words & meanings...

2nd Friday Drum Circle

el_Lobo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:58:43 GMT

Friday July 10, 2009 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm This event repeats every month on the second Friday. Westside Unitarian Church 901 Page Avenue Fort Worth, TX 76110 We are centrally located at the Westside Unitarian Church, 901 Page Avenue, Fort Worth. We meet on the 2nd Friday of every month at 7:00 pm. This is a free event, and all are welcome! How to get there: The Westside Unitarian Church is located in the historic Ryan Place neighborhood, just south of the Fairmount Southside Historic District, at 901 Page Avenue (the east end of Elizabeth Boulevard.) This is less than 3 miles south of downtown Fort Worth. For directions, see http://www.westsideuu.org ********************************************************** http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthTexasBeat/ vegetarian, philosopher, drummer and more... Ft. Worth, TX (817)504-4951 http://www.facebook.com/lobo.tx ...have drum, will travel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tarrant_county_drums/

SATURDAY DRUMMING

el_Lobo — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:36:16 GMT

Lewisville Kirtan Drum Circle 2-4 pm ($2.00) Bring your drum(s) and a friend or three to experience the energy produced by the amazing people and their instruments. Know a belly dancer? A Tribal Dancer? Any dancer? Bring her too! It is infectious!! It is OK to have FUN Blue Anjou 135 W Main St, Lewisville, TX 75057 972-956-8555 whispering waters retreat 6:00pm ($1.00) 121 north green elm rd, jacksboro, TX 76458 940-374-3058 the question is why not. This place speaks for itself and it is just a happening space. Come see for yourself.

Come on out, drum all night... stay over!!!

el_Lobo — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:51:16 GMT

http://www.meetup.com/Center-of-Divine-Light-in-Wizard-Wells/calendar/10447066/

Drumming together, Building community

el_Lobo — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:42:08 GMT

We are creating this space for everyone to come and join together in community to remember the power we are when we create with love. Join us for pot luck dinner around 6 ish. and drumming into the eve. We have extra drums if you need one. Come with an open mind and an open heart as we connect our hearts with the beat of the drum, connecting ,remembering we are all one. Peace out ,hope you can make it , if not put it on your calenders calendarsfor next month. Namaste' Kevin

Friendship

el_Lobo — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:21:43 GMT

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught. Kahlil Gibran

April...

el_Lobo — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:17:34 GMT

99 "Do you believe in life after death?" a disciple asked at the end of a long conversation about the future. "Strange that you should be so stuck to that topic! said the Master. "Why would you think it strange?" "Here you have this glorious April day in front of you," said the Master, pointing to the window. "You're like a child who refuses to eat today because he does not know what tomorrow will bring. You're starving: Eat your daily bread!" Anthony de Mello, SJ

laughter...

el_Lobo — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:45:41 GMT

96 Another time the Master declared, "When you are able to laugh in the face of life, you become sovereign of the world - just like the person who is prepared to die." Anthony de Mello, SJ

reflections...

el_Lobo — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:10:44 GMT

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it. Henry Emerson Fosdick My understanding of God is best reflected in how I treat the people around me. Karen Casey

Awareness -The Way to Love

el_Lobo — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:40:18 GMT

Look to this day, For it is life, The very life of life. In its brief course lie all The realities and verities of existence, The bliss of growth, The splendor of action, The glory of power -- For yesterday is but a dream, And tomorrow is only a vision, But today, well lived, Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day. Sanskrit Proverb

