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by Sarina Baptiste
Not long ago, psychics were thought to be menacing mind readers who stared into crystal balls foretelling futures of darkness and despair. Neon signs flashed “PSYCHIC” in electric blue above storefront windows, as women in strange garb peered at the passersby. This was the image in my head when someone said “psychic.” That is, until I became one.
When I was told I was psychic, I laughed--heartily! I have since learned so much about these abilities, and I am thankful to say I have not changed my clothing style or invested in signage for my home. Many just like me are realizing their psychic abilities. The lines between those with “inherent” psychic abilities and “regular folk” no longer exist. It is now possible for anyone to connect to the Other Side with dedication and practice.
It is a unique time on our planet, if that wasn’t already abundantly clear. The dimension where our loved ones reside is so close. The “space” between our world and the next is shrinking, making it much easier to connect and receive information clearly. Connection is simpler than it has ever been.
We are all psychic. We can all connect. Making that connection is so important to our success as inhabitants of this planet. Even if you do not want to “read minds,” receiving clear answers from the Other Side is invaluable as the world continues to change.
Here are some steps to begin the process:
This is just the beginning of your journey. Finding the appropriate training program is the next step when you are ready. Remember to use your intuition to find a mentor. They are not all created equal and some will be a better fit for you than others. Take your time and know you have everything already within you to do this. Psychics are not special. We are just like you, and you are just like us. Maybe giving readings at psychic fairs is not your style, but I believe we all want to connect with that Infinite Support System to help guide us through these uncertain times. Make the commitment and you will have the connection. It really is that simple.
Sarina Baptista is a psychic medium mentor. She trains adults and children to connect to their Infinite Support System through one-on-one, group and online training. She holds live Connecting events and is the author of The Bridge to Healing: J.T.’s Story due for release in February 2012. www.sarinabaptista.com
by Dora Hildebrand
“Through Awareness we can learn to move with astonishing lightness and freedom.” --Moshe Feldenkrais
Life is about discovery and possibilities. Imagine a baby lying on her back, stretching her legs, quietly investigating the surface she’s on and the space around her. She begins to move her hips one way and then the other, exploring how pushing against other points of contact can support her in initiating movement. She gains momentum as she rolls back and forth, now moving her arms, too. She sees a toy just out of her reach. She wants that toy. She extends her arm as she rolls toward the toy and voilà, she gently rolls over onto her tummy. With a smile on her face and the toy in her hand, she discovers for the first time a totally different view of herself and her small world — the beginning of new possibilities.
The Feldenkrais Method ® is based on the way we all learn at the beginning of life, through movement exploration and curiosity, by discovery through trial and error. This is learning at its most basic — how to function in and with the world around us. This approach to learning is for people who want to reconnect with their natural abilities to move, think and feel. Whether you want to be more comfortable sitting at your computer, lifting or playing with your children and grandchildren, or performing a favorite pastime, these gentle lessons can improve your overall well being.
Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc, a physicist, engineer and accomplished athlete, developed this unique approach to self-improvement after suffering a debilitating knee injury. Drawing on his background in anatomy, physics, biomechanics, psychology and human development, he taught himself to walk again without pain. He recognized the vital link between body and brain, the role it plays in change and improvement, and how, with focused awareness, we can overcome our habitual limitations and learn to move and think in more effective ways.
As an accomplished dancer, Peggy Gallagher participated in a Feldenkrais class during a modern dance workshop. “I still remember that session,” she says. “After 45 minutes on the floor, gently moving my pelvis, I stood up and I couldn’t believe how different I felt.” After a four-year, 800-hour training program she became a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner (GCFP) and now practices in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Al Wadleigh, GCFP, was drawn to Feldenkrais in his mid-thirties because of severe back pain, back spasms and difficulty breathing. After about seven private sessions, things began to change. His posture improved, he could breathe more easily, and the back spasms stopped. Today he teaches the Feldenkrais Method in Longmont and Loveland, Colorado.
Awareness Through Movement® group lessons are experienced while lying on a mat, sitting in a chair or standing. Participants are verbally guided through exploratory movement sequences that, like puzzles, stimulate the brain to find the easiest, most efficient way of achieving the intended action. The practitioner guides the participants to move slowly and gently within their comfort zone while observing the quality of their movements. Understanding self-imposed limitations and how to release unneeded tension opens the way to discovering new options in how to move and function in life. Gallagher continually reminds her students that the Feldenkrais Method is a learning process, not a technique. And it is definitely not an exercise program.
According to the Feldenkrais Institute of New York, research is showing how our brains change as we learn. The brain has an extraordinary ability to acquire efficient patterns of movement and function if given the right environment. The Feldenkrais Method works to create this environment by generating the precise conditions that access the intelligence of the nervous system to enhance learning and functionality.
Sheri, a concert violinist, understands the importance of enhanced functionality. She, like many professional musicians, uses this method to enhance her performance and extend her career. She chose Feldenkrais because it gives her options in the way she moves her entire body while performing so she isn’t continually using the same muscles. These lessons have also helped her replace performance anxiety with a sense of calmness.
Karen, a New Yorker, has been a Feldenkrais student since the mid 1990s. “This gentle technique has demonstrated to me that I have options — physically and mentally. I used to climb stairs to my fourth-floor apartment on the balls of my feet, for instance. I never considered that it might be more efficient if I put my heel down and used the full foot to support my weight.” Since benefitting from her experiences, she has introduced her octogenarian mother to Feldenkrais so she can stay vibrant and flexible.
Functional Integration® private sessions are customized to each person’s specific needs. These sessions usually take place lying on a wide, comfortable table while the practitioner uses a gentle, non-invasive quality of touch to guide and support the client in discovering particular movement patterns. Once these patterns are recognized, the nervous system is encouraged to learn and reorganize for more optimal ways of moving and being.
Bonnie has been participating in private sessions for six months, referred by her chiropractor. She is so excited by how this somatic education has allowed her to move with greater freedom. As a child, she yearned to dance; something her Mennonite upbringing frowned on. Her body never got the message about the efficiency of flexibility. Now she’s learned that her body has options to go beyond her old habits and create new ways of moving, giving her a sense of greater possibility in her life. At a recent performance she watched someone do a dance step. “I immediately knew I could do that step,” she said. “And I did. It feels wonderful to have the flexibility to move like that!”
Feldenkrais is for people of all ages and abilities, and allows each person to learn at her own pace. You can find a certified guild practitioner at Feldenkrais.com.
Dora Hildebrand, co-founder of Spellbinders Oral Storytellers, Larimer County, is a storyteller, writer, and editor of the book Pioneer Journey, published in 2006. She’s a former legal administrator, now retired, who loves living in Fort Collins. <dmhildebrand29@gmail.com>
by Rich Keller
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a form of depression that occurs in five percent of the U.S. population. In most cases, SAD begins in the colder, shorter days of fall and continues through early spring. Those afflicted have symptoms similar to those of clinical depression: diminished energy, increased appetite, fatigue, physical agitation and a general feeling of unhappiness.
Prescribed treatment for SAD is usually antidepressant medications along with the artificial sunlight therapy known as phototherapy. Though these may assist during the peak period of the disorder, they are temporary solutions to a chronic problem. To help ease the symptoms of SAD, and to increase health and wellbeing throughout the year, a number of natural solutions can be applied.
Exposure to sunlight is one solution. A common trigger for winter-onset SAD is the lack of sunlight an individual receives. In some parts of the country, the reduction in sunny days from December until March reduces the amount of natural Vitamin D a body produces. If not supplemented, this can cause more frequent occurrences of the disorder.
Luckily, Northern Colorado is blessed with abundant amounts of sunshine even during the coldest periods. Getting more sunlight doesn’t mean stepping out in shirtsleeves and shorts when it’s 10 degrees. Only a few minutes of daily direct sunlight on an individual’s face can ease the severity of SAD symptoms. If it’s too cold to expose any skin outdoors, sitting in a sunlight-drenched area of a home also works. Just make sure sunlight comes in direct contact to generate the production of natural Vitamin D.
Yoga is another helper in the battle with SAD. Studies have shown this discipline assists to increase levels of serotonin, a natural chemical within the body which generates a sense of happiness and wellbeing. Other studies have shown the increase of serotonin can control the body’s levels of melatonin, allowing for a more regulated sleep cycle as the days get shorter during the winter months.
While not an immediate fix, regular yoga exercises can counteract the affects of SAD within a few weeks. A routine that combines breathing techniques, meditation in direct sunlight and restorative yoga, the practice of deep and aware relaxation, is recommended to generate the body’s natural depression-fighters and stabilize internal clocks with the calendar. If new to yoga, consultation with a yoga instructor may be necessary to find the right set of postures and techniques.
Dietary changes can also aid in reducing symptoms related to SAD. As an increased appetite is associated with this disorder, a balance of complex carbohydrates and proteins are recommended to not only help create and transport serotonin through the blood stream, but also to maintain energy levels and curb urges for fatty and sugary comfort foods. Preparation should emphasize simple and light meals containing whole grains such as quinoa, lean meats, root vegetables, beans and legumes, and soy-based products like tofu. Instead of using refined sugars, which has been connected with some forms of depression, desserts can be created with natural sweeteners like agave nectar. Combined, these changes work to satisfy hunger as well as provide the necessary vitamins and minerals to boost well-being throughout the year.
Finally, consider the natural antidepressant medications on the market. The most commonly known of these is St. John’s Wort. Though not a federally-approved drug, studies have shown this yellow-flowering plant, available in tablets, capsules, teas and liquid extracts, can assist in alleviating mild forms of depression like SAD. There are some side-effects to taking St. John's Wort as well as negative interactions with other prescription medicines. Therefore, consultation with a medical professional may be needed before taking this natural remedy in any of its forms.
Richard Keller is a freelance writer who moved his family to Northern Colorado to avoid the cloudy and cold days of the East Coast. More information on the author can be found at www. richardskeller.com.
References National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “St. John's Wort.” www.nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/
Partonen, T., “Dopamine and circadian rhythms in seasonal affective disorder.” Medical Hypotheses Vol 47, Issue 3:191-912
U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Seasonal Affective Disorder.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002499//PMH0002499/
by Donna Mazzitelli
Most people assume that eating organic whole foods requires extra money. Many also believe it will be more difficult and less convenient to eat healthier food. But not only is it easy to eat an organic, whole foods-based diet, you can also do so on a budget.
For starters, it’s essential to identify how you’ve previously spent your food dollars. Plan to save your receipts from groceries and dining out for a few weeks so that you can recognize your patterns. For instance, are you one of the less than 30 percent of Americans who buy fresh food, cook and eat at home (with an occasional meal out)? Or do you fall into the majority and spend nearly half your food dollars on fast-food and restaurants?
Once you know what your habits are, you can begin to form new behaviors. By focusing on the principles below and spending your food dollars wisely, you can develop a “food-efficient diet,” one that provides your body with more nutrition and costs less.
Consider a more plant-based diet. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes typically costs 20 percent less than a diet that revolves around meat. A veggie-first guideline includes vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, along with dried beans and peas. The dried varieties (rather than canned) are inexpensive, protein-rich and easy to store. Soaking and cooking up a large pot of beans can be the basis of many meals throughout your week, including chili, stews and soups. With the large variety of beans to choose from — varying in size, shape, texture, flavor and color — you can cook with different beans each week and recreate the same dishes in new ways.
Choose pastured meat, dairy and eggs, which are more eco-friendly than industrial products. Serve meat as a side dish and make veggies and grains the “star attractions.” Choose meats, dairy and eggs that come from animals fed an organic diet and allowed a free-range life. Foods from healthy, humanely raised animals exposed to lots of sunshine, fresh air and exercise provide excellent nutrition and food safety. Whole Foods Market, for example, offers meat labeled with the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating — the signature program of the Global Animal Partnership, a nonprofit charitable organization with the goal to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture. The higher the number (1–5), the more stimulating the animals’ living environment, the more time the animals spend outside, and the more natural their life. A rating of “1” indicates they were raised with no crates, no cages and given space to move around and stretch their legs. The highest rating “5” indicates that the animals enjoyed all the benefits of ratings 1 through 4 and lived their entire lives on one farm.
Improve your snacking habits. Eating small meals throughout the day is a more natural way to eat than three square meals, especially when we make wise snack choices. Opting for an apple and a handful of almonds rather than a bag of chips gives you a more nutritious, less expensive and lower-calorie option. You can also create your own snacks by baking foods such as homemade cookies or pita chips (flour, water and salt) or air popping a bowl of popcorn. You can dry seasonal fruits and add them to store-bought nuts. Any homemade option will be as much as 70 percent less expensive than the store-bought version.
Use locally abundant foods. This includes wild-gathered foods such as mushrooms, nuts and berries. No matter where you live, every area has food riches to offer.
Eat whole, eat plain. Whole grains such as brown rice, amaranth and quinoa are super nutritious, tasty and cheap. They can also be cooked ahead and incorporated into dishes such as stir-fries or casseroles. Whole grains make wonderful hot breakfast cereals that can be sweetened with apples, raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar or pure maple syrup. By cooking two batches of grains per week, you’ll have an inexpensive, ready-to-eat source of nutrition available at all times.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. As you consider your intentions for the New Year, be sure to think about eating better while spending less.
Donna Mazzitelli is a contributing author to Speaking Your Truth, Vols. I & II. She founded Bellisima Living, a place to find your voice and connect to a more beautiful life and world. As “The Wordsmith,” she helps others bring their writing to life. Learn more at www.bellisimaliving.com.
by Eric Sorbo
The newspapers and TV stations are full of bad news. The economy is in the tank, gas prices are still high, crime is on the rise and home sales are flat. With all this bad news, what is there to be optimistic about in 2012?
The answer is simple… YOU
You can’t change the world economy, gas prices or other people’s behavior, but you can change YOU.
Whether you like it or not, you may actually live to be 100 years old. Think about that for a moment. If you are 95 years old, it’s not too far off. If you are 25, however, that thought can be pretty daunting. The great news is, whether you are 95 or 25, you can begin NOW to change your life for the better so you can enjoy the rest of your 80, 90 or 100 years of life!
Dr. Eric Plasker discusses the three rules of effective change in his book The 100 Year Lifestyle: 1. Change is easy, thinking about change is hard. 2. Change happens one choice at a time, think progress, not perfection. 3. Approach change with your ideal 100 year lifestyle in mind.
There are four simple changes you can make that will have a lasting effect on your quantity and quality of life.
Nutrition Some simple rules for nutritional improvement include:
Endurance You don’t have to train for a marathon to improve your endurance. It literally starts with a commitment to take more steps today than you did yesterday. Walking, hiking, biking, running, jumping rope and dancing can all improve your endurance. Move more and sit less – it’s as simple as that.
Strength If you are uncomfortable going to the gym to lift weights, find yourself a set of resistance bands or weights and work out at home. When you tone and build your muscles you burn more calories, making weight loss goals easier to reach than by simply cutting calories. Focus on four body regions: arms, legs, chest and back, and core.
Structure Nutrition, endurance and strength cannot be optimized without structure. The spine and nervous system are by far the most important systems of the body. Lifting weights and performing cardiovascular exercises without a stable spine would be like building a house on the beach. When the foundation is unstable, the house cannot stand.
Chiropractic care and the 100 Year Lifestyle are designed to help rehabilitate your structure, guide you on the path of improving your nutrition, endurance and strength, and help you live a happy, healthy quality of life for 80, 90 or 100 years and beyond!
Erik Sorbo, DC has been in a private chiropractic practice with his wife, Patricia Sorbo, DC, DICCP for over 6 years. Their office, Weld Family Clinic of Chiropractic in Greeley, is a 100 Year Lifestyle affiliate office. www.100yearlifestylegreeley.com or call 970-356-5255.
by Tuula Fai
Marci Shimoff, New York Times bestselling author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason likes to begin her talks with showing a picture of herself at age two. In the photo, she has one hand on her head and a worried look on her face. Shimoff says she was born with “existential angst” and a “deep pain in her heart,” which she tried to fill with food.
At age nineteen Shimoff asked her dad, “What is the secret to life? He said, “Honey, just be happy.” Shimoff asked, “How do I do that?” He thought for a moment and then replied, “Honey, I don’t know.” Her dad didn’t know because he was a naturally happy person. So Shimoff set out to find the answer for herself.
What she uncovered is an unhappiness epidemic. Eighty percent of people in the U.S. don’t like their jobs, 33 percent suffer from low self-esteem, and 20 percent of women take anti-depressants. The major factor driving this unhappiness is stress: stress about work, kids, male-female miscommunication, and lack of time and money.
Although the statistics are grim, there is a bright spot. Scientists have learned that everyone has a happiness set point, a point to which he or she returns no matter what happens. A person’s set point is determined by 50 percent genetics, 40 percent habits, and 10 percent circumstances.
Epigeneticists also discovered that our habits can influence our genes. What does that mean? It means that 90 percent of our happiness is under our control! Shimoff shared seven steps to create our own inner house of happiness:
Shimoff first addressed the foundation, saying that we often believe we’ll be happier when we have more money, a better relationship, a leaner body, and so on. It isn’t true. The research shows that only 10 percent of our happiness is based on circumstances. It also shows that happiness leads to success rather than the other way around (success leading to happiness).
To illustrate this point, Shimoff told the story of Roger Crawford who was born without a left leg and had only a thumb on one hand and a thumb and forefinger on the other. Not only is he extremely happy, his circumstances didn’t stop him from becoming a professional tennis player and an award-winning motivational speaker featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul. His example shows that people who are “living all out” have higher happiness set points.
After we build our house’s foundation, Shimoff says we must strengthen its pillars. To do so, she offered some of the 21 main happiness habits detailed in her book:
Pillar of the Mind — When you have a negative thought, turn it around by saying the Hawaiian Ho’oponopono phrase, “I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you.” Or tell yourself, “I can do it,” and call a friend and have her tell you, “You can do it,” too.
Pillar of the Heart — When you feel anxious, use HeartMath by placing your hand over your heart and breathing in love. Ask yourself, “What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?” and do it. Or you can do something loving for other people such as telling them what you appreciate about them.
Pillar of the Body — When you are sluggish, increase your happiness hormones by getting up and shaking your body like a dog drying off after a swim. Dance to your favorite music or go for a nature walk.
Pillar of the Soul — When you feel disconnected, press three acupuncture points in your hand. The first is the Main Grace Point in the center of your palm, the second is the Body Release Point on the outside edge of your hand just above your wrist, and the third is the Ancestor Point in the fleshy skin between your thumb and pointer.
The Roof — When you get off-track, move back into your life purpose by stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone to do things you love. This will help you create a career that aligns with your purpose.
The Garden — When you feel unsupported, surround yourself with people who uplift you and align with your purpose. Doing so can help you be happy and live your dreams. Remember you become the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time.
Shimoff encourages us to start being Happy for No Reason by taking the step that challenges us most. For example, if you have negative thoughts, start with The Pillar of the Mind. Notice when you have these thoughts and choose not to internalize them by 1) seeing them as false, 2) saying the Ho’oponopono phrase, 3) placing your hand over your heart and breathing in love, or 4) doing something loving for yourself or another.
Shimoff says if we practice this at least three times a day for the next four weeks, we will raise our happiness set point. A higher set point changes our default state to love, which is “an inner state of peace and well-being that doesn’t depend on circumstances.”
Shimoff believes the only way to make the world happier is by raising our own set point. To show the timelessness of this truth, she ends with an ancient Chinese proverb:
“If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of Seek the Lover Within: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders, Vol 1 & 2. For sixteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. <tuula@ascendancehealing.com>; www.spiritual.50interviews.com.
by Donna Gates with Lyndi Schrecengost
Born in prosperity, harbingers of change, Baby Boomers have made a significant impact on the world. But what will be our final legacy?
It’s been nearly 40 years since the Baby Boomers arrived at Max Yasgur’s 600-acre alfalfa field to attend Woodstock, an outdoor festival that was as much a counterculture “happening” as it was a celebration of music. Area residents didn’t know what to make of these “hippies” in bohemian dress who abandoned their cars and walked for miles to stand before the concert stage. Woodstock’s political provocation, defiance of convention, and back-to-nature innocence would make it one of the defining moments of an entire generation. Now, 78 million strong and approaching retirement, we Baby Boomers are showing few signs of slowing down.
The Baby Boomer generation is usually defined as those individuals born between 1946 and 1964, and today we comprise more than one-quarter of the entire U.S. population. The “first wave,” or Boomers who were born in the decade between 1946 and 1957, arrived soon after millions of servicemen returned home from war. Between 1945 and 1946, the number of U.S. marriages doubled to more than 2.2 million; and 92 percent of the women who could have children, did. A flourishing economy encouraged couples to have large families, and in 1946, 3.4 million babies were born in the U.S., 20 percent more than the previous year. For the next decade, the annual total would hover above the four million mark, and the surge in births would continue until 1964. In that final Boomer year, the first wave hit college, the Beatles arrived in New York for their first U.S. tour, and Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing an escalation of the war in Vietnam. The youth movement had begun and we Baby Boomers were coming of age.
Although Boomers rode into the world on a wave of optimism and promise, we also inherited some of the worst ills and environmental crimes of the century. In his book The Hundred-Year Lie: How Food and Medicine Are Destroying Your Health, journalist Randall Fitzgerald notes how many of his fellow Baby Boomers are afflicted with diseases that used to be reserved for “old age,” from multiple sclerosis to cancer to Parkinson’s and Crohn’s disease. He describes the extent to which Baby Boomers have been duped by the myth of “better living through chemistry.”
A famous commercial that aired during the 1970s promoted a relatively new product called “margarine,” which looked and tasted very much like real butter. Mother Nature, played by a memorably indignant Dena Dietrich, is not pleased that she, too, has been fooled by this deceptive substitute. Amid a fury of thunder and lightning, the commercial concludes: “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Today, in so many ways, the irony of this visionary statement is coming to terrible fruition.
The petrochemical era that was born along with the Baby Boomers initiated an onslaught of toxins that are exacting a heavy price on this and subsequent generations. The incidence of neural disorders has tripled in Western countries; and researchers have begun to link it to exposure to crop pesticides, synthetic chemicals, processed foods and industrial chemicals As Fitzgerald notes, between 1952 and 1987, the production and use of synthetic pesticides in the U.S. increased 13 times faster than before the war. From genetically modified foods to sex hormones, from industrial contaminants that pollute our air and water, to overuse of antibiotics and inoculations, seemingly inescapable toxins have besieged the bodies of Baby Boomers for decades.
The Mission
Baby Boomers were born during a period of unprecedented prosperity not witnessed since the Gilded Age. A growing number of our parents were truly living the American dream; they purchased nice homes, sent many of us to college, financed trips to Europe, and provided us with an ever-increasing array of luxury items largely beyond the reach of earlier generations. Critics of Baby Boomers point out that this emphasis on materialism and immediate gratification created a generation of overindulged “Peter Pans” who are slow to accept the realities of the adult world. Baby Boomers, they complain, feel a sense of entitlement rather than a sense of responsibility. But others defend Baby Boomers as idealistic free spirits who broke boundaries, catalyzed social change, and helped make the world more tolerant and open.
Although I was never a flower child and chose to bypass the drug scene of the ’60s, I have always identified with many of the generational values we Baby Boomers share. I understood how important it was to break free from what our parents had taught us and to find the courage to follow our own unique path, even if that journey was a lonely one at times. What I identify with most about Baby Boomers is our openness to change and our empowering pursuit of self-fulfillment. We are very much a generation that believes: If you don’t like something, change it. And we have. This is why I believe we have the creativity and the obligation to transform the way we take care of ourselves and the planet.
Who Are We Kidding?
Sixty-one percent of Boomers surveyed by AARP in 2004 said they felt younger than their age. Yet two in ten of these cited physical health as the one area of their lives they would most like to change, while three in ten said that their physical health was worse than they expected it to be at this point in their lives. Only a little more than half thought they were likely to achieve their goal of improved physical health. The Washington Post reported that a number of recent large surveys are showing some surprising feedback from Boomers who appear to be less healthy than their forebears were at the same age. In spite of their gym memberships, Boomers are less physically active than their parents and grandparents, due in part to long commuting times and jobs that keep them in front of a computer screen all day. Although there are fewer smokers in our generation, more of us are likely to report chronic pain, drinking and psychiatric problems, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and debilitating levels of stress.
One wonders if we Baby Boomers feel young in spirit, in spite of what our bodies may be telling us. Or do we just have higher expectations for ourselves? The reality is, despite our optimism, our greater prospects, and the millions of dollars we will spend on our health, we Boomers will confront new and often premature health threats simply because of the world we’ve been living in and the choices we’ve made.
Our bodies were not designed to absorb synthetic chemicals, even in small doses, throughout an entire lifetime. Environmental toxins alter our DNA. They damage our immune systems. They increase our predisposition to illness and disease. And they are passed on through the umbilical cord and blood of the mother to our children and grandchildren. In fact, from the moment sperm and egg cells come together, toxins are already present. Children born today are coming into the world with serious infections, weakened immune systems, and increased susceptibilities to certain diseases.
Baby Boomers grapple with new psychological stresses as well. Since the 1970s, globalization and other economic developments have seriously eroded the kind of job security that was the norm in the decades following World War II. Today, Baby Boomers are particularly vulnerable to these economic shifts, and are often among the first to be laid off and the last to be rehired by employers who perceive them as more expensive and less flexible than younger workers. Once again, our generation is faced with redefining itself; and, for some, this will literally mean starting over. Rising life expectancy, aging parents, and faulty pension plans mean that many of us will need to work much longer than our parents did, whether we want to or not. This makes our continued good health not wishful thinking but a practical necessity.
As we Boomers struggle to stay young, many of us have turned to quick-fix solutions — cosmetic procedures, anti-aging hormones and extreme diets to stave off the aging process. But these methods are akin to repainting a dilapidated car. At first glance, these cosmetic changes may improve the appearance, but they don’t account for more important and deep-seated issues. These can only be addressed through an understanding of our inner ecosystem and how diet, food purity and selection, and lifestyle choices can lessen the effects of aging, giving us not just longer lives, but better ones.
We Baby Boomers are celebrated for our independence, for ignoring and even defying convention, and for our unswerving idealism. We are a generation of trendsetters. Staying healthy and vital is not just a pipe dream for us; it is our calling. We have long been the forerunners of social, political, and environmental change. Now it is vital that we also bring about a revolution in health and develop truly revolutionary roles for maturity. It is time that we harness our resources — our sheer numbers, our money, our wisdom, and our will — to heal our bodies and our planet. Our greatest mission lies ahead.
The above excerpt is taken from the book The Baby Boomer Diet: Body Ecology’s Guide to Growing Younger by Donna Gates with Lyndi Schrecengost. Published by Hay House, the book is available at all bookstores or online at [www.hayhouse.com}(http://www.hayhouse.com).
by Linda M. Potter
I was just notified through my Angry Birds software that I have now accumulated several achievement awards for such notable accomplishments as: smashing 500,000 blocks, busting 1,500 clouds, breaking open 2,000 cages, shredding 300 chocolate boxes, and snow- plowing down 1,500 ice blocks. Wow, I’ve been busy! All in the pursuit of the total annihilation of over 2,000 chubby little cartoon pigs that taunt me with their annoying squeals and rapid-blink eyes. Of course, I’m not really destroying anything — I’m simply assisting the snarly, vengeful birds out to take down the pork industry one little piggy at a time.
In case you’re living in a hut on a remote island in the Pacific where words like iPhone or apps haven’t yet made it into the vernacular, or you simply don’t have computer games on your radar, Angry Birds is a video game in which a flock of really mad birds dish out revenge on the greedy little pigs that stole their eggs. It’s also the #1 downloaded app in the country.
What is it about blowing up pretend pigs that brings out the Terminator in all of us? I’m pretty sure it’s not about the eggs — I have all of mine, for instance, safely tucked away in my “one basket” (but that’s another story). So, then, what is it? I must confess that my maiden name was Hamm, so in my case it’s possible that I’m trying to resolve some ( deep-seated family issues with my sling shot of mass destruction. Perhaps. But, more likely, I’m just venting by “virtually” annihilating things. It seems harmless enough and lets out a lot of pent up anger. It’s akin to pounding on pillows to release frustration, or screaming out the window of my second story bedroom, “If Only God Would Give Me a Sign!” to “voice” my disapproval of the way my life is going.
Maybe the fact that pigs are the target of my aggression is a sign that the Angry Bird in me is ready to release disempowering habits and behaviors that hog my time and keep me stuck in old familiar patterns – patterns that are beginning to feel more like cages than comfort zones. With a tap of the screen on my iPhone phone, I can summon my birds to liberate me; I can cheer them on as they gleefully blow up barriers and clear my path of stumbling blocks that are hogging my time and attention.
Hmmm… there may be more to be learned here than I first realized. For example, I also think it’s interesting that this game blows up a lot of bridges in the pursuit of pesky pigs. Although I am typically the first one to caution friends about “burning bridges” behind them as they move forward, sometimes destroying them is the only thing that makes sense. I, for one, have left an awful lot of heartache on the other side of some bridges, and I’d be mortified to discover that some of it has followed me across, lying in wait to sabotage my progress at some particularly vulnerable moment. I’m also not interested in enduring the taunts of the tired old trolls that tend to hang out under those old bridges. (Come to think of it—those roly poly pigs do remind me a little of trolls.)
There are lots of opportunities in everyday experiences to gain meaningful insight into our lives, get a sign from God, or have a simple “aha” moment – however you like to frame that. Video games may just be another example of God’s sense of humor, but learning to laugh is half the fun of being human. I do, however, have a few notes for Rovio (the creators of Angry Birds).
Perhaps this new year is an invitation to a new perspective. Many consider 2012 to be a pivotal year of dramatic changes when old ways of being die, and new, more empowering ones are born.
Linda M. Potter is a spiritual counselor, a popular speaker and the author of If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at Barnes & Noble, independent book stores, through Amazon.com or at wordkeepersinc.com. You can contact her through her website www.lindampotter.com or at <lindampotter@comcast.net>.
by Brent Hunter
“We have the opportunity to build a Rainbow Bridge into the Golden Age. But to do this, we must do it together with all the colors of the rainbow, with all the peoples, all the beings of the world. We who are alive on Earth today are the Rainbow Warriors who face the challenge of building this bridge.” - Brooke Medicine Eagle Daughter of the Rainbow, Crow and Lakota Medicine Woman
During a time of great darkness, the Earth’s waters will be dirty, the air polluted, the land ravaged and filled with warring peoples. During this time of unrest and sadness, a great new wind from the land of the Eastern Sun will blow across the land worldwide.
People of all colors will come together in the spirit of love, compassion, peace, unity, reconciliation and understanding, with respect for the sanctity of all life, the sanctity of nature and the sanctity of the Earth herself.
These humble and courageous people from all corners of the world will be known by many names: Rainbow Warriors, Light Warriors, Rainbow Children of God, Light Workers, Rainbow Tribe, Peaceful Warriors… they will come together and resolve their mutual problems as adults, with the recognition that they are guardians of a positive future and are caretakers of the Earth for all future generations.
These people of many colors will share their universal truths with one another from their hearts, and they will see that their truths are the same, bearing different names and forms, but the same none the less. The medicine they carry is the Whirling Rainbow of Peace, and it will connect their heads and their hearts, it will connect them to one another. These multi-colored people will come together in the spirit of unity amidst their diversity, they will spread a wave of love, compassion, wisdom, peace and harmony, they will help restore balance in all areas of life; they will help change the face of the world forever.
By coming together as one family while following their common truths, they will walk across a bridge together – The Rainbow Bridge to Peace.
What is The Rainbow Bridge? The Rainbow Bridge is a bridge: • Between ourselves and our higher selves. • Between our heads and our hearts, individually and collectively. • Between all living beings. • Between Heaven and Earth. • Between the physical world and the etheric world. • Between who we think we are and who we truly are. • Between the present and the future. • Between many and One – It is the vehicle to manifest E Pluribus Unum (“Out of Many, ONE”) in the physical world. • Between religions, races, people, groups, organizations, institutions and nations - a global, universal bridge for THE PEOPLE. • Between our current global economic system based on competition to one based on partnership, collaboration and harmony. • The Rainbow Bridge is a bridge from war to peace and prosperity in the 21st century.
A Bridge in Time As we travel across The Rainbow Bridge together, with the collective intention of creating a positive sustainable future that works for the greatest number of people, we are traveling across a bridge in time. We travel from our present moment to a time in the future, whether that time is 10 seconds from now or 10 years from now. The Rainbow Bridge is therefore a bridge to the future: our future of peace, harmony, unity and prosperity.
The concept of a bridge in time or a bridge to the future is extremely powerful. It is deliberately global and includes and honors all people from all walks of life in all corners of the globe and is by definition strong enough and wide enough for all travel across. As we move forward together as world citizens, on any common activity, collaborating to co-create a positive future, we need to do so in a coordinated, harmonious and unified fashion. It is for these reasons that The Rainbow Bridge is also a bridge from me to We, from the many to One.
*Excerpted from The Rainbow Bridge: Bridge to Inner Peace and to World Peace by Brent N. Hunter. Hunter is an IT Consultant and author. www.TheRainbowBridge.org.
by Brent Hunter
All over the world, people are tired of waiting for their government leaders to make the necessary changes that are promised year after year. While we try to remain optimistic about our future, some of us are frustrated, some are understandably angry, and we all hunger for change. Change is at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party Movements in the U.S. and for the Occupy Movement in many other countries.
Some say that we don’t have a single unifying message but this is only because they don’t fully understand what is going on. In fact, we are all trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together and we are even more hopeful because now more of us are uniting and sharing what we know. We are awakening to the shocking realization that central banks owned by private individuals and large corporations actually control the money supply.
As unbelievable as it is, many of our governments do not directly control their own money supplies, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, and are therefore not fully in control of the country. Instead, a group of privately-owned central banks and their anonymous owners control it all. Although research shows that many central banks insist on the importance of being independent of government control, it should be noted that throughout the history of central banks, the issue of who directly controls the currency has been hotly debated, especially in the United States. We are ready for change and this requires transparency, and by more than a group of people whose institutions are driven by the financial gain of its relatively small group of owners. The system created in a previous century that is controlled by the few is clearly not working for the many.
Regardless of our specific reasons for being involved in the Occupy and Tea Party Movements, we are aware that at the root of all these issues is how the money supply is created and controlled, and by whom. Although this central bank issue is not yet widely known, more and more people are on to the game. We want the game to change and we want this issue to be part of the national and international public conversation leading to significant change.
This critical issue must not fade from the public’s eye – let’s tenaciously talk with our family, friends and colleagues and let’s send this letter to everyone, including the media. We seek a voice at the table rather than being ignored by the small group of central bankers who are just doing things as they always have. While some of us are beyond angry, many of us view our challenges as systemic issues that must be resolved by calm, level-headed, logical conversation and dialogue. Until we put the control of the money supply back into the hands of our elected officials, the heated debates between Democrats and Republicans will be a sideshow, a dangerous distraction to the real issue that must be addressed. If the Occupy and Tea Party voices are not heard and life goes on as usual, we will continue to be at this dangerous precipice.
Since our governments are not in control, it is vital for The People to take a stand. Non-action is simply not an option – the stakes are too high for the well-being of the 312 million people in the U.S. and 7 billion people on the planet. We come in peace to build a bridge to our future but make no mistake about it, we want change and we know that when The People lead, the leaders follow.
Brent N. Hunter, IT Consultant and author of The Rainbow Bridge: Bridge to Inner Peace and to World Peace. www.TheRainbowBridge.org
by Danny Long
An unemployment rate as stubborn as the politicians trying to fix it. Debt as deep as The Waste Land. A global economy as fragile as a geriatric Humpty Dumpty. Say it with me: we’ve got problems. Yet perhaps the most difficult of these problems has been uncovering their source, something no small army of Holmesians has set out to accomplish, documentarians among them. In the past few years, films such as Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc. and Davis Guggenheim’s Waiting for Superman have opened our eyes to the sordid and complex systems we rely on and participate in every day. And one of the latest arrivals to this truth-seeking tradition is Foster Gamble’s Thrive: What on Earth Will It Take?
Released November 11, 2011, on the Web (www.thrivemovement.com), Thrive begins with a noble question: why can’t we solve our problems — of energy, of hunger, of disease? Why can’t we, creatures of ostensibly unlimited potential, create a world in which everyone, to borrow Gamble’s language, can thrive? The answer, as you might expect, is complicated. Gamble, a descendant of the Gamble in Proctor and Gamble, claims that, contrary to what we might believe, a number of people have found solutions to these problems and that these solutions haven’t seen the light of day. Why? Because a small group of financial juggernauts — the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds, the Morgans, to name a few — view these solutions as threats to business.
For example, Gamble states that soon after Nikola Tesla devised a way of producing free energy — of pulling energy out of thin air, so to speak — J. P. Morgan, who both funded Tesla’s research and profited from more costly forms of energy, demanded that Tesla’s energy devices be destroyed and his lab burned down. And while this example may sound like the exception, Gamble suggests that it is unfortunately closer to the rule. A number of other inventors — Adam Trombly and John Bedini, for instance — tell similar stories of suppression, stories that consequently encourage us to see the financial elite, the orchestrators of these checks on innovation, differently. Indeed, consider Gamble’s visual representation of the One Percent: sinister silhouettes with bright ties, bright teeth, and bright bags of money. These aren’t people. They’re spirits of the underworld, parasitic Machiavellians feeding on the plight of the plebs. Simply put, then: profits and problems are two peas in a pod
This is partly because of the close ties between knowledge, money, and power. Gamble explains that the financial elite have the educational system deep in their pockets, and for obvious reasons. “What the captains of industry [want] from our schools,” he says, “[is] an obedient and docile workforce who would be manageable employees and eager consumers.” Students are not viewed as people but as products, a sentiment with which John Taylor Gatto, author of The Underground History of American Education, agrees. Student subservience, Gatto contends, “is why [pre-college education] takes twelve years. You’re to respond reflexively when anyone in a position of authority tells you what to do.” Controversial statements, these, but their meaning is clear: education isn’t about providing knowledge; it’s about producing ignorance disguised as knowledge. And according to Catherine Austin Fitts, president of Solari, Inc. and former managing director of the Wall Street investment bank Dillon, Reed, & Co., the knowledgeable have not only the power but also the ability to maintain their power. Just listen to her describe what goes on behind the scenes of the Federal Reserve
“The Federal Reserve prints money on a debt-based system, which creates scarcity. But it puts a group of insiders in a position of having access to all the data about the economy, when we don’t. So you have a small group of bankers who understand the data on how the money works in the economy, and [this knowledge] gives them the ability to print money in a way that the insiders are protected and everyone else is drained.”
Ignorance, in other words, is not bliss but the very thing that squelches our progress. Gamble therefore makes a somewhat surprising point here: that we have all, wittingly or unwittingly (and especially unwittingly), become part of a network that gives power to the few and takes power from the many—that power, in the words of Michel Foucault, “is everywhere not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere.” Power does not inhere within those who wield it. It is something churned up through our collective efforts, something given, something received. And it’s the possession and dispossession of knowledge that either stabilizes or destabilizes it.
Thrive’s ultimate strength, then, is in the implication of its audience. We don’t have to agree with everything Gamble says. That’s not his objective. But if we do agree that times are tough, and if we do agree that those in power are largely to blame, and if we do agree that the powerful remain so because we let them, then the responsibility for igniting change falls upon us. After all, we can’t ask the beneficiaries of these problems to come up with the solutions to those problems. That is ridiculous. We must instead, Thrive tells us, develop new forms of knowledge, reorganize power, and find the solutions ourselves.
So, any ideas?
In addition to freelance writing and copyediting, Danny Long teaches for the Program for Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He can be reached at dannylong449@gmail.com.
by Katrina Pfannkuch
So, you’re starting off 2012 with a new Smart Phone, fully equipped with must-have applications (apps) like Google Maps, iTunes and Angry Birds. Apps can brighten your day and make life a little easier. Now they can also help you respect the environment!
With technology an ever-growing part of our daily routine, sometimes we forget how it can also simplify our lives by helping us meet important personal goals. If you’ve been meaning to transition to a greener lifestyle but aren’t sure how, try downloading some apps to your mobile phone or laptop for helpful resources on easy, greener ways to manage travel, make purchase decisions and connect to important environmental causes.
GreenMeter – This iPhone/iPod app helps reduce your vehicle’s carbon footprint by monitoring acceleration and providing information about fuel use and engine power in real time. It helps drivers know instantly if they are driving at an efficient cruising speed to help reduce fuel usage and cost, factors that influence environmental impact. GreenMeter costs $5.99 and runs on iOS 2.0 or higher. www.itunes.apple.com/us/app/greenmeter
iRecycle - This iPhone app was created by Earth911 to provide the most up-to-date information on over 800,000 recycling and disposal centers for more than 240 materials. Check what you want to recycle (automotive, batteries, construction, electronics, garden, glass, hazardous, household, metal, pain, paper, plastic, etc.) and it will identify the appropriate recycling center, when it is open and other relevant information. www.routeme2.com/products/pednav/
IAmGreen – One of the most sustainable apps on the market today, IAmGreen plants a tree for each download to support worldwide reforestation. This organization helps smartphone users eco-fit their devices, allowing control over frequently used settings to extend battery life. It also connects the user with the global movement to save the earth and offers green tips. Available for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows. [www.sayiamgreen.com}(http://www.sayiamgreen.com)
GoodGuide – The free GoodGuide app provides insider information on products and utilizes a barcode scanner to share important product ratings so consumers can make well-informed, smart purchase choices based on a product’s eco-friendly, safety, health and sustainability ratings. Available for Android and iPhone. www.goodguide.com/about/mobile
GreenMap – Winner of the 2011 Best of Green Award by Treehugger, this iPhone app does a little bit of everything. It’s a great direct link into a variety of green resources such as farmers’ markets, establishments, structures, heritage sites and gardens. The 10 new sections show different perspectives on green living and how you, personally, can impact the global movement. In addition to providing maps, the app also shows videos, green blog posts, twitter links, widgets and access to the GreenMaps social network. www.greenmap.org
Project Noah – The Project Noah mobile app harnesses the power of “citizen scientists” everywhere by inviting users to help create a crowd-sourced map of wildlife all over the globe. Users can upload mobile photos of flora and fauna and participate in environmental missions such as helping to plot bird biodiversity or contributing to an international spider survey. Another feature allows users to see what species have been spotted close to where they live. It also has links to beautiful photo galleries to browse wildlife by type. www.projectnoah.org
Love Food Hate Waste – Stocking up on organic fruits and vegetables is great, but if you fail to plan your meals ahead of time you may just waste all that great seasonal bounty. The Love Food Hate Waste app provides recipes from celebrity chefs and includes tips on composting, meal planning and food storage. Just input the ingredients you have in your refrigerator or pantry, specify the number of people you are cooking for, and the app will generate recipe suggestions. It also offers information on what major food retailers are doing to combat their own food waste, helping with more informed purchase decisions. www.apple.com
PedNav – This is a super green, super-smart travel planner. Punch in all of your errands and destinations for the day. Then sit back and relax as PedNav creates an itinerary for you, complete with time-ordered listings and the best means of transportation to get you to each destination. It considers your schedule, the most eco-friendly options of transportation (such as bus or train) and determines your routes so you save time and minimize travel distances. www.routeme2.com/products/pednav/
Commute Greener – This carbon footprint-tracking tool by Volvo monitors your greenhouse-gas emissions based on your weekly travel by bicycle, foot, car or public transport, and encourages you to set reduction targets. It syncs easily with the Commute Greener’s website, which enables the cool social aspect of the tool — comparing your “performance” to others’. Available only for the iPhone. www.commutegreener.com
Pollution – Ever wondered how clean is the air you’re breathing, right now? This free app pulls in real-time air pollution data for 1,380 cities worldwide. Select from different forms of pollution (air, radiation from mobile phone masts, water and earth) and see the results overlaid on a Google map — based on your location, if you let the app locate you by GPS. It’s a great resource for a free app. www.itunes.apple.com/app/pollution
Katrina is a content creator, business consultant and strategist, creative block-buster and Reiki Master. Her passion is helping others tap into their personal creative well to inspire positive change in their business and life. www.buzzwordonline.com
It’s a new year and time for a new list of resolutions! If you’re tired of old “promises” you know you’re not going to keep past January 31, mix things up a bit in 2012 with a few resolutions that will not only make your life cleaner and greener, but give the environment an eco-friendly boost. We asked a few green living experts to help us put together a do-able list. Check out the list and “begin anywhere” for a new year you’ll be proud to call your own.
BEN HUBBERT
• Always use reusable grocery bags. If there comes a time when you do have to use plastic grocery bags, find a second use for them once you get them home. Use them to clean up after your dog or reuse them as a trash bag in your car.
• Make a compost bin in your backyard. Keep biodegradable food waste away from landfills. It's as simple as getting a plastic container, drilling holes in it and mixing it to create compost. You can throw everything from leaves, weeds, fruits, vegetable peels and egg shells to coffee grounds, tea bags, grass clippings and more.
• Carry a reusable mug. There are many coffee shops that will fill the mug you have, rather than using a paper cup.
• Pay your bills online and save a tree(s). Also, opt out of junk mail. Get your name of those mailing lists so companies aren't wastefully printing and sending you mail.
• Switch your light bulbs to CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). Compared to incandescent lamps (or your basic light bulb) that gives the same amount of visible light, CFLs use less power (typically one fifth) and have a longer rated life (six to ten times on the average).
• Switch one appliance to an energy efficient model. The Energy Star label on any appliance will tell you that it is one that is better for the environment. It may be something as minor as a cordless phone to something as major as your air conditioning unit.
• Compose your own household cleaners. Online inhabitots.com has a great list of recipes for non-toxic, child-safe cleaners that are simple to make and much less harmful to the environment.
• Shorten your showers. Some people take longer than others to shower, but set a goal to shorten your shower time. Make a power shower your new norm.
• Close the curtains. In warm temperatures, close the curtains or blinds in the heat of the day, especially for rooms facing west. The afternoon sun can really heat things up. Depending on the time of year, you can open or close them to your benefit (and the benefit of your air conditioning or heating system.
• Go double green. Plant a shade tree next to your outside air conditioning unit. Providing some shade over your air conditioning unit can help it run more efficiently.
Ben Hubbert, co-owner of Champion AC and educator of the San Antonio Energy Champions initiative.
AMY HEMMERT
• Take reusable bags to the store. In addition to bringing reusable bags for general grocery shopping, take them along for produce and bulk bin bags as well.
• Pack waste-free lunches. Lunches free of disposable packaging, such as prepackaged foods, plastic bags, juice boxes and pouches, paper napkins, and disposable utensils are not only good for the environment, they're also great for saving money and eating more healthfully. www.wastefreelunches.org
• Turn things off. Turn off lights and electronic devices when they're not in use.
• Air dry your laundry. In the warmer months, hang laundry outside on the line instead of using the dryer.
• Dress to stay warm (or cool). In colder months, put on an extra layer of clothing, and turn down the heat. In hot weather, take off a layer of clothing and turn off the air conditioning.
• Walk or ride a bike whenever feasible.
• Carpool and combine car trips whenever possible.
• Purchase organic, locally grown, seasonal produce. www.localharvest.org
Amy Hemmert is president and co-founder of Obentec, maker of Laptop Lunches® brand waste-free lunch kits.
BUENA TOMALINO
• Get in the habit of recycling. Recycle paper, plastic and other materials.
• Grow some of your own food. Think you don't have enough space? Whether you live in an apartment, condo, or house you can grow something edible from sprouts to herbs to tomatoes to fruit.
• Garden organically. Caring for your yard, houseplants and gardens organically is a great, easy way to go green.
• Opt out of phone books. You may want one but do you need six? http://qurkl.blogspot.com/2010/08/paper-phone-books.html
• Use greener cleaning products. Make or purchase safer products for your home or business.
• Reuse everything you can. Trade clothes, toys, tools and everything else you can with neighbors, friends and strangers. Don't know someone to trade with? Check or advertise on Craigslist .
• Donate what you no longer need. Instead of throwing things away, donate what you know longer need to a charity or thrift store.
Beuna Tomalino is a garden coach, organic gardener, and author of What About Herbs? eBook.
YOLANDA KENNEDY
• Hold on to your phone. Keep your cell phone one more year instead of automatically upgrading it.
• Stop using coffee stirrers. Pour the cream in first and allowing the coffee to do the work.
• Use an e-Reader. Are you a reader? Invest in a Kindle, Nook or other e-reading device.
• Trade exercise DVDs with friends. No need to buy new ones.
• Have a tree planted. There are many organizations that will plant a tree for donations of as little as $1.00.
• Before buying new, ask yourself, “Can I reuse or re-purpose an item I already have?”
Yolanda Kennedy is the owner of www.ladies-going-green.com, connecting women to green information & resources
CHERYL NEWCOMB
• Ride your bike whenever possible.
• Curb your paper towel habits. Use cloth napkins and keep cloth rags handy.
