Conscious Community Magazine - April 2019

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ONE WORLD, ONE BREATH INTERVIEW WITH BILL DOUGLAS

HEALTH BENEFITS OF TREES

DEATH AND RESURRECTION

CONFESSIONS OF A

21 WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM

FITTER FLATBREADS

THE METAPHYSICAL STORY OF EASTER

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF) APRIL 2019

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Contents

AMERICA’S OLDEST SPIRITUAL AND METAPHYSICAL MAGAZINE

12

FEATURES 12 ONE WORLD,

ONE BREATH

Interview with Bill Douglas

by Janae Jean and Spencer Schluter

16 DEATH AND RESURRECTION

The Metaphysical Story of Easter

by Walter Perschke

26

21 Ways to Protect Yourself from

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF)

by Ania Wilewska

14

28 CONFESSIONS OF A YOGINI

by Cynthia Gran

3O THE HEALING TREE

26

by Matthew Sleeth, MD

DEPARTMENTS 06 PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Springtime Goodness

18

by Kasia Szumal

08 COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

April 2019 10 ASK ALECIA

Community Q&A

Ask Alecia - April 2019

by Alecia Rice

14 ALL ABOUT TOWN

An Enlightenment Blessing

30 4

| CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE APRIL

by Theresa Puskar 2019

APRIL 2019 VOLUME 40, NO.8

18 FROM THE HEART

Where to Get More Love

by Alan Cohen

34 COSMIC DAILY WEATHER

In-Depth Astrology Perspectives

April 2019

by Bernadette Evans

37 HEARTh & HOME

Fitter Flatbreads

with Fresh Greens

by Janae Jean

(Formerly The Monthly Aspectarian)

PUBLISHER KATARZYNA (KASIA) SZUMAL EDITORS JANAE JEAN ALMEN SUSAN PLUTO JULIE ROBERTS MEDIA COORDINATORS JANAE JEAN ALMEN KAYLA HANCOCK SPENCER SCHLUTER ART DIRECTOR/WEBMASTER JODY LEVITAN ADVERTISING INQUIRIES KASIA SZUMAL KASIA@CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM 847.966.1110

CONNECTIONS 20 MIDWEST PULSE CALENDAR

Events, Happenings and

Announcements of Interest

™

April 2019

32 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Resources for Better Living

SPENCER SCHLUTER SPENCER@CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM 630.492.0831 EDITORIAL INQUIRIES KASIA SZUMAL KASIA@CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM 847.966.1110 JANAE JEAN ALMEN JANAE@CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM ALL OTHER INQUIRIES INFO@CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM ONLINE WWW.CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM

REVIEWS 38 IN PRINT

by Kayla Hancock

www.facebook.com/ConsciousCommunityMagazine www.twitter.com/TweetCCMagazine www.instagram.com/consciouscommunitymagazine/ www.youtube.com/channel/UCla2b_NjCdjxQldeXCL1FjA

ON THE COVER Tai Chi for Spring

CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY is published 12 times yearly by CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY, LLC 47 W. Polk St., Suite 153 Chicago, IL 60605 847.966.1110 © 2019 Conscious Community, LLC. Formerly The Monthly Aspectarian. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Conscious Community does not necessarily agree with opinions of the writers, nor is it liable for advertiser claims or representations. We believe in the reader’s judgment regarding the quality of any information. All ads should be received by the 10th of the month preceding publication.

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5

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

SPRINGTIME GOODNESS W

elcome to the April issue of Conscious Community Magazine! This issue, I am very excited to share some enlightening articles and events that will uplift your spirit, body and mind.

Monday, April 22, is Earth Day 2019. It is a celebration of our Mother Earth and all the gifts that she has provided for us on this planet. It serves as a reminder of how perfect she is and how nature works perfectly when we do not interrupt her.

“In nature, nothing exists alone.” — Rachel Carson I am very fascinated with trees, and how they communicate and nourish each other through their roots. When I go to the woods, I feel more centered, grounded and balanced. It is the best body-mind detox. For more about trees and their magnificence, you can read The Healing Tree by Matthew Sleeth, MD.

KATARZYNA (KASIA) SZUMAL PUBLISHER

In this issue, you can also read Janae and Spencer’s interview with Bill Douglas, founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day which is happening locally at the Theosophical Society in Wheaton, IL and at The Lightheart Center in Winfield, IL, and in over 80 countries around the world. This is the 20th anniversary! For more details about this event, turn to page 12.

After your morning tai chi or walk in the woods, I encourage you to try the latest recipe by Janae Jean, Fitter Flatbreads with Fresh Greens, for a healthful morning. There is nothing better than a nutritional breakfast with some greens on your sandwich or in your smoothie.

Thank you to ALL of our advertisers! The Conscious Community Magazine team is dedicated to elevating consciousness in every way! Our advertisers play a key role in keeping us and our initiatives afloat. Please support our advertising community by making use of the wonderful services that they provide!

Happy Easter and Passover!

The Best,

Katarzyna Szumal

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2019

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COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Rasha, a Scalar Crystalline Plasma Sound Technology at the Inspired Living Expo Saturday, April 6, 2019, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Join Ania Wilewska and try Rasha Technology to rejuvenate and regenerate your body. Ania has a table and offering 10-minute Rasha sessions for $10.

Inspired Living Expo 2019!

Saturday, April 6, 2019, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

All Things Wellness Events & Expo presents Inspired Living Expo, featuring Dr. Brian Clement from the Hippocrates Health Institute, healthful education and 90+ exhibitors, offering holistic therapies, screenings, counseling and products with positive, organic, alternative solutions for every area of one’s life, including the environment, animals, home and family. There will be crystals, jewelry, art and crafts as well. There will be more than 20 presentations and classes. Music will be provided by violinist Martin Lopez, and there will be raffles!

• 10% of admission tickets donated to Fresh Market’s 1-3-5 Food Drive!

• Gifts, samples, coupons and more, plus one free raffle ticket provided with admission ticket!

• Free viewing of the movie HEAL Saturday! Practitioners will also be on hand to answer questions.

Tickets are available at the door or via Eventbrite.

Looking for volunteers and vendors. See www.

AllThingsWellnessExpo.com or call 224-241-6645 for more information. Join the mailing list for updates.

Location: D’Andrea Banquet & Conference Center, 4419 US-14, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

Cost: $10 for one day. $15 for both days

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Every day, we are bombarded by various stressors that are damaging to your health. Unfortunately, we cannot control them, but what we can control is how we respond to them. If you feel like stress is creating limiting beliefs and unconscious roadblocks to your growth, health and success, take steps towards a quantum leap to increase your consciousness and awareness.

Rasha, a Scalar Crystalline Plasma Sound Harmoniser Technology, provides multidimensional morphogenetic field healing, impacts cells on the quantum-level protecting, enhancing and harmonizing the autonomic nervous system, supporting relaxation, cellular detoxification and healing from electrosmog and geopathic stress. Rasha stimulates the repatterning of the morphogenetic field around the cells, organs and systems of the body. Rasha integrates technologies of Dr. Royal Rife, Antoine Priore and Nikola Tesla.

Come and experience Rasha Technology for yourself!

Location: D’Andrea Banquet & Conference Center, 4419 US-14, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

See the Inspired Living Expo 2019 event description in this column for ticket information.

Manifesting a Soulmate with Arielle Ford Saturday, April 27, 2019, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Join Arielle Ford, bestselling author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, for a day-long workshop. Engage in a hands-on, content-rich focus

on forgiveness and powerful techniques to create the partner of your dreams, and important things to do to prepare your heart, mind and spirit, as well as how to prepare your home to receive your soulmate.

Find out how to have a lifetime of happiness and love. Practice powerful rituals and processes designed to manifest a soulmate. Discover the best ways to meet, date and mate potential partners.

Transformational rituals and other energetic shifting processes empower you to create and attract the partner of your dreams.

Prepare a soulmate wish list and engage in a release ritual.

Renew your intention to manifest your soulmate with a new perspective, ability and certainty.

receive energetic activations, learn about the Heart Chakra as an empowerment tool for self-healing, and experience deep transformation through guided meditation and movement. Join us and connect to your heart, heal and move forward with new ways of coping with your inner and outer worlds. Offered in a safe and supportive space with Sabrina Washington, an experienced dance/movement therapist and Reiki practitioner.

No experience necessary. Please pre-register and arrive early.

Hosted by InTouch & Motion at: Awakenings at 4001 N Ravenswood Ave. Ste 204, Chicago, IL 60613 Phone: (773) 850-9046, Website: www.intouchandmotion. com/events/meditation-healing/ $25/class

For more information and registration, visit InfinityFoundation.org or call 847-831-8828.

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You will also find out how not all oils are the same and how this natural plant oil can help you get your health back.

Meditation & Healing Movement Series Open Heart Chakra Healing Saturday, April 27, 2019, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

We invite you to step into the wisdom and healing power of the Heart Chakra in this guided and intuitive meditation and movement class. Meant to bring stillness to emotional unrest, motion to natural defenses, and activation to inner healing and transformation. Participants will have opportunities to

Get your questions answered, and after the presentation, we will discuss an opportunity to become a part of the team and earn extra income sharing and helping others come back to their natural health.

Location: Online RSVP at www.avanahealing.com for a link to join the Wednesday evening call. You may also call 800-762-5037 for information.

Cost: Free

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9

[COMMUNITY Q&A]

ASK ALECIA

by Alecia Rice

Q: I’m emotionally sensitive and often feel overwhelmed by what I see and feel going on in the world.

Everything feels so heavy, unstable, and divided. It’s getting more difficult not to give up out of discouragement and despair. Is there some way to overcome these feelings?

— Seeking Silver Linings A: Dear Seeking Silver Linings, These times sparkle with immense opportunity, yet bristle with fear and danger. They’ve been prophesied for millennia across the spectrum of global spiritual beliefs. They foreshadow a time of fear, separation, discord, and earth changes. Current circumstances appear to be in alignment with such, yet we can rise up out of the despair. We can counterbalance these concepts by choosing a higher vantage point while managing our personal energy.

Humans haven’t been able to mentally and emotionally adapt rapidly enough to 24/7 technology and communication. Our cultural villages have exploded overnight into a global metropolis of electronic interconnectedness that spans fences, borders, oceans, and belief systems. Our screens broadcast and spawn more of the negatively divisive than the positively unifying.

Suspicion and fear of others has grown much more rapidly than understanding and acceptance. Many struggle with cognitive dissonance as these accelerated shifts challenge ways of life, belief systems, and personal identity.

Our human duality and hypocrisy are on full display. No matter the viewpoint, one 10

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can easily locate resources that confirm their bias. The security of the old (tradition) rubs up against the fear and insecurity of the new (progression) as we collectively hash out what’s true and where humanity goes from here. The veils are being pulled back to reveal the truth that many of our long term systems are broken and don’t equitably serve the whole.

So how do we bridge this duality?

We’re living in a “this OR that” time when many demand that we pick a side. The concept of “OR” is divisive. Ego and side-choosing is what’s accelerating the chasm between us. I encourage moving into the concept of “this AND that” which is more unifying and inclusive. We might believe one thing, but does that mean that another thing can’t contain truth at the same time?

As we move into higher consciousness, we’re called to curiously seek out truth, even when it challenges what we believe.

It may be difficult at first and may cause discomfort, but can you find some truth in both sides of the following?

