WOW, what a year…and what a finish.

Happy New Year to all.

I am so sorry some of you thought that I must have “fallen off the face of the earth”…or at the least fallen off some mountain cliff in B.C.

In short for those who still do not know…my computer was stolen in Vancouver (lessons learned and warning to all who travel…crime is quite sophisticated these days). Since my video camera was also stolen I have no pictures to post from my trip… or Christmas, another big regret, not replacing camera in time for Christmas photo’s. New programming is coming, and if and when Jared comes to London, we will target the ‘photo presentations’ which are currently being stored and will be considered.

So, I have much to say/add/blog about, but I will do that as my New Years Resolution. For now just promise me (all of you) that you will give much reflection on what your New Year’s Resolution will be. One of mine is to indulge in more “soup”. Healthy, wholesome soup…more on that later.

Till next time,

BE wise, BE well, BE the change,

Dave

At this time I am not sure when the next post will be, very busy on my “quest” in Vancouver…while I will try to make time to post as soon as I can…scan for most recent posts…and hope you appreciate what is here.

I have recently posted regarding the “people who enter your life …for a reason…or a season”…it remains our “attachment” and “meaning” of which me may “envision or reflect”, the “purpose” for such an encounter or ongoing relationships. Even when we may not see or speak to someone, does not mean they do not have potential for impact…or continued “messages” or “lessons learned”. I trust that I am past any “pathological grieving” that is possible when you lose a loved one from your life. There is also a grieving that is possible for the “loss” of what one might have had, in terms of how we interpret and “value” family ties, love interest, intimacy or friendship. It is also possible/likely that many of us “grieve” lost opportunities. This manifests as regret, disappointment and perhaps, shame.

We are presented with thoughts of “doing the right thing”…or making intentional, the confirmation of love and value of these relationships, while our busy lives and all the distractions possible, take us away from “rationally” and emotionally attaching the value, these relationships have (whether it is family, close friends, partners ,such as spouses…or potential soul-mates or life partners…all have value…and we only recognize so deeply, when that relationship is lost.

I m here, is search of my brother. There is also much at stake as far as my father’s grieving the loss of a son…his oldest son. While there is so much that I can share about “Ed’s Story” that I could share, I cannot make the assumption that “his-story” to tell” is one that he would want told or interpreted by me or anyone else. So while I write this…I am left uncertain as to whether I should even post the song or the potential posts or book that I could write about Ed. The “you are your brother’s keeper”  mantra, has become something bigger and more metaphorical that what I am even writing about…yet I am certainly skeptical about allowing such to become an obsession. Again, grieving can be pathological…as can be “obscessing over things” (which is what pathological grieving is for the most part. The “lessons learned” attached to the lessons of the Buddha…are so very relevant …regarding the “release” from all attachments and suffering. The “let go and let God” messages, that I was attached to when deeply engaged in my quest of “living” the example set by Jesus. My spirituality is ever evolving…”the Wheel of LIfe”, seems to be cirlcling back to ways of past relationships (my Mother’s deep commitment to her manifestation of ’Christian Values”…while the visit here and “re-visiting” the heritage of my roots to First Nations/First Peoples, has never been stronger.

I will share more in time, regarding my “drumming from the mountain” to the “four corners of the earth in all its symbolism, in  time. Further, I hope that my “healing paths” can be a part of my sharing in the Healing Journey’s of others…

Do make time to reflect on all that is important to you. Do prioritize the “meaning” and the “value” which is inherent in every connection we make. This includes the “other” people in our lives, the natural world, the creatures of the earth and…the earth itself.

May you find peace this day…and every day,

BE enlighted, BE at peace, BE on the Healing Path, and BE intentiohned toward all,

BE the change,

Dave

We can greet each morning, they way that we choose . We all have that freedom (at least in Canada, for the most part, relating to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms), we can choose coffee, tea, milk, juice or soy…for the most part, those are “typical” and “reasonable” choices. There are some in this great land of  ours  who do not have those choices…poverty and homelessness…and/or consequences of other choices we have made (or that someone made for us) and we recognize that some are “powerless” and “choice-less”.

So this morning I choose coffee….and as a consequence, I received a token…more than a mere token…of kindness…I receive rather a “wealth” of insight and perspective from one who lives the reality. In the opening of the conversation, it was shared that “coffee” is just not coffee…”Starbucks, this is not”…and I end up very grateful…as the one attending to the coffee making demonstrated phenomenal intent and a dose of courage. I stopped him at some point and shared with him why I am here…at this moment in time, in Vancouver. We continue on though, with a comparison to the “Quality” of coffee…and the “intent” of the maker…and the “drinker” of the coffee.

