Why is it that so many authorities who are really serious about nutrition, and especially nutrition for healing, recommend a vegetable based diet with little or no meat?
To understand, we need to divert a little and consider dogs, cows and digestive systems.
Digestion
There are three types of animal digestive systems; carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. A classic carnivore like a dog is designed to eat a high meat diet. A classic herbivore like a cow runs on grass and us human beings; well we are omnivores trying to get the best of both worlds. Knowing about our own digestive system, and how it compares to the others, helps us to understand what we are wisest to eat, and what makes best sense when we are eating for recovery.
The Carnivore
A dog has a very specific anatomical set up to enable it to manage the food it eats. Here is the key point regarding meat. Digestion of virtually any food produces waste products. We eat a food like meat or a particular vegetable, we take what we can use from that food and we eliminate the leftovers, the waste products. With meat, the waste products are somewhat problematic; they are rich in nitrites and other potentially toxic bi-products of their digestion. Vegetables do not produce these problematic waste products.
If the metabolic waste products from meat stay in the bowel for long, they can be directly toxic to the lining of the bowel, or they can be absorbed through the bowel and become toxic to the rest of the body.
Now the dog is essentially a scavenging meat eater with a matching anatomy. It has sharp canine teeth for biting and ripping its potential meal into big pieces. Then it swallows quickly before anyone else can steal its share. Therefore it has modest chewing teeth at the back of its mouth and actually does little chewing unless on a bone or equivalent. Next it has just one, relatively compact stomach that secretes almost pure hydrochloric acid to liquefy the lumps of food it has gulped down.
Then the key point; every dog has a very short bowel, and as a result, what we call a rapid transit time. The transit time measures how long it takes food to go through the system; from front to back, or top to bottom.
Because of the potentially toxic nature of the metabolic waste products that come from the digestion of meat, the dog needs to get rid of them quickly. Hence short bowel, rapid transit time.
The Herbivore
By contrast, a classic herbivore like the cow has a very different digestive challenge. It is eating vegetable matter and with grass, needs to be able to digest cellulose. The cow therefore has a very different anatomy. Firstly, there is a need to start the digestive process by grinding the food very finely. As a result, the cow has no serious biting teeth, but very serious grinders! Whilst the dog’s back teeth are permanent and static, in the same way that adult human teeth are, the cow’s back teeth constantly grow. Cows do so much chewing that they need to continually replace what has been ground down.
Next the cow has four stomachs! Four. The first is like a huge tank which mixes the finely ground grass with water and saliva and literally ferments it. In the process, cows produce large amounts of methane.
So these days, aware conservationists are joining the push to reduce meat consumption as the volumes of methane produced have a major impact on the atmosphere. Also, to grow an equivalent amount of beef protein compared to vegetable protein requires around 18-20 times more land area. Given the huge problems with the clearing of forests and utilisation of land, this is another major environmental rationale for less meat, more vegetable protein consumption.
Back to the cow; after the four stomachs the cow has a very long digestive tract and a much slower transit time than a dog.
The Omnivore
As humans, we are trying to manage eating just about anything, so our anatomical set up is a compromise. We have teeth that can bite and chew. We have one stomach with high acid content and an intermediate length of bowel. While the dog’s transit time is around 6-8 hours, the cow 2-4 days, the ideal human transit time is 18-24 hours.
For people, there is another relevant issue. Fibre in our diet does two important things that are relevant to this discussion. Firstly, fibre adds bulk and regulates transit times. Low fibre, longer transit time. Secondly, it acts as a sponge or a buffer. If we do eat something, or have some metabolic waste products form in our bowel that are potentially toxic, high levels of fibre act as a sponge to absorb the toxic material and usher it quickly out of our system.
Now you probably understand the average Western diet has been high in meat and low in fibre. This means more toxic waste products, less buffering or absorption from fibre and slower transit times. A great recipe for provoking all bowel diseases and some others in the body generally.
Clearly, humans can manage eating meat, but anatomically, we are better designed for vegetable proteins.
NEWS
1. Had a great weekend leading a meditation teacher training and retreat for Health Professionals with Zen monks from Thich Nhat Hahn’s tradition at the Gawler Foundation’s Centre in the Yarra Valley. There is the wonderful concept of noble conversation amidst noble company, and this was certainly the case as a delightfully diverse group of practitioners gathered and we explored what is a real priviledge, the opportunity to teach another person meditation.
2. I have been in discussion with the Foundation about contributing to some of their programs next year, and next week will outline these plans.
RESOURCES
RELATED BLOGS Food for Life
Big Mac or a salad?
What fuel goes into your tank?