April Drum Schedule

el_Lobo — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:57:51 GMT

Here is a list of Drum circles/classes in north Texas that you can find on North Texas Beat yahoo group. They are also in the group calendar with details. NTB now has photos of a few drum circles for you to view. Upcoming Events Date Time Event 4/1/2009 9:00 pm Psychedelic Drum Jam 4/2/2009 7:30 pm Bluebonnet Drum Circle 4/3/2009 8:00 pm Drum Jam 4/3/2009 8:00 pm Drum Jam / Social at Sacred Journey Fellowship 4/3/2009 8:00 pm 1st Friday African Village Night 4/4/2009 10:00 am Free Hand Drum Workshops 4/4/2009 11:00 am Middle Eastern Hand Drum Classes 4/4/2009 1:00 pm West African Dance Class 4/4/2009 2:00 pm The Lewisville Drum and Kirtan Circle 4/5/2009 4:00 pm Rainbow Jah Day 4/6/2009 12:30 pm Beginner MIddle Eastern Drum Classes 4/8/2009 6:00 pm Open Drumming Circle 4/10/2009 7:00 pm 2nd Friday Drum Circle 4/10/2009 8:30 pm IIWII at Banter 4/16/2009 7:30 pm Bluebonnet Drum Circle 4/17/2009 7:30 pm Spirit Drum Circle 4/17/2009 7:30 pm PVUUC Drum Jam 4/24/2009 7:00 pm 4th Friday Drum Circle http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthTexasBeat/ ************************ vegetarian, philosopher, drummer and more... Ft. Worth, TX (817)504-4951 http://www.myspace.com/dfw_lobo ...have drum, will travel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tarrant_county_drums/

Dario 1946 - 2008 ( nickname Cibolo )

el_Lobo — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:59:24 GMT

ODESSA: Dario - 61 years of age, passed away March 23, 2008, at Hospice House in Odessa. He was born August 24, 1946, in Fort Stockton to parents Nicolas and Julia. He married Mary on December 23, 1965. He was an Insurance Agent. He is survived by his wife, Mary of Odessa; sons, Michael Fort Worth, Texas, and Marcus of Irving, Texas; daughter, Monica of Odessa; mother, Julia of Fort Stockton; brothers, Ernesto of Austin, Texas, and Reyes of Fort Stockton; sisters, Paula and Estefana, both of Fort Stockton, Delma of Plano, Texas; and five grandchildren. A rosary was said Monday, March 24, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Services were held on March 25, 2007, at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 2 p.m. with Father Mark officiating. Burial followed at the Ector County Cemetery in the Los Angeles Garden. Services are entrusted to Martinez-Smith Funeral Chapels & Crematory. Published in the Odessa American on 3/25/2008.

