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Energy Psychology meets APA Criteria for “evidence based treatment”

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 by Maryam Webster

Energy coaching releases the Unlimited Self!You may practice ETHOS, EFT, ZPoint, BSFF, EMDR, HeartMath or a variety of other energy therapies. You may practice as a psychotherapist, health educator or as a coach. But did you know that the energy psychology all these methods are based on has been researched and accepted by a number of professional organizations already?

(As a shoutout to my own Certified Energy Coaches – you need to know this, please read)

According to the author’s online course the tenets of his paper Energy Psychology: Review of the Preliminary Evidence, have been accepted by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Association of Social Work Boards, and the National Association for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors. Great news!  Now if the APA (which is taken to task in the paper) would listen, we’d all be one big happy family.

What generative energy, space and consciousness would it take to have the techniques we all know work, accepted world-wide by the “powers that be”? What would it take to shift the axis away from those ultra-conservative organizations and individuals who would stifle, hold down and repress information that could, if they would only open to it, accelerate and advance not only their careers, but the results of every client they help?

Hmm…interesting thought…  ;-)

Here’s an abstract, with a follow link at the bottom. Read the whole paper. It really is most illuminating. And deep thanks to energy psychology pioneer Dr. David Feinstein for his wonderful work

Paper Abstract

Energy psychology utilizes imaginal and narrative-generated exposure, paired with interventions that reduce hyperarousal through acupressure and related techniques. According to practitioners, this leads to treatment outcomes that are more rapid, powerful, and precise than the strategies used in other exposure-based treatments such as relaxation or diaphragmatic breathing. The method has been exceedingly controversial. It relies on unfamiliar procedures adapted from non-Western cultures, posits unverified mechanisms of action, and early claims of unusual speed and therapeutic power ran far ahead of initial empirical support. This paper reviews a hierarchy of evidence regarding the efficacy of energy psychology, from anecdotal reports to randomized clinical trials. Although the evidence is still preliminary, energy psychology has reached the minimum threshold for being designated as an evidence-based treatment, with one form having met the APA Division 12 criteria as a “probably efficacious treatment” for specific phobias; another for maintaining weight loss. The limited scientific evidence, combined with extensive clinical reports, suggests that energy psychology holds promise as a rapid and potent treatment for a range of psychological conditions.

Read this paper here

davidfeinsteinAbout the Author:

Dr. Feinstein is a clinical psychologist who has done pioneering work in the areas of personal mythology and energy psychology. Author of 7 books and over 50 professional papers, he has taught at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Antioch College. His multi-media Energy Psychology Interactive self-study training program was a recipient of the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology. Connect to Dr. Feinstein at his website, here.

Update on California State Park Closures

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 by Maryam Webster

forestgladesmTo see my original post on this: click here. Then read the below, just in, from http://calparks.org:

As you may have heard, last night the Big 5 (Governor Schwarzenegger plus the Democratic and Republican leaders in the State Senate and Assembly) announced they have reached a deal on the state budget.   The details are not yet in print, but several sources are confirming that $70 million of the park system’s General Fund allocation will be eliminated, with $62 million backfilled by other funding sources on what appears to be a one-time basis.

This leaves the state park system with an $8 million gap, and is expected to result in park closures.  At this time, there is not a list of certain closures, we do not know how many or which parks may be closed as a result of the budget deal.

Considering where we started just 8 weeks ago, this outcome is better for state parks than most people could have imagined. We are not finished – the Legislature still needs to approve the budget deal by the end of the week and more details need to come out regarding the parks that will close – but the fact that we’re looking at a much more scaled-down version of park cuts than we started with is welcome news.  It is certainly a testament to the Save Our State Parks Campaign, the tens of thousands of Californians – like you! – who stood up for their parks, and the efforts of all of us that we’ve stared down such a draconian proposal.

In terms of next steps, the deal must be agreed to by 2/3 of the Legislature, and they’re expected to vote on it on Thursday or Friday.  As you can imagine, there are plenty of pieces in this agreement for all sides to hate, but let’s hope there is the will to at least get this passed now, to keep the state moving forward.

Thank you for your efforts to help Save Our State Parks, and we will update you once a final state budget is in place.

Traci Verardo-Torres
Vice President, Government Affairs

Help Save California Parks From Closure!

Saturday, May 30th, 2009 by Maryam Webster

forestgladesmSacramento announced that it is closing 80% of California’s State Parks by Labor Day to save the 1/10th of 1% of state General Fund money the parks, already cut back to the bone, are allotted yearly.

