Issue VII - March 2015

ISSUE VII

M A R C H  2 0 1 5

 T A B L E   O F   C O N T E N T S

Wisdom of Thoth: A faithful representation of a human being in present time & Life patterns, imbalances and growth (Answering questions of people) 

Dale Decker: Potencies Part 1 (The living forces that bring forth, and sustain the whole of the entire living system of our revolving earth-globe) 

Robbert-jan Rozenkruis: The importance of probiotics with historical perspective 

Barbara Rozenkruis: The health benefits of Chia & Flax seeds

Extreme survival in Ecuador, a story of Jason Pednault (A spiritual Awakening)








A faithful representation of a human being on Earth in this time is a person who has a blindfold, his ears are blocked by social messaging, his hands are tied to his back and his feet are also tied together leaving him with no freedom, purpose or growth.



    In this state, the being is forced to walk on a tight rope; this means receiving no nutrition from the Earth or connecting to the light of the cosmos. Do you recognise yourself in this representation? Your body is the meeting point and the receiver of Earth's nutrition and the cosmic light. Your body can connect you to your astral existence; after all the are both reflection of your creation code. Existing in a third dimensional reality you should be able to connect to you physicality which is part of your body and support its rebirth and growth. You can achieve that by consciously looking for and selecting the best nutrients for your body's growth. This is an opportunity for you to act with your eyes and ears open. In a world of illusion you are convinced that you have choices but in reality you have been chosen to accept a certain life style that often goes against your essence and growth. If you intention is truth you should be able to decide about your own lives and safeguard the precious gift given to you, your physical body. It is important to take an action and clear all illusion about your own every day tasks and responsibilities. If you are addicted to an unhealthy life style this means that there are imbalances in you that connect you to illusion and when this happens you are not able to see truth or act with truth. Imbalances are common phenomena and when you are able to purify yourself and experience balance then you will be able to receive the light of the cosmos. Enlightenment is a lesson learnt that opens you up to cosmic light. Everything that you are, affects your ability to achieve clarity and walk the path of truth and wisdom. Connect to your body is the first step towards enlightenment.




Life patterns, imbalances and growth


   We are working together to help the people of Earth. We are all connected and our light will reach you if you become a true channel. You may ask, how can I achieve that? It has to do with your intention to clear blockages and restore balance. This is the ultimate wisdom you should follow in order to grow. It is important that you start from your body and connect to its energies. Observe your physical imbalances, your stagnation points and your points of growth in your body. 


   Most human beings are familiar with the body’s functions explained by your science. This is only one of the many layers of wisdom that your body has to offer. It is a much more complex, multidimensional organism whose main function is to receive light and create life within. Your body goes through constant rebirth and transformation and this is related to its ability to receive light. 


   Illness is not a natural phenomena but is caused by imbalances. When you focus on your imbalances, being a natural state, you lose your connection to the cosmic light which is life itself. Fragmentation becomes deeper in you and creates schisms. A symptom of this is suffering by negativity such as fear, disappointment, anger and dissatisfaction. If you are in this state you have to observe yourself and look at your blockages and imbalances in your body. Purification is your next step and this an intense observation of your life patterns, imbalances and growth. The light of the gods is reaching Earth and you have to purify yourselves in order to receive it. 


   So are you saying if one is "living in light" then you simply don't need to eat when you don't have food or the ability to grow it or buy it? Won't the physical body die? There are so many innocent children and others that are ill and hungry and that die daily. Are those people that are living without basic needs all unenlightened and not worthy of enlightenment? Or life? (Question for God Thoth by Candi Hawkins)


   In the time of the Golden Era Earth's creation was able to feed from the light of the cosmos and the nutrients stored on the planet. Having long life cycles without disease, fragmentation, pain and negativity was a natural process. This was supported by Earth, the planet creator, her guides the Gods of the Pleroma and the beings that lived on her. All these different aspects of life on Earth supported evolution and they were the receivers and transmitters of light. Looking at the present time we see on Earth fragmentation, distortion and schism; they affect Earth' s growth and the growth of her creation. Earth is not always able to safeguard her resources. She is not always able to give shelter and nourishment to her creation because she is suffering from distortion. A reflection of the Earth's state can be seen on the life patterns of human beings. 


   You experience a hierarchy and a system of duality. High quality food and shelter is often related to high income or a high status. Everybody needs nutrients that come directly from the Earth but this becomes an advantage of a small group of people on the top of the financial pyramid. It seems that people with low income do not have the change to nurture themselves but this is not true. It is an illusion, it is a way to manipulate the masses and keep people to a low vibrational state. Bring yourself closer to Earth, be aware of her light and open yourself to receive her grace. Trust your connection with her and let her nourish you. Allow the creator-planet to share her light and create in you and then you produce light and create in your life and others. Cultivate your own plants, help others and share your production. If you open your eyes and be able to listen to your true-self you will find many solutions and ways to connect to Earth. You can be free from illusion only if this is your intention.


   But what if you don't eat "prepackaged food" or other poor quality food? What if you are trying within your every ability to take care of this physical body? And there simply is no way to care for it any longer? Then one needs to just allow physical death to happen? I ask because of a specific reason. I am not trying to be argumentative. (Question for God Thoth by Candi Hawkins)


   We are here to help you open your eyes and experience new possibilities of growth. Your body has a physical aspect but it's true purpose is to act as a multidimensional being that connects you to the astral body. Therefore the possibilities of rebirth and transformation of your body as a whole are limitless. You have to focus on clarity and this will help you receive healing and bring balance. The more you are connected to your essence and understand your body as multidimensional the more peace you will receive. The mind should be quieten in order to receive enlightenment. Receiving the light you heal yourself. 



Done by communication between God Thoth, Barbara and Robbert-jan Rozenkruis. Monday, 2 March 2015









    The following will be the beginning of a series of articles that will be written for the Golden Age e-journal which will provide information in regards to the living forces that bring forth, and sustain the whole of the entire living system of our revolving earth-globe. It will hopefully shed some light on what these mysterious forces are and how they manifest in our concrete physical world and all it contains in which your writer has spent some long years investigating and applying. We will explore subjects that in this day and age still are quite unfathomable to the conscious mind and it`s five gateways known as the senses, but yet the invisible potencies that are behind the operations of our solid physical plane are there and forever at work, always remaining there to be utilised by the eager investigator who seeks to discover them. We will learn how to investigate and perceive the living forces at work in our mineral, plant, animal kingdoms, along with how it operates in our complex human nature. It is and always will be these living forces that will transmit our perception into other modes of perception that still remains untapped by the mass majority of human consciousness along with its diverse properties which are endless as a result of them permeating the entire living organism that we call our Earth. The Occult student is well aware of these living forces which are the four etheric forces that is behind all the building and sustaining of the various multitudes of bodies along with our entire living solar-system and all it contains.


   Before we venture further into these subjects its is essential to first investigate the concrete physical plane that we know so well because it will be through the matter-filled substances of the physical plane that we will be able to identify the etheric forces at work in a wide variety of ways that maybe so subtle and delicate that it usually escapes the detection of our physical senses. We are quite able to recognise the phases of our physical plane in almost an infinite variety of many kinds of matter or substance such as wood, air, smoke, concrete, heat, soil, wind, gasoline, ice, rain, flesh, etc, etc, . For the sake of scientific observation and our own understanding of it all these substances are characterised and arranged into three groups: solids, liquids, and gases. These are called the phases of matter and are better known to the occult student as the first three sub-planes of the seven-fold physical plane. The skin of our bodies and the concrete of a sidewalk is the first sub-plane of matter in its solid phase, rain-water and gasoline is the second sub-plane of matter in its liquid phase. air and smoke is the third sub-plane of matter in its gaseous phase. On the first sub-plane or solid phase of the physical plane matter takes up a certain and definite volume and has a definite shape. Matter on the second sub-plane of the physical plane in its liquid phase which consists of a definite volume has no definite shape as all liquids take the form of the containment that they are in. Matter on the third sub-plane of the physical plane in its gaseous phase has neither shape or volume as a gas can permeate both the shape and the size of what contains it. Air filling bubbles in liquid or a toy balloon would be a good example as a gas filling its containment.


