Watch more videos at PETA.org

How long must this deplorable act of cruelty to turkeys continue? What kind of human finds the mass slaughtering and heinous treatment of these gentle creatures as being acceptable as a way to make a profit for the traditional Thanksgiving meal?

I implore you, take the time to click on the embedded video link and watch the horror show in how your packaged, de-boned, plucked, and ready to bake turkey becomes your main meal for Thanksgiving.

Why not gorge yourself with a huge helping of mashed potatoes, dressing and a tofu roast with tons of gravy? We all know how much Americans love to pork out on Turkey Day! So eat till your hearts content, but just be aware of what you’re eating and where it came from. If you truly desire to eat a turkey, then at least buy it from a reputable source.

Have A Happy Thanksgiving!

Congratulations to President-elect Barack H Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden!

Yes! I am a bona fide Obamacan I’m only just beginning to reel in from the greatest election of all times and certainly one of the most emotionally overwhelming events in my lifetime. As I sat watching the MSNBC general election coverage with my husband when the news anchor crew had announced that Ohio turned Blue – I thought, do I dare relax in believing that Obama would win? I tempered my hope and excitement and decided to wait for the polls to close in California, Oregon and Washington. When those three states voted Blue and after the guys at MSNBC announced that Obama/Biden were declared victorious– my heart skipped many beats, my breath was stunted and I thought I’d burst from sheer happiness. Tears of joy and relief welled up just like it had for everyone else in the country and across the world for those who were watching.

The buzz. The inspiration. The excitement. The Unity. The speech. This was the “Big One” and the country pulled it off – we all came together: young and old, rich and poor, Asian and Hispanics, Indians and middle-Easterners, Black and White — people from all walks of life had united for a common purpose which was to scream out “Yes we can and we did”! I couldn’t be prouder of my fellow countrymen.

Obama’s victory meant many things for different people. For me it is symbolic that a positive transformation has occurred in the hearts and minds of people by recognizing in a man the depth of his character and intelligence and not the veneer of his skin. The days of electing a man who I would not want to have a beer with nor pal around with are over — “ finito“ gone! That we can participate in, and support a movement that engendered the ideology of the people in how we choose to be governed, by who is the best person for the job and that it transcended racial barriers is a movement which had spoken loudly and clearly and was heard on the night of November 4th, 2008, all over the world.

Now that all the hopes and dreams have been realized on that historic day and after the honeymoon is over, what is next? Does racism suddenly disappear? Does the economy quickly rebound? Will the war in Iraq stop tomorrow, next week, next month? Will the violence in Afghanistan cease and the Afghan people hug each other and forget about it all? Will the Taliban stop hating the infidels? Will Al Qaeda stop being our enemy? Will our national debt morph into a surplus soon? Will my friend, who is unemployed be able to find a job again? Will the widows of fallen soldiers be able to cope with the grief and loss of their loved ones because the war may soon be over? Will she or he be taken care of? Will the poor people in America wake up on January 20th 2009 and have hope instead of despair?

Will the people who have not yet realized that in the 21st century, bigotry is a thing of the past belonging in the dark ages along with chattels, chastity belts, feudalism, fascism, and religious crusaders?

Is there a quick answer or remedy to all of these challenges? Probably not. But at least we have a leader who understands these obstacles and knows that each of these challenges requires tolerance and perseverance. Like Barack Obama stated in his acceptance speech: “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”

We may not be able to overcome all of these obstacles in any given period, but at least we can recognize that without unity and faith in each other and in our leaders, a positive change will not be possible. And if there is any one real truth it is this: Change begins in the minds of people and the heart is where we get our strength.

I don’t believe for one minute, any one president can mitigate the damage that has been done for the past 8 years, in a short time. However, we can give President-elect Barack Obama our support and encouragement by rolling up our sleeves and doing what we can to help him achieve the kind of life we hope to live in a world that has been ravaged by war, prejudices, poverty and violence.

We need a break. We deserve one.

Obama In Germany

So, what do we want in our president besides being a strong leader? How about brains for starters? I want my president to be smarter than me. I couldn’t take another four years of another moron in the Oval office. I would want my president to be compassionate and strong, flexible with nerves of steel, an embracer of change and a champion of the downtrodden and one who will put the interests of his citizens first over the agendas of special interest groups, as well as not back down from a fight but he will not start one.

I’m talking about Senator Barack Obama. For these past few years Senator Obama has demonstrated that he can meet all of the above criteria and then some. I have not been this impressed or excited about any election or a candidate since the late Bobby Kennedy. I applaud all of the Obama/Biden supporters who have volunteered in some way to spread Obama’s campaign message whether it was by phone-calling, canvassing neighborhoods, hosting fund-raisers, etc. Whatever little part we all can do to get Obama elected as our next president will remain with us throughout our lives.

