earth odyssey march 2010 digital edition

An Educational Guide to Sustainability and Spiritual Well-being

Vol. 2, No. 7 March 2010

Supplemental Edition

The new ‘American Dream’

Family life in an eco-village 10

‘Power animals’Fetish carvings represent animal spirits thought to reside in stone 6

Volunteers neededJoin spotlighting effort to monitor ferret recovery 9

• March 2010 Supplemental Edition EarthOdysseyOnline

Earth Odyssey Contributors

Our MissionTh e mission of Earth Odyssey is to encourage

individuals to develop a sustainable lifestyle and

healthier well-being by providing educational

information needed to make wiser choices. We

envision an extended community of individuals

who care passionately about their environment

and their own spiritual well-being and recognize

the symbiotic relationship between the two.

Magazine StaffPublisher/Editor Ann Haver-Allen

Photographic, Web and PR DirectorPia Wyer

Advertising Art DirectorDistribution Manager Jason Allen

Advertising RepresentativesBill AllenJo Ann JohnsonPia Wyer

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An educational guide to sustainability and spiritual well-being

On The Cover: Rick Valley, land steward for Lost Valley in Oregon, teaches children about creek

restoration. See story on page 10. Photo courtesy of Lost Valley

Lili DeBarbieri is a freelance writer

specializing in travel,

environmental issues

and wildlife. Lili’s

writing and photog-

raphy have appeared

in dozens of publica-

tions in the United

States and abroad,

including Terrain Magazine, Earth Island Journal, Preservation, Alabama Living and

E/The Environmental Magazine. She has

more than five years experience work-

ing, studying, volunteering and travel-

ing extensively throughout Asia, Africa,

Europe, Oceania, the Middle East and

the Americas. Based in Arizona, she is a

frequent contributor to the Tucson Green Times and contributing editor of Ethical Traveler.

Kimberley Patersonis a New Zealand-

based journalist,

author and public re-

lations specialist who

has a deep passion for

stories about visionary

individuals, businesses

and projects and

anything to do with

positive world change. You can read more

about her work on www.soulpr.com and

www.lodestarmedia.co.nz.

William (Wes) Ozi-er is the Camassia

Institute Director.

Originally from De-

troit, Wes is a LEED

accredited profes-

sional. He was the

program administra-

tor for the Arcosanti

Project for four years and the assistant

director for the Ecosa Institute. In addi-

tion to educational and construction

work at both Arcosanti and Ecosa, he

has worked on a strawbale construction

crew building the Mountain Meadows

Permaculture Bio-Shelter, a two-story

greenhouse, as well as four DIY scale

“eco-machines” created by John Todd

and a host of other DIY scale eco-de-

sign projects. He has spoken at Arizona

State University, Northern Arizona

University and Prescott College. If

you have any questions pertaining to

ecological design, sustainability or any

of his past projects, e-mail Wes at wes@

lostvalley.org.

Debra White is a

freelance pet and en-

vironmental writer in

Phoenix. A car acci-

dent on Jan. 6, 1994,

left her with disabling

injuries, thus ending

her social work career.

She reinvented herself

as a pet therapist, animal shelter volunteer

and freelance writer. Debra volunteers

with the Phoenix Animal Care Coali-

tion, Arizona Animal Welfare League and

the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra

Club.

Carla Woody found-

ed Kenosis Spirit

Keepers providing

programs that guide

people in life direc-

tion, relationship and

health and embrac-

ing a spiritual path.

She is the author of

the books “Standing Stark: The Willing-

ness to Engage” and “Calling Our Spirits

Home: Gateways to Full Conscious-

ness,” the course Navigating Your Life-path and recording Breath Meditations.

Carla holds a B.A. in communications

from Wright State University and an

M.A. in human relations from the Uni-

versity of Oklahoma. She is certified as

an advanced practitioner of NLP (special

applications to health), hypnotherapist,

conflict mediator and Reiki Master.

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This ’N That

By Ann Haver-AllenPublisher/Editor of Earth Odyssey

Important notice

Earth Odyssey fans must read

More changes are

afoot for Earth Odyssey. Begin-

ning in April, Earth Odysseywill publish weekly editions

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Two factors lead to our de-

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EconomyThe economy is the

first—and biggest—factor.

Printing costs are astronomi-

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We thought we had found

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That news forced us to

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The truth is, we have

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Because I am a life-long

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Results from a recent

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ContentContent is the second reason

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Each issue will still be

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We will continue to up-

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It’s a win-win situation.

March issueTo ease the transition be-

tween print and electronic

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March 2010Vol. 2, No. 7

Supplemental Edition

6‘Power animals’Fetish carvings represent animal spirits thought to reside in stoneIn Native American traditions, ani-

mal guides provide information not

normally accessible to the physical

senses. Shamans guided people on

special inner journeys to meet their “power animals.”

9Volunteers neededJoin spotlighting effort to monitor ferret recoveryWhile the elusive, nocturnal,

black-footed ferret has established

a foothold in Aubrey Valley, the

Arizona Game and Fish Depart-

ment needs volunteers to help

monitor progress in the recovery

of the endangered animal. As part

of this eff ort, the department will be conducting a spot-

lighting event from March 25-29 and needs volunteer

wildlife enthusiasts to help fi nd the small predators.

10The new ‘American Dream’Family life in an eco-villageMoving out of traditional society

into the social milieu of eco-village

can be a risky endeavor, especially

since many eco-villages are more

or less social experiments and still

fi nding their own way.

26 Puzzle Pages

27 Hubble imagesPluto’s terrain undergoes seasonal changes Th e most detailed and dramatic images ever taken of

the distant dwarf planet Pluto show an icy, mottled,

dark molasses-colored world undergoing seasonal sur-

face color and brightness changes.

15 Music and Awakening

by Martin Klabunde

16 Nature Notes

by Fiona Reid

17 Organized Living

by Tanya Allason

18 Horoscopes

by Dominique Shilling

19 Astrology

by Dominique Shilling

20 Inward Bound

by Sarah McLean

21 Tracks Across Your Horizon

by Bob Matthews

22 Vibrational Realignment

by Michael Davis

23 Yes! You Can Recycle That

by Patricia Melchi

24 The Small, Still Voice

by Judith Pennington

25 E.D.U. Movie Review

by Jason Allen

28 Heirloom Garden

by Stephen and Cindy Scott

Movies that

won’t make

you dumber

MovieReviews

by Jason Allen

By Michael DavisBy Michael Davis

By Sarah McLean

Heirloom Garden Seeds & Storiesby Cindy and Stephen Scott

The Small,

Still Voice

By Judith P

ennington

To receive Earth Odyssey notifi cations every Monday, join our

mailing list by going to www.EarthOdysseyOnline.com and

entering your e-mail address in the green box.


In Native American traditions,

animal guides provide informa-

tion not normally accessible to the

physical senses. Shamans guided

people on special inner journeys

to meet their “power animals.”

The ceremony included ritual, music

and induced altered states of conscious-

ness. Called a vision quest, seekers made a

sacred connection with the Earth and es-

tablished a special relationship with their

“power animal.” Many Native American

religions teach that animals can act as

messengers to the gods.

Zunis learned to invoke the spirits of

animals through fetishes that look like

animals. Zuni fetishes are small stone ani-

mal carvings that can bring good fortune,

rain and protection from witchcraft and

enemies.

Zuni fetish carvings represent the ani-

mal spirit thought to reside in the stone.

The full context of Zuni fetishes is com-

plex. But here is a simplified summary.

Each of the six sacred directions (above,

below, north, east, south and west) has

an assigned color (multicolored, black,

yellow, white, red and blue, respectively).

Each direction and color has an associat-

ed animal (Eagle, Mole, Mountain Lion,

Wolf, Badger and Bear).

Badger and Bear in the healing set are

substituted with Bobcat and Coyote,

respectively, in the hunting set.

For maximum benefit, animals must

be carved from stones of the appropriate

color. For example, below is represented

by Mole. The color is black, which means

the fetish must be carved from hematite,

jet, black marble, black onyx, snowflake

obsidian, etc.

True fetishes must be blessed by a

medicine man and are not commercially

traded. Fetishes carved for trade represent

a wide range of animals, including such

fantasy animals as dragons.

Here is a list of Zuni fetishes and their

traditional direction, color and spiritual

property.

BADGER: The badger represents the

southern direction in a healing set and is

often associated with the color red. He

is believed to have knowledge of healing

roots and herbs. Characteristics associated

with badgers include tenaciousness, pas-

sion, control, persistence and earthiness.

Badger can be carved from red jasper, red

agate, pipestone, dolomite, etc.

BEAR: The bear represents the western

direction in a healing set and is associ-

ated with the color blue. He is known for

his curative powers. All bears are healers,

but white bears are particularly power-

ful. Characteristics associated with bears

include strength, courage, adaptability,

healing and spiritual communion. Bear

can be carved from lapis lazuli, turquoise,

sodalite, azurite, etc.

BEAVER: Beaver fetishes represent

home, family and unity. They are revered Fetishes are all from the private collection of

Earth Odyssey photographer Pia Wyer.

‘Power animals’

Fetish carvings spirits thought to

Story Ann Haver-Allen • Photos by Pia Wyer


for their building skills and associated

with water by some northeastern tribes.

In Zuni they are carved by a variety of ar-

tisans some of whom put little tiny twigs

in their mouths.

BOBCAT: The bobcat represents the

southern direction in a hunting set. He

is associated with the color red. He’s

thought to be a clever hunter. Bobcat

can be carved from red jasper, red agate,

pipestone, dolomite, etc.

COYOTE: The coyote represents

the western direction in a hunting set.

He’s associated with the color blue. The

coyote’s characteristics are arrogance and

a sense of self-importance. Despite this,

he can be a great teacher showing us how

our impulsive nature or our self-centered-

ness fails to serve us well. And he can

remind us to recognize those habits that

ultimately make our lives more difficult.

Coyote can be carved from lapis lazuli,

turquoise, sodalite, azurite, etc.

EAGLE: The guardian of the zenith

or sky, the eagle is multi-colored and he

is part of both a healing and a hunting

directional set. He is the messenger to the

gods and associated with power, balance,

dignity and grace. Highly revered in

Zuni, the eagle’s feathers are still used in

sacred ceremonies. Eagle can be carved

from rainbow calsilica, tourmaline, Pi-

casso marble, etc.

