Healing Through Unity

Claiming a Miracle...

2006-01-07T12:10:00.000-05:00

Trish writes:

I would like to Claim a miracle at work!!

Here is the complete story....for those who believe or will not...please feel free to share this miracle with others.

[Recently] my college age daughter was burnt by M-Cresol, a highly toxic and dangerous acid, in a chemistry [class] accident. She received splashing burns to the tops of her arms and hands and while washing off the acid, spread the burn to cover both hands and arms front and back. It was a terrible accident.

She immediately had great pain and told me she actually saw her arms bubbling from the burning acid. She was treated at a local hospital and bandaged [and] never really got to inspect her arms, but the doctors told her to expect to return daily for bandage changes, that she had 2nd and some 3rd degree burns and would experience scarring at the very least.

This is when the prayer team went into work.

As soon as I knew of the accident I told everyone I knew to pray. The request went out locally to churches I knew...and across the internet to my friends online...many of [whom] told me they were passing on our prayer request.

The first part of the miracle was unfolding.

I investigated M-Cresol online and was horrified ... I immediately sent this information to my daughter, who passed in on to the doctors. They began blood testing to screen her for the potential problems that exposure to this substance can cause.

The bandages were changed on day two to reveal a remarkable progress to her healing. Instead of the level of burns the doctors expected to reveal to her, they found 1rst and 2nd degree burns.

Already prayers were being answered. She still had a road to recovery, but the level of her injury was a lot less than expected (or perhaps the miracle unfolding.)

Several days later, blood tests were repeated and showed no toxic damage to my daughter's kidneys or liver. AMEN!! Prayers Answered...but the miracle was yet to be acknowledged.

Yesterday One week after the accident my daughter kept an appointment with a dematologist. Her bandaged were completely removed to reveal...

...FRECKLES.

That is right: all her 2nd degree burns had become no more than freckles on her arms. The rest of her arm showed no signs of change whatsoever.

She had never had freckles before...so I am sure that this outward sign of her burns is what remains of the SERIOUS burns she had only one week before.

No grafts, no creams, no treatment....just prayer had healed her flesh.

Gives you goose bumps doesn't it?

I claim this miracle on behalf of my daughter, my family and all of you who believe and those of you who do not believe.

May the Lord bless and protect you, may the Lord's face radiate with joy because of you. May He be gracious to you and show you His favor and give you His Peace. AMEN. Numbers 6:24-26

Internet May Aid In Treating Panic Sufferers

2005-11-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

Science Daily Blog had this article November 23, 2005...another way in which connecting people can improve health...

"Internet-based treatments for sufferers of panic disorder may be just as effective as face-to-face methods, a study by Monash University researchers has found.

"Panic attacks can involve a sudden rush of fear or intense anxiety and physical symptoms such as racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, light-headedness or nausea. When these attacks happen unexpectedly, the person has what is known as panic disorder.

"The study compared the effectiveness of three types of treatment -- internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy sessions, face-to-face sessions, and the use of medication (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) monitored by a psychiatrist.

"Preliminary results, based on more than two years of research, showed that internet therapy was comparable with face-to-face treatment in reducing disturbing thoughts and improving stress and anxiety...."

Seek and Ye Shall Find: How To Evaluate Sources on the Web

2005-11-26T09:39:00.000-05:00

by Wendy Boswell (Wendy Boswell edits About.com’s Web Search section)

Believe it or not, the Web does not always contain accurate information. In fact, every once in a while, you might come across something that (gasp!) is not true. Well, that’s to be expected, really - the Web is made by people, and people aren’t perfect, and people make up a LOT of coo-coo-crazy stuff.

Judging the truthfulness of information that you find online can be a bit problematic, especially if you’re looking for credible material you can cite in a research paper or academic project. Fiction and reality are not the same thing, but on the Web, it’s getting increasingly hard to tell the difference.

