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Raising Spiritual Children Grandchildren, Art, & Grandmother Wisdom
Project Yoga Richmond Spiritual Artistry Teddy’s Health Food Market APRIL 2017
Valerie Sargent
Certified Hypnotherapist & Akashic Records Reader
Present moment guidance for the life experience you desire.
Hypnotherapist, Akashic Records Reader & Intuitive Healer. Guided by
• Hypnotherapy • Hypnotherapy/Akashic Records • Intuitive Healing/Energy Work • Custom-made Intuitive Soul Portraits • Monthly Group Akashic Readings
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Valerie is a Certified
her intuition, Valerie is able to hypnotize you while in your Akashic Records.
703.615.2220 thefigleaf444@gmail.com
Available via phone and Skype
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April 2017
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letter From the
Publisher...
“So, if this is a free publication, then how do you make any money to stay in business?” As I travel around the state into our distribution areas and have the opportunity to talk with readers, I am frequently asked this question. First of all, it clearly shows that you readers are aware that this is not an inexpensive production and, also, that it’s obvious that my name has never been announced as a lottery winner! This is a young business that is trying to grow and always provide top quality in both presentation and all-original content. We stay in business due to the support of our advertisers who thus underwrite this magazine and help make it available for you. Actually, the way this works is all part of the goal of this publication project … creating a statewide spiritual community. Advertisers show their faith in this project by coming forward with the energy of their advertising dollars. In turn, that allows the magazine to provide the energy of promoting the advertisers’ businesses and practices through exposure to the readers. You, the readers, then complete the circle with your energy of frequenting and using the businesses, practices, and services of the advertisers. That’s building our spiritual community. Everyone benefits. What has been so gratifying and humbling is not only the range of advertisers we’ve drawn, from healing modalities to real estate to senior care to retailers to intuitives to retreat centers, etc., but also the feedback that readers are accessing local advertisers and also traveling across the state for special and unique practices, services, and events. This, again, is building our spiritual community. Thank you so much for supporting these advertisers and, in so doing, supporting this magazine, keeping it available at an increasing number of locations. Of note, I know readers are noticing the ads as I am frequently told that some of you think many of the ads are as striking as the content presentation we strive to offer.
Some of you may have noticed that this issue became a quarterly when we had announced in the January issue that we would begin publishing bi-monthly starting with a March issue. A series of unforeseen events created a real problem in our production schedule, but we are now back on track and will be going bimonthly now with the next issue set for June 2017. We appreciate your patience in this matter. *** One last thing … I wrote the Psychic Profile in the last issue and didn’t catch a big mistake. I misspelled B’s last name … her name is Beth Carleton. My apologies, B.
April 2017
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Publisher & editor
Ray Whitson
AssociAte editors
Carolyn Greer Daly Nicki Peasley coPy editor
Caroline Hirst
GrAPhic desiGn
Déjà vu Design, Inc.
Web & sociAl MediA
Hobby Parent
contributinG Writers
Deann Bishop Carol Lallier Nick Lasky Hobby Parent Nicki Peasley Bobbie Ann Pimm Krista Rahm Rob Rahm Ray Whitson sAles
sPeciAl contributors
***
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AprIl 2017
Mary Carter
That’s how this all works. We’re all in this together.
May you know Peace.
Volume 2 Issue 2
Annie Hess Elena Kryzanovskaya Bill Rhode Juli Richardson
For advertising information please call (434) 972-9273 or email ads@exploreawareness.com Awareness LLC p.o. Box 85 North Garden, VA 22959 (434) 972-9273 editor@exploreawareness.com Copyright 2017 by Awareness llC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. All pictorial material reproduced in this magazine, whether in a produced ad or by itself, has been accepted on the condition that it is with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer or the artist concerned. As such, Awareness llC is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof. the views and opinions expressed by the writers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of ownership or management. the information contained herein is for informational purposes only and although every effort has been made to present accurate information, we do not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information or for the businesses and organizations presented herein.
Four Quarters lnterFaith Sanctuary Earth Spirit and Earth Living in an agE of LimitS
“My Feet May Yet Be Wandering, But my heart has found a home. At the Center of Four Quarters ln a Ring of Standing Stone.” Upcoming 2017 festivals:
Beltaine ~ April 28-30 Espiritu Santo ~ May 26-29 Fires Rising ~ May 31-June 4 Wickerman ~ June 8-11 Whether you are drawn to the ancient traditions of Earth Spirit or seeking a vibrant community of people from all walks of life; searching for a center of retreat or a place for ceremony... Here is Home.
Drum ’N’ Splash ~ June 28-July 2 The Body Tribal ~ Aug 11-13 Stones Rising! ~ Aug 30-Sept 4 Samhain ~ October 27-29 Yule ~ December 15-17 Visit our website or call for more information regarding Festivals, Events, Moon Services, and our Lecture Series.
Request your free copy of our annual 72-page Wheel of the Year Desk Calendar!
Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary
190 Walker Lane, Artemas PA 17211 ~ office@4qf.org ~ 814.784.3080
Visit us at www.4qf.org
Forrest Green Farm Whole Living From the Ground Up
A hands-on seasonal course in herbal medicine, food as medicine and sustainable gardening for modern times. Learn how to make use of your herbs and garden to enhance your life and save you money
To learn more details about the farm & classes visit www.forrestgreenfarm.com www.exploreawareness.com
April 2017
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Contents awareness exploring spirituality april 2017
features
columns Spiritural Artistry Akashic Record Reading Cards
8
By nicki peasley
12
whole living
17
dreaMing with BoBBie ann
By ray whitson
22
this little light of Mine By krista and roB rahM
By BoBBie ann piMM
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Book review
33
your lucky stars
By carol lallier
Raising & 50 psychic profile Susan Hughes Being Raised by Spiritural regions Children 36 central virginia The Spice Diva
By nicki peasley
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Grandchildren, Art, & Grandmother Wisdom
By ray whitson
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northern virginia
The Golden Lighthouse Metaphysical Center By ray whitson
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piedMont
Project Yoga Richmond By nicki peasley
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southwestern virginia
Queenpin Herb Shop By deann Bishop
By hoBBy parent
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By nick lasky
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tidewater Teddy’s Health Food Market By ray whitson
T H E H A KO M I M E T H O D Compassionate Self-Discover y
• Come alive in ways you never have before! • Let your body’s wisdom guide you to wholeness & healing • Finally work effectively with all aspects of yourself
www.compassionateselfawareness.com Virginia’s only Certified Hakomi Practitioner Charlottesville and Staunton offices Available by Skype & in person
Jocelyn Pierce Audet CHP Self-Awareness & Mindfulness Coaching Mental Health Nutrition jocelyn@compassionateselfawareness.com 540.290.6138
www.exploreawareness.com
April 2017
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This
Little Light of mine boWS anD arroWS By Nicki Peasley
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet, they belong not to you.” –from The ProPheT, by Kahlil Gibran
T
his passage on children has been shared at countless blessing ways i’ve had the privilege of leading and attending. and each time i hear it, i am cracked open a bit more, my understanding of what it means to be a parent deepening with the passage of time. as young mothers, the idea of our infants not belonging to us is a poetic projection of the future. i watch my best friend with her baby and am reminded of the mystical bond between the mother and her newborn. There is no boundary in this relationship. This child only knows himself as a part of her. and she, in this brief season, defines herself by her instinct to nurture and love this perfect reflection of the Divine. There is nothing more beautifully natural than this. yet, as the child grows, the simplicity of this relationship transforms. With increasing assertiveness, the child begins to step firmly into his own separate beingness. and we, as parents, get our first taste of Gibran’s assertion that we are, indeed, merely the vessels through which our children pass. and so we begin to honor their unfolding, to see each
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child as a unique expression of love. We learn to reconcile surrender and control by setting flexible limits. We get comfortable in the gray zone of parenting. and we pray. a lot. We also learn to forgive ourselves. and remember that our children picked us for their own spiritual evolution. They came in with their soul agendas and baggage of past life imprints, and they chose us to travel alongside them on their journeys, for a little while at least.
...For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. in the daily trenches of parenthood, i am liberated by Gibran’s wisdom. While i am responsible for caring for these precious forms, i need not explicitly project my own thoughts, feelings, and actions upon them. Since their birth into this lifetime, my children have been swimming in the physical, emotional, and spiritual waters of our family union. on their quest to wholeness, they have absorbed what serves them and disregarded what does not. While i have provided the water and helped them to stay afloat, it has been up to them to learn how to swim—their stroke and pace is theirs alone to determine. Despite my respect for each of my children as individuals separate from me, as the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself, i still catch myself claiming ownership of their gifts and experiencing guilt for their challenges. “yes, she got that (fill in desirable quality) from me,” or “oh no, he got that (fill in undesirable quality) from me!” but the truth is, i can take no credit for their beauty, just as i can accept no blame for their trials. These are their
blessings to cultivate and their dragons to tame. What i can do is be a witness and an ally, and allow them to be my teachers. While i am the net for my risk-taking child, she is my reminder to live life with joy and abandon. as the sound mind and body for my anxious child, i am learning to master my own dragon and remember the gifts innate in a more sensitive vibration. Through my child with a chronic health issue, i am awakening to the understanding that, ultimately, we are not in control; we just have to do the best we can. ... You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. i embrace Grace’s mystery and elegance, Viv’s innocence and spunk, and rhode’s quiet strength and compassion. i hold the deepest admiration for my children; they are my favorite humans. Gibran completes his passage on children: You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and he bends you with his might that his arrow may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves also the bow that is stable. my greatest teacher of parenting was and continues to be my mom. my friends often marvel at the adoration my sister and i have for our mom, “how did she raise children who loved her so much, so unconditionally?” and i think it has to do with her natural ability to be the stable and flexible bow, to honor her children’s paths while at the same time honoring her own. in our child-centered culture, we can be overly focused on the arrow—often to the detriment of the bow. mom made sure that my sister and i knew that everyone in our household carried equal value. There would be times, certainly, when one of us would require more attention, more time, more life energy, but mom ensured that balance was achieved over time. last week, i was feeling frustrated by the life energy being expended upon my children, my arrows, at my own physical and emotional expense. We were on our third run of the week to Target and before i even put the car in park, they cascaded out of the SUV and through the doors of the big box store, leaving me feeling as reusable as the bags i stood holding in the parking lot.
