Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Happy New Year!


A year's end is neither an end
 nor a beginning but a going on, 
with all the wisdom 
that experience can instill in us. 

Hal Borland
 
While I agree with Hal, as a writer and publisher I must say that the end of a year feels like an end of a chapter and I am happily looking forward to the next one.
 
This blog is enjoying a growing popularity and I am grateful for all the support I receive from my readers.  For many of you this might have been a difficult year. Some of you may have noticed that this year I did not engage in controversial topics. 
 
There was so much sadness and negativity in the media in regard to the events that occurred in 2014 in many parts of the world, that I decided not to write about them. 
 
My decision was prompted not by indifference or a lack of engagement in current affairs, but by a heartfelt consideration for my readers who came to my blog for consolation and inspiration rather than a confirmation that something is horribly wrong in our societies. 
 
Like most of you I sincerely hope that the New Year brings a major change for many people. I hope that conflicts will be resolved without bloodshed, that all senseless abuse and suffering is gone, that love prevails over hatred, that no one will have to flee his home or go hungry... 
 
I wish you all the very Best in the coming New Year, but I would also like to remind you that success and happiness lie within you. Be the light you want to see in the world. Be the change you long for! 
 
Happy New Year To All! ~ Dominique

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas!

 
 
 I heard the bells on Christmas Day 
Their old, familiar carols play, 
And wild and sweet the words repeat 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 
 
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 
 
Wishing all my readers a very merry and peaceful Christmas ~ Dominique

Friday, December 19, 2014

Mistletoe - Evolution of a Christian Tradition



Why does this parasitic plant remind us of romance?

By Rob Dunn

Baldur, grandson of the Norse god Thor, woke up one morning certain that each and every plant and animal on earth wanted to kill him. His mother consoled him. His wife consoled him, but all to no avail. As Baldur cowered in his room, half-wild with fear, his mother and wife decided to ask every living thing to leave their poor Baldur in peace. They begged the kindness of the oak tree, the pig, the cow, the crow, the ant and even the worm. Each agreed. Then, as Baldur paused to celebrate his release from torment, he felt a pain in his chest. He had been stabbed and killed by an arrow made from the wood of a mistletoe plant. Mistletoe was the one species on earth his wife and mother had failed to notice.

Baldur died, but a lesson was learned: Never forget about the mistletoe. Mistletoe would come to hang over our doors as a reminder to never forget. We kiss beneath it to remember what Baldur’s wife and mother forgot. At least that is one version of the origin of our relationship with mistletoe.

Another story begins with druids who viewed the mistletoe as magical and hung it above their doors for luck. Others say it is hung for fertility; the seeds of mistletoe are sticky like semen. The modern story of mistletoe is one of kisses. As Washington Irving wrote in the 1800s, “young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under (mistletoe), plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases

The true story of mistletoe is the one I am going to tell here, the one of how it evolved in the first place, to hang on trees (and eventually above our doors). The ancestor of all mistletoes is the most ancient sandalwood. Modern sandalwoods include the species burned as incense on college campuses and in religious ceremonies the world over. Sandalwood trees are parasites; they grow on and steal from other trees. Their specialized roots (haustoria) sink like small arrows or spears into the roots of larger trees and suck water, sugar and nutrients from them.

Before there were forests, wispy plants fell on each other in their struggle to reach the sun, like clumsy teenagers unsure of their growing bodies. Then one plant evolved a simple woody stem. It could grow taller than the other plants, and it stole light from them. It poisoned them with shade. Wars ensued that have lasted hundreds of millions of years. Trees of many kinds arose and struggled with each other to be taller. Any species that does not participate in battle loses out in the darkness of the understory - any species except a few. Those in the clan of the sandalwood evolved a way out of the darkness. They survived by stealing from the trees what they had spent their tall stems fighting for.

Sandalwood discovered deceit. Its roots kissed the roots of trees and slipped inside them to steal. But sandalwood still needed to grow up a little and put out a few green leaves to have enough sugar to thrive. And then came mistletoes. Mistletoe is a common name for several independent lineages descended from sandalwood. Like their ancestors, mistletoe species sink their roots into trees. Unlike those ancestors, they do so in the sky.
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Mistletoes evolved the ability to grow not on the roots of trees, but instead on their branches. In doing so, they gained the same nutrients, water and sugars stolen by their ancestors, but they also gained a foothold up into the sky. As trees clambered for the sun, the mistletoe simply rode up on their branches, living off both the trees’ nutrients and the energy mistletoe could gather itself from the sun. The transition from root parasite to parasite of shoots was so successful that the ability evolved five times from the ancestral stock of the sandalwoods. Mistletoe diversified and spread around the world. Species of the genus Vismus are common in Europe. Phoradendron flavescens is common in North America. Hundreds of other species are found elsewhere around the world. But while theirs was a life with advantages, it also offered new challenges. Among the challenges was how to colonize trees in the first place. Unaided, the seeds of mistletoe would fall to the ground, unable to get to branches. Chance and wind were not enough for the offspring of mistletoe to find new trees, but the mistletoe had more than chance, it had natural selection. The mistletoe evolved seeds surrounded by berries. The berries attracted birds. The birds ate the berries and then flew to find more food. As they flew, or better yet, when they landed, they pooped. If everything went perfectly for the mistletoe, the poop landed on a branch where the seed might germinate.

