Slavery after slavery? Indentured servitude continues in the modernworld

An article with the above title was written by an individual, who was paid to write the article by this magazine and asked to remove all articles from it before her termination and did not, asking I remove them months later. The contents are removed with this disclaimer, as interviewees have a right to know this publication will be injured when articles are taken down abruptly as in this fashion but are being taken down voluntarily. This magazine is owned and managed by a professional journalist with both training and experience in the field over many years, as well as a background in teaching journalism at the University level.

In general it is recommended that those who are interviewed anywhere for publication, and those who read material about them, examine the writing background and training, as well as point of view, of any publication or writer where they may be featured.

A commitment to compassionate presence: A call for humanity

David Roberts — I have discovered that for me, spiritual growth is driven by intent to develop a different perspective and by paying attention to connections in the universe that facilitate that different perspective.

[caption id="attachment_13774" align="alignright" width="260"] David Roberts[/caption]

The connections that we discover sometimes defy logic. Logic however, is based primarily on linear human laws. In the matter of the divine, logical and linear thinking does not apply. My shift in thinking was necessitated by the challenges presented by my daughter Jeannine's death at the age of 18 on 3/1/03, due to a rare form of cancer.

I  have received signs of her presence throughout my journey. I interpreted these occurrences as an invitation to maintain a relationship with her, albeit in a different form. I welcomed her signs and the opportunity to continue the bond that we developed on earth. However, in the beginning of my journey, those signs were a bittersweet reminder of who and what I lost. Today her signs are a joyful reminder of what I have gained. The bond that we share goes beyond the father-daughter connection that we shared during her lifetime. She has turned into a wise spiritual teacher, who has allowed me to look beyond the confines of death to develop not only a greater understanding of not my place in the world, but my place in relation to humanity in general. Panache Desai has alluded to the fact that death can be an invitation to experience life. I would say that the struggle with Jeannine's death turned into an invitation to embrace life by a different set of rules, rules that have allowed me to find clarity and a sense of purpose that I never thought possible.

I want to give you a glimpse into the depth of the spiritual relationship that Jeannine and I share. In the days leading up to Jeannine's tenth angelversary date, I was drawn to a song called “Africa” by Toto. I watched the video of the song on Thursday 2/28/13. It was actually uploaded on You Tube, on 3/1/09. Needless to say, I believed there was a deeper meaning that Jeannine wanted me to discover. I listened to this song repeatedly, until this passage registered with me:

She's coming in 12:30 flight

That was all I needed to hear

Jeannine died at exactly 12:30 AM on 3/1/03.

After sitting with this for a bit, I felt a nudge to do some research on the Internet regarding the song's meaning and to discover its relevance to my journey. I found a quote from David Paich, of Toto, one of the songwriters of "Africa":

"At the beginning of the '80s, I watched a late night documentary on TV about all the terrible death and suffering of the people in Africa. It both moved and appalled me and the pictures just wouldn't leave my head. I tried to imagine how I'd feel about it if I was there and what I'd do."(Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa_(Toto_song)

I initially felt that Paich's statement was empathetic in nature; but after further thought, it appeared to be more about his willingness to bear witness to the challenges of a culture with which he had no prior experience. In bearing witness, he allowed himself to be emotionally moved and in the process, express compassion for the African people. Compassion is an emotion that if genuinely expressed can break down cultural barriers and in the process create an atmosphere of cooperation and universality. In order to create universality, we must release any perceptions of uniqueness that we have. The process, if done with integrity, will reveal many lessons; lessons that we will need to own if we are to be part of a universalistic whole.

Here are some other observations from my experience with "Africa":

What if we believed that we lived additional lives and that our souls contracted for the challenges we were going to face in any incarnation of ourselves? What if in those incarnations, we chose to be black or Native American, gay or lesbian, and faced the challenges inherent to those cultures and individuals? Would we be more compassionate? Would we be more open to learning? Would we be willing to look beyond the surface for universal qualities that we all possess, that would contribute to a humane and peaceful planet?

