[Positivity] How to Make It Easier to Get to Know Someone

One of my favorite websites, The Positivity Blog

Hi!

 

Today I would like to share three of my favorite tips for making it easier to establish a relationship with someone. Maybe in a new class. On a date. At work or in a job interview. Or at the New Year's party this weekend.

 

Assume rapport.

 

This one can work quickly. That is, if you can suspend your disbelief for while and keep your mind open. It won't work if you don't think it will work.

 

So, what is assuming rapport?

 

Basically, instead of going into a conversation or meeting nervously and thinking "how will this go?" you take a different approach. You assume that you and the person(s) will establish a good connection (rapport).

 

How do you do that? Just before the meeting, you just think/pretend that you'll be meeting a good friend. Then you'll naturally slip into a more comfortable, confident and enjoyable emotional state and frame of mind. In this state of mind the conversation tends to flow more naturally too, without much thinking. Just like with your friends.

 

I have used this small tip many, many times by now and have found it surprisingly useful and easy to implement. It's a sort of variation of acting as you would like to feel.

 

This tip also helps you and the other people to set a good frame for the interaction. A frame is always set at the start of an interaction. It might be a nervous and stiff frame, a formal and let's-get-to-the-point kind of frame or perhaps a super relaxed one. The thing is that the frame that is set in the beginning of the conversation is often one that may stay on for a while.

 

Now, meeting your best friend might not always be the best thing to think about before a meeting at school/work. In that case you may want to try to imagine a similar meeting that went well and your interactions with the people there.

 

But what if you come off as a weird person? Well, that is always a risk in the beginning when you start using this tip. But I believe that most of the time such thoughts are only in your head. No one likes awkward and uncomfortable interactions. So if you just assume rapport immediately then most people that may have been nervous/felt awkward will adapt to your more comfortable and relaxed frame.

 

This is also a quick way to reconnect with the mental and emotional state your friends might be referring to when they give you the classic advice to "just be yourself".

 

See yourself in other people.

 

"Who sees all beings in his own self, and his own self in all beings, loses all fear."

Isa Upanishad, Hindu Scripture

 

The ego wants to divide your world. It wants to create barriers, separation and loves to play the comparison game. The game where people are different compared to you, the game where you are better than someone and worse than someone else. All of that creates fear in social situations. Doing the opposite removes fear.

 

That there is no real separation between beings, that we are one and the same, might sound a bit corny.

 

But one thought you may want to try for a day is that everyone you meet is your friend. You do this practically by using the previous tip.

 

Another idea is to see what parts of yourself you can see in someone you meet.

 

As I mentioned above, there is pretty much always a frame set in any interaction. It may make you and the others feel awkward or comfortable. But underlying such feelings is a frame of mind.

 

Either it asks us how we are different from this person. Or how we are the same as this person. The first frame is based in how the ego likes to judge people and create separation to strengthen itself (either through feeling better or more like a victim). The second one creates warmth, an openness and curiosity within. There is no place to focus on fear or judgement anymore.

 

So set the right frame of mind by asking yourself: what parts of this person can I see in myself? How is he or she like me?

 

Practise.

 

Although the two ideas above can be very useful, the most important thing - as with anything - is practise. By doing things and learning from mistakes, failures and successes you can improve any part of your life. Your social skills too.

 

And by practise I mean using, for example, assuming rapport a couple of dozen times. Not two or three times.

By being open and believing that this stuff works and by practising it over and over - just like a tennis serve - it become easier and easier to do it. Both because you get better at it and because you doubt yourself less and less in such social situations.

 

I hope this email will help you to make 2012 a year of new and exciting relationships,

 

Henrik

 

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Want to learn much more about living a simpler, happier and less stressful life where you dare to follow and achieve your dreams in 2012? Then have a look at my four premium courses and guides:

The Self-Esteem Course - Stop feeling lousy about yourself and start living a life of self-happiness where you live up to your potential and dare to follow your dreams today.
Simplicity - My monthly membership course on how to simplify six of the most important areas in your life.
The Art of Relaxed Productivity - How I tripled my own productivity and effectiveness and decreased stress greatly.
The Power of Positivity - How to become a more mindful, motivated, action-taking optimist.

