I’ve preached the importance of water in cocktails before (see my post here). dale degroff feels a quality drink starts with ice made from the purest water. chef ellen post allocates a full chapter in her cookbook to hydration: “Stay Hydrated––Always.” i’ve always felt water is as important to us as oxygen and sleep, and in my humble experience i found there’s no water like kangen water.

There are hundreds of waters available today, all promoting a unique feature from some sacred spring from which it sprung, to anti-oxidant qualities rivaling that of acai, pomegranate and cranberry put together, to the extreme eco-friendliness of recycled sewage or tap water. my good friend jan swears by Jennifer anniston’s smart water. world renowned Masaru emoto happens to market his own brand of energized water as well, which i’m sure works. if you think for a moment, i’m sure you know AT LEAST one person that has invested in a water ionizer. personally, i’m hopelessly in love with the water from my parent’s upstate NY well, so much so that i’d schlep 20 gallons at a time back to manhattan with me. the bottom line is that we love water, and obviously believe the quality of our water matters.

during my trunk show at henri bendel i met a doctoral student who was familiar with kangen water—he said it was an amazing product. i was surprised he knew of it, as most new yorkers have never heard of it. i naturally assumed he had his own kangen water machine, but he told me he didn’t. surprised, i asked why not? he told me he doesn’t need one, because he transmutes his own water! Ok, well, if you are transmuting chemical-laden city water into healthy vibrant water with only the power of your mind, or some other newfangled device, don’t bother finishing this article… you don’t need a kangen machine! But if you’re like me–not fully able to alchemize lead into gold just yet–then read on my Neanderthal friend, read on…

i first learned that i had an acidity problem 1 1/2 years ago. doctor mony vital, explained to me that i could simply alkalize my body by cutting out the highly acidic foods such as EVERYTHING I SUBSISTED ON! as a vegan, my pickins were all ready slim, and now i had to nix such dietary staples such as citrus, tomatoes, soy, mushroom, white rice, dairy, garlic, coffee and that little old thing called S-T-R-E-S-S. it took over a year to accomplish this herculean feat, but for the most part, i’ve done it. (contact mony for a free one-time health analysis—it will blow your socks off. watch mony’s groundbreaking video here.) no sooner of course, did i kick those devilish foods, when i learned about the secret shortcut called KANGEN WATER. to think i could have just been drinking this water the whole time–it’s good i found out about the kangen water after i gave up my favorite goodies or i’m pretty sure i’d never have done it.

the fact is that kangen water can FAST TRACK you (and your pets) to an alkaline body and better health. ideally, you’ll want to eat healthier and drink healthier. but in this article, we’re just talking water… If you don’t know that acid is a serial killer, well let me be the first to tell you. Acid is one of the major routes of disease: both mental and physical. Our bodies are 70%-90% water. In light of this scientific fact, There should be no question that each of us is our own walking fish tank. Keeping fish (especially tropical) requires regular testing of the tank water to ensure the safety of the fish. If the water is too acidic, the fish will sicken or die. When this happens, the entire tank must be emptied and refilled with fresh, neutral water. If we treated our bodies more like the fish tanks they were, we’d be quicker to identify, and even prevent, disease. Obviously we can’t exactly change the water in our body-tanks, but we can pump fresh, high-quality water into them. just know that like men, all water is not created equal; and all water ionizers are not created equal either. i’ll get into the specifics of that later…

MY EXPERIENCE WITH KANGEN WATER THUS FAR:
i was introduced to kangen water only a few months ago––in that short time i’ve seen astounding results. read on, dear reader…

1. i have noticed that my healthier friends don’t usually find the water immediately special after drinking it. but my less healthy friends are almost instantaneously and ostensibly helped by the water. i’ll admit that as a reasonably healthy person i felt nothing special about the water when i first drank it. but my distributor friend insisted that it was special, and my mom even told me that she’d noticed a boost in her energy when she tried it. hmmnnn… i was determined to prove kangen’s power or not! so, when i fell ill this winter, the perfect opportunity to test the healing power of the water presented itself. I’m going to attempt to maintain an ounce of my privacy and spare you the precise nature of my affliction. Let it be said though, that after a week or so of drinking kangen water, my little problem went away. when i stopped drinking the water, my little problem came back. that’s when i first realized that there was something about this water…

