General Articles by Ocean (aka Stephen Liff-Anderson, M.S):
The man in the checkout line of the cafeteria looks at me searchingly. He is tall, with close-cropped curly hair - is he Burt? Yes. Burt tells me of his plans to see a renowned expert for a rare type of brain disorder. I ask him if he is seeing anyone for therapy. He looks down, then responds sheepishly, saying he is glad that Paul doesn't know that he is working with Ed. I assure Burt that I have the deepest respect for Ed's work. I seem to receive a cue and tell Burt, "You seem to be very successful in your work, knowing how to make a living, to have all the things which are seen as important. What you don't seem to have is a clear sense of purpose, to know why you are living..." Burt nods assent...
As I share this dream with the final meeting of our group, I ponder how to best find closure. The group is ending for two reasons - the summer break, and more importantly, the relocation of my family and counseling practice to the Northwest. Tammy suggests the group work on my dream this time, since as facilitator I have not explored any of my own personal dreams during group time. I somewhat reluctantly concede, wanting to spend more of our last session on group members' dreams.
Over the months that the Saratoga Dreamers have met, I've marveled in appreciation of the profound healing which is possible through the practice of transformative dreamwork: Mark, who entered the group nervous and stumbling over his words, now seems at ease in discussions. Jim no longer has violent images invading his nightly sleep. Tammy, one of the most astute and insightful members, continues to discover new aspects of herself, as the dreamwork sheds light upon her darker fears and waking dilemmas.
My approach to dreamwork is based largely on a process developed by Jeremy Taylor, a dreamworker and Unitarian minister from the Bay Area. I encourage dreamers to remain open to as many interpretations as possible, whether your dream seems to hold metaphors or archetypes, predictions of the future, sexual projections, or content which relates obviously to events in your waking life. This is the greatest benefit of group dreamwork: that each person hearing your dream has a different insight into the dream's meaning, so that the group always offers you multiple possible interpretations. Of course the only person who knows for certain which interpretation is correct is you, the dreamer!
Mark dreams that a spider the size of a monkey is weaving a huge web, but he wishes it could be killed. The spider enters a women's restroom, so that he can not enter to kill it... I suggest the weaving represents a growing in connection with others, a creative energy. Tammy recalls the spider is an archetype for the feminine, and suggests that Mark is having trouble embracing his feminine side. Mark's eyes light up in recognition, a sure sign that Tammy's insight is accurate. He excitedly connects why the restroom was the women's room, a place he felt forbidden to enter. Mark explores for the first time his desire to "kill the feminine" in himself.
As the end of our last session draws near, the group takes a crack at my dream. My initial interpretation of the dream is quite simple, that I am merely giving advice to an acquaintance in need. Tammy suggests, however, that Burt represents a disowned part of myself, that the advice I gave him was actually intended for myself. I feel a wave shudder through my body as I recall my advice to Burt: "You seem to be very successful in your work, knowing how to make a living, to have all the things which are seen as important. What you don't seem to have is a clear sense of purpose, to know why you are living..." I recognize an unresolved spiritual question: Why am I living?
I explain that Paul and Ed are both actual people in my life, two brothers who are also both therapists, but who also have diametrically opposed theories and modalities. While Ed focuses on deeply archetypal and spiritual work, Paul is a social worker who only addresses issues of inequity and oppression. Jim suggests that my dream-conflict between the two brothers might represent a conflict between two parts of myself. My spine tingles with another recognition, as I re-encounter my life-long inner conflict between faith and skepticism, between the scientific perspective and the spiritual path. Tammy challenges me to see my new work in Oregon as an opportunity become a healer rather than a therapist, to be one who works from the heart with compassion rather than through "technique" or function. I thank her and the other group members, feeling deep gratitude and a warm glow within...
What impresses me most about the work of Jeremy Taylor is his unswerving belief that dreamwork not only heals the individual, but also the soul, the world and the collective unconscious as well. Taylor concludes his dreamwork primer Where People Fly and Water Runs Uphill (Warner Books, 1992) with this impassioned plea:
We have reached a point in the development of the species where we have taken into our hands the power to destroy the life of the planet. We are using that power, for good and ill, every day. If we are to survive, we must learn as much about our own unconscious depths and creative possibilities as we know about the structure of the atom and the makeup of the stars. Our dreams are an indispensable key to that learning. We must consciously explore this realm further. We can afford to wait no longer.
In the time since the final Saratoga group meeting, I have accepted Tammy's challenge and have grown in my commitment to become a healer, not only for the human community but also for the Mother planet which sustains all life. I am pleased offer dreamwork and heart-centered counseling in Corvallis. Transformative Dreamwork is an intensive, powerful journey which is filled with light and shadow, challenge and wonder. I invite you to join us in exploring the depths of the unconscious, discovering the miracles which lay hidden in your dreamscape, fully healing both self and world.
With the holiday season upon us, we often wonder what to serve to our friends and family which will be both delicious and healthy. Most holiday dishes are too high-fat or use lots of sweeteners, so much that people even go on diets to prepare for holiday food!
Our family has enjoyed the accompanying recipes for Thanksgiving feasts over the last few years. While they are low-fat and use no refined sweeteners, they are not short when it comes to flavor - we are sure you will enjoy them too. Let us know what you think! Each recipe should serve 6 persons.
Creamy Corn and Bean Soup
1 large onion, diced
1/2 TBS. corn or sunflower oil (optional)
2 cups lima beans, soaked overnight & drained
6" piece kombu sea vegetable
8 cups water
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 TBS. light miso
sea salt to taste
chopped parsley or scallions to garnishSaute onion in oil, if desired. Add lima beans, kombu & fresh water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hour over low heat. Add carrots and celery, cook 20 minutes or until tender. Add corn & miso, cook 5 minutes more. Season to taste. Garnish with parsley or scallions.
Marlene's Savory Stuffed Squash with Sage Dressing
3-4 lb winter squash
4 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1 cup thinly sliced onions
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tsp tamari
waterCut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place in an ovenproof dish. Set aside. In an iron skillet, heat oil and saute onions until soft. Add celery and carrot and a small sprinkle of salt. Add water to cover bottom, cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are just tender. Blend bread in a food processor or blender to make bread crumbs. In a bowl, mix bread crumbs with sauteed vegetables, seasonings and coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Add water until dressing is moist but not soggy. Stuff into squash and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add 1/4 inch water to pan, cover and cook 1 to 1-1/2 hours at 375° until squash is tender. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more. Allow to sit before "carving".
Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup water
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup barley malt
pinch sea salt
2-1/2 TBS kuzuSoak raisins in 1 cup water for 15 minutes. Drain, saving soak water. Place cranberries, raisins, barley malt and sea salt in a pot. Add fresh water to soak water to measure 1-1/2 cups, add to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to medium heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Reduce flame to low and remove cover. Dilute kuzu in 2-1/2 TBS water, add slowly to pot, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Sauce will become a bright red color as it thickens. Simmer another minute or so. Allow to cool before serving.
Collard Greens with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 quart water
2 quart greens, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seedsBring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add greens in several small batches, boiling 3-5 minutes each until tender. Drain well. Toss with pumpkin seeds.
Spiced Glazed Pears
6 firm, ripe pears
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
3 TBS. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
ground cinnamon for garnishQuarter the pears, slicing off the core. Slice each quarter in half lengthwise to make 8 slices. Place in a 9x14-inch baking dish. Mix the apple juice, lemon juice and spices. Pour over the pears. Bake covered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pears are tender when pierced. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears to a bowl and allow to cool. To make a glaze, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan, leaving the spice residue behind. Bring to a boil over high heat and keep boiling until the juice is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon glaze over each serving. If desired, garnish with your favorite flavor of non-dairy frozen dessert and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
My fear surged as the flap was lowered. In the enveloping darkness, I could see only the red glow of the searing hot stones in the shallow pit at the center of the lodge. Though I had just entered the lodge, almost immediately I felt I had made a grave error. I realized my anxiety would likely become panic, and feared that I would have to leave the lodge early and disrupt the ceremony.
"I sense hesitation." Don said. "And I don't like it, This is not a place to come and see what this is like, this is a spiritual sweat lodge!" I was surprised by the leader's perception of my unspoken thoughts, yet acknowledged my hesitation and reminded myself why I had come to this lodge. I wanted to purify myself, to receive a vision for my personal healing work, and to discover hope for the healing of Mother Earth.
The heat was now growing intense. Sweat poured off my body. Don ladled water over the stones and the steam became unbearable. I found it difficult to breathe and felt my panic increasing. I recalled that Jay had told me the lodge would carry the weakest person, but I did not want to be that person. Then just when I felt I would have to leave the lodge, Don called for the door to be opened. I inhaled in relief as the cool air poured in, giving us all a respite from the heat.
Two people chose to leave, but I remembered my purpose and stayed on. More glowing hot stones were brought in, the flap was closed, and the darkness descended, a darkness deeper and more frightening than I had imagined possible. As the heat intensified, my heart pounded in my chest and I gulped the hot air, which seemed to sear my lungs with each breath. My mind raced in terror at the thought that I would die, and I felt I could go no further, but still I did not want to leave the lodge.
"I am afraid!" I cried out. Don asked that the flap be opened briefly and then asked all to pray for me, to help me in my fear. "A brother is afraid," said Jay. "Let's all pray to lift him up." I began to tremble and cry as I encountered my deepest fear--my fear of death. Don chanted in his native Cheyenne, others joined in chanting, and I found myself chanting to Mother Earth, the source of life and the receiver of death. "Mother Earth, help me!" and then "Mother Earth, take me!" I said over and over, softly to the ground beneath. In that moment I saw my fear, felt my fear, became my fear as my body ached, shuddered and strained for air, for the breath of life. I wept deeply as I began to understand that my eventual death was an integral part of the cycle of life, that Mother Earth would welcome me when the time came to surrender this body back into the ground from which I had been born.
This is how I made it through the last rounds of stones, which seemed as hot but somehow shorter in duration than the first rounds. Then the door was opened and we all crawled out of the lodge, on our hands and knees as babies crawling from the womb of Mother Earth. I sat by the fire and continued to tremble and cry, without reason or restraint. But the forested world around me seemed so much brighter than before, and to my delight my seasonal allergies had vanished. I breathed in the clear, pure air in deep gratitude.
Yet as I reflected by the fire, I discovered a pang of guilt that in my fear I had held back the others from a more intense lodge, for I was certain that Don had shortened the last few rounds on my behalf. This brought more tears and a renewed awareness of how I had allowed my fear to hold back my personal growth, the growth of my family, and even the growth of the persons I work with as a leader and counselor. This was the vision I had been seeking, a vision which came with a profound call to personal growth and change.
I shared this awareness as we talked around the fire, and Jay reassured me that whatever had happened within the lodge was perfect, that my sharing of my fear was good because in my vulnerability I had been authentic. I found this idea of perfection very hard to accept, and thus was also made aware of my habitual tendency towards self-criticism and guilt. This was the second vision I received from the lodge. Inwardly I thanked Don, Jay and Mother Earth for this insight.
Now my true purification begins, as I return to my family, my work and my community. I carry with me the gift of my visions from the lodge, with new clarity and commitment to my personal healing work. I see that my fear is not an obstacle, but a friend and guide which reveals the greater reality of my connectedness with the cycles of life. I am grateful to be on the path which we all share together, the path towards wholeness, unity and love. Blessings be.
Extensive scientific research conclusively implicates the ingestion of animal fat and protein in a host of degenerative diseases (illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, gallstones, kidney disease, varicosity, diverticulosis and osteoporosis). There is substantial evidence that animal fats raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels and accumulate in tissues and organs, causing eventual decline in function. Excess protein from a meat-centered diet is a factor for post-menopausal women, who need to be concerned with fluctuating hormone levels and bone loss due to calcium excretion. Medical research has determined that many diseases can be halted or even reversed by the application of a very low fat, essentially vegetarian diet. Vegetarians are found to live longer that their meat-eating counterparts, and are often slimmer and so at less risk of diseases which affect overweight Americans.
Despite these statistics, however, an increasing number of friends and acquaintances who used to consider themselves vegetarian have been telling me that they have started eating meat again. I keep asking myself "What's going on here?" My friends say they have been encouraged to continue or resume eating meat by their health practitioners and by such books as Mastering the Zone and Eat Right for Your Type. As a long-time student and teacher of macrobiotics, I am immediately reminded of the universal principle of balance which exists between the opposing yet harmonizing energies of yin and yang. In macrobiotics, yin is the principle of expansion, energy which moves outward and into the world; yang is the principle of contraction, energy which moves inward and into the self. There is a creative tension between these two energies, and in a healthy person a dynamic balance is maintained. But if we move too far from one energy into the other, an imbalance is created and a swing of the pendulum occurs.
