There are plenty of professional athletes that have proclaimed veganism as the source of their power, endurance, and fuel. From Olympic powerlifter Kendrick Farris to ultra runner Scott Jurek, pro athletes are proving that if you think a vegan diet is a weak diet, then you should think again. And Tia Blanco, the 19-year-old surfing phenom, is proof. Blancos pro career is on fire. Shes ranked in the top 50 female surfers in the world by the World Surf League, took the first place Gold medal at the 2015 International Surfing Association (ISA) Open Women's World Surfing Championship in Popoyo, Nicaragua, and came back in 2016 to successfully defend her title by winning the 2016 Championship in Playa Jac, Costa Rica.

And all this achievement comes on the coattails of Blancos choice to go vegan in 2013. Growing up, my diet was pretty easy and simple I was raised on a vegetarian diet, she says. My mom has been vegetarian strictly for ethical reasons since she was 12, and she never forced a vegetarian diet on us, but that was the food she was cooking at home. So as a result, we all just ate vegetarian together because my dad ate what my mom ate and I ate what my parents ate.

As a result, Blanco has never had a bite of beef, sampled a slice of pepperoni pizza, or gone in on a carnitas taco and thats how she likes it. But now, her choice to eat a vegan diet is her own not simply a product of her environment like her vegetarian upbringing was. When I was 11 or 12 I started to get the questions Why are you vegetarian? Meat is good for you! she says. And all I could say was, 'Shoot, I have no idea.' Then when I was 15, I watched the documentary GlassWalls and read The China Study, and then it became quite clear to me why I wanted to be vegetarian and why I wanted to adopt a vegan lifestyle. After doing my research, I chose to go vegan and have been dedicated to a vegan diet for four years now.

One year before going vegan she did allow herself to eat fish since seafood is such a prominent part of surf and sea culture, but Blancos time as a pescatarian was short-lived. I wanted to fit in but I didnt even really like it [the taste of fish], she says. I felt kind of embarrassed and that made me realize that I dont see the food the same way as everyone else does and thats okay. I get grossed out about whats in the food thats not vegan. Thats just whats right for me.

But with vegan lifestyle and options becoming more mainstream, Blanco has been able to maintain her lifestyle despite traveling around the world for surf competitions and often finding herself in situations where fresh lobster is easier to find than a bag of carrots. Ten years ago I dont think anyone knew what veganism was and now you can find and eat anything thats not vegan in a vegan form. There are burgers, mac n cheese, cakes, tacos options everywhere it seems.

That comes in handy when Blanco has a craving, but being vegan doesnt mean she has a get out of jail free card when it comes to dialing in her diet during competitions and training season. I have the biggest sweet tooth and so does my boyfriend, so we gain a little bit of weight after we spend a couple of weeks off of training and being in the kitchen together, she says, laughing. Cupcakes are my favorite dessert and I love making them. If I want to have a cheat day Im going to have a cheat day but I have to be mindful that vegan junk food is still junk food.

In the throes of competition season, Blanco focuses on consuming whole foods to get in top form and maintain the energy necessary to work the waves for hours on end. I feel healthier on a clean, whole foods diet that is very simple especially during competition. And since a plant-based diet is less calorically dense than other diets, I need to make sure Im eating enough food so I up my portions a lot. I think of veggies as nutrition and water, not a food where I can get energy so I dont even count veggies when Im counting calories and nutrition. For energy, I go to potatoes, whole grains, and starchy veggies. Im obsessed with carrots and sweet potatoes.

Following a workout Blanco will make sure to eat within 30 minutes to begin the refueling and repair process for her body. I eat a lot of fruit and fruit smoothies and occasionally Ill do a plant-protein shake with Vegan Smart Protein, she says. Actually, I just came out with my own flavor with them. And if she doesnt have a sweet tooth that day and wants something savory, she reaches for lentils, which are high in protein and fiber.

