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Last login: 8 hours agoLilly2112: Lilly is a woman from Chicago, Illinois, USA.; Likes 236 pages, 20 videos, 12 photos • 723 fans • Received 131 reviews; Member since Sep 10, 2005

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NORML Blog » Blog Archive » Patient In Washington State Denied A Liver Transpl…: May 2, 12:01pm 4 reviews news, norml, medical-marijuana
http://blog.norml.org/2008/05/02/patient-in-washington-state-denied-a-liver-t...; Where's the humanity?!!

Timothy Garon is dead. Why did he die?

"He would have likely survived longer if he received a timely organ transplant but was denied access because he followed his physician's recommendation, used medical cannabis during his treatments for liver disease, therefore testing positive for THC metabolites and rather than receive the gift of a potentially longer life--instead doctors at the University of Washington deferred to federal prohibition laws and mores, handing Tim a death sentence."

There are no pharmacological or physiological reasons why Tim Garon, or any medical marijuana patient, should logically be denied access to life-saving or life-enhancing organ transplants.

In my view, commonsense and humanity were completely lacking here on the part of the doctors who denied Tim and his family a chance at a continued life together.

Myspace.com Blogs - Water Bearer or Water-Boarder? - Lilly MySpace Blog: May 2, 10:23am 2 reviews politics, obama, election, hillary-clinton
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=237880161&blo...; When Hillary invokes "lack of experience" what she is really saying is that politics cannot work without treachery, deceit, manipulation and back room deals, and that Obama is naive to think otherwise. As if to prove it, she has based her campaign on undercutting his positive message and invoking the shadow of fear. The fact that her campaign seems to be working reinforces that contention that in order to be "safe" we must have someone machiavellian in charge.

Hillary, the mainstream media machine, and the Republican power structure seem to have the upper hand right now in beating the American public into submission, and deconstructing the most constructive political dream of our lifetime. Those who insist that "either Democratic candidate would be a good choice" are as sadly brainwashed as the ditto-heads who abandoned their good sense to follow Rush Limbaugh's dysfunctional dictates. Obama represents the possibility of breakthrough.

Hillary represents the political approach of Karl Rove, if not his actual agenda. In other words, it's dream vs. nightmare. There are those who would ask, what about the other dream? What about the dream many women have about finally having a woman President? My answer would be another question: Which woman? How about Condoleeza? Do we want another Margaret Thatcher? The basic problem with this particular woman President is that she's way too focused on proving she is man enough for the job.

Hillary seems to have some Democrats convinced of this, but will never convince a critical mass of Republicans or even Independents. The real question for forward-thinking voters is not whether we need the feel-good symbol of a woman President, but whether we are ready to empower genuine feminine wisdom.

For those sixties' relics who wonder whatever became of the Age of Aquarius, I would suggest we must collectively meet one profound challenge before we walk through that door. We must confront the current Age of Nefarious, where the powers that have outlived their uselessness have entrenched and seek to stay in power through the power of fear. Interestingly, the symbol for Aquarius is the "water bearer," a male figure bearing feminine wisdom. That feminine wisdom represents the power of love, life and possibility. The male figure represents strength and protection in the service of life. Unfortunately, politics as usual represents the protection of the empire -- in other words, the predator.

This "realpolitik" approach, made real only because we agree to it, tells us we must put aside our moral values in order to protect ourselves. Lying, assassinations and torture? All necessary evils. Our choice between the politics of Hillary and the politics of Obama is clear: Water-bearer or water-boarder. Would Hillary resort to such nefarious means? Only if she had to. Just like George Bush and Dick Cheney. A vote for Hillary at this juncture is a reaffirmation of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has brought us to the brink of man-made hell: We the people promise not to ask our government what they are doing "on our behalf," and they promise not to tell us.

May 2, 10:23am: Water Bearer or Water-Boarder?
part 2

Yes, protection is needed from very real dangers in the world. However, like the healthy immune system, the body politic must learn to distinguish between real dangers and false alarms. It is telling indeed that the front lines of our defense, the American military enlisted people, have donated the most money to candidates Ron Paul and Barak Obama, in that order -- not warmongers McCain and Hillary. They sadly recognize the difference between their ideal role of protecting the nurturers, and their real deal role protecting the predators.

