September 2010, Volume 10, No. 3

"THE UNIVERSE BENEATH US

THAT BECKONS TO BE NOTICED"

Magnetism

From the amazing collection of thousands of pictures of the swimming pool of Courtney Milne

By mid-morning, the pool drew me close to its transcendent veneer.  

Hoarfrost rimmed the fragile leaves and stems,

causing them to appear even more vulnerable and brittle to the eye...

More...

Editorial Musings

The same applies to healthcare. The bureaucratization of healthcare in many countries has limited medical doctors' abilities to provide adequate care because half of their time (literally) is taken up with paperwork that is required for reimbursement and for protection against lawsuits for malpractice. This leaves many careseekers with less time with their doctor. Not only does this limit the focused intervention on the presenting medical or surgical problems, but it also makes it very difficult – if not impossible – for the careseeker to mention, or for the doctor to invite, exploration of psychological and social issues that might be contributing to the presenting problems. One of the most common complaints today is that "The doctor doesn't take time to listen to me."

Research

What would it then mean for a city to be "healed," and eventually to reciprocate and be healing and heal itself, its inhabitants and visitors. Furthermore, what methods and processes would support cities to facilitate healing in the context of sustainability planning? How might the built form and natural spaces of the city nurture and develop its residents' holistic health – to include addressing physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual needs?

This “healing cities” project explores how to address planning processes and to design cities in a self-reflective way that may foster greater connectivity both to the world around us, and to ourselves – and to thereby make us healthier and more whole. Specifically, the healing cities approach seeks to develop a framework for building and shaping communities in a manner that fosters natural, physical, social and spiritual healing. Planners, designers and health practitioners have an opportunity to open up a dialogue about how different conceptualizations of holistic healing may interact within the healthy cities framework.

This article is a foundation statement upon which we are planning to build research in support of our thesis that spiritual health is a vital and important contribution that urban design can make and enhance in the holistic spectrum of healing.

Remarkable Recoveries

Remarkable recovery is possible. That is my experience [of a remarkable recovery from a severe cervical spinal injury] and that is my purpose in writing my story. It is not to WOW you with a miraculous story or impress you with what a super-human person I am. Rather, it is to empower you to call on your own inner resources, the talents of others and the spiritual help that is always available. In writing this piece I discovered for myself what I believe are the ingredients of a remarkable recovery: 1) Bringing forth determination to get well, 2) Finding skilled practitioners or team of skilled practitioners, 3) Being willing to give up being victimized, and 4) Asking for and listen to your inner spiritual help.

Living with Life Challenges

But what does it mean to love each other?

Variations on the Theme of Healing

Said the old man, "I do that too."

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too," laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, "I often cry."

The old man nodded, "So do I."

"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems

Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.

"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

- Shel Silverstein

Lamentable, but beautiful, this poem illustrates the strong connection that can be made between generations that are far apart chronologically. We have seen this again and again during our year at All Seasons Preschool, a school housed inside of a senior living building. When we embarked on this journey, we were aware of the research about the benefits of intergenerational relationships in broad, generic ways. Our intentions were good and our expectations were high, but they were distant, lofty and not yet tangible. This year we’ve seen in great and small, but most importantly in very personal ways, the benefits of the relationships that have developed between the young and old. Here, together, those distant and lofty goals transformed into very personal benefits for real people, many of them planned and expected, and many others surprising and unexpected. We witness the small miracles that occur on a daily basis and if we blink, we miss them.

Wholistic Approaches

Awakenings to this new Consciousness are occurring more frequently today than in the past. Such a consciousness is not a different way of thinking. It is a different state. An awakened person has an entirely new orientation – one that subsumes and transcends intellect or ego consciousness – both of which must then learn to live in relation to it. Awakening is more than a mental phenomenon: it is physical. One’s entire organism experiences the felt energetic connection between human beings and the rest of creation. However, because we lack a common language for such a radical intimacy with life, the message in this short article is carried primarily through image, metaphor, cadence, and story.

I believe that one of the biggest examples of separation syndrome in our lives is how we have such a profound disposability consciousness in this culture. I use the example of when you say you're "gonna throw something away..."

Where is away? There's no such thing!

Where 'away' actually lies is in a series of social justice issues and environmental justice issues. Every plastic bag, plastic cup, plastic to-go container represents the petroleum complex in Africa, Ecuador, Columbia, Alaska or you name it!

Student and Healee Experiences

Poetry, Art and Humor are Healing

Book Reviews