And although shes very open about her ethical beliefs when it comes to veganism and how a vegan diet has fueled her through her impressive athletic accomplishments to date, Blanco strives to keep her relationship with food and others positive especially with so many other pro surfers adhering to meat-heavy Paleo diets. I definitely get my haters, she says. Even when I was vegetarian not everyone agreed with it, obviously. But I dont push my beliefs on others. I express the benefits if people are asking, and in my case people were asking. I never tell people how to eat. Respect whats on my plate, Ill respect whats on yours.

Heres one of Blancos favorite recipes from Tias Vegan Kitchen for you to try in your own kitchen to try before your next workout.

Tofu scramble Ingredients: 1 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon water sea salt to taste 1 cup of collars greens 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 onion finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 package firm tofu, very well drained and dried 1 tablespoon chopped parsley ---------------- In a small bowl, mix together nutritonal yeast, turmeric, cumin, paprika, water, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Once your pan is at medium heat, add onions and garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes. Crumble tofu into the pan, breaking it up with your fingers. Or you can use a fork. Pour seasoning over tofu and mix well, try to distribute the color as much tofu as possible. Cook for 5 minutes or until tofu is hot throughout. Add in greens and cooked for about 2 minutes Once cooked, serve with favorite sides and toppings! I used tortillas, avo, parsley, salsa, and oranges #tiasvegankitchen

A post shared by Tiarah Blanco (@tiasvegankitchen) on Jan 7, 2017 at 9:38am PST

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Link:

Why Surfer Tia Blanco Is Vegan - Men's Journal

March 12th is National Baked Scallop Day a day that celebrates a food enjoyed by many all across the world. If you didnt know, scallops are a type of bivale mollusk, meaning that like clam, they have two shells that is controlled by a large adductor muscle. This muscle is considered a delicacy by many.

But, did you know that it is easy to recreate that fishy seafood flavor? Check outYou Dont Need Fish to Make Delicious Seafood Dishesand5 Delish Ways to Enjoy Seafood Flavor without Eating Any Fish! to learn more. Just like recreating our favorite meat-based dishes, making plant-based versions of seafood dishes is about using the right flavor and texture. When it comes to making scallop dishes, the thick stem of the King Oyster or Trumpet Royale mushroom is the most popular option.

So, in honor of scallops, we have five plant-based scallop recipes for you to try.

Trumpet Royale is a wonderful mushroom to experiment with in the kitchen. They have a mild flavor, tremendous versatility, and even a unique beauty to them. And, as this Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royaleproves, paired with a creamy lemon sauce, they make a wonderful scallop alternative!

These Tofu Scallops are so delicious and they make a beautiful presentation. The secret to their seafood flavor is a savory marinade made from tamari, Old Bay seasoning, and other spices. Then, theyre pan-seared so theyre crispy around the edges, but tender on the inside, just like real scallops. Serve them over pasta or in a scampi or just make a bunch to serve as an appetizer or hors doeuvres.

In this stunning recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Mushrooms, succulent Oyster mushrooms are cooked until they reach the texture similar to scallops and then are wrapped in a smoky veggie bacon. While they look fancy and intricate, they are actually super easy-to-make! Serve with fettuccini pasta for a deliciously unique dish.

While these Seared Mushroom Scallopsmay look like conventional sea scallops, theyre actually made from King Oyster mushrooms! Liquid aminos or tamari help to bring that savory umami taste that complements the minty pea pure. This is an appetizer fit for warmer weather and fancy parties.

If you want to impress and surprise your friends and family, go out and find some fresh King Oyster mushrooms and make this Oyster Mushroom Scallops With Pesto Pasta for them soon! They wont believe their eyes or their taste buds when you tell them that the scallops are actually mushrooms. King Oyster mushroom slices are marinated in nori seaweed flakes or dulse flakes (another sea vegetable), along with some vegetable stock, and a splash of lemon and cooking wine. The mushroom slices absorb these different flavors and the moisture, resulting in a fantastically tasty vegan scallop with a consistency to die for! Then, serve them up with the cheesy pesto pasta, smoky tofu bacon, and a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Go on, treat yourself to a fancy dinner with one of these recipes. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Lead image source:Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royale

See the article here:

5 Scallop Recipes Made Vegan Using Mushrooms! - One Green Planet

(Picture: Deni Kirkova)

I want to share one of the biggest moments of my life with you.

