ALL ONE ERA magazine
November Moon 2015
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November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
November Moon 2015 - Issue # 3 Publisher Stephen Cipes stephen@alloneera.com EditorEditor-inin-Chief Teena Clipston teena@alloneeramag.com Senior Editor Jessica Kirby Layout and Design Teena Clipston Advertising Tara Christmann Pilling tara@alloneeramag.com Circulation Manager Tara Christmann Pilling Contributors Stephen Cipes Teena Clipston Jessica Kirby Melissa MacDougall Tony Hetman Cherie Hanson Melissa Eisler Tara Christmann Pilling Dr. Ross Andersen Vincent J. Daczynski Maytawee Victoria Fabling Community Gatherings Monica Fraser www.alloneera.com
PAGE 19 - Only Love: Mind, Body, and Music interview with headliners from the Only Love Tour with Tara Pilling. Above photo: MC Yogi in front of Gandhi graffiti. Photo credit: www.mcyogi.com
Contents:
Technical Support JensenWorks Technology www.jensenworks.com
Publisher’s Letter: Welcome! by Stephen Cipes - on page 5 -
Human Levitation: Yogi Pullavar by Vincent J. Daczynski - on page 16 -
Cover Photo Birgit Freybe Bateman
The AllAll-OneOne-Era Manuscript, Chapter 3 by Stephen Cipes - on page 6 -
Levitation: A Commitment to Be ‘I AM Self’ by Maytawee - on page 17 -
Magazine: www.alloneeramag.com facebook/alloneeramag issuu.com/alloneeramag
In Conversation with Robert Bateman An All One Era Production - on page 7 -
In Paris by Cherie Hanson - on page 18 -
Zen and the Art of SelfSelf-Healing by Jessica Kirby - on page 9 -
EcoEco-therapy: Nature’s Medicine by Jessica Kirby - on page 21 -
Return to Nature: with Richard Louv by Jessica Kirby - on page 11 -
Make Your Bed a SafeZone by Dr. Ross Andersen - on page 22 -
Words and Water by Teena Clipston - on page 12 -
Five Ways to Squeeze in a Dose of Gratitude by Melissa Eisler - on page 23 -
EcoEco-therapy for Children by Melissa MacDougall - on page 13 -
Inspirational Tales: Tony’s Rock Shop by Victoria Fabling - on page 24 -
Samoan Highland Retreat by Teena Clipston & Melissa MacDougall - on page 14 -
Horse as Healer by Tony Hetman Health: A Mindful Practice by Cherie Hanson - on page 25 -
Mail to: All One Era Magazine 4870 Chute Lake Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4M3 Love and Light © 2015 all rights reserved. Opinions and perspectives expressed in the magazine are those of authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the ownership or management. Reproduction in whole or part without the publisher’s consent is strictly prohibited. ***
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
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November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Publisher’s Letter...
Welcome Grand Opening of the Robert Bateman Chieftain Gallery on Nov 14, 2015. Mr. Pettman, Robert Bateman, Petula Pettman, and Stephen Cipes. Photo credit: Matthew Jensen
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elcome Precious Readers,
In my pre-dawn me ditation in the hot tub this morning, I conjured up a meeting of the Celestial Council of which we are all a part. I was imme diately comforted by an entity from the other side that sympathized with my mounting frustration at hardly being able to penetrate the thick wall of selfcentredness prevalent in many of my fellow humans. I felt the warmth of his Presence very strongly and it was so comforting to me to know that at last, there is someone who “gets it,” who understands that we are all one forever beings. I then decided to do an experime nt in the tub. This morning, I decided to only call upon those now in bodies. The entity that had given me instant commiseration left me and I called in the Presence of ten living individuals who I know well. I quickly found that, sadly, with a council of only living entities, it was far more difficult to receive and send thoughts and e motions and there are barriers between us that slow and minimize total oneness. I then invited several entities I had known before they passed over, along with several entities known from scripture and as soon as they joined us, the barriers dissipated and we all were able to enjoy an angelic, joyous sharing.
Grand Opening of the Robert Bateman Chieftain Gallery on Nov 14, 2015. Left to right: Gabe Cipes, Opie Oppenhiem, Georgette Johnson, Steve Cipes, Delphine Derickson, Cori Derickson, two tour guides from Charming Holidays, Judy Garner, and Terrance Campbell. Photo credit Matthew Jensen
Prayers in opening blessing in the Suknaqin (Okanagan) language spoken by Delphine Derickson (middle) with Stephen Cipes and Cori Derickson. Photo credit: Matthew Jensen
November Moon 2015
What did this experiment show me today? Why am I Guided to include this experience in this Publisher’s Letter? This third issue of the All One Era magazine comes at a time just after a bloody ISIS terror attack in Paris. It comes at a time when we face the most delicate state of our existence economically, socially, spiritually, and practically. If ever there were a time to open our all-knowing, receiving, capital S, Selves, this is the time—a time three years from December 21, 2012, the official beginning of the All One Era worldwide. This issue features the third chapter of my 13-chapter book of the same title as this magazine. It reveals the most personal side of my life in print. I show you how I levitated, setting off the fire alarm, while tied up and bleeding at my wrists and ankles while thieves threatened to kill my baby son unless I told them where my cash was. It tells of my being orphaned at age 13 when my parents sent each other to the hospital in a violent fight. It tells of my life-long quest to bring peace and happiness on earth. The chapter starts with my quote, “We are microcosms of loving evolution who now face utter destruction at our hands.”
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This issue contains my interview with Robert Bateman and his thoughts on the importance of connecting children (and adults!) with nature for a more aware, peaceful, and cohesive society. Our interview with Richard Louv reveals his deeper thoughts on Nature Deficit Disorder and on his books. We have two articles on grand teachers capable of detaching from the earthly rules of gravity and entering deep traces in which they levitate from the ground. There is also a focus on healing in this issue—equine therapy, eco-therapy, and simple Zen practices guide our ability to connect with nature and self-heal, while a look at the Samoan Highland Retreat gives us inspiration to get away and regenerate. These stories and the many others were chosen with love to engage, inspire, and uplift you, as we, together, move ever deeper into the All One Era. I hope you love them. Steve Cipes Founder, All One Era Founder / Proprietor, Summerhill Pyramid Organic Winery and Bistro stephen@alloneera.com
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
The All-One-Era Manuscript, Chapter 3
Echoing of Cries By Stephen Cipes
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any moons later, I found myself back within the same dream as before, but without the honour of gazing upon the composite luminous face of the Goddess whose hand shrivelled as She cleansed the earth before my eyes. This time, it was only I, standing as one, amidst the chaos, crisis, destruction, fear, and despair that surrounded me. I stood as the collective of all of us. I was facing the mome ntous burden of repairing the damage we have done to our earth, and to ourselves. I felt within me a holistic eternal connectedness with our earth, and instantly knew and felt our grandness and oneness and how all-powerful this golden key is to saving our precious Earth! In this dream, I began to dive deeper in to the truths of our world. Weaving through countries in crisis and fear-driven wars, I found myself landing on a filthridden street in an industrial section of an Asian city. The air was laden with pollution and heavy tobacco smoke. There, I came across a baby elephant lying helplessly before me. Gray and almost lifeless, he cried out for help to save his species and his home. Calling out into the streets, I attempted to echo the elephant's cries for help. Sadly, all of those who passed before me seemed lost, submerged in a sea of arguments, heated ego-based controversy, and the hot pursuit of material goods. They acted so far removed and detached from the truths that the dying baby elephant represented. Within me welled the stinging perspective of how the majority of all of our lives have become living travesties and tragedies. I was dying, too, and all I could do was open my heart and just be with the dying elephant. As I stood there, one with my dying friend, a gust of wind brushed before us and swept a crumpled piece of paper before my feet. Bending to my knees, I picked it up and smoothed it out. It was a sheet torn from scriptures, the very last paragraph of The Hebrew Torah, The Five Books of Moses. Malachi (3: 22, 23, and 24): Remember ye the Law of Moses My servant, Which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, Even statutes and ordinances. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the land with utter destruction. In that moment in my dream, I saw that we collectively are Elijah the Prophet. This is our one heart that we all know and love! I saw clearly that to turn our hearts is to surrender our ego selves and reunite as one. It was precisely how I felt with that baby elephant. I wanted to do everything possible to give him new life. It was a tie so strong that I was willing to die for him. Few of us, if any, have been willing to die for each other. This is the time, in this new
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Levitating Tibetan Monk in the Himalayas. Photo credit: MorkiRo era of being in the universal wave, when a sentiment this strong comes to each of us, and is captured in the name of love and in our return to our glory. Awakening from this dream that too k me into the depths of despair and strife, I was overcome by the calling for all of us to save our earth and ourselves. Much like the Goddess in my Osaka dream, I would have easily sacrificed my hand, and even my life. The toxins and pollutants that now permeate our planet, combined with our addiction to radiation emitting electronic screens, processed chemical foods, drugs, and alcohol, has numbed and lowered our vibration levels to a point where we are barely able to receive, much less be proactive and one with the constant messages of Guidance, our forever stream of Loving Universal Consciousness (LUC). I can’t help drawing a comparison to the Hebrews wandering in the desert for 40 years and demanding meat instead of the vegetarian manna falling from heaven. They were then fed an avalanche of quail and most became sick with many deaths. Surely we are well past this point in our evolution; surely we know in this time how ‘we are in this world, not of this world’ and are rising to our sublime heritage while at the same time flourishing in our magnificent play-
ground, our beauteous planet, our blessed plane of demonstration. To avoid the (Malachi) prophesized utter destruction of our planet, in the form of a pole reversal, ice age, plague, or nuclear disaster, we need and deserve an awakening within our world that bends every knee. From the soul of who I am, there has always existed a kinship and oneness with something like the baby elephant in my dream, and with all the beloved plant and animal species and remaining Aboriginal peoples suffering the impact of our actions, because I too had cried out, with all my heart… just like them. I was born in to the world in New York City on April 10, 1944, just at the end of World War II. It was a time of great global chaos. As I entered my human form, the vast majority of the world's nations stood in opposition to each other. I was a war baby and one of many births during a time of millions of war-related deaths. It was a time of outrageous behaviour of the human race. The first atom bomb test was done on July 16, 1945, creating a new paradigm where we, for the first time, held the power to completely annihilate all life on earth. Upheaval was running rampant all around me. I endured unprecedented tests of human suffering, as they unfolded before me.
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The slogan in post-World War II time was, "Never again!" My parents, Leo and Mildred, had met in a swirl of love on a dance floor in Manhattan. They immediately discovered they were both descendants of Jewish families from Kiev, Russia and instantly became engaged. They were beacons of light, both giving of themselves to others with all their hearts. I saw within them so much love. They were both authors and professors, and brilliant orators. When not doing worldwide lecture tours, using their skills to help educate others, they used them for fighting with each other. The generous and gentle loving care they extended forth to the community was not at all paralleled in their attitude toward each other. Bearing witness to these two great people continuously lashing out at each other, I turned my frustration into crying fits. I hoped with all my heart to deter my parents from the great harm I saw them manifesting. Even as a little boy, I had a deep longing for peace and love. As a child thrilled with the love of life, I wanted to share everything that I had inside me with the world. And while my efforts did allow moments of peace to prevail, they were not nearly enough to end their war. One evening, in the early summer of 1957, my three-year-younger sister Valerie and I heard sirens in our neighbourhood as we played at friends’ houses. All us kids darted to our house to see the police cars and ambulances, and to witness my parents lying bloodied on the grass and being taken by ambulances to be hospitalized. The most violent of all the battles between them had finally torn our family apart. Shortly after my parents’ recovery, Val went to live with mom and Grandma Esther in New York City, and I stayed with dad. We were orphaned but in that moment, the whole world had become our family. Val enjoyed a rousing “beatnik” musical career and was surrounded by many friends, but not all were a good influence on her. She did go on to achieve her four-year degree and became a public school music teacher, but soon succumbed to a sad life of tragedy, illness, and an early death. Oddly, her greatest mentor was the world renowned Wilhelm Reich, who gave her great comfort and hope and whose biography was coincidentally presented in the ew York Times on the day of her funeral in August, 1999. On a brick at my father's house, I had inscribed the year 1957 in white paint. In spite of being on my own at the tender age of 13, I knew then that within me I held a monumental scale of messages and contributions, and that the year 1957 should be marked as a crucial turning point. That was the year I knew the wars and destruction on our earth must be ceased. I knew then that by our knowing we are forever beings, we would have and hold our precious heritage, and we would surely end all the world’s fighting and strife. I knew we had the wisdom to naturally provide for each (Continued on page 26)
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
In Conversation with Robert Bateman Robert Bateman and Stephen Cipes in Kelowna, BC on November 14, 2015 At the Robert Bateman Chieftan Gallery grand opening event held at Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Photo: Stephen Cipes and Robert Bateman sharing a glass of Grasslands Organic Merlot. Photo Credit: Matthew Jensen An A ll One Era Production
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tephen Cipes: Well. I really want to say from my heart how honoured I feel that you came today, Bob. Thank you so much.