Eating very sweet, expansive or yin foods like refined sugars (sugar, corn syrup, fructose), natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup) in excess, or even too much fruit can set up an imbalance which seeks a consumption of yang foods to rectify, i.e. one will crave eggs, fish or salty foods. Substances such as alcohol, caffeine, marijuana and other stimulants are even more expansive, creating cravings for hard, salty cheeses or red meat. Overconsumption of certain addictive foods can also stimulate cravings for more of the same food, such as heavily yeasted and sweetened breads, salty chips or cheeses, chocolates and soft drinks. So, one reason many of my vegetarian friends seem to be "needing" the addition of meat (a strongly yang food) to their diet is that they may have been eating too many sweets (strongly yin foods). This turns out to be a common experience among many people who become vegetarian by eliminating meat from their diet, but do not reduce their consumption of sugar and other sweet foods.
The macrobiotic dietary philosophy is not the same as that found in Mastering the Zone and Eat Right for Your Type, but instead is based upon traditions in oriental medicine dating back over 5000 years. Interestingly though, even Barry Sears seems to display a limited understanding of the need for yin/yang balance: In an appendix to his book he suggests that one can eat a serving of Haagen Daz and still stay in "The Zone" as long as a four-ounce serving of turkey is eaten with it! But nowhere in his book does he distinguish between the strongly yin refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour, etc) and the less yin whole carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, oats, etc. I also carefully read Eat Right for Your Type and found it completely lacking in any substantive research. (In fact, my own blood type B is recommended to eat lots of dairy products, which I know I am quite allergic to and which have given me life-threatening asthma in my past!)
My greatest concern with the new, popular meat-centered diets of Mastering the Zone and Eat Right for Your Type is that the yin/yang balance reached through the meat/sweet pendulum is a very unstable balance, one which bears little difference from the Standard American Diet which has caused such a general decline in our culture's health. A more stable balance can be achieved by following the macrobiotic recommendations to eat most of our diet as close to the center of the yin/yang continuum as possible. Whole, plant-sourced foods such as grains, legumes, root vegetables, leafy greens, sea vegetables and seasonal fruit are all centered and lead to a balance of yin/yang energies. Stronger yin and yang foods (those furthest from the center) such as concentrated sweeteners and animal proteins are suggested to be eaten in moderation, and only by healthy individuals who will not be swayed from balance into illness.
I find it sad and frustrating that macrobiotic principles are so frequently misunderstood as a set of rules governing dietary choices, usually very restrictive in nature. In actuality, macrobiotics is a joyful way of living in awareness, much more a philosophy than a dietary regimen. Each of us begins our healing path with a certain level of discernment, a product of our history and cultural experience. Every action, thought, morsel of food eaten, every word spoken, everything I take in has an effect of some kind on who I am. To the extent I am self-aware, I have free choice. If I decide that I would like to have a certain effect on my health (an improvement for instance), I can become aware of the effects which certain foods have on my body and my awareness. By choosing balanced foods which enhance my health, I will further develop my awareness. Eventually, I find myself choosing freely from the many foods available, with a full awareness of how these choices affect me and enhance my life. This is the essence of macrobiotics.
Our understanding that God and the earth are holy arises from
the Jewish value of respect for Creation, and conveys a deep connection
between personal responsibility for ourselves and the world. All
of our actions, interactions and reactions are part of one reality.
This single reality is ha makom, the name of God. Ha
makom expresses a fundamental Jewish understanding of the
relationship of Creator to the Creation. The goal is tikkun
olam, the healing of the world.
In order to live with the consciousness needed to encompass tikkun
olam, let us make an inquiry into the meaning of kashrut,
the Jewish dietary laws. A spiritual understanding of the natural
world necessitates adherence to the principles of kashrut.
There is a need for kashrut to be responsive to our contemporary
problems. Since kashrut originally meant "fresh, pure
and strong", there is an intimate connection with considerations
about ecology. Eating meat violates the historical intentions
of kashrut, one of which was to guard against the overconsumption
of meat. The second purpose is to refine our sensibilities with
respect to animal life. Vegetarian Judaism embraces a consistent
morality with five Talmudic principles of Jewish law: Pikuach
Nefesh, Tsa'ar Ba'alei Chaim, Bal Tash Chit,
Tzeddakah, and Klal Israel. If one explores each
of these principles in relation to diet, one finds the compelling
support for the vegetarian choice.
Pikuach Nefesh - "Guard your health." The diseases
linked to a meat-centered diet include cancer, heart disease,
stroke, kidney disorders, gallstones, high blood pressure, obesity,
osteoporosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (the human form of Mad
Cow disease), diabetes, and food poisoning with antibiotic-resistant
strains of bacteria. By now it is well known that the consumption
of a high fat, low fiber diet directly impacts the development
of life-threatening, chronic diseases. The Surgeon General attributes
2/3 of the death rate annually to preventable, diet-related causes.
Food which arrives at supermarkets processed, irradiated, saturated
with pesticides, antibiotics and hormones and possibly genetically
altered does not bear much resemblance to food as God created
it. Modern meat raising practices used by factory farms defile
the Jewish practice of humane raising and slaughter. Kosher food
animals are raised in the same way as commercial ones. The major
distinction is in salting the meat, and in the method of killing.
Tsa'ar Ba'alei Chaim - "Do not cause pain to living creatures."
In Genesis, vegetarianism is conceived as the ideal diet for human
beings. Animals are creatures of God, created within the same
paradigm of a benevolent nature as were humans. Factory farming,
which involves the use of horrific living and slaughtering conditions,
challenges the very heart of Jewish values. The similarity of
natures between human and animal, and their distinction from plants,
are implicit in Genesis; human beings and the land animals were
created on the same day. Within the framework of an assumed hierarchy
between human and animal exists the correctness of respect for
all forms of life, whether poor, disadvantaged or non-human. In
accordance with Jewish teaching regarding the oppressed, we are
instructed that it is our obligation to defend animals as we would
defend any who are powerless.
Bal Tash Chit - "Do not wantonly waste resources."
Jewish environmental ethics are rooted in Jewish teaching that
there is a divine plan to Creation, and that human beings do not
own nature or the earth. The natural world should be honored as
a source of joy and as the origin of our being. The earth is our
mother, from which we are born and to which we will ultimately
return. Ecological concerns direct us to examine how conventional
methods of food production serve as a major source of waste and
pollution. Rainforests support one half of the flora and fauna
on the earth, and produce oxygen to offset the effects of human
emissions and global warming. Yet over 31 million acres of ancient
rainforests are clearcut every year to allow grazing of cattle
for meat production. Livestock produces 23,000 pounds of excrement
per second, which is dumped into our rivers, lakes and streams,
causing serious health risks from the spread of pathogens. Eating
animal products is also a major source of exposure to concentrated
pesticide residues. More than half of all the fresh water supply
in the US is used for livestock production. Eighty-five percent
of the US topsoil is lost in the same way. Seventy percent of
all grain grown in the US and two-thirds of grain exported is
consumed by animals destined for slaughter, while hundreds of
millions of people go hungry.