Factor in the estimated 230% of both lost revenue as well as the millions of dollars that would be needed to rehab the parks when (if) they do re-open, the devastating consequences to public mental and physical health that park closure would mean, and this maneuver is simply sheer idiocy.

Rather than belabor the point, I’m simply pasting below the letter I sent my state representatives. All the facts are in it, as well as the link to the State Park campaign online where you can send your own letters. It’s crazy, it’s insane, and it makes no sense. I offer a more wideranging view of what’s going on, plus one workable solution below:

Take Action Here: http://www.calparks.org/takeaction/

Join the Facebook Campaign: http://www.facebook.com/pages/California-State-Parks-Foundation/51483280208

Here’s my letter, please feel free to use it in its entirety if you like, to send to your California State Representatives:

Dear …,

As a strong supporter of our state park system, I am writing to express outrage to the Governor’s proposal to eliminate core funding for our state park system that will close virtually all parks.

I am a psychologist and have made a lifetime study of the behavior of people when removed from the resources of nature. The results of those deprived of greenspace is devastating, not only on personal mental health but on societal behavior patterns.

Persons deprived of their connection with nature withdraw, become less concerned about their fellow human beings, more callous in their behaviors and more predisposed towards violence. It is no coincidence that some of the worst riots and gang violence occur in paved cities with little access to green space. If parks are closed, a mental health disaster would result, to say nothing of the financial disaster this “cost saving” move would engender.

Additionally, the following facts need to be taken into consideration:

(Source: http://www.calparks.org. Observations & additional facts, mine)

1. The General Fund budget that state parks receive account for less than 1/10 of one percent of the entire state budget.

————–
OBSERVATION & SOLUTION: Stripping the state parks will not solve the budget problem, nor be in any way a significant contributor to defraying state costs. Indeed, it will end up costing us far, far more.

The citizens were never asked if they would consider raising park fees. I for one, would be happy to pay higher fees to be allowed to access my state’s park system. Raise the rate four to six times current rates. Such a move would more than make the park system pay for itself. It might prevent some from attending, but still beats the cost of a traditional family vacation for cash-strapped Californians.
————–

2. Last year alone, there were over 80 million visitors to state parks – and all indications are that this year was going to be even higher.

—————
IMPORTANT OBSERVATION: California is KNOWN for our state park system. Thousands of out of state vacationers come to California specifically to visit our park systems. Count on a drastic reduction in tourism revenue with our state parks closed.
—————

3. For every dollar that funds the parks, $2.35 is returned to the state’s General Fund through economic activities in the communities surrounding the parks.

That means eliminating all funding for state parks could actually result in the state losing over $350 million dollars in revenue.

————–
VERY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: Sacramento needs to take into account the funds needed to put parks on standby maintenance mode, as well as the millions of dollars that will be needed for cleanup and restoration when parks are reopened. In absence of adequate park staff, our now pristine parks will turn into homeless camps and rubbish drops. Parks will also be subject to multiple forms of abuse, such as illegal drug manufacture and all-terrain vehicle traffic, by those for whom a locked gate – and care for the environment – is no barrier.

In addition, locked bathrooms will force such persons to use the local environs for toileting purposes, thus creating a potentially devastating sanitation nightmare. Epidemics start when human waste comes into contact with running water and ground water. Factor in the nightmare this public health issue will create and for the sake of public safety, keep our parks open.
————–

Our state parks exist to provide educational and recreational opportunities, preserve important cultural and historic resources, and aid the state in protecting key natural resources.  They also serve a critical function in providing respite for the state’s residents in times like these – when economic circumstances keep Californians closer to home, looking for low-cost ways to vacation and spend time with family.

As I have said, the need of human beings to interact with the natural world is paramount in preservation of the public’s mental health. If our children grow up without access to nature, what kind of human beings will they turn out to be? Will they even care about preserving the environment for the future as their parents have? What one is not exposed to, one cares little for. Such persons lack the finer feelings that can only be evoked in nature. And in truth, we are lesser beings for such disconnection. That is why this potential closure of California parks is so deeply frightening.

This is exactly the wrong time to be proposing to eliminate the state’s core commitment to this world-class resource.  Not only would removing the state’s General Fund support for state parks likely close the park system, it would cause an additional economic ripple effect to the state’s budget and to local economies.  The state would lose the ability to generate revenue from popular parks, which drives local economies.  As you learned during last year’s proposal to close state parks, every $1 that funds the state park system returns $2.35 to the state’s General Fund, largely through economic activities in communities surrounding state parks.

