Love for Life ... :)))

For years I took it for granted that loving oneself and being 'ok' in oneself just came naturally (yeah yeah naive or ? ). And thereof came the Love for Life.....taking pleasure in the simple things......sharing and expressing freely and without borders and boundary.....brewing laughter at any instant, however silly or simplistic, and being positive in whatever instance (including stress and problems).

Recently I experienced a series of harrowing and border-abuse incidents - stretched over several months - that awakened me to how this whole concept/ideology does not apply to all - and in fact I realised it seems harder for some! And it reinforced what I had witnessed growing up, that: the ability to be happy and at peace with oneself comes from within and will simply not last if it is catalysed by externally driven 'masking behaviours'. To be happy is about making others happy - not waiting for someone to make you smile. As my adverse experiences have ceased, I begin to take back my "Love for Life" the way I always knew it, with laughter and content enjoyment of the simple things in life - and a glow in anticipation of the bigger things which are always awaiting us. Reminded that the blessings are all around - waiting to be noticed by the positive inner eye. How could I have forgotten?

Of-course there are always mixed feelings surrounding the desire to maintain one's 'Love for Life', especially when one experiences imbalanced or unjust instances, and this reminds me of the Kite Runner. A superb movie, remarkable in the making and compelling in its storyline, but of-course quite tearful too (for me at least). I watched it thrice in the past few months, and one (partial) statement I relate to strongly - "....there is a way to be good again". Those of you who have watched it will appreciate how this fits into the injustice and betrayal faced by Hassan from his friend Amir - though not intentional, but because Amir just did not know how to deal with the situation and resolved to take the easy way out. Much later in life Amir was presented an opportunity to 'make-up-for' the betrayal. And I wondered, in my own context, will 'it be made good' one-day? Will having upheld faith that the wrongs will be 'made-up-for' be worth it in the end? And will my love for life be influenced by this?

I guess the beauty of waiting for tomorrow to unfold and give the answers, is the mysteries and wisdom it will bring with it. But today - I am content to nurture my Love for Life :)

Possibility of turning 'Problems into Motivators'

I love Winnie the Pooh...do you?

Not just because he is adorable and always friendly and kind and saying the right thing in the simplest manner, but also because he gives off such 'positivity' : "If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”(Winne the Pooh) !

Clearly he speaks to not only kids, but adults as well! His statements are riddled with wise life lessons and guidance....

So what made me think of Winnie the Pooh this afternoon? Problems...problems and more...do we create them? Do we have problems because we are strong and they present a testing strategy in our path? Do we have problems because we are weak and failing to cope? Honestly I have no answer...just thoughts, but for now will share a bit on one of those thoughts: 'The possibility of turning our problems into motivators' !

While problems we face may not start with us, motivation to aspire towards a positive conquering status DOES start with us! Often anger and depression brews when we get into a difficult situation (sometimes aligned with panic, fear and apathy). Now both these negative emotions - anger and depression - can be turned into beneficial motivation. I wont go into the nitty-gritties (enough on the www as it is), but it IS possible to break the cycle of anger and depression and develop a chain of focus and positive channeling, and thus help oneself (and others around us).

It is important to understand why one is angry and depressed, understanding the source of the negative emotion is the root for turning it into positive energy. For example, if I am angry because I cannot lose 4 kg, I could use that to motivate myself into trying harder, eating right or even exercising more. Anger alone will not help me process information efficiently, and will actually prevent me from realising the real reason why you I am feeling low or upset. Once I understand that, I can work to make a difference in my life and ofcourse subsequently the life of those around me :)

Functional fixedness: overcome it!

Heard of 'The Candle Problem' - ever tried to solve it? Lets hear what Dan Pink has to say :)

io9 - LUV it!

Some of you may already be familiar with this website

But for those of who are not familiar with it - give it a hit next time you are online, especially if you are a sci-fi fan or intrigued by arb and visionary scientific break throughs and facts/tit-bits :)

It a year today since io9.com was launched, and I can only testify to its delightfully 'futuristic' watchdog state - hence I felt impelled to share with others.

Enjoy :)

Going Green !

I am having a hard time connecting to 'going green' and continue to associate this term with 'going green with envy'.

Anyhow 'going green' seems to be the 'in-thing' so to speak, lately, and a huge drive not only being pushed by environmentalists, but more recently also by many in the business and development (civil society sector) worlds. I won't dwell on the benefits thereof of going green, rather than going....I guess another color?! But found when I visited several going green related online sites, they were quite enlightening and it appears that going green is not as daunting or challenging as many of us make it out to be: why not pop on this site.