• Ditch wrapping paper. Substitute reusable items such as dishtowels, cloth napkins or receiving blankets for baby gifts.
• Pack your picnic with "real" dishes and utensils.
• Take a basket to the farmer's market.
• "Make" your own liquid laundry detergent. And refill the bottles.
• Use cabbage leaves and hollow squash for "serving bowls."
• Use glass straws! And take your own with you, just say "no straw, thank you." www.glassdharma.com
Cheryl Newcomb is the PR Representative at GlassDharma, manufacturer of the “Original Glass Straw”
MARIAN VAN EYK MCCAIN
Consider making resolutions that focus on the deeper issues. Create attitudinal change through spiritual growth and a deepening awareness of our interconnectedness with the rest of life on Earth.
• Think like a planet. Since we are all cells in the body of Gaia, the living planet, practice thinking with your “Gaia mind.” Whatever you do, stop and think, “since I am actually a planet, will this action help me or harm me?”
• Ask your great-grandchildren. Before you buy something, throw something away or travel somewhere, ask yourself, “Will this be OK with my great-grand-children?”
• Ask “where will this go?” whenever you throw something away. Remember, there is no “away.”
• Estimate the size of your eco-footprint. Visit www.myfootprint.org and set a target for shrinking it by at least one point.
• Read Spontaneous Evolution by Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman.
• Join Freecycle. www.freecycleusa.tripod.com
• Eat vegetarian at least one day a week.
• Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). www.localharvest.org/csa.
• Meditate on “enoughness.” Remind yourself, every day, that right now, in this moment, you have enough of everything you need.
• Find your leafy, green teacher. Find a tree near you, make friends with that tree and have a conversation with it every day. Ask its advice about how to live more greenly and listen carefully for the answers.
Marian Van Eyk McCain is a psychologist, and author of books on green living. www.marianvaneykmccain.com
by Linda M Potter
In 1952, 22 year old Barbara Marx, the daughter of Marx Toys founder, Louis Marx, accepted an invitation to the White House. There she famously asked President Eisenhower, “What is the meaning of our new power that is good?” It was a question that had weighed heavy on her heart for seven years – the seven years since the bombing of Hiroshima. He didn’t have an answer. She was determined to find one.
In 1984, her name was placed into nomination for the vice presidency of the United States on the Democratic ticket. “I pursued the office as an idea candidate in order to put forward some ideas for a positive future,” she says, ideas like a Peace Room equal in sophistication to the War Room that would track and report what was going right in America and the world.
Today, Hubbard is a revered futurist, a respected visionary. Buckminster Fuller called her “the best informed human now alive regarding futurism and the foresights it has produced.” She is the President of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution and the author of more than a half dozen books, including the soon-to-be-released, Birth 2012 and Beyond. She is an agent for change and a tireless advocate for what she calls a cocreative society and a synergistic democracy. “The American Dream is not a noun; it’s a verb,” she insists. “It’s a Creative Evolution movement in embryo.” Now, she says, it’s finally ready to be born.
LP: There has been so much speculation around what 2012 means for planet Earth. We’ve heard both “end of days” predications and talk of a new world age being birthed. What do you think we should be focusing on?
There is fear and concern — a sense that something is ending, something is dying. It’s true that something is dying — a certain state of consciousness. We’re now acknowledging that behavior patterns like nuclear proliferation, resource depletion and pollution must change. But at the same time there’s a huge uprising of what’s being born, of what’s emerging, of what’s creative.
To me, 2012 has two elements: 1) Hospicing what is dying and 2) Giving birth to what is being born. Dec. 22, 2012 [the day after the end of the Mayan calendar] is like a first birth-day. Much like Earth Days, this Birth Day is giving a consciousness to what’s being born on this planet — a shift toward a planetary culture, toward a co-creative humanity, toward the immediate action of restoring the earth, toward cooperation and participation — toward the birth of a more Universal Humanity.
LP: You’ve spoken out about the importance of groups like Occupy Wall Street in shifting consciousness. Can you explain how you think movements like these fit into the larger picture?
An evolution of our society is happening and has been for some time. There are cultural creators and there are innovators [working to make changes], so there’s an illusion of consciousness. But existing systems like corporate and political structures are all top down dominator. And they’re all under stress. None of them can handle the problems we’re facing.
I think the Occupy movement symbolizes our coming together to create a new community, a new culture of equality, a new place for all views to be heard. But at the same time, it is a protest of the dominator structure that is creating poverty, scarcity and inequality. For me, the greater part is not so much the protesting against what needs to be changed, but the groping towards what wants to be a more creative and more participatory democracy. I think like the Arab Spring, this is the American Autumn. We’re actually participating in the evolution of democracy. This is a wave as great as what got us from monarchy to democracy.
LP: You’re saying that our evolution is more about what are we moving toward rather than what we’re moving away from. Do you think Conscious Business is part of this evolution? How does it fit into this model?
Yes, Conscious Business is a part of this. Hazel Henderson [founder, Ethical Markets Media, LLC and author of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy] talks about the “ethical marketplace.”
She honors people who are conscious capitalists caring for their company and doing things of value. She also helped create the Calvert-Henderson investment fund where your investments are vetted as to how they affect the farmers and the workers, for example. She’s urging the evolution of capitalism from a single bottom line to the triple bottom line: the person, the profit and the planet.
LP: It seems to me that you can’t have Conscious Business without ethical practices. Are they two sides of the same coin?
There is a wonderful understanding here that evolution itself has to become ethical evolution. What I’m speaking about is conscious evolution which means we are conscious that we’re affecting our own evolution by everything we do. We’re conscious that we can destroy our environment and our civilization, but we’re also becoming conscious that we can restore our environment and evolve ourselves. So, there is a real gap between the negative scenarios leading to destruction and the positive scenarios leading to a sustainable, peaceful, evolvable world. What conscious evolution does is look at that gap from here to there and says, what is the step that society has to take to make the jump from de-volution to e-volution, and then on to conscious e-volution.
In my work, I teach that the way to cross the gap is to put a wheel in the gap (symbolically). I call it the Wheel of Co-creation. In this wheel is a little hub center with 12 sectors [surrounding it]: science and technology, education, justice, health, spirituality, infrastructure, environment, media, governance, relations, arts, and economics. In every sector there are already innovations that are working. If there were a system of connecting and communicating what’s already emerging that works (towards a sustainable evolvable world), we’d see that emerging world in our midst. And it would be a non-linear connectivity. Now, if you want to jump that gap fast enough to avoid the breakdowns that are accelerating, we also have to accelerate.
LP: We hear a lot about how things are speeding up as we’re approaching Dec. 21, 2012. What do you feel is causing this acceleration?
One reason things are speeding up is that we’re seeing that all these different systems [on the wheel] are interconnected. It’s a living system. If you destroy one part of it, you’re going to be affecting another part. Through the rapid connectivity of communication (for example, billions of people have cell phones), we’re communicating person to person outside of any structures of mass media. You can self-publish, you can overthrow a dictator by assembling people who want to move together, you can occupy all these various towns and cities, you can get mass media to pick up what you’re doing within a day, you can take your picture and get it around the world in a second. What does that mean? Things are more than just speeding up; they’re integrating into one whole system.
LP: Are we causing the shift that’s taking place right now? Or is the shifting happening around us, outside of our control?
I think it’s both. There’s an evolutionary process going on. Over and over again in evolutionary history, crisis has preceded transformation. We can see that our crisis can affect our own transformation, and if we continue to overpopulate and pollute to the current degree, for example, we will kill all life. So, we’re being shifted by this awareness that we’re affecting our own life support. That feels to me like evolution has produced people on this planet who are aware they’re affecting their own evolution. This is a big jump. First of all we’re noticing that there is an evolutionary process, then we’re aware that we’re affecting it. We’re also aware of enormous inequities, starvation and poverty. What are we going to do about that? As long as we didn’t know about it, we didn’t have to do anything. What’s happened is now we know about it.
When you are sending money to Haiti or to survivors of the tsunami in Japan, you’re becoming empathetic with the whole planet Earth. The development of this interconnected, intercommunicating world is a natural phenomenon just like when the Earth created bacteria that then created life, which then created animal life and ecologies. It’s not stopping with us. We’re a part of billions of years of evolution. The cells, the molecules, the organs of our body were all billions of years in the making. You are the resume of the whole story of creation. You didn’t have to do that whole story, but what you do have to do is exactly what you are doing. You’re doing an interview with me. But what motivates you to do this? And does it relate to the deeper purpose of evolution?
LP: I’d say I’m motivated to do this interview because I want to participate in shifting the consciousness of the planet.
Well, there you go. That seems to be happening to millions of us. I was a housewife with five children. I always had a yearning for greater meaning, greater purpose. I asked great questions like “What is the meaning of our new power that’s good?” I asked this after the atomic bomb was dropped. That impulse in me and in you and in millions of us I consider to be an evolutionary impulse. It’s not just personal.
LP: Can you tell us a little bit about your current project with the Shift Network?
I’m doing a major project with the Shift Network to connect and celebrate the planetary birth experience we’re calling Birth 2012. On December 22, 2012, there will be a celebration of what’s working, what’s creative, and what’s emerging to invite greater global coherence. We want to connect people of all ages, from all backgrounds and all cultures who would like to give their greater gift to the shift on planet Earth. I’m currently writing a book, Birth 2012 and Beyond. In March, I will be going to different cities inviting people to form circles and hubs to create resonance with each other and their communities. Then they can work together to organize planetary celebrations of what’s being born through us. I would recommend www.Birth2012.com and www. evolve.org as the best sites for more details.
LP: How many people do you envision participating in Birth 2012? Is there a tipping point that you feel will ensure its success?
We’re saying we’d like to have 100 million participate. The figure I’ve been given [as a tipping point] is 300,000. If 300,000 people were to resonate from their hearts with the connection of the whole and the emerging of a more just and evolvable culture, that’s enough. So, with the internet and other communication systems, this is all doable!
LP: If you get your 300,000 people (or 100 million!) participating on Dec. 22, what will you be feeling on Dec. 23rd?
I’ll be really happy! The beauty of a birth is that it’s the very beginning of what’s going to happen. I think that if we have a critical mass of celebration of what’s working and what’s being born — of innovations and creativity — that it will shift the consciousness of humanity from a fearful sense of separation to hope and creativity.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker, a freelance writer and the author of If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at your local book store, through Amazon.com or at wordkeepersinc.com. Linda is also the Managing Editor of BellaSpark Magazine. You can contact her through her website,www.lindampotter.com or at lindampotter@comcast.net.
by Beth Buczynski
How many times a week do you take out the trash?
If you recycle your trash or compost your organic waste, you will notice a dramatic decrease in the amount of discarded trash generated by your household. But achieving zero waste is about more than just recycling and composting.
Zero waste is an eco-conscious concept that involves viewing waste not as useless trash, but as a resource that can create jobs through collection and recycling, open up new financial opportunities for resellers, and most importantly, act as a raw material for the creation of new products. Here’s how the Institute for Local Self-Reliance defines it:
"Zero waste is a philosophy and a design principle for the 21st Century; it is not simply about putting an end to landfilling. Aiming for zero waste is not an end-of-pipe solution. That is why it heralds fundamental change. Aiming for zero waste means designing products and packaging with reuse and recycling in mind. It means ending subsidies for wasting. It means closing the gap between landfill prices and their true costs. It means making manufacturers take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products and packaging. Zero waste efforts, just like recycling efforts before, will change the face of solid waste management in the future. Instead of managing wastes, we will manage resources and strive to eliminate waste."
Living a zero waste lifestyle means we must be more mindful of the things we buy and use. Instead of buying first, and wondering how to dispose of it later, look for products that have multiple uses or things that can be upcycled into products with more or equal value. It’s not enough to just reuse a box or bag a couple of times before dumping it into the recycling bin to become someone else’s problem.
In a society that’s always looked the other way when it comes to wasted energy, materials, and money, achieving zero waste won’t be easy. But it isn’t impossible. “Our concept of eco-effectiveness means working on the right things — on the right products and services and systems — instead of making the wrong things less bad,” wrote William McDonough, in the ground-breaking book, Cradle to Cradle, Remaking the Way We Make Things.
Instead of resigning ourselves to the notion that all products will eventually wear out and get thrown away (cradle-to-grave), McDonough and his co-author Michael Braungart say we should base our designs on the understanding that waste does not exist. The by-product of one process should be an essential element of another (cradle-to-cradle).
How are we to implement zero waste in our own homes and businesses?
• The first step to eliminating waste is to evaluate what you throw away.
Take a peek inside the trash bag before you haul it to the curb. Chances are you’re tossing the same handful or items or types of packaging over and over. Identify those that can be replaced with reusable or recyclable versions and you’ll have eliminated even more waste, and probably saved yourself some money.
• The second step is recycling items that you can’t reuse or donate.
Your recycling bin should be much larger than your trash can. Take special care with electronics, batteries, and white goods (refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.) as they contain hazardous elements that make them difficult to recycle. Don’t just set them by the curb and hope for the best. Take the time to find a service that will dispose of them responsibly. (Eco-Thrift located on Howes Street in Fort Collins accepts obsolete and non-working electronics for responsible recycling for a nominal fee. Visit www.eco-thrift.com to learn more.)
• The third step is composting all organic waste.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, yard trimmings and food residuals make up 23 percent of the total U.S. waste stream. Composting diverts this valuable organic material from the landfill and uses it to produce a rich organic fertilizer and valuable soil amendment instead. Check out www.composting101.com to learn how to get started.
The most important thing to remember about living a zero waste lifestyle is that it takes time. It’s impossible to eliminate all waste overnight, and for some, it may not be possible at all. Keep in mind that zero waste is a goal, and becoming more mindful about what we buy and how we will dispose of it is the journey that gets us closer to achieving it. Tackle the most obvious and unnecessary types of waste first, and the rest will follow.
Beth Buczynski is a freelance writer, avid recycler and amateur gardener with a secret dream of living off the grid. <bethbot52@gmail.com>.
by Tuula Fai
Want to enhance your intimate relationships and move through life transitions with greater ease and grace? Then let Dr. Michael Mirdad help you. A spiritual healer and counselor for over thirty years, Mirdad is the author of the best-selling books You’re Not Going Crazy…You’re Just Waking Up!, An Introduction to Tantra and Sacred Sexuality, The Seven Initiations on the Spiritual Path, and Healing the Heart & Soul. His work with sacred sexuality, what he calls Middle Path Tantra, has made him a sought-after speaker and interviewee. Read what this spiritual master has to say about embodying God’s love in your life in a practical way.
What is your book You’re Not Going Crazy… You’re Just Waking Up! about?
It’s about how to rebuild your life after it has fallen apart. I’m referring to anything that has changed in your life, ranging from something minor like losing a personal possession to something major like losing your intimate partner or job. We need to uncover why these things are happening to us. There may be some form of personal healing we need to complete or lessons we need to learn. Besides looking at the inner causes, we also need to understand how to go through these changes with the highest consciousness possible. When we begin to understand the deeper significance of life’s events, we can decide what direction we want to go. When we go right back to the same old thing that got us into trouble in the first place, our lives tend to fall apart once again. Instead, we can learn to connect to Spirit in a new way, allowing higher guidance to direct us toward a better life. In the end, it’s all about dismantling the past in order to rebuild a new life so we no longer stay stuck in the same old patterns.
Can you elaborate on the Soul Transformation Process that results in our ‘Waking Up!’?
Whether we like it or not, changes in our life force us to go through the five stages of the Soul-Transformation Process. Dismantling happens when something changes in your life. It could be a loss or betrayal or any change in your life circumstances. The second stage is Emptiness, the natural effect of having experienced loss or change. In the aftermath of loss you feel empty, sad and depressed — all of which feel like they’ll last forever. Eventually the sadness dissipates and leads you to the third stage, Disorientation. This is where you say, “Oh my God, where do I go from here?”
Disorientation is the most crucial stage because it is when you choose to step over the bridge into stages four and five, rather than try to figure it out yourself. What moves you forward is surrendering your life, your crisis and your soul to Spirit. You must learn to remain still and practice trusting and praying for Divine guidance. Then wait patiently for the doors to open.
The fourth stage of the Soul Transformation Process is Rebuilding, which naturally leads to the fifth and final stage: A New Life. Again, these last two stages cannot be done on your own, but only by surrendering to, and working with, Spirit.
Another topic you are known for is teaching people how to enhance their intimate relationships. How do you do this?
Enhancing intimacy is about learning how to be present with ourselves and others. As a teacher of relationships and Tantra, I’m not talking about the extremes of religious Tantra on the one hand and hyper-sexuality on the other. I teach Middle Path or Spiritual Tantra. That means we practice integrity, love and respect as we learn how to be more in touch with our own bodies and the needs of our intimate partners.
What do you see missing in people’s intimate relationships?
Internally speaking, when people are not in touch with who they are, they cannot be in healthy relationships. So our first responsibility is to create a healthy internal life, which means having an intimate relationship with God and ourselves. If that is not intact, how can we possibly give true healthiness or love to others?
Externally speaking, inner spiritual health will naturally flow over into our relationships in the form of honest, loving communication and physically intimate touch. We would all benefit from slowing down and being in the space of love. Everyone has seen movies with hyper sex, the man ripping the woman’s clothes off and so on. But those scenes never end with the man dressing her afterwards. That’s because the hot sex the world tries to sell you is merely shallow infatuation, which usually does not include love and respect. It may be entertaining but it is not Tantric. It is not deeply spiritual, psychological or emotional; it is nothing but an addictive behavior called stimulation.
Slowing down may seem boring to an addict of stimulation. But when you try it, you will feel things you never could have imagined. So the next time you make love with your partner, slow down and concentrate on every sensation — from the subtlest kiss to the motions of love-making. Some couples who have tried it say, “We are exploding with love and passion for each other again.”
When talking about relationships you’ve asked people, “Do you really want to be special?” What do you mean by this?
Everything in the universe is based on your relationship with God, yourself, and others. If you feel separate from God, [which is] your first relationship, you’re going to have difficulties with your second relationship, which is your own sense of self-love and self-worth. So your third relationship (with others) is going to suffer and be more co-dependent or addictive, simply because you aren’t honoring yourself. It goes like this. If I feel separate from God, then I start to feel empty inside. I try to fill that emptiness with food, alcohol or co-dependent relationships — hoping that I will feel better.
But that person or thing doesn’t have the power to make me feel better; it’s just a distraction. The question “Do you really want to be special?” asks if you really want to be someone’s distraction. Because that’s where most relationships are — people using each other (knowingly or unknowingly) as distractions so they don’t have to deal with their sense of emptiness.
In your article Greed in Spiritual Teachers, you take issue with those who teach “how to get more of what you want.” Please elaborate. Most of the books and movies on manifestation tell you that “you are God,” and you should get whatever you want from life. Some people try this and say, “It worked. I have mastered the laws of the universe.” But getting what you want doesn’t mean that it came from a Divinely-inspired place. Adolf Hitler did this but what he created was not divine.
So I’m appealing to the human race to center in God first; ‘seek first the kingdom.’ Call in God-consciousness and fill up with that. If your mantra is love and self-worth, call in the love and feel it. Know it’s there and be grateful. Sit in Divine presence and ask, “What kind of relationship do I want to experience?” or “What would I like to create in my life at this time?” Ideas will come that are natural to that higher level of consciousness. Because if you’re filled with love and self-worth, how could you not have a fulfilling relationship? The whole process becomes very relaxed and organic. And you’ll get whatever you want because you’ll know it’s not about that. It’s about praying for divinity in your being and feeling love, peace, joy and abundance. Everything else will follow.
Visualizing what you want — a new car, boat or house — is the kind of thinking that got us into the economic and spiritual crisis we’re in now. Instead, visualize being a better person. If you are down to the last minutes of your life, what do you think will matter most — more stuff or feeling the presence of God?
How do we know if something is coming from Divine guidance or our ego?
If the answers come from Divine guidance, they will always be congruent with your spiritual code — the mantra or words you use to center in God. So if your mantra is love and self-worth, then anything you receive that is congruent with this is from Spirit. This would be true whatever your mantra is — peace and freedom, love and abundance, joy and health.
What do you most recommend for people to create a healthy relationship with Spirit?
It starts with setting aside some time for your relationship with Spirit. Take five minutes in the morning and night to pray and meditate. Surrender yourself to Spirit by saying, “Here I am…use me as you will.” Don’t listen to any teacher who tells you that it has to be complicated or take hours. Having a humble moment each morning and night is enough to enlighten you. Let’s get back to simplicity and beauty, right here, right now.
How can we make the most of the extraordinary times we are living in?
The world is a three-dimensional hologram of our internal experience. And we aren’t doing very well internally. People feel separate from God, from themselves, and from each other, so the outer world reflects this with tragedies and catastrophes. Everyone from the Aztecs to Nostradamus to Edgar Cayce predicted something would happen at this time, 2012. Even people not into spirituality could see something is happening, because the world cannot continue as it is. We’ve been living in a trance believing we are separate from divinity, which is a false perception. How can we function well if we live from the consciousness of a false perception? We would only perceive illusions. So the world we have manufactured is an illusion and all illusions must come to an end.
Buddha said, “I’ve got it…I am awake and I can show you how to feel the same.” The crucifixion of Jesus, demonstrated that even death is an illusion and has no power over us. What’s it going to take? Many years ago, The Beatles did the first worldwide televised event and sang, “All you need is love.” How could that not be earth-shattering? These events offered hints to remind us, “Please wake up to who you really are.” But all the amazing teachers and events are only capable of acting like alarm clocks. We still have to be the ones to choose our awakening and stop hitting the snooze button. 2012 is going to awaken people out of their sleep and snap them out of their trances. And this can be done the easy way or the hard way.
Humanity has had many opportunities to awaken the easy way. Now the world is going through a “Soul-Transformation Process” where everyone is being dismantled and experiencing emptiness and disorientation. To get over the bridge and start rebuilding a new life, we need to surrender our lives to Spirit and start living as though we are the Presence of love (or God). If we do, we can have a mass awakening in a good way. But if we continue to resist surrender, we will keep dismantling until we learn to surrender and step over the bridge into A New Life.
What can each of us do right now to make the greatest difference?
Whether it’s about waking up in 2012, creating more intimacy, or improving your finances… the answer is the same. First and foremost, connect with God. Second, make that connection a tangible part of your being. And third, live it in every way — the way you parent, partner and work. If your spiritual walk doesn’t change who you are, then you’ve got the wrong God, the wrong thought system, the wrong practice. Your spiritual path will have a positive effect on your life. You will feel God’s presence as love, self-worth, joy, abundance. Bringing these things into our lives on a practical level is what Living Mastery is really all about.
_ Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of Seek the Lover Within: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders, Vol 1 & 2. For sixteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. <tuula@ascendancehealing.com>; [www.spiritual.50interviews.com](http://spiritual.50interviews.com._
by Donna Visocky
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
As I sat down to write this article, a song lyric kept playing in my head: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”
Composer Jill Jackson Miller was a very wise woman. She knew that peace cannot happen outside of us, between cultures, between nations, until it begins within us. Once we find that stillness deep in our heart, an uncompromising love for self, only then can we create it in the world around us. We become the kind of person who can live at peace with others every day, with our family and loved ones, in our workplace, in our community; that is where peace must begin.
We each have burning within us a tiny spark. When we nurture that spark, an amazing thing begins to happen. Our light radiates out to all around us, like a single candle piercing the darkness. So delighted in its brightness, it then shares its flame with another, which touches another, and so it goes… until one day the entire world is bathed in light.
Mother Teresa said, “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” Do not underestimate the Power of One; your power. You can change the world, simply by carrying peace in your heart and living it daily.
Will we be the generation that fulfills the dream of a peaceful world? Let it begin with me.
Donna Visocky is the founder of BellaSpark Productions and publisher of BellaSpark Magazine.
by Ed & Deb Shapiro
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
Take a moment to appreciate the chair you are sitting on right now. Consider what went into its making: the wood, cotton, wool or other fibers, the trees and plants, the earth, rain and sun, the people and factory where the chair was made, the designer and carpenter and seamstress, the shop where you bought it—all this so you could be sitting here now.
There is no beginning place, just an endless stream of connectedness that has come together to enable you to be here right now, in this moment, sitting on your chair. And you think you have nothing worth appreciating or feeling grateful for?
Experiencing gratitude is totally transforming. It will lift every minute of your day. Develop an attitude of gratitude hourly, daily, weekly, finding different things to appreciate each time. Anything can go on this list: pets, people, toenails, trees, weather…
Then say “Thank you!” Say it out loud. And again. We can never have enough gratitude; let it fill every moment, every thought and every feeling.
Here are a few of the things we often forget to appreciate: each other, our breath, being able to walk, hot water, grapefruit, flannel sheets. Enjoy!
Ed and Deb Shapiro, authors of Be the Change, bloggers on www.HuffingtonPost.com, www.Oprah.com, www.VividLife.me, and Going Out Of Your Mind www.VividLife radio.
by Mark Hoog
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
In 1993 I received the gift of a lifetime as I sat with my wife, brother, sister, and parents for our holiday gift exchange. This year was unique as, in only a few months, both my brother and I would become first time fathers. I looked at the stack of gifts to be exchanged and noticed one out of place box in the pile. It was a mid-size, beat up box, with wrapping paper of all sizes and colors taped randomly to it. I recognized it as the handy work of my brother who then reached for the sloppily wrapped package, carried it in my direction and set it on my lap asking, “Mark, if there was one gift- just one gift- you could give your child, what would it be?”
I was speechless. Money? A house? A car? My mind raced. What did my brother stuff in this sad looking little box? My mind drifted to the intangibles I hoped my unborn child would possess. I wanted my son or daughter to believe the canvas of life could hold a picture of unlimited potential and the brush to create it was firmly in the hand of the painter. I wanted to make sure everything I did helped my child build a foundation of possibility. But how? The words, “Encouragement is oxygen to the soul” flashed through my mind. In that moment I realized my answer and told my brother that, through my parenting, I wanted to offer encouragement and help my child develop strong self-esteem.
The gift was never in the box…it was in the question. I realize now the perfect gift is not always held by the perfect box or wrapped in colorful paper. Sometimes the gift is that which encourages us to think about the contribution we make to the world around us.
Mark Hoog is a nationally recognized speaker, a bestselling author and the Executive Director of the Children's Leadership Institute. www.markhoog.com
by Katrina Pfannkuch
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
The idea of a “perfect” gift is very misleading, and often counterproductive. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to find something amazing for each and every person on our gift list. When you really think about it from a heart centered place, you already have something perfect to give – you.
The connection you have created with each special person in your life is unique and deserves celebration in a way that reminds you both why you remain connected. That’s why scheduling uninterrupted time with someone is such a great gift idea. It gives you time to honor and enjoy each other, to feel nourished and supported, and radiate that feeling to one another.
Pick a day after the busy holiday season to do something heart opening, fun and relaxing with your friend, family member or loved one. It will give you time to catch up on details big and small, and nourish the relationship for the benefit of you both. Go for a walk, meet for lunch, see a movie, cook a meal together – just find an activity you both love and let it flow. The only requirements are to make sure it's special one-on-one time and to get a specific date scheduled.
As our lives continue to get faster paced, it's these moments of connection that hold our hearts, helping us through tough times. Create memories that replay like movies in your heart and mind. You choose to be in a person's life because they bring light, joy, support, laughter and countless other gifts of abundance. Why not celebrate the amazing gifts you reflect to each other by sharing light and presence?
Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, editor and Reiki Master. She lives to write and create, and is passionate about health, personal development and social responsibility.
by Arielle Ford
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
While sharing and buying gifts for loved ones is a huge focus of the holiday season, we often forget to share love and thoughtfulness with ourselves. What ultimately what makes life meaningful is our presence in our relationships…the time, energy, and attention we bring to each other. In order to really show up for ourselves and others, we need to “fill ourselves up.” Below are four sacred gifts for you to give to you so that there will more of you to share with the world.
The gift of self-care. Learning to love yourself and to take care of all of you, physically, emotionally and spiritually, is the best gift ever. Are you taking the time to nurture yourself on a daily basis? Adding ten minutes a day of prayer or meditation, taking time for a short walk in nature, finding time for a relaxing bubble bath, will nourish you on many levels.
The gift of not taking anything personally. In The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz, he teaches to never take anything personally. Miguel says “nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.” Amen.
The gift of silence. Just because you have something to say (an opinion, judgment, point of view) doesn’t necessarily mean you need to share it. Sometimes, by just staying quiet and letting others speak up, you can be more “right” than trying to “be right” about something.
The gift of choosing joy. You control your thoughts and behaviors. You have the ability to choose joy instead of letting your monkey mind obsess, be fearful, or go down a dark hole of anxiety. This year commit to choosing joy and love over fear and doubt.
Arielle Ford is the author of eight books including the international bestseller, The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction. www.arielleford.com
by Linda M. Potter
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
I like to say (grinning ear to ear) that God has finally figured out a way to communicate with me – through “sign” language. So I wasn’t surprised when I encountered a sign on the side mirror of a new car (one that had “Linda’s Christmas gift” written all over it) that read, Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than they Appear. The convex mirror on which the warning appears affords the driver a clearer view of what’s behind him, but the tradeoff is that it distorts distance. The mirror can lull the driver into a false sense of security, leading him to believe that what’s following behind is farther away than it actually is.
It’s the same with unresolved life issues. We may believe we’ve left old “baggage” like resentment, fear and limitation in our dust as we put the pedal to the metal and sped off down life’s winding highway. But when we take a backward look, we find that we haven’t left it behind at all; it’s hitched to our rear bumper, stuffed inside an oversized U-Haul.
We’re never truly free of our personal baggage until we make a conscious effort to unhitch it, release it and bless the lessons it has provided. One of the gifts of the holiday season is that it’s the perfect opportunity to lovingly get closure on the year we’re leaving behind, while happily anticipating the new one to come. Consciously letting go of that which no longer serves us clears the road ahead for the joy ride of a lifetime.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker and the author of If Only Would Give Me a Sign! www.lindampotter.com.
by Cynthia James
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
Radical Self Care means that “I” comes first. It means putting yourself first mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. If you typically put others needs before your own, you may react to this concept with fear. When I started this practice years ago; making exercise, healthy eating, meditation, and prayer a priority in my life, some people became upset. The more you take care of yourself, the more time, compassion, and energy you have for others.
The holiday season can decrease our ability to experience the joy we crave because of the increased demands on our time, expectations we put on ourselves and the responsibility we feel to family and traditions that may no longer serve; perhaps there has been a recent loss causing deep grief.
I encourage you to put yourself first. Discover what nurtures your bliss. Calendar in time for yourself. I like to take hot baths with candles, play music, dance, and read a good book.
Whatever is happening in your life, give thanks and vow to care for your self more deeply than ever before. Journal and create a non-negotiable agreement that you are the most important person in your life. Remember that you are the precious gift.
Cynthia James is a transformational speaker, teacher, author and performing artist. www.cynthiajames.net
by Barry Goldstein
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
We have been given a precious gift. Sometimes it is difficult for us to unwrap the essence of this gift because it is covered by our daily challenges. But if we listen closely we can hear a beautiful song that is orchestrated within our own bodies.
Close your eyes and put your hands on your heart, and you can begin to hear it. Give yourself a breath in, and allow yourself to feel and hear your own heartbeat. As you breathe out, release a big breath. Your heartbeat is the rhythm of your life and your breath the melody. It is the first thing you hear coming into this life and the and last thing you hear leaving it. It is the umbilical cord to God, everything and everyone.
Although it is not music as we know it, the song that it sings is the most beautiful of all – your heart’s song. Its gift to you is LIFE, and no matter what is going on around you, you can pause and give thanks and appreciation for being alive – for the honor of being here! Listen to your Heart’s Song everyday this year and you will be in awe of the miracles the universe will unveil!
+Musician, Barry Goldstein co-produced the Grammy Award winning track " 69 Freedom special with Les Paul, and has composed and produced for television, film, major record labels and Top 10 recording artists. www.barrygoldsteinmusic.com._
by Don Miguel Ruiz
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
Once upon a time...an old man was in the desert, in the middle of the night,
the full moon gave splendorous beauty to the Oasis,
where the man was seating in a flat rock, sending a prayer to the creator,
feeling that he was getting to the end of his life... and he was scared of the unknown.
All of a sudden, he felt a great peace... and a beautiful smile came to his face.
In only a few moments, he saw all his life passing through his mind,
all the great moments, all the bad moments...
like that happened to somebody else, with no attachments.
He saw the little body of a child, transforming day by day constantly,
until he become an adolescent, with a very dramatic search for personality.
Then a young adult, looking for work...and for romance; what amazing days,
becoming a responsible man, with a great wife...and beautiful children.
All the meaning of his life was invested in his family.
Growing old, all his devotion for the grand children... and now
In the moment to let his body go... he knew without a doubt,
that his body was so grateful for the greatest gift....
He...he was the gift, he is life.
Don Miguel Ruiz is the author of several books on Toltec Wisdom including the international bestseller, The Four Agreements. www.miguelruiz.com
by Jack Canfield
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
I was on a TV show on CNN with John Gray and Deepak Chopra a number of years ago. It was one of those split screens where we were all in different studios; I was in LA and Deepak was in San Diego and John was in San Francisco. Somebody asked Deepak, “Do you find Jack Canfield’s books motivational?” And he says, “No, I do not find them motivational.” (laughing) I thought he was going to diss me in front of a national audience, but then he says, “No, on the contrary, I find them inspirational.”
Motivational is like a shower – it wears off and you have to take another one. You have a motivational speaker come into a company and you need another one a week later. And then he said, “If you have a light in your heart and it gets lit, it stays lit.” He called that inspirational, to be Inspired from the inside -- to not need motivation from the outside.
To inspire is to breathe into people this belief, this knowing, this connection to the essence of them that knows that what they are dreaming about is not an accident; it has been put there, encoded, into their DNA that they’re supposed to do this dream.
I want to inspire people to live their highest vision in the context of love and joy and to know what’s possible. Other people have done it and you can do it too. It’s not limited to the Ghandis and the Mother Teresas and the Mandelas of the world. We all can step up and be like that in our own sphere of influence.
Jack Canfield is a self-esteem and peak performance expert, a bestselling author and the co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. www.jackcanfield.com
by John Randolph Price
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
Take a deep breath, relax, and think about the word happiness for a moment. Let it speak to your heart and feel the gladness, the delight, the joy. This is the energy that opens the doors to order and harmony, the vibrations that evokes the Law of Attraction. Let's be happy for all the blessings that flow to us as part of the natural process of life, truly gifts of Spirit.
In the Christmas season we may feel rushed with much to do, but let's pause and remind ourselves each day that happiness is a part of our Divine Nature. Let's remind ourselves of the happy moments and precious times... the love of family and friends, the laughter, the playfulness, the Christmas songs, flames in the fireplace that seem to dance with the music. Add to the list with a smile. Be of good cheer.
John Randolph Price is the chairman of the Quartus Foundation and author of 18 inspirational books, including the best-selling Angels Within Us, The Superbeings, The Jesus Code, and The Abundance Book.
by Merrie Lynn Ross
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me… a dozen magnificent messages of wisdom and wonder from 12 popular speakers, authors, and visionaries. Each gift is from the heart, given with love exclusively for BellaSpark readers. Enjoy unwrapping these priceless life-affirming gifts!
Little Johnny was fast asleep in his bed, dreaming of eating sugarplum cookies and sipping the warm milk he left under the Xmas tree for St. Nick. A roaring “Ho, Ho, Ho” bellowed and stirred him with a jolt. The belly laughter was unmistakably Santa Claus. Echoing so loud it was a wonder why it didn’t wake up the town.
Unsure if he was dreaming or not, Johnny crept to the step’s landing and caught a glimpse of jolly St. Nick, who chuckled. “Ah Ha, little Johnny, you tickled my heart munching my cookies and you did leave my favorite treat, the cherry on top. My gift to you this year will take you by surprise. With that he began to laugh, “Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha.” Johnny caught the contagious laughter. He began laughing so hard he rolled down the steps, tears of joy flowing down his cheeks.
Eye to eye, St. Nick winked at him. “Spread your gift of Laughter wherever you go. The sad will be jolly, the jolly will Love, Heart’s will heal, and Peace on Earth will reign.” As St. Nick slipped away, Johnny’s “Ha Ha Ha’s” awakened his family, as they delighted in joy, their laughter tickled the neighbors, and one by one... the whole world shined Big Smiles.
Merrie Lynn Ross, an award winning writer/ filmmaker, lead child advocate, and TV comedy star is the author of “Bounce Off The Walls – Land On Your Feet,” an uplifting books inspired by personal tragedy. www.merrieway.com
Author Unknown
Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't own any and he didn't like them anyway. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift.
He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend."
Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older sisters and one younger sister, who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother.
Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to.
Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment.
As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a dime.
He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift.
The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you."
As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers.
The sound of the door closing as the last customer left jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box.
"That will be ten cents young man," the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime.
Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime!
Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?"
This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son,"
As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?"
Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime.
"When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars.
"When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses." The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all.
by Jan Waterman
What if we lived every moment from the inspiration and wisdom of love?
And what if we took complete responsibility for ourselves and everything that we experience in our lives?
Self Identity through Ho’oponopono is based on the realization that fundamentally we are all one and love is the answer to every perceived problem.
Ho’oponopono translates as “setting to right.” It’s a traditional Hawaiian problem-solving process practiced to maintain harmonious relationships and resolve conflict within the extended family.
In 1976 kahuna Mornnah Simeona adapted the traditional practice of ho’oponopono to a general problem-solving process. She viewed ho’oponopono as a psycho-spiritual means to resolve and remove trauma from memory and to expand awareness.
Problems begin when our thoughts are not aligned with the truth of our oneness. Painful memories imbued in our thoughts prevent us from realizing the love available in every moment. Ho’oponopono erases the painful memories and purifies our thoughts and frees us from the power they hold over us. As the false energy of the memory releases, the void fills with the light of love.
And because we are one from a spiritual perspective, the decision in one person to release memory of wrong actions allows all people to balance and heal. Everyone involved is set free.
If this sounds implausible, consider what happened when Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len practiced ho’oponopono at the Hawaii State Hospital’s psychiatric facility from 1984 to 1987. Dr. Hew Len, therapist and former student of Simeona’s, was hired as a staff psychologist. He spent 20 hours a week in a high-security unit that housed male patients who had committed criminal acts of murder, rape or assault. The ward was rampant with violence. Staff absenteeism and turnover ran high, family members rarely visited and patients lacked any involvement in their own care or rehabilitation.
Dr. Hew Len practiced the Self Identity through Ho’oponopono process of repentance, forgiveness and transmutation. He never directly counseled patients on the unit; he simply examined their charts. As he studied each inmate’s information, he looked within himself to see how he had created that person’s illness.
The patients improved as Dr. Hew Len cleared the part of himself that he shared with them. He took 100 percent responsibility for his conscious and unconscious experience of their problems.
The environment of the ward changed significantly. Average length of patient stays decreased from several years to four months. The quality of life for both patients and staff shifted dramatically and became family-oriented with people caring for one another instead of committing acts of violence against each other.
What exactly did Dr. Hew Len do? He repeated four statements, over and over, as he looked at the charts:
I’m sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.
He addressed these statements to his subconscious as a means to clear himself and open to inspiration.
I’m sorry. Because the problem was in his experience, he acknowledged that he was in some way responsible.
Please forgive me. He chose to be willing to see what is true.
Thank you. He was grateful that the situation gave him one more opportunity to release the shared memory that had manifested as the problem.
I love you. He released the memories that he shared with the inmates and allowed love to give, and be, the answer.
According to Hew Len, we’re not aware of the millions of bits of information surrounding us in each moment, yet we take them in subconsciously. When painful memories play we experience judgment, anger, resentment, hate. These memories block our awareness of the love that we are and could experience in each moment, were it not for our insistence that life is otherwise, as we perceive it.
Hew Len believes we can never see clearly since we’re not even aware of most of the data that holds power over us. Our only choice is to live from memory — old programs replaying — or from inspiration. The practice of ho’oponopono erases the programs and frees us from fears and judgments that keep us locked in our limited perceptions. We open to possibilities we never before imagined. We see what is true in the moment.
When we are data-free, we’re in a state of zero limits. We are inspired. Free from mistaken thoughts and programs, we open to love and the guidance that is offered in every moment. We step back and let love lead the way. We say and do whatever is perfect and right. We dwell in the moment, the realm of spirit, and all things are possible.
We see and experience only love.
It’s as simple as saying, “I’m sorry; please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.”
Jan Waterman is a writer and teacher who is passionate about life and seeks to align perception with the highest perspective. She hopes that what she writes will inspire others to consider new thoughts and ideas about their spiritual selves. <aligningperception@gmail.com>.
by Phyllis Kennemer
Start small. Dream big. Change lives. This is the essence of Global Girlfriend.
Stacey Edgar had big dreams. She envisioned a world in which poor women everywhere would be empowered. She believed that women had the strength and the motivation to move out of poverty, to create desirable products, and to become successful business people.
In 2003, at the age of 32, Edgar received a $2,000 tax refund. Inspired by her deep desire to help women become economically independent, she used the money to buy hand-crafted items from foreign artisans. The fledgling Global Girlfriend business was born. Local friends and neighbors in her suburban Denver community supported her by attending and hosting parties with the purpose of purchasing these handmade creations. As the business continued to grow, Edgar reinvested the proceeds, increased her product base, and within the past eight years, has expanded her company into a multi-million dollar enterprise.
From the beginning, Edgar knew that she wanted to provide good quality, eco-friendly products and that she wanted to engage in fair trade practices. She was determined that disadvantaged women would earn a reasonable wage for their work. She calculated the cost of materials, transportation, time and labor involved and negotiated equitable terms. When she selected a product, she gave a 50 percent advance to the women so they could purchase the materials to get started. She did not want them to have to make choices between buying food for their families or necessary supplies for their creations.
As the business has expanded, the Global Girlfriend staff has been able to provide product design and technical assistance, as well as training in basic business skills necessary for success. Women have learned, or increased their proficiency, in such enterprises as sewing, knitting, embroidery, weaving, jewelry making, gardening, shoe-making and carpentry. Programs for health care, literacy and credit management have also been developed.
The company started as an online enterprise for both the acquisition of goods and sales to the public. As the market has expanded, Global Girlfriend products have been placed in Whole Food stores and boutiques and yoga studios throughout the United States and Canada. In 2007, Global Girlfriend merged with Greater Good, an independent charitable organization devoted to improving the health and wellbeing of people, animals and the planet through providing funding to registered charitable organizations. Funds generated through this family of websites go directly to worthwhile organizations dedicated to the welfare of the global community.
When Edgar started out in 2003, she did even have a passport — had never been outside the United States. Since that time she has traveled throughout the world meeting, encouraging and helping women to rise up from poverty and claim their power. She shares her experiences in her book, Global Girlfriends (St. Martins Press, 2011), mentioning many specific people and experiences that have become part of her worldwide venture.
In addition to marketing handmade articles, Edgar offers opportunities for making donations to worthy causes throughout the U.S. and the world. She originated Gifts That Give More™ as a venue for supporting people in need. Donations can be made for direct help to impoverished families and a variety of worthwhile causes including: hunger and poverty, breast cancer and women’s health, care and feeding of rescued animals, aid for veterans, autism support, children’s health and wellbeing, literacy and children’s education, and protecting and restoring the environment.
Stacey Edgar is a young woman making a difference. She began her project with a small investment; she stayed focused on her dream of helping women worldwide; and she has changed innumerable lives.
You can visit the Global Girlfriend Shop www.globalgirlfriend.com to purchase a variety of items including apparel, handbags and accessories, bath and body products, gifts and goodies, and handmade papers.
Dr. Phyllis K. Kennemer is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. She is a life-long learner and educator with a specialty in children’s literature.
by Donna Mazzitelli
During the holiday season, mall parking lots fill to capacity and stores cram with people shopping, browsing and buying.
Consumption has risen sixfold since 1960, according to the World Bank. Taking the rising global population into account, this amounts to a tripling of consumption expenditures per person, leading to similar increases in the amount of resources used: a sixfold increase in metals extracted from the earth, an eightfold increase in oil consumption, and 14 times the natural gas consumption.
Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World 2010 reported that people find meaning and contentment in what they consume, but this cultural orientation has huge implications for society and the planet. For instance, the average U.S. citizen consumes more each day, in terms of mass, than he weighs. If everyone lived like this, the Earth could only sustain 1.4 billion people, rather than its current population of 6.77 billion! Worldwatch’s president, Christopher Flavin, described our worldwide situation as: “the consumer culture that has taken hold probably first in the U.S. and now in country after country over the past century… we can now talk about a global consumerist culture that has become a powerful force around the world.”
The book further emphasizes that consumerism is the root of our planet’s current environmental issues. We simply do not have enough resources on our planet to support what many in wealthy nations consider a normal — even required — level of material consumption on a planet with six plus billion people and growing. In fact, the word “resources” is a deceptive word for us to use when we talk about what the earth provides. It is one of the modern world’s many unexamined assumptions: the idea that the earth offers an unlimited supply of resources, all at our disposal.
Our current resource usage is increasing faster than our worldwide population. Even taking into consideration that the vast majority of the world’s population consumes far less, globally we are using natural resources and ecosystem services equal to 1.3 planets our size. From the Earth’s perspective, this way of life is not viable or sustainable. Even if we adopt sustainable technologies, the amount of energy and materials needed to replace our current worldwide fossil usage would expand our total ecological impact significantly. We would still need to reduce our resource consumption. Taking these facts into consideration, what can you do this holiday season to reduce your personal resource consumption? You don’t have to give up giving. There are many ways to give without significantly contributing to over-consumption. Here are a few ideas:
• Give a gift that doesn’t use many resources. Items such as tickets to the theatre, frequent flyer miles, an annual membership to a museum, or a donation to a charity in the name of the recipient all make great gifts that don’t require extra packaging or an abundance of resources to manufacture.
• Support local businesses and vendors who offer local products and services. Items such as locally-produced foods, locally-made crafts, or even locally-offered services, including hair styling, manicures, pedicures and massage, all make wonderful gifts and providd local businesses with more clients and patrons.
• Make homemade gifts. Food items such as candies, sweets, breads or preserves are great gifts. Bath and body care items, including scented bath salts, body butter or homemade lip balm, lets someone know she is special and deserves to be pampered. Hand-knitted or crocheted hats, scarves, gloves and sweaters make truly wonderful gifts that can be used for years to come.
• Give the gift of YOU! Donate your time. There are so many ways you can help, including babysitting or taking a home bound friend or family member out for a meal and a movie. Perform a chore for a neighbor, such as snow-shoveling after a big snow storm or weeding their garden in the springtime. Offer your talents for free, whether you’re a photographer, financial planner or piano teacher. You can even perform a much-dreaded chore for a month as a gift to a family member.
Let this holiday season be the perfect time to consciously choose a new way of giving. Give in a manner that expresses your love for the special people in your life and your care for our planet. Happy holidays!
Donna Mazzitelli, a writer and editor, shares her passion for creating a greener lifestyle whenever possible. Her blog, Bellisima Goddess, focuses on creating a bellissima — very beautiful — life. You can find Donna in Speaking Your Truth, Volumes I and II. Visit her website at www.bellisimaliving.com!
by Nicole Turner-Ravana
The Holiday Season means it’s a time for eating! But the parade of parties and get togethers doesn’t need to result in an extra ten pounds. With a few simple strategies you can put nutrition know-how on your side and dive into the celebration with both your waistline and your health in mind.
Party Planning
Holiday parties set the stage for decadence and indulgence. Prepare by thinking ahead and making healthier choices throughout the day to have calories to spare. For example, having nonfat yogurt with fruit for breakfast and a salad with grilled chicken for lunch means a few party treats can be enjoyed without guilt. Don’t “save” all of your calories by not eating, since this increases hunger and reduces self-restraint. At the event, don’t mindlessly snack along the buffet table. Grab a plate and stick to a strategy. Think of USDA’s new MyPlate symbol (www.choosemyplate.gov). First fill half of your plate with fresh fruits and veggies with a little dip. This will automatically limit the number of calories you eat and fill your tummy with healthy fiber and antioxidants to help battle winter sniffles and holiday stress. The second half of the plate should include lean proteins and whole grains if possible. But don’t be too strict. Give a little leeway to enjoy party favorites so you don’t feel deprived or miss out on great holiday cooking.
Restaurant Nutrition Savvy
Getting together with friends for a gift swap at restaurants can quickly lead to calorie overload. To make healthier choices, suggest meeting at a restaurant that advertises the Smart Meal seal. Menu items with the Smart Meal logo have a limited number of calories, fat, and sodium and include veggies and whole grains. Many restaurants also have nutrition information available either on the menu or if requested. You can compare items and see which has fewer calories. For ordering on the fly with no nutrition details, look for a few hints for healthier items when scanning the menu. Avoid items described as fried, breaded or sautéed; they guarantee extra oil or butter and calories. Go easy on the sides, which can add an extra 200 to 500-plus calories for things like French fries, mashed potatoes or mac-n-cheese. Instead substitute a side salad, steamed vegetables or fresh fruit. Another strategy is to pack a to-go box as soon as you hit the half-way point on the meal. You’ll never regret feeling satisfied with left-overs for tomorrow versus feeling stuffed in that party dress.
