“Kathy, what is your New Year’s resolution?” a girl friend asked me over lunch. “Mine is to give up cigarettes and sugar” she continued, while shaking a packet of sugar substitute into her coffee.
“Not to give anything up and to put myself first,” I answered. “Then I will refocus on implementing the difference between want and need in my life.”
My friend stopped stirring her coffee, peered over her sunglasses at me, and asked, “What do you mean by that?”
The concept of “care-giver first” and the difference between want and need were clearly alien to her. I had learned about both of these ideas during radiation therapy ten years ago while battling breast cancer twice. I still see the side effects of emotional emptiness and burn-out in the women around me who are not aware of these self care concepts--so vital to life.
Women are the main care-givers, but many women give unconsciously and unconditionally until there is nothing left to give. Consequently, their emotional well runs dry. Lately, I am seeing an alarming pattern in my friends during these uncertain economic times. Part of the problem is not distinguishing between wants and needs. Families have many wants, and the care-givers try to meet these wants as though they are needs; a terrible burden to carry. Women are getting burned out from giving so much of themselves to those who want more than is available. Often, when there is nothing left to give to those who truly need help, including themselves, the result is medication, and psychotherapy to fill the void, and dull the feeling of failure in their lives.
Today is the dawning of a new day in a new year. My first New Year resolution will be to allow myself to love and embrace myself, and always put myself first. I will give myself permission to be number one in my life. How can I possibly share with others if I am empty? It is reassuring to be emotionally filled, loved and appreciated by others, but I need to be able to fill myself first with all of those signs of affection, even if no one else can give them to me. I want to be embraced by others but I need to love myself first.
When I was going through chemotherapy, my psychotherapist armed me with a powerful mantra to help me through the uncertainty of treatment. “You are number one. No one and nothing is more important than you.” She was right. Ten years later, as a cancer hotline phone counselor and mentor, that mantra is still important to me. If charity begins at home, and home is where the heart is, an empty heart cannot give anything to anyone else.
The importance of this mantra was even more evident during my Stitch-n-Bitch (as we liked to call ourselves) radiation therapy group. It broke my heart to see women who had been the sole care-giver to their family suddenly discarded when their circumstances shifted, and they needed to be taken care of by their significant others. These women said they felt that without the love and devotion of their family, they were nothing.
Their chances for a full recovery were challenged by their depression and feelings of emotional emptiness. Our little group spent many hours discussing wants versus needs. We want others to love us, but we need to love ourselves. We want a beautiful house, but we need a roof over our head. We want to eat in fancy restaurants, but we need nutritious food on our plate. The list of wants versus needs is endless. Realizing the difference between them, however, may be the first step in not becoming emotionally, physically and financially bankrupt.
Putting that concept into practice will help us, as care-givers, to become aware of our limitations. I realize that I have been lax in practicing what my little group preached ten years ago. So, my second New Year’s resolution will be to put want versus need back into daily practice. When I see something enticing, I will ask myself, “Do I really need that, or do I just want it?”
In 2010, I will focus on inner balance by being kind and forgiving to myself first, and then to others. I will seek out and join a community “sister-hood of women” who can be my support system. Their strength will keep me from feeling alone during times of despair and their resources will help me meet the needs of my family and friends.
When my body is fatigued, I will rest. When my soul is tired, I will meditate and give thanks for having all that I need. I will surround myself with the things I love; my husband, positive friends, pets, plants, music and fragrant candles while taking a warm bubble bath. Enjoying my favorite things will make my soul soar.
Like the Chinese yin and yang, which are seemingly opposing forces bound together, intertwined, and interdependent in the natural world, we are complex creatures comprised of body and soul. These two diabolically different parts must be in balance as a duality for complete health of body and mind. Like yin and yang, male and female, body and soul are a dynamic equilibrium. If one disappears, the other must disappear as well, leaving emptiness.
Too many of us have lost a part of ourselves and are experiencing this emptiness. We can look in both directions, but tend to focus on the past and judge ourselves by events that cannot be changed. It is time to face forward into the future of a balanced and strong New Year comprised of yin and yang. We can learn from our past to build a positive future. The good news is that a sisterhood of women is only a phone call or tweet away to help you refill yourself with the love you deserve and NEED.
Balance yourself. Take care of your soul and it will take care of you . . . then you can take care of others.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
LIPSTICK
LIPSTICK INFORMATION:
Lipstick, like perfume, is the epitome of femininity, sensuality, and sexuality. Women search endlessly for the perfect hue of rose or “vamp” to match their skin or emotional tones. But could your perfect color be a silent killer? Take the test and find out!
Anyone doing Christmas shopping or who wears lipstick should read this article and use the “Lead Test” on their lipstick. I took the “Lead Lipstick Test” by using my gold wedding band. I guess it could be said that “I was saved by love.”
Out of my 7 lipsticks, three failed…they contained lead.!
With all the information on lead and cancer, you would thing that lead in lipstick would still be illegal. Well, I guess the proof is in the “Lead Lipstick Test.”
For legal reasons, I won’t tell you which ones did or did not fail my test. I will let you take the test and see for yourself.
The test works! Use it!
Then, pass this information on to someone you love and want to keep healthy. A close friend sent it to me.
Something to consider
Next time you go shopping for
Lipstick......
This comes from someone who works in the breast cancer unit at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto ..
From: Dr. Nahid Neman
If there is a female you care anything about, share this with her. I did!!!!!
I am also sharing this with the males on my e-mail list, because they need to tell the females THEY care about as well!
Recently a lipstick brand called 'Red Earth' decreased their prices from
$67 to $9.90.
It contained lead.
Lead is a chemical which causes cancer.
The lipstick brands that contain lead are:
CHRISTIAN DIOR
LANCÔME
CLINIQUE
Y.S.L
ESTEE LAUDER
SHISEIDO
RED EARTH (Lip Gloss)
CHANEL (Lip Conditioner)
MARKET AMERICA-MOTNES LIPSTICK.
The higher the lead content, the greater the chance of causing cancer.
After doing a test on lipsticks, it was found that the Y.S.L. Lipstick contained the most amount of lead.
Watch out for those lipsticks which are supposed to stay longer.
If your lipstick stays longer, it is because of the higher content of lead.
Here is the test you can do yourself:
1. Put some lipstick on your hand.
2. Use a Gold ring to scratch on the lipstick.
3. If the lipstick colour changes to black,
4. Then you know the lipstick contains lead.
Please send this information to all your girlfriends, wives and female family members. This information is being circulated at
Walter Reed Army Medical Centre
Dioxin Carcinogens cause cancer,
Especially breast cancer
Lipstick, like perfume, is the epitome of femininity, sensuality, and sexuality. Women search endlessly for the perfect hue of rose or “vamp” to match their skin or emotional tones. But could your perfect color be a silent killer? Take the test and find out!
Anyone doing Christmas shopping or who wears lipstick should read this article and use the “Lead Test” on their lipstick. I took the “Lead Lipstick Test” by using my gold wedding band. I guess it could be said that “I was saved by love.”
Out of my 7 lipsticks, three failed…they contained lead.!
With all the information on lead and cancer, you would thing that lead in lipstick would still be illegal. Well, I guess the proof is in the “Lead Lipstick Test.”
For legal reasons, I won’t tell you which ones did or did not fail my test. I will let you take the test and see for yourself.
The test works! Use it!
Then, pass this information on to someone you love and want to keep healthy. A close friend sent it to me.
Something to consider
Next time you go shopping for
Lipstick......
This comes from someone who works in the breast cancer unit at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto ..
From: Dr. Nahid Neman
If there is a female you care anything about, share this with her. I did!!!!!
I am also sharing this with the males on my e-mail list, because they need to tell the females THEY care about as well!
Recently a lipstick brand called 'Red Earth' decreased their prices from
$67 to $9.90.