And the thing that provides most protection for the predators? It's the fear-based belief that when push comes to shove, pushing and shoving is more powerful than love. Of course, this goes contrary to everything spiritual teachers have been saying for millennia. We now must choose, individually and collectively, which master we serve: the Golden Rule, or the rule of gold. Do we have enough faith in our faith to empower love, or do we give in to the lowest common dominator and fall prey to fear? We must recognize that war -- and for that matter, empire -- is no longer a political choice, but a moral one.

The political fate of America will not be solved by the super delegates, but by the silent sleeping superpower that is potentially more powerful than all the armies in the world: The moral authority that stands firm for war as a last resort instead of a first one, and stands for the real pro-life agenda of protecting life and planet -- not protecting those who would exploit those for their own gain.

So ... once again, Obama is hardly the perfect candidate. However, he does represent the highest impulse of functionality America can currently muster. His is a voice that calls for, above all, faith in ourselves. Those who have resigned themselves to Hillary as more "realistic" are casting their vote for the current reality. As Dr. Phil might say, "How is that working for us?"

This is not a call to get behind Obama, but rather a call to get in front of him. Ultimately, it is we the people who set the moral standard for our behavior as a country and a world, not our leaders. Whether we call ourselves religious, spiritual but not religious, secular humanists or ethical atheists, we are at the cusp of the evolutionary choice we must make as a species. Are we adult enough to collectively use our collective intelligence together? Or do we childishly abdicate our responsibility and empower the dominator mentality that has served us so poorly?

What occurs over the next 60 days will be more important to the future of America and the world than what happens in November. Now is the moment we face a clear moral choice: Do we empower the water-bearer or the water-boarder?

Hillary and her gleeful Republican henchfolk are telling us "No, we can't. We can't have government of, by and for the people where the government does our bidding, not the bidding of the highest bidder. No, we can't have a successful regime without machiavellian manipulation. No, we can't be safe in the world unless we dominate."

They've almost convinced us. They've almost manipulated America into falling for the predictable nightmare instead of rising for the possible dream.

Now it's our turn to say, "Yes, we can" and as a wise and united people create the platform of truth and functionality that Obama -- or any other candidate willing to speak the truth -- can stand on. If we can throw our weight behind sanity and health now, we can indeed live into the reality of our dreams.

The Burning Man Project :: Welcome Home: May 2, 10:22am 114 reviews subculture, culture, art, burning-man, culture-creative
http://www.burningman.com/; No, I 've never had the fortitude to post this photo before. I won't leave it up for long and body paint is as artisticly creative and native as I get ;)

I've been to Burning Man every year for the last 5 years and absolutely LOVE it. It's one of the best things I've ever done for myself. An amazing spiritual and cultural nexus.

There are no rules about how one must behave or express oneself at this event (save the rules that serve to protect the health, safety, and experience of the community at large); rather, it is up to each participant to decide how they will contribute and what they will give to this community.

Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind.

The annual event now known as Burning Man is the result of a merger of two events, one of which began as a nameless beach party on the summer solstice in 1986 when Larry Harvey, Jerry James, and a few friends met on Baker Beach in San Francisco and burned an 8-foot (2.4-meter) wooden man as well as a smaller wooden dog.

The inspiration for burning these effigy figures has been shrouded in mystery by Harvey, who described it as a spontaneous act of radical self-expression.

Though, it should be noted that the act strongly resembles the climax of the 1985 film, The Legend of Billie Jean, where an effigy of the title character is consumed in a fire.

Sculptor Mary Grauberger, a friend of Harvey's girlfriend, Janet Lohr, had held art-party gatherings on Baker Beach on or about the summer solstice for several years prior to 1986, and the burning of sculpture was a central theme.

In addition, a key ingredient of the pre-Burning Man gatherings, and a link to today's event, was that Baker Beach is a cove area frequented by nudists.

The event takes place on an ancient lakebed, known as the playa. By the time the event is completed and the volunteers leave, sometimes nearly a month after the event has ended, there will be no trace of the city that was, for a short time, the most populous town in the entire county.

Art is an unavoidable part of this experience, and in fact, is such a part of the experience that Larry Harvey, founder of the Burning Man project, gives a theme to each year, to encourage a common bond to help tie each individual's contribution together in a meaningful way.

