Sea Lion Nap ©2008 Paul HoodHello Everybody,
This month's newsletter is written by Sheryl. Hope you find it helpful!
--------
THE GULF OIL CRISIS AND TAKING A LONGER VIEW
An odd thing happened for me in recent weeks. After months of being highly activated in a political way—writing articles, signing petitions, circulating informative videos on Facebook and participating in sometimes highly charged discussions on all kinds of subjects—the BP oil catastrophe occurred and I found myself just watching. Not shocked, not screaming, not in pain. I’m watching with a kind of absolute belief that this was required, horribly yet inexplicably required.
This is an unusual position for me to take. In my own life I’m not so sanguine when awful things occur. Paul and I can go absolutely ballistic over things as simple as a missed communication. We meditate, we know the importance and useful application of a quiet mind and a positively expectant mental attitude, but we’re flawed creatures susceptible to the winds of pain and misfortune like anyone else. But not on this one.
Some part of me thinks the world will come back into balance because of this. That BP and Exxon and anyone else who wants to convince us to “drill, baby, drill” will not be allowed to run the show without proof that a catastrophe like this —and it will be a big one—can never occur. The devastation will guarantee it stays fresh in our minds. They can’t keep the news media in the dark forever and the longer this situation builds up the worse the consequences will be. Awful news for all concerned. But — in the long haul, obviously not now— could this be the best news possible for the world?
People on my Facebook list are grieving and freaking out as they should be. It’s on the world news every night. It’s a catastrophe of major importance. People’s lives are being ruined, people’s livelihoods will never be the same. The emotional devastation of thousands of dead animals and fish washing up to shore covered with sludge hasn’t yet occurred, and everyone is praying for the creatures to steer far away. And yet we know the truth: the coastline is already being impacted and lots of animals, birds and fish will likely never return again.
When a wound occurs we don’t let it fester. We disinfect and bind it up as best we can. BP might not have a clue of how to do that with this one and, yet, they HAVE to. And not because we’re demanding it and not just because they will benefit. The entire oil industry is at stake. That’s why Paul and I are not in the group of increasingly vocal activists calling for their heads—their heads are about to start to rolling already. I’m not celebrating exactly—I’m not that cruel, I’m not that mindless of the heartbreak already occurring—but I keep thinking that a gate to addressing the peak oil crisis that was once locked and blockaded by big oil interests is now open.
In case you haven’t been keeping up on “peak oil”, that’s why a lot of things have been taking place. We only have a few short years of onshore oil reserves left in the United States. That’s why there has been a mad scramble to get oil from other places. Off shore oil drilling and protracted wars in the Middle East are just two examples. Even if you throw away the ecological and human devastation involved in such an approach, continuing to focus on oil alone is ridiculously inadequate for the crisis already upon us. And yet big business interests have blocked or bought and deliberately underfunded solar, wind and other alternative technologies for decades! And while they, with Sarah Palin and John McCain's help, have been successfully convincing large numbers of working people in our own country that supporting the oil companies is good for everyone else, most people rarely see those riches for themselves. On the contrary and shall I say “coincidentally”, I received an email while I was writing this article from a man visiting Equatorial Guinea, an extremely poverty-stricken country in Africa that is rich in oil reserves being exported to other countries. The average citizen of this country makes no more than $1/ day while the oil companies make billions and the people they pay off make millions. The president of Guinea's son, for example, supposedly makes only $60,000 /year but somehow was able to buy a $35 million mansion in Malibu, CA in which to live. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6129992.stm)
Luckily we do still have enough time but the wake-up required to stop the madness and make us take stock of what we really should do now had to be enormous. The BP catastrophe might not even be big enough.
HEALING THE HEART
So how do we cope with this? 1) Understand that big crisis involves big sacrifice. This crisis is not just about sea creatures and people living in the Gulf—it's much much more serious than that. The upshot is that we won’t be able to do things the same way now. 2) Understand that through crisis the world can come to a higher understanding. Sometimes the only way out of a devastating situation is to go through it and come out the other side, sadder but wiser and more willing to make the changes that have to be done. 3) Be well in your own heart. Believe there will be another day and another with which to heal this. Enjoy each moment as an opportunity. And know that you’re not alone.
------------
COPING WITH TROUBLED TIMES IN YOUR OWN LIFE
SPIRITUAL COUNSELING
A spiritual counseling and healing session can help you gain clarity and support to find your way. Unless you're in eastern Arizona we're doing all our sessions via telephone these days but it works really well that way. Sliding scale fees make our sessions affordable. Click here to make an appointment now.