Robert Bateman: I am very honoured, Stephen, myself. SC: Thank you so much. You’ve been coming to Summerhill now for about almost nine years. Every year I would ask you, “Mr. Bateman, would you ever consider putting your artwork on a label of our wine?” And you would always say. “No, Stephen. No. I’ve never put my name or artwork on any commercial product.” And every year you would come and I would ask you again and you would say, “No, Steve.” (laughs) RB: Finally, I caved in. SC: Finally, you caved in when you were tasting the wines and you were seeing that we were biodynamic and certified organic,
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and [inspired by] the pyramid energy and [recipients of] the gold medal awards from around the world and you finally said, “Okay ... But maybe only...” You started on artwork ideas and it went through many people to really figure it out. RB: And you’re the one and only. SC: Thank you. So here we have Mr. Bateman’s artwork on a bottle of Grasslands Organic Merlot, and today you were signing bottles of wine that people were purchasing. So beautiful. Thank you so much. And also today, which is November 14, 2015, we had a grand opening here of the Robert Bateman Chieftain Gallery which combines your brilliant work with the beautiful work of the First Nations people, some of whom have very famous names as well. The Pettmans were here. So many great artists that have signed their works and brought them in today – jewelry and sculpture – it all fits so beautifully together. And we did a little ceremony; they gave you a blanket ... RB: Yeah, I was blanketed. That's for sure.
SC: You were blanketed. They did a little dance and played the drums and welcomed you. It was a beautiful honour. And I made a little comment about how this beautiful 80 acres of land overlooking the lake just happens to probably have been the home for many thousands of people over thousands of years. It’s such a beautiful perch with the view north and south, probably a 30-kilometer view here and how the Grandmothers and Grandfathers have been urging us to bring back the culture, bring back the feeling, bring back the love of the land through the art. And today, it’s a beautiful day, a beautiful new beginning. I will shake your hand again and thank you for being here and for allowing us to use this the Robert Bateman name, the beautiful name. You’re the Canadian national treasure artist and we love that you honour us with your name and allowing us to use it in our gallery. Thank you so much. I also want to thank you so much for signing the Declaration today. This is the Declaration that we are hoping to convert the entire valley, this precious little valley … we’re calling it the 2020 Vision, a Declaration to take the whole valley organic.
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We are so far north. We are the most northern area that grows grapes and fruit in the world. We’re up near the 50th parallel and yet we’re protected by the mountains and so the weather patterns are not too extreme and if ever there were to be an area where we could grow the grapes and the fruit without chemicals, this would be the area. And we could be a diamond on the emerald planet. And already we just put this in the end of September and here it is the middle of November and we have thousands of signatures including two mayors’, many of the tribal chiefs’, and the water board people. David Suzuki has signed it, you have signed it. It’s just a wonderful phenomenon to know perhaps we can achieve this beautiful thing and with your help and with your wonderful encouragement to support... RB: It could be a model for the world, I think. SC: A model for the world. RB: Yep. (Continued on page 8)
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ALL ONE ERA magazine SC: Yes sir, so beautiful. Appreciate it. I also wanted to present you with the first two issues of our All One Era magazine. This one features myself on the cover and the first chapter of my 13-chapter book. I also want to present you with the second issue, which features an interview with Dr. David Suzuki I did last month at the water forum. Here, David and I are having a high five. (laughs) RB: Well, thank you very much. And I have something for you. It is my latest book. It’s called Life Sketches. It’s a memoir and it’s full of sketches and full of stories. I’m an old guy and so I’ve got a lot of stories. I’ve always been teacher and a sharer and so just flipping through it you can see there’s tons of sketches. SC: Beautiful, wow. I’m excited to have it. Thank you so much. RB: And there’s some photos as well and, yeah … I’m told it's not a bad read. SC: Wow. Could you sign it for me? RB: I will absolutely sign it for you. SC: Thank you. I heard today that it was on the Globe and Mail bestseller list. RB: Today, yes. Saturday the 14th. SC: Bestselling book in the country right now. RB: Yep. SC: Isn't that fantastic? Congratulations. That is fantastic. Thank you so much. Beautiful. SC: In the last month’s October Moon issue of the All One Era magazine, we interviewed David Suzuki and we discussed Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods which explains Nature Deficit Disorder, a term coined to describe various behavioural problems among young people who aren’t spending enough time outdoors. We understand you are passionate about this topic. How do you think the book’s release has affected the problem? RB: Well, I hope people … the book has been doing really well. There have been big line-ups, and crowds all across the country so far. So, if it doesn’t influence the kids, hopefully it will influence parents. It’s all about families, not just schools, who need to step up to the plate a lot more than they do. It’s more families need to get out there and make sure the kids who now spend, I’m told, seven hours a day, seven days a week – they don’t take the weekend off – looking at a screen. How much time do they spend out in nature? None. I’m told none. SC: Hardly at all. None. Zero. RB: And how much time did you, and all the parents, and all mankind’s history spend out in nature? 100 per cent. So in the last 15 years, we’ve gone from 100 per cent to zero. There’s a great saying by a Cowichan Elder First Nations on Vancouver Island; he said, “We’ve been talking about what kind of a world we are leaving for our children. We need to start talking about what kind of children we are leaving for our world.” Because they spend all their
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Robert Bateman’s recently released book—Life Sketches. Photo credit: Matthew Jensen time looking at this – I call it a cacophony of narcissism – on these screens. What kind of planet will it be? So we know nature is magic. It’s good for the body, and it’s good for the brain. It’s also good for the soul. SC: Very good for the soul. While eating smoked salmon sushi in a tiny Japanese restaurant off Times Square in Manhattan before the matinee performance of Aladdin, my five-year-old daughter Esther asked the question: “Do we separate the soul from the body before we kill the fish or the animal so it’s just the body?” Amazing. After a brief pause she went on to say, “We kiss the fish and hug the fish or the animal and then we kill it? Why we kill the fish?” My God. From the mouths of a baby. My answer: Because in nature, we are all interconnected. We live by and for each other— one whole living entity that includes all there is; however, when there are predators, such as us human beings – smart, plentiful (eight billion of us now) resourceful, and ambitious (to always get ahead of each other) – nature suffers to the astonishing state of complete ruination. And I go on to draw a graph of humanity living in harmony with nature for thousands of years and then the last hundred years, because of the technology we have today, we can wipe out the oceans. We have these 35-mile nets of death. Your speech, I will never forget it. I stopped eating shrimp after your speech, because to harvest shrimp, they take 85% and it’s thrown away and only 15 per cent of the … RB: Yeah, they call it bycatch. SC: Bycatch. I stopped eating shrimp when I heard that. I won’t go into that. But I just want to say how important your work is. RB: Thank you, but, you know what? David Suzuki talks this way. He is one of the smartest guys on the planet and I agree with everything he says, but sometimes his message brings fear into the hearts of young people and I really want to bring love into the hearts of young people.
RB: I’m told that young people, typical school kids in Canada and the States, know more about the problems of the Amazon rain forest than they do about falling in love with the woodlawn at the end of the street and it should be the other way around. We don’t need to trouble them with problems. We need to smarten up ourselves. SC: Very, very beautiful idea. RB: And help them to fall in love with the neighbours of other species. SC: This is through love and opening of our hearts, especially with children to nature. This is going to change everything and through fear it’s only going to exacerbate that fear. It’s only going to make it worse. RB: And make them less healthy. SC: In this age of video games, social media, and everything WiFi, how can we educate our communities to participate in bringing the children back to nature? RB: It’s a huge challenge and the reason is, modern technology and media have so much sizzle and I’m going to give you a quote in partial answer to this. It doesn’t give you the answer, but it sheds light on the thought. Georgia O’Keefe is arguably the most famous woman artist in history. Early 20th century. And she said, “Nobody sees a flower, really. It takes time. Like to have a friend takes time.” And what I want people to do is to take time to really see an iris or really see a yellow warbler. But it takes time and in this rushed, hurried, sizzling world, the kids are in they don’t want to take time. So what we need to do is have parents and schools have kids get immersed and going slow, not trying to go faster than you did before. Go slower than you did before and put the time into it. SC: What a beautiful sentiment and to take breaths of fresh air and the time to really see nature and be involved in and one with nature. RB: And make a friend of it.
SC: Bless your heart. That's the way to go.
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SC: We’re doing New Moon and Full Moon gatherings now for the sole purpose of being back in touch with nature and her cycles. It’s a very similar thing. Bob, you've travelled around the world painting animals in their habitats. Is this problem of Nature Deficit Disorder something that can be seen around the planet or is it more common in certain parts of the world? RB: There’s a direct correlation between technology and affluence and Nature Deficit Disorder, just because of the gadgetry and the seductiveness of the gadgetry. In many parts of the world – for example I lived in Nigeria for two years and taught high school there – they need to work with nature in order to be out in the fields and harvest the crops and they do need to pay attention; however, they too are getting seduced by technology and the great American way of life and so yes, indeed, it’s happening all over the world. SC: Habitat loss poses the greatest threat to all species. What is the single most important thing we can do to help future generations relate to animals in nature and subsequently learn to feel invested in the great outdoors? RB: Well, I don't want to say education because education seems to be just kind of an easy cop out that kids need to be educated. They need to have experiences. They need to fall in love, as I’ve already said, but what we all need to do, particularly in society as a whole and in all societies, is realize that nature is not a free lunch. There is no free lunch. And one of the big reasons we’re in this pickle with the destruction of everything is we want to take shortcuts and do [everything] the cheapest way. The great novelist Kurt Vonnegut said something I think sums up why we have the problems we do. He said, “We could have saved the world, but we were too cheap.” We don’t need any studies. We actually don’t need courses. We know what to do. We need to spend the money. We need to spend more money for our oil. My heart sinks as the price of oil sinks, I’m sorry. We need to spend more for energy; we need to spend
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ALL ONE ERA magazine more for all of our products. We [need to pay more for] organic food; it costs more and it should. It’s worth it. So we need to get this out of our minds that we want to do everything the cheapest way possible. If we don’t get it out of our minds, we’re doomed. SC: Thank you. Being a nature or naturalist artist, the importance of knowing the name and species of the object or animal you are painting is essential. Do you think this can be learned from a computer screen? What is the difference between learning in nature and reading about nature? RB: Well, there’s a big difference between learning in nature and reading about nature but I wouldn’t be exclusive and say we shouldn’t read about nature. I read about nature all the time. I grew up in the city of Toronto. I rode my bike to the Toronto Public Library and loaded up the carrier with books by Ernest Thompson Seton and Charles G.D. Roberts and all kinds of nature writers and I read them all every year and that is still in my heart, this love of nature and feeling of nature. And reading it on a computer screen is okay. Going out for a hike if you’re a kid and you want to carry your device is okay, but not for junk. Too often kids feed their faces with junk food and feed their brains and souls with junk food for the brain and soul, but you can go out with your iPad or whatever, take a photograph of a flower you don’t know, then you can Google it. It’s okay to Google. (laughs) And find out what it is and find out that it likes wet habitat or it likes sandy soils or whatever and exchange that with your friend in Ontario and say you found a trillium here and you understand that the trillium is the Ontario emblem and we’ve got trilliums here. Maybe you don’t have trilliums in the Okanagan. We have one on Salt Spring Island I found. SC: That’s amazing. RB: So it’s important to know the names, but books are part of it. SC: Beautiful. I wanted to ask you one question that I’ve always wanted to ask you. Your admirer – I'll call him Paul – who was one of your students back in high school and still works for you and has played a large role in your wonderful career. RB: He designed the setup of the Bateman Centre.
Zen and the Art of Self-Healing By Jessica Kir by
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he transformative art of Zen reverses our typical way of being in the world, and encourages us to go inward to see and experience our true Selves. Rather than continuously looking outward for success, happiness, and the secret to peaceful living, with Zen we go inward, move away from the outer realities and into the inner peace and tranquility we are all blessed with. When we feel unwell, our approach is usually one of two paths: look outward to doctors and therapies that will take away the pain, dull the symptoms, and put our minds at ease; or, ignore it – that ache, those cramps, that throbbing can’t be that serious – until we absorb the discomfort as part of what it means to be alive. We can heal ourselves. The human body can achieve many feats of wonder, including repairing injury and illness, ridding itself of foreign bodies and infection, and eliminating toxins. Because its repair functionality is ruled by the central nervous system, it is imperative we be in a relaxed state of being – a happy place ruled by the parasympathetic nervous system – in order to kick start self-repair. It sounds simple, except for the inconvenient truth that our stress response – ruled by the sympathetic nervous system – is triggered upwards of 100 times each day, dragging us farther from the state of ease and inner peace we need if we are going to slip into a state of healing. So, how is it done? What can we do to remain open and receptive to healing ourselves?
Listen to our inner voices. There is no clearer voice than the one within, the one that guides us with wisdom and inner strength—the one called intuition. If our bodies aren’t well, they will tell us with aches, pains, nausea, swelling, throbbing, stomach or gastrointestinal upset, dizziness, anxiety, and general uneasiness. When you hear the voice, resist the urge to push it aside and carry on. Our Zenselves are begging to be seen and heard. So listen carefully and take heed. Go to the root. We seek medical help for the outward name and treatment for our ailments, and in doing so we place the cause, solution, and responsibility outside of our true Selves. But if we really want to open up the door to long-term, lasting healing, we must simultaneously go within to discover what made us ill to begin with. What triggered our stress reactions so we let down our guard and became ill or injured to begin with? And most importantly, how will we reach a state of relaxation in which our healing mechanisms can work to their full poten-
tial? These are the questions that take us to the root of our ailments. Believe. There is no more powerful trigger for self-healing than belief in yourself and in your body’s ability to heal its woes. The medical community does not disagree; in fact, it has been helping prove this phenomenon for decades with the use of placebos to conduct scientific trials. There are also many, many documented cases of people coming back from life-threatening or debilitating, incurable illnesses just because they believed they could. In other cases, those who give up, become deflated, stay focused on and lost in the external cause of their misfortune almost always fail at regenerating. To choose to believe is to choose to heal. Master Your Destiny. With illness and injury comes loss, and one of the deepest losses is of control—we can’t always control when things go wrong or the outcome and side effects of our ailments, such as reduced mobility, a change in activity level, or less ability to handle executive functioning. So what can we control? We can relax. We can control our reactions, our states of mind, our support team, and our attachment to the final outcome. The world and everything in it inevitably changes—we can’t stop it, but we can manage how we react and what we expect, and most importantly, how deeply we look and what we find when we go within. Jessica Kirby, Senior Editor, All One Era magazine.