I urge you in the STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS to seek creative solutions that provide adequate revenue to keep our state parks open and accessible to all Californians.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your street address

Ever since my hiatus…

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 by Maryam Webster

I’m back from my email hiatus…just barely.

I’m quasi-back from my six week hiatus from email though not back in the office. What I deduced is that I need far more time offline, off email and incubating the juicy things bubbling on the back and middle burners in my life. On the front burner? Family, friends, real experiences (ie; offline, in the real world, like sand squishing between my toes and taking a whole hour to follow the flightpath of just one gull at the beach) and very long bouts of meditation. Lots more swimming. Softness of mittie ears rubbing affectionately against my ankles in the bower. Sunshine and moonlight. Yes.

Others are experiencing this need to unplug, in increasing amounts. The more I enjoyed my own vacation from electronical the more people began to gripe about it. Two items on the news the day I came back to watching a little limited tv – one on having teens unplug their cells and computers for 10 days (the teens actually recommended it to their peers) and another on “Staycation my ass, I’m saving up to go to freakin’ HAWAII. I DESERVE IT.” by an employee (one of many) on the edge. Scary, kids, but not all that unusual. We’re fed up, had it and not about to take anymore.

Here’s some help. Alex Fayle is guest writing on Men With Pens. He’s doing good work teaching soloprenurs to unplug and take real vacations. Read his sage words, they make sense. Then drop down and see what Byron Kati has to say below this:

First Alex’s blog post: http://bit.ly/17WE3W

And another, from which I quote: “frickin’ learn to delegate!” http://bit.ly/2Y0vvu

Then proceed on to a fix Alex offers in the form of inspiring emails designed to get you relaxing and recreating no matter where you are: http://bit.ly/8va00

“But Maryam, I *can’t* just uproot my life and go, what would people think??!”

sanity, what's that?I’m now getting this on a regular basis from coaching clients who just can’t see their way clear to making time for themselves. “What are you, meshugginah? Crazy? I got stuff to do and people to see. It would hurt my business if they thought I was being a slacker or a flake by taking time off for myself. That’s nuts!”  Sometimes it takes a doctor telling them to chill out or face a double bypass.

Or we could all just truly listen to our bodies.

Are you listening to your body? To your heart? Are heart and head in congruence?

Byron Katie has some interesting words that parallel my experience on this. She says that another person’s opinion of you is never personal, because it’s not really about you, it’s totally about them.

What YOU think and feel about things is about you and is my business. And what someone else thinks and feels is THEIR business. If I get upset about how you feel about me, I’m minding your business. And if I’m minding in your business, how can I be conscious, alive and present to my own life and business? The answer is that I can’t.

So ask yourself again, can you let go of others opinions of you? And if so, when?

Can you listen to the subtle voices of your body, and heart before they become the scream of the ambulance siren? When?

And anything that wouldn’t allow that to happen, you can uncreate, dissolve and release. Pulse your three cues:

yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes…seeing the rose opening its petals to all possibility…feeling the delicious deep relaxation sweeping over you and clearing the way to manifesting magic in your life.

What other wild, wonderful, wacky and delicious things are possible?

Remember, there are no limits…

* image credit goes to http://www.worth1000.com/ which not only boasts a spiffy online image editor but hundreds of images submitted as contest entries, just like this one. Enjoy!

April Unplugged

Monday, March 30th, 2009 by Maryam Webster

One of the things that I’ve truly “gotten” on my hiatus is that I have not allowed myself enough down-time and really need some quality unplugging. No computer, no tv, getting back to a spare, but rich, non-tech lifestyle. Accordingly, for the entire month of April, but for the master class in ETHOS I’m doing for Adela Rubio:

http://selfcaremastery.com/maryam

and a radio interview I’m doing for Connecting Women, I will be completely offline AND off email – our offices, help desk and all connection outlets will be closed.

I’d like to share a lesson from this that I have learned as it will be beneficial for anyone to think about. That is, we have many yardsticks in our lives – many ways of measuring the shoulds and musts. And though we may have come to the point of removing the words “should” and “must” from our vocabulary, those very ideas exist in our molecular structure as strong encodings.

In my case, the coding was around “I *should* be able to rest from a week of work in the two days of the weekend and be okay” and “I *should* be able to  work during the day from 9-5 as others do”.