So how do you divide the wheat from the chaff? How can you tell if something you’re reading is true and reliable and worthy of a footnote? There are a number of litmus tests that you can put Web information through to ensure its trustworthiness. Here’s a basic evaluation checklist that you can use for any site you find on the Web:

Who’s In Charge?

Determining the authority of any particular site is especially vital if you’re planning on using it as a source for an academic paper or research project. Ask yourself these questions about the website in question:

Is it absolutely clear which company or organization is responsible for the information on the site?
Is there a link to a page describing what the company or organization does and the people who are involved (an “About Us” page)?
Is there a valid way of making sure the company or organization is legit - meaning, is this a real place that has real contact information (email only is not enough)?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, most likely this is not a source you’re going to want to include in your bibliography. Let’s move on to the next level of criteria, which is judging the truthfulness of the information presented.

Are You Telling Me The Truth?

As mentioned previously, eventually on the Web you will run into information that is not entirely true. In addition to determining the authority of a site, you also need to figure out if it’s presenting accurate information. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Can I easily figure out who wrote the information?
Are all factual claims clearly substantiated, that is, are there cited (linked) sources?
Are there any glaring grammatical and spelling errors? This could indicate that the content is not credible.
How long ago was the page updated? Is there a date stamp on the article somewhere? You’ll need this especially if you’re using MLA-style citation.
Can you verify the expertise of the author? Are the writer’s qualifications clearly stated somewhere on the site?

Once again, if you’re not satisfied with the answers to these questions, then you’re going to want to find another Web source. The next step in evaluating a site’s credibility is impartiality, or figuring out what’s behind the message.

Are You Selling Me Something?

Say for instance you’re researching power motor accidents. Information from the power motor industry would not necessarily be the most neutral of information sources. So in order to find a non-biased information source, you’ll need to determine neutrality.

Is there an overwhelming bias in the information? Does the writing seem fair and balanced? Or is the writing overly slanted towards a particular point of view?

Is the URL appropriate to the content? You should be able to figure out from the site address who the site belongs to, since most organizations and businesses put their name in the URL. This is a good way to determine quickly if the site is legit for your purposes; for example, if you’re researching mad cow disease you probably don’t want to get information from the Beef Farmers of America.

Are the ads clearly separated from the content?

If the answers to these questions raise doubts in your mind about the site’s integrity, then you’ll need to reconsider this Web site as a credible source. Any site that has an inappropriate bias or a hazy line between the advertisements and the content is NOT a good site to use in a research paper or academic project.

Evaluating Sources on the Web - Use Your Head

Use common sense when considering a Web site for inclusion in your research project or academic paper. Just because something made its way on to the Web absolutely does not mean that it’s credible, reliable, or even true. Believe me; profs DO check your bibliographies and if they find a source that does not meet these standards, you’ll have to pull a do-over. It is absolutely essential that you put any Web site through the evaluation hoops mentioned above before you cite it as a source.

Meditation builds up the brain

2005-11-16T19:35:00.000-05:00

............Alison Motluk NewScientist.com news service 11:01 15 November 2005

"Meditating does more than just feel good and calm you down, it makes you perform better – and alters the structure of your brain, researchers have found.

"People who meditate say the practice restores their energy, and some claim they need less sleep as a result. Many studies have reported that the brain works differently during meditation – brainwave patterns change and neuronal firing patterns synchronise. But whether meditation actually brings any of the restorative benefits of sleep has remained largely unexplored."

Read the whole article on the New Scientist website.

If meditation is good, God makes it better
02 September 2005
Does inner peace lead to longer life?
07 May 2005
The colour of happiness
24 May 2003

Apologies Gain Momentum

2005-11-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

From a post 09/21/2005 on Medscape, which requires registration to use, but is otherwise free access to a whole constellation of information and services. Thanks, Farhad!