It contained lead.
Lead is a chemical which causes cancer.
The lipstick brands that contain lead are:
CHRISTIAN DIOR
LANCÔME
CLINIQUE
Y.S.L
ESTEE LAUDER
SHISEIDO
RED EARTH (Lip Gloss)
CHANEL (Lip Conditioner)
MARKET AMERICA-MOTNES LIPSTICK.
The higher the lead content, the greater the chance of causing cancer.
After doing a test on lipsticks, it was found that the Y.S.L. Lipstick contained the most amount of lead.
Watch out for those lipsticks which are supposed to stay longer.
If your lipstick stays longer, it is because of the higher content of lead.
Here is the test you can do yourself:
1. Put some lipstick on your hand.
2. Use a Gold ring to scratch on the lipstick.
3. If the lipstick colour changes to black,
4. Then you know the lipstick contains lead.
Please send this information to all your girlfriends, wives and female family members. This information is being circulated at
Walter Reed Army Medical Centre
Dioxin Carcinogens cause cancer,
Especially breast cancer
Saturday, November 28, 2009
TEACHER
ONE OF THE BEST STORIES I'VE EVER HEARD!
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around..'
His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'
His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and do esn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets..'
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck w ith it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.'
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? just 'do it'.
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!
'Believe in Angels, then return the favor
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around..'
His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'
His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and do esn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets..'
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck w ith it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.'
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? just 'do it'.
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!
'Believe in Angels, then return the favor
Friday, November 27, 2009
SHARK
This is an article I entered into a contest for Writer’s Digest. It is based on a true story. The goal is to take the sentence provided and use it to write a 500 word article.
Your boat rocks back and forth, and you peer over the edge, catching a glimpse of something you thought was gone forever.
The boat rocked back and forth, and I peered over the edge, catching a glimpse of something I thought was gone forever in Pleasant Bay. The 20 foot Great White Shark glided past my 10 foot Boston Whaler. I sank onto the floor, and squinted into the setting sun, searching for the TV crews that had been perched high on the sand dunes. The lifeguard station was empty. Everyone was gone. The news crews would not have their story as it headed for the shoreline.
The fisherman had not cried “wolf.”
Cape Cod flocked to the spot of the “Jaws” sighting and for two days kept vigilance until dusk. News crews in white vans scanned the opening to the ocean with binoculars while helicopters patrolled the bay. Where were they now? Had they grown impatient for a glimpse of the legend?
My beating heart caused ripples in the puddle of sea water, a result of a faulty bilge pump. Could that shark sense my heat through the resonating water? I’d heard about Great White attacks. They stick their heads out of the water and ogle fishermen before capsizing the boat with a flick of their tail or a bite through the hull. Maybe it wanted to be sure the meal was worth the work. Would I be worth the work?
Someone on the beach must have seen that fin. My ears strained to hear the alarm. Instead, I heard laughter, talk from a Boat’s loud speaker, and splashing. The tourists and locals must have taken the absence of the news crews and lifeguards as a sign that the scare was over.
A Seal Watcher boat trolled past me in search of the elusive whiskered face. I lifted my head, mustered all the intestinal fortitude I could, and croaked, “Shark!” just as the passengers in the overloaded boat yelled, “There’s one!” Cameras clicked as people leaned over the side for their picture of a lifetime.
“Yes, there’s a really big one a few feet off the stern,” The intercom boomed. “I guess everyone here heard about the Jaws scare we’ve had these past days,” he continued with a hint of glee in his voice. “Well, since the sand bar was broken by the nor’easter last month, the seaward homes are not the only things in danger of being swallowed up.” The children laughed at the guide’s wit. “That cute little fellow right there is Jaws favorite food and…”
If water were glass, you could have head a shattering crash as a seal flew into the air and was snapped in half by the shark that disappeared into the bloody water. The sound of the huge after -splash filled with seal entrails diminished the screams of terror.
It wasn’t the news crew that got the coveted shot. The picture of the severed seal in the jaws of the breaching Great White was sent to Boston News via cell phone, by 12 year old Johnny who might be thankful he lives in Idaho.
Author Bio: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com Twitter@ PshchicHealing is an agented author (Scovil, Galen & Ghosh) of SURVIVING CANCERLAND: the Psychic Aspects of Healing. Kathy writes for a number of ezines and blog sites that can be viewed on her web page.
Your boat rocks back and forth, and you peer over the edge, catching a glimpse of something you thought was gone forever.
The boat rocked back and forth, and I peered over the edge, catching a glimpse of something I thought was gone forever in Pleasant Bay. The 20 foot Great White Shark glided past my 10 foot Boston Whaler. I sank onto the floor, and squinted into the setting sun, searching for the TV crews that had been perched high on the sand dunes. The lifeguard station was empty. Everyone was gone. The news crews would not have their story as it headed for the shoreline.
The fisherman had not cried “wolf.”
Cape Cod flocked to the spot of the “Jaws” sighting and for two days kept vigilance until dusk. News crews in white vans scanned the opening to the ocean with binoculars while helicopters patrolled the bay. Where were they now? Had they grown impatient for a glimpse of the legend?
My beating heart caused ripples in the puddle of sea water, a result of a faulty bilge pump. Could that shark sense my heat through the resonating water? I’d heard about Great White attacks. They stick their heads out of the water and ogle fishermen before capsizing the boat with a flick of their tail or a bite through the hull. Maybe it wanted to be sure the meal was worth the work. Would I be worth the work?
Someone on the beach must have seen that fin. My ears strained to hear the alarm. Instead, I heard laughter, talk from a Boat’s loud speaker, and splashing. The tourists and locals must have taken the absence of the news crews and lifeguards as a sign that the scare was over.
A Seal Watcher boat trolled past me in search of the elusive whiskered face. I lifted my head, mustered all the intestinal fortitude I could, and croaked, “Shark!” just as the passengers in the overloaded boat yelled, “There’s one!” Cameras clicked as people leaned over the side for their picture of a lifetime.
“Yes, there’s a really big one a few feet off the stern,” The intercom boomed. “I guess everyone here heard about the Jaws scare we’ve had these past days,” he continued with a hint of glee in his voice. “Well, since the sand bar was broken by the nor’easter last month, the seaward homes are not the only things in danger of being swallowed up.” The children laughed at the guide’s wit. “That cute little fellow right there is Jaws favorite food and…”
If water were glass, you could have head a shattering crash as a seal flew into the air and was snapped in half by the shark that disappeared into the bloody water. The sound of the huge after -splash filled with seal entrails diminished the screams of terror.
It wasn’t the news crew that got the coveted shot. The picture of the severed seal in the jaws of the breaching Great White was sent to Boston News via cell phone, by 12 year old Johnny who might be thankful he lives in Idaho.
Author Bio: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com Twitter@ PshchicHealing is an agented author (Scovil, Galen & Ghosh) of SURVIVING CANCERLAND: the Psychic Aspects of Healing. Kathy writes for a number of ezines and blog sites that can be viewed on her web page.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
MAGDALENE
WHAT MARY MAGDALENE MEANS
FOR HUMANITY
________________________________________
________________________________________
MARY RESURFACES
A number of books have come out in the past decade about Mary Magdalene or in which Mary plays a prominent role. In fact, compared to the underground obscurity to which she was relegated for two thousand years, you could say that the atmosphere has suddenly become charged with “Magdalene particles.” There are reasons Mary has resurfaced. The discovery of new gospels has shed light on Mary and her relationship to Jesus’ other disciples. But beyond this, the universe seems to have cast Magdalene on the crest of a wave destined to sweep the globe in our lifetime—the rise of the feminine force.
