I want to make some positive suggestions on how to transcend and alleviate the stress of cultural self destruct by enjoying the moment.

Its funny how the Green Message is marginalized by many to 'We're Doomed', and its no wonder people just don't want to listen to the finger wagging Greenies who tell us that our way of life has a limited shelf life.

It seems to me that there are several issues under which the CSA are undermining basic human rights and I wish to publicise these here for discussion.

Pumpkin is a versatile food with many traditional, warming recipes ideal for autumn and winter. Here are recipes for Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Soup.

It is fabulous to reconnect with old friends after 30 years. Especially when you discover the fantastic things they do, like achieving a living by bringing lots of love into the world. In addition to writing fascinating books on Tantra and Erotic Massage, Kavida Rei organises and runs unique parties, called Sensual Soirées - Parties with Heart...

Have you heard of a very successful series of books on life improvement, called 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' by Jack Canfield? Well, here is an ezine called 'Nettle Soup for the Mind' - a positive, stimulating and tonic mixture of green ingredients inspired by of one of nature\'s most useful plants, the humble and wholly underrated stinging nettle.

Every year for the past 25 years, the Cornish town of Lostwithiel has hosted what may be the last non-commercial carol singing event in the country, Lostwithiel Christmas Pageant. A turn-out of more than 200 people is not unusual for this event which is quite a substantial amount of people for a small Cornish town.

There is nothing like dancing. I used to freelance my dance then I learned Salsa.

Pink Floyd at Bingley Hall Staffordshire in 1977 was just the best music concert I ever went to. It was Pink Floyd at their 'prog. rock' best. Dark Side of the Moon is also my favourite album ever ! it has certainly stood the test of time! I know all the words to all the tracks and can sing along to the whole album.

Midsummer's Day. What better time for the archetypal summer treat, home-made Summer Pudding with clotted cream. I salivate just thinking about it.

What do you do when your garden is heaving with rocket, just about to flower and bolt into seed? The answer is Rocket Pesto, a way of conserving this lovely taste of summer for six months or so.

It was in April 07 that I read in the Sunday Times about the fantastically tasty potatoes on the Ile de Batz, near Roscoff on the coast of Brittany. The article described how the islanders grow potatoes in seaweed.

Cutting and pasting essays from the internet is a wholly rational response to an education system that is now an indoctrination system.

In reality I view my values as a green person as relatively meaningless in the scheme of things.

When you look around, it seems that 'green' is just another colour of consumer capitalism. Often it is the more expensive option in a choice to buy goods.

The first section from 'Report on Employment and Housing Prospects in Lostwithiel'. Written for Lostwithiel town Forum in October 2003.

Eco-linguistics meets biodiversity in my language school in the ancient Cornish capital of Lostwithiel. I am a Cornish person with a life-long love of Cornwall and a deep concern for green issues. My business involves offering a year-round combination of residential and non-residential language courses. I also provide organic vegan and vegetarian Bed and Breakfast.

It felt like the first touch of autumn today and my mind turned to getting in some wood for the winter. On the way up the hill I noticed there were many windfall hazel nuts on the ground and picked up a few to take home for later as my teeth aren't up to cracking them any more.

Abraham Maslow’s model of human needs, showing a ‘motivating hierarchy’ has been a strong influence in several sectors of our culture since the 1950’s.

I was walking down from Bob's Enchanted Croft to Penpoll Creek, to check my kayak was alright, when this lady called Pam jumped out of the hedge and invited me to a party on her land to celebrate her husband's, David's birthday.

A cute book I picked up in a second-hand bookshop contains a collection of scraps and oddments about the many strange but interesting objects encountered on ramblings and wanderings in the British Countryside. In a time of water shortages and hose pipe bans, Dew Ponds could be a practical way to ensure a localised supply of water for gardening or livestock as this article by E. Mansell describes.

Winston the tortoise paused. He thought - 'Today would be a good day to go the whole five yards'

A media argument has developed between TV's 'Top Gear' presenter Jeremy Clarkson and Jonathon Porritt, former Director of 'Friends of the Earth' now head of the Government's UK Sustainable Developments Commission.

Rachel Carson wrote a book in the 1960’s called 'Silent Spring', describing how the use of pesticides in our food production was not only destroying wild bird populations but was also a root cause for a whole host of human malaise, including cancer. Today we are told that our diet should contain at least five sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables without any reference to the quality of this food or its authenticity. But really this is not enough to promote health and research shows why.