We can each find our own way of contributing to going green, here was one thought: "(ex) President Bush is starting to get concerned about global warming, which is why he's trying to rekindle the COLD war." - 
Jay Leno

 !! Odd but interesting..... :)

Successful - a carrot on a stick?

Yes yes, does look like an elixir posting...So why this topic? Especially as it seems I am slipping back into my sporadic posting syndrome (SPS)... (and I think I just created that!). Ok, so back to the matter at hand..why the topic? Because for the past few months the matters of success/achievement/failure/loss keep rearing as challenging buzz's all around me - I am particularly conscious of it this week because 'successful' has been long deserving of a "certain dear one" of mine...but somehow this does not seem to be crowning my "certain dear one"......so it got me thinking a bit more than usual about success.

There is an immense pool of information around 'how to be successful'. Then why does it seem hard to become successful? Possibly the complexities of our own personage as individuals and the autonomy we exercise to decide what we think will or will not work - may be standing in the way of us drawing from the elaborations available to us. On the other hand some may not opportune this pool of information. We could go on and discern multiple reasons why, though there has been so much shared about how to become successful, many do not (feel/perceive/believe) they are successful, at least as they would wish to be.

But lets see what we can remind ourselves around becoming successful. Respectful of diverse opinions on 'how' one can savour success....what I share is of-course only one humble perspective, which I pivots love:

a) Love and know yourself: may sound 'mushy', but loving oneself and appreciating oneself is not always a given! however when we love ourselves, we believe in ourselves, we seek to better ourselves and in the process we consciously identify within ourselves the positive, strengths, capacities and so on, this can be a catalyst to identifying WHAT one CAN succeed in. And when you succeed, do not forget who you were! Also take care of yourself, take care of your health and general outlook - when you feel good and look good, you're energy and motivation levels are higher. Avoid negativity!

b) Love what you do: if you don't enjoy it, even if you are good at it, someday it will 'give'!. Enjoying what you set out to do guarantees your dedication to its success and often also guarantees you explore enough about the area of intended success, to know exactly what to do, how and when, to attain the success. If you don't love it, you're probably miserable doing it. Also 'true' success can really only be aligned with happiness, how can one be deemed successful in something if it only gives off unhappy vibes? Loving it will motivate you, motivation will drive you and open your mind and soul to innovative ways to doing it...Some people already feel successful because they are able to do what they love in the first place! :)

c) Love the challenge of uniqueness: to feel successful and have others recognise it, it would make sense that you would need to do something 'different'. Uniqueness is an ideal quality to nurture when seeking success in something. Being unique often implies being different, and this can be challenging, so loving the challenge and viewing it as a stepping stone to success, is key. Bring YOUR own very special thoughts, ideas, ways and practices to the fore, and with it be successful in contributing valuabley the world.

d) Love the pains: often success comes about through perseverence, and in many instances can be hindered by rejection, failure, critiscism, others lack of faith in you, and other adverse reactions from your environment. Keep in mind that becoming successful is a process, and often one which requires learning, patience and faith - so learn to love these pains, as they are stepping stones to the success. Stay focused. Love and learn, learn what you can from all the negativities that may come your way, and find how you can do things better as your journey continues.

e) Love others: I hope this point lingers on with you longer than the others. Success can be a personal (self) pursuit, we seek OUR success, and when we seek something for ourselves it is easy to forget about the next person and even undermine those around us in our pursuit for our goals.Be radiant, enthusiastic, energetic, and confident about yourself and convey a positive attitude - this is a magnet, it will attract others, and they will without doubt support you towards your success. Don't forget team spirit - as the situation demands. And when you become successful, share your story with others - encourage them along on their paths of success!

So a possible redefinition of success — often aligned with riches, power, glory & prestige — may be neccesary to facilitate many of us towards repositioning our perceptions of 'success is unattainable - like the carrot on the stick!". And I shall sign off with this one : "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Sir Winston Churchill , and a little spanner for your thoughts :) "Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value." - Albert Einstein (now would that not be a TRUE success? )

For me success is 'freedom'.....my freedom to be me!

A trial....and...voila....slide.com works well :)

Let Me Be A Love

What happened to the sheer wind?
Why has it ceased to sway me?
How did I land on the sun?
Was it on the rainbow slide you brought me after the rain?

All strides to detachment
Torn down by greater emotions
Have failed me
Leaving a persistent scar of enchantment
For you

Why is my soul tickling blue?
How is it creeping up on an emptiness?
What is the emotional war sucking on my mind?
Is it reality lurching me back to you?

