Is Groundhog’s Day a Lesson in Living a Low Density Lifestyle?

The Low Density Lifestyle book is now out! You can check out an excerpt from the book, and buy it, at the Low Density Lifestyle bookstore.

Happy Groundhog’s Day! Feb. 2 is a day we all spend in wonderment and awe, because it is Groundhog’s Day. On this day, everyone waits to hear the proclamation from Punxsutawney Phil, on whether or not he has seen his shadow. If he does, then winter will last longer than usual.

And today, Feb. 2, 2011, in Punsxutawney, PA, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, Phil the Groundhog, the one who Groundhog’s Day is centered around, woke up, toured the neighborhood, watched the news, gave his opinion on what’s going on in Egypt, and then pronounced that he did not see his shadow. Thus folks, it’s going to be only 4 more weeks of winter.

(Isn’t that heartening news for those of you who are currently digging out of the latest winter storm?)

But even more important than whether Phil saw his shadow is another lesson from Groundhog’s Day. And that is this: Is Groundhog’s Day a Lesson in Living a Low Density Lifestyle?

Ok, I have to admit, I’m not talking about the trials and tribulations of good ol’ Punxsutawney Phil in this instance. I’m talking about the movie Groundhog Day, a film that has been called one of the 10 best American films ever. It has even been called by some spiritual leaders as “the most spiritual film of our time.”

In Groundhog Day the film, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a stressed out, self-centered, bitter and jaded television weatherman assigned to cover Groundhog’s Day in Punxsutawney. A blizzard keeps him in town that night, and he wakes up the next day to find out he is reliving Groundhog’s Day again. And every night when he goes to bed, he arises the next morning to find out he is again reliving Groundhog’s Day. This continues over and over, ad nauseum.

But Phil Connors is the only one who is reliving the day; he is the only one stuck in time. For everyone else, they begin anew at Groundhog’s Day as if it never happened.

Connors then goes through a series of transitions, from first trying to use it to his advantage, by learning secrets from the locals, seducing women, stealing money and getting piss drunk and driving around town. As the novelty wears off, and he sees the meaningless of his actions, he next kidnaps Phil the groundhog and kills himself and the groundhog. But again, he wakes up the next morning, still stuck back in Groundhog’s Day.

And then a profound transformation of his character occurs, as he comes to realize what kind of horrible person he has become–he is someone who is totally indifferent to anyone else but himself. He learns to stop being so self-absorbed and to truly care about others, he works at self-improvment and becoming a better human being, and he opens his heart to profess his sincere love to his colleague Rita, who he always lusted after; Rita in response had only contempt for Phil Connors and his High Density Lifestyle ways.

At the end of Groundhog Day, Murray and Rita unite in love. When they wake up in the morning together in bed, it is now Feb. 3: Groundhog’s Day has ended and the time loop has broken. The two are together as a couple, and Phil Connors is a changed man, a man who has learned to live a Low Density Lifestyle.

Right on for Groundhog’s Day (even if it means 4 more weeks of winter)!

The Low Density Lifestyle Book is Here and On Sale for the Holidays!!

Just in time for the holidays, and to help you, your friends and your family live a healthier and happier life, from now until Dec. 31, the Low Density Lifestyle book and ebook are on sale!

When you buy one copy of the Low Density Lifestyle book at the regular price of $19.95, you will get a second copy free! And the ebook, normally $12.95, is on sale for $9.95.

Don’t delay – get your copy now, and make your holidays a Low Density Lifestyle one! Just scroll down to the order info below and you’ll be able to make the purchase.

Get your copy now of The Low Density Lifestyle, in book or ebook format!

___________________________

Download and read a free sample excerpt from the book by clicking here:

Low Density Lifestyle Book Excerpt

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The Low Density Lifestyle is the revolutionary new book by Dr. Michael Wayne, author of the groundbreaking book, Quantum-Integral Medicine: Towards a New Science of Healing and Human Potential.

