The Sea Change

Around the world and throughout time, the choice of what to eat has been made by adults combining the foods harvested in the region, along with an understanding of what food combinations best served the health needs of the people in that area and created pleasant tastes.  Children were not consulted in this matter, as of course, they would not yet know what is best for their bodies.  Rather, they were given to eat what the adults ate—the adults knowing what was best and taking the time to prepare it.

It is only in the last 75 years or so that food, for the majority in the States, has become a matter of what was easiest to serve and most entertaining—regardless of the affect on the body—and that children as young as two or three years old were asked at the drive-through window, What do you want to eat?

The change in approach has been so complete that now people who invest the time and money to buy local, organic foods, to prepare home cooked meals, and who refuse to eat processed factory foods are considered extreme.  In the case of parents who do this for their children, they are called “strict”, “strange”, or even “mean” when working to protect their children from factory foods and toxins!  Further, other adults will often sabotage the parents’ efforts with their children by offering—or sneaking –“treats” to the kids when parents aren’t watching.

When children see the other kids at school and in the neighborhood eating foods that glow in the dark, sparkle, and pop, it is only natural that they will be curious about them, and in many cases, devour them when parents aren’t around.

Whoa!

In that environment, parents swimming against the “food current” and working to keep their children healthy can use all the support they can get.

Some Helpful Ideas

In Utero and Breast milk: Mothers set the stage for their children’s tastes in utero and when breastfeeding.  Of course the baby’s nourishment is directly affected by the healthy choices a mother makes before it is born, and it develops taste preferences and the ability to digest different foods from the micronutrients that are transferred in the breast milk.

Beginning on Solids: When beginning children on solid foods, there is no need whatsoever for them to have added sugars, oils, salts, or flavors.  Sugary fruit juices (this includes juice without “added sugar”) and fruits in syrup are not an ideal choice, and are discouraged in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Baby food in the States—along with adult food—has become a circus of flavors and colors that are not only unnecessary, but according to TCM doctor Bob Flaws, also leads to many of the chronic ear/nose/throat infections we see in infants and children.

Simple, organic puréed grains and root vegetables first, followed by other vegetables, legumes and meats and/or other protein, and a small amount of seasonal fruit sets the stage for healthy choices for a lifetime.

Young Children and Teens: Constant learning and involvement helps children understand why parents are giving them foods different from what they see all around them.

• Have them shop with you, choose different colored fruits and vegetables, have them help cook, and discuss the nutrient properties of the foods—make it fun!

• Tell them that you know what you’re doing is different, and that it is because you love and respect them that you are working to provide the best for them. They can learn to be proud rather than ashamed of their difference.

• Read books about nutrition together with kids.  But what books?  There are many, and today we’ll introduce a new one called Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?, from nutrition speaker and writer, Joy Feldman.

Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?

Joy Feldman, author of award-winning Joyful Cooking in the Pursuit of Good Health, now turns her focus to helping children—and the parents working so hard to feed them properly.

In her book, Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?, she presents in a colorful and engaging way how literally we are what we eat! She does a wonderful job of capturing children’s attention with a subject they would often otherwise find boring.  Further, she helps them see that though they are not surrounded by other children eating the way they do, they are not alone or weird—they are intelligently building strength and health.

For parents who could use a little support in helping their children appreciate nutritious foods—and who wouldn’t?—Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? is a fun read and creates memorable impressions on those growing minds!

"Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?" by Joy Feldman

Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? (ISBN: 978-0-615-55515-7, Category: Children’s Picture Book, 40 pages, 18 full color illustrations, $8.95, Distributed by Pathways) will be released on March 1, 2012 in conjunction with National Nutrition Month. Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? will also be available in an eBook edition.

Joy is available to read to young children at schools, libraries, and events throughout the region.
Contact Nancy Thomas, 401-447-8182.

