OM Namah Shivaya

Truth. Simplicity. Love and Service to all sentient beings.

This is the message that has come to me through the Bhagavad Gita. God, it seems, has many roads leading to him/her. God, and the great cosmic consciousness has purposed it this way.

The Bhagavad Gita was brought to my attention years ago by a star that shined on this planet for a very short time. Her name was Dina Certrulo and while she was here, she and I were friends and she taught me about things along the lines of divinity, spirituality, the Tao and Hinduism. She was probably the only person that I ever came in contact with that shared with me in this way. If it weren't for Dina, I wouldn't be leaning in this direction. Because of her safe and valued opinion I am forging ahead. She was wise beyond her years and generous with her knowledge. I would only hope to be as kind.

I have been hungry for these things forever and they very rarely fall on deaf ears with me. I'm always paying acute attention. I am aware. I am present. I am being. I am in the now.

This is revealing. It is liberating. It is cosmic.

Not just in theory. The very nature of spirituality is to take you from yourself, your 'so-called' circumstances and illuminate the magnificence in and of your life.

This year has been a year of karmic cleansing for me. The beginning of 09 was all about my throat chakra and how I was not living my authentic truth. I allowed someone to bully me. I am 46 human years young and I allowed myself to be bullied.

It was not empowering like when I was younger and had more control over the situation. This time, as karma came around, I was not prepared, caught off guard and holding my tongue in the name of 'doing the right thing' or 'taking the higher road'. I suppose for some, peace works like that, but for me communication is the key. Without saying the words "hey, that hurts" the hurt can never heal. On the contrary, the hurt festers until it becomes something entirely different, something much worse. No. Nip it in the bud. That's my new mantra on speaking the truth and living your authentic truth. Look people right in the face and with as much love as you can muster, tell them exactly what you think. Do not be spiteful, judgemental, cruel or sarcastic. Just speak the truth.

"That hurt."

or

"Please do not treat me that way, it makes me feel badly and it is very hurtful."

"If you knew how much I loved you, you could never treat me this way".

Choose your own words, but speak them, out loud, in love, into the ether, into the cosmos, outside of yourself so that God and the Universe can hear you and know that you've worked through your karma and can speak on your own behalf in truth, simplicity, love and service to all sentient beings.

Then I broke my arm. My heart was broken.

What does my arm have to do with my heart?

Well, I was on my way, so I thought, doing Reiki, helping people, giving lectures and .... then ... I had the cast and you know the rest. I was incapacitated up until very recently. It took the rest of 2009 and shoved it right into a plaster disaster. Not to make light of it, but why not. That was then and look at me now, typing close to 90 wpm and doing my hair and taking care of business and giving my biggest lecture of the year at MSU.

Bones heal way quicker than hearts.

My wrist still hurts but when it hurts I do not fall to my knees weeping.

I do not become incapacitated and depressed.

It is just healing and now I know what a healing bone feels like.

In retrospect, I also know what a healing heart feels like.

It's just about the same thing.

It's when we become attached to the outcome...we become attached to the reciprocity of love and when we don't get it...what then? The bones hurt? The bones break? The heart hurts? The heart breaks? I've learned it is better to not be attached to the outcome of love, or bones. To the outcome of life or death. A broken heart should never happen, even though you love with all that you are. Love with no expectation of getting anything in return and then ... when you do not receive love ... you will not be dis-appointed.

I just went to Shop rite and checked out at the express lane because I only had a few items. A beautiful, young, African-American male was working the register. I asked him "How are you? They're not getting the best of you are they?" and he just smiled. I said "I never let them get the best of me" and I looked straight at him. He returned my glance smiling and contemplating.

What I was referring to was the negativity, the monotony, the hatred, the sarcasm, the ill-will, all the negativity that there is in the world that would keep us from living our authentic truths, our authentic lives, the best us that we are in the world and in the cosmos ... no, they will never get the best of me in that way. I will love them though and I will love you despite all of those obstacles and I can only pray that all at once they would fall by the wayside and make way for truth, simplicity, love and service to all sentient beings.

He checked me out and handed me my bags and said looking right at me "I will never forget what you said". I replied "Good. It's important to remember" and I left the both of us smiling.

No, my throat and my heart chakras are healthy now, spining brilliantly on their axis, shining, like the planets, the universe and the cosmos and the karma has been worked through. I will speak my authentic truth, I will lead with my heart with no expectations or reservations. I will live my life in Truth, Simplicity, Love and service to all sentient beings (and firstly, to myself - this I have learned).

Next stop, Babaji.

OM Namah Shivaya.

I bow to whatever good is happening and to whomever is doing it.

We are the Flowers of One Garden

Just gave back to back lectures at Bergen Community College, and I thought yesterday was a great day. I can not express how sweet it is for me to be able to share Reiki with these young, beautiful minds. It is a blessing to sow these humble seeds. I am very grateful.

And, I don't know about you, but I am so in love with this life and working towards figuring out some divine mysteries like... Angels themselves, l i f e in general for a spiritual being having a human experience, enlightenment, consciousness and intention, a deeper walk with God, healing that really helps people on all levels, the Light of God, deep love - the very love of God, compassion for others, and forgiveness or as Buddha would say - forget-ness, just to name a few. Reiki is and has been a very useful tool to use in the effort to help elevate and ascend humankind in some of these ways...oh, and I help myself as well. The light of Reiki - the Universal Life Force Energy of Reiki - which comes from our creator - permeates everything. It makes paths where once there were blockages and can therefore, make room for truth, light, and endless possibilities. After all, we live in a world filled with a sea of potential. If we could only imagine it...then perhaps we could see it and it could exist.

Angels lie in waiting for such happenings.

And, I have other ways that I want to help humankind. I really love this planet and all the life on it. I can't walk through my local park without wanting to cry sometimes from the sheer beauty of it and it's just a local park. Nature, plants, animals, the ocean and sea creatures - birds...all of it. It is a gift from God and in an effort to honor that gift I try not to litter and waste energy, I shut lights and utilities off when I'm not using them, I recycle and try really hard not to waste food.

Trust me though, I have a long way to go. The lease on our SUV isn't up for another two years so....that one will have to wait. But I am mindful of at least trying.

Which brings me to Kiribati. A very small sliver if of an island on the other side of the planet in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It's existence is in peril, the sea level is rising due to climate changes (whether you believe in global warming or not). They are struggling to keep their homes, their lives and their heritage.

Imagine not being able to continue in your quest for life because the ocean was going to consume your home, your property, your neighborhood. Forever. This is not a flood that subsides. There is no where to go. There is no higher ground. Imagine that? I can't (I have had nightmares about it though - I pray they're not prophetic). They say in 40 years Kiribati may be completely gone. Perhaps sooner.

And we think we have problems.

Those poor people --- right?

Wrong!

We are those poor people. We couldn't possibly think that their plight doesn't directly effect us or vice versa. Here in New Jersey I am just a stones throw away from what we call 'pharmaceutical row' and then there are nearby chemical plants of some kind, fuel tanks tucked in, and landfills. We've got it all and all of this

... could this be causing the people of Kiribati to be the first in a long line of possible extinction?

Really? That is scary.