The Low Density Lifestyle is experiencing and living in a more relaxed, less stressed, and calm, clear and focused manner on an everyday basis. It is also a way that can lead you to better health and happiness, along with living a more fulfilled and enlightened life.

This is a book about many things—health, wellness, happiness, fulfillment, doing what you love, movement, being a creative thinker—but at the same time, it’s about one thing: living to your maximum potential.

The goal with this book is to help you become a more complete human being. We are meant to live a healthy life, a more fulfilled life, a conscious life, and a more awakened life—this is what it means to be a complete human being.

And this is what is meant by living a Low Density Lifestyle: it is a model for living.

Get your copy now, and get ready to change your life!

________________________________________________________________________

Download and read a free sample excerpt from the book by clicking here:

Low Density Lifestyle Book Excerpt _____________________________________________________________________

The Store:

To order, click on the Add to Cart button underneath what you would like to purchase and then just follow the simple instructions. Except for The Low Density Lifestyle book, all other orders are digital, which means they can be instantly downloaded:

***To order a signed copy of the book, the cost is $19.95 + shipping (enter your country and zip/postal code to find out shipping costs):

Our holiday sale: Now through Dec. 31, for each copy of the book you buy, you will get another copy free! Just click on the button below, fill out the info, and we’ll take care of the rest!

***To order the instant download ebook, the cost is $12.95:

Our holiday sale: Now through Dec. 31, the price of the ebook is $9.95. Just click on the button below and fill out the info and you’ll pay just $9.95!

***In addition to the book, we now have available a variety of special reports, each for $5, and each instantly downloadable!:

***Special report #1:What is Chinese Medicine and How Can It Make You Become Healthier? (10 pages) $5

***Special report #2: The Top Herbs for Healing and the Top Ten Herbs for Stress Relief (9 pages) $5

***Special Report #3: How to Live a Low Density Lifestyle: The 12-Step Guide (6 pages) $5

***Special Report #4: How To Be Happy: 7 Steps to Help You Get On the Path of Doing What You Love and the 12 Secrets to Happiness (9 pages) $5

***Special Report #5: How to Develop Your Creative Intelligence and Vision: Do You Have What It Takes To Become A Visionary? (10 pages) $5

***Special Report #6: The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners and Why They’re Bad for Your Health (11 pages) $5

***Special Report #7: Stress and Relaxation: 10 Warning Signs You’re Stressed Out, and 30 Ways to Relax (8 pages) $5

Dream…Believe…Love/Happy Xmas(War is Over)

As we enter into the Holiday season, I thought a good way to end the year – this is the last article of the year (I’ll resume with the Masters of Enlightenment series right after the New Year) – is with the above video.

It’s a video montage I created in celebration of the spirit of the Holidays.

It’s an homage to peace, love, trust, hope, belief, and the knowledge that we can make this a better world, a peaceful, sane, healthy and happy world, a Low Density Lifestyle world.

I call it Dream…Believe…Love.

If only everyone lived by that credo…

Below is another video that captures the spirit of the Holidays.

This is a song that when it came out in 1971 was branded as radical because it was written and sung by a notorious peace activist, John Lennon. Yet now, the song is heard every year at this time.

And that’s because it tells us of hope – about a world of peace, which is what the Xmas spirit is about, and also what a Low Density Lifestyle world is about. So now the song is a hymn that is heard every Xmas holiday season.

As well it should.

The only sad thing about the song is that it was written by a man who is no longer with us, a visionary who perceived what a Low Density Lifestyle world looked like, and articulated it very clearly.

Happy Xmas/War is Over – Thank you John Lennon.

And I want to thank each and every one of you…

Have a wonderful Holiday season, and see you next year.

What is Enlightenment?

The most recent articles on the Low Density Lifestyle site were a three-part video interview entitled The PETA Interviews.

They were interviews with Ashley Gonzalez of PETA, and we spoke about PETA’s mission, goals and work.

In case you were paying attention, the interviews actually interrupted a series that had recently begun on spirituality.

So now, I return back to the series on spirituality with today’s article, entitled What is Enlightenment?

