Voices A Consumer Council Newsletter

February 2018

“ShelterCare enriches lives through exceptional services that nurture hope, opportunity and dignity."

WORDS OF WISDOM

“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force...We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter. .”

~ Max Planck

DISCLAIMER

All stories that are works of fiction are just that. The persons and events portrayed are strictly from the

authors’ imaginations. VOICES is intended solely as a source of entertainment!

~ photo by K. McGehee

President’s Corner

These last few months as President of ShelterCare Consumer Council have been a

wonderful journey. Today I want to take the time to thank all the Consumers who

have joined our Council; without you the Council would not be what it is today.

By making the change of alternating months between a guest speaker and a fun

event, our numbers have increased. Consumers have really opened up expressing

personal views and ideas. I have always believed Consumers’ voices matter. We

have been working with staff regarding any concerns, and I personally appreciate

all the new thoughts and ideas for our fun events.

In November, the AFIYA residents partnered with local community members and

had a Consumer ran Harvest Festival potluck. A turkey was donated and several AFI-

YA residents got together to make a wonderful successful meal.

Consumers took a step out of their normal comfort zone and helped give back to

the community. One example was during the winter holidays. Several Consumers

partnered along with local community members and made up gift bags consisting

of caps, gloves, socks, scarves and a few other items. I really am grateful to those

who helped. We donated them to a program site that was able to use them. For

most of us, if we tried to do that alone, it would be too much financially. With several

of us buying items from the list, we were

able to accomplish our goal of 12 gift

bags. This shows how just one person can

make a difference.

I am taking this time to invite all Consumers

to join us at Consumer Council. It’s held on

the third

Thursday of the month, from 2:00 pm to

3:30 pm. I am looking forward to seeing

what achievements we can make in 2018.

Happy New Year,

Cindy Williams, President S.C.C.C

As your President of Consumer Council I am very open to discuss things I am going through. I

want consumers to understand I can relate. This article is for anyone who has not been treated

or was treated in the past but the treatment failed. This Hep C treatment came out in August

2017. I have been taking it for 16 weeks. I want to encourage those who have suffered the hor-

rible side effects of past treatment. Mavyret has very little negative side effects. From my

experience so far, fatigue after the first two days is the only issue. Look into it. Hep C is cura-

ble nowadays.

~ Cindy W.

For Immediate Release

August 3, 2017

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) to treat

adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1-6 without cirrhosis (liver disease) or with mild

cirrhosis, including patients with moderate to severe kidney disease and those who are on dialysis.

Mavyret is also approved for adult patients with HCV genotype 1 infection who have been previously

treated with a regimen either containing an NS5A inhibitor or an NS3/4A protease inhibitor but not

both.

Mavyret is the first treatment of eight weeks duration approved for all HCV genotypes 1-6 in adult pa-

tients without cirrhosis who have not been previously treated. Standard treatment length was previous-

ly 12 weeks or more.

“This approval provides a shorter treatment duration for many patients, and also a treatment option for

certain patients with genotype 1 infection, the most common HCV genotype in the United States, who

were not successfully treated with other direct-acting antiviral treatments in the past,” said Edward

Cox, M.D., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and

Research.

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver that can lead to diminished liver

function or liver failure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 2.7

to 3.9 million people in the United States have chronic HCV. Some patients who suffer from chronic

HCV infection over many years may have jaundice (yellowish eyes or skin) and complications, such as

bleeding, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, infections, liver cancer and death.

There are at least six distinct HCV genotypes, or strains, which are genetically distinct groups of the

virus. Knowing the strain of the virus can help inform treatment recommendations. Approximately 75

percent of Americans with HCV have genotype 1; 20-25 percent have genotypes 2 or 3; and a small

number of patients are infected with genotypes 4, 5 or 6.

(Continued on page 4)

The safety and efficacy of Mavyret were evaluated during clinical trials enrolling approximately 2,300

adults with genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 HCV infection without cirrhosis or with mild cirrhosis. Results of

the trials demonstrated that 92-100 percent of patients who received Mavyret for eight, 12 or 16 weeks

duration had no virus detected in the blood 12 weeks after finishing treatment, suggesting that patients’

infection had been cured.

