A PRAYER - THE GOLDEN RULE

The first prayer our parents
taught we children was:

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray Thee Lord, my soul to keep,
If I should die before I wake,
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take."

We were then encouraged to continue
with: God bless. . naming members
of family and friends. This prayer was said
aloud after the coal oil lamp was extinguished
or at least the wick turned low.

I'm giving you my adult version of the
same prayer, directing it to the Creator of
all life as taught to us by our parents.

"Please guide my thoughts and prayers today,
That I may walk in loving ways,
Bringing cheer to those in need,
And with each smile share kindly deeds.
As flowers bloom in my tree of life,
May each one help to banish strife.

Forgiveness, may I bear its fruit,
Its essence shared from top to root.
With voice and act, Heaven's "Rule of Gold,"
Each word and act, Each day unfolds,
To share with all within my sphere,
These fruits of Heaven while living here."

Then its nice to bundle together all planetary life
with those who may ask mention for a specific need.
The light within hearts speeds each prayer along its way.

CELIACS REQUIRE GLUTEN FREE FOODS

The CBC radio interviewed a writer who has assembled the names of all the restaurants across the country who are able to safely offer meals to customers who have celiac disease. Celiacs are not able to handle foods that contain gluten. This includes wheat, barley or rye. Wheat, especially seems to be in so many of the processed foods and until recently those suffering from celiac disease found themselves limited in making plans to travel and able to find a restaurant with gluten free foods. Now they will be able to look up the places that are ready to serve foods for celiacs by looking it up in this book before they leave on vacation or travel for other reasons. This book may be available in your local library so you can check it out first. Here is the website: www.theceliacscene.com/52K.

QUIRKS & QUARKS REMINDER

This is to remind everyone to mark your calender for the radio program Quirks and Quarks every Saturday at 12:00 noon on CBC radio for Bob McDonald's latest science releases. He interviews many of the scientists who have worked first hand with various universities. This program is repeated every Tuesday evening at ll:00 pm - I wish it was l0:00 pm instead before sleep tries to take over. I can review them better at the earlier hour.

I also want to thank my grandson, Luke, who made my "new" computer Microsoft XP from left over parts after completing some volunteer projects at their church. My son, Ken and his wife Lin came here for Easter at just the right time and he brought the computer over and installed it for me. My old Windows 98 was limping along with lots of "oops" delays when blogging. My Canon printer had stopped printing after two years and I now have a Lexmark with a five year guarantee for any printed work I need. Ken also checks my blogs after posting for spelling errors or repeat words that can sneak in. Spell check does its job but when I move the posting over to the Dashboard from Wordpad I must remember to switch back to Wordpad and make any correction noted so I can make the change there before switching it over to post it from Dashboard.

THE WHIRLING DANCE OF SUMMER

Good morning Madam Celery, How is everything today?
"It's cool and lovely here inside, Without the sun's hot rays.
Last spring we wished for sunshine, To grow a lovely scene,
And that is how I grew so tall, Helped my lacy hair turn green.

We've joined up with the radishes, Bell peppers orange and red,
We're welcoming the lettuce leaves, So family is well fed.
The summer sun is warm and bright, Soon the beets are ready,
Bringing health to one and all, And body cells are heady."

The leader of the carrots spoke, "Hi there to you my friends,
We're ready for our onward trip, Before the party ends."
The lettuce did a swirling dance, In the salad spinner,
"I'm a purifier for the blood, Eat me and be a winner.

I help the nerves with silicon, Along with all the greens,
To cleanse and balance all the way, And keep you strong and lean."
Lettuce, carrots, celery, All other veggies too,
Hum their songs in harmony, In silent words and true.

We honour all the fruiting trees, Through sun and rain of summer,
That join with beans and lentils for, Great energy for runners.
"My garden plot is ready, Just plant some rows of seeds,
A little drink when things get hot, You've done a wondrous deed.

Health and happiness to all, We join your body now,
And watch its wondrous workings as, We make departing bows.
We're all good friends together, And with you a special friend.
Together feeling harmony, A trust that has no end.

FOODS THAT BUILD HEALTH

This afternoon Oprah had her favorite doctor on her show giving advice on how to keep the system healthy, the proper weight, with energy to spare to enjoy the exercise needed to keep all systems working well. This evening the CBC radio interviewed another medical doctor who sorted through dumpsters behind restaurants and found some of their recipes. The amount of fats, sugar and salt in them was shocking and he says no wonder obesity has increased four fold in both Canada and United States. Our taste buds gradually become accustomed to this rich delicious taste. This, he tells us is why Type 2 diabetes is so widespread.