Tzeddakah - "Work towards a more just society"
In the US, nearly eighty percent of our corn, oats and soybeans
is fed to animals. Raising animals for food production is a monumental
waste of resources. Raising one pound of feedlot beef requires
12 pounds of grain, which could be used to bake 12 loaves of bread
for human consumption. The loss of food due to land degradation
as a result of raising cattle for export to Western countries
causes devastating local food shortages in Third World nations.
This produces desperate migratory populations vulnerable to disease,
crime and natural disasters. As the world population increases,
there is a decreasing food supply for most of the world's poor.
Acts of charity are an essential part of Jewish observance. Jewish
mandates to feed the hungry and show compassion support the choice
of a vegetarian diet.
Klal Israel - "Community." Vegetarianism can
reconcile Jews of different dietary persuasions. The less observant
can eat with the more observant. A vegetarian diet simplifies
the rules governing the observance of kashrut. Sharing
meals together binds us in harmony and worship, and builds strong
families and communities.
Vegetarianism is an appropriate choice for Jews of conscience
searching for a response to modern challenges. As Rabbi Green
has written, "Life has become too precious in this era for
us to be involved in the shedding of blood, even that of animals,
when we can survive without it. This is not an ascetic choice,
but rather a life-affirming one. A vegetarian Judaism would be
more whole in its ability to embrace the presence of God in all
Creation".
Berman, Louis, Vegetarianism and the Jewish Tradition, K'tav, 1982.
Kalechofsky, Roberta & Rosa Rasiel, The Jewish Vegetarian Year Cookbook, Micah Publications, 1997.
Kalechofsky, Roberta, Vegetarian Judaism: A Guide for Everyone, Micah Publications, 1998.
Schwartz, Richard, Judaism and Vegetarianism, Micah Publications, 1988.
Hearty Split Pea Soup 8 servings
1 onion, diced 2 tsp. salt 2 TBS. olive oil 1/2 tsp. basil 1 bayleaf 1/2 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. celery seed 1 carrot, diced 1 cup green split peas 3 stalks celery, diced 1/4 cup barley 1 sweet potato, diced 1/2 cup lima beans 1/2 cup chopped parsley 10 cups water
Potato Piroshki 6 servings
Dough: Filling: 3-1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour 5 large potatoes, boiled & mashed salt salt & pepper water 1 tsp. olive oil 1/4 cup fresh minced dill 1 cup chopped onion plain soymilk
Tofu Sour Cream makes 2 cups
1 lb. tofu, boiled and drained well 1/2 tsp. sea salt 2 TBS. apple cider vinegar water as needed 1 TBS. tamari
Ginger Beets 4-6 servings
3 large beets 1/4 tsp. dry mustard 2 TBS. fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1 TBS. brown rice syrup 1 TBS. arrowroot, dissolved in 1 TBS. cold water 1 TBS. fresh ginger juice
My family and I spent four days in Seattle during the World
Trade Organization ministerial. I was a bit hesitant to write
this column, as I had not resolved in my mind how Ahimsa (non-injury)
fit into the tactics of the direct action organizations. I also
felt some guilt for not participating in a civil disobedience
action. I realized I needed to do a little homework about the
meaning of Ahimsa. I discovered some wonderful thoughts. These
are quotes from Sri Swami Sivananda. In its comprehensive meaning
Ahimsa means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever
to any living creature, either by thought, word or deed. Ahimsa
is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced
by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice, it is forgiveness. Ahimsa is
power and true strength. The vow of Ahimsa is broken even by showing
contempt towards another man, by entertaining unreasonable dislike
or prejudice towards anybody. It is the weapon of the strong.
When a man beats you with a stick you should not entertain any
thought of retaliation or any unkind feeling toward the tormentor.
Ahimsa is perfection of forgiveness. Ahimsa is never a policy,
it is a sublime virtue. It is the fundamental quality of seekers
after Truth. Wow!
Now for my thoughts about the WTO and the concept of Ahimsa. On
our first day in Seattle at the WTO ministerial we were jurors
on a tribunal that was convened by the Alliance for Democracy
to decide whether we should issue a verdict of Crimes against
Humanity against several corporations. After listening to testimony
for 6 hours from people around the world relating the physical,
environmental, cultural and economic violence that Cargill, Shell
Oil, and The GAP committed themselves or as accomplices it is
understandable why so much anger exists. Warrants for arrest of
several WTO officials were created and served at the convention
center. The presenters performed this act of civil disobedience
and were arrested, unfortunately with little national media coverage
except in the Seattle papers. Thinking about Ahimsa in this context
stretches us. How do we affect change to these systems and structures
that are causing injury to many while maintaining a state of Ahimsa?
Is the destruction of property violence all right since it causes
no injury to a living being? I personally believe that allowing
oneself to become distracted by the anger and hatred created by
this physical violence only detracts from the energy that can
be harnessed to make positive progress. The act of civil disobedience
by the presenters of the arrest warrants were acts of Ahimsa that
felt like they came from a place of strength. I hope that for
myself that when the time is right I will be able to call upon
my own strength and power of Ahimsa.
Some things we can all do now to stop the violence of globalization:
* Reclaim our own power by watching where your money goes, keep it local.
* Give input to corporations, whose behavior is hurting others; write letters and call.
* Reduce personal consumption of goods; ask
* "Do I really need this"?
* "Where does it come from?"
* "Where will it go when I am done with it?"
* Support public financing of political campaigns as money is driving our government not the people.
Ocean and I attended the protest held at the WTO conference
in late November. For those of you who may be unaware of what
the WTO is, a brief description follows. Established in 1995,
the WTO is a powerful new global commerce agency, which transformed
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) into an enforceable
global commercial code. The WTO is one of the main mechanisms
of corporate globalization. While its proponents say it is based
on "free trade", in fact, the WTO's rules set out a
comprehensive system of corporate-managed trade, in which environmental
rules, health safeguards and labor standards are subordinate to
the guarantees of corporate access to foreign markets without
respect to individual countries' domestic priorities. The results
of free trade are movement from smaller, national economies to
larger regional or global economics. This poses the gravest threat
to the livelihoods of ordinary people in every country.
