When a caterpillar dies, a butterfly emerges. When one career ends, a new career emerges. The story of Nydia illustrates the resiliency of a human being.
A Happy Dancer
Nydia was a dancer since she was born. Her mom told her that she danced in mommy' tummy whenever her brothers played drums. Her two brothers were excellent drummers. Listening to the drum beats, Nydia could caliographed herself into the rhythm of the drum beats. Nydia and her family lived on a shore of Phillipine, where the sun rise and sunset provided nature rhythm that had both nurtured and inspired her brothers to drum, and Nydia to dance with the drum rhythm.
Typhoon Changed Her Life
Their life was changed when Typhone Ellen hit Phillipine in 1959. The wind howeled, and tsunami-like wave swept through the Phillipine shore and swept through her house and tore her house apart. During the Typhone tormenting hour, Nydia felt something hit her head. In a bleak moment, everything turned dark. When she opened her eye, she found herself lay in a hospital with a big plaster cast on her legs. Her uncle and aunt were there; but not for her dad, mom, and two brothers.
"Where are my dad, mom, and brothers? " asked the Nydia.
"Unfortunately, they were all dead; we are lucky to find you still alive. We sent you to a hospital right away?" Said the uncle and the aunt.
"Am I going to be able to dance again?" Looking worrily at plasters casted on her legs, Nydia asked.
"We hope so; however, the doctors were not as optimistic as we are." Said the aunt and the uncle.
Nydia was so sad or she had lost her dad, her mom, and her mothers. She also realized that she could not dance any more. In the hospital, she ate less, and less. As a result, she got thinner and thinner. Her doctors were worried. So were her aunt and uncle.
A New Hope
One day, her uncle showed up on her hospital bed and presented her a drum.
" We managed to salvage your brothers' drums and saved this one." Said the uncle, nd began to beat the drum with a rhythm that Nydia was familiar with, and then gave the drum to Nydia.
Nydia beamed on her face; but she was too weak to have the strength to beat the drum.
" You must eat to gain your strength back to play the drum as good as your brothers".
With 'hope' in her mind, she began to eat and gradually gained the strength back. When she was fully recovered, she was discharged from the hospital. However, even she was discharged, she was still in wheel chair. The doctors told her that she would no longer dance again. 'It is quite ok; I am going to be a great drummer like my brothers." she said.
As soon as she was discharged, she began to search a teacher for drumming: the master drummer of the village, Mr. Acosta. When Nydia knocked on Acosta's house, Acosta opened the door and said, "Welcome, you are the smallest drummer of the class. ". "But I would have the loudest drum beats in the class." She replied.
Learning Drumming from a Master
Mr. Acosta was approximately in the 60's. He had been playing drum all through his life. Besides learning basic drumming techniques and rhythms from his teachers, he also created his own. He had been performing all through Phillipine; sometimes went oversea to Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Naturally, he had many students in the class. They were older kids; Nydia was the youngest. But Nydia was undeterred. She was always the first person showing up in the class, while the last person to leave. On many occasions while waiting for other students to show up, Mr. Acosta would teach Nydia special drumming technique and rhythms. When Nydia went home, she practiced drumming hours and hours on drumming. Nydia's was making exponential-type of progress in drumming.
Many times her teacher asked her to play a bigger drum; she always politely refused. She said that this was the drum that my brothers played when they were alive. This drum gave her strength and hope.
As expected, she had become the best drummer in Mr. Acosta's class.
Parade
One day, the mayor of City Imari, where both Mr. Acosta and Nydia lived, came to visited Mr. Acosta and invited Mr. Acosta to lead a city parade with a group of drummers that Mr. Acosta picked. City of Imari was celebrating her 100 years anniversary.
Mr. Acosta hand-picked a group of drummers and rehearsed 3 times per week for three weeks. The day before the parade, Mr. Acosta announced, " Nydia will lead the drumming with me". This was quite a honor to Nydia for four the past 30 years when Acosta led the drumming parade, he had never asked his students to co-led the parade. Nydia was the first he asked to co-lead. The youngest drummer who was a wheel-chair.
The parade day came; and all the drummers and other performers were gathering in front of the City Hall; but Mr. Acosta was not there. Mr. Acosta was known to be late in every gathering; so people at the gathering patiently wait for him.
But, after waiting 30 minutes, and the time was 15 minutes passing 12:00 PM, the Mayor decided to proceed the parade without Mr. Acosta. The Mayor looked around and hand-picked an a tallest male drummer to lead. 'I am the person Mr. Acosta asked me to lead', Nydia protested, and said these words firmly and assertively. The Mayor apologized and Nydia proceeded to lead the drumming troupe.
Thus Nydia led the drumming troupe with her uncle push her as she was still on a wheel-chair. The parade started with a steady drumming rhythm; after 10 minutes, the rhythm changed to a different pattern with a gradually increasing drumming volume. Nydia then gave a signal for the parade to change the orinally planned route to a route that would lead to Mr. Acosta's home. After 10 minutes, the parade came to a halt where they saw Mr. Acosta hurting under the bridge. Mr. Acosta was riding his bike with a full speed to catch up the parade; he rode too fast and slammed into a light pole on the bridge and was throwing out the bike and felt onto a river bank. He was painfully and severely injured. The Mayor dispatched a medic team to quickly send Mr. Acosta to hospital.
Nydia Rescued Her Drumming Master
When the rescue work was done, Nydia continue to lead the parade until the end. The Mayor thanked her, and congratulated her for the successful lead of the parade.
A few weeks later, Mr. Acosta recovered. When Nydia went back for lessons, Mr. Acosta gave her a new drum. " I think you are at least as good as your brothers; you should try something new".
Nydia accepted the new drum with gratitude and satisfaction. She has turned herself from a dancer to a drummer.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
My 2014-Reflection
As the year of 2014 is approaching to an end, there are many things to be thankful. I thank God, and my family to bless me with good health, a career of fulfillment, and many joy of story-telling, water color paintings, and have met many good friends both professionally and non-professionally. I will elaborate those things one-by-one in the latter paragraphs.
Mindfulness Teaching
The most important meeting and the most reflective learning that I have ever received this year was my attendance of the Faculty College meeting at UW-Richland, where I learned about using 'mindfulness' in teaching from my instructor Dr. Joanne Gonzawa. I used some of the techniques such meditation in both of my Thermodynamics class and in my Environmental class. The results of the end-of-semester survey are mixed; half of the students taking the survey really like it; half of them did not care about it. I will discuss the results with other colleagues to fine-tuning my teaching technique in the future. On the side note, I read several books written by the Vietnamese Monk, Thick Nahn Hahn. As a result, I also learn about 'mindfulness' on my own.
The Prince-- by Machiavelli
I am very blessed having a brother, Dr. Ting-Kai Chen, my mentor and my guide through out my life. Dr. Chen made a presentation on The Prince and sent me a DVD. As a result, my intellectual horizon is expanded. Personally, I feel that what The Prince preached are dangerous, but unfortunately had been exploited by ruthless politicians and corporate C.E.O. through centuries. It is important for us to be aware of the traps and tricks that we have all experienced in our life by those who are machiavellians.
The China Studies and Dr. Pearson's Presentations
Dr. Collin Campbell's book, "The China Studies" on nutrition is monumental to my life. This book is highly recommended by UW-Green Bay nutrition faculty. The book advises against animal products consumption because animal products serve both an initiator and a promotor of cancers. The mice studies were very convincing. In Google search, you can always find many Nay Sayers attacking his statistical methods for human studies; but none of them can repute his repeated mice study. The take is to stay away from animal product consumption if we want to live a longer and a healthier life.
Dr. Pearson (a UW-Green Bay nutrition professor) presentations advises avoiding all processed foods as they all contains HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) as they are the culprits for producing high uric acid, and triglyceride that triggers insulin resistance, the source of all chronicle problems.
State of Health
Comparing to 2009 when I just came back from Taiwan sabbatical, my health has been greatly improved. This improvement comes largely from my self-discipline in taking care of myself. Thank God, I have such a gifted trait. This is the second year I am antibiotic resistant H pylori free. Yearly endoscope examination is changed to every 2 years ( a sign of health improvement). Am I completely free of hidden disease? Absolutely not. I still have chronicle gastritis, and precancerous interstitial metaplasia in my stomach. I am continuously searching for the cure not from orthodox doctors, but from health knowledge through readings. I believe that all chronic diseases are caused by imbalance of life- body, mental, social, and spiritual. A balance life style is the root of healing.
Other health improvement includes largely recovery of the herniated disk that I had suffered last year; no single cold even I did not take the flue vaccine this year, and less allergy problems comparing with the situation last year. The back pain recovery is amazing. I did not go through surgery; but diligent physical therapy exercises. By eating right, and sleep right, we all can keep cold or flue at bay.
Everyday, I will find opportunity to walk and to swim. In the winter time, I add snowshoeing to my routine. Last month, I added resistance exercise and yoga exercise. Every morning, I try to meditate for 20 minutes; every night, before going to bed, I say gratitude to what I have. I am not super-healthy: my LDL was 105, few points higher. Blood pressure is in the borderline between normal and pre-hypertensive. Thank God, my fast sugar level is now below 100. Few years ago, my fast sugar used to be at the borderline of pre-diabetics.
Arts, Music, and Story-Telling
I do not have any talent in drawing or painting. I remember, when I was a freshman at Tsing Hua university, trying to become a nuclear engineer, I was flunked out the engineering drawing class. I was unable to visualize a profile and draw the profile when a plane is cutting through a cone. But, again, my best gift is that I work hard, and persistent. I continuously draw whenever I have time. This year, the (painting) group hired a teacher, Charlie, who had given me important pointers in creating arts. One of the most important pointers is that a good painting must have a good flow in the work; similar to the good writing which must have a good flow. To sketch a human profile, one must dissect the profile into several portions and complete the portion in sequence. This year, I had created several art pieces that I fell very proud of. Two of the art piece are display here:
Although I had played recorders many years, this year, I feel that I did not make any progress at all, even I had attended Yearly Whitewater Recorder workshop and participate in biweekly rehearsal practice. Lack of time to practice is one reason; the other reason is due to my poor eye sights. This December, I will have an eye doctor appointment. Hopefully, through new glass prescription, and eye exercise, and through determination, I can have more time to practice playing recorder next year.
I enjoy story-telling. Reading Monk Thich Nahn Hahn's work gives me an inspiration to come up with a creation story from Vietnamese folk lore. I am very proud that I was invited to tell this story in the story-telling concert during the Wisconsin Story-teller gathering in the fall. During the event, I was able to meet best Wisconsin story tellers such as Debra Wildflower, Jean Andrew, and Terry Visger. A photo of such gathering is attached here.
I was one of the story-teller performer at 2014 Wisget Story-Telling concert in New London, WI
Folk dancing
I picked up folk dancing from a friend, Barbara Westhohan. Since then, I love it. I like the Eastern European music and the complex form of the dance. This year, I have attended 3 dance workshops which included Fox Valley Folk Dancer's workshop in April, Door County Folk Dance Festival in July, and Oconowoc Folk Dance workshop. Our dance group gracefully allowed me teach several dances that I learned from the workshops. This includes: La Lyonnaise (a French mixer dance), Kolo Zita (a Croatia dance), and Idam Ne Idam ( a Bulgaria dance). I enjoy both dancing and teaching dance. Yet, often, my busy school schedule get into the way for me to study more about the dance. I do not know whether the situation will change in 2015,
Shows and movies
Unlike Meeilei who volunteers at PAC and have many opportunities to see the show many times a year, this year, I saw 2 shows performed at PAC (Performing Art Center). The first was Sister Act, a comedy musical. This was my Christmas present from my wife. Thank you Meeilei. This musical centers a pop singer who took refuge in a chapel and disguised as a nun to escape gangs who wanted to kill her because she had witness a murder committed by the gang. This pop singer turned a dull choir into a lively choir; a lovely, funny musical. The second PAC show was the nutcracker. This again was a lottery prize from Meeilei's volunteer appreciation banquet. I always love to watch nutcracker; it is imaginative and artistic. I would not get tired watching the show.