Oprah's Dr. Oz is now starting a program of his own on TV. It is always more impressive to hear these words of admonition from a medical doctor who has observed the harm that has been done in the bodies of those who consume refined and manufactured foods.

With our present depression, people are getting interested in starting a vegetable garden. This will bring more excitement to the dinner table and keep our wallets in better shape as well. Brian Minter, the CBC radio gardener whose call-in program comes at l:00 pm every second Thursday tells us that with seeds, fertilizer and other incidentals needed will cost approximately $70.00. The same amount of food would come to $700.00 if we bought it at the grocery store.

Dr. Dwight Lundell, a heart surgeon has performed more than 5,000 open-heart surgeries over 25 years confirms that cholesterol (a vital substance produced by the body is not adequately supplied by the diet) is a protective substance lining injured arteries. He explains that refined and processed foods have resulted in an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other health problems. He recommends a diet of natural whole foods. More on his work can be found at www.thecholesterollie.com.

ALZHEIMERS AND FAMILY ADJUSTMENTS

"The first signs of her illness occurred during a lecture in Madras, India," says Dr. Elmer Green of his wife, Alyce. "Because of her superb training in acting and as a public speaker as well, she could read her copy beautifully, but couldn't make sense of a single question from the audience, though she looked unruffled and serene to others. She had no idea where we were." He and Alyce, also a scientist worked together for 30 years at the Menninger Foundation doing pioneering research in biofeedback. They authored a book together called "Beyond Biofeedback."

Alyce then insisted they take a sailing trip out of Miami. Upon their return she said to her husband, "Just who are you anyway?" When I said, 'I'm Elmer,' she looked skeptical, shrugged, and said, 'That's what they all say.' Dr. Green began to realize that each time she saw him, it was a new event. "After that occurrence, there was no time longer than a few minutes in which she recognized me for certain, as Elmer." He asked her to trust him, took her hand and they went home. "And never in the future when we walked together did I let go of her hand unless necessary, for fear she would see me as an outsider."

During the next seven years, he devoted full attention to her needs after that and communicated with her constantly, trying to help her realize what was happening to her. While she often talked in disconnected phrases, occasionally she lapsed into beautifully modulated, eloquent monologues. Dr. Green believes that "an Alzper(son), or stroke victim, or anyone in a coma" offers friends and relatives a unique chance to help by talking, reading to them, and encouraging them to "listen in deep quietness, for the Voice of the Silence."

After seven years she passed on but came to him in his dreams to offer guidance, including a nudge that led to his finding his Minnesota high school sweetheart who, fortuitously, had been widowed. He thought she had passed away after reading an item about a person with a similar name. In a lucid dream Alyce came to him "It's time for you to make up with Gladys Strom." Dr. Green was astonished. "Alyce stood back and motioned me to go forward, and sure enough Gladys was standing there. It was a strange sensation since I had not seen her since 1940, and I wake up." Later Alyce showed up again in my dreams and said, "Now you must go to Los Angeles and contact her." I said, "I can't do that because I wouldn't think it meant anything. I would believe that the masculine side of my nature and being lonesome had invented the conversation." The dream came three nights in a row and gave me the same argument, saying "You have work to do and need a companion." Finally I said "If there will be a synchronicity, I will do it." I told our daughters that no one in southern California had invited me to lecture there in ten years. I went with one of my daughters and her husband to Cozumel to go scuba-diving. When I got home and two days later received a call from a medical doctor in San Diego to be a member of the Advisory Board of Dove Health Alliance. The lecture was not ten minutes from Glady's house. When I told my daughters, they said I'd promised Alyce to contact Gladys if a synchronicity was produced. She was unsure at first about what she wanted to do but eventually agreed to be my partner. Dr. Green has written a three volume work of 873 pages that tells about his life and work. More on this later.

THE INJURED TREE

High on a hill a bent plum tree,
Lies half prone, where it started free,
A lightning flash or a careless board,
Bent it low where the damage scored.

Its neighbours proud, stately and prim,
Towered above with their branches trim.
Yet a special charm catches the eye,
As this bent branch, its leaves hold high.

Summer will pass and a message tell,
How a child can reach its fruits so well.
Its low bent bole - a fine seat makes,
And handy to rest as its fruit we take.

What may have seemed like a mishap grim,
Has risen to bloom with hope from within.
Spreading its beauty and service free,
A special delight - like no other tree.

A message to all, soft breezes will tell,
Its sturdy root still nourishes well.
The sun and the rain no favourites show,
As hatchlings dance in the evening glow.