It has started
Refusing to recoil inside me it hurdles and catapults forth
Persistently seeking succulent serenity
Beyond condition with revering awe
For you

What can I unleash?
Help me learn how much love can win
I fear failure

What can I sever?
Help me balm your soreness
I fear sowing pain

What can I succour?
Help me bring you infinity
I fear emotional mortality

What can I be?
Help me profess how much I love you
I fear to freeze

Let me touch you sublime, allow you and I transcendent unison, let me be a love, a love only, love only for, for you.

- Rouzeh (8/12/08)

Taking Back the Tech !!!

From 25 November to 10 December 2006, APC Women’s Networking SupportProgramme (APC WNSP) advocated and worked with many organisations and like-minded groups to TAKE BACK THE TECH! For 16 days,this campaign engaged many globally to think about how their use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) can work to eliminate, or perpetuate violence against women (VAW).
The root cause of VAW lies in unequal power relations between men and women in almost all facets of life. The field of ICTs faces the same gender disparity. As a result, digital spaces like the internet,broadcast and telecommunications have become defined and developed according to dominant masculist perspectives. This means that VAW that happened in physical spaces like the home and streets, are now also taking new forms and occurring in digital spaces. For example, domestic violence abusers have used tools like spyware and GPS to track and control their partner's mobility. APC WNSP believes that both ICTs and VAW affect our capacity tocompletely enjoy our human rights and fundamental freedoms. Our right to move freely without harassment or threats to safety also applies todigital spaces. This 16-day campaign aimed to reclaim our right to shape,define, participate, use and share all aspects related to ICTs. The continue to ask us are asking you to Take Back The Tech!, and re-create a vision and reality oftechnology that is founded on equality.
TAKE BACK THE TECH! www.takebackthetech.net

A fishy story?

A review of the literature on the health effects of dietary fish or fish-oil intake has a reassuring message for seafood lovers, anyone eating fish for health reasons, and perhaps most everyone else. Levels of mercury and other contaminants in commercially bought fish are low, and their potential risks are overwhelmed by likely reductions in cardiovascular mortality, according to an article in the October 18 issue of JAMA."The main message is really that everybody should be eating one or two servings of fish or seafood per week for their health," Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, told heartwire.

"Potential risks of fish intake must be considered in the context of potential benefits," according to Drs. Mozaffarian and Rimm. "Avoidance of modest fish consumption due to confusion regarding risks and benefits could result in thousands of excess CHD [coronary heart disease] deaths annually and suboptimal neurodevelopment in children."Those potential benefits are immense compared with the highly publicized but apparently low health risks associated with methylmercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that have been found in some fish species, the authors write. The evidence suggests a potential for neurodevelopmental deficits from early exposure to methylmercury, but the risk is likely diminished by limiting intake of fish with high methylmercury concentrations.And the cancer risk from consuming PCBs or dioxins in fish appears to be negligible, especially when stacked up against the likely cardiovascular protection, according to Dr. Mozaffarian. Moreover, he said, the evidence for CV [cardiovascular] benefit is far stronger than that for a cancer risk. "For benefits, we're talking about randomized trials and prospective studies in humans. For the risks, they're really theoretical risks based mostly on animal studies and a few limited studies in humans at much higher doses.""I think they've put things into perspective. This is an area that gets a tremendous amount of controversy and mixed messages going out to the public," Alice H Lichtenstein, MD, director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, told heartwire. The conclusions of Drs. Mozaffarian and Rimm, Dr. Lichtenstein said, are "well founded" and "consistent with what a lot of people have concluded that the benefits [of fish and fish-oil consumption] outweigh the risks."Benefits and Risks of Fish Intake for WomenThe report's recommendation that most everyone can benefit from a couple of servings of fish per week was directed not only to the general population and those with cardiovascular risk factors, but also to women who could become pregnant or who are nursing and are urged to avoid a few species of fish that generally have higher contaminant levels."I think it's important that women of childbearing age and nursing mothers not worry so much about mercury, which is present at high levels really in only four fishes that they're not supposed to eat," Dr. Mozaffarian said.

One major caution in the report is for people who eat fish that is not purchased from commercial sources. "Some of the inland lakes in the United States are more highly contaminated with PCBs and dioxins," Dr. Mozaffarian said, "so someone who sports fishes and eats their catch frequently should consult regional advisories about what levels of PCBs and dioxins are in the different fish." Another caveat: "Anybody who eats fish at one or more servings per day, just to be on the safe side, should make sure they're eating a variety of different fish, making sure that at least some are lower in mercury levels," Dr. Mozaffarian said.

CRIME reduction.....developmental or moral issue?

"Crime" ..... a common yet fearful term. One that has become over-rated in many spheres, yet remains grossly "untackled" in any sustainable manner. Even the definition of "crime" has been disputed in various arenas, adjusting it where it suits power and material gain of those who claim to contain crime, identify crime or punish crime.

