasis
Emotional Healing
Enchantment
Energy Plus
Exhaustion
Exotic
Faith
Fear
Feminine Balance
Fight-A-Flu
Finding Joy
Focus
Forgiveness
Forest Blend
Friendship
Gathering
Grief
Grounding
Guilt From The Past
Happiness
Harmony
Headache/Migraine Relief
Healing
Home Blessing
Hope
Humility
Impatience
Indecision
Inner Child
Insight
Insomnia
Inspiration
Intention
Invigorate
Joy
Laughter
Letting Go
Loneliness
Loss Of Appetite
Love
Luck
Luxury
Massage Blends (for any type)
Meditation
Migraine /Headache Relief
Mind Focus Blend Or Study-time
Mother Nature
Moving On
Muscle Therapy
Nervous Tension
Opening
Pain Relief/PainAway
Passion
Past/Present/Future
Peace
Peace&Calm
Peaceful Sleep
Peace of Mind
Perception
PMS
Prayer
Present Time/ Be Here Now
Problem Solving
Prosperity
Purification
Quiet-time
Rebalancing
Recharging
Relaxation
Release
RENEW
Revitalizing
Sacred Mountains
Sacred Space
Sadness
Scar Blend
Seasons (Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall)
Self Confidence
Serenity
Shingles Relief
Solstice (winter&summer)
Soul-itude
Spirit Massage Blend
Spirit Quest
Strength
Stress Relief
Success
Summer Garden
Sweet Dreams
Tension Ease
Tranquility
Uplifting
Vitality
White Floral Dream
and MANY OTHERS!
White Floral Dream
and MANY OTHERS!
Just email me for more info on these or any other blends/synergies you're interested in
yellowstar2000@yahoo.com
yellowstar2000@yahoo.com
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Nature and Aromatherapy Quotes
In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
Aristotle
If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature's way.
Aristotle
Nature does nothing uselessly.
Aristotle
It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.
Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.
Hans Christian Anderson
To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival.
Wendell Berry
“Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains. Diane Ackerman
“Hit a tripwire of smell and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.Diane Ackerman
The groves were God's first temples.
William C. Bryant
Earth laughs in flowers.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.
Joseph Addison
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein
Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
Kahlil Gibran
The poetry of the earth is never dead.
John Keats
John Keats
I am two with nature.
Woody Allen
Friday, August 3, 2007
*77 Cell Phone Feature
TOO BAD CELL PHONES DO NOT PROVIDE
THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS,
WE'VE ALL HEARD HORROR STORIES....WITH
THIS INFO - THEY NEED NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
YOU MUST KNOW *77
I knew about the red light on cars, but not the *77. It was about 1:00 p.m.
in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED
police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have
always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the
road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.
Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called *77
on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over
right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked
police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The
dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there
weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back
up already on the way.
Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.
One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind.
They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was
a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.
I never knew about the *77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman
alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently
police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe & quiet place.
You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e. put
on your hazard lights) or call *77 like Lauren did.
*Speaking to a service representative at **Bell** Mobility confirmed that
*77 was a direct link to state trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let
your friends know about *77.
THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS,
WE'VE ALL HEARD HORROR STORIES....WITH
THIS INFO - THEY NEED NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
YOU MUST KNOW *77
I knew about the red light on cars, but not the *77. It was about 1:00 p.m.
in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED
police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have
always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the
road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.
Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called *77
on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over
right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked
police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The
dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there
weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back
up already on the way.
Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.
One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind.
They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was
a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.
I never knew about the *77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman
alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently
police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe & quiet place.
You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e. put
on your hazard lights) or call *77 like Lauren did.
*Speaking to a service representative at **Bell** Mobility confirmed that
*77 was a direct link to state trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let
your friends know about *77.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Hopi, the Peace People
Peace People, Hopi
High up on Black Mesa, surrounded by the Navajo Reservation, sits the Hopi village of Old Oraibi, Arizona. It is the oldest, continuously inhabited settlement in the United States. The Hopi began settling here in 1050AD. They are descendents of the ancient cliff dwellers, the Anasazi Indians. Their language is Uto-Aztecan, connecting them to the Aztecs. They live in multi-storied adobe buildings known as pueblos, like many of the distantly related New Mexico Pueblo Indians. In spite of all of these connections to other native tribes, the Hopi have their own distinct culture, religious practices, and traditions.
