Last Year's Illness » The Blind Caterpillar Syndrome

Today is my first day of work for 2011, and I’m still on the self-introspection mode. I woke up early and set a goal to finish all my pending tasks – which I did. However, something seems wrong today. It’s my usual toxic Monday and I survived it. Although I finish all to-dos, it doesn’t seem to bring me anywhere. I browse the net and came across this article which answered my dilemma: 
      

The Processionary Caterpillars

John Henry Fabre, the great French naturalist, conducted a most unusual experiment with some processionary caterpillars. These caterpillars blindly follow the one in front of them, hence, the name.  Fabre arranged them in a circle in a flowerpot so that the lead caterpillar actually was behind the last one forming a circle. In the center of the flowerpot he put pine needles, which is their food. The caterpillars started walking around this circular flowerpot. The caterpillars kept going in a circle in the pot. Eventually, after a week of circling around, they dropped dead of exhaustion and starvation with food only inches away from them.

I realized that, like the blind caterpillars, I made the same mistake and, as a result, I had repeated failures despite the fact that opportunities lie within reach. I acquired very little because my own limiting beliefs and the inability to see the solutions blinds me. I follow the crowd of conformity in a circle to nowhere, I refuse to leave the sick cycle carousel because “It’s always been done that way.”

I need to learn a lesson from those caterpillars. Just because I am doing something, doesn't mean I am getting anywhere. There is a big difference between activity and accomplishment. I must evaluate my activities in order to have accomplishment.

Yodz Note: If we confuse activity with accomplishment, we could be making great time but we won't get anywhere. Being busy is our way of feeling in control of our lives… until our busywork spirals out of control and eventually robs us of life itself.

Whew! this must be the effect of exposing myself to too much firecracker smoke. 

How about you? How’s your first Monday of 2011? 

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Inspirational Story » The Bamboo and the Fern, Reflections on Toxic Mondays

One day I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to reflect and have one last talk with Mother Nature.

“Mother Nature”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

Her answer surprised me.

“Look around”, she said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four."

“Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth."

"Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.

But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall."

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. The Creator would not give any of its creations a challenge it could not handle.

“Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? The Creator would not quit on the bamboo.. He will never quit on you."

“Don’t compare yourself to others,” she said. “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

“Your time will come”, she said to me. “You will rise high”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” she asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned

“Yes.” she said, “Give yourself a purpose by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest, realizing that the Creator will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness; toxic Mondays and bad days give you experiences; BOTH ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIFE.

_____________________

Environmental Oddities and Mysteries » Phenomenal Wonders Of The Natural World

We live on one of the great jewels in the universe. The fact is - we are truly living in a wonderful and mysterious world but this post is not about the question of how the natural world has come into existence and other environmental mysteries, which has been an endless topic of studies, research, and discussion of faith for a long time.

I received these pictures via e-mail and I was amazed and googled each phenomena to know more about it. Then I realized that, sometimes the best way to appreciate things is not to discover its mysteries, but to just admire it. Let the mystery remain.

Here are some really odd and mysterious environmental phenomena, which I think is worth sharing:

Sailing Stones

The mysterious moving stones of the packed-mud desert of Death Valley have been a center of scientific controversy for decades. Rocks weighing up to hundreds of pounds have been known to move up to hundreds of yards at a time. Some scientists have proposed that a combination of strong winds and surface ice account for these movements. However, this theory does not explain evidence of different rocks starting side by side and moving at different rates and in disparate directions. Moreover, the physics calculations do not fully support this theory as wind speeds of hundreds of miles per hour would be needed to move some of the stones.

“The Tristan Effect” is yet another theory that has recently been suggested. The University of Zurich conducted research dealing with the actual physical properties of the rocks themselves. Their theory maintains that the air within the porous interior of the rocks compresses during the sub-zero nights.

Source: » Sailing Stone (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

             » The Mysterious Sailing Stones

Columnar Basalt

When a thick lava flow cools, it contracts vertically but cracks perpendicular to its directional flow with remarkable geometric regularity - in most cases forming a regular grid of remarkable hexagonal extrusions that almost appear to be made by man. One of the most famous such examples is the Giant's Causeway on the coast of Ireland (shown above), though the largest and most widely recognized would be Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Basalt also forms different but equally fascinating ways when eruptions are exposed to air or water.