Many more seeds were excreted midair and landed on the ground rather than onto branches, and so any seeds with additional advantages would have been more successful. So it was that another adaptation of the mistletoe evolved, its real kiss: seeds so sticky that even after passing through a bird they would stick to its bottom and then to its feet and then to anything else. When a bird pooped these seeds over a field, they did not fall. They clung. Birds who ate mistletoe seeds had to find a place to sit. They had to use their feet to get the seeds off of their feathers and scrape them onto other surfaces - like branches. So it is that mistletoe seeds today are passed with relatively high frequency to new trees.

The kiss of the mistletoe is the kiss of seeds through a bird, of those same seeds onto bare branches, and of roots slipping into tree branches and shoots. It is also the kiss of the leaves of the mistletoe, leaves that rise above all others through subterfuge. In a way, the mistletoe reminds us of days gone by, when there were no trees, and plants could simply grow short and stout and still find enough sun. Mistletoe still does so, just on its own elevated plane.

And so while there are historical explanations for why humans tend to kiss under mistletoe - a history of gods, demons, luck and a little lust - the evolutionary story of these plants with their sticky fruits and parasitic ways is more interesting. If this evolutionary story has a moral, it is complicated. On the one hand, mistletoe is a fruit of war, albeit one among trees. Let’s ignore that symbolism though, whatever it might mean for the holiday season. On the other hand, mistletoe is a measure of how many of the fruits in our daily lives, be they literal or figurative, depend on other species. We depend on the mistletoe for tradition. And it depends on its tree and its bird, just as we depend on thousands of species ourselves, species like the warring trees and the pooping birds, but also our crops, our Christmas trees and so many more, each of which evolved among evolution’s wild attempts to turn non-life - sun, soil, water and air - into life. I will pucker my lips to that, to the way evolution clings to us as beautifully as the kiss of a sticky seed.

About the author:

Rob Dunn is a biologist at North Carolina State University and the author of "The Wild Life of Our Bodies." He has written for Smithsonian about our ancestors’ predators, singing mice and the discovery of the hamster.

Article source Smithsonian Institution

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Leaving Santa Fe

 
Snow covered dried chiles, Santa Fe

From a coven of churches ring bells
that stop my thoughts, tender
solace to sinners - so many places
to pray. Tewas and Hopi offer
turquoise and dreams on altar
cloths beneath sacred trees.
I enter their temples. Crow Mother
rests on a branch nearby, gifts me
with corn for my faraway garden.
Leaving behind shops of art
and trinkets, my feet slow as sun
beats a past-noon descent.
Sky is high desert blue.
The air, wrung dry, shimmers
with heat, ancestral stories.
I feel the old ones stir my heart,
their whispers, my pulse.

By Carol Aronoff

Poem source here



Image by Martha Marks

Friday, December 12, 2014

New Mexico Biscochitos



By Cheryl Alters Jamison

The New Mexico state cookie, an anise- and cinnamon-scented delight, is served at every December gathering short of a fast-food breakfast. Lori Delgado shares this scrumptious recipe, which began with Agnes Trujillo, a friend of her mother-in-law, Angie’s. Whether you spell it biscochito or bizcochito, you’ll call these cookies wonderful. 

Makes about 6 dozen medium-size cookies.

Cookies
  • 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound lard, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1½ tablespoons ground anise seeds
  • ½ cup orange juice, preferably freshly pressed
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) whiskey
Topping
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cookies
  • Preheat oven to 425° F.
  • Sift together 5 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Beat lard in electric mixer, gradually adding sugar until extremely light and fluffy; about 8 minutes. Stop mixer every couple minutes to scrape down sides of mixing bowl. Add eggs singly, beating in each one before adding the next. 
  • Mix in dry ingredients, beating only until incorporated. Add anise seeds, whiskey, and orange juice. A stiff, pie-crust–like dough is what you’re after. Add some or all of remaining flour, as needed, to get proper consistency.
  • Spoon dough into cookie press, if you wish. Push out dough into shaped cookies onto cookie sheets. If you don’t have a cookie press or prefer to make them with cookie cutters, the dough can be rolled out ¼ inch thick on floured work surface and cut into favorite shapes, then arranged on cookie sheets. In either case, avoid handling the dough more than necessary.
  • Bake cookies 12 to 15 minutes.
For the topping
  • While cookies bake, stir together topping ingredients.
Assembly
  • Transfer cookies onto baking racks to cool.
  • Gently roll cookies in topping mixture. If not eaten sooner, cookies will keep for a week.

Enjoy!
*This article was first published in an online extra December 2013 issue of New Mexico Magazine




Friday, December 5, 2014

Wolves - The Endangered Species


A letter to the editor of the Idaho Mountain Express by Chris Albert

Humans have damaged wildlife more than wolves! 

Wolves are effective predators, but I am not sure why people insist on calling them “vicious.” With only teeth and fast strong bodies they hunt to live - that’s their role. 

