tag:www.naturalawakenings.com,2005:/categories/inspiration?page=34
Inspiration Inspiration | Natural Awakenings Magazine Page 34
Healthy Living Healthy Planet
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2019-08-28T16:23:46-04:00
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Eco-Moms: Online Communities Support Green Parenting
2010-04-01 03:00:00 -0400
Anonymous
<p>Mothers who understand the benefits of green living to the health and welfare of their offspring now and in the future can enjoy easy access to helpful practical information. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.naturemoms.com/">www.NatureMoms.com</a></span>, now in its fourth year, offers its own article archives; GreenMoms.com, which celebrates its first anniversary this Mother’s Day, links to targeted articles on various websites of interest.</p><p>Both online communities share wide-ranging ideas and resources to make it easier to live as a green family and both enable online members to join in recommending products and services and providing their own insights and tips. In addition, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.greenmoms.com/">www.GreenMoms.com</a></span> invites members to form their own local support groups.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:23:51-04:00
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Slow Money with Woody Tasch: Merging Social Investing and Philanthropy
2010-04-01 03:00:00 -0400
Linda Sechrist
<p><em>The "slow money" movement is intertwined with slow food and a grassroots "nurture capital" initiative that emphasizes preservation and restoration, rather than extraction and consumption. In <strong>Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money</strong>, author Woody Tasch points the way to strategies for fixing the economy, from the ground up. His principles of responsible investing connect investors to the places where they live and to the land, offering life-affirming, culturally rich alternatives to global markets run amok.</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>What do you mean by the term slow money?</strong></p><p>There are two aspects to slow money. The first is intertwined with the slow food movement, initially begun as a response to the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Rome, Italy. Now, this grassroots social movement, with some 85,000 members, promotes a way of living and eating that strengthens the connections between the food we eat and the health of our communities, our bioregion and our planet.</p><p>The second aspect is about creating a grassroots financial movement. The initial goal is to attract the attention of one million or more Americans who are willing to invest a small fraction of their investment dollars in small-scale agriculture. This supports the health of the individual and ultimately, leads to a more robust community.</p><p>Slow Money is a new nonprofit that organizes local and national networks and develops new financial products and services to bring money back down to earth. We are currently steering significant new sources of capital to small food enterprises, appropriate-scale organic farming and local food systems. In addition, we seek to catalyze the emergence of the new nurture capital industry—entrepreneurial financing aimed to support soil fertility, carrying capacity, sense of place, cultural and ecological diversity and nonviolence—all of which connects investors to their local economies. Present examples include credit unions, co-ops, community supported agriculture and community development venture capital funds like Community Development Financial, which is already in place.</p><p>At the heart of our organization are two questions. What if we put soil fertility into return-on-investment calculations that serve people and place as much as they serve industry sectors and markets? What if we could design capital markets built around preservation and restoration, rather than extraction and consumption?<img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/626227/Slow-Money-with-Woody-Tasch---Woody.jpg"></p><p><strong>So, by contrast, how would you define fast money?</strong></p><p>Fast money refers to investment dollars that have become so detached from the people, places and activities being financed that it is impossible to say whether the world economy is going through a correction in the markets triggered by the sub-prime mortgage crisis, or whether we are teetering on the edge of something much deeper and more challenging.<br><br>Fast money creates a baffling environment that cannot be understood or managed, even by financial experts. This kind of befuddlement arises when the relationships among capital, community and bioregion are broken. If we continue to invest in ways that uproot companies, putting them in the hands of a broad, shallow pool of absentee shareholders whose primary goal is the endless growth of their financial capital, the depletion of our social and natural capital will continue.</p><p><strong>Why do you believe today’s industrial finance strategies are not working?</strong></p><p>Organized from “markets down,” rather than from “the ground up,” industrial finance is inherently limited in its ability to nurture the long-term health of a community and bioregion. These limits are nowhere more apparent than in the food sector, where financial strategies bent on optimizing the efficient use of capital have resulted in cheap, chemical-laden food; millions of acres of genetically modified corn; trillions of food transport miles; widespread degradation of soil fertility; depleted and eutrophied aquifers [where nutrient and algae overload snuff out oxygen and helpful organisms]; a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico; and an obesity epidemic that exists side-by-side with persistent hunger in this country.