Source: Basalt (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Blue Holes

 Blue holes are giant and sudden drops in underwater elevation that get their name from the dark and foreboding blue tone they exhibit when viewed from above in relationship to surrounding waters. They can be hundreds of feet deep and while divers are able to explore some of them they are largely devoid of oxygen that would support sea life due to poor water circulation - leaving them eerily empty. Some blue holes, however, contain ancient fossil remains that have been discovered, preserved in their depths.

Source: Blue Hole (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Red Tides

Red tides are also known as algal blooms - sudden influxes of massive amounts of colored single-cell algae that can convert entire areas of an ocean or beach into a blood red color. While some of these can be relatively harmless, others can be harbingers of deadly toxins that cause the deaths of fish, birds and marine mammals. In some cases, even humans have been harmed by red tides though no human exposure are known to have been fatal. While they can be fatal, the constituent phytoplankton in ride tides are not harmful in small numbers.

Source: Algal Bloom (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Ice Circles

 While many see these apparently perfect ice circles as worthy of conspiracy theorizing, scientists generally accept that they are formed by eddies in the water that spin a sizable piece of ice in a circular motion. As a result of this rotation, other pieces of ice and flotsam wear relatively evenly at the edges of the ice until it slowly forms into an essentially ideal circle. Ice circles have been seen with diameters of over 500 feet and can also at times be found in clusters and groups of different sizes as shown above.

Source: Ice Circle (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Mammatus Clouds

 True to their ominous appearance, mammatus clouds are often harbingers of a coming storm or other extreme weather system. Typically composed primarily of ice, they can extend for hundreds of miles in each direction and individual formations can remain visibly static for ten to fifteen minutes at a time. While they may appear foreboding they are merely the messengers - appearing around, before or even after severe weather.

Source: Mamatus Cloud (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Fire Rainbows

A circumhorizontal fire rainbow arc occurs at a rare confluence of right time and right place for the sun and certain clouds. Crystals within the clouds refract light into the various visible waves of the spectrum but only if they are arrayed correctly relative to the ground below. Due to the rarity with which all of these events happen in conjunction with one another, there are relatively few remarkable photos of this phenomena.

Source: Circumhorizontal arc (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Sinkholes

Sinkholes are one of the world's scariest natural phenomena. Over time, water erodes the soil under the planet's surface until in some cases, quite suddenly, the land above gives way and collapses into the earth. Many sinkholes occur naturally while others are the result of human intervention. Displacing groundwater can open cavities while broken pipes can erode otherwise stable subterranean sediments. Urban sinkholes, up to hundreds of feet deep have formed and consumed parts of city blocks, sidewalks and even entire buildings.

Source: SinkHole (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Penitentes

 Named after peak-hooded New Mexican monks (lower right above), penitentes are dazzling naturally-forming ice blades that stick up at sharp angles toward the sun. Rarely found except at high altitudes, they can grow up taller than a human and form in vast fields. As ice melts in particular patterns, 'valleys' formed by initial melts leave 'mountains' in their wake. Strangely, these formations ultimately slow the melting process as the peaks cast shadows on the deeper surfaces below and allow for winds to blow over the peaks, cooling them.

Source: Penitentes (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Lenticular Clouds

 Ever wonder the truth about UFOs? Avoided by traditional pilots but loved by sailplane aviators, lenticular clouds are masses of cloud with strong internal uplift that can drive a motorless flyer to high elevations. Their shape is quite often mistaken for a mysterious flying object or the artificial cover for one. Generally, lenticular clouds are formed as wind speeds up while moving around a large land object such as a mountain.

Source: Lenticular Cloud (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Light Pillars

 Light pillars appear as eerily upright luminous columns in the sky, beacons cast into the air above without an apparent source. These are visible when light reflects just right off of ice crystals from either the sun (as in the two top images above) or from artificial ground sources such as street or park lights. Despite their appearance as near-solid columns of light, the effect is entirely created by our own relative viewpoint.

Source: Light Pillar (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Sun Dogs

 Like light pillars, sundogs are the product of light passing through crystals. The particular shape and orientation of the crystals can have a drastic visual impact for the viewer, producing a longer tail and changing the range of colors one sees. The relative height of the sun in the sky shifts the distance the sundogs appear to be on either side of the sun. Varying climactic conditions on other planets in our solar system produce halos with up to four sundogs from those planets' perspectives. Sundogs have been speculated about and discussed since ancient times and written records describing the various attributes of our sun date back the Egyptians and Greeks.

