As a result of habitual patterns of thinking and feeling, we in the West have been nearly blinded to what is often called the Mind-Body connection. It borders on ridiculous that we require scientific evidence to "prove" that the mind and the body are connected. Of course they are connected, in countless and inextricable ways. Nonetheless, the science is in. Studies on mediation, mediators and other mind-body practices resoundingly pronounce that working with our mind-state does indeed have many tangible and positive health effects on the body.
Duh.
Mindfulness can be considered non-judgmental awareness of moment-to-moment experience. It is practicing sanity. Rehearsing reality orientation. Simple and effective, concrete and wise, helpful and healthy. Meditation is often called a Science of the Mind, in that one observes, without preconceptions, what is there. What arises in the mind? What triggers emotions or desires? What am "I"? This is the vanguard of exploring consciousness.
Positive health benefits of meditation include:
* Lower levels of anxiety
* Reduction in stress
* Reduction in depression
* Increase strength and vitality
* Reduction in fatigue
* Improves cognitive functions
* Slows the aging process
* High levels of activity in the parts of the brain that help to form positive emotions, such as: happiness, enthusiasm, joy, and self-control,
* Decreased levels of activity in the parts of the brain related to negative emotions like depression, self-centeredness, and a lack of happiness or satisfaction,
* A calming of the section of the brain that acts as a trigger for fear and anger,
* The ability to reach a state of inner peace even when facing extremely disturbing circumstances, and
* An unusual capacity for empathy and attunement to emotions in other people
And it goes on. But better and best of all, this data, is verifiable by you. Begin a simple practice, and discover for yourself. In a world where pharmaceutical companies spend an estimated 8 billion in advertisements, and another 8 billion in free samples to doctors, psychiatrists and hospitals, it is no surprise that mindfulness is kept secret. In a world where psychotropic drugs are handed out like candy and dissatisfaction, lethargy and apathy levels run rampant, its time to seek simple alternatives to the lifestyles we've accepted. It is time to take care of ourselves again, with preventative health practices such as meditation.
How to begin?
Sit.
Relax.
Get comfortable but attentive.
Follow the breath in.
Follow the breath out.
Notice your breathing slow and deepen.
When you find yourself thinking, notice that you are thinking, and come back to the breath.
Come back to the breath.
For further reading I highly recommend Thich Nhat Hanh books. He reminds us to take care of our emotions as a mother would a screaming child, gently and with care. He says:
The first function of mindfulness is to recognize, not to fight. The second function of mindfulness is that once we recognize and we embrace it. Instead of fighting, we are taking good care of experience. The third function of mindfulness is soothing, relieving. What is there, is being taken care of.
The energy of mindfulness contains the energy of concentration as well as the energy of insight. Concentration helps you to focus on just one thing. With concentration, the energy of looking becomes more powerful. Because of that, it can make a breakthrough that is insight. Insight always has the power of liberating you.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Mass Media/Mind Control
This is taken without permission from the excellent website Vigilant Citizen.
Go here for the full article:
The Vigilant Citizen
"Mass media are media forms designed to reach the largest audience possible. They include television, movies, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, records, video games and the internet. Many studies have been conducted in the past century to measure the effects of mass media on the population in order to discover the best techniques to influence it. From those studies emerged the science of Communications, which is used in marketing, public relations and politics. Mass communication is a necessary tool the insure the functionality of a large democracy; it is also a necessary tool for a dictatorship. It all depends on its usage."
"Walter Lippmann, an American intellectual, writer and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner brought forth one of the first works concerning the usage of mass media in America. In Public Opinion (1922), Lippmann compared the masses to a “great beast” and a “bewildered herd” that needed to be guided by a governing class. He described the ruling elite as “a specialized class whose interests reach beyond the locality.” This class is composed of experts, specialists and bureaucrats. According to Lippmann, the experts, who often are referred to as “elites,” are to be a machinery of knowledge that circumvents the primary defect of democracy, the impossible ideal of the “omnicompetent citizen.” The trampling and roaring “bewildered herd” has its function: to be “the interested spectators of action,” i.e. not participants. Participation is the duty of “the responsible man”, which is not the regular citizen.
