Towards Freedom


Information, Inspiration, Imagination
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A Stiffnecked People

The Lord said to Moses, "I see this is a stiffnecked people. Now let Me be, that my anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them" (Exodus, 32: 9, 10) Moses had been up on the mountain top for awhile receiving God's commandments. The people had lost faith in his return - and in God. They built a golden calf to worship and began sacrificing animals to it.

Alternative Healing What Nobody Understands

Natural Hygiene Practitioners, as indicated by their writings and actions, do not understand Natural Hygiene. As the evidence indicated herein will show, those Natural Hygiene Practitioners whom we all know or those about whom we read or hear, do not know, understand or practice Natural Hygiene. There will not be any attempt herein, to embarrass anyone. They will be described by their own words or by their obituaries. There are others about whom there will be no attempt to embarrass or describe herein because information about them is confidential and will be kept confidential.

Ancient Vegans Appolonius

In Philostratus' Life of Apollonius, we have perhaps the clearest historical account of an ancient vegan in the character of Apollonius of Tyana. This article will explore Apollonius's views on veganism and animal righton, their relation to the philosophical life of the ancients and will chronicle some of the experiences Apollonius faced in regards to his veganism. Part 1 Part 2 Part 1 Apollonius, it was said, had decided early in life to undertake what he referred to as the "life of Pythagoras", a life devoted to philosophy - chiefly to the attainment and practice of true wisdom.

Ancient Vegans Porphyry

As a continuation of our series on ancient vegans, we'll attempt here to take into consideration Porphyry's essay On Abstinence from Animal Food, written in the third century CE, and translated into English by Thomas Taylor in 1823. A full pdf of the essay is provided here. Porphyry (234-305 CE), the student of Plotinus, and elder contemporary of Iamblichus, plays a central role in the Neoplatonism of the early centuries CE.

Ancient Vegans the Orphics and the Hymn to Health

Orpheus charming wild animals with his music To Health O Much-desir'd, prolific, gen'ral queen, Hear me, life-bearing, Health, of beauteous mien, Mother of all; by thee diseases dire, Of bliss destructive, from our life retire; And ev'ry house is flourishing and fair, If with rejoicing aspect thou art there: Each daedal art, thy vig'rous force inspires, And all the world thy helping hand desires; Pluto life's bane alone resists thy will, And ever hates thy all-preserving skill.

Anger Is One Letter Short of Danger

The weight of anger is far heavier than the weight of joy. In it’s most vicious form, anger can lead to murder; joy easily distributes love, even in it’s simplest form. While both are natural emotions to our genetic make-up, we can choose to possess more of the one which we desire to encompass most often, but often times it seems we are displaying the less desired one. There are many ways to prevent and manage anger, which if obtained, consequently leads to more joy.

Anti Supplements? Why?

[Our thanks to Debbie Took for allowing reprinting from her original blog.] Let's start with the disclaimer. Not a doctor. Not a dietician. Not a biochemist. Not a 'raw food guru'. Just a raw food coach who blogs. In fact, I don't even possess a chemistry O-level. As with any blog article, this article represents my personal opinion (together with the opinions of others working in the health field, including a raw food guru or two!

Big Georges Journey

I grew up in believing that if one drinks his milk, eats all his food on his plate and eats plenty of meat that I will have robust health and grow up healthy and strong. Of course this seemed to make sense to me because everyone around me was doing this so it must be the right thing to do. How could so many people be wrong? Besides, while growing up my father worked in a meat factory in charge of maintenance, so I never questioned the consumption of meat at that time.

Booklicious

Are you a lover of books? Are you a parent looking for book recommendations for your young child or teenager? If so, you've come to the right place! LouAnne Taylor has put together a wonderful website for children and parents alike, to find age appropriate books and learning about the importance of literacy … Booklicious

Cooked Food Effects

During the past few decades there has been much research done in the area of nutrition. Some of this research casts light on some important insights regarding the foods which Mother Nature offers to us in its whole, raw state, and what happens when we tamper with it. What exactly happens to food when it is cooked? What happens to the body if we eat cooked food? Some key points are covered in this article.