I spoke about Vegan Fitness at Vegfest London 2016: How to craft your dream body and achieve optimum health on a vegan diet something I am an expert in.

This happened eight months ago but this is the first time Im writing about it.

It was an honour.

People were spilling out of the room to hear what I had to say. It meant so much.

It means more to me than most things in this life to promote vegan health and fitness.

It is because people seem to think we need to torture and kill animals for our brains, muscles, and other parts of our physiology to work their best.

We seem to think were supposed to mess around with other creatures, use and abuse them, ignore their free will and inflict untold pain and suffering upon them because we may benefit from ingesting parts of their bodies or excretions.

Of course, no-one is going to stand up and admit they believe in animal abuse.

People work hard, mentally, to create emotional dissonance around this. It is unthinkable.

And so we distance ourselves from the pure and blatant facts.

Drink milk? You contribute to child murder, the breaking of a new mothers heart and abuse of the miracle of bearing children. Rearing cattle for dairy is the most un-feminist practice I can imagine.

There are simply no two ways about it.

And that was me less than two years ago. I was that person the same as the 90%+ of the worlds population that consumes dairy.

It is simply a case of allowing ourselves to accept the world as it is presented to us by society and our families who, by the way, were exposed to the same stuff we are now.

So how do they know better than us? Why should we learn how things are and should be through them?

We allow ourselves to question so many things once we become teens, but due to heavy, heavy advertisingcampaigns around animal agriculture industries, we never question this practice.

Then I saw the light.

My newly-vegan pal Chris Hines told me the truth about how you get dairy.

I just want to apologise in advance to sensitive people who read the stuff on that link. Its all true but really horrible, so, Im sorry.

I spent a fortnight crying on the tube and googling stuff, then I went fully vegan.

Rare steak was my favourite food before, and now I eat tofu, seitan and pulses for protein. You can do it too.

I since dropped 10% body fat, 10 kilos and won 1st place Beach Body at the Miss Galaxy Universe European Championships 2016.

Heres the way I see my form of activism: I am an example of what a vegan looks like, how healthy a vegan can be and how healthy veganism can make you, and how normal you can remain.

Plus of course, how easy and pleasant it is to be vegan.

Justlook at me up there, with the abs, with the brain with the functioning physiology.Vegan two years.Not dead, and actually much fitter.

So, ingesting bits of animal: Inessential for good health.

So, now we have to think about what were doing in the context of preference rather than need.

And so the onion begins to peel.

Peel it further, take off your blinders, please. Be free of this cognitive conditioning around animal agriculture, a billion-dollar industry tightly involved with government.

On the mentality side of things, if there is ONE THING I can recommend its please, please:

Read: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs And Wear Cows by Dr Melanie Joy.

Its brutally truthful, educational and impenetrably informed. It will make you cry.

Also: Watch the following speeches, factual documentaries and educational movies.

They should answer every question and doubt you may have.

I havent mentioned it in this particular blog, but Ive been on prep (a diet and exercise plan) for the past ten weeks.

This is because Im competing in the UK Ultimate Physiques fitness show taking place at BodyPower on May 12th.

Find out how Ive been getting on in my previous and future blogs.

Week 10 progress: Down to 57.7kg .3kg down.

Total progress so far: Down to 57.7kg from 61kg and body fat is now down to 18% from 23%.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

Read this article:

My journey to Miss Bikini Body: My vegan fitness speech at Vegfest London 2016 - Metro

By Becky Striepe

Honey is not vegan, but luckily there are delicious alternatives to replace it in any recipe. Try these vegan alternatives to honey!

The honey question is surprisingly contentious in the vegan world, but honey is an animal product and definitely not vegan. Bees do not create honey for humans to eatthey create it as their own, sole food source.

As Piper Hoffman explained to Care2, bees have a central nervous system. They experience pain, just like larger animals do. "I'm going to speculate here that starving causes pain," Hoffman said, "and thanks to beekeepers, some entire hives starve to death during the winter."