For more info on Joy Feldman’s book, which is available for pre-order and for her nutrition information, visit www.joyfeldman.com

Allie Chee is a certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutritionist

http://texanesemama.blogspot.com/

Copyright (2011) Allie Chee

You were born with an internal guidance system installed, but what gets in the way of trusting it? LaRue will debunk two common myths that inhibit or block your ability to recognize, trust, and follow Inner Guidance, with certainty. LaRue Eppler is the developer of Evolutionary Kinesiology, an international course leader and speaker, popular radio guest, transformational facilitator and co-author of “YOUR ESSENTIAL WHISPER: Six Distinct Ways to Recognize, Trust, and Follow Inner Guidance with Absolute Certainty!”

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) is bringing range confidence to electric vehicle (EV) owners in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex by commencing operations at the first privately funded, eVgo_sm (ee-vee-go) Freedom Station in Texas, including the first high-speed direct current (DC) charger in Texas that is among the first in the nation. NRG plans to install a total of 70 Freedom Stations in Dallas/Fort Worth and 50 in Houston by the end of 2012, with half in place by this summer. NRG also plans to electrify the Interstate 45 corridor connecting them in 2012.

The first eVgo Freedom Station is located at the Walgreens at 5201 Belt Line Road at Montfort Drive in Dallas. Each Freedom Station_sm provides a 480 volt DC fast charger that can add 30 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes and a 240 volt Level 2 charger that can add up to 25 miles of range in an hour. Freedom Stations are available 24/7 and include a customer service tower with a mounted camera, giving customers access to an eVgo service representative or to activate a strobe light, siren and alert law enforcement, even from inside their vehicles. The eVgo network will also include Convenience Stations_sm that offer a 240 volt Level 2 charger and are available during the retail host’s business hours.

“Inaugurating the first Freedom Station in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is a critical first step toward making electric vehicles the smart and convenient choice for Texans who want to reduce their cost of driving while contributing to cleaner air and America’s energy independence,” said David Crane, NRG President and CEO. “We’re taking a page from Southwest Airlines when they started out 40 years ago to link the major population centers in Texas. This first station is the start of an ecosystem that will eventually give Texas EV owners the freedom to drive with range confidence throughout the region.”

“Thanks to the innovative spirit and hard work of folks at NRG and their eVgo partners, we’re closer to a day when electric cars will be a prominent feature on our roadways,” Governor Rick Perry said. “I’m proud of our efforts in Texas to foster an environment that frees the private sector to solve problems and meet challenges. Because we steer clear of crippling mandates and work to keep our regulatory structures fair and predictable, Texas has created a favorable business climate that allows companies like NRG to provide the cutting-edge technology and products that will keep our state moving forward.”

EVs, powered by electricity generated from domestic fuels, including zero-emission wind and nuclear power in Texas, have the potential over time to reduce dramatically the ongoing transfer of American wealth to oil-producing nations. Transportation accounts for more than a quarter of America’s greenhouse gas emissions and in most Texas cities, it is the largest single source of nitrogen oxides emissions.

“The North Central Texas Council of Governments is delighted that the first eVgo electric vehicle charging station is now operational in the Dallas/Fort Worth region with many more to come in the near future,” NCTCOG Executive Director Mike Eastland said. “In an area of 6.5 million people, air quality is always a primary concern. NRG’s eVgo network is a welcome complement to NCTCOG’s Electric Vehicles North Texas program, and we truly appreciate our public- and private-sector partners that have been and continue to be instrumental in preparing the region for electric vehicles.”

NRG will provide EV owners in eVgo cities with extremely convenient and affordable unlimited miles “home-and-away” charging plans with no upfront cost and a flat monthly fee. NRG will install and maintain the region’s charging infrastructure of home chargers and public fast charging stations conveniently located along major freeways and in key shopping and business districts.

“Electric vehicle ownership should be fun, affordable and convenient, with drivers having complete confidence that a fast charger is never more than a few miles away,” said Arun Banskota, President of NRG’s EV Services division.

NRG is working with the North Texas electricity transmission and distribution company Oncor on zone planning and site selection for the eVgo charging stations in the Metroplex to ensure accessibility and reliability.