"A decade ago, physicians were told, implicitly or explicitly, during their professional training to avoid making apologies to patients for medical errors because it could lead to problems if they are sued. Today, some healthcare executives, insurers, and physicians are changing this mindset and fully embracing disclosure and apologies, not only because they believe it will reduce malpractice claims, but also because it's ethically the right thing to do.

"Led by Lucian Leape, MD, a group of physicians, patients, and executives from Harvard Medical School's teaching hospitals have drafted a sweeping disclosure policy that establishes detailed procedures for physicans to acknowledge medical errors and offer fair compensation for expenses related to medical injuries.

"In Colorado, the state's largest malpractice insurer, COPIC, has enrolled 1,800 physicians since 2000 in a disclosure progrm called the "3Rs" for "Recognize, Respond, and Resolve." Under the program, physicians immediately express remorse, apologize to patients, and describe in detail what went wrong in the wake of an error. The insurer compensates patients for expenses related to the injury, including lost work time. Patients cannot participate in the program if they have filed a lawsuit, but they do not waive their right to sue later. Since 2000, the insurer has seen a 50% decrease in malpractice claims and a 23% drop in the cost of settling claims for these 1,800 physicians.

"Illinois recently passed a law allowing six hospitals to pilot a "Sorry Works!" program in which full apologies for bad outcomes from medical errors are combined with up-front compensation. The state is so confident that the program will reduce malpractice claims that it will provide refunds to these facilities if they experience increases in payments."
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"Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongsth His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost...."

-- Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. 136, p. 297

"The first, the fundamental purpose underlying creation hath ever been, and will continue to be, none other than the appearance of trustworthiness and godliness, of sincerity and goodwill amongst mankind, for these qualities are the cause of peace, security and tranquillity. Blessed are those who possess such virtues."

-- Bahá'í Writings: Compilation of Compilations - Trustworthiness, p. 328

Report from the Conference...

2005-11-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

Alas, the Ninth Annual Conference on Journalism & Public Policy was, overall, disappointing. It was sponsored by the Knight-Wallace Fellows program at the University of Michigan. The total lack of information on it's website about the conference and it's outstanding speakers should have warned me that this conference would be less informative than it was a media event -- a photo op, perhaps. (I will endeavor to supply the information links they should have...)

Here was a powerhouse collection of experts in journalism and womens health issues...and they were given 10 minutes apiece to speak, plus two 30 minute panel sessions in which were given a chance participate, if there was time. The program booklet given the audience included a card on which one question could be written, which would be presented to the panel at the end of the 4 hour program, if there was time. One question, which might or most likely might not be answered!

No handouts, no email or website information, no electronic backup at all, no overhead or online monitors with names in print large enough to read, for instance -- and although a video was being made, it will not be available to the public, or even put up on the sponsors' websites.

Nor was there any time for the audience to interact with the speakers, whom considering the size of the venue, they could barely see, let alone identify. The speakers did not even have name tags on their persons so that during the 15 minute break in the middle, one might have a chance to find one.

What a waste of time and talent! And what talent it was! So much I wanted to hear from each one about her topic and her experience!

And for what it's worth, I don't think the speakers succeeded very well in condensing what they had to say into only 10 minutes. (This is a general problem with Public Health issues.) Mostly, they talked really fast and sounded like they hadn't thought through what it takes to get across a complex issue in what was essentially a sound bite.

That said, Dr. Kimberleydawn Wisdom, Michigan State Surgeon General, was eloquent and concise and got every one of her points across. Being the first such position in the United States, she has been busy defining the post, educating state and local agencies and institutions, and selling its services. She has by now a couple years of experience fitting impossible complexity into sound bites short enough to be heard by busy politicians and overworked agency staff.

Susan Wood, currently teaching at Rutgers University, advertized as a keynote speaker (but still allowed only 10 minutes to talk!) is the former head of the Department of Women's Health, US Food and Drug Administration. She resigned in August of this year because she was wholly committed to making the FDA a trustworthy source of information for the public -- and felt that increasingly, policy decisions were being made that left science and medical evidence out of the process when such conflicted from political agendas.