We are the stewards of this planet and we have the power to change our minds, change our lives, change our government, change our policies. We can make changes that prevent these things from happening. We must do our part.

Like Roz Savage. She is trying to become to first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean in an effort to bring recognition to global warming. That's amazing! She's sailing solo - across the ocean - in a sail boat. God speed Roz!

She has inspired me to post this video and to think about more ways in which I can cut back my contributions to this epidemic. I hope it does the same for you. God bless these people. God bless this planet.

Walking The Straight Path

Today is a great day. Indeed, I usually say that about most days, unless something terrible has happened and even then, I'm learning to see that that too is a great day. I feel really well. In fact, my wrist is doing things I haven't done in months and I am gratefully relieved.

I'm exercising, doing yoga and getting back to what I would consider normal and that is what I'm all about and today I felt the best I've felt in months. I know I'm starting to repeat myself, but I cannot over emphasize this seeing as how it took everything I had in me to get back to this place. Giving up was not an option and honestly, the hard work is paying off. It always does.

And my journey? It continues but on a much deeper and yet somehow lighter level. I wanted to get to the next level. I called this all into existence...this and some other things that I shall not mention. But let's just say be careful what you think about, what you wish for, what you call into existence because ultimately it will fall right in your lap and if you don't know what to do with it...you surely will find out and let's hope you're a fast learner.

I've been a fast learner and yes, lessons do repeat themselves if you don't learn them the first time. You see them coming from a mile away but it's too late. You're smack dab in the middle of it shaking your head wondering how you got there. But sanity speaks to the soul and says...you...you brought yourself here. It has always been that way and it always will be that way.

So....where do you want to go? Or, better question...where are you? Are you okay where you are or do you need to make some navigational changes about where you're heading?

Don't be afraid to make changes. You're supposed to.

Like...becoming more conscious about our choices and our decisions. Things don't just randomly happen to us. Typically. Sure, very occasionally a meteor will fall from the sky and hit someone's house, but other than that, we've created the lives we have. This is not random. And when I say 'the lives we have', I mean the way you feel about your life is entirely up to you. Many things are outside of your ability to manipulate them because there are other people involved, but for the most part, you can speak great joy and triumph into your circumstances with your beliefs alone.

If you believe something can get better, it can. It's that simple. On the other hand, if you believe that it cannot, well, that is also true...it cannot.

Which mindset would you rather embrace? For me personally, you already know. I will not settle for less.

It can always get better and with a lot of hard work, it can get best.

So, my arm is going to be completely whole. It already is, I just haven't crossed that day yet. It is in the not too distant future because I have called it into being and just as I am back to typing 90 wpm with very little effort, doing yoga and working towards a 90 degree angle in my wrist, this too shall pass.

That being said, I'm going to try to be a little more careful about what I'm calling into being. No more broken bones. No more hand surgery or any other surgery for that matter. I can appreciate pain, long-suffering, healing, patience, and a whole list of virtues now that perhaps I hadn't in the past. Please God, continue to make my path straight, straight into the Light of your will.

Solution or Problem?

My hand therapist Lynn has a very wonderful job. She meets people from all walks of life and she never has to leave her office. Her office is inside Optimum Orthopedics in the middle of a huge therapy room. There are people getting stretched on massage tables, people being instructed on exercise equipment, some people are rolling medicine balls up and down the hallway and some people are doing stretches and squats in random open spots - tons of activity going on.


And then there's us, the hand therapy people.


3, 4 sometimes 5 of us at a time sitting in Lynn's 'office' which is really just a big table and with chairs. The table has what looks like pre-school tools and toys; a box filled with rice, pairs and pairs of scissors, silly putty in not just neon yellow and but neon orange as well, dodge balls but of course they're for hand stretching not head pummeling. What else? Put it this way, this is occupational therapy 101 and if you need to use it in real life, there's a good chance it's on that table or nearby, and a good chance you will be using it.



It's going really well and I thoroughly enjoy going there. The place is huge, with wall to wall windows and sun light flooding in. The therapists and assistants are sweet and always smiling and I can't deny the progress I'm making. Lynn is a very straight-forward person and tells it like it is. She is tiny but strong and pushes you harder than you expect. She laughs easily but then snaps right back into her professional posture taking what she does seriously. I couldn't have designed a better or healthier environment for me to respond to positively.


This, by the way, was not the first place I went to. The first place I went to was in the basement of an old house. It looked antiquated on the inside and out. I'm pretty sure they didn't even have computers behind the desks as I could hear someone typing away in the distance on what distinctly sounded like a standard old fashioned typewriter.


As soon as I got inside the building, I had a feeling that this place was not the place - but it was the place - so I continued.


I was on time for my appointment but yet caused to wait twenty minutes before being brought down deeper inside the belly of this beast. The ceilings were low and there seemed to be many rooms off of the main which was really small. There was some exercise equipment but only one older woman using any of it with a young man assisting her. I did happen to notice all the blinds were pulled on the windows - so - only fluorescent lighting for this facility and it's clients.


I was asked to sit and wait in an office for another 10 minutes. There were a few things that bothered me about this. I had already waited for 20 minutes, what could possibly be the hold up for a new patient in a facility with only one person rehabbing? As I sat there I was reminded of all the interviews I had given and received while working in corporate America. I loathed sitting in there waiting for whomever it was that was making me wait - and oh, could it be the guy that I can see when I look out the office doorway to my left sitting with his back to me? No. It couldn't be. What is he doing? Paperwork? Hmmm. No, can't be him. Tick. Tick.


Get me the hell out of this office was what was going through my head. This is not the right place for me - but it was - so I waited.


Finally, I sense movement to my left and sure enough, he gets up as if no one's waiting for him and as nonchalantly as he was sitting there, strolled on into his office and put his right hand out and introduced himself saying his name which immediately flew at the speed of light into one ear and directly out the other because among other things, I can't shake hands. I reach out with my left and introduce myself only to hear him say . . .


"What's the matter? You don't use your right hand to shake when you meet someone?"


Don't I?


I thought "is this guy kidding me'? 'I've travelled all over the United States of America as a Corporate Executive and this guy insults me in the first millisecond of our meeting'? No he did not. The gall.


I tried hard not to put my mean, business face on but it was too late for that.

"If you had read my file, you would know that I broke my right wrist and can't shake your hand or any one else's for that matter"! I replied.

He said nothing as he began to read my file, while yet again, I waited. Then after very little examination and discussion, he escorted me to a tiny, stall-like room and put my hand into a dry, hot-air, sandy-sauna thingy that I actually enjoyed at the time since my hand was so swollen and painful. He then, you guessed it, left me alone for another 10 minutes.

After the machine shut itself off, there I sat. Alone in the stall-like room with no instruction which gave me time to look around - and plan my escape. I realized I didn't really see too much activity in the way of 'others' being healed and mended or even shown the road to recovery. Where was everybody? Why was this place empty? I already know the answer to that so what am I still doing here?

I wanted to walk, no run. And I began to gather my things and just then the older woman's instructor caught me and asked me where I was going. I said I was going to leave. But he said to be patient so I sat there because I thought this was the way physical therapy was or in my case, occupational therapy was.

