Our failure to observe accurately and learn from Nature has brought us to where we are today—stumbling around in a dark room, taking directions from complete strangers hoping to profit from our lack of knowledge. It’s like us wandering around in a downtown metropolitan alleyway on a Saturday night and asking gangsters for directions to the nearest ATM. Someone’s going to profit from our disorientation, and it is not going to be us.

Disorientation from Nature is laughable, considering the his- tory of our species. From the dawn of man through Neolithic times, and even into the early 1900s, we were very much in tune with our environment, but our obsession with money, the industrial age, technology, and our ever-pressing expansion into urban living has damaged our relationship with the Earth. Rather than including Nature in all our constructional “progress”, it’s as if we are attempting to exclude her. As we bulldoze forests to put up another restaurant chain or shopping mall, a token tree or shrub is conveniently placed here or there for decorative purposes. Seldom is Nature welcomed into our homes and neighborhoods. This is something we must recognize and correct. Parking lots are a poor substitute for prairies.

Dedicating a small portion of time each day to Nature works wonders. Simply sitting underneath a favorite tree, gardening, or walking down a nature trail breathes healthy energy into our spirit. It connects us with Life.

These days are here for us to feel all things. These days are here for us to understand the language of mutuality within everything. We must enlighten ourselves by clearing our minds of social clutter, setting free the origins of our intent. Forget entertainment. Forget laws. Forget registered realms of normality. Let us allow all the purity we’ve denied for too long. Let us become part of all we’ve met so that a sense of familiarity comforts our greatest fears. Nature is our greatest teacher if we sit still long enough to hear her speak.”

The above piece is a excerpt from Son of a Farmer, Child of the Earth, by Eric Herm.

Finding a solution to combat food deserts is not always that simple. As Derek points out, “… food deserts are a multidimensional problem that requires multidimensional solutions. It’s important to keep in mind that these are just a few pieces to an incredibly complex puzzle.”   However, solutions can be found at the local level.  In the case of Detroit, grassroot community initiatives include (amongst others): Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Farmer’s Markets as well as Regional Food Hubs.

In the age of the Internet, new online-enabled storefronts could also play a significant role in the local food supply network.  Such online storefronts would only stock fresh produce according to Internet orders, and could be able to provide the ordered food within just a few hours from when the order was placed.

All the efforts made to bring fresh foods to food deserts need to coincide with a change in peoples’ choices for a healthy, nutritious, diet.  Education and creating a new awareness of the important benefits of healthy food is key to finding a lasting, sustainable solution to the problem of food deserts.

For more information read the complete article: Innovative Distribution Can Combat Food Deserts
 

The man who removes a mountain
begins by carrying away small stones.
Chinese proverb

Meditation

Often, when we look at the entirety of any task that confronts us along our passage through life, our ego immediately fills our mind with overcomplicated messages and often defines the task as an impossibility. The ego’s goal is to overwhelm you with these interpretations and, ultimately, lead you to giving up on your true purpose. The ego desires endless struggle and suffering. As a spiritual being searching for truth and awareness, you must transcend the influence of the ego and simplify your world. Simplicity is where success, peace and enlightenment are discovered. This is the essence of your being.

Real Life Application

Choose a task in your life that you often dismiss from your consciousness because of its perceived complexity. Sit down with paper and a pen, and take notes as to how this task can be broken down into smaller, more manageable steps that you can take on without much difficulty. This process can be applied to any project that you wish to embark upon. It’s that simple. Stop intellectualizing and pushing yourself further away from completion, and begin taking the necessary action to progress. All great feats are done in this manner. I almost feel as if I should apologize that I don’t have any great philosophical or intellectual suggestions to share with you, but try it this way, you may be pleasantly surprised.

The above is an excerpt is from the Richard A. Singer’s award winning book, Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul.

Good News from the Heartland for animals: I live in Kansas-not the most progressive state in the country, especially when it comes to animal issues. However, a recent art project entitled “The Story of Chickens: A Revolution,” inspired a firestorm of compassion from meat eaters and vegans alike. The artist proposed to display live chickens in a movable cage around town and then kill them as a public event and host a dinner at which they would be eaten. The outrage from around the country and locally was torrential. It came in online postings; letters to the editor; letters to the sponsoring museum, hosting art gallery, and chef; and many newspapers reported on it as well, allowing for emotional online comments to the articles. Karen Davis of United Poultry Concerns, Mary Clouse of Chicken Run Rescue and the Justice for Animals Art Guild, Bruce Friedrich of Farm Sanctuary, and other compassionate leaders contributed greatly.

