Guilt-free Treats......

on at Peopletree.co.uk summer sale now on!

RIP Micheal

I've never perceived myself as a MJ 'fan', but I did appreciate a lot of his early work and his raw unique talent that he sacrificed his anonymous life for. MJ was a significant figure in my childhood. I appreciated his gifts and the gentle boy / man that he was; if that makes me a fan so be it!

Thank-you for the music, Micheal:)

His legacy is his music!

MJ Remembered

He penned songs with real conviction, poignancy and profound truth! We can assume then he was a idealist and a deeply sensitive, compassionate and misunderstood human being.

Sad Day for Showbusiness

Whoa..... What can I say I still cannot quite believe that the historical child musical genius born in Gary, Indiana to a Katherine and Joe Jackson has passed away. He was only 50 years young(The same age as the queen of pop herself, Madonna). His phenomenal talent transcended all generations, genres and colours. I've got fond memories of the classic Motown / Disco album; 'Off The Wall', 'Ben', 'The Earth Song' the list goes on and on! And how can we forget the beats to 'Beat It'! He really did not need the negative press mocking him left, right and centre. He was thrust into the spotlight from a very early age, hence never really had the privilege of a normal life existence. It is just so sad. I'm so grateful that we have his wonderfully unique record of his extraordinary talent to remember him by(What a legacy indeed:). My Thoughts and condolences go out to his family at this challenging time(His poor mother, how it must feel to out live your child I will never know). I feel a series of tribute concerts will be fitting for the 'king of pop'. Micheal would love that!

Our thoughts, prayers and condolences goes out to also the family of former Charlie's angel herself, Farrah Faucett(My favourite angel:). It was she who inspired the 'Farrah flick' hair!

What Planet Are You On / From?!!!

I often feel like I'm from another planet from the mainstream of humanity, anyone else felt that?!!!

Respect!

My greatest bugbear in life is smokers and people that drop litter willy nilly(anytime anywhere). I'm no angel, but I do respect my environment; why can't they? It is so easy to dispose of rubbish and besides what's wrong with hanging on to it until it's convenient to dispose of it? I noticed the correlation between individuals who drop litter and individuals that don't. It is simply a lack of respect for Mother Earth, other people and ultimately their true unique self(ASBOs exist for areason)!

Happy Birthday.......

Erin Brockovich
Dan Brown(Author)
Graham Greene
Cyndi Lauper
Alan Osmond
Herneto Pascoal(Brazilian musician)
Freddie Prinze
Kriss Kristofferson
Esther Rantzen
Meryl Streep
Jimmy Sommerville
George Vancouver(Brit explorer)
Vijay(Indian actor 1974)
Lindsay Wagner
Billy Wilder
and anyone else who's bithday it is today may all your dreams come true!

Sunday, 21st June 2009 Summer Solstice AKA The longest Day of the year so make the most of it folks!

Happy Birthday Prince William(27 today:) Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Matt Monarch for tying the knot in Portland? Oregon USA(www.rawreform.com)!

I've been broody for over 2.8 decades, I've never ever missed a cycle for well over a quarter of a century(I vowed to be young mother being a typically maternal crab / pig / boar); all I ever wished for really was to be a lovingly devoted Earth mommy type(as it's also the most important 'job' too:)!

I can no longer cope with the endless rejections whether professionally or socially I just wish someone would give me chance to shine:)- I don't do big 'smoggy' cities:(

Plan of Action

Write
Do
Achieve
Victory

Rebounding
5 Tibetan Rites
Asanas
Chanting
Detox

I'm in a Lengthly period of rebirth....

..... that's about as accurate as it gets(I definitely feel as if one has been in my transition period of late!

Daily Necessities(Budda Quote)

Daily Necessities (Buddha Quote)
Pray
Meditate
Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive/Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move

Daily Necessities (Buddha Quote)
Pray
Meditate
Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive/Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move

Spot on I duplicated it!