SC: Yes, he did, and we love that man so much. He’s dedicated to you and the entire Bateman family and one day he was here having dinner with me and asked me if I would join the Bateman Board which I was so honoured to do, but he took me into the gallery here and he showed me something astonishing. He said, “Stephen, you’re a person who appreciates sacred geometry. You have a pyramid. A precision pyramid. Look at Bob’s work. I don’t think he knows what he does and the magic that he has but if you look at each of the pieces there is sacred geometry in there. Every one of them. There is the Fibonacci series. There is the proportions to nature …” RB: The Golden Mean. SC: “The Golden Mean.” And then I said, “Look at the eyes of the animals, Paul. Look at those eyes. It’s like you’re not just look(Continued on page 10)
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ALL ONE ERA magazine (Continued from page 9)
ing at that animal; you are one with the animal. Bob has taken us to a dimension.” Just like Kurt Vonnegut put us in different dimensions with his writing, you have taken us to different dimensions with your magnificent art. It’s a brilliance that I don’t know if the public understands that dimension of brilliance you have or even if you understand it because you seem to. RB: I don't. SC: Well, no, and that’s a kind of a cool thing because, no, you do it naturally. You do it through you, rather than by you. RB: Let me make a comment on Paul. He, of course, was my student all through high school and he’s gone to a far higher level of this kind of sophistication than I have and I’m very flattered that Paul quotes me as having sacred geometry. I know I am conscious; sometimes I do think of The Golden Mean and the dynamic points in the pictures, but I think you touched on something a sentence or two ago. I think it’s more emotional than geometrical.
Stephen Cipes and Robert Bateman. Photo credit: Matthew Jensen
SC: Well, it is. Well, it’s pulling it together. It’s harmony. It’s holistic.
honoured that you came and please give my best regards to Birgit, your beautiful wife.
RB: And that might be underlying. There might be geometry underlying, which has impact. I do know the fact that I was an abstract artist kind of sets me apart from people who just paint two birds on a twig.
RB: Sure will. SC: And all the family and John and I hope we get together soon again. RB: Me too.
SC: I studied your abstract art. Beautiful stuff. Well, thank you so much for coming here today and for joining us and for presenting your beautiful book here. We’re so
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*** This conversation has been edited for print. To view the full conversation visit www.alloneeramag.com/videos Visit www.robertbateman.ca and or www.batemancentre.org to for more information on where to purchase Life Sketches.
SC: Thank you sir. *** RB: High five!
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
Return to Nature: An Interview with Richard Louv tional environmentalism and sustainability—an alternative vision of the future. In an essay I posted called, “Seven Reasons for a New Nature Movement,” I paraphrased Martin Luther King Jr., who taught us that any movement – any culture – will fail if it cannot paint a picture of a world that people will want to go to. I wrote that, for many Americans, perhaps most, thinking about the future conjures up images of “Blade Runner” or “Mad Max,” a post-apocalyptic dystopia stripped of nature, in which humans are stripped of their humanity. This is a dangerous fixation. One reason for it is the absence of what King advised: that vision of a future we’ll want to go to. One way to begin painting that future is to reset environmentalism and sustainability—to help them evolve into a larger, new nature movement that can touch every part of society. I’ve tried, within my limitations, to offer a version of that future.
By Jessica Kir by
A
silent epide mic among 0orth American children is reaching monumental proportions. Over the past two decades, children have increasingly spent less time outdoors, less time in free, unstructured play, and less of their discretionary time at home. Organized youth sports are taking over from street play, and virtual environme nts are slowly replacing natural environme nts as preferable places to play and interact among children of all ages. And when they have the choice, kids are spending less time at home in their yards with family and friends than at organized events or indoor entertainment options. The results are devastating. Obesity, childhood diabetes, behavioural problems related to attention and impulse control, social instability, and a general sense of apathy towards nature are on the rise, while good emotional, physical, and spiritual health diminish. More than 45% of people live in urban areas, and rarely enter nature. Kids under 12 spend an average of two hours each day staring at a screen. Only two per cent of North American children have seen a live campfire. Statistics abound and health declines but the future is not lost, says renowned author and children-in-nature advocate, Richard Louv. Louv is chairman emeritus of the Children & Nature Network and author of The ature Principle: Reconnecting With Life in a Virtual Age and Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from ature-Deficit Disorder. He says the human species is hardwired for contact with nature, and it is never too soon (or too late) to reconnect with the multi-sensory, all-encompassing outdoor world. Adults have a responsibility to encourage and pass on the importance of connecting with nature, says Louv, and a world where both nature and technology exist to bring out our deepest and most robust intellectual and emotional capacity is absolutely possible—it is actually essential. Jessica: In both The ature Principle and Last Child in the Woods you talk about nature-deficit disorder and our general sense of disconnect from the natural world. How does this affect adults differently than it affects children? Richard: As with any developmental influence, early exposure builds a stronger bond to nature, and makes a lasting imprint. If we’re lucky enough to have bonded with nature when we were young, keeping that bond as an adult – or creating a new bond – is no easy thing, but doing so has enormous benefits for leading a full life. Those of us who had that connection as kids have a responsibility to pass it along. Many adults are setting a poor example. They're staying indoors more, spending more time with electronics, and, along with their kids, having related health
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I should add that journalists like you and the media in general have helped immensely, continuing to bring attention to nature deficit and the possibility of a nature-rich future. Jessica: Is switching off the only way to adequately reconnect with nature? Is there room for technology and nature in the modern world?
problems. The rise of obesity for adults and young people is one symptom. Most children and young adults simply don’t know what they’re missing. It’s never too early – or too late – to teach children or adults to appreciate and connect with the outdoors. Personally, I think spending time outdoors for people of all ages is vital to a full life. It’s certainly true that conservation leaders typically have had pivotal nature experiences during childhood. It follows that children today who have positive outdoor experiences are going to contribute greatly to society as caretakers of the earth. One more thing—if E.O. Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis is correct (it holds that we are, as a species, hard-wired genetically to have an affiliation with the rest of nature), then it’s never too late, and we’re never too old, to unlock that connection. Jessica: You have been involved with many organizations that support children's well-being—editorial board for Parents magazine, Ford Foundation L e a de r s h i p f o r a C h a n g i n g
World, 0ational Scientific Council on the Developing Child, and others. What inspires you to do this work? Why is it so meaningful for you? Richard: I’m inspired by the good people I meet, the stories that they tell, and by the hope that true cultural change is on the way. Jessica: We've all heard that being outside is good for us, yet the US Departme nt of the Interior, Sierra Club, and The 0ature Conservancy have all cited your book, and reviews say the time to act against nature-deficit disorder is right now. What is it about your message that is so far-reaching and brings such a deep sense of urgency? Richard: This is a primal issue. It taps something deep in the human spirit—and in our biology. Also, acting on it offers hope. Many of us sense something large and hopeful forming out there, a movement that includes but goes beyond tradi-
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Richard: I’m not anti-technology, but probalance. As I say in my book, The ature Principle, the more high tech we become, the more nature we need. Utilizing both technology and nature experience will increase our intelligence, creative thinking, and productivity, giving birth to the hybrid mind. The ultimate multitasking is to live simultaneously in both the digital and the physical world, using computers to maximize our powers to process intellectual data, and natural environments to ignite all of our senses and accelerate our ability to learn and to feel; in this way, we would combine the resurfaced “primitive” powers of our ancestors with the digital speed of our teenagers. Evolution may (or may not) be out of our hands, but as individuals, the outcome is a matter of choice. We can accept and celebrate our technological skills, but at the same time realize that the gifts of nature are mandatory for the realization of our full intellectual and spiritual potential. What I call the high-performance human will incorporate the best qualities of a high-tech world and the health and intellectual advantages that come from the natural world. Louv’s ninth book, Vitamin : The Essential Guide to a ature-Rich Life, 500 Ways to Enrich your Family's Health and Happiness, will be published in April 2016 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. He is currently working on his tenth book, about the evolving relationship between humans and other animals. Jessica Kirby, Senior Editor of All One Era magazine.
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
- Words and Water -
Teena Clipston at dock in Duncan, Maple Bay, Vancouver Island on the Privateer. Photo submitted by Teena Clipston.
By Teena Clips ton
M
y significant other (at the time) and I bought a custom wooden 35’ pilothouse sloop out of Stones Marina in 0anaimo back in 2010. The boat had already had its life adventure out at sea and since we had absolutely no experience, we thought it could teach us a thing or two. The boat had already been off shore and to Mexico several times. She was old, but still, we thought, had some life left in her. She was built in 1959 in Prince Rupert by a reputable sailor by the name of Roland Lewis. She was refitted in 1991 to catch up with the times, and the new owner fiber-glassed the outside of the hull to protect the aging wood. The inside of the boat was mostly all original cedar. It still had its original mast from 1959, but some mahogany detail was added during the refit. The boat, overall, was in good shape, but certainly needed some repairs before she became sea-worthy once again. We had a survey done and were well aware of all the things that needed to be fixed. However, Campbell River was where we wanted to do our maintenance and so we climbed aboard, started up the engine, and motored her up to the Discovery Harbour Marina in the small, Vancouver Island fishing town. Now, the entrance into the harbor in Campbell River could be a tricky one. The current is extremely strong with dangerous eddies, and when the tide changes it becomes even more dangerous. So the timing had to be perfect to move the old vessel through the passage. Looking back, safety-wise it was probably not the best idea to move the boat via the Straight without fixing her first, considering the electronics were not in working order, there was a terrible leak around the propeller shaft, and almost all the bilge pumps were not working. But the day was perfect: sun shining, water calm,
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and tides on our side. There is something about being ignorant of the dangers in life that takes away one’s fear. We made it to Campbell River and hauled her out of the water. We would stay in the boat yard for a couple of months working on the boat. It was at this time, while we were working on the hard, I started to become more aware of the dangers on the sea. I read every book I could get my hands on in regards to navigation, sailing practices, and the ocean. That is when I first came across a study on water memory. The study related homeopathy research done in 1988 by Jacques Benveniste, a senior director of the French medical research organization, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM). The findings about water memory were controversial, as the topic defied what most would consider scientific understanding—I was enthralled. Benveniste reported that white blood cells can be activated to produce an immune response by solutions of antibodies that have been diluted so much that they no longer contain any biomolecules. Somehow, the water molecules retained a memory of the antibodies that they previously had contact with. If this was true, what else could water do? Further study on the memory of water led me to a video on Youtube on the Masaru Emoto water crystal experiments, entitled Messages from Water. Masaru Emoto was a Japanese author and researcher who claimed human consciousness has an effect on the molecular structure of water. He believed water could react to thoughts and words, and our emotional energies and vibrations could change the physical structure of water—so much so that polluted water could be cleaned through prayer and positive visualization. The experiments that led Emoto to these conclusions consisted of exposing water glasses to different words, photos, or music, and then freezing them and examining the properties of the resulting crystals with
Dr. Masaru Emoto The water experiment
microscopic photography. Water that was exposed to positive words and thoughts would result in beautifully-shaped geometric design, and those with negative words and thoughts would result in unsightly formations. Some people considered his research pseudoscience. However, I thought his research bore merit, perhaps because it helped me with my fears, or because I wanted to believe that all things in nature were connected in some way. Regardless, I was preparing to live on the ocean and with this knowledge and that of Benveniste, I wanted water to be my friend. So, I set upon a mission to install my thoughts upon the water. I took a clean mason jar down to the rocky shore line of the coast in Campbell River, and scooped up a jar of ocean water. I carried that water around with me for a week. I spoke to it, I told it I loved it, and I asked it to protect me on the ocean. My thought process was well understood in my mind: if the water remembered me and my loving words, when I poured it back into the ocean all of the ocean would remember me as the water from the mason jar would dilute into the ocean. Certainly maybe some thought I was crazy for doing this, but I did not care what anyone thought. I was going to live out on that ocean, and I knew of its dangerous power. I wasn’t taking any chances. The following week, I poured the mason jar of water into the ocean. Now, I can’t say if my experiment was successful or not… but in my heart, I will believe that it was. Why not? There are people who talk to their plants and see them flourish, and people who talk to the trees … And so why not talk to the water? If nothing else, it brought me peace of mind while out at sea. For more on the Masaru Emoto experiments visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PDW9Lqj8hmc
“Love and gratitude are fundamental principles of nature. At the end of its long journey through the cosmos, water arrived on the earth with love and gratitude in its bosom. The love and gratitude created the first inkling of life, and then provided the tender nurturing required for growth. Looking at the water crystal photographs awakens a primeval memory contained deep within the water in each of our cells. The message of water is love and gratitude.” - Masaru Emoto
Thoughts and Words Affect Water After seeing water react to different environme ntal conditions, pollution, and music, Dr. Emoto and colleagues decided to see how thoughts and words affected the formation of untreated, distilled, water crystals, using words typed onto paper by a word processor and taped on glass bottles overnight. The same procedure was performe d using the names of deceased persons. The waters were then frozen and photographe d. (courtesy of: Dr. Masaru Emoto)
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
Nurturing through Nature: Eco-therapy for Children
By Melissa MacDougall
T
he year is 1985. It's summe r and I am seven years old. Like ancient seafarers, I tell time by the position of the sun and once it begins to fall behind the forested mountains, once the blue sky erupts into glorious shades of pink and purple, I know my adventure is over—until I rise the following morning, that is. Today, though, my best friend since preschool is expecting me. She promised to pack milk and peanut butter sandwiches while I snagged a handful of change from my piggybank for ice cream at the corner store. We make the most of our day. We cruise the densely wooded trails behind our elementary school on the seats of our almost-matching pink BMXs, the tall grass tickling our calves. We stop to build a fort, pretending to be explorers to this new land, and we feast on plump salmon berries, only after the sandwiches are polished off. We watch long-legged spiders spin brilliant silky webs and we whisper to ladybugs to fly-away-home. This is our life, one filled with discovery and play among trees and flowers, bees, and birds. The year is 2009. It's summer and my daughter is seven years old. I can hear her fingers plunking hard against the keys of our desktop computer as she mindlessly plays a game on loop; the music, a cheery little ditty, implies this virtual world is as beautiful and as enjoyable as the reality that exists outside our front door. Her discovery is one that isn't three dimensional, that doesn't thrive and live, breathe and blossom, but instead is nothing more than wires and electricity. Her companion isn't one that she's had since preschool but one that plugs into a wall. As a child, I remember receiving bicycles as presents on holidays and birthdays; now we give our children cellphones, laptops, and gaming systems. They are plugged-in the wrong way, to the wrong things, and we, as parents, have allowed this to become the norm. To some degree, nature has become unnatural, as though children don't know how to behave in an environment that isn't controlled by a touchscreen or a remote. In 2005, Richard Louv, explained in his book Last Child in the Woods that people, especially children, are spending less time outdoors, resulting in
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what he referred to as Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD, which is not recognized by the DSM-5 or any other medical manual). He coined the phrase, not to serve as an official diagnosis, but to aid in the comprehension of the effects of limited access to the natural world. If we take a stroll down the hallways of any given school, we can see the escalation of childhood obesity and though we may not be able to tell the actual deterioration of their organs due to asthma and type II diabetes, we can recognize there is more going on than we realize. But, the fallout due to the lack of organic play doesn't end with physical issues. Instead, it has led to an increase in childhood anxiety and depression. A report released this year by the Child Mind Institute stated 80 per cent of kids with a diagnosable anxiety disorder and 60 per cent of kids with diagnosable depression are not receiving treatment. Though eco-therapy (also referred to as green therapy or earth-centered therapy, and defined as healing and growth by a healthy interaction with the earth), isn't capable of resolving all cases of anxiety, ADHD, and depression, it certainly has merit as a therapeutic method. By reconnecting with nature, through planting or play, children suffering from these disorders find their distractions from a meaningful source rather than from one that is human-made. Studies linking natural environment to mental well-being show a continued relationship with nature can reduce feelings of sadness, increase positive emotions, and improve mental health. Ecotherapy has also been known to assist in issues relating to self-esteem, stress, aggression, autism, self-harm, and bereavement by refocusing attention in a positive and creative manner. As parents, we need to lead by example. We need to teach our children that to play doesn't mean to build virtual worlds, and that to connect doesn't mean to like a photo on social media. By getting children outdoors, by redirecting their attention from flashing screens, we grant them the opportunity to realize the beauty of their natural surroundings and, in turn, we set them up for healthier, happier versions of themselves. Melissa MacDougall, Writer. Mother. Wife. Lover of shoes, handbags, and bacon.
