BRealsummer2013

RADIANT LIVING FOR REAL PEOPLE

B REAL SUMMER 2013

Green Living

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Holistic Health

Do-It-Yourself

Our health and solutions feature leadingedge products and programs designed to help minimize toxins and maximize nutrition - rejuvenating the body - from the inside out. We offer products and programs that go “beyond organic� within the categories of cleansing and detoxification, toxic-free skin and body care, live snacks and beverages, pure mountain spring water, and nutrient dense beef and dairy products shipped direct from our farm to your family.

Organic Grass-fed Beef

Uncured Beef Hot Dogs

Raw Cheese

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Gluten-free snacks

RHI Celebrates!

Summer marks Radiant Health Institute’s oneyear anniversary. We continue to grow and evolve since our first holistic life coaching training classes at Vanderbilt University last spring. More than 50 RHI trained coaches are doing great work in the local community and as far as Vermont and California. We also assisted Vanderbilt in the formation of an official student organization offering holistic education.

In addition to becoming the new publisher of B.Real Magazine, RHI published two books including the recent title, Radiant Living.

RHI obtained its official Federal Trademark as a recognized educational and publishing institute. Training and publishing have been our first year’s focus, and we plan for an even bolder second year and beyond. The “Radiant Living Expo” is slatted for summer 2014 as we envision an exhibition in downtown Nashville for holistic education and inspiration. The mid-South is prime for such an annual event and more “radiant health” initiatives. I hope you enjoy this issue of B.Real magazine, which

Publisher Radiant Health Institute, LLC Founder & Director Colleen Sauvé just.b.colleen@gmail.com Managing Editor Dez Stephens dez@radiant-health-institute.com Associate Editor Kyle Blauw Cover photo Art Webb Cover model Alicia Gervais

represents the essence of Radiant Health Institute.

Dez Stephens Managing Editor, B.Real magazine Founder, Radiant Health Institute dez@radiant-health-institute.com

twitter.com/bRealMagazine fb.com/bRealMagazine Pinterest.com/bRealMagazine B.Real Magazine is a media cooperative.

Copyright 2011. 2012. 2013

In This Issue

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8 Girl Scout Camp, for Every Girl, Everywhere

16 In Harmony

20 All Aspects of Being

Finding Your Destiny

17 For the Love of Cooking

21 Massage & Me

26 Ask the Singing Entrepreneur...

13 Complaints are Gifts

15 Hypnosis Wakes You Up

18 The Best Horse

23 Sounds Good...

19 Conscious Breathing & Hoop Dance

24 Collaborative Divorce

Expressions of opinion, claims and statement of supposed facts do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors nor do the editors or publishers in print and online publishing thereof accept any responsibility for the validity of claims make in articles or advertising. Opinions expressed within are not to be considered official expressions of B.Real magazine or bRealMagazine. com. The publisher will not assume any responsibility for errors and omissions appearing within.

Clean Clothes without Detergent or Hot Water.

Take Your Fresh Air With You.

Not All Water Is Created Equal.

Eliminate Indoor Pollution.

myvollara.com/radianthealth

Tennessee’s own health, fitness, nutrition, and green living event arrives at the Music City Center September 28 & 29, 2013.

The Healthy Living Expo is held from 9 am - 5 pm on Saturday and 10 am - 4pm on Sunday.

September 28 - 29

WHAT IS AVAILABLE AT THE EXPO?

Radiant Health Pavilion

Hosted by Radiant Health Institute, visitors find information and services that facilitate quality of life, holistic pursuits, personal and spiritual growth, and so much more. You will find a consortium of passionate luminaries with a desire to help visitors discover a conscious life of complete authenticity.

Radiant Health Institute, dedicated to enhancing lives through mindful living, offers Holistic Life Coach Training and meaningful publishing.

Learn more at the expo.

Features of the 2013 Expo: • • • • • • •

Radiant Health Institute Pavilion AAA Driving Pavilion Eat Right Stage and healthy food sampling areas Get Fit Stage with a variety of fun demonstrations to join Get Tested at health checks provided at the Expo Over 100 companies exhibiting wellness products and services Prizes given away both days

AAA Driving Pavilion

Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation with AAA presents a Driving Safety exhibit inside the expo. Take a 12-point safety check to learn why proper fit in your vehicle is essential for your safety and the safety of others on the road.

Cigna Healthcare Sponsors FREE Tickets for Wellness Programs

Eat Right and Get Active Stages

Cigna Healthcare promotes employee wellness programs by offering free tickets for employees of any company, small or large. Employers get tickets by registering at TheHealthyLivingExpo.com and the company receives:

These popular areas showcase nutrition and fitness at the expo. Expert’s present cooking and fitness demonstrations and offer prize drawings after each segment. You can taste healthy foods, then try the latest fitness craze!

FOOD! FUN! PRIZES! FREE TICKETS!

With it’s festive atmosphere, more than 100 exhibitors, and two interactive stages, The Healthy Living Expo provides a chance to improve your health and increase your fitness, all while having fun!

Enjoy the free ticket in this issue. Make copies and encourage others to attend. Tickets are $10 at the door. Visit TheHealthyLivingExpo.com.

FREE Tickets for employees and their families to visit the expo Expo Programs to support and encourage attendance

Visitors can take health checks, sample nutritious foods, try fitness activities, enjoy a lively atmosphere, and participate in prize drawings at the expo!

Radiant Health Institute

FREE TICKET

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SADA PERRY

Girl Scout Camp for Every Girl, Everywhere

Almost every parent would agree that the best place for a kid during the summer is outside. Finding a fun, safe, and educational environment for girls can be particularly challenging, however. What if there was a camp where girls could do all of the traditional camp activities like hiking and canoeing but also do things like hunt for buried treasure, take an acting course, and learn how to ride and care for horses? Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee actually has four camps serving the area that provide these activities and so much more.

But exactly who are the Girl Scouts and why should you join? Juliette Gordon Low founded the organization more than 100 years ago with the belief that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop mentally, physically, and spiritually by bringing them out of isolated home environments into community service and the fresh air. Today, Girl Scouts of the USA has a membership of over 3.2 million girls and adults. Locally, they serve more than 15,000 girls and 7,500 volunteers in 39 counties. Girl Scouting is open to every girl, everywhere and even adults! Women and men over 18 can join as adult members, where they can serve as troop leaders and volunteers. Girl Scout troops are formed at six levels, according to school grade: •

Girl Scout Daisy, grades K-1

•

Girl Scout Brownie, grades 2-3

•

Girl Scout Junior, grades 4-5

•

Girl Scout Cadette, grades 6-8

•

Girl Scout Senior, grades 9-10

•

Girl Scout Ambassador, grades 11-12

Camping and Girl Scout Camp have been integral to the Girl Scouts since its inception in 1912. The four camps in our area provide exceptional care for the girls while fostering a safe environment for them to develop new skills and interests.

Camp Sycamore Hills is located on 742 acres in Ashland City and is the largest resident camp for Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. It houses their impressive equestrian facility that offers an incredible range of horse programs to girls of all ages and skill levels. In addition, Camp Sycamore provides an exciting array of outdoor activities, including: archery, bluff rapelling, canoeing, funoeing, high ropes, an obstacle course, tree climbing and wagon rides.

Camp Holloway sits on a beautiful 80-acre property in Millersville and offers concentrations in creative arts programs, high adventure, swimming, singing and song writing. It also boasts of a zero-entry pool, a 40-foot climbing/rapelling tower and an archery range. Both camps offer day camp, overnight camp and resident camp programs.