Treatment duration with Mavyret differs depending on treatment history, viral genotype, and cirrhosis

status.

The most common adverse reactions in patients taking Mavyret were headache, fatigue and nausea.

Mavyret is not recommended in patients with moderate cirrhosis and contraindicated in patients with

severe cirrhosis. It is also contraindicated in patients taking the drugs atazanavir and rifampin.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been reported in HCV/HBV coinfected adult patients who were

undergoing or had completed treatment with HCV direct-acting antivirals, and who were not receiving

HBV antiviral therapy. HBV reactivation in patients treated with direct-acting antiviral medicines can

result in serious liver problems or

death in some patients. Health care

professionals should screen all

patients for evidence of current or

prior HBV infection before starting

treatment with Mavyret.

The FDA granted this applica-

tion Priority Re-

view and Breakthrough Thera-

pydesignations.

The FDA granted approval of

Mavyret to AbbVie Inc.

The FDA, an agency within the

U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, protects the pub-

lic health by assuring the safety,

effectiveness, and security of hu-

man and veterinary drugs, vac-

cines and other biological products

for human use, and medical devic-

es. The agency also is responsible

for the safety and security of our

nation’s food supply, cosmetics,

dietary supplements, products that

give off electronic radiation, and for

regulating tobacco products.

(Continued from page 3)

A kaleidoscopic mind with

splintered thoughts, like shards of colored glass and

Thick emotions pouring though, a liquid river -

Can the two combine into

A cohesive whole, a Catherine window

Through which to view the world?

~ Ellen Winchester

They Call Me Airl

by Matthew Switzer

Part 3

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the prod-

ucts of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I use many metaphors. Any resemblance

to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Like a song or a drawing, the

fiction work is for moving powerful emotions.

Hey guys:

Well, I get there and show them some of my cam recording on the small women and

told them what she wanted and they were just blown away with what I had to say. So,

Pete said we’ll just tell her you needed some help; this job sounded too big for you just by

yourself. So I start telling Pete how this gate was to work on our side; we could enter it

and getting on her side; we would be as small as she was so anything on that also would

be enlarged on our side, so a pebble would be like a rock. Pete was saying I need to go

home and get some sleep and he need to think on what he saw and what they were

going to do.

That sounded good to me but this all had been so much. I know what I needed to do.

There is a spot right there. Just a few would not hurt; hell, may even help out. Well, eight

later and I found myself waking up in my car. Gee it’s kind of cold out; what time is it? 5

a.m. Oh hell, I should go home and get into my warm bed.

What’s that banging on my door? I am sleeping; go away. And now the window. Oh, it’s

Pete. Hey man it’s 11:00; what kind of junk man are you? A sore hung-over one. What’s

up Pete? We have been thinking we will help, but we need some payment of some kind.

Well, she will be back in a bit; I will see what she will say. OK Pete.

Well, O.K. so now there are these books in my head. Well, here, let me give you some

pages; it’s all in here; oh and here, i think i will need these parts. What do you think this

will cost Pete?

There you are right on time; these parts cost big bucks; you need something of value so

that I can get them, I can see that our money is out of the question and at your size what

could you get that would be of any worth that I could sell? Well, Tom what about gold;

there is lots of it where my ship is, but you are right about my size; it would not be worth

that much now would it? What do you mean lots of gold? Just a few handfuls or what

Aril? Well it’s everywhere; it is laying on the ground and it is in layers in the hillsides. I will

go back and get you some. I will be back in a bit.

(Continued on page 8)

Gold:

There you are. Yes, and I have left some gold in your shop; it weighs a lot and I did not

want to move it that far. My gate is in the casting pile in your shop. I have been spending

my time with my clone making sure it is O.K. and going well; I don’t like to be away that

much. It’s on your worktable in a bag my size. I will wait here.

O.K. be right back. Well gee would you look at that. Yep, a bag of gold. Must be a

whole ounce here. Well that’s a good starting. Kind of cold out here.

Yep Aril, it looks like gold all right, but I will need to have it tested. I know just the guy; he’s

a friend.

Tested? What, you just can’t go sell it Tom?

Well no Aril. All yellow-looking metal claiming to be gold is tested. Oh hell even my junk

metals are tested.