Shopping Strategies
Keep your house stocked with healthy foods to keep diet goals on track through New Year’s Day. Begin your shopping in the produce section and load up on fresh fruits and vegetables. Research new party recipes that incorporate these fresh ingredients on apps like Epicurious, All Recipes, and Cooking Light. When browsing the aisles of the market, compare labels. Pay less attention to flashy packaging claims and more attention to the nutrition facts to see which items are lower in calories, fat, sodium and sugar. Remember that descriptors like “organic” and “natural” don’t always mean “healthy.”
Nicole Turner-Ravana, MS is the owner of Strategic Nutrition Communications LLC, a Colorado nutrition marketing firm that provides labeling, branding, and education services for companies and organizations. Visit www.StrategicNutrition.org to learn more.
by Danny Long
Imaginary lines are powerful things. They tell us who we are, where we belong, whom to befriend. They tell us where to go, what to do, how to act. We don’t see them, but we know they’re there, and we feel their sway. This is because these imaginary lines, according to John Pickles, professor of geography and international studies at the University of North Carolina, reside deep down within the bedrock of modern civilization. “The world,” he says in A History of Spaces, “has literally been made, domesticated and ordered by drawing lines, distinctions, taxonomies and hierarchies.” Draw a line — on a map, in the sand, in your mind — and separation automatically ensues. You’re either in or out, here or there, on this side or that. These divisions consequently construct our sense of reality. We come to accept them uncritically. “I’m American,” one says; another, “I’m Dutch.” “I’m Canadian,” one proclaims; still another, “I’m Irish.” And the longer we accept them the more natural they appear and the more difficult they are to overcome.
But difficult or not, that’s precisely what writer/actor/director Emilio Estevez sets out to accomplish in his latest movie, The Way, which is about walking the Camino de Santiago. This thousand-year-old pilgrimage route starts in France, stretches across northern Spain, and ends at the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, the supposed resting place of St. James’s remains. It’s important to note, however, that Estevez does not dismiss categorization entirely; he’s wise enough to acknowledge how deeply the lines of separation have been etched into humanity’s subconscious. Instead, Estevez uses the road to Santiago — itself a line of sorts — to cut through these categories and bring people together from across the globe.
In the movie, Tom Avery, played by Martin Sheen, learns that his only child, Daniel (Estevez, Sheen’s son), has died in the Pyrenees on his first day walking the Camino (Spanish for “the way”). He travels to France to retrieve Daniel’s body and while there decides to cremate it and walk the Camino himself, scattering the ashes as he goes. The thing is, Tom — grumpy, gray, withdrawn — isn’t your average peregrino. He certainly doesn’t approve of his son’s decision to make the journey, deeming it an escape from the pressures of real life, a deferral of adulthood. “You know,” he tells Daniel in one of the movie’s many flashbacks, “most people don’t have the luxury of just picking up and leaving it all behind.” So when he decides to follow in his son’s footsteps, it comes as something of a surprise — and a pleasure.
Tom learns that walking the Camino is anything but a luxury. The road to Santiago is hard, emotionally and physically. Pilgrims walk an average of twelve to fifteen miles a day, weighed down by large backpacks and the skeletons in their closets — bad habits, fractured relationships, personal tragedies. Indeed, as Captain Henri (Tchéky Kario), the man who informs Tom of his son’s death, says, “The way is a very personal journey.” No two pilgrims experience it in exactly the same way and Tom proves to be no exception. The once solitary curmudgeon slowly lets his guard down and finds the joy of fellowship by befriending three other pilgrims who become his constant companions — his new family, as it were: a Dutchmen named Joost (Yorick Van Wageningan), a Canadian named Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger), and an Irishman named Jack (James Nesbitt).
Fellowship is, to be sure, part of the Camino’s character. Millions of peregrinos, from the Middle Ages to the Age of Information, from all continents and all denominations, have trekked the 800 kilometers to Spain’s western coast. And as those who have made the pilgrimage will tell you, one of its most unforgettable experiences is the simple yet extraordinary realization that the ground beneath your feet has touched the feet of generations of pilgrims before you and will touch the feet of generations of pilgrims after.
In the end, such realizations as this are what The Way is all about. It’s about becoming aware of the divisions to which we have so long subscribed — divisions of time, place, nationality; it’s about understanding that these divisions aren’t natural but created; and it’s about recognizing that we’re the ones who have created them. But it also teaches us that we can uncreate these divisions and, by doing so, perceive the world anew. After all, that’s what happens to Tom. As he walks the Camino he finally sees Daniel, really sees his venturesome pilgrim son, curious and courageous, no longer here but in the hereafter, marching alongside him, raising a glass at dinner and swinging the incense in the Cathedral. There are greater things in life than obeying imaginary lines, Tom discovers. We just have to be willing to find them and to let them find us.
_A recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s master’s program in English, Danny Long has decided to take his chances as a freelance writer and copyeditor. In the past, he’s taught literature, reading, and writing courses to students of all ages, from kindergarteners to retirees. <dannylong449@gmail.com>
Know The Way to the Library?
A lot has been written about the Camino de Santiago, which is an indication of how influential pilgrims of the past have found it. Below is just some of this written work. While this list is by no means exhaustive, it will get you started on your way. Buen Camino!
Aviva, Elyn. Following the Milky Way: A Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1989.
Brierly, John. A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago: The Way of St. James. 5th ed. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 2009.
Coelho, Paulo. The Pilgrimage: A Contemporary Quest for Ancient Wisdom. New York: Harper Perennial, 1998.
Frey, Nancy Louise. Pilgrim Stories: On and off the Road to Santiago. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.
MacLaine, Shirley. The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2000.
Melczer, William. The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago de Compostela: First English Translation, with Introduction, Commentaries, and Notes. New York: Italica Press, 1993. A translation of Book V of the Codex Calixtinus, the earliest known guidebook to the Camino de Santiago, written in the twelfth century.
Mullen, Robert. Call of the Camino: Myths, Legends, and Pilgrim Stories on the Way to Santiago de Compostela. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 2010.
by Sally Petersen
“At our most elemental, we are not a chemical reaction, but an energetic charge. Human beings and all living things are a coalescence of energy in a field of energy connected to every other thing in the world.” — Lynne McTaggart, The Field
The field of energy that McTaggart speaks of is a Creative Field, and we are all co-creators. In September, people from around the world gathered for the first Creative Field Conference at Sunrise Ranch near Loveland. The conference, called “Igniting the Next Phase in Consciousness,” marked the beginning of the third year of the Creative Field Project, which was developed to allow participants to create and join in an ever-expanding field of love in the service of evolving human consciousness and in the future of our planet.
What is a Creative Field? The Creative Field Project defines it thusly:
• An already-existing field of collective awareness and energy
• A context for engaging with others in our individual awakening
• A global network of people committed to the evolution of consciousness
• A critical mass of intention that transforms the world.
The Creative Field Project is designed to increase participation each year through small groups which meet monthly for facilitated deep discussion. The groups explore topics of human awareness, spiritual healing and transformation. They investigate how an ever-expanding field of love can effect positive change in the world and how we can each offer ourselves in service. One of the speakers at the conference was priest and theologian Matthew Fox.
Matthew Fox – Lessons from the Mystics
The author of over 30 books, American priest and theologian Matthew Fox has long been a lightning rod for religious reform. Formerly a member of the Dominican order within the Roman Catholic Church, Fox was expelled in 1993 from the Dominican order for disobedience — or as Fox says, “The Pope fired me.” His beliefs and teachings of “original blessing” were seen as heretical to the Catholic view of “original sin.” Embracing the teachings of early mystic visionaries such as Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen, Thomas Aquinas, Saint Francis of Assisi and others, Fox became an influential proponent of what he calls Creation Spirituality, which also embraces Buddhism, Judaism, Sufism and Native American teachings.
After his expulsion, Fox became an Episcopal priest. He continues to bring his passion for transforming the spiritual experience through education and the use of mystical approaches to worship. The “Techno Cosmic Masses” he created, based on raves, are designed to connect younger worshippers to a more ecstatic and body-centered celebration of spirituality. A rave is a youth-oriented dance party involving modern genres of fast-paced electronic dance music and light shows.
In his keynote talk at the conference, Fox presented eight steps for ushering in the next stage of our evolutionary consciousness.
1. Compassion. A universal truth, compassion is taught by all major religious teachers. Aggression stems from the reptilian brain; there is no compromise with a crocodile. The development of the mammalian brain 2.5 million years ago introduced compassion; it was important to bond with others because of the need to care for a family. The essence of compassion, according to Meister Eckhart, is the belief that what happens to another, whether it be a joy or a sorrow, happens to me. With the truth of our oneness comes the realization that I am not just me. “We need to trust our selfhood enough that we can mingle with the selfhood of another,” Fox said. He quoted Thomas Aquinas, who said, “Put a bridle of love on your passions, and your passions will carry you into compassion.”
2. Breath. Meditation that honors breath is primal. In languages all over the world, the word for breath has the same root as the word for spirit: in English, respiration, inspiration, spirit. Breath is sacred; it is the source of our power and strength, fundamental to life itself.
3. Learn to integrate. Science points to the truth of interconnectivity and interdependence. “Current scientific thought is a gift to our understanding of consciousness, Fox said. Reality is not objective; it operates within the context of relational interaction. Matter is nothing more than “frozen light” — really slowly moving energy. The oldest and most universal name for divinity in the world is Light. In fact, we each carry the lineage, the story of the whole universe itself. Recognizing that everything in the Cosmos is light helps us realize that we are aligned with the Universe. “We’re here to fall in love with trees and animals and galaxies, as well as poems and music and heroes,” Fox said.
4. Re-marry the divine feminine and the sacred masculine. “Women have been doing their inner work, [and they] deserve more evolved men,” Fox said. “The Goddess has been returning for 40 years; she’s back and she’s pissed.” Our greatest challenge today is not coming from another empire; it is our own destruction of the planet. The masculine principle in us all has tortured earth for its secrets. It’s time to take care of Mother Earth.
5. Let go of war. Money going to war means it’s not going to education and health care. We are in a time now as described by the mystic Hafiz: “Sometimes God wants to do us a great big favor. He turns us upside down and shakes all the nonsense out.” Current world chaos is like a “dark night of the species:” the ultimate purpose is to purify our longing, to learn something profound. The world needs a tremendous burst of creativity to give birth to forms that work: new forms of government, cooperation, education economics, for example.
6. Education about spirituality. Our educational model neglects justice, art, creativity, spirit and too often, science. We’ve followed the rationalistic René Descartes in our approach and emphasized the truth in the head, to the neglect of the truth of the heart and the lower chakras. Fox proposes a new curriculum that emphasizes the head knowledge in the morning and pursues the arts and creativity in the afternoon. At the core of Fox’s philosophy of education are the Ten C’s: Cosmology and Ecology; Contemplation and Meditation; Creativity; Chaos and Darkness; Compassion; Courage; Critical Consciousness and Judgment; Community; Ceremony, Celebration and Ritual; and Character.
7. Stewardship. Our society has separated stewardship from commerce, justice from law, and sustainability from agriculture, and we need to re-introduce those aspects. It takes courage to take care of our world; the root word for courage in Old French means “big heart.” The base of our sick society now is consumerism,” Fox says. “I think consumerism is an appeal to addiction.” It’s time now to cut back on consumption; it’s time to live and enjoy a simpler lifestyle. “Everyone is profoundly free,” he said, “but you have to have a bonfire.”
8. Ritual and Ceremony. Fox led the conference participants in expressions of worship through dance, chanting, toning, mystic teachings and poetry. Although these practices create experiences of unity, it’s not enough, he said; we need to translate these into action and express our creative selves in the Creative Field for the benefit of all.
Matthew Fox’s new Creation Spirituality calls for deep involvement with others, with issues, with the earth and the very cosmos itself. “We have to melt the dualism between contemplation and action,” he said. “I’m not optimistic but I’m hopeful, and hope is a verb with the sleeves rolled up.”
Other speakers at the conference were Katie Hendricks, Maryse Barak and Lynne McTaggart.
For more information about the Creative Field Project, go to www.TheCreativeField.org.
Sally Petersen, MA, CCHt, is a psychotherapist and certified clinical hypnotherapist, with a practice in Greeley, Colorado. A long-time writer and editor, she has served on the Editorial Advisory Board of BellaSpark magazine for over 5 years. She is the editor of the 2011 Energy Wasteline Almanac. salpetersen@comcast.net
by Gary Dooley
When asked how to hold a sword correctly, the actor Errol Flynn replied, “in the same way you would hold a bird, not too tightly and not too loosely. If you hold too tightly you will kill it and if you hold it too loosely it will fly away.” Swashbuckling skills aside, there’s a great deal to be gained from Flynn’s reply if we understand how to apply it in other areas of our lives.
Whether we choose it or not, it’s a mandatory condition in our contract with life that we will experience every emotional state from ecstasy to despair. When undesired emotional visitors show up uninvited, our first and most natural reaction is to slam the door, yet resistance is almost always futile and offers little more than a reminder that what we resist persists. Worry and anxiety trigger an instinctive and natural desire to resist, yet the effort required only increases our sense of tension and anxiety. Paradoxically, once we stop trying to resist, the situation often improves. However, this may be difficult to recall when we are caught squarely in the headlights of the oncoming juggernaut of worry or anxiety.
If resistance increases emotions like worry and anxiety, then accepting them must produce the opposite effect. We might do well to stop resisting and learn to go with the flow. Of course acceptance doesn’t mean we should give in to our unwanted emotions — it means being mindful of their presence and altering how we think about them. The result is an empowering sense of freedom and autonomy.
There are two essential keys that will help us change our response to worry. First we can remind ourselves why we worry about things in the first place even though we’re all smart enough to know that worrying doesn’t solve problems. If it did there wouldn’t be any trouble in the world — no wars or famine, no global recession. People could simply sit around in group seminars and worry until these problems disappeared. Although everyone realizes that worrying about something won’t change it in the least, what we know seems to have little bearing on what we do and there’s a perfectly good reason why. We are all pre-programmed to worry. It’s an important and essential aspect of who we are.
If you watch rabbits in the wild you may notice 99 percent of their attention is taken up in looking not for food but for potential danger. This hardly seems an equitable distribution in terms of the carrot and stick theory, yet animals in the wild are wired this way for a good reason. Like humans, they are naturally programmed to eat and stay alive, though these two factors are not equally driven. If a rabbit is unsuccessful in its daily search for food, the worst that can happen is that the rabbit will go hungry and can try again tomorrow. But if it fails to notice danger signs from potential predators, it won’t have a tomorrow.
Perhaps humans are also unconsciously programmed with a similar primordial instinct that is heavily biased in favor of avoiding danger instead of pursuing pleasure. This may be a reason why many of us have a tendency to worry. If this is true, then resisting our natural instinct to worry could be a most unnatural and futile strategy. Instead, accepting what is natural and healthy may be the real key to change.
Acceptance reduces conflict and we feel more relaxed almost as soon as we stop trying to dam the natural flow of our unconscious instincts. It creates a center of calm from which we can introduce one of the most powerful and natural resources of all, mindfulness. Mindfulness takes place when we become fully present here in the now. This may sound fairly obvious, but in reality, our attention is rarely directed at the current moment of our experience. Our mind works primarily on auto pilot, flitting back and forth as we drive, eat or shower and, because thoughts have no reality outside of our mind, this state is comparable to dreaming. Like most dreamers we don’t realize the dream isn’t real and become entirely seduced by its power. On the other hand, practicing mindfulness provides an excellent resource whenever we become worried or anxious. It helps us stay calm and understand the reality of what’s happening now rather than becoming seduced by the unreal images of dreamlike thinking. Mindfulness quickly and effortlessly breaks the illusion of catastrophic thinking. It provides a state of mind in which we hold an awareness of what we are feeling without creating the suffocating tensions that arise from holding awareness too tightly.
We don’t have to be experts in a subject before we can use it. We need only develop an understanding of how less resistance can reveal our first step on the path to transformation, and how the practice of mindfulness can enable us to do less while achieving more.
The N.O.T.E. strategy offers a consistently effective resource in times of anxiety and worry. This effective resource for transforming anxiety to inner peace will provide an excellent foundation upon which to cultivate a more grounded and nourishing sense of self.
Gary Dooley is the founder and co-director of Life Balance UK, a personal development resource company in England. He is also the author of Change Your Life and Keep the Change, which shows the reader how to create sustainable and effective change by reprogramming the automatic patterns of the unconscious mind.
: PLEASE PUT THE NOTE STRATEGY INFO IN A TEXT BOX
The N.O.T.E. Strategy As you sense the early signs of arising anxiety or worry: • Notice the physical location of the emotions your thoughts are creating in you now. (Where in your body do you feel anxious?) • Observe how you create this emotion. Is it a result of your inner voice or an image? (If it’s your voice, slow it down or alter it in some way. If it’s an image make it much smaller.) • Take five deep breaths and try to exhale for twice as long as it takes to inhale. (Do this by breathing in through the nose and blowing out through the mouth. Your breathing should always be comfortable, never forced or strained.) • Explore your perceptual field by noticing what is happening externally. Imagine watching yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you unconditionally. (Explore as many positive and different ways that you can see yourself in this moment. As you start to feel relaxed, ask yourself what thoughts will be most helpful to you now.)
by Ronald Alexander Affirmations have helped thousands of people make significant changes in their lives. But they don’t always work for everyone. Why can one person have great success using this tool while another sees no results at all?
An affirmation works because it has the ability to program your mind to believe the stated concept. The unconscious mind doesn’t differentiate between what is real and what is fantasy. When you watch a movie and you laugh or cry, your mind is empathizing with the characters on the screen even though it is only Hollywood magic.
There are both positive and negative types of affirmations. Many of us can remember as a child being told by a teacher, parent or coach that we didn’t have the ability to do something or that we were fat or clumsy. These unwholesome statements can stay with us in the conscious or unconscious mind and are then reinforced throughout our lives.
If an unwholesome belief is deeply rooted in our unconscious mind, it has the ability to override a positive affirmation even if we aren’t aware of it. This is why affirmations don’t seem to work for many people. Afflicted thought patterns are so strong that they knock out the effect of the positive statement. So how can we add more muscle to an affirmation so that it has the power to triumph over negative thinking? Here are some suggestions to make affirmations work for you.
5 Steps to Make Affirmations More Effective and Powerful
Step 1: Make a list of what you think are your negative qualities. Include any criticisms others have made of you that you’ve held onto; perhaps something from your childhood or maybe what your boss told you in your last annual review. Don’t judge the accuracy of the qualities, and remember, we all have flaws. When you write out the recurring belief associated with the criticisms notice if you are holding it anywhere in your body. For example, do you feel tightness or dread in your heart or stomach? In my book, Wise Mind, Open Mind, I discuss in detail how to let go of negative self-judgments. For now, ask yourself if this unwholesome concept is helpful or productive in your life and if not, what belief would be better.
Step 2: Now write out an affirmation on the positive aspect of your self-judgment. You may want to use a thesaurus to find more powerful words to beef up your statement. For example, instead of saying, “I’m worthy,” you could say, “I’m remarkable and cherished.” After you have written your affirmation ask a close friend to read it to see if she has any suggestions to make it stronger.
Step 3: Speak the affirmation out loud for five minutes three times a day: morning, mid-day and evening. Another option that helps to reinforce the new belief and would be easy to do at work is to write out the affirmation several times in a notebook. Notice as you write it if your style of writing changes over time. This could be a clue as to how your mind perceives the new concept.
Step 4: Anchor the affirmation in your body as you repeat it by placing your hand on the area that felt uncomfortable when you wrote out the negative belief in step one. “Breathe” into the affirmation while you say or write it. You move from the concept of the affirmation to a real, positive embodiment of the quality you seek as you reprogram your mind.
Step 5: Get a friend or coach to repeat your affirmation to you. As he says, for example, “You are remarkable and cherished,” identify this statement as a ‘good mothering’ or ‘good fathering’ message. If you don’t have someone you feel comfortable asking, you can use your reflection in the mirror to reinforce the healthy message.
Affirmations can be powerful tools to help you change your mood, state of mind, and manifest the change you desire in your life. But they work best if you can first identify the unwholesome belief that opposes them. Try it and see how your life can improve!
Ronald Alexander, PhD, is a leadership consultant, psychotherapist, international trainer, and the Executive Director of the OpenMind Training Institute, a leading edge organization offering training programs in mind-body therapies, transformational leadership, and mindfulness. He is the author of the widely acclaimed book Wise Mind, Open Mind upon which this article is based. www.RonaldAlexander.com
by Linda M Potter
Picture Jack Canfield, the charismatic co-author of the Chicken Soup For the Soul book series and “America’s #1 Success Coach,” vroom-vrooming through the cosmos on a solid gold Harley… accompanied by a Gang of spiritual soul mates. Then… picture yourself joining the Gang. It’s hard not to smile, or at least raise an eyebrow.
But it’s more than just a whimsical image. It’s the inspiration for Canfield’s new book, a mostly factual, adventure-filled account of his personal spiritual journey and his subsequent awakening to his life’s purpose.
Partnering with fellow Gang members such as William Gladstone and Barbara Marx Hubbard, Canfield uses the book to set the stage for the ride of a lifetime — the one we’re all invited to participate in, the one that ushers in a new age of global consciousness and Universal Humanity.
Your new book, The Golden Motorcycle Gang, is set to release this month. What inspired you to write this book at this time?
When I was in graduate school at the University of Massachusetts, we had a guest lecturer who led us through a guided visualization to take us back to when we had chosen to become a teacher. Well, I went back to before I was born which kind of shocked me. And [in the visualization] there were a bunch of us, “souls” I guess, on summer vacation, floating through the universe and having a good time driving down the road on Harley Davidsons. (That’s where the book title comes from.) We looked down on earth and there was a war going on. It was 1944, which is the year I was born, and I just had this sense that I had to go down and help.
So I chose to be born and help out, and that’s been my life’s work.
Afterwards I thought, wow, I’m not just a school teacher; I’m a teacher at a higher level and I have a bigger destiny to fulfill. Then I kind of forgot about it until 10–15 years later when I started meeting people that I had this certain vibrational resonance with. I realized they were doing the same work I was doing; they were here with that same purpose. Maybe they’re part of that “Golden Motorcycle Gang” and we’re reconnecting, I thought.
I was having a beer one night with Bill Gladstone, a literary agent (and the co-author of the book) maybe 10 years ago, and I told that story to him. He said, “That should be a book.” And I said, “That’s ridiculous, no one wants to hear that,” but he kept hounding me. Finally I said, “Bill, I just don’t have time.” “What if I were to interview you two hours every day for a week or two,” he says, “and get all the stories. Then I’ll do the first draft and you can clean it up and make sure it’s accurate, fix the writing, or whatever.”
That’s how the book came into being.
The image of spiritual beings belonging to a motorcycle gang makes me grin a little, but also piques my curiosity. Guides, angels, ascended masters and others are more often portrayed as introspective beings wearing long white robes. Why do you think you’re getting visions of a “hog” Heaven?”
(laughing) I’ve never been drawn to a community where we all wear white and bow down to a certain guru. I’ve studied with many and I’ve sat at the feet of many, but there’s always been this sense of independence in me. When 15 guys on Harleys go by wearing their Hell’s Angels jackets, I admire that sense of “we are who we are and we don’t care what you think about it.” Not that these are guys I’d necessarily want to go have a beer with, because I don’t really know how safe I’d feel! But that’s the kind of feeling I had during that visualization. We were just a bunch of men and women flying through space on motorcycles. They’re golden because it’s spiritual.
In the book, you had more than one encounter with other people who had seen that same image of being in a gang of motorcyclists. Why do you think that same metaphor keeps showing up?
It’s hard to know what gets planted in consciousness. There’s a book by Dick Sutphen called, You Were Born Again to Be Together. In that book, he talks about groups of people who travel through time together like a family — it’s the idea that certain souls agree to go through eternity together and have different experiences. I think people in my “tribe” if you will, saw similar images. But I don’t know why.
It seems like there are many people who have had transformative spiritual experiences of one type or another, but are hesitant to talk about it. Have you noticed this?
I see it all the time. When I do my groups, we talk about these things and people come out of the woodwork. I see bank presidents, corporate leaders, military people and policemen who’ve had near death experiences, visitations from angels, intercessions from higher powers and awakenings. But they’re afraid to talk about it because they don’t want to be seen as “woo woo.”
But someone has to go first. A lot of people don’t know this side of me. I think I’m seen as kind of a famous person because of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Now they can see, here’s this normal guy who’s had these experiences. Maybe it will give them the courage to admit they have too.
You founded the Transformational Leadership Council; its members are listed in the book. What is the purpose of this group and how has it influenced change?
It was founded out of my need to have a support group of people doing similar work. There were different associations, but there was no group for people who own transformational training companies. So I threw a three-day event at my house and for three days we had a discussion about whether or not we wanted to create a support group with each other. Well, 32 people were invited; 30 came; 29 people said yes. Now we’re at about 125 members. It’s morphed into also including transformational coaching company owners, transformational authors that we all read, transformational media people, and so on. The purpose is simply to support each other in becoming more conscious and sharing our techniques with each other.
Did you feel like the 30 people in this original group were part of the Golden Motorcycle Gang?
I would say that 80 percent of them were. Yeah, I could feel that vibration.
How do we know if we belong to The Gang?
If you feel you have a calling, a destiny to contribute to the transformation of the world into a more cooperative, loving, positive, socially just, environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling world, you’re probably part of the Golden Motorcycle Gang. I might have been in one “local chapter,” but it’s clear to me that there’s more members than me and the little group I hang out with. I meet people who are locally well known but not on the national scene and I say, yeah, you’re part of the gang. I think it’s become a metaphor for anyone who wants to become a midwife to the evolution that wants to be occurring right now.
What does this evolution look like to you?
What I get is that there’s something bigger than us that’s evolving. We can tune into it through meditation, visualization, and so on. If you tune into it, you can cooperate with it and you do your part.
I think that so many people who are out there doing counseling, coaching, teaching meditation, doing yoga classes, NLP, EFT… are doing this work. Some people are very conscious about it because they’ve tapped into that calling, that awakening. Other people are more unconsciously doing it, but it’s a quickening I see all over the planet.
In the book, Barbara Marx Hubbard presents you with five questions we can all ask ourselves to determine whether or not we’re part of the Golden Motorcycle Gang. Can you share those with us? Barbara had an experience [during a full-life regression] of going to the Elysian Fields where in Greek mythology the Gods and demigods hung out. There she found Aristotle and Plato and people like that (probably in white robes!) and was asked these five questions:
1- What do you know of the original plan?
Are you aware there’s some destiny unfolding that you’re a part of? A lot of people will tell you they are.
2- Do you have any memory of having volunteered to go to Earth at this particular time?
I volunteered to come down here. I think a lot of people did. I read Life Before Life by Jim B. Tucker where he did 2000 questionnaires and a bunch of interviews with people who had, under hypnosis, direct memory of choosing to be born, what gender to be, what race to be, what kind of parents they wanted to have — coming in with a purpose. They’d met with a board of advisors if you will — guides who helped them clarify that purpose so that when they came down, they could fulfill it.
3- The third question is, if so, do you remember your contract?
Do you remember what you agreed to do? For example, I agreed to help bring about a world that was more peaceful and harmonious and where people were living their highest vision rather than living their lowest vision out of fear.
4- What do you do best in the world that only you can do?
What we’re all being called to do right now is authentically be ourselves, not Tony Robbins because he made a lot of money the way he did it, or Barbara Marx Hubbard, or some guru. But to really ask, what is it that I do that’s unique to me?
My wife, for example, I call her a day maker — she makes people’s day. She leaves a message on your cell phone and it makes your day. She walks in to the salon to get her hair done and everybody walks out of there happier because she was there. That’s her purpose.
I have this belief that we’re all like cells in a body. Maybe you’re a brain cell and someone else is a pineal gland cell, and someone else is a liver cell, and someone else is a heart cell, and if we each fully be that, then all the body’s functions will work, and we’ll live. If you try to do something different, you end up being a cancer cell.
5- What are you supposed to do now, and what tools and resources do you need to do it?
We really have to tune in every day and say, what am I to do now? Today? This period of life? This month? This cycle? This season? And then go and find the tools, the resources and the people to be able to do that work. We should all be supporting each other in that.
Can you talk a little about the Birth 2012 event on Dec. 22 that you’re helping to organize: how you plan to participate, how the rest of us can also take part?
There are a lot of events being created and maybe I’ll be on a stage somewhere, but I will definitely be participating. Through the Transformational Leadership Council, we have a combined mailing list of over 12 million people and we’ll be promoting it, encouraging people to really participate in a day of celebration, a day of intention, a day of how do we want to create this next chapter of our life? That day will be an ongoing day of celebrations and concerts and TV shows and such. Conscious evolution means evolution by choice, not chance.
Do you want to learn more about the Golden Motorcycle Gang or Birth 2012? Check out www.GoldenMotorcycleGang.com and www.Birth2012.com.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker, a freelance writer and the author of If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at your local book store, through Amazon.com or at wordkeepersinc.com. Linda is also the Managing Editor of BellaSpark Magazine. You can contact her through her website, www.lindampotter.com or at lindampotter@comcast.net.
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by Karen Richards
Women in old fashioned dresses who mysteriously disappear… chairs that flip over by themselves… unidentifiable foot steps in the night… getting pinched by someone who isn’t there…. For over a hundred years such ghostly goings-on have been regular occurrences at the Stanley Hotel, majestically sited high on a hill overlooking the town of Estes Park, Colorado. The Stanley’s long history of ghostly activities reaches as far back as the earliest days of the hotel, and has continued until recent times when the hotel came to the attention of TV shows such as Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures.
Callae Sherrill, resident paranormal investigator, was first introduced to paranormal activities at the Stanley at a hunt led by members of the Ghost Hunters team. She describes what she saw in the basement of the Concert Hall as pretty amazing as she watched a plastic chair flip over unaided into the center of the room. From that point on she was hooked and began ghost hunting on a regular basis. Years later she and her husband moved to Estes Park. She applied for and was hired as a tour guide at the Stanley. Eventually her job evolved into her present position as resident paranormal investigator and social media manager.
Room 401 – Catching up with Lord Dunraven in the Nannies’ Lounge
Callae says that in the early days of the hotel the fourth floor was the center of ghostly activity. This floor was reserved for children and their nannies. The nannies’ lounge was located in what is now room 401. Nannies could go there to relax, remove their shoes and unbutton a button or two. The reports from that period are of the nannies feeling a pinch, pull or tug. Callae says that it is believed that this room is haunted by the original landowner (Lord Dunraven) who was never in the hotel itself, but did own the land. He was known for his wild living and his ownership of a local brothel. The haunting in room 401 continues to this day. Women report feeling their feet grabbed while they are in bed and the closet door opening and closing without visible help.
Room 217 – Stephen King Stayed Here (with Mrs. Wilson)
Another notable room in the hotel is number 217, commonly known as the Stephen King room, named after the author who gained inspiration for his novel, The Shining, at the Stanley. Mr. King and his wife checked into the hotel, took their luggage up to room 217 and headed downstairs for dinner. Upon returning to their room, they found their luggage had been unpacked and their suitcases placed in the closet. The normal assumption would be that the hotel staff had unpacked the luggage, but the front desk staff assured them that no one had been in their room and that the hotel staff is not allowed to touch a guest’s belongings.
Many other guests have had their luggage unpacked, or have returned to their room to find their belongings strewn everywhere. One recent “exception” happened to a gentleman who was in town for a conference and was planning to stay for several days. The day prior to his departure, he returned to his room to find all of his suitcases packed and waiting for him by the door. It seems that a former hotel maid, Mrs. Wilson, haunts room 217 and is believed to still be on the job. Evidently she either likes you or she doesn’t, and when it is your time to leave she lets you know.
The Manor House and the Vanishing Woman
Callae has had her own share of experiences at the hotel. Just this past June she was heading up the staircase at the Manor House, where she was staying. As she turned a corner to continue going up the rest of the way, she happened to look down. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was a woman in old-fashioned clothing. Callae thought this was strange for a couple of reasons. First she had just come through the front door and there hadn’t been anyone there; second the woman’s dress was out of place. As Callae watched, she saw the lady in the vintage dress place her hands on the spiral staircase, and then simply disappear.
A Full House in the Concert Hall
As a seasoned ghost hunter myself, these stories got my blood pumping. I decided it was time for me to have my own experience. I arrived at the hotel ready to take on the ghosts at the Concert Hall, which in Callae’s opinion, “is the most active location on the property.” I was part of a group of twenty brave souls who gathered that Saturday night, many of whom had never experienced a ghost hunt. We entered the Concert Hall and were ushered down to the basement by our four guides for the evening: Callae Sherrill, Karl Pfeiffer, tour guide and formerly from Ghost Hunters Academy, Clay Johnson, tour manager, and special guest K. J. McCormick, from Ghost Hunters.
After introducing themselves, our guides gave us some basic ghost hunting information along with some K2 meters that are used to detect electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic fields can naturally occur in such places as electrical outlets or supernaturally as in ghosts. I of course, was hoping for the latter.
We divided into two groups. One group began at the Manor House in the infamous room 1302 where Grant from Ghost Hunters had experienced a table and chair lifting while he was seated next to the table. The other group began in the basement of the reportedly active Concert Hall. I found myself climbing three flights of stairs in the Manor House, and by the time we got to the hallway outside of room 1302, many of us were huffing and puffing. I guess it was the altitude, right?
We entered the room with the lights on and chose our places. Two sat next to the afore-mentioned table, on which they placed their camera equipment. Maybe not such a wise decision but only time would tell. Two sat on the bed, several were seated in chairs, and I found a place on the floor near the bed. We turned on our equipment. It was time for lights out.
Callae and Karl exchanged some playful banter about prior experiences, relaxing the tension in the room. They explained the use of the equipment and how to tag an audio recording. Tagging is a way to mark a noise that you caused or some other explainable sound that you may not remember later when playing back your recorder. In the middle of the explanation someone’s K2 meter went off, but it appeared that it was caused by a cell phone that hadn’t been turned off.
Callae showed us some other devices used to connect with spirits, called a PX and a Spirit Box. Basically, they both translate electrical impulses and frequencies by various means to produce an audible word. Callae used both devices while we were in the room. There were some interesting results: one of the guests was able to identify her name that came through the device and the identity of another name mentioned. As time went on we did have some activity throughout the room with various K2 meters, but the table, sad to say, remained firmly planted on the floor.
Then the teams traded places. My group headed back to the Concert Hall where we met up with K. J. McCormick and Clay Johnson. We walked to an area known to be haunted by a young woman named Lucy, who was a homeless woman who once sheltered in the basement of the Concert Hall. We had no sooner settled into Lucy’s room than we started to hear footsteps outside the room.
Given that the other group was in another building and that our entire group was accounted for, we concluded that someone else was with us. K. J. called out several times, asking who was there. No response came, so like true ghost hunters we headed toward the sound. We ended up in an area known as Paul’s room, named after a former caretaker who was also known to haunt the basement. Soon we heard sounds coming from the room we had just left.
We placed a flashlight in the hallway with the end loosened so that it would be fairly easy to turn on. We didn’t have long to wait for the spirit to respond by turning on the flashlight and then turning it off on command. We were soon let loose to explore more bumps in the night on our own and great haunting fun was had by all (spirits included)!
You may want to have your own experiences. The Stanley hotel has numerous Halloween activities scheduled during October. For ghoulish fun you might want to dress up in your best costume for The Shining Ball which occurs on Saturday, October 29th in the MacGregor ballroom. Another option is the interactive Murder Mystery dinner on Friday, October 28th. You may want to try one of the many ghost hunts available.
Website: www.stanleyhotel.com
Facebook: fb.com/thestanleyhotel
Twitter: twitter.comstanleyhotel
Karen is a lifelong intuitive who provides insights and spiritual coaching for her clients. She enjoys assisting both children and adults in connecting to their intuitive abilities and releasing fears through understanding. In addition Karen leads a paranormal investigation group known as In-Sight Paranormal. Websites: www.journeywithkaren.com & www.in-sightparanormal.com
by Phyllis Kennemer
Ghosts, goblins, fairy princesses and super heroes! Pumpkin pie, cider, scary costumes, trick or treating and… confounding corn mazes in the shape of an American Eagle, a giant pumpkin, or even The Department of Defense Logo?
Halloween is a complex holiday incorporating a wide variety of traditions and beliefs. Its origins date back to the ancient Celtics who celebrated the end of the harvest season with festivals honoring their dead ancestors. They believed that the veil between this world and the realm of departed spirits was drawn aside at that time, enabling the spirits to interact with humans by offering inspiration and guidance. With the coming of Christianity, this holiday became known as the eve before All Saints Day which fell on November 1st. It was thus called Hallow’s Eve and later became Halloween.
The holiday has survived and it has retained some of its customs — albeit with different intentions. Drawing from the Celtic traditions, the wearing of costumes and the practice of trick or treating continue to be popular. The belief in visiting spirits has also survived, but instead of serving as fonts of wisdom, their appearance has become the dread of ghosts traveling among us. Thus Halloween is often associated with feelings of fear. Over time, people began to anticipate the thrill of terror and to search out frightening experiences.
In response to this desire, large mazes were constructed. Wandering in a maze provided the sensation of being lost, of not finding a way out, of being scared. Although the terms maze and labyrinth are sometimes used interchangeably, and they both have been used in a spiritual context at one point or another, they are not at all the same.
Labyrinths are ancient archetypical symbols for imparting peace. The exit in a labyrinth is always visible and the path, although it twists and turns, leads to the center and then back out to the edge. The labyrinth offers hope for finding our way by guiding us to the center, to God, the core of all wisdom.
A maze, in contrast, has high walls that limit vision to just a few feet in any direction. Its numerous dead ends impart a sense of foreboding. Navigating through a maze can be difficult and frustrating. As a metaphor for our spiritual journey, they remind us that a spiritual path is rarely linear and almost never easy. Life takes many twists and turns, and only when we are ready, when our walk is complete, will we find our way out of the maze.
Dozens of Labyrinths dot the Northern Colorado landscape all year around, and can easily be accessed for prayer or meditation experiences. Mazes, on the other hand, spring up almost exclusively during the time of All Hallow’s Eve. The fear factor and the sense of being lost seem to partner well with Halloween activities.
Over the years, mazes have found themselves into America’s heartland and beyond. Farmers everywhere celebrate the season by constructing mazes in their cornfields for the eerie blend of fear and fun they offer. Often, mazes that are already daunting in the day time, become “haunted” at night with ghosts, goblins, and other creatures appearing along the confusing pathway.
Occasionally, corn mazes strive to remind us of the spiritual journey by carving out something to think about. Recently a farm in Iowa chose to carve out one huge angel and the words “I Believe” in its 14.5 acres of corn field. Five miles in length, the massive maze gave walkers plenty of time to contemplate heaven, hell, good, evil and the meaning of life.
Mazes can be found throughout Northern Colorado during the harvest season, beginning near the middle of September and culminating on Halloween. The designs of mazes vary greatly from farm to farm and from year to year. Several sites have two or three mazes of different patterns designed to appeal to different age groups. Some of the most complicated maze patterns appear at Fritzler’s Farm in LaSalle. In 2010 they honored our troops by constructing an intricate maze in the shape of the Department of Defense Logo. They keep their process of construction secret, but do reveal that their designs are created on computers and then transferred to the cornfield. The whole field is planted in the spring and the design is cut soon after the plants begin to grow.
In contrast, the maze at the Miller Farm in Platteville is based on the farmer’s imagination and is cut with a tractor and blade when the corn is mature. This site and Something from the Farm in Fort Collins both emphasize the harvesting of their vegetables and fruits over the walking of mazes. Their wagons take visitors into the fields to pick their own produce for home consumption.
Not all mazes are cut into cornfields. Mazes made of straw or hay bales offer a different kind of experience. The bales are stacked atop each other to form walls of about nine feet in height. It is impossible to walk through the walls made of bales — whereas people sometimes crash through corn stalks — so some claim that bale mazes offer the more authentic maze experience. Although most bale mazes cover only about one acre of land, their paths are so complicated that they take as long to navigate as the larger corn mazes.
Those seeking scary experiences during the Halloween season can find numerous and exciting challenges among the variety of mazes in Northern Colorado. All of the farms with mazes encourage families to come for a full day of fun, fright and frivolity. They offer activities of interest to all ages — from toddlers through grandparents. Visitors will find petting zoos, hayrides, cannons shooting pumpkins, barrel trains and more. Concession stands offer food and drink. Most locations provide tables for those bringing their own picnic lunches.
Opening dates, admission prices, specific activities, and closures due to weather can be found on the individual websites.
Dr. Phyllis K. Kennemer is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. She is a life-long learner and educator with a specialty in children’s literature.
Anderson Farms 6728 County Road 3 ¼ Erie, CO 80516 www.andersonfarms.com
Corn Maze: 30 acres in 3 sections • May use checkpoints or wander aimlessly • Never haunted – bring a flashlight at night
Hay Bale Maze • Original jungle gym fun for young children • Climb, run, jump
Terror in the Corn • An exciting tractor-drawn wagon ride through the haunted cornfield with bone-chilling scare zones along the way • Walk a quarter of a mile through the dark in an unforgiving corn field full of terrifying creatures • Visit a haunted ghost town with horrifying scares • Wander through the cemetery— beware of night stalkers
Fritzler’s Corn Maize 20861 Highway 85 LaSalle, CO 8645 www.fritzlermaze.com
Corn Maze • Covers over 15 acres of ground and contains over two miles of pathways • Divided into two phases: Challenging and Thrilling • Only one exit from the twists and turns of golden corn stalks • Optional Passport with ten helpful questions • Corn Cops available to help find the exit
Scream Acres • Dark cornfield • Startling things lurk in the corn
Harvest Farm 4240 E. County Road 66 Wellington, CO www.denverrescuemission.org/harvestfarm
Corn Maze • 10 acre corn maze • Design changes each year
Miller Farm and Corn Maze 9040 Highway 66 Platteville, CO 80651 www.millerfarms.net
Corn Maze • One design on three acres •
Northern Colorado Corn Maze 2318 So. County Road 5 Fort Collins, CO www.nococornmaze.com
Corn Maze • Covers 15 acres • Scavenger Hunt – treasure at the end (young children) • Haunted after dark – flashlights not allowed
Something from the Farm 7755 Greenstone Trail Fort Collins, CO 80525 www.somethingfromthefarm.com
Three Corn Mazes • Small, Medium and Haunted on 16 acres of corn with 3 miles of trails
Fear @ the Farm • Heart stopping scenes and terrifying creatures lurking among the corn
Straw Maze 3418 SE Frontage Road Johnstown, CO [www.strawmaze.com] (http://www.strawmaze.com)
Straw maze on about one acre • Built with over 1000 ton sized straw bales stacked three bales high to reach 9 feet • Stable structure, can only be moved with the help of a large tractor • Keeps its shape and structure • Low visibility
Haunted straw maze
• Weekends in October
by Linda M. Potter
I knew Marvin the nearsighted Madman was waiting for me in the basement. I knew from the moment the rain-soaked midnight sky became electrified with jagged, piercing flashes of horror-film lightning, followed by the deep-throated rumble of soul-shaking thunder. You knew it when the camera panned past the cackling skeleton, zooming in on the creepy, creaky, fog-dripping haunted house, with a singular light beckoning from the cellar window.
The blood chilling scene unfolded with ghoulish predictability every Saturday night at 10pm, as my brother and I huddled in front of the 9-inch black and white TV set, waiting anxiously for Shock Theatre and it’s demented beatnik host to lure us into a world of all things horrifying. Maybe it was the freshly popped corn; maybe it was the odd exhilaration of the death curdling cries (ours), or maybe it was the comfort of the worn wool blanket we cowered under as Bela Lugosi sank his teeth into yet another vampire role, or Boris Karloff terrorized the town folk with soul-piercing stares from his recycled Frankenstein eyeballs (and on alternating weeks, ran off archaeologists with cryptic mummy moans), or as Lon Chaney, Jr. morphed into a twisted, deadly man-beast who didn’t look anything like Taylor Lautner. It was the 1950s, a time before vampires and werewolves were romantic heroes and being one of the undead was cool, a time when Frankenstein was still a monster and not a Munster, and the most fun thing to do on a Saturday night was to scream yourself speechless.
Like many other kids, I grew up absolutely convinced that monsters lived under my bed, hidden under a blanket of dust bunnies while their extended family partied in my closet.
There are no monsters in your room, my mother would reassure me. Yet, at bedtime she would loan me a flashlight and steady my trembling hand while I double checked under my bed for some unearthly occupant. Once I was convinced that no danger lurked beneath my mattress, she’d boldly throw open the closet door, mumble something I wanted to believe was a magic incantation, and then turn on the light that was guaranteed, she said, to frighten off any maleficent monsters who had taken refuge there.
In some ways, my regular Saturday night ritual with Marvin the Madman was the Shock Theatre therapy I needed. It reassured me that all the monsters I feared had somehow become trapped inside the black and white TV set in our front room, where they could not reach out and touch me during my slumbers, and could be banished from my sight with the twist of an “off” button.
Fast forward a few decades. I’m no longer afraid of monsters, but maybe I should be. Those old horror movies were powerful morality plays (albeit a little tortured and twisted) with some important life lessons we might want to include in our trick or treat bowl.
Over time I’ve collected a few classic horror film dolls and “action figures” to keep on the top shelf of my biggest closet as a reminder to me of the impact they still have on
my life.
Sit down with your journal; put on a CD of the Monster Mash, and consider the following… We have a love-hate relationship with what frightens us. Those dark and stormy nights spent in our self-constructed haunted houses have a purpose. Sometimes it’s easier to see the light when we’re standing in the darkness.
It’s time to banish the “monsters” we’re living with to Marvin’s shady cellar and shine some light on our spiritual path. But before we close the basement door behind us, we may want to take a quick backward look at the lessons they’ve left behind. Here’s some bumper-sticker style wisdom to contemplate:
The Vampire – Until you figure out what’s “sucking your blood” and bleeding the life out of you, you’re doomed to long nights with little sleep.
The Frankenstein Monster – You can’t build a good relationship with recycled “parts” of old ones. And, if you think re-creating yourself into someone else’s vision of a perfect partner is going to make either of you happy, you’re in for a shock.
The Mummy – You may have to peel away a lot of layers to discover the pain beneath a lifetime of bandages.
The Wolfman – We all have a shadow side. Make peace with the “beast within” before it has a chance to grow fangs, fur, and nails that can reach out and claw you.
Happy Halloween.
Linda M. Potter is the author of If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at book stores, through Amazon.com or at www.wordkeepersinc.com. Linda is also a popular speaker and workshop facilitator, and has shared her “sign” messages in both the U.S. and Canada. For more information, contact her at <lindampotter@comcast.net>, www.lindampotter.com.
by Cameron Alborzian
If you’re like almost everyone I know, your first impulse when you get home from a long day at work or a busy day running errands is to grab a bag of chips, a beer, or some kind of snack, sprawl out on the couch, and watch TV for four hours before going to bed. You may have had a conflict with a co-worker or felt overwhelmed by the long lines at the supermarket, and with so much drudgery and frustration, the last thing you want to do is something productive — like reading to your kids, paying your bills or finishing certain chores.
This makes perfect sense. When we feel overwhelmed by the dense energy that fills our hectic lives, we think we need to neutralize the bad heaviness with things that supposedly make us feel good: eating sweet and oily foods, watching aimless television programs and finding the most horizontal position we can for our bodies to experience weightlessness. While these may seem satisfying at the moment, they add heaviness to our material bodies, which burdens us and keeps us further entrenched in our own suffering.
This exercise calls upon you to create a short sitting practice for yourself when you feel you’re ready to submit to your end-of-day impulses or even sleepiness at the office. It is designed to foster alertness, which will counter the inevitable lethargy of a taxing day. When you’re done with work or errands or have finished your dinner, find somewhere quiet in your home or office to sit in a basic cross-legged position. This can be in the middle of the floor, against a wall or even on a chair with your feet on the ground if you find significant discomfort in sitting with crossed legs. Close your eyes and take long and slow breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of three, and then breathe out through your nose for a count of six. Repeat this thirty times or however many times you feel comfortable with. The breathing will deliver more oxygen to your entire body, which will stimulate cellular activity in the brain and calm the nerves.
• As this exercise is designed to foster alertness, it is important to have an erect spine. If sitting cross-legged makes your shoulders slump forward and your lower back sink, sit on a couple of folded blankets or a yoga block to raise your pelvis. This will help to properly align your spine.
