Bella Mia Jan. 2016: Issue 6 by BellaMia

November ~ 2015

The mission is to change the lives of every person open to discovering their souls purpose and living a life they didn't know was possible for them on an individual level.

At BellaMia, we believe every woman is beautiful. Editor-in-Chief Mia Saenz Assistant Editor-in-Chief Amanda Rhymers Art Department Charlotte Hayes Creative Consultant Dana Canneto Editor Amanda Rhymers Editor Lauence Yhuello Me Director Dr. Mary Pritchard Lifestyles Director Sharon Otness Fashion Editor Linnea Duvall Business Directors Umoh Luna and Angela Gower-Johnson This publication is published bi-monthly For advertising please contact BellaMia magazine

BellaMiaMagazine@gmail.com

BellaMia is a publication of BellaMia Inc. BellaMiaMag.com BellaMiaMagazine@gmail.com November ~ 2015

November ~ 2015

ear BellaMia Readers,

It’s already 2016 and the energy is high. This year has a high energy change for success so take the human footsteps to create your business, your love life and your personal you life. What do you want to do in 2016? Where is your heart telling you to go? Are you listening to your soul, and what you truly want to experience? Life is all about creating the most magnificent experience you can. So, what are you waiting for? If you are interested in guidance other than what you find in BellaMia magazine please write us and we will connect you with people that work in the field you desire to grow in. This is another fun issue and on the cover is Triple Threat, Actress, Singer and Writer, Anna Rose Moore. Anna Rose has always known that she would pursue what she loves and with that has come her success and her joy, check out her interview. We invite you to forward to the ‘Me Section’ with so much loving change included that it will help you along your journey into Self-Realization. The Lifestyle Section is rich with Body, Mind and Spirit. Enjoy the New Paradigm with articles to support you as well as the Business articles and the Music Section.

BellaMia is now monthly and paid subscription just like all the other magazines you love. We very much appreciate you and your support in enjoying our magazine.

Mia

lessings and Love,

Mia Saenz, Editor and Chief November ~ 2015

January 2016 Q&A with Simone Wright

-32-

Q&A with Robin Jackson

-107-

Superfoods: Are They Magical?

-56-

Sarah Mapelli: The Bee Queen

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On the Cover Anna Rose Moore

http://www.imdb.com/ name/nm3892261/

Photographer

Juan Chacรณn

Make-up Artist

Kriz Crane krizcrane.com

Stylist

Sara Gress

Hair

Ivan Arellano November ~ 2015

-97-

-76Be Inspired â&#x20AC;&#x201C; -Be the Magic

-80The Magic of Creativity

The Power Of Positive Words

-16My Wishes for Your New Year

Is it TRUE ?!?!? BELLAmia goes Monthly ~ 12 issues a year!

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November ~ 2015

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B Me ella

M D o you believe in Magic?

Most of us do, to a limited extent. We believe that love can change us. We believe that true love can heal our wounds. We believe that from time to time, for no apparent reason, magic enters our lives and goodness, truth, and beauty shines within us. Poets and Singers write about magic

woven in time. Jim Croce wrote to his wife, “If I could make days last forever If words could make wishes come true I'd save every day like a treasure and then, Again, I would spend them with you …”

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agic In Us

By Kimberley Heart

Jim was saying that if he had magic he would

make sure that his love would make their love timeless. Have you wished, like Jim, that your words could make your wishes come true?

What if they could?

Seriously, what if our words were magic? What if we could become master magicians? For argument sake, play along with me for a moment … What would you do if I said to you, “The next

words that you speak will come true.” I expect the first thing you would do is close your lips and think very hard. Does the possibility of that much power, that

much magic, make you a little nervous, maybe even downright scared? You’re smart, so I know your mind is reeling and you are thinking, “What would be the long-term consequences of my

words? Where could it go wrong? How must When we use the word “magic” we automatically I phrase it so I get everything I want, but I think of good magic. We choose to forget that we are don’t get hurt? utterly powerful and that for good or ill the words we continually speak do come true. We are magic. Are you beginning to understand that it

is not as easy as we think to have magic? If This is not hyperbole. This is the truth. But like we are to be magical, most truth, it is not simple. It is we must be absolutely very complex. How is it that some ...we must be responsible for the people have magical lives? How absolutely careful power magic gives us. is it that some people make statewhat we say out loud As an example, conments that come true and opportusider this as one thing because what we say nities abound, appearing out of the you might say, “I want blue? How are these people so very will come true. the love of my life to different than you and me? appear.” Wow, wouldn’t The truth is the same amount of magic and power that be great? But, did you remember to add that he loves you, and not just that you that they use to create a life filled with love, intimacy love him? Did you say, “I want to be thin?” and beauty is available to us! Those who have magical lives learned to close their lips before they utter words Did you remember to add with health and of self-abuse. They considered the consequence of vibrance? thoughts that continually limit their lives. Magical No, I am not trying to trip you up; I am people have self-talk that encourages and praises. suggesting that magic is not a one time wish. When they say words out loud they are usually words It is a continuous flow of your intent, both of gratitude, exhilaration, and hope - filled with conscious and subconscious. Our words expectations and anticipation. Their words are self do come true. They come true all of the accepting, self forgiving, in short they’ve learned the time, perhaps not constantly but absolutely true magical power of loving themselves. consistently. Consider this concept of magic and power; when we All too often our words are self-abusive or love ourselves we must be absolutely careful what we self-sabotaging. Are any of these familiar: say out loud because what we say will come true. Halflies to protect other people or to get ourselves out of “I won’t get the job.” difficult situations are dangerous things. Because if “I’m fat.” you speak, when you truly love yourself, it will come “No one will every love me.” true. “I am not pretty enough.” When I told you the next words out of your Think about that. When you were feeling especially

mouth would come true, you took time to carefully consider what words you would utter. The words that come out of your mouth, or dance in your head, or stomp on your heart do come true. Your words are magic.

good and hopeful about yourself and your life, and you spoke a half-truth or lie; did that half-truth or lie come true? Did you take the time to notice?

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invite you to notice now. I invite you to play with the possibility that words imbued with feelings are magic. Self-love is magic and powerful beyond what we had considered up to now. When we continually say “I’m fat, or “I won’t get the job,” or “I’ll always be alone,” those magical words come true. It’s time you and I understand the magic within us. It is time to lift the veil. What if the next words you speak will come true? -Kimberley Heart www.getlove.com

"Living Life on a Natural High"

www.sharonotness.com November ~ 2015

New Year, New You I

By Dr. Mary Pritchard

t’s January and you know what that means: the pressure is on to make New Year’s Resolutions that will stick. The problem is that most people have already fallen off the wagon on their New Year’s Resolutions by the second week in January.

Rate each of the following areas of your life from 1 (not so great) to 9 (perfect, thank you):

Rather than making New Year’s Resolutions, I do two things: 1) pick a theme for

• Finances

the year – mine is discernment – and 2) get brutally honest about what’s working well and what’s not working so well in my life. Once you figure that out, you can make goals – not resolutions – for the areas of your life that aren’t going so well.

• Nutrition • Creativity • Education • Career • Relationship with your romantic

partner

• Relationships with your family • Relationships with friends • Social life • Physical health • Physical activity • Joy • Spirituality • Home environment • Self-care

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• Mental health • Self-trust

Now it’s time to do some serious reflection.

For those areas you rated a 7 or higher (green light), congratulations. There may be a few things you could do to improve those areas, but they shouldn’t be your focus right now, unless all of your areas were 7 or higher… For the areas you rated 1 through 3 (red light, warning!) or 4 through 6 (yellow light, proceed with caution), answer the following questions: • Why is that area so low? • What would make it better? • How can you realistically make that happen?

It might look something like this: • Nutrition – 6 – haven’t been eating enough veggies lately; need to just buy veggies at the store – if I have them, I will use them. • Finances – 5 – had some unexpected

expenses lately so I’m living paycheck to paycheck for now; need to make a budget so I can pay off my credit card bill before the end of the year

• Creativity – 7 • Education – 9 • Career – 8 • Relationship with your romantic partner

– 5 – been a struggle lately; need to do a

better job with communicating my needs and what’s happening in our family so we’re on the same page

• Relationships with your family – 3 –

got into a fight with Mom; need to talk to her and smooth some ruffled feathers

• Relationships with friends – 5 – ha-

ven’t been able to spend as much time with them lately as I’d like; need to call my three best friends and schedule a lunch date

• Social life – 4 – with the kids being

sick, my social life has been off line. Now that they’re better, need to schedule a date night with my husband and a girl’s night with my friends

• Physical health – 6 – got the stomach

bug a few weeks ago, but am almost completely on the mend from that – still need some extra sleep though

• Physical activity – 1 – what physical

activity? – haven’t been making time for it lately – need to start scheduling it in my planner again

• Joy – 6 – pretty happy, but could use

a little boost; maybe play some music on the commute home and sing along instead of listening to an audiobook?

• Spirituality – 5 – haven’t been praying

or meditating like I should lately; restarted it last week though and things are going well so far. Just need to stay the course

• Home environment - 8 • Self-care – 2 – with the kids being sick,

I got off track. Have a massage scheduled this week to unwind and need to take some sanity breaks throughout my workday

• Mental health – 6 – been feeling kind

of blue lately; too much stress, too little sleep – need to work on both of those.

• Self-trust – 2 - really doubting myself

lately

There are a few ways to handle this information. I prefer one of these two approaches: Pick one of those areas and really focus on it for a month – think: deep dive. This might involve setting goals for that area and checking back on your progress each week to see how things are going. I find weekly goals work even better for me – that way I don’t procrastinate. Pick three of those areas and set one goal for e ach to accomplish over the next month – these will be smaller end goals than in the first scenario because you won’t be diving as deeply, but that might be perfectly appropriate for areas that are already at a 5 or 6 – areas that need a polish and shine rather than a total redo. At the end of the month, re-evaluate. See if your scores have changed. Or start with a new area (or three). By the time the season changes again, hopefully your scores will all be back in the green! -Dr. Mary Pritchard drmarypritchard.com November ~ 2015

My Wishes for Your New Year By Dr. Sue Szumigalski With 2016 here, these are some of my wishes for you. . .

ay you look deep within the ordinary and find the beauty that lies there. See the world through a different lens look at the inside of a flower, look deep into the eyes of one you love, experience the magnificence of the day and all around you.

m m

ay you be IN life, not OF life. Memories are created and woven into the tapestry of our lives by fully participating in life and experiencing them. ay you love yourself more fully than you have ever loved someone else, for it is only by loving yourself can you truly love another.

m m

ay you appreciate the value that you add to the world. There is nobody like you, and nobody can take your place. ay you see yourself as perfect just the way you are. You are a magnificent gift to the world and you are one-of-a-kind perfection.

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ay you find peace and joy in your life. Be patient with yourself as you would have with another. Everybody struggles. Everybody goes through difficulties at one time or another. Be kind to yourself, and you show the world that you are to be treated with respect and kindness.

m m

ay you find the inner strength to do that which you think you cannot do. You are stronger than you think. Believe in yourself! ay you celebrate the many transitions that life presents, no matter how large, no matter how small. It is through the celebration of transitions that we continue to grow and be more than we ever thought we could be.

Looking forward to the arrival of 2016 and all the magnificent wonders it will bring, I wish you much love, peace,

abudance, prosperity and joy. May 2016 bring amazing growth and happiness to your life. -Dr. Sue Szumigalski November ~ 2015

B Me ella

The Magic In Being Who You Are! Or rather…. The Magic in Truth! By Dana Canneto No matter where you are however, know

that it is all perfect and you are exactly where you are meant to be.

his is something I have learned firsthand over the past few years as I embarked on a very deep spiritual journey in finding myself. It started with that very question of

“Who Am I?” which than led to “Why Am I Here?” and after that… well, the quest begun! During this time

are however, know that it is all perfect and you are exactly where you are meant to be”

Can you relate? Perhaps you haven’t

thought about it or perhaps you are pondering that very question OR perhaps you are currently on your quest and finally getting to know yourself on a deeper level.

November ~ 2015

towards myself as I reflected on all the times I gave my power away. More often than I’d like to admit, I didn’t truly speak my truth or said YES when I really meant NO. Sometimes I sacrificed my health to fit in with the crowd.