Two high school musicals were also very entertaining: one was Shrek by Appleton North High School, and the other, Adam's Family by Appleton East High School. Both shows were well-done; considering the efforts of teachers, students, and volunteers.
One hundred foot journey was a well done movie; although the movie is all about cooking, it is funny, romantic and has a good message.
Family Fun
In early June, my son, Victor, asked us to take care of Morgan because he and his wife was celebrating 10 years wedding anniversary. Victor and Jill went to Organ for a hiking trip, while Morgan stayed with us. This turns out a great joy for us. We took her to a water park, where she found a water slide she could handle. She literally sled hundred times on that slide. Then, we took her to a children museum where she pretended to be a fireman. At home, we had a marching band in our living room and a story time when A-Ma read stories to Morgan. There was a Father's Day celebration of the church at the butterfly garden; Morgan and I had a 3-leg walk-race. When Victor and Jill came home to pick Morgan up, Morgan said to her parent that they can have another vacation, because she had wonderful time with the grandparents.
Ama taught Morgan how to putt a golf ball in the Father's Day celebration at a church outdoor service.
Ama and Morgan are buddy-buddy.
Chen Family Annual Reunion and Get together occurred in late July when Leo and his family, and Victor and his family visited home together. Two granddaughters loved to play monster game with me; and two granddaughters played doctor and patient each other (Kaitlyn always be the doctor, and Morgan always the patient). At the playground, I witnessed a great athletic talent from Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn did an excellent job at the balance beam. Both granddaughters were very focused in taking the tennis lesson. At the pool, Morgan really showed off because she already have one year swimming lesson. Our reunion concluded at the Milwaukee State Fair.
Ama and Morgan are buddy-buddy.
Trip
Unlike Meeilei who took many long trips in a year, I manage to have one memorable trip with Meeilei and her brothers and sisters to Cancun, Mexico at the end of my busy fall semester. Cancun is my favor vacation spot; it is warm and near the ocean with perfect beach. It does not change the time zone. I had great conversation with Meeilei's siblings; on top of that, I learned about Mexico's history; the story about an eagle devouring a snake (Mexico's national symbol) and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In 1325, 200 years before the Spaniard's Conquest, Aztec listened to their god's message to search an island in Lake Texcoco where an eagle was devouring a snake. From that island, god promised them to build the Mexican nation.
In 1510, the Spaniards used the sighting of 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' to convert Aztec into catholics. In 1810, the Mexicans used 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' to rebel against the Spaniards.
Looking into 2015
I will be 69 years old in 2015; although there will be more wearing and tearing as I aged, I also will become more knowledgeable about taking care of myself, giving advise and offering helping hands to family members and friends, mentoring students, finding more time with my family, continuing to be productive as a faculty member, enjoying life through music, art, dance and story-telling. Life is a gift; as long as I am still alive, I thank God to give me days to live, to contribute, and to celebrate life.
Mindfulness Teaching
The most important meeting and the most reflective learning that I have ever received this year was my attendance of the Faculty College meeting at UW-Richland, where I learned about using 'mindfulness' in teaching from my instructor Dr. Joanne Gonzawa. I used some of the techniques such meditation in both of my Thermodynamics class and in my Environmental class. The results of the end-of-semester survey are mixed; half of the students taking the survey really like it; half of them did not care about it. I will discuss the results with other colleagues to fine-tuning my teaching technique in the future. On the side note, I read several books written by the Vietnamese Monk, Thick Nahn Hahn. As a result, I also learn about 'mindfulness' on my own.
The Prince-- by Machiavelli
I am very blessed having a brother, Dr. Ting-Kai Chen, my mentor and my guide through out my life. Dr. Chen made a presentation on The Prince and sent me a DVD. As a result, my intellectual horizon is expanded. Personally, I feel that what The Prince preached are dangerous, but unfortunately had been exploited by ruthless politicians and corporate C.E.O. through centuries. It is important for us to be aware of the traps and tricks that we have all experienced in our life by those who are machiavellians.
The China Studies and Dr. Pearson's Presentations
Dr. Collin Campbell's book, "The China Studies" on nutrition is monumental to my life. This book is highly recommended by UW-Green Bay nutrition faculty. The book advises against animal products consumption because animal products serve both an initiator and a promotor of cancers. The mice studies were very convincing. In Google search, you can always find many Nay Sayers attacking his statistical methods for human studies; but none of them can repute his repeated mice study. The take is to stay away from animal product consumption if we want to live a longer and a healthier life.
Dr. Pearson (a UW-Green Bay nutrition professor) presentations advises avoiding all processed foods as they all contains HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) as they are the culprits for producing high uric acid, and triglyceride that triggers insulin resistance, the source of all chronicle problems.
State of Health
Comparing to 2009 when I just came back from Taiwan sabbatical, my health has been greatly improved. This improvement comes largely from my self-discipline in taking care of myself. Thank God, I have such a gifted trait. This is the second year I am antibiotic resistant H pylori free. Yearly endoscope examination is changed to every 2 years ( a sign of health improvement). Am I completely free of hidden disease? Absolutely not. I still have chronicle gastritis, and precancerous interstitial metaplasia in my stomach. I am continuously searching for the cure not from orthodox doctors, but from health knowledge through readings. I believe that all chronic diseases are caused by imbalance of life- body, mental, social, and spiritual. A balance life style is the root of healing.
Other health improvement includes largely recovery of the herniated disk that I had suffered last year; no single cold even I did not take the flue vaccine this year, and less allergy problems comparing with the situation last year. The back pain recovery is amazing. I did not go through surgery; but diligent physical therapy exercises. By eating right, and sleep right, we all can keep cold or flue at bay.
Everyday, I will find opportunity to walk and to swim. In the winter time, I add snowshoeing to my routine. Last month, I added resistance exercise and yoga exercise. Every morning, I try to meditate for 20 minutes; every night, before going to bed, I say gratitude to what I have. I am not super-healthy: my LDL was 105, few points higher. Blood pressure is in the borderline between normal and pre-hypertensive. Thank God, my fast sugar level is now below 100. Few years ago, my fast sugar used to be at the borderline of pre-diabetics.
Arts, Music, and Story-Telling
I do not have any talent in drawing or painting. I remember, when I was a freshman at Tsing Hua university, trying to become a nuclear engineer, I was flunked out the engineering drawing class. I was unable to visualize a profile and draw the profile when a plane is cutting through a cone. But, again, my best gift is that I work hard, and persistent. I continuously draw whenever I have time. This year, the (painting) group hired a teacher, Charlie, who had given me important pointers in creating arts. One of the most important pointers is that a good painting must have a good flow in the work; similar to the good writing which must have a good flow. To sketch a human profile, one must dissect the profile into several portions and complete the portion in sequence. This year, I had created several art pieces that I fell very proud of. Two of the art piece are display here:
Although I had played recorders many years, this year, I feel that I did not make any progress at all, even I had attended Yearly Whitewater Recorder workshop and participate in biweekly rehearsal practice. Lack of time to practice is one reason; the other reason is due to my poor eye sights. This December, I will have an eye doctor appointment. Hopefully, through new glass prescription, and eye exercise, and through determination, I can have more time to practice playing recorder next year.
I enjoy story-telling. Reading Monk Thich Nahn Hahn's work gives me an inspiration to come up with a creation story from Vietnamese folk lore. I am very proud that I was invited to tell this story in the story-telling concert during the Wisconsin Story-teller gathering in the fall. During the event, I was able to meet best Wisconsin story tellers such as Debra Wildflower, Jean Andrew, and Terry Visger. A photo of such gathering is attached here.
I was one of the story-teller performer at 2014 Wisget Story-Telling concert in New London, WI
Folk dancing
I picked up folk dancing from a friend, Barbara Westhohan. Since then, I love it. I like the Eastern European music and the complex form of the dance. This year, I have attended 3 dance workshops which included Fox Valley Folk Dancer's workshop in April, Door County Folk Dance Festival in July, and Oconowoc Folk Dance workshop. Our dance group gracefully allowed me teach several dances that I learned from the workshops. This includes: La Lyonnaise (a French mixer dance), Kolo Zita (a Croatia dance), and Idam Ne Idam ( a Bulgaria dance). I enjoy both dancing and teaching dance. Yet, often, my busy school schedule get into the way for me to study more about the dance. I do not know whether the situation will change in 2015,
Shows and movies
Unlike Meeilei who volunteers at PAC and have many opportunities to see the show many times a year, this year, I saw 2 shows performed at PAC (Performing Art Center). The first was Sister Act, a comedy musical. This was my Christmas present from my wife. Thank you Meeilei. This musical centers a pop singer who took refuge in a chapel and disguised as a nun to escape gangs who wanted to kill her because she had witness a murder committed by the gang. This pop singer turned a dull choir into a lively choir; a lovely, funny musical. The second PAC show was the nutcracker. This again was a lottery prize from Meeilei's volunteer appreciation banquet. I always love to watch nutcracker; it is imaginative and artistic. I would not get tired watching the show.
Two high school musicals were also very entertaining: one was Shrek by Appleton North High School, and the other, Adam's Family by Appleton East High School. Both shows were well-done; considering the efforts of teachers, students, and volunteers.
One hundred foot journey was a well done movie; although the movie is all about cooking, it is funny, romantic and has a good message.
Family Fun
In early June, my son, Victor, asked us to take care of Morgan because he and his wife was celebrating 10 years wedding anniversary. Victor and Jill went to Organ for a hiking trip, while Morgan stayed with us. This turns out a great joy for us. We took her to a water park, where she found a water slide she could handle. She literally sled hundred times on that slide. Then, we took her to a children museum where she pretended to be a fireman. At home, we had a marching band in our living room and a story time when A-Ma read stories to Morgan. There was a Father's Day celebration of the church at the butterfly garden; Morgan and I had a 3-leg walk-race. When Victor and Jill came home to pick Morgan up, Morgan said to her parent that they can have another vacation, because she had wonderful time with the grandparents.
Ama taught Morgan how to putt a golf ball in the Father's Day celebration at a church outdoor service.
Ama and Morgan are buddy-buddy.
Chen Family Annual Reunion and Get together occurred in late July when Leo and his family, and Victor and his family visited home together. Two granddaughters loved to play monster game with me; and two granddaughters played doctor and patient each other (Kaitlyn always be the doctor, and Morgan always the patient). At the playground, I witnessed a great athletic talent from Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn did an excellent job at the balance beam. Both granddaughters were very focused in taking the tennis lesson. At the pool, Morgan really showed off because she already have one year swimming lesson. Our reunion concluded at the Milwaukee State Fair.
Ama and Morgan are buddy-buddy.
Trip
Unlike Meeilei who took many long trips in a year, I manage to have one memorable trip with Meeilei and her brothers and sisters to Cancun, Mexico at the end of my busy fall semester. Cancun is my favor vacation spot; it is warm and near the ocean with perfect beach. It does not change the time zone. I had great conversation with Meeilei's siblings; on top of that, I learned about Mexico's history; the story about an eagle devouring a snake (Mexico's national symbol) and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In 1325, 200 years before the Spaniard's Conquest, Aztec listened to their god's message to search an island in Lake Texcoco where an eagle was devouring a snake. From that island, god promised them to build the Mexican nation.
In 1510, the Spaniards used the sighting of 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' to convert Aztec into catholics. In 1810, the Mexicans used 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' to rebel against the Spaniards.
Looking into 2015
I will be 69 years old in 2015; although there will be more wearing and tearing as I aged, I also will become more knowledgeable about taking care of myself, giving advise and offering helping hands to family members and friends, mentoring students, finding more time with my family, continuing to be productive as a faculty member, enjoying life through music, art, dance and story-telling. Life is a gift; as long as I am still alive, I thank God to give me days to live, to contribute, and to celebrate life.
Monday, November 17, 2014
The Chinese Bamboo Tree--The Patience Pays Off
A farmer planted some Chinese bamboo seeds. For one whole year, he watered them and fertilized them.
Nothing happened.
The farmer’s wife said, “Why don’t you plant something else and stop wasting your time with this nonsense?”