We at times can get easily caught up in “routine” and our comfort zone…of the ease of just “ordering” form Tims, Starbucks or other. The evidence is there that we love our “Tims” or coffee (or Tea) and would likely resist the notion of any form of Addiction or a weakness in character, that would resist notions of acceptance to status quo, routine, or any “culturally defined” behaviour or attitude ( visit the panel to the left of the screen under Philosophy of Life…and you get the most “simplified” take on how we get to where we are today…and what we need to do to see positive change)…begins with that ever important change in attitude…add “intent” (double-double, if you like life, sweeter…creamier)…your behaviour follows the “intent” and produces …consequences.

If we want positive change…in our families, our communities or for our own personal health, it begins with that change in attitude.  The quote, “every journey begins with that all important first step.”   The first step to me finding my Brother, was to re-gain the sense that “Brotherly Love” is my obligation. “We are our “Brother’s Keeper”, was shared to me, by the “maker of intent” for great coffee…we enjoyed the mutual values for humanity, we shared “intent” to make a difference…and we “shared in”…some fantastic metaphorical context of “Brotherly Love”…How great was that…all happened over my need to sit in the lobby and check my emails. I now have more “intent”, more motivation, more “inspiration” to carry on with this “vision quest”…and why I am here, at this moment in time…in Vancouver. So beautiful here…and the immersion into the “quest of survival” meets humanity…very moving indeed. But I have to get moving, as I am overhearing a conversation to which I will build my next blog…

“it’s your story to tell Ed, your story to tell”…the new song I wrote will on the plane, will also get posted. I will build on this context…is my brother’s life metaphorically described as one who…started out life….like a lacrosse ball, waiting to be scooped up by one who is running and just “lowering of stick” could be scooped up and carried…or tossed about side to side, “cradled” by “family ties”…only to seem like he was transitioning to be more like a basketball, that dropped three feet would bounce back three feet and be much bigger, the “travellin” and “jump shots”, “hooks” and “hoops” at things that were part of the “rules of his game”…it may be now that Brother Ed, is more like a “medicine” ball…many heavy or heart, to reflect on his memory or legacy…and  one who has been “dropped”…and we all know what happens to a “medicine ball” when dropped…THUD!

So this here…modern day “medicine man” with shamanic drum in hand…and had visited the “medicine wheel/medicine circle” in mind, body and spirit…continues on with this “vision quest”. Will I find “brother Ed”….its his story to tell…”his-story” to tell”.

Do enjoy  your day, reflect the value of what you are feeding your body, mind and spirit…and at least appreciate a spirit of “intention” toward reaching out, reaching in…and intent with love (double-double, if you like life “sweeeeet”).

Dave

Once I wrote and poem and a “presentation” on what it meant to me to engage in a “vision quest”. I must confess I know less about my Native Heritage…than most other “First Peoples” would have come to appreciate. I also think there will be many others “non-native” that may have read and/or researched on Native Lifeways. This does not hinder my intent to come to some appreciation of how I can incorporate Native  thought and appreciation of Native Lifeways, into my spirituality. Smudging and ceremonial ways are not far removed from my intent to get to my own plain or “expanding conciousness”. To really come to understand the needs and disappointments of this planet, one “intentional” direction is to engage in this discovery, what was the Native Spiritual journey, what did they learn, what  did they  “live”.

Recent discussions with another, has brought me back to the “vision quest” metaphor. I also was able to “re-vision” the “Eagle takes flight” theme to that poem and presentation (I am now on the quest to find and them post that poem and that presentation…once recovered.

What is valuable for me to share…as I know their are many of you who have expressed “keep me posted” as to what is happening to the visit out west. It also may look as though I am confused…interviewing in London, but “talking” and looking out west. This is the Metaphor…

The Eagle takes flight…there is no set course…there is no definitive “prey”, intent…or destination. The Eagle will simply and it may appear, “effortlessly” soar above the clouds…or swoop down close to the earth, and ’scan’ the landscape. It is far better to appreciate the river’s meandering, the mountains peak…the direction and beauty of the river valley…from a “birds-eye view”. That is all this is about…the survey, of the landscape…so much is possible…so much can be seen…

Inevitably, in following from stream, to river…and in time where river meets ocean…there is communion/integration/fusion of fresh and salt water…which makes for a great analogy for Yoga….many streams…many rivers of expression and experience….and where does it lead…to greater and more infinite possibilities. The eagle could continue on and on…abundance of life in this ocean…new lands…new horizons. Do we ever want to limit our possiblities….would we ever want to “pre-destiny” our way into…all is predictable (and possibly boring).

