Is a Society Where Men and Women Have Equal Rights Possible? A Look at the Mbuti of Africa

For centuries, social scientists, theologians, historians, and philosophers hypothesized that a society where men and women had equal rights could exist in "theory," but had maintained the perspective that circumstances supporting such a society would be extremely rare, and temporary at best.  Eurocentric ideals supported the premise that individual survival depends on societal organization, societal survival depends on institutional progress, and progress depends on the intentional delineation of social responsibilities according to one’s abilities.  This perspective concluded that a society could not survive if it did not exploit its resources–through forced labor, slavery, and threat of violence; and that included the strengths and weaknesses of its people.  Read more . . .

Meditation, Music, and "Toning"

Pythagoras, the founder of the music-therapy concept in the west, is said to have sung soothing melodies to his disciples based on the principal that melody and rhythm cannot fail to restore harmony to the human soul.  Surviving letters explain that in the evenings with his lyre and voice, he “released his followers from the cares and stresses of the day, purified their intellect, and rendered their sleep quiet.”  And in the morning, “he freed them from nocturnal heaviness, relaxation, and apathy” through particular songs and rhythms.  He believed that music is essential to spiritual and physical health and is capable of producing the most beneficial correctness of human life and behavior.  And from ancient times to the present, there have been countless other scholars who agree.  Read more . . .

Meditation and the Creation of a Personal Sacred Space

With renewed interest in the practice of meditation, many of those interested in learning this most ancient of introspective techniques are unaware that in many past and present-day cultures, meditation is but one part of a holistic approach to achieving balance in one’s day to day life.  Changes in diet, behavior, attitude, and other fundamental elements untimately affecting the body, mind, and spirit relationship have long been recognized as having great influence on the effectiveness of meditation. For many individuals, a key element in achieving this desired balance lies in the creation of a personal sacred space in which to commune with the universe, as well as interact with the various personal discoveries brought about by the meditative process.  Read more . . .