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Thich Nhat Hanh on Mindfulness

The 15th Edition of The International Carnival Of Pozitivities

It is a great Joy to be Hosting the International Carnival Of Positivities again.
The HIVHSN Hosted the ICP in June at the HIV HEALTH AND SUPPORT NETWORK COMMUNITY NEWS BLOG. It is now my pleasure to host the ICP at The Newest HIVHSN project Living Mindfully with HIV. This New Blog is Dedicated to Helping those that are HIV positive manage their lives, their health and the stress that goes along with A Positive diagnosis in a way that allows them to be present Mind, body and spirit.

If you are interested in being a part of the ICP send your submissions in for the 16th edition of the ICP which will be Hosted at Ogre's Politics and Views. If you are Interested in hosting the ICP Visit the ICP homepage for the schedule of upcoming ICP editions.

Now I Am proud to present ICP 2.3. I hope that You enjoy this edition and please feel free to leave comments on the blogs to let people know that you read their work.




M.C.M. Lokman Hossain presents Guest Writer: M. C. M. Lokman Hossain of Bangladesh posted at 2sides2ron.

"Gender inequality or Unequal power in sexual relations leads to the sexual double standard which has alarming implications for both men and women’s ability to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV."

"Traditionally the family system of Bangladesh is male dominated society and violence against girls and women remains a problem. In societies where girls and women are not empowered to develop life skills, such as problem solving, decision making and critical thinking, they lack self-efficacy and are much more at risk to acquiring HIV."

James Wortz presents AIDS Walk Michigan – Lansing/East Lansing 2007 posted at HIV HEALTH AND SUPPORT NETWORK COMMUNITTY NEWS.

"AIDS Walk Michigan is a non-profit organization which began in 1998 to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and to raise money for local AIDS Service Organizations in 7 participating Michigan communities. This special collaboration is unique in the United States, featuring 7 AIDS Walks in 7 cities, all under one-umbrella organization, AIDS Walk Michigan."

Joe Wright, MD presents HIV meets diabetes meets HIV posted at hemodynamics.

"In the early 1990s, I never believed it would happen. But in mid-February 2007, I heard a cardiologist talking about the cardiovascular effects of HIV, who then put his talk in context by casually saying, “Even so, I’d choose to have HIV over having diabetes.” The doctors-in-training listening nodded in agreement. They probably didn’t remember that people used to talk about comparing HIV to diabetes like it was an impossible dream."

Mohammad Khairul Alam presents Combating HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh: Guest writer Mohammad Khairul Alam posted at 2sides2ron.

"The problem of Female Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) in Bangladesh exists for more than two decade. There are larger numbers of CSWs is operating all over the country, Bangladesh, significantly increases the risk of bridging the high risk groups and moving infection into the general population. Men who frequently visit commercial sex areas and have sex with CSWs and also with their monogamous wives, function as a bridging population and significantly aid the confluence of HIV/STDs into the innocent healthy population."

Tampafilmfan presents local film hope+:surviving the sentence of hiv/aids posted at Tampa Film Fan

"I’m pleased to announce that HOPE+ : Surviving The Sentence of HIV /
AIDS has just scored its first festival acceptance and award. One for
one… woo hoo!The film won Best Documentary Short at the Independents’ Film Festival."

Richard Harris presents Rick's Place: I, TOO 1990 posted at Rick's Place.

"I, too, will embrace life as I have learned from those who died that this is the place I belong and the purpose I serve—for now."

Rob Sands presents South African AIDS Plan In Question posted at 365gay.com.

"Speaking for the first time since she was fired late Wednesday, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge said she was ousted for attending an AIDS conference in Spain without permission from President Thabo Mbeki and for making comments that contradicted the minister of health."

Also Rob Sands presents Transsexual With HIV Dies In Custody posted at 365gay.com.

"What happened here is simply an outrage," Roman Silberfeld, the family's attorney, told the Times."This is someone who never should have been permitted to get to this state of decline when relatively simple meds, if available and properly administered, would have avoided this tragedy."

