Personal Development, Shamanism and Environmental Issues

The Jailbreak Raise Money for the NSPPC | Steyning Grammar School

Posted By Ina Woolcott

Yesterday I went to Horsham with Mum and Inky to do a spot of Crimbo Shopping. We were pleasantly surprised when we got to the town centre and saw ‘The Jailbreak’, an annual event done by Steyning Grammar School, that raises money for a charity of the students choice - this year the chosen charity was the NSPCC. Inky loved it, and watched the loud, live music (which reminded me of the samba music I heard in Brazil) without saying a word for a good few minutes - very rare for her

There were people in fancy dress going round collecting money. Of course we donated too… Inky got a balloon which she loved - until it burst about an hour later…one guy really stood out to me, he looked a little camp - he wore extremely tight green leggings/tights and silver platform boots a la Gerri Hallowell (spice girls). I must say the leggings/tights were a little tight in in the crotch area and he was getting quite a few looks, especially from the older generation. From the look on his face he was loving every second though…

Woodland Trust, Heartwood Forest: Indians and Cowboys

Posted By Ina Woolcott

“Plans to create England’s largest new native forest took a major step forward at the beginning of October 2008, when the Woodland Trust took possession 858 acres (347 hectares) of land, on which 600,000 trees will be planted. Incredibly, it takes just 12 years to turn bare land into flourishing native woodland, complete with a diverse range of wildlife and towering trees. - WOW, it really never is too late.

It immediately marked its ownership by opening six new, British-made, larch kissing gates into the site. Now, members of the public can walk miles of permissive footpaths through formerly private farmland containing 3 pockets of ancient woodland - 44acres in total -hosting the UKs richest wildlife habitat, located near Sandridge, just 3 miles north of St Albans in Hertfordshire.

Getting out and active in woodland is great way for adults and children to connect with nature. Over 2 million people live within 15 miles of the site which can be accessed via public transport, and we want everyone to come and take part”.

Editors comment:
As my regular readers already know, I am very connected to nature. I could disappear into the wilderness forever with the knowledge to survive, a tipi, horses and those closest to me wishing to join me (and who would live by my rules, lol). My daughter naturally would have no choice but to come with me…. I keep coming across inspiring projects like this, and they make me teary-eyed with happiness and hope. Someone said to me the other day “its too late to save the planet/nature”. (pessimistic so-and-so). If everyone had that attitude, we’d get nowhere in life. As me and my mum like to say, ‘its never too late’. .

More and more people are trying to turn things around and encourage nature to flourish, and encourage the wildlife that has been driven away for so many centuries to return. Our inner shamans, our inner children, are coming out - about time too. I love it, it makes my heart and soul glad. Lets go an play in the woods Lets be Indians and DEFINITELY NOT COWBOYS.

To find out more info, what you can do to help and/or to make a donation (go on, I did!) go to:
WOODLAND TRUST WEBSITE

Related reading:
Great Fen Project
Great Fen Project: What You Should Know

Arundel Wildfowl Trust and a Walk at Swanbourne Lake

Posted By Ina Woolcott

Below are just a couple of pictures of just a few of the bird me and my 3 year old daughter saw today at the Wildfowl Trust in Arundel, West Sussex. We’ve seen chaffinches many a time there, but it was the first time we’ve seen a Greater Spotted Woodpecker (I hear they are rare) and a Nuthatch. We had the pleasure of watching the woodpecker for about 5 minutes, until Inky got a bit bored and wanted to move on… anyhow, well done Inky, 5 minutes is a long time for a little girly - especially you - to concentrate on something without hardly talking. The woodpecker was still there feeding off the bird feeder when we (me very reluctantly) left. Something about seeing these wild birds I was so unaware of in my youth gives me a rush of happiness. We also saw a Wren for about the 5th time, but it was gone in a flash. At this particular feeder where we saw the Woodpecker et al, there were also coal tits, marsh tits, blue tits and a gorgeous male pheasant.