With its name coming from the Cherokee word for “friendship crossing,”

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Camp Nee Kah Nah, located west of Gainesboro, boasts 354 acres and is a great place for girls to form friendships and experience the wonder and fun of outdoor camping. This well-planned and beautifully maintained site makes a great first time trip for inexperienced campers who are just venturing into primitive tent camping. Aside from its great lodge, campers can participate in activities that include archery, canoeing, and kayaking.

Camp Piedmont, located just east of Murfreesboro, is the smallest of the four camps. The newly remodeled lodge boasts an activity room that is large enough to accommodate an entire troop. Campers can also use the 18-hole disc golf course as part of their activities.

All Girl Scout Camps are available for team building and outside group rental, and can include housing and outdoor adventure activities tailored to each group’s needs.

For an inside look on the positive impact that camp and camping can have on young girls, we talked to three camp veterans and current beloved Girl Scout Camp employees.

INTERVIEWS (J) Jennifer “Twinkle” Buckelew, Senior Program Manager and Camp Director

(M) I oversee all of the Adventure program areas at all four properties, including scheduling of troops, training of staff, and managing everything adventure in between.

(C) My primary role at camp is to plan and implement meaningful experiences with horses for girls of a variety of skill levels.

What is your greatest camp or camping memory as a child?

(J) Candlelight ceremonies. We would start at the campfire then light candles and walk back to main camp. When you stop and look back you see all the little lights behind you and I felt I was part of something bigger than myself.

(M) I always camped at Camp Sycamore Hills as a Girl Scout. My best friend and I attended every year during our junior and senior Girl Scout years. I have such a tremendous amount of memories that I could never choose just one. Camp every year enabled me to grow as a young girl and gain independence.

(C) I had many memorable camping experiences, both in Girl Scouts and with my family, but a highlight for me was a backpacking trip in Colorado with girls from all over the country. It was exciting to share the experience with girls I had never met but who shared a common interest.

What do you enjoy most about camp?

(M) Meredith Dennis, Outdoor Adventure Manager (C) Carol Coats, Equestrian Manager

In 10 (or more) words to describe your role at camp: (J) I am a childcare provider, song leader, director, game coordinator, confidant, supervisor, friend to campers, parents banker, wish maker, trash collector, coach, cook, hiker, and health care provider

(J) My camp name describes it all. . . When I watch the campers meeting new friends, trying new activities and reconnecting with friends they made in the past, I get a “twinkle” in my eye and a smile in my heart.

(M) The feeling of freedom being outdoors.

(C) I love to see girls gain confidence through their whole camp experience, including activities with horses.

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Why do you think girls return to camp year after year?

(J) Girls feel Camp Sycamore Hills is a safe place to come to be themselves. They have a voice here. This is a place to try out new thoughts and ideas with the safety of caring adults.

(M) For the friends they make and the memories that will last them a lifetime.

(C) Girls often have opportunities to participate in activities that are not available to them away from camp. They also build strong friendships that may last a lifetime.

What is something you could say to a girl who might be frightened to try something new at camp?

(J) The first step is the hardest. Trust yourself that you can do it and we will be there to sing you a song, give you a high-five, and a smile.

(M) It is okay to be afraid. Fear is very natural, but I would like for you to give your 100 percent and give it a try for me.

(C) Many times it is what you do rather than what you say that will encourage a girl to step out of her comfort zone. Camp is a place where being part of an encouraging community eases fears and builds confidence to try new things.

Why do you think camp or camping is important?

(J) Camp is important because girls try new rolesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;leading a song, winning a race, canoeing, or climbing. As they are having fun, they are learning to express themselves and take on leadership opportunities and they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know it.

(M) In an ever-changing society where technology is the driving force in all we do and obesity is on the rise, I believe that camp is even more important. Camp gives girls the opportunity to learn directly in nature and have experiences that we might otherwise only see on TV. Camp has made me who I am, and I am thankful for every experience I have ever had.

(C) It is important for young people to experience new things in the safe environment which camp can provide. Camp experiences impact many aspects of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, from giving a sense of community, to providing positive role models, to building life skills.

Camping as a child nurtured my love for the outdoors and built my confidence.

Discover your love of Girl Scouts (and camp) online at gsmidtn. org, on twitter: @girlscoutsmidtn or at facebook.com/gsmidtn.

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CORRINE CHAMPIGNY Finding Your Destiny

Like thousands of young artists do each year, I moved to Nashville many years ago with dreams of becoming a country music star.

Now 25 years later, I am most grateful that dream did not come true.

I am truly living a magical life! In fact, the President of Sony Music once told me that he wanted to come back as me back in his next life.

different!” If I had held onto my dreams of becoming a country music star, the dreams of a child, I may have missed all of those realizations to which I have arrived and the magic that continues to unfold.

Sometimes not achieving our dreams, helps us uncover our destiny.

Let’s face it, our lives never turn out the way we think they will.

Thank goodness for that right? How could we possibly anticipate the twists and turns that happen as we navigate this crazy adventure.

Deepak Chopra says that the more uncertainty you have in your life, the more room there is for entertaining infinite possibilities.

I have found over the years that the more I surrender to what is in my life, the more gratitude I have, the more I focus on the good, and the better my life gets. It is kind of like going on a diet. If you focus on all of the things that you can’t eat, wow, the pain! But if you just focus on all of the thousands of things that you can eat, you will be fine. Isn’t that just as in life? Yet you can’t teach people how to think positively, but you can point them in the right direction. That is where meditation comes in.

After learning meditation at age 27, I realized that my reasons for singing were ego-driven. Yes, I did love music, but I wanted to pursue it for the wrong reasons. I wanted the security of big money fast and desired for people to like me and to be noticed. After meditating and doing yoga for a few years, those dreams faded and new ones emerged—dreams of making the world a better place, goals of present moment awareness and inner peace and spreading that around. Being flexible and seeing my evolving world in a new way, helped me to accept my new life—an unexpected life— and yet if you met me today, you would think “how could she be any

I attribute 100% of my inner peace and positive perspective to my meditation journey that began in my 20’s. If you knew me back then, wow, what a mess. I had an ulcer, I was the typical starving musician cleaning houses and doing everything but being able to play music until the day I learned how to meditate. I remember that day clearly still—colors seemed brighter and I feel like I woke up to my life that day. The biggest change was that my struggle with a three year long painful stomach ulcer disappeared completely upon the first day of meditation. I had to keep meditating twice a day in order to not have my stomach burn, but it did fix my belly and I continue meditating

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Each month we host Spiritual Movie Night where we show a positive, uplifting, and conscious movie. In May we were thrilled to screen the movie 2012:The Beginning with the writer/director/producer of the film Shannon Kring Buset. The inspiring documentary was the most-watched documentary of all time at the the top Cannes film festival. The film dispelled the horrendous myths that have been going around for years about the meaning of the year 2012. Does the year 2012 mean anything to you?

everyday since that day 23 years ago.

From that first meditation I remember clearly the desire to share meditation with others. I went into a deep immersion and did many silent retreats, consciousness studies and hours of meditation daily until I became a meditation teacher. I have been blessed to share and teach meditation for over twenty years to literally thousands of people. I had the honor of working with Deepak Chopra out in California and many times I would teach 500 people at a time how to meditate. What a rush!

These days I have my own place right here in Nashville where we teach meditation and yoga daily. Our home in West Nashville doubles as a community space called the Ivy House. We have a beautiful meditation space, yoga studio, organic gardens and much more. How the Ivy House came about is another magical story which falls into place very easily with other synchronous memories that still bring me to tears. We are here to assist you on this great journey and to help you cultivate balance. Step out of the frenetic numbness that life can be and find your true nature. Your nervous system is hard wired for happiness and joy.

You are not meant to wake up and dread even one day in your life.

