Australia’s
Leading
Magazine
for
Sustainable
Healthy
Established since 1989
Breast Cancer & Big Pharma
Living
ISSUE 90 SPRING 2013
Behind the Pink Ribbon
Paida Lajin Self Healing Corporate Control of Seeds Green Cookware Holistic Dental Care Spirituality & Sustainability
90
w w w . c o n s c i o u s l i v i n g . n e t . a u
Walk for Wellness China
Join Cancer Support WA and Inspired Adventures on the Walk for Wellness 2014. Scale the heights of the Great Wall, and gaze out across the vast expanse of China, knowing that with every step you take you are improving your own health and wellness, and empowering West Australians dealing with cancer to improve theirs. • Immerse yourself in the history, rugged beauty, and sheer grandeur of the Great Wall as you trek for five days on different sections, some restored, others rambling and overgrown. • Discover the contrasts of ancient and modern Beijing: from the grand imperial architecture of the Forbidden City to the vibrant 798 Art District; from cycling the ancient hutongs to feasting on Peking Duck. • Improve your own health and wellness, and raise funds for Cancer Support WA’s vital support services and wellness programs.
DETAILS
Dates: 2–13 May 2014 Registration fee: $770 Fundraising target: $3,000 (doesn’t include travel) Travel cost: $3,990 including taxes (can be fundraised conditions apply) Trip duration: 12 days Physical activity: 5 days trekking
Challenge grade: 3/5 Accommodation: 3-star hotels and homestays For more information or to get an information pack visit: inspiredadventures.com.au/cancersupportWA/china/ Call Cancer Support WA for more information: (08) 9384 3544
23rd-29th November 2013 Cancer Support WA Challenges YOU to take part in a fun and exciting new challenge to embrace health and wellness. For one week give up four unhealthy habits and replace them with four new, healthy habits. Its that simple! Choose one habit to replace from each area of SNAP - Stress, Nutrition, Activity and Purpose. Just take part for personal benefit, or fundraise for a great cause! All proceeds to go Cancer Support WA. www.healthyhabitsweek.com.au Call Cancer Support WA for more information: (08) 9384 3544
CONTENTS ISSUE 90 SPRING 2013 FEATURES
14 Corporate Control of Food Martin Oliver traces the corporations that control the billion dollar seed industry and the future of our planet’s food supply. 23 Think Outside the Pink Ribbon Dr Sherrill Sellman turns the spotlight on the multinational pharmaceutical and chemical companies that sponsor National Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns. 40 Spirituality and Sustainability Satish Kumar presents the case that wealth is not measured by money. Nature, land, animals, water, clean air, human creativity, imagination, communities and skill are the real source of our economic wellbeing.
COMMUNITY 4
Conscious Living Expo Celebrates 25 Years of expanding consciousness
6
Traditional Chinese Master Hong Chi Xiao brings Paida and Lajin the art of self-healing to Perth and communities around the world
FOOD & NUTRITION 10 Organic Consumer Reviews
12 Feed Your Chakras with Foods of Colour - Ali Jardine 14 Corporate Control of Seeds - Martin Oliver.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
ECO LIVING
34 Green Cookware – What’s hot and what’s not sustainable 36 Nappies – cloth versus disposable – Susan Parry digs the dirt. 37 Jadav Payeng – hero of the trees 38 Spirituality and Sustainability – Satish Kumar
CONSCIOUS BUSINESS & CAREER 43 Ethical Superannuation – Is your money in murky investments. Martin Oliver reports 45 A Rich Life - Gratitude is the Key - Debbie Seaton
GROWTH & AWARENESS 46 How to Build Self Esteem - Judy Child 48 A Career in Kinesiology 49 Eliminate Problem Behaviours – Colleen Clay 50 Great Mentors – Are they born or made - Belinda Baillie
18 Healthy Consumer Reviews
51 The Energy of the Spoken Word – Dr John Palo
20 Health Hazards in Too Much Choice -Michal
PSYCHIC & SPIRITUAL
21 Breast Cancer – Look behind the Pink Ribbon - Dr Sherrill Sellman 24 Holistic Dentistry – Martin Oliver examines the alternative health treatments from ozone to oil pulling and baking soda
52 There Are no Goodbyes - Elizabeth Robinson
54 Recalibrate your Energy Body Intelligence - Christine Long 56 Change is Inevitable – Rev. Bente Hansen
29 Are you over breathing? From asthma to anxiety the Buteyko method of breathing can help. Mim Beim reports.
58 Book Reviews
32 Family Health Issues from pregnancy to child behaviour Naturopath, Stuart Morick provides natural therapeutic answers.
60 Conscious Living Products
59 Music Reviews
61 Resource Guide Health Lifestyle Eco Living
Read more online at www.consciousliving.net.au OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 1
Editor FROM THE
Co-Creating a New Reality Healthy Sustainable Lifestyle
Dear Readers Issue 90 Spring 2013 Publisher and Editor Patricia Hamilton patricia@consciousliving.net.au T: 08 98 482748 Assistant Editor Colleen Clay media@consciousliving.net.au Client Services Jacqueline Walker web@consciousliving.net.au T: 0898 48 2748 Advertising Sales Western Australia Tonia Ricciardi sales@consciousliving.net.au T 08 9437 6160 Victoria Sonja Rupnik s.rupnik@consciousliving.net.au T 0419513293 Media and Marketing Linda Russell l.russell@consciousliving.net.au T: 0419928440 Subscriptions & Memberships Jacquie Walker accounts@consciousliving.net.au Contributing Writers: Belinda Baillie, Mim Beim, Judy Child, Colleen Clay, Rev. Bente Hansen, Ali Jardine, Satish Kumar, Christine Long, Michal, Janet Mawdesley, Stuart Morick, Martin Oliver, Elizabeth Robinson, Dr John Palo Susan Parry, Debbie Seaton, Sherrill Sellman, Jacquie Walker, Graphic Design Ronald Abella Publisher Conscious Living Co-Creations Pty Ltd ATF the PH Trust Unit 5/39 Strickland St, Denmark , WA 6333 PO Box 527 Denmark WA 6333 Tel 61 8 9848 2748 Fax 61 8 9848 1198 info@consciousliving.net.au www.consciousliving.net.au Disclaimer The publisher and editor do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by individual writers or advertisers. Editorial advice is nonspecific and readers are advised to seek professional advice for individual issues.
Welcome to our 90th Edition . This October 17-20 is the 25th anniversary of the Conscious Living HealthLifestyle Expo in Perth. It is a milestone that has caused me to reflect upon what I have achieved and where I would like to see myself in the next 25 years. Like a lot of my colleagues I am working longer hours than ever and if success is measured in financial terms it has not been lucrative. When I look at the bigger picture view however I see how the Expo has contributed towards the financial wellbeing of hundreds of businesses and practitioners who have received more clients and sales of products by exhibiting at the Conscious Living Expo. Then I picture the thousands of individuals have awakened to their spiritual path and purpose, made valuable connections, even met their life partner, been empowered to transform their health and wellbeing or simply enjoyed an uplifting and joyful experience . From this perspective I feel greatly enriched and satisfied that I have achieved my purpose. As Satish Kumar says in his inspirational article – Spirituality and Sustainability – “We need to understand that money is only one measure of wealth. The real wealth is nature: land, animals, water, clean air, human creativity and imagination, communities, skills. “ I feel immense gratitude and appreciation for all the authors, musicians, practitioners, artists and business people who every year generously contribute their talents, energy, imagination and wisdom to co-create a transformational Expo event. This year we bring the high vibration energy of the New Earth Festival into the exhibition market place and I am looking forward to seeing how this will stimulate creativity, community and expand consciousness. In this issue there are two must read articles . In Corporate Control of Food – Martin Oliver traces the corporations that control the billion dollar seed industry and the future of our planet’s food supply. Sherrill Sellman turns the spotlight on the multinational pharmaceutical and chemical companies that sponsor the Pink Ribbon National Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns.
Patricia Hamilton Editor and Publisher
Conscious Living Purpose To facilitate the expansion of consciousness and to co-create a world of harmony, love and wellbeing Copyright Conscious Living Magazine 2013 All rights reserved ISSN 10336826
2 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
WIN Gratitude Music CD by Rupert Guenther and Paul Armitage Featuring soaring uplifting and lush meditative tracks for relaxation, listening and meditation, this is healing music with real depth and class which takes you into feeling and connection with self. All new subscribers who subscribe before November 30th go into the draw to win one of 10 CDs
OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 3
Happy 25th Birthday Thank you to the community of exhibitors, visitors and speakers who have participated at our events over the past 25 years and contributed to consciously creating healthier and more environmentally sustainable ways of living in harmony with ourselves, each other and our Earth. Join our Celebration Sacred Sound Concert Sunday October 20 7pm with Rupert Guenther and his Crystal Voyager Band. Experience a meditative journey of music and sounds featuring the extraordinary multi-dimensional music talent of electric violin virtuoso Rupert Guenther and his magical Crystal Voyager band. Fremantle Yoga Centre (upstairs at E Shed Markets Fremantle) Tickets $30 Conc $25
You are invited to participate in the forthcoming Conscious Living New Earth Festivals in 2014 Melbourne April 25-27 Sydney May 23-25 Perth October 16-19
www.consciouslivingexpo.com.au 4 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
Eco Forest Retreat BIMBIMBI TREE HOUSE Denmark WA
There are few places where the sound of the ocean mingles with towering trees and tranquillity. This magnificent 3x 3 home is located on 5 acres of beautiful Karri and Marri forested land and backs onto a Nature Reserve. A three level pole house built from Spotted Gum, a beautiful high fire retardant timber, it is an absolute classic of thoughtful design, built around a theme of natural timber, light and space. With three bedrooms, study and a spacious lounge opening onto a deck, it has a superb kitchen on one level with marri bench tops, a Miele oven, dishwasher, stovetop and microwave. The cupboards and slide out pantry are made from local jarrah and marri. The main bathroom features a spa with views of magnificent ancient trees. On the third level is a spacious loft and the master bedroom with private deck and ensuite overlooking the forest canopy. A third shower and toilet are in the ground floor laundry. There is undercover parking for four cars and two sheds close to the house. Just a short drive from Ocean Beach and 9 km from the community spirited town of Denmark with a dam and a winter creek, this property has the advantage of being close to town with the added luxury and feel of living in a beautiful wilderness. For more information phone Jacquie 0427277803 or Ian 0402725866.
OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 5
Community
Learn Paida Lajin self-healing
Become the master of your own health
By COLLEEN CORTENBACH
Xiao Hong Chi of Beijing has delved deeply into Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) and has brought to the Western world the self-healing system of Paida (tapping and slapping) and Lajin (tendon stretching.) The beauty of this method is that it is non-invasive and doesn’t require the use of medication or another person to help heal and repair our own body. This method also encourages independence by drawing out the negative toxins, or sha, from our bodies. Xiao believes we are masters of our own health. By activating the body’s innate self-healing power with Paida and Lajin we can improve our health naturally and holistically. These seemingly simple methods, when authentically practiced, promise the reward of improved physical health. Some users of Paida and Lajin have reported reversal of illnesses. Xiao’s extensive study and practice of TCM and CCM have earned him the right to be called Master. He has learned much from practitioners who are still employing some of China’s more ancient approaches to health and healing. His passion for helping others take advantage of these and other Chinese medicine practices has resulted in the Western world being 6 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
Xiao saw how this non-invasive self-healing therapy could be done by a person on themselves introduced to the easy to learn Paida Lajin self-healing method. Now Xiao is travelling the world giving lectures and speeches, organising workshops, and demonstrating the powerful effects of Paida and Lajin. He has taken the Paida Lajin system to a number of Chinese cities, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, France, Switzerland and the US and now Australia in October. PAIDA LAJIN LAUNCH AT EXPO To launch Paida Lajin in Australia, Xiao chose the Perth’s Conscious Living Expo in October for his first free demonstration followed by workshops. He agreed to open the Expo with a talk and free demonstration and to be one of the Expo’s keynote speakers. Expo patrons will be the first people in Australia to see Paida Lajin being practiced. Xiao has written several books including the best sellers: Journey to Cure, E-Dao Lajin and Paida SelfHealing Methods. Before becoming involved in CCM, Xiao gained his MBA in 1990 and subsequently worked as a financier in the United States and Hong Kong for more than a decade. At 40 years of age, he wrote the novel Sex and Stocks, the first work of fiction in China that describes the lives of investment bankers. It became a best seller among the Chinese community. In 2006, he worked on a concept proposal for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and his team’s creative presentation was chosen. The entire world watched their art, which was all about showcasing Chinese culture. While this ceremony was being perfected, Xiao traveled to Tibet, to Riboche, a tiny dot on the world map where in a Buddist monastery he was taught and practiced advanced acupuncture techniques. He found a medical clinic being run at the monastery which poor people were able to attend. There, Xiao could offer the TCM skills that he had already mastered: OCTOBER 2013
Perth man, Chai Chua, Director of Gano Vital Pty Ltd, has his blood sugar level tested before starting a seven-day Paida Lajin workshop in Beijing.
TCM acupuncture, acupressure, point therapy and moxibustion, as well as orthopaedics, now well entrenched as a healing practice throughout the world. LAJIN USED AS MASS THERAPY In the monastery clinic, on August 4, 2007, he witnessed the emergence of La (stretch) Jin (tendon) as a mass therapy. Xiao realised this healing therapy could be used in most settings, possibly even in offices, and could be done by a person on themselves. The basic Lajin self-healing posture could be learned in just one minute, it was a totally free therapy, safe and suitable for both genders of all ages. Seeing Lajin being used by many people at the one time and having extensive knowledge of TCM, Xiao recognised Lajin as being superior to any other Chinese therapeutic methods. The self-healing practice did not require the use of medicine and could help people of any nationality “learn vividly about the principles of channels,,, as well as the curative effects of Chinese Medicine”.
PAIDA WEDDED TO LAJIN The practice of Pai-Da was the natural companion therapy of La-jin, which is why Xiao has married the two to form the system of Paida Lajin. Paida therapy uses patting and slapping of external skin areas to draw out and eliminate poisonous waste in the body, and restore health by encouraging the smooth flow of Chi (energy) throughout the meridians. Pai means patting, Da means slapping. According to Chinese Medicine, the skin is closely related to the meridians of ou limbs, five viscera, six entrails and nine apertures. Xiao tells us Paida launches the mental forces and stimulates relevant meridians to dredge the Chi. In turn, “the running Chi stimulates the running of blood”, and the unobstructed meridians have a beneficial effect on many health issues. The patted and slapped areas of the body automatically gather Chi and blood and then accelerate circulation. As sweepers, the intensified Chi could scan the body and dredge the CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 7
Paida and Lajin dispel toxins,,, and do not require medications
obstructed meridians. Consequently, body waste is cleared and the body’s innate ability to self-heal is increased. ‘POSITIVE BREAKING THERAPY’ Western medicine would view Paida as a “positive breaking therapy” that stimulates the central nervous system. This enables the inner body systems to be activated, helping repair damaged parts and improving the body’s immune system. In his workshops, Xiao reveals some of the most simple of truths known by the Chinese about the human body and how diseases originate. According to Chinese medicine, all diseases are caused by blocked meridians (energy channels in the body). Hence, disease prevention and treatment can be as simple as clearing meridians and expelling 8 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
toxins and waste from the body. Paida and Lajin are the most direct methods in this regard, which explains their seemingly miraculous effects in dispelling various diseases and pains, as has been repeatedly proven by self-healers around the world. Added to this, the methods are non reliant on medications. Individuals wishing to energise their bodies, improve their life quality and health status can use the system of Paida Lajin on themselves for self-healing. They can learn it at workshops or from Xiao’s book, Paida and Lajin Self-Healing Methods. Alternatively, they can learn the technique from a Paida Lajin practitioner, after which they would be able to practice it at home.
PERTH SCHEDULE FOR MASTER XIAO: Master Xiao will open Conscious Living Expo on Thursday, October 17, at 11am with a Live Demonstration of Paida and Lajin on the main stage. Also on Thursday October 17, he will conduct a Seminar from 6pm to 9pm at Edith Cowan University. Contact Mob: 0411822133 On Friday October 18, from 1pm to 4pm, he will conduct a Workshop at Conscious Living Expo. Book online at www.consciouslivingexpo.com.au , or call 08 9848 2748
THE BEST DECISION WE EVER MADE By CHAI CHUA, Director of Gano Vital Pty Ltd.
My wife, Corine, and I believe attending a seven-day Paida (slapping and tapping) Lajin (tendon stretching) workshop in Beijing was the best decision we have ever made, Through learning to self-heal using Paida Lajin, we truly “became masters of our own health”. I had been diagnosed with diabetes type two but had taken a natural approach to controlling my blood sugar. Corine had been on high blood pressure medication Before the workshop our blood pressure, sugar levels and weights were recorded. Corine’s blood pressure was 138/84 and she weighed 52.6 kg. My blood pressure was 138/80, sugar level reading was 12.3 taken two hours after meal and I weighed 69.3 kg. Five days into the workshop, Corine’s blood pressure had dropped to 110/80 and she weighed 49.2 kg. This is without medication! My blood pressure had dropped to 130/80; my sugar level was 6.5 before a meal and 7.5 taken two hours after the meal. My weight had reduced to 64 kg. Events we witnessed at the workshop demonstrated there remains much to be unravelled in Chinese self-healing practices that have existed for thousands of years. OCTOBER 2013
AcclAimed Author & chAnnel
Gail Thackray (USa)
Rev. Bente Hansen
SpeAkS At conSciouS living expo in perth
Medium, Spiritual Educator Appearing at Conscious Living Expo in Perth
Manifest Your Dreams: Inner Transformation Processes to Overcome Obstacles to Success Workshop 11.00am-1pm Thursday Oct 17 Tickets $25 CL Members $22.50
Psychic Readings and healing - FRee Thu Oct 17 2-3.30pm Mediumship Forum
Mediumship Event: Thursday Oct 17 Mainstage 2pm -3.30pm
ManiFesting abundance WoRkshoP - FRee Fri Oct 18 4.30 - 5.30pm
Accessing Inner Transformational Tools Free Seminar 3.30pm Sunday Oct 20
MediuMshiP & healing deMonstRation - FRee Sat Oct 19 4pm - 4.30pm
A limited number of Half Hour Private Sessions are available with Rev Bente Hansen - Book online to ensure you do not miss out.
WoRkshoP- becoMe a MediuM & healing channel Sun Oct 20 3 - 5 pm $25/CL $22.50
Evening Workshop Wednesday October 23 7.00 -10.00pm Transforming into Heart Centred Consciousness “Experience unconditional love from The Orion and other evolved beings.”
Post exPo events - Book at www.GailThackray.com beyond Reiki Monday October 21 5pm – 9pm $120/$99
“The most spiritually moving event I have seen in years.”