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Samoan Highland Retreat tropical paradise
Sunset - looking out over our gardens and plantation from the deck of the Fa'le at Samoan Highland Retreat, Samoa. Photo credit: Samoan Highland Retreat
By Teena Clips ton and Melissa MacDougall
W
hether we are aware of it or not, each of us needs time for personal, me ntal, and physical restoration, time for growth and deeper unde rstanding, time to she d the heavy layers of daily life. We need to return to a state of balance. Owner of the Samoan Highland Retreat on a stunning tropical island in the South Pacific, Tim Walkden-Brown designed his impressive space with the intention of keeping intact all of the aspects that make this island nation what it has always been—beautiful. It wasn't enough to create something that would be a draw for tourists; instead, he has established the retreat from sincere mindfulness, paying close attention to sustainability, fair trade, fair wages, and an ethical form of tourism. Walkden-Brown's development of the Samoan Highland Retreat highlights the very best parts of Samoa, from lush vegetation to the rich culture. The dream was to provide guests with a natural setting where they can return to health and well-being, not only with the purpose of luxury but, more importantly, for the purpose of connecting with the earth and all it has to offer. Tim Walkden-Brown, along with his brilliant team, has managed to create a reality
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that is seemingly unrealistic—a reality that promotes the growth and harmony of all living things. Samoans are known to say “Malō soifua,” or “Hello, well done for living! Enjoy your journey.” Tim Walkden-Brown believes in this phrase and it is one the Samoan Highland Retreat lives by. Kirsty Thompson, project manager and yoga instructor at the resort, joins us in conversation. Teena: What is life like in Samoa? Kirsty: Nobody in Samoa drives over 35 km an hour. That just about sums up what life is like in Samoa. I'm only half joking as well. You see the pace of life in Samoa is completely unique, and can at times be a bit of a shock if you're coming from a gogo-go urban environment in the West. Things take as long as they take, because quite frankly, what's the rush? It is the most beautiful experience to be immersed in a way of life that treats people like human beings rather than human doings. Sorry about the cliché! Teena: How did you come about ope ning a spiritual retreat? Tim: I've spent my life working hard and travelling, but I've always been drawn to spiritual practices. Originally I was immersed in the Born Again Christian community, because at the time my wife and I
resonated with their faith and outlook. Over the years, however, after I'd left the Church, I became a lot more confident in my own personal connection to spirit outside of any doctrine. The property we own in Samoa has always felt extraordinarily powerful, and Samoa is deeply rooted in faith, thus we felt drawn to turn our former holiday home into a boutique venue for intimate spiritual and wellness retreats. It's the perfect environment as you're truly removed from the outer world (even though it's only 20 minutes away if you want it), so you're able to focus on your Self in an undisturbed fashion. Teena: How does a spiritual retreat work? Kirsty: Retreats are an opportunity to place yourself in an environment that allows you to switch off the daily responsibilities and mundane priorities that keep you from truly feeling into your own state of being. Some people are (supposedly) quite content to go about their lives without delving into their inner world, or perhaps they're not aware it exists. But for many people, once the door to awareness has been opened, it can never be closed again. The stresses and strains of daily life, however, leave little time and energy to give to our Selves, little time to tread our internal landscape. A spiritual retreat provides a safe, contained, and supportive environment in
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which to conduct your inner work. There are many paths to the same destination, and whichever you are walking in this life, a retreat allows you to learn new skills in a focused and deep manner, with no disruptions, and the enjoyment of being with like-minded / like-hearted souls. Teena: What is the difference between taking an all-inclusive vacation and a spiritual retreat? Kirsty: An all-inclusive vacation focuses on packing in as many activities as humanly possible, and caters to people who are happy to experience a new country in an easy manner, without necessarily scratching beneath the surface. A spiritual retreat, whilst it includes external activities such as nature treks, is focused on your inward journey, which influences how you experience your outward journey. A spiritual retreat should, in my opinion, also be in line with ethical tourism, in that any spiritual path respects the real-world social or environment impact of travelling. We are linked with a local organization that supports organic farmers, as an example, so the energy of our food is positive, and we're supporting the local economy as well. Teena: How should someone structure their days while at the retreat? Kirsty: Our upcoming yoga retreat in
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ALL ONE ERA magazine March offers morning sadhana and meditation followed by asana practice, then a lush breakfast together where we break our silence from the night before, followed by optional activities (such as going to the beach, traditional healing, or art lessons) on either side of another amazing meal at lunch. It's important to be sensitive to the dynamic of any particular retreat group, as well as the individual. If the group is all in their early 20s, there will be a lot more activity involved, for instance. If you've had an amazingly opening experience in your morning practice, perhaps you need solitude to digest and integrate that, in which case you can curl up with a book on a rug in the garden. Our afternoons will offer a more Yin/Restorative asana practice, followed by yet another amazing meal.
Teena: What are the short-term and long-term be nefits of taking a spiritual retreat as opposed to a vacation? Kirsty: Whilst a vacation can often involve feeling pressured to see every tourist site and engage in every cultural activity on offer, a spiritual retreat ensures you are truly taking time for yourself. Time to ponder, time to feel, time to connect with yourself. In our day-to-day lives we often don't have that chance, and rushing around sightseeing doesn't necessarily leave you feeling rejuvenated and rested, whilst a retreat most certainly will. For further information on the Samoan Highland Retreat, please contact info@samoanhighlandretreat.com or www.samoanhighlandretreat.com.
Teena: Tell us about the specific workshops or treatments offered at the Samoan Highland Retreat? Kirsty: Our first retreat is being held from the 1st to the 10th of March, 2016. It is a yoga and culture retreat aimed at those who know it's time to treat themselves to physical, emotional, and spiritual retreat from their everyday life. It doesn't matter what experience of yoga you have. You will be both nurtured and challenged to whatever extent you desire. Our activities are aimed at really getting to know the Samoan people and culture. We have a yoga teacher on board who is also a body therapist offering a whole range of treatments and treats in our own therapy room, and we have a dear friend called Lee who is known as the best Fo'fo (traditional masseuse/healer) on the island. We will be visiting her stunning ocean edge home and healing centre to learn about traditional healing, her life changing experience during the tsunami, eating and connecting with women from the village, and receiving treatments, if desired. Teena: What do you recomme nd for beginners? Kirsty: Anybody can come to this retreat. If you are open to learning, open to healing, and open to new experiences in a comfortable, beautiful, inspiring, and friendly environment, then the Samoan Highland Retreat March Yoga & Culture retreat is for you! Teena: What kind of menu is serve d at the retreat? Is it include d in the cost? Kirsty: Samoa has some of the most verdant plantations boasting tropical fruits, local watercress, avocados... the list goes on. There is a new wave of Samoan chefs utilizing the amazing local produce to create healthy and original menus strongly influenced by traditional Samoan flavours. Think fresh, line-caught fish steamed in banana leaf with coconut milk, lime, and chilli, served with lightly fried taro chips and a watercress and cherry tomato salad. Sound good? Our retreat prices include absolutely everything, from airport pick up and drop off, to every meal at home and some on excursions, all the yoga, all the Upolu outings, and all the coconuts you can possibly drink.
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Samoa WHERE: Samoa is located 700 miles northeast of Fiji and 900 miles south of the Equator Samoa officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, is a sovereign state in Polynesia, encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai'i, one of the biggest islands in Polynesia. The capital city, Apia, and Faleolo International Airport are situated on the island of Upolu. Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on December 15, 1976. The entire island group, which includes American Samoa, was called "Navigator Islands" by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans' seafaring skills.—Wikipedia.