Source: Sun Dog (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Fire Whirls

 Fire whirls (also known as fire devils or tornadoes) appear in or around raging fires when the right combination of climactic conditions is present. Fire whirls can be spawned by other natural events such as earthquakes and thunderstorms, and can be incredibly dangerous, in some cases spinning well out of the zone of a fire itself to cause devastation and death in a radius not even reached by heat or flame. Fire whirls have been known to be nearly a mile high, have wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour and to last for 20 or more minutes.

Source: Fire whirl (Wikipedia Article – Retrieved 03 August 2010)

Orange Moons

 This last phenomena is something most people have seen before - beautiful orange moon hanging low in the sky. But what causes this phenomena - and, for that matter, does the moon have a color at all? When the moon appears lower on the horizon, rays of light bouncing off it have to pass through a great deal more of our atmosphere which slowly strips away everything but yellows, oranges and reds. The bottommost image above is true to the hues of the moon but has enhanced colors to more clearly show the differences in shade that illustrate the mixed topography and minerology that tell the story of the moon's surface. Looking at the colors in combination with the craters one can start to trace the history of impacts and consequent material movements across the face of our mysterious moon.

Source: Moon Illusion 

Appreciating Nature: The Health Benefits of Honey

My mom sent me bottles of pure honey yesterday together with packs of cashew nuts from our province. That’s typical of mothers I guess – always sending something to their children to show affection. It’s really heartwarming whenever I got packages from my mom via door-to-door delivery. I remember during my college days, when I’m striving to finish college and living in a boarding house all by myself, my mom used to send almost anything from our town in Occidental Mindoro– onions, sampaloc, pastillas, dried fish, cashew fruits, vegetables etc. It was always carefully and meticulously wrapped, and you will always find a handwritten note, always reminding me to take care of myself especially my health.


By the way, I am writing this post about the health benefits of honey. Although my mom, during our growing up years used to give us a few spoonfuls of honey with calamansi before bedtime, many of my town folks are ignorant of honey’s health and beauty benefits. It’s one of the luxuries of our town but often unappreciated and overlooked. I say luxury because when I’m checking out bottles of commercial honey in a grocery store, I can’t believe it cost that much. In our town, our Mangyan brothers are harvesting honey in the wild forest of Mindoro, then cheaply sell it in town or most of the time in exchange for used clothes or rice.

Our town is blessed by nature with this wonderful product, so I want to share this especially to all Mindoreños. Lets appreciate what nature is giving us and take extra measures to protect our forests.

The health benefits of honey:

1. Energy booster–Honey gives you that extra rush of energy when needed, the same way energy drinks affect the body. The glucose in it is quickly absorbed by the body for an instant spike in energy level while the fructose takes it time to be absorbed in order for the energy to be sustained for prolonged periods of time.

2. Detoxifying agent–Honey is actually a cleansing tonic that improves the health of the digestive system, making it easier for the body to fight diseases. Its antioxidant and antibacterial components help boost the immune system while clearing the passages of harmful toxins and microbes.

3. Antioxidant–Honey contains powerful compounds that fight free radicals and aid in slowing down and reversing the effects of aging. Generally, antioxidants neutralize free radicals and heal tissues on the cellular level, therefore, protecting the body from aging from the inside out. A study published by the University of California concluded that honey contains antioxidants comparable to spinach, apples, oranges and strawberries.

4. Skin protectant–Honey has been historically linked to protecting the skin against irritants. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that disinfects and promotes the healing of wounds and burns. The University of Sydney stated in a study that honey should be used as a “first choice” in dressing wounds instead of it being the “last resort” because of its superior antimicrobial properties.

5. Natural skincare product–Honey also helps in achieving smooth, soft, nourished skin due to its rich mineral, vitamin and amino acid content. Further, a University of Amsterdam study found it to be “a promising topical antimicrobial agent for prevention or treatment of infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.” This means that honey may actually be used to treat acne and pimples.

6. Weight loss aid–Honey has high calorie and sugar contents, but curiously, it doesn’t seem to affect the body in a negative way. According to the USDA Agriculture Research Service, the body tolerates honey better than table sugar and doesn’t gain weight from it. The University of California published a study reporting that consuming buckwheat honey on a daily basis for a month does not cause weight gain. This proves that honey can be a table sugar-substitute for individuals aiming to lose weight.

7. Hangover remedy–Honey contains the natural sugar, fructose, which helps the liver in speedily oxidizing alcohol. The Web site www.benefits-of-honey.com recommends drinking 15ml honey with 80ml orange juice and 70ml natural yogurt to minimize the effects of a hangover.

