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EnLightened News
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July 2012
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Greetings!
I hope and trust this finds you all well.
Thank you for your replies to the community input newsletter. It turns out, most respondents like having our articles entirely within the newsletter, so I haven't made any drastic changes to the format. I also want to sincerely thank those of you who submitted stories for use in the newsletter or gave me permission to use previously submitted stories! I've been very busy with work and out of town visitors, but I do intend to address every submission very soon!
I know you will enjoy this month's beautiful story of Lorraine's experience after her beloved Cuppie passed. This story resonated particularly strongly with me, as I have had a similar experience (though it did not involve a transition to spirit as much as a realization of being spirit). I want to call your attention to an event beginning today. Veganpalooza runs from July 11-15, 2012. Kim will be presenting this Saturday, so we urge you to register (it's free!) and listen in via teleconference. Please do read more about this worthy event below. Namaste, Ashley Bass
Assistant to Kim Sheridan
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Animal Action Alert
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Homelessness is not just a human problem. United States animal shelters put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats every year. There are too many animals and not enough adoptive homes. You can help prevent this!
Never Breed or Buy. Always Adopt!
Please Spay and Neuter!
Join countless other kind people who are practicing animal birth control.
Find out more...
The above is paraphrased from a PETA article.
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Animal Rights Conference
August 2nd-5th, 2012Washington, D.C.
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This year's Animal Rights Conference is fast approaching. If you are in the D.C. area, or can make the trip, we highly recommend taking this opportunity to commune with like minds. We thank the attendees in advance for working towards a more compassionate world. Kim was in attendance, and spoke on a few panels, last year. Unfortunately, she is unable to attend this year. She will, however, be there in spirit.For more information about the conference, click on the banner below:
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FILM SCREENINGS
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We are pleased to announce that two EnLighthouse films won Honorable Mention awards at this year's International Film Festival For Peace, Inspiration, Equality. Plight of the Earth Fairy won Honorable Mention in the International Short Films category, while Good versus Evil won in the Newcomer category. The Awards Night Premiere is August 30th, 2012 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The festival runs from August 30th to September 21st, 2012. The festival closes on International Peace Day! For more information about the festival,
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Vegan Recipe
of the Month
Basic Tahini Dressing #2
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This dressing is easy to make on a moment's notice.
2/3 c. purified water
1/4 c. raw, not roasted, tahini
1/2 tablespoon raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs. traditional red miso or unrefined/ Celtic sea salt to taste
Optional: 1/2-1 Tbs. non-gmo lecithin powder
Optional: Fresh lemon juice, veggies (celery, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot), herbs or spices such as turmeric, curry, cumin, parsley, arugula, etc.
Add all ingredients into a shaker or blender. Shake/blend until smooth. Add herbs or spices if desired. Add more water for a thinner dressing and less for a thicker dressing. The lecithin will giver this dressing a thicker consistency, but it will take about 5-10 minutes to do so.
You may substitute some or all of the water with a fresh veggie juice or fresh veggie puree.
This dressing can be stored for several days.
[Please note: (1) We STRONGLY encourage using ORGANIC ingredients or the equivalent. (2) It is wise to use plant-based enzymes with all un-soaked nuts and seeds, including tahini.
Jameth & Kim Interested in reading more about this classic raw food un-cookbook?
 
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Contact Us
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EnLighthouse, Inc.
1835A S. Centre City Pkwy #181
Escondido, California 92025
760-796-7949
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KIM'S NOTE
When we do too much . . .
 When we do too much, we often find that we're on a wheel we can't seem to get off. Not wanting to let anyone down, we take on more commitments than one person can possibly handle. The end result is that some tasks fall through the cracks, and other people feel neglected -- especially people who have no idea how very much we're doing already.