Well O.K. then, you would know best. But hey, don’t tell anyone about me, O.K.?

Well, about that...I have already told some friends about you, sort of. And what you

want. And they may be willing to help, but not for free. They are O.K. Tell you what, you

can interview them if they are O.K. with that. What do you think?

Hum, Tom, I just don’t want to be found out and

end up in some lab somewhere.

O.K. well here is their address; I wrote small for you.

Oh, and by-the-way, here is my telephone number

so that you can call me, and I would like to be able

to call you as well. I am sure you could work out

something to make this happen; it sure would be

nice.

O.K. Tom I will see what I can do. If I can call you, I

will. If not, I will be back in about, oh, 60 days or so.

See you later. Bye.

I do not know about this woman. Seems all she

wants to do is get me to to work for her. Maybe she

doesn't know I have things I must do myself. I had

a life to live before I meet her and her thief. What's

up with this woman? Aliens...what the hell.

(Continued from page 7)

(Continued on page 9)

~ drawing by Mark V.

Aril:

Dove open the ship’s log ‘dove O.K.’

Why this place, of all the places we have been to? Why this place? What was he think-

ing? He was saying we were making a stop at this place, that there may be something

we could use to get our job done. But Dove, the ship's computer will not let me read his

logs; she keeps telling me I don’t have permission. So I need to wait until Dove restores

him, and that is going to take some time.

However Dove is telling me the power is running low and I need to get it fixed soon. He

had set a gate in Tom’s junk yard so that Tom would never see it. We would go there and

help ourselves getting what we need. We had set up a charger and we were just running

the power wires when Tom turned the power back on, when the ship's pilot was fried. This

don’t seem right. Why not have the ship in Tom’s junk yard? Why have the ship so far

back in the past and in this place with gold laying around on the ground like this. And

then the junk yard is in a future time and a colder place.

Dove end ship's log.

Dove how many of these batteries do I need to charge up so you can restore the ship's

pilot? Dove, 100 will do for that. Dove can you show me where the pilot was getting

these batteries from? Yes it is now on the overhead screen, look up. Well this seems easy.

I will get some and charge this up; it's just a short walk and down the steps. Oh hell there

is a hole in the ship and some of the batteries are leaking; this must have happened

when the naked ape shot an arrow at us I thought something hit the ship. Well it looks like

the pilot got that out, but boy what a hole in the ship. Dove how many batteries are miss-

ing now? 10212. Wow. Well Tom should be able to fix this when he gets here, with the

download I gave him.

Dove open my log ‘Dove O.K.’

Well Tom has told on me to his friends and he tells me they will help and that I should in-

terview them in the dream like I did Tom. The things Tom doesn’t know about himself, and

his own ideas about these two, he has somewhat told me about. Hum sneaky Pete and

his helper, Dead Fred. I think I will set-up a bar screen in Pete’s dream and pick him up

and take him to a room and just as he thinks he will be getting somewhere, I will surprise

him with that job I have hired Tom to do, and that I have tagged him to with his helper

Fred.

Dove end my log.

...to be continued in the next issue of Voices.

(Continued from page 8)

As I reflect on this past year,

I sit here crying happy tears

For all of my continued growth

And that I still have hope.

I pray to the Man above for help

While I ponder what I've been dealt.

My life will never be as it once was

But here I am giving myself a silent applause.

I made it through the troublesome days

And genuinely I am amazed.

My wish for you is to discover your significance

And, you too, show the world your resilience.

~ Maddy Maitlen

Employee Extraordinaire

Rebekah Lambert, Chairperson of ShelterCare’s Board of Directors and former Consumer Council Liaison

VOICES: Where are you

currently employed?

REBEKAH: I am a Senior

Vice President with a firm

called The Arts Consulting

Group. It’s a management

consulting firm and we work

with arts and culture with pri-

marily non-profit organiza-

tions. I went back to the Arts

world where it’s like a duck to

water. My mother was a piano

teacher. That’s how I grew up.

The family joke was that our

playpen was under the piano. I

volunteered here for a couple

of years and then I joined the

Board, but I don’t feel like I’ve

left ShelterCare. ShelterCare trained me in a particular aspect of how ShelterCare staff

needed to be trained. I continued to do that once I left, because ShelterCare had invested

in training me.

