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Life through the Looking-Glass
There's a secret
garden on the Internet.
It's been growing
quietly and organically for more than 7 years, and has now become one
of the world's most inspirational non-profit making independent web retreats
for "Global Compassionates".
Called LOOKING-GLASS, it incorporates the URL's www.looking-glass.co.uk,
www.veggieglobal.com
and www.looking-glass.tv.
And still, most web users remain unaware of this web wonderland ...
www.looking-glass.co.uk
is the nucleus of an entire web "solar system" that leads you on a journey
around a variety of quality resources, campaigns and even places for quite
reflection. VeggieGlobal.com and the Looking-Glass creative arts site
Looking-Glass.tv are also integral to the Looking-Glass retreat.
Described as an ever-evolving cyber-solar-system, Looking-Glass was created
for those with a strong compassion towards the natural world, animal welfare
and ecological harmony. It's also a highly inspirational environment for
anyone who wishes to enhance their personal well-being through social
enlightenment, and expand their perception of life on earth... and
even around the universe.
The pages of Looking-Glass
project a very fertile, organic ambience - a spirit of compassion that
invites you to explore the concept of "natural" or "universal"
thinking.
With its carefully interlinked satellite sites, this huge web experience
embraces many ecological, compassionate and cultural issues - on infinite
levels.
But Looking-Glass also manages to blend in other services without seeming
diverse in its overall mission. For example, sister site VeggieGlobal.com
draws in a wealth of information and activities for vegetarians and those
wishing to turn veggie. At the other end of the spectrum, the smaller
Looking-Glass.TV is designed primarily for professionals involved with
the arts, music, broadcast, film and theatre. The idea being that more
cultivated, soul searching visitors seeking a philosophical edge to their
web adventures can share a common ground with the arts, contemporary entertainment,
animal welfare, literary subjects, vegetarianism, conservation, and humanitarianism.
These different subjects link logically and seamlessly when exploring
the Looking-Glass "solar system", bringing sensitive issues closer
to the world's mainstream of internet users. Within a couple of mouse
clicks you can jump from one satellite to another. (Or even use the unique
"Inteliporter!",
a rather natty virtual communicator style gadget that transports you to
different planets and moons of the Looking-Glass solar system).
For example, you can learn how to build
a wildlife garden or read up about vegetarian
nutrition
at VeggieGlobal. Go to the Lighthouse
to find gateways to animal, humanitarian and environmental areas around
the sites. Go to the Dreamclub
for a mellow montage of Looking-Glass fun and activities or browse the
huge
news site. There are various areas where you'll find excellent
reviews on music, film and the arts - or even details on community theatre
projects. Dream interpretation can be found at the Dreaming
Tree or put something in the The
Time Capsule. The
High Street Wonderland
and the Amazon
Collections are useful shopping areas which help to generate
a small income to support the sites (and therefore the many good causes
it represents) through the few pence it receives from visitors buying
through the links. And don't forget the Tea
Party and the free Vegetarian
Global Classifieds, which is another massive site in itself.
The unique Cult
Digital planet brings you more World Cinema DVD choices.
And check out the site's regular Columnists
... Besides these, there many other activities too numerous to mention.
On the other
hand you can interact with the important campaigns
scattered throught the various sites - an amazing selection of interactive
appeals where you can help all kinds of environmental and animal organizations.
From the "Ethical
Labelling Campaign" or "Ban
the Bang!" to the "Global
Green Laws" amongst others. The VoiceOver
appeal has already reaped amazing results; encouraging positive changes
in a government's outlook, and in turn helping a country to draft a new
animal welfare bill.
These are just a few of the many free activities and services found
throughout Looking-Glass, but the Homelands
page, which is represented by the house on the top or bottom
right of every page should lead you to the main contents pages.