BOOKS You Can Conquer Cancer Ian Gawler – contains full dietary recommendations for those who are well, and for those who are recovering from cancer
The China Study T C & T M Campbell - Excellent recent research and protein information.
CDs Eating Well, Being Well Ian Gawler – Details the Wellness Diet –a sound diet for all
Eating For Recovery Ian Gawler - Details the Healing Diet for those interested in using their nutrition therapeutically to assist recovering from cancer.
10 October 2011
03 October 2011
Ian Gawler Blog: Alcohol, health and wellbeing
I am often asked about the relative benefits of drinking alcohol. Is it OK for our health, or does it come at a cost? And does it make a difference if someone is dealing with major illness, particularly cancer? And what about pregnancy? Let us “Go Out On A Limb” and investigate.
The common forms of drinking alcohol are beer, wines and spirits. The accurate level of alcohol in individual drinks varies according to the source and the method of preparation. What follows are general indications only.
Approximate percentage of alcohol content in various drinks
Product Approximate % of alcohol
Fruit Juice Less than .1%
“Non alcoholic” beer Around .5% or less
Light beer Around 3%
Standard beer 4-5%
Stout 5-10%
Cider 4-8%
Wine 10-15%
Sparkling wines 8-12%
Port 20%
Liquors 15-55%
Spirits Around 40%
Rum 35-50%
Whisky 50-60%
Alcohol is widely used as a social lubricant; it relaxes users, can help to disinhibit them and to facilitate talking and interacting more easily. These facts may well explain some large population studies that have shown moderate alcohol consumption can be associated with a modest range of positive health benefits. We know healthy relationships and social interactions are good for health generally; maybe drinking alcohol facilitates people talking more openly and gaining these benefits. Also, there is some suggestion alcohol stimulates prostaglandin activity and this could explain the positive effects.
However, we can be in no doubt there can be real costs involved.
Immediate side effects of too much alcohol include dehydration and drunkenness. Importantly, alcohol also stimulates insulin production, which accelerates glucose metabolism and can lead to low blood sugar levels.
Alcohol consumption generally has been associated with a higher risk of several of the cancers of the digestive tract. This is a major issue requiring consideration with beer as chemically brewed beers have been directly linked to an increased incidence of colon cancer. Therefore drink only naturally brewed beers if you drink any. Coopers beers are all naturally brewed. As another option, there are very low alcohol, naturally brewed beers that taste good. In Australia, Coopers Birrells brand is excellent and can be purchased in Supermarkets.
Other long-term side effects, apart from a huge raft of unfortunate and often dangerous social side effects, are liver and brain damage. Cirrhosis of the liver comes about because the metabolism of alcohol puts heavy demands on the liver. Anything that causes liver damage is a real problem for anyone, but particularly for people dealing with cancer. Many people with cancer are considered by natural medicine authorities to have underactive livers. Also, for all of us, the liver is crucial to many key metabolic functions and the healing process generally.
So let us be clear about this. Any alcohol consumption places a demand on the liver. For people who are well, the liver generally recovers if it is not hammered too hard or too often, but it does need to recover. So if you want optimum health, and particularly if you are in a healing phase of life, be very judicious with your consumption. I believe that those seeking to help themselves to recover from active cancer are better off avoiding alcohol altogether.
It is worth noting that the official recommendations now say that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and that even if women are only considering becoming pregnant they are best advised to abstain.
Alcohol Recommendations
• On the Wellness Diet, social drinking a few days per week is acceptable.
• Ensure regular alcohol free days.
• Consider using very low alcohol, naturally brewed beer.
• On the Healing Diet, alcohol is not recommended, primarily because of its effect on the liver. Pregnancy and alcohol do not mix.
Overall (and General- individual needs vary) Fluid Recommendations
• Drink 2 litres of fluid, combined from all sources (water, tea, juices, soups) per day.
• Make healthy choices – with water, tea and coffee substitutes and alcohol.
• Add juices to the Healing Diet and consider their use on the Wellness Diet.
RESOURCES
RELATED BLOGS What fuel goes into your tank?
Big Mac or a Salad?
BOOKS You Can Conquer Cancer Ian Gawler – contains full dietary recommendations for those who are well, and for those who are recovering from cancer
CDs Eating Well, Being Well Ian Gawler – Details the Wellness Diet –a sound diet for all
Eating For Recovery Ian Gawler - Details the Healing Diet for those interested in using their nutrition therapeutically to assist recovering from cancer.
The common forms of drinking alcohol are beer, wines and spirits. The accurate level of alcohol in individual drinks varies according to the source and the method of preparation. What follows are general indications only.
