Wow folks.. I know I've said this before.. but this week the ecotrain posts are just amazing.. you would think that after weeks and months of writing we would run out of Steem, but that is surely not the case! It's been a challenge choosing the posts to include this week as there were so many, and as you can see I have done my best to include a wide range of topics for you to enjoy. I'm sure you cant read them all, but just like a magazine you can flick through and find the ones you like. There is surely something for everyone here this week!

I would also like to welcome some wonderful new passengers on board! A big warm ecoTrain hug to @riverflows, @senorcoconut, @thelaundrylady, and @vegan.niinja! All of them are genuinely amazing people and are writing such beautiful posts! I'm so happy that I can include and support them in this weeks @ecoTrain magazine!

AS ALWAYS PLEASE REMEBER TO FOLLOW YOUR FAVORITES SO YOU CAN SEE MORE OF THEIR POSTS IN YOUR FEED

@solarsupermama

Do it Yourself! *How to Raise Independent Children*

Long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I was a staff member at a small democratic school in Asheville, NC. To be more specific, the school was based on the sudbury model. Many of you have read a number of my rambling rants about the state of education in the world today and the larger issue of children’s rights. For those who don’t know, Sudbury schools allow children the freedom to do what they will with their days and choose the best path to adulthood for themselves. They are given both the freedom to be and responsibility for their own lives and path. There’s a lot more to it than that, but that’s the gist of it.

What Does it Mean to Change the World?

...Here’s the thing. You are one person. You are one drop in the ocean, but we are the ocean. We have to work together as a web of community, and we have to empower one another to do our parts. At the risk of sounding ridiculously cheezy, we all came to this earth with a gift to share. We all have a piece of this puzzle that when put together will make an even more beautiful and way funner earth. We need to empower one another to figure out what our piece is and support each other in our sacred work. We must encourage our brothers and sisters and make sure everyone knows they are enough, that none of us need to do it all or do it alone. We must change the world together...

@wombloom

Psychotherapy with the Divine

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH TODAY? Psychotherapy with the Divine How many times have you been called a bottomless pit by the ones that didn't give you enough? How many times have you been called rude for reminding someone of an agreement they made with you and forgot about? How many times have you been called selfish when you wanted to keep that which was rightfully yours? How many times have you been asked to give up your basic needs just to be approved of?

Earth Love (poem)

You are our daughter,
We are proud of you.
We cary you,
We love you and provide for you.
You are our precious daughter.
Don't worry sweetheart,
It's not about others and their opinions, it's about your own life.
Follow the red thread of things that help you grow in love
and don't get distracted.

Menstruation myths

This is a co-creation post in which you are asked to participate, if you like. It is about all the myths around having your period. Which ones have you heard or experienced to be true and which ones do you think are very untrue and maybe even downright insulting. I happen to know of a few that are actually quite empowering. So if you are interested, read on!

I am having my period at this moment and I was just wondering wether or not it is a good time to plant my seedlings out in the garden. I know the moon cycle influences the plants and I was wondering if our menstrual cycle has some affect on that too.

@celestialcow

why where you spend your money matters: check out the organic farm shop where I buy my weekly veggies

I stopped shopping at supermarkets years ago, like most people the supermarket is just normality that we just don't question, the supermarket or mini supermarkets are convenient and cheap, we get suckered into the deals and buying packaged items that aren't healthy for us just because theres a buy 1 get 1 free offer. Not to mention the fruit and vegetables are usually quite old, shipped from miles around or come in loads of packaging.

Raw food ideas: Purple kale and Sundried Tomato Salad

Have you ever tried going fully raw? It's no something I think I can do because I always seem to want to toss something cooked even into my salads, but I was determined today to have a fully raw lunch, to feel lighter and more energized for the summer time.

I recently picked up some bio sundried tomatoes and they tasted well like little pops of sunshine :) they're a bit hard to chew in it's whole form, but in thin slices tossed into a salad its unreal!

One simple, quick & effortless technique to make you feel calm and clear in seconds!

There's nothing better than arriving at a deserted beach and just listening to the sounds of the waves to get in that relaxed state of being

With the sun shining, i'll be sunbathing and probably snoozing in seconds, this is a great way to unwind but unfortunately modern life means there's not much time for relaxing days like these. Most people spend a lot of our lives not getting enough oxygen, particularly people who live in cities and urban areas, due breathing in recycled air or car exhaust fumes. But also many people just don't breath deep enough regularly.