THE RISE OF THE FEMININE
Let’s be clear on this. The rise of the feminine principle does not mean the feminist movement, women’s liberation, or the fact that we’ve seen the first American female presidential candidate. We’re not speaking of the prominence of women in the workplace or the fight for equal compensation. These things are indications of an energy wave sweeping the world, what we might call the superficial manifestations of something deeper. We’re speaking about the feminine half of a force that resides in all of us, men and women. We could just as well say that the yin is rising to balance the yang, the negative is rising to balance the positive, or the cat is rising to balance the dog. It’s about polar forces coming to balance.
The necessity for internal balancing of these forces was predicted by Jesus and a group of early Christians, called Gnostics, two thousand years ago. They spoke of the male and female aspects of God and explained how and why the feminine came to be dominated by the masculine in the material world. Part of the knowledge or gnosis Jesus revealed elucidated the fact that the entire world of appearances operates off of a yin-yang energy polarity that is best described as masculine and feminine in nature. This is also echoed in esoteric Judaism, which claimed that spirits are androgynous in heaven (the Pleroma) but when they incarnated into materiality, they were “split” into masculine and feminine.
THE TWO MUST BECOME ONE
The masculine force was characterized by expansive, logical, rational, linear thinking that was more aggressive in relation to its environment. It was left brain oriented, verbal, unimaginative, and mind centered. The feminine aspect was characterized by receptive, intuitive, feeling-based, elliptical thinking that was more nurturing in relation to its environment. It was right brain oriented, non-verbal, creative, and heart centered.
But hold on boys, don’t get depressed. This isn’t saying that women have a corner on inspiration, imagination, and the artistic pursuits. It doesn’t work that way. Each sex, each person has degrees of both sets of characteristics present within himself or herself. Nevertheless, the fact remains that as men and women, we remain substantially divided in our outlook and approach to life along these fault lines. The different outlooks between the sexes are readily observable in animals. Here is a simple human test: for any of you that have ever attended holistic events—and we’re talking about the big ones with thousands of people— you will notice that the attendees are 90-95% female. The subject matter of these meetings has to do with healing, psychic abilities, creative visualization, development of intuition, and other right brain domiciled activities. And we’re talking about weekend events, so the non-working, bored housewife excuse doesn’t cut it.
Jesus, in the Gnostic gospels, always proclaimed the “two must become one.” What he meant was that we must rebalance ourselves as human beings. An indicator of high intelligence is when a person integrates his or her right and left brains into an operating symmetry. Logic and science by themselves are not roads to true spiritual enlightenment because enlightenment is not an intellectual exercise. It is an experience that must be felt by the feminine faculties of intuitive imagination, and once internalized as a subjective experience, it can then be integrated into the logical, intellectual mind as a fact.
TOWARD A NEW CONSCIOUSNESS OF BEING
It’s not within the scope of this discussion to explain how the world came to be so male dominated. That could be the topic of a whole other website. Suffice it to say that it has been a male-dominated world for a long time and in the field of religion, no less so. Even in the synoptic gospels, we can see Jesus’ radical orientation toward women, shocking for his time and culture. Jesus railed against the priesthood and the legalistic, dogmatic nature of Judaism, all left-brained, male fostered phenomena. He said the kingdom of heaven was within, and how do you find what is within you? By meditation, contemplation, and prayer, and it’s been proven that these are right brain states when truly achieved because they involve the intuitive and imaginative faculties. True prayers, at least the ones that get answered, come from the heart, not the mind. The mind can’t pray or meditate, it can only think about praying and meditating.
We may be in the early stages of the feminine resurrection, a phase in the evolution of people becoming superior, wholly integrated human beings using all the sleeping faculties available to them. A human being with feminine intuitive abilities using the male-directed thought to harness power of the interior spiritual/psychic world will become prevalent some day. The majority of people will discover the underlying unity of life and the interconnectedness of our minds and souls. War, poverty, and suffering will take a blow when that day comes. When we finally see our underlying connectedness, it will be harder to hurt others for we will truly experience the words of Matthew: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
SO WHO WAS MARY MAGDALENE?
The Da Vinci Code portrays Mary Magdalene as the Holy Grail, the receptacle of Jesus’ children or bloodline. By contrast, in my books, Mary is also revealed as the Holy Grail, though she is the receptacle of something far more universal and important: the gnosis or hidden teachings of the Christ. With due respect to Dan Brown, a possible Jesus/Magdalene bloodline has no practical importance to humanity. If Jesus had children, that does not alter his being the fleshly vehicle of the Christ spirit, nor does it really affect any material aspect of the Christian story. All it does is allow Church critics to say, hah! Gotcha! You got a fact wrong. Okay, big deal. It also may serve to humanize Jesus more, but nobody ever said he wasn’t human. And if he were not a real person but an allegorical story, then it’s a moot point anyway.
Magdalene and the risen Christ
Let’s be honest about one fact. There are so many gaps in the historical Jesus and Magdalene that we can never say for certain what the actual facts of their lives were. All we can do is piece together what documents we have and use our own intuition and critical judgment to extract what is universal and spiritually significant. We do not claim that our version of the Magdalene story is the “truth” in a historic or factual sense. We do feel that there is an archetypical significance attached to the figures of Magdalene and the Christ and that is the truth we try to extract in our books. The historical accuracy game is circular when it comes to the Bible. Biblical stories may never be proved or disproved, but they have tremendous value for those who seek to decipher their wisdom and secrets, for they are signposts to universal spiritual truths. To paraphrase a very astute statement from the novel, The Secret Magdalene — that the story is true is not what is important; what is important is the truth in the story.
That is the spirit in which I, and ancient writers of the once lost Gnostic gospels, revive the story of Mary Magdalene. Good evidence exists that women were prominent leaders of the early Church and Magdalene was probably foremost among them. The Gnostic gospels certainly portray her in that way, and many Gnostics believed her to be the full spiritual counterpart of the Christ, Jesus’ foremost disciple, and a living archetype for the intuitive human. Some even held her to be an incarnation of the Holy Spirit herself. Several of the male disciples, notably Peter, were shown as being antagonistic toward her. She continually demonstrated the ability to grasp the esoteric message Jesus taught orally and privately while Peter and many of the men struggled to understand.
THE EXILE OF MAGDALENE AND THE FEMALE CHURCH
Emperor Constantine receives the first (mandated) Christian creed from the all-male cast of bishops
The outer or public version of Christianity became one of the religions competing to be the state favorite of the Roman Empire. It was a highly patriarchal world back then. Having so many female leaders and a femininely oriented message was an embarrassment. It’s highly probable that women were gradually pushed aside to the point where the Emperor Constantine selected Christianity as the favored state religion with a creed defined by exclusively male bishops.
It’s quite suspicious that one of the women always by Jesus’ side and the first to see the risen Christ was relegated to such a shadowy role in the Bible. Some very cogent theses exist that state the beloved disciple was really Magdalene and the Gospel of John was originally the Gospel of Magdalene. This would represent a pattern of editing women out of the Church and the scriptures as outer Christianity evolved and eventually married the Roman Empire, adopting its hierarchical and patriarchal character.
But the other main branch of early Christianity, the mystical Gnostics, retained traditions and gospels that exalted the place of women and the role of Magdalene until they were exterminated and their works burned by the orthodox state Church. This completed the suppression of Jesus’ attempt in the ancient world to revive feminine wisdom in Western spirituality. But a true spiritual force can only be suppressed, not eliminated, because it is a truth that springs from the innermost recesses of the soul. The Gnostic/feminine wisdom kept resurfacing in differing forms (see the Gnosticism section of the popeannalisa.com website).
The real story here is the evolution of humanity toward a new consciousness of being, and the next step in that evolution is, in the words of Jesus, that “the two must become one.” Anyone can notice how women are increasingly entering into the mainstream of everyday life. What you may not have noticed is the strong movement in literature, psychology, the arts, and religion to resurrect and recover the lost feminine spiritual legacy, the Goddess, some call it, not to supplant the male force, but to merge with it and transform us in ways we can only now imagine.