</p><p><strong>What do you believe is the crux of the problem with the present financial system?</strong></p><p>The bifurcation of social purpose and fiscal prudence is at the root of the problem. If the goal is to make more money through our investments as fast as possible, so that we have more money to give away for cleaning up existing problems, then we are on the wrong track. Cleaning up problems with philanthropic money may have seemed to make sense in the 20th century, but it is no longer conscionable or appropriate for the 21st century. We need more realistic expectations for smart investments that can sustain and preserve the planet’s wealth for generations to come.</p><p>We have to ask ourselves this: Do we want communities whose main streets include local merchants whom we know, or do we want them made up of multinational companies, owned by people we think we know, that produce products under conditions of which we are not aware?</p><p><br>For more information about Woody Tasch and Slow Money, visit <br><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.slowmoneyalliance.org/">www.SlowMoneyAlliance.org</a></span>.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:24:04-04:00
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Connecting With Nature: The Power of Trees
2010-04-01 03:00:00 -0400
S. Alison Chabonais
<p>Because trees are larger and older than we can ever hope to be; because they provide shade, food, medicines, furniture, wood for musical instruments, fuel, paper, shelter, recreation and space to commune with nature; and because they stretch from Earth to heaven, trees have been revered since before recorded time. Even with today’s technology, we still rely daily upon all of their products and we need trees to help counteract global warming and protect the planet.</p>
<p>In her new book, <strong>Lives of the Trees</strong>, Diana Wells explores the history of 100 distinctive tree species, from the versatile acacia to the long-lived yew, known in Japan as ichii, or tree of God.</p>
<p>Wells notes that the Tree of Life appears in cultures worldwide, while individual trees have been considered sacred. She remarks that, “The words ‘tree’ and ‘truth’ share the original Old English word root, treow.”</p>
<p>“Nothing contributes more to men’s long lives than the planting of many trees,” observed English writer and gardener John Evelyn as early as 1664. Scientists are even using cores from a 1,000-year-old Southeast Asian evergreen, the Fokienia hodginsii tree, to decode the climate history that affects us all. Every year, people around the world celebrate anew the complex living communities we call trees on World Forestry Day at the spring equinox (autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere).</p>
<p><br>
<strong>The Nature Walk</strong></p>
<p>Joe H. Slate, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and author of <strong>Connecting to the Power of Nature,</strong> offers a step-by-step guide to an enriching walk in the woods as a gateway to self-empowerment. “It facilitates a positive interaction with nature that builds feelings of worth and self-assurance, while balancing and bringing into harmony the mind, body and spirit,” says Slate. He has field-tested the program for years, as a psychology professor, now emeritus, of Athens State University, in Alabama.</p>
<p class="pullquote">“Nothing contributes more to men’s long lives than the planting of many trees.”</p>
<p>Prior to the walk, affirm a commitment to no more than three defined goals. Think of the forest as an enormous repository of energy that is receptive to goals that may be as simple as experiencing the serenity and beauty of the forest to foster better health, self-insight and career success.</p>
<p><br>
<strong><em>Step 2 – Select a Forest</em></strong></p>
<p>Select a safe forest setting with a trail for the walk, preferably in the company of a partner or group that can add both protection and interactive enrichment.</p>
<p><br>
<strong><em>Step 3 – The Walk</em></strong></p>
<p>Upon entering the forest area, pause to experience its splendor by sensing its sights, sounds and smells. Take time to calm your mind as you breathe in the fresh forest air. Sense the forest’s energies merging with your own to permeate your total being.</p>
<p>As you walk deeper into the forest, soak in its peace and tranquility. Notice the richness of the environment and let yourself feel the renewal and inspiration that typically accompany the walk. Periodically pause at highly energized points to reflect upon your goals. Take time to form goal-related images and let them go forth, perhaps navigating among the trees to gather the energies required for your complete success.<img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/626251/Connecting-With-Nature-Tree.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<strong><em>Step 4 – Listen to the Forest</em></strong></p>
<p>Throughout your walk, listen to the sounds and unspoken messages emerging from deep within the forest. Think of them as embracing your presence and confirming your future success and fulfillment.</p>
<p><br>
<strong><em>Step 5 – Conclusion</em></strong></p>
<p>Upon completing the walk, turn your hands toward the forest in recognition of its empowering relevance as you affirm in your own words your complete success in achieving your goals. Once you’ve completed this healing program, you can reactivate its benefits at will by simply taking time to visualize the forest and reflecting on your interactions with it. Rather than fading with time, the rewards will become stronger as you reflect upon them, becoming sources of power that are available at will.</p>