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. — Lao Tzu

Spirituality is a domain of awareness. — Deepak Chopra.

We have always been involved in spiritual evolution. We are spiritual beings, we have always been spiritual beings and we will always be spiritual beings. — Gary Zukav

And so, what is enlightenment? In a broad sense, enlightenment means wisdom or a clarity of perception. In 1784, the philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote a famous essay entitled “What is Enlightenment?” in which he attempted to answer the question.

“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity,” Kant began the essay, and continued on for another 2,600 words. The gist of what Kant said is that immaturity is self-inflicted not from a lack of understanding, but from the lack of courage to use one’s reason, intellect, and wisdom without the guidance of another. It is “our fear of thinking for ourselves,” he proclaimed, and he exhorted the reader of his essay to “Sapere aude!”: Dare to be wise.

Enlightenment is a life of wisdom, knowledge, insight and clarity of thought. It is about functioning at peak capability, of feeling interconnected with all facets of the universe, and of understanding on a profound level how the universe operates. A person who is enlightened is also FREE: they are in the flow, they embody relaxation, calmness and stillness, and they act with effortless effort.

A person who is enlightened is also awakened from the veil of illusion, what in Hinduism is called Maya.

In theories of enlightenment, it is understood that humans go through an evolution of consciousness, and the more enlightened a person becomes in their lifetime, the higher up the evolutionary ladder of consciousness do they go. According to this, these people are capable of thinking more holistically and truly understanding the integral connection between the world of science and matter and the world of spirit.

Some of the people who experience enlightenment in this way become leaders in their community or in the greater society, while others keep a lower profile and prefer a quiet, peaceful existence; nevertheless, all of these people are teachers in one way or another.

And all of these people live (or have lived) a Low Density Lifestyle.

The River-Woman’s Daughter

The series on The Roots of Healing has ended – the last article in the series was the three-part article on Wilhelm Reich.

I now turn towards a new subject, that of Spirituality. I’ll be exploring this subject over the next few weeks.

Connecting to the spiritual dimension is something that is important, and is a key element of living a Low Density Lifestyle. You’ll learn more about this as this series unfolds.

Today, as a kick-off to this series, we have a poem by the poet David Tucker. David last graced the Low Density Lifestyle website at the beginning of the year with the article Onto a New Year, which featured a series of David’s poems.

This is what David has to say about himself:
“I am a poet who lives in Vermont where I struggle to dig from the rock of mundanity formed by the details and disappointments of life the images that will startle us and remind us how we are connected to each other and to all the universe.”

Today, here is his poem, For Goldberry, the River-Woman’s Daughter.

For Goldberry, the River-Woman’s Daughter

I love God,
passionately.
I mean,
I make a real production of it.
I walk around the house,
shouting Her name,
His name.
I weep.
My heart
jumps up
on the fence hammered
from all my ecstasy
and crows
and crows
my adoration
to the sweet presence
making love
to every cell of my body.

And now,
to the middle
of my river of bliss,
you glide on your slim bark
signal flags proclaiming peace
and intelligence,
love and compassion
smelling of herbs,
earth
and the sun
stored in the leaves of Summer.

What will I do?
I am so vulnerable
to the Daughters of River Goddesses.
Even mortal women
have been able
to unbuckle the leather
strapped around my heart
and send me chasing
down the street
after my spilled emotions.

What,
in the sweet name of heaven
will happen with you?
This is not fair.
We speak together,
connect,
and a sacred song
from the mists off Withywindle
rattles the chimes
of my soul.
Within you
I see the One I adore.
I see the One
who stirs my heart
to leap upon the backs of stars
and ride
the dark and silver sky.

I think I’m had.
I think I’m stuck.
But,
even in my bondage
may I sing loud and sweet.
I may never be allowed
to kiss the dawn
into your heart,
but,
always,
always,
will I remember Who you are.
Remember Who lives within you,
Will, always
dance my prayers
to you
over miles
or years
or death
to brighten,
at least,
a little corner
of the garden
of the River-Woman’s Daughter.

