You are married to your college boyfriend, and Britney Spears lunches regularly with her BFF Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Yeah right, you say, maybe in some alternate universe. Despite your sarcasm, a team of scientists at Oxford University might be quick to agree with you.
First advanced by physicist Hugh Everett in 1950, and a favorite conceit of science fiction writers ever since, the parallel universe theory is one most of us have toyed with on occasion. What if somewhere else, in some other universe, you hadn’t overslept for your SATs, had gotten into Harvard after all, etc., etc. Even a tiny change, one bus missed or one book dropped, and our lives would be completely different. But a recent breakthrough, heralded by U.C. Davis physicist Dr. Andy Albrecht in New Scientist magazine as “one of the most important developments in the history of science,” means the stuff of idle daydreams may well be reality.
With a recent mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists, science fiction has become scientific fact. The numbers don’t lie; parallel universes are for real. Once disregarded as far-fetched, Everett’s strange and fascinating theory now provides a mathematical explanation for a central mystery of quantum theory. Quantum mechanically speaking, nothing at the subatomic level actually exists until it is observed. Before that, particles occupy a shadowy realm in which they simultaneously seem to appear in separate locations or to spin “up” and “down” at the same time. The participation of an observer appears to fix a certain state of reality the same way that a throw of the dice can only be said to come up snake eyes, double sixes or lucky seven once it has landed and not before. Oxford University’s Dr. David Deutsch and a group of his colleagues have demonstrated mathematically that Everett’s theory of branching parallel universes can account for the probabilistic nature of quantum activity.
At least, that’s what Dr. Deutsch has recently accomplished in this universe. In a parallel universe, he may well be taking Britney and Justice Ginsberg’s soup orders. I’m guessing he likes it better here.
A lot of stress in life is created by the need to feel secure, and by the surprise we feel when the illusion is shattered. We make choices about jobs and homes and relationships with the hope that they will last. But truly the only constant in life is change, and if we embrace that, then change won’t catch you off guard, like in that song about Sunscreen (Everyone’s Free) by Baz Luhrman.
“Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.”
You may want to choose an object of focus for this meditation — whether real or just seen in your mind’s eye — a flower that you know will soon wither, a candle that will burn out. You might seek out a place of nature where fallen leaves, a flowing stream or the setting sun will remind you of the ever-changing cycle of life.
Breathing deeply while contemplating these symbols, we appreciate beauty for what it is, without attaching ourselves to the need for it to last forever. This allows us to experience and appreciate the present moment. Presence is key to living life fully now, rather than dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. In our world of duality, we could not appreciate the moment unless we knew the moment would end. At the same time, we can rise above it all to connect to the unchanging nature of spirit, anchoring ourselves there in meditation. Once we’ve made that connection, we can remember to live from that place, making decisions not based on safety, security or quelling our fears, but on following our bliss to create the life of our dreams.
These two animation shorts were submitted as part of Friends of The Earth's Green Film competition. The winner will get lunch with award-winning producer Andrew Macdonald (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 28 Weeks Later) plus a host of other filmmaking goodies. Check out the entries on the FOE.co.uk website, and vote for your favorite one minute environmental wonder. Voting closes Sept 30th, so do it now.
"Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back and drain your mind of all thought. And there you are watching the bubbles in the primeval ooze. You don't have to concentrate. You don't have to react. You don't have to remember. You don't miss your brain because you don't need it. Your heart and liver and lungs continue to function normally. Apart from that, all is peace and quiet. You are in the man's nirvana. And if some poor nasty minded person comes along and says you look like a fly on a can of garbage, pay him no mind. He probably hasn't got the price of a television set."
Raymond Chandler, novelist
“Television has changed a child from an irresistible force to an immovable object.”
Author Unknown
“If you came and you found a strange man... teaching your kids to punch each other, or trying to sell them all kinds of products, you'd kick him right out of the house, but here you are; you come in and the TV is on, and you don't think twice about it.”
Jerome Singer, psychologist and Professor Emeritus, Yale
“All television is educational television. The question is: what is it teaching?”
Nicholas Johnson, FCC commissioner (1966-1973) and author of How to Talk Back to Your Television Set
“I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.”
Groucho Marx, actor and comedian
One of the most powerful ways we create our experience is with the words we use to talk about it. Each word we speak reinforces our thoughts, giving them more weight as they vibrate out into the world. We know that looking for the positive aspects of a situation or seeking improvement will make us feel better than merely complaining about it. But once we’ve decided to create the life we desire, we might want to look even more closely at the words we choose.
When we describe our goals by using the word “want” are we reinforcing lack in our lives? By continually saying we want something, it points out that we don’t have it in our current experience. This can be frustrating because it is such a common phrase in our language. You might find yourself asking “do I have to pay attention to every word I say now?” Well, yes. You might want to imagine that every word you say becomes part of the the way people see you, as if you’re adding to a collage. The words we say over and over again would be more visible.
So instead of saying that we want something, we can use the word “willing”. If we switch to being willing, perhaps it will help us shift into the mindset of taking steps right now to will our desires into creation. From “I want peace in my life” to “I am willing to be peaceful.” From “I want more money” to “I am willing to experience greater abundance.” In the modern vernacular it just sounds as if we’re open to it, available to try it on for size, but in that open space, we make it part of our current existence today. Are you willing to try watching what you say to have a new experience of life?
It’s been rumored that Tom Cruise is building a $10 million bomb shelter at his Colorado home. A source close to the actor told England’s Metro newspaper that the bunker will be “a self-contained underground system where up to 10 people can survive for years.” It’s said the underground complex will feature storage space for large amounts of food and survival equipment, and will have “a state of the art air purification system.”
It’s unclear whether Tom, a follower of Scientology, is worried about nukes from Korea and Iran, or a return of the deposed leader of the galactic confederacy, Xenu. According to Wikipedia’s entry on Scientology, alien leader Xenu caused the destruction of billions of his people from his overpopulated planets by paralyzing them, bringing them to earth on Douglas DC-8-styled spacecraft, stacking them up around volcanoes, and blowing them up with hydrogen bombs launched into the craters, an event that is said to be referred to as Incident II by the church.