They do not extirpate their prey. When researchers follow wolves, they find their success rate is usually less than 20 percent. That means the prey are not at all defenseless: their fast, strong bodies save them more than 80 percent of the time. Given the opportunity, wolves will surplus kill, but research shows us that they will go back to the site of surplus kills for months and feed. Assuming, of course, that people don’t lay in wait, to shoot, trap or poison at these sites. 

What puzzles me most of all is why we condemn the behavior in wolves that we, ourselves, engage in. We are outraged when a wolf “tears apart” a mother elk, but in a few months it is fine for us to go shoot the mother. Is it the “neatness” that makes it OK? We object to the “violence” of wolves against our livestock, but send the same livestock to premature violent and untimely deaths. To ask wolves to have a conscience is silly. They are wild animals. They are not supposed to have a conscience. That is a human trait. We humans are by far the worse in comparison: we do have a conscience, yet revel in the (often cruel) splintering and annihilation of wolf families. 

We nearly extirpated both elk and bison. We dare to think we are the only capable wildlife managers, refusing to admit that nature, before we came, was doing just fine. Once there were teeming herds of elk, bison and other game, living just fine with an estimated two million wolves. Why do you think it’s the wolves causing the problem?

~ . ~

Wolves are amazing creatures. They form social structures that could make any modern family blush. The Alpha male enters a lifelong bond with the Alpha female of a pack. Wolves love wolf babies. The Beta male is responsible for the welfare of the little ones, but the whole pack plays with them and is very protective. There are friendships and there are fights within a pack, but even the weakest of all, the Omega wolf, is taken care of if he is in need. 

Wolves are very territorial species and they will protect their territory from other wolf packs. They are predators. They kill big game and sometimes cattle, but seldom attack people. However, they kill to survive and not, as it is wrongly believed, out of pleasure of killing.

In 2013 grey wolves were taken off the list of protected species in the USA. Hunters can now organize hunting rallies and are permitted to use tracking dogs. They have the permit to kill not only the magnificent grey wolves, but also the endangered and rare Mexican red wolves. The plea of the conservationists and the nature lovers is ignored by the authorities in most States where wolf hunting is allowed. 

The subject is quite delicate. It is believed that hunters play important role in nature and I can understand hunting for food, but the "recreational" killing of animals is bare of any ethics. 

The argument that wolves decimate herds is a very weak one. In Poland, where wolves are protected species, the government reimburses farmers for their losses. Why this could not be done in one of the richest countries in the world is puzzling to me. 

By Dominique Teng


For centuries wolves have been characterized as bloodthirsty beasts and the bane of helpless livestock. Determined to overcome this misconception, film makers Jamie and Jim Dutcher, the creators of the Emmy Award Winning "Wolves at Our Door" documentary spent six years in a tented camp in the wilderness of Idaho living with a pack of wolves. Please watch and share this amazing documentary. It is quite eye-opening.



Also of interest: The Wolf Man -The Diary of Paul Balenovic and A Man Among Wolves

Image source here

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Be Thankful

 
 
Be thankful 
 
That you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to? 
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow. 
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you  
Opportunities for improvement. 
 Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build  
Your strength and character. 
 Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons. 
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those  
Who are also thankful for the setbacks. 
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. 
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles 
and they can become your blessings. 
 
Author Unknown but greatly appreciated 
 
~ Happy Thanksgiving! ~

Saturday, November 1, 2014

November Morning



A tingling, misty marvel
Blew hither in the night,
And now the little peach-trees
Are clasped in frozen light. 

Upon the apple-branches
An icy film is caught,
With trailing threads of gossamer
In pearly patterns wrought. 

The autumn sun, in wonder,
Is gayly peering through
This silver-tissued network
Across the frosty blue. 

The weather-vane is fire-tipped,
 The honeysuckle shows
A dazzling icy splendor,
And crystal is the rose.

By Evaleen Stein 

Image source here

Friday, October 31, 2014

The All Hallow's Eve



The wind outside nested in each tree, prowled the sidewalks in invisible treads like unseen cats. Tom Skelton shivered. Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows' Eve. Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked. - Ray Bradbury in "The Halloween Tree" 


Wishing everyone a very spooky Halloween ~ Dominique

Image source here

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Pheromones


You might have heard the word, but what exactly are pheromones? 

The word pheromone derives from the ancient Greek words phero (to bear, carry) and ormé (impetus). This term was coined by two German scientists in the 1950s. It describes the chemical signals that trigger responses in members of the same species. There are few types of pheromones that serve a different purpose. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, territory markers, and many others that affect behavior or physiology of a particular species. Since pheromones are widely used by animals for communication and to attract mates, scientists also believe that pheromones may play similar role in humans.

Humans posses a tiny organ situated in the nasal cavity that serves as the body's receptor for pheromones. This organ is called the vomeronasal (VNO) or Jaconson's organ. It sends the signals that it receives from the pheromones to the human brain. The brain dictates the response of the body, which becomes evident in the human behavior.

Many studies were conducted to find out how pheromones work in humans. Interestingly, Swedish experts have used the latest brain imaging technology and discovered that both, homosexual males and heterosexual females, reacted in the same way when they were exposed to male pheromones. This and many other studies are widely documented in medicinal journals. It is no wonder then that the industry took notice of this research. 

Pheromones belong to the sphere of the non-verbal communication. They work in a "mysterious" way to attract one human being to another and are what we call the "chemistry" of love. 