If we could truly adopt as a universe, a commitment to compassionate presence and service to others as a way of life, we wouldn't need to express regret that it took death or another life-altering transition to develop this perspective. Choosing to live with regret keeps us stuck and prevents us from becoming whole. By committing to consistently treating others from all walks of life with compassion, we take regret out of the equation. Plus we create a world where integrity, benevolence, and absence of ego rules. When we are faced with addressing the challenges that life brings, we can focus on refining this perspective, rather than developing it as a result of our struggle with those challenges. As a result, we create a world that comes closer to what we envision life on the other side to be like. We create heaven on earth.

We are each an infinitesimally small part of the universe. And yet, we each carry the entire universe inside of us. - Dancing-with-Spirit

 

About the Author

David J. Roberts, LMSW, CASAC, became a parent who experienced the death of a child, after his daughter Jeannine died of cancer on 3/1/03 at the age of 18. He is a retired addiction professional and is also an adjunct professor in the psychology and psychology-child life departments at Utica College, Utica, New York. Mr. Roberts also developed a topics course on Parental Bereavement issues, and has taught a Death, Dying and Bereavement course for Utica College.  He is a volunteer for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc, in New Hartford, New York and a member of the All Inclusive Care for Children Coalition.

Dave has presented trainings in counseling and education and has published articles in several journals. He has co-authored two books with Linda Findlay of Mourning Discoveries. One is on navigating grief during the holidays and the other is on pet loss.  

Dave is also a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation. Dave has also appeared on Healing the Grieving Heart and the Ron Villano show. To learn more about Dave and his work, visit his website www.bootsyandangel.com.   

Self-Care for nurses that takes inspiration from professional athletes

Eryn Greene — There’s no doubt that working as a nurse can be stressful at times. However, a study published last year in the Clinical Nurse Specialist journal found that depressive symptoms are twice as likely to strike nurses as the general population. Nurses who are struggling might experience symptoms like decreased productivity, plus put patients at risk. Additionally, some studies have found that nurses are more likely to have higher body mass index numbers, especially if they often work fluctuating shifts.

A method for change

Anyone who is preparing for a career in nursing almost certainly has to prepare for high-pressure environments and the possibility of working odd hours. With that in mind, Ohio State University has a new program aimed at helping nurses thrive through the challenges of their chosen vocation.

Known as the Health Athlete/Nurse Athlete program, it's based on the Corporate Athlete Course, a method offered by two psychologists who worked with Olympic athletes. Specifically, it focuses on ways to improve energy and boost a person's quality of life in the process.

In 2001, downhill skier Picabo Street chronicled her preparations for high-profile events in the face of injuries, illness and other setbacks. However, she also went into detail about many of the sacrifices that she and other Olympians face during their chase for a gold medal. Everything from diets to training schedules to therapeutic massages is carefully planned out. To an athlete, self-care is an essential part of daily life, and nurses can learn from that approach, too.

What's involved?

Available as either a two or two-and-a-half day course, the Heath Athlete/Nurse Athlete workshop assesses each participant and encourages the idea that by taking simple steps to manage energy through strategies like nutrition and exercise, it's possible to make positive and lasting changes that improve health outcomes and can make a person able to work more effectively.

Program leaders also make it easier for participants to take skills home with them by including exercise resistance bands, guidelines about packing a nutritious lunch, and tips on how to gauge potential health risks. These real world topics are easy for nurses to rely upon once they return home. Plus, since all workshop attendees get resistance bands and are trained to use them before the completion of the course, they'll be on track to maintain a healthier lifestyle that includes vigorous exercise.

Yes, it's okay to take a breather

The fast pace of many nursing shifts makes it hard for some employees to find a moment to use the restroom, let alone relax during a lunch break. However, the Nurse Athlete/Health Athlete program aims to change mindsets by suggesting that taking small breaks throughout the day can make someone a more valuable asset to the nursing team.

At first, nurses might feel that taking a break is counterproductive, but often end up discovering that short breaks help them keep their productivity consistently high so they get more done than they would have by not taking a break at all. Since injuries are more likely during cases of overexertion, that's an even more compelling reason to pause for a moment to regroup. Even Olympic athletes allow themselves to take occasional breaks, especially when the pressure is extremely high.

