Animal Rights in Spiritualism- Newsletter 2013.

Dedicated to Lucy,

our dear little cat ,

Amber, beloved goat of

Therese McElwee and

Lloyd and Leila, the Stepney cows,

all of whom passed

to spirit in 2013 .

 

Season’s Greetings Everyone,

In spite of the fact that the badger cull went ahead in June , this year has been marked by some goodness; not least, Derbyshire County Council pledging not to allow the said culling on their land , while, in the U.K.’s South West, many good people gave up their sleep to peacefully sabotage the night-time killings, which have, for now, been halted.

2013 has also seen British Columbia become a genetically- modified free province of Canada; the European Union ban sales and imports of animal tested cosmetics; Israel doing the same but with the inclusion of household cleaning products and vegetarian Bill Gates use his position to promote a plant-based diet.

Moreover, our argument for a vegan way of life is reinforced publicly by the production of a new report by co- authors , Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang entitled “Livestock and Climate Change.”

According to Goodland and Anhang, livestock farming is responsible for 51% rather than 18% of ‘Greenhouse Gas emissions, the latter of which was reported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture organisation’s “Livestock’s Long Shadow” in 2006.

Some very heart-lifting news is that Europe’s first vegan supermarket, owned by Ralf Kalkowsky opened in February of this year, in Dortmund, Germany. Occupying a city centre position, Vegelicious sells everything from chocolates to dog food and boasts thirty different cheese alternatives. With around 150 customers a day they are prospering and we wish them all the blessings of the Great Spirit in furthering the vegan cause.

On the down side, badgers were not the only ones being culled; the Dartmoor ponies had been rounded up with mainly the very young and old being sent to slaughter. Apparently, four of them sold for a pound! People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ( PETA) stated that chemical sterilizers could be used on the herds instead of culling, but to no avail, it seems. On top of everything, the hides of these noble creatures were being made into pagan drums, sanctioned by the “Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Ponies” .  It seems, they wanted to waste as little of them as possible and felt that the locally sourced wild pony drums would bring a boost to the area. I rather think that what is needed is the equivalent of Hillside Animal Sanctuary in the vicinity. From a wider point of view, I can never understand how those who are supposed to feel so much reverence for Mother Earth, as a living being, can brainwash themselves into thinking that it’s the natural and ecological way of life to eat animals and use their skins. Vegan pagans amongst us- it’s time to have a quiet word with those of your own belief-system.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2428553/Dartmoor-ponies-culled-hides-drums-used-Druid-style-retreats.html#ixzz2j93oKYSM

This year, as well as street campaigns, we held a course of holistic healing events at St Leonard’s Church in Chesterfield., spanning from July to October.

Apart from the usual talk and film by Patrick on natural prevention and treatment of cancer and other diseases, which have proved to be of help to sufferers of the same, people were able to enjoy reiki, reconnection and spiritual healing along with emotional freedom technique and reflexology.

Vegan refreshments were served , all manner of animal rights and recipe leaflets were on display and the sum of the voluntary donations was sent to Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk, whose work has been promoted oft- times in our newsletters. http://www.hillside.org.uk

Animal and Human Healing List.

Sharon Jones,  Carole Neale-Eyre, Tony Ortzen,  Leisha & Philip Yates, Philip’s mother, Peter Spillet, Pat Taylor, Barnaby, Solo, Hetta, Janet Williams, Pamela Williams, Denise Bottal’s mum, Shirley Mahoney, Socks, Sylvia Murphy , Phyllis White, Shadow, Phyllis James, Joan Birch & friends, Roger Raynes, Betsy, Poppy, Lucy, Margaret Towler & Kevin, her cat, Vivienne Brocklehurst, Gina Szwelicka, Sian Winstanley, the Alan Berry family, Bangers, Don Gwillim, Annie, Dalcin Stacey, Pina Marsala, Patricia Thompson, Lucy, Dr. Carling, Richard Marshall, Simone & Gerard Phillips, Juliet Gale and cat, Monty, Charlotte Orr, Margaret Slack, Elaine.Hall, Mary Ashton, Jennifer Preston, Vivien White, Elizabeth Green, Pippin, Jennifer Briddon, Sophie, Gemma, Emily, Alison Scott, Freddie, Cath Clements’s dog, Daisy, Janet William’s cat  and all in need.

Please send special thoughts for Ruby Bunce and Rita Benson at this time.

Some supporters may have been thwarted in their attempts to reach the A.R.I.S. website this year. I do apologise . This is due to the fact that ‘Veg Web’ closed down in the form it was and I decided to take up my son, Austin’s offer to facilitate me a new one on ‘Word Press’. Since Simone, who built websites for me in the past, was less available to help technically, due to her employment commitments, this seems to be the best thing to happen , all round. The new site, which I’m gradually uploading material on to, looks good and is much easier for me to work with.

http://www.arisgroup.org

Vivisection.

World Day for Animals in Laboratories’ march and rally was held in Oxford this year, at which our A.R.I.S. contact, Albert, a staunch member of the Oxford A.R. Group, gave the “Welcome” speech.  Among the other speakers were: Adrian Stallwood, scientific advisor for Animal Aid and Erica and Lisa for the Save the Harlan Beagles campaign. Also, Albert’s poem was highlighted in the SPEAK magazine after the event:

we marched thru the city of Oxford

with banners and flags a-flying

we marched to help our animal friends

with shouts and chants a-crying

we reached the lab and stood at the gates

with anger and sorrow within

we vowed to carry on our fight

until, our battle, we win.

