Go Vegetarian in 2010 ~ THE most impactful choice YOU can make to save our Planet AND get healthly. It's a WIN WIN.

When is the last time you did something for your own wellbeing that benefited everyone else? That is what happens when you choose not to buy or consume animal products and move to a plant-based diet.  Not only are you making the right choices for body, mind and conscience, you are majorly reducing your carbon impact on the planet.

Did you know that the fields across the planet that are filled with cow manure waste emit 20 times more menathe gas into the atmosphere then CO2? This scientific finding from the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) has rich cattle ranchers up in arms as they are being required to clean up their business. And as can be expected the fight is on as they turn to politicians to support their polluting industry. And they just might get it as $$ talk in Congress as per usual.


We can't afford to wait for politicians or cattlemen to clean up their act or our planet for us. This world is primed to change from an old paradigm to a new one, but this time it has to come from the ground up. Us. Our non-purchase of animal products is our vote against further destruction to this planet. This is our voice speaking that we will not tolerate the continuous stripping of our precious resources.  There is nothing more you can do to save the planet then to go vegetarian, more than switching to a hybrid!

As head of the United Nations Environmental Committee announced earlier this year, "The most impactful thing we can all do to save the planet, is to go vegetarian."

Winter Solstice: Meaning & 7 Simple Steps to Manifesting

The first full moon in December signifies the beginning of the Winter Solstice whereby thousands of people around the world begin a consicious process of inner self-reflection while also focusing on their vision for the upcoming year. For many, this process runs from the full moon before the Solstice (December 22nd ) until New Year's Day.

This practice goes back thousands of years when the Winter Solstice was one of the most important celebrations. For the Celts it marked the rebirth of the suns power, also seen as going from darkness into the light. It took root in the agricultural significance for their human survival, as well as spiritual significance. The two worlds, heaven and earth, were weaved as One. Hence, the Celtic knot.

Two decades ago I became familiar with this celebration and have been practising it ever since. I have come to understand that solar astrology is the science of relationships between all living things within the universe. This has proven to be an amazing process in manifesting my own dreams and goals and recognizing my personal responsibility and relationship to the planet. We are significantly influenced by that which is present around us; weather, other people, world events, solar and planetary influences. How aware we are of these influences gives us a better handle on how to transform these influences into positive experiences in our life.

At the full moon in December, I set time aside to reflect and do an accounting of the year that has passed. I compare it with what I had written the year before. It never ceases to amaze me as to what has actualized, and am convinced that it speeds up the process and attracts opportunities towards me. Of course you have to align yourself with making it and allowing it to happen ~ in other words, you have to do the work.

A helpful tip...When I consider my aspirations for the New Year, I make sure I include aspirations for all of me... career, body, mind AND soul. Don't forget about your spiritual needs, the most important of all. If you are spiritually content and connected, the physical, the career, your relationships, they will get the boost they need to be fulfilled in a positive way as well.

7 Simple Steps to Get Started

Copenhagen or No Hopenhagen; Canadians must sign petition today! http://tinyurl.com/yjr5ezu

Today is the day to sign and send this petition demanding Prime Minister Harper start representing the people's will on climate change. Sign and share to all fellow Canadians today!  http://tinyurl.com/yjr5ezu

Give a Gift That Matters....3rd world gift giving project

A cool website for giving to third world projects this holiday season.  For the person who has everything, why not buy seeds for a woman's co-op in Africa in their honor. Or for instance:

In the village of Dakpemyilli in Northern Ghana, clean water is very scarce. Families regularly bathe and drink from the same water that livestock use, so water-borne diseases are a significant health hazard. The villagers are building water systems to provide clean water for the community.

This year why not skip the usual and ‘Give a Gift That Matters’ in honor of someone you love.

Did you know that you can re-infect yourself with the flu or cold with your own toothbrush!?

Ever wonder why – just when you think you are over the flu, you get a second round of it and goes on and on for weeks?! Well guess what the culprit could be? Not only should you be replacing your used toothbrush every two to three months, you should be replacing it every time a cold or flu has run its course.