During every yoga class here at Ivy House we bake home-made high protein yoga bread that is our house recipe. Serving hot healthy bread and Teavana Tea is one way we cultivate community by encouraging people to hang out and chat after yoga.

My amazing husband Satya is from South India, and if he is not teaching a cooking class at Ivy, you will find him in the kitchen feeding each person who walks in our door until they are stuffed. Satya is also a talented Vedic Astrologer.

I was blessed with a mother who was spiritually thirsty and studied all religions and raised me on being open and accepting of all faiths. I feel like I had a head start with her perspective. For me, 2012 had always been an important year and one I grew up anticipating with excitement and joy.

When Hollywood started coming out with doomsday movies and I saw fear spreading, one could imagine my confusion.

You see, 2012 had great significance in many ancient cultures around the planet. It was meant to be the end of the age of ignorance and the beginning of the age of enlightenment.

The film maker of the documentary 2012:The Beginning finally had the guts to share with people the truth of what 2012 was all about.

Shannon Kring Buset shared her story with us at Ivy House that included her own spiritual journey of awakening. After a powerful Reiki session, the not so much spiritually inclined Shannon started having visions and dreams that she did not understand. Those dreams took her to a google search which eventually brought her to Costa Rica with members of the Noetic Science Society which eventually brought her to the Honduras. On the way to the Honduras, a 10 year marriage crumbled followed by financial ruin and basically the end of the life she once knew. Any of this life crumbling sounding familiar to the reader?

Shannon ended up in the Honduras where members of the ancient Mayan culture helped heal her body, mind and heart. Feeling a sense of gratitude and connection, she also noticed the odd way Hollywood and the world viewed 2012 and the Mayan culture and one day announced she was going to make a movie to clear up the confusion. The movie came together just as fast as her previous life had crumbled. Shannon made a wonderful movie that takes you around the world, documenting Mayan culture from the ancient myths to the conversations on the street of the current Mayan people about the year 2012. She beautifully allows the viewer to make up their own minds about the year 2012.

So why are we talking about a year that has already passed? Well, you have to see the movie to find out why. This is the kind of interesting conversation that we love to share at Ivy House. Why are we here?

What is synchronicity? Why are some of us waking up and what are we waking up to?

The Ivy House is a place for caring and sharing. We love to feed and nurture people body, mind and soul. Join us for a yoga class, an Indian Cooking class, some stimulating spiritual conversations or a group meditation. We care for all beings in the world, we share all our knowledge to all who need it.

Upcoming events this summer include on-going meditation courses, daily yoga classes, Meditation Teacher Training, Yoga Teacher Training, Sunday Group Meditations with food, music and kirtan and much more. Please look at website to find out more details. www.theivyhouse.org.

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DONNA DREHMANN

Complaints are Gifts

I have spent most of my career listening to customers complain. As the Director of Customer Satisfaction for two very successful corporations, I heard each time we had failed our customers. Customers would tell me when we could not fill an order, when a process did not work as designed, when we had become difficult to do business with.

I treated these as items of discontent, areas of dissatisfaction, until about five years ago when I began treating complaints as Gifts.

Just making that paradigm shift in my mind, allowed me the ability to be appreciative and creative with solutions and thankful to get those letters—I affectionately began calling customer letters “fan mail” whether they were positive in nature or not.

Customers care, they want you to improve, and to continue to buy your goods and services—so much so, that they will tell you when something is broken and you have fallen short.

Along the journey to viewing complaints as Gifts, I learned how you respond is the key.

The 4 steps to responding to complaints:

Admit the breakdown

Offer a real solution

Give them something extra

Do these things quickly—and do what you said you were going to do

Let’s look at each of these a little closer.

Admit the breakdown Things don’t always go as planned. Businesses run out of inventory, don’t always hire the right person, or the process in place does not work as designed. Whatever has caused your customer to complain should be analyzed. What was the root cause of the breakdown? How did what you set out to do fail this customer? What can you learn from this to prevent the same thing from happening in the future?

Offer a real solution Typically when you get a complaint, you feel responsible for the customer’s poor experience and your first response is to over compensate. The key here is to offer a real solution, one that is achievable, legal (yes, legal) and can be completed quickly.

Be smart about what you offer, do what you said you were going to do, and you will have a loyal customer for life.

Give them something extra At this point in the complaint handling process, you are still in recovery mode, and that offer of a little extra, something more just for them, will excite the customer and give them a sense of pride. Some examples of what you can offer as an extra include waiving a fee or charge they have incurred, extending a membership/privileges or sending an additional item that they didn’t order, but would enjoy. This step is intentionally after the Offer a Real Solution step…to be sure that what you give away is accessible.

Do it quickly A prompt response to the complaint is the best defense. Remember, that these customers care about your business, they want to come back, and they can’t wait to tell their friends and family how you have made this issue right. So don’t hide from it, don’t delay in responding with acknowledgment that you have heard them and you are working to fix it. Most companies wait until they have found the root cause, and fixed the problem, before responding to the customer. This takes too long. Let the customer know you are working to make this better for them.

Having that peace of mind puts them at ease and—in most instances—keeps them

off of social media, away from using Twitter and Facebook as their megaphone.

Sometimes you are the customer and have a bad experience. Here are some tips for a customer to ensure that the complaint is taken seriously and responded to promptly.

Avoid using foul language or insults in your complaints. Yes, you are let down, it is disappointing, and you are emotional about it. But remember, you are writing to a live person, who wants to help correct the problem. This is business, it’s not personal.

Do not write your letter using ALL CAPS. Of course you want to emphasize your frustration, but this is a form of electronic yelling, and no one wants to be yelled at.

Only use social media as your last resort.

Unless the company has not responded to your complaint, has not provided a solution and has not done what they said they were going to do, then stay off of Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, etc. These posts can go viral—they have a reach that far extends your own network, so only use this as your megaphone if you feel you have no other choice to be heard.

(But do use these channels when the company hears your complaint and fixes the issue…social media is a great way to spread a good news story too! And complaint-handling teams LOVE it when you brag on them!)

Businesses: Treat complaints as Gifts Customers: Be sure to wrap your gift with a bow

Donna is a Customer Experience leader across multiple industries including Telecommunication and Insurance. She combines her customer experience expertise with a specialty in Net Promoter Score and survey design. She is a certified Net Promoter Score Associate (2008) and has been applying that methodology to the customer experience and survey design for several years. Throughout her career, Donna has achieved proven success in increasing CSAT and Net Promoter scores, developing initiatives that drive reduction in customer complaints, and utilizing a proactive approach to analytics in determining what is best for the customer. These skills and a sincere passion for the customer will be brought to you each time you agree to let her company Listen, Learn, Live LLC work for you. www.listenlearnlive.org www.facebook.com/listenlearnlive

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BRIAN HOOPER

SPIRITUALLY ORIENTED PSYCHOTHERAPY AND HYPNOSIS

In the State of Tennessee: Dr. Brian Hooper practices as a state-licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapist (Tenn. CPT#54). As a licensed mental health professional, he may diagnose and treat individuals, couples, and families, and engage in professional consultations in the State of Tennessee. www.hypnosiswakesyouup.com www.drbrianhooper.com copyright, 2012 | Brian Hooper

HYPNOSIS WAKES YOU UP! Hypnosis is often thought of as a kind of sleep. The very root of the word is from the Greek god of sleep -- Hypnos. But hypnosis is actually a way to awaken to life and to your own potential.

There are two types of hypnosis—direct suggestion and hypnoanalysis. Direct suggestion is well described by its name. It utilizes suggestions of desired experiences and outcomes, based upon very clearly stated desires and goals, while you are in a state of relaxation. In the first step in this process of hypnosis, the hypnotherapist helps you to be very clear about what you desire. Even the process of clarification can have a profound effect as one becomes aware of the “awakening.”