The rest of that session was just as bad as the beginning and I obviously took my business elsewhere but not before realizing some hard truths. Healthy people sometimes have a tough time choosing between what's good for them and not. They sometimes make bad choices.

Unhealthy people have an even harder time when they're vulnerable. If my husband hadn't had a complete hip replacement, I would not have a point of reference when it comes to physical therapy. But I do. And when I told him my experience, he was floored and very direct. He said I will not be going back there. I didn't argue, I just made different arrangements to go to Optimum.

The difference, it turns out, was like night and day immediately and I knew that was all that mattered. I was not going to get well in the first place I went. Not because I didn't want to, but because I was literally in the wrong place. Eventually, I might've gained some range of motion back, but not because the therapist gave me exercises, but because of my determination. That being said, we sometimes need help; good, godly help to get us through our rough patches. That's why I practice Reiki. People need tender, loving care when they're suffering. They do not need to have insult added to injury. It's not necessary and it's completely unacceptable.

Find your voices and tell the systems that they are not working, if they're not. Tell them they are, if they are. Why not be honest? What have we got to lose besides ourselves?

I'm not willing to lose anything else. I've lost time. I've lost blood. I've lost control. I've lost range of motion. Sure, some of those things I cannot get back, but looking forward, I'll be more inclined to hang onto them a little longer, a little tighter...perhaps I'm a little smarter for having gone through such loses. I can only hope that I've learned a powerful lesson in pain, suffering, loss and let's not forget the most important...recovery.

There is recovery. There is healing. There is light and there is hope. Make sure your yoking up with that which resonates on the inside of you as well as the outside. I knew I was in the wrong place. My intuition was screaming. But God works all things together for me because I love Him and He ALLOWED that situation to occur to open my eyes even further to the business machine of healing that exists in this country.

I am not all about that. I am about giving comfort, giving assistance, giving in general to those that are in need physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I've been on both sides. I've needed help. Let me rephrase that....I've needed some serious help. And I've received it. Thank God.

What are you in need of? Where are you looking for what you need? Do you have a good point of reference or are you shooting at the hip? Be careful. You deserve the best this life has to offer. Do not settle for less. If you know in your heart of hearts that something is off, trust me, something is off and that inner voice that warns you is more important to listen to than the one that talks you out of it and says 'meh, this is just how it is'. No. No it's not. You make it how it is.

I make it how it is. It's my reality. It's my choice. It's my body. It's my life. So, you're either part of the solution or part of the problem. Which will you be?

Kismet

I'll try anything to get my wrist back to what I would consider 'normal' . I realize that will take some time, my doctor and therapist say at least a year before even the swelling subsides completely and not even that is a guarantee. They've even said I might have swelling indefinitely and loss of range of motion.

Do I need to tell you that I will not accept that?

Meet Apparatus Number One:

You read right.

One.

Implying there will be at least Two.

One to gently bend my wrist left to right, the other to turn my palm up. God willing.

I just received it today and had it on only once. I have to wear it three times a day at 30 minute intervals. There's a dial that I have to turn to increase the pressure and range of motion. I didn't like the idea of it when I heard about it the first time and I loathed it even more from the second I saw it.

Why?

At the time, I had apparatus envy.

Another woman receiving physical therapy received her apparatus and it was significantly smaller and need I say, when speaking of apparatus, smaller is definitely better.

Sure we joked about it for a few weeks before her's arrived and when it did, I tried to convince her it wasn't hideous and that it would help, you know, all positive stuff like; thank God you don't have to wear that in public, no one will notice it, it looks great with that shirt.

And then . . .

I saw mine . . .

Well, ironically as kismet would have it, we saw it since said woman was also present when it arrived. Right away I could see the difference, and so could she. The communication that flurried between us - through our eyes, our breathing, and our shifting-in-our-seats body language was fast and furious.

My body language was saying "REALLY"? "Really"?

Her's was saying "Geez. Poor kid. Didn't see that coming".

We both smiled and laughed our resigned-to-change laughs and jumped in with both feet, or arms as it were. And, believe me, I realize that God truly has not brought me this far without His keen sense of humor. I get it. Oh, I really, really get it.

The kicker? Apparatus Number Two, that the woman had? It will be here in about three weeks. It's the other one I'll be using three times a day.

And when I'm through with them and they've served their purpose in my life, I will be fast and furiously donating them as the Sales Rep who fitted me suggested, all the while doing a celebratory, completely healed jig, bending and flexing my wrist.

Thank you apparatuses.

How hysterically funny is that?

Was I still Running?

When my cast first came off, I was amazed at my immobility. At times I still am, but I'm also amazed at my progress. I've been going to physical therapy 3x's a week for this, my fifth week in a row, and I'm pleased with my efforts and my results.

The hand and arm exercises are pretty basic, lift, press, squeeze, separate, make a fist, stretch, all things your learned to do when you were a baby. It's not that you've forgotten how or that your hand has short term memory loss. On the contrary, your body has amazing memory but the stiffness that follows a broken bone is something you're probably never really prepared for, even if someone describes it to you. Here, let me try.

After your cast comes off, imagine someone taking hard plastic, heating it up and molding it to your arm (your dominant arm) in an awkward position. Then they put Velcro on it to make sure it's secure in keeping your arm immobile...kinda like a cast. You can't bend your wrist. You can't bend your elbow. Your fingers are useless. Your shoulder is feeling all of that restriction and is stressed and clicking. Oh and just for good measure, the sun has set on your day and the swelling has once again returned as it does every night. The plastic like cast on your arm is increasing in pressure and pain. Ok, I think you're ready now. Now, try and make a salad or feed yourself. Bathe yourself. Brush your teeth. Blow your nose and try to sleep comfortably...hahaha none of those things are possible - sure maybe some are if you use your other arm...but that's cheating. By now, you've already had to take a couple of anti-inflammatories and pain killers but by the time they kick in, your misery level reaches new lows.

Then in the morning, start off with a warm soak and then...start moving it. Against all instincts. Push. Pain. Push. Pain. Breathe. Stop. Ut-oh. This is hard. Bones have stiffened. They are resistant to change. They are resistant to movement. The ligaments are stiff and painful. The odds are not good if you're faint hearted. You must persevere if you want to ever use your arm again and what choice do you have? Or, do I have? I have only one. To continue running this race.

It's kinda like that every morning. You have to start from scratch and if I happen to not be going to Physical Therapy that day, well what then? Do I skip my exercises? Heaven forbid!

If I did not do my exercises 3 x's a day, everyday, my arm would be perfectly happy to stiffen up and cease working. Did you know that? You actually have to force your wrist to bend, your elbow to bend, your fingers to bend. They literally do not want to go. The inflammation and swelling and trauma prevents them from smoothly, efficiently and painlessly doing what they were made to do. You have to train them to do what they once did without your input - conscious input that is. When I go to reach for something now, it is with much deliberateness. Nothing or no action is too mundane as for me not to pay close attention to it. I have to. I can drop something, as I've already done countless times. I can trip and fall and God forbid, break my arm again. No, the time has come for proceeding with caution.

