My Blog

Namaste!

ChangNoi — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:03:53 GMT

Here is a massage trick that I love. Anyone can do this, and you will learn a great deal about yourself and your partner if you listen closely. I posted this originally in the Bioregional Animism tribe, but thought it deserved a larger audience: I was reminded today of one of my favorite and most powerful tools to relate and connect. I was having a conversation with the chiropractor I work for (filling in for vacations and soon maybe one day a week) and he was making a comment about how well we work together. His emphasis was on the amount of movement therapy I use in my work, and a memory from school came into my head. One of my teachers said "massage gives freedom" which I use partially to drive my work. When we're stuck in particular patterns of thought, emotion, movement, ect... massage can give you the freedom to think/emote/move differently! Such a powerful thing, and I would love to share all I know in an effort to afford everyone this powerful freedom. So, disclaimers aside: I am not legally qualified to diagnose or treat any disease. If you have a partner to work on, this is one of my favorite massage techniques that can be done by anyone. First, you have your partner lay on their back. Give them a pillow with more support in the neck than in the head. Perhaps if their back is tight they might need a rolled-up towel underneath their knees. Please ask them! The greatest benefit to any massage is that it FEELS GOOD. Your partner's arms should be 90 degrees out from their torso, palms up. Ask once a few minutes in if their arms are numb or tingly, this may be a clue they need to place their hands on their chest. Sit on your shins, with your butt on your heels, at their RIGHT side, your knees towards their head and your feet towards their feet. Now, tell them "I'm going to place my hand on your abdomen(or belly)" This is a very important step. Much emotion, especially things like fear and anger, can be stored in the musculature of the abdomen. A "heads-up" is absolutely essential when you approach another person so intimately. Human or otherwise. This is where you place your relaxed palm, your entire relaxed hand, which is attached to your relaxed arm and shoulder, on the center of their abdomen. The relaxed part is very important. Sensory data is obstructed by tension. The more unaffected sensory data you get, the better your compassionate, understanding, desiring-to-relate brain can process. And that's it! The goal here is not to "do" anything... the goal is to relate. Can you identify movements of the circulatory system? Respiratory? Other? By making safe, compassionate space for another, you will be instantly calmed, and so will they. Touch is a basic human need. Without it we die, especially when we are young. By making an attempt to touch, with compassion and a desire to relate, you break boundaries within yourself and others. A lack of those boundaries is freedom. Use it wisely ;-} namaste

Bioregional Animism in 5 minutes

ChangNoi — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:09:20 GMT

A draft of a speech my friend Fishbowl has written/is presenting at a Unitarian Universalist congregation this weekend: Spirituality is everywhere to be found; it unfolds with the peddles of a rose, and gurgles in the song of a creek, and in the canyons, and running through the forest. This is the experience animism is built from. It is the belief in spirit. It does not distinguish from the spiritual and the material; instead, they are one and the same. Today, New Animism seeks to discard the dualism of modern society, where we divide into us, them and the other, to realize there is only everything. Instead, we seek a way of relating our modern culture to a spirituality based upon how we interact with ourselves, other human people and other-then-human-people that are the trees, rivers, mountains, animals, energies, and scientific principles, that we interact with daily. Nature is not seen as collection of resources for human consumption, but as equals to humans to be related to. This does not mean we abandon modern society, but to relate our lives to what is needed for daily sustenance. We have to ask ourselves how we are using, what we are using, and what are we contributing back to nature and the universe This forces one to realize the essential truth, that life is sacrificed to sustain life. This way of thinking demands that we be environmentally, ecologically, and socially aware and to implement change. This shift of consciences brings empathy with our environment and to feel the reality of its state of being. Humans are not above nature but as much a part of it in everyway. However, our form of intelligence has lead to an irresponsible attitude towards the things we need to sustain our own lives, subjugating our environments to mere material and forgetting the spiritual nature of everything. Our planet is a vast network of ecosystems that work in highly concentrated ways, unique to their immediate environment. These ecosystems have been surveyed for their resources and been divided up on the market to be bought and sold by piecemeal. Do you know where you food comes from? Do you know what is in it? Most likely you don’t. Our culture has become so disconnected from our eco-systems through a homogenous market that we have long lost the sacredness of daily life. Bio-Regional Animism is form of New Animism that re-cultivates the sacred relationship of humans and the eco-systems they inhabit. We recognize the values and lessons taught by animist cultures from the past and the present, but understand that is one way in which a specific culture related to a specific ecosystem. Bio-Regional animism is not a new religion or a even a new tradition of neo-paganism; rather, it is a way of relating to our environment in a deeply spiritual way. For me I came to it through studying the history, culture, and mythology of the British-Celts. In time the pantheon lost its human attributes and revealed themselves to me as the rivers, mountains, forest, animals, and plants of the ecosystems where I was living in at the time. In this way its synchronism can co-exist with other spiritual systems and life philosophies, if one is open to the possibilities. All one needs is to listen to their intuition and hear the needs, desires, and unique understanding of their ecosystem. This is not only done with improvisational ceremonies and meditations but through scientific study of their environment. Understanding where your water comes from, the medicinal value of indigenous plants and the social activities of local wildlife builds the foundation for relating to your ecosystem. Bio-Regional animism is not the path for those who seek predefinitions and structure; instead, it directly challenges these notions, leaving us with the very soil under your feet and sky above our heads, and that is what we work with to grow our spiritual relationships.