The other type of hypnosis, hypnoanalysis, is used to help you move beyond a place of being “stuck” in thoughts or behaviors rooted in your past. It is used to bring what is deeply held in the subconscious closer to the surface for examination, resolution, and integration into your life.

In this article, I will focus on the first type—direct hypnosis.

suggestion

Here is the key to direct hypnosis: “You will always move in the direction of your most dominant thought!”

Think about it. You first see your dream car in a magazine and you devour the article. Next, you note the same car on the road. Then you find yourself imagining what it would be like to drive that car.

You probably even talk about the car with friends and maybe do a web search to find it. As the momentum builds, you consider your expenses and begin to consider how you might finance the car. Soon you find yourself visiting the showroom. Long before you sign the paper and make the car your own, you’ve experienced owning it!

That’s a good example of direct hypnosis. Those entranced sessions of reading the article in the magazine, looking at the specifics on line, the self-talk, and even those glassy eyed conversations with friends about it are all experiences of subtle hypnotic states that were already making you an owner.

Again, “you will always move in the direction of your most dominant thought!” That’s the key to using hypnosis to awaken you to the achievement of your goals.

Here are steps in outline form: Be clear about what you desire—employment, a degree, a car, etc.

Relax and let your imagination explore what it looks like, feels like, sounds like, and so on, to achieve and live with that desired goal.

Sit comfortably and relax, though you don't want to fall asleep. Allow your eyes to gently go closed as you imagine with fullest details what it is that you desire. Include as many sensations a possible— sight, touch, sound, smell, taste, and perhaps most important—emotion.

As you sit with this vivid experience, begin to rehearse the ways that you keep this a priority in your life. For instance, “I go contentedly to sleep each night knowing that I’m making this goal a reality.” Or, “I effortlessly prioritize my hours, days, and weeks to acquire my goal.”

Be as creative as possible!

With these four simple steps, you are consciously awake to your life and priorities even while you are subconsciously programing yourself to achieve what you desire.

All of us go through our days with attitudes about ourselves and the world around us.

Hypnosis is not simply “positive thinking,” but “fully becoming” by choosing our most dominant thought and living that thought into its fulfillment.

The first step toward any great destiny begins with a desire. Hypnosis can help you wake up to that. And if you need a little help with your wakeup call, call me.

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JANIS DOOCHIN

IN HARMONY

The alarming increase in heavy metals found in our environment is indisputable. Heavy metal toxicity caused by increasing levels of pollution and use of chemicals in industry, even in the products we use, is a huge threat to our health and development of our children. We believe heavy metal toxicity is at the root of an unfolding epidemic of diseases and symptoms, such as depression, auto-immune diseases, chronic low energy, asthma, and cancer. These maladies have become untreatable by conventional medicine as the underlying cause is not being realized and only the symptoms are being treated, which often worsens the problem.

Here is a list of six metals, where they are found, and their health related symptoms: Aluminum—Found in many processed foods (cheeses, baking powders, cake mixes, frozen dough, self-raising flours), cosmetics, toothpastes, antiperspirants, some common medicines such as analgesics, antacids, anti-diarrhea and anti-hemorrhoid products, cooking utensils, air, and drinking water supplies.

Symptoms may include memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, inability to concentrate, malaise, tremor, jerking movements, depression and anxiety, bone loss, kidney damage and cardiac arrest.

Arsenic—Found in timber treatment, agricultural chemicals, mining, metal smelting, groundwater and animal growth promoters. Arsenic can increase cancer risk and can cause gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and nervous system problems, fatigue, malaise, skin problems, white striae on fingernails, hair loss, and diabetes.

Barium—Found in soils and in food, such as nuts, seaweed, fish and certain plants. Because of the extensive use of barium in industries, human activities add greatly to the release of barium in the environment. As a result, barium concentrations in air, water and soil may be higher than naturally occurring concentrations in many locations. Small amounts of water-soluble barium may cause a person to experience breathing difficulties, increased blood pressures, heart rhythm changes, stomach irritation, muscle weakness, changes in nerve reflexes, swelling of brain and liver, and kidney and heart damage.

Cadmium—Found in cigarette smoke, refined foods, water pipes, coffee and tea, coal burn-off, cement, batteries and phos-

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phate fertilizers. It may inhibit enzyme reactions and utilization of nutrients and can generate excessive free radical activity, bone loss, kidney damage, high blood pressure, and increases cancer risk.

Mercury—Can be found in our teeth (amalgams), in childhood vaccinations, in fish, air pollution, waste disposal, fungicides and pesticides. Mercury disrupts the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys and brain, immune system, and causes chromosomal and DNA damage and allergic reactions. Mercury is particularly damaging to developing embryos, which are 5-10 times more sensitive than adults.

Lead—Found in U.S. manufactured paints prior to 1971, internationally imported goods, fuels and oils, explosives, fishing tackle, rubber and plastics, inks and dyes, building materials, food and drink containers, toys, hair restorers, and battery manufacturing. Lead can cause anemia, damage the nervous system, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, heart and reproductive system. It can cause behavioral problems, loss of IQ, hearing loss and poor growth in children.

Some of these metals are radioactive. All of them generate their own electromagnetic field. When lodged in the tissues of the body, they disrupt and distort the electromagnetic fields of the cells in that area (as the body is an electromagnetic field), causing them to malfunction. If not removed, this alteration becomes chronic.

Further, exposure to highly disruptive electromagnetic fields from WIFI, computers, televisions, cell phones, cell phone towers, microwave ovens, microwave towers, radar installations, and large appliances are at this point virtually impossible to avoid.

The frequencies generated by these technologies scramble the already weakened and compromised electromagnetic field of the body, causing accelerated aging and impair the ability of the body’s immune system to function in a healthily and normally.

In addition, our environment has been so altered by this electromagnetic and heavy metal pollution affecting the air, soil and water that the pH balance is now either too alkaline or acidic, leading to a proliferation of toxic molds and fungi. This extreme pH imbalance also causes an eventual weakening of the immune systems of all living creatures, making them more susceptible to infection by these molds and fungi.

Once inside your body they begin to grow, releasing their toxins directly into the tissues and blood, creating serious, sometimes life-threatening symptoms.

Cellular Innergy (www.cellularinnergy.com) is a new patent pending protocol which combines a number of existing and new treatment modalities and which compared to current metal detox therapies, gives a much more comprehensive, gentle, and effective solution to the problem. Because vibrant health of body and mind is dependent on a healthy electromagnetic field, Cellular Innergy focuses on clearing out anything (heavy metals, mold, and fungi) that could interfere with this optimum frequency and then restores the compromised cells and tissues to their natural electromagnetic signatures through an inventive device that is part of the protocol.

Janice Doochin, R.N. is Founder and Director of In Harmony Wellness Center (www.inharmonycenter.com), which is located at 6596 Hwy 100 in Nashville. In Harmony focuses on detox and restorative therapies such as Colon Hydrotherapy, Far Infrared Sauna, Biofeedback, Massage, Jade Microcurrent Therapy, Visceral Therapy, and more. In Harmony is the first wellness center authorized to use the Cellular Innergy protocol.

For the Love of Cooking

WALLER MCINNES While inquiring the heart to find space for love in this season of life, a friend suggested: try cooking. I interpreted this to mean: if food is what you love and you are wanting to write, maybe cooking will invoke a perspective that will show you what you need. Taking action is indeed necessary to create a meaningful life. When things are unpredictable, yet freedom palpable, cooking makes the hands steady and invokes pleasure. As well, it is a consistent way to practice mindfulness which reveals commitment to yourself, to relationships, and to the earth.