<p>“The therapeutic effects of this program can be worth hours of psychotherapy,” advises Slate. “For couples, it’s an excellent way to open new communication channels and find solutions to relational problems. Overcoming depression, reducing stress, building self-esteem and staying in shape are all within the scope of this program. The forest is a natural therapist.”</p>
<p><br>
<em>S. Alison Chabonais is the national editor of Natural Awakenings. Connect at 239-434-9392.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>THE PRESENCE OF TREES</strong><br>
Slowly, I am remembering<br>
the language of awe,<br>
how to take in, say,<br>
the living complexity of a tree<br>
its gnarled trunk,<br>
its ragged bark,<br>
the way its leafy canopy<br>
filters sunlight<br>
down to the brown<br>
carpeted ground,<br>
the way the wind bends my heart<br>
to the exquisite presence of trees<br>
the forest that calls to me as deeply<br>
as I breathe,<br>
as though the woods were<br>
marrow of my bone as though<br>
I myself were tree, a breathing, reaching<br>
arc of the larger canopy<br>
beside a brook bubbling to foam<br>
like the one<br>
deep in these woods,<br>
that calls<br>
that whispers home.<br>
<br>
© Michael S. Glaser<br>
Previously published in <strong>Fire Before the Hands</strong> and<br>
in <strong>Between Earth and Sky</strong> by Nalini M. Nadkarni.<br>
<br>
<em>Michael S. Glaser is professor emeritus of English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where he served for 38 years. Poet laureate of Maryland from 2004 to 2009, he is a recipient of the Dodge Endowed Award for Excellence in Teaching and a widely sought speaker and workshop leader.</em></p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:25:10-04:00
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Shining the Spotlight on Our Successes: Learning to Focus on Our Achievements
2010-03-01 03:00:00 -0500
Anonymous
<p>Sometimes we may feel doomed to repeat our mistakes, but not if we learn to look to our successes rather than our failures, suggests research from The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It hinges on the fact that, “We have shown that brain cells keep track of whether recent behaviors were successful or not,” explains one of the scientists, and that when a behavior was successful, brain cells became more finely tuned to what is being learned. Failure, on the other hand, appears to produce little or no change in the brain, nor does failure appear to trigger any improvement in behavior.</p><p>In their study, the researchers worked with monkeys, giving them trial and error tasks on a computer screen while monitoring their brain activity. When a monkey answered correctly, a signal lingered in its brain, neurons processed information more sharply and effectively, and the monkey was more likely to get the next task right as well. It may help explain the longtime saying, “Success breeds success.”</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:25:16-04:00
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Nature Walks Equal Outdoor Smarts: Fresh Air for a Fresh Mind
2010-03-01 03:00:00 -0500
Anonymous
<p>Behavior and health experts at the University of Michigan have found that walking outside in parks or in nature helps improve attention span and memory performance by 20 percent. The researchers, who published their findings in Psychological Science, believe the results may also be relevant to people suffering from mental fatigue.</p><p>“Interacting with nature can have similar effects as meditating,” reports Marc Berman, a psychology researcher at the university. He adds, “People don’t have to enjoy the walk to get the benefits,” although they do tend to find spring and summer walks more enjoyable.</p><p>Study participants exhibited increased levels of alertness, satisfaction and mental tranquility after spending just one hour interacting with nature. They reported that their levels of stress had decreased significantly and they felt more in control of their mind. Similar benefits did not accrue from urban walks.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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A Conversation with Andrew Harvey: Author and Sacred Activist
2010-03-01 03:00:00 -0500
Linda Sechrist
<p>In <strong>The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism</strong>, author, scholar and mystic Andrew Harvey inspires us to participate in radically transforming the world by becoming sacred activists. Awakened to our divine purpose, we become effective, practical agents of change for peace and sustainability.</p><p><strong><em><br>What is the difference between sacred activism and activism?</em></strong></p><p>It is my experience that a large majority of activists are fueled by an honorable outrage and desire to do good. The sacred activist, rather, lives from the depths of divine consciousness and acts from the depths of divine wisdom and compassion, because he or she is committed to a deep spiritual practice.</p><p>Sacred activists understand that the deepest service rises out of their deepest compassion, which is born out of their deepest heartache. They are committed to being, in the face of growing chaos, suffering and violence, what Robert Kennedy called, “a tiny ripple of hope,” and a “center of energy and daring.”</p><p><br><strong><em>Why is a deep spiritual practice important to the sacred activist?