Mass media and propaganda are therefore tools that must be used by the elite to rule the public without physical coercion. One important concept presented by Lippmann is the “manufacture of consent”, which is, in short, the manipulation of public opinion to accept the elite’s agenda. It is Lippmann’s opinion that the general public is not qualified to reason and to decide on important issues. It is therefore important for the elite to decide ”for its own good” and then sell those decisions to the masses."
Thus, Noam Chomsky's famous Manufacturing Consent, book and movie.
"Edward Bernays is considered to be the “father of public relations” and used concepts discovered by his uncle Sigmund Freud to manipulate the public using the subconscious. He shared Walter Lippmann’s view of the general population by considering it irrational and subject to the “herd instinct”. In his opinion, the masses need to be manipulated by an invisible government to insure the survival of democracy."
Bernays "basically created “consumerism” by creating a culture wherein Americans bought for pleasure instead of buying for survival." Hitler was infamously inspired by Bernays' book Propaganda. Perhaps one can see why:
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.
Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware of the identity of their fellow members in the inner cabinet.”
- Edward Bernays, Propaganda
"The number of corporations owning the majority of U.S. media outlets went from 50 to 5 in less than 20 years. Here are the top corporations evolving around the world and the assets they own.
AOL Time Warner owns:
* 64 magazines, including Time, Life, People, MAD Magazine and DC Comics
* Warner Bros, New Line and Fine Line Features in cinema
* More than 40 music labels including Warner Bros, Atlantic and Elektra
* Many television networks such as WB Networks, HBO, Cinemax, TNT, Cartoon Network and CNN
* Madonna, Sean Paul, The White Stripes
Viacom owns:
* CBS, MTV, MTV2, UPN, VH1, Showtime, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TNN, CMT and BET
* Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films
* Blockbuster Videos
* 1800 screens in theaters through Famous Players
The Walt Disney Company owns:
* ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, A&E, History Channel
* Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Film Corp., Dimension and Buena Vista International
* Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers
Vivendi Universal owns:
* 27% of US music sales, labels include: Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Island, Def Jam, MCA, Mercury, Motown and Universal
* Universal Studios, Studio Canal, Polygram Films, Canal +
* Numerous internet and cell phone companies
* Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z
Sony owns:
* Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics
* 15% of US Music sales, labels include Columbia, Epic, Sony, Arista, Jive and RCA Records
* Beyonce, Shakira, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera
A limited number of actors in the cultural industry means a limited amount of viewpoints and ideas making their way to the general public. It also means that a single message can easily saturate all forms of media to generate consent."
The book Media Monopoly by Ben H. Bagdikian traces the consolidation of the mass media very thoroughly and provides the historical backdrops and maneuvers, such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as to the who, what, how, why and when of it all.
Modern Psychology and modern Propaganda evolved together, and lacking this historical awareness, most people simply accept TV, movies, "news" and the like, without proper skepticism and without proper context. This does indeed create a "Manufactured Consent" amongst the populace. Worse, this quiet acceptance gives permission to those who would rather us mindless and controlled; to war, destroy, and manipulate nearly every human being alive, for their personal gain, profit and convenience.
Two things must result from this knowledge:
1. Spread it far and wide. Discuss it. Teach it. Stay calm and simply raise awareness, yours included.
And 2. To transform centralized and controlling power to individual and community power.
2.a: Personally, one must meditate, learn to know your own mind state. Become a scientist of your own internal landscape and end the war inside. Then you will be of use. Clear-headed and available to simply assume control over this life, for yourself and others near you.
2.b: Community, permaculture. Grow ones own supply lines. Including food, timber, medicines, jobs, economies, and culture. An infinitely richer experience awaits us all. A vast expanse of peace and harmony is vibrating just beyond our perception. Collectively, we can achieve true bliss. We must accept nothing less, and work to make it so.
Go here for the full article:
The Vigilant Citizen
"Mass media are media forms designed to reach the largest audience possible. They include television, movies, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, records, video games and the internet. Many studies have been conducted in the past century to measure the effects of mass media on the population in order to discover the best techniques to influence it. From those studies emerged the science of Communications, which is used in marketing, public relations and politics. Mass communication is a necessary tool the insure the functionality of a large democracy; it is also a necessary tool for a dictatorship. It all depends on its usage."