There was the part of me ingrained in our child-centered culture that rationalized, “oh they’re egocentric teenagers. They don’t know any better.” but then i heard my mom’s voice of reason, “oh no, they may be young but they know better. Time to firm up that bow of yours.” after that Target run, i sat my arrows down, channeled mom, and said, “i am more than your wheels and your wallet. Until you treat me with love and respect i deserve, consider me on a mom vacation.” (Well, i wasn’t that collected—there was whining and self-pitying and manipulation involved, but i am a human work in progress). fortunately for my children, forgiveness comes easily to me and my vacation didn’t last. While the kind words and hugs from my spoiled offspring were short-lived, they will sustain me for a while, until the next time i need to declare a mom vacation. like life, parenthood is a spiral of teaching and learning—and loving—in spite of it all. During my “mom vacation,” i visited one of my favorite healing spaces—The float Zone. for a blissful hour of sensory deprivation, i floated weightlessly in an eggshaped pod of water made buoyant by 1,000 pounds of Epson salt. for me, there is no other experience that more mirrors the feeling of returning to the womb, returning to my mom, to my bow. as i rested on the water, i fell into a dream of being both the child and the mother. i remembered only knowing myself as part of my mother ... and years later, only knowing my children as part of me. i cried for the loss of this boundless union and then realized that, having been loved and loved in this most sacred way, i can now fully step into belonging to myself. To contain and be contained by the archer who loves me unconditionally as child, mother, and human. Stepping out of the pod that day was a rebirth into a new way of loving. Just as my relationship with my mom has transformed with her death, so too must i allow my relationship with my children to organically evolve into this next season of love, a season to let go and go on. An educator by trade, Nicki Peasley is a student and storyteller of life and a teacher of love, both inside and outside of the classroom. She lives in richmond with her husband, three children, and their chocolate lab, George Bailey.
www.exploreawareness.com
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Be Who You REALLY Are. A
Manual for Developing Humans is the third book P.M.H. Atwater was told to write during her third near-death experience. Based entirely on threes, there are no chapters... only the development of conscious, subconscious, and superconscious aspect to each topic—every topic—for the Manual contains the basics of every level of life—from how to use your mind, develop and use intuition, understand color, sex, relationships, children, how to take out-of-body trips, interact with spirit beings, meditate, bend time, and rethink money. Aliveness jumps from every page—of soil, rocks, mountains, vegetation, the air we breathe, our planet, our solar system, our universe— even electricity and energy itself, along with The Void (the ultimate “cradle of creation”). Each of six main parts is separated by thoughtform drawings. What she learned from 80 years of living and challenging every aspect of living is inter-woven into what “The Voice Like None Other” showed her how to do. A Manual for Developing Humans is filled with surprises! P.M.H. ATWATER is the author of more than 15 books, including Dying to Know You, Future Memory, Children of The Fifth World and Near-Death Experiences: The Rest of The Story. She has been researching the near-death phenomenon since 1978, and is considered a world authority on the subject. She is a workshop leader at major spiritual/holistic gatherings, and has addressed audiences at the International Association for Near-Death Studies, as well as the United Nations, and in numerous countries. Her books have been translated into over 12 languages. She has appeared on Larry King Live, Regis and Kathy Lee, and Geraldo. Author Residence: Charlottesville, VA
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Over 38 years experience helping people buy and sell their homes. www.exploreawareness.com
April 2017
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WHOlE lIVIng
Connecting with the Earth By Krista and roB rahm
Preparing for Allergy Season
S
pring is a wonderful time of year. As the days get warmer and the daylight hours increase, we begin to feel elevated energy and excitement as the earth comes to life with the lush green growth of spring. For many, this spring emergence can cause miserable allergy symptoms, which leads to them staying indoors in an attempt to hide from all the pollen allergens filling the air. In Virginia, we have a great diversity in our landscape. We have the Blue Ridge Mountain Region, the central area referred to as the Piedmont Region, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain Region. This large array of diverse landscape is home to an extensive variety of grasses, trees, weeds, and wildflowers. The pollen load from these magnificent varieties of plants can overwhelm our bodies and cause allergic rhinitis, or, as it’s more commonly known, hay 12 April 2017
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fever. It is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to airborne allergens. Pollen particles enter your nasal passages and latch onto the soft mucous membranes that line the bronchial and nasal passages. Our nasal passages contain immune cells, called mast cells, that are laden with histamines. Mast cells release these histamines when allergens trigger their receptors. Histamine is what causes typical allergy symptoms including tissue inflammation, swelling of bronchial tubes (which makes it hard to breath), sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. This histamine response is the body’s way of eliminating the intruder through a runny nose and eyes, and activates immune cells to fight what it perceives as possible infection. Extreme allergic reactions can cause rash, hives, low blood pressure, serious breathing trouble, asthma, and even death. So, why do some people get allergies while others do not? And why do some people get allergies one year and not the next? Simply put, there are two basic things behind your allergic reaction response: the intensity of your exposure to allergens and the current health of your immune system. Be aware of the “hygiene hypothesis” when raising children. The hypothesis theorizes that we develop allergies to harmless things because we are not exposed to them in our developmental years. In other words, when the environment is too clean and children are not exposed to disease-causing organisms, infectious agents, and parasites, it suppresses the natural development of their immune system. The solution: get rid of the antibacterial soaps and gels and go play in the dirt!
Another man-made factor that we need to take seriously is exposure to chemicals that we find in things like paint, new carpet, mattresses, pollution, and even secondhand smoke. This man-made load can stress the body and the immune system and may lead to serious sensitivities, allergies, and even asthma. Awareness of our environment is very important. Food sensitivities and allergies can be very complicated. In fact, they deserve an article of their very own. For the purpose of this writing, however, looking at spring and fall hay fever-type allergies, we will just note that food allergies can weaken the immune system and lower one’s resistance to airborne allergens.
• Nettle (Urtica diocia) – decreases inflammation, strengthens kidney function, provides nutrient-dense nutrition to help support immune function and is a natural antihistamine. It can be taken in the form of food, nourishing Herbal Infusions (four-hour long steeped tea to pull out the maximum nutrition and constituents), capsules, or tincture. Please note that contact with fresh nettles can sting and/or cause skin inflammation, so wear protective gloves when handling it. It is best to start about six weeks before allergy season to build up the body. • Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) – an excellent natural fastacting antihistamine that thins mucus, drains the sinuses, and eventually dries up the mucous membranes while the anti-inflammatory actions help soothe the irritations caused by the allergens. Make a tea or tincture of the flowering tops just as the flowers begin to open. • Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) – great for those who get profuse post-nasal drip, sinus and wet lung congestion that leads to sinus infections. Best if made as a fresh tincture of fresh leaves and flowers. Dried plant material also works for a tea or capsules. Caution: horehound does not taste good and may raise blood pressure in some individuals. • Local Honey – take one teaspoon or more daily starting four weeks before allergy season. This works well for some individuals and not so much for others. I like to recommend using local honey as a sweetener in an herbal tea such as nettles for the best results. • Quercetin – is a natural, plant-derived compound that helps stabilize mast cells and prevents them from releasing histamine. Best if started six weeks before allergy season. This supplement has different manufacturers that use different formulas, so always follow label instructions.
Obviously, we try to avoid allergy triggers to lessen an allergy response; but one can’t always avoid those triggers. leading a healthy lifestyle can really give your body a boost in warding off allergies. Inflammation, disease, and stress can all lead to a weakened immune system. There are some basic things we can do help build a healthy immune system. • Eat a healthy diet. (Be sure to get a good supply of vitamins & minerals from fresh vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits.) • Add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. (This encourages the body to make more anti-inflammatory compounds.) • Maintain a good digestive system (good gut flora, regular bowel movements, maintain a healthy weight, etc.). • Avoid stress. (Stress wrecks immune functioning.) • Avoid excessive amounts of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods. • Drink plenty of water/stay hydrated. • Get regular exercise. • Get plenty of rest/sleep. There are many OTC (over the counter) allergy medications for helping to alleviate allergy symptoms. Many of these OTC options have unwanted side effects such as drowsiness and nasal irritation. For some, the decongestant types will stop the flow of the mucous and then leave them with to help ward off or lessen pockets of “stuck” mucous that lead to a bacterial sinus allergies include: infection. Also, many people complain that after taking OTC and pharmaceutical allergy medications for an extended period of time they become less effective. These OTC medications excel at suppressing symptoms, but do little to help build up a body’s natural defense system.
Natural Remedies
When we take a natural approach to dealing with seasonal allergies, we build up the body to be healthy and strong so it can perform at its best.
• Neti pots and nasal irrigation with saline water – rinses away the pollen particles that enter the nasal passages and land on the mucous membranes. Use twice a day and especially after time spent outdoors to keep nasal passages clear.
Special note: While we often discuss herbal remedies in terms of making your own, this is certainly not a requirement. There are many health food stores and supermarkets that stock these natural remedies (teas and tinctures etc.). At Forrest green Farm, we also carry many of these products in our Market on The Farm store and online. Should you want to learn more about the tradition of herbalism, Forrest green Farm also offer hands-on classes in medicine making. www.exploreawareness.com
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Krista’s Korner
Soothing Chickweed Eye Wash Chickweed (Stellaria media) is an opportunistic weed that is often one of the first plants to emerge in the early spring and shows up wherever there is bare ground that needs filling in. It offers soothing and cooling relief to symptoms of heat, dryness, and inflammation. These qualities make it an excellent soother for inflamed, itchy eyes associated with allergy symptoms. Chickweed is usually growing abundantly when it is needed for allergy season. It will disappear from the landscape as the hot days of summer take over. no worries, you can freeze chickweed for later use. Just pick it fresh and put it in a sealable bag, squeeze out the air and freeze. That will ensure you have chickweed available to you year round. For an eye soother, gather some fresh chickweed (any above-ground parts) and chop it up. Then add ½ cup of freshly chopped chickweed to 1 cup of water and simmer on the stove as if you are making a tea. Simmer for 10 minutes and then strain out the plant material. Place the remaining liquid in the refrigerator to cool. get a cotton cloth or cotton ball and soak it in the chickweed-infused
5 Reasons to Consider an
Energy Healer
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liquid. lie back and place the cotton ball or cloth on the itchy, burning, inflamed eyes for 10 minutes. Repeat a few times a day until you get the needed relief. This also works well for pink-eye symptoms. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Krista and Rob Rahm purchased a farm in Louisa, Virginia, in 1992. After many years of learning to live off of the land, learning and using herbal medicine as their primary health care, and making farming their full-time occupation, the Rahms began a new mission to empower others with the knowledge to achieve Whole Living and supply products and classes to support this purpose. www.forrestgreenfarm.com. (540) 967-1165 Forrest Green Farm products can be purchased at our Market on the Farm or online mail ordering at http://www. forrestgreenfarm.com/store-sq/
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creative juice for your soul Disclaimer: No experience necessary. Let’s discover your creative bones together. 16 April 2017
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Dreaming WITh
Bobbie Ann By BoBBie Ann Pimm
Why do you have recurring dreams? Do you have a theme that recurs in your dreams? For instance, you’re running but don’t know what from or where to? You’re taking a test and your pencil keeps breaking? You’re naked in your office? Or there’s a tidal wave approaching? These are all common dreams that many people have over and over again. Sometimes the setting or people change but the theme is the same. Sometimes the dream replays itself exactly the same every time. Why do these dream themes keep repeating? Think about this: What happens when you hit the snooze button on the alarm clock? The alarm rings again in a few minutes, right? If you hit the snooze again, it will ring again and again and again, until you finally turn the alarm off and get up. Most of the time the same thing is happening when a dream repeats itself. It is your subconscious reminding you there is something that you need to do, or warning you that something needs your attention. It will repeat over and over again as long as you keep ignoring it, or as long as the related waking life situation continues. Another reason that dream themes recur is that you are likely experiencing a waking life situation that is repeating or is very similar to a prior experience. Situations that evoke strong emotions such as fear and anger that you cannot express or acknowledge will often trigger a recurring dream because they remind you of a situation that made you feel the same way in the past. Understanding the recurring dream To understand the dream, think back over the previous 24–72 hours for a situation where you felt the same way
you did in the dream. What triggered that emotion? What recent situation or issue is similar to something from the past? Sometimes the dream may provide clues as to what action should be taken in waking life. What actions did you take in the dream? What could you have done differently? Consider what would happen if you take that alternate action in waking life. If the recurring dream doesn’t offer any insight into what steps you should take, then another dream during the night or the next night or two possibly will. Explore any dreams that occur after the recurring dream. If you don’t remember any other dreams or they don’t provide any insight, try incubating a dream, i.e., ask your dreaming mind for a dream that will offer you guidance. (A stepby-step instruction on incubating a dream is provided below.) Keeping a daily journal as well as a dream journal can also help identify the source of the waking life issue that triggers the recurring dream. Look for similarities in the days preceding these dreams. Where were you? What were you doing? Who did you interact with? What day of the week was it? When did you feel the same way you did in the dream? What made you feel that way? Any commonalities in the days before having a recurring dream should be examined closer as the trigger. For instance, you always have the dream on Wednesday, or the day after a monthly meeting at the office. The dreams occur after you go grocery shopping, pay the bills, or see your father-in-law. Once you identify the trigger, you can do some soulsearching or meditate on it to try to understand the situation, your reaction to it, and what you should do the next time the same situation occurs. You can also, again, try incubating a dream for further guidance. www.exploreawareness.com
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Seek further guidance from your dreaming mind To incubate a dream, take these steps: • Set an intention. Be as clear and precise as possible. Write it down. • Set the intention to also remember the dream. • Be mindful as you prepare for sleep. Clear your mind and/or meditate for a few minutes on your intention. • Be certain that you will have and remember the dream. • Place your written intention under your pillow. • Keep your dream journal and pen prepared by your bedside. • In the morning when you awake, don’t move. Remember your intention and recall what you were thinking or dreaming about the few moments before. • Once you are sure you remembered all that you can, write the dream down. • Thank your dreaming mind or Source for the dream. • Set aside time during the day to reflect on your intention and the dream you recorded. • Most importantly, be sure to act on the dream! • If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! (That is, do, do again!)