Mt Claremont Community Centre, 107 Montgomery Ave Tickets: $45 CL Members/Conc $40
-Inside Look Magazine
Gail is an exceptional medium with a tremendous connection to spirit. Gail teaches spiritual healing and at her demonstrations in NY, LA and London people report they were cured of cancer, blood diseases, and received unexpected money! She is the author of “Gail Thackray’s Spiritual Journeys: Visiting John of God”, “30 Days to Prosperity: A Workbook to Manifest Abundance”, “How To Talk To Your Pets” and star of the movie “John of God, Just A Man.” Many report spontaneous healings and a powerful connection just from attending Gail’s events.
Private Sessions and Edgar Speaks Book are available at the Expo Reserve Your Tickets NOW Call 98482748
www.GailThackray.com
www.consciouslivingexpo.com.au
ChrIs JamEs
Acclaimed professional voice teacher, singer and musician 2013 ConsCIous LIvIng Expo nEw EarTh Thursday October 17 10.15am-11am opEnIng CErEmony TunE up and nEw EarTh FEsTIvaL In pErTh Friday October 18 1.30pm ChrIs pErForms hIs LaTEsT songs Saturday October 19 1.40pm-3.30pm FuTurE oF hEaLTh & hEaLIng Forum Sunday October 20 10.30 – 2.30 dIsCovEr your TruE voICE workshop $65.00 CL members $58.50 4pm-5pm Big Sing Festival Finale
2014 EvEnTs EquInox BIg sIng CommunITy EvEnT Friday March 21 7.00-9.30pm $35/CL Members /Earlybird $30.00
TransFormaTIon Through sound In pErTh wa Workshop March 22-23 $350 CL Members /Earlybird $315
• Experience tools that will empower you to discover and deepen the beauty and strength of your true voice and expression. • Chris is invited to MC, perform and present as a keynote speaker at many of the World’s major conferences and festivals.
Information and Tickets visit www.consciouslivingexpo.com.au tel 08 9848 2748 OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 9
Food & Nutrition ORGANIC CONSUMER AUSTRALIAN CAROB Delicious, organic products
In only two years, the Australian Carob Company, based at Burra, South Australia, has achieved numerous awards and has put a state-of-the-art processing plant in place. The owner-managers of what is Australia’s biggest commercial carob processor, Michael and Jam Jolley, say they owe their success to the organically grown crop’s high quality. They are proud of their 100 per cent Australian produced range that includes kibble snack food, roasted and raw powder for cooking and delicious syrup for dressing desserts, drinks and cereals. And be sure to try their hunger-taming health snack bar containing nuts and fruits. In addition to making its own product range, the company supplies other manufacturers with a quality, delicious carob for value-adding products. www.australiancarobs.com
MEDALS FOR FAIRTRADE BLENDS
Fifty-one years ago in Lygon Street, Melbourne, Grinders Coffee began its success story. Today, the company can boast five Australian International Awards medals. At the inaugural Melbourne International Coffee Expo held earlier this year, Grinders Master Roasters’ Organic Fairtrade blends won silver and bronze medals. Grinders picked up three more medals for its Giancarlo brand at the same expo. So for an award-winning experience, enjoy the Espresso Ground Arabica Fairtrade Organic blend, perfect for lovers of rich, full-flavoured coffee. Or try Crema Ground (bronze medal), a 100 per cent Arabica Fairtrade Organic blend ideal for lovers of smooth, mellow coffee. Grinders’ Coffee House Master Roaster Giuseppe Cianchi said the company is commited to supporting ethical farming. www.grinderscoffee.com.au
HEALTHY COFFEE
Organo Gold has fused China’s ancient knowledge of herbs with modern science, allowing coffee lovers to instantly enjoy the taste of brewed coffee. Organo Gold’s Gourmet Coffee Mocha, is a dessert coffee, infused with the mighty mushroom, Ganoderma Lucidum. For something stronger, the company’s Gourmet Black Coffee, with its smooth taste and deep aroma, is also is infused with Ganoderma Lucidum mushroom. Organo Gold Australia also markets green teas, hot chocolate, supplements and personal care. All contain the ingredient Ganoderma Lucidum, used in China for 4000 years. Organo Gold Australia is offering coffee lovers the opportunity to join its cost effective network distribution system that enables more of every dollar to be shared with its global family. For more information contact independent distributor Deb Hawkins-Oxby deb-hawkins@bigpond.com tel 0413568882 10 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
AdvertoriAl
ADVERTORIAL
lAXit
Are You Moving? by David Woolcott (MCMA) Naturopath
We all understand that it is important to consume a balanced diet and eat regularly throughout the day. We are constantly reading and hearing that if we eat the wrong foods continuously we can aggravate any disease known to mankind. However, there is little mention of our bowel movement and regularity. What is normal? How should it look? First of all, for our bowel movement to be perfect it should be 3 times a day, formed and not hard to move and there should be very little faeces on the anus. Wiping should merely be a precaution. the stool should be 100mm to 140mm long and 30mm wide. It should sink to the bottom of the pan, be brown in colour and have very little smell. However, very few people have movements like this. Most people believe that 1 movement every 2-3 days is normal, because it is regular. However, this is a far from the truth. so please bear with me as I take you through a journey of digestion of food through the human body. there are 5 basic principles that need to function well in order to maintain optimal health. 1. Ingestion of the right food 25% first grade protein (meat, fish and eggs) and 75% complex carbohydrates (vegetables and fruit). 2. Digestion this means adequate supply of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and enzymes in the stomach required to break down the food ingested. 3. Absorption there must be adequate bile secreted from the liver and bicarbonates/enzymes secreted from the pancreas, which are mixed with OCTOBER 2013
foods that have been broken down in the stomach and moved through the small intestine. the small intestine lining needs to be in good health to allow absorption to occur. 4. Circulation this means that all the nutrients that you have absorbed are carried around the body, and are delivered to all the cells. 5. Elimination the removal of all wastes from the body. this area is not just from the bowel movement but also good kidney function as well. there we have it, elimination. It is bowel movement I wish to talk more about, but since I have introduced kidney function, I do need to say that water is so important for kidney filtration and bowel movement. now back to the bowel. are you moving? Well, there are a large number of people who are not and I would like you to understand why. Well, it all starts back with ingestion, digestion and absorption, where our digestive system starts to fail. What happens is that refined carbohydrates and fats are not broken down properly, and are partially digested and not absorbed as they move through to the large intestines (large Bowel). these carbohydrates and fats bind together, forming a fatty soap-like material that is sticky and impacts on the lining of the bowel (large intestine). this slows the passage of movement, which may cause your bowel motion to be hard to eliminate. In some cases, the motion may stretch to 3 days or more, hence Constipation. anyway, one who has suffered from constipation knows how uncomfortable it is, and how short-tempered we may become. advanced
Medicine has developed laxit to address this problem. We have taken Prune domestica fruit extract, Cassia angustifolia Fruit and lecithin, blended in a natural base and made into a tablet. the combination of Prune fruit and lecithin dissolves the fatty, sticky, soap- like material which impacts on the bowel lining. the Cassia angustifolia (senna fruit) provides gentle stimulation and movement of the bowel. this formulation is unique as it softens the stool and provides you with easy elimination without discomfort. laxit is not like ordinary laxatives that just stimulate and can be harsh on the bowel. laxit is “Gentle but effective�. naturally, advanced Medicine australia recommends that you drink 2 litres of water per day. We wish you the best in movement and health. eAch tAblet contAins Cassia angustifolia (senna fruit) 750mg Prunes domestica (Prunefruit) 150mg Lecithin 250 mg
AvAilAble at your hEAlth fooD storE. If not... Ask for it!
For more Information contact David Woolcott, (MCMA) Naturopath and Full-time practitioner for 28 years. Ph: (08) 9499 6600 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 11
Food & Nutrition
FEED YOUR CHAKRAS FOR JOYOUS HEALTH! Each of us is so much more than a physical body, so it follows that feeding our bodies must go much further than nutrition and water. The body’s energy field has to be fuelled by quality not quantity. This is because the energy field incorporates all aspects of ourselves, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Blockages in this system show up in many ways, including pain, disease, allergies, food intolerances, depression and loss of energy. We all have the same colour-based energy system. Animals too have a colour system that indicates their state of health. This is the Chakra system of Indian origin, used as part of a health discipline for thousands of years. In the Chakra system, each colour represents a certain part of the body. Eating foods of the colour we are attracted to can have a profound impact on the body. Instead of being pre-programmed to eat certain types of foods, think about eating your colours. CRAVINGS AND HEALTH If we are craving oranges or carrots, our kidneys, bladder, reproductive system and hormones need this particular colour of food to balance out that particular part of the energy in our body. The natural alkalising effect of carrots on the bladder and kidneys helps prevent urinary tract infections. On a Chakra chart, the relationship between the colour orange (navel) and yellow (solar plexus) and the organs mentioned here is clearly defined. 12 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
When we listen to our bodies and put in the best of colourful nutrition, as well as positive thought patterns, we can lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, realign our energy system and bring our bodies back to the natural state. OVERCOME FIXATIONS To fully enjoy food, avoid fixating on nutrient consumption. Sometimes first aid for our emotional needs is warranted. Occasionally eating a “naughty food”, such as a few hot chips, without feeling guilty can be healthier than eating loads of healthy food and not enjoying it. However, on a colour-based nutrition path you’ll be eating delicious foods. All vegetables, fruit, grain, seeds, herbs, spices, nut based and power foods are quality ingredients to sustain any physically fit body, and the more that we eat of these nutritious colour-drenched foods, the better the outcome. PROTEIN TRUTHS Fact: Protein acts as building blocks for all tissues in the body. Hair, nails and muscles are made of proteins, which go on to produce amino acids. Myth: We’ve been told we must eat a lot of protein. But in the Western world, the protein source is of animal origin, which when consumed in high OCTOBER 2013
Applying the system I have outlined for you, my weight loss was 25 kilos. I also healed my body of all pain and regulated my acid-alkaline balance. I had tried other approaches to my problems before discovering that focusing on colour in my nutrition was the most effective way to restore my health. During the process, I ate only sustainable food, organic and pesticide free. quantities it is extremely detrimental to the energy system. Protein v waistline: One of the causes of accumulated fat around the middle of the body (solar plexus) is the over consumption of protein. Eventually, this part of the body becomes congested and the digestive system becomes sluggish. Problems connected to the liver, digestion, bowel diseases and stomach disorders follow. The answer: Yellow foods keep this part of the body clear. When experiencing any problems associated with over-eating protein, eating more yellow foods will help return the body back to its normal state of being. A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE The information I share with my readers and clients is based on my personal experience of realigning my energy system, and bringing my own body back to its natural way of being. Applying the system I have outlined for you, my weight loss was 25 kilos. I also healed my body of all pain and regulated my acid-alkaline balance. I had tried other approaches to my problems before discovering that focusing on colour in my nutrition was the most effective way to restore my health. During the process, I ate only sustainable food, organic and pesticide free. Feeding the Chakras, along with exercise, has magical results. Ali Jardine is a speaker at Conscious Living Expo 2013-2014. For Further information: www.ajwellness.com.au Mob: 0448 516 015
OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 13
Food & Nutrition
Corporate Seeds By MARTIN OLIVER
A GROWING CONCERN
Producing food used to be simple. You would plant seeds in the ground, watch them grow into plants and save fresh seeds for the next generation. Seeds were open-pollinated, and often swapped with other farmers and gardeners. Everything worked in a harmonious cycle. Unsurprisingly, in the modern world things have become more complicated. Open-pollinated seeds have been joined by hybrids whose progeny do not grow “true to type”, with predictable characteristics. A more recent arrival on the scene is genetically modified seed that cannot be saved and replanted without violating corporate patents. SEEDS AS A BUSINESS Hybrid seeds go back to the early part of the 20th century. Their first major use in the Green Revolution of the 1960s. This program, was centred on India, the Philippines, and Mexico, focused on high-yielding varieties, synthetic fertilisers and chemical pesticides, and resulted in a major increase in harvests. Despite boosting harvests, hybrid seeds have their drawbacks. Unlike seed varieties that are suited to local
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conditions, hybrids are uniform and more orientated to broadscale monoculture farming. Open-pollinated seeds may have superior qualities over hybrids that can extend to taste, tenderness, hardiness, and yield. It is probably no coincidence that the largest players in the global seed market are also leaders in the agrochemical sector, and that hybrid seeds often require chemicals for maximum yields. Farmers who grow “F1” hybrids are obliged to buy new seed every year. Hybrid seed production itself is a complex and labour-intensive process, and certainly not the simplest option, nor resilient in the face of the unexpected. CORPORATE CONSOLIDATION Today, seeds are a huge industry worth US $35 billion (AUD $38 billion that has become concentrated in the hands of a few companies, with Monsanto, DuPont and
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Syngenta together controlling 53 per cent of the global market. The trend has been towards increasing corporate consolidation, with a pattern of smaller seed companies being swallowed up by the giants. The industry wishes to end traditional on-farm saving of seed, a practice that is still widespread in lessdeveloped countries. Africa, where only 10 per cent of seed is bought, is seen as a prime market for expansion by the hybrid and genetically modified sectors. Central to this process is Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, a group with strong ties to agribusiness and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a body whose investment portfolio includes half a million Monsanto shares. Where the corporate model usurps older farming methods, traditional varieties are slowly lost, biodiversity is eroded, and the food system as a whole becomes less resilient and more vulnerable to shocks. When farmers become dependent on buying seed a negative economic impact follows, particularly in poorer parts of the world Hybrid seeds are typically promoted as being higher-yielding, but seed costs also enter the equation. After buying the seed, farmers are sometimes unable to afford the fertiliser and chemicals required to achieve a good harvest.
seed. Today, industry is asking for this loophole to be closed too. All governments are obliged to enforce patents on seeds under the World Trade Organization’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. India initially refused to sign the agreement, but was later forced to comply following a United States WTO challenge. Many NGOs argue that WTO policies, and particularly its TRIPS patent laws, have had the effect of undermining sustainable farming practices, farmers’ livelihoods and food security in developing countries. In the EU, seed companies have found a loophole that permits them to patent open-pollinated plant varieties, one example being a 2013 Monsanto patent on natural broccoli seeds and severed broccoli head. This type of patenting has resulted in strong criticism from the German and European Parliaments. A petition launched by the group Avaaz attracted more than two million signatures. The issue of patenting natural plants by the corporate sector has also affected neem, basmati rice, turmeric, rooibos tea, and the yellow bean (Mexico). When challenged, this “biopiracy” has frequently been thwarted, or overturned.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recent decades have seen a shift away from a paradigm where seeds are a type of global commons towards one where they are seen as a form of intellectual property. This is a vital factor in the shift towards increasing corporate control and touches upon such profound moral philosophical issues as whether life can be patented. In this instance, nature and the free use of its bounty stand at odds with capitalism and the profit motive. Plant-variety protection rules were established during the 1960s by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). Initially, farmers were freely allowed to save the seed of protected plants, but after lobbying by the industry, in 1991 a revised agreement was introduced that prohibited this practice, with limited exceptions to permit farm-saved
GENETIC MODIFICATION Starting in the mid-1990s, the arrival of GM crops has been at the cutting edge of concentrating ownership within the seed sector, with the big players (Monsanto, Syngenta, Dow, Bayer, and DuPont) together dominating the market. Nearly 20 years on, most of the world still does not want GM food, and a lack of labelling – where permitted - remains the best marketing strategy. The largest GM areas under cultivation are found in the
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US, Brazil, Argentina, India and Canada. Nearly all GM crops are either herbicide tolerant or insect-repellent, or have both properties “stacked” within the same variety. Herbicide tolerant crops are designed to be sprayed by a company’s own herbicides, such as the Monsanto’s Roundup glyphosate. Insect-repellent plants have the insecticidal B.t. bacterium spliced into every cell. Like the other GM companies, Monsanto requires farmers to buy new seed every year, and aggressively protects its intellectual property rights. Between 1997 and 2010 it sued 144 American farmers for patent infringement for the unauthorised growing of GM crops. Many farmers have argued that these GM plants were the result of contamination, but Monsanto has won every case that made it to court. Meanwhile, it promises not to sue farmers whose land is contaminated by rogue seed. Organic farming, with its zero tolerance of GM contamination, has been particularly affected. The Canadian organic canola industry has been completely wiped out by GM. Meanwhile, testing by the Union of Concerned Scientists has discovered that American non-GM seed has small quantities of GM contamination in concentrations ranging from 0.05 per cent to more than 1 per cent. Also controversial is Genetic Use Restriction Technology (commonly known as “terminator technology”). This produces sterile plants, raising the concern that such GM crops could spread and create yield loss across the world’s food supply, causing an increase in food insecurity. Following an outcry in the 1999, Monsanto pledged not to commercialise it. GM’S ECONOMIC IMPACTS Figures show an incredible level of market consolidation by Monsanto, which controls roughly 90 per cent of the worldwide GM seed market. GM varieties dominate the US, representing 86 per cent of corn seed, 88 per cent of cotton, and 93 per cent of soy. Those farmers who want to go down the non-GM route often find themselves having to drive prohibitively long distances to obtain seed, and GM seeds CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 15
are not always purchased because they are so popular. Economists propose that when four companies control more than 40 per cent of a market, it becomes highly consolidated, and loses its competitiveness. When analysing market prices, the US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service noticed remarkable increases in the cost of seed for key GM crops between 1995 and 2011. Soya rose by 325 per cent, corn seed increased by 259 per cent, and cotton shot up by 516 per cent. COTTON PROFITS CUT Inevitably, these increases in seed costs are not being matched by increased yield. Between 2001 and 2010, US cotton growers found that conventional seed costs were 3 to10 per cent of income per hectare, compared to 11 to 32 per cent of income for GM seed. The GM seed costs cut into their profits much more than conventional seed costs. About 95 per cent of cotton grown in India is Monsanto’s Bt variety, making alternatives hard to find. It is also three to eight times more costly than non-GM seed. Compared to traditional varieties, Bt cotton requires more fertiliser and water, and to produce a healthy yield it ideally needs irrigation, which is in short supply: only about one in ten Indian farmers have such a system. In contrast, non-GM cotton can be grown rain-fed and is more suited to intercropping with other food crops. In 2013, the Indian state of Maharashtra cancelled the licence for Monsanto’s Indian joint venture partner to sell GM cotton seeds, citing unfair trade practices that included supplying sub-standard seeds and creating an artificial seed shortage. In Brazil, a two per cent royalty fee on all Roundup Ready Soya sales led to a revolt by farmers, who won a legal victory that may result in Monsanto having to repay billions in royalty payments.
RESOURCES: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa www.agra.org International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants www.upov.int The World According to Monsanto (documentary) http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ the-world-according-to-monsanto La Via Campesina www.viacampesina.org Seed Savers’ Network www.seedsavers.net 16 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
Monsanto in particular has been attracting negative attention. The 25th May 2013 saw the inaugural March Against Monsanto, where two million people marched in protest against the company’s activities in 436 cities across the planet. A few years ago, the high-level IAASTD consultative process sponsored by the UN and the World Bank took at fairly negative position on the role of GMOs in the future of agriculture while endorsing the role of “bottom up” solutions. Its report was later ratified by all 61 participating countries except the US, Canada and Australia. According to the industry and government narrative, industrial farming and genetic modification are needed to feed a growing world population. But this is looking a little shaky. Small farms are more productive than large monocultures when measured in yield per unit area. In the developing world, conventional farming techniques are also hard-pressed to match the 79 per cent higher yield achieved by organic farmers.