BODY CELLS BUSY ON THEIR CELL PHONES

Bob McDonald had another great science program on CBC Saturday at 12:00 noon on Quirks & Quarks radio program, right after the news. One of the most interesting items explained how the brain directs information on fats. The most exciting part is about the OEA molecule in the upper digestive area and how it gets the information transferred quickly to the brain and directs which kinds of fats are harmful. How do they do that? It is through their cell phones. The best part is that if you listen and are willing to act and change eating habits, your memory will improve. A good thing to know too since Alzheimers disease can mix up the brain in the senior years. The nerve fibers zip the messages to the brain's amygdala to warn you. A negative message will mean one should cut down on the heavy fats that are found in pork and beef. If a person has already developed a taste for heavy fats through too much fast food, and other processed foods then it is time to make this change and eat more vegetables and fruits. How often parents can say to their children "I've told you a thousand times not to do . . . . " and likewise the brain also may get tired of being ignored as you reach for more processed foods, and obesity take over the body.

Bob McDonald also told about the ancient mercury mines in South America. Their graves revealed that the mine workers died of mercury poisoning and no bones were preserved. The mercury, used in costume decoration was so caustic that just a pool of mercury remained.

The third topic of special interest was "How the Bees' Knees get a Grip." By tuning into CBC Quirks & Quarks radio program, these subjects are more fully covered and comes as a podcast as well. The program is repeated the following Tuesday evening at ll:00 pm CBC radio.

DOCTORS MEET TO INTEGRATE SPIRITUALITY

"Spirituality and Healing in Medicine: Practical Usage in Contemporary Healthcare" was the theme of a recent continuing education program sponsored by Harvard Medical School. According to a report published in "Research News & Opportunities in Science and Theology, there were three main themes presented at the conference. First was the healing power of the "relaxation response" or meditation. The second was the importance of "meaning" in the healing process and how religion or spirituality contributed to that necessary experience. Finally, was the topic of "presence," or the quality of consciousness with which the health-care provider approached the patient. This last quality, it was recognized, requires that the health-care professional have a relationship with their own spirituality.

For more information visit their Web site at www.researchnewsonline.org.

HEALING CANCER

There seems to be so many challenges with cancer invading the bodies of fairly young people. Even the obituary pages give causes of death for people in their 40s and 50s who have been taken with cancer.

Here is a website that can give information for those challenged with illness that can work with a cure for healing that can be used along with any other modality. www.dreamhealer.com. For those in the Vancouver area it gives the location of a meeting being held on May 31st that will explain all the details.

TRANSFORMATIVE PATTERNS DISCOVERED

What happens when people have transformative, life-changing experiences? To find out, the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) invited members to submit accounts of transformative moments and their after-maths. From over 200 accounts, IONS researchers culled and collated certain conclusions, which they published in the Noetic Sciences Review.

* A deepening of trust in one's inner authority, a realization of one's ability to change.

* Although transformative experiences occur spontaneously, to have long-lasting effects, there must be a willingness to practice ongoing change, or life after life cycles.

* Not only moments of joy, but also of tragedy, of wounds that enable us to heal, help move the process along.

* A spiritual faith, or trust, improves the depth of the willingness to yield to the yearnings of the soul.

STABILITY OF THE PLANET LIES IN HUMANITY'S COLLECTIVE HANDS

According to Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto, author of "The Hidden Messages in Water," he tells how his research with water crystals shows the positive and negative influence of human thoughts and words on water. Waters of the world are reacting to human energy patterns, causing many disasters.

We're very familiar with the recent major earthquake in China's Chengdu City, capital of Wenchan County, a high-tech region with much wealth and education. It was also felt in Beijing, 943 miles northeast and Thai, capital of Bangkok, l,ll8 miles south, 7.8 on the Richter scale, the strongest in China in thirty years. On May 8, 2008, U.S. Charge D'Affairs in Yangon (city in former Burma) Shari Villarosa, said on a conference call, "The information we are receiving indicates over l00,000s from the Cyclone." Prior to this cyclone there was the tsunami that hit on December 26, killing 283,000. The landslide and earthquake in Iran took 50,000 lives. Two thousand people were killed in Chile, Hawaii and Japan. in 1960 with its magnitude 9.5 on the Richter scale with the resulting tsunami that wiped out an entire village in faraway Hawaii. Mount Pinatubo, Philippines in 1991, blasted a cubic mile of ash and rock into the atmosphere with avalanches of hot ash, gas, and fragments of pumice roaring down the mountainside, filling valleys with 600 feet of volcanic ash. Edgar Cayce predicted many of these possible changes, stating that none of the physical devastation he predicted has to happen. The stability of the planet lies in humanity's collected hands and confirmed the Biblical axiom that l0 good people can save an entire city. A story told by the editor of Guideposts magazine said he received letters from two different women in a small town in California. Each told him how they were awakened in the dark hours of the predawn and powerfully guided by Spirit to go into the street of their little town and pray. They both did. Around 5:00 a.m. a powerful earthquake hit their town, destroyed the entire downtown area but not one person was killed or even injured. These two ladies did not know each other, living on opposite corners of the town. In this case the prayers of two saved a town.