Many people are successfully using pheromone products to enhance their own likability in social settings or to attract sexual partners. Pheromone products help enhance our own chemical "signature" making us more attractive to others independently from our physique. People who normally have difficulty finding a partner report incredible success with the use of supplemental pheromones. 

There are pheromones for men and for women, both heterosexual and gay. They come in unscented versions or as perfumes and colognes, and are to be used externally for that extra something that makes one more attractive in social settings or, if desired,  absolutely irresistible to others.

Give it a try and see what happens. 

By Dominique Teng



Image source here

Monday, October 13, 2014

Healing Properties of Citirine

Citrine cluster

Citrine is a silicon dioxide (quartz) mineral whose color ranges from light yellow, orange-yellow, amber to rusty brown. The name derives from the Latin word "citrinus" which means citron colored.

The distinctive yellow color comes from the inclusions of iron, but yellow citrine rarely occurs in nature. Most commercially sold citrine is a actually heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz. Sometimes citrine is found together with amethyst. The cluster is then referred as ametrine. Citrine is mined in Brazil, Russia, Myanmar, France, Spain, Great Britain, Madagascar and the USA.

Citrine forms hexagonal crystals that often occur as clusters of small pyramids on a geode base or as short, stubby terminated crystal that exist alone or in drusy aggregates.

Citrine is a purifying and energizing stone that carries the joyful healing energy of the sun. It is believed that citrine has the power to expand and purify the aura and to align the chakras. It is often used to purify and activate the solar plexus chakra, but it also has the ability to clear and amplify the crown chakra and open pathways to increased creativity and intuition.

This wonderful purifying stone has the ability to amplify positive energy and clear negativity without absorbing it. It removes negative vibrations, transforms and dissipates them. This is why, unlike most crystals, it does not need any cleansing.

Citrine is believed to be a stone of wealth and is often called the "merchant's stone." It symbolizes honest profit, wealth and success. It brings luck in business and increases generosity. To improve the money flow in business a citrine gem should be kept in the cash register.

Citrine is a perfect stone for those who want to improve themselves. This stone of positive energy can help to dissipate self-doubt and destructive tendencies. It helps to develop courage, confidence, self-respect and a positive outlook on life. With the help of citrine criticism becomes less hurtful and is rather understood as a motivation to change than a destructive force. Irrational fears and phobias disappear as citrine brings calm and opens the gates to deep, inner wisdom. Those who lost purpose in life may find new direction. 

On physical plane citrin helps recharge depleted energy and heal chronic diseases. It helps activate digestion and detoxification. It helps improve the function of the thyroid gland and pancreas. It helps increase energy and strengthen the immune system. 


Citrine is a very beautiful gem. It brings light an joy to anyone who contemplates it. Placed at home it enhances positive energy of any room, harmonizes and helps dissipate negativity.

By Dominique Teng 

Dominique Teng©2014


*This information is for educational purpose only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Prosperous And Abundant

When people evaluate their life, they compare themselves to a standard of what a successful life is, and it turns out that standard tends to be universal: People in Togo and Denmark have the same idea of what a good life is, and a lot of that has to do with money and material prosperity. - Daniel Kahneman


Image source here

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October...


October is the fallen leaf, 
but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. 
It is the distant hills once more in sight, 
and the enduring constellations above them once again. 

Hal Borland
American Author and Journalist

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

A Courage to Say "No"


A man was riding a donkey. He saw a wanderer carrying a large bundle. “Are you by any chance on your way to Las Cruces?” asked the wanderer. “Indeed, I am” responded the man on a donkey. “Could  you give me a lift?” asked the man. “I am sure my donkey would not mind a bit. Get on.” said the man on a donkey.  

Relieved and happy, the wanderer got on placing the heavy bundle on animal's back and both men went on in silence contemplating their luck. After a while the donkey owner asked: “Isn’t my donkey great?” “Oh, yes sir. You have such a great donkey!” 

They went in silence for another mile when the man with a bundle said happily: “Don’t we have a great donkey, or what?” Shocked at what he just heard the donkey’s owner stopped the animal on the spot and told the man with a bundle to get off his donkey. “But why?” asked the surprised man. “I know the kind of you! First, it was my donkey that was great. Then, it was our donkey that was great. If it goes like that, after another mile you will probably tell me how great your donkey was! Get off! I have nothing more to say.”

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no choice but to say “No” to someone who seemed to have almost taken charge over your life? 

Last month a very good friend of mine was asked to baby-sit a dog. The dog’s owner had to go on a short trip and my friend did not mind a bit to have her dog in his house over the weekend since his own dog loved to play with the other dog. The woman came back from her trip and took her dog home. Only a few days later she demanded that my friend took care of her dog again. And again. And again. It did not matter that it was middle of the week and my friend was at work. He had to report at the woman’s house and take her dog with him. In no time the woman became a social leech – someone who would suck the life out of you but was almost impossible to get rid of unless, of course, you took a very drastic measures. 

Many of the so called “good souls” become victims of egoistic manipulators. We offer help, we offer advice, we are friendly, we do a favor for someone who asked and before we even notice, our friends, spouses, relatives, colleagues, neighbors or acquaintances not only come for more, they seem to move into the center of our attention and rearrange our schedules. They demand full attention and terrorize us with phone calls, e-mails and spontaneous visits. Sometimes the situation becomes so unbearable that we are to scared to even answer the phone or open the door. We suffer and yet, we are unable to say “No.” 