Slander from the Drug Czar

ChangNoi — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:22:13 GMT

John P. Walters, President Bush's drug czar, said the people who plant and tend the gardens are terrorists who wouldn't hesitate to help other terrorists get into the country with the aim of causing mass casualties. Walters made the comments at a Thursday press conference that provided an update on the "Operation Alesia" marijuana-eradication effort. This is a direct accusation against all marijuana growers, even legal ones in medical states, claiming that they are plotting High Treason and First Degree Murder. Slander aught to be an easy one in this case.

ft*aa

ChangNoi — Wed, 02 May 2007 15:50:11 GMT

09-F9-11-02-9D-74-E3-5B-D8-41-56-C5-63-56-88-C0

Making use of holographic principles

ChangNoi — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:01:56 GMT

Most of us probably understand that there is reflection of form and function in systems within systems and those built of systems. For instance we see the moon circle the earth, the earth circle the sun, the sun circle the galaxy, the galaxy circles the cluster, the cluster circles the supercluster... Or, as the bible puts it somewhere (anyone know chapter and verse?) "as above, so below" We use movement as the definition of life, and say that the cell is the smallest division of "life". Fair enough, all maps are arbitrary creations. Cells move, they count. Cells have organelles, limbs such as flagella and cillia, sensory-motor sequences, expansion and contraction, and reproduction just like we do. Organelles are made of molecules, molecules are made of atoms, atoms are made of subatomic particles, etc etc down as far as you want to "observe." We know that there are organisms with only one cell. We know that there are colonies of one-celled organisms. We know that there are simple multi-celled organisms that are really just a small step away from colonies of individuals. There are more complex multi-celled organisms such as humans. We see colonies of multicelled organisms such as krill and ants. We see some such colonies differentiate into workers, drones, queens, etc. Just so, our cells differentiate into colonies (tissues) and organs (hives). There are also many simbiotic creatures without which our bodies will die but are not "technically" considered a part of our organism. We observe "mind" in our bodies. We observe "mob mind" when large groups of humans get together. Ant and bee colonies behave in a way that suggests "mind". While many cells in our bodies seem to operate independently, with their own means of movement, metabolism, and communication, they also depend on the rest of our bodies for a home and sustenance. They also all have a sense of "me-ness", and this differentiation is a key part of our "immune system." Our "me" cells will seek out and destroy things, including cells, that are "not me." There is a curious plague attacking humans at the moment called cancer, wherein "me" mutates into "not me." It reproduces without acknowledging "me" while taking sustenance from "me" and all the components of me. Most of the time in most cells, tissues, organs, and organisms, this "not me" tissue is taken care of, destroyed and re-incorporated as me. Sometimes this doesn't happen, and the cancer takes over the organism and kills it. The behavior of humans on the earth in the past few millennia has been similar. We reproduce without acknowledging that which supports us. We destroy that which supports us and the end result may well be that we kill it. I'm talking of course about our ecosystem, a colony or hive composed of cooperating organisms that are all part of the same "me": the earth. As above, so below. It doesn't seem such a stretch for me to go from the hive mind to the mob mind to the earth mind. If form and function reflect on expanding and contracting scales, and groups of minds act like minds then there is probably a kind of mind or intelligence to the earth itself. We are just cells in an organism after all. Maybe a phagocyte or cancer doesn't realize its place but it performs its function, as the former, and usurps its host, as the latter. Since we have the cognition to imagine such a circumstance, we can self-examine and determine whether our presence and actions constitute an immune-system function for the earth organism, or whether our presence and actions constitute a cancer function for the earth organism. It's really that simple: "spirit" is the recognition of the principle of holography and an established communication channel with the organism that reminds us of the "me" of the earth, our place and importance in it, and our duty to it. If only we could guide people into deeply spiritual connection that makes this clear to them, I think most would chose to behave as immune cells rather than cancer cells. It is not in our best interest to do otherwise.

