If you’ve not been to Piha, New Zealand, here’s a scene leaving the small west coast hamlet, driving up the narrow curving road to the lookout. The road doesn’t accommodate big trucks well. Although there is some building going on, Piha is surprisingly relaxed considering it’s about 25 minutes from New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland. We spent the NZ winter there in ’09, and this was our commute for groceries and visiting with Amanda’s sister and kids in Auckland.
On The Road- Piha, New Zealand
10/05/2010Global Meditation to Heal Waters
07/05/2010If Group Meditation reduced violent crime in Washington DC, what could a massive healing meditation do for the world’s waters?
Startling & Postive Results
Below is a writeup on the now-oft quoted meditation event in Washington DC. Then read further, about a worldwide meditation event scheduled for May 18th at 15:38 EST to send healing prayers to the world’s waters.
From alltm.org
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Social Indicators Research reports on one of the most dramatic sociological experiments ever undertaken. Researchers predicted in advance that the calming influence of group meditation practice could reduce violent crime by over 20 percent in Washington, D.C., during an 8-week period in the summer of 1993.
In fact, the findings later showed that the rate of violent crime–which included assaults, murders, and rapes–decreased by 23 percent during the June 7 to July 30 experimental period. The odds of this result occurring by chance are less than 2 in 1 billion. Rigorous statistical analyses ruled out an extensive list of alternative explanations, according to John Hagelin, Read the rest of this entry »
A Sea Change
06/05/2010Imagine A World Without Fish
Ocean acidification threatens over one million species with extinction–and with them, our entire way of life.
Time for Course Corrections
DVD: Directed by Barbara Ettinger
Recipient of the NOAA 2010 Environmental Hero Award
A Sea Change documents how the pH balance of the oceans has changed dramatically since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution: a 30% increase in acidification. With near unanimity, scientists now agree that the burning of fossil fuels is fundamentally reshaping ocean chemistry. Experts predict that over the next century, steady increases in carbon dioxide emissions and the continued rise in the acidity of the oceans will cause most of the world’s fisheries to experience a total bottom-up collapse–a state that could last for millions of years. Read more..
Directed by Barbara Ettinger
Produced by Barbara Ettinger, Sven Huseby, Susan Cohn Rockefeller
Music by Joel Goodman
Time to Break the Oil Addiction
06/05/2010
Sign the Petition
Now is a Good Time to Break the Oil Addiction
From Greenpeace
On March 31st, President Obama announced a plan to allow oil and gas exploration and drilling in 167 million acres of coastal waters that have been protected for decades. Obama’s plan would expose the waters off southern Atlantic states and the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil spills and other dangers, threatening many tourism and fishing-dependent communities. The news is even worse for Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, which are especially sensitive to oil drilling because they provide critical habitat for polar bears, whales, seals and other important Arctic species.
And of course, opening more areas to drilling only prolongs our dangerous addiction to oil, which is pushing us closer and closer to runaway climate change.
It’s time to quit oil, get clean, and make a permanent switch to renewable energy. Tell our President to just say no to offshore drilling.
Oil Spill Cleanup Timeline: 3 Months
03/05/2010Current time-line to shut down Gulf of Mexico oil spill: three months.
Christian Science Monitor
Oil Slick in Gulf of Mexico
Federal officials gave a sobering appraisal of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Sunday, with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar saying ‘ultimate relief’ was 90 days away.
Officials speaking about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Sunday morning appeared to be steeling the Louisiana coast – and the nation – for consequences that could be “catastrophic.” The officials, who run the agencies charged with mitigating the impact of the spill on America’s Gulf coast, used unusually stark words to describe the situation and the difficulties of the remedy. Read the rest of this story
We’ve Really Done It Now
03/05/2010
Gulf Oil Spill 2010, Image: Reuters, UK
I can’t help but think, with the Gulf oil spill, that we’re simply fleas on the back of a living organism that’s about to shake us off. The spill is big. A retired expert mentioned this morning on The Power Hour internet radio show with Joyce Riley said there is not an easy way to stop such a huge oil spout, which is under such high pressure. It’s escaping the man-made hole created thousands of feet under the ocean’s surface. The expert actually said the only way he knew of containment, was to use an atomic blast, placed just in the right way, to seal the hole.
In any event, Chief Sealth from the Pacific Northwest was right, “We do not own the earth.” This latest mishap by us, seems to really be screwing things up. To be more informed on a culmination of “the perfect storm” read Richard Heinberg’s Peak Everything which addresses a number of issues which are peaking on our planet today.
Below if from Amazon’s page on Peak Everything.
Heinberg is Brilliant
From Publishers Weekly
In his latest, “Peak Oil” expert Heinberg (Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies) puts that theory in place alongside corresponding peaks in population, food production, climate stability and fresh water availability to paint a grim future of overlapping and accelerating global crises. For an introduction to Peak Oil, the idea that coming fossil fuel shortages will be sudden and drastic, readers should seek Heinberg’s earlier works; this volume assumes familiarity and addresses the challenges a post-carbon world poses for a global community “as reliant on hydrocarbons as it is on water, sunlight, and soil.” The worst-case scenario, “global economic meltdown” read more
Description of Peak Everything
The twentieth century saw unprecedented growth in population, energy consumption, and food production. As the population shifted from rural to urban, the impact of humans on the environment increased dramatically.