the dreamer at that age or someone else of that age.
A reader’s recurring dream theme Steph B. sent me an email about a dream she had the night after reading my column in the premiere issue of Awareness. Thank you for reading and sharing, Steph! This was her dream:
When ‘the wind shifts’ it suggests a change in attitude or beliefs, a willingness to do something different, progress being made, or something changing.
“… the 3 cyclones (water spouts over the ocean, which I have seen before in dreams) are approaching storms, and we and all the others there on the beach, are moving away towards safety and shelter out of the way of the storm. The dream starts with several of us moving towards the funnels over the water to see what they were, in curiosity and awareness. Then ‘the wind shifts’ in the dream from curiosity to movement...” Steph said that she identified the source of the waking life issue that prompted the dream. Way to go, Steph! I asked her permission to share the dream and talk about the symbols because they are very common. Weather, such as ‘cyclones’ and ‘storms’ usually represent strong emotions. Cyclones and storms are signs of nature raging out of control. As a dream symbol they suggest that the dreamer is under a lot of stress or harboring a lot of anger and is afraid of losing control. The dream may be a way for the unconscious to safely release and process these emotions. Numbers can represent anything that exists in the same quantity. So, in this case, if it were my dream, I would ask myself, “What comes in three or what do I have three of in my life?” I might have three sisters, or three problems, or three deadlines, etc. Numbers may also be a reference to a time, an address, a phone number, a date or month, 18 April 2017
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The ‘ocean’ is generally considered to represent the unconscious and the ‘beach’ is the borderland between the conscious and the unconscious or between waking and dreaming. ‘Moving away’ suggests avoidance or an unwillingness to face or deal with something.
The only actual expert in interpreting your dreams is you! ‘Seeking shelter’ can suggest a need or desire for security, protection, or the basic needs of life. It may also suggest the dreamer is in denial and trying to hide or avoid being hurt. ‘Curiosity’ may suggest seeking a solution to a problem, a desire or willingness to learn, or being open to new ideas, experiences, etc.
‘Movement’ suggests change, agreement, or progress. Consider what is moving and in what direction. Is it moving away (avoidance) or towards you or something else (agreement)? Is it going to the right (good, positive, yes) or to the left (wrong, negative, no)? When working with your dreams and your symbols, it’s important to remember that only you know what your dreams mean. The above interpretations are only some of the possible meanings and must not be considered as expert or definitive. You may have other associations. Remember, the dreamer always has the right to accept or reject any interpretation offered by someone else. Any interpretation from someone else is a projection of their beliefs and experiences. The only actual expert in interpreting your dreams is you! Please send your dreams to awareness@bobbieann.net for consideration as a subject of discussion in a future column. ‘Til next time … Happy Dreaming!! Bobbie Ann Pimm lives in Albemarle County. She is a dream educator and the author of Notes from a Dreamer…on Dreaming: A Personal Journey in Dream Interpretation, available at createspace. com (paperback) and Amazon.com (paperback and Kindle). She is also a consultant for dreamscloud. com and a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams (www.asdreams.org).
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April 2017
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Book Review
by CAROL LALLIER
Opening to Fullness of Spirit Discovering Secrets of the Soul Through Automatic Writing Carolyn Greer Daly Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2016 United States of America First Edition, 175 pages ISBN: 9781940265346 $15, Available on Amazon.com Both esoteric and down to earth—an oxymoron, perhaps, but Opening to Fullness of Spirit manages to be both. In a voice as honest as a baby’s laughter and completely devoid of writers’ ploys, Carolyn Greer Daly recounts her discovery of unexpected answers to questions we all have asked— often in anger, frustration, fear, and desperation: Who are you, God? How do I reconcile your threats of eternal damnation with your image as God the loving Father? Why would you send my generous, kindhearted friend to hell because she is [Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, other]? Or do I have that backwards? Am I going to hell because, by accident of birth, I am [Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, other]? What is the “one true religion”? What is the Truth? When the foundations of an individual’s faith begin to crumble, the psychological anguish the person experiences is tremendous: depression, guilt, anger, fear, shame—a spectrum of emotions antithetical to the feelings of a person whose faith is strong. Such is the 20 April 2017
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punishment for an individual who dares question his or her religion. When Daly, who as a child was indoctrinated into fundamentalist Baptist beliefs, found the courage to admit her doubts and demand answers, she may have hoped for a heavenly voice to whisper affirmation in her ear. She may even have welcomed an angry thunderbolt— anything to assuage her emotional torment, to tell her that her lifelong devotion and adherence to her religion was worthwhile and right. Never in the darkest depths of her uncertainty did Daly question the existence of God but rather how to reconcile her spirituality with man’s interpretations of scripture, which are unavoidably colored by human weaknesses. The answers she received were so astonishing they demanded a complete rethinking of all she had been taught to believe. Through the medium of automatic writing, which Daly explored with trepidation (“If this was heresy, I did not want to offend God”[3].), skepticism (“There had to be a rational, scientific explanation…” [4]), and fear of discovery (“Where could I go to have the necessary privacy? The bathroom” [11].), she learned to open her mind, her heart, and her spirit in ways that do not deny but embrace a loving God. A most convincing aspect of Opening to Fullness of Spirit is the absence of over-the-top events that might sensationalize Daly’s account. While her automatic writing predicts several public events (“Blazing fires, blazing fires, Louziana [sic]” [52] and “More grief for President, Oval Room will tell” [63].), it is the personally meaningful messages that lead Daly to the fullness of spirit that she so generously shares in her book. If you are looking for a howto on automatic writing, look elsewhere. But if you seek spiritual elevation—and assurance that it is attainable not in a flourish of heavenly intervention but through actively seeking your own path to Truth—Opening to Fullness of Spirit will encourage and hearten you on your way. Carol Lallier is a freelance editor and writer. In her 25 years of working in the publishing world, she has taught creative writing to children and adults, served as editor-in-chief of a leading trade magazine, and edited half a million manuscript pages. Her most recent work is in online course development for Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Bellevue College in Washington State.
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Spiritual Artistry
AkAshic RecoRd Reading Cards
Valerie Sargent, CHt
By Ray Whitson
$32.95 per deck | www.TheFigLeaf.net TheFigLeaf444@gmail.com https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFigLeafStudioArt (703) 615-2220
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o understand the events of our lives, many of us seek the services of a psychic or read book after book about spirituality or self-healing. We can only have so many psychic readings or cram in so many books in search of that clarity. Valerie Sargent’s Akashic Record Reading Cards offer the opportunity for us to tap into our own intuitive knowledge to come more to peace with our journey … and it’s exciting to develop your own intuition. Valerie is a certified hypnotherapist, Akashic Record reader, intuitive healer, and intuitive artist. As an intuitive artist she goes to her canvas, without preconceived idea of the outcome, and does an abstract interpretation of whatever energy comes forward. The titles for these paintings come from the feeling evoked by the energy itself. She created this deck using these beautiful paintings. 22
The deck consists of 54 cards with titles like “Healing,” “Listen/Take Heed,” “Calm,” and “Your Thoughts.” There are many different ways to use the deck. You can shuffle and then pull just one card or use a three- to four-card spread, for example. The deck has a tip sheet that offers suggestions for use. Your interpretation of the cards you pull are based on your feelings that day. Valerie purposely did not develop a booklet of her own interpretations as she felt that would limit the user in accessing the guidance offered. Again, it’s your interpretation that is sought. A reading can be done just for self, or for someone else. Here’s how my reading using the deck unfolded. Holding the deck in my hand, and with Valerie’s assistance, I set the intention for the highest good to come forward for me, asking that the cards drawn would be what my soul wanted me to know at that time. A brief prayer offered that the
Akashic Records (the entire history of every soul’s journey) be opened and that my Guides and Angels be present. Then, with the cards shuffled and face down, I pulled four that “felt” right as I touched them. As I turned them over, here are the cards I pulled, in the order I pulled them, and a brief analysis of their meaning to me on that day. • Multidimensionality – Seemed to me the painting represented a forest or looking through heavy trees. I interpreted that as recognizing the layers of my own reincarnations, which I had been working with. • Love – This felt as if it related to the above card in that I’d been in the process of learning about (or remembering) my spiritual side, and accepting where I am on my journey. • Self-worth – Again, related to the card turned just before in that I had just recently had an experience that allowed me to release some old baggage and step more into my own self-worth. • Take Action – Interestingly, I had laid this one not in line with the others, but above the one called “Love.” I saw how it related. All those I drew absolutely applied to events that were ongoing or just had occurred in the flow of my life. Valerie’s guidance helped with this first reading using the cards, but I can clearly see how one could do this for one’s self and
benefit. You don’t have to feel that you are strongly intuitive; you just relax and ponder, letting your mind take you to the meaning. It was fun and right on target. This is a beautiful and unique-looking deck. I can understand how easy it would be to get into the daily habit of pulling a card or two and pondering its meaning throughout the day. I’m convinced the answers would come.
