In an interview with the Dutch daily newspaper “Algemeen Dagblad” the minister of agriculture of The Netherlands, Carola Schouten  announced her  plans on ‘kringlooplandbouw; roughly translated recycle- agriculture. Several millions are to be invested into this project over the coming years.

In the article Schouten explains how the last couple of decades were marked by the policy to make sure all mouth were fed. In the new way of thinking food will be produced in a way that affects the environment as little as possible while making sure the farmers who produce durable products receive a fair price for their goods.’

To reach these goals trade agreements need to be made with the supermarkets. As it is now they often force farmers to deliver for the lowest possible price; causing unfair competition. Consumers may also have to spend more of their money. “Food has become way too cheap”, according to minister Schouten. She underlines this by comparing statistics from the seventies, which show people spending 20 percent of their income on food; opposed to 12 percent in 2019 .

Can these two numbers be compared however? In the seventies the same products that have now become so much cheaper, were only just introduced; hence at the beginning of their product life cycle, hence much more expensive.  The whole economic system was one of building rather than repairing, as it is now. People received steady salaries, based on secure contracts. Their expectations were secure; while our present day shows an alarming decrease of people’s spending power and social securities.

Is it then wise to have durable products pay for the price of change? Only a short while ago the government already substantially raised taxes on fruits and vegetables, fresh produce on which those same farmers so badly need their margins to survive. In general durable products already are more expensive, making them unaffordable to some.

It goes without saying the economic system and durable farming pricing needs drastic change. But who should pay for this? How can less healthy products be offered at such low prices while healthy foods become more expensive? How come the multinationals in the food industry, producing many of these tempting sweets and treats, are to this day exempt from paying taxes on their profits?  How degradable is the packaging of their products? Could it help the people living in this economy to raise tax on unhealthy products like we did on alcohol and cigarettes and promote the use of organic food and fresh produce?. Would this have a positive effect on the healthcare system that has become unaffordable to so many as well?

A post on social media evoked raw emotions on the subject. ‘These measurements will make the food bank mighty busy'; one person commented. Questions were asked on why durable healthy products are so much more expensive than the unhealthy foods we always see on offer in the supermarkets. Statistics and theory might well be dangerous allies in our complicated economic structure; where governments often seem to have the health of the economy to outweigh the welfare of the people.

The card that goes with this  complicated problem is card number XIV ‘Temperance'; the last card of 7 cards illustrating the journey of the soul, showing the angel dividing its resources over two cups.

Temperance is the last card before stepping over to the last row of 7 cards; which all have to do with spiritual development. In order to grow spiritually one needs to understand the concept of sharing and evenly dividing first. Humanity is now entering the era of spiritual growth, visible in a growing interest in for instance healing methods that come natural to us; health foods; spiritual subjects in general. Among these themes also our consumer’s habits are in need of reconsideration.

It is clear that this is happening. People are becoming more conscious about what they eat and this affects health and stamina. How much one really needs to buy (only buying what you need; which may also be a component of why people people spend a lesser percentage on buying food);  Health foods are in high demand; yet indeed expensive.

Personally I think two things need drastic change:

• Raising awareness on the fact humanity in its past, has ‘overdrawn’ in many ways at the expense of nature and fellow human beings
• Changing the economical mindset of multinationals and supermarket-chains from earning as much money as possible to paying respect to the quality of food (the health of the earth) and the health of the customers.

For on a spiritual level it is already known…. Life is like a boomerang. What we emanate in caring for each other; we receive in turn in care for ourselves.

To read more on the explanation of the Temperance card, click the card.

Ingrid Schippers

June 18 2019

The post The Price of Durable Agriculture appeared first on EN Energycounseling.nl.

Audio recording  ‘Who else could have done it?” as broadcasted in the radioprogram for internationals ‘Dutchbuzz’ of May 28  9 pm on Den Haag FM.

