Get Real with Blue Banyan Courses and Events in 2007

Blue Banyan (www.bluebanyan.co.uk/realtime), one of the UK’s most renowned suppliers of meditation, yoga, Reiki and other mind-body-spirit products, is launching a programme of courses and events throughout 2007 that help people develop alternative skills and 'get real'.

In line with the company's reputation for quality and value for money, the courses will be held in a beautiful rural location some ten miles from Chester (in Mold, Wales) in Blue Banyan’s own venue, and will cover a wide range of practical and spiritual topics including: crystals, Reiki, setting and achieving goals, organic growing, herbs, keeping chickens and pigs, textile, crafts and many more.

Laura Carstensen, co-founder of Blue Banyan and courses director for Blue Banyan Real Time, says: "Our programme follows the traditional Wheel of the Year. The courses are designed to integrate with the turning of the seasons and the natural cycles of life.

"On January 27, for example, we explore ‘Imbolc: Renew and Re-energise’ and the programme will include crystals, cosmic ordering and feng shui."

She adds: "We promise high content and high quality experiential learning in a great location. Through the courses, Blue Banyan’s reputation for excellence will certainly be maintained." For more information, see www.bluebanyan.co.uk/realtime or call 01352759111 and request a brochure.

Blue Banyan Ltd was incorporated in September 2003 when it acquired the Devon-based meditation products supplier, Meditation Designs.

Since then, the business has expanded into numerous new areas, launched its online store in spring 2005, and relocated from London to dedicated office/distribution premises in Mold, North Wales.

Blue Banyan owns and operates Bluebanyan.co.uk, the UK’s leading online supplier of meditation products and a premier supplier of mind-body-spirit products in the domestic and international markets.

The company also runs the Blue Banyan Healing Centre in Mold (www.bluebanyanhealingcentre.co.uk) - a regional centre for excellence in complementary and alternative therapies.

Close encounters facing the self

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy presents an equality and diversity matters conference 'Close encounters - facing the self' 1 February 2007, The Hilton Coventry Hotel.

Yet again diversity is making the headlines with accusations of racist behaviour being levelled at the contestants in the Big Brother house.

Channel 4 is unable to decide whether racism has occurred, or if social differences are to blame for disputes between contestants. 'What constitutes racism is a complex question', Andy Duncan, chief executive, Channel 4.

This specialist conference will challenge delegates to examine their ownviews and to identify what diversity and equality really means to them.Leading thinkers from the fields of business and counselling will besharing their thoughts on diversity.

This year BACP is delighted towelcome Linda Bellos (OBE) and Professor Andrew Samuels as keynotespeakers in addition to a host of specialist workshop presenters.Linda Bellos, Director of Diversity Solutions Consultancy Ltd, will examine the ever-changing nature of diversity and whether what isconsidered relevant and topical now will remain so in the future.

Andrew Samuels, is an author and professor with over thirty years ofexperience, he will discuss how counsellors can get in touch with their"inner politician" and by doing so explore the possibilities andlimitations of equality and diversity.

The day will also feature a number of thought- provoking workshopsessions:

* Embedding diversity into personal and professional self
* Deconstructing sex and gender
* Identity development and identity recognition: who we are,particularly inrelation to 'they' and 'them'?

* Facing the self creatively

* Disability - how the self sees it

* Understanding the self- the lens through which we view our world

After gaining an insight into their own relationships on mattersconcerning diversity delegates will be invited to discuss how differenceimpacts on the counselling relationship - does it in fact provide more opportunities for change than challenges?

For further information about this event please visit the BACP website www.bacp.co.uk

To book place(s) please contact Richard Smith in the BACP EventsTeam on: 0870 143 0945 or email: richard.smith@bacp.co.uk

102 black African slaves rescued from Arab slave masters

Last week, 102 Black African slaves were liberated from Baggara Arab masters and returned to their homeland in Southern Sudan in an action supported by Christian Solidarity International (CSI - http://www.csi-int.org).