“No matter where you

is when I realized I hadn’t a clue who I was. I lived a life of “shoulds” growing up. BE-ING who I thought I “should” BE to fit in, to be loved, to be admired and lastly, to feel safe.

I know for me, I had many judgments

another.

We do this. We do this to

feel safe. We do this as a way to protect ourselves from others for IF we did something out of the “norm” of societal standards, we might be judged, ridiculed, hated or persecuted in some way or

What saddens me too is the way we often

use the body as the victim to our own insecurities by berating her (your body) as a way to punish yourself for your shortcomings or idiosyncrasies when really, you are only judging yourself based on past experiences of others’ viewpoints.

There are many that are leading

lives that are still very far from their own truths and instead living a life dependent on other’s truths, beliefs and systems. We do this so that we don’t get hurt. Yet all we are really doing in the end is hurting ourselves even more by NOT being in our truth, NOT being truly who we are. When we do that, our life, our happiness and health suffer.

I fully believe that every person

deserves to be who they are and walk their divine path no matter what. Yet the path to finding truth is not always pretty. However, it is always beautiful, and it gets even more beautiful the more you are willing and able to step into that truth. I will be the first to say that life is a

journey. It is a quest. It might even seem scary to really know who you are yet at the same time there is so much magic there as well. Your truth is your supply to all that is good, all that is abundant. When you are in your truth, you

know what you want. You can make decisions based on your desires and you step out in the world leading with your most passionate dreams. You have the ability to know who it is you want to spend the rest of your life with and what work it is you want to do in the world. When you are in your truth, you can fully trust that knowing inside of you.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to be

the thing that will rank us up in status or make us a “better” person, yet nothing will make you a better person than being truly who you are with conviction. It’s about loving yourself, all of you, in the process. Here’s the thing though, this does not mean

trying to quickly figure it all out at once as if there is one thing you are here to be or do. It’s about allowing; allowing yourself to unfold like petals on a flower, one petal at a time. It’s about taking the

November ~ 2015

journey slowly and steadily and with curiosity. It’s about having patience and trusting the flow. It’s about taking pleasure in seeking and watching the magic evolve. The journey to truth is about facing your

fears and allowing yourself to feel every emotion that comes up along the way rather than judge it. It’s about standing in your body and saying, “I am whole just as I am” for we are all whole even in our brokenness. That’s the beauty. That’s the magic. We are allowed to feel, we are allowed to process, to cry, to get angry, to laugh and to play. That is why you are here. You are human! Be the magic that is you. -Dana Canneto

www.danacanneto.com

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How Your Relationship With Your Body Impacts Your Daughter By Tova Garr

“I

am calling you because I am at a loss. My daughter has some serious body image issues. How could this have happened? I’ve always told her how beautiful she is.”

I pause, take a deep breath and ask in a quiet

voice, “How about you? How do you feel about your body?” What follows is a long silence, and then she says, “I so wanted things to be different for her. What do I do now?” As women, when it comes to body image, we all

in the mirror, what do you see? What do you say to yourself? Do you appreciate God’s creation looking back at you, or are you noticing the newest wrinkle, or that your thighs have cellulite? When you are trying on new clothes, what do you say to yourself? I was given a great gift a couple of years

ago, as I found myself trying on some clothes at my favorite designer’s store.

I was the only one present, and had the have a story to tell about our relationship with our undivided attention of the sales woman. body. It is, and always will be, our longest lasting As she was bringing me clothes to try on, relationship and often, our most complicated one. I kept putting myself If you want to help your down. “My thighs are daughter navigate this too big, I need to lose complex relationship this fat in my arms, successfully, the first I noticed that day what since when do I have thing that you need to a powerful, negative a stomach that sticks do is look at your longout?” Every time I message I was giving my term relationship with made one of these your body. body, and I also noticed comments, the sales When you wake up in what I was telling the woman responded, the morning and look saying, “Stop it, you’re world around me. November ~ 2015

beautiful and I will not have you speak like this about yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. These clothes were simply not made to show off your beauty, but we will find the ones that do.â&#x20AC;? I noticed that day what a powerful,

negative message I was giving my body, and I also noticed what I was telling the world around me.

If you want your daughter to have

a strong, positive relationship with her body, I suggest you start with the following steps: Notice what words you are using

to talk about your body. What do you say when you get dressed in the morning, and what do you say when you go clothes shopping? When you compliment your

daughter, what percentage has to do with her looks, versus her qualities?

Take action with your own words.

Treat your body the way you would treat a little girl. What would you say to her? You would probably tell her that she is beautiful no matter what, that we are all born with our unique image and that is what makes us special, that the marks that we have show that we have lived and are here to tell the story. We would treat her with love, care, and compassion.

Try this exercise with your daughter for the

next week. Every morning leave each other love notes on the bathroom mirror, sharing a body part you love in the other and why. See what happens. How you talk to yourself about your body

is a reflection of how you really feel. That message is the one your daughter is getting and internalizing about how she should feel about her own body. The first step to helping her develop a strong sense of self and positive relationship with her body is you doing so for yourself. Tova Garr www.tovagarr.com

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hine Your Magic

By Claire Sierra, MA

hat IS magic? What does that even mean? If you were raised like most of us, we

learned “money doesn’t grow on trees” and magic is “make believe.” Though when we look at that phrase:

Make Believe….what are we making ourselves believe? What if “they” were wrong and life really is magic? I mean, getting electricity and hot water in your home, is that NOT magic? What about your phone, tablet (or whatever device you read this on) with its instant communication, directions to just about anywhere, and not to mention how it works--isn’t that magic? Sure programmers can explain how, but

at some point even scientists often relate a level of magic and mystery to all of this. And that’s not even factoring in Quantum Physics, which just makes our heads spin while our hearts expand to understanding.

To be the magic we have to believe that

magic is possible and exists. What would happen to our lives if we knew how magical and powerful we really are?

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Remember, believe, and receive, is the guid-

ance I heard often from Mary Magdalene, while writing The Magdalene Path: “When you have an intention in life, large or small, you send a ray of light to something and connect it to you. So, regardless of your intention—to have a beautiful home, to know your Soul’s purpose, to have a harmonious relationship, or to find a great dress to wear to a party—the process is the same. .…

To be the magic we have to believe that magic is possible and exists. This is a simple process: Remember, Believe,

Receive. Remember to do this, believe it is possible, and that you are worthy to receive the fruits of your blessings….Then comes a critical pivot point: Believing it can happen. Anything is possible, yet you must believe you are capable and worthy of receiving. Know that you are. You are an essence of God, a spark of the Divine,” Magdalene explained to me one morning as I sat in meditation. November ~ 2015

We have to believe it is possible and that we

are worthy to receive the magic we are attempting to create. (I almost used the word “conjure,” but then that sounds so witchy weird, and I wouldn’t want to give you the wrong impression.)

What would happen

if we really believed in ourselves as sparks of Divine? We would glow with power and majesty. Not in false conceit of ego, but in inner power. Radiance. Who doesn’t want that? When we fully own and embody

ourselves as magical divine beings anything is possible. As we start to do this, our individual lives change and that radiates out into the world around us. But as women we’ve been fed a lot of garbage

about being unholy, unclean, and incompetent. This pattern has been spun for millennia. Gracefully, many of us are working clear of that. But the remnant still remains, here and abroad.

We don’t own our own power as feminine

creators--Goddesses of light--which we all are. We don’t claim our magic. We hold back, we worry about offending others with our bigness. We stay ordinary, we fit in, and we get along. (Can you admit it? I do.)

But what would happen if we really claimed

our greatness? Who would you be and what would you do in this bold New Year, if you November ~ 2015

knew without a doubt that anything you felt passionate about or guided towards was possible? That magic was inside you, it had your back. It might take hard work, too. But your vision is possible. I’ve seen what happens when we

believe in our dreams and follow the breadcrumbs of desire and calling. Big things happen. BellaMia magazine was created that way, so was my book, The Magdalene Path and the Balch Hotel we just purchased as a getaway and retreat center. Dreams become reality.

What’s the risk? What’s the loss you

fear? Discover that. (That’s a whole article in itself, because yes, there’s inner work to be done to get the outer results to line up.) Heal and resolve it and you are aiming for the stars. Align yourself with women who are shooting for the moon. There’s no need to do it alone and it’s way more fun with sisters to help. When we connect with the truth and

beauty of Who We Really Are, we’re radiant. We’re connected with the force that creates life. Magic: spiritual guidance, synchronicity, and intuition get stronger. Your radiance is part of that magic—it’s magnetic, compelling and inviting. It’s yours. Embrace it, own it and shine. -Claire Sierra, MA www.MagdalenePath.com

Gratitude for the Soul Ravaged ∞ From Trauma to Triumph in Two Little Words By Rebecka Eggers

Gratitude? Ha! It’s pretty hard to work up to a hearty “Thank You”

when you feel like you have been trapped in a BDSM fantasy, sans safe word, since birth. Or, for that matter, if you just feel that way right now because your life is about as serene as a dysfunctional carnival ride run by the zombie ride operator from hell!In these situations, all you really want to do is punch somebody long and hard and then get off the ride. I understand. That zombie ride operator and I

have gone a few rounds by now and I’ll tell you a secret:You can punch that little wide-eyed, soulless ghost rider all you want to. He just gets back up and straps you back in for another round of tummy turbulence. But he’s got a weakness hardly anyone seems to talk

about. In the face of two powerful strategies, he goes down like 500 ton rock falling off of the Golden Gate Bridge. His zombie-killer kryptonite is your rock solid commitment to your vision for your life and an unwavering gratitude practice. So, ironically, your weakness in the area of practicing gratitude is one of your whack-job ride operator’s massive strengths.

Time to flip that equation, don’t you think?

To put this in more practical terms, according to researcher/storyteller, Brené Brown, gratitude is the gateway to joy. Feeling a little skeptical on that point? Sorry to tell you this, but Brené Brown has a PhD and has spent most of her adult life researching things like vulnerability, boundaries, happiness…I am afraid the case has been made!

Now what?! It’s simple (but not easy). You learn

to enact your gratitude practice right in the middle of your most exigent circumstances. You push those two little words, “Thank You,” off the edge of your lips when you least feel like it and when they feel less true than Pinocchio’s latest fable. You don’t even have to mean it. You just have to do it! Then you prepare for the blow-back. November ~ 2015

As those two tiny words reluctantly spill from your mouth, you will probably encounter your fear and hopelessness at the Dante’s Inferno level of intensity. You will likely find that, in this little act of positive will, you encounter every demon you have ever faced and every punishment you ever dreamed you deserve. Every abuse, seduction, disappointment, abandonment and stroke of bad luck you have ever lived through very well could make a guest appearance in your heart for one last, achingly painful whoop de doo. In other words, party crashers from hell…

Expect them! Don’t fall for the distraction!

This is your moment. It is the moment when you bust the harness, take the riding crop in your own hands, break that little sucker in half and collapse that outmoded BDSM fantasy like the house of cards that it is. You are entitled to your safe word damn-it! End of story. I am warning you though! The call of your

anguish will be a magnetic presence. It will draw your attention like a big piece of double fudge chocolate cake on day three of your diet. Arrest your gaze!

Set your eyes on your destination instead. Surrender to the process and resolve to let go of the last remaining ties to the people and circumstances that have hurt you. Let the wind howl. Let the shadows dance. It means nothing. You have one task to complete in the midst of your trip down Hell’s Memory Lane. November ~ 2015

Get it done! Whisper it until you can speak it. Speak it until you can shout it. Shout it until your throat hurts.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You may encounter a mountain of grief with

every utterance. It may feel like you have lost something. In a sense you have. Since whoever did whatever it was to you (or didn’t do what rightfully should have been done), you have been hanging on. You have been gripping that experience and replaying it over and over and over and over again looking for a salvation that will never come. Worse yet, those replays have kept you from loving your life. They have kept you from the power of your own grateful utterances. Those replays have kept you from your joie de vivre and from opportunity after opportunity. In this moment, you are losing your identity as a miserable person betrothed to your sorrow. Don’t get me wrong. I am not suggesting the circumstances of your life are not, or were not, painful, unjust, malformed… I am saying you must break the spell that

commands that your focus rest 100 percent with what you have lost and what is being, or was done, to you.