Other common sense pointers, not allowing your toothbrush to be stored with those of your families like in the photo above. Store your brush alone and standing up in such a way that it will dry out quickly. Letting it remain wet will only promote the breeding of more  germs. And when traveling, dry it really well before packing!

Chakra Energy Health

The bio-energy field surrounds every living thing, from a planet, human being, animal, tree, leaf to a cell. Today science can read this frequency as it appears by way of a light and colour spectrum resulting from bio-feedback or bio-pulsar measurements. Here are the seven Major Chakra Centres and their corresponding Colour, Glands and Organs. Next time you come to Grail Springs you can have your aura/chakra health photographed with our latest investment in this dynamic technology!

7th Crown: White~Pineal~All Organs
6th Third Eye: Indigo~Pituitary~Brain
5th Throat: Turquoise~Thyroid~Larynx
4th Heart: Green~Thymus~Spleen (organ of vitality)
3rd Solar Plexus: Yellow~Pancreas~Stomach
2nd Sacral: Orange~Adrenal~Sex
1st Base: Red~Gonads~Kidney

What you can do to create excellent energy health!
* take 5 mins daily to breathe, rest and relax; restore calm in heart and mind
* learn a new meditation
* take up yoga or Pilates
* run or do some type of cardio 10 mins per day
* start your day with the 6-min Grail World Mantra
* book yourself at least one energy therapy per month; chakra balancing, Reiki, Cranio-sacral therapy, Therapeutic Touch, Aromatherapy
* take a Himalayan salt bath once a week
* never stay mad, committ to finding your resolve each and every day
* eat live food vs dead food; as much organic locally grown vegetables as possible
* check-in to Grail Springs for a 'me' balancing retreat!

"The Shift of Ages Movie Clip"... Mayan Calendar prophecy... a balanced message from a wiseman

Good Day Friends,

Today I was sent this 6 min clip from a documentary film coming out by Steve Copeland. There is as you know much speculation about the significance of December 21st, 2012, the date the Mayan Calendar ends. I for one am not a doomsayer. I intuit this is a moment, an opportunity for a major planetary shift in consciousness. An opportunity to heal ourselves and our planet ~ what we try to do every day at Grail Springs.

Driven by greed and power, the violence perpetrated by the strategy of 'divide and conquer', men and especially women and children have suffered unspeakable atrocities. The crisis is not coming. It has already arrived. The message is loud and clear. WE are the solution to the problem. WE must take hold of the opportunity to right ourselves now. The power lies not just in the hands of political leaders, but in the hearts, voices and hands of each and every individual...especially those with a computer - the world wide web is the weapon of choice to win this war.

Watch wiseman Don Alejandro's poignant message, share it with others, and let it inspire us all to take action, both inward and outward.

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

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Himalayan Salt Recipe for a Sole Bath (pronounced Solay) during Full Moon = Equal to a 3~day Fast!

During the Full Moon Phase the healing process of the body is at its peak. The 88 minerals from Himalayan salt can penetrate the skin and are absorbed in the form of ions. Bio~energetic weak points are harmonized and the bodies own energy flow is activated. The cleansing effect of this easy to make salt bath, an ancient ritual of the Celtics, equals that of a three-day fast. The toxins are released into the water while the minerals from the salt are absorbed through the skin. This process reduces the acidity in our body and gets rid of skin-irritations, inflammation of the joints, and many other health ailments.

Note ~ the New Moon Phase is the highest point of detoxification: In other words, this is the optimum time for toxin release. So bathing during both the new moon and the full moon is recommended.

To make the Sole Bath try to prepare approximately 24 hours in advance or even longer.
Ingredients:
1 litre Mason Jar
1 kg Himalayan Bath Salts


The Ancient Celts added essential oils for further purification (optional):
10 drops Lavender Oil
10 drops Rosemary Oil
5 drops Sage Oil

Place 1 bag (2 lbs = 2 cups) of Himalayan Bath Salts in the 1 litre mason jar and pour enough hot water to fill the jar. Subsequently pour the drops of oil into the water and seal. Occasionally turn the jar over every few hours.

When you are ready to take your bath:
Measure the temperature exactly at 98.6 Fahrenheit with a thermometer and pour the mixture in when you have reached desired water level. Light some candles, clear the mind and ponder on purification of mind, heart and body. Bathe for about 30 minutes.