Whatever the source of the nuclear threat, Cruise should heed the warning of Walton McCarthy, the president and chief engineer of bomb shelter builders Radius Engineering. He cautions that concrete is not a suitable construction material, being prone to cracks and damp. “Unless the shelter ceiling is 36 inches thick the concrete shelter is useless protecting against nuclear weapon blasts,” says McCarthy. “Concrete is not a viable material to protect shelterists from storms and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.”
Shelters can be ordered from McCarthy’s website, Bomb-Shelter.net, at a fraction of the cost of Cruise’s (they offer a 10 person military model for just $91,160). For those looking to save money by building one themselves, The American Civil Defense Association offers a helpful 400-page handbook, which features detailed diagrams and specifications, entitled Principles of Protection for just $59.95.
On Oct 9th Yoko Ono will officially launch her latest art installation, the Imagine Peace Tower on Videy Island, Reykjavik, Iceland. The date would have marked her late husband John Lennon’s 67th birthday. The tower of light is emitted from a Wishing Well platform which houses nine giant spotlights which will send beams of hope into the sky each year from October 9th (Lennon's birthday) to December 8th (the day of his death). In addition the installation, which was built in partnership with the City of Reykjavik, the Reykjavik Art Museum and Reykjavik Power, will light up on New Years Eve and to mark other special days to be agreed on by Ono and the city.
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream,
A dream you dream together is reality."
Yoko Ono
The light project was originally conceived by Ono over 40 years ago, appearing in Conceptual Sales List which was distributed to 200 art collectors. “In 1967, John Lennon invited me for lunch at his Kenwood residence in England. It was about six months after we first met in my Indica Gallery Show in London,” recalls Ono. “He told me that he read about the Light House in my publication and [asked] if I would build one for him in his garden.”
The Imagine Peace Tower, which has the words Imagine Peace inscribed on its base in 24 languages, will have hundreds of thousands of messages of peace installed under and around it, which Ono has been collecting since 1981 as part of her touring Wish Tree art project. If you’d like you own thoughts to be included, visit ImaginePeace.com, or send an email directly to: imaginepeacetower@mac.com
Since reviewing Secrets of the Monarch, the new book by Allison DuBois (the real Medium) we’ve had a slew of friends begging to borrow the Daily Mantra’s copy (it’s strictly first come first served -- Kim you’re first, Daina’s second, and Lynn’s third). Before we hand it over however, we’d like to explore one more idea from the book, in which Allison shares wisdom she’s learnt from souls both passed and present.
In a chapter entitled Relationships and Being Your Own Best Friend, Allison talks about taking responsibility for your own happiness, and not making it a burden for others. “We are not someone else’s project to fix,” she writes, clarifying that she means emotionally and not physically. “For those of you out there who are just in a bad place, remember that if you have a void in your life, fill it with something that lifts you to a higher level inside.”
Allison elaborates on the idea, using the loving relationship she has with her husband as an example. “I realize that he can’t read my mind and he’s only human,” says Allison. “I think most women like it when their partner knows what they’re thinking and what they need emotionally. Once I truly understood this I decided to court myself. I know that sounds odd, but follow me on this. I love to buy myself that special anything that makes me feel happy or treat myself to a manicure or pedicure and go to lunch with a friend. I’ve found the more I do this, the more fulfilled I become. The more fulfilled I am, the less pressure my family has...”
So whether you’re buying or borrowing this treasure of a book, before you open its covers, take a moment out of your day to buy a candle you like, or a bunch of your favorite flowers, or some chocolates, so you can treasure yourself as you read it.
The new trend in the travel industry offers more than a chance to get away. Now you can also find a package offering transformation. While yoga holidays are increasingly popular, there are also vacations centered around meditation, workshops or detoxification — potentially life-changing experiences that may help you find inner peace and a new outlook.
Ken Johnson, owner of Retreats Online, offers a list of yoga and other getaways in the U.S. and abroad for between $100 and $500 a day. "People are dissatisfied with their life for some reason and they want to get a fresh start," Johnson said. "So they go to a yoga retreat or a detox retreat so they can learn how to get (life) going in a different direction."
So why have these types of vacations become increasingly popular? Is it that Americans don’t know how to relax without instruction? Or are we so tightly wound that two weeks a year isn’t enough time off to allow us to relax on our own? Maybe we need to make the most of the time off that we have, so we try to do everything in one vacation –– travel and learn new techniques for living. Perhaps we feel that we need to seek out ways to connect with like-minded individuals and meaning outside of our daily lives.
Author Carolyn Myss, is offering a workshop in Scotland based on her latest book Entering the Castle. In the promotional literature it states: “Too many people are in pain because they feel they need to leave their homes to be happy and to be spiritual.” But perhaps our challenge as spiritual beings having a human experience is to learn to blend our two worlds. We can find ways to be spiritual while living our normal lives, without having to remove ourselves to experience transformation. If taking one of these vacations can help us to shift our perceptions and return to our lives with a new understanding and ability to integrate the spiritual and material to live fully, then it is certainly well worth it.
A recent German study, to be published in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine, has shown that acupuncture is significantly more effective that conventional therapy when used to treat back pain. Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum treated 1,100 patients for back pain over a period of six months, after which patients completed a survey which asked questions regarding their pain and ability to move. 47% of the patients who’d received acupuncture reported improvement in their condition, as opposed to just 27% who received conventional therapy, which included drugs, heat and massage. Interestingly, a third group, who received so-called fake acupuncture were found to have a 44% improvement rate. When treating this third control group, researchers inserted needles superficially, in non-key acupuncture sites, and didn’t manipulate them once inserted. The researchers weren’t quite sure why the fake acupuncture appeared to be so effective, but speculate that it may be because pain messages were blocked by competing stimuli, regardless of exactly where or how the needles were inserted. Patients’ positive expectations of alternative therapy, versus possible negative views of traditional methods, may also have played a role in the results.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice, which uses fine needles inserted at specific sites to free the flow of energy and restore balance. “Acupuncture represents a highly promising and effective treatment option for chronic back pain,” said study group leader Dr Heinz Endres of the Ruhr University Bochum in an email to Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson. "Patients experienced not only reduced pain intensity, but also reported improvements in the disability that often results from back pain and therefore in their quality of life."