Most of the liberated slaves - mainly boys and young men - had been captured by Sudanese government-sponsored militias during two decades of civil war, pitting the Arab-Muslim dominated Government of Sudan against the predominantly Black African Sudan People's Liberation Front (SPLA).

Interviews reveal a strong pattern of physical and psychological abuse. The overwhelming majority of the liberated slaves had been subjected to beatings, racial and religious insults, forced labour and denial of the freedom to practice any religion other than Islam.

Most of the girls and women had been subjected to sexual abuse. Among the slaves were: 16-year-old Agor Deng. Agor was repeatedly raped by her master, and his associates. He and his wife excised her finger nails with a knife after she failed to obey an order to grind grain.

They also forced her, using death threats, to pray like a Muslim. 30-year-old Garang Akot Wiir. Garang's right arm and leg were partially paralysed after having been beaten and tied up tightly for 24 hours as punishment for attempting to escape. He was renamed Abdelrazik Ezzadin by his master.

45-year-old Achol Loc Wiel. Achol was shot in her leg during a slave raid. She also lost her husband and three children during the slave raid and forced march to Northern Sudan. Achol was gang raped by her master's friends. She was also forced to abandon the practice of her Christian faith and pray like a Muslim.

The liberation and documentation of the 102 slaves was the result of cooperation between Arab-Dinka Peace Committees, the civil authorities in Aweil State, local churches and CSI. The Sudanese Episcopalian priest, Rev. Tito Athian - a longstanding local CSI partner - expressed joy at the liberation of the slaves, stating: "Thank you for helping bring back our people from slavery. Now they are free to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and choose their own religion."

After witnessing several CSI slave liberation actions, including last week's, anti-trafficking consultant and author of The Jubilee Prophecy, Aaron Cohen, said: "I have seen first hand, in 23 countries, the positive changes good programmes can have in the lives of enslaved people. CSI has created in Sudan a sustainable and effective programme which has liberated thousands of slaves, inspired anti-trafficking legislation, and brought hope to people in bondage. CSI's pioneering work in Sudan is an excellent example to all abolitionists."

(ED: And there was us, thinking slave trading was a thing of the past...)

Amusing, even if you are not religious? The Great American Book of Church Signs

This newly released book by Donald Seitz is getting attention from all over the USA. And beyond, too...

From coast to coast, in newspapers on the Internet, and on radio and TV, there's a buzz about The Great American Book of Church Signs.

It seems everybody loves talking about those quirky and inspirational roadside messages captured in this brilliant new full-color book by Donald Seitz.

Three years in the making, The Great American Book of Church Signs, takes us on a photographic journey of faith from California to Virginia, from Michigan to Georgia.

"Americans may not wear their faith on their sleeves," as Seitz says, "but they love to show it on the road."

In Seitz's beautiful book, every sign tells its own story--encouraging us to live better lives, to love more deeply, and to pray more often. And with the turn of every page, we're reminded to laugh along the way.

One sign of encouragement reads, "Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case."

"The average church sign is eight words long," says Seitz, and it's amazing how a few words of faith can touch us, challenge us, or even change our lives." One such sign inspired his pilgrimage to create this book.

"Driving home from a tough week at the office," he recalls, "I passed a church sign that said, "He who kneels before God can stand before anyone." At that precise moment, it was exactly the message I needed to hear.

"With his camera, his wife, and his three year old son, Seitz crisscrossed the country, covering more than twenty thousand miles to capture the heart and soul of faith on the road. The book's 100 signs, drawn from more than a dozen denominations, cover such topics as faith, forgiveness, prayer, love, and eternity.

Featured in the book are such gems as, "Life is fragile. Handle with prayer" (Nashville, TN); "Love God with all your heart, then do whatever you want" (New York City, NY), and "Where will you be spending eternity--smoking or nonsmoking?" (Stromsburg, NE).

The Great American Book of Church Signs is a wonderful celebration of the practice and art of the church sign. With his keen eye for detail, his exquisite photography, and his love for the subject matter, Donald Seitz has created the definitive work on church signs.