“From our installation of more than a million and a half advanced meters to help customers better manage their electricity usage, to the construction of 850 miles of new transmission lines delivering renewable power, Oncor is a leader in making Texas the best place in America to drive plug-in vehicles,” said Jim Greer, Oncor’s Senior Vice President of Asset Management and Engineering. “By 2012, our investments will enable more than three million homes and businesses in Oncor’s service area to use electric vehicle charging technology, such as the NRG eVgo network, when renewable energy availability is highest and the cost of electricity is lowest, supported by the capabilities of Oncor’s advanced meters.”

eVgo Partners

The following companies are working with NRG to make the eVgo network a success:

• Auto Sales and Rental: Gulf States Toyota, Hertz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan North America, smart USA, VIA
• Charging Station Host: Best Buy Co., Inc., Crescent Real Estate, Gallery Furniture,
• H-E-B/Central Market, Memorial City Mall, Park ‘N Fly, Spec’s Family Partners, Walgreens
• Charging Technologies, Network Services and Smart Energy: AeroVironment, GE, Siemens
• Retail Electric Providers: Green Mountain Energy Company, Reliant Energy, TXU Energy
• Ready for EV (REV) Host: Huffines Communities

For more about eVgo partners, visit https://www.evgonetwork.com/About_Us/Partners/

Twenty years ago, I was introduced to the local holistic community and met fascinating people who taught me about new dimensions of reality. I wanted to share what I learned from these mind/body/spirit practitioners. I asked Felicia what she thought about starting a local directory. She wisely told me how hard it would be and that we didn’t know what we were doing, but she also trusted that we would figure it out. Today, we can look back and remember an incredible journey that helped us connect with amazing people and organizations whose shared goal was to help shift our consciousness to prepare for a better, more rapidly changing tomorrow.

The year 2012 brings with it both fears and hopes as mankind tries to imagine the significance of the Mayan calendar. Personally, 2012 brings a significant milestone as the 20th anniversary of the Holistic Networker magazine. These past two decades have been rewarding and enlightening for me. I have been blessed to be able to work from home, and watch my children achieve their own milestones and grow into aware and responsible beings.

I see 2012 as a new beginning for our civilization. New understandings of how the universe works, and new advances in technology enable us to create a sustainable future and even begin to remake and reshape our own ideas about what it means to be human.

What an exciting time to be alive!

Shortly after hearing this story, I was riding in an elevator with a much older gentleman, who was hunched over and had a cane. He looked like he was well into his 80′s and he appeared to be very feeble. I asked him how he was doing. He replied hesitantly, “O.K.” and asked me how I was doing. I said that I was fine.

He said emphatically, “At your age you should be fine!”

I smiled and said “you are right”. As I got out of the elevator I pondered this moment. I thought about the truth of what this man had said. For him every step is a challenge. His health is obviously precarious and at this point, he is unlikely to improve to any great extent. I have my health and while I am no longer in my 20′s, I am in good shape and still have a lot to look forward to. I often think that it is important to appreciate what you have while you still have it and not just after the fact. While most of us would agree that we would like to be dancing happily until the day before we pass, very few people are fortunate enough to have this experience. That is why it is good to be grateful for all of the many blessings we do have while we still have them.

I hope you will count your blessings each and every day and that you will be an inspiration to the rest of us by living a long, healthy and happy life.

Saturn is exalted, which means the planet of strength and endurance is particularly happy to roll up his sleeves and lend some sweat to the equity of the future. Saturn first moved into the constellation Libra as the Super Committee ended in a political stalemate, however, that didn’t stop money from moving. Within 2 weeks the Market went up along with consumer spending and there was a tax deal that sent it higher. Throughout this season Saturn remains strong and in a good place for business and optimism. In June of 2012, our President will rework his plan for the future. It’s tempting to jump ahead, but we don’t want to miss any of Your Winter Stars.