Budding Apiarists

ChangNoi — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:00:21 GMT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-bar_hive The main diference I can see between the top-bar and langstroth designs is: you can get the honey out with a centrifuge, leaving the comb intact, in a langstroth. Apparently the beefood ratio is wax20:honey1 so they can make a lot more honey a lot faster if they don't have to waste 20x the energy on making new wax all the time. Not something I'm as concerned about as their pollinator action and plus wax is a good thing ;-} Also they do seem to use a queen excluder of some type so that you can have comb that is pure honey or pure pollen or a mix, with no larvae in it. Although what an occasional delicacy, bee larvae... mmmmmmmmm

Reorganization

ChangNoi — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:11:50 GMT

After reading http://www.rainbowbody.net/Finalempire/index.html I have started to crystallize some more ideas for MetaPhaith. Mother Earth has a brilliant function that effects all life. She basically takes the sun's energy and, using photosynthesis, makes topsoil. Topsoil is the energy bank, the long-term storage point for solar energy. In that respect it *IS* the Net Product of Photosynthesis (NPP). Since we're currently destroying topsoil faster than we or she can make it, we have a negative NPP. The magnitude of the negative number is steadily increasing and without some sort of regulation it will crash the biosphere. Probably within 100 years but maybe sooner than that. This seems a grim prognosis, and it is. We're not potentially polluting ourselves back to the stone age; we're farming ourselves back to the microbe age. I think the only way to halt or reverse this process, if it's even possible at this point, is to flip the meritocracy of our civilization: from the haves to the have-nots. Reward our attention and energy to those who have shown superior compassion rather than those who have shown an ability to mortgage our support system for short-term "financial" gains. As the three trunks of the MetaPhaith tree, Rangers (dealing with protection and shelter), Singers (dealing with spiritual, physical, and mental wellness), and Cultivators (dealing with food and water) overlap like the primary colors, so too do they combine to create the fourth trunk: Soilmaker This is a person who creates topsoil. A net topsoil product is a good way to measure the amount of individual giving of oneself to ALL OTHERS in the form of improving the biosphere, our support net. This is also one of the most beneficial ways we can turn ANY and ALL technology towards. I feel very strongly that the survival of the human species will depend on our efforts over the next several decades to re-establish and create mechanisms for creating topsoil, with the goal of returning the earth's surface to climax ecosystem. To that end, I would like to start a tradition that I encourage others to do as well: public recognition of MetaPhaith Soilmakers in the interest of conferring status upon them. My first nominee is: http://journeytoforever.org/ From their website: Journey to Forever is a pioneering expedition by a small, mobile NGO (Non-Government Organization) involved in environment and rural development work, starting from Hong Kong and travelling 40,000 kilometres through 26 countries in Asia and Africa to Cape Town, South Africa. Our route will take us away from the cities and populated districts to remote and inaccessible areas (usually also the least developed and poorest areas), where we'll be studying and reporting on environmental conditions and working for local NGOs on rural development projects in local communities. The focus will be on trees, soil and water, sustainable farming, sustainable technology, and family nutrition. The aim is to help people fight poverty and hunger, and to help sustain the environment we all must share.

Another day, another blog comment test

ChangNoi — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 19:39:35 GMT

So this is another blog entry here so I can test my blog comments function which does not seem to be working quite like it should. Not such a big deal so maybe this is a time for actual blogging! I've been chatting with various folks lately about MetaPhaith, condensing and distilling some basic ideas and concepts: MetaPhaith: Move the basic needs from the trade economy to the gift economy. Give the faithful and secular an equal opportunity for spiritual growth. Reinforce the deeply spiritual meaning that has been lost from religiously encouraged acts of compassion. Make teaching and learning valuable self-care skills free, easy, and fun. Such as permaculture, health practices, nutrition, purifying water, protecting the weak... Get everyone in the practice of being in an "US" group that does not have a corresponding "THEM" group!!!! That one I think is more important than anything else but also more elusive and difficult. If we approach the basic needs and spiritual health angles without ulterior motives however I think we'll be moving in the right direction. The alternative is apathy, nihilism, despair, and hatred. Which one do we pick?