By: Jonathon Miller-Weisberger, 10/17/2013

We are beginning to understand why ayahuasca — yagé or “Grandmother Medicine” (a modern name that indicates respect) — is considered to be an entheogen, a substance that “reveals inner divinity.” This differs greatly from a hallucinogen or a psychedelic, in that visions and experiences under the influence of ayahuasca (as well as other known entheogens used in ceremonial context) can provide deep and meaningful — oftentimes uninhibited — insights into the nature of life, illness, and well-being, including revelations about the very fabric of existence itself. Experiences are seen and felt as “real,” as opposed to flat-out hallucinations, which ultimately are of little or no consequence, as they are mere mental stimulation, no matter how amusing. It is as if upon drinking the medicine a window to other worlds is opened to realities that exist right here and now, closely alongside our own. Boundaries and egos crumble. It is without doubt a shift of viewpoint, an extension of experience beyond ordinary consciousness. Nonetheless, regardless of how “real” the experience may be, or how accurate a reflection it allows of both outer and inner “reality,” there still exists the great risk of misinterpreting these “otherworldly” experiences and how they might relate to one’s life in the everyday world.

Naturalsociety, By: Christina Sarich, 10/15/2013

For those who are appalled at the way animals are treated in conventional livestock production, there is a better way. Sustainable livestock production practices include providing greater animal welfare, increasing biodiversity, and extending good working conditions to those who care for the animals, all while maintaining a profitable business. A new study clarifies this further, showing how sustainable livestock care outperforms that of factory farms.

More and more people are turning to small farms and more sustainable practices as a means to get their meat. New research from the University of Cambridge (U of C) has identified silvopastoral systems of livestock production as a means of sustainable, ethically sourced food production. This system differs from the tiny cages and infinitesimal square footage that our livestock is most often raised in now. It includes shrubs, and trees with edible leaves or fruits and lots of herbs for natural grazing.

Foodrevolution.org, By: Ocean Robbins, 10/19/2013

On Wednesday, Washington state Attorney General Bob Feguson filed a lawsuit against the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). The GMA, a lobby for the junk food industry, has been by far the largest donor to efforts to defeat the labeling initiative. The lawsuit alleges that the GMA illegally collected and spent more than $7 million while shielding the identity of its contributors.

The source of the money has now been exposed, and it turns out to be Pepsico, Coca-Cola, NestleUSA, General Mills and a few other junk food companies. The lawsuit reveals that GMA leadership held a series of secret meetings to plot how to perpetrate a money laundering scheme and illegally hide member donations from Washington state voters, in direct violation of campaign disclosure laws.

For more on this story visit www.huffingtonpost.com

NYtimes, By: James Risen, 10/17/2013

WASHINGTON — Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, said in an extensive interview this month that he did not take any secret N.S.A. documents with him to Russia when he fled there in June, assuring that Russian intelligence officials could not get access to them. Mr. Snowden said he gave all of the classified documents he had obtained to journalists he met in Hong Kong, before flying to Moscow, and did not keep any copies for himself. He did not take the files to Russia “because it wouldn’t serve the public interest,” he said.

For more on this story visit www.nytimes.com

By: Aisha North, 10/19/2013

As we have been saying this ocean of creative energy is there waiting for you all to dip into, and when you do, you will find the experience an exhilarating one, for then you will feel at home for the very first time in literally ages, and as such, it will be like coming home after a prolonged walk in the desert. For you are so thirsty for knowledge, and finally, you stand at the edge of the fountain where every thirst will be quenched as soon as you start to drink from it. We speak in parables again, so let us move on to what you are here for, namely to get a little bit more light on the actual process of creation.