Raw Emotions

I am drawn to this book for the following reasons:

The intelligent title by itself draws me in

The lovely vibrant colour illustrations and the fact that as I approach a milestone birthday(yet again:)I'm feeling quite vulnerable. Having experimented with a wholly 'live' natural plant-based lifestyle in the past('90's and '00's) I felt lovely, light and serene; so balanced and at peace with thy self and the world(Due to severe economic limitations my wonderfully natural lifestyle ceased). I love fresh fruit, leafy greens, macadamias etc. If I don't eat these goodies my body soon knows about it, thus I crave greens and macadamias more than anything! You can imagine if you practice asanas or the 5 Tibetan Rites combined with the paradise lifestyle you feel so naturally confident and strong, you have unlimited resources to do anything:) - works like magic(I'm speaking from personal experience with a personal history of timidity, thus far from confident:)!

I'm also aware that with a history of emotional eating and bingeing processed foods make me moody, lazy and fat with a tendency towards the dark side(Depression, inertia, melancholy etc.).

The award-winning author, Angela stokes overcame morbid obesity(dreadful term and if you go on to her website: rawreform.com she is as gorgeous before her radical transformation)to a UK size 10 with a live food lifestyle.

My biggest lesson so far is self-acceptance and I'm not quite there yet.

I love this book!

This book cleverly combines my love of history and the sub-continent. I won't give the ending away, but it is a bit weepy! A good read nonetheless:)

Autobiography of a Yogi(Original 'Crystalclarity' pub Blue edition)

This has probably one of the finest autobiographies ever written(undoubtedly my favourite:)Here's an except chapter:


Autobiography of a Yogi

by Paramhansa Yogananda

Original First Edition, Copyright 1946,
by Paramhansa Yogananda

First Online Edition

Purchase a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi






Chapter 21
We Visit Kashmir


"You are strong enough now to travel. I will accompany you to Kashmir," Sri Yukteswar informed me two days after my miraculous recovery from Asiatic cholera.

That evening our party of six entrained for the north. Our first leisurely stop was at Simla, a queenly city resting on the throne of Himalayan hills. We strolled over the steep streets, admiring the magnificent views.

"English strawberries for sale," cried an old woman, squatting in a picturesque open market place.

Master was curious about the strange little red fruits. He bought a basketful and offered it to Kanai and myself, who were near-by. I tasted one berry but spat it hastily on the ground.

"Sir, what a sour fruit! I could never like strawberries!"

My guru laughed. "Oh, you will like themin America. At a dinner there, your hostess will serve them with sugar and cream. After she has mashed the berries with a fork, you will taste them and say: 'What delicious strawberries!' Then you will remember this day in Simla."

Sri Yukteswar's forecast vanished from my mind, but reappeared there many years later, shortly after my arrival in America. I was a dinner guest at the home of Mrs. Alice T. Hasey (Sister Yogmata) in West Somerville, Massachusetts. When a dessert of strawberries was put on the table, my hostess picked up her fork and mashed my berries, adding cream and sugar. "The fruit is rather tart; I think you will like it fixed this way," she remarked.

I took a mouthful. "What delicious strawberries!" I exclaimed. At once my guru's prediction in Simla emerged from the fathomless cave of memory. It was staggering to realize that long ago Sri Yukteswar's God-tuned mind had sensitively detected the program of karmic events wandering in the ether of futurity.

Our party soon left Simla and entrained for Rawalpindi. There we hired a large landau, drawn by two horses, in which we started a seven-day trip to Srinagar, capital city of Kashmir. The second day of our northbound journey brought into view the true Himalayan vastness. As the iron wheels of our carriage creaked along the hot, stony roads, we were enraptured with changing vistas of mountainous grandeur.

"Sir," Auddy said to Master, "I am greatly enjoying these glorious scenes in your holy company."

I felt a throb of pleasure at Auddy's appreciation, for I was acting as host on this trip. Sri Yukteswar caught my thought; he turned to me and whispered:

"Don't flatter yourself; Auddy is not nearly as entranced with the scenery as he is with the prospect of leaving us long enough to have a cigaret."

I was shocked. "Sir," I said in an undertone, "please do not break our harmony by these unpleasant words. I can hardly believe that Auddy is hankering for a smoke."1 I looked apprehensively at my usually irrepressible guru.

"Very well; I won't say anything to Auddy." Master chuckled. "But you will soon see, when the landau halts, that Auddy is quick to seize his opportunity."

The carriage arrived at a small caravanserai. As our horses were led to be watered, Auddy inquired, "Sir, do you mind if I ride awhile with the driver? I would like to get a little outside air."

Sri Yukteswar gave permission, but remarked to me, "He wants fresh smoke and not fresh air."