Our educational system is presently a mess. Governments have long lost sight of what education actually is and it is mainly replaced within formal 'educational provision' by systems of indoctrination. Just how has this come about?

Who owns our energy? In the normal course of things our political systems have come to tax us for a percentage of the energy we spend in work - through using money.

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."  ~ Buckminster Fuller.

There are thousands of varieties of apples, from small, sweet and crisp to large fluffy and sour. Herbalists have long used apples in the treatment of digestive disorders.

Futurists speculate about the fate of our earth and as a fan of science, science fiction and ecology it's fun for me to project some of our present planetary scenarios forwards. This article extrapolates the theories of James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia Hypothesis and Thomas Berry, an ecologist and writer.

There are many healing foods available. Nutritional studies into natural healing compounds in fresh food reveal an entire pharmacopoeia just waiting for us. It's worth learning some of these terms for the nutraceutical and botanical aspects of healing foods. Discover which foods contain these so that you can identify and get the foods that will benefit your own unique physiology and healing situation.

Recipes  for wild food lovers! This coming year, plan ahead for a special  dinner party made from wild food collected from the countryside and  from 'local'  suppliers.

The spiky bushes we came to were low on the ground, the apples hanging inside  a screen of twigs. One of the bushes was far bigger than the others.

There is a tiny bacterium residing in the gut lining of about two-thirds of all adults on the planet, called Helicobacter Pylori. Research strongly  suggests that this bacterium may be central to the cause of 80% of all stomach cancers - yet this dangerous invader is mostly left untreated  until it creates serious problems.

Present philosophy verses eco-philosophy. Henryk Skolimoski provides a startling model of two opposed value systems.  This is a mind map by a genius who was Philosopher in Residence at Dartington Hall.

I  have had my veg. box from Riverford for over ten years now. Fresh, locally grown, seasonal, organic veg. arrive (at least 10 sorts), with a fruit bag  (3 varieties). It's like Christmas every time,  carefully unpacking the fortnightly box and storing away the food that will become me in 2 weeks time.

A bumper crop this year and I picked a lot in a couple of hours with the thought of making wild blackberry and apple crumble.

Does the earth, like our own meridian system, harbour an energy matrix? The Sun and the Serpent by Hamish Miller and Paul Broadhurst is a book about the Dragon ley line. It is one to which I regularly return.

In this age of Viagra it hardly seems worth mentioning the awesome power of pure  food in provoking and promoting enjoyable sex, but both food and sex share  one important attribute in common; they are activities that employ all of  the senses.  Explore recipe ideas here for an Epicurean 'erotic meal', one  that can stimulate both the capacity and the desire for sexual activity.  Let food seduce you!

Carvings remain of ancient stories in Britain. Here's one that tells a story of how the forces of Christianity rewrote history in Lostwithiel, Cornwall.

Its not often that the conditions on the Fowey river in Cornwall are perfect for canoeing. But this Solstice eve the tide and the weather were ideal.

Live Aid was one of the most memorable events in my life. Millions of people came together from all over the  planet to put an end to poverty in Africa.  It was one of the most positive, life affirming actions ever created by  people of my generation.

Simon Mitchell as 'Nature Boy'. Join him on one of his favourite journies through spectacular Cornish valley countryside in springtime. This is a walk (or bike ride) along the River Fowey between the ancient Cornish settlements of Lerryn, St.Winnow and Lostwithiel.

One night Nevli the Herbalist shook me awake. It was just after a new moon and  the light of days was short. We took unlit torches through the cold woods  to a site not far from Castledore, at the head of a stream. It was a crisp  but calm night, and the ultramarine sky was lit with the tiny lights of watching spirits. By the time I caught up with him, Nevli had selected a  young birch sapling near to the Mandragora.

There are many ways we can take responsibility for a sustainable and life enhancing environment. By living lightly we protect the delicate  ecosystems on which our lives depend, we save energy and contribute to biodiversity. Your action is needed now to increase the sustainability of natural resources. Consider investing your time and energy in ethical methods for a positive future.

When  Nature provides you with just what you are looking for - this is synchronicity  in action.  I was completing an illustrated version of one of my ebooks 'The  Adventure of Arthur' and was short of some good pictures of a Robin - who is a sort of guide in this story. I had used a scanned Christmas card at a pinch  for this image and, well it just sort of spoiled the ebook. With  this in the back of my mind I set off on a walk with my camera.