2. My good friend jan (smart water fan above) has a 14 year old dog who was bedridden—or more accurately–floor-ridden. sweetie wouldn’t get up, wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t drink… and it had been three days. jan was thinking about the unthinkable, if you catch my drift. I decided to bring sweetie some kangen water as a last resort. no sooner had i placed the bowl of water on the floor in front of sweetie, than she started lapping it up like she’d never seen water before. jan’s cat even tried to get in on the action and sip some up for herself, even though i made it perfectly clear that this was dog, not cat, water. well within five minutes sweetie was practically running laps around the apartment. seriously, this was a miracle, and i had seen it firsthand. sweetie then ate, and went for a walk with me outside. granted, sweetie was falling down every now and then, and running in an odd circular pattern—but for someone who was supposed to be “passing over” any minute now–she was doing awesome. jan bought a kangen machine from me the next day. She claims it makes her 72 year old hair feel like silk, and that she has more energy too. recently, i paid jan and cookie a visit. as a test, i offered cookie some tap water, which she turned her nose up at. when i offered her freshly made kangen water she drank half a bowl without taking a rest. swear. jan told me cookie she is regaining strength in her back legs, but she still has difficulty getting around. jan’s fellow seniors at the center she dines at daily, have remarked that her hair looks fabulous. (credit) they all to want to know what she is doing to make it so beautiful! jan also shared with me that she has never been able to grow her nails long as they chip and break. she now has healthy, long, hard nails! she has no desire to drink any other type of water, except her kangen—she’s completely off her smart water (sorry jennifer). one last observation is that jan started brewing her coffee with kangen. it should be noted that jan is quite the coffee connoisseur to say the least. jan’s mouth almost exploded when she tasted her kangen coffee… the flavor was beyond description. she claims she’d never tasted coffee that delicious in her life: wow. i personally have noticed that jan has much more stamina when i visit her. personally, i find the difference in her energy level astounding.

3. most recently, i met someone with Sciatica, and i just happened to have a gallon of fresh kangen water on me. i’d heard this water was particularly good for relieving this type of pain, so i offered it to her… and went about my business, returning to check in on my new friend a few hours later. when i returned she was in awe as she explained to me that the mind-numbing pain in her leg was completely gone. i had witnessed yet another kangen miracle. this person also claimed that it gave her an incredible energy boost.

4. jan’s friend jennifer had a severe urinary tract infection that needed treatment with cypro. her doctor forgot to write the script and jennifer was forced to endure another night in agony. jan ran some kangen water over to her, instructing her to drink it as if it were medicine. it was only a few hours later that jennifer called jan to say she was still in some pain, but to a much less degree. in fact, she went on to tell jan, she had actually gotten up and cleaned the house and went shopping–something she hadn’t been able to do in weeks! again, she commented not only on the immediate and lasting burst of energy, but the clarity of thought that the kangen water gave her.

5. i gave some kangen water to my mom’s friend, who has a high blood pressure problem. she drank the water for two days and got her blood pressure tested. it was lower all ready! coincidence? i don’t believe in them…

so peeps, this has been my short and collective personal experience thus far. and i can assure you i’m so not making any of this stuff up. through others, and from others, i could recount endless stories that I’ve heard along these same lines… tales involving horses, dogs and cats, tales involving humans with autism, depression, insomnia, asthma, heartburn, arthritis, krohn’s, ulcers, gastric problems, heart disease, pet and other types of allergies, kidney stones, skin conditions, gout, candidiasis, fungus, gastronomy problems, sarcoidosis, diabetes, cancer, weight problems, prostate and colon problems, auto-immune diseases, brain fog and more… they are all tales of varying success. my apologies for discussing nasty stuff on a cocktail blog, but i feel compelled to advertise the extreme medicinal nature of this water, so forgive me for being gross!