And I'm reminded of a recent incident that brought some light to the subject of impulsiveness, fearlessness, and lack of consciousness. I was in the store with my husband and we were browsing some electronic equipment. We stopped to speak with a Sales Manager and while my husband and he were speaking, I noticed some small children running past us. Nothing unusual about that. Except that, perhaps now, everything has such a deeper meaning that there is nothing usual...but everything is amazing.

I noticed that the children weren't just running to get somewhere. They were running to get every where. From here to there. From there to here. Up and down. Over and out. They never ceased running. I couldn't help but ask myself, 'was I still running'? I mean, I am FULL of energy just like those children. With a smile on my face, and with reckless (Websters def. of reckless; marked by lack of proper caution: careless of consequences) abandon, I would run until I couldn't run anymore or my lungs would give out, or it was time to go inside, or I got hurt....hmmmm.

Yeah, I got hurt sometimes and you know what? That slowed me down. Made me appreciate my physical abilities and lack thereof. Having asthma slowed me down. Having ear infections slowed me down. For the first year of my life I had braces on my legs since one leg was shorter than the other when I was born breach. I'm not sure, but that might've slowed me down.

I'm starting to notice a theme here.

Why slow down? Perhaps it's to control ourselves, our bursts of energy. Deliberately and consciously.

I was going as fast as the skateboard I stepped on in my mind on July 18th. I was not going slow. I was not paying attention. I was still running....here and there, up and back, down and out. The answer? I guess I'm still learning to appreciate every breath, every step, every minute of every day.

This particular struggle has taught me that, among so many other things. Life is a race and we should be in the running, but on a very deliberate, well thought out, well prepared-for course, as all good courses are. We need to know where we're going and how we're going to get there, preparing for and weighing consequences and proceeding with caution...kind of like setting goals, making them happen, and troubleshooting when necessary. You know, life lived with greater deliberateness, greater consciousness.

I realize that children run with such abandon because, at the end of their day, God willing, they're falling into the arms of Mom and Dad who take care of every need that they have. They will be fed, bathed, loved and tucked in at night so that they can rest in preparation for another days running. In the morning, they need only open their eyes and their needs are met. Breakfast, clean water, clean clothes, and a ride to school where they run and run, unless the teacher sees them and instructs"no running in the halls children, slow down"!

We're all born like that. We have boundless energy that mostly needs to be shared, contained, controlled, modified, managed, slowed down, expelled, utilized, understood, and in some cases it's so off the charts it has to be medicated. Meditation, contemplation, prayer, music, silence, sleep, daydreaming, night dreaming, Reiki, EFT, chakra balancing, dance, exercising, sex, being in nature, being around animals and plants, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, massage, yoga, chi-gong, reflexology, acupressure, acupuncture...I'm sure there are more, but these are some ways to work with, release and re-charge energy in ways that are manageable, palpable and extremely useful. Will we ever understand energy fully? Perhaps, in the next dimension.

For now, energy in human beings is a phenomenal thing. If we only knew. . .

We, as physical beings having a spiritual experience, are the same. We're God's children running the race of life and hopefully resting in our creators arms and believing that our needs are met. Even when we stumble, fall and break ourselves a little bit, our Father/Mother is there to comfort us, to help us to absorb life's lessons and to nudge us on in Spirit.

This may have broken my arm, but it didn't break me. It may have broken my bone, but it didn't break my Spirit. It may have broken my stride, but it will not prevent me from finishing this race and yes, I may be trotting a little slower than the rest, but my finish will be no less rewarding.

My eyes and ears are open. My steps are steady. My mind is clear. I am living with greater deliberateness.

Interpret this . . .

If you've read some of my blog by now you know I dream vividly. I have experienced lucid dreaming and have even had bouts of sleep paralysis spanning over some twenty five years. It's all very intriguing especially as of late.

Of course I've had the dream where my arm slips out of the cumbersome and hard cast, and the ones where my arm isn't even broken only to wake up very disappointed. Truthfully, I'm just so grateful to be returning to a normal sleep pattern but the dream I had the other night...this one is worth mentioning.

It all starts out with me and my brother walking at night on a movie lot. He does stunt work for a living, so that was pretty normal but then off in the distance I see these huge lumber tractors with massive claws on the ends and they (at least two of them) are flinging huge logs up into the air and making a very chaotic and dangerous situation. At that point I decided not to go any further for fear that I would get hurt. Seriously hurt.

The next thing I see is a man smashing something over and over, still night time. I couldn't tell what he was destroying, but I could sense that whatever it was had some value. I got closer, close enough to see that he was smashing big, ceramic, African-tribal masks...CRASH! SMASH! BAM! One right after the other with no remorse or concern. Before I could say or do anything I see more people (two other men) standing behind the first one. They are smashing beautiful, clay pottery. Unbelievable waste and destruction! I could not contain myself and I began to scream and beg them to stop. 'STOP! PLEASE, I said, GIVE THEM TO ME! Don't break them!'

Then I'm home with some acquaintances, still night time. A few people are leaving and as I walk them out to the front, glass door I see that the door has a hole in it. The glass stayed in the door except for a hole the size of a doorknob, as if someone threw a rock or something. As I am digesting this random damage, my attention is being distracted by some people outside my big, bay windows on the front lawn.

I am unbelievably calm as I realize that they are here to commit a random act of violence against my home. I try to shoo them away but they aren't swayed when all at once, I get a full picture in my mind of what they are getting ready to do. They are going to blast out the windows in my house in one shot with these huge hooks attached to chains that they are attaching to the outside. I immediately leave the house to call 911 and go for cover. I remember at this point, I specifically say to myself 'Windows can be replaced, whatever damage they do, we will repair it. No one will get hurt and that's the most important thing. Things can be replaced, people can not."

I return to my house the next day in the morning light, and I am met by a female police officer taking statements. I see my house, windowless back in the distance. I am at peace. I am unharmed.

Dream ends. I wake up.

The Sugar Bowl Lesson

I was unable to sleep, feed myself, brush my hair, cook...the list went on and on. Truth be told I still can't do most of those things since breaking my wrist in July, but thankfully now with physical therapy (I have a phenomenal hand therapist, more about Lynn later), I'm looking for and already starting to see improvements. Sleep is returning to normal. Left over pain meds are in the cabinet and I'm well on my way to some hard work. I'm quite determined to regain full use of my arm, wrist, and hand and am now realizing that this is going to take some time. Realistically, I'm looking at at least six months before my wrist is not what I think about first thing in the morning.

I learned that from all the surgeries, sicknesses, and pain I've had before. We tend to look for our weaknesses and even pain, first thing in the morning...is it still here...do I still have it? Well, where thoughts go energy flows so its best to be careful. Make sure you are expectant of a good report in the morning occasionally (always). It'll do your body a world of good.

Why don't Doctors tell us that? I know that healing is pretty relative to 'what you think' as opposed to what their experience has been, but that doesn't mean everyone else does. They don't know what you think, what your intentions are, if your depressed or not, if you are a helper or a hindrance to your healing. They don't know and frankly, they do not care. They will gladly give you medicine to assist you but discuss your thinking as part of the healing process? That discussion is off the table for now, but not for long if I have anything to say about it. I need people to realize that they dictate the terms of their healing as well as mental and spiritual well being. You determine the health and wellness of your body, your mind and your spirit.