Marcia Inhorn, currently Director of the University of Michigan Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies, and an expert on contraceptive use among Muslim women, is an anthropologist specializing in non-Western women. Her biggest concern is the way journalism in the US in particular, seems to focus on exotic issues instead of real and more common ones. This gives a skewed view of what daily life is like for most Moslem women, and contributes to negative stereotypes. By showing them as victims, real issues of economy and public health (especially those that cross religious and geographic boundaries and point to much larger worldwide issues) are ignored.

Another comment she made was that while academia is doing a much better job collecting information -- over a 100 medical ethnographies have been completed that provide a great deal of accurate data -- there needs to be a more accessible way to get the word out. The average ethnograph runs to 400 pages, and few journalists have the time for that, let alone politicians. Such complexity just doesn't fit into a 30 second sound bite!

Cynthia Pearson, Executive Director of the US National Women's Health Network, related that the news media were very helpful in the beginning of the women's movement in the 1970s US. However, the media are now so entangled in marketing, both for products and for the media themselves, that the public can no longer trust the information and opinion provided. Often, the stories come unedited from the product manufacturers or others with vested interests. For instance, we now have a number of illnesses that never existed before medication or treatment was invented for them.

Vivian Pinn, Director of the office of Research on Women's Health, US National Institutes of Health, is particularly concerned with this problem of providing the news media (and the public) with accurate information, as least biased as possible. Often, she maintains, 'medical' experts are NOT the best source for balanced coverage of an issue: activist groups can be.

This can be a challenge because it requires researching the backgrounds of the many activist organisations out there to find reputable ones (meaning that they weren't invented to cater to specific product or political interest). Such an activist group, such as the Breast Cancer Coalition, work hard to read all the studies and ethnographic papers and interview the experts, and both analyse and synthesize as balanced a picture as possible. That saves the journalist or politician time and could prevent some of the more egregious misinformation presented to the public as 'fact.'

Frances Visco, breast cancer survior and currently President of the US National Breast Cancer Coalition: "Wearing a pink ribbon is not what it's about!" She decries the fact that people -- particularly those who could influence policy, legislation and behavior -- pin on a pink ribbon and feel they've contributed to the solution without having to do anything else. And the news media seem much more likely to chase after a celebrity photo op than to report on or demand real action and results.

Myrna Blyth, author of Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America, says journalists need to ask better questions, instead of parroting whatever 'expert' is currently politically correct.

Gina Kolata, Science and Medical Journalist, The New York Times: "It doesn't matter how good your questions and how accurate the answers you write. As a journalist, you are limited by what your editors decide to publish. Editors listen to what readers pay for...so readers must demand better coverage of issues they are interested in."

Joann Ellison Rodgers, Director of Media Relations, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, says she has been on both sides of the communication divide between journalists and academics, as she was a reporter for many years before joining Johns Hopkins. Public health is not the sort of simple story that can fit into either the headline news or the agenda of a busy policy maker or legislator. Neither the public nor their elected and appointed representatives (or even their physicians) have the time to research in depth every issue that crosses their desks. Especially those which have far reaching origins and downstream effects.

Consumers need a filter to assist them in sorting out facts from agenda, opinions from evidence. The public needs to be educated, not only on the issues, but also in judgement: how to make choices for themselves.

Joanne Silberner, Health Policy Correspondent for US National Public Radio, points out that journalism is no longer confined to newspapers, radio and TV. An increasing amount of information is being published on the Internet. This information is not edited or peer reviewed in the same way that conventional journalism can be. People no longer trust the media to tell them the truth, or at least to provide information that isn't mainly marketing for products or ideas or special interests, but turning to the ocean of 'information' presently surging across the electronic highway isn't necessarily more reliable.
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I feel that as a public, those of us in the United States at least, have less and less education in how to think critically. Our schools no longer spend time on analytical or logical processes for decision making. We are taught to memorize what the teacher says and answer that way on a test, irrespective of whether there is even a definitive right or wrong answer to any question.