The twenty-first century ushered in an era of declines, in a number of crucial parameters:
* Global oil, natural gas, and coal extraction
* Yearly grain harvests Read the rest of this entry »
Study:’Green’ Exercise Boosts Mental Health
03/05/2010
Child in Woods = It's Natural
LONDON – A new study finds that just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” such as a park can boost mental health.
Researchers at the University of Essex looked at 1,250 people and found that walking, cycling, fishing, boating or horseback riding in a park, garden or nature trail can boost mood and self-esteem.
The biggest effect was seen within just five minutes, and even more positive results were seen when people exercised in an area that also contained water, such as a lake or river.
“We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,” said co-researcher Jo Barton.
The study is detailed in the Environmental Science and Technology journal. Also see Richard Louv’s website. He’s the author of Last Child in the Woods.
Image: MommyFootprint.com
Why No Posts for 14 Days?
01/05/2010
Iceland Ash, NASA
You may have noticed we’ve not been been posting for almost 14 days. We were stuck in Paris. Tough duty but someone had to do it. Due to Iceland’s volcanic ash event, what had meant to be a 5-day trip, turned into a 13+day one. I hadn’t brought my computer, and if you know anything about Paris, everything including computer time is expensive, (and not readily available).
My wife headed over to support her twin sister who was running the Paris Marathon. (Congrats to Lindy Roberts by the way for completing the marathon in good style!) I caught a later flight (thanks Priceline) to support Lindy as well, and spend a few days there with Amanda. Since there was an apartment anyway, I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
I’ve also been delayed on postings because, right before I left, I mistakenly re-formatted a portable drive which contained all my images. No big worries though, I had other back-ups of almost everything, but I’m still shuffling files around since my delayed return stateside.
The good news? We were stuck in Paris. It was good be back in France. We had extra time to see the Louvre, speak my second language (of five) again, be away from the computer, (isn’t that what MSI is about anyway?) and play some guitar and sing on the streets in the evening.
I brought my guitar in order to practice for a gig back in New Hampshire, which I had to cancel because of the ash cloud. So instead of practicing for the gig, I decided to throw my guitar case open and see what I could earn to help pay for the trip. I earned a total of 2.24 Euros (about $1.75), one cigarette (I don’t smoke), one cigar in a small tin, (cigars either, but nice tin), and some flowers placed in my case by a nice fellow. I guess I’m a little rusty on my busqing skills.
Anyway, thanks for your patience. I’m back, and expect to see more postings soon, and maybe even a few images and thoughts on Paris.
R. Richards
MSI Adds 2nd Peru’10 Program
12/04/2010
Tai Chi, Huaraz, Peru
We’ve decided to add a second program headed to Peru for August. If you’d like to learn more about the program, dates and cost, visit our webpage. The program will focus Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca. This is our twelfth year leading educational programs to Peru. Before that, R. Richards was guiding high altitude summits.
“It’s not about tourism and snapping images” says founder Richards. “Like all our programs, it’s about learning from the culture, giving back with service, a smile and learning the language, and of course stepping out of your comfort zone.”
We will also be working more with Jorge Martel in the Cordillera Blanca on the range’s east side. Stay tuned to see images of this region. If you’d like information please contact us.
Snatam Kaur Benefit Concert for MSI
12/04/2010Mountain Spirit Institute announces Benefit Concert with Snatam Kaur
Snatam Kaur
Snatam Kaur will be playing at the Lebanon, NH, USA Opera House on September 1st, 2010 for a evening of meditative music. Kaur is an internationally known recording artist, who’s music is highly soul soothing.
Say Cindy Heath, Mountain Spirit Board Member and Coordinator of the concert, “I happened to be at a Kripalu event and heard her playing for a yoga event. I had remembered her music when we had it playing at a MSI board meeting.” Adds Heath, “When I approached them to see if they’d be interested in Snatam playing under an invitation from Mountain Spirit Institute as a fundraiser concert for the organization, they eventually said yes.”
It took a while, but after the booking person looked at MSI’s website, they deemed our organization has a similar mission to Snatam’s. Tickets for the concert will be sold through the Lebanon Opera House
- Concert in Toronto
“I was first introduced to Snatam’s music by my wife, Amanda, who listened to Kaur’s music while attending meditation and yoga retreats in India during the summer of 2008,” says Randy Richards, director of Mountain Spirit. “I have just about worn out Snatam’s CD’s, and when we heard from Cindy that she had met Snatam and there might be the possibility of a concert, we jumped at the chance.”
Read more about the upcoming Snatam Kaur/Mountain Spirit Institute Benefit Concert at our webpage on the concert. To listen and learn more about Snatam’s music visit her website.
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