• If breathing in and out through your nose is difficult for you, try breathing in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
Once you’ve completed the breathing, sit for a moment and observe how you feel about vegging out as opposed to doing something you’ve been putting off. Do you want to spend the whole evening watching TV (the TV eventually watches you), or do you want to watch only one of the four shows? Do you want to eat those chips (which eventually become you), or are you willing to try a piece of fruit, sip some herbal tea, or not consume anything at all? A great first step in becoming more aware of your place in this material world is to challenge yourself to crave a lighter energy, and this awareness can begin with the heaviest hours of your day.
Yogi Cameron Is an Ayurveda and Yoga Therapist offering natural medicines and treatments to help people live a healthier and happier life. www.yogicameron.com Reprinted with Permission of Harper One from the new book: The Guru in You: A Personalized Program for Rejuvenating Your Body and Soul. All rights reserved.
by Danny Long
I have a drinking problem. It’s not that I drink too much. It’s that I don’t know what to drink now that I’ve learned about a growing trend in the craft brewing business — organic beer. Piggybacking on the organic movement, which gained speed in 1990 when Congress passed the Organic Food and Production Act, organic beer is considered one of the latest, greatest ways to protect our health and the environment. One catch, though, is that there’s not a lot of it. For example, although New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins does sell organic beer, they have only one offering, Mothership Wit. Another catch is that the number of certified organic farms are substantially outnumbered by their chemical counterparts. This imbalance has forced organic brewers to order their ingredients from other states, even other countries, resulting in higher shipping costs, pricier products, and larger carbon footprints – an effect many consider self-defeating.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle faced by organic brewers is the word “organic” itself. Often associated with humane animal treatment, healthy food and clean farming practices, “organic” has come to represent the exception rather than the rule. Some find this a little ironic. “A hundred years ago,” according to Abraham Goldman-Armstrong, an organizer of the North American Organic Brewers Festival, “beer was organic. Everything was organic.” Ironic or not, the word “organic,” now synonymous with “safe” and “nutritious,” has become a moneymaking machine. Take a quick stroll through Super Wal-Mart or Super Target, and you’ll see that “organic” isn’t just found at Whole Foods anymore.
It’s been argued that the recent availability of organic products in large discount stores has increased its availability to financially disadvantaged people and families, thereby somewhat helping to bridge a socioeconomic health gap. But the proliferation of the “organic” concept has also fostered consumer ignorance, as Michael Pollan points out in his first book about the food industry, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Tracing the items in his Whole Foods shopping cart back to their places of origin, Pollan discovers, for instance, “that some (certainly not all) organic milk comes from factory farms, where thousands of Holsteins that never encounter a blade of grass spend their days confined to a fenced ‘dry lot,’ eating (certified organic) grain and tethered to milking machines three times daily” — hardly the pastoral ideal of our imaginations. In any case, Pollan’s example teaches us a simple yet vital lesson: small things — a glass of milk, a word — can have significant economic, environmental, and cultural effects.
So what should we do?
Drink beer, says Steve Turner, co-founder of Asher Brewing Company (ABC) in Boulder, Colorado. Turner doesn’t suggest we simply drown our sorrows, however. He suggests we talk about them. “We see beer,” he explains, “as a medium to facilitate intelligent conversation.” A thin, healthy man, bespectacled, calm, and cerebral, Turner projects intellectualism. He’s aware of the debate surrounding organic products, having studied them for years, and his opinions on the subject are firm and predictable. “We believe that organic beer is better for the consumer, better for the environment and better for the beer.”
Yet, passionate as he is about ABC’s products, Turner doesn’t force his opinions on anyone. “When you preach at people, you’re just going to get their resistance.” So he and Chris Asher, his fellow co-founder, take a gentler approach — a surprising one, perhaps, since it’s coming from the owners of the first and only all-organic brewery in the state. Rather than emphasizing that their beer is organic, they focus the majority of their efforts on promoting the beer’s quality. “We don’t want to make organic beer that happens to be good. We want to make good beer that happens to be organic.”
Good beer first, organic beer second: Asher and Turner recognize of the power of small things. Hence their slogan, “Solving the world’s problems one beer at a time.” A good beer, they believe, creates a context that makes informed discussion possible. Beer isn’t just about beer at ABC. It’s about sharing ideas, listening to others, and participating in a conversation aimed at improving our understanding of the stories behind our foods and drinks. In other words, it’s about education. Even ABC’s tasting room, where customers can sample ABC’s brews and speak with either Asher or Turner about the organic brewing process, is a tribute to academia: a simple room with light green walls punctuated with chalkboards, freckled with ABCs, and furnished with tables and chairs redolent of schoolroom desks. This isn’t a brewery. It’s a classroom.
While Asher and Turner stand behind their belief that organic brewing is capable of solving the world’s problems, particularly those caused by chemical farming, such as groundwater pollution, soil depletion, and habitat destruction, they also believe that none of these problems can be solved if we don’t sit down and talk about them. As it turns out, then, I haven’t been drinking enough. Here’s to problem solving.
A recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s master’s program in English, Danny Long has decided to take his chances as a freelance writer and copyeditor. In the past, he’s taught literature, reading, and writing courses to students of all ages, from kindergarteners to retirees. <dannylong449@gmail.com>.
by G.W. Hardin
On November 11, 2011, celebrations, conferences, festivals, and global unity events will resound across our planet. There will be a Portal 11:11:11 Conference at Lake Titicaca, Peru; an 11.11.11 Gathering in Sedona, Arizona; Enlightenment Festivals in several cities; Worldwide Fire the Grid celebrations of Oneness (all at 11:11 am GMT) in over 50 countries and 200 cities; and a large EVOLveTM Expo 11-11-11 Event at Denver’s Merchandise Mart. What are these all about?
No matter what tradition you come from, messages have come forth from masters, seers, adepts, shamans and teachers that Mother Earth is about to make one of her greatest transitions in human history. Most of these traditions describe 11-11-11 as the opening of an energetic and angelic gateway to a higher threshold of consciousness. It can be called our bridge to ascension, our gateway home.
Numerologically, every time you see 111 or 11:11, you are being given an opportunity to walk into a Gateway of manifestation. Those who attribute power to numbers say that the appearance of 11:11 is an always beneficial act of divine intervention. Some say that 11:11 is the bridge between duality and oneness, a structure of Remembrance which activates us as masters of Light.
The Denver 11-11-11 event is intended to honor all of these traditions and their messages spreading across the face of the Mother Earth. Even though the metaphors may be different, they all say the same thing: Humanity is about to join Mother Earth in a great ascension process, an opening of dimensional portals, gateways and stargates that will connect humanity with the stars and restore Earth as the Edenlike Garden Planet.
The 11.11.11 Gathering in Sedona follows from the original 11:11 observation that occurred on January 11, 1992, when over 144,000 people worldwide came together in global unity events led by a dynamic woman named Solara. She spoke with passion how the Doorway of the 11:11 would open, bringing forth a time of great change until the Doorway would close on November 11, 2011 and then open to the birth of the New (later identified as the Angelic Stargate). Solara’s voice was unique at the time, inspiring people to come together in celebrations of unified movements, sacred dances, wearing white to symbolize the purity of Earth’s inherent Oneness.
This was the beginning of a number of unity events that eventually changed Earth’s destiny, causing our planet to shift to a new timeline that will soon allow us to see our place among the stars. The closing of the Doorway will result in the birthing of this New Earth. The number 11 signifies birthing and anchoring of the New. Think of this as one door closing, another opening. In this case the closing is the end of the birthing period, while the new door is the anchoring of the New… the birth of the New Eden, the New Earth, the full opening of the 11-11-11 Angelic Stargate.
The Fire the Grid Movement began in 2007, led by Shelley Yates. She was inspired by angelic helpers who guided her and her four-year-old son back from death by drowning. On July 17, 2007, millions around the world joined together, setting the intention of healing Mother Earth. Never had so many humans moved in common cohesive intent. Earth herself must have been surprised at this landmark event with humanity showing its ability to move into Oneness. Once again Shelley is calling the peoples of the world together for the 11:11:11 Worldwide Fire the Grid global event where all humans will express their thoughts as one Heart, one Soul, with one deeply loving intention for the New Earth, the New Humanity to enter the Gateway to the New Earth field energies.
Denver's Journeys for Conscious Living (J4CL) along with the Circle of Sevens, who sponsored the global Gathering of One in 2008, also are calling the world together for the full opening of the Angelic 11-11-11 Stargate. J4CL Partner Robby Robbins says they will use the EVOLve Expo Denver 11-11-11 Event to videostream their ceremony to the world, showing all who attend or watch how humans themselves are the inner gateways to the Angelic 11-11-11 Stargate. It is humanity who will bring through those gateways, along with the angelic realm, the Vibrations of Ascension that will flow from our world to other worlds.
Unlike past global unity events, the 11:11:11 events will for the first time combine efforts from many different groups and organizations across the world celebrating in common intent. No single group or person is championing this milestone for Mother Earth. This kind of Oneness speaks as a metaphor as to the New Earth we are about to inherit — we are many people who sing with one voice.
“The energy of the universe is very powerful at this special time in history,” says Robby Robbins of J4CL, “and it is probably the greatest time to create genuine inspired empowerment for others through truth, trust and love.”
For more information: Solara – www.nvisible.com Shelley Yates and Fire the Grid: www.firethegrid.com Journeys for Conscious Living: www. journeysforconsciousliving.com EVOLve Expo event page: www.evolveexpo.com
_G.W. Hardin is the author of The Days of Wonder and Indigo Rising, and is co-author of The Messengers, On the Wings of Heaven, a true story of angelic messages for humanity, and its sequel, The Masters Return. Hardin lectures widely and also sponsors workshops on angelic messages for humanity. He lives in Denver. _
Anonymous
(1.) You Will Receive A Body
You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.
(2.) You Will Learn Lessons
You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school, you will have the opportunity to learn lessons - you may like the lesson or think them irrelevant and stupid.
(3.) There Are No Mistakes, Only Lessons
There is a process of trial and error; experimentation. The 'failed' experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately 'works'.
(4.) A Lesson Is Repeated Until It Is Learned
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
(5.) Learning Lessons Does Not End.
There is no part of Life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.
(6.) 'There' Is No Better Than 'here'.
When your 'there' has become a 'here', you will simply obtain another 'there' that will again look better than 'here'.
(7.) Others Are Merely Mirrors Of You.
You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.
( 8.) What You Make Of Your Life Is Up To You.
You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
(9.) Your Answers Lie Inside You.
The answers to Life's questions lie inside you. All you need do is look, listen and trust.
(10.) You Will Forget All This.
(11.) You Can Remember It Whenever You Want
Author Unknown
by Tuula Fai
Want to go to Nepal? Maybe trek to Everest Base Camp or around Pokhara? Or wander through the streets of Kathmandu shopping, sampling delicacies like momos (dumplings), and visiting holy sites like Pashupatinath (Hindu Temple), Swayambhunath and Bodhnath (Buddhist Stupas)? I did, so I went there to study Tibetan Buddhism at the Kopan Monastery and Nunnery.
History of Kopan If you’re not familiar with Kopan, here’s a little history. Two progressive monks named Lama Geshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, with the help of their first Western student Zina, founded the monastery in 1971. Their vision was to create a place where monks, and later nuns, could receive a classical Buddhist education — and Westerners could come learn about the Dharma.
From these humble beginnings, Kopan has grown into a community of 360 monks and 380 nuns who study everything from mathematics and debate to meditation and chanting. They also participate in tantric rituals like making sand mandalas and butter sculptures; some go on to earn the Geshe degree, the equivalent of a Doctor of
Divinity. Kopan also offers Westerners seven- and ten-day courses on Buddhism, as well as the one-month Lam Rim Meditation Course, which began in 1971 with twelve students and now has over 200. The monastery also teaches courses through the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which has 130 centers around the world.
My Experience at Kopan I knew this history when I boarded the plane to Kathmandu. What I didn’t know was how much Buddhism would resonate with me, a New Thought American.
Discovering Buddhism Course During our course, senior nun Ani Karin taught us concepts such as the Four Noble Truths, Karma (law of cause and effect), Samsara (cycle of death and rebirth), Bodhicitta (totally open heart), and Samatha (calm abiding meditation).
The Four Noble Truths say that life is suffering and that there is a cause of suffering: our own attachments, delusions and afflicted emotions. By developing our mind and practicing wisdom, compassion and ethics, we can put an end to suffering. To do so, we must use our “precious human life” to practice the Dharma. Geshe Sherab, Kopan’s Acting Abbot, defines Dharma as “transforming our thoughts, intentions, and actions into a positive state so we can create beneficial results.”
According to this definition, anyone can practice the Dharma. And our intention is important. If we practice for the benefit of all sentient beings, then our practice will be more powerful than if we focus only on our own liberation.
Likewise, we can make our actions more beneficial by applying wisdom and compassion. For example, if we give money to a beggar because we are moved by his suffering and know he will use it for good, then our action is more helpful than if we give money without caring what he does with it. This led into a discussion of Karma in which we were reminded of the Golden Rule — that how we treat others comes back to us. The class held its breath as Ani Karin told us the possible consequences of creating negative karma, including rebirth in the lower animal, hell, or hungry ghost realms where there is much suffering.
We breathed a sigh of relief when she walked us through how to purify our negative karma. The methods include taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (Buddhist community); feeling regret; resolving not to do harm again; undertaking virtuous action; and participating in specific sutras, confessions or purification rituals like Nyung Na which the nuns were doing down the road at their Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery.
For the first half of the course, we started and ended the day with meditation. The last half, we spent in silence, meditating all day. We meditated on our “precious human lives” that give us the opportunity to practice the Dharma, on sending loving-kindness to all sentient beings, and on the practice of Tonglen in which we breathe in others’ suffering to strike down our self-centeredness so we can breathe out selfless compassion.
On the last day we participated in a Puja, a prayer ceremony for requesting the Buddha’s aid to help Lama Zopa Rinpoche recover from his recent stroke. The Tibetan Dakini who specially wrote this Puja was in attendance. She is the female embodiment of enlightened energy and serves as the Dalai Lama’s oracle. It was amazing to watch her as she sat in deep meditation doing healing work.
Nyung Na After the Puja, I headed down to the nunnery to participate in Nyung Na, the purification ritual Ani Karin had told us about. The ritual focuses on Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha of Compassion, whom the Dalai Lama is thought to be an incarnation of. For the ritual our group of 100 nuns and twenty lay practitioners adhered to the eight Mahayana precepts, recited Tibetan mantras and praises, and did hundreds of prostrations. Every other day, we observed additional vows of silence and fasting, including drinking no water.
These practices are supposed to purify negative karma and accumulate positive merit for ourselves and all sentient beings. They also give us compassion for those born in the lower realms and a desire to help them achieve favorable rebirth.
After days of prostrating, fasting, and waking up before dawn, I tasted the suffering that these beings and humans born into difficult conditions face, and it opened my heart wide. I spent the rest of the time praying for them, and everyone else I could think of who was suffering. The last day was Saka Dawa, the Buddha’s birthday, during which we recited mantras to the sounds of Tibetan horns and drums and received bags full of snacks that had been donated by the faithful. It was a joyous occasion and I felt exhilarated to have made it through three weeks of intensive Buddhist study.
Return to Secular Life After I left Kopan, I headed to Thamel, a trendy part of Kathmandu, where I received a massage at Seeing Hands and then ate pizza and ice cream at a touristy restaurant called Fire and Ice. While I ate, I thanked all the people who had made this experience possible and sent them my gratitude and joy. Then I got up and danced to Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl to commemorate my re-entry into secular life. For more information, please visit the Kopan Monastery and Nunnery (Khachoe Ghakyil) website at: www.kopan-monastery.com.
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of Seek the Lover Within: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders, Vol 1 & 2. For sixteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. <tuula@ascendancehealing.com>; www.spiritual.50interviews.com.
by Gregg Braden
During the last years of the Cold War, I had a front row seat as a senior systems designer in the defense industry to one of the most frightening times in the history of the world, and the thinking that led to it. During the last years of the most potentially lethal, yet undeclared, war in human history, the super powers of the United States and the former Soviet Union did something that seems unthinkable to any rationally minded person today. They spent the time, energy, and human resources to develop and stockpile somewhere in the neighborhood of 65,000 nuclear weapons—a combined arsenal with the power to microwave the Earth, and everything on it, many times over.
The rationale for such an extreme effort stems from a way of thinking that has dominated much of the modern world for the last 300 years or so, since the beginning of the scientific era. It’s based in the false assumptions of scientific thinking that suggest we’re somehow separate from the Earth, separate from one another, and that the nature that gives us life is based upon relentless struggle and survival of the strongest. Fortunately, new discoveries have revealed that each of these assumptions is absolutely false. Unfortunately, however, there is a reluctance to reflect such new discoveries in mainstream media, traditional classrooms and conventional textbooks. In other words, we’re still teaching our young people the false assumptions of an obsolete way of thinking based in struggle, competition, and war.
While we no longer face the nuclear threat that we did in the 1980s, the thinking that made the Cold War possible is still in place. This fact is vital to us all right now for one simple reason: For the first time in human history the future of our entire species rests upon the choices of a single generation—us—and the choices are being made within a small window of time—now. The best minds of our time are telling us that we must act quickly to avert the clear and present danger of a host of new crises that are converging in a “bottleneck” of time covering the first years of the 21st Century.
The journal Scientific American released a special edition (vol. 293, no. 3, September 2005) to bring the world up to speed on the critical situation we find ourselves in today. The title, Crossroads for Planet Earth, says it all. The way we solve the simultaneous crises—such as our response to climate change, the unsustainable and growing levels of extreme poverty, the emergence of new diseases, the growing shortages of food and fresh drinking water, the growing chasm between extreme wealth and extreme poverty, and the unsustainable demand for energy—will chart the destiny, or seal the fate of our global family that is estimated to reach a staggering 8 billion by 2025.
The key here is that the way we address the greatest crises of human history is based in the way we think of ourselves and the world. Clearly, the thinking that led to the war and suffering of the 20th century is not the thinking that we want the delicate choices of our survival based upon!
Developing a new level of thinking is precisely what we need to do today and the magnitude of crises that face us may prove to be the catalyst for doing just that! The emerging bridge between the sciences that tell us how the universe works, and the spiritual traditions that give such knowledge meaning in our lives, plays a vital role in the new thinking that heads off the darkest possibilities of our future. But while the crises of the moment may be the catalyst for such a shift in thinking, something even deeper is emerging.
The new shift in thinking is the gateway to human transformation. And because of the sheer number of people involved in the shift, and the growing magnitude of the crises that are driving us to change the way we think, we are standing on the threshold of human transformation at a level unlike anything ever before known on Earth. The spiritual traditions that I’m describing are the core principles of ancient and time-tested understandings—principles now confirmed by 20th century science that include the interconnected nature of all things, the power of the human heart to positively influence the magnetic fields of the earth and all life, and the cyclic nature of life, climate, civilization and change. The spiritual traditions of our ancestors got these principles right and embodied them at the core of their lives in their time. It’s the marriage of these holistic principles with the best science of today that help us to tip the scales of life, balance, and peace in our favor, in ours.
While the specifics of spiritual principles may vary from tradition to tradition, the essence of their message does not. It’s simple, direct and states that we live in a world where everything has meaning, and is meaningful to everything else. What happens in the oceans has meaning for the climate of the mountains. What happens in a river has meaning for the life that depends upon the river. The choices that you and I make as we express our beliefs in our living rooms and around family dinner tables have meaning for the people in our immediate lives, as well as for those connected through the fields of the human heart coherence living halfway around the Earth.
By crossing the traditional boundaries that define the science, religion, and the history of our past, we are shown the power of a larger, integrated, and holistic worldview. I cannot help but believe that our destiny and fate as a species are intimately entwined with our willingness to accept the Deep Wisdom of a spiritually based science. It’s all about the way we think of ourselves, our relationship to the Earth and to one another. When the facts become clear, our choices become obvious.
Gregg Braden is a New York Times best-selling author, a former Senior Computer Systems Designer for Martin Marietta Aerospace, former Computer Geologist for Phillips Petroleum, and the first Technical Operations Manager for Cisco Systems. For over 25 years he has searched high mountain villages, remote monasteries, and forgotten texts to bridge their life-giving secrets with the best science of today. His work has led to the cutting edge books such as The Divine Matrix, The Spontaneous Healing of Belief, Fractal Time, and Deep Truth. Gregg’s work is now published in 17 languages and 33 countries and shows beyond any reasonable doubt that the key to our future lies in the wisdom of our past. His book, Deep Truth, releases October 2011. www.greggbraden.com
by the Dalai Lama
The Practice: 130
Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another.
Spend 5 minutes breathing in, cherishing yourself; and, breathing out cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway.
During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc) or people you dislike.
Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you.
These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deeply if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart.
by Linda M Potter
Once you meet Captain Mark Hoog, it’s unlikely you’ll ever forget him. As a 22-year veteran of United Airlines, Hoog was personally and professionally impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. But this charismatic, upbeat man with the infectious smile doesn’t want to talk about that day — not because of the painful memories, but because he consciously chooses to not look back. He’d rather focus on the future, he says, on the good that can come out of the rubble of one of the most devastating disasters in U.S. history.
The author of a series of empowering inspirational books for children, and a nationally sought-after motivational speaker, Captain Hoog walks his talk. His enthusiasm and optimistic view of the future, for both our youth and our nation, is more than just contagious: spending an hour with Mark makes you want to go out and change the world. And that’s exactly what he’d like you to do.
LP: It’s been ten years since 9/11. It grabbed our attention like no single event had done in most of our lifetimes. There was so much focus on what we could do to change, to make sure something like this never happened again. But then time passes, people go on with their lives, and we miss the opportunity to learn something from the experience.
MH: You are 100 percent right about how people quickly forget. It’s human nature. I don’t think you can change that. But you can raise awareness; you can raise consciousness. At the end of the day that’s my hope with my children’s book series. People want to go back (and the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 won’t be any different) and relive the fear, the anxiety and emotion. My hope is that we finally say, HOLD IT, and ask, how do we take what happened and use that bad event as a catalyst to move forward and evolve. That’s the challenge.
Linda Potter: Your story is powerful; your association with 9/11 is personal. Could you share some of the backstory, your connection with the late Captain Jason Dahl, and how things played out that September ten years ago?
Mark Hoog: It all started years earlier during a check ride. They’re usually always very technical — about airplanes and procedures and policies, etc. However, Captain Dahl opened the check ride with two questions. “Mark,” he says, “my life experience tells me that people talk about other people for one of four reasons: because you’re dying, because you’re dead, because you’re one of the best in your field, or because you’re one of the worst. No one cares about the middle. My question for you is, why don’t I hear people talking about you? You’re the youngest guy we’ve hired at United, the youngest captain. There’s a chance for you to make a huge impact everywhere you go. Yet, I’ve never heard of you. How come?”
When he saw that I didn’t have a good answer, his second question was, “Why should you get to stay? You’re in a leadership position, and you’re choosing not to do anything with it.” His questions were meant to get me to look at things differently, to choose to make a difference, to make a contribution somewhere. I started doing things differently as a result of those two questions.
LP: You later ended up working with Captain Dahl, didn’t you?
MH: Yes. I was asked to become an evaluator. When I showed up for training, I found out that the same man who had asked me those two questions early in my career, and inspired me to do things differently, was going to be my mentor.
LP: Did those questions you say so profoundly impacted your life, continue to come up as you became closer friends with Captain Dahl?
MH: Yes. When we were working together, it didn’t matter what we were talking about; it could have been family; it could have been community; it could have been coaching kids’ sports teams. His question was always the same. “What are you doing?” Then he’d say, “Maybe I can use some of your best coaching ideas with the kids I coach.” Or, “What about your community? Maybe I can use your best ideas down here in Denver,” and so on. Every time you saw him, he talked about how to do things better, how to make a difference.
We worked together for a number of years, and in August of 2001 he came to see me. I’d just been promoted, and he was the first one to knock on my door to say, “Congratulations.” Then he added with a smile, “People are talking.” And I asked him, “Do you have any idea the difference you made in my life so many years ago with your two questions?
He responded, “You know what, we’re all dying; it’s just that some of us know that and we’re doing something about it. Most people can’t be bothered.” He talked for a while and then left. But before he walked away, he stuck his head back in to say one more thing: “Don’t forget to tell the ones you love that you love them. You never know when it’ll be your last chance.” Two weeks later on September 11, 2001, he went down. He was the Captain of United Flight 93, the one that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
LP: September 11, 2001, is one of those days where people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the news of the attacks broke. How did that day unfold for you?
MH: On the morning of 9/11, I was getting ready to fly to Seattle when my boss called and asked me to pack a bag for two weeks and fly to New York to dig through the rubble with the fire fighters. When Jason’s plane went down, they took me off New York and sent me to his house to tell his wife and son he’d gone down.
LP: Captain Dahl clearly inspired you in so many ways. Did 9/11 motivate you to take what you learned from him one step farther?
MH: My company, the Growing Field, was named after the crash site of Flight 93. I felt the point was to learn and grow from the crash. So, that’s where it all started. At the funeral, his son read a Dr. Seuss book to eulogize him. It was called the Sleep Book. This teenager could have talked about cars, flying lessons, nice vacations, a big home. Instead, he took the stage and said, “My father never ever missed a chance to read to me. Every night he was home, we read a book together.” So he reads the Sleep Book cover to cover for everyone, and then says, “Good night, Dad,” and walks off the stage.
What I think he was saying is his dad never missed a chance. As a parent, a spouse, a boss, an employee, a member of a community — don’t miss a chance to do whatever it is that you’re here to do. Too many people get caught up in what’s not working, what could have been, might have been, should have been… And because of that we miss our chance.
LP: It’s interesting that instead of writing a book about your 9/11 experience, you chose to write inspirational books for children.
MH: I didn’t choose anything. It chose me. It came to me about two years after 9/11. During those two years, we [pilots] took big pay cuts and lost benefits. As a result we lost the home we were living in and had to start over financially.
I just woke up one night during this time when my life was falling apart, and I had a quote in my head: “Show me a man who has lost all he has, and I’ll show you all that he is.” So I went to my computer journal that I keep for my kids and I went through 600 pages of quotes from Aristotle to Plato, to… you name it. I couldn’t find it. It turns out the quote was my own. So I closed my eyes and about 15 minutes later book one was done. Over two months, all six books were written. The only thing I take credit for was listening.
LP: You’ve become somewhat of a celebrity since 9/11. Has the continued focus on the tragedy of 9/11 helped or hindered your ability to spread your message of hope, possibility and empowerment?
MH: A while back, I got a call from a reporter at a Denver television station. They had done a story on me years ago. And she says, “We want to do a feature on you. Are you speaking anytime soon?” So she comes to hear me speak with a bunch of third graders, and when I finish she pulls me aside and says, “You didn’t talk about airplanes crashing or buildings coming down or anything.” Well, yeah, they were third graders. My mission is to get them thinking about their possibility, not the drama of a few of years ago.
She called me again after Bin Laden was killed, wanting to know if I have a statement, and I said, “You know what, tomorrow will be a day on the news where everyone talks about 9/11 and fear, anxiety and uncertainty, and that’s still not my message. I am still talking about possibility and hope and the fact that every one of us has a gift to give. When the news cycle decides to make 9/11 and capturing Osama Bin Laden about that, give me a call. Until then I have no comment.”
LP: As someone who was personally affected by 9/11, how would you like to see this event remembered?
MH: First of all, my story is not unique. There are plenty of people who have used 9/11 to basically say, life is short at best and now I get it. They’ve found a way to move forward with their life dream as I did. Wouldn’t it be neat if 9/11 became about sharing those stories, about moving forward, about how an event like this evolves us, how it moves us, how it inspires us? What a great day that would make 9/11.
LP: I know you have “no comment” on Bin Laden’s death, but do you think that maybe this is at least an opportunity to get closure and focus on what’s possible rather than what’s been?
MH: Maybe in the short term. The path I’m on now is figuring out what we can do to change people long term. Where the book series has taken me is figuring out a way to start changing our youth. What if we start working with kids when they’re three or four years old? What if we helped them understand, explore, develop their own “possibility” and learn how to pursue that?
LP: How do you think we can accomplish that?
MH: The self-help industry is a 15-billion-dollar industry focused on 35-45 year olds. This whole demographic has sons, daughters, nieces, etc. dying for this same message. My mission is to start creating a new industry around youth self-help. Let’s serve it with excellence and start helping our youngest generation become our next greatest generation. It’s time to start inspiring them, encouraging them, showing them their greatness and what they’re capable of. What I’m doing is not just about books for kids. Our mission is to become the company that identifies and serves that message for youth.
LP: The focus of your company seemed initially to be totally on kids. Your book series has been lovingly called, “Tony Robbins meets Dr. Seuss.” Now that you’ve expanded your message to include adults, is the adult message any different?
MH: I’d say it’s 50-50 right now between schools and corporate America, which includes educational conferences. Do I have a different message for them? Yes and no. My message is always the Growing Field message.
I started speaking in elementary schools. Then junior high schools started calling, then high schools, then colleges. I didn’t change my message, but you can’t talk to a college freshman like you talk to a third grader. My message matured. Then corporate America started calling. So I took it up one more notch, and I call it conscious leadership. My corporate message is the Growing Field message on steroids. Do I have more than one message? No. Do I have different deliveries? Yes.
Mark Hoog makes his home in Northern Colorado. To date he has released four of the books in his six-book series for children: Your Song, Dream Machine, Field of Dreams and Treasure Island. (Magic Mountain and The Gift are still to come.)
Accolades for his book series include an endorsement from President William Jefferson Clinton who commented on Hoog’s second book, saying: “Mark Hoog’s book delivers an important message to young readers: if a dream is worth having, it’s worth working for. If you believe in yourself and are dedicated to achieving your goals, you can accomplish anything – all it takes is hard work and determination. I encourage you to follow the example of the children in Dream Machine and make your dreams come true.”
Richard Riley, U.S. Secretary of Education wrote: “A Walk through Mark Hoog’s Growing Field series is a wonderful and creative way for any adult to help grow a child’s self-esteem, character and love of reading. Everyone can benefit from the seeds to be found in the Growing Field.”
Hoog’s product line for youth has taken root in the Growing Field as well and now includes a personal growth and leadership book series, Growing Field Greeting Cards, Growing Field leadership journal and Letters from Katrina.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker and the author of the newly released book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at your local book store, through Amazon.com or at wordkeepersinc.com. You can contact her at lindampotter@comcast.net, www.lindampotter.com.
by Linda Howe
Somewhere inside, you have always known that your life can be joyous and your contribution to your world significant. The Ascension Matrix offers a proven mech¬anism for you to realize the hopes and dreams you’ve held inside. It will provide you with a strategy to make a difference for yourself for the good of all.
Whenever you feel disconnected from the joy of living, whenever you feel stuck or powerless, pause for a moment and activate your Ascension Matrix. You can do this within your Akashic Records or outside of them — it works under either condition. Remember that you have three ways to set the Matrix in motion. Ask for help in knowing which of the three to contact first.
Each of the three dimensions of the Ascension Matrix makes its own contribution to the dynamics of the whole. The first compo¬nent is Gratitude, which supplies momentum. The second is Grace, the catalyst for the matrix. Generosity is the final piece, and it provides buoyancy, making it easy to rise to the next level. Through the combination of these qualities, the Matrix operates to facilitate our progression from one higher level to the next, from one expanded state to another even greater expansion, from glory to glory to glory. Let’s look at Gratitude.
Gratitude Supplies Momentum for the Joy of Living
Gratitude is the first component of the Ascension Matrix — it propels us forward by creating momentum. Here on the Earth plane, it is important to move ahead with both feet on the ground; momentum enables us to do so at a steady pace. Gratitude — the state of thankfulness — is what creates these conditions. When we are grateful, we can recognize the positive value of the people and things around us and appreciate them. Gratitude is widely accepted as a potent antidote to depression, gloomy attitudes and moods; it is an essential ingredient for sound mental health. It is a deceptively simple idea, but not so easy to accomplish. As has been the case throughout this healing process, this aspect is also best approached as a spiritual practice.
Feeling Gratitude for who we are, where we are, and what we have helps us break through our current level. As a starting point, we remain open to the possibility that what is present in our current reality has come into existence because it can benefit us in some way. Willingness to acknowledge this is essential to activate the state of Gratitude. It’s easy and quite natural to be thankful when we get what we want or when things go our way. It is another matter altogether when it seems like we will never realize our dreams, our hearts have been broken, we lose something or someone we love, or we fail to achieve a goal. Yet, it is possible to achieve Gratitude under these conditions, to open to thankfulness even when we are baffled by what is going on. It requires open-mindedness; it does not require understanding. The mere willingness to be grateful collapses the resistance wedged between our Innermost Self and the life force, and this creates an opening through which the Light can seep in and our pain can drain away.
Gratitude is the result of a choice, an act of will. Once we decide to consider the option of being grateful no matter what transpires, we place ourselves in a position to receive all the good that can possibly come from a situation. The more we are open to goodness without prescribing exactly how it is to be delivered to us, the more of it we will receive. Even when we are tangled up in disaster and dismay, the moment we muster the willingness to be grateful, we align with all the positive possibilities inherent in these circumstances. At first, it is surprising to discover that the most distressing situation has positivity woven through it, but over time we realize that Gratitude is always present; we need only receive.
The energy of Gratitude gathers, collects and accelerates. This has a cumulative effect: momentum compounds. This effect assists us in breaking through our current level to the next best location in consciousness. The momentum-gathering action of Gratitude enables us to reach a state known as “escape velocity,” which is the rate of speed necessary for something to move beyond the influence of gravity. It can also be thought of as the speed required to break through our current level of consciousness. Gratitude gives us the energy we need to move past the gravity of the zone we currently occupy. Because Gratitude gathers, fills, and holds more and more energy, it continually strengthens, supporting us in moving through our internal limitations and restrictions toward our next level of awareness.
Even when we are residing in a good place, there is always another, even better place: this is the nature of ongoing Ascension. There is wonderful and there is more wonderful and, yes, there is even more wonderful. As infinite beings in an infinite universe, we have access to infinite states of goodness in a variety of expressions. The only restriction that exists is our ability to accept infinite goodness. As we grow into increased happiness, health, love, fun and the joy of living, it can be hard to accept that there is even more available to us. This is the opportunity of the Ascending Life: to remain in Gratitude to fuel our escape velocity, and to remain open to an ongoing experience of greater goodness.
Experiencing gratitude requires a conscious choice. It is not accidental, nor is it bestowed upon us by some mysterious force. Deliberately moving toward this state of being is the right use of your will. Of course, you want to draw upon all the energetic support available to you. In the final analysis, you are responsible for entering into a state of Gratitude. Fortunately, your current location is always the perfect starting place.
Begin by returning to a central premise of healing through the Akashic Records. Consider that your whole life is a conspiracy on the part of the physical world to demonstrate to you that you are lovable, that everyone around you is helping you to realize your good ness, and that every event — from the mundane details of your day to international affairs — is orchestrated to wake you up to the ever-present Light. Pretend that you are grateful for everything if that’s all you can manage now, and start to take note. Ask yourself, “If I were grateful, what would I be grateful for?” Although the issue is quite serious, it is acceptable to play with the question while knowing that at some time in your soul’s journey you will choose to be grateful for everything. You may make that decision today or you may wait twenty years or another thirty-seven lifetimes. It’s all right; you will do this at the perfect time. You are completely committed to knowing your own Soul and its perfection, so relax. You can count on yourself.
Gratitude is a natural part of your innermost Being. It is in your Soul’s DNA. You have within you a consciousness of Gratitude that does not depend on anything outside of yourself. It does not rely upon getting what you want, meeting certain goals, or anyone else behaving in a certain manner. It is part of your basic makeup as a person. Your growth and your expansion into higher realms are embedded into the code of your soul. The path is within you and reveals itself to you as you become ready, willing and able to proceed.
Let me sum up this discussion of Gratitude. To move forward in your life, direct your attention to Gratitude and then let it take the reins. There is no need to push yourself ahead or force your circumstances — that won’t work over the long haul anyway. Focus on being thankful and sincere, and you will travel into the heart of ever-expanding goodness.
Excerpted with permission from Healing Through the Akashic Records: Using the Power of Your Sacred Wounds to Discover Your Soul’s Perfection by Linda Howe (Sounds True, May 2011). © Linda Howe. Visit akashicstudies.com.
by Tuula Fai
Imagine being a teenage girl sitting in a car with a guy you have known since childhood. You suddenly get the feeling you are in danger and need to get out immediately. That’s what happened to Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, craniosacral therapy instructor and author of Full Body Presence. Only she didn’t listen to her gut. Instead she was polite and stayed in the car. Her male friend then tried to choke her. Fortunately she got away, having learned an important lesson. If you pay attention to your body’s wisdom — what she calls your “inner landscape” — it will guide you to exactly what you need.
When Scurlock-Durana first began teaching craniosacral therapy with the Upledger Institute, she noticed many therapists had trouble connecting to their inner wisdom. This made it hard for them to stay energetically full and grounded in their bodies. As a result, they often picked up their clients’ symptoms and felt exhausted at the end of the day.
So Scurlock-Durana made it her mission to teach people, especially hands-on therapists, “how to live from a more embodied place.” Her book Full Body Presence shows readers how to tune into their inner landscape so they can make optimal decisions. Scurlock-Durana says “. . . making decisions from your body’s wisdom, as opposed to solely operating from your linear mind, is more synergistic and effective because you plug into your deep integrity and the inherent knowledge of the universe.”
Her book comes with an audio CD that walks people through exercises to help them ground to the earth and fill with nourishing energy. This CD builds on her earlier audio series Healing From the Core: A Journey Home to Ourselves, in which she offers several explorations to help people access their inner wisdom.
People who have read Scurlock-Durana’s book, taken her courses or listened to her audio CDs have experienced profound changes. For example, one student who had been abused as a child had trouble energetically staying in her body. Scurlock-Durana helped her notice when she was vacating and gave her techniques to remain more embodied and present. Afterwards, the student felt more at home in her body and was better able to hold a healing space for her clients.
Scurlock-Durana says we all have parts of our bodies and psyches where we feel vulnerable. We either avoid these areas by vacating or lock them down in muscle tension. By using Full Body Presence techniques, we can reconnect to these parts and integrate them back into the whole. She calls this process “healing the internal resistance to life.” For example, she frequently sees our resistance in letting go of past relationships. To help us move through this, she shows us how to ground back into ourselves and our own healthy resources so we no longer get stuck grounding into the other person.
Over the past thirty years, Scurlock-Durana has helped thousands of people become more embodied. She encourages us all to stay connected to our inner landscape by stopping to ask, “What nourishing, healthy resources do I need right now?” If we pause and go inside, our bodies will tell us. It could be a drink of water, some quiet time, or a walk outside. Whatever it is, our environment has it. Our only job is to ask and then act on what we hear. This works even when we find ourselves in stressful situations. We can remain fully present by setting the intention to take in only what is nourishing.
Scurlock-Durana knows about this firsthand. A few years ago, she felt stressed as she packed her family for a month-long trip to Esalen where she teaches in the summer. She found herself getting stuck in her mind as she tried to remember everything she needed to bring. Then a student came over and walked her through the grounding and filling exercise from her audio CD. Scurlock-Durana felt herself relax back into her body. As she did, all the details she’d been trying to remember floated into her consciousness effortlessly.
Scurlock-Durana concludes by saying: “When you’re really in your body, you’re more present for everything in life. You’re grounded and connected to healthy resources that fill you. By staying connected to your body’s wisdom, you’re able to notice when something drains your energy. When it does, just take a moment to ground and refill. Full Body Presence is all about this—about letting the flow of life go through you. As we learn how to do this, we will create a more loving, respectful world.”
For more information on Suzanne Scurlock-Durana’s book Full Body Presence and her “Healing from the Core” work visit her website at www.healingfromthecore.com or contact her office at office@HealingFromTheCore.com or (703) 620-4509.
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of My Enemy is My Lover: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders. For fifteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and Cranio Sacral Therapist. www.tuulafai.com or email her at tuula@tuulafai.com.
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by Lynn Woodland
This is an experiment in miracle-making. It’s an invitation to suspend disbelief, let your mind be boggled, and have an experience of reality beyond what you think you know for certain. Miracles are more readily found in the slightly unsettling territory of paradox than on familiar ground so, if you’re game, let the experiment begin right now by imagining the earth shifting just a bit underfoot and that nothing you see is what it appears to be.
The more of this article you read, the more deeply you will enter into a miracle-making experiment. Modern science is demonstrating that we can’t change our minds without affecting the world around us and, as easily as reading these words, your mind, and your world, are changing. If it’s your will, you will become a miracle-maker. And if you’re feeling excited, it’s already begun.
Proceed a little further into the experiment by imagining that you’re not alone as you read. Change your mind about the normally solitary experience of reading so that you are now, simply through your intention to do so, linking with every other mind who is reading these words. All consciousness is connected. To quote one of the pioneers of modern physics, Erwin Schrödinger, on the nature of consciousness, “The overall number of minds is just one.”
To wade a little more deeply into the fuzzy edges of reality, let go of what you think you know about time. Einstein proved in his theory of relativity that time and space aren’t a fixed, neutral container for matter and can be altered by what they contain. Time is a more fluid thing than we realize, as Helmut Schmidt, one of the early researchers of mind over matter, discovered in his extensive work with random event generators. He not only found statistically significant evidence suggesting that consciousness alone can indeed affect matter, but also that consciousness can affect matter in the past.
So now, without quite understanding how, imagine that your mind is transcending the fluid boundaries of time and space to connect with every mind that has in the past and will in the future experience these words. This is happening automatically simply because you’re thinking it. (You don’t even need to believe it; just imagine what it would feel like if you did.)
Picture this joined consciousness as clear, beautiful, and only positive. As we join minds, we leave behind the clutter of small, weak thoughts that so often cloud our attention and we rise into a Higher Mind that is wise and wonderful. In this Higher Mind, we amplify each other’s power for good and automatically repel harm. You may already feel a difference. Your senses may be a little sharper; you might feel warmth or tingling or gooseflesh. Perhaps you’re a little more awake. You may notice that your body is relaxing and you’re breathing more deeply. You may feel nothing at all, the real magic happening outside of your conscious awareness. It doesn’t matter what you perceive. Just imagine what it would be like if you felt certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that miracles are normal and starting to unfold in your life.
Now, for a moment, hold the deepest, most heartfelt intention that every reader of these words, past, present, and future, receive something wonderful, and imagine that just by reading this, you will too. Hold this thought lightly and with wonder, like you would a butterfly that just alit in your hand. Hold it gently… no need to strain… and let it go.
Just as anonymous prayer has been shown to have a definite healing effect, even when the recipients are unaware that prayer is being offered on their behalf, just this easily, a powerful prayer has now been set in motion on your behalf. After you have done this, if you notice a waft of rose scent that has no discernable source or you see butterflies, feathers, or some cherished symbol wherever you go, just say thank you. As you’ve opened yourself to God, God is showing Itself to you.
And now you’ve become more than a passive reader—you’ve become part of this experiment, reshaping matter and calling forth miracles for yourself and countless others whom you will never know.
(Adapted from Lynn Woodland’s new book, Holding a Butterfly—An Experiment in Miracle-Making.)
Read more about the Miracle Experiment in Lynn Woodland’s new book Holding a Butterfly—An Experiment in Miracle-Making. Lynn is an award-winning author, international New Thought teacher and human potential expert. Learn more at www.LynnWoodland.com.
Enter into a “Miracle Experiment” in Lynn Woodland’s new book Holding a Butterfly—An Experiment in Miracle-making. Consciousness, time, quantum science and God all woven together in an amazing, collaborative experiment that pushes the boundaries of human potential. Curious? Find out more at www.lynnwoodland.com/book.html.
by Linda M. Potter
Did you hear the one about the psychiatrist who is meeting a client for the first time? The client settles in a little and then the therapist says,
Psychiatrist: Tell me about the problem that you wish to address.
Client: I have this fear of being buried alive in a box.
Psychiatrist: Ok.
Client: I start thinking about being buried alive and I begin to panic.
Psychiatrist: Has anyone ever tried to bury you alive in a box?
Client: No, but, truly, thinking about it does make my life horrible. I can’t go through tunnels. Or be in an elevator or in a house — anything boxy.
Psychiatrist: So, what you’re saying is you’re claustrophobic?
Client: Ah, yes, yes that’s it.
Psychiatrist: Well, Katherine. I’m going to say two words to you right now. I want you to listen to them very, very carefully. Then I want you to take them out of the office with you and incorporate them into your life.
Client: Shall I write them down?
Psychiatrist: Well, if it makes you comfortable. It’s just two words. I find that most people can remember them.
Client: Ok.
Psychiatrist: You ready?
Client: Yes.
Psychiatrist: Here they are: STOP IT!
The psychiatrist is Dr. Switzer (played by Bob Newhart) and the conversation is the opening of a laugh-till-you-drool 2003 Mad TV skit. The verbal exchange follows the doctor’s guarantee that he can solve Katherine’s problem in less than five minutes. He does it in three, and handles her bulimia, destructive relationships with men, and fear of driving in just two more with the same in-your-face advice: “S-T-O-P, new word I-T. Stop it!” It may be an old skit, but there’s no expiration date on this one (and it’s a You Tube favorite). In fact, I’m convinced that we could solve 90 percent of our problems in “less than five minutes” or maybe a few months at the outside, if we could master the concept of “Stop,” before we moved on to the advanced class – “Go.”
Why is it that we have so much difficulty understanding the importance of heeding Stop signs even when they take the form of a 20-foot high brick wall erected in the middle of our spiritual path with hundreds of Caution, Proceed at Your Own Risk, Danger, Hazardous Conditions May Exist, Bridge Out, No Life Guard on Duty, etc. signs plastered over every surface inch.
There’s a reason STOP signs don’t come in Mellow Yellow or Peachy Pink. The hope is that “Danger Red” might get our attention. My 5-year old grandson gets this. He screams loudly from the back seat, “Stop!” every time he sees that red STOP sign looming ahead, and then, after looking both ways for potential danger ahead, whispers with the calmness of a Zen master “Go.”
STOP signs really aren’t up for “interpretation.” They don’t mean “Please stop if it’s convenient and/or if and when you get around to it.” They don’t say, STOP with the words Participation Optional in parenthesis below. And they don’t direct you to a website (www.stopsigns.com) for more details, comments, or a weekly newsletter. Stop means stop – NOW, no questions asked. This is especially true if we’re sabotaging our entire future with crazy thinking and even crazier behavior. The client, Katherine, in the Newhart skit responds to her psychiatrist’s blunt advice with a stunned and somewhat puzzled “What do you mean?” look on her face as she questions, “Stop it??”
Dr. Switzer responds: “You know, it’s funny. I say two simple words and I cannot tell you the number of people who say exactly the same thing you’re saying. This is not Yiddish, Katherine, this is English. STOP IT!”
Maybe the advice is too simple. Maybe she’s wondering, “What’s the catch?” Or maybe she’s processing the implications of such a revolutionary approach: “Is he implying that I am responsible for both creating and resolving my own problems!?” One of the “catch phrases” of 21st century spirituality is, “Change your thinking; change your life.” The wisdom in those six words has birthed an entire warehouse of spiritual self-help books and inspired workshops, classes, and webinars across the globe. I’ve yet to encounter, however, the disclaimer that really needs to be included with this sage advice: “Results may vary dependent on your willingness to also change behavior.”
If I’d realized earlier in my life that changing thinking and changing behavior had to go hand in, I could have saved myself a lot of heartache and frustration. Where was Dr. Switzer 20 (or 30 or 40) years ago when I really needed him? Spiritual evolution is a participatory process. It doesn’t happen to us; it happens through us and as a result of our efforts. Come on, Katherine, somewhere deep down inside, you’ve known that all along!
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker and the author of the newly released book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! available at your local book store, through Amazon.com or at wordkeepersinc.com. You can contact her at <lindampotter@comcast.net>, www.lindampotter.com.
by Beth Buczynski
Summer is a great time to pick up a new, green habit or two. Maybe it’s the warm weather, or the explosion of plant life all around us, but there’s just something about summer that makes us willing to try new things.
If you’re trying to be greener, but find it hard to know which areas of your life to focus on, it’s best to start with the easiest and most affordable changes first. This means looking for small habits that add up to big waste and even bigger carbon footprints.
Our society is centered on getting the biggest and best as fast as we can. We thrive on instant gratification and the idea that things can be disposable. But we’ve slowly discovered that there is no “away” in which to throw these single-use products. They’re stacking up in landfills, littering our streets, and poisoning our water and soil. This summer, it’s time to declare your independence from these wasteful products. Don’t be scared! No one likes giving up things they love or depend on, so it’s fine to start with the little things, one at a time.
Pledge to phase out all four of these wasteful products by the end of the summer, and you’ll be well on your way to a zero-waste lifestyle.
Disposable Dishware and Cutlery Plastic forks and paper plates demand vast amount of petroleum and paper to create, and end up in the landfill after just one use!