Do not eat anything heavy before your bath and don't use any other chemical substances in this bath. After the bath do not rub dry, but gently pat your skin and let the body air-dry naturally. Do not use any lotions and do not shower until the following day.

Nutritional Requirement of the Soul....LOVE xo

I've just been reminded of a very fundamental truth and thought it was worth sharing today. Our soul’s nutritional requirements consist of positive electromagnetic energy. That might sound strange but it's true...

Electromagnetic energy is released by a soul when it outwardly expresses love (a soul attribute) and is absorbed by the individual on the receiving end. Love is transmitted as a positive electromagnetic energy (protons) that bond together to form an electromagnetic band running from the source to the receiver. The exchange of energy stimulates the electromagnetic field of the receiver causing the receiver’s field of energy to literally change vibrational frequency - and then slows the pulse and breathing rate of the receiver. This is the state in which healing is optimum.

Positive energy is what sustains life. And of course we know that positive energy is made by thinking positive thoughts. When you think positive, you generate positive energy which is then transmitted through the electromagnetic field which surrounds your body. When this occurs, the positive energy negates negative energy it comes into contact with, balancing the scales. The more positive energy transmitted, the more negative energy negated. It is really that simple but how easy we forget.

So today, take a big dose of soul nutrition...and love, love, love and love being loved too. What does the world need now? Is love sweet love! xoxoxo SWAK

If this posting resonated with you, consider taking our 10 week 'Science of the Soul' Telecourse that I will be hosting commencing this January 26th. http://www.grailsprings.com/GrailLifeAcademy

Fill Your Cup with the Grail Springs 6~minute World Mantra Practice.... anyone can do it

Copenhagen...Failure is Not an Option

December 7 to 18 the World Leaders gather at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Objective: There are four essentials questions that the world must receive positive and clear answers on in order for this years conference to be deemed a success. The new climate treaty will be replacing the Kyoto Protocol, adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005.

1. How much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
2. How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
3. How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed?
4. How is that money going to be managed?

FYI - George Bush and the US Senate never enacted the treaty. Ironically ~ they felt is was contra to the US economy. An entire decade lost and too many losses to mention.

Failure to act this time around is not an option. But action is not just required on the level of government. It is also required from us, the individual, the consumer. Buy less, buy local, keep our carbon footprint at a minimum. We can make our purchases count as a vote for planetary renewal.

Say what?!...

"With its new recommendations, the USPSTF is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives; just not enough of them. The task force says screening women in their 40s would reduce their risk of death from breast cancer by 15 percent, just as it does for women in their 50s. BUT because women in their 40s are at lower risk of the disease than women 50 and above, the USPSTF says the actual number of lives saved is not enough to recommend widespread screening."

Perhaps you saw this recent report in this weeks news. The US Preventative Services Task Force (a George Bush initiative), recommended to US health insurance that widespread screening is not necessary for women in their 40's! Predictably this will lead to insurance companies jumping on the opportunity to save itself more money - disallowing mammograms to women under 50 years of age - which in turn will lead to many thousands, even millions of women choosing not to go for regular screening because of the added cost, and hence will predictably lead to many pre-mature deaths. This is outrageous, shameful and I hope that American women stand up and say enough is enough!

Mercy for Animals

I know for many people it is very difficult to watch undercover investigations that expose the cruelty taking place in animal factory farms and fur farms. I used to turn away from such imagery, however, as I have grown older and more determined to make a difference in this world, I have found the inner strength to view these types of videos allowing them to empower me and give strength for my convictions.

It is no secret I am an advocate for the protection of animal welfare, and have as a business owner eliminated all animal meat at Grail Springs, moving into a compassionate vegetarian pH approach to diet which also happens to be the healthiest diet. Some say it was a business risk. I say it is a matter of conscience and wish I had acted on it sooner. Vegetarianism is the most sustainable, planet friendly diet so there are many benefits in the bigger scheme of things.

This video and the cruelty that takes place, if you have the strength to watch it, and I hope you do, occurs in 5,800 slaughter houses every single day just in the US alone. You cannot watch this video and not demand mercy for farm animals. Join the 12 million plus members of Care2, sign their petitions, get involved, make your voice count.