The landau resumed its noisy progress over the dusty roads. Master's eyes were twinkling; he instructed me, "Crane up your neck through the carriage door and see what Auddy is doing with the air."

I obeyed, and was astounded to observe Auddy in the act of exhaling rings of cigaret smoke. My glance toward Sri Yukteswar was apologetic.

"You are right, as always, sir. Auddy is enjoying a puff along with a panorama." I surmised that my friend had received a gift from the cab driver; I knew Auddy had not carried any cigarette from Calcutta.

We continued on the labyrinthine way, adorned by views of rivers, valleys, precipitous crags, and multitudinous mountain tiers. Every night we stopped at rustic inns, and prepared our own food. Sri Yukteswar took special care of my diet, insisting that I have lime juice at all meals. I was still weak, but daily improving, though the rattling carriage was strictly designed for discomfort.

Joyous anticipations filled our hearts as we neared central Kashmir, paradise land of lotus lakes, floating gardens, gaily canopied houseboats, the many-bridged Jhelum River, and flower-strewn pastures, all ringed round by the Himalayan majesty. Our approach to Srinagar was through an avenue of tall, welcoming trees. We engaged rooms at a double-storied inn overlooking the noble hills. No running water was available; we drew our supply from a near-by well. The summer weather was ideal, with warm days and slightly cold nights.

We made a pilgrimage to the ancient Srinagar temple of Swami Shankara. As I gazed upon the mountain-peak hermitage, standing bold against the sky, I fell into an ecstatic trance. A vision appeared of a hilltop mansion in a distant land. The lofty Shankara ashram before me was transformed into the structure where, years later, I established the Self-Realization Fellowship headquarters in America. When I first visited Los Angeles, and saw the large building on the crest of Mount Washington, I recognized it at once from my long-past visions in Kashmir and elsewhere.

A few days at Srinagar; then on to Gulmarg ("mountain paths of flowers"), elevated by six thousand feet. There I had my first ride on a large horse. Rajendra mounted a small trotter, whose heart was fired with ambition for speed. We ventured onto the very steep Khilanmarg; the path led through a dense forest, abounding in tree-mushrooms, where the mist-shrouded trails were often precarious. But Rajendra's little animal never permitted my oversized steed a moment's rest, even at the most perilous turns. On, on, untiringly came Rajendra's horse, oblivious to all but the joy of competition.

Our strenuous race was rewarded by a breath-taking view. For the first time in this life, I gazed in all directions at sublime snow-capped Himalayas, lying tier upon tier like silhouettes of huge polar bears. My eyes feasted exultingly on endless reaches of icy mountains against sunny blue skies.

I rolled merrily with my young companions, all wearing overcoats, on the sparkling white slopes. On our downward trip we saw afar a vast carpet of yellow flowers, wholly transfiguring the bleak hills.

Our next excursions were to the famous royal "pleasure gardens" of the Emperor Jehangir, at Shalimar and Nishat Bagh. The ancient palace at Nishat Bagh is built directly over a natural waterfall. Rushing down from the mountains, the torrent has been regulated through ingenious contrivances to flow over colorful terraces and to gush into fountains amidst the dazzling flower-beds. The stream also enters several of the palace rooms, ultimately dropping fairy like into the lake below. The immense gardens are riotous with color roses of a dozen hues, snapdragons, lavender, pansies, poppies. An emerald enclosing outline is given by symmetrical rows of chinars,2 cypresses, cherry trees; beyond them tower the white austerities of the Himalayas.

Kashmir grapes are considered a rare delicacy in Calcutta. Rajendra, who had been promising himself a veritable feast on reaching Kashmir, was disappointed to find there no large vineyards. Now and then I chaffed him jocosely over his baseless anticipation.

"Oh, I have become so much gorged with grapes I can't walk!" I would say. "The invisible grapes are brewing within me!" Later I heard that sweet grapes grow abundantly in Kabul, west of Kashmir. We consoled ourselves with ice cream made of rabri, a heavily condensed milk, and flavored with whole pistachio nuts.