When the qualities of love, mercy, intuition, and acting from the heart seep in to become a more common part of our lives, we move closer to the divine. The activation of these right brain faculties will allow us to follow the path of the sages, to perceive as God perceives, to act in a manner that will flow from the recognition of our unity with all things. One day, these perceptions will be open to all, not just a few sages, and they will be real experiences, not just intellectual propositions of the mind.
Mary Magdalene will become a major focal point in this grand movement of our evolution. It’s in the air. It may well be written in the heavens.
AUTHOR BIO-- Peter Canova
At the age of twenty-three, I first realized my abilities to do
intuitive medical readings, remote viewing, psycho kinesis, and
other “psychic” phenomena. This led me to a conviction that all of
humanity, and all life, is interconnected at an unseen level. As I
traveled four different continents for my work, a variety of
spiritual figures entered my life unsolicited thereby reaffirming
this belief.
I combined my love of writing with my spiritual background and my travels to produce a fictional work entitled The First Souls Trilogy, written while I was caring for my wife, who was battling breast cancer. It concerns the first fall of spirit into material existence as told through the lives of characters whose incarnations appear over different epochs of history. Pope Annalisa, the first book, tells of an African nun who becomes the first female pope in a near future world headed for self-destruction. The trilogy deals with the origin, destiny, and purpose of humanity, the suppressed role of the feminine in spiritual history, and spirit transcending religion.
Website: popeannalisa.com
Twitter: popeannalisa
Pope Annalisa Videos on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSxB8r3sYBM
FOR HUMANITY
________________________________________
________________________________________
MARY RESURFACES
A number of books have come out in the past decade about Mary Magdalene or in which Mary plays a prominent role. In fact, compared to the underground obscurity to which she was relegated for two thousand years, you could say that the atmosphere has suddenly become charged with “Magdalene particles.” There are reasons Mary has resurfaced. The discovery of new gospels has shed light on Mary and her relationship to Jesus’ other disciples. But beyond this, the universe seems to have cast Magdalene on the crest of a wave destined to sweep the globe in our lifetime—the rise of the feminine force.
THE RISE OF THE FEMININE
Let’s be clear on this. The rise of the feminine principle does not mean the feminist movement, women’s liberation, or the fact that we’ve seen the first American female presidential candidate. We’re not speaking of the prominence of women in the workplace or the fight for equal compensation. These things are indications of an energy wave sweeping the world, what we might call the superficial manifestations of something deeper. We’re speaking about the feminine half of a force that resides in all of us, men and women. We could just as well say that the yin is rising to balance the yang, the negative is rising to balance the positive, or the cat is rising to balance the dog. It’s about polar forces coming to balance.
The necessity for internal balancing of these forces was predicted by Jesus and a group of early Christians, called Gnostics, two thousand years ago. They spoke of the male and female aspects of God and explained how and why the feminine came to be dominated by the masculine in the material world. Part of the knowledge or gnosis Jesus revealed elucidated the fact that the entire world of appearances operates off of a yin-yang energy polarity that is best described as masculine and feminine in nature. This is also echoed in esoteric Judaism, which claimed that spirits are androgynous in heaven (the Pleroma) but when they incarnated into materiality, they were “split” into masculine and feminine.
THE TWO MUST BECOME ONE
The masculine force was characterized by expansive, logical, rational, linear thinking that was more aggressive in relation to its environment. It was left brain oriented, verbal, unimaginative, and mind centered. The feminine aspect was characterized by receptive, intuitive, feeling-based, elliptical thinking that was more nurturing in relation to its environment. It was right brain oriented, non-verbal, creative, and heart centered.
But hold on boys, don’t get depressed. This isn’t saying that women have a corner on inspiration, imagination, and the artistic pursuits. It doesn’t work that way. Each sex, each person has degrees of both sets of characteristics present within himself or herself. Nevertheless, the fact remains that as men and women, we remain substantially divided in our outlook and approach to life along these fault lines. The different outlooks between the sexes are readily observable in animals. Here is a simple human test: for any of you that have ever attended holistic events—and we’re talking about the big ones with thousands of people— you will notice that the attendees are 90-95% female. The subject matter of these meetings has to do with healing, psychic abilities, creative visualization, development of intuition, and other right brain domiciled activities. And we’re talking about weekend events, so the non-working, bored housewife excuse doesn’t cut it.
Jesus, in the Gnostic gospels, always proclaimed the “two must become one.” What he meant was that we must rebalance ourselves as human beings. An indicator of high intelligence is when a person integrates his or her right and left brains into an operating symmetry. Logic and science by themselves are not roads to true spiritual enlightenment because enlightenment is not an intellectual exercise. It is an experience that must be felt by the feminine faculties of intuitive imagination, and once internalized as a subjective experience, it can then be integrated into the logical, intellectual mind as a fact.
TOWARD A NEW CONSCIOUSNESS OF BEING
It’s not within the scope of this discussion to explain how the world came to be so male dominated. That could be the topic of a whole other website. Suffice it to say that it has been a male-dominated world for a long time and in the field of religion, no less so. Even in the synoptic gospels, we can see Jesus’ radical orientation toward women, shocking for his time and culture. Jesus railed against the priesthood and the legalistic, dogmatic nature of Judaism, all left-brained, male fostered phenomena. He said the kingdom of heaven was within, and how do you find what is within you? By meditation, contemplation, and prayer, and it’s been proven that these are right brain states when truly achieved because they involve the intuitive and imaginative faculties. True prayers, at least the ones that get answered, come from the heart, not the mind. The mind can’t pray or meditate, it can only think about praying and meditating.
We may be in the early stages of the feminine resurrection, a phase in the evolution of people becoming superior, wholly integrated human beings using all the sleeping faculties available to them. A human being with feminine intuitive abilities using the male-directed thought to harness power of the interior spiritual/psychic world will become prevalent some day. The majority of people will discover the underlying unity of life and the interconnectedness of our minds and souls. War, poverty, and suffering will take a blow when that day comes. When we finally see our underlying connectedness, it will be harder to hurt others for we will truly experience the words of Matthew: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
SO WHO WAS MARY MAGDALENE?
The Da Vinci Code portrays Mary Magdalene as the Holy Grail, the receptacle of Jesus’ children or bloodline. By contrast, in my books, Mary is also revealed as the Holy Grail, though she is the receptacle of something far more universal and important: the gnosis or hidden teachings of the Christ. With due respect to Dan Brown, a possible Jesus/Magdalene bloodline has no practical importance to humanity. If Jesus had children, that does not alter his being the fleshly vehicle of the Christ spirit, nor does it really affect any material aspect of the Christian story. All it does is allow Church critics to say, hah! Gotcha! You got a fact wrong. Okay, big deal. It also may serve to humanize Jesus more, but nobody ever said he wasn’t human. And if he were not a real person but an allegorical story, then it’s a moot point anyway.
Magdalene and the risen Christ
Let’s be honest about one fact. There are so many gaps in the historical Jesus and Magdalene that we can never say for certain what the actual facts of their lives were. All we can do is piece together what documents we have and use our own intuition and critical judgment to extract what is universal and spiritually significant. We do not claim that our version of the Magdalene story is the “truth” in a historic or factual sense. We do feel that there is an archetypical significance attached to the figures of Magdalene and the Christ and that is the truth we try to extract in our books. The historical accuracy game is circular when it comes to the Bible. Biblical stories may never be proved or disproved, but they have tremendous value for those who seek to decipher their wisdom and secrets, for they are signposts to universal spiritual truths. To paraphrase a very astute statement from the novel, The Secret Magdalene — that the story is true is not what is important; what is important is the truth in the story.