The Truth About Hair and Why Indians Would Keep Their Hair Long -- Science of the Spirit -- Sott.net

The Truth About Hair and Why Indians Would Keep Their Hair Long -- Science of the Spirit -- Sott.net: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/234783-The-Truth-About-Hair-and-Why-Indians-Would-Keep-Their-Hair-Long

Fwd: FFWD - Calgary News & Views - News - Cree speak in U.K. on oilsands

Subject: FFWD - Calgary News & Views - News - Cree speak in U.K. on oilsands

UPDATE: Crystal Lameman-Cardinal Speaks out...

News Release for November10,2011

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/cree-speak-in-uk-on-oilsands-8387/

She is so amazing & I can never thank her enough for speaking for us in a country that refuses to hear us or Mother Earth's cry!

CBC News : Keystone pipeline decision shelved until 2013

I thought you might be interested in this article.
_________________________

The U.S. State Department has ordered an environmental assessment for a new Keystone XL pipeline route, allowing U.S. President Barack Obama to shelve the controversial issue until after the 2012 elections.
_________________________
This story, forwarded to you, appears on http://www.cbc.ca at the following URL:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/11/10/keyston-pipeline-route.html

Take Care,
Shannon M Houle

First Nation Woman speaks about the Alberta Tar Sands' effect

"The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth"

- Chief Seattle, Chief Seattle's Speech

Well, my awesome friend Crystal Lameman-Cardinal of Beaver Lake Cree Nation, is off to England to speak Internationally about how the Tar sands are affecting our people here in Canada & how it's infringing on our Treaty Rights & Traditional Way of Life & not to mention all the health issues with our people, the animals, & medicines...I ask all, when you all pray in your own way, for the next 10 days, please pray for strength & support for her, she has a heavy task & needs all of us behind her ♥

(L to R) Crystal's uncle Former Chief Al Lameman
of Beaver Lake Cree Nation who spearheaded
the legal case, herself, & Cooperative
Group/Bank UK Colin Baines

She has made many sacrifices to do this for all of us, she has left her two little ones, for the first time, left her husband behind, and this will be the first time she travels out of our country.  Let's pray for the safety for her children and husband, and let her know we will help the Creator keep them safe so she can have more peace and keep her focus on her great task.  I also pray our Ancestors like Chief Big Bear, Chief Poundmaker and other great visionary leaders are there beside her in that distant land.


These are her words & message today, as she boards that plane across the great waters because the governments of North America keep ignoring our calls:

"I have a heavy task ahead of me that requires all of my positive energy; thus I will leave you with this: I do this for those that cannot speak for themselves, I do this because our earths entire fresh water reserve is only 3% but industry is producing over a billion barrels of oil a day and it takes 3-5 barrels of fresh water to 1barrel of tarsands oil and 90% of that water is not recyclable and contaminated thus sits in insitu ponds and leaches into the ground ultimately leading to destruction; in case you didn't know... When that water's gone, we have no more drinking water. I do this whether you agree or disagree... I do it for everyone. Everyone has a family to feed. I have never stated that I was against the industry, what I do say is that industry and the Canadian Government must be held accountable for not abiding by the agreements set forth and that our inherent right to hunt, fish, and forage is being ignored...I do it for our people... The First People of Canada - our ancestors said, "we will have the ability to use the land as we did yesterday, and the day before that and the day before that, and we will use it that same way tomorrow and the next..." I'm grateful for those that have supported me and those that doubt me. When the tarsands are depleted and our ecosystems destroyed, our Treaties will be gone, and we will not be able to drink that oil or eat that money. I don't parade around yelling, "shut down the tarsands," but I do advocate for ethical oil!"