Crime has been a politico-legal issue till the past two decades, where its significant infiltration into the developmental world has generated various developmental responses. Issues around human trafficking - in particular child and female trafficking - have recently begun rearing their ugly heads on the HIV/AIDS agenda and become of critical concern to HIV/AIDS policy makers and programmers globally. See http://www.humantrafficking.org/capacitybuilding/toolkits

The Baha'i Faith aproached crime from a unique, practical and highly humanitarian angle. Baha'is believe that the community ought day and night to strive and endeavor with the utmost zeal and effort to accomplish the education of men, to cause them day by day to progress and to increase in science and knowledge, to acquire virtues, to gain good morals and to avoid vices, so that crimes may not occur. At the present time the contrary prevails; the community is always thinking of enforcing the penal laws, and of preparing means of punishment, instruments of death and chastisement, places for imprisonment and banishment; and they expect crimes to be committed. This has a demoralizing effect.

There are two sorts of retributory punishments. One is vengeance, the other, chastisement. Man has not the right to take vengeance, but the community has the right to punish the criminal; and this punishment is intended to warn and to prevent so that no other person will dare to commit a like crime. This punishment is for the protection of man's rights, but it is not vengeance; vengeance appeases the anger of the heart by opposing one evil to another. This is not allowable, for man has not the right to take vengeance. But if criminals were entirely forgiven, the order of the world would be upset. So punishment is one of the essential necessities for the safety of communities, but he who is oppressed by a transgressor has not the right to take vengeance. On the contrary, he should forgive and pardon, for this is worthy of the world of man.

It has been ascertained that among civilized peoples crime is less frequent than among uncivilized -- that is to say, among those who have acquired the true civilization, which is divine civilization -- the civilization of those who unite all the spiritual and material perfections. As ignorance is the cause of crimes, the more knowledge and science increases, the more crimes will diminish.

As Bahá'u'lláh confirms: "So long as one's nature yieldeth unto evil passions, crime and transgression will prevail." (Baha'i International Community, 2001 May 28-31, Overcoming Corruption in Public Institutions) http://statements.bahai.org/pdf/01-0528.pdf

Abstinence and Being Faithful: Futile Strategies in PEPFAR HIV programming?

Certain cultural factors in resource limited settings pose significant challenges to prevention efforts and must be addressed to make it possible for people (especially youth) to adopt behaviours such as abstinence, being faithful, and correct and consistent condom use (ABC) according to several presentations at the 2006 PEPFAR Implementer’s Meeting held mid-June in Durban, South Africa. Some PEPFAR-funded prevention programmes are attempting to change cultural norms around polygamy, cross-generational sex, male attitudes towards women, sexual coercion and violence, taboos surrounding discussing sex, economic pressures and social expectations to have sex. Failure to confront these challenges could lead to the failure of prevention programmes, and could also have extremely negative unintended consequences — including, potentially, the rape of girls known to be abstinent. This issue was addressed during both plenary talks on prevention. “When communities set expectations about the sexual behaviour of young people, they must also create an environment where that behaviour is possible,” said David Stanton, a clinical epidemiologist at USAID.

“Although the ABC approach is an important strategy, there are a number of challenges to this approach,” said Dr Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha of CDC Kenya. “The reality is that for many women, these strategies are hard to implement, and fail to offer real options that [fit] into their daily reality.” “For example, abstinence is meaningless when women and girls feel they must resort to sex as a matter of survival, or when sexual activity is coerced. “Likewise, being faithful is an effective strategy, only if both partners are faithful and none of them is infected. Condoms, though effective, are a male decision, with women having very little power to negotiate their use due to their dependency on their male partners.” “And finally, most women have limited access to female controlled methods that will enable them to control their own sexual health. We therefore need to recognise these limitations and make sure that our prevention programmes use the ABC approach as a platform to incorporate other prevention strategies.”

The continued debates around ABC and its failure to address women's and girl's concerns in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic are beginning to equate the sounds of a scratched record - each scratch and screech finer the next time round !!! PEPFAR and other notable donors may carry their own political intentions forward with the ABC preaching - and of course as a Baha'i I fully support the ABC strategy thoroughly - BUTTTTTTTTTT its simply not currently feasible, we have no structures, no mechanisms and in majority of instances we have not won over the minds, beliefs and attitudes of the masses and those that control social survival. The justifications also seem to be changing goal posts ever so regularly....SO where are the actions, and with the upcoming XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada 13-18 August 2006...whose theme is "Time To Deliver", my question remains....WHEN will the delivery become a reality?

