Cave Baby by The Mudcakes

CD review by Michele Dennis.

Sherry Rich and Rick Plant have the insight into a child’s mind –what they find funny as well as what is important in the world of a youngster. Children can easily relate to the songs, with titles such as 'Spit it Out' and 'Things that Mums and Dads Say', providing hours of entertainment.

The Mudcakes put all their original lyrics to a variety of musical genres from classical to surf and bluegrass.

Parents will find themselves singing along to 'Grumpy Bum' and 'Pack Up Time' and no one will complain when Cave Baby is asked for repeatedly - which it will be.

Available through The Mudcakes at www.themudcakes.com and selected Melbourne stores.

Seasonal Eating - Corn

Fresh corn is one of the simple pleasures of life. Whether you boil or barbecue it and eat it right off the cob or add it to your favourite summer recipes, the light fresh flavour and bright sunny colour are a welcome addition to any meal.

Corn was first developed as a food crop over 7000 years ago in central Mexico and spread from there, as far south as Peru and also north into Canada. Fossilised pollen grains of corn have been found near Mexico City, making it possibly present as far back as 80,000 years. Corn was a major part of the diet for the native people of the Americas. When Columbus went back to Europe after “discovering” America he brought corn back with him to Europe. Corn was among the first crops planted in Australia upon the arrival of the First Fleet in Botany Bay.

Corn is a staple in the diet of many Central and South American countries, providing the calorie content needed for the daily metabolism of the body. Corn helps maintain healthy skin, nervous and digestive systems and keeps cholesterol levels low. It is rich in phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron. Corn contains Vitamin A, B (Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Niacin, Riboflavin, folate) and E.

When planting corn you may want to follow the Native American tradition of planting it alongside beans and squash. These plants were known as the three sisters who should never be apart.

One of my favourite summer dishes is fritters. Light and easy, great for casual entertaining and always a hit with children, they don’t even seem to notice all the veggies they are eating as they reach for a second or third serving.

The recipe below is for corn and haloumi fritters, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Substitute peas, feta, parsley or basil. Throw in some spring onion or capsicum if you have some on hand. This is the joy of fritters; I imagine they were originally made as a way to eat up leftover vegetables so it is good to remember not to get too fussy with ingredients.

250 g corn
30 g cornstarch
100 g plain flour
1/2 t baking powder
125 ml milk
2 eggs - beaten
250 g haloumi cheese
1 T chopped mint

Sift together the dry ingredients, stir in the eggs and milk. Fold in corn, haloumi and mint. Season to taste.

Heat the oil of your choice in a large frying pan and drop by ladleful into the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread if desired.

Adapted from Recipezaar. www.recipezaar.com

Corn Husk dolls are easy to make and are a fun way to teach your children ways to use the husks of the corn, instead of throwing them into the compost. Many cultures have a tradition of making dolls out of cornhusks as well as other grains. The tradition can take you back to a more simple time, when families made their own entertainment out of the things they could spare. Corn Husk dolls can be either fun to play with or a pretty decoration. I have found simple instructions for a doll on the Teachers First web site.

http://www.teachersfirst.com/summer/cornhusk.htm

If you are feeling more ambitious a Google search will bring up some more elaborate dolls and decorations.

Enjoy your hot summer afternoon, making dolls in the shade and then dig into some delicious corn!

Michele Dennis

Circumcision – Why it’s not good for boys.

A Kindred magazine interview with John W. Travis, MD, MPH.

Kindred magazine editor Kali Wendorf speaks with Johns Hopkins University MD, John W. Travis about the implications of one of the most widespread medically unnecessary procedures in the world today - circumcision.

Find out why it compromises optimal development, what consequences arise for adult males and why circumcision does not protect against HIV. (15 minutes). Click here to listen.

Great Little Books

Menstrual & Menopause Workbook

Our menstrual cycle gives us clues into our overall health. When we look at our lives in a holistic way we can see that the way we live; what we eat, how much sleep we get and what our stress levels are like affects all aspects of our health. This workbook put out by the Natural Woman Network helps girls and women look closely at their lifestyle choices and see how poor choices can be a factor in some of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle and menopause. Many of these symptoms are signs of an imbalance in our system and are not something women have to suffer through. We can make simple changes and live happier and healthier lives.