The name Hopi means good, peaceful, or wise. They call themselves Hopitu, the Peaceable People. In recent years, a group of traditional Hopi’s has split off from the rest of the tribe in order to preserve the traditional culture and beliefs of their Ancestors and to prepare for the time when their Prophecies will be fulfilled. These Hopi’s eschew the conveniences of modern society, preferring a more spiritual and traditional lifestyle.
Many versions of the Hopi Prophecies exist today, each speaking of the destruction of the earth, which they believe is imminent. According to their myths, we now live in the Fourth World, Tuwaqachi, World Complete, and are approaching the Fifth World of Illumination. Their God, Masaw, is the caretaker, guardian, and protector of this Fourth World. The prophecies say that in the beginning of this world, a stone tablet was given to each color of mankind, the red, yellow, black, and white, or the four colors of the Medicine Wheel. Their stories tell us that the four races of men then migrated in separate directions, to learn the lessons for their color and direction, or Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. The Hopi believe that one day these four stone tablets will be brought back together again, and the teachings will be shared.
One aspect of the Hopi’s spiritual life is the Kachinas, who represent the Hopi Gods, Ancestor Spirits, and the spirits of everything that exists in our world. These masked and costumed figures make an appearance at their ceremonials, dancing, playing the part of the spirit they represent, and interacting with the tribal members. Doll-sized representations of the kachinas are hand-carved from Cottonwood for the Hopi children to play with, and to teach them about the Spirit World. Many Kachina dolls are made to sell to tourists, and are prized by collectors of Native art.
The Hopi have a fascinating culture, with a history stretching back for centuries, and containing many beliefs and traditions. Their prophecies are profound, and should be read by all. Most of all, the Hopi are a spiritual people, who live close to the earth. The prophecies and stories of the Peaceable People only entice you to further explore their intriguing culture.
Techqua Ikachi: Newsletters of the Hopi Nation
High up on Black Mesa, surrounded by the Navajo Reservation, sits the Hopi village of Old Oraibi, Arizona. It is the oldest, continuously inhabited settlement in the United States. The Hopi began settling here in 1050AD. They are descendents of the ancient cliff dwellers, the Anasazi Indians. Their language is Uto-Aztecan, connecting them to the Aztecs. They live in multi-storied adobe buildings known as pueblos, like many of the distantly related New Mexico Pueblo Indians. In spite of all of these connections to other native tribes, the Hopi have their own distinct culture, religious practices, and traditions.
The name Hopi means good, peaceful, or wise. They call themselves Hopitu, the Peaceable People. In recent years, a group of traditional Hopi’s has split off from the rest of the tribe in order to preserve the traditional culture and beliefs of their Ancestors and to prepare for the time when their Prophecies will be fulfilled. These Hopi’s eschew the conveniences of modern society, preferring a more spiritual and traditional lifestyle.
Many versions of the Hopi Prophecies exist today, each speaking of the destruction of the earth, which they believe is imminent. According to their myths, we now live in the Fourth World, Tuwaqachi, World Complete, and are approaching the Fifth World of Illumination. Their God, Masaw, is the caretaker, guardian, and protector of this Fourth World. The prophecies say that in the beginning of this world, a stone tablet was given to each color of mankind, the red, yellow, black, and white, or the four colors of the Medicine Wheel. Their stories tell us that the four races of men then migrated in separate directions, to learn the lessons for their color and direction, or Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. The Hopi believe that one day these four stone tablets will be brought back together again, and the teachings will be shared.
One aspect of the Hopi’s spiritual life is the Kachinas, who represent the Hopi Gods, Ancestor Spirits, and the spirits of everything that exists in our world. These masked and costumed figures make an appearance at their ceremonials, dancing, playing the part of the spirit they represent, and interacting with the tribal members. Doll-sized representations of the kachinas are hand-carved from Cottonwood for the Hopi children to play with, and to teach them about the Spirit World. Many Kachina dolls are made to sell to tourists, and are prized by collectors of Native art.
The Hopi have a fascinating culture, with a history stretching back for centuries, and containing many beliefs and traditions. Their prophecies are profound, and should be read by all. Most of all, the Hopi are a spiritual people, who live close to the earth. The prophecies and stories of the Peaceable People only entice you to further explore their intriguing culture.