We took several trips in the shikaras or houseboats, shaded by red-embroidered canopies, coursing along the intricate channels of Dal Lake, a network of canals like a watery spider web. Here the numerous floating gardens, crudely improvised with logs and earth, strike one with amazement, so incongruous is the first sight of vegetables and melons growing in the midst of vast waters. Occasionally one sees a peasant, disdaining to be "rooted to the soil," towing his square plot of "land" to a new location in the many-fingered lake.

In this storied vale one finds an epitome of all the earth's beauties. The Lady of Kashmir is mountain-crowned, lake-garlanded, and flower-shod. In later years, after I had toured many distant lands, I understood why Kashmir is often called the world's most scenic spot. It possesses some of the charms of the Swiss Alps, and of Loch Lomond in Scotland, and of the exquisite English lakes. An American traveler in Kashmir finds much to remind him of the rugged grandeur of Alaska and of Pikes Peak near Denver.

As entries in a scenic beauty contest, I offer for first prize either the gorgeous view of Xochimilco in Mexico, where mountains, skies, and poplars reflect themselves in myriad lanes of water amidst the playful fish, or the jewel-like lakes of Kashmir, guarded like beautiful maidens by the stern surveillance of the Himalayas. These two places stand out in my memory as the loveliest spots on earth.

Yet I was awed also when I first beheld the wonders of Yellowstone National Park and of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and of Alaska. Yellowstone Park is perhaps the only region where one can see innumerable geysers shooting high into the air, performing year after year with clockwork regularity. Its opal and sapphire pools and hot sulphurous springs, its bears and wild creatures, remind one that here Nature left a specimen of her earliest creation. Motoring along the roads of Wyoming to the "Devil's Paint Pot" of hot bubbling mud, with gurgling springs, vaporous fountains, and spouting geysers in all directions, I was disposed to say that Yellowstone deserves a special prize for uniqueness.

The ancient majestic redwoods of Yosemite, stretching their huge columns far into the unfathomable sky, are green natural cathedrals designed with skill divine. Though there are wonderful falls in the Orient, none match the torrential beauty of Niagara near the Canadian border. The Mammoth Caves of Kentucky and the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, with colorful iciclelike formations, are stunning fairylands. Their long needles of stalactite spires, hanging from cave ceilings and mirrored in underground waters, present a glimpse of other worlds as fancied by man.

Most of the Hindus of Kashmir, world-famed for their beauty, are as white as Europeans and have similar features and bone structure; many have blue eyes and blonde hair. Dressed in Western clothes, they look like Americans. The cold Himalayas protect the Kashmiris from the sultry sun and preserve their light complexions. As one travels to the southern and tropical latitudes of India, he finds progressively that the people become darker and darker.

After spending happy weeks in Kashmir, I was forced to return to Bengal for the fall term of Serampore College. Sri Yukteswar remained in Srinagar, with Kanai and Auddy. Before I departed, Master hinted that his body would be subject to suffering in Kashmir.

"Sir, you look a picture of health," I protested.

"There is a chance that I may even leave this earth."

"Guruji!" I fell at his feet with an imploring gesture. "Please promise that you won't leave your body now. I am utterly unprepared to carry on without you."

Sri Yukteswar was silent, but smiled at me so compassionately that I felt reassured. Reluctantly I left him.

"Master dangerously ill." This telegram from Auddy reached me shortly after my return to Serampore.

"Sir," I wired my guru frantically, "I asked for your promise not to leave me. Please keep your body; otherwise, I also shall die."

"Be it as you wish." This was Sri Yukteswar's reply from Kashmir.

A letter from Auddy arrived in a few days, informing me that Master had recovered. On his return to Serampore during the next fortnight, I was grieved to find my guru's body reduced to half its usual weight.

Fortunately for his disciples, Sri Yukteswar burned many of their sins in the fire of his severe fever in Kashmir. The metaphysical method of physical transfer of disease is known to highly advanced yogis. A strong man can assist a weaker one by helping to carry his heavy load; a spiritual superman is able to minimize his disciples' physical or mental burdens by sharing the karma of their past actions. Just as a rich man loses some money when he pays off a large debt for his prodigal son, who is thus saved from dire consequences of his own folly, so a master willingly sacrifices a portion of his bodily wealth to lighten the misery of disciples. 3

By a secret method, the yogi unites his mind and astral vehicle with those of a suffering individual; the disease is conveyed, wholly or in part, to the saint's body. Having harvested God on the physical field, a master no longer cares what happens to that material form. Though he may allow it to register a certain disease in order to relieve others, his mind is never affected; he considers himself fortunate in being able to render such aid.