She will be blogging her experience daily at: http://clameman.posterous.com/


The Canadian Government has been sending their people to England to support the Tar sands with no one from Canada to question their motives.  Just recently, Canadian Natural Resource Minister, Joe Oliver was cited saying the following in a news release.  Max Paris reports on the issue:

"Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver has quite the sales job ahead of him. As minister in charge of selling the oil sands, there's a lot of bad press to spin out of and ugly pictures to gloss over. Lucky for him, the potential for tens-of-thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in new revenues make the job that much easier.
Still, when he sat down for an on-camera interview with the CBC's Margo McDiarmid last week, it was hard to ignore when he made his job a whole lot harder. 
"That (oilsands) land, which only represents one-thousandth of our boreal forest, is uninhabitable... uh... by human beings. So, you know, no community is being disrupted," according to the minister.
Uh, Joe? It may be uninhabitable by human beings if your idea of human habitat is restricted to the confines of the Toronto riding of Eglinton-Lawrence. But if, say, you live just down the river from the oil sands development in the mainly Cree, Dene and Metis town of Fort Chipewyan, you might have a different take on the possibilities of the human habitability of the area. There are about a thousand people who live in Fort Chip. And they've been doing pretty well ever since the town was founded in 1788..." (read article further at: 
Uninhabitability of the oil sands forest)

Not to mention our Indigenous people have been here for thousands, not hundreds, THOUSANDS of years... 

Here are some links related to what she is doing & to create more awareness:


Crystal Lameman-Cardinal's Blog: she will be blogging her experience daily
Crystal Lameman-Cardinal's response to Joe Oliver 
Raven Trust: is a charitable organization (with status both in Canada and the US) that provides financial resources to assist Aboriginal Nations within Canada in lawfully forcing industrial development to be reconciled with their traditional ways of life, and in a manner that addresses global warming or other ecological sustainability challenges.
People & Planet
Tar sands Free: People & Planet: on Facebook
Shared Planet 2011: Global Student Action Festival: on Facebook
Truth, Trials and Tar Sands: The Beaver Lake Cree Nation Battle Bug Oil to Save the Boreal
Indigenous people in legal challenge against oil firms over tar sand project
Google: "Beaver Lake & Tar sands" for more information

A First Nations' view on keeping tar sands oil out of Europe

(taken from the Facebook page of Tar Sands Free - People & Planet) 

The Alberta tar sands are the most destructive industrial project on Earth. The UK Government have recently bowed to Canadian Government and industry pressure and are trying to undermine the European Fuel Quality Directive, which would effectively ban tar sands from being sold in Europe.
Beyond their massive C02 emissions, the tar sands industry is also responsible for the ongoing destruction of the food, water and traditionalcultures of countless First Nations peoples in Northern Alberta.

Crystal Lameman-Cardinal and Chance McPherson, two young people from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, an indigenous community living at the centre of proposed tar sands expansion, will be in the UK to speak about their experiences and challenge the UK’s opposition to the proposed EU tar sands ban.

Come hear firsthand stories about this global issue from some of the people who are living with its realities every day of their lives.

Other speakers to be announced.

This event is Pay What You Can Afford, with all funds supporting People & Planet's 'Tar Sands-Free' campaign.

Crystal and Chance will be speaking in London, Oxford and Birmingham between November 8th and 16th. Visit peopleandplanet.org/tarsands or email Liam Barrington-Bush at tarsands@peopleandplanet.org for more information on their trip, or to arrange interviews or media appearances.

This event has been organised by People & Planet, with Greenpeace UK, the UK Tar Sands Network and The Co-operative's Toxic Fuels campaign.
Crystal Lameman-Cardinal and Chance McPherson, two young people from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, an indigenous community living at the centre of proposed tar sands expansion, will be in the UK to speak about their experiences and challenge the UK’s opposition to the proposed EU tar sands ban.
Come hear firsthand stories about this global issue from some of the people who are living with its realities every day of their lives.
Other speakers to be announced.