Approximate percentage of alcohol content in various drinks
Product Approximate % of alcohol
Fruit Juice Less than .1%
“Non alcoholic” beer Around .5% or less
Light beer Around 3%
Standard beer 4-5%
Stout 5-10%
Cider 4-8%
Wine 10-15%
Sparkling wines 8-12%
Port 20%
Liquors 15-55%
Spirits Around 40%
Rum 35-50%
Whisky 50-60%
Alcohol is widely used as a social lubricant; it relaxes users, can help to disinhibit them and to facilitate talking and interacting more easily. These facts may well explain some large population studies that have shown moderate alcohol consumption can be associated with a modest range of positive health benefits. We know healthy relationships and social interactions are good for health generally; maybe drinking alcohol facilitates people talking more openly and gaining these benefits. Also, there is some suggestion alcohol stimulates prostaglandin activity and this could explain the positive effects.
However, we can be in no doubt there can be real costs involved.
Immediate side effects of too much alcohol include dehydration and drunkenness. Importantly, alcohol also stimulates insulin production, which accelerates glucose metabolism and can lead to low blood sugar levels.
Alcohol consumption generally has been associated with a higher risk of several of the cancers of the digestive tract. This is a major issue requiring consideration with beer as chemically brewed beers have been directly linked to an increased incidence of colon cancer. Therefore drink only naturally brewed beers if you drink any. Coopers beers are all naturally brewed. As another option, there are very low alcohol, naturally brewed beers that taste good. In Australia, Coopers Birrells brand is excellent and can be purchased in Supermarkets.
Other long-term side effects, apart from a huge raft of unfortunate and often dangerous social side effects, are liver and brain damage. Cirrhosis of the liver comes about because the metabolism of alcohol puts heavy demands on the liver. Anything that causes liver damage is a real problem for anyone, but particularly for people dealing with cancer. Many people with cancer are considered by natural medicine authorities to have underactive livers. Also, for all of us, the liver is crucial to many key metabolic functions and the healing process generally.
So let us be clear about this. Any alcohol consumption places a demand on the liver. For people who are well, the liver generally recovers if it is not hammered too hard or too often, but it does need to recover. So if you want optimum health, and particularly if you are in a healing phase of life, be very judicious with your consumption. I believe that those seeking to help themselves to recover from active cancer are better off avoiding alcohol altogether.
It is worth noting that the official recommendations now say that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and that even if women are only considering becoming pregnant they are best advised to abstain.
Alcohol Recommendations
• On the Wellness Diet, social drinking a few days per week is acceptable.
• Ensure regular alcohol free days.
• Consider using very low alcohol, naturally brewed beer.
• On the Healing Diet, alcohol is not recommended, primarily because of its effect on the liver. Pregnancy and alcohol do not mix.
Overall (and General- individual needs vary) Fluid Recommendations
• Drink 2 litres of fluid, combined from all sources (water, tea, juices, soups) per day.
• Make healthy choices – with water, tea and coffee substitutes and alcohol.
• Add juices to the Healing Diet and consider their use on the Wellness Diet.
RESOURCES
RELATED BLOGS What fuel goes into your tank?
Big Mac or a Salad?
BOOKS You Can Conquer Cancer Ian Gawler – contains full dietary recommendations for those who are well, and for those who are recovering from cancer
CDs Eating Well, Being Well Ian Gawler – Details the Wellness Diet –a sound diet for all
Eating For Recovery Ian Gawler - Details the Healing Diet for those interested in using their nutrition therapeutically to assist recovering from cancer.
19 September 2011
Ian Gawler Blog: Food for life – what to eat when
One useful way to decide what is the best eating pattern for us to follow, is to consider what phase of life we are in.
When we were developing as a foetus inside our mother’s abdomen, both of us had very specific nutritional requirements. As a child and adolescent, we needed about 25% more food on a weight for weight basis to take account of our growth rate. Some parents would say, for teenage boys it is way higher! Certainly if we are engaged in physically demanding sport or work, we need significantly more than someone who sits behind a desk all day.
When we are basically well, it is what we eat mostly that is important. The fact is that as human beings, our bodies are reasonably adaptable. If you eat well at home through the week and then go out on the weekend and play up a little, there is little likelihood of harm. If you play up every night, then the risks begin to build fairly rapidly.
So again, when we are well, what we eat mostly is important. However, when we are dealing with major illness, what we eat all the time is important.