Animal liberation – Albert.

http://www.speak campaigns.org  animal rights campaigns, particularly against vivisection and Oxford university experiments.

 

Staying with anti-vivisection, most of you will know of the excellent medical charities campaign run by Animal Aid. There are three campaign postcards for supporters to send to Cancer Research U.K., British Heart Foundation and Alzheimer’s Research, informing the charities that they will no longer support them until they cease funding animal experiments.

Well, it seems the charities have been fighting back and a friend received a reply from one of them which more or less stated that research could not be successful without the use of animals and that the creatures they use are well looked after. They made no mention of the fact that they force mice, whose brains they have damaged, to swim around in water mazes.

They also informed my friend that if she really didn’t want to support their animal based research, she could donate to their non-animal studies instead. Here, I must point out that, had she done so, she would still have been paying to help keep the organisation in business and free to carry on with their cruel torture of those who, unlike the humans they were being sacrificed for, had not developed Alzheimer’s disease but had had its like inflicted upon them .

This charity also made the point that it only used such as fruit flies and mice, reinforcing the idea that these creatures suffer less and are also not worthy of the consideration given to larger animals such as dogs and cats and primates, etc. In fact, mice and other rodents have been persecuted down the centuries in one way or another. Instead of viewing these sensitive and intelligent creatures as “ filthy vermin” let us become aware of their potential for compassion and ingenuity as illustrated in a true story from

Hans Rueschs’s book, “Slaughter of the Innocent”

 

Roughly, the story goes that a Russian miner was walking home from work when he came across two rats on his path. He took a stick and killed one of them and then realised that it had been leading the other blind rat along by a straw in it’s mouth! This creature had given its life to stay with its vulnerable friend when it could, most probably, have shot out of the way of danger.

While we have rodents in our awareness, please take note of contact, Richard Smith’s request for readers to write to Wilkinson’s stores and ask them to replace inhumane methods of catching mice with humane ones.

Pat’s Points

Go Vegetarian .. but … don’t stay too long .. When I was in my late twenties, I realized where meat came from , so I gave it up : a couple of years later .. fish . .. ditto. Around eight years later, someone gave me a magazine called The Vegan, pointing out what Basil Fawlty described, when referring to one of Sybil’s revelations, as “the bleedin’ obvious” : obviously, “going vegetarian” did not eliminate animal abuse from one’s regime : the slaughter house was, it could be argued, not nearly as bad as the rest of it – factory hens, cows, rabbits … : the fur industry, .. and on . So, I went vegan, in my early thirties : for someone, born with a pronounced dislike of cruelty, it was a tardy track record.

As with vivisection, the moral arguments against the animal “food” industries tend to fall on deaf ears, for most : Man is, as a rule, concerned, only, with its own welfare and of those other humans which it needs to get by : so, if the ethical arguments fail, the selfish arguments need to be emphasized. With regard to vivisection, the obvious point is that synthetic drugs, pesticides, herbicides, vaccines, food additives .. tested, for safety and efficiency on animals , maim and kill very large amounts of humans : experiments results cannot be extrapolated from a rat to a mouse, let alone animal to human. As far as food is concerned, the most important argument for the elimination of animal produce came in the form of The China Study of 2006 , T. Colin Campbell Ph.D. It was “The most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted.” – an 8,000-component 20-year work which found “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease … People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. ” Critically, with regard to the vegan campaigns, Dr Campbell noted ” .. Our work showed that casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered. .. “: around 87% of milk protein is casein .

Cancer Support : supporting whom? One non-mushroom woman (not happy being kept in the dark and fed manure) – a professor of geochemistry, took charge of her own health and reversed her breast cancer through the elimination of dairy produce : standard holistic advice. “Patient support group” Breakthrough Breast Cancer called this “worrying”. Breakthrough – funded by AstraZeneca, Lilly, Novartis, Roche , Fizer and … Myriad Genetics, the outfit behind the “hereditary breast cancer” racket – along with Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Campaign, control The All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer. Understandably, non-drug approaches to cancer and prevention are not part ofthe agenda.

The AstraZeneca drug Tamoxifen, with its multitude of dangerous effects, death-included – is the way forward : none of this natural nonsense. Nutritional cures are definitely “worrying” : the main concern is the chance that UK women might discover that the basic difference between the rural Chinese woman with a very low cancer rate and the British woman , with a very high rate, is dairy produce and other animal foods in the diet.

The APPG is, currently, “investigating” ie rubber-stamping the Breakthrough/AZ agenda on ” breast cancer risk, early detection : access to gold standard treatments and to information and support ” Not only is the Group unable to see through Breakthroughor any of the other pharma-dominated ” patient-support ” groups, the APG has made Breakthrough the APG “secretariat” : “.. responsible for the secretarial, clerical, and administrative affairs..” : no doubt, a balanced, impartial filter, for those wishing to contact the APG … all highly amusing, except for the 12,000 UK women’s deaths per year and all of the attendant pain, mutilation, grief.

Another group, Cancerbacup, which has multiple drug-company backing, merged with MacMillan in 2008. Apart from these groups, the £multi-billion Cancer Business consists of : “research” – the fund-raisers, the vivisectors, the laboratory animal breeders and sellers, the laboratory, equipment manufacturers : the petrochemical-drug makers – “chemotherapy” : the radiation interests – “radiotherapy”, mammography , : : the on-the-payroll media plants, trying to pass themselves off as “medical correspondents”, “science editors” : the hospice enterprise . .. all, of which, put out a constant stream of lethal disinformation and advice ” eat The Dept of Health Balanced Diet, have the vaccines, the anti-biotics, the anti-coagulants, the anti-pyretics, the anti-virals.. the anti-everything .. the statins, the steroids , the X-ray screening.