This reminds me of an International Indigenous Leadership Gathering (the official site: International Indigenous Leadership Gathering) I went to outside of Lillooet, BC in St'at'imc Lands a few years ago and I was listening to the Indigenous Elders speak.  Many spoke from different nations all over the world but one universal message was that us Alberta Indigenous people need to wake up and be true to ourselves, our people, our children, and our Mother ~ Earth.  They said the effects of the Oil Sands are affecting all of us all over the world, not just those in Alberta.  They said, if any nations are going to affect change and help save us all, it's us Indigenous people located in the province of Alberta.  As I sat there and witnessed the effects when I worked on Traditional Lands, and participated on the Soil Ingestion Project this year, I can confirm this to be a truth.  We need to use the strength of our Treaty, NOT the INDIAN ACT (totally different than our Treaty) to support us.  It says in Treaty #6 that we "shall have right to pursue their avocations of hunting and fishing..."; however, we need a habitat to pursue our Treaty Rights but once the Canadian Government or any other entities affected our rights by destroying or negatively affecting our habitat, prevents us from pursuing our Treaty Right, and they have INFRINGED on that right and broke treaty.  Now remember, they approached us to sign treaty, who is upholding the treaty now?

Crystal's son (please respect & do NOT copy)
~ It's our children, who will inherit the land,
what are we leaving them?

What ever method we choose to try to be true to who we are as Indigenous People, we need to remember to do it in a good way & follow our hearts, the place of our TRUTH!


Now I ask you to ask yourself, Aboriginal Ways of Knowing asks: "What is my responsibility & role in this process?" and Science is now asking through Science-Technology-Society (STS) teaching strategies: "Should we do it?"


We need to remember our fundamental principle  responsibility to make our choices based on affecting Seven Generations ahead...


The Fundamental Treaty Principles
ALL Canadian Historical Treaties: AADNC Copies
Treaty #6: AADNC (formally INAC) Copy
Treaty #6: Includes other historical information
Justice for Aboriginal Peoples
Indigenous Voices for the Future: on Facebook
International Indigenous Leadership Gathering: 3rd Annual Gathering ~ Protecting the Sacred May 30th to June 5th, 2011
Soil Exposure, Dr. Blais's Website & Research: I was part of another project where the data will be released in the summer of 2012
Soil Ingestion Project: I was part of a study through the University of Ottawa & I blogged my experience, here is a blog on the 15th closing day

Shannen's Dream

Here is a must see...

Shannen Koostachin of Attawapiskat First Nation had a dream - safe and comfy schools and culturally based education for First Nations children and youth. She worked tirelessly to try to convince the federal government to give First Nations children a proper education before tragically passing away at the age of 15 years old in 2010. Now it is our turn to carry her dream forward.

“All students in Canada deserve a learning environment that they are proud to attend, and that gives them hope. We want the same hope as every other Canadian  student."

                               Shannen Koostachin, 13, 
                               Attawapiskat First Nation

Janet Wilson, Canadian Author, Artist, Speaker has written a book on Shannen's Dream.  Janet also has written other excellent books to add to your resources, classroom, and/or library.

Home: www.janetwilcon.ca

Recently Released book called "Shannen and the Dream for a School": http://www.janetwilson.ca/shannen-and-the-dream-for-a-school.html

Celebrate...LIFE

CELEBRATE EVERYDAY

Today is my birthday & I am GRATEFUL to be ALIVE!  When we are young and have our birthdays we think about the future and all the things we want to do, places and people we want to see and more futuristic plans.  At my age, in my 40s, I find myself reflecting about the past but still looking to the future.  I woke this morning to many many Facebook Happy Birthday messages.  It was so nice to read & to think when I was a teenager in the 80s I wouldn’t of got so many birthday messages when I woke.  How technology has changed how we interact.  Then I think even farther back, to my Cree & Dene Ancestors before Columbus ~ “Did they celebrate birthdays?”  Maybe back in the day when our people lived in close nit families and communities… or maybe not but I believe they CELEBRATED LIFE EVERYDAY…how times have changed…

There I was reading my birthday wishes on Facebook and getting ready for the day & I had this compelling urge to write a reflection, a recap of whatever you want to call this after it’s all written and done.  I don’t even know where this is going but I’ll go with it because my heart says I must.

Now back to getting ready for the day…as I was getting ready for the day, a thought came to mind of gratitude.  I thought of how grateful I was in NOT succeeding in suicide when I was 15 years old………

Yes, this was my thought!  Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a story about death, it’s a story about LIFE!

Why that thought, I don’t know, every 10 years or so I think about it because I’m still here, I guess maybe because that day was a defining moment for me and a realization.  It’s not a day I want to forget because I learned so much about me too.