When four companies control more than 40 per cent of a market, it… loses its competitiveness
PEASANT AGRICULTURE Unfortunately seeds are not a “sexy” topic. Given little media coverage, the issues of seed control, patenting and impacts on food production are hard to simplify to a level at which they can attract a mass audience. Nevertheless, they are important to understand. Although peasants and small farmers grow 70 per cent of the world’s food, their efforts are little known and indeed criticised for being inefficient. Fortunately groups such as the international peasant farmers’ network, La Via Campesina, are advancing the interests of peasant agriculture. This group is working on a range of important issues including land access, food sovereignty, and the impacts of globalisation. DEFEND OPEN POLLINATION The alternative to concentrating an evergreater level of power into the hands of the seeds giants is to protect traditional farming systems. We can support the many grassroots groups across the globe that are working to defend traditional open-pollinated varieties from getting lost in the rush towards the prospect of higher yields. Seed exchanges, many concentrating on decades-old heirloom varieties, are springing up in far-flung corners of the globe. In Australia, the Seed Savers Network is one such group, and encourages us to start locally, namely in the garden. It’s time to get our hands dirty. Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW.) OCTOBER 2013
THE COLOUR OF HEALTH- FOOD FOR LIFE The Science behind THE COLOUR OF HEALTHFOOD FOR LIFE Demonstrating juices, smoothies, alternative milks and easy quick recipes.
Discover how colour saved her life and took her into a magical place of being. The essence of colourful nutrition and exercise changes lives. Ali JArdine shares her personal experience - loosing 25 kilos and how she cured herself of arthritis and fibromyalgia. • Health Educator • Fitness trainer • Food distributer -Health /power foods and spices.
Ali JArdine has 2 new books • Colour of Protein – food for life • The Colour of Herbs and Spices - Food for life (Natural medicine for the body)
www.ajwellness.com.au alison_jardine@hotmail.com Ali- 0448 516 015 OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 17
Health & Wellbeing HEALTHY CONSUMER HEMP SEED OIL Balm for dry skin
Valley Lavender and SEWBIZEEBEE products make an excellent addition to any gift hamper. The Gift Shop is open Friday to Sunday 10am to 4 pm. Coaches and Buses welcome. Open by arrangement at other times. A Pop Up Shop is open throughout Perth in various shopping Centres. GIFT SHOP: Unit 1 / 2 Soldiers Rd Roleystone, (Cnr Brookton Hwy) www.rivergumvalleylavender.com.au
ILLUMINATE YOUR BRAIN
Gonzoon is a 100 per cent natural treatment for dry skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, and is safe to use for all ages. Gonzoon, customers have reported a reduction in symptoms they have not experienced with other products. With the powerful natural ingredient, hempseed oil, which has essential fatty acids this balm moisturises the skin, healing from the inside out. Additional ingredients include tea tree oil and vetiver oil. Tropikiss hemp lip balms in various flavours genuinely soothe and soften the lips. The all-natural ingredients include organic hemp seed, which has natural sunscreen properties, and is one of the best moisturisers on the planet. Information: Mob: 0403 516 269 www.naturebalm.com.au
RIVERGUM VALLEY LAVENDER
The Lucia Lucid Light Stimulator is a lamp with a constant halogen light and flickering LED lights that is used to supercharge the brain with light energy. It stimulates the pineal gland in a hypnagogic light experience. The pineal gland is a light receptor often described as the “bridge to higher consciousness”. The Lucia is experienced with eyes closed. Light enters the retina and pineal gland, creating coloured images in sacred geometrical forms. Accompanying music (ancient Solfeggio frequencies) enhances the experience. Further information: the Lucia’s Perth-based Australian and New Zealand distributors are Sian Chua and Richard Yap. Tel 0407779930 www.lucialight.com
RIVER VEDA ORGANIC SKINCARE
This exclusive West Australian owned shop stocks only its own West Australian made range of Lavender Natural Oil products and Hand Sewn Gifts by SEWBIZEEBEE. As an alternative skincare, the popular, high quality Rivergum Valley Lavender products are presented in eye-catching packaging. Ideal for Birthday, Anniversary, Mothers Day and Christmas gifts, the Rivergum 18 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
The River Veda organic skin care range can be used with the confidence of knowing all its products are suitable for vegetarians and Ecocert certified. They are also Vegan approved, except for the lipsticks, which contain beeswax. A popular item is River Veda’s Everyday Carefree Cleansing Milk. Mild and creamy, it is designed to soothe, cleanse and balance all skin types. The ingredients include organic skin-replenishing Evening Primrose and Jojoba Oil plus Orange Essential Oil to uplift the spirits. Jojoba Oil may lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The range includes items for spa use, as well as skincare for men and women. World Organic ™ markets River Veda and is offering consultancy opportunities. www.worldorganic.co.nz OCTOBER 2013
PROBIOTIC CLEANER BANISHES ALLERGENS Probiotics In Progress (PIP) is a revolutionary home and personal care product range that combines green detergents, enzymes and probiotic bacteria to achieve deep microscopic cleaning; prevention and elimination of odours; and a safer microbial environment. The highly respected Belgian company, Chrisal, launched the range in 2004, after years of research and development. The Chrisal approach provides a stable mechanism to reduce pathogens, and no risk of developing resistance. A Chrisal PIP product is up to 90 per cent more effective than the best hospital disinfectants in reducing harmful bacteria, while being much safer and healthier than the mildest of soaps. The PIP range for daily home and personal care includes: PIP Floor Cleaner; PIP Daily Sanitary Cleaner; PIP Interior Cleaner; PIP Sanigel; PIP Allergy Free; PIP Hand Soap; PIP ProbioGel; and PIP Toothbrush Cleaner. Chrisal Australia offers services that complement its products, including ATP odour testing; cleaning protocol training; fogging areas with Chrisal Probiotic stabilisers; cleaning water systems and air-conditioners’ ducting to break down bio-film build-up; hosing down large areas with Chrisal cleaners; and other related services. Chrisal has been in business in Europe for more than 20 years, and has now expanded into more than 50 countries, thanks to the success of its PIP cleaning and consumer products. The PIP range is Chrisal’s innovative response to a world clamouring for answers to control superbugs, green ways to clean homes and safer personal products. For further information, Tel: 08 63659898 or visit www.chrisalaustralia.com.au
VIP SKIN CARE FROM NATURE
Inspired by nature and free from harmful chemicals, the Organi Line products are refined and luxurious. The company’s extensive research efforts have resulted in it being able to create an alternative to almost every chemical substance found in regular skin care products, of equivalent or superior quality. Organi uses genuine herbal and plant extracts in all its products, for men and women. Its ranges cover all skin care needs from head to foot, including hair and nail care. Essential oils in the range include jojoba, avocado and grape seed oils.Essential oils used in the range are 100 per cent natural. The easily applied and rapidly absorbed body butters are balanced in Shea and rich oils. www.organi.com.au
ERASE WRINKLES WITH MARINE ALGAE
Ecotanicals Natural Wrinkle Eraser Serum is natural and acts instantly. An exclusive marine algae complex is the powerful ingredient in Natural Wrinkle Eraser. The product works to tighten and lift the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles within five minutes and lasts for hours. It is also scientifically proven to be beneficial when used long-term. The Ecotanicals range of natural skincare and personal care products, including its hair products, is 100 per cent Australian made and free of animal derivatives, petrochemicals, parabens, sulfate, fragrance and colour. Anyone interested in rejuvenation will love the anti-aging face care products specially formulated to fight fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, pigmentation, rosacea, acne, redness, age-sun spots and dehydration. www.ecotanicals.com.au OCTOBER 2013
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Health & Wellbeing
Health hazards in ‘too much choice’ By MICHAL
Enjoying optimum health is all about making good choices. As consumers, we are faced with the pitfall of too much choice, and making poor choices is leading to ever-increasing numbers of people unnecessarily enduring stress, allergies and illnesses. Daily, people choose and apply skincare products and perfumes that do far more damage than good. Labels can be confusing and misleading. Investigate and know what you are applying. Household cleaners are a similar area of concern. We need to take control and make the right choices to ensure good health for ourselves, and our families. BUILDING INNER HEALTH We know that adequate sleep, hydration, good nutrition and exercise are essential, if we are to feel well and avoid illness. The stresses and pollutants in our environment place a heavy load on our bodies. We need to start building strong inner health to cope with the external stresses. Our cells are the building blocks of our organs and our body systems. They require fuel to operate and they produce waste products that need to be eliminated. They have fluid inside and surrounding them, and receptors on their surface to communicate with other cells. When this fluid and our cells’ receptors become clogged from poor nutrition, stress and environmental toxins, they are unable to work efficiently. To build our cellular health we require a daily source of anti-oxidants 20 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
“…humans do have a knack of choosing those things that are worst for them” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. that will fight the damaging free radicals in our body. A good combination of water-soluble anti-oxidants and fat-soluble anti-oxidants is a perfect way to start looking after your health. Our food is 63 per cent less nutritious than it was 70 years ago, so supplementing a nutritious diet will help maintain good levels of necessary anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that are missing from our foods. Water-soluble anti-oxidants can be achieved by taking a quality super food energy drink containing fruits high in anti-oxidants, such as wolfberries, blueberries, pomegranate, cherries, plums and aronia berries. Fat-soluble anti-oxidants are available in an omega 3 fish oil that is combined with vitamin D and CoQ10. EXTERNAL STRESSES Better nutrition and ensuring a high anti-oxidant intake, along with good hydration and sleep, will build our inner
cellular health. We can then address some of the external stresses by choosing products that we use on the outside of our body and in our homes that are free from damaging chemicals. In times gone by, we had fewer choices in regard to just about everything. I remember my mum’s story of walking two kilometres with her grandmother to buy vegetables and other perishables from the local shop. They had no car, and they had no fridge. A walk every couple of days was their only choice. With fewer choices, the way they lived was less stressed, in contrast to the high-tech, high stress, de-naturalised way most of us are now living. Today we have a myriad of choices in just about everything we do. If we choose, we can interface with our friendly computer and at the push of a button or two have a week’s worth of groceries delivered to our door. Or we can make well-considered, wiser choices about the products we using in our homes.
For information about safe, health-enhancing products for yourself and your family, email Young Living independent Michal at michalhaswell@gmail.com. Mention this article and Michal will organise a free Finger Tip Facial for you. OCTOBER 2013
Health & Wellbeing
Look Behind the Pink Ribbon Reality Is Your Only Protection by author SHERRILL SELLMAN, ND
Every October since 1985, the pink ribbon, symbol of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is seen everywhere. It is prominently displayed on TV ads, posters, and in women’s magazines. Women proudly pin the pink ribbon to their blouses. The pink ribbon has become synonymous with support, courage, and caring. But every woman needs to look beyond the ribbon for the realities relating to the breast cancer epidemic. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, multitudes of fundraising runs, hikes, walks, and other events raise more than a hundred million dollars towards the goal of conquering breast cancer. Many high-profile companies get into the Pink Ribbon-Breast Cancer Month act by donating a small percentage of their profits from designated goods or services. By far the biggest organisation associated with NBCAM, and the one with the highest profile, is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which has been hugely successfully in sponsoring more than 100 hundred fundraising runs, with more than 1.5 million participants worldwide. PROJECTION SHOW INCREASE According to Australia’s National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Australian women. On average, seven women die from breast cancer every day. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. And the predictions for 2013 are OCTOBER 2013
that 14,940 Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The foundation’s projections: for the year 2020, are that 47 women will be diagnosed with cancer every day. So shouldn’t we all join in, don those running shoes, proudly display our pink ribbons, and take to the roads? Hang on a minute. Before you get swept up by the emotional frenzy of this call to arms, there is something you need to know.
PHARMACEUTICAL GIANT What’s behind the Pink Ribbon? As the primary multimillion-dollar corporate sponsor of NBCAM, pharmaceutical giant AtraZeneca, formerly Zeneca before merging with Swedish pharmaceutical Astra, was owned by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), a leading international manufacturer of industrial chemicals and carcinogenic pesticides. ICI manufactures the plastic ingredient polyvinyl chloride, which has been directly linked to breast cancer and the pesticide acetochlor, classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a “probably human carcinogen”. AstraZeneca also manufactures pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. ICI and AstraZeneca’s chemical plants daily release potential cancer-causing pollution into the environment. To top off its profitable investments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, Salick Health Care, provides consulting services, and manages the operation of numerous comprehensive cancer care facilities throughout the United States. There is deafening silence by all NBCAM programs when it comes to telling women about environmental carcinogens. After all, if it became general knowledge that AstraZeneca’s the plastic chemical products and factories directly ingredient contribute to the breast cancer epidemic, it would certainly sully their well-oiled PR polyvinyl campaign. chloride… has Many experts predicted decades ago that been directly widespread use of synthetic chemicals would linked to increase cancer rates. From 1940 through the 1980s, billions of tons of toxic chemicals breast cancer CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 21
Are women… pawns of… enmeshed corporate involvement? were released into the environment. These toxic time bombs are now found in everything, everywhere.
human carcinogen” by the National Toxicology Program of the US government.
CHLORINE-BASED PESTICIDES Scientists at the 23rd Congress of the International Association for Breast Cancer Research reported in 2001 (Breast Cancer Research, 2001) that chlorine-based chemicals were linked to the breast cancer epidemic. Their findings revealed that women with the highest concentrations of chlorine-based pesticides in their blood and fat have breast cancer risks four to ten times higher than women with lower concentrations. Dr Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, has criticised the cancer establishment, stating that: “Over recent decades, the incidence of cancer has escalated to epidemic proportions while our ability to treat and cure most cancers remains virtually unchanged,” Dr Epstein notes that “apart from the important role of tobacco, there is substantial and long-standing evidence relating this epidemic to involuntary and avoidable exposure to industrial carcinogens in air, water, and the workplace and consumer products. Nevertheless, the priorities of the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society remains narrowly fixated on damage control – diagnosis and treatment – and on basic molecular research, with relative indifference to, if not always benign neglect of, prevention. Concerns over this imbalance are further compounded by serious questions of conflicts of interest, particularly with the multibillion-dollar cancer drug industry.” Perhaps we can forgive AstraZeneca’s involvement with carcinogenic chemicals since it researched and patented the most popular breast cancer treatment, tamoxifen (sales of which grossed $573 million annually worldwide). Or, perhaps not. In May of 2000, tamoxifen was listed as a “known
TAMOXIFEN STUDY It was found that tamoxifen increased the incidence of uterine, liver, stomach, and colorectal cancers. In addition, tamoxifen increased the risk of strokes, blood clots, eye damage, menopausal symptoms, and depression. Even tamoxifen’s role in preventing breast cancer is questionable. While one study found that tamoxifen may reduce the incidence of contralateral breast cancer (occurring in the opposite breast) in premenopausal women, another study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2001) found that tamoxifen not only failed to reduce contralateral cancers in premenopausal women, it actually increased their incidence for the disease. In 1998 the Susan G. Komen Foundation was the only national breast cancer group to endorse tamoxifen as a prevention treatment for healthy but high-risk women, despite no conclusive evidence of its protective effects. Most other breast cancer groups vehemently opposed this decision. Could the fact that the Komen Foundation’s close ties with tamoxifen’s manufacturer, AstraZeneca – which makes educational grants to the Foundation – have something to do with its position? And are women the benefactors or the pawns of such enmeshed corporate involvement?
