With the recent announcement that the National Government of New Zealand will impose super city status on seven local councils over the greater Auckland area, this has caused concern to many people about the methods involved to bring this about.
One of the unique qualities of localised self governance is the closeness of community, cultural identity and many collaborative ventures between council, small business and neighborhood engagement plus area employment. And yes, we need more integrated transport, and other infrastructural systems, but not without community involvement with powers to act.
With the enforcement to super city status with $28 billion of community assets, such as the Auckland airport stake, (that was recently sold off by the smaller Auckland council) what does the future hold for keeping our community resources in public hands?
With participative democracy needed like never before, you are being asked as an Aucklander to break the spell of inaction and communicate with "our paid servants in Wellington" and demand more transparency and community liaison, participation plus feed back.
This is a call to action
For involvement at a localised level;
www.cc4a.net.nz
www.stopthesupercity.org.nz
http://ihiaotearoa.wordpress.com
On May 25 there will be a Hikoi where New Zealanders from all persuasions can join us to say out loud that this proposal is flawed and will become flawed law if passed. This is the anniversary of the Bastion Point evictions.
We will gather in the four corners of Auckland and hikoi, convening at the bottom of Queen Street by 9.30am. From there we will walk to the Town Hall, the symbolic heart of the proposed new Council. Here we will hold a free public concert showing the beauty and talent of our people.
Lisa Er was the founder of Lisa's Hummus and prior to that a primary school teacher. She stood as a Green Party candidate in Mt Roskill for the last election.
Since selling her business, Lisa has been steadily building a group who attend a Friday event here in Auckland, called the Forum. In creating and maintaining this Forum for speakers Lisa feels that she is doing a service which assists in the raising of consciousness of the planet. The group has now expanded to Christchurch and will shortly begin in Hawkes Bay.
"If humanity is going to survive as a race, then we clearly need to change our way of living. Underlying our daily activities are our attitudes and beliefs that, as Dr Bruce Lipton confirms, affects our cells and the way we create our collective life. We are not separate, we are one."
Lisa has five principles that she believes would change the way any institution would operate, and if applied everywhere would give us a totally new 'operating manual' for the future."At the moment society operates on survival of the fittest mode. The economy is based on growth and not sustainability, yet, we underestimate the power of nature, and we can feel very helpless in the face of the world's challenges."
Operating from a different belief system while also being active politically are Lisa's answers to the way forward for humanity and in caring for the planet.
Recently from Hawaii, Charlottemarie is an enigmatic performer grounded in ancient knowledge of chant, harmonics and energy that heals.
Through her mesmerizing, multidimensional voice, Charlottemarie presents a field of vibration in song and chant that transforms and elevates, opening hearts and souls to the experience of the unseen world of love and union.
As a humanity we are rapidly learning that we are a sub atomic field of energy that is oscillating at a frequency that aligns us with this reality/dimension. We are coming into the realisation that as a field of energy we can consciously heal our body of pain and many other ailments. Vibrational healing which is more than a modality, is moving towards its ascendancy.
From the healing temples and higher knowledge of the past, we are now able to utilise this knowing and integrate sound therapy by the voice and the harmonics of love into a method of healing that could quite possibly restore to health a large segment of today's global society.
Dr Bruce Lipton, (currently in New Zealand), is author of the popular book;Biology of Belief, Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles, was awarded 2006’s Best Science Book of the Year.
The new sciences quantum physics and epigenetics are revolutionising our understanding of the link between mind and matter, challenging established scientific theories and prompting a complete re-evaluation of life as we have known it.
The significance of this shift in belief is vast in that the original view led to the notion that we are victims of our biology. Whereas the ‘new’ sciences show that we are actually masters of our biology.
Bruce has taken his award-winning medical school lectures to the public and is currently a sought after keynote speaker and workshop presenter. He lectures to conventional and complementary medical professionals and lay audiences about leading-edge science and how it dovetails with mind-body medicine and spiritual principles.
He has been heartened by anecdotal reports from hundreds of former audience members who have improved their spiritual, physical and mental well being by applying the principles he discusses in his lectures. He is regarded as one of the leading voices of the new biology.
Mantak Chia is an author, teacher and self-described healer. He is best known for his books and teachings on Taoism and qigong.
Mantak Chia is a controversial figure in Taoism, alternately praised for public disclosure of long-held secrets and criticised for such a heavy focus on Taoist sexual practices. Mantak Chia claims to make esoteric Taoist practices more accessible to a modern Western audience.
What is taught is a variety of qigong and neigong practices. Fusion of the Five Elements is a central neidan practice that are intended to balance qi or chi, a universal energy that all humans can access. The microcosmic orbit, or "waterwheel" exercise, is a central technique used to channel and circulate qi in many other exercises. The principal aim of most practices Chia advocates is the balancing of energy and the creation of spiritual alchemical "inner elixirs.
In a world that is increasingly challenged by ecological, financial and intensifying social forces, the imperative is to function at our highest level of health and wellbeing, both in our inner world and our outer world. By being acutely aware of our energy levels, as well as being present in the now, certain Taost practices as taught by Mantak Chia, can assist us as we both navigate life and instigate positive change in our community and our daily life.
“A perfect blend of Western and Eastern fitness to jump-start your day and help you relax at night.”-Deepak Chopra