The farmer just smiled at her and said, “Just wait.”
The next year, the farmer faithfully watered and fertilized the seeds.
Nothing happened.
His wife became very exasperated with him and insisted he plant onions or some crop that would bring them some quick cash.
The farmer just smiled and said, “Just wait.”
The third year came and went with the farmer patiently watering and fertilizing the bamboo seeds. By this time, his wife was quite upset and in her frustration, went and planted her own garden.
The fourth year came and went. By this time, the wife thought her husband was completely crazy. After all, HER garden had earned them a good living!
The fifth year came. Still, the farmer steadfastly refused to plant anything else. He patiently watered and fertilized his bamboo seeds.
Suddenly, during the fifth year, the bamboo sprouted. The Chinese bamboo tree seed lies dormant for five years before sprouting.
It grew ninety feet in just six weeks, and quickly overtook the whole garden!
The farmer harvested the bamboo and made a huge profit.
========
It can be very discouraging when it appears we’re doing everything right and nothing is happening. But if you keep on going, things WILL happen and you’ll start seeing the rewards of your efforts.
If you want great results 5 years from now, plant those seeds now. Water them with positive thoughts and fertilize them with loving feelings.
Every day, and I do mean every day, think about what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Even if you can’t quite fill in the details yet, if you just spend 5 or 10 minutes daydreaming about your life, your mind will create a mental image that becomes richer and more detailed every time. This will bring some incredible solutions to your awareness and if you act on that information, you’ll make great progress.
Even if it seems like progress is nonexistent, keep going. Keep your mind’s eye focused on the goal. Patience and persistence will yield great rewards!
And when it comes to the changes within you that come from meditation… there’s a lot going on under the surface that you may not be aware of at all, and you may be tempted to think that meditation is not working. It is! The seed has to be ready to sprout, and the timing cannot be rushed. When meditation has done its work by nurturing you, then your own amazing potential will sprout!
Nothing happened.
The farmer’s wife said, “Why don’t you plant something else and stop wasting your time with this nonsense?”
The farmer just smiled at her and said, “Just wait.”
The next year, the farmer faithfully watered and fertilized the seeds.
Nothing happened.
His wife became very exasperated with him and insisted he plant onions or some crop that would bring them some quick cash.
The farmer just smiled and said, “Just wait.”
The third year came and went with the farmer patiently watering and fertilizing the bamboo seeds. By this time, his wife was quite upset and in her frustration, went and planted her own garden.
The fourth year came and went. By this time, the wife thought her husband was completely crazy. After all, HER garden had earned them a good living!
The fifth year came. Still, the farmer steadfastly refused to plant anything else. He patiently watered and fertilized his bamboo seeds.
Suddenly, during the fifth year, the bamboo sprouted. The Chinese bamboo tree seed lies dormant for five years before sprouting.
It grew ninety feet in just six weeks, and quickly overtook the whole garden!
The farmer harvested the bamboo and made a huge profit.
========
It can be very discouraging when it appears we’re doing everything right and nothing is happening. But if you keep on going, things WILL happen and you’ll start seeing the rewards of your efforts.
If you want great results 5 years from now, plant those seeds now. Water them with positive thoughts and fertilize them with loving feelings.
Every day, and I do mean every day, think about what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Even if you can’t quite fill in the details yet, if you just spend 5 or 10 minutes daydreaming about your life, your mind will create a mental image that becomes richer and more detailed every time. This will bring some incredible solutions to your awareness and if you act on that information, you’ll make great progress.
Even if it seems like progress is nonexistent, keep going. Keep your mind’s eye focused on the goal. Patience and persistence will yield great rewards!
And when it comes to the changes within you that come from meditation… there’s a lot going on under the surface that you may not be aware of at all, and you may be tempted to think that meditation is not working. It is! The seed has to be ready to sprout, and the timing cannot be rushed. When meditation has done its work by nurturing you, then your own amazing potential will sprout!
Friday, September 5, 2014
Machiavelli, Villian or hero? Part II
When I was at Princeton University in 1971, I had lunch conversation with a political major student. She said that 'politics' as well as 'political major' bear the baggage of 'bad reputation'. The more the history 'verifies' the prediction of The Prince , the worse the reputation for 'politics' and 'political science'. Politics in history has been considered as heartless, ruthless, cunning and dirty; no individual with dignity would like to be involved in politics.
The fact that Machiavelli was regarded as the father of the political science does not help improve images of politics and political science.
Does politics and political science has to be the way Machiavelli described, ruthless, cruelty, etc.?
How much trust we shall give historians or scholars who had elevated Machiavelli to the status of 'Father of the Political Science'. ? Can't we be so sure that historians and scholars are non-biased?
Growing up in Taiwan, I know first-hand that history can be so biased to favor the oppressor side. Chiang Kai-Sheik and his Chinese troops colonized Taiwan in 1945. The history I read was all about the glory of Chinese territory expansion; not a single word mentioning how many Tibetan and Muslim minority were killed in Tibet and in Xing-Jiang (新疆).
It needs to be recognized that history was written by people with social privilege and status and has never been written by the under-privilege populace. Those socially-biased 'historians' can always find justifications for the over-advantageous individual, can honor their hero such Machiavelli as the 'father' of political science, and can defend Machiavelli's statue by citing numerous examples including Hitler (1989-1945) Stalin ( 1878-1953) Mao Zedong (1893-1976) and Chiang Kai-Sheik (1887-1975) as these leaders all fit into the descriptions of The Prince.
One can say that if politics is for exploitation of a few against a populace, then political leaders can be ruthless against their opponent, can be deceitful to the populace, and can justify the means with their final goal of exploitation. The results of such exploitation were the misery of populace, stories of such misery were captured in numerous famous literature, including Victor Huggo's 'Les Miserables'.
Great political leaders do not have to be characters portrayed by Machiavelli. Abraham Lincoln was a typical example. Not only Lincoln had political skills to lead America in such a turmoil time, his personal and political moral or ethics are consistent, not what Machiavelli had preached that political and personal ethics are separate entity.
Machiavelli said that the prince must have troops to carry out his policy. That is true for colonial powers and for authoritarians. However, this is not true for spiritual political leaders such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) and Martin Luther King (1929-1968) Jr. Both of them changed the history. None of this two spiritual political leaders have troops to back them up. To be continued.
The fact that Machiavelli was regarded as the father of the political science does not help improve images of politics and political science.
Does politics and political science has to be the way Machiavelli described, ruthless, cruelty, etc.?
How much trust we shall give historians or scholars who had elevated Machiavelli to the status of 'Father of the Political Science'. ? Can't we be so sure that historians and scholars are non-biased?
Growing up in Taiwan, I know first-hand that history can be so biased to favor the oppressor side. Chiang Kai-Sheik and his Chinese troops colonized Taiwan in 1945. The history I read was all about the glory of Chinese territory expansion; not a single word mentioning how many Tibetan and Muslim minority were killed in Tibet and in Xing-Jiang (新疆).
It needs to be recognized that history was written by people with social privilege and status and has never been written by the under-privilege populace. Those socially-biased 'historians' can always find justifications for the over-advantageous individual, can honor their hero such Machiavelli as the 'father' of political science, and can defend Machiavelli's statue by citing numerous examples including Hitler (1989-1945) Stalin ( 1878-1953) Mao Zedong (1893-1976) and Chiang Kai-Sheik (1887-1975) as these leaders all fit into the descriptions of The Prince.
One can say that if politics is for exploitation of a few against a populace, then political leaders can be ruthless against their opponent, can be deceitful to the populace, and can justify the means with their final goal of exploitation. The results of such exploitation were the misery of populace, stories of such misery were captured in numerous famous literature, including Victor Huggo's 'Les Miserables'.
Great political leaders do not have to be characters portrayed by Machiavelli. Abraham Lincoln was a typical example. Not only Lincoln had political skills to lead America in such a turmoil time, his personal and political moral or ethics are consistent, not what Machiavelli had preached that political and personal ethics are separate entity.
Machiavelli said that the prince must have troops to carry out his policy. That is true for colonial powers and for authoritarians. However, this is not true for spiritual political leaders such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) and Martin Luther King (1929-1968) Jr. Both of them changed the history. None of this two spiritual political leaders have troops to back them up. To be continued.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Machiavelli, villain or hero? -Part 1
Machiavellian, according to the dictionary, is being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a ruler is described. Yet, the writer of The Prince, was a historian, a writer, an independent thinker, and was considered to be the father of the political science. When he died in 1527, he was buried with honor at the Santa Croce Chapel (Florence) along side with Brunelleschi (the architect who built the dome), Michelangelo (the artist who sculpted David), Botticelli (the artist who painted the birth of Venus), Galileo (the astronomer who said the earth moved around the sun, not the other way around), and Dante (who wrote The Divine Comedy).
Machiavelli was born in Florence in 1469. In 1478 when Machiavelli was 9 years old, he witnessed the political violence, or the so-called Pazzi Conspiracy in which one of the de Medici brothers was killed while the other escaped the assassination attempt. He served as Sodeeini's Secretary (equivalent to today's Secretary of State) from 1498 to 1512. When de Medici regained power in 1512, he was tortured by de Medici. After Machiavelli survived the torture, he wrote the (either famous or notorious) book, "The Prince" in 1513.
The book, The Prince , was dedicated to the magnificent Lorenzo de Medici, to whom Machiavelli considered as a hero even he was tortured by Lorenzo de Medici in 1512.
The Pazzi Conspiracy was an assassination attempt on the de Medici family by the Pazzi family (political rival) who had allied with the Pope in 1478; the time when Machiavelli was only 9 years old. During the attack, Giordano de Medici sought asylum in a church unaware of the alliance between the church and the Pazzi. He was found and was executed at the church. Lorento de Medici, on the other hand, used a different tactics to escape the assassination. He took off his official robe, and disguised as an ordinary peasant, disappeared in a crowd. After he survived the assassination and returned to take revenge on the Pazzi family, the cruelty the Lorento took on his former enemy was far beyond anyone could have imagined. Lorento took no prisoner on his former enemy, not even small children or baby. Machiavelli took notes on this cruelty as part of the traits of 'The Prince'. " Men ought to be indulged or utterly destroyed for if you merely offend them, they take vengeance. But if you injured them greatly, they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance not to be feared." said Machivalli in his book, The Prince. In other words, cruelty was sanctioned by Machiavelli as the golden principle of the government. Machiavelli adored Lorento de Medici, for Lorento was cunning as a fox, and fiercely forceful and as a lion. According to The Prince, these are the traits a political leader must have. 'A political leader, if he cannot be loved and feared at the same time, the leader must be feared.' However, being feared is different from being hated. A leader must not steal property from populace, must not do violence against women. There is no need for generosity as the leader. 'It is too costly of being generous; besides, at the end, the leader must raise taxes to meet his financial need; to which people would hate.' There is no need for a political leader to keep promise, but he must appear to be honest. 'The Prince is never lack of legislative reasons to break his words.' The 'end' justifies the 'means'. Political expediency that includes deceitful tactics will always work because the populace that you govern are forgetful and complacent; they would end up support you if you satisfy their immediate needs. In this discourse, Machiavelli differed from Aristotle (384-322 BC) and Cicero (106-43). In Aristotle's view, politics is something 'ought to be', while in Machiavelli's view, politics is 'what is'. In Cicero's view, 'public and private moral (ethics) are the same', while in Machiavelli's view, politics has no relation to moral (ethics). --To be continued.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Maki
With the Internet inundating with health information, it is very hard to tell which one is correct; which one is not. For incorrect information, we not only wasted our money, we might set ourselves in a dangerous path. The following story may be an exaggeration; however, most of us are eagerly sold by the snake oil salesman. Enjoy the story:
Once upon a time, there lived a poor family, with a peasant, and his wife, and his son, Maki. No matter how hard they worked on the field, they could never get rid of debt they had with their landlord. In fact, their debt grew every year, until when they would pawn everything they owned; and nothing left for themselves. Their landlord was heartless, and non-merciful. The landlord visited them often, and if he found out the peasant cannot pay the rent, the landlord would took away a bag of rice. That night, the whole family would go to sleep, hungry.