You must take the power of your vision back

and direct it yourself because you can’t develop what you can’t see. Gratitude is a powerful first step in the direction of widening your vista to

include things that are outside your normal pattern. It is your gateway not just to your joy, but to grounding your life in abundance and pleasure. Gratitude is the life giving milk that

rouses the emotionally dead. It quickens new life in people who were given up for broke.

legitimized it by taking some of the responsibility for what other people did to you. You fleeced yourself with endless rounds of the same old game. You looked for solace in your ability to see the ruse. You tried really hard to be good enough not to deserve it. Let the arrows fall out of your back TODAY!

Take a fucking drink already!

They don’t belong to you. Drink from the cup of gratitude. Get drunk on it. Celebrate your life. Rest.

I know. You are afraid. What little secu-

This is your passageway to a new experience.

rity you have been able to carve out for yourself rests in your legendary ability to hear the other shoe falling from on high. But you are clinging to a one-sided application of discernment that no longer serves. Go ahead and hear the sound of that shoe whizzing through the clouds while everyone else sleepwalks into Armageddon. Take a step to the left if you need to.

But for the love of your own possibili-

ties, spit out the words (Thank You, Thank You, Thank You) as you move and then look somewhere else. Look to the horizon for the arrival of something novel. Seek new opportunities instead of looking at the mess of busted soles and ravaged shoe laces laying on the ground next to you. For God’s sake, don’t pick up the shoe! Your responsibility in all that has hap-

pened to you rests in the singularity of your focus. You picked the damn thing up. You agreed to carry it and to make it the lens through which you view your life. You

Get ready. A few rounds of lavishing your life with love and bathing your lips in gratitude will swiftly cut through the old ties. It will resolve connections and dismantle circumstances you thought were insoluble. The change, once it gains momentum (around the time the shouting commences), will be unstoppable. New solutions will appear. Surprising insights and fabulous ideas will begin to spark. Progress towards a joyful life will begin to unfold.

Will that be the end of your struggle? Not by a long shot hon!

Just when you least expect it: KA-BOOM. Your inner saboteur, your own, private, personal, super committed killjoy, will come crashing through the door. She will throw down some ultimatums, put on a pot of terrified, call you names, bake a batch of self pity, whip out a chalk board and memorialize every negative thought you have ever had.

It’s okay. She’s not really working against you. Negative Nelly has arrived to test your mettle.

November ~ 2015

Your little spoilsport wants to see how easy it will be to riffle through your abundance and rip your joy away. She wants to know what you are made of. She is asking just how much heart you are will-

ing to put on the line. She wants your commitment and she knows all commitments are tested in the witching hour, in the darkness of your doubt, in the shifting shadows of your fear. She will try to persuade you that the body snatching of your enjoyment is out of your hands. Finally, she will deploy her secret weapon.

Little Miss Doomsday is going to start talking about later, when you can afford it, when the stars are aligned, when some imaginary line has been crossed. She will move the line over and over again if you let her lay it down at all. Start shouting again. Have another gratitude

shot just as fast as you can pour it. Pretend this is one of those Jägermeister ugly face contests and you want that T-shirt.

Slam it baby! Then find some reasonable investment you can

make in your own future, in your own joy. Strike a balance between miserly thoughts of perpetual delay and extravagant overindulgence. Conspire with your own delight and then commit an act in furtherance. Likewise, when you find the table of your life

has been dressed in its finest linens and the largesse is there for the taking, receive. Give yourself over to the pleasure of being in this world,

November ~ 2015

in a body, standing before a cornucopia of bodily delights. Just don’t forget that even though pa-

tience, hard work, determination and steadfast commitment might not look very sexy, they are the very things that will release you from the handcuffs FOR GOOD. They will carry you into the heart of your abundance. Don’t waste your time tinkering around the edges of some halfbaked imitation! All lasting increase is built over time. Immediate gratification looks a lot like shifting sands if you know what I mean.

Along the way, you will meet supportive

teachers, friends and guides of every kind. This will really provoke your inner prophet of doom. She might let you begin to love your life. She will not go quietly when you decide you want to place your trust in another person. This is her point of extremity. She will be terrified.

It was usually other people who dropped

those shoes after all. She knows a lot of them meant to do it and they came as wolves all dressed in their Sunday-Best, fluffy, white wool! In this story, you were the sheep.

She’s not entirely wrong you know. Deb-

bie Downer needs to know you are listening. She will settle down when she knows you can keep your own counsel and bear your own company. It’s okay to take some time. Just don’t let those two little words (Thank You, Thank You, Thank You) leave your lips for too long! Don’t take your eyes off of your own de-

sires and start searching the faces of everyone in the crowd in a wild eyed effort to find that undead man clinching the joystick. He can only come back when you refuse to drink your anti-venom cocktail (Thank You, Thank You, Thank You). He can only take hold when you get caught in the mesmerizing gaze of his kaleidoscope eyes. Don’t chance even a single glance. Your eyes are committed to the prize. This is

no time for a threesome. Now open your heart to the party pooper in you. She has borne the brunt of your pain. The stripes of your suffering mark her back. Pull her in close. Look into her eyes and promise her that you will not leave her. You will not blame her. You will not forsake her.

take a look, you will find that progress and possibilities are springing up like roses in the desert. You can finally dare to touch this, your rose with all its thorns. No matter what comes. You’ve got this. You are ready to risk and to love with wild abandon. You have started in the only place that

matters. You have bathed your own life, your own soul, in the healing tonic of your love.

Welcome home. You’ve been a long time coming. - Rebecka Eggers

http://www.rebeckaeggers.com/

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! This is your time. This is her time. If you will

November ~ 2015

BEditorial ella

Q&A with Triple Threat

Actress Singer & Writer

November ~ 2015

Anna Rose Moore

BellaMia: What brought you to music, and acting? Anna Rose: I’ve always been a performer. I knew I wanted act

and sing after seeing the movie Annie when I was 3. I used to stand on tables at my parents parties and belt-out show tunes.

BellaMia: Tell us about being a song writer? Anna Rose: I love song-writing and being able to express a feeling or idea through lyrics. Writing pop music came very naturally to me; there is a specific formula and it can be like solving a math equation.

BellaMia: Being an Actress, Singer and Stage Performer, do you have a favorite?

Anna Rose: I wouldn’t say I have a favorite, but there’s nothing like

being on stage; the energy I get from an audience is exhilarating for me.

BellaMia: Anna Rose share with us what emotional feelings come up when you go to one of your screening?

Anna Rose: Haha! Sure. It’s probably along the lines of,

“Where’s the nearest table I can hide under?” You just never know what’s going to happen when a project is completed. There’s so many moving parts. You can do your job to the best of your abilities, but the end product is really in someone else’s hands.

BellaMia: Do you keep a spiritual practice with the busy schedule

you keep? What does a day in the life of Anna Rose look like?

Anna Rose: Well, I’m Jewish and have always loved the culture

and ritual elements of Judaism. I go to synagogue every week if I can, but I don’t consider myself religious at all. That might be a confusing concept for someone from another religion, but for me, being Jewish is more about community and traditions. You don’t have to “believe” in anything. Meditation also helps me stay grounded.

November ~ 2015

“. . .through a magical stroke of synchronicity, my creative Intuition grabbed a hold of an idea . . .”

Q&A with

Simone Wright

BellaMia:

an artist?

Tell us about your journey into being

Simone: I have been an artist since I was a child.

I would spend hours laying on the floor or taking up space on the kitchen table drawing my favorite things - animals and clouds especially. When I got a bit older, my Mom bought me a large easel/drafting table that took up most of my bedroom, so I would have a place to ‘officially’ practice my emerging skill. Chances are good, if you ever needed to find me, I would be there in my very first studio, making friends with and being challenged by the creative muse that would shape my life.

November ~ 2015

I have always had a passionate love affair with

nature, animals of every kind have always been a part of my DNA. But for as long as I can remember, I have had a deep connection to African Wildlife especially; lions, leopards, cheetahs and elephants - so there was never any question about what I was going to paint. As a kid I soaked up all I could about their anatomy and environment through reading and watching Nature television; but I taught myself to paint, by trying to reproduce paintings by my favorite wildlife artists. By attempting to emulate the beauty they had captured, I began to develop my own way of seeing nature and translating it onto the page or canvas. Once I started to see results that pleased me, I simply couldn’t get enough of it.

I did TRY art school for a very brief time, but

I was horribly bored with what they were teaching and having us draw, so I quit after about 3 weeks and decided to follow the guidelines of my heart instead of those in a classroom or textbook. Nature would become my studio and I have taken my paints and sketch-books on field study to the Serengeti of Africa, the rain forests of Puerto Rico, the tundra of Alaska and the high mountain skies of Wyoming, Montana and Canada.

BellaMia:

Simone: I don’t remember ever making a

Simone: I had painted animals my whole life,

You worked successfully as a high paid international artist. Please share what that experience was like?

conscious decision about ‘doing art for a living’ because it such an integral part of my heart and soul, being an artist is simply who I AM, and the things I create, the stuff that comes out of me, is simply a by-product of that personal frequency. It is certainly a bonus to be paid well for that organic exchange.

You are now painting magnificent Nebula’s. How did this come about and how long does it take to paint one of these beauties?

and did the Fine Art Ceramics for almost 20 years and my creative juices were ready for a change. I knew it was time to artistically move on, but at first I didn’t know which direction I wanted to move. Truth be told I was sort of stuck, not wanting to go back to what I had done for so long but not knowing where to move to go forward.

But at the very beginning of ‘going pro’, I

remember attending a very large international trade show, that featured the top wildlife artists in the world (the ones who I had grown up trying to emulate, who by the way, were all men)

As I walked through their booths and

looked at their work, I knew I had what it takes to be a part of that professional community … but I also knew, that I didn’t want to ‘blend in’ or ‘compete’ with these globally established artists. In order to make my mark and hold my place in this community, I wanted to create something completely unique in the wildlife art world, something that no one else had ever seen before. No small task to be sure.

At first I didn’t know what that unique

thing would be, but through a magical stroke of synchronicity, my creative Intuition grabbed a hold of an idea and I began to cultivate what would eventually be known as my Fine Art Ceramics, where Instead of painting my highly detailed animals on canvas, I would hand paint them on raw clay, then fire them in the kiln to become truly elegant pieces of art. Very large vases, platters, bowls would become the foundation of my work - and over many years of trial and error and refining the techniques, those pieces would grow to become the highest selling works of their kind in the world.

It was a thrill to launch my work into

this art environment that I respected so greatly and have it appreciated for its unique beauty and have the collectors from all over the globe continue to invest in me year after year.

Until one day, I saw an image of the Andromeda Galaxy from the Hubble telescope - and it was like being hit over the head with a two by four THAT’S IT! That is where I go next! I felt the same connection and recognized the same feelings I have when I look into the eyes of a wild animal, sort of like a surge of electricity - it was a homecoming of sorts and I have been painting stars like crazy ever since.

The pieces are quite large, with lots of detail

involved in the layers of paint and the number of stars to create depth and dimension … and I am doing them in oil paint, so they take a couple months for each one to be completed as each layer dries. I am usually working on 3 or 4 at a time.

November ~ 2015

~ Simone Wright November ~ 2015

BellaMia: your artwork?

How does your Spirituality and your intuition place into

Simone: My Spirituality and Intuition MAKE me an artist. I cannot

separate them. When I painted my animals I connected with them Spiritually, I understood them Intuitively and my work reflected that, people felt that. It is the same with my Starscapes. People look at these new pieces and then will look at me and say, “It seems you have been there. Yes?”

My Intuition is serving me very powerfully with these new pieces because I am having to completely retrain myself to participate differently with my subject matter. Engaging intimately with the vast expanse of the Universe and all of the energy and intelligence it contains is very different than connecting with a single, physical subject like a lion or tiger. Now, I am being asked to see and create ‘multi-dimensionally’ instead of just 3 dimensionally, which has been very interesting to observe as an artist and as a Spiritual being. I come away from a day at the canvas with all sorts of expanded ideas and musings that I have never considered before. It’s as if the stars are shaping and teaching me as I am giving them form. It is a very unique and magical experience that I know is altering my own consciousness and is influencing those who see the artwork as well. There are always 3 participants in any artistic exchange - the artist, the viewer and the art. I commit as much of my spirit to the creative process as I can in the making of the ‘thing being experienced’. In viewing the created piece, the viewer then brings his or her spirit to the creative process and in the entanglement of all three of those elements, something magical happens, a new experience is formed and the ‘Art’ becomes a living thing. That is where I feel Spirit and Artistry merge. That is why I do what I do. I believe we become what fascinates us, so I guess that means I am becoming Stardust … again. And that is perfectly fine with me.