There are some vegans who argue that local honey is ethical, because the methods used to take the honey are less harsh than in commercial honey operations. The local honey debate is a hot topic and I'm not here to argue about it. You do you. The resources below are for anyone looking for vegan alternatives to honey.

Vegan Alternatives to Honey

1. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a little bit controversial from a health perspective, but there is no question that when it comes to taste and how it behaves in recipes, it mimics honey like a dream. I think of agave nectar as a sometimes food, because it's not terribly healthy.

2. Bee Free Honee

This apple-based vegan honey alternative is truly amazing. Creator Katie Sanchez discovered this recipe in 1999 when an apple jelly experiment went awry. The result of her testing wasn't jelly, but it was a shockingly spot-on vegan alternative to honey.

3. Maple Syrup

Maple syrup gives recipes a different flavor than honey does, but it works well in baking, sauces and most other recipes that call for honey. I even use maple syrup in place of honey in beauty recipes, like this sugar scrub.

4. Brown Rice Syrup

Brown rice syrup is available at most grocery stores. It's slightly less sweet than honey, but that can be a good thing, especially if you're trying to cut down on your sugar intake. Use it just like honey, adding a bit more to recipes, if you find the results not sweet enough for your tastes.

5. Barley Malt Syrup

Barley malt syrup has a distinct, malty taste and, like brown rice syrup, it's a bit less sweet than honey. It's a fun one to play with, though, if you can find it at the store! I especially like barley malt syrup in place of honey for things like granola, cookies or cereal bars.

6. Sorghum Syrup

Sorghum is an interesting crop. Some energy companies are looking at this heat- and drought-tolerant crop as an alternative for the corn used to make biofuels and it's also versatile in the kitchen. Sorghum syrup is available at most grocery stores and is about as sweet as honey, so you can sub it in at a one-to-one ratio.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Care2.

Link:

6 Vegan Alternatives to Honey - EcoWatch

Im a foodie. I love good food, says Sylvie Cote-Nace, author of The Pure Pleasure of Eating Vegan, a cookbook she has put together with recipes she has developed or tweaked and converted to be vegan-friendly.

I entertain a lot. I like nothing better than to share a recipe with friends.

When she became vegan in 2009 she was only able to find two vegan cookbooks.

I checked at Barnes and Noble. I reviewed every vegan book. The early cookbooks had bland recipes, the texture of the food was not appealing and there was not enough creativity.

Besides being for vegetarians or for people who suffer from celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, it (her cookbook) is also good for people who are lactose intolerant, she says I put my personal spin and twist (into the recipes). I cook with a little sherry and a little wine. I am tired of people thinking vegan eating is eating granola.

Every recipe has an introduction telling from where the inspiration came and how the recipe will taste. There is a Cooks Note with several of the recipes indicated by the picture of a Basset Hound in memory of her dog, Charlotte. These notes give helpful hints and/or make-ahead preparation suggestions. She has included a few blank lines after each of the 220 recipe submissions for the users notes. Every recipe was tested by a panel of non-vegetarians with only the best finding their way into the book.

This is the only cookbook I will ever make, says the Gowanda woman. This was more work than getting my Masters. From April until October I spent eight to ten hours a day. I did not see summer.

The Montreal, Canada native tells of the process she used to make this very big project a reality starting with research and even developing her own recipes.

I have been collecting recipes in French and English since I was 16 from several culinary experiences. I have a gift to know if a recipe is good or not.

Much thought was put into the initial selection process from her extensive recipe collection. After shopping for the ingredients came cooking, clean-up, mise en place and snapping pictures of the finished dishes. This could entail as many as 12 to 15 hours.

The five ladies that were testers were here from 11:30 until 2 every two weeks for two years. I did not want any vegetarians for my testers, she says. The final part was reviewing every recipe to be sure every ingredient was there and to make English corrections. I was vegan for awhile, so I learned all of the tricks of the trade.

Processing a cookbook is one of the most expensive things ever, she says of the publication she is selling at cost. My testers all said just for the section of the vinaigrette, soup and gravy, you pay for the book.