You see, our family was a result of all those generations of genocide, assimilation, racism, and more on my Cree and Dene heritage.  My parents where second generation residential school survivors (Google it).  My mom once told me that her and my dad where already very sick by the time they became parents.  Don’t worry, they did their best with the resources they had for the times!  I love them both with all my heart & they have there own stories to tell but I have no place to blame or judge.  I just have a story to tell myself & undoubtably believe I chose my parents and family.  So here is my story...it began with love but soon turned to alcohol, drugs, and exposed to all the abuses you can name as a Cree & Dene female within a troubled people living in a highly racial society.  This was my 1^st fifteen years of life.  Don’t worry, there were many times of joy & love, I did have awesome extended family, after all, mixed in with great friends, memorable cousins, loving siblings, really loving aunties and uncles, including my irreplaceable & amazing grandparents trying to pass on the teachings through love & respect…

 

However, this alcoholic and drug life was all I knew.  I was a survivor after all, I had years to perfect my survival mode, I could tell when my parents were going to drink, when then they were going to fight, I knew the behaviors, the moods, and I could behave accordingly or facilitate the “Play” (the life of alcoholism is like watching a repeated play in action) like a Director ~ I was the “Hero” of the family after all.  This was all I knew, I perfected my survival tools and truly believed all adults drank and/or did drugs, how was I to know any different.  Anyways, you get the idea, if you don’t, I suggest researching Families in Addictions. 

So here was the kicker, my mom decided to quit drinking, she goes to Poundmaker’s Lodge (a place I would attend too) in Edmonton.  Life totally changed for us that year, I was 14 years old at the time.  She came back and decided she was going to be a mother…hmmm what does that mean???  I panicked!  It was fine and dandy she sobered up, whatever that meant but something I dreamed of for years.  But she wanted to be there for us, this meant she was going to take over my role as HERO.  I did okay, trying to understand but I was not equipped to understand SOBRIETY or life without addictions.  As long as I was the HERO in the family, I knew my role but I was in unfamiliar territory…as a result I couldn’t cope anymore and thought my only way out of unfamiliar territory was to join the crowd and surrender to the life of drugs and alcohol too…which eventually led me to a suicide attempt.  I know, you would think I would be all happy & the world would be all peachy once my mom made a positive change but it doesn’t always work out that way & it isn’t that simple…everyone has a role to play in this mess of a family.  It works like a well oiled machine, it’s not what a healthy family is but that’s not the point…the point is, everyone has a purpose and method to “survive”.  “Living” is unfamiliar territory for people in a life of addictions and sometimes unfamiliar or unimaginable territory, so the process to recover can be very rocky and demands a sense of HOPE into the UNKNOWN.

However, this isn’t the story, this was just to give you an idea of where I was coming from at 15 years old, that day I felt suicide was my answer.

I reflected on this day because I remembered all the things I did because I didn’t succeed that day…now this is one time, I am grateful to not SUCCEED.

I thought about all I’ve accomplished, experienced, challenged, searched, found, loved, and shared!

I saw Russia while it was still a communist country

I walked in underground cities created by survivors of the Nazi occupation

I saw Finland

I saw Niagara Falls

I went to school in Santa Cruz, California

I gave birth to the greatest gift the Creator could ever give me, my son, Germain ~ I was only 16 years old but I raised my son the best I could to give him a choice at life

I finished high school ~ it was upgrading but I did it

I quit my addictions when I was 19 years old

I participated in all types of healing, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Alcoholic Anonymous, Ala-teen, Inner Child, group therapy & many with my mom….

Spoke in front of over 300 people telling my story…

I worked in all types of jobs from a Maid to a Counselor to a Computer Teacher to a Administrative Director…

Worked with Juvenile Youth in Alabama who lived a hard life ~ I will always cherish those boys

I travelled all over North America ~ still have a few states & Eastern provinces to experience

I lived from northern Alberta, to western British Columbia, to the far south of Georgia, USA.