"Walter Lippmann, an American intellectual, writer and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner brought forth one of the first works concerning the usage of mass media in America. In Public Opinion (1922), Lippmann compared the masses to a “great beast” and a “bewildered herd” that needed to be guided by a governing class. He described the ruling elite as “a specialized class whose interests reach beyond the locality.” This class is composed of experts, specialists and bureaucrats. According to Lippmann, the experts, who often are referred to as “elites,” are to be a machinery of knowledge that circumvents the primary defect of democracy, the impossible ideal of the “omnicompetent citizen.” The trampling and roaring “bewildered herd” has its function: to be “the interested spectators of action,” i.e. not participants. Participation is the duty of “the responsible man”, which is not the regular citizen.
Mass media and propaganda are therefore tools that must be used by the elite to rule the public without physical coercion. One important concept presented by Lippmann is the “manufacture of consent”, which is, in short, the manipulation of public opinion to accept the elite’s agenda. It is Lippmann’s opinion that the general public is not qualified to reason and to decide on important issues. It is therefore important for the elite to decide ”for its own good” and then sell those decisions to the masses."
Thus, Noam Chomsky's famous Manufacturing Consent, book and movie.
"Edward Bernays is considered to be the “father of public relations” and used concepts discovered by his uncle Sigmund Freud to manipulate the public using the subconscious. He shared Walter Lippmann’s view of the general population by considering it irrational and subject to the “herd instinct”. In his opinion, the masses need to be manipulated by an invisible government to insure the survival of democracy."
Bernays "basically created “consumerism” by creating a culture wherein Americans bought for pleasure instead of buying for survival." Hitler was infamously inspired by Bernays' book Propaganda. Perhaps one can see why:
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.
Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware of the identity of their fellow members in the inner cabinet.”
- Edward Bernays, Propaganda
"The number of corporations owning the majority of U.S. media outlets went from 50 to 5 in less than 20 years. Here are the top corporations evolving around the world and the assets they own.
AOL Time Warner owns:
* 64 magazines, including Time, Life, People, MAD Magazine and DC Comics
* Warner Bros, New Line and Fine Line Features in cinema
* More than 40 music labels including Warner Bros, Atlantic and Elektra
* Many television networks such as WB Networks, HBO, Cinemax, TNT, Cartoon Network and CNN
* Madonna, Sean Paul, The White Stripes
Viacom owns:
* CBS, MTV, MTV2, UPN, VH1, Showtime, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TNN, CMT and BET
* Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films
* Blockbuster Videos
* 1800 screens in theaters through Famous Players
The Walt Disney Company owns:
* ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, A&E, History Channel
* Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Film Corp., Dimension and Buena Vista International
* Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers
Vivendi Universal owns:
* 27% of US music sales, labels include: Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Island, Def Jam, MCA, Mercury, Motown and Universal
* Universal Studios, Studio Canal, Polygram Films, Canal +
* Numerous internet and cell phone companies
* Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z
Sony owns:
* Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics
* 15% of US Music sales, labels include Columbia, Epic, Sony, Arista, Jive and RCA Records
* Beyonce, Shakira, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera
A limited number of actors in the cultural industry means a limited amount of viewpoints and ideas making their way to the general public. It also means that a single message can easily saturate all forms of media to generate consent."
The book Media Monopoly by Ben H. Bagdikian traces the consolidation of the mass media very thoroughly and provides the historical backdrops and maneuvers, such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as to the who, what, how, why and when of it all.
Modern Psychology and modern Propaganda evolved together, and lacking this historical awareness, most people simply accept TV, movies, "news" and the like, without proper skepticism and without proper context. This does indeed create a "Manufactured Consent" amongst the populace. Worse, this quiet acceptance gives permission to those who would rather us mindless and controlled; to war, destroy, and manipulate nearly every human being alive, for their personal gain, profit and convenience.
Two things must result from this knowledge:
1. Spread it far and wide. Discuss it. Teach it. Stay calm and simply raise awareness, yours included.
And 2. To transform centralized and controlling power to individual and community power.
2.a: Personally, one must meditate, learn to know your own mind state. Become a scientist of your own internal landscape and end the war inside. Then you will be of use. Clear-headed and available to simply assume control over this life, for yourself and others near you.