Contact the Natural Woman Network for your copy of the Menstrual & Menopause Workbook

Also if you are in Melbourne on October 18, the Natural Woman Network is hosting a workshop Beautiful Skin- From the Inside Out!


Menstrual & Menopause Workbook
Available through the Natural Woman Network
PO Box 113
Mt. Clear Vic 3350

email
website


Michele Dennis
Kindred magazine
email

Raising Drug-Free Children -- some thoughts from the editor

Our September - November edition of Kindred raised a few eyebrows, specifically with regards to our special feature called 'Raising Drug-Free Kids'. While many readers wrote in to thank us for the feature, we also received a number of emails from equally unhappy readers.

I welcome the occasion when readers may not agree with an article we've published as it indicates to me that the Kindred readership is engaged, thoughtful, opinionated and passionate. The occasion also allows for a deepening to occur - for concepts to be re-examined, and new understanding to develop as a result of diverse points of view coming together...for all of us. It is because of these opportunities that we are launching a terrific new multi-platform website at the end of this year that will feature discussions, forums, blogs and community generated content. This will allow us to really engage with Kindred content, and form new ideas, support each other and generally grow together. Meanwhile, we're stuck with the limitations of our current site, and hence my blog to you today.

Basically the feature ended up igniting a rather chronic long term clash between two related yet at times different approaches to conscious parenting--Aletha Solter's Aware Parenting approach, and classic Attachment Parenting theory. Of course there are many who don't see a division in these two approaches, but there are some who do, and still others who do, but only with certain aspects. I'm not going to go into what the differences are or what the different points of view are here. You'll have to read the magazine to get a sense of the feature. But I did want to address an over-arching theme that arose for me in reading all the emails I received.

It seems to me that in the wake of losing our extended families, our natural-world support base, our traditions, our instincts, our sense of belonging and our empowerment through the disease of 'disconnection' that our culture perpetuates, we as parents cling to the only thread of sanity offered to us amidst the chaos and insanity of modern life. That thread is the hope of creating a sane and peaceful world through parenting our children consciously. As Barbara Kingsolver wrote, 'My best revenge against all the dishonesty and hatred in the world, it seems to me, will be to raise right up through the middle of it these honest and loving children.' With that hope has been created a plethora of books, tapes, dvds, lectures, workshops, support groups, coaches, magazines and classes to help support us on that journey. A journey that pits us directly at odds with modern society - its culture and its mad frenzied heartless pace.

And, as well intentioned as all these books, tapes, dvds, etc are, all they can offer us is the superficial intellectual understanding of how to parent. They cannot give to us what nature, native-culture, familial lineage, belonging and instincts would give---give right down into our bone marrow. They can only give us formulas. Just like religion or spiritual practice cannot give us God...it can only point the way. The old saying of 'the spiritual teacher is only a finger pointing to the moon---not the moon itself' can be applied here. The teachings of conscious parenting are only fingers pointing, they are not the consciousness itself. That is our job to embody.

So Attachment Parenting (AP) or Solter's Aware Parenting are just that...fingers pointing to the moon. They are formula's based on the intention to meet babies' and children's needs in an optimal manner so that they might grow up to feel loved, connected and whole. The trouble is, they can point us, but they can't make us be it. That is our job, in every moment, through every single millisecond and it will be different for every parent and every child and everything and everyone in between.

But rather than be present, we settle for a formula. Not because we're jerks or anything, but simply because it is how the insane world runs. We are taught to be disconnected and not present. So being present hasn't exactly been our default position. And the forumula might be a great formula, an evolved, humane, conscious, attached formula....but it's still a formula. So regardless if someone leans more towards classic AP theory, or towards Aware Parenting theory, or a mixture of both...there is still the risk we can respond to our children in unpresent formuliac responses...simply because a book (or magazine!) told us so. For example, many AP parents aren't comfortable just holding their children while they cry (electing to jiggle them, distract them or offer them the breast), simply because their own need is to have the child stop crying (a crying child can be very distressing for us, especially if we were unresponded to as children). Similarly, an Aware Parenting parent, can use Aletha's approach simply to stop a child from night feeds. Both are booby traps (pardon the pun), and aren't necessarily the best approach for a child in a particular moment. The anecdote for all this is being present.