January 2012 begins with Jupiter, the optimist, moving forward. He’s ready to make political and legislative hay of seeds planted late in 2011. Saturn anchors Jupiter at the beginning of the month, but soon Jupiter charges ahead. This should be good for jobs, construction and mortgage loans. As Mars appears to stop in the heavens and move backward late this month, politicians are frustrated, but something compels them to help move us forward. Caveat: The apparent retrograde or backward motion of Mars, the planet of business, could mean that things are delayed until July when Mars finally leaves this place for about 2 years. I suspect we’ll see movement this month with more this summer and fall. These are exciting times. The dark side of Mars is anger and confrontation…even war. Watch for aggression at every level: Whether it’s on the playing field of sports, work or the battlefield. Jupiter appears to stop so all month he is sitting in the same place. This can be lucky for you, however, here is a caution for Jupiter transits: Although you’ll want to bet your winnings, Saturn faces Jupiter and says to save some. Saturn is stronger, but if you bet it all, then your winnings are fleeting. Best luck comes when you invest and save. This is true with love, too. Invest in a solid relationship, but if you’re not willing to move, then you might be waiting alone.

February begins with plenty of relationship drama not just on Valentine’s Day, but in the very first days of the month when Venus faces Mars. Retrograde Mars is stuck in the past. That may literally play out like a series of planetary actions and reactions. Women look at men and ask for action. Saturn faces Jupiter suggesting a push for real commitment. Retrograde Mars lacks the oomph to commit. This could add up to an abundance of folks taking a little space. It promises to bring more folks out to see what or who is the best fit for now and for the future. The dark side of retrograde Mars is passive-aggressive behavior. The good thing about the Venus opposition: We see what’s up and decide with our time and ultimately our allegiance. It should make for some estranged bedfellows and a call for a clear platform or commitment in later April after Mars goes forward again. This is true for politics and international relationships, too. The political arena is much more volatile with outside nations influencing actions. If your romance has too many outsiders stirring the pot, then you’ll easily see that they will be part of your future. The month is great for clarity; what you see is what you’ll live with. Would you want this for your best friend or child? If your suitor can’t decide, the push of Jupiter to Pluto first and later to Mars may well lead you to bid “adios Adonis”, as you may decide that you want someone with more substance than physical form. Yes, wisdom does win over ego…grins.

March: This month is all about love and money. On a simple or shall we say private level, the Market moves on optimism and we have loads of that. It’s a gambling combination and it is fraught with high rollers with high hopes. It’s hard for Saturn to remind us to save some. We can’t hear him over our excitement for today. I expect a passionate surge of public enthusiasm for a candidate, too. President Osama’s healthcare legislation comes under the Supreme Court’s gavel until the end of June. This is the perfect balance of Saturn and Jupiter. Is it the law or is it belief? Is it right or do I simply wish it were? March and April are great for his potential opponents, however, they need to bring their respective plans for the future of the nation. Sound bites and irritation are entertaining, but a serious debate is a wise investment for voters. Money is in the air and it’s not about money lost, but about potential. Plenty of it is moving to candidates’ coffers. Venus Joins Jupiter and they are indulgent planets. They trigger Pluto and eventually Mars. Mars is still rather reluctant to dive in, but something is happening and there is something in the wind that might just catch the emotions of the people. There is also the war or anger side of Mars. I hope there is no new war in the air, but with the actions of Iran and revolutions in several Arab nations, the dogs of war are howling.

Lucky You! If you happen to have a personal planet in Vedic Aries, then you feel the optimism of Jupiter all season. In March, Venus might just tip you toward romance, a new job and, yes, even a fresh philosophy of life. Pull out your chart and see if you happen to have a planet near 6 degrees of Aries, Leo or Sagittarius in your Vedic chart (which is 1 Taurus in your Western chart). If so, then you have great potential to transform your life so choose your actions and reactions wisely. This is only the beginning. Anchor your enthusiasm with Saturn’s wisdom and this could be the best new beginning ever. We all have the opportunity to use this great combination. As Jupiter moves forward to catch Pluto and Mars in the first half of 2012, this energy enlivens all of our lives. Saturn faces Jupiter and we do what we must with the knowledge we have. Like President Clinton, we give up something for better health and perhaps a longer life. If you happen to be directly under Jupiter’s optimism and face Saturn’s wisdom, then you have it just a little easier and can show us how to leave resentment behind and embrace our gifts. I mean that literally. The luckiest of all are folks who embrace the power of their own choice to live a full life each day. That takes the best of these planets and we all have access to them now.