This year's art theme is about nationality, identity and the nature of patriotism. One species of the patriotic urge conflates the nation state with mass identity. Governments, as actors on a worldwide stage, become a surrogate for self, a vast projection of collective ego. And yet, there is another type of patriotic feeling that attaches us to place and people, to a home and its culture. Both these feeling states (and their attendant ironies) are relevant to this year's theme.

This year Burning Man will stand atop an obelisk. This imposing monument, emblazoned with the images of flags, will represent the countries of the world. Ranging from Canada to Chad, from Brazil to Burundi, from Vatican City to the Republic of China, these emblems will shine brightly in the night, gleaming like illuminated gems that stud a giant jewel box.

A double-helix, like a strand of DNA, will form a staircase. Twining around the axis of this tower, it will spiral through a series of viewing platforms. The topmost tier will stand directly underneath the Burning Man.

Today, Americans appear to live amid the tarnished squalor of a second Gilded Age. By nearly every measure, America has become a more unequal society. A mere one percent of the population now controls a third of the nation's wealth. Education, health care and home ownership - these now escape the reach of those who thought they were the middle class. Forty years of heedless mass-consumption have turned dreams into delusions. America's awash in debt. Embroiled in a wayward war, its citizens are told to shop.

Many feel that the United States is now adrift. Its allies, once so numerous, begin to fall away and chart an independent course. Its citizens, more tellingly, have lost their faith in progress. Polls indicate they now believe their children can't expect a better future. They distrust the institutions of government, of finance, and the corrupting power of large corporations. And yet, the native traits of any culture are deep-rooted. Freedom, opportunity, inventiveness, the power to transform oneself: these values and a love of self-expression still endure.

Apr 15, 12:55pm: "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone." ~ Audrey Hepburn

Fear, Intention & Risk (part 1)

At one time or another, we all have experienced fear - from low-grade anxiety to terror. Fear can inhibit, paralyze, and profoundly affect the quality of our lives. Though fear can assist in helping us identify our desires and needs, it can prove debilitating unless we are able to release it. Fear prevents us from fully being alive and living our dreams. To live in fear is to live without faith.

I have been teaching and practicing what I call 'an empowerment meditation'. We ask to be given light, love, peace and healing power. Light is, of course, enlightenment, wisdom, instinct, intuition and revelation. Love is not 'please love me, I'm feeling miserable and lonely', but rather, 'please fill me with love, so that I can create with love, instead of fear'. Peace is the perfect peace that 'passeth all understanding'. It is that peace in which there is absolutely no room for fear.

I had often wondered if I had ever reached that peace. It wasn't until the doctors in Chicago diagnosed me several years ago with Lupus, and all the tests and sickness I've endured since then .... that I realized that my mind did not shift gear, not even one cog. I did feel an overwhelming gratitude for this opportunity to show, with irrefutable proof, that the Spirit of God which is within all of us, when directed skillfully by the mind, triumphs over all. The physical and the non-physical. I pray that I am skilful enough.

When I have totally eradicated this illness from myself, I hope to start a school for the self-treatment of chronic illness, using proper, chemical free nutrition and mind-power.

So that I should have a mind free to concentrate on healing, I have made my funeral arrangements. This way, I have avoided having others worry about what should be done and I no longer have to think of such things. Death is such a beautiful thing. It is like taking off a straight-jacket and being liberated. It is only those who distrust and fear the Source of all life, consciousness and energy, who are frightened of the inevitable. The only sin in all the omniverse is ignorance. And what suffering it causes.

I choose to live without fear of life, death or love ....

Apr 15, 12:55pm: Fear, Intention & Risk (part 2)

What if ...

- Your feelings lie to you?
- Most of your thoughts and feelings come from fear?
- Most of your decisions are based on fear!

Being Fearless isn't about jumping out of planes, it's about jumping into life!

- Freedom from fear.
- Freedom from disappointment.
- Freedom from not enough.

Most people, no matter how confident they appear to be, often harbor paralyzing fears that overshadow their ability to live fearlessly. These fears are always whispering skeptical objections and feeding you doubts about anything that might shake up the status quo:

- Do you really think you should do that?
- Are you ready for a big step like this?
- Why don't you get somebody else's opinion?
- Are you sure you're not getting in over your head?
- What will people say?