The devotee who has achieved final salvation in the Lord finds that his body has completely fulfilled its purpose; he can then use it in any way he deems fit. His work in the world is to alleviate the sorrows of mankind, whether through spiritual means or by intellectual counsel or through will power or by the physical transfer of disease. Escaping to the superconsciousness whenever he so desires, a master can remain oblivious of physical suffering; sometimes he chooses to bear bodily pain stoically, as an example to disciples. By putting on the ailments of others, a yogi can satisfy, for them, the karmic law of cause and effect. This law is mechanically or mathematically operative; its workings can be scientifically manipulated by men of divine wisdom.

The spiritual law does not require a master to become ill whenever he heals another person. Healings ordinarily take place through the saint's knowledge of various methods of instantaneous cure in which no hurt to the spiritual healer is involved. On rare occasions, however, a master who wishes to greatly quicken his disciples' evolution may then voluntarily work out on his own body a large measure of their undesirable karma.

Jesus signified himself as a ransom for the sins of many. With his divine powers,4 his body could never have been subjected to death by crucifixion if he had not willingly cooperated with the subtle cosmic law of cause and effect. He thus took on himself the consequences of others' karma, especially that of his disciples. In this manner they were highly purified and made fit to receive the omnipresent consciousness which later descended on them.

Only a self-realized master can transfer his life force, or convey into his own body the diseases of others. An ordinary man cannot employ this yogic method of cure, nor is it desirable that he should do so; for an unsound physical instrument is a hindrance to God-meditation. The Hindu scriptures teach that the first duty of man is to keep his body in good condition; otherwise his mind is unable to remain fixed in devotional concentration.

A very strong mind, however, can transcend all physical difficulties and attain to God-realization. Many saints have ignored illness and succeeded in their divine quest. St. Francis of Assisi, severely afflicted with ailments, healed others and even raised the dead.

I knew an Indian saint, half of whose body was once festering with sores. His diabetic condition was so acute that under ordinary conditions he could not sit still at one time for more than fifteen minutes. But his spiritual aspiration was undeterrable. "Lord," he prayed, "wilt Thou come into my broken temple?" With ceaseless command of will, the saint gradually became able to sit daily in the lotus posture for eighteen continuous hours, engrossed in the ecstatic trance.

"And," he told me, "at the end of three years, I found the Infinite Light blazing within my shattered form. Rejoicing in the joyful splendour, I forgot the body. Later I saw that it had become whole through the Divine Mercy."

A historical healing incident concerns King Baber (1483-1530), founder of the Mogul empire in India. His son, Prince Humayun, was mortally ill. The father prayed with anguished determination that he receive the sickness, and that his son be spared. After all physicians had given up hope, Humayun recovered. Baber immediately fell sick and died of the same disease which had stricken his son. Humayun succeeded Baber as Emperor of Hindustan.

Many people imagine that every spiritual master has, or should have, the health and strength of a Sandow. The assumption is unfounded. A sickly body does not indicate that a guru is not in touch with divine powers, any more than lifelong health necessarily indicates an inner illumination. The condition of the physical body, in other words, cannot rightfully be made a test of a master. His distinguishing qualifications must be sought in his own domain, the spiritual.

Numerous bewildered seekers in the West erroneously think that an eloquent speaker or writer on metaphysics must be a master. The rishis, however, have pointed out that the acid test of a master is a man's ability to enter at will the breathless state, and to maintain the unbroken samadhi of nirbikalpa.5 Only by these achievements can a human being prove that he has "mastered" maya or the dualistic Cosmic Delusion. He alone can say from the depths of realization: "Ekam sat, ""Only One exists."

"The Vedas declare that the ignorant man who rests content with making the slightest distinction between the individual soul and the Supreme Self is exposed to danger," Shankara the great monist has written. "Where there is duality by virtue of ignorance, one sees all things as distinct from the Self. When everything is seen as the Self, then there is not even an atom other than the Self. . . .

"As soon as the knowledge of the Reality has sprung up, there can be no fruits of past actions to be experienced, owing to the unreality of the body, in the same way as there can be no dream after waking."