Such an education may produce good consumers, but it will not assist us to make creative use of the massive amount of information in either a library or on the Internet. I'm no longer depressed that our children won't see any purpose in being able to read and write -- because they are out there journaling on the Web in increasing numbers -- now I'm worried that these technology savvy young people don't have the skills they need to judge what they are reading in all those weblogs out there.

How to filter, how to make educated decisions, how to take increasingly complex social issues (like women's health worldwide) and make them accessible to everyone -- these were the concerns expressed by each of the speakers at this conference.

These are concerns for all of us.

"The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom ... and neglect it not ... By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor..."
- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, p. 4

How to Save the World...

2005-11-06T12:08:00.000-05:00

Wade points to this site as, "Another must-visit site, for a portal into hundreds of ecoblogs, and save-the-world blogs.

This particular post is exactly on how to blog: Visit that site for an excellent flowchart graphic, etc. Note the heavy number of comments on this. Again, go visit the site to read those!"

The author of the How to Save the World Weblog describes this particular page as, "A pretentious and presumptuous attempt to document what bloggers have learned, without any formal instruction, to do..."

But I agree with Wade that the whole business is a good example of the kind of the amazing interaction that a weblog can generate... It's way more than just an on line journal!

Interesting Women's Health Info Site

2005-11-05T08:35:00.000-05:00

This weblog has tons of useful links: women's health information and news from Rachel, a medical librarian-in-training:

Women's Health News

Television Taking a Beating in Yahoo Poll

2005-11-04T20:56:00.002-05:00

From the Shifted Librarian Blog...

There’s another interesting poll up at Yahooligans right now. It asks which you would rather have in your bedroom - a TV or a computer. Results? Computer by a margin of two-to-one, and that figure has been constant all day.

Two-way, interactive media trumps one-way, monolithic box.

BTW, another interesting little factoid. If you go to Synonym.com and do an antonym search for “interactive,” the synonym is “synergistic” and the antonym is “antagonistic.” Kind of puts the whole DRM, Broadcast Flag, and “VHS will be the death of the movie industry” debate in the proper perspective.

Conference on the Impact of Journalism on Women's Health

2005-11-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

Monday, November 7, "Women's Health: The Press and Public Policy," on the campus of the University of Michigan. The lineup of speakers includes leading (US) experts in the fields of women's health and medical journalism:

- Susan F. Wood, former Director of the Office of Women's Health in US Food and Drug Administration
- Gina Kolata, New York Times science and medicine journalist
- Dr. Kimberleydawn Wisdom, Michigan Surgeon General (the first statewide position of its kind)
- Dr. Vivian Pinn, Director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the US National Institutes of Health
- Joanne Silberner, health policy correspondent for National Public Radio (US)
- Myrna Blyth, author, "Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America," former editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal and founding editor-in-chief of MORE magazine,
- Dianne Hales, author of "An Invitation to Health"
- Marcia Inhorn, professor of health behavior and health education at University of Michigan and director of the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies
- Cynthia Pearson, executive director of the US National Women's Health Network and lead author of, "The Truth About Hormone Replacement Therapy"
- Joann Ellison Rodgers, author of, "Sex: A Natural History," and director of media relations at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
- Frances M. Visco, president of the US National Breast Cancer Coalition

With a line up like that, the program should be pretty lively. The flyer says, "The idea is to explore how well the important public policy issue of women's health is being explained to the public... The experts and journalists will each be asked how good a job they think they're doing -- and also how well each thinks the other is doing."

The public is invited -- free -- not only to hear the discussion, but also to participate in it.

You can read my notes on what happened next Tuesday!

Science Meets Religion??