To those of us who shall be in Toronto - especially all Women of Africa - Women of Substance - lets drive the agenda and Demand A Delivery.......

Its been a while....but lets share a laugh & get happy

It has been a while since I have offered this space attention, not sure whether to be sorry, or excited that I am back !!! Have been on the road more often than not in the past two months, which has its ups but many many downs as well... comprising mostly of stress and anxiety. Excessive travel does that, unsettles one.... I am sure we all can appreciate that. So what keeps the excessive travellar sane? I guess different people have different responses to that, mine has always been laughter. Laughter just does it for me. And its contagious, hence it generates relaxation and joy and an environment that encourages our endorphines to race around and take us into euphoria....Basically with a dose of good laughter you really won't need barbiturates or other toxic substances to give you a high. Not only has this been proven scieentifically, but anecdotal we all have evidence on how laughter relieves stress and in some instances also plays role of "medicine". Laughter fuels happiness and vice versa and happiness is the greatest healer of all.

In the Baha'i perspective of health and healing this holds much truth as it calls on innate peace that only spiritual growth and health can offer a human being. Thus the cliche "Laughter is the Bets Medicine" remains true if you muse it...try it...guaranteed you won't be disappointed.
“Joy gives us wings! in times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener…..But when sadness visits us our strength leaves us.” – Abdu’l-Baha

Of course many may question the ability to remain ‘happy’ under the various trials and difficulties that face us in this day. Especially within the context of political and socio-economic challenges prevailing across most of the globe. In this instance we need to be reminded that the true meaning of happiness does not lie in material and temporal domains; it is true happiness that enables spiritual and even physical and mental health in human beings. Happiness that ensues from obedience to the laws set down in the Holy Books of God. Happiness that is mirrored in the heart of those who choose to turn their faces to God.
Abdu’l-Baha reveals “Anybody can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, health, success, pleasure and joy; but if one will be happy and contented in the time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, it is the proof of nobility” .

Indeed, as we ponder these Wise and Inspiring Revelations, let us remain HAPPY under all earthly conditions. How can we possibly consider harbouring any negative emotions in this Great Day ? So go ahead share a laugh and be happy - and remember that humor needs to be sensitive and culturally cognisant.....I sure am happy to be back on this space :)

have a 'positive' giggle

MindHabits Booster is a groundbreaking psychological game that aspires to change the way we think. Developed by doctors at McGill University, it is based on the idea that positive thinking takes practice. Recent studies show games like this can help people undo negative thought patterns and form new, more positive ones. By playing for five minutes a day, you can learn to ignore hostility and improve your self-esteem.

Play now! See if you can find the friendly face in the crowd. (It's harder than you think!....and bit silly too i guesss, but silly can be fun )http://health.ivillage.com/multimedia/0,,90r57fvc,00.html

Revamping our Work Ethics: Work is Worship !!!

Now thats a thought......how common is this in your work environment? Notice no woman is present? Speaks loudly on what difference it would make if a woman's skills were in play in this scene.... Anyhow on a more serious note how many ahve though of "Work as Worship".

" To participate effectively in the struggle to bring material well-being to humanity, the religious spirit must find - in the Source of inspiration from which it flows - new spiritual concepts and principles relevant to an age that seeks to establish unity and justice in human affairs. Unemployment raises similar issues. In most of contemporary thinking, the concept of work has been largely reduced to that of gainful employment aimed at acquiring the means for the consumption of available goods. The system is circular: acquisition and consumption resulting in the maintenance and expansion of the production of goods and, in consequence, in supporting paid employment.." The Prosperity of Humankind ( http://www.onecountry.org/oc72/Properity%20full%20text.htm)

Not surprisingly, therefore, there is increasing recognition that the world is in urgent need of a new "work ethic". Human beings are impelled to express the immense capacities latent within them through productive work designed to meet their own needs and those of others. In acting thus they become participants, at however modest a level, in the processes of the advancement of civilization. They fulfill purposes that unite them with others - as humankind. To the extent that work is consciously undertaken in a spirit of service to humanity, Bahá'u'lláh says, it is a form of prayer, a means of worshiping God. Hence 'work is worship'. Every individual has the capacity to see himself or herself in this light, and it is to this inalienable capacity of the self that development strategy must appeal, whatever the nature of the plans being pursued, whatever the rewards they promise. No narrower a perspective will ever call up from the people of the world the magnitude of effort and commitment that the economic tasks ahead will require.

Now with this refreshing perspective to the work we do, surely we are energised and canot allow the insert picture to be a reflection of our work ethics whether domestic, religious, for economic gain or simply to get 'something done'. We have Divine assurance that the work we engage in is beyond simply 'applying an act towards realising a material/physical means', but equates to the highest form of acts graced on humanity = WORSHIP. Enjoy your toils................. :)

Noble Status of Our Women.....