If the eagle opens his wings..the wind will do most of the work…with intent and “folding” of wings…the ’swooping’ may or may not result in capturing our desire…while the attempt is not “fool-hearted”. The flight pattern…Predictable…perhaps….while we benefit from waiting until we have achieved “new heights and beyond”…then and only then will we be able to see all that there is….see the “lay of the land”…and capture a vision of where the river bends…how it flows…tributaries of “connection” are “natural” consequences of rock bed may be visible rapids, or we may hear and witness the roar of the waterfall…we will be envisioning with “awe” and “wonderment”. Who wouldn’t want to experience that.

So, spread your wings, take flight…intention toward…”new heights and beyond”…and capture the greater “vision”
BE wise, BE well, BE willing to “soar”,

Dave

This will get this started, while I will invest some time…”hunting” down the others

enjoy

As the Crow Flies

In the crisp autumn air, I catch a glimpse of changing colours
I hear a crow call above my head,
There is an awareness that I come to, that perhaps he knows something I don’t
Yes, from a bird’s eye view, the world is so different
Rather than caught up in the traffic rush of the day
There is entertainment over the sight of busy human living

We seek to come to terms with the destiny we have co-created
Well aware that there could be a simpler life,…if only
The sacrifice to make is an inconvenience, and we are left alone in our lifeway
The new path would be uncertain, we would have to accept ourselves more, not less
The façade of make-up and fashion would need to be released before true freedom comes
And we are barely comfortable in our bodies, no less in second hand jeans

The ecology is crying out for a better relationship, we muffle the plea with our soaps
The daily grind is not that bad we lament, with coffee in hand and darting eyes
Would it be that coffee cup that helps lay the foundations for tomorrows park
And would that road-kill you pass, reach into your heart
We speak of New Age…and read the brochure with anticipation
Is the greatest nutrient for our health, truly in a bottle, and for sale now?

As the crow flies he bares witness, to the homeless one on the street
“Oh, my”,.. “didn’t she attend my grade school?”
We are now more sensitized to film, then to other’s harsh reality
We expect them to play that Sax well, for them to get our dime
A bus pulls out in front of you as you cross the street, clouding fills nostrils and lungs
Were we entitled to rob the deer of its forest, or make the bear fear us?

Yearning for  midnight comedy, news and celeb’s, we need that morning Java
Coming to terms with a rat-race of a life, is far too painful
We came to this land in search of a new life, years later, we wish we could return
The price we pay for opulence and gluttony, better to feed the hungry child
Partaking in therapy of all kinds, we are again, not re-paying any one we owe
Finding peace and making peace with this planet,… for wisdom…ask the crow

I have shared in the recent blogs, the concept of planting an Avocado pit for my Grandson Cole, to help him envision for himself what is possible, if we just take action, with intent. The “expanding of our collective conciousness” can only happen with interaction with nature and others on this vast planet. If we were to reflect on the story of the Garden of Eden…and all the possible fruits, that could be considered the “fruit” of goodness…everyone on the planet could conceptualize their favourite fruit as to which was “the chosen fruit”…(it does not have to be an apple) at this point in my life, I am going to conceptualize mango…you now have the Avocado and/or the mango as “single seed” representations of what is possible for our future.

The point to be made is that we do not need to be around to enjoy the fruit of our labour…surely if I planted a Mango Pit…and nurtured it (which would take warmth, which is not my reality at this time as I step outside)…and water…natures most valuable resource…not to be wasted…and so my efforts would/could be scrutinized as fool-hearted if I did indeed plant the Mango today…then spent days and years warming it indoors (or a green-house) and then…all that water spent in hope to spring forth new life over time. I would also have to spend the money…get the Visa or the residence permit, the property in say Costa Rica…or say…India…and continue to “cultivate” the possibilities. Then the reality of my lifespan, limited resources and commitment to family, my career and future plans with current friends and anyone I meet beyond today, is also…uncertain.

Who will eat of the fruit of this tree I planted…should I have thought of only myself, first and foremost, should I have thought of my family…say my Grandson’s Cole and Landon and hoped they like Mango…and were willing to go to any length to continue to partake of their Grandfather’s legacy. What am I getting at…it should be obvious…we should just plant the seeds without any thought to whether it will benefit us,…or our family.

Likewise we should cultivate all friendships…express all opportunity of compassion…we should sow the seeds of Love…now in this holiday season…in the cold or in the tropics…in the “greenhouse” or in the grocery store produce section. BE grateful for all in your life, celebrate our Humanity…and yes, spend time getting to know all those in your life…or who could be in your life…at your choosing, or as yourintuitive, or compassionate nature prompts you to.  also consider this
Click here for a great poem regarding reasons for the seasons of our lives and the people we meet
Plant that seed today, daily reflection on why you should nurture it and “water” with your renewable resource of Love,

Dave

reflection on “the Orange Grove“

Yes, it has been an incredibly busy time, laying the foundation to become…even busier. I know my students are interested to see everything “unfold” in time. Much of my focus, will be about the presentation “out west” and to the Chief Nursing Officer of Health in Toronto in January…and of course my interview with the University of Western Ontario, this coming Monday, followed by Stephen Lewis…Monday Night.