The entrees are flavor-packed, thus making it easy to overlook the absence of meat for those that think they cannot exist without it.

There is no section for bread, cookies and cakes. Instead there are 21 recipes made with fresh fruit. She has included a section called Vegan Pantry and Tools, which explains every tool she uses in the book, what it is and where it can be purchased. This section also tells where ingredients can be acquired.

The success of your food will depend on the quality of the ingredients you use. A simple thing like the freshness of your spices and to know the technique will make the best meal youve ever tasted.

There is a condiment section that includes recipes for cheeses, condiments and sauces. The recipe for bechamel sauce includes tips on how to tell if the sauce is done.

Always make sure that your dried spices are fresh, the life of a bottle of spices is roughly 1 to 2 years. If you have old spices, know that this will affect greatly the taste of what you are cooking, and it wont be good, says the cook. I always make sure that in my house I have a nice supply of fresh onions, garlic and shallots. It is a must, as I use them a lot in every recipe I make. That must be my French roots showing up here.

Eating vegan does not mean you will never eat the recipe you like. You will learn how to veganize them and still keep enjoying them. Its even better than the original recipe. People come with prejudice against it, even if theyve never tasted it.

Everything I take to a party or gathering is the first to disappear.

When you eat a plant-based diet, all the food you eat is well-balanced. The protein is found in quinoa, lentils, beans, etc. When you eat there is so much fiber and nutrients you are full and never hungry. You dont have to weigh or measure the food, she teaches. People think when you go vegan it is restrictive, but what they dont know is everything you remove has a replacement. If you remove dairy, the milk is replaced with plant-based milk. You can veganize your favorite recipes. So you dont have to eat food youve never heard of.

When you eat healthy you nourish the brain and the body. When you eat a plant-based diet you have extra energy to be able to participate in life. If you have children you can play with them, she insists. When you adopt a plant-based diet, be organized and plan ahead. Add quality ingredients and do one day of cooking for the entire week.

When you go vegan, it doesnt mean it is the end of celebrating with your friends and eating out. When you have a pizza, you ask for double tomato sauce and hold the cheese. I can go into any restaurant and create a meal. I never feel deprived. You can ask for whole wheat linguine at Olive Garden. I always carry my own dressing.

Prior to getting a masters degree in criminology, she studied law for one year. She has been employed as a probation and parole officer in Canada and the United States. Her husband of 27 years, Reverend J. Michael Nace, is pastor of Java Village Baptist Church. They have a son who resides in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. The couple also has a cat named Maggie.

Submitted Photo The following Dunkirk School Three students were selected by their teachers as February Students ...

By GIB SNYDER OBSERVER Lifestyles Editor There comes a time in one's life when reality sets in, and apparently ...

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Want to cook vegan? Gowanda woman's book can help - Evening Observer

FAIRBANKS Sara Grocott has been drawn to creams and potions since she was a teenager spending her allowance on drug-store anti-aging cream.

Later, when she worked in a greenhouse, Grocott would go around reminding her co-workers to wear sunblock.

She eventually went to beauty school to study skin care.

In 2015, she opened Spruce and Feather Skincare and Lash, offering help with skin problems and pampering with facials. She provides beauty tips and services such as waxing and semi-permanent false eyelashes.

The skin care studio is tucked in a neighborhood off Geist Road in the same building as a licensed massage therapist.

Grocott sees both men and women by appointment only and is booked out by a few weeks.

I am told by clients that I am their little secret, said the 36-year-old who grew up in Fairbanks and attended West Valley High School and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Her fees range from $55 for a facial to $180 for a full set of false eyelashes. Waxing starts at $20 for a brow wax.

Grocott also offers a line of high-end skin care products by Rhonda Allison.

She attended the Aveda Institute in Portland after studying art in college and deciding to pursue a trade so she could have a steady paycheck.

It made sense for me to make sure that I had a job out of art school, she said.

Studying dermatology in medical school was never appealing.

I didnt want to tell people that they have cancer or prescribe pharmaceuticals, she said.