Related Links:
The Official Hopi Culture Preservation OfficeTechqua Ikachi: Newsletters of the Hopi Nation
Hopi Chief Dan Evehema writes, “We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world,h uman life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit “Massauu” due mainly to corruption, greed and turning away from the Great Spirit’s teachings. The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all but a few faithful ones who asked and received a permission from the Great Spirit to live with Him in this new land. The Great Spirit said, “It is up to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble and simple life way. It is hard but if you agree to live according to my teachings and instructions, if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, you may come and live with me.” The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood made a sacred covenant with the Great Spirit at that time.”
Chief Dan Evehema’s Message to Mankind
I am very glad to have this time to send a message to you. We are
celebrating a time in our history which is both filled with joy and
sadness. I am very glad that our Hindu brothers have given us this
opportunity to share these feelings with you because we know many of you
are having the same troubles.
We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different
worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world,
human life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit “Massauu”
due mainly to corruption, greed and turning away from the Great Spirit’s
teachings. The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all
but a few faithful ones who asked and received a permission from the Great
Spirit to live with Him in this new land. The Great Spirit said, “It
is up to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble and simple life
way. It is hard but if you agree to live according to my teachings and
instructions, if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, you may come
and live with me.” The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood
made a sacred covenant with the Great Spirit at that time.
We Hopi made an oath that we will never turn away from Him. For us the
Creators laws never change or break down. To the Hopi the Great Spirit is
all powerful. He appeared to the first people as a man and talked with
them in the beginning of this creation world. He taught us how to live, to
worship, where to go and what food to carry, gave us seeds to plant and harvest.
He gave us a set of sacred stone tablets into which He breathed all teachings in
order to safeguard his land and life. In these stone tablets were made,
instructions and prophecies and warnings. This was done with the help of a
Spider woman and Her two grandsons. They were wise and powerful helpers of the Great Spirit.
Before the Great Spirit went into hiding, He and Spider woman put before the
leaders of the different groups of people many colors and sized of corn for them
to choose their food in this world. The Hopi was the last to pick and then
choose their food in this world. The Hopi then choose the smallest ear of
corn. Then Massauu said, “You have shown me you are wise and humble
for this reason you will be called Hopi (people of peace) and I will place in
your authority all land and life to guard, protect and hold trust for Me
until I return to you in later days for I am the First and the Last.”
This is why when a Hopi is ordained into the higher religious order, the
earth and all living things are placed upon his hands. He becomes a parent to
all life on earth. He is entitled to advise and correct his children in
whatever peaceful way he can. So we can never give up knowing that our
message of peace will reach our children. Then it is together with the
other spiritual leaders the destiny of our future children is placed.
We are instructed to hold this world in balance within the land and the many
universes with special prayers and ritual which continue to this day.
It was to the Spider woman’s two grandsons the sacred stone tablets were
given. These two brothers were then instructed to carry them to a place the
Great Spirit had instructed them. The older brother was to go immediately to the
East, to the rising sun and upon reaching his destination was instructed to
immediately start to look for his younger brother who shall remain in the land
of the Great Spirit. The Older brothers mission when he returned was to
help his younger brother (Hopi) bring about peace, brotherhood and everlasting
life on his return.
Hopi, the younger brother, was instructed to cover all land and mark it well
with footprints and sacred markings to claim this land for the Creator and peace
on earth. We established our ceremonials and sacred shrines to hold this
world in balance in accordance with our first promise to the Creator. This
is how our migration story goes, until we meet the Creator at Old Oribe (place
that solidifies) over 1000 years ago. It was at that meeting when he gave
to us these prophecies to give to you now at this closing of the Fourth World of
destruction and the beginning of the Fifth World of peace. He gave us many
prophecies to pass on to you and all have come to pass. This is how we
know the timing is now to reveal the last warnings and instructions to mankind.
We were told to settle permanently here in Hopi land where we met the Great Spirit and wait for Older Brother who went east to return to us. When he
returns to this land he will place his stone tablets side by side to show all
the world that they are our true brothers. When the road in the sky has
been fulfilled and when the inventing of something, in Hopi means, gourd of
ashes, a gourd that when drops upon the earth will boil everything within a
large space and nothing will grow for a very long time. When the leaders
turned to evil ways instead of the Great Spirit we were told there would be many
ways this life may be destroyed. If human kind does not heed our prophecy
and return to ones original spiritual instructions. We were told of three
helpers who were commissioned by the Great Spirit to help Hopi bring about the
peaceful life on earth would appear to help us and we should not change our
homes, our ceremonials, our hair, because the true helpers might not recognize
us as the true Hopi. So we have been waiting all these years.