We are unable to say “No” because we fear that we might hurt or offend someone. We are afraid to lose a friend or be accused of selfishness or indifference. We love harmony and want social approval. And we would rather suffer or hide instead of facing the person head on. But is it worth it? 

The choice is really between our own frustration and our own happiness. Saying “No” may be the first step to a more fulfilled and happier life, but it takes a lot of courage. We might indeed become unpopular and lose some friends at first, but knowing that we are in control is more precious than friendships with unscrupulous people.  

Saying “No” does not have to be hurtful or offensive, but we have to clearly mark our boundaries. We do not have to please others, and we definitely do not have to put their needs before our own. 

Those who feel offended by our own “demarcation” are probably not our real friends because real friendship is based on respect. Boundaries do not put us into isolation, they simply define our private space in which we feel authentic and comfortable. Learning to protect our personal boundaries is necessary if we want to live a genuinely happy life.

By Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2014

Image source here

Saturday, September 13, 2014

My Symphony

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is my symphony. 

William Ellery Channing, (May 25, 1810 – December 23, 1884), American Unitarian clergyman, writer and philosopher.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Health Benefits of Blueberries


Blueberries are one of the healthiest foods available to us all year round. More and more researchers publish study results that are quite amazing. Short of a nutritional miracle this tiny dark berries can help reverse effects of premature aging and improve debilitating conditions. 

Blueberry is a native North American perennial flowering plant from the genus Vaccinium that also includes cranberries, lingonberries and bilberries. The plant produces indigo-colored berries and is mostly cultivated in North America and Europe, but also grows successfully in other parts of the world.

Blueberries are very high in vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, copper and dietary fiber. They contain anthocyanins, flavonols, and other phytonutrients that include resveratrol and pterostilbene.  Studies demonstrated that all these phytonutirents act as antioxidants that protect the whole body from oxidative stress. These nutrients protect the DNA and act as anti-inflammatory agents that help reduce inflammation in the body.

Cognitive Health
 
The latest research suggests that compounds in blueberries may help slow down age-related damage to the brain cells, reverse age-related memory loss and improve overall cognitive health. Test subjects who consumed blueberries had improved memory, learning skills, cognition, reasoning, verbal comprehension and numerical skills.

Blueberries may help slow down cognitive decline in aging adults and prevent against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Researchers discovered that compounds in blueberries significantly increase production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine deficiency is associated with bad mood, depression and Parkinson's disease. Increased consumption of blueberries may help ward off the onset of Parkinson's disease, improve mood and alleviate depression in dopamine deficient individuals. 

Cardiovascular Health 
 
Blueberries protect blood vessels from oxidative stress and help balance cholesterol. People who ate 1-2 cups of blueberries daily for a period of 1-3 months had increased levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and reduced levels of LDL or the blood vessels clogging and damaging bad cholesterol. Blueberry extract was shown to lower blood pressure. People who eat blueberries on regular basis have much lower chance of developing hypertension. Research shows that blueberries help lower blood pressure in two ways: On the one hand they help blood vessels to relax reducing the resistance to blood flow; on the other, blueberries (the extract, to be precise) inhibits the protein that the body uses to keep blood pressure elevated.

Blood Sugar

Blueberries are classified as low-GI fruits. GI or the Glycemic Index is a method of measuring the impact of food on our blood glucose levels. Foods with lower GI release glucose more slowly and steadily and do not cause glucose spikes. This is important for people who struggle with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, fiber in blueberries helps to further balance blood sugar and improve health of those patients who were diagnosed with blood sugar problems.

Cancer

Various studies demonstrated that blueberry extract may prevent uncontrolled cell reproduction that could lead to formation of tumors. The extract also prevented formation of pre-cancerous lesions. Cancers such as that of the colon or the cervix begin as pre-cancerous lesions and turn into malignant tumors. Blueberry extract greatly reduced formation of such abnormal tissues.

Blueberry extract also prevented angiogenesis or the formation of new blood vessels that feed the tumors. Cancer has the ability to spread to adjacent or distant organs. Tumor cells can penetrate the blood (and lymphatic) vessels and spread throughout the body. For the metastatic spread of cancer a network of blood (and lymphatic) vessels is important. The formation of new blood vessels is called angiogenesis. (The formation of new lymph vessels is called lymphangiogenesis.) Blueberry extract curtails this growth of blood vessels and increases survival rate in cancer patients. It also has the ability to inhibit enzyme responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells. And last but not least, the extract triggers apoptosis or cancer cells' death. 

Vision
 
Antioxidants in blueberries help protect the retina from oxidative damage. They also protect the retina from damage caused by the sun. Anthocyanosides in blueberries provide protection against such disorders as the age-related macular degeneration, myopia, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, extreme dryness and retinal infections. People who consume blueberries on regular basis report improved night vision.

Urinary Tract
 
Just like cranberries, blueberries contain compounds that prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder. According to latest research this helps ward off the urinary tract infections. 