But my system is not set up that way – it never has  been. I’m an owl, not a lark. A small percentage of the extremely creative (some call them “renaissance people”) have biorhythms that predispose them to work at their best, and to high proficiency on a variety of topics, later in the day. Voltaire, DaVinci, Michelangelo, Tesla and Bill Clinton are among those whose bodies also favored a night-owl lifestyle. I work best in the late afternoon and evening, sleep around 6 – 7 hours at most (7 is almost too much and 8 is definitely oversleeping) and usually work on several projects at once by preference. And I need more than two days to be “off” on the weekend.

My long-suffering workhorse parents despaired of me ever being respectable in the sleep department. I happily created in the wee hours, even as a child. Well-meaning though it was, they used every moral imperative to suggest that I was not a righteous person for being a night-owl and if I kept up “these shenanigans” I would not mature into a good upstanding citizen. Mother consulted Reverend Pegues when I was seven over this perceived fault, with the result that I was awakened every morning at 6am without fail to pray and read the Bible before school in the hopes of rehabilitating my wayward biorhythms.

It didn’t work. I slept through third period in school, refusing to be rousted, and stayed up at night until my body told me it was time to sleep. It exasperated Mother no end, but she finally gave up and when she saw that I was doing cool things – nature photography and essays in philosophy at that point.  She even briefly catered to my 10pm dinner habit  and harbored hopes that I might turn into Imogen Cunningham. No such luck though.

In the intervening years, I’ve found it’s always best to do what my body tells me it needs. When I do that, I am never sick or tired, and am always at my best and sharpest.

Late last year however,  though it was a relatively minor thing, I fell prey again to the moralizing of others around my natural biorhythms and tried to be early-to-bed-early-to-rise to join with a group of yoga friends who were all early risers and determined to make me one as well. And I mean, sunrise type early, greeting the day with Surya Namaskar as the sun crested the local Diablo hills.

The result was that I became out of sorts and was tired quite a lot which is very unusual for me. And even though I love writing more than life itself sometimes, computers, Twitter and email began to irritate me severely. These were cardinal signs to me that I was not honoring my body’s needs and was one of the ingredients in my decision to take a hiatus from business in January.

I naievely thought that my break would begin in January, but no, tying up ends so I actually could take a break took well into February. Then a conference came in March with heavy email, Twitter involvement and text messaging before and after, pushing things even further out.

So drop-dead earnest here, April is my month off. Completely away from the computer. Even cellphone. Don’t send me an EM, IM, DM, TxT or Skypee because I’m nailing the keyboard to the desk upside down and locking the mouse in a drawer. Not kidding.

I’m taking this unplugged break both for my own self-care and health, as well as research for an interesting article, or it might even be a book that I am writing. It keeps extending itself so it could well be the next book. <grin> More much later about that though.

The Moral of the Story Is… that there is no moral imperative around what the body needs. Each of us is wonderfully diverse in our unique makeup.  We all have slightly to profoundly different needs for food, water, sunshine or darkness, sleep or waking, downtime,  romance-time, exercise and alone-time.

That old biblical verse about the plank in your own eye comes to bear here. If someone in your life isn’t configured the same way you are don’t bring your judgements against them. Take care of your own needs and support each other to extreme and joyous acts of self-care, no matter what the hands on the clock say, no matter how different you might be to each others.

Diversity is what makes the world go ’round, be interesting and create genius.

Meanwhile, have a *beautiful* and *joyous* spring!

With Love,
Maryam

How You Can Help Australian Firestorm Damage

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 by Maryam Webster

My two good friends, Australian  EFT Master Coaches Steve Wells and Dr. David Lake sent the below about the situation in Australia since the recent firestorm. I present their words unedited with permission. This has been a massive shock to the entire country – please give generously if you feel moved to do so.

Message from Steve Wells
I’m sure you will all know by now – some of you quite personally – that over the past several days bushfires have been burning throughout Victoria in south-eastern Australia and other parts of our country. These fires, some of which are still burning out of control, have resulted in incredible devastation and trauma, with around 200 people confirmed dead, and expected to top 300. Thousands have lost their homes, and entire towns have been destroyed – and this comes on the top of massive floods throughout Queensland in the north east of Australia which have also caused loss of life and massive devastation.

Nobody who watches the news and hears the stories of people of people affected by these disasters could possibly fail to be affected by the overwhelming nature of the human tragedy which has unfolded in front of our eyes. To say nothing of the massive environmental cost.

