Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Believe in Yourself

Today’s social political world has become a complicated entangled mass of deceit that many people just want to tune out of. In today’s world there are many people trying to get your attention. Many people trying to lead you down a path for their own gain. How can you know when the path you are contemplating is a good path, a path that will bring love and joy to your life?  You can be sure you are on the right path by using your Supersensory Methods. Use these methods to help guide yourself to other people who are speaking truth and lead you to situations that will bring joy to your heart.


Supersensory Methods

To use supersensory methods be in the now:

Naturally
Open to
Wonderment

When getting to know your supersensory self there are times when you will question the information you are getting. If there is question in your heart, be careful.  Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Your body is wise and insightful. Our body stores memories, and gives us information from other areas than just the brain.

Gut insights: Sometimes you get gut feelings about things. Learn to trust them, there is much truth to be found in our gut insights. A gut insight is usually sudden and intense and can pack a powerful punch of emotion. If we ignore it, our guts can belabor this lack of attention and become cranky and give us much strife. A cranky gut becomes a chronically inflamed gut.

Heart Knowing: This is a type of wisdom that is heart based. Think of the times you have said to your self or someone else, “I know in my heart this is true.” Your heart does not mislead you. It is our heart that guides us best. It is our heart where love resides. Love is the greatest power and is that which connects us deeply to all other living beings.

Instant knowledge: This type of knowing is like a computer download into your mind. Suddenly spirit gives you this tremendous amount of information. It may seem to come directly from other than spirit such as angels or spirit guides. Remember, Spirit has an infinite number of messengers and speaks in mysterious ways.

Inner hearing: This type of hearing is not usually one of directly hearing voices. It is as if you heard a voice but actually you did not, you just got the message. If you are walking around and suddenly out of the blue, remember something you had not actually known previously or feel like you just got a new message, you did.  Pay attention to it.

Dreaming: You are often visited in your dreams, meditations and prayers. If you ask for guidance in your dreams, it will be there.

Messages From Others: Often we get messages from loved ones, friends and strangers. Notice when coincidences happen. Notice when you someone starts talking to you about something that has been on your mind. Spirit uses others to tell use things we need to hear. Consider these messages carefully. Don't ignore them. 


All of nature speaks the language of spirit! Go out and immerse yourself in nature.

Monday, November 15, 2010

A Cause of the Honey Bee Deaths

My bees died this spring. They had been healthy and happy 5 days prior when I had put an essential oil in their hive to kill off mites. Something I do every spring and not something that would harm them. However, 5 days later I was walking by the hive, I noticed hundreds of dead bees at the doorstep to the hive and on the ground in front of the hive. I looked inside and most of the rest were in various stages on their way to death. The ones still alive appeared to be drunk. I thought they looked like they had some sort of nervous system toxicity.

When I called my local bee association and spoke with one of the respected mentors there. He told me he thought my bees had a new type of Nosema called Nosema ceranae. I got my microscope out and dissected some bees and did see the Nocema spores. However, with ceranae the bees usually die away from the hive and what I had was a massive amt of dead bees (appeared to be all of them) in the hive or right outside of the hive. Plus the ones still alive looked drunk. I was so sure they were poisoned with something.


Upon further investigation I came upon what I think was the culprit. A type of insecticide called imidicloprid. It is my personal belief that this insecticide is a main cause of the massive honey bee deaths being experienced on the planet.


In 2003, 13 North Dakota beekeepers brought a class-action lawsuit against Bayer, alleging that the company's neonicotinoid, Imidacloprid, which had been used in nearby fields, was responsible for the loss of more than 60% of their hives. The beekeepers said their bees appeared to be getting drunk from the spray. They could not walk straight and could not work. (Just like mine!)


Dr. Daniel Mayer a retired bee expert from Washington State University, traveled to 17 different bee yards in North Dakota and observed dead bees and bees in the throes of what looked like Imidacloprid poisoning. He theorized that after foraging in planted fields where the seeds had been treated with Imidacloprid, the bees then brought the pesticide back to the hive, where it built up in the wax combs.


Pennsylvania beekeeper Dave Hackenberg lost 60% of his colonies. In an interview with Linda Mounton Howe, he said hat he and other beekeepers thought the culprits were systemic nicotine-based insecticides getting into crops that flower, contaminating the pollen on which honeybees forage. Imidacloprid (Called Gaucho by Bayer is a nicotine-based insecticide.)


Many of us beekeepers think that the virus and fungi that are being found in the bees guts when they are found dead (colony collapse disorder) is not the actual culprit but they are merely opportunists growing out of control in bees with compromised immune systems. People have asked what is it that is suppressing the bee’s immune systems. Why do so many of the bees die in the fields and not even return to their hives. Some of us think the answer is Bayer’s number one selling insecticide, Imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is s neonicotinoid that lab tests have confirmed will interfere with nerve impulse transmissions in insects, including honeybees. Aha, this sounds like a drunken honeybee does it not?


Environmental groups and beekeeper organizations have been trying to ban neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been linked to bee decline across the world. In a recent study, the toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides to arthropods was shown to be reinforced by exposure time. The Dutch toxicologist Henk Tennekes demonstrates that the long-term risks associated with the insecticides imidacloprid and thiacloprid are far greater than previously thought. This could actually explain worldwide bee decline. The study was published in the journal Toxicology, July 23rd.


The acceptable limits for neonicotinoid insecticides are based mainly on short-term tests. If long-term studies were to be carried out, far lower concentrations may turn out to be hazardous. This explains why minute quantities of imidacloprid may induce bee decline in the long run.” Because of their high persistence significant quantities of neonicotinoids may remain in the soil for several years. Consequently, untreated plants growing on soil previously exposed to imidacloprid may take up the substance via their roots and become hazardous for bees.


In short imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids are bad news for the bees and probably bad news for other beneficial insects. Some countries such as France and Germany have bans on neonicotinoid use. Bayer has had multiple law-suites against their product imidacloprid, but in the USA we are still using it along with its closely related chemical relative called clothianidin (also made by Bayer)


WHAT CAN WE DO? I am sure none of you reading this blog use toxic chemicals in your gardens or on your farms. However, we need to talk to our neighbors and find out what they use. Educate them on the hazards of neonicotinoids. It will take all our efforts to save the honeybees.


Places you can learn more:

http://pollinatethis.org/beeblog/2009/05/24/us-honeybee-advisory-board-asks-epa-to-ban-imidacloprid/


http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1603/0022-0493-101.6.1743?journalCode=ecen


http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_12469.cfm


http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1779&category=Environment


http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/10/10-1