The Daily Mantra loves this inspirational message, and has been sending it to our single 'n' sad-about-it girlfriends all morning. Here's the link if you want to pass it on: http://phocks.org/stumble/girlsarelike.php
In March of this year NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company founded by his father, racing legend Dale Earnhadt. The moved forced Earnhardt Jr. to give up his treasured No. 8 racing moniker, which his grandfather Ralph Earnhardt had previously used. Fortunately, Robert Yates Racing stepped in, asking NASCAR to transfer their No. 88 to Earnhardt Jr.’s new team, Hendrick Motorsports, so the driver could make use of the special number. "Ralph Earnhardt drove the No. 88 Olds in 1957 and because of this number's history with the Earnhardt family, I felt car No. 88 should continue with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'' Robert Yates said in a statement.
We asked Daily Mantra’s new in-house numerologist Shauna, for her insight on Earnhardt Jr’s new double digits, which he debuts with in the 2008 season. “Dale Earnhardt Jr. shifts into high gear with his decision to take a new direction, and the timing couldn’t be better,” says Shauna. “His numbers are falling into place opening the way to fulfill his destiny.”
A continuous stream of wellbeing is constantly showering down upon each and every one of us. All it takes to experience this ongoing flow of perfect physical health, abundant wealth, satisfying social connections, and joyful creativity is to maintain a present moment awareness. In all likelihood, you’ve heard this before, and, yes, it’s just that simple. Stay in the now and you are in for a fabulous existence. If the best way to block your connection to all that is, and can be, positive in your life is resentment (and it is), the best way to unblock it is forgiveness. Indeed, the practice of letting go of old hurts and hard feelings is at least as much about receiving as it is about giving.
Abundant good and prosperity are forever showering down, but most of us make choices that take us not just out of this beneficent shower, but have us walking all the way out of the proverbial bathroom. The disruptive choice that moves us out of the present moment is nothing more than the decision to resent. This decision pulls us back into the past. (“I can’t believe he did that!” “She was wrong!”) And, by stoking our fears, resentment pulls us forward into the future as well. (“What will I say if I run into him?” “What if everyone blames me and agrees with her?”) In either case, whether we are angrily revisiting the past or anxiously anticipating the future, we’ve abandoned the wellspring of our being, and our lives inevitably dry up.
While it does nothing to hurt the person you believe has wronged you, the choice not to forgive does everything to damage yourself. For this reason, it is said that resenting makes as much sense as ingesting poison so that someone else will suffer. It doesn’t work. You, the person filled with bitterness, are the only one who gets hurt. So, if you are feeling stuck or dissatisfied, a useful question might not be “How can I change?” but “Whom can I forgive?”
An innovative low cost laptop, intended for children in the developing world, has received numerous design awards and accolades in the US and European press, causing it to become a must-have item for children of the overdeveloped world. Prompted by the attention the XO-1 laptop has received –– even before the first mass produced model has been shipped –– its developers are rolling out an innovative Get One, Give One (G1G1) scheme. For a limited time, staring on Nov 12th, G1G1 subscribers will receive one laptop for their children (or themselves – after all this is a HOT machine) and pay for another laptop to be shipped to a child in need. The cost for both computers will be just $399. The first 25,000 units will be shipped in time for Christmas, with remaining customers receiving theirs in the first quarter of 2008. The first countries to receive the donated machines will include Cambodia, Afghanistan, Rwanda and Haiti.
The laptop was conceived by a group from MIT, led by Nicholas Negroponte, who wanted to design a low cost $100 laptop to empower and educate children in the poorer parts of the planet. The laptop has been developed by a Delaware-based non-profit called OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), which was founded by Negroponte, and is funded by sponsors such as Google, eBay, News Corp. and Intel, amongst others. The machine currently costs $188 per unit, if ordered in bulk, but the goal is for the price to be lowered to $100 by the end of 2008.
OLPC hope their laptops, which roll out in October 2007, will be bought by governments (such as Peru's who have ordered 250,000 units) and NGOs, but despite much lip service and many promises, business has been slow. “I have to some degree underestimated the difference between shaking the hand of a head of state and having a check written,” said Negroponte to the NY Times. “And yes, it has been a disappointment.” Instead, inspired by demand for the cute green and white machine from wannabe customers in the western world, OLPC hopes individual consumers will lead the way, shaming governments into action via the G1G1 scheme.
The rugged laptop has few moving parts, making it perfect for children everywhere. A traditional hard drive is replaced by a I GB flash drive, negating the need for costly cooling fans. The computer has a high resolution, energy efficient dual mode display, that can be read in sunlight, a unique peer-to-peer wireless interface, a camera, speakers and microphone, and can be reconfigured in an energy-saving eBook mode. With just 256 MB of RAM to run off, the operating system is a pared down, Linux-based graphical user interface called Sugar, which focuses on a single task at a time, making the most of the computer’s low cost design. The energy efficient machine uses batteries, which can be recharged conventionally, or by using optional hand cranks and foot pumps or pull-string and solar chargers.
Those interested in the Get 1 Give 1 schemes can go to www.xogiving.org. The site also offers the opportunity for individuals to donate a computer for just $200.