Only great gurus are able to assume the karma of disciples. Sri Yukteswar would not have suffered in Kashmir unless he had received permission from the Spirit within him to help his disciples in that strange way. Few saints were ever more sensitively equipped with wisdom to carry out divine commands than my God-tuned Master.

When I ventured a few words of sympathy over his emaciated figure, my guru said gaily:

"It has its good points; I am able now to get into some small ganjis (undershirts) that I haven't worn in years!"

Listening to Master's jovial laugh, I remembered the words of St. Francis de Sales: "A saint that is sad is a sad saint!"



1 It is a mark of disrespect, in India, to smoke in the presence of one's elders and superiors.
Back to text

2 The Oriental plane tree.
Back to text

3 Many Christian saints, including Therese Neumann (see page 372), are familiar with the metaphysical transfer of disease.
Back to text

4 Christ said, just before he was led away to be crucified: "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"-Matthew 26:53-54.
Back to text

5 See pp. 246, 415 note.
Back to text

Chapter 22

Enjoy!

xoxoxoxoxoxo








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Summer Solstice on Sunday, 21st June 2009

“Rebirth the Earth.” On the solstice (June 21), Sunday at noon, GW Hardin will start sending sacred tones into the various grids of the Earth using what is called the angelic merkaba. These sacred tones have been returned to humanity by the angelic realm for healing and alignment. As these tones are played, the ancient grids, the sacred grids, and the heavenly grids will be woven together in a way that will allow the Earth to vibrate anew as if in rebirth. You are invited to participate in the following way:

(1) Use the same geometry printout from the Rebirth Celebration of May 9-11 (print from the Home Page of www.CommonPassion.org ... Sacred Geometry link in the upper right). Place either a crystal or rock or sand or soil on the printout.

(2) At noon local time, play the audio meditation found on the same Home Page at www.CommonPassion.org (Audio Meditation link in the upper right. Instead of using water, we are going to use earth this time. There are sacred numbers embedded in the meditation that match the frequencies that will be sent into the Earth. Because this is also Father’s Day in the United States, those who have plans already for noon may pick another time while setting their intent that their effort will join with the rest of the globe at noon.

(3) As you move into meditation, set the intent that the earth (crystal, rock, sand, or soil) you place on the sacred geometric pattern in front of you (printout) will carry with it the vibrations of peace, wisdom, and joy that you embue into it during the meditation. As you did with the water on May 9-11, do the same with the earth, taking it to what you consider a sacred place, blessing our world as you scatter it upon the Earth.

Special Promo Offers!

.....at peopletree.co.uk!

Ooops!

....I'll leave you with Jen's(from rejenerate.com.au:)first-Class ECO tip:

Everytime you are tempted by something shiny and new, ask yourself if you could find something similar that is pre-loved. Usually you can find something even better with lots of character and individuality and people will admire your unique style. Pay attention to everything that goes into your bin and assess what you can do next time to avoid creating that waste. No one's perfect, certainly not me, but that doesn't mean you can't try!

Thanks Jen!

Giving Credit Where it's due(Be The Change You Want To See In The World:)!

I was so pleased to hear that the amazing Safia Minney(inset) was recognised by H.M Queen Elizabeth the second, in her birthday honours this week. As you maybe aware the fearless Ms. Minney campaigns tirelessly for change in the developing world. A most deserving award at last!Please check out: www.peopletree.co.uk

A few of my favourite sites / blog:

www.oxfam.org.uk/recipes

www.rejenerate.com.au

heidiandseek.blogspot.com

www.tinyconcept.blogspot.com

So many truely inspirational and talented folk out there!

xoxoxoxo

Before you invest in a costly purchase, please read 'The Good Shopping Guide First'(AKA do your research:)!

I would like to recommend the extremely useful; 'The Good Shopping Guide' to all as it thoroughly reviews over 700 companies and brands giving you peace of mind, a clear conscience and superb 'value for money' at your finger tips(It's a real eye oppener too:).

The Good Shopping Guide is an excellent guide to which brands to buy and which brands to avoid from an ethical point of view. There are about 70 different product categories - from butter to jeans and banks to shampoo - which include substantial editorial on the ethical issues involved plus a summary of the best brands to buy (and which not to). The summary is taken from an indepth ethical anaylisis of the companies behind each brand and shows how they perfom against a number of different ethical criteria (eg. animal testing, pollution, armaments, genetic engineering). Did you know that Diesel is a more ethical brand of jeans than Calvin Klein? Or a Whirlpool washing machine is better than a Bosch? Not only is this an essential reference guide for ethical consumers, but it is also extremely informative and interesting. It can be easily dipped in and out of before you go shopping or captivate you for hours(source: A reviewer on Amazon.co.uk:)!