SO HOW DOES KANGEN WATER WORK?The name kangen is Japanese for “return to the origin,” which describes the fact that kangen converts our now toxic water back into its natural, pristine state. i’ve been told that the actual technology for the kangen machine was used by the Russians, long before japan capitalized on it. If this is the truth, I say THANK YOU, to the japanese for bringing this miraculous technology to the public! There are too many suppressed ideas, technologies and inventions out there. the japanese studied the healing water at the spring of lourdes, france, famous for it’s life-enhancing quality. it was found to have a high concentration of hydrogen, which means it was really alkalized! the structure of the famous water at lourdes was emulated and in 1965 kangen water was born. the inventor, Dr. Shinya is no quack. he treats the japanese royal family, at least one US president and many politicians and celebrities. he’s been professor of surgery at albert einstein college of medicine, chief of endoscopy at beth israel medical center and is the founder of the shinya medical clinic. Kangen water FINALLY arrived in the states in 1995 in california (of course), and has only been available on the east coast since 2004. available the world over, a new office is opened every three months—in a worldwide recession. so now you CAN drink the water in mexico!

The kangen machine hooks up to a regular sink and cycles the tap water across electro magnetic plates, which replace the acidity with alkalinity. This highly alkalized water only lasts for 48-72 hours. After that, it returns to regular water. While It won’t hurt you to drink stale water, it certainly won’t help either. This two-day shelf life is why kangen water cannot be sold in stores, but can only be served fresh. Recently, during my trunk show at henri bendel I had a Japanese customer. (The Japanese LOVE all things zodiac —and they especially adore intoxicated zodiac candles!) I asked my Japanese customer if she had heard of I asked if she had one in her home and she said no, whenever she wanted some she would just go to café where she could buy a glass. not only is it regularly sold in restaurants, kangen water and she said yes, of course! but every major hospital in japan prescribes kangen water to its patients. This is a medical grade machine, not to be confused with a regular water ionizer. The platinum and titanium plates are manufactured in korea. Unlike the other water ionizers on the market, it’s not made in a Chinese factory that specializes in manufacturing refridgerator parts.

ECO TRAGEDY: read my post on plastic bottle art here. not only are plastic beverage bottles made from oil, but two million of them bottles are used in the US every five minutes. it’s disgusting that most of them are never recycled. when i travel, if i can’t recycle my trash on the road i will bring it home with me. my friends call me a fanatic, but i’ve been called worse. if you are like me, an avid recycler, remember that even recycling takes an immense amount of resources! now phylates are showing up in cord blood! let me repeat that: plastic has been found in children’s blood-not to mention every subtle and unseen link of our ecosystem. obviously, recycling isn’t quite cutting it. this is just one more reason to make your own, homemade, bottled water! PS: to sterilize your bottles, simply rinse them in kangen 2.5 electrolyte water! easy peasy…

WISE INVESTMENT: the fact that most people spend more money on bottled water than on gas for their cars is reason enough to buy a kangen machine. $2 per day = $730 per year = $5110 in 7 yrs. so you see, a machine pays for itself over time… kangen is not an expense but an investment.

BELOW I CONDUCTED SOME KANGEN TESTS FOR YOUR PERUSAL AND AMAZEMENT:

DROPPING ACID: i tested the kangen using drops. for all you chemistry buffs out there, i used a bottle composed of ethanol, phenolphthalein, bromothymol, blue and methyl red:

1) KANGEN WATER turns purple with an acidity of -900. that is hyper-alkalized!
2) WELL WATER turns blue—the best you can hope for without the benefit of an enhancing device such as a kangen machine.
3) VODKA (smirnoff) tested neutral and turned green. not acidic. not alkaline. not bad—after all, it is vodka! (different brands will turn different colors—i guess it has to do with the original source of ingredients used.)
4. SODA is off the charts with an acidity of +400 and a bright orange color. ironically, many “health drinks” such as gatorade are just as bad!
5. BOTTLED WATER that is highly acidic with a color similar to the toxic soda above. (every brand differs in its acidity.)
6. MORE BOTTLED WATER that actually promotes its “anti-oxidant” qualities on the label!
7. TEQUILA tested super acidic, but again, different brands of alcohol have different levels of alkalinity and acidity.