So on it goes, between these two theories, there are grey areas where different experts could argue that one specific response to a baby or child is more connected or appropriate than another response. The hairs can be split ad infinitum. Meanwhile, while we spend our time splitting those hairs, we miss the ove-arching invitation: to be absolutely present with ourselves and our children. (By the way, I'm not adverse to hair-splitting, love it in fact....and will be engaging some of our 'experts' in a forum for just that purpose on this very subject on our new website...).

Formuliac thinking is also responsible for some of the upset responses we received concerning the article on drug-free kids and it's chart on control patterns. The chart was meant as a means to illustrate how some emotional control patterns might develop sometimes under some circumstances. But instead Kindred was accused of stating that babies who are jiggled or rocked become drug addicts! I must say, I do understand, however. I am no stranger to formulaic thinking.

So I thought to use this moment, when the two theories were clashing in my midst, to let go of the fingers and go straight to the moon itself....to true presence, responsiveness and empathy with our children. My friend and colleague Robin Grille suggested a conscious parenting litmus test for just this purpose. He suggests:

In any given moment with your child, ask yourself these questions:
Am I responding to my child and what he / she needs, or am I just doing this because I read it somewhere? Or am I doing this to try to heal my own childhood wounds THROUGH my child?

Of course, stay tuned to our new website, where we can be present AND split hairs! My guess is that all of us will contribute towards deeper understanding of who we are and how to continue forward on our journey to return this planet to sanity.

Kindred magazine sample issue

Get your own - Open publication

Seasonal Eating - in Season in September

Growing your own food is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint and at the same time enjoy fresh, organic produce. It can bring down your weekly food costs and help your family connect to the earth and each other.

Many of us have herb gardens on our balconies or back deck and know from experience that we use our herbs much more often when they are only steps away. Lettuce can also be easily grown in containers within easy reach from the kitchen. Having your plants in containers can make it possible to move them around to suit the conditions as well.

Lettuce is easy to grow, being mostly water they need plenty of water and raised beds prevent root rot. Enrich soil with organic matter and well-rotted animal manure. This will provide plenty of nitrogen, which all leafy vegetables need. If grown in pots all they need is a good potting mix. Have fun picking a good mix of greens, the many kinds of lettuce can give you a beautiful container garden with a vast array of colour.

Lettuce is fat free and low calorie. It is a valuable source of vitamin A and folic acid. Lactucarium is a mild opiate that is found in all types of lettuce. Which is why both the Romans and Egyptians ate their lettuce at the end of a meal, to help induce sleep.

Having fresh lettuce on hand will make it easy to add more greens to your families diet. In his latest book In Defence of Food, Michael Pollan points out what we already know but often forget; our diet should be comprised of mostly of plants and the majority of that should be leafy.

Once you have your lettuce happily growing outside the back door, it is a good idea to have things on hand to make up a simple yet interesting salad. Recipes are not really needed for everyday eating, just experiment with different combinations and see what tastes nice together.

I like to keep olives, sun dried tomatoes, dried fruit and artichokes in the pantry to complement the fresh seasonal vegies. Add a bit of cheese, nuts, egg or beans and you have a complete meal. Keeping your pantry stocked and a few bits and pieces in your fridge is an easy way to give a bit of variety to your salads.

Michele Dennis.

What Babies Want

'What Babies Want is an award winning documentary film that explores the profoundly important and sacred opportunity we have in bringing children into the world.

Filled with captivating stories and infused with Noah Wyle's warmth as narrator, the film demonstrates how life patterns are established at birth and before. The documentary includes groundbreaking information on early development as well as appearances by the real experts: babies and families.'



Available now from the Kindred shop.

Research is now showing us that our society is a product of how we welcome and raise our children. When babies are welcomed with love and warmth and given the immediate opportunity to bond with parents, they develop minds that are coherent and flexible, ready in turn to make compassionate and meaningful connections with others as they grow.

Narrated by Noah Wyle, What Babies Want explores these ideas, documenting heart warming personal experiences before, during and after childbirth as well as evidence of consciousness, communication and awareness in prenatal, newborn and very young infants.

Featuring interviews with some of the leading light in the worldwide movement towards conscious parenting, this film is a must-see for anyone contemplating having a baby and for everyone involved in the birth process and in the birth industry in general.

What Babies Want is available now from the Kindred shop.