8. Cough remedy–Honey has soothing qualities that relieves minor sore throats and coughs. The Pennsylvania State College of Medicine found honey to be more effective in curing nighttime coughs in children than over-the-counter cough medicines.

9. Sleeping aid–Honey is suggested to promote better sleeping patterns with regular consumption. Although no study has directly linked it to curing insomnia or improved bedtime habits, the classic combination of warm milk and honey has been traditionally used to relieve sleep problems. This can be attributed to the presence of tryptophan, a natural relaxant that reduces anxiety and aids in regulating cholesterol levels.

10. Dietary supplement–Honey can be used as a regular dietary supplement, with or without the need for any specific function like those mentioned above. Fruits and vegetables lose large amounts of their vitamins as early as 24 hours after being harvested. Honey, on the other hand, retains all its benefits without an expiration date. The vitamin and mineral content of honey varies depending on the flower used to cultivate it. But most variants contain high levels of vitamins C and B-complex, essential minerals and at least half a dozen of amino acids.

Additional info: Honey may aid conception - Known as the Nectar of the Gods, honey has long been held in esteem for its medicinal and antiviral properties but, according to at least one beekeeper and several researchers around the world, it is also of great benefit for people struggling to conceive. Ayurveda has been advising honey as a medication for men with problems of impotence and women with problems related to infertility

Sources:

• Biado Ed, "Health benefits of honey" [ http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2010/february/10/lifestyle4.isx&d=2010/february/10 ] 29 March 2010

• Babyworld, "Honey may aid conception",  [ http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/trying/getting_body_ready/honey_helps_conception.asp ], 29 March 2010

• Ayurveda and Yoga Blog, "Honey treatment for Arthritis, Cholestrol and Infertility" [ http://www.ayurvedictalk.com/honey-treatment-for-arthritis-cholestrol-and-infertility/222/ ] , 29 March 2010

How Do We Catch Sand Crabs in Mindoro - Learning from Nature

Aside from building sandcastles, we used to catch sand crabs for fun during my childhood days in our town in Occidental Mindoro. Sand crabs usually stayed in their deep holes along the sandy coastlines. One way to catch them is to dig their holes, but that takes a lot of time 

The crabs are foolish too!

It is well known, especially among the Filipinos, that crabs are selfish. The term “crab mentality” is used to describe a kind of selfish, short-sighted thinking which runs along the lines of “if I can't have it, neither can you.”

Only a few know that crabs are foolish too! That foolishness, of holding on to something dangerous, makes them easy to catch. 

Foolishness is deadly

To catch them inside their deep burrow, we use clotheslines or a small rope. We tie a piece of fishing net on one end of the rope and insert it in the crab’s hole. When we feel the crab’s claw pull in the line, we will keep on twisting the small rope and slowly pull it out of its burrow until we catch it.

All it needs to do is to let go of the other end of the rope to escape being caught, but it clawed that “something” that invades its territory, believing that it is an important fight. The crab doesn’t know that holding on to something unimportant and lifeless will cause him his life.

Nature is a great teacher on how to live our life

For the past years, I am like a sand crab. I keep on holding on to “something.” But I don’t even want to name that “something,” it has no name.    

It is hunger perhaps.

I hunger for growth and change from my old ways, from my old habits and thinking, but I keep on holding the other end of that “something,” defiantly resisting change, believing that it is an important fight.

I am a fool. Even if I already feeling the tension and the pain it is giving me on my daily affairs – crazily nurturing my frustrations, I still keep on holding on.

Maybe that “something” is “expectations.”

Yes, I guess it is “expectations.” the damn process of what may happen scares me - expectations from family, work, friends, life, career and myself all build paralysis in my mind.  Conversely, I feel frustrated when I have thoughts of expectations from these, draining my spirit and circumvents my growth, it is frustrating expecting anything. I hate it to be honest. 

Or maybe it is silence.

This silence – this silence that keeps feeding on my strength. This silence that breeds more silence, nourishes my indolence, nurtures my weakness, keeping me stagnant, forever staring at that lonely star before dawn. I am becoming weak, growing weaker still – this silence has bereft me of sense.

My soul itself gone stark, mad perhaps because I know longer acknowledge REASON. Like that foolish crab, I keep on holding to something lifeless and unimportant.  

I need to abandon all, to break silence, to kill expectations, to feel life, to end my hunger, and start living my life.