November ~ 2015

My Spirituality and Intuition MAKE me an artist. I cannot separate them.

~ Simone Wright November ~ 2015

BellaMia: Will you please share with us some of the very cool ways your artwork is getting exposure with this new series? (the virtual way you and I spoke of)

Technology like this gives artists more options to get ‘eyes on the work’, which is of course why we do what we do … so we can share it with others.

Simone: Just like technology has transformed

BellaMia: How can our readers see more

media and music, so too, it is re-shaping how artists can control their careers. One of the greatest challenges of new, emerging or even established artists is getting their work seen by collectors who are willing to purchase. Finding a reputable gallery, dealer or representative isn’t always easy and sometimes navigating the art world to get your own show can be a heart-breaking endeavor. But some new ways of exhibiting are leveling the playing field somewhat and putting a bit more power back in the artists hands, allowing any artist to be ‘discovered’ any where on the planet. I discovered a Virtual Gallery tool that allows me to host my own ‘Gallery Show’ with all of my current works, presented in a 3-d format online. The gallery can be set up to my liking and my guests and collectors can ‘virtually stroll’ through the gallery and look at each piece just as though they were there in person. This allows me to share my current completed work in an elegant online environment, without the massive overhead of producing my own show.

of your work and what are the ways that can bring some of your beautiful pieces home with them?

Simone: People can see all of my work, past and present including my Wildlife paintings, Fine Art Ceramics and Starscapes on my website at www.simonewrightfineart.com My Virtual Gallery, videos and ‘behind the scenes/in the studio’ stuff is all there as well. I am not creating the ceramics at this time, but my Starscapes and several of my Wildlife piece are available as originals and as Limited Edition Giclee Prints. Simone’s Fine Art Website/ Virtual Gallery and Videos can all be found at:

www.simonewrightfineart.com

November ~ 2015

Simoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Art Website/ Virtual Gallery and Videos can all be found at:

www.simonewrightfineart.com November ~ 2015

Q&A with Sara Mapelli

The BeeQueen BellaMia: Please tell us about being a BeeQueen?

Sara: Each time I

dance with honey bees it’s different. The first time I danced with bees in 2001, it was surprisingly painful (I am now starting to get use to the pain part), because the bottom layer of bees grip my skin to stay on. They create bee chains, and body ladders that make up the swarm structure around my body. The energy was so potent and possessive in an enveloping way, an invitational initiation, that it turned me inside out. They danced me. Instantly I knew it was a duet. Each time dancing with bees is a duet, magical and spellbinding. It is also very practical and directional in the communion and communication. It’s as though the bees are saying, “this way please---oh the breeze ----then this way please…… ah the sun….. soak it in……… now let’s dance.”

November ~ 2015

Rather than being like a marionette, it is like being part of the ocean or a tree. I am the tree branch covered in bees, moving in the air. The second bee dance was for the film,

Queen of The Sun, by Taggart Seigel. This is where we started to incorporate other people and interactive happenings, such as the tea party. The fantastical tea party element led to the third dance and the second Beequeen video, “be SEEK her.” I invited people I love to interact with the bee queen. Most people had an idea they wanted to explore and we just jumped into it and improvised. As I edited, the story and message unfolded. I felt a deep sadness and fierceness for the way our unconscious fears nature. The seeds, the bees, the animals, the water, the weather - all being controlled out of fear and the desire for profit.

The fourth dance was The Bee Dance

good of the whole is in homeostasis. Each one is held high in respect of their job to keep the whole safe and nurtured. I wonder how can we bring this to our own people. This is where I want to bring the bee dance to: a place where one can gather and let go. Witness and be witnessed. Where the commonalty of breath and vibration is powerfully, textually contained.

Healing Ring, thus far my favorite. On this day, this dance, there were two rings of people sitting and I danced among them and pulled and cleared the energy off the center ring of people while the outer ring helped to contain the space. It was a filling of energies from the sky, the sun source. The bees moved me to find the hottest spots in the Each time the bees and I In witnessing this sadness I air to warm up, often interact, it gets clearer and I was their compass am inspired to jump into the clearer. As two things in the as they created waves natural world are coming up and down my hive where the good of the together that don’t normally torso. When warmed come together. Bees dance whole is in homeostasis. and filled deeply we to communicate with each beamed it into and other. There is a non verbal around the 13 people language that we are teaching each that participated in the inner ring, other. I listen, they listen. I don’t we beamed so much WE SEE YOU “personify” but I do glorify in the into the people’s eyes, into their beauty of this interception. I move my breath, mixed with the air of the world view by embracing theirs. If we wind. We had four women playing large as a species could shift our world view with drums and percussion. It was the first dance the help of the bees’ example, a community with music and it sent me into such a loving that functions like a healthy body so the trance. I slowly maneuvered, holding steady whole survives and flourishes, we are then while adjusting to each person’s energy. The gaining wisdom from nature. magnetism was wax-filled golden vibration and profound, drums … silence… drums… BellaMia: How do you get the bees to be silence. Yes! I felt such a clean connection, so tame and enjoyable on you? such a special reverence. The intentional visceral focus was smooth and delightful. Sara: We prepare them to be in a swarm The hive mind connection was present as all mode. They are not tame. If I were to move 40 people held the ring with strength and in the wrong way or make them angry, they sweetness. Afterwards I felt polished. might attack. A week later I went into Portland and I was keenly aware of sadness and disconnect. I BellaMia: In your artistic style, when did saw it on the streets spilling out of people. I you realize you had this capability? cried in my car. In witnessing this sadness I am inspired to jump into the hive where the November ~ 2015

Sara: I would call it a surrendering to an

image I saw in my head, which was myself covered in bees standing in the middle of a pristine cul-de-sac. I followed the making of the image and then the bees followed me and now we have many branches of purposes unfurling in front of us. Some of the purposes are listening to everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories of bees--- how they were stung and now afraid, how they themselves commune with the bee nation, how their relatives were beekeepers (I really prefer the word bee tender) and how people can help the bees right now. Together the bees and I have an opportunity to provide inspiration and phantasmagorical ceremonies or celebrations. We have a lot to celebrate about bees. They pollinate one out of 3 bites of food we eat. Not only is their honey sweet but it is full of healing properties.

BellaMia: You have been an artist having artistic flare your whole life. How did this appear as a child and then as an adult?

Sara: I was raised by artists. As a child my

mom created large glass installations for permanent public art works. I was always helping with her projects. I spent my summers with my Grandma and two aunts. I loved being raised by strong educated women, even when they were sitting they were do-ing: sewing, knitting, needlepoint, quilting. They also knew how to build buildings, do electrical work, plumbing, and carpentry. They built gardens and nursed people and they were good at investing. They always had power tools around, and made complicated chocolate truffles into the night. I went to the best little converted barn school (Neskowin Valley School) on the coast of Oregon. This school taught mostly through story telling, and art was incorporated into every learning experience. I grew up on 11 acres and my closest friends were about 8 miles away. I spent a lot of time in the woods with the fairies. I called myself the fairy architect and helper. I would go around and fix their buildings that had fallen and add bridges

from one part of their land to another. Funny, I still feel like one of my jobs is to be a bridge. A bridge that inspires women to build, people to heal, to face their fears of bees and nature, to dance hard and sweat! I have made bridges in other cultures as I traveled. I have found myself often working beside men in areas that only men do. When I studied bronze casting in Nepal, the wax master did not know what to make of me. He would take my Ganesh out of my hands to fix it and I would take it back to fix it myself. We laughed a lot together. Laughter is the universal cultural rainbow bridge. Someone just posted on my FB wall “you are a bridge to the unseen,” in regards to dancing with bees, but I liked that comment because in fits in all parts of my life right now. In my healing work, bridging the many layered inner bodies and gathering information to share with my clients during their healing process, etc………

BellaMia: Will you tell us about the home you and your partner built from scratch?

Sara: At 23, my partner Theodore Holdt and I

started building a cordwood home. We lived in a small canvas army tent and finished our home in a year and a half. We spent everyday hauling water and mixing concrete and laying cordwood to infill our walls into a pole barn structure. We took a year off and then built a two-story straw bale art studio. Both buildings are passive solar and constructed by more than 80% recycled materials. As with most things, we just jumped into it and taught ourselves as we went. I guess the year we spent in 1990-91 backpacking around the world, meeting artists and studying art and getting sick and almost dying over and over again in India paved the way for us to trust that there was nothing to stop us from learning as we go. We learn November ~ 2015

as we create and following an initial inkling is for myself, and, at the still how we tend to move ahead. We are now moment, I love to make doing the final touches on a rental in Guanajuato scary latex masks that Mexico that we built from the ground up. It’s fit my face perfectly. called the Golden Bee. The first phase is almost Halloween is my favorite done and all three floors, each being an apartholiday! I am addicted to ment, will be ready to rent out by February 2016. designing and building Architecture, physOnce finished with this ically and metaphorically. phase we will take a break My mission is really about I have always thought that and then maybe build a inspiring others was one of studio to be available for my jobs. self-permission. I give travelers interested in the myself permission to be movement, visual and BellaMia: The bee popintellectual arts. ulation is being destroyed

an artist, healer, helper,

BellaMia: What inspires

bee dancer and builder.

you and what is your mission in life?

Sara: My mission is really about

self-permission. I give myself permission to be an artist, healer, helper, bee dancer and builder. How many times does someone tell you “no, you can’t do it that way”-- and then you do it anyway and you succeed? I think it’s best to follow our own intuition as much as we can. It‘s hard as we often get caught in the human mess of disharmony. We need to inspire each other to be creative and embrace ourselves. I love dancing for my self and dancing with bees, helping people to take notice and heal their bodies through my Transparent Body Energy Realignment techniques - the physical, the spiritual, the emotional and soulful bodies. I have been doing that work for 27 years. Making Art is another dear inspiration, I love to create characters for elaborate photo shoots, I love to be a muse with others, for others,

November ~ 2015

on a daily basis around the world. Besides awareness what else would you like people to know about the Bee?

Sara: Bees are strong and resilient

yet they are growing weak in some areas out of greed and poor listening. If we really took the time to listen we would know what to do. “Hey! Clean this up!”, they are yelling. “Please don’t ship me around…don’t spray that on my food, don’t factory impregnate my queen, don’t monocrop the world!” they are telling us. If we pay attention we can see that what works on an environmental level also works on a soulful level. Every particle that makes up this universe is complicated. So why are we dumbing ourselves and the species and flora and micro organisms around us? It is for profit. Are we

willing to give up our home planet for profit? We have created a monster mess and now we must focus the precious time we have to clean it up. The more of us who can provide protected environments for things to grow organically and pollinators to pollinate, the better. We are adding time and a chance for healing and rebirth by creating organic sanctuaries for bees, a safe haven for the future of humanity. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you wonder what this planet would look like if we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t on it? Or if we started out consciously putting back as much as we take? Or if we stopped at the beginning of a problematic endeavor and fixed it before moving on? I am writing this article on a problematic endeavor and I love my landfill devices. But what if my computer

went to a place where it was dissembled and reused in almost everyway and that the person doing that job got paid a great living wage? We would be practicing the hive mind mentality. Every job is important, everyone has an equal standing. We are not there yet. We fear that there is not enough. Mostly we are jealous creatures; the gatherers are still gathering but in stores, the instincts are all there from the get go! Survival of the fittest but the fittest will lose if there is nothing to eat or drink. We want to know all the answers, we certainly still trying to figure out the big Why... Why we are so afraid to be good to each other? We are still so ingrained to battle the outside forces then tame the inner forces and work for the whole.

BellaMia: BellaMia:

What in life prepared you for the bee dance adventure?

Sara: I traveled

outside the country as a child. By the age of 21 I had been all over the world twice. Traveling gave me a good footing into the realm of magical and diverse ritual cultures. There are layers of temples that have built themselves inside my frame. Rivers and waterfalls of language and spices comingled in my blood. Textures ate holes into my skin and settled in. My inner drive is a large engine with red painted edges and chrome tubes the spark dragon flames. I was fortunate and had the amazing opportunity to dance in the Locota Sundance ceremony for 4 years.