</em></strong></p><p>The Jungian analyst Marion Woodman once said to me, “Continuing to do pioneering sacred work in a world as crazy and painful as ours without constantly grounding yourself in sacred practice would be like running into a forest fire, dressed only in a paper tutu.” Like Marion, I believe that extreme situations, like those we are in now, require extreme solutions that are born from another dimension of truth and compassion. Our present world crisis is spiritual and mystical; therefore, only spirit and mystical consciousness will give us the passion, energy and peace that provide the kind of solutions that have any real chance of being effective.</p><p><br><strong><em>What differentiates the outcomes advocated by the sacred activist and the activist?</em></strong></p><p>The sacred activist is aware that the temptation and excitement of projecting their own unacknowledged darkness onto others keeps them from seeing just how implicated they are in the problem. Such an enlightened thinker also understands that advocating for any cause in the spirit of condemnation only reinforces the behavior it is trying to end, and virtually ensures that any efforts increase resistance, rather than healing.</p><p>The radical psychological self-work on their own shadow, or dark aspects, as well as incessant prayer by the sacred activist, opens the doors to a sense of humility which views opponents not as an “other,” but rather through the eyes of kindness and respect. The most effective negotiators in situations of extreme danger or conflict are those who experience their own continuing inner conflicts, which keeps them humble. While it would be sentimental to claim that this approach always succeeds, we can say that the active spiritual path shows us the way to the only solutions that can succeed in the long run.</p><p><br><strong><em>What qualities do all sacred activists have in common?</em></strong></p><p>The embrace of unconditional love and forgiveness is essential to the success of all major activist adventures in our world, not just to saints and Buddhists. Until you try this, you will never explore your own capacity to love and forgive. Sacred activists understand that service is the only road to profound and lasting joy, and that the deepest service rises out of their deepest compassion, which is born out of their deepest heartbreak.</p><p> <br><strong><em>How do we know our sacred cause when we meet it?</em></strong></p><p>Sacred activism asks two related things of those who serve: to remain open, without illusion, to the danger that the world is in and to ask, “What is my deepest heartbreak?” If you can open your heart to the horror of what is happening and at the same time identify your deepest heartbreak, the answer will marry a profound urgency with a focused and passionate commitment to your primary cause.</p><p><strong><em><br>What has kept you going for more than 20 years as an activist?</em></strong></p><p>The things that keep me going—a sense of urgency about the dangers we face; a tremendous love for human beings, animals and nature; and an energy that rises out of the depths of profound and direct realization from the divine—are available at any moment, to anyone who has a deep hunger for them.</p><p> <em>For more information about Andrew Harvey and the Institute for Sacred Activism, visit <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.andrewharvey.com/">www.AndrewHarvey.com</a></span>.</em></p><p>Related Articles: <a href="/Natural-Awakenings/March-2010/Direct-Steps-To-Becoming-A-Sacred-Activist/%20">Direct Steps to Becoming a Sacred Activist</a>, <a href="l%20%20/Natural-Awakenings/March-2010/Inspiring-Change/%20%20">Inspiring Change</a></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:25:23-04:00
2019-08-28T16:25:23-04:00
Multiple Faiths: Many Americans Mix Western, Eastern, New Age Beliefs
2010-03-01 03:00:00 -0500
Anonymous
<p>The latest poll by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that one-third of Americans attend religious services at more than one place, while a quarter of us sometimes attend religious services of a faith different from our own. Sixty percent attend at churches or houses of worship; other locations include houses, schools, restaurants, hotels, parks and campgrounds. Some 38 percent attend at least once a week and 34 percent once or twice a month or a few times a year; 27 percent say they seldom or never attend religious services.</p><p>Although the United States is an overwhelmingly Christian country, between 23 and 26 percent of the adults polled also say they believe in a tenet of Eastern or New Age spirituality: reincarnation; yoga as a spiritual practice; spiritual energy located in physical things; or astrology. Nearly three in 10 say they have felt in touch with someone who has died.</p><p>In 2009, half of Americans polled said they have had “a religious or mystical experience, that is a moment of religious or spiritual awakening.” In 1962, only 22 percent reported having had such an experience.</p><p><br>Source: <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.pewforum.org/">www.PewForum.org</a></span></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:25:25-04:00
2019-08-28T16:25:25-04:00
Who Inspires You?: Utilizing the Ideals of our Heroes
2010-03-01 03:00:00 -0500
Isha Judd