I have a habit of doing too much for a couple of reasons: 1.) Well, there's just so darn much to do; and 2.) I don't want to inconvenience others by asking for help. So I sometimes find myself running around just trying to catch up, but I honestly don't think anyone can run that fast! It seems there's always another animal who needs rescuing; another animal who needs assistance through the dying process; another human seeking nutritional advice or assistance with grieving; another interview I need to work into my crazy schedule; a cause that needs another voice; another contribution that needs to be made; and other things that those of us who care simply can't turn our backs on. Not to mention the endless stream of business paperwork, meetings, and tough decisions that need to be made; urgent emails that need an answer yesterday; stacks of mail that keep piling up; a constantly ringing phone; bills that need to be paid; laundry that needs to be done; litter boxes that need to be cleaned; sleep that needs catching up on; and the list goes on. Those of us involved in animal rescue -- and perhaps life in general -- know it well. And in that process, our own needs tend to get pushed to the bottom of the pile where we don't even see them anymore. We just feel that dull ache in our back and that unsettled feeling in the pit of our stomach, and we know that something isn't right.
I'm still learning to delegate, and one of my first successes on that front has been finding Ashley. I'm so very grateful to have her in my life to do the important things that I simply have no time left to do -- including putting together this awesome newsletter! If I didn't have Ashley around, I think I'd be completely buried in a mountain of endless undone "TO DO's," never to be seen or heard from again! ;)
Life has a way of getting us back on track, sooner or later. Sometimes we get an unexpected wake-up call when we need to make a change -- when we're doing too much. Recently I've had several of those wake-up calls. The first was a flat tire (thankfully, in my own driveway) that prevented me from bounding off to yet another commitment that I really had no time for.
The next was a freak accident in the middle of a busy crosswalk while returning a shopping cart to the health food co-op. (It could've been much worse, so I'm counting my blessings!) The end result was a serious knee injury that left me in agonizing pain, unable to walk for several days, limping for several weeks, and still in mild pain for several months. Talk about being forced to slow down! For someone who normally moves very fast, this took quite a bit of getting used to.
The third (and hopefully final) wake-up call was losing my cell phone -- you know, that thing that calls out with its loud insistence to drop everything and address whomever needs addressing at that very moment. Although I've been conscious for years about keeping a healthy distance from the cell phone for health reasons, still it was always there -- waiting for me to address the latest urgent call or text. And suddenly, just like that, it was gone. No more cell phone. To top it off, I was literally too busy to take the time to go to the cell phone store to get a new one. It just never seemed to work its way to the top of my never ending "TO DO" list.
I was hit hard with the initial withdrawals of being unable to be there literally 24/7 for a family member going through a health crisis; or a friend of a friend seeking my immediate assistance; or the latest update from the pet sitter when I was out of town on business. This was hard at first, as I felt I needed to be there for everyone, all the time, and that being in constant touch with the pet sitter kept the animals safer somehow. For the first time in many years, I just had to trust that they were in good hands, and that everything was as it should be.
I finally took a deep breath and relaxed into the idea that this silence could become my life. I could still address important calls, but only when I was already awake, near my land line, and not already doing five other things. I learned how to text via my internet phone so that I could still keep up with the most urgent tasks required of me; I learned to schedule specific time in my schedule to address phone calls; and I learned to "let go" when I was away from a phone and focused on something else entirely. For the first time in years, I was actually able to fully focus on the task at hand. What a concept!
The end result? By the time my phone was located several weeks later, I no longer wanted anything to do with it. I thought to myself, Hey, with this kind of silence available to me, I might even finally finish my next book! So I vowed to keep my cell phone in the car, for emergencies only, and to continue with this newly discovered cell-phone-free life -- one that I hadn't thought would even be possible.
Do I still do too much? Yes. I definitely do. But, as they say, the first step to solving a problem is identifying that you have one. So I'm working on it. This may be a lifetime thing, but at least I'm headed in the right direction. Meanwhile, my knee is almost fully recovered and I was finally able to get back on my early-morning exercise routine this week (if I don't do it at the crack of dawn, my day gets too busy and it never happens). Exercise is the salve that soothes my nerves in a world where sensitive people are often overwhelmed. So I'm grateful to have it back in my life.
Meanwhile, I just spent the past several months involved in a huge rescue and relocation of a pond full of koi and goldfish whose days were numbered, not to mention all the rescued rats who continue to find their way to The Rat Refuge. I recently went through that all-too-familiar pain of saying goodbye to my beloved Daphne, a sweet little rescued rat whom I affectionately called "my little daffodil," whose dying process took every bit of my focus and left me with enough grief to remind me of why I do all of this in the first place.