November ~ 2015

bee painted on her third eye. It’s so clear I can feel the heat and smell the colors and taste the giving of mystical joy.

BellaMia:How can the fantasy of the bee

dance evolve and influence how we can treat each other?

Sara: I really hope to With great support from my partner I got to experience what it means to focus and shed one’s identity of self as a way to giving back that divinity to the community. I was already a focused person but this definitely propelled me into knowing even more about how I could pull from “the source” to feed myself, to survive. I have a high tolerance for discomfort that pushes me to transcend it. I crave the aha that dance brings to me, a ball of light string untangling and lifting me, buffing me.

BellaMia: Where do you want to go in the future?

Sara: I am so excited about the endless

possibilities. I want to take The Bee Dance on tour, starting on the East Coast, and then to Europe. I have made so many connections with bee tenders all over the world thanks to social media. I would like to incorporate feasts and healing work along with the bee dance. I still love the idea of serving bee-pollinated foods to people as I wear a bee blouse. I have a vision of walking down a road in India with a huge elephant behind me; she has a

November ~ 2015

influence people to treat each other with care and equality. This is one thing I sense dancing with the bees. There is a caring equality and a cooperative essence along with a practicality that emanates from the hive. I don’t want to personify the bee world. I want to help bee-ify the person world. I feel that maybe it’s just an offering of understanding from my core self to try and live with that intention. It’s hard in this emotion-driven world not to be overly sensitive to the chaos that we are surrounded by. I am reminded inside the deep hum of the bees that what may look like chaos is just a reflection of how disconnected we have become. The more magic I can bring to the people the better. So let the magic open up along with a multi dimensional awareness. Interacting without speech with the bees and people is such aha moment over and over. I see you and you are being seen by 75,000 plus faceted eyes. Eternity and infinity takes hold between us. The ripple effect and daydream, commands us to Presence. http://saramapellibeequeen. com/transparent-body-bull-energy-realignment.html

Love

Are you ready to

the skin youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in?

What if you fell deeply wildly in love with your body?

Yes

, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible

30daystobodylove.com

November ~ 2015

BLifestyle ella

et Aligned for the New Year

3- Alignment Strategies for Your Body and Mind

By Andrea Allen

The definition of alignment is an arrangement in a straight line or in a correct or appropriate relative position; a position of agreement or alliance. Armed now with this definition, you can begin to understand that when put in the correct position there is an agreement that occurs. The word alliance is powerful because it further explains that each part of your body and your mind is helping the other in such a way as to support and bring together in strength and unison.

Below are 3 Alignment Strategies to help you shift your body and mind into alignment for the new year.

Alignment Strategy #1:

A Grounded and Powerful Foundation BODY: Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing yoga, standing in the

grocery store line or speaking on stage, the foundation of your feet set up your entire posture. Your feet and legs are the root of your alignment and will help heal your body of bad posture and bring power if your stance, walk and movement.

Try It: Stand up. Bring your awareness to your feet.

Lift up your toes. Now push down the mound of the big toe and then keeping that point there, push down the inside of your heal. You will feel like you are rolling

November ~ 2015

inward. Now add the outside of your heal and the mound of your pinkie toe so that all 4 points of the feet are pressing down. Spread your toes and put them on the floor. Feel the energy extend up the legs. This physical energy of grounding down is a powerful piece to the alignment of the body. It is also a strong reminder that you are grounded in who you are and standing up for what you want. Practice daily.

If your mind core is not strong then you will not be able to expand, move and create from a space of strength and truly grow. Alignment Strategy #2: A Strong Core MIND: Knowing who you are and

what you want is the foundational mind piece to alignment. Being grounded and immovable will allow you the power and presence to be where you are and who you are in every moment. Creating a Vision Statement for the new year will allow you to stay grounded when the winds start to blow or maybe even the storms.

Try it: To create your vision statement for the new year. Start by answering these 3 questions.

1. How do you want to feel this year choose three words

2. What do you want to accomplish 3. Who and what do you want

surrounding you. Now write it all out in present form, memorize it, post it, re-visit it, and re-connect with it daily.

BODY: Having a strong core is essential to support any structure. If the core of a building is weak, it could collapse. If the core of your body is weak there is injury, strain, lack of flexibility and mobility. Strengthening your core is essential for alignment. Try it: Get into a high plank position. Making sure your shoulders are over your wrists and your body is as flat as a board. Draw your belly button to your spine allowing yourself to support your entire body with ease. Rest and repeat 5 times. Practice daily.

MIND: If your mind core is not strong then you

will not be able to expand, move and create from a space of strength and truly grow. Creating and knowing your core values will help you define what makes up the center of who you are and what you stand for. If you do have core values already, review them and make sure they’re still a strong representative of who you are. If you don’t have a set of clear and concise core values, it’s time to create them.

Try it: Here are two questions to ask yourself when creating core values?

1. What values do I stand for? 2. What values do I really admire in others?

Come up with a list of 3-5 values. Post them and strengthen them daily by always making the choice to stand by these values.

November ~ 2015

Alignment Strategy #3: An Open Heart Center

BODY:

Too often most people spend the majority of their day with their shoulders rolled forward typing on the computer, driving, sitting, and standing. Slouching leads to back problems and throws off your body’s alignment. It also is a physical display of being closed off and will lead to less connection with others and a feeling of not shining your light.

Try it: Stand up. With your feet grounded and your core strong, clasp your hands behind your back allowing your shoulders to melt together. Feel the opening of the chest and take three breathes allowing your chest to expand even more each time. Draw your chin slightly down and extend through the back of your neck. Try letting go of your hands and reach them out to your sides with your palms up. Practice Daily.

MIND: It’s natural to try and protect

our hearts from the pain. But just like slouching, doing so will take you out of alignment and growth of who you truly are. To open our hearts and come into alignment it is important to be living your passions and your heart-centered purpose. When you do, you’re heart will shine and you will discover deep connections.

Try it: Get out a piece of paper and

answer the following questions.

1. What are three to four things that you enjoy -things that really light you up?

2. If you could spend an entire week doing whatever you wanted – what would you do?

3. If you could accomplish anything with out worry of failure what would you accomplish

4. If you had the means to share one

message with the world, what would it be?

- Andrea Allen www.inspireme2b.com

November ~ 2015

Wild Orange & Peppermint Invigorating & Moisturizing Body Wash VV Â˝ cup Unscented liquid Castile

Soap

VV 4 T. Vegetable Glycerin VV 3T. Fractionated Coconut Oil VV 10 drops of your favorite

essential oil

VV (I used 5 drops each of Wild

Orange and Peppermint)

Add to a 8 oz. glass pump bottle. For a soothing wash try lavender or geranium. Shake before each use. By Sharon Otness ~ www.sharonotness.com

November ~ 2015

Creating a Magical Home By Sharon Otness

I love to paint. I always have. There simply

t happens every year. The holidays are over. You remove the decorations. The candles get snuffed out, the twinkling lights are removed, the glitter is swept up and the furniture is put back in place. You sit down, look around and it looks blah. Lifeless. Dare I say a little dinghy? Time to recreate the magic.

There is one way you can easily create

a magical space. It isn’t expensive. You can do it yourself. It doesn’t take long. What is it? Paint.

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isn’t a way I know of that can drastically change a home as simply as paint.

Take a look at what you are not happy with.

Ask yourself. Do your walls look tired or are you tired of the color? Are you looking for warmth? Try a beautiful buttery yellow, a soft golden hue or a bold terra cotta. If you need soothing, take a look at the beautiful blues, soft greys or a pale sage-ey green. Want something in-between? Try an apricot or turquoise. Don’t forget white. They aren’t all equal! Look at the undertones. Cool whites will have a grey or blue undertone. A warm white will have a yellow or red (pink) undertone.

New throw pillows.

Maybe you just want a bit of a punch. Go bold Nothing freshens up your sofa and on one feature wall. Other factors to look at are makes it look new that adding a few new the colors of your floor and door trim. A classic pillows. Think color, pattern and texture. combo is always a color Area rug. on the walls and a white Re-arrange Is your rug looking a little sad? or clean off-white for the your shelves and Beyond spot cleaning one more trim moldings and doors. time? Freshen your room by bookcases by adding a new color, fun texture Before you paint, is a artfully placing or pattern. Make sure it is big perfect time to remove all enough to anchor your room of your other objects. You books, plants setting-nothing is worse than need to do it anyway. Sort and objects on a rug that is “floating”. At lest the items into piles of keep, the shelves place the front sofa legs on the discard and donate. Use rug and the front legs of any the Marie Kondo way. Does the item still give you joy? This is a wonderful chairs in the setting if at all possible. filter. Set all of the to keep items on a table outside Lighting. of the room. After you are finished painting, Most clients I work with had never have fun regrouping your favorite things in some thought much about lighting. Never different ways. Arrange some photos on a gallery mind if you have overheads or “can” ledge. Re-arrange your shelves and bookcases lighting. Every room needs some task by artfully placing books, plants and objects and mood lighting. Make sure there on the shelves. Use Pinterest as inspiration! is a lamp next to a reading chair, at Walls already in a color you love? your main seating area and don’t forget Room is all organized, but it still looks lackluster? mood lighting. You can even uplight Maybe you need some other help. Here are 6 other a plant in the room for drama. ways to add some magic and pizazz to our room November ~ 2015

Add a plant.

One of the reasons you may be missing the tree and greenery you had in your decorations is that you enjoyed having something of nature. So add a real green plant in the room. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a green thumb? Try a planter of succulents or even a hanging air plant.

Seating.

That old tired chair may need replacing. An accent chair (or two) is the perfect place to show your personality. Because they visually take up less space than your sofa, you can have fun with a pattern or sassy color you may not do otherwise. Create a beautiful coffee table tablescape. Add a few stacked art or specialty books, one tall accessory (a vase, plant, art object) and then set a tray with a candle, small plant, bowl of shells, a beautiful box, etc. Play with it. Change it out whenever you need a fresh look. Now that you have refreshed your room,

sit back and enjoy! Get yourself a cup of tea, a healthy snack, cozy throw and settle in for the rest of the magic of winter.

- Sharon Otness www.sharonotness.com

November ~ 2015

Superfoods ~ Are They Magical?

By Kat Maeda e hear and read about

them…we see recipes, promotions

at stores and online, and menus highlighting superfoods. But, what are superfoods and what makes them so special? Actually the name “superfood” is a special category of foods – neither classified nor recognized by scientific research, nor are they necessarily acknowledged by the medical industry, at least in allopathic medicine. Mostly plant-based, superfoods are found in nature and many have been recognized for thousands of years for their high nutrient and often healing value. Our ancestors knew instinctively which foods were superfoods – they prized them for effects on their health. It’s amazing what our body can do with clean, healthful food – and I’d say that sometimes it is downright magical!

While there’s no set criteria for determining which

food falls into the category of superfoods, they are considered so because of they are often sparse in calories and are a rich and complex source of nutrients, such vitamins, essential minerals (those we need but our body can’t make), polyphenols, and other nutrient elements.

Superfoods also contain a higher than average

level of antioxidants, which protect our bodies from cellular damage and may help prevent disease. Superfoods also contain adaptogens. Adaptogens come from plant-based foods and have therapeutic value for the human body, by helping it more

November ~ 2015

easily deal with stress, increase resistance to harmful physical, chemical or biological factors, and provide a normalizing effect on the body’s functional processes. The also boost nourishment for the brain, muscles, bones, organs, and immune system. And, we can see visible effects in healthier skin, nails, and hair. With all that going for them, who wouldn’t want to include superfoods in their diet? Nutritionally speaking, the ideal

diet is largely plant based and includes a wide variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds, with some clean animal products. An optimal diet also includes a lot of raw, living plant foods, fermented foods, herbs, and a wide variety of superfoods.

We actually eat a number of superfoods

on a regular basis without giving them a second thought, such as tomatoes, blueberries, kale, and animal-sourced foods like salmon and cultured dairy, such as kefir and yogurt.