It’s possible to believe in God AND science; to love one’s child AND despise their actions; to be gay AND Christian; to be pro-choice AND pro-life; to believe in gun control AND the right to arm and defend oneself; to advocate for Black Lives Matter AND be propolice. Developing a practice of seeking and allowing space for another’s opinion countermands the dissidence of our seeming differences and builds bridges of understanding between us. Intentionally shifting perspective alchemically alters the perception.

It’s best to discern what we will allow into our energy field. GIGO=Garbage In Garbage Out. If we’re constantly watching cable news programs, the “tone” and bias that commentators share will skew our point of view on what’s happening in the world. The words they choose will reveal their intention. If they’re red-faced, speaking loudly and angrily while name-calling and using language that belittles and dehumanizes “them,” they’re not balanced, and have an agenda to negatively influence us about the “other.”

Other ways we create lightness is to practice mindfulness by remembering to release and accept those things that are out of our control. Fear makes it hard, yet intention makes it possible. We can seek ways to contribute something positive towards issues that we’re passionate about, instead of resisting what we don’t agree with. Resistance keeps what we don’t want present, for what we resist, persists. Intense defiance can breed an internal field of pain, animosity, and stress. For better health, we can practice noticing and neutralizing the resistance we feel in our body towards others, although this doesn’t mean that we give up on what’s right.

The current schism is squeezing us from one level of consciousness to another. Humans don’t like change and often have to be uncomfortably forced into it. We can’t change what another believes, yet we are energetically responsible for encouraging peace or discord. If each of us remains accountable to compassionate positivity, the world can change overnight.

“As above, so below, as within, so without” implies that our processes influence the energetic layers above and below us.

When we elevate ourselves, we elevate the global village. Time to raise the vibes!

Alecia Rice integrates higher concepts with wisdom to bring forth balance, perspective and clarity. She’s a personal advisor, speaker and gatherer of women.

For perspective on life issues, you’re invited to text questions and comments to 681-321-1109. Discussions continue at Ask Alecia on Facebook.

Y O U A R E A P P R E C I AT E D !

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ONE WORLD, ONE BREATH Interview with Bill Douglas

by Janae Jean and Spencer Schluter Recently, we were joined by Bill Douglas, founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. Bill is the tai chi expert for Dr. Weil’s websites, the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tai Chi & Qigong, as well as the host of the DVD, Anthology of Tai Chi & Qigong: The Prescription for the Future. Bill gives presentations worldwide and currently teaches tai chi at the University of Kansas Health Systems and the University of Kansas Medical Center.

The 20th Anniversary of OR Annual World Tai Chi and Qigong Day is on April 27, 2019. In the Chicago area, it will be held at the Theosophical Society in Wheaton, IL. Visit www.worldtaichiday.org.

The following is only an excerpt from our interview. Listen to the entire conversation by subscribing to the Conscious Community Podcast on your favorite podcatcher or by visiting www.ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com. Find the Conscious Community Podcast on Twitter @TweetCCPodcast or on Facebook @Conscious CommunityPodcast.

Janae: You are the founder of World Tai Chi Day, correct?

Bill Douglas: Yes, me and my wife, Angela Wong Douglas.

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JJ: What inspired you to create this day? How did you get the word out to tai chi practitioners around the world?

BD: Originally, we were teaching tai chi and qigong in yoga studios. Then we got an offer to teach tai chi at a major medical center in the Kansas City area, the Shawnee Mission Medical Center. During the first eight-week session, we had a bunch of medical professionals who started seeing really amazing results. The pharmacologist saw his high blood pressure go down very significantly. In fact, he got his general practitioner to write him a prescription for tai chi. The surgeon had a whiplash injury that caused chronic pain and limited mobility. After the eight-week session, she not only didn’t have chronic pain but regained full mobility.

This was 20 years ago before I was internet savvy. These medical professionals used their database to look up tai chi medical research and handed me the research. At first, I didn’t know what to do with this research. As I started to see the potential of tai chi and qigong for what the mass of society is dealing with on a physical level, we started sending out this medical research to the media. We thought that the media would pass it on to their readers and viewers. We were stunned that they weren’t interested.

One day, I was sitting in my backyard meditating and had this idea of creating a mass tai chi exhibition that would be so big

and visually unusual that it would be hard for the media to resist it. So, we spent several months getting as many people as possible to meet on the south lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum here in Kansas City. Then we spent several months doing media work to inundate the local TV and newspapers with press releases to get them to come and cover it. We showed up that day with no idea what was going to happen.

When Angie, our two kids and I pulled up, there was nobody there. Then suddenly people started walking in from all different directions. Within fifteen minutes or so, there were 200 people there. We had 200 people spread out across this beautiful lawn

which was really the first medical research on meditation. He said that between 60 and 90% of the health issues that bring people to the doctor are caused by stress and are best treated by mind-body practices.

Over the years, I came across a study by Kaiser Permanente.

They determined that 70% of illnesses sending people to their doctors were caused by stress. So, I contacted Dr. David Sobel at Kaiser Permanente. He was very familiar with that study and had been interested in mind-body practices. He said that depending on how you looked at that data, it could go as high as 85% of the health issues sending people to their doctors were caused by stress. When you consider that, you realize that we could literally save trillions of dollars, if we move these mind-body practices into society at all levels.

One of the places that it’s insane that it hasn’t already happened on a massive scale is in public education. Every schoolkid, from kindergarten to university, should have a mindbody practice taught to them through health science or physical education. It would literally save trillions of dollars over time and that has the potential of changing the world. If you look it up, you’ll find that ending world starvation would only cost about $30 billion. So, these practices have the potential for changing the world on many levels including that one.

The First Tai Chi and QiGong Day, Kansas City, 1999.

in front of this majestic museum, and we did tai chi. The media showed up in droves—three tv channels and five different newspapers. When we got home, I got a call from one of my assistant teachers who said, “We were on CNN today!” Then we started getting contacted by other tai chi groups who had seen it who said, “We want to do this too!” So, we reserved worldtaichiday.org and decided to make this a world-wide event. That next year, it was in 12 countries and 12 US states.

Angie and I wrote the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tai Chi and Qigong, and we got the publisher to include a chapter called “World Tai Chi and Qigong Day” with this vision. We didn’t know if it was going to take off or not. That chapter got the word out through people who were reading the book and a lot of them were tai chi teachers. Now it’s in hundreds of cities in over 80 countries on the last Saturday in April.

Spencer: Tai chi and qigong are often regarded as spiritual practices. It has that aspect to it, but it’s also physical exercise. You can get the cardiovascular benefits as well as the benefits you get from seated meditation.

BD: Tai chi and qigong can do those things you mentioned.

They can set the stage for really profound spiritual experiences. Over the last 20 years, we’ve been collecting all the breaking medical research on tai chi and qigong. What you find when you immerse yourself in that data is that these mind-body practices have profound health benefits. Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard wrote The Relaxation Response,

JJ: You’ve also written fiction books and so has our previous guest and tai chi teacher, Monk Yun Rou. You mention in your DVD that there is a relationship between tai chi and creativity. Do you find that you become more creative the more you practice?

BD: This segues with the Taoist concepts of tai chi. If we relax out of the way, there is great possibility waiting to expand through us and part of that is creativity. There was a well-renowned concert pianist from Scotland who had read my book. He was doing a tour of the United States and was going to perform at a university near where I live. So, he contacted me to see if we could get together. He talked about how tai chi had profoundly increased his creativity. I’ve been contacted by various authors with the same comment. When we practice these mindfulness techniqx ues and practice relaxing out of the way, we let go of everything that we are so there is space of this newness to expand through us.

In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu said, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager, recipe columnist and podcaster for Conscious Community Magazine.

Visit www.janaejean.com or www.perennialmusicandarts. com for details about her other projects.

Spencer Schluter serves as an advertising account manager, social media manager and podcaster for Conscious Community Magazine. Visit www.yggstudios.com for more about his freelance design and consulting work. He is also a master level Reiki and traditional Chinese Qigong practitioner.

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[ALL ABOUT TOWN]

AN ENLIGHTENMENT BLESSING

by Theresa Puskar

Don’t listen with your ears or your mind. Listen with a grateful, open heart, not your human heart but your true heart.

I feel deeply appreciative of my position here at Conscious Community Magazine, for I always get rich and rare nuggets of spiritual gold at the workshops that I attend. This past month was no exception! One of the events was a ceremony at a Chicago area temple and a subsequent three-day retreat. Since the practices and principles originated from ancient lineage that goes back thousands of years, for the sake of maintaining the purity of the lineage, I have been asked not to print the specifics of the tradition. That being said, you can contact me at theresapuskar@hotmail.com, should you wish further details.

As I have stated many times in the past, I am also so deeply grateful for the dynamic and delightful way in which the uni14

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verse composes my life journey. It never ceases to amaze me how synchronistic and perfectly orchestrated it is. I feel like I am doing a dance with the divine, and just as long as I get out of the way and allow myself to flow with the music of the benevolent one, it swells and breaks like crashing waves upon the shoreline. Always moving, always constant, but everchanging! Aptly at this retreat, I learned a new term that fully embraces the divine dance I spoke of, “Affinity.”

You are now connected with a lineage of divine saints who want to end suffering in the world.

The ceremony that I was graced to attend could best be described as a heart-to-heart transmission that goes beyond the mind. It serves to enlighten the “true” one (and lest we forget, the “true” one is not our mind)! One could say that in

receiving the gift of this ceremony, we learn enlightenment in reverse. For thousands of years, prior to attending this wondrous ceremony, one had to commit his or her life to divine study and practices and become enlightened. Then and only then could he or she receive the blessing. However, now, because there is so much difficulty within us and in the world as a whole, the caretakers of the lineage have opened this opportunity to all.

The ceremony was performed entirely in an ancient Chinese dialect. Consequently, quieting the mind was easier, and I was able to appreciate the beauty and reverence of the ceremony without getting lost in the words that were being spoken. Like the ocean waves, there was an ebb and flow to this blessing.

Aesthetically, it was radiant and exuded a sense of deepest humility, honor and grace. While I knew not the specifics of what I experienced, my heart sang with joy and gratitude—I knew I was experiencing something that was eternal, beyond words and totally life transforming! Not only were we blessed, but we were given bountiful gifts that could assist us on our eternal life paths.

Whenever you see yourself receiving trials, you are going towards Buddhahood! Then you can go from ‘I don’t like it’ to ‘I appreciate it!’

As is often the case, I attended this three-day retreat on a whim. I knew little about it, however I trusted my gut, as it shouted very loudly, “Go!” As is always the case, I’m glad that I did. There were so many profound teachings that really rocked my world and turned the belief system that I have been following upside down and inside out. While not always comfortable, I felt that this initiation is taking me on a path that will deepen my divine journey in a most profound and powerful way. At times, I can get complacent, thus questioning my belief-system as such, keeps me conscientious and attentive to my everevolving path.

We don’t have to die to go back to heaven. We can experience it here on Earth because no matter what happens, the joy and peace will never leave you.