VOICES: What does a day look like for you?

REBEKAH: For my day job - my professional job, I’m either at home, in my home

office or I’m travelling, because our clients are all over North America. So, Susan and I

do phone and email contact on a regular basis. We get together for lunch or coffee at

least once a month. I connect with the other Board members by phone and email and,

every so often, a coffee, and then the Board gets together once a month.

(Continued on page 13)

VOICES: What was your job title when you worked here?

REBEKAH: Assistant Executive Director of Programs.

VOICES: How long did you work for ShelterCare?

REBEKAH: From 2007 to 2009.

VOICES: How did you get your start here?

REBEKAH: So, I moved to Eugene in 1996. I was then Executive Director of the Eu-

gene Symphony when I met Susan. Now, I too, was a part of the non-profit world. I knew

her and I admired her. I admired the work that ShelterCare did. I took a kind of funny

sabbatical. I joined the Peace Corps and went to Albania. I came back. I had to get my

head back on after the Peace Corps. What am I going to do next? The opportunity

opened up here. I knew that ShelterCare was an organization that made sense with my

values and what I care about...and I could learn a whole lot from Susan.

VOICES: You’ve already stated it, but why do you support ShelterCare, once again?

REBEKAH: There’s one other reason. I’ll give it to you. Because I have family mem-

bers...because of their lives. I hope in their own cities there is a ShelterCare. Not only do

I live in Eugene, but I live in this neighborhood. I wouldn’t want to live in a city that

doesn’t have a ShelterCare. It wouldn’t be the type of place I could be proud of.

VOICES: What’s the secret of your positivity? You’ve been smiling the whole time

we’ve been talking.

REBEKAH: Maybe I enjoy talking to you!

VOICES: Yeah, well I haven’t ruled that out, anyway...

REBEKAH: It’s a really good question and I’m glad you included it. I’m inspired by a

couple of people in my life with this strength and optimism that I admire and strive to em-

ulate. I enjoy my work. I enjoy the people that I work with. And also, I come from a fami-

ly of musicians, so I go to a lot of concerts. I went to a wonderful concert in Portland on

Saturday night and that kind of feeds my soul and reminds me of what I care about in this

world.

(Continued from page 12)

(Continued on page 14)

VOICES: Do you have any pastimes you’d like to share with us?

REBEKAH: My husband and I spend a lot of time in eastern Oregon. We love the high

desert and the big wide open sky. All the empty country. You can see the stars. You can

see forever. I love that. I like to cook! I read a lot. And, like I said before, we go to a lot of

arts activities. Not only concerts, but the art museum at the university and a couple of

galleries around town.

VOICES: What is your personal involvement in the Arts? Are you a musician?

REBEKAH: I was a cellist. I don’t play anymore.

VOICES: What do you two do on vacation?

REBEKAH: It depends on where we are. So sometimes we’re on vacation in eastern

Oregon, in which case we’re hiking and exploring natural places and history; abandoned

ranch houses and things like that. We just got back from Hawaii where we visited Pearl

Harbor, which was tough, important, and moving. We went to a petroglyph field which is,

I guess, one of the largest in all of the Pacific islands. It was a half mile walk and ex-

traordinarily huge amounts of them. We love doing things like that. Anything with history

and culture.

VOICES: Tell us about your family:

REBEKAH: I have my husband Mike. We don’t have children. My sister and brother

live here in Oregon. And, I have grown nephews and a grown niece. Hanai is a Hawaiian

word. In Hawaiian culture there is this great, kind of informal, non-official adoption -

kind of like your chosen family type thing. So we have nieces who we love and are very

important to us.

VOICES: That’s truly wonderful! What about any pets?

REBEKAH: We’re a cat family. We have two cats; Birdie and Reuben.

VOICES: You’ve pretty much covered recreation. Do you have any hobbies?

REBEKAH: Cooking, reading, hiking...we do a tiny bit of bird watching. And then all

of those arts activities.

(Continued from page 13)

(Continued on page 15)

VOICES: That’s almost relaxation: The Arts.

REBEKAH: Yes, it brings a lot of joy!

VOICES: What other causes are you involved in - other volunteer work or any side

interests?

