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illicit, moises naim

When I watched the PBS documentary called ILLICIT I became increasingly saddened. And I wondered why so many people are using all kinds of methods to fill their pockets with millions and millions, at times billions, of dollars at the expense of human beings and our planet? I watched an hour’s worth of talk on money laundering, copied goods transported around the world (including medicines), killings for profit, people used as slaves with no apparent means of freeing themselves, And I thought “the truth hurts” can be applied here. Then I got really antsy as I saw all the confiscated stuff being destroyed, and began wondering about the earth with all the destroyed confiscated stuff being thrown at it. So much was going on in this PBS documentary that it started to become difficult to watch.

The documentary was based on Moises Naim’s book ILLICIT which was named “One of the Best Books of 2005” by the Washington Post. www.moisesnaim.com .

It’s been said many times that the BIG rule of life is to not violate ourselves or others. And though some think that lining their pockets with money gotten by illicit means is okay, it would seem that the Intelligence of the Universe will one day catch up with them. It’s amazing that some think the whole purpose of life is to satisfy their needs with ludicrous amounts of consumption. If they were to look around and see the earth and its beauty, and the way the Energy that created and guides it does so in harmony, tranquility, peace, joy, and if they were to go off by themselves for a time, and recapture the other part of themselves, maybe they’d understand that “conspicuous consumption” is a substandard way of living, and one day they just might have to pay the piper.

The simple truth is that more and more is not the answer. If our hearts are empty, and we don’t allow the beauty of the world, and its people to enter, then no amount of stuff will help.

It’s true that, on a small scale, many of us are guilty of using, or purchasing, copied goods. We think it’s only a small offense, or, it’s so easy, we don’t think about it at all. But . . . “One illicit . . . transaction always leads to another.” -Burke

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rev. michael bernard beckwith and rickie byars beckwith

Spending a day in a workshop with Rev. Michael Beckwith and Ricky Beckwith on Friday was a day with lots of sunshine, even though it was cloudy and misty outside. Being Fearless was the name of the 11,12,13 April event sponsored by Omega at the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan. And on Friday, Sumi, Emi and I attended the Pre-Conference Intensive with Michael Beckwick who nourished our souls as we listened, meditated, prayed, sang, asked questions, heard the answers and left singing. And we listened to composer and singer Ricky Beckwith’s beautiful songs and voice, heard her utterly contagious laugh, enjoyed her ability to elicit more from the topic being discussed, and were tickled pink by her humor.

Spending a day with Michael Beckwith who lives from a spiritual center quickly opens one’s heart. The questions asked by participants and the answers that unfolded allowed for those aha moments which usually don’t come so easily when we’re on our own to ask and answer.

The Keynote speakers for the weekend were: Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, Rickie Byars Beckwith, Mia Farrow, Zev Kedem, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Anne Lamott, Caroline Myss, Valerie Plame Wilson, Noah benShea, Tara Brach, PhD, Seane Corn, Debbie Ford, Erica Ariel Fox, Carla Goldstein, JD, Andrew Harvey, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, Douglas Stone, Rev. Claude AnShin Thomas, James Van Praagh, Iyanla Vanzant.

If days were freer and unscheduled, and the above-mentioned people available for longer stretches of time, attending all the workshops would add greatly to the way one perceives life. Oh yes, methinks so.

Sumi, thank you!

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curtains, the play

Where can you go for an evening of entertainment that will keep you clapping and laughing until the curtain goes down? I know! It’s Curtains at the Al Hirschfield Theatre in Manhattan. We – Toshi, Emi and I -enjoyed last night’s performance, and agreed that the dancing, singing, and acting – all rolled into a very funny kind of story. added up to an evening of great fun. It was interesting watching David Hyde Pierce, otherwise known (among other roles) as the younger of the two delightfully snobby and rather proper brothers, in the tv series Frasier. Word-of-mouth from Sumi’s sources got us there, and maybe word-of-mouth will get you there.

Does Curtains have staying power? Oh, I certainly hope so because it’s pure entertainment.

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coconut oil

Do you know that taking a few tablespoons of 100% extra virgin, no GMOs, unrefined coconut oil everyday is a very good thing to do? That there are many benefits in doing this? I found it very easy to like coconut oil the year I ate totally raw foods. However, having since gotten away from the rawfood lifestyle, my tast buds have changed and are reacting differently to coconut oil’s taste. That’s okay though because the benefits haven’t changed, and it’s time once again to cozy up to a little different way of doing things. And even if the time is not right to become a sunfoodist, it’s always right to slip good things into one’s life.