   On the physical plane all three of its sub-planes are changing from one phase into another by changing of the temperature in which the liquid sub-plane is a good example. When a piece of ice(solid, first sub-plane) is heated it turns to water(liquid, second sub-plane) and when water is heated to a boiling point it turns into steam(gaseous, third sub-plane). Sometimes these phases of matter can change directly into one from the other such as a solid into a gas without passing through the liquid phase which is the process of sublimation(an old alchemical term) which can be observed in solidified carbon dioxide or dry ice becoming a gas in normal atmospheric pressure. A careful observation of our surrounding environment will help us perceive these three lower sub-planes as states of our physical plane being constantly changed into one another and our physical senses are always informing us in regards to these changing states. The occult student goes beyond these constantly changing and shifting states and is well aware that certain forces maintain these changing states in the forms in which they exist and that in a given time these same forces cause the three lower sub-planes of the physical plane to change from one state into another. These forces belong to the four higher sub-planes and they are the etheric forces of our physical plane which do not take on a definite form that the three lower sub-planes of the gases, liquids, and solids do, but they do have their wide away of properties which we will go into much deeper in the other articles that will appear in this series in the coming months.


   In the ancient world and its learned races of humanity these four etheric sub-planes were referred to as the Four Elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth(correct order) which were of such great importance to them that they were able to observe and perceive all their analogous properties in their surrounding environment. When they spoke of these four elements they did not view them as we do today because they went beyond the mere meanings and manifestations that modern thought attributes to them. They also observed and perceived the forces that were working within the four elements of fire, air, water, and earth which are none other then the four etheric sub-planes of our physical plane which help shape and modify the substances of the three-lower sub-planes of the gases, liquids, and solids of the physical plane as a whole. For them the earth element for example contained the other three elements of water, air, and fire, water contained air and fire, air contained only fire and fire was a single element containing all these in a latent condition. When they spoke of these matters they obviously did no speak of actual fire in water or actual earth in the air or air in water, but what they were referring to was the etheric aspects of the four elements and their wide array of manifestations in our surrounding environment. They understood the forces that are transmitted through the four etheric forces and we will come to know these in other articles in this series.


   For now we will venture into what these four etheric forces or sub-planes of the physical plane are and what I as a researcher, and observer has come to an understanding of, along with what they consist of after a long period of studying and working with them in their rawest forms. For the past 20 or more years I have developed a conscious perception of the higher sub-planes of the physical plane as a result of working with all kinds of occult concentration experiments as well as scientific ones(which will be mentioned in later articles in this series) and I have been able to apply it to many different fields that this genre covers. So at present I have come to know as well as be able to feel and perceive what these wonderful and sublime forces are behind all the workings of our surrounding environment from blood crystals to plant sap, along with mineral substances to planetary atmospheres.


   The manifestation of these four higher sub-planes of the physical plane are always in constant motion and lies beyond the perception of our sense world which can be perceived as physical energy fields around living beings and they are the same fields of energy in our planets atmosphere and its interior world beneath it`s surface. These four etheric forces manifest themselves in our space and time realm as 1) Warmth Ether, 2) Light Ether, 3) Chemical Ether, and 4) Life Ether.




   Just like the elements mentioned above these four etheric forces evolve out of each other, the warmth ether is a single etheric force containing the others in a sort of latent condition and it forms the light ether and these two form the chemical ether, then the three form the life ether and all the three form and are contained within the life ether. These are the invisible mediums that transmit the forces of the elements throughout all of nature which is perceived by all our sense apparatus as heat, anti-gravity, cold, and gravity and just like the ethers these forces are polar opposites of each other and they are contained within each other in the elements of fire, air, water, and earth. We can study these phenomenon in the processes of evaporation, cloud-formation, and precipitation which are the operations of the elements along with their etheric forces that are behind their operations in which the ancient races attributed to a science of their own which reached a height that has not been experienced since those former times.


To conclude this short article descriptions of the four ethers are as follows:

• 1. Warmth Ether- On its own this etheric force and its activity transmits heat phenomena. This etheric force by it self is the product of other modes of force and perception that are beyond the physical plane outside of time and space as it is perceived by our objective consciousness. The movement of this etheric force is that it expands outwards from a given center which science calls the centrifugal force and it is a spherical force that produces many spherical forms in nature such as in the warmth and shapes of the cells in blood of the human body or the formation of the volcanic crater shapes all around our globe. In its raw form the color of this etheric force is red which is active in the coloration of a poppy plant which also possesses a spherical form.
  2. Light Ether- Out of the warmth ether the light ether originates and it transmits all the properties of light that we can perceive along with other luminous properties that cannot be perceived, it also has peculiar properties of defying the laws of gravity by the manifestation of its force within the gaseous sub-plane of our physical plane. Like the warmth ether the movement of the light ether is also expansive and centrifugal but instead it is a triangular force and has a tendency to produce triangular shapes in the natural environment such as you can observe in all the small branches of a tree that extend out from the main branch that grows out from its trunk or in the triangular shapes of crystals that grow deep within the earth`s interior. In its pure form the colour of the light ether is yellow which is active in the coloration of the yellow lilly flower that also has leaves of a triangular shape.
  3. Chemical Ether- Out of the combination of the warmth and light ether the chemical ether is brought into manifestation and it is the medium that transmits sound which has an influence on all fluids, and liquids along with all its modifications in our surrounding environment. What makes this ether different from the first two is its mode of motion which is opposite of the expansive force of the first two as its tends to contract inwardly toward a given centre
     which science calls the centripetal force and what we know as coldness is one of its attributes. It has a tendency to produce half-moon forms as we can observe in the formation of most of the green leaves of plants or in the formation of the human ear. Its color is blue when it is not to intertwined with the liquid substances within solid substances of our surrounding environment which can be observed around parts of icebergs submerged in water as well as within hollow crevices of snow drifts if the temperatures are at the right low.
  4. Life Ether- All the three ethers are contained within the life ether which is brought about by their combination which is the highest evolved of all the other ethers. It has a tendency to solidify things by form building as the entire earth-globe is held together by this etheric force and its manifestation understood by science is gravity. Like the chemical ether the life ether is also a contracting centripetal force and it keeps all solid substance in a state of cohesion. When we will explore these etheric forces in greater detail we will be able to understand that at the center of the earth in its molten core there is a high concentrated volume of life ether which keeps all the solidified substances of the surface of the earth from escaping into cosmic space. In nature the life ether has a tendency to produce square and rectangular forms like in sugar and salt particles as well as in the formation of crystals within the uric acid of the human body. The color of the life ether in its pure form is violet as we can observe in ultra-violet light and gamma rays and within nature we may find it in the atmosphere at high altitudes or in the plant kingdom such as in the color of the iris and rhododendron flowers. 

  
  

  
  

     Careful observations like those mentioned above can be made which can bring our perceptions closer to these etheric formative forces at work within our living earth-globe and all its contents. It is also important to realise that these etheric forces are forces which must not be confused with what they perform in the world of substance or as manifestations of substance of the three lower sub-planes of the physical plane, they are the four sub-planes of force that are continuously working within the gases, liquids, and solids of the physical plane along with all its phenomena of light, sound, color, electricity, and magnetism etc. So far this article which is the first in the series has only been an introduction to the etheric formative forces and much more is yet to be revealed. For there are aspects of these forces that are so mysterious that the boundaries of modern science has not yet reached and will be explored in other articles following this one.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  An Historical perspective

  
  

  
  

  lya Ilyich Mechnikov Also known as Élie Metchnikoff (15 May1845 – 15 July 1916) was a Russian biologist, zoologist and protozoologist, best known for his pioneering research into the immune system. In particular, Mechnikov is credited with the discovery of macrophages in 1882. Mechnikov received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1908, shared with Paul Ehrlich, for his work on phagocytosis. He is also credited by some sources with coining the term gerontology in 1903, for the emerging study of aging and longevity. 

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

     Mechnikov became interested in the study of microbes, and especially the immune system. In 1882 he resigned his position at Odessa University and set up a private laboratory at Messina to study comparative embryology, where he discovered phagocytosis after experimenting on the larvae of starfish. He realized that the process of digestion in micro-organisms was essentially the same as that carried out by white blood cells. His theory, that certain white blood cells could engulf and destroy harmful bodies such as bacteria, met with scepticism from leading specialists including Louis Pasteur, Behring and others. At the time most bacteriologists believed that white blood cells ingested pathogens and then spread them further through the body. 

  
  

     Mechnikov also developed a theory that aging is caused by toxic bacteria in the gut and that lactic acid could prolong life. Based on this theory, he drank sour milk every day. He wrote three books: Immunity in Infectious Diseases, The Nature of Man, and The Prolongation of Life: Optimistic Studies, the last of which, along with Metchnikoff's studies into the potential life-lengthening properties of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), inspired Japanese scientist Minoru Shirota to begin investigating a causal relationship between bacteria and good intestinal health, which eventually led to the worldwide marketing of kefir and other fermented milk drinks, or probiotics. 