Whenever possible, opt for real, reusable dishware, cutlery and cups. If you eat on the go frequently, think about keeping a set of camping cutlery in your car or computer bag that can be washed and reused. Also, start asking your favorite restaurants and take-out joints to offer biodegradable to-go-ware. Remember, the customer is always right!
Paper Towels They may be handy for picking up spills, but these disposable towels are making a mess of our planet. According to the EPA, paper is the most prevalent material in municipal solid waste. Paper towels are made with a chlorine bleaching process that produces organochlorines such as dioxin. These are highly toxic pollutants that can disrupt hormone function, cause birth defects or cancer in humans.
Replace paper towels with a good old-fashioned dish towel, sponge, or cloth napkin. All three of these tools can be washed and used over and over again, while a paper towel is doomed for the landfill because it can’t be recycled.
Plastic Shopping Bags Current research estimates that 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year, worldwide (that’s about 1 million bags a minute!). Plastic bags will take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade in a landfill, and even if they do, they release harmful chemicals into the soil and water.
Buy or make a reusable bag. There are thousands of different varieties on the market, including some that will separate meat from veggies, and keep your ice cream from melting. Many stores, including major chains, now provide an instant discount for bringing your own bags, so you’ll save money, too!
Bottled Water Did you know that it takes two liters of water to produce one liter of bottled water? In 2007, bottled water production in the United States used the energy equivalent of 32 to 54 million barrels of oil, enough to fuel 1.5 million cars for a year. And to top it all off, only one in every four bottles is recycled.
According to Food and Water Watch, tap water has the lowest water footprint and the lowest carbon footprint of any beverage. Invest in a high quality, BPA-free, reusable water bottle and carry it with you everywhere. It’s also a good idea to purchase a home water filtration system so that you can have clean, cold, drinking water on hand.
Beth Buczynski is a freelance writer, avid recycler and amateur gardener with a secret dream of living off the grid. <bethbot52@gmail.com>.
by Lorraine Bose-Smith
Rock climbing is not haphazard. It is a very strategic and thoughtful sport, which is why I have enjoyed it immensely. It is not rushed or hurried. Rock climbing is slow and sure, but it does have its risks. By following safety guidelines, a climber reduces his or her chances of a fall or injury. Here is what I have learned about life from climbing:
In life, you must trust God because He is your lifeline. Be smart about your moves, but know that if you fall, God will catch you. Without this trust, you will be a timid “climber” and won’t reach the top.
Do not skip steps and go skinny on essentials; invest in yourself in order to grow and develop into your full potential.
Regardless of your dream and who it involves, you must communicate in order to succeed. Your written goal statement is your first voice. It expresses what you want to do, where you want to go and how you will get there.
In life, if you do not have a clear vision of where you are going, you will end up creating frustration and pain for yourself and others. You will experience disappointment and waste your valuable time and money. When you create a plan, you know exactly where your next “hold” is and are ready to make the move.
Be specific with your dream but also be flexible. Work your plan, but have an open mind when things change.
We all face a fine line: when do we keep trying and when do we call it quits? Constantly monitoring your progress and being brutally honest with yourself will help you to make tough decisions. And, I think we get too focused on big wins and lose sight of the small successes; don’t forget to celebrate.
Remember to pause long enough to reflect on where you have come and smile about what you have accomplished. If you don’t, you may forget why you pursued your dream in the first place. For rock climbers, pushing their body hard, overcoming fear and giving their best are rewarded with breathtaking views, fresh air and a surreal moment of “I did it.”
Besides enjoying rock climbing, Lorraine Bossé-Smith is the author of seven published books, a national speaker, life coach, trainer and fitness professional who improves the quality of people’s lives. Looking for someone to coach you through your climb? You can reach her at <lorraine@thetotalyou.biz>
by Steven R. Frank
Antibiotics don't kill fungus or virus, the two sources which account for a majority of chronic sinus infections. The use of antibiotics tends to imbalance the sinuses by killing off the easy bacteria and leaving more room for fungus to live and grow. This makes the condition more difficult to treat the next time and provides less and less relief as time goes on.
With the awareness that oral systemic antibiotic treatments exacerbate chronic sinusitis finally reaching mainstream pharma-based medicine, there is a growing appetite for effective alternative treatments. Surgery is very painful and limited in its ability to deal with the problem as it doesn't directly address the cause, it merely treats the symptoms. Additionally, surgery creates scar tissues which inhibit the body’s ability to deliver immune constituents to the sinus mucosa.
In order to understand the problem of chronic sinusitis, a little background is necessary. Sinuses filter the air that we breathe, acting as our first line of defense to trap air-borne pathogens like viruses, bacteria and fungus. It is normal to have some fungus, bacteria and virus in the sinuses all of the time. An “infection” occurs when the amount of these pathogens gets so high that the immune system cannot keep them in check. This point varies from individual to individual. By this time, the number of microbes has grown to a level where the symptoms — produced from the exotoxins created by the microbes — are problematic. The result is tissue inflammation, general malaise, toothaches and headaches associated with pressure and drainage problems.
Antibiotics are a very poor solution for a simple reason. The fungus can grow on the surface of the sinus mucosa with relative impunity. Antibiotics don’t kill fungus. The bacteria growing on the surface of the fungus are thereby protected from the reaches of the body's immune system. Treating this condition with systemic (orally administered) antibiotics produces high levels of antibiotic throughout the patient, from the head to the toes, with resultant problems in digestion and subsequent yeast infections. The antibiotics don’t reach the bacteria that are isolated by the fungal layer in the sinus passageways, and won’t harm the fungus at all. This is an ineffective means for treating a sinus infection. Worse still, the long-term use of antibiotics removes all of the easy-to-kill bacteria from your body, shifting the natural fauna to more difficult bacteria. This happens throughout your body and makes treatment of any disease in the future far more difficult.
What is needed in this situation is the direct application of an active agent that is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. This agent must be applied directly to the pathogenic overgrowth. This can be accomplished simply by spraying the active agent into the nose while inhaling, so that the antimicrobial fluid follows the same path that the invading pathogens follow. It will then land on top of the colonies and kill them directly.
Another approach is to use the antimicrobial agent in a neti pot. A neti pot is simply a small container with a nozzle that fits in the nostril. The pot is then filled with fluid and the fluid is poured through one nostril where it circulates through the sinuses and out the other nostril. In this manner, the entire sinus cavity can be coated and even soaked with antimicrobial fluid. This tremendously reduces the population of growing microbes in the sinuses, and avoids circulating the active agent throughout the blood stream and the entire body. With the nasal spray technique, it is important to realize that some bacteria and fungus can double in numbers in as little as every 20 minutes. Since the reach of the spray is rather limited, this means re-spraying every 20–30 minutes so that the microbes are killed at a rate exceeding the rate of replication. The other issue is that the body's natural defense causes an increased mucosal flow in response to excessive pathogens in the nasal area. Normal mucosal flow will carry anything that is sprayed or has landed on the nasal mucosa out of the region in a very short time. For a nasally administered antimicrobial agent to be maximally effective, it must be re-administered every 20 to 30 minutes. The use of neti pots can provide such a thorough soaking since the fluid can be trapped in the sinuses by the user for five to 10 minutes at a time. This procedure need only be performed a few times per day in order to see dramatic results. Simply flushing the sinuses with saline using a neti pot without using an antimicrobial agent only removes the rather loosely held planktonic bacteria and fungus and does nothing to kill the growing population.
The antimicrobial agent that seems to support this killing of virus, fungus and bacteria is an enhanced silver colloid solution. The amount that is required for this treatment is generally 10,000 times less than the amount that would be required to produce signs of argyria (dark discoloration of the skin caused by overuse of medicinal silver). Additionally, most of the liquid is not ingested when a neti pot is used; it is released out the other nostril after a 5-10 minute containment. There are a number of purveyors of weak silver colloid solutions on the web. Some are even available in nasal spray bottles. Clinical and laboratory studies have demonstrated that a mixture with polysorbate 20 aids in the penetration of the bacterial cell walls and that 30 to 40 ppm concentration is necessary and sufficient. Other studies have indicated that colloids which have been compounded to reach high concentrations are not as effective even though they expose the patient to a higher dose.
Steven R. Frank has lived in the foothills of the Rockies for the past 25 years. He has built two natural products companies, run clinical studies and built a microbiology lab to aid in the research of alternative medicine. His patents range from muscular-skeletal treatments, to antisepsis and sleep related treatments. He is also the author of Managing Sinus Health: Clearing sinus infections without antibiotics.
by Katrina Pfannkuch
Healing with crystals is a centuries-old practice that continues with modern day healers around the world. The power of using crystals in conjunction with healing modalities can greatly enhance the effects, but the real power of crystal healing is in selecting the right stone for the job and the right shape for the stone.
One of the most powerful stones available to alternative health practitioners today is selenite.
Selenite is a clear, translucent white stone that is not only energetically powerful, but one of the few stones that alters even the most negative of energies. Selenite can also completely enhance the effectiveness and intensity of most alternative healing modalities when integrated into a healing practice.
When this powerful stone is fashioned into the form of a sword, it directs energy into the body and energy system with an unmatched precision, helping to remove targeted blocks. Selenite swords are considered “swords of awareness,” helping cut through assumptions and promote reconnection between the conscious self and the inner mystic. Furthermore, the crystal's linear structure behaves like a natural fiber optic, and transmits energy directly down the full length of the crystal. The Selenite itself is what makes the sword shape so powerful.
Meet “Swords of Light” Master, Tom Ledder
Selenite swords have been a passion for Tom Ledder ever since he witnessed the healing effects of the crystal at a conference in 2005. After six months of research with different forms of selenite, Tom created three swords for healing practice. He gifted two swords to his spiritual teacher, Her Holiness Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi, who quickly requested that Tom make 100 more for her other students..
Soon Tom was traveling around the world with his “swords of light,” sharing his passion for their healing power and showing healers how to use the swords to heal their way through the chakra system.
“The key principal to working with the swords of light is to remember we are all beings of light with physical bodies. An unobstructed energy flow on the physical plane leads to enhanced joy and balance in our health, love and life actions. The selenite swords help users achieve that more quickly and powerfully,” Ledder said. “They help the human body open up to the 5th-dimensional light of the divine.”
Ledder added, “I travel and teach people how to use the 'swords of light' to pour high-frequency light into physical bodies to energetically transmute negative energy and resolve health issues. If you can heal completely on an energetic level, problems on the physical plane can be healed. These swords open up and balance chakras, clear energy bodies, stimulate meridians, magnify intentions and dynamically increase the power of any healing modality.”
Why Ledder’s “Swords of Light” are So Powerful
In addition to hand-working each sword into various styles and shapes for clients, Ledder fully takes advantage of the crystal's high vibration and ability to hold information. Each sword has a handle made from Yagna ash from the sacred fire ceremonies performed in the USA and in India. The swords also include varied mantras from Hebrew, Hindu, Buddhist, and Egyptian traditions as well as energies from the 64 keys of enoch, and are created and programmed according to client requests. For extra divine access, Ledder uses pictures of Ascended Masters, the Angelic Host, living masters, mantras and powerful symbols. He recently started adding powerful sacred waters in very small bottles from around the world — the Ganges River in India, Lake Manasarovar at Mt.Kailash in Tibet, the spring at Lourdes in France, a sacred river in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains of Columbia, Lake Titicaca on the border of Peru and Bolivia, and spring water from Mt. Fuji in Japan. In addition to larger selenite swords, Ledder also creates acupressure light swords of various sizes that stimulate meridians and energy centers of the body to create a concentrated narrow beam of healing.
Currently the “swords of light” are being used throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Brazil in South America, Australia, New Zealand, India and Japan. Ledder taught several classes using the selenite swords in Japan over the last few years, with another trip planned for later this year. He also teaches classes in Northern Colorado throughout the year. For more information, check out www.seleniteswords.com.
_Katrina is a writer, Reiki Master, and owner of Buzzword Communications. She loves working with clients who focus on health and wellness or green business, helping them create content that showcases their unique passion and vision. www.buzzwordonline.com
The Advanced Spiritual Powers of Selenite Crystal
Selenite helps with psychic development and intuitive processes, and its high vibration speeds up spiritual growth. An excellent tool for visualization, meditation and working with the subconscious, selenite has a unique ability to balance the spiritual and physical bodies. It works like a tuner on a radio, locating and clearing any “static” in your energy field. In fact, selenite helps break through the illusion so you can clearly see your spiritual, divine self.
Working with selenite is especially powerful for opening up the higher level chakras. including the 6th chakra ( 3rdeye) and crown. It enhances connection to the soul star chakra, the 8th chakra. This is where spiritual energy and divine love actually enter the physical plane, and filter down into the crown chakra for distribution throughout the body. This is why selenite is so powerful in helping people access the Divine mind and angelic realm.
Selenite is also a powerful energy transformer. Due to its very high vibration, selenite can be used to cleanse negative energy from other crystals. It's also able to “hold” information; it can be programmed to hold mantras and take on the power of other stones.
by Phyllis Kennemer
Jill had been bitten by a dog when she was a teenager and experienced fear around barking dogs for several years. A friend recommended that she try Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to overcome her lingering anxiety. The psychotherapist helped Jill recall the sights, sounds and thoughts of the event. As the vivid memory surfaced, the therapist used a series of techniques including eye movements and other sensory stimulation.
These techniques engage dual attention and stimulation of the brain and in the process, the memory becomes less disturbing. Positive thoughts and images emerged and Jill began to think about the episode in a different way. She realized that she had reacted as best she could at the time. She had screamed for help and run toward her father. He hit the dog with a shovel just as she fell and the dog bit her on the buttocks. Jill concluded that her trauma was based largely in her embarrassment about having to sit on a pillow for a week while she healed. “The kids at school teased me. That was worse than the bite,” she concluded. The dog incident is not forgotten, but Jill has let go of the fear and trauma associated with it.
A growing number of psychotherapists are discovering the advantages of adding EMDR to their repertoire of skills. EMDR has been used successfully as an aid in relieving trauma, quitting smoking, and losing weight. Positive results have also been reported in improving athletes’ physical prowess and in raising self-confidence in patients with low self-esteem.
Many of the people who seek help from EMDR specialists are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) caused by one or more traumatic experiences. They exhibit symptoms which keep them in a state of fear, and they often feel detached from their daily lives and have trouble sleeping. This sense of stress may also cause physical disorders.
EMDR treatment is based on the premise of the mind-body connection. Although no one knows how any form of psychotherapy works neurobiologically or in the brain, it appears that traumatic experiences sometimes prevent people from being able to process information as they normally would. The incident becomes “frozen in time” and reoccurs vividly in memory. People are stuck in a state of stress.
The EMDR therapist works with the client to identify the specific problem for an individualized treatment. Most treatment sessions involve sets of eye movements or other repetitive motions which help the client to process the trauma of the event and release the intense emotions attached to it. This procedure connects the right and left sides of the brain and enables trauma to heal because the present and the future are no longer linked to the past experience. The goal of EMDR is to help people feel, think, and behave in new and healthier ways. The therapist facilitates a journey to self empowerment.
Some disturbing experiences such as rape, sexual abuse, or combat experiences are generally recognized as significant traumatic events. Other traumas may also be treated, such as the fear of riding in an automobile after a traffic accident or getting back on a horse after a fall.
Barb Maiberger, author of EMDR Essentials: A Guide for Clients and Therapists, (W.W. Norton & Company, 2009) maintains an office in Boulder and conducts training sessions in EMDR. Maiberger began her career as a massage therapist before earning her degree in psychotherapy. She has always believed that the connection of the mind and body can be used to create optimal health, but it was a personal experience with EMDR that prompted her to study the procedure.
Some years ago she felt that she was unjustly stopped by a policeman for a traffic offense. Her interaction with the officer caused her to feel uncomfortable, and she became fearful whenever she spotted patrol cars on the road. An EMDR session helped her to revisit the situation and release her negative feelings about dealing with police officers.
Maiberger completed basic and advanced studies in the field and is now a therapist in Boulder and an EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) consultant and trainer. She conducts workshops throughout the country. Applicants for EMDR training must have a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling and meet other qualifications before being admitted to the program. They must complete a minimum of fifty hours of study and engage in supervised therapy sessions before applying for EMDRIA certification.
As with all psychotherapy treatments, the type of interventions and the number of sessions needed for treatment varies.
Maiberger recalls working with a young woman who had been raped. The woman had been trying to work through her trauma with a traditional “talk therapist” but she was not making much progress. One session of EMDR helped her to revisit and release her fear and she was able to move on with her life. Maiberger quickly notes that although such seemingly miraculous results occur, most people need more than one session. She mentioned another client who had been sexually abused by her father. She met with this woman for five sessions before her fear and negativity were fully released. People who have suffered multiple episodes of trauma typically need more time for processing and healing.
Visit www.EMDRIA.org for more information, or to locate a local therapist.
Dr. Phyllis K. Kennemer is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. She is a life-long learner and educator with a specialty in children’s literature.
by Katrina Pfannkuch
What is yellow, rolls around, contains a hundred cubby boxes and goes "pok, pok, pok?" A "Cluck Bus" of course! A what?
Grant Family Farms, a well known 2000-acre family farm and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in Northern Colorado, has come up with a unique, fun and eco-friendly idea that helps support and fertilize the land naturally. They have created roving hen houses made from old, retro-fitted school buses that were hand-painted and decorated by fellow CSA community members. The back doors of the buses were removed and replaced by a fold up, hand-built ramp to provide the chickens with easy access for laying or grazing.
Inside, after the bus seats were removed, walls with cubby boxes were created to hold the chickens and to serve as a nesting space. Little chutes at the bottom of each nest connect directly to a long tube so that eggs roll right down into a feeder for pick up.
The chickens are packed in at night for safety, and approximately 100 chickens can fit on a bus at one time. Cluck buses are insulated to safely support the hens throughout the winter. They are fed an organic mixed grain based feed when grass and grubs are scarce. The results are readily apparent in the quality of the eggs.
“We've noticed eggs from the roving hen houses have a darker, rich yellow yolk that is more nutritionally complete than eggs laid in the barn,” said Chelsea Glanz, a Northern Colorado CSA representative.
Currently there are five buses that can easily move the hens about the property to scratch, aerate and fertilize the land naturally, and help create a more natural, symbiotic relationship between farm animals and the land. For maximum effectiveness the buses are placed about 300 feet apart.
What Inspired the "Cluck Bus?"”
Grant Family Farms already had the extra buses on hand and felt the roving hen houses would be an ideal opportunity for the farm to emulate the ideas first modeled by Joel Salatin. He is a modern farmer who produces high-quality organic meats and veggies using an environmentally responsible, ecological approach to land rotation. According to Wikipedia, Salatin’s philosophy of farming emphasizes creating healthy grass to support the symbiotic cycle of chemical-free feeding. Cows are moved from one pasture to another rather than being corn fed in a pen. Chickens in portable coops are then moved in behind the cows to dig through the dung and eat protein-rich fly larvae while further fertilizing the field with their droppings. This integrated system and philosophy is the inspiration for the “roving farm.”
“We wanted to experiment with developing a symbiotic relation between the fields and the livestock. This way they could support each other, then move on to a new section of the farm to keep the cycle of aeration, fertilizing and regeneration going. Overall it's a more natural, sustainable approach to farming,” said Glanz. “We plan to add more buses to the rotation in the future.”
As focused as Grant Family Farms is on sustainable innovation, they are equally focused on community building and education. “In addition to our passion for natural farming, we want to create fun projects that involve the community and connect folks to where their food comes from. The “Cluck Bus” is an easy way to combine learning, sustainable lifestyle messages and great community activities to bring us all together,” added Glanz.
Grant Family Farms has been growing healthy food for over 35 years. In fact, the farm has become a national leader in the production of high quality, certified organic vegetables and grains. Currently they distribute their eggs to Whole Foods and the Fort Collins Food Coop, in addition to the following Fort Collins restaurants: Cafe Vino, Little Bird Back Shop, Duo and Shazz as well as Duo and Shazz in Denver and Pizzeria Basta in Boulder. www.grantfarms.com, info@grantfarms.com
Katrina is a writer, Reiki Master, and owner of Buzzword Communications. She loves working with clients who focus on health and wellness or green business, helping them create content that showcases their unique passion and vision. www.buzzwordonline.com
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by Sarah Wergin
Every year a new crop of “amazing” superfoods becomes known to the mainstream population. We do our best to integrate these into our diet with the never-ending hope of gaining a superior body and increased well-being. However, each new study seems to be the complete opposite of what we were told last year about our favorite food and beverages. This leaves us feeling overwhelmed and confused at best. You end up wondering: What is the truth? Can someone just tell me what is right for me? Is that popular new supplement good for my body?
There is a way to get those long unanswered questions answered ─ the Genotype Nutritional Analysis. It is not a diet but an individualized way of looking at each individual’s nutritional intake, exercise, lifestyle factors and personal and ancestral history. Our cellular imprint — our genes — determine what foods, beverages, supplements, herbs, forms of exercise and even what pharmaceutical drugs work best for us.
Why does a vegetarian diet cause your best friend to lose extra pounds and feel fantastic, yet when you tried it you became sick, weak and gained 20 pounds? The mystery lies in your genes. A lifestyle that creates a healthy body and mind for one individual may create disease in another.
.Completed in 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, and was contributed to by other nations as well. The purpose of the project was to identify all of the approximately 20,000 to 25,000 genes in human DNA.
The results of this research gave us a whole new perspective on who we are. Scientists discovered that the “food” gene and “mood, or personality gene” actually sit on top of each other. This means that when you are trying to add a certain food into your diet and you experience mood swings and depression, it is the wrong food for your body even though it was considered “health” food!
With this new information about our genes comes the knowledge that we can stop guessing about what we should eat. Genetic information can identify what is good, neutral and bad for you. It can tell you what forms of exercise are actually helping you and which ones are creating more stress on your body. It can tell you what diseases you are more prone to getting as you age if you continue to choose those foods. It can also tell you which foods will actually “turn off” those genes so you may never get the arthritis, diabetes or cancer that runs in your family.
Diet and lifestyle actually determine how our genes function and express themselves and how they will adapt to different environments. According to Dr. Peter D’Adamo in his book, Change Your Genetic Destiny, “We have the capacity to turn up the volume on some genes and silence others, vastly improving our capacity for health and happiness.”
The fact is there is no one diet that fits everyone, there are no rules that will keep every person in perfect health, and if every body is unique, why should it be a surprise that we all need different foods to thrive?
Our ancestors are from different parts of the world; different foods were available to them; different climates produced foods that would help people thrive in that environment; different diseases have been passed down from generation to generation and your development in the womb was different as well. Epigenetics shows us that our fetal development will determine a lot about our health as we age. This means that the specific environment our genes were exposed to in the womb will have an influence on our health.
New tools such as The SWAMI Genotype Nutritional Analysis help identify the best diet for you. The SWAMI Genotype Nutritional Analysis utilizes sophisticated software that takes into account your blood type, secretor status, gene group, as well as your individual health history, blood work and your family history. A diet is then tailored that is one of a kind, designed for a specific individual.
Utilizing all the wisdom and knowledge available to us can help us make the choices of how to take the best care of our bodies and minds.
Sarah Wergin, R.N, L.Ac. is an Acupuncturist & Herbalist that offers SWAMI Genotyping at her holistic health clinic in downtown Fort Collins. For more information call 970-472-5846.
by Donna Mazzitelli
It’s summertime! Many of us travel during the summer to places near and far. How can we enjoy our summer activities while being kinder to the planet? Here are some suggestions to get you on your way:
Drink tap water at restaurants. Tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water. There's no need to add tons of plastic, glass bottles and jugs — about 60 million a day — to landfills or recycle, which takes energy, too.
Refill water bottles. Use a refillable bottle, thermos or canteen. Since plastic is derived from petroleum, it takes 1.5 million barrels of oil annually to satisfy America’s demand for bottled water.
Go for glass. The energy required to produce one 12-ounce aluminum can from virgin ore can produce nearly two 12-ounce glass bottles.
Buy soft drinks in a cup. Whenever possible, buy soda from a fountain in a paper cup instead of a can or plastic bottle. You'll reduce the amount of cans and bottles wasted. More paper (48 percent) is recycled and recovered to make new products than aluminum soda cans (43.9 percent) or plastic soda bottles (25 percent).
Eat green. Patronize restaurants, bars and coffee houses that practice energy and water conservation, recycle, serve organic food, and use tree-free, biodegradable products. Go to www.dinegreen.com for a list of eco-friendly restaurants.
Buy tickets online. Airline, movie and event tickets can be purchased online or by telephone and printed at home. Print-at-home tickets use plain copy paper, which is easier to make into recycled paper. Some 1.4 billion movie tickets alone are sold in the U.S. annually — and almost every one of them goes to waste.
Seek green lodging. Enjoy green comfort and stay at urban hotels, luxury resorts and lodgings that are minding their carbon footprint. For an extensive list of hotels, visit www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com.
Reuse hotel linens and towels. You probably don't change your sheets and towels every day at home, so why do it while you're away?
Pack lightly. Every 10 pounds per traveler requires an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel per year, which is enough to keep a 747 flying continuously for 10 years.
Research your trip online. Print out only the pages or maps you'll actually need. Close to one million guidebooks are printed annually, but just 18 percent get recycled.
Rent hybrid cars. Try a hybrid or more fuel-efficient car. A hybrid rental can go three times as far as a standard sedan on a single tank of gas.
Use rechargeable batteries. Over three billion batteries are sold annually in the U.S., averaging about 10 per person. Americans throw out approximately 179,000 tons of batteries per year. Besides creating waste, they contain mercury, lead and other toxic chemicals.
Use digital cameras. Some 686 million rolls of film are processed each year. The solutions used for printing often contain hazardous chemicals that require special treatment and disposal.
If you golf, carry your clubs. Carts contribute to pollution, so forget driving the greens. Instead, walk the course and carry or pull your own clubs.
Limit sports gear. Consider renting or leasing sports equipment on a per-use basis. Or purchase used equipment. You'll reduce the energy needed to produce more equipment and decrease the amount of waste eventually sent to the landfill.
Share your swim space. Swim at your community pool or fitness center instead of installing a pool of your own. If you already own a pool, consider a solar heating system, solar cover or install a timer.
Choose paddle or sail power. For guilt-free boating, consider a kayak, canoe or inflatable raft, or a sailboat or sailboard. Added plus: with the exceptions of some sailboats, you'll save a bundle of green over a motorboat.
Take a guilt-free cruise. Australia’s Clean Cruising (www.cleaningcruising.com) company plants sufficient trees per passenger to make your voyage carbon-neutral.
Take an eco-tour. These are earth-friendly getaways which seek to enhance awareness of our natural world, promote conservation, minimize impact and provide a positive experience for guests and hosts. Some even put you to work improving the local ecosystem. The International Ecotourism Society (www.ecotourism.org) is a good place to start.
Have a green-filled summer!
Donna Mazzitelli shares her passion for creating a greener lifestyle through her company, Bellisima Living, LLC. Her blog, Bellisima Goddess, focuses on creating a holistically healthy, joyful and green life. You can find Donna in “Speaking Your Truth,” Vol. 1 and the upcoming Vol. 2. Visit her website at www.bellisimaliving.com!
by Susie Verde
For over fifty years, the man dubbed “John of God” has been doing what most of us would call miracles. He heals malignant tumors without a cut, helps the blind to see again, and supports the lame to walk once more. Though by now he’s seen millions of people from all over the world, John of God still says he has never healed anybody. He gives that credit to “God and the Good Spirits.” What seems clear is that he is a vehicle (or “medium”) for some of the most amazing healing work taking place on the planet today.
Since Oprah Winfrey’s ample coverage on a full episode of The Oprah Show and a long article in O Magazine (December 2010), his fame has spread to an even broader audience. It seems that no matter what type of healing is needed, the experience of the thousands who flock each week to Abadiânia, a tiny little village in the middle of Brazil, is truly unique and often life-changing.
My own experience in Abadiânia with John of God was totally life-altering. After arriving there with breast cancer in the beginning of 2005, I was totally healed in less then three months. But that was only the beginning! After my healing, I felt inspired to come to the US where I began a whole new life, including marrying my American fiancé who had walked this path of healing hand-in-hand with me.
João Teixeira de Farias, known to the world as John of God, is a simple man with a fourth-grade education and no medical training. When referred to as a healer, he humbly says, “I’m only a channel.” Through the phenomenon known as “incorporation,” a group of highly evolved spirits or "Entities" take over his body and perform the miraculous healings while he remains completely in a trance and unconscious. The healings take place on many levels — spiritual, mental, emotional and physical — and for many, they mark the starting point of an entirely new chapter of life.
The Casa of Dom Inácio, the spiritual hospital where John of God works, was named after its patron, the Catholic Saint, St. Ignatius. But the Casa is not a Catholic center and is open to people of all faiths. Once incarnated on Earth like us, the Entities are also known as “doctors of the astral plane” who run the center as a real hospital. Patients follow energy treatments and receive surgeries (mostly invisible but on request, visible) that involve deep resting periods afterwards. “There are no miracles here,” they often say to a newcomer, “we only do treatments. Are you willing to follow the protocol?”
Medium João, as he is known to locals, has been extraordinarily dedicated to the work of the Entities for the last 50 years, without holidays or days off. John says: “God has given me the mission of supporting this work [through mediumship] and I plan to carry it through as long as I live.” It is certainly not an easy job and one that demands a total sense of unselfish dedication to this noble cause.
John of God’s reputation has spread around the world, mostly by word of mouth from the enormous number of people who have been healed there. Even though there are no guarantees, and not every person or illness can be cured, most everyone reports healing of some kind. Indeed, there seem to be few limits to what is possible in Abadiânia, and one only needs to stay a little while to realize that something very special and almost out of this world is taking place.
According to Brazilian Spiritism (the philosophical underpinning of this work), it‘s through our loving service to others that we evolve spiritually. Love is ultimately what this wonderful work is all about and it’s available to all of us, right here and right now.
Susie Verde is a Brazilian medium and certified guide of the Casa of Dom Inácio. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, she now lives in Boulder where she is a professional astrologer and Aura-Soma teacher. She also guides groups of people to Abadiânia in search of the healing that is possible there. <Susie@JOGhealing.com>, www.JOGhealing.com
by Kali Friedman
“The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10 percent of the world’s consumers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90 percent.” – Dr. Paul Polak
How can design change the lives of the poorest populations on earth? The new exhibit, Design for the Other 90%, beginning July 8 at the RedLine Gallery in Denver, answers this challenge.
In response to the growing interest in design toward a larger social goal, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City debuted the Design for the Other 90% exhibit in 2007. This traveling exhibit, curated by Cynthia E. Smith, then moved to Minneapolis, Toronto, Atlanta, Portland, D.C., and now Denver. The exhibit derives from the idea behind the non-profit organization D-Rev (Design Revolution), co-founded by Dr. Paul Polak in 2007.
D-Rev is a technology incubator with the mission of improving the lives and incomes of people living on less than $4 per day. It models a revolution in design to incorporate the needs of the bottom 90 percent of earners worldwide currently bypassed by today’s design process.
The break-through technologies on display span the fields of health, education, energy, transportation, and shelter. These designs show that assessing the needs of the poorest people and incorporating extreme affordability into design solutions that address those needs, results in tremendous positive measurable impacts on poverty. There are countless opportunities to create life-saving and income-generating products for the 5.8 billion people that represent the bottom 90 percent of earners worldwide, including the 2.6 billion people in the world that live on less than two dollars a day.
Eradicating poverty requires challenging the conventional theory that rich people make the best consumers. In so doing, Dr. Paul Polak was recognized (along with Barak Obama and Steve Jobs) as one of The Atlantic Monthly Magazine’s 27 “Brave Thinkers” willing to “risk careers, reputations, and fortunes to advance ideas that upend an established order.” The Design for the Other 90% exhibit showcases a design revolution by organizations, innovators, and engineers from all over the world that have discovered practical and affordable solutions to the problems faced by the world’s poorest people.
Before co-founding D-Rev, Dr. Polak started International Development Enterprises (IDE), a non-profit organization that has helped over 20 million of the world’s poorest people move out of poverty by making radically affordable irrigation available to small farmers, and opening private sector access to markets to further increase the sale of their crops. IDE has become famous for its invention of low cost drip irrigation systems; and for the treadle pump, a $25 irrigation tool that operates a lot like a stairmaster, and allows small-plot farmers to grow crops during the dry season, thus increasing their incomes. Both technologies are featured in the Design for the Other 90% exhibit.
The most challenging part of the process is figuring out how to design products and services at radically affordable prices that fit the needs and desires of poor customers. This requires a total rethinking of the conventional design process. While organizations like D-Rev specialize in this approach, the good news is that anyone can do it. Not only are there are 5.8 billion potential customers waiting to be served, there are also countless markets awaiting designers.
An unrelenting warrior in the fight against global poverty over the last thirty years, Dr. Polak has expanded the design revolution even further with the creation of a new venture, Windhorse International, Inc. Windhorse is a for-profit company that aims to expand the narrow focus of big business and demonstrate a bottom line incentive to move beyond the richest 10 percent of the world’s customers. Investing in, and innovating for the bottom 90 percent is not only an altruistic goal, but also a sound and profitable business model. A revolution in the way businesses design, price, and market their products will help create vibrant new markets all over the world, reaching poor customers on a previously unmatched scale. The participation of big business, Dr. Polak believes, is an imminent and essential next step in ending poverty. For more information about Dr. Polak and his work check out his book, Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail.
Kali Friedmann grew up in Chicago, IL. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tufts University in 2009. Kali is currently living in Denver, CO and working for Paul Polak and Windhorse International, Inc.
SEPARATE THIS PORTION INTO A SIDEBAR:
Through its proven examples, the exhibit shows how, with a proper assessment of the target customer, there is huge potential to design life-changing products for the 90 percent of the world’s population that lives on less than $10 a day. Examples of the featured designs include:
• A solar-powered, rechargeable hearing aid from Godisa Technologies that eliminates expensive batteries and has allowed 7,000 people to pursue their educations and livelihoods
• KickStart's low-cost ceramic water purifier
• A $100 laptop, developed for the One Laptop per Child movement, that serves as a powerful education tool for poor rural children
• A bicycle re-engineered to carry hundreds of pounds, helping to solve transportation and distribution barriers in rural villages
• Sugarcane Charcoal introduced in Haiti as a healthier and environmentally friendlier alternative to the commonly used wood charcoal, which has resulted in devastating deforestation and causes respiratory problems when burned
• The Jaipur Knee — a $20 prosthetic knee now being effectively used by thousands of people in India
• SELCO-India’s Solar Home Lighting System that has the potential to reach the 1 billion people in the world who will never have access to electricity, for a fraction of the cost of solar energy systems currently available,
By Judith Albright
Interview by Karen Richards
On New Year's Eve 2009 when Polly set her intentions for the coming year, little did she know they would forever change her life. Her intentions were to:
1) Meet new people
2) See new sights
3) Have new grand adventures
4) Be used as a tool to change someone's life
She could never have imagined that these could or would manifest in the way they ultimately did.
This is Polly's story:
It began on February 17, 2010, when she began suffering a three-and-a half-day migraine triggered by severe job stress. The headache finally cleared, but on Sunday, February 21, she was stricken at 4:30 a.m. with the worst headache she had ever experienced. Polly explained, "It came on quite suddenly and felt as if someone had stabbed me in the left temple with a knife. Fortunately the pain lasted only a minute or so, and at first I thought it was simply a continuation of the previous migraine. But then I realized that my right side was completely paralyzed and I was unable to speak. At the same time I was also experiencing an enjoyable sensation of 'fizzing away' like an antacid plunked in a glass of water. It was extremely peaceful and I didn't want it to end.
“It was at that point, lying on my back, that I heard a 'voice' tell me, 'You will be okay... turn onto your right side.' Not wanting the sensation to end, I ignored what I was 'hearing,' but the voice was persistent. Even though this made little sense, I pushed myself onto my right side and the 'fizzing' sensation gradually ended. I slept for about an hour, and when I awoke I could slowly move my right leg and arm, but without much control. When I tried to speak, many of the few words I could say came out wrong or garbled. Normally, I am a high-energy person who functions well on little sleep, and napping is quite untypical of me. Yet that day I took two long naps."
Seemingly back to normal, Polly went to work on Monday as usual, but needed to nap again at the end of the day. On Tuesday she met with her physician for her annual physical. After being pronounced the picture of perfect health, Polly related her unusual experience to her doctor who became highly alarmed and immediately made an appointment for her to see a neurologist. The neurologist ordered a series of brain scans that clearly revealed a large hemorrhage caused by an aneurysm. Polly was immediately admitted to the hospital. The next day she was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital in Denver where she was constantly monitored for three days.
When she was released, she promised her neurologist (the Chief of Neurology at University Hospital) that when she returned in six weeks for a follow up scan, he would find nothing. He assured her there would always be evidence of brain damage. His words were, "Polly, when blood hits brain tissue, it burns holes in it. You can't heal that." Six weeks later she returned for a follow-up exam. Her doctor looked through many of the 2,600 follow-up CT slides taken on April 19, but could find no evidence of any remaining damage. Nor did an extensive examination of the "tree" of blood vessels and arteries reveal any indication of an aneurysm or hemorrhage. These findings were further substantiated by the radiologist's report. Clearly something remarkable had occurred.
In the following interview with Karen Richards, Polly provides insight into her experience, and speaks about how it has changed her.
KR: During this whole episode, did you ever think that things might not turn out well and that you could die? PB: I didn’t at the time think that I could die. I thought it was probably a hemiplegic migraine and those types of migraines can mimic stroke symptoms. My daughter has migraines like that where she loses part of her peripheral vision and words come out jumbled.
KR: As your symptoms progressed were you ever concerned? PB: The left side of my brain was basically blown out so my analytical side wasn’t functioning. I felt intuitively that I could die, but didn’t think much about it because I felt so good. It was very peaceful. I felt one with the Universal Energy.
KR: What were your thoughts and mindset during the six weeks before your follow up appointment? PB: During the episode, my higher self or God had told me I would be alright [after] an hour [lying] on my right side. So, during the six weeks afterward I didn’t think anything about what had happened. Because of the message, I was completely confident I wasn’t going to die — that everything would be fine. I was then able to go through those six weeks like I was a complete [and] totally healed individual.
KR: How has your life changed as a result of this experience? PB: The one thing that I have noticed following the brain hemorrhage is that my intuition is really revved up. It is extremely sensitive and accurate. I haven’t totally adjusted to that, even though it has been a year since the event. I have also noticed a change in my emotions. I have always been an emotional person, but now I am more willing to acknowledge negative emotions. I have always been known as "perky Polly" and have come to recognize my counter side.
KR: What lessons have you learned? PB: This far after the event I am very aware that I should not have survived — almost no one does. My college roommate actually died from a brain hemorrhage that was very similar. I have no fear and I am totally grateful for the experience and the health that I enjoy. I am also thankful for the love of my friends and family and the support that I felt. I experienced the power of prayer. I actually felt the prayers when I was in University Hospital. At the time no one told me that prayers were being said, but I felt it.
KR: What, if anything, has shifted for you? PB: I now have a calm, comfortable understanding of death. I am not afraid of it — I was about a minute and a half from dying. Having come that close to death and experiencing how comfortable that process was, it was not a scary thing — just peaceful.
Polly advises others facing a serious health crisis to simply remember that what is real to the mind is also real to the body. Therefore it is vitally important to stay focused on perfect health and wholeness at all times, allow the process of healing, both physically and emotionally, and to remember that ultimately, all is well.
Judith Albright, MA, is a stress management specialist with a private practice in Fort Collins, CO. She is also the Chief Visionary for Limitless Living, www.limitlessliving.org, an online community where like-minded people who want to live a healthier, happier and more fulfilled life can connect with resources, ideas, and people who can help them achieve that.
Karen Richards is an intuitive/medium and had her first psychic experiences as a young child. She uses these spiritual gifts in readings to assist her clients on their journeys through life. www.journeywithkaren.com
_by Lorraine Bosse-Smith
Rock climbing is not haphazard. It is a very strategic and thoughtful sport, which is why I have enjoyed it immensely. It is not rushed or hurried. Rock climbing is slow and sure, but it does have its risks. By following safety guidelines, a climber reduces his or her chances of a fall or injury. Here is what I have learned about life from climbing:
In life, you must trust God because He is your lifeline. Be smart about your moves, but know that if you fall, God will catch you. Without this trust, you will be a timid “climber” and won’t reach the top.
Do not skip steps and go skinny on essentials; invest in yourself in order to grow and develop into your full potential.
Regardless of your dream and who it involves, you must communicate in order to succeed. Your written goal statement is your first voice. It expresses what you want to do, where you want to go and how you will get there.
In life, if you do not have a clear vision of where you are going, you will end up creating frustration and pain for yourself and others. You will experience disappointment and waste your valuable time and money. When you create a plan, you know exactly where your next “hold” is and are ready to make the move.
Be specific with your dream but also be flexible. Work your plan, but have an open mind when things change.
We all face a fine line: when do we keep trying and when do we call it quits? Constantly monitoring your progress and being brutally honest with yourself will help you to make tough decisions. And, I think we get too focused on big wins and lose sight of the small successes; don’t forget to celebrate.
Remember to pause long enough to reflect on where you have come and smile about what you have accomplished. If you don’t, you may forget why you pursued your dream in the first place. For rock climbers, pushing their body hard, overcoming fear and giving their best are rewarded with breathtaking views, fresh air and a surreal moment of “I did it.”
Besides enjoying rock climbing, Lorraine Bossé-Smith is the author of seven published books, a national speaker, life coach, trainer and fitness professional who improves the quality of people’s lives. Looking for someone to coach you through your climb? You can reach her at lorraine@thetotalyou.biz.
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by Linda M. Potter
My friend Jocelyn apparently never heard the old adage, “Don’t burn your bridges.” Once she decides she’s done with a relationship, she not only burns the bridge between her and Persona Non Grata, she blows it up and incinerates the remains. But her apocalyptic approach to handling problems doesn’t hold a match to other people I know who repeatedly nuke their bridges from orbit.
Bridges serve a practical purpose, whether they’re connecting hearts or four lane roads. They can get you to where you’re going while keeping you safely above any troubled waters or rocky terrain that lurks below.
There are lots of different kinds of bridges and some take more courage to cross than others. Traversing the Royal Gorge suspension bridge’s 1292-plank wooden walkway is far more terrifying than walking any fairytale pirate’s plank with or without a Captain Hook prodding you to plunge into alligator-infested waters. On the other hand, the foot bridge over our neighborhood creek I can do blindfolded… walking on my hands… while juggling a water bottle with my feet. Metaphorically speaking, of course!
But, they both get me from here to there and it feels good to have completed the trip safely. Occasionally, on any bridge, there’s a troll or two, and not the cute kind with purple fur hair, huge eyes and protruding belly button either, between you and your destination. But trolls typically lurk well under the bridge, and if you don’t go looking for trouble, they can’t get your goat.
Trouble begins when bridges we’ve depended on no longer exist, and in their place is a jarring Bridge Out sign. It’s tempting to ignore the sign, but we do so at our own risk. Bridge Out is another way of saying; Notice: You can’t get there from here. Misguided attempts may be fatal!
Some people simply refuse to pay attention to Bridge Out signs. Earlier this spring in a small Pennsylvania town, police had to cite drivers who chose to ignore Bridge Closed notices put in place during overdue bridge repairs. Drivers not only ignored the warnings; they moved the signs out of the way so that they could cross. One woman who was more cautious than most, walked the bridge first to make sure it didn’t collapse beneath her, and then, apparently feeling lucky, got in her car and drove across. She was greeted by local law enforcement on the other side who slapped her with a $110 fine. She got off easy. Defying the Law of Cause and Effect has much stiffer penalties. At least she didn’t find herself tires up in the river below.
Once a bridge is “out” it has to be carefully rebuilt before we can even attempt to cross again. There are no shortcuts, especially if we’re responsible for the bridge’s demise in the first place. In the meantime, long detours may be necessary, but they’re safer than magical thinking excursions along a pathway with a dead end.
The problem is, rebuilding a bridge that we’ve burned behind us takes more time and stronger materials than were needed to construct it the first time around.
De-struction zones are strewn with debris, and painstaking cleanup is required before new work can begin. It takes a lot of effort to clean up after hurtful words and actions. It takes a long time and only the best materials to rebuild trust and faith. (Sorry, but the emotional equivalent of Popsicle sticks isn’t going to cut it.) Rebuilding a relationship means having to do the work – no excuses allowed.
There is never any need to destroy a bridge in the first place. It causes more problems than it solves. As a wise man once said, “He who burns his bridges better be a damn good swimmer.”
But, it may make sense to limit bridge access for a period of time. Barricades can be put up if the bridge requires a temporary closure. The police in Pennsylvania ended up constructing a fence to prevent people from crossing, and then followed with a cement barricade to make sure the area was secure. Burning a bridge takes only a few minutes. Re-constructing one can take a lifetime. And sometimes we can’t even remember why we thought we needed to “search and destroy” in the first place.
Tom Stoppard wrote, “We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered.”
_Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker and the author of If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! (Fort Collins; Word Keepers, Inc.) due out in May of 2011. You can contact her at <lindampotter@comcast.net>, www.lindampotter.com, or www.wordkeepersinc.com
by Jan Waterman
Lorraine Bosse-Smith is convinced that our bodies are truly amazing! “I believe that we have more control over our health and the quality of our lives than we might think. We can trust that if we support our bodies, our bodies will know what to do.”
Bosse-Smith has been a fitness trainer for years. “It’s not just about the physical state. I look at the whole person, the interweave of the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional. She believes that it is important to attend to all aspects on a regular basis in order to be vibrantly healthy.
Bosse-Smith’s interest in health began when she was young. “Cancer is rampant in my family. I wanted to minimize the risk for myself, to make choices that support health and well-being.” And so she became a fitness trainer in order to share her passion for and commitment to optimal health.
Becoming ill in 1999 with undiagnosed chronic pain and weakness, gave her an opportunity to deepen her conviction that health is the natural state and to expand her typical responses. “I was reminded that we are here for each other. It’s easy to get wrapped up in suffering.”
Bosse-Smith, made the decision to continue her work as a trainer, even though there were times when she was so weak she couldn’t pick up a glass of water. “It wasn’t my strength I relied on. I had to tap into resources that came from faith. I remained hopeful and focused on the positive. I had to learn to let go of attachment to outcome and accept the journey.”
She said she believed there is always a way around whatever obstacle she might encounter. With her illness, she discovered that sometimes she just couldn’t get around the obstacle.
“That was humbling. I had to learn to lean upon others and give myself permission to have a bad day. When you’re used to being the giver, the words ‘I can’t’ are extremely hard to say.
“I learned the importance of being able to receive,” she continued. “My illness gave me the opportunity to see the best in others. I learned to live my certainty that we are here for each other in new ways.”
It wasn’t until 2006, seven years after she first became ill, that Bosse-Smith was diagnosed with Lyme disease. And while she was relieved to know the cause of her malady, she was also angry, frustrated, disappointed and scared.
She learned that Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) that lives in small animals such as squirrels or mice and is often transmitted through ticks. Once these bacteria take up residence in a body, they begin making that body more hospitable for themselves and consequently weaken their host. And when they die, they release a toxin that makes the person ill.
Bosse-Smith discovered that treating Lyme disease is difficult. Every case is different. Symptoms vary in individuals, as do the treatment and cure. The longer the bacteria have had to diversify and adapt in a body, the more resistant they tend to be.
“I got much worse once I began treatment because of the toxin released by the bacteria. Along with taking antibiotics, I supported my health with proper nutrition and exercise. I took minerals and supplements and an African herbal remedy that was effective in eliminating the bacteria.”
Once diagnosed, it took Bosse-Smith three years to completely recover from Lyme disease and its residual effects. “There are levels of good health,” she emphasized. “You never arrive. It’s a moment-by-moment decision to make choices that support health.”
As a result of her experience with Lyme disease, Bosse-Smith has more compassion for and an even greater ability to help those she coaches. “I understand some of my elderly clients’ arthritic pain since I suffered from Lyme arthritis. I know that even though it’s painful, it helps to push through a little, to move just beyond what you think you can do.”
In order to optimize health, she advocates eating right, getting plenty of exercise and rest and, perhaps most importantly, remaining hopeful and positive.
Jan Waterman is a writer and teacher who loves to question and seeks to align perception with the highest perspective. She hopes that what she writes will inspire others to consider new thoughts and ideas about their spiritual selves. <aligningperception@gmail.com>.
by Tuula Fai
Imagine yourself a mother in the heart of the Amazon. Your child is dying from cancer caused by land contamination. It’s not only your child who is dying but the children of many mothers. What do you do? These mothers turned to Jensine Larsen, a journalist working in the area, and asked her to be their messenger.