One of the most profound paradigm shifts was the realization that trials in my life were opportunities to burn karma. I learned that my life would truly change if I could welcome trials, and instead of dreading them, delight in their arrival. The next time you experience a painful pebble embedded deep in your skin as you walk the shoreline of your life, can you imagine yourself dancing a jig of joy, knowing that the pain is a catalyst towards freeing you from the suffering of your past ways and opening you to a life filled with greater peace and joy? What a concept! “Ouch! Time to celebrate!” While I felt this would be a challenge (oops, I mean, opportunity), I knew there was something powerful in play as I witnessed the immense joy that emanated from the four spiritual leaders who led the events. There was an unmistakable bounce in their steps and a full-hearted radiance in their eyes. I knew that they were experiencing heaven here on Earth.

If you believe in heaven and hell, then receiving this blessing is a way out of hell. If you do not, then this enlightenment is a way to peace.

While I knew that I was experiencing a 180-degree shift in my paradigm when I attended the event, I found myself in a place of both extreme enthusiasm and at the same time, cautious trepidation. I knew that the tenets I heard came from a deeply reverent and wise place. For years I denied the existence of a destination called hell, but then I realized that there is a discontented seeker within me, believing that a full wallet, a successful show, and a perfect partner would fill that painful void within me. If that’s not hell on earth, I don’t know what is! I could see that the only way out of the emptiness was to seek deeper connection within myself. This involves burning the karma of my past and living a life of reverence, commitment and gratitude in the future.

Enlightenment adds beauty to the world by speaking to the souls of humankind!

For the past several years, I had been asking my divine for humility. I noted how, once having had a taste of power, many individuals become corrupted. Several were on a very committed spiritual path when their shadow-self emerged and they veered off into a world of self-aggrandizement and the abuse of power. I claim full responsibility for my massive ego, and I want to be sure that I do not get swayed from the light down that path of darkness. As I sat through the three-day process and learned the teachings of this new direction, through the example of this reverent community, I could see how the ego is quelled when one fully commits to humility, honor and purity of intention. I knew that following their example, I would not succumb to the manipulative ways of my ego-self. For this I am both grumbling and grateful! If you want to learn more about this spiritual community, you can email me at TheresaPuskar@ hotmail.com.

Theresa Puskar is an author, performer, speaker, minister and motivational audiobook producer. With over 25 years of experience in media and communications, she has worn many hats in the industry. She is the author of the “Terri” children’s book series, which focuses on a variety of emotional and social development issues for children, ages 5 to 9. She is also an actress and director, and recently returned from performing her autobiographical travelogue, Causeless Joy (formerly titled Beauty, Bollywood and Beyond), in New York and Los Angeles, where she received a 4-star review by New York critic, Alex Miller, and a 5-star review by LA critic Samantha SimmondsRonceros. A powerful inspirational speaker and transition leader, Theresa edu-tains her audiences, by touching hearts and minds in a way that is engaging, joyful and life-affirming.

For more information, visit www.TheresaPuskar.com.

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DEATH AND RESURRECTION THE METAPHYSICAL STORY OF EASTER

by Walter Perschke

Perhaps the greatest mystery of Christianity and the entire world is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of the man called Jesus. Did it really happen? Did it happen the way the story is told today in the Christian gospels? And, just as importantly, why did it happen? How could the man Jesus, who could raise the dead and walk on water, be crucified and die in a most excruciatingly painful way without intervening with his own divine power?

For the answers to these and many other questions that humanity has been asking for thousands of years, I asked the spirit guides that are here to help us all in our inward journey to our true spiritual nature. These are the answers they gave me, which I have every reason to believe are true. The simple explanation of their ability to respond to such questions is that they do not live in any time-space continuum and thus are not limited by time and space. In their world, the guides can 16

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visit the events we are questioning and give us the answers we seek. And they cannot lie. This communication is called channeling, and a longer version of the process will require more time, and space.

The death of Jesus by crucifixion is a true story. But how it happened has been “revised” in the centuries since. The consequences of those revisions have had a profound effect on the teaching of Christianity. Much emphasis has been placed on the pain and suffering of Jesus in this process. Yet the metaphysical message of these events is that there is no suffering, and there is no death.

Peter, “the rock upon which I will build my church,” Peter the first apostle, said in his gospel when he saw Jesus upon the cross, “but he was silent as having no pain.” Yes, there is a gospel of Peter, it’s just not in the New Testament. Peter

also reports that Jesus was on the cross for six hours. Peter states that it was midday when Jesus was placed upon the cross. Jewish custom said that “the sun is not to set on one put to death.” In other words, someone executed must be buried before dark on the day of their demise. The midday reference by Peter, six hours on the cross before death and burial before dark by custom fits the scenario. According to Roman records, the average time on the cross before death was three days. A person being crucified died of suffocation when they could no longer support their own weight and their diaphragm could not function. It was considered merciful to break the legs of the person on the cross because they would die quicker, but Jesus’ legs were not broken, yet he died in six hours.

Did Jesus have a choice? Of course he did, and he chose to leave this earth in a very visible and public way. Ask yourself; of what value would the resurrection be if Jesus died of old age?

If there is anything I have learned in studying and teaching metaphysics for over 20 years, it is to focus on the increasingly larger picture and not to dwell on the details as much. Focus on what the guides call the energy of the events. Judgment leads us down the path of minutiae and away from the “energy” where we are most productively focused. Jesus chose crucifixion because he was taking on the Karma (humanity calls it “sins”) of the world. He was assisting in moving the evolutionary movement we call humanity forward to a new level of consciousness. Humanity is currently experiencing much of that movement at a higher level of consciousness.

The “energy” of the world today is moving to a higher vibration level, and that movement was precipitated by Jesus, 2,000 years ago. To quote the guides, “He was turning on the karmic faucet of 2012. Jesus was changing the dimensions of existence and reality as we know it. It is a process that he was completely familiar with.” Jesus was altering the energy to make it possible to go deeper within ourselves, starting a process that continues today. He was bringing love, not the law. Jesus was bringing a new way of being and it was going to take time to ground and infuse that energy. We are changing our inner reality and the outer will follow. We tried it the other way and it didn’t work.

Let us return, for a moment, to some of the details of the events. Did Jesus have to drag or carry his cross to Calvary?

Yes, but he had some help and did not have to do it alone.

Was he scourged and made to wear a crown of thorns?

Probably not, but those ideas do fit with the pain and suffering belief system many of us were raised with. And what about Judas? Judas’ relationship with Jesus was close and quite complex and is a story unto itself. But as it relates to our story here, Joseph Campbell’s description of the Judas “betrayal” is succinct and accurate. Joseph Campbell said that Jesus’ words to Judas “sound more like a command than anything else.” Judas got a bad rap. Metaphysically, Judas represents guilt, which remains with humanity today.

Judas took on the persona of the saboteur, just as humanity

sometimes sabotages itself today. There was a betrayal, but Jesus allowed it to happen.

The cross itself is highly symbolic and an ancient spiritual symbol that pre-dates Christianity. There are cave drawings in Europe that exist from prehistoric times that include the cross.

Metaphysically the stipe, or vertical bar, connects heaven and earth and indicates there is no separation between them. The patibulum, or horizontal bar, connects time and space. The significance of the cross to the crucifixion is eliminating the barrier of time and space and connecting heaven and earth with no separation. The message of Jesus is expressed and reinforced by the cross.

When the crucifixion was complete, Jesus’ body was claimed

by Joseph, a friend of Pilate, as had been pre-arranged. Dusk was upon the scene and Jesus’ body was taken to his tomb for burial without all of the usual ritual preparations of Jewish custom because of night falling. His body was washed and tied in a linen cloth and placed in the sepulcher, called the Garden of Joseph of Arimathea.

Three days in the tomb symbolizes the trinity of Mother God, Father God and Infinity. The tomb itself represents humanity’s disconnect with its own divinity. We have minimal access to our own divinity in the dark universe we have created. Humanity is in this dark, tomb-like place of disconnect with self. We can come out of our own self-imposed tomb by recognizing our own divinity and simply coming out of our tomb. It is a self- imposed tomb we are all existing in and we can walk out of our tomb just like Jesus did. That is the symbolism and message of the tomb.

Did the resurrection really happen? Yes, it did. Was the resurrection of the body or in spirit? The resurrection was of the spirit, not of the body. Did Jesus appear to those who saw him after his crucifixion as a living breathing man in the flesh?

Yes he did, hence some of the confusion about the resurrection of the body. Jesus was divinity personified and he could appear in any form he wished to, and he chose to appear human. But the resurrection of the body would contradict his teachings, which included reincarnation. We release the body upon physical death, to claim a new form when we are reincarnated and reborn into a new body.

Nothing in the story I have presented here diminishes from Jesus or the power of his message. Jesus’ true message remains as powerful today as when he walked the earth.

Walter Perschke (1939-2016) was the former publisher of Conscious Community Magazine, formerly The Monthly Aspectarian, America’s oldest spiritual and metaphysical magazine. Mr. Perschke was a Professor of Metaphysics, wrote, taught and spoke frequently on metaphysical subjects, and was a popular guest speaker at conferences and seminars.

He hosted a weekly guided meditation group. Walter was nominated for an Emmy Award and was a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

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[FROM THE HEART]

WHERE TO GET MORE LOVE

by Alan Cohen

A seminar participant asked me, “How can I let in more love from my girlfriend?” I told him, “It’s not your girlfriend’s love you need to let in. It’s your own love you need to let out.”

We have consistently been taught that what we need is out there somewhere, and our task is to import it. This quest applies to material objects like cars and flat-screen TVs, as well as spiritual experiences like love from a romantic partner or salvation from a savior. This never-ending search is based on the lie that you are somehow flawed or lacking, and if you can just get what 18

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you need from some outer source, you will become whole. But you can never become whole because the quest is based on the illusion that you are broken, and any campaign based on an illusion must fail. Contrary to what you have been taught, you were created in utter perfection. Your real goal then is not to import your good but to accept the good you already are. This is why the master yogi Paramahansa Yogananda called his organization “Self-Realization Fellowship.” We are not going for self-improvement. We are going for self-knowing.

A Course in Miracles tells us, “Only what you have not given can be lacking in any situation.” This statement is highly confrontational, even insulting to the ego, which swears that if something in your life is missing, it is missing because someone or something out there is withholding it. Our pain is always someone else’s fault: My husband doesn’t share my spiritual path; my parents don’t understand me; my ex doesn’t raise my kids properly; my company doesn’t pay me enough; the government won’t acknowledge my gay marriage. Our emptiness never has anything to do with

our own consciousness, ego argues; we are innocent victims.

We can resolve such frustrating situations by reaching into ourselves and claiming the experience we seek. Tony Robbins suggests a 90-day marriagesaving technique. When a client complains to Tony that his or her partner is not giving enough to the marriage, Tony asks the client to invest more of himself or herself in the relationship. If you want more truth from your partner, give more truth to him or her. If you seek listening, listen. If you want your partner to share your path, make an effort to share his or her path. If, after you have given all you can for 90 days, the relationship is still not working, Tony suggests, feel free to leave. Yet in most cases the relationship works better because you recognize yourself as the source of your empowerment rather than demanding that your partner fill an illusory gap.

This dynamic creeps more subtly into many spiritual paths and religions that teach you to draw energy from your mentor, guru or savior. If you absorb positive healing energy, you will be healed. So, you sit quietly and open yourself to take in the chi, prana, mana, orgone energy, or whatever you name it.

Then you feel better and thank the guru for healing you.

This technique surely works, and if this is your spiritual practice, I absolutely encourage you to continue. Any method that achieves healing is valid and should be used as much as possible.