NASA satellites have spotted what looks like seven cave openings on the 12 mile high slopes of Arsia Mons, one of three Martian volcanoes, situated near the planet's equator, that are collectively known as Tharsis Montes. The images were taken by High Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRISE) equipment on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey probes. Measurements taken using Odyssey’s thermal imaging technology, comparing the temperatures of the dark circles during the planet’s day and night, indicate that they are of a cavernous nature. The dark pits appear to be vertical shafts, cut through ancient lava flow, with entrances ranging from 328 to 820 feet in diameter. The discovery is prompting speculation about the possibility of underground habitats for as yet undiscovered life forms on the planet. "Whether these are just deep vertical shafts or openings into spacious caverns, they are entries to the subsurface of Mars,” says scientist Tim Titus, an astrophysicist with USGS. "Somewhere on Mars, caves might provide a protected niche for past or current life, or shelter for humans in the future."
In other space-related news, scientists have discovered that bacterial life forms sent into space become far deadlier, a worrying finding given that the human immune system is compromised by space travel. Scientists observed a change in 167 of the genes of salmonella samples sent into space aboard the Atlantis STS-115 shuttle mission in September 2006. After the carefully contained germs returned from their trip, scientists observed a vastly increased virulence in experiments on mice. After 25 days just 10% of mice exposed to the space salmonella were still alive, compared to 40% of the control group, which were given an entirely earthbound strain. "Wherever humans go, microbes go, you can't sterilize humans. Wherever we go, under the oceans or orbiting the earth, the microbes go with us, and it's important that we understand ... how they're going to change," explains research leader Cheryl Nickerson, an associate professor at the Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at Arizona State University.
Meanwhile marketing executive Paul Jenkins plans to exploit the possibility of life beyond earth, however deadly, by selling space on giant horizontal billboards that will be visible from outer space. The first three of these monster adverts, which are made of mesh attached to frames that span 20,000 square meters (nearly 4 times the size of the Dallas Cowboys’s playing field), will be placed near Heathrow airport for air passengers to view. Jenkins’ company, Ad Air, is planning similar billboard sites in Europe, Japan, China, Korea, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.. “Such size leads to an unprecedented audience impact,” says the company’s website. “They are quite simply overwhelmed by the scale of the advertisement.” Let’s hope the cave-dwelling Martians like what we’re selling.
Since the birth of Barbie on March 9, 1959 every little girl has grown up playing with this glamour fantasy doll. I remember playing “Barbie” in my room with my older sister as we fought over outfits and who got to drive in the Barbie-mobile. Of course, my older sister always won and got her way, but also I feel she was more in tuned to the glamour and mystery of this very sexy toy. As I got older and became an astrologer I realized a lot of that connection was probably due to the fact that my sister and Barbie were born just nine days apart in the sign of Pisces.
Curious to know more about Barbie’s personality, the astrologer in me looked up her birth information. Barbie is a take charge woman who communicates very well. She is also a very compassionate and dreamy lady as proven with her nearly 50 years of success of making little girls all over the world very happy. Over the years there have been countless new personalities of Barbie as she continues to re-invent herself. Recently I have taken an interest in the Birthstone Beauties™ Barbie collection available at Wal-Mart and wondered what each would be like:
At the sound of the word “meditation,” you probably imagine someone sitting perfectly still, perhaps in a lotus position with their eyes closed. They may even be saying “OM” or repeating a mantra. But meditation by definition is “the act or process of thinking,” with the thesaurus suggesting words like cogitation, contemplation, reflection, rumination, and thought to be used in its place. Therefore, why should we need to sit still just to focus on our thoughts?
I have long been a fan of the walking meditation. It puts me into a rhythm and helps to shift my thoughts to the present -- especially if I have to watch where I’m going. Deepak Chopra, in his “Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,” recommends getting out into nature to get in touch with life force energy. Walking through your neighborhood or a park gives you an opportunity to feel the breeze and take in the awareness of life that surrounds you in the form of plants, insects, and birds or other animals. You may be reminded how effortlessly it all works together, thereby aligning yourself with the divine order of the universe.
You may also want to use the rhythm of your steps to repeat a mantra. In the book “Seven Masters, One Path: Meditation Secrets from the World's Greatest Teachers,” John Selby says that when you concentrate on two or more things at one time, you quiet your mind, moving into a clear state of consciousness. So by repeating a mantra or affirmation and concentrating on your steps, your entire focus is in the moment. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh has published a few books that promote walking meditation as a means to literally walk your life path. So let’s not restrict ourselves to one form of meditation, but practice whatever allows us to make the connection to our inner world as we move through the world around us.
According to Walter Semkiw, MD, MPH on his website and in his book Return of the Revolutionaries: The Case for Reincarnation and Soul Groups Reunited, Oprah Winfrey, Al Gore, George W. Bush, and a wide assortment of other public figures and/or luminaries were among the founding fathers of the United States in past lives; they penned the nation’s founding documents and hung out at its founding meetings, like the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Semkiw specifically identifies Oprah with James Wilson, a Scottish born abolitionist, lawyer, and college instructor of literature who, like his future TV show hosting incarnation, rose from humble beginnings to achieve financial success. To support this and other claims, Semkiw lines up photographs of present day figures alongside portraiture of their former selves. As he sees it, not just personality traits and traces of consciousness but also bone structure and other physical characteristics are maintained from one lifetime to the next. Many of the site and book’s identifications are based on the say so of Ahtun Re, a spirit entity channeled by Kevin Ryerson who happens to be the same cosmic consultant relied upon by famed past life connoisseur Shirley MacLaine.
While it’s anyone’s guess what Oprah thinks about these reincarnation theories, other celebrities have readily claimed and affirmed their own past life connections. Actress Judith Light, for instance, who has transitioned over the course of her career from star of daytime soap One Life to Live to prime time regular on ABC’s Emmy winning series Ugly Betty, believes herself to have made an even bigger transformation from eighteenth century French aristocrat Marie-Louise, Princesse de Lamballe (a confidant of Mari Antoinette) to her current twentieth and early twenty first century existence.