The results of globalization are staggering: widespread job losses,
environmental degradation, and slavery through debt and destruction
of local economies. Worldwide, 2 billion more people live in poverty
now than in 1989. In the US, where we are said to be experiencing
the strongest peacetime economy in our nation's history, 3 million
children a year experience hunger. In 1998 there was a 14% increase
in food bank participation, raising the total to 1 out of every
8 Americans who go hungry. Locally, 15% of Oregon households had
a limited supply of adequate food. In Portland, 42% of renters
are unable to afford rent. Two thirds of homeless families have
at lease 1 person working. Meanwhile, the combined assets of the
3 wealthiest people in the world is greater than the GNP of the
48 least developed countries.
Crime is at an unprecedented high. We live in a society that expects
to solve all social problems with incarceration, with almost 2
million people in prison and 3000 on death row. As costs of basic
needs rise are beyond people's ability to afford them, many resort
to crime, suicide or substance abuse to escape. Ultimately, those
who cannot comply with the values of free enterprise are sentenced
to jail or death. How can we separate ourselves from the grinding
maw of the global economy and our own participation in its wrongdoing?
We must start by joining forces with others trying to live outside
the system, to live in fellowship with those who believe that
there is a way of getting along without dependence on accepted,
conventional values. We need a comprehensive plan for sustainable
development, working towards a gentler interdependence, a way
of doing business which does no violence to ourselves, to others
or to the earth. Activist Vandana Shiva sets forth the following
values as integral to a sustainable economy:
1. Value cultural diversity rather than global monocultures
2. Decentralization and localization
3. Ecological processes instead of industrial processes
4. Food rights and security
5. Democratic control rather than corporate control
6. Protection of all species and integrity of ecosystems
7. Small farms and companies in place of corporations
8. Fair trade, not free trade to ensure producers a good return
Global trade must be made subservient to values of ecological sustainability, health and social justice. Local rather than global economies will provide self-reliant, integrated, balanced and sustainable communities.
"Mother Earth, Father Sky and all of Creation, from micro-organisms to human, plant, trees, fish, bird and animal relatives are part of the natural order and regulated by natural laws. Each has a unique role and is a critical part of the whole that is Creation. Each is sacred, respected and a unique living being with its own right to survive, and each plays an essential role in the survival and health of the natural world."
--Excerpted from "The Albuquerque Declaration", presented at the 1998 UN Climate Change Convention in Buenos Aries
Sources:
"A Citizen's Guide to the WTO", Working Group on the WTO, July '99
Portland Streets Roots, Nov. '99
"The Historical Significance of the Seattle", by Vandana Shiva Dec. '99
Are you concerned about the safety of the food you eat? Initial
research into the effects of genetically modified foods (GMO's)
on the health of the environment and humankind indicate we should
be wary of this new technology. Even more information is available
on the detriments of commercial, chemical-soaked agricultural
practices, which drain vitality from the body of the earth and
give us a multi-generational toxic legacy.
At one time, humans lived harmoniously with this lovely planet.
Diseases, when they existed, could be effectively treated with
plants which the people intuitively understood how to use. The
development of agriculture as we know it today took place very
slowly, and allowed people to adapt to the changes in lifestyle,
culture and diet which were a result.
Although we now live in a high-speed technological world, our
bodies (and our spirits) still resonate to the slower rhythms
of the natural world. To be in harmony, we need to partake of
a culture which acknowledges and honors this connection. We spend
so much time interacting with machines, we have all but lost the
intuitive link with nature which informs us what foods are safe
to eat. But encoded in our basic biology is the passion for wholeness.
Simple, pure food, prepared with love, sets us free from the fears
of GMO's and chemically contaminated, overprocessed foods. As
a tribute to our historic legacy, I offer these recipes to you,
the first in a series of foods from the Mother.
Creamy Broccoli Soup 4 servings
5 cups water or stock
1-1/2 cup chopped broccoli, flowerettes separated
1 small onion, diced
1-1/2 cup cooked brown rice or 3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
2-3 TBS. white miso
sea salt
1. Peel broccoli stems before chopping.
2. Bring water or stock to a boil and add diced broccoli stems,
onion, rice or oatmeal. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Blend until smooth, then return to pot.
4. Add flowerettes, return to heat and simmer until tender. Add
miso and salt to taste.
Chickpea Stew 4 servings
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
4" kombu, soaked and cut into strips
1 leek, sliced
2 stalks celery, cut in diagonals
1 cup winter squash, cubed, skin left on
1/2 cup rutabaga, cubed
1 cup carrots, roll cut
1 tsp. dried basil
2 TBS. mirin (rice wine)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 TBS. kuzu or arrowroot
1 tsp. ginger juice
shoyu to taste
chopped scallions to garnish
1. Sort, wash and soak beans overnight in 4 cups water. Discard
soak water, replace with fresh water.
2. Pressure cook 45 minutes at full pressure, or boil 2-3 hours
adding water as needed, until beans are soft. Drain, conserving
cooking water.
3. In a large pot, layer kombu, leek, celery, squash, rutabaga,
carrot, drained beans, basil, mirin, bay leaves and salt.
4. Add bean cooking water (and additional water if needed) to
almost cover vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer
45 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Do not stir.
5. Dissolve kuzu or arrowroot in 1 TBS cold water. Stir into stew
and cook until thickened.
6. Add ginger juice, stir gently. Check seasoning, adding shoyu
to taste.
7. Serve garnished with scallions.
Grilled Polenta 4 servings
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
water
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 TBS. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1. Add 1-1/2 cups cold water to cornmeal and salt. Mix well.
2. Boil 1 cup water in a saucepan. Add cornmeal mixture, stirring
constantly until it begins to thicken.
3. Cover, lower flame and place a flame diffuser under pot. Cook
15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove pot from heat and stir in pepper and corn.
5. Pour mixture into an oiled loaf pan. Chill in refrigerator
until set.
6. In a small mixing bowl combine olive oil, garlic and a pinch
of salt.
7. Slice polenta into 1/2 to 3/4" thick slices. Place on
a parchment lined baking tray. Brush tops with seasoned oil.
8. Bake at 400° or broil until golden. Turn over slices and
repeat with other side.
9. Serve immediately, or cover loosely and keep warm in a low
oven.
Green Salad w/Poppyseed Dressing 4 servings
Salad:
1/2 head green leaf lettuce, torn to bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup mixed sprouts (alfalfa, radish, etc)
1/2 cup cucumber, thinly sliced in rounds
2 TBS. red onion, thinly sliced in rounds
2 TBS. celery, thinly sliced on diagonal
1/4 cup dry dulse sea vegetable
Dressing:
1 tsp. poppyseeds
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 TBS. brown rice vinegar
2 TBS. rice syrup
1 tsp. diced onion
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1. To prepare dulse for salad, rinse under cold water. Squeeze
out excess moisture.