The number one thing you can do right now is enact your power as a consumer by not purchasing cruelty ridden products.

Received an important lesson in EMF's: Electric Magnetic Field Safety...What you can do to protect yourself

Had experts here at my home yesterday giving an assessment of my 'dirty electricity', and me a personal lesson about the health consequences of microwave radiation exposure from wireless technologies - such as my wi-fi, my lap top, cell and my cordless home phones. These exposures are becoming better known as some of the hidden reasons behind illnesses - possibly 35% of the population may be affected. You may be sensitive to EMF's (Electric Magnetic Field) without realizing it. Here are some symptoms listed below:

• confusion or poor short term memory or 'brain fog'
• headaches, dizziness, numbness and even tremors
• nausea or general feeling of being unwell
• fatigue and weakness
• problems with vision and hearing, buzzing in ear
• depression, anxiety, mood disorders
• skin problems such as rashes, arthritic pain
  

Much more research and dialogue will come out in the next year on this subject - coincidentally Dr Oz aired a show on it yesterday. Here are some of the things I have done to protect myself and my family and how you can get started as well:

• contact an EMF specialist to come and do an inspection/read of your home. You'll get a full demonstration. Cost: approx. $300 depending on the size of your home.
• specialist can install filters throughout your home to stop the free flow of EMF's into your environment. Cost per filter is approx $40. My 2100 sq ft home took 15 filters
• change all of your cordless phones in your home back to corded phones (yes I know - no more multi-tasking unless you buy a really long cord!)
• move your hard drive and wireless antennas as far away as possible, behind your desk.  It is ideal if you can put a piece of wood between you and it.
  
• never buy a metal desk as this acts as a conduit for EMF's. Buy a wooden desk.
  
• purchase a piece of silver lined shielding fabric to throw over your hard drive (looks like a piece of white muslin, approx $100) http://www.safelivingtechnologies.com/
• use cell phone as little as possible
  
• purchase a keyboard that you can plug into your laptop, allowing you to distance yourself an extra foot or two away from it. You want to get your hands off the main keyboard belonging to the laptop.

Here are more articles and expert interviews on EMF health and safety:

http://www.emfsolutions.ca/?gclid=COvmj6zTlJ4CFRWbnAodbRBWoQ

And you can call 1 877 987-5185 or send a message to EMF Solutions Canada and book an appointment to have your home inspected for harmful EMFs.

Though I had no symptoms that I was aware of, I started to wonder if this really weird rash that has been hounding me for about one year now has something to do with my wi-fi antennae located under my desk. Blotchy itchy patches on my legs appearing and disappearing ever so often - my wi-fi was installed about a year ago. And btw - not the doctor, not the skin specialist, and no testing so far can figure out the cause...hmmm....have to wonder. I am sure you don't really want to hear about my rash problem however it will be interesting to see, now that my house is pretty much EMF free, will it be the end of this curious rash! Will keep you posted...:o)

Victory & Freedom for Animals in Canada and LONG Overdue!!...

Yes! Some backbone shown in our House of Parliament this past Friday November 6th. Canada has adopted the 'Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare'. We are one of many, many countries around the globe now taking a stand to end the rampant cruelty inflicted on animals ~ from domestic companion animals, to circus animals, to farm factory animals and animals heading to slaughter houses. The despicable conditions, inhumane treatment and cruelty that has been shamefully accepted as 'the norm', may soon come to an end. The world is at last getting right with their conscience on this important matter, recognizing that animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain. The days of turning a blind eye is over. A huge thank you to the power of the world wide web for that!

Here are the '5 FREEDOMS' outlined in the Universal Declaration of Animal Welfare which will be presented to the United Nations next year:

• Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
• Freedom from fear and distress
• Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort
• Freedom from pain and disease
• Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour

For the first time in a very long time I feel proud to be a Canadian. Since founding HART: Highland Animal Rescue Team back in 1994, I was involved in countless rescues of animals in distress from puppy mills to back road breeders to unbelievable cruelty cases including the drownings, shootings and discarding of poor performing hunting dogs, to unwanted puppies and kittens. This, just to name a few. Besides the heartache of witnessing such acts of cruelty by man on their animal companions, the real frustrations came with the lack of laws to protect the victims. My hope is now we can move forward with new legislation and start passing laws that will give more power to the police to press charges, harsher fines and longer jail times. Along with raising awareness, making puppy mills illegal, ending the shameful seal hunt, we might just start to see a shift and watch ourselves benefit from becoming a more conscious, compassionate and benevolent society.