American Indians & Vegetarianism

el_Lobo — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:47:55 GMT

Returning to the Corn - Rita Laws, Ph.D. How well we know the stereotype of the rugged Plains Indian: killer of buffalo, dressed in quill-decorated buckskin, elaborately feathered headdress, and leather moccasins, living in an animal-skin teepee, master of the dog and horse, and stranger to vegetables. But this lifestyle, once limited almost exclusively to the Apaches, 1 flourished no more than a couple hundred years. It is not representative of most Native Americans of today or yesterday. Indeed, the "buffalo-as-lifestyle" phenomenon is a direct result of European influence, as we shall see. Among my own people, the Choctaw Indians of Mississippi and Oklahoma, vegetables are the traditional diet mainstay. A French manuscript of the eighteenth century2 describes the Choctaws’ vegetarian leanings in shelter and food. The homes were constructed not of skins, but of wood, mud, bark, and cane. The principal food, eaten daily from earthen pots, was a vegetarian stew containing corn, pumpkin, and beans. The bread was made from corn and acorns. Other common favorites were roasted corn and corn porridge. (Meat in the form of small game was an infrequent repast.) The ancient Choctaws were, first and foremost, farmers. Even the clothing was plant based: artistically embroidered dresses for the women and cotton breeches for the men. Choctaws have never adorned their hair with feathers. The rich lands of the Choctaws in present-day Mississippi were so greatly coveted by nineteenth-century Americans that most of the tribe was forcibly removed to what is now called Oklahoma. Oklahoma was chosen both because it was largely uninhabited and because several explorations of the territory had deemed the land barren and useless for any purpose. The truth, however, was that Oklahoma was so fertile a land that it was an Indian breadbasket. That is, it was used by Indians on all sides as an agricultural resource. Although many Choctaws suffered and died during removal on the infamous Trail of Tears, those that survived built anew and successfully in Oklahoma, their agricultural genius intact. George Catlin,3 the famous nineteenth-century Indian historian, described the Choctaw lands of southern Oklahoma in the 1840s this way: "...the ground was almost literally covered with vines, producing the greatest profusion of delicious grapes,...and hanging in such endless clusters...our progress was oftentimes completely arrested by hundreds of acres of small plum trees...every bush that was in sight was so loaded with the weight of its...fruit, that they were in many instances literally without leaves on their branches, and quite bent to the ground...and beds of wild currants, gooseberries, and (edible) prickly pear." (Many of the "wild" foods Anglo explorers encountered on their journeys were actually carefully cultivated by Indians.) Many of the Choctaw foods cooked at celebrations even today are vegetarian. Corn is so important to us it is considered divine. Our corn legend says that is was a gift from Hashtali, the Great Spirit. Corn was given in gratitude because Choctaws had fed the daughter of the Great Spirit when she was hungry. (Hashtali is literally "Noon Day Sun." Choctaws believe the Great Spirit resides within the sun, for it is the sun that allows the corn to grow!) Another Choctaw story describes the afterlife as a giant playground where all but murderers are allowed. What do Choctaws eat in "heaven"? Their sweetest treat, of course: melons, a never-ending supply. More than one tribe has creation legends that describe people as vegetarian, living in a kind of Garden of Eden. A Cherokee legend4 describes humans, plants, and animals as having lived in the beginning in "equality and mutual helpfulness." The needs of all were met without killing one another. When man became aggressive and ate some of the animals, the animals invented diseases to keep human population in check. The plants remained friendly, however, and offered themselves not only as food to man, but also as medicine, to combat the new diseases. More tribes were like the Choctaws than were different. Aztec, Mayan, and Zapotec children in olden times5 ate 100 percent vegetarian diets until at least the age of ten years old. The primary food was cereal, especially varieties of corn. Such a diet was believed to make the child strong and disease resistant. (The Spaniards were amazed to discover that these Indians had twice the life span they did.) A totally vegetarian diet also ensured that the children would retain a lifelong love of grains, and thus live a healthier life. Even today, the Indian healers of those tribes are likely to advise the sick to "return to the arms of Mother Corn" to get well. Such a return might include eating a lot of atole. (The easiest way to make atole is to simmer commercially produced masa harina corn flour with water. Then flavor it with chocolate or cinnamon, and sweeten to taste.) Atole is considered a sacred food. It is ironic that Indians are strongly associated with hunting and fishing when, in fact, "nearly half of all the plant foods grown in the world today were first cultivated by the American Indians, and were unknown elsewhere until the discovery of the Americas."6 Can you imagine Italian food without tomato paste, 7 Ireland without white potatoes, or Hungarian goulash without paprika? All these foods have Indian origins. An incomplete list of other Indian foods given to the world includes bell peppers, red peppers, peanuts, cashews, sweet potatoes, avocados, passion fruit, zucchini, green beans, kidney beans, maple syrup, lima beans, cranberries, pecans, okra, chocolate, vanilla, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, cassava, walnuts, 47 varieties of berries, pineapple, and, of course, corn and popcorn. Many history textbooks tell the story of Squanto, a Pawtuxent Indian who lived in the early 1600s. Squanto is famous for having saved the Pilgrims from starvation. He showed them how to gather wilderness foods and how to plant corn. There have been thousands of Squantos since, even though their names are not so well-known. In fact, modern agriculture owes its heart and soul to Indian-taught methods of seed development, 8 hybridization, planting, growing, irrigating, storing, utilizing, and cooking. And the spirit of Squanto survives to this day. One example is a Peruvian government research station tucked away in a remote Amazon Indian village called Genaro Herrera. University-trained botanists, agronomists, and foresters work there, scientifically studying all the ways the local Indians grow and prepare food. They are also learning how to utilize forests without destroying them, and how to combat pests without chemicals. The trend that moved some North American Indian tribes away from plant-food-based diets can be traced to Coronado, a sixteenth-century Spanish explorer. Prior to his time, hunting was a hobby among most Indians, not a vocation. The Apaches were one of the few tribes that relied heavily on animal killing for survival.9 But all that changed as Coronado and his army traversed the West and Midwest from Mexico. Some of his horses got away and quickly multiplied on the grassy plains. Indians re-tamed this new denizen, and the Age of Buffalo began. Horses replaced dogs as beasts of burden and offered excellent transportation. This was as important an innovation to the Plains Indians as the automobile would be to Anglos later on. Life on the Plains became much easier very quickly. From the east came another powerful influence: guns. The