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Below is the kind of article you can expect from The Sceptical Healer Newsletter. We hope you enjoy it.

Greetings from Sevagram, a special place in the heart of India where the Father of India and most famous of all peace activists, Mahatma Gandhi, spent many months during the turbulent pre-Independence period of India’s history. It is a beautiful place, full of colour and peace. One does not wonder why Gandhi chose to be here.

Perhaps I am way off base, and I am certainly no economist, but I see no sign of recession here in India. The ‘poor’ are still poor and the ‘rich’ rich. The streets buzz with the normal craziness, whether it is the three wheeled autos constantly ferrying people to and fro, or the juggling of an entire family perched on a two wheeler as they negotiate the relentless traffic. As horns blare incessantly, pedestrians dash headlong across the chaos of wheeled vehicles, taking their lives in their hands. The ears, eyes, and nose are bombarded with the cacophony of India. Teeming, vibrant, pulsing—India is alive.

In contrast to the vibrant hum of India, Ireland, like so many of the Western countries, has been full of gloom and despair. The prophets of doom dominate the radio, television, and newspapers. While I was there, I found myself hooked on their daily dose of fear and negativity. The fact that I have no stocks, bonds, or investments at risk made little difference—the mass consciouness of fear somehow absorbed me.

Now back in India, my perspective has changed. By what are we made ‘poor’? And what makes us ‘rich’? I took the picture below on a visit to Bangalore. I was not drawn by the fact that this family was eating breakfast in the doorway where they had spent the night—perhaps many nights—I was drawn to the joy in their faces. Look into their eyes. The light you see was not for my camera, the light is what drew me to them. Out of the picture lay a peaceful baby wrapped in “swaddling clothes”, a poignant reminder of another babe so many years ago. They graciously allowed me to take their photograph, and it is a memory and picture that I shall treasure.

How ironic that this family glowed with the abundance of the present moment, while so many in the comparatively affluent West are devastated by the economic downturn. Loss of jobs, income, savings, and status has wreaked enormous havoc and stress. Families have been torn apart by fear—often to the point of violence and suicide. In Ireland, I watched shop after shop close. Rising illness rates and health care worries only added to the stress and fear.

Jesus teaches that the poor will always be with us—but what does he mean by ‘poor’? Perhaps it has to do with where we choose to put our attention and focus. Are we consumed with worry about what we perceive to be economic disaster, or do we revel in the simple joy of breakfast on a sunny morning? Pehaps the family in Bangalore doesn’t feel as ‘poor’ as the German billionaire that killed himself when his fortune shrunk from $9 billion down to $4 billion. Or maybe they hadn’t yet heard the daily doomsday report on the radio when they were sharing their morning meal.

Or could it be that they intutively know that peace and authentic abundance lies in the power of the present moment, not in hedge funds and stock options. Look again at their faces. They are ‘rich’ with love and joy.

A few years ago, my entire life savings was lost in a cleverly orchestrated scam that left me penniless, and dependent on the charity of others. My story today may have been a very different one, if not for the goodness of the people who supported me, some of them previously virtual strangers. From a financial standpoint, I “lost” everything—not unlike what many are going through today. Paradoxically, losing everything I had released a generations-old fear of not having “enough” and freed me from erroneous and deeply held beliefs about money. At the same time, I overcame my reluctance to ask for help, and, even more difficult for me, the ability to graciously receive it. I found security where I least expected it—and my comfort in “groundlessness” has brought lasting peace.

We are in the midst of a massive realignment of values on our planet. Our insatiable greed and thirst for material and physical pleasure has not brought lasting peace or joy. Do you see any light in the eyes and faces of the guys in the picture below?

I thought not. I share my experience with you in the hope that you will reach into your heart to help those in need during this challenging time. We cannot measure another’s loss, nor the impact that it has for the individual. There are so many ways to help. How can you reach out to assist another?

In a recent Twitter, Deepak Chopra told of a landlord who went back to a low-paying job so his unemployed tenants could remain in their homes. What an angel! Your efforts do not have to be as elaborate as the landlord’s, or the family who gave me a home for eight months. As Mother Theresa said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” That ‘food can be a smile’

True generosity tranforms us at the core. It shifts our focus from fear and negativity to inspired action, compassion, and hope. Our hearts break open—for those in need, and for ourselves as well.

The joy of giving and receiving is God’s miracle of love to all of us. Those of us who understand this powerful lesson are truly ‘rich’ indeed.

“He who would be friends with GOD must remain alone, or make the whole world his friend.”

Gandhi

The winter edition will be available in December and will include:

• Understanding Negative Stress and Dealing with it Effectively
• Tips on Improving your Eyesight.
• Understanding Suicide

Bye for now…. Kate

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