It is known that our True White Brother, when he comes, will be all powerful
and will wear a red cap or red cloak. He will be large in population, belong to
no religion but his very own. He will bring with him the sacred stone
tablets. With him there will be two great ones both very wise and
powerful. One will have a symbol or sign of swastika which represents
purity and is Female, a producer of life. The third one or the second one
of the two helpers to our True White Brother will have a sign of a symbol of the
sun. He, too, will be many people and very wise and powerful. We
have in our sacred Kachina ceremonies a gourd rattle which is still in use today
with these symbols of these powerful helpers of our True Brother.
It is also prophesied that if these three fail to fulfill their mission then
the one from the west will come like a big storm. He will be many,
in numbers and unmerciful. When he comes he will cover the land like
the red ants and over take this land in one day. If the three helpers
chosen by the Creator fulfill their sacred mission and even if there are only
one, two or three of the true Hopi remaining holding fast to the last ancient
teaching and instructions the Great Spirit, Massauu will appear before all and
our world will be saved.
The three will lay our a new life plan which leads to everlasting life and
peace. The earth will become new as it was from the beginning. Flowers
will bloom again, wild games will return to barren lands and there will be
abundance of food for all. Those who are saved will share everything
equally and they all will recognize Great Spirit and speak one language.
We are now faced with great problems, not only here but throughout the
land. Ancient cultures are being annihilated. Our people’s lands are
being taken from them, leaving them no place to call their own. Why is
this happening?
It is happening because many have given up or manipulated their original
spiritual teachings. The way of life which the Great Spirit has given to
all its people of the world, whatever your original instructions are not being
honored. It is because of this great sickness-called greed, which infects
every land and country that simple people are losing what they have kept for
thousands of years.
Now we are at the very end of our trail. Many people no longer
recognize the true path of the Great Spirit. They have, in fact, no respect for
the Great Spirit or for our precious Mother Earth, who gives us all life.
We are instructed in our ancient prophecy that this would occur. We
were told that someone would try to go up to the moon: that they would bring
something back from the moon; and that after that, nature would show signs of
losing its balance. Now we see that coming about. All over the world
there are now many signs that nature is no longer in balance. Floods,
drought, earthquakes, and great storms are occurring and causing much
suffering. We do not want this to occur in our country and we pray to the
Great Spirit to save us from such things. But there are now signs that
this very same thing might happen very soon on our own land.
Now we must look upon each other as brothers and sisters. There is no
more time for divisions between people. Today I call upon all of us, from
right here at home, Hotevilla, where we to are guilty of gossiping and causing
divisions even among our own families; out to the entire world where thievery,
war and lying goes on every day. These divisions will not be our
salvation. Wars only bring more wars never peace.
Only by joining together in a Spiritual Peace with love in our hearts for
one another, love in our hearts for the Great Spirit and Mother Earth, shall we
be saved from the terrible Purification Day which is just ahead.
There are many of you in this world who are honest people. We know you
spiritually for we are the “Men’s Society Grandfathers” who have been
charged to pray for you and all life on earth never forgetting anything or any
one in our ceremonials. Our prayer is to have a good happy life, plenty of
soft gentle rain for abundant crops. We pray for balance on earth to live
in peace and leave a beautiful world to the children yet to come. We know
you have good hearts but good hearts are not enough to help us out with these
great problems. In the past some of you have tried to help us Hopis, and
we will always be thankful for you efforts. But now we need your help in
the worst way. We want the people of the world to know the truth of our
situation.
This land which people call the Land of the Freedom celebrates many days
reminding people of the world of these things. Yet in well over 200 years
the original Americans have not seen a free day. We are suffering the
final insult. Our people are now losing the one thing which give life and
meaning of life — our ceremonial land, which is being taken away from us.
Hotevilla is the last holy consecrated, undisturbed traditional Native American
sacred shrine to the Creator. As the prophecy says, this sacred shrine
must keep its spiritual pathways open. This village is the spiritual
vortex for the Hopi to guide the many awakening Native Americans and other true
hearts home to their own unique culture. Hotevilla was established by the
last remaining spiritual elders to maintain peace and balance on this continent
from the tip of South America up to Alaska. Many of our friends say
Hotevilla is a sacred shrine, a national and world treasure and must be
preserved. We need your help.