You can save on postage and packing by ordering direct from:

www.ethical-company-organisation.org

You'll be glad you did!

Campaign to ommit the ubiquitous 'Baby' wipe, disposable nappy / breast pads etc.

In these ecologically-conscious times why or why are leaving a legacy of pollution and environmental degradation for generations to come? The petrochemicals, plastics, chlorine, parabens and formaldehyde and other noxious substances in baby wipes, disposable breast pads and disposable napkins / diapers will not decompose ie they are not biodegradable and will remain as pollution long after we've gone killing wildlife and precious eco-systems to boot. Is that a lasting impression we really want to leave?

Let's all come together as one and spread the word(Knowledge is power:)!

As a Typical 'apple' it's time to take stock for the sake of one's health as health is wealth!

Weight gain in the area of and above the waist (apple type) is more dangerous than weight gained around the hips and flank area (pear type). Fat cells in the upper body have different qualities than those found in hips and thighs.

I've couldn't help but notice that virtually all my garments don't hang as well as they once did(I prefer loose and comfortably-fitted clothes). They now look quite tight and unsightly. The reason for this fat gain is a combination of a health scare I had a while back and a lack of exercise. The secrets for keeping me confident, slim and serene back then were a combination of yoga-based exercises and natural foods.

They include:

*basic asanas
*5 Tibetan Rites(based on the asanas, thus stimulate the charkras) - if you do one discipline for the rest of your natural life I wholeheartedly recommend this one!
*rebounding AKA a mini trampoline:)
* Walks / rambling / hiking / power walking etc
* A plant-based diet rich in raw organic food(Leafy greens, fresh berries, nuts, seeds and live sprouts(seeds,pulses etc.)

Time for action(Wish me luck:)!

Special Treat For You!

I stumbled across a promo code(via Google) for ethical emporium adili.com where you can get 20% off(yes you heard right one fifth :)off you total basket.Just state the promo code when you check out!

Promo code:HIGHSUMMER09

Until:21st June 2009

Happy shopping:)

Dream Job?!!!

The British man about to be paid $150,000 to lounge on a Queensland island has denied complaining about his "dream job" before it has even began.

Ben Southall, who won the worldwide "Best Job in the World" competition last month, admitted he will miss the long English summers — but that there is plenty to look forward to when he takes up his six-month caretaker’s job on Hamilton Island.

"Despite the weather, I love summer in Britain," The Sun reported Southall as saying.

"I'll miss the long days we have. The island may boast a tropical climate but it gets dark at 8pm."

When asked by ninemsn today if he means to moan about missing Britain, Southall replied: "As if".

"I'll still be getting plenty of daylight and sun in Queensland — it's all good," he said in a phone interview tonight.

Southall, a former charity worker from Petersfield, Hampshire, also told The Sun he will miss the traditional Sunday roast as he writes his weekly blog from his rent-free three-bedroom beach villa.

"It will be far too hot to cook anything like that," he was quoted as saying.

But Southall told ninemsn he cannot wait to tuck into some Australian barbecue seafood.

"I'm a big lover of seafood platters, especially crayfish, and what I'm really looking forward to is the chance to catch some fresh fish and cook it on a proper barbecue," he said.

Southall even said he even wants an "Aussie-style BBQ" on his wedding day instead of a "poncy four-course dinner".

The 34-year-old beat thousands of online entrants and 15 other short-listed candidates to win the highly-publicised dream job contest.

He begins his caretaker’s job, which includes "tasks" such as writing a weekly blog and going on scuba diving trips, on July 1.

Source:Ninemsn

If you're yearning for Tropical paradise, Queensland has it all!

Experimenting with natural dyes

I had the opportunity to cover up the unsightly grubby marks on my cream coloured clothing to a vibrant sunny yellow hue and that's just what one did! I used a mixture of Turmeric(part of the ginger / lily botanical family which also has antibacterial properties:)powder and boiling water and hey presto(a wash later)a magically achemically gorgeous shade of sun.

