Letters from Generation RX: Film by Kevin P Miller

LETTERS FROM GENERATION RX: A NEW FILM — DEDICATED TO YOU

You or loved one is suffering under the diagnosis of ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, or depression. You’ve done everything the doctors have instructed – from a mind-boggling array of medications to perhaps even an aggressive regimen of electro-convulsive therapy, but you or your loved one continues to slip further into darkness.

You are frightened – fearful of the life you – or they may have to lead.

What would you do – accept the condition as fait accompli, or search the world to find a cure?

It is a question millions face every day.

In his previous film, Generation Rx, international award-winning writer/director Kevin P. Miller explored how frighteningly narrow the treatment options are, and why the science being used as the rationale for treating millions with mental health conditions often falls so desperately short. Miller’s work prompted famed Hollywood Director Paul Haggis, the only person in the past half century to win an Academy Award® in consecutive years, to endorse his groundbreaking film. But more importantly, Miller received thousands of letters from real people: mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers of those who had labored under the influence of psychiatric drugs for many years.

It was then that he decided to produce one final documentary on the topic, and call it Letters From Generation Rx — in homage to the thousands who wrote to him following the release of Generation Rx.

The new film is designed to spur an international conversation about mental illness, and to exorcise any unnecessary fears that ADHD, bipolar, and other mental health diagnoses may have wrought. Miller spent two years interviewing some of the world’s most respected researchers, MDs, journalists, politicians, and academics, and focused on dozens of others whose lives became inextricably linked to the medications they were prescribed. In doing so, the director features a breathtaking array of stories, from those who lost it all – to those who came back from the brink of agony and angst and desperation to a place of true wellness.

Miller’s conclusion: there is hope for those suffering, and it may not lie in the toxic elixirs we have come to know by name. Rather, there are remedies and therapies being overlooked, to our detriment.

While the film does include stories of violence and addiction – a side effect of both the illnesses and the medications prescribed to treat them – Miller weaves together an astonishing tapestry of highly personal stories from those who overcame the worst that mental illness could dish out, but who still made their way to wellness.

In the end, Letters From Generation Rx could change how many of us view mental health. By employing powerful personal stories and credible, easy-to-understand science, the film shows how the cavalier use of psychotropics created an avalanche of unintended medical and societal consequences — and why the use of less invasive methods often combats the worst mental illness can dish out.

Letters From Generation Rx is where darkness meets light and science meets truth. Like Generation Rx before it, this film will be essential viewing for those interested in an intelligent conversation about both the causes of mental illness and the treatments that are being deployed in the latest battle for the brain.

Kevin P. Miller is an international award winning Writer, Producer and Director whose films The Promised Land, The War Within, Kids in Crisis and more have won numerous international Film and Television awards. Academy Award® winner Paul Haggis called his film Generation Rx “a powerful and often chilling eye-opener

http://lettersfromgenerationrx.wordpress.com/

Interpretation of the Death Tarot Card = 13 by Lynda Stevens

Death (Tarot Card) - Number 13

The Death card in the Major Arcana corresponds to the number 13, as if to underscore its lurid reputation for the faint-hearted. James Bond-style movies must surely have a lot to answer for, where to receive this card during poker at high noon does tend to be followed by a nasty demise for its recipient!

This may be why the card has been given what appears to be euphemisms in some more recently published packs with names like "close" or "regeneration". The creator of this deck respects views such as these, but still believes the whole subject may better lose its sting only where it is exhumed into the light of day.

Astrologically, this card corresponds to the sign Scorpio, which does in fact "rule" the mysteries of birth, sex and death - all of which tend to be taboo subjects. The pumpkin in the top left panel is a reminder that the festival Halloween occurs while the sun - the life giver - is in this sign. This is precisely when the life force in nature appears to have departed, leaving behind only the dead leaves and the old shells, of which the pumpkin is one. The ghouls, ghosts and vampires which refuse to rest in peace as they should, perhaps to reflect the fear that nothing may ever come to take their place, and that these creatures themselves may fear that there is no other future for them beyond their vicarious twilight zone of unbeing. This is Death at its most gothic.

The Perennial Wisdom, however, has always perceived hope, while the angst of the years preceding the millennium has only recognised its absence. Spring then will always follow the encroaching winter, the awakening will follow the hibernation, the butterfly hatch from the pupa - shown in the top right panel. What may seem like death is really only the necessary prelude to the transformation that will follow, if only we have faith during the long wait in between.

This, in ordinary situations, may be a very difficult thing to do. The Grim Reaper's scythe may demand a total, clean sweep of things, but it is something from which many people will hold back. The spectre of the big death may well hide behind the fear of the small deaths everybody has to make in life, as they leave one stage of development for another.

In other words, Death is really about change, and the subsequent fear of it. The latter may be reflected in one individual's fear of leaving home, another's reluctance to discard the habits of a lifestyle they may have outgrown, or the mother who refuses to attend her daughter's wedding.