"The SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) Gender and Development conference (2005) was held in the backdrop of a region that is currently facing increasing poverty with over 70% of the region’s population living below US$2 per day and 40% below US $1 (SADC 2003), severe drought, extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence (of the world population living with HIV, 60% come from the SADC region and of this number, 57% are women), serious food insecurity, high unemployment and cross border economic migrants." These, and other, limitations and challenges overbearing the world, not only SADC, precipitate as problems for women in their practical day-in day-out experiences. This is because of the gendered nature of allocation of roles and responsibilities in our societies both at primary level (in the family) and at secondary level (in the public space). When the state cannot provide for its citizens, women become the subsidizers of the state by providing for unrecognized and unrewarded skills and services. This has been witnessed through the increased burden of care and basic food provision being shifted from the state to women .
In a patriarchal world, where men breathe down women's progressive-seeking necks and trip their developmentally-directed steps, so many adverse consequences are hampering women's realisation of their full potential. The true reflection of a woman - as a partner towards an ever advancing civilisation - keeps being marred by gross male subordination.
Women continue facing increased challenges, marginalization and appalling gender crimes - despite vigorous gender awareness campaigns, women’s empowerment policies, legislation and programs adopted at national level since Beijing and other much earlier processes. In Africa, what is unique with regards to dissipating typical gender stereotypes is that women’s emancipatory efforts in this region were evidenced by their active participation together with the men in our liberation struggles. Note:
- Until January 2006, adult women of Swaziland were being denied the dignity of being legal entities.
- Up to today, adult women in Botswana who decide to marry cannot open a water utilities account without the substantiation of their husbands.
- Ordinary women’s everyday lives are rife with husbands and lovers who claim to love them yet beating, kicking and plundering their bodies, and while it is acknowledged as ‘domestic violence’ it remains difficult to ‘treat’ in our Justice Systems because of its ‘household’ nature.

Now of course this scenario is prevalent across the globe, not just in the SADC region, and depending on who raises their voice loudest and who can secure a hearing platform soonest, the trials and tribulations facing women and girls on the globe come to the fore. And once in a while are taken seriously. But not enough. In fact one - with sane and just faculties and the betterment of humanity at heart - would ponder: what more calamity does humanity need to accept the imperative need for promotion and sustenance of Equality Between Women and Men? Wars, macro -economic collapses, religious revolutions and now the ravaging HIV/AIDS pandemic...... what next to engage the world in a gender-transformed gear?

Bahá'ís appreciate that the values which women bring to human interaction are necessary to the proper functioning and advancement of modern society (http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/list.cfm) They further attest that qualities that have formerly been associated with the "feminine" elements of human nature - including compassion, nurturing, cooperation and empathy- will be increasingly important in creating a peaceful, just, and sustainable world civilization. Even science and philosophy is beginning to bear witness to this. The full and equal participation of women in all spheres of life is essential to social and economic development, the abolition of war, and the ultimate establishment of a united world. In the Bahá'í Scriptures the equality of the sexes is a cornerstone of God's plan for human development and prosperity:

The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment. When the two wings . . . become equivalent in strength, enjoying the same prerogatives, the flight of man will be exceedingly lofty and extraordinary. - 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Take your stand in promoting the noble status that women hold in this world, http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-0-6.html

Craving a Snooze?..Connect your Soul to the Divine

We all do at some point in our lives.....some more, some less.... experience "insomnia" . Insomnia has a variety of causes, including physical illnesses, psychological illnesses, side-effect of medications, stress and anxiety, other sleeping disorders (sleep apnea, Restless Legs Syndrome, narcolepsy e.t.c) environmental and behavioral factors, and body rhythm inteferences such as jet lag or working different shifts e.g. the night shift. Women may actually suffer more from insomnia than their male counterparts......(gender inequalities even spill over into one's sleep!!!!). Hormonal influences, such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause can disrupt a woman's sleep, and ofcourse women are prone to higher levels of anxiety due to often burdened livelihoods (especially in the developing world). Nothing is more frustrating than wanting to sleep and not being able to sleep, irrespective of how many sheep one counts, and of course the more one tries to sleep it further builds their frustration and heightens their insomniac mechanisms. A sad cycle if you ask me. But also a grand witness to the amazingly powerful minds human beings posses.