Such harsh living conditions killed both the spirit and the body fresh. In fact, within 5 years, Maki's dad and mom died. Maki had finally grew up, he vowed that he would refuse to live under such a miserable condition. "Things have to be changed." he said.
The harvest time finally came. It was corn this year. Maki divided his corn into 2 piles. One pile, he sold for 2 foxes. The other pile, he sold for a dozen of chickens.
Of the 2 foxes, he hid one in the ceiling; the other, he put a leash on the fox's neck. Everyday, he would walk with his fox in the village. Such a strange behavior, of course, attracted attention.
One day, the landlord stopped Maki and asked MaKi why he walked with fox everyday.
"Now, you are asking me to reveal my deepest secret to you. This fox is actually trained to 'steal chickens'. With this fox besides me, I am no longer worry about being hungry. "
Maki strode the fox's head, then released the leash.
"Go to get some chickens for me". Maki commanded to the fox.
Then Maki turned to the landlord.
"Come to my house, and see the chicken yourself."
The landlord visited Maki's hut. Surely, he saw a dozen of chickens in Maki's hut. Maki even invited the landlord for the chicken dinner. Over the dinner table, the landlord offered to buy the fox for 200 silvers.
"Oh, no, no. I won't sell the fox to anyone. However, if you insists, I would sell you for 400 silvers."
" You are such a hard bargainer. All right, I will buy the fox for 400 silvers". The landlord said.
Maki gave the landlord the fox he hid on the ceiling.
When the landlord took the fox home, he strode on the fox's head , released the fox and commanded the fox to steal chickens for the landlord. The landlord's wife sneered at him.
As soon as the fox was released, the fox dashed into the wood and disappeared. Meanwhile, the landlord was waiting for the fox to bring back chickens; the days turned week and weeks turned months. The fox never came back.
"Maki fooled me. He should be punish." The landlord was very, very angry.
The landlord's 'son-in-law' was a sheriff. The sheriff spent no time in arresting Maki, stripping him all clothes except the underwear. He tied him to a 'milestone' which is nothing but like a post secured to a very heavy weight. The sheriff and the landlord wanted Maki frozen to death in the bitterly cold winter night.
While he was tied to the 'milestone', Maki worked out pretty hard trying to lift up the milestone with both leg and back muscles. Instead of being frozen to death, Maki was actually perspiring. So, when the landlord and the sheriff saw that, there were shocked and puzzled.
"Nothing to be shocked, for I have a secret treasure. Look at this undershirt, this is no common shirt. The shirt makes me cool during the hot summer day and makes me warm during the cold winter night such as last night." said, Maki.
" Oh, let me have it. I will set you free plus 400 silvers". said the landlord.
"The shirt is not for sale for less than 600 silvers", said Maki.
"Oh, you are such a hard bargainer". complained the landlord.
The landlord set Maki free, giving Maki 600 silvers for Maki's undershirt. That night, he put on Maki's undershirt walking in the village with bitterly cold wind. Even less than 5 minutes, he was shivering while his wife and the people in the village sneered at him.
"That bastard. This time, I will certainly kill you." the landlord said.
Next morning, the sheriff arrested Maki. The sheriff tied Maki up, covering Maki with a big gunny sack, then tied the bag to a tree just overhanging a sea. The plan was to cut the tree branch, so that Maki with the sack would drop into the sea; Maki would certainly die of drowning. It was about lunch time. The sheriff told the landlord that he would 'finish' Maki after lunch.
Meanwhile over the lunch break, the landlord's father-in-law came to visit. Inside the gunny sack, Maki could see an old fellow with severe hunchback came, while no one outside could see Maki inside.
" I am just having the cure for my hunchback inside the sack. It does really work.", said Maki.
" Oh, really? I am just searching for a cure for my hunchback. Can I try your cure?" said the old fellow.
" I am not really sure about that. You know, I paid 100 silvers per hour for this cure", said Maki.
"I will pay you 300 silvers for the sack." beg the old fellow.
"All right, but hurry before I change my mind." said Maki.
The old fellow untied Maki, and released Maki from the sack. Maki tied the old fellow up; covering the old fellow with the sack, and tied the sack over to a branch over the sea.
Now, the lunch-break was over; the sheriff and the landlord came back to cut the branch and to send the sack with its victim to the sea. The old fellow cried out, "Don't do it, for I am your father-in-law". But the old fellow was so feeble that his voice was hardly heard.
The sheriff and the landlord cut the branch sending the sack with his father-in-law into the sea.
"That bastard is finally finished", said the landlord in satisfaction.
A month later, when the landlord saw Maki tending a dozen of geese, the landlord was shocked.
"Aren't you dead? Who are you?". asked the landlord
"Hi, Mr. Landlord. I did tumbled into the sea, where I saw the Dragon King. He liked me very much that he gave me many treasure, and married me to a beautiful mermaid. He wanted me to succeed his throne. But I love the Earth and the village very much that I ask for his permission to live on the Earth. The Dragon King reluctantly agreed. Here, I am." answered Maki.
Green with envy, the landlord said,
" Could you bring me to the dragon king? I will give you 1000 silvers."
" 1000 silvers? You must be joking? The dragon king wanted me to succeed his throne; I declined. Why do I need your 1000 silvers?" , said Maki.
"Sorry, I mis-spoke. But, is it possible for you to bring me to see the Dragon King?", asked the landlord.
Maki thought a while then said,
"All right, but you must keep the whole thing secret."
"Absolutely." said the landlord.
" Prepare me a wooden barrel and an iron block; set yourself with an earth-ware vat." said Maki.
By the time when the landlord got all the barrel, earth-ware vat, and iron bar ready, both Maki and the landlord set to the sea. After a while when they both were in the middle of the sea, the landlord grew impatient.
"When shall we knock the door of the sea palace?" asked the landlord.
"Now, we can do it."
" Your majesty, Dragon king. This is Your honest and righteous Maki. Please open the door of the sea palace for us." shouted Maki 3 times.
Then Maki knocked on his barrel 3 times; and used full strength knocked on the earth-ware vat. The vat shattered into pieces, and the landlord sank to the bottom of the sea.
Once upon a time, there lived a poor family, with a peasant, and his wife, and his son, Maki. No matter how hard they worked on the field, they could never get rid of debt they had with their landlord. In fact, their debt grew every year, until when they would pawn everything they owned; and nothing left for themselves. Their landlord was heartless, and non-merciful. The landlord visited them often, and if he found out the peasant cannot pay the rent, the landlord would took away a bag of rice. That night, the whole family would go to sleep, hungry.
Such harsh living conditions killed both the spirit and the body fresh. In fact, within 5 years, Maki's dad and mom died. Maki had finally grew up, he vowed that he would refuse to live under such a miserable condition. "Things have to be changed." he said.
The harvest time finally came. It was corn this year. Maki divided his corn into 2 piles. One pile, he sold for 2 foxes. The other pile, he sold for a dozen of chickens.
Of the 2 foxes, he hid one in the ceiling; the other, he put a leash on the fox's neck. Everyday, he would walk with his fox in the village. Such a strange behavior, of course, attracted attention.
One day, the landlord stopped Maki and asked MaKi why he walked with fox everyday.
"Now, you are asking me to reveal my deepest secret to you. This fox is actually trained to 'steal chickens'. With this fox besides me, I am no longer worry about being hungry. "
Maki strode the fox's head, then released the leash.
"Go to get some chickens for me". Maki commanded to the fox.
Then Maki turned to the landlord.
"Come to my house, and see the chicken yourself."
The landlord visited Maki's hut. Surely, he saw a dozen of chickens in Maki's hut. Maki even invited the landlord for the chicken dinner. Over the dinner table, the landlord offered to buy the fox for 200 silvers.
"Oh, no, no. I won't sell the fox to anyone. However, if you insists, I would sell you for 400 silvers."
" You are such a hard bargainer. All right, I will buy the fox for 400 silvers". The landlord said.
Maki gave the landlord the fox he hid on the ceiling.
When the landlord took the fox home, he strode on the fox's head , released the fox and commanded the fox to steal chickens for the landlord. The landlord's wife sneered at him.
As soon as the fox was released, the fox dashed into the wood and disappeared. Meanwhile, the landlord was waiting for the fox to bring back chickens; the days turned week and weeks turned months. The fox never came back.
"Maki fooled me. He should be punish." The landlord was very, very angry.
The landlord's 'son-in-law' was a sheriff. The sheriff spent no time in arresting Maki, stripping him all clothes except the underwear. He tied him to a 'milestone' which is nothing but like a post secured to a very heavy weight. The sheriff and the landlord wanted Maki frozen to death in the bitterly cold winter night.
While he was tied to the 'milestone', Maki worked out pretty hard trying to lift up the milestone with both leg and back muscles. Instead of being frozen to death, Maki was actually perspiring. So, when the landlord and the sheriff saw that, there were shocked and puzzled.
"Nothing to be shocked, for I have a secret treasure. Look at this undershirt, this is no common shirt. The shirt makes me cool during the hot summer day and makes me warm during the cold winter night such as last night." said, Maki.
" Oh, let me have it. I will set you free plus 400 silvers". said the landlord.
"The shirt is not for sale for less than 600 silvers", said Maki.
"Oh, you are such a hard bargainer". complained the landlord.
The landlord set Maki free, giving Maki 600 silvers for Maki's undershirt. That night, he put on Maki's undershirt walking in the village with bitterly cold wind. Even less than 5 minutes, he was shivering while his wife and the people in the village sneered at him.
"That bastard. This time, I will certainly kill you." the landlord said.
Next morning, the sheriff arrested Maki. The sheriff tied Maki up, covering Maki with a big gunny sack, then tied the bag to a tree just overhanging a sea. The plan was to cut the tree branch, so that Maki with the sack would drop into the sea; Maki would certainly die of drowning. It was about lunch time. The sheriff told the landlord that he would 'finish' Maki after lunch.
Meanwhile over the lunch break, the landlord's father-in-law came to visit. Inside the gunny sack, Maki could see an old fellow with severe hunchback came, while no one outside could see Maki inside.
" I am just having the cure for my hunchback inside the sack. It does really work.", said Maki.
" Oh, really? I am just searching for a cure for my hunchback. Can I try your cure?" said the old fellow.
" I am not really sure about that. You know, I paid 100 silvers per hour for this cure", said Maki.
"I will pay you 300 silvers for the sack." beg the old fellow.
"All right, but hurry before I change my mind." said Maki.
The old fellow untied Maki, and released Maki from the sack. Maki tied the old fellow up; covering the old fellow with the sack, and tied the sack over to a branch over the sea.
Now, the lunch-break was over; the sheriff and the landlord came back to cut the branch and to send the sack with its victim to the sea. The old fellow cried out, "Don't do it, for I am your father-in-law". But the old fellow was so feeble that his voice was hardly heard.
The sheriff and the landlord cut the branch sending the sack with his father-in-law into the sea.
"That bastard is finally finished", said the landlord in satisfaction.
A month later, when the landlord saw Maki tending a dozen of geese, the landlord was shocked.
"Aren't you dead? Who are you?". asked the landlord
"Hi, Mr. Landlord. I did tumbled into the sea, where I saw the Dragon King. He liked me very much that he gave me many treasure, and married me to a beautiful mermaid. He wanted me to succeed his throne. But I love the Earth and the village very much that I ask for his permission to live on the Earth. The Dragon King reluctantly agreed. Here, I am." answered Maki.
Green with envy, the landlord said,
" Could you bring me to the dragon king? I will give you 1000 silvers."
" 1000 silvers? You must be joking? The dragon king wanted me to succeed his throne; I declined. Why do I need your 1000 silvers?" , said Maki.
"Sorry, I mis-spoke. But, is it possible for you to bring me to see the Dragon King?", asked the landlord.
Maki thought a while then said,
"All right, but you must keep the whole thing secret."
"Absolutely." said the landlord.
" Prepare me a wooden barrel and an iron block; set yourself with an earth-ware vat." said Maki.