When diagnosed, opt for the tumour-attack package , of surgery, drugs, radiation .. a regime, diametrically-opposed to that needed for survival .. with the inevitable result .. and at the rate of 150,000 UK citizens, each year, and at an annual cost, to the nation, of £15 billion-plus .

 

Milk:

WHOLE LOTTA BOTTLE

Saturated Fats, Casein, Pesticides, Herbicides, Vaccines, Antibiotics, Mastitis pus, Disinfectant. 

 

Asthma, Obesity, Cancer, Osteoporosis, Catarrh, Eczema

Dolphins and “Two Worlds.”

During August, the annual bloodbath and murder of hundreds of Atlantic White-Sided dolphins and Pilot whales took place in the Faroe Islands , off Norway. This fishermens’ ‘event’ is called “The Grind”. “The dolphins are driven into a bay with boats and even jet skis and pulled up onto the beach with a hook in the blow-hole. Then the spinal cord is cut with a knife.” writes Erwin Vermeulen of The Sea Shepherd conservation society.

That anyone could commit this brutal killing of any creature is is shocking enough but to do so to a species who have oft-times gone out of their way to help human-kind out of dangerous situations, throws all their nobility and purity of heart back at their wonderfully cheerful and uplifting spirits.

Tony Ortzen, editor of Two Worlds  magazine has kindly sent in his following article which was printed in the November issue and highlights the special attributes of a, sometimes, seemingly angelic being:

“DOLPHINS. We absolutely love ‘em, don’t we, especially as for centuries they have often been known to help humankind when in danger.

Bathing costumes at the ready, let’s get changed, dive in and briefly explore just two out of countless cases.

Take, for instance, Davide Ceci, who, when aged fourteen, fell out of his father’s boat in south-east Italy.

Unable to swim, Davide was within minutes of probably drowning when a dolphin named Filippo came to his rescue. He had been a popular tourist attraction off Manfredonia in the province of Foggia for two years.

While Emanuele Ceci was still unaware his son had fallen into the waves, Filippo was pushing him up out of the water to safety. The dolphin bore down on the boat and got close enough for Davide’s father to grab him after he noticed what had happened.

Davide’s mother said: “Filippo is a hero. It seems impossible that an animal could have done something like that – to feel the instinct to save a human life.”

After becoming separated from a visiting school of dolphins, Filippo continued to live in the waters off Manfredonia. Maritime researcher Dr Giovanna Barbieri commented:

“Filippo seems not to have the slightest fear of humans. I’m not surprised he should have done such a wonderful thing as to save a human.”

Still in the swim of things, let’s now meet Todd Endris, 24, the owner of Monterey Aquarium Services, California, who, one hot August day, decided to go surfing with friends.

Whilst doing so, suddenly a fifteen-foot shark appeared. It tried to bite him, but could not get its jaws around both Todd and the surfboard, so came around for a second attempt.

Todd became sandwiched between his surfboard and the shark’s jaws, but because his stomach was against the board, his internal organs were not harmed. However, he lost a lot of skin from his back.

The shark let go and raced at Todd for a third time, trying to swallow his right leg. Fortunately, this gave the surfer the grip he needed to start kicking the shark in the snout until it let go.

At this point, Todd was running out of energy and thought he was done for when a pod of dolphins came out and formed a protective ring around him, keeping the shark at bay long enough for Todd to catch a wave back to shore and receive emergency first aid.

I’ve featured these stories because scientists have just discovered that dolphins have names for each other and call one another just like humans. Apparently, they use specific signature whistles for family members and social companions – the only animal species apart from humans known to do so.

The study of wild bottlenose dolphins off the east coast of Scotland found that they responded to their own whistles by calling back. The findings suggest that dolphins use signature whistles as labels to address or contact individuals of the same species they meet at sea.

Biologists Dr Stephanie King and Dr Vincent Janik, of St Andrews University in Fife, added that the use of identity signals mirrors the human convention of naming people.

Of course, there’s much more in their report, but it should surely prove to us that many forms of life are far more astute and intelligent than most people realise.

It also illustrates that we ought to treat all animals with love, respect and admiration rather than abuse and eat them, or use various creatures as forms of entertainment and sport.

All life truly is interrelated. Similarly, all that swims, flies, crawls, walks, waddles, ducks and dives contains a spark of indestructible spirit that, like us, survives the so-called grave.”

Tony Ortzen edits “Two Worlds,” Spiritualism’s 76-page independent monthly magazine, which was founded in 1887.

Two free copies are available to download at www.twoworldsmag.co.uk

If you would like a sample copy sent by post, please e-mail your name and address to tortzen@globalnet.co.uk or write to “Two Worlds,” PO Box 55307, London SE16 6WW. An annual UK postal subscription is £22.95.

You can read “Two Worlds” online anywhere in the world! Go to www.twoworldsmag.co.uk for further details.

I would once more like to commend Alistair Hamilton to you for his dedication and kindness in producing yet another poetry book at three pounds a copy, earning another hundred pounds for A.R.I.S. Thank you, Alistair.

This collection is entitled “Thoughts from an Earth Voyager” and I thought you might like this little character study:

I am a Cat.

by Alistair Hamilton.

 

I am a cat.

I watch where things are at.

I am as independent as you please.

I can purr with consummate ease.

You can expect me….when I arrive,

Though I have been known to skive.

I’m an affectionate thing,

As long as I’m not kept on a string.