The deck has a tip sheet that offers suggestions for use. To learn more about or to purchase the Akashic Record Reading Cards, access any of the contact information at the beginning of this article. Valerie periodically does short readings at locations in Charlottesville, Richmond, Midlothian, and Virginia Beach. The decks are available in those locations. Ray Whitson is a 20 year resident of the Charlottesville area and has been on an evolving spiritual journey during that time. He is a writer and is the publisher of this magazine.
www.exploreawareness.com
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Raising & Spiritual Children Being Raised By
By Nicki Peasley
“All beings come already taught by Spirit.”
I
–Krishna Das
f this is true, then our job as parents is simply to remind our children of their own innate wisdom, of the One Love that created them. Simple, not eaSy.
In our illusion of parental control, we show our children our path. We sprinkle the seeds of our spirituality and hope they will take root in our children’s hearts. However, our real work is to discover the balance between effort and allowance. To remember that the seeds have already been planted ... and we are cultivating this divine garden together, growing spirituality and raising each other. Simple, not eaSy. Recently, in a state of human effort and analysis, I asked my children what it means to be a spiritual human being. 24 April 2017
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I held my breath, more attached to their responses than I’d like to admit. I got the validation I was seeking when I heard, “Being spiritual is being one with God.” “It’s like believing in something without seeing it.” “It’s about praying, which is really just thinking about what I’m grateful for.” Ahhh, music to my ears. They remembered. As my ego enjoyed her gold star, I exhaled. But then I had to take it a step further and make it personal, which is dangerous territory for adolescents. So, I asked, “Do you consider yourself to be a spiritual person?” Fourteen-year-old Viv mumbled, “There has to be a reason we are here and someone who put us here for that reason, so yeah, I guess.”
Grace, through text (since that seems to be the only way to communicate with 17-year-olds), said “Yes,” but a few minutes later shot me, “But I also like facts.” And my almost 13-year-old boy Rhode rolled his eyes, put on his Beats, and said, “I don’t know, Mom. I’m not comfortable talking about this.” So it is in a house with three teenagers. Before I allowed myself to spiral into the abyss of parenting failure, I took note that all of their responses, at least in part, alluded to an intimate and mysterious relationship with something bigger than themselves. They understand what spirituality is; they just haven’t quite figured out how they embody it. And really, have any of us unenlightened humans figured that out? Further, I noticed that my children did not explain their spirituality in terms of a specific belief system or practice. Certainly, a faith tradition can be a part of one’s spirituality, but it doesn’t have to define it. That said, there is great value in exposing children to varied ideologies that serve to awaken one’s inner-connection with God. And a disciplined practice ultimately leads to freedom. So I have to wonder, have I done enough to wake them up to that connection, that freedom? When my children were little, we did the church thing. I wanted them to experience the rituals of taking communion, singing from a hymnal, and passing the peace. When I realized they were more interested in the cookies and lemonade in the parish hall than the spiritual food they were being fed in the sanctuary, we stopped going regularly. And I decided to take us on a different path from the prescription we were being offered at church. If we are, indeed, spiritual beings having a human experience, based on a contract made in Heaven, then the greatest honor we give our spirituality is to take the time to
reflect on our humanity, together as a family. To check in on a consistent and somewhat formal basis with the people who see us best and love us most. To ask the fundamental question of each other: How are you showing up in this lifetime of your soul’s evolution? Certainly, being in authentic, loving relationships with each other is the clearest reflection of our relationship with Spirit. The experience of being in a family, as an essential part of all its messy dysfunction, is really our most powerful spiritual practice. When we show up to this experience with truth and openness, our connection to Spirit strengthens. And so in my house, instead of getting dressed for church on Sunday mornings, we stayed in our pajamas for “Home
Certainly, a faith tradition can be a part of one’s spirituality, but it doesn’t have to define it. Church.” In our living room, we found God in the collective heart of our family. Sitting around a candle, taking turns with the singing bowl to initiate our “service,” we shared our highs and lows of the week, our challenges and our triumphs, and our intentions around how we would be better humans in the week to come. Sometimes there would be an art project or a clip of a movie to discuss, but mostly it was just a time to be together with the intention of seeing ourselves and each other in a deeper way. Later, we extended Home Church to include my mom, dad, sister, and brother-in-law through what we called the “Together Tour.” This bi-monthly effort included fun activities like hiking and bowling, as well as more sacred experiences like foot-washing, feeding one another, caring for the graveyard at our farm, and burying a time capsule of memories. It was in these sacred hours of co-creating with Spirit that we achieved the balance of human effort and divine allowance. While “Home Church” has fallen to the wayside on the road into adolescence, the rituals are still present in the fabric of our family life. Our dinner prayer, while said less habitually in the rush of modern day mealtimes, remains on the tip of our tongues when we allow the space for it, May the love in my grateful heart pass from my hand to yours. And on those sacred occasions when we are all present (in mind, body, AND spirit) at the dinner table, we share our highs and lows, our challenges and triumphs, our intentions to be better humans. www.exploreawareness.com
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Our bedtime prayer, which I posted on my children’s beds years ago, has been committed to memory. This I was reassured of recently when I found my son replacing the prayer with a skateboarding sticker. Seeing the look of disappointment in my eyes, he said “Mom, don’t worry. I know it by heart.”
God is love. So am I. Love is all there is. Thank you. Amen. My children have also been exposed to Celtic and pagan practices like healing runes, full moon fire circles, and solstice celebrations. Through these experiences, we remember that God not only lives inside of us, but in everyone and everything natural. Early morning hikes to the river, hugging trees, and building fairy houses are vibrant patches on our metaphorical family quilt. Around my oldest child’s thirteenth birthday, I found myself back in the church pew, seeking comfort and understanding, on my own. I signed up for the Faith Exploration class offered by St. Thomas Episcopal Church ... and I asked my daughter to join me. Having not been to church in some time, she was resistant, but ultimately agreed to take this leap with me. It was a rich experience of learning and reflection. Through
May the love in my grateful heart pass from my hand to yours. 26 April 2017
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analyzing liturgical language, Grace and I discovered our family values of love, gratitude, and generosity of spirit, inherent in the Episcopal tradition. We read the Bible, not for the answers, but for the generation of more questions. And we began to feel the acceptance and even the encouragement to view Faith through different lenses. Upon completing the class, we were given the opportunity to be confirmed (or reaffirmed, in my case), to stand in front of the congregation and claim our commitment to Christ. It would be a formal ceremony that would include the Bishop and some heavy language around the renunciation of “evil” (a word we don’t use in our family) and other direct questions about what we believe (that would require firm declarations). While I felt compelled at that time in my life to participate in this ceremony, my daughter did not. With courage and conviction, she declared that she was not ready to make that commitment. She had more exploring to do. Her self-awareness was awesome, a reminder that she came in already taught by God. Grace took a front row seat for my blessing from the Bishop, her eyes full of Light and Love ... and a promise to continue her spiritual journey in her own way, in her own time. In the embrace of Mystery, we raise each other. This was affirmed in my interviews with three amazing mothers on three very different spiritual journeys.
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m ary ’s story
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It was a seamless continuation of the family legacy until her youngest children began to challenge some of the rules of the Catholic Church, the standards that seemed regulated by man, not Spirit. Mary prided herself on raising children who listened to their hearts and asked questions she had perhaps never allowed herself the freedom to ask. While she knew the exploration of these questions might lead to a departure from all she had ever known, she was more For many years, she, her husband Joe, and their three than willing to to take this leap for herself and her family. children attended the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Their church home provided comfort, acceptance, and “I experienced the metaphorical dark night of the soul. fellowship at a time when Mary struggled to find authentic The most important thing to me was that my children community elsewhere. Navigating the new territory of were spiritual. And Catholicism was the only path I’d raising a child with Asperger syndrome, Mary found solace known. We were going out on our own, and I wasn’t sure I could find my way. But I knew that out of darkness comes in her faith and its people. revelation.” For Mary’s family, the bedrock of their Sacred Heart experience was an intergenerational group that met And so she listened. And trusted. And allowed space for monthly to share a prayer, a meal, and a conversation her family to co-construct their spirituality together. “We about faith. “The table has always been a symbol of faith keep coming back to the table, a place free of judgement for me. Gathering with others, being in community, is my and fear and full of discovery and compassion. And we spirituality, and I wanted that for my family.” Mary also continue the conversation, knowing we are right where believed the church’s outreach opportunities to be pivotal we need to be in any moment. There’s something bigger in her children’s spiritual development. “It was important holding us; it’s not a plan, but an unfolding, a journey we that my children learn how to genuinely engage with people are on together.” from varied backgrounds and to recognize the many gifts I had the privilege of being at Mary and Joe’s 25th wedding we receive from those we might otherwise see only as the anniversary celebration. The toasts offered by their recipients of our service.” children left everyone at the party in awe. There is Mary’s children followed in the footsteps of their parents no doubt that the human beings these children and grandparents on their journey through the Catholic have become and the Love this family shares is a rites of passage—baptism, first communion, confirmation. result of their time together ... at the table. ary comes from a long line of devout Catholics. As a child, daily mass was a ritual she welcomed. “I loved the quiet and beauty of the space. More than the doctrine, it was the imagery and the stories that filled me.” There was no doubt, as a young mother, that she would continue the Catholic tradition with her own family. It was in her blood.
a l ici a’s s tory
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true mystic, Alicia spent decades seeking a system of beliefs and practices she could call Home. “I came into this world with a heightened sense of longing to know what our purpose is here. This caused a lot of suffering ... and a lot of searching.”
sun salutation was as ordinary as eating a meal; and Hindu deities like Genesha were the heroes of their bedtime stories. Alicia never forced her beliefs on her children; rather, she waited for their questions. She recognized that her actions held more power than her words. And she trusted that, ultimately, they would absorb their spirituality from the environment she created and the example she provided. Or they would find their own path.
When her children were young, Alicia discovered Ashtanga Yoga, a path that resonated with her innate desire for selfreflection, discipline, and a connection to Spirit—beyond the mind. For Alicia, Ashtanga was more than a daily two-hour practice of connecting movement and breath; it was a lifestyle she embodied from sunrise to sunset, which ultimately led to While Alicia is committed to the ideal of spirituality, she the opening of her own studio in Richmond’s Carytown. is also a passionate realist. “I am a very spiritual being who For Alicia’s daughters, there isn’t a mystique around the yogic has extremely human experiences,” she said after I shared lifestyle. It’s all they’ve ever known. As young children, the my awe of her peaceful, Light-filled home. “It’s about studio was their second home. For them, a spontaneous being real. And being in the moment of whatever is. And www.exploreawareness.com
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sometimes, in a family of four, that isn’t peaceful.”