Living without fear, takes you out of the lie and into the truth of your own unique magnificence. Stop beating yourself up and become more accountable; this will help build on your objective: Ultimate Integrity. Mastering fear does not imply you will never experience fear again. But rather, you win knowing what actions to take to move you from Fear at will, to Freedom.

Your Fear Is As Smart As You

Whether you know it or not, fear has developed your likes and dislikes, picked your friends, and raised your children. Learn how to recognize when fear is running your life and take steps to set yourself free.

Fearless Intentions: What were you expecting?

Expectations breed fear, disappointment and discontent. They are silent contracts that focus your attention on the outcome instead of the process with little satisfaction. turn expectations into intentions freeing you to live your life on purpose, with purpose and get results that matter.

Excuses Disempower You

Excuses ... excuse you from fulfilling your potential. They take away any sense of personal responsibility, accountability, or power, giving you permission to ignore your own values, beliefs, and commitments. Forgiveness is a process and we use it to accept, release and make peace with the people and circumstances that may have been keeping you up at night.

Complaining Advertises Your Fears

Complaining advertises your fears while keeping you stuck in the complaint. Increase your ability to see opportunities and possibilities by transforming your complaints into gratitude and acknowledgements.

It's often said that love is the only thing that is true and real and that love is all we need to focus on if what we desire is to heal any thing ... every thing. What is the opposite of love? Most people would instantly say "hate." But what is the foundation for hate? Fear. Fear is the foundation for all things that are not love. Fear is the opposite of love.

One thing that has been pointed out to me during my continued spiritual quest for understanding is that when one loves, one expects. Giving love seems to have a purely human need to receive something in return. Expectations. What is that we ultimately have when we have expectations? Fear. And fear is the opposite of love.

When we have expectations we are living with limitations. We are living in fear. We are saying ... there is only so much that I can give. I am limited. I need to receive in order to give. In addition we are saying ... if I do not receive, what I am giving has no value to the one who is receiving. What is the foundation for feeling that something you give has no value? Fear. Fear that you are not valuable, not worthy, not accepted, not loved in return or loved and recognized for what you are doing or giving. Another way of putting it ... I am giving but not receiving, therefore the Universe is limited and I must hang on to what I have for I may run out of energy (or time, or love, or whatever the case may be). In addition we are saying ... I am not receiving love therefore I will not give love. The basis for this comment, again, is fear.

Apr 15, 12:55pm: Fear, Intention & Risk (part 3)

How many judgments do we make before we offer love? How many expectations do we have once we offer love? Perhaps we don't expect anything from the person or thing directly, but do we expect something from the Universe? Some sign of "reward" for having thoughts of love and compassion and acceptance?

But love is a state of BE-ING. Love is a state of pure acceptance. No judgment, no expectation. Love is a state of pure acceptance. It can't be said too many times or in too many different ways. Many of us understand the concept perfectly. But most of us also continue to seek the understanding beneath the words and the concept. We are, after all, human and so it is that situations and events can shift our focus and change our state of being pure love. We can become upset, angry, confused, resentful, frustrated, and any number of other things. In other words, we give the true state of our be-ing away to the "reality" that is playing around us. Why is this case? And, more importantly, how do we learn to be unaffected by what happens to us and around us?

It seems to be a great and burdensome task to ask of ourselves.. To become pure love. To do so would be to live without judgment of things such as murder, abuse, poverty, and all of the other things we, as humans, think of as negative and bad. The argument against loving ALL things that humans create within their reality is strong and could be never-ending. But continuing the argument leaves us without the option to create new thought processes. If we continue to argue for the right to oppose the things we have labeled as "wrong," we continue to close the door on the answer to how we might be able, within this consensual reality, to put all things into Divine Alignment and restore order within what appears to be chaos.

Is it a judgment to believe that we must set things "right?' Or is it simply a matter of observation that all things and all people are an aspect of God and therefore should act and be treated accordingly? Is it possible that, even after all things return to the state of being divinely aligned with the original plan of God/Creator, such things as murder, abuse, poverty, and such things would still exist? Yes, it's quite possible. Why? Due to the fact that we, as scholars who are studying the process of Creation, must experience ALL things.

