VegFamily News

PenPoints May 2008

Planting Seeds

The plants in the garden are beginning to burst forth with life, reminding me that growing time is near.

As I reflect on this process of sowing seeds, I am reminded of sowing seeds within my own life. What is it that I truly want to plant and grow this year? Many things come to my mind...awareness, consciousness, love, kindness, forgiveness, the thirst for knowledge and an open mind that can receive new information, the ability to let go. These are all qualities that I would like to "grow" this year.

It is interesting to note that what typically comes before, and actually aides growth is pruning. Pruning at first glance, may appear counter productive to growth and yet this cutting back is a necessary component of progress. And so it is in our own lives, as we let go of old patterns and habits and ways of being, we are able to more and more step into our wholeness.

In an attempt to truly learn, I am beginning to be aware of the subtle naysayer in my mind that may not listen wholeheartedly to new ideas. I am trying to quiet this energy so that I can be more fully present with new information. I am learning to be ok with changing my mind, even on things that I have passionately defended. I am learning to be more humble and say, "I want to learn.".

If we are scared to let go of some ideas, we can try to tune in more and more to our intuition as changes are made and literally feel if we are traveling a useful path. Utilizing the intuition is very different than blindly following any given idea and gives us space to really feel the information on a deeper level. A good sign that we are on the right track is that we are energized instead of being drained. Having this energy barometer, we can safely walk outside of our box of experience, and integrate new ideas into our lives that resonate. It is from living more and more from this center of knowingness that the world is transformed as each of our individual lives are transformed.

Alerts:
1. In a recent study, it was discovered that persistent organic pollutants are,"alarmingly high" in many of the most beautiful National Parks including Rocky Mountain and Glacier National Parks. This is disturbing information because these particular forms of chemicals can collect in the fat tissue of animals and humans and can cause a wide array of ailments. To notify congress to take charge, please see http://action.panna.org/t/5185/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1172.

2. Help CleanPeace.org inspire congress to support clean energy, learn why nuclear power is not a healthy option and learn what alternatives are. Visit www.cleanpeace.org/

3. Kimberly Clark is the world?s largest distributor of tissue products, most of which have little to no recycled paper content. Instead these products are made from ancient forests which are literally being flushed down the drain. Please voice your opinion and inspire Kimberly-Clark to go green. http://members.greenpeace.org/action/start.php?action_id=154

And the Good News!
1. Kudos to Greenwich, CT which recently banned the use of pesticides on all town, athletic playing fields, many of which were suspected carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. For more on the story visit: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=327

2. "To leave every environment we dwell in better than we found it..." is a main part of Bioshield's mission statement. Bioshield, which specializes in non-toxic and no voc paints, and plasters, helps customers create beauty while at the same time, support their health. For more information please visit: www.bioshieldpaint.com

3. Learn about creating beautiful AND healthy homes with cob. Cob Cottage has been sharing with others the art of cob since 1993. For more information, to view photos and to find out about upcoming workshops please visit: http://www.cobcottage.com/workshopinfo

Progressive Media:
To learn more about the art of building a cob home see: The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage: The Real Goods Solar Living Book

Penelope Sullivan holds a Bachelors in Holistic Nutrition and is a Certified Family Herbalist through the School of Natural Healing. She is currently completing their Master Herbalist course.

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