REBEKAH: Other volunteer work? I’m on a grant committee for the Oregon Commu-

nity Foundation that support performing arts organizations that perform at the Hult Cen-

ter. That’s really fun, since we have great performing arts organizations here and we get

to give them money. That’s a very fun volunteer job! We care about performing arts in

Eugene. We care about ShelterCare. My husband is very involved, in eastern Oregon

high desert environmental land use issues. We’re engaged in that as a couple - more him

than me, but we’re in that together.

VOICES: Any advice on leading a happy existence?

REBEKAH: Have good people in your life. And, take even a minute every day and

look at something beautiful. You know, autumn leaves or...I can look out my window of-

ten times and see a blue jay or a stellar jay and I’ll just watch the bird for a little while

until they fly off. You know, when I have a real stressful day, I quickly register something

beautiful; whatever it might be!

Voices and the ShelterCare Consumer Council would like to thank Ms. Lambert for

sharing her knowledge, activities and advice with us!

K. S. McGehee

(Continued from page 14)

Geese waiting for neighbor to feed them

~ photos by J. Hicks

A Parable

A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a

strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful

woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her cross to the other

side.

The two monks glanced at one another. This was long ago, and the order the monks belonged to for-

bid them to touch a woman.

Suddenly, without a word, the older monk picked up the woman, carried her across the river, placed

her gently on the other side, and continued his journey.

The younger monk

couldn't believe what

had just hap-

pened. After rejoining

his companion, he was

speechless, and an

hour passed without a

word between them.

Two more hours

passed, then three, fi-

nally the younger

monk could not con-

tain himself any long-

er. he blurted out: "As

monks, we are not per-

mitted to touch a wom-

an! How could you

then carry that woman

on your shoulders?"

The older monk looked

at him and replied,

"Brother, I set her

down on the other side

of the river. Why are

you still carrying her?"

~ submitted by

Tom Gerding

Throughout the next several issues, we’ll be publishing excerpts from the “Meeting

Your MyPlate Goals on a Budget” guide. You’ll learn many ideas for making

healthy, affordable choices. You’ll also get recipes and cooking tips to make those

healthy foods taste great. Think it’s not possible to eat well on a budget? You’re not

alone – in fact, 62% of shoppers say it costs too much to eat healthy food. The good

news is that it truly can be easy and affordable. In fact, serving fruits and vegetables

for snacks can actually SAVE you money. Snack-size portions of produce cost about

2 cents less on average than snack-size portions of foods like crackers, chips, or do-

nuts. Once you know you can do it, all you need are the tips and tricks to make it

happen.

brought to you by www.strength.org

thank you Naduah for finding this inspiring resource

PROTEIN

MyPlate says:

Choose lean proteins and vary your protein food choices.

The Budget Shopper says:

Use healthy, affordable proteins like beans, eggs, and canned fish several times per week.

Check your receipts next time you go to the store. Protein foods are likely one of the biggest strains on your

wallet when it comes to food shopping. Save big by using budget-friendly proteins more often. Replace half

the ground meat in tacos with your favorite beans. Use canned tuna or salmon in your next casserole. Or top

a salad with hardboiled eggs for protein power. If you’re buying meat or poultry, check your store flyers

before you shop. If you have enough space in your freezer, buy in bulk whatever is on deep discount and

freeze what you won’t use right away.

Time-saving tip: Dried beans are great when you have the time to soak them, but canned beans are a

great time-saver for weeknight meals. Rinse and drain before using to cut the sodium by almost half, or look

for low-sodium or no-salt-added versions.

The Budget Chef likes eggs!

At just 15 cents per egg, eggs are one of the most af-

fordable sources of high-quality protein. One egg con-

tains 6 grams of protein and varying amounts of 13

essential vitamins and minerals — all for about 70 calo-

ries.

The Budget Chef cooks easy eggs!

Scrambled Eggs

Beat eggs with a fork for 20-30 seconds. Heat pan over

medium-low. Coat with cooking spray. Turn heat down

to low and add eggs. Wait until you see eggs start to

“set,” or firm up, on the bottom. Begin to stir, pushing

eggs toward the center of the pan. When eggs are

cooked to your liking, add any other ingredients you

like. Try adding herbs, chopped tomatoes, or saute ed

mushrooms or veggies. Remove from pan and serve

right away.