The OSU program invites nurses to adopt the attitude of Olympic athletes and learn that self-care is an essential part of being able to work at one’s best. Arm yourself against the usual stresses of the nursing industry and remember that you’ll be able to excel at caring for others when you take care of yourself first.

 

About the Author

Eryn Greene writes educational articles that offer insight into professional opportunities and self care within the medical profession, as this article offers. 

Does the moon change your mood?

Sophie Webb — It is known that the moon has some kind of influence on our species. If you think about it on very basic terms; the moon controls the tides – so why can’t it have some effect on us humans who are also made up of salt and water. This article investigates how the moon affects us.

Believing that the moon affects humans isn’t superstition. Time to get technical.

Between the Earth’s surface and 35-50 miles upwards (the D layer) is something called the ionosphere cavity. When the cavity is disturbed by a force, it can resonate at seven cycles a second; the exact same frequency as mankind’s brainwaves. When there is a full moon, the cavity is affected and begins to resonate; having an effect on people’s brains. Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie right? However, this is a true fact. And interestingly enough, some people are affected far more than others.

Birth

Right from the beginning, the moon plays a part in shaping your existence. Think about it. As a baby, you are at the most impressionable point in your life. The length of days and amount of daylight that you receive in your first few months of existence will play a pivotal part in defining your personality. Feelings deep in our subconscious are in fact controlled by the moon. By finding out what the moon’s phase, or house, was at your time of birth you can use this tool here. After finding out your moon house, you can begin to really find out what effect the moon is having on you.

Star Signs

The moon seems to have a profound effect on people who are born under water-type star signs. These signs are Scorpio, Cancer, and Pisces. Throughout history, the moon is known as being a pure, feminine energy which brings out the softer emotions in males. This also pertains to people born under female star signs such as Pisces, Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, and Capricorn.

The Effect of the Full Moon

Have you ever looked into where the word ‘lunacy’ comes from? In 18^th century England, it was believed that a short period of insanity was bought on by certain phases of the moon. If a person had committed a crime when a full moon had been in the night’s sky, they could plead in court ‘lunacy’ to receive a less harsh sentence. When the moon is full, it has the biggest effect on the tides; so it is only logical that it has the biggest effect on us also. The moon is known for bringing out a wild side in us all; why do you think people go wild at full moon parties all around the world? In the 1970s in Dale County Florida, a study was conducted to reveal the affect the full moon had on people committing homicides. Over a fifteen-year-period it was found that the murder rate always rose when there was a full or new moon present in the sky.

As you can see, the moon does indeed affect our mood somewhat. So next time you feel a bit odd when there is a full moon in the sky, take pride in knowing that you are being affected by something bigger than you can ever imagine.

 

About the author

Sophie is a lifestyle blogger at ‘The Mirror’ (http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/horoscopes/) she writes about all things to do with spirituality, astrology, general well-being and personal growth, and is keen to spread her message.

Five organizational challenges and how to meet them

Kelly Smith — To help organizations succeed, key individuals need to be tasked with the efficient management of an organization insofar as its growth and achievement. Leaders are often expected to face a number of challenges, and in the 21st century, these challenges include:

• Globalization


• Ethics


• Diversity


• Teamwork


• Intellectual Complexity

To meet the challenges above, leaders should keep the following five concepts in mind:

Globalization Means Competition

Just like military leaders are often reminded that potential enemy forces are always preparing for the possibility of facing other forces in combat, strategic business leaders must always keep in mind that globalization and free trade foster competition. To this end, leaders must take time to learn about enterprises in other parts of the world within their industries, particularly when those enterprises are expanding their global reach.

Ethical Means Justify Ethical Ends

The best way for leaders to face a competitive ethical climate is to check their own moral compass. This means that they should become familiar with the ethos within their own industries and apply the adage of leadership by example. Cutting ethical corners will enable subordinates to follow a similar path; it is easier to explain and portray the means that will justify the ends, which means that leaders should take the time to instill ethics across their organizations.

