The Green Belt Movement of Africa


One Woman's Remarkable Journey to Save Africa
One Tree at a Time
photo art by Craig Smith
"A man of peace is not a pacifist, a man of peace is simply a pool of silence.
He pulsates a new kind of energy into the world, he sings a new song.
He lives in a totally new way; his very way of life is that of grace, that of prayer,
that of compassion.
Whomsoever he touches, he creates more love-energy.
The man of peace is creative. He is not against war because to be against anything
is to be at war.
He is not against war, he simply understands why war exists.
And out of that understanding he becomes peaceful.
Only when there are many people who are pools of peace, silence, understanding,
will the war disappear."
Osho: Zen ~ The Path of Paradox



Namaste'

In India, this is the highest form of respect one can pay to another human being. Translated, it means:

"I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells; I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace."

Over 25% of the Homeless in America are Veterans

"....on Veterans Day we must reflect and realize that we are not taking care of the people who we sent to war to the extent they need. Recent reports have shown damning evidence on the results of years of neglect of the Veterans Administration. It has been estimated that over 25% of the homeless are veterans....For a lot of our homeless veterans they have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and are unemployable. In the meantime because of the neglect of the veterans administration there is a backlog for claims which can take up to 6 months to fix. So what is an unemployable veteran supposed to do for 6 months? The answer, of course, is end up on the streets. Let's resolve this Veterans Day to remember our veterans 365 days a year....Everyday you can make a difference in a veteran's life. May I suggest a fantastic organization which gets vets off the streets and rehabilitates them?
You can help today at:
http://www.usvetsinc.org
Do what you can to help veterans 365 days a year. If not at the link above, find out where you can make a difference for veterans in your neighborhood and take action....." ~ Elliot Anderson, Afghanistan Veteran

Today is A Day for Universal Peace and Love

This information came to me from one of my MySpace friends http://www.myspace.com/thewave1111 and it seemed so uplifting, I'm passing it on to you here:

Starting at 11:11 am everyone's local time on 11/11, you are invited to participate in a global wave that will continue through the time zones. Whether you have just a minute or can tune in for a full hour, you are invited to be a part of this wave. If this idea intrigues you, I invite you to read on. And, if you are so inclined, please share this message.

Wave 11/11 is all about practicing the recognition that we are all One, connecting with each other communally with the intent of creating inner and outer worlds of peace, presence and Love. During these times of great change, it is the belief of this writer that the world culture will be served to more and more frequently recognize its Oneness and its capacity for giving and receiving Love. Here is your opportunity to join in such a practice and then be aware of how it feels for you.

Gentle reminder: this is all offered to you in a humble way for your consideration. Please take what serves you now and leave behind what does not.

This event is all about uniting in song, prayer and meditation. And then paying attention to what your heart and soul are telling you about the experience.

Please observe the uniting time of 11:11 in your own way. If you can devote the full hour between 11:11 am and 12:11 pm in your own local time zone, that is wonderful. Or if you only have a few minutes, that is fine, too. The wave will circle the world.

The idea is that during that time, you focus your intent on doing and being what serves you spiritually. This might include playing with your children, singing uplifting songs, running with your dog, petting your cat, drumming with a group at the local park, or sitting alone or in group meditation. Please do (or be) what brings you joy. As you live your joy, you give it to the world. As you empower yourself, you empower the world. Be aware of any feeling of deep connection, not only with those in your immediate presence, but of people who are tuning in with you.

Together, we have the power to change our world. That power is not based in war, aggression, manipulation or in provoking the fears of others. It is based in loving consciousness and our realization and practice of the true power of Love. http://www.myspace.com/thewave1111

You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. ~ Woodrow Wilson

Center for Ecoliteracy



The Free-Flowing Stream


We see quite clearly that what happens to the nonhuman happens to the human.
What happens to the outer world happens to the inner world.
If the outer world is diminished in its grandeur then the emotional, imaginative, intellectual, and spiritual life of the human is diminished or extinguished.
Without the soaring birds, the great forests, the sounds and coloration of the insects, the free-flowing streams, the flowering fields, the sight of the clouds by day and the stars at night,
we become impoverished in all that makes us human. ~ Thomas Berry