Although, I’m sure the other side of the spectrum (Republicans) feel just as strongly about their candidates. Not because Senator McCain or Sarah Palin meets the proposed criteria, but because they don’t want to lose power. Even if it means trying to elect a president and vice president that flounders, confounds, and incites fear. From what I’ve seen in the past two presidential elections, I would put nothing past the skullduggery tactics of the Republican party to pull out all the stops in these final days ahead. They will weave racial tones into their campaign, vitriolic soundbites to stir up the fear, and foment hatred pitting “US” against “Them” creating even more division in our country. Palin’s utterances are disturbing and caustic enough during her stump speeches. But when being interviewed by the press she speaks like she’s vying for a beauty pageant saying whatever comes to her mind that she thinks sounds good. She doesn’t have a clue as to what the responsibiities of the Vice President are, and maybe that’s because she’s been too busy killing bears and wolves and hunting moose. She’s been out of the country just once and that was to have lunch with the Alaskan National Guard in Kuwait. Sounds like a familiar story — George W. didn’t venture too far from the shores of America either. And they both utter nuclear in the same way “nukular”. Perhaps that is why McCain praises his running mate and claims that she would be ready on day one to step in as President and Commander-In-Chief of the US because she reminds him of George W. Bush. I can only say that his praise and choice of her is one of the defining conclusions as to the poor judgements he has made. And that my friends, is one of the reasons why he should not be elected as our president. Just once, I wish the so-called conservative evangi-Christians who are fearful of an African-American fellow human-being as our president would ask themselves this one question: What is it about having an intelligent person who just happens to have a different genetic make-up that they fear? Please, I say to you all who happen to be stuck in the dark-ages, this is the 21st century, nature’s gift to us is to evolve and diversify. Nothing stays the same. The only pure thing we have is our potential to evolve into a better species. For as history has proven, we weren’t all that great to begin with – it has taken thousands of years for the human to arrive at this present state and we will keep on evolving – so get over it y’all! There is no such thing as a pure race – we’re all from the same wellspring of life.

I would be honored to have Barack Obama as my president. He should be given all the respect and support he deserves, for it takes a very brave man to want to be the next president of the United States in the first place given the present state of affairs we are experiencing.

Contact the Obama/Biden campaign: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

I can recall when our taxi driver turned the car down the drive-way to the Nirarta Center how my eyes widened in amazement when I saw an enormous statue of Ganesh, the Hindu deity, placed firmly at the entrance ready to greet all who had arrived. Ganesh is one of my favorite deities not only because he is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles but he is a man with an elephant’s head, and I love elephants. My first thought when I saw that beautiful statue was that I’ve entered the magic kingdom.

The Nirarta Center is built on a ridge that overlooks a long, winding river and is surrounded by lush-green, tropical plants, exotic flowers and terraced rice fields. There are six traditionally built bungalows that can accommodate up to 22 guests. Each bungalow has upstairs and downstairs and each offers a stunning view of the tropical landscape. In the backdrop of Nirarta, on a very clear day you can see the peak of Mt. Gunung Agung, one of Bali’s most sacred volcanoes. Because Nirarta Center is situated higher up on the island the weather is cooler with gentle breezes and soft cumulus clouds that bring the tropical rains.

Nearby is the village of Sidemen that is within easy distance to some of Bali’s well-known attractions such as, Besakih Temple, the summit climb up Gunung Agung, Tenganan and other local villages known for creating traditional painting and weaving artistry. All of these are easy day trips and can be organized through one of the staff members at Nirarta. I went a little mad looking at all the beautiful handwoven silk and cotton cloths, jewelry, carvings and paintings that if I could have I would have bought most everything in sight. And bargaining with the Warung keepers (shop-keepers), who enjoy the art of negotiating as much as the tourists do, was also part of the wonderful Bali experience.

The group organizer of the Wellness Retreat program, Flora Bardet, facilitated a solid routine of early morning breathing and stretching exercises in the Great Hall plus mid-morning and afternoon Silat Kung Fu training, as well as some evening classes for advanced students. Breakfast was served at 7:30AM. It was either ala carte or buffet meals of traditional Balinese recipes prepared with Nirarta’s organically grown vegetables and fruit. After consuming a sumptuous and healthy breakfast each participant would venture out of the centre to go exploring nearby villages or sit down at the riverbank or enjoy a cool dip in the fresh clear water until the mid-morning workout session began.