Angelique Kidjo presents "Gimme Shelter" featuring Angelique Kidjo and Joss Stone posted at Angelique Kidjo Myspace Music.

" Darfur and AIDS are two separate but overlapping issues. Before we can really address AIDS in Africa, we have to tackle the tougher issues of genocide, war, sanitation, clean water and famine. As we need a holistic approach to HIV health, so do we need a holistic approach to AIDS relief. "

Nalaka Gunawardene presents Making fun of HIV: Welcome to the Scenarios from Africa posted at Moving Images, Moving People!.

"These three stories are part of Scenarios from Africa — a highly successful and popular pan-African initiative to use moving images to get young people talking and acting on HIV/AIDS. The decade-long project has been carried out with and for young people, with community mobilisation, education and media elements."

Trevor presents Open wide...? posted at 1234Men.

"When was the last time you used a condom for oral sex? While most guys are comfortable pulling out a condom for anal sex, when it comes to sucking or being sucked, raw is usually the go. So how safe is unprotected oral sex?"

Andrea Lynch presents Sexual Moralizing Spreads AIDS posted at RHRealityCheck.org blogs.

"Helen Epstein, scientist-turned-journalist and author of The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West and the Fight against AIDS, has a sharp new article in the Guardian titled "There is no room for sexual morality in an honest conversation about Aids." It's an important message from someone who has focused many of her writings on HIV on the issue of fidelity, and it does an excellent job of unpacking the risks associated with a morality-based approach to fidelity promotion-particularly for women."

Uniting the World Against AIDS presents How to act around a person with AIDS posted at Uniting the World Against AIDS.

"While we should be aware of some basic health issues and special sensitivities people with Aids might have,there is no need to learn any special new kind of behavior to use with them.You only need to treat them with the same respect and humanity with which,ideally,we treat everyone.There are,however,a few wrong assumptions many of us make about what to say or do around people with Aids that can lead to thoughtless and mistaken characterizations and prejudgment.What then,is the best way to reach out to people living with Aids?The following suggestions should help you a great deal."

Giles Crouch presents HIV Education Another Fractured Approach posted at Slimconomy.

"My view on this, watching what has happened over the past few years, is that the methodology of Africa and developing nations, is, arguably, more effective. It speaks at a community level and brings family (and there is a greater sense of the family unit in developing nations) and neighbours together to gain acceptance - peer sharing and education.

The Western approach has been well intentioned, but has resulted in doing little to change cultural behaviours and in many ways due to political and religious interference, made the situation much worse."

Ron Hudson presents Presenting Jeannette Lozano's Los Momentos del Agua/The Movements of Water Bilingual Edition with Illustrations by Victor Ramírez posted at 2sides2ron.

"Early this year, I agreed to volunteer to improve my Spanish language skills by translating a book of poetry for Mexican poeta Jeannette Lozano with illustrations by Chilean artist Victor Ramírez.

To thank me for my efforts, Ms. Lozano has given me 50 copies of this beautiful work of poetic and visual art for charitable purposes."

barakattv presents YouTube - Seen and Heard - HIV/Aids in an Arab culture posted at YouTube.


eutube presents YouTube - AIDS remember me? posted at YouTube.

"To learn what the EU is doing in other health areas go to EUtube."

Ron Hudson presents Journeying Toward Awareness posted at 2sides2ron.

"You can not live with HIV/AIDS for 22 years without at least flirting with some aspect of spirituality. I have learned to love myself as a part of all creation and refuse to accept the dogma of religious organizations that would have me excluded from the divine. I simply do not believe they are correct. My soul is good and my actions are not worthy of eternal condemnation simply for who I am and how I express my love. I am, for the most part, at peace with myself and do not judge myself based on what Alexis de Tocqueville identified in America as “the tyranny of opinion”.

Dr. Dave Wessner presents The AIDS Pandemic - Your Thoughts posted at The AIDS Pandemic.

"Last week, I was invited to speak about this blog and podcast at the annual meeting of the American Society for Virology in Corvallis Oregon. Based on questions and comments I received, I’d like to try something a little different with this installment. I’d like to ask for your opinion of this project."