Our ability to harmonize with the cycles of nature directly depends upon caring for ourselves and our community.

Many would admit to feeling better when eating more plants. Some would shun that theory as if there is culture in dining out that provides more than the sturdiness of the home. Then there is the experience of testifying to both sides, understanding the value of cooking at home and that dining out occasionally can be enjoyed also.

Sometimes, and some home cooks would admit that many times, eating someone else’s cooking begets a sense of comfort that tastes like a mother’s love. I hate to admit that the reason I started cooking as a child was to keep my family together. When they broke apart, I kept on cooking.

How do I motivate myself to cook when encountering difficulty or transitions in life?

There is a little angel who suggests to cook in remembrance of a picture that is broader than the image of needing food in that moment: -if you cook, your family will eat together -when you cook, you practice making life more delicious -how you cook makes the food more or less digestible -where you cook is a sacred territory in which to keep tidy and clear -what you cook creates energy for your loved ones to feel better -why you cook—so people will remember (you) I was fascinated by the act of cooking from a young age after noticing the capacity to imprint love on one another at a table set with something as simple as a familiar supper. Subtlety, coming together over a home-cooked meal each day brings people together rather than promoting separation. I remember being eight years old, when boiling pasta and opening a jar of red sauce began my love of cooking that persists 23 years later. Each opportunity to

Waller McInnes is a health coach and integrative yoga therapist who teaches cooking fundamentals in her Cook Your Way to Radiant Health cooking classes and works with women to uncover their divine and invaluable lovability and create a blissful and sacred connection to their body and life. Find out how: createradiance.com

cook feels like a rebirthing experience that creates the tone and energy for everyone to remember they are loved.

Loving to cook is not always easy. I had a serious eating disorder for a number of years, during which my cooking abilities were incapacitated. I was really confused about how to feed myself while it felt easier to feed others. I had to set aside nurturing through food to learn a philosophy from the earth (macrobiotics) that teaches how to make responsible food choices, we can live peaceful lives in harmony with the earth.

“The decline of everyday home cooking doesn’t only damage the health of our bodies and our land but also our families, our communities, and our sense of how our eating connects us to the world.”

— MICHAEL POLLAN, AUTHOR OF “COOKED” A century ago, food choices were simple, all was organic, local, and unprocessed food was inherent. Each ingredient was easy to pronounce and secrets of preserving and preparing were passed along through the family.

In 1900, two percent of meals were eaten outside of the home compared to fifty percent today. Eating out is easy. It takes less time and not much thought. But is it better for you? Consider how you feed yourself. Is it not akin to how you decide to clothe yourself, and wouldn’t you prefer to design your life according to your heartfelt convictions than translate meaning from another’s palate? By making wise choices, you may confidently say: that was worth it. I loved caring for myself in that way.

Through making conscious choices and offering my services or support to a friend, I feel more at peace in the community and by planning what my family would eat, my children feel more at home in the house. It’s like being able to count on sitting down at the table helps us trust and depend on one another in a way that no takeout order could deliver. And as a single soul in the world, I can truly say it is worth it to cook for yourself.

You are worth it. You are worth home-cooked meals one day at a time. You are worth taking time out of your week to plan your meals, to spend mealtime with loved ones, to keep your kitchen tidy, your dinnertime holy, and to preserve a connection to the earth.

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ELMO SHADE

The Best Horse It is said that there are four kinds of horses: excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones. The best horse will run slow and fast, right and left, at the driver’s will, before it sees the shadow of the whip; the second best horse will run as well as the first one does, just before the whip reaches its skin; the third one will run when it feels pain on its body; the fourth will run only after the pain has penetrated to the marrow of its bones.

If asked, “Which horse do you identify with the most”, the majority of us are likely to say the “best” or excellent horse. After all, isn’t that what we are taught, i.e. to do our best with the goal of becoming the best? Don’t we desire to win in life? We “play to win” more that we “play not to loose”. And if, for some reason, it becomes impossible to be the best, to win and be #1, society has slowly conditioned us to view second best as only the “1st Place Loser”, no different from the poor or the bad horse.

It is understandable, then, in our spiritual journey and daily mindfulness practice how having the best meditation sit, attending the best spiritual retreat, finding the best mentor/teacher, or writing the best wellness blog can and does become our aim.

This is not the right understanding.

If you are practicing daily, training the addictive mind not to be obsessive and compulsive, to clear away obscurations, to minimize one’s suffering and the suffering sometimes caused to others, I submit what does it matter if you are the best horse or the worst horse? If you are learning how to recognize emotional triggers and understand the difference between the addictions to the unhealthy emotional reactions of anger or fear and the simple response of just focusing on the breath, what does it matter which horse you are?

what position we last finished in or whether or not our pain has reached “the marrow of our bones.”

Carl Jung once said, “So much unnecessary suffering comes into the world because people will just not accept the legitimate suffering that comes from being human.” And paraphrasing, the suffering “that comes from sometimes labeling ourselves as the worst horse” e.g. not quite measuring up to someone else’s expectations, falling just short of the finish line, making a mess when all those around you are receiving the rewards, fearing the wrath of the whip against your bones.

But it is in these exact situations, we have the opportunity to change our relationship to our given circumstances. To know that there is “always more right with you than wrong with you,” to discover your purpose, and find your way out of self-denigration and judgment. To finally understand that sometimes the best horse may be the worst horse, and the worst horse can be the best one.

Within our imperfections and by accepting the imperfections of others with compassion and kindness, we always discover growth and new meaning for ourselves. And it is often through the pain “in the marrow of our bones” from these imperfections that we discover our truest self.

Those that find difficulties and challenges in their practice will invariably discover more insight and wisdom along the way—the kind of wisdom that shouts to the heavens: “The best horse may be the worst, and the worst horse may be the best.”

When you can utilize your mindfulness practices as a process to begin perceiving, understanding and managing the unpleasantness in this life, you will likely discover the worst horse is, in reality, the most valuable one.

I was once instructed to “never let best get in the way of better.” In our mindfulness work and spiritual growth, becoming the best is not what is most important. It is our willingness to be with our practice regardless of

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Elmo Shade is the founder of Mindful Foundations, Inc, a holistic business intervention committed to improving personal health, performance, leadership effectiveness and wellbeing. He currently facilitates Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workshops at Vanderbilt Center for Integrative Health and offers Mindful Leadership & Coaching as a Consultant.

For more information about mindfulness services or to contact elmo, please visit www.mindfulfoundations.com.

ALICIA GERVAIS

Conscious Breathing And hoop Dance My fascination with hoop dance began four years ago, stemming from a deep desire to embody ecstatic movement and free play, a creative force and the pure potential of dance itself.

Dancing and moving with the hoop continues to invite me into my body so I may settle into present awareness. In this state of awareness I’ve been able to discover where I feel resistance, likewise where I feel freedom of energy flow and light. With this information I can choose to direct my awareness with the intention to relax and soften, opening into the realm of infinite possibilities.

Alicia is a certified Holistic Life Coach through Radiant Health Institute, a trained Breathworker, and a Hoop Dance educator. She is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Tribe of Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians. She has a deep reverence for the seven generations who have come before her and is passionate about honoring Ojibwe traditions in her life. Alicia evokes a spirit of playfulness and is delighted to share in the fullness of life. With her extreme sense of wonder, she is an open and clear channel to remind others that their true nature is love and joy.

I find it quite profound, like a cosmic joke, that a simple plastic circle can evoke such joy and transformation. In my experience, the art of hoop dancing has always been in support of selfaffirmation, the present moment, beauty, release, bliss, health and self-awareness.