By the time when the landlord got all the barrel, earth-ware vat, and iron bar ready, both Maki and the landlord set to the sea. After a while when they both were in the middle of the sea, the landlord grew impatient.
"When shall we knock the door of the sea palace?" asked the landlord.
"Now, we can do it."
" Your majesty, Dragon king. This is Your honest and righteous Maki. Please open the door of the sea palace for us." shouted Maki 3 times.
Then Maki knocked on his barrel 3 times; and used full strength knocked on the earth-ware vat. The vat shattered into pieces, and the landlord sank to the bottom of the sea.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Dragon Prince--Vietnamese Creation Story
Here is the Vietnamese Creation Story, first told by Thich Nhat Hanh. I made small modification at the end. Enjoy the story.
Long ago, when the earth was dark and cold, a great bird sat on this earth for million of years without stirring. At last she laid two eggs: one red, the other ivory. The great bird flew away and disappeared into the dark space.
The red egg clapped, came with a crow carrying brilliant and dazzling light. The broken shells burst into fiery fire that burnt continuously for 7 months, melting the rocks of mountains into sands and creating patches of deserts on the earth.
The ivory egg began to radiate a soft and gentle light. When it was cracked open, came with graceful swan.
Both the crow and the wild swan flew away into the space on their own courses. Yet, they would fly around the earth periodically. When the crow came to the earth, it is hot, and dazzling bright. When it is swan's turn, it would be gentle and soft. The earth is no longer dark, cold and colorless. The earth has all shades of color. The air is filled with pleasant aroma.
The goddess, specifically the goddess A-Bee (阿美) at the 7th heaven took a note of this pleasant change of the earth. A-Bee told her sisters that the earth has changed to the better that it worth for them to explore the new earth. 4 goddesses including A-Bee transform themselves into 4 white swans and flew from the 7th heaven onto earth.
When the first bird touched the ground, she fold her wings and transformed into goddess. Other birds followed the same. How soft and beautiful the earth was. They laughed, sang, and danced along the purple slopes of a mountain. After a while, A-Bee broke away from other goddesses and knelt down on the ground, scooped up a handful of sand, smelled it. How delightful it was. She then put some of the sands into her mouth. The other goddess saw this; they came quickly and said loudly, "Do not eat them", they helped A-Bee spit out the sand; for if A-Bee swallowed the earthly sand, she would lose all her magic power and became as mortal as a human fresh.
It was almost time for them to fly back to the 7th heaven, because the fiery crow had almost finished his visit to the earth and it is about the time for the gentle and soft wild swan to come to the earth.
As goddesses transformed back to white swan and flew back to the 7th heaven, A-Bee fell behind and finally lost her power to fly because she had swallowed earthly sand. A-Bee was no longer a goddess, she would never be back to the 7th heaven.
A-Bee was so sad that she cried. She continued to cry for 7 years. Her tears came out of her eyes became water flew into rivers, lakes and finally the oceans. Everywhere, the water of her tears went, the meadow, shrub, trees and all animals thrive. Of course, fish in the river, lakes, and ocean were also thrived while they were nourished with her tear water. One of the fish, after swimming far from the other end of the ocean, jumped onto the shore and transformed into a handsome young man with a broad shoulder, bright eyes and strong, straight body. This young man was actually a prince at the 6th heaven, sent by his father, the dragon king to find out what was going on with the earth. This young man (we now called him the dragon prince) followed the river flow upward and finally reached a mountain where the goddess, A-Bee was weeping. The dragon prince spoke:
Sun shinning brightly
Sky and sea both blue
Butterflies flutter
By a river so new
Where have you come from?
Why do you weep alone?
Surprised by the prince's voice, she stopped crying and looked up. She looked straight into his eyes and answered:
Bright golden crow
Fragrant new earth
As white swan birds
We flew below
A taste of new earth
No longer can I fly
My sisters departed
I wait alone and cry.
Lost in a strange land
My tears become a river.
Both the prince and A-Bee began to have hearty conversation. In fact, they have already fell in love of one another. They talked for a long time. Suddenly, the prince noticed that something went wrong. Because A-Bee was no longer crying, the river began to dry up. The meadow turned yellowish, and the animal were dying.
The prince said to A-Bee, "I need to do something to save the plant, the animal, without you continuously crying to nourish the earth. I would fly to the crow and the wild bird to ask for their help to vaporize the water into the sky, and turned the water into cloud and rain. After that, I will be back to see you."
The prince talked to the fiery crom, asking him to stay above the ocean a bit longer. The heat from the crow would then vaporize water in the ocean to the sky. As soon as this happened, the prince asked the crow to leave and the wild swan to come. With the cool air, it condenses the vapor into cloud. On further cooling, the cloud turned to rain. For the first time, the earth had water, replenish itself through vaporization, cloud, and rain.
While the prince was busy working with the crow and the wild swan, the dragon king sent a messenger to warn the prince not to marry A-Bee who was no longer a goddess. The dragon king said that if the prince married A-Bee, he could not come back to the 6 th heaven, and would lose his immortality.
Well, it was too late. The prince had already made up his mind, and the goddess, A-Bee loved the prince. They loved each other, and they loved the earth. This love worth more than the immortality.
As the story goes, the prince and the goddess were happily married. Since they were no longer immortal, they died after many years of happy life together. Today, we now inherited such a beautiful earth with nurturing water, lush meadow, grass, and trees, and all sort of animals. What shall we do with such bounty inheritance?
Long ago, when the earth was dark and cold, a great bird sat on this earth for million of years without stirring. At last she laid two eggs: one red, the other ivory. The great bird flew away and disappeared into the dark space.
The red egg clapped, came with a crow carrying brilliant and dazzling light. The broken shells burst into fiery fire that burnt continuously for 7 months, melting the rocks of mountains into sands and creating patches of deserts on the earth.
The ivory egg began to radiate a soft and gentle light. When it was cracked open, came with graceful swan.
Both the crow and the wild swan flew away into the space on their own courses. Yet, they would fly around the earth periodically. When the crow came to the earth, it is hot, and dazzling bright. When it is swan's turn, it would be gentle and soft. The earth is no longer dark, cold and colorless. The earth has all shades of color. The air is filled with pleasant aroma.
The goddess, specifically the goddess A-Bee (阿美) at the 7th heaven took a note of this pleasant change of the earth. A-Bee told her sisters that the earth has changed to the better that it worth for them to explore the new earth. 4 goddesses including A-Bee transform themselves into 4 white swans and flew from the 7th heaven onto earth.
When the first bird touched the ground, she fold her wings and transformed into goddess. Other birds followed the same. How soft and beautiful the earth was. They laughed, sang, and danced along the purple slopes of a mountain. After a while, A-Bee broke away from other goddesses and knelt down on the ground, scooped up a handful of sand, smelled it. How delightful it was. She then put some of the sands into her mouth. The other goddess saw this; they came quickly and said loudly, "Do not eat them", they helped A-Bee spit out the sand; for if A-Bee swallowed the earthly sand, she would lose all her magic power and became as mortal as a human fresh.
It was almost time for them to fly back to the 7th heaven, because the fiery crow had almost finished his visit to the earth and it is about the time for the gentle and soft wild swan to come to the earth.
As goddesses transformed back to white swan and flew back to the 7th heaven, A-Bee fell behind and finally lost her power to fly because she had swallowed earthly sand. A-Bee was no longer a goddess, she would never be back to the 7th heaven.
A-Bee was so sad that she cried. She continued to cry for 7 years. Her tears came out of her eyes became water flew into rivers, lakes and finally the oceans. Everywhere, the water of her tears went, the meadow, shrub, trees and all animals thrive. Of course, fish in the river, lakes, and ocean were also thrived while they were nourished with her tear water. One of the fish, after swimming far from the other end of the ocean, jumped onto the shore and transformed into a handsome young man with a broad shoulder, bright eyes and strong, straight body. This young man was actually a prince at the 6th heaven, sent by his father, the dragon king to find out what was going on with the earth. This young man (we now called him the dragon prince) followed the river flow upward and finally reached a mountain where the goddess, A-Bee was weeping. The dragon prince spoke:
Sun shinning brightly
Sky and sea both blue
Butterflies flutter
By a river so new
Where have you come from?
Why do you weep alone?
Surprised by the prince's voice, she stopped crying and looked up. She looked straight into his eyes and answered:
Bright golden crow
Fragrant new earth
As white swan birds
We flew below
A taste of new earth
No longer can I fly
My sisters departed
I wait alone and cry.
Lost in a strange land
My tears become a river.
Both the prince and A-Bee began to have hearty conversation. In fact, they have already fell in love of one another. They talked for a long time. Suddenly, the prince noticed that something went wrong. Because A-Bee was no longer crying, the river began to dry up. The meadow turned yellowish, and the animal were dying.
The prince said to A-Bee, "I need to do something to save the plant, the animal, without you continuously crying to nourish the earth. I would fly to the crow and the wild bird to ask for their help to vaporize the water into the sky, and turned the water into cloud and rain. After that, I will be back to see you."
The prince talked to the fiery crom, asking him to stay above the ocean a bit longer. The heat from the crow would then vaporize water in the ocean to the sky. As soon as this happened, the prince asked the crow to leave and the wild swan to come. With the cool air, it condenses the vapor into cloud. On further cooling, the cloud turned to rain. For the first time, the earth had water, replenish itself through vaporization, cloud, and rain.
While the prince was busy working with the crow and the wild swan, the dragon king sent a messenger to warn the prince not to marry A-Bee who was no longer a goddess. The dragon king said that if the prince married A-Bee, he could not come back to the 6 th heaven, and would lose his immortality.
Well, it was too late. The prince had already made up his mind, and the goddess, A-Bee loved the prince. They loved each other, and they loved the earth. This love worth more than the immortality.
As the story goes, the prince and the goddess were happily married. Since they were no longer immortal, they died after many years of happy life together. Today, we now inherited such a beautiful earth with nurturing water, lush meadow, grass, and trees, and all sort of animals. What shall we do with such bounty inheritance?
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Mindful living; the thought of Thich Nhat Hanh
During my Richland retreat at the end of May, I was introduced into Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced as Tik Nan Han) writing about mindfulness. Mr. Thich is a well-respected scholar, and poet. He was born in 1926 in Vietnam. At age 16, he became a Buddhist monk. During the 60s, he came to the U.S. and studied at Princeton University. He became very outspoken against the Vietnam War.
The following notes were taken from an audio tape 'mindfulness' of Thich Naht Hanh.
On Buddha,
Buddha is not a god, but an awakening person. Everyone has a potential to be a Buddha. Most of us are Buddha from time to time; but not all the time. This is because most of us are distracted or pre-occupied by the worry of either the past or the future, but not at the present. Only we are mindful at the present, we can be awakening, and can become a Buddha.
On Kingdom of the God.
Some says that we enter the kingdom of the God when we are dead. I disagree. I would say that only we live at the present, we can witness everything in the kingdom of god. Why? If we are mindful of the present, and we look at a piece of paper, we should also see cloud; because if there is no cloud, there will be no rain. And if there is no rain, there is no tree, and no paper. Similarly, if we are mindful of the present and see a piece of paper, I see the sunshine; for if there is no sunshine, nothing can live and there will be no trees and paper. Thus if we are mindful of the present, we witness everything of God's creation, or the kingdom of the God.
On Emptiness (空)
Emptiness means 'emptiness from connection' of everything. Look at this piece of paper. Would this piece of paper exist if there is no tree? Would this tree lives if there is no rain, or sunshine. Nothing in this world can be standing alone; we are all dependent on one another.
On Fear of Death
We are all afraid of death, simply we are afraid of turning 'something' into 'nothing'. This is absurd. In this world, we would never be able to turn 'something' into 'nothing'; we cannot turn 'nothing' into 'something' either. Look at this piece of paper. Where it is from? From a tree, of course. But where is the tree from? From the elements of the Earth, of the air; and of course of the water. It cannot come from 'nothing'. Similarly, when this paper is burnt, it releases all elements into the air and the Earth. It does not turn into 'nothing'. One day, I was walking with a nice kid of approximately 6 years old. She asked me, "Mr, Thich. What would be your next life." I smiled and said, "I am too much focused on this life, having no time to think about the next life. Well, my next life could be a beautiful butterfly. So, next time when you see a butterfly, do not kill it, because it could be the next life of someone you love."