@ecoinstant

Lazy Lizard allows pictures to be taken

Good Evening to all! When I wander around, I keep my eyes open for wildlife; when I see some wildlife the first thing I try to do is take a picture of it! This is a new reaction for me caused, I believe, largely by the interactions here on the Steem Blockchain. In particular, I often think of Papa-Pepper's Combination Photography Contest as an example of contests that are constantly being hosted here and are a great outlook for so much of the content we can produce.

@eco-alex

PAY IT FORWARD MINNOW SUPPORT PROJECT WEEK #3: 41 MINNOWS SUPPORTED!

It has been great third week for the minnow support project thanks to the great support by @kennyskitchen, @tribesteemup, @jerrybanfield and @canadian-coconut. I have been able to give away over $50 SBD of upvotes to 40 people! This week we had many great people posting on the #ecotrain tag to get a chance for an up-vote worth up to $4 USD! I've been busy every day selecting the best posts that I can find with low rewards, and up-voting people who write great articles from the @ecotrain voting bot. Those who wrote really great posts received upvotes from smartsteem as well!

Congratulations to all of you who are writing great content, I hope this project will keep you inspired and engaged with Steemit so that you can keep up the great work! I know how much effort you have all put into your posts, and am Very happy to be able to pay it forward like this. I am doing my best to get even more delegation so that I can give you all even more, but I know from your comments that you still appreciate what I am able to do, so thank you for your support and continued engagement!

The Unspoken Revolution: High Tech, Automation and AI may be about to take your job! It's time to get off-grid and self sufficient!

There is a quiet revolution happening in the world. We can see the signs, and yet it isn't really being discussed. The speed at which technology is advancing is increasing day by day, and we have already reached the point that things like self driving cars are now a reality. This is the future folks, and it is here! Things are starting to advance as such a speed that within 10-15 years this world will be almost unrecognisable because of automation. In January, a study found that about 30% of tasks in 60% of occupations will be automated and last year, the Bank of England’s chief economist said that 80m US will be lost. Robots and AI are about to be unleashed and they will be taking over very many roles and jobs that us humans have been doing. According to Oxford university, 47% of Jobs Will Disappear in the next 25 Years in the UK! That is a huge figure, and that there is no debate happening about this! There is no control on the extent to which manual jobs will be replaced by automation because we live in a free market or capitalist world. Big business are poised to remove as many of their staff as they can in just about every sector in the drive to save money and provide customers with a better and faster service. Whilst we can sit and debate whether this is a good idea or not, it IS happening!

How do you define Ascension? The Path To Enlightenment part 9 of 9 - FINALE!

Why are we here, in this physical body? What is our purpose? If we are reborn time and time again then what is the meaning and goal of this great game of life? Are we all destined to reach the same place.. eventually.. or are there many destinations along our epic cosmic journey? We all have one thing in common, free will and the freedom to choose not only how we act, feel, and live, but also how we re-act to the many challenges and tests that life brings. It is fair to say that we are all tested in each and every moment, and we all make hundreds if not thousands of choices every day. For some people these are conscious choices that we give thought to with great mindfulness. For others they are simply the same actions and learned responses that we are used to making. What do you do when you wake up? Is life just a routine, or is every day and every moment an opportunity for change and self improvement? We are all blessed with our lives, and life itself is a great gift that is all too easy to take for granted. It is a miracle that each and every day we wake up, and we breathe, our hearts beat, and our body gives us the opportunity to be here in this physical world.

@trucklife-family

I Bleed to Life

Before I share my truth, I wish to say thank you to @wombloom who wrote such a beautiful post about WomensMenstruation mythsplease take the time to read it. Her writing has inspired me to write my truth about our woman moon cycle.

Instead of loving, respecting and honouring all that is sacred within all living things, today's society treat all natural cycles from ageing to death with such fear and hostility. Women were and still are made to feel unclean and ashamed and have been punished down through the ages during their moon cycle or menstruation. I know that for me, I was very ashamed when I first started my cycle, my mum gave me a book to look at and that was it. There was no mother daughter chat as she was as embarrassed as I was. It was just not what happened when I was growing up.

How Do You Honour Your Body?

Everyday is the day to celebrate our bodies. But We don't this, we tend to celebrate other peoples bodies instead. But all of our bodies are amazing, why are we not acknowledging this and honouring what we have.

