Recently there has been so much time and energy given to the topic of building a mosque near the site of the Twin Towers, that it would be a shame to allow the opportunity for greater understanding to pass by without further examination.

It has been argued that this is an issue of judging and discriminating against an entire religious group due to the sociopathic actions of a select few, who were more politically motivated than anything else. If we put this “religious issue” in historical perspective, it changes the context. Hitler, a self-professed practicing Christian, committed atrocities on a much greater scale. His “final solution” was a crime of the most extreme religious bias. But at no time did anyone suggest that the construction of Christian churches be stopped, because it honors Hitler, or any other infamous, self-proclaimed, crime committing Christians. Somehow, we recognize that as myopic and small minded. (more…)

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By Vaishāli, author of “You Are What You Love®” and “Wisdom Rising”

Next to the notions that one can achieve a body without cellulite and a life without suffering, the greatest mistaken belief is that there is one diet, one type of oil, one form of exercise, one hormone supplement, one mantra or prayer, one rigid organizational life structure, or one medication that will work for everyone. Most of us grew up with the “magic bullet” concept that science was going to invent this one universal panacea that would solve our problems throughout all of time. And if you operate from the Western mechanistic paradigm, which dictates that every person is basically no different from any machine, like your car, then this idea makes sense. 

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alternative medicine, Ayruveda, chi nei tsang, Chinese medicine, holistic medicine, kripalu institute, omega institute, pitta, vaishali, vata. Kapha Hide

Lucid dreaming is a state of consciousness where the dreamers are fully aware that they are asleep, and that what they are experiencing is a state of reality completely manufactured by the dreaming mind. Just about everyone has experienced a flash of lucid recognition during a dream — knowing that they are in fact “just dreaming.” However, lucid dreaming as I am defining it here is a more intensified and sustained state of dream realization. At its best, lucid dreaming is a completely conscious state of mind where the doors to the conscious and unconscious minds are fully open to each other — available for exploration, examination and to be fearlessly embraced. (more…)

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By Vaishāli, author of “You Are What You Love®” and “Wisdom Rising”

Next to the notions that one can achieve a body without cellulite and a life without suffering, the greatest mistaken belief is that there is one diet, one type of oil, one form of exercise, one hormone supplement, one mantra or prayer, one rigid organizational life structure, or one medication that will work for everyone. Most of us grew up with the “magic bullet” concept that science was going to invent this one universal panacea that would solve our problems throughout all of time. And if you operate from the Western mechanistic paradigm, which dictates that every person is basically no different from any machine, like your car, then this idea makes sense. 

Everybody has a heart, two lungs, kidneys, a brain and a digestive system; therefore all bodies are the same. However, the Eastern systems of self-healing – Indian Ayurveda, Tibetan Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine – see human life as a completely different construct. They operate from an energy paradigm and view every person as a Universe unto themselves; each one completely different. (more…)

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Wouldn’t it be great if life came with an owner’s manual and a warranty with a double your money back guarantee of complete satisfaction? That would be the ideal fantasy – no suffering, no fuss, no muss, no headaches, no assembly required. However, life does not come with any legally binding contracts of unconditional happiness. What most us here have already realized is that life is not a success only journey.

So how do we make the most of our time here on Earth? How do we learn to move forward when we have no idea of what direction life is taking us? These great and classic questions require great and classic wisdom. Over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece the quintessential philosopher, Socrates, said it best when he uttered those immortal words, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” To this day no one has improved upon this basic truth for owning and operating the human experience. So, let’s start here. (more…)

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I have always looked to comedians as disseminators of sage wisdom. I have written about both Bill Hicks and Lenny Bruce as spiritual teachers disguised as stand-up comics. So it didn’t surprise me when I was up late one night, turned on the tube, and there in HD living color was a talk show host and a comedian talking about the highly charged issue of gay marriage. Out of the blue the comedian pointed out the most obvious and yet collectively overlooked epiphany. He started out with a statement that completely transcended all religious dogma and political ideology: “I appeal to your sense of greed. Gay marriage … it simple makes good business sense.” (more…)

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