2005-10-30T14:53:00.000-05:00

Wade says: "This is personal perspective or introspective post.

"...The key assumption here is that science and religion are ultimately 100% compatible, and that the two perspectives on our one existence can illuminate each other, and should. ...

"My own take is that, largely, science has been looking down the microscope trying to find the meaning of life, and religion has been looking out the window and upwards, with the same question. As humans we're in that awkward place in between the two worlds, where issues such as justice and purpose and meaning operate at a level where the scientific method's tools are very weak: tightly-coupled, large-scale, heavy feedback hierarchical contexts where removing something from context to study it in isolation destroys the something you wanted to study, like removing a deep-sea fish from the depths of the ocean.

"The blogosphere, and its behaviors and potentials, are way closer to this type of active coupled-context space than we've ever been before. We have very poor intution about what pheneomena can occur when you take this many active components and wire them all toghether.

"We do know one thing, though - it is possible to take ten trillion active units ("cells") and have them actually function as one "being" in the case of our own bodies. There are clearly solutions beyond "let the biggest cell win!".

"The relationship of health to connectedness to this world of other human beings is increasingly seen as worthy of scientific study, but the tools are primitive at best."

To read the rest of his essay: link

Everything you always wanted to know...

2005-10-30T14:44:00.000-05:00

...and could never remember after you asked!

It's the Medilexicon, and it is free reference for medical terms, abbreviations, treatments, companies, brand/generic names and medical news. There are also descriptions of various illnesses, conditions, and injuries, too.

This is a commercial site (was Pharmalexicon) and will have some advertising and a definite slant towards allopathic and pharmaceutical medicine, but the information is still useful because unlike the Merck Manual, it is in English for non-medical folks.

Old Web/New Web Tools for Health Support

2005-10-30T11:14:00.000-05:00

How can using the Internet to improve health and well being? Why blogs?

First, the Read Only Web is here to stay and has proven itself by increasing access to information. Unlike walk-in libraries, the 'Net isn't limited by funding for materials, space for storage and retrieval systems, or hours of operation. Or geography: a person in Zambia can access a medical records site in Canada, even though there are several times zones difference. Keeping a library open, let alone up to date, is increasingly difficult; and many public and private institutions are moving from print to electronic media.

One excellent example of an online reference is the mental health site TroubledWith. Soothing page design and easy to use menus and lists of problems make help a click away, even for novices. The printable essays provide concise information that is medically current and also tied to religious thinking (primarily Christian source quotes).

Another good example is the US National Women's Health Center site. Well done, extensive and searchable.

But, neither of these sites allow for interaction and feedback among the readers. Information is only shared one way.

Enter weblogging, or blogging. For the individual, journaling in this fashion is more than just keeping a diary. It allows for finding others who have similar interests or problems (as in a cohort of diabetic women). It provides a forum for sharing information on what has worked and what has not, as well as vital personalized details of specific efforts (as a blog for breast cancer recovery that talks about drug interactions and side effects and what works to counteract them).

Further, a blog allows and invites feedback, resulting in not only emotional and informational support, but also a feeling of community which might be lacking in the blogger's immediate family or neighborhood. Sometimes, one just has something to say and it can be difficult to find anyone at home or work who wants to listen, let alone have a conversation.

A large percentage of blogs fall into the personal catagory, but companies and businesses are beginning to provide customer support in the form of blogs, too. Two examples of the personal type: Lief's blog of his year of service on Saint Kitts in the Caribbean, and Nancy's Garden Spot.

Companies use blogs to track work group progress on a particular project. Schools use blogs for teachers (class notes and homework assignments), students (science projects and thesis papers), parents (significant dates, rules and holiday or snow schedules) and staff (in house training, holiday schedules, and other employee/employer communications).

My husband, a student at Johns Hopkins Bloomfield School of Public Health, set up a blog for his study group to track progress on a group project (which just happens to be on the use of blogging in tracking public health issues). He is, however, finding it challenging to convince the other members of this particular study group that using the blog is easy; so there are obvious still some roadblocks...