According to Semkiw, a strong affinity for, or an interest in, an historical figure may indicate a past life connection. Halle Berry’s award-winning turn as Dorothy Dandridge (who was the first African American to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award) in HBO’s Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, for instance, is taken as a sign that Halle was Dorothy. If so, in this larger cosmic context, Berry’s emotional acceptance of an academy award for her work in Monster’s Ball takes on new meaning as a touching suggestion of a soul’s once thwarted ambitions finally realized.
Though suspected to be an urban legend, it turns out that there are indeed places in the middle of the Pacific Ocean known as the Western and Eastern Garbage Patches. Populated by plastic disposables that don’t break down in sea water, it has been described as a slowly-rotating mass of trash nearly double the size of Texas. And Texas is a really big state.
A 2002 article from US News and World Report, said that each year trash from the Los Angeles River alone could fill the Rose Bowl two stories high, if it were to empty into it. But unfortunately, despite efforts to capture the trash near the mouth of the river, most of the garbage slips right into the ocean.
According to the L.A. Times article Plague of Plastic Chokes the Seas, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took a field trip to where they suspected they might find floating trash: the Subtropical Convergence Zone, where the cold, green, heavier waters from the north slide under the warm, blue waters of the south. The meandering line of buoys, nets, life rings, buckets and other castoffs stretched for hundreds and hundreds of miles. The NOAA researchers never reached the far end of the trash line, their airplane had to turn back before the trash ended.
That same L.A. Times article talks about a piece of plastic found in an albatross’ stomach bearing a serial number that was traced to a World War II seaplane shot down in 1944. Apparently computer models recreated its journey. It showed the piece of plastic spent a decade in a gyre known as the Western Garbage Patch, just south of Japan, before it drifted 6,000 miles to the Eastern Garbage Patch off the West Coast of the U.S., where it spun in circles for the next 50 years.
So what is the solution to this massive problem that is killing wildlife and working its way through the food chain to kill us off eventually too? One step in the right direction is the creation of biodegradable packaging. EarthShell, may finally be making some headway in that direction. Government agencies like the National Park Service are already using EarthShell’s biodegradable plates and packaging, and hundreds of McDonald’s restaurants have experimented with its clamshell boxes.
In the meantime we can each make an effort to reduce the amount of plastics we use by reusing our own food-grade plastic bottles that won’t pollute our bodies or our ecosystem. We can also dispose of our own trash responsibly, and assist in clean up efforts with local organizations that can recycle plastics. The Ocean Conservancy can help you find one in your area. By doing all we can as individuals, we make our own sizable contribution to being part of the solution.
The Associated Press reports that God has seemingly responded to a lawsuit filed by Omaha State Senator Ernie Chambers. The agnostic politician, who was hoping to highlight the issue of frivolous lawsuits, was seeking a permanent injunction stopping God from making "terrorist threats" of "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants." In a response, delivered on Wednesday, the Almighty claimed that he existed outside of the jurisdiction of earthly laws. When questioned about how the legal papers were delivered, Douglas County District Court clerk John Friend explained they miraculously appeared on the counter. “It just all of a sudden was here — poof," said Friend.
Meanwhile irate instruments of God from Pigeon Forge, TN spent a reported $90,440 on a full-page advertisement in Monday’s edition of USA Today criticizing comments made by Kathy Griffin at this year’s Emmys. While accepting an award for her Bravo show My Life On The D-List, Kathy quipped that “a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus." The protestors, who are all members of the Christian Miracle Theatre group, failed to see the humorous side of the Catholic comedienne’s comments. In their ad the group stated, "We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ."
In further God news this week, Bavarian politician Gabriele Pauli caused controversy after she announced plans to tamper with the rules of the almighty institution of marriage, suggesting that it should “expire after seven years,” with couples being given the option to extend their union once the initial period had ended. The twice-divorced, 50-year old politician, made the comments on Wednesday while campaigning for the leadership of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union party, which is based in Pope Benedict XVI's home region. When questioned further, the motorbike-riding candidate conceded that “the fine points must still be cleared up.”
If you’ve ever noticed that all of your exes and everyone you’ve ever been angry with are the same type of crazy, then it might be time to look in the mirror. Since like attracts like, the things that we are not willing to acknowledge within ourselves seem to become glaringly obvious in those we surround ourselves with. We can see it as lessons in our soul’s growth, or merely an opportunity for our neuroses to work themselves out, but either way it is a chance for us to make some improvements in our lives.
My grandma used to say that you when you’re pointing at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you. So next time you find yourself listing someone else’s faults, take a moment to ask yourself if you ever do the same thing. Pioneering author Shakti Gawain said in an article, “It's very difficult to look inside ourselves and see what's going on in there -- particularly to see what we're unaware of. That's why it's important to look at our relationships as mirrors of our inner processes.”
By learning from these situations, you allow yourself to grow and attract new, better versions of yourself into your life. In the same article Shakti Gawain said “Our primary relationship is really with ourselves. Each of us is involved in developing all aspects of our being and bringing them into relationship with one another -- becoming whole. Our relationships with other people continually reflect exactly where we are in that process.” And as Michael Jackson once sang: “if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make the change”. We have no real power to change others, but we absolutely do have the power to change ourselves.
The good news is that all of this applies to our positive traits as well as our negative ones. So next time you find yourself admiring the great qualities of someone else, remember, “it takes one to know one.”
Shakti Gawain’s recorded lecture entitled “Relationships as Mirrors” is available from Audible.com.
The Daily Mantra is all about seeking knowledge, wisdom and spiritual guidance, opening your mind to a multitude of sources, so we’re feeling student Ricky Travis’ frustration. The pupil at Harry S. Truman High School draws his personal inspiration from English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, studying history and anthropology through the group’s eyes. Sadly this 10th grader’s efforts have been under-appreciated by his world history teacher, Mr. Bradley, who gave Ricky an F grade for the class last semester.
“I suspect that perhaps Mr. Bradley just feels threatened that I know more about the subject he teaches than he does. It's not exactly a secret that I've seen the band Iron Maiden in concert 57 times, and that I own every album they've ever released,” says Ricky in an online statement, co-signed by six of his classmates.