TEA BAGGED:

the second awesome feature of kangen water is that the molecular density of the molecules is restructured in the alkalizing process, making them small enough to fit through our cell membranes. have you ever drunk a big glass of water and felt like it was just sitting there in your stomach? that’s because it was! and that’s why you might still thirst, even after several glasses of water. to demonstrate this amazing feature i placed in tea bag in a cup of ROOM TEMPERATURE water: the glass in the middle contained fresh kangen water and the others contained various bottled and tap waters. well, wouldn’t you know that the tea bag in the kangen water turned the water a pretty dark brown, and the tea bags in the other waters stayed a light shade of brown. with kangen water, you can have a cup of tea without even boiling water! the penetration of the water is so intense it can permeate a tea bag in cold water! wow. that blew me away.

LUBIN’ UP:

on the left you will clearly see a mixture of oil and tap water. as usual, it does not mix, but the oil sits on the surface of the water.
on the right i combined oil with KANGEN WATER. it immediately emulsified the oil! you will see that it looks cloudy…

DIRTY DIRTY:
kangen electrolyte water 11.5 will take the pesticide off produce. yup, you heard me right… if you can’t afford to buy organic, you can now escape the pesticide, herbicide, wax and who knows what crap they soak our food in anyway!

to test this quality, i soaked a tomato in tap water in the glass on the left. you will see that it is perfectly clear water. on the right, i soaked a tomato in kangen water and you will see that it is brownish in color. that is what the kangen water stripped away! it should also be noted that all fruits and veggies cleaned in kangen water taste better too. i guess it makes sense that pesticide does reduce the flavor of the fruit to which it’s adhered, no? incredible as it sounds, the restructured kangen molecule is reduced to 5 or 6 atoms down from 12-15. thus, it is able to really “get in there,” and you are able to enjoy relatively poison-free produce.

KANGEN ACIDIC WATER HAS A PLETHORA OF PRICELESS USES:
another feature of kangen water is the machine’s ability to produce not only alkaline water, but acidic water too. This highly acidified water (Strong Electrolyte Acid Water pH 2.6) may be used to sanitize surfaces, and can replace all the cleaning agents in your home. talk about green cleaning!

Amazing as it sounds, acid kangen water is increasingly used in wound treatment to sterilize infected areas. salmonella? gone! here is a list of organisms that are all killed within 30 seconds of contact wtih 2.6 kangen: Hepatitis B virus, Tuberculosis, AIDS virus, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Typhoid fever, Candida albicans, Pneumonia, Bread mold, Bathtub mold, Red yeast, Red color on plumbing fixture, Athletes foot, E. coli. for a complete and more specific list click here. after 72 hours, kangen water returns to its previous state. It is not harmful to the environment, or any living thing. dentists have started using this water for routine cleanings. and amazingly, this water smells just like bleach!

if you have a rash of any sort apply kangen water 11.5 to the affected area you will see results within one month and likely shorter. no more need to buy creams and medications! feel like you’re coming down with something? rinse your mouth out not with salt water, but with kangen electrolyte 11.5 water. this machine has a substantial variety of uses beyond drinking water.

in fact, I’m certain that one day someone will publish a book titled, 101 uses for kangen water. But for now, word of mouth has given me several ideas. Personally, I think a kangen water martini is in order!

ALTERNATIVE USES FOR KANGEN WATER: (besides those listed above)
thermal conduction: kangen’s quick transfer of heat saves time and energy
great for outing yellow toilets stains with 11.5 and then 2.5
ice made with kangen makes cocktails tastier and healthier 9.5
food cooked with kangen 9.5 has more flavor
cut flowers last longer in kangen 95.
houseplants thrive when watered with kangen 9.5
pets love kangen 9.5, it’s as good for them as it is for us
degrease with kangen 11.5
remove mildew with kangen 2.5
wash clothes to clean more thoroughly and whites whiter with kangen 11.5
teeth, when brushed with kangen 2.5, become whiter
add kangen 11.5 to bath water
use kangen 5.5 (beauty water) as an aftershave
when making pasta and tempura substitute kangen 5.5 (beauty water) for oil
enhance athletic performance with kangen 9.5

BEAUTY WATER: here i am, getting my beauty on. mist with electrolyte 5.5, an astringent. because of the water’s exceptionally penetrative nature, it is especially hydrating for the skin.