This statement is made based on my years of clinical experience, and is reinforced by the one randomised, lifestyle-based cancer trial published to date. Dean Ornish first won acclaim back in the nineties for publishing data that demonstrated how it is possible to reverse coronary artery disease using a basically vegan diet, exercise, meditation, yoga, emotional healing and group therapy – a program very similar to the one I helped to develop at the Gawler Foundation.
Ornish then went on to investigate the same program with men diagnosed with early prostate cancer (in what essentially in those days was called the “watchful waiting phase”). The results were compelling. Not surprisingly, the cancer advanced for virtually all the men in the control group; their PSA’s (a blood marked of prostate cancer activity) went up, the aggressiveness of their cancers went up and several required major medical treatments.
Those men who made modest lifestyle changes stabilised their condition, a significant benefit in its own right. However, those who made major lifestyle changes and diligently maintained them were able to reduce their PSA’s, reduce the aggressiveness of their cancers and after one year, none had required medical intervention. After three years, the benefits were still highly beneficial in a way that was statistically very significant, although a small number of the diligent men had required more medical treatment.
In nearly all areas of life, how we apply ourselves will make a difference. Do nothing and the natural course of events is likely to follow. Do nothing in response to cancer and it is highly likely to progress. Intervene; use your own resources, and remarkable outcomes become possible.
So when faced with active cancer, the recommendation is to take what you eat seriously. It can really help. But if you think “I will eat well long enough to get well, and then go back to junk food”, you are missing the point.
The first thing when faced with cancer is to recover. Then we aim for a long, happy and healthy life. What we eat provides the raw ingredients for healing as well as a healthy old age.
For everyone, what we eat will make a huge difference to our life, both immediately and for the future.
Perhaps the secret to a good life is as simple as "eat good food and meditate".
RELATED BLOGS Big Mac or a Salad
Eating for Recovery
What Fuel Goes into your Tank?
RESOURCES
BOOKS: You Can Conquer Cancer; Ian Gawler- contains nutritional details and the basis of how to eat well for those who are well and aim to stay that way; as well as those seeking to recover from cancer
CDs: Eating Well, Being Well; Ian Gawler – a thorough introduction to the Wellness Diet which is suitable for most people and families
Eating for Recovery; Ian Gawler – details the Healing Diet recommended for those dealing with cancer (and which builds on the previous CD, eg people with cancer are recommended to obtain both CDs)
PROGRAMS and COUNSELLING on food matters: The Gawler Foundation
When we were developing as a foetus inside our mother’s abdomen, both of us had very specific nutritional requirements. As a child and adolescent, we needed about 25% more food on a weight for weight basis to take account of our growth rate. Some parents would say, for teenage boys it is way higher! Certainly if we are engaged in physically demanding sport or work, we need significantly more than someone who sits behind a desk all day.
When we are basically well, it is what we eat mostly that is important. The fact is that as human beings, our bodies are reasonably adaptable. If you eat well at home through the week and then go out on the weekend and play up a little, there is little likelihood of harm. If you play up every night, then the risks begin to build fairly rapidly.
So again, when we are well, what we eat mostly is important. However, when we are dealing with major illness, what we eat all the time is important.
This statement is made based on my years of clinical experience, and is reinforced by the one randomised, lifestyle-based cancer trial published to date. Dean Ornish first won acclaim back in the nineties for publishing data that demonstrated how it is possible to reverse coronary artery disease using a basically vegan diet, exercise, meditation, yoga, emotional healing and group therapy – a program very similar to the one I helped to develop at the Gawler Foundation.
Ornish then went on to investigate the same program with men diagnosed with early prostate cancer (in what essentially in those days was called the “watchful waiting phase”). The results were compelling. Not surprisingly, the cancer advanced for virtually all the men in the control group; their PSA’s (a blood marked of prostate cancer activity) went up, the aggressiveness of their cancers went up and several required major medical treatments.
Those men who made modest lifestyle changes stabilised their condition, a significant benefit in its own right. However, those who made major lifestyle changes and diligently maintained them were able to reduce their PSA’s, reduce the aggressiveness of their cancers and after one year, none had required medical intervention. After three years, the benefits were still highly beneficial in a way that was statistically very significant, although a small number of the diligent men had required more medical treatment.
In nearly all areas of life, how we apply ourselves will make a difference. Do nothing and the natural course of events is likely to follow. Do nothing in response to cancer and it is highly likely to progress. Intervene; use your own resources, and remarkable outcomes become possible.
So when faced with active cancer, the recommendation is to take what you eat seriously. It can really help. But if you think “I will eat well long enough to get well, and then go back to junk food”, you are missing the point.
The first thing when faced with cancer is to recover. Then we aim for a long, happy and healthy life. What we eat provides the raw ingredients for healing as well as a healthy old age.