For me, some of the most overwhelming scenes have been where people have come together to offer practical and emotional support for those that have lost their homes, families, and friends. I saw one woman crying as she was completely overwhelmed by the generosity extended to her by complete strangers freely offering her clothing as she had nothing.

The best parts of the Australian spirit are on show right here in the midst of this tragedy for the whole world to see, as people respond with compassion and care to the suffering of their mates.

Many people are asking: How can I help?

The best thing that most of us can do right now (if you haven’t already) is to dig deep and give money or other practical assistance through the various appeals being held. Many people have been astounded at the generosity being shown both within Australia and abroad, let’s really show what we can do. Click on this link to the Australian Red Cross bushfire appeal and add your donation to others that are reaching out to help the families and communities affected by this crisis:

https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

Other immediate ways you can help such as donating blood, offering accommodation, donating clothing and other goods, volunteering your time and other options, are outlined at the Our Community website at:

http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/giving/giving_article.jsp?article Id=4026

The next best thing that most of us, especially those who are far away, can do, is to start tapping! I’ve been contacted by people who want to help the sufferers but haven’t realised that they themselves are suffering as they have been vicariously traumatised from watching the news telecasts. I hear it in their stressed voices, and read between the lines of their emails. It is impossible for most people to see footage of people and communities who have lost so much without being affected by the pain they’re going through. I encourage them – and you – to tap on your own feelings and reactions. Tap for the sadness and grief, anger (at those who lit many of the fires), and any other emotions which well up in you, or creep up over time, especially as you watch the news broadcasts. Then, if there is a chance for you to help more directly at least your emotional reactions won’t get in the way and hinder relief efforts.

Shouldn’t we be going out there and tapping with the bushfire victims?

Mostly, no. Their greatest need right now is for practical assistance from those in the front line, and the support of their families and friends. If you really want to help more directly, the best way is to get involved in the coordinated relief efforts. You can register your willingness to provide volunteer assistance with the Victorian Government using the form on the Our Community site link above. As they say: “… you may not be contacted immediately as agencies are concentrating on volunteers who are already trained and accredited, but you will be contacted in the future with details on how you can volunteer.”

From Dr. David Lake

After I had written the above I received a copy of an email Dr. David Lake had sent to a friend. It sums up the situation perfectly, so with his permission I’m including it here:

“It is a huge country but the scale of the devastation now matches the size; people refer to a “firestorm”, which is an accurate description of what happened. This is a very rare event. Sometimes the firestorm swept through miles of houses and melted metal in several minutes!!

Communities and the country are rallying around those most affected and opening their hearts and wallets.

I saw on TV an old lady of 90 who said “I knew I was in trouble when dead birds fell out of a clear sky on to my verandah”. Miraculously, many survived when it seemed hopeless, while others made a dash by car and perished (when usually this would be a good strategy). One man went back in the aftermath of the devastation and found his letterbox still standing in a vast vista of only ash and black stumps. Inside was an intact bill from the phone utility. “I’m not paying that!” he sniffed–a popular decision according to the onlookers.

I can’t really imagine what some of those people have suffered, but one counselling expert rightly said in the paper today: “Don’t come to the area if you have counselling experience. The people don’t need this right now. They will need you much later, after their basic needs for shelter and food have been supplied and their families secured. This is not the counselling room–it is a disaster area”. First things first.

Certainly it is bringing out the “mateship” in Australia, which was founded by resilient and sharing people…

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateship

As David says, much of the real work and the opportunity for to help with tapping will come later, once the acute part of this crisis has passed. Meantime, you can help by making a donation now at:

https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

Best wishes,
Steve Wells (and Dr. David Lake)

Cheezburgerocracy…With a couple’a caveats.

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 by Maryam Webster
Yes, We CAN Has Democracy!

This cute kitty comes from the "I Can Has Cheezburger" website. All kitties want is Cheezburgerocracy. ;-)

Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. My friend Krishna De says that we should all remember where we were this day, when we heard the news as it is historic, one to tell the grandchildren.

Yes, Virginia, you CAN have another stab at democracy.

Let’s take a look what that will be like in the energy field…

Remember 9/11? Remember how the cameraderie and community feeling nationwide? Remember how good it felt? And remember how that lasted about six to eight months? No more than a year across the land. Then we started getting proprietary,
grabby, “not in my back yard” and looking suspiciously at our neighbors again. So much for national siblinghood and unity.

Now we have another incident that justifiably perhaps, is engendering great joy and goodwill throughout most of America and much of the rest of the world.