FOX: The fox is quick and observant.

He approaches life with amusement and

cleverness and can make himself invisible

when threatened. When in an uncom-

fortable situation, become fox-like. Blend

in, make no quick moves and plan your

escape!

FROG: Frogs are a motif found in

Puebloan art. They are most often as-

sociated with water, prayers for rain and

fertility.

HAWK: Known for their hunting skills

and in keeping rodents away from crops,

hawks are carved in a similar fashion to

eagles. While eagles are the messengers to

the gods, falcons and hawks are the mes-

sengers to people or between animals.

HORSE: Horses are not a traditional

animal of the Zuni, but they carve them

(and probably have for generations) for

other tribes and for herd protection.

Characteristics associated with horses are

power and achieving one’s potential.

MACAW: The macaw is an important

bird in Puebloan cultures. Their carcasses

have been found at Chaco providing

evidence of trade with cultures that lived

much further south. Even today ma-

caw feathers are highly prized and used

ceremonially and in dance costumes. The

macaw plays a part, as does the raven, in

the Zuni story of migration.

MOLE: Moles are the unassuming

guardians of the underworld. They are

also appreciated for keeping the gardens

free of pests. Associated with the color

black, they are often carved of jet or

black marble. Moles remind us to watch

for the subtle things in life. Change is

still change even when made in small

increments! Mole can be carved of jet, he-

Fetishes are all from the private collection of


represent animalreside in stone

• March 2010 Earth Odyssey • www.EarthOdysseyOnline.com

Above Below North East South West

Eagle Mole Mt. Lion Wolf Badger Bear

Bobcat* Coyote*

Multi- Black Yellow White Red Bluecolored

Zuni fetish carvings represent the animal spirit thought to reside in the stone. The full context of Zuni fetishes is complex. But here is a simplified summary.

*In the hunting set. All others are from the healing set.

Complete Prenatal, Home Birth and Postpartum Care

[email protected] www.myhomebirth.shutterfly.com

Free Initial Consultation928-776-8033 • 928-710-0146

Fetishes are all from the private collection of


matite, black marble, snowflake obsidian,

black onyx, etc.

MOUNTAIN LION: Thought to be

the most powerful hunter, the moun-

tain lion is the guardian of the northern

direction. He is associated with the color

yellow and appears in both hunting and

healing directional sets. The mountain

lion reminds us to persevere, clarify our

goals and move forward to achieving our

dreams. Mountain lion can be carved

from tourmaline, yellow jasper, dolomite,

calcite, etc.

RABBIT: The rabbit is not a tradi-

tional Zuni animal but was likely carved

to satisfy requests from other tribes and,

in more recent times, demands from

collectors. Rabbits are usually the dinner

of predators, so they are often associated

with facing fears and the avoidance of

making them our reality. Due to their

reputation for abundant reproduction

they are also associated with birthing and

fertility.

RAVEN: The raven is not a traditional

fetish but he is carved often, and beauti-

fully, by a number of artists. He is gener-

ally carved of jet or black marble though

he can appear in virtually any stone of

the artist’s choosing. While considered

somewhat of a prankster, he doesn’t have

the negative characteristics associated

with the coyote. The raven can help us

work through failure and shortcomings

by reminding us that anything we have

the courage to face, we have the power to

transform.

TURTLE: The turtle is a symbol of the

earth in most Native American cultures.

He is also associated with self-reliance,

nonviolent defense and being a skillful

navigator through life’s obstacles.

WOLF: Wolf is considered the younger

brother of the bobcat in a hunting di-

rectional set. He is most often associated

with the color white and may be carved

from selenite or white marble, alabaster

or serpentine that is pale in color. Char-

acteristically, he’s thought to be loyal with

strong family ties. Wolf can be carved

from white onyx, selenite, white marble,

howlite, etc.


While the elusive, nocturnal, black-footed fer-

ret has established a foothold in Aubrey Val-

ley, the Arizona Game and Fish Department

needs volunteers to help monitor progress in

the recovery of the endangered animal.

As part of this effort, the department will be conducting a

spotlighting event from March 25-29 and needs volunteer wild-

life enthusiasts to help find the small predators.

“Since this program’s inception, volunteers have played a

critical role in the recovery of this animal,” said Jeff Pebworth,

wildlife program manager at the Game and Fish Kingman office.

“We don’t have the personnel available to fully staff these efforts,

and the program’s continued success depends on people remain-

ing involved.”

Twice thought to be extinct, a small population of black-foot-

ed ferrets was discovered in 1981. A mere 18 were left when cap-

tive breeding efforts began in 1985. In 1996, Arizona’s Aubrey

Valley was selected as a reintroduction site.

The reintroduction of these rare animals in Arizona was pos-

sible because of the state’s Heritage Fund which, when matched

with federal dollars, accounts for the project’s funding. This,

along with the dedication of volunteers, has made Arizona’s rein-

troduction effort a model for other sites to emulate.

Pebworth admitted that without the voter-approved initiative,

which provides money through the Arizona Lottery, this effort

would not have been possible.

“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished in Arizona,” Peb-

worth said. “We’re restoring an animal that was absent from the

state for about 65 years. It’s gratifying to know we’ve reached a

point with this reintroduction where the population has contin-

ued to improve.”

Spotlighting is not easy, and Pebworth acknowledges that

volunteers earn the right to brag about their participation in the

recovery of this animal.

Volunteers must be able to stay attentive from sunset to sun-

rise, be able to carry up to 30 pounds while backpack-spotlight-

ing for two-hour durations, and they must be willing to learn

how to use a Global Positioning System (GPS).

Individuals can volunteer for one or more dates. A parent or

guardian must accompany any youth under 18.

“This is a unique experience and provides volunteers with

an opportunity to see the amount of effort involved with this

reintroduction,” Pebworth said. “Not to mention the fact that

people will have a chance to see an animal few others have ever

encountered.”

Those wishing to volunteer, or needing more information,

should e-mail [email protected] by March 19 with “March

Photo by Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

A 2-month-old black-footed ferret (right) is pictured with its mother at the

National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal. Va.

Join spotlighting effort to monitor ferret recovery

Spotlighting” in the subject line. Individuals should indicate

which night(s) they are available to help; include a first and last

name, a contact number, and if anyone else will be attending

with them.

Additional information will be sent following contact, includ-

ing meeting location and times.

Volunteers should also note any of the following equipment

they can bring: GPS, clipboard, backpack (to carry a 30-pound

battery), headlamp, pen, compass, binoculars, walkie-talkies,

4x4 vehicle (please list passenger capacity), compass, spotlight

(that can plug into a cigarette lighter), or a cordless rechargeable

spotlight. It can be cool during the March event, so individuals

need to dress appropriately.

Photo courtesy AZG&F

Th ose wishing to volunteer to spotlight ferrets should e-mail azferret@

azgfd.gov by March 19 with “March Spotlighting” in the subject line.


Moving out of tra-

ditional society

into the social

milieu of eco-

village can be a

risky endeavor,

especially since many eco-villages are

more or less social experiments and still

finding their own way.

One of the toughest decisions one

has to make in their life is how to raise

their children. As a parent, you have to

balance what is right for your child, and

that includes balancing what your child

needs right now with how you want

your child to grow up.

For parents out there

who are either living

in eco-villages or try-

ing to decide if an

eco-village is right

for your family, perhaps this article can

help shed a little light on the decision

for you.

I am not a parent, but I have had the

privilege of living at two distinctly dif-

ferent eco-villages: the Arcosanti Project

located in central Arizona, and the Lost

Valley Educational Center located in

Oregon.

The Arcosanti project, started in

1970, is a prototype “Arcology,” an en-

vironment that blends architecture and

ecology together into one comprehensive

design and system.

While Arcosanti may not incorporate

many of the social, eco-

nomic and decision-

making processes

that many people

The new ‘American Dream’

Family life in an eco-villageBy William Ozier


infer the word “community” to mean,

the simple facts are that more than 60

people live there, some with children, and

their interactions and lives constitute a

vibrant and socially rich community.

The Lost Valley Educational Center

is a 20-year-old intentional community

and aspiring eco-village with roughly

30 residents. Through my time at both

places, I have had the opportunity to

meet many parents and many children.

For this article, I interviewed them and

let the parents, and the children, speak

for themselves so that we can see this is-

sue through their eyes.

Ivan Fritz, a computer technician

for Skywalker Sound, grew up at the

Arcosanti project where he lived with

his mother. He spent his summers on

the East Coast with his father. Now an

adult, Fritz can give a life-long perspec-

tive of what it was like to be raised in an

eco-village.

“As a kid, I loved living at Arcosanti

because I had free reign to go anywhere I

wanted, and the buildings were so cool to

climb on,” Fritz said. “I remember when I

was 6 or 7 that I spend all day sometimes

‘spying’ on people, just hiding and watch-

ing people work.

Another aspect that made it so nice

for me was that there were always cool

adults around to involve you in artistic

endeavors or games, and there was always

something interesting going on. Arcosanti

was also very special because of the miles

of undeveloped desert that surrounded it

in which I could hike and play.”

As an adult, there are some aspects of it

that Fritz can look back on with criticism,

but he considers the positive experiences

in his memory to outweigh those criti-

cisms.

Considering the importance our child-

hood views have on our lives and rela-

tionships as adults, it makes you wonder.

From Fritz’s perspective, rearing a

child at an eco-village would be almost

ideal for a parent. He believes that

with all of the close knit neighbors and

friends a stone’s throw away (sometimes

literally), someone is always around

who can keep an eye out for your child’s

welfare.

As a child, Fritz felt this support and

care from the many adults in his com-

munity and thinks it helped him to live a

freer and more exciting childhood, which

in turn helped him to become a more

“worldly” adult, in his own words.

Fritz’s perspective is one from a kid

growing up in an eco-village, but do par-

ents in eco-villages share his perspective?

Anna-Lies Amundson, or Ala, is

24-years-old and recently moved to the

Lost Valley Educational Center with her

2-year-old son, ’Io.

Amundson is no stranger to commu-

nity living, having lived in eco-villages in

Lost Valley courtesy photo

Kari celebrates her birthday with friends.

Courtesy photo

Dennisha, Ala and her son Io at Lost Valley.


Hawaii, where she enjoyed the paradise-

like weather conditions and the camara-

derie of community members.