That is the spirit in which I, and ancient writers of the once lost Gnostic gospels, revive the story of Mary Magdalene. Good evidence exists that women were prominent leaders of the early Church and Magdalene was probably foremost among them. The Gnostic gospels certainly portray her in that way, and many Gnostics believed her to be the full spiritual counterpart of the Christ, Jesus’ foremost disciple, and a living archetype for the intuitive human. Some even held her to be an incarnation of the Holy Spirit herself. Several of the male disciples, notably Peter, were shown as being antagonistic toward her. She continually demonstrated the ability to grasp the esoteric message Jesus taught orally and privately while Peter and many of the men struggled to understand.
THE EXILE OF MAGDALENE AND THE FEMALE CHURCH
Emperor Constantine receives the first (mandated) Christian creed from the all-male cast of bishops
The outer or public version of Christianity became one of the religions competing to be the state favorite of the Roman Empire. It was a highly patriarchal world back then. Having so many female leaders and a femininely oriented message was an embarrassment. It’s highly probable that women were gradually pushed aside to the point where the Emperor Constantine selected Christianity as the favored state religion with a creed defined by exclusively male bishops.
It’s quite suspicious that one of the women always by Jesus’ side and the first to see the risen Christ was relegated to such a shadowy role in the Bible. Some very cogent theses exist that state the beloved disciple was really Magdalene and the Gospel of John was originally the Gospel of Magdalene. This would represent a pattern of editing women out of the Church and the scriptures as outer Christianity evolved and eventually married the Roman Empire, adopting its hierarchical and patriarchal character.
But the other main branch of early Christianity, the mystical Gnostics, retained traditions and gospels that exalted the place of women and the role of Magdalene until they were exterminated and their works burned by the orthodox state Church. This completed the suppression of Jesus’ attempt in the ancient world to revive feminine wisdom in Western spirituality. But a true spiritual force can only be suppressed, not eliminated, because it is a truth that springs from the innermost recesses of the soul. The Gnostic/feminine wisdom kept resurfacing in differing forms (see the Gnosticism section of the popeannalisa.com website).
The real story here is the evolution of humanity toward a new consciousness of being, and the next step in that evolution is, in the words of Jesus, that “the two must become one.” Anyone can notice how women are increasingly entering into the mainstream of everyday life. What you may not have noticed is the strong movement in literature, psychology, the arts, and religion to resurrect and recover the lost feminine spiritual legacy, the Goddess, some call it, not to supplant the male force, but to merge with it and transform us in ways we can only now imagine.
When the qualities of love, mercy, intuition, and acting from the heart seep in to become a more common part of our lives, we move closer to the divine. The activation of these right brain faculties will allow us to follow the path of the sages, to perceive as God perceives, to act in a manner that will flow from the recognition of our unity with all things. One day, these perceptions will be open to all, not just a few sages, and they will be real experiences, not just intellectual propositions of the mind.
Mary Magdalene will become a major focal point in this grand movement of our evolution. It’s in the air. It may well be written in the heavens.
AUTHOR BIO-- Peter Canova
At the age of twenty-three, I first realized my abilities to do
intuitive medical readings, remote viewing, psycho kinesis, and
other “psychic” phenomena. This led me to a conviction that all of
humanity, and all life, is interconnected at an unseen level. As I
traveled four different continents for my work, a variety of
spiritual figures entered my life unsolicited thereby reaffirming
this belief.
I combined my love of writing with my spiritual background and my travels to produce a fictional work entitled The First Souls Trilogy, written while I was caring for my wife, who was battling breast cancer. It concerns the first fall of spirit into material existence as told through the lives of characters whose incarnations appear over different epochs of history. Pope Annalisa, the first book, tells of an African nun who becomes the first female pope in a near future world headed for self-destruction. The trilogy deals with the origin, destiny, and purpose of humanity, the suppressed role of the feminine in spiritual history, and spirit transcending religion.
Website: popeannalisa.com
Twitter: popeannalisa
Pope Annalisa Videos on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSxB8r3sYBM
MEMORIES
Memories can last a life time, especially when they include food. My Holiday and week-end mornings always started with a family breakfast. I remember how quickly Mom prepared this one, often using leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. It was always a favorite! Now, as the Mommy in my family, I’m passing on the tradition.
Veggi Frittata
This meal is great for three reasons: 1. It can be eaten anytime of the day and is delicious in the evening. 2. ANY LEFT OVERS can be used in the egg base. 3. It is quick and healthy.)
Prep time 5-10 minutes Clean up 2 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Egg Beaters Cheese and Chives 15 oz potato diced, fresh or canned, drained
10 oz Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese mix 6 oz mushrooms, canned, drained
8 oz spinach, fresh or canned, drained 15 oz asparagus, fresh or canned, drained
DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray metal handled frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat broiler.
2. Place all ingredients in pan and cook 1 minute
3. Place pan under broiler (if non-metal handle keep handle out of oven) and allow egg to cook, rise and brown for 4 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Veggi Frittata
This meal is great for three reasons: 1. It can be eaten anytime of the day and is delicious in the evening. 2. ANY LEFT OVERS can be used in the egg base. 3. It is quick and healthy.)
Prep time 5-10 minutes Clean up 2 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Egg Beaters Cheese and Chives 15 oz potato diced, fresh or canned, drained
10 oz Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese mix 6 oz mushrooms, canned, drained
8 oz spinach, fresh or canned, drained 15 oz asparagus, fresh or canned, drained
DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray metal handled frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat broiler.
2. Place all ingredients in pan and cook 1 minute
3. Place pan under broiler (if non-metal handle keep handle out of oven) and allow egg to cook, rise and brown for 4 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Soldiers
It is the Holiday season and some of our countries most precious assets, our injured soldiers, are lying in hospital beds. Think of the difference we can make in someone's life who has given us so much, with one card.
When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful, special people who have sacrificed so much will get. When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001
If you approve, please pass it on.
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
Dear Soldier,
You don’t know me, but I know you. You are one of my Heroes. You put your life on the line for me and almost paid the ultimate price. During this nation’s time of Thanksgiving, I am sending you this letter of gratitude.
When I hang my head for grace, you will be in my prayers. When I raise my glass in cheer, you will be in my heart, and when I give thanks for all I have, including the freedom to write this, you will be in my thoughts.
A Grateful American,
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
katkan@comcast.net
Twitter PsychicHealing
www.survivingcancerland.com
When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful, special people who have sacrificed so much will get. When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001
If you approve, please pass it on.
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
Dear Soldier,
You don’t know me, but I know you. You are one of my Heroes. You put your life on the line for me and almost paid the ultimate price. During this nation’s time of Thanksgiving, I am sending you this letter of gratitude.
When I hang my head for grace, you will be in my prayers. When I raise my glass in cheer, you will be in my heart, and when I give thanks for all I have, including the freedom to write this, you will be in my thoughts.
A Grateful American,
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
katkan@comcast.net
Twitter PsychicHealing
www.survivingcancerland.com
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
MAMMOGRAMS
(632 wds)
New Ruling on Mammograms a Blessing in Disguise?
Women throughout the country are justified in their angst concerning the New Mammogram Guideline Recommendations from the “Government Task Force.” This recommendation breaks with the American Cancer Societies’ long-standing position regarding early detection, and sound like a step backward in health care. It is a fact that detecting cancer early can mean the difference between life and death. If mammograms are discontinued before the age of 50, how will early screening for breast cancer continue? What about arguments concerning false negatives and the panel’s advice that women shouldn’t be taught to do or use breast self examinations? Don’t despair. There are solutions to these challenges.