All healing is of God, regardless of the channel through which it comes.

Yet eventually you must consider whether the healing energy is coming from outside you or from within you. Is your guru or savior really a separate entity who transmits healing, or does he or she live in your own mind? Could your spiritual master be an aspect of your own higher self? Thus, you are not reaching out for your answer but tapping in.

Ram Dass’s guru Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji) told him, “Guru, God, and Self are one.” This is the meditation of a lifetime! The guru and God we strive

to reach out to, are really our own Self.

There is no separation. We make up stories of division and then struggle to bridge a gap that doesn’t exist. Rather than seeking a guru to save you, seek to dissolve the false sense of separation that tells you that the guru lives in India rather than your own heart.

In a sense, the ego is absolutely correct in telling you that the answer is out there.

The answer is far beyond the ego’s own resources. A Course in Miracles tells us, “You cannot be your own guide to miracles because it is you who made them necessary.” You will never get yourself out of trouble by using the same mind that got you into it. The self that is trying to help is the self that needs help. To be healed, you must reach beyond your current idea of self, which is quite limited and ultimately fictitious.

What appears to be the outer teacher lives within you; he or she is the most

valid part of yourself. The outer teacher is your “permission slip” to receive what you already own. Keep using that permission slip as long as it works; it is a blessing from God. Yet the greatest blessing is to recognize that God and all good dwell within you as you. Then you won’t need to let in more love from your partner or the world. You will already own all the love you could ever need.

Alan Cohen is the bestselling author of the newly-released “Spirit Means Business: The Way to Prosper Wildly Without Selling Your Soul,” which illuminates how you can successfully merge your career and financial path with your spiritual life. He will present a program related to this book on the US Mainland (West Coast) in August, 2019. For more information about this program, Alan’s books and videos, free daily inspirational quotes, online courses and weekly radio show, visit www.AlanCohen.com.

Arielle Ford

Manifesting a SoulMate Gain clarity amd purpose as you learn the soulmate secret’s Simple and Fun Universal principles.

Saturday, April 27, Daylong WOrkshop

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Lisa Williams

Deepening Psychic Strengths Saturday, May 18, Daylong WOrkshop

Limited Space, Register Today: InfinityFoundation.org 847.831.8828 Free course guide with 60+ courses, available. events & more. CEUs availabl CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM

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Midwest Pulse Calendar Tuesday, April 2 THE NEW GROUP OF WORLD SERVERS with William Meader. 6-8 pm. $35. New spiritual help at a difficult time for humanity. Location: Equilibrium Energy + Education, 850 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60605.

Registration required. Contact: 312786-1882 or www.equilibrium-e3.com

Wednesday, April 3 EFT WORKSHOP. 6:15-8 pm. Donation.

Experience RELEASE of Grief, Stress, PTSD, Digestion Issues and much more.

Location: SoderWorld Wellness 16 W. 501 Nielson, Willowbrook, IL 60527. 630-455-5885. For more Info: call Tom. 708-955-3634 or visit www.EFT-Tom.com

Thursday, April 4 MEDIUM CLASS: 7-8:30 pm. $33.

Blanche Blacke hosts group learning to discover your gifts and communicate with loved ones who have passed.

5034 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Contact: 773-271-3054 or www.chakrashoppe.com

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Cost: $10 for one day, $15 for both days. All Things Wellness Events & Expo presents Inspired Living Expo, featuring Dr. Brian Clement from the Hippocrates Health Institute, healthful education and 90+ exhibitors, offering holistic therapies, screenings, counseling and products with positive, organic, alternative solutions for every area of one’s life, including the environment, animals, home and family. There will be crystals, jewelry, art and crafts as well. There will be more than 20 presentations and classes. Music will be provided by violinist Martin Lopez, and there will be raffles! 10% of admission tickets donated to Fresh Market’s 1-3-5 Food Drive! Gifts, samples, coupons and more, plus one free raffle ticket provided with admission ticket! Free viewing of the movie HEAL Saturday!

Practitioners will also be on hand to answer questions. Tickets are available at the door or via Eventbrite.

Looking for volunteers and vendors.

Location: D’Andrea Banquet & Conference Center, 4419 US-14, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Join the mailing list for updates. For details, call: 224-241-6645 or visit: www.

AllThingsWellnessExpo.com

Saturday-Sunday, April 6-7

Sunday, April 7

INSPIRED LIVING EXPO 2019!

Sat:12-6 pm and Sun: 10 am– 5 pm.

SHAKURA WORLD SPIRIT: 10-11:30 am. Free. Vibrational healing with sound,

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crystals and channeled guidance.

Free Inspiration at 5034 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL. Contact: 773-2713054 or www.shakuraworld.org

Thursday, April 11 ASK & IT IS GIVEN GROUP STUDIES SELECTIONS AND EXERCISES. 7-8:30 pm. Learn the Tarot class where April M shares her secrets in card reading.

5034 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Contact: 773-271-3054 or www.chakrashoppe.com

Friday-Sunday, April 12-14 BENGSTON ENERGY HEALING METHOD WORKSHOP with Dr. William Bengston. Fri: 6-8 pm and Sat/Sun:10 am - 4:30 pm. $395.

Proven energy therapy for cataracts, Alzheimer’s, digestive issues, cancer and more. Equilibrium Energy + Education, 850 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60605. Registration required.

Contact: 312-786-1882 or www.equilibrium-e3.com MINDBODY RESET RETREAT Weekend investment $275-$425, One day pass $150. Join us for a weekend and space dedicated to conscious living, creative freedom, and soul liberation. Hosted by Rising Lotus with co-host Shaman/Healer from Brazil,

together with special invited guest healers for a weekend of high vibration divine energy. Location: Miller Beach, IN. 708-307-9103 http://www.

RisingLotusHealingCenter.com

Saturday, April 13 CHICAGO IANDS, support/study/ resource forum for near-death, out-ofbody, & spiritual experiences, losses.

2-5 pm. Donation: $20. Guest Speaker: JANE DEFOREST, NDEr, Psychic Medium, Artist, Author, Leader of Portland IANDS. Frank Auditorium in Evanston Hospital, Evanston, IL. Free covered parking. All are welcome!

For more info: 847-251-5758 or http://www.chicagoiands.org HOLISTIC HEALING WITH HERBS CERTIFICATION SERIES - 175-hour certificate program in herbal medicine and holistic healing with Dr. Christina Wilke-Burbach.

Classes are one Saturday a month April through November. Sheboygan, WI. Contact: 608-393-7353 or mindsoulandself@yahoo.com or https://mindsoulandself.com/ herb_classes_wisconsin_illinois/ HOW TO GET ALONG WITH ANYBODY – ASTROLOGICAL COMPATIBILITY FOR BEGINNERS: 2 pm CDT. $20. How can you get along with a Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio or any other sign? In this class, professional Astrologer, Donna Stellhorn, will tell you how you can work with, socialize or live with anyone by knowing the ins and outs of their Astrology chart. You’ll learn how you can appeal to any sign’s better nature and how to prevent people from pushing your buttons.

And you can have more harmonious relationships with everyone in your life. Donna Stellhorn is the author of 15 books. She writes for Horoscope. com, Astrology.com, and Conscious Community Magazine. She does consultations by phone and video conference. Location: Online Class.

Contact: 949-940-5697 or https://www.fengshuiform.com/ teleclasses.htm

PRE-CERTIFICATION EFT WORKSHOP: 9:30 am-5:30 pm. $95. Experience/learn EFT basics. First of two days for “EFT With A Guarantee” certification. For EFT newbies and professionals. Full Certification requires 2 full days plus practice sessions. Workshop feedback: “Grief for 15 years, …. gone.

Wow.” “Life changing!” “My IBS left me during the class.” Location: SoderWorld Wellness, 16 W. 501 Nielson, Willowbrook, IL 60527. To register: call 630-455-5885. For info contact: Tom 708-955-3634 or www.EFT-Tom.com

NAADA OM CONCERT: 7 pm. $15 at the door, $12 in advance. Naada Om is an internationally-touring ensemble that describes their music as “flow of primordial sound, a world music and chant-immersive journey”.

Featuring Felix Woldenberg, chanting and harmonium, and Alan Corne on percussion. Location: Adidam Chicago Center, 3301 W. Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647. Contact: 872-903-3413 or www.naadaom.com

Sunday, April 14 YOGA NIDRA: 10-11:30 am. $15. Deep healing meditation with Lillian Irene Lovas. 5034 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Contact: 773-271-3054 or www.chakrashoppe.com

LOSS AND GRIEF GROUP with Aida Pigott, LCSW, CADC, BCD. Support for difficult times of transition. 6-8 pm, $35. Equilibrium Energy + Education, 850 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60605.

Registration required. Contact: 312786-1882 or www.equilibrium-e3.com

Friday, April 19

Saturday, April 27

POWER OF THREE HEALING WORKSHOP - Third Friday of every month. 7 pm. $75. Description: Healing of body, mind and soul Location: 3051 Oak Grove Rd, Suite 104, Downers Grove, IL. Contact: 630-202-3818 or www.behealedforever.com

INTOUCH & MOTION PRESENTS: MEDITATION & HEALING MOVEMENT ~Open Heart Chakra Healing. Starts 3pm - 4:30pm. $25/class. Location: Awakenings 4001 N Ravenswood Suite 204, Chicago IL 60613. 773-850-9046.

Website: www.intouchandmotion.com/ events/meditation-healing/

Saturday, April 20 GET A PLAN, A MOTIVE AND A LIFE DIRECTION! 12-2 pm. $20. Most spiritual people have a point in their lives where they hit a crossroad and know that SOMEthing in their life must change. But sometimes they aren’t sure what to do or how to go about it. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by an end goal of where you’d like to be or to feel defeated before you begin if you have no idea where you’re going. In this session, we’re going to streamline things down to a few areas of focus to cut down on the scatter, fear, confusion and over-analyzing. By the end, you’ll have a plan, a motive and a direction! Location: 219 W. 55th St. STE 105 Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 (Go through front door, turn right, down the stairs, office 105 on the left). Contact: 407-575-7547 or www.rebeccarockwood.com

Tuesday, April 23

MANIFESTING A SOULMATE WITH ARIELLE FORD: 9 am - 4:30 pm. $110. Join Arielle Ford, bestselling author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, for a day-long workshop.

Engage in a hands-on, content-rich focus on forgiveness and powerful techniques to create the partner of your dreams, and important things to do to prepare your heart, mind, and spirit, as well as how to prepare your home to receive your soulmate. CEUs for 14 professionals available.

Location: Infinity Foundation, 1280 Old Skokie Rd., Highland Park, IL 60635. For more information and registration, call: 847-831-8828 or visit www.InfinityFoundation.org SPRING INTO HEALTH 5K RUN/ WALK. 9:00am - 12:00pm Join us for the 2019 SPRING INTO HEALTH 5K CONSCIOUSCOMMUNITYMAGAZINE.COM

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! Rates of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, are skyrocketing despite the fact that these diseases are predominately preventable with a healthy diet and lifestyle. At PBNM.org we are determined to change the culture and food system in America to promote good health and disease prevention, and to reverse the trend that not only robs people of year of their lives, it robs them of life in their years! Location: Busse Woods, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007.

