BENESTROPHIC
NEWS
March,
2001
To
subscribe, please send your email address to webmaster@benestrophe.net
To
Unsubscribe, send email with Unsubscribe in subject line.
Welcome
to the No Bad News Newsletter.
Please send in your good news stories and we’ll post them for you. Good things of all types will be
appreciated. This includes personal
stories, third person stories, receipes, herbal remedies, favorite happenings,
or any other good you wish to relate to the co-creators of
Benestrophe.
Included in this issue is HOW TO
START YOUR BENESTROPHE GROUP at the end of the newsletter. It is quite long and can be easily
copied and printed. Please do so as
you wish.
===============================================================================
HERBAL
SUGGESTION.
From
Divine Love Benestrophe Group.
Cinnamon may help Diabetics. A spoonful a day of cinnamon appears to
hold off type 2 diabetes and improves the ability to regulate blood
sugar.
It
seems the cinnamon helps fat cells recognize and respond to insulin. When the cells don’t recognize insulin,
glucose is not properly metabolized and the blood sugar is too high, often
resulting in blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, and
death.
The
American Diabetes Association says that diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of
death in the United States.
A
little spice for the zest of life.
Good news.
===============================================================================
HERE’S
A GREAT SIMPLE RECEIPE
Broccoli Casserole
Souffle
12
oz cottage
cheese
1/2 cup
of butter, cut up in pieces
1/4 lb
grated sharp cheddar cheese
3
eggs
3 tbs
flour
1-2
bunches fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
Mix all
ingredients then add broccoli.
Place in a greased casserole dish.
Bake
at 350
degrees for 1 hour. To reduce
bottom browning, place in pan of water for first ½ hour. A cookie sheet with
water will evaporate, and you won’t need to reach in the hot oven to replace the
water pan.
ALASKA
HAS MORE GAS AND OIL THAN SAUDI ARABIA
Lindsey
Williams, formerly with Atlantic Ritchfield Oil Company, says there is a 200
year supply of pure-grade oil on the north slope of Alaska. See the article at http://www.sightings.com/general9/alask.htm
for details.
Natural
gas in great abundance is found at Prudhoe Bay. One billion cubic feet of natural gas is
pumped back into the ground daily by using 48 747-jet
engines.
Similar, if not quite at the same
magnitude, situations exist in Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, and other
oil-producing areas. There is a
huge volume (cubic miles) of natural gas under the recently legislated Escalante
National Park in Utah for example.
Good
News? Yes indeed. Most of these supplies are regulated and
conserved by the Federal Government.
While it is common to condemn federal involvement in anything, it is a
good thing to hold our reserves for a time when there is no other option. It is a good thing to preserve the
natural areas above these energy preserves while we can. Perhaps, in the future we will be able
to find a way to have both the wild areas and the energy. Perhaps we will have new ways to create
and use energy without fossil fuels.
We are used to paying for energy today at a level we never would have
believed possible and we still have more luxuries than at any other time. The government (believe it or not) is
actually doing a good thing by preserving both the environment and the energy
resources.
Perhaps
it would be a better good to send the natural gas down to the energy-starved
lower 48. It is a wonderful good
thing to think they are actually putting the gas BACK in the ground instead of
releasing it into the atmosphere.
We are
rich beyond all measure in energy resources. Fossil fuels which are the major
pollutants man is releasing in this world are so abundant in the U.S. that we
have a 6000 to 10000 year supply already on hand, even considering the wasteful
use we do now and may well do in the future.
The
earth/sun interaction creates a huge surplus of electrical energy used by power
plants all over the world. However,
this is available at individual levels and may be inexhaustible in human terms.
A
recent published work on individual or personal power plants may bring a
resource producing energy which will allow us to never need the fossil fuels in
the future. See http://www.sightings.com/general9/unveil.htm
for details.
Another
good source of potential for economical energy is the Stirling Engine. Invented by the Rev. Robert Stirling in
1816, the Stirling engine has yet to be researched and utilized in the potential
it actually has. Check
out:
http://www.techeast.net/Posters98/p16.html
http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/bobsier/
for
more information on Stirling engines.
The
good news about energy is that we have so much of it available we choose poorly
or for all the wrong reasons. The
really good news is that we are changing that and beginning to choose less
energy from the wrong sources and placing pressure on better sources to come
forward. No matter that the oil
companies are rumoured to have bought up all the patents on cheap energy, we are
moving in a direction that will force these things out. We are no longer isolated from each
other. The internet brings us more
information than we can use and some we don’t want. The internet also brings openness that
has never been known in large societies before. We will see much more good news about
alternate energy sources soon.