A Look at Traditional Chinese Medicine, Part 1

During this series on the Roots of Medicine, having looked at Traditional Tibetan Medicine with the last article, and the time before having looked at Ayurvedic Medicine, today I turn my sights on another ancient system of medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine, like Tibetan and Ayurvedic Medicine, is a highly sophisticated and highly evolved system. Like all traditional forms of medicine, and like what Western Medicine used to be before it became a technological medicine, it is both a science and art.

(Full disclosure: as a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, I am highly biased towards this brilliant form of medicine.)

Chinese Medicine is a highly logical system of medicine, and all the concepts and theories that are part of it make a lot of sense.

Most people in the West, especially the U.S., when they think of Chinese Medicine, think of acupuncture. Yet acupuncture is just one modality within Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine has five main modalities, what are called the Five Branches. Acupuncture is one modality; Chinese Herbal Medicine is another; dietary therapy is a third; tui na/shiatsu/acupressure is a fourth; and qi gong is the fifth.

In China, Chinese Herbal Medicine is considered the modality of choice for most internal medicine problems; in the West, acupuncture is seen as the primary modality of Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine is a by-product of Taoism, the philosophy that is at the core of Chinese thinking. The Tao is translated as the “Path” or “Way” (of Life).

Taoism is based on the teachings of Lao Tzu, the Chinese sage in the sixth century B.C.E. He taught that “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.” He wrote his teachings down in 81 chapters, and this book forms the Tao Te Ching, which is the essence of Taoism.

He begins his teaching in the first chapter, where he says,
“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.”

The essence of practicing Taoism is to learn to be in the flow – which is also the essence of living a Low Density Lifestyle. And in Taoism, to be in the flow is to be like water. As Lao Tzu says:
“The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In business, be competent.
In action, watch the timing.

No fight: No blame.”

Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, the relationship between humanity and the cosmos, health and longevity, and wu wei (action through inaction, also known as effortless effort, which is a key component of living a Low Density Lifestyle), which is thought to produce harmony with the Universe.

And harmony with the Universe is an important tenet both of Taoism and Chinese Medicine. Harmony with the Universe is attained by balancing the needs of the opposites and bringing them together in union. The harmony of opposites is what the famous Taoist symbol, that of yin and yang in unison, speaks of.

Taoism philosophy states that from the Tao, the eternal force that permeates the universe, the opposite yet harmonizing forces of yin and yang, spring forth. And from yin and yang, the ten thousand things arise.

And thus, from this very simple philosophy does Chinese Medicine spring forth. In fact, all Chinese thinking stems from this philosophy, and because of this, the traditional Chinese arts, sciences and martial arts, are all manifestations of it.

In other words, all traditional aspects of Chinese culture are meant to be reflections of the Tao.

I’ll continue with this discussion in the next article, and take a more in-depth look at Chinese Medicine.

Health is the Greatest Wealth, Part 2

In yesterday’s article, Health is the Greatest Wealth, Part 1, I discussed that health is a commodity that, while much in demand, is hard to grasp. Everyone wants to be healthier, but the way most people go about it, is hard to attain.

I said that here in the U.S., there is not a healthcare system; instead it is a sickcare system. The goal is not to help people become healthier and develop a state of wellness; it is about managing illness – and even at that, the U.S. sickcare system does not do a good job.

Unfortunately, there is big money to be made in sickcare, what with the endless tests, procedures, drugs and surgeries that can be done. And there is not a lot of money to be made in helping people to become healthy, because when that happens then there is less or no need for doctors, hospitals and drugs.

Now I know the last thing you want to see is any segment of our already battered economy hurt by a lack of discretionary spending, but let’s face it, excessive spending on the sickcare system, which is the case at this point in time, is not going to be the way to any type of economic recovery.

Just as  green, environmentally sound, based technologies, energy policy and lifestyles are the wave of the future and the blueprint for an economic renaissance, so is a holistic-oriented health care system in which people are empowered to know how to seek and attain better health.