Interestingly enough, I found Breathwork through my love of hoop dance! I discovered that one of my favorite hoop dance pioneers and creator of HoopGirl, Christabel Zamor, was facilitating Breathwork ceremonies. I thought, “If she’s doing it, it must be cool!” I signed up for courses immediately and completed training to become a Breathworker myself.

The style of Breathwork I teach is ancient, connected, circular breathing. This breath is designed to dissolve the veil of illusion. It can release stuck emotions and stagnant energy, opening you up to feel more aliveness, clarity, and a deep sense of unity. People often feel euphoric, peaceful, and full of gratitude as a result of utilizing the power of their own breath in this way.

I look forward to playfully working with you soon! Join me for my upcoming transformational group Breathwork package beginning in November. We will dance, practice conscious living and loving exercises, Ho’oponopono, deeply connect with one another, and breathe. Get ready to take a deep dive into your heart and live as your future self NOW! For more information contact Alicia at aliciagervais@gmail.com.

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LAWRENCE DOOCHIN

All Aspects of Being When we talk about being an authentic or whole human being, we must address all aspects of being—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Think of yourself like a car. First, you are the nicest car around, because your were created by God. But if you fill yourself with bad gas, you have bald tires, or you have a transmission that doesn’t work properly, then the car cannot reach its full potential.

It may only do a top speed of 55 mph or it may break down a lot, which a good analogy for what is happening to a lot of people.

So if you eat very healthy and do a lot of physical exercise but you are emotionally shut down, then you cannot reach your God-given potential. If you are able to express your feelings openly but you eat poorly or you shut out any prayer or contemplative life, you cannot reach your God-given potential. If you don’t keep your mental functioning fine-tuned through some type of work or activity, you cannot reach your God-given potential.

Let’s start with the physical. Do you like to live in a messy house?

Physically, we must bless and take care of the temple where God resides. This honors His presence within you and allows His full expression through you. You know when you are not taking care of the physical because you don’t feel well and your body begins to manifest illness. Our bodies are meant to have physical exercise, even if this is only a short walk or some stretching exercises. Our bodies call out to be fed nourishing foods. Everyone has those vices like chocolate, wine, or fried foods, but it is a matter of moderation. Ironically, the physical and emotional are intertwined for many people as they eat unhealthy foods to stuff their emotions—feelings of depression or hopelessness, grief or anger. They do this in a misguided attempt to feel better, but it makes them feel worse, which then leads them to eat more, creating a downward spiral that is hard to escape.

Emotionally, you must be able to “feel what you need to feel.” This means that you don’t suppress what arises for you, whether that be grief, anger, etc. It is false to believe that you can bury your emotions—cancer will eventually show symptoms, and anything not allowed expression becomes like a cancer to you. Much of the manifestation of illness arises from emotions that are not allowed expression, like a wife is who is afraid to express her anger at her husband or a man who is afraid to express his grief.

Expressing emotions is critical when we look at the spiritual aspect of our being. Because God is love, an emotion, we come back to a recognition of our oneness with Him through the emotions. Our spiritual journey is one of remembrance and recognition. It is one

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of releasing that which is false so that God can be revealed within us, as we are one with Him. It is our false beliefs and the suppressed emotions that surround them, such as we are unlovable, unworthy, or sinful, that covers up our knowing that we are one with Him and that we are also love. Connecting with God (or however you define that divine presence) is working on the spiritual aspect of your being, and you have to purposefully set your intention to do that. Many people do that through a morning prayer, meditation, a daily walk, or yoga, but you can also do that in each moment as you consciously draw your attention to Him. Have a walking and breathing meditation on Him as you go about the day’s activities and conversations—praying without ceasing. How you connect with Him is not important—what is important is that you set your intention to do this and it becomes a high priority to you.

Finally, we come to the mental. There are thoughts that arise from a false mind, and these are the thoughts that most people know as their total being. Then there are the thoughts you share with God, which are your real thoughts. As you become attuned in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your being, you begin to hear His thoughts more frequently. His thoughts are love and compassion based and exist in the now, easily distinguishable from your ego ,which is fear-obsessed and are always focused on the past or the future. When we quiet our mind, it does not become like a vegetable.

Yes, it is still, but out of that stillness arises all of the answers you need for any problem. As opposed to the mind leading, your true self leads and you use the mind when you need it, similar to when you pick up a hammer to hit a nail and then put it back down.

When all aspects of a car work in perfect harmony, it becomes capable of great performance. Similarly, when you have all aspects of your being working together for your highest good, you become a divine vessel who brings great light into this world which needs it so badly.

Lawrence Doochin is the author of three books, the latest Thirteen Steps To Move from Victim Consciousness To God Consciousness: Healing Traumatic Experiences, Including Sexual, Physical, Emotional, And Mental Abuse. He is also the creator of the unique website The Divine Speaks (www.thedivinespeaks.com), which had over 80,000 visitors in 2012. When you visit the website, God will give you the statement that is intended just for you. Lawrence can be contacted at lawrence@lawrencedoochin.com

DAVID ALAN PATTERSON

Massage & Me

Like many people, before I received my first massage, I did not understand what all the hype was about. I remember thinking “I can do yoga or something and get the same effect as a massage. What do I need bodywork for? After all I am in pretty good shape. ” Fortunately for myself, I was completely wrong. During the course of my schooling to be a massage therapist, I received a massage almost once or twice a day on average for seven months. It was an amazing experience. I truly could not believe the difference a massage a day makes. I felt lighter, I felt relaxed and more aware of my body and posture. People would often comment on how clear my skin looked or how something about me had changed, but they could not quite put their finger on it.

I slept better, my food seemed to digest easier and my eyes even showed signs of becoming whiter and clearer after frequent massages. It was amazing and it all began with a little massage and energy work. I had truly become a believer.

BRIEF HISTORY OF MASSAGE Massage come from the Arabic root “mass’h” which means to touch, knead or squeeze. Massage is believed by many to be one of the oldest forms of therapeutic touch. Some of the earliest known historical records of massage can be found in Egypt and China dating back from 3000 to 2500 BCE. Some of the earliest written records of massage therapy were found in the tomb paintings in Egypt, depicting forms of reflexology where the practitioner stimulated reflex points on the hands and feet to encourage healing in organs, muscles, and other connected parts of the body.

In 2500 BCE the Chinese have recordings of the benefits of massage and other body working techniques to promote overall health and wellness. They believed that illness arrived though imbalances found in the body’s meridians and energy channels that ran throughout the body and that the meridians could be stimulated through touch and manipulation to bring about overall health and wellness. Techniques such as Tui-Na, acupressure and acupuncture along with other healing modalities originate in China and are based on this belief system.

It is recorded that around 1000 BCE that some Japanese monks studying Buddhism in China adapted their own method of massage stemming form Traditional Chinese Medicine that developed first into Traditional Japanese Massage, or Anma, and later into Shiatsu. In the practice of Shiatsu, the practitioner uses thumbs, palms, and finger pressure to stimulate meridian points and reflex points to encourage balance in the physical, emotional, and mental body.

In around 800 to 700 BC in ancient Greece, athletes were recommended to use massage to keep themselves in tip-top shape before and after performance. Physicians used massage in combination with certain herbs, diet, and regular exercise to promote over all healthy well-being. Massage was also recommend by Hippocrates, sometimes referred to as the “father of medicine,” to keep the doctor away and promote optimal health and wellness. Hippocrates was quoted for saying, “the way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage every day.” He believed that all illness was a “natural phenomena” that forced people to discover the imbalances’ in their health. While most will probably not be available for a massage everyday, just receiving one at least once a month has been reported to have numerous benefits for the mind, body, and spirit.