2. Prepare dressing by blending all ingredients.
3. Place lettuce in bowl. Garnish attractively with dulse and
other vegetables.
Lemon Glazed Baked Apples 4 servings
4 large baking apples
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBS. tahini
2 TBS. light miso
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch sea salt
1-1/2 cup apple juice
juice and rind of a lemon (organic)
1. Core apples, trying to leave skin at bottom intact.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine walnuts, raisins, cinnamon,
tahini, miso, vanilla and sea salt.
3. Stuff mixture into apple centers. Place in a baking dish.
4. Add 1/2 cup apple juice to bottom of baking dish. Bake 30 minutes
at 350° or until tender.
5. Make glaze by placing cooking juice plus remaining 1 cup apple
juice, lemon juice and lemon rind in a sauce pan. Cook glaze uncovered
over a medium flame until reduced. Stir frequently, watching closely
to avoid scorching.
6. Drizzle glaze over baked apples. Serve warm.
The absence of snow this winter didn't stop a flurry of activism
at Ahimsa! Intaba has joined the vanguard in protest of the untested,
potentially catastrophic introduction of genetically-modified
organisms into nearly every food item in the local grocery store.
Yes, these are "GMOs" and they are everywhere! Why don't
we know about them? In step with the wholesale use of pesticides
and chemical fertilizers, the agribusiness corporations do not
want consumers to be alarmed. Hence, they have quietly introduced
these crops into our food supply, with unknown long-term consequences.
In a daring move, Intaba single-handedly organized a march on
the Life Sciences Department at OSU on February 23, where an allegedly-neutral
panel discussion was to be held to "inform" the public
about the issues involved in genetic engineering.
As her most faithful conscript, I set to making posters which
read "Tell Monsanto: We are not Roundup-Ready!", "Can
you put the Genes back into the Bottle?" , "Organic:
the Only Hope for the Future" and my favorite "Einstein
warned us about you! Science is not God!" With full intention
to protest peacefully, about three dozen concerned citizens joined
us and marched from the Beanery to the lecture at Cordley Hall.
The Life Sciences Club had caught wind of our protest, and had
the audacity to send their advisor to our pre-rally meeting to
tell us not to protest, to "leave our signs and just listen
and ask questions". Visions of Seattle's recent WTO free-speech
violations came to mind.
The panel turned out to be anything but neutral on the GMO issue.
Yes, the Life Sciences Department had invited JJ Haapala from
Oregon Tilth to represent the minority opinion, but the intention
of the OSU researchers in discrediting his demands for assurance
against genetic drift was clear. Steve Straus, purveyor of genetically
modified poplar trees told Mr. Haapala that the organic community
would have to "lower its standards and tolerate contamination
by genetically modified pollen".
Then Janine Trempy, a USDA /OSU molecular biologist attacked the
assumption that organic agriculture would be able to feed the
burgeoning world population, the tired, ignorant argument which
has been used since the 1950's to justify dumping millions of
tons of toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers into the food
supply, and now being used by Monsanto and other biotech megafirms
to push their GMO technology onto an unwary public.
The fourth panelist, who was supposed to be "anti-GMO"
was in fact an OSU philosopher who painted the issues in bland,
morally-neutral terms, refusing to take a stand either way. As
the pro-GMO apologists continued their derision of organics, JJ
broke format and began to question the basic assumptions of corporate-driven
chemo-agriculture. He was soundly rebuked.
At this point I decided to holler from the peanut gallery, asking
hard questions about the impact of corporate funding on the researchers'
scientific objectivity (clearly absent in this debate), and the
likelihood of the imperfect technology of gene-splicing generating
terrifying super microbes. JJ agreed, citing a 1970's project
which was abruptly halted when OSU researchers realized if the
bacterium they were working with escaped it would have disastrous
effects on the biosphere. This point was dismissed, as well as
JJ's reminder that the nuclear industry had also promised that
risks would be "limited and controllable". I lost all
objectivity and ended up in an ugly and somewhat embarrassing
argument with Dr. Trempy about the cause of AIDS being government-sponsored
recombinant gene research in the 1970's. (I have a few sources
on this if you are interested.)
In retrospect I realize I still have a great deal of healing to
do from my earlier work in engineering research, but that my reasons
for leaving the corporate-driven academic community were indeed
sound. The practice of pure, objective science is impossible when
ones funding hinges on results which favor the private funding
agent. This is true of research in medicine, psychiatry, engineering,
government (e.g. the USDA which is highly influenced by agribusiness
lobbies), and the academic community in general.
Until we have truly public funding for research , we should hold
suspect every claim made in the name of "scientific fact",
including the recent dubious report from Stanford that Bt Corn
does not kill Monarch larvae. Separate studies at Iowa State and
Cornell both verified Bt Corn pollen toxicity to Monarchs. We
don't need to wonder who is paying the Stanford researcher's salary,
just how much they are being bribed to cover up an ecological
travesty.
Newsweek
251 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019-1894
To the Editor:
I applaud Newsweek and writer Claudia Kalb for your March 6, 2000 article "Drugged-Out Toddlers".
A few additional points: Kalb notes that doctors are prescribing powerful drugs that have not been "fully evaluated" for safety in such young children. But according the Dr. Peter Breggin, author of "Talking Back to Ritalin" and "Toxic Psychiatry", the drug Prozac has never been tested for safety in children under 18, yet over 2 million children are currently prescribed Prozac annually.***
In listing known side effects of these medications, Kalb mentions nervousness, insomnia and heart problems. Missing in her article are possible links to aggression, violence and suicide. According to Dr. Breggin, Ritalin, Prozac and most other medications for ADHD are correctly classified as stimulants, substances known to cause aggressive behavior in adults and children. With wave after wave of school shootings, now as young as 6 years old, and with millions of medicated school children, we must not dismiss the possible role of stimulant medications in our nation's epidemic of lethal childhood violence.
Yet from the White House on down, this issue is absent in almost all discussion of the cause of school violence, despite the fact that Eric Harris and Kip Kinkel are both known to have been taking antidepressants at the time of their murderous attacks. Could campaign contributions by drug manufacturers be having an adverse effect on national policy, and thus on the safety of our schools? How many more deaths in the classroom will it take for the FDA to seriously investigate the effects of medicating America's children?
Finally, regarding "off-label" prescriptions, for doctors to prescribe these powerful psychoactive medications to toddlers and older children in such a cavalier manner is nothing short of professional malpractice, yet it is also behavior which is condoned within the medical community. My advice to anyone whose family physician recommends medicating your child's behavior without warning you about severe negative side effects: (1) find another doctor, (2) file a complaint with your state medical examiners board, and (3) write a letter to the White House.