Where is the freedom which you all fight for and sacrifice your children
for? Is it only the Indian people who have lost or are all Americans
losing the very thing which you original came here to find? We don’t share the
freedom of the press because what gets into the papers is what the government
wants people to believe, not what is really happening. We have no freedom of
speech, because we are persecuted by our own people for speaking our beliefs.
We are at the final stages now and there is a last force that is about to
take away our remaining homeland.
We are still being denied many things including the rite to be Hopis and to
make our living in accordance with our religious teachings. The Hopi
leaders have warned leaders in the White House and the leaders in the Glass
House but they do not listen. So as our prophecy says then it must be up
to the people with good pure hearts that will not be afraid to help us to
fulfill our destiny in peace for this world. We now stand at a cross road
whether to lead ourselves in everlasting life or total destruction. We
believe that human beings spiritual power through prayer is so strong it decides
life on earth.
So many people have come to Hopiland to meet with us. Some of you we
have met on your lands. Many times people have asked how they can help us.
Now I hope and pray that your help will come. If you have a way to spread
the truth, through the newspapers, radio, books, thought meeting with powerful
people, tell the truth! Tell them what you know to be true. Tell them what
you have seen here; what you have heard us say; what you have seen with your own
eyes. In this way, if we do fall, let it be said that we tried, right up
to the end, to hold fast to the path of peace as we were originally instructed
to do by the Great Spirit. Should you really succeed, we will all realize
our mistakes of the past and return to the true path - - living in harmony as
brothers and sisters, sharing our mother, the earth with all other living
creatures. In this way we could bring about a new world. A world
which would be led by the great Spirit and our mother will provide plenty and
happiness for all.
God bless you, each one of you and know our prayers for peace meet yours as
the sun rises and sets.
May the Great Spirit guide you safely into the path of love, peace, freedom
and God on this Earth Mother.
May the holy ancestors of love and light keep you safe in your land and
homes.
Pray for God to give you something important to do in this great work which
lies ahead of us all to bring peace on earth. We the Hopi still hold the sacred
stone tablets and now await the coming of our True White Brother and others
seriously ready to work for the Creator’s peace on earth.
Be well, my children, and think good thoughts of peace and
togetherness. Peace for all life on earth and peace with one another in
our homes, families and countries. We are not so different in the
Creator’s eyes. The same great Father Sun shines his love on each of us
daily just as Mother Earth prepares the sustenance for our table, do they
not? We are one after all.
Chief Dan Evehema, (105) Spiritual leader, Eldest Elder Greeswood /
Roadrunner Clan Society Father / Snake Priest / Kachina Father.
From Hotevilla, Arizona, Hopi Sovereign Nation.
Scientifically speaking, does the Earth have its own spirit? Gaia, Wisom of the Earth
Food for thought......
Scientifically speaking, does the Earth have its own spirit?
For hundreds, maybe even thousands of years people have questioned the
why and how of things that occur in, on and around the Earth.
Its almost as if the Earth itself has its own life force or spirit.
The "anima mundi," the World Soul described by Plato and so many aboriginal societies, tribes, religions and spiritual peoples have honored and worshiped a "Gaia" or "Earth Spirit" and have many names, ceremonies, and celebrations for it.
This has never been a part of the scientific community until now......
The Gaia Theory
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/gaia.html
Scientifically speaking, does the Earth have its own spirit?
For hundreds, maybe even thousands of years people have questioned the
why and how of things that occur in, on and around the Earth.
Its almost as if the Earth itself has its own life force or spirit.
The "anima mundi," the World Soul described by Plato and so many aboriginal societies, tribes, religions and spiritual peoples have honored and worshiped a "Gaia" or "Earth Spirit" and have many names, ceremonies, and celebrations for it.
This has never been a part of the scientific community until now......
The Gaia Theory
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/gaia.html
Gaia Hypothesis
This will serve as an introduction to the Gaia hypothesis;
It is a review (published in 1989) of
What is the hypothesis of Gaia ? Stated simply, the idea is that we may have discovered a living being bigger, more ancient, and more complex than anything from our wildest dreams. That being, called Gaia, is the Earth.
More precisely: that about one billion years after it's formation, our planet was occupied by a meta-life form which began an ongoing process of transforming this planet into its own substance. All the life forms of the planet are part of Gaia. In a way analogous to the myriad different cell colonies which make up our organs and bodies, the life forms of earth in their diversity coevolve and contribute interactively to produce and sustain the optimal conditions for the growth and prosperity not of themselves, but of the larger whole, Gaia. That the very makeup of the atmosphere, seas, and terrestrial crust is the result of radical interventions carried out by Gaia through the evolving diversity of living creatures.