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
Human Levitation: Yogi Pullavar By Vincent J. Dacz ynski
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s it possible for human beings to levitate? Throughout history there have been many anecdotal accounts of people levitating. Many religions have their traditional stories of levitation. Milarepa, the great 13th century yogi of Tibet, is said to have had the ability to levitate. The 0inja of Japan also reportedly were able to levitate. Some of the best records of levitations are among Christian documents which indicate over 200 Catholic Saints have been credited with levitating. One of the more remarkable and documented accounts of levitation is of St. Joseph of Cupertino born in 1603 in Apulia, Italy. He was born in a stable, was not well educated, but yet was considered very wise. He fasted for 40 days seven times a year and was able to communicate with animals. He is said to have achieved his ability to levitate after over two decades of intense spiritual practice. He levitated before hundreds of witnesses including one incident when he levitated several feet above the ground in front of Pope Urban VIII. He also levitated before two cardinals. At another time, during Mass, he floated through the air over the altar. He is also reported to have levitated to the topmost spires of St. Peter’s Cathedral. His more than 100 recorded levitations earned him the nickname, the Flying Friar. His longest period of levitation was two hours. He died September 18, 1663, from a severe fever. He was canonized July 16, 1767 by Pope Clement XIII. The Church considered his ability to levitate the work of God. A biography of this great saint was written in 1753, at the time of his beatification. It is based on the Acta Sanctorum and the official documentation from the process that obtained his beatification on February 24, 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV. The book, St. Joseph of Cupertino, may be ordered at Christ the King Traditional Catholic Books & Gifts. Other saints who have been reported to levitate were St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross; they levitated together up to the ceiling of St. Peter’s Cathedral. St. Teresa stated that she levitated involuntarily during moments of rapture. Sister Anne was an eyewitness to one of St. Teresa’s levitations. In response to an inquiry 30 years later she made a sworn deposition to verify her witness of St. Teresa’s levitation. Other documented Christian levitating saints include St. Edmund, then Archbishop of Canterbury circa 1242; Sister Mary, an Arabian Carmelite nun in Bethlehem circa 1700; St. Adolphus Liguori in Foggia during 1777; and, Father Suarez at Santa Cruz in Southern Argentina in 1911. Unfortunately, no known photographs exist of Father Suarez's levitations in 1911. So, other than written records, no actual proof exists. It wasn’t until recent times that the levitation phenomenon was photographed as well as scrutinized by investigators. One such opportunity to observe and photograph a levitation exhibition occurred on June 6, 1936 in Southern India. An Indian yogi, Subbayah Pullavar, levitated for five minutes in front of about 150 witnesses. The exhibition was done around noon on a cloudless, sunny day. Visibility was not obscured. The Illustrated London
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Yogi Pullavar, an Indian man, who on June 6, 1936 was reported to have levitated into the air for about five minutes in front of 150 witnesses. Photo credit: www.amazingabilities.com News carried the story and photos. The photos were taken from various angles by P. Y. Plunkett who witnessed and also scrutinized the entire event. Yogi Pullavar’s attendants erected a small tent in an open area. Yogi Pullavar began by ritualistically pouring water in a circle around the tent. Shoes were prohibited within the area marked by the circle. Yogi Pullavar then entered the tent where he remained hidden from view for a few minutes. The attendants then removed the tent. Yogi Pullavar was seen suspended horizontally several feet above the ground. He was in a trance, lightly resting his hand on top of a cloth covered stick. He did not exert pressure on the stick. He apparently used the stick as a point of reference rather than for support. Many photographs were taken from various angles of this exhibition. Witnesses were permitted to thoroughly examine the levitation. They thoroughly searched for strings, props, and any means of possible support above, below, and around the levitating Pullavar. Nothing was found. After four minutes the attendants erected the tent around Yogi Pullavar to shield him as he made his descent. P.Y. Plunkett positioned himself so that the sunlight enabled him to discern Pullavar through the thin cloth tent walls. Plunkett said that he noticed Yogi Pullavar gently swaying for a short time while still in mid-air. Then, he slowly sank in a horizontal position to the ground. The process took around five minutes to complete. When the tent was again removed, Yogi Pullavar was laying on the ground, still in a deep trance. Volunteers were asked to try to bend Pullavar’s limbs. His arms and legs could not be bent from their position. Attendants had to splash water on Yogi Pullavar
and rub him down for five minutes before he came out of his trance and was again able to use his limbs. If such accounts of human levitation are true, then what enables a human being to counter the force of gravity and levitate? It defies Western logic. Perhaps the physical universe is not a physical universe at all. Perhaps it is just a play of our own conscious thinking, limited by our own consciousness. Perhaps by shifting our conscious awareness to the subtle more powerful regions of the mind we can transcend the limitations we have at the more concrete expressions of consciousness that we call physical matter. Quantum mechanics, an aspect of modern physics, identifies a field of life called the unified field, or ground state, which is the fundamental non-changing field of life. It is eternal, unbounded, beyond space and time, wherein are contained all possibilities. It is the unmanifested field of pure potentiality from where all force and matter fields emerge. If you have this you have everything. Some physicists early on have postulated that this unmanifested field of pure potentiality may be consciousness itself. Max Planck stated, "I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness." And Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington said, "All through the physical world runs the unknown content that must surely be the stuff of our consciousness." Renowned Harvard graduate and physicist Dr. John Hagelin is spearheading the cutting edge of the recent discovery that a unified field of consciousness is indeed at the foundation of all conscious experience. He argues that consciousness is fundamental in nature; the lively origin and basis of eve-
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rything in creation and not merely the result of biochemical processes in the brain. Dr. Hagelin identifies numerous parallels between the qualities of the single unified field sought by Einstein and the qualities of consciousness. He argues that consciousness is the unified field. This unified field of consciousness, that is, the unified field of nature, is your own inner nature as well. It is your inner Being. It is from here that all impulses of creativity emerge. The reality of life, which was once shrouded in mysticism, is today being understood in terms of modern science. To better understand how consciousness constructs our reality, I highly recommend seeing the documentary-drama film, What the Bleep Do We Know!? For more information, please visit the film’s website at whatthebleep.com. The unified field is the field of all possibilities because it is the home of all the laws of nature, the residence of the constitution of the universe. This is the level from which all of nature manifests and operates. And it does so according to its inherent constitution, the laws of nature that reside therein. This unified field of the universe has now been discovered to be the unified field of consciousness. Because the unified field of consciousness is your own inner nature you need not look far to find it. It is easily experienced through the practice of deep meditation. All you need to do is bring your awareness to the deep inner level of unified consciousness, and imbibe that status within your conscious awareness. Operating from that status you gain command and support of all the laws of nature. According to the Vedic scripture there are 112 techniques for transcending the gross material field of experience to bring one's attention deep within oneself to the transcendental, most powerful level of the mind. Some of the techniques are for recluses; others are for the householder way of life. Some of the techniques have been embraced by various schools of yoga and made palatable for the westerner’s active life style. Students of yoga should thoroughly research the various techniques that are available and select a program that they feel is most suitable for them. My personal preference has been the Transcendental Meditation technique and the advanced practice called the TM-Sidhi Program, both taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I have 35 years’ experience with these programs and I highly recommend them. For more information please see The Transcendental Meditation Program at www.tm.org. The TM-Sidhi program incorporates various Sutras (formulas). By using these formulas while in the deep transcendental state of meditation one is able to perform extraordinary feats such as Yogic Flying. Vincent J. Daczynsk, retired budget and financial analyst, US Postal Service, resides in
ew Mexico with his wife, Melinda. Vince studied with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India in 1969 and was qualified as a teacher of the Transcendental Meditation program. He was a cast member in What If? The Movie. Vince holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the college of engineering at Utah State University. This article maybe viewed on his w e b s i t e h e r e : www.amazingabilities.com/amaze8a.html
November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Levitation: A Commitment to Be ‘I Am Self’
Photo credit: beforeitsnews.com
By Maytawee
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magine a time where you felt very light in your body. That you were floating as you walk on the earth. Or your movements were floating in space. This is the beginning of understanding the essence of levitation. In this state, body and soul have no rules or restrictions to gravity. The mind supports the body mechanism (physical, emotional, and thoughts); when we release from the mechanism the rules of gravity do not apply. The essence of the I Am Self is present, allowing physical levitation. It is said in the East that when a person is detached from the body and for an outcome with no attachment to that body, no commitment to the body, that the full attention is on the I Am Self, the essence of who we are in spirit, it seems to be effortless, and levitation happens. In both Thailand and India, I have observed a monk and holy men who have freedom from the limitations of gratitude and the body. They have no attachment to the body; it means nothing to them. Can you imagine being in your body and having no concern or attention on it? No awareness of the body's discomfort or the thoughts that are going through your mind? No concerns of the body in this world or what is happening to it? All of your existence within each breath is to be present in the I Am Self, the essence of who you are. This detachment allows the body to be free, have no boundaries of the earthly rules. There is no commitment to gravity belief. When I asked the monk who levitates, "What is it like?" with a perplexed face he said, "What is what like?" I responded, "The experience of levitating while you are meditating." He simply responded, "Is that so? I pay no attention to my body; I sit with the highest truth." I asked if he feels his body levitating.
November Moon 2015
He simply responded, "It doesn’t matter to me if I levitate or not. You do not understand. I have no intention on the body. My focus isn’t about levitating. My focus is about being in truth, the I Am. For me no attention is anywhere else." I asked, "Could anyone levitate?" He responded, "Of course." Yet he has never met anyone who is not committed to his or her body. Everyone puts attention on what they eat or being healthy or feeling comfortable, and sleeping well—all of this is commitment to the body rather than to the I AM Self. And the body has a commitment to the gravity or the earth. Unless we release the concern of the body commitment, then levitation could be difficult. Levitation comes from a conscious state of being, not a mind with a desire to levitate. This type of levitation is forced by the egoism mind. Like all practices it starts with detaching from the body to be fully in the presence of the I AM. Infinite possibilities are possible in the I AM. Levitation is part of the whole. Anything is possible and this has been proven by many great masters. It is all a state of mind in this realm. To levitate is no different than to fully let go into the infinite wisdom that we are. It is our highest conscious state that chooses if we are to levitate. This is the place of great peace, observing rather than reacting to life. If levitation is something you feel connected to, start with your meditation of detaching from the body requirements. Pay no attention to the body needs and make all your conscious awareness on the I AM— even in your busy day. The body will respond to that in support of the conscious I AM. Any state of meditation is a state. The original teachings of meditation were to detach from the body and be one with all existence. And when this is happening you are in your perfect state of being—the I Am Self.
amaste Maytawee
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
In Paris By Cherie Hans on
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he Airbnb conference in Paris promised to be an opportunity to connect with others and learn how to be a better host, so I booked a small room on Passage Saint Pierre Amelot in the Bataclan district. I was tired and my head was full of information. On Friday, 0ove mber 13, I decided not to go again to a nearby cafe as I had the previous night. I settled into my bed. Within 20 minutes I heard disturbing noises from my room facing the street. First, there were a series of three loud explosions and then the panicked sound of people running and screaming. Three gunmen had taken 150 hostages at the theatre next door. Steady machine gun fire and the sudden screams filled the night. I heard women in terror suddenly silent, male voices crying out. The next day, I went out to walk between pools of blood, discarded plastic gloves, and a sweater thrown off as someone ran. Over 88 people had been killed and far more injured. During the attack my hosts opened their door and brought in a young man who was at the concert. He had several bullet holes in his leg. They attended to him, laid him down, covered him with a warm blanket, and talked him out of his state of shock. Later, a Le Monde reporter was given sanctuary in our apartment. He had been shot while filming the video of the hostages running out of the back of the theatre and jumping from high windows in an attempt to stay alive. A determined gunman followed out on the street and ended many young lives. I only realized how brave my hosts had been when I saw the entry way next door. A resident had pulled someone in and both were caught at the doorway, which was painted bloody. How did this happen? I asked that question. And I thought of the two children downstairs who witnessed machine gun fire, saw wounded men, and heard the explosion as two men blew themselves up. What happens to children who see violence, who are deprived of a home, who live in fear? They lose compassion. The refugee children who see such violence need help. They need protection, shelter, and a sense of belonging or else they will come to think of others as objects and it is easy to destroy objects. I saw, as I stood between the dark stains on my street, where lives had ended. This is exactly why we must take in and love the traumatized and homeless. We have to keep our hearts open so we can be the helpers and then the children will be caretakers and not murderers. It is the only way to stop the cycle of trauma.
Cherie Hanson. Photo credit: Okanagan Photography
People help one another by gathering at The Place de la Republique in Paris. Photo credit: Cherie Hanson
Cherie Hanson holds an MA in English from UBC Vancouver. She has written poetry which appeared in literary magazines, has a blog with 38,000 subscribers at http://www.cheriehanson.com and is a visual artist. She resides in Kelowna. Day after life goes on. Photo credit: Cherie Hanson
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November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Only Love: Mind, Body, and Music
bounce off of each other. I suppose that’s with everyone in life, not just us three. But, you know, my wife, my son… My son, he’s a good example of a guru. I think, I know a teacher can be so many things, being here this cold is a teacher of what I may want or I may not want in my life. Just so many random things. Randomness is a teacher. I know I’m being super like… You know — MC Yogi: Random? DJ Drez: Random! Yeah, not specific, but that’s been my situation. Many teachers have some teachings but they’re not a ‘teacher.’ It’s quite a role to take on. One of my main teachers, yoga teachers, after I did a teacher-training, she said, “You’re not a yoga teacher. You teach yoga. That’s a big responsibility to say you’re a teacher.” So, I think everybody and everything is a teacher at some point, or can be. So, that’s why it’s such a vague, but maybe a specific-vague answer.
DJ Drez, Amanda Giacomini, MC Yogi, and Tara Pilling. Photo credit: Matthew Jensen
An A ll One Era Production
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n 0ove mbe r 12, 2015, Kelowna proudly played host to the Only Love Tour at the historic Laurel Packing House. The achieved intention brought together mind and body, music, and poetry to promote personal fulfillme nt and global awareness. Beginning the evening, headliners MC Yogi and DJ Drez worked together, combining their passion for yoga and beats, leading guests on a guided practice deep into consciousness. Then, Amanda Giacomini took the stage for a half-hour dharma discussion before rounding out the evening with more music and entertainment. It truly is remarkable, a beautiful thing, to gather in a space that is rich with light and energy, one that is pure of heart, and that's the basis for the Only Love Tour. All One Era's Tara Pilling had a chance to sit down with Robindra Mohar, founder of It's Time to Bloom and supporter of the Only Love Tour... Tara: On behalf of Stephen Cipes and the All One Era magazine we’d like to welcome you, Robindra and the Only Love Tour, to Kelowna. I just want to ask you around the vision...? Robindra: I’m the founder of a company called It’s Time to Bloom and our mission is really to bring people together beyond what type of yoga practice you do or beyond what studio you practise at and there’s real power in numbers. And when you can bring a group together like the yogis across multiple cities, across an entire country, we believe there’s power in numbers and we believe that we’re here to inspire each other and we’re born to love.
November Moon 2015
And, MC Yogi recently came out with an album called Only Love is Real and that’s what it’s really about, underneath it all really. It’s about how much more can we love, how much more love can we bring to the table? Can we love with conviction? Tara: That’s so beautiful! So, I understand you’re doing a four-week training program with the Aquarian Humanology course. Can you share around that? Robindra: Yeah, sure. So, my wife is actually a Kundalini yoga teacher and we have a really good collaborator and friend by the name of Taylor EyeWalker in California, and together we’ve created a curriculum called The Aquarian Humanology Training and it’s basically about Life 101 in this new Aquarian Age. We went from the Piscean Age to the Aquarian Age and it’s really, really simple tools. Yoga, yogic tools to move you in this new era of the Aquarian. It begins in April. In Edmonton. Tara: Ok, and so how do people get ahold of you if they want to get involved?