For everyone, what we eat will make a huge difference to our life, both immediately and for the future.
Perhaps the secret to a good life is as simple as "eat good food and meditate".
RELATED BLOGS Big Mac or a Salad
Eating for Recovery
What Fuel Goes into your Tank?
RESOURCES
BOOKS: You Can Conquer Cancer; Ian Gawler- contains nutritional details and the basis of how to eat well for those who are well and aim to stay that way; as well as those seeking to recover from cancer
CDs: Eating Well, Being Well; Ian Gawler – a thorough introduction to the Wellness Diet which is suitable for most people and families
Eating for Recovery; Ian Gawler – details the Healing Diet recommended for those dealing with cancer (and which builds on the previous CD, eg people with cancer are recommended to obtain both CDs)
PROGRAMS and COUNSELLING on food matters: The Gawler Foundation
12 September 2011
Ian Gawler Blog: 9/11,Transformation, and mindfulness of people.
Ruth and I had the good fortune to receive an award at a recent Inter-faith function where the aim was to mobilise the energy around the extraordinary events of 9/11 to promote Inter-faith understanding and cooperation.
The awards are an annual event inaugurated last year in the best spirit of Australian multi-culturalism. Swami Shankarananda, a Jewish New Yorker intellectual, met Muktananda, the then head of Siddha Yoga in his early days and is now teaching Hindu philosophy and practices to a wide audience in outer suburban Melbourne. Along with his wife Devi Ma, Swamiji runs a very vibrant centre in Mt Eliza with a strong emphasis on meditation, chanting and finding joy in the spiritual path.
The award night was a real delight, bringing together local leaders from all the major faith traditions. We had a Jewish cantor singing prayers, an operatic quality rendition of Ave Maria and Hindu chanting, along with silent meditation.
Where were you when you first heard of the twin tower attacks?
Ruth and I were coming home from a wonderful evening where Paul Kraus’ fabulous book ‘Surviving Cancer” had been launched by the Gawler Foundation. Along with a group of long term cancer survivors whose stories are featured in the book, Prof Chris O’Brien had spoken in glowing and eloquent terms of drawing on the Foundation's inspiration and knowledge to mobilise his own efforts; using meditation and other lifestyle factors in his efforts to recover from his own very difficult cancer.
That evening had been one of the most uplifting in the Gawler Foundation’s history, and then, on the radio, complete incredulity. Could this be real? Then on the TV. Was it an Orsen Wells like black-hearted trick to be playing these images? And then, the realisation the towers had really fallen, so many people had died, and all our lives were in the process of changing.
So 10yrs later, what has happened? According to The Age, Australia is estimated to have spent $30 billion fighting terrorism; the USA $4 trillion! Prof Mark Stewart, a Newcastle academic puts the risk for an Australian actually being killed by a terrorist attack at 1 in 7 million per year, about the same risk as being killed by lightning.
Of course, for anyone who was directly affected by 9/11, the Bali bombings or any other act of terrorism, the consequences have been severe and probably ongoing.
But for the population at large, do we need to keep spending such huge amounts on anti-terrorist activities, including fighting in countries not our own? Maybe it is time to give more time and resources to reducing fear and bringing people together in peace and understanding.
One of the challenges is to not sound clichéd in this arena. At the award night, a remarkable young Buddhist monk managed this very well. Thubten Gyaltsen was acknowledged and awarded for his Inter-faith work amongst young people. He recounted the day he heard Osama Bin-Laden was killed by US forces. The TV was replete with images of young Americans dancing and chanting in the streets, claiming to be young Christians and deliriously happy with the death of this man.
Then he went to an evening function in the Muslim community where the keynote speaker’s first name was also Osama. This man spoke with fervour and passion about the need to be of service throughout the local community, to make alliances with all the faiths, to bring understanding and peace to their own people and their new home country.
The challenge must be to go beyond stereotypes, to transform fear and to build cross-cultural and Inter-faith relationships. One simple way I have found to work on this is what I call:
Mindfulness of people
This is a simple exercise. You smile warmly at everyone you meet, whether on introduction from a trusted friend, whether at a business meeting or as you pass them casually in the street. The easy mindfulness bit is to give them your full attention for the few moments the smile takes; the tricky part is to notice your mind as you offer the smile. You aim to notice what response you have to smiling at everyone, regardless of their size, shape, age, gender, colour race, creed etc
When you can genuinely say the feeling that goes with smiling at everyone is the same, you have achieved something quite difficult I would suggest, but something incredibly worthwhile. The advanced practice is to remain unaffected by whatever judgements you get the impression the other person is making of you!