Rather than get anxious over the world situation, prayer is a powerful service we can perform for our fellow planet dwellers, ascending into the Collective Consciousness and subliminally affect the whole of human consciousness and Nature's sensitive vibrations.

SALUTE TO THE CAREGIVER

When His Wife Becomes His Mother

Sometimes it seems the Golden Years, Are tarnished just a tad,
An aching joint - a cataract, Youth's energy we've had.
I'm fluffing up my empty nest, Young energy has gone,
Now geriatric motherhood, Keeps me moving on.
A loved one near and dear to me, Now needs my constant care,
It's geriatraic motherhood, A different hat to wear.
Maternal motherhood now takes, A wisdom only learned,
Through young and later motherhood, Degrees through years are earned.

In geriatric motherhood, No courses now are taught,
My macho warrior still wants speed, To rush his steps in walk.
And sometimes takes a tumble down, His shortcuts need a map,
Minesweeper now I must become, To clear the booby traps.
At first my aging battle cry, Was wrinkles and fatigue,
Surrendering to gravity, Now energy I need.
So maybe find a time for rest, Compose a little rhyme,
No - saw palmetto tea to serve, I'll nap another time.

Those leisure moments I deserve, But instincts die so hard,
More mothering is needed now, No time to be a bard.
Pill dispenser, therapist, A nurse, a budgeteer,
A memory jogger, taxi hop, And bills to pay all year.
How about a walker, "Not for me, A cane, that's just for schools."
To discipline the younger set, For me I'm past those rules."
We cross the street, "Don't take my hand, I balance better now,"
The automatic door swings wide, "I'm locked in somehow."

"Another enters and I'm freed, Just lead me to a chair,
And finish up the shopping fast, It gave me quite a scare."
The geriatric mother must, Nudge her man with care,
Guiding, coaxing, keeping safe, From dangers unaware.
So if some sage advice you wish, When seeking mates, or wives,
Choose a sweet and peaceful one, 'Twill help you to survive.

LASER PRINTER DUST

Every Sunday morning a program from Australia is broadcast on the CBC radio from 5 - 6:00 am.

In addition to ordinary events a segment comes on around 5:30 a.m. telling about recent research they have been working with. This weekend they told about the harmful components contained in the toner of laser printer dust. This invisible liquid mist penetrates into the lungs and can create irritation that could result in heart and respiratory problems - similar to the harm caused by tobacco smoke.

When the printer buyer inquires about the validity of this research, the sellers say they do not know. Further research is being conducted in Germany. They suggest that laser printers should be kept on another desk, a little distance from the operater and that good ventilation be maintained as well.

SCIENCE TRUTH OR FICTION

The first day of Victoria Day weekend gave us a lovely warm day with the thermometer pushing twenty degrees. We found time to enjoy the great outdoors. But then it turned cool again on Saturday. Some indoor days can be interesting also, especially every Saturday, as the noon CBC radio brings us Quirks and Quarks with Bob McDonald. Today we heard the official answer to a Truth or Fiction segment. Is it possible that one can get electrocuted during a thunder storm when bathing in the bathtub or shower? The answer was a shocking, "Yes." If lightning strikes your home or even nearby, it can travel through metal pipes and find you. It is best to turn the power off other items like Computers, Television as well as most others when possible. If you missed this Saturday's program (perhaps going somewhere on this long weekend) it can be heard again every Monday at ll:00 pm on CBC Radio 1, - the same station.

One of his guests today was Dr. Tony Barnosky who told us that our planet is facing heatstroke and global warming that, as it accelerates will cause the end of life as we know it with major extinctions as it transforms Earth's biology - perhaps within a decade. Another program to mark on your calemndar will be the Quirks and Quarks broadcast on June 10th at 7:30 pm. It will answer weird and many of our most challenging questions.

Bob McDonald's Quirks and Quarks Science program next Saturday will be:
"How French fries and Fast Foods take over your Mind." It should be interesting.