Brian D. Morgan presents blog.myspace.com/avoc posted at Stop AIDS.

"My name is Brian D. Morgan and on December 4, 1998 I received some of the most devastating news that would change my life forever.I WAS HIV+! I was paralyzed by those words as they came from my doctors mouth. This is something that happens to other people not ME! I felt for sure that this was all a big mistake or just a very bad dream. Then reality set in and I knew now that I had to take on the biggest challenge of my life whether I was ready or not!"

Stephanie presents Homeless Youth on Fire - Invisible and At Risk posted at AIDS Action Committee's Blog.

"Shunned by a society that has no system of social support in place for them, kids are being placed in danger. My generation is in danger. These people, by virtue of being homeless, are three times more likely to have any type of chronic disease, including HIV/AIDS, than are those who are not homeless."

Arohanui presents Feel free to send your friends here! posted at Arohanui.

"Just wanted to share a few blogs with everyone...If you've written something that you would like to share with the Arohanui community, please post the link here...or send me the url and I will link it. "

Farid de la Ossa presents Farid de la Ossa Returns: Blooming T-Cells posted at 2sides2ron.

"Farid de la Ossa, an HIV+ artist from Colombia has returned this month to present his piece entitled "Blooming TCells"."

Bill Urell presents 7 Great Tips To Help You In Early Drug Addiction Recovery +podcast posted at Addiction Recovery Basics.

"There is probably nothing more dismal to a recovering drug addict then the fact that they are going through a process which seems like it takes forever! If you have just gotten out of an addiction treatment center or other drug and alcohol rehab center, chances are that you experienced one-on-one counseling, group therapy, as well as a variety of other experiences. Those are the experiences, though, that you should continue throughout your addiction and addiction recovery process."

Mindfulness Meditation Study

Can mindfulness meditation or education slow the progression of HIV?

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Reply to: comm-409356546@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-29, 4:49PM PDT


Can mindfulness meditation or education slow the progression of HIV? You can help us find out! You must be HIV-positive and not on meds. Participants receive a free, 8 week meditation or HIV-education course. You will receive compensation for five clinic visits over one year.

Classes start soon--Please call us today at 415-353-9744, or see our website for more information (www.stayingwellstudy.org). The Staying Well Study is a research project of the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.

• Location: Mt. Zion Hospital
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

What is minfulness and how does it work with HIV

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware no matter what it is that you are doing. Pretty simple huh? It is!

Granted this is the most simplified version that I could give you to start with but it is the essence of mindfulness. The Idea of mindfulness is that we become conscious. Instead of Living our lives on auto pilot and never fully being present in our actions or inactions we Try to develop a connection between our thoughts and our actions.

You may say to yourself "I am already aware of my actions. I am aware of everything that I do."
and this may be true to some degree. My question to you is "Are you completely present during your actions.?" Awareness only means that you are making a record of what you are doing.
Mindfulness is being actively present and aware. Participating fully in life.

"Awareness cannot be practiced. There has been some confusion between awareness and mindfulness. They are related, but distinct. Sati, or mindfulness, implies there is action of the mind. We purposely set ourselves to pay attention to our minds. We exert effort. Awareness is different. Awareness is devoid of any action. The mind simply "awares." There is no action here, only a collected and spontaneous awareness that just "sees." Here, mindfulness is the cause, and awareness is the effect. You cannot practice or train the effect. You can only practice something that will cause it. We have to start with mindfulness so that awareness may arise in us.

- Thynn Thynn, in Living Meditation, Living Insight
from Everyday Mind, edited by Jean Smith, a Tricycle book"

The Questions you may be asking is "How does this relate to living HIV?" and "Will this improve my life?" I will try and answer those two questions briefly.

How does living mindfully relate to HIV? Living with HIV is a day to day management of your health. Mindfulness will help you to know and understand the stress and the difficulties involved with Managing HIV. Mindfulness isn`t about escaping into meditation. Mindfulness is about becoming aware of everything that is going on in your mind, body and spirit. The goal is to connect the three so that you can function in the present as a whole person.