Other naturally-sourced dyes can include: beets(beetroot GB), chilli, barks, leaves, berries and seeds.

What a brilliant way of creating a new garment for free:)

Great Event for all the family!

we would like to let you know that you are all invited to come and join us at the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary http://www.parkgateponies.co.uk/ on the 4th and 5th July, from 11am - 5pm.
A GREAT DAY OUT FOR ALL THE FAMILY LOTS TO SEE AND DO
* Come along and meet our rescued horses and ponies *Featuring:- Shetland Pony Grand National Cobber’s Life Story * Dog Show (Saturday Only)*Lots of Stalls:- Gifts, Cards * Ferrets Books, Jewellery, Tombola Raffle, Coconut Shy, Refreshments: Home Made Cakes, Barbecue, Ice Creams, Hot and Cold Drinks and much more. HELP US CELEBRATE "25 YEARS OF RESCUING HORSES AND PONIES” Being passionate about animals and willing to support Cruelty Free causes, Your Natural Beauty Store have a stall there selling our wonderful Natural, Organic and Cruelty Free beauty products and best of all, 10% of our profits is being donated to the Pony Sanctuary. Please come and join in the fun!

Guilt-free Eco Green Leather!

TreeTap
A plant-based leather from the Amazon. Tapped by native Indians directly from the trees, the rubber is purified and spread onto a canvas of organic cotton. Through a hand-crafted process unique in the world, it becomes a fabric used in fashion accessories and interior design products.

Now there's no excuse to kill innocent beings.



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Marley & Me is a great read!

I've just finished reading a heart-warming account of one man's(John Grogan)relationship with his best friend. I absolutely loved it from start to finish and would recommend it to EVERYONE and anyone. A worthy tribute to man's best friend!

It really makes you appreciate what's important, your relationships ones and life itself:)

Tuesday's child is full of grace!

Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

More Hemptastic facts about Hemp's History and production!

The use of hemp dates way back to the Stone Age, with 10,000 year old hemp fibre found in Chinese and Taiwanese pottery. These ancient Asians also used the same hemp fibres to make clothes, shoes, ropes, and an early form of paper.

The fibre is one of the most valuable parts of the hemp plant. It is commonly called "bast", which refers to the outside fibres that grow on the woody interior of the plants stalk, and under the most outer part (the bark). Bast fibres give the plants more strength, which is especially true with the hemp plant. Hemp fibres can be 3 to 15 feet long, running the length of the plant. Depending on the processing used to remove the fibre from the stem, the hemp naturally may be creamy white, brown, grey, black or green.

The use of hemp for fibre production has fallen sharply over the last few hundred years, but before the industrial revolution, hemp was a popular fibre because it is very strong and grows quickly; it produces 250% more fibre than cotton and 600% more fibre than flax when grown on the same type of land. Hemp has been used to make paper as evidenced by Jefferson's draft version of the The Declaration of Independence, which was on hemp paper. The world hemp paper pulp production was believed to be around 120,000 tons per year in 1991 which was about 0.05 % of the world's annual pulp production volume.

Another temptingly-good offer from a sound source!

Those lovely folk at puritystyle.com have done it again with a 25% off promotion on all tops and dresses(Ends midnight 12th June 2009) and let me tell you you'll be spoilt for choice!

Purity is a lovely boutique based in Farnham, Surrey that offers an exquisite range of fair trade, organic cotton, hemp and silk garments at a competitive price(Free delivery for orders over £30.00).

30% off all Organic Cotton Goodies at Oxfam.org.uk!

........ Change the world by purchasing Organic Cotton(soo soo soft too:)

Lovely inspiration from a wise source!

Swami Sivananda: – Sivananda Upanishad
Do not hate the jealous and selfish. It is they who promote you spiritual growth. This world is your best teacher. There is a lesson in everything. There is a lesson in each experience. Learn it and become wise. Every failure is a stepping stone to success. Every difficulty or disappointment is a trial of your faith. Every unpleasant incident or temptation is a test of your inner strength. Therefore nil desperandum. March forward hero!

Have a magical day everyone:)

Children will say the funniest things..................

An adorable four year girl asks in her mother's tongue(Espanol:) 'Why haven't I got breasts?' a case of growing up too fast?!