On March 25th, Judge Mueller of the Sacramento Division of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California will announce her verdict for United States v. Schweder. The case will likely determine whether or not the Schedule I status for cannabis is constitutional or not. Being a Schedule I drug puts it in the same category as heroin.

Once this verdict is issued, it will almost certainly be appealed by whichever side loses. If so, it’ll go to the 9th circuit court. If it’s upheld, it will apply to states within the 9th circuit. If it’s appealed again, it’ll head to the US Supreme Court, which applies to the entire nation.

John Balazs, an attorney in Sacramento, sums the nature of the case up nicely:

In short, the defense brief argues that the evidence failed to support the continued inclusion of marijuana in Schedule I...

You are like an archetype with many faces. Most people would say you are good guy. Someone might call you bad guy. Someone might call you simple guy or complex guy; brave guy, frightened guy; secure guy, insecure guy; loving guy, unloving guy and so on. Some might just call you guy. How you are perceived depends upon someone’s experience, or, rather, their perception of their experiences they keep from the past.
 
Many of My children are bias-based toward their previous experiences with others, and their inclination or disinclination toward you really has nothing to do with you at all. You, also, do the same. How you see others pretty much is how you are looking at an aspect of yourself. You may see what you always see. You see what you think you see. You see what you once saw, and what you once saw made an indelible impression on you.
 
You may wish ill toward someone because of his or her lack of perception. Lack of perception is not yet a crime. It is not yet a federal crime when someone sees you a-miss, yet it would appear that you may often carry the idea that a mistake is no less than criminal. A mistake, yes. A crime, no. And sometimes another may perceive you a-right and you don’t like to concede to the possibility that you did indeed act in a certain way that does not present you in the best light. This is hard for you to bear, yet, on occasion, you have slipped. You may well be a good person who slipped up. Have you not on occasion slipped up?
 

By Phil Watt

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

Developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970’s, permaculture has spread wildly throughout the world. The term initially meant ‘permanent agriculture’, however it evolved to also represent ‘permanent culture’.

Permaculture is the ethical, scientific and synchronistic design of natural systems to ensure a sustainable philosophy of living. It also aims to facilitate abundance for the future of humanity by producing all the food and materials it needs on a local scale. At its core, permaculture is simply the collaboration of humans and nature in action.

By Carolanne Wright

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

Feeling frazzled, depressed or less than healthy? Japanese researchers have discovered that ditching civilization for a few hours can be just what the doctor ordered. Known as shinrin yoku or, more commonly, forest bathing, the practice involves spending time in nature coupled with mindfulness. This simple method has been shown to dramatically reduce health complaints — and can even lower the risk of cancer.

Not having anything to do with bathing in the traditional sense, shinrin yoku is about immersing our senses in the beauty of nature for therapeutic value. The practice was first introduced by the Forest Agency of Japan in 1982 to help reduce stress and encourage relaxation. What wasn’t known at the time, however, was that forest bathing would lead to significant health benefits. Numerous studies have found that spending time mindfully in nature not only soothes the body and mind, but also offers a substantial boost in natural killer (NK) cell activity. NK cells are responsible for keeping cancer cells in check and are a vital component of the immune system.

By Makia Freeman

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

Corporate junk science is an all-pervading presence in our society. It’s everywhere. The scientific journals of the entire world, offline and online, have been flooded with so much fake science that it has, sad to say, become practically impossible for the average person to wade through all of it and sort out the wheat from the chaff.

The fake science I am referring to here is not unintentional or sloppy work, which is more of a minor problem in the scheme of things (since it will eventually be corrected with due diligence), but rather the deliberately fraudulent “scientific” studies which are put out by major corporations with a definite agenda in mind – usually establishing a fake scientific basis of “safety” for their products, whether they be vaccines, mobile phones, GMOs, tobacco, fluoride, soda or soft drinks, etc. It’s nothing more than corporate junk science, and many people, including doctors, scientists and academics, have been taken in hook, line and sinker by it.

HJ: Feeling discouraged and defeated is just that… a feeling and nothing else.  A feeling does not mean it is true let alone real.  Feelings shift and change like waves in the ocean.  They come and go like clouds in the sky.  So if you are feeling discouraged and defeated, it likely means you need a simple shift in perspective.  Or perhaps to go deeper into the source of the feelings.  But either way know that it is just a feeling.  And that this too shall pass.

- Truth

7 Things to Remember When You Feel Discouraged and Defeated

By Marc Chernoff | Marc and Angel

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The worst enemy to productivity and creativity is self-pity.

Credit: Amix.dx

By Wes Annac, The Culture of Awareness

Self-expression is one of the greatest gifts we’ve been given, because it allows us to connect with the spirit within (which, as we’re realizing, we’re already constantly connected with) and express how we feel about life, love, spiritual evolution or anything else that’s on our mind.

We can use these tools to share our perspective on everything that’s happening right now, and I think it’s important to use our voice and creatively empower ourselves. Everyone’s worthy of the opportunity to express themselves, and nothing, except ourselves, stops us from using these tools.

We stop ourselves when we fail to cultivate creative passion, and one of the best ways to use the amazing gift of self-expression is to use it passionately. We can’t do anything real or significant if we aren’t passionate about our work, and we’ll get the most out of our creativity if we’re excited about it.

1. Spend time with your soul.

There is a difference between your ego and your soul. Get in touch with your true divine self through meditation, yoga, spending time in nature, soul journaling, and getting lost in the things that you love – like cooking, creating, writing or dancing.

2. Forgive.

The Buddha once said, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned”. Holding a grudge keeps you trapped. Forgive other people and set yourself free.

3. Shift your energy.

Sometimes you wake up and you’re just not feeling it – and no amount of positive affirmations will help. That’s when you need to shift your energy through physical activity – throw on an upbeat tune and dance around your lounge room, get outside and feel the sun on your skin, or go for a long run.

4. Remember every day is a new beginning...