How many of us give ample attention to the preparatory process preceding our sleep ? I don't mean do we brush our teeth? shower? etc, I mean do we prepare our mind for sleep? The answer to this will vary from person to person, circumstance to circumstance and environment to environment. And whatever your answer, it is still possible to apply simple methods, immediately prior to sleep, enabling you to savour the array of benefits that sleep avails. Some include:

- If you are in physical pain, apply any pain-relief techniques, well before your sleep

- Do not have heavy meals before you sleep, an avoid diuretics caffeine/taurine intake.

- Do some light deep breathing exercises before you sleep, and sleep in well aerated space.

- If you're taking medication with side-effects that interfere with your sleep, discuss with your doctor

- "Unwind your Mind"

Now I would strongly suggest the last one "Unwind your Mind". It may sound tedious, challenging and just unnecessary trouble, or you think well 'my mind isnt wound up at all'...actually often we don't know when our minds are 'wound-up' [ please note that in this context 'wound-up' DOES NOT mean crazy, it means strained and embroiled with many issues at once] That's one of the abundant testimonies of the complexity and power of the human mind, it has windows -which we may choose to look into or not- that are filed in the conscious and the sub-concious. So much of our anxiety can be shifted into our sub-consious and this can influence our sleep patterns, dreams and general well-being post-sleep. Ok, so when 'unwinding' the mind, we are also relaxing the soul and spirit. Its probably the most effective and is the simplest to adopt as a habit before sleeping. It involves meditating, praying and connecting with God or superior being you believe in. For Bahá'ís this implies an understanding that humans have certain spiritual duties before God. Bahá'u'lláh urged His followers :

"Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance..."

Specifically, Baha'is are encouraged to reflect at the end of each day on our deeds and their worth. Other than this, Bahá'u'lláh did not specify a particular approach to meditation. Instead, each individual is free to choose his or her own meditational form. This I have found as an excellent and practical approach to countering any sleep disorders. The combination of prayer and meditation allows one to 'unpack' the complex/troubling/challenging issues of the day and lay them at the doorstep of Divine Threshold, separating the matters of the physical realm from one's self and detaching. This leaves the mind less weighty, and facilitates improved sleep patterns. Explore this page for more on how prayer brings into action higher forces, as yet comparatively little known; and how these forces are more arbitrary in their action than the physical forces: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-7-1.html ..... and enjoy endless nights of refreshingly peaceful sleep :)

For more on Sleeping Healthy you may wish to browse this: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf or try out the brief sleep disorders quiz : http://quiz.ivillage.com/health/tests/whsleepdis.htm

Bahá'ís face yet more persecution in Iran

The Bahá'í Faith is one of the fastest-expanding in the world, with more than five million followers. There are between 300,000 and 350,000 in Iran, where its founder Bahá’u’lláh was born in the 19th century. It is a fundamentally peace-loving religion with slightly utopian ideals of universal harmony. It is also the largest religious minority in Iran. The Bahá'í community has been particularly under siege since the 1979 Islamic revolution but there is a long history of persecution before this. The latest alarm has been provoked by a report by United Nations raporteur Asma Jahangir into the plight of Bahá'ís in Iran. It is discussed on an excellent Bahá'í blog here. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has instructed a number of government agencies, including the revolutionary guard and the police force, to 'collect any and all information about members of the Baha'i faith.' Ms Jahangir, whose brief at the UN is freedom of religion and belief, concludes that this monitoring 'constitutes an impermissible and unacceptable interference with the rights of the members of religious communities.' She is also concerned that the information gained as a result of this monitoring will be used to support 'the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Bahá'í faith, in violation of international standards.'

Members of the Bahá'í community are not recognized as a religious minority in Iran and do not have the right to practise their religion. M Jahangir has long been concerned by the 'systematic discrimination' against members of the Bahá'í community in Iran and has already intervened with the government several times. But now she fears that the situation in Iran for all religious minorities is deteriorating.
Here is one example of what the Bahá'ís in Iran have suffered, reported on the faith's own site: 'In June 1983, for example, the Iranian authorities arrested ten Bahá’í women and girls. The charge against them: teaching children’s classes on the Bahá’í Faith — the equivalent of Sunday school in the West. The women were subjected to intense physical and mental abuse in an effort to coerce them to recant their Faith — an option that is always pressed on Bahá’í prisoners. Yet, like most Bahá’ís who were arrested in Iran, they refused to deny their beliefs. As a result, they were executed.' (See photo insert) 17-year-old Mona Mahmudnizhad was one of the women executed. There are many other stories of arbitrary arrests, imprisonments and property confiscation and members of the faith are not allowed access to public universities in Iran. After many UN and other international protests, Iran reduced the execution rate but what is concerning about the latest development is that it indicates that the ultimate goal of the persecution, the eradication of the faith in Iran, has not changed.
(quoted from posting by Ruth Gledhill on Monday, 27 March 2006 at 03:47 PM in Current Affairs, Religion, Weblogs Permalink )

For more on this matter......
http://mail.justice.com/jump/http://news.bahai.org

Millennium Campaign.... and drawing from the Divine Ordinances ?