Suddenly I see… a 3 minute listen

There are those moments in life where suddenly, while I’m right in the middle of doing something daily-life-like; in between the hustle and bustle of  all the things I feel I need to do and need to get; that the world directly around me seems to fade out and goes into slow-motion just like in the movies. I’m standing in a bubble looking out and see, with harsh clarity, something I had not noticed or realized before.

It happened to me last week as I stood in line at the cash register of a discount drugstore; where loads of things are for sale for less or 3 for the price of 2 or get-one-get-one-free. Everything was beckoning me to buy. It was screaming in my face I had to do it NOW; for it would be for my own good and in my own interest. The products without exception promised me I would profit if I bought them.

At the same time I also noticed how all the products within my range of vision were packed in plastic bottles, tubes or other form of environment unfriendly pollutants.  Without warning my minds eye started to picture the mountain of tossed-away packaging of only this shop alone. Then my mind expanded on the fact that this shop I was standing in, was only one of hundreds of other shops operating under the same franchise; and that in turn this franchise was only one of the hundreds of other franchises selling the same sort of products; of which all the useless packaging would all end up on our societies’ big piles of waste.

I also realized a roughly estimated 90 % of all the products within my eye’s reach were products I do not necessarily need . Perfumes; body glitter, make up,  plastic purple heart- shaped sunglasses, sugared drinks with colorings in them; candy in all sorts and sizes next to weight loss powders; scented candles in green plastic frogs with an open back; plastic flip-flops with plastic daisy ornaments;  all gathered within reach around  a 3 meter radius of the cash register

I had to think of the short time span these products will have; consumed, tossed out or forgotten within days if not hours. How did we let it come this
far? How did we grow to be people who soil their precious habitat and keep on polluting it with the proficiency of ants working their colony, except that ants don’t pollute or ruin the environment their next generations have to live in. And at least ants only use what they need and give back by being scavengers rather than consumers and serve as a nutritious part of the food chain; while most humans have Monsanto to poison them.

Is it just me? Or is it something to notice next time  you stand in line at the discount drug store; and  then maybe just buy what you need and what is good for you?

The card that goes with this is without a doubt Temperance; the card that closes the line reflecting the journey of the soul. Our Souls are not dependent on the matter we buy and consume to identify ourselves with. The Angel on the Temperance card only uses wat It needs and gives back just as much; in perfect balance with the powers that be. It doesn’t abuse and doesn’t sell Itself for no good reason.

To read more, click the card

Wishing you insight and contentment with what comes your way,

Ingrid

The post Suddenly I see appeared first on EN Energycounseling.nl.

So…what have y’all been up to over the Easter weekend?  Did you go for a bike ride? Did you have an Easter brunch? Or did you go out to the beach to sit in the sun? Common things you’d say; things we like to do. Things we take for granted at times. Things we may get annoyed about when other happenings block their opportunity. Basically what I am getting at is how many times are you really aware of the blessings you have in your life? Are you consuming what is offered? Or are you cherishing it? In three simple words:

Are You Grateful?

I’ve been working on the gratitude theme lately by writing down at the end of the day, what I have experienced that day to be grateful for.  I find it lightens up my life. I have to admit there are days where nothing is scribbled at the pages. Days where I find it hard to summon up the energy. Days where my joints ache and my muscles refuse to cooperate, while I still wanted to paint that one wall; or needed to get all that shopping. Days where my Spirit is gloomy and wants nothing but binge-watch a series or binge-read books.  But I guess those days make me human; and if I had the stamina I should actually write down in my agenda that I am grateful for those days too; for I sometimes simply need them to regenerate.

My days can be a total mess of deadlines or things I still need to do without actually getting to do them; frustration settling in; fear even to fail at getting where I sóóó want to go. It is then I live in frustration; in failure of  reaching my set goals.

But you know what. It happens. Life can be amazingly unpredictable. When I think about it, I actually never know what my day will bring.I get up in the morning, recall what day it is and what’s in my agenda for the day. I choose my clothing accordingly.  I do my morning exercises when I have the time or think about it. I look at the clock to instruct me when to do what or to go where. And then suddenly something happens that jerks me off my feet, messes up my time table; obstructs ‘all the things I still need to do’ ; raises my blood pressure, changes my mood and changes the expected outcome of my day.

