The Light of Life

The Light of Life from daihei shibata on Vimeo.

My Father's Garden

My Father's Garden from Mirko Faienza on Vimeo.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

 The Sharpest View of the Sun
Credit: SST, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Doctors have known that low levels of vitamin D are linked to certain kinds of cancers as well as to diabetes and asthma, but new research also shows that the vitamin can kill human cancer cells.


Researchers took human breast cancer cells and treated them with a potent form of vitamin D. Within a few days, half the cancer cells shriveled up and died.  The vitamin's effects were even more dramatic on breast cancer cells injected into mice. After several weeks of treatment, the cancer tumors in the mice shrank by an average of more than 50 percent. Some tumors disappeared.  Similar results have been achieved on colon and prostate cancer tumors in mice.


 ABC News

PDF file of over 800 references showing Vitamin D's effectiveness for cancer here

Magnificent Birds in Flight

 Tiny spy cameras allow you to see some of the world's most magnificent birds in flight. Watch this video to learn how the fastest bird on the planet, the peregrine falcon, keeps control at mind-numbing speeds, and take a flight with the master of manoeuvrability, the Gos Hawk, as it flies through dense woodland.

World Change Conference

World Change Conference - April 24 - May 2, Berkeley, CA

Common Circle Education is thrilled to announce a powerful week-long experiential intensive for people wanting to take an active, empowered role to bring about a thriving, beautiful, sustainable world.
We are bringing together some of the greatest teachers of our time in a nine-day intensive course:

- Joanna Macy (joannamacy.net) - Jon Young (8shields.org)
- Christopher Kuntzsch (christopherkuntzsch.com)
- James Stark (regenerativedesign.org)
- John Kinyon (johnkinyon.com)
- Shaktari Belew (honoringalllife.org)
- Starhawk (starhawk.org)
- Kevin Danaher (globalexchange.org)
- Richard Register (ecocitybuilders.org)
 -- and more!

The core components of this course will be:
- Work That Reconnects
- Theory of Spiral Dynamics - Conflict Mediation through NVC - Ecology of Leadership
- Eight Shields Model of Mentoring
- Transition Town Training - and much more!

When:  Saturday April 24 - Sunday May 2nd     Cost:   $695 (register before April 1st)
         $895 (register between April 1-April 15th)
         $1395 (regular rate)

Registration:  http://commoncircle.com/wcc-apply

Where:  Common Circle Education, 2130 Center in Berkeley

"If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear." - Joanna Macy

About the Conference Components:

- THE WORK THAT RECONNECTS
The Work That Reconnects is a pioneering form of group work that began in the 1970s. It demonstrates our interconnectedness in the web of life and our authority to take action on its behalf.  It has helped many thousands around the globe find insight, solidarity, and courage to act, despite rapidly worsening conditions. Based on systems theory, spiritual teachings, and deep ecology.

- EIGHT SHIELDS MENTORING AND NATURE CONNECTION
The 8 shields  mentoring model is based on the patterns that can be observed in nature. It models these cycles in a way that allows the observer to categorize these patterns and apply them in a variety of settings. This mentoring approach is very effective at mapping the flow of learning. This model is also used for organizing effective team interactions and cultural processes within community, educational, business, and many other settings.

- THEORY OF SPIRAL DYNAMICS
Spiral Dynamics is a theory of human development based on the idea that human nature is not fixed: humans are able, when forced by life conditions, to adapt to their environment by constructing new, more complex, conceptual models of the world that allow them to handle the new problems. Each new model includes and transcends all previous models.

- MEDIATION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE USING NVC
This workshop gives an introduction to our training program that strengthens your abilities to apply the skills of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to all aspects of conflict - inner and outer, in your own life as well as others’, and in all types of conflict situations – from business/organizational to personal, family and
community relationships. Emphasis is placed on seeing one’s relationship with conflict as a life practice of returning to presence (i.e. mindful awareness) and mediating from empathic connection with the needs of self and others and making clear, “doable” requests to meet the needs of all compassionately.

- DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE AND THRIVING CITIES
How can we focus on reshaping cities, towns and villages for long term health of human and natural systems? By returning healthy biodiversity to the heart of our cities, agriculture to gardens and the streets, and convenience and pleasure to walking, bicycling and transit.  We visualize a future in which waterways in neighborhood environments and prosperous downtown centers are opened for curious children, fish, frogs and dragonflies.  We will learn about building thriving neighborhood centers while reversing sprawl development, to build whole cities based on human needs and “access by proximity” rather than cities built in the current pattern of automobile driven excess, wasteful consumption and the destruction of the biosphere.

- COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND TRANSITION TOWNS
The Transition Town process supports community‐led responses to peak oil and climate change, building resilience and happiness.   Central to the Transition Town movement is the idea that a life without oil could in fact be far more enjoyable and fulfilling as the coming post-cheap oil era is an opportunity rather than a threat, and we can design the future low carbon age to be thriving, resilient and abundant — somewhere much better to live than our current alienated consumer culture.

- THE ECOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP
Ecology of Leadership programs have served hundreds of non-profit leaders, community activists, eco-social entrepreneurs, and other conscious change-makers, in deepening their paths of service and the effectiveness and fulfillment with which they bring their gifts, visions, and passions into their lives, organizations, communities, and the world.

During this 1-day intensive, you will have the opportunity to touch into the essence, core principles, and practices of the Ecology of Leadership journey, which integrates pathways for self-awareness and nature-connection with principles of regenerative systems thinking and Permaculture.

Come and take part in germinating a new paradigm of regenerative, heart-centered, nature-sourced leadership and learn how engaging this unique and transformative model could support you in stepping more powerfully into your gifts, your passions and more firmly onto your path of service in the world. 

- ACCELERATING TRANSITION TO GREEN ECONOMY
The green economy is growing at a rapid rate and will increasingly challenge the existing, unsustainable economy. Evidence of this paradigm shift can be seen in growing consumer demand for nature-friendly products, huge investments in renewable energy and clean-tech sectors, and more corporate leaders acknowledging social/environmental responsibility as a competitive advantage. 

Due to the complexity of logistics of this event, schedule and speakers are subject to change.

(Ca): Ca0.3Al1.6Mg0.3Si4O10(OH )2

  Montana Bentonite

Calcium Bentonite Clay is Mother Nature's pharmacy. It is volcanic ash with all the impurities burned out leaving pure trace minerals. Clay is a nano crystal of highly charged electomagnetic energy from the thermodynamic heat of a volcano. It can NOT be duplicated in a laboratory. Only God can make clay.

In native form, Calcium bentonite is not a nanomaterial. It is capable of nano applications after mechanical and/or chemical processing of shearing to single-cell thickness.  Scientific investigations of nanoparticles in dietary products and particle toxicology are forefront in modern concerns of interactions with such tiny, tiny entities. Current scientific and industrial literature contain studies and reports on medical mineralogy, mineralization in cellular structures, nano-composites and more.

Most clays have a high alkaline pH. Clay is homeostatic and as such is an adaptogen that brings balance and equilibrium to the body. A balanced body can heal itself. That is what the body is designed to do when it isn't in overload and unable to filter out the build up of toxins and wastes in the body that begin causing health problems. Calcium Bentonite Clay's strength lies in its ability to adsorb and absorb, to suck into itself toxins, chemicals, viruses, molds and the bad bacteria, hold them captive within the molecule and carry them out of the body.

The electromagnetic energy of the clay stimulates circulation, bringing blood flow and oxygen to revitalize cellular repair and awaken latent cell energy.

It seems hard to believe that a simple handful of clay soil can help with so many things but it really can; in a remarkably short amount of time and with great ease it brings about swift results. The beauty of clay is it is so safe. The FDA gives Bentonite Clay a GRAS rating meaning Generally Regarded as Safe. At the same time a company cannot legally make a healing claim about clay without the million dollar testing and qualifying programs.

There is a long recorded history of animals in the wild instinctually seeking and eating clay to heal themselves. The medicine men of many aboriginal tribes have long used clay as part of their healing treatments.

The kicker is all clays are different, even within the same family of clays so it is important to know your clays. The Smectite family of clays is known for healing clays. Calcium Bentonite is a Smectite clay.

Albeit all clays have some healing potential, there are a few that are amazingly stronger than others. Some are good for internal use and others are much better for external use. A few are exceptional in both areas.

From a gentle internal cleansing to healing wounds in half the time, to stopping Acid Reflux and intestinal disorders, to stopping food poisoning, to detoxing heavy metals, to healing burns and insect bites, to mending broken bones rapidly, to relieving strained muscles, to helping skin rashes, acne and gum problems, to aiding children with Autism, to expelling internal parasites, to stopping anemia, clay is a natural replacement to most drugs with no organ damaging negative side effects.

Clay Baths are quickly becoming regarded as a safe and easy way to detox the body from heavy metals. Besides, they are very relaxing, and they relieve muscles strain and soreness. Your skin feels heavenly after the bath.







Source: Natural News

Grow an Herb Spiral

I recently discovered a clever way of creating an herb spiral on Stacey's Kin's Domain. 

It's a great way to conserve water since each watering flows from the top of the spiral down to the herbs at the bottom and if done properly, they require little maintenance and can grow all year round. She even recommends creating a small pond close to it so frogs can help get rid of some of the slugs!    

The site is still in progress but please take a look if you want to learn about how to construct one.  I'm so thankful to have found her!!

Thank you Stacey!!

Synergy of Land and Water - Sepp Holzer