Did you know....................

• One in four adults in the developing world - 872 million people - is illiterate.(Oxfam UK - Education Now Campaign)
• More than 100 million children remain out of school. (Source:UNFPA)
  46% of girls in the world's poorest countries have no access to primary education. (Source:ActionAid)
• More than 1 in 4 adults cannot read or write: 2/3 are women. (Source:ActionAid)
  Universal primary education would cost $10 billion a year - that's half what Americans spend on ice cream. (Source:ActionAid)
• Young people who have completed primary education are less than half as likely to contract HIV as those missing an education. Universal primary education would prevent 700,000 cases of HIV each year - about 30% all new infections in this age group. (Source:Oxfam)

Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number 2 urges people around the world to take action to ensure that, by 2015, every child is able to complete a full course of primary schooling. This is a noble human effort towards attaining what has already been encouraged by the founders of world religions. And that is only 1 of the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN through the Millennium Declaration in 2000. A grand commitment indeed. Note how the other MDGs fall within the fields of poverty alleviation, sustainable development, peace building and conflict resolution, and yet responses to them continue to remain aloof of the spiritual purpose of man on earth and how Divine guidance and prescribes remain root to success of all these efforts. Take a principle behind any of the MDGs, they boil down to basic Divinely Ordained principles pivoting morals and ethics....

The right to education is, in the view of the Bahá'í International Community, one of the most important rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Indeed, the very mission of the founders of the great religions throughout history has been to educate humankind. Education is critical to the development of each individual's potential and to his or her enjoyment of the full range of human rights. At the same time, education must serve society as a whole by instilling in individuals an unwavering respect for the rights of others and a desire to uphold and defend those rights. Spiritual and moral education would need significant attention over the other aspects of education. "Good behaviour and high moral character must come first", say the Bahá'í Writings, "for unless the character be trained, acquiring knowledge will only prove injurious. Knowledge is praiseworthy when it is coupled with ethical conduct and a virtuous character, otherwise it is a deadly poison, a frightful danger". The function of moral and spiritual education is to guide the use of human capacities for the good of all. The goal of education should be not only the acquisition of knowledge, but also the acquisition of spiritual qualities such as compassion, trustworthiness, service, justice, and respect for all......

All developmental gains take concrete shape from spiritual foundations http://statements.bahai.org/

And why not join the Millennium Campaign.....its worth being part of the making the global 'fantasy a feasibility'....... http://www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/pp.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=138312

Fellow Chocaholics let the joy ooze....

Now this is grand news.......and to be honest I don't really care what its implications on the number of inches gained on my hips and bottom! (that's why exercise was created (",) )

Scientists in 2006 have confirmed that "Eating chocolate may halve risk of dying"
"Regular consumption of cocoa may halve risk of dying and lower blood pressure, suggests a Dutch study in elderly men. But it is not necessarily good news for chocoholics, experts caution."
"The men in the group that consumed the least cocoa were twice as likely to die from a heart attack than those in the group that consumed the most cocoa – at least 4g per day – and the risk remained lower even when other factors such as smoking, physical exercise and weight were taken into account,” says lead researcher Brian Buijsse, at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
“And men in the study who consumed the most cocoa were less likely to die of any cause,” he adds. The high-cocoa men also had significantly lower blood pressure than the other groups –... he says that cocoa-containing antioxidants chemicals, called flavanols, may be the cause. "
this is pretty dramatic ... and hopefully stays true after other studies ...

Original source: Journal reference: Archives of Internal Medicine (vol 166, p 411)New Scientist source: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/dn8780.html

Microbicides....not complex biology

Microbicides.....not complex science...but simply new technology that could free women from the centuries of sexual and reproductive bondage and violation of their rights to making informed decisions on their sexual and reproductive health.

But wait...this does not mean that we are implying women have been 'helpless' and victims' to date. On the contrary, we are affirming that they been survivors and victors as they have continued to strive towards realising and enjoying their optimal sexual and reproductive health status. Amidst the relentless HIV/AIDS epidemic, we note the urgency in lessening the loads that women carry.... find out more about this 'new technology' Microbicides and how advocacy and support of its agenda can save lives. Explore the Global Campaign for Microbicides, tommorrow it may be me or you, our sister, mother, daughter...or....

http://www.global-campaign.org
http://www.global-campaign.org/clientfiles/FS12-Messages-Mar06.pdf