Register: https://raceroster.com/ events/2019/20224/spring-into-health WILD RASPBERRY GRAND OPENING: 10 am - 6 pm. Open to the Public GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION. Enjoy a taste of the Wild Raspberry experience!

Gently used designer label clothing, jewelry and more! SHOP - DONATE - VOLUNTEER. Wild Raspberry is an initiative of the Milagro World Center/ Sponsor to Conscious Chicagoland Location” Arlington Club Commons, 9 Huntington Lane, Wheeling, IL 60090. Contact: 224-676-1125 or www.wildraspberry.store WORLD TAI CHI & QIGONG DAY 20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION! 9-11am. Free. Location: Theosophical Society, 1926 N Main St, Wheaton, IL 60187. Phone: 630-668-1571.

1-4 pm. Sprong Gathering at The LightheartCenter, 0 S.165 Church St, Winfield,IL 60190. For details, contact: 630-352-9097, or www.

Facebook.com/WTCD.Chicago

Saturday-Sunday April 27-28 INTUITIVE DEVELOPMENT - Master teacher, healer trains you in Learn

the Pendulum and Akashic Records Certification classes. 5034 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. More info at www.chakrashoppe.com or call 773-271-3054.

Saturday, May 4 WOMEN’S MAY DAY RETREAT Everyone receives six individual healing sessions (Chakras, Acupuncture, Crystals, Reflexology, Thai Massage, Bodywork), meditations, fire ceremony, 100 acres of Kettle Moraine Forest, hiking trails, labyrinth, medicine circle, more! West Bend, WI. Contact: 608393-7353 mindsoulandself@yahoo. com; or https://www.mindsouland self.com/wellness-day-retreats/

Wednesday, May 8 SPRING CLEAN YOUR SPACE AND SOUL: 7-8:30 pm. $30 advance/$40.

Come learn the Emotional Freedom Technique “Tapping” and super charge your ‘spring cleaning’ process! See how EFT makes it easy for you to part with physical and emotional things no longer serving you. Be Optimal Holistic Health Center, 1249 N. Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL 60025.

Contact: 847-486-8000 or www. beoptimal.com

Thursday, May 23 SHEWOLF SACRED MOVEMENT is a Chicago-based, global purpose revolution to venerate the embodied feminine soul. May 23rd - 7 pm; May 25th - 7 pm; May 26th- 2 pm. Tiered pricing: $20, $30, $50. Through interdisciplinary artistic mediums, we create a process + platform for stories of divine resilience. Our intention is

to center voices, bodies, + hearts that have been impacted by violence, marginalization, disempowerment, oppression, + imbalances. As a channel of unity consciousness, performers + audience alike move + witness to engage in collective transformation + liberation. Our works range from ancient ritual practices + classical cultural dances to contemporary expressions + exchanges. All are welcome; come as you are. Location: Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60613. Contact: www.shewolfsacred.org

Saturday, June 1 JUMPSTART: MOTIVATE FOR CHANGE with Diane Randall, M.A. Whole Living Consultant and Author, 1:30-4:30 pm. $79. Discover your capacity for success. Attain your goals through a series of easy-tolearn, powerful techniques. This introductory learning workshop is based on my book, Jumpstart Your Life: Find Your Motivation and Change Your Life One Step at a Time. Are you ready to take the first step toward the life you’ve always wanted? In this workshop, you will learn how to design meaningful affirmations along with what an affirmation is and why this is an important tool on your path to success. Learn the tools needed to design your own personalized action plan that you can begin using right away. Location: Tribe Healing Arts, 1819-21 West Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Contact: Diane@ dianerandallconsults.com for more information. Space is limited, reserve your spot at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/jumpstart-motivation-forchange-tickets-55767924363

AT T E N T I O N A D V E R T I S E R S Did you know that the Midwest Pulse Calendar section is one of the most read parts of Conscious Community? The Midwest Pulse Calendar listings are $1.00 per word with a 30 word minimum. Copy is due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Copy submitted after the deadline is not guaranteed to be included in the next issue. Check or credit card information must accompany calendar listings.

For questions, please call: 847-966-1110 or email: Kasia@ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com.

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Michael Harner's The Way of the Shaman® Sat-Sun June 1-2, 2019 Rockford, Illinois Sat-Sun Aug 17-18, 2019 Indianapolis, Indiana

—Michael Harner's Advanced Workshop's— -Prerequisite Michael Harner's Basic Workshop, The Way of the Shaman®

Spiritual Disconnection Lost Life Direction

Shamanism, Dying, and Beyond

Sat-Sun Nov 9-10, 2019 Indianapolis, Indiana

Shamanism and the Spirits of Nature Sat-Sun June 8-9, 2019 St. Louis, Missouri

Shamanic Dreamwork™

Spiritual Depression

Sat-Sun May 18-19, 2019 Indianapolis, Indiana

Shamanic Divination Training

Energy Overwhelm

Sat-Sun March 30-31, 2019 St. Louis, Missouri Sat-Sun Nov 16-17, 2019 Rockford, Illinois

Resonation Changes

Shamanic Extraction Healing Training

Advanced Spiritual Evolution

Sat-Sun Sept 7-8, 2019 Rockford, Illinois

Jo Ann Broder

Look for more Classes & Events at

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ShamanicThunder.com Jo@ShamanicThunder.com (815) 519-3104

WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

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an AWAKENING SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY of acceptance, safety and inclusion, offering:

◦ Meditation Circles ◦ Workshops & Events ◦ Group/Individual Sessions

Sound Healing Wed. 7:30 - 9pm Gong,Kirtan or Crystal Bowls (details on website)

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21 Ways to Protect Yourself from

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF)

by Ania Wilewska “The deployment of 5G, or fifth generation cellular technology, constitutes a massive experiment on the health of all species.”

— Dr. Joel Moskowitz As more scientific studies are being published, more doctors and physicians are raising awareness and alarm, even few glimpses of mainstream media show signs of an increasing concern of the 5G roll out. The telecommunications companies with governments at their leash are Apriling straight on to deploy 5G, who will be the winner in the 5G race?

As we are looking at the world around us, the increasing toxicity is engulfing our entire world. The initial promises of saving the world and making it better, easier and more convenient. We are not only being fooled by the 5G technology but our food, land and water are poisoned as most of the world ignorantly allows this disaster to occur.

Hippocrates declared so long ago: “Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against Nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.” This is evident from the thousands of studies investigating the evolution of radio frequency bands we have been exposed to causes a range of acute and chronic conditions, such as neurodevelopmental, cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, anxiety, depression, infertility, suicidal tendencies, as well as damage to the DNA. The dangers of 5G are noted by many. Olga Sheean, former WHO employee and author of No Safe Place says, “The plans to beam highly penetrative 5G milliwave radiation at us from space must surely be one of the greatest follies ever conceived of by mankind. There will be nowhere safe to live.” Over 30,000 signatures, many of whom notable scientists, appealed in The International Appeal to Stop 5G on Earth and in Space to put a halt the 5G roll out, a roll out that not 26

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only includes installation of new towers in very close proximity to one another as well as over 10,000 satellites.

5G will be an assault on all the species as well as our planet Earth disrupting earth’s primary harmonic frequency, Schumann Resonance. Schumann resonance is earths low and natural electromagnetic frequency of 7.83 hertz critical for our proper regulation of circadian rhythm, main frequency of the brain and various other life maintaining functions. Studies with NASA astronauts who were disconnected from the Schumann resonance showed signs of organ degeneration. Another aspect to consider is the disturbance of natural frequencies with artificial ones creating confusion of which frequencies to the organism should tune into. As Pawel Wypychowski, electromagnetic engineer, explains, “In warfare, it’s widely used to jam the signal of your enemy. To break the communication of the enemy you use jammers. These are special radio devices, which put frequencies that are very, very close to the frequency you want to jam and a lot higher. The receiver on the site of the enemy cannot recognize the real signal.” We are becoming disconnected; we are disturbing our environment; our gene expression is changing having frightful consequences of our and future generations.

As terrible as all this sounds what can we do to protect ourselves, our future generations and our planet with the rest of the inhabitants?

Small changes you can make: 1. Keep all devices in another room at night and on airplane mode.

2. Don’t keep your phone in your pocket especially if it’s not on airplane mode and don’t put your iPads and laptops on your lap.

3. Use the speakers while having a phone conversation instead of putting your cell phone up to your head for long periods of time.

4. Headphones and chargers can increase EMF exposure from cell phones, so don’t use them while they’re charging.

Dietrich Klinghardt, Barrie Trower, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Magda Havas, Dr. Devra Davis. Ann Louise Gittleman.

5. Avoid traditional headsets and most definitely the wireless earbuds. Instead, opt for airtube headsets, which deliver great sound without EMF exposure.

Dr. Gabriel Cousens along with In Power Movement guide you how to protect yourself and the environment by taking larger steps in that direction in “5G Solution Explained,” (see link below)..

6. Get rid of electric blankets, waterbeds, electric heating pads and avoid using microwave.

7. Use a quality shielding phone case that is designed to block various forms of radiation.

8. Change your bedroom circuit breaker to exclude smoke detectors, alarms, etc. and then switch off the circuit breaker at night.

9. Use battery-powered alarm clocks.

10. Position your bed so that it’s as far away as possible from strong magnetic field sources, including the utility pole, refrigerator and home entertainment center.

11. Forget about Bluetooth headsets and using Bluetooth in your car.

Use speaker mode to keep your phone as far away from your body as possible.

12. If you’re using a laptop at home, avoid Wi-Fi and opt for hardwired Ethernet connections; don’t use the wireless mouse or keyboards.

13. If you have a smart meter at home contact your utilities company to opt out.

14. Shield your bedroom while you are sleeping; you can purchase EMF protective bed canopy to create a protective Faraday cage. (Don’t use your cell phone in bed when you are in the Faraday cage.)

15. Work with a building biologist to help you evaluate and determine the proper protection steps, one of which is using EMF shielding paint. (Look up Brian Hoyer for tips and contact Mieke Jacobs from Illinois for consultations 847-769-5135.)

16. Supply yourself with Shungite, a stone from Russia that protects from EMFs. 17. Connect with nature as much as possible, grounding, sun exposure, going on a walk in a park or forest preserve.

18. Consider Hydrogen water, which can protect you from oxidative stress (Active H2 Ultra Molecular Hydrogen.)

19. Diet rich in sulforaphane compound found in cruciferous vegetables (high sources in broccoli sprouts), omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, carotenoids, sulfur compounds. Eat your rainbow in veggies.

20. Supplement with C60—a very powerful antioxidant and magnesium.

21. Mineralize your body, a great way to do that is Quinton Isotonic Sea Water.

There are some politicians on our side: • Senator Richard Blumenthal recently questioned the safety of 5G technology in the Senate.

• Senator Patrick Colbeck is very outspoken about the issue.

Activists like: Nick Pineault, Pawel Wypychowski, Lloyd Burrell, Dr.