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MAMMOGRAMS: RADIATION RISK Since the NBCAM spin-doctors claim that breast cancer is “simply not a preventable disease”, the focus has shifted to early detection. Women are now encouraged to get their yearly mammogram. At one time screening was recommended only to women over the age of 50. Now the campaign is targeting 40 year olds and even women as young as 25. But detecting breast OCTOBER 2013
cancer with mammography is not the same as protection from breast cancer. It is certainly not prevention. Questions are being raised about the validity of mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray. The only acknowledged cause of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is radiation. And when it comes to radiation, there is no safe level of exposure. For more than 20 years, Dr John Gofman has been publishing studies of the hazards of low-level radiation. From his research, Dr Gofman has gathered sufficient evidence to link medical radiation as a principle cause for the growing rates of cancer deaths in the US during 20th Century. And Dr Epstein concurs. “There is clear evidence,” Dr Epstein writes, “that the breast, particularly in premenopausal women, is highly sensitive to radiation, with estimates of increased risk of up to one per cent for every RAD (radiation absorbed dose) unit of X-ray exposure. Even for low-dosage exposure of two RADs or less, this exposure can add up quickly for women having an annual mammography.” While the virtues of mammography have been lavishly extolled for decades, information about radiation’s downside, especially its link to breast cancer, has rarely been offered. In fact, no trials or studies were ever conducted on the safety of mammograms, especially when used longterm and on premenopausal women. In 1995 a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet reported that since mammography screening was introduced, the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which represents 12 per cent of all breast cancer cases, has increased by 328 per cent – and 200 per cent of this increase is attributable to the use of mammography. Since the inception of widespread mammographic screening, the increase for women under the age of 40 has gone up more than 3000 per cent. Cancer-screening programs are built on the assumption that “early detection saves lives.” However, in 2000, a large-sample, longterm Canadian study showed that annual mammograms were no more effective in preventing deaths from breast cancer for women in their 50s than periodic physical examinations. A study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (1999) stated that mammography offers the greatest potential benefit for women between the ages of 50 and 69. The addition of annual mammography screening to physical examination has had no impact on breast cancer survival rates. Smaller cancers can be detected, but, ultimately, the mortality rate was the same. Mammograms are screening tools, not diagnostic tests, which frequently lead to unnecessary breast biopsies. According to the Merck Manual, for every case of breast cancer diagnosed each year, from five to ten women will needlessly undergo a painful breast biopsy. INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY Mammograms can actually increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasising an existing growth. However, there is a superior screening technique called digital infrared thermography OCTOBER 2013
(DIT), that is able to detect breast cancer much earlier, because it can image the early stages of angiogenesis as a “hot spot.” Angiogenesis is the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, a necessary step before they can grow into larger tumours. DIT is safe, non-toxic, non-invasive, and painless. It can also detect abnormalities five to ten years before they are detected by mammography or a physical exam. SAFER SCREENING ATTACKED It should come as no surprise that safer and more effective screening techniques such as thermography have been vigorously attacked by NBCAM organisations. So, all the hullabaloo that comes each October enlisting women’s support and hard-earned cash really does very little to eliminate the causes of this devastating disease. Instead, women’s heartfelt desires and good intentions are usurped by the hidden agendas of major cancer organisations and corporations committed to pushing their toxic drug treatments, dangerous diagnostic tools, and environmental pollutants. In truth, NBCAM is the public-relations invention of a major polluter that puts women in the position of being unwitting allies of the very people who are making them sick. THINK OUTSIDE THE PINK Women can make the difference in eliminating breast cancer. The breast cancer epidemic is not some great mystery. The causes of cancer are already known: toxic diets, toxic lifestyles, toxic emotions, toxic environments, toxic chemicals, toxic drug treatments, and toxic diagnostics. When it comes to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women need to consider investing their time, energy, and money into the projects, initiatives, and treatments that will truly create change. One alternative effort is Rachel Carson Day, which is held each year on May 27th, the birthday of the renowned environmentalist. It is celebrated in Canada as a way to lobby against known environmental carcinogens, including PVC, radiation, pesticides, dioxins, and chlorine. Instead of allowing major corporations or other vested interests to define the agenda, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month can indeed be a powerful time to educate, awaken, and empower women to the real causes, preventive measures, and effective cures for breast cancer. If you’re going to be racing for the cure, choose your race very carefully. Think Outside the Pink. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Take action and look at alternative breast cancer approaches. Visit Rachel Carson Day (healthybreastprogram. on.ca); the Breast Cancer Research and Education Fund (breastcancerref.org/home.shtml); the Women’s Healthy Environments Network (whenvironments.ca); and Digital Infrared Thermography (medthermonline.com, thermascan. com) Sherrill Sellman, ND, is author of Hormone Heresay: What Women MUST Know About Their Hormones (Getwell International, 2000) and What Women MUST Know to Protect Their Daughters from Breast Cancer (GetWell International, 2004). Visit www.whatwomenmustknow.com CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 23
Health & Wellbeing
HOLISTIC DENTISTRY By MARTIN OLIVER
It’s time for your regular dental check-up, and you have a choice. Do you keep seeing the guy who unsuccessfully suggests a fluoride treatment every visit, or do you look for someone with a more holistic approach? Teeth are linked to the rest of the body, sometimes in surprising ways. Poor dental health increases the likelihood of a number of conditions including cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, and low birth weights. Holistic dentists are more inclined to view the teeth as an integral part of the body’s overall health, and many combine dentistry with acupuncture, naturopathy, or homoeopathy. Some, such as Dr David Howard in St. Leonards, Sydney, NSW, look at the acupuncture meridians connecting the teeth with the body’s organs. Anybody who decides to be proactive about the health ramifications of their dental work inevitably faces a number of complex and sometimes confusing decisions that comes with the territory. One of these involves fillings. LASER, OZONE INTRODUCED The first thing that comes to mind when having a tooth filled is drilling, but this can produce fine cracks in teeth, and is slowly starting to give way to laser treatment and air abrasion. These two newer techniques can usually be carried
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out without an anaesthetic, involve less of the tooth being removed, but are only suited to composite fillings. Some dentists have started using short bursts of ozone treatment as a simple way to heal decay and save more of the tooth structure. This is also useful for reversing gum disease. AMALGAM CONTROVERSY Until recently, the default option for a filling was an amalgam made from silver, tin, copper, and about 50 per cent mercury. Benefits include mercury’s bacteriostatic qualities (inhibition of bacterial growth), and the fact that amalgams are more durable than most other filling options. On the downside, amalgams are ugly, and can require the destruction of extra tooth structure, including healthy parts of the tooth, to fit them in. They also expand and contract with heat and cold at a different rate to teeth, which can cause cracking. More contentious is the fact that mercury is a neurotoxic metal that also has a strong synergistic effect when it
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Short bursts of ozone treatment useful for reversing gum disease combines with chemicals such as lead or aluminium. For the duration of the filling, mercury continues to enter the body in vapour form, generally as a result of chewing, brushing, and hot liquids. Levels are highest when the filling is being placed, or removed, and for most people amalgam fillings are the primary source of mercury exposure. As with other low-level toxicities, the effects of mercury can be insidious. It accumulates in the organs, and to some degree blocks enzyme pathways and protein function, disrupting the neurological, endocrine, gastroenterological, and immune systems. Some types of people are genetically far more susceptible to mercury toxicity. Dental mercury is also finding its way into the environment, being the primary source of mercury contamination found in wastewater and sewage sludge. During cremation, mercury from tooth fillings is vaporised, and the average crematorium
releases about 10 kilograms of mercury into the environment every year. AMALGAM FILLINGS BANNED Amalgam fillings are slowly making an exit. They’ve been banned in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and discouraged for children and pregnant women in Germany, Austria and Canada. Globally, a phasedown of amalgam fillings was included in a 2013 UN mercury limitation treaty. Many people who visit holistic dentists opt to replace their amalgam fillings, usually with composites. The mainstream dental community believes this unnecessary and does not endorse the procedure. However, studies have found that people tend to report an improvement in various health conditions following amalgam removal. It is important to follow a thorough protocol (listed in Resources) for safe amalgam removal, the top priority being a rubber dam to prevent amalgam particles from being
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swallowed. After this process, mercury is often removed from the body by chelating agents such as ALA (alpha lipoic acid), DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid), and DMPS. Another benefit from seeing a holistic dentist is the absence of mercury vapour in the surgery, which often exceeds occupational safety levels. In one Scottish study, dentists were found to have urine mercury levels that were four times higher than control comparison subjects. COMPOSITE FILLINGS For people who are keen to avoid having mercury in their mouths, composite fillings are the most common alternative to amalgams. They have aesthetic benefits, being a tooth colour, and they require less removal of healthy tooth. Unfortunately they are more expensive, less durable than amalgams, are not bacteriostatic, and can later shrink, encouraging leakage and decay. Some of these (composite) fillings contain bisphenol-A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA), which has been observed to leak in small doses that cause white blood cell damage and which could have a hormone-mimicking effect in the body. In 2012, the New England Children’s Amalgam Trial found that children who received composite fillings containing bis-GMA had worse behaviour outcomes than those who received non-bis-GMA materials. Composite fillings can also contain potentially carcinogenic crystalline silica, and sometimes have fluoride added. When it comes to requesting composite fillings that are free from all three of these chemicals, holistic dentists are more likely to be helpful. As nearly every holistic dentist avoids using amalgams, he or she may have undergone extra training in the use of composite materials. A good dentist will apply larger composites in increments, and cure the material properly at each stage. OTHER FILLING MATERIAL Further options for fillings include: Glass ionomer cement. This type sees limited use because it is vulnerable to cracking, and is not recommended for biting surfaces. A minimum of tooth is removed, but many fillings of this type are designed to release fluoride. Gold. Very expensive and durable, these are commonly alloyed with silver and copper, and come with traces of chromium, nickel, platinum and palladium. This last material is associated with toxicity symptoms. Porcelain. Again very expensive, these are reported to contain low levels of cobalt, barium and cadmium heavy metals, and traces of a range of other chemical nasties including solvents. Some holistic dentists check their patients’ biocompatibility with a range of materials using electro-dermal screening, applied kinesiology, or allergy tests. Metals are often deliberately avoided because they can create low-level electrical currents in the mouth, with metal alloys functioning like miniature batteries. CHEMICAL-FREE BRUSHING Most toothpaste on the shelves contains fluoride in the form of sodium monofluorophosphate, or the more toxic 26 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
sodium fluoride. Despite being advocated by most dentists, fluoride has been linked to a number of health conditions including dental fluorosis, osteoporosis, thyroid dysfunction, lowered IQ, and compromised immunity. One reason for having a dental crown, a very expensive procedure, is severe dental fluorosis caused by drinking fluoridated water; this can be avoided via a limited number of filtration methods including reverse osmosis. Fluoride therapy involves the topical application of fluoride gel to the teeth so that it forms a surface layer, which in the view of mainstream dentistry strengthens the teeth and inhibits decay. As with amalgams, this procedure is avoided by nearly all holistic dentists. Other chemicals commonly found in toothpaste include sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium saccharin, triclosan, PVM/MA copolymer, and FD&C and D&C synthetic colours. A good tip is to avoid brands of toothpaste that lack a full ingredients list. TOOTHPASTE ALTERNATIVES As a very cheap chemical-free toothpaste alternative, some people opt for sodium bicarbonate (baking soda.) This alkalises the mouth, but its abrasive qualities may slowly wear away at tooth enamel. When mixed with coconut oil, itself alkaline and antibacterial, this excess abrasion problem is avoided. Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute with marked tooth protection properties, and brushing with it is widely encouraged. OCTOBER 2013
Studies have found that people tend to report an improvement in various health conditions following amalgam removal HOLISTIC PREVENTION In the world of dental health, prevention is far superior to cure. Some measures are obvious, such as brushing twice a day with a soft brush that avoids eroding minerals from the teeth and damaging gums. Remember to floss on a daily basis, rubbing against the teeth or either side of the gap in remove food particles. Another useful step is to have regular mouthwashes with salt (antibacterial) or sodium bicarbonate (alkalising.) A similar Ayurvedic practice is known as “oil pulling�, where first thing in the morning a cold-pressed vegetable oil is swished around in the mouth for about twenty minutes before being spat out. This is very effective at detoxing the mouth from bacteria and other nasties. When looking at diet, sugary foods are an obvious no-no. Decay-causing bacteria thrive in an acid environment,
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and so following an alkaline-forming diet is ideal. Avoid eating or snacking shortly before going to bed. Saliva fights tooth decay, and is boosted via hydration while dehydration encourages bacterial action. Minerals are very beneficial for the teeth, especially calcium, phosphorus, sodium and silica. The role of Vitamin D is preventing tooth decay is being increasingly recognised, so remember to get enough sunlight or take a supplement. In the early 20th century, the American dentist Weston Price visited indigenous peoples subsisting on their highly nutritious traditional diets, and found that tooth decay was virtually unknown. The closest modern equivalent is the paleo diet, which features meats, fish, fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts and healthy oils. An intriguing and controversial proposition is the idea that tooth decay can be reversed naturally. Heresy to
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Ayurvedic ‘oil pulling’: coldpressed vegetable oil is swished around in the mouth for about 20 minutes before being spat out
RESOURCES: Australians for Mercury Free Dentistry www.mercuryfreedentistry.com.au Safe removal of amalgam fillings www.iaomt.org/safe-removal-amalgam-fillings MELISA Medica Foundation (allergy test and biocompatibility resources) www.melisa.org 28 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
the dental profession, this derives from the work of Weston Price and has been expanded in Ramiel Nagel’s book Cure Tooth Decay. Many people are sharing stories online of how through diet they were able to rebuild tooth enamel, and even the dentine layer underneath. With food suggestions similar to the paleo diet, the key supplements here are cod liver oil, magnesium, and gelatine. THE X-RAY DILEMMA Dental x-rays require exposure to ionising radiation, and are a case of monitoring tooth threats at the expense of a low-level risk to one’s health. Fortunately exposure can be reduced via a few strategies. New digital x-rays are significantly lower-radiation than the older technology, so ensure that your dentist has modern equipment. Say no to excessive x-rays; a recommended interval for screening is once every eighteen months to three years, depending on how cavity-prone you are. Always ask for a lead neck guard and body apron to shield as much of your body as possible. In theory, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging could be used as x-ray alternatives, but in practice neither of these seems to be available. ROOT CANAL CONCERNS Sometimes tooth decay can reach a point where the only options left are extraction, or root canal work where the damaged or infected pulp is removed and replaced with a filling material
such as the natural polymer guttapercha. The attraction is in retaining the function of the tooth rather than having a gap, or obtaining a partial denture. Root canals are the only medical procedure that involves leaving a dead object in the body, and are avoided by some holistic dentists. Downsides include the expense, and the risk of chronic degenerative diseases down the track due to the presence of toxic anaerobic bacteria that can affect the organs. Some research has uncovered very strong links between root canals and cancer. Conversely, having root canal-filled teeth removed has been known to quickly reverse major health conditions. When having teeth extracted, health commentator Dr Joseph Mercola recommends also removing the periodontal ligament because it can be a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria. DENTURES, BRIDGES, IMPLANTS For these tooth substitutes, a key issue relates to the use of metal, with many holistic clients looking for metalfree options. A pink-coloured denture is likely to contain toxic cadmium. Biocompatibility testing and minimising chemical exposures are highly recommended. Another option, the dental implant, involves drilling into the jawbone with a screw. For the four per cent of the population who are allergic to titanium, this type of metal implant can aggravate or even cause autoimmune diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Fortunately, fewer people are sensitive to the non-metallic ceramic/ zirconia implants. But for implants in general, trapped anaerobic bacteria is a concern. One take-away message regarding your teeth is that passively following the default option might not be a good idea. Exploring and researching the available options definitely is. Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW). DISCLAIMER: This article is written for information purposes only, and the author has no specific dental training. If you have concerns about your teeth, please discuss them with your dentist. OCTOBER 2013
Health & Wellbeing
From Asthma to Anxiety, Buteyko Breathing can help Buteyko Breathing first emerged in the 1950s when a Russian doctor, Konstantin Buteyko developed a breathing technique that helped reduce high blood pressure, as well as a variety of conditions including asthma and anxiety. The premise of the technique is that many conditions are the result of “overbreathing”, or chronic hyperventilation. At odds with the view that taking big deep breaths of air is “good” breathing, Buteyko’s approach was to minimise air intake, reducing and calming the breath towards normal. This is not so different from the ancient practices of yogic pranayama or Hatha yoga breathing, which after much training makes it is possible to breathe one breath per minute for the duration of one hour. Buteyko concluded that in certain health conditions there was a need to increase carbon dioxide levels in the body. Although carbon dioxide is viewed as a “waste” gas, it is vital for life. While it is true that we breathe to get rid of excess carbon dioxide, it is also important that we retain a quotient of this gas. Depending on our genetic predisposition, the habit of breathing too much causes a reduced concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood, resulting in narrowing of the airways and blood vessels. Conversely, a slight rise in carbon dioxide towards normal has several beneficial effects in the body including relaxing smooth muscle, increasing oxygenation, relaxing nervous the system, and increasing nitric oxide production. SMOOTH MUSCLE Smooth muscle surrounds and lines all hollow structures in the body, including the airways, blood vessels, bowel, bladder and uterus. A slight increase in carbon dioxide serves to relax smooth muscle. In the case of smooth muscle lining the blood vessels, this will dilate or widen the arteries, OCTOBER 2013
improving circulation and helping lower blood pressure, and the effect on the blood vessels in the head will reduce the incidence of headaches. For the respiratory system, relaxation of the bronchi and smaller airways, bronchioles, will improve airflow and markedly reduce airway spasms associated with asthma. In the case of the bowel wall, relaxed smooth muscle means relief from symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, constipation and reflux. A study on people with asthma reported in the Medical Journal of Australia showed that after three months people using the Buteyko technique had decreased their need for
ARE YOU OVERBREATHING? If you regularly experience any of the following, you are overbreathing. Breathe through the mouth; Sigh regularly; Snoring; Wheezing; Coughing; Yawning; Sniffing; Holding your breath (apnoea) during day, or sleep apnoea; Taking large breaths before talking; Heavy breathing at night; and Hearing your breath during rest. Why use Buteyko Breathing? Buteyko Breathing is useful for: Asthma; Snoring; Sleep apnoea (stopping breathing through the night); Breathlessness; Tightness in the chest; Stress; Poor concentration; Fatigue; Insomnia; Fibromyalgia; Constipation; IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome); Muscle cramps; Sinusitis; Anxiety; Impotence; Pins and needles; and Headaches. CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 29
reliever medication by 90 per cent and use of inhaled corticosteroids by 49 per cent. Buteyko breathing can have remarkable effects on a variety of conditions and may prevent a host of others. OXYGEN INCREASE It may seem odd to say higher carbon dioxide levels will increase oxygenation in the body. However it is true. Danish professor of physiology Christian Bohr found out how this works in 1904, and the Bohr effect is named in his honour. As air is inhaled into the lungs, oxygen crosses over the alveolar membrane. Oxygen travels around by “sticking’ to haemoglobin molecules, themselves attached to red blood cells. An increase in carbon dioxide “tells” haemoglobin to let go of the oxygen molecules, encouraging the oxygen cargo to be delivered to the organs and tissues where it is most needed. The Bohr effect proves that a slight increase in carbon dioxide levels will increase oxygenation throughout the body: oxygen needed for muscles to work, energy to be produced, and the brain to function at optimum efficiency REST AND RELAX The Autonomic nervous system is comprised of two parts, the
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) fuelled by adrenaline and known as the ‘fight and flight’ response, and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), which has the opposite effect and has been coined the “rest and digest” response. Most people today have an overabundance of “fight and flight” hormone, caused by the many stresses of modern life. Increasing carbon dioxide levels helps dampen down the SNS response and switches on the PNS. This makes Buteyko breathing perfect for anyone who feels stressed and anxious. In the “old days” a person experiencing a panic attack was advised to breathe into a paper bag. What did this do? Increase carbon dioxide levels, switch on the PNS, and switch off the SNS. DOCTOR NO Nitric Oxide (NO) is a naturally produced gas that medical scientists want to capture into saleable capsules as it has so many health benefits. At a cellular level, NO works as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, helping prevention heart disease, cancer and diabetes. NO improves the immune response and increases blood and oxygen flow throughout the body, including the brain. Large amounts of NO are produced at the time of sexual
climax. Increased carbon dioxide increases natural NO production, so bring on “Doctor NO”. The breathing exercises taught in Buteyko Breathing courses have one goal: to decrease breathing volume towards normal, thereby increasing carbon dioxide levels towards normal. Reduced breathing volume does not decrease oxygen levels: in fact it’s the reverse. Individuals who breathe heavily, with noticeable breathing during rest, or whom mouth breathe or sigh regularly are usually more tired and stressed, and are not as healthy as their nasal and quiet-breathing peers. BUTEYKO ‘BOOT CAMPS’ Each Buteyko school and teacher uses his or her own set of preferred exercises. These are aimed at retraining the brain to accept correct carbon dioxide levels, if overbreathing is the problem. Buteyko courses are like breathing “boot camps”, with homework and daily practice to improve breathing technique. In most cases, when the brain has been reset to accept the correct levels of carbon dioxide and symptoms have improved, it is not necessary to practice any special breathing exercises. Enrolling in a Buteyko course will give the best results, but here are three
Buteyko Breathing resets the brain to accept the correct levels of carbon dioxide 30 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
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your nose for a further 10 seconds. Repeat the process for 4 minutes. (b) Signs that your Parasympathetic nervous system has been switched on, and your brain is re-learning to accept slightly higher carbon dioxide levels include one or more of the following; increased saliva, glassy or moist eyes, slight flushing of the skin, feeling warmer (especially hands and feet), a sensation of calm and relaxation. (c) Small breath holds can be done at night if you have trouble sleeping, whenever you have some time on your hands (such as when you are on the phone to a Telco). You don’t need to close your eyes, so it can be done while watching TV or traveling to work in a bus or train. And if you feel it’s too weird to hold your nose in public, just hold your breath for a count of 5 instead.
simple suggestions that help restore better breathing habits and reduce symptoms of overbreathing. 1. Always breathe through your nose. You were given a nose for a very good reason, to breathe. Mouth breathing is the biggest cause of overbreathing, and quite unattractive. Other reasons for nose breathing include: (a) Filtering. Breathing through the nose filters bacteria, dust and pollens allowing them to be eliminated via mucous membranes. (b) Heating and hydration. Air entering the nostrils at 6C will – as it travels through the turbinates – be heated to a cosy 30C and up to the body temperature of 37C by the time it enters the lungs. Air is also moistened along the way. Cold, dry air is a common trigger for sinusitis and asthma. (c) Volume. The nostrils offer a smaller surface area than an open mouth, reducing the volume of air. OCTOBER 2013
So throughout your day, remain aware of your breathing, and always try to breathe through your nose. You will find nose breathing easier to do if you place your tongue at the roof of your mouth, with three quarters of your tongue resting on the upper palate, and the tip nestled just behind the front teeth. 2. Small Breath Holds Small Breath Holds is a simple exercise to help you increase your carbon dioxide levels, and is incredibly calming and safe for all. It is usually done in 4-minute intervals, but can be conducted for a longer period of time, as often as you like. (a) Sit comfortably, with your back straight and both feet resting on the ground. Close your eyes. With your mouth closed, take a small breath in and a small breath out. Gently hold your nose closed with thumb and forefinger for 5 seconds. Release your grip, and continue breathing gently through
3. Taping up One of the more controversial Buteyko techniques is taping your mouth shut at night. When you sleep you have no control over the way you breathe. During sleep, snoring and mouth breathing is common and will undo much of the good work you have achieved by nose breathing throughout the day. Paper tape, which is kind to the skin, can be bought at any pharmacy. (a) Cut a strip of surgical tape 12 to 14cm long, 2.3cm (1inch) wide. Fold a tab over at each end to ensure easy removal. Say your goodnights, then tuck both lips inwards and apply the tape. The taping up reduces snoring and mouth breathing and sleep becomes deep and untroubled. (b) Alternatively, if taping up while sleeping worries you, take some time during the evening to tape up while reading or watching TV. Mim Beim is a naturopath and she has written 9 books, her most recent being Mim Beim’s Natural Remedies and has helped create two TV series on Foxtel (Lifeforce), as well as appearing on many TV shows including Channel Nine’s Fresh. www.buteykobreathing.com.au
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Health & Wellbeing
Focus on Family Health Using Natural Therapies
By STUART MORICK, Bachelor Health Science (Naturopathy), Member ANTA & AHA
A
s a Naturopath, I work regularly with families. Although they seek help for many and varied conditions, there are a number of common conditions or concerns that present regularly and may be assisted by natural therapies.