Larsen went beyond that. She created World Pulse, a global media and communication network, to empower these women to become their own messengers. Over the past eight years World Pulse has grown into a community of over 40,000 women from over 182 countries who use its network to raise their voices and unite to accelerate change. Additionally, the support of forty alliance partners and some angel investors helps to keep the organization at the forefront of women's empowerment.
How does World Pulse help women? World Pulse’s print and online magazine and interactive community newswire, PulseWire, enables women everywhere to speak out and work together to resolve social issues. Examples include Nigerian and Kashmiri women who unite to stop the stoning of widows, Burmese and Congolese women who unite to end rape, and Rwandan women parliamentarians who unite to strengthen their country’s constitution.
Larsen says these women’s strides encourage other women to take action. For example, a woman in the U.S. is helping women in Africa start solar lighting businesses; a woman in Spain is establishing a mobile medical clinic in Kenya; and a Congolese woman is giving microloans to female entrepreneurs in her home country. Larsen explains, “What’s happening is a multiplier effect as women serve as catalysts for realizing each other’s dreams. A few years ago many of these women didn’t even know they could dream. It’s so exciting to see them awaken to their potential.”
Women supporting women is key to World Pulse’s success. Larsen says, “If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. If you teach a woman to fish, her whole village will eat for a lifetime. World Pulse is like the lake around which women gather to teach each other how to fish to feed themselves and their communities.” To help women in their outreach, World Pulse has created a training program called “Voices of Our Future” (VOF). The program teaches them how to use social media technologies to share their message with the world. This year, thirty women were selected for the program out of nearly 600. News agencies such as CNN, BBC, and The Huffington Post are picking up their stories and those of the other citizen journalists, thereby broadening World Pulse’s audience.
The VOF correspondents are responsible for training five other women in their communities; some are training as many as 50 to 100. This is no small feat given that a third of these women come from the most violent regions on the globe. World Pulse knows the challenges they face and supports them by providing a mentor and editorial midwife who encourage them to keep reporting. The organization also gives stipends to pay for internet and cell phone access. One VOF correspondent, Sunita Basnet from Nepal, says, “World Pulse gives me a new life because I can freely raise my voice. Yesterday my neighbors in my village of 500 didn’t want to hear from me but today the world is waiting for my voice.” Larsen comments, “Giving a voice to women the world has never heard from before is creating a tsunami of change. Its ripple effects will continue to expand as we raise the bar on what’s possible.”
World Pulse explores what is possible in its latest magazine’s issue entitled “Embody.” The stories encourage us to envision a world where women are free and powerful in their bodies. The next issue, “Spirit,” will explore how women are using faith to come together and promote greater access to education, health care and freedom of movement.
Both of these topics speak to women’s number one concern: violence. Women want peace and safety in their countries, communities and homes. To achieve this goal, World Pulse welcomes men to participate in its network at the request of its community members. They have found that the male community members are overwhelmingly supportive, although occasionally patronizing language occurs. When this happens, the women community members enter into meaningful dialogue with them and generally are able to use the situation to promote greater understanding.
Fostering understanding between the genders is critical to women’s safety. For example, some women said their husbands felt threatened or ignored when their wives first joined World Pulse. So the women started to include their husbands and sons by showing them how to use the network to connect to people. Now many husbands send thank-you letters saying how happy they are to participate in the global community and to witness the positive changes in their wives.
While World Pulse does everything it can to keep its citizen journalists safe, including safety and security training and online community moderation, it is ultimately up to the women to decide if they want to risk speaking out. Despite the risks, women all over the world are reporting on the changes that are happening, including women in the Middle East.
Larsen wants to build on this momentum to make World Pulse the largest global communication network in the world, powered by millions of women. She envisions women everywhere using mobile devices to connect to each other through the network. With the push of a button, they will be able to receive information, voice their opinion, and take action to influence world affairs.
How can I get involved? Larsen says there are many ways to participate in World Pulse. Some examples are:
• Signing-up for the free e-magazine • Subscribing to the magazine’s print version • Attending the 2011 Speaking and Media Voices of Our Future Tour featuring award-winning correspondents • Visiting the World Pulse website to learn about projects, comment on stories, connect with people working on similar issues, find persons living in a country to which you travel or make a contribution.
Having just returned from Africa, Larsen says, “There is no greater joy than meeting one of these women and being empowered by her dream. I know a woman who is running for political office while taking care of forty orphans. She and others like her are helping me see what’s possible for my own life. They are teaching me to be unstoppable and break my own silence.”
For more information, please visit World Pulse’s website www.worldpulse.com or call (503) 331-3900.
by Tuula Fai
Have you found your tribe? If you are a passionate, purposeful woman seeking one, then you’re in luck. Tribal Truth, an organization of empowered women, has expanded into Denver and is committed to “putting a tribe behind your dreams.” Tanya Paluso and Novalena Betancourt founded the organization in January 2010 to help women own their self-worth and reflect this value out to each other, the community, and the world.
Women learn to recognize their worth through a curriculum called The Total Female Package, which Betancourt published in a book by the same name. The package teaches women through twelve mirrors, one for each month, that show them how to reflect passion, health, service, gratitude, partnership with men and other qualities into their lives.
Tribal Truth members and guests explore these mirrors at monthly gatherings held in cities throughout the U.S., including Denver, Chicago, New York, San Diego and San Francisco. Participants can also meet likeminded women who can support them with building their businesses. Since the emphasis is on “servant sisterhood,” the women focus first on creating “friendships with purpose.” These friendships often lead to strong business relationships.
“Servant sisterhood” is a core value of Tribal Truth. The organization has developed Sistership Circles, accountability groups of twelve women, that meet weekly to help members accomplish 90-day game plans. The circle’s facilitator supports the women in serving their fellow sisters and themselves so that everyone achieves breakthrough results.
Paluso says these circles enable Tribal Truth members to serve as role models for the next generation. She says, “When women own their worth, they are not threatened by other women. They are free to let go of old patterns like jealousy, and move into supporting and mentoring each other. That’s when the breakthroughs happen.” When asked what women most need to own their self-worth, Paluso states, “Receptivity. Women spend so much time giving that they forget to receive.” Tribal Truth is changing this. For example, a woman in a Sistership Circle recently used the support of her servant sisters to help sell her business in only forty days. Success stories like this abound at Tribal Truth.
So far the organization has over 100 members nationwide. Basic membership entitles women to participate in the monthly gatherings. Legacy Council membership, available in San Diego where Tribal Truth got its start, is a higher level of participation. Women apply and are accepted to the council, which consists of members who have shared values and are ready to significantly grow their businesses.
Paluso says she is now focusing on teaching Tribal Truth leaders in other cities how to replicate the success Betancourt and she have had in San Diego. She does this through Tribe Builder, a training program that inspires women to stretch themselves so they can prosper in Tribal Truth and their own businesses.
Transparency is key to making Tribe Builder work. Paluso, Betancourt and the other city leaders meet regularly to communicate about issues. Since they “hold a space of love and trust for one another,” they are able to resolve concerns quickly. Paluso comments, “That’s ‘servant sisterhood’ in action. We want to model that, and our other core values of authenticity, love and growth.”
Another way members serve their sisters is by holding charity challenges. Tribal Truth’s foundation just raised $20,000 for Jeans 4 Justice, an organization dedicated to reducing sexual violence through prevention and education. The challenge was so successful that Jeans 4 Justice founder Jessica Johnson became a Tribal Truth member and is doing another charity challenge in 2011 as she expands her organization into New York.
As Tribal Truth’s popularity grows, men are starting to ask Paluso if she plans to create a similar group for them. Paluso says her boyfriend recently started a conscious men’s group and jokes “. . . maybe we can have a mixer!”
On the serious side, Paluso and Betancourt (both graduates of Alison Armstrong’s Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women workshop) believe in honoring men’s unique contributions. Paluso says, “Once we understand the differences between men and women, then we can celebrate each other and create equal partnerships. That’s how we will bring peace to the world.”
Interested in Tribal Truth? Check out www.tribal-truth.com or tune into Tribal Chats, www.blogtalkradio.com/tribaltruth.
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of My Enemy is My Lover: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders. For fifteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. www.tuulafai.com or email her at <tuula@tuulafai.com>.
by Tuula Fai
Have you heard of New Thought? It is a spiritual movement that began over 100 years ago. Its pioneers — Dr. Ernest Holmes, Charles Fillmore and Malinda Cramer — went on to found the United Church of Religious Science (now the United Centers for Spiritual Living), the Unity Church and the Church of Divine Science. Some New Thought principles are:
• We are one human family with many paths to God • God’s perfection is in each of us • By releasing limiting thoughts and beliefs, we can more fully express our divinity • As our thoughts and beliefs change, so does our experience • We use spiritual laws to co-create love and goodness.
The Evolution of New Thought Reverend Cynthia James of Mile Hi Church in Denver says the New Thought community’s understanding of these principles has evolved over time. She states,
In the beginning, there was more of an intellectual understanding of oneness. Then, as people began to deepen their practice, they moved out of the intellect and into the heart. They started living in a state of connectivity and community. In embodying the principles, they got that it wasn’t about the individual; it was about the collective — our responsibility for the whole.
Rev. James is speaking about the shift that is occurring in our collective consciousness. We now understand that our thoughts, actions and beliefs impact not only ourselves but also others and the planet. With this understanding comes the responsibility to live by principles that allow us to be of service. Rev. James offered three New Thought principles: 1. Get clear 2. Trust the process 3. Express your gifts.
Get Clear To get clear, we must become aware of our unconscious thoughts and beliefs. We do this by facing the pain and releasing its energy from our minds and bodies. Prayer, meditation and spiritual counseling can help. Rev. James used these tools to heal from her violent childhood. As she cleared herself, she began to trust the universe. She states, “This was miraculous . . . because the ‘old me’ felt like life was scary and that I had to fight to protect myself.”
Trust the Process Rev. James shares what she learned in her book What Will Set You Free: From Pain to Passion in 7 Weeks. Central to the book’s theme is the principle of trust. She explains,
Personal evolution . . . is a birthing process . . . you are in the womb again and there is no known . . . You must step out and trust. Think of Indiana Jones in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark when he stepped out and the road of light appeared beneath him.
Stepping out into the unknown is often the hardest part. Rev. James says fear can sometimes immobilize us. We start to feel lost and retreat back into what we know, even if it’s painful. But if we stay in the void long enough, then something new comes in. That something new is “a state of awareness in which we can fully express our gifts.”
Express Your Gifts Rev. James believes that the greatest contribution we can make is to be fully alive and fully expressed. In this awakened state, we understand that we are here to serve; that if one person is hungry, we all are hungry. We share our gifts to serve one another. As we do, we raise the collective consciousness of the planet.
New Thought Ushers in a New Era Rev. James says this is where New Thought can really make a difference. She says,
We have the opportunity to usher in a new Era that is about the whole. New Thought can be the messenger of oneness as we live from a place of love and support. Children are an important part of this evolution. Many have come with extraordinary gifts and New Thought can give them a playground to develop these gifts in support of humanity.
It’s not just to children that New Thought communities are reaching. The movement’s message of unconditional love means that everyone is welcome. For example, New Thought churches such as Mile Hi have opened their doors to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people (GLBT). This unconditional love and inclusiveness is one of New Thought’s greatest strengths. Its ministers and counselors have helped many people by creating a safe space for them to feel acknowledged and appreciated for who they are. As Rev. James puts it,
When I walked into my first spiritual community, I was a wreck. But people didn’t judge me. They just were with me, loving me. Through that I learned to trust Source and flow in the Divine so I could be my most expansive self.
Rev. James goes on to say, This is how peace can prevail. We all want to love and be loved, to be creative and make a difference. If we start putting our attention on our similarities as opposed to our differences, we will transform the planet.
She concludes by reminding us that “. . . there is no arrival point. Spiritual work is ongoing.” Let’s keep doing our work until the world — the out-picturing of our consciousness — reflects the peace, gratitude and forgiveness we have found in our hearts. And so it is.
For more information on Reverend Cynthia James, please visit www.cynthiajames.net or check out her book at www.whatwillsetyoufree.com and Connections Radio Show at www.spiritmedianetwork.com/crs.htm
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB, is the author of My Enemy is My Lover: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders. For fifteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. www.tuulafai.com or email her at <tuula@tuulafai.com>.
by Beth Buczynski
A high level of annual rainfall, microbial activity, and lots of existing vegetation help create a deep layer of nutrient-rich topsoil. Unfortunately, Colorado dirt suffers from a lack of all three.
Front Range soils are largely heavy clay, with little microbial activity. And with less vegetation, wind erosion takes its toll on much of the topsoil that does form here. Research has shown that to improve this type of soil and create better drainage you must add organic matter.
Organic material helps break up the soil for better air and water penetration. Organics also will improve the water-holding capacity of sandy soil. If you’re not already composting kitchen scraps, now is the time to start.
Most people know that compost is a great organic soil enhancement, but with just a few more steps, you can have a more easily absorbed foliar and soil application. Compost tea will replace the nutrients missing from your yard and help ensure a healthy harvest from your garden.
Quench Your Soil’s Thirst Compost tea is a liquid fertilizer and disease suppressor made by soaking small amounts of biologically-active compost in water. Other ingredients such as kelp or molasses are often added to feed the microorganisms. The mixture is then aerated over a period of one to two days.
Colorado-based Eco-Cycle has been brewing up compost tea for sale since 2004, and in an early houseplant trial, it was discovered that tea-fed plants used 1/4 the water of those grown without tea because the microbes helped maintain moisture. In a seedling trial, Eco-Cycle researchers found basil plants that received only water were thoroughly munched by baby grasshoppers, while the basil right next to it that received a weekly dose of compost tea remained virtually untouched.
Make Your Own Compost Tea The best way to get the freshest compost tea is to make it yourself. If you’ve already got a healthy compost pile started, you can brew up a batch in just one weekend using this easy recipe from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection website:
Supplies 2 - 5 gallon buckets 1 gallon mature compost 1 aquarium pump 1 gang valve (to divide the air supply into several streams) 4 gallons of water 3 feet + of aquarium hose A stick to stir the mixture Unsulfured molasses (preferably organic) Something to strain the tea, like an old pillowcase, tea towel, or a nylon stocking
Note: Don't try to make compost tea without the aeration equipment. If the tea is not aerated constantly, the organisms in it will quickly use up the oxygen; the tea will start to stink and become anaerobic and harm your plants. Also, be aware that most municipal water is loaded with chlorine. Fill up a bucket from the tap and then allow the bubblers to run in it for about an hour. This will eliminate the chlorine and assure that your microbes are safe!
Step 1: Attach three separate pieces of hose at least 12 inches long to the gang valve.
Step 2: Place the gang valve onto the bucket and make sure the hoses reach the bottom of the bucket.
Step 3: Add your finished compost and make sure the ends of the hoses are covered.
Step 4: Add the water, filling the bucket to within six inches of the top.
Step 5: Add one ounce of unsulfured molasses to provide a food source for the beneficial microorganisms.
Step 6: Turn on the aquarium pump and let the mixture brew for two to three days. Stir the brew occasionally to help mix the compost and separate the microorganisms from the solid compost particles.
Step 7: Use cheesecloth and strain the compost mixture into another bucket. (You can put the compost solids back into the compost pile or in the garden.) The tea should smell sweet and earthy. If it smells bad, do not use it on your plants − dump the mixture back into your compost pile.
Step 8: Apply the compost tea to your flower and vegetable plants immediately. The beneficial microbes will begin to die shortly after the air source is removed.
Step 9: Enjoy! You can sprinkle the compost tea onto the foliage and the soil around each plant. The tea will provide nutrients and an energy boost to your garden plants. You can apply compost tea every two weeks to your garden.
Beth Buczynski is a freelance writer, avid recycler and amateur gardener with a secret dream of living off the grid. <bethbot52@gmail.com>.
by Phyllis Kennemer
Jennifer hugs a tree. Then she turns and slides down to sit nestled in its roots as she considers the splendor of her natural surroundings and contemplates her connection to all of life. At this moment she has no concern about the brand of clothing she is wearing or whether her hairstyle fits the latest trend. She is free from thoughts about the demands of her social life and the pressures of mass media. She is deep in thought about the person she is and the person she is becoming.
Thirteen-year-old Jennifer is nearing completion of a week of wilderness experiences. Lorene Wapotich, Founding Director of the Feet on the Earth Program, observes Jennifer with quiet pleasure. She knows that this teenager and her fellow campers have experienced life-changing events. They have learned survival skills, such as how to start fires by friction, how to navigate without a map, how to find edible nuts and berries, and how to be aware of wild animals. Not all activities have been structured. The girls have had time to splash in streams and wander in meadows. Some have chosen to write in journals; others have sketched pictures in drawing pads; and some have just basked in the sunshine. In the process of interacting intimately with nature, they have come to honor and respect themselves as the unique young women they are.
“It is important for young people to build relationships with the natural world,” Wapotich explains. “Nature is not just a backdrop for other activities. Interacting with the environment is a vital part of human existence. Exploring the possibilities in wilderness experiences is especially important as young people enter puberty.”
Wapotich bases her programs not only in survival skills but also in traditions of primitive societies and Native American cultures. Ancient societies honored the time of puberty with rituals and ceremonies. Boys were taught survival skills and went on solitary vision quests. Girls spent nights in caves before entering the Moon Lodge with the women. There was a sense of community as the tribe witnessed the changes occurring as children transformed into adults.
In addition to her scheduled group programs, Wapotich works with parents and children to create personal rites of passage activities. These may include solitary overnight adventures or longer vision quests. As they return to the community, girls are welcomed into the moon hut by their mothers and women friends. Boys interact with their fathers and other supportive men. Feet on the Earth Programs are offered in several states. The Colorado site is west of Boulder.
The stage of adolescence has occurred relatively recently in human history and has continued to expand in modern societies. Girls are no longer considered adults when they begin their menstrual cycles and needing to shave does not transform a boy into a man. The preparation for adulthood now covers years rather than months. Continuing education — middle school, high school, trade school, college — and additional life experiences contribute to the preparation for assuming adult roles.
How can we support young people through these transitional changes? We can, of course, talk to them about the physical changes in their bodies and help them understand that these changes are natural and normal. But sometimes we forget that they also need guidance in emotional and spiritual development.
Churches and youth organizations such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4-H, and Boys and Girls Clubs offer programs which enable young people to test themselves and develop their individual skills. Some of these programs take place in outdoor settings and a growing number of people are acknowledging the values associated with wilderness activities.
Outward Bound is an international organization dedicated to fostering the personal growth and social skills of participants through challenging expeditions in the outdoors. Graduates of these programs emerge with a set of survival skills, enhanced self esteem, and the ability to aid in sea and mountain rescue efforts. Although these programs are not specifically promoted as fostering rites of passage, they do serve that purpose for many young people.
Students attending Eagle Rock, a residential high school in Estes Park, begin their studies with a three-week outdoor experience facilitated by staff members. Most of these young people come from difficult circumstances, so the activities are designed to foster team building and to enhance self-esteem. These outdoor experiences help them transition into roles of maturity and responsibility.
Teenagers need opportunities to learn more about themselves and to develop their own talents. Perhaps like Jennifer they would benefit from participating in programs specifically designed for these purposes. Some teens may find the support they need within their own families. Others may shine through sports, church or organizational programs. Whatever the route, young people need connection with their natural surroundings as they enter into the beginning stages of adult life.
Engaging in wilderness outings enables teens to discover the roots of their being. They gain understandings about nature as the center of the living world. Everything is connected to everything else.
Feet on the Earth: www.feetontheearth.org Outward Bound: www.outwardbound.org
Dr. Phyllis K. Kennemer is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. She is a life-long learner and educator with a specialty in children’s literature.
by Tuula Fai
Imagine yourself a mother in the heart of the Amazon. Your child is dying from cancer caused by land contamination. It’s not only your child who is dying but the children of many mothers. What do you do? These mothers turned to Jensine Larsen, a journalist working in the area, and asked her to be their messenger.
Larsen went beyond that. She created World Pulse, a global media and communication network, to empower these women to become their own messengers. Over the past eight years World Pulse has grown into a community of over 40,000 women from over 182 countries who use its network to raise their voices and unite to accelerate change. Additionally, the support of forty alliance partners and some angel investors helps to keep the organization at the forefront of women's empowerment.
How does World Pulse help women?
World Pulse’s print and online magazine and interactive community newswire, PulseWire, enables women everywhere to speak out and work together to resolve social issues. Examples include Nigerian and Kashmiri women who unite to stop the stoning of widows, Burmese and Congolese women who unite to end rape, and Rwandan women parliamentarians who unite to strengthen their country’s constitution.
Larsen says these women’s strides encourage other women to take action. For example, a woman in the U.S. is helping women in Africa start solar lighting businesses; a woman in Spain is establishing a mobile medical clinic in Kenya; and a Congolese woman is giving microloans to female entrepreneurs in her home country.
Larsen explains, “What’s happening is a multiplier effect as women serve as catalysts for realizing each other’s dreams. A few years ago many of these women didn’t even know they could dream. It’s so exciting to see them awaken to their potential.”
Women supporting women is key to World Pulse’s success. Larsen says, “If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. If you teach a woman to fish, her whole village will eat for a lifetime. World Pulse is like the lake around which women gather to teach each other how to fish to feed themselves and their communities.”
To help women in their outreach, World Pulse has created a training program called “Voices of Our Future” (VOF). The program teaches them how to use social media technologies to share their message with the world. This year, thirty women were selected for the program out of nearly 600. News agencies such as CNN, BBC, and The Huffington Post are picking up their stories and those of the other citizen journalists, thereby broadening World Pulse’s audience.
The VOF correspondents are responsible for training five other women in their communities; some are training as many as 50 to 100. This is no small feat given that a third of these women come from the most violent regions on the globe. World Pulse knows the challenges they face and supports them by providing a mentor and editorial midwife who encourage them to keep reporting. The organization also gives stipends to pay for internet and cell phone access.
One VOF correspondent, Sunita Basnet from Nepal, says, “World Pulse gives me a new life because I can freely raise my voice. Yesterday my neighbors in my village of 500 didn’t want to hear from me but today the world is waiting for my voice.”
Larsen comments, “Giving a voice to women the world has never heard from before is creating a tsunami of change. Its ripple effects will continue to expand as we raise the bar on what’s possible.”
World Pulse explores what is possible in its latest magazine’s issue entitled “Embody.” The stories encourage us to envision a world where women are free and powerful in their bodies. The next issue, “Spirit,” will explore how women are using faith to come together and promote greater access to education, health care and freedom of movement.
Both of these topics speak to women’s number one concern: violence. Women want peace and safety in their countries, communities and homes. To achieve this goal, World Pulse welcomes men to participate in its network at the request of its community members. They have found that the male community members are overwhelmingly supportive, although occasionally patronizing language occurs. When this happens, the women community members enter into meaningful dialogue with them and generally are able to use the situation to promote greater understanding.
Fostering understanding between the genders is critical to women’s safety. For example, some women said their husbands felt threatened or ignored when their wives first joined World Pulse. So the women started to include their husbands and sons by showing them how to use the network to connect to people. Now many husbands send thank-you letters saying how happy they are to participate in the global community and to witness the positive changes in their wives.
While World Pulse does everything it can to keep its citizen journalists safe, including safety and security training and online community moderation, it is ultimately up to the women to decide if they want to risk speaking out. Despite the risks, women all over the world are reporting on the changes that are happening, including women in the Middle East. Larsen wants to build on this momentum to make World Pulse the largest global communication network in the world, powered by millions of women. She envisions women everywhere using mobile devices to connect to each other through the network. With the push of a button, they will be able to receive information, voice their opinion, and take action to influence world affairs.
How can I get involved?
Larsen says there are many ways to participate in World Pulse. Some examples are:
• Signing-up for the free e-magazine • Subscribing to the magazine’s print version • Attending the 2011 Speaking and Media Voices of Our Future Tour featuring award-winning correspondents • Visiting the World Pulse website to learn about projects, comment on stories, connect with people working on similar issues, find persons living in a country to which you travel or make a contribution.
Having just returned from Africa, Larsen says, “There is no greater joy than meeting one of these women and being empowered by her dream. I know a woman who is running for political office while taking care of forty orphans. She and others like her are helping me see what’s possible for my own life. They are teaching me to be unstoppable and break my own silence.” For more information, please visit World Pulse’s website www.worldpulse.com or call (503) 331-3900.
by Karen Goode
Empathy is what makes other people matter to us and reminds us to acknowledge the people around us as we understand and share their feelings. Empathy exists in early mother-infant bonding. Even before birth, a baby in the womb is sensitive to the mother’s feelings, whether positive, neutral or negative. Once born, a baby shows receptivity to parents’ anger, tension, and depression, as well as to their caring, responsiveness and love. You’ve probably noticed how they imitate your facial expressions and smile in response to your smile. They also may cry if they hear another baby cry. This type of response is a step in the development of empathy and the ability to share the feelings of another person.
Babies absorb the mental and emotional energy of the people around them. They don’t filter anything; they simply receive. As a child ages, this empathic tendency may increase and get out of control. Some children pick up the emotions, energy, or thoughts of others to the degree that it becomes overwhelming and interrupts the development of their social and emotional life. Because these children do not know how to set personal boundaries (or that they need to), they do not realize when they are in another person’s mental or emotional space, nor how invasive this can be to that person. It can also lower the child’s own vibrational level.
An empath is sensitive to what is obvious as well as unseen things such as ghosts and the thoughts, emotions, and illnesses they sense around them. Empaths may get hunches, see mental pictures, hear voices, or have a gut feeling that supplies hidden information about people and situations. They may also get a physical sensation in their body that lets them know where another person is afflicted or suffering.
You may have heard of Indigo Children or Crystal Kids who have intuitive gifts that surprise or even astound adults. These empathic children easily pick up the feelings and thoughts of adults and others as they unconsciously reach into human and spirit energy fields to gather information and understand things around them. Seeing with their spiritual eyes, feeling with their spiritual senses, hearing with their spiritual ears, they may give information about a past life, tell of events before they happen, see ghosts, or know something about another person or situation that no one else does. Today, as many as one in four children have this ability and are always tuned into the higher frequency.
Being an empath is very draining for an adult. Just imagine what it feels like to be an intuitive or empathic child and not have the language to explain your experiences to your parents or teachers. A child who is overloaded with the energy of others may have on-going illnesses, show depressive episodes, lash out in anger, cry without reason, or try to “fix” things between adults who argue or do not get along well. A child or teen who sees or hears in the spirit realm may act out because he or she feels overwhelmed and does not know how to express what he or she is experiencing. The problem is compounded when adults will not listen, try to hush the child, or refuse to believe the child’s report of psychic incidents.
We do our intuitive children a great injustice when we invalidate their experiences and intuitive abilities. Yet many parents simply don't know what to do with kids who see or hear spirits, talk about a deceased relative they never met in body, give clues into past lives, predict future events, or know some family secret they haven’t been privy to. In some cases, the “hushing” parent also has some paranormal gifts that he or she is not comfortable talking about. Maybe the child’s parents were shushed by their parents and are simply mimicking the parenting role model they were given. As parents, teachers, and counselors, we need to teach children how to properly use this empathic gift, but many adults do not trust their own intuition and therefore are unlikely to recognize their children’s spiritual abilities. Empathic kids need someone they can talk to. They need information on how to keep their auras clear, to open and shut their intuitive abilities at will, and set energetic boundaries. Where do adults go to learn how to help these empathic kids and teens?
The more you read and study this topic, the better you will be able to answer your children’s questions. To help you help the empathic children in your life develop their intuition, watch for
Whose Stuff is This? Finding Freedom from the Detrimental Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You co-written with Yvonne Perry. www.tinyurl.com/WhoseStuff.
Dr. Caron Goode is the award-winning author of Raising Intuitive Children and the international best-seller, Kids Who See Ghosts, guide them through their fear. Dr. Goode is the founder of the Academy for Coaching Parents (acpi.biz) that trains and certifies professional parenting coaches. Contact Dr. Goode at <caron30 @ gmail.com>.
by Amy Norris
Kids love yoga because it’s fun and exciting! Kids are experts when it comes to having fun. Programs like KidsCrave Yoga give kids the opportunity to discover an exercise program that helps them feel stronger and more flexible and experience an overall sense of peace and balance.
Most of us already know the benefits of yoga – either through our own personal practice or from reading about all the great things that yoga can do for our minds and bodies. But have you thought about passing this on to your kids? Imagine children who are enlightened, balanced, confident, focused and calm. Want to know how? Introduce your children to yoga (no matter their age). It might be the single, most important gift you give them this year.
Kids’ yoga helps empower our youth to feel good about themselves from the inside out ... one breath at a time! Yoga can be an incredibly invigorating experience for children. It gives them permission to explore their imagination and creativity with no boundaries and to release energy in a safe environment. Yoga helps children feel revitalized, which builds inner strength and confidence – traits that are extremely important for a growing and developing child.
Now, you might be imagining a typical adult yoga class – only shorter. Not so. Kids’ yoga is fun and exciting. Poses are often presented as a story. Games, songs and dance are incorporated to give children a chance to develop their creativity and explore their imaginations. Kids are experts when it comes to having fun.
In addition, studies show that yoga is a great self-help therapy for kids. Children today are under a tremendous amount of stress at younger ages than ever. They experience academic pressures, peer pressure, high expectations at home and time constraints due to extracurricular activities. Plus, many children juggle life in multiple homes. Yoga provides a way to ease that tension. Like adults, children require down time to relax and feel calm. When we breathe deeply and fully (called pranayama) we give ourselves permission to bring peace to our bodies and minds. Yoga offers children an opportunity to learn how to use their breath to quiet their minds and calm their bodies while having fun. This practice helps them deal with anger, stress, impulse control and over-stimulation. And, they gain self-confidence. Kids’ yoga is about having fun and not about competing with others. There is no wrong or right way; children learn more about themselves from the inside out.
Everyone knows that children have plenty of energy. They can also easily adapt to and learn new things, and yoga engages both mind and body. Many parents are beginning to recognize the profound, positive effects that yoga can have on their children. Adults are also invited to release their own inner child and join in!
Amy Norris, mother of two kiddos, is the founder of KidsCrave Yoga. After yoga changed her life, she became inspired by teaching kids yoga at local elementary schools. She also created KidsCrave Yoga Kits www.kidscraveyoga.com so kids everywhere can receive the gift of yoga in their own home.
by Andrew Iverson
Over the years I have realized that the secret to wellness isn't some fancy medicine, elite supplement, or expensive health promoting gizmo. The answer is much simpler and more practical. It comes down to one very basic concept: nature heals. If you look around, it is clear that nature continues to persevere despite our poor stewardship of the earth. Nature is self-cleansing and self-regenerating so why aren’t we? Simply enough − we are.
There is nothing “new” or “cutting edge” about nature’s diet. It has been around for all of human existence. What is “new” is the food we eat today! In the last 130 years we have gone from a whole food diet to a diet that comes from packages, boxes, cans and restaurants. Children today think that food comes from the store or a restaurant and don’t even realize that it comes from the earth. We have replaced our ancestors’ food with processed food and our forefathers’ plant medicine with drugs; the result has been a disaster.
From the beginning of food processing in the 1800s we ignored nature’s first warning to us. When Japanese sailors showed signs of a deadly nervous system disease, it was found that those who ate only white rice came down with the disease, while those who ate brown rice did not. The disease was found not to be a disease after all but rather a deficiency of vitamin B1 called beriberi. Today we still eat white rice, but with synthetic vitamin B added back into it, instead of returning to nature’s whole foods. Today our country has the highest rates of heart disease, cancer and diabetes in the world and our food remains nutritionally empty. To return to nature’s diet is literally remembering what it is we have forgotten the last 130 years.
Many of our physical symptoms are messages from the body saying, “Hey you! Wake up! I’m trying to tell you to change your life!” Nutrition, not drugs, is the most effective way to treat these symptoms. This would result in a cure rather than a “cover up” or palliation of symptoms.
I travel at least yearly to foreign countries that are less developed than ours. These communities are commonly still in touch with their ancestral roots. They still live off the Earth and utilize the medicine of the Earth. Pharmaceutical drugs are not commonplace in economically disadvantaged areas of the world. People aren’t taking Lipitor for their cholesterol in rural Haiti, or Prozac for depression in Bangladesh. They don’t have money for expensive drugs and they aren’t dying of heart attacks and cancer like we are.
What is immediately noticeable about people in these poorer countries is that their physiques are significantly thinner than those in the western world. Also noticeable is that you do not commonly see children drinking cans of pop and juice drinks or eating bags of chips or candy, mainly because they don’t have extra money to buy that stuff. These people rely on their traditional foods for sustenance and their local plants for medicine.
I was so impressed with an island village in the Caribbean where I was learning from a local medicine man. He told me that in the 40 years he had been practicing he had only seen cancer a few times in his people. The majority of the cancer patients he treated were tourists that had heard about his use of jungle medicine. Otherwise the people there were fully functional and worked late into their life and died of age-related complications.
Consider what your grandmother’s grandmother did whenever she had an ailment. She couldn’t turn to a drug; the first antibiotic wasn’t available until the 1920s, and Tylenol not until the 1950s. Your grandmother’s grandmother likely used food and plants as her medicine. In just over 60 years we have produced more than 15,000 types of medications and there is no end in sight. We are exposing our cells to hundreds of thousands of environmental chemicals that have never before been seen in all of history. We are just beginning to understand the effects and the consensus is not favorable.
Half the wild animal population does not die from heart disease or cancer like Americans do. They die from natural predators that eat them for food, or from the destruction by humans of their natural habitat, which results in a lack of food and shelter. They also die from bacterial infections., viruses, fungi and parasites like our ancestors did before hygienic methods were commonly used. Now however, even wild animals are starting to see cases of cancer because of the pollution of their environment which lowers their immune system.
Natural medicine is not like conventional medicine. It does not treat a specific disease with one specific plant or vitamin like conventional medicine treats with a specific drug. Natural medicine treats the whole organism, the whole person. It works by nourishing the body so that it is has the proper nutrients needed for repair and detoxification. When all systems of the body are functioning optimally, the body is able to heal optimally.
Dr. Iverson is a Naturopathic Physician whose medical interests and expertise are in the fields of nutritional medicine, biochemical and pH testing, and detoxification through fasting and botanical medicine. The author of Nature's Diet, he is the founder and director of Trilium Health, a successful holistic health clinic in Tacoma, Washington.
by Kathleen Dean Moore
May 25, 2025
All those years, the Swainson’s thrushes were the first to call in the mornings. Their songs spiraled like mist from the swale to the pink sky. That's when I would take a cup of tea and walk into the meadow. Swallows sat on the highest perches, whispering as they waited for light to stream onto the pond.
For years there were flocks of goldfinches. After my husband and I poisoned the bull-thistles on the far side of the pond, the goldfinches perched in the willows shaking dew from the branches into the pond. The garbage truck backed down the lane, beeping its backup call, making the frogs sing, even in the day.
I don’t know how many frogs there were in the pond then. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Clumps of eggs like eyeballs in aspic. When the eggs hatched, there were tadpoles. I have seen the shallow edge of the pond black with wiggling tadpoles. There were that many, each with a song growing inside it and tiny black legs poking out behind.
In the years when the frog choruses began to fade, scientists said it was a fungus, or maybe bullfrogs were eating the tadpoles. No one knew what to do about the fungus, but people tried to stop the bullfrogs. Standing on the dike, my neighbor shot frogs with a pellet gun, embedding silver BBs in their heads, a dozen holes, until she said how many holes can I make in a frog’s face before it dies? Give me something more powerful. So she took a shotgun and filled the bullfrogs with buckshot until, legs snapped, faces caved in, they slowly sank away. Ravens belled from the top of the oak.
When the bats stopped coming, they said that was a fungus too. When the goldfinches came in pairs, not flocks, we told each other the flocks must be feeding in a neighbor's field. No one could guess where the thrushes had gone. The field was as empty as the perfect emptiness of a bell, the perfectly shaped absence ringing the angelus, the evening song, the call for forgiveness at the end of the day.
As it happened, that was the spring when our granddaughter was born. I brought her to the pond so she could feel the comfort I had known there for so many years. Killdeer waddled in the mud by the shore, but even then, not so many as before. By then, the pond had sunk into its warm, weedy places, leaving an expanse of cracked earth. Ahead of the coming heat, butterflies fed in the mud between the cracks, unrolling their tongues to touch salty soil. I held my granddaughter in my arms and sang to her then, an old lullaby that made her soften like wax in a flame, molding her little body to my bones. Hush a bye, don’t you cry. Go to sleep you little baby. Birds and the butterflies, fly through the land I held her close, weighing the chances of the birds and the butterflies. She fell asleep in my arms, unafraid.
I will tell you, I was so afraid.
Poets warned us, writing of the heart-breaking beauty that will remain when there is no heart to break for it. But what if it is worse than that? What if it's the heart-broken children who remain in a world without beauty? How will they find solace in a world without wild music? How will they thrive without green hills edged with oaks? How will they forgive us for letting frog-song slip away? When my granddaughter looks back at me, I will be on my knees, begging her to say I did all I could. I didn't do all I could have done.
It isn't enough to love a child and wish her well. It isn't enough to open my heart to a bird-graced morning. Can I claim to love a morning, if I don't protect what creates its beauty? Can I claim to love a child, if I don't use all the power of my beating heart to preserve a world that nourishes children's joy? Loving is not a kind of la-de-da. Loving is a sacred trust. To love is to affirm the absolute worth of what you love and to pledge your life to its thriving -- to protect it fiercely and faithfully, for all time.
Ring the angelus for the salmon and the swallows. Ring the bells for frogs floating in bent reeds. Ring the bells for all of us who did not save the songs. Holy Mary mother of God, ring the bells for every sacred emptiness. Let them echo in the silence at the end of the day. Forgiveness is too much to ask. I would pray for only this: that our granddaughter would hear again the little lick of music, that grace note toward the end of a meadowlark’s song. Meadowlarks. There were meadowlarks. They sang like angels in the morning.
Copyright © 2010, Kathleen Dean Moore. Used by permission of the author. The essay was first printed in Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril, eds. Kathleen Dean Moore and Michael P. Nelson (San Antonio: Trinity University Press, 2010).
Kathleen Dean Moore is best known for her award-winning books about our cultural and spiritual connection to wet, wild places - Riverwalking, Holdfast, The Pine Island Paradox, and her new book, Wild Comfort. Moore is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University and the founding director of the Spring Creek Project for Ideas, Nature, and the Written Word.
by Katrina Pfannkuch
Looking for an alternative, natural way to clear out your lungs, promote sinus health, reduce stress and restore overall physical balance to your body? Consider salt therapy. It may be the ticket to getting your body back into its natural rhythms and healing a compromised respiratory system.
The Roots of Salt Therapy
Salt therapy is by no means new, even though its beneficial healing properties resurged in popularity during the last 10 to 15 years. This healing technique has roots that date back to the mid-19th Century in Eastern and Central Europe. Polish health official Dr. Felix Boczkowski noticed that salt miners always had strong immune systems and did not suffer from asthma, lung disease, or allergies compared to miners in other industries.
His research inspired the creation of salt sanatoriums carved out of salt mountains hundreds of feet below the surface. Small groups and families would go for regular treatments (about an hour per day) to breathe in the brine fumes to prevent and cure common respiratory ailments.
The Health Benefits of Salt Therapy
Salt therapy rids the body of toxins absorbed by everyday living. At a time of year when spring allergies are the norm and pollutants collect in our bodies at a higher rate than ever before, salt therapy is a simple, healthy alternative treatment.
Natural, unstripped crystal sea salt contains 84 mineral elements that the body needs. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-septic properties that help calm the skin and cleanse the chest and lungs. Salt therapy helps heal bronchial problems, pulmonary disorders and various skin conditions and helps combat depression, chronic fatigue and exhaustion. In addition, negatively-charged salt ions aid the central nervous system by helping the body switch from stress mode to relaxation and healing. Exposure to pure salt crystals also:
• Regulates water content in the body • Acts as a strong natural antihistamine • Extracts excess acidity from cells • Preserves serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain and regulates sleep • Maintains muscle tone and strength • Clears the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm caused by asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis
In Northern Colorado, Deep Blue Massage, a Fort Collins-based spa owned by massage therapist Michelle Ramos and partner Bev Goheen, focuses on innovative natural therapies. They offer halo salt therapy and flotation therapy. Both treatments maximize the healing power of salt to restore the body to equilibrium and provide both stress and pain relief.
Halo Salt Therapy, a Mini Trip to the Beach
Halo therapy is very much like a trip to the beach to breathe in the salt air. The therapy is done in an air-controlled environment called a salt cocoon, which simulates a natural salt cave micro-climate. A halo generator distributes a dry aerosol salt, creating negative ion environment to promote balance within the body and reduces stress.
As the small particles of salt are inhaled, they travel to the deepest parts of the lungs and sinuses to reduce inflammation in the airways, open restricted airways, and help clear mucus. The salt also has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and a deep cleansing and healing effect on the respiratory tract and skin.
Halo therapy is ideal for people who suffer from asthma, sinusitis, allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, snoring, stress, cystic fibrosis, acne, psoriasis and eczema. It increases lung capacity and enhances cardiovascular endurance.
An appointment is 20 minutes long. Goheen suggests that clients who are seeking relief complete three to six treatments close together in order to get the full benefits of the therapy.
In Boulder, Colorado, The Salt Spa offers halo therapy in full scale salt rooms that are more similar to the traditional salt caves. A salt room can accommodate a full family at one time. The spa has rates for regular use so people can maximize salt's healing properties.
What is REST Therapy?
Deep Blue's Flotation or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) is an an epsom salt, water-based relaxation treatment. Created by neuro-psychiatrist John Lilly in 1954, the therapy uses an enclosed bathtub and over 900 pounds of epsom salts to create buoyancy for the body. The water is held steady at just above body temperature to keep the client comfortable.
Co-owner Ramos says, “Clients float on the water feeling weightless and free of the pull of gravity, while the salts work on dilating blood vessels for maximum blood flow and relaxation. We compare the experience to floating on the Dead Sea. Just one hour of the treatment equals four hours of restorative sleep, and is great for insomnia or jet lag.”
Deep Blue clients also commented that a Flotation treatment felt similar to the sensation just before you fall asleep or just like floating weightless in space. (use pic from FC site)
Floating therapy has a variety of health benefits for adults at different levels of health:
• Induces intense relaxation • Lowers blood pressure • Accelerates healing of injuries • Eases arthritis • Lessens joint pain • Enhances performance using visualization • Eases physical and mental distress • Rejuvenates energy levels • Stimulates creativity • Promotes clarity of thought • Relieves stress and anxiety • Deepens meditation • Balances left and right brain • Improves concentration
As a natural treatment to common health problems, salt therapy is a great example of an old, trusted technique that is still effective. If you have tried other treatments that were unsuccessful or you are ready for explore new options this allergy season, try bringing yourself to the beach in Colorado.
www.deepblueftcollins.com, www.saltspacolorado.com/index.html
_ Katrina is a writer, Reiki Master, and owner of Buzzword Communications. She loves working with clients who focus on health and wellness or green business, helping them create content that showcases their unique passion and vision. www.buzzwordonline.com._
www.saltspacolorado.com/index.html
by Larry Pearlman
2012 – The Mayan Calendar – Age of Aquarius – Passing through a cosmic cloud
However you want to look at it, the fact is that mankind is on the brink of the most impactful shift in human history since Adam and Eve vacated the Garden of Eden (or tadpoles grew legs and walked on to the land if you prefer that theory). Global warming and our part in causing it is a symptom of this change. Another symptom is the recognition that WE — human beings — are strongly contributing to the extinction of species from the planet at an alarming rate. Peak oil would be another symptom, as is economic collapse. In fact, you have to be unconscious or in deep denial to NOT see that this planet is heading toward an enormous transformation.
Many see this as the apocalypse, believing it to be the end of the world. Depending on how things go, perhaps it could be. Just as the Mayan calendar is often misinterpreted as predicting the end of the world (it actually just predicts the end of the era defined by time and space), apocalypse is also misinterpreted as the end of the world. The actual meaning of the word apocalypse is “a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, e.g. the veil to be lifted.”
The good news is that what has been hidden from the majority of mankind for thousands of years is mankind’s true identity and purpose. Where has this vital secret been hidden? Not on the highest mountain, or deep in the ocean, or buried under the Sphinx in the desert. No, this “secret” was never intended to be a secret at all. It is present within every person who has ever walked the earth. It is present in me and it is present in you. Why has it not been popularly known? Because it has been buried by the “veil” mentioned above: the layers of falsehood and misconception accepted and perpetuated by generation after generation. There have been many through the ages who have lifted the veil for themselves and they have been venerated: Abraham, Isaac, David, Jesus, Buddha, Confucius, Mahatma Gandhi, Lao Tzu, Chief Seattle and others. All of them attempted in their own ways to SHOW the way so that others could come out from under the veil, but none were successful in lifting that veil for mankind as a body.
Today we see an evolution in consciousness coming to the fore. We are approaching critical mass: the number of people necessary to transform the planet, which none of the great spiritual leaders of the past were able to do by themselves. It is not necessary that all seven billion of us have this shift in consciousness. Just as a ship’s rudder is a small component of the ship but determines what direction it moves, it only takes a relatively small component of the earth’s population to determine the direction of mankind and the planet. How many people? Some say 144,000. Personally, I don’t know what the number is but I do believe that we are approaching that number.
Read magazines, watch movies, listen to the radio, surf the net and you will hear the voice of this spiritual rudder everywhere.
Larry Pearlman is the host of a new radio show, “Evolution in Consciousness.” He has taught courses in “The Art of Creative Living” and serves as a faculty member for “The Opening” – an eight-day experiential class in discovering your full potential. He recently served in the Peace Corps in Ghana. www.contacttalkradio.com
by Linda M Potter
You may not know Tom Shadyac by name, but if you’ve been to a movie anytime in the last two decades or so, there’s a good chance you know his work. Among other credits, the acclaimed Hollywood producer, director and screenwriter partnered with Jim Carrey on the smash hits, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty, and collaborated with Eddie Murphy on the popular Nutty Professor series. The multimillion dollar paychecks afforded him the lifestyle of the rich and famous with all the over-the-top amenities that come with it. He was among Hollywood’s elite.
In 2007, he did the unthinkable: he turned in his solid gold lifestyle for a modest residence in a Northern Malibu mobile home park, an eco-friendly bicycle, and an outdoor “office” with an ocean view and a little sand between his toes. He traded in everything money could buy, for what money couldn’t buy — a social conscience and a life mission.
Then, quite unexpectedly, his life changed once again — this time without his consent. A nearly fatal bicycle accident left him injured, defeated, and faced with an uncertain future. His new documentary, I Am, follows the filmmaker as he travels the world in search of the answer to the most compelling question of our time: “What’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better?” He calls it the “ultimate reality show, a look at the very fabric, the fundamental concept of life; this idea of interconnection and interrelatedness with all things.” The film is a testament to his journey back, the journey of a man with a revitalized vision to help transform the world.
Linda M. Potter: You’re a successful, highly respected Hollywood filmmaker. Your films are pop culture masterpieces. Was filmmaking something you aspired to all your life?
Tom Shadyac: It evolved over time. I knew I loved this idea of making people laugh. Humor often comes from the observation of absurdity. And I saw so much absurdity in how we dealt with each other, how we ran our society and the things we didn’t talk about. I deflected much of that tension through humor. Then, as I walked out of college and got into the professional world, I started exploring how a person could you use this interest as a way of walking in the world. I started writing jokes for Bob Hope, and then I did a little acting, and a little standup, and a little teaching, and it all led me back to film school. There I tried directing and that’s when the heavens parted. I realized, WOW, this is what I think I’m going to be doing.
LMP: Do you feel like your films are an expression of your life purpose?
TS: Certainly it’s been my path and it is my path — to be a part of storytelling and art, and to hopefully challenge and provoke. And to start a conversation, even if it’s about how funny something was.
LMP: I’ve read that, as part of downsizing your lifestyle you now live in a mobile home community called Paradise Cove.
TS: I do!
LMP: (laughing) In one interview you quoted a passage from the Koran that says, “He deserves paradise who makes his companions laugh.” So I just have to ask: Do you think you deserve Paradise Cove?
TS: (laughing) Beautiful! I never thought of that. Thank you. That’s awesome. It’s a nice little piece of serendipity.
LMP: I’m glad you enjoyed that as much as I did! You’ve recently faced some significant challenges that must have had a huge impact on your life. I’m thinking specifically about the bicycle crash. Where were you in your career when that happened?
TS: Evan Almighty had just been released. I think “Evan” was released in June and the bike accident happened in September. That kind of put a halt to just about everything in my life.
LMP: You’ve characterized that period in your life as a “dark night of the soul.” At the time of the accident, did you intuitively know it was going to shift everything for you?
TS: Oh yes. Very much so. It couldn’t have gotten much darker for me because I thought, “I’m simply just not going to make it.” I thought it was going to literally be my end. That’s what it felt like. I thought, “This is it.” But I do tend to look at things holistically, and I wondered why, and what did this have to teach me, and even how I participated in what happened. But now in hindsight I understand what it had to teach me. At the time, that vision had not yet come to me.