President Obama has very stressful, life-transforming transits in March and April with relief at the end of June. Ketu (karma) pulls off his Moon. The Moon is our emotions in western astrology and our perceptions in Vedic. The President’s moon is very likeable, however, it doesn’t look as if he’s enjoying his success. His moon line runs through Washington DC. I anticipate problems with his healthcare bill, but that he will be happy (more than just relieved) when the court rules. I am saying that it will be a mixed bag and that the legislation will need to be changed in some form before it can move forward. I do not believe it will be ruled as being totally against the constitution. This experience will alter the way he perceives the world, politics and this nation. What the President decides to do in terms of running or not running again is up to him. The transits are truly wild cards. It is possible that “We the People” will see an incumbent not run for personal reasons. I honestly don’t know. I wish him well and hope that he has the best advisers in the world to help him navigate the nation and not just run for office. We’ll see a man who appears to transform before our eyes this summer, however, the winter and spring bring heavy burdens of responsibility and trust.

Politics aren’t everything this year…but they seem to be everywhere. Newt Gingrich is rising. I have no confirmed time of birth, but do have 11:45 pm. If that is accurate, then we should see the former Speaker of the House continue to rise. He and President Obama have a very potent connection. The President’s Moon (or his perceptions) and Speaker Gingrich’s Mercury (or business planet) are in the same place in the heavens. At this time, both men of opposing parties can literally shed the karmic debt encountered in their success and work together. That is a lofty hope, but it will literally free both and could bring the nation together. It triggers Romney’s chart, too, but not as powerfully.

I would love to watch them debate or better still, just sit and explain their respective plans for the nation. Speaker Gingrich (assuming his birth time is accurate) is in a very successful master cycle for political success, however, he has a tricky chart. He rose and fell and rose again over the decades, however, he has a practical vision worth listening to. I don’t know if he’ll make it to the nomination, but I do expect a very lucrative few months for his campaign. Greed is his weakness, as well as his relationships. However, with Ketu at the very front of his chart, he is difficult to frame in a simple picture. Ketu came of age by age 50 so when he says that he is a better husband now than he was before, I believe him. I also know that it is very difficult to “see” a person born with that placement. That alone makes him interesting.

Since Ketu has come of age for him and since Ketu is crossing his business and communication planet, as well as President Obama’s Moon, I see them facing off. I hope they work together as the nation needs them, but in a 2-party system that isn’t likely. Instead the most we can hope for is a debate or discussion. Ketu helps us shed our karmas and is great at revealing the foibles of the ego. I do not believe it is an accident that they are both on the national stage as “We the People” must decide which direction to take this fall. Scandal follows both men as we enter the spring. Romney may well reap the rewards.

Iran: I have Iran’s birth chart as 2-11, 1979 at 2pm. This is when the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power. In light of Iran’s arrogant actions and the painfully reminiscent Embassy burning, I pulled up this chart. It is a great chart for self-destruction. Pluto on the point of physical body (in this case the physical nation), with this sort of arrogance, and Iran’s defiance of the world’s agreements, takes my breath away. Furthermore, we can add to that their potential for a nuclear weapon. (I’d bet on it with their actions and transits). Add to this the transit of Uranus (an unexpected transit from home, in this case the mother land) and I believe they are ripe to blow or implode. Looking at their president’s chart, I see that Mars will appear to stop on his Jupiter in January and I fear that his hubris will make even more action then and in May and June 2012. This is not a passing mood, but a passionate and aggressive action. I suspect and fear that they believe (Jupiter) that now is the time to rise up (Pluto) to take their rightful place on the world stage as an opponent to the Western World, which started with the British Embassy. I fear that Iran wants to be the Islamic nation to gather the Arab nations together against a foe. It will backfire against them, but in the meantime, their hubris is potentially destructive for many others. And, it will play a role in the election of our next president.