For further info on the movie visit www.whatbabieswant.com

Children Thrive on Connectedness

On the 5th April 2008 a crowd of 200 people filled the St John's Hall in Mullumbimby, NSW to hear the latest news on the campaign against Woolworths.

Speakers included Ray Darney, Rose Wanchap, John Dolman, Helena Norberg Hodge and Kali Wendorf.
Kali Wendorf is a writer, public speaker and social ecologist. She is the founding editor / publisher of Kindred (formerly byronchild), the world's first and only sustainable living magazine for parents and caregivers.

www.kindredmedia.com.au

In Season in June - Potato & Leek Soup

This time of year, with shorter days and cooler weather many cooks are enjoying the change of season. It is the time of year for a good soup and it is easy to take the cues from your kitchen garden or what can be picked up at the farmer’s market. Always keep your herb pots nearby for easy access, especially in winter when it is often dark before dinner is cooked. This simple potato leek soup can be prepared in about an hour.

Leeks belong to the same family of vegetables as garlic and onions and have many of the same beneficial qualities such as promoting optimal heath, lowering cholesterol and stabilising blood sugar. Leeks are also known for their diuretic and laxative qualities, they are low in calories and contain several vitamins.

Leeks enjoy a very long and interesting history, they are native to Central Asia and were known by the Greeks and Romans for the beneficial effect upon the throat. It is even said that the Roman emperor Nero ate leeks every day to strengthen his voice. The Romans brought leeks to the UK where they flourished in the cold weather. In Wales leeks are so highly regarded that they are a part of the national emblem. This is in part because in a famous battle against the Saxons in 1620 the Welsh army put leeks in their hats so they could distinguish themselves from their opponents.

Potatoes are a staple food for many families, so much so that they can be overlooked. We should not forget that when cooked properly, they area good source of calories, minerals, such as potassium and iron and vitamin C.

The first potatoes were grown over 7,000 years ago in the harsh climate of the Andes. When the Spanish brought them back to Europe they were thought to be food for the underclass and were used to feed hospital patients in Spain. The popularity of the potato was also hampered by it being a member of the nightshade family and closely related to poison plants. In the seventeenth century the potato gained notoriety as the food that saved Europe from its famines.

When cooking at home we should try to add fresh herbs whenever possible, most herbs have many beneficial qualities. Rosemary stimulates the immune system, increases circulation and aides in digestion. Even a small amount of rosemary can give you significant levels of iron, vitamins A and C.

Rosemary was used by ancient Greeks to increase memory; students would put rosemary sprigs in their hair while studying for exams. Mourners would place rosemary in the grave with their loved ones as a symbol of remembrance. In old England rosemary’s ability to enhance memory transformed it into a symbol of fidelity.


Potato Leek Soup

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
250 ml light cooking cream
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt and crushed pepper to taste

Directions

Sautee the potatoes, leeks, onions and rosemary in the butter for about 10 minutes.

Add the flour to the cream and shake or mix well. Add the cream and vegetable stock and simmer for a half hour.

Put the soup in a food processor and puree.

Reheat if necessary, serve with crusty bread. Serves at least six.


by Michele Dennis email

Autumn means cooler weather, apples and baking...

Bite into an apple from your local grower and you can immediately tell the difference between it and the average supermarket apple. A fresh local apple is crunchy, clean and crisp tasting. You can just about taste the cool autumn air in a local apple. A supermarket apple can travel thousands of kilometres and sit for up to ten months before you buy it. Apples are rich in vitamin c and fibre and children love them. There is just something so satisfying about biting into a fresh apple on an autumn day.

No one is certain of the early history of the apple but there are records of apples dating back to ancient Egypt, other civilizations around the Caspian Sea and also in China. In the 13th century BC, the famous Ramses II decreed that apples of various varieties were to be cultivated in the Nile Delta. In ancient Rome the great Roman statesmen Pliny the Elder, recognized 37 different types of apples in his ancient scroll the Historia naturalis (www.vergparadise.com) The Greeks were growing several varieties of apples by the late 300’s BC. Researchers have even found the charred remains of apples at a Stone Age village in Switzerland (www.newint.org)

The first trees that produced sweet, crunchy apples similar to the ones we enjoy today were located many thousands of years ago near the modern city of Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. The first apples to be brought to Australia were by Captain Bligh on the Bounty.