“accept what is,” Alicia’s youngest daughter recently revealed the depth of her spiritual understanding in response to Alicia’s Over the past five years, Alicia has expanded her practice to complaint about a song on the car radio. “Mom, if you were include daily meditation. “I’m spending less time seeking being mindful, you could sit with it without agitation.” and more time being. The mind will come in and do what it does, but I’m learning to release that and come back into Alicia laughed with delight as she shared this story. “Truth is the moment.” While her children often roll their eyes at my religion,” she said. There is no doubt she has passed that their mom’s sticky note reminders to “rest in awareness” and along to her children.
a n ne ’s s tory
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s the daughter of committed Episcopalians who were also avid seekers, Anne grew up valuing both a faith discipline and a healthy sense of doubt. While her parents were senior wardens of the church, they were also hosts of “Explorers,” a group that met to discuss topics on the fringe of mainstream religion. There were Sundays when her mom would say to the rest of the family, “Church isn’t speaking to me now ... you all go ahead.” This gave Anne permission, early on, to rely on her own Truth as her guide. Anne found solace in her church youth group, a place where masks were shed and candid conversations were had. “There was joy at church. We had fun, making meaning of life while having laughing fits at the altar.” It was Anne’s involvement with her youth group that led her to Shrine Mont, a retreat center in Orkney Springs that offers a variety of Christianbased summer camp opportunities. Anne’s camp experiences, in relationship with the natural world and friends with whom she is still in contact, launched her on her own path of spiritual exploration. “Walking trails, sitting on pine needles in meditation, that became my church.” As Mystery would have it, Anne married a scientist with an atheist background. “While Corey would not describe himself as spiritual, I see him as a manifestation of Spirit in the way he respects the natural world and connects with people in such an authentic and gentle way. And we agreed that we wanted to raise our children with that same core— in a community of openness, acceptance, and love.” They found that community at St. Thomas Church, a place that welcomes doubt and encourages human, as well as spiritual development. It was Anne’s discovery of St. Thomas’s connection to Shrine Mont, as well as reuniting with an old campmate in the congregation, that solidified her decision to make St. Thomas her family’s Home. “There is a familiarity and comfort in the Episcopal language and practices. We listen to the sermon through the lens of questions, not answers. And we do this in community with people who are helping us become the best versions of ourselves.”
and parish retreats, of listening for God in the outdoor chapel are being recreated for her children. With Truth as their guide, Anne and Corey choose sometimes to skip the “program” and take the family on a hike instead. “Corey will point out the smallest flower on the trail, welcoming the divine, and sharing it with our children. Those are the most teachable moments.” Through tears, Anne shared a story about her then threeyear old son Drew, just weeks after his first Shrine Mont experience. Out on a stroll in his red wagon, he declared, “I know where you go after you die.” “Tell me,” Anne replied. “Hepburn,” he responded. Anne explained to me that Hepburn was his new best friend, the friend he’d just met at Shrine Mont. Forgetting the name of the place, all he had in his three-year old mind to represent the magic of Shrine Mont, of Heaven, was the name of his new buddy. “Ah … Shrine Mont?” Anne asked her boy, “Is that it, Drew?” “Yeah,” Drew affirmed, “that’s where we go when we die.” Now 10 years old, Drew is finding joy in his youth group, just as his mom did decades before. He and his younger sister are beginning to ask questions. “If Jesus were crucified on a triangle, would there be triangles everywhere?” “Why is God called He?” These are open doors for Anne and Corey to explore the mystery of Spirit with their children and help them recognize that the “what ifs” are so much richer than the explanations.
“I am so grateful that my kids have a sense of belonging to a faith community—one that supports and celebrates diversity, explores things bigger than ourselves, and calls us to be love in form. They may not have words for that yet, but I trust they will make their own meaning of it in their Not surprisingly, Shrine Mont has become an integral part own time.” of this family’s faith foundation. Anne’s memories of camp 28 April 2017
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each other. While our children have innate wisdom, much of their remembering is in their witnessing of how we, the parents they chose, move through the world, how we interact with fellow travelers, how we cultivate our gifts for good and use our challenges as opportunities to grow.
In the embrace of Mystery, we raise each other. While the spiritual seeds we sprinkle on our children may be different, our intention to help them remember their divinity is the same. Whether we are serving others, practicing sun salutations, walking in the woods, sitting in a church pew or at the kitchen table—when we do these things together, we are growing spirituality and raising
As my children have grown, so too has the spiritual garden we’ve cultivated together. In it are Grace’s poetry and meditation practice; Viv’s photographs of natural wonders; and Rhode’s deep resonance with babies and young children. On the birthday of their recently deceased grandmother, I found my three dear ones sitting around a candle in silence. What a breathtaking glimpse of their spirituality—at once an embrace of the human experience and a transcendence of it. God taught them well. An educator by trade, Nicki Peasley is a student and storyteller of life and a teacher of love, both inside and outside of the classroom. She lives in Richmond with her husband, three children, and their chocolate lab, George Bailey.
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Art&Wisdom Grandchildren,
, Grandmother
By HoBBy Parent
O
Some of the activities we have enjoyed ne of the joys of my life for designing and doing together are: the past several years has been holding Grandmother Camp • Self portraits with words and a face collage. with my granddaughter, • Using drums and rattles at a campfire with Alexis. We have created Red thread ceremony story telling and journeying. journals, held fire ceremonies under a full moon, read books, and told stories under the stars. We’ve also • Journal making with cardboard, found objects, and paste. connected with the Legend of the Red Thread—an ancient • Crafting handmade valentines and leaving them on a walk, giving them out to shopkeepers, friends, people we Chinese belief that states when a child is born invisible red meet in shopping and errands, etc. threads connect the child’s soul to all the people who will play a part in that child’s life and those threads shorten and • Taking a ride on the free trolley around the town, waving and greeting people who board. tighten with each birthday, bringing closer those people who • Naming things she does that spark courage and bravery. are fated to be together. We developed these times together as she has grown older and it has become a passion for me to • Howling at the moon, learning awareness of the moon phases, connection to cycles. find unique ways to connect and create with her. • Making up bedtime stories unique to our family, with The concept of creating one-on-one time with each person having a magical talent. grandchildren, apart from amusement parks, commercial • Grounding, or connecting to the earth with touch, sight, entertainment, movies, and video games, has been a spiritual sound, and taste. quest for me. It has been an intention in spending time • Expressing gratitude for food and gifts of the earth. with them, connecting and guiding them through reading • Seeking heart shapes in nature, unusual gifts of the earth, and discussing books about courage, coming of age, and teaching reverence and nurturing. character development, and giving them an opportunity to • Red Thread ceremony in which we connect following open up about their internal quests, while having purposeful ancient tradition. fun with my family! 30 April 2017
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The concept of creating one-on-one time with grandchildren, apart from amusement parks, commercial entertainment, movies, and video games, has been a spiritual quest for me. One of our favorites has been making an Art Tepee from long sticks, yarn, gathered flowers, feathers, beads, and twine. We spend several days assembling the structure and weaving pieces of paper, setting intentions for the coming year. We’ve spent hours in the sunlight in the tepee coloring, telling secrets, making doodles on paper and talking. We’ve told secrets in candlelight under the stars, giving thanks, and watching constellations and shooting stars as we listen to the sounds of the night. Leading our young ones in creating their own legend through story, craft, and collage allows their imagination to expand from an organic perspective, giving them the form for intentional creative development as they grow. Making art through such modalities as soulful story cards allows them the framework to express concerns and issues, and provides a means for grandparents to guide them in creating more positive solutions for use in the future. Soulful story cards are designed to transform the stories that hold us back into the stories that call us forward. When we allow ourselves to bring those stories into consciousness, and bring them into the light through Intentional Creativity, we have access to the very ‘soul’ of what needs to be transformed. A negative story, belief, or word is written on one side of a card. Through a process of journaling, then coloring and decorating both sides of the card, a positive story or affirmation is written on the opposite side of the card. Several soulful story card sessions can develop into a deck of cards that remind us of what we want to create by showing us where we have been living small, asleep to our gifts or higher self, and can call us back to center. This activity can be a way for grandparents to help their young ones express themselves. In a group environment, families can speak and hand down stories and photos through journaling, video and art making, assembling heirlooms and collections, sharing their lineage of home, traditions and beliefs for generations to pass along. Creating a story from person to person builds a connection within family using imagination, humor, character development, and the passing on of spiritual values and traditions. Integrating these practices at holidays and family gatherings is a way in which I can share Intentional Creativity with my own family of Beloveds. For us as grandparent guides, it is a portal to pass on legends, traditions, and ceremonies,
Alexis in Art Tepee
creating a spiritual legacy and lineage for the future generations. Hobby Parent is a Certified Intentional Creativity™ artist, teacher, and coach living and working in her home and studio west of Charlottesville. She teaches painting, art journaling workshops, and creative retreats, as well as mixed media works of art. Her intention in teaching art and painting is to inspire and uplift those who experience her work, challenging them to see beyond what is visible to the eye, connecting with their heart. You can find her work at http://www.hobbyparent.com and on social media. www.exploreawareness.com
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Owner, Designer Usui Reiki Practitioner 32 April 2017
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Your LuckY StarS Oh My Gods, It’s Mercury Retrograde! By Nick Lasky
M
ercury is about to go retrograde. Is the world ending? Should you lock yourself inside your house and bubble-wrap everything in it, yourself included? Probably not, but when Mercury retrograde comes around, fear tends to spread like a virus. People, you can relax.
nervous system, and commerce. Mercury is the thought process itself, as well as reading, writing, speaking, and learning. Put another way, Mercury rules your car, your Smartphone, your busy mind, and any contracts you have ever signed. The important thing to know is that whatever is going on with Mercury up in the heavens will also be affecting all these things for you down here on Earth.
What is this Mercury retrograde business about anyways?
Great, I got Mercury; now what is a retrograde?
About three times a year the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky for roughly three weeks at a time. This generally brings communication breakdown, technology mishaps, travel delays, incredible insights, and a chance meeting with someone from your past. Let’s take this one step at a time. What does the planet Mercury have to do with you? In astrology, Mercury rules your mental faculties, communication, shortdistance travel, the
Mercury goes retrograde: AprIl 9, 7:15pM
Mercury goes direct: MAy 3, 12:33pM
You may have heard that retrograde means a planet is moving backwards in the sky. This is actually wrong. When a planet goes retrograde, it only appears to be moving backwards in the sky as seen from the Earth. It is merely an optical illusion, similar to the effect created when you are on a train and a train next to you is moving faster, causing the sensation that you are moving backwards. All planets represent a particular urge. For instance, Venus is the urge to relate, Jupiter is
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the urge to expand, and Pluto is the urge to transform. Mercury represents the urge to communicate. Whenever a planet goes “rx” (i.e., retrograde), that outward urge becomes expressed inwardly. So when Mercury goes retrograde, the energy shifts from expressing thought and information outward to the world, to internally reflecting upon your own thought process and your communication with yourself rather than with others. It is a period to reflect on your thoughts, values, actions, relationships, goals, and the different ways that you communicate. To put it simply, it is a time to look into yourself!