The overwhelming aggregation of “electrosmog” and many other toxins in our environment is preventing our bodies from healing and regeneration. There are ways of stimulating the self-healing ability to regenerate more effectively. Scalar Plasma energy, based on quantum physics and the discovery of Nikola Tesla and Antoine Priore is the future of healing. As much as we try to ensure our diet and our lifestyle is as pure and healthy as possible our contact with toxins is unavoidable. Scalar Plasma energy, (generated by The Rasha— Scalar Crystalline Plasma device with the combining the discoveries of Nikola Tesla, Dr. Antoine Priore and Dr. Royal Rife) strengthens and corrects the morphogenetic filed (energy field) around the cells so that they regain the ability to function properly and the natural defense mechanisms of the body are enhanced. Scalar energy promotes relaxation of the brain and nervous system so that we can resonate with Earth’s natural frequencies (Schumann Resonance) to promote optimum healing. Mind becomes more coherent, focused and sharp with improved clarity. Electrical potential of the cellular membrane is restored to promote nutrient absorption and waste excretion. Scalar Plasma energy strengthens DNA bonds creating resistance to damage. Immune system is strengthened. Nikola Tesla said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” Everything is energy, and we are energetic beings and we can use energy to help us heal properly.

Pawel Wypychowski puts it as, “There’s signal jamming in the environment, when you remove the signal jamming it turns out that your brain works better. If the brain works better every gland in your body works better, cellular regeneration works better, mitochondria, everything works better and healing works better.” By relieving stressors and supporting relaxation, cellular detox, healing and regeneration the body is allowed the ability to restore the tissues and perform at its optimal level.

It is our choice now to protect ourselves as we are working together to educate and save ourselves and our planet from the devastation that is about to be implemented. Let’s unite on this matter. There is hope too; as one city in California “voted unanimously to ban in the installation of new cell phone towers” due to concerns over cancer. I encourage you to read the links below, educate and pass the knowledge forward.

Go to ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com for a full list of references Ania Wilewska is a Rasha practitioner. Rasha is an Advanced Scalar Plasma Crystalline Technology. With an in-depth evaluation and consultation, she can create a holistic integrative approach to an issue with which you are currently dealing. Ania herself suffered for years from multiple autoimmune diseases and healed herself through a lifestyle change, herbs, supplements and Rasha.

Currently, Ania is a Ph.D. candidate at Quantum University where she is able to integrate her knowledge of herbal and ancient medicine, medical anthropology, with quantum medicine. For more information, visit www.therasha.com, email Ania to schedule a consultation at Wilewska@protonmail.com or call 630-362-7209.

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CONFESSIONS OF A YOGINI

by Cynthia Gran “It’s easier to tell a lie than it is to tell the truth...

It’s easier to see the books upon the shelf, Than to see yourself...

It’s easier to drag your feet than it is to be a man...”

— “See Yourself,” George Harrison “The outer world, all that you see with your eyes, including the planets, the stars, and the universe are not as great nor vast as the space that lies deep within you. It is accessible through medita28

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tion, but you have never explored inside.”

Say what?

When I heard that at age 17, I sensed my life would change. I was deeply inspired to practice yoga and meditation as well as tune into my inner world.

I knew I was meant to continue on this path. I was ready for heaven on earth!

Yet, the path of yoga has not been easy for me. I have had an especially hard time with meditation.

I learned the techniques of yoga over several years with many teachers and then

began to teach classes and workshops.

Merely learning techniques is the easy part. Some say we are called to teach in order that we may learn more comprehensively. But, practicing proficiently and routinely is entirely different. For years I had a daily routine that was satisfying yet it left me unable to reach the subtler stages of concentration that leads to a deeper experience of true meditation.

My meditation practice wasn’t always successful in large part because I disregarded daily basic training. I didn’t

sufficiently take the time to employ the necessary preparations for a sustained amount of sitting still. I spent years skipping very important steps. I was just not self-disciplined enough. I didn’t implement enough hatha yoga asanas, develop sufficiently calm, deep breathing, or apply deep relaxations in my routine.

These preparatory steps together form an important basis for meditation.

To begin with, hatha yoga asanas are a perfect set of body stretches designed originally to focus on the spine and the central nervous system. A healthy, flexible spine is necessary for the strength to sit comfortably upright during a sustained meditation. This is generally coupled with diaphragmatic breathing and body/ mind techniques to release auxiliary tension. After this organized preparation, the mind begins to calm down considerably. As thoughts settle, the mind can be harnessed, focused, and the process of meditation flows gently.

Without doing these steps, my mind usually couldn’t focus. I was lost inside my head, not meditating at all! Thoughts floated from here to there, from past to future. Or I was preoccupied with my responsibilities. My mind jumped around, filled with an assortment of impressions, all in the way of the intention of the higher Self.

Another thing I failed to do for years was to get myself up early in the morning, which boiled down to not going to bed early enough the night before. And, I couldn’t do that either if I ate too late or if I ate too much. When the body and mind are disturbed by fatigue, pain, hunger, indigestion, etc., it hinders progress and robs us of composure. Routine is necessary to organize the many preoccupations that make up our modern world.

Foresight is required to realize our intentions and reach our goals.

We are more easily overcome by the demands of the world than we realize; getting sick before we suspect and bewildered, perhaps without even knowing it, by the outer world to such an extent that responsibilities and multitasking cover and hide us from our true Selves.

“The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!”

— William Wordsworth Vedanta teaches us to remove those things in the world, or in the mind, which are obstacles by saying neti neti, which translates as “not this, not this.” This process of elimination provides steps that further our progress where we simply see some things as nonessential or unnecessary. We can ask the questions: “Do I need this to continue my spiritual progress?” and “Is this what I am searching for?” and answer them honestly. If the answer is “not this,” then gently discard it. You don’t need it, so you needn’t hold on to it. This allows us to softly continue to progress without passing judgment.

The goal of yoga is to move ever inward, releasing auxiliary attachments. Yoga is a science that teaches us to quiet body, the energy field and the mind, in that order, so we may then forget them and absorb back into the realm of Cosmic Consciousness. Not everyone can easily sit still or learn to quiet the mind for very long. I wasn’t when I was a teenager!

I had the desire to reach the goal, but not the conviction. I did not harness the power of sankalpa shakti, the will and determination to train my body/mind and deepen meditation.

LIVE YOUR MOST HEART-CENTERED, INTUITIVE LIFE

“Lee Harris may be the most insightful, authentic, and caring energy empath I have met in a lifetime of seeking.”

— MIKE DOOLEY, New York Times bestselling author of Infinite Possibilities

www.newworldlibrary.com ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK

Most things worth learning require patience, perseverance and determination. For spiritual transformation that lasts beyond this body/mind and this lifetime, we need right knowledge coupled with self-discipline. Willing to break old patterns, we students of self-growth accept the hard work as essential, laboring regularly and lovingly.

A Chicago native, Cynthia Gran lives in Tucson, AZ and teaches Himalayan Yoga and Meditation, She can be reached at cgran3@att.net.

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THE HEALING TREE

by Matthew Sleeth, MD

I love trees. I always have. One of my first memories is playing under a large dogwood whose limbs cascaded to the ground, forming a hidden world. The sun’s light filtered through thousands of white blossoms. It was a world of textures and hues: rough brown bark, smooth delicately veined white flowers, and hard red berries underlain with soft green grass. When I look back on six decades of life, some of the most beautiful moments I’ve known were in, under, and around trees. I don’t regret a moment I’ve spent with them.

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This year, as we celebrate Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd, it might edify us to contemplate the nature of trees and our connection to them. Humanity has grown up in the shadow of trees.

We owe them a debt that cannot be overstated.

Anthropologists name the epochs of culture after technologies in use.

Thus we have the Stone, Bronze, Iron, Industrial, and Information Ages. But in truth, all of these ages take place within the larger context of trees. All

ages are the age of trees. Small wonder that they are the oldest creatures on the planet. Each gets a ring on its birthday.

Our first tools were made of trees. Our food was first cooked with wood. For almost all of human history, no crossing of water took place without the aid of trees. Wooden boats were followed by planes made with wooden spars and propellers. The first nuclear powered submarine glided along the ocean’s depths with main bearings made from the tree: lignum vitae.

It wasn’t until the Age of Steam that humanity discovered what made the wind give life. The trees that made our homes, books, and everything from cradles to coffins; those same trees that gave us syrup, fruit, and nuts to put on our pancakes, were also making the oxygen used to metabolize our food and run our brains and bodies.

As a child who grew up in the woods, I remember sensing something mysterious, beyond my grasp. Was it the invisible life and oxygen that was being made by the trees around me? I do not think it was an innate awe or growing knowledge about the scientific processes taking place around me. It was both simpler—and infinitely more complicated than science. And the woods have become much more complicated of late.

Scientists have discovered that trees in a forest communicate with each other using a web of tiny tendrils dubbed “The Wood Wide Web.” Trees can count. They can warn other trees. They can share chlorophyll. All the while they go about the task of making the planet habitable. It is now known that if forests did not exist along coastlines, no rain would fall in the middle of continents: coastal forests make the clouds that travel far inland. And it is not just people who are dependent on trees.

One half of the creatures that live on land are tree dependent.

From Hollywood to Cedar Rapids to the Big Apple, trees are the common physical denominator of the human experience. Yet trees seem to connect with us at a much deeper level.

In the past several decades, there has been a growing awareness that trees are good for one’s health. Studies have shown that when trees are suddenly lost in a neighborhood, rates of depression increase. Conversely, simply spending time sitting in the woods is now recognized as good medicine. The practice

of forest bathing and Shinrin-yoku or Forest Therapy has become popular.

These treatments are a discovery and rediscovery of what poets have known since Walden Pond was on the edge of the wilderness: trees are good for you.

Some of the health benefits of being in trees can be explained by science. If you are in a pine forest on a hot summer day and take a deep breath, the intoxicating smell you’re breathing is air cleaned of bacteria by phytoncides in the pine needles. These same compounds kill protozoa in the streams running under their boughs.

Yet for all of the scientific explanations of the woods, I’ve felt something in them that defies rational explanation.

What I sense is the effect of beauty on the human soul. It is then that all of our senses demand we listen, see, taste, inhale, and hold the forest for a moment at the bottom of each breath. One catches a glimpse—or smells a fleeting scent—of wonderment.

I’ve come across this forest synesthesia in Vermont, as falling snow and clouds made the woods dark long before dusk. I’ve bumped into the wonder of walking under 300 foot tall Redwoods in the rain. I’ve lain among golden maple leaves on south-facing slopes in Wisconsin and Maine when skies above me were so clear and blue you could almost see stars at noon in October. I’ve caught the sound of it as black water flowed past the bases of loblolly pines, sweetgum, and water hickory in North America’s largest oldgrowth bottomland in the Congaree National Park.

Some go to the forest to find beauty, others solitude, still others health. Some go to find themselves. I’ve found all these in the woods. In my late 40s, after a life of avowed atheism, I found that thing that I’d glimpsed and heard and smelled in forests again and again. I

found God. It was not a nameless god, but the God of the Bible.

I’d had the misconception that the God of the Bible didn’t care for trees.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Trees are mentioned more times in the Bible than any living thing on earth other than humans. There is a tree on the first page, in the first song (Psalm One), and on the last page of the Bible.

I do not know if Abraham wore skinny jeans, but I know the exact species of tree where he met God. I do not know if Deborah was a blonde or a brunette, but I know the species of tree she held court under as she judged Israel. The Bible doesn’t say if Elijah was tall or short, but it does tell what kind of tree he retreated to when he met God. The God of the Bible loves trees. His intention was for humanity to live among trees and care for them. The second chapter of the Bible declares that trees are the benchmark of beauty to God. This aesthetic remains unchanged throughout the Bible. The Bible even says that God’s throne in paradise faces the tree of life—and that “the leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations.”

