The United States Department of Energy is currently designing a project in the desert of New Mexico. It’s a dump site where they plan to dump and store over 500,000 barrels of radio active waste. The waste is being drilled 1/3 of a mile down into a “geophysical-inert thick salt formation”. This waste will be considered dangerous for up to 10,000 years. One of the few positives to come out of this story is the fact that the government has done extensive research to try and design a specific architecture around the site. The purpose of the design is to warn future generations and cultures that the site is dangerous and should not be disturbed. 10,000 years is a long time to wait, and at least the designers of the project have accepted that they don’t know what could happen between now and then. They wanted to leave behind a timeless message that a band of humans coming across in the future would understand and stay away from – regardless of massive language or cultural changes. In trying to go beyond written language, there has been interesting work done in the understanding of archetypes and how humans feel about their surroundings. In a newsletter article titled: “An Architecture of Peril” requirements and suggestions have been laid out for creating a landscape that will warn people away from the certain doom that would await them if they were to disturb the site. I highly recommend reading the full article. It made me think of the messages that ancient cultures might have left for us, and our own efficacy in interpreting them. But I was also intrigued by the recommendations and whether or not I thought an ancient culture would be able to figure it out. For example, the article recommends obviously that nothing with moving parts will endure, and that metal may be scavenged for future uses. All the components of the site must be able to last for thousands of years with no maintenance....
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Bee Pollen is the newest holistic super food to baffle scientists and nutritionists alike. Bee pollen is NOT a by-product of honey. Rather, while bees fly around collecting nectar, they simultaneously collect flower pollen in ‘pockets’ on their back legs and feed it to the baby bees back at the hive. These nuggets of compressed flower pollen can be collected by bee keepers and are an incredibly rich source of nutrients. In fact, many people calling it ‘nature’s most complete food’. At 40% protein, bee pollen has more protein than beef, eggs or cheese of equal weight, and is also the richest known source of rutin. Its also full of free amino acids and vitamins. There is also an undiscovered ‘magic’ to this superfood. Scientists have created bee pollen ‘simulations’ containing all the nutrients and amino acids present in the natural bee pollen – and yet when this was fed to bees they slowly died. So there is something present in the natural bee pollen that science has yet to quantify. This idea appeals to people who have been placing a lot of health claims on the little food. Bee Pollen is currently being used by some cancer patients who claim that the bee pollen has increased their immune system, allowed them to maintain weight and appetite during chemo therapy as well as avoid some of the worst side effects of that treatment. While this has yet to be confirmed through formal scientific channels, one study has been done which found a dramatic decrease in tumours in prone mice who were fed the pollen. (See this link to read about some of those studies.) There are additional claims of bee pollen being effective in managing addictions, and improving allergies. Bee Pollen isn’t inexpensive. It takes each bee about a month to collect only a teaspoon of the pollen nuggets and so a large jam jar will cost you anywhere from $25-$30. However this is less expensive than many good vitamin and mineral supplements –...
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Over the past few weeks I have been captivated by the tiny house movement. The timing is right for this little trend to make a BIG impact. Tiny homes are small dwellings – usually under 500 sq. feet. Super small and VERY cute, these homes offer a seductive alternative to the large McMansions that have become the norm. The allure of the tiny homes is the freedom that they can offer. Building your own tiny home means a total investment of anywhere from 25-85k depending on your personal skill set. This means that many previous property owners have been able to downsize into these charming little homes and completely eliminate their mortgage. In addition to freeing up debt and monthly cash flow, tiny homes also inspire the liberation that comes from aggressively editing your belongings. People who have transitioned into a tiny home report a complete life change in terms of gaining peace, relaxation and simplicity. Tiny homes solve a myriad of current problems. First of all, they are a cheap and yet still very attractive option for home ownership. They cost no more than your average trailer park home and yet these dwellings manage to maintain all the class and charm of a tiny cottage. The small footprint has allowed these homes to dodge many building permit and zoning laws – with many designs able fit comfortably in a backyard without damaging property values. This makes them a fantastic guest house or living arrangement for aging parents who seek independence but still need to be close by. They are also a sensible option for people working from home to have an office separate from the house – yet still ‘at home’. Their small size makes them a quick build and a very economical and sustainable living arrangement. As this trend builds, the internet is filling up with new businesses offering to design and construct the tiny homes. There is also a growing selection of furniture and appliances that are specifically designed for these...
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A beautiful book for introducing spiritual concepts to children. Marcela Grant is a Munay-ki and Shaman Healer in the Ajax area. She has recently written her first children’s book called Luminous Mountain. The book is about a young boy who “loses” his mother, and must embark on a journey to find her. During the different stages of his journey, he meets his power animals who teach him lessons for life, maturity and character development. This is a wonderful book for exposing children to spiritual concepts. It creates an awareness that life’s challenges are opportunities for growth. I shared this story with my daughter who is 9 years old, and it was very good timing because they were learning about “symbolism” at school. This book was a great way for her to practice interpreting the themes of the book and what they meant. It was pretty insightful for me to see how she thought and what she took away from it! She felt like the book was telling her that we don’t just learn facts and problem solving (the information she gets at school,) but we also have to learn how to become a “grown up”. She also explained to me that we can learn outside of school too, by thinking about the things that happen to us in the world. Not bad for a grade 3! The book was also a great platform for us to talk about independence, and what kind of “journey” we might each be on. (A great discussion!) My daughter loved the pictures in the book which are bright and beautiful, and talking animals was right up her alley! Her only criticism was that the main character should have been a girl. (LOL!) Mrs. Grant is a skilled shaman healer and explains that there is strong magic actually written into the language of the book, and that it can have a healing effect on people. I know that the time I spent with my daughter reading the book and talking about it was very rewarding, and...
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W hy are we here? Most people personalize this question – curious about their mission in this life. What goal are we to achieve? What is my purpose? The question can just as easily be applied to humanity as a whole. Where do we fit in the grand scheme of the Universe? What are we ALL here for? Well, there is an answer to both those questions, and its beautiful. Human beings play an essential, grand purpose that no other being on the planet is able to perform. It’s what we were sent here for. In fact, if you are NOT performing this duty – you are likely suffering either openly or secretly from dissatisfaction, depression or a dangerously deep sense of apathy for life. This purpose is so coded into your DNA, there is no way to escape its call without denying your very self… Imagine that the earth in its totality is surrounded by a bright golden glow. A consciousness if you will. Its full of potential – sizzling with energies. But all of this potential is trapped in a chaotic and intangible form. We can’t see it or touch it. It does not exist as anything ‘real’, and cannot be perceived by the senses. A human being acts like an antenna – allowing this field of potential to enter their mind, be conceptualized by their brain, and then brought into physicality. We are the only living things who are capable of bringing the etherial – inspiration, spirit, magic, source – whatever you like to call it – into physicality. We do this through almost any form of creativity. Architecture, music, dance, gardening – whenever we take thoughts from our mind and CREATE we are acting as a conduit – providing an opportunity for that potential energy to crystalize into our reality and manifest. When any religion refers to the Godliness within man – this is one of the features they are talking about. Our ability to take an invisible thought, and bring...
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