Hard Cooked Eggs (commonly referred to as "hard

boiled" eggs)

Place eggs in a pot large enough to hold them in a sin-

gle layer. Cover with cold water. There should be about

an inch of water over the top of the eggs. Turn heat on

high. As soon as water comes to a rapid boil, remove

pot from heat. Cover tightly with a lid. Let sit 9-15

minutes, depending on the size of the egg. Remove lid

and drain off water. Transfer eggs to a bowl of cold wa-

ter. Let sit at least 10 minutes. Peel and serve. Or, if you

won't eat right away, refrigerate after cooling. Do not

peel until ready to eat.

Fried Eggs

Heat a pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.

Crack egg into a small bowl. Gently slide it off the bowl

and into the pan. Immediately reduce heat to low. Cover

pan with a lid. Cook about 5 minutes, until egg white

turns solid and yolk begins to thicken. Slide cooked egg

onto a plate.

FOR MORE TIPS ON COOKING WITH EGGS, VISIT WWW.INCREDIBLEEGG.ORG

Maria Sabina: Patron Saint of Psychedelia

It wasn’t until an amateur mushroom enthusiast and bank executive named

R. Gordon Wasson tracked her down, that María Sabina became something

like a global psychedelic superstar and inadvertently sparked a cultural

revolution that reverberates to this day.

A Passionate student of ethnomycology, Wasson was drawn to Mexico after learning of Spanish codices

that spoke of Aztec mushroom rituals. After several trips he finally made his way to Huatla de Jimenez

where a local community leader introduced him to Maria Sabina.

After Wasson had attended his first voyage with her, everyone seemed to know who she was and what

she did. Wasson was first introduced to Maria Sabina in 1955, by her friend Cayetano. He was a trusted

friend, and Maria felt that Cayetano’s requesting her to meet with a stranger who had traveled from afar

in search of a “sabia” was harmless. Upon first meeting Wasson, Maria Sabina believed him to be a sin-

cere and honest man, and felt that he would respect her ways, and never bring shame to her world. She

cautiously accepted Wasson when Cayetano approached her and would later accept many into her home;

there were also many whom she would turn away.

Maria Sabina placed her trust in Wasson and his friends, especially when she allowed them to tape and

photograph her during a her during an all night mushroom velada. She gave Wasson and his photogra-

pher Alan Richardson permission to tell her story to others. Dona Maria hoped that Wasson would not

profane her image or divulge her anonymity to the world in an improper manner. Because Dona Maria

could neither read nor write (her language has no written words) she would never know fully what Was-

son had written of her. Wasson ended up returning eight more times with support from everyone from

LIFE Magazine, to the CIA (who experimented with mushrooms as part of their infamous mind control pro-

gram MK Ultra). Maria was reluctant to perform the ritual on someone who wasn't technically sick.

By 1960, Maria Sabina realized that she was known

the world over. This newfound fame brought her

much grief, and the agony it cost her soul is evident

in her eyes and face. It brought turmoil and profana-

tion to her village and her work.

Central to the ceremony was the Psilocybe mush-

room, called nti-si-tho in Mazatec, Little-One-Who-

Springs-Forth. Maria Sabina called them her “Saint

Children.” Wasson was deeply impressed by his (Continued on page 22)

mushroom experience. He speaks of ecstasy, the flight of the soul from the body, entering other planes of

existence, floating into the divine presence, of reverence, gentleness and love, the presence of the ineffa-

ble, extinction in the divine radiance. He writes that the mushroom freed his soul to soar with the speed

of thought through time and space. The mushroom, he says, allowed him to know God. She says “It’s true

that Wasson and his friends were the first foreigners who came to our town in search of the Saint Chil-

dren and that they didn't take them because they suffered from any illness. The reason was that they

came to find God.”

Wasson’s description fall’s effortlessly into the language of ecstasy, awe, soul flight, the divine presence,

the knowledge of God - the same stock of European concepts from which Mircea Eliade drew.

And none of it, of course, had anything to do with the indigenous uses of the mushroom, whose purpose

was to cure sick people by, among other things, making them vomit. Maria Sabina adds “before Wasson,

nobody took the mushrooms only to find God. They were always taken for the sick to get well.” To find

God, Sabina (who considered herself a Catholic) went to Mass.