I saw Elvis’s house, now no one can not see Elvis’s house (lol)

I swam in the Chattahoochee River (not recommended)

Swam in the Pacific & the Atlantic oceans

I “pretended” to sing on the stage of the Grand Ol’ Opry

I drove a U-Haul while towing my car across the continental US ~ now that was an experience & FUN

I saw Buffy Saint Marie sing

I chatted with David Suzuki

I skydived with my son & nephew

I witnessed many babies take their first breath

I held a few family while they took their last breath

I went home back to my roots like my late nohkom said we all would, back to the earth we belong

I’ve been learning about my ancestral history…

My son carrying me at my grad

I attended Choices

I learned to honor my feelings…

I LOVED…

I lost…

I grieved…

I healed…

I laughed….oh have I LAUGHED…

I spoke from my heart…

I learned to LIVE not SURVIVE…
I learned to take ownership of my actions
I learned that actions speak louder than words

I Let Go…

I have stood up for injustice…

I surrendered…

I shared….

I challenged life…

I never ever let go of my DREAMS…

I completed my 1^st undergraduate degree

I learned & lived off the land in my mom’s home traditional territory

I’m learning my Cree & Dene Culture…

I’m working on my 2^nd undergraduate degree

I’ve been learning to make my choices based on seven generations behind and seven generations ahead…because my life has impact

The list goes on and are memories in my mind & heart…

BUT today, I can say I was born into the most amazing First Nations family ever with a fighting spirit for LIFE…

Like I said, this story isn’t about death, it’s about LIFE.  Not celebrating it only today but CELEBRATING LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY!  I guess it’s going back to…what I believe my Ancestors did before the injustices on my people.

There are so many things I did, people I met, people who touched my heart, and many more I plan to do (SEE MY BUCKET LIST)…

But the one thing I remember on that day, when I was 15 years old, was

I have a “CHOICE” ~ HOW “I” WANT & NEED TO LIVE MY LIFE…from death came rebirth…

This is what I celebrate today too…CHOICE!

**I share this with humility & the intent it be heard in a good way free from judgment but filled with hope!

Justice for Aboriginal Peoples

This is Why We Can't Just Get Over It...


 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Aboriginal activists explain the issues behind the unions' campaign for justice for Aboriginal people

About PSAC: http://ugsw.ci-fi.net/psac
Their Official Website: http://ontario.psac.com/

Here are some more reasons WHY WE CAN"T JUST GET OVER IT...

CBC.ca: Ottawa failing aboriginal children
CBC.ca: Ottawa urged to uphold UN aboriginal pledge
Vancouver Sun: Mould, snakes and rates: many First Nations school in wretched condition, UN told

The uninhabitability of the oil sands forests - Inside Politics

The uninhabitability of the oil sands forests - Inside Politics

Response by a woman whose First Nations family is directly impacted:

Canada's Natural Resources Minister, Joe Oliver, was quoted on CBC saying, "tar sands land is uninhabitable… uh… by human beings. So, you know, no community is being disrupted”. People and Planet (Peopleandplanet - UK) responded in support of First Nations people of Canada, "This is a bold-faced lie and an insult to the thousands of First Nations communities whose lives are being disrupted every ...What is the Canadian Gov't saying, First Nations people are not citizens, we don't fall under the definition of a body of people who inhabit land? I mean realistically if they considered us important then they would obviously know that what Mr. Oliver said on their behalf as the Minister of Natural Resources, was completely disrespectful and showed no cause and/or concern for our people... What about our traditional hunting lands, the traplines that our mosoms and khokoms, and tapans subsisted on? The places that we visited as children and even today we still go too, to pick berries, forage, find our medicines when someone is ill; someone struck by cancer of which they depend on those medicines that are natural to us - what if it were kikawiy ekwa/or kohtawiy that needed this, but the Canadian Minister has agreed to destruction because this land is 'uninhabitable' - useless... what would you do? Lack of concern for our Treaty Rights as First Nations people is not acceptable; we're being pushed aside on a daily basis, Government becoming more and more brave to now deliberate ignorance of us, and this is okay?I want it to be known that I am NOT against the oil and gas industry, what I am against however is the unethical stance these industries have had on the destruction of our land and environment, ecosystems, etc. It is so very important that we ensure in making agreement that they are upheld and abided by so as to protect our rights and our ability in the sustainability of the land and it's resources. Ethical issues are very sensitive and they must be treated in that manner - ensure your people are protected, ensure when you sign that line industry is legally responsible and ensure you fear not holding them accountable for not honoring the agreements set forth. ~ THIS is what I speak on, this is where my opinion lies, and this is where my committment is imbedded indefinitely. 