For more information on The Great American Book of Church Signs, please visit www.thisisyoursign.com.

What's YOUR favourite sign church or non-church? Please tell me, Matt!

Maio Offers Repeat Tea Seminar

Owing to the huge success of her December seminar, Joyce Maio will offer a repeat Tea Tasting and seminar at Kiva's Cafe in New York on January 28, 3007. Tea in A Bowl...Tea in a Cup (sm) will offer an entertaining, interactive look at tea throughout history, from different countries, and explain today's health benefits associated with drinking the beverage.

December's tea tasting and lively presentation by Joyce Maïo, tea consultant and advocate, was a great success and led to an encore engagement by New York's Kiva Café.

The event is scheduled for Sunday, January 28, 2007, from 4 - 6 p.m. and will be hosted by Tribeca's culturally acclaimed meeting place, Kiva Café, 139 Reade Street, (between Hudson and Greenwich), Manhattan.

Reservations for the $35 event are limited, and may be made by calling (212) 362-9074. At the request of its customers, Kiva Café is seeking to offer more information on tea, while expanding its offerings of fine quality loose leaf tea.

Joyce Maïo presents a stimulating, interactive two-hour presentation during which she notes the role of tea in its historical and cultural traditions, discusses characteristics of different types of tea grown from around the world, various methods of processing the tea and intersperses her lecture with anecdotes and myths.

She also focuses on the benefits of tea in health and beauty from old recipes and new scientific studies. "The name 'Kiva' is an ancient Native American term for a gathering place where people come together for meetings and ceremonies," Kiva Café's owner Beebe Oyoke stated after the highly successful event at the venue last month.

"What a perfect place to share the experience of tea!"Joyce Maïo was born in France and raised in diverse cultural traditions where tea is still revered as a "sacred moment".

She is currently writing a book on the cultural heritage of tea. Joyce organizes special cultural and educational events in the arts and most recently appeared on CBS Television to bring awareness to national viewers on the cultural & health benefits of tea.

Could You Be Psychic?

Ever wondered why a place seems familiar or you think you have been there before? Do you sometimes get the sensation of knowing what’s about to happen next? Well you are not alone; you are probably just more in tune with your psychic powers or are one of the many thousands of people in the world who have extraordinary sensitivities to spiritual energies.

Sound a bit like hocus-pocus to you? Well, read on. Nowadays everybody seems to be looking for some kind of direction and many of us are tapping into our spiritual side to try and find peace, happiness and guidance in life.

It is fair to assume that we all have some level of psychic intuition but that some people are far more accepting of it and embrace these extraordinary powers. Those of us who use these skills carefully and wisely can help others in many ways such as giving reassurance, finding love, helping with the death of a loved one, or simply giving guidance in difficult times.

Spirit guides have been reported since the year dot, and have found mainstream acceptance through many religions, including Christianity.

Using their psychic abilities, mediums, clairvoyants, mystics and spirit guides have helped
thousands and thousands of people over the years, in everyday life and in times of great troubles. World Leaders, Famous Actors, Politicians and Sports Stars have all benefited from spiritual guidance of some kind.

In fact the term clairvoyance is a French word that literally translates as ‘clear seeing’ and this is exactly what mystics and mediums can help us to achieve. One of the UK’s leading mystics Paul Perris discovered his powers as a medium early in life at the age of 4 when he clearly witnessed the spirit of his deceased Grandfather sitting on his own coffin. From then on his
links with the spirit world developed and now Paul spends his life helping others by harnessing his energies and passing on messages from the spirit world.

“It is part of everything I do. Sometimes things can be distressing but mostly my work is of a positive and healing nature. If you have these natural skills why not try and use them? If you are meant to be a medium, at some point in your life you must accept your role and learn to love it.”