The following notes were taken from an audio tape 'mindfulness' of Thich Naht Hanh.
On Buddha,
Buddha is not a god, but an awakening person. Everyone has a potential to be a Buddha. Most of us are Buddha from time to time; but not all the time. This is because most of us are distracted or pre-occupied by the worry of either the past or the future, but not at the present. Only we are mindful at the present, we can be awakening, and can become a Buddha.
On Kingdom of the God.
Some says that we enter the kingdom of the God when we are dead. I disagree. I would say that only we live at the present, we can witness everything in the kingdom of god. Why? If we are mindful of the present, and we look at a piece of paper, we should also see cloud; because if there is no cloud, there will be no rain. And if there is no rain, there is no tree, and no paper. Similarly, if we are mindful of the present and see a piece of paper, I see the sunshine; for if there is no sunshine, nothing can live and there will be no trees and paper. Thus if we are mindful of the present, we witness everything of God's creation, or the kingdom of the God.
On Emptiness (空)
Emptiness means 'emptiness from connection' of everything. Look at this piece of paper. Would this piece of paper exist if there is no tree? Would this tree lives if there is no rain, or sunshine. Nothing in this world can be standing alone; we are all dependent on one another.
On Fear of Death
We are all afraid of death, simply we are afraid of turning 'something' into 'nothing'. This is absurd. In this world, we would never be able to turn 'something' into 'nothing'; we cannot turn 'nothing' into 'something' either. Look at this piece of paper. Where it is from? From a tree, of course. But where is the tree from? From the elements of the Earth, of the air; and of course of the water. It cannot come from 'nothing'. Similarly, when this paper is burnt, it releases all elements into the air and the Earth. It does not turn into 'nothing'. One day, I was walking with a nice kid of approximately 6 years old. She asked me, "Mr, Thich. What would be your next life." I smiled and said, "I am too much focused on this life, having no time to think about the next life. Well, my next life could be a beautiful butterfly. So, next time when you see a butterfly, do not kill it, because it could be the next life of someone you love."
Monday, June 9, 2014
Vegetarian, but not vegetarian junk--Part 4. Conclusion
HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) which is present in soft drink, fruit juice, and most of the processed food, when digested, it is metabolized to produce uric acid and triglycerides; both are markers of insulin resistance which can lead to many health complications, including hypertension, diabetics, and cancer.
The safest vegetarian diet is to eat plenty of vegetable, fruit, nuts, and avocado. Limit animal protein to approximately 5 gm per day. This type of diet will keep you healthy, and avoid many physician visit. After all, it is our responsibility to keep us healthy.
The safest vegetarian diet is to eat plenty of vegetable, fruit, nuts, and avocado. Limit animal protein to approximately 5 gm per day. This type of diet will keep you healthy, and avoid many physician visit. After all, it is our responsibility to keep us healthy.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Vegetarian, but not a vegetarian junk--part 3
(Continued from Part II about the health danger of HFCS)
Here are the interesting results published by Stanhope, (Stanhope, AJCN, 2008, 87 regarding the studies on 7 healthy adult men who were provided each meal that had a portion of the beverage (~ 25% of kcal) of one of the following sweeteners: fructose, glucose, sucrose and HFCS. Throughout a 24 hour period, these men were monitored with triglycerides, insulin, glucose, leptin and ghrelin. The triglyceride results are shown in Fig.1.
Looking at the results shown above, if glucose (from refined flour products)is bad (because it causes insulin spike) HFCS is the worst sweetener comparing to fructose and sucrose.
Triglyceride formation is linked to uric acid formation. According to Khosla who published his results in Kidney Int, 2005, 1739, human infusion of uric acid led to impaired endothelial NO release which is the leading mechanism for hypertension and insulin resistance (** Roy, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 1998, 274, E692.**). The impacts of uric acid on the cardiovascular mortality rate is shown below. (** Fang, JAMA, 2000, 283, 2404)
For each category of race and gender, as the serum uric acid is greater than 416 (for men) or 333 (for women) micro-mole/L (the last bar), the mortality rate is substantially larger than the groups with lower serum uric acid levels.
The link of HFCS to cardiovascular mortality is due to the fact that fructose increases uric acid level as shown in the following graph (** Akhavan, AJCN, 2007, 86, 1354.**)
(to be continued).
Here are the interesting results published by Stanhope, (Stanhope, AJCN, 2008, 87 regarding the studies on 7 healthy adult men who were provided each meal that had a portion of the beverage (~ 25% of kcal) of one of the following sweeteners: fructose, glucose, sucrose and HFCS. Throughout a 24 hour period, these men were monitored with triglycerides, insulin, glucose, leptin and ghrelin. The triglyceride results are shown in Fig.1.
Looking at the results shown above, if glucose (from refined flour products)is bad (because it causes insulin spike) HFCS is the worst sweetener comparing to fructose and sucrose.
Triglyceride formation is linked to uric acid formation. According to Khosla who published his results in Kidney Int, 2005, 1739, human infusion of uric acid led to impaired endothelial NO release which is the leading mechanism for hypertension and insulin resistance (** Roy, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 1998, 274, E692.**). The impacts of uric acid on the cardiovascular mortality rate is shown below. (** Fang, JAMA, 2000, 283, 2404)
For each category of race and gender, as the serum uric acid is greater than 416 (for men) or 333 (for women) micro-mole/L (the last bar), the mortality rate is substantially larger than the groups with lower serum uric acid levels.
The link of HFCS to cardiovascular mortality is due to the fact that fructose increases uric acid level as shown in the following graph (** Akhavan, AJCN, 2007, 86, 1354.**)
(to be continued).
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Vegetarian, but not a vegetarian junk--part 2
(Continued from Part III)
HFCS-55 contains approximately 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Glucose and fructose are different both in molecular geometry and in metabolism. Glucose is 6-ring carbon hydrate and is directly absorbed into the blood stream for energy and many physiological function. The brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function normally. When the products made of flour such as noodle, or rice are digested, those polysaccharides are broken down into glucose and is absorbed in the blood stream. Our body requires glucose to function. However, 'blood glucose spike' is the problem because it forces the body to secrete insulin in a very irregular manner. In the long run, it causes insulin resistance--the root of all major chronicle illness.
Fructose is a 5-ring carbon hydrate. It is metabolized in liver. Through this complicate biochemistry process, it does not only partially convert into glucose; however, more importantly, it also produces uric acid and triglycerides; both are markers of inflammation in the body and are the main causes of insulin resistance.
Sugar is a disaccharide consisting 50% of glucose and fructose. So, what is the difference between HFCS-55 and sugar? Well, fructose and glucose are covalently bonded in sugar while in HFCS-55, they are just the physical mixture. Sugar is hydrolyzed in stomach while HFCS-55 is stable in acidic environment.
HFCS, fructose, and sugar have been studied (** Livesey, AJCN, 2008, 88, 1419)regarding triglycerides, insulin resistance, uric acid metabolism and blood pressure. The results are astonishing. Based on the following research (** Oarks, J Nutr, 2008, 138, 1039; Chong, Am J Clin Nutr, 2007, 85, 1511; Stanhope, AJCN, 2008, 87, 1194), fructose, fructose:glucose increases post-prandial and fasting triglyceride level. Triglyceride is also not only a marker of inflammation but also a source of insulin resistance.
(To be continued.)
HFCS-55 contains approximately 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Glucose and fructose are different both in molecular geometry and in metabolism. Glucose is 6-ring carbon hydrate and is directly absorbed into the blood stream for energy and many physiological function. The brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function normally. When the products made of flour such as noodle, or rice are digested, those polysaccharides are broken down into glucose and is absorbed in the blood stream. Our body requires glucose to function. However, 'blood glucose spike' is the problem because it forces the body to secrete insulin in a very irregular manner. In the long run, it causes insulin resistance--the root of all major chronicle illness.
Fructose is a 5-ring carbon hydrate. It is metabolized in liver. Through this complicate biochemistry process, it does not only partially convert into glucose; however, more importantly, it also produces uric acid and triglycerides; both are markers of inflammation in the body and are the main causes of insulin resistance.
Sugar is a disaccharide consisting 50% of glucose and fructose. So, what is the difference between HFCS-55 and sugar? Well, fructose and glucose are covalently bonded in sugar while in HFCS-55, they are just the physical mixture. Sugar is hydrolyzed in stomach while HFCS-55 is stable in acidic environment.
HFCS, fructose, and sugar have been studied (** Livesey, AJCN, 2008, 88, 1419)regarding triglycerides, insulin resistance, uric acid metabolism and blood pressure. The results are astonishing. Based on the following research (** Oarks, J Nutr, 2008, 138, 1039; Chong, Am J Clin Nutr, 2007, 85, 1511; Stanhope, AJCN, 2008, 87, 1194), fructose, fructose:glucose increases post-prandial and fasting triglyceride level. Triglyceride is also not only a marker of inflammation but also a source of insulin resistance.
(To be continued.)
Friday, May 23, 2014
Vegetarian, but not a vegetarian junk-- Part 1
In the previous two posts on how to heal and reverse cancer with the diet, I emphasize on avoiding eating animal-based protein based on numerous original research publications; primarily from Professor Campbell's group at the Cornell University. The conclusion was that animal-based protein is both an initiator and a promoter of cancer. Avoiding eating animal-based protein can shrink foci (pre-cancer) at least in the rats.
While I am promoting vegetarian diet, I do not promote the so-called 'vegetarian junk-food diet'. What they are? They are floor-based food products including breads, bagel,noodles, and most importantly High Fructose Corn Syrup based foods that include soft drink, fruit juice, fruit punches, many processed foods (including yoga, Granola bar). The following information is mostly taken from Professor Debra Perason's presentation. Dr. Pearson is a nutrition science professor at UW-Green Bay. I consult with her every time I need nutrition advice.
The bottom line of avoiding floor and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is that both categories causes insulin resistance which is one of the causes of cancer (Reference: Read over my post over 'Sun Rise, Sun Set, and Grounding for Cancer Healing story.) HFCS can also cause many other health issues which will be discussed here.
Most of my readers know about the hidden danger of eating floor-based food, I would just focus on High-Fructose Corn Syrup Product in this blog story.
High-fructose corn is produced by milling corn to produce corn starch, then processing that corn starch to yield corn syrup which is almost entirely glucose. Enzymes(that include alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, and xylose isomerase) were then added the syrup to convert the glucose into fructose. The resulting syrup contains approximately 90% fructose and is HFCS 90. To make other common forms of HFCS (e.g. HFCS 55 and HFCS 42), the HFCS 90 is mized with 100% glucose corn syrup in the approximate ratios to form the desired HFCS. Those common forms of HFCS are used almost everywhere from soft drinks, fruit juices, and other baked process foods. They have detrimental health impact.
Thus, my advice to the readers: Please read the food nutrition ingredient label before you consume the product. (To be continued.)
While I am promoting vegetarian diet, I do not promote the so-called 'vegetarian junk-food diet'. What they are? They are floor-based food products including breads, bagel,noodles, and most importantly High Fructose Corn Syrup based foods that include soft drink, fruit juice, fruit punches, many processed foods (including yoga, Granola bar). The following information is mostly taken from Professor Debra Perason's presentation. Dr. Pearson is a nutrition science professor at UW-Green Bay. I consult with her every time I need nutrition advice.
The bottom line of avoiding floor and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is that both categories causes insulin resistance which is one of the causes of cancer (Reference: Read over my post over 'Sun Rise, Sun Set, and Grounding for Cancer Healing story.) HFCS can also cause many other health issues which will be discussed here.
Most of my readers know about the hidden danger of eating floor-based food, I would just focus on High-Fructose Corn Syrup Product in this blog story.