European researchers determined that parents who suck their baby’s dummy to clean it reduce the likelihood of allergy development…
ALLERGIES, FOOD INTOLERANCES We can become allergic to particles in the air, substances that contact our skin or food we eat. Symptoms may be associated with the eyes, nose, sinuses, ears, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, skin or joints. Allergies can make life a misery, particularly for young children. For them, it can all seem completely unfair – especially when all the other kids can seemingly have and do whatever they want. Allergies can have a range of causes. Essentially, they are thought be an inappropriate immune system response to substances the body normally regards as safe. Behind this may be an underlying imbalance in the body’s white blood cell production. From a natural medicine point of view, we attempt to establish balance in the white blood cell population and then desensitise the body to whatever was causing the reaction. Food intolerances involve a different group of molecules to the immune system and may respond to naturopathic treatment. A severe allergic reaction
32 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
(anaphylaxis) is a life threatening medical emergency and must be treated with the appropriate medicines (such as an Epipen®). Hospitalisation may also be necessary. OPTIMISING GUT BACTERIA Some scientific studies have shown that keeping the balance of good bacteria in the gut at optimum levels may have a beneficial effect on reducing allergic symptoms. If you are non-reactive to foods that offer a natural source of probiotics – such as yoghurt, buttermilk, sauerkraut, dill pickles or kim-chee – it may be beneficial to add them to your diet. Interestingly, in an article published in the May 2013 edition of Paediatrics journal, European researchers determined that parents who suck their baby’s dummy to clean it reduce the likelihood of allergy development because the microbes in their saliva have a positive effect on the infant’s immune system. PREGNANCY HEALTH CONCERNS This is an amazing time for both partners. The growth
and development of the infant, delivery and then breastfeeding are all part of this life-changing experience. Health concerns may present throughout pregnancy. Mothers-to-be may suffer from muscular aches and pains, reflux, high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia/eclampsia), low iron (anaemia) and gestational diabetes, or other issues associated with birthing and breastfeeding. The muscular aches and pains of pregnancy are often caused by the added weight the growing foetus places on the mother’s frame. Massaging targeted areas of pain, such as the lower back, hips or legs, may provide much-needed relief. Using magnesium oil for massage may be beneficial, since the mother’s own magnesium stores may be depleted by the demands of the growing foetus. Reflux may be caused by nutritional deficiencies as well as the mass of the growing child pressing on the stomach. Unfortunately, little can be done about the latter, but nutritional deficiencies can be fairly easily addressed. OCTOBER 2013
B-group vitamins and iron may be required to restore stomach acid balance, and digestives such as horseradish, mustard or freshly ground pepper may help the digestive process. Peppermint tea, several cups per day, may also be worth trying. Some also find that three to four cups daily of mint tea (one teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint to one cup of boiling water with a pinch of either powdered or finely grated fresh ginger) is helpful. Pre-eclampsia may respond to an increase in magnesium intake combined with careful doses of mercury-free fish oil. Eclampsia, however, is a lifethreatening medical emergency and hospital-based care is vital. Low iron issues can be tricky to resolve. In my experience, not all iron supplements have the same effect on every pregnancy. As such, it may be necessary to work with several different supplements to find the one that avoids constipation and is most effective at returning iron levels to an acceptable level. GESTATIONAL DIABETES Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when high levels of glucose are observed in the blood because the body is having trouble metabolising it. It can occur anywhere between late in the second trimester and early in the third and there may be a myriad of underlying causes. A simple option worth trying is to reduce dietary carbohydrates (which are metabolised into glucose) and increase physical activity (which helps the body “burn” glucose). There may be other more complex scenarios, such as how well the liver and pancreas are working together, whether the body is producing adequate enzymes and if there is any influence from toxin accumulation. These issues require an individualized treatment response. OCTOBER 2013
Acupuncture may be very beneficial for birth, particularly to help induce labour. Raspberry leaf is popular to help improve the quality of contractions and up to three cups of raspberry leaf tea can safely be drunk daily throughout pregnancy. Many birthing issues may be improved or alleviated with homoeopathics, which do not interact with standard modern pharmaceuticals. A useful course of action could be to pack a homoeopathic birthing kit as part of your labour preparations. Wherever possible, try to relax and breathe, breathe, breathe. Many women say that focusing on their own breath was the most effective pain relief of all. Breastfeeding issues may respond well to herbs and homoeopathy. To increase milk flow, make a tea out of goat’s rue, fennel, fenugreek, horsetail, shatavari and chaste tree berries. Blend them in equal parts and drink up to three cups daily. CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOURAL ISSUES Many parents who visit me are frustrated and exhausted by ongoing behavioural issues exhibited by a child or children. Because there may be a lot of complexity behind behavioural concerns, I look for key influences, including diet, sleep cycles, stress, exercise and play habits, as well as levels and types of regular stimulation. Equally important are a history of the pregnancy, family health history (back several generations), the child’s own health and prescription history, and even vaccination history. Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are becoming increasingly common and require specific, individualised attention. However, a number of effective natural interventions may prove helpful.
The good news is that behavioural issues may respond well to nutritional and homoeopathic treatment. Getting your child’s nutritional balance correct is important, because vitamins and minerals are needed in adequate levels and appropriate ratios for the body and brain to function most effectively. Clinical testing may be necessary to determine the child’s nutritional status, toxic load and protein metabolism. Determining whether any allergies are present is also wise. FOOD AND SYMPTOM DIARY Most parents notice an improvement if they take their child off of the usual food allergens such as dairy, soy, sugars and refined carbohydrates and gluten sources (not just wheat). It’s usually worth trying this, and your Naturopath can show you how to use a Food and Symptom Diary, which can highlight foods that may be affecting your child. This can be used to refine a diet specific to your child’s needs. The incorporation of a Child Psychologist into the treatment mix is highly recommended. Many parents have reported that this has helped them develop strategies to modify their child’s behaviour. As parents, they were able to cope better with this challenging situation, which resulted in improving the whole family’s quality of life. There are a great many herbal and homoeopathic remedies traditionally used to help the body to cope with many conditions faced regularly by families. You may find it beneficial to have an appointment with a qualified Naturopath in order to determine the safest options for you to improve your family’s health. FURTHER INFORMATION: www.purehealthandwellness.com.au Tel 08 9378 2774
Many birthing issues may be improved or alleviated with homoeopathics, which do not interact with standard modern pharmaceuticals
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Eco Living
GREEN COOKWARE By MARTIN OLIVER
You’re short of pots AND pans and need to buy some more. And is your greenest option: new or second hand? Which are the most energy efficient, and which might emit risky chemicals? Finally, which would be the most durable? Some of the answers may surprise you. If buying second hand, check that the pot comes with a lid, as there is no point in wasting energy every time you use it. Also the bottom should be completely flat, with no noticeable bumps. Any wobble while resting on a flat surface means some part will not be in direct contact with a flat electric hotplate, and heat will be inefficiently transmitted across the air gap. One reason for buying new is that energy savings are liable to outweigh the embodied energy of the product, assuming it will have a long and active life. Among the metals commonly used in cookware are aluminium (embodied energy 155 Megajoules per kilo), stainless steel (57 MJ/kg), copper (42 MJ/kg), and cast iron (25 MJ/kg.) Copper is the best heat conductor, followed in order by aluminium, iron, steel and glass.
Also, it is not recommended for people with the iron overload condition called haemochromatosis. Aluminium is a neurotoxin with no nutritional benefit. Considered safe in small doses by most authorities, it does however interact synergistically with some other toxins, and the wisest approach would be to keep exposure down to a minimum. Modern aluminium pans are generally anodised, which reduces the level of leaching.
COPPER TOXICITY Pure copper cookware contributes copper to the diet, NICKEL ALLERGIES but at excess levels copper toxicity can cause health and Because of its low conductivity, stainless steel is a poor psychological issues. On balance it is probably safest to choice. However, where steel is combined with a copper or avoid. The leaching of copper and aluminium is considerably aluminium base, its energy performance improves signifiraised when pans and worn and pitted, and when cooking cantly, and heat is evenly spread. Stainless steel is alloyed acidic foods, such as rhubarb, other fruit or tomatoes. with chromium, contributing to the necessary daily intake of A trendy new kid on the block is titanium, a metal with a this mineral. Another metal in the alloy is nickel, so people mix of disadvantages and benefits. It has an extremely high, with nickel allergies need to look elsewhere. embodied energy (360-745 MJ/kg), but has a very poor heat The major draw for cast iron is its durability, transfer. This is usually offset by the thin base, with pans lasting for generations if looked after The major draw which is another disadvantage, as it increases well. Once seasoned, they are naturally nonfor cast iron is its the risk of hot spots. Titanium is generally nonstick. Small quantities of iron get into the food, stick, lightweight, and damage-resistant. durability, with boosting the body’s iron levels. Frequently used Glass and ceramic retain heat better than pans lasting for metal, and are ideal for ovens, enabling the for frying pans, stovetop pans are also available. The big downside for cast iron is its heaviness. generations… thermostat to be turned down by 15 degrees 34 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
Temperatures at which toxic gases are released can easily be reached during normal cooking Celsius. While some ceramic and glass ranges are suitable for stovetop use, they are poor heat conductors. LEAD AND CADMIUM Unfortunately, some ceramic cookware (and ceramic dinner plates) has been found to leach lead and cadmium from the glaze, with products made in China the worst culprits. An example of a ceramic non-stick product range with a reputation for safety is Neoflam, made by a company in South Korea. Unlike pure ceramic cookware, Neoflam is made using six different layers, including aluminium. However, in 2012 the Israeli consumer protection TV show Kolbotek claimed that testing had revealed the risk of lead and cadmium being leached by a number of companies’ products, including Neoflam, if they were scratched. These claims were vigorously disputed by Neoflam, which launched a lawsuit. A further controversy surrounds the conventional type of non-stick pan. Favoured for their ease of cleaning, these have the downside of frequently going in the garbage if the coating starts flaking off. In addition, the non-stick coating is typically made with the per fluorinated chemicals PTFE and PFOA. ‘POLYMER FUME FLU’ Cooking at high temperatures using a hot non-stick pan can result in what is called “polymer fume flu”, characterised by chills, headache, fever, and nausea. Risks from non-stick OCTOBER 2013
cookware can be minimised by keeping the heat down as low as possible, but the safest avenue would be to use something else. Perhaps surprisingly, the high temperatures at which toxic gases are released can easily be reached during normal cooking: scientific studies indicate that out gassing begins below 200 degrees Celsius. By 360 degrees Celsius, at least six toxic gases are released, including tiny particles of PFOA. This is found in the blood of 98 per cent of Americans, and is damaging to the thyroid. It is also a likely human carcinogen. The use of PFOA is being slowly phased out for safety reasons. WATERLESS COOKING An American range called 360 Cookware is made with stainless steel, aluminium and alloy layers, with only the steel coming into contact with the food. It is claimed to operate using waterless vapour technology, where the food is cooked in its own juices, and energy savings quoted by the company range from 50 to 85 per cent. On the downside, the products are expensive, especially if shipping costs to Australia are taken into account. Also highly efficient are pressure cookers, which cook at a higher temperature and pressure, and cut energy use by an estimated 50 to 75 per cent while speeding up the cooking process. Stainless steel is a safer option than aluminium. Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW). CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 35
Eco Living
CLOTH VERSUS DISPOSABLE NAPPIES A cloth nappy is far better for the environment, the health of babies and our financial health, when compared with single use disposable nappies. By SUSAN PARRY, director of Nifty Naps
Modern Cloth Nappies are predominately made of bamboo. They may also contain polyester, and the waterproof layer will be Polyurethane Laminate. They will have elastic for the leg and waist and plastic snaps for ease of closing. BREATHABLE FILM Modern Cloth Nappies do not contain PVC, which has been found to be highly toxic to the environment and human health. Instead, some Modern Cloth Nappies use Polyurethane Laminate (PUL) for the waterproof layer. This is usually a polyester cloth sprayed with a film of a plastic laminate. The film is breathable, which is better for the health of our babies, when compared with the plastic and other synthetic material used in disposables. Another alternative is to use cloth nappies that do not have a waterproof layer. The greenest way is to not use any nappies, which is known as “elimination communication”. Disposable nappies are made of many components, including: Polyethylene, Sodium Polyacrylate (SAP). SAP was removed from tampons because it was linked to toxic-shock syndrome. By-products of components in a disposable nappy, such as dioxins, have been linked to carcinogens. Modern Cloth Nappies that have a PUL layer are much better for the 36 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
A “green” detergent and the bleaching properties of the sun are all that you need to clean Modern Cloth Nappies. environment because they do not contain the many synthetic components found in one single use disposable nappy. Modern Cloth Nappies can be used many times, until they fall apart. When this happens, the PUL layer will also fall apart. However, the bamboo layer will still be usable as a cleaning cloth. LANDFILL PROBLEM Single use disposable nappies end up in landfill. It is estimated that they take 500 years to break down in optimal conditions. It is also estimated that one child will need 6000 nappy changes on average before toilet training. If every child born in Australia in one year were to use disposables, by the time they’ve been toilet trained their nappies will have filled 266 Olympic size swimming pools. A common misconception about Modern Cloth Nappies is that they use a lot of water, so must be bad for the environment. Yes, household water consumption does increase. But the resources used to manufacture disposable single-use nappies, as well as the energy required for their disposal, far exceed the manufacturing and disposal demands of Modern Cloth Nappies.
Another misconception about Modern Cloth Nappies is that bleach must be used when they are laundered. The only bleach required is natural bleach from the sun. Laundry bleach is bad for the environment and breaks down fabric, so it would shorten the life of a cloth nappy. A “green” detergent and the bleaching properties of the sun are all that you need to clean Modern Cloth Nappies. You can even use biodegradable liners that can be flushed down the sewerage system. Faecal matter does not end up in landfill, where it could adversely affect human health. RESPONSIBLE OPTION Using Modern Cloth Nappies ensures no hidden chemical is affecting your baby’s skin. This is great for babies with sensitive skin, or for parents who prefer the more natural and ecologically responsible option. Money saved is another great incentive for using Modern Cloth Nappies. A single-use disposable nappy costs .50cents, or $3000 per child. Modern Cloth Nappies can cost as little as $500 to set up, and can be used and re-used many times. Modern Cloth Nappies are easy to use, functional, highly absorbent and cute.