After another good sweat from a vigorous workout we would return to our rooms, shower and rest a bit. At 12:15PM we would meet at the dining area for a luncheon feast of some more traditional Balinese food. Come early afternoon or late evening I would give a therapeutic massage to one of the attendees in a cute little hut situated on the ridge above the river. The sound of the cascading stream was better than listening to mood music and would literally lull the person into quick relaxation mode.

Part of the Wellness Retreat wasn’t only about having a great workout or receiving bodywork, we were also there to experience the Balinese way of life by participating in some of their traditional customs and rituals. On the first night we were entertained by a group of male Gamelan musicians and a traditional Legong dance performed by the nearby village girls and boys.

One day we were taken on an adventurous trek to a mountain temple where we would have to climb not only a mountain but ascend at least 1000 steps (or so it seemed) to reach the famous temple. What the Balinese call a gentle hike and was only supposed to take a half day to climb up and back, us westerners would call a “black-diamond run” and took most of the day to climb up and back. Yet that adventure was one of the most memorable and invigorating experiences of my time.

Our guides from the Nirarta center prepared a moveable feast so we could have lunch in the atmosphere of the mountain temple.

For each ceremony we attended or each temple we would visit we would have to wear the traditional attire of a kamben, a cloth (usually batik) wrapped around the waist (wrapped and tied differently by men and women). Women would have to wrap a sash tied around the waist, and the men would have to wear a headdress called an udeng. The Balinese follow the Hindu dharma path and on one of their religious holidays we were taken to the sacred temple on Mt. Agung to attend a ceremony. A heavy mist shrouded the peak of the temple giving it a mystical quality as worshippers ascended the ancient steps leading to the area of the main shrine. Once we were inside we found a place to sit on the ground and followed the example of our guide on what to do during the ritual. The atmosphere was super-charged with a feeling of love and great devotion. Throughout the entire temple the sweet fragrance of incense permeating the air induced me into a sublime state of mind. After the priest bestowed his blessings, we rose and went into another area of the temple and everywhere I looked there were dozens upon dozens of hand-woven baskets decorated with colorful flowers and filled with various food offerings. There was no shortage of those colorful displays which added to the ethereal atmosphere. The sacredness of participating in such an ancient ritual and receiving the blessing from the priest was truly an honor and an unforgettable experience I will always treasure.

Sunsets are especially grand in Bali as it occurs every evening around 5:30PM. Dinner time was an absolute delight and we all looked forward to this convivial atmosphere of great cuisine, affable conversations, and comfortable weather. But most importantly, each participant was precious and significant to the success of the Retreat as was the amazing generosity of the entire Nirarta staff. On our last night we engaged in a huge celebration with a delectable feast, dancing and being entertained by the staff members playing their traditional musical instruments.

Peter Wrycza, the owner and proprietor of Nirarta, is an affable English gentleman who along with his Balinese wife, Dayu, took exceptionally good care of us. Peter’s broad vision in creating an atmosphere of incredible beauty is further enhanced by his expertise in guiding people on a path of harmony and well-being.

My memories of Bali and Nirarta are indelible to say the least. If there isn’t a retreat taking place in Bali that you can join, then take some time for yourself to be by yourself in the magical paradise of Nirarta where Peter and his staff will look after you. Once you are there you can attend the twice-daily meditation practice that takes place in the meditation hall or have a private consultation with Peter who offers re-patterning or transformational coaching. For more information about Nirarta for Living Awareness visit their website at: www.awareness-bali.com

There is much to do in Bali or you can simply do nothing and just be present and alive in each moment in paradise. But this much I do know, be prepared to extend your Bali sojourn.

I will be back!

When I was in my last year of high school in Paris, France, I remember how I had started to feel disillusioned about my life, about my surroundings. Something seemed to be missing – it felt as if I was losing my soul. The only thing that seemed to interest me back then were reading and studying Asian spiritual books and study the geography of South Sea Islands. I remember the allure of Gaugin’s paintings of tropical islands and how I would sit and gaze at them, dreaming about these mysterious places.

Subsequently, the yearning for a radical change had seeped into my being. The spirit of Asia was calling me. I knew I had to respond quickly, as if my life had depended on it. Also, it meant that I would be leaving my home, my family and friends behind, along with the familiar culture in which I was accustomed. In hindsight, I can only say that this was a big event for me right up there with marriage. For a 23 year-old woman to embark on a journey alone without any idea of what the outcome would be was what I now call my “rite of passage”.