As a parent, her fondest memory of

living in an eco-village was ’Io’s first

birthday; not only her whole community

but also many neighbors from the local

area came out to celebrate with her and

her child.

In eco-villages Amundson felt most

“herself.” Every parent tries to raise their

children as a reflection of the best part of

themselves, so when Amundson moved

back to the mainland she definitely

wanted to raise her child in the eco-vil-

lage context.

’Io is not yet old enough to interview,

but almost everyday I watch him run

around the lawn after dinner, playing

with another new young addition to our

community, the kitty-cat Sid.

Amundson believes that her son is

already more grounded, both literally

and figuratively, than children reared in

traditional environments.

He runs around barefoot feeling the

Earth beneath his feet. With his range

of freedom, experience and interaction,

Amundson believes that ’Io is getting

the kind of mental, physical and social

stimulation that parents in traditional

environments TRY to achieve by buying

their children plastic toys, televisions,

I-pods and video games.

Her son gets this stimulation, so vital

for healthy development, in free abun-

dance in a way that connects him with

the world and the people around him.

Nature is his life-sized playset, and the

people, animals and living things are his

action figures.

So far Amundson has found no real

drawbacks to rearing her son in an eco-

village, and as a mom she appreciates all

the help she receives from her community

members.

This help keeps her far less stressed

than most young parents, and gives her

the emotional energy and time to pay

attention to herself, enabling her to be a

more complete person, which she feels

makes her a better mom for her child.

From a child’s perspective, it seems

the most common drawback to eco-vil-

lage living is the lack of TV watching

compared to children from traditional

environments.

While many parents may think that is a

benefit, to children missing the latest epi-

sode of Sponge Bob—combined with the

fact that an inordinate number of chil-

dren from eco-villages place into acceler-

ated programs in traditional schools—can

make the children feel somewhat socially

isolated at school.

Aside from a lack of TV, there can be

other drawbacks to rearing a child in an

eco-village.

Many eco-villages are in rural locations,

which can make good schooling hard

to find, and most parents in eco-villages

can’t really afford to send their children to

private schools.

Home schooling is always an option,

but not all parents have the ability or

Photo by Sue Anaya

Nadia Begin and her newborn Sasha Tollas.


time to home school.

Jim and Kelli Huth moved to the

Arcosanti eco-village and then later had

children, twins, affectionately referred to

as the “Huthlings.”

When their double package of joy

arrived, Jim and Kelli had all the usual

stresses of first-time parents. Actually,

they had double the stresses, but they

had a supportive community of nearby

friends and neighbors to help them

with their own birth pangs as parents.

While they did have plenty of help and

people to look out for the Huthlings,

the children could not be constantly

watched and Arcosanti is constantly

under construction, so safety concerns

were an issue.

Combined with the fact that the

Huthlings extended family lived

thousands of miles away, Jim and Kelli

decided to move so that the children

could be with family and in a safer

environment.

Even though Jim and Kelli moved away

from their eco-village, they still recom-

mend the experience for parents. As a

parent at Arcosanti, Kelli particularly

enjoyed being exposed to parenting styles

from other cultures, and having a more

tolerant and socially safe environment to

learn how to parent.

All-in-all, Kelli considered her experi-

ence at an eco-village as “amazing” and

recommends it for parents, feeling the

unique nature of the experience forms

a gift for your child that you could not

otherwise provide.

Another benefit of eco-village living for

children is that they get exposed to adults

in healthy social ways. Anisa Brooks was

7-years-old when she was at Arcosanti

and says that she enjoyed “The people

and calmness of everything, and how

everyone you pass is like family a member

to you.”

Anisa learned to be comfortable with

people of all ages, not just children.

I’m no child psychologist, but there is a

definite link between cross-generational

interaction and intelligence, social skills

and compassion in children.

This intergenerational contact is a

much different way for a child to be

raised than in traditional environments,

where they are often taught not to talk

to strangers and come straight home and

not play in the street.

Fritz definitely feels that his positive

exposure to adults as a child helped

develop a much greater worldliness than

other children who were raised in tradi-

tional settings.

While Anisa loved her time and

interactions at Arcosanti, when asked

about the drawbacks she admits she

kind of missed not having a backyard

like other kids, and it sometimes both-

ered her that some of the adults took

advantage of having so few rules...a very

insightful and mature observation for a

young child.

Dave Tollas and Nadia Begin met (and

fell in love and got married) at the Ar-

cosanti project. When the stork brought

them Tristan, their first child, Nadia said

she couldn’t think of a better place to

raise her child.

A decision she obviously did not regret,

because when Dave and Nadia discovered

they had a second bundle of joy on the

way, their second son Sasha, they decided

to raise him at Arcosanti as well.

Giving birth to her children in her

home at Arcosanti and feeling the love

and support of her nearby friends and

community members was one of Nadia’s

fondest memories as a parent at an eco-

village.

Dave and Nadia have found many of

the same benefits from raising children

at an eco-village that many other parents

and children I interviewed found: a safe

and supportive environment for both

parent and child, plenty of adults to help

and look out for both the kids and the

parents, a stimulating environment for

the kids to play safely in, and a chance to

raise their children in a way that teaches

a lesson besides consumerism, selfishness

and fear.

Nadia is careful to warn though that it

may not be for everyone. No community

is perfect, just as no place is perfect, and

you have to be there for the right reasons

for yourself first, and then for your child

second.

Nadia believes that “you have to be

ready to work on yourself if you want to

be happy in a community.”

As someone who has lived in com-

munities, one of them with Nadia, I

agree with her advice. While Dave and

Nadia continue to raise their children at

Arcosanti, and advise eco-village living

for parents, they do still miss some of the

access to a greater range of choices, com-

modities and amenities for children, such

as diverse choice of schools and cultural

facilities that typical cities offer.

Amundson advises that parent in

eco-villages should try to get their kids

as involved in their projects as possible.

Depending on your exact form of liveli-

hood at an eco-village, it may be far easier

for you to bring your child to work with

you everyday.

Not only can you spend more time

with your child to watch over them, but

also you can expose them to your intellec-

tual and social activities and role model

right behavior for them from the get go.

While it is true that with kids you have

to curtail some aspects of your social life,

an eco-village offers more opportunity

to involve and engage your children in

healthy ways in your social life.

One of Kelli Huth’s fondest memories

as a parent at Arcosanti was being able to

dance with her children while being sur-

rounded by other happy dancing people.

This ability to include kids in your

work and social life helps to alleviate a lot

of the isolation that parents sometimes

feel, provides more positive stimulus for

the kids, and build a stronger sense of

community for all the residents.

Many people in eco-villages reject the

notion of the “American Dream” due to

its connection with hyper-consumerism,

economic oppression and the degradation

of people and the environment. Some-

times, though, I think we forget that

there are also many positive aspects in the

American Dream that are worth taking

to heart.

The image of the neighborhood with

happy, healthy children running freely,

playing in the streets and connecting

with each other and the adults is also an

iconic and intrinsic part of the American

Dream.

Ironically, in rejecting the American

Dream and moving to eco-villages, some

people may have found a way to make

that idyllic image actually come true for

their families.

Photo by Wes Ozier

Lost Valley land steward Rick Valley is pictured

with his children Althea and Martin.

We have been given

a beautiful gift.

This gift is one

that can allow us to experi-

ence freedom on levels un-

imagined or one that allows

us to think we are free as we

sit in our self-made prison.

This gift can set us free in

any moment if we allow. It

can take us to deeper levels

of awareness, oneness and

unlimited love than we could

ever imagine was possible,

and it can change the core of

how you navigate your life

from the most mundane ac-

tivities to the most important

life changing decisions you

will make.

This gift is our perception;

it is the way we see the world

and our place in it. It is the

way we see our self in rela-

tionship to the world. Are we

looking in from the outside

or are we seeing ourself in

everything?

Perceiving ourself as being

connected to all things will

change the way we navigate

our life. Putting this into

action is beyond the mind,

beyond understanding and

beyond thinking we are

connected. It is an inner

knowing, an inner certainty

that becomes as tangible as

the table I am sitting at in

this moment.

Our perceptions form the

foundation of our thoughts

and actions. We have learned

ideas of what our reality

consists of and we associate

specific actions and reactions

to incoming messages via

our senses that provide us

with feelings and sensations.

We attach judgment to these

learned ideas that fit within a

collective cultural philosophy

and form a perception based

within our learned belief

system.

It is our perception of any

given situation that provides

us the opportunity to take

action in a specific way or

toward a specific destination.

If we experience anger from

another toward us, then of-

ten times we feel attacked or

threatened and take defensive

position. This position arises

from a perception that we

have something to protect.

Our perception that tells

us that we must protect

ourselves is the source of

our actions and reactions. It

is this perception that can

be changed. Shifting our

perception can allow us to

make decisions that offer

more positive and productive

outcomes.

Changing our perceptions

opens doors that provide

us an existence full of deep

happiness, contentment,

peace and serenity. This

change strengthens our abil-

ity to negotiate life in a more

meaningful and purposeful

way and provides endless

opportunities to be a sincere

servant to our mission with a

deep sense of humility, devo-

tion and passion.

As each moment passes,

we are in the now, the pres-

ent; or are we? We have this

perception that life is moving

so fast. Where did the time

go? I can’t believe it is already

March! 2010 is already here

. . . I thought we would have

hovercrafts by now! My point

is that it is difficult to change

perception when you are liv-

ing in the past or the future.

Many people spend so much

time negotiating the past and

the future, they miss out on

the present moment, where

the doors of perception wait

for them.

So, what are beliefs then?

Beliefs are based in a collec-

tive consciousness that exists

within a specific cultural

paradigm. They are systems

of thought we have learned

that forms the foundation

of our perceptions. Every

thought we experience and

every action we execute has

a foundation in our belief

system. Changing our belief

system provides us the op-

portunity to transform our

perceptions and, in turn,

change our thoughts and

actions.

We in the West have been

trained in linear thinking:

Cause and Effect. Most East-

ern and indigenous cultures

embrace life with circular

concepts that provide a dif-

ferent way of perceiving the

world.

They show us the world

metaphors, anecdotes and

stories. Circular thinking al-

lows us to change our beliefs

and perceptions and unravel

the mysteries of life.

Now . . . Music. What is

it? How does it reach the

deepest part of our soul?

How can we receive inspira-

tion from it? How can it

make us feel deep emotions?

Music resides in a place deep

within us that is protected

from the constructs of the

mind.