  
  

     In honor of this great and illustrious researcher, The Russian Empire created the prestigious Mechnikov Medical Academy in St. Petersburg. One of the most prestigious institutions in the training of physicians and senior professionals in Russia. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Introduction to human intestinal microbiota

  
  

  
  

     Most of the cells in our body are not our own, nor are they even human. They are microbial. From the invisible strands of fungi waiting to sprout between our toes to the kilogram of bacterial matter in our guts, humans house microbial cells. Almost every epithelial surface of our body contains a complex microbial community – skin, mouth, vagina, and gastrointestinal tract. Microbes can live even in the highly acidic environment of the stomach (pH=2). All these epithelial surfaces are populated by communities of microorganisms, collectively called microbiota, rather than by individual species, and often include hundreds and even thousands of different microbial members. Majority of these organisms are bacteria, though archaea, fungi, eukaryotic microorganisms, and viruses also take residence in different epithelial niches. 

  
  

      Renewed interest in the human microbiota is associated with the recognition of the important relationships these microbes form with our bodies. For example, microbiota of the gut participate in host energy metabolism by breaking down complex polysaccharides in the diet. Resident microbes also protect the host from pathogen invasion through competition for resources or directly by inhibiting pathogen growth. Moreover, microbiota modulate the proper development and functioning of the human immune system, transform or excrete toxic substances, and help maintain epithelial homeostasis. At the same time, microbiota dysbiosis, defined as the perturbation of the normal microbial profile, has been linked to a number of human diseases including dental plaque, bacterial vaginosis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and cystic fibrosis.

  
  

      In each healthy human a gut community contains several hundreds different species, which display complex network of interactions not only among themselves but also with the human tissues and cells. Many recent studies showed that alterations in the levels of certain microbial groups in the gut may be linked to several disorders including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, and colon cancer. 

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Distribution and abundance of bacteria in human gastrointestinal tract. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  PROBIOTICS IN PRACTICE

  
  

     We have within us our very own community of foreign bacteria that are critical to our health and well being. In fact there are more of these bacteria than actual human cells; approximately a hundred thousand billion body cells. The human "microflora" is still only partially understood with between 20-40% of bacteria unculturable and therefore unidentified rising to nearly 80% in older people. Yet while much remains, undiscovered, the critical importance of our microflora to human health is not well known. Healthy levels of beneficial bacteria are essential for the effective functioning of the immune system, prevention of allergies, controlling inflammation, hormonal balance and general gastrointestinal health. Our developing understanding of the importance of microflora leads us to conclude that probiotic supplementation may be therapeutically helpful in some specific conditions and this is indeed the case as shown in increasing numbers of well-designed studies. This paper will outline the character and functions of human microflora, the nature of probiotics and the research behind their use. The human microflora are prolific, located predominantly in the gut but also in the skin, respiratory and genitourinary tracts. The balance and nature of microflora varies according to location. 

  
  

  

  Bifidobacterium 

  
  

  
  

     The bacteria of the skin and mucous membranes (oral and nasal cavity, etc.) include streptococci and staphylococci species. The vaginal area has a predominance of lactobacilli co-existing with yeasts including candida albicans. In the gut there is an initial proliferation of lactobacillus species, beginning in the oral cavity, with a diversification further down the tract introducing enterobacteria, bifidobacteria and bacteroides. In total there are around 200 species present in the oral cavity increasing to 4-500 in the large intestine. The general pattern of distribution is influenced by the different habitats or "niches" of the organisms and general interpersonal variations. Initial colonization is influenced by the mothers own bacteria prior to giving birth. Thereafter colonization is influenced by the nature of infant feeding. In general terms, population of the small intestine by bacteria is harder because of the relative rapid transit time, strict need for actual attachment and the fact that the surface for adherence is only one cell thick. In contrast the transit through the large intestine is slower and attachment is not a prerequisite with bacterial layers up to 200 cells thick. Other specific factors that have an impact on microbiota include use of drugs such as antibiotics, speed of motility and immune function. Bacteria may be autochthonous species (able to colonize the mucosal surface due to adhension factors including compatibility with the host immunological system or allochtonous (transient) species present in the tract for only a few days, but potentially capable of exhibiting beneficial effects. Some species will not survive stomach and duodenal passage easily, while others will resist very well. 

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Lactobacillus 

  
  

  
  

     Lactobacillus is a genus of Gram-positive facultative anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria and a major part of the lactic lacid. The production of lactic acid makes the intestinal environment acidic, which inhibits the growth of some harmful bacteria. Bifidobacterium is a genus of Gram-positive, branched anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria. Bifidobacteria are ubiquitous, symbiotic inhabitants of the gastrointestinal "bifurcated" end. They ferment sugars to produce lactic acid, compete effectively with other gastrointestinal bacteria and constitute a large percentage of the largest group of bacteria in the intestine of breast-fed infants, but are only the 3rd and 4th largest group in adults include B. animalis subsp. lactis, B. difidum, B. breve, B. longum, B infantis. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Functions of Microflora

  
  

  
  

     The gut microflora play a vital role in health particularly in the areas of nutrition and metabolism, immune function and protection. 

  
  

     They ensure normal function of the intestine including motility, secretion of mucus and absorption. They promote good intestinal wall integrity enhancing tight junction stability. They Inhibit growth of pathogenic bacteria via modulation of gut pH, expression of antimicrobial factors such as bacteriocins and competition for binding sites on mucin/epithelial cells. They produce peptidases resulting in breakdown of proteins such as casein and gluten and digest lactose and other carbohydrates. They inhibit proinflammatory cytokine production. They stimulate, balance and support masturation of immune system including promotion of sIgA. They decomjugate and excrete bile acids and cholesterol. Synthesize B vitamins, vitamin K, short chain fatty acids and recycle amino acids. 

  
  

     If healthy gut flora is functionally essential and has a demonstrable impact on health, it should follow that supplementation of the right kind of bacteria might also be beneficial. We call these bacteria "probiotics" and they are defined by the World Health Organization as: "living microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. However given the variety of bacteria and all the factors that can affect their viability, not all probiotic products are equal and the challenge is to find the ones that are truly effective. As probiotic bacteria have different attributes, it's important you consider a product with well-characterised strains, ensuring the bacteria have been correctly identified and have a proven safety record. What is really in it? Proper strain identification is essential to ensure the research about benefits is valid. A recent EU study concluded that 28% of probiotic strains were misidentified by manufacturers and so inexact labelling of strains is a very real issue. Avoid non-human strain bacteria or yeasts which are conceptually unsound and can be dangerous in immunocompromised individuals. Bacilus subtilis bacteremia and cholangitis have been reported in 3 papers. Soil based organisms are also persistent, difficult to eradicate and there is no data to support their long term safe use. Many cases of Saccharomyces bulardii fungemia have now been subscribed. The stated positive effects of S. boulardi are also arguably less generalised with little evidence of a beneficial effect on immunity and similar positive results can often be obtained with certain human strain probiotics. Although we can isolate hundreds of different bacteria from human stools, it doesn't follow that using bacteria will offer a health benefit. If you are considering a multiple strain product, ensure the bacteria are well-characterized, safe, human strain and are known to have a beneficial effect on the gut in that particular combination. Furthermore is unproven multistrain products the bacteria may be antagonistic to each other and may alter the gut flora in an undesirable way. In short multiple strain is useless if it doesn't have the clinical data to support it. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria have a virtually unblemished safety record when administered to humans and do not elicit an overt Th1 or Th2 immune response. Historical use of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria over decades of use has shown pathogenicity even in neonates when used in concentrations from 1 billion to 10,000 billion/day. 

  
  

     Ensure that the probiotic you use contains the stated dose at end of self life. Good probiotics need to be kept in the fridge to maintain potency. If a product states that refrigeration is not required, the stated potency has either been reduced to allow for storage at higher temperature or the product does not guarantee potency at end of shelf life. Avoid probiotics in activated liquid form as these are less stable and more prone to deterioration. Freeze dried probiotics have a much higher degree of viability. Many studies have shown the preferential effects of prebiotics on the status of good bacteria in the gut. Using prebiotics preferentially increases the ratio of good to bad bacteria and can dramatically potentiate the effect of the probiotic. Therefore "symbiotic" products, where both pre and probiotics are used together, are the preferred form. The claim by some that F.O.S. is overwhelmingly to increase probiotic bacteria and to reduce, or at least not increase potential pathogens like Candida albicans, e-coli, clostridium and klebsiela. Finally and most importantly, many probiotic manufacturers claim research support for their products but the quality of the studies is sometimes lacking. There are numerous products stating beneficial effects but when the data is examined the studies are often very small scale or require expensive long term supplementation to deliver the claimed effects. 

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  For Pets & Humans Alike

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Organic Chia Seeds 

  
  

  
  

     Chia seeds are filled with an amazing amount of beneficial vitamins and proteins, and are a safe, easy way to boost your dog's energy, endurance, and overall health.