This Earth Day, pay close attention to the trees around you. Go to the woods.

Smell and breathe in the wonder of the forest. While I cannot guarantee that you will find God there, you will certainly get a glimpse of heaven. For as the Proverbs tell us: “Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.”

— Proverbs 3:17-18, NIV Matthew Sleeth, MD, is Executive Director of Blessed Earth. His newest book is Reforesting Faith: What Trees Teach Us About the Nature of God and His Love for Us (April 2019.) Visit www.BlessedEarth.org.

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CHIROPRACTOR BOOK AND METAPHYSICAL STORES

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Watson BS, DC, VSMT. Watson Chiropractic is your partner in integrative whole health, for your whole life. With a focus on women’s health, pregnancy, and pediatrics, we offer Chiropractic, Reiki, Chios, Massage, Acupuncture, and Cupping.

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Through energetic healing, Amber helps to provide a restorative balance for your pet companion on a social, emotional, and physical level. Sessions, classes, workshops offered. All animals welcome. Location: Naperville & Chicagoland surrounding areas. 630-835-6727, Website: www.amberreiki.com

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SLC strives to provide learning opportunities based on expansive concepts that challenge and amplify mainstream knowledge and experience. We offer the chance to learn about things that you may have always been curious about but haven’t known where to go for answers. To check our classes and receive location details please email: SpiritualLearning Center@gmail.com, visit www.SpiritualLearning Center.com

SPIRITUAL COUNSELING REBECCA ROCKWOOD SPIRITUAL COUNSELING FOR SPIRITUAL PEOPLE! Specializing

Ordained non-denominational minister officiates at transitional events (weddings, baptisms, funerals, birth rites, etc.). For further information on personally-tailored, magical and intimate experiences, contact Theresa Puskar. www.theresapuskar.com, 630-272-1805.

in spiritual disconnection, lost life direction, energy overwhelm, spiritual depression, resonation changes, advanced spiritual evolution. Your future doesn’t have to be a replay of your past! 219 W. 55th St., Suite 105, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514, 407-5757547, www.rebeccarockwood.com

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COSMIC DAILY WEATHER April 2019

by Bernadette Evans

Overview This month, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto will be stationing retrograde. This is nothing new, the

Monday, April 1

social and outer planets retrograde once a year for approximately four to five months. Jupiter

There’s the possibility of being accident prone when the Moon squares Mars, so be aware of what you’re doing today and watch out for falling pianos or anvils! You could also feel more irritable, like everyone is getting on your nerves. Try not to lose your temper, just breathe and count to 10, or go for a walk. Moon enters the sign of Pisces at 9:48 a.m.

is the first one to slow down and does so on April 10; followed by Pluto on April 24 and then Saturn on April 29. With this slow movement, the challenge is that it may take you longer to get your work done or find solutions to your problems. The gift is that you get to rethink, reevaluate and refocus on your work—what you value, your resources and how you might go about changing what’s not working for you anymore. For instance, with the Jupiter retrograde, you may want to travel to a destination that you haven’t visited for years that holds fond memories for you. You may also decide to revisit a course you’ve been meaning to take and finish up a certification. Saturn may ask you to rethink your career path. With Pluto, it’s more about looking at your shadow side and exploring areas around control and jealousy.

The Moon takes about 28 days to complete her orbit through the twelve signs, approximately two and a half days in each sign. When we say the Moon is Void of Course, (VoC), it means the Moon makes no more major aspects to other planets until it leaves the sign it’s in. At these times, it can be difficult to get focused and accomplish tasks; you may want to relax, meditate or do something where your focus is directed inward. Don’t try to get a new project off the ground when the Moon is Void. If you want to find out more about the Void of Course Moon, check out moontracks.com.

Tuesday, April 2 The Mercury-Neptune conjunction may be what you need to tap into your creative side today. Your intuition is also heightened, so pay attention to any insights you receive. It’s amazing what information bubbles up to the surface when you leave space for it. Lastly, there is a chance of misunderstandings because of unclear communications, try to be as clear as possible when speaking with others.

The times below are listed in Central Daylight Time.

Wednesday, April 3 Get the heavy lifting done in the morning because the Moon is Void of Course for most of the afternoon and evening. With the Pisces VoC moon, it’s the perfect time to allow the winds to gently blow you in 34

| CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE APRIL

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the direction you feel drawn to. You can continue working on that creative project or sit in meditation. Go wherever your heart leads you. Moon VoC at 10:36 a.m. until it enters the sign of Aries at 9:56 p.m.

Thursday, April 4

trust, who is good with budgeting and has a good track record. Be careful making any purchases that you may regret later.

Moon VoC at 3:29 a.m. until 4:15 p.m.

Tuesday, April 9

The Moon-Mars sextile offers you the opportunity to communicate your thoughts with others and get a lot of work done with your team. You’re also able to run with an idea yourself; you can be quite independent and feel confident of your abilities.

People stand up and take notice when you speak, with today’s Moon-Mars conjunction. You make a good leader with your enthusiasm and confidence to inspire others. This is a great time to do some networking and connect with others, sharing ideas, knowledge and expertise.

Friday, April 5

Wednesday, April 10

Another lunar cycle begins, in Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. The New Moon is at 3:50 a.m. It’s about planting the seeds of initiation; what has you energized and excited? Your courage, passion and adventurous spirit will help you forge ahead with any new venture and assist you to put in the time and effort. With the New Moon squaring Saturn, it may feel like tough slugging, but it will be worth it in the end. Moon VoC at 9:15 p.m.

Jupiter stations Retrograde at 12:01 p.m. and will be retrograde till mid-August.

Jupiter is about expansion and when it’s retrograde it asks us to turn inward, be more introspective. During this time, you may feel called to re-examine your belief systems and your values. It’s always a good idea to take stock and see what fits and what doesn’t. Moon VoC at 12:27 p.m. until 10:31 p.m. when it enters the sign of Cancer.

Saturday, April 6

Thursday, April 11

The Moon-Uranus conjunction may bring about an unexpected surprise, it could come in the form of finding out your application for a loan was accepted. You may also be feeling restless and want to do something out of the ordinary. Today’s a good day to play and experiment, be careful and safe out there. Moon moves into Taurus at 8:06 a.m.

Like a lioness with its cubs, when the Moon’s in Cancer you may be feeling very protective of those you love. You’re loyal and nurturing but remember to also do what nurtures you. You can’t nurture others if your tank is empty, so fill it up and spoil yourself.

Sunday, April 7 Home décor shows are everywhere. With the Moon sextiling Venus and Neptune you might want to try your hand at decorating your home, transforming it into your own beautiful sanctuary where you’re able to relax and feel proud to entertain your friends. If your home is already perfect, it’s a great day to have a few people over for dinner; your friends will appreciate your attentions and you’ll love spoiling them.

Monday, April 8 The Taurus Moon is Void of Course for a good portion of the day. A good way to work with today’s energies is to go over your finances. Get help from someone you

Friday, April 12

Sunday, April 14 One of the benefits of the Sun-Jupiter trine is it can help you feel optimistic and generous with energy to spare. It lights a fire under you giving, you that extra push you need to follow through on your plans; then your enthusiasm is rekindled and you’re off to the races again! Moon VoC at 8:38 p.m.

Monday, April 15 You may feel pulled to indulge yourself today by buying a great pair of shoes or something else beautiful—maybe a painting that’s been calling your name.

The Venus-Jupiter square can find you purchasing something impulsively that you might regret later. Also, be careful of overindulging when eating out. Your beliefs around money, relationships and what you value may be put on the hot seat today, with the Venus-Jupiter square. Someone may be challenging you to stand up for your principles and explain them. Moon goes into the sign of Virgo at 5:14 a.m.

Tuesday, April 16 When the Moon opposes Neptune, you may be confused about your emotional highs and lows and why you’re feeling uneasy about certain people. I want to say trust your intuition, but also you should get more information, before you write someone off.

Wednesday, April 17

When the Moon squares the Sun, you may find yourself irritated with others and find that things are not running as smoothly as you’d like. You have plenty of option; run away and hide, yell and scream and stomp your feet, or try to figure out what the problem is and do some brainstorming to resolve the issue. Moon VoC at 6:33 p.m.

Mercury moves into the sign of Aries at 1:01 a.m. In general, you can expect communications to pick up speed. You may find yourself jumping into new ventures impulsively and speaking before thinking, so be mindful of what you say and how you say it. Moon VoC at 11:29 p.m. until 6:22 a.m. when it enters the sign of Aquarius.

Saturday, April 13

Thursday, April 18

The Moon is taking up its monthly residence in Leo. It’s a fabulous day to indulge yourself and play. In the evening, the easy flow of the Moon-Mars sextile lightens up the atmosphere and you may be holding court, as everyone is entranced with your stories and anecdotes. Moon enters the sign of Leo at 2:50 a.m.

The Moon-Saturn square may leave you feeling alone and isolated. You’re never as alone as you believe; pick up the phone and call a friend. You could be trying to reconcile your home life with your career and find one or both lacking.

Balance can be tricky but with conscious effort it’s possible.

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Friday, April 19

Sunday, April 21

Friday, April 26

The Full Moon is in Libra at 29 degrees.

You may feel a sense of urgency, a need to keep moving forward, especially in your relationships. A partnership may have reached its natural conclusion and it’s time to move on. You may feel you need space and freedom to come and go as you please, not wanting to have to answer to anyone. Moon VoC at 6:12 a.m. until 7:41 a.m. when it enters the sign of Scorpio.

Happy Easter to all those who celebrate the holiday! The energy shifts late morning from Scorpio to Sagittarius. You can expect a lighter, livelier feel to the day, which is perfect if you’re celebrating with family or friends today. Laughter and generosity are abundant and maybe there’s some chocolate floating around too. Moon enters the sign of Sagittarius at 10:59 a.m.

You may feel like running away from it all, when the Moon squares Uranus. The underlying feeling of restlessness, needing space and freedom, is nipping at your heels. Don’t do anything too hasty, as this transit, like all others, shall pass.

Moon moves into the sign of Aquarius at 4:27 a.m.

Monday, April 22 Saturday, April 20 This is the time of year when I get to wish all Taureans a very Happy Birthday! Venus also enters the sign of Aries at 11:11 a.m.

When the ruler of Taurus moves into Aries you may find yourself being impulsive in the love department. It’s all about love at first sight and going after what you want.

You could be thinking about taking risks with money and looking at new ventures.

Take the time to do some investigating, so you don’t regret any hasty decisions.

Moon VoC at 11:00 p.m.

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You may come up with a unique way to generate some income when you put your talents to work with the Sun-Uranus conjunction. Think about your goals and how you can parlay your gift for originality into earning money, and how this allows you to express who you are to the world.

Tuesday, April 23 The Moon is Void of course in Sagittarius for most of the day, so you may want to focus on tasks you’ve already started.

An example would be a writing assignment that needs finishing touches or maybe meditating. You can get more work done tomorrow when the Moon moves into Capricorn. Moon VoC 6:44 a.m. until 5:50 p.m. when it enters the sign of Capricorn.

Wednesday, April 24 Pluto stations retrograde at 1:48 p.m. and will be retrograde until early October.

When the planet of transformation, secrets and passions is retrograde, it gives us time to reflect on our desires and examine why we’re attracted to doing something a certain way. Maybe it’s about being in control of these individuals or situations. Pluto may ask you to let go of people and circumstances, so you can grow into who you’re meant to be.