If your want to grow your own apples you will want to do some research, however there are apple trees that can be grown in moderate climates and even in a container on your balcony.

Rapadura sugar is made from organically grown sugar cane and is not refined. Unfortunately it is mainly imported from Brazil and Colombia. Because it is not separated and processed it retains the vitamins and minerals found in sugar cane and molasses, which makes it high in iron and trace elements such as magnesium. Use it by substituting 1 for 1 for most sugars while baking.

This simple crumb cake is great for school lunches, afternoon tea or a cup of coffee with a friend. Baking should be easy, fun and even spontaneous so keep your pantry stocked and don’t be afraid to substitute ingredients if you don’t have something on hand.

Apple Crumb Cake

125 g butter, room temperature
250 g rapadura sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
500 g flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
250 g plain yoghurt
2 large baking apples, peeled, cored and diced.

Topping

125 g rapedura or brown sugar
125 g chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 180. Grease and flour a 9 x 13in (23 x 33 cm) baking pan.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well. Stir in vanilla. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture in batches alternating with the yoghurt, mix until well blended. Stir in apples and pour into cake pan.

In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle evenly over the cake. Bake until top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean about 50- 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes; turn the cake onto a wire rack and then invert onto serving platter.

Michele Dennis

In Season in April - Eggplant & Fennel

Many of us have access to fresh local produce either at your local farmers market, buying a box of fresh veggies from a farmer. Your local shop may carry produce that hasn’t travelled very far or maybe you grow some of your own produce.

It is very satisfying to shop local on many levels from reducing your carbon footprint to enhancing your involvement in the community.

However, we may occasionally look at the produce in season and wonder how to cook with it. Possibly you have one recipe for a vegetable that is in season but your garden gave you enough for every night of the week. Kindred would like to help you with your weekly menu by giving you a recipe that incorporates in season produce, vegetables you will most likely find fresh from your local growers.

During the month of April many Australians will be able to access fresh eggplant (aubergine) and fennel.

Eggplant is native to Sri Lanka and Southern India and is a member of the nightshade family and is closely related to the tomato and potato. It is a low-fat, high fibre vegetable packed with vitamin A and C, niacin, folic acid and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The skin is rich in flavonoids and other antioxidants.

The plant itself is very nice looking with beautiful flowers and can be grown in a pot if need be. They require a long warm season and careful attention for a good harvest

Fennel has a long history dating back to early Greece where they used it as a slimming agent. During Charlemagne’s time it was used to give courage and for eye health as well as warding off evil spirits and keeping fleas at bay. It is high in iron, carotene, folic acid and vitamin C. Fennel also has many medicinal benefits and is great for juicing.

If you would like to try growing your own fennel keep in mind that being native to the Mediterranean, it likes plenty of sun. It does not do well in clay soil but can stand fairly poor conditions.


Grilled eggplant salad with sautéed fennel and onion

Ingredients

1 large or 2-3 smaller eggplant, peeled
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 large fennel bulb, chopped
2 cups chopped yellow onion
2 cups trimmed rocket
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, white if available
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, and some for brushing the eggplant
large handful quartered cherry tomatoes
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Preparation

Prepare grill to medium heat.

Cut eggplant crossways into 13 mm slices. Brush both sides of the eggplant with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on oiled grill rack or use a grill basket if you have one; grill 7 minutes on each side or until browned. Set eggplant slices aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with olive oil. Add fennel and onion; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Combine rocket, vinegar, and oil in a medium bowl; salt and pepper to taste; toss gently to coat. Arrange rocket mixture on a serving platter, top with grilled eggplant slices. Arrange fennel mixture on top of eggplant, top with tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle the chopped basil and thyme evenly over cheese.

Serve with crusty bread and a main for 4 people or as a entrée it serves 8.

The Canola Update

In our last edition of Kindred Spirit we featured a piece on canola oil called What is Canola Oil? It then came to our attention that some of the assertions made in the piece were false, especially with regards to the fragile area of genetic modification. We’d like to clarify those points so that your information about canola oil is as up to date and correct as possible.
The article mentions that all canola is derived from genetically modified rape seed plants. However, this is not the case. Canola oil comes from a hybrid plant developed from using traditional pedigree hybrid propagation techniques (this is not genetic modification) involving black mustard, leaf mustard, and turnip rapeseed. The original rapeseed plant was high in erucic acid, which is an unpalatable fatty acid having negative health effects in high concentrations. Canola oil has been created from specially bred plants to have low concentrations of erucic acid and contains less than one percent.