  
  

     Chia seeds have some incredible effects on health, both for humans and animals. Though they appear small and unassuming, these seeds contain large quantities of protein, five times the calcium of milk, boron (a trace mineral that aids in the absorption of calcium into the bones), Omega oils 3 and 6, and can help regulate blood sugar levels and aid in maintaining a healthy weight. The seeds of chia plants can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and reduce risk of heart disease.

  
  

     What's more, there are no known allergies to chia seeds, and seeds can easily be stored for long periods of time without becoming rancid, making them favorable over even the amazing flax seed. These seeds have no discernible odor and almost no taste, which means they can be added to your dog's meals without altering the carefully balanced flavours that he's come to love so much.

  
  

     The variety of ways chia seeds can be used is also quite impressive, not to mention convenient. Seeds can be ground, eaten raw, or added to water, which will cause the seeds to produce a thick mucilage, known as chia seed gel. This gel helps clean out intestines and slows digestion, allowing your dog's body to absorb more of the incredible nutrients that chia seeds provide.

  
  

     This is no fleeting trend or media-touted "super-food" – the fantastic effects of chia seeds are real, and your dog can benefit by eating them everyday.

  
  

     Chia, or Salvia Hispanica, is known today as the forgotten crop. Domesticated in 2.600 BC, chia is a flowering plant native to southern Mexico and Central America. It was cultivated by the Mayans and Aztecs and one of the main foods of their diet and was even used as trade currency. Aztec warriors and runners are said to have sustained themselves on just a tablespoon of chia seeds a day, providing them with abundant energy and endurance.

  
  

     Because of the plant’s ability to increase stamina and energy over long periods, chia seeds were considered quite magical. Due to its superior nutritional value, chia became a holy seed among these ancient civilizations, used in religious ceremonies and offered to their gods.

  
  

     Related to the mint plant family, there are two varieties, white chia and black chia. Chia oil is a component of many ointments due to its emollient properties. Each seed is potent enough to prevent infections, with 19-23% protein, which is gluten free, 34% oil and 25% fibre Chia seeds offer an excellent source of B vitamins and they are loaded with important Omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids and antioxidants.

  
  

  
  

  Omega Fatty Acids

  
  

  Chia has 3 times the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as salmon! Omega-3 is important to balance out Omega-6 fatty acids and promotes healthy:

  
  

  
  

  • Cells

  • Immune system

  • Skin and coat

  • Joints

  • Brain development and maintenance

  • Eye development and maintenance

  • Growth

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

     Flaxseeds (also called linseeds) are a rich source of micronutrients, dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin B1, and the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, also known as ALA or omega-3.

  
  

     The seeds come from flax, one of the oldest fibre crops in the world - known to have been cultivated in ancient Egypt and China.

  
  

     Flaxseed is a source of healthy fat, antioxidants, and fiber; modern research has found evidence to suggest that flaxseed can also help lower the risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

  
  

     Flaxseed is great for your dog's skin and coat. As it provides "good" fats, golden flaxseed can make a difference in your dog's health. It has healthy benefits in both omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Because it's healthy for both humans and dogs, you should consider feeding dog food with golden flaxseed to your pet. 

  
  

  
  

  Flax Facts

  Flaxseed comes from the flax plant, which has been harvested for both nutrition and fibers since ancient times. Its seeds are also called linseed. Flax falls into two varieties: Those grown for the fiber, and those grown for the oil or oilseed. The Babylonians first cultivated flax around 3000 BCE making it one of the oldest crops. It is an incredibly useful crop that is still planted today. The flax with nutritional value is the type grown for oilseed. Both golden and brown flaxseed have similar nutritional values.

  
  

  
  

  Health Properties

  Not only is golden flaxseed a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but it also contains lignan and dietary fibre. Lignan has antioxidant properties and is also a plant oestrogen. Flaxseed also contains alpha-linoleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties, like omega-3s, which might be helpful for joint problems. Furthermore flaxseed can improve a dog's skin and coat.

  
  

  
  

  Feeding Directions

  Should you choose to feed your dog food with flaxseed in it, feed according to the directions on the label. Unless your veterinarian recommends it, you don't need to supplement with flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Your dog should get all the benefits from golden flaxseed from his meals. Be sure to provide plenty of fresh water with your dog's food as too much flaxseed can cause constipation.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  

  I would like to share my survival story which also turned out to be my spiritual awakening. This "event" happened in Ecuador back in July of 2011. It turned out to be the most challenging day of my 39 years of life, but it turned my life around for the positive. This was also my indirect introduction to Ayahuasca, and for that, I am beyond thankful.

  
  

  -Jason Pednault

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  ****************************************************************************

  
  

  On July 2nd, 2011, my life was turned literally upside down, but before I go into detail, let me back up a bit. 

  
  

  A couple weeks beforehand, I had met up with a gold prospecting acquaintance of mine. He was aware that I was looking for an opportunity to do a little gold prospecting. After we chatted for a couple of hours, he described a beautiful river system that had a lot of potential. Considering he spent many years on this river without any problems, it felt like a great opportunity for a solo traveler like myself. My plan was to head up this lightly traveled trail system, camp in my jungle hammock, and do some sampling for a few days. 

  
  

  This region, with its pure, crisp air is extremely wild. Miles upon miles of vibrant, emerald green rainforest with small, meandering waterfalls. Dozens of orchid species inhabit the area adding even more color. Everywhere you look, you see life, and the air is as pure as snow is cold. To my weary soul, this area was paradise. If you study the ground, you will see even more life. Hundreds of species of insects all doing what insects do. From the interesting leaf cutter ant harvesting and carrying away massive leaves multiple times their size, to the busy bees pollinating the dozens of species of colorful flowers flourishing in the region. 

  
  

  
  

  Tequila, my little white terrier puppy who was given to me by a friend, was my loyal traveling companion. He was an amazing puppy and like myself, he must have felt this little stretch of rainforest was paradise. He was approximately four months old and weighed about three pounds soaking wet. Even though he was tiny in size, he made up for it with his huge heart. He would follow me like my shadow, under, over and around the various obstacles that we frequently encountered. Some of the obstacles included huge trees that had been blown over and fast-flowing streams. If he trailed behind a bit, I would quickly hear a panicky yip reminding me of his presence. When the going got too rough for him, I would pick him up and cradle him in a little pouch I made just for that purpose. He especially loved to cuddle when the weather turned sour. How quickly I grew fond of him and how badly I miss that little guy.

  
  

  The trail system was lightly maintained but still offered numerous challenges. In this region of the world it rains a lot! There is a reason it is called a rainforest. Just about every night you could expect a torrential thunderstorm, combining deafening thunder and dancing lightening. The rain was so dense that it would reduce your visibility to only a few feet, with the rain itself feeling like a thousand tiny needles prickling your skin. The result of these frequent storms would be the massive fallen trees crossing the trails and endless sticky mud. On many occasions the mud was so deep that it came up to my waist. 

  
  

  My plan was to camp for a few days at a time, followed by a quick trip to town to shower and restock supplies. With two successful, exciting trips under my belt, I felt relatively confident in my jungle survival skills. Both Tequila and I were enjoying ourselves and we even found a little gold to pay our minuscule bills. It wasn't until my third trip in which things went downhill very, very fast. 

  
  

  
  

  ************************************ 

  
  

  
  

     Two days into my third trip the rain started. It was late evening, around 10 pm. The storm was intense with giant, sopping wet rain drops. The thunder boomed and the electrical charge of the lightening continued hour after hour. On occasion I could hear the splintering of massive trees surrendering to the heavy rain and howling wind. It was by far the most destructive of all storms I had experienced. No, Mother Nature wasn't just angry...she was downright furious! All night the storm raged and at approximately four hours in, my beloved jungle hammock started leaking. This hammock had been exceptional and it was advertised as torrential-rain-proof. I guess they need to add a disclaimer excluding Amazonian rainforest storms. 

  
  

     Poor little Tequila was shivering in fright from the raging storm and from being wet and cold. I gently covered him up more deeply under my two blankets. It is surprising how cold it gets in the rainforest, especially being so close to such a large river, and of course from being soaked to the bone. The leak inside forced me to crawl out of my cozy little hammock and out into the storm. Luckily, I had a chunk of plastic that I used as a tarp. It was miserable though, securing the plastic in the midst of the raging storm. The storm from hell lasted about six hours and I can only imagine how many inches of rain fell in that time; four inches, six inches? Who knows. We actually awoke to a fairly nice morning. You know how the air seems unusually pure right after a heavy rain? We had that. 