Which brings me to The Sugar Bowl Lesson, a perfect lesson in human frailty, acceptance, and perseverance. It was only three days after my accident and I was left alone for the day with a two ton cast on my arm, a deflated ego, and a weak and hungry body. I decided a hot cup of tea would do the trick. I slowly made my way into the kitchen and with my left hand grabbed the tea kettle and filled it up with water and placed it on the stove. After successfully turning the gas on, I stopped to rest. Sure, I hadn't done much, but it was exhausting and painful.

As I waited for the water to boil I replayed the accident over in my head deliberately. It had replayed in my mind for a few days without my permission and it was just starting to be less painful to visualize, I mean I would wince with pain every time the image of me flying off the skateboard appeared in my brain as a random thought. I started to think about all of my limitations, followed by the shame and embarrassment I felt for stepping so unconsciously on that thing, then I focused on the pain and swelling I was experiencing, and then pity. As I sat there feeling sorry for myself, thankfully the water began boiling and the tea pot whistled as if it had had enough. It snapped me back into the moment and I got up and poured the boiling water into my tea cup. Whew! Unscathed! Ahhhh.

After pouring the milk I went in for the pretty, glass sugar bowl. Lefty mind you...not very smooth. All at once, I'm not sure how, the sugar bowl hit the kitchen floor with such precision that every grain of sugar and every broken piece of glass were now shattered and thrown all around my bare feet.

My thinking process went something like......'I can't believe this is happening!! I can't move. I can't reach the broom. I can't clean this up! I can't! I can't! I can't'! And for a few minutes I didn't. I looked at the mess I made and thought 'oh great, another accident...how could I'? and then I cried like a baby. I cried. Then I prayed for strength. I prayed and I thought 'all's I need now is to get cut'. Really. THAT would've sucked big time. But getting cut was not on the horizon. It never happened.

What did happen is that I realized how f*cking strong I am. I started to calm myself down and wiped the tears from my face. I looked around in disbelief again and took a deep accepting breath. I made my way over to the broom by bending down and picking up the glass-sugar-bowl shards along the way with my left hand. Now, sweeping with one hand is not easy. Using a dustpan with one hand is not easy. But, I am here to tell you, it may not be easy, but it is possible! Somehow, by the Grace of God I was able to clean up the mess!

Seriously! I've been through some stuff and I may have my moments, but I will not be beaten. I will not be over run, I will not be defeated -- especially by myself. I cleaned up that mess, with a cast on one arm and in a lot of pain. I imagined that if I could overcome that moment, I could overcome anything. It was such a helpless feeling before the tea kettle boiled, but God would say not so much. Although the sugar bowl was destroyed, I am not. Sure the sugar bowl represents a vessel...and so do I....and even if I was broken lying on the floor, I am still so very capable and useful...and useable. Judge not lest ye be judged.


God refines us by turning up the heat a little bit to show us truly, what were made of.

What are you made of?

Today is Day 41

Ahhh, my blog...what i am to be....I've been ignoring you for another, please forgive me. I am back, albeit typing with one hand yet again.

Back to the way I was? No. I will never be back to the way I was before I broke my wrist. Everything has changed. I have changed. My arm is in a constant state of change and healing and swelling and inflammation and stiffness. My arm is also 100% healed. I've just not reached that day yet. This will be a long row to hoe. But I'm looking forward to it. I started physical therapy this week as the cast came off on Monday, 37 days after putting it on. It came off without incident and although my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ira Esformis, said "When I take the cast off you will have pain and you will beg me to put the cast back on", that was not the case.

Immediately after breaking my wrist, I applied three things; Reiki, my conscious-healing intention, and ice. I almost passed out before leaving for the hospital but managed to control my breathing by putting my head in between my legs. I went into shock a little bit but not as much as when the possibility of surgery came up. The on-call orthopedic surgeon declared to me after looking at my x-rays "we will set your arm, follow up with an orthopedic surgeon this week, you'll probably have to have surgery." This would also not be the case.

I have had enough surgery to last me a lifetime. I absolutely did not want to have pins and plates put into my wrist if I could help it. But at this point, what could I do?

I called my father. Whenever something major happens to me and I need serious help, I call my Dad. This was serious enough and apparently he thought so too and called a good Dr. friend who left his Saturday nite dinner plate to come set my arm in the nick of time!

A man appeared in the doorway smiling at me. He said "I'm Dr. Esformis". I was instantly relieved. The hospital staff kept stopping by and peeking in to see who got the Doctor in on a Saturday nite, and to see who was getting this favored treatment. Well, humbly, it was me and I was ever so thankful. Within two hours, my arm was set and I was back home safe and sound. BTW, Hackensack University is probably one of the finest medical institutions in the Garden State if not the country.

I thanked him repeatedly for leaving his dinner to tend to my bones and accidental absent-mindedness. Having to say that "...I stepped on a skateboard" was all too irresponsible for someone who claims to be living consciously. I was embarrased but Dr. Ira just laughed and said "Don't be ridiculous! It happens".

It does happen, mostly when we're not paying attention.

I explained to Dr. Ira that I am a Reiki Master Practitioner and I had been applying Reiki and also speaking against surgery in my heart and mind. Well, besides loving Reiki and wanting to come for one of my sessions, Dr. Ira and I agreed that my arm would be set and I would not need surgery. He agreed with my thinking...right there in the emergency room...he got what I was saying. I said "Until you tell me otherwise, I am speaking health over my wrist, and no complications. I will not need surgery. You'll see"!

What I didn't know is that most fractures are followed up in this country with surgery, and in some cases, unnecessary surgery due to the shameful financially driven medical industry. I was speaking against that ferocious, insatiable lion from the moment I walked in there.

After Novocaine was injected into my wrist and started to take effect, Dr. Ira began to set my arm. He wrapped gauze around my fingers and hung my arm counter balanced over an IV pole. Then he applied some weight to my bicep. Not much, just enough to give my wrist bones a little wiggle room. Then, he used his hands, applied some pressure and POP! It went back into place. It felt right, it sounded right and I was truly convinced, no surgery for me.

Back to x-ray, lo and behold, Dr. Ira, with a huge grin on his face exclaimed "so far, so good"! No surgery then and two weeks later after a follow up visit and another x-ray...no surgery. Although the bone collapsed slightly in the very beginning of the healing process, it stabilized and is healing very nicely, as bones can heal.

Did I have pain while in the cast? Absolutely! Luckily, Reiki energy goes right through casts and I applied it constantly and liberally. The pain became quite manageable and now, my arm is mostly sore as I gingerly begin my rehab.

Two weeks prior to the cast coming off, and immediately after Dr. Ira said I would have pain, I started to convince myself I would NOT have pain when the cast came off...and I didn't. At all. I'm sure that his comment was based on years of experience, but I am not your average human. I aspire to be better and to pay closer attention to the language we use when thinking about ourselves and our circumstances. I could've easily given into that line of thinking...surgery - check, pain - check, not getting full range of motion back - check. But hell no.

Why, if given a choice would I settle for negative, wreaking havoc kind of thinking when I alone have the power to continue to heal myself?