Encountering the Earth from space, a witness would know immediately that the planet was alive. The atmosphere would give it away. The atmospheric compositions of our sister planets,
The difference is Gaia, which transforms the outer layer of the planet into environments suitable to its further growth. For example, bacteria and photosynthetic algae began some 2.8 billions of years ago extracting the carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere, setting the stage for larger and more energetic creatures powered by combustion, including, ultimately, ourselves.
That is how
Viking lander was not equipped to do. Lovelock's approach was not popular at Nasa because Nasa needed a good reason to land on Mars, and the best was to look for life. Viking found nothing on Mars, but Lovelock had seen the Earth from the perspective of an ET looking for evidence of life. And he began thinking that what he was seeing was not so much a planet adorned with diverse life forms, but a planet transfigured and transformed by a self-evolving and self-regulating living system.By the nature of its activity it seemed to qualify as a living being. He named that being Gaia, after the Greek goddess which drew the living world forth from Chaos.
"The name of the living planet, Gaia, is not a synonym for the biosphere-that part of the Earth where living things are seen normally to exist. Still less is Gaia the same as the biota, which is simply the collection of all individual living organisms. The biota and the biosphere taken together form a part but not all of Gaia. Just as the shell is part of the snail, so the rocks, the air, and the oceans are part of Gaia.
Gaia Hypothesis
http://erg.ucd.ie/arupa/references/gaia.html (1 of 3) [
Gaia, as we shall see, has continuity with the past back to the origins of life, and in the future as long as life persists. Gaia, as a total planetary being, has properties that are not necesarily discernable by just knowing individual species or populations of organisms living together... Specifically, the Gaia hypothesis says that the temperature,oxidation, state, acidity, and certain aspects of the rocks and waters are kept constant, and that this homeostasis is maintained by active feedback processes operated automatically and unconsciously by the biota."
Even the shifting of the tectonic plates, resulting in the changing shapes of the continents, may result from the massive limestone deposits left in the earth by bioforms eons ago.
"You may find it hard to swallow the notion that anything as large and apparently inanimate as the Earth is alive. Surely, you may say, the Earth is almost wholly rock, and nearly all incandescent with heat. The difficulty can be lessened if you let the image of a giant redwood tree enter your mind.The tree undoubtedly is alive, yet 99% of it is dead.The great tree is an ancient spire of dead wood,made of lignin and cellulose by the ancestors of the thin layer of living cells which constitute its bark. How like the Earth, and more so when we realize that many of the atoms of the rocks far down into the magma were once part of the ancestral life of which we all have come." The root question of Gaia's critics, and a central point in his theory concerns the difference between a planetary environment which might only be the aggregate result of myriad independent life forms coevolving and sharing the same host, and one which is ultimately created by life forms deployed, so to speak, to accomplish the purpose of the larger
being. Is the idea of Gaia only a romantic and dramatized description of the terrestrial biosphere and its effects, or is there a planetary being, whose life cycle must be counted in the billions of years, which spawns these evolving life forms to suit the purpose of its being. Do our kidney cells ask each other these sorts of questions? While your white blood cells thrive and reproduce, going about their business,they are indisputably serving the life of the larger body which you use, though whatever consciousness they experience in their realm is certainly far from that which you, the larger being, the whole, experience.
Recent scientific work, such as in the field of complex systems, have begun to give us the impression that this opposition of terms, the larger caused by its constituents, or the costituents created by the larger, may be one of those oppositions which are the constructs of our own minds, and must be dropped if we are to understand the truth, which is neither the one nor the other, but more difficult to comprehend and more fascinating to behold. Perhaps there is awareness appropriate at every level.Perhaps that is a property of life.
And what might be the nature of its evolution, this planetary being called Gaia? Anthropocentrists to the last, we might assume that the production of the human species is a great step upward for Gaia, a sort of rapidly evolving brain tissue. Or that she prepares the earth as a cradle and crucible of consciousness evolving. Other analogies come to mind: are we part of her arsenal of interplanetary spores ?
And what might constitute a life cycle for such a being- might it be as strange as that of the slime mold ?
What stage would Gaia be in now? Is our species part of her maturity or an incubation period ? Is Gaia herself somehow part of a larger living being, perhaps on a galactic scale ? If so how do the cells of this larger being remain in communication? Will we eventually be able to experience something of the awareness which Gaia has ?