Like all exercises such as this one, it takes effort and practice; and any progress you make is valuable.
As for the award, it acknowledged the contribution Ruth and I have made through teaching and popularising meditation. In Swami Shankarananda’s words:
“We give awards each year for interfaith activity. It started when I decided to reverse the significance of September 11 by thinking of it as, instead of a dark day for interreligious relationships, a day for the celebration of interreligious dialogue.
“Last year we gave the "Sanatana Dharma Award" to Father John Dupuche in recognition of all his work in the field. This year we would like to give the award jointly to both of you.
“Sanatana Dharma is translated as "the eternal religion". It refers to the kernel of oneness that is behind all the different religions. In my mind, meditation is the highest expression of Sanatana Dharma because it comes under no trademark, is the private property of no single religion and is equally beneficial, like sleep, to Hindus, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and even atheists.”
NEWS
1. Weekend workshop in Melbourne: 17 & 18 September
Bookings through the Gawler Foundation
2. Healing Meditation Retreat and Training for health professionals – with monks from Thich Nhat Hahn’s tradition
Bookings through the Gawler Foundation
RESOURCES
BOOKS
1. Meditation – An In-depth Guide: Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson
2. The Miracle of Mindfulness: Thich Nhat Hahn
CDs
1. Deepening your meditation (for mindfulness exercises): Ian Gawler
2. A Woman’s Voice: Ruth Gawler leading mindfulness and meditation exercises
RELATED BLOGS
1. Go with the flow or intervene
2. The brain, the mind and relationships
The awards are an annual event inaugurated last year in the best spirit of Australian multi-culturalism. Swami Shankarananda, a Jewish New Yorker intellectual, met Muktananda, the then head of Siddha Yoga in his early days and is now teaching Hindu philosophy and practices to a wide audience in outer suburban Melbourne. Along with his wife Devi Ma, Swamiji runs a very vibrant centre in Mt Eliza with a strong emphasis on meditation, chanting and finding joy in the spiritual path.
The award night was a real delight, bringing together local leaders from all the major faith traditions. We had a Jewish cantor singing prayers, an operatic quality rendition of Ave Maria and Hindu chanting, along with silent meditation.
Where were you when you first heard of the twin tower attacks?
Ruth and I were coming home from a wonderful evening where Paul Kraus’ fabulous book ‘Surviving Cancer” had been launched by the Gawler Foundation. Along with a group of long term cancer survivors whose stories are featured in the book, Prof Chris O’Brien had spoken in glowing and eloquent terms of drawing on the Foundation's inspiration and knowledge to mobilise his own efforts; using meditation and other lifestyle factors in his efforts to recover from his own very difficult cancer.
That evening had been one of the most uplifting in the Gawler Foundation’s history, and then, on the radio, complete incredulity. Could this be real? Then on the TV. Was it an Orsen Wells like black-hearted trick to be playing these images? And then, the realisation the towers had really fallen, so many people had died, and all our lives were in the process of changing.
So 10yrs later, what has happened? According to The Age, Australia is estimated to have spent $30 billion fighting terrorism; the USA $4 trillion! Prof Mark Stewart, a Newcastle academic puts the risk for an Australian actually being killed by a terrorist attack at 1 in 7 million per year, about the same risk as being killed by lightning.
Of course, for anyone who was directly affected by 9/11, the Bali bombings or any other act of terrorism, the consequences have been severe and probably ongoing.
But for the population at large, do we need to keep spending such huge amounts on anti-terrorist activities, including fighting in countries not our own? Maybe it is time to give more time and resources to reducing fear and bringing people together in peace and understanding.
One of the challenges is to not sound clichéd in this arena. At the award night, a remarkable young Buddhist monk managed this very well. Thubten Gyaltsen was acknowledged and awarded for his Inter-faith work amongst young people. He recounted the day he heard Osama Bin-Laden was killed by US forces. The TV was replete with images of young Americans dancing and chanting in the streets, claiming to be young Christians and deliriously happy with the death of this man.
Then he went to an evening function in the Muslim community where the keynote speaker’s first name was also Osama. This man spoke with fervour and passion about the need to be of service throughout the local community, to make alliances with all the faiths, to bring understanding and peace to their own people and their new home country.