Yes, I've still got half-completed films and books to finish, new products to launch, more animals to tend to, and the list goes on. But it's a good list. A worthwhile list. One that I wouldn't trade. The only thing I would trade (and did) was that little singing microwave-emitting box that used to steal so much of my time and sap so much of my energy. It's now safely tucked away in the car, where it belongs. And life is good. Busy, but good.
For more information on Kim Sheridan's current endeavors, please visit the Follow-up Links at the bottom left column of this newsletter.
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Cupcake's Vision
By Lorraine S. from Manitou Springs, CO
While there are many stories I could tell, this is about Cupcake, my mostly golden retriever dog. Cupcake was left at our local Humane Society. She had just turned six years old. I can only think that her family must have been in dire circumstances and beside themselves with grief to have relinquished her. I went to the shelter with a friend, and had no intention of adopting another pet so soon after my beloved dog Rosie died. But there was cupcake, clearly believing that I was the one for her. I couldn't leave the facility without Cuppie. She was my beloved friend for many years. When she approached fifteen, she could no longer walk and was unable to continue the medication that had helped her for the past two years. With much sorrow, I asked our vet to come to our home and help her pass to her next great adventure. I held her as she softly bowed her head and died. The grief cut through to my heart and leveled me. Graciously, our vet gave me some precious time with her before he carried her away, over his shoulder like a baby, to have her cremated. I lay on the spot where Cupcake died, sobbing uncontrollably, when I heard a quiet voice inside me say, "Go to the Garden of the Gods." This was our favorite place to walk; a beautiful park just a few minutes drive from my home. Although I had no intention of moving from my spot on the floor, I dutifully got up and obeyed the voice. Let me say that Cupcake loved everyone -- other animals and people from all walks of life. Like Cupcake, I love all animals, but I'm not so open-hearted toward all people, especially large crowds. Garden of the Gods is usually packed with tourists, especially in the summer. Nevertheless, away I ventured in my sadness. Just as I was turning to enter the park, I clearly felt Cupcake with me, her head out the window of my car in pure glee. It filled me with immense joy. I found myself seeing the park through Cupcake's eyes: the trees, the red rocks, the earth, the blue blue sky, the wonder of the beauty. Then a strange and very unexpected thing happened. There were crowds of sightseers up ahead, walking amid the rock formations. Instead of being annoyed with them in my way, I began seeing them through Cupcake's eyes; I felt her boundless love for all people. I heard her say, "Look, aren't they wonderful!" I felt my heart brimming with love and joy at the sight of them!! Amazing!!! Over our years together, Cupcake was a constant gift. But this gift brought a profound and meaningful change of heart within me. |
To read more beautiful stories,
order Animals and the Afterlife:
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Current Event Feature:
Veganpalooza!
A first-of-its-kind Vegan Event
Kim will present July 14th at 2:00PTVeganpalooza is an amazing online conference taking place July 11-15, 2012. The conference promotes health and compassion through a plant-based diet. Learn from the experts about the many advantages (body, mind, and spirit) of a vegan diet.
Kim Sheridan is one of the featured presenters at this wonderful event. If you would like to hear Kim speak about how to get on -- or stay on -- the vegan path, please register and tune in Saturday, July 14th at 2:00 PT.
You are also invited to listen in on Friday the 13th at 3:00 PT, when Kim's husband, Dr. Jameth Sheridan, will lend his expertise to the conference. There are many other wonderful presenters throughout the week, beginning today!
This event is a beautiful opportunity to learn how to live a healthful, vibrant, eco-friendly life! Please don't miss it!
For more information, or to register, click here: Veganpalooza! |
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Final Thought
If you are in good health, please appreciate it and do your best to maintain it! If you are not so fortunate, please visualize yourself healthy, adopt a plant-based diet if you haven't already, and try to eliminate all the stress you can!
Stay tuned for next month's newsletter, when we will begin featuring a monthly Animal Health article.
Wishing you enough time for a cat nap in the sun!
Warm Regards,
Ashley |
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Comic Featuring Rustle the Leaf
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|  Courtesy of www.RustleTheLeaf.com. Thank You!
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