Cost of That Bag of Potato Chips

As I walk through the aisles of the grocery store I am amazed at the collection of cardboard, plastic, metal, and glass sitting on the shelves. One must ask oneself where does this all come from and where does it go? One particular aisle that is unique is the Potato Chip aisle. I guess it is unique in the sense of how a whole aisle is dedicated to this particular product.

Crueltyfree Beauty Shopping

Many products in our everyday life are tested on animals. This testing involves cruelty to the animals who are imprisoned, exploited, and eventually killed. Skin-care products and makeup do not need testing since they can be made with safe ingredients.

Crueltyfree Fashion

A vegan lifestyle avoids using animal-based materials in apparel such as fur, leather, wool, down, and silk. Using animals to get these requires they be imprisoned, exploited and even killed. Fashion does not ever need to inflict cruelty onto other sentient beings and many companies provide alternatives to animal products.

Fireworks Frustration

The Fireworks Frustration site addresses issues resulting from fireworks discharge. Though the content is largely focused on the CVRD (Cowichan Valley Regional District, British Columbia, Canada), the ideas are applicable to any community which regards fireworks displays at best, a nuisance or at worst, a hazard.

Food Combining Simplified

This article summarizes some food combining principles from chapter 26 of Shelton's book The Science and Fine Art of Food and Nutrition. Shelton advocated strict vegetarianism (also known as dietary vegan) as well as eating foods in their natural raw state. It is important to note that food combining has nothing to do with protein combining which was an amusing bit of panic prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s when some people thought that the vegetarian has to eat foods in certain proportions in order to get a proper protein balance.

For Men Only

This article will be of no interest to women and children so they needn't read any further. This is a masculine issue that we do not usually wish to discuss openly. It is an awkward matter and appears unavoidable once we reach a certain age. While we can pretend it is of no importance or even disguise the effects, we should be honest with ourselves, our loved ones and have the courage to be forthright in our integrity.

Health

Matters related to health issues such as diet and lifestyle. More to come …

Healthy Eating Healthy Living

Hello everyone! I will attempt to share with you all some of what I've discovered intellectually and experientially in regards raw eating and healthy living. This will be rather basic, but I hope you will find this to be insightful and of some value. Teeth Problems and Acidic Fruits Greens Are a Necessity Fats Are Important Fruit Sugar is Prime Fuel for Our Bodies Fasting Gets Results Exercise, Sunlight, Adequate Rest and Optimum Amounts of Sleep, etc.

How Loving Touch Heals

"Healing love" energy flows through "healers" fingers into diseased parts of a sick person's body, when "healers" gently and lovingly touch sick parts of that body. It is the energy that heals, not the "healers". The healing energy does not come from the "healers" own energy. This healing energy comes from the vital "life" force flowing through all living forms. Every cell in our bodies has "intelligence" that responds to this "life" energy and knows what to do in every situation.

How to Lose All the Weight You Want and Keep It Off

Obesity is excessive accumulation of body fat. The study of fat and of obesity, is known as bariatrics. Fat is a pathological accumulation of unwanted tissue in the body. Obesity is a state of disease. Less than 5% of patients who lose weight by traditional medical approaches keep their weight off indefinitely. Surgery for weight-loss is dangerous. Many (of these weight-loss) patients suffer problems associated with surgery that include infection, urinary stones, liver failure and heart failure.

How to Select Fruit

How to Select Fruits Buy in season when quality is highest and prices lowest. Don't buy more than you will use before they perish. Use it as soon as possible they will have a better taste. Don't buy damaged fruit unless damage is slight and you will use it immediately. Be careful how you handle fruit in stores so you don't ruin the fruit for others. Fruit should only be eaten when ripe.