This is one of the greatest struggles that we, as aspiring Masters, have. To accept that all things in existence are presentations of God/Creation. One of the reasons, other than our sincere compassion and desire to see joy lived by all creatures, is that we believe all things should be treated with honor and respect and the recognition that all things are an aspect of God. Would we, if we saw a person as an aspect of God, slap, scream at, or other abuse that person? Probably not.

How then do we achieve a place of pure acceptance of the things that appear to be out of the realm of what God would want for us, for those who live within this reality? By realizing that, though there are things that do not seem "perfect" and in Divine Alignment, the events that transpire around us are "tools" that we create, as a society, in order to show ourselves and others ALL sides of existence. We must, as aspiring Masters, understand the cause and effect of all things within existence. We must, as aspiring Masters, understand balance, light vs. dark, positive vs. negative, and all other polarities that exist within the realm of existence.

Does it then become simply a matter of choosing the reality you wish to live? Absolutely.

Apr 15, 12:52pm: Fear, Intention & Risk (Part 4)

As pure Soul, we exist in a state of Grace and Love. Within the pure power of our Soul lies the knowledge that nothing truly exists except what we choose to create. If we are creating all things that seem to exist outside of ourselves, what then do we have to fear? What then can take our power away? What then has the power to disrupt us from the pure state of love?

And ... what then do we base our judgments upon? When we judge we are, in essence, judging ourselves. What then would be the bottom line here? That we fear what we create.

Can we be effective Masters and Creators if we are in fear of that which we create? And so the issue comes full-circle. Pure acceptance and pure love for all experiences is the necessary state of be-ing for those who choose to accept full Mastery.

Pure acceptance of all things eliminates all fear. Fear is the "wall" between us and what we would choose to create in order to bring us to a state of being joy and fulfillment. If we do not fear that which we create, we do not expect to have what we give returned to us. We live in pure acceptance that all things will flow within the process of Divine Creation. We are not separate from that which we desire. We are not separate from a state of Grace. We do not have to strive to be something we are not .. for we are all things.

When we read of miracles, of instant healings, of a desperate need being met in the "final moment," we are reading about someone who has reached a point of surrendering to the realization that they are not separate from the source of Creation. This success may be reached sub-consciously, but nevertheless it is the opening of a door, the sudden explosion of realization within us, that creates a vortex of creative energy that allows us to accept that we deserve what we are striving for.

Returning to the original point of this article ... if we are pure love, what will be returned to us but pure love? That love may exhibit itself in any one of a million ways. It may exhibit itself by giving us our greatest trial. A trial that will take us to the next step of understanding in our quest for Mastery. Our Soul will give us that which we need. That which we fear the most is that which will we draw to ourselves. These experiences are our Soul's gifts to us to show us where our fears live and to show us what we need to heal within ourselves in order to live in pure love. If we judge the expression of love our Soul is attempting to give us, we are limiting our Soul's ability to give us what we need.

If we fear the expression of love that is presented to us, if we judge the way in which we present lessons to ourselves, we stem the flow of love from ourselves, from our Soul.

To live without fear is to live in pure love and pure acceptance. To live in pure love is to achieve a life in which we live pure Soul-expression.

We need to move beyond fear to a life where risks will be taken, opportunities seized, and dreams fulfilled. Recognize the origin of your fears and the disguises it wears such as feelings of entitlement and complaining. Trade excuses and expectations for choice and intention. When people complain, blame and gossip they are verbalizing their expectations with no solution in sight. Living in expectation keeps you stuck, immobile and dissatisfied. Intention sets you in motion with clarity of purpose building your self-confidence and empowering you to go beyond your present limitations.

Apr 15, 12:50pm: Fear, Intention & Risk (conclusion)

Give up disappointment as a way of life. Take back your power by releasing expectation. Recognize the path of intention and go beyond goal setting to produce visionary results. Master intention, it moves you forward faster. Dealing with change, the unknown future, limited resources, additional responsibilities, and stress as well as the balance between home and work stops you from moving to the next level ( spirituality) causing unnecessary havoc in your life. Fear lowers self-confidence and takes away people's ability to risk.

The bottom line is that fear is what stands between any individual and their ability to flourish.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose your feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their
loss.

To Love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure.

"But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing...has nothing..is nothing. You may avoid suffering and sorrow, but you simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love...live. Chained by your certitudes, you are a slave; you have forfeited freedom. Only a person who risks is free." by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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