  
  

     The majestic beauty of a river was called Jatunyacu, which means big water in Quechuan, one of the native peoples in the area. Big water....they got that right. Generally the river is classified as a class III to class IV. When the weather turns sour, it is an easy class V. The river was raging so hard that you could actually hear gargantuan boulders the size of small houses rolling and clashing under water. How do I know that there are boulders that size? Because they are littered all over the beaches. The Jatunyacu is actually the headwaters of the Napo, which is in itself one of the great tributaries of the mighty Amazon river. So you have this huge river nestled in some really rugged and beautiful country. The other feature of this area is that it borders the infamous Llanganati mountains in the Llanganati national park. This region is well known for being dangerous and unforgiving to all those who enter. The area is also legendary for the Inca king, Atahualpa's, ransom. This is quite the story and I feel it is worth blogging about down the road seeing as it is a region of great interest to me. 

  
  

     So it was probably about 6 am, with the sky finally settling down. Our supplies were getting low, and poor Tequila and I were soaked to the bone. The tiny one and I sat in communion for a moment, and we made the decision to head back to the city of Tena for badly needed rest. 

  
  

     We began our two-to-three-hour trek out. The trail was swampy as expected with some really sticky mud that tried with all its might to bring us under. The streams we passed on our way in were now small rivers with exceptionally strong currents. Like the mud, they also tried to suck us down. It took us about one and a half hours to make it to the area known as the piscina which means pool in Spanish. This area has been turned into a quaint, beautiful little swimming area that serves beer, which of course means it is a tourist trap. The piscina also represents the start of the trail system leading to my prospecting camp. This pool is formed from a cascading waterfall which joins two other rivers. The area is all exposed bedrock, which creates natural slides that are actually a lot of fun. 

  
  

     Generally the area is a hopping place loaded with tourists, but due to the high water and safety concerns, the piscina was shut down. I passed through a dead zone where not a single soul was in the area. Usually I would buy a beer and chat with some of the tourists, most of who were clueless that a trail system even exists beyond the pool. 

  
  

      I decided to settle down for a bit and to check for a phone signal. This was a critical moment when I made the horrible realization that I hadn't shut off my phone and that it was completely dead. Getting in and out of here was quite difficult, but usually I had been able to hitch a ride with one of the white-water rafting vans that pass through from Tena. Ironically, I never had to use my phone in the past and found out later that there is no cell service out there anyway. 

  
  

     As time passed, I grew more and more frustrated, because during my previous trips, transportation to Tena was never an issue. There I was stranded, with dwindling supplies, but I knew from experience that there was a village about two miles away, named Shandria, in the direction of Tena. After making the fateful decision to head that direction, Tequila and I packed up (about sixty pounds of gear now, compared to my previously combined weight of one-hundred pounds, which includes my drinking water that I started with) and left the piscina. 

  
  

     (Looking back)* This was a critical moment. I had a small machete, but I stupidly covered it with my bulky backpack. Maybe my future attackers would not have messed with me if they had been able to see my machete within easy reach. I think about this often.*

  
  

     The way out is a fairly smooth, winding gravel road, and generally there was occasional traffic, whether from the white-water rafting tour companies, or from tourists heading to the piscina. To my left was a natural cliff of eroding stone varying from seventy-five to a couple hundred feet. During rainy periods (like today), small cascading waterfalls were common. To my right, down a steep cliff, lay the majestic Jatunyacu nestled in the deep jungle. Even from up above, you could hear the river roaring like an angry lion down below. This area has an Avatar-like feel to it, and to me it is paradise. 

  
  

     After walking for approximately half a mile, I saw what I thought was a wonderful sight. Before me on a silver bicycle, were two young men. One of the men was standing on the rear of the bike on pegs mounted to the frame. If I had to guess their age, I would say eighteen to twenty. Both of them were shirtless, and were chatting away in Spanish. Both guys were exceptionally ripped with bulging muscles. "Hola!" (one of the few Spanish words I knew at the time.) They both stopped and gave me a smile with a casual arm wave as if saying hello. They then jabbered in Spanish and waited for my answer. I shrugged, and said, "Lo siento. No entiendo!" I am sorry, I don't understand. I pulled out my dead cell phone and pointed at it. "Telefono taxi por favor?"(my broken Spanish for...please call a taxi). They nodded yes, and one of them pulled out his cell phone. After 10 seconds he said something to me, but then realized I didn't understand, and simply said "no" while pointing to his phone. He then said something that sounded like gibberish to me and pointed up the road. 

  
  

      I followed behind at a safe distance and noticed a familiar sign ahead. Peligro, it read. Amazingly, I actually knew it meant danger. I sometimes feel it was the spirits trying to warn me, but in actuality it warns of a washed-out section of the road. Just ahead past the sign, the road curved upward and to the right. As I was walking up the hill a bit, I again saw the young men ahead. I noticed they seemed to peer down at the monstrous river below, which seemed to snake in and out of sight. Even with all these small warning signs, my guard was still down. They just seemed like your average guys being helpful, and up to this point, I had no reason to be fearful for my life. 

  
  

      (Looking back). *I often ask myself whether there were any signs of the impending attack. The answer is always a resounding no. They seemed like your average young men out messing around. Not the kind of people you would expect such savagery from. They were damned fine actors. During the actual assault, I remember staring into those eyes, those soulless eyes. Wow, they were good.*

  
  

     About thirty or so seconds later, they again checked for a phone signal. To their delight, they had a signal, and the man with the phone gave me a thumbs up and a smile. At this point, they were probably about thirty to forty feet ahead of me and slowly begin to walk towards me while speaking on the phone. In reality this was all a ruse, and it was little Tequila who gave me a quick, but unfortunately too late, warning. The little guy started growling with pure hatred, a side of him I had yet to experience. Too late! Like two battering rams attempting to take down the most impenetrable castle gate, they bowled me over. 

  
  

      Pure chaos followed. Everything seemed to conspire against me. One of my biggest obstacles was the 70-pound backpack locked on my back. Agh, why didn't I get a backpack with quick release? I was like a poor turtle flipped on his back, and to top it off, I had two murderers further pinning me in place. Once they had me locked down, all hell broke loose and in came the pain-train. The stockier of the two monsters began unloading punches with his hammer-like fist. Blow after blow rained down on me and in only a few seconds I began seeing stars. Like a veracious pit-bull, he relentlessly focused on my right eye. As the blows continued to fall, it didn't take long for the second guy to get a strangle-hold on me. For a moment, all my attention was focused on blocking the never-ending blows. It wasn't until my vision started blurring that I realized I was very close to blacking out, and that would be the death of me. This was the point where full adrenaline took over. Like a volcano building pressure, my rage intensified. Who do these guys think they are? How dare they try to end my life....what the hell did I even do? WHY!?! WHYYY!?! 

  
  

     Fear for my life was soon replaced by a growing rage. Deep down, I knew what I had to do. Mustering all my strength, I heaved. I heaved for myself, for my friends and family, and lastly I heaved for my little guy Tequila who depended on me. With inhuman strength, born of rage and desperation, my would-be assassins went air-born. Both landed a good eight to ten feet from me, and in momentary confusion. This relatively scrawny white guy just tossed them off like a twig in a tornado. Unfortunately, most of my remaining energy was spent and the adrenaline was wearing off. With the adrenaline dissipating, fatigue and pain soon followed, but unfortunately, it only took a second or two for the scumbags to recover and they were on me again. Then I heard a familiar yip, and considering his tiny size, a fierce growl. If only little Tequila had been a German shepherd or a pit bull, things may have been different.

  
  

      Like raging bulls, the two monsters charged me again. They again bowled me over and this time they seemed to be focused on unlocking my backpack. Considering the backpack is doing much more harm than good, I attempted to work with them. A sudden horror descended on me with the realization that with the backpack free, they could have access to my machete. After a few-second wrestling match, the two guys not only managed to get the backpack off of me, but they unsheathe my machete and continue to surprise me. Instead of hacking me with my own machete, one of the men tosses it away. After another few seconds of trying to keep them away, or at least off of me, they manage to pin me down. Things turn for the worse (if this is even possible) when the realization hits that they are trying to secure my arms and my legs. I continue to try and free myself by frantically squirming and kicking at them. It unfortunately didn't take long for them to gain solid grips. Then the dragging started. 

  
  

     (Looking back). *It was crazy how they seemed to be able to communicate without actual words, as if by telepathy. It became pretty obvious to me how this entire skirmish and murder had been planned from beginning to end. Looking into their empty eyes also told me something else. No remorse, and that this was just another day to them.* 

  
  

     To my horror, I was being dragged closer and closer to the edge of the cliff with the raging river below screaming for my blood. Eventually, they used their titan-like strength to heave me off. Fully airborne, I had been tossed like a piece of garbage. 

