David Suzuki - Living Hero #5

David Suzuki is a Canadian scientist and broadcaster who is a long time environmental activist dedicated to reversing global climate change through his organization, The David Suzuki Foundation.

“We’re in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone’s arguing over where they’re going to sit”

David Suzuki’s academic accomplishments in zoology and genetics are well documented but it is his work in popularizing science and environmental issues that I feel define him as extraordinary. His environmental activism has caused many of us to rethink our values and self absorbed approach to living our lives. His daughter Severn Suzuki’s address at the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit stands out as a reminder of how long the climate change battle has raged on and how far we still have to go if our species is going to survive.

“The human brain now holds the key to our future. We have to recall the image of the planet from outer space: a single entity in which air, water, and continents are interconnected. This is our home.”

David’s book, The Sacred Balance, is a must read for everyone. How minutely we are all intertwined is so well explained you will never question your impact on the world around you again. Buddhists call this ‘interbeing’ and in my opinion the solution of the earth’s problems lies in our ability to embrace this concept. As David Suzuki points out, there is so much we do not know about our world, especially when it comes to our soil. What we do know for sure is that our atmosphere which provides us with a livable climate and air to breathe, is dependent upon the microorganisms in our soil. Perhaps we should reconsider our lifestyles rather than trying to preserve the unsustainable. Once you understand the concept of interbeing, you definitely will question the logic of developing technological solutions, like carbon capture technology that could upset the delicate balance of our soil, to solve what is ultimately a social issue.

“Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to reexamine some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles.”

It is difficult for me to accept that David Suzuki is seventy three years old. Anyone growing up in Canada has learned a lot about science and nature through his CBC television and radio programs that made those subjects so interesting and accessible to everyone. David Suzuki has been a constant voice of reason in a world straining from over consumption and I worry that there is no one ready to fill the void that will be left when he leaves this world. It is definitely up to you and I to step up and make our voices heard.

“In the environmental movement ..... every time you lose a battle it’s for good, but our victories always seem to be temporary and we keep fighting them over and over again.”

Kung Fu Pandamonium

With many of my school’s annual community projects coming online at almost the same time, the autumn season can be a challenge for me to keep everyone reminded of the pertinent roll these projects play in their kung fu training while not overwhelming them with all these extracurricular activities.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by parents during their enrollment conference is: “Are we required to do any fundraising?” It seems that so many other activities their children are involved in have fundraising responsibilities attached to them to subsidize their enrollment. Since most parents are too busy to participate in these fundraising ventures, they tend to just associate the responsibility as an added expense related to the activity and simply write a cheque to discharge their responsibilities.
Another of the most frequently asked questions by parents is: “Will my child learn how to control the knowledge you are giving him?” No one wants their child to become an aggressive bully.

Control and compassion are byproducts of empathy. The most powerful tool I have at my disposal to teach my students about empathy is our annual Kung Fu Pandamonium Fundraiser. Children’s Ability Fund, Malawi Girls on the Move, Healing Hands of Katmandu, the Simon Poultney Foundation, and the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society will all benefit from our fundraising efforts but the real value in what we do is found in the awareness we foster. While money can assist in addressing certain matters, social issues are best addressed through public education.

We are living in a time where we are blissfully applauding the accomplishments of scientists who are working on making us all immortal while as a society we continue to consume and waste at a rate way beyond anything sustainable. There is this complete disconnect in our logic that allows us to stampede toward discovering a solution to aging while we ignore the fact that our environmental policies are totally destroying the long term viability of our entire species. Does this not seem somewhat insane to attempt to increase our lifespans to a couple of hundred years when our planet does not even have the resources to support our current population? Aging should be the least of our concerns when it comes to expanding our lifespan.

Our future lies in educating people about what is going on in the world around them. Starting with our children, it is imperative that we become personally engaged with issues and learn experientially that writing a cheque is not a solution to problems perpetuated by public apathy and indifference.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler (b. 1928)

Rhaul Bharti - Living Hero #4

Rahul Bharti is an accomplished Nuad Phaen Boran teacher who lives in Kathmandu, Nepal. While he is famous worldwide for his teaching and practice of Thai Massage through The Healing Hands Centre that he founded, it is his humanitarian work for the homeless in Kathmandu that is extraordinary.

My school’s benevolent foundation contributed money toward one of Rahul’s mass feedings last year and then I had the opportunity to spend some time with him when he visited Stony Plain over the summer.

My personal experience with Rahul Bharti has been limited but his gentle, enlightened approach to healing the world is obvious to anyone who has the opportunity to spend even a minute in his presence. Rahul does not accept blind monetary donations to his cause. He feels, rightly so, that too many of us throw money at a problem and feel we have done all that we can. Rahul believes the only way to sustain lasting change is to get a personal, visceral commitment from people. People need to experience first hand what a difference their donations and actions can create in order for the decisions they make on a daily basis to become mindful, and as such consistently reflect the change they want to see in the world.

Rahul Bhati is a master at his craft and accordingly can chose to live anywhere in the world in a life of luxury. His heritage resides in India, his family is European, and he chooses to live a simple life in Nepal, helping clothe, feed, and heal the homeless.

“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go." - Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)

Trichotillomania

In observance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, one of my black belts has asked everyone to research and educate themselves on a mental illness of their choice. Over half of us will be touched by mental illness at some point in our lives, either directly or indirectly. Despite this staggering statistic, mental health issues remain shrouded in taboo and as a consequence, many people suffer in ashamed silence.

Trichotillomania is a form of self-injurious behavior that can manifest in many ways for different reasons. Trichotillomania is characterized by the urge to pull out your hair. It usually starts with the eyelashes and eyebrows but ultimately spreads to the scalp hair and body hair. For some, hair pulling is an adopted strategy for handling stress and anxiety. By pulling hair and causing the associated pain, the brain releases endorphins that help numb the pain. With elevated endorphin levels we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.

As is the case for most mental illnesses, the side affects of trichotillomania can be even more severe. Imagine only being able to cope with your anxiety and stress by pulling your own hair. It won’t take much time before you start to feel a little self conscious about your appearance. Before long you will adopt a strategy of avoiding going out in public - but the kicker is, if you do go out in public your anxiety and stress levels will be extremely high because of your self consciousness with your appearance. This just leads to more hair pulling and the reinforcing of the whole negative cycle. Clinical depression will soon follow.

Trichotillomania is extremely difficult to treat and unfortunately, most people affected with this disorder are so ashamed and confused about their situation that they never seek treatment. Once a person has the cycle of hair pulling, anxiety, social anxiety, and depression going, it becomes difficult to address one issue without causing a negative affect to another issue. We have to grease the squeaky wheel and suffer the consequences because whatever issue is at the biggest crisis level becomes the priority.

The key for successful treatment of any type of mental illnesses is early intervention. Sufferers tend to go through the phases of denial and embarrassment before they ask for help. By the time they have accepted their condition and seek treatment, their condition has often become more complicated and so their treatment strategy also becomes more complicated.

The real key to combating mental illness is raising awareness. If we can remove the taboo associated with mental health issues we will open up worlds of possibility for those who are currently suffering alone in silence.

“Mental health problems to not affect three or four out of every five persons but one out of one.” - Dr. William Menninger (1899 - 1966)