[UK Tar Sands Network] is a PERFECT example of the SUPPORT we have as First Nations people on a global level - Internationally people standing up in representation of OUR Treaty Rights; unafraid to challenege the Canadian Government in its attempts at deliberate ignorance against the Traditional lands and territories of which we occupy. PLEASE watch this and pass it on. 

Canada poses as “Friendly, Green Oil Giant” to win over UK universities
Original Website: http://www.no-tar-sands.org/2011/10/canada-poses-as-“friendly-green-oil-giant”-to-win-over-uk-universities/

London, October 20th 2011 – Joe Oliver, Natural Resources Minister, met with staunch opposition at the London School of Economics (LSE) whilst promoting Canada as the next ‘Global Energy Superpower’ [1]. Protesters presented an alternative perspective to the one-sided lecture by asking difficult questions throughout. LSE students and activists presented Joe Oliver with the ‘Greenwash [...]

Liam Barrington-Bush is a Canadian working the UK for People and Planet

MESSAGE OF THE SACRED BUFFALO

This is a MUST LISTEN video ~ the Buffalo have a Sacred Message, we only need listen with our heart & spirit!

The White & Black Buffalo have been born


Updated information on the White & the Black buffalo, born in Farmington, PA under unusual circumstances and now living at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES - The White Buffalo
Even the non-Native People are amazed


Native American tribes are certain the white buffalo calf born on a WI farm is the answer to a centuries old belief.  It was announced within the last 5 years that this buffalo had died & this video was posted April 2010.

Message of the Sacred Buffalo book also a children's book can be bought through Amazon or Create Space

More Information on the Living Prophecy & see where they live at the Woodland Zoo

Change the World ~ Be a Teacher

I Just Love This Powerful Picture

Check out this website I found at University of Alberta - Faculty of Education

Bolivia Set to Pass Historic 'Law of Mother Earth' Which Will Grant Nature Equal Rights to Humans

Bolivia Set to Pass Historic 'Law of Mother Earth' Which Will Grant Nature Equal Rights to Humans

Medicine Man - Black Elk's story of The Great Circle

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKu-Iv9DlK8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Shannon M Houle

Update on Soil Ingestion Project

Sorry, I have been tardy with posting the last 5 days of the project. I will have them all posted by the end of this weekend, i just need to copy them from my journal & get them posted with pictures...being away from family for 15 days required a lot of catch up time...I swear my new nephew Cameron ( a month & a half old) grew 2 inches long & wide since I was gone (lol)!

Thanks for your patience & I look forward to your comments.

I also added an easy way to follow my blog by email, so feel free to submit your email for notifications

Take Care ya all :)

Shannon

Day 15 Afternoon Closing: Soil Ingestion Research Project ~ Cold Lake First Nations (English Bay)

Afternoon ClosingCold Lake First Nations English Bay Community Centre
Day 15 (Wednesday, August 31st, 2011):

Bannock: We waited 15 days to eat to
our hearts content

This would be the day we all get to eat bannock and dessert.  We walked to the CLFNS E-Bay Community Centre for the Wednesday weekly Bannock & Soup.  It wasn't just any Bannock & Soup this week.  We were celebrating a community member Elder's birthday and also it was to honor this project & all it's participants and planners.

When we arrived there were a lot of community members and it was a full house.  My mom, brother, Ken, Darilyn, & other family members came too.  It was so nice to see so many family today.

Chief Eric Gadwa from Kehewin Cree Nation spoke and thanked us all for being part of this project and so did Dave Scott of Tribal Chiefs Ventures.  They asked for me & Duane to speak about our experience and I couldn't help but get emotional because I felt so much gratitude but I also encouraged the people to please go back to the land and feel it's strength & transquility.  Of all the things, I spoke about I can only hope that one person heard me pleading for them to help save our Mother ~ Earth & for all of us to protect her, for ourselves too...for our survival!