John O'Donnell is
the creator of Looking-Glass and VeggieGlobal:
"I realize that altruism and success in this world aren't normally two
things that go together", he says. "Compassion is a rare virtue in mainstream
lifestyles and only tends to show itself whimsically, during emergencies
like earthquakes and tsunamis. But because of the way the world is now
literally tipping towards environmental catastrophe, everybody needs to
integrate a sense of responsibility about our global crisis, not because
they are forced to, but because they want to ... all through self-realization."
Presenting a warm, personal web environment on a free entry policy, whilst
trying to generate income to support the site means treading deeper cyber-waters.
However, John says the sites are evolving well, helped by a positive resonance
via the feedback left by subscribers".
A colossal project
like Looking-Glass is a real challenge. As a unique concept, the site(s)
are running on nothing but dedication at present. Unbelievably, there
seems to be no grant scheme of which Looking-Glass or VeggieGlobal fits
within a funding criteria, regardless of the site's ceaseless outpouring
of presentations for charitable causes and free information.
John says, "It's the aftermath of a delusional, free-for-all web frenzy
that has caused such apathy and disinterest within funding organisations,
and perhaps even sponsors."
As surfers begin
to discover Looking-Glass and respond positively to its inspiring qualities,
it can only be a matter of time before this unique creation is rewarded
with financial grounding.
John says, "I want surfers to realize that there are souls at the other
end of their browsers, real people here at Looking-Glass who respond and
empathize. I consider the philosophy and the substance of this site of
prime importance, and the feedback we get reflects my aim to provide the
environment that compassionate people want from web surfing".
In fact, our increasing visitor count is based on the old-fashioned concept
called "word of mouth".
Frequent visitors
are saying they find more and more areas of Looking-Glass to explore each
time they log on… a seemingly endless "universe". A first time visitor
might not immediately realise that the links they click on are leading
them through a labyrinth of other Looking-Glass features and activities..
Rather than
just eye candy, the concept of Looking-Glass is introduced to the site
visitor through a philosophy that is linked to the survival of this planet
on many levels, both in flavours of lifestyle and a way of thinking. "Tired
of dumbing down? ... Evolve!", is one of Looking-Glass's mottos.
"There is an urgent need to build bridges between those aware of
planetary deterioration and an otherwise self absorbed, 21st century society"...says
John. "We are displaying ever decreasing attention spans, demanding cutting
edge, quick fix or brain dead entertainment on tap. In the meantime outweighed
environmental and animal welfare societies are considered side-stream
concerns, even on the web, therefore related environmental and animal
atrocities end up as un-repeated space fillers in the news. The media's
whimsical approach rubs off on society, but the next hundred years has
to be the turn of these caring organizations to become the focus of a
new global business force. The planet needs saving by all of us, not suffocated
by an apathetic and plasticized metro-culture".
For example, the protests at Global Trade Fairs and G8 Summits etc,
give a clear indication that a shift within main business infrastructure
towards environmental considerations is dangerously overdue.
By drawing the
interests of web surfers looking for resources, style and entertainment,
Looking-Glass intends to seamlessly introduce them to environmental
issues and therefore linked organizations.
John says, "Providing a portal between centred lifestyles and outward
concern, such as through the VeggieGlobal.com site, means we should
begin to make differences. In the pipeline is a new environment to interactively
project the sites philosophy, called the Dreambeat Dimension. This will
allow those who wish to explore their own potential as compassionate
humans. They'll be able to find natural solutions in how to enhance
the positive elements within them, which they can then introduce into
their every day lifestyle".
This ambitious
area of enchantment is yet to open. But there are hundreds of activities,
shops and services already available on various planets and moons of the
Looking-Glass solar system.
To visit the sites
choose either www.looking-glass.co.uk
for the main entry point - www.veggieglobal.com
for the vegetarian site, or www.looking-glass.tv
for the newly evolving arts site.
To visit the campaigns section go to www.looking-glass.co.uk/campaigns
This
article last updated or added to in:
June 2005
| Further Reading
and Interaction Linked to the Above Subjects |
For more
""Site-ings"" articles please go to
the LGVN
front page and
choose from there.
For discussion
on these issues see GGL's at VeggieGlobal.com
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