Music, Videos, Poetry that Gets Us Through

I'm attaching the Simon & Garfunkel song, Sound of Silence performed by the group, Disturbed.  I'd never heard this version until some of you spoke about it yesterday on the "Impeachment of DT" thread.  Powerful and hauntingly beautiful.  I've played it a few times since yesterday, and I tear up every time.  Thank you for sharing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjQCvfcXn0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5D3iT4BhbQ

Midnight in Washington - Impeachment Zero Hour

Don't buy the storyline that nothing we do matters.  WE MATTER.

Delightful nighttime video capture of two playful buddies in the wild: coyote and badger who are known to hunt together. Coyote playfully turns to badger as if to say, hey, come on!  Then the two buds amble off together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bICTWNRrGE&app=desktop

I didn't know where to post this. Joaquin Phoenix acceptance speech from the Oscars covers so much. It covers the fact that we are all one. We are all connected, he sees commanality. He spoke about how not one race or species or gender has the right to use and exploit another. He spoke about what humans do to a cow when it gives birth and how the milk intended for that calf is in our coffee. He gave a moving tribute to his late brother, River.

I took much away from his speech, it sent waves of love through me. His brother's words are ones I wish to share as a mantra: "Run to the Rescue with Love and Peace will Follow".

Thank you Joaquin and River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87zXvSCmSYk

@triciact, I felt the same.  Understanding the interconnectivity of all beings is one of the secrets the Tibetans monks have said one of the two "weapons" heart warriors will need to save the world from the dark forces.  It is the basis for being intuitive - that we are all connected. We can read each other, including the trees and the animals, because we ARE each other. 

I have had now two strong dreams about consuming dairy and poultry over the past year which I posted here. In one dream, which was about poultry, the gist was that I could not eat the food unless I went out and killed the animals myself.  Spirit's message was not to ever pretend that I hadn't killed an innocent being when I consume animal food. 

I tried to give up dairy. Encountered problems with getting adequate nutrition given digestion challenges. Many plant-based foods have sugar chains in them that some people can't digest.  My kids have also tried to go vegan and have lapsed back into vegetarianism. I am going to try again to stop the dairy. There must be a way to find plant-based foods to sustain me. 

@jeanne-mayell

I understand the need/desire to do so. I must confess though that I am not a vegan or vegetarian. I feel that some people have an easier time becoming one than others. It's part of our chemical makeup at this point and age in which we start this quest makes a difference.  I'm not saying you should not continue the quest, just that we must do what we can without sacrificing our health. We will all get there some day I do feel, but in the meantime some will do so very successfully and others will not.

I must confess that for me, I choose not to completely, but yes I do feel badly about it. Perhaps if I were in my teens or 20's -just much younger, and was given the tools we have now, I think I would have at least been a pescatarian.  I am, however, eating cleaner, less meat, fish as my main protein source, organic poultry on occasion. I like the almond/cashew milk the best so far, however I can't seem to give up cheese at all. 

I try not to eat red meat often at all, but convincing my extremely carnivore husband is really tough. I bought beyond meat burgers to try soon but he turned his nose up to it. Though he will eat it and I assume quibble about it.

As I was reading through the recent postings in “The Impeachment” thread, I could feel the despair and angst that many are experiencing now. (I know, I know; these are dark and trying times.) In addition to the heartening words from Jeanne and other, I offer the following words, which some may find soothing. During a recent meditation/prayer 

(part) of Psalm 23 came to me. That was a surprise, since it has been many years since I had recited those words in church. If fact, I had to look up what I had heard since I didn’t consciously remember the psalm. According to the New York chapter of the Edgar Cayce organization (A.R.E.), “Edgar Cayce Prayed the 23rd Psalm every day. He said it was a prayer of protection, for it wrapped one with the Love of God Conciousness”.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

@lilinoe, thank you for posting Psalm 23.  I've always loved and am comforted by it.

@jeanne-mayell

I wanted to add something to what your dream said about having to eat the food only if you killed the animals yourself. One day when I was a child (7 yrs old) my father had brought home a baby pig. I loved that pig so much! I would play with it etc. Then one night my mom made a pork roast for dinner. I could not find my baby pig anywhere, so at the dinner table I asked my father (he had little tact) "where is my baby pig?". He said "you are eating him!".  I ran away from the table, lost my dinner and cried for hours.

I never ate pork after that until 15 years later. I was at my boyfriend's house and his mother made a special dinner just because me and my family were invited. It was his family's favorite: pork with mustard sauce. I felt sick looking at it, but I didn't want to upset her and the family since she was so proud she made this just for us.

So if I had to kill the animal I ate I would definitely end up a pescatarian!  Though milk wouldn't bother me as much since my friends had a farm and they never ate the cows that gave them milk. The cows grazed on grass and were "happy cows". The milk they used was only from their cows.