Lovelock points out that Gaia, being ancient and resourceful enough to have carried out these successive changes of the planet in spite of asteroid collisions and other setbacks, is herself probably not endangered by the relatively momentary depradations of the human species, as it befouls and cripples the
Gaia Hypothesis
http://erg.ucd.ie/arupa/references/gaia.html (2 of 3) [
bio-dynamics of its environment. Rather,the danger is to the human race, not only from our own actions, but also by Gaia's reaction to them.
He adds the caveat however, that the passage of a bullet is also momentary, but the damage nonetheless lethal, and that we are not in a position yet to say whether or not some sudden, human caused imbalance, at a critical juncture, might be catastrophic to Gaia.
Lovelock first exposed his idea in his 1979 book, Gaia, a New Look at Life on Earth. The science behind the hypothesis was still sketchy, and it provoked a storm of criticism. It also provoked a lot of research, and the resulting body of information has encouraged Lovelock to publish this second book, a more confident and complete exposition of the Gaia hypothesis.The Ages of Gaia is easily readable for the educated layperson, but includes plenty of scientific depth.
Those of us who consider ourselves to be somehow involved in the birthing of a new age, should discover Gaia as well. The idea of Gaia may facilitate the task of converting destructive human activities to constructive and cooperative behavior. It is an idea which deeply startles us, and in the process, may help us as a species to make the necessary jump to planetary awareness.
Gaia: The Wisdom of the Earth
Frances Vandervoort
1991 Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute
Objectives
The object of this activity is to introduce students to a controversial new theory that offers an explanation for the organization and function of the Earth. After completing this activity, students will be able to:
- describe, diagram, and give examples of homeostatic mechanisms in individual organisms, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
- outline the Earth's history in terms of solar, geologic, and atmospheric evolution.
- describe organic evolution in terms of the relationships of organisms to each other and to the Biosphere.
- describe and give examples of how living things affect climate.
- prepare and interpret graphs that show changes in the Earth's temperature and atmospheric gases.
- describe and give examples of how human activity has affected the biosphere.
- apply homeostatic mechanisms to make predictions about the future of the Earth in terms of relationships between living things and components of the atmosphere.
- describe some controversies that surround the theory of Gaia. This should include scientific, social, and, if possible, religious and philosophical components.
- explain why Lovelock and Margulis are not concerned about whether life on Earth will continue. In other words, why they believe that Gaia will "survive" even if humans seriously damage to the environment.
Background
The Gaia Theory, first proposed by British scientist James Lovelock in the early 1970's, is gaining an increasing number of advocates throughout the world's scientific community. In the United States, its most notable supporter is Dr. Lynn Margulis of the University of Massachusetts, whose explanation of the origin of eukaryotic cells through symbiotic relationships among prokaryotic organisms revolutionized evolutionary thought in the late 1960's. Gaian theory holds that the Earth can be described as a vast, autopoietic system of many components, all of which have evolved together to enhance and regulate conditions for the perpetuation of life.Simple examples of how the Earth regulates itself include the maintaining an atmospheric oxygen level at close to 20 per cent for several hundred million years. If this level were to fluctuate to as high as 25 per cent, a single spark could ignite a conflagration that would sweep across the continent. If the oxygen level were 15 per cent or less, lighting a match would be impossible. Also, geologic evidence indicates that for the same length of time the salinity of the ocean has remained remarkably constant at somewhat less than 10 per cent of saturation. This is particularly remarkable because dissolved minerals have been transported by water toward oceans almost since Earth was formed. No satisfactory explanation has been advanced for this constancy, which affects all life on Earth.
The scientific community remains divided about the Gaia Theory. Many well-known scientists argue that since they know of no way to test Gaia scientifically, it is little more than a metaphor explaining phenomena that can be explained mechanistically. As more evidence becomes available, including recent work by Mazumder (1991), and Ramanathan (1991), the case for a Gaian regulation system becomes stronger. Scientists and science educators owe it to themselves to be informed about developments in the Gaian issues. Gaia is based upon true science. It provides opportunities for testing, predicting, and challenging established scientific thought at all academic and scientific levels. Also, it offers many ideas for scientific experimentation.
Activities
Terminology. The following terms are useful in understanding the nature of Gaian theory. It is suggested that teachers list them on the board and briefly discuss them with students to establish a setting for activities to follow.
- Albedo. This is the reflectivity of the Earth's atmosphere. It is increased by clouds and atmospheric particles, including those from combustion, dust storms, and volcanoes.