You will find a complete version of this list at www.facebook.com/nicklaskypsychic. Now, it is also important to keep in perspective that not all Mercury retrogrades are created equal. Depending on which sign Mercury is in it will make a big difference in the energetic effect that you feel and the themes that will play out. For instance, Mercury retrograde in Libra will
To put it simply, it is a time to look into yourself!
Now that you understand a little bit of the mechanics of this phenomenon, what can you expect during these three weeks? Well, the cliché Mercury rx creates is what you might call a “disturbance in the Force.” Rampant miscommunication, traffic delays, delayed/cancelled flights, sudden changes of plans, car trouble, technology trouble, accidentally leaving things behind (like your phone or keys), difficulty getting your words out, and so on.
create a greater focus on relationships and is an excellent time to reassess all of your relationships. A retrograde in Pisces will leave Mercury (your mind) extra spacey and potentially unfocused, yet you will more easily be able to tap into your creativity, spirituality, and compassion.
But wait! These periods can bring great things to you as well, like insights about yourself and your life’s direction, clarity about past events, and brilliant new ideas (which you should wait to implement until Mercury goes direct). Because Mercury rx is a time of revisiting the past, you are also likely to reconnect with people from your past. Old projects and issues that you thought were finished may also come back into the foreground of your life and will need to be reconsidered.
Mercury will be retrograde from April 9 to May 3. During this period Mercury will spend part of the time in Taurus and the rest in Aries. With Mercury rx in Taurus until April 20, there will be an extra focus on finances and material resources. This will present a great opportunity to get your finances in order. You will be a little more grounded during this placement and will also have an ease of thinking practically and in a way that will let your ideas easily take form.
So how can you better navigate the energy of Mercury retrograde?
Then, with Mercury rx in Aries from April 20 until May 3, you may find yourself and others to be especially assertive, aggressive, and passionate. Be very weary of arguments and confrontations at this time as they are likely to become extra heated and have you spinning in circles.
The rule of thumb is to do basically everything that starts with “re” (e.g., revise, reevaluate, reflect, reorganize, release). It is the Universe giving you a chance to catch up with yourself and get your life back into order. To help you out I have created a list of DOs and DO NOTs for these periods:
WHAT TO DO: • Reflect on the past and where you’ve been • Retreat and relax • Complete any unfinished business • Keep a journal • Back up your computer files, photos, and phone • Be extra patient with others and yourself
WHAT NOT TO DO: • Make a major purchase (e.g., car or house) • Sign contracts (if possible) • Get car, computer, or phone repairs (if possible) • Propose marriage • Get frustrated when things aren’t going as planned
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The moment that Mercury “turns around” and says goodbye to the retrograde is called a “station.” This station is a very powerful and magical moment. It is a very good time for clear communication. If you have something to say that you really want someone to understand, this is the best time to do it. Communicating clear intentions to The Universe will be extra potent at this time as well. So now that you are equipped with all of this Mercury retrograde knowledge, you can go ahead and use that bubble wrap for something more important, like giving your cat a new play toy. Nick Lasky is a professional astrologer, psychic, and healer at the Aquarian Bookshop in Richmond. Nick is the founder of the Society of Awakening Souls, an organization at UVA and the Aquarian Bookshop for students seeking spiritual awakening. Contact Nick at www.aquarianbookshop.com.
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
AquaFloat
Inspiration and healing with stillness BY RAY WHITSON
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
WHAT THE STAFF HAD TOLD ME IN THE pre-float review was true … I wasn’t floating very long before I realized that there was little-to-no distinction between my body, the water, and the air in the tank. Periodically during the 90-minute float session I had to curl my fingers just to be sure they were still there! I comfortably floated in complete darkness and the only thing I heard was the internal sound of my breathing. With the complete stillness, my thoughts slowed and my brain became more of a consciousness and less of a computer analyzing input from my eyes, ears, nose, and skin. Tranquil … that’s the state I moved into. Everything in the Charlottesville AquaFloat 38 January 2016
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facility from the reception area to the serene tank rooms is designed to help you get to that level, effortlessly. Floating in contained tanks has been around since the mid-1950s when neuroscientist Dr. John C. Lilly developed it for research in sensory deprivation. It became commercially popular during the 1970s as a way to reach an “altered state” without drugs, but declined in popularity until breakthroughs in relaxation research and sanitation methods caused a sudden spike in the practice about a decade ago. Reputable research has shown floating addresses mental and Owner Ted O’Neill
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Light Works
Complete Spiritual Healing MANASSAS WHEN YOU ENTER THE BUILDING at 9116 Center St. in Manassas you’ll find two sets of stairs, one at the front and the other down a hallway at the rear, with each leading to separate areas of suites. It seems appropriate given the dual missions of Light Works and owner Juli Richardson that this center should occupy space at the top of both stairways.
THE PIEDMONT
The mission statement of Light Works is, “Achieving Health through Mind, Body, & Spirit,” which Juli embodies as a complete spiritual healer: a Reiki master teacher and practitioner, a certified psychic medium, and a certified Angel Messenger. Her unassuming manner belies the training and gifts she possesses and offers in her practice and center. 40 July 2016
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Suite 208 (at the top of the rear stairs) has a reception area, Reiki treatment room, and very comfortable and embracing space where readings are done. Tastefully decorated, every aspect of these three rooms conveys the most peaceful atmosphere that allows you to relax, even if it’s your first time having a Reiki session or a psychic reading. There are wonderful axioms on the walls that also help put you in the mood of being open and receptive to healing and to any forthcoming information. Juli states on her website that often times Spirit (including angels and departed loved ones) will step forward not only during a reading, but also during a Reiki healing session.
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Aquarian Bookshop Richmond
and excitement. As John puts it, “I fell in love with the Aquarian the first time I walked in and met Lacy. I am still in love with the wonder and magic of the Aquarian. It is a privilege to be part of this creative spiritual community.” The current motto of the shop is “There is always something NEW at the Aquarian!” The shop is always evolving and constantly rotating new and exciting merchandise. This is all possible due to “V,” the Aquarian’s interior designer and store manager. Coming from New York City, V brings his own unique style and creativity to the Aquarian, all the while running a very disciplined business. The Aquarian is known for its selection of crystals,
has been a centerpiece of Richmond’s metaphysical community for over 30 years. Lacy and Jim Holzgrefe opened the shop in 1983. Under their ownership, the Aquarian became Richmond’s “meeting place for the New Age.” Since then, the Aquarian has changed ownership twice and is currently owned by one of America’s premier psychics and the star of Court TV’s “Haunting Evidence,” John J. Oliver. Under John’s direction, the Aquarian Bookshop has evolved into arguably one of the top metaphysical shops anywhere.
42 April 2016
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VIRGINIA BEACH ORIGINALLY FROM NORFOLK, Dylan Patrick Smith, known by his metaphysical performance name, Deosil, is a performer, composer, audio engineer, metaphysical practitioner, and an open-minded spiritual being who channels his music from a higher realm. Pronounced ‘de-o-sil’ or ‘je-zil,’ Deosil is derived from ancient Celtic and loosely translates as “in the direction of the sun.” He has been practicing the art of healing through sound for over 10 years. With two music degrees in classical piano studies and a background in jazz piano, arrangement, and electronic keyboard programming, Deosil incorporates his musical knowledge and experience in every sound he creates. His own private production 48 July 2016
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company, Other Realm Music, was established in 2005, and along with healing and metaphysical CDs, he has also published two solo piano CDs. His fascination with meditation, Buddhist chanting, sound healing, and audio therapy has allowed listeners around the world to be engaged in his signature ethereal sounds. His music has reached as far as Australia, through licensing of specific tracks used for instructional yoga DVDs. Most of his music centers around long, sustained chords with sub frequency undertones that help to balance both hemispheres of the brain. He also has been working on brain wave musical patterns that stimulate and induce states of relaxation. There is always piano
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Local Roots
A Farm-To-Table Restaurant BY RAY WHITSON
RESTAURANTS IN GENERAL NOURISH THE BODY, but there are a select few that also nourish the spirit. Local Roots, at 1314 Grandin Rd. in Roanoke, is one of those. Owner Diane Elliot has channeled her dedication to local, sustainable agriculture into a wonderful dining and learning experience. Not only is every item on Executive Chef Matthew Lintz’s menu inventive, interesting, and (judging from my party’s orders) delicious, but also you can be assured that it is all from local sources and is seasonal, just the way we were meant to eat. As it says on the website, www.localrootsrestaurant. com, “Sun-ripened tomatoes in the summer, hearty root vegetables in the
winter – we serve what is fresh and natural at the peak of its flavor.” This means that the menu is constantly changing and each visit can bring exciting new offerings to choose from. Diane’s son Rives conceived the concept and opened Local Roots Café in December 2007. It took two years of detailed preparation to remodel the site, purchase the equipment, have furniture made locally, and build a network of local farmers. She purchased the restaurant from Rives on March 21, 2009 (intentionally on the Spring Equinox) and eventually moved it to a larger space in a charming area of the city known as Grandin Village. Of note, the location is directly across from the
Lotus Healing Center
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BY FRANKIE WINTERWOOD
AQUARIAN BOOKSHOP
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Angels Whispering Light
BY RAY WHITSON
Angel Message Sessions • guiding you when in need of direction,
THE PROFESSIONALS AT LOTUS HEALING CENTER believe that mind, body, and spirit need to heal together as a whole. The application of this principle has developed in a most unique way into a “full service” concept at their thriving Roanoke facility. Partners Janet Spitzer, M.D. and Leigh Powell, L.P.C. opened Lotus Healing Center in September 2016 at 1901 Denniston Ave. SW in Roanoke. As soon as you enter the space, you’ll sense the peace that is reflected in the tastefully decorated waiting rooms and offices as well as in the holistic modalities offered there. Margaretta McIlvaine
Not only does she serve the Southwestern Virginia area, but she also receives referrals from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, New York when teams there determine that her form of treatment is what’s best for a particular patient. • comforting you when in need of support,
• celebrating with you when in times of rejoicing, and • whispering words of love always.
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Phone, skype and in-person sessions available mm@bbtw.org (434) 293 - 9708 More information at www.bbtw.org
Janet is a licensed medical physician who now works Zenbarn Digital Studio primarily through medical acupuncture. (In Virginia there is 2d Design & Illustration a clear licensing distinction with non-M.D. practitioners * Reasonable Rates titled only as “acupuncturist.”) In this way, she blends * Quick Turnaround * File and Conversion the best of western holistic medical practices for * Content Creation Digital or care Physicalfor Art her patients. Indeed, the optimum in *health * Call or email to get of her integrative and medical she says she now estimate approach, or rates * Portfolio online at www.zenbarn.us heals “primarily with needles instead of prescriptions.” Acupuncture works by promoting maximum energy circulation in the body. Every acupuncture point connects Contact Anne: zenbarnstudios@gmail.com 434 227 8068 with physical, emotional, spiritual activation, with Worksand near Charlottesville, Virginia each of those deriving what is most needed for healing.