  
  

     (More thoughts) *You always hear the saying "time seemed to fast-forward". I don't agree with this statement; for me personally, time seemed to come to a crawl. Slow, slow motion.* 

  
  

     The first free-fall seemed to go on forever, though in reality it probably only lasted a second or two. If I had to guess, I would say that the first drop was about twenty to twenty-five feet. The rainforest can be quite cushioned due to all the plant growth, especially moss. Eventually, after what felt like forever, I hit the ground and rolled. Then more small drops followed by more contact. This cliff wasn't entirely vertical, but it was close. The second free-fall was another story and it was the point in my life where my spirituality was tested. 

  
  

     (More thoughts) *For most of my life, up until this very day, I have considered myself slightly spiritual. I have always believed something is out there, but I could never tell you exactly what. Mainstream religion never has and never will work for me. However, this attempt on my life has caused me to become FULLY spiritual, because I learned firsthand, that not only was it not my time to go, but that I also had a guardian angel sheltering me this day. It was in the form of a plant: whipping, crawling vines in particular. Mother nature was my protector.* 

  
  

     It was amazing how throughout all of this rolling, bouncing and falling, I never lost consciousness. I was fully aware of what was occurring. Many people do not believe me when I tell them about how vines whipped out and helped slow my fall. On more than one occasion they cradled me, slowed my fall and guided me to safer areas. This second and last fall was probably in the fifty to sixty foot range. Without those beautiful vines, I would have died. Without those blessed vines, I would be just a memory to my friends and family. Nature has been very important to me, and nature has been my personal salvation. 

  
  

     After the second horrible free-fall, I again started bouncing and rolling. I believe adrenaline was what was more or less keeping me conscience and alert and very much alive. Towards the bottom of the cliff, there was a section before the final drop into the furious, raging river that began to taper off. Flourishing at this point was a rather large tree. A feeling of relative calm enveloped me, and I suddenly knew what I had to do in order to survive. Grab that tree! My tumble had slowed a bit at this point, and with a burst of strength, I made a final hopeful grab. That glorious tree is more precious to me than all the wealth in the world. Mother Nature continued to be my savior and my hands made contact. With triumph, I pulled myself up on the trunk and just sat still for a minute, dazed, yet alive. 

  
  

     After only approximately thirty seconds of rest, my situation hit me full force. Two guys just made a very solid attempt on my life. I survived, but was at the bottom of a cliff and pretty heavily wounded. After taking note of my injuries, I realized that I was in pretty rough shape and time was my enemy. Pain was minimal due to adrenaline, but eventually it would wear off. My right leg was injured and walking was difficult, but not impossible. Most likely a sprain. Even worse, my right eye was swollen shut. There were dozens of scrapes and cuts all over my body. 

  
  

     After only a minute or two, I heard the most horrible sound I will hopefully ever experience. It was very familiar and grew in intensity as it approached. The fearful wail, mixed with yips of complete terror. My beloved puppy had been brutally thrown and I was hearing his descent, most likely to his death. The wail was so loud, that it even overpowered the roaring of the river only a few meters away. The horrible sound continued to build in intensity, followed by a horrible, sudden silence. That silence was even more deafening than the river itself. 

  
  

     (Sadly thinking back). *Tequila was special. He was only about five months old when he died, but it felt like I had a lifetime with him. Two and a half years later I can still hear the horrible sound of his wail, and I don't think I will ever forget it. RIP Tequila. I hope you are in a happier place filled with peace.* 

  
  

     It takes a truly evil person to toss a tiny puppy to his death. Strangely, I could almost forgive people for robbery, but murder (especially a pup) is unforgivable. I was excited about having Tequila in my life, and loved his company. He happily cuddled with me in my hammock and it seemed to him that life was quite alright. It was a blast watching him chase butterflies and investigate whatever little critter we stumbled across. Unlike the majority of most small dogs, he never yapped just to hear his own voice. He had been amazing company. 

  
  

     While contemplating how evil human beings could be, I saw various articles of my backpack, including clothing, raining down around me. A couple items got hung up in some of the smaller trees. Either they were lightening the load, or they were getting rid of evidence, and so they must have felt that Tequila had been just another liability. Up until this point, I was feeling quite hopeless. Hopelessness was now being replaced by raw anger. They will not win. They MUST not win! Another thought fueled the fire. My family had no idea where I was. They knew I was in Ecuador, but not my exact location. In their eyes, I would have had simply vanished without a trace. I couldn't just sit here and wallow in self pity. I had always been a fighter, so why stop then? 

  
  

     For the first time I took a detailed look around. Articles of clothing, shoes, water bottles and even a shiny, red upside-down wheelbarrow. It was in pretty good condition with very little rust. Considering the average daily wage for an Ecuadorian was about $15.00, they would not have casually tossed aside such a useful tool. It quickly became apparent to me that the wheelbarrow was evidence of other foul play, and it was tossed aside. Factor in all the clothing, shoes and water bottles, it became obvious that I wasn't the only person the scumbags killed or tried to kill. To top off my brutal predicament, due to the heavy rains, everything was soaking wet and very slippery. 

  
  

     Looking at the tree, I noticed the closeness of the river just a short fall below. The beauty had grown at the very edge of the small cliff and was probably partly responsible for the prevention of erosion. The tree had truly been my salvation. If a precious little seed hadn't landed in that exact spot, and if it hadn't defied the odds against germination, I would have continued to roll off the last cliff into the raging river to my death. Thank you...Mother Nature. 

  
  

     After another moment of contemplating my situation, I come to a few positive conclusions. Number one being that it must be late morning, so luckily I had many hours of daylight left, which was a reassurance. Secondly, water wasn't much of an issue since there were numerous partial bottles of water around me. A few opposing thoughts crossed my mind as well. One, my adrenaline was going to wear off soon and the pain was going to heighten and most likely it would interfere with the possibility of climbing out. Two, originally I considered securing some torn clothing to the end of a branch of my sacred tree to create a brightly colored flag. Any whitewater rafters cruising by would most likely see it and find it very odd. Then a sudden realization hit me. I knew from past experience that I was unfortunately upriver from the starting point of the rafters. My flag would not be seen and I could not be saved. Finally, a thought creeped through my mind like a wil-o-the-wisp. Climbing out was going to be nearly impossible with my right eye completely swollen shut. 

  
  

     This was pretty much the point when a full realization slammed into me like a Mack truck. I had zero doubt that I was meant to live. The path through which I had fallen had been relatively clear ahead of me, yet I was cradled and protected by vines. I was pretty darn sure that it was not my day to die. For whatever reason my life had been spared, but why? 

  
  

     After considering my dilemmas, I knew I had to make a decision. I could either lie down and die, or I could try and climb out, which seemed about as likely as raising the Titanic. If I were to die there, my family would never be at peace. In their eyes, I would have simply disappeared. I couldn't allow that, and I couldn't let the monsters get away with murder. I had to climb out and report this madness to the authorities so that it didn't happen again. Frustration slowly built to anger, followed by a red-hot rage. I ...WILL...NOT...LET...THEM...WIN! 

  
  

     Forcing myself to cool down a bit, I attempted to reverse my mindset to that of a survivor. Besides the obvious direction of up, I could go left and right. My swollen, brutalized right eye made the choice for me. Left it was. It was difficult for me to make that decision due to the fact that I was going in the direction opposite of the village and what seemed like safety. Considering the steep, rugged climb ahead, I needed every advantage possible.

  
  

     (An aside) *Upon my attack I was wearing a pair of beige shorts and a red, striped shirt. I also had a lightweight rain jacket and some hiking boots. Besides the boots, I still have all of those articles of clothing today. Right after the fall, I took inventory of what was still in my pockets. I almost busted out laughing when I made the discovery that my water bottle of gold flakes mixed with the original blacksand was still in my pocket. Both black sand and gold are very heavy and I would say the bottle probably weighed half a pound. It was probably only about two grams of gold, so I made the decision to leave it as an offering of gratitude between the branches of my beloved tree. I bet it is still there today.* 

  
  

     After making the decision to abandon the gold, I replaced the weight with something way more valuable: bottles of water in each pocket. So began my exhausting and very dangerous climb up the cliff. The left path started out with a gradual ascent for the first fifteen feet, until I hit my first real obstacle, which was a sprawling but dense bush. My attempt to go up and around it failed when I hit a patch of eroding rock. My only option was to head back down and creep around it. After about fifteen minutes of slowly backtracking along slippery surfaces, I arrived on the other side. 