I am whole. I am healed. I am fully restored.

...oh, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that.
Who can stop me?

Learning Lessons, Approving Symbols

I decided to let people sign my cast but not just sign their name, put a symbol on it. Why? Why not? I wanted everyone to think of something significant, I mean I'm the one who has to see it for weeks so the more meaningful, the better.


My stepmother put the sun.
My brother Tony put a phoenix like the one tattooed on his back. It wasn't exactly like the one on his back, but it was approved.

My Dad put a star. The same star he's been drawing for most of my life. He got a little carried away with his star, but that's to be expected. When one star draws a picture of another there's bound to be some stardust lost in translation, nonetheless, his symbol was also approved.

Then we started laughing and he wrote Ha Ha! on my cast! NOT approved lol~! Pretty funny stuff.

I've learned an awful lot about myself during this broken wrist/healing wrist process. I hate to ask for help, or needing help in the first place. I'm a righty and as you can see I broke my right wrist so....can you count the lessons? So, so many...like you can't do your hair anymore....as you can see in the pics! So curly...who knew? But seriously, the lessons are bountiful.

Like...

hugging really takes two arms

typing can happen with only one

skateboards are evil lol

it pays to know medical professionals personally

pain medication when taken properly does alleviate pain

pain medication when taken improperly can cause pain

children see none of the limitations we embrace about ourselves

doctors can be very empathetic

sleep, with a broken bone, can be elusive

a hot bath and a cast do not mix, it raises your blood pressure

as does the sun and that causes your arm to swell inside the cast - that causes pain

cats feel your pain

cats distract you from your pain and even alleviate some of it

I can peel an orange with one hand

and do self Reiki

I'd much rather use two

meditation helps to cope with pain by realizing not all pain is bad

if I stay still long enough, I forget about the cast

I see myself as whole.

I've really learned to be grateful for all that I've been blessed with, struggles and all.

I'm sorry I broke my wrist, but I'm grateful for the lessons and the love.

Thank You Almighty God

Picture taken by me...8/1/09...driving home from Bar Harbor, ME

Today is my birthday, my wrist is in a cast and I am so very grateful.

Thank God I Broke My Wrist . . .

So I'll make this quick. I am back to typing with one hand. I broke my right wrist. How?

I stepped on a skateboard, of course.

There aren't enough words to describe how many emotions I'm feeling. Suffice to say, I'm feeling all of them.

What a stupid thing to happen, but, I'm sure one day I'll say "Thank God I broke my wrist....the blessings far outweigh the pain & suffering."

Yeah, I'm sure I'll be saying that....just not sure when : )

Love, Light & Healing

Yoshi Mangasheito <3 <3 <3

It will be a year ago tomorrow that my little boy Mango left this dimension and moved onto the next.

As I type I am contemplating what to do with his ashes. I have had them the way they were given to me for almost a year now. I couldn't bare to think of not having Mango with me in some way. I had him since the day he was born until the day he died. I thought if I held onto him a little tighter that I could keep him closer. Turns out not so much.

I'm still crying for my friend, brother, son. He was never a pet to me. A brother? Yes, definitely. A friend? That goes without saying. My son? Well, yes. I've never had my own children and I raised him so...yes. My son.

It hurts me like losing a child. Still.

I can't believe it's a year already.

I remember every silly thing he used to do....like sitting at the table. He didn't go on top of the table. He didn't go under the table. He sat AT the table. Very civilized, my son.

And he was so social. He greeted everyone that came to the house.

And he fell in love with Rosie in the winter of his life.

And she fell in love with him. And then came Mohito. They all became fast friends and picked up each others habits. They were a tribe.....we were.


Yes we still are, but when one, just one member of your family is no longer in the mix it hurts. Sure there may be tens more around you, but you'll always be looking for the one that's not physically there.
Kiss someone you love today. Tell them.

Life is very, very short and love is a gift that we choose to give to one another. If someone has chosen to give you their love during this lifetime, give your love back. Kiss them. Hug them. Sacrifice for them. Show them how much you appreciate their love and energy. They don't have to give you their love....remember it's a choice. They give just as freely as you do. So give then....freely with no expectations.

The reward is a lifetime of love and memories that if you do it right the first time, you will not be left wanting. Well....just wanting more perhaps.

Mango, I hope I figure out what to do. As I look at this picture with you and the girls, I think I know. I hope so. In the meantime, I love you more than words can express I want to thank you for being my friend. xoxo Loving you always, Mom.

You Are Light

Healing Research

Healing Research

by William Lee Rand

Scientific research in the area of laying on of hands has been conducted for some time. There are now quite a few experiments that validate the usefulness of Reiki and other healing techniques. Some of the more interesting results of these experiments demonstrate that their positive results are coming from more than just the placebo effect, while others indicate that the energy is non-physical in nature in that the benefits do not diminish regardless of the distance between sender and receiver.

The following are few of the more interesting studies.

This first Reiki study was published in a peer reviewed scientific journal. The study involved 45 healthy people who were divided into 3 groups of 15 each. One group received Reiki and rest, another group received placebo, Reiki, and rest. The placebo treatment was given exactly the same way as the Reiki treatments were given in the first group except that those who gave them had not had Reiki training. The third group received only rest. The study recorded a number of vital statistics, including heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, skin temperature, and respiration rate at regular intervals.

This study revealed a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in the Reiki group that didn’t appear in the placebo group or the control group, thus tending to indicate that Reiki created an important effect that was not caused by suggestion. This was a small study, but the quality of its design and the positive results it produced indicates that additional larger scale studies are warranted. The complete study (“Autonomic Nervous-System-Changes During Reiki Treatment: A Preliminary Study”) was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Volume 10, Number 6. Also see The Science of Reiki.

Another Reiki study done at the Helfgott Research Institute at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland, Oregon, showed that Reiki has a measurable effect on the immune system. This study examined the effect of Reiki on the white blood cell counts of volunteers who were randomized into three groups—those who received Reiki, those who relaxed, and those who neither received Reiki or relaxation. Blood was drawn for examination before the treatment, immediately after treatment, and four hours after treatment.The study shows that Reiki enhanced the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in those who received Reiki. Because this was a small preliminary study, the results provide the basis for further study of the ability of Reiki to make healthy improvements in those that receive it. Hodsdon, W., Mendenhall, E., Green, R., Kates-Chinnoy,S., Wacker, E, & Zwickey, H. The Effect of Reiki on the Immune System. Helfgott Research Institute at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland, Oregon, USA

Wendy Wetzel, a registered nurse describes a Reiki experiment she conducted in her paper, "Reiki Healing: A Physiologic Perspective." In her study, forty-eight people made up the experimental group while 10 made up a control group. Both groups had blood samples taken at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. The experimental group received First Degree Reiki training. The control group was not involved in the Reiki training. The blood samples were measured for hemoglobin and hematocrit values. Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that carry oxygen. Hematocrit is the ratio of red blood cells to total blood volume. The people in the experimental group who received Reiki training experienced a significant change in these values with 28 percent experiencing an increase and the remainder experiencing a decrease. The people in the control group who did not receive Reiki training experienced no significant change. It is thought that changes, whether an increase or decrease are consistent with the purpose of Reiki which is to bring balance on an individual basis. One individual experienced a 20% increase in these values. She continued to treat herself with Reiki daily and after three months, her increase had been maintained and in fact had continued to improve. This improvement was appropriate for her as she had been experiencing iron deficiency anemia.