Music is a part of the

metaphor, the anecdotes and

the stories. When we listen

to or play music, we become

part of the story. We are free

to leave the mundane world

and allow our spirit to fly.

When we play music we have

the opportunity to write the

story, your story.

We are free to consider,

dream and live the possibili-

ties. Maybe, just maybe, we

will see that the dream is here

and now and that the pos-

sibilities are endless.

Martin Klabunde is a light worker, cosmic walker and dance maker, who has more than 20 years of teaching, performance and class and workshop facilitation. He is the director of The Dambe Project—a Tucson based nonprofit organization that specializes in youth mentorship and uses West African perfor-mance art—and Kalumba—an organization committed to providing opportunities for spiritual awakening to all people. Martin is available to travel to your town to facilitate classes, workshops, ceremonies as well as for concerts and per-formances. For more informa-tion, contact Martin at 520-245-4547, [email protected] or www.kalumba.org.

Perception, belief and music

Permitting our spirits to fl y


What is it that I

have heard about

February? That

it’s the three months between

January and March? Some-

thing like that. Perhaps that’s

the case for the folks on the

East Coast right now as they

plough feet of snow to either

side of the driveway, as the

snow begins to turn black with

pollution, as skeleton-like de-

ciduous trees poke up toward

the bleak and cloudy sky. Yes,

I know in the countryside

there are many unspoiled acres

where the snow scene is pic-

ture perfect, where everything

is hushed and slow and quiet

except for the swish-swish of

your cross-country skis and the

beat of your heart as it bursts

with the beauty of it all.

There are February days

here when my heart, too,

responds with joy at the sight

of the frost-covered leaves of

the manzanita and scrub oak,

the ever-so-fragile layer of

snowflakes as they balance on

the thinnest of aspen twigs,

and the coniferous forest trees

are decorated with jewels of

frozen water drops as though

challenging us to believe that

today, surely, is Christmas day.

Then, just at the point when

I can hardly believe how such

a sight fills me, I lift my gaze

up to and beyond the tops of

the pines, and the sky is so

indescribably blue and clear it

literally takes my breath away.

It’s too early for any flowers

to poke their little heads up

above the remaining snow.

What would be the point—

there’s nobody around to do

the pollination job that is the

raison d’etre for the flower,

i.e., make seed, be reproduced.

But just because the flowers

aren’t busy blooming doesn’t

mean that something else out

there, almost as colorful, isn’t

busy with growth, and doing

it without leaves, or roots or

flowers!

This time look down,

not up. The world of rocks

and bark and soil and leaves

and old, unwashed cars

and—yes!—even animals (on

the carapace of a Galapagos

land tortoise, or the larva of a

lacewing!) is the world of this

colorful, curly stuff.

Lichens. This is the time of

year to be out lichen-watching,

looking for their bright glori-

ous shapes and colors. Lichens

are nature’s artwork. They are

survivors. They are mini-eco-

systems. And for a long time

they were ignored by botanists,

with even the father of taxono-

my, Carl Linnaeus, referring to

them as “the poor peasants of

the plant kingdom.”

They are wonderfully pecu-

liar. Lichen is, in fact, a pretty

cool partnership between

two organisms—a fungus

and an algae—both needing

each other to survive, one

to provide food the other to

provide structure. A symbiotic

relationship. However, back

in the late 19th century some

scientists thought the fungus

was boss and that the green al-

gae was forced into service like

a slave. They had the picture

right, but the function wrong.

The intricately fine threads

of the fungus, which cannot

provide its own food, weave

themselves around the green

photosynthetic algae cells,

which do provide the food.

One old scientist, as far back

as 1877, likened the fungus

threads twined around the

algae to the meshed web of a

spider, writing “. . . but, whilst

the spider sucks out her prey

and throws it aside when dead,

the Fungus stimulates the Al-

gae, found in its net, to more

lively activity. . .”

In fact, the actual presence

of all those fine fungal threads

does result in the availability of

more than usual sugars from

the algae as, essentially, it is pro-

viding food for two! It seems

like a pretty good partnership

to me—one is the breadwinner,

the other providing a strong

home environment.

The palette of colors

includes bright yellows, reds,

oranges, greens, grays and

blacks. Here’s a challenge for

your next ramble through the

woods: see how many colors

you can find; try to discover

the three growth forms of

lichens—crusty ones tightly

holding on to the base of rock

or soil, foliose or leaf-like ones

with a clear upper and lower

surface and that are almost

always attached to rocks, and

the erect or hanging lichens

(like a beard)—fruticose. And

try to figure out the age of the

beauty—most of our lichens

grow very slowly, as in the

thickness of a Sharpie stroke

a year!

So, who likes lichen? Santa’s

reindeer like to eat it, and so

do our pronghorn and mule

deer. Birds love it inside and

outside of their nests, for

comfort and for camouflage.

People in the arctic make

a dish called “stomach ice

cream”—the partially di-

gested lichen from a caribou’s

stomach, mixed with raw fish

eggs. Yummy! Humans have

benefited from lichens by us-

ing them for food, beer, cloth-

ing and dyes (the Navajo use

lichen dyes in their beautiful

blankets), perfumes (ground

up moss lichens were dusted

into wigs 300 ago to improve

their odor!), internal and

external medicines, decoration,

scientific age dating and so

much more.

Has our human relationship

with lichens been, as would

seem fitting, a symbiotic one?

Hardly. We have buried them

under asphalt, concrete and

buildings. We have so polluted

the atmosphere that some

lichens have died out (they are

bioindicators and can detect,

measure and map pollution).

We have converted old-growth

forest systems to single lumber

crops, thus wiping out the di-

versity of habitats and microcli-

mates in which lichens thrive.

We have introduced foreign

plant species that, by over-

crowding, can affect the light

quality necessary for healthy

lichen growth. And here in

the arid west we have de-

stroyed large tracts of delicate

microbiotic soil crusts by poor

overgrazing practices in the

past, and negligent off-road

vehicle use today continues

the practice. Rock climbing

too, has an impact on rarer

species hidden in the crevices

and cliffs.

It would be interesting, if it

were possible, to see satellite

images of our landmasses in

the past and the present, com-

paring the patterns of lichens

then and now. In the end the

disappearance of lichens may

be the very real indicator of

our human odyssey on Earth.

Fiona Reid, education direc-tor at the Highlands Center for Natural History, is a passionate defender of nature and outdoor time with children.

Nature Notes

Regaling the importance of lichensby Fiona Reid



Do you have a clutter

crisis? Vast amounts

of people struggle

with an overpowering quan-

tity of paper and possessions.

A professional organizer can

assist you with decreasing the

clutter, setting up a system

that works for you, which in

turn speeds up information

retrieval, minimizes paper

intake and reduces frustra-

tion associated to information

that’s gone astray.

Organized people are hap-

pier people, they tend to be

very calm, have lower stress

and blood pressure levels and

also save time, energy and

money.

S.Y.S.T.E.M. = Saves You Stress, Time,

Energy and Money

No matter where your

papers and files are located,

if left unsupervised, they can

grow extensively without you

realizing it, and then you have

a paper version of Mt. Ever-

est to climb. Overwhelming

paper diminishes productivity

and most often times, reduces

income.

Using green solutions can

decrease the influx of docu-

ments, thus saving paper and

time spent on filing.

Being able to find infor-

mation fast is essential to

your prosperity and sanity.

However, countless hours are

squandered looking for lost or

misplaced papers.

Eco-friendly tipsIf you can, use recycled paper.

Whenever possible, de-

crease the use of your printer.

If you do need to print a

document, use both sides of

the paper.

Send and receive docu-

ments electronically. You can

save paper by reading, scan-

ning and storing documents

on your computer.

Many printers have a scan-

ning function or you can buy

one with that specific pur-

pose. For example, a scanner

from The Neat Company can

scan receipts, business cards

and full-page documents.

It also has its own organiza-

tional system built in so you

can find everything you need

easily and quickly.

Recycle

• Have a bin/container for

paper recycling where you

open your mail.

• Shred important papers and

bills that have already been

paid and do not need to be

kept.

• Re-use paper with one

clean side as scrap paper.

• Convert your bills from

paper to e-mail. There are

many companies who send

e-mails to notify you when

a payment due.

• Instead of writing checks,

sign up for an account with

your bank and pay bills

online electronically.

Everyone can benefit from

being organized; you can

eliminate stress and duplica-

tion.

A professional organizer

can identify problem areas,

work with you to establish

better organization and green

storage solutions.

Reclaim the time you loose

searching for things by creat-

ing easily managed systems

to keep things organized and

accessible. Give yourself more

time to enjoy family, friends

and other fun activities by

getting organized.

Remember, when you start

an organizing project, use

the four Rs: Reduce, Reuse,

Recycle and Redecorate.

For more information on organizing and “How to orga-nize” eBooks, contact Tanya, The Professional Organizer @ [email protected] or www.idealsimplicity.com

Complete Auto Service

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Eco-friendly organizing

Paper, paper everywhere


Read your Sun, Ascending and Moon sign. An astrologer can help you find all of the planets’ places on the day that you were born.

Monthly horoscope from Dominique

Dominique Shilling, MAFA, is a coun-selor and astrologer with a practice in the Valley. For an appointment, contact her at Way to the Light Within, (602) 279-2941 or check out her Web site at www.way-2light.com.

Logic Puzzle Solution: Austria: 8

gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze; Canada: 5

gold, 3 silver and 8 bronze; Finland: 6

gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze; Germany:

4 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze.

Puzzle Solutions

l Pisces—February 20–March 20

Physical energy and vitality are yours

now. You have an insight about some-

thing that happened in the recent past.

Trust your feelings about a friend. A gift

is given to you. Rearrange or renew some-

thing. The best is yet to come.

a Aries—March 21–April 19

Venus in your sign could bring affection,

admiration and/or a gift. A lot could be

happening in the area of romance for

you. Use your creativity to make some-

thing or to solve a problem. Move for-

ward. You will gain more understanding

about romance within this year and next.

b Taurus—April 20–May 20

You can make a dream come true. Some-

one understands you better than you

think. You get an opportunity to make

things easier. Change in or around your

home is possible in next two months.

Lessons around your work can help you

get farther ahead.

c Gemini—May 22–June 21

Communication used effectively can help

you get what you want. Career-related

change could benefit you in the long run.