High-fructose corn is produced by milling corn to produce corn starch, then processing that corn starch to yield corn syrup which is almost entirely glucose. Enzymes(that include alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, and xylose isomerase) were then added the syrup to convert the glucose into fructose. The resulting syrup contains approximately 90% fructose and is HFCS 90. To make other common forms of HFCS (e.g. HFCS 55 and HFCS 42), the HFCS 90 is mized with 100% glucose corn syrup in the approximate ratios to form the desired HFCS. Those common forms of HFCS are used almost everywhere from soft drinks, fruit juices, and other baked process foods. They have detrimental health impact.
Thus, my advice to the readers: Please read the food nutrition ingredient label before you consume the product. (To be continued.)
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Let's us Learn How to Let Go
The Cost of Holding On:
Tightly clench your hand. After a few seconds, you'll notice
how tiring it is to do this.
Holding on takes energy. It doesn't really matter what we're
holding on to, a relationship, job, or material possessions,
it all takes energy.
And as the clenched hand exercise illustrates so well, you
can't reach out or grasp anything new when your hands are
clenched to hold on!
Why We Don't Let Go:
There are many, many reasons why we don't let go. Sometimes
it means facing our grief or other challenging emotions. For
example, we might not want to let go of a relationship
because then we'd have to face our fear of being lonely. Or
we might not want to let go of a job because we'd feel
worried about money.
It's really helpful to identify these emotions. Here's a
sentence completion exercise that will help you identify
what emotion is holding you back. Finish this sentence with
the first thing that comes to mind.
"If I let go of (fill in your situation) I'd have to face my
_________________.
Once you've identified the emotion that's holding things up,
practice letting that emotion go all by itself. Just for
now. Using the above illustration, the person who's worried
about facing their loneliness could practice saying, "I let
go of my worry about feeling lonely. For now."
I use the phrase 'for now' because we can only work with
ourselves in the present tense.
It helps to remind yourself that all things change. All
things. Winter isn't a failure because spring is here.
Change is the natural rhythm of things. In my experience,
more damage is done by holding on to things too long than is
done by letting go of something too early.
A Behaviour Modification Technique:
Here is a technique you will find helpful. Write a phrase or
few sentences about something you'd like to let go of. Eg:
"This situation at work" or "My feelings about D." Now,
scrunch up that paper and burn it or throw it away or rip it
into pieces. There's something powerful about putting things
into a physical form like this that makes it feel more real.
Letting Go in Stages:
Another thing that will help you let go is to do it in
stages. Start with a little, then work up to something
larger. Like any muscle, letting go is a skill that gets
easier with practice. I find this particularly helpful with
thoughts and emotions that I need to release. I'll just ask
myself to let go for an hour. Or an afternoon. Or a day...
Baby steps. Do you know if you change the direction of an
airplane by just one degree, it will arrive in a whole
different country? Small works.
Reframe the Thought:
Lastly, reframe the idea of letting go and think of it
instead as moving things along. Moving things along is being
in the natural flow of life and it involves releasing so the
new can come in. We release the old air in our lungs so the
new air can come in. We release what's in our intestinal
Tightly clench your hand. After a few seconds, you'll notice
how tiring it is to do this.
Holding on takes energy. It doesn't really matter what we're
holding on to, a relationship, job, or material possessions,
it all takes energy.
And as the clenched hand exercise illustrates so well, you
can't reach out or grasp anything new when your hands are
clenched to hold on!
Why We Don't Let Go:
There are many, many reasons why we don't let go. Sometimes
it means facing our grief or other challenging emotions. For
example, we might not want to let go of a relationship
because then we'd have to face our fear of being lonely. Or
we might not want to let go of a job because we'd feel
worried about money.
It's really helpful to identify these emotions. Here's a
sentence completion exercise that will help you identify
what emotion is holding you back. Finish this sentence with
the first thing that comes to mind.
"If I let go of (fill in your situation) I'd have to face my
_________________.
Once you've identified the emotion that's holding things up,
practice letting that emotion go all by itself. Just for
now. Using the above illustration, the person who's worried
about facing their loneliness could practice saying, "I let
go of my worry about feeling lonely. For now."
I use the phrase 'for now' because we can only work with
ourselves in the present tense.
It helps to remind yourself that all things change. All
things. Winter isn't a failure because spring is here.
Change is the natural rhythm of things. In my experience,
more damage is done by holding on to things too long than is
done by letting go of something too early.
A Behaviour Modification Technique:
Here is a technique you will find helpful. Write a phrase or
few sentences about something you'd like to let go of. Eg:
"This situation at work" or "My feelings about D." Now,
scrunch up that paper and burn it or throw it away or rip it
into pieces. There's something powerful about putting things
into a physical form like this that makes it feel more real.
Letting Go in Stages:
Another thing that will help you let go is to do it in
stages. Start with a little, then work up to something
larger. Like any muscle, letting go is a skill that gets
easier with practice. I find this particularly helpful with
thoughts and emotions that I need to release. I'll just ask
myself to let go for an hour. Or an afternoon. Or a day...
Baby steps. Do you know if you change the direction of an
airplane by just one degree, it will arrive in a whole
different country? Small works.
Reframe the Thought:
Lastly, reframe the idea of letting go and think of it
instead as moving things along. Moving things along is being
in the natural flow of life and it involves releasing so the
new can come in. We release the old air in our lungs so the
new air can come in. We release what's in our intestinal
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Healing and Reverse Cancer Starts at the Kitchen (Part 2)
(Continued from Part 1)
[4] AF dosage dependent
Even at a higher AF ingestion, low protein diet still show lower foci (pre-cancer) formation than the high protein diet. #33, #34. Chart1
At 20% level of protein, foci increased in number and size as expected, as AF dose was increased. At 5% level of protein, dose-response curve completely disappears. #34, Chart 2.
Chart 2: High-protein diet shows AF response curve to AF-dosage. No such response curve is seen at low protein diet.
#33. Appleton BS and Campbell TC, "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver lesion by low dietary protein" Nutr Cancer 3 (1982). 200-206.
#34 Dunaif GE Nd Campbell TC, "Relative Contribution of Dietary Protein Level and Aflatoxin B1 dose in generation of presumptive preneoplastic foci in rat liver." J Natl Cancer Inst. 78 (1987) 365-369
[5] Low Protein Diet can reverse the course of the cancer, yet high protein diet can turn on dormant cancer cell.
Rats that ingested with AF were first fed with 20% protein for 6 weeks. Foci appeared in this 6 weeks. When they were fed with 5% protein starting at 7 weeks, they showed the shrinkage of foci. #35
Rats that ingested with AF were fed with 5% protein for the first 6 weeks. They showed no signs of foci development. When they began to consume 20% protein starting at 7th week, foci appeared. #35
#35 Youngman LD and Campbell TC, "High protein intake promotes the growth of preneoplastic foci in Fischer #344 rat. Evidence that early remodeled foci retain the potential for future growth". J Nutr 121 (1991) 1454-1461.
[6] Plant protein does not have the same detrimental effect as the animal protein.
Soy or wheat protein, even at a 20% level did not make rats to form foci. #42, Chart 3
Chart 3: Soy Protein even fed with 20% level does not show cancer promotion
#42 Schulsinger DA, Root, MM; and Campbell TC "Effects of dietary protein quality on development of AF B1 induced hepatic preneoplastic lesions ". J Natl Cancer Inst 81, (1989): 1241-1245
Rats undergone 100 week period. All rats were ingested with AF. Those rats who were fed with 20% protein were all dead at the end of the study. No sign of cancer fo rats who were fed with 5% protein. #36, #43, Chart 3.9A, 3.9B.
36. Youngman LD and Campbell TC "Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci & tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplasticism potential" Carcinogenesis B (1992) 1607-1613
43. Youngman LD "The growth and development of aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic lesions, tumors, metastasis, and spontaneous tumors as they are influenced by dietary protein level, type, and intervention. Ithaca, NY Cornell U Ph D Thesis 1990
[7] Dietary Protein Daily Consumption Recommendation
Dietary protein less than 10% has lower rate of tumor formation. #37. It means 50 gm of animal protein per day which is about 1 egg only per day. Any amount higher than 10% would be detrimental.
37. Duncif GE and Campbell TC , "Dietary Protein Level & Aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rats". J Nutrition 117 (1987) 1298-1302
[8] HBV Studies
These studies were done with transgenic mice that already have HBV presence. Some of them will develop liver cancer while others not depending on the protein diet.
Transgenic rats that are inherited with HBV gene showed hepatic cancer when fed with 22% protein; less intense cancer with 14% protein; and none with 6% protein. Chart 4. 5. # 47,48
Chart 4 HBV gene can be turned on or off depending on level of protein diet
Chart 5 Degree of liver tumors on mice depends on level of dietary protein
#47 Hu J., Cheng, Z., King J., et al "Repression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgene and HBV-induced liver injury by low protein diet." Oncogen 15 (1997): 2795-2801
#48 Cheng Z., Hu, J., King J., et al "Inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma development in heptitis B virus transfected mice by low dietary casein" Hepatology 26 (1997) 1351-1354.
[9] DBMA and NMU Studies
Those two substances are experimental carcinogens. Similar results were found on comparing cancer incidences between high-protein diet versus low-protein diet. # 49-51
#49 Hawrylewicz EJ, Huang HH, Kissane JQ. et al "Enhancement of the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) mammary tumorigenesis by high dietary protein in rats" Nutr. Int. 26 (1982) 793-806
#50 Hawrylewicz EJ, "Fat-protein interaction, defined by 2-generation studies." In C. Ip, D.E. Birt, A.E. Rogers and C. Mettlin (eds.) Dietary fat and cancer pp 403-434. New York: Alan R Liss Inc, 1986
#51 Huang HH, Hawrylewicz EJ, Kissane JQ, et al. "Effect of protein diet on release of proclatin and ovarian steroids in female rats." Nutr. Rpts. Int 26 (1982): 807-820
[10] Nitrite vs. Protein
When MIT researchers reported in Science in 1979 (#15) about the carcinogenesis of nitrite, the public reacted by not eating 'hot dogs'. In that report, the rats fed with excess of nitrite had cancer incidences of 10.2% versus rats with no nitrite of cancer case of 5.4% . It is only 10.2% versus 5.4% that is enough to brought to public attention.
#15. Nitrate story, Newberne, P., "Nitrites promote lymphoma incidence in rats." Science, 204, ( 1979), 1079-1081; 10.2% vs. 5.4%.
However, in terms of high protein diet, the statistics is 100% to 0% (Chart 6, and Reference 16)
Chart 6, 100 week of feeding of 22% protein diet, Rats are all dead.
# 16. Indian research on dietary protein, its effect on cancer. Madhaven, TV, Gopalan, C., Arch Path 85, 1968, 133-137. "Effect of dietary protein on the carcinogenesis of aflatoxin.
[11] Vegetarian Diet does not have to sacrifice the good taste
After reading those original publications, I began to change my diet; and it doesn't have to sacrifice with the good taste. Let me show you my typical plate for lunch in the following chart:
The top bowl is a vegetable soup with Kale, brocklie, carrort, mushroom, and tomotto in a broth of miso and pepper. The lower left, I have onions, radish, garlic, coconut flakes, avocado, and self-fermented sauerkraft. On the lower right are strawberry, grapes, sweetpepper, sliced apples on salad green.
[4] AF dosage dependent
Even at a higher AF ingestion, low protein diet still show lower foci (pre-cancer) formation than the high protein diet. #33, #34. Chart1
Chart 1: Low AF yet High Dietary Protein shows more pre-cancer than High AF yet lower-protein Diet.
Chart 2: High-protein diet shows AF response curve to AF-dosage. No such response curve is seen at low protein diet.
#33. Appleton BS and Campbell TC, "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver lesion by low dietary protein" Nutr Cancer 3 (1982). 200-206.
#34 Dunaif GE Nd Campbell TC, "Relative Contribution of Dietary Protein Level and Aflatoxin B1 dose in generation of presumptive preneoplastic foci in rat liver." J Natl Cancer Inst. 78 (1987) 365-369
[5] Low Protein Diet can reverse the course of the cancer, yet high protein diet can turn on dormant cancer cell.