Now, more than ever before in breast cancer history, it’s important for women to listen to their bodies concerning health. It’s time to discover our inner-voices and self-advocate for the tests we need in order to survive. Medical tests we relied on for early detection may be a thing of the past. Our doctor’s hands may be tied by Hospital Policies that are cutting back on medical costs. We must depend on ourselves because we cannot depend on others to put our interests first and policies second. Education through word-of-mouth and the internet can be an invaluable tool. Four years ago a friend told me about the use of sonograms for breast cancer detection.
According to researchers at the University of Washington and Harvard Medical School, during a 10 year period, 1 out of 3 women had mammograms and breast exams which yielded images of breast cancer when none was actually present—false positives. Conversely, false negatives are common (up to 15%) with mammograms, especially in younger women who have dense breast tissue. However, the fear of a false negative is nothing compared to the panic attack associated with a missed positive. I can attest to this from personal experience. At ages 44 and 49, both of my breast cancers were missed on mammograms—missed positives—but found by self examination, and confirmed by MRIs. Our first line of detection should always be ourselves with self examinations, especially as our healthcare system continues to undergo changes. And, rather than systematically relying on mammograms for early detection, we should be looking at more reliable options such as Breast Sonograms.
The Power Color Doppler Ultrasound technology has been used as an alternative to Prostate Biopsy for years. One of the benefits of the Power Doppler Ultrasound is that it can be used as a mammogram alternative to monitor breast health and obtain clear, accurate breast cancer images. It can provide early and accurate images of most highly malignant breast cancers, resulting in life-saving early detection, diagnosis, and intervention.
According to the American Journal of Radiology, sonography detects four times as many cancers as physical examinations and twice as many cancers as mammography. Other advantages are that they can be repeated to closely monitor areas of concern during treatment. Additional benefits of Breast Sonograms are:
• completely painless, safe, and non-invasive
• no harmful radiation used during the procedure
• inexpensive when compared with the costs of a mammogram or biopsy
• requires no post-procedure medical care or recovery time.
If I’ve learned one thing these past years it is that you seldom get anywhere waiting for someone else to take action for you. Hoping someone else makes the right decision for you is a half plan missing a vital component and your biggest resource—You! Be a squeaky wheel until you are acknowledged, don’t take no for an answer, don’t settle for less, and don’t be dismissed. I am not beholden to medical or insurance associations. I don’t have a Ph.D. after my name, but I do have 10 years of cancer experience behind it. Help others by passing the word.
About the Author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com is an agented author and has penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing. She is a phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, a mentor for WE CAN, a contributor to Cape Women Online Magazine, Twitter’s C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now, Examiner.com National, blogs http://kathleenokeefekanavos.blogspot.com ,tweets http://twitter.com/PsychCancerland and is a volunteer for many cancer organizations and online cancer groups. She is currently working on her second book, SURVIVING RECURRENCE in CANCERLAND
New Ruling on Mammograms a Blessing in Disguise?
Women throughout the country are justified in their angst concerning the New Mammogram Guideline Recommendations from the “Government Task Force.” This recommendation breaks with the American Cancer Societies’ long-standing position regarding early detection, and sound like a step backward in health care. It is a fact that detecting cancer early can mean the difference between life and death. If mammograms are discontinued before the age of 50, how will early screening for breast cancer continue? What about arguments concerning false negatives and the panel’s advice that women shouldn’t be taught to do or use breast self examinations? Don’t despair. There are solutions to these challenges.
Now, more than ever before in breast cancer history, it’s important for women to listen to their bodies concerning health. It’s time to discover our inner-voices and self-advocate for the tests we need in order to survive. Medical tests we relied on for early detection may be a thing of the past. Our doctor’s hands may be tied by Hospital Policies that are cutting back on medical costs. We must depend on ourselves because we cannot depend on others to put our interests first and policies second. Education through word-of-mouth and the internet can be an invaluable tool. Four years ago a friend told me about the use of sonograms for breast cancer detection.
According to researchers at the University of Washington and Harvard Medical School, during a 10 year period, 1 out of 3 women had mammograms and breast exams which yielded images of breast cancer when none was actually present—false positives. Conversely, false negatives are common (up to 15%) with mammograms, especially in younger women who have dense breast tissue. However, the fear of a false negative is nothing compared to the panic attack associated with a missed positive. I can attest to this from personal experience. At ages 44 and 49, both of my breast cancers were missed on mammograms—missed positives—but found by self examination, and confirmed by MRIs. Our first line of detection should always be ourselves with self examinations, especially as our healthcare system continues to undergo changes. And, rather than systematically relying on mammograms for early detection, we should be looking at more reliable options such as Breast Sonograms.
The Power Color Doppler Ultrasound technology has been used as an alternative to Prostate Biopsy for years. One of the benefits of the Power Doppler Ultrasound is that it can be used as a mammogram alternative to monitor breast health and obtain clear, accurate breast cancer images. It can provide early and accurate images of most highly malignant breast cancers, resulting in life-saving early detection, diagnosis, and intervention.
According to the American Journal of Radiology, sonography detects four times as many cancers as physical examinations and twice as many cancers as mammography. Other advantages are that they can be repeated to closely monitor areas of concern during treatment. Additional benefits of Breast Sonograms are:
• completely painless, safe, and non-invasive
• no harmful radiation used during the procedure
• inexpensive when compared with the costs of a mammogram or biopsy
• requires no post-procedure medical care or recovery time.
If I’ve learned one thing these past years it is that you seldom get anywhere waiting for someone else to take action for you. Hoping someone else makes the right decision for you is a half plan missing a vital component and your biggest resource—You! Be a squeaky wheel until you are acknowledged, don’t take no for an answer, don’t settle for less, and don’t be dismissed. I am not beholden to medical or insurance associations. I don’t have a Ph.D. after my name, but I do have 10 years of cancer experience behind it. Help others by passing the word.
About the Author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com is an agented author and has penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing. She is a phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, a mentor for WE CAN, a contributor to Cape Women Online Magazine, Twitter’s C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now, Examiner.com National, blogs http://kathleenokeefekanavos.blogspot.com ,tweets http://twitter.com/PsychCancerland and is a volunteer for many cancer organizations and online cancer groups. She is currently working on her second book, SURVIVING RECURRENCE in CANCERLAND
Sunday, October 25, 2009
DINING WITH THE DEAD
We understand the concept of death as spirit leaving the body. But, what about the idea of spirits returning for dinner?
Our love for the deceased is shown by talking to them in their burial place, lighting candles for them in places of worship, and displaying their pictures. On the anniversary of their passing we have moments of silence, song, and food where we live, work, and pray. So, is setting a place for the dead at our dinner table going too far? Those who practice the Dumb Supper on All Hollow’s Eve don’t think so.
The Dumb Supper is a reverent event that discourages conversation of any kind. Dumb Supper literally means quiet meal—mum’s the word. It takes place on Samhain, which is All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween. This practice, celebrated worldwide, is one of the largest gatherings at the Festival of the Dead in Salem, MA.
After the family meal is cooked, the table is set with an empty place setting filled with food. This extra setting is for all the family ancestors to come and enjoy a meal with the living family members. Photographs of the deceased are often placed on the table.
Dinner begins with a prayer and a welcoming of the ancestors, and continues with quietude for the remainder of the meal. Appliances and cell phones are turned off because it is believed that silence is helpful for the dead to be among the living.
No one leaves the table until everyone has finished eating. The silence is broken when everyone thanks the ancestors for dining with them.
After the meal is over, the ancestor’s food is fed to the family pets, spread over the earth, or taken to the cemetery where it is left on their grave sites. It is believed that the dead ate of the essence of the meal and thereby shared in the celebration of life.
One of the largest gatherings for the Festival of the Dead’s Dumb Supper is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem; a haunted site featured on the SciFi Channel’s show Ghost Hunters.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com and @PsychicHealing twitter
We understand the concept of death as spirit leaving the body. But, what about the idea of spirits returning for dinner?