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE This history of massage dates back further than recorded history and today is reported to have a wide range of health benefits. Some of the benefits include but are not at all limited to improved range of motion, alleviate headaches, promote relaxation, aid in deeper sleep, improve blood circulation, increase joint flexibility, ease labor for pregnant woman, shorten maternity hospital stays, enhance immunity, help athletes improve performance, decrease muscle pain after workout, release endorphins, promote tissue regeneration, reduce scar tissue, improve digestion, and aid in clients post-surgery deal with pain and recovery.

Clinical research has credited massage to aid arthritis suffers in dealing with stiffness and pain, help asthmatic people by increasing pulmonary

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airflow, help burned patients find relief from pain, itching, and scarring, help women have decreased water retention during suffering from cramps, and aid premature babies in weight gain. Research has been conducted to confirm the benefit of massage therapy in certain types of cancer, however it is always advised to obtain approval from your physician before receiving any type of massage if you have cancer. The reported benefits of massage are numerous and some modalities work better or worse depending on the disease or imbalance present, so experiment and always consult your physician to discover if massage is right for you.

ENERGY WORK Working with the aura or the bio-electric energy field of a person is another way to promote health and wellness for a individual. Energy work involves but is not limited to a practitioner working with the aura of the client to promote change on the physical, emotional, and mental level of the individual. There are many forms of energy work that are practiced around the world such as chakra balancing, Healing of the Hands, Reiki and Crystal Healing just to name a few. Interestingly enough, some energy work can promote wellness and positive results without even laying a hand on the client being worked on. Reiki is one modality of energy work that can be done with hands on or off the client and still promote changes on a physical, mental or emotional level.

Reiki is a form of Energy Work that manipulates chi, prana, life force, or ki to promote health and well-being of the practitioner and the client. Reiki was re-discovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese-born Buddhist monk who lived in the 1800s. During his service a student asked him, “how was one to perform the same healing techniques as Jesus during his healing miracles?” Usui, whom was unable to answer this question, set out on a seemingly magical quest of self discovery to uncover the forgotten wisdom of Reki to answer that question for his self and his students. Along his journey of self discovery, he engaged fasting, intensive study, inner reflection, and meditation that led to the eventual rediscovery through spiritual revelation of Reki. Reiki is still practiced today all over the United States and in some hospitals it is a respected form of alternative therapy to aid cancer patients during their healing process.

There are many benefits to energy therapy, such as promoting better sleep, reducing anxiety, deepening breath, improved energy levels, greater patience, increasing dream activity, and promoting relaxation. As an alternative complimentary healing modality, it triggers the body’s natural healing abilities, helps raise vibration, removes energy or meridian blockages, balances chakras and subtle energetic fields, and promotes emotional, mental and spiritual well-being along with a wide range of other benefits. One of the best things about energy work is that it is completely non-invasive and can be preformed anywhere. How many times have you been ill with a stomach problem from something you digested and almost instinctively put your hand on your stomach? Or how about the last time you got a headache and held your hand to your temple until the pain went away?

Those are just small examples of what we do almost intuitively to promote well-being on an energetic level.

Just as there are many modalities of massage, there are also many types of energetic arts that all come with their own unique benefits. I have decided in my practice to incorporate both. While giving a massage, I consciously send energy to whatever part of the body I am massaging just through intent and visualization alone. I also have sessions where the clients receive energy work alone without the massage. I have gotten excellent feedback from my clients, some of which do not necessarily even believe in energy work but still benefit from the session. It doesn’t really matter if they “believe” in the actual energy work being done. For me, it does not effect my work or level or success. I have been practicing massage therapy as a LMT for 3 years, but due to my level of raw enthusiasm, confidence, and level of integrity with which I operate, my clients often state that I am a natural at what I do and think that I have been practicing my art for much longer. I do love my work as a therapist and I hope that with the little that I have shared with you has encouraged you on some level to be more open to massage or energy work from your local therapist. It does not matter if you choose me as your therapist or not, I just would like to open your eyes like mine have been opened to the possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you for reading my story. If I can answer any questions or you would like to schedule an appointment in the Nashville area, please email me at daplmt@ymail.com.

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doterra.myvoffice.com/rhi

SUNSHINE JUPITER

Sounds

Good ...

Everyone loves a good massage. Who says the cells of your body are any exception? Thomas Orr Anderson, M.A. of Nashville, TN has created a way to get just that—a relaxing massage for every cell in your body.

“Our Sound Immersion Tables utilize tactile transducers to deliver the vibrations of your favorite sounds and music directly into your body. A tactile transducer is just like a speaker, except a speaker is designed to move the air whereas a tactile transducer is designed to send sound vibrations directly into an object, in this case, your body.”

A lifelong musician, Thomas earned his master’s degree in Physics by studying black holes and holograms. All the while, he has been busy traveling the globe, apprenticing with healing masters of indigenous cultures. All of this led back to sound, the simplest healing modality.

Currently, Thomas teaches Sound Therapy Foundations: The Physics of Sound and Vibration, a seven hour continuing education course for the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

“Sound is everywhere. The world is made of sound, and sound goes into and through us without cutting or irradiating. What feels better to us than hearing our favorite song or the sigh of a sweet lover when we hug? All these tables do is give us a comfortable place to lie down and relax deeply into the sweet vibrations of our favorite sounds.”

The Sound Immersion Tables have unlimited uses. Massage therapists use them to increase the effectiveness of their massage while reducing the amount of energy expended. Stressful executives use them to efficiently dive straight into deep relaxation when time is of the essence. Music therapists use them to deepen the feeling of their therapeutic sounds. Meditation practitioners find their way more quickly into their center. And Tantric yogis have reported amazing benefits for their couples practice.

Who wouldn’t want one of these tables in their home or office? “Well of course,” says Thomas, “these tables are not for anyone with a condition which may include adverse reactions to sound or vibration.

But for most of us, sound and music are among the sweetest treats in our lives.”

The tables couldn’t be any easier to use. Simply connect your mp3 or CD player and press play. The frequencies within the music naturally divide and spread through the hardwood table in waves and pulses.

All you have to do is lie there and enjoy. The potential benefits are limitless.

“We all know that the body is designed to heal itself. But our mind gets in the way. Stress creates blind spots, places where the mindbody connection is severed. The sound works so well because it brings our mind back into the body and lights up those blind spots… we begin to feel the places that were numbed. And local connections are re-established… so our energies can flow… from the fingers to the hand to the wrist to the arm, etc. through the whole body. Where there were knots and blockages, now there are sound waves and energy flows. It’s so simple, so easy, so natural. That’s why it feels so good to lie by the ocean, to dance, to run.“ “The body heals itself. The sound table just provides a good sound track.”

Thomas builds his tables from the highest quality materials and uses eco-friendly components and practices whenever possible.

Find out more about Thomas and his Sound Immersion Tables at www.SoundTables.com or email him at soundtables.com@gmail. com.

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BENJAMIN PAPA

ATTORNEY AT LAW

Collaborative Divorce Far too often, the most difficult part about divorce is the legal process following a couple's decision to end their marriage, rather than the decision itself. Collaborative divorce is a process that shifts the divorce away from being an adversarial competition, hallmarked by fearbased and scarcity-oriented negotiation tactics, into a problem to be solved constructively. It asks clients to think of the divorce as a crisis that has come into their family, similar to what they might experience if someone in the family experienced a difficult health diagnosis or significant financial setback. In those scenarios, the parties would likely gather whatever outside resources they need in order to resolve or manage the issue, and then would roll up their sleeves to figure out how to move through the problem with as little stress and undue expense as possible.