In addition to the outrage, the city code prohibits both displaying the chickens and killing them in the city limits. A museum board member and I met with the artist. Her primary goal was to awaken people to the fact that they are eating individual animals with personalities and needs of their own-a goal very much like ours. She displayed grace and flexibility as she has altered her project to include no live chickens. She has agreed to allow us to speak about chicken’s rights, display animal positive artwork, and include vegan options at the public meal. To read one of the many articles, click here.

This is more evidence that people are waking up to the needs and rights of animals as well as to the disconnection most of us have experienced between our food and our natural love and compassion for animals. Please keep this ongoing project in your prayers that it may serve to further awaken the hearts of people and save the lives of chickens everywhere.

Thank you for loving, for caring, for being a powerful force of compassion in this world that needs you so much.

May all beings, including all people, be happy and free.

With Love, peace, and gratitude from Judy

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Please visit the Prayer Circle for Animals often to see updates and special prayers, and also to join in our “A prayer a day for animals” which features a prayer for a different group of animals each day of the week. It is also a place to send ideas or prayer requests. Please join us so that we may continue to add more people to our ever expanding circle of compassion.

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According to a 2010 article in The New York Times, Americans consume 31 percent more processed foods than citizens of other nations. One reason for this is our food distribution networks. Our average food item travels roughly 5,000 miles before it’s consumed. Because of this, our foods are prepared and packaged to be shipped long distances.

Current trends suggest that the status quo of long-distance food distribution may be primed for disruption. Increased consumer demand for locally-grown organic foods, coupled with a renewed interest in living in urban cores and rising gas prices, collectively suggest that U.S. food distribution networks will soon need to evolve to support these and other shifting lifestyle and economic trends.

For a glimpse of what our future food distribution chain might look like, we need only look to where these trends have already advanced a few steps ahead of us: Europe.

To continue reading follow this link.

“A couple of years ago, when my book “Creating Your Heaven on Earth” was just published, I was on my way to upstate New York for a book signing and speaking engagement. This was my first book signing to a place where no one knew me…a writer’s dream.

I was flying from Denver to Pittsburgh and from Pittsburgh to Syracuse. I had an early flight to catch on the day of the book signing (which was scheduled for 6:30 that evening). I barely made the 30 minute cut-off to check-in and had to run to my gate. I caught the flight, barely. The flight went smoothly. I was so full of anticipation and excitement that feeling exhausted
was fine by me.

My flight arrived in Pittsburgh on time. I made my way to the “Departure” board to check on the location on my next flight’s gate. When I looked up at the board and found my flight, bright red letters stared back at me and said,“CANCELLED.” My heart dropped. I started to panic on the inside. I almost began sharing a curse word or two out loud when a voice from my heart said, “Meagan, go with the flow.” I listened (mostly because the voice was really loud).

I decided that the madness, frustration, and anger that was in the airport (because numerous flights had been cancelled to New York because of an ice storm) was something that I did not want to be a part of. So, I decided to go with the flow. That meant, being nice to everyone, seeing the best in everyone, being calm and patient, and being willing to possibly not make it to upstate New York for my event that I so wanted to be at. It was a quick shift of mindset, but a shift, nonetheless.

I waited in line at the US Airways counter where my flight was supposed to be departing from. In front of me was a woman screaming in an angry rage at the woman behind the desk. I felt so bad for the US Airways agent…I mean, is she the one that made the weather what it was? After seeing that, I made a special effort to be extra nice to the agent because no one deserves to be treated the way she was being treated.

When I made my way to the counter I told the agent, “Thank you for waiting on me and I promise I won’t scream at you.” She smiled and I could see her take a deep breath. I told her my dilemma. We worked together to find the best solution, but everything was leaving after my event was happening. We looked at each other in disappointment each time we realized that every solution she presented wasn’t going to work. So, I thought, well, I guess I just won’t make it and there must be a good reason for it (keep in mind, I REALLY wanted to be there).

Suddenly, the agent says, “I know!!!” She yelled across the terminal and asked another US Airways agent, “Did that flight leave yet?!” He yelled back, “No!”She quickly printed out a ticket for me and told me I was going to Ithaca (about 60 miles from Syracuse). Arrangements were made for a driver to pick me up in Ithaca by the event coordinator.

I stood for about 30 minutes wondering if I was at the right gate (wondering what in the hell was going on, to be quite honest) when another agent came up to me and asked, “Are you ready to go?” Confused, I said, “To Ithaca, right?”He shook his head yes and asked me to follow him outside. He took out his umbrella and walked me to plane about 20 yards away and said, “You know you are the only one on this flight right?”