Tara: MC Yogi, your recent album is called Only Love is Real so why Only Love? MC Yogi: George Harrison famously said, “All things must pass” and in agreement with that, I believe that all this is temporary but love will last. And actually, that’s been my experience. All the friends that I’ve known that have passed away—I still feel their love and their presence. I mean, that’s just the most important teaching I could share from my own experience is that love is the most powerful force in the Universe and when we align with it great miracles can happen. Things that we never thought were possible start to unfold because it’s happening to an energy greater than ourselves. Or maybe that is ourselves? Tara: So, how did you all come together on this project? Amanda: Well, we’ve been travelling and touring together for seven or eight years now, and it’s just been a great alignment. Drez brings the beats, Yogi brings the beautiful words and poetry. And, I’m not sure my role…
Robindra: Yeah, we’re planning things across the country on an ongoing basis. You can get ahold of us through itstimetobloom.com.
Tara: The stories… the stories… Your stories are beautiful.
Tara: Great!
Amanda: Stories and my love of yoga. I’m just lucky to be here with these very talented people.
After getting an over-view of the Only Love Tour from Robindra Mohar, Pilling, along with MC Yogi, DJ Drez, and Amanda Giacomini discussed the tour, their music, poetry, beliefs, wisdom, and convictions. The beauty of the event resonates through their words and the following interview goes a long way to prove the power of connectivity.
Tara: What teachers and teachings most inspire you? DJ Drez: As a musician, silence is a great teacher. It kind of shows you the possibilities and I have experienced a good handful of great yoga teachers and each other, you know? We all have our moments where we are the teacher or we are the student and we
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Amanda: One of our first teachers was named Larry Schultz and he’s no longer in his body but that is who our primary first yoga teacher was and that’s how we met. And he had a couple of great teachings that have sustained me over the years. One was he would always tell us you’re stronger than you think you are. And, that is just a great mantra to come back to over and over again when you find yourself feeling doubtful, feeling like maybe I can’t do this, maybe I should just stay in bed. And so, I think that’s always been a profound teaching. The other one that he would often share was, yoga will never let you down. And, I think that is something I definitely experience the more I practise, the deeper I’ve gone into my studies. Yoga has become a never-ending well of knowledge, of joy, of enlightened thinking that continues to sustain me day-in and day-out. So, that teaching is also very powerful to remember. And, I think it’s really given us a purpose of going out in the world and sharing yoga. MC Yogi: I think for me, all the teachings can be found… I actually want to echo what Drez said. Initially Drez said ‘silence’ and I think the greatest teachings come just sitting and breathing and listening and by tuning in because the teacher is everywhere. Every square inch of the Universe is chalked full of light and wisdom and energy and bliss and however we can access it, whether it’s through meditation or music or poetry. But, for me it’s just listening and feeling and getting into that mood and that space that I receive so much inspiration and the breath has been one of the best ways I found. It’s just so direct. Tara: So, as a group working with this Only Love tour are there any specific causes that you’re really passionate about that you’d like to share? MC Yogi: Yeah, human suffering, that’s the big one and there’s a lot of ways to bring relief to the world. One of the things that’s near and dear to our heart is really dedicating our lives to animals, like rescue animals. Our dog was a rescue dog and there’s a lot of animals out there that need homes so we really feel strongly in being (Continued on page 20)
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ALL ONE ERA magazine (Continued from page 19)
more vegetarian. There’s so many causes but I think when you look at what is the over-arching theme it’s like suffering. And, what’s the best way to remedy that suffering? First, according to the Buddhists who acknowledge that it exists, to not, numb ourselves with all the modern conveniences and drugs and distractions because everything that we’re doing is to kind of medicate ourselves from the suffering. Because we’re all dealing with it, we’re all these limited, bound bodies. So, once we acknowledge that exists then we can actually start to, be with it and start to work with it so it starts to subside in our own minds and our own lives. Then, in turn, we are generating less suffering for everyone around us, so we can support others really through our presence, being a good friend, listening, offering advice. And we’ve done lots of benefits over the years. I think the main thing is just teaching yoga and offering meditation and music. That, in itself, is providing a huge relief so we’ve really dedicated our lives to that and we continue to do that as much as possible. Tara: So when people leave your events, in what way do you— MC Yogi: We don’t ever want people to ever leave our events… Especially before savasana. Just stay because I guarantee, it’s like tea, you let it steep. It takes a moment for it to kick in. So, just stay with it. You’re gonna hear a lot of bad jokes. You’re gonna do some yoga, meditate, hear some music, dance, celebrate, hear some stories. But, just stay with it because a couple hours in you’ll be like, “Woah, this is a lot weirder and more awesome than I thought it would be!” DJ Drez: It’s like a Marvel movie, like after the credits go up there’s gonna be something else. MC Yogi: We’re talking about the end that you just gotta hold on for, that will be the little thing that will lead to the next episode. Tara: Looking forward to tonight! Yeah, so I was just going to say, though, when it does end, and they leave, finally, after all the awesomeness, what would you hope they take with them, and how would you hope they share that with the rest of the world? MC Yogi: Hopefully they don’t take as much with them as they leave behind because the idea is that if you come heavy, you leave light. It’s like going to the car wash. We call it the Karma-wash: you go with this thin layer of film or dust and you leave with that shine. That’s really the purpose why we make music, why we teach yoga so that you can leave feeling a little lighter, carrying a little less. Amanda: And, that will naturally have a ripple effect, you know, it doesn’t need to be so specific. If you are able to shift your energy through good music and being with good people, that nourishment, and you go back home, your presence will shift everybody you encounter the next day, the day after, the day after. Like, it has an ongoing wave —
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Tara: And, to leave with the knowing that it’s accessible, that the feeling they have in a moment—a moment of bliss, or just a moment of simple happiness. Or, giving less attention to worry, to know that you can access that. Amanda: Because just like everyone is suffering, everyone has access to joy and happiness. You know, often we just need a reminder to choose it and when we choose it collectively, it’s very powerful. MC Yogi: And, the good news is that it doesn’t any cost money to move into that state or that feeling. So when you come to these festivals and you have these peak moments when you get it, and the more times we have those experiences the easier it becomes a part of your natural, every day, sort of rhythm and pattern-type. To go into you space on your own, whether it’s through your meditation or making food for your kids, or whatever it is, the more that you have those moments the more you start to grow that feeling in the rest of your life. Does that make sense? Tara: Yeah, beautiful! So, one thing I would like to say ‘cause I started researching you guys a lot and, of course, sharing the love and all your videos and spending some time with you now in the last couple days… DJ Drez, one thing I find is that you’re super down to earth. You’re just like a really cool person just to talk to, so thank you! DJ Drez: Thank you!
meeting people like yourself and the people here in Kelowna. And, I think it’s wonderful to come together and recognize that it’s a great ground swell of goodness in the world.
Tara: Techno —
MC Yogi: Yeah, I think, in fact, the more we travel and see that, the more I start to feel like we actually could drop-the-ring-inthe - v o lc a no -a nd - d es tro y- the - Eye - o fMordor kind of win. There’s enough of us that we actually could save the earth. If we really, really wanted to.
DJ Drez: Storytelling!
DJ Drez: Alternative, kind of life — Tara: Storytelling…
MC Yogi: The image! Kind of polka! Reggae! DJ Drez: Wiffleball… MC Yogi: Wiffleball! Rocksteady!
Amanda: I think this tour is as much about us sharing our years of practice, whatever we learned with our teachers and it’s just as much as us feeling the love and experiencing that it’s everywhere… MC Yogi: Maybe it’s not so much about us saving the earth but just allowing the earth to save us. DJ Drez: He and I both came out with new albums this year and we think they’re quite good. And we would love it if people would support the artists that they really enjoy listening to, and not just listen to them on a streaming app. MC Yogi: Go to the Canadian version of iTunes?
Tara: Star Wars! MC Yogi: Star Wars, Jedi! Tara: So, on behalf of Stephen Cipes, who has been so generous to — MC Yogi: What’s up, Stephen? DJ Drez: We’re grateful, Stephen! MC Yogi: Nice job, bro! DJ Drez: Much love, thank you! MC Yogi: Big shout out to the Wizard, The Grand Poobah! DJ Drez: That’s right!
DJ Drez: Right! Right! Because those streaming things don’t really support us well. They’re really not artist-friendly. So, things like iTunes, Amazon, whatever the digital store is, we’re on there! So we’re grateful.
Tara: And, Amanda, you’re just extremely sweet. You’re just really sweet and kind. And, I can tell you just have such a big heart. Thank you!
MC Yogi: Another great way to support us is by following us on Instagram!
MC Yogi: And, she’s gluten-free!
DJ Drez: Instagram, yep, absolutely. And, coming to the shows. And, this is a beautiful job that isn’t work.
Tara: Who wanted to really support you guys and host you here, and the All One Era magazine, we’re just so grateful that you guys have come that you’re sharing the love, and we hope before you leave, too, we’ll get your signature on our 2020 Declaration to make the Okanagan 100% organic. DJ Drez: Absolutely! MC Yogi: Wow!
Tara: And, MC Yogi, I would’ve never thought you’re so funny. You’re always cracking jokes…
MC Yogi: Are you a legend-in-themaking? I’m a legend in my own mind!
Tara: I know you’re all very passionate about that as well. So, thanks again, thanks for being here!
MC Yogi: “Funny!”
DJ Drez: I’m a borderline genius!
Amanda: Thank you, Tara!
Tara: Yeah, funny! You’re actually really funny and you’re extremely kind, as well. You have a very kind heart. I’m so grateful you guys have come!
MC Yogi: Drez is the most humble legend ever.
MC Yogi: Thank you!
MC Yogi: And, like, you’re all three of those things because when you picked us up from the airport you had cookies and chai for us!
Tara: So, what are the albums, like, can you share the albums? MC Yogi: Drez just came out with a new album with his wife called “Dreaming In Sanskrit” with Marti Nikko which is available. And, Drez has like —
Amanda: We were in heaven! Amanda: A billion albums. Tara: Oh, you’re welcome! There was lots of love in that, too. So the last question I have is just really if there’s anything that each of you would like to share maybe that I didn’t cover, or even talk about or touch on around the tour or around your visions… Amanda: I think it’s so fascinating to come out of our little hamlet where we live in Northern California and it seems like wherever we go now we discover there’s whole communities of yogis, whole communities of really awesome, kind people who share our values of doing good things in the world and protecting the earth. I just think it’s so encouraging to travel and keep
This conversation has been edited for print. To view the full conversation visit www.alloneeramag.com/videos For more information on the Only Love Tour or to purchase tickets to an event near you, visit www.itstimetobloom.com. Tara Pilling is sales manager of All One Era magazine, local Okanagan practitioner, a n d y o g a teacher. lovingenergy@shaw.ca
MC Yogi: Like, 20 albums… Amanda: You should just get them all. DJ Drez: I have a lot of albums. MC Yogi: You could listen to all of them, like I think — Amanda: Chanting with Tigers, Lotus Memoirs, those are some of my favourites. DJ Drez: Thank you! So, yeah there’s a lot of stuff. Only Love is Real, the tour that we’re on now is in support of this hiphop, singing —
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November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Eco-Therapy : Nature’s Medicine By Jessica Kir by
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t is no coincidence when we walk in the woods, wander among the trees, scour the beach for treasures, or float gently in the sea we feel intimately, completely, and irrevocably better. We feel a better sense of calm, have a better outlook on life, and enjoy a better sense of connectedness to the world around us. This overwhelming sense of deeper, happier, better being in the world can be leveraged and expanded to heal and regenerate the body and mind, and can lead to a realistic and lasting healing journey backed by experiential faith and, more recently, clinical science. Psychotherapeutic treatment that combines practical and applied medical treatment of the human psyche with interaction with nature is called eco-therapy, and the practice is based on the profound and intrinsic assumption that the human-natural world relationship is powerful and relevant. On the most personal level, ecotherapy accounts for intimate, yet scientific experiences of the nature-human relationship and holistic indigenous wisdom, and on a wider, general scale, it considers the delicate human existence-natural environment balance in which damage to nature impacts human wellness and vice versa. Howard Clinebell wrote a book on ecotherapy in 1996 that refers to the practice as healing and growth nurtured by healthy interaction with the earth. Also called green therapy or earth-centered therapy, eco-therapy is essentially, according to Clinebell, the applied practice of ecopsychology, which focuses on the theoretical, cultural, and critical components of addressing psychological healing through interaction with nature.