FOR MORE INFO ON KANGEN WATER VISIT THESE SITES:

if you feel like making the schlep to orange county choppers, there is a weekly kangen water meeting held in the hampton inn opposite it. every wednesday night at 7pm, come and have your mind blown by this breath taking demonstration.

kangen4pets.com (effects on pets & other animals)

https://sites.google.com/site/switchtokangen/ (medicinal effects on everything from brain disorders to allergies.)

kangenwatergreen.com (environmental benefits)

http://kangenworldteam.wordpress.com/ (personal testimonials)

www.kangenwaterreport.com (disinfectant test results)

phwaterforhealth.com (creative ways to use kangen)

articlesbase.com (kangen beauty water)

http://enzymefactor.com/ (kangen inventor, dr. hiromi shinya’s newest invention)

mywholywater.com (watch video)

sharethiswater.com (free ebook)

waterforyourhealth.com (free DVD)

mywholywater.info (my distribution group site)

enagic.com (corporate site)

PHONE CONFERENCE:
why are americans listed 38th out of 40 countries for health and longevity? (we’re below cuba). japan is #1 on the list! dr. dave carpenter explains why…
when: thursdays 9pm est
phone: 512.879.2059
pin: 388905#

whymolecules.com (dr. dave carpenter also advocates asea)

if you’d like to buy a kangen machine, i sell them too! drop me a line at gwen@intoxicatedzodiac.com to arrange purchase…

(DON’T SUE ME ; ) these statements and claims have not been evaluated by the fda. this product is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose anything. follow up care with your health care provider is recommended.)

created in 1874, southern comfort hails from the crescent city, new orleans. most will agree that it was this very city that birthed the first cocktail. what i’m getting at here is that this down home bourbon is as american as apple pie, baseball, and well, the gulf of mexico. speaking of, how’d you like to help southern comfort help the gulf?

For every bottle sold, Southern Comfort will donate $.25 to the Gulf Relief Foundation until the end of October. For even more ways to help, find them on Facebook or visit GulfAid.org.

and while you’re sipping your old fashioned (made with southern comfort of course), check out the new bottle design. it looks anything but new––the aesthetics have been modeled after antique bottles and ragtime graphics. it’s pretty cool actually, the gwen approves.

(southern comfort was created by local new orleans bartender MW heron in 1874. “non genuine but mine” was originally writtten on all bottle labels by MW Heron to identify his unique spirit. the sign of approval still features on the lower label.)

oh, and if all this isn’t enough to have you running for the nearest spirit shop, this next piece of news certainly will: southern comfort has joined the undead––as in vampire undead. which is kind of fitting, seeing as southern comfort is 136 years old and counting. check out their new vampire lounge, where the burden of being human is so yesterday… time for a transformation. i must say, i couldn’t agree more, immortality for all!

southern comfort: 750 ml bottle £17.97/$19.99

the country of japan is a libra. it’s easy to see that both sides of the scales are represented in the japanese culture, which is an interesting blend of old fashioned (sometimes absurdly so) and cutting edge technology, policy and fashion. tokyo is the fashion pulse of the world. it’s where the trend hunters look to find the trend setters.

as of late, i’m a japanophile—here’s why: 1) we’ve just started exporting our COCKTAIL CANDLES to japan! 2) i’m obsessed with japan’s KANGEN WATER. 3) the other day in the big apple, i watched a japanese woman extinguish her cigarette on the sidewalk, and then pick it up and place it in the trash. who does that? 4) japan is all about the environment… they’re only the only country in the world to require the labeling of GMO food. during a trunk show at HENRI BENDEL, my japanese customer asked me not to put a henri bendel sticker on the tissue wrap because it was’nt necessary. by not using a sticker she’d help the environment that little bit… A STICKER! it should be noted though, that my darling japan does actually support some policies i’m less than thrilled about, such as their ruthless blood lust for whale meat (one of earth’s most sacred animals). but by and large, i’m just smitten with all things japan. i can’t wait to get to tokyo for my next vacation!