Importance of Improvement

People sometimes get into a tizzy about whether to help others or help themselves. There is no need to see the issue as an either-or. Helping oneself Sometimes people think they themselves are the primary concern. The ancient Greek story goes that Narcissus saw his own reflection in a pool of water and fell madly in love with himself, eventually meeting his demise from this affliction. While such examples of morbid self-love do exist, most people don't tend to follow in the flowersteps of Shelley's narcissi from The Sensitive Plant:

It Takes a Community to Raise Our Children

This is true for all our communities' children, regardless of species! A perfect example is the story of Cathy Page and a duck family. Cathy was driving home along the Trans Canada Hwy when she spotted a mother duck and her brood zig zagging between the barriers on the northbound side of the highway. They were trapped and the mother was trying to lead her line of babies to safety.

Iwrters

More to come, as we welcome new contributions.

Jonathan Balcombe

Jonathan Balcombe holds three biology degrees and specializes in the study of ethology with a PhD in this area of study. A leading animal behavior researcher he is also an author and speaker. Below are excerpts from Alexandra's excellent article about Jonathan: "It's easy to come away with a sense that it's a hard-struggled life out there, but it's a life worth living," observes Dr. Balcombe. He has found that many species share related physiologies and behavior patterns as humans, and are thus able to feel such emotions as pain, pleasure, and passion.

Juice Recipes From Big George

Please choose organic produce, if at all possible, when selecting your fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is grown without harmful chemicals/pesticides. The key is to buy what is in season. Enjoy. Juices Carrot/Apple 6 carrots 2 apples (any kind) Cantaloupe Juice Cut into strips and juice (rind and all if organic) Sunshine Cocktail 2 apples 4-6 strawberries The Waldorf 1 stalk celery 2 apples Pineapple/Grapefruit 1/2 grapefruit (peeled) 2 rings of pineapple

Marc Bekoff

Marc Bekoff is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. An internationally prominent lecturer on animal behavior, cognitive ethology and behavioral ecology, Marc has contributed immensely to these fields via original papers, books and even videos. Additionally, he was a competitive cyclist winning the Tour du Haut Var for his age group in 1986! This is a link to his website. Links Organizations Awards Videos Books Selected blog post titles from Psychology Today Papers (with abstracts) Links Wikipedia: Marc Bekoff

Media

Various media related to fireworks will be gathered here. The items will contain quoted excerpts in italics. Any editorial commentary will be shown inside [].

Meditating Simply

Meditation is a real chance for you to connect with yourself. Most of us go through life knowing the person we spend the most time with, the least. What meditation is happens to be a question that volumes have been written about. Anytime there is such a lot of discussion on an issue, you can be sure that no one really knows the answer. That's what is so nice about the Zen approach to it.

Mental Diet

Many people talk about the benefits of different food diets. However we have forgotten probably one of the most important diets to our health and that being a Mental Diet. It is not only important in what we put in our mouths but also equally important is what we put in our minds. As the saying goes 'Garbage in and Garbage out'. In today's society we have become accustomed to let a box with a screen dominate our thoughts.

Michael Greger

Dr. Michael Greger is a major catalyst for the vegan movement! Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized speaker on a number of important public health issues. All proceeds from his speaking engagements and the sale of his books and DVDs are donated to charity. His 501(c)3 nonprofit NutritionFacts.org is the first science-based, non-commercial website to provide free daily videos and articles on the latest discoveries in nutrition.

Nutrition Facts

This is one of the best sites on the internet! Dr. Michael Greger has made serious nutrition science available to the layperson through videos that delve into the huge number of published papers on diet. Find out what the latest science is saying about your favorite foods to help you make the healthiest choices for you and your family. Watch our free videos on more than 2,000 health and nutrition topics with new videos and articles uploaded every day.

Periods May Be Normal but Are They Healthy?