Another study in laying on hands has also demonstrated its ability to increase hemoglobin values. A medical doctor, Otelia Bengssten, M.D. conducted an experiment with a group of 79 sick patients. Together the patients had a wide range of diagnosed illnesses including pancreatitis, brain tumor, emphysema, multiple endocrine disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and congestive heart failure. Laying-on hands treatments were given to 46 patients with 33 as controls. The treated patients showed significant increases in hemoglobin values. The effect was so pronounced that even cancer patients who were being treated with bone marrow-suppressive agents which predictably induce decreases in hemoglobin values showed an increase. The majority of patients also reported improvement or complete disappearance of symptoms. Both this experiment and the one above, demonstrate that healers are able to induce actual biological improvements in the patients they treat rather than simply create a feeling of well-being.

Laying-on hands healing has been validated by experiments carried out at St. Vincent's medical Center in New York. The study was carried out by Janet Quinn, assistant director of nursing at the University of South Carolina. The design of this study tends to rule out the placebo effect. Thirty heart patients were given a 20 question psychological test to determine their level of anxiety. Then they were treated by a group trained in Therapeutic Touch healing. A control group of patients were also treated by sham healers who imitated the same positions as those who had training. Anxiety levels dropped 17 percent after only five minutes treatment by trained practitioners, but those who were only imitating a treatment created no effect.

Daniel Wirth of Healing Sciences International in Orinda, California conducted a tightly controlled experiment involving a healing technique. Forty four male college students received identical minor wounds deliberately inflicted by a doctor in the right or left shoulder. Twenty-three then received a healing treatment and the other twenty-one did not. The treatments were given in such a way that the possibility of a placebo effect was ruled out. All forty-four students extend their arms though a hole in the wall. In the other room, a trained healer was present for those who received healing and administered healing from a distance without touching. For those who did not receive healing, no one was present in the room. Both the students and the doctor who administered the wounds and later also evaluated their healing rate had been told that the experiment was about the electrical conductivity of the body. Neither knew that the experiment was about healing. Eight and sixteen day follow-up measurements of the rate of wound healing were done. After eight days, the treated groups wounds had shrunk 93.5 percent compared with 67.3 percent for those not treated. After sixteen days, the figures were 99.3 and 90.9. After debriefing, the students stated they did not know the true nature of the experiment and had felt no contact with the healer. The possibility that expectations of the students caused the healing was ruled out.

Dr. John Zimmerman of the University of Colorado using a SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) has discovered that magnetic fields several hundred times stronger than background noise are created around the hands of trained healers when doing healing work on patients. No such fields are created by sham’ healers making the same movements indicating something special is happening with the trained healers. The frequencies of the magnetic fields surrounding the hands of the trained healers were of the alpha and theta wave range similar to those seen in the brain of meditators.

Dr. Barnard Grad of McGill University in Montreal, used barley seeds to test the effect of psychic healing energies on plants. The seeds were planted in pots and watered with a saline solution which is known to retard their sprouting and growth. With elaborate double-blind conditions set-up, one group of seeds were watered with saline solution that had been treated by a psychic healer. The treated saline was held by the healer in a sealed container for fifteen minutes. The other seeds were watered with untreated saline. The person watering the plants did not know which group was getting the treated saline and which was getting the untreated saline. The plants watered with healer treated saline solution grew faster and were healthier producing 25% more weight and having a higher chlorophyll content. These experiments have been replicated in Dr. Grads lab and in other laboratories as well.

Dr. Grad carried out similar experiments involving tap water and plants. Sealed containers of water were given to a psychic healer to hold and others were given to a severely depressed patient to hold. The plants watered with the healer-held water had an increased growth rate and those watered with the water held by the severely depressed patient had a decrease in growth rate compared to controls. These experiments involving plants, in addition to confirming the non-placebo nature of psychic healing, scientifically confirm the ancient metaphysical understanding that healing energies can be stored in water for future use.

In another experiment involving psychic healer Olga Worrall, Dr. Robert Miller used an electromechanical transducer to measure the microscopic growth rate of rye grass. The device used has an accuracy of one thousandth of an inch per hour. Dr. Miller set-up the experiment in his laboratory and then left, locking the door behind him to eliminate any unnecessary disturbance. Olga, located over 600 miles away was asked to pray for the test plant at exactly 9 PM that evening. When Dr. Miller returned to the laboratory the next day, the test equipment had recorded normal continuous growth of 6.25 thousandths of an inch per hour up to 9 PM. At that time, the record began to deviate upward and had risen to 52.5 thousands of an inch per hour which was an increase of 840 percent! This increased growth rate remained till morning when it decreased but never to its original level.

The Spindrift group has done extensive research involving prayer and plants. Their results indicate that prayed for plants always grow faster and are healthier than non-prayed for plants even though the conditions are equal for both groups of plants and those doing the praying are miles away. These results were consistent regardless of the distance involved and occurred over and over. They are described by Robert Owen in his book, "Qualitative Research: The early years".

One of the interesting results of their research work is that they were best when the prayer was non-directional, that is when the prayer was simply for the plants general well-being, rather than for a specific result, such as a certain growth rate or overall height.

More experiments are being done and scientific theories are being developed to describe Reiki and other healing techniques. As we continue into the millennium, increasing interest along with more sensitive equipment will allow science to more completely understand, validate, and accept the reality of spiritual healing. As this happens, we will see increasing use of Reiki and other laying-on hands healing coming into common use by individuals for themselves and family along with its use in hospitals and doctors offices. The deeper understanding about the nature of health and the unity of all life this re-discovered age old wisdom will provide will reduce suffering and make earth a more worthwhile place to live.

With this in mind, let us be encouraged to continue in the spirit of Reiki to help others and to heal the planet.

About Water

(All photos taken by MP)

1. Most of the earth's surface consists of water; there is much more water than there is land.

2. Water can not only be found on the surface, but also in the ground and in the air.

3. There is the same amount of water on earth as there was when the earth was formed. The water that came from your faucet could contain molecules that Neanderthals drank…

4. The overall amount of water on our planet has remained the same for two billion years.

5. There are two kinds of water; salt water and freshwater. Salt water contains great amounts of salt, whereas freshwater has a dissolved salt concentration of less than 1%. Only freshwater can be applied as drinking water.

6. Water consists of three atoms, 2 Hydrogen atoms and an Oxygen atom, that are bond together due to electrical charges.

7. The weight of a water molecule depends on the number of moles present, as it is 18 grams per mole.

8. Water moves around the earth in a water cycle. The water cycle has five parts: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration and surface run-off.

9. In a 100-year period, a water molecule spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, about 2 weeks in lakes and rivers, and less than a week in the atmosphere.

