An Economic Bill of Rights?
 Bringing History into Our Current Times

As soon as Michael Moore's new movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story," hit the cinema screen, I knew I wanted to go see it. I have appreciated Moore's courage to tackle "politically untouchable" subjects such as 9/11, the health care system in the United States, and now, capitalism, the overarching philosophy that dominates our economic system.

I deeply appreciated the way Moore's carefully presented stream of information both reinforced what I had been intuitively noticing for many, many years, and filled in missing puzzle pieces of how we got to where we are.

While I knew that Ronald Reagan had been a grade B movie actor, I was not aware that he was also a pitch man for Wall Street, and that his election as president was truly just a continuation of this role. Donald Regan became his Wall Street partner and right hand adviser in his presidential role. Reagan's 1980 election marked the beginning of the partnership between Wall Street and the government that has led to the downfall of the middle class American, and financial resources being eaten up by a top 1% "ruling class."

What was most striking for me was the way Moore ended the movie with Franklin Delano Roosevelt's message to Congress on the State of the Union on January 11, 1944. In his address, Roosevelt spoke of what Moore called a "Second Bill of Rights." This bill of rights would assure a reasonable standard of living for ALL Americans, not just the ruling class, the privileged or those with political and financial connections.

Sadly, Roosevelt died before his model could be implemented. But as Moore points out, Roosevelt's advisors brought this model to Europe and Japan, so that citizens in nations abroad enjoy health care, education, and financial security in old age as their birthright. All of these social benefits form part of a catchment net that our capitalism society has torn out from under us. How ironic that the very country that introduced the concept of true "social security," is actually not providing it to its citizens.

Roosevelt's words are very powerful and relevant today. I don't think it is too late to bring them back to life, and create structures that might allow them to underpin our society going forward. Roosevelt stated, "America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens."

As America has declined in its position in the global economy, I would venture to say that making ends meet for the average American is at least twice as hard today as it was 30 - 40 years ago. I am afraid we are seeing what Roosevelt predicted--only from the dark side.

Though we are far less a farming society than we were in 1944, so that Roosevelt's inclusion of a "right" regarding farmers may seem less relevant than other "rights," most everything Roosevelt articulated is still bedrock for enjoying a healthy, happy and reasonable life as a human being.

Roosevelt's Second Bill of Rights include, intended to provide a "basis of security and prosperity" to ALL Americans, "regardless of station, race or creed" are:

1. The right to a useful and remunerative job.

2. The right to earn enough to provide enough food, clothing and creation for self and family.

3. The right for every farmer to generate a return that will give him/her and his/her family a decent living.

4. The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad.

5. The right of every family to a decent home.

6. The right to adequate medicla care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.

7. The right to protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment.

8. The right to a good education.

Roosevelt notes, "True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. 'Necessitous men are not free men.' People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made."

Sadly, the perpetuation over the past 30 years of a Wall Street/government alliance has indeed rendered the mainstream workplace a "dictatorship," which Moore himself articulates. And it has allowed "white collar criminals" like Madoff, Milliken, Skilling, Fastow and company to commit robbery and financial murder on a large scale.

Can we jump out of our pot of boiling water, come back to life, and gather together to overthrow this dictatorship? I surely hope so. Otherwise, like the Roman Empire before us, whose story Moore uses to open his film, we will become another failed civilization, falling into a pattern that clearly we have not internalized, learned from or changed.

©2009 Linda Marks

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 Keeping A Vital Heart
 

What makes your heart happy? If you really want to nourish your heart, what is your special recipe? Our "heartprints" are just as unique as our fingerprints, so what feeds your heart may be different than what feeds mine.

However, one common principal resonates from heart to heart: coherence. The heart thrives when we have a sense that life is purposeful, manageable and meaningful. One can say that hearts are purpose driven, and seek meaning, connection. Hearts also like to feel that things make sense, at least emotionally and practically, and that how we are spending our time and life energy feels on target and within reasonable bounds.

To have more coherence in our lives, it is important to become more and more grounded. To be grounded is to be present in the moment, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. When we sit with our feet flat on the ground, our tailbone rooting into our chair and our spine softly aligned with room for our breath and our hearts, we are more able to let life's current run through us--up from the ground through our feet and down back into the ground from our whole bodies.

When we are grounded, we have more internal capacity to dance with life, including to field curve balls more gracefully. We are more able to slow down when needed, and respond when needed as well.

Here are some ways to care for your heart:

1. Take mindful moments. Slow down, take a time out and destress--even for just a minute.

2. Get grounded emotionally, physically and in the moment. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. Notice how you are feeling in your body and your heart. Quiet your mind. Be present with whatever you are feeling in your body and in your heart.

3. Listen to your heart. What is your heart trying to tell you? Is it full? Is it empty? Is it heavy? Is it light? If your heart had a voice, what would it say?

4. Learn what your heart needs and give those things to yourself. Too often we put our own needs at the bottom of the list. If you list to your heart, follow its guidance. Put your heart's needs at the top of the list.

5. Nurture yourself. Meditate. Take a walk on a nice day. Take a warm bath. Pet your cat or your dog. Share your deepest feelings with a trusted friend. Have a massage. All of these activities generate oxytocin, which will reduce your stress level and nurture your heart.

6. Increase emotional safety. What people, places and things make you feel emotionally safe? Spend time with these people in these places, doing these things.

