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I remember in the ’60s, being six or seven years old, and visiting my great-grandmother Teresa in a nursing home, shortly before she died at age 94. She only spoke Italian, and my Dad taught us a few words to say to her: Come sta? Bene; prego. Her son Henry, my grandfather, was bi-lingual; her grandson – my Dad – had a smattering of the old tongue, and now I had the four words he taught me….

Some time ago the New York Times Magazine section featured a wonderful interview with Barbara Ehrenreich, author of several books including “Nickel and Dimed.” The interview focused on her most recent book, Living With a Wild God, which is a memoir detailing the author’s “dissociative” experiences when she was in her teens. “…The whole world came to life, and the difference between myself and everything else dissolved — but not in a sweet, loving, New Agey way. That was a world flamed into life, is how I would put it.” As I read what Ms. Ehrenreich had gone through, I found myself moved by the story and recognized the pattern of staying silent for years about the strange and wonderful events that had occurred to her.

The conventional explanation for the existence of consciousness is that it’s generated somehow by the brain. It’s possible though that the brain acts as a window into a field of consciousness which is present everywhere in the Universe. Indeed, if we gently hold a focus of attention in the inner core of ourselves, we can quite easily reach an intuitive realisation that the conscious awareness we have inside us exists also in the space around us. It seems that the ‘I am’ awareness which exists, apparently separately, inside each one of us is an intrinsic property of all space everywhere and is simultaneously present inside all of us.

Dear Readers, We look forward to presenting you with up to date news and information, and we thank you for your support. This Month’s Recommended Merlian News Articles:   Merryn’s Musings by Merryn Jose Looking…

Several years ago I dreamed I was outside my house as a giant windstorm approached over the horizon. Like the buildup to a hurricane, the trees swayed, and leaves and debris blew over the lawn and through the air. I knew that it was urgent that I find shelter inside, but I was worried about my son and kept searching for him outside. A part of my mind knew that the dream was echoing reality: it was a truly tumultuous time in our household as our son went through a difficult period, moved out, and struggled to live independently. Back in my dream, reluctant to give up, I stayed outside until the storm was upon me.

So I went to NY to visit family, and while there I had some GREAT food. Got in on a 7 something flight that evening, and my Dad took me to an excellent Indian restaurant, with a buffet. They had a whole set up for Vegan/Vegetarian food. Not a surprise. But it was nice to walk into a place that wasn’t specifically a VEGAN restaurant, and not only have a ton of choices, but also have meat food for those who want. Yes, yes, I know, I’m supposed to be fighting the industry and trying to convince people that they shouldn’t be eating meat… But, I don’t want to. It’s a stupid move. And no one wants to listen to you tell them all the bad stuff about the food they’re about to eat. (More about this later.)

The alternative health and wellness market is growing bigger every day as more people recognize the importance of taking proper care of their health. Just as important is the growing trend of educating ourselves about the range of options available, and why they are effective. For that reason, we recommend Quantum University for the range and depth of their online courses, seminars, and educational videos featuring such leaders in the field as Amit Goswami, Rupert Sheldrake, Bruce Lipton, Joe Dispenza (video), Lynne McTaggart, and more.

A society is people living together in a certain pattern of behavior — a pattern which makes such physical traces as roads and the structure of towns, codes of law and language, tools and artifacts, all of which lay down “channels” determining the future behavior of the group. Moreover, a society is not “made up” of people in the same way that a house is composed of bricks, or even in the same way that an army is gathered together by recruitment.