November Moon 2015
Oneonta Gorge in Oregon. Photo credit: Michael Matt Clinebell said ecotheraputic work is most successful if best applied in a holistic, encompassing way that addresses inreach—receiving and being nurtured by the healing presence of nature, place, and earth; upreach—the actual experience of this more-than-human vitality as we relocate our place within the natural world; and, outreach—activities with other people that care for the plant. In other words, to really benefit fro m and interact with the benefits of ecotherapy, people must receive and embrace the healing power of nature, rethink their position in the world as immersed in rather than adjacent to nature; and, engage with others to form and support a far-reaching earth-centered community. When we go to the woods, the meadows, the sea we must reach to their depths for healing energy, realign ourselves to a place of respect and
care, and bring others with us to this place of joy. Though it has always felt good to be in nature and share it with others, current science and psychological research suggests the benefits of eco-therapy are measurable and effective. In his article in Psychology Today, Dr. Steve Taylor discusses a “powerful new kind of therapy, which is just as effective against depression as traditional psychotherapy or medication— and the amazing thing is that you don’t have to pay for it.” Contact with nature is moving up the ranks as a scientifically proven technique that successfully improves mood, alleviates the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improves concentration and focus. A 2007 study in the UK found, of a group of people suffering from depression, 90 per cent presented a higher level of
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self-esteem after walking through a country park and nearly three quarters reported reduced feelings of depression. When the same research team discovered 94 per cent of a study group with mental illness believed their moods would improve through contact with nature, the culture of treatment in the UK changed to include more time for patients to experience nature. This is just one of thousands of examples. A 2006 study by mental health organization MIND said 69 percent of people who were seeking mental health treatment and who also partook in eco-therapy activities like gardening, hiking, and even environmental conservation work showed noticeable, lasting improvement in their sense of well-being. Another study in America suggests contact with nature can prevent mental health disorders if applied in early intervention and treatment, along with physical activity and social connectivity. “The case example illustrates how active, social, and adventurous contact with nature may be combined with a treatment intervention to protect and enhance the health of individuals experiencing chronic mental, emotional, and physical health difficulties,” said the study’s authors. Contact with nature improves – transforms, even – our lives, beyond recovery from illness and injury. It can take us to new places where ah-ha moments, moments when we truly see the fullness of life and of the universe, are spontaneous and abundant. Dr. Taylor calls them “awakening experiences,” describing them as moments when contact with nature makes life seem more harmonious and meaningful. “If I go walking in the countryside,” he said, “there usually comes a point when a feeling of well-being begins to well up inside me, and when the trees and the fields and the sky around seem to be more alive and beautiful, and to be shining with a new radiance.” Taylor and other medical scientists studying eco-therapy and its benefits say the profound effect nature has on human beings can be attributed to its natural connection to our evolutionary roots. In the same way a drum beat can elicit feelings of calm and safety as it resonates similarly to a mother’s heartbeat, connecting to nature brings about an instinctual feeling of safety and peace, a sense of coming home that reminds our deepest level of consciousness of who we used to be before closed spaces, busy lifestyles, and electronic environments became prevalent in some parts of the world. The return to nature has a calming, mind-quieting effect that is gentler on our minds as they are allowed to process less, think more slowly, and effectively rest for a spell. “The beauty and majesty of nature acts a little like a mantra in meditation,” said Taylor, “slowing down the normal ‘thought chatter’ which runs chaotically through our minds. As a result, an inner stillness and energy fills us, generating a glow of being and intensifying our perceptions.”
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
Make Your Bed a SafeZone for the Best Sleep of Your Life By Ross A ndersen
DC , ND, DO ( M P)
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lectromagnetic wireless radiation has now consumed virtually every square inch of our world. Electromagnetic radiation comes in many forms. Most people simply think of cell towers and Wi-Fi which e mit radiofrequency (RF) radiation. It also consists of electric fields, magnetic fields, dirty electricity, and light vibration smog. All of these have been shown to be detrimental to human health and can be devastating for those who are electromagnetically sensitive. Protecting one’s self from wireless electromagnetic radiation is an entirely new concept for many people. Wireless technology is now the norm for most households in urban North America. Cordless phones, wireless Internet, wireless baby monitors, smart televisions, smart meters, Bluetooth speakers, and of course, cellphones have become accepted as the way to communicate. It is sad to see four people sitting at a table in a restaurant texting each other. What has happened to looking into someone's eyes and having a normal conversation? Quality sleep is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle. This has been established by the scientific and medical communities as absolutely essential. During sleep we regenerate and our brains rebalance and detoxify so our nervous system can direct the functions of the body. None of this happens effectively without enough sleep or quality sleep. In this day and age our sleep is being disrupted by an invisible toxin. That toxin is wireless radiation technology. To get quality sleep we must have the proper production by our pineal gland of a hormone called melatonin. The pineal gland operates on the normal daily circadian rhythms of the sun's light. Recent research has shown that the pineal gland not only responds to light but also to radio frequency radiation. This means that the pineal interprets RF radiation as light. We get tired at night when the sun goes down because there is less light. It is extremely common for people to have difficulty getting to sleep if they use a cordless or cellphone in the evening. Wi-Fi routers operate 24/7. More and more people are finding they are waking up at two, three, or four in the morning and having difficulties getting back to sleep. Not only that, sleep quality has severely diminished. Cellphones give a burst of RF radiation every 15 seconds or so when they are on standby. With the phone in the bedroom the brain is getting radiated on a consistent basis all night long. Sleep quality suffers and so does the wireless user. Ultimately, this can lead to numerous debilitating challenges. The first signs are fatigue, lack of drive, memory challenges, and the general malaise that so many people suffer and cannot explain. Personality changes, bipolar disorder, schizophrenic tendencies, challenges with memory and concentration, as well as anger and depression can eventually result. The incidence of brain cancer, tumors, and other neurological diseases has gone up dramatically following the increase in
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A good night’s sleep. Photo credit: flickr/summerbl4ck wireless technology. Just imagine the impact on society that this is having at present. Detaching from gadget screens is highly beneficial for quality sleep. It has now been determined that blue light diminishes sleep quality and red light improves sleep quality. Smartphone, computer, television, and tablet screens emit large amounts of blue light. Most of them even go to what is called a “blue screen” when they are confused. It could be called the “blue screen of insomnia.” If you watch television late into the evening, you can improve your sleep quality by increasing the red tint and decreasing the blue tint of your picture. Reading a book by candlelight or by incandescent light might be a better idea for an evening activity to promote quality sleep. Removing the wireless in one's home is much simpler than one might imagine.
Wired phones are available at any electronics store. Having a cord on your telephone is a mild inconvenience compared to having one of the above health challenges. Hardwired Internet is incredibly simple. Simply get Ethernet cables connected to your computers. We are not going back to the Stone Age; we are only going back a decade or so. It is well worth protecting your brain. Going hardwired can be done for every single wireless technology available today except, of course, for the cellphone. Smart meters can be shielded so as to protect the dwelling and still communicate their necessary information. Cell towers and the cellphone itself are some of the most dangerous components of wireless technology. Extensive research has shown long-term use is directly related to huge increases in brain cancer risk. The verdict is in. There is an additional thing that must
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be done if one lives relatively close to a cell tower. Shielding the bedroom from radio frequency radiation is necessary through various techniques. The simplest, most portable and economical, is to get a protective bed canopy. This looks like a mosquito net which would be used in the tropics but is also protective against radiofrequency energy. It is an absolute necessity for anyone living close to a cell tower. How close is too close? Studies show anything closer than a kilometre is highly detrimental to human health. The only way to know how close is too close is to have a professional evaluation of the amount of cell tower radiation entering the bedroom. One other protection that is necessary for the bedroom is to turn off the electromagnetic fields that are being emitted from the wires in the walls and the devices on bedside tables. All house wiring emits electrical and magnetic fields and today these are far more toxic than they were 50 years ago. Our electricity is now filled with harmonic frequencies that are in disharmony with the frequencies of the human brain. Shutting off the electrical power to the bedroom at night has an amazing effect on sleep quality. It's like camping at home. Those who are creating a safe bedroo m invariably find that the quality of their sleep is truly amazing. The changes in people's lives are astounding. Virtually every aspect of their health improves including mental, physical, and emotional. Create a SafeZone, get sleeping, get healthy, and do it now! Dr. Ross Andersen operates SafeZone EMF Consulting in Kelowna, BC. He has been working in the EMF-RF protection field for 25 years and has helped hundreds escape EMF – RF radiation and damage. He can be reached at www.SafeZoneEMF.com.
November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Five Ways to Squeeze in a Dose of Gratitude By Melissa Eisler
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A.M. Musings As soon as you wake up in the morning, before you get out of bed, identify five things in your life that you’re grateful for. No better way to start the day than thinking about the people and things in your life that you appreciate.
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Meditation Take a comfortable seat with your spine tall and your eyes softly closed. Begin by bringing awareness to your breath, in and out through your nose. Then begin to identify something or someone that you’re your grateful for. Take a moment to visualize this person or thing in your mind, experience this person or thing with all of your senses, and reflect on what about this person or thing you are grateful for in your life. How does this person or thing make you feel? Repeat with three different people or things in your life.
ratitude practices are well known for their ability to fight a case of the blues. When you’re feeling down, it’s the best time to focus on the things in your life that you're grateful for. 0ot only has gratitude been found to lift s pi r i t s a nd ha p pi ne s s le v e l s , but research says a consistent gratitude practice can also: Strengthen the immune system Lower blood pressure Decrease feelings of loneliness Improve relationships Increase motivation Improve sleep quality and quantity Improve overall physical and psychological health
Three Types of Gratitude Gratitude can come from different places and times in life, and can be expressed in different ways. So if you’re having a particularly difficult day and it’s tough to come up with something you’re grateful for in the present, don’t fret—try using a spark from the past or wish for the future, instead. Consider these three types of gratitude to fuel your practice: • Being thankful for the past: Diving back into positive memories and experiences • Being thankful for the present: Feeling grateful as things come; not taking things for granted • Being thankful for the future: Keeping faith in good fortune that is to come Five Mindful Gratitude Practices A gratitude practice extends beyond a mere “thank you,” though—that’s where mindfulness plays an important role. Instead of just going through the motion of finding something to be grateful for, really experience the feeling of gratitude with detail. Here are a few ways to do just that: Thank You otes Try to make this an actual handwritten note that you can send in the mail or leave at someone’s desk or on his or her car. Make it warm and detailed. Tell them how the thing they did made you feel. Not only will it be the highlight of their day, it’ll also make you feel good and bring you closer together.
November Moon 2015
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Gratitude Journal Keep a daily journal, and at the same time every day (morning or bedtime usually works well), write down three things in your life that you’re grateful for and why—this can be anything from family members or a roof over your head to a gift received or a talent you’re proud of. Mealtime Grace Before you eat your next meal, consider recognizing how many steps the food had to travel before getting onto your plate. Give thanks to the farmers, the transportation, the grocery or farmer’s market employees, anyone who prepared the meal— picture each of these steps and people along the way, giving thanks for their contribution to your meal. This is a perfect group or family gratitude practice for Christmas Day! Try doing one of these practices every day for 30 days straight and notice how it makes you feel. Melissa is a yoga and meditation teacher, as well as a content strategist and writer. She created Mindful Minutes to bridge her two worlds, and offer practical, relatable anecdotes and tips on how to bring mindfulness into the busy lives of the digital age. Her intention is to share what she’s learned, and continues to learn, about overcoming her own challenges with meditation, mindfulness, and life balance while maintaining a challenging schedule and career. This article was originally published on http://mindfulminutes.com.
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ALL ONE ERA magazine
Inspirational Tales:
Tony’s Rock Shop By Victoria Fabling
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hat a marvelous place, a treasure house of gem stones for collectors and rock lovers like me. In the spring of 2007, I went to Tony’s Rock Shop to buy a big citrine. Tony was embarrassed to have to admit that his heart surgery had resulted in the deletion of a large chunk of his memory. He did not have any idea about citrine. He wanted, instead, to tell me a significant story that was foremost in his mind. Over 70 years ago, Tony’s father bought a tractor, which meant Tony and his siblings were no longer needed as farmhands. So, at the age of 13, Tony set off to make his way in the world. He started walking to the big city, Toronto. Many days later when he was tired, hungry, and had worn holes in his shoes, he came across a man leaning against a lamp post, smoking a cigarette. Tony asked him if he knew where he could find work because he was hungry. The man told him there was a railroad being built another four hours walk away, and the foreman would pay cash. He insisted on buying Tony breakfast, and then the two parted ways.
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Railroad. Photo credit: Flickr/shutterbugamar Tony continued walking for a few hours, and found the railroad. On the way, he met another man; this one offered him water and a huge pair of workman’s boots, “to save your feet.” The man sure seemed to ask a lot of questions, but the boy was glad of the water and the boots. Tony worked on the railroad until the
weather got too cold; then he set about retracing his steps back to the prairies. When he reached the same lamp post, he recognized the guy who had bought him breakfast and had directed him to his twenty-five-cents-an-hour job. The boy was pleased to see him and asked where he was heading, assuming he
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was, indeed, heading somewhere. “Oh, to Montreal for Christmas,” said the man, “but I had to abandon the idea because I didn’t have enough money.” Tony replied, “How much more do yo u need?” “Well $100 should do it,” said the man. Tony dipped his hand into his back pocket. “I just happen to have a spare $100,” he said, and gave a wad of notes to the man still leaning on the lamp post. I share this story because it gives moral direction. The leaning on the lamp post guy seemed ‘other worldly,’ but Tony felt he did the right thing at the right time. The man who’d given him water and boots then asked a lot of questions about where he’d come from, turned out to be an uncle— Tony wasn’t to know this until he made it back to the farm. Victoria Fabling is an effective energy worker, confidante, and life coach. When Victoria mentors she calls in your Highest Truth, facilitating a conversation so you hear its wisdom. She helps you to see your own situation from your Spiritual perspective; you are then free to fulfil your potential, without 'issues.'