With that said, much of the canola now coming from North America has been genetically modified. GM Canola has all kinds of ethical, economic and health issues separate to conventional canola due to the fact that it is GM, not because it is canola. GM canola is also about to be given the go ahead to be planted in Australia, and there is a fierce campaign operating to try and prevent this from happening.

We’d also like to point out that the article implies canola oil is used as a poison to get rid of insects (such as aphids), even though the author mentions that she drowns them using the oil. Other oils can do the same, not by poisoning insects, but by suffocating them. It's a kind of factual sleight-of-hand that undermines true research behind the subject.

We at Kindred would apply the Precautionary Principle when considering canola oil for topical or internal use. Given that a there remains wide debate about its safety, and that there are other healthier alternatives, it would be wise to exclude it from one’s lifestyle. While it is important to keep the issue of canola free of fear-mongering and fact-twisting, consumers do have a reason to use caution.
With thanks to Jane Thompson

Building Lifeboats

Is it me, or has life become busier and busier? My friend and localisation expert, Helena Norberg Hodge, says it's not me, it's globalisation. She says we're forced to work harder for less, and the collective struggle to make ends meet is felt by everyone, and the by-product is rush, haste and stress. So if she's right - and I think she is - then there's not a whole lot I can do to remedy the external frenzy that seems to be creeping, or rather rushing, into my daily life.

So I've decided to work at it from another angle - from inside. In response to the external speed that attempts to have its way with me and my family, a curious invitation has arisen. I call it 'curious' because it could have arisen any time, any where. But it has arisen now. Now, when it seems that many others are being met with the same invitation, in response to similar external challenges. That invitation is a summons to come home. To turn within and navigate my life from Stillness, rather than mind-driven haste. As the gathering clouds of peak oil, climate change and diminishing democracy threaten on the horizon for all of us, perhaps we are all being called - on a collective level - to create internal lifeboats to see us through.

Living from Stillness is not a new concept to me. I've spent precious time with teachers, mentors, friends-of-good-company, and sages around the world since my twenties - Sri Poonjaji, Byron Katie, Wayne Muller, Alan Clements, Steve and Ondrea Levin, Andrew Harvey to name a few. This includes many other deeply profound friends and colleagues, people that remain anonymously folded into every day life without much fanfare, but whose wisdom continues to humble and inspire me. So with so many years hanging out in the awakening scene, what is new about this 'invitation'?

If I were to define the difference, I would put it this way - though words prove highly inaccurate when trying to speak of such things. It would seem that before now, awakening was a bit of a lifestyle choice. It was an 'option' and it was also, of sorts, a love affair - a love affair with something sublime and real. But now it is more pervading than that, more near, more insistent. Now, it seems, it is an imperative. Even more, it is what is true, and therefore the only thing worth aligning with. My guess is that the seemingly dark times ahead are pushing all of us in this direction - deeper, deeper inward.

As a result of this invitation, life continues to speed by, but I have become more still. Not to become anything; not to become 'enlightened', or 'more awake', or more or less of anything. But just because it is what is true. That's all.

So on that note, to aid us in our little lifeboat building, I've posted a couple of my favourites. This first video is of a sage in India named Poonjaji (Papaji as his is affectionately known) with whom I spent many years:





And this one of Byron Katie, who developed what she calls The Work - simply a series of questions that you ask yourself in the face of your ideas, thoughts, troubles. When these questions are asked sincerely, and with a true desire to end one's suffering, the impact is profound.




Also check out the new book (and you can download a free copy) Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World.

Kali Wendorf interview with Don Tolman

Don Tolman is an author, public speaker, trainer, educator, entertainer and experimental nutritional-eating researcher. He has written multiple books on a variety of skill-specific mental functions and self-improvement topics.

On his recent Australian tour, Kindred editor, Kali Wendorf interviewed Don Tolman...

The Vanishing of the Bees

This is a trailer for the documentary feature film - The Vanishing of the Bees... For more information or to help support the making of this film visit www.vanishingbees.com