David Wolfe’s book, THE SUNFOOD DIET SUCCESS SYSTEM was my first introduction to coconut oil’s many benefits. www.davidwolfe.com . What a chock-full-of information book.

Maybe your taste buds will like coconut oil, maybe they won’t. One thing seems for sure, your body will. And that is most important.

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hanging pictures

There are things in life one should not even contemplate doing. My nice long wall proves that. There are holes above, beneath, and alongside recently hung frames. I discovered that you can’t fill in space, and hide holes, by tucking small pictures in between frames that haven’t been properly spaced. There truly is nothing like trying the same method over and over again thinking that this time it’ll be right, when in reality it’s just not going to happen.

My neighbor on the other side of the wall must be wondering: WHAT is she doing? Well, all I can say is, if only hammer, nails, and ruler were necessary, just like that, job would be done. It’s perfectly clear that there’s something called ability which hasn’t come forth in this instance.

Now I’m thinking I should take all the pictures off the wall, draw circles around the holes, put a frame around all of it, and call it a new form of art. Ahh, but there’s the matter of putting up a frame and hammering that in straight. Perhaps I should just draw a frame around the holes. That should do it, right?

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pondering

At times being alone to ponder questions, and staying quiet long enough to hear some answers is a beautiful gift we give ourselves. Questions we have can range from personal to those about the world, or a thought that won’t go away. If we’re on a quest to see our life as a work of art, we can relax into silence, or ponder the following:

Do I listen to people, or do I cut them off in mid sentence?
Do I overreact when words from someone’s lips are biting? There’s a chance that good things can happen if I stay with the conversation, keep my wits, and don’t walk away.
Am I alert to the day? Do I notice when “random acts of kindness” are needed, or do I plod along distracted?
Do I appreciate what I have, or do I usually notice what I don’t have?
Do I let the greed of some people in the world put a damper on the day, or do I create the kind of day I want and allow them to do the same?
Do drivers who rant and rage upset me, or do I realize that nowadays driving often causes stress in people?
Do I do whatever it takes to raise my energy level so that I can contribute to life on this incredible planet earth, or do I live without caring?
Do I require a thank you when I give, or can I find joy in simply giving?
What am I doing to help the world be a better place for all of us? What can I do?

When all is quiet, and the mind is relaxed, all kinds of suggestions, answers, and learning come into focus.

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

“Let love and wisdom be united in me.” -an ancient prayer

“There is nobody else like you. The more you can quiet your own thoughts, fears, doubts and suspicions, the more will be revealed to you from the highest realms of imagination, intuition, and inspiration.” -Kenneth Wydro, American lecturer

“Too often people set their lives by the calendar. It takes all the fun out of life.” -John Glenn, after his latest shuttle mission

“Yes, of course [this age] is materialistic, but the only way to counteract it is to create spiritual things. Don’t worry yourself about the materialism too much. Create and stir people to create! -Robert Frost

“A life making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.” -George Bernard Shaw

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bisphenol a(bpa)

I got rid of my French Press, the one I’ve been using, the one that’s a perfect size for one, and has developed a lovely worn look from being used and appreciated. The one given to me as a gift. The reason is that after reading an article on BPA I decided to turn it over, and, lo and behold, it had that little triangle on the bottom, and in that triangle was the number 7. Shoot! I’ve been reading that that number within a little triangle shouldn’t be on anything we’re using.

Have you read about BPA? We’ve been in ignorance too long, and now it’s time for us to take a look at what we’ve been using in our homes. I don’t know what will become of all the discarded items that have been produced with toxic chemicals, but discard we should since we’re being told that they’re detrimental to our health. I’ve got to admit that it took awhile for me to take notice, and now I can’t seem to pick up a magazine without seeing an article about BPA and the harm it can cause.

Yes, many magazines are warning us about the situation we now find ourselves part of, and for health’s sake we have to listen. In the March/April 2008 Spirituality & Health magazine there’s an article by Jill Neimark on page 33 called How to Be Smart about Plastic. It’s an easy to read article explaining why we should avoid plastic containers labeled with a small triangle having “the numbers 3, 6 and 7.” And that we should, “Stick with 1, 2, 4, and 5.” Additionally, “growing evidence suggests it’s best not to put any plastic in the microwave.” It’s good to know about these things, right?
SpiritualityHealth.com

And about canned food she says to “Look for brands that advertise BPA-free resins.” And she continues, “Many plastic “sport” water bottles and baby bottles leach BPA.” And “Most cartons are coated with plastic on the inside.” Therefore, as far as cartons are concerned, she writes, “squeeze your own juice, buy bottled milk, or look for cartons lined with foil.”