Again, thanks to Newsweek for raising this critical issue into public awareness.
Sincerely,
Stephen Liff-Anderson
***For sources and more info on Breggin's work, see http://www.breggin.com
My iMac is no HAL-9000, but the first three weeks of the new
millennium have yielded events no less disturbing than those in
Kubrick's epic. Scientists at our own OHSU have monkeyed with
the genes of a baby Rhesus, hoping he would glow under fluorescent
light. George Bush has halted US aid for international family
planning, pledged to open the Arctic Wildlife Preserve to oil
drilling, and appointed a defense secretary committed to renewing
Reagan's pork-barrel Star Wars fantasy, complete with the orbiting
weapons of mass destruction (as first appeared in the opening
scenes of 2001: A Space Odyssey).
Now, one of my New Year's Resolutions was to give up politics,
so why am I "thus spraching"? I made the pledge after
getting completely riled up during the post election vote-count
debacle. What I really wanted to give up was the polarization
which seems to come inevitably with "politicking". I
am further bolstered in this desire by a special report by the
Palm Beach Post, indicating a recount of the 10,000 so-called
Miami-Dade undervotes would have netted Bush 6 more votes, not
given Gore the 600 votes he had expected. If the Supreme Court
hadn't stopped the vote...Gore still would have lost.
Consider my President, Bill Clinton, who pardoned hundreds of
folks, including his "under-achieving" brother on a
cocaine charge, yet left Leonard Peltier in prison. Eight years
of Clinton/Gore Democratic ("liberal"?) rule hasn't
eliminated the inequity gap between the rich and poor, nor protected
our environment (or our gene pool!) from corporate contamination.
The WTO continues to violate the democratic, sovereign rights
of countless "Third World" nations, Israel and Palestine
are closer than ever to war, we are still bombing Iraq, Congress
deep-sixed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty...
Lest this sound like so many sour grapes, I am fully committed
to working to change the aforementioned. Giving up on partisan
politics, I will continue to work in our community for a more
just world, for a pure environment, for safe schools, for healthy
relationships between every race, age, gender and sexual orientation.
But where to begin?
The contention between political foes is rooted in a deep suspicion
and distrust of the intentions of ones supposed "enemy".
Healing must begin here, in our fear. Fear is coupled with anger,
both invariably being sourced in past real-life experiences of
mistreatment or abuse. While avoiding the tired cliche that we
are all "victims", I nonetheless assert that we have
all experienced some form of disempowerment or oppression, whether
we are born poor and marginalized, or born privileged and wealthy.
Our pain is real!
The work of liberation is to release
all people from oppression, so that justice and freedom are experienced
universally. Healing our emotional wounding is the start, opening
more room in our hearts for compassion and understanding...even
for our friend George W.
Have I gotten you curious? Then join us in liberation at our February 24 retreat in the new Kiva!
Blessings, Ocean
Happy New Year! Now that the indulgences of the holiday season are behind us, maybe you've decided to make a resolution to eat better in the new year. So why am I going to tempt you with more dessert recipes? Not all desserts are created equal! Naturally sweetened desserts based on fruit, nuts & whole grains provide a valuable contribution to your total daily nutrition. After all, who can maintain a "deprivation diet" for more than a week or so. Good desserts can help you stick to your resolution to treat yourself well in 2001. Bon appetit! Intaba
Savory Stewed Fruit I like to use a combination of seasonal fresh and dried fruit in this; feel free to use your favorites.
1 cup mixed dried fruit (apricots, pears, peaches, apples,
prunes, etc.)
2 cups apple juice
3" cinnamon stick
1 cup fresh fruit, cut in small chunks (apples, pears, pineapple,
small amounts of orange or lemon, frozen berries)
Place dried fruit, cinnamon and juice into a small saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add fresh fruit and continue to cook until tender. Add water as needed. Remove cinnamon stick before serving. Serve warm or chilled, with soymilk or amasake if desired.
Baked Stuffed Pears Apples may be substituted if desired.
6 firm ripe large pears
1 cup ground almonds
1 tsp. almond extract
4 TBS. rice syrup
juice of one lemon & 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
pinch sea salt
1/4 cup mirin (rice wine sweetener)
1/4 cup apple juice
nutmeg
Core pears, leaving bottom of hole intact. Mix almonds, extract, rice syrup, sea salt, lemon juice and rind. Pack mixture into pears. Place in baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Pour mirin and apple juice over pears and bake at 375° until pears are tender. Pour pan juices into a saucepan and boil until reduced. Pour over pears and serve.
Carob Mocha Mousse Lusciously creamy, this dessert is pretty
served in crystal stem ware for a special occasion.
1 quart carob soymilk
1/2 cup agar flakes (or 2 TBS. agar agar powder)
1/2 cup rice syrup (optional)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 TBS powdered grain coffee (Pero, Inka)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup smooth almond butter
1/4 cup almonds, toasted & coarsely chopped
Sprinkle agar over soymilk in a medium size saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Watch carefully to avoid boiling over! Add rice syrup, grain coffee and salt. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour into heat-proof bowl and refrigerate. When set, blend gel with vanilla and almond butter into a smooth consistency. Pour into serving dishes. Garnish with chopped nuts.
Apple Walnut Baklava A new version of an old favorite.
1 lb. whole grain phyllo dough (found in FA freezer section)
1/2 lb. walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 lb. apples, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsp. grated cinnamon
1/2 cup. unrefined sesame oil
Syrup:
pinch sea salt
1 cup water
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup rice syrup
1 stick cinnamon
juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon
Thaw phyllo dough as directed on package. Mix nuts, apples and grated cinnamon. Cut phyllo dough in half width-wise in order to fit pan. Brush pan lightly with oil. Layer 10 sheets in pan, brushing each lightly with oil. Sprinkle with nut/apple mixture. Layer another 10 sheets phyllo, brushing each with oil, then following with nut/apple mixture. Repeat until filling or phyllo is used up. End with phyllo on top. Make straight lengthwise cuts and diagonal crosswise cuts 3/4 through to bottom. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile boil syrup ingredients until reduced to 2 cups. Remove cinnamon stick. When baklava is removed from oven, pour hot syrup over top. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve small portions as this dessert is very rich.
I have been concerned of late by the number of articles being published in the Thymes extolling the virtues of high-fat dairy products. Specifically, recipes requiring heavy cream, butter and eggs, and in the February issue the article "Simply Mad about Butter" by Vilik Rapheles.