I always land on my feet.

My prowess cannot be beat.

I always play to win

And I never, ever, will give in.

So, now I must away.

I’ve another game to play.

I’m the master of this house –

Just ask any mouse!

 

A Special Book Review._

Animal Souls: Chay Nephesh by Jackie-Jones-Hunt.

http://www.jackiejones-hunt.com

Animal Souls: Chay Nephesh will prove to be a valuable asset in our work, with its painstakingly researched information.

Through its content, we now know that not only Jesus’s teachings regarding animals were suppressed, but also those of Confucius, Pythagoras and other ancient spiritual philosophers, who brought a message so unambiguous that it is infuriating to recall no mention made of it in lessons on the subject during our school years.

Much more than a book, it appears to have been brought, at this time, as part of the Divine Plan. Producing a captivating and thought-provoking work, Jackie Jones-Hunt PhD also provides , through her heart-rending account of her beloved dog, Edward’s life and death, remarkable evidence to sceptics that our animals not only communicate with us from the Spirit World but do so with the same love, understanding and intelligence of their human families .

I would also like to make further comment on some important information contained in Jackie’s book, namely and I quote:

“Notably, Confucianism is acceptable to the Chinese government as it is perceived to uphold a principled society without providing the people with religious beliefs in a God and the continuation of life after death.”…….“Wisely demonstrating great foresight, the Chinese government encourages the students in the proliferating Confucian schools to be daily given an organic, vegetarian diet.”…. “…Astutely, the government rules that the children carry out organic, arable farming activities in the afternoon, in order to learn about environmental conservation.”

What a step forward! We are so used to hearing the stories of animal abuse in China, despite the wonderful work of Animals Asia Foundation, that these words fill our ears with heralding music of hope for the future. Change is so much needed, now that Peta have filmed workers in Chinese angora factories pulling hair out of rabbits by the roots. I have news just in that petitions to companies involved in buying this product has recently met with success.

 http://www.sumofus.org/savethebunnies

Our supporter, Denny White Crow Reader, who lives in in Leamington Spa, , has produced a book of poetry entitled “Inside the Outside” – “Musings from a Transparent Heart” which expresses the deep and complex feelings of one who cares for our planet and is unhappy with society’s materialism and abuse of “Gaia” and her inhabitants of all species. Here is one poem in his collection which appeals to all of us to take responsibility for each other and fight for a better world:

 

The Resistance

We Learn, we Grow, we Question, we Feel.

The Potential Dangers of a fascist uprising,

The Dangers of a society resting in apathy.

Capitalism spreads its infectious Glamour,

While millions World over seduced by the ‘American Dream’,

There is no cream with your coffee when the Planets really Screaming,

There is no Hope in Humanity,

When the people are enemies to themselves and each other.

Split, Seduced, Groomed into the Material Status Chase,

Where Tyrants Rise, and the Caring Fall,

And the Earth and the Spirits keep relentlessly call.

Animals tortured in the name of Progressive Science,

Yet Awareness keeps Rising, from the Growing Hearts of the Caring,

And masses of Humanity educate and teach each other in the Art of Conscious Living and sharing Global Information.

The Controllers, The Order thumps down their Feet,

In an attempt to prevent people Rising in the Street,

Too many know now, too many are waking,

To the fact that we can Govern ourselves;

We can Govern ourselves.

Yet we plough on, We plough on with the Resistance,

Know in our Hearts, a Better Way, A better fairer World.

We are not here to be merely consumers,

We are Here to Share, To Give, Learn, Grow, To Experience,

To Be with Each Other.

We Know of a Better World.

This Is, The Resistance

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Denny’s book, please go to amazon.co .uk where you will find them advertised for sale.

Readers may remember Maggie Keynes engrossing article on communication with animals in last year’s issue. I hope you find similar enjoyment in the concluding part of it and look forward to the adventure of putting her instructions in to practise.

Animal Communication. Part two by Maggie Keynes.

So, how do we communicate with our animals so they will not only understand our communication, but that we are able to understand what they communicate back to us? The first step, just as with our Spiritual healing, is unconditional love, that awe-inspiring emotion which really does seem to “make the world go around”. Sit quietly with your animal and tell him or her you love them, expand your heart chakra, and visualise the colours pink or green associated with this chakra, in beautiful waves, so that the energy envelopes both you and your animal. If you would like, ask your Guide or your Spirit friends to help you, and send your communication thought to your animal, or ask them in a soft voice what you wish to communicate to them. Have no doubt the communication will be received.

You may like to have some questions ready:

To any of your animals: “Do you like the food I give you?” Send your animal a picture in your mind of their feeding bowl or pail containing their usual food – you may receive a picture back of a bowl full of an alternative, or sense (even smell!) another flavour which you will recognise as a suitable food they might love to eat. You may quite likely see a brand-name!

To any of your animals: “Do you feel lonely if I go out, would you like a companion?” Visualise your animal alone in the house, you may receive an emotion of sadness, meaning your animal does miss you, and may even like to have suitable company from another, or you may receive a “no – I’m fine, thank you!”

To a cat: “Do you prefer to do your toilet outside, or would you like me to provide a litter-tray for you when it rains and you would prefer to stay indoors?” Visualise a clean tray of cat-litter, maybe situated in your porch or even bathroom (for instance). You may receive an affirmative and the sensation of a sigh of relief!