NETTLE SOUP (Urtica Dioica). Weather-wise it was the first day of spring in Cornwall, with warm sun and a brisk wind from the west. I set off in search of fresh nettles for some of my favourite soup.

Since the demise of foxhunting and ‘hunting with dogs’ in the  countryside, there are thousands of dispossessed toffs wandering around with nothing to do. To compensate we offer here the new shape of country activities. Introducing Impromptu Farm Concerts

Since the demise of foxhunting and ‘hunting with dogs’ in the  countryside, there are thousands of dispossessed toffs wandering around  with nothing to do. To compensate we offer here the new shape of extreme and dangerous landsports. 1. Bale surfing

The  laws of human economics are in conflict with the laws of the Earth.  Where do you draw the line? Guest article by Donella Meadows, author  of  Pulitzer Prize-nominated weekly column, ‘The Global Citizen’.

Have you ever fallen asleep while reading a book - but gone on reading  while in dream mode ? This unusual experience led to 'The Magic Book’,  a visualisation exercise for people who like the written word.

Recycle your Christmas tree. When you click to open this article you will find a photo
and article on a  useful product and fun woodwork project you can make if you choose your  Christmas tree carefully !

The Saint's Way by the River Fowey in Cornwall is a story written into the land. This  ancient route existed long before it was used by saints, taking advantage  of the unique shape of Cornwall and its rivers.

Here are instructions on how to make a wishing box, how to charm a wishing box and how to install a wish like 'MAKE A FORTUNE' inside your wishing box

The winter night skies are alive with ancient stories as the Gods and Goddesses of myth and legend battle out their relationships. Hunters, dogs and horses, giants and a female warrior inhabit Orion in this guest article inspired by Claire Nahmad's 'Earth Magic'.

Once again the Earth turns around the sun and we come to the shortest day,  conspiratorially hidden right next to Christmas - usually on Dec. 21st. The Longest  Night is an opportunity to make 'Deamon Fire' - find out how here.

Rather flippantly I asked my 13 year old son 'What is the purpose of your existence?' In a trice he replied 'To eat good food and play!' Grabbing the last of his organic apple slices he dashed out of the door to do just that. But it got me thinking as I washed up - what if he's right! How could one manage this as an adult ?

My teaching experiences at one of the top, award winning, F.E. colleges in the country have led me to see this college and FE in general as a factory geared  towards  turning out qualifications.

Chocolate Reviews - stimulate your salivary glands here and cure writers block in the process. In a sporadic outburst of decadence, I joined the Chocolate Tasting Club for a while.

Global pharmaceutical companies control our diets and medicines and governments are bringing in legislation to ban many dietary supplements. What better time to get back to the earth and turn out your medicine cabinets to favour of Mother Nature? This is a great time to source our own foodstuffs and medicines wherever possible.

All Hallows Eve or Halloween celebrates the last day of the year in the ancient Celtic Calendar, the end of a year in the times of the Old Gods, followed by Samhain - New Years Day.

Natures cold remedies in your kitchen. Colds are the body's escape mechanism. When the whole system is overloaded it crashes. The body stresses out and the immune system drops its threshold. The nose releases toxic wastes in the form of mucous and the body often aches and feels exhausted. Pay attention to what your body is saying because an unchecked cold can become far more serious if you keep it buried. Here are some first-aid tips and recipes to help:

Looking back to Greek literature, Tansy was given by the Gods to Ganymede to make him immortal. In the language of flowers the gift of Tansy means 'Rejected address' - " I am not interested in you". Its strange taste, not unlike the smell of 'mothballs' might have something to do with this. When I made some into a Tansy Cake - I found it unpalatable, more a medicine than a cake.

The French, in terms of diet and disease, have been a statistical enigma. They relish high fat food, consume alcohol regularly and often smoke - the very picture of the World Health Organisation's 'risk group'. High protein, meat  based meals include duck, goose and pork - even cooked in fat as a preference!  Butter, cream, pork fat and wine are regular ingredients - so why do they have such a low rate of heart disease compared to other countries?

The treatment room. A self treatment at the heart of psychoneuro-immunology. Try out this energy treatment for yourself by constructing a special 'healing room' in your own mind.