As a cooking instructor and nutritional consultant, I must protest the inclusion by the Thymes of claims for these foods which are misleading and may induce readers to make decisions which in the long run may be injurious to their health. True to the hundreds of scientific studies and backed by thousands of examples of substantiated results, the vast body of research supports the choice of a low-fat, principally plant based diet to promote good health.
The most compelling study was conducted by William Harris, MD of Kaiser-Permanente in 1999. Dr. Harris performed a multiple regression analysis on World Health Organization cancer mortality data as compared to diet and lifestyle factors for 30 countries [1,2]. Dr. Harris found a very high correlation between Breast cancer, which affects 1 in 8 American women, and the consumption of animal source calories.
Dr. Harris' study found similar correlation between all major forms of cancer and the consumption of animal source calories. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends a "predominantly plant-based diet" to prevent all major forms of cancer, and concludes that "up to 80% of bowel and breast cancer may be prevented by dietary change"[3].
Dr. Dean Ornish found that arterial disease can be arrested and even reversed through implementation of a very low fat, primarily plant based diet [4]. According to Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, president of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Although coronary artery disease remains the leading killer in our society (800,000 deaths annually), it is still unknown and will never be heard of by 4 of the 5 billion people worldwideAmericans consume 135 pounds of fat per year, and 4 tons of fat have been consumed by age 60. It is little surprise that the body develops vascular and neoplastic illness when asked to contend with that burden of fat.[5]" Indeed, the famous and highly regarded Cornell-Beijing study conducted by T. Colin Campbell, PhD, found heart disease to be non-existent among the rural Chinese, whose diet contains no dairy and very little animal food [6].
Now for my rebuttal to Mr. Rapheles: What research does he have to support his claims that the saturated fat of butter in the diet will have a negligible effect on cholesterol levels, or even lower total cholesterol levels? Mr. Rapheles' friend, afflicted with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol may have seen improvement after significant weight loss on the Atkins diet, primarily due to the elimination of sugar and other simple carbohydrates. However, over the long run, Michael Klaper, MD concludes that the ketogenic diet increases the risk of kidney disease, cancer, heart disease and stroke due to its extremely high fat and protein content [7].
Perhaps Mr. Rapheles is closest to the truth in stating that what was "out" yesterday is "in" today. After years of conclusive proof indicating the beneficial effects of a low-fat, high complex carbohydrate diet, are the American people turning their backs on the recommendations of our most respected national health organizations, which include the National Cancer Institute, the US Department of Health & Human Services and the USDA? I hope not. Our current crisis in national health care can little afford the ever-increasing rates of degenerative disease due to preventable, diet-related causes. In the words of Dr. Klaper, "We owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to all who come after them, to see how optimal functional and life span can be achieved on diets that are truly sustainable."
Intaba Liff-Anderson is a certified graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health, student of the Kushi Institute for Macrobiotic Studies, and co-steward of the Ahimsa Sanctuary Foundation.
Sources:
[1] Tominaga S., Aoki K, Fujimoto I, Kurihara M. Cancer Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, Japan and the World-1994. Japan Scientific Societies Press. CRC Press.
[2] Harris W., Cancer and the Vegetarian Diet, The Scientific Basis of Vegetarianism, http://vegsource.com/harris/cancer_vegdiet.htm
[3] Cummings J, Bingham S. Diet and the prevention of cancer, BJM 1998;317:1636-1640
[4] Ornish, D. Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease, 1996, Ballentine.
[5] Esselstyn C. American Association of Endocrine Surgeons Presidential Address: Beyond Surgery, April 1998.
[6] Campbell, T. China: From Diseases of Poverty to Diseases of Affluence, Policy Implications of the Epidemiological Transition, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 1991.
[7] Klaper M, Challenges to the Plant-Based Diet of the 90's: "The Zone" and "Blood-Type" Diet Fads, Institute of Nutrition Education and Research, http://vegsource.com/klaper/diet.htm
As this newsletter arrives, I trust you will be fully aware
of the great power of the Sun God. With the past spring feeling
more like summer, this season promises to be one of the hottest
on record. Drought conditions threaten every aspect of our Oregon
way of life: agriculture, hydropower, even watering gardens and
lawns. How will farmers cope with water shortages? Already harsh
decisions are being forced in the Klamath Basin to divert water
to protect endangered fish, forcing many struggling farmers in
the irrigation district into bankruptcy.
Is this a normal temperature and precipitation fluctuation? Or
a sign of the long-forwarned "global warming"? No one
is willing to say for sure, but either way our response is what
matters. From the White House, President "Conservation-is-Useless"
Bush is refusing to set any limits on energy usage and greenhouse
gases, all the while threatening to drill in pristine wildlife
preserves and increase the number of coal and NUCLEAR powerplants.
Clearly, we cannot look to the federal government for any useful
leadership.
Where then shall we turn for direction? Let's go back a few administrations,
to President Carter (who hecklers booed during Bush's recent inauguration!)
Faced with the "gasoline crisis" of the 70's, Carter
enacted sweeping federal actions to reduce energy consumption,
including increasing fuel efficiency standards, requiring all
public buildings to use less energy for heating and cooling, reducing
the highway speed limit to 55 MPH, and funding millions of dollars
of alternative energy research.
Would these efforts be "enough", now at the brink of
the new era? As the world community ever tries to emulate the
American Way, our responsibility to alter the example we set couldn't
be more essential. Out of respect to our global brothers and sisters,
the four-legged, finned, winged and all other creatures, how can
we refuse to change? We must pay homage to the great forces of
the sun and earth, and learn to respect our place in the natural
cycles of life and death.
Global warming is all about our relationship to the Sun God, for
as we burn grotesque amounts of fossil fuels we release the power
of the sun stored deep in the earth millions of years ago. I realized
not long ago that, although we seem to be rushing like lemmings
towards a tall cliff, even global warming will not "destroy
the earth". Yes, global warming ultimately could challenge
the survival of most of the earth's creatures, including the one
who ought to place himself on top of the endangered species list:
humankind. But the Great Mother is much stronger than such a cycle.
She will live on, giving birth to more life.
My fervent hope and mission is to liberate humankind from such
a grim and unnecessary "destiny". Liberation begins
at home, in our most personal relationship to the Mother: How
are we stewards of the sun's energy? How do we harness the great
responsibility of choice we are given in our democratic society?
And how do we inhabit the beautiful gift of our human bodies?
How then are we to live?
Please join us this Ahimsa Summer, as we explore these powerful
questions in the Liberation retreat,
the Natural Building lectures, and the delightful celebration
of SummerFest!
Blessings, Ocean