FLOWER ESSENCE AROMATHERAPY
The first Mama Love formula I ever made was called Mama Love for Troubled Times because using it helped me feel as safe and secure as a baby being held in my mother's arms. It's a good thing, too, because the life I had had up to that point was being dismantled and I needed to find the emotional balance to pick up the pieces and carry on. Not only that, it smelled wonderful, with ingredients like Rose and Jasmine that you'd find in the best perfume. My formulas are actually made to aromatherapy standards which means they're safe to be used more extensively than conventional perfume but they're designed with both aromatherapy and perfume sensibilities to make them enjoyable to use. Combine flower essence healing with a spiritual counseling session and you have an effective program for healing that can't be beat!
Mama Love for Troubled Times can be found by clicking here.
Or visit the Mama Love website to find all the formulas I make.
--------
BOOKS HAND-AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR (Sheryl Karas)
THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF FAMILY CAREGIVING --
For five years, ending in 2005, I worked as a Family Caregiving Consultant at the Alzheimer's Association and Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center helping families taking care of loved ones with incurable progressive memory loss and dementia. Trying to find services needed to provide basic care is what brought people in to see me first, but as the caregivers became more ensconced in their caregiving roles inevitably emotional and spiritual issues would become their primary concerns. My role shifted to providing a combination of practical and spiritual care. During this period I wrote a caregiver newsletter every month and this book is the result.
Unsigned copies of "The Spiritual Journey" and a nice variety of journals featuring our photography are also available online at http://stores.lulu.com/healingcommunicationpress .
THE SOLSTICE EVERGREEN: THE HISTORY, FOLKLORE AND ORIGINS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
The evergreen has been a potent pagan symbol in almost every culture, from prehistoric Japan to Northern Africa, from Native America to Medieval Germany. The Solstice Evergreen explores the rich spiritual heritage of this ancient symbol in depth and includes a great many myths, legends,and folk tales from across the globe as well as dozens of black and white illustrations. Gathered together in this book for the first time, this rich collection of mythology presents a unique perspective spanning many cultures and centuries.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE TO FIND OUR ART
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Art and Photography by Sheryl Karas... http://SherylKaras.imagekind.com/
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl
Brand New Shop (Pendants featuring our art and photography, more items to come)... http://www.etsy.com/shop/paulnsherylart
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BE A FAN!
We've recently joined the world of Facebook. We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Check us out at http://tinyurl.com/HealingCommunication . Check Mama Love out at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!
This month's newsletter is written by Sheryl. Hope you find it helpful!
--------
THE GULF OIL CRISIS AND TAKING A LONGER VIEW
An odd thing happened for me in recent weeks. After months of being highly activated in a political way—writing articles, signing petitions, circulating informative videos on Facebook and participating in sometimes highly charged discussions on all kinds of subjects—the BP oil catastrophe occurred and I found myself just watching. Not shocked, not screaming, not in pain. I’m watching with a kind of absolute belief that this was required, horribly yet inexplicably required.
This is an unusual position for me to take. In my own life I’m not so sanguine when awful things occur. Paul and I can go absolutely ballistic over things as simple as a missed communication. We meditate, we know the importance and useful application of a quiet mind and a positively expectant mental attitude, but we’re flawed creatures susceptible to the winds of pain and misfortune like anyone else. But not on this one.
Some part of me thinks the world will come back into balance because of this. That BP and Exxon and anyone else who wants to convince us to “drill, baby, drill” will not be allowed to run the show without proof that a catastrophe like this —and it will be a big one—can never occur. The devastation will guarantee it stays fresh in our minds. They can’t keep the news media in the dark forever and the longer this situation builds up the worse the consequences will be. Awful news for all concerned. But — in the long haul, obviously not now— could this be the best news possible for the world?
People on my Facebook list are grieving and freaking out as they should be. It’s on the world news every night. It’s a catastrophe of major importance. People’s lives are being ruined, people’s livelihoods will never be the same. The emotional devastation of thousands of dead animals and fish washing up to shore covered with sludge hasn’t yet occurred, and everyone is praying for the creatures to steer far away. And yet we know the truth: the coastline is already being impacted and lots of animals, birds and fish will likely never return again.
When a wound occurs we don’t let it fester. We disinfect and bind it up as best we can. BP might not have a clue of how to do that with this one and, yet, they HAVE to. And not because we’re demanding it and not just because they will benefit. The entire oil industry is at stake. That’s why Paul and I are not in the group of increasingly vocal activists calling for their heads—their heads are about to start to rolling already. I’m not celebrating exactly—I’m not that cruel, I’m not that mindless of the heartbreak already occurring—but I keep thinking that a gate to addressing the peak oil crisis that was once locked and blockaded by big oil interests is now open.