  
  

      (Thinking back) *A major cause of discomfort that you experience in the rainforest is ants. There were thousands of them around me. I was continually being bitten throughout the climb without a way to swat them. In the end, I bet I had at least a hundred, if not two-hundred bites throughout my body and especially my arms. Ugh, those little guys hurt. My choice was straightforward. I either ignored them, or I risked my life trying to swat them. I chose the former. Survival is a complete mental game. Added to the issue of ants was the constant wet and slippery surfaces, due to the heavy rain from the previous night.* 

  
  

     Unfortunately, a horrible sight befell me. Just ahead of me, part of the cliff face had eroded away. It was a complete vertical drop straight into the chaotic maelstrom that was the river. It consisted of powdered, loose rock with no vegetation holding it in place. The way to my left was impassable, and saying that I was disheartened would be a huge understatement. Not only could I not push forward, but I would have to waste precious time and energy heading back. 

  
  

     I clearly remember the feeling of hopelessness that again overcame me, and I did something that I rarely ever do; I pray. "God, please continue to protect and guide me out of this mess." This was the gist of the prayer, anyways. Upon completion, I took a huge deep breath and began my journey back to my sacred tree. After awhile, with only a couple minor slips and another dozen ant bites, I again find myself leaning against my guardian. Now is the time I begin the near impossible. With my right eye swollen shut, I would have to slowly inch my way along using only my opposite eye for guidance. 

  
  

     (A few thoughts on free-hand climbing)* Another trial I experienced was the shallow root system of most plants I had to grasp to pull myself along. It was a common problem to pull on a decent-sized tree only to have it uproot on you. Imagine if I have my right foot on a solid branch, but there is no way to advance my left leg forward. This is where I would have to rely on my upper body strength using my core muscles and arms only, and to quickly switch feet. This was frequently the only tactic that allowed me to advance forward. (It is critically important that the branch you are grabbing is strong enough to support your full weight). This was useful when I came across a more dense section of branches. Luckily for me, I was part monkey and probably spent half my younger years in trees. When I was seven or eight years old, I fell fifty or sixty feet out of an ancient pecan tree and the only thing slowing my fall were the massive limbs. I walked away from that with only scrapes and a few bruises. I believe that my years of experience tree-climbing(and tree falling) combined with the experience of the fall, and lastly my beautiful guardian angel, were all important factors of my survival. 

  
  

     I had zero doubt that time was my enemy, and like the bubonic plague spreading across Europe, pain and misery continued to spread throughout the injured parts of my body. Progressing with my ascent was an incredibly slow process. The thing is, before I even considered creeping forward, I had to turn my head sharply to my right to study each potential hand-hold. Then after the decision was made, I would have to reach forward in an awkward angle just so that I could advance inch by inch, foot by foot. Various obstacles stood before me, always ending with the need to skirt around them. 

  
  

     I vividly remember one specific slip that occurred while I was switchbacking around a huge prickly bush. I had what I thought was a solid handhold on a thick branch, due to it feeling sturdy and strong. I could only imagine the expression that must have crossed my face when I felt the branch give, followed by a thunderous crack as it split in half. The situation I put myself in was dire, and grew worse as gravity once again took over. The total distance of the fall must have been about eight to ten feet. There was only one obstacle blocking my way to a deadly fall in the churning river below, and that was a thick tree branch. With my full weight behind me, I racked myself head on. Ow! Like a beached whale, I writhed around in pain and all I could do was attempt to steady myself while I sat still and let the throbbing discomfort subside. Amazingly, my life was spared by yet another tree, but unfortunately the fall put me in a very precarious position. This lone tree grew out of crumbling rock at a twisted angle, and the only way for me to climb back up was to stand up on the base of the tree trunk. Chances were good that the root system was very shallow and that the tree would uproot and take me on a final wild ride. 

  
  

     For the second time that day, I prayed to my guardian angel, thanking him/her for sparing my life so far and to help me survive all of my remaining obstacles. I believe my prayer was answered, for after willing myself to stand up, I was able to safely grab the upper branches of the tree and with great relief I was able to heave myself up to the original location of my unfortunate slip. 

  
  

     (Thoughts) *This was the second-to-the-last major, life-threatening obstacle ahead of me, for which I was thankful. After scaling up the tree, I was able to rest for a moment and regain my bearing. It took a bit of time for the pain to subside and for me to be able to think relatively clearly again. Over time, the pain was slowly returning but it is my belief that many of these near-slips kept the adrenaline flowing, which gave me the ability to continue on. It is very difficult to explain how I was able to think clearly, considering my precarious situation. It is believed that humans are capable of remarkable feats of strength when under great stress, and after this insanity, I am convinced of the truth in this. A perfect example would be various stories of people lifting vehicles to save lives. Do a google search and be amazed. The idea of adrenaline and what it does for the human body in times of need is remarkable. My situation was really no different.* 

  
  

     Now I have another dilemma, as the cursed bush is stillblocking my path. The original tree that caused my fall was gone, but I now have no way to skirt the bush. The surface of the ground ahead of me is very spongy, with only a smattering of small plants and trees growing in the area. The way ahead is basically impassible. After studying my surroundings, and especially the bush above me, I noticed a decent-sized tree overshadowing the bush. Another observation of note is that sections of root are occasionally poking out of the soft surface all over the area around me. A wild idea forms. 

  
  

     (An aside)* Permaculture and organic gardening have been very important to me and I understand from experience the sprawling nature of tree roots. This knowledge, I believe, aided in my ability to push forward and overcome my final obstacle.* 

  
  

     My thought was that if I searched patiently, I would most likely be able to find part of the root system, take note of it by marking its location with a stick, and eventually scale across by stepping on the lower root, and digging my fingers in and grabbing the upper roots. The spongy soil easily gave way to my probing fingers and after four or five attempts, with great relief, I located my first root. If I had to guess, this entire process took about an hour. With my heart beating wildly, and my arms straining, I slowly advanced. The distance across was probably about ten feet, but felt more like a hundred feet. Pure insanity! 

  
  

     (A thought) *While slowly inching my way across, I heard an interesting sound. It sounded like a motor of a vehicle of some kind. Car, truck, or possibly a motorcycle. It sounded like it was heading from my right to my left towards the piscina. It was a reassuring sound and I filed it away.* 

  
  

     Finally reaching my goal, which was a section of ground that sloped gently, I was able to take a badly needed breather. Besides surviving the initial fall, this root-scaling had been by far my greatest challenge of not only my day, but my life. While resting for a moment, I noticed something ahead of me that looked very promising. Some time ago, weeks, months, or even years, it appeared that a great landslide had occurred, and wiped out many large trees. Ahead of me, stacked end to end, somewhat covered in loose gravel and mud, was a Mother Nature made miracle. Trees were uprooted one after another and created what, to me, appeared to be a ladder. The trees were in almost perfect position to be scaled upwards, or so I prayed. This was it, my way out of here! For the first time since the beginning of my assault, I felt true hope. 

  
  

     Reaching the first uprooted tree proved fairly easy due to all the heavy growth in this area. Climbing up the first tree brought me even more hope, and I was able to continue scaling vertically. Soon, I was a promising fifty to sixty feet above the river with more uprooted trees above me. Tree after beautiful tree behind me, and like a majestic eagle, my hope soared. Salvation lied ahead! Seventy feet turned into eighty and eighty became a hundred and finally I see what appeared to be the end, as I see a break ahead. Laying before me was a massive tree that started the landslide that had saved my life. Like a mountaineer scaling the peak of K1, I pushed forward and upward to victory. 

  
  

     The ground leveled off to a heavily wooded area, and I saw a glimpse of the gravel road ahead. As stealthily as possible, I crept forward and hid in a nearby bush that offered a view of the road. It was still full daylight and I had completely lost track of time. Was it 2 pm, or 5? The sun set at 6:30 like clockwork and once the sun started setting, it was only a matter of minutes before it was pitch black. 

  
  

     Every part of my body, from my throat to my toes, was in agony. If I had it, I would have paid a million dollars to crawl into a soft bed and crash for days. Laying under the sprawling bush, though hopeful, I realized I was still in danger. The last thing I wanted was to run into my two friends in my current condition. 

  
  

     With the decision made, I began my journey back towards the piscina. Gimping along, I couldn't help but be a bit paranoid. I realized my life would be over if I again ran into my would-be murderers, and slowly, with crawling progression I slowly pushed onward. I was completely unarmed, so I searched around for a couple fist-sized rocks. After what felt like forever, I heard one of the most wonderful sounds I had ever heard. Voices, not that of men, but a woman and possibly children. As I approach the gate into the piscina, I saw a motorcycle parked just outside. The fence was your typical chain-link and approximately five feet high. On the other side of the fence, enjoying what appeared to be a picnic, was a beautiful Kechua family. The family consisted of a woman; a small child, approximately three years old; an older child, probably about six or seven;and a young man, about fifteen or sixteen. I can only imagine how I appeared to them: a bloody bedraggled gringo mess, something out of a horror story to the little ones. 