When Sabina ingested the mushrooms, the mushroom spirits would show her the cause of the sickness -

for example, through soul loss, malevolent spirits, or human sorcerers. “The sickness comes out of the

sick vomit. They vomit the sickness. They vomit because the mushrooms want them to. If the sick don't

vomit, I vomit. I vomit for them and in that way the malady is expelled. She would then be able to cure

the patient through the power of her singing. Sometimes the spirits told her that the patient could not be

cured.

Here are some verses of one of her chants...

I am the woman Book that is beneath the water, says

I am the woman of the populous town, says

I am the shepherdess who is beneath the water, says

I am the woman who shepherds the immense, says

I am a shepherdess and I come with my shepherd, says

Because everything has its origin

And I come going from place to place from the origin...

Wasson had clearly come to Mexico anticipating a religious or mystical experience, and now he had one.

Indeed he had lied to get it. He knew that the mushroom ceremonies for curing sickness or finding lost

objects, and he told Sabina as well as other Mazatec healers that he was concerned about the wherea-

bouts and well-being of his son. He later admitted it was just a deception in order to gain access to the

ceremonies. Like Wasson, the influx of North Americans who followed him to her village were not seeking

the cure of sickness; they were seeking enlightenment. “Some of these young people sought me out for

me to stay up with the little one who Springs Forth.” ‘We come in search of God,’ they said. It was difficult

(Continued from page 21)

(Continued on page 23)

for me to explain to them that the vigils weren't done for the simple desire to find God, but we're done

for the sole purpose of curing the sickness that our people suffer from.”

While Wasson was climbing the mountain and spirit, seeing Sabina as a saint-like figure, a spiritual psy-

chopomp, “religion incarnate,” Maria Sabina dwelled steadfastly in the valley of soul healing the sick,

vomiting for them, expelling their sickness, living her own difficult and messy life, until Wasson's spiritual

bypass destroyed the power of her mushrooms.

And unsurprisingly, after LIFE published a detailed profile of the curandera, Huautla De Jimenez quickly

became a tourist destination for adventurous young mystics seeking an authentic velada (Spanish for

“evening”), many of whom abused the ceremony as a temporary thrill rather than respecting the ancient

wisdom behind the ritual. In the end, Maria Sabina was shunned by her community for commercializing

their traditions and claimed the Ninos de Santos lost their power after so much misuse.

She died in poverty in 1985, at 91 years of age, but not before tending to the likes of Bob Dylan and John

Lennon. The lack of respect which the foreigners displayed towards her Saint Children shook the very

foundations of her wisdom, strength, and world. Like the ancient Mysteries of the Temple of Dionysus or

Silence of the ancient rites was golden. Maria Sabina claimed that before Wasson came, nobody spoke

openly about the Saint Children. No Mazatec before had ever revealed what he or she knew about the

matter.

Epilogue: 5 years, or so later…

...LSD was synthesized, back in 1938, by Swiss genius Albert Hofmann, the same chemist that isolated the

two active alkaloids responsible for the hallucinogenic properties of psilocybin mushrooms. LSD was popu-

larized and introduced to the public by rogue chemists, like the Grateful Dead’s sound engineer Augustus

Stanley Owsley lll, or “Bear” (who claims to have manufactured no less than 500 grams of the drug be-

tween 1965 until 1967) - enough for a little over five million doses), psychologist Tim Leary and author Ken

Kesey (of Acid Test Party fame) among others. This was mostly due to the high profit margin (doses are

measured in micrograms - 1 millionth of a gram). LSD had a very limited list of uses by the psychology

community of the time - other than supposed talk therapy while the patient is hallucinating. Psychedelic

therapy was also tried with some apparent success as an aid to the cessation of alcohol, along with help-

ing the dying make their inevitable transition.

-S.A. Patel

Sources: remezcla.com, www.singingtotheplants.com, https://erowid.org, wiki

(Continued from page 22)

The Humor Page…

Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned?

My therapist said that my narcissism causes me to misread social situations. I'm

pretty sure she was hitting on me.

Every time you clean something, you just make something else dirty.

The word "swims" upside-down is still "swims".