Mindfulness is not about controlling your mind and emotions. Mindfulness is about knowing how and what you feel, what you are thinking, and being truthful with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. The results are that the more honest you are with yourself the more control you find you have over your thoughts and feelings.

In the body mindfulness is about knowing what is going on with the body. It is about knowing the needs and the limitations of the body. There is no judgment in mindfulness only the ability
to allow yourself to experience and become consciously aware of what is going on in our body.


With this awareness eventually comes a sense of peace. You no longer fight with yourself. You live presently in the moment. Mindfulness eventually gives you a feeling of being connected with your life and your actions. Mindfulness eventually helps mend the rift that was caused between the mind and the body when you were diagnosed.

Accepting submissions for edition 15 of the ICP to be hosted at Living Mindfully with HIV

In September The HIVHSN will be hosting the ICP at Living mindfully with HIV

Dear Friends of the International Carnival of Pozitivities (ICP):

The 14th edition of the ICP is now available at Straight, Not Narrow. This edition includes original artwork from an HIV+ Colombian man, an original Spanish-language poem with translation by Mexican poet Jeannette Clariond, a video blog from the American comic ANT at his ANT Colony and a spoken-word video from my friend and 1 Giant Leap collaborator Rich Ferguson of Los Angeles, CA. Other posts address recognizing alcoholism within the HIV/AIDS community, as well as other thought-provoking articles about living with HIV/AIDS. We have a number of returning contributors as well as new participants. Please take a few minutes to visit and bookmark this edition so that you can enjoy it at your leisure over the next month.

Please visit the ICP homepage to learn more about this project and how you can contribute. We are now accepting submissions for edition 15 to be hosted at Living Mindfully with HIV. Please consider contributing your original artwork, poetry, news, personal accounts, short stories, and video or music files for the next edition. The more of you who actively submit your articles, the more I will be able to identify and solicit new participants for this project.

I hope that you will join the growing community of contributors and hosts for this important international forum for genuine voices of AIDS and allies. Please note that we are still seeking a host for our November, 2007 edition and for all editions beyond December, 2007. If you are interested in hosting the ICP, please email me and I will make the process for you as painless as possible. Return hosts are welcome!

If you have a blog, please feel free to post a notice about the availability of this edition. Also, please share this email with your friends. We need to involve as many people as possible. I really appreciate all of the links that you have added for the ICP in your blog sidebars and would encourage any of you who have not yet done so to consider adding a permanent link to the ICP to your blog.

TO BE ADDED OR REMOVED FROM THE ICP MAILING LIST

If you would like to be added to or removed from the ICP mailing list, please email me with either the word REMOVE or SUBSCRIBE in the subject line of the email and I will ensure that your desires are followed. This email list is confidential and will not be shared with anyone. All correspondence is handled using blind copy so that your identity will be protected.

Peace to you and yours.

Safe Journeys!

Ron Hudson

2sides2ron
Poundcake Love
The International Carnival of Pozitivities (ICP)

Waking Up In The Morning

Waking Up In The Morning

Waking up this morning I smile
knowing there are 24 brand new hours before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment,
and look at beings with eyes of compassion.

As we wake up in the morning and open our eyes we may like to recite the above gatha. We can start our day with the happiness of a smile and the aspiration to dedicate ourselves to the path of love and understanding. We are aware that today is a fresh, new day, and we have 24 precious hours to live.

Let us try to get up from bed right away after following three deep breaths to bring ourselves into mindfulness. Let us not delay our waking. We may like to sit up and gently massage our head, neck, shoulders, and arms to get your blood circulating. We might like to do a few stretches to loosen our joints and wake up our body. Drinking a cup of warm water is also good for our system first thing in the morning.

Let us wash up or do what we need to before heading towards the meditation hall. Allow ourselves enough time so we will not have to rush. Enjoy the dark morning sky. Many stars are twinkling and greeting us. Take deep breaths and enjoy the cool, fresh air. As we walk slowly towards the hall, let the morning fill our being, awakening our body and mind to the joy of a new day.