Acai Bee Pollen Cacao Camu Camu Berry Chaga Mushroom Chia Seeds Cordyceps Mushroom Chlorella Clorophyll Elk Antler Velvet Flax Seeds Ginseng Goji Berries (aka wolfberries) Hemp Seed Kefir Yogurt Maca Root Mangosteens Nutritional Yeast Oats Quinoa Raw Honey Reishi Mushroom Seaweed Sauerkraut (raw) Spirulina Sprouted Mung Beans Suma Root Turmeric

But it’s the uncommon superfoods that are grabbing

everyone’s attention, not just the health conscious, but super athletes, particularly elite endurance athletes. Many of these superfoods may already be staples in your kitchen, others you may not have heard of before Nearly all of these are staples

at my house and in our diet – do we eat only superfoods? No way! As mentioned before, a well-balanced, nutritious diet include a variety of foods, even if you choose to eat raw, Paleo or vegan, or a culturally-based diet. Superfoods are a definitely and necessary bonus at our house and they make their way into a lot of the dishes I make several times a week. One of my favorite superfoods is the goji berry, also called wolfberry. Similar to other berries, goji berries pack a lot of nutrient power for a just a few calories. These bright red berries are loaded with beta-carotene, which helps promote healthy skin. But their benefits are certainly more than skin deep!

November ~ 2015

Goji may improve eyesight and increase libido, mood, and energy. Goji berries, however, have been long known in Asia, particularly China where they have been known for their medicinal properties for centuries, they are considered the most nutritionally dense fruit on earth. In addition to beta-carotene, goji berries are a good source of protein and contain: Macro-nutrients like carbs, healthy fats, and soluble fiber All 18 amino acids, including the 9 essential acids that cannot be made by the body Over 20 trace minerals and vitamins, including Vitamin C Iron, potassium, and zinc Powerful antioxidants Goji berries make a fabulous snack food, mixed into trail mixes or eaten right out of the bag. They also can be added to smoothies, salads, and raw desserts. One of my favorite ways to enjoy my goji berries is for breakfast as part of my overnight oats in yogurt!

November ~ 2015

Superfood Recipe of the Month Overnight Raw Oats with Goji Berries By Kat Maeda

in Yogurt

ombining three superfoods - oats, plain yogurt, and goji berries - into a delicious breakfast dish is a powerful and satisfying way to start your day and is the perfect grab ‘n go meal for the busy professional or on-the-go mom.

In the article on the adjoining page, we covered the amazing superfood properties of goji berries. So, let’s talk about oats and yogurt. Raw oats (not the instant, processed kind which have been stripped of their nutrient value) are a rich source of magnesium, potassium and phytonutrients. They’re also naturally gluten free; however, because they are often processed for packaging in plants the process other grains, they can be gluten-contaminated. If you are gluten sensitive or have Celiac, it is imperative that you purchase organic oats that are certified gluten free. Raw oats are also a rich source of magnesium in oats helps regulate blood sugar. What makes oats extra special and a superfood is that unlike other grains, oats are also one of the richest sources of beta-glucan, a special soluble fiber called that helps lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

Yogurt is a cultured food, in which lactose has been converted to lactic acid, which is what gives yogurt its texture as well as its sour, tart flavor, and makes yogurt easy to tolerate by most who are lactose intolerant. Non-dairy yogurts are also available and highly beneficial and like yogurts from cow or sheep’s milk is rich in probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that support the immune system by stimulating infection-fighting white blood cells, can reduce yeast infections, and support a healthy digestive system. Yogurt is a powerful superfood for anyone needing to replenish gut flora compromised by antibiotics, stress, alcohol consumption, chronic diarrhea, or any kind of infection (whether bacterial, fungal, or viral). Plus, yogurt also contains vitamin B12, which maintains red blood cells and supports a healthy functioning nervous system. Yogurt is especially supportive for women’s health as it’s a good source of calcium and protein, is low in carbohydrates, and some studies suggest yogurt may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Studies show that eating healthy yogurt – not the sugary, processed yogurts that masquerade as healthy snacks or breakfast November ~ 2015

food – may burn fat and promote weight loss. Plain, yogurt from grass fed cows has the added benefit of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which as is noted in “Beating Cancer with Nutrition,” by Patrick Quillin, PhD, RD, CNS, improves cellular communication and is a “promising anti-cancer nutrient.” The only dietary source of CLA are the milk and meat of ruminating mammals, which include deer, cows, sheep, yaks, antelope, giraffes and camels. There are many yogurts on the market to choose from. Most are loaded with excess sugar – often as many as 24 or more grams. Don’t be fooled by yogurts with added flavors, syrups, and fruits – you can add your own and be in control of your sugars!

Ingredients: • 1 cup plain, grassfed yogurt (Maple Hill Creamery, Grassmilk, Wholesome Diary Farms), divided • ½ cup raw organic rolled oats, divided • ¼ cup goji berries, divided

Directions: In a wide-mouth, pint mason jar, layer in the following order: 1/3 cup yogurt, ¼ cup oats, 1/3 of the goji berries Repeat step one Add remaining 1/3 cup yogurt and the last of the goji berries. Sprinkle with a few more oats, if desired. Cover tightly with Mason jar lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Ready to eat right out of the jar, stirring if desired. Optional add-in ingredients:

• Stir in ½ teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract into yogurt before layering. • To sweeten yogurt, stir in 1 tablespoon of raw honey or a couple drops of liquid Stevia to yogurt before layering. • Sprinkle cinnamon over oats as layering and end with a light dust of cinnamon on top layer of yogurt. • For added fiber, mix 2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed in oats before layering. • Top with a teaspoon of bee pollen. • Substitute goji berries with blueberries, blackberries, or sliced strawberries for another variation. This heart healthy, satisfying, super-food breakfast provides both quality carbs and healthy fat to get you going, promotes weight loss, and is just 333 calories and 15 grams of protein.

-Kat Maeda katmaeda.com November ~ 2015

Embrace your Life with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion By Cori Rosenthal

t is New Years Resolution time! Have you

made yours? According to Neilson, staying fit and losing weight accounted for 69% of the New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolutions in 2015. It makes sense after all the pumpkin pie and eggnog of the season.

Unfortunately, 2014 results do not bode well

for weight loss resolutions. The same research from Neilson found that â&#x20AC;&#x153;43% of Americans say they plan to lose weight by making healthier food choices, but 76% said they did not follow a weight loss or diet program in 2014.

As opposed to focusing on what you want

to be different, try focusing on what is available to you right now in the present moment. Give yourself the gift of health, compassion and connection this year with mindfulness, mindful eating and self-compassion. Below are a few ideas for living a mindful 2016.

Mindfulness We are often so busy moving from place

to place that we bring that stress wherever we go. Why not try the STOP practise as adapted from The Now Effect: How this

November ~ 2015

Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life by Elisha Goldstein as a transition

from home to work and home again. This practice allows you to check in with yourself and decide how you want to proceed, creating a transition from what you were doing to what you are going to do next. The steps are as follows:

Let the other person finish their thought

S: Stop what you are doing. This stop

Ask open-ended questions with the inten-

can be for a moment or several minutes depending upon the situation. You can stop in the car, at the door or wherever makes sense for you at the moment.

T: Take a few breaths while focusing

all your attention on breathing. Perhaps notice where you feel the breath most easily such as the tip of your nose or rising and falling of your chest. Take as many breaths as feels comfortable in the moment.

O: Observe your experience inter-

nally and externally. Your internal experiences are your thoughts, emotions and body sensations. External experiences may be noticing what you are hearing or seeing.

P: Proceed by asking what is most

important to pay attention to right now.

Mindful Connections Practice Mindful listening with your

Put away your cell phone or other distractions.

family, friends and colleagues to create stronger connections. Mindful listening involves providing the speaker with your full attention. Try these simple steps below.

November ~ 2015

completely and take a few breaths before jumping in. So often we are not really listening but rather thinking about a response or looking for an opportunity to jump in with our opinion.

tion of understanding the other personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience or point of view.

Paraphrase what the speaker is saying` to

let them know they are understood

Mindful Eating Food often plays a significant role in

socializing. Social eating can often be mindless because you are focused on conversation whereas eating alone the focus is on the TV,

phone or computer. Mindless eating can cause overeating and less satisfaction, because the person never really tastes the food. Check in with your hunger levels before, during

and after the meal. Imagine your stomach like a fuel gage in a car. You want to eat when you are ¼ full and stop eating when you are ¾ full. Initially it may be difficult to tell what your hunger level is but with practice it becomes easier.

Try eating with your non-dominant hand.

Especially when you are eating out. Research shows that eating with your non-dominant hand breaks the hand to mouth cycle, and people end up eating 30% less food. Slow down and take a few breaths in between

bites. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full and slowing down gives you a chance to get the message.

Mindful Self-Compassion No one eats mindfully 100% of the time. Missteps

happen in every part of life. Self-Compassion is an essential ingredient to any self-care plan. Selfcompassion, as defined by psychologist, researcher and author Dr. Kristin Neff has three components, mindfulness, common humanity and kindness.

Mindfulness means observing what

you are feeling, even negative feelings without suppressing or exaggerating them. Common humanity means recogniz-

ing that imperfection and suffering are a part of a shared human experience. Self-Kindness means offering our-

selves the warmth and understanding we would offer a loved one when they are in pain. In 2016 celebrate the wonder of your life; taste the food, connect to

those you care most about and give yourself the gift of stepping into the present moment with self-compassion. “The life that you want begins the moment you embrace the life you have because all of it is a miracle.” -- Rob Bell - Cori Rosenthal CoriRosenthal.com

November ~ 2015

BFashion ella

Baby Its Cold Outside! Wear Layers!

hen it is cold outside…which it

is right now for most of the world, layers are your best friend! They keep you chic and fashionable whilst staying warm and protected. Think Scarves, Hats, Gloves and Vests. (Wearing tights is just a given to keep your legs warm!). Of the layers mentioned, I think Scarves and Vests are the two best. Here’s why! Core Warmth!! When your

By Linnea Duvall scarves that will work well with the color scheme that predominates your wardrobe. Choose some solid colors, and some prints; animal, chevron, polka dots, plaids, so much fun to pick! Which pattern brings you the most joy when you wear it? Which fabric will best serve to keep you warm in your climate? Pashmina, wool, cashmere, flannel, even cotton? Let your joy and your warmth help determine your choices.

core (torso) is warm it readily releases blood to your extremities; your fingers and toes, and even your nose. Increasing insulation is the key to keeping your core warm. And Voila! Layers equals increasing insulation! An accessory fashion statement is actually a brilliant way to stay warm, and look terrific!

give you a tutorial on how to tie any scarf stylishly. Especially the uber cool and popular Infinity scarf. Bonus, If you choose an Infinity scarf you can sometimes have a vest in a scarf, dependent on how you tie it.