Collaborative divorce is based on a three-legged stool model which assumes that in almost every divorce, the parties need legal, emotional, and financial advice in order to make solid decisions that will stand the test of time, minimize unnecessary conflict, and orient the parties to be good co-parents after the divorce if they have children together. As a result, collaborative divorce employs a team-based model where each party has his or her own attorney, and the parties also collectively hire a neutral mental health coach as well as a financial neutral to work with them throughout the negotiations. All professionals must be trained in collaborative divorce as well as interest-based (as opposed to positional) bargaining.

At the beginning of the process, both parties as well as both lawyers sign a written agreement confirming that they intend to resolve the issues raised in the divorce outside the litigation system—no contested motions, no interrogatories, no depositions, no trial where the judge makes all of the decisions. In the unlikely event either or both of the parties chooses to move from collaboration into litigation, both of the collaborative attorneys are required to withdraw from the process, leaving the parties to start back at square one with new litigation attorneys. So, both parties are logistically and financially incentivized to work through the collaborative process.

The three professionals' roles break down as listed below with each professional serving three basic functions in the process:

1.

Attorneys

a.

Negotiation—The lawyers are the drivers of the negotiation portion of the collaborative divorce. As such, they often help the parties generate and present possible settlement scenarios that are discussed in the team negotiation sessions. When appropriate, the attorneys draw on statutes and relevant case law to inform and support the settlement process.

b.

Legal Documents—The Attorneys draft all of the legal documents and help the parties settle on terms they anticipate the judge will approve from a legal perspective. They also arrange for and attend the final court hearing where the judge finalizes the divorce.

c.

Confidential Communication—Because the lawyers are the only professionals in the process who are not neutral, clients have the ability to meet and process privately with their attorney throughout the process, which can help the parties feel more grounded and secure.

However, different from the sort of back room posturing and strategizing that litigation lawyers do with their clients, collaborative divorce attorneys provide legal advice that is designed to facilitate a mutually acceptable and durable agreement on all issues raised in the divorce, including parenting and financial issues.

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2.

Mental Health Coach

a.

Keeper of the Process—The Coach works with the parties and the team generally to be sure everyone works within the collaborative divorce framework. In negotiation sessions, the Coach keeps the agenda and watches the process to be sure everyone is communicating in ways that facilitate understanding and agreement. They work with the attorneys and parties so that the conversation does not bleed into the sort of adversarial negotiating that occurs in litigation and that can cause parties to become entrenched in unhelpful ways.

b.

Emotional Divorce—In every divorce, there is always an emotional divorce that runs parallel to the legal divorce. The Coach works with both parties throughout the process to help them recognize, understand, and move constructively through the emotional triggers that often crop up in divorce and would otherwise derail the legal negotiations.

c.

Parenting Issues—Because the Coaches are all licensed mental health professionals, they often serve as helpful resources for the parties around how best to parent through the divorce process itself, as well as how to craft parenting plans that meet the children's emotional and psychological needs.

3.

Financial Neutral

a.

Assessment—The Financial Neutral works with both parties to assess and summarize the assets and liabilities that comprise the martial estate, a task that would be done in litigation through the inefficient and cumbersome discovery process. As part of this function, the Financial Neutral helps the team target the documents that are needed (and only those documents) to help the parties understand their finances.

b.

Advice—While the Financial Neutrals do not give the parties investment related financial advice, they do participate in the negotiation sessions helping the team generate options around how to divide the property and debts in ways that make financial sense for both parties, taking into account appreciation and depreciation and tax implications.

c.

Post-Divorce Budgeting—The Financial Neutral can help both parties generate and evaluate post-divorce budgets. This exercise is critical to negotiating spousal support in cases where spousal support is an issue, as well as helping the parties answer specific questions regarding assets, such as “Can I afford to keep the house I want?”

In sum, collaborative divorce is a holistic process that adopts the idea that divorcing couples are human beings first and foremost. They need constructive support and guidance through the divorce so that they can maintain their own integrity through the process. More concretely, collaborative divorce is a targeted, sensible approach to divorce that helps parties make solid decisions drawing in real-time from the advice of lawyers, as well as both mental health and financial professionals. It is the process of choice for divorcing families who may be experiencing conflict, but who do not want the legal process to make the divorce worse.

Benjamin Papa is the lawyer of choice for individuals who want to resolve their family-related legal problems with an attorney who does not add to the problem, but rather works with his clients to create a solution that is constructive and minimizes stress and expense for clients. Drawing on his background in psychology, Ben is attuned to the emotional dynamics of family law cases as well as the legal issues, and tailors his advice to meet each client’s distinct needs. Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Vanderbilt University, a Juris Doctor from Ohio State University, and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. The founding president of the Collaborative Divorce practice group in Tennessee, Ben is currently on the Program Committee of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP). PapaRoberts.com

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DEBORAH BISHOP Ask the Singing Entrepreneur...

Sound Advice to Make Your Business Hum Q – I have so much going on with trying to be successful that I have no social life. I’m always working, though I don’t mind. I enjoy what I do, but I know I’m missing out. I don’t know what to do.

Any thoughts?

Steve N.

Have a Life and Building a Life There is an age-old issue that I believe every human, with any form of ambition, has faced since day one. If you are brave enough to want something more and not settle for just good enough then at some point, you will face this issue as well.

Have you ever heard the expression,” Know your why ”? It is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to achieving what you really want in this life, because it’s at the heart of why you are willing to show up in the face of any and all adversity. Your “why” is your passion and the purpose of your path. It’s the fuel for your tank that will get you to your dreams if you let it.

When you go after your dreams it can be daunting because the truth of your current situation does not change immediately. It would seem desirable to have life show up the way you want it, at the moment you make a choice. But consider the fact that if this were the way it worked, every thought, every choice you have ever made would also have manifested the minute you had thought of it!

It’s actually a good thing that there is a little lag time.

Also, realize that time is all it takes to get from where you are to where you want to be. As long as you are in action, and know that if you just do one thing a day to get to where you want to be, you are going to get there. This means that you don’t have to jump through countless unending hoops and sacrifice everything else along the way. You don’t have to, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get sucked into the belief that you have to work extremely hard when it comes to getting what you truly desire. In fact the more you want something the more attachment you’ll probably have to whether or not you will actually allow yourself to have it.

Working hard, does not guarantee success—neither does dedicating every waking hour. In truth the only guarantee you’ll ever get from working harder and harder to get to where you want to be is, if you ever actually get there, that you will discover the price you paid along the way denies you any real access.

Your dreams deserve to be yours. The most important thing to realize is that true success is it not based on status or money alone.

It is not just about fame and fortune. It is also, great health, solid and happy relationships, laughter, love and joy. If you are sacrificing any of these in order to have your dreams you’ve already denied yourself access.

Here’s how you insure you have those things you value while also building your success. Make sure to schedule your time to include social engagements, time spent with family, date nights and vacations. Also make sure you take the time to work out, go for a walk and take good care of yourself. Practice a hobby or explore a class in something you’ve always wanted to learn. Give back to your community and enjoy the journey on your way to your destination.

Yes, it can be as simple as scheduling yourself to take charge and decide what matters to you and begin to make some room in your life day to day.

Maybe that sounds like a little too much to take on, but again, just doing one simple thing a day will move you in the right direction.

You deserve to have a life while you’re building one, you deserve “whole wealth.”

Deborah Bishop Inner Image Expert / Keynote Performer “Closing the Gap between Knowing and Doing” 615 823 0073 www.deborahbishop.com www.askthesingingentrepreneur.com On WNQM 1300 AM Saturday’s 4 – 5 PM.

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