I remember the feeling of delight when the plane landed in Bali. It was like I had come home. Shortly after my arrival, I met a lovely Balinese family that would soon take me into their humble abode. They became like my second family. Then as fate would have it, or should I say, as it was pre-ordained, I met a man who had introduced me to Silat, an Indonesian Martial Art practice. He took me to Java where I had met my first Martial Art Master, Subur Raharja, also called Suhu. It was then and there that I had begun my Silat training.

The first few years of my life in Bali are almost ineffable. What words can I use to describe the calmness and natural ease of the Balinese people, and how it felt to walk around barefoot wearing a sarong wrapped around my waist feeling the ocean breeze caressing my skin. Or the intimacy of when we would sit on the floor to eat our meals and how it felt to rise at dawn in the stillness of the hour and begin practicing Silat on the beach and sometimes near a temple, immersed in the morning silence. I felt a connection to everything, all of life.

My master, Suhu, was a fierce Silat warrior who had the compassionate heart of a Buddha. Suhu was the founder of the White Crane Silat School, the biggest and most well known Martial Art School in Indonesia. He taught me how to slide smoothly using my feet like radar. How to jump so I could land properly, how to roll and fall so we could relax and let go of our fear. To practice self-defense with art, not just efficiency, and how to move with fluidity like a crane, a tiger, or a snake, and how to merge with our essence. As the years went by, the teaching became less austere and softer and more joyful.

For twenty years, whilst I studied and practiced at the White Crane Silat School in Java, I had still maintained my home in Bali. I taught on-going classes at my own home and center. My apprenticeship and teaching of Silat in Indonesia has been a life changing experience, which has brought me back to myself, the original purpose of my journey.

Through Silat, I have learned to harmonize my yin and yang aspects, releasing the dam of tension and separation within me and bringing myself closer to my true nature.

Suhu would say, “Silat is life”. Therefore, embodying Silat not only takes place through my regular martial art practice of sharing and teaching it, but also through living it daily with sincerity, flowing with the current of life with grace and inner balance.

By continuing to share my experience, I will also learn more, because that too, is the way of Silat, the way of life.

For more information about Flora Bardet and Silat please visit her site at: www.langitanah.com

where hidden memories lay.
Each seam, each trench
covered by another woe
from another event.

With endless determination I would
chisel and smooth away
the hardened edges that suffering
and pain have built upon.

Yet, not so amazing is the
strength and will one has
to keep building on the past.
But why? might I ask.

Isn’t it better to have had the
experience and move on,
using the mind as a summit
instead of a dungeon?

copyright 2006 by Adele L Nieto

we lay together,
flesh and limbs entwined
his eyes see nothing
as if he was blind

when the deed of our lust is over
and the embers in my heart still burn
his emotions are disturbingly sober,
as he moves to one side and turns,

his facial expression says one thing
yet his words reveal quite another,
‘I hate leaving you again,’
says my pale lover.

Copyright December 7, 2005
Adele L Nieto

For Christmas I received such a gift. I am one of many sponsors of a baby female orphaned elephant named Dida who lives at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. She was only four weeks old at the time when she was found trapped inside a manhole by a group of railway workers. Her mother and family were nowhere in sight. But had she not been found by these concerned men, she might have died inside the manhole or had been eaten by the local tribes who consider elephant meat a delicacy.

The railway workers notified the Sheldrick Trust and soon a group of Keepers from the organization went out to rescue little Dida. She was flown to the Trust Nursery in Nairobi where she is being properly nurtured and cared for. Through the support of the Sheldrick Orphan Project young elephants and rhinoceros are placed in a nursery where they are fed a particular milk formula, receive 24-hour care by the many keepers of the Trust, and are in close contact with the older orphans that become the baby?s extended family. This is a very crucial stage for the newcomers, as it provides the familial bond that is vitally necessary for their emotional well-being.

Elephants are one of the most amazing species of animal life on the planet. Their emotional and familial instincts are so closely related to humans that some of these baby elephants can easily die of a broken heart if they aren’t quickly cared for. The time for senseless slaughtering of these magnificent animals must come to an end. No more poaching and butchering for ivory. No more acts of mutilation for the rhino?s horns. No more culling and mass murdering of these magnificent animals simply because their natural habitats have been dramatically reduced and had crossed boundaries with that of humans. Join the many caring people of the world who want to bring an end to the senseless killing of these majestic giants.

You can help now. For in depth information about fostering an orphan elephant or rhino, visit the website of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust at: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org and see how easy it is to become a foster parent. This is a very special honor and one that will generate awareness of our animal kingdom and the great responsibility we have to protect them.

All photos of orphaned elephants and rhinoceros are copyrighted by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Organization.

Questioner called El Mano: I plan on leaving my job shortly but due to my committment to finish this project, I feel guilty if I leave too soon. What was July 1, 2008 could turn into August 31, 2008. Should I stay or f*&% it and leave as planned? What would you do?