Now, achieving better health may require you to see a health provider, but this health provider does not have to be a physician. They may be an acupuncturist, naturopath, homeopath, herbalist, chiropractor, body worker, energy worker, therapist, or a practitioner of some other treatment modality. Or you may see a few practitioners, including a physician, to meet your needs.

Whoever you see, it’s best if you envisioned them as part of a team, and that you, as the person who knows you the best, as the director of the team.

Often, the body seems to work in mysterious ways that seem confounding for someone not trained in medicine and health. But the body is not that complicated; you can train yourself to think in the same way that outstanding health providers think and learn to figure out what is going on when you are not feeling well.

The good health providers think like detectives and try to decipher what is going on in the body by trying to understand what it is that the body is attempting to communicate. The detective work will investigate diet and lifestyle and see if these factors are playing a primary role in causing illness.

By carefully going over the diet and by looking at the various aspects of someone’s life—their work, relationships, stresses, attitude, passions and other things—the answer is usually found.

If you are willing to take the time to honestly look at your life and assess it, you can figure it out on your own, although often times an objective person is required to help you to understand your life and get you standing back on your own two feet.

If you are willing to go this route, you will become healthier and be immersed in a Low Density Lifestyle. Once you are in this mode, your health approach will change to one oriented towards wellness and prevention, and when you see a health provider, that person will most probably be a practitioner of holistic medicine, and your visits will be wellness oriented.

For instance, in ancient China, people traditionally saw an acupuncturist once every season, for their seasonal “tune-up.” This helped keep them healthy through the season. Ironically in our society, we take our car in for a seasonal tune-up so that the car can run well for the duration of the season, while neglecting to do anything proactive for ourselves.

If you take care of your health by taking a proactive stance, it will pay itself off in huge dividends. You will feel physically and mentally better, and be capable of living more in the flow.

An Arabic proverb says it well: He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.

Health is the Greatest Wealth, Part 1

The first wealth is health. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Please keep in mind the distinction between healing and treatment: treatment originates from outside, whereas healing comes from within. – Andrew Weil

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, and in the cause and prevention of disease. – Thomas Edison

As of today, we begin a new series, shifting the focus from sustainable/green living, which was the topic of the last series, to health.

Health is the greatest wealth, but it seems to be a commodity that, while much in demand, is hard to grasp. Everyone wants to be healthier, but the way most people go about it, is hard to attain.

In the U.S., medical costs are skyrocketing, as are insurance premiums. At the same time, all that money spent is not doing much good in helping people become healthier; sickness rates across the board keep going up, up, up.

The U.S. medical system is a sick care system, not a health care system. It knows nothing about how to help people live healthier lives; it is all about trying to arrest illness – and at that it’s not doing a great job.

And so, over the next few weeks, I’ll be talking about health and how to be healthier in a variety of ways.

I’ve discussed on these pages many times the importance of a whole foods oriented diet, one that’s not heavy in animal protein.

Eating well is the foundation for being healthy, but the cultivation of overall good health and wellness includes other factors, and is ultimately about developing the right approach and mindset. If you do that, good health becomes easy to achieve and maintain.

Being in good health allows you to easily live a Low Density Lifestyle, while being in ill health is not conducive to it. Unfortunately, most people are walking around in poor health, and are taking medications in order that they can function, be productive and carry on in their daily routine.

Medications have a number of inherent problems, and do not help to restore health. All they do at best is arrest symptoms and keep you functioning. They can cause side effects that range from mild to severe, can be toxic to the liver, can depress the immune system and can lead to other long-term health problems.

The key to developing good health is empowering yourself and being proactive. If you are not feeling well, this is a signal from the body that something is amiss. If you learn to listen to what the body is saying, and take that message to heart, you will start becoming healthier.

One of the inevitable side effects of a High Density Lifestyle, which is a lifestyle of high stress, is illness. Just the stress of living this way will sooner or later catch up to you.

But if you start listening to you body, you will start to understand when the body is telling you that you are overtaxed. Instead of rushing to take a drug for the symptoms you are experiencing from living a High Density Lifestyle, if you learn to slow down, that by itself may do you wonders.