Weight Management

As I mentioned before, blueberries have a very low glycemic index and help balance blood sugar. This helps people with weight problems to reduce cravings. Blueberries help lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels, and improve fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, polyphenols and catechins found in blueberries help activate fat-burning genes in abdominal fat cells. And last but not least, fiber in blueberries helps improve digestion and elimination. All these factors combined with active lifestyle, exercise and sensible calorie intake may contribute to a desired weight loss. 

Conclusion

There is hardly any system in the body that is not positively affected by the consumption of blueberries. Adding one or two cups of blueberries to your daily diet can help your reverse premature aging and protect you from many diseases.

Blueberries are rather inexpensive and are easily accessible throughout the year. When buying fresh blueberries make sure that you are buying pesticide-free organically grown berries. They are darker and richer in antioxidants. Fresh and frozen blueberries can be used to make smoothies or desserts.

Dried blueberries can be added to cereals or trail mixes. Standardized blueberry extract sold in capsules has one advantage over the fresh fruit. It provides the most reliable means of delivering the vital flavonoid components to your body. Capsules can be taken as a means of prevention in addition to regular consumption of fresh fruit. 

By Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2014

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Stop the Train

Bernina Express, Switzerland
 
The story is told of a man who, being late for a trip, arrived at a railroad station and jumped onto the first available train. 
 
Extenuated, he dozed off for a while and then upon waking up, saw the train rumbling along at full speed toward an unknown destination. He began querying everyone, complaining aloud and finally crying and shouting. He demanded that the train stop to let him off. 
 
The more excited he became, the more the other passengers, eerily silent and downcast, seemed puzzled by his behavior. 
 
Finally a kind old man told him, "don't you know, this train has only one destination, the ocean depths from which no one ever returns." 
 
Once we are born, our final destination is death - the deep ocean. Why fret and fuss? All we can do is to use our time on earth to develop the Bodhi-mind, seeking Enlightenment for ourselves and others. 
 
So, instead of fighting the inevitable we should accept the highest reality of human existence. When we stop wasting our energy and accept what is, we might even enjoy the ride with all its intricacies. 
 
Parable source unknown, but greatly appreciated
 
Image source here

Monday, September 1, 2014

75th Anniversary of the World War II

Polish Cavalry in 1939
 Polish Cavalry

Seventy five years ago, on September 1, 1939, a bloodiest war in the history of humanity began with a German attack on an unprepared Poland.

In 1939 Polish Republic was a young country that has re-emerged on the map of Europe in 1918 at the end of the World War I after almost 165 years of partition between Prussia, Austro-Hungary and Russia. 

The war was undeclared yet, but by August 28, 1939, Europe knew that war was inevitable. The non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and Russia was signed only five days earlier. The two powers had already secretly divided the spoils of war that was yet to come. Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Romania were already "assigned" to, either the Russian or the German, spheres of influence. 

While Poland fought its September 1939 battle against the Germans and the Russians who attacked its Eastern borders on September 17, 1939, the Polish pre-war allies France and Great Britain waited uninvolved with the hope that Hitler would be satisfied after taking Poland. They could not have been more wrong. Although the two countries declared a war on Germany on September 3, 1939, their military aid to Poland was very limited.

The Polish expedition was not as easy for Hitler as he expected. Although abandoned by its allies, Poland did not give up without a fight. The small Polish army fought like mad. As a result, Germany sustained a relatively heavy losses in personnel and equipment.

There is a myth that the sabres brandishing Polish cavalry fought German tanks. This isn't quite true. While the cavalry fought bravely in 1939, it constituted only about 10% of the Polish armed forces*. Polish artillery, infantry, navy and the air force were definitely inferior in number and equipment, but not in bravery, determination and boldness. And they fought on two fronts! 

What is not widely known, Poland has never officially surrendered  to Germany. Under the incredibly brutal German occupation, the Polish Army continued to fight underground. Those who managed to cross the border joined other armies to fight against the Nazis. They fought in Battle of Britain, in Narvik, in Tobruk, in Monte Casino, and Normandy.  

Polish government-in-exile that was first based in France and then, from 1940 on, in Great Britain, exerted considerable influence in the Polish underground. Although widely unrecognized and without power, but very dear to many Poles, this government remained in existence until the end of the communist rule over Poland in 1990. 

The biggest tragedy of all was that at the end of the most atrocious war ever Poland was abandoned one more time. A decision was made at the conference of Yalta in February 1945 that offered the war exhausted Poland on a silver platter to the blood-thirsty Stalin.

Generation after generation asked the same question: Could have the outbreak of World War II been prevented? Historians argue that just like the Yalta conference in 1945 created the necessary conditions for the outbreak of the Cold War, so the treaty of Versailles of 28 June 1919 after the end of the Great War created conditions for the German belligerence and re-militarization. Looking back in time we wonder why the Nazis were not contained in 1933. Why was Europe so indifferent to the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938? Why no one was alarmed at the union of Germany with Austria in the same year?

The Nazis did not hide their ideology. They openly proclaimed their racial superiority and their wish for Greater Germany. And yet, no one really took them seriously. No one really seemed to understand the perils of the ideology that was taking root in the minds of millions of Germans.