first American settlers brought their firearms with them. Because of the Indian "threat," they were soon immersed in weapons development and succeeded in making more accurate and powerful weapons.10 But they also supplied weapons to Indians who allied themselves with colonial causes. Because it was so much easier to kill an animal with a rifle than with a bow and arrow, guns spread quickly among the Indians. Between the horse and the rifle, buffalo killing was now much simpler. The Apaches were joined by other tribes, such as the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapahos, Comanches, and Kiowas. These tribes "lost the corn," gave up agriculture, and started living nomadic existences for the first time. It was not long before their food, clothing, and shelter were entirely dependent on one animal, the buffalo. George Catlin lamented this fact as early as 1830.11 He predicted the extinction of the buffalo (which very nearly happened) and the danger of not being diversified. Catlin pointed out that, were the Plains Indians only killing a buffalo for their own use, the situation might not be so grave. But because the great beasts were being slaughtered for profit, they were destined to be wiped out. It was the white man who profited. There was an insatiable Eastern market for buffalo tongue and buffalo robes. In 1832, Catlin described a wholesale buffalo slaughter carried out by 600 Sioux on horseback. These men killed 1400 animals, and then took only their tongues. These were traded to whites for a few gallons of whiskey. The whiskey, no doubt, helped to dull the Indian talent to make maximum use of an animal. Among the tribes that did not trade with whites, each animal was completely used, down to the hooves. No part went to waste. And buffalo were not killed in the winter, for the Indians lived on autumn-dried meat during that time. But now buffalo were killed in the winter most of all. It was in cold weather that their magnificent coats grew long and luxuriant. Catlin estimated that 200,000 buffalo were killed each year to make coats for people back east. The average hide netted the Indian hunter one pint of whiskey. Had the Indians understood the concept of animal extinction, they may have ceased the slaughter. But to the Indians, the buffalo was a gift from the Great Spirit, a gift that would always keep coming. Decades after the disappearance of huge herds, Plains Indians still believed their return was imminent. They danced the Ghost Dance, designed to bring back the buffalo, and prayed for this miracle as late as 1890. Despite the ease of and financial incentives for killing buffalo, some tribes did not abandon the old ways of the plains. In addition to the farming tribes of the Southeast, tribes in the Midwest, Southwest, and Northwest stuck to agriculture. For example, the Osage, Pawnee, Arikaras, Mandans, Wichitas, and Caddoans remained in permanent farming settlements. Even surrounded by buffalo, they built their homes of timber and earth. And among some of the Indians of the Southwest, cotton, basketry, and pottery were preferred over animal-based substitutes such as leather pouches. Catlin was eerily accurate when he predicted dire consequences for the buffalo-dependent tribes. To this day, it is these Indians who have fared the worst from assimilation with other races. The Sioux of South Dakota, 12 for one, have the worst poverty and one of the highest alcoholism rates in the country. Conversely, the tribes that depended little or not at all on animal exploitation for their survival, like the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Chickasaw, are thriving and growing, having assimilated without surrendering their culture. In the past, and in more than a few tribes, meat-eating was a rare activity, certainly not a daily event. Since the introduction of European meat-eating customs, the introduction of the horse and the gun, and the proliferation of alcoholic beverages and white traders, a lot has changed. Relatively few Indians can claim to be vegetarians today. But it was not always so. For most Native Americans of old, meat was not only not the food of choice; its consumption was not revered (as in modern times when Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving as if it were a religious duty). There was nothing ceremonial about meat. It was a plant, tobacco, that was used most extensively during ceremonies and rites, and then only in moderation. Big celebrations such as Fall Festivals centered around the harvest, especially the gathering of the corn. The Choctaws are not the only ones who continue to dance the Corn Dance. What would this country be like today if the ancient ways were still observed? I believe it is fair to say that the Indian respect for non-human life forms would have had a greater impact on American society. Corn, not turkey meat, might be the celebrated Thanksgiving Day dish. Fewer species would have become extinct, the environment would be healthier, and Indian and non-Indian Americans alike would be living longer and healthier lives. There might also be less sexism and racism, for many people believe that, as you treat your animals (the most defenseless), so you will treat your children, your women, and your minorities. Without realizing it, the Indian warriors and hunters of ages past played right into the hands of the white men who coveted their lands and their buffalo. When the lands were taken from them, and the buffalo herds decimated, there was nothing to fall back on. But the Indians who chose the peaceful path and relied on diversity and the abundance of plants for their survival were able to save their lifestyles. Even after being moved to new lands they could hang on, replant, and go forward. Now we, their descendants, must recapture the spirit of the ancient traditions for the benefit of all people. We must move away from the European influences that did away with a healthier style of living. We must again embrace our brothers and sisters, the animals, and "return to the corn" once and for all. Notes 1. Angie Debo, A History of the Indians of the United States (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970), p. 15. 2. Oklahoma Choctaw Council Inc., Choctaw Social and Ceremonial Life (Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma Choctaw Council Inc., 1983), p. 37-38. 3. George Catlin, Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Conditions of North American Indians, Volume II (New York: Dover Publications, 1973), p. 46. 4. J. Ed Sharpe and Thomas B. Underwood, American Indian Cooking and Herb Lore (Cherokee, NC: Cherokee Publications, 1973), p. 4. 5. Gene Matlock, "Good Health and the Traditional Diet," AMERIKKUA! 8:4 (Fall 1990/Winter 1991), p. 5. 6. Raven Hail, Native American Foods Coloring Book (Scottsdale, AZ: Raven Hail Books, 1979), p. 3. 7. Jack Weatherford, Indian Givers (NY: Crown Publishers, 1988), Chapter 6, "The Culinary Revolution." 8. Ibid., Chapter 5, "Indian Agricultural Technology." 9. Debo, op. cit., p. 16-17. 10. John D. Billingsley, "Small Arms," in Encyclopedia Americana, 1972, vol. 25, p. 103. 11. Catlin, op. cit., p. 253-263. 12. Michael Dorris, The Broken Cord (New York: Harper & Row, 1989), p. 80. Copyright ©1994 and 2004 by Rita Laws, Ph.D. Originally appeared in Vegetarian Journal, Sept/Oct 1994. Dr. Rita Laws is a member of the Oklahoma Choctaw Nation. She lives and writes in Oklahoma. Her Choctaw name, Hina Hanta, means Bright Path of Peace, which is what she considers vegetarianism to be. She has been a vegetarian since 1979. She is currently preparing a revised edition of her book about Indian Peace Medals