VIEWING NATURE CAN BE GOOD FOR GRADES

Having a room with a view of nature - seeing green instead of concrete - is helpful for having a successful life. Researchers at the University of Illinois studied at-risk girls, aged 7-12, living in inner-city neighbourhoods of Chicago. They correlated the amount of green visible from the apartment windows in their homes with various measures of the girls' quality of life and school performance. The results, published in the online Journal of Environmental Psychology showed that the greener the view, the better the girls were able to concentrate, avoid impulsive behaviour, and delay gratification.

PERUVIAN SITE DATES TO THE PYRAMIDS

Signs of a society with strong, centralized leadership existed at the vast site of Caral, 120 miles north of Lima, Peru - precursors of the Inca, evolved from the coast. It was larger in magnitude than anything before. This archaeological site is only 15 miles from the coast and started in 2600 B.C. and was discovered in 1905. It came into full bloom about the time scholars believe the Egyptian pyramids were under construction. Remnants of public buildings, a plaza, and irrigation ditches were found, according to a report by Henry Fountain published in the New York Times. Scholars take this new information to mean requiring a change in the prevailing theory about the earliest civilizations in the Americas and their movement from coastal areas to inland.

For more information see: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/27/science/27PERU.html.a

VITAMIN D CAN WORK MIRACLES

According to Simone Gabbay, a registered nutritional consultant in Toronto, and author of several books on nutrition, cautions that unusually high doses of nutritional supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. A group of patients in western New York suffered from severe myopathy, a muscle disorder had weakened them to such an extent that they were confined to wheelchairs. A team of doctors from State University of New York at Buffalo and Kaleida Health in Buffalo, put them on a high-potency vitamin D supplement. Within six weeks, all study participants reported noticeable improvement, including a resolution of pain and a restoration of normal muscle strength.

Five patients became fully mobile. In each case, weakness and immobility had previously been attributed to other causes, including old age, diabetic neuropathy or general debility. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which helps the body assimilate calcium and other nutrients required for healthy bones, muscles, and nerves, is produced in the body through the interaction of the ultraviolet rays of the sun with certain chemicals in the fatty tissue under the skin. Food sources of vitamin D are fish and fish liver oils, eggs and dairy products.

In another medical study, researchers found that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), could successfully treat some cases of hereditary ataxia, a disease characterized by an inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements. It aids oxygen utilization in the body. A team of researchers at Columbia University's College of Physicians in New York identified six patients with hereditary ataxia whose CoQ10 levels were significantly below normal. Five of the six could not walk. After taking a high-potency CoQ10 supplement, all patients showed dramatic improvement in strength and well being.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in North America and other geographical areas where people do not get enough sunshine on a regular basis. Billions of dollars are being spent on the development of pharmaceutical drugs for conditions which could and should first be addressed with nutrition and other natural means. For more information on Simone Gabbay's book "Nourishing the Body Temple" and other books, call toll free l-866-322-8209 or contact your local book store.

PAIN HAS MESSAGE WE SHOULD HEED

Pay attention to your pain, listen to it, and maybe it will provide you with some important guidance. So say Mona Lisa Schulz, M.D. and Christiane Northrup, M.D., authors of Awakening Intuition: Using your Mind-Body Network for Insight and Healing (Three Rivers Press), who find that their patients' symptoms are actually intuitive guidance systems for learning how to restore balance in life.

They advocate learning about the "body genius," which are memories stored within the body that signal when something is not right. Take some time to listen to pain, and the genius within the pain will speak to you. It has a clue about what you need to avoid or change at the moment. Headache, nausea, joint pain, shoulder ache, sinus pressure, sneezing, or hiccups may be such signals. See if you can learn from them.

INVADERS AT THE GATES

The location of the invasion was well hidden even though the site was plainly in view. Though the battle may have been engaged for some months or even years, since it was carried on in silence and was easily ignored. The signs along the way dropped adjectives and adverbs or perhaps added other words that were often easily misunderstood. We're so fascinated by these invaders we pay them for all the ammunition they require and welcome them into our homes. Their uniforms, that feature every delightful color of the rainbow, we also pay for, and yet many of us try to survive on minimum wages with problems trying to pay for our own food and shelter.

Poisonous unseen killing bullets come along with the invaders but we choose to ignore them. How could we fear the innocent, though calculated smiles of those colorful supplies entering our homes. We have many wonderful well-educated scientists and thus can allow ourselves to feel superior in many ways. With lessons learned from history these minds will recognize any Trojan Horse that might enter our territory. We all certainly remember the large hollow wooden horse described by Vergil. The horse was filled with Greek soldiers and left at the city gate of the enemy. The Greek soldiers emerged during the night, opened the gate, and invited the rest of their troops in and burned the city. This sounds similar to the "Fifth Column" we heard about in a more recent war.