Seventy five years later we are unwilling to face another threat. The new threat is  geographically so remote and ideologically so improbable that we seem to collectively ignore it. Those who warn us about the imminent danger are dismissed as alarmists. Once again great lessons that history has taught us remain under a thick cover of dust. Alas.

But maybe we should pay attention to the wise words of an American playwright, Eugene O'Neill: There is no present or future - only the past, happening over and over again.  

By Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2014


Note: *Seidner, "Marshal Edward ÅšmigÅ‚y-Rydz - Rydz and the defense of Poland" p. 289–91

Monday, August 18, 2014

Hydrangea


~ Hydrangea ~

by Rosanna Warren

From the bottom of the garden, enthroned in his earthenware pot,
the hydrangea god surveys his minions -            
lavender agapanthuses bowing starburst heads,
red bignonia calyxes trumpeting his fame,
oleander leaves whispering of his misdeeds.
The central path leads straight to him. Behind,
a stained mirror and mossy wall back up his power.
Thousands of crinkled, tiny, white ideas occur to him
with frilled and overlapping edges. No one else
deploys such Byzantine metaphysics. No one
can read his mind. Only he remembers
the children's secret fort by the cypress tree
among fraught weeds, rusted buckets, and dumped ash,
and how lost the grown-ups sounded, calling, as night came.


Poem source here

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Going Green - Juicing for Better Health


If you are new to juicing you might be mesmerized by all the green juice talk in juice bars, in health magazines and all over the world wide web. So what is this green juice hype all about? 

Green juices are probably the best food-based medicine we can give our bodies. They are particularly beneficial for all these people who:
  • have problems with their digestion
  • those whose bodies are highly acidic
  • those who suffer from toxic overload
  • for those who need to lose weight
Juices are easily absorbed as the juicing process breaks down the cell walls of fruits and vegetable making them easier to digest. This means that the nutrients are getting directly into your system. 

One very well known benefit of using green herbs and vegetable in juicing is the fact that they are rich in chlorophyll. Scientists discovered that hemoglobin in human blood and chlorophyll in green plants are almost identical. Just like our hemoglobin chlorophyll contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The only chemical difference in the organic construction of the chlorophyll in plants and in blood is that the former contains magnesium while the latter contains iron. 

A research in Germany demonstrated that chlorophyll helped reduce high blood pressure, eliminated anemia, made weak men strong, cured digestive troubles, and seemed to be a potion of youth. Once in the digestive system, chlorophyll immediately enriches the blood. The red blood cells increase considerably in number while their haemoglobin content rises. The blood circulation improves and more nutrients and oxygen are transported to tissues and organs. At the same time more toxins are neutralized and removed. The blood is enriched and reinforced with new life. 

No wonder, then, that those who consume considerable amounts of chlorophyll-rich foods are not only reporting recovery from chronic diseases and ailments, but also more energy, stamina and radiance that they have not experienced for a long time, if ever at all.  

Best fruit and vegetable combination for a nutritious alkalizing green juice:
  • cucumber, celery, cilantro
  • lime, celery, cucumber, cilantro
  • cucumber, celery, fennel
  • fresh aloe vera leaves, green apples, lemon balm
  • green apple, celery
  • green apple, pear, cucumber
  • celery, bell pepper, cucumber
  • pear, mint, cucumber
  • cucumber, fennel, celery, green chili pepper, cilantro
  • cucumber, parsley, bell pepper
  • apple, kiwi, cucumber
  • honey dew, celery
  • bell pepper, green chili pepper, cucumber
  • spinach, green apple, cucumber
  • kale, celery, cucumber
  • apple, cucumber, fresh stinging nettle
  • green asparagus, cucumber and pear
These are only few suggestions. You can start from here. Experiment with green herbs and veggies; add limes or lemons. Add ginger. The taste will change when you change the proportions of your ingredients, but the alkalizing and detoxifying action will remain unchanged. 

I prefer to make pure vegetable juices, but some people love to add a little sweetness of a fruit. I rather add herbs. And I always add a pinch of Celtic salt and few drops of virgin olive oil to activate the bile flow. If you are planning a detox or a weight loss program, end of summer is a perfect time to begin, but you can start juicing at any time. Start slowly and gradually increase the amount of green, alkalizing foods.
 
If you have never done juicing before, start slowly. You do not want to overwhelm your digestive tract. Consult certified nutritionist if you suffer from any chronic disease or are taking medication. 

By Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2014

Friday, August 1, 2014

Eight


The Now is easy.
People make it hard.

The Now is here.
People put it "there."

The ego is always wanting
this or that to complete itself.
The Now is always 
wanting this.

The mind is forever seeing itself
at the center of everything.
The Now is forever,
seeing.

By Daniel Skach-Mills

From The Tao of Now

Image credit missing
Image source here

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Evolution of Truth


All truth passes through three stages. 
First, it is ridiculed. 
Second, it is violently opposed. 
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. 

Arthur Schopenhauer
German Philosopher (1788-1860)

Image source here

Monday, July 28, 2014

The Great War

Great War Monument in New Rochelle, NY

The war that was supposed to end all wars began exactly hundred years ago on July 28, 1914 and lasted till November 11, 1918. It is estimated that more than nine million soldiers perished on its battlefields.