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Central Virginia
The Spice Diva charlotteSvIlle By Ray Whitson
If you are dedIcated to the art of fine dining at home, or you want to move in that direction, or you just want to cook with the freshest and finest spices, herbs, and rubs available, then you need to know about the Spice diva in the Main Street Market at 410 W. Main St. in charlottesville. owner Phyllis hunter opened the store in November 2011 and has steadily grown the storefront operation as well as her online store. Phyllis and her staff offer a wealth of knowledge along with an incredible selection of products. freshness is queen at the 36 April 2017
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Spice diva. the shelves are lined with spices from around the world, all of which have been ground within a week of being shipped to her to maintain peak flavor. Phyllis advises that ground spices retain their flavor for three to six months (at most) while whole spices have a limit of one year. Grocery stores and some health food stores have commercially packaged spices with expiration dates three to four years out! all the spices she offers are certified to be pesticide free, MSG free, lacking caking agents, and are kosher and Owner Phyllis Hunter
Central Virginia
Freshness is queen at The Spice Diva. halal. the Spice diva reputation is such that it supplies the spices for many local, fine dining establishments as well as the organic, home-delivery service door to door organics in virginia, Pennsylvania, delaware, New york, and New Jersey. here’s what you’ll find in store or online: spices, herbs, chilies, rubs, salts, peppers, teas (all organic), sugars, curries, fruits and flowers, cocktail bitters and syrups, extracts, and exquisite chocolates. to minimize waste, you can purchase as little as one-half ounce in-store and, generally, as little as one ounce online. for a minimal charge you can have your purchases placed in spice jars to hold the flavor. to help customers enhance their skills in using spices, the Spice diva offers cooking classes with some of the area’s most renowned chefs and artisans. these classes are held on Sundays in the store itself where there is a well-equipped kitchen onsite. you can find information on the Spice diva cooking School at www.thespicediva.com. Statewide readers of this magazine are strongly urged to check out the welldesigned website listed above. Not only does it offer a complete listing of all the spices, herbs, teas, etc., but cooking recipes, cocktail recipes, cook books, specialty cooking items, and additional information about Phyllis and the store are also included. online orders are shipped within 24 hours.
Tomas Rahal of Mas Tapas teaching paella class.
the Spice diva philosophy is “Make life delicious”—shopping there can do just that.
Polina Chesnakova teaching Georgian (European) cooking.
Ray Whitson is a 20 year resident of the Charlottesville area and has been on an evolving spiritual journey during that time. He is a writer and is the publisher of this magazine. www.exploreawareness.com
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Directory • Central Virginia
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Hobby Parent • Artist Teacher • Creative Coach www.hobbyparent.com 434 996 5563 hobbyparent@creativesouljuice.com facebook.com/hobbyparentartist facebook.com/creativesouljuice blog: creativesouljuice.com instagram.com/hobbyz twitter.com/hobby pinterest.com/hobby Intentional Creativitytm Painting & Art Journaling Workshops Social Painting Parties with a Red Thread Twist!
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The Golden Lighthouse Metaphysical Center Herndon By Ray Whitson
The Psychic saturday event held the first saturday of each month at The Golden Lighthouse Metaphysical center is the equivalent of a spiritual tailgate party. On the first saturday in February, i walked in mid-afternoon and immediately noticed the relaxed and festive atmosphere with people milling around or in small groups chatting and laughter a big part of the background noise. some always bring food to share with everyone and, as such, there was a lavish spread available in the kitchen. This energy revolves around the opportunities for
readings, healings, or just socializing with (while learning from) likeminded, spiritually-oriented people. Owner soni Weiss, who holds a Ph.d. in transpersonal coaching, told me that this all started by accident. she had always had an interest in spiritual/metaphysical matters and one of her favorite activities was getting readings from different psychics and intuitives, she herself being gifted in that way. There was a particular shop in Owner Soni Weiss www.exploreawareness.com
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northern Virginia
Leesburg that she liked and she got to know many of the practitioners there. When the owner died around 2010, the shop closed, and the psychics had nowhere to offer their readings. soni offered space for one of her favorites to use and a fellow practitioner came along, too. Over time word spread among readers and healers and attendees, with more wanting to join in. it evolved quickly into the gatherings it brings today.
You are welcomed to just show up and enjoy the energy and the conversations. There is always an impressive array of psychics, mediums, and healers of many different modalities with whom anyone can schedule sessions. soni personally vets those wanting to practice at the events and only allows those of the highest standards to participate. The saturday i was there, Noemia Walaska, Juli richardson, Bubbles Moon, and soni herself were offering readings. (Of note, soni told me that Bubbles has over 300 different tarot decks and can read from each.) Lolita hanna-Nnawuba, Jacqui Potter, and cici dotson were offering healing sessions. There was even a crystals and custom-made jewelry retailer there, Matt sullivan. Reading room
engaged in conversation with a small group there. That’s part of what is so nice about Psychic saturdays, you don’t have to schedule a session with any of the practitioners. you are welcomed to just show up and enjoy the energy and the conversations.
soni’s purpose is to provide a safe and inviting place for people to learn and experience while keeping special modalities and the skills alive and vibrant in the practitioners. People of all ages and demographics show up from all over. i found it worth my time to have driven up from charlottesville. as you walk in the door, you’re greeted by a hostess, Genevieve, who will make sure you feel at home if it is your first visit. as a matter of fact, while i was there, a young man in his early 20s came in. he had heard about the event and it peaked his curiosity. Genevieve walked him around and the next thing i knew, he was sitting at the large table where people seem to gravitate, 40 April 2017
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classes also are now being offered at The Golden Lighthouse. The subjects are varied, like using a pendulum, past life regression work, shamanism, herbology, dream interpretation, and meditating with intent. For a full listing of events and classes, you can go to www. thegoldenlighthouse.com, which is very easy to navigate. This is really a fun event to attend. it is part of what is developing all across the state … spiritual community. Ray Whitson is a 20 year resident of the Charlottesville area and has been on an evolving spiritual journey during that time. He is a writer and is the publisher of this magazine.
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piedmont
Project Yoga Richmond richmond By Nicki Peasley
Walking into Project Yoga richmond is like coming home. there is an immediate sense of comfort and kinship emanating from the wood-paneled walls of this peculiar building located in richmond’s West end. the 1970s cave-like décor of this space offers a nostalgic warmth and invitation to be a part of the love that lives here. greeted with the open arms of Project Yoga richmond’s operations manager nadia gooray, i know instantly that from hereon this will be the place i roll out my mat. Founded in 2010, Project Yoga richmond, or PYr, was the heart and brainchild of five dedicated students of beloved yoga teacher, arlene Bjork, who passed away in 2009. inspired by Bjork’s vision of making yoga accessible to all, these yogis came together to create this nonprofit and community space for anyone seeking the healing power of yoga. now, after six years of bold intentions and collective action, the manifestation of their vision continues to grow through a tremendous spirit of giving. 42 April 2017
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currently, PYr offers 18 “Pay-What-You-can” studio classes, of various styles for all levels, which help support nearly two-dozen weekly recurring and seasonal outreach programs in underserved communities across richmond. in all, PYr rolls out between 1200 and 1800 mats per month. the law of abundance is a guiding force in PYr’s success; no organization better illustrates that taking care of oneself also takes care of others. Still going strong is PYr’s pilot outreach program at Brook road academy at St. joseph’s Villa. now, about half of PYr’s outreach programs serve children and teens across richmond at venues like thomas jefferson high School, Bon air juvenile correctional center, crisis Stabilization Services at St. joseph’s Villa, and the Founders center of commonwealth autism. in addition, PYr provides classes to eSl students at two richmond middle schools and one elementary school, affirming that yoga does indeed transcend the language barrier.
are suffused with this power. there is a higher vibration in this space, an understanding that this is more than an hour of self-care. By strengthening myself today, i am also strengthening my community. in amy’s parting
Studio and community classes are facilitated by PYr’s teacher “ambassadors” who bring extensive and specialized training, and a wealth of innate wisdom to their classes. ambassadors are paired carefully with the unique populations served. they adapt to the changing dynamics of the class from week to week, skillfully addressing the collective need in each moment. PYr ambassador jaVonne Bowles shares a teacher’s perspective on PYr: “this place is like Yoga University. there are workshops and resources and endless volunteer opportunities—i am always learning here.” She continues, “there are no barriers at PYr. there is no inside and outside. everyone is welcome here.” after my initial meeting with nadia, i head back to the studio the next day to experience PYr on the mat. Volunteers martha Fazzio and nancy kim welcome me with contagious smiles. When asked about her service, nancy replies, “i love being part of creating a culture of peace, harmony, and healing for the community.” down the retro-wallpapered hallway, i pass the earth Studio, a den-like space that offers refuge for small yoga classes and meditation sessions. i put my things away and notice the cozy lounge area, complete with tea and reading material. at the back of the building, i find the large studio where my Peaceful Flow class is being taught by PYr ambassador amy taylor. Written in chalk across the top of the back wall is “... mat to mat, heart to heart, our practice has power.” indeed, throughout this experience, my body and spirit Photo credit McaBBott studios
PYR Ambassador Shannon Somogyl at Albert Hill Middle School
PYR co-founders Jonathan “J” Miles, Dana Walters, and Michelle Martello
words, she thanks us for helping to make yoga possible for all. and at once, my heart and the entire room are alight with gratitude. running the business side of PYr is not unlike being on the mat. there is a constant stretch to meet the demand of growing programs, a “striving for organizational balance,” as former board chair jillian jones describes.
there is a higher vibration in this space, an understanding that this is more than an hour of self-care. nadia explains, “We receive so many outreach requests and we want to say yes to every opportunity that comes our way. But we have to make sure our growth is sustainable. our goal is always to provide high-quality services that hold the spirit of inclusivity, healing, support, and joy.” admirably, the spirit of yoga is as alive in the PYr boardroom and business office as it is in the studio. as a nonprofit, PYr depends on its “Pay-What-Youcan” studio classes, as well as individual and corporate donations and foundation support. PYr volunteers are invaluable to the organization’s success. however, nadia clarifies, “getting involved doesn’t necessarily mean making a donation or volunteering. if you are coming here and unrolling your mat, you are involved, you are part of the PYr family.” www.exploreawareness.com
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among PYr’s other outreach programs are the Yoga of 12 Step recovery, Yoga for autism, Yoga for Senior citizens, Yoga for Special needs, and Yoga for Women (providing a safe space for women to explore and heal the body and mind). PYr also offers Yoga for community in places like the Virginia museum of Fine arts in the Fan and the robinson theater in church hill. like all of PYr’s efforts, these events bring people together in the spirit of awareness and connection, nurturing both the me and the we of the human experience.
piedmont
Pose by pose, the class unfolds with Becky’s gentle guidance. there is laughter, encouragement, acceptance, and a deep sense of reciprocity. as we lay in Savasana, the final pose of total relaxation, Becky tells us that we are birds, that by letting go of our heavy thoughts and our heavy bodies, we can fly. She gives each of us a feather to carry into the world, a reminder of our divine right to soar. at the end of the hour, a student named anne shares her appreciation for the class, “Becky shows us the light in all of us.” Photo credit McaBBott studios
as a new member of the PYr family, i want to experience the full spectrum of this amazing enterprise. So one Saturday afternoon, i find myself rolling out my mat for Freedom Yoga, a name coined by one of the program participants when the class started in 2013. this is a class for adults with special needs and their families; really, this is a class for anyone who wants to experience the purest love and truest joy imaginable. one student comes in late and proceeds to hug and kiss everyone in the room before placing her mat right beside PYr ambassador Becky eschenroeder. “i love you,” says Becky to the student, “thank you for being here, for being you.”