Some researchers and teachers found time to do extra research and may have missed socializing, texting, and other pleasures. Perhaps this was better for health reasons anyway because our invaders came to the parties. Check out the fine print on many of these colorful food packages and advertisements. Some may wonder if the food and drink being eaten contained words in the ingredient list that looked questionable. Words like potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate were puzzling for some who were consuming the foods. But many CEOs of food companies said they added TCPS (Taste, Convenience, Pleasure and Shelf life) to many foods stocked on our supermarket shelves.

Who can forget the handsome male mounted on his steed (not called Trojan as far as we know) galloping over green hills and planes while under the picture lurked the packages of cigarettes that suggested the smoker might enjoy a similar pleasure while smoking them. That handsome rider died of lung cancer many years ago. Is it possible that additives needed for shelf life and convenience are among the silent invaders that enter our bodies with our food, take up residence, create a major cancer site, and spread through the bloodstream to all parts of the body. The body is faced with a battle zone within that our great health care system is sometimes unable to conquer with surgery and other therapies and thus be overwhelmed with too many of these unseen killing bullets. A century ago these additives were not used and it would be interesting to know what the health system might have cost per person at that time.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY NOW RECOGNIZED

In their series on "Innovators," Time Magazine recognized the work of Dr. John Upledger. While involved in a spinal operation, Dr. Upledger noticed a pulse along the spine, where none should have existed. He later determined that the pulse was in the cerebrospinal fluid itself. He then theorized that this life force was important to health and that its blockage could create illness. He developed a form of treatment using slight hand pressure on the patient's body that has become known as craniosacral therapy. Although many doctors are still skeptical about it, craniosacral therapy has been found useful in many pain-control and physical rehabilitation situations.

YOUR MOTHER WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

Breakfast time is always spent listening to the CBC Radio. The first song I heard this Mother's Day weekend was "What are they doing in Heaven now?" It was lovely - I'll be looking on their website for the exact title so I can buy a copy. My mother passed away 30 years ago. During the sixties the topic of meditation was often talked about and I wondered aloud to my husband where the CEOs could find time for it since I worked a full time job and had our family to care for as well. The next morning I awakened early and heard my mother's voice say, "You could always get up at 5:00 o'clock you know." It was just her voice but no image and I wished I could see what she was doing in that other plane we call Heaven.

It was a disappointment to her when I married at age 26. When she was age 26 she had already birthed five children and would have three more. She tells me that I had promised to take care of her when she was old. Though I do not recall this promise, I'm sure I did because she was a wonderful mother and what does a child know of the future. My baby sister was born four years after me and Mother and I had good times together taking care of her, me thinking I was helping especially when I held one side of the bucket handle while she carried the water from the rain barrel to heat it on her coal-burning cookstove for laundry day. She would reach to her highest shelf to get the can of lye to make the laundry soap while warning me of the dangers of lye. The four older children walked off to school and she would let me have a few drops of syrup to paste the colored pictures I clipped from Eaton's catalog to finish my artwork. The rest of the catalog was taken to the outhouse.

Finally, a dreamscape has given me a glimpse of her in Heaven. I am ascending a wide staircase and see Mother on the landing above. She breaks from a large group and comes to meet me with a welcoming hug. She looks about 30 years old, fulsome, handsome and lovely. Forgotten are the years of no communication. My father tells me that she had read all the "Dear Mom and Dad letters," I regularly sent because he noticed when returning from his walk that the letter drawer was always disturbed. She had a good retirement and my brother and his wonderful wife, Anne, took her on a trip to the State of Washington to see her childhood home. Their two married daughters and four daughter-in-laws gave them 17 grandchildren to enjoy. Their firstborn daughter never married and went to Africa to do missionary and dental work. Canada had instituted the old age pension and after selling the farm our parents bought a home to Medicine Hat. The last two weeks before she moved into a senior home I came to Alberta to care for her when she could not be left alone. She was happy to meet our son and see how well he had done at University. Your mother will always love you. The moral of my story is, "Do your diligence, don't worry about the future, and take good care of the environment as we seek to tread gently and carefully upon our wonderful planet called Earth." There must be a poem for me to write for both Mother and Dad, perhaps tomorrow.

MEDICINE OF LAUGHTER IS ADVANCING

We are gaining more evidence that laughter is good medicine. In one study, conducted at the Loma Linda School of Medicine and published in the journal "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine," a one-hour exposure to a comedy video led to significant increases in blood cell immunities, lasting up to 12 hours after watching the video.