To a horse, one question at a time: “Would you like to be ridden more often, is your saddle comfortable, are you lonely, do I keep your bedding fresh enough for you, do you need any extra herbs or supplements?” Horses are great communicators, and like cats and dogs, are extremely psychic. Check with your Vet if you receive a picture in your mind of any herbs or supplements you recognise as being beneficial – it’s surprising how many animals know what is nutritionally good for them.

And crucially, to every one of your animals: “Do you love me as much as I love you?” Hopefully you will receive the warm, contented emotion of love surrounding you.

(3)

May I take the liberty of adding a communication-request on behalf of animals who are left on their own, albeit temporarily. If you are out at work all day and every day it may not be a good idea to have an animal at all, but if you are planning a holiday for instance, please tell your animal(s) how long you will be away, where you are going and why. All animal communicators, both professional and amateur know that animals have an amazing concept of time. Tell your animal(s) through visualisation and communication for how long you will be away (how many) days or nights, tell them if someone is coming in to feed them, or if they will be taken to a friend’s house, a cattery or kennels during your time away. Leave an old piece of your clothing with them for comfort, and visualise the happiness you will both feel when you are reunited.

________________________________

Another plea, and this is for those dogs who are often left tied up outside shops whilst their owner goes shopping. They seem so forlorn, often shaking with fear, looking longingly at people leaving the shop, hoping it is their “person”. Please communicate to your dog you will only be gone for a very short while, you will be back as quickly as possible and to trust you and sit quietly. These points can all be achieved through communication and visualisation. If you can promise them a tasty treat for being so patient with you, please do, but don’t bribe them with promises you can’t keep!

I hope you have enjoyed this rather personal discussion, and if you require further information, please input: “Animal Communication” into your Internet browser, or go to your local library or bookshop.

There are many animal communicators “out there”, who offer professional advice and training-courses, and who have also written books on the subject. These communicators devote their lives to trying to ensure animals’ lives are that much better. Please be aware that a lot of emotion is involved, especially in tracking lost animals, or if an animal is ill (obviously for any medical problems, a vet must be consulted), but if there were more animal communicators, so many more people would understand just how wonderful are our animal companions, and how much they love and depend upon us. We are privileged to witness and appreciate the amazing wildlife we have on our Earth, and must campaign against selfish and cruel people who exploit them.

I am grateful that we who support A.R.I.S. know to search out and buy cruelty-free cosmetics and household-cleaning goods from those companies who have a “cut off date” from animal testing, such as: Beauty without Cruelty, Honesty Cosmetics, the

Co-operative, Astonish and many, many more; or use natural cleaning products such as bi-carbonate and lemon juice. Thanks also to those of us who donate to animal charities, and to medical charities who do not use vivisection. Even buying FSC sustainable or recycled furniture and paper, along with choosing locally-produced/seasonal/organic food as often as possible, will help preserve animals’ habitats and the way they are treated. There are many small, but significant ways in our daily lives we can make a positive difference for animals, and remember – we can all communicate with them, and vice-versa. Similar to healing and mediumship, neither time nor distance is an issue, and practice, practice, practice means that you and I will achieve our ambitions – for the sake of the animals.

(This article is for A.R.I.S. use only and not to be reproduced by any other media. Maggie Keynes.)

(A.R.I.S. will pass on any email messages or postal correspondence to Maggie.)

________________________________

A Voice for the Animals.

I would like to introduce you to a very special person, indeed. She is a lady who has spent the last four decades tirelessly fighting for the rights of all animals and promoting the vegan lifestyle to everyone she meets, whether on a bus, in a cafe or on a march. No-one escapes the gift of leaflets, recipes, information and referrals to those more qualified than herself in vegan nutrition. In fact, if you’ve been an active campaigner in the movement for a good length of time you have probably seen her and remembered her. Well, she’s not that easy to forget… once seen…..

We are talking very colourful, here, and I don’t mean just the clothes, although you may think a rainbow of fireworks has just hit you. However, who needs fireworks when you have the bright, warm radiance of the noon-day sun which is the best way I can find to describe the phenomena named Sue Fox.

She has been a real asset not only to our group up here in Derbyshire but to all the veggie/vegan restaurants in the county and beyond, each of whom, I’m sure, would have suffered an earlier death without her. Her never-ending smile and natural earthy charm has won over a meat-eater or two while her fiery passion for what she believes in has seen her thrown out of a car which was taking her to an important event. Always check out the driver beforehand, folks.

Sue’s favourite group to support is Sea Shepherd, the animal activists’ boat which sails the high seas ready to do what their expertise allows in the rescuing of whales, dolphins and other sea life from the cruel slaughter by fishermen in various regions of the world.

Having always held a great concern for the wild animals of Africa, her latest endeavours took her on the visits of a lifetime to Kenya’s wildlife conservation area, where, realising that she really should have had more sense than to smear coconut oil all over her body, she was covered from head to foot in bees! Yes, she did survive and went on to be flung down a hill, out of reach of the rhino making a B-line for her.

All in all, though, Sue had wonderful times at the sanctuary, seeing lions , elephants and other animals in close proximity. One thing that stood her apart from the other tourists was the fact that she had lovingly bought and packed away many little gifts throughout the year, leading up to her visits, to take to the children of the nearby Masai village.

This visit was not on the holiday itinerary but had been requested by Sue, ever having a thought for those less fortunate than herself. Some of the men of this village worked as guides at the conservation park. One of its cheery managers,  named Piers Winkworth  had recently rescued an elephant from the sadistic poachers who roam the wild looking for elephant and rhino to kill for their tusks which will then be sold on to the ivory trade.

Piers sent the baby elephant , who was on a drip, by plane to the David Sheldrick Wild-life Trust founded by Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE in memory of her husband, David who was the founding warden of Kenya’s Tsavo National Park .