The Plans, the Plans…what do I wish to share are the “priorities of focus” for my practice and research. I have just recently finished a presentation on Men’s Health at Western…and shared how very important this is. Mental Health will also be a focus of intent, in that it is well known…lots of publicity and advocacy surrounding enhancing the services that have a Mental Health component. I feel this is crucial…and one only reflect on the Lori Dupont story…and the recent memorials held on December the 6th to recognize the issue of Violence against women, this alone being reasons to see our way into a “New Paradigm” of Wholeness, Healing, Health and Well-being for all.

Men have health issues, while men also have issues about having their “health” prioritized, whether Mental Health…or what are the specific concerns for men. Without question there is early disability, loss of productive years and or loss of years lived in “quality-of-life” terms, and sometimes there is premature loss of life, related directly to the “masculinity factor” or no commitment by the Ministry of Health or Practitioners to commit to screening, educating and surveillance of health potentials. I had begun writing a Program related to “colon-rectal cancer screening, and I plan to present the HIGH SEAS program to Canadian and Provincial Governments. HIGH SEAS stands for Helping Improve Gastro-intestinal Health, Screening, Educating And Surveillance.

The ongoing priorities will include greater integration of health care with social services and education. Far too many single moms and their children are being subjected to the inequities inherent in the “cycle of poverty”. As more information about health living, healthy families, health communities, healthy planet, emerges , we can envision a “New Paradigm”…where that actually begins is “collective consciousness”…caring, that’s right, deeply caring enough to get a better understanding of “systems” that are very hard to transform…it will not happen “over-night” and we must begin that commitment to action to learning…today

Click here regarding “systems thinking”

And realize we are all in this together, every man should care about every child, every woman, their wholeness, their ways of healing, their health and well-being…their ultimate potential for doing good for this planet.
Every woman should care about the health, well-being, contributions and potential for good of every man.

BE Well, BE wise, Spare and Share…”the Village Well”

Dave

For many, (if from my generation…perhaps my kids remember, I have to ask them)…Laura, was the name thought of typically by two TV characters. For many it will be “Laura Engels” from “little house on the prairie”…Michael Landon, who played “Pa” used to call Laura, “half-pint”…as a reader you may be having a “nostalgic moment”. (Testing long-term memories here)…How many remember Luke and “Laura” from General Hospital?…Now whose nodding…are we making a connection? …Dave?

I just returned from a “Chronic Pain” seminar presented by Bio-med. Many of my professional colleagues who sought after these great “continuing education credits”…I trust….will remember Laura Pawlak. What a dynamic speaker she was…and how well she presented such complex topics, with the valuable inclusion of the body-mind connection, the many benefits of exercise and nutrition applications (I had read all of her books years ago)…click here for a source to her books and courses..and would say she was an early and steady influence on getting as much education as my income would allow.

So what this blog entry is about to suggest there are many great inspirational role models, speakers and educators to which we can turn to for furthering our knowledge and to point us into a very positive direction…I mention many of my great teachers, she was one to whom I have not given credit. Oprah’s books and “book club” and her magazine has been very inspirational. Though not a PhD…or credentials in theology, her spirit is one that has touched many lives….So for the record thank you Oprah…Thank You Laura…where ever you are…

Dave

Without intending to exclude anyone from this entry, please witness “miracles” all around you, regardless of your faith or orientation to to spirituality…I offer this, and likely to share more the further we delve into all the reasons to enjoy this season.

The number # Gift…to give, and to all you know…is “free”-ly given, costs you nothing, has the greatest likelihood of acceptance, appreciation and reciprocal return….LOVE.

Give the gift of love…period, no need to wrap. (more…)

I shared last night how inspiring it was to be surrounded by colleagues who deeply care, and with patients and family…the extension of living that an organ donor or their family…all who value life, so very deeply. We face life, as we have come to know it every day…and so very easy to take it for granted. We have a new fallen snow here, in London, the “news reports” sharing we did not get “the worst of it.” The holiday season is suddenly in full swing, putting more cars on the road then what is typical…yes the “holiday cheer” of some…is the “holiday madness” of others. I just appreciate the “blanketing of the landscape” in beauty and splendor. To be even more attached to nature…yes I am heading out down to my favourite part of the river…the pathway through the park, the splendor of ice- covered snow and trees, “glistening” as the sunlight streaks through the branches. It will be a moment of reflection…what does the metaphors of the winter season…or the holiday season mean to all those in my life…or who may read this. (I also can’t help but wonder what those from the “southern Hemisphere” actually transitioning toward summer…of those who have never seen snow…must wonder…about this winter “wonder”-land of which I speak. (more…)