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-Robert Kennedy, 1968
(the book) Affluenza: The All Consuming Epidemic, p. 224
by DeGraff, Wann, Naylor

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Mike, Todd, Dave, Bob, Jenny, Dick, Sandy, Colin, Sandy, Wayne, Kim, Jon, Linda, Woodie, Jill, Pam, Lew, Ross, Micky, and Bob welcomed Lynne Marie and Kathleen to their first meeting.

Following, is a brief recap of the topics posted by the group:

Simple Vacations...
Colin opened this discussion by sharing his awareness for preferring vacations that offer more of a change of place, rather than a total "restful" vacation. And though he has been on a few luxury type vacations, Colin has become aware he gets more satisfaction and fulfillment from simple pleasures, such as being in/closer to nature and by helping others (like working at a Habitat for Humanity group site). He currently is planning a vacation to help those in the inner city of Detroit.

MREA Renewable energy & sustainable living fair debriefing...
Attendees to this year's June fair in Madison, WI, shared their observations and learnings. Woodie mentioned many big corporations and small companies were offering lots of "small" things any of us can use/do to reduce our burden on our planet's climate, its resources, and the affects of our choices on all its inhabitants. Ross was amazed at how many "average Americans" were there, and that there were folks from all over the country -- lots of license plates from different states in the parking lot. The fair also offered many workshops. One everyone seemed to enjoy was how to build your own solar oven. Attendees were given solar cooked chocolate chip cookies to sample (which they are still raving about!), while being introduced to simple, intermediate and some high tech (ovens capable of frying foods) solar oven construction ideas. Jon just built a simple oven from instructions available on-line. With two cardboard boxes and some aluminum foil, he was surprised to see temperatures reaching 180 degrees. He's since used the solar oven to roast some tomatoes and reheat things instead of the popping them into the microwave (since the oven is always "on" when the sun's shinning, it's always ready for use). Discussion concluded with an eye toward next year's fair. The group thought it would be a good thing for as many VS Chicago participants as possible to attend. The collective learnings and subsequent sharings at VS Meetings would be valuable and worthwhile. (from Mike L. -- Let's get some discussion going on the Yahoo!Groups discussion server and make some plans! What are the dates for next year?...)

No more glasses! Diet, proper breathing & other natural stuff. Flat feet? I learned a trick...
Through a visit or two to Chicago vision therapist Dr. Harry Sirota and a change in his diet, Todd has reduced his need for full time eye glasses. He now only needs a lowered prescription pair on occasion at night. As Todd described the exam and the awareness he now has, Mike began to realize Todd was talking about the same doctor he had been seeing since 1995. Dr. Sirota's specialization is in achieving overall, optimal vision. He does this by helping patients become aware of their surroundings while they are wearing corrective lenses. Dr. Sirota selects corrections based on optimizing the patient's total awareness => how the patient sees others as they approach ("At what distance do you feel I'm too close to you?"), and how they see themselves (how things look in front of, around and behind them). Mike had been trying a conventional pair of glasses the past four months, but didn't like the overall vision they were providing. The more Todd described his new awareness, the more Mike began to realize he had lost many of those awareness since using his new glasses. Exams typically take 3-4 hours and cost accordingly. Todd and Mike agree, in terms of total awareness and how they see themselves in the world, the exams have been worth it.

Through a visit or two to Chicago vision therapist Dr. Harry Sirota and a change in his diet, Todd has reduced his need for full time eye glasses. He now only needs a lowered prescription pair on occasion at night. Dr. Sirota's specialization is in achieving overall, optimal vision. He does this by helping patients become aware of their surroundings while they are wearing corrective lenses. He selects corrections based on optimizing the patient's total awareness => how the patient sees others as they approach ("At what distance do you feel I'm too close to you?"), and how they see themselves (how things look in front of, around and behind them). Mike had been seeing Dr. Sirota since 1995, but tried a conventional pair of glasses the past four months. As Todd mentioned the awareness he now has, Mike realized many of the awareness he has lost since using his new glasses. Exams typically take 3-4 hours and cost accordingly. Todd and Mike agree, in terms of total awareness and how they see themselves in the world, the exams have been worth it.

Todd also recently changed his diet. Several years back, when plagued by baffling health problems, Todd turned to changes his diet for solutions. He slowly became a vegetarian and his health immediately improved. While pursuing still better health, he later became a vegan, then a "raw fooder" (basically a vegan diet, but eating nothing that has been heated). We were all surprised to learn he has now added meat, eggs, and fish to his raw food diet, and noted concerns over eating those foods raw. Todd says his vision improved with the new additions, and he plans on continuing this diet until his body signal otherwise.

For flat feet, Todd has be going barefoot as often as possible. The idea is based on reflexology -- stepping onto objects of different shapes acts as stimulations to the different parts of the foot.

Affluenza Tape(s) & Discussion...
Woodie hosted a discussion on the PBS series, Affluenza! and Escape From Affluenza. The book version of the series is just now becoming available in bookstores (Affluenza, The All-Consuming Epidemic), and several folks mentioned they have requested copies from their local libraries. Making such requests is a great way to help your libraries stock their own copies.

Side Discussion -- Listening to what your body is telling you (with regards to what foods you are craving)...
As often happens at VS Chicago Meetings, open space breeds side/continued discussions. During a break between posted topics, Dave, Wayne, Todd and Mike continued on a discussion of learning how to listen to what you body is telling you. With the past week's high temperature/high humidity weather, Dave noted he was craving a lot of fruit -- much more than usual -- and that for some reason, plums were the fruit he was reaching for. Todd noted perhaps it was Dave's body's way of informing him he needed some specific nutrients, perhaps to replenish nutrients he was losing through perspiration. Watermellow, which is loaded with potassium and very pure water was mentioned. Mike mentioned a recent "craving" for chocolate, and how a teaspoon of lecithin powder seems to have answered that call. Ross has for many meetings mentioned your body tells you what it needs -- if you learn to become aware. If you're craving something, learn what is in the food you are craving. Dave noted another signal -- he ate a whole bowel of pasta and was still "looking" for something when he reached the bottom. Perhaps the signal there was pasta wasn't or couldn't fulfill his nutritional needs at that moment.

Reconvening and learnings to go forward...
The groups reconvened to share learnings and insights from the day's discussions. Contacting vision therapist Dr. Sirota (773-561-8918), listening intently to your body to learn what nutrients it is craving, walking bare foot more often, there is more stuff I need to get rid of - silverware and shoes, you guys are funny, continued interests and learnings in solar and other energy/earth saving methods, were some of today's walk-away-learnings.

Woodie mentioned you can now takes bicycles on the CTA. Metra trains are beginning a limited trial run shortly. Search for the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation web site for further information. He also offered info from the Union of Concerned Scientists.