Now, I’m not saying that you should never take a medication—there are times when they are necessary, but they should only be seen as a bridge, a temporary remedy while you work on the permanent solution.

The great majority of people seek out a doctor when they are not feeling well, with the hope that the doctor will have the answers. But did you know that most physicians are immersed in a High Density Lifestyle? A study published in the September 2008 medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that when physicians are in medical school, 50% suffer from burnout and 10% consider suicide.

If this is what they go through when they are trained, how can the profession be of help in understanding how to help a person get off the treadmill of a High Density Lifestyle?

I’ll continue in this vein tomorrow, talking about health and how to achieve it.

The Low Density Lifestyle Out at Sea, Part 3

Today is the final part of the 3-part interview with Andrea and Karl Matson-Dekay, intrepid sailors, having lived on their sailboat for the past 5 years with their two boys.

It’s a great tale they tell, of a simple life and a good life, living in a sustainable way, and a Low Density Lifestyle way. They’re happy, healthy, and doing it their own way.

As a postscript, Andrea and Karl, as of this writing, are back at sea, sailing their way to the U.S. where they will be staying in Southern CA for the next few months as they ready themselves for their next adventure. After their short U.S. hiatus, they will be heading to Costa Rica, where they will be living with their two boys for the next year.

I’ll be visiting with them in the future, so you’ll get to hear more from our intrepid travelers – and foreign correspondents.

I hope you’ve enjoyed all segments. In case you missed it, here are the links to the other two parts:
The Low Density Lifestyle Out at Sea, Part 1
The Low Density Lifestyle Out at Sea, Part 2

This closes the series on sustainable/green living.

Before I close, I want to tell you that I have very sad news to impart to you.  If you recall, a couple of weeks ago I was talking about the Monsanto corporation and how important it was that we show our love to them, with the article Don’t You Just Love Monsanto?

In a separate article, I discussed Monsanto’s Roundup product, and talked about how it was creating a new generation of superweeds.

Well, the sad news is that sales of Roundup are down, and it’s hurting Monsanto’s bottom line. They announced the other day that their fiscal third quarter net income is down 45%.

So grab that box of tissues and wipe the tears away from your eyes. We can only hope the makers of DDT, Agent Orange, Nutrasweet, genetically modified seeds, bovine growth hormone, PCBs, and all kinds of other really cool stuff will come up with some new product that will increase their profits while once again improving our way of life.

I propose that all of you go out now and buy some Roundup, as a way to show your support to this beleaguered company.

Furthermore, I also propose that this summer a benefit concert be held, in the style of Farm Aid, to also help out Monsanto. After all, they have done so much for America’s farmers. I’m going to be contacting Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, the originators of Farm Aid, and see if they would be willing to get involved for this worthy cause.

The Low Density Lifestyle Out at Sea, Part 2

Today we have the second part of this 3-part interview with Andrea and Karl Matson-Dekay, who have been living on their sailboat along with their two kids for the last 5 years.

In case you missed it, yesterday was part 1 of the interview.

Having lived in Southern California all their lives, one day Andrea and Karl decided it was time to leave the rat race and consumer society, and live a more meaningful existence.

So they sold their house, bought a sailboat, and with their two boys, Patrick and Casey, who at the time were 11 and 6, set out to sail. The spent the first 1 1/2 years living in Northern California as they got the boat in order, and for the last 3 1/2 years they’ve lived in Mexico, far from the madding crowd.

It’s a simple lifestyle they lead and a healthier and happier one too.

Interestingly, they have only good things to say about the Mexican health care system, based on their interaction with it. Although they have American health insurance, they have paid out of pocket for the few times they’ve incurred health care expenses. They talk about it in today’s interview, saying that it is affordable and easily accessible.

So watch and listen in to learn all about a family living a Low Density Lifestyle in their own unique way. Once you do, you will get to thinking about how you too can find your own unique way to live a Low Density Lifestyle.

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