============================================================================
STARTING YOUR BENESTROPHE
GROUP.
Benestrophe groups are formed by
sponsors.
Starting a Benestrophe group is
easy. Anyone can do it. All you need is a place to gather and the desire to
begin. Groups are usually launched by nothing more than someone inviting a small
circle of friends to get together and read The Vision of Benestrophe.
Benestrophe meetings offer an easy way to heal ourselves and to assist others in
healing themselves.
The
word “sponsor” defines the person who takes responsibility for creating and
maintaining the group. How this responsibility is administered varies widely.
The sponsor determines the content of the meetings and may serve as the primary
facilitator if he or she desires. Although the facilitator of a meeting can
change from time to time, the sponsor retains ultimate responsibility for the
organization and functioning of the group and its
meetings.
Let’s
say you want to sponsor a new Benestrophe group. No forms or paperwork are
required. Once you are clear about your intention for the group, you simply
declare that the group exists and proceed to organize the particulars. The
moment you begin, you are the sponsor of the group.
Pick a
name and meeting place for the group
The
first task is to name your group. Any name that aligns with your focus will do.
For example, you might call your group the “We Are One Benestrophe Group”, the
“Children of Light Benestrophe Group”, the “IAMUS Benestrophe Group,” or the
“Anonymous Angels of Benestrophe Group.” Keep the name of the group impersonal
by not including anyone’s name in it.
A
suitable meeting place should be secured. There are two categories of meeting
places: public and private. A public meeting place is any location within a
public building or facility. This could be a church, school, theater, municipal
park, or hotel conference room. With a public location, the sponsor may need to
pay a rental fee. A private meeting place is any location that is not normally
accessible to the public. This will usually be someone’s home, but could also be
an office or some other place of business. A number of our groups have been
provided meeting space by the Unity Church or a similar
venue.
Like
most aspects of Benestrophe, selecting a meeting place involves no hard and fast
rules. You can try one way and then change later. Many sponsors elect to start
their group by meeting at peoples’ houses. Others prefer to start at a public
location so that new members feel comfortable at first and then move to a system
of rotating hosts later. Do whatever feels right for you.
A few
other details should be decided upon by the sponsor. Membership in a Benestrophe
group may be open or closed to the public. Closed groups may gather by personal
invitation only. Groups that are open to the general public publicize their
activities. This is normally done through advertising, either by placing ads in
local media or by distributing flyers that announce the time and location of
meetings. Here again, the sponsor can act upon his or her personal
preferences.
The
regularity of the meetings should also be considered. The sponsor may prefer a
regular weekly schedule, with members meeting at the exact same time and place
every week. Or the sponsor may prefer to hold meetings on an irregular basis.
Some groups conduct both regular weekly meetings and special celebrations or
intensives at other times.
Keep in
mind that there is more than one correct way to organize a Benestrophe group.
Although this chapter contains many suggestions, the sponsor of a group is
always free to accept them or not as he or she sees fit. A particular group may
come up with a style of meetings that does not resemble anything like what we
discuss in this chapter. That is fine, as long as the spirit of Benestrophe is
present and The Vision of Benestrophe is read at meetings.
Getting
the word out
If you
elect to keep your group private, perhaps limit the group to a specific number
of members, your advertising might involve nothing more than mentioning it to a
few acquaintances. Simply inform those who you think would be interested that
you are starting a group and when and where you will meet. Tell them a little
about the focus of the group, and be sure they understand that they are
personally selected and are invited to attend.
If you
elect to draw members from the public, you may choose to make your advertising a
little more extensive. Start by telling your friends and acquaintances. In some
cases, that’s all that is necessary. That will be enough to start the ball
rolling. A small core of enthused individuals who subsequently tell others can
often lead to a large and vibrant group of people. If you are new in town, don’t
know many people, or want to begin your group with a large turnout, you may
choose to advertise in the media. A small classified ad in a local newspaper
usually works well. Copies of The Vision of Benestrophe or a simple flyer to
distribute around town is also effective. Any mention on radio or television is
good. Most local radio and television stations make such announcements as a
public service without charge. Local computer bulletin boards usually allow the
posting of messages without charging a fee. Many local church and social
organizations will be responsive to your efforts and will be happy to publicize
your group.
Make
your advertising message simple and to the point. State that a new group is
forming and supply the time and
location. Give a local phone number
so that people can contact you for additional information. That’s all there is
to it.
If you
use your creativity, you will find there are many ways to publicize your new
group with a minimum of effort and expense.