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She does. as does everyone at Project Yoga richmond. thank you, PYr, for helping me remember the transformative power of yoga. thank you for welcoming me home. to learn more, visit www.projectyogarichmond.org. An educator by trade, Nicki Peasley is a student and storyteller of life and a teacher of love, both inside and outside of the classroom. She lives in Richmond with her husband, three children, and their chocolate lab, George Bailey.
Southwestern Virginia
Queenpin Herb Shop roanoKe By Deann Bishop
Herbal Wellness is not “one size Fits all” but it can be a “one-stop” shop! roanoke’s greater community now has an alternative to the often confusing and costly search for high-quality herbal health care. staffed by a group of western and eastern professionally trained herbalists and practitioners, the new Queenpin Herb shop is a welcome and refreshing solution for those seeking access to customized, affordable (and often local) products. Katie Clifton, the Queen operating officer and licensed staff acupuncturist at Queenpin Family Wellness, was a full-time mother armed
with a degree in Chinese Medicine with no time to return to school to expand her training in herbalism. she knew the power of community and collaboration and reached out to colleagues and friends who readily came together to help her meet public demand. Queenpin’s collection of expert professionals, each of whom is highly schooled and accomplished in private personal practices within the local community, includes Carrie speck, the “sultana of spice” and shop Manager; nevada Mcnamara, Western Herbalist; Katie Clifton www.exploreawareness.com
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Halcyon Morrison, sacred Plant traditions practitioner; and sheila Guanargia, licensed acupuncturist and Herbologist. in the fall of 2016, they came together to offer their individual passions to assist Katie in serving a wider spectrum of patients and clients. the shop stocks many of the ingredients necessary to make tailored remedies suited to the individual with over 100 herbs and tinctures, salves, and healthy edibles. stepping into the store is like visiting the pantry of your best friend, who also happens to be an herbalist. Visitors are encouraged to ask lots of questions, pick up, touch, smell, and taste the various tinctures, salves, teas, and blends. With delicious aromas wafting in from the M&K Food shop next door, the atmosphere makes waiting for a custom mixture a delightful break from the usual commercialized and impersonal healthcare experience. Who should seek out the shop? Katie and her staff open the doors wide to tea and spice lovers, cooks, and those wishing to learn about and integrate more medicinal
stepping into the store is like visiting the pantry of your best friend, who also happens to be an herbalist. cooking at home. Private consultation services make this especially enticing, as most of us are too weary, distracted, or perplexed about where and how to find just the right options. Queenpin also offers public educational classes and workshops in herbalism, cooking, and nutritional management, as well as private healing sessions in massage and acupuncture. its mission statement speaks to being “…committed to helping its members reach optimum health by providing them with quality herbs, teas, and spices” with 46 April 2017
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“trained herbalists” who “work with clients to help them find what…work[s] best with their unique constitution.”
browse Queenpin Herb shop’s menu of benefits or schedule appointments on their website: queenpinroanoke.com/ herb-shop, by calling (540) 685-2781, or emailing them at herbs@queenpinroanoke.com. they have supporting memberships, discounts on bulk orders, free, brief herbal consultations and access to their on-site resource library. Queenpin Herb shop is located at 1731 Grandin road, next to the Grandin road post office in roanoke. Deann Bishop is a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herb specialist. She practices both privately at her home clinic, Blue Ridge Acupuncture in Troutville, and is owner and staff acupuncturist at Roanoke Community Acupuncture. In conjunction with her background in Chinese medicine, she produces healing remedies under the brand name MetalDogMedicine. A native of Rockbridge County, she chases her passion for writing, Buddhist meditation, Hakomi therapy and Chinese herb oils while holding service to several spoiled cats.
tidewater
Teddy’s Health Food Market Virginia BeacH By Ray Whitson
SometimeS if you go juSt a little off the beaten path you come across a real treasure that you can then share with others. that’s the case with teddy’s Health food market. located at 3701 Pacific ave. in Virginia Beach, it’s just a stone’s throw from the main tourist strip and well worth finding. teddy’s was opened in 2011 by teddy and michelle Pappachriston to allow them to share a way to healthful living that they had devoted themselves to for over 30 years. the atmosphere is warm and inviting as you walk in and find shelves well stocked with top-of-the-line organic and holistic products—everything to help achieve their mission statement of “our goal is to add life to your years.” this isn’t your typical mom-and-pop,
independent health food store. you’ll be struck immediately by the top-class interior matched with the down-to-earth manner and inordinate healthy living knowledge of both teddy and michelle. Warm light-wood–colored floors draw your eyes down the length of the store. on your right is a counter full of sundries like organic breath mints, organic lip balms, organic chocolates, anti-anxiety powders, salt lamps, diffusers, spiritual gift items, and art from local artists. you’ll probably be offered tea as you come in. it is a real pleasure to walk up and down the aisles trying to take in the extensive offerings. the shelves are filled with well-organized departments, such as an immune section displaying neti www.exploreawareness.com
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Teddy and Michelle Pappachriston
This isn’t your typical mom-and-pop, independent health food store. pots, over 50 essential oils, and medicinal teas. there’s a great body care section, with products that are certified cruelty-free, with top brand companies represented like nature’s gate, Kiss my face, alba, and Dr. Bronners. one can find protein shakes, organic green powders, healthy kale cookies, paleo brittle, cold beverages, local organic eggs, local organic honey, and, last but not least, organic red and white wines! a delightful vintage clothing section catches your attention in a front corner of the store and it is supplemented by a counter of fair trade jewelry. greeting cards, glass crystals, candles, a few musical instruments by a local artist, books, and incense round out the gift selections. in the sunny back corner of the store is an inviting lounge area where you are welcomed to sit in the plush swivel chair or on the comfy love seat. a beautiful brass Buddha sits on the circular glass table to keep you company. 48 April 2017
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the offerings in teddy’s are well researched by teddy and michelle … the best they’ve found. the hours of operation are Monday–Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. you can “like” them on facebook at www. facebook.com/healthfoodmarket or call the store at (757) 963-6636. Ray Whitson is a 20 year resident of the Charlottesville area and has been on an evolving spiritual journey during that time. He is a writer and is the publisher of this magazine.
Bridge Between the Worlds Spiritual Retreat Center Charlottesville,Virginia
Multipurpose Facilities Transformational Classes Relaxing Spa Offerings Private Lodging Available A Serene Venue for Seminars, Personal Retreats and Weddings
Contact us at www.bbtw.org
(434) 293-9708 www.exploreawareness.com
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Psychic Profile Name: Susan Hughes Location: Richmond Contact Information: Aquarian Bookshop 3519 Ellwood Ave. (804) 353-5575 Hours: Monday – Tuesday 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Wednesday – Thursday 3–7 p.m. Rate: $65 per hour in-store readings $20 per 15 minutes telephone readings Experience: Spending a childhood being able to “feel” what others felt and lacking access to anyone that could help her understand her ability led Susan to study and master astrology as a young adult. This helped her explore and hone her gifts. Working exclusively for the last 13 years through the Aquarian Bookshop, Susan has counseled and lectured in the metaphysical field since 1992. Her work at the Aquarian Bookshop is not limited to readings, but includes classes on astrology, Tarot, and other subjects. She uses Psychometry, Tarot, Kinesiology, Numerology, Dream Interpretation, and Past Life Readings in her intuitive consultations. Susan has a Masters Degree in Counseling from the Medical College of Virginia. She is also a Reiki Master & Certified Results Kinesiologist. Susan is the founder of The Baby Girl Project, an organization that funds the building of schools (almost 40 to date) for young girls in Kenya. Money is raised through Psychic Festivals held twice a year at the Aquarian Bookshop. Review: Wow! What a reading! Susan has a wonderful,
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relaxed, and confident tone that immediately puts you at ease. Before our reading, she told me, “I really, really enjoy what I do. There’s never a day that I don’t want to come to work.” This is a true professional that comes through as a friend. Starting with astrology (be sure to have your birth date, place, and time of birth) she moves through the reading mixing it with Tarot, regular playing cards, and her spot-on intuitive impressions. She shifts between these seamlessly as she talks and offers precise information on situations and people as well as predictive answers. Initially, she offered accurate assessments of who I am and what I’m doing in this lifetime, as if she had known me all my life. She offered explanations (including pastlife implications) of how I got to where I am today that explained things I’d never considered. Incredibly, she pinpointed dates of events in my past that were, in fact, important parts of my journey. I asked about a few significant people in my life, giving first names only, and, Susan told me exactly what their personality traits were and how we interacted. This incredibly impressive ability helps her with “couples charts” where both partners’ charts are examined—she even can use these to help determine karmic patterns affecting the couple’s relationship. Most everyone wants predictive answers in a reading. I asked a few questions about very near-term upcoming events and, as these unfolded, she was right on target. Her predictions were amazingly accurate. Susan gave a fabulous reading. I’ll be sure to consult with her in the future and I highly recommend you do the same.
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HEART HOME CARE SERVING THE GREATER RICHMOND AREA OUR SENIOR SERVICES INCLUDE • • • • • • •
bathing toileting dressing changing hearing aid assistance medication reminders grooming
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laundry, bed linen change meal preparation errands outings activities companion care light housekeeping
Heart Home Care celebrated its seventh year in January of 2017. In a field such as elder care, I cannot afford to turn a deaf ear to a poor work ethic. Employees who put their energy together with mine to make a positive change in the lives of our senior clients are respected and rewarded.
OUR STORY After an encounter with LOVE on 8/23/04, I sought out my purpose for being on the planet for this lifetime. It became clear that I was to work with seniors. In 2005, I began serving seniors in facilities and privately in their homes. By 2010, I had more clients than I could handle alone. I knew the Universe was working on my behalf and would provide the assistance necessary for starting a home care agency. It was thrilling to see everything come together with minimal effort on my part. I surrendered to the Divine design and asked for guidance, provision and a connection to those who would be a part of this great plan.
Heart Home Care is an agency you can trust. I cannot promise there will never be bumps, however, I can promise to smooth the bumps out quickly with Divine solutions.
Call today 804-614-6193 and learn more about Heart Home Care You can also visit us on the web at www.heartelderlycare.com