In another study, conducted at the Unitika Central Hospital in Japan, researchers enlisted participants with allergies to stop taking their allergy medicine for three days prior to the study. They then showed some participants the comedy "Modern Times," starring Charlie Chaplin, while other participants viewed a video on the weather. During the viewing of the videos, researchers tested the participants allergic reactions to allergens. They found that the weather watchers showed the usual allergic reactions, but the participants watching the comedy showed reduced allergic reaction, which continued after the viewing.

ADAM - DREAM HEALER

You might find it interesting to look up this website at: www.dreamhealer.com. I've just read Adam's international bestseller "Dreamhealer." which I checked out at the local library. There are three other Adam books that cover his story from age 14, he must be 21 by now. But this one, with the blue cover, gives details of the energy he works with and how he helps bring about energy healing. This complimentary type of healing resonates for some and has helped many people.

Adam says that some people have difficulty accepting their newfound wellness. The injury or illness serves another purpose. A person may feel deprived of attention and recognition (especially with chronic illness). Then illness can bring the person the recognition he or she wants.

An open mind allows change if flexible to incoming information. Possibilities are limitless. Therapists have helped many people by suggestion, and many have been helped with overcoming cancer with chemotherapy. Whatever suits the individual is best. The famous singer, Ronnie Hawkins says . ."Soon after Adam's treatments started, he told me the cancer was gone. . . I am so thankful to Adam for everything." "What's in the mind is reflected in the body," Adam tells us.

WHITTIER, JOHN GREENLEAF

This United States poet lived from1807 - 1892, and was often called the Robert Burns of New England. Like the Scottish bard, he chose to write about the homely scenes and simple folks of his native region. When attending school in a neighbourhood farmhouse at age l4, his schoolmaster gave him a volume of poems by Robert Burns. John had never seen a book of poetry before and after being inspired by Burns poetry, often exceeded many other poets in feeling and eloquence. Many of his poems defended the rights of workers and attacked the institution of slavery. He is often referred to as the Quaker Poet.

Among the lines he left for us to enjoy are the following fourteen words: my favourites:

"The joy that you give others is the joy that comes back to you."

DREAM IMAGES AND SYMBOLS

Ever since childhood I have been fascinated by the story of Joseph of Egypt who gained favour with the Egyptian pharaoh by interpreting a dream that came three times in succession, pointing to food shortages to come that could cause a famine in Egypt. As Mrs. Weeks, our Sunday School teacher told us so many years ago, the pharaoh appointed Joseph as his foreign grain buyer. As the dream had said there was seven years of drought in Egypt. But Joseph acted on this dream and kept the Egyptian grain bins full and the famine was avoided.

Now right here in British Columbia we hear rumblings of possible problems to come regarding our soil and how dusty and dry it is this year. Spring has come very late this year, and there may be challenges in our country. The first few days in May gave us some warmth but I haven't seen any bees working the few flowers that have emerged from bulbs. The tulips sprang into action after those few warm days and are likely looking around for some bees. The bees are cozy inside their hives, crowding around their queen and vibrating their wings to keep her warm for important duties to come. All this wing action also keeps the workers warm as well, as it does during the winter months.

I phoned the Library to see if there was a book that had considerable coverage on this subject. Those wonderful Library people I often mention, were able to bring in a book called "Dream Images and Symbols," by Kevin J. Todeschi. It contained 275 pages of fascinating information. The Library brought this book in from another city in the province and is not renewable. I might decide to call l-800-723-1112 and get a book for myself. The author tells how a dreamscape can express its meaning through key words and scenes. He says it is important to keep a paper and pencil handy by your bed to jot down these key words immediately after waking so the dream can be recalled the next day and thus be guided about future decisions for the future of your family and for your nation if you are the leader or the pharaoh. For example, an "airport" dream might be expressing high ideals and messages to come. A dream of "angels" could be associated with wisdom and guidance available through this dream. A dream featuring "alcohol" might be warning of inclination to lose control. We've all likely heard of the inventor of the sewing machine needle. A line of warriors stood before him in the dream with upright spears ready for action. He noticed that one of them had a hole near the point of his spear. Waking the next day, he realized the sewing machine would require a needle near the point instead of the usual needle that was used for handwork as was the custom in the seventeenth century.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ON THE MARCH

According to a report in "The Military Times," the Pentagon has invested more than five million dollars this past year to investigate the value of alternative treatments such as Reiki, acupuncture, meditation, yoga and companion animals. Evidence is accumulating that treatments once viewed as "fringe" are becoming part of the mainstream.