At the heart of Ricky’s objection to Mr. Bradley’s closed-minded curriculum, is the class’s official reading material, World History & You. “This so-called educational textbook completely ignores the crucial influence of Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie in the events that have shaped human history,” argues Ricky. “The omission of Eddie from the text amounts to dangerous revisionist history on the part of the publishers.”
Ricky contends that the Iron Maiden song “Quest For Fire” is, “a badass track that chronicles the true story of man's life and death struggle with dinosaurs, wooly mammoths and fire in caveman times,” a position that Christian Creationists would surely agree with. Ricky quotes song lyrics to support his passionate belief that the group offer text on the subject of world history, that is equally – if not more valid – than that of the official class tome. “Mr. Bradley would have us believe that the logic of this song is flawed just because of the fact that dinosaurs and humans never actually co-existed, but how many platinum albums has he released? Relatively few, I suspect.” The Daily mantra also suspects that unlike monsters of rock Iron Maiden, Mr. Bradley has neither an Ivor Novello Award or a spot on the Hollywood Rock Walk, adding more fuel to Ricky’s fire.
Offering further examples of Iron Maiden’s historically factual lyrics, Ricky focuses on the group’s song "Alexander The Great (356-323 B.C.)" from the album Somewhere In Time, which accurately portrays events in the life of the Macedonian king, in chronological order. “I performed an a cappella air guitar version of the entire song while standing atop my desk as my final project in World History 101, and Mr. Bradley was forced to admit that it was –- despite being 'inappropriate and disruptive' -– 100% historically accurate,” says Ricky. In a historical footnote, the student also assures us that there are no Satanic messages in the track if played backwards, but “Alexander does get younger, and his life progressively less impressive.”
Other songs from the band’s impressive catalog offer important information on the Roman empire circa 100 B.C. (“The Ides Of March”), ancient Egyptian culture (“Powerslave”), the Viking conquests of the 11th Century (“Number Of The Beast”), Genghis Khan’s 13th century empire (“Genghis Kahn” from the album Killers), medieval torture (“Iron Maiden”), The Crimean War ("The Trooper"), and 19th century American history ("Run To The Hills”). For further study, the Daily Mantra suggests readers check out Eddies Head, a definitive 16 CD collection of the band’s most important works.
“I’ve titled my book Secrets of the Monarch: What the Dead Can Teach Us About Living a Better Lifehaving been inspired by monarch butterflies. I see a beauty in their families that also exists in ours,” says psychic and author Allison DuBois in the preface of her new book. “What I mean by this is that it takes Monarch butterflies several generations to complete migration to secure the survival of their future families.”
In her third book, published this week by Simon & Schuster, Allison, whose life was the inspiration for the TV show Medium, encourages us to lead the best life we can. She illustrates her words of advice with tales from her own life, and from the lives of those who have gone before her. “First of all, I learned that it’s key not to squander you life, because many who’ve lived feel they missed the point of living by assuming that they’d always have more time….So much can be learned from those who died before us, and I know I give great importance to the wisdom of living. I’ve learned to live in the moment, love with all you have, and don’t let others design who you are. You be the artist of you.”
Being in touch with the dead on a daily basis makes the psychic very aware of her own mortality. “I don’t fear it. I fight to know it and teach others to embrace the wisdom that lies in death,” says Allison. “What I mean is that if you know that your story will end, then you will make sure its content is a masterpiece. You’ll be certain not to squander your life and take the time to inspire others through your strength and affection.”
With the clock of time ticking so clearly in her ear, Allison tries to live as many lives as she can in the one she has, and encourages others to do the same. “There’s an art to cramming many lives into the one you have,” writes Allison. “Be what you feel drawn to, do the right thing, have what you feel would mean something to you and, most important, help others do the same. It’s our legacy, it’s why we are here and, much like the monarch butterfly, we will only make part of our migration in this life. But we pass the torch to those who come after us to continue to push forward, and we have in reality passed to them the fire that burned in our eyes and our hearts, it’s in fact our soul.”
O.J. Simpson, born July 9, 1947, has claimed his innocence for twelve years now when it comes to killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. We all feel he killed the both of them but more importantly, the Universe knows the truth no matter what O.J. wants to believe. Here we are twelve years later and the planet Jupiter has returned to the sign of Sagittarius, where it was when the infamous “not guilty” verdict was read. Jupiter in Sadge is all about higher philosophy and acts as the judge and lawmaker. With this combination, plus favorable moon aspects and the fact the Mercury was retrograde at the time of the reading of the verdict, I predicted O.J. would not spend any jail time for the killing of Nicole and Ron.
The Universe always has a way of catching up with our actions. It’s like big brother watching over us no matter what we do. O.J.’s chart indicates a life of confinement probably brought in from past lives where he failed to pay his debt to society. He’s not going to be so lucky this time around as he finds himself once again in legal woes. Whether O.J. was set up or orchestrated this whole “give me back what’s mine” event, it will be the turning point and the gift to the Browns and Goldman’s to finally see the man they believe to have killed their loved one get the punishment he deserves – spending out the rest of his natural life behind bars.
Are you a cat napper? A night owl? An early riser? Whatever your sleep habits, the unconscious wisdom awaiting you in your dreams is a gold mine of information straight from your wisest Self. Imagine a counselor who, free of charge, could connect you to all other beings on the planet and to parts of yourself that you have misplaced, overlooked or forgotten. Attend to your dreams and you will receive exactly this sort of invaluable counsel.
There is no situation, personal or professional, that your dreams will not happily address. To receive insight, for instance, on how best to treat a chronic illness or how to approach a challenging relationship, try incubating a dream. In other words, before drifting off to sleep affirm out loud that you will receive insight that night regarding a particular situation. Or, if tangibles appeal to you, just as you are about to go to bed, write the question you want an answer to on a small piece of paper, then tuck that paper underneath your pillow. There may be no tooth fairy, but dream fairies unfailingly respond to such requests.