Until I sit down in the evening and review all that has passed and ask myself:

What happened today to be grateful for.

It’s the realization sets it; awareness; moments I missed present themselves and make me think,

Hmmm, maybe this was good day after all.

The card that goes with this is undeniably  ‘Temperance’ ;  card number XIV, the last card of the row of 7 cards that is all about the journey of the soul while on earth. You see it here in it’s new Nan War -Who Am I version as drawn by my talented daughter. (something to be very grateful for).

Temperance teaches us to stay in the present moment; to expect nothing; to have no attachment to outcome;’ to work with what is there and most of all to be present; to realize what you have to be grateful for, rather than to sum up what you lack. Not wait for things to happen or to come through; but to live in the moment in the now.

To read more about the meaning of ‘Temperance'; click the card. You’ll find the old version of this card behind the new one. I have some work to do as yet to get them all organized on my website; but thought I’d enjoY using this card now.

EnjoY your day; stay in the Now as much as you can and remember to be Grateful.

Ingrid Schippers, 23 April 2019

The abridged spoken version of this spoken blog, features as end note on  ‘Dutchbuzz’, the radio hour for Internationals every Tuesday  from 10 to 11 pm on ‘Den Haag FM’ and can be found in the Programme Archive of  the Dutchbuzz podcasts, dated April 23, 2019 or click the link below.

The post Being There, Being Grateful appeared first on EN Energycounseling.nl.

In a consumer’s society people have grown used to getting their demands met the moment the need occurs. When I want new jeans, I open my laptop and can have my pick from countless different models and brands.

With the festive season closing in, I can do the same for my Christmas presents, mostly delivered within 24 hours. When I crave Chinese food or a Pizza, I pick up the phone and have it at my doorstep in 20 minutes. When I want strawberries in midwinter, a store within 5 miles from where I live is bound to have them.  Basically in a consumers world, side stepping the fact only the privileged can afford most of it; there is little left to wish for. Lord Economy has provided for more quantity than we can process, more choice than we are logistically able choose from and in fact more than we actually need.
If such a thing as ‘attic statistics'; a count of un-used an un-necessary goods each household holds, would exist, we would be utterly, utterly shocked.

Only a while ago, people only owned what they needed and in many cases had to wait before they even got wat they needed.
Only 7 decades  ago, most people who needed new clothes either had to sit down and make their own or go to a dressmaker or tailor and wait a few weeks until the garments were done.. Only 5 decades ago certain vegetables and fruits were only available in season. Only 4 decades ago messages, i.e. letters, still went through regular mail which could take days, or even weeks.

My point is, that even though  life in the 2017’s  might involve some waiting on airports and the results of the stock exchange maybe,  modern day consumers have become highly accustomed to instant gratification.

I sometimes make the  joke medieval warriors were unable to call home from the battlefield to say they would be late for dinner. These days we get instant answers, deliveries the next day when we order before 11 at night, all groceries from all seasons basically available 24 hours a day and news from all around the world in an instant. We have become an instant generation, from instant rice to instant gratification. The first world problem has become we have little left to wish for.

Maybe we should make a special wish this festive season.  A wish for a better world rather than yet another Gucci handbag. ‘Spoilsport’, you may think. But really, think about it; which would you like better? A cleaner, better, happier world to live in? Or an expensive handbag to carry around?

Ingrid Schippers 21-11-2017

Click on the card to learn more about its background

The spoken version of this blog, features as end note on  ‘Dutchbuzz’, the radio hour for Internationals every Tuesday ( with the exception of summer and Christmas recess) from 10 to 11 pm on ‘Den Haag FM and can be found in the Programme Archive of  the Dutchbuzz podcasts, dated November 21 2017

The post Little Left To Wish For appeared first on EN Energycounseling.nl.