Rats that ingested with AF were first fed with 20% protein for 6 weeks. Foci appeared in this 6 weeks. When they were fed with 5% protein starting at 7 weeks, they showed the shrinkage of foci. #35
Rats that ingested with AF were fed with 5% protein for the first 6 weeks. They showed no signs of foci development. When they began to consume 20% protein starting at 7th week, foci appeared. #35
#35 Youngman LD and Campbell TC, "High protein intake promotes the growth of preneoplastic foci in Fischer #344 rat. Evidence that early remodeled foci retain the potential for future growth". J Nutr 121 (1991) 1454-1461.
[6] Plant protein does not have the same detrimental effect as the animal protein.
Soy or wheat protein, even at a 20% level did not make rats to form foci. #42, Chart 3
Chart 3: Soy Protein even fed with 20% level does not show cancer promotion
#42 Schulsinger DA, Root, MM; and Campbell TC "Effects of dietary protein quality on development of AF B1 induced hepatic preneoplastic lesions ". J Natl Cancer Inst 81, (1989): 1241-1245
Rats undergone 100 week period. All rats were ingested with AF. Those rats who were fed with 20% protein were all dead at the end of the study. No sign of cancer fo rats who were fed with 5% protein. #36, #43, Chart 3.9A, 3.9B.
36. Youngman LD and Campbell TC "Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci & tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplasticism potential" Carcinogenesis B (1992) 1607-1613
43. Youngman LD "The growth and development of aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic lesions, tumors, metastasis, and spontaneous tumors as they are influenced by dietary protein level, type, and intervention. Ithaca, NY Cornell U Ph D Thesis 1990
[7] Dietary Protein Daily Consumption Recommendation
Dietary protein less than 10% has lower rate of tumor formation. #37. It means 50 gm of animal protein per day which is about 1 egg only per day. Any amount higher than 10% would be detrimental.
37. Duncif GE and Campbell TC , "Dietary Protein Level & Aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rats". J Nutrition 117 (1987) 1298-1302
[8] HBV Studies
These studies were done with transgenic mice that already have HBV presence. Some of them will develop liver cancer while others not depending on the protein diet.
Transgenic rats that are inherited with HBV gene showed hepatic cancer when fed with 22% protein; less intense cancer with 14% protein; and none with 6% protein. Chart 4. 5. # 47,48
Chart 4 HBV gene can be turned on or off depending on level of protein diet
Chart 5 Degree of liver tumors on mice depends on level of dietary protein
#47 Hu J., Cheng, Z., King J., et al "Repression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgene and HBV-induced liver injury by low protein diet." Oncogen 15 (1997): 2795-2801
#48 Cheng Z., Hu, J., King J., et al "Inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma development in heptitis B virus transfected mice by low dietary casein" Hepatology 26 (1997) 1351-1354.
[9] DBMA and NMU Studies
Those two substances are experimental carcinogens. Similar results were found on comparing cancer incidences between high-protein diet versus low-protein diet. # 49-51
#49 Hawrylewicz EJ, Huang HH, Kissane JQ. et al "Enhancement of the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) mammary tumorigenesis by high dietary protein in rats" Nutr. Int. 26 (1982) 793-806
#50 Hawrylewicz EJ, "Fat-protein interaction, defined by 2-generation studies." In C. Ip, D.E. Birt, A.E. Rogers and C. Mettlin (eds.) Dietary fat and cancer pp 403-434. New York: Alan R Liss Inc, 1986
#51 Huang HH, Hawrylewicz EJ, Kissane JQ, et al. "Effect of protein diet on release of proclatin and ovarian steroids in female rats." Nutr. Rpts. Int 26 (1982): 807-820
[10] Nitrite vs. Protein
When MIT researchers reported in Science in 1979 (#15) about the carcinogenesis of nitrite, the public reacted by not eating 'hot dogs'. In that report, the rats fed with excess of nitrite had cancer incidences of 10.2% versus rats with no nitrite of cancer case of 5.4% . It is only 10.2% versus 5.4% that is enough to brought to public attention.
#15. Nitrate story, Newberne, P., "Nitrites promote lymphoma incidence in rats." Science, 204, ( 1979), 1079-1081; 10.2% vs. 5.4%.
However, in terms of high protein diet, the statistics is 100% to 0% (Chart 6, and Reference 16)
Chart 6, 100 week of feeding of 22% protein diet, Rats are all dead.
# 16. Indian research on dietary protein, its effect on cancer. Madhaven, TV, Gopalan, C., Arch Path 85, 1968, 133-137. "Effect of dietary protein on the carcinogenesis of aflatoxin.
[11] Vegetarian Diet does not have to sacrifice the good taste
After reading those original publications, I began to change my diet; and it doesn't have to sacrifice with the good taste. Let me show you my typical plate for lunch in the following chart:
The top bowl is a vegetable soup with Kale, brocklie, carrort, mushroom, and tomotto in a broth of miso and pepper. The lower left, I have onions, radish, garlic, coconut flakes, avocado, and self-fermented sauerkraft. On the lower right are strawberry, grapes, sweetpepper, sliced apples on salad green.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Healing and Reverse Cancer start at the kitchen (Part 1)
Healing and Reverse Cancer start at the kitchen. I know many of you have deep doubt. Initially, I feel the same thing. However, with my school nutrition professors' helps and with my diligent research on original publications, I come to the following conclusions: Stay away from animal-based food as much as possible, you will have better chance in both preventing and reverse cancer. I will include original publication including charts to convince you that animal proteins do several things in different stage of cancer: (1) cancer initiation; (2) cancer promotion; (3) magnify toxicity of carcinogen; (4) remember carcinogen imprint even the cancer is in remission.
I should say that the following research are all based on experiments on rats. There are three types of carcinogens that will be discussed in this blog story:
(1) Aflatoxin (AF): This is the most potent carcinogen found on the mold that infested on peanut and corn. Most of the research report in this blog are all based on AF.
(2) Hapatic B Virus (HBV): This virus can also cause liver cancer in mice and in human.
(3) DBMA (7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene) and NMU (N-nitrosomethyl urea), Those are additional 2 experimental carcinogens.
AF Study
[1] Good-quality Protein is a double-edged sword
Proteins are classified as 'good-quality protein' and 'bad-quality protein'. The so-called 'good quality protein' implies that when these proteins are digested, they turn out all the essential amino acids we need for repair and for synthesizing new enzyme. Animal-based proteins are the 'good-quality' protein because they foot the bills. However, in terms of metabolizing toxin, even they detoxify most of the toxin, they produce minute amount of very toxic metabolites that are detrimental: initiate and promote the cancer, etc. For example, AF is metabolized, or detoxified by the MFO (mixed function oxidase) enzyme in the liver. However, during the detoxification, some minute amount of very toxic metabolites are produced. This makes 'protein' , a double-edge sword: even we need protein for repairing, too much protein actually help initiate and promote cancer. (See Charts 1&2)
Chart 1: The Enzyme Factory. The MFO detoxify AF while at the same time produce minute amount of highly toxic metabolite. Animal Protein is a double-edge sword.
Chart 2: High-protein diet has enhanced enzyme activities in the body.
[2] High-Protein Diet helps on Cancer Initiation
Low-protein (5%, or 25-30 gm per day) diet help reduce cancer initiation via low DNA binding to AF toxin. (Charts 3-2, 3-3) References : #23, #33, #37, #36, In all studies, rates were ingested with AF, then subject to low-protein diet and high-protein diet. Following are the original publications on the studies.
#23. Preston RS , Hayes JR, and Campbell, TC "Effect of Protein deficiency on the in vivo binding of aflatoxin B1 to rat liver macromolecules", Life Sci., 19, (1976) 1191-1198
#33. Appleton BS and Campbell TC, "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver lesion by low dietary protein" Nutr Cancer 3 (1982). 200-206.
37. Duncif GE and Campbell TC , "Dietary Protein Level & Aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rats". J Nutrition 117 (1987) 1298-1302
36. Young man LD and Campbell TC "Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci & tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplasticism potential" Carcinogenesis B (1992) 1607-1613
Chart 3-- Low dietary protein reduces cancer initiation.
[3] High-protein diet promotes cancer
These parts of the studies were done on rats of 12 week study instead of 100 weeks studies because of the cost. The researchers observe 'foci' or pre-cancer development in rats rather than full tumor which can only be observed after 100 weeks.
High protein (20% or 100-120 gm per day) diet promotes cancer. Typical American diet is 15-16% or 70-100 gm per day. The cut-off point is 10% protein (Chart 3-6).
Foci development observation is the primary methodology for research. Foci are tiny pre-cancer clusters. The methodology was taken from Reference #31
#31. Fabre E., and Cameron R., "The Sequential Analysis of Cancer Development", Adv Cancer Res (1980) 125-226
(To Be Continued on Part 2)
I should say that the following research are all based on experiments on rats. There are three types of carcinogens that will be discussed in this blog story:
(1) Aflatoxin (AF): This is the most potent carcinogen found on the mold that infested on peanut and corn. Most of the research report in this blog are all based on AF.
(2) Hapatic B Virus (HBV): This virus can also cause liver cancer in mice and in human.
(3) DBMA (7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene) and NMU (N-nitrosomethyl urea), Those are additional 2 experimental carcinogens.
AF Study
[1] Good-quality Protein is a double-edged sword
Proteins are classified as 'good-quality protein' and 'bad-quality protein'. The so-called 'good quality protein' implies that when these proteins are digested, they turn out all the essential amino acids we need for repair and for synthesizing new enzyme. Animal-based proteins are the 'good-quality' protein because they foot the bills. However, in terms of metabolizing toxin, even they detoxify most of the toxin, they produce minute amount of very toxic metabolites that are detrimental: initiate and promote the cancer, etc. For example, AF is metabolized, or detoxified by the MFO (mixed function oxidase) enzyme in the liver. However, during the detoxification, some minute amount of very toxic metabolites are produced. This makes 'protein' , a double-edge sword: even we need protein for repairing, too much protein actually help initiate and promote cancer. (See Charts 1&2)
Chart 1: The Enzyme Factory. The MFO detoxify AF while at the same time produce minute amount of highly toxic metabolite. Animal Protein is a double-edge sword.
Chart 2: High-protein diet has enhanced enzyme activities in the body.
[2] High-Protein Diet helps on Cancer Initiation
Low-protein (5%, or 25-30 gm per day) diet help reduce cancer initiation via low DNA binding to AF toxin. (Charts 3-2, 3-3) References : #23, #33, #37, #36, In all studies, rates were ingested with AF, then subject to low-protein diet and high-protein diet. Following are the original publications on the studies.
#23. Preston RS , Hayes JR, and Campbell, TC "Effect of Protein deficiency on the in vivo binding of aflatoxin B1 to rat liver macromolecules", Life Sci., 19, (1976) 1191-1198
#33. Appleton BS and Campbell TC, "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver lesion by low dietary protein" Nutr Cancer 3 (1982). 200-206.
37. Duncif GE and Campbell TC , "Dietary Protein Level & Aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rats". J Nutrition 117 (1987) 1298-1302
36. Young man LD and Campbell TC "Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci & tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplasticism potential" Carcinogenesis B (1992) 1607-1613
[3] High-protein diet promotes cancer
These parts of the studies were done on rats of 12 week study instead of 100 weeks studies because of the cost. The researchers observe 'foci' or pre-cancer development in rats rather than full tumor which can only be observed after 100 weeks.
High protein (20% or 100-120 gm per day) diet promotes cancer. Typical American diet is 15-16% or 70-100 gm per day. The cut-off point is 10% protein (Chart 3-6).
Chart 4: High Protein Diet promotes foci (pre-cancer) development in rats.
Foci development observation is the primary methodology for research. Foci are tiny pre-cancer clusters. The methodology was taken from Reference #31
#31. Fabre E., and Cameron R., "The Sequential Analysis of Cancer Development", Adv Cancer Res (1980) 125-226
(To Be Continued on Part 2)
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