Rich Diversity, Rich Organizations

Organizations are becoming more and more diverse each day, and that’s a very good thing. Leaders embrace diversity because it is a natural byproduct of globalization. Diverse workforces tend to be more effective, flexible and adaptive because individuals tend to learn from each other. Leaders should be sensitive and learn about different cultural aspects among their subordinates; in this fashion, they will learn to adapt best practices that can be applied to the enterprise.

Effective Teamwork, Effective Organizations

Managing relationships is at the heart of managing teams. Leaders must learn to foster relationships from the very first time they are introduced to someone, and they should encourage their subordinates to do the same, particularly with members of their work team. The glue that bonds teams together is trust; to this end, leaders should instill trust-building exercises among their enterprises.

Another important issue for leaders to recognize is that teams are far more effective at achieving goals than individuals, but some key individuals who can be trusted to work on their own should be given the opportunity to do so if they can perform better that way.

Fostering an Intellectual Organization

The Information Age is constantly encouraging people to seek knowledge, and this can be a challenge for leaders in the sense that they are now tasked with capitalizing this opportunity for enterprise improvement. Leaders must provide guidance in this sense by fostering intellectual endeavor, but they must do so without taking time away from the primary mission of the enterprise.

In the end, leaders depend on their ability to act and think accordingly, as well as their power to influence others in their organizations when they face any of the challenges listed above. This is crucial to the success of the enterprise they are tasked with managing.

 

About the Author

Kelly Smith writes articles about business and leadership.

 

How to find your organizational style as a leader

Mai Yung Sen — Leaders bear the greatest responsibility for the success of their organization or mission. Some leaders manage companies while other leaders manage causes. No two leaders will ever have the exact same style when it comes to managing their time, their responsibilities, their people, or their communication methods. What they will share in common, however, is a deliberate approach to how they tackle these issues.

SWOT:  Your Organizational Style

There are several different types of organizational styles. It’s important to distinguish that developing your personal organizational style as a leader is not the same as choosing your preferred type of organizational leadership. The former reflects how you approach your individual responsibilities in your role and the latter reflects how you manage your team. However, you can use the same type of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to find your personal organizational style as you do to manage your team or organization.

Strengths: Identify areas where you are naturally strong or what your aptitudes are. Think of the things that come easiest to you in your role. These represent your strengths and you will likely do them well with minimal time investment.

Weaknesses: After you know your strengths, recognize your weaknesses. For instance, you might have communications as a strength, but financial planning as a weakness. When you know your weaknesses, you can budget more time for those responsibilities or outsource them.

Opportunities: Opportunities extend past your daily responsibilities into your future goals. With opportunities, you recognize that you are leading not just for the sake of leadership, but because you have a mission or a vision that drives you. Identifying your opportunities will motivate you to streamline your personal work responsibilities to free up time to achieve these goals.

Threats: Threats are things that can drain your time, energy, enthusiasm, or effectiveness. From engaging in office gossip to spending extra time on tasks better outsourced to your staff, threats are the barriers that stand between you and your opportunities.

Apply Your SWOT to Find Your Organizational Style

Once your personal SWOT analysis is complete, you should have a list of things you do well (strengths), a list of things you struggle to do (weaknesses), a list of goals (opportunities), and a list of things that could impact your personal effectiveness (threats). From here, it is easy to develop your organizational style as a leader. You can also look at when and where you have the most energy. Some people work best in the morning while other people optimally perform later in the day. Some people work best in teams while others prefer to work alone. Having a daily agenda that includes greater portions of time allocated to strengths and opportunities in a conducive environment will maximize your effectiveness as a leader.

About the Author

Mai Yung Sen started an interior design company after graduation. The influence of leaders such as John Studzinski has led her to be successful in her own endeavors.

 

Everybody Hurts

[caption id="attachment_11501" align="alignleft" width="262" caption="BJ and Aaron"][/caption]

A Dad’s Point-of-View, by Bruce Sallan - I took today’s column title from the very great REM song, Everybody Hurts.   I also happen to love The Corrs’ version of it as well. The lyrics are incredibly deep for a rock ‘n’ roll song, though I’m not sure that REM can be so simply classified in a music genre. Regardless, these lyrics are important and touched me the other day as I was walking and thinking. I do some of my best thinking when I walk around a small lake near our home.