The Great War changed the way wars were to be fought in the future. It completely altered the political map of the world. But most importantly, it set conditions for an outbreak of a war that was even more unimaginable in its scope.

“In the Somme valley, the back of language broke. It could no longer carry its former meanings. World War I changed the life of words and images in art, radically and forever. It brought our culture into the age of mass-produced, industrialized death. This, at first, was indescribable.”

 - Robert Hughes in "The Shock of the New"




Image source here

Monday, July 21, 2014

Everything Is An Illusion



~ The Rope and the Snake Zen Parable ~

There is an old Buddhist parable that tells of a man walking home one evening. In the half-light he sees on the path a snake apparently crossing in front of him. He starts and jerks himself away, heart beating fast, wide-eyed and alert. Peering closely he suddenly realizes that he was mistaken, in fact it is an old piece of rope! Relieved and laughing to himself at his foolishness he goes to step over it and glancing down suddenly realizes the rope is a string of jewels. He gasps in awe!

A simple story and we nod and ‘get the point’. But do we realize how often each day opportunities arise for such mistaken identities?

The playwright Alan Bennett tells the story of a holiday at a hotel in Harrogate with his mother. They were taking tea, one afternoon, when a smartly dressed middle-aged woman entered the room with a younger man in tow. Alan’s mother turned to her son and said, “She’s here with her boyfriend, I see!” The next day, while taking tea again, the woman enters alone. Alan’s mother says “I see they’ve had a row then!”

It’s not just that I continually commentate and interpret what goes on around me, but that this ‘story’ - of thoughts and feelings I weave filters my perception of what is real. If I think you are a great person then I see you as one. If I feel the world is a hostile place then I see other people out to get me everywhere I go. Once I think something, it is as if it becomes real and I cannot distinguish between what the situation is and what I think and feel about it.



Walking home at twilight in India it would not be unrealistic to see a cobra slithering across the path. An expectation, a flutter of fear, the half-light, an ambiguous object across the path, imagination can supply the rest. It might be worth remembering that next time you meet with someone you have a bad feeling about and they seem to be antagonizing you.

Story as told by the Venerable Sochu

Story source here
Image source here

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Watermelon Slush


When I look back in time, watermelon always was the ultimate summer fruit for me when I was a child. We had peaches, cherries, young apples, and apricots, but nothing could top up a large wedge of chilled watermelon and all that juice that was flowing dawn our arms as we tried to eat our way to the rind.  
 
You may disagree, but for me there is nothing better on a hot summer day than a watermelon!
 
Watermelon is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acid citruline and lycopene. Because of its very high water content, watermelon is a wonderful thirst quencher. Moreover, in Traditional Chinese Medicine the red flesh of the fruit is considered as cooling.
 
Watermelon is quite versatile and can be eaten in many ways. You can add it to smoothies, salads, and juices. You can turn it into a sorbet, granita, or a slush.
 
In the recipe that follows I used a very ripe watermelon. Since it was very sweet I did not have to add any sweetener. I also did not discard the seeds. Many people do not know that the seeds are rich in B Vitamins, minerals, especially magnesium, omega 6 fatty acids, and the cardiovascular system supporting amino acid arginine.  


~ Watermelon Slush Recipe ~

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups watermelon, cubed
  • 2 cups frozen watermelon, cubed
  • juice of 1/2 lime (optional)
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)

Method: 
  • Cut watermelon into manageable chunks. Put 2 cups into freezer and wait for 20 minutes or so. Thanks to a high water content watermelon freezes quite quickly. 
  • Place the fresh and the frozen watermelon in a blender, add lime juice and chopped mint. Blend until smooth. Done!
  • Pour into tall glasses and enjoy in good company on a hot summer day.

By Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2014

Thursday, July 3, 2014

A Nation's Strength


Happy Independence Day, America!

What makes a nation’s pillars high
And its foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?

It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.

Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away;
The blood has turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at his feet.

Not gold but only men can make
A people great and strong;
Men who for truth and honor’s sake
Stand fast and suffer long.

Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly...
They build a nation’s pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.

By Ralph Waldo Emerson 
1904


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

It Will Always Be Summer...


The serene philosophy of the pink rose is steadying.  Its fragrant, delicate petals open fully and are ready to fall, without regret or disillusion, after only a day in the sun.  It is so every summer.  One can almost hear their pink, fragrant murmur as they settle down upon the grass: 'Summer, summer, it will always be summer. - Rachel Peden

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

A Walk In the Woods With Robert Frost


Overcast but warm,
The day dry, unusually.
Walking the woods with the dogs
As many times before.
Lucy and Tig, away in the rough dark deep,
Yipping with the scent of deer, excited.
Ruby, river scrambling, biting
At the bogwater, wagging, from the shoulders back

Along the old familiar track, into
The clearing where the roads diverge.
I stopped and stood. Which way to go?
Think of another Poet, and roads not taken.
Yes, I’ve been here before. This way I came.
That way I saw a squirrel once.
And down that way a badger

Straight on, the Mill Pond where ducks dabble.
Behind me then a stag, stares my way, and
Startled, slips into the wood.
I think again of Robert Frost and look a different way.
I stand a while. I turn, retrace my steps, recall, relive,
I’ll write this down, and this will be
The road I’ve taken.  

By Martin Swords 

Poem source here