Let’s start with Scarves. They look great,

Speaking of Vests, they run the gamut from

and keep your neck and chest warm. Perfect! And the choices are seemingly endless. So many fabrics, so many colors, so many patterns. How do you choose? Select a few

November ~ 2015

And Social Media provides a myriad of videos to

sweater vest, to fur vest, to puffy or thin fiberfill, or down. Vests can be “country casual” or “city sleek” in their style, but they are terrific at looking great and keeping you warm. I often wear a fur

or sweater vest under a light jacket; anything from a sporty jacket to an evening jacket, even a denim jacket. When I have arrived at my destination, I remove my jacket, keep the vest on as part of my ensemble, and now, I have insurance against any condition; the cold outside, a possible drafty cold inside, or, if toasty warm inside, I can remove the vest. With a vest, you can look stylish in every temperature. If you wear a scarf or muffler with your vest, you have double protection and double style!! You are using layers expertly! Next, Hats are just the best! It is a tossup

how much body heat escapes through an uncovered head, but let’s just agree that no matter, hats keep you warm, look great, and make a terrific fashion statement. You can go so far beyond the simple or ornate stocking cap, which are wonderful in their own right. But there are Bowlers, Pork Pies, Fedoras, Mailboys, Berets, Cloches…. And the list goes go on and on. Pick one that tickles your fancy when you wear it, and make staying warm a kick! Gloves, Gloves, Gloves! Again, so many

choices, so many styles, and SO many colors!! Have a blast choosing gloves that delight you and finish your look. The lining or fabric will determine the level of warmth and protection. And PS, there is a set of red mittens at Sur La Table that even come with a plastic “flask” inside, complete with a tiny funnel for filling it. But you didn’t hear that from me! (wink). Peppermint Schnapps anyone? Here’s to all the many ways you make layers your friend!! Enjoy!! -Linnea Duvall lmduvall@yahoo.com

November ~ 2015

Conscious Fashion, Part II: Make a difference in the world, and your life, with your fashion choices By Linnea Duvall

his year, make a New Year’s Resolution to SHINE and make a difference in the world at the same time. Create a wardrobe that is pared down and empowering. Choose only clothing and colors that truly make you shine, make you look and feel glorious, and then watch the results! You’ll love it! I invite you to make this choice to look better, feel better, and to make a difference in the world. In the Aug/Sept issue of BellaMia, I wrote

the article Conscious Fashion, (I hope you’ll go look it up and read it!). In that article, I offered some clear direction for how to dress yourself in a conscious way to present the best you! I also said, “In today’s modern world the phrase conscious fashion may conjure up the specter of sweat shops and cheap labor creating inexpensive fashions, (and that will be an article for another time)”. This is that article. The fashion you buy not only makes a

difference in how you look, it makes a difference in the well being of millions

November ~ 2015

of people around the world. And we, the consumer, have the power — each of us votes every single time we buy something. We vote about how we value human life, worldwide, as well as vote about how we look. When you buy lots of inexpensive “throw away,

wear only once if at all” disposable fashion, you are casting a vote for human slavery. That may sound radical, but it is true. The most dramatic proof of that slavery, which still exists in China, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Turkey, Thailand, and even cotton farms in Texas where workers are reportedly contracting

something as basic as where your cancer because of the chemicals used to treat clothes were made…and by whom? their mass-produced crops, was the collapse of For me, I can’t look at Outlet Malls the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh, where the same way any longer. I assure you 1,129 people were killed and twice as many I am following my own invitations. injured after the building collapsed in 2013. Warnings to avoid using Consider making a resthe building after cracks olution this year to only appeared the day before buy items that you look had been ignored. Garment I learned to be a fabulous in, feel great in, workers were ordered thrift and vintage AND you will wear at least to return the following sleuth when I worked 30 times. And buy someday and keep working to thing that will last for 30 at Vogue magazine. churn out the disposable wearings! Buy quality fashion orders, and the rather than quantity. In building collapsed during reality, no matter the the morning rush-hour. In other factories quantity in many of our overstuffed worldwide, there are bars on windows and closets, we still only wear the same emergency exits are locked to prevent workers few pieces all the time! Think about from leaving their stations or leaving the building it! Don’t you find yourself wearing during the work day. Factory managers typically the same things over and over? And pressure employees to work 10 to 12-hour days, yet you have no room in your closets? and sometimes 16 to 18-hour workdays, with hours increasing as order deadlines approach. Despite government regulations, a seven-day workweek is very common during peak periods. “During peak season, we work until 2 or 3 am. Although we’re exhausted, we have no choice. We cannot refuse overtime. Our basic wages are just too low.” • Phan, 22 years old, describing the employment situation in a Thai factory Once you have read this, and taken in the scope

of the virtual slavery and enormous misery of these fellow human beings making these fashions, it may radically change your view of inexpensive clothing and our throwaway culture. And that may change your everyday image and presentation…for the better!! You may buy less, and buy better. Invite yourself to pay close attention to how much you are buying and why! Consider November ~ 2015

I have a secret to let you in on. Those same things you reach for and wear all the time? I have no doubt you have worn them at least 20 times, if not 30. That is why Marie Kondo, author of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, the runaway best seller on every book list, tells us the easiest area to tidy first is our closets, because there is so much in those closets that no longer sparks joy, or that we even wear. So get it gone! Sell

it on eBay, donate it, or take it to a terrific consignment shop in your town that will sell it for you and split the profits with you! Great Labels is a terrific choice in the Los Angeles area. I have put plenty of things in the hands of owner Andrea Liff Waters and her terrific staff to sell for me, and been rewarded with cash for my efforts. Pare your closet down to beautiful essentials that make everything about you shine, and in so doing begin to change the way the world makes fashion. Make a dent in the throwaway market. And while you are at that consignment store, you can look around and see if there are some amazing pieces of clothing you may want to purchase for yourself.

Giving clothing an extended life is another

way to combat throwaway fashion. Some of the best, most show stopper pieces in my closet were purchased in vintage, thrift, and

November ~ 2015

consignment shops. I learned to be a thrift and vintage sleuth when I worked at Vogue magazine. I could not afford the beautiful clothes featured on the pages, but my job required looking great. And disposable fashion didn’t exist. So I combed thrift shops for classic pieces that were in good condition and looked great on me. (there it is again, from the previous Conscious Fashion article, know yourself and your best looks, and you can find your best clothing anywhere). And I found fabulous things! My favorite find during

that Vogue era was a navy blue dress from the Fifties that, honest to goodness, cost $.50. You read that correctly, fifty cents. (Bear in mind this was 40 years ago, but even then, that was extraordinary!) I paired it with red shoes and a red belt. And I got compliments! At Vogue! And no, they did not know it was a thrift shop dress. The other editors just thought it was fabulous. I learned a life lesson from that. To this day, I have some amazing pieces in my closet that are vintage shop specials, none of them costing over $50, each of them making a great fashion statement that I feel beautiful wearing. And each of them has probably already been worn 30 times by the previous owners, and I shall be doing the same. No throwaway fashion here. Each piece looks terrific and makes me feel empowered wearing it. I’ll be happy to wear these pieces 30 times.

Here is another idea that is the antitheses to

throwaway fashion. Choose to do what some of my girlfriends have done…rent a gown for a big event! You get a shiny new dress to wear for a special occasion, without having to spend a small fortune to do so. Plus, the dress doesn’t then languish in the back of your closet, hardly ever worn again. And you can rent another shiny new dress for the next event. Plus, if you want, you can rent the shoes and handbag and—yes!—even the jewelry. Some great rental sites: Rent the Runway, Wear Today Gone Tomorrow Another resolution to consider is this. For

any of your future wardrobe purchases, ask yourself if you will be able to wear this for at least 10 years, and feel and look good in it. If it is a more expensive piece, amortize the cost of it over ten years. How much does it cost you per year to own it? Then amortize how much per wearing, (remember, aim for 30 wearings).

That is one of the ways to understand how throwaway fashion can actually cost you more in the long run. And it certainly costs the world more in human suffering. Let’s begin this New Year choosing to

make a difference. Your fashion choices can now not only make you shine, make you look and feel glorious and empowered, your fashion choices can make a difference in this world of ours, this global village. And knowing that can certainly make you shine, inside and out! For further inspiration and information about this, here are two very powerful films to watch. This lovely short film:

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Q1um3KglDAs

And this documentary:

http://truecostmovie.com

-Linnea M. Duvall lmduvall@yahoo.com

November ~ 2015

Winter Fashion A Girl’s Best Friend

By Tina Ketchie Stearns

opt for long sleeves but in a sheer fabric. It’s lighter and lets some skin peek through, without risking a tooconservative look.

urtle necks, corduroys, boots, & jackets -I love winter fashion!

After the pressure many of us feel at the very mention of “bikini weather” during the spring/summer months, I am always elated when it is time to turn on the fireplace and turn up the dial on the art that is winter fashion. Here are the pieces you need to rock this season!

Leather The androgynous leather jacket is the

star of the season. Sharp tailoring, rocker vibes and an Easy Rider look is what it’s all about. But leather is not just for jackets. You will see it head to toe in the shape of purses, shoes, skirts and leggings as well. Leather pants and leather skinnies look amazing with their high waists. Some pieces have lovely colors such as aqua and beige splashed onto the leather while others incorporate texture and pleats into the material.

November ~ 2015

Trend – TheTheSeventies ‘70s style is still with us this winter

season with roll neck sweaters, flared pants and groovy prints, psychedelic waves and optical stripes. Puffy sleeves, anything retro and the pretty Bohemian style with an abundance of fringes, flirty patterns and suede are season favorites. The ‘70s gave us David Bowie and lava lamps, as well as billowing striped pants, velvet cuffed overalls and the high-waisted pants that are back. The fringe trend is in and is an ode to the ‘70s, as is the turtleneck and fur statements.

Colors Bold Considering the fact that we are all

prone to developing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), gorgeous bold colors help dispel the doom and gloom that always accompanies the winter months. Watch for electric blue, bright orange, sunshine yellow and all the hot rainbow colors. A pleasant surprise this winter!

Denim Customized Fashion’s favorite material denim is

reinvented each season. Whether it’s torn, embroidered, worn out, crumpled, hand painted, or cracked, the ultimate chameleon fabric is constantly reworked and revisited. Exit the pristine and brand-new, think used and custom-made this winter.

Parkas With the military trend occupying

the fashion scene this season, the parka is making its comeback with a few added extras, from multi-colored fur linings to sequin embellishments and neo-camouflage prints. The reefer jacket look based on the United States Navy fashions with the double breasted blue coat, echoes the seafaring military trend quite nicely.

Oversized Masculine Tailoring -

Pieces from sweaters to jackets, dresses and capes. Large, rounded shoulders in coats and shortened jackets. The tomboyish look says masculine meets feminine for this season.

One of my favorite things about winter is

bringing out my favorite cords! The cozy fit and feel of Go Free Pants, a pant I designed specifically for women, is especially yummy when there’s a chill in the air and I get to slide on the Lindsay Corduroy. Available in black and chocolate brown, they will make you feel like you curled up on the sofa in front of a fireplace, even if you are at work! The Margaret Velveteen is my other go to pant for winter. Comfy, warm and sexy (since you don’t have to wear an undergarment with Go Free Pants), you will love how they make you look on the outside, as well as how they make you feel on the inside!

All of us at Go Free Pants want to wish you a

Happy New Year and hope 2016 proves to be a year full of laughter, joy and abundance for you and those you love! -Tina Ketchie Stearns

www.gofreepants.com November ~ 2015

November ~ 2015

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rowing up with a single mom and an older sister, I learned to respect women and the understood importance to always communicate how beautiful they are. Women have to fight against this pervasive message from media that they have to look a certain way to be beautiful, but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to try. They Are beautiful!

revor Allen

Attorney/Coach/Speaker November ~ 2015

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Paradigm

Cups of Consciousness for 2016 By Aleya Dao

2016

is a year filled with a powerful current that is fresh and new. Get clear regarding your direction, take the reins, and hold your course. There will also be lots of solar activity triggering inner and outer shifts. The energetic and physical winds will be strong and can help move you in the direction you intend. This is a perfect year to get out of your rut and launch yourself forward and up to higher ground. Clarity, determination, and courage will be helpful qualities to embody in the year of 2016.

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uestions to ask yourself that will help you head in the direction you intend. What you wish to accomplish in 2016?

What do you wish to release in 2016?

What inner qualities do you wish to attain in 2016?

ive yourself time to think about these questions. Invite the energetic aspect of you to deeply ponder the energy and direction that will support you in the most powerful way. For the month of January every night as you lay down to sleep ask some part of you to think about these questions during dream time. When you wake in the morning write down any insights or dreams that can help you find greater clarity regarding your intentions and direction. Sometimes, we do not give ourselves time to deeply think about our direction in life. Autopilot can become the default mode, instead of using your free will and choice, awareness, and desires to guide you. Use the strong energetic current of 2016 to propel yourself forward and up. Expand and go in directions you have always yearned to go for but for whatever reason held yourself back. Use the month of January and this Cup of Consciousness to help you get clear on your intentions for 2016. Listen to this 8-minute meditation/protocol/prayer to help you set your intentions for 2016 and embrace the expanded powerful energy of 2016. • Increase Courage, Relax, Expand, Allow, and Receive. • Imagine having unlimited resources. • Bring in the dreams of your Soul. • Link your energetic magnetics to the resources of your dreams. • Ask you from the future where you embody your dreams to work with you in

every breath.