Wha-wha-whaaaaaaat?!

Sure enough, I was the only person on the flight. The flight attendant greeted me, let me choose my seat, and as I sat down and buckled up, the pilot spoke over the loud speaker, “Welcome Meagan, we are taking you to Ithaca. Sit back and enjoy the ride.” Huh? Really? I guess there was a break in the clouds or something – kinda like the parting of the Red Sea.

I made it in plenty of time for my event that night. Thank you US Airways for a valuable lesson. It pays off to choose to be nice to others and it certainly makes a difference if you choose to go with the flow with no expectations. Be kind to one another, as Ellen would say. It really is that simple.”

Meagan is the author of Creating Your Heaven on Earth. To find out more, visit her website: www.meaganonan.org

Academics, such as Dr. Lilian Cheung, a Harvard nutritionist, has been studying mindful-eating while at the same time encouraging businesses and health providers to try it.  Prof. Brian Wansink, of Cornell University, has conducted experiments on the psychological factors of our endless craving for food.  And today certain businesses, such as Google, are supporting the “mindful lunch hour.”

Perhaps to fully benefit from a meal is not just a matter of making healthy dietary choices.  The way we eat and the thoughts we have while eating, may to some scope influence the overall value of our meal.   For more information, read the full article on the NY Times website.

The village of Wildpoldsried, in Germany, produces 321% more energy than they need to cover the villages’ needs. Because of their investment in eco-friendly technology, such as wind turbines and solar panels, the village is now able to make money by selling energy back into the grid. At their current rate of energy production the local population, of 2,600, is making about $ 5,7 million in revenue per year. Not bad.

Wildpoldsried (source Wikipedia)

The village mayor visits and advices other communities about how they too can make the energy shift, and the village council offers tours to people who want to learn about energy efficiency.

Wildpoldsried offers inspiration to us all. It is possible to be energy self-sufficient!

For more information, visit Coop’s Committee Blog, or read this more extensive article.

Today though, it is so common that in most countries and cities in the U.S. and abroad, you can dine like a king or queen on some of the best vegetarian food available anywhere. Italy is no exception, and with their well known culinary expertise, it’s likely you’ll feel like you have dined and gone to heaven.

Italy is such an amazing country – nearly every place you visit is steeped in history and art – the landscapes display fields of fresh crops, and rows and rows of some of the most spectacular gardens imaginable.

It definitely has it’s mind on growing fresh food in the most unusual places – as is evident in the hillsides and in the unique terrain used. Its as if each piece of land is usable to grow something – anything, regardless of the unusual geography.

Hills are full of fruit trees, and rows and rows of veggies, and lots of grape vines. Yes, Italians love their vino!

Its no wonder that finding a great veggie eatery is so easy in Florence, the city well known as the birthplace of Michelangelo and the home of his ‘David’.

More…. Social Expat

Truth be told, Italians have been partial to vegetables, breads and pasta for centuries, especially in the impoverished areas where meat was not as readily available because of cost or convenience. So you won’t be startled to learn that when I visited Tuscany, and sat at a meal table asking “Sono vegetariana,” I got nods and smiles, and nobody made a face. “Non c’è problema” was the response. (no problem!)

My father and grandmother came over the ‘big drink’ to the U.S. in 1921 in search of a better life – and since money was tight, my family ate a lot of pasta e fagiolio (pasta and beans), and a dish my family called poparelle, made with baked, crusted cornbread (polenta) and sautéed greens which was popular in Abruzzo …and many other vegetarian dishes, including every possible way imaginable to smother and enhance polenta.

Happily this truth remains today – and finding a great meal that has nothing but ‘good fresh stuff’ is easy to find and promises a treat to any palate, after all, the Italians are known for their extraordinary food. Who would turn down a steaming plate of penne pasta smothered in marinara sauce?

The more populated areas seem to be offering more and more ‘exclusive’ vegetarian restaurants, and Tuscany is definitely one of them.

Tuscany – with it’s amazing wineries, world-renowned art museums and rolling hills that lead to beautiful beaches and coves, offers more than a place steeped in history, and beauty. It offers meals exclusively tailored to those of us who refrain from flesh.

It’s most popular vegetarian restaurants are well known and highly established. Finding them should be as easy as asking a hotel concierge or taxi driver, and from the reviews, they are worth seeking.

Read More:  Social Expat