LMP: What I find interesting is that physical illness or trauma so often opens the door to spiritual healing. Did the bike accident feel like a spiritual jumping off point for you?
TS: Absolutely. More in hindsight than awareness at the time. What I now believe is that there is an emotional and spiritual connection to physical challenges that we have. I think I participated in this and called it into my own life because I simply didn’t have the courage to talk about ideas that were so deeply important to me, that were a part of my soul. The accident knocked me from my head to my heart. When I realized [or thought], “I’m not going to make it,” it took away my fear. I suddenly had the courage to ask, “If I want to say one thing before I go, what is it?” Once I did that, I began to heal.
LMP: I’m interested in how the accident affected how you view your work. You were quoted as saying, “As a movie director, I stood on top of the heap and said, I’m more valuable,” but that you don’t say that anymore. What do you say now?
TS: (laughs) Well, it’s not that. I say something more about how I want to be. I want to serve with my heart. I want to be a gemstone in the mosaic that will become this [movie] art. And, yes, I may be the leader of that piece of art, but that doesn’t mean that needs to translate into taking all the spoils from the art, separating myself out from the essential work that everybody will do on the movie. Everyone’s valuable on a movie set.
I also want my economic life to mirror what I believe about all of us, that we’re all in this together and we’re all in a piece of art together. I can’t even make my art if there isn’t somebody there to feed me, to store the cables, to store the cameras, or to work the cameras. I don’t look at it linearly any more. I don’t attach a dollar figure, and I don’t really even believe in the ownership of art. A vision may be coming through someone like myself, and I want to manage that vision, but I don’t want to own it. I want to share it with people. There’s a wonderful line from Wendell Barry, “Intellectual property names the deed by which the mind is bought and sold and the world enslaved.” Artists hear things, but we don’t think of the ideas. They are gifts to us from the ether, if you will.
LMP: What I personally like so much about movies like Bruce Almighty is not only how much fun they are, but how they portray our relationship with God as so much more co-creative than many of us have been raised to believe. And I love that they debunk the myth of the God who “smites.” It was interesting to me that the movie starred Jim Carrey. I don’t think most Carrey fans would have expected to see him in a movie about God. Were you and Jim drawn to Bruce Almighty more because of the theme or the comedy?
TS: If you’d been a part of Jim’s and my conversations over the years, you would not be surprised at all that that movie surfaced. We’d been talking about the meaning of it all. What is this God idea? We both were raised in Judeo-Christian households. And we care deeply about our relationship with whatever you might call the divine, the spark, or the Big Electron as George Carlin calls it. We both have struggle in our lives and so the combination of the explosive nature of the comedic premise, plus the ability to dance in an area that we were so passionate about — the spiritual journey. It was just irresistible for us. Irresistible. I feel very blessed to have been a part of bringing that to the screen.
LMP: I’ve got to ask you this because it’s just such a fun question. In Bruce Almighty, one of the first things Bruce does as God’s “replacement” is to make everyone lottery winners. What would you do if you had the chance to be “God for a day?”
TS: (laughs) That’s funny. I think the mystic would say that you do have that power [already]! Not to be blasphemous, but these things don’t work linearly. Our tendency would be to say, “End world hunger.” But, if you’ve given people free will, then something else will surface. Because if greed is still the model of how we view ourselves as separate from each other and not tied in a web of mutuality, then you haven’t really solved anything. You [may have] taken care of hungry folks, but you’ve created a hunger somewhere else.
LMP: There were so many things about Bruce Almighty that I really resonated with both when I first saw in in 2003 and when I watched it again recently. When it was first released I was in the middle of writing a book called, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! There was a point in the movie were Bruce was faced with exactly what I was writing about. I was absolutely sure that scene had been written just for me!
TS: That’s interesting. Yes, we dealt with that in Bruce Almighty where Bruce screams to God after he’s had a rough day, “Just give me a sign!” and then a truck pulls in front of him that says STOP, Wrong Way. Dead End. He ignores the signs, passes that truck and ends up in an accident. Which was our way of saying that there are signs around us all the time. Our conversation right now is the divine showing up encouraging me and giving you some light for an interview, but we just don’t see it. What we’re really saying is, “God give me a sign that I want.” The signs are all around us; just look. That’s what the spiritual journey is — waking up to everything that’s around you.
LMP: You followed up “Bruce” with Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell. It wasn’t nearly as well-received. It seems like that was a turning point in your life.
TS: It was a turning point for me. It was the end of my deal with Universal. We parted ways after that film. It was one door closing and another door opening. The door that opened is this movie, I Am, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I wouldn’t have been able to make this movie in the studio system. It wouldn’t have had a high enough dollar gross promise at the end of it, although I think we’re going to do very, very well with it, which is money we’ll give back. I’m thankful that it happened. Very thankful.
LMP: I really enjoyed your movie, I Am. But I have to say that when I first saw the title I thought the movie was about the Biblical name of God, “I Am that I Am,” that appears in the Old Testament. But that’s not the focus of the movie. Was that an accident, or was it intentional?
TS: You’ve said the word — accident. Yes. There’s a very practical reason we called it I Am, and you’ve seen the movie, so you know why, but the larger meaning was certainly accidental, [or more accurately], coincidental, which of course is God’s way of remaining anonymous.
LMP: One of the major themes in I Am centers on our obsession with accumulating more than we need while others go without. You quote St. Augustine: “Determine what God has given you, and take from it what you need, but the remainder is needed by others.” Do you believe we need to make sacrifices to create a better world?
TS: We’re in a limited biosphere. There are limits in forms and structures to life. But I don’t look at is as sacrifice. As you give up something, as you give up square feet, you embrace simplicity. As you give up accumulating wealth, you embrace the sharing and the richness that comes with serving another person. In the essay that Emerson wrote about compensation, he says that everything has an energy about it and a counter energy, so as I simplify my needs and I empty myself, I awaken to the fullness of life. Through silence, for example, that’s how we really listen. It’s a very unsexy story to think about all the things we have to give up, to sacrifice, and I wouldn’t tell that story. I want to know what people are embracing, what they’re moving towards, not what they’re giving up. It’s ok that there’s a moment when you decide to move away from something, but then where are you going?
LMP: I’ve read that you’ve started a Foundation in conjunction with I Am. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
TS: I don’t believe I own I Am; I believe I serve I Am. Whatever funds come in from I Am will go back into the community. If you look at the mission statement for I Am, we talk about that we’re going to feed the hungry and clothe the needy and do what we can to end suffering in the world on the physical plane, but we also want to talk about another kind of poverty, which is a spiritual poverty — a poverty of perspective. We’re going to use the Foundation to possibly create an Institute. We’re looking at Telluride, Colorado, a town that is very near and dear to my heart.
LMP: Where do you go from here? What’s the next step in your career?
TS: I’m going to stay with the Zen statement and say, “I’m going to serve this to fruition.” I’ve got many scripts that are in development and the potential to do a talk show based on these ideas. I think that life will lead me to the next thing, but I’m deeply in this right now.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker, published author and the Managing Editor of BellaSpark magazine. Her book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! is due out in May of 2011. lindampotter@comcast.net, www.lindampotter.com.
by Linda M Potter
You may not know Tom Shadyac by name, but if you’ve been to a movie anytime in the last two decades or so, there’s a good chance you know his work. Among other credits, the acclaimed Hollywood producer, director and screenwriter partnered with Jim Carrey on the smash hits, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty, and collaborated with Eddie Murphy on the popular Nutty Professor series. The multimillion dollar paychecks afforded him the lifestyle of the rich and famous with all the over-the-top amenities that come with it. He was among Hollywood’s elite.
In 2007, he did the unthinkable: he turned in his solid gold lifestyle for a modest residence in a Northern Malibu mobile home park, an eco-friendly bicycle, and an outdoor “office” with an ocean view and a little sand between his toes. He traded in everything money could buy, for what money couldn’t buy — a social conscience and a life mission.
Then, quite unexpectedly, his life changed once again — this time without his consent. A nearly fatal bicycle accident left him injured, defeated, and faced with an uncertain future. His new documentary, I Am, follows the filmmaker as he travels the world in search of the answer to the most compelling question of our time: “What’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better?” He calls it the “ultimate reality show, a look at the very fabric, the fundamental concept of life; this idea of interconnection and interrelatedness with all things.” The film is a testament to his journey back, the journey of a man with a revitalized vision to help transform the world.
Linda M. Potter: You’re a successful, highly respected Hollywood filmmaker. Your films are pop culture masterpieces. Was filmmaking something you aspired to all your life?
Tom Shadyac: It evolved over time. I knew I loved this idea of making people laugh. Humor often comes from the observation of absurdity. And I saw so much absurdity in how we dealt with each other, how we ran our society and the things we didn’t talk about. I deflected much of that tension through humor. Then, as I walked out of college and got into the professional world, I started exploring how a person could you use this interest as a way of walking in the world. I started writing jokes for Bob Hope, and then I did a little acting, and a little standup, and a little teaching, and it all led me back to film school. There I tried directing and that’s when the heavens parted. I realized, WOW, this is what I think I’m going to be doing.
LMP: Do you feel like your films are an expression of your life purpose?
TS: Certainly it’s been my path and it is my path — to be a part of storytelling and art, and to hopefully challenge and provoke. And to start a conversation, even if it’s about how funny something was.
LMP: I’ve read that, as part of downsizing your lifestyle you now live in a mobile home community called Paradise Cove.
TS: I do!
LMP: (laughing) In one interview you quoted a passage from the Koran that says, “He deserves paradise who makes his companions laugh.” So I just have to ask: Do you think you deserve Paradise Cove?
TS: (laughing) Beautiful! I never thought of that. Thank you. That’s awesome. It’s a nice little piece of serendipity.
LMP: I’m glad you enjoyed that as much as I did! You’ve recently faced some significant challenges that must have had a huge impact on your life. I’m thinking specifically about the bicycle crash. Where were you in your career when that happened?
TS: Evan Almighty had just been released. I think “Evan” was released in June and the bike accident happened in September. That kind of put a halt to just about everything in my life.
LMP: You’ve characterized that period in your life as a “dark night of the soul.” At the time of the accident, did you intuitively know it was going to shift everything for you?
TS: Oh yes. Very much so. It couldn’t have gotten much darker for me because I thought, “I’m simply just not going to make it.” I thought it was going to literally be my end. That’s what it felt like. I thought, “This is it.” But I do tend to look at things holistically, and I wondered why, and what did this have to teach me, and even how I participated in what happened. But now in hindsight I understand what it had to teach me. At the time, that vision had not yet come to me.
LMP: What I find interesting is that physical illness or trauma so often opens the door to spiritual healing. Did the bike accident feel like a spiritual jumping off point for you?
TS: Absolutely. More in hindsight than awareness at the time. What I now believe is that there is an emotional and spiritual connection to physical challenges that we have. I think I participated in this and called it into my own life because I simply didn’t have the courage to talk about ideas that were so deeply important to me, that were a part of my soul. The accident knocked me from my head to my heart. When I realized [or thought], “I’m not going to make it,” it took away my fear. I suddenly had the courage to ask, “If I want to say one thing before I go, what is it?” Once I did that, I began to heal.
LMP: I’m interested in how the accident affected how you view your work.You were quoted as saying, “As a movie director, I stood on top of the heap and said, I’m more valuable,” but that you don’t say that anymore. What do you say now?
TS: (laughs) Well, it’s not that. I say something more about how I want to be. I want to serve with my heart. I want to be a gemstone in the mosaic that will become this [movie] art. And, yes, I may be the leader of that piece of art, but that doesn’t mean that needs to translate into taking all the spoils from the art, separating myself out from the essential work that everybody will do on the movie. Everyone’s valuable on a movie set.
I also want my economic life to mirror what I believe about all of us, that we’re all in this together and we’re all in a piece of art together. I can’t even make my art if there isn’t somebody there to feed me, to store the cables, to store the cameras, or to work the cameras. I don’t look at it linearly any more. I don’t attach a dollar figure, and I don’t really even believe in the ownership of art. A vision may be coming through someone like myself, and I want to manage that vision, but I don’t want to own it. I want to share it with people.
There’s a wonderful line from Wendell Barry, “Intellectual property names the deed by which the mind is bought and sold and the world enslaved.” Artists hear things, but we don’t think of the ideas. They are gifts to us from the ether, if you will.
LMP: What I personally like so much about movies like Bruce Almighty is not only how much fun they are, but how they portray our relationship with God as so much more co-creative than many of us have been raised to believe. And I love that they debunk the myth of the God who “smites.” It was interesting to me that the movie starred Jim Carrey. I don’t think most Carrey fans would have expected to see him in a movie about God. Were you and Jim drawn to Bruce Almighty more because of the theme or the comedy?
TS: If you’d been a part of Jim’s and my conversations over the years, you would not be surprised at all that that movie surfaced. We’d been talking about the meaning of it all. What is this God idea? We both were raised in Judeo-Christian households. And we care deeply about our relationship with whatever you might call the divine, the spark, or the Big Electron as George Carlin calls it. We both have struggle in our lives and so the combination of the explosive nature of the comedic premise, plus the ability to dance in an area that we were so passionate about — the spiritual journey. It was just irresistible for us. Irresistible. I feel very blessed to have been a part of bringing that to the screen.
LMP: I’ve got to ask you this because it’s just such a fun question. In Bruce Almighty, one of the first things Bruce does as God’s “replacement” is to make everyone lottery winners. What would you do if you had the chance to be “God for a day?”
TS: (laughs) That’s funny. I think the mystic would say that you do have that power [already]! Not to be blasphemous, but these things don’t work linearly. Our tendency would be to say, “End world hunger.” But, if you’ve given people free will, then something else will surface. Because if greed is still the model of how we view ourselves as separate from each other and not tied in a web of mutuality, then you haven’t really solved anything. You [may have] taken care of hungry folks, but you’ve created a hunger somewhere else.
LMP: There were so many things about Bruce Almighty that I really resonated with both when I first saw in in 2003 and when I watched it again recently. When it was first released I was in the middle of writing a book called, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! There was a point in the movie were Bruce was faced with exactly what I was writing about. I was absolutely sure that scene had been written just for me!
TS: That’s interesting. Yes, we dealt with that in Bruce Almighty where Bruce screams to God after he’s had a rough day, “Just give me a sign!” and then a truck pulls in front of him that says STOP, Wrong Way. Dead End. He ignores the signs, passes that truck and ends up in an accident. Which was our way of saying that there are signs around us all the time. Our conversation right now is the divine showing up encouraging me and giving you some light for an interview, but we just don’t see it. What we’re really saying is, “God give me a sign that I want.” The signs are all around us; just look. That’s what the spiritual journey is — waking up to everything that’s around you.
LMP: You followed up “Bruce” with Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell. It wasn’t nearly as well-received. It seems like that was a turning point in your life.
TS: It was a turning point for me. It was the end of my deal with Universal. We parted ways after that film. It was one door closing and another door opening. The door that opened is this movie, I Am, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I wouldn’t have been able to make this movie in the studio system. It wouldn’t have had a high enough dollar gross promise at the end of it, although I think we’re going to do very, very well with it, which is money we’ll give back. I’m thankful that it happened. Very thankful.
LMP: I really enjoyed your movie, I Am. But I have to say that when I first saw the title I thought the movie was about the Biblical name of God, “I Am that I Am,” that appears in the Old Testament. But that’s not the focus of the movie. Was that an accident, or was it intentional?
TS: You’ve said the word — accident. Yes. There’s a very practical reason we called it I Am, and you’ve seen the movie, so you know why, but the larger meaning was certainly accidental, [or more accurately], coincidental, which of course is God’s way of remaining anonymous.
LMP: One of the major themes in I Am centers on our obsession with accumulating more than we need while others go without. You quote St. Augustine: “Determine what God has given you, and take from it what you need, but the remainder is needed by others.” Do you believe we need to make sacrifices to create a better world?
TS: We’re in a limited biosphere. There are limits in forms and structures to life. But I don’t look at is as sacrifice. As you give up something, as you give up square feet, you embrace simplicity. As you give up accumulating wealth, you embrace the sharing and the richness that comes with serving another person.
In the essay that Emerson wrote about compensation, he says that everything has an energy about it and a counter energy, so as I simplify my needs and I empty myself, I awaken to the fullness of life. Through silence, for example, that’s how we really listen. It’s a very unsexy story to think about all the things we have to give up, to sacrifice, and I wouldn’t tell that story. I want to know what people are embracing, what they’re moving towards, not what they’re giving up. It’s ok that there’s a moment when you decide to move away from something, but then where are you going?
LMP: I’ve read that you’ve started a Foundation in conjunction with I Am. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
TS: I don’t believe I own I Am; I believe I serve I Am. Whatever funds come in from I Am will go back into the community. If you look at the mission statement for I Am, we talk about that we’re going to feed the hungry and clothe the needy and do what we can to end suffering in the world on the physical plane, but we also want to talk about another kind of poverty, which is a spiritual poverty — a poverty of perspective. We’re going to use the Foundation to possibly create an Institute. We’re looking at Telluride, Colorado, a town that is very near and dear to my heart.
LMP: Where do you go from here? What’s the next step in your career?
TS: I’m going to stay with the Zen statement and say, “I’m going to serve this to fruition.” I’ve got many scripts that are in development and the potential to do a talk show based on these ideas. I think that life will lead me to the next thing, but I’m deeply in this right now.
Linda M. Potter is a popular speaker, published author and the Managing Editor of BellaSpark magazine. Her book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! is due out in May of 2011. lindampotter@comcast.net, www.lindampotter.com.
by Amy Norris
Kids love yoga because it’s fun and exciting! Kids are experts when it comes to having fun. Programs like KidsCrave Yoga give kids the opportunity to discover an exercise program that helps them feel stronger and more flexible and experience an overall sense of peace and balance.
Most of us already know the benefits of yoga – either through our own personal practice or from reading about all the great things that yoga can do for our minds and bodies. But have you thought about passing this on to your kids? Imagine children who are enlightened, balanced, confident, focused and calm. Want to know how? Introduce your children to yoga (no matter their age). It might be the single, most important gift you give them this year.
Kids’ yoga helps empower our youth to feel good about themselves from the inside out ... one breath at a time! Yoga can be an incredibly invigorating experience for children. It gives them permission to explore their imagination and creativity with no boundaries and to release energy in a safe environment. Yoga helps children feel revitalized, which builds inner strength and confidence – traits that are extremely important for a growing and developing child.
Now, you might be imagining a typical adult yoga class – only shorter. Not so. Kids’ yoga is fun and exciting. Poses are often presented as a story. Games, songs and dance are incorporated to give children a chance to develop their creativity and explore their imaginations. Kids are experts when it comes to having fun.
In addition, studies show that yoga is a great self-help therapy for kids. Children today are under a tremendous amount of stress at younger ages than ever. They experience academic pressures, peer pressure, high expectations at home and time constraints due to extracurricular activities. Plus, many children juggle life in multiple homes. Yoga provides a way to ease that tension. Like adults, children require down time to relax and feel calm. When we breathe deeply and fully (called pranayama) we give ourselves permission to bring peace to our bodies and minds. Yoga offers children an opportunity to learn how to use their breath to quiet their minds and calm their bodies while having fun. This practice helps them deal with anger, stress, impulse control and over-stimulation. And, they gain self-confidence.
Kids’ yoga is about having fun and not about competing with others. There is no wrong or right way; children learn more about themselves from the inside out. Everyone knows that children have plenty of energy. They can also easily adapt to and learn new things, and yoga engages both mind and body.
Many parents are beginning to recognize the profound, positive effects that yoga can have on their children. Adults are also invited to release their own inner child and join in!
Amy Norris, mother of two kiddos, is the founder of KidsCrave Yoga. After yoga changed her life, she became inspired by teaching kids yoga at local elementary schools. She also created KidsCrave Yoga Kits (www.kidscraveyoga.com) so kids everywhere can receive the gift of yoga in their own home.
by Andrew Iverson
Over the years I have realized that the secret to wellness isn't some fancy medicine, elite supplement, or expensive health promoting gizmo. The answer is much simpler and more practical. It comes down to one very basic concept: nature heals. If you look around, it is clear that nature continues to persevere despite our poor stewardship of the earth. Nature is self-cleansing and self-regenerating so why aren’t we? Simply enough − we are.
There is nothing “new” or “cutting edge” about nature’s diet. It has been around for all of human existence. What is “new” is the food we eat today! In the last 130 years we have gone from a whole food diet to a diet that comes from packages, boxes, cans and restaurants. Children today think that food comes from the store or a restaurant and don’t even realize that it comes from the earth. We have replaced our ancestors’ food with processed food and our forefathers’ plant medicine with drugs; the result has been a disaster.
From the beginning of food processing in the 1800s we ignored nature’s first warning to us. When Japanese sailors showed signs of a deadly nervous system disease, it was found that those who ate only white rice came down with the disease, while those who ate brown rice did not. The disease was found not to be a disease after all but rather a deficiency of vitamin B1 called beriberi. Today we still eat white rice, but with synthetic vitamin B added back into it, instead of returning to nature’s whole foods. Today our country has the highest rates of heart disease, cancer and diabetes in the world and our food remains nutritionally empty. To return to nature’s diet is literally remembering what it is we have forgotten the last 130 years.
Many of our physical symptoms are messages from the body saying, “Hey you! Wake up! I’m trying to tell you to change your life!” Nutrition, not drugs, is the most effective way to treat these symptoms. This would result in a cure rather than a “cover up” or palliation of symptoms.
I travel at least yearly to foreign countries that are less developed than ours. These communities are commonly still in touch with their ancestral roots. They still live off the Earth and utilize the medicine of the Earth. Pharmaceutical drugs are not commonplace in economically disadvantaged areas of the world. People aren’t taking Lipitor for their cholesterol in rural Haiti, or Prozac for depression in Bangladesh. They don’t have money for expensive drugs and they aren’t dying of heart attacks and cancer like we are.
What is immediately noticeable about people in these poorer countries is that their physiques are significantly thinner than those in the western world. Also noticeable is that you do not commonly see children drinking cans of pop and juice drinks or eating bags of chips or candy, mainly because they don’t have extra money to buy that stuff. These people rely on their traditional foods for sustenance and their local plants for medicine.
I was so impressed with an island village in the Caribbean where I was learning from a local medicine man. He told me that in the 40 years he had been practicing he had only seen cancer a few times in his people. The majority of the cancer patients he treated were tourists that had heard about his use of jungle medicine. Otherwise the people there were fully functional and worked late into their life and died of age-related complications.
Consider what your grandmother’s grandmother did whenever she had an ailment. She couldn’t turn to a drug; the first antibiotic wasn’t available until the 1920s, and Tylenol not until the 1950s. Your grandmother’s grandmother likely used food and plants as her medicine. In just over 60 years we have produced more than 15,000 types of medications and there is no end in sight. We are exposing our cells to hundreds of thousands of environmental chemicals that have never before been seen in all of history. We are just beginning to understand the effects and the consensus is not favorable. Half the wild animal population does not die from heart disease or cancer like Americans do. They die from natural predators that eat them for food, or from the destruction by humans of their natural habitat, which results in a lack of food and shelter. They also die from bacterial infections., viruses, fungi and parasites like our ancestors did before hygienic methods were commonly used. Now however, even wild animals are starting to see cases of cancer because of the pollution of their environment which lowers their immune system.
Natural medicine is not like conventional medicine. It does not treat a specific disease with one specific plant or vitamin like conventional medicine treats with a specific drug. Natural medicine treats the whole organism, the whole person. It works by nourishing the body so that it is has the proper nutrients needed for repair and detoxification. When all systems of the body are functioning optimally, the body is able to heal optimally.
Dr. Iverson is a Naturopathic Physician whose medical interests and expertise are in the fields of nutritional medicine, biochemical and pH testing, and detoxification through fasting and botanical medicine. The author of Nature's Diet, he is the founder and director of Trilium Health, a successful holistic health clinic in Tacoma, Washington..
by Toni D. Holm
Linda M. Potter (distant aunt to Harry Potter) is a woman, wife, mother, grandmother, writer, spiritual counselor, and humorist. Truthfully, I believe she’d want me to start that list with actor. She loves to perform. Who better than an actor and humorist to inspire us to get up in the morning, grab a hot cup of java, and set off down the road to grapple with yet another day on our spiritual path? I’d vote for the humorist.
It takes some of us much longer to figure out what our real purpose is this lifetime — and that’s okay, says Linda: "My professional resume reads like a Wikipedia entry for Attention Deficit Disorder. I've had more jobs than hair colors and filled out more career aptitude forms than tax returns. Of course, that’s what happens when you get sidetracked from your life purpose. However, I don't regret any of it — life lessons, like signs, are where you find them.” It’s her take on spirituality that speaks to the seeker in all of us. And what do we seekers want? We want signs from God! And we want them hot and now! If we’re really honest, none of us want to reincarnate through eons of lives without a map or some kind of navigational tools or road signs! It’s pretty tricky out there right now. Had Noah had some buoys and beacons to help him navigate the floodwaters during that yearlong search for higher ground, maybe his journey could have been six months shorter. Perhaps the length of time doing the journey doesn’t matter. Maybe what does matter is how well we do the journey, short or long.
That’s where Linda’s humor is joined at the hip with her wisdom: how are we doing on this particular journey? Don’t have a clue? Linda’s Erma Bombeck wit drops you right into the mundane, even into an airport restroom, and voila — the wisdom you’ve been holding your breath for shows up etched in a Q & A on the inside door of the toilet stall, and it reads: Q: “Who’s the most important person when you’re traveling? A: The person who cleans the bathroom.” I’m still contemplating that profound sign.
Who is Linda M. Potter? She’s a delightful human being; gracious with words and actions; kind and funny on her worst days; gifted with sharing her talents and skills, knowledge and wisdom in ways that uplift and inspire your heart and mind. Linda has a constant steady rhythm that you know you can count on when you need her. She’s the type of woman you hope you can call friend for life. I have the great privilege of helping Linda launch her debut book: If Only God Would Give Me a Sign!
Toni Holm: Can you describe the first time you were aware of “acting or performing” some little skit, song, or joke that made others laugh out loud and how did it make you feel?
Linda M. Potter: In second grade my teacher put together a bulletin board featuring everyone’s baby pictures. I thought it might be fun to write cute captions for all the photos. Well, my project lead to an assembly where I read my poems as the pictures came up on the screen behind me. I wasn’t really trying to be funny, but everybody laughed and applauded. I still remember a couple of those poems.
by Deanna Minich
How do you view food? Most people do not see beyond calories when they look at their meals. However, we now know that food affects more than just our bodies. In fact, we are becoming increasing aware of how the experience of eating impacts different aspects of our being – including how we feel.
For example, have you ever noticed how an itsy-bitsy square of dark chocolate can send you soaring with delightful feelings, almost resembling those of being in love? Or what about your morning “caffeine fix”, catapulting you forward mentally, putting you on the edge of competence? And have you ever taken an emotional nosedive into fatigue, depression, or even anxiety hours after a high-sugar snack?
There is no doubt that the type of food we eat, as well as how we eat, will translate into the body as health or disease, and when processed through the emotions, may be uplifting angels or sinking anchors.
The food-mood relationship also works the other way around – our feelings can be powerful enough to determine the foods we choose! If we feel fatigued, we may select highly processed, convenient foods that don’t require much preparation, and if we feel stressed, we may reach for a high-sugar, high-fat food to feel comfort from the outside. There are many, creative ways to break the food-mood cycle to help you feel in control, as well as happy and content with your eating – here are Simple Steps how:
Ground with protein – If you are feeling spacey and fatigued, it may be worthwhile to have a high-protein snack to help ground you back into the present moment, keeping you “in your body.” Protein tends to be more satiating and heavy compared with foods high in simple sugars, causing the body to take its time to digest. For those of you who are iron-deficient, protein sources like lean, grass-fed beef or black beans will help you to get the iron you need to keep you energized and alert.
Flow with fats – Dietary fats have a bad rap, but certain ones are finally gaining some recognition. In particular, omega-3 fats from foods like fish (salmon is a good source), flaxseed, and leafy greens, are especially important for the brain. With 60 percent of our brain matter composed of fats (yes, we really do have “fat heads”!), getting more of omega-3 oils into the brain makes our nerve cells transmit their messages better and be less susceptible to inflammation. In fact, omega-3s have been shown to play a role in reducing depression, aggression, attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety.
Power up with complex carbs – Sugar makes us feel good and it makes us feel low. You all know the rollercoaster ride, right? That all too familiar fatigue can creep in the afternoon after a heavy lunch, and you might grab a high-sugar pick-me-up to get you back on track, which, in the end, only takes you off track, keeping you enslaved to the never-ending cycle of sugar highs and lows! The way to escape the circuitous dizziness is to stick to carbs that give you sustained energy rather than the cheap, quick sugar high. Whole grains, legumes, berries, apples and pears are great choices for staying power that will last rather than exhaust.
Love your spinach – Feel your heart open with love for leafy greens. These wonder foods are loaded with nutrients like folate and magnesium that feed a healthy heart in addition to nourishing the brain and emotions. Low levels of folate and other B vitamins in the diet have been shown to be associated with changes in mood such as depression and changes in mental activity like impaired cognition. Greens like spinach also supply good amounts of magnesium, helping to keep an anxious heart calm and serene. Follow your heart – go down the path to the greens when you are feeling blue!
Eat mindfully – What we eat is just as important as how we eat. With our busy lifestyles, many people do not take the time to eat slowly, and with care, making healthful decisions. Instead, we become victims of “dashboard dining” (eating while driving), or eating in front of the TV after a long day at work. As a result, we may eat faster, have poorer digestion, absorb less, and feel perpetually unfulfilled, only causing more cravings and overeating. Since your gut is your “second brain,” if you eat mindfully, you’ll be feeding calm attentiveness to your belly.
Boost your brain with blue-bliss – Colorful blue-purple fruits high in protective antioxidants such as grapes and blueberries are more than “cool” to eat – eating them is also associated with cooling down inflammation in the brain, and sharpening memory and cognition. These fun fruits contain compounds that “age-proof” the brain by protecting it from damage that comes with getting older. Don’t forget to keep your mind healthy with the bliss of blue foods!
Keep clean – Some food additives can change how you feel. As an example, there are numerous anecdotes that show artificial sweeteners can have a variety of negative effects on health often related to the brain and behavior. Some recent studies have emerged showing that even consumption of these sweeteners doesn’t even stop weight gain like we may have thought! Other studies suggest that additives like artificial colorings cause hyperactivity and/or attention deficit disorder (ADD) in susceptible children. Although much of the hype has not been thoroughly studied, there seems to be enough evidence that deciphering food labels is worth your mental health!
Foods and moods go hand-in-hand: as you become aware of your eating and how you feel, and how you feel and what foods you choose, you will be on the path to taking control of the food-mood cycle. Use these 7 steps will get you on your way to feeling fine and empowering your emotion!
Deanna Minich, PhD, CN, is not your typical nutritionist as she sees more to food than just calories, protein, fat, or carbs. Her passion is in guiding people beyond the physical needs of food into understanding how food choices and the experience of eating impact not only our bodies, but our emotions, thoughts and subtle energy. www.foodandspirit.com.
by Barry Goldstein
Pajamies are on, yawns are in abundance, teeth are brushed and your child is finally ready for bed. Every evening you take your child through this ritual, but are you ready to truly create sacred space with your children at bedtime? Do you follow a ritual so that you don’t bring in your daily stresses while you tuck them in or read that beautiful bedtime story? Children are very sensitive to energy — let them know this time is sacred!
Here are some tools for using sacred sound and visualization that you can do in a few minutes.
1) Use sound to release your daily stresses. Breathe in deeply from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. As you release your breath through your mouth, let out a big aaaaaaaaah! Do this a few more times, letting this sigh release the stresses of your day from your body. On each breath tighten a group of muscles (for example, in your arms or legs) and then relax the muscles as you exhale.
2) Take the pressure off. Nothing else is more important than being present for your child at this moment. We often put an intense amount of pressure on ourselves. Are your shoulders tense or tight at this moment? We hold our “shoulds” in our should-ers. Breathe in again and as you exhale release any should have’s, could have’s, and would have’s from your shoulder area with another big aaaaaah or any sound you feel you are holding there. Move your shoulders around and stretch them. Our words carry vibrations just as music does. Repeat these words: Today I did the best I can… Shoulders are for patting… I applaud myself for the amazing job I did today.
3) Connect to your heart. Breathe in and put your hands on your heart. This creates awareness and an intention to connect with your heart: the center of who you are! As you release your breath, visualize your heart gently opening like a beautiful flower. Visualize yourself doing something that you love to do — walking on the beach, connecting with nature, drawing,-- whatever it is that brings you into the essence of who you truly are. As you connect with these visualizations you allow yourself to receive joy .You visualize the flower of your heart in full bloom. As you create the space to receive for yourself, your heart opens for a magnificent exchange of love between you and your child.
4) Connect to your child’s heart. ,It is important to connect to the essence of your child’s heart even before you are in the room with your child. Place your hands on your heart and breathe in. As you release your breath let out another aaaaah. Allow yourself to hear a beautiful sound that your child creates. It may be words or a laugh or maybe even singing. As you imagine your child’s sound, allow your heart to open to receive her beautiful spirit. Visualize your child placing her hand on your heart and sending you love.
5) Share. What do you choose to share with your child this evening? A bedtime story, a song, a poem, or a big hug and kiss? Making what you do special makes your child feel special and this in return makes you feel special. This is the perfect balance of giving and receiving, when both you and your child receive a gift and give one as well.
6) Set an intention. Setting a simple but clear intention creates the doorway for sacred space. As you set your intention your words are heard and supported beyond you. Each word holds a vibration that is received by your child before you even enter his room. For example: “This evening Johnnie will feel the love that emanates from my heart and know he is safe, loved and nurtured.”
7) Deem the space sacred. As you have gone through the above steps you have released physical stress and pressure on yourself, you have connected to your heart and your child’s heart, you have created a special way to share and stated your intention. All of these have paved the way to creating sacred space. Now it is time to deem the space sacred! The space becomes sacred as you declare it so! For example, make this intention: “I deem this space sacred as I choose to connect with my child from my heart to hers. There is nothing more important at this moment than my time with my child. I choose to be present and also allow myself to receive my child’s love and any gift she wishes to share with me.” And so it is! This is just an example; know that your own words are very powerful and feel free to be guided with your words.
In a short period of time this ritual will create an enormous shift. You might even notice that you and your child sleep better and are more present with each other when you are awake. Each breath you take together with your child is a magnificent gift. Make your shared moments and breaths sacred!
Grammy Award winner Barry Goldstein has composed and produced music for television and film. Barry believes strongly in the sacred and healing aspects of sound, vibration and music. His Healing with Music series Ambiology is used globally in medical facilities and practices. www.BarryGoldsteinMusic.com
by Linda M Potter
Unless you’ve been locked away in a remote mountain cabin for the last 18 years, it’s most likely you’ve at least heard of James Redfield’s blockbuster book, The Celestine Prophecy. It was an international phenomenon that spent 165 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list and was translated into 34 languages. As of 2008, it had sold over 23 million copies worldwide. The Celestine Prophecy follows an unnamed “everyman” as he hunts down an ancient Peruvian manuscript containing nine “Insights” that harken a New Age of spirituality.
The book is a fast-paced, high-action adventure story that reads more like Raiders of the Lost Ark, than one of the most influential spiritual books of the last two decades. But that was part of its appeal. Eighteen years have passed, and during that time Redfield has introduced us to two more Insights through The Tenth Insight (1998) and The Secret of Shambhala (2001). And now, as the world anticipates closing the books on the Mayan calendar in 2012, one more Insight is yet to be discovered. The search for the various fragments of the mysterious manuscript takes readers to the other side of the globe, to the ancient land of Egypt. There, our Hero’s nearly two-decade-long quest comes full circle atop Mount Sinai. The message? That mankind is facing a life-changing “hour of decision.”
The discovery of the Twelfth Insight comes at a pivotal time in human history — the beginning of the cosmic countdown that many believe will produce the final shift to a Consciousness of global unity. The man behind the unveiling of this new (and perhaps last) Insight says he’s ready for whatever lies ahead.
Linda M. Potter: March 9, 2011 ushers in the 9th wave of the Mayan Calendar which is the final stage before it comes to an end on the winter solstice of 2012. Did you intentionally choose to release The Twelfth Insight at this time to match up with that event?
James Redfield: No, I didn’t plan that. It’s just the way the synchronicity turned out. I had to wait until I really saw Twelfth-Insight phenomena out there to write the book. I tell people all the time that I’m not making this up; these Insights are real steps that can be described and observed in society. A year and a half ago I became convinced that another Insight, another step was happening — the twelfth. Then I started trying to describe it.
LMP: When you started working on The Twelfth Insight in 2009, were you feeling a connection to 2012?
JR: While the focus on the calendar is traditionally Dec. 21, 2012, it [the shift] is already coming in. We can feel it. It will come in in steps. That’s why I was amazed between my reading [or awareness] of the Twelfth Insight as it was emerging out there and what the Mayans actually said would happen.
LMP: You’ve written that “There is a new clarity about the nature of the Universe and how we, as individuals can put spiritual knowledge into very practical application to find a higher path through life.” What phenomena were you seeing that aligned with this message of The Twelfth Insight?
JR: Things like books. For example, when Marianne Williamson’s book The Age of Miracles came out I thought, that’s definitely a Twelfth-Insight book — it signals a new expectation for the way life is supposed to go. We’ve been thru decades of trying to get clear on how to actually live a spiritual life. The Twelfth Insight is all about putting our spiritual insight into practice and really living it at higher levels than has been seen on the planet. That’s the way I like to describe the Twelfth Insight. It’s an actual clarity about how to do it all. The “integrations” in The Twelfth Insight are about building into our everyday life skills like sustaining synchronicity. Or realizing our very Being has an influence on other people. Once we realize that, of course, we know how important every thought is and what we stand for is. This is the way we begin to embody Truth. Truth is the activating principle in the Universe.
LMP: Do you feel like this is a global shift that’s taking place?
JR: There’s something happening out there. I recently got an email from a woman in Australia who talked about the floods they had. She was telling me about all the help that was coming from nowhere. Volunteers were coming in just at the right time and somehow they intuitively knew where they were needed. She said, “It’s just magical!” You also saw that in Haiti. You see it more and more in everything from wild fires to flooding, to earthquakes. There’s a Law of Service as I talked about in the book. If you’re truthful and of service, the world opens up for you to be in the right place at the right time to apply that service. It’s an exciting time to be alive, pulling all this information together. Life should be a series of unfolding synchronicities that guide our lives. It’s not that we don’t have to deal with very practical problems, but in the actual dealing with these problems, very often, if we follow our intuition, we’re guided through that. It’s that experience that characterizes the Twelfth Insight for me.
LMP: Did you plan on revealing 12 insights when you first wrote The Celestine Prophecy back in 1993? Or was that just how many Insights showed up?
JR: Twelve is usually a holy number. In the beginning I thought there would probably be twelve. (But I’d be ok with there being a 13th). I really think, though, that the twelfth will be all there is, and it will take years for it to truly manifest in society. We’ll have sort of an ebb and flow as it’s catching on. There’s already a call for civility in American politics, but that’s going to go through a lot of perturbations as it comes to fruition.
LMP: One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about the Celestine Series books is that they teach spirituality through story, rather than through a self-help book format. Was that a conscious choice on your part, or was that where you were led?
JR: It was where I was led certainly — intuitively. Story leaves you with the reality that it’s presenting. I call that the “parable effect.” But I’m not actually thinking about that when I’m writing.
LMP: After The Celestine Prophecy became such a success, there were rumors that a movie was in the works. But it wasn’t until many years later that you actually released The Celestine Prophecy movie. Can you comment on that?
JR: Our first effort was actually an attempt to do a miniseries. That didn’t work. The devil’s in the details, and we thought we could do it with this particular group of people — CBS actually. It just didn’t work out. They really weren’t serious about capturing the heart of the book. When we finally did The Celestine Prophecy movie, we made it ourselves.
LMP: How would you summarize the message that all twelve of the Insights (as a whole) have for us?
JR: They each build upon themselves. It’s one thing to understand them intellectually, but what’s most important is the way we see actual integration. That’s what’s happening with the Twelfth Insight. We’ve finally been thinking about this long enough to actually do it.
LMP: What do we now know that we didn’t before?
JR: The missing ingredient has been making sure that our journey reflected Truth. I believe Truth activates synchronicity. Intentions will get you some synchronicity; prayer will get you synchronicity, but until you’re really living a truthful, fairly transparent embodiment of it, you’re not really centered enough to hear all those intuitions — to act on them, to recognize the synchronicity and to know how to interpret it. Stay centered in your own truth and be willing to let that truth evolve into an ever better truth through conscious conversation with other people. And that’s the flow of life. We’re all building a better consensus about how to actually live spiritually in this world. It’s really starting to pay off now.
LMP: For me, the Insights revealed through the Celestine Prophecy book series were “tools” to help us live a more spiritual life. But is it correct that the Twelve Insight was saying that Truth and synchronicity, in particular, were the key elements?
JR: And realizing that it’s a real God connection we’re making, that we’re downloading a greater connection with the Divine. The Laws that I talk about in the book; I believe those are the real laws that we are now discovering. If you want your life to go better, you get in harmony with and in sync with these design features of this world.
LMP: You talk about Truth as an “activator.” How do we go about living more Truth-fully?
JR: Tell the absolute Truth to everybody who crosses your path and asks. Look for Truth in them as well. Then be of service. Think of what you can do to help the other person you’re talking to. Karmically, that creates a positive karmic response so you then draw in people who are trying to be in service to you. That’s better than [karmically drawing in] people who will manipulate you in the same way you’ve manipulated others. A clearing has to take place to make this stuff work. You can talk about the Law of Attraction all day long, and you can pin pictures of new cars on your board. You’ll get the new car, but what you’ll also get is the karma [that’s intended] to wake you up to what your soul really wants. Your soul doesn’t want a new car; your soul wants to do that mission that you came in here with.
LMP: You share an anecdote about crows that once flew above you while you were outdoors writing, and you somehow knew they were beckoning you into a nearby canyon. You intuitively knew that it was a sign, and the crows wanted you to follow them. How do we recognize signs when they show up?
JR: Watch for synchronicities. See them in everything. The Twelve Insight discovery is that the way to keep more synchronicity in our lives is to think about it, look for it — be in that space where you’re always waiting for the next synchronicity. All of us have things we’re trying to get done. If we’re centered in that truth of what we’re trying to do then we’re learning to wait faithfully for the next synchronicity to unfold. It’s really about paying attention. We’re starting to tune in. A crow is still a crow, but some kind of higher hand of fate is at work.
LMP: Tell me about the Global prayer project that you founded with your wife, Salle.
JR: It’s the world’s largest ongoing prayer group. We meet every two weeks and we focus on a challenge somewhere in the world, whether it’s a manmade or government conflict, or a natural disaster.
We do meditation, prayer and visualization. We try to be One with these people and visualize them lifting into their own God connection and finding the peace, wisdom and intuitive guidance that will help them deal with their problem. We believe prayer works! People just need to go to www.celestinevision.com to participate.
LMP: How many people take part in these twice-monthly telewebcasts?
JR: There are thousands, but it’s hard to know an exact number. We currently have over 30,000 people on our membership list.
The launch of The Twelfth Insight marks the release of James Redfield’s seventh book. On March 9, 2011, the “beginning of the end” of the Mayan Calendar, he will be in Seattle, Washington, sharing his insights with yet another eager group of spiritual seekers.
Linda M. Potter is a licensed spiritual counselor, popular speaker, published author and the Managing Editor of BellaSpark magazine. Her book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! is due out in spring of 2011. <lindampotter@comcast.net>, www.lindampotter.com.
There really is no logical, esoteric, religious, nor scientific explanation for what takes place when one is in the room with Braco.
I first saw the Croatian healer Braco (pronounced Braxo) at a metaphysical Conference in Bellaria on the Adriatic coast in 2007 when I was living in Italy. In a room filled with 700 hundred people, his powerful gaze sent energy through my body. Although I was not ill, I noticed a subtle but powerful transformation taking place. He affects people’s lives.
It was then I decided that America also needed to experience this phenomenon. It’s a phenomenon because there really is no logical, esoteric, religious, nor scientific explanation for what takes place when one is in the room with Braco, whether when he gazes at the general public either in person or by “live-streaming”.
I was lucky enough to sit down and converse with Drago Placko, the researcher/professor representing Braco at the time. He was studying Braco’s abilities in order to document them — abilities that included changing the molecular structure of water. He explained to me that people were healed in Austria, Germany and Croatia solely when Braco gazed at them. Thousands of testimonials in Europe are recorded in videos called “the invisible hug.” According to Placko there is no difference between the thought of hug and hug itself. When Braco becomes one with those in front of him just for a split second, the hug is there, an invisible but effective one.
Braco does not take money, does not lecture or talk at all during the gazing sessions and surprisingly is a normal family man. He was a successful businessman prior to meeting his mentor and Master, Ivica. While spending time with Ivica, Braco experienced something he describes as a "direct knowledge of my whole psyche and body" and an awareness of humanity's pains and fears. When not touring, Braco, an engineer, lives in Zagreb, Croatia, with his wife and 8-year old son. He spends his spare time with his family, enjoying playing with his son, swimming and walking through the forests near his home. I brought Braco with Drago Placko to Laughlin, Nevada, through The InternationaI UFO Congress, which also has a paranormal venue. People were amazed. The rest is history.
Although I felt energy in the first gazing I experienced with Braco in Italy, Drago explained that energy is not the right word. It's more like "inner certainty," an inner peace. At some point, Braco becomes aware of all the people around him at the same time. There is some form of contact experienced at that moment but nothing is flowing. It just is. When I asked Drago what was the origin of disease, he answered “by birth, we inherit the negative potential of biochemical imbalance and the only way to change it is to stop the inner biological clock by being here and now.” By gazing at Braco open-mindedly, we experience that change in perception of time and usually something suddenly changes in our lives. It is not a matter of time, but openness.
You will see in Braco’s gaze “a purity,” an innocence and a transmission of love. It is his contribution to humanity. For more information and testimonials of healings and stories of transformations from people in Europe and the U.S. visit www.BracoAmerica.com.
To see and understand how Braco gained his abilities to heal, there are two books available. The first, 21 Days with Braco by Angelicka Wycliff is a comprehensive book based on 21 days in Croatia on tour with Braco. The second, Das Mysterium Braco by Drago Placko describes the mystery of the Braco effect. Through these books, readers are able to feel Braco and use them to build a mental connection with Braco and to repeat and experience those gazing moments again and again.
Paola Leopizzi Harris is an International Journalist / researcher in the field of the paranormal.
By Dr. Joe Dispenza
It sounds crazy, but in 1986 I had the privilege of getting run over by a truck in a triathlon. When I received the diagnosis that I broke six vertebrae, that I had bone fragments on my spinal cord, and that I probably would never walk again, I had to make some important decisions.
After I opted against a radical surgery recommended by four different experts and facing the prognosis of paralysis, I left the hospital with only one conviction: “The power that made the body, heals the body.” My mission was to make contact with this innate intelligence, then give it a template or a design with very specific orders and finally surrender my healing to this unlimited power.
I really had nowhere to go at the time of my accident and I did not have many things to do, so it was the perfect opportunity to experiment with using my mind to heal my body. For two hours twice a day I went within and I began creating a picture of my intended result: a healthy healed spine. If my mind wandered to any extraneous thoughts, I would start from the beginning and do the whole scheme of imagery over again. I reasoned that the final picture had to be clear, unpolluted, and uninterrupted for this intelligence to take my condition to the next level.
Over the course of ten weeks, I experienced a wonderful and veritable healing. At eleven weeks, I was back in my office seeing patients again without surgery or a body brace (both of which were recommended by the physicians at the time of my injury). As a result of this experience more than 20 years ago, I have spent the remainder of my life investigating and researching the mind-body connection as well as the concept of mind and matter.
I learned some pretty profound lessons as a byproduct of my injury. I know that we are defined by our adversity. When we are confronted with lifetime trauma and crisis, we must change our mind to truly address that situation. We must begin to think, act, and feel in new ways in order to produce a new and more profound reality. In difficult times, we must look to see what piece of philosophy or intellectual understandings that we know, but have not experienced, and apply that knowledge to create a new experience.
For example, in my situation I intellectually understood that the body heals itself, but I had to apply every bit of philosophy that I knew in order to take it to the next level and beyond, in order to create a true experience with healing. The persistence, conviction, and focus on any potential future lies within the mind of a person, as well as the mind of the infinite potentials in the quantum field, which means both of these minds must work together in order to bring any future reality that technically already exists.