For more information visit: www.niftynaps.com.au OCTOBER 2013
Eco Living
Hero of the trees Jadav Payeng’s tribute to nature
A middle-aged man, Jadav Payeng lives with his family near Jorhat in the state of Assam, on a sandbar located on a tributary of the Brahmaputra River. Payeng’s tree planting project began in 1979, when devastating floods washed water snakes onto a sandbar near his home, and he saw how reptiles perished in the fierce heat. This upsetting and formative experience brought home to him the importance of tree cover. It was the motivation behind his heroic tribute to nature. As a teenager, he joined a forestry program that involved planting out trees on 200 hectares of land a short distance from his present home. When the other participants dispersed after three years, Payeng settled in the area and began his life’s work of planting, one that has sometimes been described as an obsession. RED ANTS AERATE THE SOIL In the early stages, he approached the local forestry department for advice, and was told that only bamboo would grow on the sandbar. This was grown in the initial stages, before his afforestation efforts switched to trees. He introduced red ants into the area to aerate the soil, and cow manure to fertilise it. All of this work occurred under the radar, without any support or subsidies, until 2008, when a group of forestry officials tracked a herd of elephants into the forest after it had damaged the nearby village of Aruna Chapori. Since then, they have shown an active interest in Payeng’s forest and its conservation. The elephant herd numbers about 115, and visits the forest for about six OCTOBER 2013
All of this work occurred under the radar, without any support or subsidies, until 2008, when a group of forestry officials tracked a herd of elephants into the forest after it had damaged the nearby village of Aruna Chapori. months every year. In recent times, about 10 elephant calves have been born there. Unfortunately the elephant presence has also brought some problems. Following the 2008 incident, angry villagers took revenge by destroying about 10 per cent of the forest. On the upside, Aruna Chapori has grown in size as settlers are attracted by land that has been made fertile by the nearby presence of the forest. DE FACTO NATURE RESERVE As well as the elephant herd, among the animals that call the forest home are seven Bengal tigers, three Indian rhinoceroses, more than 100 deer,
apes, and a wide variety of birds. Both the rhinos and tigers are rare species, and the forest has become a de facto nature reserve. Payeng belongs to a tribe called Mishing, and lives with his wife and three children in a small bamboo house with no electricity or water, which is elevated to protect then against the constant risk of flooding. He is a hard worker who gets up every morning at 3.30am, and generates income from sales of milk from his herd of 50 cattle and buffalo. His forest creation, which is starting to attract tourists and film-makers, has been named Mulai Kathoni (Mulai’s Forest), after his nickname. His current plan is to further extend his planting work to nearby Majuli, the world’s largest river island, and to other parts of India. Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW). CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 37
Eco Living
SPIRITUALITY AND
SUSTAINABILITY By Satish Kumar, editor-in-chief of Resurgence & Ecologist e.magazine
In my view, Spirituality and Sustainability are two wings of the same movement. I also believe fear may be a driving force behind some sustainability, environmental care and green movements. I want to be part of a movement driven by love. Nuclear weapons? If there were a moral compass, a spiritual compass, there would be no such misuse of science 38 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
The most wonderful thing about nature is that it inspires love. When I see flowers blossoming, fruit ripening, the wonderful birds in the sky, the trees and forests and animals on the land, I am filled with wonder and love. I made a film for the BBC’s Natural World series called Earth Pilgrim, which was based on Dartmoor, one of England’s most beautiful wild spots. While making this film, I was infused with love of the Earth, animals, plants, flowers, butterflies, bees and 8.7 million other species. My hope is that environmental movements become inspired by spirituality and love, and move away from the negative motivator of fear. OCTOBER 2013
SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY There is now a strong scientific case for confirming global warming, the demise of biodiversity, and many other environmental problems. Einstein said that science without spirituality is blind, and spirituality without science is lame. So we need science and spirituality together. If we have science with no spirituality, then we will end up with the kind of world we have today. How could a scientist invent nuclear weapons? If there were a moral compass, a spiritual compass, there would be no such misuse of science. But if you have only faith and no science, it can be blind faith. And it can lead to dangerous fundamentalism, whether it’s Islamic fundamentalism, Hindu fundamentalism, Christian fundamentalism, or any other fundamentalism. Blind faith is blind! So we need science and we need spirituality together. The environmental movement at this moment is largely subscribing to scientific views, to empirical views. But an empirical view of environmental problems is not enough. We need spiritual values and vision, and a positive inspiration behind the green movement. Global warming or no global warming, what kind of life do we want to live on Earth? Why has one single issue of global warming hijacked the entire environmental movement? I support campaigning to stop global warming, but I do not support the scientific view that we can stop global warming with nuclear energy, or some other technological fix. What kind of lives do we want to live? What is the proper relationship between humans and the natural world? Spiritual and philosophical understandings of sustainability help us to see the bigger picture rather than any narrow single-issue obsession, be it global warming, population explosion, the demise of biodiversity, or something else. THE ECONOMY-ECOLOGY DISCONNECT One particular place in which a bigger picture needs to be seen is in the disconnection between economy and ecology. Not long ago I was invited to speak at the London School of Economics. During my speech I explained the meaning of the words economy and ecology. The words ecology and economy are made from three Greek words: oikos, logos and nomos. Oikos means home. The great wisdom of the Greek philosophers was that the entire planet is our home, not just the place where we have our bedroom, bathroom, living room, and so on. Therefore, oikos means Earth home, and home means a place of relationships. The word logos means knowledge. Thus oikos and logos put together formulate the word ecology, which means knowledge of the home and all its relationships and OCTOBER 2013
When we have reverential ecology and a deep respect for nature there will be an abundance of gifts from nature
activities. The birds flying in the sky are our relations, brothers and sisters, as St Francis believed. He was the first great ecologist, a patron saint of ecology. Then nomos means management. Thus oikos and nomos put together means management of our planet, our Earth home and all its relationships. Thousands upon thousands of half-educated graduates are being sent around the world to manage a household of which they have no knowledge. No wonder the world economy is in a mess. What do you expect if you have halfeducated people, albeit highly half-educated. They are like half-baked bread. If you eat half-baked bread, what do you get? So our world economy is suffering from indigestion. WE BELONG TO NATURE That is the result of disconnection between ecology and economy. We need to understand that human beings are as much a part of nature as the nature out there. Nature is not just the trees, the rivers, the birds, the forests, and the mountains: we are nature too. When a mother is pregnant, she goes for prenatal checks. The words natal, native, nature, nativity are all related. So nativity and nature come from the same Latin root (natura) implying birth. How can we say we are not nature and nature is only “out there”? That is the disconnection. Nature does not belong to us. We belong to nature. If we reconnect with nature then there is no dualism, there is no separation, and there is no superiority of human beings. We humans, at this time, behave like an imperial power. We do whatever we like because we consider ourselves the rulers of the natural world. THE PRINCIPLE OF AHIMSA Ahimsa is compassion and kindness to all living beings, what Albert Schweitzer called “reverence for all life”. We
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 39
My own ecology, my environmentalism and love of Earth began when I walked from India on an 8000-mile journey
have lost that reverence. I want to establish what I would call reverential ecology, which goes further than deep ecology. Reverential ecology cultivates deep reverence for all life. The moment we have that reverential ecology and a deep respect for nature, then there will be an abundance of gifts from nature. We can receive the gifts of nature with gratitude and celebrate nature; we can enjoy the gifts of nature. I’m an orchard keeper, I have15 apple trees and I make juice every week. Fresh apple juice is like nectar. If you have not tasted real, fresh apple juice you are missing something truly wonderful. All those apples from just one of my trees come from one small apple seed. What a miracle: in that tiny seed, thousands upon thousands of apples are hidden. This is the abundance of nature.
I was 25 years old and sitting with a friend in a café in Bangalore. Reading the newspaper report about Russell, I commented: “The 90-year-old philosopher Bertrand Russell is in jail because he is protesting against the bomb. Let’s do something!” Then and there, inspired by Russell, my friend and I said: “Let us go to the four nuclear capitals of the world, Moscow, Paris, London, and Washington DC, and protest against the bomb and for peace.” We walked through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Eastern and Western Europe, America and
FRAGILE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM No such natural flow of gifts can come from our industrial civilization. Just look at how the world is struggling to overcome the global financial crisis. We are in turmoil: such a fragile system and nobody knows how to solve this problem. G20, European Union, World Bank, IMF – they are all completely incompetent! They do not know how to solve the problem of the economy, because if you disconnect from ecology, economy becomes a problem. We confuse money with wealth, but money is not wealth. The real wealth is nature. Land, labour, capital: that was the old classic economy. They’ve forgotten the land. Now the land is just a commodity to buy, sell and invest. They’ve forgotten people too. They just think of capital, capital, and more capital! We need to understand that money is only one measure of wealth. The real wealth is nature: land, animals, water, clean air, human creativity and imagination, communities, skills. Real change will not come from high places, such as the White House. Change will come from the grass roots leaders. MY JOURNEY My own ecology, my environmentalism and my love of Earth began when I walked from India on an 8000-mile journey. I was inspired when British philosopher Bertrand Russell who, at 90 years of age, protested against nuclear weapons and went to jail. 40 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
Japan. We walked 8000 miles without money and we did it as human beings. If we had walked as Indians, we would have met Pakistanis or Russians. If we had walked as Hindus, we would have met Christians or Muslims, or Jews. If we had walked as Gandhians, we would have met Communists or Capitalists. But we walked as human beings, and so we met human beings everywhere. IDENTITY, DIVERSITY AND UNITY As humans, what is our real identity? Are we Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jain, Communist, Capitalist, Gandhian, environmentalist? All these identities are secondary. A writer, a lawyer, an accountant, a professor, a priest or vicar: all these are secondary identities. The primary identity must be that we are all human beings. Whatever our religion, politics, skill,
or colour may be, we are all children of nature. That is my spirituality and we need such spirituality if we truly want a sustainable future. Division is not the same as diversity. Diversity is a wonderful thing: biodiversity, cultural diversity, religious diversity. If you had only one colour in a garden: red roses, red roses, red roses, it would be a boring garden. In the same way, if everyone upon this planet was Christian, Christian, Christian, or Muslim, Muslim, Muslim, or capitalist, capitalist, capitalist, it would be a boring world. Each one of us has a unique voice, whatever our spiritual beliefs or language we speak. Ponder the simple wonder of diversity. Evolution favours diversity. Of course, within diversity there is the unity of life. But unity is not uniformity. Through spirituality I gained such an inclusive worldview.
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Sustainability is a spiritual matter as well as a scientific matter. The universal principle is harmony, and the knowledge of that harmony is science PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS My friend and I started our journey from the grave of Gandhi and ended it at the grave of John F Kennedy. We were making the point that if you believe in the gun, it kills not only the bad guy it also kills a Gandhi, or a Kennedy. I learnt this nature spirituality by walking the Earth, by being an Earth pilgrim, a peace pilgrim. If we live as a tourist and not as Earth pilgrims, then sustainability will always suffer, regardless of how many technological fixes we create. The tourist mind is an egotistical mind. As a tourist, you want the best hotel, the best taxi, the best museum, but whatever you get as a tourist, you are never satisfied; you always complain. Whatever is given is a gift: a gift from God, a gift from nature, a gift from the universe, or a gift from people.
The universal principle is harmony, and the knowledge of that harmony is science. Evolution, gravity, complexity, Gaia, chaos: these are wonderful scientific theories. And when you express that harmony of the universe through words, through music, through pictures, through architecture, through all kinds of works, that expression of harmony is art. The practice of harmony in your daily life, in your family life in your social life is spirituality. Spirituality is not going to church on Sunday, or the mosque on Friday, or a temple every morning. Cooking is a spiritual action; gardening is a spiritual practice. In the Buddhist tradition, even breathing is a spiritual action. Spirit in Latin means breathing: inspirare, expirare: you breathe in, you breathe out, and when you’ve stopped breathing, you’ve expired. Spirituality is something you cannot measure. Think of love. Can
you measure how much love and respect I have for you? Science can be measured. Spirituality can give you meaning. Spirituality is the essential ingredient of sustainability. The environmental movement has failed to change the direction of our society, because it has been using the same tools of empirical and scientific data which everybody in government and business use. In the environmental movement, we have allowed ourselves to be cut off from the nature we are truly part of. I know the intellectual world is full of empirical knowledge and that pure reason is guiding that world, but that is not enough. We have to proclaim that without the love of the Earth, the Earth cannot be sustained. We love the Earth and we are pilgrims of the Earth.
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OCTOBER 2013
Conscious Business and Career
Ethical Superannuation By MARTIN OLIVER
Is your money in murky waters?
Do you know precisely where your superannuation is being invested? If not, join the club. Nor DO most Australian workers, this lack of transparency plays into the hands of those who trawl murky waters in search of short-term returns.
Australia maintains an exemption that permits super fund managers to invest in cluster bomb manufacturers OCTOBER 2013
To give one example, a cluster bomb is an explosive device that fragments into a large number of “bomblets”, which are designed to maim or kill their victims, 98 per cent of whom are civilians and 27 per cent of whom are children. Despite being a signatory to an international ban on these weapons, Australia maintains an exemption that permits super fund managers to invest in cluster bomb manufacturers, such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and L-3 Communications. Taking the default option with your super can contribute to some unfortunate consequences. The alternative is to be proactive, and move it into one of the proliferating socially responsible investment (SRI) funds. The Brisbane-based ANA Friendly Society launched the Australian ethical super sector in 1993. (Today, ANA is known as Foresters Community Finance.) The ANA directed most of its investments into grassroots community groups, cooperatives and social businesses, with only the required minimum held in shares. Yielding a modest and very reliable return, the fund’s community investment strategy later fell foul of the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA), which requires all super funds to follow performance-maximising strategies. Today all SRI super funds are largely focused on the sharemarket. Most employees have the opportunity to either choose their super fund, or stick with the employer’s nominated fund. Many super investors have accounts from a string of former employers held in several different places, which increases the likelihood that their nest egg will be eaten up in fees. The
best way to take control over your super is to consolidate it all into one fund, and SRI remains a good option. Billions of dollars in lost super is floating around, and to reclaim your share of it, go to the ATO’s SuperSeeker website. COAL V GLOBAL CLIMATE Australia plans to treble its coal exports by the end of the decade, jeopardising the future of the global climate. Activist group 350 Australia has responded to this threat with a campaign of divestment away from the fossil fuel sector that focuses heavily on super funds. The Go Fossil Free website can generate a letter to be posted to your own fund. A recent survey by The Australia Institute found that about 25 per cent of super investors would be willing to switch funds to avoid investing in coal and coal seam gas mining. The only fund that screens out investment in both of these sectors is Australian Ethical Super. One of the most common SRI strategies is the negative screen. This represents a prohibition on investment in a number of specified areas that often include gambling, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, pornography, uranium mining and armaments. Sometimes these exclusions are triggered above 5 per cent or 10 per cent of turnover. In some cases, the list of screens is limited and more tokenistic; one fund states in its PDS that it may apply negative screening in several given fields without elaborating further. Positive screening involves picking companies for inclusion on the basis of performance CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 43
The 2011 figures from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia showed ethically-screened shares outperforming their mainstream counterparts…
benchmarks in areas that often include environmental sustainability, social responsibility and labour standards. Similar, but more proactive, is “impact investing”. This involves targeting areas such as clean technology, renewable energy, microfinance, sustainable agriculture, community infrastructure and community finance. Associated with a lower risk than shares, it is an area pursued by Christian Super. A third strategy is known as “best of sector”. Here, every industry sector is analysed for its top environmental and social performers, with the best getting selected. This is often questioned for lacking the ethical screening that blocks investment in dubious industry sectors. In practice, a hybrid of strategies is nearly always employed and “best of sector” is often applied in conjunction with one or two negative screens. Some other funds employ research in the ESG (environmental, social and governance) fields. More a risk-management tool than a form of SRI, it is now utilised by about 20 per cent of Australian super funds. At its best, ESG can be seen as a more sophisticated tool than screening. Cynics might dismiss it as a means by which funds can maintain a business-as-usual stance while presenting the appearance of being engaged with ethical issues. As always, be alert for greenwashing, characterised by a lack of detail to back up the motherhood statements.
risks. As APRA considers it the fiduciary duty of every fund to maximise its return for the benefit of investors, under-performance questions could be asked of every non-SRI fund in the country.
CHRISTIAN SUPER RATED Every year, the SuperRatings Infinity Award is awarded to super funds seen as having the best environmental and ethical commitment. Christian Super was the winner in 2010 and 2013. The ESG-based Local Government Super reached the Infinity Award top spot in 2011 and 2012, and was also awarded Best Green Super Fund by Money Magazine in 2012 and 2013. In Australia, there is still a widespread myth that ethical investment is unprofitable, perhaps based on the mistaken idea that making money is intrinsically a planet or society destroying activity. This is contradicted by 2011 figures from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) that show ethically-screened shares outperforming their mainstream counterparts over 1, 3, 5 and 7-year timeframes, perhaps because they are less exposed to ESG
Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW.)
44 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
PASSION BEING DILUTED Sometimes it is possible to feel that there is something important missing from the world of SRI. As it grows, its original passion is being diluted, especially among new entrants, and activism is tending to be substituted with levelheaded risk management. Negative screening lists commonly omit old growth forest logging, and exclusions for nanotechnology and GM food are close to non-existent. Australian Ethical Super, one of the few funds to provide an online list of all its holdings, targets a proportion of its investment into the health care sector, which it sees as a social positive. It would be interesting to watch the value of a segment of one’s super fund slump in proportion to the level of good health in the community; investment in preventative health is generally limited to governments. However, if we ever get jaded and conclude that SRI super is waste of time, the continuing manufacture and use of cluster bombs is a salient reminder of the need to take an ethical stance.
RESOURCES: ATO resources on choosing a super fund www.ato.gov.au/superfunds/content.aspx?doc=/ content/00105466.htm SuperSeeker www.ato.gov.au/superseeker Go Fossil Free super resources www.gofossilfree.org/super Market Forces fossil fuel divestment www.marketforces.org.au/super.html Foresters Community Finance www.foresters.org.au Responsible Investment Association Australasia www.responsibleinvestment.org Ethical Investor magazine www.ethicalinvestor.com.au OCTOBER 2013
Conscious Business and Career
A Rich Life Y
By DEBBIE SEATON, Wellness Coach and Mentor, author of A Spiritual Budget 7 Steps to Financial Freedom
ou’re the one you have been waiting for! You are so much more than you could ever dream. What do you choose for yourself? How will you achieve this? Why would you choose more abundance in your life?
Creating more abundance financially and in your personal life starts with the magical key of gratitude. Gratitude is the key to abundance and personal alchemical transformation. Material abundance is essentially a reflection of an inner state of abundance. The level at which we feel abundant is typically in place by the time we reach four years of age, and this will continue to shape the life we lead, unless we take fundamental steps to alter that course. There can be times in our lives when we are moving toward our inspired vision of achieving a dream or goal, holding strong and steady and manifesting financial success. In these moments we feel in flow with the universe and life is good as we view the world as our oyster. Then there are times when life provides a left curve and our experience is very different. We may feel we have lost ground because of our financial state, while trying hard to keep ourselves afloat financially, emotionally and socially. This is when we have the opportunity to review and to make new choices. It is also a wonderful opportunity to ask: “What did I learn and how can I turn this experience from a disaster into a blessing or success? What simple steps can I take, and who can assist me?” INFINITE ABUNDANCE Do you believe the universe is infinite abundance? If you focus on lack, she will honour your choices and you will receive lack. If you are grateful and focus on the wonder of all you have in your life, the universe will honour your choices and abundance will continue to flow in all areas of your life. What you think about the most is creating your reality. Believing that your needs are not being met, believing you
don’t have something will sabotage everything. Even if opportunity comes knocking you won’t see it, and will allow yourself to fall into the trap of lack. WISDOM AND AWARENESS Look for the gifts in any challenging experience that has stretched you way out of your comfort zone. Accept with gratitude the new wisdom and awareness this experience has given you. Recognise that whatever you invest your energy into becomes a reality, and identify how you can do things differently. With this understanding, gratitude becomes the key that opens the door to your future success and a better life. It allows you to banish the false belief of being a victim, or other old ideas that are not working for you. When you uncover any limiting beliefs that you are not worthy or capable, immediately and consciously release them. This allows you to live an enriched and abundant life on all levels of your being. You become more capable of giving back to society – and our beautiful planet – in your own unique way. It is possible to build self-determination, worthiness uniqueness and belonging. Taking powerful and positive actions will enable you to step up into your full potential of financial and personal success. Recognise that while you are your own financial saviour, a mentor can put you on a course of constructive actions leading to stability, security, success and inner peace. Debbie Seaton is a Conscious Living Expo Speaker 2013-2014. For further information: www.aspiritualbudget.com
The level at which we feel abundant is typically in place by the time we reach four years of age… OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 45
Growth & Awareness
How to build self-esteem By JUDY CHILD, Ph.D., FRC, IRC
Self-esteem is a psychological and emotional state of being which governs our response to our experiences in the world. True self-esteem does not allow either ego inflation or false humility. It is the balanced state of consciousness between these extremes – the balanced state that achieves maturity. We can better understand ourselves in relationship to self-esteem by meditating on three powerful attributes of the spiritual principle of Love. The first of these three attributes is Forgiveness. The strongest barrier to forgiveness is guilt. FEELINGS OF GUILT Although guilt is often a powerful stimulus toward self-examination, it can also be a debilitating emotion that undermines our self-confidence. It is important to remember that self-examination often surprises us by revealing our strengths, as well as our weaknesses. When lost in feelings of guilt, we often become defensive and critical of others. In this way, we try to bring a sense of balance to the situation. Forgiveness of others and ourselves can help heal the wounds we all sustain as a natural part of living. While meditating on forgiveness, think about a situation in your life that needs forgiveness. Perhaps someone has done something to you that you believe cannot be forgiven. Or perhaps you feel you have done something for which you cannot forgive yourself. This can be something in the present or the past. You may know intellectually that you want to forgive, but are unable to change your feelings or behaviour.