Grail Springs: Big Picture Inspirational video ~ if you like it, please pass it on!

Ervin Laszlo, WorldShift 2012 & Signing Global Emergency Declaration

I was privileged to attend Dr. Ervin Laszlo's book launch this past Wednesday in Toronto, 'WorldShift 2012' - a handbook for conscious change that could transform the current world crisis into planetary renewal. AND to also have dinner with him! During that time we talked of course about the state of the world. I had to really concentrate as part of me was in disbelief that I was actually sitting having dialogue with what is considered to be one of the greatest minds on the planet. Twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Laszlo wrote in partnership with the Dalai Lama the mission for The Club of Budapest founded in 1993. He has played an active role most of his life developing and promoting new ways of thinking that will create a healthy and sustainable future for a planet. Needless to say we had a lively and inspiration conversation and plan to work together in the near future.

Please read and add your signature to the State of Global Emergency Declaration drafted by Ervin Laszlo and his colleague David Woolfson, to be presented to the UN in 2010.

http://www.worldshiftnetwork.org/declaration/index.html

How You Can Become An Advocate Today. Your Voice Counts NOW.

UN Climate Agency declares "Best solution to climate change is for us all to become vegetarians."

I am so pleased to see an influx of good articles lately pushing the point of how destructive commercial animal farming is to the climate. The United Nations has announced that 51% of all carbon emissions are due to commercial animal farming. That's astounding. It's more than all the planes, trains, ships and automobiles put together. Check out the article written by Heather Moore of Care2. You might also like to sign up to become an advocate for your favorite cause. It's amazing the power of the internet. I've seen laws put into place within weeks of petitions circling around the globe. And you can even create your own petition.

How You Can Become an Advocate Today: Dedicate 10 minutes of your day to pro-activism of your choice. My passion is animal welfare and the environment. I have a few alert lists that I belong to like the World Wildlife Fund, Peta, International Humane Society, and Care2. Care2 is an excellent community to get involved with. Go to:  http://www.care2.com/  Take a few minutes to get familiar with them. Then choose your causes and sign up for the alerts. They'll send you petitions specific to your passion. It takes seconds to sign and then you can also share them easily with your facebook or twitter communities.

WorldShift: See Ervin Lazlo in Toronto this Wednesday November 4th, 7pm

If any of you live in Toronto and can get to Indigo Manulife Centre this Wednesday, you'll have a chance to meet the brilliant Ervin Lazlo, there to speak and do a book signing for the release of his "WorldShift 2012: Making Green Business, New Politics & Higher Consciousness Work Together" (McArthur Publishing). Ervin Lazlo is considered one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 21st century ~ a uniquely integrated view of science and spirituality.

I have a connection with Lazlo as we share the same agent. Introduced him to my Canadian publisher Kim McArthur and viola. Some exciting news will soon be announced as we are planning a World Shift 20 Conference to be held at Grail Springs this June 2010, a shadowing event to the G20 World Summit, held at Deerhurst in Huntsville, Ontario. While the world leaders are meeting there, other world leaders will be meeting here, Ervin Lazlo one of them. So stay tuned as we make a formal press announcement!

To become a member of WorldShift 2012 visit the site at http://www.worldshift2012.org/ and find out how you can get involved with this new organization dedicated to social innovation. Read and sign the Declaration which is quickly gathering thousands of signatures world wide.

Stay tuned!

Age of Conscience

I’ve never been so glad to get home to my little corner of heaven on earth. My romantic feelings for Paris have changed forever. The French are oblivious to global warming and any 'green' global campaign. There were no sign of awareness – not a poster, not a billboard, no ads in any magazine. Quite the opposite shown with their indulgence of imported products especially from China, cigarettes, cars, furs, and they’ll eat anything that breathes. It was very painful at times to see past this ignorance and enjoy the magnificence of the city. I've been in mourning for a week.