[Our thanks to Debbie Took for allowing reprinting from her original blog.] Disclaimer : not a doctor, not a scientist, just a raw fooder who blogs. Some of the suggestions in this article are radical. They may be shocking, or, at the least, seem a bit barmy. Some might cause offence. Some might even be considered dangerous. I'm just presenting an…alternative view of something that is considered 'normal' in our modern, 'developed' society, and that (we've been brought up to think) is therefore healthy.

Pesticides and Our Crops

In today's society we hear often the term pesticides. What are pesticides? Pesticides are harmful chemicals that are sprayed on produce to prevent insects from destoying the crop. That seems kind of odd doesn't it? Putting harmful chemicals on food that we will eventually consume. Do they realize that if insects and bugs are running away from these deadly chemicals what the chemicals would do in our bodies. Pesticides are a big business and in theworld of greed - money seems to be the biggest motivating factor.

Pracitations

This is an ever-growing list of quotations attributed to various individuals throughout history.

Prazen

These are zenish short stories merrily modified from various sources such as:

Raw Lifestyle Transition

Here are some of the issues I have noticed some people go through while starting on a Raw lifestyle. These issues being low self-esteem and guilt. When someone chooses this lifestyle they may experience detox (i.e. running noses, head aches, vomiting, skin eruptions etc.) and feel bad physically and mentally. Feeling bad physically makes sense, but feeling bad mentally doesn't. Many people start to question going Raw as the problem and not the solution to their problems.

Raw Recipes From Big George

Here are some remarkable raw recipes that will make you rush to the kitchen! Remember as always to buy organic whenever possible. Cream Of Asparagus Soup 1 bunch of asparagus 3 stalks celery 1/2 small onion 1 1/2-2 avocados 1 cup water 6 sprigs organic parsley 2 tsp. tomatillo powder kelp or Nori to taste Blend until creamy. If not creamy enough, add 1/2 small avocado and blend.\\ "Spaghetti" and Tomato Sauce To make sauce, blend in blender or Vita-Mix:

Stories

Personal experiences with fireworks and those discharging them will be collected here. These can include not only bad experiences, but also ones on how a community stopped fireworks displays.

Stress

I often hear the word Stress almost everywhere I go. It is almost as if it is normal to feel or have Stress. Is it really normal? Many people blame their ill health and lifestyle on Stress. What is Stress? Stress is simply the result of thoughimages that we choose to repeat over and over in our minds. Therefore if stress comes from our thoughts, is it then not safe to say that since we are in control of our thoughts that we just simply replace poor thoughts with more elevated ones to alleviate Stress?

Taking the Pressure Off Your Body

"Stand up straight!" "Pull your shoulders back!" As children, we were told to have good posture. Yet we were seldom taught effective ways to accomplish this. Indeed, we were often not even told just what "good posture" is. The consequences of this information gap can be seen all around us: stiff necks, shoulders hunched forward or pulled tightly back, restricted breathing, and tightness in the thighs, legs and ankles. Backaches, headaches, and other painful symptoms are often the unfortunate result.

The Ideal Diet

From an article by T.C Fry: In view of all the preceding facts it becomes apparent that plant foods are not only capable of supporting life when used as the sole source of nutritive matter but that they are able to support life in a manner which permits the finest physical development and the greatest freedom from disease. Man is a frugivorous animal and thrives best upon the fruitarian diet.

The Jesus Diet

In this article I will describe the Essene Fruitarian Diet practiced and advocated by Jesus Christ. While it is true that Jesus only required basic vegetarianism - no meat - to become a baptized disciple, it is also true that he strongly encouraged those who were able and willing to go on to become Essene Fruitarians. In this article I will explain what is meant by the term "Essene Fruitarian" (it does not mean what you most likely think it means!

The Rosebush

This article was inspired by Angelkate who has been kind enough to let me stowaway on her pirate ship. She has taken me on many an adventure while steering a true course between the water and the sky. We have seen glorious storms and traveled under the vibrant rainbows they leave behind. Perhaps she may agree that what follows is a proper compensation for the never-ending voyage. Imagine a rosebush.