Spruce and Feather is tastefully decorated with vinyl flooring, mid-century modern furniture and numerous plants.

Grocott has cultivated a spa atmosphere with aromatherapy and relaxing music.

You come in and it is just about you, she said. We lock the door. The service is about this being your space and your time.

One of the most rewarding moments for Grocott was when a 90-year-old woman enjoyed her facial so much that she wept.

I love art and I love flowers and I love beautiful things, and I love making people feel good, Grocott said.

Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7587. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMborough.

Link:

Beauty expert wants to help people look good and feel good - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Green BEAN Delivery, the regions largest online natural and organic grocery delivery service, has announced it is expanding its services to cover residents in Peru.

Beginning at 3 p.m. on Oct. 20, members can shop online from a full selection of local, organic produce and all-natural, artisanal groceries and have them delivered directly to their doorsteps.

We are excited to continue growing throughout our home state of Indiana, providing the Peru community with the freshest produce and thousands of all-natural and local, artisanal groceries, said Shane Towne, president of BEAN, LLC, parent company of Green BEAN Delivery, in a press release.

We take great pride in helping area farmers and artisans showcase their amazing products, each week, in our online grocery store, he said.

One of those local farmers is Mark Boyer, who started the company Healthy Hoosier Oils with his dad at their Converse farm in March 2015. The farm grows sunflowers and canola, which they turn into cooking oil using a cold press.

For around two years, Green BEAN Delivery has distributed their product. Boyer said now, its great to see the delivery service coming to his home turf.

This is a wonderful resource in our community for many healthy and specialty foods that were previously unavailable, he said in an email. Their service is growing, but not yet in many areas with populations the size of ours.

To become a Green BEAN Delivery member, residents can sign up, select their bin preference and delivery frequency, and begin exploring the virtual aisles of the online store. Every order is customizable with members choosing from thousands of organic, all-natural and local and artisanal offerings.

Peru residents who want to become members can register at http://www.greenbeandelivery.com/PeruWabash. The first 50 Peru residents who sign up will receive a special discount of 20-percent off of their first three grocery orders. Membership does not come with contracts or commitments, and delivery is free when the selected bins minimum order is reached.

The company was founded in 2007 by Matt Ewer and his wife, Beth Blessing, who said in press release their goal was to make local, organic produce and natural groceries convenient, affordable and accessible to area communities. Now, the company boasts the Midwest and Souths largest network of farmers and artisans with organic and sustainable practices.

The delivery service also operates a 60-acre organic farm in Sheridan, Indiana, where they grow a wide variety of vegetables and also is home to more than five acres of blueberry bushes. The produce from the farm is included in their bins.

Besides its online service, Green BEAN Delivery has also committed to combating food insecurity by donating over 950,000 pounds of fresh produce to food banks in the communities it serves. They also partner with anti-hunger organizations to increase the flow of fruits, vegetables and grocery items into emergency food assistance programs.

Follow this link:

Organic food delivery service expands to Peru - Kokomo Tribune

Youve worked 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and youre looking forward to the weekend.

That is, until you remember youve got a fun run on the shcedule, and your sisters cousins husbands nieces first birthday on Sunday, and youve got a long list of chores around the house that need attention.

If your weekend is shaping up to be less than relaxing, try incorporating 10 minutes of meditation into your weekend routine, to give your brain a break.

RELATED: Meditation apps for the smartphone-obsessed athlete

The key to meditation is calming the mind. For most people, this may seem impossible, but with a few minutes of focused breathing, sitting still and letting yourself be truly calm, it will start to seem less impossible to find your zen.

The benefits of mediation range across many areas of life, from reduced stress to improved concentration. An article from the Huffington Post on the subject says that meditation encourages a healthy lifestyle, increases self-awareness, increases happiness, increases acceptance, slows aging, and improves cardiovascular and immune health.

RELATED: 6 office stretches to get you through the workweek

There are thousands of videos for guided meditation online, some with specific goals like decreasing anxiety, and others with more general aspirations.