<p>Some individuals inspire millions by means of their life’s work; they might be artists, leaders, actors, authors, scientists, geniuses or athletes. Anyone who challenges the limits of human capacity can capture our attention and evoke wonderment in our imagination. They make us feel that the possibilities are endless and that the limits we have placed upon ourselves can be surmounted. The ego tells us, “They’re a better human being than I am.” But the wiser voice of the heart whispers, “I can be that.” This voice is the source of your greatness.</p><p>I have long honored Nelson Mandela, whose acceptance of reality helped him find internal freedom, even in imprisonment, and consequently help end apartheid and forward world freedom. I esteem Michelle Bachelet, the president of Chile, who is a humanitarian before she is a politician. Her commitment to forwarding the welfare of her people has weathered tough times. Like a mother, Bachelet is warm, but firm; she knows that her citizens, like children, will thank her later for insisting that they do the right thing. I admire Walt Disney’s vision of innocent warmth, inspiring the child in all of us to embrace our common humanity and celebrate life. I cherish Mother Teresa, whose humble, compassionate service spoke a language beyond the barriers of religion and touched the hearts of multitudes.</p><p>And, true to my undying passion for animals, I cannot leave out Phar Lap, Australia’s four-legged racing legend. During the Great Depression, this ordinary-looking underdog carried the hearts of a nation, pushing beyond all expectations to win the Melbourne Cup and raise the spirits of millions.</p><p>My grandmother has been another great source of inspiration in my life. Her courage and unconditional acceptance have helped me to trust myself and my abilities. In recent years, I have been privileged to work with inspiring men and women around the world who are working to elevate the consciousness of humanity. I respect them all.</p><p>Who inspires you in your life and why? Let those heroes be more than an ideal you look up to; allow them to be a reminder of your own potential. Whatever leading quality you admire in another, you can look for ways to be more of that yourself.</p><p>You don’t need to commit extraordinary feats to live an extraordinary life, and you don’t need to have the eyes of the world upon your actions to make them valuable. That value is set by you, through your own passionate commitment to individual growth and evolution.</p><p>Let’s use our heroes to become more, to teach us about our own potential. Let us daily walk by their side toward those ideals we so much admire.</p><p class="pullquote">
<br>Who are your heroes?</p><p><br><em>Isha Judd is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and author; her latest book and movie, Why Walk When You Can Fly? explain her system for self-love and the expansion of consciousness. Learn more at <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.whywalkwhenyoucanfly.com/">www.WhyWalkWhenYouCanFly.com</a></span>.</em></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:15:44-04:00
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Tips for More Laughter in Life
2010-02-01 03:00:00 -0500
Edna Junkins
<p> 1. Practice laughing five minutes a day; fake it ‘til you make it<em>.</em><br> 2. Look for humor around you—on signs, in people’s behavior, on TV, in newspapers, things others say and the crazy things that happen to you. Keep a journal.<br> 3. Share your embarrassing moments with others.<br> 4. Learn to play with things that are serious, like work, social issues and money. You might use word play, silly songs or develop a comical view of the issue to help you cope.<br> 5. Laugh with others when they laugh.<br> 6. Wear a smile; it puts you closer to laughing.<br> 7. Seek out entertainment that makes you laugh.<br> 8. Amuse yourself with your own sense of humor.<br> 9. Buy and listen daily to a tape of laughter, a laugh box or a laughing toy.<br> 10. Play around with games and mindless toys that make you laugh.<br> 11. Wear hats that make you laugh.<br> 12. Cultivate your innate playfulness.<br> 13. Be creative with fun.<br> 14. Do at least one silly, nonconforming thing each day.<br> 15. Give yourself permission to laugh at anything you need to.<br> 16. Make sure you have fun.<br> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>
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2019-08-28T16:15:46-04:00
2019-08-28T16:15:46-04:00
Starlight Traveler: Dreams of Sailing Through Space
2010-02-01 03:00:00 -0500
Anonymous
<p>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced that the Planetary Society, founded by scientist and author Carl Sagan, is set to build and fly a series of solar-sail spacecraft, dubbed LightSails, first in orbit around Earth and then into deeper space, in the next three years. The beauty of LightSails is that they are powered by sunshine, which carries both energy and momentum; unlike rocket fuel, this gentle force fires continuously.</p><p>Over time, a big enough sail, perhaps a mile on each side, could reach speeds of hundreds of thousands of miles an hour, fast enough to traverse the solar system in five years. Riding the beam from a powerful laser, a sail could even make the journey to another star system in 100 years, a human lifespan.</p><p>Dr. Louis Friedman, director of the Planetary Society, a worldwide organization of space enthusiasts, says eventual passengers will likely be robots or human genomes encoded on a chip, due to the need to keep the craft light, like a giant cosmic kite. In principle, it could tack like a sailboat. Japan is already testing solar sails deployed from satellites or rockets, although none are traveling anywhere yet.</p><p>These are visions for the long haul, advises Freeman Dyson of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He remarks: “Think centuries or millennia, not decades.”</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>