Thursday, April 25 The Moon-Saturn conjunction may find you being asked by your boss to take on more responsibility at your job. Take this as a compliment, the powers that be have noticed your work ethic, you’ve shown them you’re responsible and know how to get the work done. Moon VoC at 2:48 p.m. and Void for the rest of the day.

Saturday, April 27 The Mars-Neptune square may have you going in circles, not quite sure which direction you should take. Don’t be alarmed, when the fog lifts, you can re-evaluate and plot your course again.

There is also the potential for accidents when your head is spinning or in the clouds, so take care.

Sunday, April 28 The Moon is Void of Course in Aquarius most of the day, so take the time to see what piques your interest. What are your goals, your dreams? Another way to use today’s energy is to catch up with friends and relax over a cup of coffee. Moon VoC at 4:44 a.m. until 5:11 p.m. when it enters the sign of Pisces.

Monday, April 29 Saturn also stations retrograde this month at 7:54 p.m. With Saturn, you must put in the work to be rewarded. Take the time to re-examine your work ethic and your responsibilities. Do you need to reframe how you go about doing your job? Could you be more disciplined? Is it time for a change? Saturn Rx gives you time to rethink and consider your options.

Tuesday, April 30 Your “Spidey senses” may be tingling with the Pisces Moon. Your intuition and imagination are sharper today and you may get information from out of the blue. Creative juices and inspiration are flowing, so take advantage of this energy to tap into your artistic side.

Moon VoC at 4:57 p.m.

Bernadette Evans is a counselling astrologer, hypnotherapist, Registered Professional Counsellor and writer. She can be reached at 780-289-7398 or Bbevans001@gmail.com.

[HEARTh & HOME]

2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 ½ cups fresh baby arugula 1 ½ cups fresh young dandelion greens 1 cup fresh baby spinach Salt and pepper, to taste Hummus Topping (see below) Roasted Parsnips and Carrots (see below) Fresh Parsley

FITTER FLATBREADS with Fresh Greens

by Janae Jean

When asked what their favorite food is what is the most common response in the United States? It’s pizza. Although pizza may be delectable, it is not the most healthful choice with the most popular variety, pepperoni, being high in saturated fat and sodium. April ushers in spring in full bloom and fresh greens are now available at our local markets.

It’s common knowledge that green leafy vegetables are great food choices, but we often pass them up for convenience foods, such as pizza. This month, we are bringing the green leafy vegetables to our pizzas in two healthy versions of flatbreads featuring fresh greens.

Arugula is an excellent source of fiber, immune system boosting vitamins A and C, bone-strengthening vitamin K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. It also has high levels of protein, riboflavin, thiamin, zinc, vitamin B6, copper and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).

Dandelion greens are commonly used in folk medicine. These bitter green leaves provide more than five times the daily value of vitamin K (the highest amount for any plant-based food). They also provide twice the amount of vitamin A. It is an excellent food for eye health, offering a flavonoid called zeaxanthin which may protect the retina from ultraviolet rays and resulting damage.

PEAR AND CASHEW FLATBREAD 4 pitas or naans, small 4 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 ½ cups fresh baby arugula 1 ½ cups fresh young dandelion greens 1 cup fresh baby spinach A few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction, if desired Roasted Pears (see below) Cashew Topping (see below)

ROASTED PEARS 2 pears, cut in ¼ inch slices 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon raw sugar 1 tablespoon olive oil CASHEW TOPPING 2 cups cashews, soaked overnight refrigerator, covered ¼ cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast In a blender, combine soaked cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth.

Set aside.

Toss pear slices in lemon juice and one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with raw sugar. Place on greased baking sheet and roast until golden, about 10 minutes at 400˚F. While the pears are roasting, rub the pitas or naans with olive oil; then spread minced garlic on each. Toast the pitas on oven rack at 300˚F for five minutes.

Remove from oven and spread with about ¼ cup cashew topping for each pita or naan. Then place roasted pears and greens on top. If desired, drizzle with balsamic reduction. Garnish with fresh thyme.

PARSNIP AND HUMMUS FLATBREAD 4 pitas or naans, small 4 teaspoons olive oil

HUMMUS TOPPING ¼ cup hummus 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¼ teaspoon cayenne ½ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon cumin Salt and pepper, to taste ROASTED PARSNIPS AND CARROTS 2 parsnips, cut in ¼ inch slices 1 carrot, cut in ¼ inch slices 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt Dash of black pepper In a bowl, toss parsnip and carrot slices with olive oil, salt, garlic and a dash of black pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes at 425˚F. While the root vegetables are roasting, rub the pitas or naans with olive oil; then spread minced garlic on each.

Toast the pitas on oven rack at 300˚F for five minutes.

Prepare hummus topping by stirring spices and lemon juice into hummus.

Remove breads from oven and spread with hummus topping. Then place roasted vegetables and greens on top.

Garnish with fresh parsley.

Food Facts foodfacts.mercola.com/arugula.html foodfacts.mercola.com/dandelion-greens.html www.nutritionix.com/food/pepperoni-pizza www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2018/09/27/ national-pizza-month-favorite-food/1430139002/

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager, recipe columnist and podcaster for Conscious Community Magazine. Visit www.janaejean.com or www.perennialmusicandarts.com for details about her other projects.

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[BOOK REVIEWS]

In Print Reviews by Kayla Hancock

Mind Detox:

Discover and Resolve the Root Causes of Chronic Conditions and Persistent Problems

Feeling Better:

by Sandy C. Newbigging (Findhorn Press, $16.99, Paperback)

Goodman Stulberg and Ronald J. Frey (New World Library, $17.95, Paperback)

Do you suffer from chronic pain, acne or insomnia? Do you feel like something isn’t right with your physical well-being but can’t seem to place a finger on what is wrong?

Sandy C. Newbigging helps readers clear years of mental toxicity from past traumas and unhealthy beliefs so that they can experience heightened levels of happiness and success. He shares five simple steps that help us dive into our unconscious so that we can come out renewed, focused, empowered and at peace with our bodies.

Dancing with Raven and Bear: A Book of Earth Medicine and Animal Magic by Sonja Grace (Findhorn Press, $12.99, Paperback) This book of tales written by Sonja Grace was inspired by both her Hopi and Norwegian roots. Grace inspires readers to reconnect with the Earth through her beautiful storytelling and original artwork that attempts to capture the divinity of nature. She discusses various similarities between Native traditions and Norse mythology and teaches readers to take responsibility for their actions so they can grow on a spiritual level.

The Woman’s Herbal Apothecary: 200 Natural Remedies for Healing, Hormone Balance, Beauty and Longevity, and Creating Calm

by JJ Pursell (Fair Winds Press, $24.99, Paperback) It’s no secret that methods of natural healing have been making a comeback for some time. JJ Pursell shares this in-depth, yet easy to follow—herbal medicine guide to help women treat common health issues. Pursell includes over 200 remedies which are organized by the major cycles of a woman’s life. This includes pre-childbirth, reproductive years, menopause, and beyond. Pursell’s comprehensive guide teaches readers how to make teas, tinctures, ointments, and more, so that they can take wellness into their own hands and avoid the negative aspects of standard medicine.

38

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Beat Depression and Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy by Cind

In recent years, we have grown accustomed to viewing and treating depression as a result of biochemical imbalances. Cindy Goodman Stulberg and Ronald Frey know that there is a lot more to unhappiness than that. For 20 years, Stulberg and Frey have been helping clients improve their lives using IPT or interpersonal psychotherapy which focuses on relationships. In this book, the authors help readers to deal with relationship issues that may contribute to their feelings of depression and provide tools to help them exceed goals and explore emotions.

Learning to Love

by Eileen Caddy and David Earl Platts (Findhorn Press, $12.99, Paperback)

It is common for humans to gradually put walls up around their hearts as they adopt more fear-based beliefs. Eileen Caddy and David Earl Platts use concepts derived from psychosynthesis to help readers explore attitudes and past experiences that block them from love. They provide powerful meditations and visualization exercises to help readers create lasting change that will allow them to receive and share more love and joy.

Chinese Astrology: 2019 Year of the Earth Pig by Donna Stellhorn (ETC Publishing, $17.99, Paperback) Find out if the Year of the Earth Pig will bring you the partner you are looking for, the wealth you are seeking, the home you desire, as well as the answers to many more questions with this comprehensive guide. Donna Stellhorn combines both Chinese astrology and Feng Shui advice to provide specific cures for each zodiac sign for the upcoming year. She also shares predictions for each month for every Chinese zodiac sign.

Kayla Hancock is grateful to be a part of this community. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Practitioner and certified Deeksha giver who enjoys working alongside her angels and spirit guides to bring more love, joy and compassion into the world.

Featuring in-depth conversations with spiritual teachers, healers, authors, entrepreneurs, musicians, artists and leading minds of the Conscious Community.

This Month: Bill Douglas, World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Upcoming:

Danielle Dulsky, The Holy Wild: A Heathen Bible for the Untamed Woman Edith Hall - Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life

Past Guests: Megan Griswold, The Book of Help

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DĞůŝƐƐĂ tŝůŚĞůŵ ,ĞŵƉ ĚƵĐĂƚŽƌ /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů &ŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ ĸůŝĂƚĞ WD

'Ž ƚŽ ǁǁǁ͘ ǀĂŶĂ,ĞĂůŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵ ĨŽƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŽŶ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Žƌ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ĂƌĞĂ Θ ĐŽŵĞ ƐĂŵƉůĞ ƚŚĞ Žŝů͘ / Ăŵ DĞůŝƐƐĂ /͛ŵ Ă ŚŽůŝƐƟĐ EƵƚƌŝƟŽŶŝƐƚ͕ zŽŐĂͬDĞĚŝƚĂƟŽŶ /ŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ Ă ,ĞŵƉ ĚƵĐĂƚŽƌ͘ / ŚĂǀĞ ĂŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĚŝďůĞ ƚĞĂŵ ŽĨ ĞŶƚƌĞƉƌĞŶĞƵƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ũƵŵƉĞĚ ŽŶ Ă ƌĂƌĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŚĂƚ ĞŵĞƌŐĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ůĞŐĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ,ĞŵƉ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ƌĞĂĚLJ ƚŽ ĂĚĚ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ƚŽ LJŽƵƌ ŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ŚĞůƉŝŶŐ ŽƚŚĞƌƐ͕ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ŵĞ ƚŽ ŚĞĂƌ ĂďŽƵƚ ǁŚŽůĞƐĂůĞ ĂŶĚ ĂĸůŝĂƚĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĂŶĚ ďĞĐŽŵĞ Ă ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ƚĞĂŵ͘

ŝŶĨŽΛĂǀĂŶĂŚĞĂůŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵ ϴϬϬͲϳϲϮͲϱϬϯϳ ǁǁǁ͘ĂǀĂŶĂŚĞĂůŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵ ΎtĞ ĚŽ ŶŽƚ ŵĂŬĞ ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂů ĐůĂŝŵƐ͕ ŶŽƌ ĚŽ ǁĞ ĐůĂŝŵ ƚŽ ŚĞĂů ƚƌĞĂƚ Žƌ ĐƵƌĞ ĂŶLJ ŝůůŶĞƐƐ Žƌ ŝŶũƵƌLJ