The rewards, however, are great whenever the individual does cut away the dead wood in their life. A move to a new location may indeed involve some sadness over the bonds that may be left behind, for example, but the conditions have been created for the individual to carve out a new and more satisfying future.

It should be obvious by now that Death takes that process of letting go further than does the Hanged Man. The Death card can have a powerfully purgative effect on an individual's life, ruthless stripping away those ties and beliefs which no longer serve any great use. For those who want radical change in their lives, the Death card is an enormously positive factor once its process is understood.

By Lynda Stevens
©2013 copyright ~All Rights Reserved 

Fusing Tarot and the Body by Miriam Jacobs

Fusing Tarot and the Body

By Miriam Jacobs

Tarot can give us tremendous insight, clarity and affirmation about what we already know. Polarity Therapy is a holistic integrative healing art that balances life energy in the body. It addresses 4 components: bodywork, exercise, nutrition, and communication skills. Both Polarity and Tarot are processes that provide meaning and direction to one's life. When fused by astrological and chakra references, together they bring about a profoundly deep healing – both physical and even emotional. 

 

Polarity Therapy is based on the 5 universal elements, as is the Tarot. The connection to the first 4 are traditionally;

Air - Swords

Fire- Wands

Water - Cups

Earth - Pentacles

The 5^th representing Ether is the Major Arcana which I’ve taken poetic license with. When I laid out the chart below I was blown away by even more connections. All 2,3 & 4s astrologically were cardinal signs, all 5,6 & 7s were fixed, and all 8,9 & 10s were mutable, perfectly aligned with Polarity’s suggested type of touch. 

The Cards chosen may tell us where to contact the body and what type of touch to use, and a suggested practice to balance and integrate the lessons of the Tarot. Incorporate whatever practice from a particular card(s) that you are drawn to into your daily mindful practice.

Major Arcana cards have meditative practices. Minor Arcana cards have yoga-like exercises and Court cards have art practices.

 

Examples: 

 

Empress III

Astrological:Taurus – fixed Earth Anatomy:neck

Touch:light and off the body

Practice:Breathe into your heart. Feel love for Mother Nature.

Eight of Wands/Fire

Astrological:Sagittarius - mutable fire Anatomy:thighs

Touch:deep and dispersing

Practice:Creates action - Bend your knees and slightly pitch forward at the hips. With your palms on the top of your thighs, sweep your palms downward towards your knees. Make a loud fiery “RAM” sound.

Queen of Air

Astrological: all Air signs Anatomy:shoulders, kidneys, ankles

Touch: all

Practice: Dance in free form or with flowing scarves.

"I have been reading Tarot cards for over twenty-five years. Since I found them so effective in making decisions that I began to include Tarot in my bodywork sessions. The brief readings help affirm my clients' experiences, differentiating and integrating their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. I realized there was a more expansive and expressive way to use the Tarot. This inspired me to create a unique and comprehensive deck. The images are digital collages. I found inspiration for the images included in the Polarity Wellness Tarot everywhere: in nature, in sculpture, in yard sales and junk shops."

Miriam Jacobs, IPE, CMT, BFAis the creator of the first somatic Tarot deck Polarity Wellness Tarot that provides a Tarot-body connection. Her book on Tarot and the Chakras, with Schiffer Publishing LTD. is due out in 2014.

After a successful career as a visual artist Miriam found herself drawn to the healing arts and began her formal studies in 1989. She trained at the Polarity Wellness Network in New York City and was certified by American Polarity Therapy Association. She received certification in Swedish Esalen massage from the McKinnon Institute in 1996.

Miriam helps people to change through bodywork sessions and Tarot card readings. At times she combines them. Her practice is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. She is also available for workshops, Tarot parties and over the phone readings.

Miriam Jacobs Oakland, CA, USA
©2013 copyright ~All Rights Reserved 
 

http://polaritywellness.com http://www.facebook.com/PolarityTarot

mimi@polaritywellness.com

All We are Saying is Leave the Earth Alone

The tide has turned and the ocean roars as a new day dawns on the face of Britain, where we go from here is anyone's guess but it really does feel as though we're sitting on the brink heading either straight to a self-induced hell or a more heavenly experience for all of us and no matter how you look at it there's work to be done especially if we wish to save our Planet from ourselves for future generations. 

As I watch the following video I have tears in my eyes, I am so proud of those who have stood up for all of us, because no matter what you may think, if you are on this Planet and particularly here in the UK at this time, Fracking affects you.  This pride in my fellow man however is dampened by the absolute shock that our Police force are being used against those they are supposed to serve. The arrest of a 14 year old girl which is included in this video strikes me as being a tactic which shows how far they will go to inspire fear and maintain control.