enter yuri kato—light years ahead of the curve, she founded COCKTAILTIMES.COM eons ago. one of the few prominent females in the bar industry, she has now turned her focus to traditional publishing with her new book JAPANESE COCKTAILS.

so what’s inside? well yuri has done a great job of listing traditional japanese libations, along with some of her original creations too. from the Hinomaru and the Echo Julep, all the way to the Yuzu Bath. not only that, but she gives all sorts of interesting tidbits on japanese culture—which gives me even more reasons to love japan: 1. CANNED COCKTAILS are sold in vending machines everywhere! 2. ALCOHOL is usually lighter in percentage, and cocktails are mixed with less alcohol as a general rule. (as the world’s #1 lightweight, i’m all over that. it would be nice to go out for a drink without getting smashed off of it. what is wrong with a light buzz? in america, we just have to overdo everything—including the percentage of alcohol in our alcohol) 3) LOVE MOTEL: how cool is that… you just walk in and rent a room with your honey—no stigmas. it’s totally acceptable!

it’s a slick book—well photographed and designed, along with some fantastic facts and recipes. you don’t have to be a japanophile to appreciate JAPANESE COCKTAILS. ($15.00) kampai!

by it at URBAN OUTFITTERS

the luckiest among us have enjoyed both the pleasure of an experienced older lover, and the perishable gifts of a younger one too. and what better captures the essence of a nubile body’s offerings, than the symbolic-laden cherry?

should you take a young lover, i’d advise pairing (and plying) him or her with satin sheets, chocolate, alcohol, feathers, rope—and a full day in which to enjoy them all. should you take a lover beyond your years, relish and remember the priceless lessons bestowed upon you. in such an age-disparate affair, i can’t help but wonder which lover would be more fortunate to have found the other: the older and more experienced lover… or the young, eager lover? perhaps each partner’s luck would be equal…

all though coconut falls under the thumb of cancer, chocolate and cherry are ruled by none other than the goddess of love: venus. bottoms up and bottoms off… cheers to those libra lovers everywhere—good lovers do they make.

ps, how cool is this glass? i found it at a yard sale last week along with some concrete skulls and an old glass dome.

YOUNG LOVER:
2 1/2 oz kijafa (danish chocolate cherry flavored wine)
2 oz coconut milk (surprisingly, this tastes nothing like coconut)
1 oz chocolate syrup***

shake over ice and strain into chilled glass. garnish with a fresh cherry.

***do not use hersheys. use organic syrup or you will be ingesting GMO corn syrup, which causes sterility-inducing tumors. tough choice huh… tumors or organic.

Have you been to the house of Marnier lately? It’s worth a visit… the website is sooo Barneys New York, sooo chic, sooo haute cocktail! the old school, hand-rendered illustrations paired with the modern graffiti-inspired typography puts it on a par with another perfect pairing: tequila and lime. add some classic french liqueur for a libational ménage à trois… and voilà-c’est magie! or as we yankees would know it, la margarita. why screw with a classic? don’t mess around. oh, i can’t stand the puns.

HOUSE OF MARNIER MARGARITA:
* 1 oz Grand Marnier® liqueur
* 1½ oz tequila
* ¾ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
* Lime wedge on rim
(For an authentic presentation, garnish the rim of the glass with salt. Begin by filling a wide, shallow dish with 2 to 3 mm of fine salt. Cut a lemon in half and rub the cut side around the rim of the glass. Then, holding the glass upside down, dip it delicately into the salt, so that it adheres to the rim to a thickness of 2 or 3 mm. Turn the glass upright and wait a few minutes.)

Created in 1880 by Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, Grand Marnier is the flagship liqueur of the House of Grand Marnier. A blend of exotic bitter oranges and the finest Cognac, Grand Marnier relies on a secret recipe passed down through six generations of the Marnier Lapostolle family. $38.00 per 750-ml bottle www.GrandMarnier.com

My friend John asked me to write about the universe. I mentioned this to another friend, a fellow writer, and she said, “Oh my God. That is such a huge topic.” She thought my friend meant to talk about the whole universe. Actually, he meant for me to discuss what I think about the usage of the term in daily conversation.