  
  

     It was a pleasant surprise witnessing the look of compassion that appeared on the mother and son's faces. They, especially the teenager, rushed forward to assist me in having a seat at the table. This was a point where I wished I was fluent in Spanish. It was very difficult in my condition to explain the situation of my attack. With numerous gestures and the few Spanish words I did know, I was able to get my point across. The gist of my story: there was danger nearby in the form of a couple guys who attempted to murder me. I made gestures of being punched, followed by a heaving motion of being tossed and thrown into the huge river below. The only Spanish words I could think of to drive my points home were "peligro! peligro!" Danger, danger, I was telling them. "Dos hombres, muy peligro!" Two men, very dangerous! After another moment of catching my breath, the mother and oldest son exchanged a few words. The young man nodded in what seemed to be a final agreement and an end to the conversation. He quickly approached me and out of what seemed to be of great respect, helped support my weight by allowing me to lean on him. In the same day I had met both evil men, and this amazing family who had offered me hope. Both groups, complete polar opposites, but both from the same indigenous tribe. 

  
  

     After limping along with the support of the young man, we eventually hobble to his motorcycle. In my current condition, mounting the motorcycle was about as challenging as the ascent of Mt. Everest. Cruising along the serpentine road with the roaring river below drowning out the rumble of the motorcycle, I couldn't help but dread winding a curve and running into the pair of my would-be murderers. Fear had unfortunately taken over my survival instincts and had wrested control of my emotions. Fortunately, we didn't see any punk kids, and we eventually arrived in the little village. Since it was a Saturday after a period of heavy rain, many people were out and about. The young man quickly drove me to the house of what turned out to be a Tena police officer. Luckily, not only was he home but he was also outside tinkering on his police motorcycle. A local with a beaten, bleeding gringo riding on his small bike caused quite a stir, and a good four or five people quickly approached. One of them was the police officer, and after a couple minute chat with the young man, quickly gestured me over to his police motorcycle. I again found myself riding on the back and we quickly took off in the direction of the city of Tena. 

  
  

     (A thought) *I remember how fast the police officer was driving the motorcycle, and how for the second time in an hour fear enveloped me. We must have been going about 80 miles per hour on a fairly windy and still damp road. It would have been almost ironic to have survived my ordeal to crash and die so close to town. Luckily, we safely arrived in Tena and at the police station.* 

  
  

     My arrival at the police station caused a huge stir. There were other sick people in the waiting area, but even their attention was drawn to the bleeding and battered gringo. Communication was our biggest obstacle, but being a huge bleeding mess is a sort of universal language, and it was fairly obvious I had most likely been beaten and seriously needed help. They quickly rushed me inside and gave me some pain killers by injection (no idea exactly which type, but didn't overly care in my condition). After about 15 minutes of failing to describe exactly what happened to me, a man who knew a little English was found as a translator. Our communication was still seriously lacking, but between the young man's story to my original police officer who drove me to Tena, and what I could feebly explain to my translator, everything fell into place. After making sure that my health was not going to de-escalate, my translator asked me about where I had been staying. 

  
  

      For a couple of weeks, I had been staying at a lovely hostel in Tena, that I will leave unnamed for now. The owner was a wonderful woman and it was her teenage daughter who gifted me with Tequila. The police quickly drove me to the hostel and explained to the owner that I will call Sarah, my horrible situation. They spoke for approximately 10 minutes and the police officers gave me a "you poor soul" type of sympathetic smile and left the premises. Sarah asked me to sit for a few as she made a telephone call. A friend of hers knew decent English, and Sarah was hoping to have her translate for us. After about 10 minutes passed, a lovely woman entered the hostal and greeted me. "Hello Jason" she said in very clear English. "My name is Anna and I will translate for you and Sarah. Sarah thinks highly of you and would like you to stay here until you feel well enough to leave." There are some amazing, very caring and warm people in Ecuador and these two women are at the top. 

  
  

     "Thank you so much for translating, Anna" I croaked, as speaking was very difficult due to the damage to my throat. I turned to Sarah. "Gracias Sarah" At this point I sit down out of pain and exhaustion. Both the two wonderful women rush forward in support and slowly lead me to my room. After a few minutes of hobbling, I was taken to one of the closest rooms available and assisted onto a chair. Keep in mind I was caked in grime and blood, and hadn't taken a shower in three days. I can only imagine how stinky I must have been to these amazing women. I reassure my friends that I was going to be okay. After another minute or two of fussing over me, the women departed. So for the next day and a half I slept. The pain was excruciating, but luckily the doctor had given me some pain killers to help dull the pain. 

  
  

     Finally after a good day and a half of sleep, I felt I had the energy to both eat some dinner and head to the internet cafe to let my friends and family know what had happened, and to let them know that I was going to be okay. Limping around town was a slow process and I had a very large number of people stare at me due to my right eye, and my limp. 

  
  

     One of my first stops was a little tienda that sold sun glasses. I found a nice little pair, and pay the merchant $3.00(great deal!). The rest of the evening included a drink at the Spider bar(nicknamed Spider bar due to the black tarantulas hanging around the area), dinner and the internet cafe. Hobbling back to my room, I climb back into bed and sleep away another day.

  
  

     Due to my injuries, the pain had been miserable. The doctor only gave me painkillers to last a few days, so I tried to use the ones I had sparingly, especially when I was trying to sleep. My throat was by far my worst injury and it was constantly throbbing. My speech was still heavily impaired, and all I could really do is croak when trying to speak. In addition to my throat; my right eye was in horrible condition as well. It took close to a week before I started regaining my vision, and close to a month for a full recovery. A side affect of my eye was a strange flashing that occurred every ten seconds of so. At first I found it interesting due to the novelty of it; but it quickly grew old, and after awhile downright scary. My biggest fear was that this flashing would occur for the rest of my life. Moving on down my body, we have the scores, if not hundreds of nasty ant bites. I had a small reaction due to the amount of ant venom in my system, but like all of my physical injuries, time heals wounds. 

  
  

      (looking back)*While I made a full recovery from most of my wounds; I still have trouble with my throat; primarily affecting my voice. I always had a deep, somewhat raspy voice, but it has grown worse since the attack. You will probably experience this in some of our future videos out in our jungle community in Peru. 

  
  

     I went through a few periods of shock upon waking; wishing the whole thing was just a nightmare, and that I would wake up with little Tequila happily at my side. Over the next week, I had a few bouts of depression with tears flowing. I can't stress how much I had grown fond of him. Unfortunately, due to my nomadic lifestyle, I was known as the guy who had a lot of dogs. It is really hard to keep a dog when you can't settle in a single place for long. To my dogs Kodiak, Quest, King, Venture, and definitely last but not least, Tequila; I love you guys! I always made sure they went to wonderful, loving homes though and I still have contact with the owners of most of them. I had plans for Tequila though; since he loved to be with me at all times without complaint, and unlike my other dogs, he was a little guy who could even travel by bus. I just hope he died relatively happy, and at peace with the short life I had given to him. 

  
  

     About two weeks of recovery passed, and it was recommended that I travel to Quito and give a report of the attack to the US Embassy. Once I felt capable of travel; I proceeded to make the trip. Unfortunately, besides "taking note" and offering condolences, they did nothing. A friend of mine lived in Quito at the time, so I spent some time with him until I was fully recovered. It was great getting a chance to sit down and really get to know him. After about a week with him, I made the long bus journey back to Vilcabamba and to the rest of my life. 

  
  

     In the next few paragraphs, I am going to explain a couple of events that happened to me and that has led to my current course. A few months after the attack; I was feeling a bit lost and was in a muddled stage. Over about a week, I experienced some very vivid dreams consisting of vines shooting heavenward. They would burst out of the ground with amazing speed and shot up with a spiral motion. You guessed it; the same type of vine that saved my life during the fall. These dreams were recurring and I had them every other night for about a week. The dreams were simple and very short, but very clear. 

  
  

     I remember explaining both my life-saving experience with the vines; as well as the dreams to a friend of mine. This was the magical moment in which she said this; "Those vines sure sound like the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, which is the main ingredient in the sacred Ayahuasca brew." At the mention of Ayahuasca, everything fell into place. For the first time since the actual attack, I felt an inner peace. Ayahuasca is the key; the sacred brew is the answer! 

  
  

     This realization hit me full force. I was saved by the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, and I was being called by the vine of the souls; Ayahuasca. 

  
  

  *Authors note* My two assailants were never found, but I did hear through the grapevine that they were most likely from a nearby village, which was about ten miles away. I am a full believer of karma, and believe they will lose in the end. Fast forward 3 years from the day of my attack, and I honestly feel I am a different person. Horticulture, sustainable living, activism, natural medicine and lastly indigenous shamanism have become very important parts of my life. The rain forests of the world, and all the stewards guarding them, must be cherished and protected.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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