So next time you walk a familiar path or recognise something rather peculiar in an as yet unvisited place, take a step back and dwell on it for a moment - maybe there is more to you than meets the eye…

Paul Perris is one of the UK’s leading mediums and runs www.mysticalmediums.co.uk a team of mystics and mediums offering guidance on life, love, loss and career.

Of course, it might just be coincidence...

Those poor, dumbed Mormons. Their church is dooming them to poor health!

“Coffee: The New Health Food?
Plenty of health benefits are brewing in America's beloved beverage.
By Sid Kirchheimer
WebMD Feature
Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

“Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?
If it sounds too good to be true, think again.

Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better.”
http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/80/96454.htm

And the following is a story on the health benefits of drinking tea. Not just Green “health” teas but ‘ordinary’ black teas, too.

“Tea Provides Nearly 90 Percent of the Flavonoid Antioxidants Per Capita in U.S. Diet

- Symposium Explores Health Benefits of Flavonoids -

DAVIS, Calif., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Not only is tea refreshing and soothing, new research suggests that it may be a major contributor of health-promoting nutrients in the U.S. diet. At the Second International Conference on Polyphenols and Health held at the University of California, Davis, on October 4-7, scientists reported that tea provides more flavonoids to the average American diet than any food or beverage in the U.S. food supply.

Using data from the national nutrition monitoring surveys that are representative of the U.S. population, researchers from Exponent, a scientific research firm, calculated an average per capita flavonoid intake by U.S. consumers of approximately 134.0 mg/day. Based on the foods recorded in the surveys, the researchers also concluded that beverages contribute the most
dietary flavonoids, providing on average approximately 125.0 mg/day, with tea providing approximately 117 mg/day, or 87 percent of the dietary flavonoids on a per capita basis.

While there is no current recommended dietary intake for flavonoids, clinical and epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of 600 to 1000 mg of flavonoids (3-4 cups of tea) are associated with potential health benefits and fit as part of a healthy diet.

Flavonoids are a major class of dietary phytonutrients, found predominately in fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa and wine. They have been shown to be potent antioxidants which help neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are scavenging cells that over time, are believed to damage the body's genetic makeup and are associated with various conditions relating to aging, as well as diseases such as heart disease and certain cancers.

Significant scientific research suggests that flavonoid antioxidants may confer myriad health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes, as well as bolstering the body's immune system.

With respect to heart health, ongoing research suggests that flavonoids may help lower harmful blood cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel endothelial function.

Other research suggests that flavonoids may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. There is also mounting evidence that the phytonutrients in tea stimulate the immune system and help maintain the balance of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

According to the USDA flavonoid database, brewed tea -- both black and green -- contains 150 to 190 milligrams of flavonoids per cup. Another benefit of tea is that, unlike many other popular beverages, tea contains virtually no calories, fat or sugar. Tea also provides trace amounts of healthful minerals such as potassium and fluoride.

"This is another piece of the puzzle that may help explain why tea drinkers tend to have a lower incidence of heart disease and other chronic conditions," said Joseph Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA. "The other good news is that drinking more tea is simple and tasty, so there's no compromising taste for health."

While consumers should certainly continue to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, tea can be a healthy beverage selection offering beneficial phytonutrients in a healthful diet.”


“Tea And Cardiovascular Health

“For years, research in populations has suggested that tea drinking is associated with improved cardiovascular health. Recently, both clinical and population studies have found similar positive cardiovascular effects among people who include tea as a part of their daily diets.”

Read the rest of the article here http://www.teausa.com/general/204g.cfm


And there’s more!

“Masturbating may protect against prostate cancer”
“…the latest research has even better news for young men: frequent self-pleasuring could protect against the most common kind of cancer.”
Read the rest of the article here http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3942

There was even a report of a TBM who declared that when his doctor advised him to reduce his risk of prostate cancer by masturbation that he would rather die from prostate cancer than “polluting his body.”

The problem is, of course, not so much about polluted bodies but minds polluted with years and years of lying by Mormondumb.

Let's hear it for Joseph Smith and his Word of Wisdumb. (sic)