"Hello, is there something I can help you with?" "Ah, just browsing thank you." I was at a well known health food store, upon check out I asked something like "how's business," the kindly clerk replied "well it's been o.k, for some reason GNC is recession proof." The interaction later served as conformation of what had been wandering around in the back of my mind, mainly that - because of the increased turbulence and uncertainty in the world people are exhibiting a higher level of self preservation, more to the point the world as we know it seems to be declining morally and in many other ways and the human response at times is to get into survival mode. Notice its not some higher plane of existence or transcendent mind state but more of a survival mind set, a "just staying above the water" approach. This article is of a promotional nature, but I felt it would be going against good reason and conscience to try to form an article simply promotional and made to be palatable at the cost of leaving out some points that may have a helpful impact upon the reader. It is interesting to note that in terms of survival we may ponder many different scenarios and imagine what may be the best response in terms of preparing for such events. For example world wide famine is a possibility in our future, so it would behoove one to store some non perishable food. Natural or man made disaster may occur close to home so one may prepare by having some survival equipment such as gas mask, medical supplies,..firearm? I think you get the point, I noticed a well know survivalist had recently passed away, a well respected person. Now he had sufficient preparations for a slew of possible calamities and had even taught others but alas he could not survive death in the physical sense and nor can we.
Again I can prepare for a mild chemical attack, or blackout, or riots. But what if I contract some form of cancer or disease? What if I invest a huge amount of money and time in a fall out shelter only to be maimed in a car accident. Further more what use does surviving physically do if you die spiritually? I will not attempt to expand upon this as it may not be a suitable platform to do so, now a days a person can write about taboo sex, yoga, and other post modern practices but is quickly censored if they make reference to the particular faith resident in the founders and the fathers of our great Nation (still the most prosperous and free Nation on Earth.) I absolutely do think that one should prepare for the hard times that acome us, I just glanced over at a cabinet that has a few Israeli gas masks and some potassium iodide. Sure it sounds strange but when the nuclear reactors in Japan were damaged potassium iodide flew off the shelves when word came that California may be effected but the radioactive toxins (potassium iodide helps prevent absorption of radioactive iodide.) But my point in making reference to things on a higher level was just to keep things in perspective and not circumvent or usurp the source of hope, joy, life. You see when on the subject of survival it is well know that the psychology of survival comes first which is to say that the persons state of mind is often times the deciding factor in life or death survival situations.
1 in terms of having a meaning, and purpose to survive and
2 what does that person know in terms of survival skills etc.
There are many stories of people in the same survival situation with the same odds and dangers and one person or group survived and the other did not, the difference is often attributed to the mind. I heard Bear Grills point out while going through the jungle that he was trained not to fight against it (which would quickly exhaust and possible kill) but to embrace the surroundings. The mind is a finicky thing in some circumstances it may want to panicky when it should relax. Panicking, say if one was forced to spend the night outdoors in the cold would use up precious energy and waste time.
A person say, stuck in the wilderness would want to orient themselves with their priorities shelter, water, fire, food. If it was warm climate maybe water would come first. If you don't have much money building your own survival kit may be the way to go, I have bought and sold a few and have found that I can put together a nice one for relatively low amounts of money. It seems that with non perishable foods such as rice and beans or M.R.E's that you may opt to buy the bulk non perishable foods however you prefer meaning M.R.E's may not be the most efficient way to go there are plenty of foods that are non perishable and long lasting and nutrisious, for some time I thought that M.R.E's (meals ready to eat used in the military) were the best way to go. I am impressed with that kind of packaging and shelf life but therer are many similar items that are not as exspensive. Making a survial kit yourself can be fun, but they do offer plenty of pre assembled kits in a variety of forms, back pack or duffle bag or five gallon bucket etc. I tend to make more of a medical kit when I shop as I have a few tools for outdoor things. But if you would prefer to save time and energy and get a nice survival kit or emergency preparation type gear I have a nice site dedicated to those kinds of items.