If videos arent your style, you can also download a meditation app that can guide you to enlightenment, whenever you need it. Some of the more popular apps include Headspace, Buddhify and Sattva, but there are hundreds more to choose from.

Whatever your method, by incorporating meditation into your weekend routine (busy or not), youll be your most prepared for the week ahead.

See the article here:

Busy weekend? Try this 10-minute meditation routine to relax - GrindTV

Jan and I were walking into the parking lot after a quick run to one of our local grocery stores, when we noticed a bumper sticker. At first glance it seemed one of those co-exist stickers with the letters twisted out of symbols from the world religions. However, as we looked more closely we could see it was a parody of that sticker and instead, while using world religions letters it read contradict.

Im certainly okay with that. I mean, after all. But, then in smaller print was a citation of a popular chapter and verse from the Gospel of John. So, it appears the meta message here is that while the worlds religions do indeed contradict each other all over the place, there is, actually, among them, a true one. And, in case were confused, heres a pointer to which one that is. Okay. We all have the right to an opinion.

But, I have to say, if I had to pick a true or, more accurately the truer one among the many, as fond as I am of my natal lineage, and how much the stories of the Bible have a place in my heart, it just wouldnt be Christianity. In Arthur C. Clarkes novel Childhoods End theres a kind of time machine, it cant be used to travel, but one can look at the events of the past. Once people got to see how all the religions got going the only one left was a very modified and deeply simplified form of Buddhism.

Me, I think that would be true, although I believe a simplified form of Daoism based exclusively on the so-called philosophical Daoists, and a similarly pretty pared down form of Confucianism might be able to stand the scrutiny of that time viewer. I fear thats it.

That said,I think that slogan contradict is important, and a wise complement, as well as challenge, to cooperate. Among the difficulties with the cooperate, is the impliedthey all teach the same truth. You dont have to go very far into a study of comparative religions to know how deeply they are not all the same. And, even to make the claim, somewhere way, way down at bottom they are all the same is going to be rough slogging. Some believe in creator, some do not. Some see an end to time, while some do not. Some see souls and some do not. Its pretty hard to find that very far to the bottom place where they are all the same.

But, there is one area where near as I can tell all the religions seem to in fact agree. Interestingly, most, maybe none consider it their primary teaching. But they all have it, and they all consider it pretty important. And that common thing is the Golden Rule, which most of us here in English speaking North America know in its formulation in the Gospel of Luke, in the King James version, as do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The golden rule goes way back and it is found all around. As far as written records go some see it as far back as two thousand years before the common era in the Egyptian story the Eloquent Peasant. Reading it, frankly, I find that a stretch. The Odyssey, which might trace as far back as seven hundred years before the common era, has the goddess Calypso tell Odysseus shell be as careful for him as for herself, because she knows what is right and fair. Among the pre-Socratic philosophers of Greece both Thales and Pittacus of Mytilene, call us to not do that which we would not have done to us. And, while the rule isnt particularly obvious in Socrates, Plato or Aristotle (although I thank them deeply for that other bit of gold, the Golden Mean), the current continues to pop up among the Greeks here and there.

The Hebrew scriptures with strata that approach the Eloquent Peasants composition although as we understand the text more likely written closer to four or five hundred years before the common era in Exodus we are admonished to not oppress the foreigner, and in Leviticus to straight out love your neighbor as yourself. It is found in the hadith, the recorded sayings of the prophet Mohammed, and throughout muslim and particularly Sufi literature.We can find the Golden Rule in the Dhamapada, a collection of sayings attributed to Gautama Siddhartha, the Buddha of history. Confucius, from about the same period, tells us in his Analects not to do to others, what you would not want them to do to you. And the list just goes on and on. There are Muslim, Jewish, and Christian version, there are Hindu, Jain, and Buddhism versions, there is a Zoroastrian version. The gold rule abides among them all.

Even in our more secular era, we see it continue to be presented. For instance, some see a philosophical variation in Immanuel Kants categorical imperative, Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law. And for me, even more intriguing, Charles Darwin, writing in the Descent of Man opines that the social instincts the prime principle of mans moral condition with the aid of active intellectual powers and the effects of habit, naturally lead to the golden rule. As ye would that men should do to you, do ye to them likewise, and this lies at the foundation of morality.