2.b: Community, permaculture. Grow ones own supply lines. Including food, timber, medicines, jobs, economies, and culture. An infinitely richer experience awaits us all. A vast expanse of peace and harmony is vibrating just beyond our perception. Collectively, we can achieve true bliss. We must accept nothing less, and work to make it so.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop has been, of course, com-modified by main stream media and redressed as mindless shucking and jiving entertainment by black folks for a white audience. Not much has changed America. Football, basketball, music and inner city culture kept straight-on as racist relics from the past, only here to stay. Regardless, real hip hop, like real punk and rock and roll, is subversive to power and authority and speaks the truth of people's struggles, injustice and inequality. With no allegiance to the status quo, corporate sponsors, or political correctness, and no bull-shit image to project, real music can still save souls from disillusionment, apathy and isolation. Amen. Praise Jesus!
Dig it:
Dead Prez sayz,
"...I sick of that fake thug, R & B
Rap scenario all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Y'all don't here me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line, and signed
And still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a Lexus or justice
A dream or some substance
A Beamer, a necklace or freedom"
CunninLynguists lists,
"I live in a nation that relies on business and crime
And the leaders are politician guys livin' a lie
Who bullshit like everyone else for a nickel and dime
America ... just as corrupt as it is online
Using freedom and entertainment just to keep us sedated"
Bop Alloy, not shallow,
"The world weeps casue we'd rather be at war,
then provide health benefits to the poor,
...the crisis is elevated for the mis-educated
some of our schools are developing fools,
with the help of the media turned into tools,
...greed has turned honest men into liars,
profit off destruction and desperation..."
Mr. Lif, will shift,
"We're out of limit now, enough is enough, you're sitting on billions of dollars,
but what about us?
No health-care, just enough change to ride the motherfucking bus,
but what about us?
Our biggest mistake was giving you trust, you live in plus,
'n you don't give a fuck about us.
One government, one world motto,"in God we trust,"
Canibus, trust,
"We pursue an illusion that isn't real
P-12 psychics taking red pills to produce thrills
Than predicting a coin toss a hundred times to prove skill
Telekinetic electro-genetic psyonic weapon
With extra-sensory perception of precognitive method
That's why I can rhyme with consistence
Indisputable evidence repeatable on the street or in studio session
I am sorry if you feel I am refusing your questions
That's not my intention, my mind is in a higher dimension..."
"But what about us?"
Dig it:
Dead Prez sayz,
"...I sick of that fake thug, R & B
Rap scenario all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Y'all don't here me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line, and signed
And still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a Lexus or justice
A dream or some substance
A Beamer, a necklace or freedom"
CunninLynguists lists,
"I live in a nation that relies on business and crime
And the leaders are politician guys livin' a lie
Who bullshit like everyone else for a nickel and dime
America ... just as corrupt as it is online
Using freedom and entertainment just to keep us sedated"
Bop Alloy, not shallow,
"The world weeps casue we'd rather be at war,
then provide health benefits to the poor,
...the crisis is elevated for the mis-educated
some of our schools are developing fools,
with the help of the media turned into tools,
...greed has turned honest men into liars,
profit off destruction and desperation..."
Mr. Lif, will shift,
"We're out of limit now, enough is enough, you're sitting on billions of dollars,
but what about us?
No health-care, just enough change to ride the motherfucking bus,
but what about us?
Our biggest mistake was giving you trust, you live in plus,
'n you don't give a fuck about us.
One government, one world motto,"in God we trust,"
Canibus, trust,
"We pursue an illusion that isn't real
P-12 psychics taking red pills to produce thrills
Than predicting a coin toss a hundred times to prove skill
Telekinetic electro-genetic psyonic weapon
With extra-sensory perception of precognitive method
That's why I can rhyme with consistence
Indisputable evidence repeatable on the street or in studio session
I am sorry if you feel I am refusing your questions
That's not my intention, my mind is in a higher dimension..."
"But what about us?"
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Podcasts
Free information exposes ones own boundaries. Where do you draw the line? I have many walls, many things that I do not consider, many things that I prefer for conditioned and habitual reasons. But I try to expand my mind.
Haven't heard this one that much yet.
C-Realm
Nor this one.
Survivalist
Some people have a distaste for Tami Simon's voice or approach, in that she sounds a little too NPR-soft tones-sensitive type, but upon further inquiry, she proves a very excellent questionnaire and listener. Her guest's range from out of body experts, to cancer healers, from meditation to trauma experts. Just excellent quality throughout. I've found some guest's have turned me off for some reason or another, but I simply skip it, and move on to the next ten or fifteen amazing and thoughtful interview.