On call all day and night, every day of the year, their main work is in rescuing the orphaned elephant and rhino babies who have lost their mothers to poaching. The aim of the keepers is to re-integrate these youngsters back into the wild, eventually, by hand rearing and lots of love. As you may imagine, some are traumatised by the experience of seeing their mothers brutally killed and are left vulnerable to predators and starvation unless they are able to reunite with their herds. Luckily for some, the trust’s patrollers are able to catch the poachers and part of their work is to remove illegal snares. The team also help injured animals by flying them to where they can receive emergency treatment via their “Sky Vets” service.

The conservation teams’ holistic approach also sees them planting trees, putting up fences , helping create local employment and supporting twenty schools with provisions.

Having worked for thirty five years to protect Kenya’s wildlife, The David Sheldrick Wild-life Trust reminds us that: “Every year, up to 35000 African elephants are killed by the ivory trade for their tusks.”

If you would like to support this vital work, you may find out how by visiting www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org or write to The David Sheldrick Wild-life Trust, 2^nd floor, 3, bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT228BL

If you would like to support Sue and you live in the Brighton/Hove area, perhaps you are able to respond to the following appeal, as this lovely lady is, sadly, leaving a great hole up here in ‘The Peak’ and moving ‘down south’ where, I think, the inhabitants will see the new year come in a with a bang.

Can anyone let a bed-sitting room to a vegan lady and her cat, for a short time in January, please? If so, please phone Sue on 07929 619822

Reiki –Self Healing through Compassionate Living.

by Elissa Rattigan.

Over the past few years, I’ve taken some time away from my A.R.I.S work in order to be able to bring more back to it. I have completed the levels of Reiki training which have allowed me to teach and attune others in the practises of this wonderful energy and now I would like, if I may, just this once, to bring a little of its essence, wisdom, history and vital healing principles to you, the readers.

The Japanese word, Reiki, translated into English, means spiritual or universal energy and I once was told it meant energy of God or energy of The Great Spirit. This would be apt as ki is often translated as Divine energy and Rei as Spirit or God.

This is the same force which runs through all of us, as we are all part of God, the Oneness or the Great Collective Spirit, just as is everything that lives. When we become out of alignment with the greater mass, we become dis-eased. Being reconnected to our source switches on our energy supply once more and we are healed.

In terms of practise, this is the energy channelled from healer to client in all forms of energy based healing, whether it be spiritual, magnetic or Reiki. What places Reiki apart from other healing techniques are its attunements, symbols and hand positions, which are discussed in the student’s manual.

In order to explain how the practise of Reiki came into being, I need to tell you a little about its history:

From various records, it would seem this remarkable practice originated in ancient India before Buddhism and Hinduism, but no-one knows for sure, which of the varying accounts of its modern day history is the correct version. Here is the most commonly given:

In modern times, Reiki was brought to the West by a religious scholar, named Dr. Mikao Usui, born in Japan on August 15^th, 1865. The story goes that while teaching in a seminary, one of his students asked when he was going to show them the secrets of healing the sick according to the way Jesus applied this ability. This had such an impact on Dr. Usui that he vowed to make it his life’s work to find out what it was that made such masters so powerful in their ministry.

From then on he travelled to other parts of the world and studied Christian, Buddhist and other mystical teachings. During this time he learnt that certain symbols (mainly Sanskrit) and sounds were utilised in this kind of work.

However, it was only through meditation and fasting that he was able to unlock the true power of these symbols and eventually empower others through a process of attunement.

At this point, I would say that I believe that all of us gain the most vital information through meditation and inner listening – that which is vital to our individual pathways. This is the knowledge we can each of us add to the cauldron of collective wisdom.

After spending some time in a Zen Buddhist monastery, Usui confided in the Master Abbott, who suggested he retreat to Mount Karama where he should fast and meditate for twenty one days. On the last day of his fast, Usui saw a great, bright light appear and settle over his head. In this moment , he gained a truly deep insight into the power and uses of the symbols, as the Reiki energy empowered him.

He was so enlivened by this energy, that, instead of being weakened by three weeks without food, he found he could rush down the mountain. However, in so doing, he injured his foot. Bending to hold it, as one instinctively would, he found that the bleeding stopped and the pain disappeared.

On reaching the bottom of the hill, he naturally sought a place where he could buy food. It was here that he found that the same healing power worked its magic on others, too, when he instantly healed the food seller’s daughter of toothache and facial swelling.

Truly blessed and eager to serve, Mikao Usui travelled back to Japan where (as one version of the story states) he encountered a ghetto of beggars. Healing them of their disabilities which had prevented them from being able to earn a living, you can imagine his disappointment when, several years later , he returned to find not only one of them, once again, begging for their needs. One of the men explained to Dr. Usui that, despite some success in finding marriage and employment, he found it much easier to live by begging . It is said that from that day on, Dr. Usui decided that Reiki should not be given freely, as people tended not to appreciate or value the healing unless they paid for it or took part in some kind of exchange .

Yet, another source states , that after seeking further help from the mount Kurama temple, he came across an ancient set of principles which helped to heal the soul, mind and emotions , thereby working to prevent disease from reaching the physical body. His experience among the beggars had proved that , without, firstly, healing the self of negative thoughts and feelings, it is, in most cases, pointless to seek healing for physical illness which is, often,  the result of the former imbalances.