Some
sponsors conduct initial advertising, get their group going, and then drop all
publicity They prefer to either limit their group to a specific number of people
or let the group’s word of mouth bring in new members. Other sponsors continue
to conduct some form of ongoing public- ity This can be a regular classified ad,
run maybe one week per month, or some other form of advertising that continues
indefinitely. Depending on the budget of the group, such ongoing advertising
should constitute only a small percentage of the funds available. You can do a
little temporary advertising for new members at any time, whenever you find
attendance could use a boost. Once your group has been meeting regularly for a
period of time, you can better determine the needs of the group regarding new
members.
We come
together of our own free will
Sooner
or later, the moment comes when people, of their own free will, choose to arrive
at your selected meeting location to take part in the healing process of
Benestrophe. It is a time of celebration, a time to rejoice. Your efforts at
publicity have paid off; people are responding to the message. Allow your
natural enthusiasm to show as you receive your guests.
Welcome
all those who show up and thank them for coming. Most people will be cheerful
and enthused, eagerly awaiting their new adventure. Take comfort in the fact
that they will not be disappointed.
Make
sure all details regarding the meeting room are ready for your guests before
they arrive. Have necessary
items
prepared ahead of time. If you are planning to do a process involving paper or
writing, have the paper and pencils ready to go. If you need to supply drinks,
have the cups and pitchers set out in advance. Whatever else is needed, be sure
to take care of the details well before the scheduled time of the
meeting.
Start
on time! This is a critical element in creating successful and meaningful
meetings. How you conduct your meetings relative to this one principle can set
the tone for everything else you do in your group for the duration of time your
group exists. In actual practice, this may require some diligence on your part.
Over a period of time, this policy creates a more functional group. Word quickly
spreads that people need to arrive on time, and they will.
A
Benestrophe meeting is an exciting event. Many people look forward to the
meeting far in advance. New people come with open Hearts and high expectations.
The natural energy of the group is often sufficient to shift everyone’s attitude
in a positive and beneficial direction. Benestrophe is a celebration of Sacred
Relationship. When guests arrive, whether they know it or not, they are in for
an experience that can change their lives. A Benestrophe meeting, no matter what
specific rituals or processes are performed, is always an expression of the
healing power of Love. As members arrive and take their places within the group,
allow yourself to feel a sense of gratitude for the joyous and wonderful
celebration that you are blessed to be a part of.
The
structure of our fellowship is minimal
The
purpose of Benestrophe meetings is to enable cocreators of Benestrophe to share
ways to complete or live the Twelve Steps. To have an effective group, there are
certain technical aspects that must be addressed. 0nce a sponsor has selected
the group’s name, he or she may notify Benestrophe Central in order to place the
name on file. Benestrophe Central
can also be informed of the sponsor’s first name, address, and phone number;
whether the group is open or closed to the public; whether Benestrophe Central
may disclose the sponsor’s first name and Phone number to potential new members;
and the names and addresses of members who wish to be on Benestrophe Centrals
mailing list.
This
contact is optional. Since the Benestrophe fellowship is a Self-organizing
network, the sponsor is not required to reveal this information if he or she,
for some reason, Prefers not to. We suggest, however, that all sponsors do so,
since Benestrophe Central can serve the group through the dissemination of
information only if it knows of the group’s existence.
Keep in
mind that group donations to Benestrophe Central are mandatory. In this regard,
the sponsor does not have the option of shunning contact with Benestrophe
Central. (The details of this financial obligation are spelled out in detail in
our Seventh Tradition.) In theory, a sponsor could send the group’s monthly
donations to Benestrophe Central anonymously, never revealing the specifics of
his or her group. However, the interests of all groups and members are better
served by informing Benestrophe Central of the group’s activities. Honoring the
principle of anonymity, Benestrophe Central neither sells its mailing list to
other organizations nor discloses the identity of its
members.
As
expressed in our Ninth Tradition, we maintain the minimum amount of structure
necessary for the smooth functioning of our fellowship and its individual
groups. Whenever possible, structure is minimized in order to favor the
Self~organizing power of Love. Flexibility is maintained in all matters,
including the format and structure of group
meetings. Structure is viewed
merely as a useful tool, as something available for us to use in order to
improve the efficiency of our Benestrophe activities.
In the
purest sense, the Benestrophe network of groups has no hierarchy. When everyone supports everyone else,
the harmonious participation of the members creates the healing miracle of Love.
All interactions between Benestrophe sponsors, members, and Benestrophe Central
are guided by the principle of Trust.
This is
the March 2001 Publication of BENESTROPHIC NEWS and is available for use as
indicated by the tenor and statements contained within. Benestrophic News is intended as a
source of enlightenment in every area of life and to bring good in all
things.
Published by BenestropheCentral
Contact
Rev.
David E. Howell