In terms of health behaviors, changing habits or treating chronic diseases requires considerable group support, and if finding that support often hampered by distance, work schedules, difficulty in finding sympathetic others, or whatever -- the 'Net can provide an outlet and a cohort.

Listserves have been around for a while, and some lists have become extraordinarily supportive. The Breast Cancer Listserve, for instance. Various other special interest groups' lists can become much more personal than originally intended (Stampin' Up Friends), though most remain on topic and ban personal conversations.

Chat rooms have also been utilized for support, but have the disadvantage of time lag and high cost of online time for many people. Also, you have to be able not only to type very fast, but also to sort through all the conversational threads to figure out what's happening, since multiple conversations will be going on at once. It is sort of like walking into a crowded party and hearing everyone at once, without being able to see anyone's face or to whom they are speaking.

Web logs -- and blogging as using one is called -- are up close and personal, and allow for less time sensitive interaction. They are growing in popularity and use (and, yes, misuse as well) at an incredible rate. There are presently about 30 million blogs out there! And the number of them which are not in English and not in first world countries is higher than one might expect, and growing.

I think the use of blogging tools is a step towards the future, towards one human family connectedness, maybe even decision making at a grassroots and worldwide, one person/one voice level.

Pathways to Peace...

2005-10-30T10:36:00.000-05:00

Here is a beautiful slide show of virtues, quotes and Nature to inspire hope and action. Produced for the Pathways to Peace Project (there is a link to their website after the slideshow). It takes a while to download, but the designer provides entertainment while you wait...much appreciated.

Thanks to Reggie in Canada for alerting us, and Kathy in New Zealand for passing it along.

The Story of Polio told in Comic Book Form

2005-10-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

This graphic novelette stars an anthropomorphic polio virus telling its story in a group therapy session.

A great way to teach people about viral epidemics. Link

Note: they are looking for a graphic artist to ink the project for print publication...

The Purpose of This Blog...

2005-10-29T15:31:00.000-04:00

is to utilize the interactive potential of the Web to enhance consultation, collaboration and support for improving individual and community health as envisioned in the Bahá'í teachings. It is a daily adjunct to the monthly Healing Through Unity eNewsletter.

Healing through Unity eNewsletter and Blog are published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in these publications represent the thoughts and opinions and experiences of the writers and have no authority. None of the material published is intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician.

As editor, I believe that we humans are a tribe, with each member's experiences and insights vital to the health and growth of all. In the past, tribe was defined very narrowly, by geography or by family, for instance.

Today, Bahá'u'lláh, prophet-founder of the Bahá'í Faith, tells us that the entire planet constitutes our borders, and all of humanity our tribe.

Thanks to the Internet, we have a tool which can for the first time allow direct interaction with the far-flung members of our tribe, and with this connection, the hundredfold enrichment of our lives. We can build our own supportive nuclear "family" even if our birth family might be short of like-minded folks.

Bahá'u'lláh asserts that every atom of creation is there to educate humanity in this plane of existence, and no one person can encompass all that information. Accordingly, He supplied a pattern for a social order designed to enhance individual perception and provide a nurturing environment for learning and growth. For the first time in human history, this pattern is not limited by boundaries such as language, nationality, caste, or technology.

Blogging is part of that world tribal support. More than just a personal journal, Web2 blogs, because they allow a two-(or more)way conversation, are pointing a new direction of interconnectedness that can carry humanity to what is no less than the vision of a true, grassroots democracy.

Even as the printing press presaged access for everyman to all the knowledge of that day long before the average person had learned to read, so the Web2 -- one person, one voice -- makes the technology avialable to facilitate one world...

...as soon as people are ready to become a globally connected, aware and concerned human family dedicated to solving the major and minor issues of this day and age, and to building God's Kingdom on Earth.