10. Groundwater can take a human lifetime just to traverse a mile.

11. Most of the earth's surface water is permanently frozen or salty.

12. Water regulates the earth's temperature.

13. Water freezes at zero degrees Celcius.

14. Water vaporizes at a hundred degrees Celcius.

15. Water is the only substance that is found naturally on earth in three forms: liquid, gas, solid.

16. If water changes phase its physical appearance changes due to parting of water molecules. In the solid phase the water molecules are close together and in the gaseous phase they are the furthest apart.

17. Frozen water is 9% lighter than water, which is why ice floats on water.

18. A litre of water weighs 1.01 kilograms.

19. It doesn't take much salt to make water "salty." If one-thousandth (or more) of the weight of water is from salt, then the water is "saline."

20. Saline water can be desalinated for use as drinking water by going through a process to remove the salt from the water.

21. When water contains a lot of calcium and magnesium, it is called hard water. Hard water is not suited for all purposes water is normally used for.

22. To determine water quality certified agencies take samples that are tested in a laboratory. The samples are tested on various factors, to determine if they suffice water quality standards.

23. Each country has its own water quality standards that determine to which degree water should be purified, depending on the purpose it will be used for.

About water quantities:

1. As oceans are very wide and there are multiple to be found on earth, oceans store most of the earth's water. This is apparently 97% of the total amount of water on earth, 2% of which is frozen.

2. 80% of the earth's water is surface water. The other 20% is either ground water or atmospheric water vapour.

3. Of all the water on earth, only 2,5% is fresh water. Fresh water is either groundwater (0,5%), or readily accessible water in lakes, streams, rivers, etc. (0,01%).

4. If all the world's water were fit into a gallon jug, the fresh water available for us to use would equal only about one tablespoon.

5. Over 90% of the world's supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica.

6. Less than 1% of the water supply on earth can be used as drinking water.

7. The earth's total amount of water has a volume of about 344 million cubic miles.· 315 million cubic miles is seawater.· 9 million cubic miles is groundwater in aquifers.· 7 million cubic miles is frozen in polar ice caps.· 53,000 cubic miles of water pass through the planet's lakes and streams.· 4,000 cubic miles of water is atmospheric moisture.· 3,400 cubic miles of water are locked within the bodies of living things.

8. Approximately 66% of the human body consists of water. Water exists within all our organs and it is transported throughout our body to assist physical functions.

9. The total amount of water in the body of an average adult is 37 litres.

10. Human brains are 75% water.

11. Human bones are 25% water.

12. Human blood is 83% water.

13. 75% of a chicken is water.

14. 80% of a pineapple is water.

15. 95% of a tomato is water.

16. 70% of an elephant is water.

17. Each day the sun evaporates a trillion tons of water.

18. A single tree will give off 265 liters (70 gallons) of water per day in evaporation.

19. An acre of corn will give off 15,000 litres (4,000 gallons) of water per day in evaporation.

20. A small drip from a faucet can waste as much as 75 litres of water a day.

About water health:

1. A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water. If a human does not absorb enough water dehydration is the result.

2. A person must consume 2 litres of water daily to live healthily. Humans drink an average of 75.000 litres of water throughout their life.

3. Humans cannot drink salt water.

4. More than 2 billion people on earth do not have a safe supply of water.

5. Water regulates the temperature of the human body. If you have caught a fever you should drink lots of water.

6. Water removes waste from the human body.

7. You should never drink water straight from a lake or river, as it can be damaging to your health.

8. If you live in an old house with lead pipelines you could get health problems. Due to weathering of the pipelines lead can end up in your tap water.

9. Your drinking water may be fluoridated to help prevent dental cavities.

10. Water leaves the stomach five minutes after consumption.

11. Centres for Disease Control receive notification of more than 4,000 cases per year of illness due to drinking water contamination.

12. A quarter of the world's population is without safe drinking water.

13. Water can cause serious health damage when it is contaminated by bacteria and other microrganisms.

14. In most cities and towns, drinking water from the tap is treated so that people don't get sick with diseases such as cholera and typhoid, which are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites found naturally in the water.

About water use and saving water:

1. Humans use more and more water each year.

2. Americans use five times the amount of water that Europeans use.

3. Humans daily use about 190 litres (50 gallons) of water.

4. A person pays about 25 cents for water use on a daily basis.

5. Two thirds of the water used in a home is used in the bathroom.

6. To flush a toilet we use 7.5 to 26.5 litres (2 to 7 gallons) of water.

7. In a five-minute shower we use 95 to 190 litres (25 to 50 gallons) of water.

8. To brush your teeth you use 7.5 litres (2 gallons) of water.

9. For an automatic dishwasher 35 to 45 litres (9 to 12 gallons) of water is used.

10. Saving a bottle of cold water in the fridge is better that taking it from the tap, because it saves time and water.

11. While brushing your teeth, instead of leaving the tap running, you should fill up a glass to rinse your mouth.

12. Baths use less water than a typical shower. Soaking in a partially filled tub will use less water than a short shower.

13. The average person spends less than 1 % of his or her total personal expenditure dollars for water, wastewater, and water disposal services.

14. Less than 1% of the water treated by public water systems is used for drinking and cooking.

15. Bottled water can be up to 1000 times more expensive than tap water and it may not be as safe.

16. Today, at least 400 million people live in regions with severe water shortages.

About water pollution and related problems:

1. Humans largely influence the factors that determine water quality, as they depose off their waste in water and add all kinds of substances and contaminants that are not naturally present. We now know more than 70.000 water pollutants.

2. About 450 cubic kilometres of wastewater are carried into coastal areas by rivers and streams every year. These pollution loads require an additional 6,000 cubic kilometres of freshwater to dilute the pollution. This amount equals to two-thirds of the world's total stable run-off.

3. Public water supplies must meet or exceed certain standards. The kind of standards that are used differ for each country. Many public water supplies consistently supply water that is much better than the minimum standards.

4. Four litres (1 gallon) of gasoline can contaminate approximately 2.8 million litres (750,000 gallons) of water.

5. Groundwater supplies serve about 80% of the population, whereas up to 4% of usable groundwater is already polluted.

6. There are 12,000 different toxic chemical compounds in industrial use today, and more than 500 new chemicals are developed each year.

7. Over 70,000 different water contaminants have been identified.

8. Each day almost 10,000 children under the age of 5 in Third World countries die as a result of illnesses contracted by use of impure water.

9. Today, drinking water meets over a hundred different standards for drinking water quality.

10. The principal sources of contamination are associated with the post World War II chemical age.

11. If all new sources of contamination could be eliminated, in 10 years, 98% of all available groundwater would then be free of pollution.

12. Most of the world's people must walk at least 3 hours to fetch water.

13. Freshwater animals are disappearing five times faster than land animals.

About water as a raw material:

1. It takes 5,680 litres (1,500 gallons) of water to process one barrel of beer.

2. It takes 450 litres (120 gallons) of water to produce one egg.

3. To process one chicken we need 44 litres (11.6 gallons) of water.

4. To process one can of fruit or vegetables we need 35 litres (9.3 gallons) of water.

5. About 25,700 litres (6,800 gallons) of water is required to grow a day's food for a family of four.

6. It takes 7,000 litres (1,850 gallons) of water to refine one barrel of crude oil.

7. To manufacture new cars 148,000 litres (39,000 gallons) of water are used per car.

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