Honoring the lives of the Deceased (Dia de los Muertos)

el_Lobo — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 01:39:57 GMT

(photo source: http://plainjanestudio.com/ArtQuilts/art-quilts.htm ) About Dia de los Muertos Dia de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Mexico and the Southwest states, and coincides with the Christian All Souls and All Saints Days. On November 1st and 2nd people remember those who are deceased. November 1st is considered the Dia de los Angelitos—the day to remember children that have died, November 2nd is the traditional Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead). Pictures of the deceased are placed on Dia de los Muertos altars with their favorite food and drink. Candles to light their way home, and soap and water to freshen-up after their long trip back are also often placed on altars. Trinkets they were fond of, symbols they would understand, and gifts are left to communicate to them that they are always in the hearts of those they left behind, and that they are still part of the family even though they aren’t physically with us any longer. Families often spend time at the cemetery with loved ones, bringing food and drink along with all the other necessities for a picnic. However, at this picnic the deceased is the guest of honor. Dia de los Muertos is a time of joy because we know that we are surrounded by those that we love—both living and dead. People often compare Dia de los Muertos to Halloween, and while at first glance there may appear to be a similarity, in truth the two celebrations are quite different. Halloween is a European holiday that is based on their concept of death, which is vastly different from the original Aztec meaning. The Aztecs beliefs were very similar to the Aboriginal beliefs of Australia. This life is considered to be a dream and when you die, you awake to your real life. Halloween, on the other hand, is celebrated with witches, demons and monsters and none of these are shown in a positive light. Dia de los Muertos History Day of the Dead began as an Aztec celebration originally celebrated in August. Skeletons and skulls were used as symbols for death and rebirth. Instead of fearing death, they embraced it and considered it a “moving-on” to a higher level of consciousness. When the Spaniards came and converted the Aztecs, the Aztecs incorporated the symbols of the crucifix and devil into the celebration, which the Spaniards moved to November 2nd. The Devil doesn’t have the same meaning that he does in the religious “Exorcist” mentality. People often misunderstand other cultures definition of the Devil, and I have had many people offended by my Dia de los Muertos artwork that features him/her. In many cultures there are deities that are neither all good, nor all bad, but a mixture of both. Depending on which side they got of the bed that morning and how you treat them. There for these deities that may at times be cruel, can be treated with honor and respect by someone hoping to get their help and remain on their good side. This really is no different from the old testament God, who if he liked you, put you on an arc with 2 of every animal, and if he didn’t he acted the part of the stereotypical mafia don and “Iet you swim with the fishes.” The devil did not exist for the Aztecs until their conversion to Christianity. Dia de los Muertos art Dia de los Muertos art is meant to show the duality of life, which is that it can only exist surrounded by death. This is reality, not superstition. The artwork is meant to show this and make it, death, a part of life, to be accepted and acknowledged instead of feared. My Dia de los Muertos art is rich with color and tradition, and is used symbolically (cards, canvases, clock, votives, etc.) as well as functionally (goblets, platters, salsa bowls, pastry domes, etc.) to celebrate through food and drink. As the old saying goes: “Every day is a dance with death.” So live a life you enjoy, and when the time comes that those you love build altars to celebrate your life on the Day of the Dead, know they are thinking of you and they will join you in their own time source website: http://www.diadelosmuertos.us/