The last few days I have had a sore lower back, I have been doing my best to take things slowly and sit up straight and do some stretches everyday. A few years ago I really put my back out and ended up lying down for almost 2 weeks trying to recover. I had to be carried from our bus into a friends house, because lying on my bed was too uncomfortable, so I camped in a friends house for that time. It helped that there was a bathroom right next door to me too.

Feeling So Much Gradtitude for My Body

Everything that I have achieved in my life has been possible because of this amazing vessel that I have.I have so much to be grateful for, so I feel very happy that I have 7 days in which to write about those things. But first up it has to be my body.

I have gone through stages of my life where I have not looked after myself as well as I should have, but today I stand as strong as I have ever been. This body of mine has almost never let me down, even in those moments of self destruction. It has carried me forward and allowed me to grow and mature. I have had times where I have felt uncomfortable about the way I looked, but those times are now behind me.

@thegreens

The Plastic Problem; a myth or a reality? Facts, Research Findings and Tips to #BeatPlasticPollution. World Environment Day in Cameroon

Did you know? 8.3 BILLION Metric Tons of plastic has been produced since plastic was introduced in the 1950s. This has generated 6.3 BILLION Metric tons of plastic waste of which 8 MILLION Metric Tons winds up in our oceans each year. Did you know 260,000 Tons of plastic float in the sea and this is poisoning our food chain and that by the year 2050 if we don’t act, there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish? #PlasticOceans

What is Plastic Pollution? It’s one of the major environmental challenges of our time and can simply be referred to as the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife and their habitat as well as human population. It can affect land, waterways, water, oceans, air, flora and fauna.

It makes me Cry BUT We can #BeatPlasticPollution – If you can't reuse it, refuse it! #WorldEnvironmentDay2018

World Environment Week in the North West Region #BeatPlasticPollution "If you can’t reuse it, refuse it!"

Wednesday

On May 30th 2018, The Greens in partnership with the Bamenda City Council, HYSACAM, MIDENO and the Regional Delegation for the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED) of the North West Region as well as other civil society organizations (OIPA, Better World Cameroon, SURUDEV, SIRDEP, etc) of the North West Region launched the World Environment Week in the North West Region under the theme "Beat Plastic Pollution" with the slogan "if you can't reuse it, refuse it"

@rainbowrachel

Choose LOVE over Fear... The Simple Answer to a More Happy Life

Hello you beautiful Steemian you!

I hope this post finds you well and happy :) If not, just look around!...The sun has risen once again, and there is air effortlessly flowing into and out of our lungs. How amazing is that!?!? There is so much to be grateful for.

Today I want to talk to you about Love and Fear.
When it comes down to it, in simplest terms, everything in life can be categorized into 1 of 2 things. Life is basically the game of Black versus White (as Alan Watts explains it), or Good verses Bad. Life verses Death. And as I like to think about it, Love versus Fear. Fear is essentially the absence of LOVE. Or we can think of it as Love versus Hate.

How Losing my Luggage Changed My Life

Hello you beautiful Steemian you! Sending you my love and light on this glorious day! Today I’d love to share with you a short story of how losing my luggage actually gave me so much freedom and paved the way for me to make some big life changes.

In November of 2013 my two best friends and I decided to travel together to Thailand. It was my first time ever going to Asia, and one of my first few times leaving the country. One of these friends and I had recently moved to Austin, Texas all the way from Detroit, Michigan, and we were just settling in to our new lives. But in the midst of all this newness, we took a break from our new routines and travelled around the world to a completely new culture.

@senorcoconut

Our First Days Living OFF-GRID!!!

Well, we are officially Off-Grid. I have been talkng about moving, for many months on steemit. But this has been a long dream coming... It's been in my head for over 10 years!

• In one post, I tell you how we are Prepping to Build a Homestead... thanks to @Goldendawne for making me think about how we'de been getting ready and putting it into words.

• In another, I show you how we Cleared an Area by Hand to make room for the delivery of our Off Grid Mansion.

• Now we are Officially, full time homesteaders and our dream of building a Multi-family Homestead with Anarchist Tendencies is finally HERE!

Here's to our stories...!

We had been packing for a couple of weeks and yesterday marked out FIRST DAY living off the grid!