- "Goldilocks Phenomenon" . This is a simple way of stating that Venus is too hot for life to exist, Mars too cold, and Earth is just right.
- Greenhouse effect. The warming of the Earth due to the tendency of heat to be trapped within the lower levels of the atmosphere by atmospheric gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons. Since human activity has increased the quantities of these gases in the atmosphere, there is concern that the temperature of the Earth in increasing. Theoretically, this could lead to vast disruptions of ecosystems, flooding of coastal areas because of the melting of polar icecaps, and desertification of previously productive areas.
- Homeostasis. This has been described by American physiologist Walter B. Cannon as the "wisdom of the body". It is the tendency of living things to sustain themselves by maintaining a dynamic equilibrium with the environment. Temperature regulation in mammals provides an excellent example of this: a mammal exposed to cold first perceives lowered temperature with sensory receptors in its skin. In short order, the central nervous system emits signals for peripheral blood vessels to contract, body hair to become erect, and muscle tissue to start shivering, thus increasing surface temperature. So in short order, the body increases its natural insulation and increases its metabolism.
- Oxygen - carbon dioxide cycling. This describes the uptake of carbon dioxide and production of oxygen by photosynthetic organisms, which when combined with the uptake of oxygen and production of carbon dioxide by respiration and burning, creates a cycle.
Graphing
Since 900 A. D. the average temperature of the Earth has fluctuated around 15o C. The following data show the average fluctuations above or below 15o C per 50 years from 900 A. D. until 2000 A. D. (projected).
| 900 | -0.25 |
| 1000 | +0.10 |
| 1100 | +0.20 |
| 1200 | +0.25 |
| 1300 | +0.20 |
| 1400 | -0.30 |
| 1500 | -0.20 |
| 1600 | -0.60 |
| 1700 | -0.50 |
| 1800 | -0.60 |
| 1900 | +0.10 |
| 2000 | +0.20 |
Make a graph of these data, with time on the horizontal axis and temperature on the vertical axis. On the vertical axis, write the numbers 14o C, 15o C, and 16o C, with at least 3 divisions between each degree (14.2o C, 14.4o C, etc). Discuss trends shown on the graph.
Audiovisual Activities
Show students the NOVA program, The Goddess of the Earth (1986). Discussion afterwards should include questions about the research of various scientists in the program, evidence for various scientific ideas, and attitudes different groups of people have toward Gaia.Other audiovisual programs include the computer activity SimEarth, the Living Planet (Maxis, Inc., 1990), and Daisyworld, available through audiovisual supply companies.
Laboratory Activities
Activities associated with Gaia include the construction and monitoring of environmental chambers containing plants and other organisms (including simple systems that can be enclosed in plastic bottles), outdoor environmental monitoring and sampling, and population studies with simple organisms such as earthworms, planaria, and pill bugs. These activities can be adapted to a variety of grade levels.There is no real way to conclude studies of Gaian systems, any more than there is a way to conclude the study of life in a biology class. It is a concept that lends itself to a class or to the curriculum of an entire school. The significance of its role in a school can be determined by teachers. Its importance in understanding the Earth is still emerging.
References
Eddy, John A. "Global Change: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?" Earthquest. Spring, 1991. Pp. 38-42.Eddy, John A. "Global Changes of the Past," In Bradley, R. S., Ed. Global Changes of the Past. Boulder: OIES, 1991.
Goddess of the Earth. NOVA program from WGBH, Boston. 60 minutes. 1986.
Greadel, T. E., and P. J. Crutzen. "The Changing Atmosphere." Readings from Scientific American. 1990.
Lovelock, James E. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford University Press, 1972.
Lovelock, James E. The Ages of Gaia. New York: W. W. Norton. 1988.
Mann, Charles. "Lynn Margulis: Science's Unruly Earth Mother." Science, Vol. 252, April 19, 1991. Pp. 378-381.
Mazumba, Asit. "Ripple Effects." The Sciences. November/December, 1990. Pp. 38-42.
Mitchell, J. F. B. "The Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change." Reviews of Geophysics. Vol 27, 115-139.
Rowland, F. S., and I. S. A. Isakson, Eds. The Changing Atmosphere. New. York: John Wiley and Sons, 1988.
Stevens, William K. "An Oceanic Indication That Earth's Climate Might Regulate Itself." New York Times, Tuesday, May 7, 1991. P. B6.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)