I can hardly believe the audacity of the UK  government  if anyone is left in any doubt after the recent behaviour from Westminster then surely the Fracking fiasco at Balcombe Bay must be the thing to wake you up.

 It's been dubbed The Battle of Balcombe and rightfully so as the War on Consciousness continues, with the ultimate casualty being the hearts and minds of everyone involved. At the present time our Government have decided to offer the best financial deal for Fracking in all the World, why when the people so adamantly are telling them no? What is Fracking and why is it so Controversial? "Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing. It's a water intensive process when millions of gallons of fluid - typically water, sand and chemicals, including ones known to cause cancer - are injected underground at high pressure to fracture the rock surrounding an oil or gas well.  this releases extra oil and gas from the rock, so it can flow into a well." Click the link below to learn more about Fracking. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/

At the present time Cuadrilla the company at the heart of Fracking, (does it have a heart I wonder) are applying for new licenses to drill for oil in Lancashire and plan to re-open their Fracking operations within weeks. For a list of the places which have licenses here in the UK visit http://frack-off.org.uk/locations/ Here in Scotland in June there were reports that Fracking would not be happening but David Cameron has set the ball rolling again as he continues to try and get the the whole of the UK to be open to this deal, selling it as being good for the economy.  Though I'm not sure what good the economy will be when we've destroyed our land and our health. Dart Energy the only company (so far) with permission to exploit resources using fracking, have a license to begin releasing up to 4 tonnes per day from test wells on the site at Airth,, near Falkirk So far Fracking has been associated with polluted water, an increase in disease particularly cancer and also has been related to cows tails falling off and these are only the short term consequences.  It will be a while before we can be sure of the long term consequences and at a time when re-generation and renewable sources of energy should be at the height of our discussions, this insane venture is hogging centre stage. As always I wish to remind you that we have the power to create change in any direction we want so if Fracking is not the solution you wish our energy to be invested in please add your name to the petition and put pressure on your MP and Parliament to end the insanity now.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40905

Relevant Links - http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/fracking http://frackoffscotland.org.uk/ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/04/company-fracking-protests-drilling-licences http://www.sepa.org.uk/customer_information/energy_industry/unconventional_gas/current_activities.aspx http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/fracking-will-make-scotland-miss-climate-targets-1-3041683

Even When We Say Nothing We Are Communicating Something

It doesn't matter how hard you try to escape it, politics affects all of us.  From the crumbling economy to the price of a few beers down the local and even whether our local's open in the first place because of all the Health and Safety legislation, licensing and other debacles small to medium enterprises find themselves entangled in. Caught up in the struggle for survival or just too busy, too tired or too stressed to notice as more and more legislation is written with us in minds.

On 6th September the future of our nation's children was being discussed in Parliament. Did you know?  Do you care? Would you want National "citizen" Service for our children's future?

Here is a tiny extract from the proposed Bill to give you an insight to the proposals which will be facing their second debate in parliament in February 2014. A link to the full publication is found below, please make sure to read it to be aware of the proposals and while you do ask yourself do you really trust the Secretary of State to make the best decisions for your/our kids futures.

National service system

(1) Every individual who has attained the age of 18 years, and who has not attained the age of 26 years, shall be liable to serve one year of national service at some point between these years unless exempt.

(2) Exempt individuals are those with severe mental or physical disability.

(3) National service shall be defined as participation in a full time scheme accredited by HM Government as meeting the requirements of national service and set out in regulations by the Secretary of State.

(4) Non-exempt individuals who do not serve one year of national service before the age of 26 years shall be guilty of an offence.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2013-2014/0032/14032.pdf

So for refusing to be part of something sanctioned by a corrupt government people will become criminals hmm...

Now this next part makes for some really interesting reading when you consider the current state of affairs within our government with cover up after cover up regarding pedophilia and how quickly our MP's were to jump to war with Syria, until we the people made them listen. 

(a) residential element, requiring that participants live away from home;

and

(b) an element of public service, comprising one or more of the following

to be chosen by the individual—

(i) charitable work,

(ii) social action,

(iii) care for the elderly or disabled,

(iv) overseas development activity, or

(v) work connected with the National Health Service, the emergency services or the Armed Forces.

One more thing that I'll ask you to consider as I leave you to digest the contents of this draft publication is what would happen should the State decide to declare a State of Emergency in the future, while they have all these young men and women at their disposal, the term cannon fodder comes to mind for me, that's for sure. 

Phillip Hollobone one of the MP's who are responsible for pushing this bill also held the first reading of a Capital Punishment Bill on the 6th September 2013.  

Silence is a complicit agreement that we accept what our Government are doing on our behalf, so just remember even if you communicate nothing you are communicating something, please make sure it's really what you want to say. 

http://rashellereid.wordpress.com

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2013-2014/0032/14032.pdf

Are Academic's Guilty of Blind Faith?