SoundsTrue
A permaculture related podcast with another excellent host, Frank Aragona. Really excellent old interviews with legends, Bill Mollison, Paul Staments, and P.A. Yeomans. Have a listen and learn about the land.
AgroInnovations
Another permaculture podcast. Used to be Explorations in Permaculture out of Cali. Not my favorite host, though I have grown to love her particular charms, she occasionally comes off a little hippy. Worth the effort, which is minimal.
Sustainable World
21st century Buddhism with yet another excellent host, founder, Ethan Nictern. He is young-ish but has a clear mind and a sharp focus while leading his group through discussions on the perils and peculiarities of modern living, through the lens of Buddhist wisdom and precepts of the Shambala tradition. Great resource to get to know other excellent Buddhist practitioners.
Interdependence Project
Deconstruct media with two entertaining, researched and experienced TV and radio men. Do not be fooled, No Agenda has agendas. One being to expose and hypothesize on the real meaning behind group media messages. Notice the symbols and the propaganda techniques used to program consent into the public mind. Good, fun, and sly show.
No Agenda
Comedy:
Marc Maron is the best comedian to interview other comedians to be found and WTF is the place to hear em. His interest in history and personal struggles serves him very well when interviewing Robin Williams, Louis C.K., Patton Oswald, and even Dane Cook. Plus a hundred or so other amazing road warrior comics. Check out Patrice O'neal, Stewart Lee, and Mike Defastano for real heart touching and/or mind blowing conversations. Plus, you get many of the Mr. Show comics, so, you know.
I recommend Doug Loves Movies for funny, laid back comedy sometimes based around movies.
I recommend The Nerdist.
Comedy Death Ray,
and the Pod F. Tomcast
for funnies.
Free knowledge. Once you buy your iPod, computer, headphones, car hook-up, pay your energy bill...
Haven't heard this one that much yet.
C-Realm
Nor this one.
Survivalist
Some people have a distaste for Tami Simon's voice or approach, in that she sounds a little too NPR-soft tones-sensitive type, but upon further inquiry, she proves a very excellent questionnaire and listener. Her guest's range from out of body experts, to cancer healers, from meditation to trauma experts. Just excellent quality throughout. I've found some guest's have turned me off for some reason or another, but I simply skip it, and move on to the next ten or fifteen amazing and thoughtful interview.
SoundsTrue
A permaculture related podcast with another excellent host, Frank Aragona. Really excellent old interviews with legends, Bill Mollison, Paul Staments, and P.A. Yeomans. Have a listen and learn about the land.
AgroInnovations
Another permaculture podcast. Used to be Explorations in Permaculture out of Cali. Not my favorite host, though I have grown to love her particular charms, she occasionally comes off a little hippy. Worth the effort, which is minimal.
Sustainable World
21st century Buddhism with yet another excellent host, founder, Ethan Nictern. He is young-ish but has a clear mind and a sharp focus while leading his group through discussions on the perils and peculiarities of modern living, through the lens of Buddhist wisdom and precepts of the Shambala tradition. Great resource to get to know other excellent Buddhist practitioners.
Interdependence Project
Deconstruct media with two entertaining, researched and experienced TV and radio men. Do not be fooled, No Agenda has agendas. One being to expose and hypothesize on the real meaning behind group media messages. Notice the symbols and the propaganda techniques used to program consent into the public mind. Good, fun, and sly show.
No Agenda
Comedy:
Marc Maron is the best comedian to interview other comedians to be found and WTF is the place to hear em. His interest in history and personal struggles serves him very well when interviewing Robin Williams, Louis C.K., Patton Oswald, and even Dane Cook. Plus a hundred or so other amazing road warrior comics. Check out Patrice O'neal, Stewart Lee, and Mike Defastano for real heart touching and/or mind blowing conversations. Plus, you get many of the Mr. Show comics, so, you know.
I recommend Doug Loves Movies for funny, laid back comedy sometimes based around movies.
I recommend The Nerdist.
Comedy Death Ray,
and the Pod F. Tomcast
for funnies.
Free knowledge. Once you buy your iPod, computer, headphones, car hook-up, pay your energy bill...
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