Most importantly, if you are learning to forgive yourself, you are learning to understand your real responsibility in a relationship or situation. We are often unforgiving towards ourselves because we are assuming too much responsibility for what has happened or is happening. In the same way, we tend to have difficulty in forgiving others by giving them too much responsibility; that is, we are blaming them. Finding a balanced perspective on any issue involving questions of responsibility and forgiveness takes time, continued reflection, and the willingness to consider new ideas. True self-esteem comes from knowing that our understanding of Self deepens with experience. We are learning to trust our own personal commitment to spiritual growth. This means we have demonstrated to ourselves that we can change, that our consciousness is evolving as we meet the challenges of our own particular situation. TRUST V FEAR The second attribute of Love that contributes to self-esteem is Trust. The primary barrier to trust is fear. We have all experienced the way fear tends to undermine
LEARN TO FORGIVE First, forgive yourself for not being able to forgive. Know that the growth process is meaningful; you cannot take the second step before you take the first. Ask the Inner Self for understanding, and then listen to the still small voice within. The Inner Self is never judgmental, vengeful, or indifferent. The Inner Self sees the situation clearly and wants to act in the best interests of everyone concerned. Sometimes that will mean letting go of a relationship. At another time, that will mean allowing yourself to love again, and doing whatever you can to repair a relationship. 46 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
OCTOBER 2013
Forgiveness of others and ourselves can help heal the wounds we all sustain as a natural part of living self-confidence and distort our perceptions. In contrast, trust gives us great inner strength and true insight into life’s circumstances. Trust is a state of being rooted in our deepest commitment to spiritual realities. It is the basis of our relationship with the world around us and, most importantly, with the Inner Self. If we have had experiences in life where we believed our trust was broken or betrayed, we will need to learn to trust again. The wound is within ourselves, so we must “go within” to heal. Otherwise, fear becomes a habitual response that subtly poisons all that we think, feel, and do. As you meditate on trust, think about what you most desire in life right now, or what you value the most. Feel the love radiating from your heart toward this desire. Gradually allow love to fill your whole being. Resolve to let go of any fears you may have of losing what you value – whether you are aware of these fears or not. Again, ask the Inner Self for understanding. The Inner Self knows how to help you let go of fears that have been generated by your own particular life experiences. Sometimes the Inner Self may urge you to talk about your fears with a trusted friend, counsellor, or family member. Fear usually begins when we feel isolated, unprotected, unloved, or misunderstood. Talking about our fears with someone we trust often heals, simply because we then no longer feel so alone. As you engage in this process of strengthening trust through letting go of fear, remember that you are responsible for your choices. If we make choices out of fear, we tend to re-create the circumstances that generated our fear in the first place. On the other hand, if we resolve to trust the still small voice within, we will gradually learn to make choices that create harmonious conditions in our personal lives and in the world around us. COMPASSION V INTOLERANCE The third attribute of Love that contributes to selfesteem is Compassion. One of the strongest barriers to compassion is intolerance, or the tendency to be judgmental. Every time we feel judgmental or superior to another person, we are creating conditions in our inner life that contribute to the loss of self-esteem. This is because we know in our heart that we also have difficult aspects of our personalities and conduct that make us vulnerable to the judgments of others. Ironically, intolerance is an attitude that often makes us feel strong and powerful in relationship to the world around us. However, this is an illusion, because intolerance separates us from the Inner Self, which is the true source of our strength and ability to act in the best interests of others and ourselves. As you meditate on compassion, think about a situation or problem in your life at the present time that OCTOBER 2013
makes you feel angry, jealous, or frustrated. Often, we would simply ignore or walk away from the problem if we could. Most probably, we are faced with the challenge of changing our attitude toward the situation so as to act constructively. Self-esteem does not demand perfection from us. Rather, self-esteem requires an understanding heart and the wisdom we have gained from experience. It is helpful to be as honest as possible with yourself about the true nature and extent of your feelings. Strong emotions such as anger, jealousy, and frustration interfere with the ability to think clearly. If we ignore or try to rise above these feelings, they will continue to interfere with our ability to think clearly. Accept your feelings and work to calm them. Begin with the sincere desire to resolve the situation or problem. RESOLUTION IS POSSIBLE As you continue to meditate on compassion, imagine yourself surrounded by the clear white light of spiritual understanding. Know that you desire to change your feelings and behaviour, and gradually allow yourself to believe that resolution is possible. Feel your emotions become calmer and quieter as you know in your heart that true insight will come. Most importantly, let go of any thoughts or feelings that you are right and the other individual is wrong. Know that each of us in our own way contributes to the larger meaning and purpose of human experience. Depending on the strength of your feelings of anger, jealousy or frustration in regard to the situation, you may need to meditate for some days on simply believing that resolution is possible. Gradually, as you become quieter and more committed to understanding, allow the Inner Self to show you the true nature of the situation. Insight may come through the urge to read certain passages from a book or a Rosicrucian lesson, or to seek advice from a particular person. Or there will simply be a moment when you will know how to act in the best interests of everyone concerned. Listen to these urgings from the Inner Self, always knowing that in time, if your desire for resolution is sincere, you will find the way. ACCEPTING LIMITATIONS Self-esteem does not demand perfection of us. Rather, self-esteem requires an understanding heart and the wisdom we have gained from experience. If we expect perfection of human personalities, either of our own or others, we immediately create conditions antithetical to spiritual growth, because we grow through recognising and accepting our limitations and our individual differences. We all have problems with self-esteem from time to time. As we strive to live up to our spiritual ideals, aspiration must be balanced by acceptance of who we are and what we can reasonably accomplish. We nurture self-esteem within ourselves slowly, one day and one step at a time. Regardless of our outer circumstances, if we know we are doing the best we can, that is enough. Through meditating on forgiveness, trust, and compassion, we are primarily healing our relationship with the Inner Self. CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 47
Growth & Awareness
Enjoy a career in Kinesiology If you have the desire to help people and change lives forever then a career in Kinesiology may be for you. In simple terms, Kinesiology can be described as a form of biofeed back using muscle monitoring or testing.
practitioners. The training package delivered at Nicolie O’Neill Kinesiology is designed to raise the standard of Kinesiologists and to further enhance Kinesiology’s reputation as a worthwhile and beneficial complementary therapy. Visit www.nicolieoneill.com or call 08 9330 7443.
You could help people with health issues such as allergies, asthma, stress and anxiety, physical pain, fatigue, and more. Kinesiology is also used to help people improve performance in many areas of their life such as education, sport, business, finances and relationships. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING Nicolie O’Neill Kinesiology offers accredited training in the most integrated, dynamic and up-to date program in Western Australia. Because about 20 modalities of Kinesiology are being taught throughout Australia, the college recognised the need for integrated and professional training that combined the different Kinesiology approaches in a competent manner. Prospective students are introduced to muscle monitoring, Kinesiology pre-checks and a range of other Kinesiology techniques that will give them the pre-requisite skills to enter qualified training. The fundamental skills of working as a Kinesiologist are taught in the Certificate IV in Kinesiology, after which the Diploma and Advanced Diploma build on these skills. ONGOING SUPPORT The college is dedicated specifically to Kinesiology training. It is Nationally Accredited, Austudy Approved and a VET FEE-HELP Provider. However, it also provides students with the necessary administrative capabilities to run a proficient practice. To ensure graduates stay abreast of industry advances, they can access ongoing support and training through Further Education and Graduate Programs. All the qualifications are recognised nationally by government and professional bodies that register and regulate 48 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
What is
Kinesiology?
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ome and visit us at Booth 47 at the Conscious Living Expo to experience a 1/2hr kinesiology session. Kinesiology can help with all sorts of health and wellbeing issues including physical pain, digestive disturbances, stress & anxiety, hormonal imbalances, allergies and asthma to name a few. Bookings fill quickly so visit us early to secure your preferred time slot. If you’re interested in learning kinesiology then come and chat with our college staff. We have a range of courses to suit everyone, from 2 day Introductory Workshops through to Government Accredited qualifications.
75B north lake Road Myaree Ph 9330 7443 info@nicolieoneill.com www.nicolieoneill.com
Fx 9330 7467
OCTOBER 2013
Growth & Awareness
Making changes for a happier you By SUNITA
The headlines about depression are alarming. There appears to be an epidemic of depression affecting our children and teenagers, and this continues into adulthood. It seems that depression breeds depression. Yet some easy changes may be all that is needed to banish the blues and lead to a happier outlook. HELP IS AVAILABLE Recognising the need for change and knowing help is available but doing nothing about accessing it leads to health issues, depression and self-talk that slowly kill the soul until life becomes too hard. You can be one of the three per cent of the population who educates and improves themselves, evolving into role models for surviving adversity. Following your passion and heart takes courage and complete faith above all. Take positive action, and doors will fly open for you. ACCELERATED LEARNING At Trinity Connect, by combining intuitive arts and accelerating learning techniques (including neuro linguistic programming) changes occur easily and simply. Intuition is developed, leading to an inner joy that only comes with being connected. A seven-step education system is offered. 7 STEP SYSTEM TO DISCOVERING YOU: •• Open Circle - spiritual and intuitive development courses, •• Uncover your spiritual blueprint through numerology readings •• Perth healing group to develop your ability or just receive healing •• Spirit Connect workshop to help •• Tarot workshops •• Mindset coaching •• Chakra Oils for healing and clearing sprays for your home or practitioner use Spirituality is simple, as many have found through taking part in the Open Circle. Mindset coaching can de-clutter your head and put you on your own path to freedom, leading to your connection with the real you. Trinity Connect’s client feedback and results speak for themselves. All you need to do is decide you want to change and then take action. For further information visit: www.thetrinityconnect.com OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 49
Growth & Awareness
Great Mentors: Born or Made? By BELINDA BAILLIE, PCC, CEO Global Coaching Academy
Are great mentors born or are they made? In my experience, I have discovered that some people are born mentors, and others can be made. I was born into a family with a strong mentor at its helm. My father had wisdom in bucket-loads. Best of all, he didn’t merely tell me his version of wisdom, he showed me the way to my own. This is the secret of being a great mentor. Through championing me to explore and find the answers for myself, my father engendered in me a hunger for discovery and fostered a love of learning CREATE OUTCOMES What did I learn from his approach? Mentoring is not about simply “telling” someone what he or she “should” do. Mentoring uses coaching at its heart to help those who are being mentored create the outcomes they seek for themselves. A mentor needs to listen deeply without opinion, using powerful, loving and wise questions to guide clients to their own deeper understanding. It is possible to be truly generous and loving, while allowing them to struggle just enough while they find the answers they are seeking, for themselves. In this way, they become enriched, having figured out on their own what they need. Direct guidance can be applied, should the need arise. A great mentor is like training wheels: always there just in case a client wobbles too far off course. Mentoring gives the gift of learning to trust one’s self, and the knowledge that the ability to problem solve and be resourceful is contained within. This is the heart of great mentoring. It is what I teach my students, who then take their training and expertise out into the world to apply in their businesses, as well as all their relationships. Taking a mentoring approach gives others true ownership over their own learning and growth. They have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge, rather than second-hand 50 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
information. No matter how much you read or learn from theory, until you experience it for yourself it will always be second-hand information. Wisdom is only truly gained through your own experience of the world around you, as you draw conclusions from your own observations and determine their relevance and meaning for you, within what you perceive in your sphere. Experience of your own life becomes your own first-hand experience and adds validity and value to your learning journey. OPPORTUNITIES TO REFLECT Mentoring from a platform of equality and equanimity allows the learner to explore without fear of judgement or reprisal. In an “all bets are off” kind of way, he or she can have fun with the learning. They can explore seemingly impossible ideas and often come up with innovative and creative approaches to situations that you, as mentor, may not have thought of. “Mistakes” become “opportunities to reflect”. The generous mentor never needs to be “right” and will never ridicule or put the person being mentored down in any way. They hold them in a safe space where they can to “try on” possibilities. Learning how to effectively coach and mentor others enhances any career, business or profession. I feel blessed every day as I work with my students and clients, witnessing the amazing growth and greatness they achieve. I am always grateful to receive feedback from my students, who let me know that what they have learned through doing their mentoring training with me touches all areas of their lives, improving their businesses, relationships and strengthening their belief in themselves.
Further information: Belinda Baillie, PCC, offers a Certificate IV in Mentoring and Coaching (52350). Tel: (08) 9407 4282; Mob: 0413 183 178. Visit: www.globalcoach.com.au Belinda was Awarded Executive of the Year in 2011 for Stanford’s Who’s Who of Executives and Entrepreneurs; Awarded Coach of the year for WA by ICF in 2009. OCTOBER 2013
Growth & Awareness
The Energy of the Spoken Word
by DR JOHN PALO, DEC., D.A.B.C.O., F.R.C., Rosicrucian Mystic (1919-2002)
It Is the Voice From the Heart That Moves Humanity
There is something magical about the spoken word. It’s just not true that a word is a word is a word. For the most part, the written word is but a record of a spoken word – and a faulty record at that. We cannot hear today the spoken sounds from the voices of the renowned thinkers and great orators of ages past. Can you imagine hearing the voices of such great original thinkers as Cicero, Akhnaton, or Francis Bacon in the way that we’ve heard the spoken words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King (Jnr.)? THE PASSIONATE VOICE During World War Two, Churchill and Roosevelt steeled two nations to mortally combat an evil idea: Nazi fascism. The spoken words of Martin Luther King (Jnr.) energised us to accomplish in only a few years what we couldn’t do in 200 years. Sir Francis Bacon was such an enchanting speaker that one of his contemporaries, Ben Jonson, exclaimed that when Bacon spoke, the listener’s biggest worry was that he might stop. How many of today’s speakers can so hold an audience? It is doubtful that written memos from these speakers would have been as effective. There’s a moving passion in the human voice that will never be perfectly captured on a piece of paper. Today, the most successful businesses vie for radio and television coverage to get their spoken messages across. Millions of dollars are spent annually on radio and television to sell products. While big business finds the OCTOBER 2013
written word effective, it’s the spoken word with visual supplementation on TV that brings the big profits. Even today’s printed word industries that specialize in producing typewriters, newspapers, magazines and books take to the spoken word to sell their wares. It’s not surprising that colleges, religions, museums, and numerous organisations have taken more and more to the spoken word to increase their memberships. Even doctors and lawyers are advertising their services via public lectures, radio, and TV. Increasingly, these professionals are attending postgraduate seminars to supplement their reading of professional journals. The spoken word enhances and makes more alive what they find in the literature. It makes for better-informed professionals. THE VITALITY OF THE SPOKEN WORD Mystics have long, realised the vitality inherent in the spoken word. Certainly, the voice of inspiration is first a voice before it becomes a written message. Mystics usually say: “I heard a voice!” They are referring to the “voice within”. To the mystic, the “God of our Heart” speaks from within, very personally. Sure, there is a vital message from
that voice. But the sound, even the whisper, of that inner voice magnifies the power of that message. Writing can only try to capture it. We can all help ourselves by mastering the proper postural mechanics of voice production. We can master the many techniques of speaking and oratory. And, of course, we can become intellectual experts on subjects we wish to speak about. Yet, for the best presentation of our message through our voice, it all must be capped and integrated by one special ingredient, the heart. It is the voice from the heart that moves humanity. The voice from the heart fulfils the ancient Egyptian mystical tradition of heart and tongue. That tradition is carried on by the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC. It tells us, if we wish to heighten our creative abilities, we must speak from our heart. The greatest movers of this world have always vocally expressed their message with their hearts. Similarly, the great mystics of the future will be recognised by how they speak from the heart. For truly, there’s something magical about the spoken word. For further information visit, www.amorc.org.au CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 51
Psychic and Spiritual
There are No Goodbyes By ELIZABETH ROBINSON, BSW MIICT, Intuitive Consultant, Professional Counsellor
In There Are No Goodbyes, we learn how the author, Elizabeth Robinson’s unexpected communications from people who have died, including a young client named Shylo, her dear friend Professor John Mack and her daughter’s best friend Mia, took her from tragedy to transformation. Elizabeth realised she’d been set up to be the scribe of a powerful story that would alter the course of her life, while revealing the higher truth that life is eternal, and love never dies. Here, she discloses a communication from Shylo. MESSAGES FROM CREATION Suddenly, the energy-space around me altered. A powerful, loving light pervaded the room. I sat back taking in its splendor. It was then I saw the entire space bathed in a beautiful, sacred, ethereal light presence. It felt so exquisite, so completely loving. My heart and soul immediately knew this place, this spiritual light; it spoke of home. At that moment I saw Shylo’s face, so I moved across the room to my desk, sat down in front of my computer, and closed my eyes taking a deep breath. Within moments, she began to talk with me: “Along the way, everything gets easier. You begin to accept it. People are kind,” she explained. “It’s not like where you are. Generally people stay here until they have come to a new understanding. This is a place of learning. We are not here just to be somewhere. It has purpose. We celebrate life here. It’s easy. Life is easy here. If you want something, or you want to experience something, you have it. You can have an experience to bring you closer to a better understanding. So experience here is to occupy your time with growth. We learn. It’s a big school. Everybody learns. We like to learn. It’s simple. When we acknowledge what we need to do, then we can attend to it. You don’t feel like it’s a chore or that you don’t want to do it. You know it will help you to overcome something, or feel better about something. WE ARE ALL CONNECTED “Learning here is like sitting down and having a cup of coffee with someone. Just sitting and listening and being friends, and caring, and knowing your goals and what you love to do. Everything we do, we get help to do. No one’s alone here. Everyone has other people to help them. There are 52 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
never people who have no one to help them. There is a strong sense of community. It’s because of the connection; we are all connected. No one has anything to hide here. There’s no point. Just like I used to say to my mom, just go do it. Don’t be afraid. It doesn’t matter what people think of you. Who cares what people will think? Their opinion doesn’t matter. Don’t restrict yourself because you think ‘what will other people think if I take that action’. It doesn’t matter. All that matters, is that you do what you feel is right inside your heart.”
