The Revolution will not be Televised

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Jo delAmor

…but it might be Youtubed and Facebooked. And it is happening now.

We, the people, are waking up to a system that is absolutely unsustainable.

And, as we do, we realize that no one “up above” is going to fix this for us. The larger systems of government, corporations and mass media rely too heavily on the continuation of injustice to be of any use to this movement. Based on their past behavior we can only count on them to distort information, dig their heals in and disempower the masses at each step along the way.

But it looks like the masses are getting over this dependency and are stepping forward despite these obstacles. It is happening on the street, person to person in real time. And it is being shared across the country and the world over the internet. This web we’re tapped into has turned out to be an amazing conduit for grass-roots communication.

We are sharing the word, receiving the messages, we are learning and growing together.

And we know, beyond any argument, that systems based on injustice and suffering create their own demise…

Standing up to empower the people at Occupy L.A., Marrianne Williamson says that even if we don’t know all the economic terms and lingo…we DO know enough to stand up for what is right. She says, “Capitalism is morally and ethically neutral…but modern American capitalism has lost its moral and ethical center.”1

 

“They tell you we are dreamers. The true dreamers are those who think things can go on indefinitely the way they are. We are not dreamers. We are awakening from a dream which is turning into a nightmare. We are not destroying anything. We are only witnessing how the system is destroying itself.”2

“This awakening is not just about economics, it’s about ecology and our love for what we know is valuable: community, healthcare, simple food, and time.”2

I’ve gathered a handful of the most potent communications I’ve received so far on this movement. Marrianne Williamson says “Keep it smart, keep it nonviolent and keep it growing.”1 So please check them out and educate yourself on the wave that is rising and moving across the planet.

1Marrianne Williamson at Occupy L.A. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPna2RfXzE&feature=share

2Buddhist View from Slavoj Žižek http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/10/remaining-human-a-buddhist-perspective-on-occupy-wall-street/

3Starhawk’s Blog http://starhawksblog.org/

4No Demand is Big Enough http://www.realitysandwich.com/occupy_wall_street_no_demand_big_enough

5Author Naomi Klein, author of “The Shock Doctrine” http://www.naomiklein.org/main

6Max Keiser and Roseanne Barr interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I4vIvVFPzY&feature=share

Blogger’s Challenge: Step out of any preconceived notions you may have about politics and economics and center into a vision of the most harmonious way humankind could live together on this planet. Hold that vision like a precious treasure in your heart and allow yourself to believe that it’s possible.

Radiant Balance Holstic HealthYou’re invited to schedule a Personal Strategy Session with me to receive loving guidance and practical support for your personal transformation and holistic wellbeing. Jo delAmor, Personal Transformation Coach.

Posted in Cultural Transformation, Relating with Others, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The People are Rising!

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Jo delAmor

Right along side the Occupy Wall Street movement there has been another movement of the people that has received even less media attention…

The Human Revolution playing at the Right to Know March

…the Right to Know March: a Mobilization for GMO Labeling. GMO protesters will be marching from the United Nations building in NYC to the White House in DC from October 1 through October 16.

The two demonstrations are really one and the same. They are both calling for an end of the systems of greed and disrespect that have led us down the path of injustice. They are both standing for accountability of the corporate 1% that has leveraged its political and media power to compromise the health and wellbeing of the whole planet, right under the noses of the suffering 99%.

GMOs are genetically modified organisms. These plants and animals have had foreign genes implanted directly into their DNA to change their genetic structure and provide them with select traits in order to increase profit. This technology has been used to make crops more tolerant to toxic chemical sprays, to make animals that produce more meat, to make produce with a longer shelf life, etc.

But as the corporations embrace this new genetic technology they have ignored significant health risks and environmental costs. The lack of good scientific research and testing on GMOs is staggering. Minimal animal testing has been done to assess the safety of ingesting GMOs. The results of these tests show longterm degradation of organ health, an increase in pre-cancerous conditions and increasing health risks for subsequent generations. (see pdf: GM Crops- Just the Science)

The environmental costs are almost even more concerning than the human health risks. Once these GM crops are released into the environment they cannot be recalled. These GM crops throw off the natural balance of the ecosystem, contaminating non-GM crops, affecting the local wildlife, pest and weed populations and often requiring more expensive applications of toxic agricultural chemicals.