These are my new found family...FYI: this is the first time any of us have dressed up & it was the first time I did my hair in 15 days...we clean up gooooddddd (lol).

My Sweet Angelle,my partner in crime

Our scholar, Graham...he would remind me to stop being a mom
(well, he's the same age as Germain)

Our Muskrat Warrior, Duane...he kept us safe & laughing

Our Humble Elder, John...when he spoke, you listened
Tom Piche (background), Director of E-Bay Centre

Our Bull Rider Ryan, the ladies man, hee, hee &
Our Storytelling Outfitter, Gerald...he kept us fat for the Bears lol

Soil Injection Project: Our Group (L to R):
Graham, Angelle, John, Gerald, Shannon (Me), Ryan, Duane, Brian

We also can't say enough about how grateful we felt for all the staff at Cold Lake English Bay Community Centre and all the friendly and generious caring community members of Cold Lake First Nations for all their kindness, stories, & just stopping in and being with us at our camp....we will miss you, our daily visitor, Dennis...keep drinking that mint tea.

All I know I, is I made great friends & family for life, I plan to start coming out here each year & go hunt & gather north of Cold Lake and do what our people have done for thousands of years...be with our Mother!

Now, I ask you ~ "What are you going to do to help Mother Earth & SAVE us ALL!...ONE Person can Make a Difference!

From Wetland to Wasteland

Day 15 Morning: Soil Ingestion Research Project ~ Cold Lake First Nations (English Bay)

Our Last Time Together in Camp ~ Morning
Day 15 (Wednesday, August 31st, 2011):

I woke at 6:00 AM with a text from Ken informing me the imported blueberries were on their way picked near Kehewin Cree Nation on Moose Mountain.

Everyone was up early and I heard our Muskrat Warrior leave and he came back with Tim Horton's coffee, hmmmmm good.  Then, Graham crawled out of his tent and got into his truck & left.  Everyone was on the go!  He returned about 30 minutes later with Tim Horton's donuts, now that was awesome.  We hadn't been able to eat donuts throughout this project, we feasted waiting for Ken to get here with our blueberries.  He was soon to arrive by 7:30 AM or so.

We were going to use the delicious blueberries for the special pancakes Angelle & I would make for the whole camp. However, we would make sure a sample went with Graham, so he could have a comparable sample miles away from the major activity of oil plants. Ken even provided him with a global positioning (GPS) location. He arrived with Darilyn, my son's girlfriend...she was hurting, it was too early for her because just the night before her, Ken, & Germain came to visit me late after everyone went to bed. Germain was heading out to work & I hadn't seen him since I arrived at the camp, so I was glad to see him, even if it was for only an hour.

The pancakes were awesome with bacon & eggs, we made so much that there was plenty to send over to the staff at the Cold Lake First Nations English Bay Community Centre.  It was our last meal together in our little family camp.  We soon gulped our food down, licked our lips, gave some good belly rubs to finish the feast, & sat for a few minutes washing down our meal with fresh coffee and conversation.

Once everyone was set to start the rest of the day & get ready for the Special Lunch the staff at the Cold Lake First Nations English Bay Community Centre was bepairing in our honor, I suggested we have a closing circle while Muskrat Warrior's dad, Alex Janvier was present with us.  So, we all arose from our seats and did our last walk towards our  famous campfire, stood around it, one last time...

Duane (Muskrat Warrior) honored us by doing the traditional smudge with sweetgrass.  We each went, one-by-one, and shared our hearts, gratitude, and appreciation for this unique and meaningful experience.  We closed our circle with a prayer and acknowledged that we will never be like this together again , in this moment in time.  We needed to honor this moment!  As we closed our circle, we created balance as is tradition with Natural Law...we walked one-by-one around the circle & gave a hug to each one of our new found family. We then walked &stood back in our original place within our circle & waited to receive a hug again from our family...balance was created and in our own way we honored our Mother ~ Earth.