If you are a bit rusty in your dreaming and never or almost never remember your dreams, you can brush up by keeping a dream journal. Just the action of recording or trying to record your dreams will strengthen your dream memory muscles. As with anything else, dreaming is a matter of intent. Make your intent clear, and dreams will be your royal road to a richer, more integrated and fulfilling existence.
Clueless star Alicia Silverstone bares all for PETA in a slick 30 second film clip which the actress hopes will encourage people to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. “I’ve been vegan for 10 years, and it’s the single-most important and helpful decision I have ever made,” says the actress in a statement on PETA’s website. “Being vegan truly is the secret to my life’s joy and peace. I feel physically and spiritually better than I could have ever imagined knowing that I am doing everything I can to reduce animal suffering with simple lifestyle choices like being vegan, never wearing any products made from animals (like wool and leather), and buying only from companies that NEVER test their products or ingredients on animals.”
Meanwhile, scientists have discovered that green sea turtles, a species who were thought to be 100% vegetarian, have been secretly snacking on fish. For the first time researchers have discovered the deep sea hideout, where hatchlings have hung out under the radar of researches, up until now, while indulging in carnivore chow. “This has been a really intriguing and embarrassing problem for sea-turtle biologists, because so many green-turtle hatchlings enter the ocean, and we haven’t known where they go,” zoologist Karen Bjorndal explains to LiveScience. "Literally, when green turtles run off their nesting beach and into the ocean as little hatchlings, they disappear. And nobody sees them again [for years]." After dining on jellyfish and other sea creatures for up to five years, the beefed-up young resurface closer to shore where they take up a vegetarian lifestyle, munching mostly on sea grasses -- a food choice PETA would heartily approve of.
Experts on either side of the Atlantic have novel ideas on how to trim our waistlines down. According to a study by a health economist at Washington University in St Louis, entitled A Silver Lining? The Connection Between Gas Prices and Obesity, “an additional $1 in real gasoline prices would reduce obesity in the U.S. by 15% after five years.” The paper’s author, Charles Courtemanche, hypothesizes that “13% of the rise in obesity between 1979 and 2004 can be attributed to falling real gas prices during this period.” According to the paper, his statistics show that weight loss not only occurs due to an increase in exercise, as people choose to walk rather than use their car for short trips and walk to public transport for longer journeys, but due to a reduction in calorie intake as people reduce the frequency that they eat out as gas prices rise.
Over the pond in Britain, experts are exploring a far simpler solution to combat the nation’s rising obesity. In a study conducted over six weeks by Kingston University sport science lecturer Oliver Webb at a shopping centre in Coventry, England, signs with simple messages such as "Take the stairs” and "Seven minutes of stair climbing daily protects your heart" posted at the base of staircases increased stair-climbing traffic by almost 200%. Additionally, traffic in the downward direction on the same staircases increased by 25%, even though no signs were posted on the shopping center’s upper floors. Traffic on nearby staircases, where no signs were posted, was also boosted by 52%. “I would like to see signs like these used in public buildings,” Mr. Webb told the UK’s Daily Mail. “This is such a simple, cheap way to promote health."
The Daily Mantra has long been a fan of taking the stairs, which not only promotes fitness but also reduces energy consumption, giving the environment a boost too. However, in this culture of convenience, it’s often remarkably hard to find stairs in American buildings, with staircases often being sealed at the ground floor (being reserved for emergency use only). As flu season rapidly approaches, and the close confines of elevators become less appealing, the Daily Mantra would like to encourage its readers to fight for the right to take flight.
You are married to your college boyfriend, and Britney Spears lunches regularly with her BFF Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Yeah right, you say, maybe in some alternate universe. Despite your sarcasm, a team of scientists at Oxford University might be quick to agree with you. 
With a recent mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists, science fiction has become scientific fact. The numbers don’t lie; parallel universes are for real. Once disregarded as far-fetched, Everett’s strange and fascinating theory now provides a mathematical explanation for a central mystery of quantum theory. Quantum mechanically speaking, nothing at the subatomic level actually exists until it is observed. Before that, particles occupy a shadowy realm in which they simultaneously seem to appear in separate locations or to spin “up” and “down” at the same time. The participation of an observer appears to fix a certain state of reality the same way that a throw of the dice can only be said to come up snake eyes, double sixes or lucky seven once it has landed and not before. Oxford University’s Dr. David Deutsch and a group of his colleagues have demonstrated mathematically that Everett’s theory of branching parallel universes can account for the probabilistic nature of quantum activity. 
A lot of stress in life is created by the need to feel secure, and by the surprise we feel when the illusion is shattered. We make choices about jobs and homes and relationships with the hope that they will last. But truly the only constant in life is change, and if we embrace that, then change won’t catch you off guard, like in that song about Sunscreen (
One of the most powerful ways we create our experience is with the words we use to talk about it. Each word we speak reinforces our thoughts, giving them more weight as they vibrate out into the world. We know that looking for the positive aspects of a situation or seeking improvement will make us feel better than merely complaining about it. But once we’ve decided to create the life we desire, we might want to look even more closely at the words we choose.
It’s been rumored that Tom Cruise is building a $10 million bomb shelter at his Colorado home. A source close to the actor told England’s 
Whatever the source of the nuclear threat, Cruise should heed the warning of Walton McCarthy, the president and chief engineer of bomb shelter builders 
On Oct 9th Yoko Ono will officially launch her latest art installation, the Imagine Peace Tower on Videy Island, Reykjavik, Iceland. The date would have marked her late husband John Lennon’s 67th birthday. The tower of light is emitted from a Wishing Well platform which houses nine giant spotlights which will send beams of hope into the sky each year from October 9th (Lennon's birthday) to December 8th (the day of his death). In addition the installation, which was built in partnership with the City of Reykjavik, the Reykjavik Art Museum and Reykjavik Power, will light up on New Years Eve and to mark other special days to be agreed on by Ono and the city. 