But will it last?

History tells us it won’t, not for long. But we can re-write history, you know.

Really.

It’s not even all that hard.

We’re going to learn much more in Magic School shortly, but here’s a pointer or two: Read the rest of this entry »

Certified Energy Coach Program – free Intro Classes!

Monday, August 25th, 2008 by Maryam Webster

Hi there. If you’re interested in taking yourself and your employees or clients to the next level and the many after that, you really do need to check out The Certified Energy Coach Program. We are now SUPERPOWERED with the brand new and completely free to the public Ethos Method, which is like no self-help or therapeutic change method you’ve ever seen before. You owe it to yourself and your clients to come check us out!

http://certifiedenergycoach.org

My colleagues Nina Price, Sabrina Reich and I welcome you to the wonderful world of Energy Coaching and look forward to getting to know you on this fast-paced and informative class. Bring all your questions about the CEC Program, Energy Coaching as a profession, its use in leadership and business or any others you might have.

Here’s your connection information for our series of free intro classes:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

Thursday, August 28th at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm UK
Wednesday Sept. 3rd at 5pm PT / 8pm ET / 9:30/10am Thurs. AUS
Monday, Sept. 8th at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 11pm UK

Bridgeline Number:  712-421-6384
Conference Access Code: 4695712#

You’ll be welcomed to our call center when you get on the line. Though we welcome dialogue in the class,  if you’re in a busy place, please do use your phone’s  mute button. On this bridgeline, press 6 to both mute
and un-mute your phone.

Looking forward to sharing the power of ETHOS and the amazing changes of The Certified Energy Coach Program
with you!

Warmly,
Maryam Webster
Director, The Energy Coach Institute
and Certified Energy Coach Program®
http://certifiedenergycoach.org

Light A Candle For A Free Tibet

Thursday, July 24th, 2008 by Maryam Webster

H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai LamaI belong to the Global Business Women’s network on Xing.com. One of our group members posted the call to light candles for Tibetan Freedom from Chinese occupation in our group. Since receiving the blessing of teachings from that avatar of personal freedom, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2001, I’ve been very involved in this cause. In gratitude, I am passing on the word-for-word notification here.  Bring your Presence to this event if you can…

Event start date: 07 Aug 2008, 12:00 am (local time)

Description http://www.candle4tibet.org/

On the night before the Olympic flame will be lit in Beijing, at least 100 million people all over the world will light a candle for a free Tibet. That aggregate flame will be brighter and will call for freedom in Tibet and in any other place in the world.

"Take part in our Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. Light a candle for Tibet."

One candle, in a hundred million of windows all over the world, is symbolizing the right of all human beings to self determination, freedom of speech, thought, conscience and religious belief."

The Olympic Games in Beijing are a unique opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the annulment of those rights in Tibet and in many other places in the world.

The message is simple: Every human being who cares about freedom has a responsibility of lighting a candle. The act of lighting a candle, being personal and spiritual, can also be viewed as a vote. Such massive vote that world leaders will not be able to ignore.

The internet is bringing people together and empowering them to act and effect change. If individual users from all over the world learn to organize themselves not by country borders, but behind common ideas, causes and values they will promote freedom in their own lives.

It’s all about solidarity in standing unified behind Tibetan aspirations. When people unite in large enough number behind an idea, regardless of their nationality, gender, religion or political views, and take a stand, they can change their reality. The internet provides the individual today an opportunity with being seen and heard.

We are going to create a unique moment when so many millions who otherwise would do very little or nothing for Tibet, or any other cause, would actually do something spiritual and meaningful. And do it together!

Our modest objective is to reach 100 million people.

People from all over the world have volunteered and turned the web site that coordinates the action into a true global one. By the end of this week it will be fully operational in 20 languages, and we promise that they will have 50 languages before the event.

I would like to urge you not only to join us at www.candle4tibet.org/ and read all the details about the event, but also to use your connections and help the campaign grow. Please invite as many contacts as you can and talk about it with people of the media.

You can also help by organizing public candle vigils in your area, and by enlisting performing artists and other celebrities to help promote this important event.

Needless to say the whole campaign and the web site are totally non profit and are financed by private funds.

http://www.candle4tibet.org/

Please join us and forward this message to all your friends

could it really be that simple?

Sunday, June 15th, 2008 by Maryam Webster

"a perfected self template". could it really be that simple? what would it mean if it was? deletions in the foregoing allow for creative expansion. comment if you have gnosis.