This trip was a deeply moving one on every spiritual level – a reminder of the extremes we now live in. There is no time to waste. The planet is in crisis. It is time to roll up the sleeves and get to work; become an advocate for something, anything.

What I know for sure - the world crisis is not an economic one, not a military, religious or cultural one. The world crisis is a spiritual one. Humanity has lost any sense of connection with the holy and therein lays the problem. Right thinking, right action, right relationship - all lost because of the disconnection from spirit. And what’s shamefully worse - it is socially 'uncool' to be spiritual. It’s dancing with the ‘woo woo' as some of my own colleagues express with an arrogance I must say. It is shallow in the truest sense of the word, inactive, unbecoming, and damn boring rhetoric.

We live in a world unplugged. We've replaced spirit with any other kind of white noise that will entertain us, take up space in our mind so as to drown out the real light, the 'voice of conscience', the steady golden rod of spirit that just is. We drown it out so we can serve our selves, so we don’t hear or feel the strike of conscience. We are numb.

I'll take much more time to reflect on my experiences over the next few weeks and months. What I know for sure now - I'll be turning up the volume on my own innate voice of conscience. A challenge for sure, but I truly believe it is this voice of conscience, when reinstated in our humanity, will change the world overnight. Just imagine if everyone man and woman woke up with their conscience in place tomorrow morning, what a different world it would be.

I think it very hip, very cool, and completely relevant.

The Consumer Revolution

It is appropriate once again, that today I am cozied up in a tiny boutique hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris where I just discovered that an infamous, yet small group of American poets lived for several years. They had started an entire movement you might recall, known as "The Beat Generation". I remember them more for their protests against the Vietnam war then for their poetry. The Beat Generation, the Cathars, the French Revolutionists, the Knight Templar - it's always the same story repeating itself.... There is an injustice on freedom, a small group gathers in a home, shares similar perspective and passion, and an oath is taken to stick together to fight the bad guys until freedom is restored.

Here we are again battling against the bad guy capitalists that have rocked our world but this time the perpetrators also include ourselves....the consumer. Our overindulgence in harmful and unnecessary products to seemingly make our life easier, stripping our planet of its shield, obliterating every natural resources in existence, raising farm animals in such cruel conditions only to slaughter them within six short months of their life, the 'ridiculousness-list' goes on. We are truly a most unconscious, self-absorbed group in history on mass.

"We the People" were those who suffered the social injustices from the few. Now 'We the People" are the invaders.  If I didn't know that evolution was a principle law of the universe, I would swear we were going backwards.

This trip has been good reminder that I need not keep thinking that there is some grand global idea that is going to change the world, but rather, it can begin right in our own backyard, a living room, the kitchen table, at Grail Springs, and deciding as a small group of friends, family, citizens, what oath can we take right now as consumers to change our ways and change the world?

What I plan to do so far: Grail Springs has gone completely vegetarian as of last month. And very soon we will have clean electricity throughout the building. I promise to buy locally whenever and wherever possible, cut back on travel, do more tele-conferencing for business meetings rather than meeting in person, buy carbon credits, and focus on local markets versus international markets. That was a huge revelation to me that was a hard one to swallow. But hey - until we figure out a new way to live peacefully with our host Mother Earth - I'm joining the new "Consumer Revolution".

Free Thinkers

Yesterday I appropriately ended my stay here in the South of France by renting a car and traveling west along the picturesque Cathar trail, my end destination; Rennes le Chateau - made famous by two best selling contraversial books 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' and 'DaVinci Code'.  The location of Rennes was sublime, a little peace of heaven on earth.

Almost immediately leaving Perpignon you are in Cathar Country. For those of you who do not know, the Cathars were new age thinkers of the 11th century. Anyone who was a 'free thinker', gathered in this region. It is here where women were revered as equal to men and played a part in every aspect of culture, governance, business, teaching, spiritual guides. It was not long before the Roman Catholic Church sent along massive French troops under the reign of King Philip, sought the Cathars out, and masacred as many as 300,000. You could not help but get a sense of both the sublime life of living in such a beautiful surrounding, being free to be yourself, and the incredible terror and violence that was inflicted therafter.