In case you haven’t been keeping up on “peak oil”, that’s why a lot of things have been taking place. We only have a few short years of onshore oil reserves left in the United States. That’s why there has been a mad scramble to get oil from other places. Off shore oil drilling and protracted wars in the Middle East are just two examples. Even if you throw away the ecological and human devastation involved in such an approach, continuing to focus on oil alone is ridiculously inadequate for the crisis already upon us. And yet big business interests have blocked or bought and deliberately underfunded solar, wind and other alternative technologies for decades! And while they, with Sarah Palin and John McCain's help, have been successfully convincing large numbers of working people in our own country that supporting the oil companies is good for everyone else, most people rarely see those riches for themselves. On the contrary and shall I say “coincidentally”, I received an email while I was writing this article from a man visiting Equatorial Guinea, an extremely poverty-stricken country in Africa that is rich in oil reserves being exported to other countries. The average citizen of this country makes no more than $1/ day while the oil companies make billions and the people they pay off make millions. The president of Guinea's son, for example, supposedly makes only $60,000 /year but somehow was able to buy a $35 million mansion in Malibu, CA in which to live. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6129992.stm)
Luckily we do still have enough time but the wake-up required to stop the madness and make us take stock of what we really should do now had to be enormous. The BP catastrophe might not even be big enough.
HEALING THE HEART
So how do we cope with this? 1) Understand that big crisis involves big sacrifice. This crisis is not just about sea creatures and people living in the Gulf—it's much much more serious than that. The upshot is that we won’t be able to do things the same way now. 2) Understand that through crisis the world can come to a higher understanding. Sometimes the only way out of a devastating situation is to go through it and come out the other side, sadder but wiser and more willing to make the changes that have to be done. 3) Be well in your own heart. Believe there will be another day and another with which to heal this. Enjoy each moment as an opportunity. And know that you’re not alone.
------------
COPING WITH TROUBLED TIMES IN YOUR OWN LIFE
SPIRITUAL COUNSELING
A spiritual counseling and healing session can help you gain clarity and support to find your way. Unless you're in eastern Arizona we're doing all our sessions via telephone these days but it works really well that way. Sliding scale fees make our sessions affordable. Click here to make an appointment now.
FLOWER ESSENCE AROMATHERAPY
The first Mama Love formula I ever made was called Mama Love for Troubled Times because using it helped me feel as safe and secure as a baby being held in my mother's arms. It's a good thing, too, because the life I had had up to that point was being dismantled and I needed to find the emotional balance to pick up the pieces and carry on. Not only that, it smelled wonderful, with ingredients like Rose and Jasmine that you'd find in the best perfume. My formulas are actually made to aromatherapy standards which means they're safe to be used more extensively than conventional perfume but they're designed with both aromatherapy and perfume sensibilities to make them enjoyable to use. Combine flower essence healing with a spiritual counseling session and you have an effective program for healing that can't be beat!
Mama Love for Troubled Times can be found by clicking here.
Or visit the Mama Love website to find all the formulas I make.
--------
BOOKS HAND-AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR (Sheryl Karas)
THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF FAMILY CAREGIVING --
For five years, ending in 2005, I worked as a Family Caregiving Consultant at the Alzheimer's Association and Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center helping families taking care of loved ones with incurable progressive memory loss and dementia. Trying to find services needed to provide basic care is what brought people in to see me first, but as the caregivers became more ensconced in their caregiving roles inevitably emotional and spiritual issues would become their primary concerns. My role shifted to providing a combination of practical and spiritual care. During this period I wrote a caregiver newsletter every month and this book is the result.
Unsigned copies of "The Spiritual Journey" and a nice variety of journals featuring our photography are also available online at http://stores.lulu.com/healingcommunicationpress .
THE SOLSTICE EVERGREEN: THE HISTORY, FOLKLORE AND ORIGINS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
The evergreen has been a potent pagan symbol in almost every culture, from prehistoric Japan to Northern Africa, from Native America to Medieval Germany. The Solstice Evergreen explores the rich spiritual heritage of this ancient symbol in depth and includes a great many myths, legends,and folk tales from across the globe as well as dozens of black and white illustrations. Gathered together in this book for the first time, this rich collection of mythology presents a unique perspective spanning many cultures and centuries.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE TO FIND OUR ART
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Art and Photography by Sheryl Karas... http://SherylKaras.imagekind.com/
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl
Brand New Shop (Pendants featuring our art and photography, more items to come)... http://www.etsy.com/shop/paulnsherylart
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BE A FAN!
We've recently joined the world of Facebook. We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Check us out at http://tinyurl.com/HealingCommunication . Check Mama Love out at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!