New learning or ideas come easy now. A

female friend could bring you luck or be

helpful to you in some way.

d Cancer—June 22–July 23

You gain more money and/or positive

recognition. The key is that you are val-

ued. A loved one communicates or sends

message. Creative thinking is recognized

and rewarded. Take care of yourself. Do

something to improve your health.

e Leo—July 24–August 23

Mars in your sign could have you feeling

more energetic. Lessons learned around

communication help you to attract more.

Is there a mystery to solve? An unknown

or secret could draw your attention. Solve

the mystery by letting it be as is. Doing

so will bring resolution more quickly.

f Virgo—August 24–September 23

Lessons about money help you to im-

prove your value to yourself and others.

Partnerships are highlighted. Transforma-

tion is possible. You could be lucky in

love. Try something new.

g Libra—September 24–October 23

Saturn in your sign could help you to

make improvements or just feel like tor-

ture. Take responsibility and do what you

need to do to get what you want. Be good

to yourself but know when enough is

enough. Unusual happens at home. Work

and health are important now.

h Scorpio—October 24–November 22

Romance and creativity are highlighted.

Doubts about money can be overcome

now. Think positive and you will see

more of the good things in your life.

What you focus on expands. So, do count

all of the good things and the wonderful

people you know.

i Sagittarius—November 23 –December 22

This can be a rewarding time for you.

Work done in past pays off now. Some-

thing that you have been wanting comes

to you. Possible change around home.

You may even want to initiate some of

them yourself. Change is good and the

stars are on your side.

j Capricorn—December 23–January 20

Trust your intuitive knowingness. Stay

away from taking chances with money or

valuables this month. Communication

from one you have not heard from lately is

probable now. Enjoy your home and relax

when you can. Next month will be busier.

k Aquarius—January 21–February 19

Focus on all that is valuable in your life

at this time. What you focus on expands.

More things and situations that bring

those good feelings will come to you. Trust

your feelings. You will not have to look for

the good things. They will find you.

The constellation of

Pisces depicts two fish

separate from each

other and connected by a

chain. This star pattern looks

like a V tilted to one side.

One of the fishes is higher

up than the other. They

both seem to stretch from

each other as if a chain is

hooked to each of their tails.

The place the chains meet

is connected by a great and

beautiful star called the Knot

of the Tails.

This configuration has been

widely associated with female

deities. The ancient Babylo-

nians recognized the Fishes as

the goddesses Anunitum and

Simmah.

The Syrians saw this group

of stars as a representation

of their goddess Ashtarte

and frequently drew it as a

woman’s head upon a fish’s

body.

The Greeks adopted this

identification, suggesting

that the two Fishes represent

Venus and her son Cupid. Ac-

cording to mythology, Venus

and Cupid dived into a river

and transformed themselves

into fishes in order to escape

the evil attack of monstrous

Typhon.

The first century astrologer

Manilius claimed that the

Fishes were celebrated in the

heavens for the transforma-

tion of Venus.

Retrograde planetsMars started its backward mo-

tion on Dec. 20 at 19 degrees

Leo. Its forward motion will

resume again on March 10

at 0 Leo. Saturn is still in ret-

rograde motion. It will move

down from 2 to 0 degrees of

Libra by month end.

Then on April 8, it will

move into Virgo where it will

stay until it starts moving

forward again at 27 Virgo on

May 29.

The following paragraphs are broken down by weeks.On Monday the 1st Mer-

cury goes into Pisces, where

it will stay until the 17th.

Mercury rules the mind and

Pisces enhances creativity and

imagination. The 3rd with

Venus Pisces conjunct Uranus

could have us wanting to get

away from our usual routine.

It would be a good time for

matters of love, and could

also bring unexpected finan-

cial gain. (2-6) Thursday’s

Mercury Pisces sextile Pluto

Capricorn gives power to

communication. It can also

make intuition stronger, as

well as helping us focus on

practical tasks. (3-6)

Venus enters Aries on

Sunday the 7th. It makes a

trine to Mars Leo, which can

be good for romance, dating,

and also boosts physical en-

ergy. This would be a perfect

time to start a physical fitness

program. (6-9) On this same

day we also have Mercury

Pisces conjunct Jupiter. This

positive connection can

enhance ability to think and

make decisions. (7,8) The

9th, with Venus

Aries oppose Saturn

Libra, would not be

the best time for ro-

mance. Many could

also notice a feeling

of wanting to break

tradition or go

against rules. (8-10)

Mars starts moving

forward at 0 Leo

on Wednesday. The

11th with Venus

Aries square Pluto

Capricorn would be

a good time to stick

with the tried and

true. If you want to take risks

or chances, wait for a better

time. (11,12)

The 14th’s Mercury

conjunct Sun Pisces high-

lights communication. This

combination can lend power

to thought. It could also be

expressed as decisiveness and

ability to focus. (13-15)

The month’s new moon

at 25 Pisces occurs at exactly

2:02 p.m. MST. This would

be a good time to start

something new. The Pisces

influence is very good for

healing, or to starting a health

regimen. On the next day,

Mercury conjunct Uranus

Pisces could be helpful for

generating ideas. Also, the

chances of hearing from

someone unexpected are

greater. (15-17) Tuesday’s

Sun conjunct Uranus Pisces

is wonderful for creativity

and independence. The next

day the 17th, Mercury moves

into Aries at 9:12 p.m. Then

it makes a trine to Mars in

Leo. This combination is

about action and creativity.

(17,18) Thursday the 18th’s

Mercury oppose Saturn Libra

tells us to wait for a better

time to start a new venture.

(17-19) Mercury Aries square

Pluto Capricorn on the 20th

could make it seem harder

to concentrate. (19-21) The

Sun enters the constellation of

Aries. (20)

Sunday 21st with Sun trine

Mars, Leo people tend to be

more impulsive, could be en-

ergetic, and/or seem to be in

a hurry. (20-23) We also have

Sun Aries opposite Saturn

Libra, which could have us

noticing limits and delays.

This probably would not

be a good day to have to be

cooped up in a small place

or to have to be restricted.

Find a way to put a new spin

on your daily routine in the

workplace. (19-23)

The next day has Mars in

Leo sextile to Saturn Libra.

This is controllable energy. It

will be easier to use strength

and drive in a practical way.

(19-27) Thursday the 25th

with Sun Aries square Pluto

Capricorn could be experi-

enced as nervous energy or

aggression for some. (24-27)

The 29th’s Venus Aries

sextile Neptune Aquarius is

a great way to start the work

week. Venus in positive aspect

to Neptune is good for inspi-

ration, romance and creative

thinking. (28-30)

On this day we also have

the full moon at 09 Libra.

It will be exact at 7:27 p.m.

MST. Libra energy inspires us

to be more sociable, as well as

drawing us toward harmony,

balance and beauty. This

evening would be perfect for

attending a gathering or other

social event. For couples,

this would be wonderful for

a special outing together.

Partnership and marriage are

ruled by Libra.

Send comments or sugges-

tions to way2light@earth-

link.net.

Dominique’s in-depth look into the stars



By Sarah McLean

This is that time of

year, time to be in

love, fall in love and

appreciate the love that exists

in your life. I am reminded

of the “Love thy neighbor as

thyself ” commandment.

Being kind and generous to

others is rewarded. It’s even said

in the yoga tradition that the

path of service, or karma yoga,

can lead to enlightenment.

I don’t doubt that, but why

is it that flight attendants

have to remind us to put our

own oxygen mask on in an

emergency before we help

others? Could it be we forget

to take care of ourselves in the

name of service?

Let’s look at this command-

ment more closely: Love thy

neighbor as thyself. Perhaps

we have to start with loving

ourselves. How do you love

yourself?

Sometimes when people

come to learn to meditate we

take a look at how they treat

themselves. Every one of us

has thoughts in meditation

or sometimes drift off in a

daydream, but there are some

students that are so hard on

themselves when this hap-

pens—getting angry or frustrat-

ed with themselves—a habit

they’ve fallen into as a way to

make themselves do it right.

Some people simply believe

they can’t do it at all, or that

there is something inherently

wrong with them. Of course

they can meditate, I remind

them. I’ve never yet met

someone who can’t.

I suggest that they practice

being sweet to themselves, in

and out of meditation. And

by sweet, I don’t mean buying

a new outfit or an ice cream,

I mean actually being kind to

yourself, and paying attention

to yourself.

Maybe you’ve forgotten

your own inner loveliness.

You are wise, you are kind,

you are aware and you know

what is good for you on a very

basic level.

Being unkind to ourselves

can simply be an old habit. It

might come up that someone

stays in a relationship that

isn’t nourishing, or they say

nasty things to themselves

when they look in the mirror,

or don’t take good care of

their body, or don’t listen to

their own inner wisdom.

What if we treated our

neighbor based on the ways

that we sometimes treat (or

loved) ourselves? We’d ignore

them, say nasty things about

them, or not care about them

in some way. You see how

that goes?

How we treat ourselves can

inform everything we say or

do. We have to become aware

of it first, we each have to

expand our awareness. I’ve

written about really listening

to yourself, discovering your

intuition, asking yourself

what you really want, living in

tune with nature, beginning

your meditation practice and

remembering to be grateful.

But it all comes down to

loving one’s self—which is

often more difficult than

it sounds. That’s why, last

spring, my dear friend and

retreat leader Kathy Zavada

and I developed a retreat that

focuses on cultivating self

love: The Heart Opening

Retreat, held in May in South

Lake Tahoe.

There is a Buddhist medita-

tion practice known as Loving

Kindness (You don’t have

to be Buddhist to do it.) It

has the immediate benefit

of sweetening and changing

old habituated negative pat-

terns of mind. In this simple

practice, begin with truly

experiencing love for yourself,

and from there, meditate on

kindness to others.

It goes like this:

• Sit down and relax your

body.

• Bring your attention to

your heart center, place

your hand there gently if

you’d like.

• Take some time to cultivate

a warm and gentle feeling

for yourself.

• Say some sweet things

to yourself, silently with

a sense of kindness and

warmth (see some examples

below.)

• Notice how your heart and

mind respond. There is no

need to hurry.

• Experience your heart

slowly fill with the warmth

and bliss of your own lov-

ing intention.

After you give yourself the

attention, send the intention

for all beings to be well and

free from suffering.

Take three breaths through

your nose, deeper than

normal, and come back to

yourself and the environment

you are sitting in.