Later on, Mikao Usui decided to train others in three degrees of Reiki healing, writing, in one of his manuals, that the first level should be available, freely, to all of the people,. This level contained the study of those ancient principles, which he named the “The Special Method of Inviting Blessings – The Secret Remedy for All Sickness” They are:

The Five Principles of Reiki

Just for today, I will let go of anger.

Just for today, I will let go of worry.

Today, I will count my blessings.

Today, I will do my work honestly.

Today, I will be kind to every living creature.

Of vital importance to the practise of Reiki, as regards self healing and spiritual unfoldment, are The Five Principles. Now, although there are only five, contained within them is a sixth, by virtue of the repetition of the word “Today”.

This strongly implies that living in the ‘now’ helps heal our past traumas and anxieties for the future. It is easier said than done, of course, for most of us to deal with the building resentment which accompanies an inability to forgive hurt. However, unless we can find a way to become reconciled to the past , this will eat away at us, eventually reaching the physical body in the form of illness.

Yet, people in these circumstances have eradicated the festering effects of such incidences by reprogramming their memory cells . Using visualisation techniques to re-live the event as though there had been a different, more positive ending, constant negative replays are replaced with happier recollections. Apparently, whatever we register with these cells, they will play out.

As regards anxiety for what may happen, it is helpful to remember that , as our past has played a great part in the formation of the life we live today, so our thoughts, feelings , actions and reactions of the present will, more or less, manifest as our lot in the future. Armed with this truth, this should not be a cause for further worry, but give us a sense of empowerment as we realise we can be in greater control of our own destinies and any effect on our mental, emotional and spiritual health . By living our lives one day at a time, past, present and future become what , in Divine time, they truly are – all one. This sixth ‘umbrella’ principle is of great help in achieving those of one and two, “I Will Let Go of Anger” and “I Will Not Worry” which have a direct impact in our bodies. We only have to note the tension headache caused so often by anger and frustration , the immediate acid release to our stomach region with sudden hurt or resentment and the palpitations with acute anxiety ( and the list goes on) to realise this truth

So, how do we deal with our emotions in order to avoid a chronic build up in our systems? Firstly we must recognise that everyone we meet on a regular basis is in our lives for a reason, as we may be in theirs.

Those who particularly give us a “hard time” should all the more be blessed by us, as it is possible they incarnated with the agreement of being a catalyst for change and growth within our spiritual development, in order to help us learn certain lessons or overcome weaknesses. Sometimes they mirror what we most dislike in ourselves. We may look back on our dreadful times with them, where no light seemed to shine in the darkness and realise that it built the inner strength and courage we have today and that our lives are richer for it….. and them. Maybe we wouldn’t have found our true pathway in life , had we not been ‘forced’ in it’s direction. Having said all that, there are ways to help us react to stress in a more positive way:

Judge the deed and not the doer. Examine our consciences daily. (We are often guilty of doing to others that which we would not wish them to do to us)

When we think an angry or worrying thought, change it quickly to its positive opposite, thereby avoiding a build-up of negative karma for the future.

As we move on toward the third principle of counting our blessings, it is good to cultivate an awareness of Universal Law. One such law, studied by countless successful people across the globe, is the “Law of Attraction” based on the concept of “Like attracts like” and the practise of giving and receiving, or exchange. It is said that the Universe loves gratitude and that this is an intrinsic part of manifesting what you want in life.

There is nothing so levelling as a tragedy in one’s life or a loss of certain faculties to appreciate the simple blessings. We often don’t see things in perspective. For instance: one who is in constant pain for more than a month or two and can’t rest for it, will appreciate the value of deep sleep or a relaxing, pain-free coffee break which many take for granted. Counting our blessings means being grateful for what we have and it sometimes takes this kind of setback to value, fully, the simple, natural gifts of life.

Practising the five principles in daily life helps to remove blockages in our energy field. It helps us to become unstuck and to see a way through to the light at the end of the tunnel.  Counting our blessings trains our thinking to look at life in a new, positive light. We begin to appreciate the beauty of our universe, the lovely scents and colours of the flowers, the magic of the stars, the healing power of the sun. There are no diamonds or crystals to be bought finer than those made by the play of sunlight on raindrops or moonlight on frost-patterned leaves on the ground. They are freely given and meant for our eyes only, at special moments in time Appreciating the beauty in nature develops higher love, higher spirituality. In this light, we should not only be grateful for our family, our friends and our beloved animals but without a doubt, give thanks to the Universal forces of nature, for without them we cannot live.

I will do my work honestly – what does this mean?

Having integrity in your work means honouring those you are serving. Never pass on information to a third party that has been given to you in confidence. Resolve not to make negative comments about others, especially ‘behind their back’.

Doing our work honestly means not letting our selves, egos, or fear of not succeeding get in the way of altruistic service . When the healers amongst us constantly put themselves down as not being good enough, it means they haven’t understood that they are only channels – the buckets, not the water. Be honest in what you really want to do. Ask yourself why you are doing this. Is it for the right reasons? Is it for prestige or compassion? We can sometimes subtly fool ourselves ? Doing something for the wrong reason means we will never really do it well.

Now we come to the last but not least of the Reiki principles. In my opinion it is the one upon which all the others are based. It is the Law of Love.

“Today, I will be kind to all living creatures”

This means showing kindness to ourselves, the people we come into contact with and all other life-forms. Can we be kind to some creatures but cause suffering and death to others? If we are to apply the Reiki principles to our lives and use them in our healing work, as we are meant to do , this means we must examine , meditate upon and try to put into practise each one, not least this last which may have wide, life-changing implications for most people. They will find this principle compelling them to look at each area of their life, each day, with a new, self-questioning approach. To do this they have to think freely, away from the stupor of what is considered the norm in our society.