Intentionally losing a game of rock, paper, scissors is just as hard as trying to win.

My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We'll see about that.

The doctors that told Stephen Hawking he had two years to live in 1953 are prob-

ably dead.

If you replace "W" with "T" in "What, Where and When", you get the answer to

each of them.

Many animals probably need glasses, but nobody knows it.

The pharmacist asked me my birth date again today. I'm pretty sure she's going

to get me something.

"Doctor," said the receptionist over the phone, "there's a patient here who thinks

he's invisible." "Well, tell him I can't see him right now."

How many psychotherapists does it take to change a lightbulb?

Just one, so long as the light bulb wants to change.

~ submitted by Kevin McGehee

­

ShelterCare's Consumer Council is recruiting community volunteers to lead

consumer activity groups and consumer outings.

ShelterCare's Volunteer Coordinator is working with the Consumer Council

on planning and recruitment.

Updates will be made at the monthly Consumer Council meetings on the

third Thursday of each month at ShelterCare's 499 W 4th Ave location from

2:00pm-3:30pm.

If you have questions about volunteering, please contact Mathew Loyd at

mloyd@sheltercare.org

More information to come!!!

RECIPES Skinny Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken

Author: Kelly - lifemadesweeter.com

INGREDIENTS

⅓ cup cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

4 - 6 dried red chili peppers (to taste

⅔ cup roasted cashews (or roasted peanuts)

1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 medium zucchini, chopped into halves

Sauce ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup water

3 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

¼ - ½ teaspoon dried red pepper chili flakes

Cornstarch slurry 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2-3 Tablespoons water

I N S T R U C T I O N S

In a large zip-top bag, toss in chicken, cornstarch, salt and black pepper. Shake.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly

browned. Transfer chicken into slow cooker. (SEE NOTE FOR STOVETOP DIRECTIONS)

Whisk together sauce ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5 - 4 hours or HIGH for 1.5 - 3 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into the

slow cooker. Add the dried red chili peppers, red bell peppers, zucchini and cashews.

Cover and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce

has thickened up. (Add more water to thin out sauce to your preferred consistency).

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Brown the chicken until cooked through (7-8 minutes). Then add vegeta-

bles and saute for about 3 minutes – or until tender. Add the sauce to the pan, turn to high heat and cook

until the sauce bubbles and thickens up – about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Once every-

thing is coated and heated through, serve hot with favorite sides.

~ submitted by Jana Hicks

RECIPES Broccoli Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

from tasteslovely.com

INGREDIENTS

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 heads of broccoli, chopped, about 3-4 cups

1 pound fettuccine pasta

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 tablespoons butter

3 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, heat a large skillet over medi-

um high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the broccoli, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and

cook the broccoli uncovered for 4 minutes until bright green. Add in 1/4 cup water, and cook uncovered

until the water has evaporated, and the broccoli is crisp tender. Transfer the cooked broccoli to a medium

size bowl.

Add the fettuccine to the water, and cook according to manufacturers instructions.

In the same skillet you cooked the broccoli, heat another tablespoon of olive oil, and cook the chicken in an

even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and

cooked through, turning the chicken several times. Transfer the cooked chicken to the same bowl as the

broccoli.

In the same skillet, melt the butter, then cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the heavy cream, and scrape

up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the grated parmesan cheese, and cook until melted

and just starting to bubble. Turn the heat to low.

When the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, then add to

the skillet with the sauce. Add the cooked chicken and broccoli, toss to combine. If necessary, add in pasta

water to thin the sauce.

Serve warm, topped with grated parmesan cheese.

~ submitted by Jana Hicks

Thank you to this issue’s contributors:

Tom Gerding, Jana Hicks, Brenda Little, Maddy Maitlen, Kevin McGehee,

Oliver Ocheltree, Saraswati A. Patel, Matthew Switzer, Mark Vogtsberger,

Naduah Wheeler, Cynthia Williams, Ellen Winchester

Regular Contributors:

K. McGehee: Interviews, Photography, Non-fiction

Oliver Ocheltree, Poetry

Matthew Switzer, Fiction

Mark Wallenbrock: Poetry

Leonie Daniels: Editor/Layout

Mayor Vinis

will attend the April 19th Consumer Council meeting

Save the date!