7. Remove sources of stress. Are there any sources of stress that you can actually remove? If you give yourself a little more down time, do you work more efficiently? If so, take some of the pressure to get things done off yourself. If you have put off paying your bills and this is weighing on you, pay your bills. Identify sources of stress you can change, and make the changes.

©2009 Linda Marks

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 Should You Go to College?
 by Alex Marks-Katz

Why go to college? So you can get a good job? So you can develop yourself as a person? What's your reason?

While the thought is, "Well, if I don't go to college, I won't get a good job," the reality is there are plenty of successful people who did not go to college. Take Bill Gates, for example. He dropped out of Harvard after 1 year and became one of the wealthiest men in the world.

However, be careful about your decision. "Today, especially in our country, most people go to college. If you don't go to college, it is harder for you to get a job than someone with a college education. [If you don't go to college,] it shrinks your job options," says Professor Brownell, a professor of psychology at BC. Also, "many people who don't go to college will have lower salaries," says Professor Muller, an associate professor of computer science at BC. Don't assume you'll get lucky. Make sure your decision makes sense.

Also, there are many benefits of going to college. One is "the chance to develop an ability to think independently," says Professor Muller. Professor Brownell says another key benefit of going to college is "that you learn how to analyze problems and solve them when the answers aren't written down anywhere."

The second truth of college is its cost. If you choose to go to a Harvard or a Yale, chances are you'll be paying nearly 200,000 dollars. Also, keep in mind that even with this education, you'll will still probably just get an average job that pays around 40,000 to 60,000 dollars annually.

Professor Brownell believes that if you take out a student loan, "you have to be practical and conservative [with your money]. [A] huge loan can be a burden [later in life]. Don't overdo it." However, your loan may make sense if your career is in "a strong industry [because] you can pay off the loan," says Professor Brownell.

This brings up the question, "Should I go to a state college or a big costly name?" For most, the answer is the former. If you go to college, make a good decision on where to go. Most colleges have similar curriculums for Liberal Arts, the basis for most careers, so it won't make a huge difference where you go.

Next, you should ask yourself, "Did I enjoy high-school or was I on the verge of a nervous breakdown?" If the latter is true, college could just not be for you. If you are one of those people who are not "interested in school," says Professor Muller, "then college is just a waste of time and money," continues Professor Brownell. They agree that college is not for everyone. Professor Muller says college is a place for "those who have a natural taste for ideas."

Also, you could consider taking a year off from college. Professor Brownell says, "Some people aren't ready for college. A student needs to work hard making opportunities [for themselves]." Just don't rush yourself or you may end up dropping out and just wasting money.

The professors have a few last words about college. Professor Muller says, "College has 2 aspects, to help you develop a career where you are productive and reasonably paid and to educate you." "College is a lot of fun," says Professor Brownell. With these thoughts in mind, it may be worth it for you to go to college. But remember, going to college is your decision.

©2009 Alex Marks-Katz

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 HealingHeartPower Calendar
 

Would you like to learn how to do EKP? Applications are being accepted for the 2010 EKP Apprenticeship Program. The apprenticeship group meets once a month for a weekend training session beginning in September 2010. For more information, contact LSMHEART@aol.com or call Linda at (617)965-7846.

The Thursday night EKP Therapy Group has openings for a couple new members. An interview and one EKP session are required to apply. Contact Linda if you are interested at LSMHEART@aol.com

The next Healing the Traumatized Heart Workshop, is on Sunday, December 6 from 2 - 5 pm, in Newton.

Join us for an experience of heartfull healing and community.

To enroll, send an e-mail to LSMHEART@aol.com, and a check for $50 to Linda Marks, 3 Central Avenue, Newton, MA 02460. Please include your name, phone number, address and e-mail.

Keeping A Vital Heart,a new EKP workshop, will take place on Sunday, January 24 from 2 - 5 pm in Newton. Taking care of your heart is an important practice that will deepen happiness and fulfillment, as well as help to heal trauma and pain.

To enroll, send an e-mail to LSMHEART@aol.com, and a check for $50 to Linda Marks, 3 Central Avenue, Newton, MA 02460. Please include your name, phone number, address and e-mail.

Linda is teaching a Stress Management Class at UMass Boston on Wednesday, November 28 at 2:30 pm.

If you are interested in being part of an on-going EKP group that meets once a month, let me know. We had run a Sunday EKP Process group for many years, and could consider forming another one, if there is interest. Whether your schedule is too busy for a weekly group, or you live far enough away that a monthly session is more sustainable, if a monthly group would best meet your needs, we can try to put one together.

EKP opportunities in Newton include:

• Being a guest client in the Student Clinic
• On-going Thursday night EKP Body Psychotherapy Group (which currently has room for a couple new members)
• Apprenticing in EKP

If you would like a Healing the Traumatized Heart workshop near you, or have a group of people who you would like to bring EKP to, please contact LSMHEART@aol.com.

To find out more.... 

 About Linda
 

Linda Marks, MSM, is pioneer in body psychotherapy who has developed, taught and practiced Emotional-Kinesthetic Psychotherapy (EKP) for more than two decades. Author of LIVING WITH VISION and HEALING THE WAR BETWEEN THE GENDERS, she co-founded the Massachusetts Association of Body Psychotherapists and Counseling Bodyworkers and is the founder of the Boston Area Sexuality and Spirituality Network. She holds degrees from Yale and MIT, and has a vital 13-year-old son.

To find out more about Linda...