A stressed lemon tree, for example, will often produce a huge crop of tiny, very seedy lemons. This is simply lemon tree’s way of preparing for it’s own imminent demise and also it’s own legacy of possible seedlings. Another stress example: In daily pollen collections taken by biology professor Dr. Lee Parker and his students from top of Fisher Science Building at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, California, taken during middle of a severe seven year drought, all-time record oak pollen count levels were recorded. In past twenty years in particular there has been a huge increase in this planting of male cloned street trees. These trees can not produce pollen until they mature but with increases in CO2 levels, we can predict that they will mature earlier than expected. Shannon L. LaDeau, a researcher at Duke University found that pine trees grown with elevated levels of CO2 produced three times normal amount of seeds and also matured prematurely. Lewis H Ziska, Ph.D., a USDA researcher, recently found that increased CO2 resulted in huge increases in pollen production of ragweed and other weeds. David Karowe, a researcher at University of Michigan, found another interesting factor about increased CO2 levels and plants: their leaves contain fewer nutrients than normal. Nancy Tuchman, biology professor at Loyola University in Chicago, is also researching feed value of CO2 enhanced leaves on microorganisms and insects. She found that they all grow slower when fed these “enhanced” leaves. “If all plants are altered on a global level, then it’s certainly going to affect all organisms on Earth,” she said. “No one is going to escape.” Compounding all of this is that excessive burning of fossil fuels and resulting pollution may well be compromising our very endocrine and immune systems. Theo Colburn explored this well in very interesting book, “Our Stolen Future.” Great increases in already excessively high rates of urban pollen, combined with further compromised immune systems, may well be recipe for allergies of true epidemic proportions in not too distant future. Dr. Robert C. Stebbins, renowned biologist from UC Berkeley, told me recently in a phone conversation, that planting of all these cloned male dioecious and compromised monoecious trees, “is a classic example of how they just didn’t think about ecology involved.” If we don’t start paying closer attention to how we landscape our cities, and we don’t start getting serious about alternative clean energy sources, rampant allergies and other pollen-related illnesses may well be end result.

This article first appeared in New Scientist Magazine, in London.

6. Reconnect with Your Intuition -- Your Deeper Self

For centuries, many cultures have focused a tremendous amount of effort in direction of developing mind. We don't all grow up learning how to trust our gut or look closely at our dreams and instincts. Instead, we are taught to grow our minds, and to ignore our deeper selves. Our intuition can create tremendous energy, and can guide us to a place which is healing in all areas of life...the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. What are you pretending not to "know"?

7. Uncover and Dissolve Your Tolerations

Some of most common tolerations in Spiritual Environment include: My own judgment of myself and others; low spiritual energy...frustration, anger, doubt, fear; I don't know what I believe or where I get my energy...I sometimes wonder if there is a higher power; overwhelm and inability to tap intuition; and I feel disconnected and alone. What do you often tolerate in your spiritual environment that keeps you from enjoying peace and a sense of spiritual fulfillment?

8. Be Source

By enjoying a spiritually supportive environment, you come to see yourself as a positive source of energy and trust in your ability to create positive energy sources. You begin to understand that you are responsible for what you manifest, be it joy or sorrow, and you chose wisely. Are you conscious of energy you take with you when you walk into a room?

9. Convert Feelings of Conflict Into Love and Contentment

Do you want to feel "unplugged, out of sorts, in conflict, and tense," or do you want to feel "love, joy, harmony, and a feeling of peace?" In world of five senses, we often find ourselves in conflicting situations, because we have strongly held opinions and beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. "She is cheap, or he is stupid, or they are arrogant, or she is a dizzy blond" are not who they really are - they are your judgments. As Wayne Dyer says " When you judge another person you do not define them. You merely define yourself as someone who needs to judge." It will be difficult to bring spiritual stability and harmony into your life as long as you accept notion that one way is right and one way is wrong. By bringing an open and non-judgmental soundness to your interactions with yourself, your relationships, and to each life process, your own spiritual energy will be raised.

10. Achieve Authentic Empowerment

Many people find their connection to world through five senses. This is a connection to external forces of world, and relying on these fives senses alone can create an amazing amount of fear. Many people believe that someone who is spiritually evolved has moved beyond five senses and is able to fully see dynamics and currents which cause anger, hate, and frustration, and those which create love, happiness, and a feeling of contentment. Spiritual experts agree that our souls are designed to thrive in spaces filled with love, creativity, abundance, happiness, and a feeling of peace. When ego begins to serve soul completely, authentic empowerment is achieved.