The corporations that push for these GMOs say that they have the potential to create higher yields so we can feed the poor people of the world. But it is the poor, especially of the third world countries, that have suffered most from this technology. Policies affected by GMO companies have allowed for patenting of seeds, market control and have even resulted in many unjust lawsuits against small time farmers by these huge corporations.

“The root cause of hunger is not a lack of food, but a lack of access to food. The poor have no money to buy food and increasingly, no land on which to grow it. Hunger is fundamentally a social, political, and economic problem, which GM technology cannot address.”

Many of the other “first world” countries of the world have refused this risky technology or have demanded that GMO foods be labeled in their countries. But the food supplies of the US and many of the third world countries are infiltrated with unlabeled GMOs. “80% of the packaged foods in America contain Genetically Engineered ingredients that have not been proven safe, and are not labeled!” Many of us have been eating these untested foods for years without even knowing it! The simple mission of the Right to Know March is to require that foods containing GMO ingredients be labeled. We have a right to know what we are eating.

Blogger’s Challenge: Educate yourself about GMOs in our food supply by reading this pdf report: GM Crops- Just the Science and exploring the Non-GMO Project website. Then choose non-GMO organic foods as much as possible. This is another great reason to grow your own or buy locally from small farmers.

Radiant Balance Holstic HealthYou’re invited to schedule a Personal Strategy Session with me to receive loving guidance and practical support for your personal transformation and holistic wellbeing. Jo delAmor, Personal Transformation Coach.

Posted in Cultural Transformation, Relating with Others, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Superdelicious Pancakes

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Jo delAmor

My daughter and I LOVE making (and eating) pancakes.

Since we don’t eat wheat or dairy, I often invent new recipes to satisfy our cravings as they arise. I love making up my own recipes with different flour combinations and alternative ingredients.  And, over the years, I’ve accumulated quiet a collection of  Delicious Healthy Recipes.

One of our long time favorites is my Buckwheat Pancake recipe. We usually make pancakes on weekends when we have time at home together and always if she’s had a friend sleep over. It’s one of our special family traditions.

Slow mornings with homemade pancakes and real maple syrup are one of life’s finest treasures (in my humble opinion)

But sometimes I don’t have all the ingredients in stock and I have to experiment with different flour combinations (with varying levels of success). Well, this past weekend I hit on a huge success…without even expecting it…

Red Quinoa Cacao Pancakes

Who would’ve thought? Red quinoa and whole cacao beans, blended together in the Vitamix make an awesomely delicious flour base. These are by far the yummiest and most nutritious pancakes I’ve made yet. The texture was perfect and the taste was both sophisticated and comforting. I am in love. And I think you will be too…try them out

Ingredients:

(use organic ingredients whenever possible)

  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup cacao beans
  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2-3 cups of water

Makes 6-8 pancakes (3-4″ each)

Directions:

  1. Grind chia seeds in a clean coffee or spice grinder.
  2. Whisk together ground chia and 2 TB of water in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Grind together whole cacao beans, red quinoa and oats in a Vitamix blender in the “dry container” (the one for grinding flours).
  4. Add this flour mix and the rest of the ingredients to the large mixing bowl and mix well. Add water gradually to reach desired consistency.
  5. Heat and oil a large skillet with butter or coconut oil.
  6. Pour the batter into 3-4″ pancakes in the pan and cook like regular pancakes.
  7. Enjoy with high quality Grade B maple syrup, organic butter, fresh fruit and even a little Lemon Tahini Dressing if you’re feeling fancy.

Blogger’s Challenge: Make these pancakes for someone you love (yes, you, yourself qualify) and savor them in an ecstatic eating experience. Then let us know what you thought…

Radiant Balance Holstic HealthYou’re invited to schedule a Personal Strategy Session with me to receive loving guidance and practical support for your personal transformation and holistic wellbeing. Jo delAmor, Personal Transformation Coach.

