Take A Walk on the Wild Side: Encounters With Animals in Nature

Most of us have had the experience — wonderful, heart-stopping, sometimes terrifying — of unexpectedly encountering an animal in the wild. It may be the tranquil sight of deer off in the woods, or a hawk circling in the canyons of Manhattan. It can be scary, as in some of the recent bear sightings on the East Coast, or inspire reverence for the raw beauty of the creature sighted. For most of us in the United States, the wild creatures are limited: hawks, coyotes, bears, foxes, wolves, and maybe the occasional snake.As their natural habitats get further encroached upon, close encounters are becoming more frequent, even while overall populations may be decreasing. Still, I was especially shocked to see a wild bobcat cutting through my property several weeks ago.

My first thought was for the safety of my own cats, who are allowed outside, and my second thought was that the bobcat was much smaller than I had expected. Still, I caught my breath at how majestic and wild it looked, with its pointed ear tufts and white spots that looked like a second set of eyes. It paused and looked directly at me and I stood still, both hoping it would stay, and that it would pass by in peace.

I immediately thought of my deep attraction to and affinity for all things feline. I am a Leo, born in the Chinese Year of

the Tiger, and I have large cats as my animal totems. As soon as the wild creature passed out of sight I rushed to look up “bobcat” in my medicine card and animal totem books and learned that it is a member of the Lynx family. It represents secret medicine, and the ability to keep secret knowledge.

I took this information to heart and, not wanting anyone to disturb the bobcat’s migration, I told no one about the sighting until I knew enough time had passed that it would no longer be in our area.

(For a glimpse of wild encounters in other countries, check out Rory Young’s wonderful story of Patches and Stumpy, the two elephants that touched his heart.)


Increasing Irisin: How the “Feel Good” Exercise Hormone Can Help Your Brain

Just discovered in 2012, irisin is exciting the science community with questions about its role in our bodies. Named after Iris, the Greek messenger to the gods, it’s called the feel good hormone, or the exercise hormone. As reported recently in The New York Times, research with mice has shown that irisin, released during exercise, works to activate brain cell growth and may counteract the beta amyloid growth associated with Alzheimer’s disease. And while there is plenty of research showing that exercise increases bone density, new studies indicate that it may be irisin that is driving the change. This could lead to new advances in the treatment of osteoporosis.

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Roger Nelson and the Global Consciousness Project

On March 31, 2001, I had a frightening dream of terrorists spying on us and planning an attack. Apparently, many others also had similar dreams in the months leading up to 9/11. A few months after the horrific event, this sparked my interest in studying The Global Consciousness Project.  I learned that a scientific collaboration of researchers, recording the effects of mass consciousness in response to major global events, had seen a startling shift in the data leading up to and during the terrorist attacks

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Science, Being, & Becoming by Paul J. Mills, Ph.D.

| by Cheryl Shainmark

Science, Being, & Becoming is a remarkable glimpse into the spiritual lives of scientists and academics. Filled with inspiring first hand accounts of transformative metaphysical and mystical experiences, this book upends the notion that science has no place for the spiritual. Indeed, the author, Paul J.Mills, Ph.D., makes a strong argument that science needs to incorporate the spiritual now more than ever.

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New Thinking Allowed: Dr. Jeffrey Mishlove & Parapsychology

A few years ago, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD. restarted his groundbreaking YouTube show with a new name, “New Thinking Allowed” (video). Dr. Mishlove, who ran the original series from 1986 to 2002, interviewed more than 200 leading intellectuals, including Joseph Campbell, Jean Houston, Terence McKenna, Michael Talbot, and more. In his introduction to the new series, he explains his motivation for starting anew, as a desire to “leave a legacy of the best thinking out there for those who desire to understand who they are and what their potential is.”

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Merlian News Podcast Interview with Dr. Ervin Laszlo

In this Podcast interview, Dr. Laszlo talks with Merryn Jose about the Akashic field, consciousness, holograms, time, The Club of Budapest and more. Prof. Dr. Ervin Laszlo, founder and President of the Club of Budapest, was one of the first representatives in the area of systems philosophy and general theory of evolution. He published nearly 70 books translated into as many as 18 languages. In the course of his long academic career as a professor for philosophy, systems philosophy and future sciences, Dr. Laszlo worked in teaching and research at a variety of reputable universities in the US, Europe, and the Far East.

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Eye Floaters by Dr.Marc Grossman O.D. L.Ac.

Do tiny black shapes dance on your white living room wall? Do you see little black circles, lines or squiggles floating in your peripheral vision? Floaters are an appropriate name for these small dark shapes that appear before our eyes, because they do, indeed, float through your field of vision.

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3 Delicious, Detoxifying, Bone-Building Herbs by Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

Today we’re going to take an in-depth look at the bone health, overall health, and detoxification properties of three flavorful easy-to-find herbs. I also give you a scrumptious recipe to get you started. Fortunately, as you’ll soon see, detoxification can be a pleasant — even delicious — experience! I’d like to start with a decorative herb that more often than not gets ignored. Don’t overlook the.… from www.saveourbones.com

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When Your Body Speaks: Paying Attention to Food Cravings

| by Cheryl Shainmark

Several weeks ago I caught a doozy of a cold, leaving me with a stuffed head, chronically runny nose, sore throat and a bit of a cough. Bad enough for the first few days, weeks later it seemed like it just wouldn’t go away. I didn’t have the flu or strep throat or bronchitis, but the symptoms lingered. Finally, after weeks of getting more rest and watching my diet, it passed. During that time I ate lightly, (when I wasn’t sleeping,) but found myself throwing handfuls of thyme and garlic into virtually everything – from scrambled eggs to soup. It was a little bizarre, actually.

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Mirabai of Woodstock, NY

“At Mirabai you’ll find an amazing array of books devoted to inspiration, transformation and healing, the best in World Music which you can sample on our listening station, exquisite statuary and jewelry from Asia and the South Seas, crystals from Brazil and beyond, incense from India, meditation and yoga supplies, and so much more. Nearly every day, new and long-time customers comment on the “good energy” they feel here. Some refer to us a sanctuary for the soul. Come visit sometime and see if you agree.”

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