Our love for the deceased is shown by talking to them in their burial place, lighting candles for them in places of worship, and displaying their pictures. On the anniversary of their passing we have moments of silence, song, and food where we live, work, and pray. So, is setting a place for the dead at our dinner table going too far? Those who practice the Dumb Supper on All Hollow’s Eve don’t think so.
The Dumb Supper is a reverent event that discourages conversation of any kind. Dumb Supper literally means quiet meal—mum’s the word. It takes place on Samhain, which is All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween. This practice, celebrated worldwide, is one of the largest gatherings at the Festival of the Dead in Salem, MA.
After the family meal is cooked, the table is set with an empty place setting filled with food. This extra setting is for all the family ancestors to come and enjoy a meal with the living family members. Photographs of the deceased are often placed on the table.
Dinner begins with a prayer and a welcoming of the ancestors, and continues with quietude for the remainder of the meal. Appliances and cell phones are turned off because it is believed that silence is helpful for the dead to be among the living.
No one leaves the table until everyone has finished eating. The silence is broken when everyone thanks the ancestors for dining with them.
After the meal is over, the ancestor’s food is fed to the family pets, spread over the earth, or taken to the cemetery where it is left on their grave sites. It is believed that the dead ate of the essence of the meal and thereby shared in the celebration of life.
One of the largest gatherings for the Festival of the Dead’s Dumb Supper is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem; a haunted site featured on the SciFi Channel’s show Ghost Hunters.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com and @PsychicHealing twitter
Boots
THE BLACK LEATHER BOOT
Cooler weather has arrived. Our sandals are stored away. Nature has repainted life from a fiery palette that will cool to hues of winter’s blues. What can replace a classic sandal? The timeless black leather boot!
One of the staples in a woman’s shoe collection is the black leather boot—so versatile and sexy it can be worn in formal and casual activities. One word of caution when investing in a pair of boots; don’t sacrifice fit or quality for cost. Comfortable, well made boots can last a life-time if treated with proper care.
There are many different styles of black leather boots from which to choose. Locating that perfect pair is both daunting and fun. Defining personal needs can be the first step in finding the perfect pair. It can also eliminate “buyer’s remorse” that often follows random emotional purchases.
Black Boots can be as individual in style, shapes, sizes and versatility as the person wearing them. Some boots zip up, others lace, while a third group can be pulled on for a snug fit. There is the ankle boot—great with anything from jeans to pencil skirts, and the patent leather boot—perfect for rainy days. However, given all the choices in stores and online, I think a classic knee-high black leather boot is like wearing the timeless “little black dress” on your feet. Wear them together and look attractive and confident throughout the holiday seasons.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com @PsychicHealing on twitter.
Cooler weather has arrived. Our sandals are stored away. Nature has repainted life from a fiery palette that will cool to hues of winter’s blues. What can replace a classic sandal? The timeless black leather boot!
One of the staples in a woman’s shoe collection is the black leather boot—so versatile and sexy it can be worn in formal and casual activities. One word of caution when investing in a pair of boots; don’t sacrifice fit or quality for cost. Comfortable, well made boots can last a life-time if treated with proper care.
There are many different styles of black leather boots from which to choose. Locating that perfect pair is both daunting and fun. Defining personal needs can be the first step in finding the perfect pair. It can also eliminate “buyer’s remorse” that often follows random emotional purchases.
Black Boots can be as individual in style, shapes, sizes and versatility as the person wearing them. Some boots zip up, others lace, while a third group can be pulled on for a snug fit. There is the ankle boot—great with anything from jeans to pencil skirts, and the patent leather boot—perfect for rainy days. However, given all the choices in stores and online, I think a classic knee-high black leather boot is like wearing the timeless “little black dress” on your feet. Wear them together and look attractive and confident throughout the holiday seasons.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com @PsychicHealing on twitter.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Lunch
From SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing
(www.survivingcancerland.com)
QUICKIE (15 MINUTES OR LESS) COOKING FOR LIFE
(This is for everyone with time restraints.)
“Quickie” includes clean up. This recipe was taken from the cookbook section of my book. Over the next two days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
Lunch can be an overlooked meal, especially when medical appointments take precedence in our lives. Everything else must be re-prioritized including family, home and work. Cooking and nutrition can get pushed to the end of the line.
After all we’ve endured, financially, medically, and emotionally, including a cranky belly; we need a belly pleaser meal that meets our needs and time restrictions.
I dedicate this recipe to all those hard working people, often raising their families alone while undergoing health treatments, and who put their children’s needs first. Not only do they bring home the bacon, they cook it, too.
Throw this lunch recipe together at breakfast time and it will be ready when you are hungry at lunch. It is a childhood favorite that adults love, too.
This recipe was taken from the cookbook section of my book, SURVIVING CANCERLAND. Over the next three days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
LUNCH= Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches 312 calories 36.1g protein
On Whole Grain Sesame Seed Bun
Prep time= 2 min. Clean up= 2 min.
INGREDIENTS: serves 3
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen 1 cup barbecue sauce
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced into rings ½ teaspoon mustard
½ cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth ¼ teaspoon “jar spices”
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
DIRECTIONS:
Put all ingredients into Slow Cooker on high for 3-4 hours. Cook until chicken is fork tender and shred.
Serve on whole grain Sesame Wheat Burger Buns.
Bun Nutrition Facts=Serving size= 1 roll (67g) Calories=220; Total Fat=6g; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium= 290; Dietary Fiber= 2g; Sugars= 4g; Protein= 6g.
Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches=Calories serving=312; Total Fat=2.0; Cholesterol 147mg; Sodium 794; Total Carbohydrates 36.9g; Dietary Fiber 2.4g; Sugars 27.1g; Protein 36.1g.
Good Points=Low in Saturated Fats.
Bad Points= High in Cholesterol, Sodium (use low sodium sauce) and Sugar (use low
sugar sauce).
Bun Nutrition Facts=Serving size= 1 roll (67g) Calories=220; Total Fat=6g; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium= 290; Dietary Fiber= 2g; Sugars= 4g; Protein= 6g.
(www.survivingcancerland.com)
QUICKIE (15 MINUTES OR LESS) COOKING FOR LIFE
(This is for everyone with time restraints.)
“Quickie” includes clean up. This recipe was taken from the cookbook section of my book. Over the next two days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
Lunch can be an overlooked meal, especially when medical appointments take precedence in our lives. Everything else must be re-prioritized including family, home and work. Cooking and nutrition can get pushed to the end of the line.
After all we’ve endured, financially, medically, and emotionally, including a cranky belly; we need a belly pleaser meal that meets our needs and time restrictions.
I dedicate this recipe to all those hard working people, often raising their families alone while undergoing health treatments, and who put their children’s needs first. Not only do they bring home the bacon, they cook it, too.
Throw this lunch recipe together at breakfast time and it will be ready when you are hungry at lunch. It is a childhood favorite that adults love, too.
This recipe was taken from the cookbook section of my book, SURVIVING CANCERLAND. Over the next three days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
LUNCH= Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches 312 calories 36.1g protein
On Whole Grain Sesame Seed Bun
Prep time= 2 min. Clean up= 2 min.
INGREDIENTS: serves 3
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen 1 cup barbecue sauce
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced into rings ½ teaspoon mustard
½ cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth ¼ teaspoon “jar spices”
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
DIRECTIONS:
Put all ingredients into Slow Cooker on high for 3-4 hours. Cook until chicken is fork tender and shred.
Serve on whole grain Sesame Wheat Burger Buns.
Bun Nutrition Facts=Serving size= 1 roll (67g) Calories=220; Total Fat=6g; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium= 290; Dietary Fiber= 2g; Sugars= 4g; Protein= 6g.
Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches=Calories serving=312; Total Fat=2.0; Cholesterol 147mg; Sodium 794; Total Carbohydrates 36.9g; Dietary Fiber 2.4g; Sugars 27.1g; Protein 36.1g.
Good Points=Low in Saturated Fats.
Bad Points= High in Cholesterol, Sodium (use low sodium sauce) and Sugar (use low
sugar sauce).
Bun Nutrition Facts=Serving size= 1 roll (67g) Calories=220; Total Fat=6g; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium= 290; Dietary Fiber= 2g; Sugars= 4g; Protein= 6g.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Quickies
Calling all Mr. Moms, Moms, and Bachelors! Read UP-
From SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing
QUICKIE (15 MINUTES OR LESS) COOKING FOR LIFE
“Quickie” includes clean up.
Over the next three days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
The cooler weather is upon us. A hot breakfast on a cold morning is a delight that no longer needs to be a week-end treat.
When jobs and medical appointments take precedence in our lives, everything else must be re-prioritized including family, home and work. Cooking and nutrition can get pushed to the end of the line. After all we’ve endured medically, emotionally, and financially, including a cranky belly; we need a belly pleaser meal that also meets our treatment needs and/or time restrictions.
I dedicate this recipe to all those hard working cancer patients, often raising their families alone while undergoing treatment and who put their children’s needs first. Not only do they bring home the bacon, they cook it, too!
Throw this breakfast recipe together the night before and pop it in the oven first thing in the morning. By the time your children are washed and dressed, breakfast will be ready. Pull it out of the oven and serve. They will go to school with a hot meal in their tummies and you will face the day with a warm feeling in your heart. Any leftovers can be covered in the same dish, refrigerated, and reheated for another meal.
BREAKFAST=Simple Breakfast Casserole
596 calories 34.2g protein
Prepared the night before. Pop into the oven in the morning. Prep time= 10 min.
Clean up= 3 min.
INGREDIENTS: serves 5
6 eggs 1cup 2% milk
½ tsp pepper ½ tsp mustard
4 oz cheddar cheese 1 bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1 4oz (small) can of mushrooms
8 oz bacon (can also use turkey, chicken or non-meat sausage)
DIRECTIONS:
Cook bacon and drain on paper towel.
Line 8x8 dish with frozen hash-browns.
Sprinkle cooked bacon over hash-browns and add drained mushrooms.
Top with grated cheese.
Dab on mustard.
Refrigerate overnight (or not).
Cook at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Breakfast Casserole= serving size =239.8g; Calories =596; Total Fat=40.4; Sugars=5.6g; Cholesterol=312mg; Total Carbohydrates 22.6g; Dietary Fiber=0.9g; Protein=34.2g.
Good Points=High in Selenium, Calcium (33%), and in Vitamin. A(12%).
Bad Points= High in Fat and Cholesterol (use egg substitute).
From SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing
QUICKIE (15 MINUTES OR LESS) COOKING FOR LIFE
“Quickie” includes clean up.
Over the next three days, I will post meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner—with the nutritional and calorie information for a time challenged family. Enjoy!
The cooler weather is upon us. A hot breakfast on a cold morning is a delight that no longer needs to be a week-end treat.
When jobs and medical appointments take precedence in our lives, everything else must be re-prioritized including family, home and work. Cooking and nutrition can get pushed to the end of the line. After all we’ve endured medically, emotionally, and financially, including a cranky belly; we need a belly pleaser meal that also meets our treatment needs and/or time restrictions.
I dedicate this recipe to all those hard working cancer patients, often raising their families alone while undergoing treatment and who put their children’s needs first. Not only do they bring home the bacon, they cook it, too!
Throw this breakfast recipe together the night before and pop it in the oven first thing in the morning. By the time your children are washed and dressed, breakfast will be ready. Pull it out of the oven and serve. They will go to school with a hot meal in their tummies and you will face the day with a warm feeling in your heart. Any leftovers can be covered in the same dish, refrigerated, and reheated for another meal.
BREAKFAST=Simple Breakfast Casserole
596 calories 34.2g protein
Prepared the night before. Pop into the oven in the morning. Prep time= 10 min.
Clean up= 3 min.
INGREDIENTS: serves 5
6 eggs 1cup 2% milk
½ tsp pepper ½ tsp mustard
4 oz cheddar cheese 1 bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1 4oz (small) can of mushrooms
8 oz bacon (can also use turkey, chicken or non-meat sausage)
DIRECTIONS:
Cook bacon and drain on paper towel.
Line 8x8 dish with frozen hash-browns.
Sprinkle cooked bacon over hash-browns and add drained mushrooms.
Top with grated cheese.
Dab on mustard.
Refrigerate overnight (or not).
Cook at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Breakfast Casserole= serving size =239.8g; Calories =596; Total Fat=40.4; Sugars=5.6g; Cholesterol=312mg; Total Carbohydrates 22.6g; Dietary Fiber=0.9g; Protein=34.2g.
Good Points=High in Selenium, Calcium (33%), and in Vitamin. A(12%).
Bad Points= High in Fat and Cholesterol (use egg substitute).
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Vampires
Defense Against the Dark Hearts
by Lori Hoeck on May 28, 2009
17 Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos August 30, 2009 at 12:48 pm
What a great article to help people recognize between emotional vampires (as I call them in my book SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing), temporarily dysfunctional friends and true friends. If we cannot tell who is who it is more difficult to make intelligent choices about people with whom we asociate. All friends start as associates, then the association grows into a more substantial relationship. Sometimes learning what you don’t want in relationships is as important as knowing what you do want.
We know who is good for us and who is not. Our body tells us with symptoms. Sometimes we simply don’t believe ourselves. It is time to stop ignoring what we know and make healthy choices.
We all know we should not eat bad food. It is not good for us. Yet, we stay with bad “friends.” Friends are food for our soul.
Your article helps people choose good “soul food.” Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
Twitter- PsychicHealing and PsychCancerland
by Lori Hoeck on May 28, 2009
17 Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos August 30, 2009 at 12:48 pm
What a great article to help people recognize between emotional vampires (as I call them in my book SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing), temporarily dysfunctional friends and true friends. If we cannot tell who is who it is more difficult to make intelligent choices about people with whom we asociate. All friends start as associates, then the association grows into a more substantial relationship. Sometimes learning what you don’t want in relationships is as important as knowing what you do want.
We know who is good for us and who is not. Our body tells us with symptoms. Sometimes we simply don’t believe ourselves. It is time to stop ignoring what we know and make healthy choices.
We all know we should not eat bad food. It is not good for us. Yet, we stay with bad “friends.” Friends are food for our soul.
Your article helps people choose good “soul food.” Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights.
Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
Twitter- PsychicHealing and PsychCancerland
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Fall issue of Cape Women Online Magazine is on the Internet.
www.capewomenonline.com
I've written an article on how I got my agent and the Q&A Health section on cancer.
We may like to think that much of what we do in life is all our own doing but the truth is, it's often a collaboration of events and people. No man, or woman, is an Island unto themselves. That is the underlying message of my article in CWO--Getting an Agent.
Decisions about where we go for our cancer treatment can be difficult. Do we stay close to home where we have less than great feeling about the treatment center or do we travel miles away to a place that gives us mental, and emotional comfort, and hope? Those are the topics in the Q&A section of CWO.
www.capewomenonline.com
I've written an article on how I got my agent and the Q&A Health section on cancer.
We may like to think that much of what we do in life is all our own doing but the truth is, it's often a collaboration of events and people. No man, or woman, is an Island unto themselves. That is the underlying message of my article in CWO--Getting an Agent.
Decisions about where we go for our cancer treatment can be difficult. Do we stay close to home where we have less than great feeling about the treatment center or do we travel miles away to a place that gives us mental, and emotional comfort, and hope? Those are the topics in the Q&A section of CWO.
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