BOOK EXCERPT: There Are No Goodbyes launches internationally at Conscious Living Expo, October 17-20, 2013. OCTOBER 2013
‘We have friends here,” Shylo explained. ‘We collect in groups… like in an earthquake, and lots of people in distress, we calm them…’ It was at that moment I was drawn back to the feeling of such light around me. I remarked how light and beautiful the space had become. Then I noticed a tingly sensation around the periphery of my body. Closing my eyes again, I saw Shylo and smiled at her effortlessly. I felt such love for her I had to hold back my tears. Moments later my emotions began to settle. Shylo continued. “Nothing is worth dying for. Not showing anyone anything, not proving anything to anyone, not attempting to escape out of a feeling that you just can’t seem to run from. It creates a lot of pain for the people you love. You can’t believe what they go through. Nothing can prepare you for that. I try to talk with my mom. Sometimes she feels I’m there. I know she listens to me. I always know that. She tries really hard.” FEELINGS BROKE THROUGH Again I was fighting back my tears. I felt myself struggling to listen and write down her message. I waited for some moments to allow the intensity to settle again, but my feelings broke through. “I love you Shylo with all my heart!” I said, as tears flowed freely and unapologetically down my cheeks. “I know me crying like this isn’t really helpful to the process,” I added. Then once again finding my emotional balance I assured her: “Okay... Here I am sweetie. Let’s do this,” I insisted, as I wiped away the tears. Slowly and clearly, Shylo’s thoughts came flowing into my mind. “Attempts to make contact are really hard. You don’t want the people you love to feel the pain. You want to try to fix it. You want to say something funny to make them laugh. But they can’t hear you anymore. You remember a time when you did make them laugh, and it settles you a little to recall the memory. Then you come to a different place. You see you can’t fix things so you just sit with them to give them comfort. It’s a peaceful feeling you can transfer to them. We learn that here, because we know most people can’t hear us. “We have friends here and that helps. We do things together. We make plans to accomplish things we would like to have happen. On a group level, we can be more powerful. Affect things more. We collect in groups with other people who have a similar goal or something they want to experience or do,” Shylo explained. “In that way, we can share the learning and make a bigger impact. Like in an earthquake, and lots of people in distress, we calm them. Well, we try. We move in around people who are feeling their pain or in distress. It helps us to learn about what people go through. These experiences bring them new insights about themselves or other people or life. It’s all to do with growing – it’s always about growing. We don’t just do this to feel the pain. We do this to grow through feeling the pain. So when we hold them in that painful place, we can join with them and create a barrier of strength to help them survive through their OCTOBER 2013
experience. Then when they recover, they can offer learning to others through the story of their experience. VALUE OF SIMPLE THINGS “Well, the world needs everybody to take action, to step up and do what needs to be done. Everybody can make the changes. Everybody. Even kids. People seem to have forgotten the value of simple things, more than things that cost a lot. They don’t matter. It’s sharing time together that matters, the laughing, having fun, being together, enjoying those special moments with the people you care about. Those moments are what we think about most when we get here. We never even think about the things we had. There’s no value in things. It’s the people you care about, the times they made you laugh and made you feel really strong, and really proud and happy. The times you gave it your best and you came through, and you gained a sense of confidence... this is what really matters the most.” INFO TEXT: There Are No Goodbyes, by Elizabeth Robinson Copyright © September 2012, launches internationally, October 2013. Further details www.WingsofWisdom.tv CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 53
Psychic and Spiritual
Recalibrate your energybody-intelligence By CHRISTINE LONG, who specialises in Breakthrough Wellness & Self Mastery – Business & Career Transformation.
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o you have an innate knowing that you may have a role to play in contributing your special gifts and talents? And although you may not yet be clear on what those gifts and talents are, do you feel an inner calling to be more fully expressed in your work and personal life? ENERGY-BODY-INTELLIGENCE Many of us have these urges that come from within our core; our energybody-intelligence, which can be our powerful ally or a huge hindrance. It is possible, however, to recalibrate our energy-body-intelligence. If you answer yes to the following questions, it may be time to evaluate, clear and transform your energy-bodyintelligence, so that you can experience greater resilience to difficulties, as well as a deepened understanding of yourself, and what you personally need for greater fulfilment. • Do you want to make a substantial positive impact to people’s lives but find it difficult to make it happen while ensuring your own needs are also met? • Despite your best efforts, do you feel there is a gap between your heartfelt desires and what you actually are experiencing in your life or business? • Does insidious lack continue to haunt you and prevent you from making the difference you want? • Do everyday demands of life hinder your ability to create the work-life balance you desire? • Does your dream of a better business and lifestyle continue to elude you? • Do you receive the financial rewards you deserve for what you do? 54 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
‘If our energy matrixelectromagnetic field becomes blocked or out of balance… our quality of life may be hindered’ • Do time and money limitations stop you living the life your desire? • Is struggling more the norm for you than satisfaction and success? Quantum Science recognises we are made up of various energy frequencies, and are not just physical matter. If our energy matrix-electromagnetic field becomes blocked or out of balance, there is an enormous impact on how we experience our individual life journey. When this blockage or imbalance occurs, it affects how we function, respond and interact in relation to what we unconsciously create and ultimately what happens in our lives. Our quality of life may become encumbered where we feel weighed down and disillusioned. Dissolving these blockages requires recalibration of the energy-bodyintelligence. This can be done using essences from nature, which have powerful, specific vibrations and frequencies. When specific finely tuned formulas work in harmony with your energy-body-intelligence swift and lasting results can be obtained.
What happens after recalibration? You are in a better position to connect more deeply with your authentic self, and this awareness can be the crucial key to opening the door of greater success and fulfilment. MASSIVE TRANSFORMATION Setting your energy-body-intelligence free elevates consciousness and facilitates massive transformation. Belief in self at the deepest level returns. You are highly likely to become that person who exudes the indefinable, magnetic “X Factor”, which is usually suppressed when dealing with daily expectations and responsibilities. Under the influence of realisations about yourself and what role you are here to play in our swiftly changing world you may question where you fit into “the bigger picture”. In the midst of the current global consciousness shift, what might be your role? At this point, it is advisable to avoid resorting to the outmoded approach of pushing and striving. Taking care of self on an ongoing basis is paramount. Nature can provide the perfect vibrational formula needed to experience deep wellbeing and insight and it is a safe path to take for you.
Christine Long is a speaker at Conscious Living Expo 2013-14. Further information: www.australianaromaticessences.com OCTOBER 2013
ANAMCHARA PATHWAYS PRESENTS
Psychic Dinners & High Teas * 3 Psychic Readings per Person plus bonus Mediums & Healers * 3 Course Dinners * Delicious High Teas Held at Quality Restaurants in Perth Bookings Essential! No Door Sales! For Details and Dates: www.psychicdinners.com.au ph: 0412 436 320 email: psychicdinners@gmail.com coming soon to Melbourne and Sydney
OCTOBER 2013
CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 55
Psychic and Spiritual
Change is inevitable For three years, REVEREND BENTE HANSEN was privileged to channel the energy of Edgar Cayce to audiences in the Northeast of the US. Incorporating his wisdom, she gives recommendations for making changes and decisions leading to happier lives.
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hange is uncomfortable because it generally brings about unanticipated outcomes. It usually cannot be controlled or managed in ways that support the existing status quo.
For some absurd reason we believe the existing status quo is the only way to exist while knowing that change is inevitable. Our reality is constantly changing in subtle ways because of the power of our thoughts, emotions and actions. When we randomly co-create through fear, resistance and belief then we ultimately create more of the same, while most likely worsening the status quo! Inherently we are here, in this lifetime, to create, or co-create, which means it is not always possible to maintain the status quo, despite our earnest intentions and desires. EVOLVING IDEALS Often when change is self-induced it is only because the pain of remaining in the status quo is stronger than the fear of making change. Sometimes we need to witness or undergo the pain of the status quo to realise it no longer matches our evolving aspirations and ideals. If you are observing chaos in politics, breakdown of institutional systems, gradual erosion of freedom and individual rights, and the exposure of deceptions in organizations, be reassured. This happens when change is occurring. While distressing to observe and experience, it is also a profound opportunity to proactively provide a constructive and supportive role in creating new systems and organisations. In an old conceptual framework, a typical organisation is hierarchically structured. The CEO usually sits at 56 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
When we randomly co-create through fear, resistance and belief then we ultimately create more of the same. the apex, draws an exorbitantly high salary and commands a network of employees. In this structure, decisionmaking is the responsibility of those in charge: CEO and managers. Lower ranking employees have minimal say in their employment. The nature of this structure guarantees its failure because within it there are countless inherent flaws that will ultimately ensure its demise. To align with the new consciousness, systems and structures that are no longer functioning well must change. For example, the conventional education system is not working, and cannot continue because it is embedded in an old paradigm that no longer meets the new demands of a changing world. Many parents are aware that their children’s needs are not being met in the current system. Hence more children are being home schooled or attending charter schools. I was fortunate to attend a seminar on relational leadership recently. This conceptual framework embodies the notions of community, communication, organisation, leadership and co-operation. Relational leadership provides structure and support for changing existing dated strategies into viable systems that embrace the new paradigm of inclusiveness and
community. You can find out more about this powerful strategy for implementing change at www.therelationalmovement.org. A NEW FRAMEWORK There are other organisations functioning within a new framework of exclusiveness and community. The inclusiveness of isolation, hierarchy and dominance are rapidly disappearing and being replaced with ethics that embody the value of all humans being equal, having equal input and responsibility. In a new consciousness paradigm, this is essential for functioning and success. Ultimately, this also leads to individuals feeling successful and valued. If each individual is receptive to manifesting personal positive change, this will lead to the manifestation of greater change within family, community and eventually larger society. I prefer to keep an image in mind of an egalitarian society, one that has been co-created through loving endeavours and inspiration, as a means of embracing the changes that occur along the way. It is by observing, participating and imbuing our thoughts and actions with the frequency of love that this journey into a new consciousness paradigm will result in the 1000 years of peace as predicted by Edgar Cayce. Rev. Bente Hansen is a speaker at Conscious Living Expo 2013-14. She is a medical intuitive, author, radio host and teacher. For more information visit www.edgarspeaks.com and www.dynamichealing.net OCTOBER 2013
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BOOK REVIEWS
DEAR POPPYSEED: A SOULFUL MOMMA’S PREGNANCY JOURNAL Author: Alice Grist Publisher: Soul Rocks ISBN: 978-1780996479 When Alice Grist, author and publisher, fell pregnant she decided to keep a diary for her unborn child, and then was brave enough to allow it to be shared with the world. She shares with us all the love, the tribulations and trials, the wanting, the doubt and the hope that come with pregnancy, whether it is the first, the third or the sixth. My advice after reading the book: every mother-to-be should go out and get a copy and take a leaf out of Alice’s book by keeping a diary, or rather a series of love letters, to your unborn child.
WISDOM OF YOUR LIFE Author: Katrina Cavanough Publisher: Allan & Unwin ISBN: 978-1-74331-443-2 Katrina Cavanaugh spent many years as a social worker in the Emergency Department of a busy public hospital, dealing with death in all its many aspects. As she began her work in this area she realised she had an additional talent, that of being able to communicate with the souls of those who have just died. She found this challenging, inspiring and comforting in the many years she worked and gave support to families during this difficult time. She takes us through the many levels of trauma experienced when a loved one passes, introducing us to the souls of those who have passed, showing us that they can and do bring comfort and love to their families.
GRIMOIRE OF A KITCHEN WITCH Author: Rachael Patterson Publisher: Moon Books ISBN: 978-1-78099-958-6 58 CONSCIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE 90
by JANET MAWDESLEY
If you have ever wondered about the world of witches, and I don’t mean the kind that fly about on broomsticks, I mean the real ones that live and work in your community, this essential guide will answer all your questions. As a guide to paganism and all that it can and does involve, Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch makes fascinating, informative and effective reading. In Rachael’s words on the very last page: “Hopefully this book has gone some way to help you find your witch within… ”
ANGEL OF FIRE Authors: Wendy Milton Ill: Barbara Ridden Publisher: PawPrint Publishing ISBN: 978-0-646-90032-2 Life’s not going to well for Zach Brinkley right now. His parents have split up, he hates mum’s new boyfriend, Bruce Gosling (aka “ Goose”), and getting hit by a truck is simply the final straw. Zach suddenly finds himself plunged into a world that, while not altogether real is not altogether unreal, which as you can imagine poses some serious challenges. Angel of Fire is a great read for the 10 to 14 year-old age group, especially as it offers some subtle and not so subtle hints on growing up tucked away among the pages.
LILLIAN’S GARDEN Author: Carrie Jane Knowles Publisher: Roundfire Books ISBN: 978-1-78099-830-5 Carrie Jane Knowles has used a very delicate hand to paint a picture of a family in crisis and the very delicate balance often found within families. Set in the time after World War Two, when society had rigid standards of behaviour and showing any form of weakness as a family stirred up scandal and gossip, this fascinating looks into the realm of mental health issues. It
clearly reveals how this type of illness can affect an entire family. Deep, enriching, fascinating and completely enjoyable Lillian’s Garden will long remain with you as a beautiful story of love, hope, renewal and survival.
THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Author: Neil Turok Publisher: Allen & Unwin ISBN: 978-1-74331-545-3 In the final lines of this inspiring book, Turok writes: “What a privilege it is to be alive. Truly, we are faced with the opportunity of all time.” This sums up the entire work very thoroughly as a deep appreciation of what has gone before in the establishment of the world, as we know it today. It also points out the tremendous scope that lies before us all to move into the future, but always to be reminded that the future holds no guarantees: the only guarantee being, if you like, is that it will be whatever we choose to make of it.
IT’S ALL GOOD Authors: Gwyneth Paltrow & Julie Turshen Publisher: Sphere ISBN: 978-0-3494-0083-9 When a celebrity releases a cookbook you tend to go – Ho Hum, not again! But in It’s All Good, Gwyneth Paltrow and good friend Julia Turshen combine their talents and love of food to show us that living a good and healthy lifestyle accessible for most of us. Using readily available ingredients and explaining the rationale behind healthy, happy, eating, what these authors have provided is not so Ho Hum and more like Oh Yum! Scattered among the recipes are a collection of photographs of delicious looking food as well as some of Gwyneth and Julie’s family shots, giving some insight into their family, friends and favourite fare! OCTOBER 2013
MUSIC REVIEWS
by JANET MAWDESLEY
MZANSI
DEEP THETA 2.0
Artist: Wouter Kellerman www.wouterkellerman.com You know you are onto a good thing when the first track starts with sensual male African voices chanting, then a flute kicks in playing the Hornpipe, Irish nonethe-less. The foot starts tapping, the hand starts moving and bingo, you are into the melody and the sound, captured by the rhythm. Kellermans’ latest release can be truly classed as world fusion because he has taken and recreated some traditional African and world classics with an exciting cast of artists from a variety of nations.
Artist: Steven Halpern www. Stevenhalpern.com Deep Theta 2.0 is a synergy for undoubted master of sound healing Steven Halpern. His use of Rhodes electronic piano with a variety of Japanese Shakuhachi and Indian bansuri bamboo flutes, has created something special that will appeal to a wide variety of listeners, for a wide and diverse range of reasons; one of which would have to be the subliminal feeling of relaxation triggered by the music. Halpern has been working in this field of sound healing for more than 40 years and says his Brainwave Entertainment Series is his most up-to-date manifestation of his work. He says: “It’s more than music. It’s Spiritual technology.”
TRANSFORMATION Artists: Sherry Finzer & Darin Mahoney Distributor: Heart Dance Records www.heartdancerecords.com When you place a classical instrument such as the flute together with a more modern instrument in an acoustic guitar, you can expect the unexpected: in Transformation you’ve got it. Reading the bio does not prepare you for the pure exquisiteness – if that’s a word – for the music that flows from these two performers. Among the many beautiful tracks the definitive piece, The Door, is symbolic of the traditional saying, “when one door opens another one closes”, which represents an anthology of changes and life choices we all need to make from time to time. In their words, their music encourages you “to walk through the next door and change your life for the better”. After all, they did!
OCTOBER 2013
BLISS OF BEING Artists: The Pure Heart Ensemble www.richheartmusic.com Stand back and take plunge into spiritual liberation through music as you listen to what is basically Richard Schulman and friends enjoying themselves, creating something special in the medium of healing through the gift of music. This eclectic gathering of a vocalist, crystal bowl player, cellist, flautist and pianist have moved past their perceived limitations, stepping into a world without boundaries, letting the music absorb and then travel where it will.
THE SHIMMERING LAND Artist: Meg Bowles www.megbowlesmusic.com Shimmering is an apt title for this album composed for synthesiser, which allows various shifts within the drift of the sound-scape.
Composed to encourage disconnection from self when listening, Shimmering will certainly encourage this effect. Perhaps best used when you are requiring entrance to a meditative state or before bedtime after a particularly stressful day, the music will take you gently into a realm of relaxation, allowing your mind to disconnect, helping you enter a state of quiet or calmness. Each piece has been constructed with a natural element as inspiration such as space, the ocean, watching the stars on a deep, dark night, and the hushed mystique of a misty morning or simply walking in nature. All add layers or dimensions to the soundscape which, with careful listening, can be heard and enjoyed.
THE LIGHT OF ALUNA Artists: Anima www.AnimaSoundMedicine.co.uk Created with the desire to help people heal and by doing so heal the Earth, The Light of Aluna encourages us to look deep within: to create our own healing and to always be reminded that while much appears to be timeless, we need to be conscious of our every thought and deed as this too creates sonic ripples of their own, which accordingly can heal or destroy. This album was designed to reach into the spirit, to generate healing, a sense of peace and love and a deep sense of serenity. As with all music created such a purpose, each listener will be touched in a different way.
GRATITUDE
DRAGONFLY Artists: Terra Guitarra www.Terraguitarra.com If you are having one of those days when you need a pick-up and change of pace, this album is just the thing to lift the spirits; it will put that little bit of mo back in your mojo. Created in the nuevo-flamenco style of guitar, each track, starting with the irresistible foot tapping, hip swaying Janvier, flowing on to the Swan, which changes the pace slightly, then moving on through an eclectic array of beats and rhythms as differing stories are told, you’ll find yourself looking at your day somewhat differently, particularly when you get to the end of the album. You find, magically, your spirit refreshed and your outlook considerably brighter.
by Rupert Guenther and Paul Armitage www.rupertguenther.com Featuring soaring uplifting and lush meditative tracks for relaxation, listening and meditation, this is healing music with real depth and class which takes you into feeling and connection with self. Classical violinist, Rupert Guenther plays on your heart strings with yearning tones beautifully sustained by melodic piano . Spontaneously improvised this musical alchemy takes you to a space of gratitude and grace that is expansive and beyond limits . Rupert Guenther is a multi instrumentalist, composer, singersongwriter and European-trained concert violinist who has unlocked the gift of spontaneous improvisation. He has a beautiful blend of classical, ancient and cosmic threads to his bow at one end of the spectrum, and a very down to earth rock/blues/psychedelic flair at the other.
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