Keep your eyes closed for

a few minutes and enjoy for

a few moments your state of

being.

Here are some intentions I

use, choose one that resonates

with you, or come up with

your own:

• May I be filled with loving

kindness. May I be peaceful

and at ease. May I be free

from suffering. May I be at

peace.

• I am safe. I am cared for. I

am loved and all is well.

• May I become an intimate,

kind and friendly force for

myself and be intimate with

my life and all of life.

• May I be completely pres-

ent in my own life.

• May I know and experience

God fully.

• I accept myself exactly as I

am and as I am not.

• May I remember the univer-

sal kindness that surrounds

me at every moment.

• There is no one on Earth

who is more deserving of

my love than me.

• May I be on my own side

and not betray myself.

• The more I practice Lov-

ing Kindness, the more I

learn to know myself as a

person capable of warmth,

of sweetness, of love and a

peaceful response to life. I

trust myself more and have

more to give. Each act of

kindness to others then

becomes an act of gentle-

ness to myself and to my

own spirit.

Sarah McLean is the director of Sedona Meditation Training & Retreats and is certified and recommended by Dr. Deepak Chopra. She can be reached via e-mail at [email protected], phone at 928-204-0067 or fax at 866-654-1705. You can also visit online at www.SedonaMeditation.com.

Learn to love yourself as you love your neighbor

By Bob Matthews

The weekend track-

ing program did not

fill as hoped but had

only two people. So I still

took them to an area that is

remote by any definition.

Two hours driving from

Prescott on paved roads,

then about another hour on

graded forest roads.

Our destination was a creek

at the top end of a spectacular

canyon. The monsoon rains

made it very lush—deep

greens, fungus pushing up

all over—somewhat like

mini ballistic missiles able to

lift four even five inches of

debris.

As with any tracking trip,

the plan stays flexible so as to

make the most of all oppor-

tunities.

My attendees were a former

marine sniper, and his ex-navy

girlfriend, both gun toting

outdoors folks with some

good technical skills. But

soon it became clear that tun-

ing in to what was around us

was the hardest part.

With a few hours of in-

depth skill building, it was

time to start a general recon

going downstream from our

canyon campsite.

The greater number of

tracks were from elk and

mule deer, with the occasional

skunk and raccoon—not too

much of a challenge.

Then came time to look for

bear sign. It is more challeng-

ing than some people think

“hey black bear =big.”

In Arizona black bear rarely

weigh more than 300 pounds.

They do stand up at about 7

feet, if really trying to make

a point.

Black bears are omnivores,

opportunistic, and above all,

surprisingly agile. For bears

there are two cardinal rules:

Try to not surprise one and

try to avoid getting between

mum and cubs.

Another concern has to

do female humans in the

group. Ask if they are on their

period. This is a backcountry

legend that I think makes

more sense than many others

that are taken as gospel truth.

I helped raise a black bear

orphan for the local zoo.

Bears are very perceptive

regarding hormones. Female

bears predate each others’

cubs and male bears predate

cubs.

Some Arizona tribal mem-

bers suggest bear problems are

more likely if a woman is on

her period.

The fourth rule for bears

is to keep looking up because

they use nanny trees to park

cubs during foraging trips.

The fifth and final rule is

to be aware of what the bears

are eating. Bears tend to find

something they like and stay

with it until the next tasty

treat.

The first clue for my little

group was an area the size

of a 7-11 in which nearly

all the rocks were turned or

lifted. Under each rock were

remains of ant colonies. The

sign was about 24-hours-

old, based on dew effect

on the exposed Earth and

the still damp contact lines

from where the rocks were

set in the ground—like ring

around the tub after sports

games.

The interesting challenge

came when the bear moved

across and up the canyon

floor.

This was on quartz, sand-

stone and granite mixed with

some lava rock. Some water

was in the canyon, but the

two sides provided a large dry

area of more than 200 yards

to track on.

Bears are timid. Based on

one rear foot front foot place-

ment, I determined this bear

was a female.

Female bears have a slight

turn out of the foot that is

more pronounced than males.

Also, from seeing other bear

tracks left by a known bear,

we were tracking quite a hefty

lady.

Getting low to the ground,

it was possible to see the trail

she left as she moved across

the canyon floor. She was

graceful avoiding the algae-

filled water.

The trail appeared unclear,

until I looked at it from pan-

oramic view. Then, I noticed

a rock that was moved slightly

and some rocks gently angled

out of their setting.

Moving across the canyon

in no great hurry, the bear

edged up a bank toward can-

yon grapes, which were not

in fruit, but the tendrils kick

butt flavor wise.

Our group took the time

too nibble and look around,

for we had now climbed up to

about 50 feet from the main

canyon floor. It seemed the

track was leading to a den

area. It is my personal rule to

avoid disturbing den areas,

as it can lead other not so be-

nevolent humans to the bear.

We had spent about two

hours on the trail and we had

not set eyes on her. She was

about 20 minutes ahead of us,

knowing this from the damp

ground drying in the Arizona

warmth.

Later, we could hear her

telling us off with gruff

oomph! sound. August is time

to pack on the pounds; play-

ing tag was not a good game.

My two trackers in train-

ing were OK with seeing the

tracks and hearing her. Seeing

her was not vital, although,

of course, it would have been

icing on the cake.

In our tracking process, we

became aware of the subtle

clues as to other bears in the

area.

There was a spot where

elk had stood waiting just

under cover of a pine tree

looking across a well worn elk

highway.

There was bear sign from

about that same time as a

younger bear pushed over this

rock and that rock looking

for ants.

Waiting is a great natural

skill. Tracking requires pa-

tience, waiting and often ac-

cepting rewards as they come,

and not as we would wished.

Bob Matthews likes to spend time out in wild places. Ari-zona is his choice for home and the United States is his choice for country of citizenship. He was born in England. “My planet is yours, but my world is what I try to share.”

Bear tracking in the Mogollon Rim Country of Arizona



By Michael DavisBy Michael Davis

Millions of us are

familiar with

“A Course in

Miracles.” Channeled from

Christ, it is a life-changing

journey into the teachings

of love and true forgiveness.

Think quantum physics and

modern psychology meet the

“Bible!”

But for many, the writ-

ing of the “Course” is very

challenging and difficult to

understand. The book “The

Way of Mastery” is likewise

channeled through Jeshua

ben Joseph, but it explains

that the “Course” speaks to

the intellectual yearnings

many of us have; “The Way

of Mastery,” however, speaks

to the heart and many will

find that its teachings are

much more accessible.

Both the “Course” and

“The Way of Mastery” are

speaking of the same con-

cepts, of course, the core

teachings in the Sermon on

the Mount, namely forgive-

ness and nonjudgment.

“The Way of Mastery” is

actually a collection of three

books, “The Way of the

Heart,” “The Way of Trans-

formation” and “The Way

of Knowing.” Read together,

they are nothing short of life-

altering. I say this as someone

who was profoundly moved

and influenced by “A Course

in Miracles.”

Indeed, my spiritual heal-

ing work is premised on the

teachings in the Manual for

Teachers. Yet whether you are

familiar with the “Course” or

not, “The Way of Mastery”

will not disappoint. The hu-

mor and humanity of Jeshua

are something to behold.

Jeshua begins with a

reminder of the illusion that

we are physical beings, the

illusion that we are separate.

“I come not to teach you,

but to love you until you

choose from the depth within

your own being to set aside

every illusion you have ever

given credence to, and to re-

member the Truth which alone

is true… In each and every

moment, you abide in perfect

communion with the whole

of creation, since all things are

but temporary modifications

of one fundamental energy

that I have chosen to call the

Christ Mind, the offspring of

the Father… As you become

less and less of what you

thought you were, conversely,

you become more of what

your Father created you to

be—the thought of perfect

Love in form….”

The beauty of the end of

separateness is that we are one

with God.

“Never once think that you

are alone. It is nonsense for you

to think that I am not with

you. You have asked. I have

responded. We are in commu-

nication. That is the way it is.

And that is the way it will be

until the end of all illusion.”

This is one of the main

themes of the “Course,” that

our world is but a projection

of our mind, and it is contin-

ued in “The Way of Mastery.”

“The insanity that you

experience as your pain, as

your suffering, your seeking

and your dramas comes only

from your mistaken choice to

become identified with what

arises in the field of your

awareness…. Nothing that

you experience is caused by

anything outside of you. You

experience only the effects

of your own choice…. You

need to come to the point

where you say to yourself, ‘I

have done this to myself. I

did it; I must correct it. No

one is to blame. The world is

innocent.”

Can you imagine this? Can

you imagine this! You are the

creator or your own world,

your own experience.

“I am created as my Father

created me to be. I am free….

Nothing has an effect upon

me whatsoever, save that

which I choose to allow to

affect me.”

And the next great theme

of the “Course,” forgive-

ness, is likewise echoed here.

For it is through forgiveness

that we end the illusion; it is

through forgiveness that we

end separation.

“For to forgive means to re-

lease another from the percep-

tions you have been project-

ing upon them. It is therefore,

an act of forgiving one’s self of

one’s projections… The oppo-

site of forgiveness is judg-

ment, and judgment always

creates separation and guilt….

When you have judged, you

have moved out of alignment

with what is true…. Forgive-

ness is essential. What has not

been forgiven in others, has

not been forgiven in you. But

not by a God who sits outside

of you, for He never judges.

What you have not forgiven

in another or in the world

is but a reflection of what

you carry within as a burden

that you cannot forgive of

yourself…. Judgment causes

the very cellular structure to

break down. If you could see

this, you would never judge

again…. Beloved friends,

forgive yourself well and you

have forgiven Christ. When

Christ is forgiven, Christ will

arise and make His home in

your heart, in your mind and

even in the cells of your body.

You will know what it means

to walk in this world yet not

be of this world.”

“The Way of Mastery”

includes many meditations

and specific practices to help

along this path; it is not an

easy one. For it takes nothing

less than the extension of love

to everyone, at all times, dur-

ing all events.

“While this body lasts, I

will allow it to be a communi-

cation device that extends the

treasure of perfect love, per-

fect safety and perfect peace

for all you enter my house. …

And your house is your field

of energy, the expanse of your

presence.”

(If I have aroused in you a

desire to learn more, please let

me know. I am considering a

study group for “The Way of

Mastery.”)