Guruji says: El Mano — does that mean the hand in Spanish? Are you the one that says “Talk to the Hand”?

El Mano, your dilemma is a simple one. Two months is too long. Two months might stretch into another two months and then you might be looking at another delay. Ask yourself this, will your current employer’s business fall apart because you didn’t finish the project? Are you the only one in your organization who can finish the project? If so, then the answer is obvious you stay and finish. If not, then leave on the date you have given without feelings of guilt. But I will be saying this much, business will continue with or without you. Yet most westerners like to be leaving on a good note and with good feelings about their image — that is called pride, hmm. Ergo if you are thinking that you will not be thought of in an esteemed manner then that is something that will keep you bound to frustration and guilt the rest of your life no matter where you go or what you do. I say phooey to that trap! Be free of that and know that you and many others like yourself have given years of time and energy to your occupations and if you believe that you have always done your best, then be satisfied with that and leave on a positive note. Don?t let waves of guilt wash over you, hmm.

But, if there are other aspects to your leaving, start whittling away at the causes by asking: Will you be getting a bonus if you stay the two extra months? If so, do you need the extra money? Will you have to cancel any plans you have made for the summer if you extend your retirement date? Are two more months going to make you suffer in any way if you stay? Will anyone suffer at your work if you don’t stay? After asking these questions then let them all go out into the ether and don?t think about them anymore. Let go of any preconceived ideas about what to do and allow your mind to be receptive to what enters. Then make your decision with a clear conscience. I am hoping to have been of some help to you in your dilemma. The obvious choice is right at the tip of your nose but you don?t see it yet. You will!

Questioner called Stressed Out 50-something Woman: Guruji, I am now on the other side of 50. My issue is I feel that I am too old to be looking young, and too young to be feeling old. I am caught between feeling young enough to compete in the job market against the 20 to 40 year olds, but don’t have the ambition to tolerate the office politics of being the old fart of the group and trying to hide my oldness with bottles of hair dye, anti-wrinkle lotions and botox treatments. I know these so-called aids will not disguise the number of my age on a job application. But I don’t want to feel that I am no longer useful in life. I am single, well-educated and still have lots of energy. I have no one to depend on for financial support and with the economic situation in the toilet, I am scared to death that I will live out the rest of my life in poverty and playing solitaire on the computer.

Guruji says: Your situation is very common and it is one that affects thousands of what the west calls “the baby-boomer” generation. In my world, age is not a factor nor has it ever been one. But in the world of humans, aging has become a disease, hmm. Something to fight against, something to avoid becoming, hmm. I say phooey to that nonsense. Age is an aspect of time and space — it goes with the territory. Yet, I understand your situation. Look at it this way, instead of saying you are getting older start saying that you are now on the right side of 50. The right side of 50 can mean many positive things for you. You don’t have to wear those ugly outfits that seem to be parading around on stick-pins called models, you don’t have to become bulimic, you don’t have to slug down the tequila shooters to prove you’re one of the guys, and you don’t have to feel guilty about having to always look beautiful. On the right side of 50 you won’t have to be worrying about getting pregnant, but you should always be mindful of not throwing good common sense out the window, which you won’t because you are an experienced human being. As you might be saying, “been there, done it”! Hmm. Now, if you are fearing being lonely, that tis another issue, isn’t it, but it has nothing to do with age. Besides there are being thousands of organizations and groups established for the 50 demographic just join one or two or three, and see how many women are sharing the same boat as you. Your age should only indicate that you’re old enough to know better and wise enough to know when to step aside. I say phooey to getting old, hmm. The body is an instrument that your mind rules. The mind is not aging at tall, it tis evolving and expanding.

Now onto more serious issues of being impoverished. There are many forms of poverty. Poverty of the spirit is one of them, and one that can be transcended only if you are willing to endeavor on a path that can uplift your soul and expand your consciousness. Unfortunately, in today?s society the idea of being impoverished amplifies the fact that you won’t be gainfully employed because of your age. With the dreadful economical situation it is difficult to remain positive but you must do so. Sit and ponder what your true purpose in life is and honestly seek within yourself for the answer. You will see that there are many ways for you to be useful. One such way is whenever you sit and meditate or pray please do so by holding humanity in your heart and know that that little gesture goes a long way. As one great living being once said: One hour of sincere prayer is worth a lifetime of service.

So my conclusion is this, you can always feel youthful even when you’re 70, 80 or 100. Youthfulness belongs to everyone from 0-???

Guru Whattanuttananda saying good-by and many blessings to you all!

Namaste