Take comfort in your friends. Everybody hurts.

Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand

If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

(Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe)

Senseless Deaths

There have been a number of senseless deaths among high school kids in our community recently. Some by their own hand, another by an accidental drug or alcohol overdose where his friends, and I use that word loosely, apparently stood by when he died, afraid to call for help. Tragic.

My older son knew one of the boys who took his own life. In fact, that young man had slept over at our house numerous times. They grew apart when my son was no longer interested in hanging around kids whose number one interest in life was partying.  But, they had history and my son was deeply affected.

He was also angry. Angry at his perception of the selfishness the act of suicide is so very often. Angry for the hurt this young man left behind. Angry at the violence of the act he chose and the spit-in-your-face message he seemed to be sending his parents. Apparently, his parents were only guilty of indulging their son too much, but that is another topic altogether.

There was a candlelight vigil at my son’s high school. I attended. Everybody hurt.  Everybody was touched.

It is human nature to compare ourselves with others, to think that others may have it better, easier, or be luckier than we are. And, it’s usually not true. As the mother of a friend of a friend said, “The ONLY happy people I know are people I don’t know well.”

If ever there was a truism, it is that. Everybody Hurts. Everybody has his or her demons. They’re just not your demons.



Empathy is a Gift From God

Empathy is a gift from God. Empathy gives you the choice to try and understand another person’s hurts, feelings, and emotions. Empathy is a good thing.

These deaths in our community briefly rallied people around the idea that we need to reach out to those we know are hurting. We need to encourage them to seek help, seek counsel, and seek spiritual relief.

I challenge YOU to look a bit closer at those you see who might need a helping hand.  I challenge you to step out of your own worries and problems, as large or small as they may be, and direct your energy towards helping others and really seeing others.

They may need YOU.



Life Returns to Normal



What struck me the most was my son’s comment the day after the memorial, candlelight vigil. He was still reeling from the events, still very much affected, and was stunned at what seemed to be just another normal day at school. He declared, “How could it be just another day at school?” with a degree of confusion and angst.  I comforted my son and reminded him that most people are caught in their own struggles, and that many people at his school didn’t know his friend and maybe just didn’t care. I reminded him that not everyone feels the same about any particular event in their lives. And, I reminded him that he couldn’t possibly really know what was going on inside the hearts and minds of all those that he perceived had just returned to the normalcy of school life.



Nothing Replaces Real Life!



I’ve often extolled the virtues of Social Media. The invaluable wonders that meeting people from all over the world has provided me and so much more that we all can receive from Social Media. I’ve encouraged parents to step out of their comfort zones and join the worlds of Social Media simply to be in the same worlds that their children live in.

All the extolling notwithstanding, NOTHING replaces Real Life! Just as I’ve extolled the virtues of Social Media, I’ve been very clear that those relationships that have extended beyond the confines of Twitter, Facebook, texting, and e-mails are the relationships that have ultimately mattered the most (to me).

This is where the Everybody Hurts idea comes back into play. Social Media and superficial intimacy are just that – superficial. People only open up when there is comfort and a feeling of safety and trust from their friends and family.

Please realize that Everybody Hurts and please take the time to look into the eyes of those you love, your friends, and maybe reach out a hand, a comforting word, and touch another person. Nothing feels better.

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Bruce Sallan, author of “A Dad’s Point-of-View: We ARE Half the Equation” and radio

host of “The Bruce Sallan Show – A Dad’s Point-of-View” gave up a long-term showbiz

career to become a stay-at-home-dad. He has dedicated his new career to becoming THE

Dad advocate. He carries his mission with not only his book and radio show, but also

his column “A Dad’s Point-of-View”, syndicated in over 100 newspapers and websites

worldwide, and his dedication to his community on Facebook and Twitter. Join Bruce

and his community each Thursday for #DadChat, from 6pm -7pm PST, the Tweet Chat that

Bruce hosts.