President Obama’s chart is hit by the same powerful transits. His Mars, the planet of action and, yes, of war, trigger’s Iran’s chart and, yes, Ahmadinajad’s (whom I disrespectfully refer to as “nutjob”). I do not envy the President the next few months. As I edit this, I heard that Iran has a US drone. Mars is sitting on Iran’s Saturn and pulling onto its Rahu. This is big and part of the first of three powerful swings over potentially perilous planets. A nation has a birth chart and the Sun in that chart is the leader. Neither “nutjob’s” chart nor the nation’s chart shows any sign of restraint or compliance.

The Republican Players: Don’t count Perry out. The Mars transit I mentioned in Iran’s chart is a big player in Perry’s chart. I expect to see Perry rise and fall as Mars triggers him in Dec. 2011 April and June 2012. He’ll find the wisdom of his Saturn or be gone, although he is not leaving anytime soon. One thing is certain about Perry’s chart: He believes he is the right man for the job. His national position will rise in June, but I don’t know if he will be the nominee. The stress of Mars on his Saturn and Moon may be a struggle between Perry, the man and Perry, the candidate his handlers want him to be. This will either bring voters to him or push them away. I don’t think we will know until this summer.

Romney’s chart is also triggered, but he will make a more measured response. Romney’s own Sun faces the President’s Mars. Both will face off as the leader and potential leader of the US. Romney takes the challenges and balances them with fortunate transits. He’s in for the long run. Gingrich will have the most carefully thought out and researched response for Iran if the time I have for him is right. It will also have a huge impact upon his image. Saturn is strong. We get to see the men and their plans for the nation. This is exciting on every level.

I hope you will check back for more exciting news of 2012. This is the year we’ve been waiting for. There is a big party at the end. I hope to see y’all there.
Cynthia Novak is a professional astrologer. She can be contacted at metro 817-261-2984. Read Cynthia’s daily astrological message atwww.HolisticNetworker.com/dailymessage/ or see www.CynthiaNovak.com Come hear Cynthia’s talk at the Wellness Expo in Addison on Sunday, October 16 at 11:30am entitled “Astrology & You”.

Soak in a Love Bath of Positive Vibes

Of all the unusual things I learned from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda about conception and pregnancy, this one caught people’s attention most. Probably because it was the one thing they’d never heard of.

Growing up in Texas in the 70s, we kids without two nickels to rub together only did about two things: if we had energy, we played in they sun; and if we were tired, we lay in the sun. Sun, sun, and more sun.

We’ve been told since that too much sun isn’t the healthiest choice (though I’m not convinced the pasty-skinned kids growing up today with eyes glued to a 2”-200” monitor have it better), but there are still few things I love better than a good 30-minute sunbath. That’s why it didn’t take long for me to come up with the perfect name for the following ancient Chinese precepts for pregnant women:

A pregnant woman carries with her the finest piece of jade (the baby). She should enjoy all things, look at fine pictures, and be attended by handsome servants. (I especially like that last bit. My husband got a kick out of that, too.)  From Admonitions to Ladies

She should eat no odd-tasting food, see no ugly scenes, and listen to no licentious sounds.  From Ladies of Virtue

And in the words of my Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor: Do not watch or listen to anything violent.

I first named this concept of avoiding negativity and violence: a Violence Fast. But though the concept was beautiful, that term itself was unpleasing and negative. And then it hit–the opposite of engaging in ugliness, absorbing violence and participating in hate was soaking in peace, love and happy vibes–like a sunbath…a Love Bath!

Nothing Exceeds Like Excess

It is incredible how the mind and body can acclimate to unpleasant or harmful things: the constant sound of sirens; foul odors emitted from factories; the feel of synthetic clothing; excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, sugar and salt; and violence.

But acclimated or desensitized doesn’t mean that it’s not affecting us in major and long-lasting ways.

Despite the evidence, I ran my own convincing test: I asked 25 people if they’d spent just two little hours of their life watching a movie called…

Jaws

Every person asked had seen the movie and all of their answers were disturbing.

• One 26-year old woman who grew up in the Bay Area had seen it when she was 10. Immediately after seeing it, she was “terrified” of any body of water, including the bathtub. Ten years later on swim team in college, she “felt like prey in the water” and had to “focus not to have a panic attack” when swimming in the deep end of the pool.