@afifa

10 Amazing Treasure Hunts Games to do with kids

The treasure hunt, in its infinite variations, involves the baby of every age in an experience of discovery, commitment and cheerful sharing with others. Here are ten versions of simple and fun treasure hunts that will make the time spent with children unique.

Treasure hunts are classic game that involves children of (almost) every age in an experience of discovery, commitment and cheerful sharing with others. The only essential precaution to turn a rainy afternoon into a special event is not overdoing it. A game mechanism that is too complex, long and very rigid would risk boring players, especially the little ones. So, look at age and always keep in mind a rule: simplicity , often, really 'captures' children

@nainaztengra

Children can be Great Teachers for Parents

It is our general belief that we are the teachers for our children and our children need to learn everything from us, yes this is correct but I have a little deviation from this thought. I also believe that children can be great teachers for us, it is about us how we would like to view and accept this without any ego. If we look at small children they are always joyful, they never hold any type of grudge or hard feelings for anyone. Even if they have had a fight with their friends, they would not talk with them for just couple of minutes, you will see how fast they get back to their friends and once again go ahead as if nothing happened. Can we as parents and elders do this; I think it's very difficult for us.......

When I look back at my life I desired my parents to be in a certain way which may have made a big difference in my life. I have also observed in today's generation that children have far better IQ than those born 20 to 30 years back. I think with every generation it's getting different with the children. So it's not that parents lack parenting skills but its just about being more adaptive with the change to their needs and showing willingness to change as well as per their needs. Or to put it better Upgrading ourselves.

@riverflows

Kindness & OneNess: Attitude of Gratitude #2

If we all wished for others what we wished for ourselves, how much more beautiful would the world be? If we made sure that each action we did was out of deep care for ourselves and others, how much joy could we all bring to the world? How much closer can we get to the divine that acting in a compassionate way that recognised all beings as one?

Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas Some cynically argue that any kind of caring or altruism is self-interest because it comes back at us in kind. However, I don’t see the negative in that – surely, if we are careful as we act throughout our lives, extending loving kindness and compassion to all beings, then that’s going to come back to us too, and that’s a win win for all?

Attitude of Gratitude #1: The Little Things Become the Big Things

When I was tagged in this positivity challenge my first thought was my father. If I was going to talk about 7 things across 7 days that I was grateful for and that injects a whole lot of positivity into my life, I had to start with him. So this is my attitude of gratitude part 1/7 - eek!! - and it's probably the heaviest one for me. I promise I'll be lighter through the week!

An Inherited Gratitude for the Little Things
Dad’s always had this super excited passionate positive vibe to him. He’s got this utter appreciation for music that totally rocks his world, and I remember him calling me on my travels INSISTING I listen to that track or the other because it was ‘music you could listen in the dark to’, referencing his habit of putting on a song in the dark for a total auditory experience.

@omdemian

awareness-transformation-healing

How awareness is essential to transform and heal our core issues.

WATCH IT AT DLIVE
https://dlive.io/video/omdemian/350ca530-6800-11e8-b440-7b6997b9f3d1

@thelaundrylady

Food Forest Update (June 2018) - Garden Journal Showcasing Photos from My Food Forest

It's time for another food forest update. We have hardly had a Spring to speak of this year. We went from freezing temperatures directly into consistent 90 degree and dry conditions. There is also nothing in the near term forecast that indicates any change from this current pattern. The normal Spring rains didn't come this year. We really have only had one substantial rain since our last frost date (April 15th). So, the lack of rain and the unusually hot Spring temperatures have made it a little more difficult to get everything watered. But on the other hand, that also means less mowing and weed pulling. Luckily, we are fortunate to have two artesian wells on our property. So, we have been watering with the well water, but nothing beats the wonderful rain from Mother Nature. It's the dry years like this one that make you truly appreciate rain.

@vegan.niinja

Genius VEGAN CINNAMON-PANCAKES! RECIPE! GF-Sugar free & oil free- Simple Recipe that taste like HEAVEN!!

Hi sweeties!! Forget all the pancake recipes you have tried so far, this is the one and only you need from now on, doesn't matter if you are a vegan or not! They are sweet from dates, super healthy for you with chia and oats, and also give you a real energy boost! The best part: they are super easy to make! A foolproof recipe that works for everyone!

If you have been looking for a pancake recipe for some Sunday pancakes, I really hope you will give these a try. My little boy also love them! (But even more the berries, lol!)

@ecoTrain

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PASSENGERS
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