It was a reminder this type of violence and social injustice still continues on today in many eastern parts of our world. Humanity is not yet free. Much work to be done yet. As I am about to leave this region, also home to my own ancestors on my mothers side, women who were the 'free thinkers' of their time, I plan to carry on that legacy - the impulse to do good, be good and vision the world as it could be - Heaven on Earth.

Renaissance2

Social innovation for a sustainable planet was the topic of the day today at the Renaissance2 Symposium here in Perpignon, France.  My message - the importance of integrating 'conscience' within all new planning, systems, institutions, governance, etc. It is a foundation on to which we must build on.  We also heard from the likes of Barbara Marx Hubbard, a leader in conscious evolution, and Neal Donald Walsh, author of Conversations with God.  His message - that world crisis - its not a economic problem, nor a military or political problem, but a spiritual problem. I agree. It is a crisis of conscience. I imagine, if all of the worlds people woke up with their conscience in tact tomorrow morning, we would have a completely different world. Just imagine.

Bitter Sweet in Perpignon

I landed in Perpignon in the south of France today after 20 hours of travel from door to door. With great anticipation I could not wait to disembark off the plane and set foot on these grounds steeped in Grail history. Just yesterday on my way to the airport I was stunned to find out that I have direct roots in this very region on my mother's father's side. And my mother, who was just as stunned to find out this was my exact destination, informed me that she had vacationed here with her parents for a couple of summers just before they passed and was left with wonderful memories.

I want to be able to write and say that I felt great joy on touching down on this once elegant and romantic town, but that changed when the clouds parted. Instead I saw - just another over crowded corner of the world, humans cutting out their little boxes called home, insane drivers racing for their life, garbage strewn on the side of the road and iron bars on most of the store fronts.

I'm in a bitter sweet mood tonight. Resolved that it is so. It will be my fuel for tomorrow's symposium on social innovation and the shift for human conscious evolution.

Heading for Grail Country

Good Morning,
Today I woke up to the first sprinkling of snow! It always fills me with a sense of freshness, cleansing and wiping the slate clean. This post will be the last for 48 hours as I now rush to pack and head to the airport to catch a flight to Paris and then on to Perpignan in the south, staying in a 15th century chateau, host to the Renaissance2 symposium on social innovation. I've been invited to speak on issues of personal wellness and the correlation between the health of the individual and the health of the planet. We're bringing the message "We all need to well in order for our planet to be well."

During my stay I'll be shown many sites of the Knight's Templar, the gnostic Magdalene and the journey of the Holy Grail in order to create another sacred journey ~ returning next year with 30+ individuals. Perhaps you will join us as well. Keep tuning in as I send you postings on my discoveries! I feel as if I am going home.

The Quest Continues!...

It feels almost impossible to express the complexity of feelings when I dream of ancient times, especially those related to the "quest for the Holy Grail". Whenever I hear those five words spoken, I am sure my heart skips a beat. I am not exactly certain when I first became aware of the legends surrounding the Grail but it seems they have been with me all my life. I do have one childhood memory though from very early on that occurred during the summer of '68 that stirred my soul's calling. My grandfather and I had walked up a hillside capped by an old monastery. As we sat in the pew he filled my mind with stories of enemy invasions, the fight between the virtuous and the corrupt, and described how the monks protected thier secret scrolls and treasures by hiding them inside the backs of the pew so the invaders would not find them. Lo and behold he reached out, sliding the back of the pew aside and revealed a secret pocket. Whether he was making up stories or not, I was hooked! To this day I am not sure which I love more....the 'mystery of life', not knowing everything.... or revelation itself.

How about you?

I hope we travel together over the next months and maybe years. Whether you have been a guest of Grail Springs or dream of coming one day soon, I invite you to become part of this growing community, whose common interests are in creating lifestyles of health and sustainability; focusing on being well, fitness, environment, self development, spirituality, animal welfare and social justice!

I welcome you to this new forum! Please feel free to contribute or ask questions in the light of our common goals.  ~ Sincerely, Madeleine Marentette