• One 75-year old man who grew up on the water in Florida and spent his adult life in Cape Cod saw it when he was around 40. He said the movie “scared the heck out of him” and to this day his love for the water remains replaced with fear.

• Everyone who saw the movie as a child said it instilled a fear of water so great that it affected him or her in the bathtub.

• Everyone still has an increased fear of natural bodies of water.

That is an older and extraordinary example. Let’s look at a recent Pixar / Disney blockbuster. Did you take a child to see…

Toy Story 3

The opening scene is a “good guy” driving his spurred boot into the face of one of the “bad guys” who’s bombed a train full of orphans, blasting them off the tracks to their death in the canyon below.

A sympathetic theater manager gave me a refund when we walked out after five minutes, saying, “Yeah, the movie is pretty hard-core.”

Happy Entertainment?

Constantly absorbing images of violence and peril have spiritual, mental, and physical implications and leave an indelible mark on our behavior for a lifetime. How else could otherwise intelligent, water-loving adults still hear a grim theme song and have elevated heart rates just looking at a lake thirty years after seeing a 2-hour movie set in an ocean?

In adults, these images create a lifetime pattern of fear, phobia, and anxiety. Children, especially those under eight, are particularly vulnerable to even “pretend” peril, as they are yet unable to clearly decipher between pretend and real experiences. Children in utero are strongly affected by stress chemicals created by mother’s reactions, and it affects the development of the baby’s personality.

Marcy Nexus, Ph.D. writes in her article Lifelong Lessons From the Womb:

There are countless fascinating case histories in the literature to support the connection between experiences in utero and certain compulsions, repetitive behaviors, fears and fascinations in later life.

If the limited time we have for R&R (pregnant or not) is spent creating stress responses in the body, when does the body relax and heal? It is in time of repose that our bodies and minds regenerate, and that is impossible to achieve when constantly sending the body’s systems into shock.

How can we anticipate a kind and benevolent world when even children in utero are inundated with increasingly violent impressions, all in the name of “fun”?

My Path to the Love Bath

When planning to conceive and embarking on the Violence Fast, or Love Bath, I had already stopped watching TV about 20 years prior. I thought I’d eliminated most of the violent images to which so many people subject themselves. But when I began to consciously consider any film, book, or conversation, I recognized that many things I considered “artistic”, “moving” or “important” may have required some talent to create, but were simply playing on emotions of fear and anxiety.

As I replaced those negative sources and images with art, books, and conversation of a peaceful and loving nature, I realized that I, too, had been desensitized to the inundation of negativity. However, it was delightful to discover how consciously choosing to walk life’s sunny side of the road quickly brings a sense of peace and joy.

The Naysayers

Many people are enchanted with the concept of a Love Bath, but I also heard comments such as: “Violence is a part of life. You can’t live sticking your head in the sand.”

Indeed, life itself could be considered violent. We’re all born to die, and with every meal we take the life of a plant or animal. Further, there are real dangers of which we need to be aware to protect ourselves. Those are life’s realities and we can call them violent or find peace in the cycle of life.

However, murder, gruesome battles, and macabre scenes are not a part of most people’s natural daily experience or the cycle of life. When people do experience them it’s called “trauma”, which is treated—often with extreme measures—to attempt to bring the person back to a state of balance.

Inundating ourselves with pretend trauma–or images of real trauma experienced by others–in the name of entertainment, relaxation, or being “informed” is something all together different and it has a price: our health and peace of mind, individually and as a society.

Soak In What You Want to Soak In

Those ancient Chinese doctors were on to something, and it’s as relevant today as it was then. If you’re looking for greater happiness and health, try a Love Bath. Soak in images of peace, happiness, fun and love. It’s not just pregnant women who carry within their bodies “the finest piece of jade”. We all do—our very selves.

And even better, unlike with a sunbath, we don’t have to limit ourselves. We can soak in a Love Bath 24/7.

Allie Chee is a certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutritionist

http://texanesemama.blogspot.com/

Copyright (2011) Allie Chee