Talk To Us: May/June 2018

Sharing a Note

Our deepest prayers and condolences go out to the families of the students killed in Parkland, Florida. As we struggle with the grief and disbelief, we are reminded that violence can erupt anywhere, at any moment.

During this challenging time, let’s work on sharing healthy ways for people to manage their stress, frustration, and anger at their core and commit to building human values back into our schools and communities. Together, let’s create a violence-free, stress-free America.

This troubling pattern of school violence has different causes at its core for the perpetrators. We must be aware that aggression is part of our nature and we all possess the potential for it. The challenge is to teach one another how to handle the aggressive tendency that is within each of us.

We must also recognize the hurt and wounded in our society. If someone is behaving badly and is troubled, they are pained and require a healing touch, a sense that someone is listening to them who cares.

If we do this, we can affect their lives. We can help them go from darkness to light and make headway against the scourge of violence.

This is our role as fellow citizens and human beings.

— Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living Foundation

Homeopathic vs. Herbal

In the January/February issue, there was a very lovely article about the mullein plant, written by Sara Biggs Chaney and Michael Chaney. I was enjoying the article, since mullein is one of my favorite “weeds” as well, when I was taken aback by their use of the word “homeopathic” when they really were talking about “herbal” uses of the plant. Homeopathic and herbal are not interchangeable terms! Homeopathic medicine and herbal medicine are two completely different things, even though they use some of the same plants. Herbal medicine includes the use of plant parts—roots, leaves, flowers—in the form of teas, tinctures, capsules, or eaten in foods such as spices and herbs. Homeopathic medicine, on the other hand, is energetic. The substances (some plant-based, some not) are diluted so that often there are very few molecules of the substance left, but the energy of it is still there. Homeopathic medicines can be made from plants (and other substances), but they are not considered herbal because they are diluted so much that only the energy of the material used. The misuse of “homeopathic” when “herbal” is the proper term has become so widespread that I saw it misused in my local newspaper last week. I figured a magazine such as yours would like to use the correct terms.

— Barbara Davies

Shocked

I am a new subscriber and just received my first issue. After having read the disgusting letter in “Talk to Us” entitled “Our President,” I am shocked and regret having subscribed. It appears that this magazine is just another political publication.

Shame on you for publishing such vitriol under the guise of “Spirituality & Health.” Her comments, whether right or wrong, are neither “spiritual” nor “healthy” in my opinion, and do not belong in this venue. What a different light has been shed on what I believed was a magazine where I would find comfort and well-being.

— [Name withheld]

Editor’s Note: This magazine is proud to have readers with radically different viewpoints and beliefs. Honest dissent is probably the best path to improved thinking. (See page 54.)