The Science of Compassion

Chapter One: Dissecting Conservation’s Biggest Myth I care deeply about the survival of the earth. Even as I write these words, I know that this exquisite jewel of a planet is at unprecedented risk. The land, air and seas cry out as they have never done before; the seeds of destruction have been planted by humankind and they are germinating and growing at a monstrous rate. As many have foretold, we seem to be on the eve of destruction.

Thoughts Manifestations and Life

The thoughts we think manifest the reality we live in. Collectively, we create our universe. The inner essence will manifest into the outer. The inner essence is thought - conscious and subconscious levels of thought. The outer is what we perceive as our life, what "is". Thought is senior to substance. All around us are manifestations of thought. Thoughts are very real, tangible things. Thoughts literally create waves! When we think, we create certain vibrations.

Time Management Essentials

"I'm too busy!" "I don't have time!" "I have too many things to do!" Is this you? Well, at least you aren't bored! One solution may be to do less, but Murphy's truism "Tasks always expand to fill the time allotted" ensures that you will only get less done in more time! Another solution is to use organizational tools that help you to work more efficiently. Though we can't make more time (there are only 24 hours in a day), we can make ourselves more effective.

True Health Freedom

Health care for everyone! Relief from disease and suffering! This is the rallying cry of today, as it was yesterday and will be in the foreseeable future. Man has experimented with countless techniques, therapies and remedies in order to alleviate his pains…..and we are still looking. Is the answer now in sight? Are we closing in on the panacea of health? Let us probe deeply and discover marvelous treasures …

Vecado

This is an excellent business which provides a variety of high-quality vegan pet foods such as Ami, Benevo, Vegepet, Evolution, Gourmet … The site also provides information links to research, customer stories and a blog. Check them out here: Vecado.

Vegan Cat Videos

Hey folks, here are a few I've recently done in the hopes of alleviating common concerns regarding feeding a cruelty-free, speciesism-free diet to our obligate carnivore friends. No reason to make the pigs and chickens pay for a problem that humans created, and the cats can be healthy and thrive while we're at it! Never before have we been able to "have our cake and eat it too." There are over 150 million cats in America alone (including strays) which makes it the single most numerous mammalian predator species on the continent.

Vivisection Science or Insanity

Many caring and concerned individuals both from the medical and local communities are asking if animal experimentation is beneficial to human health and medical research. (Ruesch 36) Because animal experimentation focuses on artificially inducing disease in perfectly healthy animals, and is undermined by the vast differences of non-human-animals versus humans anatomically, physiologically and pathologically, "it is inherently an unsound way to investigate the human disease process" (MMC 1) Approximately two hundred years ago the practice of vivisection began when religious leaders prohibited the dissection of human corpses.

What About Pleasure?

This is a philosophical essay based on my own experiences and reasoning. If you want to study the subject more thoroughly and from a scientific perspective, I suggest you look into the neurotransmitor known as Dopamine. It seems to me that there are two kinds of pleasure which are easily confused when our wants and needs have gone haywire. Short-term pleasure (stp), which often leads to unpleasure in the long run.

What Is a Vaccine?

OUCH! That Vaccine Is POISON!!!! These are your children. They do not belong to the state. Your child was not born into this world to furnish money to the medical profession. You are responsible for your child's care and training. If you betray your child by giving it over to this modern moloch, you deserve your fate. Parents owe certain responsibilities to their children. One of these is certainly to guard these children against attack from all foes, including the foes of their health.

You Just Made It My Business!

I came across this comment the other day: "You shouldn't be so judgmental! Everyone should be allowed to eat whatever they want without worrying about some vegan nut judging them. It's none of your business what I eat! Each to their own I say!" No!!! Wrong!!!! I'm going to tell you why that's a load of … You share this world! You share this world with other people! What you do impacts on other beings!