Michael Davis is CEO of Energy Medicine Foundation and a member of the Mountain Spirit Co-Op in Prescott. He is the creator of Vibrational Re-alignment, a unique approach to spiritual healing, and can be reached at 928-254-0775 or at VibrationalRealignment.com.

‘The Way of Mastery’ speaks to the heart


Here is a creative and inter-

esting way to recycle your

dead light bulbs. I learned

this from a freshman in

Payson High School named

Katelynn. She is 15 years

old.

Take your nonwork-

ing light bulb and with a

simple screwdriver clean

out the area inside the

light bulb. Than knock

the insides onto a paper

towel. Roll up and throw

away. With warm water you

swish around the inside of

the light bulb to remove

the paint. Take an average

size nail and hammer a hole

into each side of the aluminum casing. Run a string through

the holes and tie in a knot. Add colored stones or gravel

from a fish tank. Fill with water and add a plant cutting.

You have a very cute window decoration.

It would be very conve-

nient to know the hours

and times of your local

recycling facilities, as well as

local cleanup events in your

communities.

So over the next few

months, I will be listing those

resources for you. It is an

opportunity to help one step

at a time.

Recycling bins are for

public use.

Here is a great resource to

get dollars—cash for alumi-

num cans, copper and brass.

AZ Environmental recycling

www.azrecycling.com/

1112 W. Birchwood Ave.,

Mesa, AZ. 85210 480-966-

1478 or 602-246-0923

Other “cash for cans” recycle

stations can be found in:

Wickenburg1020 W. Wickenburg Way,

Wickenburg, AZ. 85390

Black Canyon City19101 E. K Field Road,

Black Canyon City, AZ.

85324

Globe240 S. Hill St. Globe, AZ.

85501

MiamiE. US 60 & 100 S. Ragus

Road, Miami, AZ 85539

Ajo1699 N. Ajo Gila Bend

Hwy., Ajo AZ 85539

Hours for the above recycling

centers are Monday through

Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30

p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 1

p.m. and closed Sundays.

Top Price recycling in Phoe-

nix pays cash for radiators,

lead, copper, brass, batteries

and all precious metals.

They want all grades of

scrap metal, surplus electron-

ics, aluminum and aluminum

cans. They can be reached:

toppricerecycling@yahoo.

com

2600 S. 7th Ave, Phoenix,

AZ. 85007 602-712-9100

Hours are Monday through

Saturday 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Closed Sunday.

Recycle your paper, plastics,

cardboard and tires (old pas-

senger tires, limit five per year)

Arizona CityPinal County Recycling

Center, 520-866-6685

12725 Adams Road Flor-

ence, AZ 85132

Hours are Monday through

Friday 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Another waste tire drop off

station can be found in Tuc-

son. The San Miquel transfer

station is located on Ericksons

Road and is open the second

Thursday of every month, 9

a.m. to 3 p.m.

To find locations to take

used oil and filters go www.

earth911.org.

Williams has curbside pick

up for paper and plastics.

Glass can be dropped off in

the bin located outside the

fence at the City Waste Ser-

vices, off Airport Road.

Verde Earthworks in

Sedona provides curbside ser-

vices. For rates, contact Kate

Blevins (owner) at 928-284-

3778) or go to, recycling@

verdeearthworks.com

Sedona Recycles, also

in Sedona, can be reached

at 928-204-1185 or info@

sedonarecycles.org.

Mettera Enterprizes Recycling Inc. operates in

Prescott Valley and Dewey.

Joe Mattera is the owner.

Company headquarters are

in California. Mattera can be

reached at 928 541-9345 or

[email protected]

and [email protected].

Yavapai Metal Recyclingoperates in Dewey. Owner

Bud Salome can be reached

at [email protected] or

928-632-5205.

Patricia Melchi is a writer, artist and avid recycler who lives in Strawberry, Ariz. She can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

Recycling resources in Arizona

Cool use for old bulbs


The Small,

Still Voice

By Judith P

ennington

In this Age of Soul, we are coming

to understand that soul speaks to us

in the languages we are best able to

perceive: from within, through insights,

intuition, visions, inner hearing and

dreams, and beyond us, in synchronicity

and the people in our lives.

While many seekers embrace this

concept, I’ve been surprised in recent

workshops to meet people claiming to be

“blocked” from the divine wisdom within

and all around us.

I consulted my still, small voice to gain

insight into this and heard that “blocks”

are only a perception: Nothing stands

in the way of our soul’s communion

with God unless we believe that it does.

If this is our belief, then the anger, fear,

guilt, unforgivingness or lack of self-love

creates resistance to the divine love flow-

ing through us and forms an energetic

obstruction in the bodymind.

We need only perceive its existence,

consciously deny it and release it by af-

firming our health and wholeness.

Blocks are removed just as easily in the

light of meditation. By picturing a block

or illness that we know or sense exists, we

can dialogue with it. First, we ask it to

reveal how long it’s been there and why

it is present; then we ask it to transform

itself into a constructive use that will

benefit our entire being. If it is stubborn

or resistant to change, we can draw upon

the brilliant light of love to cast it out. In

fact, we can bypass all else and draw upon

the light alone to heal anything.

But what if we don’t know what the

block is about? What if we are confused

or ill and don’t know why? Soul will give

us these answers, too, if we listen care-

fully. And so it was for me as I sought

to help others with their “blocks” and

discovered a big one of my own!

My story begins way back, but it

climaxed during a healing session with a

spiritual seeker determined to heal herself

of breast cancer. The insights coming

to us both were about her need to open

her heart and experience the pain and

rage denied by her busy mind, and to

allow her soul to guide her on a healing

journey. As it turned out, my soul was

guiding me to this experience, too.

We did a guided meditation to the Sea

of Spirit, where a black cloud showed up

to frighten my friend, but she recognized

it as fear, and I intuitively stepped onto

the seashore and asked for the assistance

of divine helpers. To my surprise and

delight, I experienced an awesome “pow-

ering up” of electrical energy in my body

and was healed of chronic back pain.

I accepted the healing, and in the com-

ing week, my friend opened up to soul

guidance as to the causes of her illness.

She released these old hurts and the open

wound on her breast cleansed itself and

began to heal.

Since our session, I’ve used affirmations

and denials to stay relaxed in order to

keep my healing. This receptive flow and

a gentle, insightful series of soul writings

revealed the source of the emotional-

physical “blocks” that I’d created; and

synchronicity brought me to a Peacemak-

ers workshop, which taught me how to

mend my heart and relationship.

If you have tried to use joy, laughter

and love to open your heart, yet still feel

blocked, consider using three precious

gifts—more precious than gold, frank-

incense and myrrh—to brighten and

intensify the divine spark in you.

With pen and paper in hand, sit in a

quiet place of contemplation and relax

your body. Set a loving intention for this

meditation, pray if you wish, and picture

your healing prayers filling you, your

loved ones and the world.

Rest in that peace for a few minutes,

then pick up pen and paper and describe

the situations (it’s always people!) chal-

lenging your happiness. When finished,

change the names to he or she and create

a poem out of this litany.

Read it silently or aloud to see what

comes up. Are these people mirrors for

what needs to be looked at in you? If

so, be at peace with the divine order in

your life and use this knowledge to create

peace by releasing any challenges and af-

firming wholeness.

Secondly, list the names of 10 people

you greatly admire—real people or

fantasy figures. Next to each of these

names, list three reasons why you admire

the person or character. After that, circle

the traits that repeat themselves. When

you’ve narrowed them down to seven, list

these on a separate sheet of paper. Here

are your soul gifts and the person you are

meant to be. We are in conflict and tur-

moil when we are not being this soul-self

and developing these gifts.

Remember to be kind to yourself: to

open your heart and hear the gentle,

loving whispers of your soul. Peace be

unto us all, that there may be peace in the

world.

Judith Pennington is a spiritual teacher and author of “The Voice of the Soul: A Journey into Wisdom and the Physics of God.” She has released a meditation CD, “The Illuminated Door: Journeys into Your Soul,” and may be reached at eaglelife.com.

What keeps us from God?


Movies that

won’t make

you dumber

MovieReviews

by Jason AllenThis movie was

brought to my

attention by a

local filmmaker, and it

seemed like a good fit, so

here we are.

“For the Next 7

Generations” is the

story of Jyoti, who called

together 13 Indigenous

Grandmothers from

native cultures all over

the planet. The 13

Grandmothers heard a

vision that our Mother

Earth is in pain and

our standards for “suc-

cess” and “progress” are

counterproductive to the

longevity of our species,

and if we are to see many

more generations, then a

drastic and immediate change

is necessary.

The film takes us and the

Grandmothers across the

globe to their native lands and

shows them participating in

their native holy ceremonies.

This film is not for

“squares;” it’s slow paced and

spiritual in nature. Personally,

I am all for the spiritual stuff,

but I have the problem of be-

ing grounded in this physical

existence, so I respond more to

logical approaches to convey-

ing a spiritual message, because

it really is a logical argument

to make peace with the very

thing that gives us life.

This film has a nice balance

of both, showing spiritual

ceremonies and dances, and

also visiting places that are

doing real work toward a bet-

ter future. The film does try

my patience at times, because

I know that the people who

are responsible for our current

state are not very willing to

give up what makes them

rich in the name of our future

generations.

It will take a lot more than

some isolated ceremonies

and good vibes to affect real

change. I think my prob-

lem is that I understand the

wickedness of this world and

that the wicked don’t even see

the truth as valid. Nothing is

important to them besides the

right now and the cash flow

of right now.

One of the journeys the

Grandmothers embark upon

is to get the Pope to rescind a

Papal Decree of 1493, which

states that all the people of

world should be forcefully

converted to Christianity and

that all their property should

be seized.

Unfortunately, when the

Grandmothers arrived at the

Vatican, their appointment

had been cancelled and they

were nearly kicked out for

performing a “savage” prayer

ceremony on Vatican grounds.

The Dali Lama was much

more accommodating to them

when they went to where he

lives. They spoke with him for

a while. This is exactly

the respective behaviors

I would expect from the

head of a power struc-

ture and the embodi-

ment of peace on Earth.

The Grandmoth-

ers also travel to Santa

Fe, N.M., where James

Jereb setup a ceremonial

star-dreaming circle. The

inspiration for the circle

was a vision that he

had of 13 Grandmoth-

ers many years prior,

where they were each

represented as a stone.