Quantum physics tells us that mind and matter are not separate elements. In fact, your subjective mind has a true effect on the external objective world. If we can accept this idea then we should reason that by changing our mind, should produce some changes in our world. And if you can begin to sharpen your abilities to observe some desired destiny, your life begins to reorganize itself. And the beauty your true change that the new experience will find you.
Can we take the time to ask ourselves one question in the morning before we engage in our life? “What is the greatest ideal of myself that I can be today?” If we were patient enough to wait for an answer, we would begin to think and feel differently than we would if we just woke up and remembered ourselves as the same person. As we experience new thoughts and then we combine them with an elevated emotion, then we are destined to behave differently throughout our waking day. After we sincerely take the time to do this process with intention and focus, we’ve changed our mind. In other words, according to neuroscience, mind is the brain in action.
To think differently is to make the brain work in new and different ways. And when we make the brain work in new ways, we have literally just changed our mind. And lastly, if we can commit to not arising to face the day until we feel like that new ideal, we would be conditioning the body to finally work together with our new mind.
Depending on your circumstances, this can be an easy task, or it can seem insurmountable. The key is to commit to that ideal, in every moment regardless of what your environment tells you. To align to a concept in thought and emotion means you are using your innate capacities for creation. And when we have mind and body working together, we have the power of the universe behind us…and then when we walk through our life that day, something different should be different in our world as a result of our efforts…and no one is excluded from this phenomenon.
Since the hit movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?, I have been pretty busy traveling around the world, talking to audiences about how our conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings are the very blueprints that control our destiny. I have also been fortunate enough to spend the last ten years investigating hundreds of actual medical case histories in which ordinary people experienced a spontaneous remission from a host of different diseases. As a result, I wrote a book a few years back entitled, Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing of Your Mind, in which I discuss the relationship of the brain, the mind, and consciousness with the health of the human body, as well as the nature of reality.
I now know that there is a true science and biology to personal change. That everyone, at any time in their life, can change the way they think and feel, and when true change occurs in both the mind and the body, the natural side effect of that internal change produces measurable external effects in those individual’s lives.
I truly believe that every person is a divine creator. That independent of our race, our gender, our culture, our social status, our education, our religious beliefs, or even our past mistakes; there is a power within each of us that is common to every human being—and we are all connected to it.
This invisible consciousness is both personal and, at the same time, universal. It is the giver of life. This refined mindful energy is conscious enough to support, maintain, protect, and heal us every moment. It keeps our heart beating hundreds of thousands of times per day; creates over 60 million cells every minute; and organizes hundreds of thousands of chemical reactions in one cell every second, just to name a few. It is also the same intelligence that creates supernovas in distant galaxies, that keeps the planets rotating around the sun, and that brings the lily into bloom.
When we take the time to develop a relationship with this mind, when we make contact with it, when we use it to create desired events in our future, when we ask it to intervene in our lives and finally, when we express this power, love, and intelligence through us, we become more like it—we become divine.
by Linda M. Potter
I’m that person in airport security lines that everybody despises. It takes me ten minutes and eight bins to unload all my carry on stuff. For starters, my “personal item” is a large black croco purse that holds two smaller purses inside each other like those nested boxes they sell at Christmas. In cold weather, I wear two sweaters and a lightweight jacket under a tent--sized poncho style coat. I only wear one pair of shoes, but if I could figure out a way to stuff my Sketchers into my high heeled boots, I’d double up on them as well. My “small” suitcase, that houses everything I can’t possibly live without for more than two days, is stuffed within an inch of its zippered life.
My husband is a lot like me. On a recent trip with our 4-year old grandson, Grandpa carried his own bulging bag, a computer tote overpacked with everything from an alarm clock to a wave machine, Aidan’s seam-stressed “Going to Grandma’s” suitcase, a child-sized plush monkey, and a car seat (which kept falling apart every 100 feet or so). To make sure we didn’t lose him in all the baggage, we put Aidan on a leash and tied him to grandpa’s belt. We looked like a band of gypsies in search of a campsite. On a recent trip to Seattle, my daughter asked if I could bring her my old sewing machine. I seriously considered carrying it on, but backed out at the last minute because I wasn’t sure how I’d get the 30 pound Singer in the overhead compartment without maiming other passengers.
Why do I carry a U-Haul’s worth of stuff onto a full airplane knowing that I’m going spend the next three hours with my knees jammed up against chin, sharing a seat with a super-sized handbag? Because I will do just about anything to avoid having to check my baggage. I’m not sure if it’s the $25 fee or simply some crazy need to take all of my stuff with me everywhere I go. I tell my friends it’s the former, but I’m beginning to suspect it’s the latter.
It’s becoming clear that I’ve been traveling with too much stuff for years. And it’s not just limited to things stuffed into a suitcase. One of the most profound “signs from God” I’ve encountered along my path is the one at the airport that reads, Please Check Baggage. It reminds me that weighing myself down with lots of baggage is always optional. Ouch!
Traveling light makes a lot of sense on so many levels. We often find ourselves toting around a lot of personal baggage that makes day-to-day life unnecessarily burdensome.
I can remember one family reunion in particular where everyone showed up carrying a quarter century of “excess baggage” filled with years of resentment and unresolved family conflict. One of my favorite quotes is, “Resentment is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” It’s also like poisoning our relationships and still expecting them to thrive.
And that includes the most important relationship with have – the one with ourselves. There’s no reason to continually pummel ourselves with what ifs, should-have-beens or why-mes either. In truth, that metaphorical $25 surcharge is a bargain when you factor in the potential cost of destructive self-sabotage.
Baggage is the past all wrapped up for us in an unpleasant-surprise package. Leaving the past behind us, with all its pain and old wounds is not only good for the soul, but the best way to script the happily-ever-after we’re all looking for.
_Linda M. Potter is a licensed spiritual counselor, popular speaker, published author and the Managing Editor of BellaSpark magazine. Her book, If Only God Would Give Me a Sign! is due out in March of 2011. <lindampotter@comcast.net>, www.lindampotter.com..
A professor at CCNY told his physiological psych class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" comes from the effects bananas have on the brain. After reading everything bananas can do, you'll never look at them in the same way again.
Bananas contain both fiber and three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose, and give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
There are other ways bananas can keep us fit and healthy as well. But providing energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. They can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, all the more reason to add them to our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills — eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia: Because they are high in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood, which helps anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. It is so effective, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims about the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: Two hundred students at Twickenham school in Middlesex, England, were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break time, and lunch in order to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: Because they are high in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels; the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B-vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar level and keep it steady by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours.
Ulcers: The banana is used as a remedy for intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures consider banana to be a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking and Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B-6 and B-12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40 percent!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
Here’s one more, non-food tip: want a quick shine on your shoes? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe; polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit!
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!
by Viveka von Rosen
Social Media is here to stay. You can’t avoid it, don’t even try. Social Networking, the mega hit movie about the founders of Facebook grossed nearly 50 million in ticket sales in its first two weeks. The number of Facebook users alone is bigger than the population of some countries. And that’s only one of the social media resources out there. Twitter is so popular it grew 1400 percent from 2008–2009, and users “tweeted” 50 million times per day in 2010. LinkedIn, a business oriented site, has over 80 million users with almost half of their membership outside of the U.S. Social media can be an extremely powerful tool. It’s permeating the marketing world; successful businesses everywhere are using it to connect with customers, by building relationships and growing their influence beyond known networks.
Using social media effectively not only means knowing what’s available to you, but learning how to make this new tool work for you. One important place to focus is with branding yourself within your business on social media. Why? The clearer you are on who you are within your business — your personal brand, the better you will represent yourself, and the more business you will attract. In metaphysical “speak” this is “Name it, claim it, then act as if.” To illustrate my point, I’d like to pick on your February friend (or if you are single — your nemesis), St. Valentine.
If I were to run St. Valentine’s social media campaign, this is what I would tell him:
YOU are your Brand. Inbound marketing has changed the way we do business. Your clients want to work with individuals, not some corporate entity. So the first thing we need to get clear on is who is the real St. Valentine? Is he the martyred saint who lost his head for marrying Christians and other nefarious acts? Or some chubby Cherubim slinging arrows of love into the hearts of unsuspecting humans? Or the handsome 40ish dude who didn’t quite manage a season on the CW Channel as Valentine (who slung invisible arrows into unsuspecting humans.) So first, get clear on who YOU are.
Then you need to get clear on what your service or product is. For the institution that has become Valentine’s Day, we have the date of February 14th. Or do we? The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Valentine the Presbyter on July 6. But for argument’s — and Hallmark’s sake — let’s agree on February 14th. And what is Valentine’s Day about really? Over-indulgence in chocolate? A boost in the floral economy? Increasing our carbon footprint by cutting down trees to create greeting cards that measure our worth as a lover? You need to be clear not only on who you are, but what your company does, and what you do within your company. Employees are becoming representatives of company brands. Now this is obvious for St. Nick — he’s got elves and reindeer and naughty and nice children representing Christmas. Perhaps the cherubs are St. Valentine’s employees? Do they know the party line? Are they representing the industry of Valentine’s Day correctly? Are they slinging arrows through Twitter now? Is that why your old high school sweetheart just contacted you on Facebook? Have the cherubs even read the Valentine’s Social Media Policy? (Policy # 1.4: “Thou shall not use Facebook, no nor Twitter, to slingeth arrows at olde lovers already engaged in matrimony”).
When you are clear on your brand, and your company brand, your clients and customers become the unpaid sales evangelists for your product or service. Ok – so Hallmark is a very well paid sales evangelist for Valentine’s Day, but let’s face it, if we didn’t buy into the whole “Valentine’s Day is for Love” shtick, there would be significantly fewer people getting married, diamonds being purchased, and chocolate being consumed on some random winter day. The clients and customers of this holiday are the ones that propagate its popularity: women because we just love chocolate, love and flowers; men out of fear of “missed Valentine’s Day retribution.” So your brand must be clear to yourself and your clients. The less clarity, the greater the chance that you will be mis-represented.
Why you? Be clear on the benefit the client receives in hiring you. (See above: “chocolate and retribution.”) What specific area of expertise, industry, or niche makes you distinct from your competitor? Why chocolate and not broccoli? Why arrows of love and not a burning sword of destiny? Why lovers and not team mates? You need to ask yourself: What specific benefits will my client receive by working with me? Why me individually? Why me as a company? Would Valentine’s Day have the same impact if it were earlier in the year, and family members exchanged gifts instead of vows, ate turkey instead of chocolate and were struck by the need to sing instead of by arrows?
As we wrap up, it’s also important to know your keywords. When errant boyfriends get on Google last minute because they just now realized it’s February 13th and if they want things to remain copacetic at home they will need to do some last minute shopping, what are they typing into Google? Chocolate? (They are if they are smart.) Romantic love poems (that better be written in a card sitting on a box of chocolates). Diamond rings? Overnight shipping? Closest Walgreen’s Pharmacy that has stuffed teddy bears? You’ll want to create a specific list of keywords, or search terms, you’ll want to be found by. These terms do not need to be sophisticated, but they do need to be clear. If someone were doing a keyword search for you on Google, what would they be typing? Keep these keywords by your computer at all times, and use them often in your social media efforts.
With this information in place, you — as an individual working in or running a business — have the basic tools needed for a successful social media campaign. If I were to do St. Valentine’s social media this season there is a final step I would recommend:
Create your profile in a Word Document. Your social presence, whether it’s on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, is a website. Make no mistake. This is a professional representation of you. If you create your profile first in a word document, you:
Are less likely to have spelling errors Are less likely to have grammatical errors Can format certain areas with bullets and spacing Can re-purpose content in other social media sites Can create a template for other employees, generating a unified message and image Have a back-up in case anything happens to your LinkedIn account
When you begin to communicate and build relationships on social media, always remember why you are there. What is your social story? What is your core desire that you want to share with your clients and tribe? How are you making their lives better? Why you? Remember that and your social presence will be strong and influential. Don’t waste time — sell more chocolate.
Viveka von Rosen is a nationally renowned LinkedIn speaker, trainer and consultant, working with business professionals sharing the secrets and strategies of using LinkedIn effectively. She helps clients create a more powerful presence on LinkedIn, grow a truly useful network, and build connection and relationship strategies unique to their company culture.
byArielle Ford
What does it take to manifest the love of your life? I’ve heard from first-time brides (at 49 and older!), from busy entrepreneurs whose 80-hour-a-week work schedules left little time for romance, and from divorcees and widowers who were convinced that the opportunity for true love had long passed them by. Whether these soul mate success stories come from Russia, Ireland, Spain, South Korea, Nova Scotia, Poland, Iran, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Norway, or the good ‘ole U.S. of A., I can always spot the common theme woven throughout them. Those who have successfully manifested their soul mates did so by finding a healthy balance between intending and allowing, between doing and being.
Not only did they do the necessary work; they made soul mate lists, they cleaned up the emotional baggage still lingering from past relationships, and they made space for their beloved’s presence in every area of their lives. They also cultivated a state of what the Buddhists call “Beginner’s Mind.” They carried out manifestation exercises and rituals with an attitude of openness, eagerness, and an absence of preconceptions. Even if their hearts were still aching from a past breakup or their present circumstances were less than ideal, they didn’t allow themselves to fall into the common trap of thinking that they’d already done and tried everything, and therefore nothing new would work for them. They stayed open to the possibilities and remained hopeful, not defeated.
Occasionally I receive stories from people who fall into this latter category, from men and women who are frustrated because they’ve been actively “searching” for their soul mates without success. The theme of their stories is equally easy to detect. It goes something like this: I’ve watched ‘The Secret,’ I’ve made my list of qualities that I want my ideal man or woman to possess… It’s been almost a year and he/she still hasn’t shown up! The energetic signal being sent through these messages practically jumps off the page and, let’s just say, it’s not one of irresistible attraction!
Becoming a successful manifestor – whether you want to manifest love, money, a new career, or simply a parking space – requires a certain level of emotional maturity. Great manifestors have learned the art of managing their thoughts and emotions so that even when doubt, fear or other limiting feelings pop up, they are not swept into a spiral of negativity. Developing this kind of mental discipline requires us to make a deliberate choice to focus our attention on what we desire rather than on what we don’t want.
For example, whenever I catch myself dwelling on a negative or unpleasant thought or feeling, I say to myself “cancel-cancel,” and then I intentionally create a new vision for myself. Sometimes this simple shift in perception is all I need, and other times I reach into my toolkit of emotional release techniques and dedicate five or ten minutes to working through my mini-issue so that my creative energies stay aligned with the outcome I desire.
As someone who is consciously focused on manifesting your soul mate, you too must recognize the powerful influence your thoughts and feelings have on your point of attraction and do your best to keep them positive. I know; the process of magnetizing your soul mate can get discouraging at times. But if you’re approaching it from the mindset of “it’s been a year and it still hasn’t happened,” you’re living in the reality of what’s missing. The universe simply can’t add more love to your life when you’re focused on the love you don’t have. Like the old tale of the farmer pulling up the newly planted seed to search for evidence of growth, the very act of “searching” evokes a feeling of desperation that blocks the natural flow of love. But if you can shift your focus to magnetizing your soul mate rather than “looking” for him or her; and if you can adjust your emotional state from impatience to savoring the waiting, love will blossom in its own time, and in colors and fragrances that will both surprise and delight you.
Those who successfully manifest love have learned and surrendered to the fact that it’s not our job to know where or how our soulmate will appear. We don’t have to micromanage every encounter or anticipate every detail. Our job is to simply prepare ourselves in body, mind, and soul and then relax into the knowledge that the one we’ve asked for – wherever he or she may be at this moment – that person is on the way to you from wherever he or she is right now. The details are not yours to coordinate. Your job is simply to love yourself, enjoy your life as it unfolds in each moment, hold a clear intention of the love you are manifesting, and have faith in the unseen forces that are even now guiding the fulfillment of your dream.
Arielle Ford is the author of seven books including the international bestselling The Soulmate Secret: How To Manifest The Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction. Arielle lives in La Jolla, CA with her husband, Brian Hilliard, and their feline friends. www.arielleford.com and www.soulmatesecret.com
Side bar exercise:
Creating Beginner’s Mind
Take time each day to sit quietly and allow yourself to let go of the chaos of the day as you put your attention on your heart’s desire. Allow yourself to feel what it feels like to be living right now, in this moment, with the love of your life. Ask yourself, “here in my body do I feel the joy and excitement, the utter knowingness, that I am now connected to my soul mate?” And then, luxuriate and savor those feelings.
1) Let go of the need to “know” — as human beings we are always striving for certainty. We want life to appear in clear, black and white terms so we can make our plans and move on with our lives. Manifesting requires that we first let go of our need to know when and how our beloved will appear and to begin to trust that our desires are being fulfilled even though we can’t yet see the proof.
2) Give up the “should” thoughts as in “my soul mate should already be here with me” or “I should be doing something more to make love happen.” The path to successful manifestation involves having a clarity of desire (intention), trust and belief that what you have asked for is already yours, and taking appropriate action steps that feel good to you. Remember that Divine Timing plays a big role.
3) Focus on questions, not answers, such as “what gifts do I bring to my relationship with my soul mate?” and “what traits and qualities will my soul mate possess that will contribute to my long-term happiness?”
4) Trust your gut and listen to your inner voice – does the thought of online dating delight you or make you queasy? Let your inner knowing guide you to the actions steps that are right for you and don’t be pressured by friends and family who insist you do it “their way.”
by Tuula Fai
Filmmaker Will Arntz burst into collective consciousness in 2005 with his hit movie What The Bleep Do We Know?! The film ignited people’s interest in the science of spirituality and sparked a grassroots movement around quantum physics.
Arntz is breaking new ground again in his latest film, Ghettophysics: Will the Real Pimps and Hos Please Stand Up!, co-created with author E. Raymond Brown. Why pimps and hos? They are an analogy for how power works in the world. Pimps are the leaders who use manipulation to get people to do what they want. Hos are the followers who accept the status quo without questioning why things are the way they are. To lead an empowered life we need to understand two simple Ghettophysics principles: 1) we create our own reality and 2) the macrocosm (world) reflects the microcosm (individual). In this interview, Arntz shows us how to apply Ghettophysics to lead a more empowered life.
What is the message of your new film, Ghettophysics: Will the Real Pimps and Hos Please Stand Up!
The first message is to be aware of all the games out there. The world is full of people trying to convince you to do what they want. Second, once you are aware, it is up to you to choose what you want to do, which creates your happiness and your power. That’s the message of the film. It’s the empowerment of the individual to break free from all the conditioning.
How do the street terms pimps and hos help you communicate this message?
It’s shock therapy because most of us have some sort of response to these words. First, they grab your attention. Second, they’re a great analogy for how power and manipulation work in the world. They cut through all the nice rhetoric and tell it like it is. For instance, politicians talk about patriotism and terrorism to justify taking away our constitutional freedoms. The street approach of saying, “They’re just pimping us on patriotism to get us to do something,” helps us see what’s really going on.
The other reason the language works is that we are appealing to an audience that’s generally not going to pick up self-help books. It’s more for twenty to thirty-five year olds who are a little cynical and rebellious. If you start coming at them with metaphysics and spirituality, they are going to be like, “Yeah, whatever.” But, if you talk pimps and hos, then they’re like, “Okay, no one is going to preach to me so I can listen.”
Is the movie’s message also about taking personal responsibility to change yourself first?
Definitely. It’s classic Buddhism. If you are a mess inside, you are not going to do any good trying to change the world. You are probably just going to mess things up. So take care of business at home first. Be responsible. Don’t look outside for happiness because it never works. I’ve been there. Before I did films, I created a software company, sold it for millions, and didn’t have to work again. I thought, “This is going to give me happiness.” It did for a couple of months. Then, it was like, “Well, I’m still me.” Focusing within for happiness is another important message of the film.
In the film, you use archetypes to explain the power dynamics of pimps and hos. Please tell us more.
Archetypes are everywhere all the time. It’s not just about pimps and hos in the street sense, it’s about energies. The pimp is the leader, the king, the priest, and the idealist. The ho is the follower, the server, the worker, and the caretaker. We want to move beyond the stereotypes to eliminate the value judgment — because in our society, everyone wants to be the pimp. But it’s not one or the other. You need both sides to have a happy, safe world.
Are you surprised by people’s reactions to the film?
I’ve been a little surprised by the response of the African-American media. There has been some push back. My sense is they don’t want to have anything to do with pimps and hos. I think it’s because they haven’t really seen the film. Unless you watch it, you don’t know what it’s about. You might think it’s a film glorifying street life. But the people who actually show up at the theater — including those in the spiritual community — have had a very positive response.
What did John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman, mean when he said the distance between rich and poor has led to a worldwide crisis?
John said that the trouble is the extreme disparity between the pimps and the hos — the wealthy nations and the developing ones. The pimps are making way too much money and the people doing the work are making way too little. For example, you have Nike executives earning extraordinary salaries on the backs of child workers in Malaysia. My favorite quote in the movie is by Lo da Show who says “Let’s unite, let’s don’t fight, and let’s get the money right.” That sums it up. If you get the money right, then you don’t have such disparity and that’s where much of the hatred and unrest comes from.
In the movie, Cornell West says something like, “Your job is to de-pimpify but keep the wisdom you learned from your pimpery. What did he mean?
It’s the knowledge you gain from being in a leadership role. You learn how to motivate people and get them to do what you want to affect change. It’s also the wisdom to recognize that if you are just affecting change for your own good — for your own pimpery — then it’s not going to bring you happiness.
Byron Katie says in the film, “You have to believe it to see it.” You quote Buckminster Fuller who said, “We are about to find out if humans are a successful experiment of nature.” Do you believe we can evolve beyond our pimp and ho power structure?
I’m an optimist. If I didn’t believe it was possible, I wouldn’t have made the movie. Bucky Fuller used to say, “All the solutions to all the problems are already there, it’s just a matter of will to implement them.” I hope this movie will push people toward solutions.
In the film, you talk about getting trapped in victim mode. Please explain.
Brother Ishmael who’s featured in the movie calls victimhood “CEB Disease: Complain, Excusitis, Blameology.” Many people fall back into CEB. As soon as you do, you’re in a ho mindset. Most people, myself included, go into that victim mindset from time to time. It’s a real dead end.
What is success for you with this film?
Success is getting people to think for themselves and take responsibility for their lives. I want them to become aware and question things so they’re not just taking the status quo as it comes. I believe people are much smarter than those in power give them credit for. If we can just release people’s innate creativity and intelligence, then things will get a lot better. But many people in power don’t want to unleash this because they fear losing control.
Please give an example where pimps have exploited the victim mindset to remain in power.
The Roman Empire used bread and circus. Its leaders kept people happy by giving free bread and wine and entertaining them at the Coliseum. Today it’s letting people watch Sunday afternoon football and drink cheap beer. Leaders also use fear. In the film we said, “If the pimp says the terrorists are everywhere, then the ho says, “Take all my freedom.” That’s what the Bush administration did with The Patriot Act, which took away a lot of our constitutional rights. He played on our fear of terrorism to get us to do something that was really about special interests.
Hitler said, “If you tell a lie, make it extravagant. The more extravagant it is, the more people will believe it. They will say, ‘It must be true because it is so outrageous.’” He also said, “Tell a lie often enough and it will eventually become truth.” These quotes never made it into the film but their Machiavellian tactics are at work in our political campaigns today. Just look at how the candidates go for fear and hate in order to manipulate.
Does Ghettophysics build upon What The Bleep?! in some way?
What The Bleep?! was about the merger of metaphysics and science. In Ghettophysics, we don’t do a lot of scientific analysis. We just take some basic premises — like creating our own reality and the macrocosm reflecting the microcosm — and run with them. The focus is much more on how these concepts show up in the world.
The audience wanted resources to keep learning about Ghettophysics. What’s available?
We started working on them and have a resources page on our website. I don’t have time to do more right now because I’m so involved with the film’s release.
Are you happy doing what you are doing?
Yeah. I’m glad to do something that does some good. I get chills when people say, “Wow, that film really changed my life.” It’s pretty cool that I could do that for them. I seem to have done about ten lifetimes in one. You want to keep throwing off the old self because every time you do, it’s a new incarnation. You can incarnate a hundred more times or you can do it in one lifetime.” I’ve gone for that fast path.
Tuula Fai, MBA, CST, NCTMB is the author of Seek The Lover Within: Lessons from 50 Spiritual Leaders. For fifteen years, Tuula has worked as a Marketing Director and CranioSacral Therapist. www.tuulafai.com or email her at <tuula@ascendancehealing.com>.
by Inger Giffin
It’s the midst of winter and all is elusive... the days are short and dark, the fields barren. Not much occurs on the surface, and when we are in rhythm with the patterns of nature, our lives reflect this dormancy as well. In this time of rest, and especially in our do-ing culture, it is all too easy to underestimate the subtleties of power and transformation that are brewing beneath the surface. According to the Taoist roots of Chinese Medicine and 5-Elements theory, we are now in the season associated with the Water Element. When asked their favorite season, most people proclaim “Summer!” Who doesn’t enjoy hanging out in that time of Fire, of parties, celebrations and sunshine? But ask who loves winter, and you’re mostly met with sullen answers filled with longings for spring. So let’s look towards the power of Water, and draw on it to help us through this often trying season.
Water is depth. It is associated with the transformative processes of life, death, and rebirth. Many philosophers are Water types, who are quite pleased to spend their days engulfed in quandaries into the nature of existence. They understand that something deep and intense is happening beneath the surface — something unknown — and they seek to bring this awareness and acceptance into their daily existence. Many, in times of profound emotion, report dreaming of being engulfed in waves, or drowning in the ocean’s waters. It is natural in these times of intensity to be overwhelmed with fear, and indeed fear is the emotion associated with Water. But when our Water element is balanced, rather than living in fear, we are able to be in the philosopher’s state of awe, and can ponder the unknowns of life and death without being swept away by overwhelm. Physically, the Water element is about our growth, development, and reproduction, and is related to the kidneys and bladder organs, and to our bones. It is common for issues related to these organs to arise during their peak season. For example, during the winter, people may experience more dramatic issues with frequent urination. Because the kidneys store our vital life force energy, or Qi, fatigue is common in winter. When this Qi is depleted, such as in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or adrenal burnout, it is hard to even find the energy to carry out our daily functions.
Also related to our kidneys are sexual energy (there can be impotence, low sex drive, or infertility), “grasping the lung Qi” (there can be asthma or shallow breathing), and temperature regulation (there can be extreme cold or heat, as in hot flashes).
Follow these tips for balancing your Water element:
• Food Therapy: focus your meals around foods that balance your kidneys. -For those prone to cold: warming foods such as cloves; fenugreek, fennel, and anise seeds, black peppercorn, ginger, cinnamon, walnuts, black beans, onion family (garlic, onions, chives, scallions, leeks), quinoa, chicken, lamb, trout, and salmon. -For those prone to heat: Millet, barley, tofu, string bean, black bean, black soybean, mung bean and its sprouts, kidney beans, and seaweeds.
• Address feelings of fear and overwhelm through using the 5 elements. The element that “controls” Water to keep it from getting out of hand is Earth, which is about grounding, nourishing and receiving. The stronger your Earth element is, then the stronger an ally it is in preventing feelings of fear from paralyzing you. Take extra care in winter to prioritize activities and time with those who are especially nourishing to your soul.
• Spend time near water. Sounds too simple to be effective? Remember, Water is about subtleties…about what’s happening beneath the surface without our “efforting.”
• Schedule some acupuncture appointments to help gain greater awareness of your own state of balance, and to deal with Water or kidney/bladder health issues. Treatments received to address those issues during this time of year will have enhanced effects.
We must look a little deeper to find the magic of winter, but beckoning the power it contains, we find that come spring, we are nourished and filled with what we need to get out there and make our place in the world once again!
Inger Giffin, is the founder of Wisdom Ways Acupuncture in Fort Collins, CO. She has been practicing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine for 9 years, and has successfully helped thousands of patients in their return to wellness. To contact, go to www.wisdomwaysacupuncture.com, or call (970) 227-3077.
by Maryjo Morgan
Thickly embroidered wall hangings depict the balance-seeking circular dance of phoenix and dragon. Tall potted plants and delicate silk cherry blossoms complement the surprising display of immense jade carvings and objects d’art. Inviting aromas of soothing massage oils and the soft trickle of water create a sensual welcome within the Summey Health Universal Wellness Center in Loveland.
Beyond the museum quality exhibit in the reception area lie the themed massage rooms, carbon wave saunas, vichy shower and steam room. In addition, licensed massage therapists offer a variety of healing techniques such as Therapeutic Massage, Energy Therapy, Essential Oils Therapy, Reflexology, Salt Rubs and Armotherapy.
Welcome to the brainchild of Loveland entrepreneur and Center president, Walter Huang, whose facility brings together board certified chiropractic care, non-invasive diagnostic technology and sumptuous relaxation in a uniquely collaborative environment. It is quickly apparent this is a place of healing, wholeness and well-being. The Center addresses wellness utilizing advanced technology, medically accredited processes and ancient modalities in a spa-like setting, resplendent with Chinese craftsmanship.
In his suite within the center, you will find Dr. Stephen R. Summey DC, FACO, CCSP and Executive Director of the Center. He has been in private chiropractic practice for over thirty years, treating patients and screening the public for various musculoskeletal and related conditions. Dr. Summey is also qualified in Sports Rehabilitation and Body Composition Testing (Futrex), and is a licensed HeartMath ® provider. He is dedicated to wellness, educating individuals and employers about the benefits of wellness programs.
Summey notes the need of our society as a whole to pay more attention to prevention and wellness. “This country is finding itself in a major dilemma between treating illness and being well. People are unaware of prevention because there is no money in prevention. Yet people here still cannot afford the best medical care available on the planet.”
As a founding board member of the Colorado Society for Wellness and Prevention, he believes the health of the workforce is tangled in politics and economics. However, with recent Colorado legislation, our bankrupt medical system is finally shifting towards prevention. With passage of House Bill 1160 in 2010, employers can now give workers up to 30 percent discount on insurance premiums if employees participate in a certified wellness program. Summey points out, “One dollar spent on wellness in an employee/employer situation saves three dollars on the sickness side of things.”
For more information about Summey Health Universal Wellness Center visit www.shu-wc.org.
Separate boxed section:
Walter Huang has been collecting Chinese art for decades. Recently he realized he could share its soul-soothing beauty with others through the Center.
“It feels good to give back to the community, and I hope I am giving back, helping people feel more alive and that life is good.” This is the first time he has exhibited his collection to the public. As an immigrant, Huang's perspective is full of gratitude. “I feel rich in my American dream. I am living it!”
Two intricately carved jade boats from Hong Kong give magnificent testimony to Chinese carving skill. One is fashioned from yellow jade; the other is luminescent pale green jade. They are over one hundred years old each — and heavy! The green jade ship alone weighs 400 pounds. The exhibit even includes almost two dozen pieces from the Song, Ming and Qin Dynasties. There are several four-foot porcelain vases known as immortal jars.
Noble families buried these jars, filled with money and rice, with their dead so they would have wealth after death.
Rice paintings - incredibly detailed compositions – have been painted on a single grain of rice. One set of four grains of rice depicts the seasons; another set portrays six miniature portraits. Ivory carvings so fine they could be filigree, range in size from mere inches to a gigantic whole tusk. Intricate figures and images so life-like they seem able to breathe emerge in variegated hues from carved longevity stones.
Maryjo Morgan is a full time writer with hundreds of published articles. See: www.MaryjoFaithMorgan.com. She seeks to encourage and enlighten her readers and spotlight her subjects' creativity or business acumen. Active in Chambers of Commerce, Mj believes in TOMA (top of mind awareness) and network marketing. She is a partner in www.FredsUsedWebsites.com. <Maryjo@FredsUsedWebsites.com>.
by Rebecca Louzan
The mind-body connection is a concept upon which the world’s oldest philosophies and practice of medicine were built. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic Medicine are examples. Although conventional medicine was largely developed with a reductionist approach that strictly separated the mind and body, we are becoming increasingly observant that something is missing in our medical services, and are seeking to fill the void in our health care.
The NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine released data in 2008 related to America’s use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Data indicated that four in ten American adults use some form of CAM, and that most of them are highly educated individuals.
What is CAM and IM? Conventional medicine (commonly referred to as allopathic or “Western” medicine) targets specific diseases and illnesses, and utilizes primarily pharmaceutical and surgical interventions to address patient conditions. The conventional medical model focuses upon the patient’s physical well being as an isolated entity.
Alternative medicine refers to the use of therapies that deviate from those taught in conventional medical schools as a replacement for conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is the use of alternative therapies in addition to conventional medicine. Integrative medicine (IM) is the functional combination of conventional, alternative, and complementary medicine with mental and behavioral health care, and targets the health and wellness of an individual’s physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well being.
What kinds of CAM and IM services are there in Colorado? In Northern Colorado communities and metro Denver, numerous CAM and IM resources and services are easily available.
• University of Colorado Hospital: The Center for Integrative Medicine (TCIM), Denver o A medically supervised model that provides individualized plans of care through careful assessment and monitoring of appropriate CAM approaches. Services at the Center include Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic, herb and supplement consultation, massage therapy, mind/body therapy, nutritional counseling, spiritual counseling, yoga, and Tai Chi.
• McKee Medical Center, Loveland o Hosts a Community Wellness program and a Wellspring Library that offers resources in individual well being such as expanded oncology resources and health and wellness literature. Offers Yoga and Soulplay Art Therapy support groups for oncology patients as well as wellness consultations and patient-centered educational classes.
• Longmont United Hospital (LUH) Health Center of Integrated Therapies (HCIT), Longmont o Awarded the 2004 Spirit of Planetree Best Practice Award for Integrative Medicine. Practices a patient-centered care model including the use of Integrative Medicine and a variety of therapies that complement modern conventional medicine. Offers acupuncture, manual lymphatic drainage, massage therapy, medical herbalism, nutrition therapy, yoga, meditation, Zumba® and Healthy Steps™ classes. All employees are credentialed in the Integrative Medicine therapy that they provide.
• Boulder Community Hospital (BCH) Center for Integrative Care, Boulder o Provides complementary care services for oncology patients including acupuncture, healing touch, lymphedema therapy, massage therapy, feflexology and Reiki. The Center provides individual wellness and integrative care consultations with a registered nurse and a resource center with volunteer-assisted, confidential research services.
• Swedish Medical Center and Progressive Health Center, Englewood o Offers complementary therapies for oncology patients to ease physical and emotional pain, and to optimize health care for all patients through Integrative Medicine, augmenting conventional medicine with alternative approaches. Therapies include acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, healing rhythms, herbal consultation,life energy flow Tai Yo, massage therapy, meditation, mind-body therapies, nutrition counseling, reflexology, Yoga therapy and music therapy.
• Lutheran Medical Center Bridges Integrative Health, Denver o Offers a variety of services to enrich mind, body and spirit and to integrate rich healing traditions with the latest in preventive care in a healing environment. Services include acupuncture, therapeutic massage, holistic counseling, exercise coaching, nutrition counseling, healing touch and classes such as yoga, tai chi and stress management. Bridges blends conventional medical treatments with complementary traditions to enhance patients’ health and well being.
• Poudre Valley Health Services o Offers medical expertise and complementary care options to support body, mind and spirit. Integrative services include cancer massage, healing touch, lymphedema therapy, pet therapy, music therapy and board-certified medical acupuncture. The Enhance Wellness program teaches lifestyle strategies in nutrition, activity and mindset to achieve optimum wellness. Twenty Three Trees, the medical spa, provides effective medical esthetic services and massage.
_Rebecca Louzan is the Grant & Marketing Director of AlterMed Research Foundation. For more information on AlterMed Research Foundation please visit us at www.altermedresearch.org _
by Lorraine Caron
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of health care with a rich history. Its roots extend back to European nature cure, homeopathy, western herbalism, and American eclectic medicine. Naturopathic medicine is not defined by the techniques that may be used, but instead a unique view of health and disease guides the practice, which is based on six principles.
The most fundamental principle is the healing power of nature. It is understood that every living thing has a vital force which is always attempting to heal.
In every patient encounter, the intensity of treatment is matched to the severity of the sickness and the strength of the patient. This is what it means to do no harm.
Naturopathic doctors are committed to treating the cause. Therapies which suppress or cover up symptoms are sometimes necessary or helpful, but true healing only happens when the reason for symptoms is addressed.
Research over the last twenty years in psychoneuroimmunology (mind-body medicine) has increasingly shown that mind, body and spirit are not separate. Naturopathic doctors treat the whole person.
Naturopathic doctors are teachers who work to help patients understand why they’re sick, how they will get well, and how they can maintain good health.
This patient education is one part of prevention, the last of the six principles. Holistic medicine means not only treatment when sick, but everything that will lead to better health in the future.
In Colorado, there are about 100 naturopathic doctors who are graduates of federally-accredited, four-year, residential naturopathic medical schools. These schools are colleges and universities which provide an education comparable to other doctoral-level professional programs. Naturopathic doctors are highly-trained health care providers who also have extensive training in clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, physical medicine, homeopathy, and lifestyle counseling.
In some regulated states, naturopathic doctors practice as primary care providers whose services are covered by private and public insurance. In Colorado, the practice of naturopathic medicine is unregulated. The Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CoAND), an affiliate of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, actively supports legislation to license naturopathic doctors in Colorado.
There are very good reasons for regulating doctors. There is a higher standard for those who are considered experts in their field.
Regulation, first and foremost, protects public safety. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies in 2008 reported that improperly trained providers (some of whom had as little as six months of online coursework) had indeed caused harm in Colorado and elsewhere. They recommended licensure of naturopathic doctors. Licensure holds doctors accountable at the state level for appropriate education and practice. Coloradans deserve better than “buyer beware” when it comes to their health care.
Colorado, like much of the country, suffers from a shortage of primary care providers. Naturopathic doctors are well-positioned to help fill this need, because most practice primary care. What is clear from other recently-licensed states is that once regulation is in place, more doctors come, which benefits patients.
Colorado citizens should have the right to choose the type of provider they see. Consumers who want qualified naturopathic care should be able to access it. When insurance covers care, access increases substantially, and that only happens with regulation.
Historically, there have been two concerns raised about licensing naturopathic doctors in Colorado.
Some licensed and certified practitioners have expressed concern that defining a scope of practice for naturopathic doctors would mean an infringement on their own scope, but this isn’t the case. Every regulated profession has a list of therapies which they may use, and there is definite overlap. Medical doctors, osteopathic doctors, nurses, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and dietitians are all allowed to make dietary recommendations, for example.
The other worry has been that unregulated alternative practitioners would be put out of business if naturopathic doctors are licensed. In Oregon, a state which has licensed naturopathic doctors since 1927, a quick Google search returns thousands of listings for health coaches, homeopaths, reiki practitioners, and other unregulated practitioners. The success of stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes in licensed states is also indisputable.
Naturopathic doctors are well-trained holistic health care practitioners. Licensure will provide standards and accountability, protect public safety, add to the health care pool, and give Coloradans the right to see the doctor of their choice. For more information, please visit www.ColoradoND.org.
Lorraine Caron, ND, graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Caron is a member of the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and the Pediatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and children.
by Becky Brewer-
Chances are you know or have known a loved one with a chronic illness or cancer. If so, you probably have experienced first-hand frustration with conventional medicine due to the lack of root-cause treatments, preventative measures and/or possible cures. As far back as 400 BC, Hippocrates recommended a tea prepared from willow leaves, which contain salicylates, to treat labor pains. Today, aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid, is widely used to treat pain. However, before this remedy would be accepted by conventional medicine, thousands of years had passed. The key to general acceptance was peer-reviewed scientific research involving double-blind studies. Bringing effective complementary and alternative therapies to a widespread population requires funding to support sound scientific research and education.
AlterMed Research Foundation, dedicated to healthful living, is a non-profit organization committed to scientific research and education of complementary and alternative medicine (or integrative medicine) to manage, treat, and prevent human chronic illness and cancer. AlterMed bridges evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to conventional medicine by promoting quality research and education.
Since its inception in 2006, AlterMed has successfully provided training for Northern Colorado medical residents in CAM topics, and in 2009 initiated and hosted the very first Colorado Integrative Medicine Conference: Focus on mind-body medicine. Sponsored by the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine for continuing medical education credits, this conference was attended by over 250 attendees; 95 percent of those surveyed rated the quality of the conference as very good to excellent.
In 2011, AlterMed will host the second Colorado Integrative Medicine Conference (cIMc 2011): Focus on Mind-Body Medicine & Lifestyle Management, July 15–17, at the YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado. Keynote speakers for cIMc 2011 are Dr. Richard Davidson, Vilas Professor of Psychology & Psychiatry, and Director of Waisman Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, and Dr. David L. Katz, Associate Professor of Public Health, Director of Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.
Dr. Davidson is both a distinguished scientific researcher and ardent spiritual seeker. Among his many accomplishments is the ground-breaking work in mind-body medicine that has stemmed from his collaborations with the Dalai Lama since 1992. This research is revealing that brain function can be altered through meditative training.
Dr. Katz is an internationally renowned authority on nutrition, weight management, and the prevention of chronic disease, and an internationally recognized leader in integrative medicine and patient-centered care. Author of a number of popular books on obesity, health, and chronic illness prevention, Dr. Katz also contributes a monthly column to O, the Oprah Magazine, and regularly writes blogs for Prevention Magazine.
Topics for lectures/workshops for cIMc 2011 augment conventional medical training, and include:
• Latest Meditation Research & Futures
• Obesity and Health & Chronic Illness Prevention
• Eating Disorders & Addictions/Nutrition
• Integrative Psychiatry - Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma
• Yoga and Chronic Pain
• Overcoming anxiety and depression
• Evidence-based Ayurvedic Medicine
• Spirituality in Medicine
• Hormones and Mental Health
Today’s typical lifestyles lead to increasing rates of obesity and chronic illness. The July cIMc 2011 will focus on lifestyles, stress reduction, and dietary changes to naturally and effectively decrease the risk of health problems. With over 400 health professional attendees expected, this meaningful agenda promises that cIMc 2011 will successfully bring us that much closer to bridging this crucial gap.
Why is this so important? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic illness accounts for 70 percent of all deaths in the U.S. Truly, in the area of chronic illness, conventional medicine falls short. As a result, two-thirds of Americans have turned to CAM. However, only one percent of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) biomedical funds are allocated to CAM research, and pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to invest in un-patentable CAM research. Unfortunately, with such little research funding, effective CAM therapies take extensive time to be discovered and proven, while much of the population suffers and waits.
AlterMed seeks to greatly accelerate effective CAM therapies, through acquiring and distributing funding that will support breakthrough quality education and research. With your help, we can alleviate human suffering due to chronic illnesses such as cancer, asthma, digestive disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and numerous others. Let’s not wait thousands of years as we did with aspirin. Please consider volunteering, donating or sponsoring, in support of our mission, and please join us for cIMc 2011! For more information on cIMc 2011 and AlterMed Research Foundation, please visit www.AlterMedResearch.org.
Becky is Research and Education Director of AlterMed Research Foundation. She is coauthor of Esstentials of General, Organic, and Biochemistry: An Integrated Approach, and seeks to facilitate awareness of effective alternative and complementary therapies to a widespread population.
by Phyllis K. Kennemer
Is the innate wisdom of the human body able to regulate itself and to heal disorders? Is illness caused by an imbalance in the body’s natural systems? Can the body be brought back into harmony through the use of natural remedies, including dietary and lifestyle changes? Is Naturopathy the path to long term good health?
Naturopathic physicians offer an integrated coordination of health care based on the premise that the human body functions as a whole system with interconnected physical, emotional and spiritual components. Doctors trained in Western medicine diagnose and treat symptoms, often through the use of pharmaceuticals and surgery. Conversely, naturopathic doctors look at the whole person and treat the cause of the problem rather than the symptom. Their practices and techniques serve as a bridge between Western medical practices and those offered through a variety of alternative health procedures.
Naturopathy helps bring about lasting cures to health problems, engaging the patient in accepting responsibility for good health through changes in life practices.
Dr. Lorraine Caron, ND, is a graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Naturopathic doctors complete a four-year post-graduate program. During the first two years, the curriculum is similar to that found in traditional MD programs in medical schools – basic medical sciences and diagnosis.
After the first two years the types of studies diverge. While typical medical students are learning about specific symptoms and ways to deal with them mainly through the use of pharmaceuticals and surgery, the naturopathic students are studying the use of natural remedies, including vitamin/mineral supplements, herbal compounds, homeopathic remedies, and physical treatments along with lifestyle changes that help the body heal itself.
Upon graduation, a naturopathic doctor is qualified to provide basic medical services, and in states with licensure procedures in place, these doctors may serve as primary physicians. Colorado is one of the states that does not have a licensure procedure for naturopathic doctors. Dr. Caron continues to keep her license from the state of Oregon active, but the lack of licensure in this state limits her practice, preventing her from prescribing medications and administering vaccinations, for example.
Dr. Caron explains that eating a healthy diet provides the basis for maintaining wellness. Identifying nutritional needs and possible deficiencies, food allergies or sensitivities is basic to her diagnosis and recommendations for all patients. Helping patients change eating habits and engage in appropriate exercise is central to her treatment practices.
Dr. Caron has extensive training in the effective use of homeopathic treatment, a system in which specifically prepared dilutions of substances are matched with the patient to stimulate the body’s innate healing forces. Homeopathic remedies act deeply on both the emotional and physical levels to create lasting change. She is also trained in the use of botanical medicine, using natural herbal remedies which support the body in its healing process.
Hydrotherapy utilizes hot and cold water applications, steam, and sauna techniques. Dr. Caron uses hydrotherapy in limited ways in her present practice, but she looks forward to her “dream clinic” where she will have the tubs and water supplies necessary for more wide-ranging treatments. Lifestyle counseling is a major part of Dr. Caron’s work. She teaches techniques for reducing stress and eliminating factors that cause illness. She works closely with other health care professionals and makes referrals to medical doctors, psychiatrists, and alternative treatment practitioners when appropriate.
Because of the lack of licensure for naturopathic medicine in Colorado, prospective patients are advised to check on the training and education of the provider before selecting a doctor. Some doctors specialize in specific procedures, so a preliminary consultation is also necessary before treatment begins.
A number of naturopathic physicians offer their services through clinics located in Northern Colorado including Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont and Boulder. They can be found on the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians website.
The Six Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
• Do No Harm Naturopathic doctors begin with the least invasive therapies possible. They use and recommend low-risk procedures and compounds with few or no side effects. Each diagnosis and treatment plan is prepared to meet the needs of the individual patient.
• Implement the Healing Power of Nature Health is the natural state of the body. When harmful barriers are found and removed, the body returns to its natural healthy state.
• Identify and Treat the Cause Unless the cause of the symptom is found and removed, the body will continue to attempt self-healing and the symptom will reoccur.
• The Doctor as Teacher Education empowers people to take responsibility for their own health. Naturopathic doctors teach patients how to eat, exercise, relax and nurture themselves, taking into account their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
• Treat the Whole Person Naturopathic physicians recognize the unique qualities and needs of each person. They consider all aspects of the person’s makeup and of the environment in which that person exists before determining a course of action and treatment.
• Prevent Illness Health screenings and counseling enable doctors to create treatment procedures that reduce the risks of health ailments and help them to establish healthy lifestyles.
Dr. Phyllis K. Kennemer is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. She is a life-long learner and educator with a specialty in children’s literature.
SIDEBARS
Areas of Focus and Training in Naturopathic Medicine (Not all doctors engage in all of these treatments.)
• Preventive Medicine • Healthy Diet and Clinical Nutrition • Vitamin and Mineral Supplements • Food Sensitivity and Allergy Testing • Botanical Medicine • Herbal Treatments • Immune System Support • Weight Loss • Chronic Illnesses • Sports Medicine • Hydrotherapy • Homeopathic Treatments • Acupuncture • CranioSacral Therapy • Massage Therapy • Life Style Counseling
Websites
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians: www.naturopathic.org AANP Find a Doctor: www.naturopathic.org/AF_MemberDirectory.asp. Dr. Lorraine Caron: www.drlorrainecaron.com NaturoDoc: www.naturodoc.com
by Sarina Baptiste
Not long ago, psychics were thought to be menacing mind readers who stared into crystal balls foretelling futures of darkness and despair. Neon signs flashed “PSYCHIC” in electric blue above storefront windows, as women in strange garb peered at the passersby. This was the image in my head when someone said “psychic.”
That is, until I became one.
When I was told I was psychic, I laughed--heartily! I have since learned so much about these abilities, and I am thankful to say I have not changed my clothing style or invested in signage for my home. Many just like me are realizing their psychic abilities. The lines between those with “inherent” psychic abilities and “regular folk” no longer exist. It is now possible for anyone to connect to the Other Side with dedication and practice.
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by Tuula Fai
Marci Shimoff, New York Times bestselling author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason likes to begin her talks with showing a picture of herself at age two. In the photo, she has one hand on her head and a worried look on her face. Shimoff says she was born with “existential angst” and a “deep pain in her heart,” which she tried to fill with food.
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