May 2016 be a year filled with beautiful, joyful changes, awakenings, and connections. Audio file download link – 2016 Intentions https://www.box.net/shared/htp76ztj24

-Aleya Dao Download audio meditation using the link below https://aleyadao.box.com/s/zc4w6me7ytixsr9w9b7w November ~ 2015

Be Inspired – -Be the Magic

By Kellie Valenti

e the one who reaches out to the invisible. Be the one who sprinkles kindness everywhere like it is magical fairy dust. Be the one who lights the way, the one who shows others how to shine. Be the magic ~ Simply Topaz

My dearest fairy dust sprinkler, what do

you suppose your health and life would look, feel and be like if it were everything magical?

Magical for me is when I feel alive,

vibrant, sexy and confident. As a child I loved stories of the prince and princess, magic fairy dust and the possibility of angels, fairies and archangels who live fantasy lives. The interesting thing is that for centuries

people all around the world have written and read mythical stories of the unseen magical places that appeal to people of all ages. What happens when we let the magic die because of distractions of the very

loud world we live in? Insecurities develop and our brightness dulls.

I’m a woman who feels the pressures of

society just like you. When I allow the

November ~ 2015

influences of things like the media sway my own wisdom, I slide down that slippery slope of insecurity as well. What does insecurity look like? Self-doubt,

self-sabotage, being self-critical, and not feeling good enough. Although I haven’t been down this path for a while, it does rear its ugly head when I least expect it. This time of year I think is so critical for a lot

of us. There are so many expectations placed on being everything to everyone. Careers, children, car pools, and the list goes on and on. This hectic lifestyle leads to high levels of stress, which hinders feeling connected. While it’s unrealistic to think we can be everywhere and be at our tip top best all the time, I do think we can be loving of ourselves and set good healthy boundaries.

So what’s a beautiful woman or hand-

some man to do to keep that sparkle and magic alive? How do we connect to that deep down knowing that there is more for us to experience on a day-to-day basis? What if you allowed yourself to play, laugh and take care of you? Might I suggest the following ideas? • Get plenty of rest. A rested body and mind think more clearly. • Drink plenty of water. It’s important to stay hydrated. • Eat foods that nourish your mind, body and soul. Keeping satiated leads to excess weight release and builds confidence • Play hard and laugh out loud, just for the heck of it.

Now it’s your turn to add to this list that perhaps sparked your creativity to just live in the magical moment. Take some time over the next weeks to slow

down, dream of magical times and then do what you can to make them happen for you. Breathe deep and know that you are worthy, you are here in this time and place to be the best you that is possible. Watch carefully, the magic that occurs,

when you give a person just enough comfort, to be themselves ~ Atticus

Don’t settle for the status quo. Live your

life vibrantly, fully awake and remember to take some well-deserved time to play!

Cheers to the magical you!!! Kellie Valenti http://livelifeyearsyounger.com

• Go outside and lay in the grass and gaze at the clouds or stargaze at night. • Get all dressed up, just because. • Meditate. • Color in your favorite coloring book. • Massages are relaxing…schedule one today. • Dance like no one is watching. • Play your favorite music and sing loudly. • Learn to follow your intuition and live in the moment. November ~ 2015

Love in 2016

New Year – New Love

By Dawn Masler

o you start every New Year with the thought, “this will be the year I find the love of my life and live happily ever after?” Does the thought of one more holiday season alone with relatives asking, “have you met anyone yet?” send you into a panic? You are not alone. Match.com found

that 51% of singles’ New Year’s resolutions will focus on finding that special someone. In fact, online dating sites have the biggest influx of joiners the Sunday night after New Years. But many of these new daters will give

up before Valentine’s Day. Why? Because dating is messy and scary. When you fall in love you become vulnerable. Vulnerability can be terrifying. You want love, but the anxiety it causes can make you run with his first perceived flaw. Fortunately, there three easy things you can do to lessen the anxiety and make dating and finding love easier and more enjoyable this year. So, put meditation, making a list and lemon balm on your New Year’s resolution list. Here’s why.

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Meditation At first glance, meditation may seem like a

strange thing to do to help find a relationship. However, once you look at the science behind it, it makes perfect sense. When you feel fear a small part of your brain called the amygdala is activated. You can think of the amygdala rather like a watchman, who scans the environment and response to threats by sounding the alarm. In some people, especially people raised in a home with any level of dysfunction the amygdala can grow larger and become more highly sensitive. When this happens, even minor transgressions can make you feel distressed. Meditation can help lessen this discomfort.

Research has found that meditation can actually shrink the amygdala. With a smaller amygdala, now when something happens, instead of feeling the full force of a three-alarm fire, you get some like the smoke alarm needs a new battery chirp. You take notice, but now the panic and the sometimes accompanying over reaction are gone. Even fives minutes of meditation a day can make dating and finding love much less stressful.

Make a List When you first start dating, you

wonder if this person is right for you. You look for signs of compatibility or conflict. Problems can occur when you weigh everything the same. You like his sense of humor, but you are concerned that he doesn’t read very much, he doesn’t like Korean food or he likes sports way too much. When you don’t prioritize, you can side tracked by the irrelevant.

I have my coaching clients begin

with a list, before she starts dating. I have her list all the things she wants in a man. And, I mean everything, no matter how silly or critical. Next, I have her list all the things she considers to be deal breakers. Those are the things that if he has, you wouldn’t want to have a relationship with him. For example, one of my deal breakers was drug use. One client who was allergic to cats had cat ownership as a deal breaker. And, another had geographic desirability; she won’t date anyone who was from out of town.

Once you have all the “must haves” and

all the “deal breakers,” you pick out the top five of each list. Yes, only five. These are the 10 most important things to you. The rest go into a pile called “negotiable.” Now, as you date, you don’t get bogged down with all the questions. You know who you want, which makes finding him much easier.

Lemon Balm This one may sound funny. You’re prob-

ably thinking, “How can lemon balm help me find love?” I first heard of this tip from Patricia Stark. She’s an on air personality with FOX television in New York. She told me she uses lemon balm to help calm her nerves before she goes on air. Being the quintessential nerd, I wondered if it was real or just the placebo effect. I discovered that scientific research has found that lemon balm actually reduces anxiety. So if you find yourself nervous on a date, you can drop a few lemon balm drops under your tongue or even order tea with lemon balm. Then, relax, have fun and allow love to fill your life. Dawn Maslar MS. http://dawnmaslar.com

November ~ 2015

The Magic of Creativity: Color with Your Creative Juices

By Edie Weinstein

64 pack of Crayola Crayons with all of

the hues of the rainbow waiting to be scrawled across pristine white paper. A box of water color paints and brushes to go along with the paint by numbers designs of horses and trees. The smell of Playdoh as it squished between my fingers. Brand new unused lined notebooks beckoning me to share my adolescent musings. Books lining the shelves of my room, inviting journeying with the author and the characters. Music wafting through the air to which I would sing and dance along. Time in nature, communing with the fairies and angels who would whisper messages to me. These were the seed-plantings that blossomed

into a career as a wordsmith. Writing is as vital to me as the air I breathe. I have often said that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t NOT write. Everything is a writing prompt and the Muse is a persistent lover who entices me to do her bidding nearly 24/7. Sometimes creative ideas arrive in dreamtime as I awaken with stories already written and all I need do is type the words.

November ~ 2015

I have a friend named Renee Bures

who is an art therapist who runs Art Z studio. This magical portal has walls and shelves filled with all manner of art supplies for kids of every age to play with. Paint, clay, fabric, jewelry, tiles, glass, markers, metals all await being morphed into something amazing. I have spent hours that sped by like minutes, immersed in artistic endeavors and I had not considered myself an artist in the standard sense. A year ago, I ventured into designing a rainbow colored mosaic. It was an exercise in patience since it took several visits over a few week period to complete it. Each time I returned, it took shape and really began to look like something other than glass with grit spread over it. It now sits in its lofty place in the half moon circle above one of my living room windows as it catches the sun and moon light.

Color with Your Creative Juices There was a time when coloring books were relegated to

the realm of childhood. Not so anymore. Adult coloring books are jumping off the shelves and into the waiting hands of those who use them to relieve stress, increase concentration and move through emotional states that may arise as a result of illness.

According to Dr. Stan Rodski, a neuropsychologist who

created his own line of adult coloring books, coloring brings forth the same benefits as meditation.

“The most amazing things occurred — we started seeing

changes in heart rate, changes in brainwaves,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, adding that part of this neurological response in “colorists” comes from the repetition and attention to patterns and detail associated with coloring.

One of my favorite colorfully creative souls is SARK

(Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy). She has written numerous books on the topics of creativity and love, including Living Juicy, Inspiration Sandwich, Succulent Wild Woman, Eat Mangos Naked and now Succulent Wild Love. In each of them, she lays out ideas to explore the world through rainbow colored glasses. For me, creativity is a multi-sensory (and sensual) expe-

rience. When immersed in it, I smell, taste, touch, hear and see the ingredients of whatever medium I am using. I listen to music sometimes when writing. I indulge in dark chocolate when drawing. I breathe in the fresh air when dancing. All contribute to enhancing the magic as the spell is woven.

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What are the benefits of creativity? Teaches you to think outside the box as you color outside the lines. Adds beauty to the world. Provides a sense of accomplishment. Improves concentration. Increases ability to observe what is going on around you. Helps to collaborate with others if you are doing a group project. Assists with eye-hand coordination. Allows for physical, mental and emotional flexibility. Encourages risk taking. Assists with stabilizing emotions. Allows for going beyond words for those for whom talk therapy is insufficient. Reminds you of your sense of child-like wonder. Are you ready to bring to the world your own special magic, knowing that you are a work of he(art)? -Edie Weinstein www.opti-mystical.com

November ~ 2015

The Magic of NOW

We are all guilty of taking for granted

the time we have with the people we care about. When it becomes clear that time together is now short, it forces us to stop taking it for granted and instead, make the common, By Tina Ketchie Stearns everyday moments something special, even magical. It could be just sitting quietly together and holding hands, but hopefully you get to do things, go his issue of BellaMia Magazine is all places, enjoy experiences together, like about the Magic of Time. My involvement the Bucket List movie portrayed with with hospice care and working with patients Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. and families who are Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve mentioned in past trying to make the most of articles that I took my the final chapters of their When that sad reality mother to the beach loved oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life has taught is accepted; however, about two months me that those precious last before she died because we have a unique months with our loved she wanted to drink ones may well be the most opportunity to make Tequila Sunrise on the magical time in our lives. magical moments beach at sunset. The When someone you love beach was always a has a life limiting illness, it is completely great vacation destination, but how normal to experience denial, anger, heartvery special that particular beach break and disbelief that there will be a day trip was. I was able to help her check when we do not get to spend time with that off that bucket list item and enjoy a person. When that sad reality is accepted; toast and a beautiful sunset together, however, we have a unique opportunity to knowing full well it would be the last make magical moments with that special beach trip she would ever take. It was person during the time we have left with a magical time indeed. them. Saying things that were never said The hospice I work with hosted a before, doing things together that you love WWII Veterans Celebration Event in to do â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or never did before but now have a North Carolina where we honored 112 chance to do, taking full advantage of the WWII Veterans on October 25, 2015, time you have left together can be pure four of which were women. Over 450 magic. What you thought was a close relapeople attended the event, and it epittionship before can become exponentially omizes what I mean when I say MAKE closer and more special in their last months on this earth.

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THE MOST OF EVERY DAY. Tom Brokaw coined the term to describe these folks as The Greatest Generation. There were veterans there who were on the beaches of Normandy, were present when they raised the flag at Iwo Jima, and one veteran served triple duty in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Being among so many WWII Veterans that evening was such an honor, and was absolutely a magical moment in time.

almost instantly, hug the special people in your life for no reason and feel their warm embrace returned, and witness the magical moments that can be shared when spending time with someone who is about to experience the magic of the other side of the rainbow. -Tina Ketchie Stearns tina@gofreepants.com

I love magic and the mystery and wonder of

witnessing the unexplainable. Often the little things in life are magical and unexplainable. Whether you are facing having limited time with a loved one due to a life limiting illness or not, I encourage you to embrace the magic of NOW and drink in all the wonders of this life as much as possible. Smile at a stranger and watch how contagious that smile is when it is returned

LLLL Liii Yeerr YYYnnnn Naaarrrrr It's not about stopping the aging process, it's about NOT getting old!

Over 70+ million people suffer from digestive disorders in the US alone. Bone broth, fermented veggies/drinks are healing foods.

November ~ 2015

Visit www.LiveLifeYearsYounger.com to learn more