In the week where many take time to reflect on the life's lost on and since September 11th 2001, it is the perfect time to raise the question Are Academics Guilty of Blind Faith?

The following video explores the issues that have been highlighted by the discussions and sometimes lack of discussions regarding major events within our World.  There is no doubt we are living in times when propaganda is being used as a tool against the masses.  It is used to keep those hiding in the shadows from being uncovered, to push agendas that are questionable and to hide lie after lie. Never has this been seen with such clarity as it has in relation to Ground Zero where anyone who dared question the "official" story has been branded some kind of conspiracy nut.

Mind manipulation and the threat of being excluded from the Academic field that they are part of, not to mention the threat of job loss and an end to what could be a lifetime of work keep many from speaking out and now we are seeing this type of intimation tactic used again and again, most recently in regards to anyone who is on benefits being labelled "scroungers" by the political establishment and the most recent article calling members of our NHS "selfish" if they dare to make an informed choice, as the Medical Professionals they are and refuse a Flu Vaccine.

Our Government must be held to task on such juvenile behaviour, their name calling is like primary school children on a bad day and should not be tolerated from those who are in roles supposedly serving the public. My question to you before you watch the clip is whether you would stand by quietly as your colleagues are vilified to protect yourself? And how do we as a nation combat this problem?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10168075/Welby-reignites-row-with-Government-over-benefits-scroungers.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24033871

Radiation Free Lakeland at Wasdale Show.

Radiation Free Lakeland have been out and about over the last two years at shows including Gosforth and Wasdale running a competition “Where is Avalon’s Treasure” The competition - featured a large 3D map of the lakes and the winner has been announced, Arthur Harvey-Chadwick from Seascale aged 8. Arthur says he is “really chuffed” with his painting of ‘Osprey Communications’

The competition was created by Radiation Free Lakeland to raise awareness of the insanity of digging a huge hole underground in Cumbria and filling it with the world’s most dangerous material- radioactive wastes.

“Deep under the hills and mountains of Cumbria lay the ancient ruins of Avalon. Does Excalibur lie deep beneath the flakey Skiddaw Slates of Black Combe? or hidden beneath Eskdale’s interleaved layers of granite and *schists?

The competition asked: Where do you think the legendary King Arthur and his magical sword Excalibur are buried under Cumbria?

New research by Arthurian Legend scholars argues that Cumberland (West and North Cumbria) is reputed to be the Avalon of old and the final resting place of the legendary King and his magical sword Excalibur”.

Marianne Birkby from Radiation Free Lakeland said ” Arthur and Excalibur will not come back to protect Cumbria’s riches from the plan for a nuclear dump. The proposed underground dump would be deeper than 3 Eiffel Towers and as big as 3 Lake Windermere’s. Cumbria’s freshwater, unpolluted by radioactivity is worth more than a King’s ransom. Land and freshwater polluted by high level radioactive wastes would be fit for neither King nor peasant. Freshwater is the only real lasting treasure”. On January 30th Cumbria County Council put a halt to the government plan. 

The text of Council Leader Eddie Martin’s now legendary and inspiring speech to the Cabinet is here: http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/eddie-martins-speech-to-cabinet-on-30th-january/

Eddie Martin has since told Radiation Free Lakeland that “we must remain vigilant” – we agree!

* metamorphic rocks -from French schiste, from Latin lapis schistos stone that may be split.

More info:

" If Camboglanna is where Arthur died, then it is certainly not a coincidence that the only place in Britain known anciently as Avalon is located further west along the Wall at Burgh-by-Sands (in Allerdale)

The Aballava fort, now on the edge of marshland near the Solway Firth, was referred to in the early RAVENNA COSMOGRAPHY as Avalana. This placename means, literally, the "place of apples". Camboglanna is on the Irthing, a tributary of the Eden River. The Eden empties into the Solway Firth very near Aballava/Avalana. A dedication to the goddess Latis was found at Aballava, offered by a certain Lucius Ursius (Ursius is from L. ursus, "bear"; cf. W. arth, "bear", often cited as the first component of Arthur's name). She is the goddess of open bodies of fresh water, a literal "Lady of the Lake".

http://www.facesofarthur.org.uk/articles/guestdan14.htm

Look out for Radiation Free Lakeland’s latest competition which is to “find the tears of the unicorn” or as we know them fresh water pearls! 

Radiation Free Lakeland are unfunded and completely voluntary – any funds raised through competitions or donations are put directly towards campaigns and research. The latest fund raising push is to raise funds in order to send samples of Cumbrian beaches for specialist analysis. (see previous article on Sellafields ongoing and accelerated pollution of our beaches

©2013 copyright ~All Rights Reserved 

http://www.enlighteningtimes.co.uk/2013/04/enlightening-times-talks-to-marinne.html 

Radiation Free Lakeland at last year's Wasdale Show