Studies underway are examining, for example, whether meditation improves "emotional resilience." Will holding and petting an animal reduce some of the symptoms of PTSD? Studies of acupuncture are evaluating its effectiveness in pain reduction, such as for veterans who sustained brain damage. A spokesperson for the studies noted that many military patients seem to prefer these alternatives.

PET CARE - VACCINATIONS, HELPFUL OR HARMFUL

Doug Knueven, DVM, is the author of "Stand By Me, A Holistic Handbook for Animals, People, and the Lives They Share." For further information go to www.BeaverAnimalClinic.com. Vaccines are a way of introducing antigen into the body to stimulate the immune system as a defense of the particular disease. All pets do need to be vaccinated for rabies where it is legal because it is a disease that can be transferred from animals to people and keeps millions of pets safe, also.

Dr. Knueven invites people to e-mail questions with your first name and hometown to: letters@edgarcayce.org. If your question is chosen, Dr. Knueven will answer it in a future column.
In closing Dr. Knueven comments: "I believe that every pet needs its basic distemper vaccine. This needs to be boostered several times in puppies and kittens to insure immunity. After a year of age, the distemper vaccine in both dogs and cats has been proven to last four to seven years. That is correct, it has now been scientifically proven that yearly vaccination for distemper is unnecessary.

HAPPINESS HABITS

According to "Foresight," the British think tank was assigned the task of finding recommendations for a happier citizenry. Reported in the Times Online, they concluded there were five major happiness habits to be observed. Researchers found that it is not so much the circumstance as attitude and habit. There are things to do to preserve your sanity and enjoy life more. Even if you've known some of these attitudes before, it makes news to hear it from a British government recommendation.

l. Connect with and develop ongoing relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Not only can it be fun, contacts could bring sources of support.
2. Be active, even if it is a daily stroll, participation in sports, and active hobbies such as gardening or dancing are also good.
3. Be curious and appreciative of the fun moments and attractive sights you encounter. Taking a moment to notice your appreciation is a great mood elevator.
4. Learn something new, like a new language. Learning to play a musical instrument gives your brain a workout and keeps it young.
5. Give to others, whether it be time, attention, or material things. Not only does it "spread the wealth," it will make you happy.

BEES WILL SOON BE BUSY

The first of May brought us a warm sunny day at last. A very cool spring has kept the honeybees silent as they form a cluster around the Queen and beat their wings to keep the hive warm over winter. The Queen bee is no doubt very busy in her kitchen planning the diets for her three kinds of subjects in her hive of perhaps 50,000 worker bees. In line with their diet requirements, she lets a couple hundred eggs develop into drones, the males needed for the wedding dance. They just lay around doing nothing but waiting for the wedding ceremony. She is wise enough to keep the whole hive in control according to the kind and amount of food for each egg she lays. Laying eggs at the rate of one every minute keeps her busy indeed. All the workers are girls, and never allowed to fully mature so she can keep them happy just gathering pollen and nectar for the next winter's food supply. She keeps the germ cells from last year's wedding in a pouch in her body and releases them a few at a time. In her hive of 50,000 subjects she counts out only a couple of hundred to develop into males, the drones needed for the wedding dance.

A rich food secreted by glands in the head of an adult worker is fed to a few eggs to insure the future of the hive. After four or five years the Queen will have to give up her throne to one of them. But she doesn't give up her crown easily. She has a smooth curved stinger reserved for doing battle with a rival queen. Older and weaker, and no longer able to lay enough eggs, she will die in battle. The winner takes the crown and the new Queen controls the hive. I recall how impressed I was when I first saw a swarm of bees flying high. After the wedding the drones are no longer fed by the workers and soon die off.

This is a brief review of what is going on in Beeland as these busy insects keep our food supply intact during the summer to produce our winter's food supply. Hats off and many thanks to the bees who work so hard for our benefit. It's not an easy life for the worker bees as they sometimes face an early death coping with pesticides and other poisons released by car exhaust.

HEALING POWER FROM HEALTHY FOODS

One of my regular Blog readers e-mailed me with some additional information on the healing power of healthy food that can keep the flu from settling in a body when it is kept in an alkaline condition. He included a web site that explains and clarifies the theory better than I could.

Here is the web site: http://edgarcayce.org/fluvirusprotection.html.

The key foods mentioned are celery, lettuce, and carrots. This advice cannot do any harm so one could give it a try since it includes no drugs. It is always best to buy organic vegetables and fruits when possible.

A grade school child in Vernon, B.C. at Bearisto Montessori School has returned from a visit to Mexico, and was found to have the flu virus. The school is closed for a week.

Another web site to check out is: Johns Hopkins: http://aphg.edu/index.cfm.