The challenge must be to go beyond stereotypes, to transform fear and to build cross-cultural and Inter-faith relationships. One simple way I have found to work on this is what I call:
Mindfulness of people
This is a simple exercise. You smile warmly at everyone you meet, whether on introduction from a trusted friend, whether at a business meeting or as you pass them casually in the street. The easy mindfulness bit is to give them your full attention for the few moments the smile takes; the tricky part is to notice your mind as you offer the smile. You aim to notice what response you have to smiling at everyone, regardless of their size, shape, age, gender, colour race, creed etc
When you can genuinely say the feeling that goes with smiling at everyone is the same, you have achieved something quite difficult I would suggest, but something incredibly worthwhile. The advanced practice is to remain unaffected by whatever judgements you get the impression the other person is making of you!
Like all exercises such as this one, it takes effort and practice; and any progress you make is valuable.
As for the award, it acknowledged the contribution Ruth and I have made through teaching and popularising meditation. In Swami Shankarananda’s words:
“We give awards each year for interfaith activity. It started when I decided to reverse the significance of September 11 by thinking of it as, instead of a dark day for interreligious relationships, a day for the celebration of interreligious dialogue.
“Last year we gave the "Sanatana Dharma Award" to Father John Dupuche in recognition of all his work in the field. This year we would like to give the award jointly to both of you.
“Sanatana Dharma is translated as "the eternal religion". It refers to the kernel of oneness that is behind all the different religions. In my mind, meditation is the highest expression of Sanatana Dharma because it comes under no trademark, is the private property of no single religion and is equally beneficial, like sleep, to Hindus, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and even atheists.”
NEWS
1. Weekend workshop in Melbourne: 17 & 18 September
Bookings through the Gawler Foundation
2. Healing Meditation Retreat and Training for health professionals – with monks from Thich Nhat Hahn’s tradition
Bookings through the Gawler Foundation
RESOURCES
BOOKS
1. Meditation – An In-depth Guide: Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson
2. The Miracle of Mindfulness: Thich Nhat Hahn
CDs
1. Deepening your meditation (for mindfulness exercises): Ian Gawler
2. A Woman’s Voice: Ruth Gawler leading mindfulness and meditation exercises
RELATED BLOGS
1. Go with the flow or intervene
2. The brain, the mind and relationships
05 September 2011
Ian Gawler Blog: Mindfulness in daily life.
We notice whenever someone is present; when they give us their full attention. This is mindfulness. What a wonderful present to give to another human being, our full attention, our mindfulness!
To learn to become more mindful, we can begin by practising what we call focussed mindfulness. This is as simple as formally paying attention to the sounds around about us, to our breath, our body; whatever we choose to focus upon with our attention, while at the same time, we remain like a non-judgemental observer, free of judgement, free of internal commentary.
There is a natural peace in simply being mindful. We practise and begin to appreciate this. With our minds open, curious, aware; we notice whatever it is that we have chosen to focus upon. No need to force anything, or deny anything. Open. Aware. Free of judgement. Mindful. So easy.
Of course, when we aim to be mindful, our mind can wander; we can become distracted or simply “space out”. Again, we benefit from noticing this. Whenever necessary, we bring our mind back to the focus of our mindfulness.
Remember too the benefits of relaxation. Everything is easier in a relaxed body. So as we practise mindfulness, we will benefit from consciously relaxing our bodies.
Open mindfulness is the next step. This is as simple as being fully aware of whatever comes into our awareness at this particular moment. And this particular moment. And this... and this... and so on.
No more, no less. Rather than choosing to focus on something in particular as we do with focussed mindfulness, now we simply notice whatever it is that comes to our attention. This is open mindfulness.
Experiment with open mindfulness in the course of your normal day. To begin with, it may help to notice when you are being mindless! This is when you are doing something and your mind is elsewhere; dwelling on the past or fantasising about the future. Know this to be normal. Know this is why we train to be more mindful. Smile, be gentle with yourself and come back to this present moment. Pay attention; give your full attention to whatever it is that you are doing.
Notice too, that there is no stress in the present moment. No anxiety either. For stress or anxiety you need to think about, and be affected by, the past or the future. In the present there is only peace.
As we practise and learn to be more mindful, we learn to give more attention to the present moment. Of course, memories from the past are still useful, and planning for the future makes good sense. But now we do not dwell on them. We remember the past with an increasing fondness. We do all we can towards an ideal future, and we learn to combine this with going with the flow.
The formal practice of mindfulness translates directly into daily life. The more we learn to give our full attention to what ever or who ever we are engaged with, the better everything flows. This is why mindfulness is such a good practice to learn and develop in formal sessions, and then to take with you into daily life.
Of course, mindfulness is one of the four key steps that lead into meditation. Remember this? Preparation, Relaxation, Mindfulness, Stillness:
Being well prepared to begin meditation we naturally feel more relaxed. As we become more relaxed, we become more aware. We become more mindful. Mindfulness naturally leads into the deeper stillness of meditation.