November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Horse as Healer By Tony Hetman
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s a four-year-old growing up on a farm, I had the opportunity to straddle – well, it was more like doing the splits – a beautiful chestnut draft horse used to work the land. I was also lucky enough to own a brown and white pinto saddle horse. Today, the gentle spirit of the horse lives on in ways other than dragging a wagon or piece of machinery behind it, herding cattle, or competing in events. Horse Therapeutic Riding schools are now using horses to help people with physical and mental issues. One such school is Riding 4 Life, located on Penticton’s band land, and founded by Leann (Pitman) Manuel who is also one of the instructors. Her school offers basic riding lessons, ground work with horses, hippotherapy (a medically based treatment tool), and therapeutic horsemanship. Leann's involvement with teaching basic riding lessons was about to change when a parent of a client visited the school. The parent was seeking an opportunity for some of the special needs children she was working with, as they enjoyed visiting the horses. Leann says, “Within just a few short months, the benefit for many of those [special needs] riders was very clear and led me to do some reading. I discovered that research and practice in the field of therapeutic riding was expanding to include, not only folks with primarily physical limitations, but also those with other challenges. The more I learned, the more my program gained recognition and I soon founded Riding 4 Life. That was over a decade ago now.” Leann, with the assistance of a certified therapist, works with youth who are diagnosed with Asperger's and/or autism. The core symptoms of these disorders include hyper-focus on one or two specific areas of interest, verbal and non-verbal communication difficulties, repetitive speech patterns, and clumsiness. The first time autistic children are introduced to a horse, their behaviours can include crying, having tantrums, and avoidance. However, once the child is placed on the horse with someone supporting the child on the side, while another leads the horse, the behaviour almost always stops. It seems the gentle motion of riding causes a child to focus on that one thing—the movement of the horse. As in any learning process, there ma y be a few bumps; tantrums may be repeated every time there is some change, such as when the horse stops walking. However, after the child is taught the command to get the horse to move again, the child’s resistant behaviour stops. Moreover, tactile senses are stimulated when the child touches the horse’s coat, mane, and nose. The children's discovery of these sensations draws them out and helps to develop their verbal communication skills. They also begin to show interest in their surroundings. As the children improve their motor
November Moon 2015
Health: A Mindful Practice By Cherie Hans on
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Quiggly and Leann. Photo credit: Tony Hetman skills and build self-confidence through equine therapy in a safe environment, their ability to interact socially with humans also increases. Horses calm and soothe autistic children and bring them out of their shells. Horses live in the moment, without judgment. For humans to successfully interact with them, horses invite them to do the same. Leann’s focus is on how horsemanship skills can transfer across someone's entire life. She says, “A core piece of horsemanship is mindfulness, and effective horsemanship is impossible without it. Horsemanship intersects with ongoing research related to mental health and the treatment of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and many other ailments that so many of our friends and family cope with every day.” When asked what is special about using horses in her work, Leann is quick to respond. “As a prey animal, and a very successful one at that, they have very effective fight or flight behaviours,” she says. “They are also a very social animal whose survival is dependent on their inclusion in a herd. These characteristics match well with many human characteristics—the ones we usually like to rationalize around. As advanced as our cognitive brains can be, they often lead us astray with respect to our emotional lives. We can’t outthink our pain or our traumatic experiences. This is where horses can help us see ourselves again so we can gain insight into our own experiences and become more mindful.” According to Leann, horses are very good at reading body language. That body language is their only language, and one we need to learn to be able to communicate with them. Leann says, “Horses actually want to partner with us if we can demonstrate that we are worthy. As humans, we can’t make a horse do anything it doesn’t choose. We can, however, be clear about what choices a horse may have with respect to us. And this is where the magic happens.” Horses, like humans, have personalities, thus horses selected for the program must meet a wide range of needs. For in-
stance, one of the horses at Riding 4 Life is, as Leann says, “quite lazy and dull when he’s relaxed” which makes him a great choice when working with small, energetic children whose behaviour is sometimes unpredictable. Each horse has a trusting and long-ter m relationship with a team member, which allows them to safely pair a horse with a beginner horseman. When new horsemen have limitations such as Autism, ADD, Tourette's syndrome, etc., it is important that safety is at the forefront. According to Leann, therapeutic horsemanship is a growing industry. She points out that Canada’s Veterans Affairs has been in the news because of funded research into horsemanship as treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Leann says, “Horses kept me sane through the trauma of my young life, so I don’t need convincing. Governments and other sources of funding, however, do, and it seems research on the matter is reaching a tipping point where I don’t sound flaky anymore when I talk about my life with horses.” There is no doubt humans have always benefited from their relationship with horses. The founding of the first therapeutic riding association less than a century ago has in many ways enhanced and enriched that relationship. And it has only been in the last 50 years or so that therapeutic riding has been studied academically in the western world. Leann observes, “Some First Nations peoples in North America have very rich traditions involving horses and the wellness of their people.” Next issue, we will meet Cassie and learn how horses have dramatically changed her life, as well as learn about the benefits all of us can receive from being with horses. Tony Hetman is an artisan, educator, and writer having published over 200 articles and technical documentations. He is a winner of three first prize awards for playwriting, and also had his plays produced by CBC.
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he World Health Organization defines health as "… a state of complete physical, me ntal, and social well-being and not merely the absence of infirmity.” The definition considers the various aspects of thriving. The physical, me ntal, and social life of an individual are the three-legged stool that creates a balanced life. In the past, because we are human and surrounded by social patterns, we believed in the process of succumbing to illness and then recovering. However, the mind set towards health is changing as society evolves. In the 1950s martini glasses and a cigarette were a normal part of life. Over time, with the more rigorous study of biology, diseases, and brain functioning there has been a shift in habits and expectations. The concept of a “normal” life span, which spins out with a long period of disability and diminishing, is being replaced with a new “normal.” Contemporary YouTube videos show the public a new way of aging such as a 9 0 - ye ar - ol d gy mna s t ( http s : / / www.youtube.com/wa tc h? v=lwNSoO0KWt8); a 96-year-old yoga teacher (https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=u76yQEdflVM); and a 104-year-old volunteer (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jzPDGQDP3m8) who radiate vitality. Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who've Lived The Longest by Dan Buettner holds up to the reader the “norm” of longevity encouraged by social wellbeing and healthful foods. Dan Buettner’s studies show the way to, “prevent a rise in the prevalence of diabetes (and other such misfortunes); it would allow us to eliminate more than 80 per cent of the burden (of ill health) we have now. That’s revolutionary,” says David Katz, M.D., director of the YaleGriffin Prevention Research Center. Society is coming to recognize we are complete when we are glowingly healthy and happy. Well-founded nutritional habits, close and meaningful social support, meditation practice, and joyful activity can be built into our lives through carefully constructed habits. It is by living intentionally that we make the choice to live out our lives as spectacular as the new normal appears. Cherie Hanson holds an MA in English from UBC Vancouver. She has written poetry which appeared in literary magazines, has a blog with 38,000 subscribers at http://www.cheriehanson.com and is a visual artist. She resides in Kelowna.
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ALL ONE ERA magazine (Continued from page 6)
other so we could all flourish in peace, happiness, and the pursuit of higher consciousness and bliss. I have dedicated my life to sharing these truths, and to living in harmony with nature to achieve it. The bloody events of 1957 spurred great questions. Who I was, who all we humans are, and how glorious it is to be in a body in such a splendid, magnificent, vast universe, in spite of facing such daunting circumstances at times. I believed everyone knew in their heart of hearts that we are all connected and that we created and continue to re-create the opportunity to realize our all-powerful loving Selves and our appreciation for all there is. As a little boy of about seven, I conceived a short three-part prayer that I recited before going to sleep every night: I pray to God for peace and happiness on earth. Amen. Thank you God for everything. Amen. God bless the world. Amen I lived this prayer and gave thanks to the vast universe and to myself, as a microcosm of it. I went around consciously blessing the world and everything at all times. The twenty-two-word prayer resonates and stays with me. In its simplicity it captures everything, as long as the scope is included that we ARE God, the God/Love or Christ Energy or as conduits of the Loving Universal Consciousness. As I progress in my understanding of life, spirit, God, and creation itself, I am guided (Goded) and actually strive to create peace and happiness on earth. I always feel strongly that I am here, and we are all here, on our Father’s/Mother’s business. As we touched upon the end of World War II, marking the beginning of the American Dream, North America was becoming a haven for expatriates from all over the world. Those of countless backgrounds amalgamated, easing their strict traditions and beliefs and letting go of their heritages with the objective of building a new life together, lifting the dark clouds of the past to create harmony, peace, and happiness. They wanted a world where they could freely express themselves and raise their families in joy. A place where everyone could have a home, and own a home… Having been “orphaned,” I was quite independent and had started working as soon as I was eligible. My paper route provided me with about $3.50 a week and by tenth grade I had graduated to stocking shelves at the local supermarket and working weekends at the local catering house where I could log over twenty hours in a weekend at $1.05 an hour plus tips. I was building a nest egg and parlayed it by buying boats and motors and doing restoration work and re-selling them. By the time I was in eleventh grade, I owned seventeen boats and had them all in different states of completion. In twelfth grade, I met my sweetheart Eileen and we were married just after my graduation on August 1, 1962. I was just eighteen, and by my twenty-second birthday, I had built a new lakefront house and had two Cadillacs in the driveway. Making money became an obsession. The market was so strong with every young couple striving to own their own home. I became known as the “boy broker” and held the record of making the most sales in the area. After years of extreme success, which included buying and
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developing as well as brokerage, I began to long to have children and be a family man, but sadly Eileen, who had been the oldest of seven, felt she had done her motherly duties taking care or her siblings with little help from her parents. We reluctantly and amicably parted ways after seven happy years. Our parting marked a whole new beginning for me. I was about to leave our beloved Catholic Church and embark on an emersion into ancient Hindu ways and to live on an austere diet called Macrobiotics, which had been developed in Japan as an ultimate cleansing. A wonderfully joyous and vivacious red-haired, freckled young lady named Annie, who loved children, came into my life serendipitously, and after three years of amazing meditations and spiritual awakenings, we were blessed with a son on September 24, 1971. Matthew David never cried. He was so happy. He would lie in his crib, cooing and chanting, and he'd sleep for twelve hours at a time. He was a pure happy delightful soul! Annie, in her ever-independent way, chose to leave us amicably so she could travel to India to be with her guru. Matt had just been weaned and we wanted mom to follow her heart. This gave me the unique opportunity to be both a mother and a father, and it opened a new dimension of what love means. Here, I had the magnificent one-on-one father/son love AND the unconditional motherly love. I am so very grateful for having had the experience and thrill of being both a mother and a father for six of the happiest years of my life. My beautiful boy was love, pure love… we did everything together and I rarely left his side. The closeness and total bonding we achieved brought us both to extreme heights. It was an opportunity I knew all children and parents longed deeply for and we were both so grateful for having been blessed with the luxury of having such a pure frolicking time together. Through a time of deep introspection, I realized a feeling of profound oneness with everyone and with all of creation. My experience and independence had made me wiser, yet I longed to discover and share more, with a grander perspective. I wanted to broker and become a conduit of love and appreciation. I longed to return to my original purpose and to not only pursue possessions, such as cars, boats, land, and material wealth, but to be an all-out crusader for the true meaning of love. I became one with my sweet little boy and with the enormous responsibility of being a parent. Caring for him made me want to provide the best nutrition, education, air, water, and loving people for him at all times. It was a vision that I knew I had to extend to the larger community. To do so, I became an activist for the ecology on all levels. Fathering a life, which was subjected to all that exists, propelled me to offer to all of humanity the same love and nurturing that I offered my boy. As a father or a mother, when we consciously choose to bring a child onto the planet, you want, with all your heart, for that planet to be sustainable so that your children and their children can live a joyous comfortable life. A beautiful compliment to this sentiment is Chief Dan George’s famous quote, “The only thing the world really needs is for every child to grow up in happiness.” The full significance of my level of awareness came to a forefront one dark rainy night in 1973 when Matthew and I
“Love is the essence of consciousness. Consciousness is an awareness of the vibratory field, The subliminal vibration of the universe." Dr. Valerie Hunt, Professor Emeritus, UCLA and 40-year Professor and Physiology Researcher
were sleeping in our remotely located country home. Three armed men broke the window of our front door and entered. I scrambled to the door without my glasses, to find a shotgun pointed at my head. The men demanded cash. When I told them I had none, they tied me up with rope so tight that I bled from my wrists and ankles. They began carrying out all our possessions, only to rush back in and demand to know where I kept my valuables. They threatened to kill my son if I didn't tell them. As I lay on the floor writhing in pain and anguish, I felt a glow of warmth surround me as I began to “Let Go Let God.” The familiar purple glow began to pulsate between my eyebrows, and I felt myself reach out to the entire universe. I shuddered and drew in a deep breath and let out a long, gentle and confident Oommmm, pushing past my normal exhale breath until I expelled all the air in my tensed body. I drew in another deep breath and felt tingling all over my body. I exhaled with all my strength, blowing out through my teeth with a loud hissing sound. I was reaching out with all my heart, soul, mind, and body, and in that moment I felt myself begin to lift off the floor! I began to levi-
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tate, creating a vibration so strong that it caused the house fire alarm to blare its high-pitched siren. The men, perhaps thinking that the alarm was connected to the police, ran from the house and tore off down the road in their van. I shuffled into the kitchen and found a knife to cut the ropes loose. I ran upstairs to hug my boy, who was still sleeping peacefully. In that moment of levitation, I saw myself touching all the people, animals, fish, trees, mountains, rivers, oceans, sky, stars, and air with my fervent eternal love. I chose to live as a conduit of pure love, unaffected by and without direction from fear. I felt the presence of the Divine Guidance, an immediate release, and a sense of pure peace, a blessing that touched not only my heart, but reached out to every heart. It was a connection so strong that it now dominates my being at all times. That night, my God self-spoke to me. Stephen Cipes, ambassador and visionary for the All-One-Era. We look forward to sharing chapter 4 of the All-One-Era manuscript in our next issue. Or, you may request to purchase your copy on our website.
November Moon 2015
ALL ONE ERA magazine
November Moon 2015
www.alloneeramag.com
Page 27
ALL ONE ERA magazine
Page 28
www.alloneeramag.com
November Moon 2015