And it may be even reflect natural patterning. Donald Pfaff, author of the Neuroscience of Fair Play: Why We (Usually) Follow the Golden Rule, tells how he read a paper by William Hamilton and Robert Axelrod showing that they could teach computers to behave in a according to what you could call reciprocal altruism, a fair-play principle.

Im moderately confident that the intuition that gives us the Golden Rule, and incidentally the Golden Mean, are built in, about as close to the hard wiring of our humanity as it gets. I am pretty sure it has something to do with our being mamas and herd animals. Although there is more to it, as the fact a computer can find a fair-play principle, suggests. Cooperation is critical to our survival.

All rather wonderful.

And, yes, shall we say, of course theres a fly in the ointment. This sense of fair does indeed seem to be built into our human consciousness. Generally we dont need an admonishment for something we all do. And, at about an equal level of strength so is a predilection to cheat, to advance ourselves over others. Human beings constantly are doing things that hurt others.

And, of course, we need that sense of self and that impulse for survival and advancement. Both of these goods, taken to extremes become destructive. Although, frankly, while absolutely see people who miss that the care for one another also means themselves, the excess that is more common, and dangerous in many directions is the preservation of ones self at all costs.

So, of course, the reality is we human beings live within a tension between these poles of our hearts.

And I suspect we may be looking at the deep structures of something else common among religions here. That is the problem of evil. Here we see something else common among the religions, a condemnation of the strong preying upon the weak. While there have always been a handful of people who value selfishness, Im looking at you Ayn Rand, these have always been outliers. The overwhelming majority of human beings and our religions rest upon a foundation of cooperation, of looking out for ones neighbors, of treating the other as we would treat ourselves.

But there is this conflict between selfishness and altruism. In some religions it becomes a cosmic war. And while in most good eventually prevails, I can think of at least one example where the forces of chaos eventually wins. The tension runs deep.

And, then, we can look around at the world we live in today. We have just elected a president who draws the smallest possible circle of who gets to be a neighbor, whose actions seem vastly more in concert with Ayn Rand than with Jesus, Buddha, or, for that matter, Darwin.

Now, in Jewish history in such harsh times when the rich put their boot on the neck of the poor, prophets arise and rail against the imbalance.

I consider these things, and I wonder if that prophet isnt getting ready to stand in front of the White House?

It feels that time is at hand.

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In the Neighborhood: A Meditation on the Golden Rule, Cheaters, and Prophets - Patheos (blog)

GoldLink takes fans on an artistic trip inside of a nightclub in the video for his Jazmine Sullivan and KAYTRANADA-assisted single Meditation.

The clip shares an animated depiction of the club scene while GL raps about a complicated relationship with an ex. I still call ya, he raps. Whichever way you want it, baby girl, its on ya / I got the money, you got the problems, so I can solve it / But I still need ya / I still see ya.

Then, Jazmines soothing vocals shine throughout the KAYTRANADA-produced cut. I want to be more than homies, she sings. I just want to be your baby, your one and only.

While the song is soothing and romantic, things end in chaotic fashion, as gunfire erupts, and the visual fades to black.

Speaking of the track, GoldLink reveals the inspiration is rooted in his hometown. Meditation is a quick glimpse into DC Go-Go and street culture, he said. Its kind of like a West Side Story, in a way as far as its a guy who sees a girl. This guy is from one neighborhood and the girl is from another rivaling neighborhood. They see each other across the room. He talks to her, they reminisce, they laugh, and then a confrontation happens.

Meditation and the previously-released single Crew (featuring Shy Glizzy and Brent Faiyaz) are both set to appear on GoldLinks forthcoming project, which will be his first since 2015s And After That, We Didnt Talk.

Next, GoldLink is heading out on a string of separate shows with KAYTRANADA, Little Dragon, and Denzel Curry, starting with Coachella next month.

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New Music: GoldLink feat. Jazmine Sullivan & KAYTRANADA ... - Rap-Up.com