a Hug!!!

el_Lobo — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:00:32 GMT

For myself and all those brave Vegetarians in the world!!!

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. Douglas Adams

el_Lobo — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 04:09:15 GMT

The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. Umberto Eco

You are never strong enough that you don't need help. Cesar Chavez

el_Lobo — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 20:06:59 GMT

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Never criticize your dance partner. -- Brave Combo

el_Lobo — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 03:33:37 GMT

To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love. -- Jane Austen

present...

el_Lobo — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 00:41:11 GMT

"My friend, the sufi is the friend of the present moment. To say tomorrow is not our way." ~ Mevlana Rumi (1207-1273) Persian sufi mystic from Rumi Daylight: A Daybook of Spiritual Guidance http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/sufi

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN TEXAS IN SUMMER WHEN. . .

el_Lobo — Sun, 17 Jul 2005 00:43:28 GMT

The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground. The trees are whistling for the dogs. The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance. Hot water now comes out of both taps. You can make sun tea instantly. You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron! The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a little chilly. You discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car. You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window. You actually burn your hand opening the car door. You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?" You realize that asphalt has a liquid state. The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper. Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs. The cows are giving evaporated milk. Ah, what a place to call home. Goddess Bless Texas !!

Lovers

el_Lobo — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 16:27:20 GMT

The more connections you and your lover make, not just between your bodies, but between your minds, your hearts, and your souls, the more you will strengthen the fabric of your relationship, and the more real moments you will experience together. Barbara De Angelis

Spirit Dancer

el_Lobo — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 14:11:11 GMT

To dance with spirit does not necessarily mean you have to feel “spiritual.” You could think of your spirit as that which is unique to you. It comes from a place other than your body, your mind, or your emotions. It connects you to the essence of God, Goddess, Buddha, or Great Creator…' whatever name you choose to use to refer to the underlying essence to which we are all connected. Try this: To access spirit within movement, silently ask your own spirit to guide your movement. Then wait. When an impulse comes to move in a certain way, check it out first. Did you mind invent that idea, or did it come from some other place? If it comes from your mind, it may feel more contrived, less spontaneous. If the impulse comes from spirit, it may surprise you. But it will feel authentic, natural, even perfect to move in that way. Your movements may take on a quality of timelessness. Enjoy the sensation and the beauty of cultivating your own uniquess, your spirit, through movement. Anne Lowry Parr

living...

el_Lobo — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 16:43:13 GMT

Adrienne Rich: Life on the planet is born of woman.

desire...

el_Lobo — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 12:56:34 GMT

All human activity is prompted by desire. BERTRAND RUSSELL

silliness...

el_Lobo — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:00:20 GMT

Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind. --Ralph Waldo Emerson