Clear your head by singing along to the Solfeggio scale. Here's a free vibrational therapy for you to try at home. Most musical instruments can be used for their healing qualities and just the same applies to the human voice, possibly even more so. Just by humming or singing you are setting off frequencies and vibrations inside your body that can shift perception and alter physiology. I found this out during one of my work avoidance breaks.

Positive poem ebook as a .gif anim - from simonthescribe

Diminishing natural resources and increasing populations mean that we on planet earth are a culture in a spiral of entropy. Our investment systems have been using the capital assets of our planet as income since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. We are putting little energy back into our planet to maintain a healthy environment for ourselves. Creativity is a valuable trait in addressing these problems.

When the sun in the Northern hemisphere is low on the horizon, its angle gives us an opportunity to play with raw colour. This colour therapy  self-treatment came to me as a work displacement activity and I welcomed   it. If you have some old CD's you can recycle them and treat yourself  to a pure colour bath directly onto your eyeballs. This moved onto to some colour chakra therapy !

Doctor Kathy Sykes is presenting us with scientific proof of how acupuncture and therefore other meridian-based interventions might work. In what can only be described as a 'breakthrough experiment', she found evidence of an effect of acupuncture on the brain's limbic system, also known as the mammalian hind brain. Combining on-the-spot acupuncture with an MRI scanner we were able to view the direct effect of acupuncture for ourselves in calming areas of the limbic brain.

Here are thirty things that we can do as individuals to avoid modern disease. Check the list and see how many of these you do already...

Work with electrical fields that surround animals and plants suggests the presence of an energy body. Studies using Kirlian photography show energy fields surrounding physical objects although there is still some debate as to what these actually are. Energy or 'vibrational' medicine is heavily legislated against and machines have been made illegal and confiscated. This field has been overlooked for far too long.

1000 years ago in Europe pre-Christian tribes originally had a Goddess culture - a matriarchy where the earth and nature and their cycles and secrets were revered. In pre-industrial societies illness was not seen as a 'random assault from outside' but as a deeply significant life event  integral to the sufferer's whole being - spiritual, moral, physical and  life course - past, present and future.

We live now in a time of 'paradigm shift' which creates fundamental changes in our assumptions about the world, and even this  contributes to modern stress! Although our physical sciences have  discovered new fields of a quantum energy reality, medical science is lagging far  behind.

Medicine is extremely slow to move from a mechanistic and physical  philosophy to a more energetic model, like the Gaian paradigm that values all life forms as connected. A philosophy of medicine that is over-reliant on logic and limited mainly to drugs and surgery is fundamental flawed. Acts of logic always rely on analysis, that is breaking down a 'whole' into its constituent parts, and examining each minutely. Reductionist approaches fail to see the connectivity and relatedness of all things and the power of the mind itself.

YARROW TEA (Achillea Millefolium). Yarrow has an ancient history. The generic name comes from Achilles who saved the lives of his warriors by healing their wounds with yarrow leaves.

TAYBERRY AND STRAWBERRY JAM. These berries are rich in vitamin C and provide a recognised boost to the immune system. The fresh berries are rich in bioflavonoids, fibre and folate.  The leaves and roots are also a valuable herb that can help to control diarrhoea. The chewing of  blackberry leaves for bleeding gums goes back at least 2000 years.

ROWAN JELLY RECIPE. The Rowan was such a sacred tree to the Celts that many churchyards in Wales still include the tree, not unlike the Yew tree in English churchyards. The berries were much used by the Celts for brewing wine, spirit, flavouring mead, ale, perry and cider. Try squeezing some of the fresh berry juice and putting it into a gin and tonic - it makes a convincing alternative to Angostura bitters.

ROSEMARY FLOWER CANDIES (Rosemarinus Officinalis). Rosemary has long been recognised as a valuable heart and liver tonic and its use can help to reduce high blood pressure. It has been used in the treatment of nervous complaints, digestive disorders and menstrual pains.

EARTHNUTS or PIGNUTS (Conopodium Majus). Although these tasty tubers are beloved of pigs (hence the  name) they are a most unusual and rewarding woodland snack and there was a time when they were a popular nibble for country children on their way to and from school. Real hunter-gatherer food for free !

Watercress soup is warming when hot and a refreshing summer soup when served cold. Watercress is part of the Nasturtium  family whose peppery leaves are well known for their nutraceutical value. You can store it in the freezer for all-year-round use.