So many good reasons to develop mindfulness.
NEWS:
1. I am currently updating "You Can Conquer Cancer". If anyone has any comments or suggestions, I would love to hear from you via info@insighthealth.com.au.
2. Two weeks to the Melbourne weekend workshops, where for the first time in years I will spend one full day focussing on nutrition and eating well. It will be a pleasure to present what I believe and why I believe in when it comes to food. The day will be fun and the food can be easy and delicious! Should be good for anyone interested in healthy and healing food - whether for the average person, family or for those with specific needs for healing.
RELATED BLOGS
1. Go with the flow or intervene
2. Meditation in four easy steps
RESOURCES
1. BOOKS: Meditation an In-depth Guide; Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson
The Miracle of Mindfulness; Thich Nhat Hahn
2. CDs: Meditation - a complete guide; Ian Gawler
Deepening your meditation; Ian Gawler, complete with the amazing backing of world renowned didgeridoo player, Marshall Whyler.
3. PROGRAMS and the Melbourne Workshops: The Gawler Foundation
To learn to become more mindful, we can begin by practising what we call focussed mindfulness. This is as simple as formally paying attention to the sounds around about us, to our breath, our body; whatever we choose to focus upon with our attention, while at the same time, we remain like a non-judgemental observer, free of judgement, free of internal commentary.
There is a natural peace in simply being mindful. We practise and begin to appreciate this. With our minds open, curious, aware; we notice whatever it is that we have chosen to focus upon. No need to force anything, or deny anything. Open. Aware. Free of judgement. Mindful. So easy.
Of course, when we aim to be mindful, our mind can wander; we can become distracted or simply “space out”. Again, we benefit from noticing this. Whenever necessary, we bring our mind back to the focus of our mindfulness.
Remember too the benefits of relaxation. Everything is easier in a relaxed body. So as we practise mindfulness, we will benefit from consciously relaxing our bodies.
Open mindfulness is the next step. This is as simple as being fully aware of whatever comes into our awareness at this particular moment. And this particular moment. And this... and this... and so on.
No more, no less. Rather than choosing to focus on something in particular as we do with focussed mindfulness, now we simply notice whatever it is that comes to our attention. This is open mindfulness.
Experiment with open mindfulness in the course of your normal day. To begin with, it may help to notice when you are being mindless! This is when you are doing something and your mind is elsewhere; dwelling on the past or fantasising about the future. Know this to be normal. Know this is why we train to be more mindful. Smile, be gentle with yourself and come back to this present moment. Pay attention; give your full attention to whatever it is that you are doing.
Notice too, that there is no stress in the present moment. No anxiety either. For stress or anxiety you need to think about, and be affected by, the past or the future. In the present there is only peace.
As we practise and learn to be more mindful, we learn to give more attention to the present moment. Of course, memories from the past are still useful, and planning for the future makes good sense. But now we do not dwell on them. We remember the past with an increasing fondness. We do all we can towards an ideal future, and we learn to combine this with going with the flow.
The formal practice of mindfulness translates directly into daily life. The more we learn to give our full attention to what ever or who ever we are engaged with, the better everything flows. This is why mindfulness is such a good practice to learn and develop in formal sessions, and then to take with you into daily life.
Of course, mindfulness is one of the four key steps that lead into meditation. Remember this? Preparation, Relaxation, Mindfulness, Stillness:
Being well prepared to begin meditation we naturally feel more relaxed. As we become more relaxed, we become more aware. We become more mindful. Mindfulness naturally leads into the deeper stillness of meditation.
So many good reasons to develop mindfulness.
NEWS:
1. I am currently updating "You Can Conquer Cancer". If anyone has any comments or suggestions, I would love to hear from you via info@insighthealth.com.au.
2. Two weeks to the Melbourne weekend workshops, where for the first time in years I will spend one full day focussing on nutrition and eating well. It will be a pleasure to present what I believe and why I believe in when it comes to food. The day will be fun and the food can be easy and delicious! Should be good for anyone interested in healthy and healing food - whether for the average person, family or for those with specific needs for healing.
RELATED BLOGS
1. Go with the flow or intervene
2. Meditation in four easy steps
RESOURCES
1. BOOKS: Meditation an In-depth Guide; Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson
The Miracle of Mindfulness; Thich Nhat Hahn
2. CDs: Meditation - a complete guide; Ian Gawler
Deepening your meditation; Ian Gawler, complete with the amazing backing of world renowned didgeridoo player, Marshall Whyler.
3. PROGRAMS and the Melbourne Workshops: The Gawler Foundation
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