Since reviewing 
The new trend in the travel industry offers more than a chance to get away. Now you can also find a package offering transformation. While yoga holidays are increasingly popular, there are also vacations centered around meditation, workshops or detoxification — potentially life-changing experiences that may help you find inner peace and a new outlook. 
A recent German study, to be published in this week’s 
In March of this year NASCAR driver 
A continuous stream of wellbeing is constantly showering down upon each and every one of us. All it takes to experience this ongoing flow of perfect physical health, abundant wealth, satisfying social connections, and joyful creativity is to maintain a present moment awareness. In all likelihood, you’ve heard this before, and, yes, it’s just that simple. Stay in the now and you are in for a fabulous existence. If the best way to block your connection to all that is, and can be, positive in your life is resentment (and it is), the best way to unblock it is forgiveness. Indeed, the practice of letting go of old hurts and hard feelings is at least as much about receiving as it is about giving. 
An innovative low cost laptop, intended for children in the developing world, has received numerous design awards and accolades in the US and European press, causing it to become a must-have item for children of the overdeveloped world. Prompted by the attention the 
OLPC hope their laptops, which roll out in October 2007, will be bought by governments (such as Peru's who have ordered 250,000 units) and NGOs, but despite much lip service and many promises, business has been slow. “I have to some degree underestimated the difference between shaking the hand of a head of state and having a check written,” said Negroponte to the 
NASA satellites have spotted what looks like seven cave openings on the 12 mile high slopes of 
Meanwhile marketing executive Paul Jenkins plans to exploit the possibility of life beyond earth, however deadly, by selling space on giant horizontal billboards that will be visible from outer space. The first three of these monster adverts, which are made of mesh attached to frames that span 20,000 square meters (nearly 4 times the size of the Dallas Cowboys’s playing field), will be placed near Heathrow airport for air passengers to view. Jenkins’ company, 
Since the birth of Barbie on March 9, 1959 every little girl has grown up playing with this glamour fantasy doll. I remember playing “Barbie” in my room with my older sister as we fought over outfits and who got to drive in the Barbie-mobile. Of course, my older sister always won and got her way, but also I feel she was more in tuned to the glamour and mystery of this very sexy toy. As I got older and became an astrologer I realized a lot of that connection was probably due to the fact that my sister and Barbie were born just nine days apart in the sign of Pisces. 
At the sound of the word “meditation,” you probably imagine someone sitting perfectly still, perhaps in a lotus position with their eyes closed. They may even be saying “OM” or repeating a mantra. But meditation by definition is “the act or process of thinking,” with the thesaurus suggesting words like cogitation, contemplation, reflection, rumination, and thought to be used in its place. Therefore, why should we need to sit still just to focus on our thoughts? 
According to Walter Semkiw, MD, MPH on his 
Though suspected to be an urban legend, it turns out that there are indeed places in the middle of the Pacific Ocean known as the Western and Eastern Garbage Patches. Populated by plastic disposables that don’t break down in sea water, it has been described as a slowly-rotating mass of trash nearly double the size of Texas. And Texas is a really big state. 
According to the L.A. Times article 
So what is the solution to this massive problem that is killing wildlife and working its way through the food chain to kill us off eventually too? One step in the right direction is the creation of biodegradable packaging. 
The 
Meanwhile irate instruments of God from Pigeon Forge, TN spent a 
In further God 
If you’ve ever noticed that all of your exes and everyone you’ve ever been angry with are the same type of crazy, then it might be time to look in the mirror. Since like attracts like, the things that we are not willing to acknowledge within ourselves seem to become glaringly obvious in those we surround ourselves with. We can see it as lessons in our soul’s growth, or merely an opportunity for our neuroses to work themselves out, but either way it is a chance for us to make some improvements in our lives. 
The Daily Mantra is all about seeking knowledge, wisdom and spiritual guidance, opening your mind to a multitude of sources, so we’re feeling student Ricky Travis’ frustration. The pupil at Harry S. Truman High School draws his personal inspiration from English heavy metal band 
Ricky contends that the Iron Maiden song “
having been inspired by monarch butterflies. I see a beauty in their families that also exists in ours,” says psychic and author Allison DuBois in the preface of her new book. “What I mean by this is that it takes Monarch butterflies several generations to complete migration to secure the survival of their future families.”
O.J. Simpson, born July 9, 1947, has claimed his innocence for twelve years now when it comes to killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. We all feel he killed the both of them but more importantly, the Universe knows the truth no matter what O.J. wants to believe. Here we are twelve years later and the planet Jupiter has returned to the sign of Sagittarius, where it was when the infamous “not guilty” verdict was read. Jupiter in Sadge is all about higher philosophy and acts as the judge and lawmaker. With this combination, plus favorable moon aspects and the fact the Mercury was retrograde at the time of the reading of the verdict, I predicted O.J. would not spend any jail time for the killing of Nicole and Ron. 
Are you a cat napper? A night owl? An early riser? Whatever your sleep habits, the unconscious wisdom awaiting you in your dreams is a gold mine of information straight from your wisest Self. Imagine a counselor who, free of charge, could connect you to all other beings on the planet and to parts of yourself that you have misplaced, overlooked or forgotten. Attend to your dreams and you will receive exactly this sort of invaluable counsel. 
Meanwhile, scientists have discovered that green sea turtles, a species who were thought to be 100% vegetarian, have been secretly snacking on fish. For the first time researchers have discovered the deep sea hideout, where hatchlings have hung out under the radar of researches, up until now, while indulging in carnivore chow. “This has been a really intriguing and embarrassing problem for sea-turtle biologists, because so many green-turtle hatchlings enter the ocean, and we haven’t known where they go,” zoologist Karen Bjorndal explains to 
Experts on either side of the Atlantic have novel ideas on how to trim our waistlines down. According to a study by a health economist at Washington University in St Louis, entitled 
Over the pond in Britain, experts are exploring a far simpler solution to combat the nation’s rising obesity. In a