It doesn’t have to be complicated because the simple truth is that we owe it to the beautiful and fascinating world we live in to be aware, and to be willing to do our part because planet earth deserves our care and attention. In the process, we human beings can enjoy life on a healthy earth and with healthy bodies as it was meant to be.

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coffee

There’s much talk about coffee. Do we pay attention? Dunkin’ Donuts is back in the running, and seems to have made an impressive comeback. The word is that Starbucks is trying to reinvent itself. I remember when Starbucks came on the horizon, founded by a fellow from Brooklyn. Its coffee was tasty then, not bitter or acidic, as I’ve heard it described in recent years. Could it be that a little more training is needed at Starbucks to produce a better cup of coffee? Or is it the beans? A few Starbucks places still offer a really good cup of coffee. Consistency is what counts though. Maybe they wouldn’t have to offer up all those flavors and creations if the coffee tasted better instead of bitter. Is it that way in Seattle?
www.dunkindonuts.com
www.Starbucks.com

Once I heard a “coffee expert” in Panama say that when inferior beans are used flavored syrups are offered to improve the taste. Is that true? I don’t like flavored coffee, however, judging from the display of flavors on the shelves at some cafes, many people do. What kind of beans are they using?

A few weeks ago I was in Whole Foods minding my own business when a rush of aroma, the kind that makes you forget for a few seconds what you’re doing, exploded in the form of coffee beans being grounded. That coffee had an amazing aroma, and had I not been caught up in getting a meal together, I would have tapped the woman grinding the beans on her shoulder to inquire about her selection. As It turned out, I couldn’t leave the store without scanning the beans on the shelves in an attempt to determine what she bought. Then I looked upward and a hunch told me it was Kona. Yes, expensive Kona in all its glory.
www.konacoffee.com

People often judge a good restaurant not only by its food but by its coffee, and on those rare occasions when a good restaurant fails the good coffee test it’s a wee bit disappointing. No, actually it’s quite disappointing.

Ahh, ongoing coffee talk will continue as long as the chase after a good cup of coffee continues.

We’ll talk tea another time.

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moxie

20130517-130956.jpg

Have you ever had the pleasure of tasting a refreshing, rather unique drink, called Moxie? For the longest time it was a New England drink, and a favorite of many. Moxie’s the kind of drink they say you have “to develop a taste for.” You know what that means. It’s often love at first taste for only a few. Probably the ones who would also like Campari. (like me) Since my childhood I’ve watched people take their first sip of Moxie. It’s fun to watch. People are very expressive.

Moxie is beginning to travel to other States. This will make a lot of people who like Moxie and can’t get it because they’ve moved, very happy. And this is to tell you that should anyone offer you a glass of Moxie, take it. You’ll like it, or maybe not.
www.drinkmoxie.com

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waiting for baby

Oh, Alicia, you are up late. Can’t sleep? Thinking of the second baby soon to be a part of your lives? The first pregnancy was a breeze for you. You even strolled the streets of Paris for hours with Michael, and with a big belly, never minding it, having lots of stamina to walk, enjoy the museums, and late night dinners at bistros. Perhaps a relaxing island vacation is more in tune with baby #2. Indeed, no two pregnancies are alike; no two babies are alike. And why is it said that an uncomfortable pregnancy means a girl is on the way? I don’t understand. However, I do remember that a popular TV show, The View, once debunked some of the myths of pregnancy. We’ll see. And surprises are wonderful. A girl? A boy? Finding out at the time of birth is fun, too.

Alicia, you are a trouper. Even though you’re unable to sleep (I saw the time of your posting), the goodness of it all is what you’re pondering. I’m thinking of some of the things you’ve learned since Sebastian’s arrival – knowing how to put a baby to sleep through the night thanks to a book you read, and balancing being a working mom, and all that that entails. And knowing that Charlotte is accepting of a baby, and not so jealous anymore. Lovely long-haired, wide-eyed precious Charlotte, a loyal friend offering unconditional love any time of the day and night. And a dog everyone loves who will once again endure pokings this time from baby #2.

One thing is for sure, baby #2 will snuggle in the arms of a welcoming family, and will have something wonderful which Sebastian didn’t have – a sibling named Sebastian.

Sweet dreams, Alicia.

“Your children are not your children
They are the sons and
daughters of life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but
not from you.
And though they are with you
yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love
but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.” – Kahlil Gibran