We have been loving the crisp, cold yet sunny days and autumn colours of Arundel this week. Yesterday we walked around Swanbourne Lake . It always amazes me how far my little Inky can walk, her stamina is great at such a young age. She loves puddle jumping in her wellies (I wore my new wellies yesterday too so I had to join in on madams request, haha) , as well as climbing up and around the roots of a very old looking tree on the other side of the lake. Another of her favourite activities is climbing up the grassy hill on the first half of the walk and rolling down it, reminds me of me when I was little. We gathered lots of twigs, feathers and leaves yesterday, today and in the past few weeks and are in the throes of an art project, making a tree on a huge piece of cardboard covered in paper which me and Inky made - I will be putting the pictures up as soon as we have completed our ‘mission‘. Not sure how long it will take, but I reckon we will need maybe up to 10 hours over the next week or so.

Chaffinch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Is Breast Milk Chemically Contaminated?

Posted By Ina Woolcott

Media Scare of the Week #246:

Mother’s breast milk is full of environmental contaminants capable of causing harm to our babies. True? Yes — but nobody recommends not breastfeeding because of it.

According to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, testing infants from virtually anywhere in the world today would uncover a body burden of industrial toxins including dioxins, PCBs, mercury, phthalates, pesticides, flame retardants, bisphenol A and other dangerous substances. But it’s not just breast milk that’s in danger: environmental toxins are everywhere.

Because testing breast milk is a cheap and convenient way to look for chemical contamination, it is often used as an easy way to demonstrate the toxic load of our bodies overall. “Chemical residues found in breast milk are like the messenger, the canary in the mine, telling us about the body burdens found in everyone,” WABA relates.

Human milk is hands down the best bet for babies, even considering contaminants, says Dallas physician and lactation expert Dr Maria Blois… For the full story click HERE

Personal Note:
My daughter was 3 on the 15th September and im still breastfeeding her. Breast is always best, if you are a nursing mum or mum to be, eat as much organic fresh produce as possible, during and after pregnancy. Then bring your children up on as much organics as possible. In my home we have 100% organic produce. My daughter is not vaccinated. We only use homeopathic remedies. Im not totally strict on only having organics though - we do eat out occasionally and this generally not organic as there are not any organic restaurants nearby. In between I treat my little girl to ice cream (100% fresh fruit ice lolly). I kept sugar away from her totally for the first 2 years of her life. Also, don’t consume anything with ‘E’ numbers, artificial sweeteners, flavour enhancers etc and keep sugar intake minimal. Who knows - maybe the ‘test results’ aren’t even accurate. The media can tell us what they want, blow the results out of proportion… especially when other peoples interests are at stake. E.g. formula manufacturers want to boost profits by selling more formula! Why do we need studies to prove that breast is best? Its blatantly obvious. Everybody should be breastfeeding! Unless its medically impossible of course. If only the ‘experts’ were so bent on keeping chemically laden vaccines away from us…

Akiane, Amazing Child Artist

Posted By Ina Woolcott

Akiane was born on the 9th July 1994, in Mount Morris, Illinois, to her atheistic stay-at-home Lithuanian homemaker mother, and an American father, chef and dietary manager.she is an internationally recognised 14 year old prodigy, considered the only known child binary genius, in both realist painting and poetry. At age 4, she had a life-changing spiritual transformation, bringing the family to God. She began drawing at 4, and painting at 6, teaching herself and learning mostly from her own keen observation and study. At age 7 she began writing poetry and aphorisms - her poems often arrive fully conceived. The inspiration for her art and literature comes from her visions, dreams, observations of people, nature and God. She paints from imagination, reference materials and models. She considers her style Akianism -a universal blend of realism and imaginism.

She gets up at 4 a.m. 5-6 days a week to get ready to paint in the studio and write; works for about 4-5 hours each day. Often she works over a hundred to two hundred hours on a painting, producing 8 to 20 paintings a year. Usually many sketches are made before painting commences, and she works on one painting at a time. Akiane wants people to find hope in her paintings, and has the same goal with each painting: to be inspiration for others and to be the gift to God.

Having attended both public and private schools, she is now home-schooled with her four brothers, Delfini 16, Jean Lu 14, Ilia 5 years old and Aurelius, her new baby brother.

Akiane also speaks four languages: Lithuanian, Russian, English and Sign Language. Her favourite activities and hobbies include art, poetry, piano, reading and helping people.

Akiane’s biggest wish is “that everyone would love God and one another”. Her life goal is to share her love for God and people around the world.

The only official website dedicated to Akiane: www.artakiane.com

Watch the CNN video of her. REALLY TOUCHING and EMOTIONAL. Spiritual Young Artist