 

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Getting Organized for Health

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Jo delAmor

This is a great time of year to get organized. Summer is over and we’re all returning to our “normal” routines and schedules. Whether you’re gathering in the harvest and putting up food for Winter, getting your business and finances in order after a crazy Summer or getting the kids back into their school year rhythm, it’s a time of settling into a gentle Fall rhythm after the expansiveness of Summer.

When you’re getting all your ducks in a row this year, make sure to remember your personal health and your relationship to food.

Food is easy to overlook and we tend to take it for granted, especially when we’re juggling kids, work, projects and all the details of busy modern life. It’s easy to slip into a habit of just grabbing food on the go and not giving it much thought. But…

…a little bit of conscious attention to your food can go a long way in supporting your physical health, energy level and moods.

Spending about ½ hour thinking ahead about what you would like to eat each week can save you a lot of time, money, energy and stress. As you’re settling into new Fall rhythms pick a time each week where you can sit down and think about what meals and snacks you and your family would like to have for the week. Then check out what you have in stock and make a shopping list for what you need.

When you go grocery shopping with a  good list you’ll save money and energy and choose healthier items.

And when you plan ahead for your meals, school lunches, etc. your whole family will settle into a healthier baseline in physical health. (which means better moods and more cooperation…bonus!) If you have bigger kids and/or a partner in your house you can even split up the cooking and cleaning responsibilities to make mealtime a more collective family experience.

Blogger’s Challenge: Pick three meals that you’d like to prepare in the coming week, write down the ingredients you’ll need to make them and get them in your kitchen. With the food on hand and the idea in mind you’ll be 95% there…then you just have to throw it together and enjoy!

Radiant Balance Holstic HealthYou’re invited to schedule a Personal Strategy Session with me to receive loving guidance and practical support for your personal transformation and holistic wellbeing. Jo delAmor, Personal Transformation Coach.

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You Are What You Eat…and it’s up to you.

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Jo delAmor

Eating food is the most intimate experience a human being can have…and we do it every day.

When we eat, we take other bodies (plant or animal) into our bodies and absorb them so fully that they then become the building blocks for our cells and organs. The food we eat forms us from the inside out.

Through this act of deep intimacy we digest our environment and align with it by incorporating the genetic information from the food right into the structure of our cells. This continuum of digestion and creation follows us through each and every day, with each meal, each bite…

…but in this process, what are we intimately aligning with?

In a purely natural scenario we would be digesting and aligning with our local ecosystem. This process would allow us to learn about our ecosystem and adapt gracefully to its unique conditions. We would become part of the ecosystem while the ecosystem became part of us. Everything that went into the creation of that food (earth, water, wind and sun) becomes part of that food and then becomes part of us.

By eating natural foods we come into deep alignment with the natural world and learn about the balance that exists therein.

But few of us live in a purely natural scenario. We generally eat from the modern food supply, which has a much more complex story. Many of these foods are raised in the artificial setting of big agribusiness with very little natural nourishment and travel through factories, refineries and chemical plants on the way to your mouth. They carry energies of greed, injustice, pollution and perversion. As we incorporate these commercial foods into our bodies we grow into a deeper alignment with the systems behind their production.

This unconscious alignment can keep us locked into a system that we may not fully agree with.

At this time, many of us are being called to care for the wellbeing of the Earth and our fellow humans. Many of us are tired of the old systems and long for new sustainable solutions. One of the most powerful ways that you can make a stand for this shift is by consciously choosing what goes into your mouth. As you chose more natural food and more local food your inner alignment will shift and you will be able to effect great change in the healing of the world and her systems.

Blogger’s Challenge: Explore sources in your area for more fresh, natural, local foods…see what there is to align with in your local environment. 

Radiant Balance Holstic HealthYou’re invited to schedule a Personal Strategy Session with me to receive loving guidance and practical support for your personal transformation and holistic wellbeing. Jo delAmor, Personal Transformation Coach.

 

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