If we take Reiki back to at least as far as Buddhism, we will ponder over the fact that Buddha spoke of the “Oneness” of all living things and to refrain from killing or harming anything. He spoke of developing compassion for all beings. Most people love their companion animals or pets but what of the animals used in food, research, clothing, sport and entertainment? Are we living the fifth principle when , through our demand for any of these commodities, we contribute to the suffering and death of sentient beings who would love life as much as we do, were they given the opportunity? The more compassionate we become, the nearer to the Reiki energy we are, for this is an all-loving source of oneness.

We may be a wonderful person to our fellow human being but never give a thought to the plight of the individual whose body was sacrificed for our shoes, health or food. Even less do we consider how we harm our planet through our mining, pollution and destruction of its wilderness. Likewise, we may feel great empathy and compassion for other species but continually judge, belittle and emotionally blackmail the humans in our lives. We may not be aware as to the extent, but living just for today helps us check these wrongs out and begin to deal with them in a way that we are also kind and tolerant with ourselves.

Ourselves………. “You can’t love others until you love yourself” Heard that one before? Well, we can but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t love ourselves. I think most of us are quite cruel to ourselves, especially to our bodies, who work hard to keep us alive. That is because we haven’t realised that we are made up of many little people – our cells. Each one is a living entity and therefore is a part of The Great Spirit or God, just as we are. I imagine it in a way as though we are each a planet to our cells, just like our Earth is to us. These life-forms must suffer along with us when we abuse our bodies. They must need our love and protection, as we need the blessings of our Mother Earth, who has bodily systems similar to our own. To realise this puts a new light on loving ourselves and giving time for our own needs instead of driving ourselves onward mercilessly, like the hard taskmasters we sometimes are. In the practise of Reiki, or any other healing system, self healing is as important as healing others, for, if we don’t have our own health, we cannot give of our best service to those in need..There is only now. Let us seize the moment.

If you wish for help from a reiki practitioner serving your area, one may be found registered at Healer Practitioner Association International. http://www.hpai.co.uk

This year I thought readers may like a change from the usual teachings of The Cosmic Brotherhood and One Earth Vision guides and recap on what Spiritualism’s most famous spirit guide, Silver Birch has to say on the subject animals and how we treat them. Here are a few quotes from the many Hannen Swaffer circles he attended through his medium, Maurice Barbanell:

 

“You have needless cruelty and terror inflicted on innocent creatures in the false belief that through this vicious means health will be attained by humans. This is not true. The long-term problem is to spread the knowledge of spiritual realities so that these wicked and often diabolical experiments should altogether cease. You have to reach the stage where man has developed his conscience to know that what he is doing is wrong?”

“If the Great Spirit intended that all animals and all humans should be perfect, then they would not be in your world, or even in mine. They would have achieved the summit of evolution, which is not possible because it is an eternal progression. There is much to be done to end animal cruelty. There are wars constantly being fought between the forces of good and those of greed and selfishness, between the ones with knowledge and those who are ignorant. And there are the short-sighted people who do not realize the part animals play in your world and that they have as much right to be there as humans have. The battles will be fought, and gradually you will win.?”

Which animals have survived from prehistoric times? The elephant. Was that a brute? It was not. The animal was a vegetarian that did not prey on other animals. All the others have not survived. Which is the strongest?

You have a garden. If you work with nature you get results. If you abuse nature, you don’t get results. Show love not only to your fellow beings, but to animals. Do not exploit people, do not exploit animals and do not exploit nature. Then you are helping not only the people of your world, but everything that exists to have that peace, orderliness and harmony that is the ultimate purpose of evolution, the law devised by the greatest power in the universe.”

“…From many points of view, meat-eating is deleterious. These points of view include physical, mental and spiritual aspects. Not only is the moral question involved, the health question is involved, too. From the spiritual point of view I would go as far as to contend that, with the evolution of the race, vegetarianism will become the increasing diet of large numbers of people.”

Links

Online vegan shop selling cruelty free food, drink, essentials and gifts launching very soon at: http://vegantown.co.uk – A percentage of every sale goes to animal welfare charities.

www.parsleysoup.co.uk   recipes including scrumptious chocolate cheesecake

http://betweenusmag.co.uk/ “ Between Us”    South-west based Spiritualist magazine.

www.stonewolf-imaging.co.uk   Inspirational wildlife photography – beautiful images on cards by supporter, David Pilling.

Two Worlds – monthly Spiritualist magazine. You can read “Two Worlds” online anywhere in the world! Go to www.twoworldsmag.co.uk for further details

www.pfnh.org              People for National Health group. Patrick – vegan nutrition, cancer politics.

Psychic News  Monthly Spiritualist magazine  www.psychicnews.org.uk

Sea Shepherd “defending ocean wildlife worldwide”  http://www.seashepherd.org

David Sheldrick Trust Kenya Wildlife Conservation Rescue.  www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

oneearthvisionandmission.blogspot.com  One Earth Vision & mission.  Centre for World Peace and Healing Sanctuary.

Peta   People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.   www.peta.org.uk

Animal Aid    Animal rights/Anti-vivisection campaigns.      www.animalaid.org.uk

Viva     Vegan/ Animal rights campaigns    www. viva.org.uk

http://www.quaker.org.uk  Quaker Concern for Animals.

www.essenes.org  The Brotherhood of the Essenes.

www.christianvegetarian.co.uk  Christian vegetarian Association UK

http://www.all-creatures.org/ca/ Catholic Concern for Animals.