This word “universe” is now in ordinary speech in a way it wasn’t just a few years ago. It turns up in this way: “The universe didn’t want me to have that house.” Or, “Apparently the universe wants me to go to Arizona instead of Maui.” It is used in relationship talk as in, “The universe will send you the right partner when you’re ready.” It’s used in job conversations, too: “Dan was fired because the universe didn’t want him in that position. It wasn’t right for him.”

We now talk about The Universe as if it is an all-powerful being, capable of running our lives. We have elevated it to more than mere matter, energy, planetary configurations, black holes, the Milky Way, and vast space. It is now… get ready… God. (photo)

Perhaps many people have become more comfortable in this day of church-and-state correctness to use a term that doesn’t exclude, turn off, or aggravate anyone. I believe “the universe” is this term. Who can be offended by it?

To answer my own question, someone like my mother. Raised by a Southern woman who in her older years was proud to have a PTL Club bumper sticker on her Pontiac, she would be offended or at least annoyed if I said, “Mom, the universe must not want you to have perfect vision anymore.” Or, “The universe obviously doesn’t want you to run on the treadmill, otherwise your foot wouldn’t hurt when you do it.” She would be certain I’d gone off the deep end.

Just the same, in this bubble we call California, I hear phrases such as these as a matter of course. Wondering whether it was primarily “new thought” communities using the term, I got my answer just yesterday when reading about retirement in an ordinary New York Times bestseller. I saw “The Universe” has its hands in that field too, right there in the practical, no-nonsense advice pages of what to do with your money.

So has God become The Universe? Or did The Universe become God, which now is reverting back to itself? I don’t have this answer, but I do have a sense of what the term implies.

You’d probably better mix yourself a drink at this point, how about a UNIVERSE COCKTAIL?

½ oz Midori melon liqueur
½ oz Vodka
½ oz Lime juice
½ oz Pineapple juice

Shake for 30 seconds in an ice-filled shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Relax and read on.

If The Universe is an active participant in our lives, our worldview includes the idea that conscious and unconscious forces play a role in ultimate order. One assumes circumstances play out for a reason. From this perspective, giving some responsibility to the all-powerful Universe for the way things turn out is a relief. It’s not entirely our fault when plans go awry and we make messes. Even catastrophes might have a higher purpose.

Last week an environmental group spokesperson said perhaps the oil devastation in the Gulf of Mexico is yet another sign from The Universe that we must develop alternative energy. Many people agree. However, to see it conveyed on national news indicates people believe things happen for a reason. The notion has slipped into the national psyche without the “God” terminology that seems to separate people.

People want to believe that the worst of circumstances are not just random and their suffering isn’t for nothing. We look for signs showing whether some good might result from the terrible situations we humans can find ourselves in. This is one of the roles belief in God plays in the lives of humans. But to discuss God in mixed company is awkward. Unless you are in a fairly homogenous community, religion is best not broached if one wants to keep the peace. Perhaps this is why “The Universe” was birthed.

Beyond explaining the unknowable, The Universe might have further practical use. If we adopt the idea that all things happen for the best and highest good of all, we foster faith that The Universe does not conspire against us, but actually causes and prohibits things from happening in order to keep us on our right path.

For example, I remember stories just after the attacks on September 11th. People said they were meant to be on one of the airplanes or in their office but something odd prevented them from actually getting there. “The Universe stopped me from being on time because it wasn’t my time to go.” It is given the same meaning as, “God wasn’t ready for me yet.”

Maybe when we use “The Universe” to talk about our lives, we get to have a little faith in a Higher Power without the added discomfort around revealing religious beliefs. I don’t have the answers to this, but I do find humanity’s dance with religion and faith an interesting one to consider, especially in this place we call a melting pot.

Dr. Christina Grant is a holistic healer and spiritual counselor who uses astrology in her work to help people better understand their purpose and life circumstances. She works in person and by phone. She has helped hundreds of people attain physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being through personal transformation. Her writing is published nationwide. To learn more, see WWW.CHRISTINAGRANT.COM