He collected and placed

13 stones on the outside

of the circle to represent

one of each of the Grand-

mothers.

When they arrived, they

were immediately drawn to

their respective stones, which

was quite a thrill for the archi-

tect, and pretty exciting to see

happen as well.

This chapter of the story

really gives validity to this

organization, because their

coming was foretold to this

man and this altar was made

specifically for them.

These 13 Grandmothers

have the best of intentions,

and I wish them all the best

of luck in their endeavors,

but it has been my experience

that the wicked rise to power

and don’t share it, while the

righteous are ignored and

persecuted, which I think is

the point of life.

If you can suffer the whole

way through life and persist

at being a good and peaceful

person, then your rewards will

be beyond physical measure;

at least that’s what I need to

believe.

Carole Hart is the producer

and director of “For the Next

7 Generations,” which can

be purchased online at www.

forthenext7generations.com/

home.php.

Jason Allen is the advertising art director for Earth Odys-

sey. He received his B.F.A. in studio arts from the University of South Carolina. His artwork has been featured in group and solo shows in New Jersey, South Carolina and Arizona. Jason teaches photography at Yavapai College. He is a career artist specializing in found art.

‘For the Next 7 Generations’

13 Grandmothers work for peace


Austria, Finland, Canada and

Germany were awarded gold (6,

8, 4 and 5), silver (6, 3, 7 and 4),

and bronze (2, 8, 3 and 9) medals.

Figure out how many of each type

of medals were won by each of the four countries.

1. Canada won 16 medals, but received the fewest silver medals.

2. Austria won either four or eight gold medals, more gold med-

als than silver or bronze.

3. Germany won the most bronze medals, finishing with more

bronze medals than silver or gold medals.

4. Germany won either four or seven silver medals.

5. One country won seven silver medals. The same country also

won seven gold medals.

6. One country won an even number of bronze medals and three

silver medals.

8. Germany won three bronze medals in speed skating and two

bronze medals in curling.

9. Finland won a total of 14 medals, including either five or six

gold medals.

10. Austria won either four or seven silver medals.

13. Finland won fewer bronze medals than silver or gold medals.

15. Finland won either two or eight bronze medals.

16. Germany won fewer than seven silver medals.

17. One country won an odd number of bronze medals and four

silver medals.

Sudoku!Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3

box contains numbers 1 through 9. Th e puzzle has only one

solution. Th e solution is on page 18.


The most detailed and

dramatic images ever taken

of the distant dwarf planet

Pluto show an icy, mottled,

dark molasses-colored

world undergoing seasonal surface color

and brightness changes.

Taken by NASA’s Hubble Space

Telescope, the images show that Pluto

has become significantly redder, while its

illuminated northern hemisphere is getting

brighter. These changes are most likely

consequences of surface ice melting on the

sunlit pole and then refreezing on the other

pole, as the dwarf planet heads into the next

phase of its 248-year-long seasonal cycle.

Analysis shows the dramatic change in color

took place from 2000 to 2002.

The Hubble pictures confirm Pluto is

a dynamic world that undergoes dramatic

atmospheric changes not simply a ball

of ice and rock. These dynamic seasonal

changes are as much propelled by the

planet’s 248-year elliptical orbit as by its

axial tilt. Pluto is unlike Earth, where the

planet’s tilt alone drives seasons. Pluto’s

seasons are asymmetric because of its

elliptical orbit. Spring transitions to polar

summer quickly in the northern hemi-

sphere, because Pluto is moving faster

along its orbit when it is closer to the sun.

Ground-based observations, taken in

1988 and 2002 show the mass of the at-

mosphere doubled during that time. This

may be because of warming and melting

nitrogen ice. The new Hubble images are

giving astronomers essential clues about

the seasons on Pluto and the fate of its

atmosphere.

When the Hubble pictures taken in

1994 are compared to those of 2002 and

2003, astronomers see evidence that the

northern polar region has gotten brighter,

while the southern hemisphere darkened.

These changes hint at very complex pro-

cesses affecting the visible surface.

“The Hubble observations are the

key to tying together these other diverse

constraints on Pluto and showing how

it all makes sense by providing a context

based on weather and seasonal changes,

which opens other new lines of investiga-

tion,” said principal investigator Marc

Buie of the Southwest Research Institute

in Boulder, Colo.

Particularly noticeable in the Hubble

images is a bright spot that has been

independently noted to be unusually rich

in carbon monoxide frost.

“Everybody is puzzled by this feature,”

Buie said. The New Horizons probe,

which will flyby Pluto in 2015, will get an

excellent look at the boundary between

this bright feature and a nearby region

covered in pitch-black surface material.

“The Hubble images also will help

New Horizons scientists better calculate

the exposure time for each Pluto snapshot

which is important for taking the most

detailed pictures possible,” Buie said.

With no chance for re-exposures, accurate

models for the surface of Pluto are essen-

tial for properly exposed images.

The Hubble images surface variations

a few hundred miles across that are too

coarse for understanding surface geology.

But in terms of surface color and bright-

ness, Hubble reveals a complex-look-

ing world with white, dark-orange and

charcoal-black terrain. The overall color

is believed to be a result of ultraviolet

radiation from the distant sun breaking

up methane present on Pluto’s surface,

leaving behind a dark and red-carbon-

rich residue.

The Hubble images are a few pixels

wide. Through a technique called dither-

ing, multiple, slightly offset pictures are

combined through computer-image pro-

cessing to synthesize a higher-resolution

view than can be seen in a single exposure.

“This has taken four years and 20

computers operating continuously and

simultaneously to accomplish,” Buie said.

Buie developed the special algorithms to

sharpen the Hubble data.

Image courtesy NASA, ESA, and M. Buie

Th is is the most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photo-

graphs taken from 2002 to 2003. Th e center disk (180 degrees) has a mysterious bright spot that is unusually rich in carbon monoxide frost. Pluto is so

small and distant that the task of resolving the surface is as challenging as trying to see the markings on a soccer ball 40 miles away.

Hubble images

Pluto’s terrain undergoes seasonal changes


Heirloom Garden Seeds & Storiesby Cindy and Stephen Scott

The story of chiles or as

some call them—pep-

pers—is fascinating. It

starts with the name—chil-

es or peppers? Therein lies

a tale. When Columbus “discovered” the

New World, he was looking for spices.

Among them was black pepper, known as

pimenta, and so valuable it was counted

out peppercorn by peppercorn. When

introduced to the chiles of Española, he

related the spiciness to black pepper, call-

ing it pimento. Thus it has been known

as “pepper” ever since. The Nahuatl word

the Aztecs used was “chiltli,” pronounced

“chilli.” Chil means the chile plant…tli

is a common closure suffix and has no

specific meaning. It was written as it was

pronounced by the Spanish—chilli. Thus,

the different words for the same plant!

The chile’s early evolution and develop-

ment seems to have taken place prior to

human involvement in a “golden triangle”

bordered by northern Argentina and

Paraguay on the south side, Brazil to the

east and Bolivia to the west. Birds are the

commonly accepted disbursement vector,

as they are attracted to the bright colors

and do not taste the heat. When humans

arrived, chiles were abundant. Soon cul-

tivation and trading ensured the spread

of these spicy wonders, to where they are

part of the cuisine for every major and

several minor cultures across the globe.

We present the stories of three unique,

wonderful and tasty chiles.

The Concho Chile is a unique variety

of the New Mexican chile. We had heard

stories of this little known chile for some

time, and eventually met the gentleman

responsible for resurrecting it. It had

almost died out in the small northeastern

town of Concho, Ariz., as it hadn’t been

grown for several years. It is interesting

to see how well the local oral history

of the chile’s tradition meshes with the

written history of the exploration of New

Mexico and Arizona in 1583 by Antonio

de Espejo and Friar Bernardino Beltrán.

de Espejo wrote that he had noticed an

absence of chiles in the Puebloan villages.

Diego Pérez de Luxán documented the

journey in detail, including the trading

of chile seeds with the local Puebloan

Indians.

The flavor is smooth, rich and earthy,

with a medium to hot spiciness. The

unusual thing is the heat subsides quickly,

and does not upset the digestion, which is

much appreciated by the older folk who

still like their chiles. It pairs well with

lamb, pork and beef, being used both

green and red. Used green it is cooked

fresh, while the red chiles were dried,

crushed into flakes and used to flavor and

preserve meats for the winter.

The Pasilla Bajio chile is called Chile

Negro or Chilaca when green. Pasilla

means “little raisin” in Spanish, as the

fully ripe chile has wrinkled, deep brown

dried pods with a raisin-like aroma that

is famous for its role in Mole, a delicious

traditional holiday sauce from central

Mexico. The original Mole had more

than 100 ingredients and took just about

an entire village to prepare. Today, there

are seven traditional Moles from the

Oaxaca region, and many more deriva-

tions. The Pasilla’s rich smoky flavor with

a mild heat add depth and complexity to

the flavors in enchilada sauces and salsas,

as well as being one of the “secret” ingre-

dients in Mole.

The Lemon Drop pepper is known

by several names—Aji Limo, Aji Limon

and Lemon Drop. The first name, Aji

Limo refers to the probable origins of this

fiery little lemon-flavored explosive—the

western slopes of the Andes, not far from

Lima, Peru. The Aji Limon and Lemon

Drop names are easy to understand as

this has quite a bit of citrusy lemon flavor

to go along with its well-known heat. The

combination guarantees richly flavored,

yet piquant dishes, but demands the heat

be taken into account. Like most peppers,

cooking mellows the heat and releases all

sorts of intriguing, subtle flavors. The Aji

Limon has been documented to being

under cultivation in the high Andes since

at least 400 B.C. and was well established

as a cornerstone of Peruvian cuisine when

the Spanish conquest arrived. There is

a famous salsa de aji limon that uses

mango, mustard, ginger, sugar, salt and

limes along with the Aji Limon to create

a wonderful sweet-hot and addictive salsa.

Ever since mankind first discovered

the chile, we have been captivated by it,

and have spread it from a small area in

Central America to the entire world. Try

some new flavors in your garden this year

with a different chile or two!

Stephen and Cindy Scott are the owners of Terroir Seeds LLC, home of Underwood Gardens. They supply the finest heirloom vegetable, flower and herb garden seeds, unique books and great tools. They can be reached at 888-878-5247 or www.under-woodgardens.com.

The story of three chiles

earth odyssey march 2010 digital edition

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